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T. D. MARTIN, Editor;
VOL. Scries, Vol. 21.
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uV^Ldi^m, iina'i 11111) --Jfiittmm&'ii*
the Christian Infagr ‘
Tha Law of Newspaper*. ‘
• 1. Sab'eeriber* Who do not giro express
eytatjrary, are considered as wishing to eofjtume *rir
••itweriptien. . p r ‘ ■;
kya, If suWrifears or4#r the disoontir*uanee, OTjthei r ,
•tvrspapr, the publish*. >£aj,
until ali arrearages ar4|pyL -.
;. If aubsoi-fbers nezleet'br reft>wj(P|e their news
papers from tfce ofHees to w£ieh they are directed, they
responsiWe tintft they hare settled the bills
Vh.l ordered them discontinued. ■ ‘* .'WP *■■■
4. If itihseribers remove to other places without In
forming -the” publishers and the newspapers are sentto
the jormer direction, they are held responsible.
‘.. The Courts have decided that refusing to take
newspapers from the office or‘Pwnpving and Icavifg
them uncalled for, is prima fact* evidence of intention
arfraud. •<**’ y
-6 The United State* Court* hare also repeatedly de
cided that a Postmaster who neglects to perform his
duty of giving reasonable notice, os required by the
Post Office Department, of a person to
tike from the office newspapers add'resJed to him, ren
ters-the Postmaster liable to the publisherfqr the sub
seription price. * . ” V '■
,i* *■■- .w - -- .--.A-Hiawr*
Fp*in ihe New York Examiner. >
Ts£ BAPTIST CHUECipS.
Urate* on l/tfir Principle* and Practice.
NO. XXVf,*
In uvy last paper,"! enffeavored to shod?
that we have erred by imitating the ex
amples of others in tbe matter of ehorob
triune. I all widd, also, to the fact that the
|jgbust writers on this subject are now begin
iSfjig tit advocate the Very principles
which we ttouthoughtlessly The
highest authorities on sacred mqgg| flow
aomit that tlfo singing of the Kofise of
God should be congregational,!and forsak
• triffrrf* The* ’words
of Burns, are falling back on a 6tyle ot
music adapted to the utterance of devo
tion; that is, they arc reviving the very
airs which were once scouted as old-sash
ioned. It is now granted by all reasona
ble men, that music may be good for one
purpose and yet very bad for another;
that, tor instance, an air may be very well
suited to an opera, or a march very well
adapted for a charge on the field of battle,
and yet very ill adapted to the devotions
of an assembly uniting in the worship of
God.
We hope that this return to a more cor
rect taste will have its perfect work. In
the'mean time, it may be well for ns to re
member that a practice is not, of necessi
ty, either wise or in good taste, because
other denominations adopt it. And still
more; we may learn from this experience
that the solier sentiments of religious men
.are worth something, even in determining
a matter of taste. After surrendering
our own principles for the sake of imita
tion. we find those whom we have imita- !
ted’ coining round to the very principles !
- which we had deserted. Would it not j
• .have been as well for ns to have adhered !
steadfastly to what we believed to he right? ■
similar mistake, from the same cause, j
• uiy be observed, if I do not greatly mis- j
“take v On the subject of church architec
ture
Our. fathers; it is well known, built very
unsightly and ijiqonveuient churches, in
by-ways and hedges, frequently in the
outskirts o/ towns, and in places very dif
ficult of access. It is very easy to smile
at this, and to ridicule their want of taste, i
and their, selection of such strange locali
ties, Bu t let us pause and ask, Was there
no other reason for all this, except an ig
’ norance of the beautiful, and a passion
for discomfort? Lei it be remembered
that the builders of these houses were poor
men destitute of influence, a sect every
where spoken against. In multitudes of
cases, they were unable to purchase more
eligible sites, or if they had offered the
full value of a lot, it would not have been
sold to them for the erection of a Baptist,
meeting-house. They preferred worship
in a meeting house inconveniently situa
ted, to a worship of which they conscien
tiously disapproved. They had no agents
to scour the country and raise funds with
which to erect a “"commanding edifice.”
They could not afford to pay architects for
plans of building. They had ot learned
to run in debt for churches. They labor-,
ed on their building.wUh their own hands,
and, in the result, tiwngli we may not
take their buildings for our models, we
may surely respect the manly indepen
deuce which governed their constitution.
That we should imitate their models
when we are able to do better, would lie
absurd. But in avoiding this, we have,
by following other examples, verged very
far towards the opposite error, and thus
• come in conflict with our own established
principles.
For instance, we have no belief in b<4y
places’ or places in which God may espe
■ciallv be acceptably worshipped. We do
not profess to build a shrine, which, stand
ing in a libfy place, shall address the eye,
Kurd ovf-ico:ii. ns hv its magnificence. Wo
have-no priest hood’ who wait npon* the al
tar; and offer up, in our -behalf, ‘our sacri
fices to God. Our view on this syjyect is
summed wp.ip Sow words* We
‘worship, relying simply on rhe promise of
OUristpHWherever two ut three are gath
ered t>ge?4ier rn my name, am 1 .in
the- tniipt of them !” We assemble to
offer spiritual sacrifice. Wo meet to hear
the-Word of God and bmnght,
tfig'em] of the evidence of thfe- truth
of bis relighSff was that “to the poor tfie
gospel is preachifed.” we need a
neat, convenient audience ratim, well ven
tilated, well warmed, and perfectly adapt
ed to the wants of both and hear
er. We want thW be provided at as
small expense as possible, for two reasons:
first, we wish to bring-the gospel within
; tbe, ogach of the po°i\ and of those of
secondly, we need a
greatTnany such ‘ honses, because, if we
art! faithful,to Christ., we e*]>ect an abun
dant increase,
1 regret, however, to say, that in the
building of meeting-houses, we have acted
at Variance with all these prinehdes. In
this matttMyvfe have followed theeiample
of or brethren. At the
RefiirmatioiC thev entered into the jmsses
sion of the Catholic earhedrals and church
es of the middle ages, and^of coarse,
adopted tigs s*yle of architectMfc. If is
pecu 1 iarl#nnfitted for the purpose of an,
ufoUence room. Who would think of
erecting a Gothic building for a court
house, a legislative hall, a lecture-room, or
tor any purpose (except a church,) when
the. objeql \6as to enable a large number
of persons to hear a-xpitiker. The Gothic
is m enormously explosive style, and
mus’t, ’froaYtrc cost 1 incss^xclude from.the
sanctuary all but the rich. It may be en
dured where a denomination is small in
nii abundant in wealth, but for
a ueiio*ffnßtipn made up. mainly of the
and the poor, (according
to'the npofetolic model) nothing could \be
more inappropriate. . |
J-ft*9}wte of all thiiirmvcver, that rfyleT
is coming into vogue among us. In our
cities we have our Gothic temples, instead
of Bapsist meetinghouses. The fashion
is spreading from the cities to the towns
and the country, and our brethren are
everywhere beginning to rejoice iu naves,
and-transepts, and chancels, and altars,
and oriel windows, and stained glass, shed
ding aboad, as they tell us, “a dim reli
gion* light.” I have lately seen a Baptist
meeting-house, the* windows of whieh were
emblazoned with a strange variety of mys
tical symbols, that must have amused the
children by their grotesqueness, and sore
ly pnzzled any plain man like myself, not
deeply learned in the researches of the
Ecclesiological Society.
Now in all this, it seems to me that we
underrate ourselves, and do injustice to
our principles. W T e are sacrificing our
principles to architects, as in the former
case, we sacrifice them to musicians. We
are following examples at which the sound
common-sense of good men everywhere is
beginning to revujt. We are certainly
able to know what we want in a meeting
house. We are aide to devise, or to cause
to be devised for us, some chaste, simple,
pleasing, and well-proportioned form,
which, at a very moderate expense, shall
furnish us with ali that can be desired in
a Christian place of worship. We should
show more respect for ourselves, by car
rying out our principles to their practical
result, than by imitating examples ema
nating from principles which we have
ever repudiated. If we could all unite
upon some plain, neat, convenient and
| economical model for a meeting-house,
which might be used in city and in coun
; try, for large houses and for small, so that
every one would know a Baptist meeting
house as soon as lie saw it, we might build
two churches where we now build one, and
attract to the worship of God thousands
and teus of thousands whom the present
prices of pews and pew rent exclude from
any place in the sanctuary. Can any rea
son be assigned why we should sacrifice
these advantages for the sake of imitating
the gorgeous structures of the Catholic
church, with which are associated bigotry,
persecution unto death, and tiie most soul
destroying perversion of the doctrines of
the cross.
We have an architect,* one of onr own
brethren, at the head of his profession in
this country, who could not more effect
ually serve the cause of Christ, than by
publishing a set of drawings and specifi
cations, by the aid of which we might all
: be enanied to construct church edifices on
i the principles which I have suggested.—
Such a conseeratiou of his eminent abili
ties to the service of his brethren, would
confer the most important benefit that
architecture has ever rendered to the cause
:of Christianity. Architecture has thus
i far shown its power, in diminishing the
I numbel* of worshi}*ers: by this means it
j woold indefinitely increase it. We want
j a model i>f a Baptist meeting-house which,
j in future, we all may adopt; so that we
• may have economical, and
! pleasing houses of worship, and a gbeat
I MANY OF THEM. ROGER WILLIAMS.
f I If IJj pay, March 13, 18-56.
tm M . 1 . i-’ J* • /
CAUSES OF SCHISMS IH CHURCHES.
Tiie domineering spirit and conduct of
some leading members, has often been the
source of very considerable uneasiriSss to’
thi?; unhappily, is employed in endeavor
ing to subjugate liotb-the minister and the
people. No scheme is supported unless
it originates with thqjp, while every plan
of theirs is intvuduced almost with the
authority of a law. They expect to bp
consulted on the moat trivial occasions,
and if in anything opposed, become jg
seirtful, sullen and distant. Little by iW
tie, they endeavor to gain a complete as
certdaney in society, and watch
peculiar jealousy every individual wlia&jg
likely to become a rival. The
length, scarcely dare leave home for a
Sabljatb, without asking their leave; nor
can the people foirm the least scheme -of
usefulness without tlieir permission.—
When they are at-any time resisted, they
breathe out threats of giving up all inte
rests in church affairs, at which the terri
fied iand servile society,/-mid their resist
ance, consolidate the power of their tyrant
and rivet the fettersyof slavery upon their
own necks. At length, however, a rival
power springs up; a family df’ growing rep
ntation and influence refuse longer to
submit to the thraldom; opposition to tn>
lawful domination commences, the church
is divided Into factions, the minister be-’
comes involved in the dispute, distraction
follows, and division finishes the scene.
Lamentable state of things! Would so
God it rarely occurred. Let the leading*
individuals of our churches, the men of
prosperity, and the deacons, consider what
mischief may be occasioned by tfie least;
assumptioiLof undue influence. Let them
watch against the lost of power: it & a
most guilty and most mischievous
it arises almost imperceptibly freyn their 1
oatuatien an4-ite-pr©g-tss v Hke that of- sin
in general, is slow but certain. Let them
conduct themselves with humility, and de
liver their opinions with modesty, and re
member that every exertion of illegal au
thority is an invasion, not only of the
liberty of the church, but of the preroga
tive of its Divine Head. Let them con
sider themselves as persons, whose opinion
is to have no other influence than that
which its own wisdom gives it; and that
the measure of this wisdom is to be esti
mated, not by them, but by their brethren.
Let them seek for that humility which can
bear to be opposed, and that gentleness of
temper which can submit to contradiction.
Let them distinctly bear in recollection
that the church of God is a society where
all are equals, all are brethren; where the
government of terror, or interest, or prop
erty, is unknown; but where love and hu
mility are to prevail, and no other rule is
to be acknowledged but that of Jesus
Christ.
2. The relaxation of Scriptural discipline,
may be mentioned as another source of
evil.
3. After all that lias been said, it must
be admitted that the grand source of ec
clesiastical distraction is the very feeble
operation of Christian principles on the
hearts of church members. There is uot
that solemn recognition and powerful in
fluence of these principles which there
ought to be. The virtues of love and hu
mility, if prevalent, would effectually pre
serve the peace of the church against the
evils of intestine commotion. Without
these, even the kingdom of Christ, no less
than the kingdoms of this world, is sure to
be convulsed with faction and torn by
schism. As long as Christians suffer the
passions of men to agitate their minds and
direct their conduct in the assembly of the
saints, so long mast we expect to see even
that holy convention liable to th&distrac
tionsof mere worldly communities. Pride
is the polluted and polluting fountain of
faction. It is pride that makes men tur
bulent and contentions; that renders them
imperious, dogmatical and overbearing;
that drives them upon the inflexible deter
mination to have their own way, and that
makes them regardless of the opinions
and feelings of others. Humility and
Ltroe would keep all quiet and orderly.—
There is one single passage of Scripture,
which if sacredly observed, would forever
shut out the divider of the brethren. “It
there be, therefore, any consolation iu
Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fel
lowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and
mercies, fulfil ye my joy, that ye be like
min'led, having the same love, being of
one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be
done through strife, or vain glory; but in
lowliness of mind, let each esteem others
better than themselves. Look not every
man on uis own things, but every tnan also
on the things of others. Let this mind be
in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”
The observance of this single injunction
would ever preserve our harmony, and
make onr church meetings to bo scenes
where all the air is love, and all the region
peace.
And where is onr religion if we do not
- v, f(t :
THE TRUTH IN LOVE,
l
poey that Appstolic command? We must j
*• ! '.' u fotvk t.* the. first pi-iiu-ij J<-s us piety,' j
oai'f Pnltivate the passive v-ivinea- of- the I
Christian temper. We m ust 'remember that j
1 ’Strimity;js-U.if! a-. like Chrht. and that j
wc of tlpir !••■*-.■ “wlildi .-Ilf- ;
ygjjpwofltf add* is kinift whidl: vnvi,,:|i not, !
v;vuiteth not njwMy is not puffed up.;' 'which j
= wfiviot betjav* itself nnsVcNnlv, socket!) i
r ' r> P, i&.not easily pruvoked;‘tbink
tjKflfl e Yi.U rejoieeth not iii iniqifity, bnf
ill {jur tiaitu; u iiieli believetli all
nffi ‘
things, endureth all things;” we are only
“Iks sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal.”
Tie necessity of the Christian temper as a
personal possession, and its importance as
a relative blessing, has hitherto been but
fepbly perceived, and reluctantly acknow-
I ledged. Amidst the controv'ersies whieh
have been carried on about the doctrines
of revelation, the spirit- of religion has
b(*n too much lost sight of. And what,
after all, is the doctrine without tin* spirit,
bat the body without the soul? Strange
indeed it is, that who, by tlieir own con
fession are apostate, ruined, helpless siu
• Aprs; should want hmniiityj that they who
< !f@pmVo themselves to be saved from hell
by unmerited mercy, should be destitute
o i love !—Church Memhrrs Guide.
? EXTRAVAGANCE.
Dur Christianity and onr love of coun
try should put upon us fitting remedies
for some of the alarming habits ot exfrav-
which prevail among us. One of
tVe sources ot this manifold evil has been
fairly put in the following remarks of a
wholesale merchant and importer, as given
ipribe annual report of “The American
■ WjbAaa’a Education Society
•“Yon have got hold of a great matter,
sii I ho]>e you will succeed. The women
are wrong, sir. They are not educated,':
right. They are going to bankrupt the*’
eonrjiry unless there is a change. We pay
“scores of .millions annually for ladies* or-
which, are-of no use. Wo can
noSiffurd it. It is worse than sinking
goto in the sea ! We*are paying more du
ties .m artificial flowers th|n, on rarlroad
iron! God help you to ereWkr the posi
tion and the aim of woman!
dvLhe %;fcJfeiAa,store in this city employ*
an a- xrtiygy'yaljafigyj lui
ties in that line, pays a rent of ten Thousand
dollars a year, is H significant comment
upon this speech. There is no cure for
such an evil, though it threatens ruin to
the country, and greater ruin to Christian
character, hut in something that shall di
vert the ambition of the female mind to
something better worthy of rational and
immortal beings, than rivalry in expensive
dress and outward show.
“There is another form of extravagance
to which public attention ought, to be di
rected, for which the ladies are not so much
responsible. It is seen in the present
style of our public steamboats and hotels.
It is neither necessary nor expedient for
any of the substantial purposes of the
traveling community, that our steamboats
should be floating places, arid that every
person who dines at a hotel, should be
made to pay for a sumptuous feast, involv
ing all attainable luxuries, whether he
wishes them or not. It would be of great
public advantage, if onr hotels should
adopt the European plan of furnishing
only what should be specially ordered. —
There is a manifest, absurdity; as all will
grant, in making every person who dines
at a table, pay for wine which lie does not
use, but no greater than in making every
guest pay the cost of a sumptuous meal,
while he partakes of only the plainest
dishes, and desires no other.
“Another evil of this system is, that of
these public tables the example of luxury
and extravagance is set which promotes
the same in private life. This is one of
the many forms in whieh habits of luxury
are gaining upon our people, and from
which we must be reformed or be ruined.
The innocent in such a case suffer with
the guilty. If the extravagant only beg
gared themselves, the evil were less to be
deplored. But their habits are the source
of those great commercial disasters, which
press most heavily upon the poor, who are
thu§ thrown out of employment, ami cut
off from the means of earning their bread.
Such extravagance is one of the forms of
public wtong or injury to the common
wealth, of violence to general humanity,
and every sentiment and precept of Chris
tianity is against it.— Puritan Recorder.
IS WAR DESIRABLE?
This Is a question for the Christian
teacher, as well as for the philanthropist,
and the statesmen. Indeed, the question
has primary reference to the spiritual in
terests of mankind. In view of these,
war is never desirable. It may be, some
times a necessity; but it is a cruel and bar
barous one. So a necessity once existed
for a war of extermination of the Israel
ites on the Amalekites; if a war it could
be called, in which the Divine command
was, “Go and smite Atnalek, and utterly
destroy all that they have, and spare them
not; but slay both man and woman, infant
and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and
ass.”
So a pestilence was once necessary, and
was sent for a high moral end, though it
cost tho lives of seventy thousand persons.
If a war is ever an inevitable necessity,
that necessity is one to be lamented most
i deeply. That must lie a dreadful,’- and
deep seated disease, for which no remedy
i can be found but a war, in which thousands
I of lives must be sacrificed, millions ol
: money wasted, and what is Still inory la
; men table, the seeds of immorality ;ind
i vice, and iniquity, be sown broadcast over
the land.
A distinguished Northern senator has j
lately undertaken to reconcile the Ameri
can people to the prospects .0/ a war, _b.v
amputation of a gangrened liiiih, or the
prevalence of cholera, or of general bank
ruptcy, an unmixed evil. Yet few men
would try to reconcile ns to thesd things','’
on any tither ground than dire necessity.
So of war Western Watchman.
From ihe U-ligioie Herald.
BAPTIST POSTULATES.
1. There is no church, but a body ofifn
mersed believers, who have been immersed
by one who has himself been, immersed,
after conversion anil a hope of salvation.
2. There are no authorized, ministers,
but immersed preachers, who have felt
that wo rested on them if they preached ■
not the Gospel; and are apt to teach, and
are ordained by a presbytery of immersed
ministers. * ‘
3. There are no ordinances outside of the
Baptist. Church.
4. There is no peculiar sanctity in a
house of worship, no special sacredness to
a pulpit, nor is one spot or locality,
one rostrum bench, desk or pulpit, more
consecrated than another, except as the
associations connected with its occupancy,
or the purposes to which devoted,,render it
sacred.
0. Tbhfc it alone \yhioh, hallows^
Si . ;
6. That;pftlpit liberty ig puXplt fefcv
i'nvship; that pulpit fellowship is not
church fellowship; and that chu4;h, fellow
ship is Ohristian, felTj jj
fellowship is riftt always’ church- fe!!o\
‘ship. ‘ ‘ -■
7. That a body of immersed believers'*
the highest ecclesiastical authority in tInRJ
world, and the only tribunal for the trials,
of discipline; that the acts of a church ar^
force over those gjggigg
convention, council or pro
tery.
8. That no association or convention can
impose a moral obligation upon the con
stituent parts composing them, except the
right so to do lias been conveyed to such
association or convention, distinctly and
clearly, by the churches, through instruc
tions to tlieir delegates.
9. That no association or convention has
the right to demand support for any pro
ject or scheme which they miry have ori
ginated, but may only recommend-,-advise,
and urge to the performance of duty in sub
servance to the great Christian voluntary
principle,
10. That the Baptists never dissented
from anything but Sin, and the union of
Church and State, and were never Protest
ants.
BAPTIST COROLLA.
1. That all unimmersed bodies of Chris
tians are not churches, nor are privileged
companies of them the Chnrck, hence all
Pedobaptist denominations are only Chris
tian societies or religions fraternities.
2. That conversion is a pre-requisite to
a regular Gospel ministry—hence all ordi
nances administered by an unconverted,
airhorigh iumiesed minister, are null and
void.
3. That co-operation with errorfsts in
matters upon which there is no difference
of opinion, does not imply endorsement of
opinions, about which there is a seri
ous diversity of sentiment— hence , the
union of various and divergent religious
bodies with the true church (Baptist) in the
cause of B.ble revision, does not imply a
compromise of any Gospel principle, or an
affiliation with error.
4. That the duty usiversal prayer, and
tiie privilege of preaching do not imply the
right to administer ordinances,or confer a
title to ministerial functions; hence sitting
with the preacher of a religious fraternity,
or listening to him does not imply acqui
escence in his sentiments, obedience to his
authority or belief, that he is a rightful
administrator of ordinances, any more than
that the union of all parties on the Fourth
of July, implies that the Whigs and De
mocrats have all funed, and the Black Re
publicans rule the nation.
j. That a stump, a bench, a prison gate,
a barb, a school house, a log cabin or a
meeting, elegant or inelegant, fashionable
or unfashionable, consecrated or unconse
crated, all furnish Baptist pulpits, and one
is no better than the other in the eye of
Infinite Goodness.
That the Scriptures constitute the great
j rule of faith and practice, although ab
! stracts of faith may be adopted as yom
: mentaries thereupon. *
BAPTIST POLICY.
1. To employ all the energies of the de
nomination for the conversion of the
world, through Missionary organizations,
| Bible and Publication Societies, Theologi
j cal Seminaries, Male and Female Colleges,
Sunday Schools, Prayer-meetings and Re
ligious periodicals.
2. To occupy every village and city in
the world, with a suitably qualified, faith-,
ful, energetic and pains-taking minister.
J. ffWiAfiN,
Mirnber 11.
3. To furnish a pastor for every church
in Obri*n mbmi. OANDIDFS.
k THE ELEVENTH HOUR
I nGver shall forget a scene I once Wit
nessed. , Ope hriiilit morning in early
spring, my aunt asked me to ride with her.
We had enjoyed’ t'he pare air, anc} the stm
shine, and the speed with which wc were
hurried along, for it jtalf hour, when we
were passing a piain ; house in a beaiitifnl
yrtiley", we had just entered. Mv aunt
Said, if and *oA4H wait * mo^e#d?hi^wotrlft
go ill aud inqui/q after the sick- some of
the.family jiving been very ill: As I sat
]n the carriage, I noticed the stillness in
and about the hoii&e. All seemed quiet
and sftbdned.
Soon m v aunt came onto and sant-one of
the brothers was very ill, rind *covrfff live
only a short time. He had” expressed a
wish, two dr three times that day, to see
the pastor of the church, and com verso
with him. LI is father Was a worldly man
and had neglected his request. Mis pain
was intense, his seasons of relief very
short, and the present half hoar was one
of comparative freedom from pain. My
aunt asked inc if I would go in and talk
with hint—the time was precious to him :
before a minister esadd come, bis moments
<t reason might he gone; and I was near
his own age, she said, and that might in
fluence fiirn more.
Oh, how I felt my weakness to guide in
Such a matter; but with a prayer to Him.
who has promised to he our strength. I en
tered the house. When my name was tolfl
* hing and that I was come to direct him toyj
tho Saviour, ho said .faintly, “1 cannot. seu*r
• her, but l am gfiid she will talk with me.”.
> Would that all repentance for
. a sick bed, could hayeseen him then.. Ilp.’
;was quite stiff, only moving al>tba*e>., and
; #Uh pain; v and
.lasted by-d ! fa e wag
aikl-tys eyes were grown glassy rim! sight
less. “.In answer to inv questions, he ex
■nreased deep nuxiefv trf make, his peace
V God. ‘
TMjfcifed-OHt his guilt as a
fWfficr against God, and especially hi§ tin
re thrift g so long the offers of pardon
Through Christ. ■ I showed him as plainly
ih-aT was tfffie, that-his trust must lie wLqb,
to -frn.-.t in Him
third.* Ilia t'mihk gw Jr,
for .sin, and his readiness td trust in Christ,
all seemed sincere. The tears streamed
from his sightless eyes and down his pale
cheeks, ad 1 spoke of his guilt in refusing
the Saviour so long—tears which some
friend must dry for him; for the power was
his no longer. He had received but very
little religions instruction. His father
never went to the house of God. As I
knelt at his bedside and prayed, 1 felt some
hope that like the penitent thief he would
be received at that late hour.
His pastor visited him two or three
times afterwards, but could gain nothing
satisfactory about his preparedness for
eternity. The time was past —his facul
ties were too much deadened bv pain and
the opiates useddbr his relief. Uis friends
clung te .some words-which he uttered ex
pressing his willingness to die; but the
life of the Christian—the “fruits” by which
“ye shall know them”—the-giving up of
all for Christ when there was a life left to
give, were all wanting. Who would wait
for such an opportunity as the one describ
jedyaa being a favorable om? And who
would ri-k the welfare of eternity on the
uncertainty,-tiie fearful uncertainty that
even an opportunity as favorable as this
may be left him American Meeeengtr.
LIBERTY.
He that resolves to use all his liberty
cannot be innocent, so long as there are
in the world so many bold temptations
and presumptuous actions, so many scan
dals and so much ignorance in the things
of God, so many things that are of evil re
port; so many ill customs and disguises in
the world, with which if we resolve to
eomply aval! that is supposed lawful, a
man may? be in the regions of death before .
he perceives his head to ache; and Instead
of a staff in his hand, may have a splinter
in his elbow. —Jeremy lay lor.
VISITATION OF GOD.
A man by the name of Win. Ewers liv
ing at Gravesend, Canada, was engaged
in a d'spate with a woman, and being at
high words, expressed a wish “that God
would strike him dumb if he wa6 not cor
rect.” At that moment his speech failed
him and tip to-this time ho has not been
able to speak a word. Beyond the loss of
his speech, he is in no way affected, either
by paralysis or epilepsy, so that there ap
pears to be no physical cause for the im
pediment.
ISgPThe world is the hell of the good,
: and the heaven of the wicked—that is, it
; is all the .evil the good matt shall meet
1 with, ami. all the good the wicked shall eo
j i°J*
j Those who put off repentance till
j another day, have a day more to repent of,
; and a d.iy less to repent in.
j ( ,
| do not become righteous by do
-1 ing works of righteousness; but when we
- are righteous, we do righteous wotks.—
; Abel was first acceptable to God, and then
I bis sacrifice was accepted.