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CHRISTIAN AND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST.
VOL. 47-NO. 20.
A RELIGIOUS AND FAMILY PAPER,
PUBLISHED WEEKLY IE ATLANTA, G A..
J, J*. TOON, Proprietor.
FOR TRKM3 BRR FOURTH PAGE
God’s Laws, Not Non-Essentials.
“I have written unto him the great things of my
law.” —Hosea viii. : 12.
God’s laws are either moral or positive.
Moral law partakes of the moral nature and
character of God himself, and is commanded
because it is right. Positive laws emanate
from the wiU of , God, and are right, because
they are commanded. He luis embodied in
one volume, all the statutes, both moral *qd
positive, that He wills man to observe; and
while positive laws are not of themselves of
a moral nature, to wilfully disregard them
involves the offender in moral guilt, because
it is treating God’s will with contempt —all
disobedience is immoral. The justice of God
requires a Btrict enforcement of all the pen
alties which He has affixed for the violation
of His laws. He is of “ purer eyes than to
look upon sin with the least degree of allow
ance.” The punishment of sin does not arise
from the will of God, abstractly considered,
but from the purity and rectitude of His na
ture —from His immutable justice. He could
not, from the nature of His character, consis
tently pardon sin without an atonement;
hence those who cannot present Christ as a
substitute who has suffered the penalties of
the violated law, must realize the consequen
ces of their sins io the future world. But
God has provided every necessary facility for
man’s salvation. He has provided a Sacri
fice and fixed the terms of reconciliation up
on principles that are strictly in harmony
with truth and justice. He has written the
“great things of His law.” He has present
ed the world with the Gospel, which offers
salvation through Christ, the only name given
whereby we may be saved. Christ has be
come the author of eternal salvation to all
that obey Him, and the end of the law for
righteousness to every one that believeth.
The Gospel plan of salvation is strictly in
harmony with moral law. Not one moral
precept of the Old Dispensation is repealed
under the New. Christ has not abrogated a
single principle of the moral law, but rather
He reestablished it. fie re-published, not in.
form, but in substance. He dropped the na
tional guise of the law as it related to the
Jewish nation, because His kingdom has noth
ing to do with national law or courts of civil
authority. His published penalties relate to
His own kingdom, or to a future state of ex
istenoe. Christ summed up the whole of the
moral law into two great commandments:
Love to God and love to man. Upon
these two, said He, “ hang all the law and the
prophets.” But again, He has especially for
bidden all those things forbidden by the law
as given to Moses on tables of*stone.
law of sacrifices, etc., were peculiar to that
dispensation. They all answered the purpose
for which they were appointed, and expired
by limitation when the Gospel Kingdom
was set up. No positive laws contained in
the Mosaic ritual are binding on us under the
gospel, because in such things Christ is our
only Lawgiver. We are bound to observe no
positive laws but those appointed by Christ.
The whole of the moral law is continued, for
it could not be otherwise, founded as it is, in
the eternal and immutable principle of truth,
while positive laws could not continue in force
longer than served the purpose for which they
were instituted.
Instead of the long and complicated cere
monial law, given to the Jews, Christ has
given to His kingdom but a few plain and
simple laws; laws that the most illiterate can
understand, and if disposed, can obey. For
instance, the laws governing baptism and the
Lord’s Supper, are positive laws; the rea
sons for them do not appear in themselves,
nor from any existing necessity; therefore
the reason is the will of Christ, and He hav
ing the powqr to command, it becomes the
duty of His subjects to obey.
It should be remembered that the violation
of a positive law is as offensive to God, as is
the violation of a moral law. In truth, the
severest judgment ever inflicted upon man
kind has been for the violation of positive
laws. It was the violation of a positive and
special law by our first parents, that brought
death and ruin upon our race—that drove
man out of Eden and blighted with the mil
dew of sin the whole human race. The great
criminality of Adam’s offence was not in the
fruit, or the act of eating simply, but in Dis
obedience —in treating God’s authority with
contempt, pandering to a selfish appetite, and
obeying the suggestions of Satan, rather than
obey God, who had the right to command
him.
However small may appear a matter in
volved in a command of God, let us reflect
that He has a valid reason for requiring it.
Every law that He has given to man, is a
great law. It is a law worthy of His great
wisdom and authority.' And furthermore,
great results hang upon man’s obedience or
disobedience. The reason may be incompre
hensible to us, yet it is euough for us to know
that God has commanded it. When God
speaks, let the' earth be silent. What God
commands, let man obey. Let man not arro
gate to himself the prerogative of saying
what may , and what may not, be observed.
Let him not classify the laws of the Creator
into essentials and non-essentials. Let it
never more be said that the Almighty God,
maker of heaven and earth, has given to His
creatures any law that they may treat as a
non-essential.
But some are ready to conclude that there
may be some things of so little importance
that they may be neglected without endan
gering their prospect of heaven, consequently
they will neglect them with a self-constituted
impunity. But to observe the smallest re
quirement, is essential to true obedience, and
obedience is an essential of a pure and enno
bling principle of religion. It has often been
FRANKLIN PRINTING HOUSE, ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY, MAY 14. 1808.
urged, even by those who assumed to be em
bassadors of Christ, that “ baptism is not
essential to salvation,” therefore of little mo
ment how it is performed, or whether per
formed at all or not. But when did God
authorize man to take such liberty in teach
ing His law ? The Bible declares salvation
to be of the Lord—that there is no name
gi\en but Christ whereby men may be saved,
and that Christ has become the author of
salvation to all that obey Him; and who
shall dare say more?
I would be understood, that all commands
are essential to their legitimate purpose.M All
are not essential to the same purpose, but all
are essential tp obedience. Repentance and
Faith are essential to regeneration—to the
reception of the earnest of the Spirit, by
which we are made heirs of God, and joint
heirs of Christ. Baptism is essential to a
public declaration of this faGt, and a pre
requisite to membership in the visible church.
Repentance and faith precede spiritual birth
—this is an essential qualification for baptism.
Baptism is essential and pre-requisite to
church membership. Church membership is
an essential qualification for the Lord’s Sup
per, and this is essential to show forth the
Lord’s death till He come. Thus every com
mand and institution has its peculiar purpose
to serve; each is essential to its own purpose,
and all are essential to a full obedience.
“If ye love me,” says Christ, “ keep my
commandments.” Obedience is an essential
proof of love to Christ, and love to Christ is
essential to Christianity. Christianity is es
sential to secure a passport to the “ land of
promise;” so there are no non-essentials in
the case, and those who think so, like Ephraim
of old, are “ counting ” God’s law “ a strange
tiling.” J. M. Martin.
Riemi, Miss., March, 1668.
Duties of Parents to Their Children.
In my last communication I tried to show
how parents could bring up their children in
the “ nurture and admonition of the Lord.’
A few more thoughts upon that subject may
be useful to some one.
To make the precepts of parents impres
sive, they should practice what they endeavor
to teach. Example goes as far—perhaps far
ther—in influencing to good or evil, than pre
cept. Hence, parents should be very careful
in all they say or do in the presence of their
children. The tendency of every word or
act shonld be well considered before being
uttered or performed. The force of this re
mark can be seen, if we remember that in all
we say or do, we are influencing immortal
beings to pursue the road to happiness or
eternal misery!
Let me next assign some reasons why
parents should labor to bring up their chil
dren for the Lord. Human affection is a
strortg reason. P»r•o*«-«lcwrTj r love their off
spring. This leve is^, manifested in their un
tiring efforts to provide for the comfort and
happiness of their children. In adversity, as
well as prosperity, we see parents toiling for
the temporal good of their children. This is
a duty every parent owes to his offspring.
He who fails to do so is unworthy the name
of a parent. If natural affection prompts the
parent to such energy in providing for the
temporal good of his children, should not the
same love prompt to greater exertions in la
boring for the salvation of the soul? The
immortal soul!—how shall its value be esti
mated ? The wealth of the Pyranees, the gold
of Ophir, the pearls and diamonds of this
earth, are less than the dust of the balance
when compared to the soul. Do we love our
children? Surely, then, we will labor for
their salvation. If we fail to do this, we do
not love them as we should. Can we truly
love our children, when we see them hasten
ing down the road to eternal ruin, yet make
no effort to bring them back to God ? Surely
not. From the encouragement parents have,
they should be stimulated to the discharge ot
this duty: “ For I know Abraham, that he
will command his children and his household
after him, and they shall keep the way of the
Lord, to do justice and judgment.” “ Train
up a child in the way he should go, and when
he is old, he will not depart from it.” “ Cast
thy bread upon the waters, for thou shall find
it after many days.” “ Therefore, my beloved
brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always
abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch
as ye know your labor is not in vain in the
Lord.” Observation and experience teaches
us that God has ever owned and blessed the
efforts of His people in the discharge of their
religious duties. Such as honor Him, He also
honors; whilst such as despise Him have
been lightly esteemed by Him. lam apprized
of the fact that many difficulties lie in the
way of Christian duty. Are we to shrink
back in consequence of such ? Nay, rather
let us double our exertions in order that they
may be overcome. Even when the good seed
have to be sown in tears, let us not despond,
but rather rejoice. “They that sow in tears
shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and
weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubt
less return again with rejoicing, bringing his
sheaves with mm.” What more could we
more could we desire? Labor
thus spent in the service of God will never
have an end. “ And I heard a voice from
heaven, saying unto me, Write, blessed are
dead which die in the Lord from henceforth;
yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from
their labors; and their works do follow them.'"
The good example set by the parent is fast
ened upon the mind of the child, who in the
course of time teaches his posterity the same
good lessons. Thus it is that the work of
the Lord is carried on, and God alone sees
the end of such labors.
The threatenings of Jehovah against Ungodly
parents should arouse the sleepy energies of
His people. “ Pour out thy fury upon the
heathen that know thee not, and upon the
families that call not upon thy name.” “If
ye will not hear, if ye will not lay it to heart,
to give glory unto my name, saith the Lord
of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you,
and 1 will curse your blessings; yea, I have
cursed them already, because ye do sot lay it
to heart.” Let us remember, that it is a fear
ful thing to “ fall into the hands of the living
God.” Then, let us not forsake his lav; yea,
let us have it hid in#»Ur hearts, that we may
not sin against IJim. E. W. Henderson.
Sardis, Miss.
Miracles.
WHAT DO THE MIRACLES OF JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES
PROVE?
A miracle is an attestation from God of
the truth of that which it is wrought to prove.
Take, for illustration, the ease of Elijah and
the prophets of Baal. They submitted the
decision of the question, whether Jehovah or
Baal was God, to the arbitrament of a mira
cle, and when, (after the prophets of Baal
had in vain called upon him,) fire came down
from heaven and consumed the offering of
Elijah, two truths were established—that Je
hovah was God—that Baal was not God. In
replying to the question, therefore, we are to
ascertain what these miracles were wrought
to prove.
Ist. They were intended to prove that Je
sus was the Messiah, the anointed of the
Lord, sent for the redemption of His people.
-Jesus always claimed to be the Messiah; and
when John the Baptist sent to Him inquiring
“Art thou he that should come? or do we
look for another?” He referred to His mira
cles in proof His Messiahship. The disci
ples of Jesus proclaimed Him as the Messiah,
and they wrought miracles in proof of this
proclamation.
2d. Jesus claimed to be the Son of God,
and as such, to possess and exercise divine
powers and prerogatives. That He uses the
appellation, Son of God, as expressing His
divine nature, is evident, because, when the
people thus construed His language, and on
that account accused Him of blasphemy, He
did not tell them that they had misunderstood
Him, but reaffirmed the truth. A most re
markable instance of His claiming a divine
nature, is in the memorable prayer recorded
John xvii.: “Father, the hour is oome, . . .
and now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine
own self, with the glory which 1 had with thee
before the world was.” The hour is come—
the hour of agony and shame and crucifixion.
In this hour, as the Son of God he prays to
be restored to which He had with
the Father before t&fe world was. This as
suredly could not relate to of
Mary. And for the former possessio Jf this
glory, as well as its restoration, HjF»ppeal
is directly to His Father. j*
Some of the miracles of Jesus were
wrought expressly to establish this claim.
The people laid before Him a palsied man.
He compassionately said to him : “Thy sins
are forgiven thee.” He was accused of bias
phemy upon the ground that He assumed the
divine prerogative. “ Who,” say his accusers*
“ can forgive sins but God only ? ” He does
hot dispute their reasoning, but replies:
ye may/know that the Son of Man'
hath power on earth to forgive sins,” address-
ing the sick man, “Arise, take up thy bed
and walk.” Two points are noticeable in the
narrative. Ist. That the miracle is wrought
expressly to show that He possessed the di
vine prerogative of forgiving sins. 2d. That
to work miracles os He did, required the same
divine nature as to forgive Sins. “ Whether
is it easier to say, thy sins be forgiven thee,
or to say, take up thy bed and walk?”
But, not to go too much into detail, men
tion will be made of only one miracle—His
own resurrection—as having this special de
sign. He says: “As the Father hath life in
himself, so hath He given to the Son to have
life in himselfand referring to His cruci
fixion, He declares that no man takes His
life from him. He lays it down of himself
that He may take it again. “ I have power
to lay it down, and I have power to take it
again.” And the proof of ail this is to be
His resurrection from the dead. Hence the
Apostle tells us, “ He was declared to be the
Son of God, with power, by the resurrection
from the dead.”
The apostles affirmed the divine nature of
Jesus, and wrought miracles in His name as
a divine person. Peter, to instance only one
case, said to the lame man at the gate of the
temple, “In the name of Jesus Christ, arise
and walk.” The miracles of Jesus and His
disciples prove, then, The Divine Nature,
and the Divine Mission of Jesus.
3d. They, by consequence, prove that the
Gospels are a divine revelation from God.
Jesus, as a messenger from God, came to re
veal His truth to men. The communications
made by Him, as recorded by the sacred his
torians, constitute, in part, this revelation.
The miracles which prove His divine charac
ter and mission, confirm the truth of* His
teaching, or else we have these monstrous
suppositions: First, That the Son of God
was a deceiver; and, second, that God, the
Father, aided the deception.
4th. The miracles of the apostles have a
still further significancy.- They were wrought
to prove, not only the divine character and
mission of Jesus, but also that they were
commissioned and inspired to complete the
Christian revelation, and to establish the Gos
pel among the nations. Paul appealed to his
miracles as evidence of his apostleship.
Hence these miracles are not only concurrent
proofs W the claims of Jesus, but they estab
lish the authority, as inspired teachers, of the
apostles.* vL
sth. Consequently, these miracles prove
the divine authority of the Apostolic Epistles,
and the apocalypse. In these we have the
instructions of men proving themselves to be
inspired teachers, and they are; therefore, a
part of thf Gospel Revelation.
Infidels have asserted that Christians reason
in a circle regarding miracles. That they ap
peal tc the doctrine of Scripture in proof of
the miracles, and then to the miracles in proof
Os the doctrine. It may be that suoh fallacies
have been perpetrated. But those who have
attended to the arguments of this series of
articles, will know that they are not liable to
this charge. 'The argument for the miracles
of Christ, makes no reference to his doctrine,
only as it may constitute a part of the evi
dence of character. It takes the character of
Jesus as a historical person, and shows that
neither corruption uor weakness can be im
puted to Him ; and upon this bases an argu
ment for His miraculous power, because He
claimed to possess such power. So, also, re
garding the testimony of His disciples.
Their character as witnesses, is established
independent of any miracles wrought by them.
In like manner, the inference of the inspira
tion of the New Testament, from the mira
cles, is entirely independent of any consider
ation of its teachings. It is founded solely
upon what the miracles prove regarding Jesus
and His apostles. The doctrines of the Sa
cred Volume furnish another, and an impor
portant line of proof. Xnd the argument
from this source, and that from miracles,
confirm each other. But they are distinct
and separate. In these papers, the argument
from miracles only has been adduced.
A. M. Poindexter.
Exegesis.
Now, then, it ia no more I that do it, but sin that
dwelleth in me.— Rom. vii.: 17.
The apostle in the context sets forth the
warfare between the flesh and the Spirit, be
tween the law and hik mind, and that which
was in his members.- But we must not con
clude that he is excusing and removing alb
blame from the believer who does $f.QPg,
when he says “ it is no more I that do’lt* but
sin that dwelleth in me;” for he show's that
he does not approve of wrong in .hirripelf, or
in any other. He would not excuse or allow
sin of omission or commission. Had he in
an hour of darkness and temptatiegr commit
ted sin against God and the laws of the land,
and had been arraigned before the bar of jus
tice on trial, he would not have pleaded that
he ought to be released—acquitted on the
ground that it was not himself who had com
mitted the crime, but merely sin dwell
eth in him, on the ogc hand. Nor, on the
other hand, had he done a righteous act for
which he was about |l|be rewarded, would
he have refused the reward on the ground
that he had not performed the good deed, but
grace or Christ dv'elleth in him had ac
complished the xx.: 2. No,
he, under such cjf€Bsfe&HGes, would frankly
admit, if justly«sharg<xl with sin, that he hir.%
self had, with tShe flesh, served the law of
sin, or if he had *i*4itairi ed righteousness
before God, that wis& -he mind he himself
had served the lftyjfajpd-* Let it, then, be
understood that a beki&fer had need to watch
and pray lest be enter into temptation, (and
especially so in these times which try men’s
souls,) and sin without ’having any excuse or
plea that will screen, him from the rod ot
correction. God jj?*’,?aid that if His people
forsake His law—ae'will visit their trans
gressions with this rod. Yet some have been
almost ready toi conclude that a Christian
cannot sin, b**u|e of sh a has said
above, apd jsaid in his first
2nd ninth verse: “ Who
soever is born of God doth hot commit sin :
for his seed remaineth in him; and he cannot
sin because he is born of God.” But John
here may be considered as teaching that a
Christian will never commit the sin of final
apostacy, as did the devil from the beginning,
or else that the believer will not habitually
sin, because of the opposing seed of grace
which remains in him in the form of a spirit
which opposes such a course of sin and leads
to self-denial and cross-bearing for Jesus.
The Christian knows from his own experience,
not only that he can be guilty of the sins of
omission and of commission, but that this
has been too often the case with him, causing
him to have need to penitently and with
shamefacedness, to approach God at the mer
cy seat, and there humbly plead for Tenewed
applications of the virtue of that blood which
alone cleanseth from all sin, and whose virtue
was realized and appreciated in his first suc
cessful approach by faith to this mercy seat.
Why should any one, then, ever take the
ground that when believers are asked in the
day of judgment as to their guilt, they will
say we are not guilty, and never were?
Why not rather conclude the answer would
be: We were guilty before conversion, and
too often so after conversion; but we have
come through great tribulation and washed
our robes and made them white in the blood
of the Lamb, but for the shedding of which
there had been no remission and no hope for
us. Again, the believer knows from his own
experience, that, when by grace he has walked
in the ordinances and commandments of Je
sus, he has been blessed with the smiles of
His Heavenly Father, and the answer of a
good conscience. So that he has learned what
Jesus meant when He said : “ He that hath
my commandments and keepeth them, loves
me, and I will love him and manifest myself
to him.” Still further, we may consider that
if the full, unbroken strength of sin in the
unbeliever cannot give excuse before God, to
him for having sinned daily, how much less
can the broken, crucified strength or body of
indwelling sin give a good ground of excuse
to the belierer? And again, if perfectly up
right, Adam and holy angels, and perfectly
sanctified, holy saints in heaven, can be
brought to view, as acting personally and in
dividually in obeying God, why should we
conclude that Christians here, who are only
partially upright, holy, have no personality
in the matter of serving God on the one hand,
or of sinning on the other—that all their obe
dience is not theirs, but Christ’s, as dwelling
in them, and that all their sin is attributable
not to them ? We have only to look to the
final, judgment in order to see that every man,
saint or sinner, will be judged according to
the deeds done in the body, whether good or
bad. Let no man, therefore, be deceived, for
God cannot be deceived, since every man be
fore Him will reap according to what ha has
sown. They who have sown to the flesh,
shall of the flash reap corruption; and they
who have sown to the good Spirit, shall reap
life everlasting. In other words, they who
live and die in their sins, shall perish, while
those who repent, believe the gospel and serve
God, shall live forever in the world of unsul
lied glory. Whatever, therefore, the apostle
may mean by his words at the bead of these
lines, we can see that, according to the gene
ral tenor of his and other writings, he was still
himself, as either led forward in the service
of God by the spirit of God, or else enticed
and drawn into sin by his own lusts or the
law in his members, and would be judged
accordingly in the day when Christ shall
judge the quick and the dead. Blessed is he
who?p. own experience of divine things, next to
his Bible, greatly assists him in coming to con
clusions. May God give us all much more
of His rich grace, that, as His people, we
may see eye to eye, and all speak the same
things. I. H. Goss.
Lumpkin, Georgia.
How It was Done.
In one of our New England villages, not
many years since, the Baptist church extended
a unanimous call to a certain minister. The
call was accepted. There wan nothing unu
sual in this; many other churches have given
unanimous invitations which have been ac
cepted.
One year passed, and the people were as
well united in their pastor as ever. Still
another year they labored together in mutual*
confidence and prospered. That this was
nothing unusual I will not say, for the fre
quent changes in the pastoral relation suggest
a doubt of this.
Toward the close of the second year a prom
inent member, of the church became disaf
fected with his pastor, for some reason, for it
is not to be presumed that such men act with
out reason ! But those most deeply inter
ested were not able to discover what his
reason was, 2nd probably they will never
know until that day when
“Forth shall a written book be brought,
Wherein each deed, and word, and thought,
l| 4 writ.”
WhatTdid this-brother do? Did he go to
his minister in a Christian spirit, and seek to
have bis difficulty removed? Did he ask
counsel of the Divine Teacher in respect to
the matter? . Had he sought light from on
high, he would have learned that God makes
use of earthen vessels to convey the greatest
of blessings to the human family; and that
those -to whom he has intrusted his great
commission need the counsel and cooperation
of all Christians! But alas! this brother
yielded to another influence, and injured, in
stead of aiding his pastor!
The minister had an enemy; all true min
isters have one, who goes about like a roaring
lion, seeking to destroy happiness and pre
vent the accomplishment of good. He some
times transforms himself into “ an angel of
light," and, when working in this guise, he
finds a church member a grand fulcrum over
which to pry in his efforts to displace the liv
ing stones of God’s temple ! The suggestions
of this enemy so accorded with the brother’s
inclinations, that it was no cross to follow
them.
What was to be done 1 ? The object was to
remove the incumbent. But there was the
minister, strong in the affections of the people,
and fortified with a band of faithful friends.
Who touches him touches them. It will never
do to light the fires of persecution. That is
a practice of barbarism. Men have become
more liberal toward those who do not agree
with them. Open persecution is unpopular,
and is liable to defeat its end by making sym
pathy for the persecuted. But the work must
be done. The brother wanted a man to go
in and out before the people according to his
own idea of right. And, judging from the
course he pursued, he concluded not to make
it too hot for the minister, but too cold. It
matters not to Satan whether the works of
God are marred by heat or cold, if they are
only marred. He would as soon have the
Christian destroyed by slow freezing as by
slow fires.
The chilling influences accomplished the
work for which they were designed. It re
quired three years; but then the work was
completed—the minister resigned. Soon he
removed far from the place and the people
that were so dear to him. This was a tri
umph hour for Satan and for the brother who
had cooperated with him.
Do men and women who labor to unsettle
pastors imagine that the Lord stands ready
to receive the minister, and his wife and chil
dren, right up to “ mansions in the skies,” as
soon as their object is accomplished ? Do
they ever think of the painful suspense—the
weary journey—the home among strangers —
the heart-longings for the “ loved and loviDg”
which is the lot of the minister and his family?
Do they consider that many of the desolate
placSes in Zion were rendered so by this very
•process of breaking up the pastoral relation
to satisfy the caprice of a few ? “O, that
they were wise, that they understood this J”—■
Christian Era.
An Active Chnrch.
It is only by disinterested labors for the
good of others—those who especially need
disinterested labors—that we grow into the
spirit of Him who gave His life for those
who could give nothing in return. In water
ing others, we are ourselves watered; in scat
tering abroad, we gather in; in .being ready
to give everything and lose everything for
others, we find prosperity and abundance for
ourselves. In building up & parish, or build
ing up a denomination, the main thing to be
thought of is not eloquent preachers, nor
splendid choirs, nor magnificent churches,
(things by no means to be undervalued, of'
which we wish the land were full,) but much
more than all these, a Bpirit of self-denying
zeal* a readiness to spend and be spent for the
good of others—for the benefit of the poor
and the ignorant. A church that knows how
to work for others carries the pledge of its
success on its front; a denomination that
looks out for the needy and the scattered
within its borders will be a power—its labors
react for its own health and vigor, and the
currents of life flow more freshly in its own
veins, because of its toils in the open air of
everyrday life. Besides, it presents attrac
tions to strong and earnest natures. Men
had rather join themselves to a live body
than a dead one, even though the dead one
be laid out in ever so stately a style; some
denominations, some churches, with every
external disadvantage, and seeming almost
too feeble to live, keep themselves alivg* by
their very activity—-like some slender people
who carry disease in their constitution, and
seem ready to die every day, and who would do
so if they should only give up, yet who drive
about their business, and accomplish more
and live longer than many a stout and ple
thoric soul, with too much blood for bis good,
and who has nothing to do but feed and fat
ten at hi# leisure. There is something to fear
4n the sight of a society so easy, so prosper
ous, so well furnished- with goods that it rests
contented with itself, and is well pleased to
go up to the sanctuary on the Sabbath days,
and enjoy alt the elegancies and luxuries of
religion, and rejoices to see its children gath
ered into the fold and made inheritors of the
hopes, but at the same time grows unsympa
thizing, self-regarding, delicate and unhum
bled, and forgets the multitudes of ignorant,
and scattered, and suffering ones. There is
reason to fear that it will one day hear from
that mouth, out of which goeth the sharp
two-edged sword, the words—“ Thou sayest,
I am rich, and increased in goods, and have
need of nothing, and knowest not that thou
art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and
blind, and naked; I counsel tbee, therefore,
be zealous and repent.” This was the Divine
counsel, to counteract the effect of prosperity.
“ Be zealous,” go forth and work for the good
of others; as thou dost not have to labor and
struggle for thyself, put thyself into sympa
thy with those who do struggle, and in some
sense, like the great Master, bear their bur
dens, share their sacrifices, and carry their
griefs; and thus learn the lessons of adver
sity at seconj hand, 80 that thou mayest not
have to learn them at first-hand.— O. W. Field.
Talmudic Proverbs.
Prayer is Israel’s only .weapon, a weapon
inherited from their fathers, a weapon tried in
a thousand battles.
The dying benediction of a sage to his dis
ciples was: I pray for you that the fear of
heaven may be as strong upon you as the
fear of man. You avoid sin before the face
of the latter; avoid it before the face of the
Almighty.
Whoever lives unmarried, lives without
joy, without comfort, without blessing.
He who marries for money, his childrSh
shall be a curse to him.
Honor the sons of the poor: it is they who
bring science into splendor.
There are three crowns; of the law, the
priesthood, the kingship; but the crown of a
good name is greater than them all.
Think of three things: whence thou com
est, whither thou goest, and to whom thou
wilt have to account for all thy deeds, even
to the King of kings, the All-holy, praised be
he.
Four shall not enter Paradise: the scoffer,
the liar, the hypocrite, and the slanderer.
To slander is to murder.
Thy friend has a friend, and thy friend’s
friend has a friend; be discreet.
The soldiers fight, and the kings are the
heroes.
While thy foot is shod smash the thorn.
When the ox is down, many are the butch
ers.
Descend a step in choosing a wife; mount
a step in choosing a friend.
The sun will go down all by himself, with
out your assistance.
Fools are no proof.
No man is to be made responsible for words
which he utters in his grief.
There is a great difference between him
who is ashamed before his own self and him
who is only ashamed before others.
It is a good sign in man to be capable of
being ashamed.
He who is ashamed will not easily commit
sin.
One contrition in man’s heart is better than
many flagellations.
Teach thy tongue to say, I do not know.
Drink not, and you will not sin.
Not what you say about yourself, but what
others say.
Not the place honors the man, but the man
the place.
Let the honor of thy neighbor be to thee
like thine own.
The lost jewel will always be a jewel, but
the possessor who has lost it: well may he
weep. SJ"'.:r •• •
The Friend of the Bridegroom.
While reading a book on the Holy Land,
by Hepworth Dixon, I read of an Eastern
custom, which brought so clearly before my
mind the work of the Holy Spirit under
the type of the friend of the Bridegroom,
that I cannot refrain from telling it to you,
although very likely you have thought of it
before.
** It appears that, in most cases of marriage
in Syria, after the act of ‘betrothal,’ the
bride and bridegroom are not allowed to meet
for a year, but during that time the friend of
the bridegroom is sent by him, with constant
messages to the bride, his work being, not to
speak of himself, but to proclaim the love and
constancy of the absent bridegroom, and so
sound his praises, that the love of the bride
towards him will be kept warm; and until
the day when she is taken home to dwell with
her husband, and see him face to face, the
function of the bridegroom’s friend knows no
pause. ‘ Then the bridegroom’s heart is glad,
and the friend rejoices when he hears the
bridegroom’s voice.’”
The author, in relating the custom, gives it
as an illustration of that text in John iii.: 20.
But it -speaks to me, and 1 am sure will to
you also,-of something far higher. All that
he tells of the work of the friend of the
bridegroom is so exactly illustrative of the
Spirit’s work —sent by the Great Bridegroom
to comfort the bride whilst He and she are
parted the one from the other: “I will not
leave you comfortless.” Then it was not of
himself the friend was to speak, but of the
bridegroom. “He shall testify of me;”
“ He shall show you of mine;” “He shall
not 3peak of himself;” “He shall glorify
me;” “He shall receive of mine and show it
unto you —just what the bridegroom did—
told his friend the things he wished him to
tell his bride.
Perhapß the Syrian bride would never have
had her . heart so full of love to the bride
groom, (of whom, according to the custom of
the country, she had seen little,) had it not
been for the constant commendations of him
given by his friend. And has not our Bride
groom said: “It is expedient for you that I
go away; for if Igo not away, the Comforter
will not come unto you.” Then comes the
great meeting, the long time of separation
past, the seeing face to face, the work of the
Spirit over.— British Herald.
Pastoral Work. '
Should it ever come to be true that the pas
tors of our churches Are, so comparison with
those of, other denominations, less attentive
to the families of their charge, less sympa
thizing with the young, less careful to visit
the sick and the stranger, less systematic and
faithful in their knowledge of and care for
individual souls, it will certainly follow that
the denomination will gradually lose its hold
upon the attachment of the people of our
State, and the sanctuaries in which the fathers
worshipped in such numbers, will be deserted
by their children. No ministerial energy
will compensate for this prime defect; no
power in the pulpit, no reputation among the
churches, no pyrotechnics of oratory, no
strained intellectual gymnastics can be sub
stituted for the contact of the living person
with individual souls, in familiar, friendly,
sympathizing, and spiritual intercourse. In
these days of books and newspapers, of lec
tures and discussions, the people of our
churches will not, on the one hand, forgive S
rude and hasty sermon, but on the other, they
will not require the highest intellectual excite
ment conceivable from every SaSbath dis
course, provided it contains direct, pointed,
weighty truth; especially if that truth is
uttered from lips that in the week time are
often opened for friendly and earnest words,
and from a heart that is known to beat
warmly for the welfare of their children, their
families, and the community.— Prof. Noah
Porter.
WHOLE NO. 2390.
Have Faith, and Struggle On.
A swallow in the spring
Came to our granary, and ’neath the eaves
Essayed to make a nest, and there did bring
Wet earth, and straw, and leaves.
Day after day she toiled
With patient art, but ere her work was orowned,
Some sad mishap the tiny fabric spoiled.
And dashed it to the ground.
She found the ruin wrought;
But, not cast down, forth from the plaoe she flew,
And with her mate fresh earth aud grosses brought.
And built her nest anew.
But scarcely had she placed
The last soft feather on its ample floor,
When wicked hand or chance again laid waste,
And wrought the ruin o’er.
But still her heart she kept,
And toiled again; and last night, bearing calls,
I looked, and 10l three little swallows slept
Within the earth-made walls.
What truth is here, 0 man I
Hath hope been smitten ip Its early dawn?
Hath cloud o’ercast thy purpose, trust, or plan?
Have faith, and struggle on.
The Fullness in Christ.
How difficult it would be to name a noble
figure, & sweet smile, a teuder or attractive
relationship in which Jesus is not set forth to
woo a reluctant sinner and cheer a despond
ing saint. Am I wounded 1 He is balm.
Am I sick?. He is medicine. Am I naked?
He is clothing. Am I poor ? .He is wealth.
Am I hungry ? He is bread. Am I thirsty ?
He is water. Am 1 in debt ? He is a surety.
Am lin darkness ? He is a sun. Have 1 a
house to build ? He is a rock. Must I face
that black and gathering storm ? He is an
anchor sure and steadfast. Am Ito be tried ?
He is an advocate. Is sentence passed, and
am Ito be condemned ? He is pardon.
To deck Him out and set Him forth, nature
culls her finest flowers, brings her choicest
ornaments, and lays these treasures at His
feet. The skies contribute their stars. The
sea gives up its pearls. From fields, and
rivers, and mountains earth brings the tribute
of her gold, and geins, aud myrrh, and frank
incense; the lily of the valley, the clustered
vine and the fragrant rose of Sharon. He is
“ the chiefest among ten thousand, and alto
gether lovely.” “In Him dwelleth all the
fullness of the Godhead bodily.” I offer
Him to you—make a free offer of Him, and
doing so will challenge you to name a want
for which I shall not find a full supply in
Christ, something that fits your wants as ac
curately as the works of a key the wards of
its lock.
M A Way Be wto tost ones that have strayed;
A robe He is to such as naked be;
Is any hungry, to all such He’s bread;
Is any weak, in Him how strong is he!
To him that’s dead, He’s Life; to sick men, Health;
Eyes to the blind, and to the poor man, Wealth.”
One Who Thought He Never Prayed.
The Rev. Mr. Kilpin passed a very profane
man, and, having omitted to rebuke him, he
awaited him in the morning at the same
place.
When he approached Mr. Kilpin said:
“ Good morning, my friend; you are the per
son I have been waiting for.”
“Oh, sir,” 6aid the man, “you are mista
ken, I think.”
“ I do not know you, but I saw you last
night when you were going home from work,
and I have been waiting some time to see
you.”
“Sir, you are mistaken; it could not have
been me. I never saw you in my life before,
that I know of.”
“Well, my friend,” said Mr. Kilpin, "I
heard you pray last night.”
“ Now I assure ybu that you are mistaken;
l never prayed in my life.”
“ Oh, said Mr. Kilpin, “if God had an
swered your prayer last night; you had not
been here this morning. I heard you pray
that God would destroy your eyes, and ruin
your soul.”
The man turned pale, and trembling, said,
“Do you call that prayer? I did, I did.”
“Well, then, my errand this morning is to
request you from this day to pray as fervent
ly for your salvation as you have done for
damnation; and may God in mercy hear your
prayer.”
The man from that time became an attend
ant on Mr. Kilpin’s ministry, and it ended in
his conversion to God. —The Christian.
Sunday Rest a Necessity.
“Although the night equalizes the circula
tion well, yet it does not sufficiently restore
its balance for the attainment of a long life.
Hence one day in seven, by the bounty of
Providence, is thrown in as a day of com
pensation, to perfect by its repose the animal
system. You may easily determine this
question by trying it on beasts of burden.
Take that fine animal, the horse, and work
him to the full extent of his powers every
day of the week; or give him rest one day
in seven, and you will soon perceive, by the
superior vigor with which he performs his
functions on the other six days, that this rest
is necessary to his well-being. Man, possess
ing a superior nature, is borne along by the
very vigor of his mind, so that the injury of
continued diurnal exertion and excitement in
his system is not so immediately apparent.as
it is in the brute; but in the long run it
breaks down more suddenly; it abridges the
length ofliis life and that vigor of nis old
age which (as to mere animal power) ought
to be the object of his preservation
This is said simply as a physician, and with
out reference at all to the theological ques
tion.”—Dr. Farre.
This Six Stefs.—There are six ascents to
heaven, as there were to Solomon’s throne.
1. The lowest is vocation: “No man can
oome to me, except the Father draw him.”
2. Repentance. When God hath called the
heart from sin, it melts into tears, and is
smitten with a holy remorse.
3. Faith —which believes the pardon of re
pented sins, and the adoption through Christ
to peace.
4. The testimony of the Holy Ghost . “The
Spirit beareth witness with our spirit, that we
are the children of God.”
5. Peace of conscience. All the clamors of
sin anil terrors of the law Are quieted. “Be
ing justified by faith, we have peace with
God.”
6. Good works —the fruits of a sanctified
obedience, and effects of former graoes, which
concur to the makihg up this assuranoe.
Prevailing Praters. —A Christian mother,
who had a son that had gone off in a vi
cious oourse, and deserted, and otherwise
cruelly treated her, was lying upon her death
bed. When asked if she entirely forgave the
erring boy, she replied, “ How could a mother
do anything but forgive? But I know, more
over, that God will forgive bim.” And then,
in response to an enquiry as to the ground of
her confidence, she said, “Ah, sin, one to
whom so many tearful prayers cleave, will
never be suffered to perish.”
What a »oui-tranquilbring assurance! Pe
titions, for Christ’s sake, iu behalf of the
wandering, go up as delightful incense to the
throne of God. There is power in the soul
wrestling of a Christian relative. Let saved
hearts bind their dear ones round about with
believing, tearful, importunate prayers. Send
them up with strong confidence, based upon
the Divine promises. “ The effectual, fervent
prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”