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J. F. DAGG, Editor.
VOL m.~New Series, Vol 19.
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Christian Index . those which relate to advertisements, to Mr.
James T. Blais.
From the Christian Intelligencer.
A RESPONSE FROM THE PEW TO
THE PULPIT.
“Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and
with many tears. Therefore watch, and remember
that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn
everyone night and day with tear*.” —Acts xx. 19,31.
Dear Pulpit— You have done well in
raising the cry yon have. It has reached
our cars, and we hope our hearts also. We
feel guilty and self-condemned under a con
sciousness of the lack of that spirit of u ef- |
/actual fervent prayer,” which you so feel- j
ingly and forcibly recommend. We admire
your earnest and affectionate spirit, for it
calls to our mind the spirit of our Divine
Lord when he wept over Jerusalem, and
the spirit of the beloved Paul when he said, j
‘•I ceased not, by the space of three years,
to warn every one day and night with
tears.”
The intimate relationship, dear Pulpit, 1
and mutual sympathy between you and us,
call for and jttsiify faithfulness, love, and
tender expostulation. As it becomes you,
you have magnified your office by giving
Utterance to the loud cry that has reached
us; and it is in no spirit of recrimination
that we would respondent rather iti obe- j
dience to the injunction of tire apostle, “Let !
us consider one another, to provoke unto
lore and good works.” “Exhort one an- 1
other daily, while it is called to-day; lest
any of you be hardened through |
fulness of sin.” . ; * *'}
■ Permit us, then, With due deference and ;
humility, to suggest two .or tlwee things
which deeply interest us, and about which
tr# often speak amongoursgjyes, amd prob
ably sonic times complain in a wrong Spirit,.i
And, Ist, The general want of deep feeling
inf tearful earnestness in tire pulpit.—
as He stood and wept over irnpenitehfalfd
unbelieving Jerusalem? 0, where shall rye
find the pulpit bathed'in tears, and lending
forth those hearlpiefcing cries which once
emanated from the compassionate Saviour
aa he descended the* Mount of Olives?— j
Many,pews, like Jerusalem, are'filled with
impenitent and unbelieving souls; hut where
is‘the weeping pulpit? where the tearful
expostulations that Jerusalem once heard?
We have no reason to complain that the
gospel is not preached, or that Christ and
Him crucified are not proclaimed as the sin- 1
tier’s only hope; but we do feel tfiat these
sublime and affecting truths afe too much
discussed in a cold and formal manner, that
fails to reach our hearts and toucli onr feel
ings. The sinner’s exposure to eternal
death is indeed pointed out, but not with
tears of sympathy, and the deep feeling of
Paul when he said, “I have greet heaviness
and continual sorrow in my heart; for 1
could wish that myself were accursed from
Christ, for my brethren, my kinsmen accord
ing to the flesh.”
The old Roman adage, though not in- ;
spired Scripture, is yet moral truth, and
therefore perfectly consonant wiih Scrip
ture, and contains a scrap of mental philos
ophy worthy of the serious consideration of
the pulpit. It is this: “Si vis meflere,Jlen
dum est tibi.” In English: “If you wish ;
me to weep, you must weep yourself.”—
The pew is easily affected by the pulpit.—
The current of feeling, like that of water,
easily and naturally flows downward, but ]
requires great force to make it go in the
contrary direction. We have seldom, if
ever, seen the pulpit in tears, without meet
ing with a watery response from the pew.
This matter is well understood and constant
ly acted upon by the theatre, the forum,
and the bar; and there are higher and ho
lier reasons why ihc pulpit should take ad
vantage of a deeply-sealed principle of our
taoral nature. Doctrinal points, treated i
though they may be with critical accuracy,
land polished by the midnight lamp, are not
generally sharp enough to penetrate the
hard and unbelieving heart.
Learned essays, though head with pol- j
Ishcd grace and magisterial authority, are
taerertheless powerless to reach and affect
the hsart, because so generally wanting in
that true and deep feeling in the pulpit
which seldom fails to strike a sympethetic
cord in the bosom of the pew.
2d. Agonizing prayer to God in the
study for bis blessing in the pulpit. On this
subject we would speak with more diffi
dence than on the preceding, and would
merely propose it to tire pulpit as a matter
of serious self-egamination. Does the study
frequently and constantly witness th eagony
■of its occupant in ardent prayer to God for
his blessing on his ministrations in the pul
■pit? Does the closet hear the oft-repeated
declaration of the holy and determined
wrestler of old. “I will not let thee go un
less thou bless me?” The importance of
the fervent prayer of the righte
ous man” is us great and necessary in the
gttidy and the pulpit as it is. in the pew.—
®fje Cjjristijm $
I Not to refer to Scripture, which is lull of
precepts and examples on this subject, per
! mit us to call to your mind a saying of the
prayerful and mighty reformer, “Bene
orusse'est bene studuisse.” “To have pray
ed well is to have studied well.” H our
ministers prayed in their studies as they
should do, would not their faces shine iu
| the pulpit somewhat after the fashion of
Mosos’ face when he came down from the
; mount? Would not their words ho like
burning coals, that wouil kindle aflame in
j the pulpit andsetthe pews on fire? Pardon
1 us for speaking so freely; but love compels
us. Is it not so? Are not cur suspicions
founded on fact?
3d, and lastly. A lack of faithful pasto
ral visitation. We have often heard your
penitent confessions in your clerical meet
ings, on this subject, and therefore need say
nothing of the duty concerned. You have
yourselves prescribed the duty, and bound
yourselves to its performance by stringent
rules and no slight penalties. The church
es heartily approve of those rules, and arc
prepared to welcome your presence in the
family circle, when you come ou your ap
propriate business. When have we frown
ed upon, tuul kid you depart, if you have
entered our dwellings to search out the lost
sheep of the house of Israel? Instead of the
language of reproach, do you not generally
hear such language as this: “Thank you,
sir, for this visit; come again soon?” How
many stricken ones, how many burdened
souls may there be, who are sighing to
themselves, and saying, “O, that the minis
ter would come and tell me what I must do
to be saved!” It is not enough to reply,
that from the pulpit you do tell sinners what
to do. Anxious souls need explanations
that you do not often give from the pulpit;
and they need immediate attention; where
as months .might elapse, in the ordinary
course of your pulpit ministrations, without
touching on the peculiar difficulties that be- !
set many minds in their first religious exer
cises. We love the pulpit—it is indispen
sable tp our spiritual edification and growth ;
in grace. We love the dignified and au
thoritative teachings of the sacred desk, but j
we also love to hear the •familiar conversa
tion of the pastor, in the family circle, ami
the outpourings of” his heart at the family
altar.
Finally, dear Pulpit, we have heard your
*ry, andihank you for it. Cry again, and
i.om, and spake not. Suffer also your word
of* Sh -. rTa t tort*an#affiWw JSty- Wf
tua) support and comfort to each other, is
the sincere prayer of M any Pews.
From tlie.New York .Recorder.
LETTER FROM THE CAPE OF GOOf)
. * . k HOPE. ;
* Satdbdav, October 20. fSSO.
Mr. Editor: —About nine o’clock tJais
morning the faint oullines*of distant trmuji- i
tains were perceived, to the groat joy of all
on board. Massy clouds Imng over the
horizon and so enveloped their summits,
that it was near mid-day before their dark,
rugged sides were clearly discernible to the
naked eye. All study and all reading was
laid aside. More than one or two said, in
silent whispers,“There is the Cape of Good
Hope.” To us “how appropriaie the name
Good Hope.” Even the pale, feeble, and
emaciated felt the inspiration of Hope. —
Before six in the evening, we were so
near laud as to sec the surf rolling and
breaking at the base of Table Mountain
and the Lion’s Head, while their summits
were hid among masses of white clouds.
Soon wc had Green Point on our right and
Robin Island on oar left, with a gonilebreezc
pushing us up the harbor. Green Point
has tiie Lion in the hack-ground, and is a
delightful spot. It was cheering to see a
broad, beautiful carriage-road along the
sea-shore, and here and there cottages sur
rounded by shrubbery and ornamental trees.
To see the lights shining from the windows
brought up a thousand pleasing associa
tions. We rounded a point, passed two
light-houses, and brought the city in view;
but a strong wind coming down Irom Table
Mountain swept the bay, and after snug
gling long to reach anchorage in vain, her
head was turned to the sea. Lord’s day
morning we wore some fifteen miles out at
j sea. Two large ships were seen in the
distance coming in, and about noon they
I passed by us, went up the bay, and gained
| the harbor. It was not till Monday about
i one o’clock that our anchor was let go.
Tho captain immediately went off to the
1 town in one of tho ship’s boats, but the re
-1 quest of Mr. Wade to allow some of ihc
| passengers lo go with him was refused.
! By three o’clock we succeeded in engaging
\ a boat that came alongside, and all the men
(seven of us) went into the city, and at
once inquired for boarding-houses, that wo
might as soou as possible bring the s'ck
1 and suffering on shore. This done, we
< hastened to a market stall and procured
i some beef, bread, and potatoes, for the
suffering women and children. For two
months they had tasted nothing (except a
scanty meal on the Sabbath) but the vilest
ship’s fare. Several were reduced to ex
treme feebleness, not only for want of all
suitable nourishment, but from breathing
the impure air of an un ventilated ship for
so many ureeks. It was painful to see
with what eagerness they devoured the
beef and potatoes. By the middle of the
afternoon on Tuesday, we were all comfor
ably fixed in two boarding houses. Dr.
Dawson lost no time iu calling medical
Penlicld, Georgia, Thursday, ISIL
’ counsel to advise with him in reference to
some of the ladies who had formerly suffer
ed much from the climate of India.
October 30, ISSO.
I cannot express to you how much we
have been delighted and refreshed hy the
Christian sympathy and cordial welcome
we have received in this African c'ty. Mr.
and Mrs. Vision are the only persons of
! our number who had evci been here before.
Ministers, and other Christian friends, gen
glemen fend ladies, called in rapid succes
sion, inviting us to their houses, and offer
l m us their carriages, and tendering all
sorts of aid in their power. Among the
first who called on us, I will mention Mr.
Morgan, pastor of the Scotch church, Dr.
Adamson, President of the South African
College, Mr. Thompson, for several years
missionary in India, but now pastor of a
i church in the ciiy-and superintendent ofall
! tlie London Missionary Society’s Misdon
in South Africa; Dr. Fore, pastor of one
of the Dutch churches—his church will seat
about three thousand people and is gener
ally full—the organ iu his church cost
525,000 iu Germany. We became ac
quainted with several other clergymen, iti
j jelligent, amiable, and evangelical men.
The religions anniversaries for South Af
rica have taken place since our arrival,
and we were pressed into the service of
every one ol them—Bible, Tract, and two
Missionary Societies. Their reports indi
cate an encouraging degree of success in
funds and in successful labors. 1 was
struck with one feature iu the report of the
Bible Society—it was tho large number of
Female Auxiliary Bible Societies iu all
parts of the Colony. At all these public
meetings, although there was a large num
ber of ministers present, 1 noticed that lay
men took a very active part. Many of
the speeches were made by physicians,
lawyers, and statesmen, A distinguished ,
Baronet made one of the most effective j
speeches before the Bible Society; for sim
plicity and pure evangelical sentiment, it
could not he surpassed. He portrayed iu
an inimitable manner the venerable patri
.arch, surrounded by his family, reading (lie I
ohl family Bible. If you should ask me,
“Who on the whole do you regard as the
most distinguished man*” I should say,
without hesitation, Dr. Adamson, President
of the South Africa College, lie is one of
the most rapid, the same time one of
I the most logical spoakclrs. lie abounds in
HWiToAi-a*..; nml-ihay.. ara alLjßkfll from
natural science. He digs deep ISnd lays a
: foundation of massy granite*ant) you arc*
all tlie time as imicli interested in seeing*,
him lay the foundation as you are in seeing
him rear the noble edifice.
Dr. Arhurtlinot is President of one of the -
M issiouary Societies, and made the opening ;
speech, lie spoke in a low tone of voice
and without any action, blit bis enun
ciation was remarkably distinct; and a
sweet, heavenly unction pervaded the entire
speech. One lact came out in these meet
ings, highly creditable lo the ministry in
the city: Once or twice in the year they
make tours through destitute neighbor
hoods, visiting families during the day and
preaching in some cottage in the evening.
This is gratuitous labor. Their tours are ;
performed mostly on horseback, and the j
ministers informed me that they came back !
refreshed in body and in spirit. The Rev.
Mr. Morgan took us through the public j
gardens. The grounds are laid out and i
planted with great taste; the trees, plants,
and flowers have been collected from al
most every part of the world, mostly from
Europe, Africa, and India. It was pleas: n
to see the palrn of India and the oak of
Europe growing side by side; (lie hannnna
of Ceylon and the fig of Italy mingling their
fuilage together; the orange of Africa and
the cedar of Lebanon holding each other
hy the hand. Just hack of these grounds,
and in a large compound planted with or
namental trees; stands the South African
College. Dr. Adamson took us through
the rooms. The museum is rich in African
natural science, especially in geology.—
The library is meagre. Dr. Adamson’s
private library is vastly superior to the Col
lege library. In the Exchange Buildings is
a public library and a public reading room,
and both are creditable to the city. The
city is supplied with the purest and best of
water brought from Table Mountain, and
convevcd through every street and into
every house, in pipes. All the buildings
are constructed of stone or brick, and flat
roofs, with parapets rising from one to
three feet; very few buildings are more
than two stories, but each story is from 15
to 18 feet high. There arc no side-walks,
and the streets, instead of being paved with
stone, arc Macadamized, and are remarka
bly neat and clean. You see here a strange
mixture of the European and Oriental style,
habits and costume. Yon see also every
shade and color of the human race, from
the clear, sandy complexion of North Bri
tain to the jet black of Negro Land, and all
sharing the same civil, religious, and polit
| ical rights. Mr. Jackson, formerly a slave
in Virginia, ran away when fourteen years
old, spent several years on board ship, and
; finally settled in this city, and commenced
business in a small way; he has amassed a
large property, and is now one of the most
extensive dealers in the Colony. He is also
a devoted Christian. You see here that in
domitable spirit of liberty that murks the
Anglo-Saxon character every where. Some
time since, the mother country resolved on
THE TBtnr** zaLXov?.
making Africa pefta! settlement,
und sent oft Ship loaded with con
victs. Th* remonstrated, hut
ilie Government waft firm. When petition
and remonstrance faded, public meetings
were called,and the people formed a league,
pledging themselves not to sell a single
article ot food to the Government, and com
mittees were appointed to see that this was
carried out lo lire letter. No persuasion or
bribery or threat could obtain even a bushel
of potatoes* The Government were com
pelled to send the convicts away lo save
them from starvation. The course taken
try itreHwhtmj'wiUs seeweNto-.lia ve foeen the
only feasible plan for saving their country
Irom the ruinous influence that must have
followed if South Africa had been made a
penal settlement. It is cheering to think
that a f.uudation is laid in South Africa
for a gr<nt Anglo-Saxon nation. Its bor
ders will he continually enlarging north
and cast, between the Atlantic and Indian
Oceans. Large numbers of the natives are
becoming Christianized and civilized. Mis
sionaries are spreading themselves far into
the interim, hundreds of miles beyond the
English filthier, translating the Scriptures,
forming’ ) and school books, and
preacbuK fMPiftispel to thousands. I saw
orte of’the missionaries from tho interior,
Mr. Flies,-and heard him mention some
twenty-five mission stations, widely sepa
rated,and most of them in a prosperous
state! Yours ever affectionately.
Eugenio Kincaid.
CHRISTIAN CONSISTENCY.
Show us the Christian, who is thorough
ly (insistent in his character and conduct,
whose words are not falsified by bis deeds j
—wtrise profession is all the while confirm- I
ed by his practice, and wc will show you
one who is a man of influence, in whatso- 1
ever sphere of life he may he placed. For
there is power in such n life—there is a
force in such an example that cannot be re
sisted We are little aware, practically, j
how closely our fellow-men watch us, and
how thoroughly our characters are under- ;
stood. ■'We are read and comprehended j
when we are not sensible of this inspection, !
and it is in vain to hope that what is seem
ing will pass current for what is real. It I
is iu vain to hope that wc can influence
mankind, to any great extent, hy good pre-
if tlwre be not a corresponding prac
tier. ■ Ther v e must be this deep inward har
mony between what is seen and what is un
ami, Rtl)u ftre’OTlsnm wilt w*o innkf* itseff
nr&nilest in times and ways that wc think
j'liotof. Many Christians are inclined to
express themselves much more strongly in
j word titan they are conscious of feeling or
1 acting, and they do this in part with the
that t.'icy shall thus make their influ
ence tight, even though their practice is
wrong. Now it is undoubtedly better,even
for permanent Christian influence, that a
man should seem to be just what he is j
that he should make no pretensions to feel- 1
ings and emotions which do not exist. A !
frank-hearted confession of indifference is j
worth more than the most intense expres- ‘
sions of feeling, which are falsified by the |
life. Thorough honesty is a fundamental
element of Christian influence. It is well
for every Christian to remember, how quick
ly he o;m detect the deficiences of oilier
men. awl in view of this fact, to ask himself
how he is known and regarded in the com- j
j mmiity where be dwells? What is the
i real estimate which men put upon his char- 1
acter? If he is satisfied in his own heart.
| that tltete is a real inconsistency between i
his profession and his practice, he may rest !
| assured that the world is not unmindlul of j
the siutte, and that his influence is to he 1
me STpr! iccordingly.
! % .iu ny
OVER THE SCRIPTURES.
It is feinted of a celebrated and success
ful minister, tlmt iu the course of his prepa
j ration for the ministry, be read over the j
whole Bible, together with Matthew Hen-!
: rv’s commentary, in bis closet,on his knees, j
We <Jo not imagine the position of his body
was :t matter of any consequence, but we
; suppos# the prayerful perusal of the Bible
was one of the means by which he became
i wise to win souls to God.
In Henry Mnrtyn’s Journal it is written:
•‘Wnsih a spiritual and happy frame iho
wliol* fifcv, which I cannot hut ascribe to
my beihg more diligent in prayer over the
Scriptures; so that it is the neglect of this du
ty which keeps my soul so low.”
Jhe habit of constantly uniting prayer
with the reading of the Scriptures is most
conducive to increase in knowledge and
j improvement in prayer—to growth iu grace
and knowledge of the truth.
man who had made great at
in piety for one ot his years, was
j an intimate friend to give an ac
| count ol the means he h. and used. After *ome
reluctance lie remarked, in substance, as
as follows:
‘‘For some years after I made a profes
| s;on of religion, my interest in spiritual things
waft fitful. I did not clearly understand that
conversion was but the commencement of a
lelrgious life, and that my course was to he
steadily onward from one degree of perfec
tion to another. When I understood this. I
lead to inquire what are the means that
lam to employ to make this progress? 1
found that the reading of the Scriptures and
prayer were among the most important
mos. I set apart stated seasons for the use
|of those means. Sometimes I was interest-
saw that it would do me no good to read
the Bible ns a task, fhalTmusl feel its truths,
or it could have nosanctifying power on my
heart. I then endeavored to prepare my
mind before I began to read, by reflecting !
that it was God’s word, and that 1 was
bound to attend io it ns though it were ex
pressly addressed to me. I found this pro- •
fitable. I was next led not only to medi
tate, but pray before I rand my portion. I !
found my interest in the Bible increasing.—
I was soon led to blend the two exercises of
reading and prayer. It lias been my cus
tom lor several years to pause on every
thought 1 meet with in reading the Bible,
and to ask myself what application I call ‘
make ol it, and to pray for the Spirit to en
able me to make that application. This is
my uniform habit, and 1 have derived great
benefit from it. It has increased my love
for the Bible and my delight in prayer an
hundred fold.”
Here was the secret of the young man’s
rapid advancement in the divine life. He
received into the soul the food designed for
its nourishment.
Should not his example be followed hy
every Christian? If God should speak to us
in an audible voice, we should, no doubt, lis- !
ten with the deepest reverence: we should
leei the most earnest desire to understand j
his communications. We should doubtless j
lift up our hearts iu prayer for aid to hear
and obey his words. His written Word
should he treated ns reverently as his spo- j
ken words. This cannot he done without
constant prayer.
Let me exhort you, render, to enter on !
the course pointed out above. It will soon
make the Scriptures a delight. It will soon
add to your spiritual strength. It will soon
make you mighty in prayer. It will cause
your path to be like that of the shining light |
which shineth more and more unto the per- j
lect day.— N. Y. Observer.
From the Commission.
DIALOGUE BETWEEN TWO MEMBERS OF A
CIU KCH IN THE SANDWICH ISLANDS.
A. Brother 8., we are about to send out ;
one of our brethren as a missionary to one !
of the South Sea Islands, can’t you give us i
something towards his support?
B. The fact is, brother, wo have too .>
much tp do.at home to think” of such a thing
: —there arc thousands here yet who are not
converted, ‘true, idolatry is abolished, and,
we have a number of churches, schools,
j seminaries and sotne newspapers—also a
r S'QoJnumber of chtHch-member!*; Vmt u
j has been only about thirty years since the
‘ gospel was first introduced among ns, and
we arc, therefore, feeble. How can it be
j expected, then, that we should do any thing
| for the heathen, when there is so much to
do at home?
j A. But the gospel has now a good foun
i dation among us, and we should sympa
thize with those who have never heard it,
or bad an opportunity of becoming Chris
tians ns our countrymen have.
It. But those South Sea Islanders are
so degraded, I really doubt whether they ;
would receive the gospel if it were sent to ,
them.
A. Why, my brother, you certainly have
forgotten in what condition the gospel found
our fathers.
D. I know they were barbarians; hut I j
think they were more susceptible of reli- !
giotis impressions than the Sondi Sea Is- ;
landers would be.
A. But this is a mere supposition; you
do not know it.
If. I know this, however, that we have :
a plenty to do at home, and while there
arc so many without religion all around us,
I cannot see why we should be sending off
to seek for heathen.
A. Suppose now, brother 8., that the
missionaries who brought us the gospel
had argued as you do, when in their coun
try, what wo*jld have been your and my
condition at this time?
B. Why I suppose we should have been
iu the darkness of heathenism; but they
could not have argued thus, as they have
all doubtless received the gospel there.
A. 1 beg your pardon, sir; hut my pas
for informed me the other day that there
arc thousands in America who have not
yet embraced the gospel.
1 B. Is it possible?
A. Yes, quite possible.
If. Well 1 thought from llieir sending
missionaries to us, that they were all con
verted iu their country.
A. Now, brother 8., in view of what the
gospel has done for us—the school-houses
and chinches which it has built,— the de
i gradation and barbniianisin from which it
; has raised us—and the piece and happiness
which it affords to our country—do you
i think they were right in sending us these
: missionaries, though they had much to do
| at home?
B. I must confess it lias been a great
i blessing to us—one, too, of which I would
I not for all tha world be deprived. To be
candid, 1 think they were right, in our case
at least; for God has wonderfully blessed
their laborsand thus shown his approbation.
A. What do you say, then, with regard
to our imitating their example, by sending
out this missionary to the South Sea Islands?
B. W’ell I must confess your remarks
have altered my notions somewhat, and I
don’t know but that it is right, since the
scriptures teach us to do unto others as we
would have them do unto us. I guess you
may put me down for five dollars.
J. T. BLAIN, Printer;
islands beyond them?]* . ‘ • .
. THE DEATH'OF MOSES,
DECTERONOMY XXXIV.
‘Hie pen has now dropped from the hand
of Moses, ands lent is his tongue; and an*
other, not himself, most tell us what he jrf
and how he died. Every scene in the life
of this illustrious ma - ’, is s ngular and in
structive as singular; and his latter end is
not the least inlacostmg and.useful. He bad
now f ompleterfhls one hundred and twen
tieth year, without having become subject
to the usual infirmities of that advanced age.
The death of Moses, then, was not in the
ordinary course of nature; it was not pro
ceeded by its usual harbingers; it was not
occasioned by a failure of the radical mois
ture, by the stroke of violence, or tile ma
lignity of disease, but by a simple act of the
will of God.
Moses has fulfilled like a hireling his day,
has written, has spoken, has judged, has
prayed, has blessed; the business of life is
ended; he has glorified God on earth; it
only remains that lie glorify him by sub
mission to his sovereign will in dying. Be
hold him, then, solitary and solemnly ad van*
eing m encounter the last enemy; he has
passed through the plain, and again he be
gins to climb up into the mount to meet God.
The eyes of all Israel are riveted to his
footsteps. Who is not ready to cry out,
“Would to God I could die for thee.” Every
step he advances plants a dagger in the
heart. The distance begins to render vi
sion indistinct, his person is diminished to
a speck, they fondly imagine they see him
still, the eyes strain for another and another
glimpse, they are suffused with tears, they
can behold him no more. But he still be
holds their goodly tents, he sees all Israel
collected into one point of view; Jehovah
dwelling in the midst of his people, the ta
bernacle with the pillar of cloud resting up
on it; l.is affection with his sight is concen
trated on trie happy spot, his whole soul
goes out in one general departing blessing.
As he ascends, the prospect expands and
brightens to his ravished eye. He can trace
j Jordan from vtsouree tin it falls into the
1 sea: he wandcip with delight from hill \o
1 hill, from plain to plain. He Sees on this*
side Mount Lebanon losing its lolt'y head
in the clouds; on that, the ocean and the
sky meeting together t teiminate his
view. Beneath his feet, as it were, the ci
ty ol palm trees and the happy fields which
the posterity of Joseph were destined to in
! habit. The land which Abraham had mea
sured with his foot in the length and breadth
j ol it; in which Isaac and Jacob had so-
I journed as strangers; which God had fenced
and cultivated, and planted, and enriched
1 by the hand of the Canannite for his be
loved people; which the sun irradiated with
! milder beams, the dew of heaven refreshed
! with sweeter moisture and the early and
the latter rain fattened in more copious
i showers. “And the Lord said unto him,
’ this is the land which I swear unto Abraham
unto Isaac and unto Jacob, saving, I will
give it unto thy seed; I have caused thee to
see it with thtne eyes, but thou shalt not go
over thither.” 9
But what is the glory of tills world? It
passeth away. What is the felicity of man,
who must oie, and the son of man, who is a
worm? It cornet!) quickly to a period.
The eye which age has not made dim, must
nevertheless be closed in deatji at lenglhi
the strength which a hundred and twenty
years had not been able to impair, is in a
moment, bv one touch of the Gnger of God
dissolved; the heart which God and Israel
had so long divided, is now wholly occu
pied with God. In the midst of a vision so
divine, Moses gently falls asleep: and he
who falls asleep in the bosom of a father
needs be under no anxiety about his awaken
ing. “So Moses, the servant of the Lord
died there in the land of Moab, according to
the word of the Lord.”
But oh, vvliat a blessed transition! from
the fairest earthly prospect that eye ever
beheld to the enjoyment of a fairer inheri
tance, e'e.nal in the heavens; from the tents
of Jacob to the encampment of angels un
der Michael the.r prince; from a glory con
fined and transitory, to the glory unbound
ed, unchangeable; from the symbolat divine
presence, in the pillar of fire'and cloud, to
bis real presence, where there is “fulness of
joy,” and “where are pleasures lor ever
m >rc.” Behold Abraham,and Isaac, and Ja
cob, rushing from their thrones to welcome
i to the realms of light the shepherd of Israel,
who had led the choson seed from strength
to strength, from triumph to triumph, while
the voice of the Eternal Himself proclaims,
I ‘Well done, good and faithful servant, enter
i into the joy of thy Lord.”
Such was the latter end of the most an*
| cient and authentic of historians* the most
penetrating, dignified, and illuminated of
1 prophets, the profoundest, sagest of legis
lators, the prince ofoiators and poets, the
; most excellent and aminble of men, the firm
est and faithfulestofbelievers. —Henry Hun
ter, D. D.
05 s ”“You labor over-much on compost -
tion, doctor,” said a clergyman to an emi
nent divine.
“1 write a sermon in three hours and
make nothing of it.”
“So your congregation says,” quietly
j queth the doctor.
Number 14.