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VOL. XXXIII. NO. 22.
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My Dream.
By a sweet vision given,
I saw last night, the loved and lost of yore—
Sweet spirits, chanting now in Heaven,
Praise evermore.
Again, that hallowed spot,
The first my childish feet e’er trod,
I went, with dear ones “who arc not,”
To worship God.
“Hnmble confession make,
Ye, who in truth and tames.ness repent,
Draw near, and to your comfort take
This Sacrament.”
With reverence, we knelt,
Each member of that happy household dear;
With deeply grateful heart, X feit
That all were there.
I 'woke—’twas but a dream—
And yet, reality was shadowed there,
Methinks. The answer it may seem
To earnest prayer.
In God’s own chosen time,
Perehance not distant, I may hope to hear
Celestial music, with the chime
Os voices dear.
Long weary years have gone,
And I still hope, though they have left me
“dußtto dust”—
To meet them near the “Great white Throne,’
With equal trust.
I hope, in that bright land,
Where dwell the blest, with rapture yet to
greet,
And hold, with each one of our household
band,
Communion sweet.
With Parents, Brothers, Friends,
Safe in our Heavenly home I long to be;
With “crown, and robe, and palm,” to spend
Eternity 1
Father, the prayer forgive—
I would not murmur, though this life is sad
and lone—
Teach me to pray: “Submission give,
Thy will be done!”
May Mybti.k.
Bamberg , .S'. C’., May 19M, 1870.
Contributions.
All Consecration.
[concluded. I
Ah Jacob, Jacob, true son of Adam as of
Abraham, how like thee are all, until the
second Adam recreates us anew. The open
ing heavens and tho ascending and descend
ing angels for a time call off his thoughts
from earth, and the first inspiration is “Then
shall the Lord bo my God,” the only reser
vation being “bread to eat and raiment to
put on.” Years pass and tho poor homeless
wanderer that dreamed at Bethel, is rich—
rich by God’s undeserved bounty; so rich,
that ho must wonder, ho could ever have
supposed bread and raiment would satisfy
him; so rich, that he can enrich Esau with
a princely present; so rich, that, alas, for
this very cause God and liis vow seem utter
ly forgotten. Tho vision could move his
soul to vow, but could not change his char
acter-lie was Jacob the subtle supplanter
still. But there was coming, ns comes to
overy man if he will but heed it, a crisis in
his history, the turning point of destiny,
making him the Lord’s or sealing him to
ruin forever. No matter what the procur
ing cause—loss of property, health, kindred
—the man stands “face to face with God,”
and his flesh shrinks in agony and his affec
tions shrivel up under the contact. To
Jacob it was the presence of a great danger
—the meeting with his wronged brother
Esau—but that danger was forgotten, as
are all other ills when tho soul enters on the
mysterious struggle with Deity. Tho pre
paration for meeting Esau completed, he
passes the ford Jabbok—“and was left alone,
and there wrestled a man with him until the
breaking of the day.” Hosea calls him the
‘•angel,” but Jacob says “I have seen God
face to face and my life is preserved.” Call
him the angel of the Covenant, or say the
whole transaction was mythical, the conflict
has its counterpart and is as real, in this
and every other age, as Jacob’s. The great
want of humanity, is God. The soul, bound
less and infinite in its desires, only the In
finite can fully meet them. “My heart and
my flesh crieth out for the living God,”
says David. Wider, deeper, broader, over
topping all else, is this eager cry of Jacob’s—
" Ted me thy name." Who art thou, thou
wondrously mysterious Being ? My youth,
manhood, middle age, ore full of thought
of thee, too deep for utterance. “I am a
worm and no man, a reproach of men, and
despised of the people,” but who art thou ?
I feel after thee in the darkness, “if haply I
might find” thee. “Behold Igo forward,
but he is not there, and backward, but I
cannot perceive him; on the left hand,
where he doth work, but I cannot behold
him : he hideth himself on the right hand,
that I cannot see him.” “Verily thou art a
God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel,
the Saviour.” But struggling on under the
impulse of a true consecration, comes the
victory. ‘ ‘Thy name shall be called no more
Jacob”—the subtlety of character forever
gone,—“but Israel, for as a prince hast thon
power with God and with men, and hast
prevailed.” Checkered still was his life—
it cannot be otherwise—nearing the end, he
said, “few and evil have been the days of
my pilgrimage,” but at the close he could
triumphantly exclaim : “I have waited for
thy salvation, O Lord,” and “safe within
the veil,” all else is hidden, until each of us
joins for himself the ransomed throng. What
was Jacob’s tithe, what was Jacob’s all, in
comparison with this glad consummation of
his fitful, fevered existence ?
Viewing the subject in this light, can any
thing short of an entire consecration meet
the demands of heaven ? What room for
reserving this or that, keeping back any
part of the price ? Talking of pressure and
need, when we are conscious we have all and
abound ? If an Apostle could urge a pover
ty-stricken church, having food and raiment
only, with such to be content, what could
he say to a church having much more than
either ? A church of thousands, who never
dream of denying themselves any sinless
gratification appetite may demand. Who
without stint make ample provision for
dress, recreation, luxury, but who put off
religion, with a dole they ought to be
ashamed to give a beggar.
I have seen a man wince and the brow
contract under the thought of giving ten
cents to a collection, who but a short time
before boasted of spending ten dollars at a
restaurant. “The lust of the flesh, the lust
of the eye and pride of life,” may make any
demand and it is cheerfully met, but Christ’s
cause and the poor are easily put off. See
how the covetous proclivities of unsanctifled
nature crop out even in the Church. One
makes the discovery that a cent a week un
der certain circumstances will make quite a
Sonltmn Christian Adnuair.
sum total of revenue; another begs a quar
ter of a dollar from a certain number to pay
a missionary debt; and many shout over it
as if they had found untold treasures, or the
philosopher’s stone itself. “Surely now
this is the very thing, see how cheap a mat
ter religion is, who can’t be religious at that
rate? And the confident expectation is,
every call will be met, and for a while the
press groans under the acknowledgment of
receipts. But it wont do, there is no cheap
way of being religious; nothing short of
coming near to God, nothing short of en
throning Him in the heart as the Lord will
answer.
The benevolence of the Church in apos
tolic times and some centuries after, grew
out of this consecration, and the religion of
Jesus bid fair to fill the world with disciples
whose every-day life with this inspiration,
would make them a blessing to the world.
But the conflict between good and evil was
not to be decided in a day. The victory
was not to be so easily won, centuries of
darkness were to follow the light, and the
very benevolence of the Gospel became the
means of bringing in that darkness. A de
generate priesthood usod it not for anothers
good, but their own and with it built up the
papacy. We want no accumulated invested
funds for the advancement of Christ’s king
dom, and for the poor—such have ever
proved a curse, driving out the very spirit
of benevolence from the Church. Each in
dividual heart we want to be God’s assessor,
each individual Christian the almoner of
God’s bounty. Men are not to be. judged
in masses—each shall give account for him
self to God—each as a steward of the Lord
must account for bis individual stewardship,
and it is required of stewards, says an apos
tle, “that a man bo found faithful.” Every
earnest heart coming up to the work, and
faithfully putting aside his Lord’s money,
will be surprised at the ease with which it
can be done, much more so than in making
provision for any other debt, and so far
from murmuring at too many calls, will be
always ready to every good work, and gladly
distribute to tho necessities of the saints,
above all, will have a good conscience to
wards God and man, and a more unshaken
trust in Him who has said : “I will never
leave thee nor forsake thee.” To sum up,
we have shown that in all ages and nations
tho tenth of one’s increase or income was
the very lowest amount devoted to God.
Socondly, so far from Christ abrogating the
system, he said : “These ought ye to have
done,” and by claiming the disciples’ all,
shows the claim still paramount. Thirdly,
urged the teachers of religion, both by pre
cept and example, to enforce it. And, lastly,
the gracious results following: by this conse
cration we are made partakers of the divine
nature. It remains but to add that I have
written solely from a sense of duty, and if
but one of all who may read can be induced
to this consecration of his all to God, the
writer will be abundantly rewarded.
A. M Chrietzberg.
Local Preachers Once More.
Asa whole District meeting has unitedly
and decidedly condemned my two articles
on Local Preachers, and one of their num
ber, Rev. P. H. Brewster, has undertaken
to reply to my “wrong premises,’’and “lame
and illogical arguments,” I desire briefly
to discuss the matter a little further, with no
other objeot in view than the good of that
Church, to whom I owe under God, all that
I am or hope to bo.
The reader will remember that those arti
cles did not propose to abolish lay preaching
altogether ; that they expressly forbade the
interference with the present local ministry,
unless it be to elevate them, and give them
more power and authority in the Church; but
to prepare the way in the future for a cur
tailment of the number Os our purely secu
lar preachers, by making it more difficult to
obtain license to preach, and in every in
stance compromit the candidate to the ex
clusive work of the ministry whenever the
Church would provide the ways and means
for their support, and desired their services.
This is the height of our offending, nothing
more.
When, therefore, Bro. Brewster under
takes to advocate abstractly the principles
that in exceptional cases, ministers of the
gospel, have labored with their own hands
to support their families, and yet done
much good in preaching to others, and even
quotes the example of St. Paul to prove it,
he does not touch one of my positions. He
has erected a man of straw upon which to
expend his ammunition, and leaves our cita
del untouched and as firm and impregnable
as the heights of Gibraltar.
What is St. Paul’s true position in refer
ence to this matter ? Read what he says in
1. Cor. ix, 13, 14, “Do ye not know that
they which minister about holy things live
of the things of the temple ? and they
which wait at the altar, are partakers with
the altar ? Even so hath the Lord ordained
that they which preach the gospel should live of
the gospel .” When therefore Paul stopped
awhile at Corinth to make tents, he only did
it to use his own language, “to minister to
my necessities and those that were with mo.”
He did not intend to contravene the ordi
nation of the Lord, as the Rev. Mr. Brew
ster does when he caters to a popular preju
dice of his section, and contends that a sec
ular ministry is more efficient even, than
one who lives of the gospel, because “many
believe (whether justly or not, does not af
fect the case,) that he is more anxious to
get money than to win souls to Christ ? The
local preacher labors under no such suspi
cion and embarrassment.” We quote his
own words.
What logic ? An Itinerant preacher in
the Dahlonega District preaching for money
where the average salary last year, of all
the preachers on that District, was only
S2OB 53 1 Would a man who was not im
pelled by the cry of his own conscigngftj
within him, —“wo is me if I preach not flffiP
gospel”—labor for such a pitiful suln, when
he could make quadruple as much at almost
any of the professions and
the land ? Would not a people who wStfKT
sit and rejoice under a local preacher’s min
istrations because he supported himself,
and charged his own pastor with loving'mon
ey more than he did souls, because he had
to live of the gospel, when that man for
the love of souls sacrificed a better salary
for the pitiful sum of S2OB 53 cents—would
not snch a people convince every unpreju
diced mind, that nothing but the love of
money in the most unchristian aspect possi
ble had led them to such an illogical con
clusion ?
Yea further, if the advocates of a secular
ministry are driven to such subterfuges to
maintain their cause, as to run directly in
opposition to the teaching of St. Paul, and
the command of Christ himself, is it not
high time for the law making power of the
Church to examine well into the wide spread
injury that may grow out of the advocacy
of such principles, and begin to correct the
evil, while there is religion and vitality
enough in the Church to sustain them ?
For there is no doubt, that when St. Paul
said as quoted above, “The Lord hath or
dained, etc., he referred to the commission
given by Christ to his disciples, when he
sent them forth by twos, and told them to
provide neither silver nor gold (i. e. work
at no secular employment,) as the workman
is worthy of bis hire, and when received by
the son of peace remain eating and drink
ing such things as were set before them, but
when not received, and nothing provided
for their sustenance, turn from them, shake
off the dust of their feet, and go to a people
who will receive and support them. We be
lieve that this whole passage without the
- least strain, teaches that no people is worthy
of the gospel who will not support it. But
Bro. Brewster teaches that we should cater
to the prejudices of such people, and have
a secular ministry especially for their bene
fit. My private opinion is we should turn
them over to the Hard-shell Baptists.
*ls it to be wondered at, that in a District
where such sentiments are found, although
aided by the efficient cooperation of 48 local
preachers, the 5000 church members should
pay for the support of her pastors only 50
cents and 7 mills per capita ? Is it at all as
tonishin g tha the little church in Sparta,
with only 130 members should pay by a
large per cent, more to the bishops, super
annuated preachers and missions, domestic
and foreign, than this whole District ? Nor
have we any thing to boast of—on the con
trary, many of us should foel ashamed that
wo do no better.
As further corroboration of tho positions
we have taken on this subject, the General
minutos show, that the secular ministry are
increasing at a much more rapid rate than
the itinerants, and even than the members.
The local preachers now number 4753, with
an increase the last year of 340. The trav
eling ministry with the superannuated num
ber 2674, with an accession of 159 duringlßG9,
while the membership of the Church is
571,241; being an increase of 26,172 for the
last year, equal to 48 per cent, for a decade,
which is considerably above the increase of
population. But at this rate the Itinerants
for the some period increase 59 per cent,
while the local preachers are increasing at
the rate of 77 per cent. Is it not easy to
perceive by all the lovers of Itinerant Meth
odism, that unless this tide is arrested, we
are in danger, before many decades of laps
ing into a well defined Congregationalism.
Does it not also clearly teach that the Gen
eral Conference ought to check the growth
of the ministry, 'as their increase is much
more rapid than that of the membership.
We admit that our ground is new and
somewhat startling, but we find many advo
cates for it among a class, who represent no
“pent up Utica.” We did not expect the
present General Conference to act definitely
upon the question, but when properly ven
tilated and examined in all its bearings, we
shall confidently expect within four years
from the present date that that august body,
will feel itself called npon to make such
changes in our polity as will strengthen the
Itinerancy and reduce tho secular ministry
despite the caveat of the Dahlonega District
meeting, led on and backed up by the Rev.
P. H. Brewster.
E. M. Pendleton.
Sparta, Map 18th, 1870.
The Brunswick Church.
Mr. Editor: —The communication from
Rev. Mr. Fulwood, on the subject of build-'
ing a Methodist church in the city of Bruns
wick, has recently met my eye, and I regard
the enterprise so important that I am led to
suggest a few thoughts endorsing the appeal
made to Methodists in the State, praying for
assistance to carry out the laudable under
taking. All who feel a true regard for the
well-being of Southern Methodism, and
earnestly desire to see our form of Christi
ty take root in new cities, towns and villa
ges, must necessarily respond to this call
from our seaboard city, Brunswick, and at
once contribute of their means to the erec
tion of a suitable house of worship to the
true God. Enable the stationed minister,
by generous donations, to command the ser
vices of a competent architect to place be
fore the people a neat, commodious, and at
tractive building, selecting a central, eligi
ble lot sufficiently capacious for the accom
modation of a Parsonage, which shall cor
respond with the Church. Hitherto our
Methodist people have been too indifferent
to the requirements of our progressive age,
and if we wish to keep abreast with other
Christian denominations, we must in some
measure depart from the “old land-marks,”
and give more attention to external attrac
tiveness, which need not by any means con
flict with inward spiritual growth. The
tastes and feelings of the young must also
be consulted, by introducing good music,
led by those who have a knowledge of the
art, securing harmony in the anthems of
praise we offer. The attendance upon our
ministry will then be increased, and great
good will follow, to the honor and glory of
God’s holy name. May God speed the
Brunswick Church.
An Old Methodist.
Macon, May 22<i, 1870.
Tbe Orphan’s Home.
Dear Advocate : —lt is cheering to one who
loves Jesus, to see such manifest interest tak
en in the proposed Orphan’s Home. Bat how
could it be otherwise among genuine Chris
tians, who feel the impulses of pure reli
gion, as we suppose zealous, working, con
verted Methodists do ? Such a work is the
legitimate offspring of the religion that
emanates from the God of love. It is the
voice of Jesns speaking from the renewed,
happy, loving hearts of his children, “Feed
my lambs.” It is St. James’ “pure and un
defiled religion” visiting the “fatherless and
ygUow iaAhei raffliction.” Snch an idea as the
"DrgAMrßHome never had its origin in man’s
wisdom; men’s wisdom is “earthly, sensual,
devilish,” producing bitter “envying and
every evil work.” Then, it must
biJBBR and stingy. The idea of an Or
phan’s Home spraDg from the wisdom that
is from above, which is “pure, gentle, easy
to be entreated, full of mercy and good
fruits, without partiality and without hypoc
ricy.” Assuming that we Methodists feel
the impulses of the religion that is from
God, the wonder is, not that we have in
contemplation an Orphan’s Home, but that
the work drags so heavily.
I was most deeply impressed a few weeks
ago, with the importance of this noble work.
I visited a lady member of the Methodist
Church—l found her evidently dying with
consumption ; she was a widow and desti
tute, and was suffering great anxiety on ac
count of her five children. She informed
me, that she had given her four daughters
to the Sisters of Charity, and that they were
then in a Convent. It was a charitable in
stitution and they had promised to educate
them—it was the best she could do for them.
PUBLISHED BY J. W. BURKE & 00., FOR THE M. E. CHURCH, SOUTH
MACON, GA., FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 1870.
Shall we thus give up the lambs of our flock?
Does not our manhood forbid it ? Does not
the pure religion we profess forbid it ? Will
the Methodists of Georgia and Florida turn
their backs upon this enterprise of the
Church, saying, “I cannot help”—and still
chew tobacco, rub snuff, drink tea and coffee
and indulge in the soft luxuriance of fine
clothes ?
I am glad to see that-Mrs. Cross, is wield
ing her gifted pen in behalf of this glorious
work. She has in a high degree the art of
pleasing, and has a large place in the affec
tions of the great Methodist family South.
The Advocate, always welcome, is more wel
come when she comes in it. Why are her
visits so few and far between ? I have
thought she was like some good preachers I
have known—their ministrations melt your
heart, feed your soul, start you out re
freshed and invigorated on your journey to
Heaven ; but they never can be induced to
preach when there is any one else who wirf
do it. Orphan’s Friend.
EtlaviUe, Oa.
Brunswick District Meeting.
Mr. Editor: This district meeting ad
journed without taking any definite action'
as to what portions of their proceedings
should be published, and the secretary was
at a loss what to do. It has been suggested
by delegates that some further notice should
be had of the latter parts of its doings. The
various committees made their reports in
due form, and the reports were received and
adopted without any discussion. The re
port of the Committee on Sunday-schools
was a well written document and showed
very plainly that there was a growing inter
est felt in this very important auxiliary to
our operations for the benefit of the rising
generation, and I may say of all the reports,
they breathed the meek spirit of Christianity
and demonstrated clearly that tho preachers
in charge of their various circuits and sta
tions were at their post laboring for the con
version of sinners, and the establishment of
the Church on the sound basis of experi
mental religion.
We had two sermons from Bishop Wight
man. His sermons were clear, logical and
profound, and made a very favorable im
pression on the large crowd that attended
tho services from hour to horn:. Asa pre
siding officer he gave general satisfaction,
and his visit to that young and promising
town will long be remembered for good.
Our venerablo brother, Dr. Pierce, was
with us. His sermons were marked with
the usual depth of thought and the delivery
was with power and demonstration of the
Gospel of Christ. The Sabbath-school ex
ercises on Sabbath afternoon were a success.
The Bishop made a telling speech to the
children, and was followed by Dr. Pierce in
one of his best efforts. The singing was
good, and tho whole affair showed that labor
had been bestowed in the right way, reflect
ing great credit on the superintendents,
teachers and pupils.
Emory College was represented by Dr. A.
Means. The Doctor’s speech before the
meeting was grand, glorious. How sincerely
did I wish that I was a graduate and could
claim old Emory as my alma mater. I was
consoled by the thought that without her
sacred walls there was a number of young
men who would come out some day to join
those already in the field, to bless the world
and the Church by their labors as ministers
of the ever blessed Gospel of Christ.
We left Brunswick Monday morning for
our homes, well pleased with the meeting,
the town, the people—many of us having
renewed old acquaintances, some as far back
as our boyhood days, and the children of
some who were our early associates, who
have gone to their reward on {high, come to
the meeting as delegates, walking in the way
their fathers trod. Those pleasant memo
ries of the past, how refreshing to our spirits
while toiling on in the strength of grace up
Zion’s hill. * H. W. Sharpe, Sec.
General Conference.
DEFERRED DEBATES, REPORTS, ETC., ETC.
Saturday, May 14.—0n the motion to
refer the Report of the Board of Foreign
Missions to the Committee on Missions :
Bishop Marvin said : “I think that just at
this time it is very appropriate that I should
make following remarks. The General
Conference four years ago passed a resolu
tion appointing Brother Harrell Superinten
dent of the Indian Missions, and it occurs
to me that this our special agent should
make some statement concerning his work.
He has been doing a work worthy of the
heroic days of Methodism. He has traversed
a territory as large as one of our largest
States. He has gone at your behest, and it
seems to me becoming, that we hear a state
ment from him. The presence of these
men affords the only point at which yon can
touch the active members of your Foreign
Mission.”
The Rev. John Harrell then said : “I feel
a great delicacy in addressing this General
Conference. Although I was a delegate to
the one held in 1840, and have been present
at several since, yet I have never made a
speech until this morning, and hence, I feel
somewhat embarrassed. But I may remark,
after I received my appointment, in 1866, I
went home and made my arrangements to
extend my labors. The scouts on both sides
had occupied that section of the country,
and had devastated it, so that many of the
tribes were almost in a starving condition.
But as soon as the cannon ceased to roar
they retired, and the Indians returned to
their homes and went to work in earnest
and I believe they are in a better condition
now than before the war. When I com
menced I had no funds. I went through
the Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Creek nations,
and got local preachers to travel among
them, and told them I would pay them
when I got the money. As soon as it was
possible the Secretary furnished a part of
the money that was due, and we lived du
ring the next year on one-half the salary of
the half year that was unpaid in 1861.
Bishop Marvin raised five thousand dollars,
which was judiciously disbursed. After
wards the Board took the subject under con
sideration.
“In reference to the spiritual condition
of the Indians: I have been there since
1831. I started from Memphis on Christmas
day, 1831, to the Arkansas wilds. I organ
ized a circuit. At first it was in the Mis
souri Conference. Indian Territory, Arkan
sas and Missouri were all in one Conference.
Now there is the Indian Mission, Missouri,
St. Louis, Arkansas and Little Rock, all of
which have been formed since 1831. So far
as lam capable of judging, the work was
never so prosperous as now. I believe our
membership is as great or greater than
when the war began. There has been a
yearly increase of from five to eight hun
dred members, and sometimes a thousand.
Now Mefhodism has the field. They look
to us to send them the Gospel. Our vener
able Bishop Marvin had a fine opportunity
of seeing them and preaching to them
through an interpreter.”
Bishop Wight man—“Do you preach in
the Indian language ?”
J. Harrell—“No, sir ; I have never learn
ed an Indian language. I always preach
through an interpreter. We have always
made an effort to instruct them in the En
glish language, and teach them to lose Bight
of their own. They transact business in
the English language; their records are in En
glish. They pass their sentences in English,
and any document is brought forward in
English. I preach through interpreters,
ana they say I preach better that way than
any other. The Chickasaws and Choctaws
speak nearly the same language. ” [He here
introduced some examples of the language,
which are beyond the capacities of the sten
ographic art.] “I"have slept with them
through a whole camp-meeting, with noth
ing but my saddle-bags for a pillow. I have
never made any long report of the condition
of things among them. lam just as safe
and just as happy there as I would be here
in the city of Memphis. I never expect to
be happier until I pass the portals of Eter
nal Life.
“I have been asked if I felt safe among
them. Just as safe as I am here. I have
never received an insult since I have been
among them ; and when I am there I am
just as cheerful and as near heaven, as in
any other place on earth.
“Permit me to say, in closing my remarks,
that, in the opinion of your humble servant,
we are under great obligations to those peo
ple. All this land was once theirs, where
the spires of your churches now pierce the
clouds, purchased, perhaps, for a handfull
of beads. They have been pushed back
and back. They are poor, exceedingly poor.
All we can do is to ease them down to their
graves—send them the gospel, and give
them the hope of eternal life.”
Monday, May 16.—Report No. 1, of tho
Committee on Itinerancy being before the
Conference, Dr. Garland said : The posi
tion in which I find myself is as novel as un
expected. When Dr. Edwards desired me
to sign that resolution, it being in accord
ance with an opinion formed thirty years
ago, I could not refuse, but I considered it
as understood that I was not to be brought
into the discussion. I thought that as my
opinion was formed on the Subject thirty
years ago, perhaps it was not with all the
lights before me ; hence I preferred to act
as a juror, and not an advocate. But you
recollect how the current of the debate
forced me on the floor. lam not a debater
nor a public speaker. I have been all my
life a lecturer in college halls, and hence 1
feel a degree of embarrassment. Being un
accustomed to speaking, the operations of
my mind are somewhat perturbed. Besides
this, lam physically feeble, and I am sure
that I can not develop this subject as I
would wish. I know of no better way of
conducting this argument than by trac
ing the manner in which I came to tho con
clusion, thirty years ago, that the restrictive
rule of two years, worked to the disadvan
tage of the Church.
I have observed the fact that Methodism
has not held its relative strength in towns
and cities where once it was the prevailing
denomination. Its loss in relative numbers
has not always resulted from the influx of a
foreign population —but in a declension from
the Church of the children raised up in it.
The result must be owing to some cause.—
That most commonly attributed and which
I accept, is our deficiency in family religion.
Though bom a Methodist, I was educated
among Presbyterians, I have lived a part of
my life in refined Presbyterian communities.
I have had no other opportunity of coming
to a conclusion in regard to the relative
status of family religion, between us and
the denominations which have partly taken
our ground from us, but by a comparison
between the Presbyterian and Methodist
communities in which I have lived. And
this comparison has satisfied me, that inat
tention to family religion is ono of our de
fects. But this is itself only a proximate
cause of the declension to which I refer.—
Wo must go deeper, and seek for the cause
of our neglect of family religion ; and I
know not to what to refer it but a defective
pastorate. What is a pastorate for, but to
establish and maintain in efficiency, family
religion ? Now that our pastorate is defec
tive is too plain to require argument. It is
against the laws of our nature that a com
parative stranger can exert upon us the
same influence with an old and tried friend.
Every Methodist community receives indeed
with open arms a minister sent to it with
the imprimatur of an Annual Conference,
but that does not entwine about him our
family sympathies. These he has to win in
time by association with his people. And
before this close sympathy is awakened, he is
removed to another field of labor. So then
we are brought down to the brevity of the
pastorate, as the cause of its want of effec
tiveness.
Another fact has forced itself painfully
upon my mind, to wit, that, from among
the members received into our Church, a
considerable proportion fall back into the
world. Why is this ? Does the Holy Spirit
act less efficiently among us than among
others ? Is our gospel less pure and scrip
tural ? Are these parties not soundly con
verted ? We give a negative reply to these
questions; and, if time would allow, I could
trace this deficiency, as the {former one, to
an inefficient pastorate. Our Church organ
ization has looked to aggression more than
to conservation. We have not been too ag
gressive, but we have not properly cared for
the seals the Lord has given to our ministry.
But I must hasten on to another defect.
In the third place, I have observed that
not a few our most able and efficient men
have been driven into speedy location by
this polity of our Church. It is an old say
ing that “two removes are equal to one
burning,” and I have myself witnessed pain
ful losses on that score.
Now, if this analysis is correct in referring
these defects to the brevity of the pastorate
should it not be extended unless greater
evils would result from the change ? And
what are the evils to result from the adop
tion of the resolution as urged by its oppo
nents ? We will consider the most promi
nent ones in order:
1. We have had many panegyrics on the
Itinerancy, and upon the institutions of
Methodism, to which I heartily accord. I
drew in the spirit of Methodism from my
mother’s breast. lam a Methodist by birth,
by investigation and by principle. Nor do
I yield to any one in my love for the Church
and her institutions.
But besides this, we had prophecies that it
would break down the Itinerancy. Prophe
cy is no argument. The ground of the
prophecy may be an argument, but the as
sertion is not.
2. It has been said that the resolution
breaks down the itinerancy. How ? The
answer is, it fixes a man down for ten, fif
teen or twenty years, until he becomes a
planted fossil. Now it does nowuch thing.
It fixes a man for one year only. No man
will drive me from that logical position.
3. It is said that the result will be that
the Bishop will appoint year by year, a man
for the period named. Well, grant he does;
why does he return him ? Because the
good of the Church requires it; and if the
good of the Church requires it, where else
will you have him placed ? To rightly com
prehend this matter, we must inquire into
the principle that underlies the Itinerancy.
That principle is the right of the Church to
dispose of a minister in the manner best
calculated to promote the interests of the
Church. A minister is not to judge of his
fitness to serve any particular congregation,
nor is a congregation to choose its own pas
tor. All must be left with the Church, and
the appointing power must not consult indi
vidual convenience nor local preferences,
unless in harmony with the interests of the
whole work. Now this principle secures us
perfectly against the evil apprehended,
which it does by taking this power out of
the hands of the people, and placing it
wholly in the hands of the Bishops ; and
why ? In order that the general good may
override local interest. And, sir, no Bishop
has a right to appoint a man to a place un
less it is to the best interests of the whole
Church. It is not whether he can serve any
particular Church better than any other
man, for there is no Church but what can
be best served by our best minister; the
principle is, that this man be disposed of to
the best interests of the Church at large.
Now, if it is seen that sending a man back
would be against the interests of the Itiner
ancy and the Church, the Bishop can not do
it This brings the whole turgument in a
nutshell. This is the principle of the Itin
erancy, and I have not heard an argument
that proves that this resolution will at all
violate that principle. Indeed, it is in full
harmony with it. Nobody loves the Itin
erancy more than I. But, sir, if Itinerancy
were to go by the board, I would not give
up Methodism. If only Congregationalism
were left us, I would take its doctrine of sal
vation by faith, and all its kindred doctrines
and simple, heartfelt religion, and stdl ex
pect it to be one of the most favored Church
es of the land.
Another argument which they advance is,
that it acts injuriously on the minister and
makes him a reader instead of a preacher.
Now, if he had been there so long that he
could not sustain the pulpit, could any
Bishop keep him there ? Would not that
be proof that the interests of the Church
required him to be moved ?
Again, it is said that it secularizes a
preacher, and he becomes a broker or a tra
der. Who watch over a minister? Do
not the Bishop?, and would they not remove
a man whenever this should occur ? But is
this true of congregational minister ? Are
they brokers and traders ? Are the facts
in accordance, at all, with This line of ar
gument ?
Again, it is said by this that you would lo
calize talent. It is true, as my venerable
friend (Dr. Pierce) has said, that ho had
done more good moving about than he
would have done if stationed in any one
place all the time. I have no doubt of it,
and for that very reason no Bishop would
have put him down in perpetuity at any one
place. But he might have suffered less in
convenience by moving, every four or six
years, instead of two, and would have been
enabled to show a much more effective pas
toral work, although no man, under the cir
cumstances, ever did that work better.
Another argument presented is that it
will embarrass the Bishops. How ? This
is an assertion, but not an argument.—
Questions of difficulty come up annually,
connected with appointments, as the rule
now is; and if the rule were abolished they
could not come up more frequently.
I did not expect from the delegate from
Baltimore that for the purpose of effect he
would have thrown the advocates of this
resolution into such bad company as tho
Roman Catholics. But let that pass, I
thank him, however, in So doing, for an argu
ment that I had not before thought of. Pro
testants do not hold the Roman Catholic
Church to be a true Church of Christ.—
They look upon her as the great Babylonish
harlot and can not attribute hor success to
any aid of the Holy Ghost. Her vast de
velopment—her tenacity to life, is one of
the greatest problems presented for solution.
It is worthy of study. Without any of
those spiritual aids, upon which other
Churches rely for success, it is the largest
denomination in the world. The secret lies
in the use of men exactly where they are
wanted, and this we claim to be the princi
ple of John Wesley. We only wish to give
it flexibility, and adapt it to the wants of
the Church. The great founder of our reli
gion gave us only general principles, that
the Christian religion might have flexibility
of adaptation to all climes and people. This
is precisely what we want to give to Wesley
an Itinerancy. lam not afraid to trust our
superintendents with this power. When they
fail to discharge with fidelity the proper
functions of their office, it will signify but
little what our institutions are.
I thank the Conference for.their courtesy
in hearing me without limitation of time.
REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS APPOINTED BY THE
' LAST GENERAL CONFERENCE TO CONFER WITH
THE CONVENTION OF THE METHODIST PRO
TESTANT CHURCH, IN MAY, 1867.
Your Commissioners waited on the Con
vention which met in Montgomery Ala.,
in May, 1867, and on presenting their cre
dentials were promptly and courteously re
ceived. The negotiations were conducted
with fraternal cordiality and frankness on
both sides. They, with the result, have
been published at length in the official* pa
pers of the Church, and so generally read
and circulated that we do not cousider it nec
essary to present them in detail.
Though the Commissioners did not suc
ceed in effecting an organic union between
the two Churches, yet they report, with sat
isfaction, that, in official deliberation and
conversation, the difficulties in the way of
organic union seemed to be less than many
supposed; and a very respectable number
of the Convention agreed with your Com
missioners os to the basis on which an or
ganic union might be effected. The harmo
ny of feeling was delightful to us. We felt
that we were among brethren, and our desire
to be one with them in organization as well
as in faith, was increased by our personal
and ministerial intercouse.
Your Commissioners would conclude this
Report with a recommendation that you
adopt the following Resolutions :
Resolved, 1. That the fraternal greetings
of the General Conference of the M. E.
Church, South, are hereby extended to the
General Conference of the Methodist Protes
tant Church now assembled in Baltimore.
2. That tho Rev. J. H. Linn, D. D., Rev.
S. Kepler, and Rev. L. D. Huston, D. D.,
be requested to wait on the General Con
ference of the Methodist Protestant Church,
now in session at Baltimore,'and present the
fraternal greetings of the GeneraljConference
of the M. E. Church, South.
G. F. Pierce,
H. N. MoTyeire,
J. E. Evans,
Leroy M. Lee.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON MISSIONS—NO. I.
In presenting their first Report, the Com
mittee on Missions beg leave to state that,
in entering upon their work, they found
themselves greatly embarrassed by what
seemed to be the natural results of tho sys
tem adopted by the General Conference of
1866, upon the subject of missions. Unwil
ling to propose a radical change in so short
a time, we have sought, by the suggestion
of amendments and modifications, so to
adapt the system of a Foreign and Domes
tic Board to the necessities of the case, as
to continue it at least four years longer.
With the view to accomplish an end so
desirable, the Secretaries of both Boards,
Drs. Munsey and McFerrin, were invited by
the committee to submit their views upon
the subject, which they did, and from which
most important information was obtained.
But, after every effort to continue the
present organization of our missionary work,
we feel compelled, in view of the results of
the last four years’ experience, tho large
debts now demanding settlement, the ex
penses necessarily attending two Boards and
their operations, together with the state of
the country, to recommend, most respect
fully, the following for the adoption of this
General Conference:
SUPPORT OF MISSIONS —SECTION VII.
Article L The missionary operations of
the M. E. Church, South, shall hereafter
be committed to one Board, under the fol
lowing provisions and regulations:
Art. 11. The Board shall consist of the
Bishops of the M. E. Church, South, a Se
cretaiy, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer,
one Manager from each Mission District,
and five Managers to be appointed by the
Bishops. , . .
Art. HL The Secretaries snail be elected
quadrennially by the General Conference.
The Treasurer shall be elected by the Board,
and the District Managers by the delegates
from the Conferences comprising each Mis
sion District. If for any cause, the General
Conference shall fail to meet at the appoint
ed time, the Board shall continue in offioe
nnt.il the next meeting of the General Con
ference.
Art. IV. The Annual Conferences of the
M. E. Church, South, shall be divided into
Mission Districts, as follows:
The First District shall embrace the Bal
timore, Virginia, Western Virginia, Holston,
Kentucky, and North Carolina Conferences.
The Second District shall embrace the
South Carolina, Florida, North Georgia,
South Georgia, Mobile, and Montgomery
Conferences.
The Third District shall embrace the Lou
isville, Memphis, Indian Mission,
Arkansas', Little Rock, Mississippi, and
Louisiana Conferences.
The Fourth District shall embrace the
Texas, West Texas, Northwest Texas, East
Texas, and Trinity Conferences.
The Fifth District shall embrace the Illi
nois, Missouri, St. Louis, California, Colum
bia, and any other Conference which may
be formed.
Art. V. The Board shall have authority
to make by-laws regulating its own pro
ceedings; to appropriate money to defray in
cidental expenses; to provide for the support
of superannuated missionaries, and widows
and orphans of missionaries, who may not
be provided for by any Annual Conference
(it being understood that they shall not re
ceive more than is allowed by the Discipline
toother superannuated ministers, widows,
and orphans); to print books for the Ind&n,
German, and Foreign Missions, build bouses
of worship, sfeliool-liouses, residences for
the missionaries, and defray all other neces
sary expenses incident to the work under its
care. The Board shall also publish, annu
ally, a statement of its transactions and
funds, and lay beforo the General Confer
ence a report of all its transactions and a
statement of its funds up to some conven
ient day near and prior to the time of hold
ing the General Conference.
Art. VI. The Board shall meet annually,
to make appropriations for the ensuing year;
determine what fields shall be occupied as
foreign missions; the number of persons to
be employed in each; estimate the sums
necessary for the support of each mission;
fix the amount which may be drawn for
during the year, and the division of said
amount between the Foreign and Domestio
Missions.
Art. VH. The sums allowed lor tho sup
port of missionaries shall be sufficient to
support them in their work. Tho Board
shall require communications to bo mado
quarterly by each missionary, or from each
mission, to the Secretary, giving informa
tion of the state ■ and prospects of the mis
sions in which they are employed. No one
shall be acknowledged as a missionary, or
receive support from tho Board, who lias
not some definite work assigned him, or
could not be an effective laborer on a circuit,
except as provided for in Art. V.
Art. VIII. The revenue of the Board
shall be derived as follows : from nnnual
collections in every congregate c~, at such
time and in such manner as each Annual
Conference shall direct; from special collec
tions made by the Secretary, and from do
nations and legacies.
Art. IX. Tho Secretary and Correspond
ing Secretary, shall reside at tho placo where
tho Board is located, but may be members
of any Annual Conference or Conferences.
It shall be the duty of the Secretary to
travel as far as possible through the Connec
tion, visiting the Annual Conferences, and
the missions under the care of the Board,
promoting the interests of the missionary
cause. It shall also be his duty to attend to
all the business of the Board with the Gov
ernment of the United States, in relation
to sohools which have been, or may hereaf
ter be committed to its care in tho Indian
country, by tho Department of tho Interior
or Commissioner of Indian Affairs.
It shall be the duty of the Corresponding
Secretary to journalize the proceedings of
the Board; to conduct its correspondence;
to give the missionaries any information
that may be necessary; to prepare for publi
cation in the Church papers, monthly, an
abstract of the proceedings of the Board,
and condensed accounts of the missionary
work, and prepare the Annual Report of the
Board. The salaries of the Secretary and
Corresponding Secretary shall be fixed by
the Board.
Art. X. The Treasurer shall hold all the
funds of the Board in safe deposit, which
deposit shall be mode by him os an officer of
the Board, subject to his drafts os such, and
his successors in office. He shall also furn
ish an annual report, to be published with
the annual report of the Secretary.
Art. XI. In case of vacancy occasioned
by death, resignation or otherwise, in tho
Board, such vacancy shall bo filled by the
Board, until the ensuing ' General Confer
ence.
Art. XH. Nine members at an annual meet
ing of the Board, and five members at a
called meeting, shall constitute a quorum.
Art. XIII.—I. It shtdl be the duty of
each Annual Conference to organize a Con
ference Board of Missions, which shall ap
point its own officers and regulate its own
administration, subject to the provisions of
this Constitution. Eaoh Conference Board
shall pay all its funds into the treasury of
the General Mission Board. It shall also
furnish the General Mission Board an annual
report containing the number and names,
and an account of the condition of all the
missions within its bounds.
2. It shall be the duty of each Annual
Conference Board, to make the estimate of
the amount necessary for the support of
each mission within its bounds, for which
amount the President of the Conference
shall draw upon the general treasury, pro
vided the sum shall not exceed two-thirds of
the amount raised the previous year for
missions by said Conference. Appropria
tions exceeding this sum must be made by
the General Board.
3. Each Annual Conference shall desig
nate tho time and manner in which collec
tions for missions shall be taken up within
its bounds. The collections shall be so
taken as to enable each contributor to give
such direction «to his donations as he may
desire, and the amounts so contributed shall
be distinguished in the reports of the Trea
surer.
4. It shall be the duty of Each Presiding
Elder to bring the subject of missions be
fore the District meeting, and also before
the quarterly conference of each circuit and
station within his district. Each quarterly
conference shall appoint a committee, of not
less than three nor more than five, on mis
sions, of which the preacher in charge shall
be chairman, whose duty it shall be to assist
the preacher in raising missionary money.
5. It shall be the duty of the preacher in
charge of a circuit or station, to institute
monthly missionary prayer-meetings, and to
encourage the formation of juvenile mis
sionary societies in all the Sabbath-schools
within his charge.
Art. XIV. This Board shall be located
and domiciled in
Art. XV. This Constitution shall not be
altered or amended but by a majority of the
General Conference.
Jesse Boring, Chairman.
Memphis, May 17«JL870.
report of the on revisal—no. vn.
The committee on Revisal beg leave to of
fer Report Noi 7.
Your committy have had under consider
ation a variety of resolutions referred to us
by the General Conference, and report upon
them as follows:
1. A resolution signed by C. J. Vande
venter and Jas. H. Birch, proposing a change
in Hie Discipline on page 97, respecting the
Presidency of a Church Conference, the
committee recommend non-concurrence.
2. A resolution by Thomas W. Whitehead
G. G. Dibrell and A. G. Brown, proposing
to change the Discipline, chapter 2, section
1, answer 1, thus changing the ratio of Rep
resentation from one to every twenty-eight
to one for every fifty members of the Annual
Conference; provided that every Annual
Conference shall be entitled to one clerioal
and one lay delegate, your committee re
commend non-concurrence.
3. A resolution by H. A. C. Walker and
W. H. Fleming, recommending: First, To
insert in chapter 2, section 3, question 1,
answer 1, “Secretary of Church Meeting,”
before “Superintendent;” voted not to con
cur. Second, On page 56, second item, to
insert tho word “Religious,” before “ Ser
vices;” your committee find this provided
for in the new arrangement. Third, That
wherever the words “Quarterly Meeting"
occur, to strike ojtrt“lto^in^^^i^oß<--rt
all after the word “ let ” be stricken out.
The oommittee recommend that answer 13,
page 10, N. A., be changed so as to read,
“ The report of the Trustees shall be made
to the quarterly conference, in writing, and
shtdl be recorded on the Journal.” Fifth,
In page 69 of the Discipline to strike out
figure “6” and paragraph following, and
conform the succeeding notation thereto.
In this the committee do not concur,because
the requisite change was already provided
for. Sixth, That on page 71 of the Disci
pline, line 1, after “Report,” insert “Or
cause to be reported;” with this recommen
dation the committee do not concur. Sev
enth, That on page 240 of the Discipline,
figure “4 ” be stricken out; also the para
graph following, thus leaving the whole
matter of salary, etc., with the stewards and
pastor, as the Discipline provides on page
248, second paragraph. The committee do
not concur as this matter was already pro
vided for.
4. A resolution from the East Tennessee
Conference, asking that chapter 2, section
10, question 2, N. A, answer —, be changed
so that a local preacher may be eligible to
Deacon’s orders, when he shall have {Reach
ed two years, and that the answer to ques
tion 3, same page, to be changed that alocal
deacon maybe eligible to Elder’s orders two
E. H. MYERS, D. D., EDITOR
WHOLE NUMBER 1803.
years from the date he is elected to Deacon’s
orders. In neither of these recommend i
tions do your committee concur.
5. A paper signed by R. 8. Moran and N.
F. Reid, asking for changes in the Discipline
on page 249, relative to the appointment of
members to the Joint Board of Finance;
your committee find this matter already pro
vided for in the new arrangement.
6. A resolution signed by O. Fisher and
T. 0. Barton, asking that the provision of
the Discipline that commits the trial and
conviction of a member of a conferer co to a
committee, be so changed ns to place that
matter in the hands of the Conference and
of ministers of the some grade. To this re
quest the committee do not agree.
7. A paper by T. L Roswell and J. M.
Mask, proposed to chars ge chapter 6, section
5, answer 1, page 24, N. A., by inserting af
ter the word “Case,” “Provided if in any
case said committee should refuse or neglect
to do their duty the preacher in charge shall
proceed to investigate the report, etc.;” to
this proposition the comniitteo do not agree.
8. The resolution by H. H. Montgomery
and R. Abbey, proposed a change in chapter
C, section 2, question 1, answer 1, by adding
“And when the circumstances are such that
the accused cannot be tried at tho session
of the Conterenco, the court of trial shall be
appointed to try the case during the interval,
etc.*c this" proposal your committee do
not agree, as they judge that such trial by
committee cannot tako placo during the in
terval of Conference under the law in the
cose.
9. A resolution by W. Shapard and J. B.
Cottrell, proposed such a chango in the Dis
cipline as will make a member holding a let
ter of membership amenable to the Church
granting tho letter; with this proposal the
committee do not concur.
All of which is respectfully submitted.
J. Hamilton, Chairman.
report or committee on education —NO. IV.
On the memorials respecting a course of
study for local preachers, the committee bogs
leave to report as follows:
Resolved, 1. That a course of study be pre
scribed for local preachers by the Board of
Bishops, which shall bo substantially the
same as that prescribed for itinerant minis
ters.
2. That on page 15, New Arrangement of
the Discipline, chapter 3, section 11, the
answer to question 2 be amended by substi
tuting for “four years,” “two years,” and
for “proper examination," “npproved ex
amination before a committee appointed by
the Presiding Elder, of which he shall be
chairman, upon the course of study pre
scribed by the Bishops.
3. That, on the same page (15,) the an
swer to question 3 be amended by substitu
ting, for “four years,” “two years,” and for
“ proper examination,” “ approved examina
tion before a committee to be appointed by
the Presiding Elder, of which he shall be
chairman, upon the course of study pre
scribed by the Bishops.”
Respectfully submitted.
Charles Taylor, Chairman pro tern.
report op committee on education—-no. v.
On th. memorial of Wm. Headen, (a mem
ber of this General Conference, and Agent
of the Corpus Christi Mole and Female Acad
emy) whim was presented to the Conference
and referred to this committee, it reports:
That the importance of this Institution to
the interest of Protestant Christianity in the
region where it is located, can hardly be
over-estimated.
Situated at the farthest point in the South
west where we have a ministerial charge, on
the very confines of Mexico, in the midst of
a population mostly Roman Catholic, bul
which, being greatly disaffected toward its
own priesthood, is now ripe for the intro
duction of Protestantism, it presents one of
the most inviting fields for missionary laboi
within our reach. Since, therefore, by the
instrumentality of this Institution, many
children of Protestant parents are being re
covered from Romanism, and many more
Roman Catholic children and youth may be
readily brought under our influence, be it—
Resolved 1. That we regard this educa
tional enterprise as highly important to the
success of a pure Christianity in the extreme
Southwost.
2. That we not only heartily approve, but
do most earnestly commend it and its claims
as presented by its agent, Bro. Wm. Headen,
to the wannest sympathy and generous lib
erality of our people.
3. That some measure be token at this
session looking ro the immediate relief of
the Corpus Chnsti Male and Female Acad
emy. Charles Taylor, Chair, pro tom,
A Little Help.
Human arithmetic cannot compute the
value of a moderate gift bestowed at the right
moment npon a deserving person.
It has made many a mechanic, or trades
man, or farmer, a successful man and an or
nament to society, who otherwise would
have settled down into despair and uttei
thriftlessness. It has saved many a noble
intellect for the service of society in the cir
cles of professional life, or literature, which,
without it, would have sank into some ob
scure cavern of uselessness and crime.
Nor is the luxury of this enlightenod be
nevolence confined to the rich. You who
have no money to give, give counsel, sym
pathy, support. A word fitly spoken at tho
right time has often saved a soul from death
and i covered a multitude of sins. If yon
have but a kind word, an encouraging smile,
or a friendly pressure of the hand,to bestow
upon any needy, straggling, tempted soul,
give it freely, and trust gracious heaven for
the result. “In the morning sow thy seed,
and in the evening withhold not thy hand;
for thon knowest not whether shall prosper
either this or that.”
“ It Is a little thing to speak a phrase
Os common comfort, which by daily use
Has almost lost Its senss; yet on the ear
Os him who thought to die unnoticed, t’wlll fall
Like choicest music; fill the glazing eye
With gentle tears: relax the knotted hand
To know the bonas of fellowship again ;
And shed on the departing soul, a sense
More precious than the benison of friends,
About tbe honored deathbed of the rich.
To bin who else were lonely—that another
Os tho great family is near, and feels.”
How to Keep up Fervor— Older clergy
men have their own dangers, some of them
perhaps even worse than those of beginners
in the ministry. Having to set forth the
same truths to the same flock all through
the year, they have ever to keep watch on
themselves, lest the duties of their office
should be performed iu a merely mechanical
and formal manner. I have heard of a good
core for this evil, which a venerable clergy
man once told me he used for himself.—
When he was asked how he fonnd it possible
daring the many years he had preached ev
ery Sabbath, to speak with the same fervor
and earnestness with which he had delivered
his first sermon, he replied, “I have ever
borne in mind, when about to perform di
vine service, that there might possibly be
some individual present who had entered
that church for the last time in his life, and
that, through God’s blessing, it might be
my words which would prove the saving of
his soul.”— Ottilie Wildermulh.
Books, regarded merely os a gratification,
are worth more than all the luxuries on earth.
A taste for literatnre secures cheerful occu
pation for the unemployed and languid
hoars of life; and how many persons,- in
these hours, for want of innocent resources,
are now impelled to coarse pleasure? How
many yonng men can be fonnd, who, unao
customed to find a companion in a book,and
strangers to intellectual activity, are almost
driven, in the long evenings, to haunts of
intemperance and bad society?
The minstrelsy of Psalms, hymns, and
spiritual songs, has often brought the Chris
tian out of a state of mind in which prayer
seemed a labor and a drudgery, (if not an
impossibility,) into that calm and holy frame
in which he could again put forth spiritual
energies and renew his interrupted converse
with God.
Enjoy the blessings of the day, if God
sends them: and the evils bear patiently and
sweetly. For this day only is ours; we are
dead to yesterday; and we are not bom to
morrow.—Jeremy Taylor.
Christians, if you be poor in this world
you should be rfoh in faith; end if you be
rich in this world, be poor in spirit.