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THE CHRISTIAN INDEX,
PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY MOBNINO
AT MACON, GEORGIA,
BY A COMMITTEE OF BRETHREN,
FOB THB GEORGIA BAPTIST CONVENTION.
TERM* OF SUBSCRIPTION,
Two Dollars In “advance: or paidwithin the year.
If suffered to overrun the year, Two Dollart
and one. half will be charged in all cases.
11. W. WARREN, Editor.
Volume 38i— JN ew’ Series Vol. 27.
POETRY.
Heaven. —by mbs. southey.
Oh ! talk to me of Heaven! I love
To hear about my home above;
For there doth many a loved one dwell
In light and love ineffable.
Oh ! tell how they shine and sing,
While every harp rings echoing,
And every glad and tearless eye
Beams, like the bright sun, gloriously.
Tell me of that victorious palm
Each hand in glory beareth ;
Tell me of that celestial calm
Each face in glory weareth.
Oh ! happy, happy country ! where
There entereth not a sin ;
And death, who keeps its portals fair,
May never once come in.
No grief can change their day to night—
The darkness of that land is light.
Sorrow and sighing God has sent
thence to endless banishment.
And never more may one dark tow -
Bedim their burning eyes;
For every one they shed while here,
In cheerless agonies,
Glitters a bright and dazzling gem,
In their immortal diadem.
Oh! lovely, blooming country ! there
Flourishes all that we deem fair.
And though no fields, nor forests green,
Nor bowery gardens there are seen,
Nor perfumes load the breeze,
Nor hears the ear material sound,
Yet joys at God’s right hand are found—
The archetypes of these.
There is the home, the land of birth
’ Os all we highest prize on earth;
The storms that rack this world beneath —
Must forever cease;
The only air the blessed breathe
Is purity and peace.
Oh! happy, happy land! in thee
Shines the unveiled Divinity,
‘Shedding through each adoring breast
A holy calm, a halcyon rest,
And those blessed souls, whom death did
sever,
Have met to mingle joys forever.
Oh ! soon may Heaven unclose to me!
Oh! may I soon that glory see!
And my faint, weary spirit stand
Within that happy, happy land !
For the Christian Index.
Corrective Church Discipline.
HO. 1.
It is the Savior’s will of precept that
the constituents of Elis Churches shall
be regenerated persons. He authori
zes none to receive the ordinance of
baptism, and to have a lot among his
visible people, but those who believe
with the heart that He is the Son of
God. His churches, however, are not
composed of perfect beings. Men of
passions and infirmities, of prejudices
and defective knowledge, frequently
of discordant tastes and conflicting
worldly interests are congregated to
gether, and organized into visible lo
cal societies. In these circnmstances,
it must needs be that offences come.
The influence of the grace of God, and
the precepts of the Gospel, serve to
counteract this tendency, but it is nev
er impossible for the flesh to get, for
the time, the mastery of the Spirit,
and produce alienation among individ
uals, or discord in communities where
brotherly love, order and harmony
usually prevail.
The great Lawgiver iii Zion, recog
nizes the possibility of the action of
distuflWteg elements, and has left His
people in no doubt as to the remedy to
be applied in every instance. He has
not left us to legislate on the subject,
nor to resort to expedients to meet ca
ses as they arise; but himself has clas
sified offences,and prescribed the course
to be pursued in every case. It only
remains for us to perceive clearly the
Divine discrimination, and to carry out
implicitly the divine prescription.
What then is the inspired classifi
cation of offences—and what, under
the classification, is the course of treat
ment prescribed by infinite wisdom ?
DIFFERENT KINDS OF OFFENCE.
The Scriptures cite us to but two
kinds of offence. Mat. 18:15, points
out the one kind, where the object of
the offence is an individual:—“ If thy
brother trespass against thee” : and 1
Cor. 5, to the secoud kind, where the
object of the offence is either public
morals, or the church. Tbe former of
these is usually characterized by the
term Private , and the latter by the
term Public. The use of these terms
will be retained in this essay, though
they are each liable to some ambiguity
of meaning. Personal is employed by
some in preference to “private” ; but
neither term is exactly suited to the
case, since private may be understood
in the sense of secret / and personal is
not necessarily in antithesis to public.
Nor is the term public more happy in
conveying the idea intended, since it
may be understood in the sense of os
tentatiously—before the world. If this
criticism be repeated in substance, it
will be only to warn the reader against
a misapprehension of the idea designed
to be conveyed.
PRIVATE OFFENCES.
1. What are “private offences” as
Mat. 18 ?
H. Not necessarily secret of-
“public offences” are
commmed secretly ; as theft, fornica
tion, cfec. The thief and the fornica
tor, select the time usually, when the
friendly darkness will conceal them—
when they confidently, trust no eye
will detect them. But theft and for
nication are not “private” but “pub
lic” offences, according to Scriptural
classification, even though the former
may be committed against a brother.
But of this, more anon.
Ans. 2. “Private offences” then, i.
e. those referred to in Mat. 18, are
those that ar e personal, committed ex-
jp J \ I !■ b HiII H I MU/
clusively against individuals ; as when
encroachments are made upon individ
ual rights , interests or feelings. A.
on the impulse of the moment, acci
dentally cripples B.’s stock that have
broken into his enclosure, or, through
.mistake, makes encroachments upon
bis territory, or speaks harshly or dis
paragingly of him, or accosts him in a
cold and repulsive manner, or refuses
to speak to him at all—these are a very
few examples of an offence specific in
character, bnt endless in combination
and manifestation. The specific char
acter is that the act is not a crime
against religion and morality, and the
object-of the act is a brother.
PUBLIC OFFENCES.
2d. What are “Public Offences”?
- Ans. Ist. Not necessarily those that
are committed publicly and ostenta
tiously. .One church member may
refuse to
■|JMlW?!Tinother, and in other ways
unjustly treat him with contempt. —
Bnt, as has been seen above, this is
not a “public” but a “private” offence,
since the object of it is exclusively an
individual. Those who .perpetuate
“public” offences, more frequently,
though not always, try to conceal
them under the garb of secrecy.
Ans. 2d. “Public offences” may be
subdivided into two classes ; (1) where
they are crimes exclusively against re
ligion and morality; (2) where they
are offences against the church in its
organized capacity.
(1.) Crimels committed against mor
ality and religion exclusively, where
the offence has no individual, or body
of individuals for its object; but when
it is incited for the gratification of de
praved taste, .or for the indulgence of
a corrupt propensity; as drunkenness,
profanity, lewdness, falsehood, &c.—
the last not perpetrated against an in
dividual. Here the offences are crimes
not against meh but against God. The
drunken church member, in the mere
fad that he is* drunk, infringes upon
no brother’s personal rights, tramples
upon no brother’s individual-feelings,
and damages no brother’s personal in
dividual interests. This is not the in
tention, this is not the result. The only
object may have been to gratify a de
praved appetite. He is a “public of
fender” (Ist,) because he has committed
a grievous offence; and (2d,) because
the object affected by the offence is
not an individual, but public gospel
morality and the cause of Christ.
(2.) Transgressions committed against
the church in its organized .capacity,
constitute another class of “public of
fences.” The instances of this kind
of offence are innumerable, 6ome of
which may he given as follows :
(1.) When a member of the church
openly renounces its doctrines offaithj
and engages in an active and uncom
promising effort to subvert them-when
he denounces its practice of restricted
communion, gives notice that he means
to disregard it, and carries the annun
ciation into effect by the overt act, he
is a public offender. Here the object
affected by the offender’s act, is not
the individual members of the church,
but the church in its organized capac
ity. Let not this citation, however,
be misunderstood. No reference is
made to those who are ignorant of gos
pel doctrine, or who evlen have doubts
as to the scriptural character of those
held by the churh. A gospel church
is not a circle of doctrinal proficients,
but a school for learners, wheie those
who are acquainted only with the al
phabet of the gospel —with the first
principles of the doctrine of Christ,
may receive instruction, and know as
they follow on to know the Lord. The
only qualification for admission into a
gospel church, is repentance towards
God, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
There are doubtless multitudes in the
churches who know nothing of the pro
found doctrines of grace, or even have
misgivings as to the correctness of the
interpretations put upon them, who
are yet guilty of no offence, and mem
bers in good standing. Reference is
had to those solely, who declare open
war against the doctrines and practi
ces of the church, and engage in active
efforts to subvert and destroy. The
church is bound to hold these as “pub
lic offenders”; and if there is to be
any difference in the treatment of their
case and in that of other public offend
ers, it is to be found in the injunction:
“ A man that is an heretic, after the
first and second admonition , reject.”
Tit. 3:10.
(2.) Refusal, after admonition, to at
tend upon the stated Conference meet
ings of the church, is a “public of
fence.” Here again the object affect
ed by the act, is not the individual
members of the church, but the church
in its organized capacity. Nor is the
act an infraction of the public rules of
gospel morality, excepting in so far as
it may be a violation of the member’s
vows when he entered into the church.
No where in the Scriptures is a rule,
in so many words, (such as not a few
of our churches have passed,) requiring
attendance of members at such an hour
of such a day on Conference meetings.
According to the Scriptures, there is
necessarily no immorality in an ab
sence from any place, on any Saturday
in the month; yet our churches, act
ing within lawful limits, have passed
such a role, and their members have
pledged themselves to abide by it. —
Nothing is more common than. for
churches Jto expel members, after ad
monition,for non-attendance upon Con
ference meetings. Why ? What is
the nature of the offence ? Not “pri-
Ivate” certainly ; because no infringe
ment has been made upon individual j
rights, interests or feelings —not pub-’
lie, in the sense that a crime, in the na
ture of things, has been committed
against gospel morality; for simple ab
sence from any time and place con
tains, essentially, no moral character ;
but a “public offence” because it is
committed against the authority of the
Church which the member is bound
and pledged to regard.
(3.) Rebellion against the lawful au
thority of the Church —a refusal to
heed its citations, -or in other ways a
denial of its lawful jurisdiction over
him, is, oh the part of the member, a
“public offence.” “He neglects to
bear the Church,” and, if he persists,
by Divine direction, is to be consid
ered by her in the light of “a heathen
man and a publican.” Every consid
eration drawn from the Scriptures,
and from the churche’s sense of duty
to herself and to the cause of Christ,
requires her to cut off from herself a
member fn a state of open rebellion. —
But the offender may not have tres
passed at all upon individuals, and he
may have been guilty of no gross of
fence against morals, i. e. such as is in
cited by depraved tastes and corrupt
propensities. He is nevertheless guil
ty of a public offence, since he is found
arrayed in open rebellion against the
authority with which Christ has invest
ed His church.
(4.) It is a “publiG offence” to at
tempt to make divisions and disturban
ces in a church. A schismatic, one
who factiouely distracts the church,
and .threatens to divide it, the church
is expressly commanded to excommu
nicate. “Mark those who cause divis
ions and offences, contrary to the doc
trine which ye have learned, and avoid
them.” Rom. 16 : IT, 18. Here again
the act, because perpetrated against
the church in its organized capacity,
authority and interests, is a “public
offence.”
These are but a few of many instan
ces that may be cited.
The. following then are the conclu
sions to which we arrive :
1. A Private Offence is one in which
the act is essentially a crime against
religion and morality, and the object
affected by it is a brother.
2. A Public Offence is one in which
the act is essentially a crime against
religion and morality, or the object
of it the church in its organized capa
city. ■*
MIXED OFFENCES.
3. But it is sometimes the case that
these two kinds of offences
ded together as tt> seem to Yrnnsnum;
a third class. It is from this combina
tion that nearly all the difficulty origi
nates in the treatment. Furthur on,
it will be seen that these do not con
stitute a distinct class. For the sake
of convenience, however, they will be
termed here Mixed offences. When
the act is essentially a crime against
religion and morality, and the object
affected by it is a brother, we have
both offences in combination. The
following may be given as examples
of this : Wilful and malicious slander
against a brother ; profane denuncia
tion of him; theft from him ; fraud
perpetrated upon him ; seduction ; per
sonal, violent assault upon him with
fist, bludgeon, or horsewhip ; violent
and libelous publication of him in the
newspapers, or by advertisement set
up in conspicuous places. These are
a few of many examples which may
be given. Falsehood, profanity, theft,
fraud, seduction, or breach of the
peace, by personal violence, or libel
ous publication, are offences against
religion and morality, though they
may be perpetrated against members
of the Church.
In succeeding numbers, I shall be
briefer. I wished to present these dis
criminations all in one view, and there
fore the length of this article. It is
my design to follow what I consider
to be gospel principles wherever they
may lead me without fear or favor. 1
write under my own signature, because
I consider that on these subjects, at
this time, every one should hold him
self personally responsible for what he
publishes. Some of my brethren may
differ from me in some of my argu
ments and conclusions. If so, I hope
they will reply to me candidly and
courteously—that thus truth may be
evolved. Let brethren, however, put
their names to their articles in reply if
they expect me to notice them. It
may he well, also, for them to with
hold their strictures until I get thro’;
since the difficulties raised in their
minds may be obviated by subsequent
remarks, and what may be objectiona
ble in some of the parts unqualified,
may be acceptable as a whole.
P. H. MELL.
University of'Georgia, Nov. 14.
Majorities. —The New York Chron
icle says : “ A man uniting with a
Baptist church virtually pledges him
self to abide by the majority of that
particular church with which he unites
but not by a majority of members in
all the other Baptist churches of th§
land, or even by a majority vote in a
convention made up of the delegates
of those churches. A majority vote
in a convention of delegates from all
the churches, has no more power over
him than the decrees of a foreign gov
ernment, nor can it awake in him the
least feeling of obligation to 4o other
wise than he would do if no such vote
had been taken. He is free from all
majority votes beyond the organization
with which he has united himself. To
talk of a power in such votes to con
trol his conduct, or to speak of the
voice of the denomination as an au
thority which he is bound to obey, is
j to put forth Presbyterianism and Epis-
I copalianism of the rankeet kind.
MACON, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1859.
The Thanksgiving.
Deck thyself, my soul, with gladness,
Leave the gloomy haunts of sadness,
Come into the daylight’s splendor, .
There with joy thy praises render
Unto him whose boundless grace
Grants thee at his feet a place ;
He whom all the heavens obey
Deigns to dwell in thee to-day.
Hasten as a bride to meet him,
And with loving reverence greet him,
\Vho with words of life immortal
Now is knocking at thy portal;
Haste to make for him a way,
Cast thee at his feet, and say :
Smce, 0 Lord, thoucom’st to me,
Never will I turn from thee.
Ah, how hungers all my spirit,
For the love I do not merit!
Ah, how oft with,sighs fast thronging
Tor this foo’l have J been longing !
How have thirsted in the strife
For this draught, 0 Prince of Life,
Wish’d, 0 friend of man, to be
Ever one #ith God through thee !
Personal Effort in the cause of
CHRIST.
Every one who has felt the value
of the human soul must have been
f mined by the consideration, that far
ess is done by Christians for the sal
vation es sinrfers than might reasona :
bly be expected from the principles
they profess. Believers are the salt of
the world ; and, doubtless, they do ex
ercise a salutary influence over society,
and preserve it from the corruption to
which it would unavoidably degener
ate without them. Bnt, beside the
this restraining influence,
they j. to labor constantly,
and a “d directly, for the
.conversionungodly to the knowl
edge and h. ve °f Christy
. We aij uow s.weaking of the
public *me Word, nor of
the maintenance of benevolent institu
tions ; but of the due improvement of
the personal,intercourse which we have
with men. j A minister of the gospel,
who hasten eminent for winning
souls to Ljsi)s by the public exhibition
of the lately assured us, that ot
the many instances in which the Lord
had employed and blessed his instru
mentality, the mos} numerous cases of
convef*!.on, so fafas lieyhad beemena
bled tnTi-ace them, resulted from bis
private conversation wmljiudividuals.
This is a sphere qf lat>?>y no* - confined
to the preacher. It iathe privilege
rand duty of fcvery Ohri-sirs
kingdom to; ffcbld, forth tlie word of God
to all With'whom he is conversant. A
pastor, speaking to us of a deacon of
his church, said that ho never permit
ted a friend or stranger to visit him,
or attend to any business with him,
without securing an opportunity to
drop “a word in season” upon the all
important topic of salvation. “And,”
added the pastor, “He appears to be
more blessed in doing good than many
ministers. No person,has been in his
employ for three months, - before he
gave evidence of genuine conversion;
and the salutary influence of his life
and conversation is felt, net only in
the church and congregation, but
throughout the village and neighbor
hood in which he.resides.”
What are tho characteristics which
distinguish a church during a genuine
revival ? Its members are humble
prayerful, aud active. Feeling a deep
sense of the turpitude of sin, and a live
ly gratitude for forgiveness through
Christ, they labor to bring others to
the exercise of the like precious faith.
And how do -they eudeavor to effect
their purpose ? They individualize. —
Their secret supplications become par
ticular. They remember the cases of
those with whom they are most inti
mate, and their souls are melte.d at
the throne of grace in behalf of such.
Do they stop here ? Oh, no. They
opportunities for private conversation,
and endeavor to awaken a sense of
danger, and to exhibit the necessity of
a change of heart; and they try to per
suade the objects of their anxious
prayers and efforts to accompany them
to the sanctuary, to the prayer-meet
ing, to the weekly lecture. And such
efforts, humbly, discreetly put forth,
are blessed. The poor ignorant, care
less sinner is persuaded to reflect; he
is led by the Spirit to seek mercy, and
he finds it in the blood of the Lamb.
Cases multiply, and we say that the
Church is enjoying a great revival.
But have we spoken of aught that
is not the duty of Church members at
all times ? Ought they not always to
feel and to act as we have described?
We know that God does not always
answer prayer just where and when
we wish, dnd sometimes expect; but
we also know that prayer humbly and
earnestly breathed in submission to
his sovereignty, and followed by effort
perseveringly put forth in dependance
upon his Spirit, will not be ineffectual.
And who has not those around him,
some with whom hp has daily con
verse, who have not yet felt the power
of arace ? And shall he not be anx
ious for tnem ? Shall he not pray for
and labor with them ? Ah! brethren
and sisters, if we have experienced the
love of Christ, can we be indifferent
to *the condition of others, and those
our neighbors and friends—perhaps
our relatives, our brothers, our parents,
or our children ? . • *.
As an illustration* of the*efficacy of
personal labor, we learn, that in one
of our churches a poor sister JjasJbeen
the means of bringing many strangers
to the prayer-meeting; and that on ev
ery ordinance dav ©ne or njore afe bur
ied with Christ by baptism, who were
first won to the house .pf God through
her instrumentality.; ‘Yet her oppor
tunities do not appear to ibe so great
a* those of many who are never so
blessed; may we not say, who never
labor to be so blessed ?
Illustrations of this character may
be present to the memory of every
reader, and therefore we forbear to
mention others with which we are ac
quainted ; believing, as we do, that it
is not the want of knowledge, nor of
conviction of duty, which prevents
Christians from engaging in direct per
sonal efforts for the salvation of their
fellows, but .the coldness of their affec
tions, and that condition of thought
less, dreamy negligence, which once
the Lord cuttingly rebuked in Israel —
“My people doth noth consider.”
[True Union.
CHRIST OUR MODEL AS TO THE
MANNER OF PREACHING.
“ Never man spake like this man,”
was the Testimony of the enemies of
Christ, as well as of his friends. Those
who were sent to arrest him, returned
this answer to those who sent them, as
an excuse for not fulfilling their mis
sion. Instead of arresting him, they
were arrested by him, and overpow
ered by the manner in which he spake.
Ist. He preached the privileges
rather than the requirements of reli
gion. His greatest sermon opened
with a series of benedictions upon cer
tain characters. He pronounced those
blessed, truly happy, who were poor
in spirit, meek,"merciful, pure in heart.
He showed the privilege pf being sons
of God—the ?ich abundance m pur
Father’s house, and the poverty and
wretchedness of serving Sin and Sa
tan. He drew men rather than drove
them to religion. Rev. Richard Cecil,
of London, says, as the result of his
observations: “Men, who lean to
ward the extreme of evangelical pri
vileges in their ministry, do much
more to the conversion of their hearers,
than they do, who lean toward the
extreme of requirement. And my
own experience confirms my observa
tion.”
2nd. He preached objective, rather
than subjective truths. He did not
tell what repentance, and faith, and
love, and obedience were, with nice
metaphysical distinctions, and precise
definitions; but preached the truths
that led men to repent, and believe,
and love, and obey. So should we
do.
3d. His preaching was illustrative,
yat.her than logical. He presented liv
ing pictures of truth, warm and glow
ing, to the eye and heart; instead of
bare skeletons of logic, cold and dead,
to the understanding. He opened his
mouth in parables, he used similitudes,
he recited incidents. When we get
to be wiser than the Master, we may
dispense with illustrations. A sermon
should not be all illustrations ; there
must be great principles, ideas, truths
to be illustrated. Some sermons I have
heard were like a shower of tropical
feathers, bright, but without any
weight.
4th. His preaching was authorita
tive, rather than rationalistic. A “thus
saith the Lord,” was sufficient to meet
the haughty Pharisee, the wily Scribe,
the scoffing Sadducee, or the Arch
Fiend himself. He rested his case on
the divine word. He wielded the
sword of the Spirit. If his followers
were more’ like him, they would be
more successful in combatting error,
and winning souls. When we go to
bolster up the word of God by human
reason, we show the weakness of our
cause. “Preach the Word,” is the
pivine injunction. “Preach the preach
ing that I bid thee,” and preach it,
it is, the word of the living God, and*
not the reasoning of man. We can
not speak, it is true, with the original,
absolute authority, with which he
spake; but we can speak with the au
thority derived from him, as his am
bassadors, the message he gives us, and
it becomes a message from God unto
the people. This brings down the au
thority of the eternal Jehovah upon
the consciences of men. It lea/es
them to settle the matter, not with the
minister but with his Master. There
is a strong tendency’ to “rationalism”
in our day—to bring everything down
to rational principles, and thus do away
with the supernatural and mysterious
in religion. Reason has its place in
religious matters, but it must be kept
in its place, and not usurp the place of
God. Having investigated and set
tled the divine authority and inspira
tion of the Scriptures; it must not be
allowed to sit in judgment upon what
it is right and proper for God to reveal.
His thoughts are not as our thoughts,
but arehigh above them, as the hea
vens are above the earth. There are,
many truths that are addressed to faith
and they must be received upon the
testimony of God, or not at all.
sth. His manner of preaching was
pointed and direct. He dealt in no
vague generalities, and denunciations
of sin in general; but he repfbved the
very sins that he knew his hearers were
guilty of, and. in such a way that they
felt that he meant them. He probed
the conscience with the silver probe
of truth. So Peter preached on the
day of Pentecost, and so must we
preach if we would see sinners prick
ed in their hearts, and led to cry out
—“ Men and brethren, what must we
do?”
6th. He was” a bold and earnest
preacher. He feared not the face of
man. He did not preach to please
the people, but to save them. He did
not stop to consider whether he would
lose any of his congregation, or drive
away some of the rich ones. He told
them plainly, that a rich man could no
’ more enter the kingdom of heaven,
than a camel could go through a nee
dle’s eye—that they must forsake all,
if they would be his disciples—that
except they were converted and be
came as little children, they could not
be saved—that unless they repented
they must all perish. He did not qual
ify, nor explain away and smooth over
the truth. He left it to his hearers to
make qualifications, if any were need
ed. And well did the Apostles and
early Christians imitate his example.
“We can not but speak the things
which we have seen and heard,” was
their noble confession, in the face of
threatenings ancLstripes, dungeons and
deaths. We need more of the same
boldness and earnestness at the pres
ent day. Wickedness abounds in high
places and in low, and there is great
temptation to prophecy smooth things,
and not to be declare the whole coun
sel of God. The very worst men can
not but respect boldness in an ambas
sador of the King of kings ; and by this
boldness and earnestness, they will
“ take knowledge of us that we have
been with Jesus.”
7th. His manner was tender and af
fectionate. His boldness was not harsh
ness, nor his earnestness severity. He
did not denounce sin as if angry with
sinners. And herein, it is to be fear
ed, we most often fail to imitate him.
Neither did he speak as if indifferent
to the results—“ let them come if they
will, and if not let them perish.” Ah !
no! His heart yearned over dying sin
ners. He bore long with their dull
ne'ss,, and stupidity, and hardness of
heartland bitter opposition; and when
after refused to listen, he wept
tears of pity and compassion over, them
and uttered the touching lamentation
—“ Oh ! Jerusalem, Jerusalem, whieh
killest the prophets, and stonest them
that are sent unto thee; how often <
ten would I‘have gathered thy chil
dren together, as a hen doth gather
her brood under her wings, and ye
would not.” So Paul told men “even
weeping, that they were enemies of the
, cross of Christ.” So he “ceased not
to warn every one night and day with
tears.” “ Let us go forth weeping
bearing precious seed, and we shall
doubtless come %gain with rejoicing,
bringing our sheaves with us.”— Jour,
and Me^s.
ASKING AND RECEIVING.
“ Ask, and it shall be given you.—
Seek, and you-shall find.” ‘
“Ye ask and receive not, because ye
ask amiss.”
How often have our hearts been stir
red within us, says the Sunday School
Times, and our souls exalted, while lis
tening to the glowing, earnest pray
ers of God’s devoted servants, as they
were poured forth in the solemn as
sembly. We have felt that truly we
were in the house of God, nigh unto
the gate of heaven ! God’s presence
filled the place! He seemed waiting
to be inquired of, that he might grant
the blessing according to the hearts
desire.
Behold he pray eth ! We listep,.as
he ascribes all glory, majesty and pow
er to him who sitteth upon the throne
—the holy and the pure ! —but to him
self only shame and confusion of face,
as he acknowledges his manifold sins
and iniquities against such infinite love
and mercy, such purity, long suffer
ing and patience! We follow him as
he leads for the people, as he breathes
out for them their supplications, as he
makes known to God their requests,
and pours out before him their com
plaints. We listen, as he confesses his
own and his people’s unworthiness,
but pleads, for the sake of Jesus’ pas
sion and merits, that each may have
the sense of pardoned sin, the sweet
reviving, life-giving influence of the
Holy Spirit, resting upon all, and abid
ing a cherished guest in each waiting
heart! How earnestly he supplicates
that every Christian grace might be
growing and in active exercise in each
gracious soul, that Christ might be to
each the hope of glory, that having
him, they might have all things, and
that, naming him, they should be care
ful to depart from all iniquity, taking
up their cross, and following whereso
ever the Master might lead them.
How fervenly he prays for those who
have never yet tasted and found the
Lord precious to their souls! who have
not yet rejoiced over sins forgiven! how
he implores that God would show him
self gracious even to such j that he
would put it into the hearts of his pro
cessing people to watch, and pray, and
labor more, and more earnestly for the
perishing souls around them, faithful
ly warning and tenderly entreating
them to flee the wrath to come, to ac
cept the offered Saviour while he might
be found, and to enter while the’ door
ot mercy was yet open to them.
Surely God was there, willing and
ready to shower down the supplicated
blessing. He who promised that
where “ two or three ” meet to call
upon his name, there will he be in the
midst, and that to bless, will surely re
gard this united cry of the great con
gregation, and pour down such a bles
sing that there shall not be room
enough to receive it. But was it a
united cry to God’s listening ear? Did
each soul breathe out before the Fath
er the same desires ? Was
bowed in like humility, waiting to learn
his will, and exalted by the. same love,
longing to spend and be spent in his
service? Was the one object and aim
of that assembly, to worship God in
spirit and in truth, and to obtain his
blessing on their work and labor of
love for the salvation of never dying
souls? We fear not. We fear that
this is seldom, perhaps never the case,
, else why is the blessing so long denied
I *M ‘ ,fi‘. IQ, “ 6 if 7 *QQ-4F7<t,;
advertisements in same ratio. .. jII
Number 48*
us ? We are tokßthat after our Lord’s
return to heaven r Lis disciples contin
ued with one accord in prayer and sup
plication, looking, waiting for, expec
ting the promised Spirit with united,
earnest desire ; and soon that desire,
was crowned with exceeding joy, in
the abundant descent of the Holy Spirit
and the conversion of three thousand
souls in one day ? God is still faithful.
He cannot deny himself nor alter the
word which has gone out of his mouth.
He has promised,and shall he not doit,
if only we ask aright ? This is the test.
How few even of God’s own children
follow in their minds the prayer of his
servants in the sanctuary* much less
breathe forth from a chastened, loving
heart the same earnest, soul-felt sup
plications !
If “ the effectual, fervent prayer of
a righteous man availeth much,” oh,
how glorious ! how mighty! would be
the influence for good if, with one heart
and one voice, the whole people prais
ed and supplicated God ! If they real
ly desired the things they asked of him,
and were willing to labor to promote
their fulfilment, what different Chris
tians would we be, how would pur
light shine in the world! What a dif
ferent church would we have—beau
tiful indeed for situation, the joy of the
whole earth! What a different world
—new formed, —transformed, —ready
for the coming of the Son of God! *
Then would he see • the travail of his
soul and be satisfied. Oh, Christian!
awake! awake! Wherever you may
be found, whatever your condition in
life, awake ! There is a glorious work
for you to do, a personal work, that
none can take from you. The com-’
mand is, “Work to-day in my vine
yard, the night cometh wherein no
man can work.” *
“A SOFT ANSWER.”
I have a sweet, merry-hearted little
friend of five summers with a smile *
like the sunshine, and we call her by
the pet name of Birdie. Her little
heart loves all things bright and pure,
and many are the questions she asks
about God and heaven.
One day Birdie got vexed about
something that didn’t happen quite to
suit her, and a young aunt of hers won
her back to pleasantness by telling her
how much better, soft words sounded;
a/nd to make her remember Hhis, she ,
%ught'hfejetext—TA sofcanswer,”
arp sure back smiles. So yin
see Birdje learnedgrpm the Bible, and
it helped her toflßf gbofhShe was
governed by Bible rule^*^*^'’
But my little friend wanted to help
others too. She was visiting a family
who loved her very much, and who
would rather hear her prattling tones
than the sweetest song-bird they ever
listened to. When one with whom
she is an especial favorite spoke rather
hastily, Birdie remembered her text.
Close to his side, in her simple, earnest
way, she whispered, “A soft answer
—a soft answer.” The sweet little
pleader’s words could not be disregar
ded. Though a little one, her influ
ence for good was powerful.—[Child’s
Paper.
A Child’s Reasoning about God’s
Decrees.— tA litt}S girl, six years old,
to whom the doctrine of God’s decrees
have never been mentioned, as she was
sitting one morniDg on her father’s
knee, looked up and abruptly asked,
“ Papa, does God know what we shall
all be doing next year?” “ Yes,” said
the father, “he knows just as well as
he knows what we are doing now.”
“ But,” said she, with a look of per
plexity, “ how can he know it before it
is done?” The father answered, “Be
cause God knows every thing.” After
a pause of a minute the little one again
looked up and says, “ but, pa, how
can he know it if he does not. f/rst make
it up how it shall be ?” Said he, “God
has made it up.” “ Has he,” said she,
“has he ? But when did he ?” She
was told that he had made it up al
ways, ever since he was God ; and
this seemed to satisfy her, and put the
subject at rest. Thus naturally will
the untaught mind of a child infer thu
doctrine of God’s decrees from the doc
trine of the foreknowledge of God.
The Inheritance. —It is a soul-satis
fving inheritance ; he that hath it shall
sit down and say, I have enough—l
have all. “ The Lord is the portion of
mine inheritance and of my cup : thou
maintainest my lot. The lines are fal
len unto me in pleasant places ; yea,
I have a goodly heritage (Ps. xvi, 5,6.)
Will an inheritance of glory satisfy
you ? This you shall have. John xvii.
22: “And the glory which thou
me I have given them.” Col. iii. 4T:
“ When Christ, who is our life, shall
appear* then shall ye also appear with
him in glory.” Will an inheritance of
of power and dominion satisfy you?
This you shall have. 1 Cor. iii. 12 :
“All things are yours.” Mat. xix. 28:
“Ye also shall sit on thrones judging
the twelve tribes of, Israel.” Will
Abraham’s bosom satiny you ? This
you shall havefLukexru 22 ; nay, you
shall have a better, inshoicer, a sweet
er bosom to solace your souls in than
Abraham’s —namely, the bosom ot
Jesus Christ. Will it satisfy you to
be where Christ is, and to fare as Christ
fares? This you shall have. John
xii. 26: “"Where I am,’ there shall
also my servant be.”— Brookes.
Virtue and happiness are true lov
ers, who although parted for awhile,
are sure to be united at last.
There’s rest for the weary soul up
beyond the beautiful stars.