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TWO DOLLARS AND FIFTY CENTS.
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VOLUME XXXIX., NO. 4G.
Original
HOME MISSION.
"The poor have th gospel preached on o them.’’
“Call the poor ”
Lord thy liberal hard hath spread.
The golden light for every eye,
Scattered the dew, the sparrow fed,
Profusely gtm oed the mi night sky;
O wilt th ’U not the poor sapp y ?
Or hast thou spi nt thy bound css store ?
With joy we hear thee, Lori, reply,
“(Jopreach my gaspel to the poor."
In streets, and laics, and rural place,
Thousands are crying now Tor bread !
Distribute, Lord, thy bounteous grace,
Till all these starving souls are f and
Forth-m thy blood wa3 f C'-ly shed,
For th m thy intercessions rise,
Thy angels guard their dting bed.
And bear them snouting to 'he skies.
The poor are thine ; ttiys If most poor,
Thy mis-ion wast the poor toll at;
Bend faithful men from door to door,
To emulate thy holy zeal.
We own thy sacred trust os given,
“ My poor shall always and well with thee,”
Help us to letd them on to heaven,
Heirs of thy bless -d eternity.
Help us to see thee, Lord, iu them,
Still in the sick thyself to meet,
See in their homes thy Bethlehem,
An l lay our treasure; at their feet.
Then when our mission work i done.
When fades the starry dome on high.
Millions of poor shall j >in in song.
And crowd the mansions of ibe sky.
J. T. W IGIITMAN.
Contributions.
THE CALL AMI WORK OF THE MIX
ISTItY.
Mr. Editor : In the early days of our glo
rious Me'bodi-m, a call of God to the minis
try of His Word, implied a full surrendering
of all selfishness and self-inteie^t; a giving
up of home, with all its endearments ; a sac
rifice of earthly possessions—the honor that
cometh from man ; a going out and leaving
behind wife and children ; in a word, a cutting
loose from earthly ties and interests.
The call then was for men who should go
forth naked, as the stripling David ; men
who would cheerfully follow the Master’s
lead, and agree to wait for their pay until
after the evening of life had closed, and the
darknem of death had shut the world from
labor.
A yielding to the heavenly mandate of the
Divine imp-ession. was accepting and enter
ing upon a life of labor, hunger, weariness,
wanderings in a wild country to which he
was a strangpr, to be looked upon and spoken
of as one possessed with a dev 1.
The conditions upon w ion our Annua!
Conferences then received probationers inwi
the traveling connection —the woik the, had
for, ana required them to do, would have
sent a deadly chill to any heart not on fire
with the love of Christ. But than is be
unto God and to the economy of Melho I
ism, there wore men then called of G id, and
sent by the Church, who did go— penetra
ting “ the wilderness,” making it and “the
solitary place glad for them, and the desert
to rejoice and blossom as the rose.”
The resiylt of their sacrifice and labor is
“known and read of all men.” But has
there not come over us a change in this re
spect ?
There are many places now in the South,
and elsewhere, wh re liie people are pier
and ignorant (but who would pay as much
for the preached Word as many “circuits”
paid fifty years ago) who are destitute, in
darkness, and in the way of eternal and ath.
Tiie Church knows where they are—knows
that they are poor, and ought to have the
Gospel preached to them. Our Bishops
have heard their call—have supplied some,
but not all —not for lack of men, but of
means.
Let any Congregational. Presbyterian, or
Episcopal church be generally known to have
two thousand dollars a year, and a vacant
pulpit, and the rush from the four quarters
of the earth will amaze them. And, in our
Church, there are many that are eager and
hungry for the vacation crumbs of our city
pulpits. Are there not young men now
who have prepared, and have been accepted
for foreign work, and are waiting w tile
months run in'o years—anxiously wailing,
and hoping to be sent —but cannot, for lack of
means. As to the Church’s duty in the nut
ter, no intelligent Christian can doubt for a
moment but that it is her duty to supply the
means —plenty of means—to send them.
That sh • cannot fad to do so and be guiltless
before God—that she should send them into
all the world, and most especially to “the
heathen at home.” The Church has done
something in this resp ct. “ The handful of
corn upon the mountain” has brought a gliri
ous harvest home. The laborers who bore
the burden and heat of the day, sotvi g the
good seed of life, feeling “ that the sufferings
of this present time are not worthy to be
compared with the glory which shall be re
vealed in us,” have received their wages, and
it is enough —“I shall be sttisfied when I
awake with thy likeness ” And, the work
is still going on, from glory to conquest, ad
will continue until the redeemed world shad
be saved.
Dear brethren of the ministry, who have
been called of God to go and preach the
Gospel, and have the premia f of food ar.d
raiment, and his presence to go wiih vou,
“ lift up your eyes and look on the fields, for
they are white already to harvest,"’ and let
the all-important question to you and to
perishing souls, come hone to your heart,
Shall I go now, or wait for more; or for some
one to hire me;’ And let the answer be
given, after due deliberation and refl c ion,
before God, upon your knees. 0, for more
of that love among us that sets the heart on
five—burns to the consumption of all sin—
and moves to action all the dead faculties of
the soul.
Someone should have the courage to
stand up in the face of a frowning Church,
and talk the truth to young candidates for
the ministry. Such young men ueed to sub
ject themselves to a rigid examination before
deciding to enter the ministry. It such a
one cau say: I am strong, I have industry,
patience, fortitude, will ; L am a man among
men, and I will enter the ministry, and strike
oat bravely for the Church at the top of tli
hill—that young man, th re, iuttlligently
decides for himself. If such a one says, I
give myself to Curist, as did Stephen j a place
hunter I will never he ; I am ready to re
nounce atner, mother—all, all—and to ac
cept uncomplainingly the Mas er s wi rk, and
the Master’s pay, though the oae be in oo
scurity and poverty and the other be a garret
and a crust then he may know that Christ
wants him in his harvest field, where a thou
sand million sheaves are even now falling
wasted to the ground. For such laborers
there is a demand wide as the world, and
eager as spiritual starvation. 01 such la-
bore-s there were few, and we fear that the
number now is still less
The writer is not disheartened with regard
to the final conquest of the Gospel, or of
Methodism, but tears that there are many
now wit .in our bounds “ dying for the
lack of knowledge,” who should be sup
plied by tho s e who are “standing all the
day idle:” and, if these words I have wnt
t n move any heart to the work of saving
souls, to God be the glory.
La Fayette co.. Fla. W. Williams.
Selections.
THE BORDER LAND.
An article in Appleton's Journal relates a
number of surpri-i- g and beautiful incidents
at the hour of death. I quote the first “A
family in the village where the writer lives
recently lost two daughters. The elder,
named Clara, died in the winter, or spring.
The younger, named Anna, died in the sum
mer. Anna was spending her last moments
in talking about her teachers and compan
ion when, suddenly looking upward, with
an expression of joy and surprise, she ex
claimed: ‘Clara! Clara! Clara!' and after
a few moments of silence, in which she
seemed to behold her departed sis’er, she
died.”
Among my memoranda as a pastor sev
eral distances of i similar character are re
corded. In a family of my congrega'ion,
two HOll3 di -d—the younger in the morning,
the older in the evening of the same day.
A short time before bis departure, looking
ntently toward a corner of the room, he
said : “ I see Willie." He was a child of
four years, and had not, been told of his
b other’s death. Hts father “always be
litved he saw his brother.”
In a family connected with my church a
little girl of seven years, an only child,
died. Her mother, wor e than widowed,
had returned to her parents. They were
oppres-ed with infirmities ar.d toils. The
only bright and j yous thing in the house
was the grandchild, and their hearts were
almost broken ty her death. Some ime
after, the mother was seized with fatal sick
ness at the house of her married and only
sister, a few miles a way. A short time be
f tre the end, an expression of indescribable
intelligence arid rap'ure came upon her face,
her lips moved, and the nurse bending over,
was confi lent she pronounced the name of
Elbe, her lost darling. Her in ether was
unable to see her during her sickness, or in
her shroud, but after the funeral service
I was present when the surviving daughter
entered her room, rushed iuto her arms,
weeping for a moment, then suddenly rais
ing herself, she exclaimed : “But, mother,
don’t cry for Cornelia; I sail when I saw
tlta look, 1 invar w ep for you my sister.”
The scene was affecting in the extreme
A pious gen’lonian rela’ed to me the fol
io-.it.g concerning his own brother, who
died about eight years of age. Two days be
fore his end he raised his eyes to the ceding
as if seeing something which s rongly inler
ested him. After contemplating it awhile,
he said: “How beautiful you are!” then,
slreiching out his arms: “Come and take
me!' ’
Recently a lady, a member of the church
in my care, gave me the following account:
Some years ago her hr; tlier, Russel € ,
an active business man and a Christian, was
killed in a raiiroai disaster. Their ag -d
mother, living iu another State, wa; in such
a low and feeble state of body and mind,
that it wus thought rot best to infer n her ol
the decease of her sou. After some weeks
ilie time of her departure drew near, pre
ceded by two or three days of mental restora
tion and activity. During those days, at one
time having apparently perfect use of her
faculties on all subj cts, the daughter •tamed
above being present, she suddenly said:
“ Russell is he re 1” “ Why, no he is not.”
replied the daughter. “ But he is,” she per
sisted, and expressed her pleasure at seeing
iti m.
The article in Appleton closes with the
beautiful experience which heralded the
death of Eberhard Stilling, grandfather ot
the author Jung Stilling. Concisely stated,
it is as follows : He went one day with his
children into a wood Leaving them he
passed on. So. n a light brighter than the
sun appeared before hun. A. plain extended
beyon 1 his vision whi'e with the light. T ,ere
were brooks and gardens and silvery castles.
Near him rose a glorious mansion, and from
tile door came a beautiful angel; but, when
close by him. he saw it was his beloved de
parted daughter, Dora. “ Father." she sad,
yonder is our eternal ha italion ; you w 11
come to us soon." From that hour he seem
ed as one enchanter, and s< rene and happy,
soon pass and away from earth.
There are some points ot resemblance to
this in the narrative given to me by the
grandparents of two little girls who died. A
lady who watched with the younger the 1 s
night of her life, said she shou'd always be
lieve the child saw angels. On the S bbath
morning following the funeral, the older
sister went into her grandmother’s room,
and said: “ I have been dreaming; I want
you to tell me what it means.” “ VVb t did
you dream my child? ’ “I thought 1 was
walking in a wood, and my little sister met
me and said : ‘ Come with me. and 1 will
show you where I live now.’ So she : dm>
along till we came to a ga'e, and beyend the
gate was the most beautiful place I ever <aw.
There was a great many people there and
l.ttle children, and all perfectly h ppy.”
The grandmother told her that thinking
much about her little sister had caused ter
to dream; but, when the girl left the mom,
she sain to her daughter: “That child wll
die.” Before the second Sa bath following
she was seiz.d wi ill the same malady, a pre
vailing epidemic, which had be* n ft,. I to
the first. From the beginning she tol l her
parents that she should die ; she was going
to be with her sister, and live in that b anti
ful place. They s'.ould not mourn for her,
but prepare to meet her there. In that hap
|py expectation she continued to her mo
i ments. She was nine years of age ; the
| younger was six.
My store of incidents is not exhausted but
let me turn in another direction. The v, riter
in Appleton asks: “ Were these visions thn
effeci of a delir.ous mind— cegri sornni vana
—or were they realities? is there some ex
pausion of the f .cullies at the hour of death,
that enables the spiritual eye to discover the
ceUsttal world and is mysteries? Is there
truth as will as poetry in Walltr’s famous
stanza?
*• The soul’s dark cottage, battered and de
cayed,
Lets in new light through chinks that time
hath made ;
S ronger by weakness, wiser men become
As they draw nrar to tb.ir ete.nal home;
Leaving the old, both worlds at once taey
view,
Who stand upon the threshold of the new.”
It is easy to raise these questions ; it is irn-
PUBLISHED BY J. W. BURKE & COMPANY, FOR THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, SOUTH.
possible to ans wer them. Bat it is possible, if
not to answer them, to contemplate them in
relations of great interest.
First. Incidents of the character of those
related above constitute a numerous class.
Let five or six persons meet casually and
converse frankly on such subjects, it will
probably be found that one or two of them at
least know of similar occurrences in the circle
of their own relatives or intimate friends. If
but one in a hundred years was alleged, it
would stand alone a strange story ; bat a con
tinual succession, it would seem, must have
a ground, or law, worthy of attention.
Secondly. The testimony concerning such
incidents is of the highest character. It is
given by persons of intelligerce and piety,
who have no interest in publicity or fraud,
but speak of what they have known with re
serve and awe. The case is world wide from
the “ modern spiri ualism,” so called. It
has nothiug to do with the necromancy and
imposture of those who seek by their own
volitions and arts to cal l forth “ manifesta
tions” of spirits. It is entirely in another
realm. It is observation of facts which are
presented to us in the courses of nature and
Providence.
Thirdly. For Christians there is presump
live evidence of reality in such incidents.
On oilier grounds we believe there is a spir
ltu tl world to wh ; ch our souls are kindred,
and iu which we soon shall be constituent
members. It is then a philosophical possi
bility, or even probability, that peculiarphe
nomena shall occur al ing the line where two
worlds meet, that in occasional, stimulated,
exalted states, our faculties may dkcern
gleamings of spiritual realities; or. in other
worts, such realities may come w thin the
range ol our perceptions in t heir keenest con
dilion. Such phenomena would b-> super
n itura! in reference to this limited nature
with which we are familiar, being above our
ordinary experience ; but also natural in re
ference to that broader nature which is com
prehended in the creation and government
of God. Do they not, as truly as anything
in physics and metaphysics, opeu a field for
legitimate observation, and perhaps indue
tion ?
Fourthly. Incidents of the class we have
contemplated ha’ e a very interesting rela
tion to biblical narratives. Many wonderful
events of sacred his'ory, such as the appear
ance of angels, the vision of Stephen, and
oth rs, may h ive a normal as well as super
rm'ural character. They may not be alto
gether exceptional, but typical facts of a suc
cession intended for the instruction and com
f >rt of believers. It is a fair question whether
much of our modern Chris'ianity has not
been quite too Sadducean. believing neither
in angel or spirit; that is to say. anxious to
avoid materialism and superstition in reli
gion, and so going to an extreme which
leaves little or no spiritual substance on
which the sou! can lay hold with dt finiteness
of thought and joy of anticipation. This
may parti v arc mnt for some the A>?is of
the times. If it sees not the true, unman
nature will yearn for a false spiritualism. A
little more of the Pharisee’s faith, or rather
Christ's vindication of it would help us. The
logical effect of such incidents as have been
cited, regarded on due evidence as having a
foundation iti reality, would be to confirm
the Serip'tiral testimonies of a fn*ure life ;
and that effect has been experienced.
Further, that effect is consolation in sorrow.
It adds richness, definiteness, and if I may so
say, a spiritual solid ty to the Apostle's de
lightf il conception of the family of God in
heaven and earth, named after Chri t; and
Paul, it will be remembered, had seen
“visions.” It brings closer to our hearts,
it seems to unfold in some degree, Christ’s
precious and wonderful words : “Their an
gels do a'w iys behold the face of my Father
which is in heaven ” —,S. IF. Presbyterian.
From the Nasliviile Christian Advocate.
LETTER FROM BISHOP MARVIN.
IX OREGON.
I f-11 in the oth r day with a patriotic citi
zen just returned from the “Centennial,”
full of enthusiasm, and loaded with docu
ments of the “National Woman Suffrage
Association,” which he was distributing.
He favored me with a “ Declaration of
Rights,” put forth by the Association, dated
July 4, 18TG, an 1 I put in an unoccupied
moment in reading it. It is not, as to the
main body of it, what the title imports, but
formal “Ar;i les of Impeachment against
our Rulers.” Is it a feminine peculiarity to
wander from the topic in hand? At least
there is another feature of it that is a genu
ine index of its maternity —it has two Isfota
Be nee tucked on toth> end of it. Isn't a
woman entitled to two or more postscripts
every time she writes? Beyond ques'ion
this is her inalienable right, and woe to the
man who wiuld wag his tongue against it!
1 have just been spending a few days with
Brother McFarland in his work at. the town
of Independence. Our people there have
just built a beautiful church, which was
heavily in debt. My visit contemplated an
effort to pay the debt. The m-eting was a
pleasant one, and in some deg r ee profitable,
1 trust; but the subscription we obtained did
not quite cover the amount of the debt. Yet
the lire'hren talk o’ bu l ling a parsonage,
■which is greatly needed, and I have some
hope if their success. Brother McFarland,
i preacher raised up in Oregon, is one of the
nu-s- laborious and thorough going men I
know, and if he takes it in hand, as I think
; e will see his way clear to do, he will be
almost certain to push it to a successful con
clusion.
At Salem, the Capital of the State, I spent
about, twenty four hours, preached once, met
the Governor, a most affable gentleman, j ust
el c ed to the United States Senate, and
looked in upon the two Houses of the Legis
lator- now in ses-ion. The court-house in
Salem is a perfect gem of architecture, and
the new S ate House, not yet finished, is a
most imposing structure.
I am now in Portland, expecting to take
the steamer on Friday for S.n Francisco.
The two days I have to remain I propose to
devo’e to a visit among relatives in Washing
ton county, for I have some who are near of
k n to ne in these ends of the earth, and in
our early life we were much together. Of
course a visit to them will be a delightful
incident.
The city of Portland, from which I write,
is the commercial emporium of Oregon. It
is situated on the Willamette river, some
t welve miles above its mouth, and is acces
sib’.e by ships of considerable tonnage. Al
most the en ire trade of Oregon is concen
trated here, as well as tuar of a considerable
portion of Washington and Idaho Territories.
After supper, last night, I walked out on
the principal street, and had my attention
arrested by a lively display of fire-work).
Upon a-king a plain-looking man what the
occasion of it was I was politely informed
that there was to be a “ Hazen Wheeler’’
meeting and a speech. It had been fifteen
years since I had heard a political speech,
MACON, GEORGIA, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1876.
and I concluded to go iu and see what might
be done and said. I was sorry to find that
the “ distinguished speaker” was to be the
somewhat famous “ Hippel Mitchell,” Re
publican Senator from Oregon—the man with
an alias and two wives. If I hid known be
forehand that he was to be the orator 1
should not have gone, but as I was iu I re
solved to hear him through, and I confess
that I was not a little edified to hear this
bigamist assailing the moral character of
other men, as if7te had any right to speak on
such a question. Asa speaker he is some
what above the average, but is certainly far
below the standard of real greatness.
The chief merit of the speech was in an
appeal to the war feeling. Every art of
oratory was tried to quicken the decaying
hatred of “Rebels” and “The South.”
Another striking feature of it was a bold and
emphatic declaration that the present Ad
ministration was exceptionally pure. The
harangue was an intolerably long one, and
delivered to a constantly-diminishing crowd.
A sermon of the same length, and no greater
in'erest, would have been considered an in
sufferable affair. But is not the world's ear
more open to any thing else than to the
vo ce of its Maker ? Surely, then, the world
is ‘ far gone from original righteousness.”
I bought a newspaper on the train the
other day and give a “ bit ” for it—that is,
a dime. Yesterday, not having the change,
I handad the boy twenty-five cents for a copy,
and he gave me a dime only in change, so
that my paper cost me fifteen cents. I have
found no place in Oregon, except Por land,
where five cents is made any aceoun' of
The smallest change is ten cents. The nickel
is an unknown coin. I subjected inysslf to
the somewhat disparaging epithet, emigrant.
by asking for five cents worth of envelopes.
It was a disgustingly small business. In
Texas anew comer, before lie lenrii3 tk
Texas ways, is called “green from the
States;” in Oregon, with the same good
humored raillery, ha is dubbed “an emi
grant.” Really it took me back to my boy
hood to hear the word bit. but no man on
this coast does a picayune business, and I
fear that good old word is clean gone for
ever.
The growth of Oregon is considered some
what slow, but it is steady and healthy. The
great need of the country is two great trunk
railroads, one through to California, the
other through Eastern Oregon and the Snake
River Valley, to connect with the Union Pa
cific at Oregon ; and the time is not distant
when bo h will be consummated.
E. M. Marvin.
Portlaad. Or., Oct. 4, 1876.
THE DEATH SCENE.
The whole assembly are roused into fury. ;
Like wild beasts springing upon their prey,
“ they gnashed upon him with their teeth ”
A-■ their rage, however, increases, so also
does his calm composure; a holier bright,
ness gathers over his countenance. Wo can
no. wonder at it; lor we are told that then
“ he looked up into heaven, and saw the glory
of God, and Jesus standing at the right, hand
of God.” He looked above the cruel assem
bly gathered in the earibly Jerusalem. He
was gazing upon “ the general assembly and
church of the first-born in heaven.” The veil
of the skies had been drawn aside. He saw
holy angels smiling upon him; and, better
than all, that blessed Saviour he bad proba
bly last seen expiring in agony on the cross,
11 standing on the right hand of God." As
an early father says. “ not ‘ seated ,’ but
‘ standing,' as if he rose from His glorious
throne to welcome His first apostle and
martyr.”
But he can expect no mercy from the hands
of men ; they saw no such bright heavenly
vision ! The setenty two are all against him.
“They cried with a loud voice, and stopped
the ir ears, and ran upon him with one ac
cord." In that loud voice there mingled,
doubtless, the shout of the young rabbi of
Tarsus. If there was one event, in his life
more than another Saul afterwards bitterly
wept over, surely it was that mad rush he
made on an innocent and holy saint, and
when he helped to urge him, unresisting,
along, from the place of trial to the place of
death. It was contrary to the Jewish law to
commit murder inside the walls of the citv ;
they must, therefore, for some moments re
press their rage till they are outside the sa
cred enclosure. They drag their victim
through the gate, which still bears his name,
and by which, in ages long after, the brave
and victorious Godfrey of Bouillon conduct
ed his armies with loud acclamations in en
tering Jerusalem. Soon they reach the
scene of violence. It is supposed to be a
lonely spot low down in the valley of Jehos
aphat, not far off from where Stephen's Sa
viour had suff-red far more terrible agonies
in the gatden of Gethsemane. The brook
Kedron is murmuring in bis ear. He could
not fail to remember that Jesus, too, lis
tened to its sound in that darkest night the
world ever saw. Whata “ mixed multitude”
we may imagine are present! There are the
idle mob from the city, who are ever hang
ing on, ready to take pare in any tumult, and
to be witnesses of savage deeds. There are
priests and scribes, by their words and ges
tures stirring up the pass ons of the rabble,
and hurrying them to execute with all speed
the act of cruelty. While lurking in the
crowd, afraid to utter a word which might
bring down on themselves similar vengeance,
are the trembling disciples of the same Mas
ter whose cross Stephen so meekly bears.
Who is to begin the bloody work? A num
ber of stones lying in the channel of the Ke
dron, or that have fallen from the rocky ridges
of Jehosaphat, are the weapons of death.
According to the Jewish law, it is the wit
nesses in the trial who must cast the first,
and these seemed resolved to effect their
purpose thoroughly; for their upper loose
garments are cast aside, that their arms may
be able to dash the stones wi h sufficient
ferce. There is one close by who is ready
enough to assist. They lay down their coats
at his feet to take charge of them. It is a
young man, described by early writers as be
ing “ short in stature, of a fair complexion,
and with expressive eyes.” His name is
Saul! The dreadful tragedy is s :on over —
stone after stone is hurled upon that bruised
and tortured body. The green turf is dyed
with the first martyr’s blood. But he utters
not one revengeful word—a new spirit has
been introduced into the world. Like the
Lord before him, he prays with his dying
lips for his murderers, and then “ falls
asleep.”
With such a friend and witness near,
No form of death could make him tear;
Calm amid showers ot stones he kneels,
And only for his murderers feels !
That prayer was heard for one at least of
those who were in that crowd. There is a
cave or grotto still pointed out in the valley
of Jehosaphat, where it is said the murderers
d.-aggsd the mangled body of the martyr
when life was extinct.
The Bible tells us nothing as to how Saul
himself must have really telt at Stepheu’s
death. I doubt not, though he concealed it,
kiiere were other feelings that mingled with
•age and bigotry, as the dead body lay at his
.eet, and he heard the sound of the “ sore
lamentation” made by sorrowing friends over
iheir “loved and lost” one. He must have
hought to himself, Can all that peace and
calmness and prayer and forgiveness and love
-have been that of a hypocrite ? Meanwhile,
however, we know that he did go away from
ihe place a furious zealot as before. Perhaps
he thought he saw in that tranquil death
only the power of the evil one at work, or a
taturally pure and holy mind, tempting him
o desert the faith of his fathers for a miser
hie heresy. This would only give him the
treater desire to extinguish it and prevent
others from falling into the same snare. But
• here were thoughts and impressions, not
withstanding, made on his heart, wh'ch he
never could forget, and which he never did
forget, when he came afterwards to follow in
Stephen’s steps, and to pant for Stephen's
fcrown.— McDuff's Footsteps of St. Paul.
f
REST IN THE LORD.
Rest in the L ird aul wai pat e it . on Him.”
h<.Ke t in the Lord, and wait for Him,
Is God*fi own balin fur sorrow ;
i Rest igLthe Lprd-*-leave, saith our (iod,
of the uorrow.
Rest ii the Lord, and wiit for Him,
Is God’s own cure for fret irg;
Re t. in the Lord, and tied IPs Word
iiis peace in thee begetting.
R- -t. in the Lord, though faint and weak,
By foe- and fears surrounded;
Faith in His name can ne’er bring shame, —
Shall nev r he confounded.
"Rest in the Lord, and all that comes
Thon’lt tind His wil intended ;
So -hail His peace bid conflict cease,
By His own love befriended.
W. Poole Balfern.
A FRIEND INDEED !
Robert Burns once observed that lie could
•lot “pour out his whole soul without re
serve to any human being without one day
repenting his confidence.” This pe-il of
betrayal is one that is inseparable from earth
ly friendship. Often when trust is most im
plicit, and the intercourse most intimate, we
are suddenly awukeued to the sad fact that
our confidence has been unworthily be
stowed, and the pang of the discovery, to
r. sensitive nature, is one of the most painful
that, the human heart can endure. Some
learn the lesson once for all and then close
'.heir hearts in selfish isolation forever ; oth
ers more wise or less sensitive adjust their
confidences to the imperfect cotnii ions on
which all earthly friend.-hips must rest. Bu
he thirst for this intimate ami perfect com
munion of spirit remains w ith us all. We
may sooner get beyond the reach of almost
every other instinct of the soul. It is a part
of our inmost nature, and however dwarfed
or repressed, it still continues to manifest
bselfin this life, and we have every reason
to suppose that it will go with us into the
life to come. The gospel perfectly meets
and provide for this hunger of the soul. In
sanctified (hrit-tian f’ iendships and loves we
hav •, so far as our imperfect natures will
permit, an approximation to what the heart
so imperatively demands. But even the most
;> rf ct forms of earthly friendship do not
quite satisfy us. We want a friend to whom
ve can tell all, the most secret things of our
'ives, the weaknesses, the imperfections, the
y’7?p down sins that we would not tell to any
earthly companion. We need a fiend who
not only lov-s us ami completely under
sands us, who will he pa ient with our fail
ures and errors, whom we can trust implic
itly, wbo will never betray our deep eoufi
dence however unreservedly we unbosom
i-urselves to him, but who, in the boundless
ness of his wise gentleness, is tender even lo
our weaknesses and faults, who can pardon
even ingratitude and forgetfulness of himself,
and who, however we may change, will still
Xegard us with the most enduring and u t
conqusrable love. Such a companion, if we
igould find one on earth, would indeed be a
treasure. Few of us would hesitate to make
any sacrifice that would secure us such a
friend. Such a friend is revealed to us in
the gospel. All forms and types of ea thly
affection do but faintly symbolise that deep
eternal fou Jain of love that is revealed in
the life and death of the Saviour. Here the
heart may be fully, completely at, rest. Every
want will be met and every longing sati fied.
The sinner may come and tell all. There
will be no betrayal, no misunderstanding,
no trust that ends in bitterness, or confi
d.nce that will bring ultimate regret.
In Christ, then, we have a Friend indeed.
He at least will be true to us. The more
familiar we are wiih him, the more complete
and perfect our companionship, the more we
shall please him and secure his favor and
smile. The poor man who has no other
friend, the outcast who is abandoned by all,
even the slave who toils on in helpless and
hopeless captivity may find as complete ac
cess to hi; loving presence as Dives from h’s
purple-cushioned sanctuary. The beggar is
quite as co-dially greeted as the king,—the
man whose days are full of tribulation and
gloom as welcome to the arms of his all
embracing love as the individual who finds
his pathway one of sunshine and his Ii r e one
of worldly prosperity and peace.— Western
Recorder.
WITHOUT SPOT.
A scar in the face is a grea'er deformity
-than a wound or sore in any other part of
■ the body. Such is the emin-ncy of our call
\fiig, beloved brethren, that our spots can
no more be hid than the spots in the moon :
nay, that it make’h ev ry spot in us a stain,
every blemish a rear, every prick a wound,
every drop of ink a blot, every trip a fall,
every fault a crime. If we defile Christ’s
priesthood with an impure life, we do worse
than those His professed enemies who spi;
on Hi3 face. If we foul and hi ck with giv
ing arid receiving the wages of unrighteous
ness in those h nds wherewith we deliver
the price of man’s redemption in the blessed
sacraments, we more wrong our Saviour
than those who pierced His sacred hands
with nails. If we, in these holy mounts of
God, wherein should press the purest
liquor out of the grapes of the vines ot En
gedi, vent our own spleen and malice, what
do we else than offer to Christ again vinegar
and gall ? If we, Christ’s menial and do
mistical setvants, turn Lord into time and
serve the time, instead of serving the Lord ;
if we preach ourselves, and not Chri-t cru
cified ; if we bear the world in hand to woo
for our master, but indeed speak for our
t.se.lves; if we use the s'airs of 'he pulpit as
’Steps only to our preferment: if we hear
our Lord and Master highly dishonored, and
dissemble it.; no marvel then if judgment
begin at the house of God, as it did in the
siege at Jerusalem, with the slaughter of
Annanias the high priest; no marvel if Gt and
suffer sacrilege to rob the Church of her
maintenance almost in all places, when the
Church herself is guilty of worse sacrilege,
by robbing God of His worship and service.
■—Daniel Fealley s Apostolic Bishop , A. D.
1862.
PURE RELIGION.
Pure religion, a cording to the Scriptures,
is essentially love —love to God, and love to
our fellow men.
Sin, the Bible teaches us, starting in unbe
lief, consummates itself in selfishness
Through the misrepresentations and seduc.
tions of the serpent, there was primarily
generated in the hearts of our first parents
mistrust of God’s goodness and love; and
then, having been led to doubt this, they
were next induced to seek their sufficiency
iu themselves. Thus they sundered them
selves from God and became corrupt and de
praved.
In full harmony with this, the Bible also
teaches, that what is necessary to the resto
ration of man to favor with God, and to ti e
proper centre of his own being, is, that the
selfishness which reigns in his heart by na
ture, and which is the very essence and soul of
sin, should be supplanted by love to God,
springing from faith in God’s goodness and
mercy. Only as such love dwells in us and
manifests itself in our life, are we delivered
from the power of sin and death. The truly
redeemed, therefore, always love the Lord
their God with ali their heart, and with all
their soul, and with all their mind.
But love to God necessarily carries with
it love for our fellow-men as His creatures,
and especially as made in His likeness. If
we truly love anyone, we aie always instinct
ively led to love whatever is like him and
whatever is dear to him. Now as man was
made in the image of God, and as Gjd so
lovt and him as to give His only begott- ti Son
to die for his redemption from death, it ne
cessarily follows, tiiat we cannot truly love
G and, unless we love man also. Hence, St.
John declares, “Ifa man say, I love God,
and hateth his brother, he is a liar ; for he
that loveth not his brother whom he hath
seen, how can he love God whom he hath
not seen ?”
The love which is redemptive, accordingly,
is essentially love tor the brethren, as well as
love of God. It is a love which leads us to
Him tor others, instead of living merely for
h If, and to di vote ourselves entirely to GoJ
by avoiding all sin and iniquity and doing
only those things which are well pleasing
and acceptable in His pure and holy sight.
In other words, to use the language of St.
James, “ Pure religion and uudefiled before
God and the Father is this: to visit the
fatherless and the widows in their affletion,
and to keep himself unspotted from the
world.” Pure religion is consequently any
thing but the twin sister of selfishness, as has
been sneeringly said.
The love, however, which is the essence of
pure religion, is possible only through faith
in Jesus Christ our Lord. Only as we be
lieve in Him who is the Lord as well as the
Son ol Devid, can we properly realize God s
goodness and man's relation to G >d ; and
come into possesion of the power, wnich is
wanting to us in our natural state, to do the
will of God. Pure religion is, therefo e, al
ways deeply concerned in the question,
“What think ye ot Christ?” —The Messenger.
THE HOLE InItHE BASKET.
A native preae ier in the South Seas once
gave the following illustration :
He said, “I will relate an ancient story to
show how ( tbe gods once punished the sin of
selfishness.
* Two men went fishing on the reef, and
after many hours, both took up their fishing
tackle and baskets to return home. One of
the men had be -n quite successful, and ha 1
a full basket. Tiie other, who had not oh
tained any, asked his fortunate friend to
give him a fish. The reply was, ‘ No, get
some yourself; I xvill no part with mine.’
So saying, he shouldered his heavy basket
and marched away. The other man walked
behind with his empty basket.
“ Now, there was a small hole in the bot
tom of the basket of the fortunate fisher
man ; but he was not aware of it. Present
ly a fish fell through quite unknown to its
owner. This godsend was eagerly picked up
by the man behind, and put into his basket.
Ere long another fish fell through, and an
other fish fell through, and another, and an
other. All these were gathered up by the
man following The hole in the bottom of
the basket was continually enlarging, so
that ti e larger fish shared the fate of the
smaller ones. At length all the fish had
slipped away, and still the selfish man re
mained ignorant, of his loss.
“On reaching his home, he threw down
his basket before his wife, arid desired her to
cook the fish. Thinking herself mocked,
she bitterly reproached her husband for
bringing home an empty basket. At this
moment his eyes were opened, and too late
he discovered that he had lost all through re
fusing to pi y him who had none.
“ Beware,” said the preacher, “lest we,
who have our baskets filled with Gospel
privileges, should incur the anger of God
through failing to pity those who are still in
heathen darkness, so that eventually ‘ the
first should be last and the last first.” It is
meant that the heathen should be fellow
heirs with us of the grace of life. Once
more, let us watch carefully against litile
sins. Beware of falling off in prayer and
reading the Bible. The litile hole at the
bottom of the basket, because it was unno
ticed, went on increasing until the unhappy
man had lost all.”
HURTFUL READING.
A bad bo >k, magazine, or newspaper, is
as dangerous to your child as vicious com
panions, and will as surely corrupt his mor
als and lead him away from the pa' hs of s JV
ty. Every parent s ! ould set this thought
clearly before his mind, and ponder it well.
Look to what your children read, and espe
daily to the kind of papers that get into their
hands, for there are now published scores of
weekly papers, with attractive and St nsuous
illustrations, that are as hurtful to young and
innocent souls as poison to a healthful
body.
Many of these papers have attained large
circulation, and are sowing broadcast ;hi
seeds of vice and crime. Treucki gon the
borders of ind, ceney, they corrupt tie inor
als, taint the imagination, aud allure the
weak and unguarded from the paths of in
nocence. The danger to young persons from
this cause was never so great as at this time;
and (very father and mother should be on
guard against an enemy that is sure to meet
their child.
L >ok to it, then, that your children are
kept free as possible from this taint. Never
bring into your house a paper or periodical
that is not strictly pure, and watch carefully
lest any such get into the bauds of your
growing up boys.
Sure! —I love the quaint saying of a dying
man who exclaimed: “ I have no fear o’
going home; I have sent all before; God's
finger is on the latch of my door, and I am
ready for him to enter.” “But,” said one,
“are you not afraid lest you should miBS
your inheritance?” “Nay,” said he, “nay;
there is one crown in heaven which the
angel Gabriel could not wear; it will fit no
head but mine. There is one throne in
heaven which Paul the apostle could not fill;
it was made for me, and I shall have it.”
O Christian, what a joyous thought! thy
portion is secure : “there remaineth a rest.”
BE KIND.
The power of simple kindness cannot be
overestimated. Solomon drove a whole vol
ume of meaning into a single phrate when
he uttered that terse, strangely worded prov
erb, “A soft tongue breaketh the bone.”
We have advanced, however, to the opinion
in these days that hard words, and some
times something a good deal harder and
w: ightier than words, are necessary to break
men’s bones.
The lack of a gentlemanly, brotherly
kindness, is working ruin among us as a
people. Take the daily papers, e. g., and
as we glance over Republican sheets, note
the statements and insinuations, and one
would think that the opposite party is really
made up of swindlers, perjurers, and cut
throats. And the same is true of the atti
tude and bearing of the Democratic press
towards the Republican party. As to the
merits of the case, we would simply suggest
that it is barely possible that there is a very
little, at least, of something aside from con
centrated meanness in both parties, and it
may chance to turn out that others than ras
cals may vote with either party. Now, would
it not be better to stop this pernicious, boy
ish habit, of calling each other ugly names ?
It occurs to us that it would be more manly
and better for the morals of the country, for
political editors to confine themselves to the
discussion of principles, instead of making
ugly faces at their opponents. Hard words,
biting, acrimonious sayings, never convert
men. Be kind. If your opponent is wrong,
convince him by kind words, manly argu
ment. Men have the right to difftr, but no
right to be uukind. Le l every one treat his
fellow as a brother, deal kindly with him in
his error, supposed or real, and the nation
will be saved. Behind.— Western Recorder.
SMALL ENGAGEMENTS.
How much the brightness of Christian hon
or is dimmed by inattention to “ trifles,”
has, by contrast, an illustration in the follow
ing bit of history: “Sir William Napier was
one day taking a long walk near Freshford
when he met a little girl about five years
old, sobbing over a broken bowl. She had
dropped and broken it in bringing it back
from the field to which she bad taken her
father’s dinner in it, and she said she would
be beaten on her return for having broken
it; then, with a sudden gleam of hope, she
innocently looked into his face and said :
“ But ye can mend it, can’t ye?” Sir Wi -
liam explained that he could not mend the
bowl, but the trouble he could, by the gift of
a six pence to buy another. However, on
opening his pu-se it was empty of silver and
he had to make ametids by promising to
meet his little friend at the same hour, next
uay, and bringing the sixpence with him,
biddiug her meanwhile tell her mother she
had sten a gentleman who would bring her
the money for the bowl next day. The child,
entirely trusting him, went on her way, com
forted. Oa his return borne he foun.d an in
vitation awaiting him to dine in Bath the
following evening, to meet someone whom
he especially wished to see. He hesitated
for some litile time, trying to calculate the
possibility of giving the meeting 'o his little
friend of the broken bowl, and of still being
in time for the dinner party in Ba'-h; but.
finding that this could not be, be wrote to
decline accepting the invitation, on the plea
of a pre engag :ment, saying to one of his
family, as be did so, “I cannot disappoint hen
she trusted me so implicitly.”— Biblical Re.
carder.
A WARNING.
When our Lord said, “Take heed and be
ware of covetousness," He did not utter
unmeaning words. The kingdom of Christ
is in this world, and by the gains of this
world His servants must live. But in such
incessant contact with wealth and acquisi
tion of it, the eye of the Saviour saw an in
cessant peril. How serious that peril proved
to be to the Church after it outgrew the per
secution and began to suck the wealth of
kingdoms, may be read in a whole milleni
um of Western Church History How great
;t has proved to the individual Christian may
be seen on every hand at this day. There is
no safeguard but to follow the warning of
our divine Master, “ Lay not up for your
selves treasures upon earth.” All needless,
supeifluous storing, storing for vanity, not
for prudence, for pleasure, not for use, is
full of spiritual danger. Scatter your treas
ures rather than do this. When a heart
which ought to have its eyes on God, its
home above, its wealth in eternity, has been
enticed to settle on its hope of Gold, it is
ready to be taken captive by the devil at his
will. And how hopeless that captivity, as
ail experience shows. What a graphic pic
ture go and old Butiyan draws of this charac
ter :
“ The interpreter takes them apart again,
and leads them first into a room where was a
man that could look no way hut downwards,
with a muck-iake in his hand. There stood
also one over his head with a celestial crown
in his hand, and proffered him that crown
for hi3 muck-rake. Bit the man did neither
look up nor regard, but did rake to himself
the s'raws, the small sticks, and the Oust of
the floor. —Central Presbyterian.
UNTO ALL.
There is something inexpreesibly beautiful
in the though' that God’s Spirit is imparted
unto all. The rock is hard ; but its hardness
cannot prevent the warm beam from falling
upon it. The heart may be hard ; but the
Spirit's influence, shot like a ray from the
orb of God's mercy, fa is lovingly upon it,
and no hardness can turn it. back. There is
something large and lavish in all divine ope
rations. God is full and rich, and is not
compelled to practice a cautious economy in
the outgoings of his beneficence. He pours
his largess down up in us as the spring rains
are p air and upon the earth —upon rock and
barren spots as truly as [upon the fruitful
soil. And in nothing is this peculiarity more
beautifully illustrated than in the dealings of
the Hi ly Spirit with us. Why should the
Spirit be given at all? Was not Chris
enough? Was not Calvary a sufficient de
monstration of heaven’s love for man? Does
ii not suffice when a man lies down and dies
for his friend ? What love is this which sup
piemen’s Calvary with the Spirit, and to the
gift of a Saviour adds the gift of the Sancti
fier? What charity is like the charity of
the skies ? What benevolence like that
which opens the gates of mercy to the rebel
lious, and still prolongs its s'ay to guide them
thither?
“ But God commendeth his love toward
us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ
died for ns.” — Golden Rule.
F. M. KENNEDY, D. I)., Editor
J. AV. BURKE, Assistant Editor
A. G. HAYGOOD, 1). D., Editorial Correspondent
WHOLE NUMBER 2021
MISCELLANEA.
The Church Missionary Society, London,
has received an additional donation of
$25,000 toward the mission in King Mtesa's
country, Africa, which was invited through
the African explorer, Mr. Stan'y.
At the last meeting of the Board of Mana
gers of the Methodist Tract Society it was
decided to issue'one million copies of a new
tract on Christian life and consecration, to
be gratuitously distributed throughout the
Church this fall.
The Government of Peru is again in
trouble with the Romish Church. The Bish
op of Cuzco has carried iuio effect a Papal
brief without the consent of the Govern
ment, as the law demands The Bishop is
to be subjected to trial.
A citizen of Boston has rec ived from Je
rusalem a copy of the first book ever pub
lished there. It is dedicated to the Roth
schild family and gives a full account of the
progress of modern civilization in the ancient
capital oflhe Holy Land.
A correspodent of The National Baptist
of Philadelphia tells a romantic story of a
young man named ltandall, formerly a resi
dent of New York, who was captured in Syria
by the Bedouins, married a Sheik’s daugh
ter, and has converted her and others of the
tribe to the Christian faith.
When the Baptist missionaries opened
their missions in Burmah the Karens had no
written language. Mrs. Biunty, wi'e of Dr.
Binney, of the Kagoon Theological Semina
ry, has just completed an Anglo-Karen dic
tionary and new missionaries will have easier
work in mastering the language than their
predecessors have had.
The Chicago papers report that as great
success as ever follows the preaching of Mr.
Mo idy. Two-thirds of the entire audience
attended the first inquiry meeting which he
held. The strength of Mr. Sankey’s voice
does not appear to be diminished, and his
singing produces a marked effect. In con
nection with these services Thursday, Octo
ber 12, was observed as a day of prayer in
many churches in the north- west.
At a recent noonday prayer-meeting in
Chicago, the following statements were cray
oned on tv blackboard: Strong drink costs
$1,000,000,000 a year in money ; it makes
fifty per cent, of our insane ; it makes t ix
ty-five per cent, of our paupers ; i causes
directly seventy-five per cen 'eof our mur
ders; it makes eighty per cent, of our crim
inals ; it sends forth ninety five per cent, of
our vicious youth, and it seeds ono every
six minutes into n drunkard's grave, or
nearly 100 000 a year.
A fraternal meeting of the Methodists of
New Albany and Jeff rsonviile, Iml., and
Lotiisvdle, Ky., was he'd in Louisville, Oc
tober 25th. A cilehrat on of the Lord’s
Supper was held at the Walnut Street Church
in the morning, and addresses were deliv
ered by Bishops Foster and Kavanaugh. la
the adernoon a p' itfiirm me ling we hold
at Masonic Hall. Short address s were
made by ministers and laym-n of the two
Churches. The evening meeting a’ Masonic
Hall was addressed by Bishops Kavanaugh
and Foster.
The Israelitish Universal Alliance, which
has its headquarters at Paris, is doing an ex
tensive work in instructing indigent Jews in
different parts of the world in the ru imen s
of education and in the principles of the
Jewish religion. Its income f>r the first half
of the present, year was 90.378 francs, and
don .tions of almos' as much more are held
by the Alliance. There is also a gift of a
million francs from Baron Hirsch, the in
come of which is devoted exclusively to the
Jews of Turkey. The Alliance has a p:e
paratory school in Paris for tiie training of
teachers. There ar four schools in Constan
tinople, an agricultural school at Jaffa, and
schools in Morocco, Tunis, and elsewhere.
The New York city mission has under its
care thirty missionaries, who make (50,000
visits every year, carrying blessing to 20,000
families. Through them the Gospel is
preached to 100,000 p arsons during 'he year.
They have three chapels organized on the
basis of the Apostles’ Creed, embracing 600
members. It gathers the children into Sab
bath-schools, giving instruction to 1,500,
mostly of the very ueedy and destitute class.
It, maintains sewing-school s, helping hand
associations, employment societies, temper
ance organizations, reading rooms, lodging
houses, and in every way that Christian love
and ingenuity can devise, seeks to carry the
Gospel to the poor and needy who are not
reached by the Churches.
Brazil. —Extract from letter of Rev. E.
Lane : “The census of Brazil just completed
brings to light some sad and astonishing
facts. The population of tile Empire “in
round numbers is ten millions.” The num
ber of men who can read is 1,012 097, wo
men 550,981, total, 1,563,078. In round
numbers there are eight million five hun
dred thousand persons who a e unable to
read. The educated Brazdians are not in
fer or in ability to the s ime cl ;ss in our o vu
or any other country, but to the statesman
and the sincere Christian, the above figures
furnish material tor profound reflection. Re
ligious worship is 0.. e of the great means for
instructing the mas3cs and cultivating their
manners. The mass and other ceremonies
of the Church of Rome, speak only to the
eyes and bodily s mses of her people and
leave their hearts and minds in darkness.
The religion of Jesus Christ is in the Bible
and to be understood and accepted must
enter into the reason and heart of mau, thus
lifting him out of spiritual darkness and
mental torpidity.”
Tlie work of the American Board in Japan
continues to move forward. It was expected
that anew Church would lie organized at
Hiogo sbo it the beginning of August. Hio
go is a large town one mile west of the for
eign concession, Kobe, where a flourishing
congregation has for some time existed. The
few Hiogo Christians want a Church “stand
ing by itself;” by which they mean that
they wish to pay their own incidental ex
penses and chapel rent. From the Island
Shikoku, recently visited by one of the mis
sionaries, the news is likewise en ouiagiug.
Some who heard the preaching have taken
down their god-shelves and destroyed them.
In the o’d sacred capital, Kiyoto, the work
moves more slowly. The medical mission
ary, Dr. Taylor, meets with much opposition
on the part of officials, and has been baffled
in several attempts to open dispsnsaries and
preaching places. Still, the gospel is now
preached at four places in Kiyoto, on every
Sabbath, to upward of 250 people. Mr. At
kinson writes to The Missionary Herald :
“The central government does not seem to
trouble itself about Cnristianity in the em
pire. It can evidently be aught auy where,
provided the local authorities are agreed.
The one hinderance is the twenty five miles
treaty limit. Wego outside of this limit only
on passport for a trip, or as connected with
schools or government works.”