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RELIGIOUS-
| From New York OSsp 1 - ■ e .
ER FOR THE IMPRISON
ED MISSIONARIES,
iher them thut are in bonds, as
bound with them ”
word, remember, intimates
II forget them. If they me
Is, they are out of oar sight;
t is out of sight, is apt to he
mind. But those in bonds
lot always been forgotten. —
Herod had imprisoned Peter,
t was made without ceasing
church, unto God, for .him.”
did not cense to pray, until
payer was answered.ja his tie
e: for w© ore told, that on
night vhen this joyful event
led, **many were gathered to
wing-” . . •
iitian brethren, 1 wish to stir
mind and yours to remember
r missionaries who are iucar-
I ill the Georgia penitentiary,
ire do not uray for them- with
ich fervency and frequency as
on our first hearing of their
moment Things have trans-
wliic’n have been calculated to
ften us. A change in the mi-
tuagistrnto o' the state where
imprisoned did not operate
lr favor, aa their friends Honed
Id have done. The decision of
iupremc Court of the United
^honorably acquitted them o(
|rim«; and yot it has not effect-
id iveran.ee from their confine-
Tlie .petitions of their friends
t their grievances befoVe the
legislature; b'ut this also
of affording thdm any relief,
now iu danger of sinking into
edency, «nd concluding that it
1 ht> good to pray for them any
Permit ino to suggest aever-
*iQt|s w hy ive should not cease
(Member in our prayers these
ten who are in bonds.
need the benefit of this ox
oursekts. If w© cease to pray
ffl, we shall cease to svnipa-
witil them. We are required
' for them ns if we wore the
with them. A frequent re-
ranCe of them in offr prayers,
than any thing thing else,
|aro
till
|are
do
101010
us to do it. It wih trails-
to their prison, and help us
•ur. jprrowi and joys with
* prayers for ©nr brethren
(•rsity may greatly benefit them;
is case they abeuld not serve
Vtyo the term of their impris-
From some letters which
l wrote to tfiei^ /friends, soon af-
were lodged irt the denitfen-
i leifi of(» . v.*i- or'
ibry, wo were pleased to learn, that
ill© slate of (heir minds was uncom
monly tranquil and happy. As (heir
sufferings lor Christ abounded, so also
did tluir consolation by Christ. This
gloomy prison, was no doubt a pre
cious answci to prayer- not merely
to that which ascended I'rolb their
tiwn hearts, but to that also which
was poured forth by thousands of the
friends of Christ in all parts of the
Uniled States. Nor is ihefo any
teason to doubt boyoh I thu sens.—
For these divino comforts, which
are belter that) all th« joys of life;
they aro still dependent. Should
(heir brethren cease to prqy for them,
their long-conti oped bondage qiay
yet depress their spirits, and termin
ate in mental dejection.
3. Cenacles? prayer for the im
prisoned missionaries, should it fail
id pincure their releases m iy never
theless be of incalculable importance
to the cause oj Christ. We have rea
son to believe that, hitherto, this glo
rious caase has not suffered by their
means; but, on the contrary, that it
has been honored and advanced.-
Still, we mini not forget that our af
flicted brethren are nothing but men,
imperfect then. And Solomon tell;
ns that ‘•oppje.ssion mail' ll) a wise
man mad.” Should their protracted
snff-iings, whirh they are now com
pelled to endure, against the impera
tive demands of justice, declared by
the highest tribunal of their counliy,
chafe tlieir minds mid disturb that
Christian meekness which is so hon
orable to ihe religion of Christ, it
would not he strange; nevertheless,
it would he injurious to tlbc best of
cailscs. Their exemplary conduct
is of more eonsoquenc© than tlieir
personal comfort: in relation to this
particular, no should, therefore be
very earnest in the .petitions which
we make in their behalf. Though
our brethren are shot up within the
walls of a prison, they are placed ou
ajii.ll,—that is a situation of great
eouspieuity.-and it is of indvsciible
importance to the liouor of their Sa
vior, ami the progress of religion in
I ho world, hat their light shbuld
•snine before men; tlhU they should
continue to possess a meek and a
quiet spirit, which in the sight of
God is of great price; that they should
continue to be patient in suffering,
active in doing all (lie good which it
is in the power l>f their hands to
do.
4. O if pravojs may yet procure
| their release from prison This w»i§
the affect of lhit prayer which was
offered in behalf of Ft ter by tho
church of Jerusalem. 1‘erliap# it
will bo eoid, “Out (huso were days
of miracles: his prison was opened by
Ihe ministry ©fan angel.” To this
it may be replied, The power of
God is cs supreme now ns it was
then: nor have angels ceased to be
ministering spit its. sent forth to min
itter to the lieirt o! salvation. Though
God does not at tho present period
manage the ki' g ioiu of providence by
miracles, as he did in times past,
during the days of inspiration, still
this does not render him impotent,
or incapable of answering the prayer®
of his saints. Jay, in his ‘Closet Ex
ercises,’ makes a remark to this ef
fect: that God would still make use
of miracles, if he could not answer
the prqycrs of- hip people without
them.. The . Scriptures represent
God.as having the coatrol of nit the
hearts in the world: so that even the
hearts of kings (ihe Bible word for
rulers) arb.aft tench iq his hands as
the riye^s of yvater. In answer to
tho united, pefSevering, and fervent
prayrrs sf his people in. bebnlf of tho
imprisoned inissiqhaHes, ft is not too
much to hop® ihat; God will give
theni favor in iti© eye®.' of nations
& sofM n tbo hearts tff ihei^oppressors
that lie will so influence in the ebolbe
of ruiei s, whether in (he particular
state jtjdcli is the sciria of (heir suf-
, Vfu i I • ' J
fclings, or'inth' general government,
as shall be mo* conducive to tlieir
enlargement. While hm ipeople are
. praying Tor tjeir enlargeninils, unin-
I flncticed by rarly politics, and with-
i out mnliinghuy calculations of their
own conecTiiiig the means by which
tlieir prayers \\ ill be aimiereri, God
can with ;)ei feet ease arm consisten
cy take this wetliod to d^ it. 1iy
Yerrible things vA righljoumcs (said a
dovout monarch) will thou ansloer us,
O God of our salvation. The cholera
may bo the messenger, which the
Lord will send to open the prison and
bring out his servants. Dy sending
this pestilence, he may ^nswer the
prayers of his people; and again, in
answer to tjieir prayers, ht may re
move it. The church of tlie\redeem-
ed, whether living in the age of mi
racles. or in any other period, may
say, ‘ Our God is in the heavens; he
hath done whatever he pleased.”—
And Jehovah tlieir God hns declared,
“I said not unto the seed of Jacob,
Seek ye me in vain.” And tlieir own
experience of his readiness to attend
to their requests has let! one and a-
nother of them to testify, “God hath
heard me; ho hath aitonted to the
voice of my prayer; ”
SIMPLICITY.
Plain preaching and plain teaching
have always been most blessed in in
forming and converting men. Such
is tbe example of our Saviour’s min
istry, such of his apostles. It is the
distatc of com moil sense, the very
first principle of instruction, that what
we desire to teach itfust he nlade
plain and intelligible to those whind
we expecct to learn. Yet how diffi
cult it is to persuado preachers and
teachers to follow these principles
and these examples! Mow seldom
do we hear the truths of tlio Gospel
declared in language as simple and
easily understood as that which is us
ed in telling common tiuths! When
men talk Of business, of politics, of
news, ef books, ihey employ language
which is familiar and plain. But
when they begin to speak of tile Bi
ble aud religion, half tlieir conversa
tion, or writing, or preaching, what
ever it may be, is metiphorical.—
They assume a strange tone-of voice,
speak of the duti&S and dbctijues of
religion in phrases which niedfim
ineinothible use, but which they can
not or do not explain. Thus a mys
tery is thrown around the subject
Which keeps their own niiiuls in dark
ness, and perplexes those who wish
in a rational manner to enquire after
truth.
Some of out readers may think this
statement exaggerated- We ate w ill-
«ig to put to the strongest test, and
should be inexpressibly rejoiced to
find omsclves mistaken. Lot the
doubting readermake this ex;verament.
VV« suppoie■ there is no subject more
frequently mentioned in the pulpit
than faith. It i* at the basis ol Chris
tianity, one of its cardinal principles,
and is lliorefore of the utmost impor
tance to he understood. Now let any
one go into o church, and fry to dis
cover, from its members their under
standing of what is denoted in the
gospel by,the term faith, and we ven
ture to assert that there will he a
large number with (ban give .no answer
as Would encourage the belief (hat
tho thing is at all understood. We
do not mean that the uneducated and'
ignorant would be uliable to give a
technical definition, but that they
have no fixed idea of What is signified
by the word. Thris may occtfr even
where persons Wre the' fcubjeptlr ttf
saving grace. They may, Tn an etnn-
gelical sense, be believers in the Lord
Jesus Christ, and be trusting ®n him
alone for salvation, without knowing
that this is ilie exercise of the par
ticular act called faith. But that it rs a
lamentable ignorance none will deny;
and if tiny are disposed to doubt its
• - • '.''Mr- » ;;
existence to Hie extent we have sup
posed, Jet them make the trial;
The cause of the ignorance is, of
course, defective teaching. The
system of Christianity has not been
presented in its plainMsf, its princi
ples have not been 4b illuftrated Uy
the common means of exhibiting truth
as to make them as cleat as any otliei
truths.
W e assume it as a point conceded
by all Protestant Christians, that the
clivinue revelation has been, made to
man in terms which lie can understand.
That is, the Bible is written with
such plainness that people of com
mon intelligence can learn from it
what is tljoir duty, and wliat it is liiut
they are bound to believe on the tes
timony of God, even (hough the sub
ject itself should surpass tlieir under
standing. \V« assume also, as an in
diBdulable fact, that all intelligent
persons are required and cncoumged
to read the Bible, that they may learn
these duties and doctrines; and that
a sincere prayerful study olihe Scrip
tures nitlbe attended.wifi) a spiritu
al blessing. It follows then, we think,
trom these facts, that the Bible must
be a plain book,Jor these duties would
not be required of mankind w horever
the.) have the opportunity cf pci form
ing them.
Tins conclusion is fully strengthen
ed by (lie character ot the sacioi!
writings theh Selves. The passages
which contain difficulties behr an ex
tremely small proportion to the whole
revelation; whilst the great, indiipen-
sahib truths of the system, and the
duties connected with them, ore re
peated and enforced with a plainness
adapted It) the mind ol a child. Gati
man make these terms el salvation
moro plain or brief Ihun in ihn low
syllables of (be Saviour himself, “Re
pent yo and. believe the Gospel?’/—
And shall be obscure that declaration
by refinements cf language and then,
lies o! explanation, which only make
a plain injunction mysterious, and set
the inquiring mind iti tho pursuit 61
shadows? In that Scripture, in lan
guage Simple, are presented the life,
and sayings, and character of tho in
carnate Redeemer. That life is our
model, and its study is calculated to
lead us on to ever-expanding views ot
ttic glory of God and the plan of re
demption. Let the example of the
inspired writers be followed by all
ivtfo attempt to disseminate these
thrnths, and let them speak of them
in a plain, cousisleort, and intelligible
sty !o.
Being most sincerely convinced
that the defect alludes to is one of
the greatest obstacles—if u6t itself
tile very greatest—that prevents the
progress of religion amongst all class
es of mankind, we shall press the sub
ject frequently & earnestly oh ;<il teach
ers, whether in llie pulpit or Sunilny-
shod. Aud we call cur intelligible
correspondents to assist our arguments
by practical exemplifications of the
best manner of accomplishing this
mode of instruction, and by proofs cf
its oflicacy.—S.S. Joilr.
England once Idolatrous. — It shobld
nut bo forgotten by lhe Christian Mis
sionary, whose eye U upon some dark
spot in ihe field of Christian cultiva
tion, thttl Great Britian was once i-
dtilntrous—-that its inhabitants liter
ally bowed down.to stock and stone.
Although now the heart of philanthro
py and religious enterprise, m the
eastern world—one© there swept o-
vet that island, all that is be&ntiful in
its character or degrading to man in
its influence. Says an ancient wri
ter, Or. Plnyfure, in a sermon prea
ched before the University at C&lH-
briWge, in the year 1563, “Previous
ly to the introduction of the gospel
to this island, no -church existed
within its borders, but the temple ef
an idol; no priesthood hut that of pa
ganism; no God but the Sub, the moon,
or some hideous image. To tho cru
el riles of the druidtcal worship suc
ceeded the abominations of the Ro
man idolatry. In SJcotlahd, stood III*
temple tit . Mars; in Cornwall, the
temple oi’ Mercury; in Bangor, the
temple of Minerva, nt Malden, the
temple of Victoria; in llalh, the tem
ple *1 Apollo; at Leicester, the tem
ple ol Janus; ai York, where St. Be
tel’s now stands, the temple ol Btrl-
lonn; in London, on the site ol Si.
Paul's Cathedral, the temple ol Di
ana; at Westminister, whe:e the Ab-
bt y rears its venerable pile, a tem
ple, conseerat.‘d to Apollo.” Bui tho
gospel ot Christ is plumed in alt its
borders. Her l«nd is uow a land of
Churches—of Bibles, and ot Minis
ters ol the Cioss ol Christ; ihcii iigtiC
is sent out to ali the world.
The perfection of human nature is
the theme on which tbe opposeis of
good morals harp, will, a c'-minneii
and uniform sameness. God, say
they, created all' Ihings right, and
made us perfectbut our eaily edu
cation has spoiled us The priests
( have moiled |lie fair creation of the
; Almighty’s hand work, and overturned
i II'Q designs of nature’s God A:,d
j they have done it for no other purpose
than (o gratify their insatiable ambi-
j lion—they have done it to unite
| Church and State. God made me
jail I could desiic, but these wicked,
these liypncrilici.l priests have spoil-
Jed me. A fine clonk, indeed, for tho
blackleg, the swindler, the thief,
: burglar, the robber, (lie murderer,
the parasite, Tho perfection of hu«
man nature, and the monstrous wick
edness of the priests, sound pleasant
i lo (these poor, innocent, deluded vie•
J tim, of early bias toward evl receiv
ed nt the Sunday School, and ui or
thodox Christian churches. The
perleplion of poor humau nature, tor-
sooth! Let those who reason thus an-
j sd-er the following question—II hu,
| .ntan nature .weremade pm reel, what
; first caused man to eri? Some one
must have strayed, and if perfect;
| how could he stray? Can man thwart'
i the purposes of God? But it you be-
l He™ not in the existence of any M u .
| prenie Being save nature, and ihnt me
! tore, being perfect, made all things
; j.ke uulo itself, how came sin to mar
. this perfect sysleni? If nature be per-
: feet, how came the ivoild to be tii-
; led w itb contentions, with babbpigs,
' w'hh lust, with repine, wih f mine,
with misery, with wrr, with peni
tence, atid with murder? Mow came
| these very pries*®, (ihe cati&ers iucf
! originators of all these evils,) lio-v
can e they by an existence? Aro they
anomalies in nature? Are they mon
sters produced without the knowledge •
or consent of pet (ret Mother Na
ture? How happens it iL»t the infant,,
when it fir.t shows signs »i intelli-
geuce, exhibits invariably signs of ihe
jvery pasSlohs w hich are exhibited by
j those who have been spoiled, as is
jssud, by the instruction of these very
; w icked priests? Hotv happens p that
tho merits infant shows sufficient pss-
| sion. to mar the happiness pihI- annoy
j and. vbx the rn^st .enduring goodness
of disposition loin u ip ibis fair, spot
less, moral erection''
1' rom the N. \ . .Journal r f Coiuntcrcc of
October 17.
DR BEECHER’S ADDRESS.
The Address of the R*v.' Dr.
Beecher before Ihe American Ji sti-
tute on ^Thursday evening, was re
ceived with unmixed approbation by
a very large ami respectable audi
ence. Jt was characterized by con-
prehensivfl views, vigor of language,
and felicity of illustration. Snme
passages seemed to electrify tlL nu-'
ditory, whp ghyAVent to their feel
ing in (lie tisuai tokens of appladee,
half snppresied in defierenc© to pie.
priety. The subj^t might He a. id
to be the meani of •lepatit.g the ul(pU
ntast of vtirtetyj constituting our umticn
Id mmpilindt and virtue-, and VWqieaht/