Newspaper Page Text
200
Original.
[For the Christian Index.]
SABBATH SCHOOLS.
Why is there so much apathy in relation to Sabbath
Schools? why is so important, so invaluable a means of re
ligious and moral culture so sadly neglected in many ofour
churches? In the little school with which lam connected
as teacher, though 1 am often cheered by the increasing in
terest manifested by the little boys and girls who assemble
there .Sabbath after Sabbath, ray heart is often pained in wit
nessing the utter indifference of those who could afford afn-j
pfe assistance,and whose children would reap the benefits
of such assistance. Can any individual, professing to be a’
follower of the “meek and lowly Jesus,” neglect so impor
tant a matter, consistently with his obligations to his Maker
and Ids fellow-men? Can he who professes to take Him
“who went about and >irg good,” as his example, treat with in
difference and coldness the Sabbath School ?
There are many children.whose parents are irreligious,
and giveilietrt no moral or religious instruction. Are such!
children to be’ left with fhlleor 119 effort made to rescue them!
from the same fearfol course that their parents are persuing,
end tho dreadful end that awaits thorn, unless they change!
t'mircourso ? Ought they to be left uneared lor, at that
tender age when the heart is most pliant, and impressions
inada upon it either good'or bid- are most lasting ? fire the
heart becomes hard, ere t fius learned nil the ways ot sin.
might it not to be pre-occupied by the seed of divine truth
which, “though it lie buried long in dust,” and the one who
planted it shall have passed to his reward, we may hope will
spring up in after years and produce n rich hurvest. We
have tho command of-God, “In the morning sow thy seed
and in the evening withhold not thy hand,” —and for our
encouragement the example of Christ, He took little chil
dren up and blessed them—and on one occasion he said,
‘'sutler little ohildren to come unto mu and .forbid them not,
for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”
1 think the happiness that children feel in thus having
friends and teachers who will instruct them, if there was no
higher incentive to action, is no meagre reward, for all I do
tor them. The happy, glad smile that always greets ino on
a.Sahbuth morning from each bright face ot my class, produ-,
ccs a heart fell pleasure f should be unwilling to be denied.;
I have been a teacher in the Sabbath School lorn number of
years, and whenever 1 have asked my scholars if they were;
interested in the school, if they loved to come ; O yes, has;
always been the reply, und when trying to gather in otte rs
who woro not members ofany school, if the question was
asked, if they would like to attend the Sabbath School, the
answer invariably bus been an affirmative.
Tho children that are now growing up, will soon become
actors upon life’s stage. Oh! how necessary that their
minds should he imbued with the pure, the holy, the divine:
truth* of the Bible. And whore can they belter gain siurljj
instruction than nthe Sabbath Sellout.
. have mot partpifs who*will teach them,) provided they have
■ competent teachers, who will not only merely ask the ques
tions their lesson contains, but feel it their imperative duty
to converse kindly aud feelingly with each of their pupils
upon tho necessity of a change of heart, the need they have
of a Saviour, and many oilier important points cotinecltd with
the salvation of the soul. “A mighty conflict seems to be
going on between truth aad error, arid especially between the
true church and tho man of sin. fc-übbath Schools must bear
an important part in this warfare. Here we must train up
young and valiant soldiers for tlio bloodless tight. Here
their weapons must bo burnished aud the whole panoply of
the gospel made in readiness, and these young soldiers week
ly trained to become skillful in their use.”
In conclusion, let me insert the following extract for the
encouragement of those who are laboring untiringly in the
.•Sabbath School for the good of their pupils, even though the
prospect is unpromising:
“A lonelier in ——, visited n neighborhood in an adjoining
town in the early part of the summer of . The neigh
liorhood is At a considerable distance from any plate of wor- i
,-ship. On making inquiry of a girl fourteen or fifteen years!
.<>( age, ho learned that lier parents did not attend meeting,
. and that she hud never attended a religious meeting in her
Jife. She believed her parents hud a Bible, but they did not
.Jlead it often, and she did not read it at alb This circutn
stance was related to another teacher, and these two breth
ren immediately took measures to establish a Sabbatii School
“in the district. They visited the families and mode arrange
ments, and the next Sabbath found tliem engaged in their \
new labors. Owing to much opposition, only fourteen at-!
■tended. l ? or a few weeks there were no additions. At
•length the number began to increase, and now, (in the au
tumn.) they count twenty.five scholars, half of whom are
•over tourieen yea rs of age. There is a deep interest felt in
the school on the jwrt of the scholars, and the teachers anx-.
<*usly wait and hope for better days.
Soon after the school was. established, one of the parents
•procured some of the Bible Society ’s cheap Testaments for
ms children who attended the school. A benevolent gentle
man on hearing the facts, purchased half a do7.cn New Tes
taments ami lett them at cue of the houses in the neighbor
hood to be sold at cost; or in proper cases to he given away.
Fftese were quickly disposed of—another halt dozen were
iionl dawn and were quiokly gone ; a third half dozen were
went, Imlf of which arc gone, and only one has been given
away, and that to the girl referred to above, who hud never
amended a religious meeting in-her life. Nineteen New
’ Vstamonls have thus been cirotilMcd in that small neigh
b-wliood, through the instrumentality of these teachers.”
Friends of the Sabbath Schools! look nt this fact, and then,
v accordance Ith the lustriiotion g'vcn is the parujble of the
‘ln9t p-
Saviour, “go highways and hedges, and compel 1
them to come S. A. A. C. |
* (
[For the Christian Index.]
Mr. Editor, —Equally desirous that truth may triumph
and prevail, whether you or 1 be honored with its perception
and advocacy, I shall, in this communication, reply to the
suggestions you have kindly offered, intimating that ! have
erred in some few particulars. In doing this, I expect to show
that in some lespeets. our dillerence is more apparent than
real; and that in others, it allows-me still to hope 1 shall fully
establish the facts, that God imparts spiritual life to sinners
j ill rough-the \\rord of Ids power—the gospel!—and under ‘.be
Icircumstancti of faith in, and obedience to Christ.
With these objects in view, it becomes necessary to state
clearly the groat proposition it is tny purpose fully to develope.
It is this:—“The Gospel of Christ is the power of God unto;!
(salvation, to every rme that believeth!” I bis announce- ]
; merit relieves me, without another word, from any wish to';
teach that men would, cr could, return to, and please God.jl
without the integwsition of his grace. But this announce-
I meat does still more—ij'places.the dillerence between us, on | i
this point, in a very clear light before us. While you. it.jj
general terms, ascribe spiritual life to Divine grace, I have!
,been pointing out the means by which Divine grace imparts ’
the blessing. We are therefore agreed in this matter, unless!!
you insist that divine grace acts without means, or, at least, \ j
witirout the means urged by me. I object not to your posi
jtiou—l only insist that the Gospel is tiie “grace of God,”*
interposed to effect the salvation of sinners. And to this in
istrumentality, to which 1 so pertinaciously adhere, I think,j!
|Witb deference and respect, you-will not object, when, in ad-1!
jdition to what has been before advanced, we consider the
-terms used by the Holy Spirit, descriptive of the nger.oy ol
the word of God in the regeneration of men. It deserves pro
found remark, (hat the Word or Gospel of God, is said to hr
jliis power unto ‘salvation—the word, the water, the bread, of,
life —the incorruptible seed of regeneration—the word of truth;
by which God begets his children—the sword of the Spirit—,
; Ac., Ac., (Sec. ‘ To the word of God, is ascribed the same;
works, as to the. Spirit of God, —“Thy Word, O Lord, hath
quickened me!” ■ “Thy statutes quicken me!”’ The Spirit ol
God, must put forth his almighty power in or tlnough tin-
Word of God. In fact, God does nothing in creation or re-j
deinptbn without his word/ By it He creates-! He.sustains!
He regenerates! The Gospel must then be the medium
j I through which God imparts spiritual life to sinners.
This point being adjusted, may 1 not ask if there is-not j
I I something incongruous in saying that all men will reject the
| j Gospel ot God’s grace ? By what other instrumentality does?
ilie Holy Spirit change the heart? Through what other
j medium does God impart life to the dend?f This is Ins mighty
power, whereby ho elevates our minds to heaven, warms our
Hearts with love to God and man, and fills our souls with]
M hopes oflife, bliss, and glorv forever more !—and yet wo will*
reject it! ThqAmusl be some fatal live* TW
Ml.'W.f'does'not .v*Ra ft*,: With him it is, that n”n “Inve’ nnTR
m-ss rather than light, because- their deed are evil,” that
| keeps them from coming to the light. It is not that the light;
! does not shine, nor that something is wanting to point out the
; light. On the contrary it is, that tho “god of this world hath’
blinded the minds ol them which .believe not, lesi the light ol
| the glorious Gospel ofUhriai, wlio-is the image of God, should
! ino unto them.” Man reject pardon of sins, the gift of the;
-I Holy Spirit, and life everlasting, with joint inheritance with
. I’lu ist in all tho riches of God ! This is unquestionably
, the work ol the Devil—it is lie, that “worketh in the children
. lof disobedience.*.’ ;
Hut then# are intimationsllmt thedoctrino ofelection would
ihe in danger on the principles 1 have advocated. Let ih see.i
Men A're elected in, not out of Christ—and the rebellious andj
disobedient are not in Christ. Os course if the Gospel only
icon introduce men into Christ, the Gospel only is the instru l
meat or menus of * lection. Again, “God is no respecter of!
persons,”—but ho is a respeotor of character —(or, “m every
i; nation he tlnu fearatli him, aßd worketh righteousness, is ac
jjcepled of Inin.” Well, we are accepted fa the Beloved,”’
i not out of him—and the unrighteous are not in him, and it is
ijoiily through the man ns of grace that they will become willing'.
| to enter into this relation. Even the saints.of the inspired,
record, were “seul*d with the Holy Spirit of promise after
[that they believed.” Such is the will and the procedure of!
Him, “w ho worketh all things after the counsel of his own
will,” and who, in consequence, the Apasile says, “hath
chosen us in him (Christ) before the foundation of the world,
jthat we should be, liMy and without blame before him in love.”
•jj In passing to another part otour subject, it gives me much
| pleasure-to think l can show a perfect agreement between
;i us.. 1 agree with you that much is done for men before, and
;u order to obedience. Yes, in nature, God’s tender mercies
. are over all bis works—He is the I 'Saviour of all men—His
i rain falls, and His sun shines upon all alike—He gives
*ln a sentence just above, our Brother says, ha bad been!-
pointing out the mean* by wliich Dtivino Grace imparts the!’
blessing. Here lie insists that the Gospel is “the. Grace of)
l God.” If he means here the same that he states above, viz :j
j t hut the Gospel is the means of Divine Grace, there is nodis-l
I agreement between us. VVe suppose he does se, for he savs!
below, it is the sword of the Spirit, &c. Now the sword is]
one thing, and the Spirit ts another. The sword is the means
j and the Spirit is the agent. As the sword without the hand]
.or. agent would effect but little, so with the word without the!
‘Spirit.
f Will our Brother contend thaf God’s word always im
parts life to the dead? What then does God moan when he!
says, “I called and ye refused ?” What-did our Saviour
Imean by the way side, the stony ground, and.the thorny
ground hearer of his word, in the parable of the sower .1
them fruitful seasons, and fills their hearts with food and
gladness; and in grace, “He commends his love to us, in*
that'while we were yet sinners, Christ died for U3”—tasting
“death for every man”—and making a “propitiation for the
sms ot the whole world;” —While we were yet rebels, the
Gospel was preached to us. Ac., fee. Now on the other hand,,
you will agree with me, that notwithstanding all this love, .
all these overtures of mercy, all these wooings ofkindness,
the wicked will certainly, inevitably perish, unless they re
pent! The provisions of grace are for the wicked and per
verse, but they will not profit them unless they voluntarily
partake of them. And I too will refer to Ps, 110: 3, to jus
tify my conclusion. In this Psalm we have a vision of the
glories of Messiah’s reign or kingdom, and in the third verse,
an express declaration, that Jus people then, shall be “wil
ling,” that is, “volunteers—freely and liberally presenting
iibemsclves and their oblations ;” —they shall be “volunteer*
( in the beauty of holiness !” 1 know of no other interpreta
jtion of this passage, aud i( it be wrong I will thank you to
ittivc me a better, but if it lie right* how ndrnirably it harmo*
’dzes vvitli all the fact* of the Gospel on this subject,—with
.11 its invitations and rhrentnings—and with the Lord's own
explanation of the matter. “Mary hath chosen that good
part,” Ac., Ac. Men must choose or refuse voluntarily.*
or the results cannot be what the Bible describes.
In the last place, I would simply disclaim any intention of
bringing God under obligation to make his rebellious subjects
•‘willing” to obey him, and of suspending their responsible
By upon his doing it, if it was not that I cannot neglect the
occasion it gives me, still further to develope our vitally im
jportant subject. Allow me then, to say, that it was love
i which originated the plan of salvation; and it was love
which gave divine efficiency to ths'mvens intended to effect
it. Now we-do know that God doeSjaJstoujjh these means ol
I bis appointment, make so.ne mere •'stoiftjtigfjtb obey him;,
and we also kuow, that He uses the very same in rant to ci
ted this willingness in others, lor He commands his
— the word of life —to be “preached to every creature”
“lor the obedience of faith.” We also know that, so bound J
less is His compassionate love (or sinners, He is “not wtlJ
ling that any should perish, but that all should c -mo to re-1
pentance;” and by ull this we must be positively assured,!
that no influence can be withheld, nt all consistent with tnel
spiritual change to be etilteted. ■ The m -ni.s are adequate t>|
-the end, and where the,re-is a. failure, the fault is in thyattu
with whom it occurs. • ‘
With ail these facts herb re us, I claim lor men
to be influenced by God, as readily as the disobeij:e:,FHHH|
;!lueneed by the wicked one—to believe God who
as easily as they believe men who can—and to do good mi
der God, with as much facility, as the wicked do evil
the Devil.§ With respect and love, yours,
“STRIVE
jt This is true. A//, men inAstate of nature rJfusM volun
“vg-rrmi tmo, Ac. ivin-mg whom also we all had our e-m
----versatbn in time past, in the lust of oyr''flesh, fulfilling ti.
desire of the fi-'*h end of the mintlj and were by nature the
children of wrath even as others. On the other hand those
that ary quickened by Divine draco, choose; equally os ml
untari/y the good part, being made willing by Divine power.
§lt is in aecdwtance with the nature of those wire a- aand
in trespasses aud sins, to Walk according to th - prince of the
i power of the air, or as our Brother savi, to do evil undei the
Devil. It is in accordance with the nature o f those only who
are quickened, to do good under God.—Ell. l.\’D. *• .
mll !■■■— ■Jjt.t in 1 111 1 r.sn * uwwj.’ now i hhii ißfcn
€ 0 m :n c r t i a l.
Liverpool, August 25.—Business h .s been steady in all
branches of trade. Since the sailing of the t.'ahdonia there
have been large transactions iu Colton. Market unchanged.
The accounts per Europe and favorable news (rotn India,
caused an advance of jd. in all descriptions, hut at the close
of the week the market was weaker, and price* .were main
tained with difficulty. The sales ol the wyjek ranch 67.000
(bales,of which speculators took 33,000, 6,506
: bules. ,
ij The Committee quote fair Upland si}d.; fair Mobile 5Jd.,
hand fair Orleans s;|d. The slock 00 itandis 073,0U0 bales,
j j against 587,880 last year.
Breadstuff. —The Grain Trade,is dull, American wheat
7s. 2d. for white and 6s. 4d. fur redo. Flour is lower. West
hern Canal is quoted at 235. Gd. to 21s. Baltimore and Ohio
245. Gd. to 255. Corn is steaJy at 255. Gd. to 2Gs. 6d.—
white scarce at 28s. to 28s. Gd.
Charleston - . Sept. 6.— Colton. —TKa sales to-day reach ,
800 bales, making the sales of the week f oot up 3,“Off bales,
at prices ranging from 8 to 10A cents. The receipts arc
Jjonly 1700 bales. The market closes firm, Fully fair is
jlqqoted at 10 a lOJc. The receipts of hew cotton are only •
|| 15 bales, against 125 last year.
Charleston, Sept. 6.— Cotton. —Sales on Friday and ;
amount to 400 hales, ut from.B to 10j| cents. No •
jjohange in pricea..
August a, Sept-. G.— Colton. —There has been some in
| quirv for Cotton, both yesterday and to-day. Sales of about
450 bales, were made at full prices.. The receipts of new
- Cotton have been about 50 bales; about 30 bales have been
; soldsiuce our weekly report,.at from to 9$ cents, princi-.
i I pally at 91 cents.. The quality of the parcels received have
J;been from middling fair to fair.
>!i Freights —The Boats and the Bail Road hav’e been doing
• ja heavy business in up freights, and a fair business in down
freights. About 1.200 bales have been shipped since the
{lst lust. .
[September