Newspaper Page Text
42
(D rig in al.
[For the Christian Index .]
RAMBLING THOUGHTS I’OR RAMBLING READERS.
NUMBER 11.
Mind now, J nm not writing for those of you, gentle road
ers, that peruse carefully every page and paragraph of I lie
Index —if you choose yon may pass over ; hut you shipping,
jumping, i ver-in-a hurry renders, just stop a moment, and
iiear what I have to say. I am writing this piece on the
I2th of January, 1849 —before it gets fail ly into type, it
may be February: do you think it quite too late to dwell a
little on new year’s themes? 1 think that suitable now
year’s allusions may be protracted i:i pood taste and to some
advantage till oven the middle of February.
There now, sec how I ramble; the foregoing lines wore
penned on the l'Jth, some rambling thoughts pressed in.
some unexpected business fell upon my hands and diverted
my attention, and it is now—l tme see—the 15th of Janua
ry. But 1 will now come back to the subject. We were’
to say something connected with the opening year; ami if
you will allow me, 1 will present you with some of the
thoughts, (as near as I can recollect,) of a rambling preacher
who delivered a kind of New Year’s sermon in our town on
the first Sabbath in January. I say rambling, though in the
sermon alluded to, he kept as closely to his text as preachers
ordinarily do. 1 cannot sav that he always does this.
Text, 1 Sam. vii. 12. “Hitherto hath the Lord hcl/icd vs.”
Israel, said the preacher, was in a condition of great peril.—
The Philistines pressed upon them, and they besought Sam
uel to make intercession to God in their behalf. Samuel of.
feted up sacrifices, prayed to heaven for deliverance; God
heard, and thundered with a great thunder upon the Philis
tines—they were discomfittcd—they were smitten before Is
rael. This was a signal event. It demanded grateful com
memorations. “Then Samuel took a stone and set it he.
tween Mizpeh and Shell, and called the name of it Rhone,
zor, (i. c. the stone of help,) saying, hitherto hath the Lord
liefp and us.” My hearers, God has graciously defended us
amidst the perils of the past years—a new year has opened
upon us-—and with what better sentiments can our hearts
signalize the occasion than the one embraced in our text.
“HiTilßliTO HATH THE LOUD IZEU'ED VS.”
I. In what respects lias the Lord helped us : and
11. What memorial should we erect to bis praise?
I. la what respects has the Lord helped us?
1. He Ims helped iis by inii; interim; another year to our tem
poral wauls. Our bn ad and water have not failed—needful
garments have been provided—ten thousand comforts Imvi
been continued to us. Is all this nothing ! 1 )oes it not illirs
irate the untiring watchfulness, the tender compassion of Je
iiovuli ? Jacob in Ids last hours speaks wiili peculiar emo
tion of God, us the Gad which had fed himulL hits .life />*<£. >'j
how ofleii and tenderly must God think of us, that we may
be defended against temporal evils.
2. God has helped us, in that lie has sustained us in our
afflictions. During the past year, some of you that I ad
dress, may have passed through sore and heavy trials. —
Had those been foreseen, in the anticipation they might have
seemed heavier than you could bear: yet they came, and
with them came the supports of God’s all-sufficient grace.—
You were not confounded. Heaven mingled its joy with
your grief,— the Lord helped you.
Another year Goil lias aided vs in our spiritual conflict.
The tire of grace bus not gone out. Our hope, our faith,
our love, our joy in God are su'd alive. Has God nothing to
do, but to cast the leaven of grace into our hearts and leave it
to take care of itself ? sis, vi rily, lie that by his almighty
power begins the work, by the same power must carry it on.
Against earth, and hell, and our own corruptions, lias he
carried on the contest in our bosoms another year—we have
hope this day—we have some spiritual comfort I trust this
day—as we are nearer heaven in point of time, so 1 trust wei
are somew hat nearer heaven in our pious ass ctious. In
this respect how gracious “ hath God helped us.”
4. The Lord has helped us as a church. He has brought
unsafely through trials, lie has heard our prayers and
comlorted our herns. Ile has poured out his spirit and con
verted souls. We were permitted to witness many pleasant
scenes the past year. A gqodly number were added to our
ranks. Have you forgotten, my brethren, those happy
youths that arrayed themselves upon those front seals, and
so pleasantly spoke of God’s goodness to their souls ! The’
Lord lias helped —ever blessed be ids name.
Is tiiore a sinner present ! surely God lias done much for
you in that another year he has interposed, and held you
back from perdition.
11. What memorial should we erect to the praise of God.
1. The memorial of grateful acknowledgment. Has God
helped us? Let usdwvil upon his favors. Let us recotim
his mercies with grateful, rejoicing hearts. “It is a good 1
tnmg to give thanks unto the Lord.”
2. Let us mingle holy penitence with the offerings of praise.
God is honored by the gratitude of his saints, nor is he less
honored by the saeritieesof broken hearts. Wo hnvesinn
ed. Much of our lime lias run to waste. How many wen
our follies and transgressions ol ihe past year. As God’s
mercies descendtd upon us, bow forgetful, how inconsider
ate were our lieu its.
3. Let us signalize the present occasion by the exercise of a
stronger coif done in God. lias God illustrated his mercy
and faithfulness to us by the blessings of die past year ! ami,
shall wo not begin this with a stronger falili in ins promises
—in Ids gracious providence —in his Son ? God s continued!
favor, demands augmented confidence, lias God fed us
auother year ? Let us believe that iie will feed us still.—j
Has lie supported us in our trials another year/ Let us j
Bust him lor support in all our future conflicts. lias he
gif HrWSffJR
i kept alive the work oi grace in our hearts another year ?
|;Let us indulge a more comfortable and practical assurance
1 than ever, that if w* are indeed the saints of God, we shall
i be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.—
Was the Lord phasd in mercy to Mesa us ns a church the
past year? Let us be encouraged to pray that this year lie
may “renew the tokens ol his favor.
4. Let us signalize the present occasion by making anew
and so won n consecration of ourselves to God. I desire my
self to do it—l will try to do it—my dear brethren, let us all
join in giving ourselves anew to the Lord. His mercies de
mand it. SiiN) my brethren is the Ebenezer—thc stone of
help—the mouunient to commemorate the goodness of God—
which it becomes us this day to rear. Come, rear the stone:
on one side write your praist. ; on the second side your re
pentance ; on the third youi faith, on the fourth your vow
j OF SOLEMN CONSECRATION.
And dying sinner, IJvr you no Ebenezer to raise to hea
ven ? 11..s God sparewnd blessed you another year—kept
you out ofliull aiiothecJMhar —continued to you the gracious
calls of the gospel another yi ar, and will you not thankfully
regard him tor all this Repent, believe, consecrate your
self to God through .fes is Christ ; then will the day be mem
orable to your souls, aid God will be Itonored by the Ebe
iii z r which you rats^
The above -skeleton embraces some of the thoughts pre
sented by the rumbling trencher, may they awaken a train
of profitable reflections in the bosom oi some rambling reader.
f D.
£ cle cl l ir.
MAGNIFICENT RAIL ROAD PROJECT.
A corn spondenl of tke Philadelphia Inquirer gives the fol
lowing abstract ol the stupendous scheme of connecting the
Mississippi with the Pudific by means of a Rail Road from
•Si. Louis to one of the Arts of California, the full details of
winch appear in the umitorial was presented to the
Senate, recently, by (ani. Houston, oTTexus: “v
“I si mi you the voiy able und important memorial of
Win. Bayard <Sc Comtyiny, presented ou*\jonday to the >Scifk|
ate of the United States—asking for u donation of twenty.five”
pinih-s ofPuldic Landp oiFeach side of a Rail Iload connect
ing the Pacific with ihe* Mississippi River, at St. Louis.—
The company propose do depositc with the Unitid States five
millions of dollars in Government securities, as a guarentec
that the Road shall he Completed within eight years after the
surreys arc made. Tie main trunk of this road will run
I','Oin St. Louis, on thorniost eligible route, to some port or’
’ ports in
proposed Rail Roadltothe Indian line—thence, through that
; State, Ohio, and lAgirfsylvauia, to Philadelphia; and with
Baltimore, by a Raillßiad from Columbus, Ohio, to Wheel
mg —and by luterul'■ids with Chicago, Sandusky, Detroir
‘Cleveland, Dunkirk, Bufl’ato and otli r towns on the Lain s5
—thence, to New York, Boston and Portland and the inter-’
mediate cities. As the navigation of the Upper Mississippi,
above the mouth of the Ohio, is often in winter, suspended,
by ice—a Rail Rond will be made connecting Cairo with:
St. Louis and tire Interior r.f Illinois—and also with the*
Rail Road low constructing from Nashville to CharlestonL
.iiid also Mobile and New Orleans. Thus you will see, that
every important city, and harbor on the Lakes and on the
j seaboard, will have a direct Rail Road connection with this
Road to the Pacific.
1 send you a valuable map, neatly printed by order of the
Senate to accompany the Report of lion. S. Breese front
the Committee of Public Lands, showing the rapid connec
tion with every part of the Union by Rail Road, construct
'd and projected with the proposed road to California, from
the mouth of the Ohio. General Bayard, who signs the
memorial, is, i learn connected with some of the most weal
thy families in this country and abroad, who are doubtless
;jassociated with him in this magnificent and important un
dertaking. 1 believe- therefore that, “thefunds” will be ob
tained— the / resell/ is the most auspicious time to identify
foreign capital with this great enterprise, owing to the abun
daiice ol money in Europe, tne rule of interest, and ihe inse
curity of national iiwesh;tents. 1 understand that the plan of
operation is, to require the whede sum necessary to complete
the work, say fifty millions ofdoliurs, to be paid in four instal
ments, for u hich script of coupons will be issued, bearing not
less than two per cent, interest per annum, secured Ly u
fund created from the capital itself, which Interest will be
increased from year to year by dividends arising from sales
of the lands, and from the income of the Road—thussecur
i ing to the holders of the scrip, the whole hut fit of the incest
meat. The control and management is to be vested in a
Board of i rustees, in tins country, to be appointed under
! charters obtained from Congress, and the States mid Terri,o
----t l ies through which the Road will pass, which will thus obri
i ate the great and universal objection of giving the control of’
a work of this magnitude and national character and irnpor
, tanee to foreign capitalists. They will have nothing to do in
>: the matter except to rect ive the proceeds ot the land as sold.’
and the income of the read for their investments, which to
gether, promises to be very large; for, under this arrange
ment, 1 understand, that, the lauds donated, will not be forced;
upon the market, but sold only to actual settlers, and at no:
iless than the government price of public lands. Os course.;
- the great value given to these lands, is the Rail Road made
through them, which offers access to markets and ports on
tlie Pacific and on the Mississippi. The income of the Road
■ also depends very much Ujuin the improvement of these lands.
In consequence, every 1 holder of scrip, whether in this,
• country, or abroad, will have a direct interest in promoting
•j emigration upon ihe lands and in their rapid development. |
>|| General Houston has introduced a resolution for the!
■ making of tills Road by the United States. Patronage of
I
such a work under government, with the expenditure of some
fifty millions of dollars in its construction, would be equal to
that of the late Mexican War. The memorial of Bayard
&c Cos., r* considered one of the most important and able doc
nrrients which has been presented this session, for the con
sideration of Congress. Its great length may prevent its be
ing generally copied into the papers of the day. It was re
ferred to the Committee of Public Lands—a report thereon, is
looked for with g*cui interest—as every line of Railroad in
the country will be more or less bem fitted by the termini of
this Pacific Road, being fixed, as it is at St. Louis.
ill or a l au li Ul l iuio us .
[ From the Boston Reporter .]
IMPORTANCE OF PREACHING THE DOCTRINES.
Time! was when the great doctrines of salvation were the
delight of tig; Christian church. Then, the earnest follow
ers of Christ sought to be edified by doctrinal knowledge, that
they might continue strong in tlie faith, and be proof against
the wily assaults of error. Those Were days of stability in
the church. Harmony and united action caused Pie mem
bers to feel and to act together. That spiritual nervousness,
so prevalent in the present age, and so hostile to a steady and
consistent walk with Christ, was almost unknown. But in
the later times, when the popular religious taste is so much ’
affected by the business and political spirit of the age, ntoro
exciting themes and style and manners are demanded of the
preacher. Perhaps, in those former days the minister of
Christ carried his doctrinal preaching to the extreme. But,
if one extreme was reached then, it is alarmingly true that
the other is reached now. It can be truthfully said of tho
great amount of preaching, “it is destitute of that solid doc
trinal instruction that lays the foundation of a consistent and
intelligent walk with Christ.” And, doubtless, the demands
of the people, rather, (bail the studied opinions of the clergy,
! lias wrought this c-Jjangeft men have become tired of ilm old
paths. ..(ihe boi ppdsrraJi” of the world has ciyen en
of God. As in ib<: >! .\ of railroads, it
: V xtfinely tedious for travelers to j..ur:!i vin ;he tardy
so ihe ||t cuing nnd restless religious spirit of tho
age makes it irksome lor the multitude to sit in the house of
<ld without preaching that is full of flashy thoughts ami c.\-
e’ ng appeals. The minister must put on nan st. am,”
im j dash on, Aigine-like, as if the church were going by rail
road to heaven. A calm and plain, discussion id essential
truths, appealing to the reason with power, docs not overcome
the somniferous tendencies of a listless multitude. The fee-
Hues must be aroused or the preacher be annoyed by nod.
ding heads and boisterous breathings. A spark must fly off
now and then from the flaming forge where genius beats out
(each sentence, and fall into the tinder-box ot pimsion. The
minister must be razor-sharp in sanctimonious
s a diamond ita stylo and irfanner, musical as’wflßNlflffnS”
‘intonations of his voice, now soft and gentle as an evening
v< sper in his appeals, anJ now grand and majestic as a tem
pest. His message must come not only in the “still small
Aoice,” hut amid thunders and lightnings.
EVER SINNING, EVER SUFFERING.
God is not unjust in punishing the sinner, so long as he
remains a sinner if his rebellion endure as long. And
what evidence have we that the rebellion of the finally im
penitent \\ill not endure forever?
\\ nut scripture do you bring to prove that it will not ?
1. 1 wiiat porti nos Holy \\ rit arc wo told of the repent.nice
of the lost in hell, and their ultimate return to God ! Here,
then, fur a moment, pause ; fill your imagination with ages,
and myriads ofages, till they < qua! in number the atoms that
compose the universe; and even this mighty calculation,
could you make it, would not measure the duration of thw
torments of tho damned. Oh, etern.ty, eternity! ’tis an aw
ful word, even amid tlie advantages and opportunities afford
ed us iu time; but no knell that ever struck to the heart of a
criminal on the morning of his execution, was half so dread
ful as that word must be to him, the duration of whoso mis
eries it too well expresses. The hireling watches w ith joy
the lengthening of the shadows, and retires to lose the toils of
the day in the bosoin of bis family and the slumbers of the
night; hut in this abode of torment there is no cessation—
not a moments cast'. ‘They are tormented day and night.’
Even death itself comes not to their relief; yet it is eternal
death tiny suffer; they are dying, yet can never die!—
i'ltey seek for i: as for Lid treasure ; hut the monster whom
they shunned on earth, slums them in hell, and, like a phan
tom, ever eludes tl.eir grasp. Even annihilation, from which
the mind shrinks back with horror now, would be a wel
come guest; but it must not be ; this last boon that despair
solicits is denied. No! they must not be annihilated; they
cannot die; they shall live forever—forever—in torment,
’ compared with which our most excruciating pain were ease,
I and tlie most terrible moral calamity a trifling accident. No
rav of hope is ever east upon the blackness of their despair;
no dawn of joy shall ever break upon their night of horror.—
i he distracted eye wanders over a vast abyss oftorment, and
Binds not a single resting place ! ‘Who,’ as he surveys the
1 dismal prospects, the unhappy wretch exclaims,‘Who shall
dwell with the devouring fire ?’ who shall dwell with tver
lasting burning ?’ But such is bis doom, and he must ecdura
it.— Dr. Raffia
Repentance. —Mrs. Mary Dickson, the Post-mistress of
I Lancaster, Penn., acknowledges through the letter-box tlte
receipt ot an anonymous letter, enclosing fifteen dollars in
I fold. The writer says—“lt was unlawfully taken from you
: about ten years ago, for which 1 ask y< ur forgiveness and
j|also that ot my God, in whose presence 1 expect soon to ap
.jpear.” The receipt of the letter is acknowle lg( dat the re
jjquest of the writer.
[.February