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60 “Behold now good and how pleasant 11 is Ki brethren to dwell together in anil).” It is good and pleasant, and here the household of fahh en joy tiie milk and houey of the gospel. They here dwell uu a land of corn and wine* and the heavens drop down dew to cheer and comfort the weary and disconsolate pilgrim. But all this is lost to a Church by a continuance in a lukewarm stale. — They are spued out of this good land. It is indeed a lamentable thing- to see a Church so indifferent to its privileges as to say by her conduct, “ I am rich and incieased with goods and have need of nothing.” Is it not to be feared that some churclus are even now, in our day, in this very condition ? II they have a pieacber they a-ern to think they are rich and have need of nothing. — They bear comparatively no burdens with him. — I have sometimes heaid of churche* if the preacher Was absent at the ltgular meetings, they would not hold conference, sing rior prav, nor have any religious se* vices whatever, and if they knew the preacher would not be there they would not go to meeting at all. A church in this condition may Well be represented in the language of the text as “not knowing that, thou art wretched and miser able, and poor, and blind, and naked.” To not feel j any concern or distress about this state of things is bad indeed, and shows that we know not how j poor and blind and destitute we are, with regard to ; gospel ortler. “Wo unto him that that is at ease in Zion.” “L-t him *liat he stamleth, take heed lest he tall.” Ye ministers of Jesus ; ye arureis or messengers, who bear the message ot truth to the ehuiches, canst you he at ease m Zon while some of the churches are lukewarm ? No, T know you cannot rest at ease, for Christ Jesus lovt-s his church, and as many as he loves lie rebukes and chastens, and you his ministers, are as stars in his hand, and from him come your light and love to the cause of God and he sends you to “ reprove, rebuke and exhort with all lipig-suffering and doc trine.” Hence Jesus sends his message of love to his lukewarm children saying, “ I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire” The Head and Husband of the church never giiesr bad counsel. He is the only correct “ coun sellor” for our good. He sees and knows our pov erty, how destitute we are of everything that will manifest us as his church and people, having mere ly a name to live as a church in visible order, while we are dead. “To be carnally minded is death ; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” Rom. viii. 6. Christ is a true and faithful coun sellor on whom we may at all times depend with implicit confidence. His taithful and love is upon his believing children, “ Having loved bis own, he loves them to the end.” He does not forget them, though they often forget him, and be come blind to theft- best interest, and cannot see afar off, and manifest by their indifference and car nal mindedness that they “have forgotten they Were purged- from their old sins.” 2 Pet. i. 9. Truly a chtffcb In thfs condition is properly repre sented as beiug “ wretched and miserable,” and no small part of their “miserable* condition grows SO U TttJSItJN ilAn’lSl M iioSEJN 0 E it- nutut the tact that they know nut, nor care not, for heir wretched slate of barrenness” and destitution. Bui the loving Jvsus,-the faithful and true witness tiears a faithful testimony. Hence lie says, “I coun >el thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich.” In business’ tisftisactions among men the buyer is generally considered to give an equivalent to the seller for the article pur chased, and consequently he mdtft have something • and his own equal in value to that which he buys or receivi s. He is therefore no richer after he buys than he was before, though llie article bought may suit him better than what he gave for it. But the haying embraced'in the text is of a dif ferent nature from business transactions among men. It is not those who have an equivalent to give that are Counselled to buy this refined gold it is such, and such only as have nothing. Those who are “ wretched, and miserable, and'poor, and Mind, and naked.’ None hut these can buy this precious gold. They buy it when* they cirfe to Jv sus with rio oilier plea hilt their poverty and wretch edness ; cease from-their own works and rely alone upon the righteousness of Christ fur life and salva tion. “Ye that haVe no monev come huv wine and milk without rn*nej and without prior .” lra>. lv. 0 >me without money, come with your wretch edness, come w.th a confession of vour ungrateful ness, and do not think because you have been bar ren and careless so long that the Lord’s trier, y ur clean gone or that his hand is shortened and can not reach such a miserable case. “ If,- that con fi-s-reih and forsaketh his sins shall have inetcv.” The Lord is rich in mercy. Gold trid in ihe fire is fiee fiorn dross and is a very precious nintal. So every word of God is pure. His wool .f prom ise to his obedient chi id ten is ptecious indeed. “The hand of the diligent maketh rich.” Toe dill grmt receives- blessings from the Lord comparable to gold. “The blessing of the Lord maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it,” p rov x 2O The Lord has declared that “Hove them that love me and those that seek me early shall fieri me ; r jches and honor are with me, yea, durable riches and righteousness.” If we love God it is because he has first loved us, and we manifest out love by keeping his commandments. The Scriptures speak of the riches of faith, of Christ dwelling in* the heart richly by faith, the riches of God’s goodness the riches of grace, the riches of glory, the riches of the full assurance of understanding, and the un searchable riches of Christ. All this riches is for God’s poor miserable people. Therefore, let them hear the counsel of their Lord and humble them selves under his mighty hand, and his promise is he will ex-ait them in due time. At the right time; the lime appointed to favor Zion. Fear°God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty <f man. There is durable riches in this, for “Bv humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honor and life.” Frov. xxii. 4. But there is “white raiment also for clothing.” “Be clothed with hu mility.” In your walk and deportment as Chris tians keep thyself pure. “ Let the garments” of thy Christian profession “be always white.” Eccl ix 8 In thus walking the “shame of thy nakedness wifi not appear.” There was a “ few” m the church at Sardis that “ had not defi.ed their garments and they walked with Christ in while.” “Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments lest he valk naked and they see his shame ” Kev. jrvj 15. Here is riches crtid white raiment, but th o blind must “anoint thine eyes with eye salve that thou inayest see.” There is such a fulness m the gospel of Christ that there is nothing lack ing to the ueeuy. The dimness of sight is Boiue .lines put lo*’ tire want of understanding. But in Lhe gospel provision, “Tim eyes of ihe Understand ing is enlightened.” fiph. t. 18. David sayr, Turough toy precepts I get undersiaudingi”— Here then is an “eve salve” fount? in the precepts of God. Search the Sripiures and anoint thine eyes with eye salve that thou mayest see. “ Tm> commandment of the L ud is pure, e align team* ihe eyes. Fa. x>x. 8 Keep the commandment* ot J-sus. lhat is an excellent eye salve 10 enlight en the eyes. Mis word hi a “ light to the feet aud a lamp to the path.” 1-now must close, having only glanced at the suljbct, though already too leiigihy. It requires day lime for me to vv rite, and a good deal of it to write lengthy letters. Other matters now claim my attention. I will try, if the Lord will, to an swer the request of sister Jane Y. Harmon soon. Yours in Love, W. M. MITCHELL. Brother Mitchell, if you can read these letter* please rectify all mistakes, and if you think it wor thy to send, you are at liberty to do so, if not re turn it to the flame and all will be right. S. L. P. Bro. Beebe—ln compliance with the above re quest, I have transcribed, and now send for pnbli cation the enclosed letters of our two voung sisters, with an humble hope that God will'thereby com fort some of his lonely pilgrims in the reading lhereof * W. M. MITCHELL. April 12,18 GO. Russell Cos., Ala., March 30, 18G0. Bro. Beebe—For some time past I have desired to place a few lines at your disposal; though I pos sibly feel as unworthy as any one, and as incapa ble of writing anything that would be edifying.— However, as I am requested to write on this occa sion I do not foel entirely justified not to do so, and as many have told what the Lord has done for their souls, I shall also attempt to relate what raer cifes have been extended to me, one of the most unworthy wretches perhaps that ever lived. I shall uot mention my most early impression* for I am persuaded that almost every young and tender mind is impressed with some striking inci dent in life that awakens some natural fear. For what purpose these feelings are, or how far they may extend I shall not pretend to say, but will pas* on to years of more mature reflections. About seven years ago I saw and felt that I was a guilty sinner, and I knew if 1 died in that condition I would be lost. I went to work with all my power