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TWO DOLLARS AND FIFTY CENTS. PEIR. A. IST ISTXJ3VE. VOLUME XLI., NO. 5. Original SECURE YOUR SEAT EARLY. “ Secure your seat early”—but not for the Play, Where pleasure, and folly, and vanity meet; With the gildings of vice turning night into day, And winging the hours with fraud and deceit. Where modesty loses her signal of pain. And chastity waxes licentious and bold; And the ear grows familiar with language profane* And the heart with false sympathy callous and cold. “Secure your seat early”—but not for the Ball , Where fashion supreme in her tyranny reigns; And the dupes of her blandishments answer the call, To kneel to the sceptre, and welcome her chains. For the visor of tinsel, which folly may wear, Conceals but the skeleton features of death; And the mirror of purity, spotless and fair, May be broke by a whisper, or dim’d with a bieath. “Secure your seat, early”—but not for the Feast, Where the song, and the jest, and the revel abound ; Where, appetite wantons, by plenty increased, And the cup of the Bacchante is worshiped and crowned, For that “Board” is no shrine to the Godhead above— That aong is no pcan of glory divine— That libation no sacrifice offered by love, To the Saviour, whose life was once offered for thine. There’s a drama preparing, 0, awful and grand! And a stage whero all Heaven, with God, will appear! And ao audience, summoned from every land; At the sound of the “trump” will be gathered to hear. There’s a place on the “left,” where the wicked shall meet, With demons for ushers, no seats to prepare; There’s a place on the “right” where angels will greet, And provide for the righteous—Secure your soat there. There’s a feast, which the Lord for his people pro vides, Abundant and rich, in his palace on high ; Where seraphs attend, where the Father presides, And Jesus will welcome the guests of the sky. With their crowns, and their harps, and their “banners of palm” Shall saints in the revels celestial .share; With the anthem of “glory to God and the Lamb,” t And the song of redemption—Secure your seat there. The programmes are ready; the tickets are out. An angel is waiting your name to record; Secure your seat early—delay not nor doubt— For the drama of judgment—the least of the Lord! God’s heralds are calling from valloy and plain, And the mountains are sending the tidings abroad— Till eoho to echo repeats it again, Secure your seat early—secure it with God. And it must he secured—o, secure it in time! For no tickets are sold at eternity’s door. Nor the janitor bribed, were the universe thine. To purchase a seat thou hast failed to secure. Oh no 1 when death closes the record of grace, The soul whose address is not registered there, Mustlurn from the portal of Heaven, to trace Its name on the page of eternal despair. Conlributioivs. EXTRACTS FROM J. FILMOOR’S JOURNAL. Mu, Editor : I have received from Rev. Geo. W. Lybraud, of Pennsylvania, the ac companying very interesting extract from the journal of J. Pillmoor, one of the first Meth odist preachers in America. It will be seen that he was the first Methodist preacher who ever preached in the State. This shows him to have visited Georgia in February, 1773. Mr. Asbury had been in America but little over a twelve month when his colleague made the tour of which this gives account. The journal has never been published, and has been but recently found iq Englaud, and purchased for the Historical Society of the Philadelphia Conference. Truly, MiUedgeville, Ga. Geo. G. Smith. Monday, February 1, 1773.—1 rose great ly refreshed, and began to prepare for my journey to Georgia. [He was then at Cbarles-Town. He arrived at that place Monday, January 18, 1773. L] As I purpose to return to Philadelphia by Land, I judged it besl to leave my Horse in Charles-Town to rest till I come back from Savannah, and set off on a poor meau creature that I borrowed, and in the evening reached Rantoul’s Bridge, about sixteen miles from Charles-Town, where I concluded the day in great tranquil ity of mind in calling upon God with the family. The next day I came to Ashepoo, Wednesday to Alison’s Tavern, and about twelve o’clock on Thursday to Purysburg, a settlement of French Reffugees on the River Savannah. As tho Boat was gone, I was obliged to stay all night. Friday morning I set off very early in hopes of getting to Sa vanuah before night. As they had uo’proper boat for horses, we were glad to f isten the Cannooa together with ropes, and put the horse with the fore feet in the one and the hinder feet in the other. There was a great fresh in the river, which carried us rapidly down the stream for seven miles, then we had to turn up a creek, and had the stream against us, but the negroes pulled very Btout ly, and in about two hours, put me Base ashore. After a little refreshment, f hastened on, and about two o’clock, I arrived in Sa vannah. It stands on a rising ground, on a pretty good river of the same name, which is navigable up to the Town and carries on a considerable Trade. Thsre are about three thousand Inhabitants, white and black. The houses are part of brick, the rest of timber— not very large, but exceedingly neat. They have three churches —one for the English Episcopalians, one for the Lutherans, aud one for the Independents. As the soil is very sandy, and the streets not paved, it is exceedingly inconvenient and disagreeable, especially when the weather is hot. Having no acquaintance, I was directed to a Lodging House, where I found a number of persons, genteel enough, but not very religions. In the evening I attended a Lecture at Mr. Zu bly’s Meeting, aud afterwards delivered him the Letters I had from Charles-Town. [From the above, he arrived in Savannah, ; Friday, February - r >th, 1773.—L,] Saturday I dined with him, and attended a preparation sermon for the sacrament, and afterwards returned home with him to make my abode at his house while I stay in this Place. The Circular Letter, respecting the Arminian Controversy, had found its way to Georgia, and deeply prejudiced his mind against Mr. Wesley—so spoke very freely, and candidly told me his mind. I had beeu pretty strongly recommended to him, yet he told me frankly he could not think of admit ting me to his Pulpit until I had satisfied him concerning the doctrine of merit, and Justi lication by Works. As Ido totally renounce every Idea of human merit , and all Justifi cation by Works, I soon gave him full satis faction, and he offered me his Church to preach in Sunday. Sunday [February], 7, 1773.—When I rose in the morning, my mind was greatly drawn out with a desire to preach, aud I longed to do something for my Master and Lord. But I had no opportunity ; Mr. Zubly preached ftoitihmt (fhmlian lUtotalc. himself and afterwards the Sacrament was administered, and the people seemed to be affected with the solemnity of the Ordinance, and received with great order and decency. In the afternoon I went to the Episcopal Church, and heard a discourse on the great duty of Prayer. His language was pretty good, and his delivery agreeable, but his doc trine very imperfect. What a pity that those who profess to be the servants of Jesus should have so little to say for their Master I At six o’clock I preached in Mr. Zubly's Meet ing with a degree of freedom, but not with my usual life and liberty. When I came down from the- Pulpit, a young gentleman who has often heard me in Philadelphia, was waiting to speak with me, and introduced me to several others, who invited me to go with them to Mr. Wright’ fl where I spent the even ing in great hadpineas, and we concluded the day with praise and prayer. Monday [February], B.—Spent the morn ing in study; dined with several gentlemen at Mr. Wright’s, where piety and politeness are happily united, and had a good time in the evening, while I opened and applied, “ This man receiveth sinners;” the word was with power, and the Lord made bare His arm in defense of His own truth and righteousness, displayed in the everlasting gospel of his Son. Tuesday I wrote several Letters to my Correspondents in the North, and at night I expounded the history of the Canaauitish Woman to a large congregation of genteel and attentive hearers ; my heart was drawn out with desires to do them good, but I had not so much unction and divine tenderness of spirit as 1 frequently find in other places. Wednesday, 10.—Mr. Wood, a Lawyer, and a young Merchant from Boston, ac coinpanied me to the Orphan House, twelve miles from Savannah. The road was through the Pine ’Trees, which being perpetually green, make it remarkably pleasant. But the situatiou of the House is by no means agreeable. It stands on a small creek, and is almost surrounded with barren sand that produces nothing but Piues, which is a cer tain sign of the badness of the soil. The House itself is well enough. [lt would seem from the journal, as though he intend ed to have added more, as the page is not completed. Nearly half is a blank.—L.] In the evening I preached to the family with peculiar satisfactiou of mind, and had abun dant reason to say the Lord was in that place. Thursday morning we had prayer in the Chapel. My heart was united with the people of God, and drawn out with longing desires for the salvation of mankind. After wards I returned to Savannah, and preached in the evening with liberty of spirit. Friday was the time for Mr. Zubly’s Dutch Lecture, but the Town was in confusion on account of his Excellency Governor Wright, who was expected this day, so there was no service. Saturday the Governor came—the Guns were fired —the Militia mustered —and all the gen tlemen in the Town attended to congratulate him on his safe arrival, aud the whole Town was full of festivity ; nevertheless, we had a pretty congregation in the evening, and the Lord made us to rejoice salvation. Sunday, 14. —The so very wet nnd gloomy was but small, yet our in vain the Lord. In the preach ing in the Episcopal Church in the evening at Mr. Zubly's, and concluded the day with my kind and dear friend, Mr. Wright, who has behaved to me with the greatest tender ness and civility. Since I came to this Pro vince I have had many invitations to Fort Augusta, and several different places, but my mind draws me back to visit the places where I have gone preaching the Gospel, and I judge it my duty to obey ; for I dare not run without a commission, nor venture to de part from my heavenly guide. Therefore, having no longer any divine call in this place, on Monday morning I took leave of Savan nah, in company with Mr. Zubly, for South Carolina. In our way we called on a Lu theran minister to breakfast. He appeared to be a man of God ; my spirit united with him, and was exceedingly happy in his com pany nnd conversation. We then went for ward towards the Ferry. Mr. Zubly had ap pointed his Negroes to meet U3 at a place about half a mile from the river, but they did not come in time ; so we ventured through the woods and swamps, and did as well as we could. After waiting a good while, at length a Negro boy came with a Letter, by which we were informed they were coming with a Cannoo to fetch us. Presently the Cannoo arrived; we took our saddles off the horßes,took them and our portmanteaus in the Cannooa with us, and left the horses to come after us in the boat. As there was a very great flood we had to row a great way thaough the woods; but after some difficulty we es caped safe to land. When we had taken a little refreshment, we walked to the house where Mr. Zubly had been sent for to visit a woman that was sick, but she had taken her flight before we arrived, and was to be buried that day. We found the people gathered, aud some of them pretty merry with Grog, and talking as if they had been at a Frolick rather than a Funeral I As they had two miles to go, they put the Corps into a Cart, and let each of us u horse to accompany them to Purrysburg. [lt may be Perry— letter u so much like a, or e. —L.] When we came to the grave Mr. Zubly gave us a short exhortation and concluded with Prayer. We went then went into the Church, and he gave us a sermon against drunkenness, which though very uncommon at a Funeral, was very necessary for the people that were there. He published preaching for me on the mor row, and at the time appointed, I found a good congregation, to whom I preached the Gospel with more comfort than I have felt several days. The word was made quick and powerful, and the people were much af fected under the sermon. After preaching I was invited to dine with a Frenchman, who was one of the principal inhabitants, and ex pressed a very great desire that I would stay and be their Parish Minister, but Parishes, however valuable as to earthly thiuga, have no weight with me ; my call is to run —to run to and fro that knowledge may be increased, aud God exalted in the earth. Wednesday, 17.—Took leave of my kind friend, and hastened on to Combahee, and in the evening to Ponpon. The next morn ing I set off pretty early, and traveling steady all the day, in the evening I came safe to my dear Friends in Charles Town,who greatly re joiced to see me returned to them again. [He remained in Charleston, after his re turn from Savannah, till Tuesday, March, 9 1773. He preached his laßt sermon in Charleston, Monday evening, March 8, 1773. He refers to it as follows :] In the evening had a vast multitude of peo pie to hear my farewell sermon, and all wait ed with the closest attention while I opened and applied the words of St. Paul to the be lieving Corinthians : “ Brethren, farewell; be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace, and the God of love and peace shall be with you.” My heart was PUBLISHED BY J. W. BURKE & COMPANY, FOR THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, SOUTH. greatly engaged for the happiness of these dear people, who have always behaved to me as if I had been an angel of God 1 I should like well to continue longer in this Town, but I must hasten through the woods to Philadel phia, and preach the Gospel in the waste places of the wilderness. After preaching I visited a gentlewoman who is sick, and desi rous to be saved in the way of the Gospel; we called upon God, and he graciously hear kened to the voice of our supplications. Tuesday, 9.—1 had many to take leave of, who heartily wish me success in the name of the Lord. We joined in singing the praises of Jehovah, und calling upon his excellent name, and he gave us a parting blessing. Many of them accompanied me to the water' side, where I found the Boat ready, and had a very good passage to Mrs. Baktsdale’s, where I waß kindly received, and spent the evening in worshiping God with the family, and rested in peace. “THE RULE OF GIVING” REVIEWED. Mr. Editor : In proposing another article under this heading, I make haste to say that nothing was further from my thought in my former communication, than a controversy with my esteemed friend and brother Dr. Pendleton ; and it is a matter of sincere grief to me, that he should have so miscon ceived the motive and purpose of that com munication as to imagine that I meant to “smite” him, or was aiming blows at any body or anything. I only meant to correct, (with his assent, as I supposed, if not by his request) a mistake he had made, through a pure accident of the mind, touching the po sition taken by me in a sermon at the Atlanta District Conference, last summer. I had not thought for a moment that he meant to do me the slightest injustice and did not feel in any degree aggrieved ; but regarded the correc tion important, for the reason that, I agree with him fully as to the effect of ultruism in the pulpit. This was the whole of the matter. Why or how it could appear to the Doctor, that, in making this correction, I misapprehended or signally failed to state what he did say about the sermon, I cannot understand. Leaving out the compliments, there was but one distinct statement made about the ser mou in his article, and that wa3 to the effect that, in exact correspondence with another sermon the Doctor had in his mind, the ground taken in it was “that the Jewish tithe system has been perpetuated by apostolic in junction in the early Christian Church, and that this system involved the imperative ne cessity of every individual giviug the tenth of his gross income to the support of the ministry, without any reference to outside charities.” This statement I quoted then, as I do now, in exactly his owu words. Upon this basis, he proceeded to answer both sermons “as a unit," as he himself states in bis last article. Now, as no such ground had been taken in my sermon, and as the supposition that such was the case was evidently the result of a “lapsus mentis,” in specifying the poiuts made against this “unit” which did not ap ply to my sermon, I only meant to rescue my little innocent production from the pontmol ing which the good Doctor was giving it, through mistake. In this view, it could not possibly make any difference whether the points made were assertions, statements, arguments, or inferences. They were all alike inapplicable to a sermon which did not advocate the doc trine which was being combated. The only point involved in the whole mat ter was as to the ground taken in the partic ular sermon in question. Hence, in correct ing Dr. P.’s error as to a simple matter of fact, I did not feel'ealled upon to expreßS or defend, my opinion on the general subject, one way or the other. Nor would it alter the case, in the least, even though it were true, as he asserts, that two articles written by me subsequently contained “the tithe system in a nut shell.” The question was not as to what I may or may not have advocated at other times and places, but solely as to the ground taken on a particular occasion, and I am sorry Dr. P. did not accept my dis claimer more unequivocally. But since the matter has assumed the as pect it has, justice to him as well as to my self requires that I state what ground I did take in the sermon to which he saw fit in the first instance to except. And this I shall do in the form of successive postulates, for the sake of brevity. 1. The vows of Christianity involve com plete consecration. 2. This consecration includes the employ ment of property in the service of God. 3. For some reason, God has laid peculiar stress upon this feature of the consecration required. In support of this proposition I referred to the Jewish tithing system as well as to the patriarchal form of worship, and affirmed that the same principle was carried forward into the Christian dispensation, as evidenced in the fact, that God had put the gospel un der the great law of ways and means, and made its maintainance and progress in the earth, in a very important sense, dependent upon human co-operation with Him, in this respect. If I made any further allusion in the ser mou to the Levitical tithe law, it was to the same purport, and for illustration only. 4. The necessity for the employment of money or its equivalent in the service of God, is founded not in the weakness of divine re sources but in the wants of human nature. The gospel is a system of remeaies; it pro poses to rectify what is wrong in human nature. “The universal form of human de pravity is selfishuess. The universal form of selfishness is covetousness.” The universal want of human nature, therefore, is a specific against the love of money—the worship of mammon. This specific is found only in that feature of the gospel which requires the consecration of property, according to abili ty, to sacred and religious uses. 5. In all human financial systems the chief object is to secure funds. In the divine ar rangement for providing for the financial necessities of the Church, the chief object is to produce a moral effect upon the contribu tor himself. The failure to recognize this underlying principle accounts for the feeble ness of the sentiment of moral obligation on this subject which prevails in the Christian Church at this day, and for the many ques tionable methods which are resorted to, to raise money for Church purposes—methods which on special occasions, under the im pulse of excitement produced by startling appeals or humorous anecdotes, may result in large collections, but leave the giver hurt rather than benefitted in his spiritual lfe. 6. Giving, therefore, as a divine institu tion, is a means of grace, like prayer ; and the obligation to give being founded upon that which is universal iu the wants of hu man nature, is universal in its application. It was in this connection that the remark was made upon which Dr. P, commented so MACON, GEORGIA, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1878. severely in his first article, namely, that “poverty worked no exemption or excitr sion.” The import of the statement was, that the gospel did not exclude the poor from the use of this means of grace —that “ He who delights in mercy has never yet denied to the poor the joy of giving.” And beginning with the poor widow who divided the last handfull of meal with the prophet, instances were given to show what a bless ing it had been to many a poor widow and hard-working man ; what a saving to their means; what a comfort to their homes, to be permitted to honor the Lord with the savings of a grateful self-denial out of their hard earned living. In this connection let me say, there is a radically wrong sentiment touching the re ligious use of money which prevails very extensively, the prevalence of which, more than anything else, hinders the development of Scriptural liberality. This sentiment iB not often formulated, but it expresses itself powerfully in acts. It feels, though it does not often argue, about this way:—the Gos pel being merciful and benign must needs lessen God’s claims upon our money, in if it could be absolutely free, if it cost nothing, it would then be perfectly merciful aud benign and win the hearts of all the people. Here, it is readily perceived, is a total failure to apprehend the philosophy of this feature of the Gospel. Giving to the Lord is a remedy for a spe cial moral disease—the divine prescription for promoting a special moral virtue. If the Gospel has lessened the obligation to give, then Christianity has lessened the chance of human salvation and let down tie standard of the special virtue which assimi lates us to God, below the point where it stood when Christ came to baptize the worid with the spirit of benevolence. I will say here, in so many words, that I never, on any occasion, advocated the doctrine that the Levitical tithe law was binding on the Christian Church. Ido not believe that any precept or principle of the Gospel glances in the direction of binding the Christian conscience to a tenth as the standard af Christian benevolence. On the contrary,yl believe with Mr. Wesley and Dr. P. that-it enjoins a higher, more evangelical, standard of liberality. But it is a mistake to suppose that the tithe law was a grievance to the Jewish people. Os all their peculiar insfi tutions, none had a more salutary effect upon their social system, or individual char acter. And it is a worse mistake to sup pose that a Christian is to do less for his re ligion than a Jew did for his ; for if a Chris tian may devote less of his means to sacred and religious uses in proportion to his abi! : - ty, without trespassing against his conscience, then his religion elevates him iu a lower de gree than Judaism did the Jew—“ it leaves him to be more selfish without guilt aud leas noble without reproach.” It may not be amiss to add that the only way to avoid mathematics iu giving is to give nothing at all. If a man gave to the Gospel and ou side charities only one mill out of an income of a million of dollars, there wonld fcft an arithmetical prrqyn-tizl in his giving, and while the gospel unques tionably leaves every man free to assess himself, it just as unquestionably fixes a point far short of nothing, “at which gifts cease to be ' liberal' and begin to be ‘ vile at which a giver ceases to be ‘ bountiful,’ and deserves to be called a ‘ churl.’ ” Above' that point all is free. Thi3 was the principle sought to be Ulus' trated in the two articles on "The Bible ruse of devoting to sacred uses a stated propor tion of the income, reduced to practice. 1 " How Dr. P. discovered in the examples there given, “the tithe system in a nut shell,” which system he says in another place the writer had advocated as involving “ the imperative necessity of every indi vidual giving the tenth of his gross income to the support of the ministry, without any reference to outside charities,” I am wholly at a loss to conceive. If the Doctor will read those articles again he will see that in the cases given the proportion varied itr,- mensely—each man giviug as the Lord hail prospered him and his conscience or grati tude enforced. $ But this article is now much too loug. I will conclude it by saying, that I heartily agree with Dr. Pendleton in accepting St. Paul’s order, recorded in 1 Cor. xvi: 2, as indicating the essential rule of Christian be neficence, and propose, in another number, to consider some of the elements it implies as constituents of that rule. W. F. Cook. Atlanta, January 24, 1878. Sektions. “ ROOTER IST LOVE.” A healthy and vigorous plant is half under ground. For every visible branch there is a root out of sight buried iu the soil. Nay, growth begius at the root. It gathers and seudß up the sap that makes new wood aud foliage, blossoms aud fruits. Hence, if plant is not well rooted.it will have a feeble, sickly growth, or die. The soil then mußt be deep and mellow. If a tree is planted on a rock, or in a gravel bank, it may have sun shine and rain and dew upon its branches, it may be cultivated with the utmost care, yet its leaves will soon wither and fall. Move it to a bed of loam, and cut off the dying top, the root in its new home will start up vigor ous shoots, and soon rebuild the tree aud cover it with foliage again. Whe see then why the apostle would root the believer iu love. He wants him to grow, to adorn the gospel by his Christian graces, and to bring forth much fruit. To this end he must have a hidden life as well as one that is outward and visible. He must have a deep personal experience of the love of God. He must send the fibers of his soul out into the warm and mellow soil. He must grow there as the rootlets grow. His closet studies, meditations aud prayers, will make him “a tree of righteousness.” There is a piety, so-called, that is like a Christmas tree. It is all for show. It iti conspicuously active or intensely orthodox. It endures for a time, as the rootless ever green does. But when temptation or perse cution comes, it droops and dies. This piety of imitation or of form knows nothing of love. It has zeal, but no charity. It understands proselytism, but not conversion. It labors 1 to build up a sect or a particular Church, but not to save or sanctify the souls of men. It is worse than a failure. It is a terrible aud most injurious fraud. And yet some really amiable people have no idea of a religion more radical —better root ed than this. They believe that they ought, to do something for Christ, to secure some| preparation for death. They join the Church,' go through the forms, try to force themselves to take au iuteru; tse various kinds of Chriu-1 tian work. Yet they live like parrots or monkeys, saying what they do not really feel, doing because others do, or they think they mast in order to be consistent. They know nothing of the warm, living, constraining im pulses of love; nothing of that martyr spirit which counts the reproach of Christ its great est riches; which rejoices in persecution for Jesus’ sake. The Church is full of this root less piety, this Christianity that has no hid den life. And hence it is that it makes so little impression upon the world. What is needed most of all just now is not more Christian activity, but more Christian con secration. Not more work for Christ, but more love for Christ. It is well to try to be useful, but we should first try to be good, try to grow in grace and in the knowledge and love of God. When every plant in the nominal vineyard of the Lord is truly rooted and grounded in love, then will that vineyard so put forth its beautiful foliage, and its ripe clusters of fruit, that the world will be at tracted; and when we say to men, “Come with us and we will do you good, for the Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel,” they will believe ua.— Occident. MOTHER AND I. Mother and I are travellers; We’ve been journeying many a day, So happy and contented, Along life’s changeful way,— Sometimes far up the mountains Where the tempest wildly blows, And sometimes in the valley Where the quiet water flows,— Sometimes ’mid scenes of pleasure, When hope and joy were ours, When life seemed made of sunshine And singing birds aud flowers,— Sometimes in the darkness, ’Mid sorrow, doubts and fears, When the world seemed wild and lonesome And life was made of tears. But, mother and I, we care not, Come joy or else come woe ; We do not mind the journey If together we can go,— For 1 am young and hopeful. And, when she’s tired or sad, Then I know how to comfort And make her old heart glad. She is always truiting In sorrow or in joy. And says the Lord is leading The mother and her boy. ‘So we journey onward Together, and alone; Toward a pearly city, Toward a Great White Throne ; Toward a Land Immortal Beyond the moon and stars, Beyond the Lonely River, And the gate which Death unbars; — Aud when Life’s day is fading, And in the sombre west Our sun is slowly sinking, Then we will wait and rest, Until the Lord of glory Shall take us by the hand, And lead us through the water To the shore of Heaven’s land. ’TiB evening now with mother,— There’s twilight in her hair; Tho sunshine of her eye is dim, Her voice set ms full of care ; And maybe God will take her first, Will leave me here awhile To fight the battle all alone, Without my mother's smile. God knows, and we cun trust Him, — He doeth what is best, — So mother and iSwill journey on Toward the Laud where we shall rest— tThe Land where all our hopes are fixed. Our happy “By-and-By,* r ~ Where we shall find our perfect peace Forever, mother and 1. —New York Observer . AN OLD DIALOGUE REPRINTED. Returning from a council the other day, I overheard a discussion between my delegate, Deacon Grumbole, and Deacon Webfut, of the Baptist Church at Riverside. Os course the topic was immersion, and it was intro duced by Deacon Webfut, remarking that his pastor, Dr. Jordan, had five per sons the previous Sunday. Deacon Grum bole, who will never be outdone if he can help it, quietly replied that pastor Cyril baptized on that day nine persons. “ Well, I hope he did it in Scriptural method.” “Certainly; our pastor always does ac cording to Scripture.” “ Well, now, Brother Grumbole, what is your idea of the Scriptural method 7” “01 got my notion of it from the first case of baptism on record.” “What is that? Not Philip and the eu nuch ?” “ 0 no; it was centuries before that. I mean the Israelites, when they were bap tized in the Red Sea.” “Well, brother, that was a clear case of immersion. They were, as Paul says, all baptized in the cloud and in the sea.” “You are satisfied, Brother Webfut, that they were really baptized ?” “ Certainly; the apostle says they were, and tells how it was done.” “Well, then, I have just one question to ask: Did they get their feet wet?” “ They were immersed, that is plain enough. As Paul says, they were under the cloud and passed through the sea, and were all baptized in the cloud aud in the sea. If that wasn’t immersion, what was it?” “ Well, Brother Webfut, did they get their feet wet?” “ Why, that’s uothiug to do with it; they had water on all sides of them, aud water above them: they were completely sur rounded by waterJ’ “Well, Brother Webfut, as I understand, they weut 'ondry ground through the midst of the sea aud if you can immerse me on dry ground, I am very willing to be im mersed. I believe iu dry-ground baptism, where you won't get your feet wet." — Con gregationalist. PRAYER-MEETING TONES. When you speak iu a social meeting, speak in a natural tone of voice—that is, a tone be fitting the subject, and such as you would use for a similar purpose in any other com puny. Not much good comes usually even from good thoughts, if they are uttered in an unusual aud unnatural voice. Those who hear know that it. is not the manner of ordi nary speech, and they are apt to infer that what is said does not belong truly to the man himself who is speaking ; and that there is the putting on of something for the occasion, They are very apt to be partly right, too, in this opinion. For while these unnatural tones may sometimes be due to embarrass ment, or to awkwardness, or to having acci dentally fallen into a bad habit; yet even then they indicate some separation between the manner of expression and the un derlying state of mind, of a sort that does not exist, or that should not certainly be of long continuance. If your religious beliefs and feelings are genuine aud hearty, and if they have impress • ed themselves upon your common life, and have become with you as familiar things, you will express them in a simple and hearty way, without even the reality or the appear ance of affection. Put away, then, your prayer-meeting tones, if you have any. Get “ unction,” if yon need it, in your daily life, and upon yourself; and then talk, wherever you are, after an honest and sensible and i Christian fashion,— Congregationulist. ALONE ON HIS KNEES. Cruden, author of that invaluable book, “The Concordance,” died on his knees while praying. He was a man of remarkable in dustry and fervent piety. His heart beat warmly for the poor and Buffering. He con secrated the entire profits of the second aud third editions of his book to relieve the poor. It was his soul’s delight to minister to their wants. He was a fine illustration of that gospel precept, “Diligent in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.” The first copy of the Concordance he pre sented to Queen Caroline, wife of George 11., in 1737. The Queen was so well pleased with it she promised to reward him; but six teen days after she finished her brief life. Poor Cruden s hopes were disappointed. He kept on in his back Btore in London, in the Royal Exchange. When nearly 70 years old he was missed. Search was made in his lodgings, and the man of God was found kneeling by his chair, with the open Bible before him, his face calm and peaceful. Thus bediedaloue. Yet not alone. He who says, “Lo, I am with you always,” was with him. How blessed thu3 to fall asleep in Jesus. “Asleep in Jesus, 0 for me May such a blissful refuge be I” David Livingstone, the beloved missionary and explorer of Africa,also died on his knees. Future generations will be benefitted by his life-work. Like Cruden, he died poor and alone, and while in the act of prayer. From his long and weary march over a wild and untraversed country, exposed to hostile tribes of savages, to malaria and other diseases, he at last had to rest. He could be carried no further. His faithful men built him a hu* beneath a large tree, and here the weary traveler rested. After giving him food and preparing his couch, his faithful servant left him, hoping sleep would relieve him. After some hours they drew aside the curtain; Livingstone was on his kuees. They listened there was no voice; they touched him—he was cold in death I Thu? died this wonder ful man. His attendants embalmed hiß body, and bore it hundreds of miles to the coast. It now rests in Westminister Abbey, where repose kinge, poets, divines, and philoso phers. Blessed ending of a busy life ! His life was one of prayer, as well as untiring in dustry. “His watch word at the gate of death ; He enters heaven with prayer.” A medical student in New York recently died on his knees, while in prayer and alone with God. The day before his death he com plained of a pain iu his head. Nothiug es pecially alarming in so common an occur rence, he retired to his room, hoping sleep would relieve his pain. Next morning, as the breakfast bell rang, there was no re sponse from him. Another voice had called him away. After breakfast his room was entered. The bed bad not been disturbed. The young man was kneeling by the bed, with his hands outspread, as in the act of prayer. Thus he passed away. A calm, serene smile, was on his face. “Life’s labor done: as sinks the clay, Light from its load, the spirit flies, While heaven and earth combine to say, How blest the righteous when he dies.” ■ Is there anything sad in these and many other similar deaths? Is it proper for us to pray, “From sudden death deliver us?” “THE LORD WILL PROVIDE.” It was hard times iu the cottage where Widow Smith lived with her three children. The mother worked hard ; but things seem ed very scarce, and the children had such hungry appetites, and wore their clothes out so fast. One day the old minister called, aud in his friendly way got to talking of their chil dren. “ I had twelve sons,” said he. “ Just Jacob’s number,” was the widow’s answer. “Yes, ma’am, and I had Jacob's Ood to provide for them.” The words stayed in the widow’s mind long after the minister had left. She remem bered how God had once let the famine come to Jaeob’s household, but not till he had first provided corn in Egypt, and sent Joseph down that he might be ready to distribute it. She thought of God’s dealings with her aud her little flock, and her heart was comfort ed, because she knew that the Lord would provide. ‘ • In some way or other the Lord will provide; It may not be my way, it may not be thy way; And yet in His own way, ‘The Lord will pro vide.’ At some time or other the Lord will provide; It, may not be my time, it may not be thy time; And yet in his own time. ‘The Lord will pro vide.” — Sunday school Advocate. “HITSTUDY OF THE SCRIPTURES. He who would get the greatest good out of the Bible must be willing to work for it. The best things are not found on the surface.— There is something to be gained by even a cursory reading of the Scriptures; but this is not to be compared with the results of intel ligent, persistent study, of the text. Every good Sunday school teacher finds this out in the line of his ordinary work. It often seems to him as he takes up his next Sunday’s les son that there is not much in it to interest or profit himself or his scholars , but as he ex amines the passage, statement by statement, and word by word, comparing Scripture with Scripture, and finding unlooked for mean ings underneath those which are more obvi ous, its fullness aud its beauty grow upon him. The more he studies it. the more he finds in it, aud the more he perceives before him as yet to be disclosed from it. If he gives much time to its study during the week, and then meets his fellow-teachers at the Saturday evening teachers' meetiug, to com pare with them the results of their study and his, he is convinced that, whatever might be said of other lessons, this one is rich aud pre cious beyond his expectations. Commonly a man enjoys and appreciates a Bible-lessou just in proportion to the tirns he has given to its intelligent and faith-filled study. He who at any time says there is not much in this week's Bible lesson, gives evidence thereby that he has not yet looked below its surface, or devoted much time to its study.—Sunday school Times. The Power ok the Bible. —The chief duty of Protestantism is with the Scriptures. It is clearly to declare and publish them abroad. The Bible does not need any de sense so much as it needs proclamation. It defends itself wherever it is known. Deep in every soul there dwells forever a witness to the truth, whose clear eye and steady voice will see and respond to it wherever it is knowu. We do not need to implore men to heliavejthe truth. We only need that they shail apprehend it, aud then we may defy them to deny it. And thus the Bible, as eternal truth, needs no other argument for its support than itself clearly preached. There are defenders of the truth who think it" otherwise. They treat the Bible as a weakly infant, whioh must be bolstered up aud carefully sustained, lest it fall. And so they bring together their learning and philosophy, their human reasoning and research, which they use as proof to keep the Bible up, trem bling all the while lest one of these should fall, and the truth, unsupported sink to its hurt. But the Bible disdains all these ap pliances. It is no weakly infant. It has more than a giant’s strength, and can not only stand unaided, but can walk forth alone, conquering and to conquer.— Prof. Seelye. THE ATHEIST AND THE GLOBE. The famous astronomer, Athanasius Kir cher, laving a friend who denied the exis tence of a Supreme Being, took the follow ing method to convince him of his error, up on his own principles. Expecting him upon a visit, he procured a very handsome globe of the starry heavens, and placed it in a cor ner of the room where it could not escape his friend’s observation. The latter seized the first occasion to ask whence it came, and to whom it belonged. “Not to me,” said Kercher, “ nor was it made by any person, but came here by mere chance !” “That,” replied his r skeptical friend, “is impossible. Tou surely jest.” Kircher, however, seri ously persisting in his assertion, took occa sion to reason with his friend upon his athe istic principles. “ You will not,” said he, “ believe that this small body originated in mere chance ; and yet you would contend that those heavenly bodies of which it is only a faint and small resemblance, came into ex istence without order or design!” Pursu ing Ibis chain of reasoning, his friend was at first confounded, iu the next place convinc ed, aud ultimately joined iu a cordial acknowl edgement of the absurdity of denying the ex istence of God. A DEVOUT LIFE. Devout life has untold power. Like the forces of nature, it is often hidden or ob scure, but it holds and shakes the world. Men may refuse to hear your preaching; they are not able to evade the argument of a blameless aud holy life. The aroma of it fills all the atmosphere ; its doctrine distills like the gentle dew, or like the small rain on the mown gra33 ; its lines go oat through all the earth, its words to the end of the world; there is no speech or language where its voice is not heard. Your reiigiou, to be of any worth, must be such a life. Profession is well, but it is only the gateway to the life —only the sign of the inward substance. The Gospel was not proclaimed to give you a creed, but to render possible to you a devout life. You will be a power among men, not in proportion to your knowledge, or your natural endowment, but iu propor tion to the sanctity and fulness of your reli gious life. — Zion's Herald. Condensed from Nntinnal Sunday-school Teacher. INTERNATIONAL LESSONS. February 10, 1878.— Jeuoshafhat Helped of God. 2 Chron. xx . 14-22. Goi.den Text “ Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established: believe his prophets, and so shall ye prosper." —2o Topic.— “ The battle is not yours, but God'sP-jjS^^ HomeJ^^hos. —Monday, Ex. xiv: 1-31 --“I for you Tuesday. Sam. The Lord Discomfited them; Josh, x: 1-15—“ The Lord Fought for Israel;” Thursday, 2 K. vi; 1-23—‘'Mountain full of Horses ;” Fri day, 2 Chr. xxxii: 1-23—‘‘With him an Arm ofFiesh;” Saturday, Is. xli: 1-20—“I will Help Thee;Sunday, Pa. xxxvii; 1-40 —“He Shall Deliver Them.” Time. —B. C. 896. Rulers.— Jehoshaphat, king of Judah; Ahaziah. king of Israel. Place. —Jerusalem, aud “before the wilder ness of Jeruel.” NOTES AND COMMENTS. The Prayer for Victory. — After the unhappy battle of liauioth-Giiead, Jehu, the prophet, told Jehoshaphat: “Therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord.” The truth of that declaration was soon real ized. The Children of Moab. and of Am mon, and the inhabitants of Mount Seir, all the long time enemies of Israel, combined together for the purpose of driving the peo ple of Judah outfrom their possessions (11), This irruption, siugularly enough, seems to have taken the king entirely by surprise. He was utterly unprepared to meet the danger. By creeping, nnoerceived, around the south eru end of the Dead Sea. they stole a march on him, aud the first intimation that he ap pears to have had of their coming was when they were distant only fifteen hours from. Jerusalem. But so soon as he was made aware of the facts, great energy was mani fest throughout all the kingdom. He took three steps lo avert the impending calamity. 1. He “set himself to seek the Lord.” In the eyes of men of the world, he acted very absurdly. Thoße who believe that “the Lord is on the side of the heavieet battal ions” would have beeu entirely out of pa tience with the king at that moment. They would have said that this is a time for action, and not a time for prayer, lustead of going into the sanctuary, they would have declared that he should have been concerned iu get ting together what he could of an army. But instead of unavailicgly trying to do what there was no time to do, he went to Him whose hosts are always ready for battle. There was not time to summon together an army from tho length and breadth of his own dominions, but there was time to call for aid upou him whose armies are as the sand of the sea tor multitude. 2. He did another thing, that, iu the judgment of the people of whom we have beeu speaking, would have appeared equally senseless. He dispatched couriers throughout the kingdom, uot to hur ry troops up to Jerusalem, but to proclaim did uot have for nil counselors the hard ma terialists of the present day, who believe iu the power of everything but the power of God. They would have convinced him by mathematical demonstration that it was per fectly unreasonable for him to expect any thing else than defeat. Unbelief of that sort is the occasion of more discomfitures than the great hosts of the enemy. 3. He, with all Judah, sought help from the Lard in prayer. Certainly these appeared to be three very filmy barricades to throw around a city about to be beleaguered. But they wtre sufficient for the occasion. Iu the last oue, he responded to Tyndall’s demand for a prayer guage, centuries bofore that scien tific gentleman made it. What God has done in answer io prayer is better evidence of his ability and willingness to respond to human appeal than any test to which, without authority, we can subject him. The prayer oi Jehoshaphat was a remark able one. Asa model for all iu peril to fol low, it is well worth an analysis. 1. He asks God to help because he is able. He pleads, first, “Art thou not God in heaven 7” There are very few that doubt that. But he does not stop there. “Aud rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heal hen V” That was fiat heresy according to scientific ways of thinking. According io that, God has made laws that have superseded himself in his relations with men. Happily lor us this is uot true. We deal not with inexorable laws, but with a placable Creator, who has not bound his hands so that he can not as eist his distressed creatures. Thirdly, he asks, “aud in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee ?” The hosts of the enemy in his sight were as nothing to the power of God. Aud if such faith were ofteuer exercised, such vic tories ae his would be oftener recorded. 2. for help because God was their God. J hat fact had beeu niauilested iu two ways. Ist. On the part of God. He had dn?eu out the inhabitants of the land before liia people Israel, and had given it to his ‘•friend” Abraham and to hia seed forever. 2d. On the part of the people. They had built a aanctuary therein for his name 3. He asked for help, because the Lord had promised to give help. When the temple was dedicated, Solomon prayed that when KENNEDY, D.D., Edltor IT’ Assistant Editor A* G. HAYWOOD, D. D., Editorial Correspondent WHOLE NUMBER 2087 any evil should come upon the nation, and they should cry unto the Lord, that he would hear and help, aud God pledged himself so to answer by the fire that he sent down from heaven at the conclusion of the prayer, vii: 1. 4. He asked for help because they were not to blame in the matter. The Israelites were not the original offenders. By the command of the Lord, they were not, in their journey through the country, to con tend with the Edomites, nor with the Moab ites, nor with the Ammonites, because of their kinship. Deut. ii: 4,5, 9, 19. If, therefore, the Jews were now to perish, it would be because their fathers had obeyed the divine command not to destroy these na tions, and, hence, obedience to God would be the cause of their own downfall—a thing that the Lord never would permit. 5. He claimed help on account of weakness. “We have no might against this great company that cometh against us.” In this prayer, therefore, are shown six elements of success ful supplication: 1. Oue should first seek the Lord—endeavor to get his heart right with God. 2. He should ask because God has the power to answer. 3. He should ask because he feels that the Lord is his God. 4 Because he has promised to hear and an swer in time of trouble. 5. Because he has been endeavoring faithfully to obey him. 6. Because he needs help. Tiie Promise of Victory (xiv: 17.)— 1t did not take long to answer that prayer. The response came immediately. "Then upon Jahaziel came the Spirit of the Lord.” So quickly was an answer vouchsafed that it re minds one of the testimony of Daniel: “And while I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me pboufc the time of the evening oblation.” Den. ix: 21. These immediate answers show that God is not a God afar off. When we are in trouble, we speak in his very ear. On the morrow they were directed to go down against this great array that had come up against them, aud were told just where they would find them. But that was all that they were to do. They were to do no light ing. They were simply to stand still and see the salvation of God. The king aud the people had done their fighting in their pray ing. They had contended with God, and now God was to contend for them. If we prayed more, we would have to fight less. The battle with the world is won upon the knees, or ever the Christian man leaves his closet. He often finds that he has only to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. Praise for Victory (18, 19). —The act that follows the utterance of the inspired singer is fully as remarkable as any other of the incidents connected with this wonderful history. Jehoshaphat prostrated himself “with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the Lord, worshipping the Lord.” Besides this, the singers of Israel, the Kobatbites and that part of the Kohathites which had descended from Koruh, “stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with a loud voice on high.” Thauksgiving aud praise were re turned for the promise as for the triumph that it guaranteed. If we receive hisyirowt ms with thanksgiving and praise, the things promised will not tarry. Blessings that we pray for can not tty to us unless our faith wili furnish them with wings. The Praise Victory (20-22). —We doubt whether any commander, before or since, ever gave such a singular exhortation as did Jehoshaphat: ‘ Believe iu tfce Lord your God, so shall ye be established ; believe Lis prophets, so shall ye prosper.” Aud his battle array was as irregular as his battle cry. He appointed singers, clad in garments covered with holy ornaments, to go before the army singing : “Praise the Lord, for his mercy endureth forever." He adhered si.ric lv to the command of the Lord to “stand ye. still.” and hsEca marched forth, pet fa? battle, but to behold the fulfillment of God a promise. When the Lord commands an ap parently foolish thing, it is better to follow out his directions to the very letter “because the foolichuess of God is, wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” They marched, not like an army going into battle, but like one triumphantly returning from one. Aud, although this all seems very absurd, when one compares it with modern war maxims aud tactics, yet it was as successful as any general could have desired. The Lord redeemed his promise. Before they came in sight of the enemy the batt'e was won. “Wheu they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments aeainso the children of Ammon, .Moab, aud Mount Seir, which were come against Judah, and they were smitten.” The conjunction of thß two facts—the singing and the ambushments —shows how closely they were related, and how much the latter depended upon the former. What is meant by saying that “the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon,” etc.? The theory which early ob tained was that the liers-in-wait were celes tial hosts, who began the attack, and caused a panic, which resulted in the mutual des truction described in the text. It is evident that the ambuscade was not composed of men of Judah, for they were to take no part in the fight, and were nowhere near the scene of conflict. It is unnecessary, however, to suppose that angels took the part of liers-in wait. It is more reasonable to surmise that these tribes of the desert, naturally suspicious and distrurtlul of each other, and easily ex cited to hostility iusome way became mutu ally offended. It is probable that oue tribe, or part of a tribe,, on account of some real or fancied insult, hid themselves in some de file in order to take a treacherous revenge. This accords with lloubigant's version, which read?: “The Lord set against tho children of Arninou and Moab, ambushments of those who came from Mount Seir against Judati; and the children of Ammon were smit ten But they afterwards rose against the inhabitants of Mount Seir and utterly des troyed them, who being destroyed, they rose up oue against another and mutually destroy ed each other.” That gives a vivid picture of the facta as the/, no, Moubt were. Wheu the Ammoniies found themselves entrapped by their allies from Mount Seir, and, after the first disastrous surprise, recovered them selves and destroyed their assailants, it was very natural for them to suppose that there was treachery all around, and so it was that “every one helped to destroy another.” When Judah, with its vanguard of singers, came to the conical hill, which is spoken of as a “watch-tower,” they looked toward the place where they expected to behold the hoßts of the enemy, aud, behold, the plain was full of dead bodies, so lull that it seemed as if none had escaped I They stood still aud beheld the salvation of the Lord. In stead of to a battle, they came to a place ol booty. Their very trial proved to be their gain—-as so often it does in the case of every Christian, immense was the spoil they gath ered. It took them three days to collect it all. “And on the fourth daythey assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah (bless ings); lor there they blessed the Lord.” The valley bears the name, but slightly changed, to this day, it being now known as Beirukut. And the valley down which the remnant of the invaders tied is called Jeho-Bhuphat iu memory of the king who led his singing army there to behold the salvation of the Lord. In these name3 that Btitl cling to the lo calities, we have strong corroborative evi dence of the truth of the narrative we ara studying “There they blessed the lord." Psalm 47 appears to have been composed with reference to, and may have been used on, this occasion. Every victory, given of God, should be immediately aud gratefully recognized. Ou the very place of victory, if possible, is the place to return thanks. He who is the most thankful for the aid he re ceives is never likely to call in vain tor help wheu agaiu he is iu great need of it. Love to the path of duty, and wings the feet to travel it; it is the bow which impels the arrow of obedience; it is the mainspring moving the wheels of duty; it is the strong arm tugging the oar of dili gence. Love is the marrow of the bones ot fidelity, the blood in the veins of piety, the sinew of spiritual strength, yes, the life of sincere devotion. He that hath love can no more be motionless than the aspen in the gale, the sere leaf in the hurricane, or the spray in the tempest. As well may hearts cease to beat as love to labor. Love is in s'inct with activity, it can not be idle; it U full of energy.