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Contributed
OUR BRIGHTSIDE LETTER.
The Green and the Gold.
These autumn afternoons the green
and the gold are spread across the lawn
and far over the fields. Together they
make the world most beautiful in the evening
hour. It is the field of the cloth of
gold, richer than that one laid for kings
and knightly courtiers, after the toil and
care of the day, a royal robe is found for
an evening dress. The golden light from
the sunset skies lives beside the shaded
cvi?nnn QA Horlr onH rir?H
If the green is of the earth itself, this
light of gold, amber and mellowing yellow,
is the generous gift of the skies,
holding the green earth in its embrace,
enriching and beautifying before the
night claims it. Without the heavens
above, the light, the power and the
warmth they give, the world would be
poor, indeed, a lonely desolation and a
barren waste. It is the vast and beautiful
gifts of the skies, golden as the sunlight,
which make the fields fruitful and
then cover all with beauty.
In the world of our humanity, as well
as in the inanimate fields, all is desolation,
devoid of beauty, without the life
and light, the grace and power of the divine.
Around the world our humanity has
nothing of good fruit and nothing of true
and lasting beauty, save where the divine
comes down and comes in to animate
and bless. Where the light of God
comes down, where the gold of heaven is
given to men, there is fruitfulness and
growth upward and moral order and all
spiritual beauty we ever see on earth.
Thpn is thp world erreen and the eolden
heavens rest upon it. In the green and
gold, "heaven and earth both seem to
meet."
It is God and man, the divine and human,
that must come together and work
together to make the world better, rich
and fair. It is the lofty calling of each
Christian believer that he is to be coworker
with God in the salvation of the
world. The sword of the Lord and of
Gideon leads out to battle and to victory.
The little brown barley loaves we
bring, "What are they among so many?"
bui me i>oru accepuj auu auus uis power
and grace and the multitudes are fed
abundantly. "By the grace of God I am
what I am, yet not I, but the grace of
God which was with me."
We only see the divine on earth, as
it is in the human, the gold resting on
the green. It is by regenerated man,
sanctified by God's spirit, quickened into
a divine life, that the light of God's love
iB shed abroad in the world. And is it
true also that in the evening of each
man's life, the mingling of earth and
heaven is richest and most beautiful?
"At evening time it shall be light."
When "the Word was made flesh and
dwelt among us," there was the union of
Ood and man, which is "the mystery of
the Godhead bodily." The incarnation is
the revelation of God and his amazing
PRESBYTERIAN OF THE SOUT1
love, the condescension most marvelous
and adorable, the invitation to us to
come back, and the promise and power
of a reunited heaven and earth, the green
and the gold of God and man. Each evening
has its golden message and its
promise before the night comes on.
J. P. 8.
RECOLLECTIONS OF THE PRESBYTERY
OF MEMPHIS.
i ue zeui uiitimesmu u.v iub tuunuea
soon after the war, mentioned in a former
article, was particularly gratifying.
All the churches were soon supplied with
regular ministrations of the Word, Sunday
schools were organized, and in many
ways spiritual revival was shown. It is
regretted that dates and full names can
not be given in these reminiscenses;
however, the facts, with the lessons
drawn from them, it is hoped will be
both interesting and profitable. At a
meeting of the Presbytery in the Hickory
Withe church, Rev. John S. Park was
chosen moderator, and as was the cus
com, preacnea on saDDatn. An immense
congregation of the country people
gathered, and it was very noticable that
there was disappointment shown by
many that a young man, as his personal
appearance made them think, was to
preach. ' It was, however, only a few
minutes after he began, until there was
pleasurable disappointment. Using as
his text, "As Moses lifted up the serpent
in the wilderness, so must the Son of
man be lifted up. Mr. Park drew a picture
of the scene of the camp of Israel
and so graphic was his description of
the smitten victims, that many felt, as
one body expressed it, "The chill of the
viper's crawl." This sermon was long
remembered, but Mr. Park could never
be persuaded to repeat it. Of the ministers
present at this meeting, Rev. John
S. Park and Rev. W. E. Boggs, D. D., are"
the only ones now living.
One of the interesting items of business
at Presbyteries in those days was
the examination of candidates for license
or ordination; or of applicants for
membership on certificates from other
Presbyteries. The old time Presbyterians
were accustomed to be present on
these occasions, and men, women and
children gave strict attention to these
examinations, and doubtless profited
thereby. Relative to the examination of
Dr. W. E. Boggs on his. joining the
Presbytery of Memphis, the writer remembers
that it was very exhaustive,
and evidently intended for the edification
of the younger members of Presbytery,
as well as for the congregation
A _
yrcDcuu AU UIU uiau wuu uau uaiouuu
to the entire examination was heard to
remark, "That man's mother certainly
fed him on the catechism, as a good
starter."
The dreadful scourge of yellow fever
In 1878 in the city of Memphis and surrounding
country took off many of God's
people from the earthly service to that
of the other world. . Among these were
Rev. ?. ?. Bowman, of the Memphis
First church; Rev. Wm. Johnson, Ala
Ei. October 6, 1909.
barna Street church; Rev. Dr. John H.
Rice, of Mason church; and Rev. Frank
Howell, of the Sumerville church. These
fell while nobly standing at their posts,
and left a heritage of sacred memories
to their pastorates and the church generally.
For some years previous to this,
there had been a happy state of brotherly
intercourse among the ministers and
the various churches. Frequent protracted
meetings were held by the ministers
assisting one another, and religious interest
was verv marked. Yo\inc men
were offering themselves for the ministry,
the meetings of presbytery were well
attended, and proved to be occasions of
spiritual uplift to the churches where
these meetings were held. An intimate
acquaintance had grown among the
churches with the ministers of the presbytery,
so that deep interest was felt
for each individual minister during that
long protracted season of sorrow. When
it was over, there was not only great rejoicing
that all the under shepherds had
stood by their flocks, but also sincere
admiration for the men themselves and
deep-felt gratitude to God for such no
ble examples of Christian heroism.
Incidental. At a meeting of Presbytery
the sermon on Sabbath morning was
most profoundly solemn, and was followed
by the sacrament of the Lord's Supper
fittingly observed. That day the
minister who preached, and a number
of other members of presbytery, were
entertained at one of the old'time country
homes. There were also a number
of young persons in the company. To
the surprise, not to say . the worst of it,
this minister, who had during the morning
deeply impressed all the hearers
by his eloquent handling of the divine
truth, at the table and. during the afternoon
monopolized the conversation by
relating experiences, and telling amusing
anecdotes, and not at all indicative of
spiritual feeling or Sabbath day reverence.
This incident was indeed unusual,
for the memories of the meetings of
presbytery are of sweet Christian fellowship
and religious conversation that in
point of privilege are found no where
else.
Grateful was I that I was permitted to
revisit the scenes of former days and
meet many old friends. Better still to
call up blessed memories. What besides
memories can we certainly lay up for future
pleasure?
Correspondent.
Natural religion, the religion of human
reason, though perfected and commended
by the wise and supported by the powerful.
withers even In the genial atmosphere
of State patronage. Revealed re-,
llgion, the religion of the Bible, the rellfflnn
nf fha ornnlfloH Phrlof flnnriaVoa
amid the severest persecutions and sur
vlves even the stabs and betrayals of its
pretended friends. The amazing difference
is to be traced to the Cross of
Christ: to the Jew a stumbling block; to
the Greek foolishness; but to them who
are saved, the wisdom of God and the
power of God. /