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0 VOLUME XL. THE CHRISTIAN INDEX. SAM'L BOYKIN, ) Editoes ADiliL SHERWOOD, / JiDITOKS - A RELIGIOUS FAMILY NEWSPAPER: PUBLISHED WEEKLY, AT MACON, OA. Terms $2 00 in Advance. All Baptist Ministers are Agents; and any one remit ting $8 uO and the names of pour new subscribers will be entitled to an extra copy. By Clnbbing six persons with one add. ess, can procure the paper for $lO 00. Orders for change of direction must give the Post Of fice, county and State to which the paper has been, and and is to be sent. Money due the office, may be sent by mail at the risk of tue paper. Notice.— To send money with safety—seal the letter carefully and mail it yourself, saving nothing lo any one about the money, not even the Post Master. Don’t reg ister. Address “CIIIUSTIAN INDEX,” Macon, Ga. RATES OF ADVERTISING. The space necessarily occupied by 10 lines of the ad vertising type is a square ; in short transientadvertiac-. ments a less number than 10 lines will be counted as a square. - - 3- ’ 1 1 1 time 3t*. t Jto.S 3M06M0 12 Mo ~1 sqrAIW $1 00 $2 00 $2 50 $5 00 S7OO $8 00 SI2OO •! fcQ’ns 2 00 4 00 5 00: 7 60 10 00 12 00 22 00 3 sob* 300 6 00 7 00 10 00:12 00 16 001 30 00 4 so ns 4 00 7 00 8 00 12 00 15 00 20 00 ; 86 00 5 so’rs 500 : 9 00! 11 00T4 00 17 00 24 00: 42 00 i 110’p.9 i 6001000 12 50,16 00.19 00 28 00 46 00 7 sc'ns 1 700 11 00 14 00 ! 17 00 21 00 32 00 50 00 sn’ns 8 00 12 00 15 00 19 00 22 00,35 00i 54 00 9 so’bs 900 15 00|16 00 20 00 28 00 38 00’ 57 00 10 SQ'KS 1 10 00| 16 00jl7 00 21 00.24 00(40 00 ,60 00 Professional and Business Cards, nut exceeding five ines, $5 per annum ; each additional line sl. Special Notices, fifteen cents per line, for the first insertion ; ten cents per line for each subsequent inser tion. School Advertisements.—Our charges for School advertisements will be the same as for others, when not paid in advance. All advertisements on which the number of insertions is not marked, will be published till forbid, and char ged accordingly. jq 0 advertisements from a distance will be inser ted unless accompanied by a remittance. Cnutributinns. COLTON’S EXPOSE OF PRESBY TEBIANIBM — CONTINUED. Colton remarks, in a note appended to the last paragraph quoted from him, “It is a reniaikaule fact, in point to this statement, that the practice of law in the Presbyterian Church has be come so much a science and profession, that long ago reports of cases and pre cedents began to be puolisbed by or der of the General Assembly, which have now grown to a large volume of cases, precedents and commentaries, constantly swelling in its dimensions with every new edition, under the title of the Assembly's Digest. It is mani fest none but a lawyer can now under stand the laws of the Presbyterian Church; and yet a Minister, to be qualified for his presbyterial, synodical and General Assembly duties, must know them. Hence every meeting <A’ these bodies is virtually a schooling into the knowledge of the law, without enough in the law not to be skilful, but always in difficulty.” The author alludes to what would be the result, if, in the Government of the United States, the Congress “should attempt to discharge the du ties of the judiciary and executive,”* and adds, “And yet, this is the way of the Presbyterian Church : every meet ing of its constituted authorities is a parliament, every parliament is a judi ciary, and every judiciary is an execu tive ; and the consequence is, that each and all become an arena of perpetual strife.” (p. 02.) The author ought certainly to know the working of the Presbyterian sys tem, for, he informs us, he “was in timately ..concerned in the revision of the statutes of the Presbyterian Church, as a member of the General Assembly for two years, while that business was in hand.” He says, “ I think I may safely appeal to the expe rience of every Presbyterian clergy man, that for the most part the busi ness of these courts is unedifying, un comfortable—and none more so than that of the General Assembly.”—ln confirmation of what lie bad said, he introduces A Case in point. He says, “ 1 have known a case of discipline, in the trial of which I sat as Moderator, in the two lower courts, in all between two and three weeks, which went up to the General Assem bly a third time, on account of some little informality of proceeding, having been twice remanded, burdeuing the records ot every court, and occupying much of their precious time in each hearing, but which was after all so plain, that the wags of the town where the offender lived, and not without reason, sent me a message, as Modera tor ot the Presbytery, begging that we would not turn Air. —— out of the Church into the world—-for the world were afraid to have him in it.” The repeated variations in the forms of the Pedobaptist churches indicate very clearly their human origin. True churches of Christ are assimilated, in their unchangeable character, to their Great Original, in whom there is no variableness or shadow of turning.— Dr. Bisse, an Episcopalian, in “A Ser mon preached before the Sons of the Clergy ” (A. D. 1716,) speaks of the gospel ministry as “an order perpetual, universal, unalterable,” (p. 6,) —“per petual, the same through all times; so is it universal, the same in all places. * * * * Lastly, it is an order that is unalterable. It admits of no new forms, no additions, no admixtures of any kind whatsoever. Some have in their visionary schemes dreamed, that lay elders might be added to the order, like the clay to the feet of the golden* image, for the support of the body of Christ. But these have been found never to cleave unto it; they could only defile, but no way strengthen.” (p. 23.) W hat Dr. Bisse has affirmed of the institution of the gospel ministry, may with equal propriety be affirmed of the rules prescribed in the word of God for the organization and govern ment of the churches of Christ. They are designed to be perpetual, univer sal, unalterable. * We may conceive of what would be the result by witnessing the effects of President Lincoln’s usurpation of the powers of the three departments of the general government. Notes on the Gospel by Mark, With a Revision of the Common. English Version. BY N. M. CRAWFORD. Chap, iv : 21. — And he said unto them, Is the lamp brought to be put under the bushel or under the couch, and not to be put on the light-stand ? 22. For there is nothing hid that shall not be manifested ; nor was anything kept secret but that it should become known. 23. If any one bath ears to hear, let hifft hear. - ■ *73” 24. And he said unto them. Give heed to what ye hear : with what measure ye mete, it shall be measur ed to you; and unto you that hear shall more be given. 25. For whoso ever hath, to him shall be given ; and he that hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath. 26. And be said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast 6eed upon the ground, 27. and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not bow. 28. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself ; first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear. 29. But when the fruit presents itself, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the har vest hath come. 30. Ami be said, Wbereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God ? with what comparison shall we com-, pare it ? 31. It is like a grain of mus tard seed, which when it is sown on the ground is less than all the seeds upon the ground ; 32. and when it is sown, it groweth up and becometh greater than any herb, and sbooteth out great branches, f*p that the fowls of the air can lodge uude r its shadow. 33. And in many such parables spake be the word unto them as they were able to bear it. 34. But with out a parable spake he not unto them; and he explained all things privately to his disciples. 35: And the same day, in the eve ning, he saith unto them, Let us pass ov-sr uuto the other side. 36. And leaving the multitude, they took him as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. 37. Apd there arose a great storm of wind,. “ancl the waves neat into the ship so that it was now filling. 38. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on the cushion ; and they awake him and say unto him, Teacher, carest thou not that we perish ? 39. And he arose and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. 40. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful ? How is it that ye have not faith? 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said, one to another, Who then is this that both the wind and the sea obey him ? NOTES. 21. The lamp. In an ordinary house there was but one lamp. Under the bushel. The measure designated by the Roman Modius is nearly equal to an English peck. There is usually but one measure in a house, spoken of as the bushel &c. Under the couch. The wooden frame on which the mattress or mat rests. The light stand. There was also but one of these, ordinarily. While there was a great variety in their form and structure, they usually consisted of three parts: 1. the foot, 2. the stem or shaft, 3. the plinth or tray, large enough to hold the lamp or with a socket to receive a candle. It was to be the duty of the disciples, as teachers of the word, to hold up the light that it might be seen. 22. Nothing hid dec. Under the light of truth the evil deeds and thoughts of men shall be manifested : and the secret purposes of God, now so dimly read,shall at last become known. 23. If any one, Implying that some had not, i. e. the spiritual ear. v. 9. 24. Give heed dec. For they should give account. What ye hear. It was the word of God which is able to save the soul. This {so important to all) was especially so to them, as they were to be teachers. They should measure first, for themselves, to receive the truth ; 2. for others, to impart the truth received. As they did this it should be given to them , 1. to in crease in their own faith, and 2. to im part more to others. 25. For whosoever hath. Jesus opens aud no man shuts, and shuts and no man opens. The two fold power of the parable is illustrated, to give and to withhold, to reveal and to conceal. To him who has understanding to once discern the truth, there are constant accessions ; while be who does not ap prehend the beginnings, goes on in creasing the darkness of his mind and the stupor of his heart. 26. Another parable drawn from agriculture, but its aim is to illustrate a different point from the former, see note below. The seed is tfie word, as in the former. 27. Sleep and rise. These words, as well as the following, knoweth not how are relied on to show that Christ is not the sower, while in the 29th v. he putteth in the sickle is cited in support of the opposite view, but inappropri ately in both cases, for the design of the parable is to illustrate not the con duct of the sower, but the develope ment of the seed in the heart which receives it. 28. Bringeth forth fruit of herself, j This is done through the development MACON, GEORGIA, WEDNESDAY. OCTOBER 2, 1861. of the germ in the seed, by what we call the powers of the soil, acted upon and stimulated by the providential blessings of sun, rain, and air; so the word received in the believer’s heart is developed by means of the spiritual blessings dispensed. First the blade , young, tender, not always distinguish able from other plants, and liable to injury and disease. Then the ear, the head containing the flower and the germ ot the future fruit. Then the full co'rn, &c.; protected against inju ry, frost, blight, &c., the result is the perfect fruit which the sower desired when he cast the seed into the ground. In like manner the first motions of grace in the heart are frequently ob scure and not readily discerned, svh3fe> it&. growth, gradual and slpw, and ft may “be imperceptible, is yet progres sive, certain and perfect, and brings forth that for which it was sent. 29. Presents itself. When the grain is ripe* and not until then, the hus bandman puts in hisßickte: so when the work is perfect in the believers heart, and not before, the harvest, as to him, has come,- and he is gathered into the garner of the Lord 31. A grain of mustard seed. The mustard is a common plant in Judea, but most probably the allusion is to the Salvadora Perslca. Dr. Royle de scribes it thus: “The plant has a small seed, which produces a large tree with numerous branches, in wfiiah the b'rds of the air may take shelter.’ The seed is possessed of the same properties and is used for the same purposes as must ard; and has a name, khardal, of which sinapi is the true translation, and which moreover grows abundantly on the very shores of Galilee, where our Saviour addressed to the multi tude the parable of the mustard-seed.” Kitto’s Enc. Less than all the seeds. Tue smallness of the seed was prover bial. 32. Becometh greater. The begin ning of the kingdom is small, but the end is great: 1, in its external form ; Jesus and his fishermen apostles firot preached it, but all kingdoms shall in the end become the kingdoms of Jesus Christ: 2, in its internal power ; the beginning of faith may be feeble, bnt at the last it overcomes the world, the grave, and death. 33. As they were able , &c. Gradu ally giving more light and triith as they received and made use of what had been given : a practical illustra- J-- S4: apqjFuoce, ,e. To the outside hearers ne spoke simply the parable, which to the disciples he fully explained, n. v. 11. Note. The four parables are con nected and illustrate important differ ent though kindred truths. The sower illustrates the absolute sovereignty of God in sending his word to many in whom he does not design it to be ope rative, and in securing its reception by all in whom lie purposes it to be fruit fnl. Minister, “in the morning sow thy seed and in the evening withhold not thine hand,” for though thou kuow est not the result, Jesus will send the seed iDto the good ground and secure the rich harvest. The light illustrates the duty of the ministers to hold forth the truth so that it may reprove evil and lead to good. The seed in the ground illustrates the certainty of the result, brought about not by our labor, but by the ceaseless care which Jesus takes of grace hidden in the heart. The growth of the mustard seed illus trates the progress of the gospel, both general and special, as well as external and internal. 35. The other side, i. e. to the east ern side, for the events just narrated had taken place on the western shore near Capernaum. 36. As he was, without any prepar ation. The call of duty frequently comes when we are not expecting it, nor (humanly speaking) prepared for_ it, but the best preparation is a heart “fixed” to do God’s will, whenever, wherever, and however he may call. In the ship, the one set apart for his use. 3: 9. Other little ships, contain ing some of the multitude who were still determined to follow him. 37. Was now filling • so sudden and violent was the storm, and so urgent ihe danger which now pressed them. 38. In the hinder part, &c. As Jesus took no part in the navigation of the ship he retired to a quiet place that he might rest after the labors of the day, and so he slept. This evi dence of his infirmity as a man is in striking contrast with the power of God presently to be exerted. On the cushiony the cushion belonging to the ship for the use of the rowers, on which Jesus now reclined. They awake him, in their fright. Teacher. As be had called them to be disciples, so they claimed him as their teacher. Carest thou not, &c. The address per haps, shows more earnestness than re spect ; no matter, Jesus looks at the heart. The pressure of danger shall excuse their abruptness of speech. 39. Rebuked the wind, & c. Former miracles had demonstrated his power over men and evil spirits. He now shows himself to be the Lord over the inanimate creation. 40. So fearful. They knew not that no harm could happen tj Jesus, till his hour should come. They understood not the Scriptures. No one can die till his work “is finished.” How is it &c. In Matt. 8:26, he calls them “of little faith.” They had not faith to trust confidently in the protection of God, but they were believing enough to fly to Jesus in their distress. So we frequently have not faith to keep us ( from sinning, while we still believe so as to go to Jesus for forgiveness: while we lack faith to keep us from distress, we still have faith to go to Jesus in distress. In either case, Christ is glo rified. The alarm of the disciples here affords the Saviour the opportunity of working one of his sublimest miracles. 41. They feared exceedingly. They were just now afraid of the storm; they now fear the very power which which has saved them. Supernatural power instinctively impresses the be holder with awe and dread. Who then , &c. An expression of amazement, mingling admiration with fear. Does the N.T.prescribe any model Os Church Government. ■ “ No. 4. It is not contended that the N. T. gives auy directions in the form of ex press commands or imperative pre scriptions. But it seems strange, that auy one should, on that account, con sider the polity instituted by the apos tle any the less a model obligatory Upon us. It is very probable that Christ, at ’some time, gave to the apostles iustructions respecting the government of the churches they were soon to organize; most likely, after He rose from the dead, “being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” When we consider the im portant ends for which they are insti tuted, in connection with the admitted fact that the form of government may affect the most successful accomplish ment of these ends, it is altogether im probable that Christ would send forth the apostles to organize churches without instructing them as to the manner in which they were to be or ganized. It is true, the Scriptures do not tell us that He gave them any in structions upon this particular point. But we can hardly believe, that, in so important a matter, and one so entire ly new to them and to all their pre vious training, they would be left to their own discretion. Besides this, we know that the apostles received extraordinary endowments for their great mission. To found churches was a part of their mission. And we must believe, that, they were under the guidance of the Holy Spirit iu that matter, as well as in the enunciation of the doctrinal principle&of Christian ity. So, that, whether we say Christ formally instructed them or not, it would 6eem, that, say that under tb of Tne H"iy Spirit, who was promised as their guide into all truth. In any view, the conclusion is, that the polity instituted by them was not of human devising. It is the expression of Di vine Wisdom upon this subject—an expreßsiom|frnqualified by any intirna lion that future circumstances would render a change expedient. The real question, theu, is, are we under obli gation to follow the model Divine Wisdom has set, or may we feel at liberty to substitute our wisdom, by altering it according to our notions of expediency ? To me, it seems, that, such a question does not admit of de bate. It is cheerfully granted, that, inas much as we have no express com mand, imperatively requiring all future churches to follow the divine model, to vary from it is not the sin of Korah, Datban, and Abiram- But when the Head of the Church, either by His formal instructions or by the guidance of His Spirit, has given to us a form of church government, it must be ivrong for us to presume to alter it — how wrong, must be left to Him to determine : It becomes not us to ad judicate that questiou. The plea of circumstances is set up in justification of any change. But he who sets up this plea, is bound to show, by the clearest proof, that, circumstances im peratively require a change. This has never been done, and I hope it will not be considered dogmatic to say, it never can be done. Dr. Campbell says “that if a par ticular form of polity had been essen tial to the church, it had been laid down iu another manner in the sacred books.” I presume he means, that, it would have been laid down in a sys tematic, logical manner, not liable to be misunderstood. Two remarks may be made upon this. 1. The same objection might be urg ed against the doctrines of Christiani ty. They are not propounded in any systematic form in theN. T. We have to gather them here and thdre and ar range them into a system. We should not require a system of church govern ment any more than a system of the ology. 2. The form of polity is not essen tial to the church. He is not accurate in the use of his terms. The church has no outward organization. It is a spir itual body and its organization is spir itual. We utterly reject the Romish theory iu this particular. The N. T. calls certain organizations churches. Any society of chriatians, therefore, which has not that organization is Hot, in the Scriptural sense, a church. It may be a very good organization, and composed of devoted Christians, but it is not what the N. T. calls a church. We do, therefore, regard form of pol ity as essential to a church. If howev er, any one objects to this, and prefers to say, that, these societies are scrip tural churches, but imperfect ones, we yet insist that organization is at least essential to the greatest efficiency of a church. Surely Divine Wisdom would give us, in the primitive churches, that polity, best adapted, upon the whole, to carry out the purposes of church l organizations. And, as all Christians ought to desire to carry out these pur poses most successfully and efficiently, they ought to adopt that form, which Divine Wisdom has signified is the Many interesting duestions arise in this connection, but perhaps this series has been extended far enough. W. ‘‘l WOULD NOT COME UNTIL I get ready if Jems Christ was here.” Are yon horror struck at the impie ty and waut of reverence in the above language? Well, my dear Christian rea der,so was I almost dumbfounded when I heard the words uttered by the fath •er of a family in she presence of his household. And now I take it as a text, from which to preach a short ser mon—strange text say you,and 60 it is but God who can make the wrath of man to praise him, may briug some thing good out of this unholy and irrev erent language. Those Christians who read this will be startled when I assert that many who profess to love Jesus are continually saying the very identical sentiment of the caption of this article. Now do not start from your seat, my Christian friend,with horror at the tho’t or with incredulity as to what I have just stated but come now and let us ex amine your own log book and see if you have not uttered the same impious state ment as that which begins this article. But first I want, you to makety>rpmise that if you have done so g r e|flßN'ong as this you will beg your for giveness and never do so again. Remember that what a man does is stronger evidence than what he says, for example, you would certainly con demn the man whdhatruck the Saviour in the face or spit upon him more than one who said he would do this but af terwards repented and did it not. Now to the point ofyonr guilt; Jesus promis ed you that wherever two or three meet together in his name that He will be there. Yes, Jesus announces to Chris tians every where that he will be in their assemblies. A young lady a member of a Christian church, knows that the evening has arrived when Je sus will be in the gathering of his saints at the appointed place. She feels a little dull, her wardrobe or toilet ar rangements are not just as she wants them and she stays at home. Does she not thus emphatically say, I would not go with such a dress as this, or with my present feeling, if Jesus Christ was there ? Another sister in the church older than the last, knows the promise of Je sus to be at the sanctuary. But her children are fretful, her servants not altogether obedient and trustworthy and she isafiaid some of her household affairs will be disorganized if she goes to the place of meeting, so she stays at home. Does she not very positively say I would not go to night and leave my children and my business if Jesus Christ was there ? But here is another lady who has been working very hard during the day and is at night very much fatigued, or the fatigue may be brought about by a ride in the country, a stroll over the fields—she, too, stays away from the meeting. What is her language but this —I would not go to the prayer meeting as tired as I am, if Jesus Christ was there. And here is a good brother who is very often at his place in the house of God, and when there engages heartily in its services, but sometimes he Teels a little indisposed, not quite well, he has a fine bundle of the latest papers to read, or he has some good social company at his house, the bell calls the saiDts together, and Jesus is to be there. The brother leels the call but concludes to stay at home; does he not repeat the sentiment of the text and say I would not go to church to night and leave this goodly company, these inviting files of the iatest news, no not if Jesus Christ was there. Another one of the brethren on the day the church is to meet in confer ence, has to sow his wheat, plant his corn or piow his cotton, his horses are all busy, it is too far to walk, the temp ter makes him believe he can’t spare his horses from the farm ; he, too, has heard that Jesus promised to be pres ent, he really feels as if he would like to go, but at last he determines to stay at home, and says by his act I wouldn’t stop sowing my grain or take out my mules to go to church if Jesus Christ was there. And another brother is aware of the fact that the meeting of God’s people is to take -place, but it is his Lodge night and he goes to the Lodge. His language is, I wouldn’t stay away from the Lodge to go to prayer-meeting, if Jesus Christ was there. One more example. Here is a whole bevy of Christian young men and mid dle aged young ladies and matrons.— The night has come when a meetingis appointed for Jesus and his children, they all know it, all are invited, but on this very night Mr. R. gives a party, Mr. K. delivers a lecture, or Mrs. S. a concert, and these Christians of various ages and rank, divide off to these pla ces of amusement; and now I ask you what do they say by their conduct ? nothing more nor less than the senti ment breathed in my text, viz: I would not stay away from this party, this lec ture, this concert, to go to church if Jesus Christ was there. My dear Christian reader, are you guilty ? if you are may God help you to reform and induce you under all circumstances to go where Jesus has promised to be. W. S. M. A good heart will lie lowest when ‘he hand of God is lifted highest. . |fhrtinuo. SANCTIFICATION. Question 1. What is the meaning of sanctification, as used in the scrip tures? Answer. It sometimes means to con secrate, to set apart for a holy purpose. ‘God blessed the seventh day and sanc tified it.’ Gen. ii. 3. Joel i. 14. John xvii. 19. Q. Is this its more common signifi cation ? A. It is not: it more generally means to cleauer or purify from sin. ‘Sancti fy them through thy truth ; thy word is truth.’ John xvii. 17. 1 Cor. v.L 11’ Heb. ix. 14. ~ Q. Without sanctification in this lat ter sense, can any one enter heaven ? A. No, for it is written, ‘Follow peace wish alf men, and holiness, with out which no man shall see the Lord.’ Heb. xii. 14. Rev. vii. 14. Q Does the command of God re quire holiness of every man ? A. It does: it is written, ‘Be ye ho ly, for lam holy.’ 1 Pet. i. 16. James iv. IS Q. Does every true believer desire to be free from all sin ? A. He does; and his prayer is, ‘Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.’ Ps. li. 2. Rom. vii. 24. Q. By whose influence is sanctifica tion wrought ? A. That of God the Spirit. ‘Elect ac cording to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and the sprinkling of the’blood of Jesus Christ.’ 1 Pet. i. 2. *. Q. Is theHEFuth instrumental in our sanctification ? A. It is: thus our Saviour prayed, ‘Sanctify them through thy truth.’— John xvii. 17. Eph. v. 16. 1 Pet. i. 22. Q. Are also our trials and afflictions? A. They are. David said, ‘Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now have I kept thy word.’ Ps. cxix. 67. Q. Is sanctification a progressive work ? A. It is. ‘The path of the j ust is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.’ Prov. iv. 18. 2 Cor. iii. 18 ; vi. 1. Eph. iv. 13,14. Q. Is the soul rendered perfectly ho ly by regeneration ? A. Regeneration is the beginning, and not the perfecting of holiness, in the heart: ‘He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.’ Phil. i. 6. Q. Is any one perfectly sanctified or holy in this life ? A. ‘lf we Bay that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.’ 1 John i. 8. Q. What was the testimony of Sol omon with reference to this point ? A. ‘Who can say, I am pure from sin ?’ ‘There is no man that sinneth not.’ ‘There is not a just man upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not.’ Prov. xx. 9. 1 Kings viii. 46. Eccl. vii. 20. Q. What was the experience of Paul, relative to this question ? A. ‘The good that I would 1 do not, but the evil which I would not, that I do.’ ‘O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death V Rom. vii. 19, 24. Gal. v. 17. Q. Why do not Christians become wholly sanctified in this life ? A. Because sin so easily besets them. ‘For I know that in me, that i8 in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing ; for to will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good, I find not.’ Heb. xii. 1. Rom. vii. 18. Q. Because no one reaches perfect sanctification in this life, should we be prevented from constant effort to put away every sin ? A. By no means. We should go on ‘perfecting holiness in the fear of God.’ ‘This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are be fore, I press toward the mark for the prize ot the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.’ 2 Cor. vii. 1. Phil. iii. 13, 14. Q. Has the work of sanctification been commenced in your soul ? INFLUENCE *OF FAMILY PRAYER. A few years ago, a man traveling in Ireland, being benighted, opened a cabin door and requested permission to lodge there, which was granted.— The poor man who inhabited the house was,according to the usual cus tom, reading a chapter of the Bible to his family, when the strauger was seated, he resumed his reading, and having prayed, the family retired to rest. In the morning the same thing again took place, which seemed to at tract the attention of the stranger.— On rising from their knees, the stran ger thanked his kind host tor his hos pitality, and informed him that he had traveled into that part of the country in order to attend a fair, for the wicked purpose of passing bad money ; that he brought with him base coin to the amount of four pounds; that this was the first time he had taken up such a practice, but that what he had heard in the cabin had made such an im pression on his mind that he had re solved it should be the last. He then took out of his pocket a small bag con taining the counterfeits, and threw it it into the fire.— Ladled Repository. The sight of God in affliction is of irresistible efficacy to silence the heart, and to stop the mouth of a gracious man. N. S., VOLUME 29, NO. 39. Ufnntinnol. ‘‘REMEMBER THE WORDS OF the Lord Jesus , how he said.” “A little while, and ye shall not see me ; and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Fa ther.”—Johnxvi: 16. Long seem the moments when we are separated from the friend we love. An absent brother—how his return is looked and longed for t Brother”—the Kinsman— sends a murage to His waiting Church and people—a word of solace, telling that soon (“a little while”), and Ho will be back again, never again to them * ‘ • There are indeed blessed moments of sweet communion which the believ er enjoys with his beloved Lord now ; but how fitful and transient? Tb-day, life is a brief Ernmaus journey—the 6onl happy in the presence and love of au unseen Saviour. Tomorrow, Be is gone ; and the bereft spirit is led to interrogate itself in plaintive sor row, “Where is now thy God ?” Even when there is no such experience ot darkness and depression, how much there is in the world to fill the believer with sadness ! Hfa>Lord re jected and disowned—His love set at naught—His providences slighted— His name blasphemed—His creation groaning and travailing with pain disunion, too, among His people—His loving heart wounded in the house of His friends.! But “yet a little while,” and all this mystery of iniquity will be finished.— The absent Brother’s footfall will soon be heard, —no longer “as a wayfaring may who turneth aside to tarry for a night,” but to receive His people into the permanent “mansions” His love has been preparing, and from which they shall go no more out. Oh, bless ed day! when creation will put on her Easter robes—when her Lord, so long dishonored, will bo enthroned amid the hosannahs of a rejoicing uni verse—angels lauding Him —sainis crowning Him—sin, the dark plague spot on His universe, extinguished forever—death swallowed up in eter nal victory ! And it is but “a little while !” “Yet a little while,” we elsewhere read, “and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry” (literally, “a little while as may be”). “He will stay not a moment longer,” says Goodwin, “than He hath despatched all our busi ness in heaven for us.” With what joy will he send His mission-Angel with the announcement, “the little while fa at an end and to issue the invitati” t to the great festival of glory, “Come, for all things are ready !” C ! dld 4 sorrow ! think often of this “lit!ie v 7“The days of thy mourn ing will s o be ended.” There is a limit set to thy suffering time,— “Af ter that ye have suffered a while.” — Every wave is numbered between you and the haven ; and then, when that haven is reached, oh, what an apoca lypse of glory! —the “little while” of time merged into the great and unend ing “while” of eternity !—to be ‘forev everwith the Lord’—the same and un changing Saviour ! “A little while, andyc shall see me!” Would that the eye of faith might be kept more intently fixed on “that glo rious appearing!” How the world, with its guilty fascinations, tries to dim and obscure this blessed hope ! How the heart is prone to throw out its fi bres here, and get them rooted in some perishable object ! Reader ! seek to dwell more habitually on this the grand consummation of all thy dearest wishes. “Stand on the ed oof your nest, pluming your wings 1< >r flight.”—- Like the rr other of Sisera, be looking for the expected chariot. “He fa faith ful that promised.” WAR AS AN EDUCATOR. It is common to lament the evils of war, and to speak of its influence as necessarily and altogether demorali zing. But war is not an unmixed evil. Indeed, in certain conditions of the body politic, it may be the reetor er of national life. Multitudes who could never be rallied to the support of government upon a question of right, by appeals to moral motives, or the sentiment of patriotism, will be stirred by the trumpet of war and the boom ing of cannon. The cry of battle will sometimes make a nation unanimous in sustaining a government which, a vliile before, they were ready to de stroy by party conflicts. In some great peril to freedom and right, war may prove the salvation of the nation from the demorilization of luxurious ease and insidious tyranny. It is so in these Confederate States to day. For years good and wise men have warned the people that abolition ism would at length subvert the Con stitution and liberty itself. For yeais patriots have appealed to history, to the Word of God, to the logical tendency of events, to warn the nation of the peril of dissolution. But the process of corruption has gone on until it seem ed as if every sentiment of justice, of national honor, of true freedom and patriotism, was eateu out from the heart of the northern people. At this moment comes the cry of war, and the nation is electrified into anew con sciousness of its life, its duty, its desti ny. All classes and interests, politi cal, military, commeriul, financial, mcJR, religious, unite with one voice to uphold the Rights of the South.— Not since the war of Independence has there been such a spontaneous una nimity of feeling as this call to arms has brought out from the people.