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“Don’t Go Too Slow.”
Over and over again,
This was the song he sang,
Up and beyond the grand old hills.
And loud through the woods it rang
“Gee up urd gee hoi
Don’t go too slow 1
'Twill be night before you know it I
If you have got any smart in your bones,
Now is the time to show it I’’
Over and over again
This was the song he sang:
And the oxen, roll ng their loving eyes,
Quick to their hard work sprang :
“Gee up and gee ho I .
Don’t go too slow I
'Twill be night before you know itl
If you have got any smart in your bones,
Now is the time to show it I"
Over and over again,
Alter the lapse of years,
The gong of the sturdy farmer’s boy
Kept ringing in my ears :
“Gee up and gee ho!
Don’t go too slow I
’Twill be night Before you know it I
If you have got any gmart in your bones,
Now is the time to show it I”
Over and over again,
Says I to myself, says I:
“Not only to beasts of burden, but
To man will these words apply
“Gee up and gee ho!
Don’t go too slow I
’Twill be night betoie you know itl
If you have got any smart in your bones,
Now is the time to show it.”
-»Hearth and Home.
Harvest Homo.
CHAPTER XI.
“Oh, Lucifer ! Son of morning, how art thou fallen 1”
“The inevitable Mr. Drummond,” whis
pered Hartly to Clara, as that gentleman ap
peared, elbowing his way through the crowd,
a few minutes after the blessing had been
pronounced on the wedded pair.
Being almost Clara’s first appearance in
society, something of a sensation would have
been created if there had been in her face
only the charm of novelty. No wonder, then,
that admiration and curiosity were highly
excited by its exceeding loveliness. A group
had gathered round her; several gentlemen
had been presented by her father and the
hostess. As IJartly’s love of fun led him to
attract Clara’s attention to Mr. Drummond’s
frantic efforts to get near them, he succeeded
in making his bow and saying good-evening,
just as Clara started off for a promenade.
His look of chagrin was almost too much for
Helen’s self-eontrol, as Hartly diverted her
attention that way for one moment. Then
the arch merry look in the dark eyes changed
to one whose gentleness was peculiarly her
own, and, touching the arm of the rueful-look
ing gallant with her fan,
“You have not seen me, Mr. Drummond :
good-evening.”
“ Why, Miss Helen! Yoi}here? A thou
sand pardons ! I had not.hoped for the pleas
ure,” he stammered—*he unusual compli
ment of Helen’s address confusing him.
Many a haughty glance she had bestowed on
him before, whose contempt was very thin
ly veiled.
“I am here, certainly, and qu ; !e in need r
your help to adjust-this glass for me, in the best
possible position for examining these views.
Mr. Alexandre tells me they were taken in
Europe, last summer.”
He complied with a ready cordiality which
made Helen’s conscience smite her for the
past, and she entered with more zeal than
before, into the task of consoling him. Hart
ly and Lucy found a sheltering corner, from
which to make observations, and Mr. Mont
marie had many a pleasant rencontre with
old friends, in passing from group to group
through the crowded room.
“ What, are you moping here for, Ilartly ?”
exc'aimed a fine-looking youth, touching
Hartly on the shoulder. “ I beg pardon,” lie
added, bowing low, as, on Hartly’s sudden
movement, he observed his companion.
“ Let me introduce you, Auguste, to Miss
Lorrimer,” said the latter,composedly. “Lu
cy, this is a son of our host, and a chum of
mine, Auguste Alexandre.”
Lucy scarcely raised her eyes, expecting to
meet a quizzical glance; but the look she
half-encountered was almost reverential.
“Won’t you both come up stairs, where
we younger folks are having a nice dance to
ourselves, by the piano?”
“ Will you go, Lucy ?”
“I don’t dance, you know, but if you wish
to, we can go.”
“ Not at present, Auguste, thank you,”
said Hartly ; and Lucy drew a long breath
as they were again by themselves.
“Your lameness needn’t keep you from
dancing, Lucy, if you were not in mourning,”
remarked Ilartly.
“ Yes, it will always keep me from dancing,
in a large company; or, indeed, anywhere,
except just among ourselves. Do you re
member, your mother used to say that was
the best way to use dancing—as a family
amusement ?”
“ Yes, she used to tell us so. Ah, how she
loved to make us happy ! See ! there is Mr.
Stanley with Clara, looking on at the waltz
ers. How she can help joining them, with
that music sounding in her ears, and such a
partner as Mr. Stanley beside her, is more
than I can tell. How earnestly he tries
to persuade her; but no, she shakes her
head.”
“Never fear for Clara’s firmness where
she sees a duly clearly ; her weak point does
not lie in that direction; but to know by ex
perience you have a strong will, and not rely
on it —to tread a thorny path unshrinking,
and not despise the tender feet which bleed
and turn aside, I expect that must be very
hard.”
Clara was fully as susceptible as Hartly
thought, to the effect of that entrancing waltz.
As the inspiring strains quickened and lan
guished, her Southern blood leaped in unison,
but she was also as resolute as Lucy prophe
cied, in declining to follow the strong impulse
which led her to join them. Mr: Stanly was
surprised and piqued; he had not been used
to failure, where the object to be gained was
sufficient fully to arouse his efforts, and he
had tried harder in this instance, than he cared
to own to himself. His self-love was morti
fied, but his admiration increased. As the
band struck up the march for supper, and the
lady relinquished his arm for her father’s, his
eyes followed her graceful form with an ab
sorbed gaze. His thoughts, if they had been
expressed, would have been something like
Ithis: “ You defy me, ma belle Clara. Take
care. I only thought to spend a pleasant
hour or so, and forget you, as I have done
many a fair face before—wound my vanity,
and l may bow your woman’s pride.” -To
Clara his conversation had been a rare intel
lectual feast. Among men, the keenness of
his satu-e, the clearness and correctness of his
views, and their forcible expression, always
commanded attention and gave him ascend
ancy. With women, there was a subtle
charm in his stooping to please. The invol
untary homage denied to strength and yielded
to weakness, had in it most insidious flattery.
The simple fact that each one instinctively
FRANKLIN PRINTING HOUSE, ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1870.
felt tiis superiority, made this more intoxica
ting than any amount of devotion from less
gitted men. This was the success of his care
less, graceful deference in the ordinary inter
course of social life. Clara had experienced
the effect of his seductive eloquence on one
of those occasions, gradually becoming rare,
when he really cared to please. The cool,
practical sense of that steady little head, was
every whit needed. Her color deepened as,
in reply to Mr. Montmarie’s Cordial invita
tion to visit them soon, on separating for the
night, his glance sought hers, there was more
than met the ear in his polite acceptance.
The revelry ended at last, as all revelry
must. The ride home was rather a quiet
one. Mr. Montmarie tried in vain to rouse
anything like a spirited retort to his raillery.
His young folks were too tired and sleepy to
get anything like fun out of them. “Ah,
well,” said he, “ this is your first experience
in dissipation. When it becomes less exci
ting, the reaction will be less, of course; for
this time, I must excuse your being unsocia
ble.”
The grey light of dawn made evening
dresses look strangely out of place, as the
three girls ran, shivering, into the house, on
reaching home; and the eventful evening was
forgotten for awhile by all, as lhey sank into
the refreshing, dreamless sleep of youth and
health.
“ Well, Helen, we lost sight of you after
you took Mr. Drummond in charge,” said
Hartly, next morning, as they assembled
rather tardily at the breakfast table. “Give
an account of yourself. How long did your
penance last, and what amends did you make
to yourself for the sacrifice, in the shape of
promenades and flirtations, with cadets?
Papa, I hope you kept your eye on her while
I was conscientiously endeavoring to discharge
my duty to Lucy.”
“ I hope Lucy is as grateful as she ought
to be,” said Helen, gravely.
“ But about Mr. Drummond,” persisted
Hartly.
“ Well, about Mr. Drummond,” answered
Mr. Montmai ie; “he and Helen, and myself,
enjoyed ourselves exceedingly over some
Italian scenes, for I came to her rescue with
out delay, when 1 perceived her employ ment.
until supper, to which he attended her, with
my permission.”
“Till supper,” exclaimed Lucy with a look
of dismay.
Helen laughed merrily as she caught it.
“ Why, yes; papa was there, you know.”
“ No wonder you look tired this morning,”
said Hartly. “ Now 1 know you enjoyed the
wedding. It is a satisfaction to be sure of it,
for you were certainly nearly crazy until you
got, papa’s consent to go.”
“1 did enjoy it, very much, the latter part
especially, for I danced with papa, up-stairs,
which is an honor few young ladies can boast,
and then played for the others, which was
pleasant too, since it gave them pleasure.
And now, pray, what adveniures did you and
Lucy have in the corner where you stowed
her away so early ?”
“ We saw all that could be seen,” answered
Lucy.
“And had a very edifying conversation,”
continned Hartly.
“No doubt. Did you discuss the vanity
and folly of flirtation?” asked Helen, in re
ply. with* ironical emphasis,
Clara bad been a quiet listens tr> the lively
colloquy ; a littie more quiet than her wont.
She was always cheerful, if never so exuber
ant in spirits as the rest. They were more
apt to be variable than herself.
The Autobiography of an Old Pilgrim.
{Continued)
The meeting to which 1 referred in my last
was held at night, in an upper chamber, in a
part of the to vn somewhat remote from the
college; but I attended it. The only reason
I can assign for my doing so is, that 1 realized
the truth of what the Saviour declares of one
who believes not on Him—“the wrath of
God abideth on him ;” and I went—led doubt
less by the Spirit—seeking and desiring,
rather than expecting, relief from the weight
of wrath under which 1 was groaning.
For about a week I had been writhing in
anguish under a deep sense of my guiltiness
betore God, the just deserts of my sins, and
a dread of a fiercer “wrath to come.” 1 was
wretched—l had like to have said perfectly
wretched ; but no : the wretchedness of the
sinner, if he continue in sin, like the happi
ness of the saint, if he continue stcdfast in
the faith, will be perfected only in another
world. It is but a faint foretaste of the un
utterable, inconceivable, unalloyed, unending
agony that awaits the lost, in the deep, dark
cavern of everlasting despair. I taxed my
ingenuity to the utmost to devise some means
whereby to propitiate the offended Majesty
of heaven, and I sought to enter into a com
promise with Justice—l will give my worldly
goods to feed and clothe the poor, I will re
nounce the world and all its honors, 1 will
undertake to go on weary pilgrimages
through trackless wastes for the residue of
mv days on earth; yea, I will offer up my
body on the block or at the stake, as a sacri
fice for the sin of my soul. It was all in
vain —worse than in vain ! for I ignored the
sacrifice which Jesus had made “for guilty
souls condemned to die.” This was an aggra
vation of my sins. It added to their weight
and increased their number. It was in vain
alike against the mercy and the justice of
God. I contemned the one and offered an in
sult to the other by the tender of a bribe. I
looked within me, around me, everywhere
but to heaven, for relief; but
“To Heaven how dare I look or send a cry ?
’Tis Heaven decrees.‘The soul that sins shall die.’
Did ever judge or jury intercede
For one they doomed upon the block to bleed?”
I felt as though I could never forgive my
self for the sins I had committed ; how, then,
could I hope to be forgiven by God? 1 had
as yet no clear discovery of
“the way by wHch God may be just,
And yet acquit and save the sons of dust.”
The light that had been shed into my soul
was only sufficient to render visible the dark
ness in which sin had shrouded it.
Such was the state of mind with which I
sallied forth to seek the place where the peo
ple of God were to meet in solemn assem
bly. The chamber in which the meeting was
held was entered by a stairway that opened
into the street. Although I arrived before the
beginning of the religious services, the apart
ment was crowded. I took the only vacant
seat I could find, on the end of a bench, at the
head of the stairway. Three Congregational
ministers were in attendance. They were
Rev. Mr. N., a celebrated revival preacher,
Rev. Dr. TANARUS„ and Rev. Mr. M., pastors of the
two Congregational churches in the town.
The reader may me to proceed to nar
rate the results of this meeting on my own
perturbed mind, but I think it will most re
dound to the glory of God to defer my nar
rative of the operations of my mind at this
meeting till I have given some account of
these servants of the Most High. With nei
ther of them did I ever meet in social inter
course, or interchange a word in public. My
opiuions, of them, therefore, have been formed
principally from what I saw of them and
heard from them in their public ministra
tions.
Rev. Mr. N. was eminently successful as a
revivalist. It was principally through his in
strumentality that churches in the town
had been aroused to a sense of their responsi
bility to God for the spiritual condition oi
their dying fellowmen, and that Christians
were led to rally under the banner of the
cross around a throne of graoe. During the
year, about, forty towns in the little State irt
which we then were, were visited by him ano
made to rejoice at the manifestations of the
Divine presence with them. I heard him, in
after years, in Old Virginia. The blessing
which attended his labors in New England,
attended them also in that Southern State.
His success appeared to me to depend on five
things: 1. His entire consecration to the
work of an evangelist, to which he felt he had
been called of God, and his consequent care
ful avoidance of all entangling alliances with
the world. 2. An abiding sense of his entire
dependence upon God for the aid of His Holy
Spirit in forming his pi ns and purposes, as
well as for success in carrying them out.
3. His intimate acquaintance with the opera
tions of the human neart, and his skill in ap
plying the truths of the Gospel to-the necessi
ties of our frail nature. 4. His keeping his
mind well stored with the provisions and pro
mises of the Gospel, which enabled him to
deal out a word in season to every class of
inquirers after Divine truth. 5. His consis
tent and uniform deportment. He was the
same devoted servant of God out of the pul
pit that he was in it; the same in the social
circle that he was in the sanctuary ; always
serious, but never morose; cheerful, but
avoiding, as far as the rules of propriety
would permit, participating in light and friv
olous conversation.
Rev. Mr. T. was a learned man, as well as
a D.D. Such a remark would have been su
perfluous fifty years ago, but times change,
&c. He was the pastor of the most aristo
cratic Congregational church in town. He
was stately in his appearance, stood erect in
the pulpit; his sermons were methodical, gen
erally argumentative; his style ornate; his
gesticulation confined to the rules and pic
tures in the text-books on oratory that were
in vogue in that day, with the exception that
he would frequently bring his hands to a rest
akimbo with quite a lawyer like air; his voice
was full, rather better adapted to command
than to woo; his air was magisterial, and
seemed to indicate that he expected an impli
cit acquiescence in all that he said. VY hile
prosecuting my studies, preparatory to enter
ing an advanced class in college, I generally
attended on his ministry, and liked to hear
him speak, though his manners appeared to
me exceptionable as indicating an excess of
self-assurance. I was only a Freshman then,
and may have erred in judgment. Years af
terwards, he was made theological professor
in the college, and published a creed that ex
cited much controversy in Congregational and
Presbyterian churches. Some of his breth
ren hesitated not to denounce his views in
unqualified terms as heretical.
Rev. Mr. M. was the pastor of the other
Congregational churoh io town. He was a
plain, pious, practical preacher. His sermons
were in the style of Burder’s Village Ser
mons, and, I think, were fully equal to them.
There was in his manners nothing to offend
good taste, or to excite admiration. lie had
the confidence and affection of his people, ar.d
the stranger who attended fois ministry occa
sional? J* (as 1 did,) Lu.ethe
sanctuary with a good opinion of the minister
and of the religion which he was laboring to
inculcate. I will state, in as few words as
possible, what appeared to me the peculiuri
ties in the preaching of the three men of
whom I have given above a brief sketch.
Mr. N. ever presented Christ before his
audience, laden with the gifts he came to be
stow on the needy sons of men, and then pro
ceeded to unfold to them their own hearts,
point out their necessities, and the adapted
ness of the gifts so freely offered in the Gos
pel to supply their every want. His appeals
were made to their own consciences
Dr. T. preached the doctrines of the Gos
pel boldly, forcibly, and often eloquently, but,
unfortunately, Christ was generally hidden
from the view of his auditors behind his
stately form, his skillful oratory, his orria
menta of style, or his massy logic. His ap
pea's were to the intellects of his hearers.
Mr. M. preached Christ as the chief among
ten thousand and altogether lovely, meek and
lowly in spirit, worthy to be loved and adored
by all on earth, as well as by all in Heaven.
He appealed to the moral sense of his hearers
to decide whether he should not be received,
loved, trusted, obeyed, and ciowned “Lord
of all.”
Mr. N’s hearers were left dissatisfied with
themselves, and desiring to learn more of
Jesus. Dr. T’s went away admiring the
preacher, and flattering themselves that the
honor they bestowed on the servant the Mas
ter would construe as bestowed on him.
Mr. M’s hearers left him with a good opin
ion alike of the servant and his Lord, with
desires to be better men and women, and
with good intentions for the future.
From one of the above described ministers
I heard words, which caused the hope of eter
nal life to shed its cheering rays into my soul
for the first time. But of that I shall speak
hereafter. Abdiel Nkkqda.
Christ Coining in His Kingdom.
REPLY TO DR. HILLYER—NO. I.
A series of articles from the pen of Bro. H.
upon the above subject, has recently ap
peared in the Index; and while I have been
interested in their perusal, I have not been
without serious apprehensions of the truth of
his views. His theory of interpretation is,
in part, in the extremest sense, figurative;
and though popular among modern theolo
gians, is beset with difficulties the removal of
which, its ablest advocates have been unable
to accomplish.
These articles were based upon the 24th
chap, of Matthew, the teachings of which have
been most singularly obscured by many
modern commentators. The popular current
which runs in favor of the theory adopted by
Bro. H., the strong prejudice which exists in
its favor, and the distinguished abilities of
those who have espoused it, make a reply
difficult, on the part of’one unknown ; and I
confess to some degree of diffidence in under
taking it; but in the spirit of kindness, I de
sire to present another view, attended, I think,
with fewer difficulties, and much more in har
mony with the general teachings of the Scrip
tures upon this inviting and important sub
ject; believing that, whatever failure I may
make, the truth which has been thrown among
the rubbish and so long neglected, will,
sooner or later, be brought forth with songs
of rejoicing, and the hearts of God’s true Is
rael will be made glad with “looking for the
blessed hope, and glorious appearing of the
great God and Saviour Jesus Christ.” I ask
a patient, unbiased and prayerful hearing,
with Bro. H’s articles and the Bible before
the reader,
In No. 1 Bro. H. says: “Much of the dis
fieulty which has attended this discussion has
arisen from overlooking an important fact in
the case, viz : that the Scriptures present to
our view three comings of Christ.” It is far
more probable that the difficulty has arisen
from confounding the Scriptures upon this
subject. It does not seem warrantable to
predicate “thrks comings of Christ,” when
two only are known to the Scriptures. To con
found the coming oi Christ “in His kingdom ”
with His personal coming, opens the flood
gates of error, strips the latter of aJHts glory,
and places in the bauds of the caviller and in
fidel, a weapon witt'which truth may be as
sailed and and oppressive doubts
seize upon the minis of many true Chris
tians.-
If the text: Mat. xvi: 28, “Verily I say
unto you, there are s urie of you standing here
who shall not taste (Hath till they sec the Son
of man coming in his kingdom,” upon which
Bro. H. ventures to 4ssert “three” comings
of Christ, be comp-red with the parallels
Mark ix: 1 : “the kingdom of God come with
power,” and Luke ix ; 27: “the kingdom of
God.” phrases constantly used in
the New Testament (-*• describe that Kingdom
which comes not witb.,observation, scarcely a
doubt eau be enteriluied as to its meaning;
we are naturally led to conclude that the dis
play of spiritual pow -r on the day of Pente
cost, and during the of the Apostles,
was the literal ot of the prediction :
the Son of man com in ' in his kingdom ; or as
Mark has it: the ki< • <b>m of God come with
power. There can no doubt that the dis
ciples were confuse n their views of the
time of the three disfi.net facts embraced in
their questions: “ Wig*# shall these things be,
and what shall be the ign of thy coming, and
the end of the world—-age ?” believing they
would transpire simu taneously, or follow in
quick succession ; was no confusion
as to the facts—only Ufb time; but the Sa
viour, in llis answer, is so clear as to leave
no room for doubt tht. the several events —
especially the destruction of Jerusalem, and
His coining—were i-parated by a long,
though indefinite peri- dos time. It strikes
us as a dangerous met Led of interpretation to
take the imperfect ree ~d of Mark and Luke,
and thereby decide thn’ the several questions
referred alone to the siege and destruction of
Jerusalem, when Matthew presents them sep
arate and distinct, who-% record —historically
—is more full, and always taken as the basis
of the harmony of ths synoptical Gospels.
Would it be too much V believe that in Mat
thew we have the id'&rtical questions pro
pounded by the discijiies to the Saviour?
Now in the word “ con tug” in the question,
What shall be the sign of thy corning? we
have the concrete form, jn the original parou
sia, presence of a person or thing, and always
meaning the personal corning, save in 2d Pe
ter i: 16, where he is speaking of the trans
figuration of Christ, w> ■> appeared in glory ,
making it not only appropriate, but a neces
sity, as an illustration of His future and real
parousia —corning.
It was therefore the personal —visible Coin
ing of Christ about wifi- i the disciples were
concerned, and made thgm hope that it was
He “who should restor- tho kingdom to Is
rael.”
We have admitted >e confusion in the
minds of the disciples a*Sto the time in which
the several events wer. fro occur ; but that
the Saviour answered iLm accordingly, as
stated by Bro. 11., neverf He must “shape his
answer,” not according the confused ideas
of the disciples, hut at f atly in accordance
with truth; and therefor*'?* do most heartily
agree with the statements of Bro.
H.: “That Christ, in TD-Aanswer, had refer
ence not merely to a o i-m. ij ir point of time,
out’io that wifoie pcrt«li?rf»aleTS^fitolTltf*'reJch
from the destruction of Jerusalem even to the
final consummation of nil things.” Now,
while the disciples expected Christ to come
at the destruction of the, city and temple, it
cm not be that “ihe signlasked for,” even in
their minds, was the events that were to pre
cede and attend that destruction; nor can the
sign of Christ’s coining be multiplied into
signs or applied to anything cfoe, whether re
motely or proximately connected with His
coming. Geo. F. Cooper.
—Amtrkus, Ga., Feb. 11, 1870.
Centralization.
I thank “D. G. D.” for his kind allusions
to me, and for the admirable rebuke at the
close of his article. And I herewith take
back “that threat which he (I) might have
spared.” And 1 join with him in advising
that a co-operation of Baptists in every sec
tion should not be too hastily consummated ;
at least pot till there is a union of feeling.
I am for centralising ail the forces of the
whole Baptist brotherhood, moral, intellectual
and physical, because concentrated forces can
do more than divided energies. Baptist forces
are immense, but the world has never felt
them, because they havebeen centralized.
A sort of licentious republicanism has been
their folly, every man, aud every section do
ing as he, or it pleased ; an 1 they have been
pleased to do but very little with the
sources they possessed. And not content
with doing as they pleased, and with dividing
their energies and resources, they have shout
ed for their various sectional schemes, and
have abused the plans of other sections. A
people divided thus, and acting thus, can do
but little, comparatively. Let the whole be
consolidated into one grand Missionary Union,
one Board, Foreign and Domestic, one Pub
lication Society, one Sabbath School organi
zation, is what I ardently wish.
Nor can I see any danger in this wish; nor
can I see disloyalty to the Master in it. Nei
ther can I see how the independence of each
church could be endangered by such a cen
tralization of forces ami resources. Here I
need information. It would be difficult to
show why independent Baptist churches
should not act in concert in their efforts to
convert the world, and be as loyal to the
“King on his holy hill of Zion” as they are in
tl»eir divided way of working. And it is easy
to decide as to which would be the most ef
fectual method of doing the great work.
If there were New Testament piety enough
among Baptists to propagate the Gospel as
the apostles aud their brethren did, 1 should
suggest the demolition of-all Boards, Conven
tions and Associations, as both unscriptural
and useless. I only endure them as best,
with the present poor stock of piety and zeal.
That such things existed in the apostolic age,
no thoughtful man can prove to his own sat
isfaction. Nevertheless, they had best exist
under the circumstances ; and existing, they
should be so managed as to do the greatest
amount of good. There was the most perfect
centralization in the apostolic age. There
were “one Lord, one laith, one baptism, one
Spirit.” Love to God, and for souls, cen
tralized all their energies and their resources,
and the world felt them. If Baptists were
thus centralized, machinery, with all its grat
ing friction, would go, like idols, to
moles and bats. H. E. 1.
Dancing.
A youthful disciple, writing to her parents,
expresses her feelings respecting the amuse
ment of dancing:
“I have been having another long struggle
—just such a time as I had with dominoes.
This time it was about dancing. I came out
victorious again, by the help of God. I have
danced, and like it. 1 found that after I had
begun to dance I couid not stop just when I
ought to. I certainly think the dance is not
the place for the Christian.
I have come to this conclusion: that peo
pie of the world, if they will not have any
thing better, need the dance to “drive away
Gaea,” *> they say. They are not truly hap*
py, and they must have excitement so as to
forget their longing for happiness. But the
Christian can be happy under any circum
stances The severest trials cannot take away
that peace of heart that makes life bearable.
I do not need the dance to make me happy.
I would rather follow our Saviour’s example,
and 4 go about, doing good,’ sharing the sor
row of others, than joining in worldly pleas
ures. I find more real pleasure in going with
a cheerful word to the sick bed, than in any
thing I. have ever done. I have been invited
to several large parties lately. One I refused
gently, but firmly, and gave my reason. I
knew they would dance all the time.”
God’s Comfort.
When the world no solace (fives.
When in deep distress I groan ;
When my lover and my friend
Leave me with ray grief alone;
When a weary land I tread,
Fainting for the rocks and springs,
Overshadow me, O Lord,
With the comfort til' thy wings t •
When my heart and flesh shall fail,
When I yield my mortallireath,
When I gather up my feet, ‘
Icy with the chill of death ;
Strengthen and sustain me, Lord,
With Thine all-sufficient grace;
Overlean my dying bed
With the sweetness of Thy Facel
When the pang, the strife, is past,
When my spirit mounts on high.
Catch me up in Thiue embrace,
In Thy bosom let me lie!
Freed from sin and freed lrom death.
Hid with Thee in Heaven above,
Oversplendor me, O God,
With the glory of Thy love.
—Fhcet* Cary.
“The Sufferings of Christ.”
Much has been said through the press, of
late, upon this subject; and, having views
somewhat different from any I have seen pub
lished, and believing them fully sustained by
the infallible Word, I submit them to you
and your readers.
Asa basis, I lay down the following prop
ositions :
I. Christ had a soul corresponding to ours.
11. This soul was the first created of all
things;
lit. The soul of Christ, from its creation,
was the habitation of God.
IV. When the fullness of the time came,
it took up its abode in the body born of
Mary.
V. That soul was made an offering for the
souls of His people.
VI. His body was given unto death for the
redemption of the bodies of all men.
f. Christ had a soul corresponding to ours.
In proof, recall the declarations in Is. liii:
10-12: “ When thou shalt make His soul an
offering, etc. . . . He shall see of the travail
of His soul. . . . He hath poured out His
soul unto death,” etc. Again, the expression
of the Psalmist: “Thou wilt not leave my
soul in hell;” and also of the Saviour: “My
soul is exceedingly sorrowful.” Then, he had
a soul, and it corresponded with ours; for
“ the soul that sinneth shall die.” All souls
(Christ’s excepted) have sinned, and from
whence can come soul-redemption, without a
soul-nfnsoni ? Who can pay the ransom but
Christ? And how could He pay it without
a soul to offer? In further proof, we adduce
the following: “The second man Adam;”
“Being found in fashion as a man;" “We
fe&iv h j.ri.-.-t w%-yr.annct butouched
with iheVeelmg of our infirmities, hut was
tempted in all points as we are.”
11, This soul was the first created of all
things. Proofs: “The first born of every
creature;” “1 will make Him, my first born,
higher than the kings of the earth.” “ When
lie bringeth in His first begotten into the
world.” “These things saith the Amen, the
faithful and true witness, the beginning of the
creation of God.” The divine nature of
Christ was never a creature, or born, but was
self existent —without beginning or end—
God himself. As the son of Mary, he was
not “ the first born,” or “ beginning of the
creation,” fur multiplied millions had been
born, flourished and passed away. It follow's,
then, that neither the divine nature nor the
body of Christ is meant by “ first born,”
but tire soul.
111. The soul of Christ was the habitation
of God. It this is not true, what explana
tion can be made of the expression ; “ Let us
make man in our image, after our likeness?”
(Here I will express the opinion that the
inner man has a shape corresponding to the
outer, and can *xist without it; and submit,
in proof, Melohisedec, or Christ, who appeared
to Abraham, the fourth person in the furnace
with the Hebrew children, the prophets who
appeared to John in the visions of Revel a
tiou, and, finally, Moses and Elias at the
transfiguration.) It is said “No man hath
seen God at any time;” “Thereshall uo man
see me and live.” It is also said, “The Lord
spake unto Moses face to face.” John ex
plains this apparent paradox in the words,
“ No mail hath'seen God at any time, but the
only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of
the Father, He hath declared Him.” It fol
lows, then, that the Lord God who appeared
to Moses in the burning bush and elsewhere,
was this preexisting soul of Christ, “ in w'hom
dwelt the fullness of the Godhead bodily,”
and “ who was the brightness of the Father's
glory, and the express image of His person,”
“ He that hath seen me, hath seen the Father
also.” And again, “ God was in Christ re
conciling the world unto Himself.”
IV. When the fullness of the time came , it
took up its abode in the body born of Mary. 1
know not how to understand the expressions
of subordination in relation to the-Son, and
yet allusions, at the same lime, to His preSx
istence, unless this be true. For example,
“A body hast thou prepared me.” Here is
“a me” in existence, needing “a body,”
which a “ thou,” or second person, “ had
(prospectively) prepared.” “As thou, Father,
hath sent me into the world.” Here a preex
iating subordinate “is sent” by a'superior
from some place into the world. “ Whfen He
bringuth His first begotten into the world.”
Here was a first begotten existing prior to
His advent, subject to the Divine will, for He
is brought into the world as the son of Mary.
“ Father, glorify thou me with the glory
which I had with thee before the world was.”
Here, a glory had been possessed “ before the
world was”— is laid aside— is sought again
at the hands of the Father. Can God lay
aside His glory without becoming what He
was not, thus losing His immutability ? Christ
is clothed with light as with a garment. That
light shone around the burning bush—was, to
the Israelites, a pillar of cloud by day, and
of fire by night—shined above the mercy
seat, the holy Shekinah—was laid aside when
veiled in flesh, but at the ascension was again
thrown around Him, receiving Him out of
the sight of His gazing disciples—flashed
around Paul at his conviction, and startled
the aged John upon the isle of Patmos. 1 his
soul, existing “ before the highest dust of the
earth was formed,” and by whom, and for
whom, all things were made, could, with a
full knowledge of all that was to be endured,
become a willing party to the covenant for
the redemption of the sons of God. Do you
ask how it entered into the body born 1 I
cannot tell, except that “ the Holy Ghost
overshadowed Mary,” and “He was curi
ously wrought in the lowest parts of the
earth.”
V. Christ's soul was made an offering for
the sins of His people. Prophecy had said,
“ When thou shalt make His soul an offering
for sin, He shall see His seed ; ... He shall
see of the travail of His soul, and shall be
satisfied. ... I will divide Him a portion
with the strong, because He Hath poured out
His soul unto death.” Ooserve here, two
things: Ist. Not any outside power, but He
was to officiate in making the offering. 2nd.
At that time He was to see His seed. Did
He offer the body Himself? If yes, then
Peter was wrong when he charged upon Pi
late, and the Jews that they, by wicked hands,
had crucified and slain the Lord of glory;
and the S.»viour Himself must have been
mistaken when He supposed that power bad
been given Pilate against Him, for He says:
“ Thou could have no power against me at all
except it were given thee.” The Romans
and Jews put His body to death. Christ
says, “ I lay down my life and tarke it up
again.” “He through the Spirit, offered
Himself without spot unto God.” “He was
put to death in the flesh.” “God was in
Christ reconciling the world to Himself,” and
“ Christ was put to death in the flesh.”
Behold His sufferings in the gurden—no
visible being nearer than a stone’s throw,
—these but three, His chosen witnesses. See
what agony—look at the blood oozing from
the pores iu great drops! Lo Iwe hear Him
praying, if possible, let the plan be changed,
but not contrary to the Divine will. Proph
ecy had said He would pour out His soul
unto death. Hear Him saying here in the
garden, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful,
even unto death.” An angel, after the third
agonizing prayer, comes and strengthens Him,
the only time in all His sojourn such a sight
is seen. Then how calm He becomes. He
had seen His seed, and the sight had inspired
that soul-moving prayer, found in the l7ihol
John, where He “prays not for the world,”
but for those whom the Father “ had given
Him out of the world, and not for them
only, but all those also who should believe
on Him through their word.” Here is the
especial Saviour, who purified unto Himself
a peculiar people, and who prevailed to open
the seals of the book of life, and to look
thereon.
VI. His body was given unto death for the
redemption of the bodies of all men. We are
taught (hat neither sin nor the sinner can ex
ist in the presence of God, and that He is
angry with the wicked every day. This being
true, when sin was introduced into the world,
all things contaminated by it must have been
swept away but for the mediation of Christ,
who stood as a Lamb slain from the founda
tion of the world, to take away the sin there
of; consequently, “ if any man sin, we have
an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ,
the righteous.” Through the offering of His
body He purchased the world, and the bodies
of all men with their powers. These exist
alone by His grace, therefore He has a right
to dispose of them us He will, and to use
them for His own purposes, in that way most
promotive of His glory. Proofs: “1 give
my flesh for the life of the world.” “And I,
if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto me.”
“ He is the propitiation for our sins, and not
for ours only, but also for the sins of
whole world.” “By the grace of God Ho
tasted death for every man.” Here is an
explanation of the texts, The grace of God
which J*rnisreth salvation to all men hath
and, “lie is the b tv-roor 1 of all
men, especially those that believe.”
In conclusion, let us search for the harmony.
All of us are descendants of Adam, and have
partaken of his corrupt nature. When he
ate the forbidden fruit, lie underwent that
change called death, which, in the soul, means
separation from God. This was evidenced
by his immediate disposition to hide from
God. We, being iu his loins, fell when he
fell. A portion of this Adamic race had
their names written in the Lamb’s book of
life before the foundation of the world, con
sequently were His in possession. When
they fell in Adam, as sin cannot inherit heav
en, they “ were lost.” Now, Christ must re
deem them, which He does when He pours
out His soul unto death for them, and they
are made new creature in Him ; are crucified
together with Him, and raised together , with
Him. therefore the assurance that “ all that
the Father hath given unto me shall oome to
me.” As we were virtually lost in Adam
when he fill, though only actually so when
we come upon the stage of life, so, though
virtually receiving life when Christ was quick
ened, yet only actually so when Christ is
revealed in us through faith. So in the bodi
ly death of Adam all partook when it was
said, “ dust thou art and unto dust thou shalt
return,” but as Christ gave His flesh for the
life of the world, “ all that are in the graves
shall hear His voioe and come forth.” As in
Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made
alive, some to eternal life, and some to ever
lasting shame and contempt. Eternal, reach
ing both ways; everlasting, from the point of
commencement onward.
The question will be asked, if this theory
is true, is not the preaching of the gospel to
every creature a solemn mockery ? We an
swer, No! For in it there is something
suited to every case; but the word is to bo
rightly divided, giving to each his portion in
due season, not giving holy things to dogs, or
casting pearl before swine. This gospel is
the best code of laws in the world, for every
department of life, whether socially, politi
cally, in the family circle, or religiously, and
as far as obeyed in any department, brings a
rich reward.
if this is not the true theory, and all the
world is meant by the “ lost,” then Ui.iver
salism comes in like a flood, for “ Christ came
to seek and to save that which was lost,'’ He
cannot be di-appointed.
The divine nature of Christ participated in
the sufferings of His humanity, for the inner
man keenly sympathizes with any indignity
offered to the body, or the inhabitants of a
house with that offered to the house. As the
Godhead dwelt in Christ, every indignity
offered Him in person, was offered to the
Father, who dwelt in Him. Therefore the
infinite value pertaining to those sufferings.
Gko. E. Brewer.
Rockford , Ala.
Encouraging Facts.
A correspondent in the Index of February
3d, expresses the opinion that “the negro is
not an accumulating animal. Without a su
perior mind to save and control his earnings,
he commonly accumulates nothing.”
Negroes have not as yet to any extent
made very great accumulations of pecuniary
means. This, however, in the short time
that such accumulations have been at all pos
sible, does not prove that he is wanting in
the power or faculty of accumulation. Cer
tain facts, I think, prove otherwise. And
these facts give promise of success in the
future.
Five years ago Congress chartered the
National Freedman’s Savings & Trust Cos.,
a purely benevolent institution, for the pur
pose of giving to the negroes of the South an
opportunity of saving their earnings and grad
ually acquiring a competency. Less than
twenty thousand of these poor people, com
orising about one-tenth of the population,
(colored) at the points where the Company's
branches are established , have now on deposit
nearly one and two-third millions of dol
lars. This amount is these negroes’ savings,
WHOLE NO. 2478
after supplying the wants of themselves and
families. Many of them, besides these de
posits of cash, have purohased for themselves
small farms and comfortable homes.
These facts certainly furnish evidence that
the negro possesses some power of accumula
tion. It may be said that it is evidence of
but small power. Grant it. But let it be
remembered that these small results bear to
greater results the same relation that the
acorn bears to the sturdy oak, and that the
rivulet bears to the rushing river and the
mighty ocean.
But for the unreasonable and persistent
opposition which this effort to aid the negroes
in benefitting themselves has met, the results
to-day would doubtless have been at least
four fold greater. This is mentioned simply
as explanatory of the present status of the
negro in the way of accumulating pecuniary
means. f S, V. H.
What I Have Notioed.
A minister of the gospel, who has closely
watched the operation of giving among our
churches, begs leave to note the following as
the result:
1. Churches in which a system of giving
to the cause of Christ has been carried out,
contribute most libetally to benevolent ob
jects.
2. Such churches make the most sure and
rapid progress in supporting themselves.
3. Churches which do little or nothing for
others, do the least for themselves; and
those which do little or nothing for their own
pastor’s support, do little or nothing for oth
ers, and are not likely to become self-sustain
ing.
4. Churches which do most for Domestic
Missions, generally do most for Foreign Mis
sions.
5. Those churches which pb ad that “the
applications are too many,” would be pleased
not, to have any.
C. Churches which plead that “ Charity
begins at home," are the last to begin it any
where.
7. Churches which arc always pleading
that “ the present is an unfavorable time to
make an application," never find a favorable
time.
8. Those people who do not give often and
cheerfully, do not know the blessedness of
giving.
9. Those who do not give as the Scriptures
teach, cannot expect to receive the blessedness
of Scripture promises.
10. One reason why so many give so little,
and with fault-finding when they do give, is
because they give so seldom.
11. No system of giving has, in its sim
plicity and efficiency, equalled that of the
Apostle Paul—“ On the first day of the week
let every one of you iay by him in store as
God hath prospered.”
12. The adoption of that plan would im
mediately give the church ail the money it
needs, and enable it to go forward in the work
of the Lord.
13. Ministers who do not instruct their
people iu the duty of giving and urge it upon
them, for fear their own salaries will not be
paid, are the most poorly supported, and thus
reap what they sow. — Central Fresh.
Faith.
If Fiiitb cum'! not t<> bold our hand,
f Uwff WM; wo aH-Uld be,
-"Wandering alone the loneaome atraud
That bounds the “narrow sea,"
While one by one our best beloved
Pass o’er, dear LorJ, to thee!
She walks with us and holds our hand,
Her eyes are angel’s eyes ;
She walks with us across the sand.
Sweet Faith, from out the shies l
Wearing a rose upon her breast
That smells of Paradise l
John Bunyan’s Church.
“A Baptist,” writing for the Sparc Hour,
of San Francisco, denies the allegation that
John Bunyan’s church became a Pedobaptist
church by practicing open communion, as is
commonly alleged. . He wrote to the present
pastor of the church, Rev. John Brown, who
oives him a historical statement of the church
from its origin. He claims that it never was
a Baptist church in the strict sense of the
word ; that from its origin in 1050 the views of
its members have been various as to baptism,
laying on of hands, anointing with oil, sing
ing psalms, and other questions then in dis
pute among Puritans. It is indispensable to
the very existence of a Baptist church, that
it shall hold and teach that immersion alone
is baptism : but the Bunyan church was not
organized on that basis. Pastor Brown says :
“The church still keeps by its ancient consti
tution. Three of the deacons, and a large
proportion of the church arc Baptists. When
the new chapel was built in 1840, it was fit
ted up with a baptistery, and as often as is
needed, baptism by immersion is adminis
tered, after the preaching of a sermon setting
forth the arguments in favor of believer’s
baptism.”
Infant Baptism; Ritualism.
Rev. W. H. H. Marsh, in the National
Baptist, says: Ritualism is not an innova
tion; it is a development. It is a natural out
growth of infant baptism. The Episcopalian
leads the movement, because his church never
was, in its spirit, so evangelical as the Pres
byterian or the Methodist; but so far as they,
by preaching regeneration, and insisting upon
a higher and purer spiritual character, have
not succeeded in counteracting the tendencies
of infant baptism, they are in the same con
demnation. The germ is there, and in so far
as it may be developed, all its sympathies are
with ritualism. Said a l’edobaptist to the
writer, some tfeie since, wheu conversing on
the subject of infant baptism: “Sir, we must
either abandon infant baptism, or we must
do as Rome does, —claim as members of our
church all to whom in infancy we administer
the rite. As the case stands now, it is a nul
lity.” This good brother either saw what his
brethren do not see, or else ho was less cau
tious than most of them about making con
fession of his faith.
Pulpit Exclusivism. —Bishop Johns, of
the Episcopal diocess of Virginia, explaining
the canon which excludes from the pulpit all
who are not ‘duly licensed or ordained to
minister in that church,’ says: “ It is simply
a proper regulation by which our
church protects her congregations from the
teaching of those who are not responsible to
her for what they may preach. For this pur
pose I deemed the canon a suitable provision,
without being justly liable ttf*be regarded as
even discourteous to ministers of other de
nominations, whose practice in this particular,
though not determined by any formal enact
ment, general'y corresponds with our own.
There is much good sense in that view of the
question. .
“Adoration op the Sacrament.” —Two de
votional books which have crept in among
Episcopalians, contain this prayer, on the as
sumption that the entire person of Christ is
enshrined in “ the sacrament” of the Lord’s
supper: “ Soul of Christ, sanctify me. Body
of Christ, save me. Blood of Christ, inebri
ate me. Water out of the aide of Christ,
wash me. Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
0, good Jesu, hear me,” etc.
Thrift is good revenue.