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URCH anp TURE

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gM FOS hy I Sa

Siesisc

Pe AS BUFORD,
DELIV SRSaD ID
Campbell-Street Church, Louisville, Ky.,

APRIL 30th, 1882.

LovuisviILLz, Ky.:
CourIER-JOURNAL Jos Rooms Print.
1882

CHURCH AND LURE.

——

GEN'L Av BUFORD.
es cas
Campbell-Street Church, Louisville, Ky.,

Louisvitte, Ky.:
CouRIER-JOURNAL JoB Rooms Print.
1882,

ns
~~

Ba Cok WR: Bs

Brethren and Sisters :

It is with a feeling of the most profound respect and
reverence to Him who reigns on high, and who alone has
the imperial power to approve or condemn our conduct
here on earth, that I have consented, in compliance with
a request from our worthy pastor, to say something to
you this evening. It seems presumptuous on my part—
from the fact that my early life has been led a little away
from God—that I should attempt to say anything in so
holy a place as this little church, and to an audience who
has spent the greater part’of their lives in the study of
the subject of religion—a subject which I will be candid
enough to acknowledge I have not given that attention
to in my early life that it ought to command from all men.

Being almost an entire stranger within your gates, I
have come to your little church and throw myself in your
midst, seeking your advice and support in an effort to
save my soul from being lost. |

EARLY RELIGIOUS IMPRESSIONS,

You surely are not expecting advice and wisdom from
one who has so recently buckled on his armor as a sol-
dier of the cross. Being, as I say, something of a stran-
ger within your gates, it will, perhaps, be more appropriate
and interesting to you that what I shall say be upon the
subject of my religious associations and teachings in
early life, or, in other words, a little of my experience in
matters touching religion, and something about horses,
which will explain my course through life up to now. I

4

was born in Woodford county, Kentucky, on the farm
now known as Woodburn. I won’t say when (but not a
very great while ago, however). My parents were good
and grand people. My mother—oh, what a dear mother
she was! How devoted, and how hard she labored for
the good of her twelve children! She was a Presbyter-
ian, and reared her family in the faith of that church. I
was christened in that church when a child. My father
was a farmer and breeder of fine horses. Hereared and
ran many fine race-horses, so I naturally inherited my
fondness for the race-horse. When a school-boy I left
Kentucky and went to West Point, N. Y., where I was
educated.

During the four years I was at West Point I attended
the Episcopal church, and was impressed by the gran-
deur of its ceremonies, and formed quite a strong par-
tiality for that church. When I graduated at West
Point, I was assigned to duty in the First Regiment of
Dragoons, United States Army, and for fourteen years
subsequent, I servedon the Western frontier in protecting
the pioneer of the West from the depredations of the
Indians. The first time during my service in the West
I ever saw the Lord’s Supper spread was at Fort Atkin-
son, lowa, with the Rev. W. Lowry officiating, and with
but two other communicants with him. This scene was
witnessed by many of the warriors of the Winnebago
tribe of Indians, some of whom asked, after the cere-
mony was over, if that was all right and proper, why was
it that so few of the whites joined in it? To which ques-
tion no satisfactory reply could be given to the Indians.

My first Captain in the dragoon service was Nathan
Boone, who was a son of Daniel Boone. Capt. Nathan
Boone was a good, Christian man. I have often seen
him kneel in his tent on his buffalo robe and pray fer-

5

vently, at which I, a young dashing dragoon, would laugh
in derision at what I thought was the weakness of the
old man. I now rejoice in the fact that I have lived to
see the day when I am convinced that the weakness was
on my part and not that of the Christian pioneer.

AFTER MY MARRIAGE ©

I resigned from the army and settled in Woodford county,
Ky., with my dear wife and boy. Oh! what a dear wife
and boy they were to me, and oh, how I miss them now!
They were both members of the Episcopal church, so
that you must be satisfied that I am, indeed, very partial
to that church. Although my dear wife and boy were
members of that church for many yeers, on account of
the fact that I owned, reared and trained many fine horses,
I did not join them in this the most important step in
life. Oh, that I had; they might have been spared to
me! Still, ] have never thought it inconsistent with the
life of a true Christian to own fine race-horses; yet the
world, through what I conceive to be the weakness of
human nature, thinks otherwise. Therefore, not wishing
to bring disrepute upon the church in the opinion of the
world, I did not join the church until I had parted com-
pany with the race-horses. And what attracted me to
the Christian church was the simplicity of its'teachings
and ceremonies, in all of which I was soon educated.
By the eloquence of and through the earnest and gentle
manner of our worthy pastor,!l was enabled to master
courage sufficient to acknowledge before man our Mas-
ter in heaven.
This question touching the relative position of the

CHURCH AND TURF .
is one, in my opinion, that strikes deeper at the interest of
the church than many of our Christian friends think. It

6

is a question on which I have my own views, and just
here I would assure you that it is not my purpose to
thrust my views on any one, and, especially, on such an
audience as I find before me to-night. If we differ, let it
be done in a gentle manner and ina Christian spirit, and
should there be any material difference between us, let he
who is in error have the candor to confess. From my
occupation in life this is a question in which I have been
deeply interested. I will ask you, therefore, to be a little
patient while I give utterance to a few casual thoughts
on the subject. Remember that the Bible teaches us to
defend, protect and promote the interest of the Govern-
ment under which we live. We will then ask: What
interest has the Government in the development of the
horse, as well as his improvement? In answer I will say
the defense of the country and its inhabitants against all
enemies, both foreign and domestic, requires the most
searching improvement and development of the horse.
The cavalry arm of the service, which is admitted by
most all great military men of the day to be the most
efficient in war, as well as the artillery arm (in the field |
branch of that service), need the services of the horse in
his most perfect form, and with all the ability he can be
found to possess in the way of strength and courage.

WE MUST HAVE A RACE-TRACK.

To reach these points in a horse he must be developed
and improved by handling and breeding. How, then,
are we to develop him? We must have a race-track on
which to develop his capacity as to strength and durabil-
ity, his speed and bottom; and, when through the race-
course we discover the horse that possesses these qualities
in the greatest perfection, we will then choose him as the
horse through which we will propagate and improve his
species. Suppose we had been without a race-course

“ 7

since Noah left his ark with his inferior Barb or Arabian
horses, our great Generals, Forrest, Stuart and Morgan,
would have cut a pretty figure during the late war with
their men mounted on such horses as those were.

Our artillery would be totally inefficient in the field
branch of that service. What sort of a race would I
have made during the war when chasing Sturgis back
into Memphis mounted on one of Noah’s mustang
ponies? Or what would have become of me when Wil-
son was chasing me across the bridge near Columbus,
Ga., on which the Yankee picket seized the bridle of my
horse and struck me over the head with his sabre,
mounted on one of Noah’s horses? I would, indeed, have
been a lost child. But being mounted on an improved
thoroughbred, after discharging my pistol at his head, I
_ made a rapid and successful retreat.

The most essential fact of all: The Treasury of the
State would be deprived of many millions of dollars in
consequence of the depreciated value of the horse. Then
again, are not the members of all churches delighted
when they can get a seat behind a pair of thoroughbred
horses and drive over the splendid roads and beautiful
parks of the country? And may I not ask how many
members of the various churches in the land are there
who are not interested in the development and handling
of the horse, through which they secure the means that
enables them to support their respective churches? We
then are, both Church and State, deeply interested in the
development of the horse.

THE GREAT TROUBLE.

Now comes the great trouble, which is the management
of the race-course, through which the many evils of which
_we know creep in and furnish the many arguments against
Christian people attending the races even on Derby Day.

8 :

Then the question is simply this: Can not these evils be
corrected ? We can not correct them by staying away
and abandoning the whole thing to the devz/ and his sa¢-
ellites—abandon the great national sport to the hands
of bad and desperate men. ‘This is an institution in
which the State of Kentucky is interested to the amount
of many millions of dollars, As I said, the Bible tells
us we must support the Government under which we live,
and you tell me it is the duty of Christians to abandon
the great interest Kentucky has in the improvement of
the horse into the hands of bad men of the country by
building a Chinese wall around it. I say emphatically,
no! It is, in my opinion, the duty of all Christians to
aid in the passage of such State laws as will correct the
many evils in the management, which I will not here at-
tempt to enumerate. Some of these evils are trifling
and might, in some, degree be corrected by the presence
of good, Christian people. Remember, however, that,
when you should present yourself there, your purpose
must be honest—to correct, and not engage in, the vices
spoken of. It is with much pleasure and pride that I can
truthfully state that evils alluded to in the management
of the many race-courses in the United States, do not
exist in Kentucky to that extent. They do in the East.
In fact, the evils existing in the management of our race-
course near the city are but few, and might easily be
eradicated by the earnest work of a few good, Christian
men. Remember that the Louisville Jockey Club was
the first to give the handsome sum of $1,800 to the yel-
low fever sufferers. Christ came on earth to save sinners.
How could he save them without being placed in contact :
with them? By this contact the turf might be made more
respectable, so that all would be able to enjoy the out-
door sports of this beautiful Eden, placed here by our

4)

Great Master especially for our pleasure and gratifica-
tion.
WHAT WE MAY MAKE DERBY DAY.

Let me read from Zachariah, chapter ix., verse 17:
“For how great is his goodness and how great His beauty.
Corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine
the maids.” It is evident from this verse that our Heav-
enly Father expected us to be more cheerful on some
days than others. Then,after spending a long, dreary
winter in a crowded city—when the beautiful month of
May rolls around, and all nature decked with flowers,
and the air is balmy sweet, and the many beautiful birds
are singing their love songs—may we not make Derby
Day an occasion when the juice of the corn and new
wines shall make the young men and maids more cheer-
ful and happy? Christ at the wedding converted the
water into wine, and all were cheerful under its in-
fluence. Are we to give up the pleasure of witnessing
the Derby run when contested by twenty of the most
beautiful thoroughbreds, with riders all decked in various
colors, and spending a few hours on the beautiful Jockey
Club grounds, simply on account of the tact of the ex-
istence of a few evils in the management of the course?
In England, the Bishop of Canterbury always attends
and witnesses the running of the English Derby, with
his entire suite. This he does, doubtless, with an hon-
esty of purpose to enjoy in a Christian spirit the national
sport of the country, and by his presence to check; in a
measure, some of the attending evils. Can’t we follow
his example with an honesty of purpose, or shall we
acknowledge our weakness by admitting the danger of
our falling by the wayside?

One of the great weaknesses of the American people
is to imitate the English, who were the first to introduce

10

the ‘English bob,” on the tails of their race-horses. We
followed, and bobbing is becoming so fashionable now,
that the ladies of America bob the hair on their heads in
imitation of this English race-horse fashion; so, if the
ladies can afford to follow this fashion of bobbing the
horses’ tails, we certainly can afford to follow the example
of the Bishop in attending the races.

Christ when He came on earth, did not fight and quar- ,
rel with the sinners, but He won them by His kindness
and gentle reasoning. So we must do, as it is only
through Christianity that we can reach the end so much
to be desired in this matter,

TOO STRICT CHURCHES.

Again, the Bible says ‘that he that eateth and drinketh
unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself.”
So if any of us at the Lord’s table should eat and drink
unworthily, are the remainder of us to be driven from the
holy supper table and church in consequence thereof? I
say, certainly not. There have been, as we all know,
many bad men in many of our churches. Are we to
abandon the churches on account of the conduct of these
men? On the turf are we to abandon it on account of
the presence of bad men? He who on the turf is guilty
of fraud, like he who “ eateth and drinketh unworthily,”
brings damnation upon himself. Do not interpret a single
sentence I have uttered to-night to mean that I would
encourage your attendance on the race-course. So long
as the rules governing your church forbid it, ] am only
advocating, with all due respect to the authorities of this
dear little church a slight modification of its rules on this
question. At the same time, I will be candid enough to
say that in my opinion some churches, by their rigid
rules of government on this and other similar questions,
drive many people away from their doors. As an instance,

11

I will give you the case of my particular friend, John M.
Clay, of Lexington, Ky., who had been a turfman all his
life. Some five or six years since, he concluded that the
time had arrived when it was his duty to become a mem-
ber of the church; so he approached the pastor of the
church of his choice and made known to him his deter-
mination. The reply he got from the pastor was that he
must give up his race-horses. He would then talk to him
on the subject. Mr. Clay then asked him if his neighbor,
who handled a large stable of trotting horses, had not
recently become a member of his church. His answer
was yes, but his horses are trotting horses; yours, Mr.
Clay, are race-horses ; we have no objection to trotting
horses in our church. Then, says Mr. Clay, I under-
stand you to be of the opinion that your members can
trot but can not run into heaven. So Mr. Clay retired
and joined the Catholic church.

Do not conclude from any thing I have said to-night
that it is my purpose to attend the approaching races.
For so long as 1am a member of this church I shall do
all in my power to respect and obey its rules of govern-
ment. Brothers and sisters, allow me to thank you for
your very kind and patient attention, and ask that our
Heavenly Father shall continue you in health and pros-
perity and make you cheerful and happy.

I find it necessary that I should say a few words more
on the question of Church and Turf, which was the sub-
ject of my talk to the members of the Campbell-street
church a few evenings since. I little thought that what
I had to say on this question would attract the attention
it has. I certainly did not think it would arouse any

12

harsh feelings or severe criticisms on the part of any
editor of a Christian paper. Now that the question has.
attracted so much attention in many parts of the country,
I wish simply to give my solution of it and I am done.
I stand still precisely where my lecture places me, and
have not one single i to dot or t to cross in it. My solu-
tion of the question is this: Let it rest as a question of
conscience with each individual member of the church,
and should a member abuse this right of conscience in the
exercise of the privilege as a Christian, it would then be
time enough for the church as a body to interfere.

Like the little boy who picked up the gun, “I did not
know it was loaded.”” No one is or can be more surprised
than I at the result of my late talk on the Turf and the
Church. I have no other desire than the truth in this.
matter. The ‘‘ most unkindest cut of all”’ is that of the
Apostolic Times, which denounces the lecture, made not
at my own suggestion or solicitation, in a severe, whole-
sale way. The ‘nocreed”’ and ready investigation spirit
of the church of Christ challenged my admiration and
won my allegiance. I gave my honest convictions in a
manly way, yet modestly, for I full well realize that 1 am
a “babe in Christ.” It is farthest from my desires to
bring reflections upon the church, and most deeply would
I lament influencing any one by word or deed in the
wrong direction. I ask that the editor of the Apostolic
Times give us the teachings of the ‘“ Book” upon this
subject, instead of a broadside denunciation, as no oné
will sit more willingly at his feet or listen more eagerly
to his words than I. My earthly career is drawing more
rapidly to a close, and my great aim now is to win the
race for eternal life; and, as you have before said, if I
can pass through the pearly gates of heaven in a chariot
drawn by Enquirer and McWhirter, I would shout with

13

great joy, and would be far in advance of you, Mr. Editor,
should your chariot be drawn by a pair of Noah’s mus-
tang ponies. 3 :

Two Sabbaths since | delivered, from the stand I now
occupy, a short lecture on the subject of the ‘Church
and Turf.” The thought of my becoming a lecturer on
any subject is something very novel, to me, at least, and
something I had never contemplated. But still, if I find
I can advance the cause of Christ and correct, in the
slightest degree, the morals of this advanced age, it will
give me infinite pleasure. This lecture has been copied
in many papers throughout the whole country, and many
have been the criticisms thereon; some of them have
been a little bitter, charging that my house was not in
order, and that I was not the proper person to deliver
such a lecture, and regretting its delivery in the church.
Others of the criticisms were more favorable, and com-
mended the subject to the study of all good men. It is
claimed that one of the good effects of the lecture has
been that the Chicago Driving and Running Park have
abolished the “wheel of fortune’’—which is one of the
vilest species of gambling ever introduced in any coun-
try—/orever from their grounds. This, certainly, is one
step taken in the right direction by the officers of that
Park, and if brought about by the teachings of my lec-
ture, we will give the credit a// to our Master in Heaven.
It is these adverse criticisms that have created a desire on
my part to seek further light on the subject by asking
the simple question, Whose house is in order ?

The Holy Bible will answer this question; so let’s
turn to our text for this evening.

II Samuel, Chap. 23, Verse 5.

‘“‘Altho’ my house be not so with God, yet he has
“«made with me an everlasting covenant.”

14

Such, brethren and sisters, is the language of David,
the King of Israel, who was a man after ‘“‘God’s own
heart’ In this passage Davi¢ has done what all good
Christians ought to frequently do. He compares the
conditions and surroundings of his own life on earth
with what is required of him by our great Master in
Heaven. We should not only compare our conduct and
actions, but also our thoughts and opinions, with what
is required of us by the teachings of the Bible. In mak-
ing this comparison of ourselves, one with another, it
must not be made with the view of seeing in our opzz-
zons how we will compare with standards of our own,
or with human expectations. But the end desired is to
learn how near we reach that standard required of us by
God. In these comparisons we may oftentimes find:
some justification of a Christian feeling of congratulation
toward one another. Still that human standard occupies
so inferior a position that our exalted course of con-
duct in this life over that of a brother is not a sufficient
cause for very great rejoicing on our part. But when,
by this thorough investigation of our true condition in
life, we discover its weakness and its vulnerable points, it is
then that we, in imitation of the good and pious King of
Israel, would become most humbled in the dust, and ex-
claim as he did: ‘“‘ My house, my heart, my life, my con-
‘duct, is not so with God.”

These comparisons are truly humiliating, but essential
to the success of our spiritual life—as God gives grace
to the poor and humble, and rejects the proud and
haughty—we must bear the fact well in mind, that there.
is but one good and perfect life, and that is the life of
Jesus; none of our lives are without stain or blemish.
When, in the comparison of our lives with that of Jesus,.
we discover the slightest stain, we are aroused with a

15

feeling of great fearand alarm for our safety, and every
honest heart is humbled, and in sadness we note the
alarming deficiency in our present lives, in comparison
with what they ought to be in the eye of our Lord
and Master. Let us see in what estimation some of the
pious men of the Bible held their lives whilst struggling
through this cold and heartless world. David himself
says: ‘‘I have sinned against the Lord, oh, God, Thou
“knowest my foolishness, and my sin is not hid from
i Phee:’’* jeobrspeaks and'says: “Oh, God -am~vile,”
and St. Paul gives utterance to the following wail; ‘Oh!
“wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the
‘body of this death?’’ Such, my brethren, is the evi-
dence we get from the Bible, given by some of the most
pious men of modern times, and such are, doubtless, the
convictions of many of us in our hearts to-day. The fact
is, by an honest examination of our own hearts, it will
be too plainly revealed to us, that our house is not in
order, and is not so with God as we would wish it to be
here.

If in this intercourse of one with another, and in mak-
ing the comparisons as to the relative positions we oc-
cupy as to our opinions touching the question of religion
in any way, we discover any difference we should as
Christians treat that difference with great forbearance‘
remembering that Bro. Campbell himself and a number
of his members had a difference of opinion on various
questions touching the government of the church. And
they were treated with great forbearance, although some
of them never did change their opinions. Such should
be our course toward a member, whose house we con-
sider out of order, a simple ‘denunciation’ and assertion
that his views ‘‘ are erroneous,” are not sufficient to con-
vince the warmest hearted Christian of his errors. But

16

we must point out to him wherein his reasoning is wrong,
and by strong arguments prove to him that his house is
not in order, as required by our Master in Heaven.
Then, in this comparison don’t let us confound our opin-
ions with our fazth. In all churches, members differ in
a greater or less degree in their respective opinions
touching the government of their churches, which differ-
ences of opinions are not essential to the salvation of
their soul. And it is our duty as Christians to do all in
our power to remove them, in a kind and gentle manner,
without denunciation.

If we have faith in Christ, there should be but little
stress laid upon opinions, ‘‘we can all be of one faith,
“but never of one opinion.’ We must, therefore, in
our efforts to assist our brethren in placing their respec-
tive houses in the condition that God requires them to
be, exercise great forbearance, and in removing the mote
from our neighbor’s eye, we must be careful not to de-
stroy the eye by hasty or violent action, but touch it
gently as our Saviour would. Notwithstanding the exist-
ence of the fact that our house is not in order as re-
quired by our heavenly Father, still we have a covenant
with God. And if we are saved at all it will be through
the part we have in this covenant of grace, called the
everlasting covenant. No act of our own can save us.
It is only through /azth in Jesus, and by virtue of that
faith we make ourselves a party to this covenant, the
stipulations of which are, ‘I will be their God and they
shall be my people,”’ whosoever believes in Jesus, repents
of his sins and yields to the authority of Christ, shall
be identified with the terms of this covenant. ‘The ac-
cuser of the brethren may accuse us before God day and
night; but can do no more, so long as we keep our case
in the hands of the Divine Advocate. He will plead our

7

cause against the insinuations of wicked men and against
the wiles of his Satanic Majesty. arth and hell can
not harm us, so long as we cling to our claims for the
great blessing, promised us in the covenant, and nothing
can work a forfeiture of these blessings, save a wanton
abandonment on our part of our religious duties and re-
quirements towards God our Saviour. We can only sus-
tain our relationship to this covenant through /azth,
through righteousness, and the blood of our crucified
Christ. We can do but little ourselves, and nothing can
secure us eternal salvation, save a firm reliance in our
Saviour. A few words more on what is said of the horse
in the Bible and I will close.
xk x x * x *k x

Sagittarius, the archer, is represented as a Centaur.
These Centaurs were represented as men from the head
to the loins, while the remainder of the body was that of
a horse, of which animal the ancients had so high an opin-
ion that this union was not considered in the least de-
grading. In heathen mythology, one of these Centaurs,
Chiron, was renowned for his skill in music, medicine,
hunting and the art of prophecy. The most distinguished
heroes of mythology were among his pupils. He taught
fEsculapius physic, Apollo music and Hercules astron-
omy. This illustration from the records of remote an-
tiquity is merely introduced as an incidental illustration
of man’s tendency to deify or perpetuate his love for one
of the noblest and most useful animals given him by
Beneficent Power.

In the Scriptures so many allusions are made to the
horse, that it is impossible to take more than a few of the
many illustrations. From the pages of the inspired vol-
ume, we learn that God Himself in enumerating the won-
ders of his creative hand, as he spoke to Job out of the

18

whirlwind makes mention of the noble animal in the fol-
lowing sublime language (Job 39th Chap., 19th to 25th
verses) viz.: ‘‘ Hast thou given the horse strength? hast
thou clothed his neck with thunder? canst thou make
him afraid as a grasshopper? The glory of his nostrils
is terrible. He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his
strength; he goeth on to meet the armed men. He
mocketh at fear and is not affrighted, neither turneth he
back from the sword. The quiver rattleth against him,
the glittering spear and the shield. He swalloweth the
ground with fierceness and rage, neither believeth he that
it is the sound of the trumpet. He saith among the
trumpets, Ha, ha! and he smelleth the battle afar off, the
thunder of the captains, and the shouting.”

In the beautiful story of Queen Esther, we have the
honor which was rendered unto Mordecai in the following
language :

‘For the man whom the King delighteth to honor, Let
the royal apparel be brought which the King useth to
wear, and the horse that the King rideth upon, and the
crown royal which is set upon his head. And let this
apparel AND HORSE be delivered to the hand of one of the
King’s most noble princes, that they may array the man
with all whom the King delighteth to honor, and bring
him oz horseback through the street of the city,” etc., etc.
(Esther 6th Chap., 7th to roth verses.)

In the translation of Elijah from earth to heaven, God
honored his faithful servant by sending a celestial con-
veyance and resplendent horses, or as the Chronicler
quaintly expressed it ‘‘A chariot of fire and HORSES of
five, (AI Kings 2d Chap., 11th verse) and as the glorious
equipage swept heavenward Elisha saw it and exclaimed,
“My father, My father, the chariot of Israel and the
horsemen thereof!’’ Following this train of thought we

19

find that God in his infinite wisdom has incorporated the
horse with the hosts of celestial beings. When the King
-of Syria encompassed the town of Dotham with his army
in the attempt tocapture Elisha, the prophet’s servant
awaking inthe morning and seeing the town encompassed
by the enemy, exclaimed, ‘‘ Alas! my master how shall
we do?” Elisha’s reply was “Fear not, for they that be
with us, are more than be with them,”’ and then, in answer
to the prophet’s prayer, the eyes of the servant were
opened to behold the heavenly allies, ‘and behold, the
mountain was full of. orses and chariots of fire round
about Elisha.” (II King 6th Chap., 17th verse.)

All through the Bible we find the horse spoken of as
an animal brave and powerful—as an animal respected by
Kings, and honored by God as instruments in the accom-
plishment of his heavenly designs.

From Genesis to Revelation, the horse is frequently
mentioned and the dvect inference given that in a celestial
form, it is an inhabitant of the Courts on high. St. John
in his Apocalyptic vision, Rev., 19th Chap., 11th to 14th
verses, writes:

‘And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse ;
and He that sat upon him was called ‘Faithful and True,’
and in righteousness He doth judge and make war. His
eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many
‘crowns, and he had a name written that no man knew
but He Himself. And he was clothed in a vesture
dipped in blood; and His name is called the Word of
God. And the armies which were in heaven followed
Him upon whzte horses clothed in fine linen, white and
clean.”

Such, my brethren, are a few passages of the Bible,
in which the forse is spoken of, and in all of which he is
held in great reverence by Divine writers. In none of

20

these passages is the abuse of the horse alluded to. It
is the abuse of this animal that makes him an enemy to
some Christians of the present day, which abuse I con-
tend can only be quieted by the prompt and decisive ac-
tion of Christian people. It is my conviction that most
of the members of this little church are very partial to,
and fond of riding and driving, fine horses—we would
not be Kentuckians were we not, and judging from the
elegant style and perfect action of the horse I see our
worthy pastor riding through the streets of our city daily,
he must be a thoroughbred; he is a gentlemen of too
much culture and taste to be satisfied with any other;
you would not be, nor would I. After thanking you for
patient attention, I will close by asking that our Heav-
enly Father will give us light, and through light, wisdom,
that we may be of one opinion on all questions touching
the Government of our own little church.
A. Burorp.