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CHRISTIAN INDEI AND SOUTH-WESTERN RAPTIST.
YOL. 47-NO. 32.
A RELIGIOUS AND FAMILY PAPER,
PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN ATLANTA, GA.
«X. J*. TOON", Proprietor.
FOR TERMS SEE FOURTH PAGE.
A Visit to Mammoth Cave.
I have recently had the pleasure of visiting
at least one of the wonders of the world,
Mammoth Cave. Mammoth Cave! What
feelings of awe does this place carry to the
breasts of those fond of the great, beautiful,
and sublime! To the poetic it possesses
charms which, perhaps, no other place on
earth does.
We might enumerate the names of our
happy party, and the diversified topics which
were discussed on our route, in the stage,
from Cave City, to Mammoth Cave Hotel—
distance 9 miles in fair weather , 12 in rainy—
but we pass over all these notes by the way }
and enter the subterranean region at once.
Not arriving there soon enough to go the
long route, we went the short one, entering
the cave at about 2£ o’clock, P. M., with
our intelligent guide, who has been visiting
the cave for 17 years. Our party consisted
of 10—the ladies dressed in bloomers, the
costume in fashion in this subterranean coun
try for the fair sex. As we entered the
mouth of the cave, each was cautioned about
holding his light, that it might not be ex
tinguished by the strong current constantly
cornimr from the cave. Parable after para
ble, and passage after passage would suggest
themselves to us: here that of the ten vir
gins—the wise, the foolish, and haw simple
the foolish were; now the great importance of
having a light, and of its burning brightly,
that we might see, and that others might see
us; then, the importance of the guide, of
his being perfectly familiar with all about
the dangerous places in the cave—the difficul
ties, narrow defiles, slippery places, awfully
deep, dark chasms, etc., etc. —and the im
portance of our implicitly obeying him, etc.,
were very suggestive. There are many ave
nues leading off into caverns as yet unex
plored, and it is a very easy thing to get lost,
if one will refuse to obey the guide. Per
sons wandering off into forbidden parts have
been lost, their lights extinguished, and they
in the region and shadow of death. O, that
Christians could fully realize their condition,
that they might cling tenaciously to Jesus,
their infallible guide.
But to hasten: we passed along by the
Nitre Vats of 1812, beholding the tracks of
the oxen in the, then, soft, pliable mud, or
sand, now, the hard rock—into the Church,
whose pulpit is fifteen feet from the floor, and
the ceiling sixty-three feet high, and the whole
church about one hundred feet in diameter.
The Giant’s Coffin is perfect, and above it, on
the high wall is seen the ant cater looking
down. The Bottomless Pit is an awful yawn
ing chasm ; a deep, dark, angry locking placf,
rnning far up above the head, descending far
dowm into the deep vortex below ; and the
dripping water reminds one forcibly of the
“poor ” rich man’s prayer.
The Star Chamber is perfectly magnificent.
There the guide deprives the party of their
lights, and retires at a distance, so as to throw
the rays of light on the ceiling in such a way
that the whole heavens are filled with stars,
and on assuming another position, you see a
perfectly black and angry cloud coming, and
one would think a thunder storm imminent;
then floating clouds are seen passing over,
now and then revealing the heavens studded
with ten thousand stars. It is here we have
an idea of Egyptian darkness. The guide
leaves us entirely without a ray of light, 2£
miles from the mouth of the cave, and 300
feet, more or less, below the surface of the
earth. We next see day breaking, and the
sun rising in the distance, all grand and beau
tiful.
Soon after passing through Register Hall,
where are to be found names from almost all
parts of the world, we were halted by our
guide, who took from us all the lights but
one, and having arranged them satisfactorily,
he called for us lo advance. We obeyed the
command, and entered an apartment of sur
passing grandeur and magnificence. The
lamps which he had deprived us of, he had
taken to Ihe Chapel, and hung them in the
different parts of the room, so as to display
its untold beauties to the best advantage.
This room is appropriately called Gothic
Chapel—a chapel, indeed, of nature’s own
handiwork. Those who have seen it know
its beauty —others must learn it by the same
means —language is inadequate to convey a
true idea of its magnificence. This apart
ment is eighty feet long, by fifty wide. Sta
lagmite columns of vast size nearly block up
the two ends; and two rows of pillars of
similar dimensions, reach from floor to ceil
ing. All were here perfectly delighted, and
the expressions of wonder and delight which
were almost insensibly receiving passage from
bosoms filled with admiration, seemed here
to have attained their climax.
After arriving at this temple of nature,
one of our party, Col. E. Y. Clarke, of your
city—a pious young man—suggested that as
we had been permitted to behold the won
drous works of God in the bowels of the
earth, we recognize this token of his good
ness to us, and as there was one of bis ser
vants along, that we ask him to lead in prayer.
All assenting, we were called upon to offer
prayer to Almighty God. You can better
imagine my feelings than I can describe
them. Four to five miles from the mouth of
the cave—two hundred feet, more or less, be
low the surface of the earth, calling upon the
Maker of all the wondrous works which we
had beheld —it was a solemn time. Prayer
being ended, “ Old Hundred” was sung, and
“ Nearer, my God, to Thee,” was heard with
emotional feelings. We tried to lead from
Nature’s works to Nature’s God. May God
grant that through Jesus success may crown
what was done to the good of all present.
At about 8 o’clock, P. M., we left the cave,
and found the temperature very oppressive.
The beauties of the long route we must re
serve for a future day. G. W. Given.
Russellville, Ky-, July 28, 1868.
FRANKLIN PRINTING HOUSE, ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 1868.
Notes of Travel North,
As 1 passed through Atlanta frecently, en
route for New York, our good brother, editor
of the Index, said to me, “Jf you can pick
up any Baptist news, let us hear from you.”
1 did not gather any information of special
interest concerning the Baptists, and therefore,
did not write a letter. But I did “ pick up”
a few “ dots,” which may not be uninterest
ing. •
In the first place, I will say, rriy short ex
perience among northern people and northern
Christians, convinced me that the position
recently set forth by brother Teague, (in the
Index.) in such a calm and unprejudiced man
ner, is the correct one. Tima must be allowed
to soften the asperities, and remove the pre
judices engendered by the war, before any
real Christian union can be established be
tween the sections. The words, “ rebels,”
and “yankees,” must lose some of their sig
nifiounce, before cooperation will be hearty
and effective. This is the opinion of one
who has advocated cooperation with more
ardor than most of his brethren. I did not
discover among northern Christians and
Christian Associations, thatzeal and enthusiasm
which I supposed existed among them;
though I bear testimoney to the fact that there
are among northern Christians, some noble,
wuirrn hearted men who love our common
Saviour, with a devotion not to be excelled.
One thing impressed me particularly, and I
wish to call the attention of northern and
southern Christians to the fact. It was, that
I there is far greater effort being made to unite
and harmonize northern and southern politi
cians than has yet been made to unite and
harmonize Christians. Why is it? Is it
because “ the children of this generation are
wiser, etc.” The scene between Poindexter
and Hague was worthy of the admiration of
angels, but I saw greater things than that in
Tammany Hall !
Like most visitors to New York, I went to
hear Beecher preach (!!) And ‘‘l took notes.”
They are before me now. The first time I
heard him, his text was, “Thou shaJt not
steal.” I arrived at the church late and did
not hear the opening remarks. When I en
tered he was discussing* the honesty of rail
road conductors. He then took up the
various legislative bodies of the country, in
eluding Congress. He made the following
statements in regard to the Legislatures of
several States.. “The Legislatures of the
following States have been bought and sold :
New York, New' Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode
Island and Kansas. The following have re
cently been bought and sold : Massaehussets,
Connecticut, lowa and Ohio.” Congress, he
said, “ is not of good reputation (//) etc.” The
judiciary cannot be excepted. New York
Judges has been notoriously bought and sold.
Bribable Judges are the rule, honest ones the
exception. He declared that this state of
things was as bad where religion and educa
tion prevailed as elsewhere. The revenue
system was a grand field of corruption.
Men have less conscience about money than
formerly. National repudiation w’ould be a
crime of the highest magnitude. [Applause.]
The remedy for all this dishonesty and fraud
was to be found in the formation of a correct
public conscience. This has not been dene.
The schools, churches and religious press have
failed to do it. The following were suggested
as proper agents for the formation of a consci
ence : 1. The family. 2. The pulpit. The
churches of the North are responsible for the
dishonesty of the people Conscience is a
tool, and the churches must manage it. The
pulpit is not the place for dry doctrine. Its
mission is to expose vice. There is nothing
from the centre to the circumference of the
earth but may be the subject of pulpit dis
cussion. 3. Sunday schools and Bible classes.
4. Religious newspapers. 5. The exerted
influence of Christian men. Several times
during his speech, there was an audible smile,
and an occasional stamping of feet by way
of applause.
The second time I heard him, be it said to
his credit, he preached a real, solemn, impres
sive sermon, from Heb. vi. 19.—“ Which
hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both
sure and steadfast.” At the close of this
sermon, a friend who was sitting by me, and
who had never heard Beecher said, “ Is that
Beecher? That man’s a Christian.” As we
were going dowm the street after the service,
I overheard the following conversation :
“Well, Beecher didn’t preach one of his spicy,
political sermons.” “ No, it was rather reli
gious-sentimental, etc.” The first remark
was made in a tone which indicated disap
pointment. Is not this conversation somewhat
a clue to Beecher’s popularity ? But whatever
may be his spiritual power, his mental power
is certainly very great. I should perhaps,
say, that Mr. Beecher, in speaking of politi
cal parties, said that both Democrats and
Republicans had the same object in view—
the spoils of office.
Howard College.
The last Index contains two commendatory
allusions to Howard College, with proper
suggestions as to the necessity of its support.
Having now no connection with the institu
tion, I feel however an unabated interest in
its welfare, and I desire to commend it most
warmly to any friends in Alabama, who may
value my opinions. The new President, E.
Q. Thornton, 1 knew in the army, as an intel
ligent and brave and skillful soldier. When
I took charge of Howard College, as its Pres
ident, Mr. Thornton was a member of the
Faculty, and two years’ service enables me to
speak of him, with confidence. He has
thorough scholarship and large culture, joined
to Christian integrity and the good breeding
of an accomplished gentleman. The friends
of education in Alabama may well felicitate
themselves on having such a man, at the head
of one of their oldest colleges, and I trust they
will show their appreciation of the advantages
they enjoy, by a liberal patronage.
J. L. M. Curry.
Richmond, Va., August 3d, 1868.
Syllables govern the world.— Selden.
Jails and Penitentiaries.
A prisoner in the county jail who was about
leaving for the State penitentiary, to which
he had been sentenced for ten years, said to
me, “ I shall miss your visits and papers, for
I don’t suppose any one visits the penitentiary
as you do the jail.” For a year and a half 1
have regularly visited the jail on the Sabbath,
distributing religious and secular papers,
primers and Testaments, and preaching to
those who are permitted at times to walk the
corridor. It was to such visits as these that
the prisoner alluded in his remark. Since
his departure, while canvassing in my mind
the probability of his fears being realized in
his new quarters, I have been moved to ask
the attention of the Christian public to the
wants of our criminal institutions, and to
suggest that in them is presented an interest
ing field for mission work.
The inmates are generally of the most de
graded classes of our community, though it is
a question whether the most guilty are to be
found there. They are in confinement and
must yield to restraint. They are idle, and
time hangs heavy on their hands. They will
respectfully listen, for conversation whiles
away the time, as also, does reading. They
can read only what is brought to them, and
to escape loneliness they will gladly read
anything, however uninteresting it w'ould be
to them at other times. Having read they
will think, they cannot help it. They are
glad to have preaching, for it secures to them
a half hour’s freedom from their cells. And
when there is preaching they will listen, for
the gospel is new to most of them. Those
who have Testaments and papers will read
lloud and the inmates of adjoining cells will
hear. A great many where l visit, have been
compelled by weariness to study the primers
given to them, and the help of other
prisoners they have learned to read. One
day passing a darkened and closely shut cell
in which a troublesome and half-crazed girl
was confined as a punishment, 1 heard her
bemoaning her lot, and then repeating to her
self the Saviour’s words, “ Come unto me
all ye that labor and are heatfy laden, and I
will give you rest.” On my next visit I en
quired she learned those words. She
rop 1 i rn ed them from the primer you
gajyjTki?' l, Surely good seed had been sown;
and n! 1 may yet bear fruit unto eternal life.
Will not the pastors and Christian brethren
in the vicinity of jails and penitentiaries, see
that these institutions are not neglected ? “ 1
was in prison, and ye came unto me : as ye
did it unto one of the least of these, ye did it
unto me." B. 1. AY.
Rev. T. J. Russell.
Rev. Timothy J. Russell died, at his resi
dence in Tallapoosa county, Ala., June 23th,
18G8, in the 56th year of his age.
A great man has indeed fallen in Israel.
* i
Not that he was eminent as a debater, or oi
marked ability in the exposition of the myste
rious and intricate questions of theology, (for
‘hese he rarely touched, being highly practical
in his preaching;) but that he was great in
goodness and usefulness. He was of large com
mon sense, wise in counsel, eminent in piety,
genial as a companion, was extensively known
•,nd loved, and possessed a large spirit of bene
ficence. Asa presiding officer he had few
>quals; and was chosen Moderator of the
Central Association, Ala., soon after he be
came a member of the body, aud was regu
larly reelected as often as present.
He was born in Georgia, in 1812. He
was baptized by Elder James Reeves into the
fellowship of McDonough church, before
manhood, and, with the exception of a short
time in early life, he was ever an active mem
ber of the church ; oiten earnestly warning
and exhorting in public j before he was set
apart to the work of the ministry. In 1856
he was ordained to the work of the ministry,
and continued his labors regularly until about
two years before his death, when feeble health
prevented his longer regular continuance
therein.
For sometime before his death, though not
confined to his bed, he learned to think that
his summons might soon come, and was not
surprised when it did. He died calmly and
peacefully in the midst of his family. As
the birds struck up their first notes on that
morning, hailing the opening Sabbath, symbol
of the future rest of the Christian, his spirit
was released from its earthly tabernacle, and
permitted to enter “ where the wicked cease
from troubling, and the weary are at rest.”
His excellent mother, then living with him,
was buried three months and a day before,
so that their separation was of short duration.
He had been elevated to high places of
trust in civil positions, by his countrymen,
and was everywhere the Christian gentleman.
He is now gone; but in memory he will live
long in the Central and Liberty Associations.
Geo. E. Brewer.
Island, Home, Ala., July 19 th, 1868.
Application of Sermons.
We had an excellent sermon at our church
lately, on the sin of censorious judgments;
“Judge not,” &c. It was calculated to do
much good. It is to be hoped that every
member of the congregation applied to him
self, and not to his neighbors, the admonition.
Os course it is human nature to do so ! I re
member that a friend of mine once preached
a sermon to a rather small country congre
gation, on the same subject that 1 have men
tioned. At the close of the services, he was
approached by one of the most prominent of
the church members, who highly praised the
discourse, saying : “It will do great good,
sir; it is greatly needed in this community.
The neighbors are greatly given to gossipping
and slander, and hard speaking. A timely
sermon, sir ! lam glad you preached it.”
The next Sabbath the minister visited the
same church, and availed himself of the
hospitalities of the brother who had been so
pleased with the sermon of the Sabbath be
fore. He soon perceived that his host did
not manifest quite the degree of cordiality
that usually appeared in his manner. He
was at a loss to account for this. But soon
the difficulty was revealed. “ That sermon
of yours is doing a great deal of harm. I
am afrlPid it was very injudicious ! It is
working harm, sir; working harm!”
“ Why,” said our ministerial friend, “ I
thought you highly approved of it. You
said it would do great good.”
“ Yes ; but they're all applying it to me /”
And an eminently just application it was.
s' *
Christian Moderation.
We have urged, upon our readers, the ne
cessity of moderation amid the excitements of
the times. But it is well-nigh impossible to
write on this subject, without bias, or the
suspicion of bias, from one’s own relation to
the topics that stir the public mind. We
have thought it expedient, therefore, to give
space in our columns for the following ser
mon, preached by Bishop Hoadly in the year
1703—as indisputably Lee from all sinister
aims with respect to the controversies now
agitating our people, and as constituting a
valuable Christian “ campaign document."
“Let your moderation be known unto all men.”—
PhMppvans iv. 5.
The word which is here translated modera
tion, signifies an easiness and gentleness of
mind, disposing men, not only to be content
ed and quiet themselves, but to be pliable and
yielding to those around them, in order to
the general good; a teTnper always ready,
by all reasonable methods, to promote and
establish the happiness of themselves, and of
the world about them. This temper, we see.
St. Paul doth most heartily recommend to
Christians ; nay, he desires it may be one of
the more conspicuous and visible parts of
their character—a mark, as it were, to dis
tinguish them from the world of ill-natured
and inflexible men, and to make a difference
between them and the other part of mankind,
who are not to be moved by any considera
tions, to yield or bend to any terms of love
and peace. And yet, notwithstanding this,
how little of this excellent virtue do we see
in the world ? And what little hopes have we
of seeing more of it T- Many men take the
word into their mouths, and use it as they
see fit: some, to ridicule and make a jest of
it; some, to put it as a false coloring to some
thing bad underneath, sod many mistake
something else for it, and whilst they think
they are possessed of it, are far removed from
it. There seem to be few who have that
charity that is necessary to the very being of
it; and for want of this, many can neither
understand nor heartily seek after it. And
yet, from the want of this virtue have pro
ceeded very many of those miseries men
have felt in their own minds—the plagues of
impatience, malice, and revenge, and almost
all the unhappiness and ruin that have be
fallen public societies. Why, then, should not
men be willing, if they have any sense left
of their own private quiet.; if they have any
regard to the happiness of their neighbors;
if they be touched with any concern for the
good of that society they belong to; nay, if
they but consider the share they may have,
aud their posterity, in the mischiefs and dis
turbances that shall befall it, why should not
men, I say, if any such considerations are
worthy their notice, (as i rtainly they an ,)
be ready to understandthis virtue is,
and to practice it, and be solicitous to know
(by their own experience) what are the prop
erties and the blessed fruits of it? And,
since the great Apostle so particularly re
commends it, why should they not (far from
being ashamed of it) glory in letting their
moderation be known unto all men ?
What I design at present upon this subject,
shall be comprised under three heads.
First, I shall endeavor to show what
Christian moderation includes in it, by point
ing out some of the chief properties of it,
and of the vice contrary to it, viz.: Violence.
I shall mention but two or three.
1. Christian moderation will dispose us to
be always ready to hear whatsoever can be
reasonably offered, for the making up the dif
ferences and reconciling the quarrels and dis
sensions amongst men. It is a virtue com
posed of charity, humility aud peaceableness,
and therefore must lead to the blessed fruits
of those graces; and, upon the same account,
it is utterly inconsistent with a mind averse
to overtures of peace, indisposed to hear of
union and temper, where there have once
been differences, and resolved against compli
ance and a healing disposition, where once
there have been breaches and provocations.
This, indeed, is the temper of violence and
passion, which cannot be conceived to enter
into any bieast without the mixture of pride,
and prejudice, aud revenge, or else without
the leaven of some private design, which too
often is the case. But, to be more particular,
in order to peace and union,
2. Christian moderation will dispose men
not to be too hard upon their brethren of dif
ferent parties, or different denominations;
not to aggravate their faults beyond due
measure; not to be ever incensing and in
flaming them by the repetition and lively
representation of them in what colors they
think fit, and this not in order to make them
themselves sensible of the guilt of them, but
to make them odious to the world, and hate
ful to all about them, the mischief and wick
edness of which we easily see in others,
though we too easily overlook it in ourselves.
Christian moderation forbids not that men
should be very fully satisfied with the cause
which they themselves espouse, or the way
they choose themselves to walk in : but it for
bids them to be ever railing at others; to be
always clothing the mistakes and failures of
others in the worst circumstances they can
invent, or to manage their own cause so as to
irritate, and not convince, those that oppose
it, or do not fall in with it. It forbids us not
to have a due sense of any crimes or errors
committed or embraced by others, or to do
our utmost to convince them in a way proper
for us to take, and likely to have effect upon
them ; but it forbids us to lay them open af
ter such a manner as tends to raise their pas
sions, and utterly indispose them to hear and
receive what can be offered. It forbids us to
charge all, of any sort, with the crimes of a
few ; for that is fixing crimes upon those who
are not guilty of them. This is not the way
of charitv and condescension; this is not the
road to any tolerable degree of harmony and
quiet in the word, and is teaching others but
a bad lesson against ourselves. And where
is the good, and what will he the issue, when
the great business going forward in a nation
is a contest between the differing parts that
make it shall find most faults in the
other, and aggravate them with the greatest
spleen and keenness, and paint them out in the
worst and blackest colors they can find 1 ? or,
who shall represent their brethren so as most
effectually to vex and anger them themselves,
as well as to set the world on fire against
them ? I say, what good issue can there be
of this, unless the good of a people consists
in mutual hatred and a readiness to destroy
one another? And yet, how many men think
it almost their duty to say anything of per
sons of differing notions and differing meas
ures from themselves? How many men,
who are not contented with being in what
they judge to be a good way themselves, with
the advantages of truth and right on their
own side; not without such a due sense of
the mistakes and faults of others as may in
spire them with a desire to reclaim and amend
them ; but think their business is to irritate
and expose them as far as possible, and im
agine that they cannot be just to their own
cause without being unjust to that of others ;
nay, that no one is truly and heartily in their
way of thinking, as to the main object of
their zeal, who doth not join in the reviling,
abusing and unchristian treatment of all who
think otherwise? This is visible in many of
all parties and all sects, throughout the world,
and yet this is as certainly contrary to Chris
tion moderation, as it is to all hope of peace
in the world. For if Christian moderation
be a yiending and pliable disposition of mind,
then it eeitainiy tends to the uniting the dif
ferences of men. And if it does, whatever
is wholly contrary to that, whatever lays the
foundation of eternal variance, is contrary to
it, and inconsistent with it.
But, once more: thirdly, Christian moder
ation will dispose us to yield up things of
little importance and small concern, for the
sake of a greater union and a more strong
foundation for lasting happiness and peace
amongst men : much more will it dispose men
to amend and reform what may be made bet
ter, for the same ends. To be heartily con
cerned for the substantials and fundamentals
of religion ; for things of great importance,
either to Church or State; for what is of mo
ment in the worship of God, or the govern
ment of Christian people, is that which all
are obliged to. Nor doth Christian modera
tion lay the least obligation upon us to yield
in these points. But when these .are secured,
and when, without any prejudice to these,
something may be granted, something may
be altered or amended, or added; and this
either good in itself, or, at least, not at all
blameable, and highly advantageous to the
interest and peace of the world about us, and
very much conducing to a strong union and a
lasting good correspondence amongst Chris
tians—not to be ready to yield in such cases;
not to be disposed to comply in such matters,
seems directly contrary to any desire of peace
and concord ; and, therefore, must be contra
ry to Christian moderation. For, what rea
son can there be against it? Will it do us
any prejudice to have a larger ground for
union ? Is it not a Christian disposition some
times, to yield even to the unreasonable hu
mor of others, and, by somewhat which will
do ourselves no prejudice, to consult the good
and promote the agreement of Christiaus?
Or is it too great a condescension, and too
noble an instance of humility, to be more
willing to agree than others are, and to com
ply, as far as reasonable, with them who will
not comply, so far as we think reasonable,
with us? Which of the two is it that it be
comes Christians to contend for : Who shall
stand most upon their guard against union,
or who shall step first towards it? And
which of the two sorts of men will come off
at the great day of accounts with greater
•dory : they who have preferred the union of
the Christian world before their own humor,
or they who have stiffly insisted and refused
to yield up the least or most indifferent cir
cumstance to that consideration?
But 1 shall not enlarge on this any more,
nor search out any more particulars at pres
ent, of Christian moderation. But only ob
serve, from what has been said, how unjust
and unreasonable that account is, which is
given by many, of this virtue; by those only,
I mean, who are such strangers to it them
selves that they cannot bear the least pretence
to it in others; who would make the world
believe that it proceeds from an indifference
to all religion, and from a mind very luke
warm in its zeal for God: when, in truth,
Christian moderation proceeds from a great
zeal for all that deserves it, and a hearty con
cern for the honor of God. Let them, there
fore, answer for it to God and their own con
sciences, whoever presume to bring a disgrace
and contempt upon this virtue and those that
endeavor to practice it. A moderate man,
who is truly so, values everything as it de
serves, and no farther. And as St. James
says, that the wisdom from above is first
pure, and then peaceable ; so, next to his own
■purity, he has a sacred regard to the happi
ness and peace of the word about him. And
I see no reason he has to be ashamed of the
name, or to envy any others a contrary char
acter.
11.
But I pass on now, to the second thing I
proposed, viz.: to mention some proper argu
ments to move us heartily to pursue after it,
and to possess ourselves of it. For instance:
First, If we consider the peace and quiet
this virtue includes in it—l mean with re
spect to the breast of every private than—
this will inflame us with some desire to attain
it. Compare the man that is possessed of it,
with one that is void of it; the man who is
ever ready to hear of peace and unity, agree
ment and harmony, with the man who is
never in humor to attend to anything but
what tends to the widening and opening of
wounds and breaches; the man who is ever
willing to make allowances for the mistakes
and faults of men of different opinions from
himself, with the man who is always raking
into them, and always eager to represent them
in the most inflaming manner; the man who
is ready to yield up a thing of little moment,
and many an inconsiderable point, to obtain
peace, and settle a good correspondence
amongst the several members of the same
body, with the man who knows no such thing
as yielding or compliance, but is rather ready
to sacrifice the universal peace to his own
private fancies. Compare these two together,
and consider in whose breast most quiet and
satisfaction is to be found, and it will be no
difficult matter to determine whether more
serenity and happiness of mind follow upon
a disposition inclined to concord and unity,
than upon a mind always upon the rack how
to inflame and heighten differences, or always
eager to take all measures which are effectual
to the the keeping up variances and animosi
ties in the world.
But, secondly , As this temper of mind im
plies quiet and happiness in itself, so it is the
most ready, and, I may say, the only temper
that can, and must, at last, heal the evil dis
positions of mankind, and produce peace and
happiness in public society, which is, I am
sure, a good, argument why every single per
son should think himself obliged to pursue
after it. In vain are other methods thought
of and made use of, to join the hands of men
in friendship, unless their hearts be disposed
to this candid and compliant temper. There
will always be passionate and wicked men in
the world to foment the differences in it.
And if none in it will yield one step; if none
will ever bend and comply, what can be hoped
fori If the method taken on all sides be to
rail and revile, to aggravate and misrepre
sent, to search out faults, and then to make
what they please of them ; this rather looks
like a declaration of perpetual war against
one another, and is* in effect, a solemn pro
testation that they neither hope for nor desire
reconciliation and peace, and seems to be a
firm resolution of destroying and ruining one
another, whenever an opportunity presents
itself. And what a blessed aspect upon the
public happiness have such resolutions as
these? It may be safely affirmed, that the
men of such tempers and such dispositions,
are they who have, in all ages, disturbed the
quiet of the world, ruined the happiness of
society, and who are ever hindering all hopes
of a better state for the future.
But see if another scene might not be rea
sonably hoped for, and that a scene of hap
piness to the public, would men but be per
suaded to be as moderate, as yielding as com
pliant, as good natured, as ready to make
alllowances, as willing to study the public
advantage, (which is public peace and agree
ment,) as the Christian religion obliges them
to be. Would not this be visible in its be
neficent influences upon the whole society ?
At least, would not this dispose us to live as
Christians ought to do with Christians, and
witli all members of the same civil society?
But enough of this. I shall mention but one
argument more to move us to endeavor after
this Christian frame of mind, and that is,
Thirdly, That it is a divine and god like
temper, an imitation of God himself, in what
ought to appear the most amiable part of his
character in our own eves. lie never has
shown himself willing to aggravate our faults
beyond the hope of pardon, or indisposed to
come to terms of accommodation and peace
with his sinful creatures. He desires to be
united to us in love and friendship, who are
at a greater distance from Him, by far, than
those who differ most from us can possibly
be. He is willing to recede from the strict
est right and the rigor of justice, in order to
our happiness. And shall we not be willing
and disposed, after so divine a copy, to yield
and bend, in order to meet our brethren in
any design that tends to the foundation or es
tablishment of a thing of such vast impor
tance as universal peace and happiness? Al
mighty God himself shows us, in the most
surprising instance of our redemption, how
much he values the happiness of his crea
tures. it is our duty to imitate him, and do
everything in our power for the compassing
the same end, and especially to imitate Him
in what he accounts one of his greatest glories.
HI.
1 come now to the third thing proposed ; i.
e., to lay down some rules in order to our ob
taining this Christian temper of mind.
And, 1. Let us often consider such argu
ments, to move us to the pursuit after it, as I
have before mentioned. How easy, and se
date, and happy, it will make us in the in
ward state, and the secret recesses of our own
minds; how beneficial it will be in its influ
ences upon the public; how many miseries it
might have prevented ; how many happinesses
it would procure, were it universally prac
ticed. Let us then consider of how bad con
sequence, and of what wretched influence the
temper contrary to it must necessarily be
upon society ; what wrath and anger, what
malice and ill will, what outrages, and tu
mults, and wars, and massacres it has been,
and will ever be, the occasion of. A deep
sense of‘these, and of the great duty of imi
tating God in our tempers and practice, will
help us in the obtaining and possessing this
divine virtue. And,
2. In order to this, it is absolutely necessa
ry that we should free ourselves from hatred
and malice, pride and arrogance. Love and
humility are the proper road to this virtue,
but uncharitableness and pride lead us into
paths quite distinct from, and opposite to it.
For the more we love our neighbor, the more
ready shall we be to design and promote his
happiness; and the more desirous and studi
ous we are of that, the more shall* we be wil
ling to yield all lesser points up to it; to
comply in anything of no great importance,
when that demands it. And then, the more
humble we are, the less opinion and value we
set upon ourselves, the less shall we be sen
sible of any undervaluing of ourselves by
compliance and yielding; the more ready
shall we be to submit to all good offices; to
recede from what we might, perhaps, in jus
tice, claim, and to show a pattern to all about
us, of moderation and condescension. But,
on the other side, if we have conceived or do
nourish any prejudice against men’s persons;
if we hate and abhor men, because they do
not fall in with us in all things; or entertain
any sort of ill will against them ; this will
make us glad to displease and incense them
to heighten their prejudices already embraced,
but is never likely to make us consult their
good at any time, or prefer it before the least
advantage or most insignificant humor of our
own, or to make us solicitous in our endeav
ors after a frame of mind which consists in a
readiness to yield and comply for the sake of
our own common good and happiness.
And, therefore, if our breasts be filled with
pride, with an overweening conceit of our
selves, of our own abilities, and our own way ;
if we be too arrogant to hear of any alteia
tion in ourselves; if we think it beneath our
dignity to stoop or descend, or to recede from
anything, though of never so little conse
quence, we may e’en put a stop to our endeav
ors after a virtue which will dwell only with
a man of an humble and yielding spirit, and
sit down contented with our own great ac
quirements, and not think any more of a tem
per which cannot possibly reside in a breast
where pride and arrogance are nourished.
3. It is absolutely necessary, also, that we
free our breasts from covetousness, ambition,
and all such designs as terminate in our own
private profit or honor. For moderation, in
a truly Christian sense, (however the word
sound in English,) is a public spirited and
noble virtue, and can never be completely and
consistently exercised by a man who has pro
posed to himself his own private gain or ad
vancement for the end of his labors. How
can he be ready and willing to recode one step
from his own interest, in order to the univer
sal good of others, who has fixed his eyes
only upon himself, and thinks that only to be
good which is a present profit or honor to
himself? How confined must his desires and
his designs be, and how little must he be
moved with a sense of any advantage to oth
ers, who has not left any room for such con
siderations to come at him, but is wholly
wrapt up in himself and his own bye-ends ?
We can never hope to have our moderation ,
our yielding and easy temper, known unto
all men; nay, we can never hope to have
anything to do with it till we have banished all
private ends out of our hearts; at least, till
we have brought them all entirely into subjec
tion to a greater end, and have such a com
mand over ourselves as that we can make
them yield, at any time, to more weighty and
generous considerations.
These rules will help us, if we are sincere
in the use of them, to form ourselves into
this god-like temper of mind, and then to
proceed and improve in it, notwithstanding
all the opposition of the violent part ot the
world.
The Doctorate. —If any of our readers
have wondered whether there is any material
out of w hich Colleges now-a-days cannot make
a D.D., they may perhaps find an answer in
the following : “ When the degree of Doctor
of Divinity was conferred on Rev. Nathan
Strong, pastor of the Centre church in Hart
ford, Conn., Rev. Abel Flint, pastor of the
South church, meeting him, said, ‘ I understand
that the degree of D.D. has been given you.
Well, our colleges makes D.D.’s out of most
every thing now-a-days.’ ‘Yes,’ replied Dr.
Strong, ‘ out of everything but Flints.''" It
must be confessed that much softer material
has often found favor with our colleges.
WHOLE NO. 2402.
Prayer for the Pulpit.
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
Grant me what I need the most—
Grace to labor, {trace to pray,
Grace to preach Thy word to-day;
Grace Thy mercy to proclaim,
Grace to glorify Thy name!
Jesus, mine’s a pressing case,
Oh 1 for grace, more grace, MORE GRACE 1
Thou didst bring to bliuded eves
Joyful light with sweet surprise,
Ry the use of worthless clay—
Use mb so, dear Lord, to-day I
—Southern Presbyterian.
Petty Church Squabbles.
From the history of the Presbytery of
Erie, the Pittsburg Banner quotes two in
stances, illustrating “ the petty squabbles of
which sensible people ought to be ashamed,”
that sometimes disturb churches.
When a church edifice was erected at Cool
Spring, after a time, one of the members of
the congregation had a bench made, and 9et
in the church for his family to sit upon. Du
ring the recess on the next day of worship,
little groups might have been seen discussing
the matter of the new bench ; some affirming
that such pride should not be tolerated, and
that if his neighbors could sit on a log to
hear the gospel preached, William McMillan
could do the same, as neither he nor his fam
ily were better than others. Others affirmed
that if William McMillan a
bench with legs to it, he had a right to havo
one. The contention, like that between Paul
and Barnabas, waxed exceeding sharp, but
was finally settled by the minister declaring
for the largest liberty, each one being per
mitted to provide such a seat as he chose.
At first the churches were unwarmed by
fire, and the introduction of stoves met with
no small opposition. In the church of Scrub
grass, after the stoves were placed in the
house, it was observed that an old father,
who could not be convinced against his will,
gave up a pew he had occupied near the pul
pit, and took one near the door, with a Win
dow to the back of it, which he regularly
opened a little, lest he should be suffocated!”
The Power of Littles.
A friend told us something the other day,
that illustrates a matter in which we have
become very much interested, and which we
desire to impress upon others, viz : the entire
practicability of carrying out great enter
prises by means of very small contributions
from a large number of persons.
Our friend informed us that, previous to
the war, there had existed for some years in
Switzerland, an association which cooperated
with the American Colonization Society, in a
very quiet but effective way. The members
of the Swiss Society contributed, each, only
one cent a week. The fund thus collected
was used in this country, in buying slaves
and turning thorn over to the Colonization
Society to be removed to Liberia. Several
gentlemen were appointed to disburse this
fund. Our friend was one of them. He as
sures us that he expended SIO,OOO. It is
almost increditable—ten thousand dollars
accumulated from one cent contributions!
Few men can give SIO,OO. A great many
can give one cent. And the great many with
their one cent did a great work.— Mo. Pres
byterian.
BhamCharitv. —Rev. Dr. Sharp, of blessed
memory, had a reputation for a Christian
catholicity as broad and as high as any other
minister who ever lived in Boston. But he
was as well a cordial hater of all cant and
of all shams. About the time of the first
meeting of the Evangelical Alliance, so
called, a body about which we have heard
little for some years, and shall continue to
hear less as men come more and more into
the unity of the Spirit, Dr. Sharp said, with
characteristic accent and point, “ There’s Dr.
talk up brotherly love. If he should meet a
poor Baptist minister in the street, he wouldn’t
speak to him.” Evidently this last corfsti
tuted, with that venerable, large-hearted
Christian man, a far truer test of genuine
love and fellowship than crossing the Atlantic
to make a parade of what had so small a
place after all, in the heart. “Be not de
ceivedf.”—Watch. <k Ref.
Inconsistency.—Look at our brother Spur
geon. He says baptism is a prerequisite for
membership, but not a prerequisite for com
munion. Then if so, he establishes a strict
church as to membership, and an open church
as to communion. Many Pedobaptists are
thus. But are not the terms of membership
and communion the same? By w'hat au
thority is there a wide door to the Lord’s ta
ble, and a narrow door to the Lord’s church.
The Scriptures teach that he who can scriptu
rally commune at the Lord’s table, may with
the same qualifications, be scripturally ad
mitted as a member of the church.— Catia
dian Baptist.
People and Minister. —A thin, heavy,
sleepy, fruitless people, stops the mouth,
straitens the gifts, deadens the spirit of a
pastor; and a people enlarged in their gifts
and affections, carries a preacher beyond him
self. 1 have heard much talk of barren min
isters. Shall 1 tell you? A barren people
make a barren ministry ; a cold auditory, a
cold sermon ; a dead parish, a dumb minister.
Nothing shuts our mouths, and silences us, so
much as our own auditories. — Christian
Magazine.
Elements of Success. —Rev. Matthew
Hale Smith says that the elements of Spur
geon’s success are his wonderful voice, his exr
ecutive ability, his devotional spirit, his un
tiring perseverance, his trust in GoJ, and his
remarkable power in prayer. One of the
peculiar features of the working of his church
is, that its members go out among the lowly
and wretched, the poor and vicious, and not
only give Christian counsel, but also contrib
ute to their bodily necessities, thus creating a
bond of love and friendship between them.
Strong Drink for Dkhility. —With re
gard to this daily drinking of wine and whisky
by ladies and others, for mere debility, it is
a"delusion. In such cases, wine is, in the
most literal sense of the word, a mocker. It
seems to nourish, but does not; it seems to
warm, but does not; it seems to strengthen,
but does not. It is an arrant cheat, and per
petuates the evils it is supposed to alleviate.
—Par ton.
Vanity of Wordly Success. —It has long
been my observation of many, that when they
have attempted great works, and have just
finished them ; or have aimed at great things
in the world, and have just obtained them ;
or have lived in much trouble, and have just
overcome it, and begin to look on their con
dition with content and rest in it, they are
then usually near to death or ruin.— Baxter.
Baptism.— Baptism is God’s resurrection
sermon, preached by those who, according to
1 Cor. 12:3, can say that Jesus is the Lord
by the Holy Ghost; and like other sermons
preached by the assistance of the God who
instituted preaching, it will “save them that
believe,” being the “power of God.”— R.L.
Howard.