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three dollars per annum.
VOL. XXXIII. NO. 36.
Contributions.
Beneficence—No. VIII.
BY A. M. CHRIETZBEBG, SO. CA. CONFERENCE.
As seen in the days cf The Baptist.
.Tolm’s dispensation was intermediate with
that of Moses and fully revealed Christiani
ty. He came in “the spirit and power of
Elias;” a ministry of rebuke scathing in its
denunciations, yet full of promise to the
penitent. Its burthen was: “Repent ye,
for „tlie kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Deeds, not words, should mark the change
repentance induced. Fruit, good fruit, was
demanded, and the axe was laid to the root
of the tree not producing it. Christ’s win
nowing fan was to separate the chaff and
wheat —the one for his gamer, the other for
the flame. True piety was to be altogether
of a different type to that prevailing. What
the world has considered religion of the
highest order was to be proven no religion
at all. Stripped of its disguises, it was to
stand forth as loathsome selfishness —em-
bodied and existing in that or any other
age was given over to destruction—the lov
ing Saviour not scrupling to say to its repre
sentatives, “Ye serpents, ye generation of
vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of
hell V’ John denounced them likewise —
these men of words of promise but whose
deeds were evil. They respected the har
binger of Messiah; it might be profitable to
do so. They came in crowds to his bap
tism. They thought this ascetic of the
desert rather a singular herald of so potent
a prince, but no matter; self interest should
be well guarded, for who could tell what
the emoluments of Messiah’s kingdom might
be. John’s baptism was unto repentace;
but what had they to repent of ? How pos
sibly bring forth fruit meet for repentance
when there was no room for humility, bro
ken-heartedness, self renunciation or self
abhorrence? So they “rejected the counsel
of God against themselves, not being bap
tised of him.” They were covetous, and
derided the Saviour when he condemned.
“They loved the praise of men more than
the honor that cometh from God.” “God
was not in all their thoughts,” not in any
of them, only as found in their ritualistic
rubrics. They had a future, and doubtless
looked forward to it; but its boundaries was
the grave. All beyond was darkness, si
lence—nothinf/. They received their re
ward—whether they thought it remunera
tive or not, the final judgment will reveal.
John's work was destruction; “Ho east
down to rebuild, seeking the preparation of
a people to be “created anew in Christ
Jesus.” Water properly symbolized his
dispensation, the washing away the past.
Tim Greater than he had another baptism—
lire, the symbol—indicative of a far greater
change, the renovation of heart and soul
by a more heavenly life. Yet inferior as
was his dispensation to that of the Holy
Ghost, it is evident he considered an en
larged beneficence one of its best fruits.
When asked by the people “What shall
we do V” He replied, “He that hath two
foutn let him impart to him that hath none,
and ho that, bath meat, let him do likewise”
—words certainly having some meaning, not
rnearly an interpolation of the sacred text,
or as entirely irrelevant to a religious life.
They evidently inculcate a larger benevo
lence than the old tithes nnd offerings, or
they do not. If they do not, it was hardly
worth while to make them a specialty; and
tho “ These things ought ye to have dime" of
the Saviour might have sufficed. But stand
ing on tho verge of the old religion, con
fining its mercy to a single nation, and look
ing forward to a grace to be offered tho world,
we cannot but believe as it was to tako in a
wider sweep of humanity, so tho means of
blessing were to bo increased likewise.
I can just now consult but two expositors.
Burkitt says, “This is not to be understood
strictly as if the command required ns to
give the clothes off our backs to every one
wanting them.” Evidently not; for that
would be loving one’s neighbor belter than
one’s self. John does not advise that; he
is speaking of two coats; in that warm cli
mate two would hardly bo worn at once; so
there’s nothing said of giving tho clothes
oft’ one’s back at all. Yet even if done, and
the freezing cold endured for another’s
warmth, would it not evidence one’s unself
ishness and be deemed worthy of reward?
Mr. Watson says, “The precept is not to
bo understood literally as though it woro a
crime to have two coats.” But with all due
deference, John is not speaking about the
criminality of wealth, but its distribution.
So that to my humble conception and sim
plicity it seems that if a man has grace
enough to mark the divine ownership in
himself by the consecration of one-half his
property to God, it is a good fruit attesting
his sincerity, and commendable by him who
gave his life for the world.
What, half ! Give away half his goods !
Who ever heard the like ? Did any of sound
mind over do] it ? I think so. Aliasuerus
proffered half his kingdom to his beautiful
Esther, and Herod did the like to a danc
ing girl. Both heathen—knowing nothing
of the divine love and immortal hope of the
believer. Zaccheus actually did it, nnd re
joiced in doing it. And though not belong
ing to the period under review, may be dwelt
on a moment. Zaccheus, glad Zaccheus,
and why? Because he was rich ? “Assur
edly,” says he “who covetetli an evil cove
tousness to his house.” How else shall he
‘ ‘set his nest on high ?” How else shall he
be “delivered from evil ?” But gain ill
gotton ruins the possessor. He cannot es
cape judgment—swift witnesses shall testi
fy; “for the stone shall cry out of the wall,
nnd the beam out of tho timber shall answer
it.” O no, he was one of the few knowing
what riches could do, and what they could
not do. But highly esteemed, only a publi
can—and because so, a sinner—under the
ban, to be avoided, crushed may be. Yet
would he seo Jesus. But little of stature,
the crowd will not give way. Why should
they ? If he stays where he is, he will miss
his hope. Running before, he climbs a tree
and longingly awaits tho coming of the
Lord. Who in all the throng regards him ?
None ? One does—the warmest, noblest
heart that ever throbbed in linman bosom.
Christ was in sympathy with Zaccheus.
Making it known, the tide of feeling breaks
forth, and his secret with it. Tho man sus
pected, loathed, scorned as an oppressor,
with high hopes of immortality and burn
ing love to the Saviour tells of the past:
“Lord half of my goods I give to the poor,”
promising fourfold restitution to any justly
accusing him of fraud. Salvation come to
his house, his eyes filled with tears and his
glad heart danced with joy. Well may we
call him “Glad Zaccheus.” Half of one’s
goods ! Why such bliss were cheaply pur
chased at the sacrifice of all.
“Thy commandment is exceeding broad”
W ould that all Christians understood it
and that the law of love governed their life.
&*n(becn Cfciisltsw
An old English divine remarks, “The Chris
tian’s superfluity must give place to his
neighbor's convenience; his convenience
veil to his neighbor’s necessity, his very ne
cessity yield to his neighlxir’s extremity.”
That is, if I understand it, if he have but
a half loaf and his neighbor is starving, he
is bound to divide it with him. I have read
of a traveler asking food and lodging of a
poor widow; it was cheerfully accorded. A
loaf of bread—all her store—was already
shared with her children—the smaller por
tion reserved for herself, was divided with
the hungry man. “Good woman” said he,
“is this all yon have ? And do you share
it with me ? I have never seen such charity
before.” “Ah, sir,” said she,” I have a
poor boy wandering the earth; should he be
hungry and ask bread to be denied, how
would I feel ?”—the mother’s ardent love
beholding in all distressed tho imago of her
child. And this was her child. “Mother,”
he exclaimed, “I have come back; God
blessing me with enough and you shall
never know want any more.” If mere
natural affection can induce the like, what
will not the abounding love of God accom
plish ?
From the Nashville Christian Advocate.
The Witness of the Spirit.
Our attention has been called to an article
in the Christian (Quarterly for July, on
“Christian Experience,” in which the wri
ter, a Campbellite, denies that “any man
can say with propriety, ‘I know that lam a
child of God, and an heir of an immortal
life.’” He endeavors to bring odium upon
the doctrine of the witness of the Spirit,
by identifying it with the dyspeptic vagaries
of one Elder Taylor, a Baptist, and tho in
sane and blasphemous ravings of the poor
deluded beings known as Shakers. He goes
into a long metaphysical discussion of faith
and knowledge, shutting out knowledge
from all part or lot in the matter. It would
be a bootless business to follow him in this
pseudo - philosophical disquisition, as it
would be little more than u mere logomachy
—a useless war of words. He may talk as
much as he pleases about the “loose em
ployment ot the term known in several
senses in tho Bible,” every unprejudiced
reader of the sacred book, learned or un
learned, sees clearly enough that the Scrip
tures speak of a work of grace in the heart
which, as the result, or effect, of faith, is
tho subject matter of knowledge—of con
sciousness : “He that believeth on tho Son
of God hath tho witness in himself.”
We affirm that the Holy Spirit can and
does act directly and immediately upon the
spirit of man. Ho did this by communi
cating new ideas to tho minds of the pro
phets, 2 Pet. i. 21; by recalling things pre
viously known to the apostles, John xiv. 26;
and ho does this in the case of every man
by a moral influence which all men expe
rience, and without which there could be
no virtue in the world. All the lovely traits
of innocent childhood, and all that is mor
ally commendable among the heathen, come
from his influence. We derive nothing but
moral evil from Adam the first; all that is
good in us comes from the Second Adam,
and that through the agency of tho Holy
Spirit, who “worketh in ns to will and to do
of his good pleasure.” He opposes the an
tagonism of sin and Satan, so that tho voice
of conscience can be heard, even in the e:iso
of those who have not tho Bible. Kom. ii.
14, 15. He prepares the soil of tho heart
for the reception of the good seed, which is
the word of God, and waters it when it is
sown. If we yield to his influences, he so
operates on our moral consciousness as that
we realize our filial relation to God. He
“sheds abroad the love of God in our
hearts.” Bom. v. 5; “beareth witness with
our spirit that wo are tho children of God,”
Bom. viii. lfi; enables us to cry “Abba
Father,” Gal. iv. ft; seals us for heaven, 2
Cor, i. 21, 22: Eph. i. .18, 14; iv. 30; and
causes us to realize such moral changes as
imply a state of grace : “For our rejoicing
is this, the testimony of our conscience,
that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not
with fleshly wisdom, but by tho grace of
God, we have our conversation in the world. ”
2 Cor. i. 12.
Now we must get anew Bible, or at least
anew Dictionary, if this is nothing but
faith, and not knowledge at all. “Wo have
known and believe tho lovo that God hath
to us.” 1 John iv. 1(5. “W T e know that we
are of God.” 1 John v. ii). “Beloved,
now are we the sons of God.” 1 John iii. 2.
It seems to ns that it is not very compli
mentary to the inspired writers to say that
they used this language in a “loose” sense
—it smacks too much of the blasphemy of
neologists. It is impertinent to talk about
sense-perception, the vital sense, conscious
ness, and intuition, as tho only sources of
knowledge; and it is begging the question
to exclude the Holy Spirit from the realm
of consciousness. However this knowledge
of divine things may differ from that which
is acquired by intuition, sense-perception,
and the vital sense, the Scriptures style it
“knowledge,” and we seo no good reason to
repudiate the terminology of the Holy
Spirit. Wo are conscious of the moral
changes which take place within us under
the influence of the Holy Spirit, who is
given unto us as “the Spirit of wisdom and
revelation in the knowledge of God, the eyes
of our understanding being enlightened so
that we may know what is the hope of his
calling, anil what the riches of the glory of
his inheritance in the saints.” Eph. i. 17,
18. This is represented by the apostle as
the effect, not the object, of faith, verses
18, li).
We may observe that this doctrine of the
witness of the Spirit, resulting in a con
scious sense of our acceptance with God, is
inculcated in all tho forms in which truth is
set forth in tho Holy Scriptures.
It is set forth by plain dogmatic utterances;
“Wo know that we areof God.” “Beloved,
now are we tho sons of God.” “We know
that wo are of God.” 1 John iii. 2; v. 19.
Cf. Rom. viii. 1-17, 26, 27.
It is inculcated by argument. It is ar
gued to in Gal. iv. 6. Our filial relation to
God is assumed, and from it follows this
privilege; “Because ye are sons, God hath
sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your
hearts, crying, “Abba, Father.” Gal. iv. 6.
The agency is divine, direct, immediate, in
ternal, emotional, satisfactory. God has
made us his children, through faith, and
therefore ho communicates to us, by his
Spirit, a knowledge of tho fact. Then it is
argued from in Rom. viii. “Ye have receiv
ed the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry,
•Abba, Father. The Spirit itself bearetli
witness with our spirit, that we are the chil
dren of God. And if children then heirs,
heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.”
We should not be able to claim our heaven
ly inheritance, if we did not know that we
were tho children of God. We might have
a vague belief that “there remaineth a rest
to the people of God;” but we have no
ground for rejoicing on that account, unless
wo know that we are numbered with his
people here, and that if faithful we shall be
numbered with his saints in glory everlast
ing. Knowing that we are “children,” we
know that we aro “heirs.”
It is inculcated by precept. The Bible
abounds with commands and exhortations
to this effect: “Let Israel rejoice in him
that made him; let the children of Zion be
joyful in their King.” Ps. cxlix. 2. “Re
joice because your names are written in
heaven.” Luke x. 20. “Repent, and be
baptized every one of yon in the name of
Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and
ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
“Repent ye, therefore, and be converted;
that your sins may be blotted out, when lor
so that] the times of refreshing shall [or
may] come from the presence of the Lord.”
Acts ii. 38; iii. 19. “Rejoicing in hope.”
“Anil hope maketh not ashamed, because
the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts,
by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us.”
Rom. xii. 12; v. 5. “Rejoice in the Lord
alway; and again I say, Rejoice.” Phil. iv.
4. “Rejoice evermore.” 1 Tliess. v. 16.
“We desire, that every one of you do show
the same diligence, to the full assurance of
hope unto the end. ” Let us draw near with
a true heart in full assurance of faith, hav
ing our hearts sprinkled from an evil con
science, and our bodies washed with pure
water.” Heb. vi. II; x. 22. Now, the state
of experience which is here set forth, and
which all are exhorted to seek, involves the
“knowledge of salvation by the remission
of sins.” It is thus not only a privilege,
but a duty, and if a duty it is attainable.
No one cun rejoice in God unless he knows
that he is “accepted in the Beloved.” To
be happy, I must know that God’s anger is
turned away from me, and that he comfor
teth me. It is, indeed, good news to any
sinner to know that there is forgiveness with
God; but I must feel and know that I have
fulfilled the condition on which the act of
forgiveness is suspended, before I can re
joice in his pardoning love. “Therefore
being justified by faith, we have peace with
God through our Lord Jesus Christ; by
whom also we have access by faith, into this
grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope
of the glory of God.” Rom. v. 1, 2.
It is set forth by promise. “All thy chil
dren shall be taught of the Lord, and great
shall bo the peace of thy children. ” Isa.
liv. 13. In our Lord’s indorsement and ap
plication of this promise, he shows that this
teaching is not merely the outward teaching
of the word, but it is the inward teaching
of the Spirit: “It is written in tho prophets.
And they shall bo all taught of God. Every
man therefore that hath heard, and hath
learned of the Father cometh unto me.”
John vi. 45. “They shall all know me—
saith the Lord; for I will forgive their in
iquity, and I will remember their sin no
more.” Jer. xxxi. 34. That this knowledge
consists in something besides such an ac
quaintance with God as may be gained by
reading and crediting tho Scriptures, is evi
dent from the preceding verso: “I will put
my law in their inward parts, and write it in
their hearts.” Cf. Heb. viii. 10 —12. “I
will pray the Father, and he shall give you
another Comforter, that he may abide with
you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom
the world cannot receive, because it seetli
him not, neither knowetli him; but ye know
him, for he dwelleth with you, and shall be
in you.” “He that lcveth me shall be loved
of my Father, and I will love him, and will
manifest myself unto him—and we will
come unto him, and make our abode with
him.” John xiv. 16—23. The inspired
apostle puts very “loose” language into the
mouth of the Lord, if he did not intend to
promise such inward tuition and inspiration
of the Holy One, osgiveth understanding in
tho things of God. It is preposterous to
tidk about being thus “filled with the
Spirit,” and yet knew nothing about it! A
mere matter of faith, forsooth, resulting
from a perusal of the written word!
The doctrine is set forth, too, in the way
of threatenings. “Tho Lord Jesus shall be
revealed from heaven, with his mighty an
gels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on
them that know not Goil, and that obey not
the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2
Tliess. i. 7—9. “But he that lacketh these
things, is blind, and cannot see afar off, and
hath forgotten that he was purged from his
old sins.” 2 Pet. i, 9. Ignorance of God
is only criminal, when he may be known;
anil then it is criminal, because we cannot
worship, love, or obey, an unknown God.
We do not undervalue that knowledge of
God which is acquired by the study of na
ture, providence, and the Scriptures; but
that may bo possessed by those who neither
worship, love, nor obey him; w'hile that
which results from an experience of his
grace and the inward testimony of his Spirit,
leads infallibly to the performance of our
whole duty toward him. Those, therefore,
who say that it is a hard case that wo should
be punished for a lack of this knowledge,
would do well to reflect that those who can
not attain it will not be held guilty, while
those who can, show great ingratitude in
not seeking its possession, sinco the Holy
Spirit is offered as their teacher, and they
are chargeable with constructive rebellion,
ns, without it, it is impossible to keep the
perfect law of liberty—to serve God without
fear, in holiness and in righteousness before
him. Thus old John Bunyau understood
the case, when he represents Ignorance, who
fumbled in his bosom for tho roll, or certi
ficate, which he did not possess, as taken
from the very gates of heaven and cast into
hell.
One of the mast impressive and effectual
methods of inculcating any doctrine, is to
make it the subject-matter of prayer. The
inspired writers would not pray, or exhort
others to pray, for anything that is unattain
able—they were not so Quixotic, so fanatical
as that! Let us see what language they used
when they talked to God. Hear how the
great apostle prayed for the Ephesian
Church: “Therefore I also, after I heard of
your faith in tho Lord Jesus, and love unto
all tho saints, cease not to give thanks for
you, making mention of you in my prayers,
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Father of glory, may give unto you the
Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the
knowledge of him: the eyes of your nnder
, standing being enlightened, that ye may
know what is the hope of his calling, and
what the riches of the glory of his inheri
tance in the saints. ” “For this cause I bow
my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven
and earth is named, that he would grant
unto you according to the riches of his
glory, to be strengthened with might, by his
Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may
dwell in your hearts by faith, that ye being
rooted and grounded in love, may be able
to comprehend with all saints, what is the
breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
and to know the love of Christ, which pass
eth knowledge, that ye might be filled with
all the fullness of God. Now unto him that
is able to do exceeding abundantly above all
that wo ask or think, according to the power
that worketh in us, unto him be glory in
the Church by Christ Jesus, throughout all
ages, world without end. Amen.” We are
utterly amazed at any men, who profess and
call themselves Christians—to say nothing
of their claiming a kind of monopoly of the
name—who will affirm, in the face of these
imperial, magnificent passages, that we can
only have faith in God, and no knowledge
of him—no spiritual communion with him!
Verily, Paul was the “loosest” writer that
ever put pen to paper or parchment, if he
did not intend to assure the Ephesians that
an immediate, direct, internal, divine influ
ence might ho realized in them; and that it
was to bo experienced in answer to prayer—
other conditions, of course, being fulfilled.
In the same tenor, too, does Paul pray for
the Colossian brethren: “We do not cease
to pray for you, and to desire that ye might
be filled with the knowledge of his will, in
all wisdom and spiritual understanding: that
ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all
pleasing, being fruitful in every good work,
and increasing in tlip knowledge of God:
strengthened with all might according to his
glorious power, unto all patience and long
suffering with joyfulness; giving thanks unto
the Father, which hath made ns meet to be
partakers of the inheritance of the saints in
light: who hath delivered us from tho power
of darkness, and hath translated us into the
kingdom of his dear Son, in whom we have
redemption through his blood, even the for
giveness of sins.” Col. i. 9—14. And all
this, forsooth, is to be resolved into mere
faith in the written word, and immersion
superadded. No real knowledge—no in
ward experience—no joy and peace in be
lieving! See also tho apostle’s opening and
closing benedictions: “Grace be unto you,
and peace from God our Father, and tho
Lord Jesus Christ.” “The grace of the
Lord Jesus Christ, and'the lovo of God, and
tho communion of the Holy Ghost, be with
you all.” Cf. Num, vi. 22—27.
One would naturally expect to find that the
truth in question would have an exempla
ry illustration in Scripture—as teaching by
example is a most effective way of impart
ing instruction. Now, apart from all mi
raculous, divine communications, we find
that such a knowledge of God, as results
from the tuition of the Spirit, and leads to
joy and obedience, was possessed by the
people of God in every age. Abel ‘ ‘obtained
witness that he was righteous;” Enoch
“walked with God,” and “had this testimo
ny, that he pleased God;” “Abraham be
lieved God, and it was counted unto him for
righteousness”—and he knew that he was
justified by his faith. “Even as David also
describeth the blessedness of the man, unto
whom God imputetli righteousness without
works, saying, Blessed are they whose in
iquities are forgiven, and whose sins are
covered. Blessed is the man to whom the
Lord will not impute sin.” Rom. iv, I—B.
• PUBLISHED BY J. W. BURKE & CO., FOR THE M. E. CHURCH, SOUTH
MACON, GA., FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1870.
David thus relates his own experience, be
ginning with the third person, gliding beau
tifully into the first—“thou forgavest the
iniquity of my sin”—and then declaring it
as the common privilege of all that trust in
the Lord : “Be glad in the Lord, and re
joice, yo righteous; and shout for joy, all
vo that are upright in heart.” Ps. xxxii.
Indeed, David in his Psalter runs through
the gamut of experience, from the lowest
“depths” of sorrow, “the horrible pit,” all
through tho ascending scale to the highest
note of ecstasy, which rises to heaven and
“mends the music there.” Job, in his great
est trials, exclaims, “I know that my Re
deemer liveth;” and, in the midst of provi
dential gloom, ho could say, “But he know
eth the way that I take: when he hath tried
me, I shall come forth as gold. My foot
hath held his steps, his way have I kept,
and not declined.” Jobxix. 25; xxiii. 10,11.
The Romans certainly knew whether or not
Paul was mistaken when he said to them:
“Ye have not received the spirit of boimage
again to fear; but ye have received the
Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba,
Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness
with our spirit, that we are the children of
God.” Rom. viii. 15,16. How much like
this apostle to change the person, so as to
identify himself with his brethren, being a
partaker with them of a “divine nature”
and “like precious faith.” How character
istically and divinely subjective is that out
burst: “lam crucified with Christ: never
theless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in
me; and the lifo which I now live in tho
flesh, I live by tho faith of the Son of God,
who loved me anil gave ‘himself for mo.
Gal. ii. 20. Not that he would exclude
others—as Chrysostom suggests—but he
would include himself ! It was a matter of
certain consciousness, that Christ lived in
him. No wonder ho exclaims, “For we
know that if our earthly house of this taber
nacle were dissolved, we liave a building of
God, an house not made with hands, eter
nal in the heavens.” He knew this, indeed,
by faith in the written word —he knew it,
too, by what he had seen in the Rapture, 2
Cor. xii.—but then it was confirmed! to him,
and his personal interest in it, if he con
tinued faithful, by “the earnest of the
Spirit”—a foretaste of the joy that is to be
revealed when mortality is swallowed up of
life. 2 Cor. v. 1 —5. He was running to
ward the goal—he knew that he. was on the
stadium —he was sure that he should gain
the crown, if he continued running. I Cor.
ix. 24 —27. A similar personal conscious
ness of adoption and acceptance in tho Be
loved pervades that intensely suggestive
document, the first Epistle of John: “Ye
have known the Father.” “Your sins are
forgiven you.” “Now are we the sous of
God.” “We know that ho abideth in us,
by the Spirit which ho hath given us.”
“Every one that loveth is born of God and
knowetli God.” “Wo know that wo dwell
in }iim anil he in us, because he hath given
us of his Spirit.”
Here is “looseness" with a witness, if we
osfn have no other knowledge of God but
tllat which wo derive from a survey of his
works in nature, and a perusal of his words
in the Bible.
If there be any other way by which a doc
trine can bo inculcated, except by an oracu
lar, audible voice from heaven, or by some
other miraculous attestation, than by dog
matic utterance, argument, precept, prom
ise, threatening, prayer, and example, we
wish someone would tell us wliat it is. And
if the doctrine in question be established by
all these “infallible proofs,” it seems to us
very bold effrontery to affirm, that it is
nothing but the raving of fanaticism, in
keeping with the insane jargon of knaves
nnd fools. Men who can utter such blas
phemy as that, may well say that there is no
other regeneration than that which is con
ferred In or by the burial in a liquid gtave,
and the resurrection from it. “These bo
they who separate themselves, sensual, hav
ing not the Spirit. But ye, beloved, build
ing up yourselves on your most holy faith,
praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves
in the love of God, looking for the mercy of
our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”
From tlie Western Methodist.
The General Conference of ISIU.
THE A I'I’OINTMENT OF SIN DAY-SCHOOL SUPER
INTENDENTS.
Tlie Montgomery Annual Conference sent
up a memorial, asking that the Discipline
prescribe a method for “organizing anil re
lating the Sunday-school to the Church.”
It was referred to the Committee on Sunday
schools, of which a distinguished laymen, K.
Bobo, was chairman, and said Committee
reported on May 13, that “the request be
not concurred iu by tlio General Confer
ence.”
The Louisiana Conference asked that the
Discipline lie so changed as to require Sun
day-school Superintendents to be appoint
ed by the Quarterly Conference. Sundry
memorials upon the same subject came in,
and were referred to the Committee on Re
visal, of which Rev. Dr. Hamilton was chair
man. That Committee reported on the 12th
of May, recommending that the Quarterly
Conference be authorized, “upon nomina
tion by the preacher in, charge, to annually
elect the Superintendent” of tlie Sunday
school.
It is to be regretted that this important
Report did not get before the General Con
ference, for action, till the 25th, when the
nearness of adjournment was unfavorable to
deliberation A day might have been spent
on this one item.
We give the whole proceedings ou it,
from the Daily Advocate:
Report No. 3 of the Committee ou Revisal
was taken up, item by item.
The first, item was read.
J. E. Edwards moved to add after tlie
words “preacher in charge” these words —
“of two or more persons.”
A. W. Wilson moved to substitute for the
whole—“that it is inexpedient for the Quar
terly Conferences to elect Superintendents.”
O. Long moved to lay the substitute on
tlie table— which motion was lost.
W. H. Potter moved to lay the whole sub
ject on the table, which motion prevailed.
The reader, who is acquainted with the
temper of deliberative bodies, sees in this
brief record two things :
The Conference felt that something ought
to be done. And it was afraid, in the hur
ry and pressure of that late hour, of doing
something wrong. And so everything was
left in statu quo.
The question hinges on the appointment
of Superintendents. Obviously, the Church
cannot defer much longer a distinct defini
tion of the relation of the religiousjeachcrs
of her children to their pastor. The Sunday
school must be organically related—if you
please, subordinated—to the Church. Mat
ters, at present, are lying at loose ends,
awaiting adjustment. Wo aro glad the
General Conference did nothing hastily or
rashly. These great, living processes re
quire time for working out and shaping.
The Church is looking in the right direc
tion, and gradually coming to an accurate
stiitement. Perhaps by 1874 we shall have
it, and feel no jar.
We asked an eminent Baptist pastor, late
ly, “Who elects your Sunday-school Super
intendent ?” With a smile of hopeless re
signation he answered : “The children.”
And then ho enlarged on this anomalous
condition of things, that the most important
post in his Church, next to his own, should
be at the mercy of clianco elections and ba
by electors. It was as bad as “baby-sprink
ling.”
We asked tho rector of a large Iparish in
the Protestant Episcopal Church, “How do
you get a Sunday-school Superintendent ?”
He studied on the situation a moment and
replied: “The teachers appoint the Super
intendent.” “But who appoints yoitr teach
ers ?” wo asked. The immaculate white
cravat showed, by contrast, a slight color,
as he replied: “Tlie Superintendent.” Our
friend went on to say that there was no
canon regulating the subject, but the theory
of his Church vested the control and direc
tion in the rector.
The Methodist Protestant brethren have
moved up lately, and taken an advanced po
sition. By their law (we quote from mem
ory) the Superintendent is elected by the
Quarterly Conference in circuits, and by a
majority of male members in stations.
Among some of the Presbyterians the ses
sion—wlucli, as a Church Court, corresponds
nearly to our Quarterly Conference ap-
the Superintendent, or holds the
power of approving the appointment.
Tho Northern Methodists have gone be
yond the somewhat indefinite rule that was
held in common by us and them up to 1844.
Their Discipline of 1868 has these provis
ions : The Quarterly Conference is “to have
supervision of all the Sunday-schools and
Suuqay-scliool societies within the bounds
of tb% circuit or station, and to inquire into
thft condition of each; to approve Sunday -
school Superintendents, and to remove any
Superintendents who may prove unworthy
or inefficient.” (p. 42.)
And one of the items, in the detail of
Quarterly Conference business, is, “To ap
prove Sunday-school Superintendents and
Trustees.” *
The section of their Discipline on Sun
day-schools says :
“It shall be the duty of each Presiding
Elder to bring tho subject of Sunday-schools
before the last Quarterly Conference of each
year; and said Quarterly Conference shall
proceed to appoint a committee of not less
than three, nor more than nine, who shall
be members of our Church, to be called the
Committee on Sunday-schools, of which the
preacher in charge shall bo the chairman,
whose duty it shall be to aid the preacher
in charge and the officers of the Sunday
schools in procuring suitable teachers, in
promoting in all proper ways the atten
dance of children on our Sunday-schools and
on our regular public worship, and in rais
ing money to meet the expenses of the Sun
day-schools of the charge.
It shall be the duty of the preacher in
charge, aided by tho Superintendent and
the Committee on Sunday-schools, to de
cide as to what books shall be used in our
Sunday-schools.” (p. 233.)
But how are the Superintendents appoint
ed ? This question seems to be answered
in tho Appendix, (p. 295,) where we have
the “Form of a Constitution for a Sunday
school Society” in any place. We quote:
Art. 3. The officers of this Society shall
be a Superintendent, Secretary, Treasurer
and Librarian, who shall bo elected annual
ly by ballot.
Art. 4. Teachers shall bo nominated by
the Superintendent, with the concurrence
of the pastor, on their entering the school,
and lie elected by the Society one mouth
subsequently.
This draws the Sunday-school very close
to tho Church, and recognizes tho pastor.
In many respects it is good.
We are not without law ou this subject.
If Quarterly Conferences had always exer
cised tho power given them in the premises;
and \f pastors had quietly kept up with their
duties, anil maintained their disciplinary
aud gospel prerogative, there would not
now be a call for any additional legislation.
But they both, (Quarterly Conferences and
pastors,) have in many places let tho matter
go by default, and Sunday-schools have got
away and gone ahead of them. See what
our old law says, aud tho law that now is.
First, as to Quarterly Conference juris
diction : “Each Quarterly Conference shall
be deemed a Board of Managers, having su
pervision of all tho Sunday-schools aud Sun
day-school societies within its limits.” Dis.
p. 114.)
But the Quarterly Conferences have not
marytgeil the Snnday-schools. They have
let them alone, beyond receiving aud re
cording a report of their condition. The
Sunday-school and Sunday-school society
have enjoyed their autonomy so long that,
in many cases, if the Quarterly Conferences
should now lay a controlling hand on them,
they would kick. The General Conference
must come in with a more explicit provis
ion, before influential and direct control can
bo established.
As to the,Pastor: his normal relation to
the Church and all its parts and interests
this question. It will not do to have
tho grown people under one teacher, and
tlie children under another and independent
teacher. The latter might be teaching a
different gospel from the former. The
shepherd of the sheep is the shepherd of the
lambs also, and by consequence.
The initial measures connect the pastor
with the Sunday-school so naturally aud in
evitably that no special enactment seems to
bo necessary to secure his position. Our
Discipline says now and has said:
“Let Snnday-schools lie formed in all our
congregations, where ten children can bo
collected for that purpose. And it shall be
tho especial duty of preachers having charge
of circuits and stations, with the aid of the
other preachers, to see that, this bo done;
to engage the co-operation of as many of our
members as they can ; to visit the schools
as often ns practicable; to preach on the
subject of Sunday-schools and religious in
struction in each congregation; to lay before
the Quarterly Conference, at each quarterly
meeting, to be entered on its journal, a writ
ten statement of the number and state of tho
Sunday-schools within their respective cir
cuits and stations, and to made a report of
the same to their several Annual Confer
ences.”
The Quarterly Conference has a controll
ing voice in making preachers, exliorters,
stewards and trustees: The pastor, in mak
ing class-leaders; the whole Church, in mak
ing a Secretary of the Church-meeting—and
all these officers are members of that import
ant Church-court. There is one other of
ficial person in a Quarterly Conference, “and
none else”—the Superintendent of the Sun
day-school. And shall neither Quarterly
Conference, nor pastor, nor Church have a
voice in his appointment ? Must this im
portant person, who superintends the relig
ious instruction of the largest and most im
pressible part of tho congregation; who dis
tributes and selects teachers of classes; who,
more than any body else, determines what
sort of books and literature shall be used—
must he be a volunteer? or the appointee of
tho children? or the choice of an irreponsi
ble convention of friends, in and out of the
Church?
The Sunday-school has developed into too
vast a power, for these questions to remain
unanswered.
Two evils, nay three, have already been
developed under this state of things.
We have heard of Sunday-schools in Meth
odist Churches which the pastor hesitates
to report as Methodist Sunday-schools. And
the inquiry has been raised in Annual and
District and Quarterly Conferences, What
determines a Sunday-school to be a Metho
dist Sunday-school? The majority of chil
dren in it, the books used, the teachers, the
superintendent, or tho house? And for
want of the fixed criteria ot organic relations,
the number of “union” Snnday-schools is
swelled.
Sometimes, you see a modest but consci
entious pastor, who would really liko to do
his whole duty; but he feels himself a mere
visitor, if not an intruder in the Sabbath
school of his own Church. Ho lias no voice
in the teachers employed, or the books
used, or in any material arrangement. Per
haps, by courtesy, he*is allowed to advise.
The machine is run on an independent line.
Again: a pastor spasmodically takes an in
terest in tho children and the Sunday-school.
He comes in and would upset and recon
struct generally. Tho earnest and faithful
laborers who aro working there know what
it has cost them to build up that school. It
is dear to them. They are not willing to
see it put in jeopardy by this new zeal with
out knowledge. They resist. They see no
law defining exactly what the pastor’s pow
ers are. He construes for himself, and they
construe for themselves. The pastor with
draws in no genial mood; or the oontest is
carried on, and tho strongest wins. The
trouble spreads to the Church and through
the Church. So much for undefined rela
tions.
Tho subject cannot rest, as a finality,
where it is. Our General Conference is
well constituted for adjusting it amicably,
having ministerial and lay delegates in equal
number. We aro approaching a solution.
In four years wo shall be ripe for it; and
the measure, we trust, will be forthcoming
then which nobody was prepared to offer in
1870. Let us work along peaceably in tho
direction indicated, and to the objective
point. We are not under law, but under
grace. Good sense, good temper, mutual
respect and forboarance will carry us through
this forming era. The Sunday-school is, at
least in its present importance and activity,
so recent a thing that the creeds, canons
and disciplines have not been adjusted to it.
Tho Sunday-school Convention, called by
the General Conference, and which meets
next year, would do well to take this mat
ter, in some of its aspects, into considera
tion. May the Shepherd of Israel guide ns
to a conclusion that shall comport with the
responsibility of pastors, the peace and pu
rity of the Church, ami the right training
of the rising generation. ***
Jerusalem My Ha ppy] Home.
A few verses of this hymn, modernised, are fa
miliar to most persons, but the complete poem is
little known. It was composed by a prisoner in
the tower of London, during a time of religious
persecution. The original manuscript, signed
“F. R. 11,” is now in the British Museum.
[ Churchman.
Ilierusalem, my happie home!
When shall I come to thee ?
When shall my sorrows have an end ?
Thy joys when shall I seo ?
O happie harbor of the saints!
O sweete and pleasant soyle I
In thee no sorrow may be found,
Noe grief, noe care, noe toylc.
In thee noe sickness may be seene,
Noe hurt, noe ache, no sore;
There is noe death, nor ugly dole,
But Life for evermore.
Noe dampish mist is scene in thee,
Noe colde nor darksome night;
There everio soul shines as the sun;
There God himselfe gives light.
There lust aud lucre cannot dwell;
There envy bears no sway;
There is noe hunger, heate.'nor cold,
But pleasure everie way.
Hierusalem! Hiernsalcm!
God grant I once may seo
Thy endless joys, and of tho same
Partaker aye maybe!
Thy walls are made of precious stones;
Thy bulwarks diamonds square;
Thy gates arc of right orient pearle,
Exceedinge rich and rare.
Thy turretes and tliy pinnacles
With earbuncles doe shine;
Thy verrie streets are paved with gonld,
Surpassinge cleare aud tine.
Thy houses are of yvorie,
Thy windows crystal cleare ;
Thy tyles are made of beaten gold—
Olr'God, that I were there!
Within thy gates doth nothinge come
That is not passing clcane;
Noe spider’s web, noe dirt, noe dust,
Noe liithe may there be seene.
Ah ! my sweete home, Ilierusalem,
Would God 1 were in thee!
Would God my woes were at an end,
Thy joys that 1 might see!
Thv saints are crowned with gloriG great
They see God face to face ;
They triumph still, they still rejoice;
Most happie is their ease.
We that are here in banishment
Continually doe moanc:
We sigh aud sobbe, we weepe aud waile,
l’erpetuallie we groane.
Our sweete is mixed with bitter gaule,
Our pleasure is but paiue;
Our joyes scarce last the looking on,
Our sorrows still remaine.
But there they live in such delight,
Such pleasure and such play.
As that to them a thousand yeares
Doth scenic as yesterday.
Thy vineyardes and thy oreliardes are
Most beautiful and faire:
Full furnished with trees and fruits,
Exceedinge riche and rare.
There cinnamon, there sugar grow,
Therenarde and balme abound:
What tongue can telle, or heart containe,
The joys that there are found ?
Quyt through the streetes, with silver sound,
The Hood of life doth llowe;
Upon wliobo bankes, on every syde,
The wood of life doth growc.
There trees for evermore bear fruite,
And evermore doe springe;
There evermore the angels sit, ,
And evermore do singe.
Ilierusalem, my happie home,
Would God 1 were in thee.!
Would God my woes Were at an end,
Thy joys that I might see!
Fi'om the Richmond Christian Advocate.
Thorough Church Organization.
The first thing a preacher should learn in
taking charge of a church, is its working
capacity; and to know the spiritual condi
tion of each member of his charge. This
involves diligent pastoral work, which lies at
the foundation of ministerial success. A
preacher who is a stranger to his people,
cannot use them to advantage, we might
say, cannot use them at all, in tlio work of
building up tlio Church and saving sonls.
Ministerial work divides into two brandi
es, edifying tlie Church, saving souls. How
is the church to lie built up? To this several
answers may be given. 1. Let love reign in
the Church. The presence of lovo is life,
its absence death. “Dwell together in love,”
is the apostolic exhortation which reveals
the true condition of success. Love is the
basis of character, obedience, and effort in
tho believer. In it, more than in any other
element of Christian character, lies tho di
vine image. “God is lovo.” Creation inti
mates it, redemption reveals it, Christ speaks
it, tho Holy Ghost confirms it in the soul.
The new commandment is, “love one anoth
er.” “This is the message that, yo heard
from the beginning, that wo should love one
another.” “He that loveth not his brother
abideth in death.” We can hardly read this
and think of many Church members with
out a shuder
2. Let each member be made to feel that
ho or she must boa co-worker with God.
The moral power of a church is made up of
all tho members. We say all tho members.
No organization is perfect that does not
bring out the full force of all its parts
Just as soon as Church members begin to
flag iu their work, they begin to complain
of something or somebody in tho Church.
A busy, earnest Christian has no time to
grumble. His heart is full of love aud his
hand full of work. 110 is so deeply impressed
with the wondrous love of Christ for him,
a poor sinner, that he can never do nor suffer
too much for Him anil His Church. The
unused, cankering talents, liid about in all
the churches, must be brought out. Tho
pulpit must give no uncertain sound on this
subject. Let the preachers cry aloud and
spare not. Tho Church will not meet and
rout the foes of God until every man is in
line and keeping step to tho trumpet call.
3. There shoiffd be a fuller and freer Chris
tian communion in tho churches. It is a
fact, and a sad one, that many members of
the same church scarcely know each other.
They meet at the house of God, Sunday after
Sunday, and part as they came, strangers.x
No church can prosper in which this state of
things exists. It may, indeed, have tho
form, but not the power of a church of
Christ. They that fear tlie Lord must speak
often to one another. Speaking to each
other on all our interests is one of the best
means of promoting them. This is true of
inferior worldly interests. This idea lies at
the base of all our social meetings. Church
members feel much nearer to each other at
a prayermeeting than at preaching, nearer
still at a love-feast, and nearest of all at a
class-meeting, whero they meet every week.
Whatever others may think, we are firmly
convinced that no better plan can bo devised
for training people religiously than that of
tho Methodist class-meeting; and we have
lost much of onr power by allowing them to
drop so generally out of our system, and if
wo can restore them, wo shall regain much,
if not all, of this lost power. We shall not
only thereby gain more spirituality, but also
establish a more intimate communion among
our members. Tho class-meeting has not
been abolished by the General Conference,
as many seem to think. The penalty of
being “laid aside” for non iff tendance on
class has been removed from the Discipline,
but the Church insists as strongly as ever.
We have long believed, and we have Reen
nothing to change our belief, that with pro
per effort the class-meetings can be restored
generally iu all our churches; and the minis
ter who attempts tlio work of restoration iu
the proper spirit, will soon rejoice in tho
success of his labors. Bring the members
to speak often to each other, about the deal
ing of God with their souls, and pray to
gether for a blessing on themselves and the
entire Church, anil a happy improvement
will soon appear.
4. A well organized church must be well
informed. They most not only have zeal,
but zeal according to knowledge. Wesley’s
plan was to preach and circulate books, tracts
and papers. $ His people were kept thorough
ly informed as to doctrines and duties. They
were told what he was doing and what help
he expected from them in his work. If we
keep to the Wesleyan plan, we shall flourish
and grow strong as a Church. In every
Methodist family the pastor should ask, Do
you read Methodist books here? Do you
take the Church paper here? And he should
explain why he asks these questions. It is
for the purpose of learning whether his peo
ple have tho means of information as to what
their Church lias done and is doing for tho
cause of Christ, and whether they keep them
selves in sympathy with their Church in all her
plans of usefulness. If any have neglected
this duty they should lie urged to its perfor
mance at ouce. The preacher is not only
aiding his members, but is aiding himself
by circulating tho literature of tho Church.
If his people are well informed, they will
give him a more generous support and con
tribute more liberally to all Church enter
prises. There is no doubt of this. The
matter has been fully tested, and tho proof
is abundant.
5. A proper discipline in a Church is es
sential to its well being. In many Churches
members live very loosely. Some are dram
drinkers, others dance, some go to circuses,
aud if they go away from homo will slip into
a theatre because they think nobody will see
them; but they see themselves, aud God sees
them. Others scarcely over attond the ser
vice of tho church, others make a practico
of leaving the church whenever tho Lord’s
Supper is administered. Many are at vari
ance with other brethren and do not liesitato
in any company to speak uncharitably about
them. Many give little or nothing to sup
port tho cause of God, and yet they indulge
themselves in many needless ways, and spend
twice as much money usolessly as they aro
asked for by tho stewards or preachers in
tlie church collections.
These and a multitude of other evils, pre
vail, which must be corrected by a wise dis
cipline. Most of these cases can bo cured,
some cannot; if not, tho offenders must be
out oft’. The Church must bo kept pure.
Those who will not live godly lives, in Christ
Jesus, have no business in His Church. The
world is their place, if they prefer sin to
holiness. In maintaining proper discipline,
the pastor will need much grace and patience,
and the cordial support and co-operation of
tho older and more experienced members.
He must have a clear head, a good heart,
and a strong hand. The wheat must be
sifted from the chaff. This is now one of
onr great wants. We are keeping too many
merely hanging on to the Church as dead
weights.
SptiiikjTeiuleii y.
There is a wonderful power in Christian
tenderness. Harsh words aro repelled; care
less words are unheeded; fretful words pat
ter like rain-drops on a closo roof; witty
words dazzle, anil tickle, and are forgotten;
but tender words go down deep into tho
bottom of the heart, and heal, and soothe,
and bless.
The ancient Hebrews hail a peculiar form
of expression for this, anil where our version
of the Bible reads of speaking comfortably or
kindly, tlio Hebrew, as given in the margin
of oiir Bibles, is “speaking to tho heart.”
Isa. xl. 2; Hos. ii. 14; 2 Cliron. xxx. 22; 2
Sam. xix. 7; Gen. xxxiv. 3.
How little there is of this speaking to the
heart! this hearty, sympathetic, soulful ex
pression of the inward workings of Chris
tian affection and deep desire! How much
enr-speech, and tongue-speech, and lip
speech, anil head-speech, and how littlo of
that speaking that sends its low, loving
tones to tlio depths of the human soul, anil
awakes up all there is of gratitude and ten
derness within.
Speak tenderly to the saints of God.
Many of them are weary, burdened, dis
heartened, and perploxed. Some aro young
and inexperienced. All are precious in the
sight of the Lord; all are bought with blood.
Spare tlio liarsli words; speak tlio goutlo
ones. Spare the heartless words; Rpoak the
tender ones.
Speak kindly to sinners. You aro not ap
pointed to be their judge. It is not for you,
whose sins havo been as scarlet, to repel or
denounce others over whom tlie heart of
Eternal Pity yearns with infinite desire. Did
Christ weep over the city of liis foes, and
shall we utter our warnings in heartless
tones, and have them fall unheeded on care
less ears? Shall we not strive rather to speak
to tho heart, and thus win some souls to
God?
Speak tenderly to the gay, tho light, tho
scoffing and the vain. Little do we know
what is passing in their minds. “How is
it," said one who was apparently thought
less, to a Christian friend, “How is it that
you can tell my feelings as well aud better
than I could myself? I am not satisfied with
my life. Seemingly I am happy, but it is
not so. Ido not know what to do with my
self. Igo to all the places of amusement
to take up time ami mind, aud hate myself
for it. It does mo a great deal of good to
think that there are some in this wide world
that are interested in unworthy me.”
There are ten thousand just such weary,
restless hearts as these among the gay and
“rattle-headed” youth around us. They
laugh to hide their tears. They jest to cover
tho anguish of their souls. They sneer,
when in heart they would rather reverence
and adore.
Shall we repel such weary, burdened,
timid ones? Shall wo harshly drive them
from tlio presenco of the loving Saviour who
bindeth up the broken hearts? Shall we not
rather lead them tenderly to tho mercy-seat,
and point them to tho Redeemer of the lost?
Do not let us be deceived by the lightness
of the unconverted. Often it is a mere blind
to hide the deep sorrows of their souls.
True, it is wrong, hypocritical, sinful; but
liow shall we best save them from the snare?
Let us pray God to use us for his glory.
Mere human sympathy is ineffectual for this
labor. God’s love must fit us for the work.
Tliou seeking the proper season, a moment
alone, some tender words of invitation to
the weary and tlie heavy-laden, and Goil
may bless and save. —The Christian.
Lawyers anti Ministers.
Lawyers and ministers aro often compared
together, to the disparagement of the latter.
We have no confidence in such comjiarisons.
If they must bo made, let a poor minister
be compared with a poor lawyer, and not a
poor minister with an eminent lawyer. The
result of such a fair comparison would pro
bably be—nothing. In our opinion, there’s
very little to bo learned or gained by trying
to bring one profession to Jho standard of
another.
It is often said, by way of berating a peo
ple for not being captivated with an aged
ministerial candidate, that lawyers and
judges grow iu public esteem as years and
experience bring wisdom; but ministers, for
sooth, must pass for worn-out men as soon
as thoy roach a ripe age. A good rod to
chastiso a foolish people with; but it will not
bear much leaning on as an argument. How
many aged lawyers anil judges depend upon
their public speaking for tlioir usefulness?
There are in Boston, perhaps, fivo hundred
lawyers in active service. Dropping into tlie
office of a lawyer friend tho other day, we
asked him,
“How large a proportion of tlie Boston
lawyers depend for tlieir business on appear
ing in court?”
“Seven-eighths of the legal business of
Boston is office-business,” ho replied.
“How many lawyers derive their success
from eloquence in court?”
“You can count them on your fingers.”
The simple fact is, that in the ministry,
public speaking is almost universally re
quired, while in the legal profession it is
comparatively of littlo account. What mat
ters it that a judgo seventy-five years old
delivers his opinion in a tliin, squeaking
voice that can hardly be heard across a nar
row court-room? If his hearing remains
tolerably good, aud his mind is unimpaired,
all is right. But would ho do for a preacher?
aud is it any disparagement to him to say
that he would not? The model lawyer is a
counselor rather tliau an advocate. Will
tho time ever come when the principal
work of the ministry will be to give counsel
in private on tho great quostion of religion?
If it does, then it will be found that aged
spiritual counselors will bo more revered,
more popular, and as well supported, as the
venerable counselors-at-law.
Our legal friend answered one question
which we did not ask. “One-third,” said he,
“of the Boston lawyers do not make a living
by their profession.” We did not ask him
how he knew, or what was the reason for the
E. H. MYERS, D. D., EDITOR.
WHOLE NUMBER 1817.
fact, or why he told us of it; but, on think
ing it over afterward, wo thought ho might
havo meant to offer a crumb of comfort to
ministers pinched by small salaries.— Sub
bath at Home.
A Grave Without a Monument.
The noblest of tho cemeteries is tho ocean.
Its poetry is, and, iu human language ever
will be, unwritten. Its elemonts of sublim
ity are subjects of feeling, not description.
Its records, liko tho reflection mirrored on
its waveless bosom, cannot bo transferred
to paper. Its vastness, its eternal heaving,
its majestic music in a storm, and its perils,
are things which I have endeavored a thous
and times to conceive; but until I was on
its mighty bosom, looking out upon its
moving mountains of waters, feeling that
eternity was distant from mo tho thickness
of a single plank, I had tried in vain to feel
the glories and grandeur of tho ocean. I
then first felt what John of Patinos meant
when he said of heaven, “There shall be no
moro sea.” But there is one element of
sublimity which impressed my mind, and
which I should be pleased if I could tranfer
in all its vividness to tho minds of my read
ers. Tlio sea is tho largest of cemeteries,
and all its slumberers sleep without a monu
ment. All other grave-yards, iu all lands,
show some symbols of distinction between
tlie great and small, the rich and tlio poor;
but in that ocean cemetery, tlie king and
tlie clown, tho prince and the peasant, aro
alike undistinguished. Tho samo wave rools
over all, tho same requiem, by tho same
minstrelsy of tho ocean, is sung to their
honor. Over their remains tho storms bent,
nnd tho sun shines; nnd there, nnmnrkod,
the weak and the powerful, tho plumed and
tho unhonored will sleep on, until, awak
ened by tho same trump, tho soa will give
up its dead. 1 thought of sailing over the
slumbering but devoted Cookman, who. af
ter his brief but brilliant career, porished
iu tho President; over tho laughing Power,
who went down iu the samo ill-fated ves
sel, wo may havo passed. In that cemetery
sleeps the accomplished and pious Fisher;
but whero he, anil thousands of others of
tho noble spirits of earth lie, no ono but
God knowetli. No marble rises to point
out where their ashes aro gathered, or where
tho lover of tho good aud wiso can go anil
shed tho tear of sympathy. Yet that ceme
tery hath ornaments of which no other can
boast. On no other are heavenly orbs re
flected in such splendoV. Over no other is
hoard such noble melody. In no other are
so many inimitable traces of tho power of
Jehovah. Never can I forget’my days and
nights, as I passed over tlie noblest of cem
eteries without a single linman monument.
—British Workman,
Following Christ.
Following Christ is a personal work pre
ceding till official work, underlying it, ns tho
soil out of which all official work is to
spring. To follow Christ is to reproduce iu
ourselves his dispositions, to accept his ideas
of lifo aud of duty, to fulfil his commands,
and to lie in union with him by love and
sympathy.
Tho servant of Christ has all tho instru
ments belonging to tho work of education
which philosophy lias, and has, over aud
above all others, his own personal experi
ence, by reason of tins intimato communion
of liis soul with tho Lord Jesus Christ. The
power by which wo aro to instruct men is
not simply tho ordinary didactic power.
Tho power by which wo aro to toach and
preach is not simply the expository power
which any man may have. It is not that
which secular education may give. It is
that which has been wrought in us, distinct
ively auil peculiarly anil personally. It is
that which mokes us individual, anil our ex
perience individual. 14 is that which con
stitutes the personality of every man’s min
istry in this world. And although the
sources of learning are to be availed of,
although all ordinary causes aro to be em
ployed lor the ordinary effects, we aro never
to forget that the distinctive and peculiar
power of tho Christian teacher or tho Chris
tian worker lies in that which has happened
between his soul and God, and which is
original, native to him, and distinctive above
that of every other. For no two persons
are alike, so tho work of grace in no two
hearts is alike. And every man has a teach
ing and a power distinct from that of any
other man.-— Beecher.
Christian’s Guide.
Why Uni Bible alone should he accepted as the
Clii istian’sguide in matters of faith and practice.
The following among others, aro reasons
why:
1. It is Goil-given. See 2 Tim. iii: IG.
2. It contains a perfect system of doctrine
and discipline. Tim. iii: 16.
3. It teaches how to love, fear, and obey
God.
4. It is plain. 2 Tim. iii: 15.
5. It furnishes special directions in all
tho sundry duties growing out of nil the
various relations among tho human family.
6. It is the only authoritativo rule. See
Acts iii: 22, 23.
7. Its teachings aro perfect.
8. Its laws unchangeable.
9. Its mandates are infallible.
10. Its laws are perpetual.
11. It is called God’s will to man.
12. In matters of faith and practice,
among Protestants, to the scriptures all iinal
appeals aye made.
13. The entire Christian world acknowl
edge that tlio scriptures are an all-sufficient
guide in matters of faith and practice. This
fact is demonstrated by appeals to Church
standards as well as to tho teachings and
writings of all theologians.
14. By the word of Goil we all must final
ly be judged. Hence wo should live and be
governed by its teachings.
God Cares for You.
“God cares for you. This is good nows
indeed.”
“But liow do you know Ho cares for me?”
“Because He says so. The Bible is God’s
book; and the Bible says, ‘Casting all your
care upon him ; for ho careth for you.’ (1
Pet. v. 7.) I am sure God cares for yon;
for I see that He does. If He feeds nnd
clothes you, anil gives you a house to live
in, and heals you when you are sick, does
not this show that Ho cares for you ? Ho
saw that you, aud I, anil all of ns, were lost,
and Ho cured for us, and sent his dear Son,
Jesus Christ, to save lis. He gives us Bi
bles, and bids us believe in his Son, and
pray to Him; and promises to hear us in all
our prayers. Go to Him, then; open your
heart to Him; ask Him to forgive you, help
you, and bless you, for Jesus Christ’s sake."
Compliments. —People who aro always
fishing for compliments do not need very
long lines. They will get their best bites
in shallow water.
Ingratitude sits on its throne, with prido
at its right hand nnd cruelty at its left, wor
thy supporters of such a state.— South.
Those who are bound for heaven must bo
willing to stem against tlia storm, anil must
not do os the most do, but as tho host do.
“Let be,” saith Satan, “let be; a comfor
table congregation, a sober minister, all
asleep; let bo! Drivo on! I need not alight
here.” — Spurgeon.
The only voice of iugratituilo is give,
give; but when the gift is onee rocoiveil;
then, like the swine at liis trough, it is silent
and insatiable. — South.
Wo are holy only in so far as wo rosemblo
Christ in tho temper of our minds and iu
our conduct.
Have love ! not love alone or one,
But man as man thy brother call,
And scatter, like the circling sun,
Thy charities on all.
There is only one thing worse than igno
rance, and that is conceit. Os all intractable
fools, an overwise man is the worst.
A real Christian loves close, pointed,
searching preaching, and seeks not the min
istry of those who speak with enticing words
of man’s wisdom.
Sorrows are like tempest clouds; when
afar off, they look black, but when above us
scarcely gray.
Tite greatest curse to ordinary Christians
would be to relieve them at once of all
earthly cares.