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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-