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TWO DOLLARS AND FIFTY CENTS.
3PEIF2. -A.ISrT'TTJIM:.
VOLUME XXXIX., NO. 29.
IpKtrj.
COMFORT.
If there should come a lime, as well there may,
Wh i t-uddeu tribH’ation smites thiue heart,
Aud thou dost come to me for help, and stay.
And comfort—how bhali I perform my part?
How shall I make my heart a resting-place,
A shelter bafe for thee when terr r n unite?
How shall I bring: the sunshine to thy face,
And dry thy tears in bitter woe’s despite?
How shall I win th * strength to keep my voice
cPeady and tirrn, although I hear toy sobs?
How shall I t*id thy fainting 60ul r j ice.
Nor mar the counsel by mine own heart
throbs?
Love, my love teaches rne a certain way.
tio, if thy dark hour come, I am thy stay.
I mu t live higher, nearer to the reach
Of angels in their blessed trustfulness.
Learn their unselfishness, ere I can teach
Content to thee whom I would greatly bless.
Ah oie! what woe Were mine if thou shouldst
come,
Troubled, but trusting, unto rne for aid.
And I should meet ihee p werle-s and dumb.
Wining to help thee, but confuted, afraid !
It shall not happen thus, fur I will rise,
God helping me, to higher life, and gain
Courage and strength to give c mntel wise,
And deeper love to bless thee in thy pain.
Fear not, dear love, tt y trial hour sh II be
The dearest bond between mv heart and thee.
—All The Year Hound.
Contributions.
CAMP-MEETINGS.
Our presiding elders should bring all the
forces of the Church together at our camp
meetings in July and August that can be
spared from the different appointments in
their several districts. We need a grand
rally of ad our efficient men, lay and cleri
cal, at these important gatherings of the
Church. Camp meetings are the peculiar
work of Methodism. We can make every
one a success. God is willing this centen
nial year to increase our numbers an hun
dred fold. What we need is good singing,
short, pointed sermons, warm, earnest pray
ers, faithful admonitions, entire consecra
tion to the work of saving souls, and a per
fect reliance on the Holy Ghost to give effi
cacy to the means employed. We should
this year of political excitement, avoid all
partisan discussions, and give the cold shoul
der to all electioneering, canvassing candi
dates for public favor, who may attend these
meetings. We ought to have a single eye,
and have but one work, and every Christian
should feel personally responsible for the
success of our approaching camp-meetings.
July 6, 1875. Inchka.sk.
CLASS-MEETINGS.
Mr. Editor : When persons come forward
for the purpose of being received into the
Church, the congregation is informed that
“ none who have arrived at years of discre
tion can remain within its pales, or be ad
mitted to its communion without assuming
its obligations.” The officiating minister
then proceeds to administer the vows of
membership to the candidate, and after re
quiring him to ratifv the baptismal covenant
puts this queetion to him : “ Will you be
subject to the discipline of the Church, at
tend upon its ordinances, and support its
institutions?” The candidate answers, “I
will enleavor so to do, by the help of God.”
.Now it does appear to tneXhat uus Vow is as
solemn and as binding as the vow made by
Ananias, and Sapphira his wife, to the Apos
tles in relation to their land, and certainly
obligates the candidate to attend all the gen
eral and special, or public and private meet
ings of the Church, as far as he can when not
providentially hindered.
But I find many persons in the Church
who peremptorily refuse to attend class
meetings, some giving one excuse and some
another. I am perfectly willing to allow
that God has made man a free moral agent,
and that, in as much as He has not pre
scribed auy definite form of worship, or of
Church-government, each individual has the
right to carefully search the Scriptures for
light upon these points and determine fcr
himself the manner in which he will wor
ship Him, aud the rules by which he will
regulate his life. But as there is “ a time
to all things,” the time to make this investi
gation and to determine the mode of wor
ship and the rules of life is, most certainly,
before the individual attaches himself to any
particular branch of the Church. God has
been pleased to grant to the men and women
of this age very peculiar privileges. The
great vine of the Church has put forth many
strong'and vigorous branches, each having
its own peculiar modes of worship and form
of government, aud these all conforming
more or less closely to the teaching! of
God’s word ; so that all men are left without
excuse. If the Methodist Church does not
suit them the Baptist Church may ; or should
this not meet their views the Presbyterian
perhaps will ; or if this will not do, the
Episcopalian presents its claims ; and so on
for others. The man or woman must be ex
cessively fastidious who cannot make a con
scientious selection among so many. But
when the selection is made and the individ
ual of his own free will and accord goes for
ward to the altar of God and assumes the
obligations of vows that are more solemn
and binding than any oath that can be ad
ministered in any court of justice on earth,
that he “ will be subject to the discipline of
the Church, attend upon its ordinances, and
support its institutions,” it is certainly too
late—nay, it can be none otherwise than ex
ceedingly sinful, for him to refuse to attend
upon one of the institutions which the
Church has ordained. Especially so, a3 the
institution under consideration, to wit, the
class meeting, is one that has existed from
the foundation of Methodism, and has re
ceived the hearty approval of all the most
deeply pious and holy members of the
Church from Mr. NVesley down to the pres
ent day. When Methodism was introduced
into America, the class-meeting was one of
its peculiar features, and as such met with a
hearty reception and the full and complete
approbation of our forefathers ; and as late
as A. D. 1874 it met with the hearty appro
val of the General Conference of the M. E.
Church, South, which requested the College',
of Bishops to explaiu its action in reference
to the rule which made attendance on class
meetings a test of membership. In compli
ance with this request the Bishops in their
pastoral address to the churches, dated May
25, 1874, say, “So far as it falls within our
province to respond to this request, we reply
that, while the penalty for neglect of class
meetings was abrogated, >he institution itself
was left in full force, to stand up >n its mer
its and its history, and is obligatory upon
every member of the Church. And we take
occasion to add that, apart from the divine
ly-appointed means of grace, no institution
among us is so conducive to the Christian
life; and we exhort our members not to
forsake the rssembling of themselves to
gether in this capacity.” If, then, accord
ing to this Episcopal decision of the law it is
“ obligatory upon every member of the
Church” to attend class-meeting regularly,
that obligation must grow out of the vow
Utmiliwn fltisfiaw Adtmatf.
taken at the time of joining the Church, and
every violation of that vow is an act of open
rebellion against Christ and His Church.
Every member, therefore, who is guilty
ought to be arraigned before the Church, as
they certainly can be, for neglect of duty,
and if they do not show signs of real peni
tence they should certainly excluded from
membership. Elder.
[The “episcopal decision” from which
our correspondent quotes, recognizes in
terms, the abrogation of the penalty which
he would have inflicted for non-attendance
upon class-meetings.—Ed.]
REV. JOHN NEWLAND MAFFITT.
In that recent work, “Western Cavaliers,”
public justice at least, in book form,has at last,
though tardily, been beautifully and triumph
antly meted out to him, who this present
brief pen effort, having the same object, has
taken as its theme. In the work referred to,
while the glowing paueygeric of the gifted
Maffitt does justice to him as a minister of
Christ, tells us of his unrivalled eloquence,
brings him vividly before us, gloriously fitted
for the work of extending the kingdom of his
Lord on earth, till we seem almost to hear
that music voice, and see the electric flash
of that dove-like, yet eagle eye ; yet, part of
the photograph, necessary we think, to a
proper taking in of the Unite ensemble, has
been left out —his intellectual being, in
cluding his literary achievements. We need
a full length likeness of Maflilt, still. He
who has just given us a part of him, can bet
ter give ns the whole, than any nther, for he,
apart from his personal fitness for the work,
can command resources not in the reach of
any one else. Maffitt wielded a graceful and
glowing pen, inspired sometimes, it seemed,
even as his gifted tongue, touched by live
coals from the altar. The rarest eloquence
is traditionary, but put it on the living page,
end commensurate with letters will be its
life. Mutlitt’s beautiful thoughts, especially
those in verse, for he was a poet not only
made but born, should be gathered and, as
orient pearls, be strung. He wrote, lam
sure, a great deal. What I have seen from
his pen, bears the signet stamp of genius.
Here is No. 8 of his “Lays of Zion,” that,
like “the poet’s eye, glances from Heaven to
earth, from earth to Heaven.” He calls it
THE SPIRIT DOVE.
Fly away to the proursed land, sweet dove,
Fly away to the premised land,
Aud hear these sighs to the friends I love,
-The tn-ppy, the beautiful baud.
D- ep gloom hath saddened tnv weary breast,
With sorrow my heart is stirred.
I long to hear trom the land of the blest;
O fly to their bowers, sweet Bird!
O fiy to their bowers, sweet dove, aud say,
The light of hope is on me now,
That I pant to list to a seraph’s lay
With bright glory upon my brow;
I feel that this world is rot my home,
An angel's sweet voice 1 have heard,
1 calls from beyond the dark lone tomb;
O fly to their bowers, sweet Bird!
I will wait thy coming at ibwn, sweet dove,
1 will wait thy coming at eve,
But hear some news from the friends I love,
And theit I will cease to grieve.
I could spring from this dungeon on wings of
love,
I could meet death’s conquering sword,
But I cannot stay from my friends alone;
O tly to their bowers, sweet Bird!
John N. Maffitt.
I recollect he wrote also about the time of
the Centennial ot Methodism, a beautuui
hymn, the first stanza reading thus :
Hear the gospel trumpet sounding
Louder than the ocean’s roar.
Hear it from the hills resoundiug,
Break in music on the shore.
Hear it, mourm r,
Lei, thy sorrow*flow no more.
The last stanza reading thus,
Blessed Jesus! reign forever
Conquering and to conquer go,
Bind the nations to thy sceptre,
Brighten all the world below
Hallelujah!
• Jesus conquers every foe.
Do not such words as thSse stir as a trum
pet, and does not a slumbering world need
more of them ? How our hearts thrilled with
the God-given power of his mighty eloquence,
as depicted by his biographer; but, oh, how
it bled at his martyr words: “Lord have
mercy on them, and forgive them.” “They
have broken my heart.”
Like death, slander loves a shining mark.
Never did it accomplish the ruin of a greater
genius, nobler man. or heftier minister, than
John Newland Maffitt —but who is now for
ever “where the wicked cease from troubling
and the weary are at rest.
Tributary lines to the memory of
JOHN NEWLAND MAFFITT.
Have you ne’er seen a blooming flagrant rose,
Peerless in beauty, shedding fragrance round>
While every freighted zephyr as it blows.
Wafts the rich incense, till, at length, a wound
From poisoned sting of some vile insect foe,
K allies its heart, and now it lieth low
Prostrate and powerless? Ere its work was
done,
The rose that longer would have blessed, is
gone.
Have you ne’er seen a noble Christian man,
Earnestly, grandly, doing his Hfp-work;
Eluciaatiug well his Maker’s plan
Of a true life! one, never known to shirk
Etlort or peril if some good thereby
Might be wrought out? have you ne’er known
a lie,
A slauderous He cut short his work and life,
Unto the world with blessiug rich and rife?
Thus quenched thy life, thou glorious sou' Of
light!
Child of lare genius! grandly gifted one!
How soon thy star resplendent set in night,
Ere scarce thy life had reached meridiuu noon—
Oh Maffitt 1 but for the euveuomed tongue
Of vilest slauder, longer Uad’st thou sung
Thy seraph strains, and longer earth had
heard,
From thy rapt tougue, the message of thy Lord.
“81aiider, out-veuoming the worms of Nile”
Thus, Shakespeare, sage aud poet, thou did’st
sing—
Naught swerves it from its purpose crafty, vile;
No rarest excellence disarms its sting,
No purest, brightest, hut ’twill try to bring
To shame aud grief, oil slander, viperous thing,
That stains then kills! deadlyJta poisoned dart,
When Maffitt! broken was thy noble heart
Columbia, 8. C. Mbs. Martin.
A PLEA FOR
In that grand general assemblage, which
will ga'her around the final bar, how many
will point to a camp meeting, as the humble
means through God of their triumphant en
trance at the right hand of the Lamb!
These camp-meetings are the mightiest
instruments, which the Methodist Church,
under God, uses for the salvation of souls.
Held as they are in the country where the
settlements are often far distant from each
other; and where in many cases the people
cannot attend church oftener than once a
month, and sometimes not go frequently,
by means of these, they are enabled to
devote whole days to the hearing and con
templation of the gospel. Religion is thus
brought practically within their reach —some
persons too (especially the young) will attend
these, when they may refuse to go to a regu
lar church. How heavenly is the scene pre
sented by one of these gatherings! The
grand old hymns echoing and re-echoing
through the silent woods. The heartfelt
prayers ascending far above the azure vault
to the throne of God. The listening audi
ence drinking in the glorious gospel sound.
PUBLISHED BY J. W. BURKE & COMPANY, FOR THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, SOUTH.
The air is fragrant with the name of Jesus.
Every thing conspires to bid the sinner come.
All tends to this end and even the most
hardened, must be imperceptibly influenced
—when for instance, one of those grand old
hymns is borne aloft by hundreds of tongues
what a sublime animation is given to the
scene! The tongue of the sinner may refuse
to lend its aid to the glorious swell, but his
soul must be moved by some heavenly long
ings, and his heart feel some holy aspirations.
Heaven the home, the sweet home, of the
believer, must if only faintly pass gently be
fore his mind. And then too above all when
the voice of the preacher repeats again and
again that sweet story of old—all must be in
fluenced, none can entirely banish the holy
theme thus dwelt on. The recollection of
these solemn scenes is never entirely lost.
A visit to the dear old camp ground alone
will recall them all so vividly. It is wonder
ful how remarkably this is the case. How
many aged Christians in recounting their
experience of the past, begin their innocent
stories with “It was at camp-meeting such
and such a time, tic., occurred” showing
how blended these meetings are with all their
remembrances of the past. The camp-ground
has a history. It has memories sweeter than
the flowers that scent its shady groves. How
many eloquent sermons have been preached
from that dear old stand. Lips which plead
ed some of them are now hushed forever.
And in the familiar tent too, some loved
ones who were there last, perchance are
not present now. All the melancholy asso
ciations tend to make the heart sad and tender.
Shall then these glorious landmarks of the
past be ever obliterated? or shall the camp
ground ever cease its glorious mission? May
He who shed His Holy Spirit so abundantly,
on that primitive gathering on the day of
Pentecost, be with the Church in ail her
gatherings to the end of the world.
inflections.
CHRISTIAN STEADFASTNESS.
There are but lew portions of the Bible of
more serious import, or which Christians
now-a-days can more profitably study, than
those opening chapters of Revelation, in
which the character of the seven Churches of
Asia is rapidly sketched and their future his
tory passed in solemn prophetic review. To
the divinely commissioned messenger, the
“angels” ol those several Churches, the Seer
ofPatmosis commanded to “write.” It is
a greeting that is terrible even in its tender
ness. “He that holdeth the seven Btars in
his right hand” condescends to address his
backsliding children in the language of more
than paternal solicitude. He is lovingly for
ward to commend. He enumerates the lull
catalogue of their virtues and graces. The
words of praise, when praise is possible,
come not stintedly, but with all fullness of
merciful utterance which seems to linger
tenderly upon the smallest evidence of Chris
tian faith and patience and love. But the
warning, which seems to to come as a reluc
tant close to the eulogy which is pronounced
upon the Churches of Ephesus and Smyrna
auk X'eigamos aud Tliyali.a, is nevertheless
as faithful as it is compassionate. “I have
somewhat against thee ; “Thou hast left thy
first love“ Thou art neither cold or hot,”
are the sorrowful judgments which divine
mercy is compelled to record.
And yet these “golden candlestioks,” had
all of them been lighted in the very times,
most of them by the very hands, of the apos
tles. Highly favored, “set upon a hill,”
were these early Churches, first to receive
and first to send forth the newly-kindled gos
pel light. And yet half a century of their
existence has hardly passed before we find
them addressed in words of solemn warning
and rebuke. False teachers have crept in,
coldness has taken the place of that burning
zeal for Christ which characterised their ear
ly love. The flickering flame burns so low
in its golden socket that God is already say
ing to them, “Repent and do thy first works,
or else I will come unto thee quickly and
remove thy candlestick out of its place.’ ’
And yet we fear that there are tew Church
es at the present day that can sit in judge
ment upon Ephesus or Sardis or Laodicea.
The great want of the religion of our own
day, no less than of primitive Christianity, is
steadfastness. The warnings which Revel
ation has recorded are for all time. It is
because the danger is the same and the
source of safety the same, that the Saviour
has left in the opeuing chapters of that won
derful panorama of Church history with which
it closes, these sadly instructive examples.
It is as if the Captain of our Salvation had
not only given us chart and compass, but
had placed beacon lights upon the rocks
where the first precious Christian venturers
made shipwreck ; as though the Great. Phy
sician of souls had not only pointed out the
road to strength and health and efficient
Christian activity and life, but had left on
record also these forcible illustrations of the
errors which lead to weakness, aud the dis
eases of which Churches die.
No lesson is more needed in Christian
experience than that of constant watchful
ness. It may be impossible to kdep the spirit
up to the same high plane of holy feeling.
But it is not by feeling but by doing that the
Christian becomes strong. The new life in
the soul is invigorated like all other life by
exercise. We may not fully fathom the se
cret of the Spirit’s agency iu our growth in
grace, but we may rest assured that it is in
perfect harmony with the largest freedom on
our part. Inactivity is just as fatal and just
as enfeebling as if safety depended upon our
selves alone.
We fear if some divinely quickened ear
could now-a-days hear, as John heard, “what
the Spirit saith unto the Churches,” there
would be found mauy a one like that at
Ephesus, that with, alt its labor and pa
tience, has nevertheless “left its first love,”
and to whom God is even now saying, “Re
pent and do the first works or else I will come
quickly and remove the candlestick out of
his place;” Churches like that of Pergamo3
whose works are known, whose dwelling is
in-“ Satan's seat,” but which are neverthe
less casting “a stumbling block before the
children of Israel;” Churches like that of
Sardis, that have a name to live “and are
dead;” or of Laodicea, that say “I am rich
and increased in goods and have need of
nothing,” and know not that they are
“wretched and poor and blind and naked.”
Particularly in periods of great moral and
political corruption like the present, it is
fittiug that judgment should begin at the
house of God. The chaff must be sifted
from the wheat at some time, aud we know
of no more favorable moment than the pres
ent for individuals find Churches to look well
to the foundations of their faith. A religion
that does uot sharply mark the distinction
between him that serveth God and him th§t
serveth him not, or that leaves the boundary
line between the Church and the world un-
MACON, GEORGIA, TUESDAY, JULY 18, 1876.
defined or doubtful, is always to be distrust
ed. It is not the religion of the Bible. We
need a Christianity that is positive and ag
gressive, that is not content to merely take
its hue, like a chameleon, from the varying
fashions and fancies of the hour, but one
that bravely aspires to give golor and consis
tency and shaping to human life. When the
latent energies of our Churches can all be
brought into action, when men really learn
to live as “seeing him who is invisible,” we
shall have no need to take up the sad refrain
of empty mission treasuries, and whitening
fields that wait in vain for laborers. I Wes
tern Recorder.
WHAT IS CONVERSION I
Suppose, for answer, yon turn to an ac
count of a remarkable conversion, that of
the so called penitent thief in Luke xxiv :
89-42.
This man was one of those brigands who
still, in some measure, infests the Holy
Land, and were its bane and terror in the
time of Christ. It is probable that he be
longed to the band of Barabbas, and that
the crime of murder was, in his case, added
to that of rapine and plunder. Itr?s almost
certain that he belonged to those zealots
who, under pretence of patriotism and reli
gion, made a show of sedition against the
Roman government for the purpose of plun
dering their own fellow Israelites. If a man
ever needed a radical conversion this man
did.
And it is certain that he was converted.
There may be doubt in other cases, and
there is doubt, in many cases of so-called
death-bed repentance. But all doubts are
at rest concerning the penitent thief, by
Christ’s explicit declaration, “To-day shalt
thou be with me in paradise.” Let us see
then, what took place in this man when he
was converted.
He was not baptized, and he joined no
Church. If either were the door to the
kingdom of heaven it would have been for
ever barred against him. It does pot follow
that you, who can be baptized and join the
Church, need not do so ; but it does follow
that neither is conversion, nor essential to
salvation.
The account tells us nothing of this man’s
creed. He was, undoubtedly, a Jew, and
believed in one God, and his request indi
cates some sort of belief in Jesus, as the
Messiah of the Jews. Pilate had written in
raillery over the cross, “ This is the King of
the Jews.” The dying brigand, impressed
by the spiritual presence of Christ, accepted
this Roman raillery as divine truth, and re
cognized in the crucified One a future King
But of the nature and mission of Christ, of
the character of His kingdom, of the nature
of the personality and work of the Holy
Spirit, there is no reason whatever to sup
pose he knew anything. The veriest child
in one of our infant schools could, probably,
have instructed him in theology. My friend,
our creeds are not to conduct us to Christ,
but Christ to our creeds. He is the Light
that lighteth every man and we do not need
to burn our dim candles in order to come to
Him.
There were, in the experience of this con
verted brigand, just twu elciueiitsr—fFirst, be
ipade a frank, open, public confession of
the wrong of his life. There were no tears,
no despair, no bitter conflict, no long aud
torturing remorse ; but there was an open
and public confession of sin. And there is
no better evidence of a real change of heart
and life than such a confession as his. “We
are justly condemned ; for we received the
due reward of our deeds.” It is very easy
for a school-boy to say, “I have done wrong,
and am sorry for it;” but when smarting un
der the rod, or sitting a solitary prisoner in
his room, to say, “This is just what I de
serve,” is another matter. It is easy for the
business man to say in general terms, ‘‘l
have not always acted on strict principles;
no man can, and succeed.” But it is a very
difficult thing for the insolvent, in the humil
iation of his insolvency, to say, “This is a
just consequence of my own wild over-spec
ulation.” In the case of the penitent thief
there was such a confession as this, made
openly before the taunting priests, and to
his own comrade in evil.
And there.was a simple trust in the One
crucified by his side, as a Saviour and King.
Indeed, I know of no illustration in history
of trust so marvelous. The end of the
dream of Christ, as King, seemed to have
come. The priests of Israel stood there
taunting Him with His powerlessness. The
passers-by joined in their jeer3. The sol
diers .rattled their dice at the foot of the
cross, and left th.eir game only to mock the
“King of the Jews.” The disciples, at a
distance, wept out their despair at the death
of Him whom they had trusted, and He who
was to redeem Israel. In this very hour of
defeat, and darkness, and despair, the dying
brigand still believed sufferer
was in truth a king, and looked forward with
a real, though vague and ill-defined hope of
his future coming and coronation. And
when darkness gathered over the scene, ad
the Sufferer's head drooped upon His breast,
and with a loud cry, “ My God, my God,
why hast Thou forsaken me?” He gave up
His spirit, the dying brigand still hoped and
trusted in a Messiah who, to all human vis
ion, was powerless to protect either Himself
or His followers.
Have I answered your question ? If not,
shall I answer it if I say that conversion is
simply an open, frank, and hearty renuncia
tion of sin, and a simple confiding trust in
Jesus as a Saviour and King, as the one
Lord, to whom the soul owes and will ev
er pay its supreme and glad allegiance?
—Christian Weekly.
UNBECOMING FAMILIARITY.
Here is an amusing little anecdote, which
will do as a text for a short sermon : “ The
late Dr. Chandler, of North Greenfield, was
not uufrequently seen about his rural home
barehead and barefoot. Being met in this
condition by a parishioner, one morning, as
he was leading his horse to water, he was
thus accosted : 1 1 thought that soft heads
wore soft hats.’ ‘So I see; so I see ,’ was
the ready response of the doctor.” The
doctor’s wit was admirable, and the rebuke
administered to the impertinent parishoner
was well deserved. He was a rude fellow
who would speak in so coarse a manner to
a minister, and that minister his own pastor.
But perhaps the reason he was so daring was
owing to the fact that he found the doctor in
a state of dishabille so utterly unbecoming
his character and position. If the good
man had been properly attired, exhibiting
in his dress and deportment a becoming dig
nity, the man, unless he was a very outlaw,
would not have ventured upon his exhibition
of impudence. Not long since, while riding
in a railway car, we saw an uncultivated
man hail a minister who was his pastor, say
ing, boorishly, “ Hello, old fellow, how are
you? Give us a chew of tobacco.” That
looked so disgusting that we were prepared
aim st to reprove the gawky churl for his
coar e familiarity, when after a little the
paster approached the man, slapped him
strappingly on the back, and addressed him
in words no less undignified than those with
which he himself had been saluted. This
was a thorough explanation of the country
man’s boorishness. If ministers will go
among their parishioners in “ barehead and
bare'eet,” they will be apt to receive bare
faced treatment. —United Presbyterian.
TEMPER.
No one has a temper so good that it does
not seed attention, or a temper so bad that
it cannot be improved. It is the mark of a
sensible and Christian man not to allow tem
perjrtfecorae his master; and half the study
of aur lives is to bear with each other, and'
to carefully guard against those things which
have a tendency to ruffle us. We all have
our tempers, but they vary according to our
temperaments.
'Sohave Quarrelsome tempers, ever
ready to quarrel with everybody, like John
by.., J. v.;lio. if he could not find anyone
el/*-* qu.ui rel with, would quarrel with him
selt\- .'°hn would quarrel with Lilburn, and
Lilbt. n with John. Such persons often
tyrannize over the weak and helpless, in
ordr r to give vent to pent-up passion.
Others have Irritable tempers. An irrita
ble temper has been compared to a hedge
hog rolled up the wrong way, tormenting
him-telf with his own prickles.
Restlessness of temper is an anxious rest
lessness, that makes one meet care on its
way —that runs after pleasure like an absent
man hunting for his hat while it is on his
head, or in his hand. The great secret of
comfort lies in not allowing troubles to vex
us, and in cultivating an undergrowth of
small pleasures.
Taen there are Whining tempers. Some
whine because they are poor, and others, if
they are rich, because they have no health
to enjoy their riches: they whine because it
is t-jo fine; they whine because it is too rainy;
and they whine no one can tell why.
A Cheerful temper should be earnestly
cultivated, for it lightens sickness, poverty,
ntrtSfsubdues all the trials of life.
Easy tempers are not soon ruffled, but
calmly endure vexations.
Many are the counsels given for the regu
lation of temper, but the only effectual
remedy is Prayer. This alone will bring
divine strength, and enable us to resist
the evil passionaof our nature.
Let us, then, cultivate a good temper,
looking to Jesus as our great example, who,
when “He was reviled, reviled not again,”
ever remembering that it is only divine grace
that can influence the deep and hidden
springs of our hearts, and prepare us fjr that
abode where all evil is unknown.
There’s not a cheaper thing on earth,
Nor yet one half so dear;
’Tis worth more than distinguished birth,
l Or thousands gained a year.
I,lt maketh poverty -content,
To sorrows whispers peace;
It is a gift from her veil sent,
For mortals to increase.
. A charm to banish grief away,
To free the Draw from care—
fChtaiS tears to makes dulress srav,
•“Spreads gladness everywhere.
Arid yet ’tis cheap as summer’s dew
That gems the. lily’s breast —
A talisman for love as true
As gver man possessed.
Good temper!—’tis the clioic “St gift
That woman homeward brings,
And can the poorest peasant lift
To bliss unknown t 0 kings.
—Southern Presbyterian.
CHRISTIANITY MAKES MAN GREAT.
Religion enlightens us as to the debase
ment of men. Is not this wonderfully great,
since in his natural condition he knows not
whtit he is or whal he ought t o be ; occupied
with projects and views which concern him
for scarcely more than an instant, unable to
bear the scrutiny of himself, or to be inde
pendent of others. Nevertheless, if we avow
the truth, we shall acknowledge that man
has sentiments which give him glimpses of
hiH greatness, through the veil of his deg
radation. He employs himself on the least
things, but he cannot content himself with
AfA- greatest. He seeks the respect of all,
loving to magnify himself by a sort of im
mensity, which intimates his origin. He
buries himself in cares of this life, but find
ing all disproportionate to what he is, he
tends towards eternity, and since he knows
not the real, he creates the imaginary, and
would survive himselfby being immortalized
in,the memory of men in spite of death. Who
can put man in accord with man? Why
such elevated feelings combined with such
baseness ? Or why so deep a debasement
accompanied by such greatness ? Listen to
the religion of Christ; it will explain these
etigmas. It will teach you that man consists
body and soul, and that the qualities of
djese differ. By his body he is part of the
material world ; this is the source of his
meanness. In his spirit he was formed in
the image of God ; this is the source of his
greatness. Let infidels consider the true
greatness of man in him who subjects the
passions and affections of the body to the
spirit. They will find in him a creature who
lius lately begun to be, hat who glories in
come from God ; an atom who raises
himself above all the creatures, aud aspires
towards his Divine Original, to pay Him
homage for his little being; a worm which
has the high distinction of offering himself
to the glory of God, to which other creat
ures contribute but unconsciously ; a mortal,
;t is true, but who places all his hopes be
yond mortality ; a finite being, but whose
vTews and desires are boundless. There need
but six feet of earth to cover his body, but
there must be an immense All to satisfy his
soul. He inherits all things, since he feels
himself the son of Him who made them all.
Nor is he of those who grow proud by ag
grandizement, and cannot humble them
selves without pride, because he knows his
natural abasement ; and is humble without
baseness, because he knows his real eleva
tion. He has a covenant with God, which
the ruin of the body cannot dissolve. If he
win no provinces, and sack no cities, he is
mighty enough to subdue the passions which
have caused such deeds. He regards as a
what, the world most admires. If he
ik raised to its honors,- he will think himeell
not really the greater ; if every way afflicted,
l;e will not account himself the less. He
elevates himself above all which is seen, that
he may descend with more lowliness in the
presence of his God who is unseen. Pos
sessing eternity though he exists in time,
child of God though living among men, he
feels himself uplifted above all; but he is
great chiefly by his humility. Now it is the
religion of Christ alone which to us
this greatness of man, but also produces it,
in subjecting our meaner self to the more
noble. In renouncing this faith, we lose all
that exalts us, and the measure of our in
credulity is that of our debasement.—-46-
bad.it.
HINTS ON FAMILY GOVERNMENT.
TO MOTHERS HAVING CARE OF LITTLE CHILDREN.
1. Don't talk too much. To be always lec
turing children is not the way to secure prompt
obedience. Some children would, doubtless,
much rather be whipped than perpetually
talked to; especially in a fault-finding way.
Little indiscretions and improprieties it is
often best to pass by. If we take note of
everything, and administer a lecture upon it,
our lectures will soon become an intolerable
bore, and not only will do no good, bat, while
they chafe our own spirit, they will harden
and discourage the child.
2. Talk low and gently. If you talk loud,
it will be harder to be calm. Keep the voice
down and you can the easier keep your tem
per down. If you talk loud, your children
will also, and the difficulty will be increased.
Do you know that one ofjthe chief difficulties
of family government is in the parent * You
may not suspect it, white it may be even so
in your case. Quiet, gentle, yet firm moth
ers, govern best.
3. Don't threaten much. To be every now
aud then saying, “If you do that again I’ll
box your ears,” or, “I’ll send you to bed,”
only hardens; and if you fail to execute what
you threaten —as great threatened are almost
sure frequently to do—your children will
either consider yon very forgetful or false;
and in either case will learn t-o distrust you,
and many a time will laugh at your threats.
Take notice of some great threatened—and
you may not have to go far to find a specimen
or two —and observe if they do not often
sternly threaten, and in a few minutes, being
more good natured, or forgetful, suffer the
children, unrebuked, to do the very thing
against which punishment was threatened.
4. If you would govern well, have but few
general rules, but steadily adhere to these.
Have a fixed rule as to prompt obedience,
speaking the truth, and, indeed, all moral
duties; and never pass easily by an act of
wilful disobedience, or a lie, or a theft. No
matter if you are in ever so great a hurry;
stop and attend to this. It is infinitely more
important than your ordinary affairs. Make
a great matter of it for Ood does ; and it may
prove a great matter to you and your child
ren.
6. Punish rarely, but when you do be tho
rough. Never punish in a passion, nor when
you are peevish or impatient, or nervously
excited. Wait till you are cool; look well
and carefully at the reasons of the case, and
only punish when the evidence of the guilt
is clear. Then proceed in a calm and Chris
tian spirit. Show your child, from the IVord
of God, your obligation to punish. Read
to him God’s words as your authority, and
let him see that you and he are both account
able to God. Let no one, grand parent or
other venerated friend, interfere with your
family discipline.— Congregationalist.
HINTS TO YOUNG CHRISTIANS.
Don't be afraid to “show your colors.”
A cowardly Christian is a misnomer. Shr 11k
from no declaration, from no duty,that Christ
desires ofyou. The timid, vacillating course
is the hardest and most barren. The brave,
outspoken, faithful life, is the happiest and
most effective.
There are many things vou do not under
stand as yet. But let no doubts or uncer
tainties prevent you from acting on what you
do know. There are some spiritual facts
clear enough, plenty of Christian duties plain
enough to you; act immediately on those.
Do faithfully all you know you ought to do,
and the larger knowledge will follow in due
time.
Use earnestly every means that will en
large and strengthen your Christian life.
Study the Bible. Fray without ceasing.
Don’t neglect the prayir-meeting or the
Sunday-school. Stir up your Sunday-school
teacher, and get your doubts explained. Go
to the pastor with your questions, and find
out the best he knots on the things that
perplex you. Keep your heart warm by
doing good.
Make your life beautiful in the sight of
men. aud show them the sweetness and power
of Christianity. Be conscientious in little
things. Let the Master’s spirit shine through
every hour of your life. In school, in shop,
or field, in society, the young Christian ought
to be the most faithful, the most courteous,
the most generous and kindly, the noblest of
any person there.
Follow Christ. Seek to reproduce His
traits in your life. Do always as you believe
He would do if He were in your place, so
you will have a growing, joyful, successful
Christian career.
THE RULE OF GIVING.
- But it may be asked, “What proportion
ought Ttogive?” Nothing can be laid down
as a rule. Under the old dispensation, it
was one-tenth of all that was earned from
the produce of the land or from other
sources. But under the present dispensa
tion no such commandment is given. It is
left to ourselves, because God delights to
have His children acting as constrained by
His love. He wants to have the service of
love —the service of freedom. It should be
the constraint of love. We should give joy
fully. He delights in the cheerful giver.
But whilst no express command js given, let
us take heed lest we should give less than
the Israelites did. Let us take heed, with
the full revelation which God has made of 1
Himself as our Father, and with the love of
Christ to constrain us, let us see to it that
we walk influenced by that precious love of
.Christ, and consider everything we have as
Opt our own. Let us see that we do not do
less than Jacob did, under the influence of
the first dawning of spiritual life. If we con
tribute less than we ought to, it will tend to
poverty. That is sure; I say so deliberately.
I have seen again and. again times without
number, individuals who could not get on in
business, because they refrained from giv
ing,—because they lived for themselves.
They retained the money they had made, and
therefore their business did not prosper.
The Lord could not entrust them with means
as stewards, as otherwise he would have
done. If we would not wish our lives to
pass away without doing good, let us so act
as to be in-accordance wit h the mind of Our
Lord in this matter. — George Muller.
TRUE COURAGE.
Between twenty and thirty years ago, three
little English boys were amusing themselves
together in a wood-lodge one summerafter
noon. Suddenly one of them looked grave,
and left off playing. “I have forgotten some
thing,” he said ; “I forgot to say my pray
ers this morning; you must wait for me.”
He went quietly into a corner of the place
they were in, kneeled down, and reverently
repeated his morning prayer. Then he re
turned to the others, and was soon merrily
engaged in play again. This brave boy grew
up to be a brave man. He was the noted
Captain Hammond. He was a faithful ser
vant to his earthly sovereign, but better still,
a good soldier of Jesus Christ—never asham
ed of his service.
HUMAN STRENGTH.
My friends, the most seductive teaching in
the world is that which teaches man to con
sider himself as a weakling, morally. Wheth
er it be done in the interest of humanity or
the elevation of God’s strength, it is done
ill. Man is not weak, He-is a creation of
power, of energy and of might. He is an
ashen bow with a deer’s anew for its cord
and a steel headed arrow for its bolt. His
elastic force is immense. His propulsive
energy is tremendous. The force wiih which
he can delivt>r himself when his power is con
centrated is actually frightful. What a fear
ful sinner man is. He does not sin like a
babe; he sins like a giant. His sins belt the
loins of his capacity and measure it. They
repeal his stalwartness. ; The mad contor
tions of man ridge out the sinews of his
power to our observation and show to our
amazed eyes the Corded forces of his struc
ture. The sins of man prove him to be a
moral athlete.
When, therefore, friend, any one from
pulpit or in prayer-meetings talks to you as
if you were weak, as if you were morally
fragile, as if you were only a poor reed or
rush and could do nothing of yourself unless
God help you to an ability that you have'not
by nature; know better! You do know bet
ter. You know that you are strong with the
strength that is magnificent when put forth
in holiness; which is fearful when exhibited
in transgression. You know that you are
not a reed but a tree —a tree whose roots
strike deep and reach far, and give you such
bracing that the gale of death itself cannot
blow over. You are so braced that you can
stand against all prayers, all entreaties, all
warnings; yea, you can resist even the Holy
Spirit himself. Can a weakling do that?
You are so braced, on the other hand, that
yon can stand against all temptations, all
seductions, all evil enticements; yea, you can
resist the Prince of -Evil himself. Can a
weakling do that? Why will people talk about
man’s weakness when lie is by nature the
child of God, and by transmission of force
has taken power from the loins of his Father.
Why will people talk of men as poor, weak,
dependent creatures, When they stand forth
above all seen orders of life, superb in equip
ment and matchless in energy. It is not
ability that men lack, and by which lack they
sin. Their sin proves their ability, and God’s
judgment on their sin sends the evidence of
their ability like a roll of thunder through
the universe. It is inclination that they
lack. — Rev. W. 11. Murray.
HOLD UP THE LIGHT.
The famous Eddystone Lighthouse off the
coast of Cornwall, England, was first built
in a fanciful way, of wood, by the learned
and eccentric Wistanley. On its sides he put
various boastful inscriptions. He was very
proud of his structure, and from its lofty bal
cony used boldly to defy the storms, crying,
“Blow, O winds! Rise, O ocean I Break
forth, ye elements, and try my work ?” But
one night the sea swallowed up the tower
and its builder. It was built a second time
of wood and stone, by Rudgard. The form
was good, but the wood gave hold for the
elements, and the builder and his structure
-•erished iu the flames. Next the great Stnea
ton was called in. He raised a cone from the
solid rock upon which it was built, and riv
etted it to the rock as the oak is fastened to
the earth by its roots. From the rock of the
foundation he took the rock of the super
structure. He carved upon it no boastful
inscriptions like those of Wistanley, but on
ils lowest course he put, “Except the Lord
build the house, they labor in vain that build
it;” and on its key-stone, above the lantern,
the simple tribute, “Laws Deo l" and the
structure still stands, holding up its beacon
light to the storm tossed mariner.
Fellow-workers for the salvation of men !
Christ, the Light, must be held up before
men, or they will perish. Let us, then, place
Him on no superstructure of our own device.
Let us rear no tower of wood, or of wood and
stone. Bit taking the word of God for our
foundation, let us build our structure upon
its massive, solid truth, and on every course
put Smeaton’s humble, trustful inscription,
and then we may be sure that the lighthouse
will stand. — D. P. Morgan.
!~TtHE CHRISTIAN.
He who would be a Christian must look to
Jesus only. Neither in Moses nor in the law
and the prophets is there any salvation for
man. There is no other name under heaven
given among men whereby we mnst be saved,
bat by the name of Jesus. Over his cross,
beneath which, all sin-stained, we stand ;
above the fountain iu which, as sinners, we
bathe; across the open heavens into which
Christ ascended, God has written: “No man
save Jesus only.” It is written alike on the
manger at Bethlehem, in the Garden of Geth
samane, and in the tomb of Joseph. It blazed
in the star that led the wise men ; it burden
ed the augels’ song ; it was emphasized on
the Mount of Transfiguration, and fully man
ifested on Olivet. And so to-day there is
salvation in no other name. Nor need there
he, for there is all of salvation in that name,
and his glorious invitatien to all is: “Who
soever will, let him come, and take of the
water of life freely.” —Christian at Work.
PRAY AYITHOUT CEASING..
To present a petition is one thing; to prose
cute a suit is another. Most prayers answer
to the former. But successful prayer corres
ponds to the latter. God’s people frequent
ly lodge their petition in the court of heaven,
and there they let it lie. They do not press
their suit. They do not employ other meaus
of furihering it beyond the presenting of it.
The whole of prayer iloes not consist in tak
ing hold of God. The main matter is hold
ing on. How many are induced by the
slightest appearance of repulse to let go, as
Jacob did notl I have often been struck
with the manner in which the petitions to the
Legislature are usually concluded—“ And
your petitioners will ever pray." So men
ought always pray to God and never faint.
Payson says, “The promise of God is uot to
the act, but the habit of prayer.”— Neoins.
OUR TALENTS.
Now, God will require an account of the
ability to win and please which He has lent
to us. It is a talent which we have no right
to wrap 'ink':* napkin and hide in the earth.
Consecrated, it is one of our most useful
powers; employed for our mere selfish grati
fication, it will be the means of our condem
nation at the last day. The souls of the car
penter, the blacksmith, and the shoemaker,
are as precious, as those of Governors and
merchant princes; their characters may he
whiter in the sight of God, and their families
have need of the Gospel. The only way to
gain their hearts is to make kindly advances;
grasp their hands ; seek them out; wait for
no formalities; go into the highways and
hedges, and compel them to come.— Watch
man. _
In some people what is called manners is
an excess of mauuer.
F. M. KENNEDY, Ds D Editor.
J. W. BURKE, Assistant Editor.
A. G. HAYGOOD, H. D., Editorial Correspondent.
WHOLE NUMBER 2004.
MISCELLANEA.
Mr. Tennyson earns his £2OO a year and
his pipe of sherry easily. Though poet-leau
reate for more than a quarter of a century,
since Wadsworth died April 23, 1850, the
number of courtly poems which he has writ
ten might be numbered almost on the fingers
of one hand.
In 1661 there was published at Cambridge,
Mass., by John Eliot, a version of the Bible,
in the Indian language. It was the Bible
printed in America, and contains the longest
single word ever printed in this country, as
foliows: ‘ ‘ Wutappesittukqussunnoohwehtun
kquoh.” It means, "kneel down to him.”
See Mark, first chapter, 4th verse.
The 16th of June was the thirtieth anniver
sary of the elevation of Pope Pius IX. to the
pontificate. He was born the 13th of May,
1792, was ordained priest on the 13th April,
1819, consecrated bishop 21st of May, 1829,
created cardinal December 14, 1840, elected
Sovereign Pontiff, June 16th, 1846, and is
now eighty-four years of age.
At the Scientific Conference at South Ken
sington, on the 21st nit., Lieutenant Condor
stated |that within five years, 4,600 out of
6,000 square miles of Palestine, had been
surveyed, aud nearly 4,000 heights measured.
The position of three quarters of the Bibli
cal towns hail been set as rest, and the true
site of the cave of Adullam, and also of’the
ford of Baptism of Jordan, had been ascer
tained.
Since the British aud Foreign Bible Socie
ty was organized, little more than seventy
years ago, it has put into circulation 70,000,-
000 copies of the Scriptures, while kindred
societies which have sprung into existence
since the establishment of the parent asso
ciation, have distributed 55 000.000 in addi'
tion. Through these instrumentalities the
Bible has been translated into upwards of
two hundred languages and dialects.
The Congregationalist advises: “Ifyou are
building or buying a parsonage, let it be not
far from the meeting house. The minister
will go over that road, probably, six times
on the Sabbath ; to say nothing of the other
days. Thera are iustaiices known to us in
which the burden of this travel is not light.
The minister is expected, unlike most other
men, to be always at meeting, without regard
to weather, or the state of the roads.
The Church of the “Brethren,” sometimes
called German Baptists, or Hunkers, have
held their annual meeting in Miami county,
Ohio. This people number from 100,000 to
130,000 members. They are conseientously
opposed to reckoning and' publishing their
numerical strength, believing that, as David,
King of Israel, displeased God by numbering
the people in his day, so the same should not
now be done.
Livingstone’s explorations are already
bearing fruit. The Presbyterians in Scot
land, have established a Mission on Lake
Nyassa; the English Church Missionary So
ciety purposes to occupy the Victoria Nyan
za, and now the London Missionary Society,
Dr. Mullens, Secretary, is moving to fix a
Mission at'Ujiji and Like Tanganika. Mr.
Arlington, of Leeds, offers $25,000 towards
purchasing a steamer for the Mission on the
lake.
*The Mission of the House of
Bihops have issued _ circular to the Church,
commending the Protestant Episcopal Mis
sions in Mexico, to the earnest attention and
generous aid of the Church in America. A
great work is now progressing in that coun
try, and Dr. H. C. Riley, one of the Bish
ops elect of the Church of Jesus, in Mexico,
is now here advocating its claims for support
upon American Churchmen. He addressed
the Cleveland, (Ohio,) Convention a few
days ago in this interest,
Strong drink is becoming the curse of the
South Sea Islands. Raratonga, one of the
Hervey group, where the work of the Lon
don society has grown up almost into a self
support, is happily being spared this scourge.
At a general meeting of the pastors, deacons,
and teachers of the churches, thanks were
given to God for the success which has at
tended the police regulations, prohibiting
the import ot intoxicating drinks, and the
whole assemblage was pledged to total ab
stinence endeavor among their people.
In the treaty lately concluded between
Russia and Japan, by which Saghalien was
ceded to the former and the Kurile Islands
to the latter country, it was stipulated that
the Russians and others in the Kurite Is
lands should enjoy complete religious liberty
after having become the subjects of Japan.
It is thought that this treaty provision will
be the entering wedge for larger liberty of
conscience throughout Japan, and that ere
long the government will legally tolerate
the Christianity which it now tacitly per.
mits.
The republican government of France is
liberal in its support of at least one Church.
It pays to the Cardinal Archbishop of Paris,
$12,0U0 per annum ; the four Cardinal Arch
bishops of Bordeaux, Rouen, Cambria, and
Rennes, and the Archbishop of Algiers, $6,000
each ; the twelve other Archbishops $4,000
each ; and the sixty-nine bishops in France
and Algeria, $3,000 each. The richest pre
bends in France are those of St. Denis, which
are worth $2,000 each tor canons of the epis
copal order, and SBOO each for canons of the
second order. The prebends ot St. Gene"
vieve (Paris) are worth only S4OO per annum.
No menliou is made of any pecuniary aid to
ministers of the several Protestant denomi-
nations.
New York pays to its Governor an annual
salary of SIO,OOO, which is the highest paid
in the Union. Louisiana pays SB,OOO, Cali
fornia $7,000, Nevada SO,OOO. Eight States
Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, North
Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and
Wisconsin —pay $5,000; Maryland $4 500.
Three States —Alabama, Georgia, and Ohio
—54,000. Arkansas, South Carolina, and
Florida, pay each $3,500. Kansas, Indiana,
Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, andTen
nessee pay each $3,000. Illinois, lowa, and
Maine, pay each $2 500. West Virginia pays
$2,700. Connecticut, $2,000. Oregon,sl,soo
Delaware, $1,300, and Michigan, Nebraska,
New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Ver
mont, pay their Governors respectively a sal
ary of just SI,OOO.
About thirty years ago they heard in Ain
tab of the new faith iu Constantinople, and
messengers were sent to carry it to them.
There are now two Christian churches in
Aintab, with setiled pastors, self-supporting,
and with the care of twenty eight other
churches in an outlying region about as large
as New England. The membership of these
churches is 3,000 each, and the Sabbath con
gregations are about 1,000 each. These
2 000 nominal Christians are creditable ex
ponents of the faith, in presence of the de
cayed Christianity of the Armenian and the
30,000 Mahommedan Turks of the city. They
have recently contributed SB,OOO for the
Protestant College of Central Turkey, which
is very noble self-denial in a land where
wages are fifty cents a day, including boards
Congregationalism