Newspaper Page Text
AND: IABIANS’ ABV0CA.TE.
-— !—****** m— : 5SS-^£
CHfiJUHLEfc NATION, rROpHIIiloi.. E&rTIili BY. ELIJAH HICKS. .
TOL. V.
HEW ECDOT^ ejIMOKGE WATIOH, SAttRpAt, AEEEMBER 7, 1833..
HO. 36.
- PRINTED WEEKLY.
$2 50 if psid in advance, '#3 Misix
gj or $350 it paid *v t he end of the
sqbicribers who ^tan -readonly the
kee language the price will 2,00
ancej or $S;60 to be paid within the
. . . „. . . f *
tcry subscription will l>e considered as
nued unless subscriber!! give notice to
contrary before the commencement of a
year, and all arrearages paid,
ny person procuring si*, subscribors
becoming responsible l’Or the payment,
fer.eivca seventh grttis- _ '
All letters addressed to the Editor,
1, will receive due attention
BEticaois.
From the Western Recorder.
t POWER OF RELIGION.
power of religion,; in its inflti-
and operation upon tfle hearts and
of mankind, lias been great in ma-
periods'of the church, and .in -some
ances, has been wonderful. One'
vidual among, the patriarchs, for-
his country and his kindred, and
r’e house, and ./ent out into a
ge, land, ,and pitched iiis tent,.to
President Edwards was laid upon hdr
dying bed, and wAs the subject !ef ex
treme; suffering. In her agony, she
observed, with*a,sniife, “This is fdr
my g&od. It is good to. be' so.” Be
ing asked why she said this, she re
plied, “Because'God will have it so.
It looks best t6 me.” The same, week
that she died, when she . was, in- great
■distress, some of the neighbors, that
ling to be in jiain. 'I am willing to be
always so a» I am now, if that is the
will of God.- 4 will what ho wiljS.-”
Dr. Watts used to* sayi in the dcclinq
of life, “I lie down at night, quite in
different whether I awake in this World
or ill the world to come.” A
Believers, under ‘ affliction, 'lnaqy
times, slioyv the jxiwot of religion, ynid
shine the brighter, ..by* passing., through
thfe furnace,, Eli manifested groat
confidence'in God, and groat submis
sion to 'will, whierr -He heard from
the mouth ’ of Samuel, the evils pro
nounced agftiust his family. * “It is'the
Erffd; let-him do .what soemothgpod
in his,Sight/ > Job was deprived of his
pefromthh influTnco' artd'cWk- ilocks and herds, and Ei* nelvahts and.
.. -children ;J)ut. religion reyived his sbul,
aiid its power vvus displayed, whea he
serving the living
oifth who had been educated
of idolatry, and to enjoy tire 9011-
‘ion and peace of ‘^- U e°GkiiL'J uiose and rent iiis mantle atuV, shaved
in all: l” 8 head, and fell* down upon the
learn ins and Yetitfernoat of ncourf, j ground .and; Vorshipped-, and said,
to,,|,e rSbXiihlr,
££&*£& -Ji"S r.ord W »«.^b. hath la-
:fion of rofigion, rejected all tip **'H W
and emoluments held out to, his the Herd, . r . . •.
and cheerfully cast in his lots . .Patience under provocation is a pas-
J •• w sive virtue, and fOMiishe».*aB« opportu
most sanguinary kind, and edicts the
most cruel and unjust, jiavejbeeiwen-
acted', to terrify,believers, arid .to. stop
their attention to lhe duties d(f religion.
Under these circumstances", end'in dec
fiance of danger and q( death, mnd in
the faffe and eyes of the tkreatsings • of
tyrants, Individuals have jgobo forward
in thp way of duty, and left th^ conse
quences to the disposal of their Ma-
jteik* Witness‘the three* children' df
the Most High that were cast into the
fiery furnace, and tlie prophet Daniel
ipThe derrof lions, - * *•
"To practise self-douiat, and fo make
sacrifices for the promotion ofthecuusc
of the Redeemer, is an active yirtue,
und shows the power of religion.—
Mankind natbr&Uy ere attached to their*
own interest and 'happiness' with flti-
pleme affectioft, and are .unwilling tp
make any great sacrifices for tho bene
fit of their fellow-men, or the advance
ment of the Redeemer’s kingdom.-r-
“For-ali seek their oyo, not the things
which ttre.Jesus Christ’s.” 'But reli
gion subdues the selfish and ‘carnal
heart, arid in some instances produces
the practice of benevolence* to an emi
nent degree. Tho good of mankind in
this life, and theft; happiness beyond
the grave, have lain' with such weight
upon the minds of some individuals,
that they have been willing to relin
quish all their earthly hopes mid pros
pects, -and to depart into -the unseen
world, to obtain objects so desirable.
The apostlejjPaul, in a season of infl
uent,dunger, was rescued by tile time-
last, dreadful conflict with error anti de- ings.of.h?s cojnTnon.' providence, while
tlipan (im iIia ^ • • • :
liuflon, shall find a more, obstiijatd and’
evasive adversary, than the prejudices
.which ore becoming dfeep rooted by the'
association of truth and fiction taught
from the pulpit. Ihstetd of that power
beforh which the spirit, conscious of its
guilt, -breaks, and is fJnflused with Shame
instead-; of the skill which .can clearly
distinguish and rectify -each, human
passion 'anti .moral sensibility, the *pul-
pit’too’ljcqvtenlly exhibit* its specula
tions respecting the ethcriul spirits,
their employments, -sources and ptnouilt'
of'pleasdfe, their passions* their tuo-
tics, defections,, the terrific scenes of;
tf:e heRvcnly conflict; nud strive with
imij;ativft imbecility, to fepiesciit Hie
songs of triumph and tlrfe wailings of
thp vanq uished. The jscehcs of the fn-
familiarly
these are,tho distinguishing kinthiesses
of his-special grace ? •'
• " t falsehood und Lying.
By discoursing of lies anafabiJwaJ,
I must needs ftdl into a very large com
monplace; though yet,.' not by half so
latge and coinmon' fts the practice;
nothing in nature being so universally
decried, and withal so universally prac
tised. So flint mdst b'f those*things,
that have tho might jest nn<J iiiost ccn-
'trolling influence’ upon, the affitiis and
course ol flic worlds are neither -better
nor wor«e .than downriglit. lies. For-,
whiit is comnuni jiime* w’hieli sound's
from ail quarters of tho w orld, and re
sounds back tojlbetp again, but gener
ally a loud, rattling, impudent, over
bearing lie? What are most of the
histories aftlic world, hilt lies? lies ini-
mortaliwed and cdfisigned over as a
tured from tho pulpit with th.e.confi
dence of its reality, and inspires the
most visionary hopes ofrthc passionafe
felicity oflieaveu, and represents the
miseries of the world of wo as uneou-
qected with the desert of siu nnd • tho
frowns of the just Avenger. The* ptav
er of truth has bfeen laid aside,- u-nd ri
diculous attempts to excite ©motions of
the sublime have taken its place.—Hu
man power has assumed the honcir and
prerogative of co-Operaliug.with Jeho
vah in execpting-diis^ipfinite designs,
name of ly interposition and aid of ■ Prisdella ! and looks fdrwarc^ >yith - confident .ex-
and Aquilla, duving bis persecution* at pectation fdr. the r.ewayd’Ot its service,
ture worlds are* familiarly resorted to
tor purposes<of tho most ordinary illus
tration, and the awful sublimity oflheirj pferpetnal abuse «'nd flhrn upon porfefi-
natural scenery, which too. frequently [ (y? \yi,at afe most of the promises of
afiorjis the only -Subject^of contefnplu- the world, but lies?- Of.which we need
tion to a corrupted- imagination, is pic.-, no o*ther proof but our oiyn experience.
Anil what'are -most of tho oaths in the
world but lies? And such as need ra-
tbel* a pardon for being took, than a
-dispension for being kept. And lastly,
what nro'all (he -reUnions of the world,
except .Judaism and Christianity but
lies? Aud even- in Christianity itself,
are there not those who tench, warrant,
and defend lying? niidvscarcc use the
Bible -for .any other purpose, but to
sxuQar upon it nnA to lit-agmiii$t if i*
took his portion Among his own na-
, then in the house of bondage, and
subject* of degradation and con-
f t. “By faith, Moses, when* he
come to yea*s, refused to be call-
the son ‘ of; Pharaoh’s daughter,
-iing rather to suffer affliction with
people of Gt>d, than to enjoy tb6
iureB of si» fpr a season; esteem-
ttii® repi.oac.h of Christ greater
-B than the treasures of Egypt; for
respect anto the recompence of
reward.”
, T hen our Saviour was .upon earth,
calling his ministers and -disciples
his service; at his request, ijidi-
forsook their revives & friends
Ej-hesud. In what manner they inter-
ibred to save his life, at the risk of t heir
and a mutual division of t he * glory.
The depraved-passions of human .pa-.
008868610110 —— .V |: T'. .
1 all thair proepects of earthly en-
ept and distinction, artti became
devoted and faithful followers,
here Was much been said about the
er of religion *t the present day„
the subject ought to be well
erstood. Some among the reul
dren of God are weak in faith, and
6 arc strong. There is H variety
hhractqr, or' degrees of igrace, a-
9 a number. Some are bube$ in
st;—some are children; some ar'e
h; some are meny aud some*- are
a men. The vittac* 'pf t he ch . na -
eharacter have been .divided into
e and passive; and in both the
jr of religion has been displayed,
mission is a passive virtue, and one
e utmost importance to the peace
happiness of believers, in tlieir
»e through a world of changes,
pointment and suffering. It; is
to btliqvp in the wisdom and ree-
e of the divine government, and to
t- in speculation the necessity and
ioty of submission, under every
nsation of providence; .but'tp
the affhetions of the heart, and
volitions of the will, into entire
lection, is not always an easy task,
for a real Christian. The believer
common attainments in religioft,
l times have heart-risings against
and raurmurings and repmmgs
the chastisements of bis tyind.—
eslgnation is not perfect,* and the
_,as of depravity, in his heart rise
in opposition to the divine will. But
the heart where 'religion is in pow-
1 and Vigorous exercise, resigha-
has been entire in the most trying
distressing situations in which bu-r
beings can be planed- * dying
ian was oned asked, if she was
to departs She replied, “lam
to live, nr I an* willing to die
s God pleases.” ^‘But‘if hi
Ji leave it with you to decide
would be your choice?” ShqTe
All would refer it back'- to him
” A young convert nf the first
and employments,
nity of showing thd ponver of religion
It is a greater cross to human nature,
andu greater piece of self-do'ninl. to
submit to privations and sufferings in
flicted by. eueiqies and persecutors,
than the trials and afflictions brought
abouf Tiy the., inynediate agency of
providence. “;Lct pie fall now into the
hand of the Lord; for voTy .great are
his mercies: but let ipo not faH.into the
band of man;”- Whbp-believers Are.
injured, and suffer unjjistly ’ from the
4nalpvdlence and crpelty of their*fellq.w
men, they haye the pain of Reflecting
upon the baep^ ^iigratitudq. which has
been Exercised, the sin .which hasUeen
committed, and the dtsliortor done' to
the Supreme Being, in addition to Uie,
evils they have experienced. Buf Un
der the greatest oppression* the most'
unjust treatment, and. the severest per-,
sedition,. the power of religion fipn
brought out to .view olfpdience'to'tlre 1
own we arc not infoi-Ried; iJut the de- ture>scapc the salutary rebuke, which
liVereuce he experienced through their it is the exclusive authority of the puK
iiwtrnmentalitv. wis a subicct of erati- pit to administTer,' »"■} ««■« cherished
instrumentality, was a subicct of' erati
tude on his part, and on thn part of the
numerous churches orgunised and es
tablished among the- hq^hen. The
event was of great in>plSi||f^9C to an ex
tensive community of Tmristians; and
they werf “* considered and’ esteemed
public -bAnpfaelpis. “Greet Priscilla
•and Aquilla, my helpers in Clnist Je-
.sua* .who Have 'for\-niy life, ja.id down'
thejrov/n necks; ynto whom not only I,
give thHnka,‘but alko all the cfiurces of
tpe Gentiles.” - . • .' ' ®*
commands of Christ. The maytyr at
tlje stake*, in the mjdst *f sufferings,
kftSa'prayed fervently ilmR his persecu
tors and tormenters plight be^forgiven,
and their souls saved in the day of the
Lord Jesus* TThe calmness, the sup-
joft, the joy, apdlUe*hope, whieli liayp
seep manifested by b^lieverp'on occas-
ionll of this kind, .Have ^stmfck tho
minds of surrpunding 'spectators with
admiration and surpyise, and made
deep and lasting impressions' of the re
ality*, excellency and importance of
tljo Christian religion. The power of
religion in these cases Speaks louder
than any huip*iv eloquences and sets
the truth heme. upon the '“heart and
ohnsciepce with aq influence literally
irresistible. * Numbers date their first
impressions from witnessing* tne con
stancy and. patience, kindness and
submission of hreliovers, udder
pains and distresses of pereequlidn.
The Saviour never gavfe a comirfand-
inept that waa not binding .upornhis fol
lowers, or ono that ha^.not been obey
ed. Love.has bepp rejtpcned'for ha
tred; blessing (for. cursing; kindness
for injuries; forgiveness^for ill will;
imd prayers for (fespiteful tteploaent.-*-
SeePs. 35, H—14.
perseverance in the performance. of
duty is an active virtue, and^ shows
the powfer of rejigipn. .-T^e.ubligatiQqn
upon believofs. tq qhey.the awq of 4he
Supreme Being,, pnd to submit to hm
autborHy/m alj cases, are abs^te Afid
indispeneihle., hupuui authority
has,ft right to interfere, or >q ( prevcqt
tKe clii^ren
thc duues ^hi^i he. )»a» reqqired. Jlut
such is the madgess of ,the liuman
hean, and jtlie,» infotuotfon
power,.fh»tth9y,^ipc^q Sli im4erfai“
t 0 c W p^ jbeliflifojects tQ v qlath4he4r
bj a*
• * From.the Faniily Journal.
THE CONFLICT OF . TRUTH
' AND FICTrON.
'(he pulpit has long been VQdc.rated
as ope.'of the - most efficient 1 mediums
through wliicli the eOnsqrvatiye. prinew
pies qf.moiality aruT. virtue cah be com
municated to society, ana the gejlps of
civilVfnprevement expanded' into per
fection. jls.ppvVnr and teutlenoy’lo tfie
reiipvation-of'mankiiul apt indisgqted
even hy*the cont^omnar?! of it's preoepts,
and phiTaiithropy rehts. eycry. hojic of
the ultimate perfectibility pi. otir spe
cies upon the ufimingjfd putjty ef its
principles*, and tlie uqiveijsal'. ibfluenqe
of its authority.. Legislation, afoi -sci
ence,•aT^hough tl\ey much illu
minate and rofino, cap never,eqmplete-
ly restqjre4he Jost virtue? of humanitj\
atidf reconcile add harmonieo The dijt
cordantvrejations of the world. r Noth
ing bpt.moral trutlj,* 'unadulterated By
fiction, cpn -effectit. The speculations,
of. philosophy have relinquished, Jtheir
imaginary^ejy'sinm, and Jthe fantastic
spirit of chivalry, flying from the_ sting
of .llatan.. with all its improvements,
haOn-anrshedYrdin existence. Roman*
tie anti ppqtic fictidh *now hold tho as-
oq|idency, Humap sdtfoty could not
pqrhaps Mhge bejn more favorably pre
pared by the -previous successive states
•f. ijs existence,4or tho .‘universal sway
of the passion .for fiction oARlqiost ev
ery character, than has ^egn the pre
sent era of Chrtslendom.
- .1 The world has emerged fromedarlc-
neso, and it. rtow turns with pleasure
aa^eompesure. to survey the dominion
from whose dangers it haa-cscaped and
is.now secure. It loftks with 'amazes
meat upon Ihq obscurity ofitA history,
‘end cherishes the, .fiction which that
daftness‘alone can. supply, rejoices in
itbe. prdspdHty and weeps at*}hp ima
ginary woes of mankind. . Xjodern
poetry borrows.-much of ite fantastical
character from the wild fictions of thp
age, and' had transferred its spirit to a;
hunentaSle extent into the pulpit and
thexhuroh:., Ifm^fie doubted wheth-
e « the pridciples *f the Gospel; in their
and ednfirmed by the fictions which are
mingled with tho dispensation of mqml
truth. l'hilo&ojjhy has opened new
sources of spepulation in the regions of
Vision and futurity, and poetry indul
ges its excursive spirit, in arranging
-thoso spe'.xdations in fietlousf ’.oombina-
ticiris, and'wjmving them • into -the. sys-
tfetn ,of;practitttl thebfogy/ The Con-
.•flict.of truth and* fiction is . near.—The,
excitement.which is ordinarily produc
ed by.liieli rnsiejit hla»e qf empassion-
ed eloquence,eunhot fong rhaiutain its
’illusive power over tire human riiinfl.—
That.ifnhe&ility wliiph stcives to. main
tain it, which’ is destitute of original
power; cannot-bull incur the contempt
pf the ■good and the .blasting contume
ly .of-the wfoked. -There are modes
pf,prosenfiqg^i'Mth ii^ wilioli every tle-
Ydted minister may be.heaed; by break
ing up thd foundations of sin in the-
heart,, and qxposing the^ passions there
which Control itff affections, by unfold-
•ing the. dosignl of 4fte most . wayivaid
fieart aiid-bunjbling it by tlic exhibition
of its own, depr&vity, JJo degree of
abandonment-can withstand thd repre-
^eftfotion of-,its own defoiniity,—con
scious. gtiilt musfifijyr»fthrink away hud
beebnto ppwerlpss at its apropriate ro-
-bukoif -How ffijV fhen Ai^a ’in the .pulr,
pit; Whose fidelity ttf the #reat interests
of Ifumanity resi&ts cllectually the
prapipliiigl of thoso passions, ^whiefi
im]fel thp world headlong for fame and
jinmortality iuto ^irretrieyablc
ruin!
B.
♦ Mine Opie waj nft‘;«-tima#e in iuft -fiplitin; upon
p<»Na^e, tlie conoJnsion of *!i:cli cspcciallv,
wmild so wclHiavo Lurftton’zoJ vitb her nuuclilioiia
nioralily. r . ’ . 5
REMEMjtER THE TRUTH.
Wc believe in vain unless we remem
ber: but-.it is Hic habitual adyertcucv
of tlie mind to tlie great t.riith oi tbe Gos
pel—it is the uticensing recurrence of
ita thought's to them—it is the ptactic of
ever and anon . calling tjiein to consul*
oration,.and dwelling upon them from
one day afld from onabour'to another's-
it js this which appears to stump uppn
faith {ts main efficacy toward ^ah-afion.
/Vnd wliy ? . Because sulvafion lies in '
deliverance from sin, as well as from
punishment—because salvation consists
in being iutpndiyged into heaveii itselt—
because by salvation there is not m’erely
tjie prospect of another habitation, Irti#
there.is (he wnirking of another princi
ple; and the y ny in which the memory
must be added to. faith clso wq I;ave lic-
flie\x;din Vain, is, that the memory, by
calling the truths of the GospelRuto the
mind’s presence, reiterates upon the
mind a nigral und a sanctifying influence,
which would fie altogether unfelt uf
these truths were forgotten. It; iff bc-
enuse the *niemary perpetuates the
•flAme-whiclv* ivaa first lighted "by the
faith of* Christianity—it is because if
faith "work by Iotc, then the memory
is necessary' to Jho' alimenting of his
ntfoctipn,; andf fit he of no use df faltlr
to justify the sinner in,tho sight of Gock
a no lc(^ important use offaitji is, (hoi
through n lfabituol l emembrauce of the
truths thnt'are the. ohjecls of 4,. tho
sjnncr is bnfjight under the constant
operation of this holy morql influence,
T»y w hich js sanctified an^ made meet
for inheritance.—£Cjualmcrf.
itr
- Frank the RftAon Recorder.
SELECTIONS FROM SOUTH.%
. Relative Hat imxate of Blessing*.
What is it that *opens thy mouth in
praises,-that fillfftliy he.nrt, and lilts gp
thy hands in grhtqfol acknowlcclgnrents
tolhy great Crqhtor and Preserver. Is
it, that thy bags'hnd that thy barns are
full, that thou has*escaped this sickness
or that danger? ‘Alas, Gnpd .may have
done all this for thee in anger! AH'
this fair sunshino may have been only
to harddn thee in ihy sins. He may
have given '.thee rjehes and honor,
health and power with a curseapA if
so, it will bo found but- a poorfsoiflfart
to have half never, so great a share of
God’s bpttnify without bxo blessing.
.from thy.sld^ Staph, thee in the pros
ecution pf thy lust?. Defeated-the Vna-
Jicidim ends aad stratagems of thy mor
tal enemy the tempter? Anti docs not
the eenso of this move Hod affect thy
heart more -than alUhq former instan
ces of temporal prosperity^, which «ro,
but as it wferc,: the promjscuoux senttor-
From ’tile ^Vastcrn Recorder. * ■ A
" God is a spirit i ctn/d they that wotf
ship him must worship hiip in spirit and
in Imfh.—John iv, 2-f. ’ « . * -
So degQneratcd froin*God as we_arp,
it seems almost impossible to' possess a
clear idea oftho natuVp of his beifig.—
How difficult it i% to fill the mind with
a distinct idca that^‘God is k spirit',”
that >he is Infinite and opitlipresont;
and that nothing of a visible shrip/c can
dq nnR thing towards' representing hfis
existence fi-but, on "tlie other hand,
•must present a mar to tko spiritual wor
shipper. 'How express is Jeliovnli'p
command Concerning tills** “TKcn
shall n'otTnakQ dnfo thee any graven
ittyige, or any 'lilrehess of any thing
that is in heaven above* or!that is in
But Has f*6 mt any time,kept thee earth bencuith, or that is in the • wktef
under tbe fearlh.” * JRohoId Mttees, in
hhi closing ntidress to‘Israel,* dwelling
on this as a caution of peculiar weight.
'*«Tfhe y< therefore', 1 good heed unto
yoylffOlvea,’ '(for ye saw rio manner el*
similitude on tho day that the lots
Wpake unto you in Ilorch out of tho
midst -qf the tlre,)'!e'?t t*e corrupt Jour-
