Newspaper Page Text
JOSEPH WALKER, ) Editor.
SAMUEL BOYKIN, \ Associate Editor.
V OLUME 37. New Series V 01.26.
CHRISTIAN INDEX.
PUBLISHED EVERT WEDNESDAY MORNING
At MACON, Ga.,
1Y A COMMITTEE OF BRETHREN,
ffor tfte ffieoraCa Baptist ®onbent(on.
From the American Messenger.
“Where is thy Sting?” —l Cor. 15:55
Who calls thee grim and terrible,
Thou glorious angel, Death ?
Thy form should wondrous beauty wear;
Like sweet perfume thy breath ;
Thy robes should be of woven light,
Os clear, resplendent sheen ;
A crown of stars upon thy head,
Thy face as heaven serene.
Once wert thou fearful in thy might,
Wrathful and stern thy sway,
When multitudes before thee passed
Despairingly away ;
Before the Sun of righteousness
Arose to glad the earth,
Then Sin and Pain and Thou didst blast
All loveliness and worth.
But now, midway from earth to heaven,
Upon thy ebon throne,
A glorious boon is granted thee,
To thee, great Death alone :
The golden key of life, true life,
Op’ning the pearly gates,
Where never enter woes or strife,
But rest the freed awaits.
Eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard,
Nor entered heart .of man,
The things which God himself prepared
Long ere the world began,
For those who love his gracious Son,
The sinless, the divine.
He clothed thee Death, with light and life ;
He made heaven’s portals th ne.
Then welcome, thou transformed one,
Who set’st the careworn free ;
Asa long looked-for, loving friend,
So let thy coming be.
Joy-breathing hour, when thou shalt ope
The g tes of Paradise,
Where God our God reigns evermore,
Far from this world of sighs.
R. T. D.
CONTRIBUTIONS.
Biographical Sketch.
OF
GEORGE T. LANDRUM.
No more painful duty can fall to the
hand of a friend, than to record the
sad memorials of one dear to him.—
When ilie chain which friendship has
forged, and which worth has riveted
tightly is suddenly broken by the rude
hand of death, the jarred sensibilities
recoil from anything like publicity.—
They would rather mourn beneath the
shade of the drooping willow of retire
ment, than court observation by clam
orous manifestations.
The wounded hart retires to the
forest’s deep shade, until time has ex
erted its beneficial effects.
But duty oft-times renders it neces
sary to set before our fellow men, that,
in the lives of others, which is worthy
of imitation. So a heart quivering
with melancholy feelings thus becomes
willing to depict those qualities, the
memory of which excites anew its
grief, that the good of a useful life
may not be altogether lost.
George T. Landrum, the son of Wil
liam and Jane Landrum, was born in
Oglethorpe county, June 14th, 1829,
and died in the same county the 10th
of August, 185S, aged 29 years, one
month and 26 days.
His disease was typhoid fever. Dur
ing a whole month his weakened frame
resisted the onslaught of the fell de
stroyer ; but skill and watchful care
and nature’s energies availed naught,
lie died. And with him were buried
the brightest hopes of aged parents :
with him are interred the joyous anti
cipations of a devoted wife.
lie was married to Miss Su6au A.
Clark, of Lexington, on the 23d of No
vember, 1854; and leaves her and one
child—suddenly bereft of a husband’s
and a father’s care and love.
In the year 1851 he graduated at
the State University at Athens, Geor
gia, with the next highest honors of
his class.
During his college course, he endear
ed himself to both students and facul
ty, by an exhibition of qualities of head
and heart which do honor to human
nature.
It can be said of him that he had
not an enemy in college; on the
contrary all were his ardent friends ;
and perhaps no other so strongly bound
the hearts of all to him in ties of love
and esteem. In deportment he was
alfable and courteous; to all polite; to
his triends particularly attractive by
his frank, cordial, confiding yet res
pectful demeanor. In the esteem of
the faculty, he stood second to none;
for in all of his duties he was prompt,
thorough, never remiss. His mind
was clear and penetrating; and grasp
ed the subject with a tenacity that in
sured its thorough comprehension.—
To the keen gaze of his mental vision,
obscurities presented no obstruction ;
abstruseness proved no bar to clear per
ception : it penetrated alike into the
arcana of mathematics, science and
astronomy. Os the analytical order,
hi 6 mind grasped the whole, and yet
clearly discerned the parts.
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX
He graduated in August of 1851 and
in the Fall of the same year he was ad
mitted to the bar. It was said that so
complete was his mastery of Black
stone’s Commentaries, that he could
easily give a correct analysis of any
chapter designated.
His industry and energy were great;
and he was rapidly rising in wealth,
position and honor, at his death.
Os heart, he was warm, friendly and
cordial, upright, pure and magnani
mous. The universal esteem in which
he was held, indicates a heart calcula
ted to captivate. Profane he never
was ; in his eyes, religion was a sacred
thing and commanded his highest ven
eration. He was never known to sneer
at any ol its truths or mock at any of
its doctrines.
The consistent professor commanded
his highest esteem.
He himself never made a public pro
fession of religion. It is thought that
his heart was regenerated in his ninth
year, and that he gave his soul to God
then, as he was then the subject of
deep religious impressions. His mor
al conduct, bis conscientiousness, his
correct deportment and the interest lie
took in religion, all unite to strength
en the hope that he was a child of
Grace. In the last year of his life,
saddened by the death of a daughter,
he became more than ever interested
in religion and devotional in his habits.
His conversation and his letters betok
ened a Christian heart ; and he openly
avowed his intention of uniting himself
with the people of God, as soon as a
certain difficulty then in existence was
settled.
The difficulty was settled, but not be
fore the destroying angel had stretch
ed him upon his bed of death. He re
joiced at its settlement, but did not
live to carry out his purpose.
It is difficult to comprehend the wis
dom of the decree which removed him
from this sphere of action. The field
of his life lay bright and inviting be
fore him ; the future allured him for
ward with many charms.
A young wife and only child were
dependent on him : his aged parents
doated upon him and he seemed essen
tial to their support and happiness.—
He possessed universal confidence ;
and was oue around whom more hopes
clustered than is ordinarily the case;
and yet, amid all, he is smitten to the
earth.
Asa Lawyer , he was intelligent, suc
cessful, and enjoyed a large practice.
Asa man, he was generous, noble
and commanded esteem and admira
tion.
Asa Friend, he was sincere, faith
ful aud devoted.
In all the domestic relations he was
kind, genial, self-denying, with a wo
man’s loving heart.
To know him was to love him.
Dr. N. M. Crawford conducted his
funeral services; and a larger con
course of citizens than was ever before
assembled in Lexington for a similar
purpose, evinced the sense of the com
munity at his loss. . S.
—i
The Baptism of Polygamists.
Whether a heathen polygamist con
verted to the religion of Jesus Christ
should be admitted to the rite of bap
tism until he lias wholly abjured his
marriages and abandoned his wives,is a
question, which at this moment occu
pies the mind of the church. One of
the difficulties in the way of arriving
at truth in all discussions, is the want
of clearness and precision in the state
ment of the question. It is not wheth
er in Christian countries polygamy can
be for one moment tolerated—nor is it
whether polygamy is there prohibited
by the gospel, or by the teachings of
the old Testament scriptures. Apart
from all revelation, civilization has de
monstrated its indecency, inexpedien
cy and abhorrent pollution. Without
aid from the scriptures the civilized
world, in its experiences of good and
evil, has reached the conclusion that a
single wife, is the law of marriage.—
Polygamy was tolerated by the Al
mighty in the Patriarchal day. The
verity ot this fact is unquestioned.—
No one familiar with the scriptures
will be found of such hardihood, as to
claim against it, an express prohibi
tion in the old Testament—mu c h
less will there be found one, willing to
impute to Abraham, condemnatory
sin, in the fact of his plurality of wives.
Reasons for that toleration occur even
to us. They were seen to be sufficient
by the Almighty. The fact*stands for
a reus* n. As God has not condemned
the fact, who are we that we sit in
judgment upon the Divine administra
tion? Nor let it be said that in these con
cessions we pander to the lusts of men,
and by indirection, favor licentious
ness. We live under a clearer dispen
sation. Polygamy is not now tolera
ted. The gospel condemns and pro
hibits it. Nay, to us it is forbidden by
ORO-AN OF THE BAPTIST OOIST'SrEiN’TIOriKr OF THEE STATB OF GEORGIA.
the old Testament teachings, as well
as by the gospel.
In all countries where the gospel is
recognized as the rule of moral con
duct, the civil’ law prohibits it. It
is adultery or fornication by legal en
actment. Experience in this regard
as in all others, affirms the wisdom of
God and the truth of revelation—for
it is true, that wheresoever the mar
riage contract, as we hold it, is main
tained most inviolable—there is socie
ty most pure, aud men most happy.
It being true that polygamy is pro
hibited by the gospel, it follows thai
the perpetration of it by persons cog
nizant of the gospel prohibition is a
sin ; and that such persons are not en
titled to baptism, until the sin is not
only repented of, but abandoned. It
has been assumed in this discussion,*
however, that inasmuch as it is a sin
under the gospel, it is universally sin
ful, no matter where, by whom, and
under what circumstances committed-
The conclusion from this proposition
is, that no heathen polygamist can be
entitled to the privileges of a Chris
tian church, until he has abandoned
his wives and repudiated uncondition
ally his marriages. Now that polyga
my is aborigine, and under all circum
stances a sin, I am not prepared to ad
mit. It is not a sin in a heathen man,
by virtue of the gospel prohibition,
without knowledge, on his part, of the
gospel. We j udge of this question in
the light of Christianity. We are,
however, to transport ourselves to
heathen ground, and from that stand
point, we are to determine it. Not
according to the usages and opinions
of heathenism, but according to the
precepts and principles of the gospel.
According to those precepts and prin
ciples, the gospel law of marriage has
no application to him. lie is not un
der its authority, nor is he subject to
its penalties. Neither before the tri
bunals of earth or heaven, can lie be
condemned by the gospel, for the rea
son.that he has no knowledge of it. The
final and just condemnation of men by
the Gospel, is consequent upon its re
jection. The heathen who perish, do
pot reach perdition through the sen
tence of the law, either of Moses or of
Christ. Both are of unrelaxing obli
gation upon all who have them, but
neither has any application to those
who have them not. The sentiment
of good men of every age—the action
ol the church—the genius of chris
tianity as it is exhibited in all her us
ages and traditions, as well as the ex
press declarations of the inspired re
cord—all teacn that no man is requir
ed to believe in that of which be has
not heard, and could not have heard,
in the exercise of proper diligence.—
Else why the vast and glorious array
of money—genius—learning and mo
ral power at this moment marshalled
on the plains of heathenism to fight
the battles of the cross ? And what is
the weapon wielded by this sacred
host? It is the sword of the spirit; truth
presented to the mind and conscience.
Knowledge must precede the authority
of law, and is a condition precedent to
the guilt of its violation. Upon this
equitable basis rests the sanction of
human laws. A State would be scout
ed from the associations of civilization,
which would venture upon the pun
ishment of a citizen for the violation
of a law not prescribed. Paul—the
most able, devoted, and successful of
all missionaries, has declared that
“with tlie heart man believeth unto
righteousness,” and upon this postu
late affirms that be can not believe
upon him of whom he has not heard.
How shall they call upon him in whom
ihey have not believed? And how
shall they believe in him of whom they
have not heard.” Now if it be true
that the heathen do not perish because
of their rejection of the gospel, a for
tiori, they are not to be held sinners,
because of their ndn-complianee with
a single requisition of that gospel.—
If it be no sin to reject a gospel of
which they have not heard, with clear
er demonstration, it is no sin to vio
late its law of marriage.* But by a
canon of the gospel they are not to be
judged by the gospel. The gospel has
prescribed for them another law, thus
denying its own obligation upon them.
This is the law of conscience. Upon
scripture authority, they are a law un
to themselves, their consciences accus
ing or else excusing them. That is to
say, apart from the law of Moses, and
apart, from the law of the gospel there
is, in their nature and condition a law
to which they are amenable. Its terms
run thus : “ For when the Gentiles
which have not the law do by nature
the things contained in the law, these
having not the law, are a law unto
themselves, which show the works of
the law written in their hearts, their
consciences also bearing witness, and
their thoughts the meanwhile,’ accus
MACON, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1858.
ing or else excusing one another.”—
The full meaning of this shadowy pas
sage I venture not to declare. God
has left it shrouded in doubt, and
when Theologians the most profound,
have approached its exposition with
conscious incapacity, it becomes me
to be cautious, lest I touch the ark
with unholy hands. The necessities
of this discussion, however, demand
riiat we enquire whether by tkts law
the heathen polygamist, by the fact of
polygamy, stands condemned,as a sin
ner. Can he be saved without the
gospel ? If lie can. then it follows, that
in the judgment of God, his polygamy
is not imputed to him as a sin. The
broad, patent, revelation of the gospel
is that salvation is through Faith in
Jesus Christ. As before stated, this
condition of salvation, does not apply
to the heathen—but to such persons
only as have the gospel. If saved at all,
they are saved by a conscientious obe
dience to the law of nature —that law
which God has revealed to them in his
works of creation and providence.—
Their thoughts of Him—of his ‘eternal
power and Godhead”—originated, sus
tained and multiplied by the things
seen, and communicated one toanoth
er; by traditions, usages and discus
sions, accuse or else excuse them.—
And conscience sitting as judge, pro
nounces their lives, right or wrong,
according to their knowledge, and
their obedience to it. That there may
be such obedience as will save the
heathen, is- the prevalent opinion of
the Church. The varieties of animal
and vegetable life—the instincts of the
former—and the unvarying laws of
the latter —the wonderful wisdom dis
play ed in their own physical organiza
tion—the conscious subtlety, strength
and unprovability of their own minds
—the irrepressible, inherent sentiment
of good and ill desert—of reward and
of punishment —the presence of au
thority among themselves—the vicissi
tudes of the seasons —the early and the
latter rain—the mountain and the
plain—the 6ea —the sky—the shock of
the earthquake and the returning rest
of nature —the revolving stars ad the
majestic march |}f the Providence of
God —these reveif Him as the ‘ens en
tiurn”—being of beings —retributive,
wise and just ; and command homage
and obedience. In that homage and
obedience, they are accepted of God,
not through faith in Christ, but for his
sake. But how many? Alas! but few
—very few. They go down to the pit
in melancholy millions. They do not
live according to the light bestowed.
The Apostle Paul in the Ist chap, of
Romans, declares what they are, and
what their destiny. The conclusion
then is, that whilst -some are saved,
the great bulk of the heathen perish.
And the farther conclusion is, that po
lygamy may or may not be sinful ac
ccording to the light of the heathen,
and his obedience to that light. It
must, however, be admitted, that po
lygamy is one of those offences which
the law of nature may, and is most
likely to condemn. Paul enumerat
ing the abominations of heathenism
mentions fornication. That heads the
black-lettered list, and is one of the
things which in the judgment of God
is “worthy of death.”
If this reasoning be sound, polygamy
is not always and necessarily a sin. Its
sinfulness must depend upon the
knowledge which the polygamist has
of the moral character of the act, and
his conscientious obedience to that
knowledge. If he knows that it is
polluting—debasing—cruel to offspring
—unjust to women, and impolitic as
regards the state —if in any way, from
the things made, he is taught to feel
that it is offensive to the God of crea
tion aud providence ; his conscience
will condemn it,, and if he does not
obey the judgment of conscience, it is
as to him sin. If, on the contrary, he
does not thus know it to be wrong,
conscience can not condemn it, and it
is not sin. There is unquestionably a
wide difference, in the degree of knowl
edge, to which heathen nations and
individuals attain. Some approximate
the light of Christianity, whilst others
are raised but a single grade above the
brutes that perish. Pagan Rome for
example, when Paul preached on Mars
bill, and Africa at this clay. Cicero
and Cato were pagans, and we can not
hesitate to say, that polygamy in them,
would have been sin. We are con
strained to say the same of thousands
if educated Mahomedans of our times.
On the other hand the African, with
out education—so ignorant as scarcely
to derive a single thought, either from
the glories of creation or the wond rs
of Providence, and taught to believe
by the traditions and usage of his tribe,
that polygamy is a virtue, can not be
presumed to know that it is wrong,
and can not be presumed to disobey a
judgment of conscience in the practice
of it.
To be continued.
Love of God.
It is an opinion which has gained.
some prevalence over the minds of
some, that because Christ died for tha
world, therefore God loves the world.
-But by a little attention to the word
of God we shall find the thing some
what reversed. The love of God to
wards man in his fallen condition
prompted Deity to devise a plan
whereby man could be restored to his
primeval happiness and reconciled to
his Creator. The death of the Savior
is by no means the procuring cause of
God’s love, but the expression aud the
measure of that love towards the world
powerless to extricate itself from the
dilema into which it had fallen by rea
son of sin and disobedience. The scrip
tures say “God so loved the world that
he gave his only begotten Son that
whosoever believeth on Him might
not perish, bnt have everlasting life.”
Here the gift of the only begotten
son is predicated upon the intensity of
God’s love—so loved. The everlast
ing life here promised is predicated
upon belief in Christ. But all the
happy consequences growing out of the
suffering of the son of God bad its
origin in that love which the Father
exercised towards the world. Never
was love like that, which was mani
fested towards us in providing a sacri
fice every way suitable to our moral
want, and at the same time meeting
the inexorable demands of divine jus
tice, and appeasing the wrath of a just
ly offended Deity.
So degraded and fallen had we become
because of transgression, that we had
forfeited all the claims we ever had in
primal purity to the mercy or protec
tion of Heaven. In this helpless con
dition the Father comes to our rescue
in the person of an only son. Finding
us dead in trespasses and in sins, he
comes and submits himself to the suf
fering an ignominons death that we
might attain through belief in Him
unto everlasting life: The life which
has been provided for us through the
suffering of the Son of God, by belief
in Him, is the exact antipodal of that
which our sins have richly merited.—
Both are eternal. The oue is life that
shall never end, associated with bliss,
progressive and ever accumulative ;
the other is death eternal—always dy
ing yet never dead —and increasing
in intensity of torture and accumula
tion of anguish, yet never so intense
ly great as ultimately to extinguish
the soul. O, what a thought is this !
To be forever in the throes and agonies
of death, and no possibility of extinc
tion ! That we might attain to the one
and escape the other, Deity invested
Himself with the habiliments of hu
manity, laid aside the caronal of Hea
ven, the adoration and worship of an
gels, exchanged the riches aud glory
of the skies for the poverty and degra
dation of earth, the love of the father
for the sneers, persecutions and hatred
of men and devils, and finally submit
ted himself to the shameful death of
the Cross. Such love as this has no
parallel in all the annals of the world.
We place our affections upon per
sons and objects, which, according to
our conceptions, possess beauties aud
qualities of an amiable character. We
ove gold and silver because they are
intrinsicaly valuable,and with them we
may procure what may “add to the en
joyments of life. We love individuals
from whom we have from time to time
received kindnesses aud courtesies of
life ; or those who have come to our
succor and relief in peril or distressing
want. But no motives of this kind
swelled the bosom of Deity with love
and compassion for the fallen sons and
daughters of Adam. We had lost our
primitive purity by sin. That impress
of the Creator’s image, which had been
enstamped upon our moral nature,
had beeu tarnished and effaced. Guilt
had usurped the place of innocency,
corruption that of purity, hatred that
of love. “All had like sheep gone
astray ; every one had turned to his
own way.” We were full of bruises
and putrifying sores from the crown
of the head to the sole of the foot, and
there was no soundness in us. This
was our condition when God interpos
ed His Son to save ns from eternal
ruin. And such were the objects up
on which He centered love and com
passion so unearthly.
We should magnify the love of God
from the consideration, that it was be
stowed without the possibility of man’s
compensating Him for it. AYliat can
man render to God for all his kindness
in devising, in infinite wisdom, the
plan of redemption ? Can he enrich
the Almighty by giving Him all the
wealth which he might be able te heap
together during a long and prosperous
life ? Nay, verily-r-If a man had the
right, so far as human laws are con
cerned, to every square foot of this
globe, he could not present it to the
Almighty and say: “here Lord, 1 give
GEORGIA TELEGRAPH STEAM POWER PRESS.
thee all this world as a compensation
tor that love which tliou didst mani
fest towards me in the gift of thy Son
as a substitute to bear the curse of vio
lated laws.” As the Creator of the
heavens and the earth, God has aright
to every inch of soil and all that ap
pertams thereto. Man, therefore, can
offer Him nothing ; for all things be
long to Him. Because we were ten
thousand talents in debt and had
nothing to pay, Jesus Christ stepped
forward and canceled the debt—suf
sered in His own body upon the tree
•that curse which man aloue had de
served. How should this enhance the
love of God in the estimation of men !
How should our hearts respond in love
to Him, who loved where man would
have hated, blessed, where man would
have cursed aud destroyed, offered
mercy,” where mercy was undeserved,
aud pr. fi* red an eternity of bliss to
those who deserved an eternity of woe!
A. C. Ramsay.
I HOPE TO BE A CHRISTIAN.
Y T ou do ? Why, then, do you not
seek to be a sliristian ? God has or
dained means in order to this end ; are
you using the means? “Ask, and ye
shall receive ; seek and ye shall find ;
knock and it shall be opened to you.”
“ Te shall seek me, and find me, when
ye search for me with all your heart.”
These are the conditions of grace which
God lias attached to securing an inter
est in his love. Are yon seeking tor
God with all your heart ? No man
ever yet escaped from the thraldom of
sin and Satan, who did not earnestly
struggle to be free ; no man ever en
tered the strait gate who did not ago
nize to accomplish that glorious end.
What reason have you to expect that
there will be an exception in your case?
On what ground do you base your hopes
that you will be a Christian, if you are
not seeking or striving to be one? The
Bible contains no promise to those who
are folding their arms in sin. Care
lessness and inattention to the appoint
ed means of salvation afford no foun
dation for a hope that you are to be
came a child of God.
You hope to be a Christian ? Why,
then, do you not give up your sins, re
nounce the world as your portion, and
cheerfully surrender yourself to Him
who is the way, the truth, and the life?
He is ready and willing to receive you.
He gave his life a ransom for sinners;
he purchased the gift of the Spirit,
whose efficient agency in renewing and
sanctifying the soul is indispensable ;
he freely gives his Spirit to all who
earnestly ask him; he has filled his re
vealed word with invitations and en
couragements to those who desire his
grace; he has long been knocking at
the door of your heart for admission.
But you still refuse his promised grace
grieve his Spirit, shut your heart
against his entrance, and continue to
pursue the world, and to indulge your
Bins. How, then, can you hope to he
a Christian?
You hope to be a Christian? When?
Not now. You are too busy, or have
something in view which must first be
accomplished, or are so indisposed to
give yourself to the work,.that this is
not felt to be the “convenient season.”
After a while, when you have accumu
lated a fortune, or passed the period
you can partake in the world’s plea
sures or when there is a revival
of religion, or at furthest on a dy
ing bed, you hope to be a Chris
tian. “Go thy way for this time,”
is the response you give to every ap
peal which conies home to your heart
and conscience. But God’s commands
and promises are for the present. He
gives no encouragement to wait for a
future season. You have no assurance
that there shall be any season beyond
the present. Life is uncertain. Before
the anticipated time comes you may
be in eternity. The gracious Spirit
may become wearied with your delay,
and for ever leave you. A death-bed
is no place for doing the great neglec
ted work of life. “Behold, now is the
accepted time: behold, now is the day
of salvation.” “To-day, if ye will hear
his voice, harden not your heart.”
You hope to be a Christian? So mul
titudes of others like yourself, who were
living in sin, have hoped; but” where
are they now? Long ago have they
been cut down as cumberers of the
ground. Their day of grace and day
of life lias closed. They lived without
Christ, and they died without him;
and now are bewailing themselves that
they trifled away their, precious time
on earth, in the delusive hope that
some day or other they would be Chris
tians. That day never came to the
them, and never will come. “The har
vest is past, the summer is ended,”
and their souls are not saved.
Reader, if you would have a good
hope of eternal life, the only resource
is, that without further delay yort seek
with all your.heart the blood of Christ
to wash your sins away, the righteous
ness of Christ to justify you in the sight
of God, and the Spirit of Christ to
renew and sanctify your nature. Con
tinue to flatter yourself with the vague
hope that you will, some time or other,
be a Christian, and you will And, when
it shall be for eve) too late, that you
have been indulging a hope which shall
go out in eternal despair.—Presbyte
rian. ;
THE SINNER’S RIGHT TO THE
REDEEMER.
You have become convinced that
you are a sinner. You know painfully
Number 38.
the fact that you are guilty in the
sight of God, and that your guilt has
brought you under the condemnation
of his law. Why do you not fly to Jesus
Christ ? You are the very sinner that
he came to save. You are the very
one whom his gospel calls. Yet you
shudder and shrink back when some
kind hand attemps to draw you to the
Redeemer. You cannot go You
dare not go. Your heart is so wretch
ed, and yet so hard ; you are so truly
convinced that you are a miserable
Sinner,and yet so unmoved by the con
viction ot this fearful truth, that you
tremble at the thought of going to him.
let he calls you—you, who think that
you would leap for joy to hear him
speak your mine, and call you to him
and be forgiven ; he calls you. Not
by your name, but by his invitations
and promises to souls that are exactly
in the condition in which you describe
yourself to be.
Do you say that you are a sinner ?
Jesus says, “I came not to call the
righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
Luke 5:32.
Do you say that you are a great sin
ner ? “It is a faithful saying and worthy
of all acceptations, that Christ Jesus
came into the world to save sinners;
of whom I am chief.” 1 Tim. 1:15.
Do you say that you area deep dyed
sinner? “Though your sins be as scar
let, they shall be as white as snow;
though they be red like crimson, they
shall be as wool” Isa. 1:18.
Do they hang over you like a cloud?
“I have blotted out as a thick cloud
thy transgressions, and as a cloud thy
sins.” Isa. 44:22.
Is their number beyond your power
to tell? “The blood of Jesus Christ his
Son cleanseth us from all sia.” 1
John, 1:7.
Are you ungodly sinner? “Christ
died for the ungodly.” Rom. 5:6.
Do you wish that God would
but cease to remember that you are
such a sinner? “I will be merciful to
their unrighteousness, and their sins
and their iniquities will I remember no
more.” Heb. 8:12.
Would you give every thing that
you have if He would not lay your
sins to your charge ? “God was in Christ
reconciling the world unto himself, not
imputing their trespasses unto them.”
2 Cor. 5:10.
Does your guilt lie like a load on
your soul, and does your weary soul
sigh for rest ? “Come unto me, all ye
that labor and are heavy laden, and I
will give you rest.” Matt. 11:28.
Do you long for an interest in Jesus
Christ ? “If any man thirst, let him
come unto me and drink.” John 7:37.
Are you trying to come to him?
“Him that corneth to me, I will in no
wise cast out.” John 6:37.
Have I not shown you by the prom
ises themselves that you are the very
person to whom they are made? Take
them. Believe them. Hold fast to
them. Beat doubts and fear down by
them. Plead them on your knees to
the Redeemer. Say them over until
you cannot forget them. Fly to them
from every accusation of your own
heart or of Satan. Expect the bless
ing which they proffer. Dare to hope
for mercy because you have your Re
deemer’s word for it. Has he not sad.
“Heaven and earth shall pass away,
but my words shall not pass away ?”
W hat Lotteries Do.—Ten persons
engaged in the sale of lottery tickets
were arrested in Cincinnati lately.—
The Gazette says: The affidavits upon
which warrants were issued for these
parties, were all made by Frederic Tod
enbier, a German mechanic, who re
lates his experience in the lottery bus
iness with emotion. He says he has
been purchasing tickets for years —
that he has spent all he earned, and all
he could borrow, in these ruinous spe
culations—that he has impoverished
himself and family to such a degree
that they have frequently had to live
upon a single meal a day, and that of
the most scanty r character; in short,
that he had become almost a maniac
upon the subject of drawing a prize,
and at last getting his hard-earned
money back. He has been driven to
the verge of despair and destruction,
and having become convinced of the
wide spread ruin which the lottery
business in inflicting upon the com
munity, is determined to do his utmost
to break it up. Todenbier assures the
officers that there is at least a hundred
within the circle of his own acquain
tance, who are daily spending their
earnings in the vain hope of eventually
drawing a fortune.
Anti-Slaveryism.— The motto of the
Independent, with respect to the A
merican Tract Society is—“No contri
butions and no secession.” It wishes
the abolition faction to remain in the
Society, until, by agitation, they rule
or ruin it. The New York Observer
says: “The spirit that dictates such a
policy betrays a malignity that has no
titling place even in this wicked
world.” We know of but one world
more wicked: are we to understand
that abolitionism, if it acts in this way,
will prove itself tit for thal world ?
Secession.— The New England
Branch of American Tract Society has
withdrawn from it to publish anti-slave
ry tracts. We are happy to hear it, if
it indicates that the parent Society is
to be left free to pursue quietly a na
tional policy, in spite of the resolutions
of 1857.
Another Rebuke. —The American
Abolition Society, at its recent anni
versary, denounced the action of the
Tract Society, as “treacherous to free
dom and subversive to Christianity.”