Newspaper Page Text
J, F. DAGG, Editor.
VOL XXXL-New Scries, Vo!. 20.
PROCEEDINGS
OF THE
GEORGIA BAPTIST CONVENTION.
REPORT OF TRUSTEES OF MERGER UNIVERSITY.
At the last Commencement the President and Faculty reported that
140 Students had been admitted into the University within the last twelve
months, viz: into the Theological Seminary, exclusively, 4 ; into the Col
lege, 75: and into the Academy, M-. Os these, 14 have been licensed i’or
■the ministry, and several others have the ministry in view. The deport
ment of the Students has been, in general, highly satisfactory; but the in
delence or irregularities of a few have caused a request to their parents to
remove them, and a few have needed admonition tor minor delinquencies.
There were two graduates in the Theological Department, and in the Col
lege twelve.
A donation of the Annals of Congress through the kindness of the Hon.
Win. 0. Dawson had been received from the National Government; and a
donation of 169 volumes had been made by Prof. N. M. Crawford.
The Scientific Course of Study, embracing a term of three years, lias
been adopted by the Board of Trustees.
The Treasurer reports the present state of the funds to be as follows, viz:
University Fund ‘ $ 81,524 00
Central .Professorship Fund 18,400 00
Mercer Theological Fund 21,402 00
New Theological Fund 450 00
Making a permanent Fund of $121,866 00
Library aud apparatus i0 00
Interest account 8,106 00
$130,132 00
It is supposed liy the Treasurer that the interest now due and unpaid,
the dividends of Stocks and State Bonds, and the balance of tuition of last
year, would leave a surplus of between $3,000 and, $4,000, after paying the
contingent expenses.
Based upon this surplus of contingent funds and the necessities of the
it was resolved by the Board to erect a building for apparatus,
libr.'uy, cab'met,- laboratory and the necessary recitation rooms; and the
Committee were instructed to carry it into effect as early as
practicable. The Committee moreover were instructed to make the best
arrangements they could, to secure the daily transportation of passengers
and the mails between Penfield and Greenesboro.
An appropriation of SIOOO was also made for the improvement of the
Library and Apparatus. B. M. SANDERS, Secretin y.
April 13th, 1852.
REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
The Executive Committee respectfully submit the following Report:
STATE MISSIONS.
Bro. E. Iledden has been continued under the same arrangements as
mentioned in our last report, and up to the close of the Ist quarter of the
present year, lias performed the following amount of labor, to-wit: Travel
ed 2,176 miles, preached 102 sermons, delivered 173 exhortations, visited
SCO families, baptized 46 persons, and aided in ordaining two Deacons,
constituting one Church, and organizing several Sabbath schools. ,
In July last we appointed bro. Janies McDonald to labor in our CheroJ
kite at a of S4O j>erjnontln^lj^rejiorts^tlnM<^hoGn^ej^
■ptures, “v'sitcJ 58 families trnflea 1/2” ‘ i: ''• r ’ Y
I WWfel|<WP baptized two persons, besides attending |ra\ er-mee
BtitTi!snWWWß ■, 1 Bro. McDonald was also patti.'uhivlv in- j
iS^a^r--:
S^SKj’lttaa-bi.u„r u. . rwiti m the
lias been appointed to tlic field of onr deceased Bio.
v"j-rgyartf*
iinO per annum towards sustaining Bro. J. 11. Campbell, to t c -
tS*UtLdtv of Oglethorpe; but from some cause unknown to us,
Bro. Campbell’s services were not procured.
BENEFICIARIES.
SSisrsS^iis;
satisfactory, whilst some are making great prohciencj.
INDEX.
After <rivin<r the subject the maturest consideration, and with an anxious
<Wireto g carry into effect the wishes of the Convention, we concluded that j
i
Editor procured anew font of type at tll^“r to
=s ss&rjsasx
12 590 02, exclusive of the amount allowed him as sa.arj. J lie .
mains of arrearages due, the sum of $3,451 95.
FEMALE ACADEMY. _ . .
Bro P S. Whitman has resigned the charge of this Institution, to a e
effect at the close of the present Term. Arrangement! will be made an
early day to supply the vacancy.
The new board of Trustees of the School, report that it is still under the
charge of Bro. J. S. Ingraham, and is doing well, although tlie number > |
Students is less than formerly. Since the Ist of January last he whole
amount of the legacy of Bro. Hearn has been on interest, yielding to the
Institution an annual income of SB4O 00.
DEPOSITORY OF THEOLOGICAL BOOKS.
Grants of books of $lO each, have been made to the following ministers,
, . Bartlett, R. B. Brook, William Tait, John W estmoreland,N.
Porterfield, T. I. Bearden, J. R. Miller, T. J. Bartlett, T. S. Allen, Howe
to a resolution of the Convention we caused 2,000 copi* of
Bro.'T. E. Dawson’s Education Sermon to be printed m 1 amphlet form and
iMSkumrsuancc 0 f the suggestion made in our last report, we instructed
feC. to separate fS the funds all such notes and m,current money
■kered to be worthless; and upon examination the amount
58 principal, and $1,301 55 of interest, fbe Trea- ,
>: \e parers in his hands, and account for any part that may
Mir.'-r for several years past,
£l}c £l)risium 3nbex.
AMERICAN BIBLE UNION.
To the board at New York 11 00
SAVANNAH PUBLICATION SOCIETY.
For Colportage 0 00
FUND TO EDUCATE CHILDREN OF BAPTIST MINISTERS.
Paid Win. 11. Davis, under resolution of Convention 10 00
PERMANENT ORPHAN FUND.
Paid expenses of Beneficiaries 245 00
TOWN LOT FUND.
Paid J. G.lloltzclaw for survey and map of the town of Penfield 10 00
PERMANENT FUND FOR EDUCATION.
Paid expenses of Beneficiaries 1,816 76
“ for Theological and other books 50 00
“ Wilburn <k McWhorter’s account 140 0(!
“ Treasurer's salary 400 Oti
HEARN LEGACY.
Paid interest to Treasurer Hearn School 378 84
GENERAL PURPOSE FUND.
Paid for Sundry purposes 457 i.6
P*. M. SANDERS, Chairman.
MISSIONARY CONSTITUTION OF THE CHURCH.
First, we learn from Paul that during the brief interval be
tween the resurrection and the ascension, after our Lnctl.br and unit
his apostles in Jerusalem, he gathered around him a large meet
ing of his followers, at which more than five hundred brethrcii
were present.
Secondly, we-team from the Evangelists that befon. the cruci
fixion, preparations had been commenced suited to the gather
ing of a large meeting at an appointed mountain in Calik-e.
Thirdly, we le irn also that at the a] pointed mountaSi in Gal
ilee, the great c mnnission was pronounced. Homy-, we con
clude that it is without solid reason that the commission record
ed by Matthew is called “ the apostolic commission,” since it
was not given to the apostles only, but to the assembled Church.
The commission which was given to the apostles by themselves
was not announced on the Mount of Galilee, but on Olivet, at
the time of Christ’s ascension, and is recorded by Luke in the
first chapter of the Book of Acts.
If, then, as we have seen, the Galilean commission was ad
dressed to a general assembly of the Church, one of the most
obvious truths to be inferred from the fact is this: that in the
original formation of the Christian < ’lmrch our Lord constitute 1
it a missionary association. Each organized body of believers
was designed to be a voluntary society for extending the Gos
pel. It was intended and ordered that the glorious work of
evangelizing the heathen should be committed t). the Church
itself, not to separate societic within it and an at Id it. If the
facts which we have considered left any room for doubt on this
point, that doubt might be removed by observing how illustri
ously the primitive Church honored her own missionary char
acter.
While this new church, just converted from In db'n’un. full
of spiritual life and hope, were engaged in h
of fasting and prayer, behold a message from Go<l®| M
The Spirit spake by direct revelation to the j•
■•-Ten...:.- G 1 ‘ ‘ ■ ommmf S>
■EubcmT'Tho meaning of ibis message, the context
dicates, was—set apart these men as lu
“ r Hoo,vr. it U n 0r,,,.ti,,-U,at tl,c |
wore to bo <t „|.t to the work o • - . ‘o', ,;
Inviuw on of hands.” were those who bad been alu/ly talk.l #
individually to the apostle ship, and had received “dmneo
.-nation to their office. W hen sue 1. men tis ‘ ‘
\ conspicuously forward, “set apart and sen, .a. , t >s 1 u |
Gentile church was taught the important lesson H at the turn
gelization of the heathen was not merejv comimttw 1 to■<.-hns
! tians as individual*, hut also to organized e un-eln-s--- li.it Rj.
common work which needs a combination ol minus, anil
whieh all are hound to participate. . . , i
| Now when we consider that the great commas, on was ad
j dressed to the assembled church, that the Hook ot ljl
I . ‘“““““V M. Hiurcb.'S
. intMionr.v j™, * ‘ olmrcto
“.""’.'f ?.K „tiv to fedww.l will, tbc \v<irk of spread
,vorl.l g Too imdiloatal ,xpto.si.ee. .
UuP fell from tl.c pen of Fl i'< letters |
difite that he regarded this as an element ot Uiustian litUel
takin ,r rank among the first priudiplcs of the uoctimcot hnst. ,
li the Corinthian” hnrt.li belaid, -Who goeth a warfare at hts,
uwn charm •j” “We have hope, when your lai,h is incieased, ,
that we shall he enlarged by you, accord, ngto t
i dantlv, to preach the Gospel in the regions beyond yon I
j the The: sab-nian church he said, “Severe e ns,rmples to .1 II that
! believed in Macedonia and Aclmio .for jrom you soxmdvd om
thevordof the lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, hut
also in evm-v place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad. -
To the Philippian church lie said, “Both m n.y bonds, and mi the
i defence and confirmation of the Gospel, ye are. all paitakt s i
i mv grace-” and then, acknowledging the aid received tiomLpa
; oh rod it us calls him “My brother, and companion in labor, and
| fellow-soldier, but your messenger, and he tliatniimsti my
wants ” To the Roman church, when sneaking ol the fulhlnu.nl
warns. aoiua , . c.i., fim.mir the nations, lie
wants ” Tothe Koman cnurcn, übh . ,
of prophecy by the spread of the Gospel among the nations,Jw
said, “Ilow shall they believe in him of whom they have not
heard? And how shall they hear without a pieaehti.- and ho
shall thev-presch except the v 1 ,o sent?” To the churches of Ga
latia he dedared that James, Cephas and John, who seemed to
be pillars of the church at Jerusalem, had given to him and l,u- ,
X the ridit hand of fellowship, that they should gofiObeJ.
I,cell,on; ffi?mem” ft And ii j
Ephesians, lie dccTares that ttie head
!
| might he known by the Church the manifold wisdom ot God.
natehnian <& lieflector.
“I HAVE COME TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT MY SOUL.” j
One day as we were just rising from the dinner-table, a young j
man knocked at the door. 11 e had 1 i ved but a few months
the town and my acquaintance with him vvas vciv slignt .
deed I hSv ewe hid never spoken together but once when
I was making a pastoral visit to the family m which he board- ;
ed The thing that most struck me then was his extreme di%,
deuce I was not aware that any particular impression hau
been made on his mind. -Hence, it did not occur to me tha t
| his call, especially at such an hour, vvas connected wuh
i state of his feelings on the subject of religion- in
Judo-’ then of my surprise, as betook his seat r v
Lj3st of my family, and looking up said I have come to
my soul. The words thrilled through my
from a modest retiring youth who had
not but awaken tender
kiimv what t.i Uiv. --
Penfield, Georgia, Thursday, lay 27, 1852.
Tim TRUra IN LOVE.
Is there no reader of these lines who might !
b benefited by such an interview with his pas- j
tj-|? You can imagine what it cost a retiring (
fund youth to bring Ids mind to make a visit
li:e this. But had he not done so, it might j
h ve proved a fatal resistance of the lloly
Gloat. The direction is, “Seek the Lord while j
hi may be found; call upon him while he is
n<to 1 .” And ministers are appointed to guide
irsii. fi-.- to the Saviour. The young man that takes
-ueli a step, is using means which God may
! bDjps to his spiritual and eternal good.—Ameri
ca'/,
CONVERSIONS FROM POPERY IN CANADA.
The report which was read at the Tliirtecenth
i Amual Meeting of the French Canadian Mis
-1 s ion ary Society, held in Montreal on the 29th
January last, is of a highly encouraging char
acter. It states that there “have been rescued,
ir.jgroater or less degree, from the superstitions
ol nie Church of Home, and introduced to a
ki owledge of saving truth, as taught in the word
of God, upwards of four hundred individuals,
i including children; of whom it is believed that
| an least eighty have been savingly converted
;to Christ. There have been more or less train
ed up in the Mission Schools, including thostat
present under instruction, two hundred and fif
ty French Canadian young persons. Large
nan hers of copies of the sacred Scriptures have
| Ivei placed among the people, as well as many
i lvlisious tracts and books.” The report enters
! into details, which show the hostility entertained
. by t ie priests to the operations of the Society.
Cue fact is significant. A rich Homan Catho
lic I reach Canadian having exhibited a favour
able leaning to the Society, a letter was scut
jI” ! iin, signed by “Many Friends of the Holy’
; Hon an Catholic Church, and particularly of the
■ Oci .ry,” threatening to burn his premises; and
: beuas obliged to discontinue holding communi-
I cations with the Society’s agents in the nienn
i time. Such is popery all over the world. The
priest's power is, however, giving away. The
I meeting at which the report was read was pre
■ sided over by Lieutenant-Colonel WJgress, and
i> said to have been probably the largest roli
| glou* meeting ever held in Montreal. Not on
ilv were the seat sos the great Methodist church
J bi .which it was held all filled to their utmost
’ Capacity, but the passages, stairs, Ac., were
droiyded with the eager listeners; and many re
■Kred uiial 1, to obtain admittance —an indica-
f POWER OP RELIGION.
Tin Rev. James McDonald of this State, gives
l ,e fuJovving description of his conversion.
“1 vhu write vou this, was bred in Ireland a
> 1 ‘api-t, and came to Virginia m I*l7. Alien L
-a tie first Bible, being about 17 years old;
hoard'll Baptist preach; thought he was a sn
ipcrna ural being; became convietcd; .reinained |
under conviction 11 years; endeavored to de_
troy myself at different periods; could not
cenmit suicide, knowing that I should go to
tormuit; embarked at Charleston, S. C., in
1827 to obtain a commission in the Buenos .yv-
I ,-ean a-inv; sailed to Havana; vvas detained a
i prisomr, ’ having no pass-port; was remaseu,
I compilled to return to the Lmted States, stu-
compuiea w rtuui 7 ,
died lijsv tliree months; became a moralist, then
.1 deist tried to become an atheist; my convic
tion Mur,led with ten fold power; started for
some bnesomc place in the woods to lie down
and cle, in total abstinence ot food and dunk,
returned to my Bible, and read thus: Jacob
. bate I loved, but Esau have 1 hated. J his en
couraged me to pray. 1 thought it was elect
; iifjlovc. I think so still. Hence lam called
a Iron” Calvinist. J do not like the appella- (
ti.l, however. The bth and 11th chapters of j
llijnans, are to me dearer than life, and aEo the
l 101. and 17th cliap. of the Gospel ot John.
I Anbricau sinners converted to God, may not
had. passed through such scenes as this once
IriAfCatholic has. I glory in eternal, particu
lariind unconditional election, &c ; , <yc. _\v neii
thelAlmighty has brought the ‘chief of
‘llnliii'di blood and fire, and vapors ol smoke,
S liisliiotto must be ‘thus saith the Lord, one
11 10 1 11 * . v V-. “ , .
Lori, one. faith, one baptism. i on ,
(Ld has enabled me to preach his gospel -0 ,
veal- and to baptize 1600 persons. 1 have
been so rebellious since my call to the munstiv,
that*J have done all in my power to avoid
pveaVhing. Still, I glory also m the cross of
“cTu ikr. and whenever his spirit worketh in me
j mightily,’l had rather preach his word than to
govern an empire.
SPIRIT OP A CONVERTED CAPPRE.
Lit us take an illustration of the value ot
Christian Missions, founded in the Christian ,
char A ter and temper of their converts. se
lect one resident at the station of Mi Hood,
and t lake that man the rather, because lie w a
Caffro one of a race that seems doomed, 1 tear,
unless the voice of British justice and benevo
lence interfere, doomed to extermination by
British bayonets, as “irreclaimable and tieach
! had heard a missionary speak of the wrath to
come, though he did not understand the mean
ih” of it. He came into the colony, was hi ougl
to°the missionary, explained his anguish, and
j asked what he must do. Mr. Hood preached to
IT. 1!-4. tmfh iWffPPnPM.
him the Saviour. He listened with eageinc. ,
and stood trembling, and .‘.aid, Sir, I. am old
and stupid; tell me again.” And, being told ,
I again, the tears rolled down the sable cheek o
this man of noble and athletic frame, and he
confessed his astonishment at the love o >
Jund Hie compassion of the Saviour. He re- j
come and live near the missionary, i
again the glad tul
how-
would be no room to graze them. He told
his difficulty to the missionary, and added,
“I am a Cadre, and I love my cattle; but
I’ll part with the last one I have, if that
stands in the way of coming to hear the
Word!” Xolile decision! He had found
the pearl of great price, and he would part
with all lie had to procure it. The mis
sioiniary arranged matters for him; and he
now resides on the spot, a consistent, de
voted Christian, fervent in prayer, useful
to many.
CHRIST PRECIOUS *TO BELIEVERS.
How can lie be otherwise? lie lias died
for them. Beholding them estranged from
God, perishing in their iniquities, and
doomed to unutterable woe, lie has borne
their sins for them in his own body on
the tree, that by his stripes they might i
be healed. Was there ever benefactor or !
friend besides him that wrought so great a
rescue and at such a price < His whole j
life, and chief of all, his death was love.— ;
Forgetful of self, lie pursued his ministry, j
intent on the welfare of a ruined world.— |
Having loved his own, he loved them to j
the end. Why should not his own love j
Him? Nor is he less precious to believ
ers as the source of their present spiritual
comforts. He has taken from them the ap
prehension of a future hell by creating with
in them a present heaven. Being justified
by faith, they have peace with God. They
are united to Christ as branches to the
vine, and draw their life as essentially from
him. God has sent forth the Spirit of his
Son into their hearts, crying Abba, Father.
In the raptures of worship and thanksgiv
ing, in the submission of a heart which
yields acquiescingly to the will ofGod, they
exult in a present Saviour. Why should
lie not be precious? And precious lie is,
too, when they look beyond the boundaries
ot 1 iie to “the land which is very far oft*.”
Iheirtaitli follows Jesus through the tomb,
and beholds him mounting, a victor over
death, to hi- throne in the skies. Bemuse
he lives, they shall live also. All power
in heaven and earth is his, and he will
wield it tor the safety of those who trust
in him. The judgment of the world shall
be dispensed by him, and ho knoweth them
that are his. He dwells amid scenes of
eternal blessedness, and where lie is. there
- **--■* ~*™
In au,
icvcDu- ’ Tu whom should they go but ,
unto him, who alone lias eternal lite
lint if he is precious to them, Ins com
mandment* will ho their delight. Jis
yoke, the very symbol ot servitude, will he
easv —to please him will he their hrnheA
joy” ’ If ye love me, says he, ye will keep
my words. Faith without works is dead.
Spiritual joys, unaccompanied with obedi
ence, are spurious and delusive, it is idle
to talk of a precious Saviour whose laws
are not cheerfully acknowledged and, al
lowing for human weaknesses and murim-
lOWHIST lUI iiuuian , , .
ties, perseveringly kept. A sense ot his |
condescension and loue, and ot acceptance
with God through his merits; the anticipa- i
tion and earnests of the inlieritanee which
he has laid up for them that love limp
are. not less certain to control the lives ot
believers than to win their hearts. We;
mav tind the test of our state in the ten
dencies of onr hearts and the course ot our
lives.
‘MEMBERS ONE OF AMOTHER.’
Paul gives a reason, such as mere ethi
cal philosophy never dreamed ot, way
Christians should not speak or act to the
injury of their fellow Christians; and that
; s ' —‘We are members one ot another—
t’liat is, we are parts of the same body.—
Now if this oneness were a mere figure ot
11 ‘ i
speech, it would have no three as a reason .
to enforc such a duty. It has, then, ami -
stantial basis. Christ’s body the cliurc i j
j s bound together with something more
than rhetorical, imaginary ligaments. Its
| oneness is a oneness of life. As the vital .
i juice of the vine is one for the stock and all ,
| its branches, so all Christians, as members
I of Christ’s body, have one common litewith
j Christ, and of course with all other ( hris
-1 tians. So that whatever we do, to the 111-
i jury of the spiritual life of other Christians,
i \ ve do to the injury of our own. It we
chafe and mar one branch ot a tree, ve
make outlets and wastes of the vital jmee
of the whole. If. we spread a canker or a
blight upon one branch, we pollute the
fountain of life for the whole, boot the
toniuain OI me mo - - . .
branches of which Christ is the stock— -it
we bruise, break, or hew them, we occasion
a waste of sap and life to contiguous branch-
This fact gives high enforcement to all
acts of mutual charity and tenderness j
among Christians. It binds into icg.u. j
Christian character and tVeling as some
sacre.l tiling, to bo touched with tender
ness, because we are members one ot an
other—because a wound upon a iellow-
Cbristian is violence done to our own spir
itual life. This is the stock ancl centre ot
all the reasons, why wo should study the
things which make for peace, and things
whereby one may edify another. ;
A necessary requisite to each ones
growth in grace, is that he cherish align
spirit towards other members ot Christ s ;
body. Abrauch of the true V ine cannot ;
grow while in irritating collision with ad- ,
l jacent branches. One member of the body
1 is not strengthened by a wounding of the
I others. The hand weakens itselt, it it m
i flicts pain upon the foot. If we do an un
christian act, or cherish btttor ieclmgs to-
we not only vio
late that common sympathy of the mem
bers ot Christ’s body, by winch they parti
cipate in a common life and strength, but
we turn from us the heart and approba
tion of Christ from whom we receive onr
hire. If we regard iniquity in our hearts,
the Lord will not hear us.
And as individual piety cannot grow
where the members of Christ’s body wound
each “tlw.
ety of a church. Where mutual love* is
wanting, there cannot be the desired flow
of spiritual life in onr use of the means of
grace. Coldness and mutual alienation
among assembled worshippers, repels the
action of that Spirit whose breath is love.
In social prayer meetings or in Sabbath
assemblies, where the presence of the Spi
rit oi God is intensely realized by Chris
tian hearts, one of the first matters of ex
perience is, that Christian hearts are of otic
accord as well as in one place.—W. E. Pu
ritan.
THE THIRTY*YEARS’ PRAYER.
At the weekly prayer-meeting ip ——,
an aged, wealthy, and influential man en-fj
tered, who during a long life had been
seemingly indifferent to his spiritual wel
fare; and to the surprise of all present, he
rose under deep emotion, and asked the
prayers of God’s people for his own con
version. Die next week he was again
among them, apparently u penitent at the
foot of the cross.
As the intelligence of his hopeful con
version spread next day in the congrega
tion, it reached an infirm and aged Chris
tian, who had for years been confined to iris
house, and was daily waiting his summons
to depart. On hearing it, lie insisted on
being carried to see the wealthy man, ami
would intrust his message to no one. Af
ter a long interview, he returned home re
joicing.
The cause oi'tho infirm man’s interest in
tills visit was perhaps known only to him
self and his venerable pastor/ Thirty’
years ago. as he was burning coal on the
mountain-side, two of his neighbors visited
his litt ia shantec, found him engaged in
reading his Bible and in prayer, and joined
him in his devotions. Eve they separated,
they agreed to meet again (he next week
I'lL.thu mountain to pray, as did the Sn-
this quiet retreat, which proved indeed a
; Bethel. One evening they spoke of their
j wealthy neighbor, mourning that lie was
j living for this world only, when lie was so
i much needed in the church ot Christ; and
they at last entered into a written, secret
j covenant with each other before God, not,
to cease praving for his conversion until
’ he should be brought in, or die, or they
i should all be called to their final account.
Years of graver passed oil, during which
their faith failed not: one of the suppliants
was at length called home; then another}
and the old coal-burner, though left alone,
yet persevered. Thirty years had passed
when the above news reached him, his visit
was made, and lie came out of the house ot
his wealthy neighbor saying, ‘‘Now, Lord,
lettestthou tliy servant depart in peace,
for mine eyes have seen tby salvation.
American Messenger.
AN INTERESTING LETTER.
Dr. Chalmers wrote the following to an
invalid sister, in the spring of 1824 :
“1 am glad to hear that you are not worse.
1 hope that you got Cimke’s ‘Scripture
Promises;’ but whether you have got the
! book or not, you have a far nobler privi
i lege in your access to the Bible. I stated
Unit you ought not to fatigue yourself by
reading; and indeed, in ns far as the Bible
mining, uiu mviv-wv., -
is concerned, I should imagine that when
one is sickly and unwell, the best way ot
reading it would be, here a little and there
a little, A single, verse, in fact, might,
bp the power and demonstration ol God s
Holy Spirit, be made the instrument of
comfort to one’s spirit tor hours together.
It is a great matter when the inmd dwells
on any passage of scripture, just to think
how true it is. This is acting or exercising
faith upon it, and the exercise of faith is
at all times salutary. For example, thmk
how 4Tue~iHfs that Ood half! set Tort n Clliisr
i propitiation for sin, and the course of
i so thinking it may so be that peace shall
i spring iq) in the heart —that guilt shall no
! longer burden the conscience, seeing that
’ an atonement hath been provided font by
Ood himself- —that a sense of reconcilia
tion rdiall gladden the soul now at rest,
because now resting on the sure founda
tion of God’s own word; and thus t is, that
a weary and heavy-1< den sinner may come
to gniit peace ind great joy in believing.
‘■l know that many read t. ie Bible daily,
1 and have opened and read it many thou
i sand times in their lives, without its pro
ducing any such eilict. I uless the spirit
of God open our eyes to behold the von
i drous things that are contained in the 1 ook
of God’s law, it wiP remain a sealed book
i to us. But how comfortable to tlunk that
the spirit is given to those who ask Him
from God; that He lias promise 1 to guide is
lIOLLI VIOU, VILUU xxv 1 .. P, •
iiuto all truth, and to keep all things in
our remembrance; and that if we ask ws
shall receive, if we seek we bhall find, if
we knock the door shall be opened to us.
There is no want, in short, of willingness
i w ith God. To find his mercy all that is
needful for us is to feel our own misery
aid to cry for relief, lie who giveth tho
ravens their food, will hear us when wo
cry; for, bo assured, that His ear is ever
1 open to our prayer.”
GENERAL LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
MOORE PURCHASE, 1936
J. T. BLAIN, Printer.
Number 22.