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JOSEPH WALKER, Editor.
Y olu.'ie 37. — Xew Series t 01. 20.
CJf Christian |ttk*.
—
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j;cr the (Georgia Baptist Contention.
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POETHY.
Thrilling Verses.
The circumstances which induced the writing of
the following touching and thrilling lines, are as
follows : A young lady of New York was in the
habit of writing for a Philadelphia paper on the
subject of Temperance. Her writing was so full of j
pathos, and evinced such deep emotion of soul, |
that a friend ofliers accused her of being a maniac
on the subject of tempearancc —whereupon she j
wrote the iollowing lines :
Go feel what 1 have felt,
Go bear what I have borne—
Sink ’neath the blow by father dealt,
And the eohl world’s proud scorn ;
Then suffer on from year to year—
Thy sole relief the scalding tear.
Go kneel as I have knelt,
Implore, beseech and pray—
Strive the besotted heart to melt.
The downward course to stay,
Be dashed with bitter curse aside,
Y'our prayers burlesqued, your tears defied.
Go weep as I have wept
O’er a ’loved father’s fall—
See every promised blessing swept—
Youth's sweetness turned to gall—
Life’s fading flowers strewed all the way—
That brought me up to woman’s day.
Go see what I have seen,
Behold the strong man bowed—
With gnashing teeth—lips bathed in blood— j
And cold the livid brow ;
Go catch his withered glance and see
There mirrored his soul’s misery.
Go to the mother’s side
Ami her crush’d bosom cheer ;
Thine own deep anguish hide ;
Wipe from her check the bittertear ;
Mark her worn frame and withered brow—
The grey that streaks her dark hair now—
With fading frame and trembling limb ;
And trace the ruin back to him
Whose plighted faith i.i early yoath,
Promised eternal love and truth,
But who, forsworn, hath yielded up
That promise to the cursed cup ;
And let her down, though love and light,
Ynd all that made her prospects bright;
And chain’d her there ’mid want and strife— I
That lowly thing a drunkard’s wife —
And stamp’d on childhood’s brow so niihl r ;
That withering blight the the drunkard’s child'. !
Go hear, and feel, and see, and know,
All that my soul hath felt and known,
Then look upon the wine cup’s glow,
See if its beauty can atone —
Think if its flavor you will try
When all proclaim “’tis drink and die !”’
Tell me I hate the bowl—
Hate ia a feeble word,
I loathe—abhor —my very soul
disgust is stirred,
WWn I see, or hear, or tell,
fit the dark beverage of Hell!
Mortar.
The ancients made a kind of mortar
so very hard and binding, that it is. now
found to be almost impossible to sepa
rate 1 he parts of some of their buildings.
The lime used in these harder m ortars
is said to have been prepared fro in the
very hardest stones, sometimes from
marble. Fine sand makes weak, and
coarse sand strong mortars, raid the
sand should be washed before mixing
to obtain the large grain. T T nc lime
should be thoroughly burned and per
fectly white. The principle on which
it hardens is, that the lime absorbs car
bonic acid from the air, and hardens,
forming a concrete round the grains
of sand. It was customary to mix with
the lime and sand, chopped straw, but
cow’s hair has been substitued ; this
is only introduced to cause it to bind
together, and prevent cracking in the
dry ling. It is only used for the prime
coat. —Scientific American.
The specie in the Xew York Banks /
amounts to upwards of thirty millions
of dollars.
The December weather of Xortli
ern Europe appears to have beeq as
mild as in this country. I
CONTROVERSIAL
For tbe Index.
Mr. Landrum’s Replies to Mr.
EVANS IN THE LATE DISCUSSION.
j (continued from the last number.)
Bro. Evans demands that the Bap
tists recognize Methodism as a church
of Jesus Christ. If it is such we ought
to comply with the demand. Indulge
me for a lew minutes longer while we
look into the claims of Methodism to
be a church of Jesus Christ.
Lot it ever bo*remembered, that in
all this discussion, the question wheth
er Methodists are Christians, and will
be saved or not, is not involved at all.
Those who are regenerated by theSpir
it of God will be saved, whether in any
i church or society, or not. There are
unquestionably many devotedly pious
people in the Methodist connexion.—
That is not at all ihe question under
consideration.
Xothingis more manifest than that
Jesus Christ and liis Apostles did not
establish different kinds of churches.
They were all alike, walking in love,
having one Lord, one faith, and one
baptism. He did not establish one
great church having different and
many branches. If each denomination
in our day is a branch, where is the
tree? Can a tree be all branches and
no stock ? If the stock is dead what
keeps the branches alive? The thing is
absurd that, Methodism is a branch —
it, must be a valid gospel church, or it
|is something else. Jesus Christ is the
vine of which all individual believers
j are branches ; but ecclesiastical organ
isms are not branches. Jesus Christ
lias what, is called his body—who are
members of this body? YVhv individ
ual Christians wherever found. That
a man is a member of the body of
Christ has not necessarily any thing to
do with his being a member of that lo
i cal, organized body, called a Christian
! church. And on the other hand, a
! man may he a member of such a church
and not a member of the body of Christ.
X ow if Methodist societies are church
es according to the Xew Testament
pattern, then Baptist churches are not
such. For bodies differing so essen
tially as these do, cannot be the same
tiling. Again, if ours are churches
scripturally organized, then Methodist
societies are not such. For I hold with
Dr. Dayton and others, that thefollow
: ing propositions are trite.
A scriptural church consists only of
professed believers in Christ. Metlio
* dist societies consist in part of baptiz
ed infants, and of unconverted seekers.
They are not, therefore, scriptural
| churches.
The members of a scriptural church
must have been baptized—l mean ini
; merged—upon a profession of their
faith in Christ. Most of the members
of Methodist societies have not been
1 baptized at all—since sprinkling and
| pouring are not baptism ; or, if at all,
in infancy, w ithout personal profession
of faith. Hence, they are not scriptu
ral churches.
A scriptural church is a local, inde
pendent organization, recognizing no
: authority above its own but that of
: Christ. But a Methodist society is
| subject to the preacher. It cannot
even choose its own pastor. It is sub
ject to the bishop, and is dependent
1 for its very existence upon men. There
: fore it is not a scriptural church.
Scriptural churches must be formed,
organized by Christ and his Apostles.
Methodism was conceived and estab
j lislied by Mr. Wesley and other unin
spired men, and began as a church in
1784, by the authority of two bishops,
and sixty preachers. Hence it is not
a scriptural church—not of God, as a
church, but of men.
When the Wesleys began the Meth
■ odist societies, some hundred and twen
i ty-five years ago, they were uncon
verted men. All the first members
were unregenerated. For eight years
afterwards, Mr. Wesley was a poor un
converted sinner. This was his state
when lie came to Savannah, when lie
got into troubles there and had to leave,
lie lived and died a member of the
church of England. He called his or
ganizations by their right names—So
cieties in the church of England.—
There is no objection to Methodism as
a religious society, any more than to
Missionary societies, or Bible societies,
but as a church after the Xew Testa
ment pattern, we cannot receive it.—
It originated as ail institution seven
teen hundred years too late ! It was
founded at first by unconverted per
sons, and is not scriptural in its ordi
nances, government and general econ
omy.
But brother Evans holds up the
1 Baptists to this community as sinfully
exclusive. It must be admitted that
our exclusiveness arises from our res
pect for the word of God, and adhe
-1 rence to it. As neighbors, as citizens,
OE.C3-A.3ST OIF 1 THE BAPTIST COTSTSTETSTTIOINr OF THE STATE OE GEORGIA.
no one will dare deny to us as large a
share of hospitality and generosity as
others. But his exclusiveness has no
such high reason, since Methodism
was originated by men, not by Jesus
Christ. I would remind him here that
those who live in glass*houses should
not throw stones at their neighbors’
windows. The Methodists are as close
communionists as the Baptists. They
will not commune with a man whom
they regard as unbaptized. This is
their law, though it is said, tliat some
of their ministers occasionally violate
the law. Indeed, it it very difficult to
know their precise practice at any time
for they are ever changing. This book
of Discipline which I hold in my hand
is not nov?’ what it was some years ago.
The attacks of Baptists and Presbyte
rians upon it have forced the powers
above to change it every four years,
it must be changed still further. The
law, however, of the communion is the
same with them as with us, (viz.) bap
tism must precede the Lord’s Supper.
Methodists are exclusive :
First, in the Class Meeting. The
law of tlh§ Discipline is this : “At eve
ry other meeting of the Class, in every
place, let no stranger he admitted. —
At other limes they may, hut the same
person not above twice or thrice:' —
Xow all the meetings of Baptists are
open to all persons; but these Class
Meetings are closed against the pub
iic at every other meeting, and at the
remaining meetings the privilege of
entrace is limited to ‘‘'•twice or thrice.”
These meetings are held throughout
the community, and it is the duty of the
Leader, according to the Discipline,
to collect money from the members of
the Class, and to obtain information
for the preacher. In this way the
preacher learns once a week what is
going on in every neighborhood. It*
; there is a serious or sick person any
where lie is informed, and lias an op
portunity to make an impression.—
The Class originated, 1 believe, in an
effort to raise money to pay the rent
on an old foundery in London, which
Mr. Wesley used as a preaching place.
Secondly, Exclusive in the “ Love
Feast.”
Surely if charity and liberality ought
to be found any where, we should ex
pect it at a Love Feast. But strange
to tell, they are held with closed doors;
and we are required by the Discipline
to have tickets for admission. Here
is the law : “How often shall we per
mit strangers to he present at our Imre
Feast ? Let them he admitted with the
utmost caution ; and the same person
on no account, above twice or thrice,
unless he become a member.” Xow it
is the preacher who is solemnly pledg
ed to carry out these rules in every
particular, who, at an extraordinary
hour, and in an extraordinary way, ar
raigns Baptists before this city and pro
tests against their exclusiveness !
Thirdly, Exclusive in their conduct
towards the American Tract Society.
The Agents of that society for years
have found no favor with the Metho
dist ministry. They have a society of
their own, and to that I have no objec
tion. Let me put the question, for you
all’ know the answer: Who recently
organized a Sectarian Tract Society in
this city ? The Methodists did it, with
Brother Evans as their preacher in
charge!
Fourthly , Exclusive in Sunday
Schools, especially in villages and
small towns where union schools are
deemed desirable. The Conference
ministers are required by the Disci
pline to organize a Sectarian Sunday
School where ten children can be found
to attend. Hence in many villages
they have broken up union schools or
withdrawn their children and mem
bers to form’ a Methodist Sunday
School. Still these are the ministers
who declaim against the exclusiveness
and bigotry of Baptists!
Fifthly, their exclusiveness appears
in their opposition meetings. In a
short time, generally, after a protract
ed meeting commences in a Baptist
church, the Methodists will commence
a meeting and hold it on the same
hours. We always expect to hear
their bell ring when we have a meet
ing in progress.
Xow these things are notorious and
yet these are the boasters of liberality
and charity, these are the declaimers
against Baptist bigotry and exclusive
ism ! O consistency thou art a jewel!
Look next at the government of the
Methodist Church ! God has endowed
mail with certain unalienable rights.
I have natural rights, civil rights, re
ligious rights, and ecclesiastical or
church l ights. Our ecclesiastical rights
are secured to us by the only true
head of the church, and are found in
the Xew Testament, which contains
the constitution and fundamental laws
of the church. The Declaration of In
dependence of the United States just
ly declares that all just powers are
MACOX, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 1858.
derived from.the consent of the gov-1
: erned. The power is located with the
! people. But Methodism reverses this :
and locates all power with the travel- ■
ing clergy. My brother Evans is not
a member of the society over which he
presides as pastor, nor of any similar
society. No traveling Methodist min
ister in all Methodism is a member of j
the society which he governs, and to
which lie ministers. The ministers are
members of the Annual Conference.—
j This is the preachers’ church. Tem
porarily, that is, while on a Circuit, or
at a Station, they are members of the
Quarterly Conference.* Who compose
the Quarterly Conference ? Ministers,
Stewards, Class-leaders and Exhorters.
Not an nnofficisrf-f/HVate member in
it. These ministers are an Aristocra
cy ; they do not pretend to hold mem
bership down in the societies with pri
vate members. If the preachers are
; members of the church, then it would
i seem that private members are not
and vice versa. The membership of
preachers and private members is not
I together—that of the one is in the An
nual Conference ; that of the other in
the local societies.
The Society cannot expel a member.
True, a member may be tried before
the society ; or a chosen number of it
selected by the preacher, but he must
b a excluded by the preacher or not at
all. A probationer m y be dropped
by the Class-leader, without any trial
before the society.
Methodists cannot choose their own
pastor; they cannot even guess who
will be sent to them, till the decree
falls from the lips of the Bishop. Lo
cal preachers with superior learning
j and talents are forbidden to be pastors
at all. They must lay aside their call
of God, and seal their lips to a great
extent, because no longer in the great
Itinerancy.
Without any choice of their own,
Methodists are obliged to support the
most expensive ministry in the Protes
tant world. A traveling, wandering
family obviously requires far more for
its support than one permanently lo
cated.
In reference to fihe government I
submit a proof, wh Jch* I Suppose will
be quite satisfactory to all :
“In tbe great property case, suit
was instituted by the commissioners
appointed by the “Church South” for
an equitable division of the entire pro
perty, of what was before the separa
tion, the Methodist E. Church. The
decision turned upon this point. Do
the traveling preachers and bishops
alone constitute the Methodist Church?
and as such do they resolve for tliem
! selves, and for themselves alone, as the
possessors of all ecclesiastical power
known to the Methodist Church—so
that they have, independent of the will
of the laity, an unquestioned right to
divide the Church into two, or two
hundred bodies, whenever they see fit
to do so !
The counsel for the Church South,
Mr. Lord and the lion. Reterdv John
son, were instructed by the commis
sioners of the Conference to affirm the
above propositions, and wore furnish
ed with the evidence to prove it be
yond a reasonable doubt. (See Pro
perty Case.) On page 325, speaking
j of the action of the Conference of 1781,
Mr. Johnson said : “They [the preach
ers] admit no constituency. The time
is perhaps coming when, in allproha
i bility , they will be obliged to admit one
\ for the good of the church. They re
! solve for themselves, and for them
i selves alone, as the possessors of ALL
! ECCLESIASTICAL POWER known
jto the Methodist Church , to carry out
1 the particular organization authorized
. by John Wesley, without any authori
[ ty than his , and their own. conviction
that the good of the Church demanded
such a special and particular organiza
tion.” And still further, on page 329,
Mr. J. continues : “Xo modicum of
power was left elsewhere. The Chnrcli
was not to look -else \x\lqvq for amypor
tion of authority .”
Again, p. 331, “The Methodist Epis
copal Church, as regards its govern
ment has been absolutely, since the days
of Wesley, AX ARISTOCRACY !
Laymen have had, and now have , no
voice in it. If there is a layman with
in the sound of my voice, he knows
he has no voice now.” Again, “It is a
body unlimited in the authority to cre
ate?’ and “equally unlimited in author
ity to destroy, responsible only to tlieir
consciences for the manner in which
either authority is exercised.”
Mr. Lord, instructed by tbe same
commissioners, affirmed the absolute
and irresponsible powers of the preach
j ers in Conference assembled thus :
“ If that body had chosen to become
Sooinian, if it had chosen to adopt the
Presbyterian or Baptist forms, either
of government or doctrine, it was in its :
power to do it. There was no limit.
They represented the Church : They
were the Ciiurcii. * * *
The laity were not known in the gov
erning body. Matters of doctrine, dis
cipline, and every thing were in the
governing body. If that was so up to
1808, what was that body after that
period ? It was the same General Con
ference.” —Property Case, p. 103.
They proved their positions, and
; Judge Xelson decided that “The Gen
-1 eral Cenference of the Methodist E.
Church, is the source and fountain of
all its temporal po wer —nay, it compri
ses the embodiment of its power, eccle
siastical and temporal j” and upon
this decision the Church South obtain
ed all the church property it now
holds—and over four hundred thousand
dollars for a book fund.”
Xow I do not say that any great
abuses of this power of the traveling
clergy have yet occurred. But we all
know what men are. I submit, that
it is not right; it is not safe, to trust
any set of men in church or State with
these despotic powers. I do not re
cognize in such a spiritual despotism
a church of Jesus Christ. This Bible
is a republican, a democratic book. —
Hence it is a terror to tyrants in Church
or State. It maintains all man’s una
lienable rights. Let us study it; love
it ; and obey it !
In all this reply, I have tried to be
just and true. If I have unwittingly
fallen into any material error upon any
point, I will cheerfully make the con
cession when convinced of it, either
privately, or in any public reply to me
by Bro. Evans, hereafter to be made.
For the Index.
Don Quixote, or the Knight of
” THE SORROWFUL FIGURE.
In reading an editorial in the South
ern Christian Advocate of the 14th of
January, 1858, we could not refrain
from mentally associating its author
with the renowned knight of La Man
cha. This association of ideas or char
acters was brought about some how on
thiswise: In the issue of the South
ern Christian Advocate of the 28th of
June, 1855, is an editorial headed—
“ Fighting “Windmills.” The object of
brother Myers in this windmill edito
rial was to hold up to public ridicule
those who had exposed the anti-re
publican and unscriptural character of
the Government of Episcopal Metho
dism. The main point of attack in the
government of the M. E. Church is
that feature which denies to the laity
the right of representation. Xow who
would have believed that bro. Myers,
after his editorial of tbe Oth of April
and the 28th of June, 1855, in which
he ridicule and abuse, almost
without measure, on the opponents of
J his church polity, would have, in less
than three years, penned an editorial
advocating lay-representation ? Bro.
Myers, three years ago, considered
those who were exposing the anti re
publican features of Methodism, as the
veriest specimens of Quixotic madness.
To war against the polity of Metho
dism was but to imitate the insane part
of Don Quixote in his fruitless attack
on the windmills. Y et, strange to say,
in an editorial of January 14th, 1858,
brother Myers, one of the principal
keepers of the great Methodist wind
mill, is found performing one of those
very feats which he so much ridicules
in others. And how ? Why, simply
by advocating lay representation. YYe
can account for this only on the prin
ciple that “ Ternpora mutantur, et nos
mutamur in illis.” Times change,
and we change with them. Times and
opinions have changed. A variety of
influences have been powerfully at
work within the last three years.—
Among these powerful influences we
may number the stirring publications
which have rolled from the Baptist
press. Hence we hear the cry, “Down
with the Presiding Eldership.” From
the Northern wing of Methodism you
hear the laity, meeting in Convention,
demanding “equal rights and equal
representationand now, “he aston
ished, O ye heavens, and give ear, O
earth! Even the author of the famous
windmill editorial, advocates Day rep
resentation ! Mirabile dictu!
Brother Myers copies from the Rich
mond Advocate a few editorial re
marks which he informs us he copies
to “endorse.” We give an extjjiset or
two from the Richmond Advocate’s ar
ticle, as quoted and endorsed by broth
er Myers. It says:
“From indications occasionally com
ing to light, the mind of the church is
gradually turning to this subject. The
desire to” have a larger infusion of the
lay element in the administrative de
partment of the church, is growing in
the mind of Methodism. It is begin
ning to be felt as a necessity.”
Ah! Indeed! And what influences j
have created this teeling of a necessity ;
for “a larger infusion of the lay ele ;
ment?” Is there no trace of the Iron
Wheel here ? Have Theodosia Ernest
and Grace Truman not been opening
the eyes of the hosts of Methodism ?
Have not the Index and the Tennessee
JBaptist been scattering light and pow
er all over these lands? Away with
milk and cider, when we wish to effect
a great and important revolution, so
cial or moral. YYe have time and space
to give you only one other extract. —
The Richmond Acvocate quotes from
the action of the Mississippi annual
Conference, and prefaces its quotation
of the Committee’s report by saying;
GEORGIA TELEGRAPH STEAM POWER PRESS.
“We submit its report on ‘lav rep
resentation’ to our readers, as one of
the ‘signs of the times.’ ” And an om
inous sr-gp. at that, say we. YYe give
enough of the Committee’s report to
show what it is the sign of. The Com
mittee, in the latter part of their re
port, say:
“YYe recommend that all of the
Quarterly Conferences elect, at their
third or fourth meeting for the ensuing
year, a lay committee-man, whose du
ty it shall be to attend the next session
of this Annual Conference, and take
such part in the proceedings of the
various Committees of the Conference,
as may be fit.”
YYe hail this move, partial as it is,
as the dawn of a brighter day. YYe
consider this and similar acts on the
part of the Methodist Conference as so
much surrendered to a growing yet
healthy public sentiment, created and
cultivated by the wide-spread influence
of the Baptist press.
Brother Myers says lie copies the
above to “endorse.” Here is my hand,
brother Myers. In future let us fight
the great anti-republican windmill
shoulder to shoulder. If you say so,
you shall have the benefit of that “bla
zing battery’” of which you spoke so
lightly three years ago. (See South- !
ern Christian Advocate of April 6th,
1855.)
Bro. Myers does not simply endorse,
but continues, at some length, to ex
press his views favorably to the intro
duction or “larger infusion” of the lay
element in the government of his
church, or some departments of church
business. Brother Myers closes his ed
itorial in these words:
“YVliat is wanted, we repeat, is a
plan by which the church shall be ad
equately represented, without making
our Conferences too large and tedious.
We believe that if such were proposed,
and it could be believed generally that
lay representation and an itinerant sys
tem would work in perfect harmony,
the plan would meet with general fa
vor in our Conferences,” Ac. Ac.
Xow, brother Myers, just advocate i
the right of tbe Methodist laity to an
equality in the legislative,judicial and
executive departments of your govern
ment —advocate their right to choose J
tlieir own pastors if they wish to—ad
vocate the right of the laity to hold, in
; common with your preachers or bish
ops, the titles to your church property
—advocate these and one or two more
measures of reform, and we will strike
hands together.
A word of caution to the Southern
Christian Advocate, and we close. —
My humble opinion, of course, will
not weigh much, hut we give it “with
out money and without price.” It is
simply this: If you are not willing
to thoroughly republicanize Methodist
church government, never allow the
laity to have a majority in your Gene
ral Conferences. The example of our
I civil government, and the example of
I Baptist church government, together
with the influence of Baptist publica
tions, will thoroughly democratize and
republicanize your system. Give your
laity power, and they will act on your
suggestion, in these burning words of
your own great Bascoin. He says:
“The assumption that absolute pow
er in the affairs of church government
is a sacred deposit in the hands of the
ministry, libels the genius and chari
ties of the Xew Testament.”
E. R. Carswell.
YYaynesborough, Ga.
For the Index.
Two Hows.
Ist. How avc should conduct our
selves, as professed Christians, towards
our friends:
YYe all ha\ r e friends—good, warm
hearted friends. Towards them Ave
should -show the best of friendship in
;YYe should rejoice in their
TOSpJpPy—not envy them lest they
stoura *excel us in something. YYe
should sympathize Avitli them in adver
sity. God, for wise purposes, lias set
prosperity and adversity one over
against the other. Our friends as Avell
as ourselves are therefore liable to ad
verse circumstances —liable to losses
in relatives, property, Ac. YYe should
feel for them Avliile they are under such
circumstances. Y\ T c should pray for
them, visit them if possible, and have
a consoling hand, tongue and heart for
j them. Who that lias Avadeil through
: afflictions, has not experienced the in
fluence of the cordial as administered
by a friend Avhose hand, tongue and
heart, were of this stamp i Well did
an apostle teach that “pure religion and
undefiled before God and the Father is
this: “To visit the fatherless and widow
in their affliction, and to keep himself
unspotted from the world.” As pro
fessed Christians, were Ave to fail to
show a disposition to visit and relieve
our suffering friends, we should there
by show a Avant, on our part, of the
spirit of the religion of the Bible. —
Our Saviour has made known, too, that
even in the j udgment avo should fail to
Number 10.
uieet with His approbation after omit
hig the duties in life which we owed
*° His little ones—our friends and lov
ers, if they are Christians, or really
His little ones. He said, “Then shall
he also say unto them on his left hand,
Depart from me, ye cursed, into ever
lasting fire, prepared for the devil and
his angels; for I was an hungered, and
ye gave me no meat; I was thirsty,
and ye gave me no drink; I was a
stranger, and ye took me not in; na
ked, and.ye clothed me not; sick and
in prison, and ye visited me not,” Ac.
“And these shall go away into ever
lasting punishment, but the righteous
into life eternal.”
2d. How we should carry ourselves,
as professed Christians, towards our
enemies.
Christ has taught His servants that
they would meet with enemies while
engaged in serving Him. He knew
that the Gospel and its discipline would
oppose the vices, passions and violence
of designing men, and that therefore
His servants, whom He required to be
faithful in proclaiming this Gospel and
in seeing that the laws of His kingdom
are faithfully and timely executed,
would meet—as lie had himself, and
Ilis forerunner, John the Baptist—
with the frowns and violence of those
who oppose their own best interests,
and oppose the Gospel either in its
doctrines or discipline. Hence He
said to them, “Woe unto you when
I all men shall speak well of you, for so
did they of the false prophets which
were before you.” There would be a
woe to them if they should be praised
by all, for it would be proof that they
were so unfaithful as not to oppose the
corruptions of men. But while our
Saviour knew Ilis followers would
meet with opposition and have ene
mies, he did not leave them without
) directions as to how they should carry
themselves towards their enemies; for.
He not only said, “Blessed are fe
; when men shall revile yon, and perse
cute you, and shall say all manner ot
evil against you falsely, for my sake,”
rejoice and be exceeding glad; for
i great is your reward in Heaven ; for
so persecuted they the prophets which
were before you ;” but He also said —
“When they persecute you in one city,
flee into another,” Ac.; that is, avoid
difficulty with them —give place, and
revisit them not with the sword. “A on
have heard that it hath been said, —
Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate
thine enemy; but I say unto you, Love
j your enemies, bless them that curse
you, do good to them that hate you,
and pray for them that despitefully use
| you and persecute you ; that you may
be the children of your Father who is
in Heaven ; for he maketh his sun to
rise on the evil and on the good, and
j sendcthrain on the just and on the un
just. For if ye love them which love
j you, what reward have ye ? do not ev
en the publicans the same ? And it
1 ye salute your brethren only, what do
ye more than others ? do not even the
I publicans so ? Be ye therefore perfect,
even as your Father who is in Heaven
is perfect.”
Now who, after reading these words
of Christ, that cannot see how Chris
tians should conduct themselves to
wards those whom they look upon as
1 enemies ? They are not allowed to act
i the part of irreligious pharisees, who
; thought they were righteous and de
: spised others, in being too stout to have
a ‘-Good morning,” a “Good evening,”
or “How do you do,” for an enemy.—
They are not allowed to have unkind
and unholy feelings even towards ene
mies. It is not to be sheer hollow
hearted hypocrisy on their part when
they have a kind of “God-bless-you”
for every one, whether friend or foe.—
Their hearts are required to have this
much in sincerity for all. Hear what
Paul said with regard to them who
were ready to put him to death : “It
is mv heart’s desire and prayer to God
for Israel, that they might be saved.”
A man cannot sooner or more success
fully show that he is wrong, than by
refusing to speak to one whom be con
siders his enemy. In fact, there is,
perhaps, no way in which a man can
more maliciously and better show bis
own wicked heart and bad spirit than
this of looking upon an individual as
bis enemy, and then refusing to return
the common salutations of religion and
civility. It was in this way, at least,
that the religion of the scribes and
pharisees, publicans and sinners, show
ed itself to be wrong. Then Christians
should do good to enemies—yes, do
good and avenge not, to all men, espec
ially to the household ot faith.
I. H. G.
The people of Washington maintain
59 churches, the expense of which will
certainly average over 81, 000 —$59, OCO
Good Advice. —Never go to bed at
ten, leaving your wife up till two with a
sick baby.