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J  U  ^liugliMl-J.       1 


'  ^u^-  '■  '"     '?" '■ 


THE 

GOSPEL  -  VISITOR, 

A  mojhthly  publication 

DEVOTED 

TO  THE  EXHIBITION  AND  DEFENCE 

OF    GOSPEL -PRINCIPLES    4  GOSPEL  -  PRACTICE 

N  THEIR  PRIMITIVE  PURITY  AND  SIMPLICITY,  IN  OHDER  TO 

I 
PROMOTE  CHRISTIAN  UNION,  BROTHERLY   LOVE  <t 

UNIVERSAL  CHARITY. 


*>  Tor  /  am  not  ashamed  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  for  it  is  the  power  of  God 
unl)  salvation  to  every  one  that  helieveth^  to  the  Jeic  frst,  and  also  to  the 
Gr      V,"     Rom.  i.  16. 

EDITED 

By 
EEXRY  KURTZ  &  JAMES  QUIXTER. 

VOL.  X.   1860. 


PRINTED  IN  COLUMBIANA,  CG^.uMBT^-^   ^"'     ^ 
By  an  Association. 


VOL.  I'      ai«n UÄVff  I860. 


NO.  1 


PREFACE, 

<-TVliatsoevei'  thy  hand  findeth  to 
do,  do  it  with  thy  might;  for  there 
is  no  work,  nor  device,  nor  knowl- 
edge, nor  wisdom,  in  the  grave 
whither  thou  goest."  There  is  much 
in  the  world  for  us  all  to  do,  and 
each  one  of  us  has  but  one  life  in 
this  world  to  live,  and,  hence,  there 
is  no  time  to  be  wasted.  Both  the 
amount  and  kind  of  labor  we  per- 
form, are  mattei-s  more  or  less  de- 
pendent upon  the  position  in  life 
which  divine  providence  has  allot- 
ted us.  There  is,  however,  a  gener- 
al rule  given  by  the  divinely  inspired 
apostle,  which  should  be  overlooked 
by  none  who  desire  to  be  faithful  to 
their  Grod  and  faithful  to  the  com- 
mission given  to  all  the  members  of 
the  household  of  faith  or  of  the  chris- 
tian commonwealth.  The  rule  is 
this :  "As  we  have  therefore  oppor- 
tunity, let  us  do  good  unto  all  men, 
especially  unto  them  who  are  of  the 
household  of  faith."  According  to 
this  rule,  our  duty  will  be  somewhat 
in  proportion  to  our  opportunit}'. 

To  every  christian  philanthropist, 
the  improvement  of  the  world  will 
be  an  object  of  the  deepest  interest. 
No  husbandman  (^n  possibly  feel  a 
greater  desire  to  have  every  tillable 
foot  of  his  land  raised  to  the  highest 
degree  of  fertility,  than  God  the 
great  Husbandman  feels  in  having 
the  moral  wastes  of  a  sin-stricken 
world  cultivated  and  planted  with 
the  seed  of  Truth,  that  they  may 
bring  forth  "the  peaceable  fruit  of 
-righteousness."       The    church    has 


been  greatly  honored  by  being  made 
in  some  degree  the  guardian  of  the 
world,  and  to  it  as  the  ground  and 
pillar  of  the  Truth,  and  as  a  city 
set  upon  a  hill,  and  as  a  candle  on  a 
candlestick,  is  the  world  to  look  for 
light  and  knowledge  to  lead  it  to 
Christ,  to  all  its  various  duties;,  and 
to  heaven.  The  responsibility  then 
which  rests  npon  the  church  is  great, 
and  that  responsibility  is  shared  in 
by  every  individual  member.  TVith 
this  view  of  the  relation  which  the 
church  sustains  to  the  world,  and 
being  desirous  of  devoting  ourselves 
to  the  service  of  the  church,  and  en- 
tertaining a  firm  belief  that  the 
cause  of  Truth  demands  every  help 
and  every  influence  which  can  in 
any  degree  be  rendered  subservient 
to  its  advancement,  we  propose 
with  God's  permission  and  blessing 
to  continue  the  publication  of  the 
Gospel  Visitor,  and  we  offer  to  our 
readers  another  volume. 

In  entering  upon  the  tenth  vol- 
ume of  the  Visitor,  we  feel  encour- 
aged by  the  evidence  afforded  u8 
from  time  to  time,  that  our  humble 
labors  have  not  been  altogether  in 
vain ;  and  we  thank  the  Lord  that 
he  has  enabled  us  to  continue  our 
work  thus  far,  though  the  difiicul- 
ties  which  have  beset  our  way  have 
been  neither  few  nor  small,  Tlio 
number  of  our  readers  has  gradual- 
ly been  increasing  from  the  com- 
mencement until  this  time,  and  each 
volume  has  been  commenced  under 
more  encouraging  ex^icctations  than 
its  predecessor.  Kevertheless,  we 
G.  V.  Vol.  X.  1 


it  rcEfi'ct  thTlf  OTtr  work  has  rnpon  as  as  a 


.4  't     . 

cannot  Init  rcsfi'crth'Kt^OTn'  work  lia^^po*n  as  as  cönaüctors  of  a  Christian 
^^  not  received  a  more    general    coop-, Magazine.     We  acknowledge  it,  and 

large.     AVe  feel  so  well  assured  tnftt  think  that  wo  snoulc 
the  work  in  itself  is  ritrht,  and    that 


Id  be  dealt    with 
in  a  more    rigorous     manner    than 
lt\»,  if  properly    cüuductc(i,    culcu-|t|hristian  charity  .ivquiifeH  others  to 


tlL^  dealt  with,  who  may  occupy   po- 
•ylhg  tlia^'^öurs. 


n:  liealt  with,  \\ 
Bjtiiris  Ifeflh  trylt 

1  ■•"■'•^     -        " 


iaUxl  to  do  good,  that  we  think  we 
should  have  the  i^tron^ga  of  ailiquj* 
l»rothren.  And  wo  kind!}-  request, 
:dl  of  them  to  consider  candidly  and 
prfiyerfuUy  i\i^  fclaim»  of  the  Vhiitor 
up^in  them  for  their  support,  with 
the  hope  that  such  a  cour^  will,  bq 
very  likely  to  Icad^epaj-to  ,J)ec:of|)c 
the  warm  8upi)orters  of  our  work.,,; 

"We  ask  our  readers  for  their  in- 
dulgence and  forlK'urance.  And 
iiay  we  not  ex['  ;  from  ti^em? 

— When  we  coiiöiüvr    the    different 
tempera nients    of   pur    correspond- 
ents, and  the  circumstaiice  that  tlW 
luive  not  alway.s    su^h  ^i    cpmmand 
<.f  language  as  best  enal^les   them  to 
mal^e  the  most  happy    selection    of 
terms  to  express  their  ideas;  and  al- 
so the  (.titferent    tastes    and    senti- 
ments of  our  readers,    it  is  not  at  all 
surprising  'that'  sortie    ämon^    the 
intter  will  riot    always    be    pleased 
with    the     reading    matter    offered 
them.     But  if  the  general   chai*acter  1 
of  our  work  is  about    right,    cannot  j 
oftr  readers    exercise    forbearance  if  | 
they  discover  an    oocüßional    want  I 
of  courtesy  in  a  writer    toward    an-  i 
other  with  whom  ho  may  dilier,    or 
an  occasional  error    in    sentiment? 
We  would  kindl}-    suggest    lor    ourj 
general  consideration  one    of   those  i 
liappy  sayings    of   .lesus — a  saying  i 
which  shows  him    to    be  a  Searcher! 
of  hearts,  and  an    impartial    .Judge, 
namrly,  this:  "lie  that    is    witliout 
«in  among  you,  lot  him    ürst    cast  ai 
stone  at    her."      Wo    wish    not    to)     While  the  lorcgoiiig  ap' sudic    ia- 
evad-j  the  reKjmnsibility  wiiich  rests  | junction  contaiiis  the  ohject  we  hope 


We  fondly  hope  that  aa  increased 
acquaintance  witli  human  nature  in 
all  its  mysterious  and  deceptive 
windings,  and  also  with  christian 
cxperienco  and  christian  duty,  with 
an  enlarged  share  of  thoSpirit  ofGod, 
which  we  trusty  we  shall  receive 
in  answer  to  oul*  own  prayers,  and 
those  of  others  offered  in  our  behalf, 
will  enabW  iis  to  exorcise  moro 
sound  wisdom  and  cln-i^tian  pru- 
dence in  pertbrming  the  editorial 
labors  of  the  Visitor. 

'•With  plensnire  let  iif»  own  onrorTors  paft; 
And  make- each  day  a  critic  on  tUo  last." 

^'Contend  for  tlie  fiith  which  was 
once  delivered  unto  the  saints."  The 
object  of  our  humble  labors  will  be 
the  elucidation,  the  defense,  and  tho 
spread"  of  the  system  of  faith  alluded  ' 
to  in  the  foi'ogöing  language  of  the 
apostle  James,  for  we  think  that  ft 
better  one  cannot  possibly  bo  found. 
It  contains  within  it  all  the  elements 
of  divine  power  necessary  to  reform 
the  world  although  it  lies  in  sin.  A 
cause  claim inu:  ai\  oriiJ-in  so  divine  and 

r '  "t  » ;  't  ^ 

.^' noble  as  Christianity  does,  and  con-* 
tcjupli^ting  a  conqtiest  so  grand, 
namely,  that  ofrescuinga  woyl^froni 
the  usurped  authority  of  Satan,  and 
rcslorin<j;'it  to  its  rightful  sovereign, 
ilif  T.nfd  Messiah,  deserves  our 
t  zeal,  and   our  lAost  sincere 


dcvutiüH. 

f 


yStl^tPfATioy 


•»5 


*,'!  our  TV  i-k,  un«i  commeL.'!  it  t«' 
Lord;   and  should  he  deign   to 


3Iatt.  (oi  l^. 


TE^TPTATIOH- 


all  wil!  hnve  in  view  \tho  inÄk^  the  erat e  "with  oor  «rfeat  adf-er^ry,  to 
«Gospel  Visitor  the  Vp- - »-  ♦  .r"^m-  betrtiV  tls^o  Win:  T>  -  '  ".  t^llcc 
mtinicating"  their  th«     _  *h*'   foi-  r»'^  C'^nditionln  li^  _         r  free 

lowing-  eon  tain  the  mies  i-e;L  .  UiltpBtüJHäl  It  foHow^  ns  when 

the  ytdnner  which  we  hoj)e  v.>e.  .-  svt-  go  ofefMÜ^füe  worW.  and  when 
rigoron«]T  oKserretl :  '«»Let  all  your  Sv^  v^  i^)f#  Mi»4k)ii9e  <yf  ^WL  li  is 
thiT!L'<  he  doi^  with  Charit/."  "Bef^iear  in  the  ftraihr.  in  the  wark-«h*)p, 
eonrteouH."  '*        '  'in  the  field,   and  in  every  placef  of 

-T^e  retire  to  the  clowt,  sitboxigh  "wo 
may  ^hnt  the  door."  Ye».  wÄen 
we  are  at  our  deTTOtional  exerriNjs 
<reptonroflbring,  and  Make  it;  c-on-^«  are  not  free  trom  te,nptati»>r. 
tribute  in  anv  de-ree  to  tke  ad-  «enc-e  the  prayer  in  the  poetry-  we 
vaneement  of  the  «n^  of  trnth,  and  "^^^  ^"^"^^^  ^^  "^^^ 
TO  the    edifieation    nwi    eneotira^-"    *H5ire.  I^.  Ay  p««,  l«<  erü  th^ght, 

ment  of  h,s  people,  to  Hun  «hrf»  ^ill ;     ^^^^  ^  ^^  ^^^^.^^  .^  ^^^^  ^^ 
»lK>  honor  be  given.  f.«t«ntly  «xpoeed  to  danger,  the  petl- 

lion  in  the  Lord»  prayer,  ^'lead  ns 
not  iBto  teoiptation/'  is  veiy  apppo- 
priatti,  SLSkd  «iH>nkI  often  be  used  no^ 
in  a  mere  tbrmal  manner,  but  as  th« 
expreäaion  of  a  conseicaaieeB  of  im- 
minent danger.  The  peculiarity  oi' 
Wherever  therebas  been  a  genuine  :^^  langaage  ia  which  the  petition 
gospel  repentance  exervm^,  or.  ^  j^  eonebed,  makes  it  nece^iy  to^re^ 
other  woi-d^athorongli  Information,  j.^^  ^^  other  pa^s*^  of  scriptnr* 
cxpei-ienced,  there  wil!  be  a  fear  of  ,^,^^^  ^^^  meanin«  may  not  be  jmm^ 
future  «n  as  weU  as  a  sorrow  for  p^ehende^l  L^  there  anv  dan ^r  of 
past  sin.  And  a  dread  of  future  ^in  ^^^  j^^  ,^^^i^^  ^^^  ^.J^  ^^^  p^j^ 
prompt.,  tlüs  i>etitk)ti.  The  state  of||^  temptation?  If  not.  whv  make 
apostaey  is  a  tenible  state,  and  it  ^  ««eh  a  request  of  him  a*  is  wntained 
should  t^  gaanied  agaim^t  with  eon-  j ^^  ^^-^  petition  ?  "Bo  we  ascribe  to 
tinual  vigilance,  !(^^  ^^^  ^^^y^  of  Satdn:   and  do  w© 

We  learn  from  this  petition  what  [  make  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  the  en> 
we  should  always  keep  in  mind,jSiÄrer  and  corrupter  of  His  crea- 
namely  this,  that  we  live  in  thejtion?  Is  man's  Maker  man's  Temp- 
midst  of  enemies  numerous  and  t  ter  ?  No, — as  one  of  Christ's  bear- 
Btrong;  that  the  "adversary,  as  ajers  at  the  very  time  when  this  pniy- 
roaring  lion,  walketh  about,  seeking  j  er  against  temptation  was  given,  the 
whom  he  may  devour,"  and  pre-  apostle  Jame#,  years  after,  wrote, 
pares  his  snares  and  spreads  bis  net  j*'God  temptetbno  man^  nor  ca»  Him- 
that  he  may  take  us  captive  at  his  Uw/  he  tempted  of  eviL"  From  the 
will.  And,  then,  there  are  the  inhe-  poverty  of  human  language,  bowev- 
rent  remains  of  the  corruption  of  our  |  er,  many  words  have  more  than  one 
own  hearts  always  ready  to  coop- 1  meaning;  and  temptation  is  a  t?nn 


6 


TEMPTATION. 


of  this  very  class.  In  ono  of  itn  8ig- 
nifioatioiiB,  the  nenBC  of  alluring  to 
sin,  Gi^d  is  incapable  of  it.  In  an- 
other, however,  the  nenso  of  trying 
anil  diHplaying  character,  God  as  the 
Judge  of  the  earth,  is  and  must  be, 
whilst  this  life  of  probation  lasts, 
pledged  to  continue  this  application 
of  the  probe  and  the  crucible  to  hu- 
man character.  So  he  tempted  A- 
brahara,  when  testing  the  strength 
of  his  fbith  and  guaging  the  depth 
of  his  love  to  God,  by  asking  the 
sacritice  of  Isaac.  So  he  tried  Israel 
in  the  wilderness,  to  prove  them, 
and  to  know  what  was  in  their 
hearts.  So  he  lets  affliction  and 
prosperity,  and  the  changing  events 
of  changing  times  go  over  us,  to  de- 
vclope  and  reveal  us  to  ourselves 
and  to  others."  But  if  temptations 
are  thus  designed  to  try  our  faith 
and  prove  our  characters,  why 
should  we  desire  to  avoid  them,  and 
pray  that  we  may  not  bo  led  into 
them  ?  Should  we  not  rather  desire 
them  as  the  following  exhortation  is 
given  us  by  the  apostle  last  quoted  ? 
"My  brethren,  count  it  all  joy  when 
ye  fall  into  divers  temptation; 
knowing  this,  that  the  trying  of 
your  faith  worketh  patience.  But 
let  patience  have  her  perfect  work, 
that  ye  may  be  perfect  and  entire, 
wanting  nothitig."  When  we  ask 
Goil  not  to  lead  us  into  temptation, 
we  mean,  such  temptations  as  miglit 
prove  töf)  much  for  our  strength. 
We  ft<^k  him  to  save  us  from  those 
Btrong  and  overwhelming  tempta- 
'liöttS  whieyh'' might  cause  us  to  fall 
•from  our  f*teadfastness,  to  dishonor 
our  profession,  and  to  ruin  our  souls. 
The  a^iostle  has  spoken  in  the  fol- 
lowing encouraging  manner  to  belie- 
vers:    ^'Thcrr   hath   no  temptation 


taken  you  but  such  as  is  common  to 
man  :  but  God  is  faithful,  who  will 
not  suffer  you  to  be  tempted  above 
that  ye  arc  able ;  but  will  witli  the 
temptation  also  make  a  way  to  es- 
cape, that  ye  may  be  able  to  bear 
it.  Now  the  petition  under  consid- 
eration is  no  more  than  reminding 
God,  if  we  may  so  speak,  of  this 
promise,  and  desiring  its  fulfillment. 

But  tempted  as  we  all  are,  and 
that  severely,  there  is  a  "way  of  es- 
cape," there  is  a  strong  Deliverer, 
for  God  has  "laid  help  upon  one  that 
is  mighty,"  and  to  him  wc  may  flc© 
and  under  his  protection  we  shall  be 
safe.  If  our  great  adversary  is  com- 
pared to  a  roaring  lion,  Jesus,  our 
Deliverer,  is  called  the  "Lion  of  the 
tribe  of  Juda."  And  he  "was  in  all 
points  tempted  like  as  we  are,  yet 
without  sin,"  because  he  was  strou« 
ger  than  his  adversary.  And  by  the 
proper  use  of  the  means  which  Je- 
sus himself  used,  and  which  he  has 
given  to  us,  with  his  own  help, 
which  will  always  accompany  the 
means  of  his  own  appointment  when 
properly  used,  like  him  we  shall  tri- 
umph in  the  hour  of  temptation. 

In  our  Lord's  conflict  with  Satan 
on  the  mount,  we  see  the  use  he 
made  of  the  Scriptures,  when  his 
constant  reply  w^as,  "it  re  written." 
Witti.  this  powerful  weapon,  the 
sword,  of  the  Spirit  —  the  wor4  of 
God,  he  foiled  his  enemy.  Andw^ien 
he  was  entering  the  garden  of  G^th- 
somanc,  we  hear  him  say  to  his  dis- 
ciples, "AVatch  and  pray  that  ye, en- 
ter, j;ot  into  tem]^tatip^."  An^l  it 
we  study  tliis  last  flery.., temptation 
of  our  blessed  Redeemer,  we  sjiall 
tind  that  ho  made  use  of  the  s^me 
means  he  recommended  to  his  disci- 
ples,  as  ho  prayed  three  times,  and 


THE  NEW  YEAE. 


was  tlien  strengthened  by  an  angel  j 
from  heaven  to  suffer,  to  endure,  I 
and  to  triumph.  Luther  was  not| 
far  from  the  trath   when   he    said,] 


THE  ITEW  YEAH. 


"Time,  like  an  ever-rolling  stream, 
Bears,  all  its  sons  away." 

"Praver,moditotion,and«mpt<rtion,i  Time  has  long  and  aptly  been 
make  the  true  minister  of  ChriBt."!*'«'»?»^  <^»  «t^"^-  I*  flows  o. 
And  may  we  not  add,  these  make  i '^'*°»t  »°y  cessation.  Stream, 
the  true   Christian?     At  least,  the  I ""»y  ^e  impeded  in  their  course,  but 

i  the  current  of  time  no    power    cap 
check  but    that    of   the    Almighty. 
Time  waits  not  for  the  tardy  move- 
When  we  meet  with  temptations  jj^^nts  of  men.     Although  it  appears 
in  following  our  lawful  callings  in .  to  move  more  rapidly  when  we   are 
life,  or  when  we  are  performing  our  j  ^iiigg^tly  engaged  than    when    we 


perfect   Christian   character  cannot 
be  formed  without  them. 


duties,  and  in  reference  to  such  occa 
sions  use  the  petition  under  consid- 
eration, we  may  expect  if  we  are  led 
into  temptations  to  be  led  through 
them  without  sustaining  any  dam- 
age to  our  spfritual  interests.  And 
when  this  is  the  case,  the  petition 
will  have  been  answered.  But  if  we 
live  without  prayer  and  watchful- 
ness, and  become  indifferent  to  the 
dangers  to  which  we  are  exposed, 
and  throw  ourselves,  into  tempta- 
tions unnecessarily,  by  gratifying  our 
unlawful  desires,  we  then  tempt  both 
God  and  Satan ;  we  tempt  the  for- 
mer to  leave  us,  and  the  latter  to 
attack  us.  The  petition,  ''Lead  us 
not  into  temptation,"  should  be  ac- 
companied by  a  determination  not 
to  expose  ourselves  unnecessarily  to 
temptation. 

Tertullian  relates  a  story  of  a 
Christian  woman  who  went  to  the 
theatre,  and  was  there  seized  with 
a  demoniacal  possession,  and  when 
the  unclean  spirit  was  asked  why 
he  should  attempt  to  disturb  in  this 
manner    one    of    the    faithful,    an- 


are  idle,  this  in  reality  is  not  the 
case.  A  day  is  no  longer  to  the 
lounger  than  it  is  to  the  man  of  the 
most  active  business  habits,  although 
it  seems  to  move  so  heavily  to  tho 
former. 

Time,  because  of  its  value,  or  be- 
cause it  may  be  profitably  employed, 
is  said  to  be  money,  that  men  may 
be  impressed  with  its  preciousness. 
But  money,  very  inadequately,  ex- 
presses the  value  of  time.  Money 
squandered  and  fortunes  lost,  may 
be  recovered ;  but  lost  time  cannot 
be  recovered.  The  ordinary  use  of 
money  is  to  secure  the  comforts  of 
the  present  life.  But  time  properly 
spent,  secures  to  us  heaven  and  ever- 
lasting life.  This,  money  cannot  do. 
Precious  as  time  is,  how  few  appre- 
ciate its  real  value !  How  few  there 
are  who  turn  every  moment  to  ac- 
count !  Wealth  in  its  ordinary  or 
wt>rldly  acceptation,  is  measured  by 
thousands  or  millions  of  dollars. 
Spiritual  wealth,  or  the  treasures 
the  good  will  have  laid  up  in  heaven, 
will  be  in  proportion    to    the    time 


swered,  ''that  he  had  a  perfect  right  \  which  they  have  properly  improved. 
io  do*o,  because  he  f^uifid  the  wo-  "For  the  Son  of  man  shall  come  in 
man  on  his  own  temtory."  the  glory  of  his  Father  with  his   an- 

j      Q        gels ;  and  then  he  shall  reward  every 
man  according  to  his  works." 


-  >> 


iitj^^Xm'i^^  UiN    iiüü.    18:   y,  9. 


Il  w^U^^^-^ffjlJl^lHlfl  nil   to.  usejto   our  christian  duties,  for  '^otv  is 

our  utmost  endeavors  to  become  ac-iour  Hulvation  nearer  than  when    we 

'   «qilMiited  with  time.    ^This  may   ap-jhelioved/'      The  preöetvt  yew  will 

pear  (lifficnlt,  as  it  is'  6tfer  '  on    the,  terminate  the  labors  of  many  in  the 

fi    »«fing.   .  Well,  let  n«  kee^  an'  eye   on  j  vineyard  of  the  Lord.     And  i*   thev 

■o  itorilif^lLtl    KrJB  ftpproHehinc^its   ter-|  hard  iserv««!:  the    Lord    fai^^ftllly, 

minal inn,  and  after   awhile,   it   will i  they  shall  ^o   fwm   their  lab"^>i^   t 

and   "there   «hall   be 


lold  its  winifrt 
%r.  c.i me '71« (longer/^'    But  how  shall  wo 

beconjfe  acquainted  with   it,   since  it 

i>  alwayH  moving,  and  when  it  ceas- 
,^,jiki  to  move  it  will  cease  to  be?   Time, 

iiko  niauy  other  cuurtew  in  the  works 

»tCiod,  is  böst  kaowu  by;  it«  effects. 

^^,  jTime  will  give  lus  all  over    to    eter- 

-    .nily.     And  if  we   have   given  "dili- 

j:eiice  It)  make  our  calling  and   clec- 


<) 
their  reward.  This  is  a  pi- asant 
thought,  and  ^7«I1  cakulated  with 
kindred  ones,  to  reconcile  the  -  hHst- 
ian  to  his  departure  from  the  pres- 
ent to  a  future  world. 

We^  commonly  look  upon  exist- 
ence as  a  blessing,  and  often  thank 
God  for  the  preservation  of  our  lives. 
Continued  existence  is  a  blessing 
only  when  it  is  made   subservient  to 


lionsure,  an  entrance  shall  bo   min-jour  advancement   in   hbliness,    and 

istered  unto  us  abundantly  into   thoj  .^pp^.ypi,iated  to  th*  doing   of  good. 

everlasting  kingdom    of   our    Lord  |Xife  may  become  a  curse  when   j^  j^ 

and  Savior  Jesus  Christ."     If  on  the  |  diverted  from  its  purposes,  and  used 

other  hand,  time  i^i  permitted  to  pass  i^^,  i^g  possession  to  increase  Ub  own 

luuiiiprotyed,  and    the    end    of   thcLins  and  those  of  others  over   whom 

iiegloi'.ters  of  salvation   approaches,  |  j^^  exerts  an  influence. 

with  unavailing;  tears  of  repentance |      i^  j        i.       .i 

.„      ^   ^      ^  ,    '■  Bear  reader,   has  the  past   yeaj- 

they  will  reflect   that   "the   harvest      n    i  x-  ,    ,.  V, 

•^         ,  .  ,    ,  ,  added  to  3'our  hohness  or    to    youi- 

sins?     This  is  a  solemn  question  and 

one  that  conunends    itself   t .    your 

Another  year  with   its  numerous  |  consideration.     If  it  has    added    to 

and  momentous   events   has   closed, '^-our  holiness,  it  has  been  a   blossing 

and  a  new  one  has  commenced.     In  to  you,  and  you  should   thank   God 

1  he  year  eighteen  hundred   and   six- j  for  j^.     If  it  has  added  to  your   sins, 

i\\  no  doubt  many  important  scenes  you  have  turned  a  blessing   o     God 

will  be  acted  on  the  theatre    of   hu-  i^to  a  curse,  and  you  should   ropent 

man  life.     Every  succeeding  year  of  j  without  any   delay.     And   be   sure 

time  will  have  its  quota   of  foretold  to  make  the  present   year   the   best 

events  to  accomplish,  till  all   on    the' of  all  your   yeai-s,   ^'Kedeeming   the 

prophetic    catalocruo    are     fiHfillod.' time,  because  the  days  are  evil." 


is  past,  the  summer    is    ended,    and 
thev  are  not  saved." 


To  the  believer  in  divine  revelation, 
the  future  of  our  earth  is  connected 
with  thrilling  events.  But  we  are 
so  plainly  instructed,  and  so  abun- 
dantly warned  by  the  Lord  and  his 
horvants,  that  no  event  materially 
etlecting  us,  need  come  upon  us   un- 


J.     Q. 


For  the  Visitor. 
REMARKS  ON  HEB.  13  :  8.9. 

^ Jesus  Christ,  the  same  yesterday. 


awares.     In  entering  upon    a    new  and  to-day  and  forevei'.  Be  not  carrie<f 
year,  let  us  dedicate  ourselves  anew  about  with  divers    and    strotifjr    doc- 


EE]yiAEKä  O^  HEB.  13 :  8,  9.  0 

trines.     For   it  is  a  good  thing   f/iaf ;  worked  iiinisservauts,  telling tljjngs 
the  ke^rt  be  estalUshhd    with    gra/^e;  -which  were  pleasing  to   them,^  so 
not  with  meats,  which  have  not  profit-  that  he  might  win  them  to  himself. 
td  them  that  have  been  occupied  there-  Even  the  very  first  of   our    hupian 
in.  "  Heb.  13  :'8  9.  ^*'       *"*        '• '      ^*^^'  '•  ^^^-'^^  were  pure  and  holy,  were 
From  Everlasting  to   Everlasting |  thus  assaulted  by  }i\m,  and  liowj  far 
Christ  is  God f   God    over    all    and  ^^^  succeeded,  we   may   read  in^, the 
blessed  forevermore ;  He  is  ineffable,.  2nd.  cii.  of  Genesis.     And  as  wc  may 
infallible.     He  is  th^  King  of  king^^«i^t]PO^^  that  he    has    increased ,  his 
and  Lord 'of  lords,    lie  alone    is    to/^rces,  it  is    now    more    absolutely 
be  worshiped,  and  adored,  and  by  h{s  i  nec^ssajTV'  to  Usten  and  hold  to  sound 
great  name  Jehovah,   feared,  rcver-jdocfrme  which  was   once   delivered 
enced,  and  honored.     He    is    to    be;to    the    saints.     The    signs    of   the 
praised  by  glorious  Angels  in   heav-'^ti"^^^    ^-^^^    ^ithj     '^^at     alluring 
en,  and  by  their  brethren,  the  saints  ^barms  Satan  is  still   at  work  ;   and 
and  martyrs    on    earth.     And   yet,  the  fabric  which   he   has   reared   to 
while    he     sojourned     here   below,  ^  deceive  the  nations  of  the  earth  is  a 
among  creatures  of  the  dust,  he  was|^ast  one.      And  when  the   general 
set  at  naught,  and  rejcted  by  those, t-rash    taljcs    place,    language    will 
who  had  under  their  Satanic niastor,jM  to  describe;    and    the   painter's 
clothed  themselves  in  self-rightcous-jP^ncU  to  depict  the  thousandth  part 
ness  and  a  fictitious  garb  of  holiness.  :ö^  the    wreck   of   matter,    and  the 
They  exalted  themselves  above   allj^^'^^truction  of  souls.     Satan   has   al- 
that  was  Godly,    and    consequently .  ^^7^  ^^und  some  who   were   willing 
were  dreadfully  averse  to  "The  Loii' to  assist    in    his    dirty    work.    We 
our  Eighteousness,"  and  diametrical- /"^^^t  mention  Voltaire,  Paine,  and 
y  opposed   to  his   holiness.     They !  ^""^^' ^^^^  ^^^^^  ^^"^  °^^^'^   to   dif- 
-wrere  under  the  influence  of  him  who /^'^^  ^^«  poison  over  poor  fallen  na^ 
is  the  father  of  all  iniquity,  and  who'ture.     These  champions  of  infidelity, 
would  have    mortals    bestow    upon ,  »<^  P^"^^^'^ous  and   murderous,   have, 
him  that  honor,  which  alone  belongs,  »«t  a  few  disciples,  but  millions   are 
to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  thej^^^l^^d  by  them,  to  forget  their  soul'tv 
hcime  yesterday,  and  to  day  and  for-j^a^^ation.     But  earthly  things   fade 
ever.  '  The  earth  also,  which  we  in- j  and  decay;  and  men   wither  as   the 
habit,  was  created  of  nothing  by  Hlsigra»*,  and  the  glory  of  nations   di&- 
Almighty  power;  the  mountains  and  appears  as  the  flowers   of  the   field, 
the  oceans;  the  hills  and  the  rivei-s  ;  under  the  displeasure  and   wrath   of 
the  rocks  and  the  limpid   streams :  the  Almighty  ;  wo !  therefore   to  all 
all — all  were  made   by  him   who  is ;  who  do  not  endure  sound    doctrine, 
the  same  yesterday,  and  to  day,  and  \  Where  are  the    great    ones    of   the 
forever.     Therefore    are    they    sus-' earth?     And  where    are   their   val- 
tained  by  the  same   Almighty   pow-,  iant  hosts  ?     And  where  is  their  glo- 
er;  Jesus,  theuiysterious,  the  Eter-'ry?     Fallen!   fallen ! !     The   car   of 
lal  I  AM,  the  self-existing  Jehovah,  time  rolls  speedily  towards  the  verge 
^Be  not  carried    about  with    divers  of  eternity.     All    must    soon    pass 
and  strange  doctrines"  &c.     Behold  ;away.     The  very  heavens   and   the 
how  from  the  very  beginning  Satan  1  earth  depart;    but    Christ    and    his 


10 


CREATION. 


(lortrino  will  endure  forever.  "For 
it  iM  a  }rood  thing  that  the  heart  be 
established  with  grace,  &c."  I 
would  that  we  were  wise,  that  we 
might  seek  this  blessing  with  all 
our  might,  that  we  might  honor 
»alvation  and  be  established  in  him 
from  whom  this  greatest  of  bless- 
ings flows ;  which  brings  sweet 
peace,  and  holy  joy  to  the  soul,  and 
causes  ns  to  rejoice  in  Christ  our 
Savior,  crying,  Abba,  Father.  O 
that  wo  may  no  longer  be  dazzled 
by  the  vanities  of  earth  and  its  gay 
pleasures.  The  righteousness  of 
God  docs  not  consist  in  eating, 
(Iriuking,  and  merriment,  but  in 
faith,  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy 
Ghost.  Man  is  not  to  live  by  bread 
alone,  but  by  every  word  that  pro- 
ceedeth  out  of  the  mouth  of  God. 
It  is  written,  "woe  to  them  who 
sit  at  case  in  Zion,  that  eat  the 
choice  of  the  flock,  and  are  not 
grieved  for  the  afläiction  of  Joseph!" 
The  true  church  has  been,  and  is 
yet,  greatly  aflSicted  and  perse- 
cuted; professors  and  r.on-professors 
are  truly  yoke-fellows  in  this  work 
of  tran^pling  down  the  Lord's  vine- 
yard. There  are  few  wlio  really 
wish  to  come  out  of  the  world, 
and  take  up  the  yoke  of  Jesus  and 
attach  themselves  to  a  few  true  fol- 
lowers of  the  Lamb.  But  all  those 
who  have  their  delight  in  God  and 
the  beaiities  of  holiness,  will  be  seat- 
ed in  hiirh  and  heavenly  places,  and 
1  hey  shall  remain  steadfast,  immo- 
vable^  always  abounding  in  sound 
<loctnne,  and  every  good  work  of 
llie  Lord.  And  after  awhile  tbey' 
shall  be  welcomed  iiito  the  kingdom 
of  our  Lord.  Have  your  hearts' 
therefore  established  In  grace,  that' 
all  may  bo  well  at  last.  I 

'•He  looks  mid  circumvoWing  ppherw, 

CoTuplaUant  on  bis  ransomed  b^irs,  ' 


More  dear  tban  all  his  worin  beside, 

Blessed  souls  for  whom  the  Savior  died." 

His  ransomed  ones  he'll  bring  at  last ; 
And  all  «he  powers  of  boll  he'll  stay. 

He'll  bid  the  whole   creation  rest; 
He'a  the  same  to  day,  and  yesterday. 

C.    A.    H. 


For  the  Visitor. 
CREATION. 

What  scenes  of  deep  and  thrill 
ing  interest  must  have  been  unfold 
ed  to  angels  as  they  lingered  arount 
the  morning  of  creation.  And  wer( 
they  permitted  to  leave  their  loftj 
habitation  and  commence  with  mor 
tals,  with  what  intense  delighi 
would  we  gather  around  them  anc 
listen  to  their  account  of  the  gene 
sis  of  time.  But  though  this  priv 
ilege  is  denied  us,  we  may  turn  t( 
the  Oracles  of  truth,  and  there  rea( 
the  world's  history.  There  wai 
not  merely  a  remodeling,  but  a  ere 
ation.  "God  spake,  and  it  was  don^. 
He  commanded,  and  it  stood  fast.' 
What  exalted  ideas  of  Jehovah  doei 
this  present  I  Who  else  can  create 
The  Almighty  refers  to  this  fac 
when  he  addressed  Job  out  of  thi 
whirlwind ! 

"Where  wast  thou  when 
I  laid  the  foundations  of  the  earth  ? 
Declare  if  thou  hast  understanding. 
tVholaid  tlie  measures  thereof,  if  thouknow'st 
Or  who  hath  stretched  the  line  upon  it  ? 
Whereuponaro  the  foundations  thereof  fastened 
Or  who  laid  the  comer  stone  thereof?      , 
When  the  morning  stars  sang  together,  . 
Anrf  all  the  ions  of  God  shouted  for  joy!" 

But  as  yet  matter  was  in  its  priir 
itive  state.  All  was  chaos.  Th 
Spirit  of  God  moved  upon  the  f:\ce  o 
the  waters  and  gave  them  vitalitj 
Th  command  went  forth,  *^Let  thor 
be  light,"  find  immediately  the  darL 
ness  was  separated  from  tho  ligh 
Still  the    work    went    on.     Ocean 


EEMARKS  ON  REV.  18 :   3,  4. 


11 


immense  bed  was  filled  with  the  li- 1 


quid  wave.     Rills,  brooks,   and  riv- 


For  the  Visitor. 
Remarks  on  Eevelation  13  :  3,  4. 

ers  commenced  their  meanderings,  |  And  all  the  world  wondered  after 
murmuring  the  praises  of  Him  who  fÄe  beast.  .  .  and  they  worshiped  the 
made  them  flow.  While  the  dry  j  beast,  saying,  JVho  is  like  unto  the 
land  settled  in  suitable  consistency  j  beast  ?  who  is  able  to  make  war  with 
for  its  destined  use.     The  firmament  j  him  f 

now  clarified  from  vapors  became  a  I  In  the  ancient  Jewish  dispensa- 
proper  medium  for  the  transmission  tion,  there  were  many  rites  and  cer- 
of  light.  As  yet  no  vegetation  ap- j  emonies  instituted  by  God  himself, 
peared.  ]^o  velvet  green  to  carpet  and  they  were  all  calculated  to  di&- 
the  earth  ;  no  flowers  to  adorn  the  i  play  his  majesty  and  greatness.  In 
valleys  j  no  trees  for  the  residence  i  his  temple  every  thing  declared  his 
of  the  birds.  igloiy-     And   when   his   worshipers 

At  the  Almighty's  command,  K'»"*«'"?'''**'!  the  grand  and  sub- 
grass,  herbs,  and  trees  spring  forth.  i^'^^^Pe^t'^c'«-  t'^-'J"  exclaimed,  O 
Still  the  work  was  incomplete.  I  J^b«^'*l>'  '^''O  *«  1"^«  ^"t»  t*'««  " 
There  was  none  to  enjoy  this  beau- 1  B"*  *•>«  inventions  of  men,  are 
tyand    grandeur.     Again  the    fiat  I""*  «1^^^«  «calculated  to  declare  the 


glory  of  God,  however  well  they 
may  be  intended.  They  can  only 
show  the  thoughts  which  men  have 
concerning  him.     "We  can   only    see 


went  forth  and  the  waters  were  fill- 
ed with  sportive  tribes,  the  forests 
and  valleys  were  teeming  with  life 
and  activity,  and  the  groves  resound- 
ed  with  the  notes  of  the  beautifully  >>'«  *"'«  S^^T  in  his  own  ordinances. 

But  the  church  of  Eome,  transferred 
that  honor  to  the  beast,  by  whose 
contrivances    a    certain       outward 


plumed  songsters  warbling  forth  the 
praises  of  Him  who  caused  them  to 
be. 


Still  to  make  the  scheme  com- 
plete, something  else  was  wanting : 
some  intelligent  being  to  govern 
and  adore  as  well  as  to  enjoy. 
Earth  was  not  the  dwelling  place  of 
angels,  and  Jehovah's  mandate 
went  forth  "Let  us  make  man  in 
our  image  after  our  likeness."  Such 
was 


splendor  and  dignity   were   thrown 
over  the  worship. 

Men  in  all  ages  have  been  invent- 
ing and  contriving  new  ways  for 
honoring  their  Maker,  and  they 
have  introduced  them  into  the 
churches.  But  there  is  always  as 
much  glory  taken  from  their  Maker 
and  2:iven  to   themselves   as   results 


a  compound  was  the  connecting  I  ^^.^^ti^eir  inventions.  Those  that 
Imk  between  heaven  and  earth,  fit-L^^^sj^jp  according  to  the  inventions 
ted  for  the  companionship  of  angels '^f^,^^^^^^  ^^^  according  to  the 
and  of  God.  He  stands  at  the  head 
of  Creation  and  power  is  given  unto 
him  to  control    all    on    the    earth. 


**made  a  little  lb  wer  than  the  angels 
and  crowned  with  glor}'  and  honor." 
God  beheld  the   finished   work   and 


pronounced 


finished   work 

it  VERY  GOOD. 

H.     F.    H. 


authority  of  Jesus  Christ,  always 
take  his  glory  and  give  it  to  anoth- 
er. In  doing  this,  they  carry  out 
the  meaning  of  the  language,  "tVho 
is  like  unto  the  beast  ?  TVlio  is 
able  to  make  war  with  him  ?"  And 
while  the  world  is  wondering  after 
the  beast,  the  true  witnesses  of  Je- 


12 


REMARKS  ON  REY.  13:  3, 


worlcH     gf  deception,   thoj;   alway«  mön,     "Whom     I 
'Wonio  inflated    with  vanity,  inäfiiritö'Sa'^   "' ' 


it  is  npt  an  uncommdri  tfliing  to  hear 

their  jidniirer»  cry  out,  ''whb  is 
like  unto  tlie  hetiHt  ?  who  is  able  to 
make  war  with  him  ?" 

The  apostle  saw  the  beast  sitting 
on  hJH  throne,  and  the  world  falling 
]>ro8trato  before  him  to  worship ; 
und  then  he  be<iame  greatly  inflated 
with  vanity,  t>o  much  so,  that  he 
«poke  blasphemous  things  against 
God,  an<l  against  the  %vorship  com- 
manded by  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
viewed  in  this  light,  the  beast  i» 
a  striking  emblem  not  only  of  the 
church  of  Rome,  but  also  of  many 
other  churches,  which  would  not 
wish  to  be  considered  as  having  any 
♦connection  with  the  church  of  Rome. 
Blasphemy  is  properly  the  nttering 
of  hurtful  words  against  any  part  of 
the  gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
The  truth  is,  men  blaspheme  God 
when  they  preach  false  doctrine. 
This  I  desire  to  prove  by  the  lan- 
guage of  the  apostle  Paul.  In  hin 
«direction  to  Timothy  he  says.  Study 
to  show  thyself  approved  unto  God, 
a  workman  that  neodeth  not  to  be 
;i«hamed,  rightly  dividing  the  word 
of  truth.  But  shun  profane  and 
Tain  babblings:  for  they  will  in- 
•jreaso  unto  more  ungo<iliness.  And 
their  word  will  eat  as  doth  a  canker, 
<jf  whom  is  Hymeneus  and  Philetus: 
who  concerning  the  truth  have  ei-- 
xed,  saying  that  the  r«.  n    is 


BUS  Christ  are  unheard  by  these  ad-  pas.*!cd  already."  2  Tim.  2  :  15.  TCow 
mirers  of  the  beast  And  liis  ^\^4rship. '  what  does  the  apostle  consider  this 
When  deceivers  and  imj^ostörs  ai^erUo  be  but  blasphemy  ?  For  he  säj^s 
thus  successful  in    their    plans    and  in  another  place,   concerning  thesü 

lavo  delivei-ed 
Sataii'that  they  may  Itearn 
there  is  given  unto  them  a  mouth'fnot'  to  blak])hcme.''  1  Tim.  1  :  '20. 
speakinor  great  Uiing«,  and  bias- ;  But  the  world  cries  out,  "Who  is 
phemics.  And  they  do  these  in' '  dc-]  äbT6  tö'm'akd  w-'a'f  'With  the  beast ;" 
nouncing  the  holy  commandmcnts'af^  one  of  his  advocates  declared  not 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,   and   then  |  long  since,  that  as  long  as  his  blood 

rub's  warni  in  his  veins,  he  would 
never  preach  water  baptism.  May 
God  have  mercy  on  his  poor  soul, 
for  he  knoweth  not  what  he  baith; 
for  the  immaculate  Jesus  was  bap- 
tized in  water.  This  is  denying 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  and  it  will 
bring  sudden  destruction  on  liim. 
God  forgive  liim  for  such  blasphe- 
mies. ^'But  there  were  false  proph- 
ets also  among  the  people,  even  a« 
there  shall  be  false  teachers  among 
you,  who  privily  shall  bring  in  dam- 
nable heresies,  even  denying  the 
Lord  that  bought  them,  and  bring 
upon  themselves  swift  destruction." 
2  Pet.  2  :  1. 

"VVe  shall  now  have  occasion  to  re- 
fer again  to  ''Babylon  the  great. 
The  word  "great"  shoAVS  that  thei*e 
are  smaller  Babylons  scattered  over 
the  world.  And  the  phrase  "Molh- 
er of  harlots"  must  mean  something. 
It  seems  to  mean  that  she  has  many- 
daughters.  According  to  prophecy, 
this  state  of  moral  corruption  will 
prec^e  the  millennium.  This  time 
in  which  we  live  is  that  very  period, 
for  the  worship  of  God,  and  the  doc- 
trines of  Christianity  which  are 
propagated,  are  nearly  all  mingled 
with  the  wine  of  Babylon. 

From  these  considerations,  there 
can  bo  dniwn  but  one  of  two  conclu- 


sions; either   that   many  truths  O' 
GodV'  wor<l  arc  of  no   j  rcr:t  import- 


EEMAEKS  0:^.EEY.  13:  3,  4. 


13 


anee,  and  that  he  has  given  the  ■ 
churches  full  liberty  to  offer  to  him  | 
any  kind  of.  worship  they  please,  or  > 
els^  a  large  body  of  the  professing ; 
chi^-ch  is  at  this  moment  a  mass  of 
error  and  corruption,  and  there  are  j 
almost  as  many  beasts  as,  there,  are, 
secj;s  and  denominations.!  No  hon-j 
est:  and  intelligent  mind  will  be  at  a  i 
loss  to  knovr  which  of  these  conclu-j 
sionsto  adopt.  "We  theu  may  ex-j 
l^ect  the  judgments  of  God  to  fall , 
heavily  upon  us.  Indeed  the  onlyi 
iiope  for  the  regeneration  of  the , 
world  is  in  the  last  plagues,  when, 
the  \\Tath  of  God  is  poured  but^ 
without  mixture;  for  in  this  wayj 
he  Avill  scourge  the  world.  John 
'  "under  the    altar   the   souls  of; 


saw 


them  that  were  slain  for  the  word 
of  God  and  for  the  testimony  which 
they  held  ;  and    they    cried   with  a 


loud    voice,    saying,    how 


long, 


0 


Lord,  holy  and  true,  dost   thou   not . 
judge  and  avenge  our  blood  on  them 
that  dwell  on    the    earth  ?     And  it , 
was    said    unto    them,     that    they , 
^hoakl  rest  yet    for  a  little    season, 
until  their  fellow  servants   also   and  \ 
their  brethren,  that  should  he  kill-; 
cd  as  they  were,  should  bo  fulfiDed."  \ 
"Hold  fast  that  thou  hast,   that  no 
man  take  thy  crown."     But  the  an- ; 
lichristian  churches  cr}-  out,  Who  is 
like  unto  the  beast  ?    who  is   a.ble  to 
make  war  with  him  ?  W^e  v/ill  shovr  i 
who  is  able  to  miike  war  with    him,, 
and  overcome  him,  and  to  rob    him 
of  ^Jl  his  power.     John  says  further, 
I  beheld  when   he   had   opened   the 
sixth  seal,  and    there    was  a    great, 
earthquake;  and  the  stars  of  heaven; 
/  fell  unto  the  earth,  and   the   heaven  j 
\  departed  as  a  scroll  when  it  is  rolled 
together  ;and  the  kings  of  the  earth,, 
and  the  great    men,    and    the    rich  \ 
men,   hid    themselves   in    the   dens 


and  in  the  rocks  of  the  mountains; 
and  said  tp  the  mountains  and  rocks, 
fall  on  us,  and  hide  us  from  the  face 
of  him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne, 
and  from  the  wrath    of   the  Lamb  :  • 

for  the  great  day  of  his  Avrath  in. 
qome  ^nd  who  shall  be  able  to  stand? 
Eev.  6.  Thus  we  see  that  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  is  able  to  conquer  all 
his  exicniies  with  the  Spirit  of  his 
moutlj^.  and  the  brightness  of  his 
coming,  according  to  2  Thes.  2. 
Will  those  great  men  stand  up  then 
and  (i^enounce  the  plain  command- 
ments of  Jesus  Christ?  I  judge 
they  will  not,  when  they  hear  the 
stern  words  of  Jesus,  "Depart  from 
me,  1  never  knew  yott." 

We  desire  in  the  next  place  to  no- 
tice the  two  witnesses  spoken  of  by 
John  in  Eev.  11.  "And  I  will  give 
povrer  unto  my  two  witnesses  and 
they  shall  prophesy."  I  conceive 
those  two  witnesses  to  be  Justice 
and  Truth.  "In  transgressing  and 
lying  against  the  Lord,  and  depart- 
ing away  from  our  God,  speaking 
oppression  and  revolt,  conceiving 
and  uttering  from  the  heart  words 
of  falsehood.  And  judgment  is 
turned  away  backward,  and  justice 
standeth  afar  off:  for  truth  is  fallen 
in  the  street,  and  equity  cannot  en- 
ter. Yea,  truth  faileth;  and  he  that 
departeth  from  evil  maketh  himself 
a  prey.  Isaiah  59  :  15.  This  was 
the  condition  of  the  church  in  the 
days  of  the  prophet,  and  it  is  pre- 
cisely the  condition  of  the  churches 
in  the  present  day.  Whispering, 
backbiting,  talebearing,  busy  bod- 
ies about  other  men's  matters  which 
do  not  concern  us,  are  very  common. 
But  Justice  and  Truth  alfe  the  prin- 
ciples by  which  the  church  must  be 
ruled,  or  it  is  not  the  church  which 
the  Lord   Jesus   Christ   will  recoir- 


14 


THE  BIBLE. 


nizo  as  his,  at  his  coming.  There 
are  many  marks  by  which  the  true 
convert  can  detect  the  beast.  He  is 
proud,  high  minded,  and  wants  to 
exercise  undue  authority.  He  re- 
quests that  of  others,  which  he 
wouM  not  do  upon  any  considera- 
tion. Tliese  are  some  few  of  tlie 
marks  of  tlie  beast.  Whether  this 
can  }'C  oidy  applied  to  the  church  of 
Rome,  I  am  (loubtful.  I  think  it 
will  apply  to  other  churches  with 
equal  foiTC.  The  mother  of  harlots 
saith  in  her  heart,  "I  sit  as  a  queen, 
and  am  no  widow."  In  this  she  told 
the  truth,  for  she  has  many  lovers. 
She  also  said,  ^'I  shall  see  no  sor- 
row." 

Let  mo  ask  myself  the  question, 
am  I  one  of  this  number.  And  let 
all  the  brethren  and  sisters  ask 
themselves  whether  they  sit  as  a 
queen?  If  they  do,  their  end  will 
be  as  hers  was.  That  end  is  thus 
described :  "Therefore  shall  her 
plagues  come  in  one  day,  death,  and 
mourning,  and  famine :  and  she 
shall  be  utterly  burned  with  fire ; 
for  strong  is  the  Lord  God  who 
judgeth  her. 

H.     K. 
Mount  Pleasant,  Md. 


For  the  Visitor. 
THE  BIBLE. 
The  word  Bible  is  taken  from  the 
Greek  word  B lidos  which  signifies 
hook ;  and  the  volume  to  which 
Christians  give  that  title,  by  way  of 
eminence,  is  called  the  Bible,  be- 
cause of  its  superior  excellency,  be- 
ing the  book  of  books,  the  best  book. 
The  Bible  is  called  the  S('rij)tures, 
from  the  Latin  word  Scn'ptvrd, 
which  signifies  a  writing;  and  is 
called  the  Holy  Scriptures,  because 


it  contains  a  collection  of  the  wri- 
tings of  holy  men,  who  were  raised 
up  and  inspired  of  God,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  publishing  his  command-- 
ments  and  promises,  and  the  record 
of  his  mercies  and  judgments,  for 
the  instruction  and  salvation  of 
mankind.  That  the  Bible  has  ex- 
isted from  very  remote  ages,  will 
not  be  disputed,  except  by  those 
who  are  grossly  ignorant.  The 
proofs  of  its  antiquity  are,  beyond 
all  comparison,  more  numerous  and 
convincing,  than  can  be  advanced 
in  favor  of  any  other  book  in  exist- 
ence. It  has  never  been  without 
its  intelligent  witnesses,  and  zealous 
guardians ;  though  some  of  them 
have  been  the  greatest  perverters 
of  its  peculiar  principles,  or  the  bit- 
terest enemies  of  the  Christian  name. 
The  old  Testament  has  been  pre- 
served by  the  Jews,  in  every  age, 
with  a  scrupulous  jealousy,  and  with 
a  veneration  for  its  words  and  let- 
ters bordering  on  superstition ;  dem- 
onstrating their  regard  for  it  as  di- 
vinely inspired.  The  books  in  the 
number  and  order  in  which  we  now 
possess  them,  were  held  sacred  by 
the  Jewish  church.  Concerning 
them  especially,  the  apostle  Paul 
declares,  "All  scripture  is  given  by 
inspiration  of  God,"  2  Tim.  3  :  16. 
And  the  apostle  Peter,  in  reference 
to  the  same,  testifies,  "No  prophecy 
I  of  the  scripture  is  of  any  private  in- 
jterpretation.  For  the  prophecy 
'came  not  in  old  time  by  the  will  of 
man ;  but  holy  men  of  God  spake  as 
they  were  moved  by  the  Holy 
Ghost."  2  Pet.  1  :  20,  21.  The  in- 
spiration of  the  sacred  writers 
consisted,  Ist.  in  their  being  excited 
and  moved  to  undertake  the  work  ; 
12nd.  Being  furnished  by  special 
revelation  from  God  with  thcknowl- 


IS  IT  DEGKADING  &c. 


15 


with  their  hands? 
Dr.  Wayland.  (Baptist.) 

Who  is  it  in  the  first  instance, 
ivon    of 
to 


ful  efficacy  on  the  minds   of  believ 
ei*8 ;   the   faithfulness  and  disinter 


edge  of  things  which  they  had  not  Is  it  degrading  for  ministers  to  labor 
previously  possessed  ',  3rd.  Being  di-', 
rected  in  the  choice  of  proper  words 
to   express   their   conceptions,  4th.        \ 

Being  guided  to  write  according  to  appointed  labor  as  the  port 
the  will  of  God.  That  the  Holy  ^lan  ?  and  shall  we  who  profe 
scriptures  were  inspired,  is  evident.be  his  servants,  call  his  appointment 
from  their  divine  sentiments  in  re- i^egpading,  or  mean,  or  servile  ?  S;<all 
ligion;  thegloriouscharacterunder  a  Christian  look  with  disdain  upon 
which  they  represent  Almighty  God;  ninety-nine  hundredths  of  liis  fell*  -w- 
the  purity  and  reasonableness  of  men,  because  they  labor  vrith  their 
their  morality;  the  majestic  sim-  ^ands  ?  Shall  a  minister  wasting 
plicity  of  their  style  ;  their  wonder- ja^ay  with  dyspepsia,  the  result   of 

i  physical  inertia,  despise  his  brotl.or, 
i  who  by  obeying  his  Maker   is    ].ale, 
estedness  of  the  writers  ;  the  miracles  hearty,  cheerful  and  happy  ?  Shall  a 
by  which  they  confirmed  their   doc-^  j^an  who  is  living  at  ease^  call   that 
trincs ;  the  astonishing  preservation ;  jabor  degrading  by  which  alone  the 
of  the  several   books   to    our   times, ,  j^eans  of  his  support  are   provid.l? 
notwithstanding  floods   and   flames |     2.     If  this  be  degrading,  then   tho 
have   attacked    it   without   mercy ;  l  church  of  Christ   and   its  mini,   crs 
lastly;  the  fulfilment  of  their  numer-;^ej.e  degraded  by  its  Founder   him- 
ous  prophecies.     About   a   hundred  g^lf     jj^   chose    the    apostles,    the 
years  ago,  it  is  said  Dr.   John   Tay-,  f^^^j^^lations  of  his  church,  from    the 
lor     wrote,— '^You   may   rest    fully  ij^^^j^g  ^f.  fishermen,  and  we  sec  from 
satisfied,  that  our   English   transla- ,  g^^g^,^!  Incidents  in  the  Evano-oli.ts, 
tion  is  in  itself  by  far  the   most   ex- ,  ^^^^  ^^^^  labored  at  their  callli.-  af- 
cellent  book  in  our  language,   so   it  j  ter  they  were    set    apart    to    th«ir 
is  a  plentiful  fountain  of  divine   life !  ^p^g^^li^   ^^^.^      p^^l^    ^.hosen   last 
and  knowledge  ;  giving  a  true,  dear;    ^ ^^^  apostles,  supported  himself,  in 
and  ftill  account   of  the   divine   ^^^-i^^rt^^ytejit-makmg.     unless,  then, 
pensations,  and  the   gospel    of   our ,  ^,^  ^^p^^j^^^  ^j^^  ^^j^^l^   ^^^.^,^1^,   ^^^ 


salvation ;  so  that  whoever  studies 
the  Bible,  is  sure  of  gaining  that 
knowledge,  which  if  duly  applied  to 
the  heart  and  conversation,  will  in- 
fiillibly  guide  him  to  eternal  life." 
Thus  we  see  a  merciful  God  has 
marvelously  raised  up  men,  learned 
men,  to   translate   the   Holy   Scrip-  ( 


ample  of  the  apostolic  church,  we 
must  agree  that  working  witli  a 
man's  hands  is  no  disqualification  to 
a  minister  of  Christ. 

We  fear  that  the  partial  preva- 
lence of  the  opinion  that  it  is  in 
_  j  some  sense  degrading  for  a  minister 
tures ;  and  there  are  at  this"  time,  It  I  «^  ^he  gospel  to  labor  with  his  luuids, 
is  estimated,  more  than  one  hundred 'i»  '^^^  ^^""^^  of  much  of  the  ill  lioalth 
and  filty  languages  in  which  the  or- l^^i^'l^  afflicts  the  nymstry.  To 
acles  of  God  are  circulated.  O  !  that  |  preach  a  sermon  of  half  an  hour  in 
men  may  learn  to  be  wise  unto   sal-i^^^'^^^  ^^^  ^^^  ^^^^^  ^'"^^^  ^   '^'''^> 


vation. 


C.     A.     H. 


should   not   certainly  break      iown 
the  health  of  any  man.     The   want 


IG 


IS  it^i)Ej;^ud^:g^j&^^ 


of}):i\  >>i(iil  cxercjfiQ  will,  however,  .bocoiisi(Jered<  a  call  to  the  ministiy. 
brcit!:  down  any  Ario!'  'Tt  Would  be  Mr.  Shelburi^e  perceived  the  drift  of 
^eatly   for   t^c       ' A^  xu,  i-__- i..A;r-.'.-.r   _„.i  .._Jx^- ^  "..''    ,   .   V 

ministry,     both 

Hpiiytnally,  if  wo  had  a  greater  nnrn-fnarratlve  ofliis  own  experience,  ahd 


I v:ni  1  wyy    6f  the | my  qneStiori,  and  instead   of  giving 
iiiU'lleetuallv   and  a   general   answer,    proceeded   to  a 


bor'^^v^jf    vigorot!*^, 
haifWumded,     arid 


healtW    Ttie^v'^i/"' »täte 
accwHtomcd    to'^-Tec^  In'ni    to 


rciunstanct^s   "which 
.sujjpose   tlmt   God  had 


tha  church,  than  Yt  is  at  •;pre«^t\t. 


!K)t   know   that  I   can   close 


thi^'  • 

in 

iah 

01  ir 

tea  . 
mo.-; 
cou'..tiy  hay  produced. 


exix<^iiro  in  the  open  air.  The}'  called  him  tobe  a  preacher.  The  suh- 
woiltd  find  themsolv^V  in'  conBC-{<*<^»f^<^  «<^lii«  »tor}' was  as  follows  : 
(juenco  of  out-door  exercise,  mnch!*  ^'TvVas  born  fn  one  of  the  lower 
beit?r  pi-epared  for  study,  able  to'^o^i^^es  of  Virginia,'  ah'd  when 
endure  more  eai*n^j<t  and  "pi'otracted'iyow^Vg  was  put  to  learn  the  cnrperi- 
labor  in  the  ministry,  And  oveiylterVtrade.  Until  I  was  a  main' 
po^^ev  which  they  po.^so^s  would  b^  grown  and  had  a  family,  1' tifever 
wonh  much  more  tO'  thefh  "atitl  toi^eard  any  preaching  but  from  min- 
isters of  the  Established  Church, 
and  did  hot  even  know  that  therö 
were  any  others.  About  this  time 
•'-r  n^ore- appositely,  than  by  j^^,,^^  ^jj^c)  the  neighborhood  a  Pres- 
-  passage  in  the  lifq  of  tlfp ,  ^y t<>rih'h  n^ister,  by  tho'  ^anie  of 
Alexander,  of  Princeton, .^j^^^^i^^  ^^.^\^^^  I  ^^.^^^  ^^  ^imr -,  and 
tlio  ,  most ,  learned  and  ab^e  ^y^^^^,^  Yid  was  done.  I  was  convinced 
rsofthec^jo^y,  andone^.of  thCi^^a^I-^j^as  in  a  lost  and  undone 
■I(M]iicnt  preachers,  that,  .this  l^^„jition.     He  made  no  stay,  ahd  I 

heard  no  moi-e  of  him.  But  a  wound 
liiMr.  '\arborough  took  occa'^hwiii  had 'been  left  in  my  conscience 
to^inlo.-ii  us  that  there  \vas  a  Bap- 1  w^hich  I  knew  not  how  to  get  healed, 
ti8t.])reacher  in  his  employment  as, and  no  one  about  me  could  give  any 
a  ipillwright,  who  would  be  at  the  I  valuable  advieö^'a^'^to  a  cure.  I 
hoiuse  a,^  S0031  as  his  work  was  fin-  went  from  day  tddaj'^tmder  a  heavy 
isbuO'I.  Accordingly  about  the  dusk  j burden,  bew^ailing  my  miserable 
of  liiie  evenings  an  old  man  in  coarse  (fj täte,  till  at  length  my  distress  be- 
garl),  with  leathern  apron,  and  la- 1 came' so  great  that  I  could  neither 
d^A  wil.li  tools,  entered  the  house  i eat  nor  sleep  with  any  peace  or 
aijfl  took  his  seat  on-  the  stairs,  j eomib(i-t.;  My  neighbor!^  said  I  was 
N^Viier  Mr*  Grisby  nor  I  had  ever, falli nit  Into  i^ielancholy  or  going 
been  acquainted  with  uneducated  mad,  but  not  one  of  them  had  any 
])i'ei.  hers,  and  we  were  struck,  witjij knowledge,  from  experience,  of  the 
astonishment"  that'  this  carpenter  na^ttre  of  fiy  distress.  Thus  I  con- 
Hho;'!:I  ].retend  to  preacli.  When  '  tinned  mourning-over  my  ihiserablo 
^^ .  :r.  ,Shclburi)(^,  such  wi^s.jcase  for  weeks  and   months.     T  was 

as   put   int,o   the   same ,  led,  however,  to  read  constantly   in 
1  V  !i:i  us.     I  felt  an  Hvidity   to  the  Bible  ;  "bnt  this  rather  ihcreased 

than   lessened     my    distress ,   nntil 
one  Sunday  evening  1  saw,  its  clear- 

.^ .  ly  as  I  ereV  ftaw   any  thing,  how  I;^' 

lliereiore  began  by  asking  him  what 'could  be  saved  through  the  death  of 


roo 
<pie 
thü 
thai 


w  as    j)ui.    ini^o    luu    s: 

ill  us.     I  felt  an  avidity   to 

\\\m  resj)ecting  his   call   to 

•••taking  it   for  granted 

man    was   ignorant.     I 


IS  IT  BEGRRADIXG  &c. 


17 


Christ.  I  was  filled  with  comfort, 
«nd  yet  sorrow  for  my  sins  flowed 
more  copiously  than  ever.  I  praised 
Grod  aloud,  and  immediately  told 
my  wife  that  I  had  found  salvation  ; 
and  when  any  of  my  neighbors 
came  to  see  me,  I  told  them  of  the 
goodness  of  God,  and  what  he  had 
done  for  my  soul,  and  how  he  had 
pardoned  all  my  sins.  As  I  spoke 
freely  of  the  wonderful  change  I 
had  experienced,  it  was  soon  noised 
abroad,  and  many  came  to  see  me, 
and  to  hear  an  account  of  the  mat- 
ter from  my  own  mouth. 

"  'On  Sabbath  evenings  my  house 
would  be  crowded,  and  when  I  had 
finished  my  narrative  I  was  accus- 
tomed to  give  them  a  word  of  ex- 
hortation. And  as  I  could  be  bet- 
ter heard  when  standing,  I  stood 
and  addressed  my  neighbors,  with- 
out any  thought  of  preaching.  Af- 
ter proceeding  for  some  time  in  this 
way,  I  found  that  several  others 
began  to  be  awakened  by  what  they 
heard  from  me,  and  appeared  to  be 
brought  through  the  new  birth 
much  as  I  had  been.  This  greatly 
encouraged  me  to  proceed  in  my 
work,  and  God  was  pleased  to  bless 
my  humble  labors  to  the  conversion 
of  many.  All  this  time  I  did  no 
more  than  relate  my  own  experience, 
and  then  exhort  my  neighbors  to 
seek  unto  the  Lord  for  mercy. 

''  'Thus  was  I  led  on  from  step  to 
step,  until  at  length  I  actually  be- 
came a  preacher,  without  intending 
it.  Exercised  persons  would  come 
to  me  for  counsel,  as  I  had  been  the 
first  among  them  to  experience  the 
grace  of  God ;  and  that  I  might  be 
able  to  answer  their  questions  I 
was  induced  to  study  the  Bible 
continually;     and    often    while    at 


work  particular  passages  would  be 
opened  to  my  mind  ;  which  encour- 
aged me  to  hope  that  the  Lord  had 
called  me  to  instruct  those  that 
were  more  ignorant  than  myself; 
and  when  the  people  would  collect 
at  my  house,  I  explained  to  them 
those  passages  v/hich  had  been 
opened  to  my  mind.  All  this  time 
I  had  no  instruction  in  spiritual 
matters  from  any  man,  exc4»pt  the 
sermons  which  I  heard  from  Mr. 
Martin.  But  after  a  few  years  there 
came  a  Baptist  preacher  into  our 
neighborhood,  and  I  found  that  his 
doctrine  agreed  substantially  with 
my  experience,  and  with  what  I 
had  learned  out  of  the  Bible.  I 
traveled  about  with  him,  and  was 
encouraged  by  him  to  go  on  in  the 
exercise  of  my  gift  of  public  speak- 
ing, but  was  told  by  him  that  there 
was  one  duty  which  I  was  required 
to  perform,  which  was  that  I  should 
be  baptized  according  *  to  the  com- 
mand of  Christ.  And  as  we  rode 
along  we  came  to  a  certain  water, 
and  I  said,  Sec,  here  is  water,  what 
doth  hinder  me  to  be  baptized? 
Upon  which  we  both  went  down 
into  the  water,  and  he  baptized  me 
by  immersion  in  the  name  of  the 
Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
Ghost.  From  that  time  I  have  con- 
tinued until  this  day,  testifying  to 
small  and  great,  to  white  and  black, 
repentance  toward  God  and  faith 
in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  and  not 
without  the  j^leasure  of  seeing  many 
sinners  forsaking  their  sins  and 
turning  unto  God. 

''  'Now,I  said  he,  'you  have  heard 
the  reasons  which  induce  me  to  be- 
lieve that  God  has  called  me  to 
preach  the  gospel  to  tlie  poor  and 
i^morant.     I  never   consider  mvself 

o 

qualified  to  instruct   men    of  educa- 
G.  Y.  Vol.  X.  2 


18 


THE  EMPEROR  JULIAN'S  ATTEMPT  &c. 


tion  and  learning.  I  have  always  [any  of  tho  ministers  of  his  own 
felt  badly  when  Hueh  have  come  to  denomination  with  whose  opinions 
hoar  me.  But  us  for  people  of  my  jl^e  could  so  fully  agree  as  with  mine, 
own  fhiBH,  I  believed  that  1  could  !  I  had  the  opportunity  of  hearing 
teach  them  many  things  which  ^  him  preach  several  times,  and  was 
they  needed  to  know;  and  in  re-  pleased  not  only  with  the  sound- 
pard  to  such  a«  had  become  ])ious,ine«fl  of  his  doctrine,  but  the  unaffect- 
I  was  able,  l)y  stud;)'  of  the  Bible  cd  simplicity  of  his  manner.  Hiä 
and  mcditiitlon,  to  go  beitbre"  them,  discourses  consisted  of  a  eqries  of 
BO  that  to  them  also  I  conld  be  in  Judicioiis  i-emurks  expressed  in  the 
some  measure  a  guide.  I  lament  i  plainest  language,  and  in  a  conver- 
my  want  of  leiirning,  and  am  deep-lsational  tone,  until  he  became  by 
ly  convinced  that  it  is  useful  to  thoidcgrees,  warmed  by  his  subject, 
•ninistry  of  the  gospel ;  but  it  seems  i  when  he  fell  into  a  singing  tone,  but 
to  me  that  there  are  different  gifts  •  notliing  like  what  was  common  with 
now  as  of  old,  and  one  man  may  bei  almost  all  Baptist  preachers  of  the 
euited  to  one  ])art  of  the  Lord's  country  at  that  time.  As  he  folio \v- 
"worfc,  .^nd  another  to  another  part.ed  his  trade  from  day  to  day,  I  once 


And  I  d  )  not  kuow  but  tliat  poor 
and  ignorant  people  can  understand 
mry  coarse  and  familiar  language 
better  than  tlie  discourses  of  the 
most  learned  and  eloquent  men. 
I  know  their  method  of  thinking 
and  reasonings  and  how  to  make 
things  plain  by  illustrations  and 
comparisons  adapted  to  their  ca- 
pacities and  their  habits.' 

**  'Wheii  the  old  millwright  had 
finiriiicd  his  narrative,  I  felt  much 
more  inclined  to  doubt  my  own 
call  to  the  miüistry,  than  that  of 
James  Shelbiirne.  Much  of  the 
night  was  spent  in  this  conversation, 
while  my  companion  was  enjoying 
ilia  usual  repose.     We  talked   freely 


asked  him  how  he  found  time  to  study 
his  sermons ;  to  which  he  replied, 
that  he  could  study  better  at  his 
work  with  his  hammer  in  his  hand, 
than  if  shut  up  and  surrounded  with 
books.  When  he  had  passed  the  sev- 
entieth year  of  his  age  he  gave  up 
work,  and  devoted  himself  entirely 
to  preaching.  Being  a  man  of  firm 
health,  he  traveled  to  a  considerablo 
distance  and  preached  nearly  every 
day.  On  one  of  those  tours,  after  I 
was  settled  in  Charlotte  county  I  saw 
him  for  the  last  time.  The  old 
man  appeared  to  be  full  of  zeal  and 
love,  and  brought  the  spirit  of  the 
gospel  into  every  family  which  he  vis- 
ited.    He  was  evidently  ripening  for 


about  the  doctrines  of  religion,   and  j  heaven,  and  accordingly,  not  long  af- 


wero  mutually  gratified  ^t  finding 
how  exactly  our  views  tallied. 
From  this  night  James  Shelburnc 
became- an  object  of  my  high  regard, 
and  he  gave  abundant  tcsdmony  of 
liis  esteem  for  me.  Whenever  I 
visited  t)iat  part  of  the  country,  he 
was  v.ont  to  ride  many  miles  to 
hear  me  proach,  and  was  pleased 
to  declarg  that  he  had   never   heard 


ter,  he  finished  his  course  with  joy. 


The  Emperor  Julian's  attempt  to  re- 
build the  temple  at  Jerusalem. 

(The  iollowiug  account  of  the  Tain  attompt  of 
.Tiiliiin  the  emiicror  of  Uomc  to  rcliuild  the  tem- 
ple at  .leruHJikin,  is  taken  from  Sozoicen's  Ec- 
clcyineticul  History,  P.  240.  Julian  was  born 
nbuut  A.  D.  'i'ol,  »nd  S<izoiuen  wrote  about  A. 
D.  443.     He  declare«    he  received    from  cyovit- 


THE  EMPEROR  JULIAN'S  ATTEMPT  &c. 


19 


nesses  the  accouvl;  of  the  peculi&r  phevtmena 
he  relates.     Eds.) 

Though  the  emperor  hated  and 
oppressed  the  Christians,  he  maiii- 
festcd  benevolence  and  humanity 
towards  the  Jews.  He  wrote  to  the 
Jewish  patriarchs  and  leaders,  as 
well  as  to  the  people,  requesting 
them  to  pray   for  him,   and  for  the 

prosperity  of  the  empire.     I"  taking  k^  tj^^  ^^^„^  ^^  g^^if^  ^^^^  p,.^p,^_ 
this  step  he  was  not  «etuatcU,  I  aml^^.^^  ^f  (-.j^^^^j     Besides  this  motive, 


ments  towards  defraying  the  expense. 
The  emperor,  the  other  Pagans,  and 
all  the  Jews,  regarded  eveiy  other 
undeita-king  as  secondary  in  impor- 
tance to  this.  Although  the  Pagans 
were  not  well-disposed  towards  the 
Jews,  yet  they  assisted  them  in  this 
enterprise,  because  they  reckoned 
upon  its  ultimate  success,  and  hoped 


convinced,  by  any  respect  for  theiy 
religion;  for  he  was  aware  that  it  is, 
60  to  s^ieak,  the  mother  of  the  Christ- 
ian religion,  and  ho  knew  that  both 


.the  Jews  themselves  were  impelled 
by  the  consideration,  that  the  time 
had  arrived  for  rebuilding  their  tem- 
ple.    When  they  had   removed   the 


religions  rest  upon  the   authority  of:  ,.„5^^  ^f^,,^    ^^^^^^^    building,    and 

the  patriarclis  and  the  prophets,  hut,  ,^j  ^,1^^^.^^  ^,^^     ^^^^^^  ^^^.  ^^^ 

he  thought  to  grieve   the  Christians  i  ^^^^  ^^  1^^;^^    ^j^^    foundations    of 

bv  favorinff  the  Jews  w4io  are   their'   i,  ^  ^^^^^  «ri;^««   «^    ^^  ^i  ^     i 

^  ;  thü  new  eamce,  an    earthquake    oc- 

most  inveterate  enemies.  Ho  ^^»o'^^^ired.  ^nd  Bton<,s  wevß  thrown  up 
calculated  upon r^rsuading the  Jews.f^.^^^  ^^^^  ^^j.^,^^  ,.^.  ^^.,^;^.^  ^^^^^  ^^.j^^ 
to  embrace  Paganism:  for  they  were  i^^.^^.^^„^,^^^j  .^  ^,^^  ^^.^^.^  ^^^^.^ 
only  acquainted  with  the  mere  l«t-  ^„„„j^j  \^  likewise  those  who 
ter  of  Scripture,  and  could  not.  like  were  merelv  looking  on.     The  hous- 

the    Christians    and   a  few    of   the  ^,  „„^i  ,.„ki,v  ,.^„+;.^„.  +i 

es  ana  public  porticoes  near  the  site 

wisest  among  then-  own  nation,  ^^^^  ^^^^^p^^  ^^,^^,^  ,j^^^^^^  j^^^^. 
discern  their  hidden  meaning.  ^.^^^  ^^^^j^  1^^^  ^^^^i^.  ^^.^^^  ^^^^^ 
Events  proved  that  this  was  his  |  others  were  horribly  mutilated!  On 
real  motive  :  for  he  sent  for  some  of|  ^^^  ee.s.sation  of  the  earthquake,  the 
their  chiefs,  and  exhorted  them  to  L,,^^,^,^^^^  returned  to  their  task, 
return  to  the  ob.servance  of  the  laws  ^^^.^1^.  ^^^^^^^  ^^^^  ^^^  ^1^ .   ^^.^.^  ^^ 

of  Moses  and   the   customs  of  their...  ^    .„,,  ^„^„       ^i  ^i       i 

I  the   emperor,    and    parti v    because 

fathers.      On    their   replying,    that  |  ^j^^^  ^^^^.^  ^j^^^^^^^^^,^^   interested   in 

thev  were  permitted  to  offer  up   sac-  j , ,  ^     .   i  •  tlt        x> 

,   ^       ,  ,       ^T  1  the  undertaking.     Men  often,  m  en- 

rinces  onlv  at  the   temple  of  Jerusa-i  .  -r.     ,    . 

-,        ,        "  J   J  ^1         ^         1    -1  1  deavorinir  to  ;^ratiTv  their  own   pas- 

lem,  he  commanded  them  to  rebuild'   .  ^      T     •  '•   •     •  , 

^,     ^        1  J  ,,  isions.  seek  what  is  inmrious  to  them, 

the  temple,  and  gave    them    monevi  -  «'  ' 

for  that  purpose:  The  Jews  entered  j  ^"^j^^^  ^^^^^  ^^^^^^  ^^  ^^-"^3'  ^^^^^'^- 
uponthe  undertaking,  without  re- j^ageous,  and  are  deluded  by  the 
fleeting  that,  according  to  the  pre- j^^^a  that  nothing  is  really  useful 
diction  of  the  holy  pi-ophets,  it  could  |  except  what  is  agreeable  to  them, 
not  be  accomplished.  They  sought ;  ^V^en  once  led  astray  by  this  error, 
for  the  most  skillful  artisans,  collect- j  they  are  no  longer  able  to  act  in  a 
ted  materials,  cleared  the  ground, !  manner  conducive  to  their  own  in- 
and  entered  so  earnestly  upon  the!  terests,  or  to  take  warning  by  the 
task,  that  even  the  women  can-ied' calamities  which  are  visited  upon 
heaps  of  earth,  and  sold   their  orna-jthem.      The   Jews,  I  believe,    were 


20 


HOW  TO  STUDY  TUR  SCRIPTURES. 


just  in  thiH  state  ;  for  instead   of  rc- 
ganliu«^  this  unexpect^ni  earthquake 
i\H  a    inunifeHt    indication    tlmt  God 
Mas  opposed    to    the    ro-ereetion    ofj 
their    temple,     they    proceeded   to 
i-e-coniinenco     the    work.     But    all 
j)ai*tiert  relate,  that  they  had  Hcarce- 
ly    rotarnod     to    the    undertaking, 
when  fire  burst  from  the  fonndationR 
uf  the  temple,  and  consumed  several 
of  the  workn^en.     This  fact   is   fear- 
lessly  stated,    and    believed  by   all ; 
the  only  discrepancy  in    the   narra- 
tive is,  that  some  maintain  that  fire 
burst  tVom  the  interior  of  the  temple, 
as  the   workmen   were   striving   to 
force  an  entrance;  while  others  say 
that  the  fire  proceeded   direct   from 
the  bowels  of  the  earth.     In    which- 
ever  way   the   phenomenon   might 
have  occuiTcd,  it  is  equally  wonder- 
ful.    A  more  tangible  and  still  more 
extraordinary  prodigy  ensued  :   sud- 
denly the  sign  of  the  cross  appeared 
on  the  garments  of  the   persons   en- 
gaged  in   the   undertaking.     These 
crosses  were  disposed  like  stars,  and 
appeared   the   work  of  art.     Many 
were  hence  led  to  confess  that  Christ 
is  (jod,  and    that    the  ix>building   ot 
the  temple  was  not  pleasing  to  him; 
others  presented  themselves   in    the 
church,  were  baptized,  and  besought 
Christ,  with  tears  and  supplications, 
to  pardon  their  transgression.  If  an}^ 
one  does  not  feel  disposed  to  believe 
my  narrative,  let  him  go  and  be  con- 
vinced by  those  who  heard  the  facts 
1  have  related  Irom  the  eye-witness- 
es of  them,  lor  they  are    still    alive. 
Let  him  inquire,  also,   of  the   Jews 
and  Pagans  who    left   the    work   in 
an  incomplete    state,    or    who,    to 
Hpeak  more    accurately,    were    not 
able  to  commence  it. 


How  to  8tndy  the  Scriptures. 


The  word  of  God,  to  bo  read  with 
the  highest  profit,  should  be  studied 
upon    system    and   with    diligence. 
The  Scriptures  are  oflen  read  to  lit- 
tle purpose,  because  they  ftreo])oned 
at  hap-hazard  in  a  passive  and  per- 
haps listless  frame  of  mind,    so  that 
only  some  chance  impression  is  re- 
ceived from  them  ;    or  because  they 
^re  read  by  measure — so  many  ver- 
ses or  chapters  a  day,   thus  taxing 
the  attention  and  the  memory  with- 
out incorporating  the   substance  of 
the  word  with  oijr  living  experience. 
Now    there  are   three   methods    of 
studying  the   Bible  so  as  to  derive 
from  it  the  highest  benefit.     One  i.n 
the  habit  of  meditating  upon  partic- 
ular texts  of  Scripture  with  a  view 
to  their  application  in  our  personal 
life.     As  the  hand  is  busy  with  the 
needle,  or  with  such  household  aftaii*s 
as  do  not  engi'oss  the  mind  ;    as  the 
labor  of  the  fingers  is  expended  up- 
on  machinery   which   goes  by  me- 
chanical laws  without  constant  men- 
tal supervision  ;  as  you    work  in  the 
.  field,   or  walk   the   streets    to   and 
from  your   business,  or  sit  awhile  in 
the  intervals  of  worldly  care  for  un- 
disturbd  reflection ; — if  you  have  at 
hand   some   selected   verse  of  scrip- 
tures to  guide  your  meditations,  you 
will  be  surprised  to  find  how   much 
you    grow  in   familiarity    with  the 
word  of  God,  and  how  much  3'ou  dis- 
cover in  verses  you  had  read   many 
times  with  no  special   profit.     This 
method  of  improving  your   knowl- 
edge of  the  Scriptures  has  reference 
mainly  to  chance   moments;    when 
texts  can  be  easily   thought   of  and 
a])plied  to  öome  present  use. 

But  the  Bible  is  not  a  mere   book 
of  texts.     The  division  into  chapters 


HOW  TO  STUDY  TKE  SCBIPTüIlES. 


21 


and  verses  is  artificial  and  for  conve-  ment  are  imbedded  in  the  Old  ;  tli« 
nience.  One  who  would  master  the  New  Testament  is  the  flower  of  the 
iScriptui*es  should  study  them  in  a  |  Old;  and  there  is  no  more  delightful 
more  deliberate  and  formal  way,  i  nor  profitable  study  than  this  inves- 
with  reference  to  particular  subjects,  tigation  of  Scripture  by  Scripture. 
For  example,  the  Epistle  to  the  Ro-j  He  who  diligently  studies  the 
mans  should  be  studied  as  a  whole,  i  Word  of  God  in  these  three  metliods, 
mainly  with  reference  to  the  doc-  '■  will  not  only  grow  in  the  knowlod<ye 
trines  of  justification  b}'  faith  and  j  of  Christ,  but  will  make  sensible 
sanctification  through  the  Spirit,  in  j  progress  toward  the  perfection  or 
their  ccnnection  with  the  fact  of  hu-  completeness  of  that  knowledge- 
man  depravity  as  requiring  an  atone-  The  means  of  such  progressive 
ment  under   the   law.     The   Epistle  knowledge  are  within  the  reach  of 


to  the   Hebrews  should  be   studied 
mainly  with  a  view  to   the  relation 


every  Christian. 

In  a  well-furnished  pastor's  library 


of  the  Jewish  ritual  to  the  Christian  I  are  scores  of  volumes  in  different 
faith;  especially  that  of  the  sacrifices!  tongues,  which  form  his  apparatus 
and  the  priesthood  of  the  old  dispen-j  for  the  critical  study  of  the  Scrip- 
sation  to  the  atonement  and  theiturea.  These  are  important  for  his 
priesthood  of  Christ.  The  Epistles  |  purposes  in  pursuing  the  investiga^ 
of  John  should  be  studied  mainly  !tion*of  words  and  of  doctrines.  But 
with  ix?ference  to  the  evidences  and  jg^eh  a  voluminous  apparatus  of  crit- 
the  effects  of  Christian  love;  that  of ,  jeism  does  not  enter  at  all  into  the 
James  with  reference  to  the  Chris- j  ^^^^3  ^f  the  Christian  who  Avould 
tiun  doctrine  of  works  as  the  fruit  |  be  well  instructed  in  the  Bible.  A 
and  evidemce  of  faith.  The  book  ofL^od  text-book,  which  one  may  pro- 
Job  and  of  Ecclesiastcs  should  be  ^p^i-e  for  himself,  a  paragraph*^  Bible 
read  as  continuous  compositions  ^  and  a  reference  Bible  or  concordance, 
whose  meaning  is  learned  only  at '^ake  up  all  the  necessary  apparatus 
the  end  of  each.  This  study  of  the  |  for  such  a  study  of  the  Bible  as  will 
Bible  by  subjects— or  a  topical  in- 1  make  one  at  home  with  it  in  every 
vestigation  of  the  Scriptures  as  dis-^art.  If  one  wishes  to  go  beyond 
tinguished  from  textual  meditation,  j  this,  the  best  class  of  books  are  those 
may  be  greatly  aided  by  a  ;?arfl^r«^Ä!  which  illustrate  and  elucidate  man^ 
^i^^^-  .ners  and  customs,  historical  or  local 

There  remafns,  however,  in  addi-j  allusions,  and  so  make  clear  the 
lion  to  the  study  of  texts  and  sub-'^^^^^^^i"^'  ofthcAvords  of  Scripture; 
jects,  the  study  of  the  Bible  as  a  I  ^^r  when  the  meaning  of  the  words 
whole,  in  its  unitv  as  a  progressive  i^  clearly  ascertained  the  prayerful 
revelation,  in  its  completeness  as  a '  ^^^^^i^^^i^^s  of  a  willing  mind  are 
finished -revelation.  This  may  be  ^^^^  ^^^^  ^^^^^^n^'cter  of  doctrine, 
best  accomplished  with  the  simple  j  Such  a  study  of  the  Bible  may  bo 
aid  of  a  concordance  or  a  good  refer-  greath'  promoted  by  the  judicious 
cnce  Bible,  which  enables  one  to  use  of  C(  mnient  and  exposition  in 
compare  spiritual  things  with  spir-the  family  reading  of  the  Scriptures, 
itual.     The  roots  of  the  New    Testa- 1  The  head  of  everv  familv  should  be 


99 


tut:  GOD-POWER  in  SERMONS. 


tho  pricflt  öTid  prophet  of  h!s  ö\rn  '  if  any,  is  in  the  abiiß^.  God  m'adt 
Ijoii^cliold  ;  ftiid  fihonld  prcpai^o  him-'tTie  race  individual  heinrtP,  and  to 
HvW'hy  the  Btinly  of  God'8  Word  to  each  accouiUable  bciii<;  all  the  intui- 
ixivo  iisefulhints  and  applicatioiiB  of  tion  and  reason  to  jndgo  of  right 
the  Hämo,  in  the  daily  reading  of  the  and  wrong,  of  true  and  false,  are 
Word.     These  should  always  be  sim-'s^^'^'^- 

plojmd  brief  This  knowledge  V[  1^ a  sermon  were  strictly  a  litera- 
the  Scriptures  may  also  be  inerefli^ecl '^y  ^^•«^^'^^'"titic  pix)duclion,  intellee- 
bythe  diacipliiio  and  discussions  of' ^"«1  ^"^*^i*o  ^^'ould  be  necessary  in 
a\i;ood  Bible  Class.  Even  whei-e  1*^^^  ^^arer  to  judge  of  it  properh'. 
there  is  no  teacher  to  guide  the'^^^^  ^  ^^""<^»"  ^«  ^^^  such  a  produe- 
thoughtf^  ötf  othci-8  by  his  own  careful  l*'^"'  "^^^^  "«^^  ^  speeches  and 
preparation,  the  discussion  of  divine  i^^^«y*  ealled    sermons-nay,    theiv 

truth  by  those  who  have  meditated  1"^^^  *^^  ^*^'^^*«  '^^^^^^^  ^^"^  ^^"^  ^^^^*- 
apait,  and  who  bring  their  several  I  ^''^^  "^"^^'^  ^""'^  ^'"^^'  "^«^  ^«  <^^o^n- 
iratheringH  into  the  common  stock,  ^^^  vnlgnrisms,  whining  cant  And 
cannot  fail  to  bo  profitable  to  all.  K^'^^^y  *^^^^'^^^^^»'^^^»^' ^"*  ^^^^  a*^^ 
It  is  of  thd  fii-st  importance  to  the  "^^«^'•'"^"*'  ^''''^^'^ 
younger  members  of  every  church  f^'^"'^'^"^^"*-  '  ^^^^^ 
ihat  thev  should  associate  themselves  ^^^^  composition  of  two  elements^ 
forsuchVstiid>^of'th6Word  of  God.  T'^^*  «'^^  inspiration.  Fact,  by  Dr. 
A  still  further  gain  in  personal  ^^^^^^^^^'  '^  defined  to  bo "  reality. 
knowled-e   may  ^  be   realized   by  a^^"^'' ^  "'^"^"^  ^^^'  'P^^P'*"*^P^^-^ 


tested    by    tlio    New 
true   sermon  iis 


may 

careful  preparation  of  the  hirnd  for 
instructing  others  in  divine  truth. 
The  best  teacher  is  himself  the  best 
scholar — alwaj'S  a  wakeful  and  dili- 
gent student  of  that  which  ho  aims 
to  teach.  The  office  of  teaching  in 
a  Kabbath  school  should  not  be  light- 
ly assumed.  To  present  right  views 
of  truth  so  as  to  interest  and  engage 


with  reaHioning?  Bo  the  creations 
of 'his  imagination  hdorn  it?  One 
has  only  to  inquire,'  Does  the  rea- 
soning end  in  reality  ?  Are  theso 
imaginings  truth  ? 

Christ  and  the  apostles  dwelt  upon 
realities — conduct,  hope,  fear,  life, 
death,  the  present  -world,  the  future 
world,  heaven,  hell.     Whoever,  then, 


the  youthful  mind  in  the  pursuit  of  ^^^^^^    ^^^f^*^*   ^^'^    ^^^    apostles  a 


it,  is  a  difficult  and  responsible  task. 
But  he  who  addresses  himself  to  this 
Avith  proper  earnestness,  will  find  his 
own  growth  in  Christian  knowledge 
proportioned  to  his  efforts  to  impart 
that  knowledge  to  others. 

Indepcndtnt. 


THE  GOD-POWER  IN  SERMONS. 


models,  will,  to  the  best  of  his  abil- 
ity, make  his  sermons  of  such  mat- 
ter as  composed  theirs.  Whatever 
his  gift  of  reason  or  fancy,  he  con- 
siders their  employment  useless 
when  not  used  to  elucidate  a  real- 
ity. In  speculations  ho  trusts  not. 
Where  he  fails  to  see  fact  or  reality, 
lie  seldom  or  never  puts  an  hyputb- 
csis   as  a   substitute.     His    scrmoixs 


I  are  built  on  the  true  Baconian  meth- 
i:vcry  one  who  preaches  or   hears  Ld.     Observation,  oxg^^rienco,   fact, 
sermon,    assumes  to  judge    of   it.  are  the  bolid  grouiids  of  hif>   conclii- 
This  assumption  is  right — the  wrong,  sions. 


THE  GOD-POWER  IX  SERMOXS. 


23 


But  anj;  man  that  sees,  can  state 
flict.  Why,  then,  docs  not  evciy 
one  Tvho  states  or  proclaims  the 
facts  of  the  gospel,  preach  the  gos- 
pel? There  it*,  there  can  he,  but 
one  answer.  Every  one  is  not  in- 
spired. And  in  this  fact  lies  the 
call  to  the  ministry.  Every  one 
whom  God's  Spirit  aids  in  the  utter- 
ance of  gospel  f^cts  or  truths,  is  a^ 
preacher — a  proclaimer  of  those 
truths.  Many  such  may  never 
think  of  such  a  title,  but  titles  are 
weak  things  at  best — the  thing, 
symbolized  by  the  title,  and  possess- 
ed, makes  one  God's  minister. 

It  follows,  then,  that  he  is  the , 
best  preacher,  who,  knowing  the, 
facts  or  realities  of  the  gospel,  pix)-  j 
claims  them  by  aid  of  the  same  in-  j 
spiring  power  that  gave  them  and 
supervised  their  record  in  the  Bible. ; 
This  is  th^  Go<l»-po;w^  i3fi,.6erlnons. 

Here  a  question  very  naturally  | 
arises,  Whait'ls  the  propen  -^stiinate  | 
of  human  learning  in  preachir.g^  t^e 
gospel  ?  The  answer  is  clear.  So 
far  as  it  is  an  aid  in  collecting  &nd 
understanding  the  true  element.^  of 
a  sermon,  and  facilitates  their  ex- 
pression, it  oecomes  important. 
But,  though  learning  has  a  smoother 
tongue  than  ignorance,  it  has,  *  of  it- 
self, no  higher  claim  to  the  minis- 
terial office.  However  well  one  may 
understand  the  Scriptures,  as  a  re- 
sult of  intellectual  culture,  without 
the  inspiring  Spirit  he  never  did, 
never  can.  preach  the  gospel.  He 
may  talk  of  it.  and  preach  abovt  it, 
but  the  power  tlmt  makea  talk  a 
true  sermon  is  wanting.      ff 

But  there  is  a  sense  in  which 
learning  is  ignoraiH  and  ignorance 
learning.    He  who  supposes  no  one 


:vo 


no' 


over- 


not  always  uirougn-^a  prescrD^ed 
book  course,  including  all  or  most 
of  the  fictions  of  the  ancient  classics-, 
having  his  head  crammed  with  the 
creeds — exploded  as  well  as  remain- 
ing— of  men,  and  his  pocket  loaded 
with  a  diploma  from  his  alma  mater j 
is  deplorably  ignorant,  and,  though 
a  professor,  or  even  president,  in  or 
of  an  institution  of  learning,  had 
better  give  himself  vigorously  to 
study.  To  a  thoughtful  mind,  every 
branch  of  business  is  a  positive  ed- 
ucator. In  so  brief  a  space  as  hu- 
man life,  it  is  not  reasonable  that,  a 
man  should  ^Aw  eypry  thing.  If 
he  spends  the  most  of  his  life  on  the 
farm,  in  the  mechanic  shop,  in  the 
mart  of  trade,  of  book  learning  he 
knows  little.  If  he  confines  himself 
m.ostly  to  books,  his  information  is 
mostly  drawn  thence.  Are  learn- 
ing's instmctoi-s  the  sfill-tongued, 
entombed  teachers  of'  the  printed 
page  and  the  pent-up  pate  faces  in 
our  academic  and  collegial  Recitation 
rooms  only  ?  Are  not  her  instruc- 
tors all  abroad  in  nature's  grand 
university,  whose  walls  are  the  cir- 
cumference of  the  universe,  and 
whose  volumes  are  the  thoughts  and 
laws  of  God  made  visible  in  his 
works  ?  A  rational  being,  fitted  up 
for  study  by  the  Creators  own  fash- 
ioning hand,  and  placed  and  kept 
by  that  hand  thirty,  forty,  fiftjv 
sixty  or  eighty  years  in  this  univer- 
sity, an  uneducated  man  I  The  sen- 
tence thaä  declares  it  is  a    solecism  T 

The  assertion  is  not  unfrequently 
made,  or  the  meaner  hint  given, 
thar^  our  denominational  fathers, 
were  not  educated  men.  In  books, 
perhaps,  they  were  not.  Their  fan- 
cy was  not  plumed  and  spiritualized/ 
by  the  chaste  poets  and  orators  of 


24 


SIN  AND  FOLLY  OF  SCOLDING. 


Greece  and  Borne,  and,  perchance, 
they  were  not  verBed  in  all  the  de- 
tails of  our  modern  ''plans  of  8alva- 
tion."  But  no  men  can  preach  as 
they  arc  reported  to  have  j^rcached, 
without  educated  minds.  "Where 
and  how  that  education  was  ob- 
tained, I  am  unable  to  say.  They 
wore  not  only  good,  but  great  men. 
I  wish  we,  their  denominational 
children,  were  worthy,  were  they 
now  among  us,  to  bo  their  valets. 
The  original,  cutting  illustration, 
the  ready,  sanctified  wit,  and  the 
powerful  and  well-sustained  appeal, 
all  show  these  loving,  zealous  fath- 
ers to  have  been  in  possession  of 
mental  strength  which  it  would  be 
an  honor  to  any  living  preacher  to 
covet.  This  mental  strength  and 
their  copious  inspiration  made  them 
good  and  great  preachers. 

This  earnest,  pointed,  yet  loving, 
gospel  is  just  what  the  world  at 
present  is  craving.  We  may  talk  of 
an  educated  ministry,  after  the 
mere  book  model ;  we  may  talk  of 
intelligent  congregations  wanting 
and  must  have  so-called  educated 
ministers,  when,  at  heart,  these 
«arae  intelligent  congregations  des- 
pise such  mean,  contemptible  time- 
«orving. 

That  man  is  the  true  friend  of 
l)Ook  learning,  who  ascribes  to  her 
nothinff  more  than    she    was    com- 

o 

missioned  to  do.  He  is  her  con- 
temptible flatterer,  wdio  persistent- 
ly tells  hor  she  can  do  what  she  has 
long  essayed  to  do,  but  failed  in  the 
attempt. 

Place  beside  the  most  fashionable 
and  attractive  church  edifice  in 
New  York  an  old  barn,  and  put  into 
it  a  plain,  unpretending,  intelligent 
man,  without  even  the  smell  of  col- 


lege fire  on  his  garments,  but  full  of 
the  apostolic  inspiration  and  zeal 
for  saving  souls,  and  at  the  same 
time  put  into  the  edifice  the  most 
fashionable  clergyman  of  the  land, 
with  a  doctorate  in  his  hat,  a  college 
diploma  in  one  pocket  and  a  theo- 
logical one  in  the  other,  and,  while 
the  plain  but  spiritual  man  shall 
win  his  thousands,  the  voice  that 
pronounces  the  polished  essays  of 
the  other  is  echoed  back  by  empty 
pews. 

The  people  cry,  not  for  theories, 
not  for  theological  hair-splitting, 
not  for  speculations  run  through 
the  fine  sieve  of  a  doctorated  pulpit, 
but  for  the  simple  gospel,  which  is 
*'the  power  of*  God  unto  salvation  to 
every  one  that  believeth." 

Morning  Star. 


<•»•■»- 


SIN  AND  FOLLY  OF  SCOLDING. 

^^Fret  not  thyself  to  do  evil.'' — 
Psalm  37  :  2. 

1.  It  is  a  sin  aoainst  God. — It 
is  evil  and  only  evil,  and  that  con- 
tinually. David  undm-stood  both 
human  nature  and  the  law  of  God. 
He  ^ays,  "Fret  not  th^'self  in  any 
wise  to  do  evil."  That  is,  never 
fret  or  scold,  for  it  is  always  a  sin. 
If  you  cannot  speak  Avithout  fretting 
or  scolding,  keep  silence. 

2.  It  Destroys  Affection. — No 
one  ever  did,  ever  can,  or  ever  will 
love  a  habitual  frettcr,  fault-finder, 
or  scolder.  Husbands,  children, 
wivo8»elatives,  or  domestics,  have 
no  affection  for  ])eevish,  fretful  fault- 
finders. Few  tears  are  shed  over 
the  graves  of  such.  Persons  of  high 
moral  principle  may  tolerate  them — 


SIN  AND  FOLLY  OF  SCOLDING. 


25 


may  bear  with  them.  But  they 
OÄTinot  love  them  more  than  the 
Pting  of  nettles,  or  the  noise  of  mos- 
quitoes. Many  a  man  has  been 
driven  to  the  tavern,  and  to  dissipa- 
tion, by  a  peevish,  fretful  wife.  Ma- 
ny a  wife  has  been  made  miserable 
by  a  peevish,  fretful  husband. 

3.  It  is  the  Baxe  of  Domestic 
Happiness. — A  fretful,  peevish,  com- 
plaining fault-finder  in  a  family, 
is  like  the  continual  chaffing  of  an 
inflamed  sore.  Woe  to  the  man, 
woman,  or  child  who  is  exposed 
to  the  influence  of  such  a  temper  in 
another.  Nine-tenths  of  all  domes- 
tic trials  and  unhappiness  spring 
from  this  source.  Mrs.  A.  is  of  this 
temperament.  She  wonders  her 
husband  is  not  more  fond  '^f  her 
company.  That  her  children  give 
her  so  much  trouble.  That  domes- 
tics do  BOt  like  to  work  for  her. 
That  she  cannot  secure  the  good-will 
of  young  people.  The  truth  is,  she 
i.s  peevish  and  fretful.  Children  fear 
her  and  do  not  love  her.  She  never 
gained  the  affections  of  a  young  per- 
son, nor  never  will,  till  she  leaves 
oö"  fretting. 

4.  It  Defeats  the  End  or  Fam- 
ily Government. — Good  family 
government  is  the  blending  author- 
ity with  affection,  so  as  to  secure 
respect  and  love.  Indeed,  it  is  the 
great  secret  of  managing  young 
])eople.  Now,  your  fretters  may 
inspire  fear,  but  they  always  make 
two  faults  where  they  correct  one. 
Scolding  at  a  child,  fretting  at  a 
child,  sneering  at  a  child,  t^^ting 
a  child,  treating  a  child  as  j^^ph  it 
had  no  feelings,  insttMS  cS^f  and 
dislike,  and  fosters  ^^B  veiy  di<i>po- 
sitions  from  whic^^Siany  of  the 
faults  of  childhood  proceed.     3Ir.  G. 


and  Mrs.  F.  are  of  this  class.  Their 
children  are  made  to  mind ;  but 
how  ?  Mrs.  F.  frets  and  scolds  her 
children.  She  is  severe  enough  up- 
on their  faults.  She  seems  to  watch 
them  in  order  to  find  fault.  Treats 
them  as  though  the}'  had  no  feelings. 
She  seldom  gives  them  a  command 
without  a  threat,  and  a  long- 
running,  fault-findin<T  commentarv. 
"When  she  chides,  it  is  not  done  in  a 
dignified  manner.  She  raises  her  voice, 
puts  on  a  cross  look,  threatens, 
strikes  them,  pinches  their  ears, 
snaps  their  heads,  etc.  The  chil- 
dren cry  out,  pout,  sulk  ;  and  poor 
Mrs.  F.  has  to  do  her  work  over 
pretty  often.  Then  she  will  find 
fault  with  her  husband,  because  he 
does  not  fall  in  with  her  ways,  or 
chime  with  her  as  chorus. 

5.  Fretting  and  Scolding  Make 
Hypocrites- — As  a  fretter  never  re- 
ceives confidence  and  affection,  so  no 
one  likes  to  tell  them  anything  dis- 
agreeable, and  thus  procure  for 
themselves  a  fretting.  Now,  chil- 
dren conceal  as  much  as  they  can 
from  such  persons.  They  cannot 
make  up  their  minds  to  be  frank 
and  open-hearted.  So  husbands  con- 
ceal from  their  wives,  wives  from 
their  husbands.  For  a  man  may 
brave  a  lion,  but  he  likes  not  to  come 
in  contact  with  nettles  and  mosqui- 
toes. 

6.  It  Destroys  One's  Peace  op 
Mind. — The  more  one  frets,  the 
more  he  may.  A  fretter  will  always 
have  enough  to  fret  at,  especially  if 
he  or  she  has  the  bump  of  order  and 
neatness  largely  developed.  Some- 
thing will  always  be  out  of  place. 
There  will  always  be  some  dirt  some- 
where. Others  will  not  eat  right, 
look  right,  tr.'I:  right.     And  frelters 


are  generally  bo  solfisn  as  to  \ui\ 


iWij!:i\xä.    for  a  113^  ono'scomfort  but 

< .  •  .      ■ .       ,1».  "  *.    •♦l'. 

ihoir  own. 

7.  It  is  a  Mabk  of  Vulgar  Bis- 
i'OäiTioN. — Soiiio  perhions  have  so 
miu'h  gall  in  their  diBpobition,  are  "so 
eellish;  that  they  have  no  regard  to 
the  feelings  of  otbert^.  All  things 
must  be  done  to  please  them.  They 
make  their  Lue^bands,  wives,  cbil- 
dron,  domeHticH,  the  conductors  by 
wlii^-h  their  epleen  and  ill-nature  are 
iselii^rged.  Woe  to  i)^^  (;'hildren 
Tvlio  are  exposed  to  their  influences. 
It  makes  tliem  cal^tts  and  unfeeli4;ig ; 
and  wli(  1!  I'^^y^^^^ip,  they  pur- 
sue the  same  couBFwith  their  own 


6)<rE  'WAi  Am)  '•!r*iiE'6TirRK. 

oi 


cii 


ildren.  or  those  intrusted  to   their 


"This  awful  green  wood !"  cried 
Sally,  who  until  now  had  been  doing 
ner  best ;  but  catching  her  mistress's 
tone,  she  quite  lost  her  temper. 

"The  wonder  is  breakfast's  got 
at  all,"  she  muttered;  while  her 
mistress  went  out,  and  little  Joe 
came  in  from  the  wood-house. 

"Tic  my  sÄoc,  Sally,"  said  he; 
"the  string  lias  tripped  me  np  aw- 
fully." 

*Ka^o  away,"  cried  Sally,  "and  not 
pester  me  at  breakfast  time." 

"Cross  creature!"  cried  little  Joe, 
pouting  and  pulling  off  his  shoe, 
which  for  mischief,  or  not  knowing 
what  else  to  do,  ho  swung  at  the 
cat   hipping   her    milk.     The     shoo 


management  j'^ridtlm^fth^  race  of  I  »^^^^^^e  eat  one  way  and  the  cap 
frctters  is  poi-petuated.  '.Any 'person  I  atiother,  and  the  milk  in  a  puddle, 
who  is  in  the  habit  of  fretting  or  I  '^'Yon  mischievous  puppy,"  cried 
sneering,  taunting,  husbands,  ^vives,  ^«^^T'  .^^ving  little  Joe  a  shake,  and 
children, or  doni^stics,shbws  Cifbef  a  |  sending  him  off  to  the  sitting-room, 
bad  disposition 'or  else  ill-breeding,  j  ^^^y  '^^  a  teiTible  pet,  fell  npon  his 
For  it  is  generally  ymir  ignorant  I  ^^ttle  sister,  who  was  playing  with  a 
low-bred  people  that   are  guilty  of  "^^^^7  ^^-^''^   ^^^^^^   ^^y  her  auntie 

gave  her,  making  it  bark  in  a 
wheecy  tone  no  real  dog  was  ever 
guilty  of. — "Give  it  to  me,"  cried 
Joe,    snatching  it   from  her   hand ; 


♦>uch  thin« 


ONE  WAY  AND  THE  OTHEE. 


"Father,"  «aid  a   woman   to    her]  whereupon  Susy  burst   into   an   an 
husband  one    morninfj,    "the    bov-s  £Ty  crv.     Joe's  mother  struck   him 


morning, 
'want  some  new  shoes." 

"Want,  want — always  wanting!" 
#;aid  the  man  in  a  cross  tone.  "I've 
gat  no  shoes;  if  you  want  thorn,  get 
them." 

"I  don't  know  who  should,  if  y/yu 


gry  cry 

for  it,  and  he  set  up  a  howl  equal  to 
any  young  cub  in  a  bear's  den  ;  so 
that  by  the  time  breakfast  was 
ready  the  family  sky  was  as  dark 
and  squally  as  it  could  well  be;  for 
crossness  iti  catching,   and   "the  bo- 


f'fln't/'  answered  the  wife,    catching  ginning  of  strife  is  as  when  one  Ict- 
the  spirit  of  her  husband;    and  the  teth  out  water." — Prov.  17:  -1. 
npirit  once    caught,  she    carried    it 
down  stairs  into  the  kitchen,  Avhere' 
hhe  quickly  saw  tliM<   l.r.  mI.  n.^i   \vas; 
in  a  backward  stai 

•^   lly,"  she  cried,    '\v]iy  in    Ihe 
.    :  ;s  not   br6u!w:i.?t   ro;i*Ij^^ 
mornings  are  long  enough." 


m 


THE   OTHER  WAY. 

cr,"  said  a^woman    to*  lu  • 
one    morning,    *'the  boy.s 
shoes." 

le  it  is  most   time," 

ll:'j    iiu->üai;d,   ").)U(.  T  ciin'o 

so  well  spare  the  money   Just    now 


hu 


want  som 
"Yes,  I 


one    m 
qflv  s 

8^^( 


A  CHAPTER  0:S  ECONOMIES. 


mder' if  I  could  not  black  th eta  •  piiss<,  as  sboii  äJ^  she  sa'-^  it,  btrebfed 
IvTip',  to  make  them  answers  her  tail  ai^d  backed '  up  her  baök, 
;  longer.     Let's  see  now."  Just   ready   for  a   fight ;  but  .pretty 

)o  not  trouble  yourself  ^vith  ^^on  she  ßa^  her  mistake,  and  ran 
1,  husband/' said  the  wife.  Let '^"^^r  the  table,  as  -if  afraid  to  be 
ry  and  see  what  a  gloss  I  can  l^^gl^e^i ''^t-  How  the  children  did 
m  them;  may  be  they'U  looki^ö^g^;  ^^<^  what  a  pleasant  break- 
)od  as  new;"  and  away  she ^^st  that  was,  where  kindness  was 
jed  down  stairs  into  the   kitch- 1  tbe  largest  dish  :  for  "pleasant  words 

j  are  as  a  honeycomb,  sweet  to  the  soul, 
allv,"  Bhc  said,  "you  are  a  little '^"•^^'^'''»'^  *<*  *'"'  l>oncs.::-Prov. 
ad  "in    breakfast,   but  I'll    help ;  ^^  =  24.-CÄM'«  Pa;,er. 

/•  No  wonder ;  the  green   wood  i ^^^ 

bles  you,  I'm  afi-aid." 
'lease  no,"  answers  Sally;  "I'll 
breakfast  on  the  table  in  a 
Lte;'I  and  Sally  stirs  about  with 
L*ful  briskness,  while  little  Joe 
?s  in  und  asks  to  have   tfis  'shoe 


§auth;^)  Peuartmrnt 


A  CHAPTER  ON  ECOITOMIES. 


n  a  moment,  deary/ 
:,  "-^hTle  I  run  down 
!    kii    ^'  vour    I 

^  •/' says  little  Joo  ;  '-lil 
^  you  some  beauties  /'  and  away 
pers*  the  little  boy,  who  soon 
;s  back  with  an  armful.  "There, 
/'^he  sayß,    "wont    that    hejp 


cries 


A  great  deficiency  in  the  manner 
of  educating  our  youth,  of  all  class- 
es, iß  in  the  neglect  of  imparting  to 
answers  j  ^jjem  ^  notion  of  the  true  value  of 
and  get  •  money. .  We  are  no  advocates  of 
i  wants  miserly  parsimony,  but  if .  tl^ero  be 
iinything  to  which  we  object  quite 
as  strenuously,  it  is  the  pains  which 
some  injudicious  parents  seem  to 
take  in  leading  their  families  to 
think,  like  Mr.  Toots,  that  "monej- 
is  of  no  consequence,  not  the  slight- 
est." Young  people's  whims  are  too 
readily  gratified.  One  would  think 
the  Americans  were  a  nation  of  men 
of  fixed  and  permanent  incomes, 
subject  to  no  reverses,  and  liable  to 
ussy's  had  her  breakfast,"  said  I  no  calamity.  W^  loiow  it  is  popu- 
"and  I'll  take  up  her   eup,   lest  ilarly  the  opinion  that  we  are  a  dol- 


Sally;  "now 
le  tie  your  shoe;"  and  while 
Iocs  it,  Joe  is  looking   at  pussy 


ing  milk 


body  should  step  on  it  and 
V  it.  Come  Pussy,  go  with  me,' 
:<-  r-aiTies  her  into    the 


lar-getting,  monej--getting  set.  .  But 
the  truth  is,  no  people    under    the 


ussy  Las  had 

i.id    to    sissy;  "'now    will    she 
voolly  dog  a  real    dog? 
lier.'*  Jjt^ 

"l^lnvthing,  a 


fitting-  sun  habitually   spend  their  mone^- 
before  Ikhe}'  get  it,   or  so   heedlessly 


her  breakfast/'  incur  business  liabilities,  without 
providing  the  means  of  meeting 
them.  In  that  is  the  reason  why 
we  seem  so  keen  for  bargains  and 
trade.     It  is  not  to  accumulate  readr 


>pi 


iurc   enough,  I  cash,  but   to    meet   threatening  de- 


€8 


A  CHAPTER  ON  ECONOMIES^ 


mands.     It  is  not    lovo    of   money, 
but  the  spur  of  ncccösity. 

Yoijngmcn  in  all  positions  of  life, 
treat  their  receipts  rr  if  tliey  were 
from  a  Tiever-failin^  Konrce.  As 
they  grow  older,  the  habit  does  not 
leave  them.  Few  have  any  idea  of 
the  possibility  of  supcrfluons  income. 
Whatever  they  receive,  they  must 
expend,  and  if  their  receipts  fall 
short  of  their  desires,  they  go  heed- 
lessly inte  debt,  trusting  to  chance 
or  speculation  to  retrieve  themselves. 
"Winter  comes  too  soon  for  almost 
every  one ;  and  the  sudden  suspen- 
sion of  employment  is  the  cause  of 
embarrassment,  sometimes  transient, 
often  hopeless.  It  should  be  the 
aim  of  every  young  man  to  keep 
clear  of  debt,  to  buy  nothing  which 
he  is  not  read}'^  to  pay  for,  and  to 
restrain  his  expenditures  within  his 
income.     Not  only  so,  but  a  portion 


its  and  good  credit.     So  in  the 
fessions.     When  a  young  man 
mences  he  is    not    supposed    t( 
rich,  and   if  he  affects  wealth  i 
style    of  living,  and     amusem 
the     sham     deceives     nobody 
himself      Money    is    so    good 
useful    a    servant,     uncomplai 
and  paying  instead    of   deman 
wages,  that  it  is  a  marvel  how 
people    prize   so    efficient  a    "c 
waiter." 

If  the  young  tradesman  or 
chanic,  who  throws  away  liis  v 
in  needless  and  expensive  f 
and  excursions,  and  mames 
young  woman  as  foolish  as  hii 
whom  he  meets  in  his  senseles? 
landeriug,  would  thinlc  of^he  \ 
he  will  need  to  cover  his  ma 
head,  he  might  begin  life  with 
fort  and  comparative  independ 
It  is  a  serious  undertaking  to   1 


-no  matter  how   little,   if  it    be  as  house.     But   one  hundred,   or 


or  even  thirty  dollars,  annual   i 
est,  w^ould  be  a  great  aid    in 
insT  his  house  rent.     The  man 


much  as  yon  can  decently  spare — 
»hould  be  laid  aside,  and  so  invested 
Äi«i  to  bear  interest.  If,  in  all  ranks 
of  life,  this  were  the  custom,  the  i  by  the  time  he  has  reached  man 
price  of  money  could  be  left,  safely  j  able  age,  has  not  collected  at 
to  regulate  itself  There  would  be  |  the  sum  represented  by  the  sm 
no  need  of  usury  laws,  for  the  dis- 1  annual  income  above  named, 
tress  which  gives  the  opportunity! fit  to  take  the  responsibility 
to  extortioners,  would  bo  less  fre- 1  household.  Let  the  habit  of  c 
♦picnt  and  less  urgent.  I  my  once  be  formed,  and  the   a 

Ifthe  young  clerk,  for  instance,!  tagcs  and  fruits  of  it  are  sure  i 
who  spends  all  his  salary,  and  still  increased  yearly. 
complains  that  he  is  underpaid, 
would  lay  aside  only  a  hundred  dol- 
lars, that  would  be  equivalent  to  an  for  the  future  should  be  stc 
iiicrea.se  for  the  next  year  to  the  kept  in  view  by  everybody 
amount  of  the  interest.  i  the  duty  of  making  it  cannot  b 

The  same  sum,  or    more^^   in    the  gun  to  early.     It  is  not  the  ra^ 
next  year,  and    so  on  till    he    werelof  capitalists  that  causes  large 
ready  to  enter  business,   would   if  it  to  accumulate  in  comparatlveb 
did  not  amount  to  sufficient   money! hands.     The  indifference   and 
capital,  at  lea?:  giv:  ].'.:n  good  hab-|lessness  of  the.  great    mass    oJ 


The  same  rule  will  apply  to 
whose  salaries  are  large.     Pro' 


QUERIES.— THE  OLD  TEAE  AXD  THE  NEW. 


29 


community  creates  the  disparity. 
S^obody  should  be  satisfied  to  live 
rom  hand  to  month.  A'oluntaiy 
elf-denial,  with  a  hopeful  eye  to  the 
'uture,  is  a  pleasure.  Forced  pov- 
erty, with  reproachful  memories  of 
he  past,  is  a  punishment.  There  is 
'oom  and  opportunity  sufficient 
or  healthful  and  i-ational  recreation, 
nthout  improvidence.  Those  who 
)re8erve  their  independence  by  pru- 
lent  economy,  keep  their  comfort 
n  their  own  power.  Those  who  de- 
icht in  expensive  and  noisy  shows, 
!nd  presently  that  hunger  is  no 
ihame,  and  debt  is  a  troublesome 
md  most  impertinent  reality. — 
Philadelphia  Xorth  American. 


himselfthatheisthe  Alpha  and  th« 
Omega,  that  is,  the  beginning  and 
the  end,  or  the  first  and  the  last,  as 
he  explains  it,  he  designs  to  set  befor* 
us  the  greatness  of  his  character, 
that  we  may  have  confidence  in  him, 
and  rely  upon  him,  and  put  our  trust 
in  him.  He  is  the  beginning,  as  "All 
things  were  made  by  him."  John 
1 :  3.  And  he  is  the  end,  as  "Hd 
must  reign  till  he  hath  put  all  ene- 
mies under  hi«?  feet."  1  Cor.  15  :  25. 
That  is,  all  things  shall  be  brought 
to  the  end  or  point  that  his  will 
requires. 


IcHlg 


An  Explanation  of  Rev.  21 :  6. 

^  Dear  Editoi*s  of  the  Gospel  Visi- 
tor :  I  have  been  requested  by  a 
friend  to  ask  3-our  views  of  Eev.  21  : 
5.  If  you  feel  free  to  give  your  views 
through  the  Visitor,  do  so,  or  if  you 
prefer  to  give  them  in  a  private  way, 
this  will  be  acceptable.  We  are  all 
iWell  at  this  time  and  \\o\)Q  these  lines 
will  find  you  enjoying  the  same 
-ing.  AVe  desire  to  be  one  with 
i.  .  in  the  Lord. 
I  E.     H. 

Answer. — The  passage  referred  to, 

eeads  as  follows  :  "And  he  said  unto 

be,  it  is  done.      I  am    Alpha    and 

Jniega,  the  beginning  and  the  end. 

v/illgive  unto  him  that  is  athirst 

)f  tlie  fountain  of  the  water  of  life 

reely."     Alpha  is  the  first  letter  of 

he  Greek  alphabet,  and  Omega  the 

letter,  and  they  are  used    pro- 

erbially  for  the  beginning  and  the 

nd.     And  when  our  Lord  says  of 


For   the  Visitor. 

THE  OLD  YEAR  AND  THE  NEW. 

Fifty-nine,  i?  also  numHcrccl. 
With  the  years,  beyond  the  flood, 
And  in  the  srreat  book  of  record,«, 
Stflnd  its  nets  both  bad  nnd  good  ; 
Acts  I  ine.*»n  of  all  the  dwellers, 
On  this  great,  terrestrial  ball; 
In  its  pxge?,  all  recorded. 
And  by  them  we  stand  or  fall. 

0  !  how  swiftly  it  baa  g'lided, 
Like  a  dream,  bos  pnssed  .iway  ; — 
Borne  us  all.  upon  its  bosom  ; 
Landed  some,  in  endless  day  : 
Bat  alas  !  How  many  wretches. 
Have  been  sunk,  in  endless  wo, 
Since  the   last  New  Year  was  ushered, 
Into  birth  twelve  months  ago. 

On  life's  Sea,  their  bai-que  was  stranded, 
Dnshed  against  the  rocks  of  sin, 
Their  immortal  spirits,  landed, 
Where  no  gleam  of  hope,  comes  in. 
But  we  turn,  to  greet  the  New  Year, 
Bid  him  welcome,  ns  we  should; 
And  when  finished  is  his  record, 
May  our  actions,  all  be  good.  , 

Welcome  eighteen  hundred  sixty, 
Welcome  to  our  mundane  shore, 
0  may  peace,  and  plenty,  crown  thee. 
And  good  deeds,  be  numbered  o'er. 
Usher  in  with  joy,  and  gladress. 


30 


PERSONAL. 


Bring  the  humble  poor,  relief; 
Give  them  joy,  iristead  of  sadness; 
From   their  breasts  remove    nil  grief. 

May  they  all  be  filled  \rlth  eomfort, 
And  their  woes,  be  all  forgot; 
£3ch  ODo  find  in    Chriit  the    Savior, 
A  true  friend,    that    changcth    nut. 
Muny  Oh;  how  very  many, 
Sliull  bo   called   upon  to  die, 
Ere  thou  tnk'st  thy    noleran    exit; — 
Millions^  cold  in  death  shall   lie. 

And  we  know  not  but  the    summons, 
Shill  bescnt  to    you,    and  I ; 
Let  us  strive,  to  rond  our  title, 
(?lear  to  mansions,  in  the  sV.y ; 
Then  to  death  wc  bid  dctianco. 
For  he  c4l  no  terrors  bring. 
Shout,  t>h  grave,  where  is  thy  victTy, 
And  oh  deoith,  where  is  thy  sting  ? 

L.     T. 


|3 1^  r  f3  c  n  a  I 


Dear  Brethren  and  Editors  of  the  öocT^el 
Visitor: — Permit  me  to  give  you  a  phort  bis- 
tori-Mil  jiccount  of  our  dcnr  f-ifter  RACHEL 
consort  of  our  brother  nnd  El<ler    Philip    Boyle. 

Slie  (lied  at  her  hupband's  residence,  nenr 
Kew  Windsor,  in  Carroll  County  Md.  on  the 
night  of  the  15th.  of  September  'lS59.  On  the 
21st.  of  .Tune  la.>'t,  she  wns  nttnrked  with  para- 
lyses, from  which  fhe  only  partially  reeovercd  ; 
and  in  that  impüired  condition  of  healtli,  with 
orcnf^i(in;il  ]t!U-oxysmsi  of  indisposition,  ehe  con- 
tinued until  the  morning  of  the  18th.  of  Sep- 
tember; when  she  was  jiff.'iin  attacked  with  par- 
alyses, wli ich  terminated  in  death. 

From  the  1>äl«  of  her  first  attack  up  to  the 
time  of  lier  death  there  was  every  necessary 
attention  shown,  on  the  pnrt  of  her  regular 
Physician  and  friend  Dr.  E.  L.  Brown.  She 
also  received  nccnpional  visits  by  our  brother 
Dr.  E.  J.  Coek,  J'oth  of  New  Windsor:  notwith- 
standing every  thing  was  done  tbat  Physicians 
nnd  friends  coul.l  do.  her  physical  power.s  at 
length  gave  way.  when  she  fell  nslcop  in  .Jesus. 
Soin»;  five  weeks  from  the  time  of  her  first  attack 
she  hsd  so  far  recovered  as  to  be  able  to  ride 
out,  nnd  slie  was  pertuitted  (in  connection  with 
her  Imftband,)  to  make  a  consideralile  number 
of  visits  among  her  Brethren  and  friends;  in  so 
doing  she  seemed  more  cheerful  than  could 
hove  been  looked  for ;  yet.  she  frequently  inti- 
mated that  fhe  would  not  be  here  long;  in  the 
mean  time  she  fnviuenlly  spoke  to  her  husband, 
in  order  to  comfort  him.  hoping,  the  Lord  would 
through  the  sympntbies  of  her  friends  provide 
n  way  for  him.  She  also  admonisheil  Inui  to 
be  faithful,  and  if  so,  t;he  hoped  to  meet  him  iu 
heaven. 

Her  father  .Jacob  Zimmerman,  was  a  citizen 
of  M<mtgompry  Co,  Pa.,  be  intermarried  with 
Catharine  Stem,  also,  of  the  same  Crtunty.  I 
here  give   you  a  copy    of  a  certificate   in  manu- 


script, found  in  the  possession  of  our  decease 
sister,  nnd  shown  me  by  her  husband  since  he 
death,  which  reads  as  follows, 

"Philadelphia  June  6th.  1782. 
Then  Jacob  Zimmerman  and  Caty  Stem  wer 
joined  together  in  Holy   Matrimony  by   me 

ElUANAX  Wl>fCIIESTEn, 

Minister  of  the  Baptist  church.' 
Her  father  and  mother  were  both  of  Germa; 
ance^t^y.  He  bad  imbibed  the  religious  senli 
ments  of  the  .Mcnnonitcs ;  and  she,  those  of  th 
Brethren.  They  had  eleven  children  ;  four  son* 
and  seven  dnut;liters;  the  sultjcct  (dlhis  historj 
being  their  second  child  :  their  first  born  die« 
iu  her  childhood.  Jacob  Zimmerman  died  o; 
the  19th.  of  April  in  the  year  1811.  in  the  fiOil 
year  of  his  age.  A  few  years  after  his  deatli 
bis  widow  and  the  ten  children  then  livin 
moved  from  Montgomery  Co.  Pa.  to  Fred 
erick  Co.  Md.  where  they  nil  remained  unti 
after  her  death,  which  (»ccurred  on  th  liOth.  div 
of  May  in  the  year  1827,  after  which  her  son 
Natbiin  and  David  moved  to  Harrison  Co.  Inc 
and  her  daughters  Nancy,  Mary  and  Eli/.;:bet 
moved  to  Crawford  and  Seneca  Counties  Ohic 
where  her  youngest  son  John  Zimmerman,  als 
moved  in  the  year  1838,  the  rest  of  her  childre 
remained  in  Maryland. 

Rachel  the  subject  of  this  history,  was  bor 
in  Lower  Providence  township,  Montgomer 
Co.  Pa.,  on  the  17th  day  of  October,  in  the  yen 
178-1.  She  was  united  with  our  brother  Pliili 
Boyle,  in  the  ties  of  Holy  Matriraonv,  by  Eldc 
i  Davit!  Englar,  on  the  12th.  day  of  April,  in  th 
i  year  IS.Sö. 

{  Having  been  brought  "up  in  the  n«rture  an 
j  ndmonUinn  of  the  Lord"  she  was  led  to  seel 
and  found  the  comforts  of  the  religion  ofJeso! 
which  proved  to  bo  a  strong  consolation  to  he 
I  soul,  especially,  at  the  time  her  disease  assume 
I  a  fatal  aspect. 

j      On  the  second  day  after   her  death   her   rcl« 
I  tive.-   and    friends    met    according  to    arrange 
i  ment.  and  before  leaving  the  house  they   unite 
I  in  singing  several  verses,  from  the  hyma    fmui 
I  on  page   PI,   of  our   collcetiou.     "Dear  friend 
{farewell,  I  go  to  dwell"  Ac. 
I      The  singing  was  followed    by   some   very   ay 
propriate  and  iecliug  remarks  by   our   aged  an 
lovinir  brother  and    Elder  Jacob    Saylor.    nft< 
I  which  the  corpse  was  cunveyeil,    and    coiisigne 
j  to  it,s  resting  place,   in    the   Brethren's   burvi'n 
;  ground,  attached  to  their  meeting  house  at  Pi 
1  Creek.     The  weather    (\n    this   region)    on   tl 
day    being     rainy    and    very  tempestuons  :  t 
I  relatives  and  friends  present,  were   dismissed 
I  the  grave,    with    the    intention    of  meeting 
I  some  other  day,  in  order   to  att«ud   to    the  r 
,  maining  exercises  connected    with    ber   fnnera 
nnd  According  to  nrrnrtgement  the  relatives   ai 
i  friends    mot  on     .Siil)bath   morning    the  i)t!i 
:  October,  at  the  aforesaid  nuM!ting  bouse,    the  o 
!  CH«ion  was  improved  by   Elder   Jesse  Roop, 
'singing  the  hymn  found  on  page  150, 
I  "Lord,  we  conie  before  thee  now, 

j  At  thy  feet  we  humbly  bow"  Ac. 

}  Which  was  followed  by  prayer,  and  some  u 
ipressive  remarks  founded  on  John  7  :  10 
I ''My  doctrine  is  not  mine,  but  bis  that  sent  i 
If  any  man  will  do  bis  will,  he  shall  know 
!  the  doctrine,  whether  it  be  of  God,  or  whctl 
i  I  speak  of  myself."  Which  were  followed 
j  singing  the  tl'rec  Inst  stanzas  of  the  hymn  fou 
jon  page  243,  beginning  with  the  4th. 


CONTEIBÜTIONS  &c.— TO  OUE  EEADEES. 


31 


"pÄrewell,  vain  amusements,  my  follies  adieu 

While  Jesus,  and  heaven,  and  glory  I  view  <kc. 
The  exercises  were  then  closed  by  prayer. — - 
Our  dear  Brethren  David  Hor«;t  »t)d  Mosee 
Miller  from  Cumberland  Co.  Pa.  Ifcv'iiig  come 
among  us.  on  a  visit  of  lovo,  in  oröfh*^  to  attend 
some  several  communion  meetings',  and  other 
appointments,  were  present,  and  also  took  a 
part  in  the  exerci.«es. 

It  h.i.«  wont  hard  with  our  brother  to  consent 
to  the  idea  of  having  his  companion  taken  from 
him.  and  of  having  her  body  con?igncd  to  the 
grave;  and  although  (to  him  in  his  lonely  con- 
dition,) it  is  a  hard  stroke  :  yet  he  ha^  tried  to 
bow  with  humble  resignation  to  the  will  of  our 
Heavanly  Father,  comfortinj*'himself  with  the 
lively  h'^'pe  of  meeting  her,  who  has  hert  been 
the  companion  of  his  joys  and  of  his  sorrows, 
there,  in  that  world  which  lies  beyond  the  con- 
fines ofs:inand  temptations,  where  there  will 
be  no  sicknc??,  nor  sorrow,  no  pain  nor  death, 
and  where  parting  will  be  no  more. 

Should  you  after  reading  this,  think  it  worthy 
of  a  place  in  the  Visitor,  it  is  optional  with  you 
(as  in  every  case,)  to  publish  it,  or  not: — should 
you  publish  ir,  it  may  prove  fo  be  a  satisfaction 
to  many  of  her  friends,  with  whom  she  has  en- 
joyed sweet  intercourse,  but.  from  whom  in  her 
atiiiction  and  in  her  dcnth    »he    was    separated. 

I  remain  yours  in  the  gospel. 

«     *    •» 


j  The  sum  needed  when  the  appeal 
;  was  made,  was  $144,00 

Toward  the  liquidation  of  which 
sum  we  have  received  67,17 


So  there  is  still  needed  the 
sum  of  7r3,83 

or  if  those  ten  Dollars  sent  by 
Joseph  Kelso,  should  yet  come 
to  hand,  the  sum  would  be  re- 
duced to  866,83. 

P.  S.  ^^'Jnst  as.this  was  goinn;  to 
press,  we  received  a  letter  from  br. 
Samuel  Garber,  in  which  is  stated, 
that  the  church  under  his  care  in 
Illinois  is  not  willing,  that  he  should 
pay  any  part  of  so  unjust  a  d'  bt, 
and  that  this  church"  will  make  up 
all  that  may  be  wanting  by  next 
Pentecost.  Brethren  Avishing  to  do 
something  in  this  case,  must  there- 
fore do  it  soon. 


Ccrntrihitionri 

To  the  Relief  of  brother  Samuel  Gar- 
ber of  Illinois,  for  liabilities  incurred 
in  Tennessee  by  preaching  the  Gospel. 

Reported  in  last  >Tov.  ^o.  36.65 

From  Jacob  Miller  Portage 

Prairie,  Ind.  1,75 

"  Jacob  Kurtz  Wayne  Co.  O.  5,00 

"  a  few  members  of  Colum- 
biana, O.  5,CP 

"  Joseph  Smutz   Pennsville, 
Pa.  1,02 

"  Peter  Long  Perry  Co.  Pa.    3,00 
Joseph  Kelso  says,  he  sent 
us  810,  which  never  came  to 
hand  as  yet. 

^^  Isaac  Studebaker  Miami   Co.  O. 
deducting  Express  charges   4,75 

*'  Daniel  Shivelv  Elkhart'Co. 
Ind.  "  8,50 

"  Henry  Brumbaugh  Portage 
Co.  O.  1,50 


67,17 
Of  this  sum  was  paid  by  draft 
to  M.  M.  Bowman  in  Tennessee, . 
^    as  "g  receipt  40,00 


Remains  in  our  hands 


27,1' 


TO  OUR  READERS. 

The  late  appearanco  of  »this  Xo. 
requires  some  explanation.  Desjg^^ 
rous  to  do  all  we  could  to  make  ^^|k 
Visitor  acceptable  to  its  readers,  ^^^^ 
\  contemplated  to  procure  NeAv  typo 
for  the  same  with  the  commence- 
jment  of  this  volume.  Had  VvC 
'known  at  the  end  of  October,  what 
I  kind  of  support  we  might  expect, 
;  this  Xo.  would  have  been  issued  in 
:  due  time.  But  even  Jifter  waiting 
I  till  the  beginning  of  December,  Ave 
I  had  to  procure  new  t3']:>e,  not  knoAV- 
iing,  whether  Ave  Avould  be  sustained 
by  our  friends  in  the  heavy  expense 
thus  incurred,  Avhich  with  the  ncAV 
prees  we  obtained  in  spring  amounts 
to  no  less  than  Five  hundred  Dollf.rs 
|in  less  than  a  year.  We  hope  our 
j  friends  will  be  pleased  with  the  im- 
jproA^ements  made  and  still  making, 
i  and  that  they  Avill  try  by  extending 
'the  circulation  of  the  Visitor  to  in- 
demnify us,  and  as  Ave  will  still  cn- 
deaA^or,  to  improve  the  character 
of  the  Visitor  by  being  more  cavi- 
tious  and  select  in  the  choice  of  ar- 
ticles published,  and  making  it  as 
unexceptionable  as  possible,  we  trust 
the  Visitor  may  not  only  retain  all 
its  OLD  patrons,  but   obtain   such   a 


32 


OBITr  AEIES. 


number  of  NEW  friends,  as  to  brin«; 
the  Visitor  to  every  house  in  our 
brotherhood,  and  to  every  true 
I'riend  of  pure  Gospel  truth. 

if^^In  order  to  önd  out  80on, 
whether  there  was  any  letter  lost, 
wo  shall  send  the  January  No.  on- 
ly to  tliose,  who  have  ordered  the 
Visitor.*©« 

OBITUARIES. 

Died  near  Dayton,  Mootfrntncrv  co.  0.  June 
8,  ISoy.  Urothcr  JOSEl'J'  .  VGKU,  .aged  30 
years.  5  luonth.«»  and  IS  df*  \ud  November  17, 
Sitter  OLINGEll.  the  widw*  of  tUv  -'lid  Joseph 
dinger,  aged  A^  years,  ß  nv  —  •  -id  8  days, 
lioil;  ilied  ()l'dys])opsia.    {o\\<  y  onaump- 

tioii.     Tlic  last  WiM  a  dau^ht  h     Ni8«ly 

ne:tr  Sulem,  and  both  were  ^i .  I  ibers    in 

th«i  «•hurcdi.     They  resided    in  ur    Creek 

church,  and  left  three  small  cli' 

I  Hod  in  Bijr  Creek  Congregau  .•  V»  .^vno  Co. 
Illiiu.i..  January  1,  1S59  Brother  ADA»  lOSH, 
a.Cfd  58  years.  Vuneral  servicc'anby  ELl.  Jo- 
eej'h  Emniort  and  Forney  on  1  Cüi|'i>.»- 22,  23. 

Died  in  Mount  Morris.    Ogle    co,.  .    No- 

vember 16,  1859,  SAMUEL  M.   U.  'CO 

yeiirs,  10  months  and  24  davs.  L.  ...  cry 
len;:;tliy  obituary  in  a  paper  sent  us  we  jierceive, 
thiit  he  wfts  a  prominent  man  and  citieen  in  his 
county,  highly  respected  by  all.  He  was  also 
one  oi'  the  early  friends  and  constant  supporter- 
of  !!.e  (tospel-Visitor.     May  he  rest  in   r  " 

]>ied  in  Ikaverdam  Church  Fred.  co.  ^^  4ay 
y,  1.-59  sistor  CASSANDRA  C11ÜM,  wifc^  ){  br. 
Frederic  Crum,  aged  .39  yrs.  7  mo.  and  ?.  tys  ; 
and  on  Sep.  25th.  Sister  MARTHA  P  Ch  M, 
on!v  daughter  of  the  bereaved  br.  FVedc  ">ck 
Cr. I  Ml,  aged  16  years,  2  months  and  20  days. 
B(il.  case«  of  typhoid  fever.  When  br.  Crum's 
coiiiiinnion  had  left  him,  he  comforted  himself 
witli  his  daughter  to  assist  in  raising  his  family 
(5  lioys  and  some  small  yet;)  bnt  alas!  the 
Lord  says,  "My  ways  are  not  your  ways,  nor  my 
tho.ights  your  thoughts."  13ntA  few  months 
rollM  aronn«!  until  his  comforts  had  lied,  an«:^ 
M;i)  tha  bi'.l  him  farewell  also,  and  our  dear 
br'  .ler  i.'?  left  alone  with  his  boys  to  travel  the 
iou_'i  journey  of  this  life;  but  ho  need  not  sor- 
ro^^  ;i>  those  that  have  no  hope,  for  they  were 
fai'hful  sisters,  and  when  being  anointed  in 
thi  Dimcof  the  Lord,  the}'  both  expressed  them- 
pel'.  ( .'^  fully  resigned  to  the  will  of  the  Lord,  and 
xt'Vh  ii  hope  of  an  everblessed  immortality  with 
(iod  and  bis  Christ  for  ever  more. 

J.      G. 

D:m1   in    Stillwater   church,    Miami   co.    Ohio 
nbcr  25,  1S59    Sister  ELIZABETH  DEE- 
ii       .    ged    72    ycjirs,  1    month    and    24    days, 
b-  '"'k  with  the  palsy  a  few  days    before 

1.  ■^>cechless  till  deatli.     But  slio  had 

Im  .htlr  of  the  church  for  about  40  years,  t 

aii<.  .1  wuiuw  of  Abraham  Deeter,  win»  died  about  | 
9  \  ;•).- ago  at  the  age  of  7"  years  and  16  days.  I 
Tl  t  .".{.x  children  living  are  all  but  one  mom-  ; 
bers  fd  I  lie  church.  ''  I 

J)ir.lin  Woodcock  Valley.  Hun.  i^^on  Co.  I 
Pu.  Oct.  15th.  1859,  ABRAHAM  Be  .VEKS,  | 
«gcd  7  5  years,  7  months  and  8  days.  1 


Died  same  place,  Nov.  4,  1859,  sister  BAR- 
BARA BRUMBAUGH,  consort  of  br.  David 
Brumbaugh,  «gcd  73  years,  7  mouths  and  2  8 
days.  She  wiis  a  sister  of  the  above.  Her 
«otrowa  here  aro  now  ended,  and  Death,  the 
Chi istians  portal  of  Eternal  day,  has  released 
the  huppy  spirit,  to  ba>k  forever  in  the  smiles 
of  Jesus,  and  the  sunlight  of  that  Celestial 
world. 

Died  in  Lancaster  Co.  Pa.  Oct.  27,  1S.J9, 
BENJAMIN  BEAR,  aged  74  years,  10  months 
nud  1  day.  It  will  be  joy,  tor  those  of  big 
daughter«  who  were  not  present  at  his  depar- 
turo,  to  meet  him  again  upon  the  sunny  shores 
of  deliverance,  where  all  our  sorrows  will  bo 
turned  to  rejoicing  and  we  shall  live  in  endles« 
day. 

'•Is  that  a  Daath-l)od.  where  the  christiax  lies  ? 
Yes  !— But  not  At«!  'Tis  death  itself  Mere  dies." 

Bt»KLr.s. 
Fell  asleep  in  Christ  in  Douelds  Creek  church, 

Clark  CO.     Ohio    a  short    time    ago    Sister 

FUNDERBURG,  wife  ofbrother  Jacob  Funder- 
burg,  aged  80  years,  11  mouths  and  2  days. 
She  had  been  a  member  of  the  church  for  many 
years.  Funeral  services  by  br.  John  Frantz  and 
the  writer  on  1  Cor.  15  :  57. 

"While  suffering  was  her  lot  below, 
And  sorrow  oft  to  her  wag  near, 
She  never  now  can  sorrow  know, 
Ne'er  feel  a  pain  or  shed  a  tear. 
Farewell,  dear  mother,  thou  hast  past 

From  suff'ring  earth  to  realm»  of  lore. 
Our  Father  grant,  that  we  at  last 
May  join  with  you  in  bliss  above. 

D.  S. 
Died  in  Miami  Co.  Ohio  Movember  22,  SU- 
."ANNA  HOOVER,  daughter  of  Emanuel  and 
4^  \chel  Hoover,  aged  8  yeiirs,  6  months  «nd  20 
days.  Disease;  Putrid  sore  throat.  Funeral 
services  by  John  Cable  and  Joseph  Risser  on 
xMatt.  18  :  1—6 

Died  in  the  same  place  November  25,  MARY 
I'OOVER,  daughter  of  the  same  parents,  and  of 
s.  ne  disease,  aged  7  years  and  9  days.  Fu- 
n  ial  Text  I  Cor.  15  :  50.  The  parents  with 
t'  remaining  2  sons  and  3  daughters  mourn 
tl    ir  loss. 

-i  ^>ied  in  Duncansville  Coneregation.  B[air  Co. 
-.;  Oct  29,  1S59  sister  NANCY  DAVIS  wife  of 
jl  iam  Davis,  age  not  given.  Her  death  was 
vjl  sudden;  she  was  a  prominent  sister  in  the 
en  ch,  loved  by  all.  She  left  no  children,  but 
hi*^  md  and  many  friends  to  mourn  their  loss, 
butJTUsted  their  loss  is  her  great  gain. 

,  J.    S.    BURKHART. 

Died  in  Butler  Co.  Iowa  November  17,  1859 
ISAAC  MOSS,  oldest  son  of  br.  John  and  sister 
Martha  \nn  Moss.  He  was  about  eight  yeara 
of  age;  iu  äj  death  of  this  young  son  we  have 
a solemÄlln<\i3  all.  warning 

,„  J.     T.     I. 

Died  in  Bodetourt  co;  Virginia  November  28. 
Sister  CATHARINE  NAFFSINGER,  wife  of 
David  Naff.iingcr,  aged  about  57  years.  She 
leaves  a  kind  husband  and  eight  children  with 
many  friends  to  mourn  their  loss,  though  we 
sorrow  not  as  those  that  have  no  hope.  Funeral 
discourse  from  the  latter  pjirt  of  the  12th  verso 
in  the  4thchapt.  of  the  prophecies  of  Amos  by 
the  writer 

Petkr  Ni5i.xobr. 


NEW  EDITION 


OF  OUR 


L 


AVe  are  now  able  to  furnish  Hyma- 
books  either  by  express  or  mail  at  the 
shortest  notice,  and  shall  gladly  fill  large 
or  small  orders  accompanied  by  the 
cash,  as  we  iiave  been  under  heavy  ex- 
pense, and  several  hundred  dollars  are 
to  be  paid  this  month  (June)  to  the  ßin- 
ders. 

By  mail  we  shall  send  One  Dozen  sin- 
gle for  $-3  40  Cents   postpaid,    wljich  is 
now    required  by  law.     By  Express  we 
send  ünejjundred  single  Hymnbooks  for 
$25,00,     furnishing  the     box,    but    the 
freight   to    be     paid    by    the     Receiver. 
Double    Hymnbooks   (german    and  ' 
lish)    are  counted  double,    6    Co. 
one  Dozen,  &^.     The  books  ale  gi 
in  superior  style,   and  will   please  evr- 
the  most  fastidious.     Please,  send  Oi- 
Eooa   to  the  Publisher, 

Hexry  Kcrtz, 

Columbiana.  O. 
We  are  fffquently  asked  to  send  some 
Dozens  of  our  Hymnbooks  on  commis- 
sion to  friends  and  correspon  '  i 
even  our  agents,  and  we  I  ^' 
would  distribute  an  entire  edition  in 
this  way  in  a  very  s'lort  time,  and-^rob- 
ably  would  not  have  to  wait  for  thS^noo 
ey  very  long  from  the  greatest  poitio  , 
of  those  w/io  ordered  them.  But  as  we 
have  on  our  books  some,  who  owe  us  in 
this  way  for  years  already,  and  ?h  the 
paper,  printing,  and  binding  *  «quires 
casli-payments  of  us,  amounting  '^  hun- 
dreds of  dollars,  and  as  we  have"^*?  pre- 
pay 36  Cents  postage  for  every«  "'  ;en 
of  Hymnbooks.  sent  by  mail,  ;  ''  feel 
compelled  henceforth  to  insist  u'  •.  the 
Cash-system.  It  is  btst  all  aroi  j^*  ;  for 
tha  seller,  the  agent,  and  the  bj  ,.^r.  It 
saves  us  from  a  great  deal  of  t^-tible  in 
keeping  accounts,  sending  receipts  Äcc. 
and  the  way  we  will  propose  presently, 
will  save  elso  tie  agents  ^' pd  buyers 
from  rifk  and  losses. 

'i'he  belter  way  we  w^  i^propose,  is 
this:  If  a  friend  perceives  a  -vantof  Hymn- 
bDoks,  let  him  offer  hims^fto  those  who 
v/ant  books  as  agent,  ipake  a  subscrip- 
tion list,  where  he  notes  down  every 
name  and  tfie  number  of  books  wanted 
and  the  money  received  from  every  sub- 
scriber at  the  rate  of  30  Cts  for  single 
or  60  Cts  double  copy  common  binding. 
This  list  he  keeps,  and  sends  us  only  the 
^vhole  No.  of  books  wanted,  and  the 
amount   of  monev  due  for  them.     And 


when  they  came  OD,  he  has  n< 
do  lut  to  distribute  them.  No 
begrudge  him  the  two  Cents,  t 
has  to  pay  more,  than  we  v.  i 
the  book,  astheagent  will  hav< 
pay  the  postage  for  his  letter, 
trouble  of  obtaining  the  subs 
and  distributing  the  books. 

N  B.  We  deem  it  best  and 
to  send  Hymnbooks  by  mail,  ; 
Express,  as  the  latter  charge 
but  recollec'7  that  we  mui 
Postapre. 


t    lor 

pre- 
;     the 


I  by 

r:{üy 


pl^ARY  NOTK 

-'  >  The 


^•^I'lFiC    AMEIlit;.. 


iif         )Iishers  of   this    wi't;;:    c 
3d   -^    d    popular    ilhistrattJ      ■^■~ 
■  <.'.     of  mechanics  and  scicno?. 
that  it    will  be  enlarge' 
July,  and  otheririse  g;- 
pruvtd,  containing  sixteen  pr{,.  i  .. 
ofeight,    the   present    size,    which 
make  it  the  largest  and    cherpest  s 
♦ific  journal  in    the  world  ;  i      --^    'I: 
^^^  journal  of  its  class  that  I        •  \  ^ 
-eded  in   this   country,    ; 
'  character  for  authority    i: 
of  mechanics,     scicnc»    9d  !    the 
which     is     not  excelled   br    any 
journal  pu^lislied  in    this   c   nntv} 
Euope.     Although    tbe    pu^;L--.?' 
incur  an    increased    ex  pens 
a  year  hy  this    enlargement 
determined     not  to   raise  tii« 
subscription,  relying  upon  t' 
to    indemnify     them   in    thi? 
expenditure,  by     a     corresp 
crease    of   subscribers.        Ft 
year    or  10  copies    for  $15. 
copies    of  the    paper    with 
of  information   to    inventor 
gratis,  by    mail,    on    applicr^ 
publishers. 

MÜNN&  Co.  No".  37 
New 

Hon.  .Tudge  Mason  oflf  • 

himself  so   popular  ' 

of  the  Country    while  ..t  he'd  thf 

of  Commissioner    ft    Paf«^    ^    ^ 

learn,    associate!   himst'i 

(^o.  at  the    Scientitlc     Ai 

,^/>;:jrVork. — 


wi: 

rien 

n- 


pa. 
fur 


ROSPECTUS 

OP 


THE  GiSPlL  fISlfii 

FOR  THE  YEAR  1860,    VOL  A. 


■  o   werk    will    be    the 
..le  Ai  ii  4iä^    i.erctofore  been,  namely, 
'    ;   nlvocauy  of  the  doctrines  a.>tl  prac- 
tices' of  a  pnre  Christianify. 

Each  number  of  the  Enf^lish  («ospel 
Vititor  wilt  cntain  3*2  pages  double 
columns,  rad  ihe  German  16  pages, 
neativ   prir'oc!   on  good  paper,   put  up  in 


prr 
at  r 


»d  mailed  to  subscribers 


.:  E  ß  M  s. 

English,  ono  year, 

lv:ince, 


Thirteen  copies  -  -  *         ^•'^'^ 

sfp.gle  copy  of  the  German  and  EugUsh  1,2.'> 
ft IX  copies  -  -  -  -        *: 

Anti  at  tl-e  same  rate  f.>'-  •■'^^  number 
over  lliose   mentioned. 

All  persons  to  whom  thl^  Piiv>sri  ctus 
is  sent,  are  requested  to  act;:?i  Agents 
in    procuring  subscribe  should 

anv  who  receive  lliis,  nui.ii  <  , inclined, 
or  nut  be  able  to  act.  they  wiiHr.  plens' 
hand  it  to  others  who  will  niaipe  80i:;e 
effort  to  circulate  the  Visit/jr.  ' /rrionfls, 
please    respind    to     lb. 

HENRY  ICHRTZ 
JAMES  dUrNTETv. 

:.....    ::^       .      Co1n.::M:i;^:\Co.  O. 
September  lolli. 


MONS  EACH  WEEK. 

MS  of  Hev.  0.  n.  Spurgeon 
>nry   ?tle!vill,   chaplain    to 

re  received  weekly  from 
:nblished  in  the  (iCRAi.D 
'  lie  sprmons  of  clergymen 

angelical  denominations, 
y    are     liko'vise    regiilirly 

consliiule  llie    distinctive 

paper.     The    Herxt.o   of 

cd  weekly  at  No.  l.'JO  Nas- 

'Mv  York,    Kcv.    John    AV. 

i'rcslj)  (erian   church,    ed- 


por    annum  ; 


copies. 


luv  binding.  Specimen  Copies  »h\v 
FiiKE.  Back  nuuiiiers  for  the  past  thioe 
nionihs  can  be  furnished. 


on.  ^l.'j.andan  extra  copy 

forming    thn    Clu!).      ['J(t*^ 

Ic     mucli    üther~  matter  of 

I  I1U8  who  will  insert 
>.-  Tour  liujps,  the  paper 
ne    year.     The   pl»per    is  a 

.vrrrv     n'Mj;cd,arui  arranged 


A  P  P  EA  L 

fo  Iho f  f  IV  'no  ici  ow    ' '' ' ' : "  ^ ' '"' '  ' 

usfiir  yuiiu/b^ 

Though  we  may  Scty  ];■•  a  genera!  way, 
thatthegreat  majority  of  our  subscri- 
bers, agents  Sec.  have  regt'iarly  and 
punctually  squared  up  tlicii-  Recount», 
yet  we  must  coufesslhat  there  are  some 
who  have  n->tdone  so.  Willing  to  pay 
our  own  debts,  incurred  by  obtaining  a 
new  press,  getting  up  a  new  edition  <f 
our  llymnbouks,  and  engaging  a  font  of 
Nl'iW  type  fur  the  ensuing  volume  of 
the  Visitor,  we  need  all  the  AllRE\RS 
due  us.  Will  our  friends  please  to  at- 
tend to  this  as  soon  as  convenient,  that 
is,  those  who  know  themselves  indebted/ 
Wc  trust  they  will,  and  take  no  oirencc 
at  this  appeal. 

l^.DS.  OF  Gospel  YrsiroR. 


^i£^^m^j<m^^mm'^^^^'^^^^^- 


THE 


eSPEi  flliTii 


MONTHLY  PUBLICATION 


1. 


BY    HENRY   KURTZ    &  JAMES  QUINTER. 


VOL.  X.       FEBRUARY  1850.      NO.  2 


^erwss* 


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PRINTED  &  PUBLISHED  in  COLUMBIANA,  Columbiana  Co.  O 
'  BY  AN  ASSOCIATION. 


^ 


•>'^« 


OF    FKHRUARY   NO. 

Chrysostum's  Homily  on  Julm 

:^  :   5  .  -  page 

Essys  on  tlie  Civil  Law  No.   1. 
Secret  tliinf^s  belonp  unlo  tlie  Lord 
The  primeval  dignity  «)f  Man 
Wearing  of  gold  and  costly    array 
Baptism  for  the  remisfiun  of  sins 
Powe.   to  save         -  -  - 

My  opinion — Ilnmility 
Family-Circle-My  Mother's  Grave 
The  Mother 

Home — The  Marriage  Uelalion 
Youth's  department. --Obedience 
Queries.     1.     Explanation  of  Malt. 
It5:   28 
•<         2.     The  baptism  of  the 

Holy  Gliost     - 
•'        S.  Explanation  of  Heb. 
4:   12 

♦»        4.     "  1  John  M:   9 

The   Gospel  \islior  [communicated) 
Personal — The  death  of  a  Mother  in 

Israel  -  -  - 

News  from  the  churches 
To  our  Agents  and  Subsciibcrs 
Obituary  .  -  - 


33 

3S 

40 

43 

44. 

47 

4S 

50 

52 

53 

54 


-       ÖO 


DanShively  1,54.  Thomas  Major  10. 
Hiel  Hamilton  10.  W  Chambers  5,25. 
Twelve  mile  I.  John  Long  1.  Dar 
Wagner  2,  50.  E  H  Shidler  1.  Sam 
Ulery  1.  Sam  Click  i5.  Geo  Witwer 
15.  John  Neher  5,  83.  J  B  Mishler  I. 
Noah  Köhler  1.  S  P  Horning?.  Jac 
Negly5.  Geo  Studebaker  1.  M  Hos 
serman    5.  Jacob     Miller-Portage  5. 

Dan  Butterbaiigh  12,75.  Amos  Shel- 
laberger  1.  J  and  C  Weaver  2.  Israel 
Roop  4.  CJeo      rombaiigh  11.        Jac 

Smitli  3.  D  I  Sbenk.  Jonas  Leckrun 
18.  Jonath  Ganiz  1.  Pel  Smith  I. 
Sam  Blocker  5.  John  Fitz0,50.  D 
Stover  1,  50.  A  Smith  1.  W  Mim- 
mi3h5.    M  Klinger  1.    Jac  Brumbaugh. 


1. 
J  F 


Mos   Hoover. 
Ikcaberrv  5, 


Jonath  Misener  I. 


-     56 


57 
58 
59 

61 
62 
63 


ADVERTISEMENTS. 


^•I'lr  ^-ebruar  1860. 
tit  ^iiün  t5cm  iUicr^enlante     s    ^.17 
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tci-  i^tl)rift  K.         ff        i        18 
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baj  »Streben  fccr  ©laubii^fu 

riibten?  i        t        t 

UfOer  gcl)cime  ^cfcdfdxiftcn,        « 
«gud;nt  \xxk\^  ^-inben.  5>er  j^cljfdwl;^ 

m,id)cr  \\\  'Ji.nUf?.  #        s 
^emfponben3.  Sin  33ricf  oon  (Siilifov* 

nicn.     i        i        i        t 
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rHOLESAT.E    GROCERS,    TEA 
AND   SPICE  DEALERS. 
236     N.    od.     St.     above    Race. 
PHILADELPHIA, 


Offer  to  the  Trade  a  large  and  well  >■ 
lected  Stock  of  Goods,  at  the  verxj  /otc- 
est  prices.  As  we  sell  for  Cash  only,  or 
to  men  of  the  most  undoubted  Charac- 
ter— thus  avoidiiijr  the  great  risks  of 
business — we  are  enabled  to  offer  rare 
inducements  to  s;ond  Buyers.  Order» 
respectfully  solicited,  and  promptly  at- 
tended to.  All  kinds  of  country  pro. 
ducc  received  in  Exchange  fjr  ^^^-^  I» 
or  sold  upon  Commission. 


VOL-  \-     JFei&ruar»  iseo.     NO.  a 


CHRYSOSTOH'S 
HOMILY  ON  J0HH3:  5. 

TThe  folloTving  Horailv  or  sermon 
(Homily  XXY.  Librarr  of  the  Fath- 
ers, Yol.  28)  is  from  Chrysostom, 
the  most  renowned  of  the  Greek 
fathers.  He  was  called  the  golden- 
mouthed,  probably  frjni  the  richness 
of  his  discourses.  He  was  born 
about  A.  D.  350.  The  siiecimen  of 
his  homilies  which  we  give,  shows 
his  manner  of  combining  both  the 
doctrinal  and  practical  exposi- 
tion of  scripture  in  his  sermons. 
Eds.) 

^'  Verily  I  say  unto  thee,  Except  a 
man  be  born  of  water  and  of  the  Spir- 
it^he  cannot  enter  into   the  Kingdom 

of  Godr 

Little  children  who  go  daily  to 
their  teachers,  receive  their  lessons, 
and  repeat  them,  and  never  cease 
from  this  kind  of  acquisition,  but 
sometimes  employ  nights  as  well  as 
days,  and  this  they  are  compelled  to 
do  for  perishable  k  transient  things. 
Xow  we  do  not  ask  of  you  who  are 
come  to  age  such  toil  as  you  require 
of  your  children  ;  for  not  every  day, 
but  two  days  only  in  the  week  do  ' 
we  exhort  you  to  hearken  to  our ' 
words,  and  only  for  a  short  portion 
of  the  day,  that  your  task  may  be 
an  easy  one.  For  the  same  reason 
also  we  divide  to  you  in  small  por- 
tions what  is  wi'itten  in  Scripture, 
that  you  may  be  able  easily  to  re- 
ceive and  lay  them  up  in  the  store- 
ho  ises  of  your  minds,  and  take  such 
pains  to  remember  them  all,  as  to  be 
able  exacth' to  repeat  them  to  oth- 
ers youi-selves,  unless    any    onQ    be 


sleepy,  and  dull,  and  more  idle  than 
a  Httle  child. 

Let  us  now  attend  to  the  sequel 
of  what  has  been  before  said.  TYhen 
Nicodemus  fell  into  error  and  wres- 
ted the  words  of  Christ  to  the  earth- 
ly birth,  and  said  that  it  was  not 
possible  for  an  old  man  to  be  born 
again,  observe  how  Christin  answer 
more  clearly  reveals  the  manner  of 
the  Bii-th,  which  even  thus  had  diffi- 
culty for  the  carnal  enquirer,  yet 
still  was  able  to  raise  the  hearer 
from  his  low  opinion  of  it.  What 
saith  he  ?  "  Verily  I  say  unto  thee. 
Except  a  man  be  born  of  xcater  and  of 
the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  God.''  "What  he  declares 
is  this  :  "Thou  sayest  that  it  is  im- 
possible, I  say  that  it  is  so  absolutely 
possible  as  to  be  necessary,  and  that 
it  is  not  even  possible  otherwise  to 
be  saved."  For  necessary  things 
God  hath  made  exceedingly  easy 
also.  The  earthly  birth  which  is 
according  to  the  flesh,  is  of  the  dust, 
and  therefore  heaven  is  walled 
against  it,  for  what  hath  earth  in 
common  with  heaven?  But  that 
other,  which  is  of  the  Spirit,  easily 
unfolds  to  us  the  arches  above. 
Hear,  ye  as  many  as  are  unillumina- 
ted,  shudder,  groan,  fearful  is  the 
threat,  fearful  tire  sentence.  ''It  is 
not  (possible),"  He  saith,  '*for  one  not 
born  of  water  and  the  Spirit,  to  enter 
into  the  Kingdom  of  heaven ;"  be- 
cause he  wears  the  raiment  of  death, 
of  cursing,  of  perdition,  he  hath  not 
yet  received  his  Lord's  token,  he  is 
a  stranger  and  an  alien,  he  hath  not 
the  royal  watchword,  ^-Except,  He 
G.  v.  Yol.  X.  3 


34 


CIIRTSOSTOM'S  HOMILY  ON  JOHX  3:  5. 


ßaith,  a  man  he  horn  of  tcater  and  of 
the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter  into  the 
Kinijdom  of  heaven.*^ 

Yet  oven  thus  Nicodemu>  did 
not  understand.  Nothinc^  is  worse 
than  to  commit  spiritual  things  to 
argument;  it  was  this  that  would 
not  suitor  him  to  suppose  any  thing 


was  unprofitable,  the  vessel  was 
wrenched  awry;  I  will  no  more 
form  them  of  earth  anjd.  waiter, 
but  of  water,  and  of  the  Sjnrit. 

And  if  any  one  asks,  IIow  of  wa- 
ter ?  I  also  will  ask,  IIow  of  earth  ? 
How  was   the   clay  separated  into 


suhlimc  and  great.     This  is  why  we  different  parts?     IIow  was  the  ma- 
aro   called  faithful,  that  liaving   left  terial  uniform?  (it  was  earth  only,) 


the  weakness  of  human  reasonings 
below,  we  may  ascend  to  the  height 
ofiaith,  and  commit  most  of  our 
blessings  to  her  teaching  j  and  if 
Nicodemus  had  done  this,  the  thing 
would  not  have  been  thought  by 
him  impossible.  AVhat  then  dx^th 
Christ?  To  lead  him  away  from 
liis  grovelling  imagination,  and  to 
shew  that  he  speaks  not  of  the 
earthly  birth,.  He  saith,  ^'Except  a 
man  be  born  of  water  and  of  the  Spir- 
it, he  cannot  enter  into  the  Kingdom 
of  heaven.''  This  He  spoke,  willing 
to  draw  him  to  the  faith  by  the  ter- 
ror of  the  threat,  and  to  persuade 
liim  not  to  deem  tlie  thing  impossi- 
ble, and  taking  ])ains  to  move  him 
from  his  imagination  as  to  the  car- 
nal birth.  "I  mean,"  saith  He,  "an- 
other Birth,  O  Nicodemus.  Why 
diawest  thou  down  the  saying  to 
earth?     Why    subjectest    thou    the 


and  the  things  made  from  it,  various 
and  of  every  kind  ?  Whence  are  the 
bones,  and  sinews,  and  arteries  and 
veins?  Whence  the  membranes, 
and  vessels  of  the  organs,  the  cartil- 
ages, the  tissues,  the  liver,  s])leen, 
and  heart?  Whence  the  skin,  and 
blood,  and  mucus,  and  bile  ?  whence  , 
so  great  powers,  whence  such  varied 
colours  ?  These  belong  not  to  earth 
or  clay.  How  does  the  earth,  when 
it  receives  the  seeds,  cause  them  to 
shoot,  while  the  flesh  receiving  them 
wastes  them  ?  IIow  does  the  earth 
nourish  what  is  put  into  it,  while  the 
flesh  is  nourished  l>y  these  things, 
and  does  not  nourish  them  ?  The 
earth,  for  instance,  receives  water, 
and  makes  it  wine ;  the  flesh  often 
receives  wine  and  changes  it  into 
water.  Whence  then  is  it  clear 
that  these  things  are  formed  of  earth, 
when  the  nature  of  earth  is,   accord- 


matter  to  the  necessity  of  nature?  ling  to  w4iat  has  been  said,  contrary 
This  Birth  is  too  high  for  such  pangs  i  to  that  of  the  body  ?  I  cannot  dis- 
as  these  ;  it  hath  nothing  in  com- 1  cover  by  reasoning,  1  accept  it  by 
mon  with  you;  it  is  indeed  called 'faith  only.  If  then  things  which 
'birth,'  but  in  name  only  has  it  aught  take  place  daily,  and  which  we  han- 
in  common,  in  reality  it  is  diilerent.  Idle,  require  faith,  much  more  do 
Remove  th}  self  fiom  that  which  is  those  which  are  more  mysterious 
common  and  familiar:  a  different  and  more  spiritual  than  these.  For  as 
kind  of  childbirth  bring  I  into  the  the  earth,  which  is  soulless  and  mo- 
world;  in  another  inanncr  will  I  tionless,  was  empowered  by  tho 
have  men  to  be  generated:  I  have  I  will  of  God,  and  such  wonders  were 
come  to  hring  anew  manner  of  Cre-  worked  in  it ;  much  more  when  the 
ation.  I  ibrmed  (man)  of  earth  and  Spirit  is  present  with  the  water,  do 
water;  but  that  which  was  formed  jail    those    things    so    strange    and 


CHEYSOSTOM'S  HOMILY  ON  JOHN  3  :  5. 


35 


transcending    reason,     easily    take 
place. 

2.  Do  not  disbelieve  these  things, 
because  thou  seest  them  not ;  thou 
dost  not  see  thy  soul,  and  yet  thou 
believest  thou  hast  a  soul,  and  that 
it  is  something  different  besides  the 
body. 

But  Christ  led  him  not  in  by  this 
example,  hut  by  another ;  the  in- 
stance of  the  soul,  though  it  is  in- 
corpoi'eal,  He  did  not  adduce  for 
that  reason,  because  His  hearer's 
disposition  was  as  yet  too  dull.  He 
sets  before  hjm  another,  Vv-hich  has 
no  connection  with  the  density  of 
solid  bodies,  yet  does  not  reach  so 
high  as  to  the  incorporeal  natures ; 
that  is,  the  movement  of  the  wind. 
He  begins  at  first  with  water,  which 
is  lighter  than  earth,  but  denser 
than  air.  And  as  in  the  beginning 
earth  was  the  subject  material,  but 
the  whole  was  of  Him  who  mould- 
ed it ;  so  also  now  water  is  the  sub- 
ject material,  and  the  whole  is  of 
the  grace  of  the  Spirit :  then,  7nan 
became  a  living  soul,  now  he  becomes 
a  quickening  Spirit.  But  great  is 
the  Öifferencc  between  the  two. 
Soul  affords  not  lifo  to  any  other 
than  him  in  whom  it  is ;  Spirit  not 
only  lives,  but  affords  life  to  others 
also.  Thus,  for  instance,  the  Apos- 
tles even  raised  the  dead.  Then, 
man  was  formed  last,  when  the  cre- 
ation had  been  accomplished;  now, 
on  the  contrary,  the  new  inan  is 
formed  before  the  new  creation ;  he 
is  born  first,  and  then  the  world  is 
fiishioned  anew.  And  as  in  the  be- 
ginning He  formed  him  entire,  so 
He  creates  him  entire  now.  Then 
He  said,  Let  us  make  for  him  a  help, 
but  here  He  said  nothing  of  the 
kind.     What  other    help    shall    he 


need,  who  has  received  the  gift  of 
the  Spirit  ?     What  further   need  of 
assistance  has   he,   who   belongs   to 
the  body  of  Christ ':     Then  He  made 
man  in  the  iyiage   of  God,   now   ho 
hath  united  him  with  God  Himself; 
;Then  He  bade  him  rule  over  t^lie  fish- 
es and  beasts,  now  He  hath  exalted 
our  first  fruits  above    the    heavens; 
I  then  He  gave  him  a  garden   for  his 
I  abode,  now  He  hath  opened  heaven 
I  to  us ;  then  man  was  formed  on    the 
,  sixth  day,  when  the    world   Avas   al- 
most finished ;  but  now  on  the   first, 
at  the  vaiy  beginning,  at   the   time 
when  liglit  was  made  before.     Prom 
all  which  it  is  plain,  that  the  things 
■accomplished    belonged   to   another 
and  better   life,    and   to  a  condition 
.  having  no  end. 

i     The  first  creation    then,    that    of 
.Adam,  was   from  earth;  the   next, 
,  that  of  the  woman,    from    his    rib; 
.the  next,  that  of  Abel,    from    seed; 
iyet  we  cannot  arrive  at  the  compre- 
hension of  any    one    of   these,    nor 
, prove   the   circumstances   by   argu- 
!  ment,  though    they    are    of   a  most 
1  earthly  nature  ;  how  then   shall   we 
I  be  able  to  give  account  of  the  unseen 
'generation  by    Baptism,    which    is 
(far    more   exalted    than    these,    or 
I  to     require     arguments     for     that 
strange     and      marvellous     Birth  ? 
I  Since  even  Angels  stand    by  'while 
I  that  Generation    takes    place,    but 
I  they  could  not   tell   the   manner   of 
I  that  marvellous  working,  they  stand 
by  only,  not  performing  any  thing, 
but    beholding    what    takes    place. 
The  Father,  the  Son,  and  the   Holy 
Ghost,  worketh   all.     Let    us    then 
believe  the  declaration  of  God ;  that 
is  more    trustworthy    than    actual 
seeing.     The  sight  often  is  in  en-or, 
it  is    impossible   that    God's    Word 
shcmld  fail ;  let  us    then   believe  it ; 


16 


CnRYSOSTOM'S  HOMILY  ON  JOHN  3  :  5. 


t!iat  which  culled  tlie  things  that 
wave  not  into  exit^tence  may  well 
)>e  trusted  when  it  speaks  of  their 
nature.  What  then  says  it  ?  That 
»vhat  is  effected  is  n  Genkratiox.  ' 
if  they  ask,  "How,"  stop  his  mouth , 
with  the  declaration  of  God,  which! 
is  the  stroHi^cHt  and  a  plain  proof.! 
If  any  enquire,  "Why  is  water  in- 
cluded?" lotus  also  in  return  ask,! 
Wherefore  was  earth  employed  at' 
the  beginning  in  tlie  creation  of, 
man?"  for  that  it  was  possible  fori 
Tiod  to  make  man  without  earth,  is! 
((Uite  plain  to  every  one.  Be  not' 
then  over  curious. 

That  the  need  of  water  is  abso- 
lute and  indispensable,  you  may 
learn  in  this  way.  On  one  occa- 
hion,  when  the  Spirit  had  flown 
down  before  the  water  was  applied, 
the  Apostle  did  not  stay  at  this 
point,  as  though  the  water  was 
necessary  and  not  superfluous,  ob- 
serve what  ho  says;  "Can  any  man 
forbid  water,  that  these  should  not  be 
baptized,  whieh  have  received  the 
Holy  Ghost  as  well  as  icef' 

What  then  is  the  use  of  the  wa- 
ter? This  too  I  will  tell  you  here- 
after, Avhen  I  reveal  to  you  the 
liidden  mystery.  There  are  also 
other  points  of  mystical  toachinir 
connected  with  the  matter,  but  for 
the  present  I  will  mention  to  you 
one  out  of  man}-.  What  is  this 
one  ?  In  Baptism  are  fulfilled  the 
]»ledge8  of  our  covenant  with  God; 
Burial  and  death,  resurrection  and 
life;  and  these  take  place  all  at 
once.  For  when  we  immerse  our 
heads  in  the  water,  the  old  man  is 
buried  as  in  a  tomb  below,  and 
wholly  sunk  for  ever;  then  as  we 
raise  them  again,  the  new  man 
rises  in  its  stead.     As  it  is  easy   l#r 


us  to  dip  and  to  lift  our  heads  again, 
so  it  is  easy  for  God  to  bury  the  old 
man,  and  to  shew  forth  the  new. 
And  this  is  done  thrice,  that  you 
may  learn  that  the  power  of  the  Fath- 
er, the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  ful- 
filleth  all  this.  To  shew  that  what 
we  say  is  no  conjecture,  hear  Paul 
saying,  <-  We  are  buried  with  Him  by 
Baptism  into  death  :"  and  again,  'Our 
old  man  is  crurified  with  Him  :'  and 
again,  <  We  have  been  planted  together 
in  the  likeness  of  His  death.*  Rom. 
6  :  4 — 6.  And  not  only  is  Baptism 
eaJled  a  "cross,"  but  the  "cross",  is 
called  "Baptism."  With  the  Bap- 
tism, saith  Christ,  that  I  am  baptized 
withal  shall  ye  be  baptized.  Mark  10  : 
89.  And,  T  have  a  baptism  to  be 
baptized  with  (which  ye  know  not) ; 
for  as  we  easily  dip  and  lift  our 
heads  again,  so  He  also  easily  died 
and  rose  again  when  He  willed,  or 
rather  much  more  easily,  though 
He  tarried  the  three  days  for  the 
dispensation   of  a   certain  mystery. 

3.  Let  us  then  who  have  been 
deemed  worthy  of  snch  mysteries 
shew  forth  a  life  worthy  of  the 
Gift,  that  is,  a  most  excellent  con- 
versation ;  and  do  ye  who  have 
not  yet  been  deemed  worthy,  do 
all  things  that  ye  may  be  so,  that 
we  may  be  one  body,  that  wo  may 
be  brethren.  For  as  long  as  we 
are  divided  in  this  respect,  though 
a  man  be  father,  or  son,  or  brother, 
or  au^t  else,  he  is  no  true  kins- 
man, as  being  cut  off  from  that  re- 
lationship which  is  from  above. 
What  advantagetli  it  to  V>e  bound 
by  the  ties  of  earthly  family,  if  we 
are  not  joined  by  those  of  the  spir- 
itual ?  what  profits  nearness  of  kin 
on  earth,  if  we  are  to  be  strangers 
^n    heaven  ?       For  the  Catechumen 


CHRYSOSTOM'S  HOMILY  ON  JOHN  3:  5. 


37 


is  a  stranger  to  the  faithful.  He  jour  doubts  there,  not  of  money,  but 
hath  not  the  same  Head,  he  hath  |  of  sins;  let  us  then  lend  Him  our 
not  the  same  Father,  he  hath  not ;  riches,  that  we  may  receive  pardon 
the  same  City,  nor  Food,  nor  Rai-j  for  our  sins;  for  He  it  is  that  judg- 
ment, nor  Table,  nor  House,  but  alljeth.  Let  us  not  neglect  Him  here 
are  different;  all  are  on  earth  to  the; when  He  hungereth,  that  He  may 
former,  to  the  latter  all  are  in  heav-  \  ever  feed  us  thei-e.  Here  let  us 
en.  One  has  Christ  for  his  King ;  j  clothe  Him,  that  He  leave  us  not 
the  other,  sin  and  the  devil ;  the  j  bare  of  the  safety  which  is  from 
food  of  one  is  Christ,  of  the  other,  i  Him.  If  here  we  give  Him  drink, 
that  meat  which  decays  and  per-  j  we  shall  not  with  the  rich  man 
ishes  ;  one  has  worm's  work  for  his  j  say,  *'Send  Lazarus,  that    with    the 


raiment,  the  other  the  Lord  of  an- 
gels; heaven  is  the  city  of  one, 
earth  of  the  other.  Since  then  we 
have  nothinsj  in   common,  in   what, 


tip  of  his  finger  he  may  drop  water 
on  my  broiling  tongue."  If  hei^e 
we  receive  Him  into  our  house, 
there  He  will   prepare   many   man- 


tell  me,  shall  we  hold   communion  ?  j  sions  for  us ;  if  we   go    to    Him    in 
Did  we  remove  the  same  pangs,  did 'prison.  He  too  will  free  us  from  our 

bonds;  if  we 


we  come  forth  from  the  same  womb? 
This  has  nothing  to  do  with  that 
most  perfect  relationship.  Let  us 
then  give  diligence  that  we  may 
become  citizens  of  the  city  which 
is  above.  How  long  do  we  tarry 
over  the  border,  when  we  ought  to  re- 
claim our  ancient  country?  We  risk 
no  common  danger;  for  if  it  should 
come  to  pass,  (which  God  forbid;) 
that  through  the  sudden  arrival  of 
death  we  depart  hence  uninitiated 


take  Him  in  when 
He  is  a  stranger,  He  will  not  suf- 
fer us  to  be  strangers  to  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,  but  will  give  us  a 
portion  in  the  City  which  is  above ; 
if  we  visit  Him  when  He  is  sick, 
He  also  will  quickly  deliver  us  from 
oui'  infirmities. 

Let  us  then,  as  receiving  great 
things  though  we  give  but  little, 
still  give  the  little  that  we  may 
gain  the    gi-eat.    While    it    is    yet 


though  we  have  ton  thousand  vir- 1  time,  let  us  sow,  that  we  may  reap. 
tues,  our  portion  will  be  no  other  j  When  the  winter  overtakes  us, 
than  hell,  and  the   venomous  worm,  I  when  the  sea  is  no  longer  navigable, 

we  are  no  longer  masters  of  this 
traffic.  But  when  shall  the  winter 
be  ?     When  that  great    and    mani- 


and  fire  unquenchable,  and  bonds  in- 
dissoluble. But  God  grant  that  none 
of  those  who  hear  these  words  ex- 
perience   that    punishment!      And  fest  Day  is  at  hand.     Then  we  shall 


this  will  be,  if  having  been  deemed 
worthy  of  the  sacred  mysteries, 
we  build  U]X)n  that  foundation  gold, 
ajid  silver  and  precious  stones  ;  for  so 
;.fter  our  departui-e  hen  ce  we  shall  be 
able  to  appear  in  that  place  rich, 
when  we  leave  not  our  riches  here 
hut  transport  them  to  inviolable 
t  reasuries  by  the  hands  of  the  poor, 
when  wc  lend  to  Christ.     Many  are 


cease  to  sail  this  great  and  broad 
sea,  for  such  the  present  life  resem- 
bles. Now  is  the  time  of  sowing, 
then  of  harvest  and  of  gain.  If  a 
man  puts  not  in  his  seed  at  seed 
time  and  sows  in  harvest,  besides 
that  he  effects  nothing,  he  will  be 
ridiculous.  But  if  the  present  is 
seed  time,  it  follows  that  it  is  a  time 
not  for  gathering  together,  but  for 


38 


ESSAYS  ON  THE  CIVIL  LAW. 


'tfeattmni:: ;  lot  ns  then  floatter,  that 
^^-0  TTijiy  p::\thcr  in,  and  not  seek  to 
gather  in  Tiow,le«t  -Wt  Inwe  our  har- 
V^6t^  for,  as  I  paid,  tliifl  scuRon  Runi- 
Tfioii»  tiR  to  BOW,  and  npend,  and  hiy 
out,  \iM  to  collect  and  lay  by.  Let 
U8  n'ot  then  give  up  the  opportu- 
nity,' but  let  UH  put  in  abund- 
ant seed;  and  ppare  none  of  our 
stones,  tliat  we  may  roeeivc  them 
again  with  abundant  reconipense, 
th rough  the  grace  and  lovrng-kind- 
noRR  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  with 
whoiii  to  the  Father  and  the 
Holy  Ghost  be  glory,  world  without 
end.     Amen. 


P^or  the  Visitor. 

ESSAYS  ON  THE  CIVIL  LAW. 

NO.  L 
Beloved  BffeÜweij ;  , 

.  ilv.fv  Y^''>  •>'*  I  have  read 
in  the  Gospel  Visitor,  and  observed 
with  attention,  the  remarks  of 
Brethren  on  the  'Powers  that  be" 
— ^the  Civil  Law,  and  the  frequent 
reference  to  the  rcfKDlution  adopted 
by  the  Conforcnco  of  1852  on  said 
subject.  And  in  particular,*  the 
.phrase.  ''Stern  ncccesity,"  as  con- 
ilained  in  eaid  resolution,  i  Anct  ae  I 
was  one  of  the  Cominittce  that  re- 
.  ported  said  resolution,  and  the  au- 
:»thor  of  the  above  phraseology,  I  was 
prompted  to  reflect  deeply  upon  the 
whole  subject,  and  avail  myself  of 
all  th6  Jcnowledgo  possible.  And  as 
the  subject  appears  to  agitate  the 
minds  of  Brethren  in  general,  I  con- 
cluded 1  would,  in  a  few  brief  es- 
says, sot  forth  or  define  more  clear- 
ly my  views  on  the  Civil  Law. 

First.  That  it  ia  in  accordance 
with  the  gospel  or  the  will  of  God, 
that  there  should  be  a  Civil  govern- 
ment for  the  benefit  of  mankind; 


'and  that  the  church  shotild  be  sub- 
ject to  it,  may  be  clearly  inferred 
from  the  following  testimonies : 
"Show  inc  the  tnbute  money.  And 
'they  brought  unto  him  a  penny.  And 
ihesaith  nnto  them,  whose  is  this 
I  image  and  superscription?  They 
jsay  unto  him,  Ca'sar's.  Then  saith 
he  unto  them,  Eender  therefore  tin- 
to  Ctesar  the  things  which  are  Ote- 
sar's,  and  unto  God  thethings  which 
are  God's."  Matt.  22  :  19,  20.  ''Let 
every  soul  be  subject  unto  the  high- 
er powers.  For  there  is  no  power 
but  of  God :  the  powders  that  be, 
are  ordained  of  God.  '^Vhosoever 
therefore  rcsisteth  the  power,  resist- 
eth  the  ordinance  of  God  :  and  they 
that  resist  shall  receive  to  them- 
selves damnation.  For  rulers  are 
not  a  terror  to  good  works,  but  to 
the  evil.  Wilt  thou  then  not  be 
afraid  of  the  power?  do  that  which 
is  good  and  thou  shalt  have  praise 
of  the  same.  For  he  is  the  minister 
of  God  to  thee  for  good.  But  if  thou 
do  that  which  is  evil,  be  afraid;  for 
he  beareth  not  the  sword  in  vain  : 
for  he  is  the  minister  of  God,  a  re- 
venger to  execute  wrath  upon  him 
that  doeth  evil.  Wherefore  ye  must 
needs  be  subject,  not  only  for  wrath, 
but  also  for  conscience'  sake.  For, 
for  this  cause  pay  ye  tribute  also:  for 
they  are  God's  ministers  attending 
continually  upon  this  very  thing. 
Render  therefore  to  all  their  dueb  : 
tribute  t'»  whom  tribute  is  dufe  j  ens- 
torn  to  whom  custom  ;  fear  to  whom 
fear;  honor  to  whom  honor."  Jl'dki. 
13  :  1 — 7.  "Put  them  in  mind  to 
be  subject  to  principalities  and  pow- 
ers, to  obey  magistrates, 'to  be  sub- 
ject to  every  good  work."  Titus  3: 
1.  "Submit  yourselves  to  every  or- 
dinance of  man  for  the  Lord's  sake  : 
whether  it  be  to   the   king,    as    6U- 


ESSAYS  O^  THE  CIVIL  LAW 


39 


pr 


eme  ;  or  unto  governors,  as  unto  |  mild,  and  can  be  readily  complied 
them  that  are  sent  by  him  .for  the, with  by  the  believer.  The  laws  of 
punishment  of  evil  doers,   and   for  jail  civilized  nations  are    in  a   great 


the  praise  of  them  that  do  well.  1 
For  so  is  the  will  of  God,  that  with 
well  doing  ye  may  put  to  silence 
the  ignorance  of  foolish  men.  As 
free,  and* not  using  your  liberty  for 
a  cloak  of  maliciousness,  but  as  the 
servants  of  God.  Honor  all  men. 
Love  the  brotherhood.  Fear  God. 
Honor  the  King:  1  Pet.  2  :  13—17. 
Now  if  these  scriptures  do  not  bind 
the  Church  to  be  subject  to  the  civil 
law  as  has  been  already  intimated, 
then  verily  there  is  no  binding  pow- 
er in  any  thing  that  Christ  or  the 
Apostles  have  said. 

Christ  says,  ''Render  therefore 
unto  Caesar  the  things  which  are 
Caesar's,  and  unto  God  the  things 
that  are  God's."     That    is,    submit 


measure  derived  from  the  Bible. 
And  notwithstanding  every  Nation 
has  its  peculiar  form  of  government, 
yet,  must  the  church  in  America  be 
subject  to  the  laws  of  America;  the 
church  in  England,  to  the  laws  of 
England ;  the  church  in  France,  to 
the  laws  of  France,  &c.  &c. 

That  this  is  a  con-ect  view  of  the 
subject  will  appear  quite  obvious, 
when  we  reflect  that  Christ  and  the 
Apostles  are  entirely  silent,  and 
have  not  decided  on  the  powers 
that  be,  or  what  the  existing  form 
of  government  shall  be.  But  what- 
ever that  form  of  government  be 
which  christians  should  obey,  it  is 
of  the  providence  and  appointment 
of  God.     Christ  told  Pilate  that  his 


and  obey  the  Laws  of  the   state   or  I  kingdom   was    not    of   this    world, 
country   in     which    you  live;    and  T'My  kingdom  is  not  of  this   world." 


submit  and  obey  the    laws    of  God  John  18  :  36.     That  is,  it  has   noth 


as  revealed  by  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
his  only  begotten  Son.  And  Paul 
says,  ''Let  every  soul  be  subject 
unto  the  higher  powers."  That  is> 
every  ofl&cer  or  private  member  of 
the  church.  Yea,  whether  a  soul 
be  in  or  out  of  the  church,  all,  all 
must  be  subject  to  the  laws  of  the 
land.  "For  there. is  no  power  but 
of  God,  the  powers  that  be  &c.'' 
Here  understand  by  the  powers,  that 
be,  the  existing  authorities,  what- 
ever be  the  form  of  government  of 
^he  country,  and  time  in  which  be- 
lievers live. 

The  higher  powers  at  Rome 
were  very  oppressive.  Nero  the 
Emperor  of  Rome  was  a  real  Ty- 
rant, yet  the  apostles  admonished 
<^hristians  to  be  subject.  The  gov- 
ernment of  these    United    States  is 


ing  to  do  with  the  temporal  estates, 
and  privileges  of  men,  but  relate 
entirely  to  the  spiritual  interests 
and  privileges  of  the  human  family. 
But  men  have  temporal  interests 
and  privileges  as  well  as  spiritual. 
Hence  the  providence  of  God  in  or- 
daining the  "powers  that  be,  the- 
civil  law. 

Should  a  law  of  the  land  be  oppress- 
ive, it  would  be  no  violation  of  the 
gospel  to  petition  our  rulers  to  re- 
peal the  obnoxious  law.  And  I  do 
most  sincerely  believe,  that  inas- 
much as  the  church  is  bound  by  the 
gospel  to  support  the  civil  govern- 
ment, that  it  is  the  bounden  duty  of 
every  enlightened  brother  of  the 
church  to  exercise  the  elective  fran- 
chise. But  should  the  petitioning 
and  exercising  the  elective  franchiso 


40 


SECRET  THINGS  BELONG  UNTO  THE  LOED. 


not  have  the  desired  effect,  the 
church  mu8t  abide  the  consequence, 
if  it  be  even  that  of  bonds  and  im- 
prisonmonts,  &c.     Fpr  to  resist   the 


For  the  Gospel  Visitor. 

SECRET  THINGS  BELONG  UNTO 
THE  LOED. 


,.   ,  ,,    ,  .  ,     .      -     "jT/ie  secret  ihinqs  belonq  vnto  the 

hiirhcr  ])owors,  would   be  a  violation  j  7-^ ,         ^    ,     .   /_,,       .,.  ,., 

r  ILordovrGod:  hut  those  things  which 

/,.^  .  V  ,      .         ,      .  .     N^'"^  revealed  belonq  unto  us  and  our 
Christ  and  the  ApostlcH  m   no   in- 1   ,.7,         .  .,    ^  ,      ,, 
.....J  .L,    ._..  ..          ^^      \children  for  ever,  that  we  may  do  all 

the  words  of  this  law."     Deuteron- 
omy 29  :  29. 


Useful 


like    hidden 


stance  resisted  the  existing  author- 
jtiea.  And  wlien  the  law  carao  in 
•contact  with,  or  conflicted  with 
the  word  of  God,  they  obeyed  God 
«nd  suffered  the  penalty  of  that  law.l*^ «"f  '"  "  ^oW,  cannot  be  pur- 
Acts  5  :  29,40,  lien-,  I  have  a  ref-r'^'^f  "^  "^  t°°  '"«''  "  P"^«-  ^"  ^'"» 
crencct0  8uch  laws  which    prohibit  ^^-o^W  of  «^arkuess  and  misery,  it  is 


knowledge, 


the  christian  from    exercising   him- 
Hclf  in  the  moans  of  salvation,  or  in 
obeying  the  precepts  of  the   gospel. 
But  that    the    existing    authorities 
may  be  a  blessing  to   mankind,   the 
<jhurch  must  do  her   duty,   as  Paul 
admonishes  in  his  1st.  letter  to  Tim- 
othy 2nd.  chapter :  "I  exhort  there- 
fore that,  first  of  all,   supplication, 
prayer,  intercessions,  and  giving  of 
thanks,  be   made  for    all    men,  for 
kings,  and  for  all  that  are  in  author- 
ity;  that  we  may  lead  a    quiet    and 
peaceable  life  in   all  godliness  and 
honesty."     Not  only  must  we  pi*ay, 
but  observe  every  other  duty  that 
we  might  have  such  men  in   author- 
ity, such   Eulers,    as    would    enact 
«uch  laws  that  would    protect   men 
in  their  rights  and  liberties.     In  my 
next  essay  I  will  call   the  attention 
^f  tlie  reader  to  the  two    ruling    lu- 
minaries in  the  firmament  of  heaven, 
f-he  sun  and  moon,  and   show    thai 
they   are   figurative  of   the    gospel 
aod  the  Law,  and  I  shall  notice  also 
other  important  points   in   connec- 
tion with  the  subject  under  consid- 
eration. 

P.     N. 
Davton,  Ohio,  Dec.  20th.  1S50. 


rjitiiucml^^x:  X^oL'ö  wife." 


the  guide,  consolation,  and  support 
of  man.  It  opens  the  way  to  sub- 
stantial happiness,  extensive  use- 
fulness, and  high  reputation.  Eut 
there  is  a  vain  and  useless  knowl- 
edge, which  only  dazzles  the  eye, 
excites  curiosity,  and  feeds  presump- 
tion. Therefore,  while  we  steadily 
pursue  useful  knowledge,  let  us 
carefully  guard  against  vain  curios- 
ity; not  presuming  to  pry  into 
those  secret  things  which  **belong 
unto  the  Lord  our  God."  That  this 
may  be  the  c^se,  let  us  inquire  in- 
to those  secret  things  which  belong 
unto  us  and  unto  our  children. 

1.  The  perfections  of  the  Divine 
nature,  are  secret  things  which  be- 
long unto  the  Lord  our  God.  This 
being  is  fully  revealed  ;  but  his  at- 
tributes, in  their  vast  extent,  never 
were,  nor  ever  can  be,  made  known 
to  any  of  his  creatures.  It  would 
require  an  infinite  mind  to  compre- 
hend infinity :  Hence  it  clearly 
follows,  that  God  only  knows  tb« 
absolute  perfections  of  his  own  na- 
ture. He  has  not  told  us  how  he 
existed  from  all  eternity ;  how  his 
Son  was  begotten;  how  the  Holy 
Ghost  proceeded ;  or  how  those 
three  are  one.  Who  can  under- 
stand the  vast  extont  of  his  "wiödom^ 


SECRET  THINGS  BELONG  UNTO  THE  LORD.  41 

o wer,  and  prescience.  Oui*  views  particle  of  matter  is  under  his  eye. 
of  his  purity,  justice,  mercy,  and  Men  and  all  other  creatures  of  every 
love,  are  limited  in  very  narrow  j  description,  are  under  his  govem- 
bounds.  Blessed  be  his  name,  wejment.  But  who  can  declare  all  his 
may  know  what  is  necessary  to  be  j  ways  ?  Who  can  fathom  the  depth 
known.  The  rest  we  leave,  hum-|of his  plans?  He  has  neither  fully 
bly  adoring,  and  deepl}^  reverencing  made  known  to  us  the  reasons  why 
him,  as  the  incomprehensible  Jeho-.  the  wicked  prosper  in  the  earth; 
vah.  .nor  why  the  pjous  suffer  adversity. 

Creation,  in  its  vast  extent,  ig  a  i^^^o  can  account  for  the  great  v^a- 
secret  thing  which  belongs  unto  thei"««3-  of  outward  situations  in  which 
Lord  our  God.  There  may  be  for!'"«'»  »■■«  P^^^^ed?  One  struggle» 
aught  we  know  to  the  cont.-arv.^it'»  P°^«"y  »'^'i  want;  while  an- 
millions  of  worlds  far  more  glorioisj  »tl»"'  P^"-"^»?«  'ess  deserving,  enjoys 
than  ours;  and,  in  those  worlds, ' ^ '"8«  Porti»"  «^  ^«"1*1'  and  afflu- 
theremaybe  millions  of  rational  ^^ce-  The  lot  of  one  is  cast  in  bum- 
beings,  widely  different  from  the! '"g  '•«g*»"«  ^^^h  savage  tribes; 
human  race.    Manv  worlds,  in  the  !'''"'*''«'•  «P<""i«  •''"^»y«  *'»  »he  dark 

4.        •     ^      ^^^  1,«^^  \.r.r.^  Ar.    aud   drcarv  regions   of  the    Frigid 
vast  universe,   may   have  been  de-i  *        »  ^ 

«troyed;     and    many    more,    quite jZo"«»;  while  a  third  lives  in  a  tern- 

•lifferent  from  any   that    have    vet'P«'"'''*  «"^    P'«*«'"»«    """'»««'    ^'^'•- 

.  ,    J  1^ ^„.^1    •       -.r„.^  rounded  with    everA'   blessing    that 

«existed  may  be    ci^eated    in    luture!  ^  ^ 

Rges.  Who  dare  presume  to  limitj'»»^"'"«  '•"•»  *>^*tow.  Again  some 
the  wisdom  and  power  of  q^7\^t<^  i^^ov^^  y^ivh  ^o^^\  day,  while 
Who  dare  say  to  the  Creator,  ^^,^.\ot\l^vs  v^iyi^inm  Xh,  A^A^ni^i,  oi^- 
works    are    finished.       After     this  S^"  "'S»»*-     ^he  premature  death  of 


world  had  been  created,  God  rested 
irom  all  his  work ;  but  it  does  not 
follow  that  he  would    never    work 


some  wise  and  good  men,  and  the 
protracted  lives  of  some  who  are 
neither  wise  nor  good,    is    another 


again.  A  calm  su.-vev  of  those  i'^^^teiy  in  the  Divine  government, 
works  which  are  visible  "to  us,  pro-i^^^"^'  Pestilence,  and  famine,  in 
.luces  wonder  and  astonishment,  ""»"y ''^«»'""^'^^ '"•« '''^*""'  but  mye- 
how  wonderful  then,  and  astonish-  ■^^™'^«  visitations.  The  bold  and 
ing,  are  his  works  in  boundless  F'e*"'»ipt°o"9  may  pry  into  these 
.pace!  But,  even  the  earth  which  I  ^'"'»8»=  but  the  humble  and  the 
.  1    ,  ..    .    «  ,1     r.  A       IT     j  prudent  leaves  them  unto  the   Lord, 

we  inhabit,  is  full  of  wonders  I     In-  ^ 

numereble  effects  appear,  which  we|     Are  not  many  of  the  eterna    pur- 
cannot  trace  to  their  proper  causes.  I^^f,  "^  <^^  respectmg  this  lower 

4  _^ ^    M^    ^    fl^^^«    ^^^_,   world,  profound  secrets,   which   the 

A  worm,  a    fly,    a    flower,  present  I  .    , 

X  VI     J-Ä»     ix-        X     xi      human     mind    cannot     penetrate: 
insurmountable  difficulties    to  theu^       .  -   .     ^ 

^   .        X.     ^.  J    1     ji    ilf  so,  to  pry  into  them,  as  some  have 

of   investigation;    and    loudlvi  f      ,  , 

presumed  to  do,   must  be   vain  and 

useless.  We  must  suppose,  that 
God  has  bad  purposes,  and  ha*  made 
decrees;  but  his  pui'poses  and  de- 
crees are  worthy  of  himself,  and, 
when    fuUv    revealed,    will    reflect 


^ve    ..    .^ ^ ., 

]»roclaim  the  wisdom  of  God,  and 
ihe  icmorance  of  man. 


God,  who  made  the  world,  has 
not  left  it  to  chance,  but  wisely 
govei-ns  it  from  age   to  age.  ,  Kv^ry 


42 


SECRET  THINGS  BELONG  UNTO  THE  LOED. 


«vorlast in.iij  honors  on  hiß  name. 
Tlio  end  of  time  will  develope  all 
hif*  ]»laiis  and  purposen  relating  to 
the  Iniman  race.  In  the  mean  time, 
let  n?«  not  peqilex  ourselves  with 
subjcctH  eo  profoundly  deep.  If  we 
think  at  all  upon  his  eternal  decrees, 
lot  «ur  thou<];hts  be  guided  by 
plain  revelation.  Hiul  men  follow- 
ed that  unerring  guide  from  the 
beginning,  little  would  have  been 
thought,  and  less  wonld  have  been 
sai«].  on  the  Rubject  of  absolute  elec- 
tion und  reprobation. 

Q'bere  are  man}'^  mysteries  in  the 
mediatorial  undertakings  of  Christ, 
whici»  arc  only  known  to  God.  It 
is  c'oarly  revealed,  that  he  saw  fit 
to  re«lcem  the  world  by  his  Son; 
bui  who  can  assign  a  satisfactory 
reason  why  he  did  so  ?  Can  any 
one  state  the  reasons  why  Divine 
Justice  demanded  innocent  blood  as 
the  price  of  human  redemption  ? 
Or  why  that  blood  must  be  the 
blood  of  God?  Acts  20  :  28.  To  de- 
ny this  truth,  would  clash  with  rev- 
elai  ion ;  to  attempt  a  full  explica- 
tion, wonld  argue  uncommon  pre- 
sumption. That  no  one  on  the  earth 
could  bo  accepted;  but,  that  the 
Son  of  God,  who  made  the  world, 
must  quit  his  heavenly  throne  ;  be 
clothed  with  a  human  body;  and 
die  on  the  cross  to  redeem  and  save 
a,  ruined  world,  are  deep  mysteries, 
which  we  shall  never  understand  on 
this  side  of  eternity.  We  know  the 
work  was  done  by  a  fit  person  ;  and 
we  know  he  is  still  engaged  for  us 
in  the  courts  above,  we  having  a 
saving  interest  in  his  gracious  un- 
dertaking; and  we  are  accepted  in 
the  beloved  Son  of  God.  The  rest 
wc  neither  know  nor  wish  to  know : 
they  are  secret  things  which  ''belong 
unto  the  Lord  our  God." 


There  are  impenetrable  seöreta 
in  the  experience  of  good  men.  It 
is  a  fact,  that  the  Holy  Ghost  works, 
in  various  ways,  upon  the  human 
heart ;  but  who  can  describe  his  op- 
erations ?  Who  can  tell  how  he  re- 
generates the  soul  ?  Who  can  ex- 
plain how  he  bears  witness  with 
our  spirits,  that  we  are  the  children 
of  God  ?  or  who  can  explain  how 
this  Divine  Spirit  communicates 
strength  and  nourishment  to  every 
grace  that  is  planted  in  the  heart 
of  a  good  man?  The  extraordina- 
ry out  pourings  of  this  heavenly 
Spirit  both  upon  individuals,  and 
upon  large  bodies  of  men ;  is  a  fact 
which  we  cannot  explain.  The  pe- 
culiar trials,  temptations,  and  per- 
secutions, of  some  good  men;  and 
the  smooth  and  agreeable  path  of 
others,  is  a  deep  secret.  Wo  have 
known  men  of  exalted  piety,  sink 
into  deep  dejection  on  the  approach 
of  death;  while  old  and  hardened 
sinners  have  been  converted  just  as 
the  lamp  of  life  expires,  go  off  the 
stage  of  life  with  the  shout  of  tri- 
umph. Who  can  fathom  these 
depths  ?  we  think  it  right  to  leave 
them  to  the  Lord. 

The  events  of  futurity  are  secret 
things  which  belong  unto  the  Lord. 
He  has  made  many  things  known 
by  his  holy  prophets;  but.innume^ 
able  events  to  cx)me,  are  liiddQp 
from  the  view  of  man.  Vain  ai*e 
the  attempts  of  men  to  find  them 
out.  The  whole  tribe  of  astrolo- 
gers, augurs,  and  soothsayers,  ai'e 
shameful  deceivers;  imposing  oi;» 
the  ignorance  and  credulity  of  man. 
Created  beings,  of  the  highest  or- 
der, are  totally  ignorant  of  all  fu- 
ture events,  except  those  which  God 
has  been  pleased  to  reveal.  Ration- 
al conjectures  of  the  f\iture  may  bd 


THE  PRIMEVAL  DIGNITY  OF  MAN. 


43 


formed,  by  events  which  are  past ; 
but  absohite  foreknowledge  is  an 
incommunicable  attribute  of  the 
DeitT.  ; 

J.     S.     B.     j 

Concluded  in  our  next. 


For  the  Visitor. 

THE  PRIMEVAL  DIGNITY  OF      , 

MAN.  i 

^'So  God  created  man  in  Ju's  oicn\ 
linage  &c.  Gen.  26  :  27."  ! 

Man  created  in  the  image  of  God; 
must  have  been  the  embodiment 
of  all  the  nobler  "  characteristics  of 
the  soul.  He  must  have  inherited 
and  possessed,  when  he  came  fresh 
from  his  Creator's  ^nds,''the  qual- 
ities of  the  Deity  himself  The  fact 
of  close  relationship  he  sustained  to 
God,  being  the  workmanship  of  his 
hands,  fashioned  after  the  express 
similitude  of  the  most  High,  intro-l 
duces  the  idea  of  his  superior  excel- 
lency of  mind,  and  although  being 
formed  of  the  dust  of  the  earth,  a 
mere  helpless  mass  of  clay^  yet  no 
sooner  than  God  breathed  into  his 
nostrils  the  breath  of  life  he  became 
a  living  soul.  He  was  now  endowed 
with  the  richest  gifts,  and  choicest 
blessings  that  heaven  could  afford, 
being  qualified  to  hear  the  address 
of  his  Creator,  to  see  and  appreciate 
the  beauty,  perfection  and  harmony 
of  God's  visible  Creation.  Here 
stood  man.  at;  the  head  ofallG^d's 
works  innocent  and  lovely,  with 
the  ex]:)ress  image  of  God  stamped 
upon  his  counterianoe,  amply  qual- 
ified to  answer  the  end  of  his  exist- 
ence. He  was  perfectly  eligible 
toanyofiice  God  could  assign  him, 
and  had  both  skill  and  judgment 
enough  to  perform  any  duty  that 
might  be  enjoined    upon   him.    He 


had  wisdom  and  knowledge  suffi- 
cient to  exercise  the  dominion  God 
gave  him  over  every  speciess  of  the 
animal  creation, — from  the  minu- 
test microscopic  animalcula  to  the 
stupendous  Leviathan  in  the  mighty 
deep, — all  animated  beings  in  Cre- 
ation are  brought  in  subordination 
to  him.  He  was  constituted  a  fit 
subject  for  the  enjoyment  of  that 
eminent  state  of  happiness  in  the 
garden  of  Eden.  When  he  entered 
this  traneeendantly  beautiful  and 
lovely  Eden  he  was  equipt  with  the 
whole  armour  of  righteousness,  and 
was  a  loyal  citizen  of  the  Kingdom 
of  God.  No  sinister  motives  were 
found  in  his  heart  when  he  entered 
upon  the  discharge  of  his  duties  as 
dresser  and  keeper  of  God's  Eden  of 
love  and  peace.  Possessing  such  a 
high  sense  of  honor,  truth  and  pro- 
priety, such  dignity  of  soul,  he 
would  unquestionably  have  contem- 
plated, with  perfect  abhon-ence,  ail 
mean  and  sinful  actions,  every  thing 
not  based  on  moral  rectitude,  everj^ 
transaction  incompatible  Avith  the 
true  principles  of  justice.  He  moved 
along  in  the  channel  of  duty,  in  hap- 
py submission  to  liis  Maker's  will, 
unconscious  of  the  artifice  his  enemy 
was  about  to  employ  for  the  ovei'- 
throw  of  his  happiness  and  peace. 
He  was  perfectly  exempt  from  the 
sinful  propensities  of  a  depraved 
human  nature,  and  had  no  disposi- 
tion to  deviate  from  correct  moral 
principles.  Truth,  righteousness, 
justice  and  peace  were  essential  ele- 
ments in  the  character  of  his  mor- 
al constitution,  and  we  have  reason 
to  believe  that  his  physical  organi- 
zation was  of  superior  excellence, 
power  and  perfection,  his  counte- 
nance beaming  forth,  in  its  primi- 
tive beauty,  such  an    innocent    and 


44 


WEAEING  OF  GOLD  AND  COSTLY  ARRAY. 


serene  state  of  mind  that  is  not 
perceptible  in  liis  posterity,  whose 
«•ares,  perplexities  and  disappoint- 
ments sink  deep  into  the  heart,  and 
often  leave  visible  marks  of  anxiety 
and  despair  upon  their  faces.  In- 
deed well  might  the  Psalmist  say, 
♦'What  is  man  that  thou  art  mindful 
of  him,"  when  he  looked  back  at  his 
primitive  di<^nity  and  blessedness, 
when  the  brightness  of  God's  image 
was  reflected  upon  his  countenance, 
when  he  was  blessed  with  such  no- 
bleness of  mind,  when  he  moved  yet 
in  the  sphere  of  perfect  obedience  to 
his  Great  Ruler,  when  Satan  the 
tell  destroyer  of  human  hapi")iness 
had  not  yet  dealt  his  death  blow ; 
when  sin  had  not  yet  tainted  his 
morals,  and  when  his  conscience 
never,  had  need  yet  of  reprimand- 
ing any  wrong  act  in  his  conduct. 
It  was  when  the  Psalmist  viewed  man 
in  this  sublime  light  of  the  subject 
that  he  felt  justified  in  adoring  God 
by  saying,  *'For  thou  hast  made 
)tim  (man)  a  little  lower  than  the  an- 
•jels,  and  hast  crowned  him  with 
glory  and  honor."  &c.  &c.  Psalm  8th 
chap.  The  preacher  in  his  treatise 
on  the  advantages  of  wisdom,  (Eccl. 
7  :  29)  appears  also  to  have  been 
Yery  deeply  impressed  with  the  fact 
of  man's  primeval  dignity.  ^'Lo 
this  only  have  I  found  that  God 
made  man  upright ;  but  they  sought 
out  many  inventions."  O  that  man 
might  have  retained  his  first  estate, 
and  thus  enjoyed  the  unutterable 
felicity,  next  in  i*ank  to  that  of  an- 
gels in  Heaven  ;  but  he  fell  and  aw- 
i'ul  was  his  fall.  We  sensibly  feel 
the  shock  in  our  hearts,  in  our  lives, 
and  in  our  daily  social,  political  and 
religious  intercourse  with  men. 
viprous  sting  sin  inflicted 
tal  wound  disobedience  made 

f 


can  only  be  remedied  by  the  pro- 
pitiatory sacrifice  of  Christ.  We 
shall  say  no  more  of  the  fall  of  man 
for  the  present.  We  stop  to  con- 
template our  poverty  and  lame- 
ness caused  by  it. 

•'Him  with  glorious  mnjcsty 
Thy  Grace  vouchsaf'd  to  crown; 
Transcript  of  the  One  in  three, 
lie  in  thy  image  shown. 
Foremost  of  created  things, 
Head  of  nil  thy  works  he  stood  ; 
Nearest  the  great  King  of  kings ; 
And  little  le$$  than  God." 

E.    S.    M. 
Somerset,  Pa. 


For  the  Visitor. 

WEAEING  OF  GOLD  AKD  COSTLY 
ARRAY. 

"  Cry  aloud,  spare  not,  lift  up  thy 
voice  like  a  trumpet  and  shew  my  peo- 
ple their  transgressions,  and  the 
house  of  Jacob  their  siris.'*  These 
are  the  words  of  Jehovah,  spoken 
to  the  prophet  Isaiah,  Cht.  58  :  1, 
at  a  time  when  his  people  had  de- 
viated from  the  law  which  they  had 
received  from  him. 

Now  I  believe  that  the  present 
is  also  a  proper  time  for  the  senti- 
nels on  the  watchtower  of  Zion,  to 
cry  aloud,  and  warn  the  people  of 
God  of  the  danger  of  falling  into  the 
same  error.  Therefore,  actuated 
by  a  sense  of  duty,  and  by  a  feel- 
ing of  love  to  my  fellow-pilgrims, 
and  a  desire  to  defend  the  cause  of 
my  divine  Master,  I  protest  againet 
some  of  the  evils  that  are  insinua- 
ting themselves  into  the  church. 
I  will  offer  a  few  remarks  on  some 
worldly  customs  that  have  gi-own  to 
an  alarming  extent  within  my  rec- 
ollection ;  namely,  the  wearing  of 
gold  and  costly  clothing.  Obser- 
vation teaches  us    that    pride,   that 


WEARING  OF  GOLD  AND  COSTLY  ARRAY. 


45 


hydra    monster,    is    making    rapid '  ly,  pride  is    the    origin    of  all    the 
strides  iu    the    world;  and    it    has  i  afflictions  and  suifei-incjs  that   have 


found  its  way  into  most  of   the    re-  come    upon 

ligious  societies  of  the   present   age,  Christ  said  ' 

and  by  many  of  them  it  is  tolera-  the    heart." 

ted  in  its    greatest    extravagance,  wearing  of 

even  at    the    so-called    communion  \  ments  then, 

altar.     And  this  is   not    all.     Even !  fruits  of  a  proud  heart. 

the  "queen  that  stands   in   gold  of|     The    Lord     complained 


the     human     family. 

Pnde    Cometh    out    of 

Mark  7  :  21,  22.     The 

gold    and    other   orna- 
are    undoubtedly    the 


of   the 


Ophir,"  is  by  many   acknowledged ;  daughter  of  Zion  as   being  haughty, 


as  supreme  head    on    earth    of  the  '  and  as  walking  with  stretched  forth 
church.     But  why  need  I   go  so  far  i  necks  and    wanton    e3'e8,  &c.     And 
abroad  when  there  is  plenty  of  labor 
at  home  ? 

It  is  a  sad  truth  which  cannot    be 


the  prophet  has   declared  that,  "the 


Lord  will  take  awaj'  the  bravery  of 
their    tinkling     ornaments."      And 
denied,  that  pride  has  also  made  its! among  many  other  things  which  he 


enumerates  he  mentions  also  the  ear- 
rings. Isai.  3  :  16—23. 

The  apostles  have  also  given  ex- 
cellent directions  how  the  women 
should  dress.  "Tn  like  manner  also, 
that  women  adorn  themselves  in 
modest  apparel,  with  shamefaced- 
ness  and  sobriety  ;  not  with  broid- 
ered  hair,  or  gold,  or  pearls,  or  cost- 


appearance  in  the  church  of  Christ. 
In  consequence  of  which  many 
hearts  are  made  sorry  to  see  that 
this  horrid  abomination  has  already 
penetrated  so  deeply  into  our  midst, 
and  many  are  the  prayers  that,  sls- 
(^nd  to  heaven  in  behalf  of  our  dear 
Zion.  which  seems  to  be  languishing 
in    this    dreary  wilderness    of   sin. 

And  were  it  not  for  the  "light  ofjiy  array."  1  Tim.  2  :  9.  "Whose 
the  glorious  gospel  of  Christ,"  the  j  adorning  let  it  not  be  that  outward 
glimmering  rays  of  which  still  ill u-  adorning  of  plaiting  the  hair,  and  of 
minatethe  path  of  the  righteous,  I  wearing  of  gold,  or  of  putting  on 
this  world  would  be  a  gloomy  wil-^of  apparel."  1  Pet.  3  :  3.  Here  we 
(lerness  indeed.  We  find  that  in  j  see  that  the  apostles,  Paul  and  Pe- 
ter, have  positively  forbidden  the 
wearing  of  gold,  and  costly  clothing, 
including  undoubtedly  ear-rings  and 
silk  dresses  &c.  Xo  one  will  deny 
the  haughtiness  of  men  shall  be 'that  the  apostles  have  written  by 
bowed     down,   and   the  Lord  alone! inspiration, — "as  they   were   moved 

by  the  Holy  Ghost."  If  we,  then, 
would  argue  thut  the  wearing  of 
gold  was  absolutely  necessary  in 
some  instances,  I  fear  it   would  be 


ancient  times  the  people  of  God 
degenerated  and  became  highmind- 
ed.  The  prophet  says,  "The  lofty 
looks  of  man  shall  be  humbled    and 


Khali  be  exalted  in  that  day.  For 
the  day  of  the  Lord  of  hosts  shall 
Vie  upon  every  one  that  is  proud  and 
lofty,  and  upon  every  one  that  is 
lifted  up  ;  and  he  shall  be  brought 
low."  Isai.  2  :  11,  12.  Paul  says, 
"sin  entered  into  the  world  and 
death  by  sin."  Rom.  5  :  12.  And 
Sirach  says,  "Pride  is  the  beginning 
Consequent- 


ofsin."    Eccl.  10  :  13. 


nothing  less  than  to  impeach  the 
authority  or  wisdom  of  the  Hoi}'- 
Ghost :  the  inference  would  be,  that 
the  Spirit  that  dictated  to  the  apos- 
tles, has  either  arbitrarily  forbidden 
the  wearing  of  a  necessary  article, 


46 


T\^EARING  OF  GOLD  AND  COSTLY  AREAY. 


or  did  not  foresee  that  there  would 
be  80  many  weak  eyes  in  the  latter 
days  :  should  we  not  Bhudder  at  the 
very  thought  of  such  arrogance. 
Our  yynipathy  should  not  be  alone 
for  the  body,  hut  inuch  iviore  for  the 
soul. 

In  the  ii\  ri;i!  iwii:^  w  V- luivc  ti  hid- 
eous picture  of  prido  under  the  fig- 
of  a  woman-  '*And  llie  Avoman 
was  arrayed  in  purple  and  scarlet 
color,  and,  decked  with  gold  and 
precious  stones  and  j^carls."  &c.  Eev. 
17.  This  picture  is  not  too  highly 
colored  to  suit  the  present  time. 
There  are  thousands  that  are.  equal 
to  this  in  style,  though  not  in  the 
exact  order.  The  woman's  name  we 
have  in  glaring  capitals  :  '^Mysteiiy, 
Babylon  the  great,  the  mother 
OF  harlots  and  abominations  of 
THE  earth."  Eev.  17  :  5. 

This  spiritual  Babylon  is  still  in 
existence, — "whose  merchants  were 
the  great  men  of  the  earth  ;  for  by 
thy  sorceries  were  all  nations  de- 
ceived." Eev.  18  :  23.  But  what 
was  the  language  of  the  voice  from 
..heaven?  ''Come  out  of  her  my 
peo])le,  that  ye  be  not  partakers  of 
lier  sins,  and  that  ye  receive  not  of 
her  plagues."  Eev.  18  :  4.  Here  we 
have  the'  highest  authority  to  come 
out  of  Babylon — a  voice  from  heav•^ 
en.  Now,  I  believe  that  those  who 
have  truly  come  out  of  Babylon, 
will  also  be  willing  to  lay  off  all  her 
vain  and  gay  articles  of  merchan- 
dise.— "And  the  merchants  of  the 
earth  (who  also  belong  to  Babylon) 
shall  weep  and  mourn  over  her;  for 
no  man  buyeth  their  merchandi.se 
any  more  :  The  merchan^is«  of  gold, 
and  silver,  and  precious  stones,  and 
of  pearls,  and  fine  linen,  and  pur- 
ple, and  silk  and  scarlet,"  &e.  Eev. 
18  :  12. — It  may  be  necessary  here 


to  observe,  that  gold  and  silver  arc 
considered  here  as  articles  of  traffic 
for  decorating  the  body,  and  not 
gold  and  silver  coin  as  a  circulating 
medium,  which  is  not  forbidden. — 
It  is  clearly  to  be  understood  from 
the  above,  that  those  who  delight 
and  indulge  in  Avearing  gold,  and,,, 
silk  and  other  costly  dresses,  arc, 
yet  in  Babylon,  because,  when  Bab- 
ylon is  fallen  or  destroyed,  no  man 
will    Iniy    their    merchandise    any 

more,  the  children  of  God  who  have- 

.  'In- 

come out  of  her  will  want  such   tri-j^. 

ties  no  longer,  they  will  be  an  abom- 
ination to  them. 

I  am  well  aware  that  this  is  no 
popular  doctrine,  but  I  am 
convinced  that  it  is  the  doc- 
trine of  the  cross,  and  I  cannot 
say  peace,  peace,  when  there  is  no 
peace.  Jer.  G  :  11.  Paul  said  ''If  I 
would  5^et  please  men  I  should  not 
be  the  servant  of  Christ.'  Gal.  1  :  10. 
If  I  can  meet  the  approbation  ol 
God  and  his  children,  I  shall  be  con- 
tent. I  care  not  for  the  frowns  of 
Babylon,  the  time  of  her  destruction 
is  drawing  near.  The  word  of  God 
calls,  "come  out  of  her,"  and  the 
heralds  of  the  gospel  are  crying 
"come  out  of  her,"  and  the  signs  of 
the  times  are  warning,  and  urging 
to  come  out  of  her.  The  figtree  has 
budded,  the  leaves  are  beginning  to 
appear,  and  the  time  is  probably 
near  at  hand  when  the  sound  of  the 
angel's  voice  will  be  uttered  in  the 
vast  regions  above,  and  reverber- 
ate throughout  all  creation,"  Bab- 
y\on  the  great  is  fallen."  "Eejoice 
over  her,  thou  heaven,  and  ye  holy 
apostles  and  prophets ;  for  God  hath 
avenged  you  on  her."  Eev.  18  :  20. . 
Let  me  then,  as  a  friend,  appeal  to» 
those  that  are  yet  within  the  bor- 
ders of  Babylon,  and  entreat  them 


BAPTISM  FOE  THE  EEMISSION  OF  SINS. 


47 


to  come  out  of  her,  and   be   not   de-|     If  a  person  would  repent  witli  liis 
ceived  any  longer  Avitli  her   sorcery  |  whole  heart,    and   yet  refuse   lo  be 

baptized,  I  do  not  believe  that  God 
would  ever  forgive  his  sins.  At  the 
same  time,  a  person  may  be  Ix^p- 
tized,  and  still  his  sins  remain  un- 
forgiven.  It  requires  miA'.  :iv.  ling 
faith,   true  and  genuine  repentance, 


les. 

|f  the  anger  of  the  Lord  was  kin- 
dled against  the  children  of  Israel 
when  Aehan  had  secretly  taken 
some  accursed  things,  namely  gold, 
and  silver,  and    a   Babylonish    gar- 


ment,— and  had  forsaken  them  un- ,  and  a  will  to  follow  Christ  in  all  his 
til  they  had  put  away  from  them  j  commands.  And  after  such  person 
the  accursed  thing,  Josh.  ch.  7.  how  is  baptized,  he  can  claim  tlx:it  his 
can  we  expect  to  escape  his  just  in- 
dignation when  there  are  still    some 


gold     rings,    and    Babylonish   gar 
ments  publicly  among  us  ? 


sins  are  forgiven. 

Now  if  Noah  had  said,  after  he  had 

built  the  ark,   ''I    will   go   into  the 

jark,"  but  had  just  went  to  tiie  door, 

"See  that  ye  refuse  not  him   that :  and  staid  there,  do  you  suppose  God 

speaketh.     For  if  they   escaped  noj;  L^ould    have    saved    him?      Never. 

who  refused    him    that    spake     on  i^.^t  by  going  in,  the  ark  saved  him. 

earth,    much    more    shall    not    weU^Y^ereunto  baptism,   the 


escape,  if  we  turn  away  from  him 
that  speaketh  from  heaven."  Heb. 
12*  25. 

D.     B. 


like 


For  the  Visitor. 

BAPTISM  FOR  THE  REMISSION 
OF  SINS. 

'   Dear  Brethren  :    The  above  much 
^  ;  disputed  Question,  has    been    much 
*talked  and    written    about,    but    it 
seems  to  me  if  we  would   all    reason 
honestly,  we    might     with    a  little 
«labor  come  to  a  clear  understanding 
Pi     ^the  matter.     I  look  at  the  subject 
['     about  in  this  light :    '-Faith  cometh 
L    ^  by  hearing."     Now  suppose  a  sinner 
V  desires  to  come  out  from  the  world, 
I      and  be   attached  to   the  church  of 
Chi'ist ;  he  first  gets  faith,  and  then 
begins  to  repent,   and  implore  God's 
mercy.     God  is  then,  no  doubt,  wil- 
lingjio  for^e  his  sins.     But   have 
we  OT^QjjAnce  that  God  will  for- 
give ornatli  forgiven  his  sins,  until 
he  has  complied  with  the  ordinance 
of  baptism?     No,  not  any. 


ure,  doth  now  also  save  us."  Ana- 
nias told  Paul  <'to  arise  and  be  bap- 
tized and  wash  avN^ay  his  sine.  The 
washing  here  undoubtedly  means 
baptism. 

The  ajDOStle  Peter  told  the  pente- 
costians  to  be  baptized  for  the  re- 
mission of  sins;  from  which  some 
will  argue  because  the  apostle  n 
the  preposition  "for,"  that  thei  mus 
were  already  remitted.  Nuvv  i 
their  sins  were  remitted,  it  wöiikl 
have  been  highly  improper  in  Peter 
to  tell  them  tto  repent.  If  (as  alrea- 
dy stated,)  their  sins  had  been  for- 
given, Peter  would  have  told  them, 
'You  need  not  repent,  your  sins  are 
all  pardoned,  but  you  must  be  turpy 
tized  because  God  has  said  so. 


I    would  here    remark  that  *  th« 
preposition  "for"  is  no  evideiit.e.5at 
all   that   their   sins  were   rem 
The  preposition  "for"  is  usei  m 
future  tense  as  well  as  the  past.     It" 
is  not  the  preposition  that   governs 
time    in  language,    but  it    is     the 
verb. 


4' 


4S 


PO  WEE  TO  SAVE. 


«€ 


For  oxamplo : 
T  will  go  for  my  goods. 
I  went  for  my  goods. 

"Now  here  wc  notice  that  the  prep 
osition  "for"  is  used  in  both  senten-j 
COS.     In  the  first  sentence   it  signi- 
fies future  tense,   and  in  the  second  i 
8on(enco,  past  tense.     But  the  verbs, 
*'w;ir'   and  ''went"   are  the   words 
that  give  change  to  time  in  the  ex- 
ample. 

(liriKt   says,    "he  that   believeth 
nn  i  is  baptized  shall  be  saved,    and 
he    that     believeth      not    shall    be 
damned."     Some    infer    from    this, 
thai  because  Christ  did  not  use  the 
word    baptism,    in  the   sentence  of 
condemnation,  that  we  can  be  saved 
by  believing  only.     But  Christ  does 
not  say  so,  but  he  says  he  that  belie- 
veili  and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved. 
Now  notice  we  have  no  promise  of 
being  saved  unless  we  are  baptized. 
And  it  is  not  necessary  to  use  the 
wo.d,  "baptism"   in  the  sentence  of 
condemnation,   from  the  fact,   that 
ill* -c  who  do  not  believe,   it  is  evi- 
dent will  never  be  baptized.     AVhen 
wc    (»sire  instruction  in  regard   to 
nur     ilvation,  we  should  try  to  learn  | 
ol,  ;uid  submit  to,  the  terms  of  the  i 
(rospcl  relating  thereto,  and  not  try  i 
to   take  advantage  of   those   terms  j 
which   relate  to  the   condemnation  j 
of  the  wicked.     AVe  will  suppose  a' 
^casc  :  A  father  gives  a  command  to  ^ 
'ftyt'Iiildren.     They  violate  it.     The  | 

Jlier  brings   them  to  account    for 
tneir    conduct.      The    children    are' 
jor  what  they  have  done  andi 


forgiven  them  when  he  sees  thorn  so 
earnestly  engaged  in  obeying  him, 
even  before  the  conditions  are  fully 
complied  with.  But  should  the  chil- 
dren stop  before  the  conditions  are 
fully  complied  with,  get  stubborn, 
and  say,  I  believe  1  have  done 
enough,  do  you  suppose  that  that 
father  would  "forgive  those  children. 
No,  I  think  not.  The  children  have 
no  evidence Mi5^^thcir  heart  that  their 
conduct  is  pardoned  until  the  con- 
ditions are  altogether  complied  with. 
Just  so  with  us.  Wc  have  no  evi- 
dence on  our  part  that  God  hath  for- 
given our  sins  until  we  have  com- 
plied with  his  conditions. 

Eespected  Editors:  the  above 
simple  remarks  you  may  publish  if 
you  consider  them  worth  a  place 
in  the  Visitor. 

E.  Pluribiis  Unum. 


For  the  Gospel  Visitor.     .^.^ 
POWER  TO  SAVE. 


4 


to  be  forgiven, 


The   father 

them   upon    certain    conditions 

^       ^e  is  willing  to   forgive  them-.     The 

^      children"  are  all  very'  glad  of  such 

easy    conditions.      The    father,    no 

doubt,    feels  in  his  heart  that  ho  has 


Dear  Brethren  : 

Power   ma}'     i»L- 
considered     under    two    divisions, 
physical  and  moral.     Phj-sical  i^ow- 
er,  is  that  employed  to  operate  on 
material     substances :      and    moral 
power,  that  employed  to  operate  o^* 
immaterial     substances.       When    a      * 
physician  amputates  an  arm,  he  ei^- 
ploj^s  physical    power ;    but  to   re-.;A| 
move  errror  from  t^e  mind,  moi'al     \ 
power  must  be  employed.      A  moral 
malady  can   never  be  removed  by 
physical  power,  neither  can  a  phys- 
ical malady   be  rem(Äed  by  moral 
power  ;  and  hence  it  ij 


cut  ion  docs  not  aft'ect*  WlßlKf^  of 
the  children  of  God^  AikI  God, 
who  has  all  power,  has  respect  to 
this  order.     When   God  made  Man, 


POWEE  TO  SAVE. 


ho  employed  physical  power,  hut 
the  soul  of  man,  is  the  production  of 
moral  power.  And  when  God  op- 
erltes  upon  the  physical  or  natural 
bodies  of  men,  he  employs  physical 
power :  thus,  when  he  destroyed 
a  wicked  world,  he  did  it  by  a  flood 
of  water:  and  in  saving  Noah  and 
his  family,  the  ark  was  employed. 
When  Croi  destroyed  Sodom  and 
Gomorrah,  he  rained  fire  and  brim- 
stone upon  them ;  and  to  save  Lot, 
he  led  him  out  of  Sodom  by  his  an- 
gels. But,  when  God  deals  with 
the  souls  of  men,  he  employs  moral 
l>ower :  thus,  the  unbelief  of  our 
first  parents,  was  the  cause  of  God's 
withdrawing  his  communion  from 
them.  Having  written  this  much 
on  power,  and  its  divisions,  I  will 
now  write  a  little  on  that  power 
which  God  employs  in  the  salvation 
of  bis  people.  As  sin  is  a  moral 
malad}'  it  will  require  moral  power 
to  remove  it ;  and  this  power  we 
find  to  be,  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ: 
for  Paul  says,  '<For  I  am  not  ashamed 
of  the  Gospel  of  Christ;  for  it  is  the 
'fif.cer  of  God  unto  salvation  to  every 
dne  tha^  believeth  ;  to  the  Jew  first 
an  J^ls^to  ^he  Greek."  Eom.  1  :  16. 
If  then  the  Gospel  of  Christ  is  the 
power  of  God  unto  salvation,  let  us 
examine,  or  search  out,  what  that 
gospel  of  Christ  is.  Paul,  in  his  fii*st 
lett-erto  the  Corinthians,  15  :  1,  2, 
say»,  "Moreover,  brethren,  I  declare 
unto  you  the  Gospel  which  I  preach- 
ed unto  you;  which  also  ye  have 
received,  and  wherein  ye  stand; 
by  which  also  ye  are  saved,  if  ye 
keep'  in  memory  what  I  preached 
unto  you;  unless  ye  have  believed 
in  vain." 

Then  he  proceeds  to  declare  that 
which  he  had  delivered  unto  them. 
^^For  I  delivered  unto    you    first    of 


all,  that  which  I  also  received,  how 
that  Christ  died  for  our  sins  accord- 
ing to  the  scriptures ;  And  that  ho 
was  buried,  and  that  he  rose  again 
the  third  day  according  to  the  scrip- 
tures." This  is  the  Gospel  that 
Paul  preached,  and  called  the  Gos- 
pel of  Christ ;  which,  says  he,  "hi 
the  power  of  God  unto  salvation  to 
every  one  that  believeth.  Here  ia 
an  important  lesson,  and  one  that 
we  should  ponder  well.  Shall  we 
pray  to  God  to  make  known  his 
power  by  converting  the  nations  to 
himself,  and  then  sit  down,  and  fold 
our  arms  in  inaction  ?  Methinks  I 
hear  the  Spirit  reply  in  solemn  tones, 
"The  gospel  of  Christ  is  God's  power 
unto  salvation,  and  this  power  he  has 
entrusted  in  the  hands  of  his  people ; 
Go  ye  therefoi*e  unto  all  the  world 
and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  crea- 
ture, tell  them  of  Christ  their  Kedee- 
mer,  relate  to  them  the  story  of  the 
cross;  yes,  tell  them  that  Christ  died 
for  their  sins,  that  he  was  laid  in  the 
tomb,  and  that  he  rose  triumphant- 
ly from  it  on  the  third  day  accord- 
ing to  the  scriptures,  and  that  he  as- 
cended into  heaven,  and  is  set  down 
on  the  right  hand  of  God  the  eter- 
nal Father,  and  that  he  is  interced- 
ing for  those  who  believe  in  his 
name.  Impress  it  upon  them,  to 
believe  on  him,  and  to  trust  in  him 
for  salvation ;  and  remember  to 
tell  them  that  they  must  have  a 
witness  to  their  faith,  else  it  will  be 
dead,  and  that  obedience  to  the 
commands  of  their  Savior  is  the  on- 
ly reliable  witness. 

Dear  Brethren,  I  will  now  con- 
clude this  article,  yet  not  without 
expressing  my  wish  that  we  may 
all  take  a  greater  interest  in  the 
spread  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  and 
G.  V.  Vol.  X.  4 


50 


"MY  OPINION."  —  HUMILITY. 


that  we  may  all  bo  made  pai-takers 
of  its  power.  If  you  think  these 
lines  worthy  you  may  give  them 
publicity  ;  and  if  not,  you  are  at 
liberty  to  use  them  as  to  you  secm- 
eth  best,  us  this  is  my  first  adven- 
ture. 

J.    W.     B. 

]f  iami  Co.  0.,  Dec.  29th.  A.  1).  1859. 


For  the  Visitor. 
♦MY  OPINION." 

♦  Editoi-s,  Gospel   Visitor:     In    the 
November    No.    last    Volume     ofi 
Visitor.  I  notice   some   remarks   by| 
br.  D.  T.  concerning  my  article   on ! 
the  Lord's  prayer,   which   appeared 
in  the  May  No.  last  Vol. 

•  I  would  just  say  that  br.  D.  T. 
has  certainly  made  my  article  mean 
much  more  than  I  ever  intended  it 
should,  and  has  drawn  conclusions 
from  the  same  which  I  never  thought 
of  establishing,  and  I  hope  never 
will.  And  I  would  say  to  the 
brethren  and  sisters  one  and  all,  if 
my  article  has  gi*icved  any  of  you, 
bear  with  me  for  Christ's  sake. 
We  should  be  careful  not  to  criti- 
cise each  other  too  closely,  as  the 
best  of  us  are  but  weak  mortals  and 
liable  to  err.  We  should  allow  each 
other  latitude  enough  to  express 
our  opinions  freely. 

To  argue  with,  and  criticise  each 
other  too  closely  is  highly  detrimen- 
tal to  the  character  of  the  Visitor, 
as  well  as  the  characters  that  en- 
gage in  it.  Perhaps  I  have  been 
criticising  other's  views  too  closely 
myself,  but  I  will  try  as  much 
as  possible  to  be  upon  my  guard 
in  the  future  concerning  this  prin- 
c'ij)le. 

1  also  think  that  it  is  out  of 
place  to  prefer  the  opinion  of  a  man 


of  the  world  to  that  of  a  brother  in 
public  print,  even  if  we  did  corsidef 
the  former  the  best.  Of  course  in 
private  conversation  it  might  (^. 
Perhaps  br.  J).  T.  or  some  moro%f 
the  brethren  will  ask  the  question, 
*'Tf  the  conclusions  from  youraj-ticlo 
were  wrongly  drawn,  why  do  vou' 
I  not  set  them  right,  so  that  you  ^  an 
be  understood  ?"  In  answer  to  i  '.lis, 
I  would  just  say,  that  to  state  my 
views  elaborately  (which  I  Vv»»  ild 
havo  to  do)  would  require  a  len- thy 
argument,  which  might  gi  iv  vo 
those  worse  that  are  already  gri'-\  ed 
and  perhaps  grieve  some  that  ire 
not  yet  grieved.  Suffice  it  to  say 
that  we  will  not  fall  out  about  bo 
small  a  matter  as  this. 

The  above  is  written  out  of  the 
very  kindest  of  feelings,  and  I  }i>ipc 
none  will  take  ofience  at  my  re- 
marks. 

Yours  Fraternally, 

J.     S.     M. 


HUMILITY. 

^^  Yea  all  of  you  he  subject  o?  •  to 
another,  and  be  clothed  with  hunul'^y: 
for  God  resisteth  the  proud,  mri ,,  /r- 
eth  grace  to  the  humble."  1  Pet,  6x5. 

It  seems  that  the  A^:)08tlo  under- 
stood the  nature  of  man,  and  k'l^  ow- 
ing man  to  be  in  possession  (fa 
spirit,  of  self-esteem,  may  we  q||]  it, 
that  is  ever  on  the  alert  for  hHftor 
and  praise  from  men,  he  saith*  Vea 
all  of  you  be  subject  one  to  anoth- 
er, and  be  clothed  Avith  humility. 

Let  us  apply  this  language  of  ^hc 
apostle  to  professing  christiaii,s  of 
the  present  age.  Do  we  find  iium 
clothed  with  humility  as  the  apos- 
tle's language  would  teach  us  ?  We 
read  of  ''false  teachers,  by  n  ason 
of  whom  the  way  of  truth  shall    be 


HUMILITY: 


51 


evil  spoken  of.'*  2.  Pet.  2  :  1 — 3.  It  i  something  else  ;  so  one  must  wear 
is  to  be  feared  that  there  are  now  this,  another,  that  and  so  on  for  the 
many  of  those  false  teachei-s  in  the  doctor,  (and  perhaps  he  one  of  the 
world.  It  is  to  be  feared  that  a i most  wicked  men),  or  some  kind 
very  small  portion  of  the  professed  |  friend  has  advised  it ;  and  so  a  place 
ministry  at  the  preseui  day  (taking  is  found  for  every  foi-m  of  pride, 
in  all  Protestant  denominations)  !Xo  one  can  be  found  that  is  proud  j 
can  adopt  the  language  of  Paul,  neither  will  a  person  that  is  really 
Acts  20  :  20,  27.  crazy  acknowledge  to  it.     All   wear 

Thegreat  cry  from  many  profess-  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  ^'^^'  ^^^^'^'  g^^^^'  '^''^ 
ed  Ministers  of  the  Gospel,  at  the  i ^^^^^^  ^'^^^^  ^^  ^^  ^''''^^'^^  ^"  ^<^^xvhi^ 
present  day  is.  Be  converted  and  v^-^  ^hing  that  will  do  us  good. 
ceive  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ, 
(and  some  would  even   have   it  the  1^*^^'  ^^*  ^^^^^  ^P^^^  ^^^^^   ^^^^«g^ 


Hear  Paul,  Eom.  14  :  21.,  and  you 

and 

religion  of  Peter,  or,  of  some  other  I  ^^^^^^"^^ '  O  shame,  shame,  where  is 

and    all    will    be    well :  thus! ^^^^  ^^"^^  •     Where  does  sin  conceal 

herself?     These  things   may  do   for 


man) 

rushing  people  into   something  they 


the  world,  but 


will  not  do  for 


know  not  what;  instead  of  teach- 1''"^  »uxiu,  uut  they 
ing  them  what  the  Lord  requires  of'  ^^'^  followers  of  the  meek  and  lowly 
them;  and  this  kind  of  preaching!  J^^^^' ^^^  ^^^'^  ^^^^  ^^  ^^^^'^"^V  to 
has  become  so  popular,  that  thej^^^^'^  ^^«  P^^^'>  unworthy  mortals, 
people  will  hardly  listen  to  the  man  I  ^^M^ride  is  not  confined,  by  any 
who  would  deckre  tho  whole  coun- P^^^^^^^  ^^^^tever,  to  the  females, 
sei  of  God;  yet  we  believe  there  are  though  they  seem  to  indulge  in  it 
still  some  of  those  breasting  the  pop- 


de- 


ular  current,  who  are  willing   to 
clare  the  whole  counsel  of  God,   re- 
gardless of  the  opposition  ;  and  as  I 
have   alreadj'   said   the  people   will 
scarcely  hear  them. 

Go  to  the  house    of  God    on   the 


to  much  the  greater  extent. 

The  male  portion  of  mankind   is 

much   tinctured   with   it.     Some  of 

the  males  may  pride  themselves  in 

dress;  some  in   their    house,    their 

farm,  their    horses,    their    wealth ; 

!  some  in  their  occupation  or  profess- 

^,     ,         ,  ,         ,    ,    ,,      ,      i^^">  and  some,   it   is   to  be  feared, 

sabbath,  and  you  there  behold  what'„  -i^,,  i  j.i    •      ^      i 

'  -^  ,  -     -     i  pride  themselves  upon    their  stand- 

--■•■   .tartle    everj'  lover   of  the  ,;      j^  ^^^  ^,^^^^^  ^^.  ^^^.^^^^      p^.^^ 

There  you  see  the  professed  |  j^  „^^  ^^^^^^^  ^^  ^^^^  ^^^  -  p,^^^   ^,. 


should   startle 

Truth 

follower  of  Jesus  Christ  dressed   in   .,  .         .,     ,  i  •   .. 

,      ,  ,  ,       ,  thing;  it    has    many    nooks,     into 

the  hi":liest  fashions  ot  the  day,  par-,'     i  •  i    •.    i-,  .., 

*^        ,  ,  All        i which  it  slilv  creeps;  neither   is   it 

ticularly    the    females.     Ask    them 


creeps ; 
confined  to  the  young. 

"When  I  see  a  young  female  dress- 
ed in  all  the  vanities  and  fashions  of 
the  world  (or  the  part  of  it,  in 
which  she  lives,)  or  indulging  in 
idle  conversation,  tattling  and  speak- 
lingiUot  her  neighbors,  I  fear  she 
9,  10,  and  one  is  is  not  clothed  with  humility.  But 
affected  with  this  disease,  and  an-  when  1  see  the  mother,  with  her 
other  with  that,  and  another    with  i  babe  covered  with  flounces,  ruffles, 


why  they  are  thus  attired,  and  one 
can  see  no  wrong  in  it ;  another  has 
as  good  a  right  to  Avear  this,  that, 
and  other  things,  as  such  and  such 
an  one,  but  she  does  not  weai'  anv 
thing  for  pride. 

Eead  1.  Tim.  2 


MY  MOTHER'S  GRAVE. 


ribbons  and  fringes,  the  question 
arise«,  Can  that  mother,  who  is  thus 
planting  the  seed  of  pride  in  tlie 
Jiean  of  her  infant,  be  clothed  with 
humility?  Is  she  bringing  it  up  in 
the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the 
liumble  and  lowly  Jesus?  Will  her 
own  plain  dressing  clear  her  of  the 
blood  of  her  child  ? 

When  I  see  a  young  man  indulg- 
ing in  worldly  amusements,  taking 
Jjold  of  any  thing  to  pass  his  time 
and  please  the  world,  indulging  in 
much  loud  and  boisterous  laughter, 
and  treating  older  men  of  a  serious 
character,  as  if  they  had  been  his 
])laymates,  I  fear  he  is  not  clothed 
with  humility.  And  when  I  see  a 
modest  young  brother  introduced  to 
an  old  brother,  and  for  some  cause 
unknown  to  us,  the  old  brother 
fails  to  treat  the  younger  one  civilly, 
it  might  be  possible,  that  even  in 
the  old  brother  humility  is  wanting; 
but  if  we  judge  too  hastily,  it  may 
be  wanting  in  us. 

Again,  when  a  brother  lays  aside 
his  plain  garment,  and  gets  one  of  a 
more  brilliant  appearance,  trims  his 
beard  so  as  to  be  in  the  fashionable 
curi'ent  of  society,  or  associating 
with  such,  when  there  are  brethren 
convenient  that  would  be  glad  to 
have  his  company ;  does  it  not  look 
as  though  humility  was  not  very  I 
prominently  seated  in  his  heart  ? 

Beloved  brethren  :  Let  those  of 
u«*  who  have  been  placed  as  watch- 
men upon  the  walls  of  Zion,  take 
great  heed  to  our  ways,  lest  we  be 
overtaken  by  the  way,  fall  from  our 
own  steadfastness,  and  becorDe  the' 
cause  of  some  poor  soul  perishing, 
*'CrO(l  resisteth  the  proud,  and  giv- 
cth  grace  to  the  humble — Beloved 
brethren  and  sisters, let  U8  take   en-! 


icouragement,    and    continue  stead- 
fast in  the  faith  a  few  days   more, 
and  we  shall  bo   gathered   liome,  to 
^  dwell  forever  with    our   Father    in 
[heaven. 

Let  us  not  spread  a  veil  before 
any  by  manifesting  a  proud  or 
haughty  disposition.  Let  «s  not 
wound  the  feelings,  or  freeze  tho 
tender  heart  of  any  young  member 
by  slighting  them,  or  showing  our- 
selves above  them;  but  rather 
nourish  them  by  our  advice,  and 
assist  them  by  our  counsel,  on  their 
way  to  our  eternal  happy  home. 
May  the  Lord  add  his  blessing,  and 
keep  us  in  the  narrow  way  that 
leadeth  to  heaven,  is  my  humble 
but  sincere  prayer. 

S.     M. 


MY  MOTHER'S  GRAVE. 

"My  Moliier's  Grave  I  'Tis  there    beneath    tb* 
trees. 
•    Hove  to  go  alone,  and  sit,  and  think 

Upon  that  gras.<j  mound.  My  cradlo  hours 
Coine  back  again  so  sweetly,  when  I  woke 
And  lifted  up  uiy  head  to  kiss  the  cheek 
That  bowed  to  meet  me." 

How  many  thoughts  cluster 
around  the  heart  as  we  approach 
this  monument  of  our  affection  ! 
All  that  is  noble  in  our  nature  is 
aroused  at  the  thought  of  its  dese- 
cration. AV'e  hallow  the  spot  where 
the  last  remains  of  her  who  bore  u» 
lie  slumbering.  Although  long 
years  may  have  passed,  and  partial- 
ly obliterated  the  scones  of  her 
death  and  burial  from  our  minds, 
yet  it  is  enough  to  know  that  here, 
beneath  us,  lie  the  remains  of  our 
mother!  Mother!  How  affecting  is 
the  sound  ofthat  one  word  !  It  in- 
spires   us    with   nobler  aspiration» 


THE  MOTHEE. 


r>3 


and   firmer  determinations  for  the 
future  ;  that  we  maj'  act  up  to  that 
high  ideal  which  that  mother  may 
have    concerning    her    much-loved 
child. — Can  we    prove   recreant    to 
those  principles  which   she  has  en- 
deavored to  instill   into  our  youth- 
ful   minds — principles    of     justice,' 
virtue,  and  religion  ?     The  harden*  I 
ed criminal,  as  he  passes    from    one: 
sin,  to  another,  at  times  recalls  the ! 
memory  of  his  mother,  and  mourns  \ 
because    of   his    wicked    departure ; 
from  rectitude.       The   thoughts   ofj 
her  kindness  and   virtue  for  a  mo- 
ment  affect  his  heart,  and   he  re-j 
solves  to  change  his  course  and  be  a 
man  again.      But    resolution   fail«, 
and  to  drown   remorse,  he    plunges 
deeper    and    still    deeper  into   the 
whirlpool  of  crime.     The  thoughts 
of  that    departed    mother,    and    of 
that  mother's  grave,    and    of   that 
mother's  instructions  in   his  earlier 
years,  are  driven  away,    and    have 
no  lasting  effect  upon  his  memory. 

But  the  Christian  reverences  the 
memory  of  his  mother.  The  thought, 
**My  Mother's  Grave,"  brings  to 
mind  endearing  recollections  of  the 
past.  He  remembers,  when  but  a 
boy  of  eight  summers,  being  called 
to  the  bedside  of  his  suffering  parent, 
to  hear  from  her  lips  kind  words  of 
instruction  and  admonition.  H« 
remembers,  too,  the  midnight  hour 
when  he  was  called  to  receive  her 
last  benediction — ^her  last  farewell. 
The  hour  had  come  in  which  she 
Tiust  pass  to  that  unseen  world, 

**Vhere  sicknen,  sorrow,  pain,  ach  death 
Are  felt  and  feared  no  more;** 

and  he  was  called  to  witness  her  de- 
parture to  that  better  life— that 
life  of  immortality.  Her  last  token 
of  recognition,  her  last  intelligible 
whisperings  of  farewell,  still  remain 


as  if  engraven  with  a  pen  of  iron 
upon  memory's  tablet.  Long  years 
have  passed.  The  turf  has  growm 
green  above  the  coffin ;  the  marble 
slab  marks  her  resting  place.  She 
has  passed  away  to  be  here  no  more, 
but  the  influence  of  her  godly  ex- 
ample is  still  felt.  We  approach 
the  grave  with  pensiveness  and  si- 
lence, for  beneath  these  clods  lie 
her  remains  who  first  instilled  into 
our  minds  the  principles  of  Christian 
charity  and  true  benevolence.  Why 
should  we  not  tread  lightly  as  we 
approach  the  sacred  spot? 

Young  man  !  hast  thou  wandered 
from  the  paths  of  religion  and  vir- 
tue ? — hast  thou  sought  the  house  of 
the  vicious  and  the  despised  ? — 
Turn  thy  steps  towards  the  church- 
yard, seek  out  the  spot  that  thou 
callest  "My  Mother's  Grave,"  fivll 
upon  it,  call  to  mind  the  instruction 
of  thy  parent,  resolve  to  turn  from 
the  ways  of  evil,  and  then  call 
upon  thy  "Father  in  Heaven"  for 
pardon   and  assistance. 

Young  woman  !  hast  thou  forgot- 
ten the  gentle  words  of  thy  mother, 
and  sought  the  pleasures  of  the 
world,  and  forsaken  the  ways  of 
virtue?  Turn  thy  thoughts  tow- 
ards thy  mother's  grave,  recall  the 
memories  of  days  past,  and  may 
they  inspire  you  with  coui*age,  and 
cause  new  hopes  of  immortality  to 
^ring  forth  from  the  inward  fount- 
ains of  the  soul,  fi^sh  and  vigor- 
ous. O,  how  potent  for  good  may 
be  the  thought  of  a  Mother's  Grav«! 


THE  MOTHER. 

Young  man !  Thy  mother  is  thy 
best  earthly  friend.  The  world  may 
forget  you — thy  mother  never ;  the 
world  may  wiliully  do  you  many 
wrongs — ^thy    mother   never;    the 


54 


IIOME.—TnE  MAKEIAGE  RELATION.— OBEDIENCE. 


world  may  perBccute  you  while 
living,  and  when  dead,  plant  the 
ivy  and  the  nightshade  of  Hlandor 
upon  your  grassless  ^ravc — hut  thy 
mother  will  love  and  cherish  you 
while  living,  and  if  she  survive  you, 
will  weep  for  you  Avhen  dead,  nuch 
t€ai*8  as  nono  hut  a  mother  knows 
how  to  weep.     Love  thy  motherl 


HOME. 

How  touchingly  beautiful  are  | 
the  relations  of  home  !  There  each  j 
is  bound  by  an  electric  chain  that 
seems  to  pass  to  all  hearts  in  the 
family  (rroup  ;  so  that  one  cannot 
enjoy  pleasure  unless  all  partake 
in  it.  If  one  heart  is  oppressed,  all 
sympathize;  if  one  is  exalted,  all 
must  share  the  happiness.  It  is  in 
the  home  where  the  aching  heart 
is  soothed,  where  the  oppressed  are 
relieved,  the  outcast  reclaimed,  the 
sick  healed,  or  failing,  the  tear  of 
pure  love  drops  from  the  mourner's 
eyes,  when  the  dear  ones  are  gath- 
ered to  their  long  home. 


THE  MARRIAGE  RELATION. 

The  great  secret  is  to  learn  to 
bear  with  each  other's  failings ;  not 
to  be  blind  to  them — that  is  either 
an  impossibility  or  a  folly;  we  must 
see  and  feel  them  ;  if  wc  do  neither, 
they  are  not  evils  to  us,  and  there 
is  Dbvionsly  no  need  of  forbearance ; 
but  to  throw  the  mantle  of  aftection 
round  them,  concealing  them  .  from 
e,ach  other's  eyes  ;  to  determine  not 
to  let  them  chill  the  aft'ectious;  to 
resolve  to  cultivate  good-tempered 
forbearance,  because  it  is  the  only 
way  of  mitigating  the  present  evil, 
always  with  a  view  to  ultimate 
amendment.  Surely  it  is  not  the 
perfection,  but  the  imperfection, 
of  human  character  that  make  the 


strongest  claim  in  love. — ^AU  the 
world  must  approve,  even  enemies 
must  admire,  the  good  and  the  es- 
timable in  human  nature.  If  hus- 
band and  wife  estimate  only  that 
in  each  which  all  must  be  constrain- 
ed to  value,  what  do  they  more 
than  others?  It  is  infirmities  of 
chai*acter,  imperfections  of  nature, 
that  call  for  the  pitying  sympathy, 
the  tender  compassion  that  makes 
each  the  comforter,  the  monitor  of 
the  other.  Forbearance  helps  ei\ch 
to  attain  command  over  themselves. 
Few  are  the  creatures  so  utterly 
evil  as  to  abuse  a  generous  confi- 
dence, a  calm  forbearance.  Married 
persons  should  be  pre-eminently 
friends,  and  fidelity  is  the  great 
privilege  of  friendship.  The  for- 
bearance here  contended  for  is  not 
a  weak  and  wicked  indulgence  of 
each  other's  faults,  but  such  a  calm, 
tender  obseiwance  of  them  as  ex- 
cludes all  harshness  and  anger, 
and  takes  the  best  and  gentlest 
methods  of  pointing  them  out  in 
the  full  confidence  of  affection. — 
Wimper  to  a  Bride. 


OBEDIENCE. 

Obedience  is  doing  what  wc  are 
told  to  do.  It  is  a  duty  which  bcr 
longs  to  all  men :  all  must  obej^' 
God;  and,  besides  obeying  God, 
most  people  must  obey  others  also. 
I  will  try  to  explain  to  you  whom 
you  must  obey. 

First  of  all,  you   must  obey   God. 
Whatever  God  commands,  that  you 
ought    to    do :  whatever    Goil   for-     J 
bids,     you    must    carefully    avoid.     * 
God's  commands  are  written  in   the 
Bible;    therefore    you  should  read 


QUEEIES. 


55 


the  oible  diligently,  to  find  out  what 
Go  1  wishes  vou  to   do;  and,   when 
yo!i    have    learned    his    will,     you' 
shf»  lid  do  it.     If  any  one   tells    you, 
to  <\o    any   thing    contrary    to  thai 
will  of  God,  you  must  not  listen   to 
hir.i.  even  though  it  were  your  pa-i 
rents  who  told  you   so.     Peter  said, , 
we    must    obey    God    rather    thanj 
man.  I 

Kext  to  obeying   God,  you   mustj 
obey  your  father  and  mother:  and, 
you  must  do    so  because    God   has^ 
coTiimanded  it,  and   for  the  sake  of  i 
pleasing  him.    Xittle   children,   es- 1 
pecially,  are  bound  to  obey  their  pa-j 
rents ;  because  they  are  not  able   to 
judtre  for  themselves,  and   their  pa-i 
rents  take  care  of  them,    and    also^ 
supply   all    their    wants.     A    child 
has  nothing  but  what  is  given   to   it 
by    its    father   and    mother;    and, 
therefdi^,   it  ought  to   do  entirely 
what  they  please  :  unless  they  wish 

it  to  disobey  God  ;    then  God   must ' 

i 
be   obeyed,   not  man.      When  chil- 
dren are  grown  up,  they  are  not   so' 
much  under  the  authority   of  their  ^ 
parent«,  because  they   can  then  pro- 1 
vide  for  themselves;  but  they  ought  i 
still  to  honor  their  parents,  and  try! 
to  please  them  as  much  as  possible,  j 
Thi.j Iv  how  much  your    father    and  I 
mother  have    done   for    you ;     how ' 
they  have  taken  care  of   you    year  j 
after  year;  how   they  have   provi-! 
ded   you   with    food  and   clothing; 
and  I.  nv  very    sad    and    ungi-ateful 
it  will  be  if  you  forget  your  duty  to 
thera  when  they   are   old.     Xow   is ! 
the  :ime  to  thank  them  for  all  their 
kin.iicss  and  tender  care  for  you; 
theu  \  ou  may  show    that    you    are 
gra'crül,  by  doing   all    you    can    to 
help  tliim  and  take  care  of  them. 

There  are  some  others  whom  you 
must   obey   besides    your    parents: 


you  must  honor  and  obey,  and  pray 
for  all  that  are  set  in  authority  over 
you  ;  and  you  must  lead  a  peacea- 
ble life. 

Those  who  ai^e  servants,  must 
obey  those  who  employ  them.  Paul 
teaches  this,  when  he  tells  seiwants 
not  to  sei've  their  mastera  with  eye- 
service.  He  means,  that  they  are 
not  to  do  as  they  are  ordered  only 
while  their  masters  are  looking; 
but  to  act  just  in  the  same  way 
whether  they  are  present  or  absent. 

Besides  this,  scholars  must  obey 
their  teachei'« ;  young  persons  must 
honor  and  respect  old  ones  :  Christ- 
ian people  must  honor  their  pastors 
who  watch  for  their  souls,  and 
teach  them  heavenly  things;  they 
must  show  them  great  respect,  be- 
cause they  are  the  ministers  of  Je- 
sus Christ. 

Lastly,  you  are  taught  to  ''be- 
have yourself  lowly  and  reverently 
to  all  your  betters.''  God  has  not 
made  all  men  equal  in  wealth  and 
power ;  to  some  he  has  given  more ; 
to  others,  less.  We  shoald  be  sat- 
isfied that  this  is  so,  because  God 
made  it  so.  We  ought,  also,  to  res- 
pect and  honor  those  whom  God 
has  set  over  us ;  and  we  ought  to 
do  it  for  the  sake  of  pleasing  God, 
and  because  it  is  his  holy  will. 

Selected. 


^ntrxt^ 


1.  An  EXPI.ANATION  OF  Matt.  16  :  28. 

Editors  of  the  Gospel  Visitor: '  . 
Dear  Brethren : 
Will  you  please  give,  an  explanation 
of  Matt.  16  :  28,  which  reads  thus  : 
"Yerily  I  say  unto  you,  there  be 
some    standing    here,    which    shall 


66 


QUERIES. 


not  taste  of  death,  till  they  see  the 
Son  of  man  coming  in  his  kingdom." 

11.     S. 

Answer. — The  destruction  of  Je- 
rusalem and  the  effusion  of  the  Spir- 
it on  the  day  of  pentecost  have 
been  called  the  power  and  coming 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  refer- 
once  to  this  passage.  AVheu  how- 
over,  the  context  is  carefully  exam- 
ined, neither  of  these  displays  of  the 
power  of  God  seems  to  answer  the 
meaning  of  the  phrase,  'Hhe  Son 
of  man  coming  in  his  kingdom." 
This  declaration  of  Christ  is  record- 
ed by  the  throe  evangelists,  Mat- 
thew, Mark,  and  Luke,  Matt.  16  :  28; 
Mark  9:1;  Luke  9  :  28.  And  in 
each  of  the  gospels  it  is  immediate- 
ly followed,  without  any  other  event 
intervening,  by  the  account  of  the 
transfiguration,  when  Jesus  took 
Peter,  James  and  John  up  into  the 
mount,  and  when  Moses  and  Elijah 
appearod  with  him  in  glory.  The 
connection  of  this  narrative  with 
the  previous  saying,  in  all  the  gos- 
pels, seems  to  lead  to  the  conclusion 
that  the  transfiguration  was  a 
manifestation,  in  the  way  of  a  pat- 
tern, to  the  Apostles  of  the  power 
»nd  glory  which  Jesus  should  dis- 
play when  ho  should  come  in  his 
kingdom.  This  view  is  confirmed 
by  Luke  introducing  the  transfig- 
nration  in  the  following  manner: 
*<And  it  came  to  pass  about  ;in 
<Mght  days  aflor  these  sayings  (the 
«»yings  referring  to  his  coming  in 
his  kingdom)  ho  took  Peter,"  <fcc.      | 

But  that  this  is  a  correct  view  of  i 
the  words  of  Jesus  referred  to  inj 
rh©  question  under  consideration, 
••vill  appear  still  more  evident  byi 
roforenco  to  the  following  words  of 
J*eter  :   ''We  have  not  followed  cun- 


ningly devised  fables,  when  wc 
made  known  unto  3^ou  the  p<nDcr 
and  coming  of  our  LorH  Jesus  Christ, 
but  were  eye-witnesses  of  his  majesty. 
For  he  received  from  God  the  Father 
honor  and  glor}',  when  there  came 
such  a  voice  to  him  from  the  excel- 
lent glory,  this  is  my  beloved  Son, 
in  whom  I  am  well  pleased.  And 
this  voice  which  came  from  heaven 
we  heard,  when  we  were  with  him 
in  the  holy  mount."  2  Pet.  1  :  16— 
18.  Now  Peter  tells  his  brethren 
that  he  made  known  unto  them  the 
power  and  coming  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  that  he  and  others  were 
eye-witnesses  of  his  majesty,  and  re- 
fers to  the  transfiguration.  Henco 
we  regard  the  transfiguration  as  a 
specimen  and  earnest  of  the  Son  of 
man  coming  in  his  kingdom,  and  a 
fulfillment  of  the  declaration,  "there 
be  some  standing  here,  which  shall 
not  taste  of  death,  till  they  sec  the 
Son  of  man  coming  in  his  kingdom." 
The  form  of  expression  we  regard 
as  some-what  similar  to  that  used 
by  our  Lord  in  instituting  the  com- 
munion. "Take,  eat;"  said  he^ 
when  giving  the  bread  to  his  disci- 
ples, "this  is  my  body."  That  is, 
this  is  a  symbolic  representation  of 
my  body.  And  when  he  said,  "there 
be  some  standing  here  which  shall 
not  taste  of  death  till  they  see  the 
Son  of  man  coming  in  his  kingdom.,^ 
ho  meant  they  should  have  a  fair 
representation  of  his  coming  glory 
and  kingdom.  This  the}* had  in  the 
transfiguration,  for  Peter  declfti*c^ 
they  were  eye-witnesses  of  his  mit- 
jesty. 

2.    The  Baptism  op   the   Holt 
Ghost. 
bear  Editors :    I  thank  you  for 

the     explanation     of    Mclchiijcdcc 


QUEKIES. 


57 


, through  the  Visitor,  and  I  will  ask! for  a  baptism  in  the  Holy  Ghost, 
you  for  an  explanation  of  Acts  2  :  2,  |  do  not  mean,  we  presume,  that  they 
3.  Some  stfy  that  the  baptism  of.  desire  to  have  a  little  of  the  Spirit 
the  Holy  Ghost  was  done  by  pour-jofGo4  sprinkled  upon  their  heartp, 
ing  and  not  by  immersion  j  for  say  but  rather  that  their  hearts  may  be 
they,  the  sound  was  that  which  ■  overwhelmed  with  the  Divine  unc- 
filled  the  house  and  they  were  bap-|tion.     Then    as    a   baptism   of   the 


tized  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  not 
in  sound,  and  consequently  it  was 
done  by  pouring.  Are  they  right 
or  wrong  ?  An  explanation  is  de- 
eired. 

D.     H.    K. 


Answer. — The  Holy  Spirit  is  a 
Divine  character.  And  how  can  a 
Divine  character  be  poured  ?  The 
expression  is  evidently  figurative. 
It  is,  however,  plain  that  the  idea 
of  a  great  quantity  is  implied,  for 
Paul  says,  "He  hath  saved  us  by  I  to  reads  thus 
the  washing    of   regeneration,    and  God  is    quick    and    powerful,    and 


heart  in  the  Holy  Ghost  implies  an 
overwhelming  of  the  heart  with 
the  heavenly  gifts  of  the  Spirit  and 
not  merely  a  little  of  the  Spirit 
sprinkled  upon  it,  so  the  baptism 
of  the  body  with  or  in  the  water 
implies  an  overwhelming  of  the 
body  in  water. 


3.  An  explanation  of  Heb.  4  :  12. 

Dear  Brethren  :     Please   give    ue 
an  explanation  of  Heb.  4  :  12. 
Answer. — The    passage     referred 
"For   the    word    of 


renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which 
he  shed  on  us  abundantly/'  (margi- 
nal reading,   richly.')    Titus  3  :  5,  6. 


sharper  than  any  two-edged  sword, 
piercing  even  to  the  dividing  asun- 
der  of  soul  and    spirit,    and    of  the 


Although  the  Spirit  is  said   to   have  joints  and  marrow,  and   is  a  discern 


been  poured  out,  we  must  not  neces- 
sarily understand  the  pouring  out 
of  the  Spirit  and  the  baptizing  of 
the  Apostles  with,  or  in  the  Spirit, 
imply  precisely  the  same  thing. 
The  Apostles  were  overwhelmed 
with  the  Divine  power,  and  hence 
they  were  said  to  be  baptized,  bap- 
tism meaning  an  overwhelming. 
Water  may  be  poured  into  a  cistern, 
and  then  a  person  may  be  baptized 
in  the  water  in  the  cistern,  but  the 
act  of  pouring  the  water  into  the  cis- 
tern and  the  act  of  baptizing,  are 
oertÄinly  not  the  same  act.  In 
whatever  way  baptism  is  to  bo  per- 
formed, the  Spiritual  baptism  with 
which  the  Apostles  were  baptized, 
t  eaches  us  plainly  that  the  baptized 


er  of  the   thoughts  and    intents    oi 
the  heart." 

The  apostle  when  he  made  use  of 
this  language  was  cautioning  his 
brethren  against  the  danger  of  un- 
belief. And  he  presents  the  char- 
acter of  the  word  of  God  as  a 
ground  upon  which  he  claims  their 
faith  in  it.  To  the  word  of  God  ifi 
attributed  a  peculiar  and  powerful 
influence.  The  dividing  of  the  joints 
and  marrow,  seems  to  allude  to  the 
dividing  into  its  several  parts  the 
carcases  of  the  beasts  that  were 
sacrificed.  But  the  word  of  God  i» 
still  sharper  than  a  sword;  for 
while  a  sword  penetrates  not  mere- 
ly into  the  membei's,  but  into  the 
marrow,  the  word  of  God  penetrat<ifi 


person  must  be  totally  covered  over!  not  only  into  the  soul,  but  even  ic- 
with  the  water.    Those    who    pray  I  to  the  spirit.     We  are  not  to  under- 


58 


THE  GOSPEL  VISITOR. 


stand  that  the  soul  and  Bpirit  are 
divided  the  one  from  the  other  by 
the  word  of  God,  hut  that  the  word 
sopai'atcfi  all  from  the  soul  atd  spir- 
it which  is  fatal  to  their  purity  and 
welfare.  Neither  are  wo  to  under- 
stand that  the  sword  divides  asun- 
der tlie  joints  from  the  marrow, 
but  both  the  joints  and  marrow 
from  the  finely  orn^anized  materials 
which  surrounded  them. 

The  word  of  God  ^^pierces  to  the 
diriding  asunder  of  the  soul  and  the 
spirit,  the  soul  and  its  habitual 
])revailing  temper ;  it  makes  a  soul 
that  has  been  a  long  time  of  a  proud 
.spirit,  to  be  humble ;  of  a  perverse 
spirit,  to  be  meek  and  obedient. 
Those  sinful  habits  that  are  become 
as  it  wore  natural  to  the  soul,  and 
I'adicated  deeply  in  it,  and  become 
in  a  manner  one  with  it,  are  sep- 
arated and  cut  off  by  the  sword.  It 
outs  off  ignorance  from  the  under- 
standing, rebellion  from  the  will, 
enmity  from  the  mind,  which,  when 
carnal,  is  enmity  itself  against  God." 
It  is  likewise  a  discerncr  of  the 
thoughts  and  interests  of  the  heart, 
for  it  will  describe  the  heart  of  the 
sinner  so  correctly  that  lie  is  often 
astonished^  but  must  adknowledge 
the  picture  true. 
.4.     Explanation  of  1  John  ?>  :  0. 

l)car  Brethren :  I  would  like  to 
rasi  ah  explanation  of  1  John  3  :  9, 
especially  on  the  words,  "And  ho 
cannot  sin/*  if'  you  think  proper, 
and  if  you  have  room  in  the  Visitor. 

S.     K. 

Answer.— The  whole  verse  refer- 
red to,  reads  thus  :  ''Whosoever  is 
born  of  God  doth  not  commit  sjn  ; 
for  his  seed  remaineth  in  him  :  and 
f\o  cannot  sin,  because  ho  is  born  of 
(tOd.**  John  here  first  states  a  fact 
or    practical    proposition,    namely, 


that  he  who  is  born  of  God,  sinneth 
not.  He  then  states  the  reason, 
namely,  that  in  such  the  seed  of 
God  remaineth.  The  allusion  is  ev- 
idently to  the  seed  in  human  gener- 
ation, and  not  to  the  vegetable 
seed.  The  seed  of  God  is  the  di- 
vine life  derived  from  God  and  im- 
parted through  Christ  by  his  word, 
from  which  proceeds  the  new  birth 
or  regeneration;  for  Peter  speaks  of 
''being  born  again,  not  of  corrupÄ- 
ble  seed,  but  of  incorruptible,  by  the 
word  of  God,  which  liveth  and  abi- 
deth  forever."  1  Pet.  1  :  23.  Those, 
then,  that  are  thus  born  again,  are 
made  children  of  God.  And  hav- 
ing by  the  reception  of  this  divine  life, 
through  the  Avord  of  God,  been  born  of 
God  and  become  children  of  God,  then, 
so  long  as  the  divine  seed,  or,  the 
word  of  God,  which  is  said  to  be  the 
power  of  God  unto  salvation,  abides 
in  them,  and  continues  to  operate 
in  them,  penetrating  their  whole 
nature,  they  must  remain  the  chij- 
dren  of  God,  and  as  such  they  can- 
not sin.  That  is,  while  they  are 
under  the  influence  of  that  divine 
nature,  which,  proceeds  from  tne 
seed  of  God,  they  cannot  si^i.  For 
nothing  but  wiiat  is  Dfvhic,  can 
proceed  fr(  m  the  divine  lifo. 


Comniiiiiicated. 
"THE  GOSPEL  VISITOÄ." 

^'Behold  1  brinj  yon    good   tidivgs 
of  grefitjoy."  Lu'c.  :: 

••Thare  is  a  lamp  witUiii  tl.c    l-ji'.j  üi^iue 
Of  the  dim  world,   wboaü  r.idiuTice  clejiT  dotb 

f<how  '■  •    '       i'-^'i"' 

Its  nwful  beauty;  nnd,  tbrrnsfh  tli( -Kide  /^loom, 
Muioü  nil  its  ob.scure  luystic  .»yrwioi.-  glo\y 
Willi  ploassing  t'iiiht, — th;tt  we  ui;i;,  fCC  a;id 

know 
Tlu'  glorious  world,  und  nil  it?  woniirou?  scbotae; 
Not  JVM  diHtorted  in  tbo  Kind  below, 
Nor  in  pbiloaophura.  nor  poet's  droaia, 
But  ae  it  tea«,  and  in,  bigb  in  tue  MindSuprerns '• 


THE  GOSPEL  VISITOR 


59 


Pear  Ecaders  : — For  nine  euc- 
cossive  years  have  I  been  traveling 
as  Gospel  Visitor,  to  bring  good 
news,  to  preach  sound  doctrine,  and  to 
comfort  all  that  needed  it,  and 
would  open  their  dooi's  to  admit 
me.  Since  I  ventured  my  first  step, 
I  have  had  to  pass  through  many 
trials  and  difficulties ;  all  of  which, 
by  the  blessings  of  my  heavenly 
Master,  I  have  borne,  in  love,  with 
patience.  When  I  was  first  distrih- 
vted  from  the  press  to  my  patrons, 
my  acquaintance  at  their  comfort- 
able firesides,  was,  indeed,  quite 
sparse. 

However,  year  after  year  did  I, 
with  the  many  friendly  introduc- 
tions which  my  traveling  brethren 
gave  me,  procure  means  and  favors 
that,  without  boasting  I  now  have 
a  far  greater  field  over  which  I  car- 
ry my  ''tidings."  Ey  the  way  I 
htill  find  more  new  homes  and  warm 
hearts  under  whose  obligations  I 
shall  ever  feel  a  deep  sense  of  kind- 
ness and  gratitude.  To  all,  shall  I 
ever  pray  their  christian  welfare, 
piety,  and  everlasting  peace.  Ho- 
ping to  do  still  more  and  better 
things  on  my  journey  in  usefulness. 

How  sad  the  thought !  when  I 
Clin  cast  my  eyes  over  my  obituary 
record,  to  see  so  many  warm  and 
prayeri'al  brethren  and  sisters  enroll- 
ed in  the  list  of  departed  spirits  I  but 
they  $re  gone ;  gone  to  that  land 
whence  no  traveler  returns.  How 
often,  indeed,  did  many  bid  me 
welcome  to  their  embraces  when  I 
tajtptd  at  the-  door  of  the  iamiiy 
circle.  O  how  sweetly  did  I  chance 
to  meet  them  in  humble  prayer  to 
God  in  my.  behalf.  But  they  have, 
we  trust,  chosen  that  good  part 
which  can  not  be  taken  away." 


I  Stop,  dear  reader,  and  pause ! 
;  Those  departed  are  now  sleeping  in 
I  Jesus.  They  have-  been  carried 
through    the    icy    arms    of   death. 

I  They  are  done  for  this  world.     May 

I I  visit  you  in  love  and  converse  with 
you    about    the    soon,   soon   trj'ing 

j  scene.  Our  condition  will  soon  be 
i  like  things,  cold  in  the  narrow  house, 

and  O  are  we    prepared   to   meet  it 

with  godly  honor? 

Thus,  dear  Eeader,  I  have  tried 
to  hint  you  some  glancing  recol- 
lections of  my  gospel  enterprise. 
I  have  by  times  tried  to  lead  you 
through  a  variety  of  circumstan- 
ces, and  those  not  fancied  or  imagi- 
nary; but,  to  visit  you  with  such 
tidings  as  do  indeed  occur  in  the 
human  and  christian  life.  I  can  tru- 
ly and  cheerfully  say,  that  I  have 
often  marked  out  to  you  the  path 
which  I  myself  have  trod,  and  in 
which  it  is  my  desire  to  still  go  on. 
I  have  ventured  my  own  everlast- 
ing interests  on  that  foundation  in 
which  I  have  directed  you  to  adven- 
ture yours.  What  I  have  recom- 
mended as  the  grand  business  of 
the  Christian  life,  I  desire  to  make 
the  business  of  my  own ;  and  the 
most  considerable  enjoyments  which 
I  expect  or  desire  in  the  remaining 
days  of  my  pilgrimage  on  earth,  are 
such  as  I  have  directed  you  to  seek, 
and  endeavored  to  assist  you  in 
attaining.  Such  love  to  God,  such 
constant  activity  in  his  service, 
such  pleasurable  views  of  what  lies 
beyond  the  grave,  appear  to  me — 
God  is  my  witness — a  felicity  incom- 
parably beyond  any  thing  else 
which  can  offer  itself  to  our  aflPec- 
tion  and  calling.  They  aiford  rich 
delights  and  contentment  for  us 
while  it  is  ours  to  live. 


THE  GOSPEL  VISITOR. 


I  would  humbly  hope  that  the 
hours  you  have  spent  in  the  perusal 
of  some  kind  admonitions,  may  have 
turned  to  some  profitable  account? 
and  that,  in  consequence  of  what 
you  hav6  read,  3'ou  have  been 
cither  brought  into  the  way  of  life 
and  peace,  or  been  induced  to  quick- 
en your  pace  in  it. 

Most  heartily  should  I  rejoice  in 
being  further  useful  to  you,  and 
/hat  even  to  the  last.  Now  there  is 
one  scene  remaining,  a  scene  through 
which  you  must  certainly  pass, 
which  has  something  in  it  so  awful, 
that  I  can  not  but  attempt  doing  a 
little  to  assist  you  in  it.  I  mean 
the  "Dark  Valley  of  the  shadow  of 
Death."  I,  as  a  "visitor,'*  could  ear- 
nestly wish,  that  for  the  credit  of 
your  profession,  the  comfort  of  your 
own  soul,  and  the  joy  and  hope  of 
your  surviving  friends,  you  might 
die  not  only  safely  but  honorably 
too :  and  therefore  I  would  offer  you 
some   parting  advice. 

Providence  will  determine  what 
death  you  shall  die.  Some  unex- 
pected accident  from  within  or 
without  may  hurl  you  to  heaven 
or  to  hell  before  you  are  aware.  I 
would  then  advise  you  to  throw 
away  all  claims  of  the  vanities  of 
this  troublesome  world,  its  fashions, 
its  distempers  against  your  better 
reason  and  all  wickedness  which 
does  easily  beset  us."  Examine  the 
past,  the  present  and  future  in  all 
things  pertaining  to  your  conduct, 
and  draw  the  parallel  line  of  Christ's 
gospel  upon  your  soul's  real  condi- 
tion with  regard  to  God's  mercy 
and  infinite  justice.  Ask  yourself 
the  question,  Am  I  in  Christ  Jesus, 
and  is  he  in  me?  See  if  a  thought 
of  God's  displeasure  docs  not  say, 


I  must  prepare  to  meet  my  God  who 
holds  me  accountable  for  every  idlo 
word !  Oh !  what  a  solemn  thing 
to  appear  full  of  sin  in  his  immedi- 
ate presence  I  Resign  yourself  to 
serve  God  as  he  bids  you  to  do. 

As  soon  as  possible  endeavor, 
"through  faith"  in  the  "blood  of 
Christ  which  cleanses  from  all  sin" 
toget  rid  of  further  care  for  fleeting 
things  as  allurements  or  carnal  pleas- 
ures, and,  also  try  to  settle  your 
temporal  concerns  in  time  as  soon, 
and  as  reasonable,  and  in  as  chris- 
tian-liko  manner  as  you  can.  Re- 
new your  faith  by  secret  communi- 
on in  prayer — your  humiliation  be- 
fore God  for  the  perfections  of  hi» 
goodness  and  your  very  many  imper- 
fections of  your  life,  and  though  ho. 
may  sometimes  try  your  beginning 
zeal — or  (if  your  sinful  life)  has  been 
far  astrayed  from  him,  still  he  will 
be  gracious.  And  thus  being  sen- 
sible of  your  sinfulness  on  the  ono 
hand,  and  of  divine  wisdom  and 
goodness  on  the  other,  summon  up 
all  the  spiritual  fortitude  necessary 
to  have  yourself  buried  in  the  liquid 
grave  by  baptism,  if  you  have  not 
yet  confessed  your  Lord,  and  serve 
him  anew  from  the  knowledge  of 
Bible  faith  and  practice  under  the 
new  covenant  of  grace,  and  thus 
make  advancement  towards  tho 
cross  of  3'our  blessed  Jesus,  and  tho 
promised  rest  of  peace,  and  ever- 
lasting happiness,  "where  thieve» 
do  not  break  through  and  steal.*' 
O  what  glory  I  how  ineffably  efful- 
gent in  the  extreme, — "above  the 
brightness  of  the  sun,'*  when  onoo 
"cleansed  from  all  sin.**  Go  on 
then,  not  looking  back  to  the  world. 
"Behold  I  bring  you  good  tidin^rfi 
of  great  joy.'*  And  again,  "Ho  who 
tostifieth  these  things,  saith,  Surety 


perso:n'al. 


61 


I  come  quickly,"  and  a  certain  one 
answered  with  the  gi'eatest  readiness 
and  pleasure,  '^Amen;  even  so, 
(X)me,  Lord  Jesus."  Come,  as  thou 
hast  said.  And  remember,  O  chris- 
tians, whoever  you  are,  that  are  now 
reading  these  words,  your  divine 
Lord  speaks  in  language  like  this : 
'^Behold  /come  ^w?cÄ/z/,yes  very  quick 
will  he  come  by  death,  to  tui-n  the  key, 
to  open  thedoor  of  the  grave  for  thine 
admittance  thither,  and  to  lead  thee 
through  it  into  the  now  unknown 
regions  of  the  invisible  world. 

Think,  O  Christian,  when  Christ 
<'omes  to  call  you  away  by  death, 
he  comes  to  set  you  at  liberty — to 
set  you  free  from  your  present  sor- 
rows, to  deliver  you  from  your 
struggles  with  remaining  corrup- 
tion, and  to  receive  3'ou  to  dwell 
with  himself  in  complete  holiness 
and  joy.  You  shall  "be  absent 
from  the  body,  but  present  with 
the  Lord."  Can  any  more  encour- 
agement be  wanting.  As  I  will 
now  take  leave  of  you  for  this  time, 
I  shall  ask  you  to  ''Fear  not,  for 
he  hath  said,  *'I  am  with  thee,  be 
not  dismayed  for  I  am  thy  God: 
I  will  sti-engthen  thee ;  yea,  I  will 
]iel]j.thee ;  yea  I  will  uphold  thee 
with  the  right  hand  of  my  right- 
eousness," Isai.  41  ;  10.  Fear  God, 
and  give  him  the  glory." 

J.     I.     C. 


I  ^  r  Ö  0  n  a  L 

The  Death  of  a  Mother  in  Israel. 

Died  on  Monday,  July  18th,  1859, 
at  the  residence  of  her  son  Henry 
Forrer,  at  the  Shenandoah  Iron- 
works, Page  County  Ya.,  sister 
Catharine  Forrer,  in  her  90th  year 
after  a    long    and    wasting    illness. 


The  private  virtues  of  sister  Forrer 
deseiwe  more  than  a  mere  notice  of 
her  decease.  Born  in  the  old  col- 
onial times  1767,  when  we  lived 
under  the  King,  she  witnessed  the 
birth  of  our  nation  and  the  long 
struggle  that  resulted  in  our  inde- 
pendence. 

She  was  old  enough  to  remember 
the  passing  events  of  those  iron 
times  and  was  an  ardent  admirer  of 
the  old  worthies  of  our  land.  Her 
parents  lived  not  far  from  Ilagers- 
tow{i  in  Maryland,  and  when  Wash- 
ington was  on  his  tour  to  select  a 
site  for  the  seat  of  government, 
he  was  the  guest  of  her  father 
and  sister  Forrer  was  then  in 
ihe  prime  of  her  girlhood,  trea- 
sured faithfully  the  image  of  tho 
Father  of  his  countr}'.  And  in  af- 
ter time  to  recount  the  personal 
traits  of  the  great  man  as  he  appear- 
ed at  that  time,  and  his  snow  white 
charger,  gave  her  pleasure.  She 
survived  her  husband  more  than  an 
ordinary-  generation,  and  was  gath- 
ered to  his  side  on  Tuesday  in  Lu- 
ray,  where  she  removed  from  her 
paternal  home  at  the  age  of  20,  at 
the  time  of  her  man-iage.  She  was 
for  more  than  half  a  century  a  con- 
sistent member  ^f  the  Brethren. 

Sister  Forrer  was  one  of  the  con- 
necting links  binding  the  jDresent 
generation  to  the  past.  Few  that 
started  on  life's  journey  with  her, 
have  continued  companions  to  the 
close  of  her  earthly  pilgrimage. 
The  mind  of  the  venerable  matron 
retained  its  original  vigor,  enjoying 
the  sublime  truths  of  the  holy  scrip- 
tures as  daily  food  from  the  lips  of 
her  dutiful  daughter,  upon  whose 
care  she  has  leaned  for  many  years 
and  in  her  found  a  constant  helper. 
Though  her  eyes  have  long  been 
closed  to  the  outward  Avorld,  her 
eye  of  faith  has  been  opened  only 
the  more  widely  to  comprehend  the 
length  and  breadth  of  the  Avonderful 
fullness  of  the  «^ospel  of  the  Son  of 
God.  °    ^ 

But  few  mothers  were  more  be- 
loved by  their  children  than  she  was 
by  hers,  for  they  spent  in  her  com- 


NEWS  FEOM  THE  CHURCHES. 


pany  as  much  time    as  the    case    of  I 
their  extensive  biiHinosH    would    al-' 
low.     She  IiuH  lived  beyond  the   al- 1 
lotted  time  of  our  race,  and  seen  her 
children    of   the    third    generation! 
growing  up    ai'ound    her,    some    of 
them   hecomin^  ])rominent,    and  all  j 
useful  memhers  of  Koeiety.     vShe  ielt 
a  eoMstant  interest  in    them    all,    eK-l 
peeially  in  their   Ki)iritiial    welfare.! 
God  o-rant  that  the  seeds  of  Heaven- 
ly wisdoyi    sown    in    their    hearts, 
may  lind  a    soil    i)re|)ared  to    brin«;!; 
forth  an  abundant   harvest,  and  that 
the  ehildren  and  the    ehildrens  l*hil- 
dren  may  lon<^  live  to  .cherish    the 
memory  and  cultivate   the  christian  I 
virtues  of  her  that   is    f^oue    to    the 
rest  that  remaincth  to  the  ransomed  I 
of  the  Lord.  I 

I  was  well  acquainted  with    sister 

^  Forrcr.     1    visited    her    house    fre-j 
quently,    the  distance  was  21  miles. 
I  ])reached  there  more  or  less  for  15 
years.     She  lived  out  of  the  Avay  of 

,  the  Brethren,  and  her  frailty  did 
not  permit  her  to  convene  with  the 
Brethren  at  lovefeasts,  but  she  was 
not  forgotten.  She  was  generally 
attended  to  by  the  brethren-  My 
beloved  wife  and  myself  attended  a 
little  lovefeast  there  with  only  four 
brethren  and  two  sisters,  and  though 
few  in  number,  yet  we  went  through 
the  whole  order. 

J.     J.     H. 

(The  above  obituary  being  long, 
has  been  crowded  out  for  some 
time.  The  friends  will  please  ex- 
cu8e.^ 


Ilciufi  from  the  (L'hurrhcfi. 

Delaware  co.  O.  Kov.  Ist.  1850. 

Brother  James :  "When  we  were 
togetlier,  you  ox])ressed  a  desire 
that  I  should  give  you  a  little  sketch 
of  my  travels  among  the  churches 
when  I  Imd  leisure  to  do  so.  T 
will  try  and  comply  with  3'our  re- 
quest. 


I  have  been  traveling  about  nine 
w^eeks  among  the  churches  in  this 
state,  including  the  trip  I  made  to 
Illinois.  I  have  in  that  time  attend- 
ed a  number  of  Lovefeasts,  and  wo 
have  been  made  to  rejoice  frequent- 
ly in  seeing  many  in  our  travels 
unite  witli  the  church  of  Christ. 
During  the  tinie  above  named,  we 
have  had  the  privilege  of  seeing  be- 
tween sixty  and  seventy  houKs  ad- 
ded to  the  different  congregations 
we  have  visited.  And  we  hope  the 
brethren  will  still  be  instrunu'iital 
in  the  Lord's  hand  in  wiuuing  souls 
to  Him  who  died  for  us  all,  that  the 
enemies  ranks  may  be  thinned,  and 
Zion's  borders  enlarged,  and  God's 
name  glorified. 
Yours  in  love 

H.     D.     D. 

We  make  the  following  extract 
from  a  letter  we  received  from  a  br. 
ofVa. 

''I  must  say  to  you  brethren,  that 
at  our  communion  meeting,  there 
wxre  eight  persons  added  to  the 
church,  six  of  whom  were  near  and 
dear  relations  of  mine,  which  made 
mo  rejoice  in  the  God  of  my  salva- 
tion." 

(Tlie  following  is  an  extract  of  a  letter  iProm 
br.  J.  B.  Spoha  of  Iowa  to  his  friemls  in  Wasli- 
ington  CO.  Pa.  Sister  L.  Tombaugb  sends  us 
the  extract.) 

We  still  are  blessed  with  union 
in  our  church,  and  we  have  had  the 
joy  of  seeing  the  Lord's  work  pros- 
pering of  late.  Since  I  last  wrote  to 
you  (about  two  months  ago)  it  has 
been  my  privilege  to  lead  thirty- 
seven  persons  down  into  the  stream 
to  obey  their  Master's  call.  I  bap- 
tized fourteen  at  one  time;  the  eld- 
est was  eighty  three,  and  the  young- 
est was  twelve  years  of  age, — quite 
a  contrast.  And  the  old  brothei- 
remarked,  that  it  would  have  look- 
ed nearer  right  according  to  nature, 
for  him  to  have  baptized  me  insteaii 


TO  OUR  AGENTS  &c.— OBITUARIES. 


<}S. 


of  me  baptizing  him.  He  had  been  a 
presbyterian  from  a  child.  Another 
of  the  number  had  been  a  preacher 
among  the  Disciples.  On  the  same 
day  my  brother  laborer  David 
Link,  (formerly  an  exhorter  in  the 
Methodist  church)  was  some  thirty 
miles  north  of  me  and  he  baptized 
two  Roman  Catholics  and  a  Luther- 
an preacher.  My  prayer  is  that 
God  will  continue  the  good  work. 
I  have„  been  at  seven  Love-feast 
meetings  in  our  state,  and  all  were 
attended  with  good  order,  and  at 
each  meeting  there  were  some  ad- 
ded to  the  church." 


Mi.ssing  No's  of  last  volume  we  will  stippTj 
also,  if  demanded  soon.  We  have  been  of  late 
applied  to  frequently  for  No's  missing  from  vol. 
6,  7  and  8,  which  ought  to  have  been  done 
years  ago.  since  now  those  volamee  have  been 
put  out  of  the  way,  and  the  search  of  a  single 
No.  will  require  a  great  deal  of  time  and  labor, 
and  may  prove  unsuccessful  at  last.  Ilence  we 
request  an  early  call  for  missing  No's. 


OBITUARIES. 


CALL  FROM  MISSOURI. 

Dear  brethren,    I  would  be    glad    if 

Boraeoftlie  ministering  brethren  would  come 
out  here.  There  are  many  persons  here,  that 
have  never  heard  the  Gospel  preached  in  its 
purity,  and  would  like  to  hear  it.  I  am  engaged 
ever/  Lord  s  day,  and  have  always  quite  a  num- 
ber of  hearers,  except  at  one  place. — you  will 
please  to  notice  in  the  Viiiitor,  That  I  live  in 
Plattsbürg,  Clinton-  co.  Md.,  so  that  if  any  of 
the  Brethren  wish  to  visit  the  West,  and  our 
state  of  Missouri,  they  will  know  where   to  find 

me. 

Samuel  Blocher,  sen. 

(We  would  here  add,  that  if  any  of  our  breth- 
ren would  like  to  seek  a  cheap  home,  and  good 
land  in  the  West,  and  have  no  objections  to 
Bettle  in  a  slave-state,  they  might  find  jjerhaps 
in  Missouri  a  home  that  would  suit  them.  There 
is  land  to  be  had  at  twentv-five  Cents  an  acre, 
and  even  as  low  as  a  shillt.vg  n2J^  Cents). 
Missouri  is  situated  West  of  Illinois,  and  South 
of  Iowa,  and  consequently  not  so  cold,  as  more 
northerly  states.  We  add  an  extract  of  a  letter, 
published  in  an  exchange-paper.  Eds.) 

"Missouri  December  9,  1859. 

"This  is  a  fine  country  and  no  mistake. 
Land  is  rich  enough  to  grow  hemp  any  place. 
It  would  surprise  some  of  you — to  come  here 
and  see  the  corn  and  hogs  that  are  raised  in  this 
new  country.  Farmers  can  make  more  here 
selling  corn  at  30  Cents  per  Bushel,  than  they 
can  with  you  at  75.  This  will  be  a  good  fruit 
country  after  a  while,  »fee." 


-♦♦♦- 


To  our  Agents  and  Subscribers. 

We  would  be  very  much  pleased,  if  our  friends 
would  inform  us  of  any  missing  No's  of  the 
present  Tolume.  It  is  almost  impossible,  to 
avoid  mistakes  in  all  cases.  Sometimes  the 
lists  sent  us  do  not  stato  distinctly  enough  the 
name  or  PostoflBcc,  or  county  and  state  of  the 
subscribers,  and  hence  they  may  be  misdirected, 
or  one  or  the  other  name  may  have  been  over- 
looked by  us,  when  transferring  the  lists  to  our 
Mail-Books.  Please  give  us  immediate  notice 
.'any  failure  of  the  Gospel  Visitor  reaching  a 
subscriber. 


Departed  this  life  near  Upton,  Franklin  Co. 
Pa.  August  10. 1859.  GEORGE  M.  HAWBEC- 
j  KER.  son  of  Peter  and  sister  Nancy  llf.vbecker. 
i  aged  17  years,  and  ^10  months  and  25  davR. 
1  He  was  a  good  son.  a  loving  brother  and  a  prom- 
I  ising  youth,  belove<l  by  all.  At  his  funeral  br. 
j  D.  Brandt  and  A  Pheil  preached  from  JMatt. 
•  24  :  44. 

"Farewell,  dear  child,  farewell ! 
j  'Tis  hard  with  thee  to  psrt; 

But  my  Redeemer  has  his  way 

To  we«n  from  earth  my  heart. 

Farewell,  dear  child,   farewell, 

Till  God  shall  call  me  home 
!  To  sing  with  the  redeemed  of  love 

j         Around  his  glorious  throue. 

j     Liberty ville  Jefferson  co.  Iowa   Dec.  IG,  1359 

Dear  brethren  Editors 

Another  light  extinguished.    It  becomes  my 

painful  duty  to  record  the  death  of  one  of  our 

brothers,   one  who  was  a  father  in  Israel  and  a 

j  light   to  the    world.    Brother  JOHN  G\RBER 

;  died  on  the  14th  instant   after  a  long  illness   of 

( several  weeks,  in  the  5Sth  year  of  his  age.  hav- 

■  ing  been  a  consistent  member  of  the  church   for 

'  about  27  years  &  a  laborer  in  the  ministry  about 

,  22  years,  beloved   &   respected  as  a  neisrhbor,  a 

i  citizen  and  a  christian      Funeral  text  2  Tim  4; 

7  8,  by  br.  Lutz  and  Walick. 

M,  Glotfelty. 

Died  Macon  co.  Illinois  September  1.3.  JO- 
SEPH FRANTZ.  son  of  David  and  Sarah  Frantz, 
agad  4  years,  5  months  and  23  days. 

Ye   mourning   saints,  whose  streaming  tears 

Flow  o'er  your  children  dead, 
Say  not  in  transports  of    despair 
That  all  your  hopes    are    tied. 
While  cleaving  to  that  darling  dust 

In   fond    distress  ye  lie 
Rise  and  with  joy  and  rev'rence  view 

A  heav'nly  pitrent  nigh. 
Though  your    young  branche."?  torn  away 

Like    wilhev'd    trunks  ye  stand, 
"With  f  lirer  verdure    shall  ye    bloom 
j  Touch'd  by    th'  Almighty's  hand. 

Died  in  the  same  place  November  1.  sister 
ELIZA  GRAYBILL,  wife  of  brother  Ahra- 
fham  Graybill.  aged  .37  years  9  months  and  27 
idays.  They  were  forraerlv  from  Shenandoah  co. 
I  Virginia.  The  dear  sister  leaves  a  husband  anh 
4  children  to  mourn  their  loss,  which  we  trust 
is  her  great  gain.  Funeral  discourse  from  Rev 
14:   13-  by  the  brethren. 

David    Frantz. 
Died  in  Hampshire  co.  Virginia,  time  not     sta- 
ted brother  JOHN  RINKER,  aged   76  years,  7 


64 


OBITUARIES. 


months  and  22  days.  For  about  50  years  be  and  I 
hü<    coinpaiiiun  were    coDi^iMtcnt  mcaibLTM,    and 
now  he  ha»  Jeft  an  aged  wile  and  12  children  to 
rnouro  k  hope.   Funernl  service  performed  by  br.  | 
Satii.  Kike,  who  happened  to  bo  in  thut  vicinity 
from  Rev:  14:  12,  13. 

Farewell,  farewell,  my  children  dear! 
I  atu  not  dead,  but  .»leepiug  here, 
Prepare  for   death,  for  die  you   must. 
And  with  your  father  sleep  in  du»t. 
Died    in  Limestone    church.    Wnshinpjton    co.  I 
Tenneeee  November  28.  brother  SAMUKL  GAR-  ; 
HER.    H  son  of  old   Ro^d    Samuel  Qarber  of 
Virginia,     ngc«i  72  year?    4  nio.  jind    10  days,  i 
Me   was   a  faithful    member  and  deacon  of   the  j 
oburch  for  many  years.  Funeral  sermon  by  broth- ' 
er  David  R.  Klepper  from  2  Tim.  4:  18.  | 

Died  in  AugUBta  co.  Va.  on  the  20.  of  Oct  1859  ! 
aljiter  SU.SANNAII  WHITMER,    widow  of  br. 
ilichuel   Whitmcr   deceased.    Our   sister    was  a 
member    of  the  church   for  a  number  of  years, 
aiiü  iinuh  beloved  hy  all  who  knew  her.  Although 
her  «uffcrin;^   was  f^retit.   she  bore  it  with  christ- 1 
iaii  patience,  and  whs  resigned  to  the  will  orthe  | 
Lord,   her   urü    was  73  years,   IS  days.  Thu«  the  j 
ohnrch  has  lost  a  j^ood  member,    tho  children  a  I 
kind  and   affeetionjite  mother:    l)ut  their  loss  is' 
bcr  eternal  gain.   Funeral  war-  preached  by  Dan- ! 
iel  Thomas  and  Dan.  Brower  from  2  Cor.  .5:  1,  2.  | 

Departed  this  life  October  ID.  ulf.  in  Davton  j 
Ro.kinghinnco.Va.br.  SAMUEL  KOOXTZ  in! 
the  .'i:»,  year  of  his  age;  br.  Koontz  wns  a  deacon  | 
In  the  church  and  faithful  member  and  good  , 
eitizen,  and  his  loss  will  be  felt  by  thüscommu-; 
nity  lis  well  ashy  the  church  and  his  fnmily,  but  j 
our  loss  we  hope  is  his  eternal  giiiii.  Funeral 
preached  from  Rev.  14:  13,  by  br.  Solomon  Gar- 
ber  and  tho  writ<!r  and  others. 

Died  in  Missouri  Inst  spring  sister  BARBARA  j 
LEBGor  LONGENECKKR"  which  wr.s    proba- 
bly her  mairlennnme,  aged  «bout  SO  years.     She 
was  baptized  in   an  early  day   of  her  life  in  Vir-  i 
^inia,  moved  in  the  fall  of  ISOl  to  Ea.'it  Tenueseo  \ 
with  her  brother  in  law  Daniel  Zimmerman  and! 
others.  She  was  one  of  the  number  w!iich    consti-  I 
tutofl   the   first   church  in  Tennesce,  and    there, 
married  Daniel  Lebo,  then  moved  to  Kentucky, 
anil    lastly    to    Missouri,  where  she  died  at  her 
son's  Samuel   Lebo,  with    a    full   assurance    of 
faitli,  and  u  lively  hope  of  endless  rest.  Br.  Sam. 
IJliicher  spoke  at  her  funeral  from  Revel:  7:  14. 

Departed  this  life  in  the  Beaver  creek  church, 
Wj'shington  co.  Marvland  on  the  18.  August  Inst 
l.r..FOHX  EAI.MERT,  aged  54  years  7  months 
and  8  «lays.  Br.  Emmert  was  an  efficient  deacon 
in  the  church  and  is  mucli  misscdjbut  he  is  gone 
fo  his  happy  re-vurd.  Funeral  services  perform- 
ed by  thewriterll.  Koontz,  and  others. Rev:I4:13. 

Departed  this  life  in  the  same  church  Dec:  9, 
ELENORAH  WOOLF  aged  89  years,  9  months 
«nd  6  days.  Sister  Woolfd  name  was  proverbial 
for  her  acta  of  charity  and  benevolence.  Funeral 
hcrvice.s  by  tho  writer  II.  Koontz  und  br.  Andrew 
Cost  from  Numbers  215:  10. 

Died  in  Blnekhawk  co.  Iowa  October  10.  1859 
LOUISA  MILLER,  daughter  of  br.  Henry  and 
.sisier  Nancy  Miller,  aged  6  years,  5  months  and 
11  days. 

Died  in  Miami  co.   Ohio  Deo:  14  BES- 

nOAR.  eldest  daughter  of  brother  Benjamin  Bes- 
hoar,  ngcd  tiyear.»'-.  1  month  and  3  days.  Funeral 
service  bv  John  Cable  and  David  Eshelman  Ironi  I 
Mark:  10  14.  | 


Died  near  Columbiana,  Ohio  Dec:  21  and  w«» 
buried the23. ISABELLA  GROFF,cldest  daugh- 
ter of  brother  George  and  sister  Susan  Groff  aged 
13  years  and  13  days, having  been  ill  only  3  day«. 
Disease  Scarletfever.  Funeral  text  John  16:22. 

Died  also  in  the  neighborhood  of  Columbian« 
Dec:  24.  FREDERIC  ^SCHWARTZ  an  old  and 
respected  resident  of  ihie  vieiLity,  aged  72  years, 
7  months  anb  9  days. 

Died  also  in  Columbiana  co.  0,  Dec.29,  and  wai 
buried  Dec.  31,  JOHN  GROFF  only  son  of  the 
above  named,  and  already  bereaved  parents  br. 
George  and  sister  Susanua  GroflFaged  3  y.  1  m., 
27  days.  Funeral  text:  Hebr:  11:  17—19. 

Died  in  the  same  countv  Ohio  Dec:  30  and  was 
buried  on  Newyearsday  SUSANNA  WILHELM, 
daughter  of  Jacob  and  Catharine  Wilhelm,  aged 
21  years,  2  m:  19  days;  Funeral  text:  Judges  11: 
35;  these  lost  four  funerals  were  attended  by  tho 
Sqnior  Editor* 

Died  in  Swatara  tsp.  Lebanon  co:  Pa:  Seplbr: 
20,  brother  DAVID  KURTZ,  aged  61  y:  8  m:  A 
15  dny.*.;  leaving  behind  a  sorrowing  widow  and 
children.  Funeral  text:  Isai;  57:  2,br:  John  Zug 
ond  Benjamin  Klein  ministering. 

Died  in  Jackson  tsp,  same  co:  &  state  Septbr: 
24,  bn.ther  WILLIAM  SPAYD,  aged  34  y:  5  m; 
*7  d:  leaves  6  mostly  small  children  and  an  af- 
flicted widow;  Funeral  text  1  Chron:  3Ü:  15;  by 
bf:  Zug,  Reinhold  Ac; 

Died  in  West  Cocalico  tsp,  Lancaster  eo:  Pa: 
October  8;  br:  PETER  LEISE,  about  50  years 
old,  leaving  a  sorrowing  widow   «t  children. 

Died  in  Putnam  co:  Indiana  of  erisypelas 
November  3,  sister  POLLY  PEFLY,  consort  of 
br.  David  Pefly,  aged  62  y:  5  m:  5  d;  the  funer- 
al occasion  improved  from  Job  14: 14,  15;  by  br 
R.  H- Miller  A  Matt:  Frantz.  ,. 

Died  in  same  co:  of  scarletfever  ifsro, children  of 
William  A  Catharine  SPALDING,  October  13,  ' 
the  mother  of  those  children  wa.^  baptized  at  our 
Communion-meeting,  and  November  19,  the  fu- 
neral services  of  those  children  took  place,  after 
which  the  father  was  also  baptized.  Whata  hap- 
py time  will  there  be,  when  these  parents  can 
unite  with  their  sweet  children  on  the  banks  of 
eternal  deliverance.  Funeral  to.\t  1  Pct:l:24'  by 
tho  same. 

Died  in  Montgomery  co.  Inda:  of  TvphusfeTer 
December  12,  ABRAHAM  SHENK,  about  23  y: 
of  age;  funeral  improved  by  the  same. 

Died  in  Fayette  township  Juniata  co:  Pa,  Aug: 
1,  1859  ELIIUJ  FRY,  infant  son  of  Benjamin 
and  Elizabeth  Fry  aged  2week.x,  and  2  days.  Fu- 
neral services  performed  by  Ezra  Smith  on  Phil: 
1:  21. 

Died  in  Fulton  co:  Elinois  January  8,  1860 
br:  BENJAMIN  ELLIOTT,  formerly  from 
Franklin  co:  Pa;  aged  55  years  3  mouths.  A23 
days;  funeral  discourse  from  2  Cor  4:  17  18  A  5: 
I.  by  br:  John  FittAJacob  Negly. 

Died  near  Uniontown,  Fayette  co.  Pa,  Janu- 
ary 4,  last,  MARTHA  JOHNSON  infant  daugh- 
ter of  Joseph  and  Mary  Jühn3on^^lged  ijearly  5 
months. 

So  fade.<«  the  lovely,  blooming  flow'r, 

Frail,  smiling  solace  of  an  hour; 

So  soon  our  transient  comforts  fly, 
And  pleasure  only  blooms  to  die* 

Died  in  Blair  county  Pa.  of  a  lingerin: 
ease  brother  MICHAEL  STOVER,  a  sub. 
of  tho  Gospel  Visitor,  aged  72   years,  9  m        ,^. 
and  27  days.  J     g  '^"« 


NEW   PROSPECTUS 

OF 
FOR  THE  YEAR  1860,    VOL  X 


The  object  of  the  ivcrk    will    be    the 
same  as  it  lias    heretofore  beea,  namely, 
the  Älvocacy  of  the  doctrines  and  prac 
lices  of  a  ptire  Christianity. 

Each  number  of  the  English  Gospel 
Visitor  will  contain  32  pages  double 
columns,  and  the  German  16  pages, 
neatly  printed  on  good  paper,  put«ipin 
printed  covers,  and  mailed  to  subscribers 
regularly  about  the  first  of  each  month, 
at  the  follow  ing 


T  E3  M  S. 

Sioglo  copy  of  the  English,  one  year, 

$1,00 

Six  copies 

- 

5,00 

Thirteen 

-  *. 

10,00 

Single  c«.. 

German,  oncryear. 

- 

0,50 

f;Tcn  copies 

- 

3,00 

'^ 

Thirteen  copies  -  -  -         5, 

Single  copy  of  the  German  and  English      1,25 
Six  copies  -  -  -  -        7,0t 

\nL.  at  th€  same  rate  for  any  number 
over  those   mentioned. 

All  persons  to  whom  this  Prospectus 
is  sent,  are  requested  to  act  as  Agents 
in  procuring  subscribers.  But  should 
any  who  receive  this,  not  feel  inclined, 
or  not  be  able  to  act.  they  will  please 
hand  it  to  others  wlio  will  make  some 
effort  to  circulate  the  Visitor.  Friends, 
please  respond  to  this  request  at  ah 
early  day. 

HENRY  KURTZ. 
JAMC8  QUliNTER. 
Columbiana,     Columbiana  Co.  O. 

September  15th.  1S59. 


BOSKS    FOR    SALE 

(OF    THE     GOSPEL    VISITOR) 

which  we  will  sell  at  the  same  price  as  the  Publishers   do,  only  adding 
by  mail)  the  an^ount  of  pai^tage  we  have  to  prepay. 
:r's  Lfec 


(if 


Winchester's  LfecTURES         1,75 
Neao's  Theology  1  00 

'Pandering  Soul  1.00 

Kunst's  German  and  English 


Dictionary 

OvrIIvMN  BoOÜSSlNOLE 


1.50 
,27 


Rythi:  DOZEN  0,00 

Double, German  and  English  d,  vbll* 


,30  altogether 

,16 

,15 

,30 
,3 
Extra  bound  in  Morocco 
Do.  with  gilt  edgks 
,30 
'Ri-cr. 


2.05 
1,16 
K15 

1,80 

.40 

,f»0 


NEW  EDITION 


OF  OUR 


We  are  now  able  to  fiirnisli  Hymn- 
books  either  by  express  or  mail  at  the 
•hortest  notice,  and  shall  f^Iadly  fill  larf^e 
or  small  orders  accompanied  by  the 
cash,  as  we  have  been  under  heavy  ex- 
pense, and  several  hundred  dollars  are 
to  be  paid  this  month  (June)  to  the  Bin- 
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THE  CANCER  CURED. 

DR,    LEBBEUS     F^GELOW 

I  i*e  of  Adamsburg,  Pa.  was  vrry  suc- 
cessful in  treating  cancers.  Before  his 
death  he  communicated  to  the  under 
signed  his  mode  of  treatment,  and  they 
are  now  practicing  it  with  success. 
They  therefore  invite  those  afflicted 
with  cancers,  to  call  upon  them  and 
teat  the  efficacy  of  their  mode  of  treating 
this  malignant  disease.  Persons  coming 
by  the  Pennsylvania  central  R.  Road, 
will  stop  at  Manor  station.  We  will 
convey  them  from  the  station  to  Adams- 
burg,  if  informed  of  the  time  of  their 
arrival. 

Address,  F.  BLOCH  ER  «J-  CO. 
Adamsbvru,  Westmoreland  co.  Pa. 


LITERARY  NOTICE» 

SCIENTIFiriMERICAN. 


The  publishers  of  this  widely  circu- 
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himself  so  popular  with  the  Inventors 
of  the  Country  while  he  held  the  office 
of  Commissioner  cf  Patents  ha«,  we 
learn,  associateJ  himself  with  Munn  Ac 
(Jo.  at  the  Scientific  American  o&ce 
New  York.— 


CURE  FOR  RHElllTlS}!. 

Dr.  K.  VV  .  Moore, s  Indian  rinrture 
for  Rheumatism  has  never  failed  in  four- 
teen years  experience  in  curing  the 
worst  cases.  For  two  dollars,  a  box 
containing  six  bottles  will  bo  sennt  to 
.iDv  address. 

Address  Dr.  E.  W.  Moork 
8calp  Level,  Cambria  Co.  Pa- 


(PEL  ¥iSIT(M 


,    i  MONTHLV  PIIBIKHTION 


BY    HENRY  KURTZ    &  JAMES  QUINTER. 


VOL  X.        MARCH  1860. 


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PRINTED  &  PUBLISHED  in  COLUMBIANA,  Columbiana  Co.  0 
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OF  MARCH  iNO. 


page 


Essavs  on  the  Civil  Law. 

No.  2 
The  Fall  of  Man 
The  Star  of  Bethlehem 
God  carcth  for  lis 
The  calling  of  Elisha 
Forbearance 
liove  for  our  Neighbor 
Tiines.—  Not  lost,  but  gone  before 
The  purifying  power  of  liope 
Queries:    1.  On  Dent,  18  :   18 

2.  The  Rock  in  Kadesh 

Num.    20:   n     - 
3.  On  Luke  7.261 

«»        4.  ;'        *♦  '*     28 

**         6.  ••   »latt.  9  :   16,  17 
'•         7.  '*    John  15:  5 
Prajer         

The  Family-Circle.     Children 
Yoiiiii's  Department.      That  awful 

woodpile  -         ,         - 

Correspondence  ... 

News  from  the  Churches 
Contributions  .         ,         . 

Obituaries         -  .         ,         . 


05 
09 
70 


77 
78 
79 
80 
82 

83 


84 

85 

89 

91 
92 
94 
95 
96 


Jac  N  «raybill  fFI  B.      DDerauthdo. 

Jonas   Price   5,50.      Monroe  Hodges  1. 

John  Neff  10,7.5.       Jos  Gonghnonr  1,28. 

A  H  Rinehart  f  H  B.     C  Wertz   1.  Jno. 

Thomas.    H  R  Holsioger.     Ger  Sheet». 

I  Price  6c  son.         J  S  Burkhart.        A  I 

Casebeer  2.     John  Zug.  Adam  Beaver. 

rumbairgb 
asselbupy. 

(your  former    letter    did  not    come    to 

hand.) 


;X  JacxMohler  f  II  B.         HB  Bi 
^4   do.     W  Hertxler  1,25.      W  d 


%üt  g}^arj  1860. 

Zii  93^i§ion^fraöe 
dJIcbt  CO  einen  SDiittdort  jc? 
lieber  9el)einie  @efeUfd)aften        s 
X)er  tjerborgcne  S(l)a|  *    ^ 

ffrn^ien  bennttvortet 

1^)  lieber  93^attb.  16  :  28.      * 

2 )  Xk  ^aufe  mit  tern  I;.  @eifl 

3)  lieber  .ipebr.  4:12.      ft 
4  )  lieber  1  3ol).  3:9.      ,    ^ 

Correfpontenj  tit 

95<itratje  jur^ntlefeic^ung  t»on  ^r. 

€amuel  ©arber        *    i 


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H.GElGiR£CO, 

WHOLESALE    GROCERS,    TEÜ 
AND   SPICE  DEALERS. 

No.    236    N.    3d.    St.    above    Race. 

PHILADELPHIA, 

Offer  to  the  Trade  a  large  and  well  se 
lected  Stock  of  Good«,  at  the  vtry  loto 
est  prices.  As  we  sell  for  Cash  only,  o 
to  men  of  the  most  undoubted  Charac 
ter — thus  avoiding  the  great  risks  o 
business — we  are  enabled  to  offer  rar< 
inducements  to  good  Buyers.  Order 
respectfully  solicited,  and  promptly  at 
tended  to.  All  kinds  of  country  pro 
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or  sold  upon  Commission. 


Wl-  \-        iMavcli  I860.         KO.  8- 


Essays  on  the   Civil  Law.  No.  2. 

The  matter  or  materials  from 
which  the  Earth  and  the  SoLar  sys- 
tem were  created,  was  at  first  a 
mere  mass  of  confusion.  In  the  lan- 
guage of  Moses,  it  was  <•  with  out 
form   and    void."     Thick    darkness 

•  covered  the  deep. — Darkness  is  the 
absence  of  light.  Where  there  is 
light,  there  fe  no  darkness.  And 
where  there  is  darkness,  there  is  no 
light.  Moses  does  not  say  that  God 
said,  let  there  be  darkness,  but  he 
informs  us  that  God  said,  ''Let 
there  be  light,  and  there  was  light." 
God  separated  the  light  from  the 
darkness.  The  light  He  called  day, 
and  the  darkness  He  called  night. 
And  for  the  benefit  of  man,  cj&c.  God 
treasured  up  the  light  in  the  heav- 
enly orbs.  He  made  two  ruling 
luminaries,  and  set  them  in  the 
firmament  of  heaven.  The  Sun,  the 
greater  light  to  rule  the  day,  and 
the  Moon,  the  lesser  light  to  rule 
the  night.  See  Genesis  1  chapter. 
Light  is  pleasant.  It  is  good.  And 
must  be  attributed  to  God  himself. 
The  apostle  John  tells  us,  "That 
God  is  light,  and  in  him  is  no  dark- 
ness at  all."  1  John  1  :  5.  Light  is 
light  whether  it  be  Sun  or  Moon. 
There  are  degrees  in  light,  great, 
greater,  greatest ;  less,  lesser,  least. 
Now  the  Sun  and  Moon,  day  and 
night,  are  figurative  of  the  Law  and 
the  Gospel.  For  example  :  The 
Sun'and  Moon  are  both  rulers — The 
Sun  to  govern  the  day,  and  the 
^  Moon  to  govern  the  night.  The  Gos- 

^'  pel  and  the  Law  are    also    ruler^;, — 


The  Gospel  to  govern  the  spiritual, 
and  the  civil  Law,  the  natural  man. 
The  one  to  govern  the  spiritual,  and 
the  other  the  secular  interests  and 
privileges  of  man. 

Man  is  a  compound  being,  consist- 
ing of  soul  and  body ;  and  each  com- 
ponent part  has  its  essential  element 
assigned  it  by  the  Creator  to  move 
in,  &c.  Hence,  the  two  govern- 
ments, the  Law  and  the  Gospel. 
The  subjects  of  the  gospel  are  term- 
ed the  children  of  the  day,  they 
I  walk  by  the  light  of  the  gospel. 
The  unconverted,  are  termed  the 
children  of  this  world,  they  are  of 
the  night  and  of  darkness,  see  1 
Thes.  5  :  5.  They  walk  only  by  the 
light  of  the  moon,  the  Law.  And 
as  the  light  of  the  sun  is  in  and  of 
itself  greater  than  the  moon,  so  is 
the  gospel  greater  than  the  Law. 
The  Law  only  takes  cognizance  of 
man's  actions,  and  protects  the  good, 
and  punishes  the  evil.  The  gospel 
does  not  only  take  cognizance  of 
man's  actions,  but  also  of  his 
thouglits,  and  reproves  them.  See 
Matt.  5  :  27,  28.  Light  makes  man- 
ifest ;  the  greater  the  light  the 
greater  the  manifestation.  Hence 
the  light  and  strength  of  the  law  are 
not  sufiicient  for  man's  justification 
'■  in  the  sight  of  God,  but  indisjiensa- 
1  bly  necessary  to  prepare  and  con- 
vict the  mind  for  the  light  and  pow- 
er of  the  gospel.  See  Eom.  3:  19, 
20;  8:  1—5. 

In  the  12th  chapter  of  the   Eeve-    |^ 
lation,  we  have  a  beautiful  rcpresen-     iF 
tationof  the  New  Testament  church 
G.  Y.  Yol.  X.  5 


ESSAYS  OX  TiIK  CIVIL   LAAV 


K!!<i<M-tho  onilil'M-»)  ot'n  v,-i'!?"i:in  clolli-j  o-rnc-o,  IJoni.  0:  15;  and  to  the  (Jal- 
vd  Avitli  the  Hun,  jnid  tlio  moon  iiiii'or  kitians,  tliat  iftlicy  1  e  led  of  the 
lior  foot,  :i!id  on  \\vv  liead  i\  crown  j  spirit  that  thoyut  re  not  under  the 
of  twelve  stars.  Wlicn  wc  ohservei  law,  CJal.  5  :*18,  hay  no  allusion  to 
the  attire  of  tlie  womnn,  we  diseoverltho  believers  Ruhjeetion    to    the    es- 


thal  slip  is  invested  with  light  *from 
tlie  crown  of  her  head  tQ  the  sole.i  of 
her  ie(?t — Clothed  with  the  tiun — A 
tigurativo  representation  of  the 
sanetitied  state  of  the  ^'hurch  by 
virtue  of  her  uniou  with  Christ  the 
Sun  of  riijhteousnest^.  And  the  moon; 
'""'■^!'  her  feet,  betokens  the  Buperi- 
of  her  light  to  the  light  of  the 
law — and  her  crown  of  twelve  stars, 
represents  her  honorable  union 
with,  and  defence  of  the  doctrine  of 
the  twelve  Apostles.  Again,  notice 
in  particular  the  connection  that 
exists  in  the  dress  of  the  Avoinan. 
The  sun,  moon,  and  stara  all  celes- 
tial bodies  of  light,  to  protect  the 
head,  the  body,  and  the  feet.  The 
feet  must  be  protected  as  well  as  the 
b(xly  and  hwid.  The  feet  of  the 
Avoman  represent  the  temporal  in- 
terests and  privileges  of  the  church. 
Ileuce  the  churcli'»  connection 
Avith  the  civil  laAv.  "Tlip  moon  be- 
ing under  the  Avoman'ü  feet,  is  no 
sign  that  the  church  is  not  under 
subjection  to  the  civil  hnv,  but  em- 
blematical of  her  being  aboA^c  the 
law  in  point  of  light   and  justifica- 


itabli.shed  government  under  Avhich 
Ave  live,  l)ut  the  covenant  of  Avorks 
as  op])OHed  to  the  covenant  of  grace, 
and  condemnation  of  the  law. 

NoAv  if  there  Avere  no  darkness, 
there  Avould  be  no  night;  and  ii 
tlicrc  Averc^o.niglit,AA'e  would  have 
or  need  no  moon.  It  is  precisely  so 
in  a  spiritual  sense.  If  there  Avert- 
no  spiritual  darkness  in^our  Avorld, 
there  Avould  be  no  spiritual  night, 
all  then  Avould  be  light,  like  unto 
God  the  Father  of  light  himself,  and 
then,  and  not  until  then,  can  the 
laAv  be  dispensed  with.  Upon  the 
Avliole,  the  condition  of  the  luiman 
family  in  this  Avorld  is  such  that 
the  civil  hiAV  cannot  be  dispensed 
Avith.  "SYe  need  the  light  of  the  sun 
and  of  the  moon,  and  if  Ave  Avalk  in 
the  light  all  the  days  of  our  pilgrim- 
age on  earth,  avc  shall  then  be  ad- 
mitted into  the  ncAv  Jerusalem,  in- 
to that  city  Avhere  the  light  of  the 
sun  and  of  the  moon  shall  not  br 
needed,  for  there  shall  be  no  night 
there.  Eev.  21  :  23—20. 


tion.     ThehiAvisno  terror    to 


It  is  no  proof  that  it    is    not    the 
^]ic  ^"^  ^^  ^^^'^  ^^^^t  there    should    be  a 


believer,  but  a  minister  of  God  to  i  civil  government,  because  of  the 
hiin  for  good.  See  Eom.  13.  XJuder-}  Corruption  and  tyranny  of  the  higher 
stand  that  the  believer  is  a  loyal  sub- iPO^^'crs.  The  changes  or  phases 
jeci,  nofa  transgressor  of  tholaAv.l^i't^^c  moon,  is  no  proof  that  it  is 
Thereforo  the  law  (as  the  Apos-'"«t  the  Avill  of  God  that  the  moon 
tic  Avritcs  to  Timothy)  is  not  made; si^^"^^K2:overn  the  night,  but  the 
for,  (that  i»  against)  a  righteous!  cause  imist  be  attributed  to  the 
man,  but  for  (against)  the  lawless  jii^^ve  obstructions.  The  heathens 
and  disobedient,  kn.  1  Tim.  1 :  0.1  that  have  not  the  Bible,  do  not  en- 
Tho  Apostle  Avhen  bo  declares  to  j'>y  the  benefit  of  a  civil  law  :  Avith 
the  believing  Romans,  that  they  i  il^cm  it  is  night  without  any  mooon- 
JlLTc  i:ot  under  the   hiAV,  but  under  litrht. 


ESSAYS  OX    TUE    CIVIL  LAVr. 


ei 


Many  regions  that  are  now  over-  tnre,  namely,  that  it  would  be  no 
.spread  with  Mahomedan  darknep^^,  violation  of  the  gospel  to  petition 
kc.  were  iirst  favored  with  the  government,  and  that  it  is  the  dnty 
light  of  the  gospel;  but  the  gospel  of  brethren  to  exercise  the  elective 
sua  has  long  since  sot,  or  gone  down  francliise.     There  was  a  time  when 


upon     those     regions.       Here     vre 


liad 


our 


scruples   about  these 


might  say  a  great  deal  al)out  the  things  (notwithstanding  the  church 
cause  of  the  downfall  of  mighty  em-  never  debarred  brethren  from  those 
])iros,  <ic.  but  I  must  forbear,  lest  I  privileges.)  But  upon  a  prayei-ful 
lake  irp  too  much  room  in  the  Tis- land  candid  examination  of  the  jros- 
'tor,  and  just  remark,  that  a  bloody  I  pel,  we  became  confirmed  in  our 
toon,  generally  follows  a  black  jiaind,  that  the  exercise  of  the  two 
.van.  See  Acts  2  :  20.  Eev.G  :  12. 'named  privileges,  are  no  infringe- 
When' a  nation  v\'ill  not  do  right,  jment  of  the  gospel,  bat  as  subjectN 
and  the  measure  of  their  iniquity  i  of  the  civil  government  we  owe 
is  full,  God  vriii  withdravr  his  pro- j  these  duties  to  the  governPiient  for 
lection  and  they  will  be  given  over  |  the  Avell-being  of  ourselves  and  fel- 
to  work  out  their  own  destruction,  j  low  man.  But  I  lie  open  to  con- 
And  that  nation  which  was  renown- 1  viction,  and  if  brethren  can  show  me 
ed  for  its  civil  and  religious  liberty,  I  by  the  gospel,  that  it  is  not  the 
is  either  governed  by  a  bloody  moon,  I  brethren's  privifegö '  to  talro  those 
or  will  pass  avray  and  be  dispersed 'liberties,  I  AVi'lI  be  grateful  to  them 
like  a  foam  upon  the  Avaters.  I  for  their  information.     Tl>e  elective 

Wo  Americans  still  breathe  the  franchise  is  an  ordinance  of  the  gov- 
air  of  civil  liberty,  but  how  long  ernment,  and  Peter  says, '-submit 
this  nia}^  be  our  2)rivilege,  God  only  i  yourself  to  every  ordinance  of  man'^ 
knows,  for  as  a  nation,  we  have  — That  is,  every  ordinance  thot  does 
many  crying-  sins  against  us,  and ;  not  infringe  on  the  gospeL  And  I 
what  could  we  answer,  if  God  |  cannot  see  wherein  the  gospel  would 
should  put  that  question  to  us.  j  be  violated,  if  a  brother  would  go 
'sShall  not  I  visit  for  these  things  ?. and  peaceably  vote  for  such  men. 
Shall  not  my  soul  be  avenged  on  j  whose  principles  would  be  a  safe 
such  a  nation  as  this?"  .Ter.  5  :  9.  (guarantee  of  the  rights  of  God  and 
The  eclipses  of,  and  the  clouds  that ;  mam  If  the  observance  of  this  or- 
get  between  us  and  the  sun,  are  no'dinance,  the  elective  franchise,  be  a 
proof  that  it  is  not  the  will  of  God  {violation  of  the  gospel,  then  verily 
that  the  sun  should  govern  the  day.  j  every  other  ordinance  of  the  civil 
— Neither  are  the  false  constructions  I  government  would  be  a  violation  of 
and  abuses  of  the  gospel,   a  witness  the  gospel.     And  Christ,   Paul,  and 

Peter  are  not  the  authors    of   those 
testimonies  recited  in   those   essays. 


.•iQ;ainst  the  genuineness  of  the  gos- 
■A. — But  that  the  3Ioon,  the  civil 
!;!.w,  maybe  in  accordance  vrith  the 
Apostle's  description  of  the  higher 
])Owers,  see  Eomans  13. —  1  Peter 
2  :  13—17. 

I  must  revert   to  what   I  have  in 
;irt  considered   in   mv   former   lee- 


And  who  is  prepared  to  assert  sucli 


a  thing? 

o 


It  is  to  be  feared  that  the  nation 
is  gi-eatly  to  be  blamed  for  the  cor- 
ruption that  sometimes  exists  in 
the     ^-eneral    ü:overnment.        Were 


68 


ESSAYS  OX  THE  CIVIL  LAW. 


they  to  discharge  their  duty  before 
:i  throne  of  £»;race,  and  at  the  ballot 
box,  &c.  things  would  be  otherwise, 
or  at  least,  they  would  have  that 
assurance  that  they  have  done  their 
duty. 

I  will  try  and  answer  some  of  the 
objections  to  my  views  on  this  sub- 
ject. It  is  said  by  all  -vvho  are  op-| 
posed  to  the  brethren's  voting,  thatj 
because  we  belong  to  Christ's  king- 
dom, we  should  not  vote  nor  take 
any  part  in  putting  inen  in  authori- 
ty, but  let  the  world  do  all  the  vo- 
ting, &c.  Now  this  objection  would 
be  of  some  force,  if  Chi'ist  and  the 
Apostles  had  not  said,  that  we  must 
be  subject  to,  and  support  the  civil 
government.  For  my  part,  I  dont 
think  we  can  be  considered  good 
subjects,  and  take  no  interest  (when 
it  is  our  privilege)  in  the  govern- 
ment. 

"We  all  desire  the  blessings  of  a 
good  government,  why,  then,  not 
take  an  interest  in  placing  such 
men  in  authority,  who  in  our  judg- 
ment would  make  good  and  whole- 
some laws  for  the  government  of  the 
nation  ?  We  must  not  say,  that  if 
we  pray,  it  will  suffice.  For  breth- 
ren do  know,  that  this  is  not  the 
doctrine  of  the  church,  that'  by 
merely  praying,  we  can  accom- 
plish our  ends.  But  let  us  do  our 
whole  duty  towards  the  govern- 
ment, and  then  we  may  expect  a 
blessing :  otherwise  a  curse.  And, 
again;  because  brethroi  arc  divi-i 
ded  in  their  politics,  they  should 
not  vote,  say  some.  I^ow  if  this  be 
a  good  reason  why  brethren  should 
not  vote  for  temporal  officers,  it 
would  also  be  a  good  reason  why 
brethren     should     not     vote     for 


spiritual  officers.  A  hint  on  this 
head  will  suffice.  In  all  things,  we 
should  be  consistent  christians. 

That  we  have  brethren  who  arc 
very  sincere,  and  with  whom  it  is  a 
matter  of  conscience  not  to  vote, 
I  believe  from  my  whole  heart.  But 
I  would  say  to  such  brethren,  that 
they  should  exercise  forbearance 
towards  their  brethren  who  believed 
it  to  be  their  duty  to  vote.  The 
word  of  God,  and  not  conscience  is 
the  i'ule  of  faith  and  practice.  I 
shall  now  close  this  essay,  by  noti- 
ticing  briefly,  our  Lord's  decision 
to  the  question  proposed  to  him  by 
the  disciples  of  the  Pharisees  with 
the  Herodians,  *'Eender  therefore 
unto  Caesar  the  things  that  are  Cae- 
sar's, and  unto  God  the  things  that 
are  God's — He  laid  do\vn  two  doc- 
trines of  the  very  first  importance 
to  the  peace  and  happiness  of  man- 
kind, and  the  stability  of  civil  gov- 
ernment. He  made  a  clear  distinc- 
tion between  the  duties  we  owe  to 
God,  and  the  duty  we  owe  to  our 
earthly  rulers.  He  showed  that  they 
did  not  in  the  smallest  degree  inter- 
fere, or  clash  with  each  other,  and 
that  we  ought  never  to  refuse  what, 
is  justly  due  to  Caesar,  under  pre- 
tence of  its  being  inconsistent  with 
what  we  owe  to  our  Maker.  On 
the  contrary,  he  lays  down  this  as  a 
fundamental  rule  of  hisreligion,  that 
we  ought  to  pay  obedience  to  lawful 
authority,  and  submit  to  that  ac- 
knowledged and  established  govern- 
ment under  which  w^e  live. 

In  my  next  and  last  ecsay  on  the 
civil  law,  I  will  call  the  attention  of 
thereader  to  the  lawful  use  of  the 
law,  a  very  delicate  but  iuterestini: 
subject. 

r.    N. 


THE  FALL  OF  MAX. 


For  tlie  Visitor.  i  heard  the  voice  of  God  walk  in  the 

THE  FALL  OF  MAN.  j  cool  of  the  day  j"    and    no   wonder 

The  primogenitor  of  the  human  i  ho  fled  and  secreted  himself  among 
race,  though  originally  formed  after  the  trees  of  the  garden  to  escape 
the  moral  image  of  his  Maker,  did  the  presence  of  the  Lord.  Unques- 
not  long  continue  in  the  holy  and  tionably  he  felt  extreme  anguish 
dignified  station  in  which  he  was  of  soul  as  he  remembered  that  he 
placed.  Though  he  was  placed  in  j  had  made  himself  liable  to  sutler  the 
a  "garden  of  delight^/'  surround- ;  penalty  attached  to  an  infringement 
ed  with  every  thing  that  was  deli- !  ^f  God's  moral  constitution.  He 
cious  to  the  taste,  and  pleasant  to  ,  felt  that  conscience  had  commenced 
the  eye,  yet  he  dared  to  violate  a ,  her  work  of  condemnation ;  that 
positive  command  of  his  Maker,  and  guilt  had  taken  the  place  of  inno- 
to  stret<;h  forth  his  impious  hand  to!  eence,  anxiety  the  place  of  quies- 
pluck  and  to  taste  of  the  forbidden  \  cence,  and  confusion  the  place  of 
tree— a  picture  and  a  prelude  to  peace.  He  felt  that  tranquillity  of 
the  conduct  of  millions  of  his  de-'j^ind  proceeding  from  conscious 
graded  offspring  who  despise  the  j  rectitude  had  taken  its  flight,  and 
lawful  enjoyments  which  He  with- 1  his  emban-assments  increased  as  he 
in  their  reach,  and  obstinately  rush .  contemplated  the  magnitude  of  his 
on  forbidden  pleasures,  which  ter- 1  ofi*ence.  Like  a  poor,  guilty  crimi- 
minate  in  wretchedness  and  sorrow. ,  ^al^  he  stood  trembling  as  God  com- 
But  scarcely  had  he  attained  to  the  j  menced  to  pass  judgment  upon  him. 


high  position  of  ''lord  of  creation,'' 
— but  barely  had  he  reached  the 
summits  of  true  greatness  when 
the  unfortunate  event  took  place, 
in  which  he  fell  fi*om  his  exalted 
state  of  happiness,  losing  his  high 
sense  of  honor,  and  true 
80ul. 


dignity 


setting  forth  the  cause  of  his  fall, 
and  then  the  anathema ;  "cui^ed  is 
the  ground  for  thy  sake;  in  sorrow 
shalt  thou  cat  of  it  all  the  days  of 
thy  life."  And  banishment  from 
the  lovely  Eden,  was  the  unavoida- 
0^1  ble  result  of  his  disobedience.  Gen. 
3:  17—24. 


The  pathway  of  his  life,  which  i  From  the  time  this  calamity  be- 
once  meandered  through  flower^^ifell  man,  his  sinfulness  increased, 
beds  of  ease,  now  became  cursed  We  have  the  testimony  of  God 
with  sorrow.  Fear  and  shame  himself  to  assure  us,  that  within 
once  unknown  and  unfelt  by  him,  sixteen  hundred  j'ears  from  the 
were  now  legibly  stamped  upon  hisicreationof  the  world,  "the   wicked- 


His  passions  were  no  j  ness  of  man  had  become  great  upon 
and  uncontaminated!  the  earth — that  the  earth  was  filled 
with  violence" — yea,  that  ''everj- 
imagination  of  the  thoughts  of 
man's  heart  was  only  evil  continu- 
ally,' or  as  it  is  more  literally  ren- 
dered from  the  Hebrew,  "the  whole 


countenance, 
more  serene, 

with  evil.  Conscious  that  the  in- 
junction of  his  Maker  was  violated, 
the  instruction  given  for  the  gui- 
dance of  his  conduct  disregarded, 
and  the  divine  code    of   laws,    that 


God  bad  transmitted  from  the  courts  imagination,  comprehending  all  the 
of  Heaven  trampled  under  foot,  he  i  purj^oses  and  desires  of  the  mind, 
had  reason  to  be  afraid    when   ''he  was  only  evil  from  day    to  day.*' 


70 


THE  STAE  OF  BETHLEHEM. 


AVliou  (iod  looked  u]j()u  this  stable  of  j 
tliiiiLis ''it  so    grieved    liiiu    at    liis ! 
lieart,  that" i,t  repented  him    llmtliej 
had  luado  luau,"    and    eonsequeiitly : 
he  resolved  _"to    destroy    him    trom  I 
tbefaceof  tiiceartli."  Gen.  0  :  5—7.! 
After  (Jod   had   sent  a   fearl'ul  jud^- : 
meut  u])on  the  children  of  disobedi- 
ence by  means  of  the  flood,  he  "suid 
in  his  licart,  I  will   not  again   curse 
the   ground    any    more    for    man's 


sake ;  for  the 


ima<jrination  of  man' 


heart  is  evil  from  his   A'outh."    Gen.  | 
8  :  21.  \ 

The  effects  of  man's  fall  were   sen-i 
siblyfelt  in  siihscqucnt  ages   of  the  I 
world/     The   pions   patriarchs   and  i 
prophets  of  the  Jewish   dispensation' 
were  oft  brought  to  the   contcmpla-| 
lion  of  tlic  lamentable  spectacle  that ' 
the     fall    of   man    produced.     Thcj 
death-blow  that  was  dealt  to  honor, ! 
truth  and  justice,  the  devout   David  I 
of  old  seemed   to  lament  seriously,  I 
when    his     heart  ovei*flowed    with 
emotions  of  sadness  and  his   tongue 
uttered  the   plaintive   song ;  ''The}'- 
iWive  all  gone   aside,  they  are  alto- 
gether become  filthy  :  there  is  none 
that  doeth  good,  no,  not  one."     And 
again  the  prophet  Jeremiah  became 
very  dee])ly  impressed,  in  his   view 
on  this  subject,  w^ith  the  idea  of  the  I 
calamity  that  befell  the  human  heart 
in  the  fall  of  man  ;  and   discoursing  j 
upon  true  and    false   confidence,  he , 
says,  "Tlie  heart  is  deceitful    above 
all  things  and    desperately    wicked,  j 
whocan  know  it."   The  Redeemer  of 
fallen  man  in  exposing  the  hypocrisy 
')f  the  pharisces,'  made  use  of  a  para- 1 
bie,  and  inünswcr  to  Peter's  request 
Ml- an  explanatirhi,  he  says,   "Out  of. 
•\\L'    heart   ^proceed,  evil,  thoughts, 
»niirdcrs,      adulteries,      fornication' 
i  tiefls,      falsewitnei^s,      blasphemy ; , 


ration  of  the  prophet.  Likewise  the 
words  of.  the  preacher,  the  ^.on  of 
David,  beai*  testimony  to  the  truth 
on  this  theme  ;  '-yea  also  tlie  hearts 
of  thct^ns  ol'men  is  full  of  evil,  and 
madness  5s  in  their  hearts  while 
thoj^  lire,  and  after  that  thev  go  to 
the  dead." 

Do  we  need  a  more  comprehensive 
summary  of  the  greatness  and  ex- 
tent of  the  fall  of  man  than  this? 
If  so,  we  ask  the  indulgence  to  re- 
commend you  to  let  your  mind  fill 
up  the  outline  of  this  horrid  picture 
with  everything  that  is  degra- 
ding to  the  human  character, 
with  everything  that  is  profligate 
and  abominable  in  manners, 
with  everything  that  is  base,  false, 
deceitful,  horrible  and  destructive 
in  war,  and  ruinous  to  the  interests 
of  human  happiness. 


E.    s.    :d. 


Somerset.  Pa 


For  tlie  Gospel  Visitor. 
THE  STAE  OF  BETHLEHEM. 
"When  the  Lord  of  life  was  born 
into  this  world,  there  a2)peared  unto 
the  wise  men  in  the  East  a  star,  de- 
notii^g  the  advent  of  the  long  looked 
for  King.  AVhy  was  it  the  wise  men 
were  so  ready  to  seek  him  ?  Eecauso, 
they  believed  the  Prophets.  They 
did  not  view  the  star  with  careless- 
ness and  unconcern,  but  at  once  left 
all  to  seek  the  new-born  King.  But 
mark  ^-e,  they  set  out  with  a  fliith 
not '  al^-pgether  in-  accordance  witli 
the  scriptures.  They  Were  not  dili- 
gent enough  in  their  researches  after 
the  way  that  led  to  the  Lirth-phuH' 
of  the  Governor  that  was  to  rule  I-- 
rael.  And  wliat  vv\;o  tlio  cmjh^o- 
queiices?    "VTe  learn  they  lost  theii 


I  bus  corroborating  the  above  decla-  wa^'  as  well  as  the  ^r:,  that  the3' 


:a 


THE  STAE  OF  BETHLEHEM. 


were  more  willing  to  folloTr  their  own 
inclinations    than   the   star  of   the 
Lord  that  was  set  before  them.  They 
had  a  preconceived  opinion  in  the 
matter, — ^thought  it  a  matter  of  cer- 
tainty that  he  who  was  to  be  King 
of  Kings  would  first  make  his  ap- ' 
pearance  iu  the  great  cit^-  of  Jerusa- 
lem.    TSThen  they  ai-rived  within  the 
walls  of  the  great  metropolis  of  the 
world  at  that  time;  how  sadly  were 
they  disappointed,  and  were  heard  to' 
exclaim,     "where  is  he  that  is  born  ; 
Kinor   of   the  Jews?     for  we  have 

o  i 

seen  his  star  in  the  East  and  have ; 
qome  to  woi*ship  him."  They  were, 
told  "in  Bethlehem  of  Judea." 

Xow  that  they  had  seen  with  their 
own  eyes  the  error  theii^  own  notions 
had  led  them  into,  they  became  Avil- 
ling  to  tuim  their  st^ps  toward  the 
little  despised  town  of  Bethlehem. 
As  they  did  so,  the  star  again  ap- 
peared unto  them;  then  did  they  re- 
joice that  they  had  found  the  right 
way  again,  which  led  them  directl}* 

)  where  the  young  child,  Jesus,  was. 

Had  they  not  seen  the  folly  of 
ti'usting  in  their  own  opinions  ere 
they  came  to  where  the  child  lay, 
they  might  have  doubted  as  to  tiie 
being  whom  they  sought,  owing  to 
the  mean  and  humble  circumstances 
that  siuTOunded  him.  But  their  lof- 
ty imaginations  had  once  led  them 
astray,  and  no  doubt  warned  them 
to  crush  tlieir  owii  notions  and  be- 
come willing  to  bow  to  him,  find  him 
wherp  they  may  and  in  what  circum- 
stances. They  had  determined  to 
worship  him  and  give  their  earthly 
Measures  to  him, 

fci'We  think  if  due  contemplation  is 
l^iveoi  to  the  coui*se  of  these  ^vise 
flieo;  much,  yea  very  much,  might 
be  learned  by  us  eiTing  mortals,  and 


which  may  tend  to  be  of  great  bene- 
fit in  the  final  day  of  reckoninjx. 
It  will  learn  us  to  search  ötir  hearts 
and  see  if  we  harbor  not  some  cher- 
ished opini"Ti>;  ff^'^tvnvy  to  the  Go.s- 
pel. 

The  star  of  the  Saviour  of  the 
world  has  not  set;  'tis  shinin«-  di.s- 
tinctly,  pointing  out  the  way  that 
leads  to  him  and  it  becomes  us  all  to 
follow  it.  If  we  have  faith,  and 
leave  all  to  seek  him,  and  be  more 
wise  than  the  wise  men  were,  be- 
having all  carnal  notions  put  awav 
fi-om  our  minds,  and  follow  the  star 
"as  the  scriptures  saith,  and  seek  for 
the  truth  as  it  is  in  Christ  Jesus, 
and  not  have  our  wisdom  mixed  with 
self-conceit  as  the  wi?e  men  had,  then 
shall  we  find  the  true  way." 

And  ohi  what  a  solemn  fact  that 
thousands  of  the  professed  followers 
of  the  meek  and  lowly  Eedeemer,  in 
these  times,  have  no  fear  of  such  a 
faith  as  the  wise  men  had.  They  set 
out  with  pretensions  to  follow  the 
Star  (  Go.spel  )  with  opinions  of  their 
own;  many  saying,  "just  as  a  man  be- 
lieves, will  do.''  ^e  ask,  did  this 
kind  of  faith  do  in  the  case  of  the 
wise  men?  Verily,  no.  Alas!  how 
many  in  seeking  the  Lord  and  his 
promises,  go  on  toward  the  earth Iv 
Jerusalem:  —  the  great  pomp  and 
splendor  of  this  world  is  in  their  eye. 
— They  are  unwilling  to  turn  their 
steps  towards  Bethlehem,  in  their 
eyes  a  despicable  place  to  live  in. 
They  are  often  told  to  seek  farther 
for  the  Lord  of  life  &  glory,  but  unlike 
the  wise  men,  manv  are  unwillinir  1^  - 
forsake^'their  long  chenshed  oj)inion8. 
They  feed  upon  the  vain  delusion, 
tliat  haviqg  gone  thus  iai*  seeking 
the  Lord,  he  will  not  cast  them  off. 

But  oil  man!  ere  it  is  too  late,  seek 
to  be  sui*e  von  have*  comedo*  i^ic« 


GOD  CARETH  FOR  US. 


place  wlierc  tlie  cliild  is  &  worship  at 
the  foot  of  Jcsu8.  If  we  ever  expect 
to  reap  the  rich  reward  promised,  wo 
must  follow  onr  captain  that  hae 
^one  before,  must  lay  in  the  manger; 
i.  e.  take  upon  ua  liumility,  and  self- 
denial.  When  we  are  willing  to  be 
born  again,  we  must  not  expect  to 
1)0  laid  in  the  golden  cradle  of  vanity 
and  ease,  nor  be  clad  in  silks,  satins, 
purple  &  fine  linen,  but  like  our  bless- 
ed Saviour,  lay  and  live  in  the  man- 
ger of  humility,  and  go  on  following 
the  Lord  'through  evil  as  well  as 
good  report."  One  more  thought 
and  we  close. 

If  we  persist  in  following  our  own 
notions  until  death,  our  errors  will 
bo  revealed  unto  us  when  it  will  be 
too  late  to  seek  the  right  way  again 
as  did  the  wise  men.  Alas!  AlasI 
deluded  souls,  then,  will  you  see  the 
utter  folly  of  having  been  wise  in 
your  own  conceits  or  in  listening  to 
the  doctrines  of  men  against  the  bet- 
tor light  of  the  Gospel  star.  You 
profess  to  know  the  Lord,  and  to 
keep  his  precepts,  while  at  the  same 
time  you  revel  in  vanity  fair.  You 
were  not  willing  to  lay  with  Christ 
in  the  manger  here  on  earth,  and  as- 
suredly he  will  be  unwilling  for  you 
to  reign  with  him  in  glory.  Whilst 
they  that  follow  in  his  footsteps  here 
below — give  up  all  earthly  treasures 
or  idols  for  his  sake,  will  enter  into 
the  joys  of  the  Lord,  and  reign  with 
him  through  endless  yeai-s  of  felicity. 
J.    S.    F. 


GOD  CARETH  FOR  US. 

Casting  all  your    care    upon    him, 
for  he  careth  for  you.  1   Peter  5  :  7. 

What  precious  words  of  oncour- 
agoment    and    comfort    are    these  I 


Where  can  we  find  words  so  well 
adapted  to  the  desponding  heart, 
but  in  the  Bible  ?  The  oracles  of 
heathen  Mythology  uttered  no  such 
words  to  calm  the  feverish  anxiety 
of  man's  disturbed  spirit.  And 
what  Deity  but  he  who  is  declared 
to  be  the  *'one  God  and  Father  of 
all,  who  is  above  all,  and  through 
all,  and  in  you  all,"  has  the  care  for 
us  that  these  words  point  out? 

Jesus  said  to  Martha,  ''Thou  art 
careful  and  troubled  about  manj- 
things."  In  these  words  ho  did 
not  describe  a  solitary  case,  but  he 
drew  a  picture  of  mankind  in  gener- 
al. And  the  words  of  the  apostle 
that  we  have  quoted  above,  imply 
that  we  have  care,  and  that  that 
care  may  perplex  and  distress  us. 
Our  experience  proves  the  implica- 
tion to  be  just.  All  men  have  de- 
sires, purposes  and  plans  revolving 
in  their  minds,  and  according  to  the 
importance  and  estimation  of  them, 
and  the  difi[iculties  occurring  in 
them,  they  feel  a  degree  of  care 
concerning  them.  Xow,  the  per- 
plexity of  this  care  is  one  of  the 
miseries  of  human  life.  And  if 
there  is  any  means  discovered  and 
proposed  to  the  children  of  men  to 
relieve  their  minds  of  this  pei-plex- 
ingcare,  it  is  certainly  worthy  of 
their  consideration,  and  it  should  be 
sought  for  instantly  and  with  eager- 
ness. Christianity  meets  man  upon 
every  weak  point,  and  offers  him  a 
remedy  for  all  the  diseases  growing 
out  of  his  fallen  nature.  And  the 
work  it  performs  in  man,  and  the 
influenco  it  exerts  over  man,  are 
admirably  adapted  to  allay  that 
anxious  care  which  often  embitters 
life,  and  throws  a  gloomy  spell  over 
the  years  of  not  a  few  of  our  groan- 
ing race. 


GOD  CARETH  FOR  VS. 


"Let  not  your  hearts  be  troub- 
led :"  said  Jesus  to  his  disciples,  ''je 
believe  in  God,  believe  also  in  me/' 
We  as  christian  believers,  believe  in 
the  consummate  wisdom,  the  disin- 
terested benevolence,  the  almighty 
power,  and  the  faithful  promises  of 
our  gracious  God.  And  with  this 
belief,  how  little  reason  have  we  for 
trouble  or  fear,  or  any  thought  or 
emotion  of  mind  of  a  perplexing  or 
distressing  character:  The  casting 
of  our  care  upon  God  signifies,  that 
we  should  commit  to  his  hands  all 
our  concerns  and  matters,  as  he 
knows  how  to  dispose  and  control 
all  to  the  best  advantage.  This 
does  not  imply  that  we  shall  stand 
aloof,  and  withhold  our  hand  from 
the  work  to  which  duty  calls  us. 
But  we  are  to  perform  our  duty 
with  fidelitj^  and  then  by  prayer, 
submit  the  issue  to  God's  disposal, 
being  assured  that  it  must  be  lavor- 
able.  Isotice,  that  we  are  directed 
to  cast  a^/ our  care  upon  him.  He 
is  able  to  bear  all,  and  we  of  our- 
selves are  able  to  bear  none.  It 
matters  not  what  our  duties  and 
cK)ncems  are,  whether  they  be  of 
the  higher  order — those  which  re- 
late to  God  and  our  eternal  inter- 
ests, or  those  of  a  lower  order,  which 
are  of  a  temporal  character,  our 
heavenly  Father  is  interested  in  all, 
has  a  care  over  all,  and  will  wisely, 
T)rudently,  and  successfully  conduct 
«11,  if  w^e  properly  cast  the  care  of 
them  upon  him. 

The  argument  used  to  induce  us 
to  comply  with  the  wise  arrange- 
ment referred  to,  is  no  less  won- 
derful than  the  arrangement  itself. 
It  is  this ;  "Ae  careth  for  you."  What 
wonderful  condescension !  He  car- 
eth for  you.  And  who  is  he  of  whom 
this  is  affirmed  ?    It  is  the  eternal 


God,  the  supreme  Majesty  of  heav- 
en. It  is  ''The  Lord  of  hosts"  that 
"mustereth  the  host  of  the  battle."  It 
is  he  "Who  hath  measured  the  water» 
in  the  hollow  of  his  hand,  and  meted 
out  heaven  with  the  8pan,and  comjire- 
hended  the  dust  of  the  earth  in  a  meas- 
ure and  weighed  the  mountains  in 
scales,  and  the  hills  in  a  balance  ?  .  . 
Behold  the  nations  are  as  a  drop  of 
a  bucket,  and  are  counted  as  the 
small  dust  of  the  balance;  behold, 
he  taketh  up  the  isles  as  a  very 
little  thing.  And  Lebanon  is  not 
sufficient  to  burn,  nor  the  beasts 
thereof  sufficient  for  a  burnt  offer- 
ing. All  nations  before  him  are  as 
nothing ;  and  they  are  counted  to 
him  less  than  nothing,  and  vanity." 
This  is  the  Glorious  Being,  Chris- 
tians, that  cares  for  you !  And  can 
you  fear,  and  doubt  your  safety  ? 
And  can  you  want  a  stronger  arm 
to  lean  upon,  or  a  bosom  warmed 
with  purer  or  stronger  affections 
than  his,  to  fly  to, 

''While  the  nearer  waters  roll. 
While  the  tempest  still  is  high?" 
He  careth  for  you.  O  what 
matchless  love  !  For  yon,  who  have 
slighted  his  grace,  abused  his  mer- 
cies, transgressed  his  holy  law,  and 
rebelled  against  his  authority,  he 
careth  !  He  cares  for  all  his  crea- 
tures. <'Are  not  five  sparrows  sold 
for  two  farthings,  and  not  one  of 
them  is  forgotten  before  God? 
But  even  the  very  hairs  of  your 
head  are  all  numbered.  Fear  not 
therefore :  ye  are  of  more  value 
than  many  sparrows."  "He  giveth 
to  the  beast  his  food,  and  to  the 
young  ravens  which  cry."  Insig- 
nificant as  you  are,  a  mere  speck  in 
the  vast  creation,  nevertheless, 
humble  christian,  your  God  cares 
for    you.      And   let    this    precious 


74 


THE  CALLING  OF  ELISHA. 


initli  be.  a  solJtco  to  your  heart iHeemcd  now,  after  tho  refreshing 
when  exposed  to  trouble,  a  prevent-! showers,  impatient  for  the  seed- 
ntive  from  despondency,  and  an  in-  time,  to  unfold  their  newly  derived 
(•entire  to  oneonra£(0  you   to   perse- 1  powers.     How  often,   ])erhaps,   had 

this  husbandman,  as  he  broke  up  the 
fnTrows,  conversed  with  his  ser- 
vants of  the  miirhtv   wonders   witiv 


vorinijj  efforts  to  meet  whatever 
«Intics  in  lifo  you  may  be  called 
nyion  to  meet. 


And  if  God  earoth  for  us,  should !  which  Jehovah  had  of  late  visited 
we  not  care  for  hi n\ — for  his  honor, 'their  native  land  !  How  often,  per- 
for  his  truth,  and  for  the  ])nrity  of  ha])s,  was  the  name  of  Elijah  nien- 
his church  and  for  the  welfare  of  hisitioned,  and  tho  fiery  si<]jn  on  Car- 
])eople  y  These  are  objects  near  and 
<lear  to  him,  and   if  we   have  a  ten- 


mel  made  the  subject  of  discussion. 
Forthey  had    probably    been    eye- 
;ler  care  fin*  them,  and   use   our  ut-|  witnesses  ofthat  miracle;  and  might 


most  endeavors  to  guard  and  pro- 
mote them,  we  may  know  that  ^'he 
eareth  lor  us,"  and  that  he  will  do 
all  that  is  implied  in  this  precious 
truth. 

J.     Q. 


THE  CALLII^G  OF  ELISHA. 
From  the  solitary  desert  of  mount 
iSinai,  we  are  now  to  follow  the 
])rophet  back  amongst  the  smiling 
low-lands  of  Jordan,  and  to  walk 
upon  the  fruitful  plains  which  sur- 
round the  little  town  of  Abel-meho- 
lah.  "We  there  meet  with  twelve 
husbandmen  behind  their  ploughs; 
ftleven  of  them  are  servants,  but  the 
twelfth  is  the  son  of  a  sul)stantial 
landed  proprietor.  He  is  called 
Klisha,  and  his  father  Shaphat. 
lie  does  not  esteem  it  beneath  his 
dignit}'  to  put  his  own  hand  to  the 
work;  he  drives, in  tho  sweat  of  his 
brow,  his  yoke  of  oxen  before  him, 
Lu  tho  crompanj'  of  his  servants. 
The  pleiitiiul  rains  which  had  lately 
doBceuded,  hud  made    it    delightful 

t^  hid  t)ut  in  tho'  fifllcts,  and  to  follow  joei^tain,  that  Elijah  had  hot  for  ii" 
liie  ])lough.  The  blessing  of  God  |  long  time  found  a  more  '  gratifS'ing 
sjinsibly  perfumed  the  air;  and  (he 'acquaintance  than  this:  J  lisha  was 
tields,  which  for  tlii-ce  years  and  a !  the  first  child  of  God,  'whoni,  aftef^k 
half  had   been  a    barren    wilderness  (long  period  of  solitude,  he    hr.d    the 


belong  to  that  seven  thousand  who 
had  not  bowed  the  knee  to  Baal. 
Perhaps  it  was  at  the  very  time 
whCn  the}'  M'ere  thus  conversing  of 
those  wonderful  days,  that,  behold  I 
a  man  draws  near  to  them,  of  vener- 
able aspect,  covered  with  a  mantle, 
and  having  his  loins  girded  as  a 
traveller ;  and  as  he  comes  nearer, 
the  oxen  stand  still,  and  the  hus- 
bandmen look  at  each  other  as  if 
they  would  say,  *'who  can  this 
stranger  be,  and  what  brings  him 
here  ?"  But  who  shall  describe 
their  joj-ful  susprise,  as  they  recog- 
nise in  the  solitary  traveller,  now 
ap])roaching  with  quicker  steps  tow- 
ard the  son  of  Shaj^hat,  the  veiy 
man  whoso  name  and  deeds  had  re- 
sounded through  the  whole  countiy 
—Elijah  the  fishbite  ! 

The  sacred  historian  says  that  ho 
found  Elisha ;  whether  this  implies 
that  he  knew  him  before,  or  wheth-» 
er  he  was  thus  enabled  to  find  him, 
by  special  Divine  direction  giV^cn 
him  for  the  purpose,  Ave  are  i^ot 
informed.     But  of  this   we  may  be 


THE  CALLING  OF  ELISHA. 


4  0 


liappinoss  to  laeet ;  lie  foiind  in   the 
person  of  tUc  son    of   Shaphat,    tlie 
first  and,  the  chief  of  the  seven  thou- ; 
^smd,  and  the  fii'st  seal  of  the  prom, 
ise  granted  him  at  Horcb  on   behalf 
of  his  i:)eople.     The  simj)le  and  pious  - 
Elisha  was  the  man,  in  whose  sphere 
of  action   th^  still    small   voice    of: 
God's  tender  mercy  and  love   would 
be  heard  by  the    childi^en  of  Israel,' 
so  as  to  turn  them  to  the  Lord  theii* ! 
God.     He  was  the  first    messeni^er 
of  Jehovah  v>Lio  should  sow  the  fruit ' 
of  righteousness  in  peace   upon   the ' 
land  whi-ch  his  predecessor  had  bro- ' 
ken    up    by    judgments;    yea,  who! 
should  bind  up    the    hearts    which 
had  been   broken.     Even  his   name 
e:^re.>ses  the  character  of  his  Divine  - 
op^pjnission.    It  signifies,  "jly  Godj 
is  salvation  j"  and  the  history  of  his 
ministry  is  given,  as  it  were,  in  this  I 
one   word.     His    hibors,    compared | 
with  those   of  his   predecessor,   ap-j 
pear  uj^on  the   whole   as  peculiarly 
91Eai\gelical.      He    goes    ^bout    in 
meekness,  and   his  peaceful  coui'se 
is  marked  with  benefits  and  bless- 1 
ings ;  nor  is  it-  accompanied  •  by  the  i 
ilreadful  majesty  of  divine  and  burn- 
ing jealousy,  but  by    the    mild   ar^d 
:imiable    light   of  Jehovah's,  cppde-j 
.scending    love.     He    stretches    out| 
liis  right  hand,  not  to  close   heaven,) 
l:)ut  to  bring   down  its   showers   ofl 
blessings.     His    ofiice   is    evidently  ■ 
that  ofa deliverer, sent  to   announce, 
that  '-tlio .  Lord    is    gracious."     An  i 
cntirel}'    ne^v  period  was  therefore, 
to  .commence  with  Elisha's  mission- 
a  period  of  Divine  loving-kindness, ; 
;ijr^i*  the    days   of  judicial   punish-» 
ment;  a  period  of  the    ^'still    email- 
v^^ce.".  ;  Elijah  seemed  tobe,  aware; 
r^this;  audit  mav 


;igined  with  v 

liave  embraced  Lüsjia  as  the  man 


who  was  to  be  instrumental  in   ful- 
filling his  best  hopes  for  Israel. 

Elijah  found  him  behind  tlie 
plough.  It  is  not  without  meaning 
that  this  is  mentioned  in  thehistoiy. 
Here  then  ;we  have  a  pleasing  pic- 
ture of  a  man,  who,  notwithstand- 
ing the  gifts  with  wMch  he  was  en- 
dowed, continued  lowly  in  his  own 
eyes,  and  led  a  humble  and  unassu- 
ming life.  How  many,  gifted  like 
him,  would  have  thought  themselves 
too  good  for  the  plough,  and  born 
to  a  sphere  of  life  above  that  of  a 
.simple  faiTQer;  would  have  per- 
suaded themselves  that  they  must} 
not  withhold  theh'  talents  fi-om 
mankind,  that  they  must  go  fortii 
into  the  field  of  public  labor,  to  ,  en- 
lighten and  guide  the  world.  But 
such  thoughts  did  not  enter  the 
mind  of  Elisha.  His  pretentions 
went  not  beyond  his  plough  and 
husbandry;  he  saw  his  vocation  in^ 
these  quiet  and  rural  occupations, 
and  well  satisfied  with  this,  he, 
''minded  not  high  things."  How 
much  more  amiable  and  beautiful 
is  such  a  disposition  than  the  oppo- 
site one.  which  is  now  so  frequently 
met  with  amo;ig  christians !  '-La- 
bor for.  tlie  kingdqm  of  God,"is,i.l?e-. 
come  the  watchword  of  the  day ; 
we  certainly  rejoice  at  it,  but  with 
very  mingled  feelings.  There  iß. 
too  jnvLch.  vanity  and  self-compla-' 
cent  pushing  forwards,  which,  alas  I 
may  be  seen  on  this  field  of  activity- 
No  sooner  does  any  one  imagine 
he  has  found  himself  possessed  of. 
ta.lents  a^jd  gifts  evQj.*  so  small,  than 
he  hesitates  not  to  regard  liimself 
as  a  pillar  of  the  churclj  oß  God. 
The  condition  and  calling  in  wliich 
^ea.si]y  im-iheha^  been  hitherto,  is  .qo  lon.L'-ir 
^t  he  must ,  the  jiroper  one  for  him.    Ho 

diateiy  begins  to  think, >iiC   npt    t9. 


'6 


THE  CALLING  OF  ELLSHA. 


talk,  ofa  hif^her  station,  to  which 
ho  imaj^ines  himself  born.  We 
ouo:ht  undoubtedly  to  let  our  light 
shine  before  men  ,  but  then  every 
one  should  do  so  in  the  situation 
in  which  Providence  has  placed 
him.  Nor  does  God  intend,  by  this 
command  to  let  our  litj:ht  shine  be- 
fore men,  to  refer  simply  to  the 
office  of  the  ministry,  or  to  any 
official  teachinc:  in  his  church.  It 
is  not  merely  thy  lips,  christian, 
but  thy  life,  which  is  to  be  the 
lamp.  It  is  thy  general  character 
and  conduct  which  are  to  edify  thy 
brother  and  glorify  God.  He  in- 
tends that  all  thy  thoughts,  words, 
and  works  should  silently  testify 
that  thou  art  born  of  God,  and  that 
the  peace  of  God  rules  in  thy  heart. 
Then  it  is  that  thou  throwest  around 
thee  that  gracious  radiance  which 
the  Savior  means  when  he  bids  thee 
lot  thy  light  shine  before  men , 
then  it  is  that  thou  preachest  the 
Gospel,  as  the  power  of  God  unto 
salvation,  more  effectually  than  can 
be  done  by  thy  words.  And  re- 
member that  those  spiritual  lights 
have  the  purest  i*adiance  which  are 
the  least  conscious  of  their  own 
brightness:  and  that  those  divine 
flowers  diffuse  the  sweetest  fra- 
grance which  make  the  least  dis- 
play. 

That  excessive  pressing  of  reli- 
gious men  into  public  notice,  which 
characterizes  the  present  day,  is 
only  another  sign  of  the  spiritual 
poverty  of  the  times.  There  is  a 
great  dearth  of  truly  great  -and  no- 
ble spirits  in  our  modern  Christen- 
dom. No  eagle  pinions  at  present! 
»car  in  our  firmament;  hence  the' 
smaller  birds,  the  minds  of  inferior  i 
(;ast,  having  no  living  standards  to  i 
discern     their    own  littleness,   are 


emboldened     to  regard  their    own 
modicum    of   talents    and    endow- 


jUients  as  an   evidence  of  a   divine 
,  vocation  to  great  and  exalted  things. 
I  Happy  would  it  be  for  Zion   were 
I  that  vain  activity,  which   is  not  of 
God  but  of  the   world,   confined  to 
the  world  itself,  and    not   obtruded 
within  her  sacred  inclosures.     Hap- 
py would  it  be  for  her  people,    were 
there  not  so   mournfully   prevalent 
among  them  an  idolatry  of  worldly 
instrumentality    and    mere   human 
talents !     AVhy  is  it     that   God    so 
frequently  calls   home  his  most  ex- 
cellent  servants     and     evangelists, 
in  the  bloom  of  life,  from  their  use- 
ful  labors,   but  —  as    one    pur]-)OPo 
at  least — to  secure   them   from  the 
peril  of  that  idolatrous   admiration 
with  which  these  mortals  are   \vont 
to  be  extolled,   in  what   are   called 
the     religious      periodicals;  and  to 
let    the  sul•^'ivors   know,    that   the 
pillars  of  the  temple   are  not  flesh  ; 
that    wisdom    does    not    die   with 
any   creature;  and    that  none   but 
Himself  is   the    basis,   the  support, 
and  the  builder  up  of  his  kingdom. 
When   Elijah     had   found  Elisha, 
he  takes    his  prophet's  mantle  off 
his   own    shoulders,   and  throws  it 
over  those  of   the  son   of  Shaphat, 
without    speaking  a   word.     What 
must  have  been  the  feelings  of  the 
plain  and   unassuming  husbandman 
upon  this  occasion  !  for  he   well   un- 
dei*8tood  this  significant  action,  and 
could  view  it  as  nothing  less   than 
a   consecration     to    the    prophetic 
office,  and  a  call  to  bo  the  assistant, 
follower,  and  representative   of  the 
Tishbito.     It  is  to  be  lamented,  that, 
in   the  present  day,    the    christian 
ministry    is     too    exclusively   and 
systematically  confined   to   persons 
who  have  undergone  a  certain  mode 


FOEBEAEA]S'CE. 


77 


of  education ;  which  was  never  the 
case  with  the  church  in  its  purest 
times.     May  God  raise  up   and  put 


respond  with  those  of  our  brother  or 
friend?  And  if  such  sentiments  exist 
in  the  hearts  of  our  brethren,  why 


forth  amongst  us  more  of  those  who  i  not  bring  them  to  light  ?  Is  if  wise 
are  taught  rather  by  the  unction  of  j  and  prudent  to  let  them  lie  hidden 
the  Spirit  of  God,  than  by  the  mere  I  in  the  dark?  Otherwise  are  we  not 
external  apparatus  of  scientific  in-  creatures  liable  to  erroneous  views? 
stitutions !  Not  that  these  are  to 
be  despised  or  neglected ;   far  from 


ter's  qualifications. 


If  by  reading  the  Visitor,  we  find 
things  which  we  are  not  entirely 
it!  but  they  furnish,  after  all,  only 'willing  to  sanction,  is  it  not  our 
the  exterior  of  a  christian  minis- 1  duty,  first  to  truly  and  candidly  ex- 
amine said  piece,  &  thereby  ascertain 
Krummacher.  whether  they  are  really  consistent 
w4th  the  Divine  will  of  our  Heaven- 
ly Father.  And  if  found  so,  would 
it  not  be  very  imprudent  to  thus 
censure  our  brother  or  friend,  who 
sociably  and  kindly  gives  us  his 
(;ommunication?  By  making  this 
our  rule  &  practice,  I  think  we  will 
have  but  little  trouble  to  establish 
that  union  and  sweet  communion 
which  is  necessary  to  make  us  hap- 


For   The  Gospel  Visitor. 
FORBEARABTCE. 

D«ar  Editors: 

I  noticed  in 
the  Jan.  Xo.  of  the  Visitor,  a  few 
words  relating  to  Farbearance.  A 
subject  which  has  frequently  pre- 
sented itself  to  my  miiid  and  upon  jp^.  Let  this  be  the  motto  of  every 
which  I  have  often  times  reflected.  I^ne  who  feels  an  interest  in  the  wel 
And  inasmuch  as  it  is  newly  ottered  jf^re  of  the  christian  cause.  And  I 
to  our  consideration,  I  take  the  priv-Ljo^bt  not  but  that  if  we  are  truly 
dege  of  writing  these  few  lines  not  L^iHing  to  make  this  sacrifice  of  our 
knowmg  whether  they  will  meet  |  hasty  decisions,  that  we  will  find 
your  approbation  or  not.  I  have: the  Visitor  just  such  a  companion 
heard  the  exi^ression  of  dissatisfac-lag  is  essential  to  make  our  fireside 
tion  with  this  beneficent,  and  as  I: cheerful  and  pleasant.  But  in  order 
daim,  useful  periodical,  from  several  i  that  we  may  be  truly  Christ-like,  is 
members  of  the  church,  merely  be-|itnotour  duty  to  exercise  forbear- 
cause  the  sentiments  issued  in  cer- ' 
tain  pieces  did  not  altogether  coin- 
cide with  their  own  view.  And  it 
is  to  those  that  I  kindly  refer  these 
lines.     Although  I  do  not  belong  to 


the  german  Baptist,  or  any  other 
christian  denomination,  yet  I  feel  a 
<leep  interest  in  the  christian  com- 
fuunity,  and  hope  ere  long  to  be  pla- 
ced in  that  happy  capacity.  But  j  communication  of  brotherly  love 
why  condemn  a  work  so  important,  j  whispered  in  our  ears  whilst  sitting 
and  at  once  so  satisfactory,  only  be- j  around  the  family  circle,  should  at 
^*ause  our  ideas  do  not  exactly  cor- 1  once  prompt  us  not  to  deprive  our- 


ance?  And  is  not  forbearance  one  of 
the  qualities  necessary,  to  constitute 
a  true  christian? 

The  Visitor  gives  us  a  knowledge 
of  the  brethren  from  the  far  west  to 
the  shining  east — from  the  frozen 
north  to  the  sunny  south.  Hence, 
the  pleasure  of  hearing  from'each 
other  and  of  havinir  the  still  quiet 


LOVE  '¥oM  bW  *t*rckiBOT^. 


j?t'lves  of  this  pvivilep^e.  With  tlie:^o 
t'MV  remarks,  I 'hope  tQ  remuiii  in 
I  he  capacity  of  n  .!   •<' 

Your  Friciul 

s.   a.  •  K. 

UyaUsvilJo,  O. 


i'ov  tho   \  isilur. 
LOVE  FOPv  OUa  NEIGEJBOS. 

yo  one  can  be  a  ü;<70(1  citizen  nn- 
IcHS  he  is  a  cjood  neighbor.  And  in 
tryinf^  to  be  a  o-ood  neii»;hbor,  \ve 
must  endeavor  to  reduce  topnu'tice 
the  golden,  rule   of  our   »Spvvior  :  Do 

UNTO  O't^TIET^S    AS     WE     WOULD     HAVE 

OTHERS  DO  UNTO  US.  A-  good  neigh- 
bor is  not  a  Follish  mrjn.  lie  does 
not  look  to  liis  own.  iöterest  only, 
but  he  cares  for  the  welfare  and 
the  interest  of  those  around  him. 
He  tries  to  contribute  to  tlie  lnip]')i- 
ness  of  liis  neighbors.  And  Avhile 
trj^ing  to  make  those  around  him 
liappy,  he  is  snre  to  become  a  hap- 
py man  himself. 

Some  people  are  always  complain- 
ing of  their  neighbors.  They  wish 
thoy  could  sell  out,  and  move  to 
some  bettor  neighborhood.  And  i't 
frequently  happens  that  those  who 
make  the  most  complaints  about 
their  neighbors  have  already  chang- 
ed their  locations  some  half  a  dozen 
times.  »Such  people  will  probably 
never  find  good  neighbors,  indeed  no 
family  fs  perfect.  All  are  more  or 
less  fhnlty.  , 

Ikit  ih  tr^'ing  to  be  good  neigh- 
bors we  must  tlirow  the  mantle  of 
charity  over  the  faults  of  those' 
■with  whom  we  wish  to  live  on  terms, 
of  brotherly  love.  We  must  not 
piu'niii  our  thoughts  to  dwell  on ' 
their  faults,  but  constantly-  think 
and  speak  of  their  nrtuos  and   good  | 


(jup.litie 


Our  immediate  neighborhood  is  a 
little  world  of  itself  And  a  com- 
munity of  feeling  sho^Vld  6xist,  em- 
bracing old  and  young,  rich  and 
poor.  The  rich  nian  should,  at  all 
times,  be  ready  to  lend  a  helpitig 
hand  to  his  ^'yoorer  neighbor.  If 
the  poor,  of  industrious  habit«;, 
wifibe^'-to  secui*e  for  himself  a  home; 
hy  the  purchase  of  a  small  farm,  the 
rich  man  who  wishes  to  be  a  good 
neigiiboi-,  should  assist  him  by 
granting  liim  a  loan.  No  matter  if 
he  thinks  he  sees  iiome  better  spec- 
ulation in  the  purchase  of  western 
lands  or  something  else  of  the  sort. 
To  the  wordi^,  ^^Am  I  my  brother's 
KEEPER,"  he  should  answer  emphat- 
ically, I  icill  try  to  be. 

The  popr  and  the  youthful  stand 
also  in  need  of  good  counsel.  This 
should  be  kindly  extended  to  them, 
Indeed,  good  counsel^  an  opportuni- 
ty to.  find  rcmimei'ativc  employ- 
ment, or  a  timely  loan  are  all  the 
alms  that  the  poor  most  generally 
need. 

But  the  poor  neighbor  has  duti'e.^ 
to  perf:)rm  as  well  as  the  rich.  If 
is  his  duty  to  be  industrious,  eco- 
nomrcal,  and  saving;  to  govern 
wisely  his  children,  and  to  bring 
them  up  under  the  guidance  of  reli- 
gious principles,  and  v.'ith  habits  of 
indusrh'V- '  Again,  the  poor  neiixli- 
bor  shdilld  b'ear  in  mind  that  thb 
reason  Avhy  he  has  not  got  along  in 
the  world  so  well  as  some  of  hi^v 
neighbors  may  arise,  in  part,  to  the 
])ossession  of  a  iiuilty  judgment. 
And  in  view  of  this  fiict,  when  his 
well-to-do  neighbor  proffers  him 
counsel  in  a  spirit  of  kindness,  it 
shotdd  be  listened  to  with  respect 
and  attention. 

Öo  who  profes?<es'io  be  actuated 
by  a  Christian  sjjirit,  and  vrho  kneels 


li:-;es.— iS'OT  lost  but  goxe  before. 


down  and  prays  to.  Qiir  Father y  icho 
ort  in  heaven  to  ''forgive  us  our 
trespasses,  as  ^ve  forgive  tliose  vlio 
trespass  against  us,"  should  reduce 
to  practice  the  spirit  of  this  bcauti- 
i'ul  prayer,  b}'  indulging  in  no  feel- 
ing of  hatred  toward  any  man.  One 
of  the  darkest  crimes  that  man  can 
Ije  guilty  of,  is  murder;  and  the 
spirit  of  murder  is  already  in  our 
breast  wlien  we  fostei*  a  lecling  of 
hatred  toAvard  our  ])rothej-  m.aiit 
AVhorever  true  Christianity  exists, 
its  fruits  will  be  seen :  On  earth 
pEACii;  AND  Good  will  to  man. 
Fran kUn  Abnanac. 


Communicfaed. 
LINES. 
Oh,  happy  is  the  man  who  hears 

Instructions  warning  voice ; 
A]id  who  makes  virtue's  joyous  path 
His  early,  only  choice. 

For  she  Ikis  treasures  greater  far 
Than  east  or  %vest  unfold, 

And  her  reward  is  more  secure 
Than  all  the  gain  of  gold. 

In  lierriglit  hand  she  holds  to  view 
A  length  of  happy  years  ; 

And  in  her  left  the  prize  of  fame 
And  honor  bright  appears. 

She  guides  our  youth  v^'ith  innocence 
In  pleaf?hre's  pr.th  to  tread ; 

A  crown  of  glory  she  bestOAvs 
Upon  the  hoaiy  head. 

According  as  her  labors  rise, 
So  her  re  Avar  ds  increase  ; 

Her,  ways  are  Avays  of  pleasantness^ 
And  all  her  paths  are  peace. 


For    tlie    Tisitor. 
KOT  LOST  BUT  GONE  SEFOPwE. 
I  kncAv  a  boy — a  gentle  boy, 
A  child  of  graces  rare; 


Of  rosy  cheek  and  briglit  blue  eye, 
Half  hid  by  clustering  hair.. 

Oh!  he  was  fair  and  beautiful. 

Too  beautiful  for  earth  ; 

For  scarcely  had  he  cheered  our 

hearts, 
"With  his  voice  of  joyous  mirth.   • 

}  Ol*  wc  had  loved  our  darling  son. 

As  God's  best  gift  to  man ; 
I  And  srnileA  Avith  that  altection, 

That  only  parents  can, 

XT|)oh  tiie  bright  an(f fragra  n  t  fioAvers, 
That  blossomed  by  our  side ; 
j  Upon  his  many  winning  Avays, 
Our  earnest  love  and  pride  ; 

"When  the  Ano-els  looked  from  h.cavcn 
Abroad  upon  the  Earth, 
To  gather  up  the  Avheat  sheaA^es, 
For  our  Father's  Garner  worth. 

They  saw  our  little  blossom, 
4s  they  sloAvl}'  fluttered  by  : 
But  a*?  they  gazed,  they  loved  him, 
I  So  they  gently-  lingered  nigh. 

I 

;  They  unfurled  their  Avings  aboA'e  him, 

^  In  the  gloaming  of  the  CA'en, 

[And  took  our  /?o?/;c/*  from  the  Earth, 

I  To  be  a  star  in  HeaA'en. 

j  But  Avc  cnuld  not  mourn  that  Heaven, 
jHad    yet    another    gem; 

For  though  he  can    not   come  to  us, 

Yet  AA*e  can  go  to  him; 

And  wc  knoAv  that  God  had    loaned 

him, 
Only  for  a  little  time. 
To  Avean  our  minds  from  earthly 

things, 
To  that  happy,  holier  clime, 

Where  the  Angels  bow   in    worship, 
By  the  ne\^er  changing  stream. 
That  floAvs  Avith  living  AA'aters, 
For  those  Christ  doth  redeem. 

So  we  knelt  down  bA*    our    darling, 
Thinking  only  of  his  joA", 
Glad  to  give  to  Heaven  a  jeAvel, 
So  briiz;ht   as  our  fair  boA^ 

By  A  Sister. 


so 


THE    PURIFYING  POWEE  OF  HOPE. 


THE  PURIFYING  POWER  OF 
HOPE. 

In  tho  New  Tcetnment  there  are 
two  senses  of  the  word  hope.  The 
fii*st  of  these  signifies,  by  the  Cbrist- 
inn  hope,  that  whole  frame,  or  con- 
viction of  tho  soul  which  constitutes 
a  Christian  believer.  In  this  sense 
we  are  told  of  tho  "hope  of  our  call- 
ing," **the  h'  ►oof the  gospel,"  the 
*'hope  of  Salvation,"  the  ''better 
hope"  in  Christ,  "which  hope  is  an 
anchor  of  the  soul  both  sure  and 
Btcadfiist."  When  St.  John  speaks 
of  that  "hope"  which  ''whosoever 
hath"  it  "in  him  purifieth  himself," 
lie  may  indeed  use  the  term  in  a 
Bense  slightly  restricted,  and  mean 
especially  the  hope  of  a  Future  Life. 
l>ut,  in  either  case,  it  is  very  stri- 
king that,  in  so  many  passages,  the 
name  of  one  i)articular  feeling  should 
be  extended  and  made  to  cover  the 
substance  of  Christian  faith.  It 
puts  that  animating  and  cheerful 
aspect  which  the  word  naturally 
suggests  upon  tho  work  of  the 
Christian  life.  It  implies,  without 
«expressly  saying  so,  that  Christian 
men  always  see  light  before  them  ; 
have  more  in  the  future  than  the 
present,  live  on  promises  verified 
and  sure.  The  spirit  of  this  religion 
is  essentially  forward-looking.  It 
has  the  face  and  voice  of  a  Prophet. 
Its  energy  is  expansive ;  its  corn- 
torts  are  cumulative ,  its  practical 
movement  is  progressive.  Its  here- 
after is  always  better  than  its  past, 
— both  for  this  world  and  for  the 
world  to  come.  It  takes  hopeful 
views  of  society,  puts  hopeful  esti- 
mates upon  men,  looks  for  hopeful 
issues  out  of  all  immediate  calami- 
ties and  perils.  It  never  judges  the 
Gospel  to  be  dying,  nor  truth  to  be 
beaten,  nor  tho  Church  to  be  going 


backward.  It  has  no  suspicion  that 
ages  are  to  superannuate  the  Bible, 
nor  that  new  truths,  if  they  arc 
truths,  are  to  be  fatal  to  old  ones  ; 
while,  if  they  are  only  truths  in  ap- 
pearance, the}'  will  pass  away  with 
the  long  procession  of  pretenders 
conquered  and  gone.  And  all  this, 
precisely  because  it  believes  in  "Je- 
sus Christ,  who  is  the  same  yester- 
day, to-day  and  forever."  In  this 
sense,  the  term  is  used  interchang- 
ably  with  other  great  names  that 
express  the  main  matters  of  Chris- 
tianity :  as  faith,  for  a  large  ele- 
ment in  hope  is  faith, — confidence 
in  that  unseen  good  and  future 
world  which  both  alike  grasp  with 
their  steady  hands:  for  "what  a 
man  seeth  why  doth  he  yet  hope 
for?"  and  "faith  is  the  substance  of 
things  not  seen."  Both  i)lace  the 
treasure  and  the  heart  in  heaven. 
It  is  intermixed  with  charitj' ;  for 
charity  too  is  prophetic,  and  "hopeth 
all  things."  Indeed  every  true 
affection,  and  every  genuine  sym- 
pathy, has  hope  in  it,  for  it  always 
counts  upon  the  constancy  of  what 
it  loves.  Trusting  in  the  Lord  is 
hoping  in  him,  and  the  Savior  is 
called  "the  hope"  of  his  people. 
AVith  this  meaning  it  is  plain  why 
the  hope  of  Christians  should  purify 
their  lives.  The  whole  purifying 
power  of  the  faith  of  Christ  is  in 
it. 

If  we  take  the  more  special  sense, 
which  the  Apostle  possibly  intended, 
there  will  be  no  contradiction.  His 
own  thoughts  seem  to  be  turned, 
as  he  writes  to  his  fellow-believers, 
in  tho  impending  hours  of  their 
persecution  and  sorrow,  toward  that 
calmer  and  blessed  futurity,  where 
every  strife  should  be  forgotten  in 
the   liberty    and  peace  and  purity 


THE  PUEIFYING  POWER  OF  HOPE. 


81 


of  the  Family  and  Fold  of  the  Mas- !  sinning,  and  hungry  heart  of  man. 
ter, — dwelling  "with  him  where  he  i  In  every  note  that  Christian  tcsti- 
is."  Beloved,  already  are  we  theimony  can  command,  the  Christian 
sons  of  God,  and  what   we   shall  be  world   has    breathed    its    thankful 

It  rejoices  to 


doth  not  yet  appear ;  but  we  know 
that   when  he,    our    riffhteousness, 


answer  to  that  call. 

confess  that  no  motive   is    so  deep, 


at  the  second  coming,  shall  appear, "  so  grand,  so  comprehensive,  nor  so 
we  shall  be  like  him,  for  we  shall; mighty.  It  is  deep,  because  noth- 
eee  him  as  he  is.  He  was  mani- ;  ing  in  the  heart  of  man  can  go  be- 
fested  to  take  away  our  sins,  and  in  ]  low  his  gratitude  to  a  Deliverei* 
him  is  no  sin.  Every  man,  then,  |  who,  in  perfect  goodness,  from  un- 
that  hath  this  hope  in  him,  of  not  |  mingled  love,  through  the  keenest 
only  seeing  his  Savior  as  he  is,  but !  agony,  saves  him  from  the  worst 
of  being  found  like  him  when  he  ap- i  and  most  lasting  evil.  Its  grand- 
pears  in  that  "glory  to  be  revealed/'  |  eur  is  in  the  wide  and  firm  control 
which  eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  i  with  which  it  moves  and  lifts  and 
heard,  nor  the  heart  conceived, — or  J  rejoices  the  souls  of  Christian  gen- 
as the  Psalmist  expresses  it  with  |  erations.  It  is  comprehensive,  be- 
such solemn  beauty,  of  being  satis- ;  cause  within  its  rich  and  manifold 
fied,  when  we  shall  awake,  with  {influences  upon  us  are  gathered  the 
his  likeness — he,  from  that  high! finest  spiritual  forces  that  stir  and 
motive  alone,  that  love  and  aspira- 1  sway  the  heart, — thankfulness,  loy- 
tion  and  worship,  that  holy  longing ,  alty,  trust,  sympathy,  religious  rev- 
and  elevating  sympathy  and  glori- j  erence,  and  holy  enthusiasm.  And 
ous  prospect  of  resemblance  more  it  is  mighty,  because  it  traces  cour- 
and  more    forever, — he    that    hath 


this  hope  in  him    will    purify    him- 
self even  as  he,  the  Purest  is  pure. 

"We  are  brought  closer  to  the  re- 
ligious business  of  believing  men 
in  the  world.  Whatever  their  con- 
structions of  doctrinal  systems, 
men  who  are  in  earnest  at  all  about 
their  better  life,  agree  in  the  impor- 
tance of  personal  purity, — purity 
of  life.  Why  can  they  not  as  well 
agree  as  to  the  great  personal  and  re- 
generative power  which  the  Gospel 
everywhere  puts  forward  to  create 
that  purity,  and  to  kindle  and  re- 
new that  life — attachment,  hope, 
faith  toward  Jesus  Christ,  our  liv- 
ing Lord  ?  In  every  form  of  per- 
suasive declaration  that  language 
can  take,  the  New  Testament  holds 
up  this   motive  to  the   weary,   and 


age  to  action,  and  fortitude  to  suffer- 
ing, and  makes  all  pains  easy  and 
all  crosses  light,  while  nothing  in 
earth  or  time  can  separate  it  from 
the  love  of  God,  which  is  in  Christ 
Jesus  the  Lord.  This  is  what  the 
experience  of  faith  afiirms.  This  is 
what  the  history  of  centuries  re- 
ports. This  is  what  has  created 
Christendom.  This  is  what  hae 
built  and  is  enlarging  the  church — 
building  it  on  the  Eoek,  and  enlarg- 
ing it  over  the  continents  and  is- 
lands of  the  sea.  We  may  have  our 
explanation  of  it  or  not.  God  has 
so  fitted  the  soul  and  the  Gospel, 
sin  and  redemption,  man  and  Christ 
— each  for  each.  It  is  not  for  curi- 
osity to  question  and  criticise  ;  it  is 
for  veneration  and  faith  to  confess 
it,  and  give  thanks.     And  he   that 


G.   \^.  Vol.  X. 


6 


82 


QUERIES. 


hath  this  hope  in  him  piirificth  him- 
si'lf*.  He  puts  off  tlic  pollutions  that 
have  stained  liim,  for  that  pure  fel- 
low8hij)'s  sake.  lie  figlits  tempta- 
tion for  that  Leader's  sake  ^vho 
beat  down  Satan  under  liis  feet  for 
liim.  lie  works  righteousness  for 
the  sake  of  his  righteous  Iledeemcr. 
He  lives  for  man  for  love  of  whom 
Clirist  died.  He  prays  and  watches 
and  strives  ever  more  and  more  to 
cleanse  his  spirit  of  every  trace  of 
iinhelief  and  sin,  that  when  his 
Master  shall  appear,  in  the  spotlcss- 
ness  of  his  spiritual  glor^^,  he  also 
may  ap])ear  with  him,  awaking  in 
his  likeness,  and  living  in  immortal 
lellowship  with   him  ''where  he    is." 

Nothing  is  more  fundamental, 
nothing  is  more  practical, — the  mo- 
ment we  go  below  the  mere  forms 
and  externals  of  goodness, — than 
this  inspiring  truth, — that  man  is 
to  conquer  wrong  and  be  pure,  out 
of  grateful  love  to  his  Lord.  Clear 
of  all  formality,  separate  from  all 
dogmatism,  the  heart  of  every  living 
creed,  the  power  of  every  effectual 
ministry'  of  the  Word,  it  is  the  one 
distinguishing  and  inestimable  evan- 
gelical reality. 

It  is  true,  men  arc  not  very  like- 
ly to  stop  and  deliberately  select 
between  their  motives.  Actions  arc 
often  cho.sen  directly;  motives  ex- 
ert their  control  less  consciously. 
Yet,  these,  as  all  allow,  are  the  su- 
preme thing  in  what  we  do,  and  in 
all  the  character  and  virtue  of  our 
lives.  The  way  to  reach  them  is  to 
open  the  heart  to  all  high  faith, 
and  to  encourage  the  reverent 
thoughts  in  all  holy  paths,  so  that 
he  who  is  the  one  true  motive  to 
the  Christian, — he  who  moves,  and 
by  whom  the  world  lias  been  moved, 


— moves  the  mountains  of  our  trans- 
gression, moves  the  steps  of  the 
obedient  army  of  his  followers  on 
the  errands  of  love  to  God  and  man, 
— may  come,  and  enter  in,  having 
the  Father  with  liim,  and  dwell 
within  us,  and  make  us  bear  fniit  in 
honor  unto  eternal  life. 

Indepejident. 


(0  u  i?  r  i  1? 


1.  Concerning Dkuteromomy  18  :  18, 
Editors  of  the  Gospel  Visitor : 
Will  you  please  give  us  your  opin- 
ion of  Deut.  18  :  18.  Was  the  whole 
Gospel  plan  of  salvation  implied  in 
the  words  therein  contained,  name- 
ly, these :  "And  I  will  put  my 
words  in  his  mouth ;  and  he  shall 
speak  unto  them  all  that  I  shall 
command  him."  Sincerity. 

Answer. — The  whole  verse  refei*- 
red  to,  and  that  from  which  the 
words  quoted  are  taken,  reads  as 
follows :  ''I  will  raise  them  up  a 
Prophet  from  among  their  brethren, 
like  unto  thee,  and  will  put  my 
words  in  his  mouth  ;  and  he  shall 
speak  unto  them  all  that  I  shall  com- 
mand him."  iSTo  doubt  the  whole 
plan  of  salvation,  and  all  diristian 
duties  were  implied  in  these  words. 
Jesus  declared,  "I  have  not  spoken 
of  myself;  but  the  Father  which 
sent  me,  he  gave  me  a  command- 
ment, what  I  should  say,  and  what 
I  should  speak,"  or  ''what  I  should 
say  and  what  I  should  do."  From 
the  instructions  of  Jesus,  all  that 
was  necessary  for  the  salvation  of 
the  soul  could  be  learned.  But  for 
the  more  complete  dcvelopement 
and  application  of  christian  truth, 
and  for  tl.o  more  systematic   organ- 


QÜEEIES. 


83 


ization  of  the  cliristian  clinrch,  the 
additional  teachings  of  the  apostles 
'.vere  required.  But  as  Christ  may 
be  said  to  have  done  and  taught 
what  the  apostles  did  and  taught, 
as  they  acted  under  him,  their  teach- 
ings too  may  be  comprised  in  the 
words  which  were  t^  be  put  into 
the  moutli  of  the  prom>ised  Prophet, 
the  Savior. 

2.  The  Eock  in  Kadesh-.- ^um. 
20:  11. 

We  would  like  to  know  whether 
Closes  did  speak  to  the  rock  in  Ka- 
'lesh,  or  whether  some  other  process 
than  the  command  of  God,  caused 
the  water  to  flow.  And  how  should 
he  have  sanctified  the  Lord  in  the ' 
eyes  of  the  people?  If  you  will  an-i 
swer  these  question»^  you  will  oblige' 
an  inquirer  after  truth.  ' 

Sincerity,     j 

.Answer. — It    appears    from     the^ 
account  we  have  in   Xum.    20,  that 
Closes  did  not  speak  to  the  rock,  as 
he  was  commanded  to  do,  but  smote ; 
it  twice.     Nevertheless,  "the   water  | 
came   out  abundantly."     From  thisj 
it  appears  that  the  accomplishment 
of  God's  ])urposes  does  not  always' 
depend  upon  man's  obedience  to  the  ■ 
Divine  .commands.     But   as   "every  i 
transgression  and   disobedience   re-i 
eeived  a  just  recompense  of  reward,"  i 
IMoses  sufi'ered  for  his  disobedience.  | 
And  as  it  relates  to    the    question,! 
'•how  should  he  have   sanctified  the 
Loi*d  in  the  eyes  of  the  people,"   we  i 
would  say,  he  should  have  sanctified: 
him  by  complying  strictly  with  his ' 
command,  and  he  should  have  spoke  I 
to  the  rock  and    not    have    smitten 
By  strictly  adhering  to   the  Di- 
vine direction,  he  would  have  virtu- 
ally said    to    the    people    standing 
around,  God  in  all  things   must  be 


obeyed,  for  he  is  holy.  But  by  ven- 
turing to  depart  from  the  divine 
direction,  he  flnled  to  give  God  that 
supreme  authority  to  which  his  ho- 
liness entitles  him,  and  thus  ho 
foiled  to  sanctify  him  before  tho 
eyes  of  the  people.  The  more  strict- 
ly we  obey  all  God's  commands, 
when  we  are  prompted  to  do  so 
flk>m  a  proper  regard  to  his  holiness 
asad  authority,  the  more  we  sancti- 
fy him  before  the  eyes  of  tho  world, 
and  likewise  the  more  saix^tifiecB 
shall  we  ourselves  become  by  so 
doing. 

Dear  Brethren  :  I  wish  to  pro- 
pound the  three  following  questions 
which  you  will  have  the  goodness 
to  answer  in  your  paper  if  it  be  con- 
sistent with  your  views  of  propri- 
ety to  do  so.  If  these  are  answered, 
I  may  propose  others.  But  no 
more  at  present.  I  remain  your 
afiectionate  brother 

S.     P. 

3,  C0NCES2;iNG  JonN  THE  BAP- 
TIST. Luke  7  :  26. 

Why  was  John  the  Baptist  moro 
than  a  prophet  ? 

Answer. — John  was  himself  the 
subject  of  prophecy.  Behold,  I  will 
send  my  messenger,  and  he  shall 
prepare  the  way,  before  me.  3Iala- 
chi  3:1.  His  remarkable  concep- 
tion and  birth  likewise  give  him  a 
superiority  over  the  prophets  of  the 
previous  ages.  Luke  1.  But  as  ho 
baptized  the  Savior,  and  introduced 
him  to  the  people,  and  prepared  a 
people  for  the  Lord,  and  introduced 
the  Gospel  dispensation,  he  might 
with  the  greatest  propriety  be  said 
to  bo  more  than  a  prophet. 

4.  Concerning  the  same  char- 
acter. 

AVhy  is  the  least  in  the  kincrdom 
of  God  greater  than  John  the  Bap- 
tist ?  Luke  7  :  28. 


84 


QUEFJES. 


Answer. — John  the  BapÜRt  was  it  up  taketh  from  the  garment,  and 
highly  favored — was  more  than  a ,  the  rent  is  made  worse.  Neither  do 
prophet,  but  the  period  in  which  he !  men  put  new  wine  into  old  bottl^  : 
lived  was  comparatively  dark,  and! else  the  bottles  break,  and  the  wine 
the  means  for  a  high  spiritual  cul- 1  runneth  out,  and  the  bottles  perish  ; 
ture  far  less  than  tlve  auspicious  pe-j  but  they  put  new  wine  into  new 
riod  which  followed  the  day  of  Pen-  bottles  and  both  are  preserved." 
tecost,  in  which    all    the    spiritual  I 

gifts  were  enjoyed  by  the  subjects  By  the  two  similies,  (for  although 
of  the  Messiah's  kingdom.  Contje-!  they  are  not  both  designed  to  convey 
qucntly,  the  least  member  of  the  exactly  the  same  idea,  they  arc  in- 
gospel  church,  when  that  church 'tended  to  co-operate  with  each  oth- 
"was   fully    organized,    and    all    its, er  in  disabusing  the  minds  of  some 


privileges  enjoyed,   if  that   member 


of  John's  disciples,  of  a  wrong  idea 


improved  all  the  opportunities  they  held  relative  to  the  real  char- 
within  its  reach,  was  greater,  or  | acter  of  the  work  which  Christ 
made  greater  progress  in  the  di-;  came  to  perform),  the  Savior  gives 
vine  life  than  John  the  Baptist  has  |  them  to  understand  that  the  dispen- 
madc.  See  this  subject  explained  isation  which  he  was  introducing 
2tt  greater  length,  in  Vol.  IX.  July  i  was  not  a  mere  addition  to  that 
No.  r.  220.  j  whicli    was    closing.      The    whole 

Jewish  dispensation  w^as  passing 
away.  The  dispensation  of  the 
'gospel  w^as  at  hand.     And  the  latter 

!  was  not  to  be  thrust  into  the   mi<fst 
"What  arc  wo   to  understand   by 


5.     Concerning  the   meaning  of 

THE  PHRASE  *'THE    KINGDOM    OF    GOD" 

IN  Luke  7 


28. 


'-the  kingdom  of  God,"  in   Luke  7 
Answer. — We  understand 


of  the  former  as  a  new  patch  is  put 

upon  an   old  garment,    to  make    it 

ilast  lonoer,  or  wear  better.     "The 

ö>    •''^^  I  old  dispensation  was  not   the    more 
phrase -the  kingdom  of  God,"    that: ^^^^^^.^^^^  ^^.^1^^  ^^^,^^  .^^^  ^1^^  ^^^^. 

glorious  state  or  kingdom,  with  ail  i^^^^.^^^  ^^^^  ^^  ^^  ^^^^  ^^  continue  and 
its  facilities  for  knowledge,  for  bap- jj^^^^^  ^^^^  ^1^_  rj^^^^  garment  of  law- 
piness,  and  for  holiness,  which  Christ.  ^.^.hte^,,,„,.,s  ,^,^,  old.  The  gar- 
came  into  the  world  to  establish.       j^^^^^.  ^^^  Christ's  righteousness   was 

fj — 7.  On  Matt.  9  :  16,17,  and  new.  The  first  was  waxing  feeble, 
John  If»:  5.  j  and  ready  to  perish  altogether.   The 

Dear  Editors  :  I  wish  to  have  an  flatter  was  not  to  be  pierced  into 
<'xplanation  on  Matt.  9:  16,  17,  and  jit,  in  order  that  it  might  be  pre- 
also  on  John  15:  6,  on  these  words,  served.  Such  an  attempted  blcnd- 
•'I  am  the  vino,  ye  are  the  branch- :ing  of  law  and  gospel,  of  shadow 
cs".     You     will,    therefore,    please,  and  substance,  of  type  and  antitype, 

was  not  to  be   thoutrht   of     The  is- 


sue of  it  could  be  nothing  else   than 


explain  these  scriptures. 

L.   n. 

Answer. — Matt.  9:  IC,  17,  reads  i  most  unsatisfactory.  The  old  could 
as  follows:  "No  man  putteth  a | not  contain  or  hold  the  new,  by 
pieceof  new  cloth  into  an  old  gar- !  reason  of  the  weakness  and  unprofit- 
Jncnt,  for  that  which  is  put  in  to  filliablencss  thereof," 


1 


PßAYEE. 


85 


For  thangh  the  time  was  ap-! 
preaching  when  .  the  Savior  must , 
leave  his  disciples  to  sorrow  for  his 
absence  and  the  troubles  they  should 
have  to  encounter,  when  they 
would  fast  and  that  often,  yet  their 
fasting  would  not  be  merely  in  imi- 
tation of  what  John's  disciples  and] 
the  Pharisees  did,  but  it  would  be 
from  the  fitness  of  things,  their 
sorrowful  state  prompting  it.  *'It 
micrht  indeed  in  a  certain  sense  be 
said  that  the  whole  time  of  the 
church  during  her  Lord's  absence, 
the  whole  inteiwal  between  the  as- 
cension and  the  Second  Coming, 
is  a  time  of  solemn  earnestness,  of 
son-ow,  and  of  fasting.  Yet  there 
is  a  qualification  of  this,  since  for  the 
Church,  as  well  as  for  its  individual 
members,  times  of  the  Lord's  pres- 
ence alternate  with  times  of  His 
absence,  the  one  profoundly  prepa- 
ring the  way  for  the  other.  There 
freedom  and  truth  must  be  uninter- 
I'ered  with  in  all  their  conduct.  If 
a  soul  has  found  its  Savior,  let  no 
one  disturb  it  when  rejoicing  as  the 
disciples  in  the  beginning :  the  hard 
ways  6f  the  cross  will  come  after- 
wards, let  them  be  prophesied  that 
they  may  be  provided  for,  but  noth- 
ing more.  The  final  end  and  con- 
flummation,  which  already  appears 
to  our  first  appi'ehension,  and  with 
truth,  to  be  so  near,  is  the  marriage 
of  the  Bridegroom  with  His  own,  a 
time  of  joy  and  delight,  in  which 
all  past  days  are  lost.'"* 

The  17th  verse,  gives  a  new  turn 
or  an  additional  idea,  to  the  views 
of  his  disciples,  in  their  relation  to 
his  doctrines,  which  they  were  to 
receive  and  practice.  Ho  would 
h.ave  US  to  understand  that  there 
must  needs  be  a  proper  preparation 
oa  the  part  of  hid  disciples  for  ih© 


reception  of  his  doctrines,  in  order 
that  there  should  be  a  complete 
harmony  between  their  feelings  and 
their  practices ;  that  as  the  leaven 
of  his  doctrine  operated  upon  them, 
they  would  manifest  it  in  their 
lives. 

*'In  this  Jesus  discovers  the  ten- 
derness he  had  for  his  disciples,  in 
not  imposing  upon  them  more  than 
they  were  able  to  bear.  He  foresaw 
a  great  deal  of  affliction  before  them, 
&fleT  he  should  have  left  them,  and 
he  was  not  willing  to  distress  them 
unnecessarily  and  before  the  time."' 

"We  understand  the  other  passage 
of  Scripture    referred    to,    namely, 
I  John  15:  5,  which  reads,  **I  am  the 
jvineandye   are  the  branches,"   to 
!to  show  the  peculiar  and   close   con- 
nection between  Christ  and   his  dis- 
ciples; that  is,  his    individual    dis- 
ciples.    As  Paul  expresses  in   Col. 
2  :  7,  we  are  to  be  "rooted  and  built 
up  in  him."    As  branches  grow  by 
I  being  connected  with  the  stock,   so 
!we  must  be  ingrafted  into  Christ, 
land  draw  the  nourishment  of  divine 
life    from  him,  that  we   may  grow 
and  bring  forth    fruit    unto    right- 
,  eousness. 


For  the  Visitor. 
PEAYER. 

It  has  been  truthfully  said  by  ft 
favorite  authoress,  one  in  whom  the 
christian  religion  was  beautifully 
exemplified,  and  the  spirit  of  devo- 
tion was  cultivated  to  a  much  high- 
er degree  perhaps,  than  in  any  oth- 
er of  her  age  and  sex,  that,  "Player 
was  not  eloquence  but  eamestaess, 
not  the  definition  of  helplessness^ 
•but  the  feeling  of  ft;  an  act  both  of 
7he  understanding  and  the  heart/*^ 
'And  so  in  truth  it  iß. 


8G 


PEAYER. 


If  we  \ycro  advantaged  in  no  way 
by  Prayer,  if  wc  derived   no   benefit 
from  the  exercise,   and  received  no 
ppecial  blessings  for  our  petitioning; 
yet  would  it  bo   our  indispensable 
ilaty;  and    never   on    any    pretext 
Avhatcver    sliould    we  endeavor  to 
j'ree  ourselves  from  the  obligations ; 
but   should    ever  regard   the  anan- 
date  as  positive,  for  the  all  Buffieient 
reason,  that  God  has  commanded  it. 
And  Kc  has  aright,  a  perfect  riglit  to 
demand  this  of  all  his  rational  crea- 
tures; for  we  are  wholly  His:    we 
do  not  possess  anything   in    all   the 
world,  that  we  may  claim  the  liber- 
ty of  calling  ours  as  much   as   God 
can  claiin  us  his.     Ilis  by   creation, 
— Ilis  by  right  of  maintenance,   by 
the  loving  kindness  and  tender  mer- 
oy  He  has   extended  unto  us  from 
the  dawn  of  existence  until  the  noon, 
nay,  the  evening  oflife.     And  more 
than  all.  His  by   the  ransom   paid 
for  us   on   Calvary, — by   the  agony 
und  groans  of  our  Redeemer,  by  the 
drops  of  blood  and   agonizing  pray- 
ers poured  forth   in  dark   Gethsem- 
ane  j  His  by  all  these,  and  yet  shall 
Hq    not    command  us  ?    when   He 
npeaks  shall  we   not   hear?     Oh!  ia 
it   not  a  reasonable  service  He   re- 
quires of  us,  and  should  we   not  feel 
to  render  homage   in   the  way  He 
3ias  declared  ie  be   acceptable   unto 
H^m,  "in  spirit  and  iai  truth.''     But 
Ggd  is  infinite  in  love  tind  wisdom, 
as  w^oU  as  power  and  justice;  and 
requires  this  service  of  us  not   only 
because  it  is  reasonable   and   in  jus- 
tice due  to  Himself,  but  because  He 
loyes  us.  He  Mishes  us  to  be   happy, 
to  ^§DJoy    ^^1^   blessings   that  .come 
do'-y^u   from    tJie    Father   of  Light; 
:i!uj,  He  kniiws  there  can  be  no  other 
po«sü)lo  way  J)etter  for  us  to  obtain 
those  favors  than  by  the   plan    iudi 


jcated.  He  knows  there  can  be  no 
other  means  suited  to  the  soul  in  all 
r its  conditions  so  well  as  this,  and 
I  oh  this  account  He  has  commanded 
'  US  to  pray.  But  in  order  that  our 
Prayers  may  be  acceptable  to  God, 
we  must  offer  them  in  the  name  of 
!  Clirist ;  for  He  has  declared  Him- 
self to  be  the  truth  and  the  way,  and 
has  graciously  promised,  that  if  wc 
ask  the  Father  any  thing  in  His 
name,  we  shall  receive.  If  wc  sin, 
yet  need  we  not  despair,  seeing  that 
we  have  not  a  high  Priest,  that  can 
not  be  touched  with  a  feeling  of  our 
infirmities,  but  was  in  all  points 
tempted  and  tried  like  as  we  arc, 
and  He  is  the  propitiation  for  our 
sins  and  our  Advocate  with  the 
Father.  "With  His  namethen  should 
all  our  petitions  be  endorsed,  that, 
they  may  be  granted  us. 

Again,  it  is  very  necessary  that 
we  should  be  humble,  earnest  and 
sincere  in  our  devotion«.  The  proud 
pharisee  of  old,  conningover  lengthy 
orisons,  tliough  he  made  broad  his 
phylacteries,  and  studied  manner 
and  eloquence,  as  much  as  the  words 
he  repeated,  and  far  more  than  the. 
spirit  of  those  words,  yet  were  not 
his  prayera  accepted,  for  his  heart 
was  not  engaged  in  the  service,  nor 
were  his  motives  pure ;  but  God  who 
is  a  discerner  of  the  thoughts  and 
intents  of  the  heart,  justified  the 
poor  publican  in  his  humiliation, 
rather  than  the  vaunting  gorgeous- 
ly arrayed  pharisee.  And  though 
we  can  not  pray  with  a  too  deep 
sense  of  our  sinfulness  in  the  e^'cs  of 
Holiness,  yet  we  may  confine  our  ^ 
thoughts  too  ,mu9ix,  to  our  trans^^ 
grcssion,  and  engross  our  .mind  too, 
wholly  by  tlie  recollection  of  onrj 
rebellicMis  J.  and  while  we  .should , 
never  knowingly  sin,  thinking  that 


PKAYEE. 


as  God  is  merciful  we  will  be  for- 
given, yet  having  wandered  or 
yielded  to  temptation,  tliougli  filled 
with  the  deepest  contrition,  we 
should  not  despond,  but  still  be 
hopeful,  trusting  to  God's  promise 
and  appropriating  it  to  ourselves 
that  "whosoever  confesseth  and  for 
saketh  his  sin  shall  find  mercy." 
Here  Satan  frequently  gains  the 
advantage  of  young  christians  par 
ticularly,  telling  them  that  if  they 
were  truly  the  children  of  God,  they 
would  not  so  oft  wander  in  heart 
and  affection,  and  thereby  endeavor 
to  discourage  them  from  perseve- 
ring in  prayer  and  from  striving  to 
walk  in  the  way  that  leadeth  unto 
life  eternal. 

But  again,  perseverance  is  essen- 
tial, if  we  hope  to  be  benefitted  by 
the  exercise.  "We  are  commanded 
to  pray  always  and  not  to  faint,  to 
be  patient  unto  the  end,  watching 
thereunto  with  pi'uyer.  Christ  of- 
ten delays  granting  our  petitions, 
in  order  to  prove  our  sincerity  and 
love,  and  to  try  our  faith.  Of  this 
we  have  a  most  affecting  instance 
given  us  in  the  case  of  the  poor 
Syi'o  Phoenician  woman  pleading 
with  our  Savior  in  behalf  of  her 
daughter,  who  was  possessed  and 
tormented  by  a  demon.  With  all  a 
mother's  love,  she  plead  in  earnest 
humility  that  her  daughter  might 
be  healed  :  and  when  He  still  passed 
on  seemingly  regardless  of  her 
petitions,  how  her  heart  must  have 
ached  with  its  weight  of  anguish, 
as  the  remembrance  of  her'  loved 
cluldthus  fearfully  afflicted,  came  to 
her  mind ;  but  with  this  reflection 
came  tl;e  thought  .also,  that  there 
could  b"e  aid  given  by  no  other;  and 
again    coming    near    she    worships 


I  Him  and  desires  His  assistance,  and 
L|rhen  He  even  tells  her  itis  notmeet 
to  cast  the  children's  bread  unto  the 
dogs,  still  she  meekly  craves  only  the 
crumbs  that  fall  from  the  master's  ta- 
ble; and  she  received,  not  the  crumbs 
which  she  was  willing  to  accept; 
but  a  full  supply  of  Christ's  choicest 
blessings:  health  of  soul  to  the 
afflicted  and  the  loved.  Oh!  who 
can  fathom  the  depth  of  gratitude 
that  must  have  swelled  up  in  the 
heart  ofthat  fond  mother  !  and  how 
her  soul  must  have  throbbed  with 
rapture  as  she  again  beheld  her 
daughter  free  from  the  thrall  of 
Satan,  and  rejoicing  in  the  sight 
of  a  newborn  and  blissful  liberty; 
and  how  richly  was  she  repaid  for 
her  persevering  supplications.  And 
thus  it  may  always  be  with  us ; 
Christ  never  wishes  to  dismiss  us 
with  half  blessings.  He  delights  to 
give  us  of  the  good  things  of  hiä 
store,  for  giving  doth  not  impover-' 
ish  Him,  and  He  is  never  weary 
with  the  cries  of  His  children  pe- 
titioning Him  for  mercies.  He  • 
loves  to  hear  them  plead  His  promi- 
ses and  will  bestow  upon  them  His 
choicest  blessings  if  they  will  but 
ask  aright.  "" 

And  again,  it  is  necessary  to   ask-  ^ 
in  faith  believing,  for  without  faith 
it     is     impossible   to    please    God. 
Player  has  been  compared  to  a  gol-- 
den  pipe;  through   which  God  gra--' 
ciously   conveys   spiritual  blessings 
to  the  soul,  and  faith  may  be   liken- 
ed to  the  spigot  in  the   pipe,  which 
by  being  used  will  allow  the  waters  ' 
of  grace  to     flow,   freely    and    in  a 
continjipus  stream    to  ,^U8,    but    by^^ 
beipg  left,aipto;ne.d^..,ho.weYer;   fiül^-»^ 
the  pipe  may  bo  of  blessings,   thcy_ 
are  effectually  barred  from  us,  riband 
try  as  we  may,  the  good  can  not  be 


88 


PRAYER. 


obtained  oxccpt  hj  tho  use   of  the 
means  indicated. 


^ 


We  have  many  instances  given 
MB  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures  of  peti- 
tions asked  in  faith,  being  granted 
Almost  immediately,  such  as  the 
daughter  of  Jairus  being  raised, 
blind  Bartimeus  restored  to  sight, 
the  lame  walking;  and  infirmities 
of  whatever  kind,  fled  at  his  touch 
or  word,  and  the  poor  sufferers 
were  made  to  rejoice  in  new 
Btrength  and  joy,  and  the  people 
astonished  and  praising  said,  "He 
hath  done  all  things  well."  This 
alone  should  teach  us  that  faith  is 
essential  in  Prayer;  but  when  we 
have  written  for  our  admonition, 
innumerable  commands  to  come, 
in  faith,  we  should  feel  it  to  be  our 
indispensable  duty  to  be  not  faithless 
but  believing.  The  Savior  some- 
times addresses  His  disciples  as  *'ye 
q[  little  faith,"  thereby  making  a 
distinction  between  them,  and  those 
who  did  not  profess  to  believe  on 
His  name  and  in  His  promises,  and 
at  the  same  time  reminding  them 
that  their  confidence  was  not  as  full 
and  perfect  as  it  should  bo.  For  He 
t(^l8  them  if  they  had  faith  as  a 
f^hixi  of  mustard  seed,  they  might 
bid  the  trees  and  mountains  be  re- 
moved, and  they  would  obey  them. 
Ho  also  discourses  beautifully  with 
tliem,  on  the  reliance  faith  will  givf 
them  on  His  ability  and  willingness 
to  aid  at  all  times  in  life,  that  they 
might  cast  all  their  care  upon  Him, 
feeling  that  Ho  was  not  only  willing 
but  desirous  of  bearing  it. 

Oh  1  methinks  the  scene  is  bliss- 
fall,  Jesus,  the  heir  of  all  heaven, 
clothed  in  mortality  and  in  meek- 
jl|i08,  conversing  with  the  eons  of 
l^en ;  'tis  a  chosen  band  ;  the  angels 


in  Light,  wonder  and  sing  anthems  ^ 
of  praise  as  they  behold.  Listen, 
how  Ho  adapts  his  language  to 
their  conception,  and  how  by  natu- 
ral objects,  He  endeavors  to  impress 
upon  their  memory.  His  lessons  of 
sublime  faith  and  Holy  trust. 

"Consider  the  ravens,  said  he,  for 
they  neither  sow  nor  reap,  which 
neither  gather  into  barns,  and  God 
feedeth  them,  how  much  more  are 
yo  better  than  the  fowls?  And 
again,  He  points  out  to  them,  the 
fragile  flower,  bidding  them  con- 
sider the  lilies  how  they  grow, 
which  though  they  neither  toil  nor 
spin,  yet  Solomon  in  all  his  glory 
was  not  arrayed  as  one  of  them. 
And  then  He  bids  them  reflect  that 
if  God  so  clothe  the  grass  of  the  field, 
how  much  more  He  will  care  for, 
and  clothe  them,  though  they  be  of 
little  faith. 

Oh !  those  were  moments  of  bless- 
ed enjoyment!  and  yet  wo  may 
realize  as  blissful  pleasure  as  they : 
or  even  as  he,  who  leaned  on  Jesus' 
breast,  if  we  will  only  exercise  faith 
as  wo  should,  and  as  we  have  every 
inducement  to  do :  then  in  our  peti- 
tions might  we  rejoice  to  hear, 
"according  to  your  faith  be  it  unto 
you."  Then  lot  us  all  strive  pa- 
tiently and  more  earnestly  for  this 
favor,  this  key  that  unlocks  the 
store-house  of  Heaven,  and  placed 
the  gifts  of  the  Redeemer  within  our 
reach,  that  we  may  feast  freely,  as 
He  would  have  us,  upon  the  peace 
and  joy,  that  He  always  loves  to 
bestow  upon  those  who  worship 
Him  in  spirit  and  in  truth,  for  the 
heart  oft  prays  when  the  body  caa 
not  bond  in  supplication. 

"Prayer  is  the  burden  of  a  sigh, 
Tho   falling    of  a    tear; 


CHILEREN. 


S9 


The  upward  glancing  of  an  eye, 
When  none  bat  God  is  near. 

O  thou  by  whom  we  come  to  God ; 

The  Life,  the  Truth,  the  Way  ; 
The  path  ofprciyer  thyself  hast  trod 

Lord,  teach  us  how  to  pray." 

Written  by  a  Sister. 

Carroll  Co.  Ills. 


Sbhc  c^amili)    Quit 

CHILDREN. 

'^Children,"  says  a  modem  writer, 
^■are  the  visible  elements  of  the  in- 
visible hereafter,  for  the  world  will 
Boon  be  a  conclusion  of  which  they 
are  the  premises." 

In  this  view,  what  an  importance 
attaches  itself  to  everything  that 
has  an  influence  in  forming  these 
elements  and  thcee  premises!  He 
who  trains  a  child  for  good  or  for 
evil  knows  not,  cannot  know,  all 
that  he  does,  for  he  gives  character 
and  direction  to  forces,  whose  pow- 
er no  human  arithmetic  can  esti- 
mate. Yet  in  the  majority  of  cases, 
parents  seem  to  have  no  realizing 
sense  of  the  fact  that  they  are  al- 
most to  the  last  degree  responsible 
for  the  men  and  women  whom  they 
»end  out  from  their  homes.  Parents 
do  not  think  enough  of  the  bearing 
of  the  daily  and  hourly  education 
which  they  are  giving  their  chil- 
dren. They  forget  that  the  little 
Act  of  justice  or  of  injustice  of  to- 
day, the  kind  word  given  or  with- 
held, the  wrong  act  allowed  to  pass 
unrebuked,  and  the  right  one  un- 
appreciated, are  all  having  an  in- 
Äuence  on  the  whole  character  and 
jccmrae  of  the  child.  You  cannot 
throw  into  the  ocean  a  pebble,  how- 
*?cr  small,  but  that  aome  segment 


of  the  circle  it  creates  shall  one  day 
touch  the  outmost  bounds  of  tho 
great  sea. 

It  is  with  these  views  of  the  im- 
portance of  home  education  that  we 
propose  a  few  familiar  talks  with 
parents — simply  seeking  to  offer  tc^ 
them  a  few  hints  and  suggestions. 

The  first  topic  which  suggests  it- 
self in  this  connection  has  referenco 
to  the  discipline  of  the  child.  We 
shall  doubtless  all  agree  that  uni- 
form obedience  to  the  will  of  the 
parent  is  an  essential  in  a  well-regu- 
lated household.  But  how  is  this 
end  to  be  secured?  This  is  a  ques- 
tion requiring  the  most  thoughtful 
consideration.  To  us  it  seems  that 
three  elements  are  indispensable  to 
good  government.  These  are  gen- 
tleness, firmness,  and  uniformity— 
and  they  must  always  be  combined. 

A  parent  must  be  gentle  with  his 
child  that  the  child  may  never  see 
in  him  a  loss  of  self-control,  or  the 
evidence  that  he  is  influenced  by 
passion  or  self-will; — above  all,  he 
must  bo  gentle  that  the  child  may 
never  for  one  moment  forget  or 
doubt  that  the  parent  loves  him. 
The  great  power  of  the  parent  over 
the  child,  the  power  that  is  to  influ- 
ence and  restrain  him  in  that  future 
which  lies  without  the  limits  of 
childhood,  is  the  power  of  love. 
But  it  is  impossible  to  impress  one 
with  the  thought  that  you  love  him, 
when  you  are  addressing  him  angri- 
ly and  treating  him  harshly.  We 
anticipate  your  objection — "I  have 
tried  gentle  tones  and  they  are  not 
obeyed,  and  if  I  begin  with  these  I 
am  generally  obliged  to  end  with  % 
far  different  tone  and  manner." 
And  why?  Cannot  your  child  be 
taught  to  obey  a  command  given  in 


90 


CHILDEEX. 


a  quiet,   aflfcctionate    tone  ?     Think 
a  moment — are  you  not   responsible 
for  the  habit  he  has  formed  of  wait- 
ing for  a    loud    imperative    voice? 
And  this  brings  us  to  a  consideration 
of  the    second    element   which    we 
have  named — as   essential  to  good 
government — the  necessity  of  firm- 
ness.    Your  gentle  tones  have   lack- 
ed this  element,  therefore  they  have 
not  been  obeyed.     "We  can   best  ex- 
plain our   meaning  by  introducing 
you  to  a  little    nursery    scene,    the 
counterpart  of  which  is   enacted  ev- 
ery  day.     A   little  boy    is  playing 
upon  the  floor,  while  his  mother  sits 
near     him    sewing.       The    mother 
looks  up  from  her    work    and    says 
gently,  ''Johnny,    shut    the    door." 
Johnny  continues  to  build  his  block 
house,  utterly    ignoring    the    com- 
mand.    The  request  is  twice  repeat- 
ed, with  more    emphasis,    with    no 
more  effect — ''John,    do    you    hear 
me,  shut  the  door."     This  time  the 
tone  is  loud  and  angry,  and  Johnny, 
who  dares  no  longer  disobey,  moves 
elowly     toward     the    door.     Very 
likely  this  tardy  obedience  will  be 
followed     by     unjust    punishment. 
Unjust    because     administered  in  a 
passion,  and  unjust  because   John- 
ny's mother  has  never  taught  him 
prompt  obedience.     Now  the   first 
mistake  was  evidently   in  the   way 
in  which    the    command  was    first 
given.     But  was  the  tone   too   gen- 
tle?    No,   but   it   lacked   firmness. 
It  did  not    express   as    it    should  a 
determination  to  be  obeyed  the  first 
time.     Children  often  display  great 
Hagacity  in  deciding  how   far  it  is 
safe   for    them  .to    disobey.     They 
disregard  the  first,  perhaps  the  sec- 
ond,  command,  because  they  have 
<lönc  so    before    with    impunity; — 
they  find  it  safe  to  disobey  the  gen- 


tle voice,  but  perilous  not  to  heed 
the  angry  tone  and  threat.  Show 
to  them  that  the  one  course  is  as 
dangerous  as  the  other,  by  giving 
authority  to  your  first  command, 
however  quietly  made,  and  you 
will  have  no  reason  to  complain 
that  you  must  use  sternness  and 
severity  in  order  to  be  obeyed.  But 
we  can  hardly  consider  this  head 
without  touching  upon  the  third 
essential,  viz.  uniformity.  Firm- 
ness must  be  uniformly  expressed, 
else  the  child  will  take  advantage 
of  the  gentleness  which  lacks  this 
quality.  Here  perhaps  lies  the 
great  fault  of  parents.  There  are 
few,  if  any,  who  do  not  in  some 
cases  govern  judiciously,  but  they 
are  not  always  judicious.  A  request 
which  to-day  is  granted  will  be  re- 
fused to-moiTOw,  simply  because 
the  mood  has  changed,  and  so  a 
command  which  to-day  is  repeated 
several  times,  and  finally  allowed 
to  pass  unrecognized,  will  to-mor- 
row be  angrily  given,  and  a  refusal 
to  obey  promptly  as  angrily  pun- 
ished. There  needs  no  argument  to 
prove  that  such  a  course  is  most  inju- 
rious in  its  influence  upon  the  child 
— and  yet  you  will  very  rarely  find 
a  family  of  children  that  is  govern- 
ed uniforml}^  by  fixed  principles  of 
right.  The  reason  is,  that  parents 
are  not  willing  to  take  the  trouble'^ 
and  exercise  the  self-control  which 
is  required.  It  is  not  easy  always* 
to  control  oneself,  to  stop  and  think 
of  the  justice  or  injustice  of  one's  • 
commands;  nor  is  it  so  easy  dis-"'*'^ 
passionately  to  punish  the  first  a' 
of  disobedience  as  to  wait  until  au- 
ger seeks  revenge  becauf^e  one's  will 
has  not  been  obeyed.  '  Bot  are  ^ny 
deserving  the  6a<^l*ed  n'amc  of  father 
or  mother,  who  are  not  willing   tö^' 


THAT  AWFUL  WOODPILE. 


91 


make  any  efforts  whicli  the  inter- 
ests of  the  child  demand  ?  What  we 
have  written  is  only  designed  to 
serve  as  an.  index  finger  pointing 
the  parent  to  a  serious  considera- 
tion of  this  most  important  subject. 
In  closing,  permit  us  to  repeat  in 
few  words  the  three  points  we  have 
been  endeavoring  to  impress  upon 
your  thought.  In  the  government 
of  your  children,  be  gentle,  that 
they  may  never  forget  that  you  are 
they  who  love  them,  and  whose 
love  changes  not  with  their  way- 
wardness ;  firm,  that  they  may  un- 
derstand your  lightest  word  of  com- 
mand as  a  call  to  prompt  obedience ; 
and  uniform,  that  gentleness  and 
firmness  may  always  rely  upon  the 
*iame  response,  and  make  ever  the 
sam-e  successful  appeal. 

ßclected. 


THAT  AWFUL  WOODPILE. 

Coming  home  from  school  one 
lay,  says  a  gentleman,  a  large  pile 
jf  wood  lay  before  our  little  back 
loor.  ''There's  w^ork  for  you,  Bil- 
y,''  said  Ned  Blake,  the  boy  who 
vas  with  me.  ^^Your  father  had 
)etter  do  as  my  father  does,  hire  a 
nan  to  get  it  in  ;  it  is  too  much  for 
L  boy,  mother  says,  and  it  will  take 

hie  w^hole  of  Wednesday  afternoon : 

ou  will  have    no    time    for    play. 

^ow.  Bill,  I  would   not    do    that,  I 

ell  you!" 

TJiis  was  the  substance  of  Ned's 
ük  as  we  stood  before  the  tvood- 
ile,  and  tbe  more  he  said",  the  high- 
>j,t.grewj  by  the  time  he  left  me 
Ji)/jgan  to  think  myself  a  poorly 
igd  boy  indeed.     "There  is  work 


I  for  you,  Willie,"    said  mother,   as  I 
j sidled   into   the   kitchen;  "did  you 
'mind     that  beautiful  w^ood   at   the 
I  gate  as  you  came  in  ?"     "I  reckon  I 
I  did,"  I  muttered  to  myself,  but   said 
I  nothing  aloud,  only  asking  how  fath- 
er did.     He   had  been  sick  for  many 
,  months,  and  the  family  funds  I  now 
I  knew  were  becoming  low.     "It   is  a 
monstrous  pile,"  I    at  length   said 
getting  a   glimpse   at  it  from   the 
window.     "So  much  the  better  for 
us,  Willie,"  said  mother   cheerfully ; 
"a  long  winter   is    before    us,    you 
know." 

Dinner  was  soon  ready;  the  ta- 
ble spread  in  the  little  kitchen,  and 
father  was  helped  out  from  an  ad- 
joining room  by  his  two  little  daugh- 
ters, one  on  each  side.  Father  and 
mother  sat  down  to  our  frugal  meal 
with  thankful  hearts,  I  am  sure ; 
the  girls  chatted  as  usual,  while  I 
sat  brooding  over  that  "awful  pile." 
I  am  afraid  my  chief  dish  was  a 
dish  of  pouts.  Father  asked  me 
several  questions,  but  I  took  no 
part  in  the  pleasant  table-talk. 
"Well,  my  boy,"  said  father,  after 
dinner,  "there's  that  wood  to  be  got 
in  :  no  school  this  afternoon,  so  you 
have  time  enough  -,  you  had  better 
do  it  the  first  thing."  "It  will  take 
the  whole  afternoon,"  I  said  coldly ; 
"the  boys  are  going  nutting."  I 
was  not  sure  of  this,  but  any  thing 
in  the  way  of  an  objection  to  the 
wood. 

My  father    said    nothing.     Lear, 
I  dear  father;    God    forgive   me    for 
wounding   his  feelings.     "Mother," 
;  I  said,  followin<r  her   out    into    the 
i  pantry,  "Ned   Blake's   father  hires 
\his  wood  di-awn;  his  mother  think^.'*-- 
i  it  is  too  much  for  a  boy  to  do.     Why-* 
I  don't  father  hire  ?     "Ah,"   said   my"  - ' 
[mother    sadly,    "the    Blake's     are    ' 


92 


COERESPONDEKCE. 


very  differently  off  from  us ;  your 
poor  father" — tears  came  into  her 
eyes,  she  stopped,  Mary  ran  in 
where  we  were,  and  I,  half  ashamed 
of  myself,  escaped  out  the  back 
door.  Still  Ned  Blake's  words 
rankled  in  me,  and  I  thought  it  was 
too  bad ;  nor  did  the  brisk  west 
wind  blow  off  the  fumes  of  the  fool- 
ish grumbling,  which  made  a  cow- 
ard of  me.  I  sat  down  on  the 
wood-block  with  my  hands  in  my 
pockets,  and  shuffled  my  feet  among 
the  chips  in  sour  discontent.  ''It  is 
such  a  monstrous  woodpile,"  I  said 
to  myself  a  dozen  times. 

Presently  out  came  mother.  I 
jumped  up.  ''"VYillie,"  she  said 
cheerfully,  ''I  would  take  right  hold 
of  the  work  now — you  will  soon  get 
it  in.*'  *'It  is  80  monstrous,  moth- 
er,'* I  said  in  a  self-pitying  tone ; 
*'it  will  take  me  for  ever,  and  half 
kill  me  into  the  bargain."  <'For  ev- 
er is  a  long,  long  while,"  she  said; 
^^come,  let  us  look  at  the  pile.  It  is 
big,  but  all  you  have  to  do  is  to  take 
a  stick  at  a  time ;  that  wont  hurt 
you,  Willie,  I  am  sure:  only  one 
Btick  at  a  time,  yet  one  stick  at  a 
time  will  make  that  pile  vanish 
quicker  than  you  think  for,  Willie. 
Try  it  now." 

There  was  a  kindness  and  yet  de- 
cision in  my  mother's  tones  which 
were  irresistible.  She  could  put 
even  hard  things,  or  what  we 
thought  hard,  in  a  very  achievable 
light.  "Only  one  stick  at  a  time," 
I  cried,  jumping  up  and  following 
hor;  really  the  pile  seemed  already 
to  lessen  under  this  now  modo  of 
attack.  "Only  one  stick  at  a  time;" 
that  seemed  easy  enough.  "Only 
one  stick  at  a  time."  What  was 
xh^  need  of  a  man  to  do  that  ?  '<Ono 


stick  at  a  time:"  if  l^ed  Blake 
could  not  do  that,  he  was  a  poor 
tool.  Ah,  and  a  poor  tool  he  proved 
to  be.  My  mother  had  got  my  met- 
tle up,  and  I  boldly  went  to  work. 
"Father,"  said  I,  bolting  into  the 
the  house  at  a  later  hour  in  the 
afternoon,  all  in  a  glow,  "father, 
please  tell  me  what  time  it  is  ?" 
"Eight  minutes  after  three,"  an- 
swered he,  looking  at  his  watch. 
"Whew  !"  I  shouted,  "and  the  pflo 
is  mastered."  Never  did  I  feel  such 
a  strong  and  joyous  sense  of  the 
power  of  doing.  Finding  mother, 
"Mother,"  I  said,  putting  my  arms 
around  her  neck,  "I  was  a  naughty 
boy,  but  *one  stick  at  a  time*  has 
cured  me." 

I  did  not  then  know  the  full  value 
of  the  lesson  I  had  learned.  Years 
of  labor,  successful  labor,  have  since 
tested  and  amply  proved  its  value. 
When  your  work  looks  insurmount- 
able, and  you  seem  to  have  no  heart 
to  take  hold  of  it — as  work  many  a 
time  will — remember  it  is  only  one 
stick  at  a  time,  and  go  at  it. 

Child's  Paper. 


^' 0  r  rt  s  p  0  n  d  Ü  n  n^ 

Brother  Quinter : 

The  Novem- 
ber No.  came  to  hand  with  a  sub- 
scription  blank  for  subscribers  to  the 
Visitor.  I  obtained  seven  subscri- 
bers and  then  handed  the  paper  to 
a  brother  who  I  presume  has  se- 
cured the  remainder  of  the  Club  by 
this  time.  I  did  not  enter  my  name 
with  the  list  I  obtained  from  the 
fact  that  my  Post  office  address  waB 
about  to    be    changed;  hence,   you 


NEWS  FROM  THE  CHURCHES. 


will  find  my  name  on  the  list  made 
up  by  br.  David  Bollinger  of  "Cov- 
ington, Miami  co.,  Ohio,  to  wliich 
place  my  paper  will  be  sent. 

Br.  Qninter,  I  am  pleased  to  see 
the  effort  made  to  spread  the  glad 
tidings  of  the  Gospel  throughout 
the  land,  and  hope  the  brethren 
one  and  all  and  everywhere  may  duly 
appreciate  the  great  necessity  and 
importance  of  such  an  effort,  and 
with  due  respect  for  themselves  and 
the  interest  of  the  church,  lay  to  a 
helping  hand  by  contributing  lib- 
erally to  the  support  of  the  enter- 
prise and  the  spread  of  your  valuable 
paper;  thereby  disseminating  the 
views  acd  doctrines  of  the  church 
to  all  who  may  choose  to  become 
acquainted  with  them.  O  that  we 
had  more  such  brethren  that  are 
willing  to  spend  and  be  spent  for 
Christ  in  the  field,  then  the  mighty 
work  of  Zion  would  prosper,  and 
thousands  would  be  made  to  trem- 
ble as  a  Felix  of  old.  Scores  would 
fiock  to  king  Emanuel.  We  want 
men  of  talent,  men  of  sound  hearts 
and  clear  heads,  full  of  love  and 
zeal,  liberal  and  philanthropic  in 
their  views.  Men  who  have  an 
interest  in  the  welfare  of  others, 
and  the  salvation  of  precious  souls; 
— ^not  dogmatical,  narrow,  contract- 
ed, self  conceited  souls,  with  but 
little  for  service;  no,  no,  dear  breth- 
ren, that  character  who  holds  the 
destinies  of  all  Creation  in  his  all- 
wise  and  omnipotent  hand,  never 
destined  that  ma7i  the  noblest 
workmanship  of  his  creation,  should 
be  placed  upon  earth  for  no  other 
purpose  than  to  eat,  sleep,  and  ac- 
cumulate wealth,  and  heap  dollar 
upon  dollar,  add  farm  to  farm,  and 
at  last,  but  not  least,  lay  down  and 
die — whose  body  shall  then   become 


food  for  worms,  and  his   soul  be  in 
everlasting  torment.     Oh  no  !  man 
that  noble    being,    created    in    the 
likeness  of  his  Creator,   with  a   fac- 
ulty susceptible  of  reason,  was   des- 
tined   for    a   more    noble    purpose 
than  that  of  the  brute,   to   wallow 
in   the   mire.      He   was    made  and 
placed      on     earth      to     reverence 
his  Creator  God,  cultivate   and  im- 
prove all  the   talents   that  God  has 
given  him,  that   he   may  justly   ap- 
preciate, love,  and   obey   that  char- 
acter who  rules   the   heaven   above, 
and      the      earth      beneath,      and 
who  controls  the  maddened   winilB, 
and  guides  the  flashing   lightnings, 
calms  the  belching  thunder,    ''meas- 
ui'es  the  waters    in  the    hollow    of 
his  hand,  meted  out    heaven    with 
a    span,     and   comprehendeth    the 
dust    of   the    earth    in  a    measure. 
Well  might    a    ßacred    writer    say 
"Thine  O  Lord,    is    the    greatness, 
and  glory,  and  the  majesty,   for  all 
in  heaven    and  in    earth    is    thine, 
thine  is  the  kingdom  O  Lord,  Thou 
art  exalted  above   all,   thou  reign- 
est  over  all,  and    in    thine    hand  iß 
1  power   and    might.       Behold,     the 
I  heaven  and  the  heaven   of  heavens 
I  is  the  Lord's:  the   earth   also   with 
jail    that    is    therein.       Ascribe    ye 
greatness  to  our  God;  for   there   is 
j  none  like   unto   the   God  of  Israel, 
I  who   rideth  upon    the    heavens    in 
his  sti-ength,  and  in   his  excellency 
i  in  the  sky.     Thou,    even  thou,    art 
i  Lord  alone;    thou  hast   made  heav- 
|en  ^the    heaven    of    heavens    with 
i  all  their  host.     O   Lord   our      God, 
I  how  excellent  is  thy  name. 
j  C.    ^.     E.. 

;  Covington,  Ohio,  Dec.  4th  1S59. 


94 


NEWS  FEOM  THE  CHUECHEß. 


lleiuB  from  the  (TIuirrliCH. 

J^r.  P.  J.  Brown  of  Preston  co- 
Ta.  writes  as  follows  : 

".The  churches  of  Ten  Mile, 
Georges  creek,  and  Sandy  creek, 
have  formed  a  missionary  board  by 
appointini^  two  brethren  in  each  ofj 
the  churches  to  be  the  representa- 
tives in  said  board.  At  the  request 
of  the  board  I  expect  to  travel  three' 
months,  and  I  have  for  my  compan- 
ion br.  Bucklew  of  our  own  ca.  Br. 
Smith  (  br.  B.  orders  the  Visitor  sent 
to  this  brother  )  is  one  of  the  fruits  of 
our  labors.  We  desire,  and  greatly 
need  the  prayers  of  you  all  who  are 
aware  of  the  great  necessity  of  a 
more  general  diffusion  of  the  true 
principles  of  the  gospel  among  the 
people.  We  are  now  at  br.  Dcbolts 
on  our  way  to  the  head  of  Dunkard 
creek,  and  from  thence  to  Cameron 
station.  AVe  held  meetings  from 
Sunday  last  to  Wednesday  about 
six  miles  west  of  Bruceton.  We 
baptized  three  willing  candidates. 
And  although  only  about  10  miles 
from  Salem  meetinghouse,  the  peo- 
ple were  entirely  ignorant  of  our 
principles.  We  are  nearly  certain 
of  eight  or  ten  more  when  we  go 
there  again,  if  the  enemy  does  not 
get  ahead  of  us.  When  our  three 
months  arc  expired,  br.  John  Wise 
is  to  travel  tliroc  months,  and  by 
that  time  it  Avill    be  pentecost." 


Letter  from  California. 

Gilroy,  Santa  Clara  co.  Cal.,  Dec.  15,  1859. 
To  THE  URETHREN  OF  THE  ATLAN- 
TIC   STATES  : 

In  conference  assem- 
bled, we  the  brethren  on  the  Pacific 
coast,  in  the  state  of  Cal.  send  greet- 
ing.    The  distance  between  us,    we 


think  a  sufficient  apology  lor  send- 
ing .our  wislves  by  the  messenger  of 
thought.  Perhaps  it  is  as  well  for' 
us  to  give  a  short  iiistor}^  of  our  ex- 
istence äs  a  part  of  the  body  of 
Christ.  I^early  three  years  ago,- 
iive  of  us  landed  here  from  Hancock 
CO.  Ills.  Two  members  were  alrea- 
dy here.  Since  we  have  been  here, 
six  have  been  added  to  our  number 
by  ba2:)tism.  Last  October,  five 
members  more,  via  the  plains,  lan- 
ded here,  in  all  now  seventeen  in 
^o.  one  having  died  since  we  have 
been  here,  namely,  Andrew  Jackson 
Steffey,  formerly  from  the  state  of 
^Maryland.  We  organized  into  a  bo- 
dy, and  hefd  a  communion  meeting 
last  fall,  according  to  the  rule  of  the 
brethren,  as  we  understand  it.  Be- 
loved brethren,  although  we  arc 
2000  miles  from  you,  and  having  the 
I  Word  of  God  to  guide  us  as  well  as 
I  it  does  3'ou,  we  still  wish  to  be  re- 
Imembered  by  you  at  a  throne  of 
grace,  and  be  recognised  by  you  as 
a  part  of  the  body.  We  wish  to  be 
counseled  by  you,  and^  instructed  by 
you,  in  all  the  Avays  of  the  Lord, 
when  our  circumstances  will  permit. 
About  tvro  weeks  since,'the  minutes 
of  Y.  M.  of  1859  came  to  hand,  and' 
we  assure  you,  dear  brethren,  it  is 
a  gratification  to  us,  and  cause  of 
comfort,  to  know  that  an  entire  uni- 
on exists  between  tlie  Eastern  and 
Western  brethren.  We  are  also  wil- 
ling to  abide  by  the  decisions  of  Y. 
M.  where  occasions  require,  and  cir- 
cumstances permit.  In  other  words, 
we  acknowledge  the  necessity  ol 
such  decisions.  Lastly,  we  unite 
with  our  brethren  in  Oregon  desi- 
ring you  to  send  us  here  on  the  Pa- 
cific coast,  two  or  more  missionary 
])rethren  (for  we  sec  in  the  Visitor  tlie 
missionay  question  is  considerably 
agitated,  and  we  pray  God  it  will  still 


CONTEIBUTIOXS  &c. 


9£» 


increase,  and  grow  until  thei'S  is  life'  ces  are  limited,  or  in  other  words, 
sufficient  to  produce  action,  to  labor  should  the  trip  be  burdensome  in  a 
for  a  season  with  us  in  Oregon  and  pecuniary  sense,  we  will  lighten  the 
Cal.  at  our  communion  meetings,  burden  as  "much  as  we  are  able, 
and  set  in  order  the  things  needed.  Again,   should   any  wish  to   locate 


here  on  the  Pacific  coast,  the  change 
of  location  would  be  a  good  one  so 
far  as  climate,  health,  and  a  pleasant 
time  to  get  round,  and  hold  meet- 
ings and  other  matters  are  con- 
cerned. Yet  there  are  some  things 
that  are  not  so  desirable  here,  espe- 
ciallv  about  the  land   titles.     There 


Farewell. 

Signed  by  order  of  the  church  ; 

George  Wolfe  jun. 

D.  T.  'Wheelock, 

Jacob  AVolfe, 

T.  Q.  Caudill, 

T.  J.  Caudill, 

James  Wood. 
P.S. 
take    or 

Pentecost  l8607  If  you  \ee   fit  to  ^^'^^  this  cause,  arise  frequent  alter- 
publish    it   in  the   Visitor,    do   so ; ,  ^•''^^^^^^^    attended   with   serious  cir- 
any   way   so    it    comes    before   the !  ^^^^^''^^^f,^^^; 
brethren  at  Y.  ]M. 

G.     TT 


nV^illbr.   Kurtz  or   Qiiinter  is  a  great  deal  of  land    the  title   for 
r  forward  this  to   Y.   M.    on  Y^''''^.,]^  ^^  ^^'^   and  dispute,    and 


Though 


there  are 
irood  titles  also,  and  some  conrrress 
land.     Some  of  the  brethren  in  these 


parts,   may    move    near    Stockto 

An  Extract  of  a  Letter  from  brother  '^'^^^^'^  ^,V^'^  ,  ^^^  .  brethren     tL.G 


George  Wolfe. 
I  want  to  convey  a  few  thoughts 


crossed   the  plains  last  summer,  are 
>ettling.       There    are     government 

^      k   4-       ^  ^^^r      .  ^^„^        1        T  titles   here.     Land   moderately   im- 
01   what  my  leelinpjs  were,    when  i    -  ,  i      ,         ,  ^  ^,        «^  « 

4.  4.U     \'iu..,  ^„^  ^c  ^ul  ^ffi^^  «^  proved,   can   be   bouorjit  there   from 
s^ot  the    Visitor   out  or  the  oince  at  i-    .     '^oa  t      j  j 

Gilrov.     (Eleven    in   Xo.   and   two  ^^   *«  «"^  per  acre.     Land    second 
minutes  oV  Y.  31.  for  1859.)     I  felt  ?"''' '  J"'   ^»ter  good,  climate   good 
I  looked   at  ^^'^^^th   good.      Oreo:on  lumber   830 


"^    10Ö0  feet.     Yours    in   brotherly 


George  Wolfe,  jun. 
Gilroy,  Santa  Clara,  co.  Cal. 


joyful,    or  full  of  jo\ 

tigern,  I  thought  —  I  said  to  myself,  ^    ^ 

What   Visitor  is  this  that  has   come    ^^^^ 

way   out  here  on  the  Pacific  coast. 

to   greet  me  with  tidings  like  this? 

1  read  one,  then  another,   and  the  i 

message  the   Visitor  brought,   was; 

peace.     I  thought  again,  the  teach- 1 

ing  the   Visitor  contained,   was  fa-i 

miliar.     I  recognised  it,  it  was  like '     Towards    the 

the  teaching  I  had  heard  3  years  a-  Samuel  Garber. 

go,  in  the  Atlantic  States.  It  was  like    Reported  in  last  January  Xo. 

that   I    am   trving  to   teach  here   in    Sr.  Joseph  Kelso  sent  us  as  coming  from 

Cal.    It  was   like  the  teachincr  of  the    B^^^;i  Creek  Ch arch    \damsco    0.  5.00 


Coufributtan.f; 

Selief   of    brother 


$67,17 


-ir      .  tj.  ^1        ^        r-  r.  Piiiot  Creek  Church.  Ross  co.  0. 

JMaster.         it    was    the    teaching    of  Br.  Jeremiah  Bce^hly  Accident  Alle 


11,00 


the    Master's    Household.      I  shall'  "  gheny  co.  Md.  i,50 

now    conclude    in    very    few    words,  i  ^^-  '^"^'^  ^  Ebersole  for  N  Kessler  A  J  g  2,00 

IfyOUSeefit  to   publish  all    or   any  |                         Amount  up  to  data  86,67 
part    of   this    in    the   Visitor,    do  so.  •  Of  -wbicb  sum  has  been  paid  over  to 

Should  any  of  the  brethren  come  to  ■  ^^  ^  Bowman,  as  stated  before  40,00 

Cal.  on  a  missionary  tour,  we  would  ^  Remains  in  our  hands  4  w 

hail  their  arrival  with  joy,  and  view  '      Sum  still  needed  nearly  $60,  which  we   deem 
it  as  a  good  omen  for  the  increase    of  too  much  for  one  church.'  the    church    of    Br.  S 
the  faith  in  Cal.      Truly  the  harvest '  ^^^^^r  in  Illinois,    which  generously   steps   in 
1  .  ,4-    ^      1    xi       'i    1  and  will  see  the  debt  fully  paid  bv  next  Y.    M. 

luere  is  great,  and  the   laborers    are  Then  let  .  i        . 


few 


_      .  tho^^e  that   feel    to    do   something    in 

Again,    should  anv  come  to  la-  ithis  case,  do  it  soon.    Our  brethren  in  Tennessee 


bor  with  us  a  spell,    and  then    return    will  please  to  let   us  know,   whether  we   should 
♦rs.  4-u^    K  ^-^    ^A-'^   r.^    i.  1,  isend  the  balance  in  our  hands  right   away    in  a 

to  the  Atlantic  states,  whose  resour-  ;  draft,  or  pay  at  the  Y  M  in  gold.  ^ 


96 


OBITUARIES. 


OBITUARIES. 


Died  near  Dtincansvillo  Blaimo:  Pa,  Docb:  1- 
Bister  RACHEL  SELL,  daughter  of  brother  Ja- 
cob and  sister  Catharine  Smith,  and  only  mar- 
ried eleven  days   before  tu  Joseph  Sell  aged  18 

years,  10  months  &  16  days. Also    MARY 

ANN  SMITH  daughter  of  the  same  parents,  Dec; 
3,  aged|13  years  5  months  <fe  17  days. — Also  De- 
cember 6,  of  the  same  family  ANN  SMITH  age 
nearly  2  yenrs.  Also  January  I,  a  babe  of  si.x 
teen  days.  Thus  the  bereavement  of  this  family 
has  been  great,  bnt  one  child  living  of  twelve. 
Disease  of  the  abovenamod  Scarlet-fever. 

Died  in  the  upper  church  district  Cumber- 
land CO.  Pa.  Jan.  3rd  of  scarlet  fever  MARY 
FRANCES  KELLER  daughter  of  brother  Dan- 
iel and  sister  Catharine  Keller  aged  2  years,  11 
months,  and  13  days.  Funeral  service  per- 
formed by  br.  Joseph  Sollenbcrgcr  and  br.  Da- 
vid Demiide.     Text  Rom  6  :  23. 

Thou  didst  leave  us  tender  and    young 

XVeelv  caus'd  us  to  vfeep  and  mourn 

35ut  not  as  those  that  have  no  hope 

Mercy  clothed  you  \rith  the  white  robo 

Tliis  is  our  comfort  we  rejoice 

Your  voice  mixM  with  angelic  voice 

Through  grace   wo    hope    that   we  shall    see 

To  have  part  in  glory  with  thee.  ^^^  ^^^^  y^^,.  ^^-  j^^j.  ^.^^      gi^^^  ^.■,^^],  ]^^j.  husband 

Died  in  the  Fame  neighborhood  Jan  6th  of  Jnraes  L  Priest,  moved  from  Pennsylvania  to 
the  same  disease  SOPHIA  ELIZABETH  j  Ohio  in  the  year  ISIO  ;  she  lived  a  widow  for  36 
BEECHER  daughter  of  Philip  and  Maria  j  years  before  she  died,  she  has  been  a  meml>€r 
Beecher,  aged  11    mouths    and  1  day.     Funeral  |  for  1-i  years  and  died  in    the    hope  of  a  blessed 


Died  in  tho  same  place  September  24,  ALEX- 
ANDER MILES  LINGENFELTER,  infant  son 
of  brother  Chauncey  F.  and  sister  Elizabeth 
Lingenfelter,  aged  1  year  and  7  months. 

Died  in  Winona  co.,  Minnesota  at  the  resi- 
dence of  his  son-in-law,  br.  PhilipRamers,  on  the 
2yth  of  November  1859,  br.  STEPHEN  THACK- 
REY,  aged  75  year.s,  and  8  days.  Disease 
dropsy  of  the  chest. 

After  an  illness  of  twenty  days,  died  at  his 
residence  near  Rowsburg,  Ashland  Co.  Ohio, 
November  11th  1859,  br.  ABRAHAM  ECKER 
M,  D.,  in  the  75th  year  of  his  age.  He  was  a 
faithful  brother  in  the  church  for  more  than 
forty  years  and  died  in  the  full  hope  of  a  blessed 
immortality.  Ho  emigrated  from  Westmore- 
land county  Pa.  in  May  1818,  and  was  known  ag 
a  Physician  upwards  of  thirty  years.  He  loaves 
a  kind  and  loving  companion,  10  children  75 
grandchildren  and  20  great  grand  children  to 
mourn  his  loss.  But  they  need  not  sorrow  as 
those  that  have  no  hope.  Funeral  services,  by 
brother  J  (xarver  and  G  Witwer.     Rev.  14:  13. 

My  dear  children  I  must  go  ; 

The  time  that  God  hath  set,  is  come. 

To  take  mo  from  my  friends  below.. 

And  liy  me  in  the  silent  tomb. 

J.     O.     B, 

Died  in  the  Loudonville  church,  Ashlnnd  eo. 
0.,  November  2nd  sister  PAULINA  PRIEST  in 


pervice  performed  by    br, 
and  br.  David  Demude. 


Joseph  SoUeuberger 
Text  1  Cor.  15  :  22. 
D.  K. 
Died  very  suddenly  in  Upper  Dublin  church, 
Montgomery  co.  Pa.  sister  MARY  ANN  Mc- 
C0ÖL,  consort  to  br.  Christian  Mc  Cool,  aged  47 
years,  1  month  and  10  days,  leaving  a  husband 
and  7  children  to  mourn  her  loss.  May  they  con- 
Eole  themselves  with  the.se  words  "They  that 
pleep  in  Jiesus  will  God  bring  with  him,"  and 
that,  what  is  our  loss,  is  her  gain 
text  Matt  24  :  43,  44,  by  br. 


Funeral 
J.  Price. 


Farewell,  Farewell,  my   children   dear, 
For  sweetly  l;iy    I  sleeping  here; 
Then  ready  be,  for  die  you  must, 
With  thy  kind  Mother  sleep  in  dust. 
Think,  children  dear,  by  grief  oppress'd 
Thy  Mother  in  the  grave  doth  rest, 
\The  .»-pirit  rests  «bove  the  sky  ; 
IVepaie  to  meet  me  when  you  die  ! 
There's  glory,  rest,  and  peace  and  love 
In  this  blest  region  up  above 
Which  I  enjoy,  and  long  to  see 
You  ready  for  my  company. 
Farewell,  my  loving  husband,  too. 
We're  parted  for  a  while  'tis  true. 
If  garment  white  you  do   retain. 
We'll  meet  and  no  more  part  again. 

J.     U.     S. 

Died  in  Lewisville,  Bedford  co.  Pa.  Ontober 
20, 18.59,  of  scarlet  fever,  MARY  JANE  CLAAR, 
kged  S  years,  5  months  and  21  day«,  mid  Octo- 
üil,  MATILDA  ELIZABETH  CLAAR,  aged,  5 
years,  2  months  and  7  days.  Both  were  tho 
children  of  brother  John  M.  and 
Claar. 


immortality.  Funeral  service  by  brother  Elias 
Dickey  and  Morgan  Workman.  Text  John  5  : 
25. 

E.  P,  L,  Dow. 
Died  in  Jackson  township,  Lebanon  co.  Pa. 
January  19th  1860,  sister  SUSANNA  HARTZ- 
LER, d.-iughter  of  br.  Jonathan  Hartzler;  age  not 
given.  Her  disease  was  consumption.  She  was 
a  beloved  young  sister,  and  died  full  of  hope. 
At  her  funeral  on  the  22nd  at  tho  old  Brethren 
Meeting  house  in  Tulpehoccon  the  writer  and 
other  brethren  spoke  to  a  large  concourse  ol 
people  from  John  5  :  28,  29. 

Died  in  the  same  neighborhood  Jan.  20,  Si."- 
ter  SUSANNA  ZUG,  widow  of  br.  Abraham  Zug, 
a  minister  of  the  Gospel,  who  had  departed  tl 'h 
life  IS  years  ago.  The  sister's  age  was  85  y 
and  lO'montbs.  She  was  buried  at  the  .-. 
place  on  the  23rd,  at  which  occasion  br.  Joscp' 
Markey,  Jacob  Hollinger,  Christian  Bomberger. 
Israel  Meyer  and  Isaac  Brubacker  edified  the 
large  meeting  with  the  word  of  God  from  1  Chron, 
29  :  15.  The  deceased  was  tho  writer's  dear 
mother. 

Died  in  same  district  and  was  buried  Jan.  24 
an  infant  son  i-f  br.  Daniel  Weber,  where  tht 
writer  spoke  from  .Tohn  16  :  16. 

Died  in  same  co.  Jan.  22,  sister  ANNA  SMITH 
widow,  aged  77  y.  8  m.  A  22  d.  Funeral  text 
Ravclation  14  :  13. 

Died  in  Lancaster  co  Pa.  Jan.  25.  sister  MA 
RY  BOLLINGER,  widow  of  br.  Jacob  Boiling 
cr.  dec.  aged  ab(.ut  74  years.     She   was  a  mem 


ber  of  the  Concstoga  church. 

The  above  four  notices  from  John  Zttg, 

Died  in  Yellow  Creek  conp.   Morrison's    Cov( 
P.a.  Dee.  28,  1859.  of  scarlet  fever  CHRISTIN/ 
bister   Eliza  j  BOWSER,  daughter  of  br.Jacob  and   sist,    Mar 
i  garet  Bowser,  aged  8  years  and  6  months. 


NEW    PROSPECTUS 

OF 

ffli  yspii  mun 

FOR  THE  YEAR  1860,   VOL  X. 


The  object  of  the  werk  will  be  the 
same  as  it  has  heretofore  beee.  namely, 
the  adrocacy  of  the  doctrines  and  prac- 
tice* of  a  pure  Christianity. 

Each  number  of  the  English  Gospel 
Visitor  will  contain  82  pages  double 
aolumns,  and  the  German  16  pages, 
■eatly  printed  on  good  paper,  put  up  in 
printed  covers,  and  mailed  to  subscribers 
regularly  about  the  first  of  each  month, 
at  the  following 


TERMS. 

Siagle  copy  of  the  English,  one  year. 

in  advance, 

$1,00 

Six  copies            -            -            .            . 

5,00 

Thirteen  copies  -            -            -            . 

10,00 

Stftgle  copy  of  the  German,  one  year, 

in  advance, 

0,50 

eve*  copies                   -            .              . 

3,00 

Thirteen  copies  -  _  -         6, 

Single  copy  of  the  German  and  English       1,25 
Six  copies  -  -  -  -        7,0f 

And  at  the  same  rate  for  any  number 
over  those  mentioned. 

All  persons  to  whom  this  Prospectus 
is  sent,  are  requested  to  act  as  Agents 
in  procuring  subscribers.  But  should 
any  who  receive  this,  not  feel  inclined, 
or  not  be  able  to  act,  they  will  please 
hand  it  to  others  who  will  make  some 
effort  to  circulate  the  Visitor.  Friends^ 
please  respond  to  this  request  at  a» 
early  day. 

HENRY  KURTZ, 
JAMES  dUINTER. 
Columbiana,     Columbiana  Co.  O. 

September  15th.  1859. 


BOOKS    FOR    SALE 

(OF    THE     GOSPEL    VISITOR.) 


which  we  will  sell  at  the  same  price  as  the  Publishers   do,  only  adding  (if   sent 
by  mail)  the  amount  of  postage  we  have  to  prepay. 
«r ,_  T 1  ^c  ,t  ,30  altogether 

,16 


Winchester's  Lectures         1,75 
Neao's  Theology  1  00 

Wandering  Soul  1.00 

Kunst's  German  and  English 

Dictionary  1.50 

Our  Hymn  Books  single  ,27 


Bt  THE  DOZEN  3X0 


2,05 
1,16 
1,15 


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,30             *•  1,80 

,3            "  ,30 

Extra  bound  in  Morocco  ,40 

Do.  with  gilt  edges  .50 

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Double,  German  and  English  double  price. 
Heart  of  Man,  in  ten  emblematical  figures  either  German  or  Eng^h 

25  Cents,         Postage  ,03  altogether  ,38 


NEW  EDITION 

OF  OUR 


LITERARY  NOTICE. 


We  are  now  able  to  furnish  Hymn- 
books  eitlier  by  express  pr  mail  at  the 
shortest  notice,  and  sliali  gladly  fill  largo 
«r  small  orders  accon)panied  by  the 
eash,  as  we  have  been  under  heavy  ex- 
|)en8c,  and  several  hundred  dollars  are 
to  be  paid  this  month  (June)  to  the  Bin- 
der». 

By  rujiil  we  shall  send  One  Dozen  sin» 
!^lc  for  $'^  40  Ctnts  postpaid,  which  is 
now  required  by  law.  By  Express  we 
send  Onohundred  single  Hymnbooka  for 
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freight  to  be  paid  by  the  Receiver. 
Double  Kymnbooks  (gerrpan  and  eug- 
li&h)  are  counted  double,  6  Copies  as 
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in  superior  «tyle,  and  will  please  even 
the  inost  fastidious.  Please,  send  orders 
soon  to  the  Publisher, 

Henry  Kurtz, 

ColumbiaDa,  O. 


THE  CANCER  CURED. 

BJi,    LEBBEUS     F^GELOW 

1  ite  of  Adamsburg,  Pa.  was  very  suc- 
cesftful  in  treating  cancers.  Before  his 
death  lie  cominutiicated  to  the  under 
»igne.lhis  mode  of  treatment,  and  they 
are  now  practicing  it  with  success. 
They  tiierefore  invite  those  afflicted 
with  cancers,  to  call  upon  tnem  and 
test  the  r'flicacy  of  their  inode  oftreating 
this  nialii^nant  disease.  Persons  coming 
hy  the  Pennsylvania  central  R.  Road, 
will  stop  at  Manor  station.  We  will 
«oorey  them  from  the  station  to  Adams- 
hurt,  if  informed  of  the  time  of  their 
arrrral. 

Aildress,  F.  BLOCHER  4-  CO. 
Adam8£Uuo,  Westmoreland  go.  Pa. 


SCIENTIFIC  "MERICiy. 

The  publishers  of  this  widely  circp- 
lated  and  popular  illustrated  weekly 
journal  of  mechanics  and  science,  an- 
nounce that  it  will  be  enlarged  on  the 
first  of  July,  and  otherwise  grcaily  im- 
proved, containingsixteen  pages  instead 
o/eight,  the  present  size,  which  will 
make  it  the  largest  and  cheapest  scien- 
tific journal  in  the  world  ;  it  is  the  on- 
ly journal  of  its  class  that  has  ever  suCf, 
ceeded  in  this  country,  and  maintains 
a  character  for  authority  in  all  matters 
of  mechanics,  science  and  the  arts, 
which  is  not  excelled  by  any  other 
journal  puHlislied  in  this  country  or  in 
Euope-  Although  the.  publishers  will 
incur  an  increased  expense  of  $8,000 
a  year  by  this  enlargemsnt,  they  hare' 
determined  not  to  raise  the  price  of 
subscription,  relying  upon  their  friend« 
to  indemnify  them  in  this  increased 
expenditure,  by  a  corresponding  in- 
crease of  subscribers.  Terms  $2  a 
year,  or  10  copies  for  $15.  Specimen 
copies  of  the  paper  with  a  pamphlet 
of  information  to  inventors,  furnished 
gratis,  by  marl,  on  application  to  tbe 
publishers, 

MUNN&  Co.  No.  37  Park  Row, 
New  York. 
Hon.  Judge  Mason  of  Iowa,  who  made 
himself  so  popular  with  the  Inventors 
of  the  Country  while  he  held  the  office 
of  Commissioner  cf  Patents  has,  we 
learn,  associate!  himself  with  Munn  dc 
(/O.  at  the  Scientific  American  office 
New  York. — 


mi  FOR  RIIBIIMATISII. 

Dr.  E.  W.  iVIoore,s  Indian  Tincture 
for  Rheumatism  has  never  failed  in  four- 
teen years  ezperience  iu  curing  the 
worst  cafes.  For  two  dollars,  a  box 
•ontaining  six  bottles  will  be  sennt  to 
any  address. 

Address  Dr.  E.  W.  Moore 
Scalp  Level,  Cambria  Co.  Pa- 


THE  GOOD  OLD 

Ohio  Cultivator 

FOR  1860. 

DEVOTED    TO    THE 

Farm,  Live  Stock,  Garden,  Grohard, 

And  the  Cultivation  of  the  Feopie. 
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EMPEi  ¥ISIT®i, 


1  HONTHLT  rVBLIClTION 


BY  HENRY  KURTZ    &    JAMES  QUIA  T£R. 


VOL.X.        APRIL  1880. 


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OF  APRIL  NO. 

The  young  man  warned  or  the 

Responsibilities  of  youth    page 
Secret  things  belong  unto  the  Lord 
'  Prayer  answered 
Worship  in  Singing 
The  Mission-Question    No.  1   - 
The  Minister  and  his  Scythe 
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m-  X-  9(l»Vtt  I860.  NO.  4 


THE  YOTTXG  MAN  WARNED ; 

or, 

The  responsibilities  of  Youth. 

An   extract  from   a   Sermon. 

ABUSE  OF  life's  SPRING  TI3IE. 

1.     That  God  will   bring  men  to 
judgment  for  the  abuse  of  life's  spring 
ti7ne  or  forming  period.     Our  Maker 
has  endowed  us  with  certain  poweri^ 
of  tremendous  energy,  whose  main 
working,  or  decisive   action,  is   ac- 
complished   during    the    period    of 
youth.     Let  those  ])owers   take   the 
right  direction,  and   give   them  full 
scope  in   their  proper   season,    and 
they   determine   happily  the   great 
[)roblem  of  the  soul's   destiny.     But 
cripple  them,  or  prevent   and  delay 
their  action,     and    you   disconnect 
the  whole  machinery   of    life,    and 
expose  the  soul  to    a  mischief  incal- 
ulable  and   unending.     ^S'ow  to   il- 
ustrate  this  point,  let  me   take   the 
position  of  the   young  man  whose 
dea  of  responsibility    is  altogether 
orospective.     He   knows   that   God 
vill'hold   him   accountable   for  the 
jreat  issues   of  life — that   his  man- 
Lood  will  exei-t  an    all    controllioir 
nfluence  over  the  evening    of   life, 
nd  over  his  eternal   destiny.     He 
^Jnderstands  the   solemn   import   of 
ch  admonitions  as  these :     "There 
no  work,  nor  device,   nor  knowl- 
ige,     nor     wisdom,   in   the   grave 
hither  thou  goest."      "And   if  the 
|ee  fall  toward  the  south,   or  tow- 
the  north,   in    the  place   where 
|e  tree  falleth,   there   it  shall   be." 
ft  knows  that  death  comes  to  pluck 
rfruit  just  as   it  hangs   o.i  life's 


boughs.  He  knows  that  to  be 
wrouGj  in  the  dvincr  hour  is  to  be 
wrong  forever.  But  he  does  not 
consider  that  his  youth  is  of  such 
importance  in  the  view  of  God,  as 
to  involve  much  accountability. 
He  thinks  he  may  trifle  now — may 
give  himself  to  idle  pleasures  now — 
I  may  waste  valuable  opportunities 
:  noic,  if  only  he  bethinks  himself  in 
time  to  die,  at  peace  with  God. 

To  his  imagination,  his  whole 
youth  is  a  kind  of  pastime.  He 
somehow  separates  it  from  the  pe- 
riod of  maturity,  and  imagines  that 
God  overlooks  it,  and  defers  the 
oj)ening  of  that  Book  which  is  to 
record  his  history,  until  the  frivolity 
and  irresponsibility  of  youth  give 
place  to  thought  and  soberness. 

But  even  on  the  supposition  tliat 
the  tree  is  not  to  be  judged  till  it 
bears  fruit;  that  mature  lif^  devel- 
ops the  facts  which  are  to  consti- 
tute the  material  of  final  judgment : 
and  supposing  that  every  joung  man 
held  a  charter  of  life  which  should 
preclude  the  contingency  of  death, 
still  it  is  impossible  that  God  should 
fail  to  hold  men  responsible  for  the 
season  of  youth.  This  period  of 
life  cannot  be  viewed  aside  from  its 
relations.  By  the  ver}'  structure 
of  our  being,  youth  is  constituted 
the  forming  period.  God  would 
have  to  take  down  this  curious 
piece  of  mechanism,  and  reconstruct 
it  with  different  powers  and  new 
laws,  if  he  would  make  it  possible 
to  isolate  youth  so  that  it  should 
not  be  the  nursery  and  school  of 
manhood. 

G.     Y.     Vol.     X.  7 


08 


THE  YOUXG  MAX  WAEXED  &c. 


AVe  may  justly  liken  character  to| 
a  u-i'cat  arcli,  and  the   2)ractices   of 
youth  to  the  scaffoTtling  which   aids 
in  its  erection.     Who  does  not  know 
tluxt  the  pulling  down  of  a  few  ])oles 
and  planks  is  a  very  different  thing 
iVoni  picking   in  ])ieces   the   strong 
masonry  which  remains?     And  who 
has   yet    to    learn    that    the    solid 
siructuro     of  confirmed   hahit   will 
btand  immovahle,  after  the  scaffold- 
ing of  yoythful  folly  has  fallen  down 
by  its  own  weight  ?      Now   here   is 
the  weak   point   in   this   reasoning 
hy  wliich  the  young  man    is   led   to 
underestimate  the  season  of  youth. 
He  thinks  it  will  be  easy  to  change 
his  mode  of  life.     Ho'  will,   by-and- 
by,  forsake  that  bad  society  in  which 
lio   mingles.     He    will    stop,  those 
oaths.     He  will  cease  to  look   upon 
the  wine  cup.     He   will    return    to 
tlie  habits  of  church  going,  and   Bi- 
ble reading,  in  which  he  was   educa- 
ted.    But,  alas!  he   finds   that    Sa- 
tan has  been  busy   on  this   scaffold- 
ing with   his  trowel   and   hammer, 
r.nd  that   the  arch  of  sinful  habit  is 
so  firmly  built  that  he  cannot  move 
It.     He  reaches  manhood,  the  point 
at  v/hich  he  imagined   responsibility 
would  begin;  and  finds,   to  his   cha- 
grin, tliat  the  whole  question  of  life 
is  ah'eady  settled  by   the  education 
which  youth  has  given   him.     That 
iancied  pastime,  that   sunnj^   period 
.  of  licensed  frivolity,  that  mere  por- 
tico to    the    great    structure  of  life, 
lias   given    character  to  his  whole 
])eing.     He  thought  he  was  tracing 
ills  moral  image  in  colors  which   he 
could  easily  wash   oiit,  but   to   his 
surprise    he    finds    them    indelible. 
AVhen    too  late,  he   ascertains   that 
ycnith  is   the  mould  in   which   man- 
hood   is   shaped,    and    that    having 
suficred  the  ductile  passions  of  early 


life  to  take  a  mis-shapen  form,  he 
cannot  now  beat  and  file  the  cold 
mass  until  its  figure  please  him. 

How  reasonable  is  it  then  that 
God  should  bring  men  into  judg- 
ment for  the  abuse  of  such  a  form- 
ing period?  To  resist  accountabil- 
ity here  would  be  denying  all  ac- 
countability. It  is  here  that  char- 
acter is  made.  In  the  wondrous 
structure  of  our  nature,  it  is  arrang- 
ed that  what  is  done  and  suffered 
in  youth,  shall  never  cease  to  influ- 
ence us.  Youth  is  endowed  with 
powers  and  advantages  Avliich  must 
be  tested  once  for  all.  It  is  as  if  a 
man  should  give  to  his  two  sons  a 
mass  of  gold,  with  a  variety  of 
moulds,  and  but  one  opportunity  to 
melt  and  shape  the  ore.  One  passes 
his  portion  through  the  fire,  pours 
it  into  a  well-selected  mould,  and 
becomes  posses^d  of  an  elegant  and 
useful  treasure.  But  the  other  i:? 
indifferent  about  the  form,  and  pro- 
duces from  the  fire  a  shapeless  mass, 
full  of  rough  and  jagged  points. 
It  is  neither  coin,  nor  plate,  nor  jew- 
elry. It  is  after  all  but  the  raw 
material  still  formless  and  useless, 
Lik(?this  shapeless  mass  of  gold  is 
the  material  of  character  v/hicl 
results  from  the  neglect  of  youthfu 
culture  and  discipline.  And  unlike 
gold,  human  character  cannot  b( 
heated  up  and  poured  out  into  anj 
mould  that  is  desired,  but  one« 
formed  into  whatever  shape,  it  i 
next  to  impossible  to  take  out  al 
marks  and  traces  of  its   first    figur( 

'educating  influences  SQUANDERE] 

2.     God  will   also  bring  men  1 

judgmenf /or  the  educatinfj  ivfluenc 

which  arc  bestoiced  vpon  the  iJerU 

of  youth.  fl 


THE  YOrXG  MAX  "WAEXED  &c. 


99 


God  has  not  only  created  trees, 
and  endowed  them  with  the  princi- 
j)le  of  vegetation,  hilt  he  has  made 
an  atmosphere  in  which  they  are 
to  grow.  So  that  if  you  could  ima- 
gine a  tree  in  your  garden  to  he 
possessed  of  intelligence  and  respon- 
sihility,  you  would  hold  it  account- 
ahle  not  only  for  its  innate  princi- 
ple of  growth  and  developement, 
hut  for  all  those  favorahle  condi- 
tions in  which  it  is  placed.  You 
would  expect  to  ahsorb  the  dew 
through  the  delicate  pores  of  its 
leaves,  to  drink  the  showers  of 
heaven  which  run  about  its  roots, 
to  catch  color  and  vitality  from  the 
sunlight,  and  silently  to  draw  its 
very  being  from  the  atmosphere. 

hi  like  manner  docs   God    rejrard 
n^en     as    his    plantings,  which    he 
Avould  have  become   trees   of  right- 
eousness    to     adorn    his    Paradise. 
And  he   has   not   only   endowed   us 
with  certain  powers  and  principles 
which  we  deem   parts   of  our  very 
selves,   such  as  reason,  sensibility, 
conscience,  2:)0wer  of  habit,  and  an- 
ticipation;  but   he  has   surrounded 
with  a    moral    atmosphere    just 
iitted  to  awaken,  develop,  and   di- 
ce t  the  powers  of  our  being.     Xow, 
vho  can  measinx  the  sum   of  these 
ducating  influences,   especially   as 
^  hey  are  found  working  in   the  pe- 
iod  of  youth?     For  we   know  that 
heir  power  is  not  perpetual,  except 
they  are   cherished   and   encour- 
ged  by  obedience   to  them.     Take 
young  man   from  a  Christian  fam- 
y,  who    has    been    familiar    from 
is  earliest  memory  with  the  entire 
)und    of  holy  influences.     He  has 
thoitt,  a  counterpart  to  what  he  ex- 
rienced  icithin.     His  inward  pow- 
s  have  all  the  while  been  wrouo-ht 
)on  by  scenes    in    which    he    has 


i;, 


mingled,  and  by  truths  which  he 
has  learned.  Memory  runs  back 
to  her  utmost  limit ;  yet  finds  not 
the  hour  when  the  reason,  and  con- 
science, and  heart  were  not  address- 
ed by  the  power  of  parental  precept 
and  example,  by  the  statutes  of 
God's  TV'ord,  by  the  hallowed  in- 
fluences of  the  sanctuary  and  the 
Sabbath,  by  the  mysterious  ui^gency 

'of  the  Holy  Spirit  of  grace,  and  by 
the  ever     varying  admonitions    of 

;  Divine  Providence. 

! 

I      These  were  the   educating    influ- 
jences    which    God    bestowed  upon 
I  his  youth,   and    which  he  adjusted 
'  with  divine  skill,  so  as  to  aftbrd  the 
jmost     favorable     opportunity      for 
I  right  developement.     But  the  young 
iman  has  made    light    of   all  these. 
;  He  has  counted  upon    their  perpet- 
|ual  possession.     He  has  not   consid- 
j  ered  with  what   emphasis    and  ur- 
igency   these    varied   influences  ap- 
pealed to   his  young  heart   and  to 
his  unsophisticated  reason.     These 
are  the  showers  and  dews  and  alter- 
nate light  and  shade,  by  which  the 
tree    of   righteousness    was   to     he 
brought  to  maturity,  and   strength- 
ened so    as   to  endure  the   drought 
which    should   afterward    overtake 
it. 

Youth  is  the  spring  of  life — the 
season  of  vegetation.  And  shall  a 
man  refuse  all  growtli  at  a  time 
when  all  things  favor  it,  and  then 
deny  his  accountability  ?  Youth  is 
the  secure  harbor  in  which  the 
bark  is  to  be  furnished  for  the  voy- 
age of  life.  And  shall  a  man  waste 
this  opportunity,  until  he  launch 
upon  the  troubled  Avaters  of  riper 
years,  which  afford  no  calm,  and  no 
landing-place?  Or  doing  this,  and 
triflins:  with  all  the  educatino;  influ- 


100 


THE  YOUNG  MAN  WARNED  &c. 


onces  which  operates  so  strongly 
upon  the  period  of  youth,  shall  a 
man  wonder  at  the  disastrous  issue, 
or  at  the  severity  with  which  God 
will  judge  him  for  these  things? 

THE  MOST  AND  BEST  OP  LIFE    WASTED. 

3.  God  will  also  bring  men  to 
judgment  for  the  misimprovcnient 
of  youth,  6ecausß  it  is  so  considerable 
a  portion  of  life.  It  is  very  natural 
to  measure  our  period  of  probation 
by  the  three  score  years  and  ten 
which  is  the  usual  limit,  rather 
than  by  the  average  duration  of 
human  life,  which  is  some  thirty 
years.  All  feel  young  at  thirtj^. 
And  yet  during  that  period,  one 
whole  generation  has  passed  from 
the  earth  !  Give  a  young  man  the 
indulgence  he  craves,  and  defer  his 
accountability  until  the  sunny  peri- 
od of  youth  is  over,  will  he  stop  at 
the  age  last  named  and  say,  *'I  have 
outlived  a  generation,  I  will  hence- 
forth bo  sober  and  wise  ?"  No — 
his  pulse  throbs  as  vigorously  as 
ever,  and  his  blood  courses  through 
his  veins  with  undiminished  swift- 
ness. He  snuffs  the  morning  air, 
and  says,  ''Ha  !  1  am  young  jet  I" 
If  this  then  be  taken  as  the  measure 
of  youth,  is  it  not  a  vast  subtraction 
to  be  made  from  the  span  of  human 
life?  Thirty  years  given  to  frivol- 
,  ity  when  thirty  years  is  a  life-time 
to  most  of  men !  Or  say  twenty 
years  given  up  to  folly  when  twenty 
years  is  to  most  two-thirds  of  their 
probation!  Or  put  the  range  of 
life  on  a  larger  circle,  say  sixty 
years.       Subtract    as     worse    than 


your  probable  length  of  liffe,  take 
out  of  that  period  this  season  of 
youth  which  j^ou  are  not  willing 
to  give  to  God,  and  then  say  if  your 
Maker  is  not  most  grievously  rob- 
bed! 

Has  God  then  no  use  for  the  youth, 
and  strength,  and  elasticity  of  your 
life  ?  And  will  he  be  satisfied  with 
the  poorest  fraction,  with  the  mere 
wreck  of  your  manhood?  Or  are 
there  no  works  of  piety  assigned 
to  that  period  of  life,  when  the  heart 
is  most  tender,  and  when  religion 
can  be  so  efficiently  promoted  by 
the  strength  and  zeal  of  youth  ? — 
Where  is  piety  more  beautiful  than 
when  its  soft  light  shines  from  the 
youth  of  the  household  ?  Has  not 
God  ordained  praise  out  of  the  mouth 
of  children?  And  can  any  tell  to 
what  degree  of  holy  fervor  and 
consecration  men  might  attain  if 
they  began  their  career  in  the  prac- 
tice of  piety?  We  are  told  that 
peach  trees  are  mainly  valuable  for 
fruit  during  the  first  few  years  of 
their  growth.  After  some  five 
yeai^  they  have  passed  the  period 
of  great  productiveness.  So  it  is 
with  human  life.  The  great  reason 
for  develoi^ement,  education,  and 
pious  culture  being  misimproved — 
youth  being  squandered — the  poor 
balance  of  life  is  of  comparatively 
little  value.  In  how  many  cases  is 
it  true  of  those  who  defer  the  prac- 
tice of  godliness  till  mature  years, 
that  the  whole  noon  and  evening 
of  their  existence  are  exhausted  in 
unlearning  the  errors,  and  vainly 
struggling  with  the  bad  habits  of 
wasted  this  spring  time   of  youth,  I  youth  ?     How  often  do  you  exclaim 


and  you  have  even  then  but  the 
fraction  of  your  earthly  being  to 
■devote  to  God  !  Now,  my  hearers, 
make    any   reasonable  estimate    ofj 


as  you  struggle  with  some  besetting 
sin,  <'0h,  had  I  never  learned  this 
sin  ?  Had  I  started  aright!  Had  I 
employed    my     youthful    vigor    in 


THE  YOUNG  :MAN  WAENED  &c. 


101 


practicing  those  pious  habits,  which  ]  ly  folly,  and  waste,  and  vice,  are  the 
are  now  so  hard  to  be  acquired,  how  j  electric  elements  which  blacken 
easy  and  pleasant  a  religions  life  those  clouds  into  angry  storms,  and 
would  now    bei" — Thus    men  rob; scare   the   soul   by  their  flashes   of 


God.  Effusing  him  the  morning  Of 
life,  they  devote  but  a  fraction  of 
their  years  to  religion,  and  even 
these  yeai-s,  like  the  hours  of  even- 
ing, are  bedimmed  with  darkness 
or  cloud,  or  rendered  of  little  value 
by  the  fatiguing  and  injui'ious  ac- 
tivities of  early  life.  And  will  not 
God  bring  men  to  judgment  for 
these  things  ?     Ah  yes  !    and  often 


conscience,    and 
retribution  I 


their  thunders  of 


Ah, 
bind   on 


beware 
your 


what 
soul ! 


chains     you 
It  will    be  a 


gloomy  business  in  old  age,  to  sit 
imprisoned  by  your  fireside,  and 
try  in  vain  to  turn  tho&e  manacles 
of  3'outhful  habit  so  that  they  shall 
not  gall   you !    Eemember   that   a 


ories  which  come   across   the  pesti- 


lent marshes  of  a  youth  devoted 
Satan  and  seKI 

WARNINGS  DESPISED. 


to 


.    ,    ^'' *      ,       ^      '  i-i     .      ,  ^i  pious  old  a^e  will  not  sweeten  mem 
that  J ud foment  does  not  hide  itseiip   •         i  .  i"  ^t.  ^- 

behind  the  veil  of  death.  The  som- 
bre shades  of  memory  contain  a 
terrible  avenger  for  youthful  impi- 
ety. Should  God  spare  your  life 
to  the  utmost  stretch  of  your  an- 
ticipations, say  three  score  and  ten 
years — should  you  be  permitted  to 
run  your  race  of  pleasure — to  trifle 
"vvith  God  two  score  years — to  in- 
dulge your  vain  imaginations  until 
they  faded  by  age,  and  your  pas- 
sions till  they  became  worn  out  by 
abuse — to  do  just  what  you  please — 
to  ''let  thy  heart  cheer  thee  in  the 
days  of  thy  youth,  and  walk  in  the 
ways  of  thy  heart,  and  in  the  sight 
of  thine  eyes," — and  then,  if  by  in- 
finite mercy,  God  should  bring  you 
to  repentance,  and  accept  youi* 
worthless  wreck  of  life — ^know  you 
not  that  the  memory  of  that  old  age 
would  over-leap  the  interval  of  a 
score  of  years,  and  pass  its  days  and 
nights  amidst  the    tombs  of  those 

(youthful  sins  ?     The  proximate  past 
is  forgotten   while  youth   is  repro- 
iduced,  to  pour  its  mixture,  whether 
bitter  or  sweet,  into  the   cup  which 
old  age  must  drink.     This  is  an  in- 
evitable law  of  life.      Early    piety 
Ivill  light  up    the    clouds    of   life's 
ivening  with  hope  and  glory.     Ear- 


4.  The  responsibilities  of  youth 
are  enhanced  by  the  many  and  va- 
ried warnings  which  are  hestovjed 
njjon  the  season  of  life.  God  deals 
openly  with  man  in  this  matter. 
From  early  childhood  he  opens  to 
the  imagination  the  vista  of  eter- 
nity. An  angel  stands  in  the  way 
pointing  onward  to  the  future — to 
the  clouds  of  the  spirit  world ;  and 
as  he  points,  he  speaks  eloquently 
of  those  great  issues  and  grave  re- 
sponsibilities which  are  to  be  met 
and  measured  there  ?  TThat  though 
the  voice  of  youthful  mirth  exclaim, 
''Now  is  the  time  for  glee  I  Let  us 
laugh  and  drive  away  dull  care  I'^ 
What  though  parental  weakness 
and  worldliness  respond,  "Young 
folks  will  be  thoughtless  and  giddy!" 
What  though  parents  write  on  their 
doorposts,  "Fun  for  the  young, 
religion  for  the  old  I"  What  though 
they  think  youthful  piety  a  fiction  ? 
Still  is  the  solemn  warning  uttered 
and  reiterated,  "Eejoice,  O  young 
man,  in  thy  youth,  and  let  thy 
heart  cheer  thee  in  the  days   of  thy 


102 


THE  YOUXG  MAN  A7ATXED  &c. 


bring    tlicc    into 


youth,  und  walk  in  tlio  ways  of  thy 
heart,  and  in  the  sight  of  thine  eyes, 
but  know  thou  that  for  all  these 
tilings,  God*  wi 
Judgment  I" 

Know,  yo  worldly  minded  pa- 
rents, who  have  been  at  such  pains 
to  train  them  'for  earlj^  piety — 
know  that  your  indulgence  cannot 
remit  the  scrutiny  of  God,  or  absolve 
them  from  their  responsibilities! 
*'For  God  speaketh  once,  yea  twice, 
ye't  man  perceiveth  it  not."  God 
speaks  not  only  to  the  old,  but  to 
the  young.  lie  is  emphatic.  He  is 
in  earnest.  The  whole  structure  of 
the  Bible  is  adapted  to  o^^ force 
youthful  piety.  From  every  side 
there  come  voices  of  warning  on 
this  subject.  The  voices  of  nature, 
of  Scripture,  of  Providence,  mingle 
their  volume,  as  they  call  to  the 
young,  "Kemember  noio  thy  Crea- 
tor in  the  days  of  thy  youth,  while 
the  evil  days  come  not,  nor  the  years 
draw  nigh,  when  thou  shalt  say,  I 
have  no  pleasure  in  them."  In- 
stinct bids  you,  young  man,  to 
forecast  the  future.  Eeas&n  tells 
you,  that  a  fruit  must  grow  upon  the 
tree  of  your  planting,  and  that  a 
harvest  day  Avill  come  ! 

Religion  spreads  out  before  your 
view  the  solemn  shadows  of  eterni- 
ty ;  and  as  you  sketch  light  and 
joyous  scenes  in  your  imagination, 
she  putsche  samo  back  ground  to 
every  picture,  so  that  look  Avhere 
you  will,  and  your  eye  and  your  ear 
meet  the  solemn  word — ^Eternity 
Eternity    ETERNITY! 

And  how  does  the  Providence  of 
■God  thunder  these  solemn  admoni- 
1  ions!  How  often  does  the  angel  of 
<leath  break  rightin  upon  those  scenes 
of  jouthfnl  frivolity,  and  bear  away 
a  victim  of  parental   weakness,  to 


answer  alone  in  judgment  for  these 
things?  Ah,  if  parents  could  go 
with  their  children  to  the  bar  of 
God,  and  could  dress  them  up  for 
that  final  review,  as  they  bedeck 
them  for  an  evening  hour — if  they 
could  plead  for  them  there,  and  cov- 
er their  heads  with  the  shield  of  pa- 
rental love,  there  might  seem  some 
extenuation  for  the  false  education, 
of  the  young  !  But  no !  Each  must 
give  account  of  himself  to  God.  The 
warning  is  from  the  Creator  to  the 
young  heart  of  his  creature.  ^<Re- 
member  now!"  Know  thou!" 
young  man.  Nothing  can  shield 
you  from  a  direct  and  personal  in- 
terview with  God. 

Nor  is  it  death  alone  which  ut- 
ters the  warnings  of  Providence  on 
this  subject.  There  is  a  spiritual 
death  which  often  anticipates  the 
death  of  the  body.  "The  way  of 
transgressors  is  hard !"  God  some- 
times throws  the  reins  upon  tho  neck 
of  youthful  folly,  and  bids  it  run  its 
career.  The  gay  riders  may  shout 
now  and  ui'ge  their  horses  to  their 
utmost  speed;  but  hark!  to  their 
frightful  screams  for  help  as  the 
excited  beasts  become  unmanage- 
able, and  threaten  to  dash  them  in 
pieces ! — So  is  it  a  common  sight  to 
witness  the  tears  of  parents  over 
their  chrildren  for  that  headlong 
career  of  sin,  wh  ose  beginning  they 
fostered  and  urged  onward.  They 
would  have  that  daughter  shine  in 
the  drawing  room,  and  they  taught 
her  to  love  the  world.  But,  alas  !  . 
when  they  saw  her  checks  grow 
pale,  and  her  steps  faltering,  and 
knew  that  death  had  laid  his  hand 
upon  her,  how  did  they  weep,  that 
they  could  not  teach  her  to  love  . 
religion;  that   they  could   not   jn-e- 


THE  YOrXG  MAX  WAEXFD  &c. 


103 


pare  her  to  sliine   in  the  firmament 
of  heaven  I 


That^'ouno;  man    was  taught   to^i^ithe  light  of  a  sun  whieh  daguer- 


tread  on  the  verge  of  dangerous 
chasms.  There  was  time  enough 
for  sober  thoughts.  Parental  influ- 
ence would  save  him.  He  Vv'ould 
not  go  far  from  the  path  of  the  just. 
But,  alas! his  eye  has  caught  the  daz- 
zling charm  I  He  cast  off  fear — 
h-e  has  haste^aed  onward,  loving 
sin,  greedily  drinking  in  iniquity 
Hke  water,  until  you  may  see  pa- 
rents, and  brothers  and  sisters 
bowed  in  grief  and,  shame  as  they 
weep  a  son  and  a  brother  icorse  than 
dead.  It  is  easy  to  kindle  the  flames 
of  youthful  passioD,  but  who  can 
put  them  out  ?  It  is  easy  to  teach 
the  young  to  study  the  present 
and  worldly  aspects  of  all  they  do 
und  say,  but  how  hard  is  it  for  them 
to  unlearn  these  lessons  ?  Can  the 
leopard  change  his  spots.?  Then 
may  ye  that  are  accustomed  to  do 
evil,  learn  to  do  well ! 

Such  warnings  as  these  go  far  to 
enhance  the  responsibilities  of  youth. 
This  waste  of  seed-time — this  tri- 
fling with  the  educating  iifluences 
of  early  life — this  robbing  God  of 
the  chief  and  the  fairest  portion  of 
existence — this  sinning  against  such 
a  flood  of  light  as  surrounds  tbe 
young — all  these  conspire  to  urge 
the  motives  of  religion  upon  the 
youthful  heart. 

LAST   WORDS. 

I  close  with  the  solemn  charo:e 
to  every  youth:  Eemember  that 
God  holds  you  responsible  for  these 
golden  years  which  you  are  squan- 
dering. Accountability  is  not  wait- 
ing for  you.  It  has  long  since  be- 
gun. God's  eye  is  on  you.  The 
recording  angel   traces  your  every 


step.     You  are  weaving  the   thread 
of  your  own  fate. 


You   are   sitting 


rotypes  your  image  uj^on  the  scroll 
by  which  you  are  to  be  judged. 
You  are  fixing  your  character  more 
rapidly  than  you  can  imagine. 
Yesterday  was  a  type  of  to-day 
in  your  conduct. — Last  year  ed- 
ucated you  for  this  year.  The  tide 
of  life  flows  with  fearful  rapidity.' 
Pause,  young  man,  while  you  can  ! 
Heed  those  compunctions  of  con- 
science. Eemember  that  father's 
counsel.  Eepeat  to  your  wayward 
soul  that  mother's  wish  and  prayer. 
Bewt'e  of  that  wicked  example 
which  has  fascinated  you.  Turn 
off  your  eyes  from  beholding  vanity. 
Hasten  to  the  Lamb  of  God  that 
will  take  away  your  sin!  Hasten 
to  the  fountain  of  life.  Wash  thy 
sins  aAvay  before  their  stain  is 
fixed  forever.  Open,  open,  to  the 
the  Savior  who  is  knocking  at 
the  door  I  Be  wise  now,  lest  you 
be  surrendered  to  folly.  Hate 
your  sins,  lest  they  become  your 
torment.  Eemember  Tantalus,  who 
was  chained  in  water  which  did 
not  reach  his  lips,  so  that  he  died 
miserably  of  thirst.  And  beware 
that  Satan  do  not  bind  you  in  eter- 
nal bonds  to  the  sins  and  follies 
which  you  now  love  so  well ;  for 
however  sweet  now,  they  will  be- 
come your  tormentors.  The  joy 
of  youthful  folly  is  like  the  wine 
when  it  is  red,  when  it  giveth 
his  color  in  the  cup,  when  it  mov- 
eth  itself  aright.  But,  beware, 
for,  "at  the  last,  it  biteth  like  a 
serpent,  and  stiugeth  like  an 
adder  I'^ 

Herald  of  Truth. 


104 


SECRET  TKINGS  BELONG  UNTO  THE  LORD. 


For  tlie  Visitor. 
Secret  things  belong  unto  the  Lord. 
Continued.     Deuteronomy  29  :  29, 

AVhat  we  sliall  be  in  the  invisible 
world  is,  a  profound  secret.  Who 
knows  liow  the  mind  can  exist, 
•when  separated  from  the  body! 
AVho  knows  how  the  dead  will  be 
raised  ?  Wlio  can  declare  what  man 
will  be  in  the  resurrection  state ! 
Where  is  the  world  of  spirits?  How 
do  angels  serve  the  heirs  of  salva- 
tion !  How  do  evil  spirits  gain  ac- 
cess to  the  hearts  of  men  !  How  do 
glorified  bodies  exist!  Have  they 
food  and  raiment  ?  Have  they  sep- 
arate habitations?  How  do  sep- 
arate spirits  see.  without  the  medi- 
um of  the  eye  ?  How  do  they  hear, 
without  the  medium  of  the  ear  ? 
How  do  they  converse  and  sing, 
without  the  organs  of  speech  ?  Is  a 
matter  open  to  their  vicAv  ?  Have 
they  any  knowledge  of  men  ?  With 
these,  and  similar  questions,  we 
might  puzzle  and  perplex  ourselves; 
but  we  stop  our  foolish  inquiries, 
when  we  recollect,  that  "secret 
things  belong  unto  the  Lord  our 
God."  Leaving  this  part  of  our 
subject,  we  now  proceed  to  consider, 

2.  The  revealed  things  which 
belong  to  us,   and  to   our   children. 

God  has  favored  man  with  the 
noble  faculty  of  reason.  This  facul- 
ty, unaided  by  revelation,  discovers 
many  important  truths,  and  many 
important  duties,  both  to  God  and 
man.  The  wisdom  of  the  heathen 
])hilosophcrs,  imperfect  as  it  was, 
affords  ample  proof  of  this  remark. 
Tradition,  no  doubt,  assisted  their 
inquiries  J  but  to  account  for  their 
wisdom,  solely  on  this  principle,  is 
Tvild  and  visionary.  Nevertheless, 
I  hey  stood  indebted  to  God   for   ev- 


ery ray  of  light  which  shone  upon 
them.  It  is  he  who  enables  man  to 
discover  the  glories  of  Creation, 
through  the  medium  of  the  eye; 
and  he  only  enables  him  through 
the  medium  of  reason,  to  discover 
many  wonderful  things,  which  are 
far  beyond  the  reach  of  his  sight, 
his  hearing,  or  any  other  of  his 
senses. 

But,  by  revealed  things,  wo  un- 
derstand those  things  which  God 
has  made  known,  in  different  aires 
of  the  world,  by  the  inspiration  of 
the  Holy  Ghost.  These  things  are 
recorded  in  the  sacred  scriptures ; 
and  every  part  ofthat  book  belongs 
to  us  and  our  children.  It  was 
written,  and  it  has  been  preserved, 
for  our  learning.  It  is  a  light  shi- 
ning in  a  dark  place;  and  if  follow- 
ed, will  lead  us  to  a  glorious  day. 
Those  who  deny  its  inspii^tion,  are 
in  darkness  and  in  death.  The  per- 
fections of  God  are  stamped  upon  the 
sacred  pages  of  the  written  word. 
There  a  pious  man  discovers  God, 
as  clearly  as  he  does  in  the  works 
of  Creation ;  nor  need  we  wonder 
at  this,  for  the  same  God  is  the  au- 
thor of  both.  In  what  follows, 
therefore,  we  take  the  scriptures  as 
our  guide.  Moses,  in  our  text,  re- 
ferred to  those  truths  which  wero 
then  revealed,  but  we  shall  refer  to 
the  truths  which  have  been  reveal- 
ed from  the  beginning,  to  the  time 
when  the  Holy  book  was    perfected. 

The  doctrines  revealed  in  the  Ho- 
ly scriptures,  belong  unto  us,  and 
unto  our  children.  We  are  required 
to  search  them  out;  to  examine 
them  with  care;  and  to  believe 
them  without  wavering.  Though 
we  may  not  be  able  to  comprehend 
every  doctrine  of  divine  revelation, 


SECEET  THINGS  BELONG  UNTO  THE  LOED. 


105 


yet,  upon  the  authority  of  God,  we 
are  bound  to  believe  it.  Thus,  for 
instance,  we  must  believe  that  God 
made  the  world,  and  that  he  will 
raise  the  dead  j  though,  how  he  did 
the  one,  or  how  he  will  do  the  other, 
is  incomprehensible.  The  doctrine 
belongs  to  us ;  the  manner  belongs 
to  him.  The  same  may  be  affirmed 
of  every  other  doctrine ;  for  if  we  have 
a  "Thus  saith  the  Lord"  to  support 
it,  we  should  believe  it  ourselves, 
and  teach  it  to  our  children.  We 
have  an  interest  in  these  doctrines, 
and  our  children  will  have  an  inter- 
est in  them  when  we  are  dead  and 
gone.  Every  generation  of  men 
should  teach  the  rising  generation, 
that  these  pure  doctrines  may  be 
preserved  to  the  end  of  time.  ' 

But  revealed  duties,  especially, 
belong  to  us  and  our  children.  Man 
knows  but  little  in  this  lower  world. 
Hereafter  he  will  know  much. 
This  is  the  world  where  we  must 
acquire  goodness,  and  do  good ;  in 
the  next  v\'orld  we  shall  acquire  more 
knowleds-e  than  we  can  now  con- 
ceive.  One  pure  principle,  planted 
in  the  soul,  is  of  greater  value  than 
ail  the  theoretical  knowledge  in  the 
universe.  One  good  action  in  the 
life,  is  of  greater  worth  than  a 
knowledge  of  the  whole  circle  of 
arts  and  sciences.  God  knew,  from 
the  beginning  what  line  of  conduct 
would  best  promote  the  happiness 
of  man;  and  he  graciously  conde- 
scended to  point  out  his  various 
duties.  Do  we  wish  to  know  our 
duties  towards  God?  Let  us  look 
into  the  written  word.  Do  we 
wish  to  know  our  duties  towards 
men?  The  book  will  inform  us. 
How  should  we  act,  as  it  relates  to 
ourselves  ?    Just  as  the  book  direct«. 


There  is  indeed,  a  distinction  to  be 
made,  in  studying  the  Divine  com- 
mands :  some  were  given  to  partic- 
ular persons,  in  particular  circum- 
stances, which  are  not  binding 
upon  us :  others,  to  certain  bodies 
of  men,  such  as  prophets,  and  min- 
isters, which  belong  to  them  only^ 
and  others  to  the  Jewish  nation, 
such  as  the  ceremonial  law,  which, 
being  typical  of  Christ,  was  abolish- 
ed when  he  appeared  in  the  flesh. 
But,  setting  these  aside,  there  is  not 
a  command,  either  in  the  old  Testa- 
ment or  the  New,  what  belongs  to 
us  and  to  our  children.  "If  ye  know 
these  things,  happy  are  ye  if  ye  do 
them.^'     John  13:  17. 

The  promises,  if  we  are  obedient, 
belong  to  us.  They  were  given  to 
encourage  practical  religion;  and 
we  may  rest  assured,  that  they  will 
be  fulfilled.  Many  of  them  have 
been  fulfilled :  the  rest  will  be  ful- 
filled in  due  time.  The  promises 
are  rich  treasure  j  a  wonderful  dis- 
play of  Divine  goodness;  and  a 
source  of  inexpressible  happiness. 
How  wonderful  it  is,  that  the  God 
of  the  universe  should  stoop  so  low, 
as  to  enter  into  such  engagements 
with  those  who  dwell  in  the  dust ! 
Let  us  wisely  improve  this  conde- 
scending love;  lay  hold  on  the 
promises  ;  and  proceed  in  the  path 
of  obedience,  with  cheerfulness  and 
perseverance. 

But,  if  we  are  disobedient,  let  us 
recollect,  that  the  threatenings  re- 
vealed in  the  word  belong  to  us. 
They  were  made  with  a  view  to  our 
good;  and,  though  apparently  se- 
vere, are  founded  in  mercy  and 
love.  If  we  continue  in  sin,  they 
will  fall  upon  us  with  all  their  awful 
weight;  for  the   threatenings,    like 


106 


PKAYER  AXSAYERED. 


the  promises,  arc  firm,  and  "will  be 
accomplished  in  their  full  extent. 
Happy  is  the  man  that  takes  -warn- 
ing, and  escapes  from  the  wrath  to 
come  !  Happy  is  he  who  is  afraid 
of  the  wrath  of  God ;  he  will  e{?cape 
from  the  miseries  of  a  future  world  I 
The  examples,  recorded  in  the  scrip- 
ture, belong  to  us,  and  to  our  chil- 
dren. The  wise  and  t;ood  are  set 
before  ns  as  copies  to  be  imitated ; 
the  foolish  and  wicked  are  set  be- 
fore ns  as  awful  warnings.  We 
gain  much  useful  knowledge  by  stu- 
dying scripture  biography:  When 
this  study  is  pnidently  pursued,  it 
becomes  a  means  of  great  improve- 
ment. The  saints  of  old  have  gone 
before  us;  and  have  arrived  at  the 
end  of  their  journey.  Let  us  mark 
their  steps,  and  follow  them  to  the 
city  of  God. 

Lastly  :  While  we  pass  over  that 
which  belongs  unto  the  Lord,  let 
us  carefully  improve  what  belongs 
to  ourselves.  When  we  have  not 
plain  scripture  to  support  our  opin- 
ions, let  us  be  modest  and  humble 
in  Avhat  we  affirm  3  but  when  plain 
scripture  will  bear  us  out,  let  us 
boldly  affirm,  and  steadily  main- 
tain, what  God  has  revealed.  We 
may  err,  when  left  to  ourselves;  but 
under  his  guidance,  we  can  not  err. 
Above  all,  let  practical  and  experi- 
mental religion  engage  our  princi- 
pal attention.  This  is  a  sure  way 
to  happiness.  Our  Lord  laid  more 
stress  on  practical  religion,  than  on 
any  thing  else.  He  was  not  in- 
difffrent  about  doctrines;  but  the 
doctrines  which  he  taught  were 
few,  and  important;  the  duties 
which  he  taugiit  were  many,  and 
absolutely  necessary.  With  this 
we    will  close,    may    God   add    his 


blessing  to  what  we  have  advanced, 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord  I 
Amen. 

J.     S.     B. 


Prayer  Answered. 

Abraha.m  pVayed,  ^'  Oh  that  Ish- 
mael  might  live  before  thee;"  and 
God  said,  ''As  for  Ishmael,  I  have 
heard  thee."  Lot  prayed  and  Zoar 
became  a  city  of  refuge  for  him 
while  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  were 
consumed.  Jacob  prayed  and  his 
name  was  changed  to  Israel.  His 
descendants  cried  to  God  in  their 
bondage,  and  he  stretched  out  the 
right  hand  of  his  power  for  their  de- 
liverance. Moses  cried  unto  the 
Lord,  and  the  waters  gushed  from 
Horeb.  Hannah  prayed,  and  then 
testified,  ''  The  Lord  hath  given  me 
my  petition.''  Samuel  besought  Je- 
hovah in  Israel's  behalf,  and  great 
thunder  discomfited  the  Philistines. 
Solomon  had  a  wise  and  an  under- 
standing heart  because  he  had  asked 
this  thing.  Elijah  on  Carmel  pray- 
ed, "Hear  me,  oh  Lord,  hear  me." 
Soon  the  multitude  exclaimed,  ''The 
Lord  he  is  the  God;  the  Lord  he  is 
the  God."  Elisha  prayed,  and  the 
Shunamite's  son  breathed  again. 
Hezekiah  prayed,  and  the  shadoAV 
went  backward  ten  degrees  on  the 
dial  of  Ahaz.  Asa  cried  unto  the 
Lord,  and  the  Ethiopians  fled  before 
him  and  Judah.  Jehoshaphat  pray- 
ed, and  Judah  and  Jerusalem  saw 
the  salvation  of  God.  Nehemiah 
made  prayer  unto  God  amid  the 
tauntings  of  enemies,  and  saw  them 
silenced  under  the  power  of  Jehovah. 
Lavid  in  trouble  called  upon  the 
Lord,  and  deliverance  came  to  him 
and  mercy  to  his  seed  for  evermore. 
Jeremiah  cries  in  our  hearing  unto 


■\yOESHIP  IX  SIXGIXG.— THE  ^IISSIOX-QUESTIOX 


107 


the  Lord,  ^' Thou  hast  heard  my 
voice."  Gabriel  came  with  swift 
wino-  to  Daniel  to  assure  him  that 
his  supplication  was  not  in  vain. 
From  the  billow  and  the  wave  Jonah 
sent  up  his  cry,  and  the  Lord  heard. 
Zaeharias  prayed,  and  an  angel  from 
the  presence  of  God  came  with  glad 
tidings.  Bartimeus  cried  aloud  and 
glorified  God  for  sight  bestowed. 
The  dying  thief  uttered  one  prayer^ 
and  Paradise  opened  its  gates  to 
receive  him. — Christian  Press.  . 


"Worship  in  Singing. 

A  GEXTLEMAX,  who  was  traveling 
in  Germany,  made  the  inquiry  in  an 
important  place  in  which  he  happen- 
<?d  to  be  on  the  Sabbath,  in  which 
church  he  would  be  likely  to  hear 
the  best  music.  The  answer  was  : 
''We  do  not  have  any  music  in 
church."  Somewhat  surprised,  he 
asked  if  no  hymns  were  sung.  The 
person  mquired  of  responded  in  the 
umi-mative,  but  seemed  to  have  no 
idea  that  this  was  music ;  it  was  a 
religious  exercise  into  which  music 
came  incidentally,  without  doubt, 
but  in  such  a  subordinate  place  as 
to  be  hardly  regarded  for  its  own 
sake.  This  is  the  proper  idea  in 
congregation-al  singing.  Music  is 
not  the  object,  but  devotion.  The 
exercise  must  not  be  regarded  as 
musical,  but  religious.  The  most 
rhetorically  elegant  prayers  are  not 
necessarily  the  best  by  any  means; 
but,  on  the  contrary,  the  rhetoric 
may  become  a  positive  hindrance. 
So  with  the  singing  of  hymns;  that 
manner  which  most  eifectually  en- 
gages the  hearts  of  the  congregation 
is  best,  though  it  may  lack  musical 
elegance. 


For  the  Gospel  Visitor. 
THE  MISSION  QUESTION. 
This  question  has  been  in  agita- 
tion for  years  among  individual 
members,  and  has  also  been  pro- 
posed several  times  already  to  our 
yearly  meetings.  Particularly  in 
the  year  before  last  (1858)  it  was 
considered  as  a  subject  worthy  the 
serious  and  prayerful  consideration 
of  the  brotherhood,  and  recommend- 
ed to  the  brethren  to  give  it  such 
consideration.  Hereupon  the  fol- 
lowing resolution  was  adopted  by 
the  yearly  meeting  of  last  spring 
(1859)  Art.  XXYlil. 

"Seeing  the  great  necessity  of 
I  having  the  Gospel,  as  held  and  prac- 
!  ticed  by  the  Brethren,  more  exten- 
I  sively  spread  and  known,  we  desire 
ithat  the  brethren  in  this  annual 
council  reconsider  the  58th  article 
of  the  Minutes  of  1858,  and  adopt 
it  with  such  amendments,  as  in  the 
fear  of  the  Lord  may  seem  best.'' 

''As  it  was  recommended  by  the 
last  annual  meeting  to  make  the 
subject  of  spreading  the  Gospel,  one 
of  prayerful  consideration,  it  ap- 
pears it  was  done;  and  several 
;  churches  have  expressed  their  wish 
j  to  this  annual  council  meeting,  to 
1  have  it  take  a  favorable  action  upon 
jthe  subject.     The  following   is    the 

Conclusion 
jthis  annual  meeting  has  come  to  in 
I  relation  to  what    is    referred    to   in 

'  this  article." 

t 

I     "This  mating    recommend    and 

give  liberty  to  any  of  th^  districts 
lor  states    to   make  a  move   on    the 

subject  of  spreading  and  sustaining 
jthe  Gospel  as  preached  and  under- 
j  stood  by  the  brethren,  so  that  the 
j  same  may  be  done  in  the  order  of 
jthe  Gospel.  And  we  recommend  to 
;  those  churches  which    may  adopt 


108 


THE  MISSION-QUESTION^. 


this,  to  make  a  report  to  the  next 
annual  meeting  upon  their  success. 
And  in  view  of  the  importance  of 
the  subject,  reappoint  the  following 
brethren  as  a  committee,  to  propose 
some  plan  by  which  the  brother- 
hood in  general  may  take  a  part 
in  this  good  work;  eaid  plan  to  be 
reported  to  the  next  annual  meet- 
ing, &c.  &c." 

The  writer  of  this,  though  he  was 
not  present  at  those  meetings,  and 
consequently  had  taken  no  ])art  in 
its  transactions,  still  cannot  but  re- 
joice heartily  over  this  motion, 
which  ho  hopes  has  sprung  forth 
from  the  pure  fountain  of  the  love 
of  God,  of  the  truth,  and  of  immor- 
tal souls.  Ecmcmbering  the  high 
and  important  calling,  which  the 
Lord  has  entrusted  to  his  church, 
and  consequently  to  all  his  faithful 
disciples  and  followers,  namely  to 
go  into  all  the  world,  and  to  make 
known  to  all  nations  his  doctrine, 
yea  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  every 
creature,  our  brethren,  from  the 
beginning,  acknowedged  it  to 
be  their  solemn  duty,  to  carry  the 
Gospel  as  far  as  they  could,  and 
were  also  endeavoring  to  fulfil  this 
duty  to  the  best  of  their  ability. 
Many  brethren  traveled  »almost 
3'early  over  the  length  and  breadth 
of  the  land,  as  far  at  least,  as  then 
our  churches  did  extend,  and  visited 
as  much  as  it  was  possible  for  them, 
also  the  scattered  members,  and 
this  they  could  do  the  more  easily, 
as  they  made  their  journeyings 
mostly  on  horseback. 

Thus  it  was  some  25  or  30  years 
since.  Then  our  brethren  could 
travel  hundreds  and  hundreds  of 
miles,  and  find  almost  every  night 
a  resting  place   under   the   hospita- 


ble roof  of  brethren.  Traveling-ex- 
penses then  were  consequently  not 
heavy,  and  could  for  that  very  rea- 
son be  borne  mostly  by  the  travel- 
ing brethren  themselves,  so  that 
the  churches,  in  which  they  resided, 
had  to  contribute  nothing  towards 
it,  except  perhaps  in  a  few  cases, 
where  necessity  required  it. 

But  now  all  is  changed.  Our 
churches  have  spread  themselves 
in  such  a  manner,  not  only  in  Indi- 
ana, Illinois,  "Wisconsin,  Iowa,  and 
Missouri,  out  into  the  farthest  West 
of  America,  even  to  the  shores  of 
the  Pacific  ocean,  to  California  and 
Oregon,  so  that,  if  some  brethren 
bishops  would  undertake  a  visita- 
tion-voyage among  all  our  churches 
in  this  our  country,  and  would  stop 
only  one  Lord's  day- in  each  church, 
they  would  not  be  able  to  reach 
their  own  homes  again  within  three 
years.  It  could  also  not  be  thought 
of,  to  make  such  a  journey  on  horse- 
back, that  is  not  altogether,  but 
would  have  to  be  prepared  to  go  by 
water  or  by  land,  as  circumstances 
would  require,  or  opportunities. 
would  öfter. 

The  necessity  of  such  visitations 
among  our  churches  is  becoming 
daily  more  apparent  to  such  as  have 
an  extensive  acquaintance  and  cor- 
respondence, and  in  fact  to  all,  who 
read  carefully  the  Gospel-Visitor. 
Eequests  and  invitations  come  to 
many  of  our  brethren  from  every 
quarter,  and  if  they  were  trying  to 
obey  every  call,  they  would  never 
come  home  again.  So  it  seems,  there 
was  last  fall  received  a  request  from 
Oregon,  from  which  many  brethren 
deemed  it  necessary,  that  as  soon 
as  tlie  proper  brethren-bishops,  and 
the  necessary  means  could  be  found, 
two  such  brethren  should  be  scut   to 


THE  :MISSIOX-QI"ESTIOy 


109 


Oregon  to  eet  in  order  the  things 
that  are  wanting,  and  ordain  elders 
here  and  there,  as  circumstances 
would  seem  to  require.  (See  Gos- 
pel Visitor  of  last  December  page 
379.) 

From  this  the  necessity  is  suf- 
ficiently evident,  that  something 
must  be  done  now,  of  which  there 
was  thirty  years  ago  scarcely  a 
thought  of  its  possibility  or  proba- 
bility; and  what  is  necessary  be- 
comes our  duty. 

But  the  question  also  arises, 
Have  we  the  men  for  such  a  work? 
— Thirty  or  forty  years  ago  our 
brethren  might  probably  have  said, 
and  that  justly  :  Xo,  we  have  not. 
The  few  bishops  and  ministers  of 
that  time  were  mostly  able  preach- 
ers of  the  Gospel,  but  only  in  their 
german  mother-tongue,  and  were, 
especially  the  bishops,  too  much 
advanced  in  age,  to  undertake  such 
great  journeys.  But  also  in  this 
respect  things  have  changed  much. 
We  have  now  brethren,  and  bishojis 
too,  and  not  a  few,  who  are  able 
speakers  in  the  English  language, 
and  of  an  age,  when  voyages  by 
water  and  by  land  may  not  be  al- 
together too  burdensome.  Yes  we 
rejoice  to  be  enabled  to  say,  that 
there  is  no  want  of  such  brethren, 
who  would  be  able  and  willing  for 
Christ  and  the  Gospel's  sake  to 
take  upon  themselves  the  hardships 
and  dangei-s  of  so    great  a    voyage. 

But  for  such  vo^-ages  there  are 
also  required  means,  and  that  pecu- 
niary means.  'Tis  true,  when  the 
Lord  sent  forth  his  disciples  for  the 
first  time,  he  told  them  to  "provide 
neither  gold,  nor  silver,  nor  brass 
in  their  purses."  Matt.  10  :  9.  But 
we    ouo;ht    also    not    to    overlook, 


where  he  then  did  send  them.  "Go 
ye  not  into  the  way  of  the  Gentiles, 
and  into  any  city  of  the  Samaritans 
enter  ye  not,  but  go  rather  to  the 
lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel." 
They  were  then  to  remain  altogeth- 
er within  the  land  of  the  Jews, 
among  their  own  people,  where 
they  could  always  find  a  hospitable 
shelter,  and  hence  needed  no  mon- 
ey. Let  us  also  recollect  that  the 
whole  country  of  the  Jews  was 
scarcely  half  as  large,  as  for  instance 
the  state  of  Ohio  is. 

Thus  it  was  in  former  times  an 
easy  matter  for  our  brethren  to  at- 
tend our  yearly  meetings,  while  * 
they  were  most  all  held  within  a 
small  district,  (East  and  West  of 
the  Susquehannah  interchangeably.) 
Most  of  the  brethren  could  reach 
it  on  foot,  and  stop  by  the  way  with 
brethren.  Then  they  needed  little 
or  no  money  or  scrip  for  their  jour- 
ney. But  who  would  now-a  days 
think  of  undertaking  a  journey  of 
500  or  1000  miles  to  the  yearly 
meeting,  as  for  instance  this  coming 
spring  to  Tennessee,  without  having 
some  gold  or  silver  in  their  pui'ses, 
or  some  scrip  for  their  journey  ? 

For  this  very  reason,  it  seems, 
the  Lord,  when  he  before  his  as- 
cension gave  to  his  disciples  the 
command^  to  go  into  all  the  world, 
'and  consequently  also  in  the  way 
I  of  the  gentiles,  and  to  preach  the 
'  Gospel  to  all  nations,  did  not  confine 
them  with  such  restrictions,  as  in 
their  previous  mission,  but  left  it 
to  their  own  prudence  and  discre- 
tion, how  they  should  prepare  and 
fit  themselves  out  for  such  journeys, 
and  to  the  love  and  providence  of 
their  brethren,  who  should  send 
them   out,   and    (notice  well  I)   dis- 


li- 


THE  XE^OSTEE  JJST^  HIS  SCTTHZ. 


vM,   or   as   ike 

, — h»  it,  oTfe^Urd  tkem. 

For  ao    we    TC*d  Ae»  1.?  :  3»X  Sl. 
CKaf  IiMked  so  care- 

M  wc r^  for  PaaL  that 

tkcj  m&t  oahr  expt^ied   his.  bet 
MHBe  t    al*>ac    with    kim. 

' "coai ■  _      :x  and  bns^iz^  him. 

to  Atike^  tkal  isy  ]irate^nr^  and 
pnnidia^ftr  kim.'*  ckapL  17  :  1^. 

'Lacaae  Bovtiiat  somtt   WetliFai. 
&^MxddgQ  or  be  seat  to  OaKSmiit 
aad  O  ':   appcazs   fiom    the 

cosap  .  :  sacJk  bretiiva,  that 

lizaov  aometain^  aboat  tbe  tost  of 
iBckjoancTS^  taat  no  kss  than 
famm.  iovr  to  fire  Lcndred  DoHaxs 
are-  i:t'j^>siry,  to  brzB^  one  man 
tbxrT^  an'i  hsjcj:  •  -'—  --  '_  -  -  -  : 
"fein  *~^':'  t-r«?" 


c:  -    - 

Xow- 

«le^j 

liiese    e^peaaincTEs  r      Are 

Hl'  '  -- 

-  7-ra.  mi»  are  to  b<Ä  seat,  t 

C 

1   tÄ^ir     o^m     pocket* 

f 

^ronk    wliOfe 

n 

.    ,1.1,  and  wL. 

X' 

7  so  k^ng-a^me. 

2.- 

-     -  .  _  -     7  .     ; '  r   .      -  - 

bp^tbre«  eame  firom  Teni»e?s<e  tc> 
the  jeariy  lBeetiÄ5^  aiid  2L?k€^l  for 
assistanfe.  in  orSer  ^o  relieve  «het 
bekoved  brother  Saxtth  Gasbkk 
£roci  an  imjast  debt  a^  £ne.  in- 
flicted on  him  there,  becan^  be 
had  preached  the  Got^pei  in  ii$  pa- 
mj  and  smplieity.  Bet  at  the 
jeariy  me^tin^  iosiead  of  200  doL- 
lirs  recair^,  only  about  S5  dol- 
Lu:$  were  collected.  ^Xow  we  ask. 
How  Umg  would  the  brethren  in 
Oregon  have  to  wait,  until  brethren 
cuKild  te  s«st  to  them?  And  we 
iear,  in  this  manner  the  soidiiig  of 
brethren  wosdd  be  postponed  most 
too  ^ong,  to  do  our  brethren  be  jond 
the  Boeky  moimtains  any  good. 
^-T  we  state  this  merely  to  diow. 
T  ve  miL?t  adopt  another  and 
r  way  in  this  r^peet,  than 
-wH  piDfceii  hitherto. 

f  To  I«?  cöBtinned-) 


ir 


bcarthe  expense  too?    Or  are  we 
to  look  to  the  snally  weak  eharehe 
IB  GaHfimna  and  Oregon,  to  tak-^ 
them  VM«    tfaenwdres  at  kait  in 


It  Mcms  to  as.  that  cmj  bnyther 
woaid  my,  ^^o^  not  indiTidBal  breth- 
ren, Bciiiwr  indiridBal  eharriies' 
thrjaZd  bear  those  eiqwBacs,  b«t  the 
wiMie  Brothcrliood  ftiiovld  anite  and 
help  iogechcr^aadth»  It  wül  not  £ül 
jicaTily  onanjoncu  Bathowistbi» 
to  be  done,  and  S.  B.  to  be  done 
M<>«? — Lei  «i  eoB*ider  a  case  near 
at  hand,  and  known  to  all  the  read- 
en  oTtlie  G.  T.— I.art  spring 


iTe  A  neara  him 

--:  ..an  who  was  go- 

_im  by  prayer,  to  be 

-  i^j  oe  very  iooig.    Mr.  Jij, 

-:  ...    ,wn  ehapel,  always  prefeirtd 

soin«r  through  the  whole  of  the  ser- 

-jisel^  and  on  one  ocession  he 

. „  1-7  said  to  a  minister  wlio  had 

olfered  to  paay  before  the  sermon, 

r.  I  am  moeh  obli^red  to  yon 
-  .  ^  zT  kind  offer,  be-  I  like  U> 
whet  my  own  scythe."  The  caongre- 
gation  generally  thought  tbat  he 
eonld  whet  it  better  than  any  one 
else:  and  he  always  considered  that 
the  prayers,  which  seldom  oceapled 
more  than  a  qaarter  of  an  honr,  in- 
chi^Bg  the  Lord's  Prayer,  which 
he  inrariably  repeated,  prqiared  his 
mind  lor  the  sermon.  R  is  a  re- 
markable iättt,  that  on  catering  the 


WMJlGSSf^B3^UiSIr^—2:^i±  Hul-i-jLi:   ---±.  HUH 


ry        -  n  itlili23*4r  <4Ji  liiifc    JIB:. 

oauuijrwL  "^^ 

L- — E^^ommrtiijom or     -„-  ,-„  uli— n^    ^n      .„^  - 

"  I     JLufGs:  (mi  tSfr  immtt  fflöE.    M  i» 

-.Lue.    Häi-  iia^lfe 

-•" ,  ^viiL  01..  IL  ini> 

±:^_^     ._    __  ^_^^,_     '     _  ^'-      .       .^    _  ,       -  '  ^ 

—    :     _  _       _.  '^tp 

litt.     .5»!'   Ibir:^^^-    tHii'T-^.       ^<rm< 
aniT-atüiiiirftijfiKB:  rmarpF^  H^  Jse^  tfeft-  iiymn  t&Hm     ~  r  üi  » 

_    -    .    ,      .    ...  7     ...      ..,  .  -.  ,  «üiiir 
t^zfiim  (öDinigtäiaiii  lauli  (fiseajj-  <saSk  nn  '^^"^^'^  mimnnr  'i  tnep  ^nu&is 

',  ■  -■      -  •  •    ,  -  - :-    ■--  '" —  ■-■  .^-^-r^ 

:^  ■        iQl.  iiif^  ÄoniiE 

joys»,  TVU.«  .  .    _  .         -  -  -i^" 

Tili  TTttfw  (HBüf  giiiöniv  (öiitarAU  aanrn- ^*^^  crm  ;-aiiiitt-z:iriu:^iii- 

^ ü-f  ^v^^Tng;.  TTTigiin..    Hkn  jgg-mnr  mntk 

Ek  ffkH2i^ta3u.^^<i-  maüm  Qnniw*  -    üirv^i  ^sidiigr  iuinrfr  ir  lg«. 

^V'-  1    ':; ^-    -      ,  -  -   •  ,- -      — :-    -  .x...-.m  wäiT'  iii)  .in&r  mirrv^  tatac 

.,  -  ^c«'  'üiTmgtJTrg:  dprai:  tu*  i^utSfi^ 

Via^    :   iM^^TTT^   Tvdhr-         -  -  UBgosr  iä^  muEg^  ^jitou  ür.  nni  :ani]igg7nr 

\:i~  mmv~  ricinür  tfflreiii;;  anLL..  :iiit  -  "*-^- 


i."  T)aü!^iU-  jjiiii  üCötUi  ai>  «fflBfflOTsaiiL  :i.mci  cüjclt  aiiUi  muroöff — d^^mu. 


112         THE  PEICELESS  GIFT.— A  BEAUTIFUL  EEPLY.  &c 


The  priceless  Gift.  !     ''Why,   ho  has  bequeathed  me  a 

Chinese     are     exceedingly  hundred-fold  more  in  this  life,  and 

in  the  world  to  come  life  everlast- 
ing." 

This    beautiful    reply    was     the 
means  of  comforting  his  Christian 


Tue 
mercenary.  They  will  do  almost 
iinything  for  money.  They  have 
no  notion  of  any  man  taking  a 
course  which  does  not  tend  to  profit. 
Many  of  them  think  we  ^my  people 
to  become  Christians ;  that  we  hire 
men  and  women  to  receive  baptism 
and  profess  faith  in  the  doctrines  of 
Jesus.  One  of  our  new  converts  re- 
cently held  the  following  dialogue 
with  a  neighbor  who  attempted  to 
catechize  him  on  the  subject  : 

•^'  llow  much  did  these  foreigners 
give  you  to  join  their  church  ?  — 
twenty  dollars  ?" 

"More  than  that." 

"A  hundred  dollars?" 

"More  than  that." 

"A  thousand  dollars  ?" 

"More  than  that." 

"  How  much,  pray  ?" 

"More  than  the  value  of  the 
weight  of  this  mountain  in  silver 
and  gold." 

"  In  the  name  of  Budda  !  what  ?" 
cried  the  astonished  interrogator. 

"This  precious  book,"  said  the 
Christian,  holding  up  his  Bible, 
"which  tells  me  of  God  and  Christ, 
Calvary,  salvation,  and  everlast- 
ing life  in  heaven."  —  Dr.  Went- 
worth. 


friend,  who  was  at  the  time  in  very 
sorrowful  circumstances. 


A  Beautiful  Reply. 

A  PIOUS  old  man  was  one  day 
walking  to  the  sanctuary  with  a 
]N'ew  Testament  in  his  hand,  when 
a  friend  who  met  him  said: 

"Good  morning,  Mr.  Price." 

"Ah,  good  morning,"  replied  he; 
"I  am  reading  my  Father's  will  as  I 
walk  along." 

"Well,  what  has  he  left  you?" 
said  his  friend. 


For    the    Visitor. 
THE  FAMILY  ALTAR. 

Beloved  Brethren  :    Through  the 
divine  will  I  have  thought  to  give  a 
few  suggestions  concerning  the  fam- 
ily altar.     Are  we  like  Abraham  of 
old,  the  father  of  the  faithful,   that 
wherever  we  cast  our  tent,  there  we 
erect    an    altar  to   the  Lord — like 
Abraham  who   traveled   out  of  the 
land  of  his   nativity   unto  the  land 
that  the     Lord    had  promised    to 
show  unto  him  because   of  his  obe- 
dience and  faith  to  the  Lord  ?    for 
he  was  willing  to  leave  his  former 
acquaintances,  and   so  he  took   his 
household  and  departed  and  went 
in  search  of  the  land  that  the  Lord 
had   promised    to   show  unto   him. 
Now  as  Abraham  was  coming   into 
Canaan,  and   as   he  passed  through 
the  land  unto  the  place  of  Sichem, 
unto  the   place  of   Moreh,    a    place 
that  was  rendered  famous,  the  next 
generation   by  the    well   of   Jacob, 
where  the  Savior  of  the  world,  wea- 
ried of  his  journey,  sat    down    and 
conversed  with   the   woman  of  Sa- 
maria; when    Abraham   was  como 
to  Sichem,  the  Lord  appeared  unto 
him  and  said,  "unto  thy  seed  will 
I   give   this   land."     This    promise 
was  now  for  the  first  time  revealed 
to  him,  and  the  land  was   not   only 
to  be   showed  unto  him,  but  given 
to  him  ;  and  of  this  he  was  assured 


by  the    express 


of  God. 


THE  FAMILY  ALTAE. 


113 


He  then,  even  the  Son  of  God,  ap- '  families  and  households,  those  whom 
peared  unto  Abraham,  and  promised  God  in  his  good  providence  has 
that  all  the  land  he  -was  travelling  brought  beneath  your  roof,  to  live, 
through,  should  be  made  over  to  land  as  far  as  depends  upon  you,  to 
his  heirs  forever.  There  builded  •  die,  in  ignorance  of  Him  "whom 
Abraham  an  altar  unto  the  Lord  truly  to  know  is  life  eternal  ?"  If 
who  appeared  unto  him.  This  was  this  be  so,  it  is  our  painful  duty  to 
the  first  act  of  worship,  or  the  first 'assure  you,  that  as  christian  mas- 
sacrifice  made  bv  Abraham  to  the;  ters  of  families,  vou  are  nes^lectinff  a 
Lord,  Gen.  12  :  8.  There  Abraham  I  very  important  branch  of  your  du- 
cast  his  tent  a  second  time,  and !  tv,  to  vour  Master  which  is  in 
there  builded  he  an  altar  unto  the  I  heaven.  He,  who  is  no  respecter  of 
Lord  and  called  upon  the  name  of;  persons,  will  require  of  you  an  ac- 
the  Lord  (or  in  the  name  of  the '  count  of  eveiy  soul  committed  to 
Lord.)  Xow  let  us  for  a  moment  your  care.  "Were  they  then  as- 
apply  this  to  every  christian  parent,  i  sembled  for  the  purj^ose  of  Family 
and  ask  ourselves  whether  we  have  i  prayer  ?  These  are  inquiries  which 
erected  that  altar  and  whether  we ,  one  day  be  made  of  you  :  AVill  you 
are  not   willinn^    now    to    erect    it.;replv  to  all,  or  anv  of  them  in   the 

O  j  i.      I.  » 

And  are  we  in  fiivor  of  tlie  com- j  negative  ?  "Will  you  say, ''It  is  true, 
mands  and  ordinances  of  the  people  I  was  the  master  of  a  christian 
of  God  at  all  times,  and  in  all  household  for  ten,  twenty,  or  fifty 
companies,  when  others  neglect  j  years,  but  I  never  thought  it  neces- 
what  we  believe  to  be  the  will  of'  sary  during  that  time,  that  as  a 
God  ?  Do  we  persevere  and  prac- 1  fiimily,  we  should  bow  the  knee  to 
ticethem?  And  when  others  dis-lThee  or  name  the  name  of  Jesus'* 
parage  those  whom  you  in  your  |  My  brethren,  this  ought  not  to  be 
heart  believe  to  be  the  people  of!  so,;  you  cannot  offer  one  reasonable 
God,  do  you  defend  and  support! and  satisfactory  excuse  why  they 
them  ?  In  these  respects  the  coward-  j  should  be  so.  You  will  not  tell 
ice  or  rather  the  faithlessnes  of  men  i  that  God  who  seeth  in  secret,  that 
is  perfectly  astonishing  even  to  those  j  you  have  no  time  for  these  duties, 
that  know  the  weakness  of  our  I  that  you  cannot  spare  one  quarter 
fallen  nature.  TVe  have  seen  that  I  of  an  hour  morning  or  evening,  for 
Abraham  never  pitched  his  tent! his  service,  that  you  cannot  rise 
even  for  a  night,  without  erecting  i  sufficiently  early  in  the  morning, 
an  altar  to  God  for  his  numerous  and  that  in  the  evening,  the  nature 
household  to  worship).  Are  you  of  your  duties,  and  the  hours  they 
then,  my  brethren,  equally  careful  compel  you  to  keep,  would  illy  har- 
in  the  observance  of  this  great  duty?  monize  with  the  observance  of 
Do  you  erect  in  all  your  dwellings, !  such  religious  duties.  Could  you  in 
the  family  altar  and  assemble  your  your    conscience,     believe   it,    you 


households,  and  call  upon  the  name 
of  the  Lord  ?  Or  are  you  strangers 
to  this  important  and  valuable  du- 
ty ?  Do  you  content  yourself  with 
your  own  devotions,  and  leave  your 


would  not  venliure  upon  such  an  ex- 
cuse to  Him.  O  do  not  pretend  to 
satisfy  yourselves  with  so  shallow 
or  fiilse  a  subterfuge — an  unholy 
sham  of  being  counted  too  earnest  in 
G.    Y.     Yol.    X.  8 


114 


THE  MISSIONAEY  LABOR. 


religion — of  paying  more  respect  Him  with  whom  wo  all  have  to  do. 
to  it  than  the  rest  of  the  world.  Brethren,  then  let  us  ask  ourselves 
There  is  a  time  coming,  when  you  caoh  respectively,  am  I  not  contra- 
will yourselves  be  astonished  that  dieting  by  my  life,  what  I  am  daily 
thefearof  the  world,  or  the  love  of  reading  with  my  lips  ?  How  can  I 
the  world,  was  ever  permitted  to  act  as  a  servant  of  the  living  God  in 
weigh  with  you  even  as  th«  light  my  family,  and  then  go  forth  in  the 
dust  upon  the  balance— when  all  morning  to  the  daily  duties  of  life  in 
that  you  might  have  done  for  God  j  an  unchristian,  unholy,  or  uncharit- 
will  appear  far  too  little,  and  when 
the  solemn  words  of  our  Kedecmer 
will  assuredly  be  fulfilled,  "Whoso- 
ever is  ashamed  of  me  and  of  my 
Avords  in  this  adulterous  and  sinful 
generation,  of  him  also  the  Son  of 
man  will  be  ashamed  when  he  com- 
eth  in  the  glory  of  his  Father  with 
his  holy  angels." 

Cut  off  therefore  at  least  this  one 
source  of  self-condemnation.  Delay 
no  longer  to  erect  the  family  altar, 
and  to  call  upon  the  name  of  the 
Lord;  to  read  the  word  of  God  to 
your  family,  to  confess  together  be- 
fore God  as  a  household  3-our  family 
sins,  to  acknowledge  together  your 
family  mercies,  and  to  petition  to- 
gether for  family  blessings.  Duties, 
such  as  these,  indeed,  when  faith- 
fully performed,  will  not,  and  can- 
not want  a  blessing,  because  they 
will  not,  and  cannot  stand  alone. 
They  will  under  the  divine  teaching 
and  guidance,  lead  you  carefully  to 
review  the  whole  tenor  of  your  life 
and  conversation,  and  to  compare 
it  with  the  dictates  of  that  Book 
which  you  esteem  of  sufficient  au- 
thority to  read  before  your  assem- 
bled family.  "When  you  read  day 
after  day  in  the  hearing  of  your  chil- 
dren and  domestics,  •  that  many  of 
those  things  which  are  most  highly 
esteemed  among  men,  are  an  abom- 
ination in  the  sight  of  God — that  all 
things  are  naked    and    open    before 


able  spirit  ? 

These  are  considerations  so  sol- 
emn, and  at  the  same  time  so  scrip- 
turally  true,  that  I  cannot  but  feel 
assured  that  if  they  were  allowed 
their  due  weight,  and  followed,  that 
family  prayer  would  be  no  longer 
neglected — that  morning  and  even- 
ing you  would  all  draw  around  the 
family  altar  and  offer  your  humble 
thanks  unto  Him  to  whom  I  and 
you  have  to  give  an  account  of  our 
stewardship  here.  Then,  my  belov- 
ed Brethren,  remember  that  the 
father  of  the  faithful,  Avherever  ho 
had  pitched  his  tent,  there  he  erect- 
ed an  altar  to  his  God.  Then  let 
us  all  be  so  faithful,  as  never  to  be- 
come weary  to  offer  our  humble 
prayers  to  God  through  Jesus,  for 
in  him  we  have  access  to  the  water 
of  life.  And  let  us  draw  therelrom 
freely,  for  in  it  we  find  nourishment 
for  our  souls. 

D.    B.     G. 

J^ettle  Creek,  Ind. 


For  the  Visitor. 
THE  MISSIONARY  LABOE. 
When  Christians  behold  the  pro- 
visions made  in  the  Xew  Testament 
to  reinstate  all  the  lost  sheep  of  the 
house  of  Israel,  and  the  Gentiles  too, 
in  the  state  of  peace  and  immortal- 
ity revealed,  they  cannot  repress 
their  feelings  of  thankfulnsss  to  (fod 
for  his  many  tender  and  rich   mer- 


THE  MISSIONARY  LABOR. 


115 


cies,  and  for  his  long  suffering  in 
still  waiting  as  in  the  days  of  Xoah, 
till  all  shall  hear  the  word. 

And  my  dear  reader,  christian 
friend  and  brother,  when  we  consid- 
er the  goodness  of  God,  seen  in  con- 
nexion with  the  freedom  of  these 
United  States,  and  her  glorious 
principles  of  religious  liberty  em- 
bodied in  her  ^'Jfagna  Charta/' 
with  what  zeal  and  interest  should 
our  heart  yearn  for  the  spread  of 
that  glorious  light,  which  can  ena- 
ble men  to  distinguish  truth  from 
eiTor,  good  from  evil,  and  heaven 
from  hell  ? 

True,  time,  and  a  prayerful  and 
thoughtful  exercise  of  mind  in  sin- 
cerity to  God  through  Christ,  must 
necessarily  be  included  in  the  chris- 
tian character,  yet,  in  a  general 
sense,  he  is  happy  who  forsakes 
his  evil  way,  comes  to  the  cross  of 
Christ,  and  puts  all  his  trust  in  him. 
Therefore  knowing  that  an  im- 
mensely great  number  are  still 
struggling  in  darkness,  in  a  great 
measure  from  a  want  of  a  more  ex- 
tensive ministry,  for  Christ  lays  it 
down  as  an  axiom,  that  "the  har- 
vest truly  is  great,  and  the  labor- 
ers are  few,"  a  diligent  and  well- 
disciplined  number  of  harvest  labor- 
ers should  be  sent  abroad  in  our 
land,  whose  object  would  be  to 
teach  the  lame  to  walk,  the  blind  to 
see,  and  all  things  whatsoever  Christ 
commanded.  When  laborers  can 
be  found  who  are  willing  to  go ; 
they  should  be  sent.  In  our  nation, 
the  truth  should  be  proclaimed  to 
all  who  can  be  reached.  And  the 
modes  of  traveling  are  so  various, 
that  traveling  is  comparatively 
nothing  to  what  it  was  when  St. 
Paul  traveled  on   the   great  Sea  to 


iRome.     Remember,  dear  brethren, 
what  advantages  we  have   for  trav- 
eling, and  for  letter  correspondence, 
and  for  spreading  the   truth.     How 
diligently  we    should    be    using    all 
these  means  at  our   disposal   in   en- 
deavoring to  correct  the   many   er- 
irors,  in  the  christian  world,   and  in 
restoring  to  the   world   a  pure   gos- 
Ipel.     O    how    desirable     that     we 
I  should  have  ministers  fully  qualified 
jfor  the  great  work; — ministers  pos- 
sessing wisdom  and   meekness,  and 
iall  the  ministerial  gifts  imparted  by 
j  the  Holy    Spirit,    that    they    could 
boldly  and    effectually  declare  the 
whole  counsel  of  God. 

But  may  we  not  inquire,  who  is 
sufiicient  for  these  things  ?  Surely 
this  almost  startles  us  I  The  respon- 
sibility is  indeed  great  I  Can  any 
one  think  himself  able?  Some  may 
presumptuously  think  that  they  are 
able.  But  how  are  they  able  ?  Is 
their  ability  of  the  carnal  flesh  or 
is  it  of  God  ?  All  may,  through  van- 
ity, think  they  can  preach  ;  but  can 
the  man  of  vanity  properly  and 
successfully  preach  the  command- 
ments of  God?  Certainly  not! 
Then  the  teacher  should  be  an  hum- 
ble man,  "thoroughly  furnished 
unto  every  good  work,"  &c.  And 
how  shall  he  obtain  all  the  necessa- 
ry qualifications?  By  confidently 
relying  on  God,  and  by  a  faithful 
discharge  of  his  duties. 

Reasoning  from  general  observa- 
tion, we  are  taught  that  to  accom- 
plish any  work  small  or  great,  we 
must  give  our  attention  to-  that 
work.  This  is  a  fact.  Then  if  we 
would  see  success  resulting  from  the 
missionary  enterprise,  we  must  do 
as  JuSe  directs  us,  when  he  says, 
"ye  should    earnestly    contend  for 


EXHOETATOEY 


the  faith  which  was  once  delivered 
unto  the  saints."  Here,  then,  is 
our  work,  and  if  we  seek  faith  and 
strength  from  Jesus,  wo  shall  never 
Iniow  in  our  efforts  to  do  good, 
such  a  word  as  fail. 

Let  us  arise,  and  awake  from 
sleep,  and  Christ  shall  give  us  light 
enough  to  understand  the  truth. 
O  who  will  staj'  in  the  city  of  de- 
struction? Who  will  slumber? 
Can  any  one  remain  unconcerned 
when  Jesus  is  always  ready  to  re- 
ceive and  help.  He  is  never  weary- 
He  still  waits  in  mercy,  and  is  anx- 
ious to  see  sinners  come  flocking 
liomc.  But  O,  how  dull  and  dead 
is  the  sinner!  But  as  it  is  pre- 
sumed the  minister  knows  the  dan- 
,ger  sinners  are  in,  how  willing  and 
tmxious  he  should  be  to  have  them 
reclaimed!  and  how  ready  he  should 
be  to  make  ever}^  sacrifice  he  can 
make  to  have  them  reclaimed. 

Brethren,  let  us  begin  the  work 
in  our  own  hearts  and  in  our  own 
hou.ses  first.  Let  our  hearts  be 
joined  in  this  noble  effort.  Let  no 
low  or  improper  motive  actuate  us, 
but  let  us  have  an  eye  to  the  glory 
of  God,  to  the  good  of  mankind, 
and  to  that  ''inheritance  which  is 
incorruptible,  undetiled,  and  which 
fadeth  not  away." 

Shall  we  then  say,  go  on  brethren, 
*'and  practice  what  you  know." 
Strive  to  preach  what  you  will  wish 
you  had  preached  when  you  come 
to  die.  And  let  us  try  to  live  what 
we  preach.  Be  instant  in  season 
and  out  of  season.  And  remember 
that  **he  which  converteth  the  sinner 
from  the  error  of  his  way  shall  save 
a  soul  from  death,  and  shall  hide  a 
multitude  of  sins." 

J.     I.     C. 


For  the  Gospel  Visitor. 
EXHORTATORY. 

Editors  Gospel  Visitor : 

Dear  breth- 
ren ;  having  a  few  leisure  moments, 
my  mind  was  impressed  with  the 
adage,  "While  unemployed  the  mind 
seeks  for  amusement."  Hence  I 
thought,  I  would  employ  my  mind 
for  a  few  moments  in  a  social  inter- 
course with  my  brethren,  whosoever 
they  may  be,  and  wherever  these 
lines  may  chance  to  come,  as  the 
Visitor  is  a  channel  through  Avliich 
we  can  speak  to  many  as  well  as  a 
few ;  we  therefore  embrace  the  op- 
portunity. Well,  my  dear  brethren, 
how  do  you  feel,  and  what  are  your 
prospects  of  a  home  in  heaven  ?  A 
home  high  up  in  heaven,  that  out- 
shines the  brilliancy  of  the  noon-day 
sun  !  Is  it  not  worth  striving  for, 
since  it  is  more  precious  than  silver 
or  gold,  and  worthy  the  attention 
and  candid  consideration  of  all  God's 
creation  ?  O  yes,  my  dear  brethren 
and  sisters  in  the  Lord,  we  will 
there  have  a  house  to  dwell  in,  a 
house  not  made  with  hands  eternal 
in  the  heavens,  where  we  can  walk 
the  golden  streets  of  Zion  with 
palms  of  victory  in  our  hands  &c. 
A  pleasing  thought  indeed.  Then 
why  should  we  be  discouraged,  not- 
withstanding our  many  seeming 
trials  while  sojourning  here  below  ? 
When  we  take  into  consideration 
the  trials  that  our  Savior  underwent 
for  us,  those  slight  afilictious  of 
ours  seem  to  vanish  from  our  eyes. 
Behold  our  blessed  Jesus?  see  him 
arraigned  before  Pontius  Pilate 
with  all  the  false  accusations  that 
those  wicked  Jews  could  raise 
against  him !  Hear  them  crying 
out.  Crucify  him  !  crucify  him  !  See 
that  crown   of  thorns   put  upon  his 


EXHORTATORY. 


117 


tender  head !    Oh  can  you  not  see 
those  sharp  pointed  thorns  entering 
his  tender    forehead,   and    see    the 
warm  blood  dripping  down  ?    Then 
look  yonder,  see    him    going    with 
the  heavy  cross  upon  his   shoulders, 
followed  by  an  innumerable  multi- 
tude of  people,  particularly  of  wo- 
men, and  when  the  blessed  Jesus, 
who  always  felt  the  woes  of  others 
more  tha»  his  own,    saw  them,  he 
said,     '^Daughters     of    Jerusalem, 
weep  not  forme;  behold    the    days 
are  coming,    in    which    they   shall 
say,  ''Blessed  are    barren,  and  the 
wombs  that    never    bare,    and  the 
paps  which  never  gave  suck.     Then 
shall    they    begin    to    say    to    the 
mountains,  fall  on  us,  and  to  the 
hills,  cover  us.     For  if  they  do  these 
things  in  a  green  tree,  what  shall  be 
done  in  a  dry?''   Luke  23  :  28.     See 
now  he  has  arrived  at  the  place  of  ex- 
ecution, called  Golgotha,  or  place  of 
skulls,  from  the  fact  that  it  was  the 
place  of  executing  criminals.     See 
one  of  our  Redeemer's  friends  offer- 
ing him  a  stupefying  drink  in  order 
to  lessen  the  pain  he   was  about  to 
undergo.     But  he  would  not  drink 
it;  but  with  fortitude  and  patience 
bore  his  sufferings.      Oh   see  them 
etrip  him  and  fasten  him  to  the  nig 


but  cannot  save  himself,  &c."      Oh 
hear  him  cry,  Eloi,  Eloi,  lama  Sa- 
bachthani  ?    My  God,  my  God,  why 
hast  thou  forsaken   me."      ''Father 
into  thy  hands  I  commend  my  spir- 
it."   He  bowed  his  head,  and  gave 
up  the  ghost.     Hark !    Hark !   hear 
the  sudden  noise  !     See  the   veil   of 
the  temple  rent  from  top  to  bottom. 
See  those  craggy  ix)ck8  come  tumb- 
ling   down,  &c.     O  dear    brethren, 
think  of  our  Master  and  his  suffer- 
ings !     We    shall   then    forget    our 
trivial  or  seeming  troubles,   and  re- 
joice in  those   heavenly  privileges, 
we  have  of  worshiping  our  God  and 
Father,  in  our  own   sanctuaries   and 
according  to  the  dictates  of  our  own 
conscience.     Oh  brethren,   be  faith- 
ful ;  do  not  forget  the  assembling   of 
yourselves  together  as  the  manner 
of  some  is,    but    meet    often,    pray 
with,  and  for    one   another.     There 
is  nothing  more  beautiful    and  en- 
couraging than    for    brethren    and 
sisters  to  meet  together,  and  talk 
about  Jesus. — We   here    in    Miami 
County,  Panther  creek  church,  meet 
once  a    week    for   social   exercises, 
when,  and  where  the  brethren  with 
pleasure  and    zealousness    of  heart 
mingle     their    thoughts    together, 
converse  about  Jesus  in  a  lovely  and 


ged  wood,  driving  the  nails  through  j  spii*itual  manner,  and  harmonizing 


I 


his  tender  hands  and  feet !  And 
instead  of  crying  out  for  the  sharp- 
ness of  pain,  hear  what  he  says ; 
"Father  forgive  them;  for  they 
know  not  what  they  do."  Oh  what 
meekness  and  goodness,  which  can- 
not be  equaled  by  any,  but  should 
he  imitated  by  all.  Then  see  those 
soldiers  after  crucifying  him,  rally- 
ing around  and  engage  in  a  general 
course  of  mocking,  hailing  him,  and 
saying,  "If  thou  be  the  King  of  the 
Jews,  save  thyself;  he  saved  others 


with  each  other,  neutralizing  all 
discords,  and  causing  a  general  fu- 
sion of  thought,  action,  deed,  and 
purpose,  to  exist  among  the  breth- 
ren. O  would  to  God  that  all  super- 
stition, selfishness,  and  religious  big- 
otry was  removed  from  our  hearts, 
and  that  all  who  profess  the  name 
of  Jesus,  could  meet  and  worship 
together  in  our  sanctuary — that  we 
could  have  a  little  more  charity 
toward  each  other,  and  cleave  more 
closely  to  the  word  of  God,  for  it  is 


118 


EDUCATION  &c. 


that  which  will  make  us  free,   for  it 
is  the  power  of  God  unto   salvation 
to  all  them  that  believe,  to    the  Jew 
first  and  also  to  the  Greek. 
Fraternally 


C. 


Covington  Ohio. 


For  the  Visitor. 
EDUCATION. 

We  sometimes  hear  it    remarked 
that     reading  and   writing  are  all 
that  is  necessary,  in  point   of   edu- 
cation, to  make  a  christian,  wheth- 
er minister  or  lay   member.     Well 
80  they  are.     There  can  be   christ- 
ians, and  no  doubt   are,  who  have 
no  education  at  all.    But  I  do  think 
it  is  highly  necessary    to    have,  at 
least  some,   educated  ministers,  for 
this  reason :  It  is    now  1860  years 
since     the    commencement     of  the 
church  which  has   existed   in  vari- 
ous    countries,    and    its    doctrines 
have  been  translated  into  different 
languages,    and     the    language   in 
which  we  have  them,   we  all  know 
is  not  the    original.    Now    suppose 
none  of  our  miqisters  had  any  more 
education  than  merely  reading  and 
writing,  and  some  learned  professor 
Of  some  other    denomination  would 
attack  some  of  our  doctrines,  telling 
us  that  in  the  original  Greek  lan- 
guage those  doctrines    were  differ- 
ently   understood     and    practiced. 
Wliat  would  we  do?    Certainly  we 
would  be  unable  to  help  ourselves, 
to  the  great  detriment  of  the  church, 
&  perhaps  to  many  not  belonging  to 
the  church.    When  we  are  all  able 
to  meet  our  opponents  on  every  hand, 
it    is  certainly    encouraging.     But 
to  fail  in  just  one  point  must  be  dis- 
couraging.   Hence,  the  necessity  of 


having  some  learned  ministers  to 
defend  our  doctrines  when  they 
are  assailed. 

I  readily  admit  that  if  the  church 
had  been  organized  in  our  day  and 
time,  and  in  our  language,  then 
there  would  be  no  necessity  for 
more  education  than  a  correct  knowl- 
edge of  our  own  language.  But 
as  already  stated,  the  church  hav- 
ing undergone  such  various  chan- 
ges, and  its  doctrines  being  so  of- 
ten misconstrued,  I  do  think  it  is 
of  great  importance  to  have  some 
ministers  well  versed  in  church 
history,  and  in  the  language  out 
of  which  its  doctrines  have  been 
translated. 

Now  I  do  not  wish  to  be  un- 
derstood to  say  that  none  ought  to 
preach  but  educated  persons;  no 
not  at  all.  We  have  a  great  many 
successful  ministers  of  but  common 
education.  We  can  not  do  with- 
out them.  I  have  often  thought 
that  their  exhortations  were  more 
edifying  and  cheering,  than  those 
of  more  educated  ministers.  But 
then  I  think  it  is  wrong  to  say  we 
shall  not  have  any  learned  minis- 
ters who  "are  certainly  excellent  in 
doctrine. 

Fraternally 

J.    S.    K. 


GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHTTRCH. 

We  must  take  heed  how  we  gov- 
ern the  church  of  God.  Our  Lord 
usually  called  the  church  Hhe  king- 
dom of  God,"  and  *'the  kingdom  of 
heaven ;"  and  he  has  not  been  less 
careful  in  providing  for  its  govern- 
ment, than  for  its  enlargement. 
The  scriptures  afford  all  necessary 
instruction  on  this  subject.  On  this 
point  a  responsibility  as  weighty  as 


GOVEENMENT  OF  THE  CHUECH. 


119 


eternity  rests  upon  the  church.  |  rebuke  thy  neighbor,  and  not  suffer 
Her  official  members  are  made  stew- j  sin  upon  him."  Lev.  19:17.  The 
ards  of  their  Master's  house.  To  I  Scriptures  are  a  sufficient  standard 
them  has  he  committed  his  treas-jby  which  we  may  determine  what  is 
ures,  to  them  has  he  given  a  charge  j  proper  to  be  allowed  in  the  church, 
to  feed,  instruct,  and  correct  his  These  little  unnoticed  foxes  spoil 
children,  and  he  will  not  fail  to  the  tender  vines  of  the  church, 
avenge  the  wrongs  practiced  upon  They    characterize    the   worldling, 


them.  If  we  say,  our  Lord  delay- 
eth  his  coming,  and  shall  begin  to 
beat  our  fellow-servants,  he  will 
come  at  a  time  when  we  look  not 
for  him )  and  he  has  informed  us 
that  we  may  expect  no  mercy  at 
his  hand.  We  have,  therefore,  no 
less  need  of  caution  in  this  partic- 
ular, than  in  those  already  noticed. 
It  should  be  impressed  upon  the 
mind  of  every  member  of  the  church, 
whose  duty  it  is  to  judge  in  the 
chui'ch,  that  he  take  heed  how  he 
acts  in  the  discharge  of  this  duty. 
On  this  subject  our  attention  is 
called  to  a  number  of  particulars. 

1.  We  should  be  faithful  in  noti- 
cing what  may  be  considered  small 
deviations  from  the  Christian  char- 
acter. Custom  may  have  removed 
the  reproach  from  some  sins,  and 
they  may  be  termed  trifling  offences; 
but  custom  can  never  sanctify  sin,- 
or  make  that  right  which  is  wrong  -, 
nor  can  a  perseverance  in  what  is 
wrong  ever  bring  our  Lord  to  con- 
sent to  it.  We  are  not  willing  to 
resign  the  small  pecuniary  claims 
we  hold  against  those  with  whom 
we  have  dealings,  nor  allow  our 
property  to  be  purloined  in  small 
articles,  or  pass  unnoticed  small 
insults  upon  our  persons,  or  slight 
a-spersions  upon  our  characters. 
Why,  then,  should  we  be  less  par- 
ticular with  the  interest  and  honor 
of  our  Divine  Master,  when  they 
are  committed  to  our  care  ?  God 
has  said,  "Thou  shalt   in   any    wise 


and  point  out  to  the  observation  of 
all,  the  loose  professor  of  Christian- 
ity. Our  own  faults  may  not  be 
urged  as  a  reason  for  indulging 
!  othei'^  in  theirs.  This  would  be  a 
mutual  encouragement  to  sin,  and 
a  kind  of  mutual  assurance  against 
its  consequences.  Mutual  faithful- 
ness will  promote  the  general  health 
and  the  increase  of  the  church. 

2.  In  the  government  of  the 
church  we  must  be  prompt.  Faults 
should  be  noticed  as  soon  as  they 
are  known.  They  are  not  likely  to 
correct  themselves;  but  will  increase 
in  strength  and  number,  by  letting 
them  pass  unnoticed.  Besides, 
this,  the  worldling  and  the  delin- 
quent will  be  led  to  the  conclusion, 
that  such  errors  are  intentionally 
tolerated  in  the  church.  If  a  sin 
be  considered  trifling,  and  a  solitary 
individual  only  be  concerned  in  it, 
if  connived  at,  it  will  probably  be- 
come general,  untu,  by  its  long 
continuance,  and  the  numbers  im- 
plicated, it  becomes  hopeless  to  at- 
tempt a  correction.  In  this  manner 
have  all  the  corruptions  of  Christi- 
anity obtained  their  standing  in  the 
church.  And  thus  the  honor  of  re- 
ligion, and  the  reputation  of  the 
church,  materially  suffer,  and  per- 
haps the  unfortunate  member  per- 
ishes. It  is  therefore  needful  that 
the  remedy  be  applied  as  soon  as 
the  disease  appears. 

3.    We  should  be  impartial  in  the 
government  of  the  church.    No  per 


120 


GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH. 


«on  should  be  privileged  to  do  wrong. 
In  this  particular  we  are  exceeding- 
ly liable  to  err.  '  It  is  difficult  to 
reprove  the  faults  of  those  whose 
friendship  is  needful  to  us,  or  whose 
relations  are  numerous  and  honora- 
ble, or  whose  age  and  former  useful- 
ness entitle  them  to  our  particular 
regard.  Wo  may  fear  that  a  faith- 
ful course,  in  such  cases,  will  result 
in  the  withdrawal  of  pecuniary 
assistance,  or  in  family  disaffection. 
But  whatever  may  be  the  conse- 
quence, we  must  not  forget  the  ad- 
monition, to  "know  no  man  after 
the  flesh."  The  membei*s  of  the 
church  have  equal  right  to  justice. 
Although  this  equal  administration 
of  discipline  may  sometimes  be  pain- 
ful, the  health  and  prosperity  of  the 
church  requires  it.  To  permit  a 
faulty  member  to  live  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  impoverish  his  own 
eoul,  and  bring  it  to  ruin,  is  a  -wrong 
method  of  manifesting  our  kind 
feelings,  either  for  him  or  his  con- 
nections. It  is  well  known  that 
persons  in  such  circumstances  do 
not  wish  to  be  reproved;  but  our 
covenant  engagements  bind  us  to  do 
at ;  and  if  we  neglect  it,  we  shall 
incur  the  displeasure  of  our  Master. 
The  faithfulness  of  the  prophet 
Nathan  with  king  David,  2  Sam. 
12  :  7 — 14 ;  Micaiah  with  Ahab,  1 
Kings  22  :  17— 21,  and  John  the 
Baptist  with  Herod,  are  noble  ex- 
amples of  Christian  duty. .  ^'Opcn 
rebuke  is  better  than  secret  love." 
And, 

4.  We  must  be  meek,  spiritual, 
and  scriptural  in  the  discipline  of 
tbo  church.  ^'Brethren,  if  a  man 
be  overtaken  in  a  fault,  yo  which 
Arc  spiritual  restore  such  an  one 
in  the  spirit  of  meekness;  consider- 
ing thyself,  lest  thou  also  bo  tempt- 


ed."—Gal.  6:1.  To  be  unkind  or 
overbearing  in  such  cases,  would  he 
the  direct  way  to  harden  and  dis- 
affect  the  unfortunate  brother.  The 
object  to  be  had  in  view  in  all  our 
labors  of  this  kind,  should  bo  to 
''gain  our  brother."  And  we  should 
be  scriptural  in  what  we  do.  There 
have  been  many  discipline  makere, 
and  many  rules  have  been  made  for 
tohat  offences  and  in  what  manner 
we  shall  deal  with  our  delinquent 
brethren.  But  not  much  credit  is 
due  to  those  who  have  affected  to  bo 
wise  above  what  is  written.  The 
rules  the  scriptures  give  will  bo 
found,  in  the  end,  to  be  the  best 
calculated  to  effect  the  desired  ob- 
ject. We  assume  an  awful  respon- 
sibility when  we  depart  from  them. 
There  are  but  few,  comparatively, 
who  are  invulnerable  to  acts  of 
kindness  and  a  tender  Christian 
solicitude.  We  must  also  be  unwea- 
ried in  our  efforts  to  reclaim  a  wan- 
dering brother — not  less  so,  than 
when  we  attend  on  a  brother  who 
may  be  sinking  under  a  literal  sick- 
ness. In  this  case,  if  the  first  or 
second  dose  of  medicine  prescribed 
for  him  has  not  the  desired  effect, 
we  do  not  abandon  him,  to  fall  a 
prey  to  his  disease;  but  persevere 
in  our  efforts  while  life  remains. 
And  should  we  be  less  patient  and 
persevering  in  saving  a  soul  from 
hell,  than  we  are  in  restoring  a  body 
to  health  ?  Certainly  not.  And  "he 
that  converteth  a  sinner  from  the 
error  of  his  way  shall  save  a  soul 
from  death,  ane  shall  hide  a  multi- 
tude of  sins." — James  5  :  20. 

Selected, 

«'Trust  in  the  Lord  with  all  thine 
heart;  and  lean  not  unto  thine  own 
understanding,"     Prov.  3  :  5. 


LOOK  TO  THYSELF. 


121 


For  the  Visitor. 
LOOK  TO  THYSELF. 

'^Peter  seeing  him^  saith  unto  Je- 
9uSjLord,  and  what  shall  tJiis  man 
do?  Jesus  saith  unto  Aim,  if  I  will 
that  he  tarry  till  I  come^  what  is  thai 
to  thee?  Folloio  thou  me.  John  21  : 
21,  22," 

Dear  Brethren :  Fi*om  the  above 
text  we  very  plainly  can  see  that 
ior  us  to  look  to  God's  word  and 
ourselves  is  of  the  utmost  import- 
ance. I  fear  there  is  a  fault  among 
gome  of  us  in  this  particular.  How 
often  have  we  been  made  to  weep 
and  lament  on  account  of  this  fail- 
ure which  is  in  some  of  the  breth- 
ren. How  often  have  I  heard 
brethren  tell  over  a  long  black  cat- 
alogue of  bad  deeds  done  by  such  a 
brother  or  such  a  sister,  that  per- 
haps has  transpired  years  back,  and 
the  offender  has  made  sufficient 
satisfaction!  the  thing  is  buried, 
and  forgiveness  obtained,  and  he 
has  proved  by  his  life  and  walk, 
that  he  is  trying  to  walk  in  the  nar- 
row road.  O  may  God  forgive  us 
of  this  failure  !  My  heart  has  been 
made  to  bleed  when  hearing  such  a 
discourse.  And  how  often  has  such 
conversation  been  indulged  in,  in 
the  presence  of  those  that  are  not 
members  of  the  church.  Brethren, 
consider  upon  it.  What  an  evil 
effect  it  has  upon  the  prosperity  of 
the  church.  The  world  is  ever 
ready  to  harbor  such  things.  And 
while  we  occupy  this  position,  are 
we  not  standing  in  the  way  of  sin- 
nei'S?  And  while  we  are  convers- 
ing about  the  ills  of  the  Brethren, 
we  are  not  meditating  on  the  law  of 
the  Lord.  Dear  Brethren,  if  our 
blessed  Lord  at  the  day  of  judgment, 
would  begin  to   enumerate  our  evil 


deeds,  how  would  we  enter  the  ce- 
lestial city  ?  But  blessed  be  God, 
if  we  repent  in  sincerity,  and  for- 
sake our  sins,  he  is  faithful    to    for- 


give, 


and   that    is    the    last    of   it. 


Now  let  us  take  the  apostles  for  our 
example,  and  Jesus  Christ  for  the 
chief  corner  stone,  to  build  upon. 
But  furthermore,  there  is  no  good 
I  results  from  such  conversation. 
I  And  whatever  is  not  of  faith  is  sin. 
The  apostle  tells  us  to  forget  the 
!  things  which  are  behind  and  to  look 
forward  to  those  things  which  are 
before  us.  Brethren,  let  us  not 
spend  our  time  in  rehearsing  things 
that  have  been  settled,  for  it  de- 
stroys the  love  and  unity  of  the 
brotherhood. 

The  apostle  tells  us  that  he  that 
"seemeth  to  be  religious,  and  bri- 
dleth  not  his  tongue,  this  man's 
religion  is  vain."  Things  that  have 
been  settled,  should  be  forever  drop- 
ped both  in  public  and  in  private. 
The  Psalmist  says,  "my  tongue 
shall  talk  of  thy  righteousness  all 
the  day  long."  "But  fornication, 
and  all  uncleanness,  or  covetous- 
ness,  let  it  not  once  be  named 
among  you,  as  becometh  saints; 
neither  filthiness,  nor  foolish  talk- 
ing, nor  jesting,  which  are  not  con- 
venient: but  rather  of  giving  of 
thanks.  If  our  time  be  thus  em- 
ployed, we  will  do  well.  But  while 
we  are  watching  others  the  devil 
is  watching  us,  and  often  gets  ua 
into  difficulty  if  a  breach  has  been 
made  and  healed.  "What  is  that  to 
thee 't  follow  thou  me. 

A.  Correspondent. 


"Fear  God,  and  keep  his  com- 
mandments :  for  this  is  the  whole 
duty  of  man."  Eccl.  12  :  13. 


L22 


TRUTH.— THE  FAMILY  CIECLE. 


For  the  Visitor. 
TÄITTH. 

Truth  is  a  jewel.  It  is  the  most 
precious  thing  of  which  we  think. 
More  precious  'tis  than  diamonds,  ru- 
bies pearlSf  or  gold,  precious  though 
they  be.  "Truth  is  stronger  than  fic- 
tion." The  lover  of  the  marvelous 
will  find  wonderful  things  in  truth. 
What  romance,  novel  or  eastern 
tale  can  rival  the  Savior's  birth, 
and  life?  Wliat  Homer  can  excel 
the  lofty  poems  of  the  Bible  ?  Is 
not  the  story  of  the  creation  more 
wonderful  than  any  romance  ? 
What  fairy  tale  presents  such  won- 
derful creatures  to  our  view,  as 
does  the  magnifying  glass,  directed 
to  a  drop  of  water  swarming  with 
life,  or  to  the  tiny  insect,  or  to  the 
glittering  occupants  of  the  starry 
heavens?  What  Arabian  tale 
equals  the  thrilling  history  of  the 
times  that  tried  men's  souls — of  the 
destruction  of  the    "Holy    City?" 

We  should  be  truthful  in  every 
thing.  Do  we  not  admire  truthful 
people?  Those  who  will  stand  to 
their  principles  though  it  take  all 
away  from  them  but  conscious  integ- 
rity? all  but  the  honest  beauty  of 
their  true  lives  ?  There  have  been 
honest  people,  who  rather  than 
ßpeak  or  act  contrary  to  the  still  small 
voice  within,  which  is  the  voice  of 
Grod,  have  died  in  torments,  on  the 
cross,  and  amidst  the  burning  fag- 
ots. They  have  been  sawn  asunder, 
cut  to  pieces  inch  by  inch,  &c. 

Thus  did  the  martyrs  of  the  olden 
time.  Thus  let  us  possess  this  good 
principle  of  truth.  Truth  is  the 
brightest  ornament  of  life.  Let  us 
all  seek  to  wear  it,  now  and  for- 
ever. Let  it  be  our  guiding  star. 
Let  U6  go  whithersoever  it  leadeth 


us,  and  it  will  lead  us  to  enjoy  the 
beauty  and  melody  of  Heaven.  We 
should  love  the  truth  as  the  poor 
slave  loves  the  one  that  has  freed 
him  from  his  loathsome  bondage, 
for  truth  only  makes  us  free. 

"Truth. 
Brightest  ornament  of  youth, 
Seek  to  wear  it  in  your  crown. 
Then,  though  all  the  world  should 

frown. 
Thou  hast  won  a  glorious  prize, 
That  shall  lift  thee  to  the  skies." 
M.    L.    T. 
Kenton,  Miami  Co  O. 


ANNE,  THE  FEETFFL. 

I  once  knew  a  little  girl  (I  fancy 
many  of  my   readers   have    known 
children  like  her,)  who    had    every 
comfort  of  a  good  home,   kind  pa- 
rents, and    all    the    enjoyments   of 
life.    She  had  never  known  want  or 
sorrow  of  any  kind.     Yet  amid  all, 
this  child  was  not  happy.  She  had  a 
fretful  temper.    She  was  clever,  and 
read  many  books,  but  she  did  not 
profit  by  them. — ^At  meal  times,  she 
generally  wanted  something  differ- 
ent from  what  was    on   the    table ; 
when  her  new  clothes  came  home, 
she  always  thought  she  should  have 
preferred  a  different  color  or  pattern. 
On  fine  days,   she    would  complain 
how   it  tired  her  to  walk    out,  and 
on  wet  days,  she  murmiired  that  the 
rain  kept  her  in   the  house.    Now, 
this  Anne  Osborn  was  not    an    un- 
kind child.     She  was  good  to  dumb 
creatures,  and    very    charitable    to 
the  poor ;  and  she  was  not    idle,  for 
she    attended    to  her    studies    dili- 
gently; but  her  temper  was  peev- 
ish, and  she  saw    some    trouble    in 
everything  that  happened  to  her. 


THE  FAMILY-CIRCLE. 


123 


This  disposition  of  course  brought 
its  own  punishment;  few  children 
ever  shed  more  tears  than  poor  fret- 
ful Anne.  vShe  made  herself  thin 
and  delicate  by  her  worry.  Her 
parents  deeply  grieved  over  this  sad, 
gloomy  spii'it.  They  tried  change 
of  air  and  scene,  and  the  company 
of  other  children,  admonitions  and 
punishment,  still  the  child  kept  her 
discontented  nature,  and  never 
made  a  friend,  or  enjoyed  the  bless- 
ings around  her. 

Mrs  Osbom  was  very  charitable, 
and  visited  many  of  the  poor  in  her 
neighborhood.  She  had  not  hith- 
erto taken  her  little  daughter,  be- 
cause the  child  had  always  com- 
plained that  it  made  her  still  more 
unhappy  to  see  poverty  and  sick- 
ness. 

One  fine  June  day,  Mrs.  Osbom 
and  Anne  were  walking  in  a  pleas- 
ant country  lane,  and  the  little  girl 
was  watching  the  light,  fleecy 
clouds,  and  saying,  "Don^t  you 
think  it  will  rain,  mamma  ?  What- 
ever shall  we  do,  if  it  should  rain  ? 
Had  we  not    better    turn  back?" 

But  Mrs.  Osbom  still  went  on. 

"Fm  tired,  mamma,"  said  Anne. 
*'I  should  like  to  sit  down  on  that 
bank,  but  I'm  afraid  there  are  in- 
sects there." 

Still  Mrs  Osbom  continued  her 
walk.  Suddenly  there  came  a  sweet 
sound,  borne  by  the  still  summer 
air.  It  floated  to  them — a  pleasant 
melody,  sung  in  a  clear,  full,  soft 
voice. — The  walkers  paused  to  listen. 

"O  how  lovely!"  said  Mrs  Os- 
bom. 

"What  is  it,  mamma?"  said  An- 
ne, half  frightened. 

"A  singer,  child,  I  should  say,  a 
most  happy  as  well  as  sweet  singer!" 


Again  and  again  came  the  strain  ; 
they  recognized  a  simple  melody — 
that  like  the  wild  flowers  is  none 
the  less  beautiful  because  familiar — 
they  walked  on  faster  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  voice,  and  the  words 
came  distinctly — 

"Around  the  throne  of  God  in  heaven, 

Thousands  of  children  stand  ; 
Children     whose  sins    are  all  forgiven, 
A  holy,  happy  band, 

Singing  glory,  glory,  glory. 
Singing  glory,  glory,  glory." 

O  that  chorus!  how  it  swelled 
upward,  scattering  notes  of  joy,  as 
if  the  air  was  filled  by  an  angel's 
voice. 

A  sudden  bend  in  the  lane  brought 
the  singer  into  full  view.  There 
was  a  little  lowly  cottage  in  a  gar- 
den, and  sitting  at  the  porch,  sur- 
rounded by  osiers  and  willow  wands, 
was  a  boy  with  an  unfinished  bas- 
ket on  his  lap,  at  which  he  was 
working.  The  mother  and  daugh- 
ter stayed  their  steps,  and  looked 
and  listened  in  silence.  With  won- 
derful quickness  the  boy's  fingers 
moved.  Anne  noticed  that  he  did 
not  look  at  his  work,  his  head  was 
erect,  he  seemed  to  be  gazing  up- 
ward, while  the  rich  notes  of  hi» 
voice  poured  out  their  gift  of  sweet- 
ness. They  crept  nearer.  Anne 
could  see  at  once  those  wide-open 
eyes  were  blind ;  yes,  the  boy  sit- 
ting there  in  the  sunshine,  amid  the 
bloom  of  flowers  and  under  the  wa- 
ving trees,  saw  none  of  the  flush. of 
beauty  around  him,  yet  how  happy 
he  looked ;  his  face  seemed  all  aglow 
with  the  light  of  a  glorious  spirit ; 
again,  again  the  chorus  rang  out — 
Singing  glory,  glory,  glory. 

Suddenly  he  stopped,  his  quick 
ear  caught  the  sound  of  footsteps^ 
and  of  a  hand  upon  the  gate ;  he 
turned  his  head  round  instinctively 


124 


NEWS  FROM  THE  CHUECHES. 


"Is  your  mother  at  home?"  said 
Mrs.  Osborn,  seeing  that  she  was 
heai'd. 

"No,  ma'am,"  replied  the  bo}^, 
"she  had  to  go  to  work  at  farmer 
Rose's,  and  she  will  not  be  back 
till  night." 

"What!  arc  you  left  alone  all 
day?" 

"Yes,  ma'am,  mother  was  obliged 
to  go ;  but  I'm  not  lonely,  I  have 
my  work  to  do,  it's  as  much  as  I 
shall  get  done  by  four  o'clock,"  he 
said,  twisting  away  quickly  all  the 
time  at  his  basket. 

"You  do  not  work  after  four 
o'clock,  then?"  said  Mrs.  Osborn. 

"Not  to-night,  ma'am;  three  days 
a  week  I  go  to  the  school  to  help  to 
teach  the  children  to  sing." 

"You  learned  to  sing  at  the  blind 
school,  I  suppose  ?" 

"Yes,  ma'am,  and  since  I've  been 
home,  Mr.  Potter,  the  master, 
thought  I  might  be  of  use  to  the 
children." 

"I've  not  been  able  for  the  last 
month  to  call  on  your  mother,"  said 
Mrs.  Osborn,  "but,"  she  added,  "I 
wish  3'ou  to  tell  her  I  have  been 
here,"  and  then  she  gave  her  name. 

"O,  ma'am,  you  are  one  of  the 
kind  ladies  who  got  mo  into  the 
blind-school.  I  don't  know  how 
much  to  thank  you,  ma'am.  I've 
learned  a  good  deal,  and  I  think  I 
can  get  more  than  my  own  living; 
I  want  to  help  mother — to  keep 
her  if  lean." 

"My  poor  boy,"  said  Mrs.  Osborn, 
"it's  very  lonely  and  hard  for  you." 

"O,  not  at  all,  God  has  been  so 
good  to  us — indeed,  ma'am,  I'm  as 
happy  as  the  day  is  long." 

It  was  a  June  day,  and  Mrs.  Os- 
born, looking  more  at  her  daughter 


than  the  boy,  said,  "The  days  aro 
nearly  at  the  longest,  and  you  must 
be  happy  indeed."  She  thought 
of  that  long  day  in  the  blest  abode, 
where  it  is  said,  "There  is  no  night 
there,"  and  silently  gave  God 
thanks  that  He  had  filled  this  dear 
child's  darkened  body  with  a  spirit 
of  light,  and  joy,  and  gladness. 

As  they  walked  home,  Mrs.  Os- 
born explained  how  the  boy  had 
been  three  years  away  at  a  school 
for  teaching  the  blind;  how  he  had 
returned  dui-ing  the  last  month,  and 
was  making  himself  useful  without 
fee  or  reward,  beyond  the  joy  of  his 
own  heart,  in,  the  school.  She  did 
not  fail  to  point  out  the  content- 
ment of  l^s  spirit  to  Anne.  Poor 
and  blind,  toiling  and  often  lonely; 
yet  out  of  his  feeble  lips  God  had 
perfected  praise.  Anne's  eyes 
streamed  with  tears,  she  had  felt 
the  lesson,  she  resolved  to  try  to 
conquer  her  peevish  temper.  It 
was  hard  work.  But  fi'om  that 
day  she  tried.  Whenever  she  was 
fretful,  she  thought  of  the  blind  boy, 
and  in  the  course  of  time  she  also 
was  able  to  say — 

"O  Lord,  I  will  praise  Thee; 
though  Thou  wast  angry  with  me, 
Thine  anger  is  turned  away,  and 
Thou  comfortedst  me;"  and  then 
it  was  no  longer  a  form  or  a  mockery 
for  her  to  use  the  words,  "For  thine 
is  the  kingdom,  the  power,  and  the 
glory,  forever  and  ever. — Amen." 


For    the    Visitor. 
NEWS  FROM  THE  CHURCHES. 

Bush  Creek,  Frederick  Co.  Md. 
Feb.  4th.  1860. 

Dear  brethren:  I  embrace  the 
present  opportunity  to  inform  yon 
that  we  have  had  a  number  of  meet- 


NEWS  FEOM  THE    CHURCHES. 


125 


ings  of  late  in  our  district,  and  we 
have  every  reason  to  believe  the 
Lord  has  been  with  us  in  answer  to 
prayer.  We  had  visits  from  several 
of  our  strange  brethren,  and  these 
together  with  our  own  brethren, 
who  labor  regularly  among  us, 
preached  for  us.  Our  beloved  breth- 
ren D.  and  S.  Longenecker  were 
with  us  several  days,and  preached 
the  true  gospel  as  laid  down  in  the 
Xew  Testament,  to  attentive  con- 
gregations. After  they  left  us,  our 
beloved  brother  Joseph  Kelso  fi'om 
Ohio,  preached  some  seventeen 
times  in  different  parts  of  our  dis- 
trict, in  word  and  doctrine.  And 
although  a  stranger  to  nearly  all  of 
us,  I  rejoice  to  say  he  brought  no 
other  gospel  to  us  than  that  held 
forth  by  our  beloved  brethren,  who 
labor  regularly  in  the  ministry 
amongst  us,  but  preached  out  of  the 
same  book,  and  the  same  Jesus,  to 
attentive  and  solemn  congregations. 
Our  brethren  in  the  ministry,  and 
their  little  flock  over  whom  they 
have  charge,  have  been  edified,  and 
built  up,  by  the  presence  of  the 
holy  Spirit,  and  have  been  made  to 
rejoice  in  the  God  of  their  salvation. 
And  sinners  have  been  made  to 
tremble  at  seeing  their  true  condi- 
tion. On  last  Lord's  day,  our 
brethren  baptized  two  young  persons 
wiio  were  brought  to  a  sense  of 
their  duty,  which  required  them  to 
obey  the  gospel.  And  at  night,  our 
brother  preached  his  last  discourse 
from  Luke  14  :  15 — 24  verses  inclu- 
sive. Subject — "A  certain  man 
made  a  great  supper  and  bade  many 
&c,"  which  was  proclaimed  with 
power,  and  according  to  the  gospel. ! 
We  were  all  made  to  rejoice.  Andj 
after  prayer,  we  all  joined  in  singing  j 
the  Pilgrim's   farewell.     Truly,   thel 


presence  of  the  Lord  was  with  us, 
and  I  rejoice  to  say  that  the  seed  sown 
by  our  strange  brethren,  has  taken 
root,  and  my  prayer  is  that  it  may 
be  as  bread  cast  upon  the  waters, 
to  be  gathered  up  in  due  time.  At 
the  close  of  our  meeting  several 
came  to  the  brethren  and  made  it 
manifest  with  tears  in  their  eyes, 
and  hearts  all  broken  up  by  the 
power  of  the  gospel,  that  they 
wished  to  be  united  with  the  people 
of  God,  and  sei've  him  in  his  ap- 
pointed way.  They  will  be  attend- 
ed to  at  our  next  regular  meeting. 
My  prayer  is,  that  God  will  contin- 
ue this  good  work  amongst  us,  until 
many  who  are  out  of  the  ark  of 
safety,  will  be  brought  to  a  sense 
of  their  duty,  and  obey  the  gospel 
as  laid  down  by  our  good  Master. 
A.    H.    R. 


From  the  same. 
Since  I  wrote  to  you  last  the  good 
work  of  the  Lord  has  been  going 
on  amongst  us,  sinners  have  been 
made  to  feel  and  cry  for  mercy.  On 
Lord's  day,  19th.  two  were  bap- 
tized. And  yesterday  (Lord's  day) 
we  had  a  glorious  time,  our  meeting 
house  was  filled  full  of  attentive 
people  to  hear  the  truth  as  it  is  in 
Jesus,  by  our  beloved  brethren,  and 
after  meeting,  we  re2")aired  to  the 
water,  and  in  the  presence  of  a  vast 
multitude  six  were  received  into 
church  fellowship  through  the  or- 
dinance of  baptism.  Great  solemnity 
prevailed  during  the  administra- 
tion of  this  holy  ordinance.  Truly 
the  presence  of  the  Lord  was  with 
us,  and  my  prayer  is  that  God  will 
continue  this  good  work  that  has 
been  commenced  in  our  midst,  until 
many  who  I  feel  satisfied  are  con- 
vinced of  their    duty   to    obey    the 


126 


POETEY. 


word  of  the  Lord,  Oh  I  cannot  ex- 
press the  joy  that  I  have,  topjether 
with  the  brethi"tin  experienced  du- 
rin£^  the  last  month.  Pray  for  us 
brethren  that  we  may  all  hold  out 
faithful  to  the  end,  that  we  with 
you,  and  all  that  keep  the  command- 
ments may  have  ri<rht  to  the  tree 
of  life,  and  may  enter  in  through 
the  gates  into  the  city,  and  possess 
rest  prepared  for  the  people  of 
God,  is  the  prayer  of  your  unworthy 
brother  in  the  Lord 

A.     II.    R 


-of 


Extract  from  a  letter  from 
Cownshanock  church  Pa. 

Br.  Joseph  Kelso  has  been  with 
us  and  held  a  series  of  meetings  in 
our  congregation.  There  were 
eleven  added  to  the  church  by  bap- 
tism. We  add,  some  of  these  were 
our  near  relations ;  and  the  others, 
our  acquaintances. 

May  the  God  of  grace  give  them 
the  means  to  persevere  in  holiness, 
form  them  lights  to  enlighten  oth- 
er hearts,  make  them  fruitful  in 
every  good  word  and  work,  and  ena- 
ble them  to  be  "perfect,  entire, 
wantinoj  nothinii:.'' 


^Notice^ 

Brethren  coming  to  the  annual 
meeting  this  spring  can  come  east 
and  west  by  railroad  to  Limestone 
Depot  the  nearest  point,  it  being 
about  three  miles  from  the  place  of 
meeting.  Brethren  will  be  there  to 
conve}^  the  brethren  and  friends 
homo  with  them,  for  entertainment. 
Several  brethren  live  near  the  sta- 
tion, that,  if  any  would  wish  to 
come  a  few  days  before  the  meeting, 


can  inquire  for  the  brethren's  hou- 
ses. As  it  is  usual,  for  persons  pass- 
ing to  and  from  their  general  coun- 
cil meetings,  to  avail  themselves  of 
the  benefit  of  the  half  fare  rate  by 
railroad,  Br.  Joseph  Sherly  will 
make  arrangements-  for  railroad 
favor  from  Bristol  to  INashville, 
and  brethren  living  on  the  line  of 
the  different  railroads,  are  requested 
to  make  similar  arrangements. 
Please  insert  this  to  appear  in 
the  April  Ko.  By  order  of  the  church 
at  Limestone. 

David  B.  Klepper. 


§Ci^tri), 


HYMN. 

Mortals  I  are    ye  fain  to   know 
What  is  all  my  hope  below. 
All  my  knowledge,  all  my  sense, 
My  treasure  and  my  recompense ! 
Jesus  the  crucified. 

"What  the  anchor  of  my  faith  ? 
What  the  law  m}"  nature  hath  ? 
What  the  perfect  sacrifice, 
On  whose  power  my  heart  relies  ^ 
Jesus  the  crucified. 

Who  doth  mediate  between 
God  my  Maker  and  my  sin  ? 
In  my  sorrows  and  my  fears, 
Who  hath  looked  upon  my  tears  ? 
Jesus  the  crucified. 

In  my  days  of  bitter  grief, 
Who  alone  can  give  relief? 
While  my  troubled  watches  keep- 
ing? 
WhatDivineOne  stays  my  weep- 


ing.'' 


Jesus  the  crucified. 


Who  my  fainting  spirit  sees, 
Giving  me  for  torment  ease? 
^Who,  when  grief  and  painmustbe 
Fills  my  soul  with  constancy? 
Jesus  the  crucified. 

Prince  of  Peace — say  who  is  he 
That  with  blessings  crowneth  me? 
Whose-  iho  love  that  hither   came 
To  fire  ray  spirit  with  its   flame? 
Jesus  the  crucified. 


POETRY  &  OBITUAEY. 


127 


TVTio     is    he     whose    death    has 

brought 
To  my  life  a  higher  thought  ? 
Who  "the  friend  that  calleth  me 
To  himself  unceasingly  ? 

Jesus  the  crucified. 

TVho  is  he,  triumphant  One, 
Reigning  in  my  heart  alone, 
That  from  deepest  suffering   ever 
Doth  my  o'erfraught  soul  deliver  ? 
Jesus  the  crucified. 

"WliOjTvhen  untried  ways  are  mine, 
Offers  me  his  torch  divfne? 
What  the  pure  and  living  light, 
Making  all   my  pathway  bright  ? 
Jesus  the  crucified. 

Ah  I  together  celebrate, 
All  the  Savior's  blessings  great, 
And  a  hymn  of  joy  outpour, 
Singing,  sa3'ing  evermore, 

Jesus  the  crucified. 


For  the   Visitor. 

Hallowed  be  Thy  Name. 

We  hear  thy  echoes  far  and  wide, 

Proclairaing  in  melodious  song 
The  babbling  brook,  the  rolling  tide. 

In  deep  accent  their  notes  prolong  j 
The  birds  in  tunes  of  joy  proclaim 
Forever  hallowed  be  thy  name. 

The  distant  groves  with  lofty  trees 
Which  raise  their  tops  to  greet  the  sun 

Bow  down  with  every  passing  breeze, 
And  rustle  loud  "  'tis  service  done  :" 

They  heave  no  sigh,  without  a  strain 

They  utter  hallowed  be  thy  name. 

The  sun  and  moon  and  stars  confess 
Without  a  word,  in  deepest  calm  ; 

From  him  their  glories  they  possess, 
Nor  fear  to  own  their  great  I  AM. 

Each  twinkling  star,  each  vivid  flame 

Is  nought  but  hallowed  be  thy  name. 

The  rocks,  the  hills,  the  mountains  high 

The  distant  i«land3  of  the  earth 
In  silent  raptures  loudly  cry 

To  him  from  whom  they  have  their  birth. 
They  know  their  cause,  they  feel  no  shame, 
In  whispering  hallowed  be  thy  name. 

Time  rolls  around  the  days  and  years 

Through  noiseless  chasms  vague  and  deep; 

Although  mysterious  he  appears. 

His  ways  are  plain,  He  sows  to  reap. 

He  says  to  all  they  must  proclaim 

Eternally  hallowed  be  thy  name. 

J.    A.     S. 

Green  Castle,  Pa. 


OBITUARIES, 


)In  order  to  insert  the  many  on  file,  we  had 
to  condense  and  abridge  considerably.) 

Died  in  X.  Chambersburg,  Columbiana  fo.  0. 
February  1,  1860  brother  JACOB  BEHNER, 
at  the  house  of  his  son  John  Behner,  aged  83 
years  11  months  and  5  days.  Funeral  discourse 
by  br.  L.  Glass  and  D.  Byers  from  Rev.  22 :  12. 

Died  in  Washington  co.  0.  the  followins:  chil- 
dren of  brother  JOHN  and  sister  PATIENCE 
Gault  : 

1)  October  3,  1857,  URIAH  GAÜLT,  aged 
6  mo.  17  days. 

2)  October  11, 1857,  SAJIUEL  GAULT,  aged 
4  vears  8  months. 

3)  September  20,  1858,  ELIZABETH  MA- 
TILDA  GAULT,  aged  6  y.  11  m.  26  d. 

4)  November  27,  1859,  ANNA  GAULT,  aged 
1  y.  4  m.  13  days. 

Died  in  Delaware  co.  Indiana,  January  3, 
1860  brother  ALEXANDER  PRICE,  age  un- 
known. 

Died  in  Franklin  co.  Pa.  January  17.  sister 
SUSANNA  STOVER,  daughter  of  Jacob  and 
Elizabeth  Stover,  after  a  protracted  illness  of 
15  years.     Age  25  y.  1  m  and  28  d. 

Died  in  Linn  co.'O.  Jan.  24,  sister  HARRIET 
MENTZER,  consort  of  Samuel  Mentzer,  aged 
65  y.  1  m.  and  2  d.  She  was  born  in  Wash- 
ington CO.  Md.     Funeraliext  Isai.  38  :  1. 

Her  days  on  earth  are  ended. 

Her  troubles  are  all  o'er. 

We  trust  to  meet  in  heaven, 

Where  parting  is  no  more. 

Died  in   Blair   co.  Pa.    September  25,    1359. 
BARBARA    SHELTZ,     daughter    of    brother 
Philip  and  sister  Mary  Sheltz,   aged  19  y.  11  m. 
Dearest  daughter,  thou  hast  left  us, 

Here  thy  loss  we  deeply  feel ; 

But  'tis  God,  that  has  bereav'd   us, 

And  he  can  our  sorrows  heal. 

Also  departed  this  life  in  the  same  county 
father  JACOB  SNIVELY,  aged  75  y.  5  m.  14 
d.  He  was  a  minister  of  the  Gospel  for  over  40 
years.  Funeral  services  by  A.  Boyler  and  J . 
Huffman  from  Rev,  14  :  12,  13. 

Farewe  11,  farewell,  my  children  dear ! 
I  am  not  dead,  but  sleeping  here: 
Prepare  for  death,  for  die  you  must, 
And  with  your  father  sleep  in  du.-t. 
Farewell,  my  dear  companion  too  ! 
My  soul  is  happy  far  above. 
Where  I  shall  wait  till  I  see  you. 
And  live  again,  where  all  is  love. 

Died  in  Bond  co.  Ulinois  February  3,  1860. 
sister  ELIZABETH  HECKMAN,  wife  of  bro- 
ther John  Heckman,  late  of  Miami  co.  0.  after 
a  protracted  illness  of  two  months,  which  she 
endured  with  Christian  patience,  fortitude  and 
resignation     Age  not  given. 

Died  in  Jefferson  co.  Iowa  January  14,  br. 
JACOB  HOLSINGER,  a  deacon  of  the  church. 
Age  60  y.  4  m.  22  d.  Funeral  service  by  br, 
Lutz. 

Died  in  Knox  co.  Hlinois  September  19. 
JOHN  HEYWOOD,  son  of  br.  N.  and  sister 
Margaret  Heywood  of  Clermont  eo.  0.  Age  18 
y.  11  m.  23  d. 


128 


OBITUARIES. 


Died  in  Clermont  co.  0.  Dee.  17.  br.  JOHN 
MOLER,  aged  62  y.  8  m.  9  d.  Ho  was  a  minis- 
ter for  a  number  of  years. 

Died  in  Hamilton  co.  Ohio  April  28,  1859 
br.  ABIIAHAM  MILLER,  aged  95  years.  His 
beroavod  companion  is  aged  some  93  years,  with 
whom  he  lived  in  marriage  about  73  years. 

Died  in  "Ncttlecreek  church  Wayne  co.  Ind. 
on  Jnnrary  29.  1860,  (after  a  protracted  illness 
of  about  4  months,  which  she  bore  with  Christ- 
ian fortitude,)  Pistcr  MARY  BOWMAN,  wife 
of  br.  Benjamin  Bowman  aged  50  years,  11 
months  and  3  days.  The  deceased  was  for  ma- 
ny years  a  consistent  member  of  the  church. 
Funeral  services  by  br.  D.  Hardman  and  C. 
Holler. 

Died  in  Clermont  co.  0.  August  30  last,  br. 
FREDERIC  WEAVER,  ngcd  85  y.  Im.  and 
20  days. 

Died  in  Clover  church,  Blair  co.  Pa.  January 
25.  sister  ELIZABETH  HOOVER,  n;^cd  75  y. 
11m.  and  9  d.  She  was  the  widow  of  elder  John 
Hoover,  and  a  sister  to  elder  George  Brum- 
baugh. 

Died  in  Carroll  co.  Ind.  January  10  sister 
NAXCY  HUFF,  wife  of  brother  John  Huff, 
aged  72  y.  9  m.  10  d. 

Died  suddenly  of  paralysis  of  the  brain  and 
spasms  in  Monocacy  church,  Marvland  Febru- 
ary 18,  ISRO  sister  ELIZABETH  BROWN,  con- 

.«ort  of Brown,   and  daughter  of  brother 

John  Weybright,  aged  19  years,  7  months  and 
5  days.  Although  death  singled  her  out  as  his 
victim  early  in  life,  we  bless  God  that  his  grace 
made  her  love  and  serve  the  Saviour  earlier 
still.     Funcraltoxt  1  Thess.  4  :  13,  14. 

Died  near  Ncwhope,  Ausrusta  county,  Va. 
February  7,  brother  JOSEPH  COFFMAN,  aged 
.^9  years,  2  months  and  25  days.  He  was  a 
faithful  member  and  deacon  of  the  church,  and 
left  a  widow  and  4  children.  Funeral  discourse 
from  Rev.  2:  17  by  brethren  Hershberger, 
Lone:  and  Brower. 

Died  in  the  same  neighborhood  February  14, 
JACOB  D.  HUMBERT,  second  son  of  brother 
John  and  sister  L.  Humbert,  aged  12  years,  10 
months  24  days.     Funeral  text  Matt.  18  :   1—3. 

Died  near  Ephrata,  Lancaster  county,  Pa. 
February  18  brother  SAMUEL  LANDES,  aged 
74  years,  2  months  and  21  days.  Funeralser- 
vices  by  brethren  Moyer,  Reinhold  and  others 
from  2  Cor.  5  :  1,  2. 

Died  in  Jefferson  county,   Iowa  in    December 

last  sister  MITCHELE,     lately    from 

Ohio  aged  87  years. 

Died  at  the  same  place  February  16  CATHA- 
RINE HARM  AN  in  the  95th  year  of  her  age. 
Funeral  services  by  brother  P.  Lutz. 

Departed  this  life  in  the  Welshrun  church, 
Franklin  county,  Pa.  Febrrary  21,  sister 


WOLF,  about  60  years  of  age.  Funeral  services 
by  brother  C.  Keefer  and  others. 

Departed  this  lifo  in  same  church  March  1, 
brother  JOHN  SWORD,  aged  56  years,  2 
months  and  6  days.  Funeral  occasion  .im- 
proved by   C.  Keefer. 

Dieil  in  Clark  county  Ohio  November  2,  1859, 
SUSANNA  SHELLABERGER,  daughter  of 
brotlier  John  and  sister  Juliana  Shellabcrgcr, 
age  hotwoen  24  and  25  years.  She  was  ill  with 
typhoid  fever  48  days,  and  concerned  about  her 
eternal  welfare  during  her  illness,  and  finally 
found  consolation   in  her  Redeomor.    Funeral 


services  by  brethren  D.  Studebakcr  and  H.  Bru- 
baker  on  1  Pet.  1  :  24,  35. 

Died  in  the  same  place  Feb.  5,  1860,  sist«r 
JULIANA  SHELLABERGER,  the  mother  of 
the  foregoing,  and  the  companion  and  wife  of 
said  brother  John  Shellaberger,  aged  68  years. 
9  months,  and  10  days.  She  was  a  member  of 
the  church  for  some  25  years,  and  died  in  tbo 
faith  of  her^Redeemer,  and  in  hope  of  a  glorious 
resurrection.  At  the  funeral  brother  H.  Rub- 
sam  and  D.  Studabaker  spoke  from  Rom.  8  : 
1,  2. 

Died  in  Mahoning  county,  Ohio  February  27. 
JOSEPH  GOTERBA,  an  old  and  esteemed 
neighbor  of  the  senior  Editor,  at  the  advanced 
age  of  88  years,  2  months  and  4  days.  He  had 
been  a  native  of  Bohemia,  brought  up  in  the 
Roman  Catholic  religion,  which  however  he  had 
renounced  long  ago,  and  having  finally  settled 
in  our  neighborhood,  and,  his  wife  becoming  a 
member  of  our  church,  he  attended  regularly 
our  meetings,  as  long  as  ho  was  able.  We  wore 
sorry  that  on  account  of  indisposition  and  the 
bad  condition  of  the  roads  we  were  not  able  to 
respond  to  the  call  to  attend  his  funeral,  and 
we  trust  the  friends  will  excuse  us. 

Died  at  the  residence  of  her  son  in  Ros3 
county  Ohio  March  3,  sister  EVA  STOOKEY, 
relict  widow  of  the  late  brother  Abraham 
Stookey,  aged  77  years,  4  months  and  3  day^. 
Funeral  discourse  by  brother  Joseph  Kelso  on 
1  Cor.  15  :  22.  (A  more  lengthy  notice  with 
poetry  will  be  inserted,  as  soon  as  we  can  find 
room.) 

Died  in  the  upper  church  of  Rockingham 
county  Va.  December  24  old  brother  SAMUEL 
COFFMAN,  in  the  85th  year  of  his  age.  He 
was  a  deacon  of  the  church  nearly  40  years. 
The  funeral  occasion  wa.s  improved  by  Martin 
Miller  and  others  from  2  Tim.  4  :  6—8. 

Died  in  the  same  church  December  10  brother 
JACOB  SONAFRANK,  aged  55  years  5  months 
and  3  days.  Funeral  services  by  Solomon  Gar- 
ber  and  others  from  2  Cor  5  :  1. 

Died  in  the  same  church  February  20,  brother 
HENRY  SNELL,  ago  52  years;  leaving  a  wid- 
ow and  10  children  to  deplore  their  lo.ss,  which 
we  hope  is  his  eternal  gain.  The  funeral  occa- 
sion improved  by  Daniel  Thomas,  Martin  Miller 
and  others  from  2  Tim.  4  :  7,  8. 

All  these  three  brethren  died  of  a  lingering 
disease. 

Soi,OMON  Garber. 

Died  in  Perry  church,  Tu.«cn,rora  valley.  Pa. 
November  14  brother  JESSE  REIMAN,  leaving 
a  disconsolate  widow  and  six  children,  to  mourn 
their  loss.  Funeral  services  by  br  .John  Span- 
oglo    and   Abraham  Rohrer    from    Rev.  14:  IX 

Also  in  the  same  church  March  1  AGNES 
MARY  KAUFFMAN.  daughter  of  brother 
John  and  sister  Mary  Kauffman.  aged  2  years, 
8  months.  Funeral  services  by  br  Abraham 
Rohrer  and   W  Panabaker  from  Mark  10:  14. 

Our   Aggie  so  dear  has  left  us? 
Oh  why  has  she  left  us  so  soon? 

Our  Saviour  must  also  have  lov'd  her. 
Or  he  would  not  have  taken  her  home. 

She  sleeps  in  the  valley  so  sweet : 
But  her  spirit  has  taken  its    flight: 

Lo,  her  form  is  but  dust  'neath  our  feet, 
While  she  is  an  angel  of  light. 

M    R. 


NLW  PROSPECTUS 

OF 

fmiiospiL-fisifoii. 

FOR     TEE    TEAR    1860,      VOL.  X. 


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WHOLESALE    GROCERS,  TEA  & 
SPICE  DEALERS. 
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this  malignant  disease.  Persons  coming 
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Address,  F.  BLOCHER  &  Co. 

AdAMSBCRO,    WEStMORELAND    Co.    Pa. 


THE  HERALD  OF  TRUTH- 

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THE  CANCER  CURED. 

DÄ.  LEBBEUS  B\IGLLO  W 
late  of  Adamsburg,  Pa.  was  very  suc- 
cessfulin  treating  cancers.  Before  his 
death  he  communicated  to  the  under- 
signed his  mode  of  treatment,  and  they 
axe   DOW    practicing    it    with    success. 


THE  GOOD  OLD 

Ohio  Cjultivator : 

FOR      18  6  0. 

Is  going  right  along  as  usual,  and  enters 
upon  its  sixteenth  year  on  the  first  of 
January, 1860. 

devoted  to  the 
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ciiRB  FOR  mmm 

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Address  Dr.  E.  W.  Moobe 
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m^^MX, 


eSf Ei  ¥iSIT®l  i 


A  MONTHLY  P11BLIÜT1ÖN 


BY    HENRY   KUKTZ    &  JAMES  QUINTER. 


VOL.  X. 


MAY  1860. 


NO.  5.  m 


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OF  MAY-NO. 

The  Mission  Question.  No  2  pago 

Lof^i^  of  the  Christian  Life 

A  NVarninp^  -  -         - 

Essays  on  the  Civil  Law  No.   3 

IMiisic         -  -  -  ". 

'V\  c  Ninth  CommaBdrnent 

The  universal  Corruption  of  Man's 
niitnre         ... 

An  apostofic  command     - 

Lipht          -  -  .  . 

The  Mission-Question.  No  3. 

Queries,  1.  on  .Mark  9  ;  38.40 

"        2.  Should  deacons  haptizel 
•♦        3.  on  L.ike  1  :  03,64 
'*        4.  (Joncerning  the  visit 

Hrevilics  ... 

TMaUinjr  Hm        ... 

Pootry. — Notice 

Contributions. — Correction 

Obituaries  ... 

Id  memoria    -     .     - 


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133 
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H.  Geiger  &  Co. 

WHOLESALE  GROCERS,    TEA  & 

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No.  236  N.  3d.   St.  above  Race, 

Philadelphia, 

Offer  to  the  Trade  a  large  and  well  se- 
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VOL- 1-         I»as  I860.         NO. 


For  the  Gospel  Visitor. 
THE  MISSION  aUESTION. 
Xo.  2. 

We  have  seen  in  our  first  article, 
how  with  many  of  our  dear  breth- 
ren the  great  necessity  and  duty  is 
felt,  that  the  gospel  in  that  pure  and 
simple  sense,  in  which  it  has  ever  \ 
been  believed,  preached  and  practiced ; 
in  our  churches,  might  be  moreexten-- 
ßively  spread  and  made  known.  We 
have  also  seen,  how  in  our  last  an- 
nual meeting  steps  were  recom- 
mended, which  are  to  lead  to  a  more 
practical  result  in  this  matter,  and 
that  actually  a  special  committee 
was  appointed,  to  concoct  such  a 
plan,  by  which  the  whole  brother- 
hood may  have  an  opportunity  to 
take  part  in  the  good  work,  and 
that  such  plan  should  be  proposed 
to  the  next  annual  meetincr.  ! 

I 

We  were    in    hopes    since,    from 

month  to  month,  to  see  some  drafts 
of  this  plan  appear  in  the  Gospel 
Visitor  from  members  of  that  com- 
mittee. But  as  there  has  not  any; 
thing  yet  come  to  light  of  their  la- ' 
bors,  and  the  time  of  our  next  year- 
ly meeting  is  rapidly  approaching, 
the  writer  of  ;this  could  not  refrain 
from  communicating  his  reflections 
on  the  subject,  without  however 
desiring  to  anticipate  any  one,  and 
least  of  all  the  Committee  charged 
with  this  business.  He  presents 
these  his  thoughts  merely,  that  they 
may  be  examined,  and  if  the  Com- 
mittee or  any  one  has  something 
better  to  projDOse  at  the  yearly 
meeting,   he  will  not   only    rejoice 


over  it,  but  also  take  hold  of  it 
with  heart  and  hand. 

It  has  also  been  alluded  to  alread\' 
in  the  former  article,  in  what  man- 
ner a  necessity  and  a  want  have 
revealed  themselves,  since  last  year- 
ly meeting,  and  which  have  induced 
not  only  the  writer,  but  many 
brethren  Avith  him  to  deep  study 
and  reflection; — the  more  so  that 
those  circumstances  have  just  at  this 
time  occurred  or  been  brought  forth 
not  by  the  premeditated  counsel  ot 
men,  but,  as  we  firmly  believe,  by 
the  Providence  of  God,  according 
to  his  all- w^ise  counsel  and  will.  It 
seems  to  us,  God  himself  would 
show  to  us  thereby,  that  some- 
thing is  to  be  done;  and  of  God, 
and  from  his  word  we  will  learn, 
lohat  and  how  we  are  to  do. 

When  the  Lord,  the  Creator  and 
Preserver  of  all  the  world  wants  to 
bless  the  children  of  men  in  a  tem- 
poral manner,  "to  give  them  rain 
from  heaven,  and  fruitful  seasons ; 
filling  their  hearts  with  food  and 
gladness,"  Acts  14 :  17.  He  pre- 
pares in  the  first  place  the  means. 
By  the  heat  of  the  sun  he  distils 
from  the  superfluous  moisture  of  the 
earth  the  vapors,  and  collects  them 
in  his  treasury,  the  clouds,  whence 
they  are  poured  out  again  at  the 
proper  time  a  rain.  And  again  the 
rain  is  gathered  in  the  treasury 
of  the  earth  to  refresh  and  enliven 
all  that  grows,  and  to  feed  all  springs, 
brooks  and  rivers,  and  what  is  su- 
perabundant returns  again  into  the 
upper  treasuries  of  God,  into  the 
clouds. 

G.     V.     Vol.     X.  9 


130 


THE  MISSION  QUESTION. 


Just  BO  it  is  in  the  kingdom  of 
grace.  At  firet  all  was  prepared  in 
the  treasury  of  heaven,  what  God 
in  mercy  had  designed  for  the  salva- 
tion of  a  deepl}^  fallen  humanity. 
Then  God  prepared  in  the  hearts  of 
the  holy  patriarchs  depositories  or 
treasuries  of  heavenly  truths  and 
promises,  which  were  used  hy  them 
to  their  own  and  their  fellow-men's 
good  and  consolation,  and  transmit- 
ted from  hand  to  hand  at  last  to 
the  congregation  of  God  in  Israel. 
From  this  congregational  treasury, 
which  had  been  augmented  largely 
by  the  law  and  the  prophets,  all 
that  needed  and  desired  it,  could 
draw  light,  hope  and  comfort. 
Lastly  this  heavenly  treasure  w^as 
transferred  from  the  congregational 
treasury  of  the  Jews  into  the  gen- 
eral treasury  of  Christendom,  still 
enlarged  by  the  fulness  of  the  bless- 
ing of  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  and  was 
now  to  serve  for  the  comfort  and 
salvation  of  all  the  world.  This 
general  treasury  cannot  and  shall 
never  get  empty,  for  the  word  of 
God  abideth  forever,  and  the  pray- 
ers of  the  saints,  which  arise  daily 
and  unceasingly  unto  God,  form  as 
it  were  the  clouds,  from  which  one 
shower  of  grace  after  the  other 
pours  down  upon  mankind. 

Thus  we  learn  from  the  economy 
of  God  in  temporal  and  spiritual 
things,  how  we  have  to  do  in  the 
matter  before  us.  But  still  more 
plainly  we  can  learn  this  from  his 
word,  as  we  shall  see  presently. 

We  read  in  different  places  of 
Scripture  of  a  treasury,  or  as  the 
German  translation  calls  it,  a  God's 
treasury',  which  was  in  the  temple 
at  Jerusalem,  or  at  least  within  its 
courts.     In  this  God's  treasury   was 


deposited,  what  the  Jews  according 
to  the  Law  were  obliged  to  give, 
and  also  what  they  presented  to  tho 
Lord  as  free-will  offerings.  Every 
Israelite  had  to  give  yearly  half  a 
shekel.  * 'Every  one  that  passeth 
among  them  that  are  numbered, 
from  twenty  years  old  and  above, 
shall  give  an  offering  unto  the  Lord.' 
Exod.  30  :  14.  There  we  are  also 
told,  to  what  the  money  should  bo 
applied.  "And  thou  shalttake  the 
money  of  the  children  of  Israel,  and 
shalt  appoint  it  for  the  service  of  the 
tabernacle  of  the  congregation.''  v.l6. 
That  our  Lord  and  Savior  Jesus 
Christ  countenanced  and  approved 
this  (God's)  treasury,  is  evident 
from  the  fact,  that  he  at  times  "sat 
over  against  the  treasury;  and  be- 
held how  the  people  cast  money 
into  the  treasury."  Mark  12  :  41. 
Luke  21 :  1.  See  also  John  8  :  20. 
Yea,  such  interest  he  took  in  this 
matter,  that  he  took  notice,  how 
much  was  put  in,  and  that  he  rec- 
ommended the  poor  widow,  who  of 
her  want  had  cast  in  all  that  she 
had,  even  all  her  living,"  as  a  pat- 
tern of  devoted  and  self-denying 
love  of  God  and  his  service. 

But  the  question  pi*esents  itself, 
Was  there  also  a  (God's)  treasury 
in  the  first  Christian  church  ? — We 
answer  with  cheerful  confidence  and 
without  fear  of  substantial  contra- 
diction :  Yea,  yea !  If  not  in  name, 
yet  essentially  and  in  reality.  And 
also,  it  was  not  established  immedi- 
ately and  all  at  once,  but  by  de- 
grees, as  experience  after  several 
mistakes  suggested. 

It  might  be  said  with  truth,  that 
tho  first  Pentecostal  church  at 
Jerusalem  was  a  living  trcasuiy  of 
God,   into   which   every  individual 


THE  MISSION  QUESTION. 


131 


member  with  all  hia  talents,  powers 
and  possessions  offered  himself  up 
to  God,  and  retained  nothing  of  his 
own.  For  so  we  read  Acts  2  :  44. 
"And  all  that  believed  were  togeth- 
er, and  had  all  things  common;  and 
sold  their  possessions  and  goods, 
and  parted  them  to  all  men,  as  every 
man  had  need."  Acts  2  :  44, 45. 
They  did  so,  without  its  being  re- 
quired of  them,  in  the  heat  and 
flush  of  their  first  love,  from  the 
spontaneous  impulse  of  their  hearts,] 
without  considering  the  conse- 
quences. 

When  shortly  after,  this  church 
was  increased  by  five  thousand  souls, 
Ch.  4 :  4.  we  read  again,  "And  the 
multitude  of  them  that  believed  were 
of  one  heart  and  of  one  soul:  neither 
said  any  of  them,  that  aught  of  the 
things  which  he  possessed  was  his 
own,  but  they  had  all  things  com- 
mon.— Neither  was  there  any  among 
them  that  lacked  :  for  as  many  as 
were  possessors  of  lands  or  houses, 
sold  them,  and  brought  the  prices  of 
the  things  that  were  sold,  and 
laid  them  down  at  the  apostle's  feet: 
and  distribution  was  made  unto  ev- 
ery man  according  as  he  had  need. 
Chapt.  4*:  32-35.  Take  notice,  be- 
loved reader,  of  the  difference  here, 
and  how  the  primitive  Christians 
had  already  been  taught  the  better 
way.  At  first  every  one  parted  them 
(the  proceeds  of  his  possessions  and 
goods, — himself)  to  all  men  and  in 
this  way  the  treasury  would  have 
always  been  empty;  but  now  "they 
laid  them  down  at  the  apostles' feet." 

Here  then,  at  the  apostles'  feet, 
think  we,  was  G-od's  treasury,  not 
only  of  the  church  in  Jerusalem, 
but  the  general  treasury  was  and  re- 
mained in  this  church  at  Jerusalem, 
into  which  flowed  all  the  collections 


from  all  churches,  as  long  as  the 
church  remained  or  existed  in  Jeru- 
salem. But  even  here,  at  the  apos- 
tles' feet,  was  not  the  right  place 
yet  for  God's  treasury;  hence  it  was 
afterwards  intrusted  to  the  oversight 
of  a  committee  of  "Seven  men  of 
honest  report,  full  of  the  holy  Ghost 
and  wisdom."     See  chapt.  6 :  1-6. 

We  find  farther  in  the  Acts  of  the 
apostles,  that  the  church  at  Jerusa- 
lem was  not  only  the  mother-church, 
from  which  all  the  other  apostolic 
churches  sprang,  but  it  was  also  the 
first  mission  church,  from  which  the 
apostles  and  those  sent  out  by  them, 
now-a-days  called  missionaries,  went 
out  and  received  all  they  needed 
from  that  treasury  of  God,  which 
was  under  the  care  of  the  "Seven." 
See  chap.  8  :  4.  &c.  (The  whole 
chapter  ought  to  be  read.)  Even 
Paul  was  sent  out  from  Jerusalem 
for  the  first  time  into  heathen  coun- 
tries; chap.  9  :  30.  and  indeed  not 
without  the  needful  for  the  journey, 
as  we  may  safely  conclude  or  infer. 

But  also  in  all  other  churche« 
there  was  a  treasury  of  God.  We 
read  for  instance  of  Antioch,  that 
"the  disciples,  every  man  according 
to  his  ability,  determined  to  send  re- 
lief unto  the  brethren  which  dwelt 
in  Judea,  which  also  they  did,  and 
sent  it  to  the  elders  by  the  hands  of 
Barnabas  and  Saul."  Chap.  11  :  29. 
30.  Likewise  we  find,  that  from 
this  same  church  also  "Barnabas  and 
and  Saul  were  separated  for  the 
work,  whereunto  the  Lord  had  call- 
ed them,"  and  we  cannot  think  that 
they  sent  them  away  empty,  but 
that  they  provided  for  their  necessi- 
ties; Chap.  13:  1-4.  14:  26-28. 

We  have  however  not  only  an  ex- 
ample and  pattern  in  the  first  apos- 


132 


THE  MISSION  QUESTION. 


tolical  churches,  how  they  had  a 
treasury  of  God  among  them,  but  we 
find  also  an  express  precept  and  com- 
mand, how  it  was  to  be  managed. 
For  thus  the  holy  Spirit  dictated 
Paul  to  write  in  his  first  epistle  to 
the  Corinthians,  chap.  16 :  1.  2. 
^^Now  concerning  the  collection  for  the 
saints,  as  I  have  given  order  to  the 
churches  of  Galatia,  even  so  do  ye. 
Upon  the  first  day  of  the  week  let  ev- 
ery one  of  you  lay  by  him  in  store, 
as  God  has  prospered  him,  that  there 
be  no  gatherings  ivhen  I  come."  And 
in  the  second  epistle,  where  he  a- 
gain  speaks  on  the  subject,  he  eays: 
'^Every  man  according  as  he  purpo- 
seth  in  his  heart,  so  let  him  give;  not 
ijrudgingly,  or  of  necessity  :  for  God 
(oveth  a  cheerful  giver."     2  Cor.  9:7. 

To  our  own  shame  we  must  say, 
that  we  have  learnt  but  hitely  to  un- 
derstand this  important  rule  aright, 
iuid  we  suppose  this  has  been  the 
oase  with  many  of  our  beloved  breth- 
ren, and  hence  we  also  could  not  in- 
struct our  fellow  members,  rightly. 
The  more  necessary  therefore  it  is, 
that  we  should  consider  the  mind  of 
the  Spirit  in  tliese  passages  very  se- 
riously and  deeply.  We  will  then 
paraphrase  the  first  text  in  the  fear 
of  the  Lord,  and  add  nothing  at  all, 
but  what  follows  necessarily  from 
tho  words  of  the  text,  and  explains 
it. 

^^Upon  the  first  day  of  the  rccek, 
(every  week  according  to  the  Ger- 
jnan  tranelation,  ekaston  in  Greek, 
then  not  only  once  a  year,  or  only 
as  often  as  there  is  a  particular  de- 
mand upon  our  charity,  but  once 
every  week,)  let  every  one  of  you  (not 
only  the  rich  but  also  the  poor,  not 
only  the  brethren,  but  also  the  sis- 
ters— let   us  recollect  the  jioor  wid- 


ow,— in  a  word  every  one  or  all 
without  exception;)  lay  by  him  in 
store,  (lay  b}-  him  when  he  is^alonc, 
reflecting  how  much  the  Lord  has 
blessed  him  during  the  week,  and 
how  much  he  owes  to  the  Lord,  in 
store,  in  a  separate  treasury,  in  the 
treasury  of  God,  which  is  in  his  keep- 
ing;) .«s  God  has  prospered  him," 
(or  according  as  it  goes  well  with 
him,  or  in  proportion  of  his  income 
during  the  week,  or  according  to 
that  a  man  hath.     2  Cor.  8  :  12. 

Can  we  entertain  a  doubt,  wheth- 
er the  first  Christians  have  obeyed 
this  divine  injunction? — No,  never  ! 
For  the  apostle  praises  them,  "that 
they  kept  the  ordinances,  as  he  had 
delivered  them."  1  Cor.  11:  2. 
Though  some  here  and  there  may 
have  been  unfaithful,  loving  this 
present  world,  yet  we  believe,  that 
all  the  faithful  brethren  and  sisters 
were  also  faithful  in  this  respect. — 
We  see  then,  that  every  member  had 
alittle  treasury  for  God  in  his  or  her 
own  keeping,  into  which  he  or  she 
laid  by  according  to  his  or  her  abil- 
ity", according  as  God  had  prospered 
him  or  her,  unseen  of  men  but  not 
unseen  of  God,  his  or  her  mite. — 
From  time  to  time  these  small  treas- 
uries flowed  together  into  the  church 
treasury,  and  finally  the  surplus  of 
those  church  treasuries  was  brought 
to  the  chief  or  general  treasury  in 
Jerusalem,  whence  it  was  distribu- 
ted again  to  bless  the  church  and 
promote  the  salvation  of  the  world. 
And  herein  also  ^'were  all  things  to 
be  done  decently,  honestly  and  in 
order."  1  Cor.  14:  40.  2  Cor.  8  :  21. 

This  then  is  the  a))ostolic,  evan- 
gelical, or  let  us  rather  say,  divine 
plan  for  obtaining  the  means  to  pro- 
mote with  all  our  power  the  work 
of  the  Lord,  which  he  has  given  to 


LOGIC  OF  THE  CHEISTIAX  LIFE. 


131 


his  dearly-bought  church  to  accom- 
plish ;  this  is  the  system  of  Christ- 
ian beneficence,  as  it  is  prefigured  by 
God's  providence  in  the  kingdom  of 
nature  and  of  grace,  by  his  word  and 
by  his  church  in  its  pristine  purity. 
When  the  means  are  once  obtained  the 
Lord  will  also  jjoint  out  to  us  at  all 
times,  if  we  are  wise  and  faithful 
stewards,  xoJicre  and  how  we  are  to 
apply  them.  About  this  we  need 
not  to  make  plans,  but  will  leave  it 
to  God,  praying  him  daily  and  hour- 
ly for  wisdom  and  grace,  to  be  en- 
abled to  know  and  do  his  will. 

O  what  a  heaven-wide  difference 
is  there  between  this  divine  meth- 
od to  collect  means  in  order  to  bless 
all  temporally  and  spiritually  poor, 
and  that  human  method,  which  is 
now-a-days  practiced  in  so-called 
Christendom  ! — But  enouo-h  for  the 
present. 


Logic  of  the  Christian  Life. 

A  writer  in  the  British  Standard, 
under  the  above  heading,  has  some 
interesting  thoughts,  ably  put.  He 
aims  to  show  that  while  every 
kind  of  influence  is  educatory — 
tends  to  form  character  and  decide 
destiny — that  which  comes  of  ac- 
tion and  example  is  altogether  the 
most  powerful.     He  says  : 

!Men  are  not  influenced  by  words  so 
much,  or  by  books,  or  lectures,  or 
sermons,  or  prayers;  all  these  have 
their  places  and  their  importance. 
A  man  exerts  an  educatory  influ- 
ence not  according  to  what  he  says, 
but  according  to  what  he  is.  If  we 
have  to  choose  between  a  bad  man 
as  schoolmaster,  with  good  books, 
or  a  good  man  with  bad  books, 
without  a  moment's  hesitation  we 


should  prefer  the  latter.  Bank 
notes  are  valued  because  they  rep- 
resent gold,  but  if  the  issue  of  the 
notes  exceeds  the  amount  of  gold 
possessed,  the  excess,  for  commer- 
cial purposes,  will  be  valueless ;  so 
a  man's  words,  in  moral  teaching, 
are  valueless  to  the  extent  they  ex- 
ceed the  measure  of  embodied  moral 
worth  in  the  man's  life.  Tho 
wealth  of  a  bank  is  not  in  its  issue 
of  notes,  but  in  its  gold ;  so  the  pow- 
er to  do  good  among  Christian  peo- 
ple lies  not  in  the  ability  to  make 
speeches,  or  write  tracts,  or  hold 
meetings,  or  in  loud  talking,  or 
bluster  or  vehemence,  but  in  a  solid 
and  good  life.  If  the  wicked  com- 
munity speak  evil  words  but  live 
good  lives,  their  influence  will  be 
according  to  the  standard  of  the 
latter;  and  if  the  Christian  commu- 
nity speak  good  words,  preach  good 
sermons,  write  good  tracts,  offer 
good  prayers,  but  live  bad  lives, 
their  standard  of  influence  will  be 
according  to  the  latter  also.  Peo- 
ple will  not  do  as  we  say,  but  as  we 
do.  Example  is  better  than  pre- 
cept— we  are  sorry  to  say  it  is.  Ex- 
ample and  precept  ought  to  be 
equal.  If  a  man  with  a  bad  life 
should  attempt  to  reprove  badness 
in  another  man,  the  person  reproved 
would  repel  the  authority,  and  at 
once  say,  ''Thou  hypocrite,  first 
cast  out  the  beam  in  thine  own  eye, 
and  then  shalt  thou  see  clearly  to 
cast  out  the  mote  that  is  in  thj 
brother's  eye."  There  was  a  per- 
fect   equality    between    the  public 


teaching  of  Jesus  Christ  and    Hia 


own  embodied  life;.  His  public  teach« 
j  ing  was  based  upon  His  own  exam- 
ple and  seconded  thereby.  It  ia 
with  public  teaching  as  it  is  with, 
motions — a  mover  and  seconder  ar© 


134 


A  WARNING. 


necessary;  if  there  is   no   seconder,  I  tions,   increase    of   membership    to 


the     motion   fallfe    to    the   ground 
Public  teaching  is  like  the   mover — 
good  living  is  the  seconder  and  sup 
porter.      The     ability     which    this 
Christian  community  has  to  Christ- 
ianize the  wicked  community,   does 
not  lie  in  eloquence,  or   genius,   or 
echolarship,  of  their  religious  teach- 
ers, nor  yet  iu  their  embodied   good- 
ness, but  in  the   embodied  goodness 
of  the  whole  community.     They  are 
a  great  moral  partnership ;  and  the 
wicked   community  hold  each  one 
in  the  Christian  community  respon- 
sible for  the   deeds  of  others,   and 
each  distinctive  section  responsible 
for  the   other  sections.     The  meas- 
ure of  power  they  possess  to  Christ- 
ianize the   wicked    is  aeoording  to 
the     measure    of      power      which 
God  deposits  among  them — God  de- 
posits among  them  as  much  ag  they 
consent  to  receive — they  receive  as 
much  as  they  embody.     Of  course, 
there  will    be   a    moral    oscillation. 
When,  by  a  powerful  representation 
of  truth  in  a  speech,  in  a  sermon,  in 
a  series  of  sermons,  in  meetings,  in 
agitative  efforts,  a  deep    impression 
is  made  upon  the  wicked — probably 
numbers  of  them  come  over  to  •  the 
Christian  ranks — but  if  there  be  not 
among     the     Christian     order    an 
amount  of  embodied  Christian  worth 
to  sustain  that  representation,   the 
impression     will     soon      moderate 
down  to  its  former  level.     A  large 
stone  thrown  into  a  lake  will   occa- 


churches,  religious  interest  and  ex- 
citement, and  all  the  other  character- 
istics of  a  popular  movement;  but 
the  Kingdom  of  God,  after  all, 
comes  only  in  proportion  as  wicked- 
ness is  diminished,  and  holiness  a 
decided  increase. — Bel.  Herald. 


fiion  a  swell  on  tlie  banks,  but  if 
there  be  not  an  influx  of  the  watery 
eicment  to  sustain  that  swell,  in  a 
little  time  the  lake  will  find  its  for- 
mer watermark.  We  are  pleased  to 
liear  of cix)wded  meetings,  abounding 
l>rayerfulnes8,  churches  and  chapels 
well  attended,  baptisms,   confirma- 


For    the    Visitor. 
A  WARNING. 

He  that  taketh  warning  shall  deliv- 
er his  soul.     Ezekiel  33  :  5. 

By  a  few  reflections  upon  the  a- 
bove  subject,  I  wish  to  improve  a 
very  solemn  occasion,  that  occurred 
in  this  church-district,  a  short  time 
since.  Levina  Swagler,  whose  obit- 
uary is  noticed  in  the  present  No. 
of  the  Visitor,  was  a  young  woman 
of  very  strict  morals.  Indeed  in 
point  of  morality  very  few,  I  think, 
surpassed  her.  When  on  her  death- 
bed, however,  she  found  that  moral- 
ity was  not  the  only  virtue  necessa- 
ry to  ensure  a  home  in  heaven. 

She  knew  and  felt,  often  before 
that  time,  the  necessity  of  salvation; 
but  ^^procrastination  is  the  thief  of 
time."  She  had  often  been  warned 
by  the  pious :  an  affectionate  mother 
had  often  warned  her  of  her  danger. 
And  many  others  who  felt  an  inter- 
est in  her  welfare, often  warned  her, 
but  she  took  not  warning. 

When  on  her  death-bed  she  sent 
for  me  and  wished  an  interview,  or 
rather  to  tell  her  desires  and  com- 
plaints. The  scene  was  heart-rend- 
ing. There  lay  the  virtuous  female 
on  her  death-bed,  in  deepest  agony. 
She  frequently  would  exclaim,  ^^O  it 
is  horrible  to  go  to  that  dreadful 
place ! 

As  I  stood  by  her  bedside  she  look- 
ed at  me  with  great  earnestness  and 


A  WAENIKG. 


135 


said,  ^  You  warned  me  faithfully',  but 
I  did  not  heed  it,  and  now  it  is  too 
late."  The  words  ^^too  late"  were 
pronounced  with  great  emphasis. 
And  then  she  said,  "Oh  that  I  had 
been  baptised  when  Mary  was,"  Al- 
luding to  her  only  sister.  I  asked 
if  she  felt  that  she  ought  to  have 
been  baptised  at  that  time  ?  "Yes," 
said  she,  "I  did  j  and  I  thought  I 
would  be  soon,  but  I  put  it  off,  and 
now  it  is  too  late"  "I never  thought 
that  I  would  put  it  off  so  long"  I 
tried  to  comfort  her  by  speaking  to 
her  about  the  "blessed  Savior."  I 
told  her  she  should  put  her  trust  in 
Him,  for  He  is  able  to  save  to  the 
uttermost,  all  that  will  come  unto 
him,  confiding  in  him  as  their  Sav- 
ior. She  listened  with  the  deepest 
interest,  but  still  felt  she  could  not 
be  saved  without  baptism.  Accord- 
ingly I  told  the  friends,  I  consider- 
ed she  was  able  to  be  baptised.  Af- 
ter consulting  the  friends  present, 
and  the  doctor,  we  concluded  to  at- 
tempt to  baptize  her,  although  she 
was  very  weak  and  many  present 
feared  she  would  die  in  the  act.  She 
herself  thought  she  would  die,  but 
said,  she  wished  to  die  in  the  service 
of  the  Lord.  She  also  wished  to  bid 
all  of  her  friends  farewell,  for,  said 
she,  "I  will  never  see  them  more." 
I  and  the  doctor  forbid  that,  think- 
ing it  would  create  too  much  ex- 
citement at  that  time.  Accord- 
ingly she  was  baptized,  between  10 
and  11  o'clock  at  night.  After  her 
apparel  was  changed,  and   she  laid 

on  her  bed,  she  appeared  perfectly  |  ing.  And  sin  will  separate  you  and 
calm.  Her.  mind  was  composed,  and  j  your  God,  unless  repented  of,  and 
she  soon  fell  asleep.  She  slept  for  j  pardoned.  0  think  what  a  dreadful 
ßöme  time  composedly,  when  she  thing  it  would  be  if  you  should  go  to 
awoke  I  spoke  to  her  and  asked  her  i  that  ^awful  place,"  Levina  so  much 
how  she  felt.  She  replied,  "very  i  feared  she  would  go  to.  But  if  you 
comfortably.    I  asked  how  her  mind  I  take  warning,  you  shall  deliver  your 


felt  satisfied.  She  replied,  "perfectly 
satisfied."  i^ 

She  lingered  until  Saturday  even- 
ing  the  25th  of  Febi-uary,  and  died 
in  perfect  resignation  to  the  will  of 
her  heavenly  Father. 

A    Contrast. 

The  following  was  related  to  mc 
by  her  mother.  "Whem  Levina  first 
considered  that  she  would  die,  she 
sent  for  all  her  brothers  and  sister, 
desiring  to  see  them.  When  they 
came  into  her  room,  she  told  them 
she  was  going  to  die  and  that  she 
would  be  lost.  Oh,  heartrending 
scene !  On  the  morning  before  her 
decease,  the  doctor  told  her  she  was 
sinking  very  fast.  He  had  done  all 
he  could  do  for  her.  She  was  per- 
fectly calm.  And  again  she  desired 
to  see  her  brothers  and  sister.  They 
came  and  she  told  them  she  was  go- 
ing to  die,  but  she  was  prepared, — 
she  was  going  to  her  blessed  Savior, 
and  exhorted  them  all  to  prepare  to 
meet  her  in  heaven. 

Dear  reader,  if  you  are  yet  out  of 
Christ  the  ark  of  safety,  take  warn- 
ing fi'om  the  above  solemn  scene  and 
flee  to  Jesus.  You  have  been  often 
warned  no  doubt — faithfully  warn- 
ed, but  have  you  taken  warning  ?  If 
not,  I  entreat  you  now,  "flee  from 
the  wrath  to  come."  The  day  is 
coming  when  your  folly  will  be  ap- 
parent if  you  do  not  flee  to  Jesus 
Christ  for  refuge. 

Eemember  dear  young  reader, 
your  dying  day  is  rapidly  approach- 


136 


ESSAYS  ON  THE  CIVIL  LAW. 


soul.  I  Wc^rn  you  then,  as  one  who 
feels  an  interest  in  vour  soul's  salva- 
tion.' "Seek  ye  the  Lord  while  he 
may  be  found.     Call  upon  him  while 


law,  inasmuch  as  that  dispensation 
is  not  the  established  government  of 
the  land  in  which  we  live.  And  as 
for  the  ritual  or  ceremonial   institu- 


he  is  near,"  for  the  day   is  coming  tion,  we  have   in  its  stead  the  Gos- 
ifyou  do  not  take  warning,    "God  |  pel,  Christ  being  the  end  of  that  law. 


may  laugh  at    your   calamity,  and 
mock  when   your    fear    cometh." — 
May  God  save  us  from  our  sins,  and 
receive  us  ui)  into  ^'lory.     Amen. 
^  "     ^  J.    W. 


For  the  Visitor. 
ESSAYS  ON  THE  CIVIL  LAW. 
NO.    3. 

My  object  in  this  essay  will  be  to 
treat  more  especially  on  the  use  of 
the  civil  law\  The  apostle  Paul  tells 
Timothy  *ahat  the  law  is  good,  if  a 
7nan  use  it  lawfully."  1  Tim.  1:  8. 
That  is,  according  to  its  nature  and 
design.  And  as  we  have  the  Avord 
law  mentioned  in  a  great  many  pas- 
sages in  the  Scriptures  with  a  con- 
siderable latitude  of  meaning,  it  w411 
))e  necessary,  in  order  to  make  a 
proper  disposition  of  the  term  to  as- 
certain its  import. 

In  some  passages  the  term,  has 
a  reference  to  the  whole  revelation 
of  the  will  of  God.  Psalm  1 :  2.  and 
19  :  7.  Sometimes  to  the  Mosa- 
ic economy  in  contradistinction 
from  the  Gospel.  John  1 :  17.  Acts 
25  :  8.  Sometimes  it  refers  to  the 
Levitical  or  ceremonial  law.  Eph. 
2:  15.;  Heb.  10:  1.  And  in  many 
passages  to  the  decalogue  orten  com- 
mandments, which  were  delivered 
to  the  Jews  from  mount  Sinai,  Matt. 
5:17;  Luke  10:  27;  Horn.  3:  20; 
Gal.  8  :  10. 

And  that  we  make  a  profitable  use 
of  the  term,  I  will  here  remark  that 
we  are  not  bound  by  the  Gospel  to 
be  subject  to  the   Mosaic  or  Jewish 


The  decalogue  or  ten  command- 
ments are  still  in  force,  and  are  as 
binding  now  upon  the  human  family 
as  they  were  at  the  time  of  their  de- 
livery. The  death  and  sufterings  of 
Christ  do  not  release  us  from  the 
obedience  of  the  moral,  but  from  the 
curse  of  that  law.  It  is  time,  as 
fallen  creatures  we  cannot  perfectly 
keep  the  law  ;  but  Christ's  blood  re- 
ceived by  faith  atones  for  our  imper- 
fections. And  lastly,  to  use  the  law 
as  a  glass,  to  behold  the  righteous- 
ness and  glory  of  God,  and  as  a 
means  to  convict  for  sin,  and  to  pro- 
duce faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
is  to  use  it  lawfully.  Let  these  few- 
hints  suffice  as  respects  the  term 
used  in  most  places  in  the  Scrip- 
tures. 

We  shall  now  consider  the  right 
use  of  the  powers  that  be — the  civil 
law.  And  in  order  that  the  law  may 
not  be  misused,  or  abused,  its  na- 
ture and  intention  should  be  well 
understood.  As  government  is  foun- 
ded in  the  will  of  God  for  the  happi- 
ness of  mankind,  the  safety  of  life, 
liberty  and  property,  peace,  order, 
useful  knowledge,  and  morals,  must 
all  be  secured  and  protected  by  the 
law,  otherwise,  the  government 
would  not  be  according  to  the  will 
of  God. 

Having  thus  stated  the  intention 
of  the  civil  government,  it  will  bo 
an  easy  matter  to  know  what  it  i» 
to  use  the  law  lawfully.  Suffice  it  to 
say,  the  law  is  lawfully  used,  when 
observed  according  to  its  import  or 


ESSAYS  ON  THE  CIVIL  LAW. 


137 


purpose,  and  when  used  contrary  to  j 
its  design,  it  would  be  to  use  it  un- 
lawfully.  Here  I  wish  it  to  be  dis- 1 
tinctly  understood,  that  I  have  only 
a  reference  to  the  use  of  such  laws  as 
are  founded  in  the  will  of  God  for  the 
happiness  of  mankind. 

To  use  a  law  that  would  conflict 
with,  or  deprive  men  from  the  en- 
joyment of  their  civil  and  religious 
rights,  would  be  a  sin  of  the  deepest 
dye.  In  using  the  law,  the  peace 
and  happiness  of  society  should  al- 
ways be  consulted.  The  limits  of 
this  essay  will  not  permit  me  to  par- 
ticularize on  the  subject,  but  merely 
to  notice  (and  that  briefly)  such 
points  as  do  agitate  and  disturb  the 
peace  of  society,  especially  the 
church. 

I  will  notice  the  power  of  divorce, 
and  will  recite  the  Savior's  own 
words  upon  the  subject.  "It  has 
been  said,  whosoever  shall  put  away 
his  wife,  let  him  give  her  a  writing 
of  divorcement.  But  I  say  unto  you, 
whosoever  shall  put  away  his  wile, 
saving  for  the  cause  of  fornication, 
causeth  her  to  commit  adultery; 
and  whosoever  marrieth  her,  that  is 
divorced,  committeth  adultery. — 
Matt.  5  :  31.  32.  Here  our  divine 
Master  declares  in  the  most  positive 
terms  that  the  only  legitimate  cause 
cfdivorce  is  adultery.  This  is  a  wise  & 
salutary  provision,  &  no  less  condu- 
cive to  the  happiness  than  to  the  vir- 
tue of  mankind.  Adultery  has  no 
tM^uivalent,  as  a  very  able  divine  de- 
clares, ''That  there  is  no  such  a 
tiling  as  an  equivalent  in  this  case. 
N*o  crime,  no  injury  affects  the  hap- 
piness of  wedlock,  or  wounds  every 
i.njoyment,  and  every  hope,  as  the 
crime  mentioned  by  our  Savior. — 
A^d  that  divorces,  for  any  other 


cause  except  incontinence,  are  un- 
lawful." 

Adultery,  and  adultery  alone,  is  the 
only  Gospel  cause  for  which  a  di- 
vorce should  be  granted  by  the  gov« 
ernment.  And  for  the  innocent  par- 
ty to  live  and  to  cohabit  with  the 
guilty  party  after  having  a  knowl- 
I  edge  of  the  transgression,  would  also 
j  be  adultery.  Suffice  it  to  say,  adul- 
1  tery  dissolves  or  breaks  the  marriage 
covenant.  They  are  no  more  one 
I  flesh,  and  of  course  no  more  hus- 
iband  and  wife.  And  if  required,  di- 
vorce for  adultery  should  be  allow- 
ed to  the  injured  party. 

The  question  sometimes  arises, 
what  does  the  Savior  mean  by  the 
words  "causeth  her  to  commit  adul- 
try  ?"  We  answer.  That  a  man  who 
would  put  away  his  wife,  and  give 
her  a  writing  of  divorcement  for  any 
other  cause  than  that  of  adultery, 
I  would  expose  her  to  commit  adulterj^ 
by  marrying  another  man,  and  he 
that  would  maiTy  her  that  is  divor- 
ced would  commit  adultery,  if  her 
former  husband  was  still  living:. 

That  this  is  a  correct  answer  to 
the  question  is  clear,  when  we  con- 
sider, that  Christ  in  this  instruction 
has  a  direct  reference  to  the  power 
of  divorce.  We  will  here  o-ive  the 
meaning  of  the  word  and  pass  on. 
"Divorce  a  vinculo  matrimonUy  that 
is,  from  the  bonds  of  matrimony." 
Thus  the  person  divorced  is  at  liber- 
ty to  marry  again.  On  the  subject 
of  Polygamy,  we  could  in  our  simple 
way,  transcend  the  limits  of  this  es- 
say, but  in  this  treatise  I  must  no- 
tice other  important  points. 

The  question  is  often  asked,  doe« 
the  Gospel  give  the  believer  any 
right  to  use  the  law  ?  I  would  just 
simply  reply.  Yes,  provided  that  law 
which  he  uses  does  not  conflict  with 


138 


ESSAYS  ON  THE  CIVIL  LAW. 


the  Gospel.  The  Gospel  never  op- 
poses itself.  Therefore,  if  the  law 
be  a  transgression  of  the  Gospel,  it 
would  be  a  sin  for  the  believer  or 
any  body  else  to  use  or  obey  that 
law.  But  if  the  law  be  good,  why 
should  not  the  believer  make  use  of 
it?  The  Gospel  does  not  prohibit 
the  use  of  any  thing  which  is  in  and 
of  itself  good.  It  is  only  the  use  of 
that  which  is  in  and  of  itself  bad, 
that  the  Gospel  prohibits.  What 
signifies  or  what  benefit  is  derived 
lh)m.  the  civil  government,  if  not 
used  ?  What  signifies  the  Gospel,  if 
it  be  not  used  ?  Neither  the  blessings 
of  the  law,  nor  of  the  Gospel  can  be 
enjoyed,  if  the  law  and  the  Gospel 
be  not  observed. 

We  will  show  some  instances 
in  which  the  brethren  and  the 
church  as  far  back  as  we  have 
any  knowledge,  have  made  use  of 
the  law,  namely,  in  securing  a  right 
to  real  estate,  to  the  disposition  of  a 
will,  the  administering  on,  and  set- 
tling up  of  estates,  the  guardianship 
for  the  protection  of  orphans  and 
others,  and  in  the  solemnizing  of  the 
rites  of  matrimony.  Now  these 
are  all  ordinances  of  great  import- 
ance to  the  well-being  of  society. — 
And  if  believers  would  make  no  use 
of  the  law,  then  all  those  wise  and 
wholesome  regulations  by  the  gov- 
ernment, for  the  protection  of  them- 
selves and  families  in  their  just 
rights  (however  much  desired)  by 
the  strong  arm  of  the  civil  law, 
could  not  be  enjoyed,  and  perhaps 
their  families  and  orphan  children 
in  many  instances  would  be  imposed 
upon^  and  made  to  suffer  by  their 
negligence  of  duty. 

That  a  judicious  use  of  the  law 
was  tolerated  by  the  church  in  the 
days  of  the  apostles,  is  veiy  evident. 


For  instance,  when  Jason  and  oth- 
er new  converts  were  apprehended  & 
arraigned  before    the  rulers  of  the 
city,  they  made  use  of  the  law;  they 
gave  security,  either  for  their  good 
behavior,  or  for  their  appearance  at 
court.  See  ActslTiO.  When  the  Jews 
accused  Paul  to  Festus,  Paul  for  his 
own  protection,  made  use  of  the  law 
and  said, 'I  appeal  unto  Cesar,'  &  his 
appeal  was  admitted.  Acts  25:  9-11. 
We   shall  briefly  notice  the  posi- 
tion that  is  taken  by  those  who  con- 
tend that  it  is  a  violation  of  the  gos- 
pel for  a  believer,  to  make  any  use 
of  the    law.         The   sum    total    of 
their  argument  is  founded  upon  their 
understanding    of    the   doctrine   of 
self-denial.     (For  in  no  place  do  we 
read  in  the  New  Testament  in  just 
so  many  words,  that  the  believer  shall 
make  no  use  of  the  law.)  That  Christ 
taught  a  close  doctrine  when  He 
commanded  his    disciples   to   deny 
themselves,  we  readily  admit.     But 
this  doctrine,  as  well  as  every  other 
injunction,  must  be  understood  in  its 
true  light.     When  Christ   says,   "If 
any  man  will  come  after  me,  let  him 
deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross, 
and  follow  me."     Matt.  16:  24.    He 
does  not  mean  that  we  must  starve 
ourselves,    that  we  must  not    eat 
bread  nor  drink  water,  that  we  must 
not  clothe   nor  defend  our  bodies. — 
But  that  SELF,  which  is  to  be  denied, 
I  understand  to  be  the  carnal  mind. 
Paul  tells  us,  "that  the  carnal  mind 
is  enmity  against  God,   for  it  is  not 
subject  to  the   law   of  God,  neither 
indeed  can   be."     Rom.  8 :  7.     We 
are  then  to  deny  ourselves  of  every 
thing  that  is  irreconcilable  with  the 
law  of   God,  or  which   is  sin, — the 
flesh   with  the  affections     and   the 
lusts  thereof     Having  now  stated  in 
a  few  words,   what  we  are  to  relin- 


ESSAYS  ON  THE  CIVIL  LAW. 


139 


quish  for  Christ  and  his  Goepel,  it 
Tvill  be  an  easy  matter  for  us  to  dis- 
criminate between  right  and  wrong. 

God  placed  us  in  this  world  &  has 
planted  appetites  in  our  breasts,  and 
has  given  us  means  for  the  preser- 
vation of  our  lives,  &.C.  And  for  us 
to  neglect  or  abuse  those  means, 
would  be  a  counteraction  of  his  prov- 
idence. Consequently,  we  are  only 
to  deny  ourselves  of  that  which  is 
sinful  and  injurious  to  soul  and  body. 

Christianity  forbids  no  necessary 
occupations.  It  allows  us  to  use  the 
-world,  provided  we  do  not  abuse  it. 
All  it  requires  is,  that  our  liberty 
degenerate  not  into  licentiousness, 
our  industry  into  incessant  toil, 
our  carefulness  into  extreme  anxie- 
ty and  endless  solicitude.  The  ex- 
tremist will  allow  no  abarf;ement  or 
limitation  to  certain  injunctions  giv- 
en us  by  our  divine  Instructor ;  but 
if  we  w^ere  bound  to  observe  them 
according  to  their  literal  significa- 
tion, we  could  not  possibly  continue 
a  week  longer  in  this  world.  For 
example,  ^^we  are  not  to  be  conform- 
ed to  tliis  world  ;"  Eom.  12  :  2.  ^'the 
friendship  of  the  world  is  enmity 
with  God;"  James  4  :  4.  "take  no 
thought  for  the  morrow  -/'  Matt.  6  : 
34.  we  are  to  lay  up  treasures  no 
where  but  in  heaven ;  Matt.  6 :  19- 
21.  we  are  to  pray  without  ceasing; 
1  Thess.  5 :  17.  we  are  to  do  all 
things  to  the  glory  of  God;  Eph.  5: 
18.  we  are  not  only  to  leave  father, 
mother,  brothers,  sisters,  &c.  for  the 
sake  of  Christ  and  his  Gospel,  but  if 
we  do  not  hate  all  these  near  and 
dear  connections,  and  even  our  own 
lives,  we  cannot  be  his  disciples." 
Luke  14-  26.  These  are  very  strong 
expressions,  and  in  order  to  ascer- 
tain their  true  meaning ,  they  will 
require  considerable  abatement  and 


restrictions.  It  must  be  observed 
that  all  oriental  writers,(a8  a  certain 
bishop  or  divine  tells  us,)  both  sa- 
cred and  profane,  are  accustomed 
to  express  themselves  in  bold,  ar- 
dent figures  and  metaphors,  which, 
before  their  true  meaning  can  be  as- 
certainedf  require  very  considerable 
abatements,  restrictions,  and  limita- 
I  tions.'' 

I     Our  divine  Teacher  in  his  sermon 
on  the   mount,  declared,  ''Ye  have 
I  heard  that  it  hath  been  said,  an  eye 
;for  an  eye,   and  a  tooth  for  a  tooth. 
I  But  I  say  unto  you,   that  ye   resist 
I  not  evil ;  but  whosoever  shall  smite 
thee  on  the  right  cheek,  turn  to  him 
the  other  also ;  and  if  any  man  will 
sue  thee  at  the  law,  and  take  away 
thy  coat,  let  him  have  thy  cloak  al- 
so;   and    whosoever   shall     compel 
thee  to  go  wdth  him  a  mile,  go  with 
him  twain."     Matt.  5:  38-41. 

By  the  Mosaic  law,  retaliation  was 
permitted,  "an  eye  for  an  eye,  and  a 
tooth  for  a  tooth,"  might  legally  be 
demanded.  Levit.  24 :  20.  Deut.  19  : 
21.  And  other  nations,  the  Arabs, 
&c.  were  very  implacable  in  their  re- 
sentments. It  was  to  check  this  un- 
governable passion,  so  prevalent  over 
the  earth,  that  our  Savior  delivers 
these  precepts.  'I  say  unto  you  resist 
not  evil;  but  if  any  man  smite  thee 
on  thy  right  cheek,  turn  to  him  the 
other  also.' 

No  one  can  imagine  that  this  pre- 
cept, and  those  of  the  same  kind  that 
follow,  ai-e  to  be  understood  strictly 
and  literally — that  we  are  absolute- 
ly precluded  from  every  degree  of 
self-preservation.  This  can  never  be 
intended,  &  the  example  of  St.  Paul, 
who  repelled  with  proper  82nrit,  the 
insult  ofiered  him  as  a  Eoman  citi- 
zen, very  clearly  proves,  that  we 
are  not  to  permit  ourselves  to  be 


140 


ESSAYS  OX  TUE  CIVIL  LAW. 


trampled  upon  by  the  foot  of  pride 
and  oppression,  without  expressing 
a  just  sense  of  the  injury  done  to  us. 
"And  as  they  bound  liiin  with 
thongs,  Paul  said  unto  the  centurion 
that  stood  by,  Is  it  lawful  for  you  to 
scourge  a  man  that  is  a  l^oman,  and 
uncondemned?  When  the  centurion 
heard  that,  he  went  and  told  the 
chief  captain,  saying,  Take  heed 
what  thou  doest :  for  this  man  is  a 
Roman."  Acts  22:  25.  26.  And  up- 
on another  occasion,  when  the  apos- 
tle was  illegally  dealt  with,  he  re- 
ferred the  iniquitous  magistrates  to 
the  law,  and  reproved  them  for  their 
violation  of  the  law.  See  Acts  16: 16. 
Neither  can  it  be  meant,  that  if  any 
one,  by  a  cruel  and  expensive  litiga- 
tion, (as  a  very  able  advocate  for  a 
correct  sense  of  this  passage  well 
observes,)  deprive  us  of  a  part  of  our 
property,  we  should  not  only  relin- 
quish to  him  that  part,  but  request 
him  to  accept  every  thing  else  we 
have  in  the  world.  Nor  can  it  be 
meant,  that  if  a  man  should  actually 
strike  us  on  one  cheek,  we  should 
immediately  turn  to  him  the  other, 
and  desire  the  blow  to  be  repeated. 
This  could  not  possibly  answer  any 
one  rational  purpose,  nor  conduce  in 
the  least  to  the  peace  and  happiness 
of  mankind,  which  were  certainly 
the  objects  our  Savior  had  in  view. 
On  the  contrary  it  would  tend  mate- 
rially to  obstruct  both,  by  inviting 
injury  and  encouraging  insult  and 
oppression.  But  the  particular  in- 
stances of  behavior,  under  the  inju- 
ries mentioned,  wo  must  consider  as 
nothing  more  than  strong  oriental 
idioms,  as  proverbial  and  figurative 
expressions,  intended  only  to  con- 
vey a  general  precept,  &  to  describe 
that  peculiar  temper  and  disposition 
which  the  Gospel  requires;  that  pa- 


tience, gentleness  and  forbearance, 
under  injuries,  which  is  best  calcula- 
ted to  preserve  the  peace  of  our  own 
minds,  as  well  as  that  of  the  world 
at  large ! 

All  then,  that  is  here  required  of 
us,  is,  that  we  should  not  suffer  our 
resentment  of  injuries  to  carry  us 
beyond  the  bounds  of  justice,  equity, 
and  christian  charity;  that  we 
should  not,  as  St  Paul  writes  to  the 
Romans,  ''Recompense  evil  for  evil.' 
That  is,  repa}^  one  injury  by  com- 
mitting another,  but  that  we  should 
make  all  reasonable  allowances  for 
the  infirmities  of  human  nature,  for 
the  passions,  the  prejudices  &c.  of 
those  we  have  to  deal  with;  we 
should  always  show  a  disposition  to 
forgive;  rather  to  recede  and  give 
way  a  little,  than  insist  on  the  ut- 
most satisfaction  that  we  perhaps 
have  a  strict  right  to  demand. 

We  have  now  briefly  considered 
the  use  of  the  law,  ratherby  the  de- 
fendant. We  shall  next  consider 
the  use  of  the  law  by  the  plaintiff  and 
thus  answer  the  oft  proposed  ques- 
tion— ''Have  we  (believers)  aright 
to  put  the  law  in  force  against  any 
of  our  fellow  men  in  any  case  what- 
ever? See  Min.  of  1852  Article  3. 
This  is  a  grave  question,  and  de- 
mands, in  order  to  its  proper  solu- 
tion, a  deep  and  thorough  examina- 
tion of  the  state  of  the  parties  in- 
terested. The  condition,  the  object, 
and  the  motive,  all  must  be  scruti- 
nized by  the  light  of  the  gospel. 
Hence  the  wisdom  of  the  church  is 
seen  in  giving  the  following  advice, 
viz.  Before  so  doing  they  should  take 
the  counsel  of  the  church."  In  our 
own  judgment,  we  may  suppose  our 
!  case  to  be  a  vqry  good  one,  but  when 
i  properly  investigated  by  the  church 


ESSAYS  ON  THE  CIVIL  LAW. 


141 


there  may  be  a  gospel  cause,  why 
we  should  not  prosecute  our  case. 
Perhaps  our  plea  may  not  be  as 
strong  as  Ave  have  imagined,  and  by 
prosecuting  our  case,  an  injury  of 
a  threefold  might  be  committed. — 
The  first  and    second    j)arties,    and 


most  of  all,  the  church,  all  may  be 
injured. 

But  to  return  more  particularly  to 
the  question,  we  answer,  it  is  a  vio- 
lation of  the  gospel,  for  brethren   to 
go  to    law    one  with    another.     St. 
Paul  in  his  1st.  letter  to  the   Corin- 
thians and    6th    chapter,    reproves 
and  admonishes  as  follows  : — ''Dare 
any  of  you,  having  a  matter  against 
another,  go  to  law  before  the  unjust, 
and  not  before   the   saints  ?     Do  ye 
not    know     that    the    saints    shall 
judge  the  world  ?     And  if  the  world 
shall  be  judged  b}^  you,  are   ye   un- 
worthy to  judge  the  smallest  mat- 
ters?    Know  ye  not  that  we   shall 
judge    angels?      How    much  more 
things  that  pertain  to  this   life  ?      If 
then  ye    have  judgment   of  things 
pertaining  to  this  life,    set  them   to 
judge,  who    are   least  esteemed    in 
the  church.     I  speak  to  your  shame. 
Is  it  so  that  there  is  not  a  wise  man 
among   you  ?      No,    not    one    that 
shall  be  able   to  judge   between  his 
brethren  ?     But    brother  goeth    to 
law  w^th  brother,    and  that  before 
the     unbelievers.     Now,   therefore, 
there  is  utterly  a  fault  among  you, 
because  ye  go  to  law   one   with  an- 
other ;  why  do  ye   not  rather  take 
wrong?      Why    do    ye  not   rather 
suffer  yourselves  to   be  defrauded? 
Nay,  ye   do    wrong,    and    defraud, 
and  that  your  brethren." 

We  have  quoted  the  apostle  in 
full  on  the  subject,  not  so  much  for 
to  prove  that  it  is  wrong  for  brother 
to  go  to  law  with  brother,   as  for 


to  show  and  consider  the  course 
adopted  by  the  apostle,  for  the  set- 
tlement of  temporal  difficulties,  that 
may  arise  between  brother  and 
brother  or  brethren.  From  the 
language  of  the  apostle  it  was  very 
presumptuous  in  the  believing  Cor- 
inthians to  go  to  law  one  with  an- 
other, especially  before  the  unjust, 
(such  magistrates  who  were  unright- 
eous before  God)  and  not  before  the 
saints.  And  after  telling  them  that 
the  saints  will  be  assessors  with 
Christ  in  judging  men  and  angels. 
He  then  tells  them  how  they  should 
proceed  and  decide  their  temporal 
causes.  ''If  then  ye  have  judgments 
of  things  pertaining  to  this  life,  set 
them  to  judge  who  are  least  esteem- 
ed in  the  church."  First,  then, 
their  judges  or  arbitrators  are  to  be 
selected  from  the  church.  And  in 
making  their  selections,  they  should 
not  employ  or  call  the  bishops, 
teachers,  or  deacons,  from  their 
sacred  functions,  but  set  them  to 
judge  their  secular  matters,  who 
were  not  appointed  to  officiate  in 
sacred  services. 


The  faithful  ministers  of  the 
church  have  little  or  no  time  to 
spare  to  decide  causes  of  contracts, 
dollars  and  cents,  &c.  that  may 
arise  among  brethren.  And  because 
of  their  labor  of  love  in  preaching 
the  gospel  to  the  edification  of  the 
church,  and  the  conversion  of  sin- 
ners, and  their  great  care  over 
them  in  the  Lord  for  their  sj-tiritual 
concerns,  they  were  to  be  highly 
esteemed.     See  1  Thes.  6  :  13. 

By  the"least  esteemed,"  we  un- 
derstand (as  has  been  already  inti- 
mated) the  lay  or  private  members 
in  the  church.  That  this  is  a  fair 
construction    of  the    english    text 


142 


ESSAYS  ON  THE  CIVIL  LAW. 


will,  I  presume,  bo  acknowledged 
by  the  cnglish  scholar.  From  read- 
ing the  brethren's  remarks  in  the 
Visitor  on  this  subject,  I  gather 
that  it  is  hard  (if  it  can  be  done  at 
all)  to  harmonize  the  German  and 
English  text.  '  My  knowledge  of 
the  German  language  is  not  suffi- 
cient for  mo  to  criticise  on  the 
German  text.  I  shall  merely  notice 
the  word  "verachtet"  in  English 
despised.  Wo  ave  told  by  our  Ger- 
man brethren,  or  at  least  by  some 
of  them  thai  according  to  Luther's 
translation,  Paul  in  the  4th  verse 
does  not  speak  in  the  imperative 
mood,  that  is  to  command  them, 
the  Corinthians,  how  they  should 
settle  their  temporal  difficulties,  but 
reproves  them  for  having  their 
matters  tried  by  the  heathen  magis- 
trates, who  were  despised  by  the 
church,  or  according  to  br.  D  B's. 
translation — "But  ye,  when  ye  have 
matters  concerning  temporal  goods, 
ye  take  them  which  are  despised  by 
the  church,  and  set  them  as  judg- 
es." See  G.  V.  page  367.  Vol.  VIII. 
I  will  assign  a  few  reasons  why  I 
prefer  the  English  to  the  German 
translation  of  this  text.  First,  it  is 
not  according  to  Paul's  custom  to 
reprove  and  not  command  or  state 
the  order  of  discipline  to  be  observed; 
and,  secondly,  for  the  church  to 
despise  the  magistracy,  whom  Paul 
commanded  to  honor  and  obey, 
would  be  a  complete  contradiction 
of  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel;  and, 
thirdly,  there  is  not  a  word  in  the 
English  text,  but  what  harmonizes 
with  the  order  of  the  Testament. 
For  instance,  the  word  "esteem," 
means,  "to  value."  He  therefore, 
that  devotes  the  most  of  his  time 
and  talents  in  the  service  and  king- 
dom of  our  Lord  Jesu*  Christ,  is  of 


higher  value,  then  the  brother  who 
devotes  but  little  of  his  time  and 
talents  in  the  cause  of  his  Lord  and 
Master.  It  is  true  all  the  members 
of  the  church  are  very  precious  in 
the  eyes  of  Christ,  and  should  be  so 
in  the  eyes  of  one  another.  No 
member,  however  valuable  his  ser- 
vices may  be  to  the  church,  should 
esteem  himself  above  any  of  his 
fellow  members,  but  as  Paul  says, 
"let  each  esteem  other  better  than 


themselves. 


There    is     nothino: 


wrong  in  estimating  the  piety  and 
services  of  the  members  of  the 
church;  all  should  "seek  that  ye  may 
excel  to  the  edifying  of  the  church." 
1  Cor.  14  :  12.  And,  finally,  I 
would  say,  according  to  my  under- 
standing of  the  discipline  of  the 
church,  all  causes  pertaining  to 
dollars  and  cents,  or  the  secular 
affairs  of  brethren,  should  be  deci- 
ded if  possible  by  arbitration,  the 
arbitrators  to  be  selected^from  among 
the  private  members  of  the  church. 
But  should  the  arbitrators  fail  in 
reconciling  the  parties,  then  let  the 
matter  be  brought  before  the  whole 
church,  and  it  will  then  become  the 
duty  of  the  church  to  make  a  finish 
of  the  matter  according  to  Matthew 
18.  But  transgressions  against  the 
church,  cannot  be  settled  or  com- 
promised by  two  or  three  brethren, 
but  must  be  brought  before  and  de- 
cided by  the  church. 

And  should  a  committee  of  breth- 
ren be  at  any  time  needed  to  inves- 
tigate and  examine  into  causes  of 
heresies,  schisms,  false  doctrine,  &c. 
that  committee  should  be  composed 
of  elders,  brethren  well  established 
in  the  faith  and  doctrine  of  the 
great  Head  and  bishop  of  the  church. 
See  Acts  15.  We  have  now  briefly 
treated     concerning    causes    to    be 


ESSAYS  ON  THE  CIVIL  LA^^ 


143 


judged  between  believers.  But  the 
next  thing  to  be  considered  is,  how 
are  causes  to  be  judged  between  be- 
lievers and  unbelievers  ? 

It  is  very  evident  that  the  disci- 
pline of  the  church  can  only  be  ex- 
ercised over  the  members  of  the 
church;  consequently,  those  who 
are  without  the  pale  of  the  church 
are  not  under  the  discipline  of  the 
church.  And  believers  having 
claims  against  those  who  are  with- 
out the  church;  and  who  are  able 
but  not  willing  to  discharge  those 
claims,  have  one  of  two  things  to  do, 
either  to  lose  their  claims  or  collect 
them  by  law.  And  the  brethren 
who  are  not  disposed  to  lose  their 
claims,  and  according  to  the  decis- 
ion of  conference,  state  their  case 
to  the  church,  and  after  satisfying 
the  church  as  to  the  justness  or  va- 
lidity of  their  claims,  ask  counsel. 
Now  the  church  has  the  matter  in 
her  hands,  and  should  also  choose 
one  of  two  things,  either  to  help 
pay  the  claim,  or  let  the  brethren 
proceed  as  they  may   feel   disposed. 

I  will  now  give  testimony  or 
grounds  for  the  above  assertions. 
It  is  an  evident  fact,  that  the  gos- 
pel does  not  authorize  the  church  to 
legislate  over  a  brother's  secular 
possessions — to  say  that  he  must 
make  such  and  such  a  disposition  of 
his  property,  or  forfeit  his  member- 
ship in  the  church;  but  that  the 
church  has  the  authority  to  hold 
every  member  to  be  strictly  honest 
in  all  his  transactions  &c.,  is  ac- 
knowledged by  all  persons. 

But  to  show  that  Christ  and  the 
apostles  did  not  assume  any  author- 
ity over  the  temporal  estates  of  men, 
we  read  in  the  Gospel  according  to 
St.  Matthew  of  a  certain  character, 


who  requested  Christ  to  judge  or  in- 
terfere in  a  temporal  estate  between 
him  and  his  brother, — "And  one  of 
the  company  said  unto  him,  Master, 
speak  to  my  brother,  that  he  divide 
the  inheritance  with  me.  And  he 
said  unto  him,  Man,  who  made  me  a 
judge  or  a  divider  over  you  ?"  Matt. 
12:  13.14.  The  circumstance  of 
Ananias  and  Sapphira  is  to  the  pur- 
pose for  an  example.  They  were 
both  members  of  the  church,  and 
were  possessed  of  a  landed  estate. 
And  when  a  great  number  of  weal- 
thy brethren  from  a  principle  of  love 
not  because  it  was  commanded, 
made  one  common  stock  of  their 
several  estates,  so  that  their  poor 
brethren  with  themselves,  might 
partake  and  live  together  as  one 
family.  Ananias  &  Sapphira  feign- 
ed to  join  this  holy  company,  and 
tempted  the  Holy  Spirit  by  a  lie  in 
respect  to  the  sale  of  their  land,  &c. 
"But  Peter  said,  Ananias,  why  hath 
Satan  filled  thine  heart  to  lie  to  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  to  keep  back  part 
of  the  price  of  the  land  ?  While  it 
remained,  was  it  not  thine  own? — 
and  after  it  was  sold,  was  it  not  in 
thine  own  power  ?  Why  hast  thou 
conceived  this  thing  in  thine  heart  ? 
Thou  hast  not  lied  unto  men,  but 
unto  God."     Acts  5:  3.  4. 

Now  it  is  evident  from  those  two 
circumstances,  that  Christ  and  the 
apostles  assumed  no  authority  over 
the  temporal  estates  of  the  members 
of  the  church.  And  consequently 
the  church  has  no  power  over  a  bro- 
ther's temporal  goods.  That  Christ 
and  the  apostles  did  admonish  breth- 
ren to  be  charitable,  to  be  kind,  and 
benevolent  to  all  men,  especially  to 
the  household  of  faith,  we  all  know 
to  be  a  fact ; 


but  we  have   no  ac- 


144 


MUSIC. 


count  of  a  member  being  excommu- 
nicated from  the  church  for  not 
giving  alms  to  the  poor. 

By  all  this  I  wish  to  show  the 
cause  why  the  church  is  not  so  stren- 
uous as  some  contend  for,  and  deci- 
ded in  conference,  that  brethren 
should,  before  going  to  law,  take  the 
counsel  ot  the  church.  AVe  have  al- 
ready intimated  that  when  the 
church  has  a  case  of  this  nature  un- 
der consideration,  she  will  not  only 
consider  the  circumstances  of  the  par- 
ties, but  also  the  ability  and  willing- 
ness of  the  church  to  help  to  bear 
the  burden,  or  as  the  apostle  admon- 
ishes, ^'Bear  ye  one  another's  bur- 
dens, and  so  fulfil  the  law  of  Christ." 
Gal.  G :  2.  Rejoice  with  them  that 
do  rejoice,  and  weep  with  them  that 
weep.''     Eom.  12  :  15. 

It  is  very  commendable  in  all 
members,    whose   circumstances  in 


I  shall  now  conclude  this  essay  by 
merely  stating,  that  it  has  alwaj'-s 
been  a  proverbial  saying  concerning 
the  church,  "That  they  sue  no  man 
at  law,"  from  the  fact,  that  they 
have  so  few  lawsuits.  SeeNead's  The- 
ology page  358.  Two  years  after 
the  publication  of  this  work,  the 
church  in  conference  adopted  the  res- 
olution on  the  subject  of  the  use  of 
the  law.  See  minutes  of  1852.  These 
essays  will  be  considered  nothing 
more  than  a  vindication  of  said  res- 
olution. I  ask  the  forbearance  of 
the  brethren  towards  me,  and  not 
without  due  reflection  to  pass  judg- 
ment upon  these  essays  :  adieu. 

Dayton,  Ohio,  March  14th  1860. 
P.    N. 


For  the  Visitor. 
MUSIC. 
Music  is  the  language  of  the  soul. 


life  are  such  as  will  enable  them  toirpi^^^.^  jg  ^^^^^-^^^  ^^  delightful  to  a 


do  so,  to  be  very  charitable  to  the 
poor,  and  also  suffer  privations  soon- 
er than  be  burdensome  to  the  church. 
But  the  circumstances  of  brethren 
are  not  all  alike;  we  have  very  poor 
brethren,  and  again,  we  have  breth- 
ren who  arc  just  in  ordinary  cir- 
cumstances of  life  and  have  but  lit- 
tle to  spare,  and  need  all  that  is  due 
them,  in  order  to  liquidate  their  own 
debts. 

In  writing  these  essays  on  the  civ- 
il law,  I  consulted  no  lawyer.  I 
have  not  been  influenced  by  an  in- 
dividual in  or  outof  the  church,  (the 
few  quotations  excepted,)  what  to 
write  and  what  not  to  write;  but  I 
have  written  them  in  the  stillness 
ofthe  spirit,  &  forwarded  them  in  the 
same  condition  as  they  were  written 
by  my  own  hand,  to  the  beloved  ed- 
itors ofthe  Gospel  Visitor 


refined  and  elevated  mind,  as  music. 
Its  gentle  power  soothes  the  wea- 
ried spirit,  calms  the  troubled  breast, 
encourages  the  disheartened,  and 
gives  a  cheery,  healthy,  and  happy 
tone  to  all  our  thoughts  an^  actions. 
It  is  pleasant  to  sit  by  the  fireside 
and  listen  to  good  music.  It  has 
been  said  by  great  and  good  men, 
that  music  is  the  most  powerful  of 
all  the  gentle  principles  of  life. 

There  is  a  sweet  music  in  the  hu- 
man voice;  let  us  cultivate  and  use 
it  aright.  There  is  music  in  every 
thing  around  us;  let  us  go  forth, 
when  troubled  or  sorrowful,  when 
irritated  or  unhappy,  and  drink  in 
the  "music  ofthe  spheres." 

If  you  have  done  wrong,  contrary 
to  your  principle  to  yourself,  go  a- 
broad  among  the  works  of  nature. 
There  is  a  power   which    will   soon 


THE  NINTH  COMMANDMENT. 


US 


dispel  all   the  gloom    around  yon.  |  in  reference  to  the  character  of  our 
There  is  mußic  in  the  forest  when  neighbor,  when  we   invent  tales  of 
the  trees  put  forth  their  green  leaves  I  falsehood    against   him.     And  how 
in  the  joyous  springtime,   when  the '  frequently  is  this   done  !  how   often 
birds  are  building  their  rustic  homes,  |  is  a  neighborhood  put  in  an  uproar, 
when  the  buds  begin  to  unfold,  when:  by  the  violation  of  this  command- 
the  graceful  lily,  and  the  modest  vi-  jment  in  this  respect,   for  there   arc 
olet  break  forth  from  their  graves  |  always  persons  in  every  community, 
and  live.    There  is  music  in  themur-jwho,  at  the  suggestion  of  the  devil, 
muring  brook  and  rushing  ri^ver  re- !  will  maliciously    invent    falsehoods 
leased  from  their  icy  chain ;    merry  j  against  their    neighbor ;  and    thn» 
music  in  the  summer  when  the  trees ;  how  often   do   the  innocent  suffer, 
are    robed   in  fresh    living    green,! for  "behold  how  great  a  matter  a 
when  the  flowers  are  breathing  their  j  little  fire  kindleth." 
fragrance    on    the    fresh    morning  i     it  is  also  violated  when  we  listen 
breeze,  and  the  gentle  evening  wind.  I  ^^.jtl^plej^s^j.^  ^(j   g^eh    tales    when 
There  is  music  in  the  autumn,  when  LqI^j  ^gf(jj.g  o^l^ej^^  and  without   en- 
the  trees  fling  down  their  green  glo-  j  q^i^ing  iuto  the  truth  or    falsity    of 
ries  to  battle  with  the  stormy  wind,  i  ^he  same,  communicate  it  to  others.- 
that   sighs  among  the  bare  trees.— j  poj,  thou  art  inexcusable,   oh   man, 
But  all  other  music  fades  away  be- 1  if  you   communicate    a    slanderous 
side  the  music  that  lives  in  the  name  I  report  to    others,    before    you    are 
of  the  Eedeemer.  g^re  of  the  truth  of  the   same,  and 

then  it  will  not  benefit  you  to  report 
it,  for 

"What  are  others'faults  to  you  ? 
Have  you  a  vulture's  bill 
To  pick  at  every  flaw  you  see, 
And  make  it  wider   still  ? 
It  is  enough  for  us  to  know 
We  have  follies  of  our  own, 
And  on  ourselves  our  cares  bestow, 
For  the  Visitor.  And  let  our  friends  alone." 

THE  NINTH  COMMANDMENT.        gi^^^^^r  is  one  of  the  foulest  whelps 
Thou  Shalt  not  hear  false   infnessiof  sin,  and  the  person  who  will  sutter 
against  thy  neighhorr—  jthis  spirit  to  enter   within  him  is 

It  is  not  only  meant  by  this  com- j  undone,  for  "The  tongue  is  a  fire,  a 
mandment,  that  when  we  are  called  I  world  of  iniquity,  so  is  the  tongue 
upon  to  give  in  our  evidence  before  among  our  members,  that  it  defileth 
thebarof  Justice,  that  we  are  not  i  the  whole  body,  and  setteth  on  fire 
to  bear  false  witness  against  our  |  the  whole  course  of  nature,  and  it 
neighbor,  but  it  is  directed  against  is  set  on  fire  of  hell.  His  heart 
every  species  of  falsehood.  And  in  j  will  become  black  as  death,  and  his 
numerous  ways  is  this  command-  legs  shall  become  faint  with  haste 
ment  violated ;  but  we  shall  only  ;  to  propagate  the  lie  his  soul  has 
mention  a  few  cases.     It  is  violated  i  framed.  ^  ,    ,^ 

G.  y.  Vol.  X.      10 


^How  sweet  the  name  of  Jesus  sounds, 
In  a  believer's  ear  ! 
It  soothes  his  sorrows,  hesls  his  wounds, 
And  drives  away  his  fears, 

Till  then  I  will  thy  love  proclaim, 

With  every  fleeting   breath.. 
And  may  tho  music  of  thy  name, 

K,efresh  my  soul  iu  death. 

M.    L.     T. 
Newton,  Miami  Co.  Ohio. 


146 


THE  UNIVERSAL  CORRUPTION  &c. 


<'From  door  to  door  you  might  have 

Been  him  speed, 
Or  phiccd  amidst  a  group  of  gaping 

fools, 
And  whispering  in  their  ears  with 

his   foul  lips, 
Peace  fled  the  neighborhood  in  which 

he  made 
Ilig  haunts;    and  like  a  moral  pesti- 

1  encc 
Before  his  breath  the  health}^  shoots 

and  blooms 
Of  social  joy  and  happiness  decayed.' 
^'Where  there  is  no  wood  the  fire 
goeth  out,  and  where  there  is  no 
talebearer  the  strife  ccaseth."  Let 
us  then  endeavor  to  imitate  the  wise 
man,  "Who  showeth  out  of  a  good 
conversation  his  works  with  meek- 
ness and  wisdom." — 


For  the  Yisitor. 
The  universal  Corruption  of  Man's 
Nature. 

The  dismal  effects  of  the  corrupt 
nature  of  man,  soon  became  appa- 
rent after  the  unfortunate  event  of 
his  fall,  from  which  his  soul  has 
suffered  indescribably.  Cain,  the 
first-born  son  of  Adam,  had  no  soon- 
er reached  the  years  of  maturity 
than  he  gave  vent  to  his  revenge- 
ful passions,  and  imbrued  his  hands 
in  his  brother's  blood.  And  ever 
since  the  perpetration  of  this  horrid 
and  tragic  deed,  the  earth  has  been 
drenched  with  the  blood  of  thou- 
sands and  of  millions  of  human  be- 
ings, and  the  stream  of  corruption 
has  flowed,  without  intermission 
andinever}^  direction  around  the 
physical  universe. 

In  reviewing  the  pages  of  both 
gacred  and  profane  history  of  past 
ages,  we  are  continually   presented 


with  descriptions  of  the  most  shock- 


ing spectacles  of  carnage,  devasta*- 
tion  and  blood-shed,  all  of  which 
are  moral  consequences  that  inevi- 
tably follow,  w^hen  the  affections 
of  mankind  are  withdrawn  from 
the  God  of  heaven,  and  left  to  grov- 
el in  the  mire  of  depravity  and 
vice. 

Examine  the  records  of  the  dark 
ages  of  Christianity,  and  see  how 
full  of  the  most  painful  rehearsals 
of  cruelty  and  persecution.  What 
nefarious  and  diabolical  institutions 
of  wholesale  murder ; — the  Inquisi- 
tion, the  Bartholomew  miassacre, 
and  bloody  tribunals, — are  they 
not  exhibited,  as  examples  that 
speak  in  thunder  tones  of  the  cor- 
ruption of  human  nature  ? 

To  delineate  all  the  scenes  of  des- 
olation, wretchedness,  and  horror 
that  have  transpired,  and  ensued  as 
the  unavoidable  result  of  human 
depravity,  would  form  an  almost 
interminable  register  of  atrocities 
and  immoralities.  *  We  see  in  the 
actions  and  conduct  of  man  in  his 
daily  transactions,  a  constant  dispo- 
sition of  the  mind  to  deviate  from 
correct  moral  principles,  to  swerve 
from  the  truth,  and  to  tamper  with 
what  reason  and  revelation  pro- 
nounce improper  and  unjust. 

The  effects  of  universal  depravity 
was  once  very  forcibly  expressed 
in  the  words,  "The  eai-th  was  filled 
with  violence  ;"  and  God  in  his  all- 
wise  Providence,  could  no  longer 
tolerate  such  scenes  of  inhumanity, 
vice  and  licentiousness  as  were  then 
prominent  in  the  wicked  conduct  of 
those  lawless,  God-forsaken  antedi- 
luvians, and  on  this  account  they 
were  doomed  to  destruction ;  and 
for  this  purpose  there  was  a  mighty 
eruption  of  waters  from  the  earth, 
attended  with  heavy   showers  from 


THE  tJNIYEESAL  CORRUPTION  &c. 


147 


above;  so. that  the  rivers  swelled, 
and  the  sea  overflowed,  until  the 
whole  earth  was  covered  with  a 
flood,  and  all  flesh  drowned  save 
one  righteous  man,  Noah  and  his 
family. 

An  old  and  devout  prophet  much 
noted  for  his  patience,  once  in  a 
dissertation  upon  the  frailty  and 
mortality  of  man,  puts  this  inter- 
rogatory; ^'"Who  can  bring  a  clean 
thing  out  of  an  unclean  ?  Not  one;" 
thus  setting  forth  the  fact  that  our 
destitution  of  moral  purity  and  in- 
tegrity of  soul,  is  attributable  to 
the  depravity  of  our  progenitors. 
Another  of  the  ancient  fathers, 
seems  to  have  been  forcibly  impress- 
ed with  an  idea  of  the  corruption  of 


his  nature,  and    calls  our    attention 
to    this    subject 
words;   "Behold 
iniquity,  and  in  sin  did 


in  his  unregenerated  state)  as  re- 
gards the  con-uptness  of  his  nature. 
For  says  he,  "I  know  that  in  me, 
(that  is  in  my  flesh)  dwelleth  no 
good  thing;  for  to  will  is  jn-esent 
with  me ;  but  how  to  perform  that 
which  is  good  I  find  not."  This 
subject  is  again  brought  in  question 
in  an  exhortation  to  the  Galatians, 
in  language  like  this:  "For  the 
flesh  lusteth  against  the  spirit,  and 
the  spirit  against  the  flesh;  and 
these  are  contrary  the  one  to  the 
other;  so  that  je  cannot  do  the 
things  that  ye  would." 

The  concluding  testimony  we  of- 
fer on  this  subject  clearly  evinces, 
that  by  nature  we  are  disqualified 
for  every  good  work  that  is  appoint- 
ed  of  God  for  us  to  do,  that  faith, 
in  the  following  j  repentance  and  obedience  towards 
I   was  shapen  in  Qq^  cannot  be  exercised  so   long  as 

dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,^ 
walk  "according  to 
the  course  of  this  world,  fulfilling 
the  will  of  the  flesh  and  of  the 
mind,"  as  the  "children  of  disobedi- 
ence and  wrath;  so  long  as  this 
fallen,  apostate  nature  attends  the 
whole  course  of  our  life,  producing 
nothing  but  fruits  of  unrighteous- 
ness, and  so  long  as  sin  is  interwo- 
ven with  our  whole  constitution, 
tinging  every  temper,  polluting 
every  faculty,  and  perverting  every 
transaction  of  life.  Eph.  2  :  1 — 3. 


my 


mother 
conceive  me."     Psalm  51  :  5. 

Our  Savior  in  his  discourse  with 
Nicodemus  on  the  subject  of  re- 
generation, conclusively  shows  that 
Wee  begets  its  like,  that  the  plant 
will  ever  be  of  the  nature  of  the 
seed  that  produces  it,  and  hence,  his 
reply  to  that  Jewish  Ruler's  ques- 
tion, "That  which  is  born  of  the 
flesh  is  flesh,  and  that  which  is  born 
of  the  spirit  is  spirit,  John  3  :  6. 

The  apostle  Paul  in  his  letter  to 
the  Roman  brethren,  concludes  his 
treatise  on  the  universal  depravity 
of  Jews  and  Gentiles  in  these 
words;  -'For  all  have  sinned,  and 
come  short  of  tlie  glory  of  God," 
Rom  3  :  23  ;  and  again,  in  the  same 
epistle  7  ch.  he  discusses  this  subject 
more  largely,  and  gives  his  own  ex- 
perience (  or  as  some  would  contend 
a  Jew  personated  under  the  law, 
and  without  the  gospel,  or  himself 


we  are 


so  long  as  we 


Since  then  the  universal  corrup- 
tion of  man's  nature  entails  so  much 
misery  and  degradation  upon  us  in 
this  life,  and  if  not  rendered  exempt 
from  its  deplorable  effects  through 
the  atoning  blood  of  Christ,  infinite- 
ly greater  misery  and  wretched- 
ness in  a  life  to  come,  "Awake  thou 
that  sleepest,  and  rise  from  the 
dead  and  Christ  shall  give  thee  light.' 


148 


AN  APOSTOLIC  COMMAND.— LIGHT 


Sinner,  if  you  feel  that  you  never 
had  true  di;j:nity  of  mind,  that  you 
uro  a  fallen  being,  and  that  your 
nature  is  corrupt,  we  beseech  you 
most  feiTently  to  give  heed  to  the 
watchword  of  Zionj — "Como,  for 
.til  things  are  now  ready."  "The 
Bride  and  the  Spirit  say  come." 

"Come  wretched,  come  starving,  como  just 
aa  you  be, 

While  streams  of  salvation   are  flowing 
80  free." 

E.    S.    M. 


For  the  Visitor. 
AN  APOSTOLIC  COMMAND. 

'^Quench  not  the  Spirit."  1  Tlics. 
5  :  19. 

Brethren  and  sisters,  how  often 
have  we,  while  sitting  under  the 
HOund  of  the  gospel,  and  listening 
to  its  great  truths  when  delivered 
by  one  of  God's  faithful  servants, 
quenched  the  spirit !  Or,  perhaps, 
when  hearing  a  fervent  prayer,  we 
have  quenched  those  sighs  and 
groans,  the  spirit  prompted  us  to 
utter,  for  fear,  perhaps,  that  some 
person  would  notice  us,  or  think  we 
Hiijjcht  be  a  little  out  of  order. 

Brethren  and  Sisters,  I  believe 
when  prompted  by  the  spirit,  we 
should  give  utterance  to  our  feel- 
ings, to  ju.>;t  such  an  extent  as  we 
are  really  affected,  and  no  more,  nor 
no  less.  To  give  utterance  to  any 
•Jiing  we  do  not  feel,  would  be  hy- 
pocrisy j  to  restrain  our  feelings 
when  moved  by  the  divine  spirit, 
would  be  quenching  the  spirit,  and 
tlius  violating  the  scripture. 

There  is  nothing  that  gives  the 
laborers  of  God's  vineyard,  greater 
pleasure  than  to  see  all  the  plants 
growing,  and  in  a  thriving  con- 
dition, receiving  sap,  and  abiding  in 
Christ  the  living  vine.     There  must 


I  l)e  a  continual  growth, —  no  standing 
still,  and  how  can  this  growth  bo 
promoted,  unless  our  spirits  movo 
'in  harmony  Mith  the  spirit  of  God, 
'which  as  the  apostle  John  say» 
3 :  34,  ^'is  not  given  by  measure 
unto  him,"  neither  is  it  given  by 
measure  to  any  man  ? 

How  often  do  we  notice  a  dead- 
ncss  and  drowsiness  to  pervade  a 
whole  congregation!  I  fear  there 
is  too  much  head  work,  too  much 
intellectual  preaching,  and  not 
enough  heart  ])reaching.  Of  course 
I  believe  in  intellectual  preaching, 
when  the  heart  goes  with  it,  but 
when  by  itself,  it  is  nothing  but  a 
dead  letter.  When  a  minister  pours 
out  the  word  of  God  from  the  heart, 
how  soon  the  whole  congregation  is 
revived,  as  if  they  had  received  a 
shock  of  electricity.  Heart  an- 
swereth  to  heart,  and  spirit  to 
spirit,  when  wo  are  all  in  a  proper 
state  of  mind  and  do  not  quench  the 
spirit.  The  minister  may  quench 
the  spirit ;  the  deacon  may  quench 
the  spirit;  the  lay  member  may 
quench  the  spirit ;  sisters  may 
quench  the  spirit, — whereas,  none 
of  us  should  quench  the  spirit. 

M. 


For  the  Visitor. 
LIGHT. 

''But  if  we  icalk  in  the  light, 
as  he  is  in  the  light,  we  havefelloic- 
ship  with  one  another,  and  the  blood 
of  Jesvs  Chrii<t  his  Son  cleanseth  us 
from  all  siu."   1  John  1  :  7. 

Now  to  illustrate  this  a  little,  we 
will  suppose  that  a  number  of  per- 
sons are  traveling  on  a  certain  road 
which  is  beset  with  obstructions, 
pits  and  precipices.     By  the  use    of 


THE  MISSION  QUESTION. 


149 


their  natural  eyes  and  the  assist- 
ance of  the  light  of  the  sun,  they 
are  enabled  to  pass  around  all  ob- 
structions, and  to  avoid  all  those 
pits  and  precipices,  and  safely  to 
arrive  at  their  journey's  end.  But 
suppose  one  of  their  company  to  be 
blind;  if  he  is  not  led  by  some  of 
those  that  can  see,  he  is  certainly 
in  great  danger  of  falling  over  every 
obstruction,  or  into  every  pit,  or  to 
tumble  down  over  the  precipice. 

Just  so  it  is  in  a  spiritual  sense. 
The  spiritual  body  must  have  light 
as  well  as  the  natural  body.  And 
if  we  are  all  spiritually  enlightened 
with  the  assistance  of  the  light  of 
that  heavenly  Luminary,  Jesus 
Christ,  we  will  be  enabled  to  walk 
together  on  the  road  leading  to  the 
celestial  City  in  good  order  and 
harmony,  all  of  one  mind  and  of 
the  sanie  judgment,  because  the  day 
star  has  risen  in  our  hearts,  and  we 
can  see  clearly  all  those  dangers 
along  the  road,  and  thus  avoid 
them. 

But  again,  if  our  spiritual  light 
is  obscured  by  the  cares,  vexations, 
and  troubles  of  this  life,  and  perhaps 
not  willing  to  be  led  by  that  supe- 
rior light,  we  are  just  in  as  much 
danger  of  losing  our  lives  by  the 
way,  as  those  who  are  deprived 
natural  sight.  This  is  what  gave 
rise  to  the  expression  of  Christ, 
*'If  the  blind  lead  the  blind  both 
ghall  fall  into  the  ditch.'' 

Would  it  not  bo  folly  to  get  a 
blind  man  to  lead  a  blind  man  ? 
One  would  be  just  as  likely  to  get 
out  of  the  way  as  the  other.  Just 
»o  in  a  spiritual  sense.  Those  that 
lead  others,  should  be  possessed  of 
more  light  than  those  that  are  led. 
J.    S.    M. 

April,  1860. 


THE  MISSION  aUESTION. 

No.   3. 

The  author  of  the  two  former  ar- 
ticles on  this  subject  has  been  desir- 
ed to  communicate  something  more 
yet  on  the  practical  tendency  and 
practicability  of  that  apostolic  rule, 
which  is  recorded  in  ICor.  16:  2, 
and  thereby  remove  one  and  the 
other  objection,  which  might  per- 
haps be  raised.  But  he  does  this  reluc- 
tantly, since  he  does  not  like  to  talk 
much  on  such  subjects,  &  finds  it  diffir  • 
cult  for  him  to  express  himself  brief- 
ly with  ease  and  perspicuity ;  hence 
he  would  much  rather  have  left  it 
over  to  other  and  more  skillfal 
hands,  to  exhibit  more  fully  this 
evangelical  plan,  as  it  has  been  un- 
doubtedly dictated  by  the  Holy 
Spirit  to  the  apostle. 

However  he  feels  still  a  certain 
obligation,  after  having  said  so  much 
already  on  the  subject,  out  of  love 
and  in  the  service  and  obedience  of 
truth  to  say  still  a  little  more,  and 
may  God  grant  his  grace  and  bles- 
sing, that  even  this  may  conduce  to 
the  glory  of  his  name,  to  the  sprtad 
of  his  kingdom,  and  to  the  salvation 
of  souls.  And  in  advance  we  would 
beg  our  beloved  brethren  and  sis-  ,■ 
ters  all,  to  be  without  fear,  as  if  wc 
intended  like  the  Pharisees  andt,; 
Scribes  to  lay  grievous  burdens  on'? 
their  neck,  or  bring  something  new 
before  their  ears. 

No,  beloved,  if  you  read  attentive- 
ly, what  we  have  said  in  the  last  ar- 
ticle,— if  you  pay  due  regard  to  the 
word,  which  we  have  adduced,  you 
will  find,  that  it  is  nothing  new,  but 
something  as  old  as  the  New  Testa- 
ment. There  it  stands  recorded; 
and  there  you  can  read  it,  what  wc  f 
will  write  down  here  once  more  con-  ' 
spicuously. 


150 


THE  MISSION  QUESTION. 


"Now  concerning  the  collection 
for  the  saints,  as  I  have  given  order 
to  the  churches  of  Galatia,  oven  eo 
dove.  Upon  the  first  day  of  the 
week  let  every  one  of  you  lay  by 
hira  in  store  as  God  has  prospered 
him,  that  there  ho  no  gatherings 
when  I  come."    1  Cor.  16:  1,  2. 

And  is  this  a  hard  yoke,  a  heavy 
thing  or  a  grievous  burden  ?  Nev- 
you  would   yourselves  be  com- 


er 


pelled  to  say,  if  you  consider  the 
words  properly,  and  reflect,  that 
they  are  a  part  of  the  doctrine  of  our 
Savior,  who  said  himself,  "My  bur- 
den is  light;  my  yoke  is  easy." — 
And  how  light  that  burden  is,  if  we 
take  it  upon  us  unitedly,  and  how 
much  can  be  done,  when  many  work 
together  truly  and  faithfully,  we 
will  try  to  set  forth  plainly  in  fig- 
ures, which  cannot  deceive. 

The  apostle  says,  "Let  every  one 
of  you  lay  by  him  in  store,  N.  B.  ev- 
ery week.  How  much  each  is  to  give, 
is  not  commanded,  but  left  to  each 
one's  own  judgment  and  conscience. 
But  we  will  suppose  our  whole  frater- 
nity was  united  in  this  matter,  aud 
every  brother  and  every  sister  would 
lay  in  store  and  contribute  at  least 

One  Cent  a  week, 
where  is  the  brother  or  sister,  who 
could  labor  and  earn  still  something, 
to  whom  such  a  contribution  of  one 
Cent  a  week  would  be  burdensome  ? 
And  supposing  further,  that  in 
one  church  there  live  about  one  hun- 
dred such  members,  who  w^uld 
faithfully  lay  by  in  store  every  week 
their  Cent,  how  mmch  would  accu- 
mulate in  about  a  year  in  such 
church  ?  Any  child,  that  has  learnt 
the  use  of  figures,  could  make  out 
and  find,  that  the  sum  in  one  year 
would  amount  to  Fifty  Two  Dollars. 
And  suppose  again,  there  were  two 


hundred  such  churches  (averaging 
100  members  each)  in  our  brother- 
hood, and  they  all  brought  their  con- 
tributions or  collections  at  the  year- 
ly meeting  together,  what  would  the 
sum  be  then  ?  Let  a  child  multiply 
52  by  200,  and  it  will  tell  you  the 
sum  to  be  Ten  thousand  four  hun- 
dred (Dollars). 

Wo  ask  you,  dear  brethren,  is  this 
not  a  pretty  round  sum,  with  which 
already  extensive  operations  might 
be  commenced.  Not  only  two,  but 
twenty  brethren  could  be  sent  out 
to  California  and  Oregon,  and 
where-ever  it  might  be  necessary, 
and  there  would  still  be  something 
left.  And  this  sum,  large  as  it  is, 
would  have  been  brought  together 
Cent  by  Cent  a  week,  and  no  mem- 
ber would  feel  poorer  for  it  at  the 
end  of  the  year.  Is  it  not  astonish- 
ing, how  insignificant  the  means  are, 
with  which  the  Lord  designs  to  bless 
his  children,  and  what  deep  divine 
wisdom  is  hid  in  that  simple  rule, 
the  apostle  Paul  has  left  on  record 
for  us  ? 

But  let  us  contemplate  once  more 
that  rule .  We  have  said  above,  that 
it  was  not  commanded  therein,  how 
much  each  one  should  give.  True, 
less  than  one  Cent  a  week  no  one 
give,   for  we  have   no  smaller 


can   ^ 

coin  in  our  countr}^  This  is  the 
widow's  mite,  which  our  Lord  holds 
up  as  an  example.  Luke  21 :  1.  But 
wo  entreat  our  dear  brethren,  to 
note  well,  that  the  poor  widow  did 
not  cast  in  only  onCy  but  two  mites, 
and  that  these  very  two  mites,  were 
all  that  she  had,  all  her  living.  Who 
would  have  found  fault  with  her,  if 
she  had  divided  with  her  God,  and 
cast  one  only  mite  into  the  treasury',  & 
reserved  the  other  for  herself?  That 
already  would  have  been  much,  for 


THE  MISSION  QUESTION. 


151 


she  would  still  have  cast  in  the  half;  his  living  by  his  daily  labor,  who 
of  all  her  living,  and  this  the  rich  j  could  not  put  away  two  cents  each 
did  not  do.  week  into  the  treasury  of  God,  with- 

Dearest  brethren  and  sisters.  If  lout  inconvenience  to  himself?  Where 
we  cast  a  serious  glance  at  this  ex-  \  ig  the  sister,  who  beside  her  board 
ample  of  the  two  mites  of  the  poor  |  earns  only  fifty  cents  or  perhaps  a 
widow,  and  search  somewhat  more 'dollar  a  week,  but  who  being  con- 
deeply  into  the  position  ofher  heart,  j  strained  by  the  love  of  God,  would 
and  the  motive  ofher  deed,  it  will  j  not  willingly  cast  in  her  two  mites? 
become  clear  to  us,  that  One  Cent  a  |  How  many  a  cent  is  usekssly,  and 
week  is  not  sufficient  for  such,  who  i  worse  than  uselessly  spent  ?  And  if 
love  the  Lord,  his  service,  and  his  j  those  members,  who  work  for  hire, 
salvation,   and  are  capable  of  doing '  and  live  perhaps   in  a  rented  house, 


more,  but  that  it  requires  at  least 

Two  Cents  a  week, 
in    order    to  prove    by  our  deed, 
our  love  to  Jesus,  and  to  follow  the 
pattern  of  the  two  mites  of  the  poor 
widow. 

It  appears,  that  among  the  Jews 
there  was  a  custom,  that  as  often  as 
they  attended  worship  in  the  tem- 
plcf  they  cast  into  the  treasury  a 
gift.  The  same  is  even  now-a-days 
customary  among  them,  when  they 

meet  in  their  houses  of  worship  or  Two  Cents  a  week,  but  more  still, 
synagogues.  A  similar  custom  exists 
also  in  many  churches,  where  a  bag 
fastened  to  a  staff  is  passed  round 
among  the  people  in  church,  to  put 
in  their  offerings. 


can  do  it  easily  and  willingly,  to  of- 
fer up  weekly  a  couple  of  cents  to 
the  cause  of  God,  would  then  those 
brethren  and  sisters,  who  have  been 
abundantly  blessed  by  the  Lord,  find 
it  difficult  to  observe  that  apostolic 
rule,  and  contribute  likewise  every 
week  their  gifts  according  to  their 
ability  ?  No,  no ;  all  will  have  io 
confess  the  yoke  of  the  Gospel  to  be 
easy,  and  its  burden  light,  even  if 
it  should  require  not  only  One  or 


If  then  the  poor  widow  had  cast 


But  here  perhaps  one  will  say, 
^'What  is  to  be  done  with  all  that 
money ;  if,  as  you  have  made  it  out, 
by  one-cent-a-week  contributions 
such  a  large  sum  would  be  collected, 
that  sum  would  be  more  than  doub- 


,  ^ ,  ,        .         ,     ,  led  by  two    cents  a   week,  and  by 

only  one  ofher  two   mites  into  the      u  ^         ixv  v  j 

j; .^  u    _  X   1.  _     1-        I  what  wealthy  members  may  do  more 


treasury,  it  could  not  have  been 
known,  whether  she  did  it  only  be- 
cause it  was  a  custom,  or,  as  the  say- 
ing is,  for  shame  sake,  or  rather 
from  love  to  God.  But  inasmuch 
she  gave  both,  &  by  doing  so  cast  in 
her  all,  what  she  had,  she  gave  evi- 
dence, that  she  loved  God  above  all, 
that  she  had  given  herself  entirely 
to  him  and  his  service,  and  trusted 
in  him  with  full  confidence. 

Now  where  is  the  brother,  who  is 
in  health,  though  he  has  to  work  for 


than  that;  what  is  to  become   of  it 
at  last  ? 

It  is  well,  that  we  have  been  re- 
minded of  this,  but  time  and  space 
will  not  permit  us  to  answer  at  this 
time  the  above  and  similar  questions. 
"We  also  might  yet  say  a  good  deal 
on  the  superiority  of  this  plan  above 
all  others  tfiat  have  ever  been  tried 
and  practiced  in  and  out  of  the 
church ; — of  the  difficulties  and  hin- 
drances, which  stand  opposed  to  it, 
and  bow  they  might   be    overcome 


162 


QUERIES. 


or  put  out  of  the  way  ; — of  the  meas- 
ui'es  of  precaution,  which  neccHsari- 
\y  will  have  to  be  observed,  if  the 
work  is  truly  to  prosper; — and  fi- 
nally of  the  motivee,  by  which  our 
beloved  brethren  and  sisters  all — 
in  every  place,  both  theirs  and  ours 
— and  every  member  individually 
should  bo  led  and  guided  in  this 
matter, — and  had  already  written 
several  jwges  u^wn  those  items. 
But  we  will  now  first  wait  and  see 
what  is  done  at  the  yearly  meeting, 
and  if  our  humble  views  of  this  di- 
vinely ordained  and  i-atified  plan, 
which  yet  is  so  little  observed  in 
Christendom  now-a-days,  should  be 
further  required,  we  are  willing  to 
answer  according  to  the  best  of  our 
ability  any  questions,  that  may  be 
sent  to  the  ^'Gospel  Visitor"  on  this 
point. 

Now  may  the  great  II<3ad  of  the 
church,  our  Lord  and  Savior  Jesus 
Christ,  tak-e  this  matter  in  his  own 
hands,  and  by  his  Holy  Spirit  di- 
rect, guide,  rule  and  overrule  the 
counsels  of  the  Brethren  to  that  end, 
which  will  best  promote  the  exten- 
sion of  his  kingdom,  the  edification 
of  the  church  and  the  conversion 
and  salvation  of  the  world,  and  to 
God  be  all  the  praise  in  the  name 
of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  that  for  ev- 
ermore.   Amen. 


^ 


u  D  r  u  fj 


1.    On  Mark  9  :  38,  39,  40. 

Dear  Editors :  I  desire  an  expla- 
nation of  Mark  9  :  38, 39,  40.  Par- 
ticularly on  the  words  "He  foUow- 
cth  not  us." 

It  is  believed  by  some  that  these 
words  mean  that  ho  did  not  observe 


the  commands  of  Christ  in  the  same 
way  and  manner  that  they  (the 
apostles)  did.  Now  Brethren,  if 
this  query  is  worth  a  place  in  the 
Visitor,  you  will  please  answer  it. 
Yours  respectfully, 

J.    R.     N. 

Answer. — The  passage  referred 
to,  reads  as  follows  :  ''And  John  an- 
swered him,  saying,  Master,  we  saw 
one  casting  out  devils  in  thy  name, 
and  he  foUoweth  not  ns;  and  we 
forbade  him,  because  he  followctli 
not  us.  But  Jesus  said.  Forbid  him 
not;  for  there  is  no  man  which  shall 
do  a  miracle  in  my  name,  that  can 
lightly  speak  evil  of  me.  For  he 
that  is  not  against  us  is  on  our 
part." 

Because  the  disciples  had  been 
called  to  follow  Christ's  person  as 
well  as  his  example,  they  conceived 
the  idea  that  it  was  necessary  for 
every  one  who  would  follow  Christ 
to  be  in  company  with  them  and 
him.  This  he  gave  them  to  under- 
stand was  not  absolutely  necessary. 
It  appears  that  the  individual  John 
referred  to,  was  a  friend  to  Christ, 
and  no  doubt  he  honored  and  obeyed 
him.  It  does  not  follow  that  ail 
who  arc  following  Christ,  must  live 
in  the  same  community.  Our 
bi'ethren  who  live  in  Pennsylvania 
and  other  states,  are  following 
Christ,  and  we  hope  that  some  of  us 
who  are  living  in  Ohio  are  trying  to 
folllow  him,  and  yet  we  are  scatter- 
ed about  and  constitute  a  number 
of  communities. 

2.  Should  the  Deacons  baptize  ? 
Dear  Brethren:  Will  you  please 
answer  the  following  query  ?  If 
Philip  the  deacon  preached  the  gos- 
pel and  baptized,  Why  do  not  the 
deacons    of    the    present  day    the 


QUERIES. 


153 


game,  if  we    plead  for   the    ancient 
order  of   things  ?     Please 


give 


us 


time,  because  he  had  been  dumb. 
Please  give  us  your  opinion  in  the 
Gospel  Visitor. 

C.  G. 
Answer. — The  following  predic- 
tion had  been  given  by  the  angel 
concerning  Zacharias:  '^And,  be- 
hold, thou  shalt  be  dumb,  and  not 
able  to  speak,  until  the  day  that 
these  things  shall  be  perfonned, 
because  thou  believest  not  my  words, 
which  shall  be  fulfilled  in  their  sea- 
that  have  used  the  office  of  a  deacon  |  son."  Luke  1  :  20.  Then  the  pun- 
well,  purchase  to  themselves  a  good  j  ishment  inflicted  on  him  for  his  un- 
degree,  and  great  boldness  in  the  j  belief,  was  removed  after  the  birth 
faith  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus."  He  i  of  the  child,  according  to  verse  64, 
therefore   was    probably    promoted  j  and  he  praised    God  for    the   fulfil- 


your  opmion. 

Answer. — The  Philip  who  bap- 
tized the  eunuch  was  no  doubt  the 
Philip  referred  to  in  Acts  21  :  8. 
And  while  he  is  called  "the  evange- 
list," it  is  said  he  was  "of  the  sev- 
en ;"  consequently  it  was  Philip  the 
deacon.  But  it  is  likely  he  used  the 
office  of  a  deacon  well,  and  accord- 
ing to    Paul,    1  Tim.  3  ;  13,    "they 


to  the  office  of  an  evangelist,  and 
was  already  in  that  office  when  he 
baptized. 

When,  however,  necessity  re- 
quires it,  we  do  not  think  it  contra- 
ry to  the  order  of  the  gospel  for  a 
deacon  to  administer  baptism.  And 
under  such  circumstances,  when  a 
bishop  or  minister  directs  a  deacon 
to  baptize,  it  is  allowed  among  the 
brethren. 

3.     Luke  1 :  63,  64. 

I  would  have  a  small  question  to 
lay  before  you,  if  you  will  be  so  kind 
as  to  answer  it.     We    can   read    in 


it  seems  to  be    in    accordance    with 
they  marvelled  all."     Then   it   savs  I  ^^^  ^^age  of  the    primitive    cluu-ch. 


ment  of  his  promises. 

It  was  the  mouth  of  Zacharias, 
and  not  that  of  the  infant  child 
John,  which  was  opened. 

4.      CONCERXING    THE     VISITS     MADE 

BY  THE  Deacons. 
Dear  Brethren:  Do  the  duties 
devolving  on  the  deacons  when  they 
are  performing  the  visit  require 
them  to  have  prayer  with  thosa 
families  which  they  visit  ? 

Answer. — The  rule  established 
among  the  brethren  of  visiting  all 
the  members  of  the  church  occasion- 
ally, generally  before  the  commu- 
Luke's  gospel  1:63.  "And  hej^^^^' ^^  ^  P^^^^^^i^^  one,  and  has 
asked  for  a  writing-table,  and  wi«ote,  I  l^^^^^^^^^^^^o  .^^  ^^^^-^  Moreover 
saying,  His  name    is    John.      And{ 

says ' 
in  verse  64,  "And    his   mouth    was 


See  Acts  5  :  42;  20:  20. 


opened  immediately,  and  his  tongue  i     The  design  of  the  visit  made   an- 
loosed,  and  he  spake,  and  praised  j  nually  or  semi-annually    to    all  the 


God."     Now  the  question  is,  Whose  \  members  of  the  church,  is  not  mere- 
mouth  and  tongue  was  opened  and  |  ly  to  ascertain    whether   there    is  a 

proper  state  of  union  existing  in 
the  church,  but  as  there  are  often 
with  us ;  some  think  it  was  John's '  members  living  some  distance  from 
mouth,  others  that  it  was  that  of  |  the  ordinary  place  or  places  of  meet- 
Zacharias,  which  was  opened  at  that!  ing,  and  this  circumstance  or  some 


loosed  ?    Was  it    John's   or    Zacha- 
rias' ?     There  are  different  opinions 


154 


BEEYITIES. 


others,  may  hinder  such  from  at- 
tending meeting  as  frequently  as 
they  might  desire  to  do;  when  such 
then  are  visited  by  the  church  they 
see  that  they  are  not  forgotten,  and 
that  the  church  has  a  regard  to  the 
welfare  of  its  members.  The  man- 
ifestation of  this  regard  will  have  a 
tendency  to  promote  the  mutual 
attachment  between  the  members 
and  the  church.  The  object  then  of 
the  visit  is  the  edification  of  those 
to  whom  the  visit  is  made.  Conse- 
quently, those  who  make  the  visit 
should  60  order  their  conversation 
and  exercises  when  on  the  visit,  as 
will  be  best  calculated  to  accom- 
plish the  object  in  view,  namely, 
the  comfort  and  edification  of  the 
members. 

When  those  who  make  the  visit 
merely  call  a  few  moments  at  the 
houses  of  the  members,  and  inquire 
concerning  their  union  with  the 
church  and  have  no  prayer  or  reli- 
gious exercises  together,  the  visit 
is  likely  to  become  formal,  and  to 
fail  to  do  the  good  it  might  other- 
wise do.  We  therefore  think  that 
brethren  when  making  the  visit 
should  not  be  in  too  much  haste,  and 
if  at  all  convenient,  have  some  reli- 
gious exercises  with  the  families 
they  visit,  and  make  their  calls  as 
edifying  as  possible.  And  as  the 
visit  is  appointed  by  the  church, 
and  is  designed  to  be  of  a  spiritual 
character,  members  when  visited, 
should  lay  aside  their  business  if  he  shall 
possible,  and  call  their  families  to- 
gether, and  give  the  brethren  on  the 
visit  to  understand  that  they  wish 
to  have  a  season  of  devotion.  Mem- 
bers sometimes  when  visited  seem 
to  be  so  busy  that  the  brethren  feel 
a  backwardness  in  proposing  wor- 
ship.   This  should  not  be  the  case 


unless  the  business  is  of  a  very  pe- 
culiar character.  It  is  said  by  the 
apostle  James  that  **the  effectual 
fervent  prayer  of  a  righteous  man 
availeth  much."  We  should  there- 
fore desire  the  prayers  of  such  for 
ourselves,  and  for  our  children, 
and  for  our  families. 


r  tviii  t  s, 


comnEEsioK. 

Do  you  think  that  your  sins  are 
washed  away  in  Christ's  blood,  when 
they  are  there   still,   and  you  are 
committing  them  ?    Would  they  be 
here,  and  you  doing  them,  if  they 
were  put  away  ?  Do  you  think  that 
your  sins  can  be  put  away  out  of 
God's  sight,  if  they  are  not  even  put 
out  of  your  own  sight?    If  you  are 
doing    wrong,    do  you    think  that 
God  will  treat  you  as  if  you  were 
doing  right  ?  Cannot  God  see  in  you 
what  you  can  see   yourselves  ?    Do 
you  think  that  a  man  can  be  clothed 
in  Christ's  righteousness  at  the  very 
same  time  that  he  is  clothed  in  his 
own  unrighteousness?    Can  he  be 
good  and  bad  at  once  ?  Do  you  think 
a   man  can   be  converted — that  is, 
turned  round — when   he  is  going  on 
his  old'road  the  whole  week?  Do  yon 
think  a  man   has  repented — that  is, 
changed  his  mind — when   he  is  in 
just  the  same  mind  as  ever  as  to  how 
behave   to  his  family,  his 
customers,    and    every  body   with 
whom  he  has  to  do  ?    Do  you  think 
that  a  man  is  renewed  by  God's  Spir- 
it, when,  except  for  a  few  religious 
phrases,  and  a    little  more  outside 
respectability,  he  is  just  the  old  man 
the  same  character  at  heart  he  ev- 
er was?    Do  you  think  there  is  any 


BEEYITIES. 


155 


use  in  a  man's  belonging  to  the 
number  of  believers,  if  he  does  not  do 
"what  he  believes;  or  any  use  in 
thinking  that  God  has  elected  and 
chosen  him,  when  he  chooses  not  to 
do  what  God  has  chosen  that  every 
man  must  do  or  die  ? —  Kingsly. 

THOUGHTLESSNESS  OF  MAN- 
KIND. 

Astonishing  fact,  that  all  that 
mankind  acknowledge  the  great- 
est they  care  about  the  least; — 
as  first,  on  the  summit  of  all 
greatness,  the  Deity.  ^'Tis  ac- 
knowledged he  reigns  over  all,  is 
present  always  here,  prevails  in 
each  atom  and  each  star,  observes 
us  as  an  awful  Judge,  claims  infinite 
regard,  is  supremely  good — what 
then  ?  why,  think  nothing  at  all 
about  him !  There  is  Eternity ; 
you  have  lived  perhaps  thirty  years; 
you  are  by  no  means  entitled  to  ex- 
pect so  much  more  life  ;  you  at  the 
•Rtmost  will  very  soon,  very  soon 
die?  TVhat  follows?  Eternity—a 
boundless  region;  inextinguishable 
life  !  myriads  of  mighty  and  strange 
spirits ;  vision  of  God ;  glories,  hor- 
rors. Well,  what  then  ?  Why,  think 
nothing  at  all  about  it!  There  is 
the  great  aifair — moral  and  religious 
improvement.  What  is  the  true  busi- 
ness of  life?  To  grow  wiser,  more  pi- 
ous, more  benevolent,  more  ardent, 
more  elevated  in  every  noble  pur- 
pose and  action,  to  resemble  the 
Divinity  !  It  is  acknowledged;  who 
denies  or  doubts  it  ?  What  then  ? 
Why,  care  nothing  at  all  about  it ! 
Sacrifice  to  trifles  the  energies  of 
the  hearty  and  the  short  and  fleetin 
time  allotted  for  divine  attainments! 
such  is  the  actual  course  of  the  world. 
What  a  thing  is  mankind ! — 


INTEGRITY  OF   CHARACTEE. 

Whoever  possessed  it  that  did  not 
derive  untold  advantages  from  it? 
It  is  better  than  the  gold  of  Ophir; 
it  is  of  more  value  than  diamonds 
and  all  precious  stones.  And  yet 
every  man  may  possess  it.  The 
poorest  may  have  it,  and  no  power 
will  wrest  it  from  them.  To  young 
men,  we  say  with  earnestness  and 
emphasis,  look  at  integrity  of  char- 
acter with  the  blessing  it  confers, 
and  imbibe  such  principles  and  such 
a  course,  that  its  benefits  may  be 
yours.  It  is  a  prize  so  rich  that  it 
repays  every  sacrifice  and  every  tri- 
al necessary  to  secure  it.  Suppose 
a  mercantile  community  could  be 
found  whose  every  individual  was 
known  and  acknowledged  to  possess 
strict  and  uncompromising  integrity 
the  representations  of  each  one  were 
in  strict  accordance  with  truth,  his 
word  as  good  as  his  bond,  such  a 
community  would  have  a  monopoly 
of  the  trade,  so  far  as  they  had  the 
means  of  supplying  the  demand.  The 
tricks  of  trade,  whatever  be  their  ap- 
parent advantages,  impair  confidence 
and  in  the  end,  injure  those  who 
practice  them  far  more  than  they 
benefit  them.  It  is  a  short  sighted 
as  well  as  guilty  policy,  to  swere, 
under  any  circumstances,  from  those 
great  principles  which  are  of  univer- 
sal and  everlasting  obligation.  Let 
a  man  maintain  his  integrity  at  all 
times,  and  he  will  be  satisfied  there 
is  a  blessing  in  it,  and  a  blessing  flow- 
ing from  it  and  a  blessing  all  around 
it. 

ABGITMENTS  FOE  THE  SIBLE. 

There  are  four  grand  arguments 
for  the  truth  of  the  Bible.  The  first 
is  the  miracles  on  record ;  the  second 
the  prophecies ;  the  third  the  good- 
ness of  the  doctrine;  the  fourth  the 


156 


MAKI]SG  FUN. 


moral  character  of  the  penmen.  The 
miracles  flow  from  divine  power; 
the  prophecies  from  divine  under- 
standing; the  excellence  of  the  doc- 
trine, from  divine  goodness;  the 
moral  character  of  the  penmen,  from 
divine  purity.  Thus,  Christianity  is 
built  upon  these  four  immovable  pil- 
lars— the  power,  the  understanding, 
the  goodness,  the  purity  of  God.— 
The  Bible  must  be  one  of  these 
things;  either  an  invention  of  good 
men,  or  bad  men ;  or  good  angels, 
or  bad  angels;  or  a  revelation  from 
God,  But  it  eould  not  be  the  inven- 
tion of  good  men,  or  angels;  for  they 
neither  would  nor  could  make  a  book 
telling  lies,  at  the  time  saying, 
*<Thus  saith  the  Lord,'*  when  they 
knew  it  all  to  be  their  invention. — 
It  could  not  be  the  invention  of 
wicked  men,  or  devils,  for  they  could 
not  make  a  book  which  commands 
all  duty,  which  forbids  all  sin,  and 
which  condemns  their  souls  to  all 
eternity.  The  conclusion  is  irresist- 
ible— the  Bible  must  be  given  by 
divine  inspiration. 


MAKING  FUN. 
Once,  when  traveling  in  a  stage- 
coach, I  met  a  young  lady  who  seem- 
ed to  be  on  the  constant  look-out  for 
something  laughable. —  Every  old 
barn  was  made  the  subject  of  a  pass- 
ing joke,  while  the  cows  and  hens 
looked  demurely  on,  little  dreaming 
that  folks  could  be  meny  at  their 
expense.  All  this  was  perhaps  harm- 
less enough.  Animals  are  not  sen- 
sible in  that  respect.  They  are  not 
likely  to  have  their  feelings  injured 
because  people  make  fun  of  them; 
but  when  we  come  to  human  beings 
th^t  is  quite  another  thing.      So  it 


seemed  to  me,  for,  after  a  while,  an 
old  lady  came  running  across  the 
fields,  swinging  her  bag  at  the  coach-  ^ 
man,  and  in  a  shrill  voice  begging 
him  to  stop.  The  good-natured 
coachman  drew  up  his  horses,  and 
the  old  lady,  coming  to  the  fence 
by  the  road-side,  squeezed  herself 
through  two  bars  which  were  not 
only  in  a  horizontal  position,  but  very 
near  together.  The  young  lady  in 
the  stage-coach  made  some  ludicrous 
remark,  and  the  passengers  laughed. 
It  seemed  very  excusable ;  for,  in 
getting  through  the  fence,  the  poor 
woman  had  made  sad  work  with  her 
old  black  bonnet,  and  now,  taking  a 
seat  beside  a  well-dressed  lady,  real- 
ly looked  as  if  she  had  been  blown 
there  by  a  whirlwind.  This  was  a 
new  piece  of  fun,  and  the  girl  made 
the  most  of  it.  She  caricatured  the 
old  lady  upon  a  card;  pretended, 
when  she  was  not  looking,  to  take 
patterns  of  her  bonnet ;  and  in  vari-  „' 
ous  other  ways  sought  to  raise  a 
laugh.  At  length  the  poor  woman 
turned  a  pale  face  toward  her. 

"My  dear,''  said  she,  "you  are 
young,  healthy,  and  happy.  I  have 
been  so  too,  b«t  that  time  is  past, — 
I  am  now  old,  decrepit  and  forlorn. 
This  coach  is  taking  me  to  the  death- 
bed of  my  only  child.  And  then, 
my  dear,  I  shall  bo  a  poor  old  wo- 
man, ull  alone  in  a  world  where 
merry  girls  will  think  me  a  very  a- 
musing  object.  They  will  laugh  at 
my  old  fashioned  clothes  and  odd 
appearance,  forgetting  that  the  old 
woman  has  a  spirit  that  has  loved, 
and  suifcred,  and  will  live  forever." 

The  coach  now  stopped  before  a 
poor-looking  house,  and  the  old  lady 
feebly  descended  the  steps. 

"How  is  she?"  was  the  first  trem- 
bling inquiry  of  the  poor  mother. 


POETEY.— NOTICE. 


15V 


"Just  alive,  said  the  man  who  was 
leading  her  into  the  house. 

Putting  up  the  steps,  the  driver 
mounted  his  box,  and  we  were  up- 
on the  road  again. — Our  merry 
young  friend  had  placed  the  card 
in  her  pocket.  She  was  leaning 
her  head  upon  her  hand;  and  you 
may  be  sure  that  I  was  not  sorry 
to  see  a  tear  upon  her  fair  young 
cheek.  It  was  a  good  lesson,  and 
one  which  we  greatly  hoj)ed  would 
do  her  good. 

It  is  pleasant  to  see  a  smiling 
face.  We  should  encourage  our 
hearts  to  look  upon  the  sunny  side 
of  things,  and  there  is  no  harm  in 
being  merry  where  no  one  is  in- 
jured by  it;  but  in  this,  as  in  every 
other  thing,  let  us  be  conscientious. 
The  wise  man  has  said,  ^'There  is  a 
time  to  laugh;"  but  remember,  dear 
children,  if  we  would  not  displease 
our  heavenly  Father,  we  must  take 
care  and  not  be  merry  when  coit- 
science  tells  us  it  is  "^Tong.  I  have 
heard  children  excuse  themselves 
for  laughing  in  the  house  of  God,  by 
saying  that  they  couldn't  help  it. 
]N'ow,  what  is  to  be  done  when  chil- 
dren can't  help  doing  wrong? — 
When  they  kneel  before  God  in  pray- 
er, do  they  say,  "I  have  done  wrong 
feut  I  couldn't  help  itT  No,  they 
would  not  dare  say  that.  Let  us, 
then,  teach  our  hearts  to  be  very 
honest,  for  unto  Ilim  who  searches 
the  heart  we  must  tell  the  whole 
truth. 


I 


EVENING  MUSINGS. 

The  evening  shades  are   oe'r  me, 
The  mild  fiiir  moon  on  high, 

While  through  the  eastern  twilight, 
I  roll  my  wearied  eye ; — 


And  pray,  dear  Lord,  remember 
That  head  now  bowed  to  thee, 

White  with  the  snowy  winter 
Of  years,  long  pass'd  away. 

"Eise  up  before  the  aged ; — 
Is  my  command  long  given, 

(To  "Israel  and  the  nations,) 
Fast  as  my  throne  in  Heaven  ! 

Eemember,  oh  remember, 

Those  clasp'd  hands,  trembling  now 
Where  oft,  we  ran   with   greetings, 

For  that  sad  stricken  brow; 

"Honor  thy  father, — mother," 

Is  law  of  love  from  me; 
Is  the  ripe  fruit  forgotten 

Though  on  a  leafless  tree  ? 

Eemember,  oh  remember, 
And  dry  that  weeping  eye 

That  seldom  wept  in  manhood. 
Though   deej)   his  heart-felt  sigh. 

"Fear  thou  before  thy  mother !" 

Behold,  my  tender  care. 
And  smile  amid  your  weeping, 

!N'or  drop   one  hopeless  tear. 

Eemember,  Lord,  remember. 
Those  lips  that  for  us  pray'd, 

As  in  youth's  flow'ry  gardens 
So  thoughtlessly  we  stray' d. 

Those  pray  el's,  have  I  not  heard  them? 

Have  I  not  prov'd  my  Love  ? 
The  cup  now  blessed  with  blessings 

Shall  overflow  above  ! 

In  that  far  land  remember. 
My  father's  fainting  heart ; 

0  bind  its  broken  places, 
And  hurl  his  foes  apart. 

Let  faith  that's  tried,  be  patient; 

Walk  soft  the  ''Oceans"  shore, 
My  "rod  shall  make  a  pathway. 

And  foes  be  seen,  no  more. 

Sunday  night,  March  5,  1860. 


S. 


(CrNotice, 


to  brethren  going  to  the  Yearly  Meet- 
ing. 

I  have  made  arrangements    with 
the  East  Tennessee  and  Va.E.  E.  Co. 


158 


CONTRI BUTIONS.— CORRECTION. 


for  the  half  fare.  The  company's  I 
arrangements  are  these;  persons  or 
members  going  to  the  meeting,  ^vill 
pay  full  fare  from  the  place  at  which 
they  take  the  road,  to  Limestone 
depot,  and  at  the  meeting  obtain  a 
certificate  from  the  secretaiy  of 
the  meeting,  and  they  will  be  return- 
ed to  the  place  of  starting  free  of 
charge. 

I  have  also  made  arrangements 
■with  the  East  Tennessee  and  Geor- 
gia, and  the  Nashville  and  Chatta- 
nooga roads.  The  companies'  ar- 
rangements are  these :  All  delegates 
going  to  the  Yearly  Meeting,  will 
pay  full  fare  from  Nashville  to 
ivnoxville,  the  junction  of  the  E.  T. 
and  Georgia,  and  E.  T.  and  Ya., 
R.  Roads.  They  will  obtain  a  cer- 
tificate at  the  meeting  and  will  be 
returned  free  of  charge  to  the  place 
of  starting. 

Joseph  Sherfy. 

Freedom,  "Washington  Co.  Tenn. 
April  6,  1860. 


best  and  nearest  way  to  "Washing- 
ton City,  from  there  to  Alexandria, 
8  miles,  by  omnibus,  or  steam  boat. 
Then  take  the  Orange  and  Alexan- 
dria R.  R.  to  Lynchburg,  where  they 
will  connect  with  the  Ya.  and  Ten- 
nessee R.  R.,  which  will  take  them 
to  the  depot  mentioned  in  the  min- 
utes. Or  if  they  prefer  to  come  up 
the  Mannasses'  Gap  R.  R.  to  Mt. 
Jackson,  and  then  stage  it  to  Staun- 
ton 50  miles,  on  to  Bottetourt,  150 
miles,  they  could  do  so.  Mannasses 
Gap  R-  R.,  I  think  will  grant  half 
fare  to  all  of  the  brethren  who  will 
present  a  certificate  of  delegation. 
Bnit  this  route  is  accompanied  with 
some  difficulties  on  account  of  the 
staging.  So  far,  dear  brethren,  I 
think  you  can  give  a  short  notice  of 
this  in  the  Yisitor,  for  April.  Un- 
til the  May  No,  we  will  have  a 
more  full  statement  of  the  matter, 
when  we  will  have  investigated 
what  the  Ya.  and  Tennessee  road 
will  do. 

John  Kline. 


Bowman's  mill,  Rockingham   Co. 
Va.  March  19,  1860. 

Dear  Brethren :  I  take  my  pen 
to  drop  a  few  lines  according  to 
promise.  I  have  been  to  Alexan- 
dria. I  have  had  an  interview  with 
both  the  Presidents  of  the  R.  Road. 
Alexandria,  Orange  and  Lynchburg, 
and  of  the  Mannasses'  Gap  Rail  Road. 
I  have  had  no  trouble  with  the 
Mannasses'  Gap  R.  R.  Co.  but  with 
the  other,  there  was  some  difficulty, 
till  they  understood  things  right. 
It  seems  that  they  have  a  rule  not 
to  let  passengers  go  free  or  for  half 
price  that  are  going  to  any  Conven 
tion  whatever,  only  ministers  of 
the  gospel,  and  to  them  they  give 
the  half  fare  tickets.  So  all  the 
brethren  that  wish  to  travel  to  our 
annual  meeting  from  Md.  and  Pa. 
and  even  Ohio,  such  that  are  minis- 
tering brethren,  will  have  to  get  a 
certificate  from  the  church  in  wiiich 
they  live,  and  present  that  to  the 
ticket  agent  or  conductor,  and  they 
"will  go  for  half  fare.  1  think  the 
best  course  for  the  brethren  of  Md. 
of  Pa.  and  O.  will  bo   to    como    the 


Ö[ontrilmtionf) 

Towards  the  Relief  of  brother 
Samuel  Garber. 

Re])orted  in  last  March-No,  as 
remaining  in  our  hands  S46,67 

Received  since  by  Elijah  Bosser- 
man  from  Jonathan's  Creek  church. 
Perry  co.  O.  4,00 

50,67 
for  which  we  expect  to  get  a  receipt 
in  full  from  Tennessee,  and  publish 
it  in  next  No. 

CORRECTION. 
It  seems  there  was  a  mistake  made 
in  the  age  of  sister  Mary  Snyder  of 
Ross  CO.  O.  Her  age  was  given  at 
63  years,  whereas  it  should  have 
been  sixty  nine  (69)  years.  We  are 
informed,  that  it  is  highly  impor- 
tant, and  we  are  sorry  that  the  mis- 
take occurred.  "Whether  i  t  was  ow- 
ing to  an  indistinct  or  wrong  figure 
in^the  notice,  or  to  an  oversight  in 
the  printer,  is  now  impossible  for 
us  to  tell. 


OBITUAEIES. 


159 


OBITUARIES. 

Died  in  Philadelphia,  Pa.  February  9,  1859. 
Sister  ANNA  PRICE,  wife  of  Joseph  Price,  and 
daughter  of  the  late  John  Nice,  in  the  45th  year 
of  her  age.  Funeral  services  by  brother  H.  Gei- 
ger, M.  D. 

Farewell,  farewell,  my  children  dear, 
For  sweetly  lay  I  sleeping  here  ; 
Then  ready  be,  for  die  you  must, 
With  thy  kind  Mother  sleep  in  dust. 

Think,  children  dear,  by  grief  oppress' d 
Your  mother  in  the  grave  doth  rest ; 
The  spirit  rests  above  the  sky  ; 
Prepare  to  meet  me  when  you  die . 

There's  glory,  rest,  and  peace  and  love 
In  this  blest  region  up  above 
Which  I  enjoy  and  long  to  see 
You  ready  for  my  company. 

Departed  this  life  in  Asher  Glade,  Allfegeni 
CO.  Md.  February  13,  brother  ALEXANDER 
THOMAS  at  the  advanced  age  of  84  years, 
10  months  26  days.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
church  for  nearly  50  years,  and  a  minister  of 
the  gospel  for  upwards  of  30  years.  Funeral 
services  by  elder  Jacob  M  Thomas  from  2  Tim. 
4  :  7,  8. 

"Time  is  winging  us  away 
To  our  eternal  home  ; 
This  life's  but  a  wintry  day, 
A  journey  to  the  tomb." 

P.  J.  Bnowx^ 

Died  in  Somerset  co.  Pa.  January  22,  SU- 
SANNA PECK,  daughter  of  Jacob  Peck  and 
wife,  aged  5  years,  1  month,  29  d.  Funeral 
services  by  elder  J  S  Haugcr  <fcc.  on  Matt.  18  : 
1—3. 

Died  near  Green  Mount,  Reckingham  co. 
Va.  February  27,  Sister  ANNA  MILLER, 
relict  of  Elder  Daniel  Miller,  dec'd,  aged  74 
years,  5  months  and  10  days.  She  was  the 
mother  of  Eighteen  children — 9  sons  and  9 
daughters — thirteen  of  whbm  survive  her. 

Died  in  Miami  CO.  0.  March  5,  1860.  Sister 
EMILY  DEETER,  wife  of  Frederic  Deeter, 
aged  18  years,  6  months  and  26  days.  Funeral 
services  by  elder  John  Cadwallader  and  D. 
Younce,  from  Rom.  8  :  38,  39.  Some  two 
years  ago  she  became  willing  in  her  blooming 
youth  to  take  up  her  cross,  and  follow  her  Re- 
deemer through  evil  as  well  as  good  report,  and 
well  it  wa«,  a£  her  departure  was  soon  at  hand. 
(Extracted  from  2  communications  by  C.  and 
J.  K.  T.) 

•  Departed  this  life  in  Williams  co.  0.  April  15, 
1859  one  of  two  twin  Babes,  a  son  of  HENRY 
oe  ISABEL  RUSE,  aged  2  days,  and  January 
29,  1860.  the  other,  QÜINTER  WALLACE 
RUSE,  aged  9  months  and  17  days.  Funeral 
service  by  br.  G  Stockman  and  John  Brown 
from  Matt.  18  :  1,  4.  Sister  Ruse  is  a  daughter 
of  br.  Joseph  and  sister  Jane  Garber  of  Fayette 
«0.  Pa. 

Died  in  the  Clover  Creek  church,  Blair  co. 
Pa.  January  7,  of  Croup  SAMUEL  BRUM- 
BAUGH, son  of  br.  Christian  and  sister  Mag- 
dalene Brumbaugh,  aged  2  years  and  16   days. 


Also  in  the  same  place  February  26,  SU- 
SANNA BRUMBAUGH,  daughter  of  the  same 
parents,  aged  9  months  and  29  eays. 

Also  in  the  same  house  February  27,  (the 
same  day  that  Susannah  was  buried)  SARAH 
BRUMBAUGH,  another  daughter  of  the  same 
parents,  aged  8  years,  4  months  and  9  days. 
Thus  in  less  than  two  months  this  family  of 
eight  generally  healthy  children  wes  reduced 
to  five.  Funeral  services  by  D  M  Holsinger 
and  others. 

H.    R.    H. 

Died  in  the  same  place.  March  14,  MARY 
ANN  BATEMAN,  daughter  of  George  and 
Lydia  Bateman,  aged  5  years,  4  months  and 
13  days. 

Although  a  bud  of  promise  thou, 

Our  sweet  and  lovely  one, 

And  though  our  hearts  did  well  nigh  burst, 

When  death  its  work  had  done: 

Now  in  the  bosom  of  thy  God, 

From  every  sorrow  free. 

We  would  not  wish  thee  back  again, 

But  we  would  go  to  thee. 

D.    M.     H. 

Died  in  Ten  Mile  District,  Washington  Co. 
Pa.  February  25,  our  loving  and  much  beloved 
sister  LOVINA  SWAGLER,  daughter  of  broth- 
er Matthias  and  sister  Rachel  Tombaugh  of 
Pigeon  Creek  Pa.,  aged  31  years,  1  month  and  28 
days.  Sister  Lovina  was  baptized  on  the  20th 
of  February,  and  left  evidence  of  acceptaace 
with  God.  She  leaves  a  disconsolate  husband 
and  a  large  circle  of  friends  to  mourn  their  loss. 
May  the  Lord  bless  the  mourners.  The  funeral 
occasion  was  improved    from  1  Thes.  4  :  13 — 18 

by 

J.   w. 

Sister  thou  wast  mild  and  lovely, 
Gentle  as  the  summer  breeze, 
Pleasant  as  the  air  of  evening. 
When  it  floats  among  the  trees. 

Peaceful  be  thy  silent  slumber. 
Peaceful  in  the  grave  so  low  ; 
Thou  no  more  wilt  join  our  number, 
Thou  no  more  our  songs  shalt  know. 

Dearest  sister,  thou  hast  leftns. 
Here  thy  loss  we  deeply  feel  ; 
But  'tis  God  that  has  bereft  us, 
He  can  all  our  sorrows  heal. 

Yet  again  we  hnpe  to  meet  thee, 
When  the  day  of  life  is  fled ; 
Then  in  hea-v'n  with  joy  to  greet  thee. 
Where  no  farewell  tear  is  shed. 

Died  near  Monticello,  White  co.  Indiana, 
February  12,  our  old  and  much  esteemed  broth- 
er JOHN  ROTHROCK,  aged  80  years,  6  months 
and  some  days.  Funeral  text  John  5  :  25—29. 
Our  brother  emigrated  to  this  place  in  1836 
from  Mifflin  co.  Pa.,  where  some  time  previous 
he  was  elected  to  the  ministry,  and  »s  a  minister 
of  the  gospel  he  tried  to  be  faithful  in  word  and 
deed.  Thus  another  old  father  is  gone,  leaving 
to  us  a  bright  example  to  pattern  after.  Then 
let  us  one  and  all  prepare  ourselves  to  be  ready 
when  the  summon  comes  to  call  us  home,  that 
we  may  like  him  lay  down  our  heads  in  peace, 
and  go  to  reap  the  reward  of  our  labors  here 
below. 

J.    S.    S. 


160 


OBITUARIES. 


Fallen  R«lcop  in  Montjroraory  co.  0.  March 
19,  SARAH  ELLEN  NAFFSINQEll,  daughter 
of  brother  William  and  si^itor  Nancy  Naffsinger, 
aged  1  year,  6  months  and  23  day«.  Funeral 
text  1  Pot.  2  :  24,  25,  by  B.  Bowman,  jr.  and 
G.  Holler. 

Died  in  Clark  co.  Ohio  Fobniarv  11,  brother 
MICHAEL  FRANTZ,  aged  08  years.  4  months 
and  22  days.  lie  was  a  deacon  in  the  church 
for  40  years,  and  having  obeyed  the  Master's 
call  early  in  the  morning  of  his  lifo,  he  may 
well  be  said  to  have  borno  the  heat  and  burdon 
of  the  day,  and  we  hope,  he  is  gone  to  rest 
from  all  his  labors,  and  his  works  will  follow 
him.  Funeral  text:  2  Sam.  3:  38  and  Hob. 
11:  4. 

Farewell,  dear  father  !  thou  art  gone, 
And  we  arc  left  for  thee  to  mourn. 
But  still  our  loss  is  thy  great  gain, 
For  thou  art  free  from  woo  and  pain. 

0  may  we  all  prepare  to  die, 
That  we  from  grief  and  woe  may  fly, 
How  many  friends  are  gone  away, 
With  whom  wo  used  to  eing  and  pray. 

How  sweet  was  their  communion  dear, 
But  we  shall  no  more  see  them  here. 
0  Lord  !  help  us  to  watch  and  pray, 
Until  from  earth  we're  call'd  away. 

I         And  then  we'll  meet  our  friends  above. 
And  sing  of  sweet  Redeeming  love  : 
Glory  to  God  the  great  I  AM  ! 
Glory  to  the  victorious  Lamb  ! 

D.    F. 

Died  in  Point  Creek  church,  Marshall  co.  Ind. 
March  20,  Sister  HETTY  PIPPINGER,  wife 
of  Jacob  Pippinger,  aged  31  years,  and  23  days. 
8he  leaves  behind  a  sorrowing  husband  and  five 
children.  Funeral  services  from  Heb.  4  :  9. 
by  Washington  Fusion,  David  Rupel  <k    others. 

My  little  babes  are  near  my  heart. 
For  nature  seems  to  bind 
So  strong,  it  grieves  me  to  depart 
And  leave  them  all  behind. 

Dear  Lord,  a  father  to  them  be. 

And  shield  them  from  all  harm 

That  th'jy  may  know  and  worship  Thee, 

And  lean  upon  thy  arm. 

J.    K. 

Died  near  South  English,  Keokuk  co.  Iowa 
March  9,  brother  BENJAMIN  F,  WINE,  eldest 
son  of  brother  Solomon  and  Sarah  Wine,  of 
Rockingham  co.  Virginia., aged  20  years,  4 
months  and  3  days.  Funeral  text  Matt.  24  :  44, 
by  Jacob  and  David  Brower,  and  Samuel  Flory. 
(If  our  space  would  permit,  we  would  have  in- 
serted a  more  lengthy  and  feeling  notice  from 
the  "Rockingham  Register."  But  the  great 
number  of  obituaries  coming  in  compel  us  to 
make  them  as  brief  as  possible.) 

Died  in  Lebanon  co.  Pa.,  March  28,  brother 
MARTIN  PRICE  with  dropsy  of  tho  chest, 
from  which  he  suffered  (at  times  very  sorely) 
for  15  months,  aged  48  years,  T  months  and  9 
days.  Funeral  sermon  from  Prov,  10 :  28, 
by  John  Zug. 

Died  in  Sandy  Creek  church  Preston  co.  Va. 
March  23,  Sister  DICKY  or  rather  NEWCOM- 
ER in  the  79th  year  of  her  age.  She  was  a 
faithful  member  for  more  than  50  years.  Fu- 
Q»rul  services  by  J.  M.  Thomaa. 


Died  near  Quincy,  Franklin  co.  Pa.  March 
21,  1860.  AARON  WILLIAM  BURKHOLD- 
ER,  son  of  Dr.  John  and  Snsan  Burkholder, 
aged  1  year.  10  months  and  17  days. 

Sleep,  dear  little  Aaron  sleep. 

Till  Jesus  bid  you  rise. 

Then  you  with  angel  wings  shall  sweep 

The  regions  of  the  skies. 

D.    H.    T. 

Died  ot  tho  residence  of  her  brother  Christian 
Crotzer,  deceased's  widow  in  Rockingham  co. 
Va.  January  15,  SisterCATHARINE  CROTZER, 
aged  nearly  91  years.  At  tho  funeral  elders 
Benjamin  Bowman  and  John  Kline  spoke 
from  1  John  3  :  3. 

Died  in  Miami  CO.  0.  October  13,  1859.  EM- 
MA JAKESELL,  infant  daughter  of  William  H 
and  Mary  J/ikesell,  aged  1  year,  5  mo.    &  15  d. 

Sweet  Emma  sleeps  on  Jesus'  breast. 
Safe  in  the  Shepherd's  arms  she'll  rest  ; 
No  pain  can  reach,  no  harm  come  nigh 
The  lambs,  that  in  his  bosom  He. 

Died  in  Carroll  co.  Illinois  April  8,  with  scar- 
lot  fever  and  croup,  SARAH  HERRINGTON, 
iufant  daughter  of  br.  Samuel  and  sister  Eliza- 
beth Herrington,  aged  2  years,  5  months  and  8 
davs.  Funeral  services  by  John  Forney  ou 
Job  14  :  1,  2. 

Died  in  Ogle  co,  Illinois  April  11,  with  tho 
same  disease HOLSINGER,  only  daugh- 
ter and  child  of  br.  George  and  sister  J/ary  IIol- 

i  singer,  aged  1  year,  11  months  and  some     days. 

i  Funeral  services  by  John  Forney  and  Isaac 
Hershey  from  Psalms  103  :  15,  10. 


POETRY. 

In  memory  of  Sister  Eve   Stookey 

of  Eoss  Co.   Ohio. 

Obituary  see  April  No. 

I  set  me  down  by  the  couch  of  pain, 
Where  death  was  approaching  nigh, 

To  watch  the  last  extinguishing  flame, 
And  to  see  a  Christian  die. 

'Twas  not  a  scene  to  appall  the  heart ; 

But  rather  a  joyful  one, 
The  spirit  within,  when  about  to  depart, 

Still  brighter  and  brighter  shone. 

The  smile  that  lit  up  that  pale,  pale  face— 

Told  of  joy  and  peace  within  ; 
No  fear  of  death  or  his  cold  embrace. 

For  tho  soul  was  freed  from  sin. 

The  eye  with  a  look  of  calm  delight, 
Was  fixed  upon  heavenly  things  ; 

And  spake  of  a  rapturous,  holy  sight. 
Which  faith  to  the  sufi"erer  brings. 

The  mind  was  calm  as  the  summer's  eve. 

Unclouded,  serene,  and  clear. 
The  soul  in  its  future  bliss  believed. 

For  the  star  of  hope  was  there. 

Joseph  E. 


NEW  PROSPECTUS 

OF 

FOR  THE  YEAR  18C0;    VOL.  10. 


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JAiMES  QUINTER. 
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BlAI-lfREGlIißiTES. 

%Vc  have  never  heard  of  so  many  com- 
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winter,  Again  and  again  we  have  been 
called  upon  to  supply  missing  No's,  that 
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edition  of  the  three  first  No's  is  entirely 
exhausted,  even  imperfect  (Jopies,  which 
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one  than  none  at  all.  We  are  sorry,  un- 
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utes will  be  charged  extra  as  hereto- 
fore. 


LITERARY  NOTICE. 


THE  CANCER  CURED. 

DR.    LeBBEUS     B'GELOW 

lite  of  Adamsburg,  Pa.  \\  as  very  suc- 
cessful in  treating  cancers.  Before  his 
death  he  communicated  to  the  under 
signed  his  mode  of  treatment,  and  they 
are  now  practicing  it  with  success. 
They  therefore  invite  those  afflicted 
with  cancers,  to  call  upon  tnem  and 
test  the  efRcacy  of  their  mode  of  treating 
this  malignant  disease.  Persons  coming 
by  the  Pennsylvania  central  R.  Road, 
"will  stop  at  iManor  station.  We  will 
convey  them  from  the  station  to  Adams- 
burg,  if  informed  of  the  time  of  their 
arrival. 

Address,  F.  BLOCHER  S,-  CO. 
Adamsbueo,  Westmoreland  co.  Pa. 


CURB  FOR  RIIEMITISM. 

Dr.  E.  W.  Moore,8  Indian  Tincture 
for  Rheumatism  has  never  failed  in  four- 
teen years  experience  in  curing  the 
worst  cases.  For  two  dollars,  a  box 
«ontaining  six  bottles  will  be  sennt  to 
any  address. 

Address  Dr.  E.  W.  Moore 
Sgalp  Level,  Camdria  Co.  Pa. 


SCIENTIFif^JlERICM. 

The  publishers  of  this  widely  circu- 
lated  and  popular  illustrated  weekly 
journal  of  mechanics  and  science,  an- 
nounce that  it  will  be  enlarged  on  the 
first  of  July,  and  otherwise  greatly  im- 
pruved,  containingsixteen  pages  instead 
ofeight,  tlie  present  size,  which  will 
make  it  the  largest  and  cheapest  scien- 
tific journal  in  the  world  ;  it  is  the  on- 
ly journal  of  its  class  that  has  ever  suc- 
ceeded in  this  country,  and  maintains 
»character  for  authority  in  all  matters 
of  mechanics,  science  and  the  arts, 
which  is  not  excelled  by  any  other 
journal  published  in  this  country  or  in 
Euope.  Although  the  publishers  will 
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copies  of  the  paper  with  a  pamphlet 
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gratis,  by  mail,  on  application  to  the 
publishers, 

MUNN  &  Co.  No.  S7  Park  Row, 
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Hon.  Judge  Mason  of  Iowa,  who  made 
himself  so  popular  with  the  Inventors 
of  the  Country  while  he  held  the  office 
of  Commissioner  cf  Patents  has,  we 
learn,  associated  himself  with  Munn  & 
Co.  at  the  Scientific  American  office 
New  York.— 


THE  GOOD  OLD 

Ohio  Cultivator 

FOR  1860. 

DEVOTED    TO    THE 

Farm,  Live  Stock,  Garden,  Orchard, 

And  the  Cultivation  of  the  People. 
The  Ohio  Cultivatoris  a  practical  and  re- 
liable Farmers'  Paper,  published  by  S. 
D.  Haris,  at  Columbus,  twice  every 
month,  in  book  form  for  binding. 

Terms — $\  a  year  single  copy  ;  three 
copies  for  §2;  six  for  $4  ;  nine  for  $6; 
and  a  copy  extra  to  the  getter  up  of 
every  club  of  nine. 

S.D.  HARRIS,  Columbus,  O. 


MONTHLY  PÜBLICATIO.^ 


k^ 


B 7  HENR T  KURTZ    db    JAUES  Q UI^  TEE. 


i. 


VOL.  X. 


JUNE  1860. 


NO.  6. 


i%<^^^< 


^tvn%i$^ 


m 


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PRINTED  k  PUBLISHED  in  C0LU3IBIANA,  Columbiana  Co.  0.    ij^ 
BY  AN  ASSOCIATION.  S 


The  Mortality  of  Man.        -      page  161 

IdleMoincnls             -             -  11)3 

Uoos  the  Soul  die  with  Ihc  body  IG^ 

UeconcilitUion  with  (lod      -  17;i 

On  Prca.cliing  Ihe  (»ospel     -  ]74 

Dissemination  of  llie  (Vospcl  178 
\n  lilxlract  from  OldMiiMites  (l81:j)  IS2 
liuerics.   1.  Explaualiou  ufMatt. 

10  :  :39                  -  1S3 

*«       2.         •'      ITeb.  6  :    20  184 

••      3.        •*     LiiUo  19:2  — 

«.      4.        "     Malt.  11-.   12  185 
'«       5.  Concernitig  the    conducting 

of  worship                -  18G 
•*       G.  lOxpIanation  of  Matt. 

3:    11  -  - 

««       7.          '       Isai.  45:  7  187 

The  eld£r  Son.  Luke  15;   2f)  188 

To  onr  Correspondents             -  101 

Obituaries                 -                  -  192 


%nv  !3um;,  1860. 
.>:cr5lic!ie  ^Sermrtbnun^  unb  ?Ciifiruiu 

uvu\u\        *        «        ?         8.  81 

lleOer  9.^^Ut^.  16,  18        i        g  63 

imt  c^  einen  93?itrd;Ort  ?  85 

^6  ojibt  Feinen  9J?ittel?0rt  s  88 

'^[CMe^  ill  bii6   9?eiie  ^eftamcnt  cnt? 

ftiinten  j^         ?         ?  89 

^•ra^f "  (vnntwcrtet : 

l\     lieber  ?iJuirci  9,  38—40  91 

2.  Tuifen  Wiener  tau^ax     ?  92 

3.  l?ucn,  1,  63.  64  ?  — 

4.  CO?ei^en   tern     öcnieinfthafrli^ 
d)en  ^efud}      t         s        f  — 

(^orrcfponbehj  ^        s        *  93 

*^\\  unfeve  ^efei*        s?        ?        *  94 

^cbef^^n^eiöc  i        i        i  ^ — 

Letters   lleceivecl 

From  r  Hamburg  with  $2.  Dr.  E 
lllig.  ,50.  S  licidy.  Joseph  Z'mmcr- 
inau  about  money  (lost.)  L  Kimrnel. 
.John  Zug.  W  Hailzler.  S  K  Hack- 
man.  John  Kline.  AbCrubbl,  31 
lleshoar  5  f  Garbcr's  Helief.  Sam 
Farnev.  Jacob  iNIiller  Va.  John 
<:loodyear  ,60.  Daniel  8nowberger. 
Hannah  Forrer  1.  8usan  Gitt  1,30. 
J)av  Bosscrman  7,19  f  Garber's  Uclief. 
Jacob  Mohlor.  J  S  Flory.  DP  Zieg- 
ier  10  f  hooks  &s  Vis.  Jacob  .Snader 
v*)0.  li  Kimmel.  C  Custer.  Catliarine 
l^anubakcr  1.  Joseph  Miller  ,43.  Hen- 
ry Herr,  sen..  David  Fike.  Jac. 
riickinger  1,80.        David    Province    1. 


M  Meyers  3,33.  Sol  W  IJoUingGr.  E 
SlifcrS.     Jerem  Sheets.  INI  M  Bow- 

man. James  Uninler,  Geo  Wolfe,  jr. 
(A  new  Edition  does  not  necessarily  re- 
quire an  Addilion.  There  may  be  one 
however  ere  very  long.)  S  R  Shirleys- 
burg.  (Full  names  are  required  iu  all 
cases,  wliere  we  are  to  publish  any 
thing.)  F  31iller.  Alex  Hnlsinger. 
Dan  Snowberger.  John  Zug  ,6(>. 
John  Lutz  5,i0.  (Stamps  should  not 
be  sent  too  many.)     Sol  \V  Bollinger. 


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utes  will  be  charged  extra  as  JiOrcl^forc, 


VOL.  \. 


Sinnt  I860.         NO.  6. 


For  the  Visitor. 
THE  MORTALITY  OF  MAN. 
That  "it  is  appointed  unto  man 
once  to  die,"  is  a  truth  that  stares 
us  boldly  in  the  face  from  the  pages 
of  Divine  Eevelation,  and  is  exem- 
plified in  the  numerous  öcenes  of 
mortality  that  daily  come  under; 
our  observation.  In  the  conclusion; 
ofthat  awful  anathema  that  God 
pronounced  against  man,  as  the  pun- 
ishment for  his  disobedience,  Tve 
have  the  first  and  most  appalling- 
death-warrant  ever  written,  which 
if  seriously  pondered,  disi:)els  all  our 
vain,  delusive  notions  of  human 
greatness,  subdues  that  feeling  of 
independence  that  strives  to  pre- 
dominate over  God  and  man,  and 
brings  us  into  a  true  sense  of  the 
utter  nothingness  of  our  "earthly 
house."  It  declares,  "For  dust 
thou  art,  and  unto  dust  thou  shalt 
return." 

Is  there,  indeed,  any  thing  in  all 
animated  creation,  or  in  the  whole 
organic  system,  that  is  not  subject 
to  change,  dissolution,  and  decay  ? 
0^0,  even  man, — the  highest  order 
of  created  intelligence,  the  crown- 
ing eifort  of  God's  workmanship, 
and  the  finest,  and  the  most  com- 
plicated piece  of  mechanism  ever 
witnessed,  must  eventually  com- 
mingle with  mother  earth,  and  afford 
food  for  worms;  and  irrespective 
of  personal  distinction,  or  caste, 
whether  men  of  low  or  high  degree, 
whether  you  are  seated  upon  a 
throne,  wielding  royal  power,  ma- 
king nations  to  tremble  at  a   single 


nod  of  the  head,  whether  you  are 
vested  with  judicial  authority  deal- 
ing out  justice  and  equity,  whether 
you  are  a  hard  working  peasant, 
"eating  your  bread  in  the  sweat 
of  youi"  face,"  or  whether  you  arc 
a  houseless,  friendless  vagrant,  beg- 
ging your  sustenance,  the  number- 
ed hour  is  on  the  wing,  and  ere  you 
pursue  life's  journey  much  farther, 
the  hand  of  death  will  seize  your 
mortal  frame  and  consign  it  to  the 
appointed  house  of  clay,  and  as  good 
old  Job  said,  "He  shall  return  no 
more  to  his  house,  neither  shall  his 
place  know  him  any  more ;"  7  :  10. 
And  though  this  aged  sire,  and  ex- 
emplar of  patience,  much  preferred 
the  still  and  peaceful  grave,  to  all 
the  sore  afflictions  and  calamities 
he  endured,  yet  he  says;  "All  the 
days  of  my  appointed  time  will  I 
wait  till  mv  chani^e  come." 

We  think,  however,  that  none 
of  the  ancient  fathers  of  Israel,  in 
their  writings,  present  such  a  clear 
and  comprehensive  series  of  beauti- 
ful and  appropriate  metaphors,  illus- 
trative of  the  brevities  and  evanes- 
cence of  human  life,  as  does  the 
Psalmist.  He  introduces  the  sub- 
ject thus :  "Surely  men  of  low  de- 
gree are  vanity,  and  men  of  high 
degree  are  a  lie ;  to  be  laid  in  the 
balance,  the}'  are  altogether  lighter 
than  vanity."  Psalm  62  :  9.  "For 
he  (God)  remembered  that  they 
were  but  flesh;  a  wind  that  passeth 
away,  and  cometh  not  again,"  78  : 
39.  "For  he  knoweth  our  frame; 
he  remembcreth  that  we  are  dust." 
103  :  14.  "His  days  are  as  a  shad- 
G.  Y.  Yol.  X.         11 


162 


THE  MORTALITY  OF  MAN. 


ow  that  passcth  away,"  144  :  4. 
And  hence  the  exhortation,  ''Put 
not  your  trust  in  princes,  nor  in  the 
eon  of  man,  in  whom  there  is  no 
help."  146  :  3. 

Next  the  son  of  the  author  of  the 
ahove  citations,  seems  also  to  feel 
the  importance  and  necessity  of 
presenting  to  view  the  perishable- 
ncss  of  our  earthly  tenement;  and 
delineates  our  frailty  thus  :  ''Then 
shall  the  dust  return  to  the  earth 
as  it  was;  and  the  spirit  shall  re- 
turn to  God  who  gave  it."  Eccl. 
12  :  7. 

We  next  must  offer  the  testimony 
of  the  apostle  Paul,  who  not  onl}^ 
speaks  of,  but  refers  to  the  cause 
of  mortality  among  the  children  of 
men.  In  his  discourse  upon  the 
grand  theme  of  reconciliation  by 
Christ,  he  expresses  himself  in  the 
following  manner;  ""VYhereforo,  as 
l)y  one  man  sin  entered  into  the 
world,  and  death  by  sin;  and  so 
death  passed  upon  all  men,  for  that 
all  have  sinned."  Eom.  5  :  12.  And 
again,  this  enlightened  apostle,  in 
his  treatise  upon  the  resurrection 
of  the  saints,  gives  us  mortals  this 
great  consolation,  in  the  following 
encouraging  words;  "For  as  in  Ad- 
am all  die,  even  so  in  Christ  shall 
all  be  made  alive."  1  Cor.  15  :  52. 
Thus  showing,  that  in  the  former, 
the  old  man,  we  have  nothing  but 
a  natural  death,  whereas  the  latter, 
the  new  man,  has  immortality  in 
store  for  all  that  do  his  command- 
ments." This  strain  of  Qvidence  is 
most  fitly  and  admirably  Avound  up 
in  the  language  of  the  apostle  Peter; 
"For  all  flesh  is  as  grass,  and  all  the 
glory  of  man  as  the  flower  of  grass." 
The  grass  withereth,  and  the  flower 
thereof  fulleth  away."  1  Peter  1  :  25. 


Hence  we  perceive  how  that 
mortality,  or  rather  death,  came 
into  the  world  through  disobedi- 
ence, that  it  is  a  natural,  entire  ex- 
tinction of  this  earthly  house ;  the 
tenement  of  the  soul, — and  is  cer- 
tain to  all. 

That  death  is  a  subject  to  be 
thought  of,  is  evident  from  a  cour 
sideration  of  what  the  Psalmist 
says  in  his  devout  reflections  and 
prayers;  "Lord,  make  me  to  know 
mine  end,  and  the  measure  of  my 
days,  what  it  is ;  that  I  may  know 
how  frail  I  am."  89  :  4.  And  again, 
"So  teach  us  to  number  our  days, 
that  we  may  apply  our  hearts  unto 
wisdom,"  90  :  12. 

Death  to  the  righteous  is  desira- 
ble sometimes,  because  it  is  the 
messenger  of  -peace  that  calls  the 
soul  to  Heaven.  We  have  a  few 
instances  of  this  kind  on  record  in 
the  teachings  of  the  Spirit  by  Paul, 
whose  language  indicates  that  he 
experienced  this  truth  most  sensi- 
bly himself.  He  says :  "We  are 
confident,  I  say,  and  willing  rather 
to  be  absent  from  the  body,  and  to 
be  present  with  the  Lord,"  2  Cor. 
5  :  8.  And  again  he  says  to  his 
Philippian  brethren  ;  "For  I  am  in 
a  strait  betwixt  two,  having  a  desire 
to  depart,  and  be  with  Christ; 
which  is  far  better."  Phil.  1  :  23. 

We  also  find  that  the  death  of  be- 
lievers is  compared  with  sleep  in 
many  instances ;  and  we  think  the 
analogy  between  them  is  very  clear. 
We  learn  that  Stephen  the  martyr, 
after  he  thus  prayed  for  his  persecu- 
tors, "Lord  lay  not  this  sin  to  their 
charge,"  fell  asleep.  And  Paul  con- 
trasting the  death  of  our  Savior 
with  that  of  David,  with  the  difler- 
once  of  the  former's  resuiTcction  sot 


IDLE  MOMENTS. 


163 


forth,  said,  and  tlie  latter  fell  Roon 
asleep,  and  was  laid  unto  his  fath- 
ers, and  saw  cormption."  And 
again,  in  deliberating  upon  the  bles- 
sedness of  departed  saints,  Paul  says, 
*^I  would  not  have  you  to  be  ignorant 
brethren,  concerning  them  which 
are  asleep,  that  ye  sorrow  not,  even 
as  others  which  have  no  hope." 

Thus  we  see  that  death   is  repre- 


sciously    idle    away    there,   at    its 
ending  ? 

If  you  have,  'tis  time  you   should 
act    as    well     as    think;  that    you 
should  improve  them  as  well   as   re- 
gret their  loss  when   wasted;  and  if 
you  have  not,  resolve  now,  for  it  is 
indeed  more    important    than    you 
may  think  for,   "never  to   lose  one 
moment  of  time,  but   improve  it   in 
the  most  profitable  way  vou  possi- 
sented  as  a  state  of  repose,  and  wellp^j^  ^^^.    jy^  ^^^  ^^^^^  ^^iq  resolu- 
mayitbethus  considered,   since  l^e  j  ^.^^  ^-^j^  ^^^^  ^jp^  ^^j^^  ^^^  ^^^^^^ 
is  a  heavenly  messenger  that  breaks  |  ^^  ^^^^  ^^  ^^^  ^^^^^    temptation    or 


down  the  prison  walls  of  the  sou 
and  liberates  it  from  this  scene  of 
toil  and  wo,  to  waft  it  to  that  man- 
sion not  made  with  hands,  eternal 
in  the  Heavens.  Since,  then,  it  is 
made  clear  to  our  minds  that,  ac- 
cording to  all  that  pertains  to  this 
life,  we  are  nothing  but  feeble  mor- 
tals, and  finite  beings,  devoid  of 
every  thing  that  is  permanent  and 
lasting,  and  surrounded  with  all  the  [ 
fleeting  elements  of  this  world,  let 
us  so  live,  continue  and  abide  in  the 
doctrine  of  our  Lord  and  Master, 
who  has  glory,  honor,   immortality 


disposition  to  idleness  assails  you ; 
but  after  viewing  it  calmly,  delib- 
erately, make  a  firm  decision  to  do 
what  reason  teaches  you  is  right; 
and  let  your  resolution  be  told  to 
others  by  hours  improved,  good 
effected,  and  consequent  happy 
heart  and  cheerful  countenance, 
for  both  will  naturally  result  from 
the  choice. 

There  are  two  things  to  be  con- 
sidered in  this ;  First,  "Never  to 
lose  one  moment  of  time,"  tliink 
what  you  are  saying ;  recollect, 
school-girl,  how  prone   you   are  to 


and  eternal  life  in  store,  that  ^^^^\t^^  ^yev  Siud  over  your  book,  count 
our  "Change  come,"  we  may  wrap; ^^^^  ^^^^  j^^^,^^  ^^  p^^^^  ^^^  ^^  ^^ 
the  drapery  of  death  around  us,  andl  ^^.^^^^^  .^^^^^^  ^^  attending  to 
lie  down  as  to  pleasant  dreams.  \  ^^^^^^^  ^^^^  ,_^^^  ^^^^^  ^^^  ^^-^^^ 

'^\nd  man  when  in  the  lonely  grave,  :^^^^^^  ^^^^  skimming  pebbles  on 
Shall  sleep  in  death's   dark    gloom,  ^j^^  ^ater;-how  many  times   you 

sit  gazing  listlessly  out  of  the  win- 
dow; and  leave  unheeded  your 
teacher's  admonition  "to  improve 
youth  if  you  would  enjoy  old  age." 
Eecollect,  young  man,  how  many 
minutes  you  waste,  morning,  noon 
and  evening,  thinking  if  you  give 
your  employer  his  time  and  due, 
you  are  at  liberty  to   idle   the  rest 


Until  th'  eternal  morning  wake 
The  slumbers  of  the  tomb." 
E.     S. 


M. 


For    the    Visitor. 
IDLE  MOMENTS. 


Ilave  you  ever  thought  how  many 
you  waste  ?  How  many  good  deeds 
you  might  be  doing  in  the  minutejif  you  choose,  and   to   gratify   your 


lost  here,  at   the  beginning  of  an 
many   you  ujicon- 


hour, — and  how 


own  inclinations  as  you  wish.     How 
often  do  you  leave  the  morning  pas« 


164 


IDLE  MOMENTS. 


uniraprovcd  by  dozing  away  your 
strength  in  bed,  neither  waking  nor 
>;lceping,  when  you  ßhoiikl  be  out 
gathering  the  gold  from  the  hours 
of  morn;  and  then,  if  you  are  Avil- 
ling  to  forego  all  theßo  and  every 
indulgence  of  like  nature,  adopt  the 
lirst  of  the  resolution,  '']^cver  to 
lose  one  moment  of  time." 

And  now  we  are  not  speaking 
to  habitual  sluggards,  but  to  those, 
who  though  esteemed  as  active,  in- 
«lustrious  persons  do  yet  waste 
many  precious  opportunities  of  im- 
proving mind  and  heart;  partly 
from  thoughtlessness  and  partly 
ft'om  a  natural  inclination  to  over- 
look the  smaller  things  of  time  as 
well  as  life. 

But  for  the  second  part  of  the  res- 
olution, ^'To  improve  it  in  the  most 
profitable  way  I  possibly  can." 
There  are  individuals  who  are  indus- 
trious, very  industrious,  and  yet  so 
occupy  their  time  that  it  results  in 
no  good  to  themselves  or  others. 
In  illustration,  see  that  pale,  deli- 
«ttto  mother,  bending  over  the  costly 
embroidery, — how  assiduously  she 
stitches,  losing  no  time,  testing  nerve 
and  strength  to  complete  the  beau- 
tiful robe  for  the  infant  slumber- 
ing unconsciously  by  her  side,  when 
it,  in  a  perfectly  plain  unadorned 
«L'ess,  would  enjoy  its  young  exist- 
ence, and  the  love  of  its  fond  pa- 
rents quite  as  well.  She  truly 
employs  her  time,  but  docs  she  im- 
prove it  ? 

Let  us  for  a  moment  contemplate 
the  motive  that  prompts  this  ex- 
penditure of  time  and  labor;  for  this 
in  all  cases  gives  an  action  its  moral 
quality  of  right  or  wrong.  It  is 
not  that  clothing  thus  adorned  is 
;4ny  warmer  or  cooler,  not  that  it 
«outributes  in  anvwav  to  her  owni 


or  her  child's  comfort;  but  simply 
to  gratify  a  natural  taste,  which  by 
undue  indulgence  and  in  obedience 
to  the  dictates  of  fashion  has  degen- 
erated into  pride.  Its  effects  arc 
certainly  pernicious;  it  consumes 
time,  which  if  not  required  for  the 
practical  duties  of  home,  might  and 
should  be  employed  in  the  improve- 
ment of  the  mind.  God  Iras  endow- 
ed us  with  intellectual  faculties  and 
has  also  filled  the  world  with  vari- 
ous objects  of  interest  and  thought, 
calculated  to  excite  reverence  and 
praise  in  every  reflecting,  cultivated 
mind;  so  that  we  may  well  charge 
ourselves  with  deficiency  of  duty  if 
we  neglect,  for  things  that  perish 
with  the  using  so  many  opportuni- 
ties of  improving  mind  and  heart: 
for  this  is  a  duty  we  owe  to  our- 
selves, to  our  fellows  and  to  God. 
Let  us  be  careful  then,  how  in  this 
respect  we  idle  away  the  minutes 
of  Time,  which  in  the  end  will  make 
the  hours  of  Eternity.  Bury  not 
your  talents,  if  it  be  but  one. 

But  secondly,  by  pursuing  light 
and  trifling  occupations  the  mind 
naturally  learns  to  dwell  upon  such 
subjects,  and  hence  it  is  that  so  often 
in  conversation  we  may  sit  for 
hours,  talking,  it  is  true,  but  of  such 
subjects  and  in  such  manner  that 
all  must  feel  it  has  resulted  in  no 
good  to  themselves  or  others.  Sure- 
ly time  that  passes  leaving  us  neith- 
er wiser  nor  better,  is  wasted — idled 
away.  And  though  this  practice 
is  but  one  of  the  many  ways  in 
which  the  golden  moments  are  lost, 
yet  it  should  not  be  disregarded. 
And  yet  it  has  become  so  common 
that  scarcely  a  remonstrance  is 
given,  though  by  it  eyes  are  weak- 
ened, natural  taste  perverted  into 
pridC;  mind  robbed  of  time  for  cul- 


DOES  THE  SOUL  DIE  WITH  THE  BODY  &:c. 


16Ä 


tivation,  and  many  practical  duties  | 
left  unperformed.  No  doubt  many  i 
will  think  this  an  exaggerated  ^iew 
of  the  subject,  and  as  such  willi 
pass  over  with  scarcely  a  comment, 
much  less  a  change  in  feeling  and 
conduct  as  regards  this  and  similar 
occupations.  And  while  we  do  not 
desire  that  any  should  discontinue 
trifling  and  useless  employments, 
because  some  one  may  think  them 
unprofitable  we  do  hope  and  ear- 
nestly wish  that  all  may  at  once 
abandon  them  by  feeling  for  them- 
selves how  worse  than  useless  they 
are.  Consider  for  yourself  whether 
these  things  be  so,  and  act  con- 
scientiously. "Despise  not  the  day  of 
small  things,"  nor  think  that  the 
trifles  of  life  will  pass  unrecorded 
in  the  account-book  of  Time.  Does 
not  the  merchant  register  the  dimes 
as  well  as  dollars  ?  And  will  the 
computation  of  things  of  eternal 
moment  be  less  exact  than  the  sor- 
did ones  of  earth  ?  "Think  on  these 
things''  and  let  your  heart  answer. 
Do  you  strive  to  improve  your  time 
in  the  most  profitable  way  you  pos- 
sibly can?  One  of  the  charges 
brought  against  the  House  of  Israel 
is,  "My  people  doth  not  consider." 
And  shall  the  same  be  written  of 
U3?  Or  shall  we  not  rather  "give 
more  earnest  heed  to  the  thingS 
which  wo  have  heard,  lest  at  any 
time  we  let  them  slip."  That  we 
may  prove  what  is  that  good,  and 
acceptable,  and  perfect  will  of 
God. 


Does  the  Sonl  die  with  the  Body? 

or, 

Are  the  dead  unconscious? 

Onr  views  upon  this  subject  have 
been  requested,  and  we  shall  give  a 


briefsketch  of  them.  The  subject 
is  an  important  one,  and  involve« 
considerations  materially  affecting 
the  hopes  of  the  believer,  as  well  sm 
the  condition  of  the  unbeliever. 

In  ascertaining  the  prevalent 
views  of  the  Jews  upon  this  subject, 
we  shall  have  taken  an  important 
step  in  preparing  our  minds  for  a 
candid  investigation  of  what  Christ 
and  the  apostles  have  taught  rela- 
tive to  it.  If  the  Jews  believed 
that  the  soul  dies  with  the  body, 
or  that  the  dead  are  unconscious^ 
and  Christ  taught  a  doctrine  rela- 
tive to  our  future  state  in  harmony 
with  their  views,  then  we  could  not 
expect  to  hear  of  any  opposition  on 
the  part  of  the  Jews  to  the  teach- 
ing of  Christ  upon  this  subject. 
But  if  the  Jews  believed  that  th« 
soul  exists  apart  from  the  body,  and 
Christ  taught  a  different  doctrine, 
then  their  belief  and  his  teaching 
upon  a  matter  of  such  transcendant 
importance,  conflicting,  we  should 
hear  them  preferring  charges  against 
him  on  the  ground  of  a  departui^ 
from  true  orthodoxy,  as  they  did 
for  eating  with  unwashen  hand?, 
and  for  dedng  other  things  which 
did  not  accord  with  their  views  of 
traditional  doctrine,  or  of  the  teach- 
ing of  Moses  and  the  prophets. 

Josephus  being  a  Jew,  his  testi- 
mony relative  to  the  belief  of  his 
brethren  upon  this  matter,  will  b« 
considered  good  authority.  From 
his  discourse  concerning  Hades,  w« 
make  the  following  extract,  which 
shows  his  views  of  the  departed : 

"Now  as  to  Hades,  wherein  th» 
souls  of  the  righteous  and  unright- 
eous are  detained,  it  is  necessary  io 
speak  of  it.  Hades  is  a  place  in 
the  world  not  regularly  finished; 
a  subterraneous  region,  wherein  th# 


166 


DOES  THE  SOUL  DIE  WITH  THE  BODY  &c. 


light  of  this  world  does  not  shine; 
from  which  circumstance,  that  in 
this  region  the  light  docs  not  shine, 
it  cannot  be  but  there  must  be  in  it 
perpetual  darkness.  This  region 
is  allotted  as  a  place  of  custody  for 
souls,  in  which  angels  are  appointed 
as  guardians  to  them,  who  distrib- 
ute to  them  temporary  punishments, 
agreeable  to  every  one's  behavior 
and  manners." 

*'In  this  region  there  is  a  certain 
place  set  apart,  as  a  lake  of  un- 
quenchable fire,  whereinto  we  sup- 
pose no  one  hath  hitherto  been  cast, 
iautitis  prepared  for  a  day  afore-de- 
termined by  God,  in  which  one  right- 
eous sentence  shall  deservedly  be 
passed  upon  all  men;  when  the 
iinjust,  and  those  that  have  been 
disobedient  to  God,  and  have  given 
«honor  to  such  idols  as  have  been  the 
Train  operations  of  the  hands  of  men, 
as  to  God  himself,  shall  be  adjudged 
to  this  everlasting  punishment,  as 
having  been  the  cause  of  defilement; 
"while  thejust  shall  obtain  an  incor- 
ruptible and  never  failing  kingdom. 
These  are  now  indeed  confined  in 
Hades,  but  not  in  the  same  place 
wherein  the  unjust  are  confined." 

*'For  there  is  one  descent  in  this 
region,  at  whose  gate  we  believe 
there  stands  an^irchangel  with  a 
host ;  which  gate  when  those  pass 
through  that  are  conducted  down 
by  the  angels  appointed  over  souls, 
they  do  not  go  the  same  way,  but 
thejust  are  guided  to  the  right  hand, 
and  are  led  with  hymns,  sung  by 
the  angels  appointed  over  that 
place,  unto  a  region  of  light,  in  which 
the  just  have  dwelt  from  the  begin- 
ning of  the  world;  not  conf.trained 
by  necessity,  but  ever  enjoying  the 
prospect  of  the    good    things    tlioy 


see,  and  rejoicing  in  the  expectation 
of  those  new  enjoyments  which  will 
be  peculiar  to  every  one  of  them, 
and  esteeming  those  things  beyond 
what  we  have  here;  with  whom 
there  is  no  place  of  toil ;  no  burning 
heat,  no  piercing  cold ;  nor  are  any 
briars  there;  but  the  countenance 
of  the  fathers  and  of  the  just,  which 
they  see  always,  smiles  upon  them, 
while  they  wait  for  the  rest  and 
eternal  new  life  in  heaven,  which 
is  to  succeed  this  region.  This 
place  we  call  the  bosom  of  Abraham." 

^'But  as  to  the  unjust,  they  are 
dragged  by  force  to  the  left  hand 
by  the  angels  allotted  for  punish- 
ment, no  longer  going  with  a  good 
will,  but  as  prisoners  driven  by  vi- 
olence ;  to  whom  are  sent  the  an- 
gels appointed  over  them  to  re- 
proach them,  and  threaten  them 
with  their  terrible  looks,  and  to 
thrust  them  still  downwards.  Now 
these  angels  that  are  set  over  these 
souls  drag  them  into  the  neighbor- 
hood of  hell  itself;  who  when  they 
are  hard  by  it,  continually  hear  the 
noise  of  it,  and  do  not  stand  clear 
of  the  hot  vapor  itself;  but  when 
they  have  a  near  view  of  this  spec- 
tacle, as  of  a  terrible  and  exceeding 
great  prospect  of  fire,  they  arc 
^ruck  with  a  fearful  expectation 
of  a  future  judgment,  and  in  effect 
punished  thereby ;  not  only  so,  but 
where  they  see  the  place  (or  choir) 
of  the  fathers  and  of  the  just,  even 
hereby  are  they  punished;  for  %^ 
chaos  deep  and  large  is  fixed  be- 
tween them ;  insomuch  that  a  just 
man  that  hath  compassion  upon 
thorn  cannot  be  admitted,  nor  can 
one  that  is  unjust,  if  he  were  bold 
enough  to  attempt  it;  pass  over 
it." 


DOES  THE  SOUL  DIE  WITH  THE  BODY  &c. 


167 


In  his  account  of  the  sects  of  the 
Jews,  Josephus  writes  as  follows 
concerning  the  Pharisees:  ''They 
also  believe,  that  sonls  have  an 
immortal  vigor  in  them,  and  that 
tinder  the  earth  there  will  be  re- 
wards or  punishments,  according 
as  they  have  lived  virtuously  or 
viciously  in  this  life ;  and  the  latter 
are  to  be  detained  in  an  everlasting 
prison,  but  that  the  former  shall 
have  power  to  revive  and  live  again/ 
Book  XYIII.  chap.  1.  Sec.  3.  This 
being  the  sentiment  of  the  most 
popular  sect  of  the  Jews,  had  it 
been  erroneous,  would  not  Christ 
have  corrected  it  ?  But  did  he  do 
so  ?  Did  not  his  teachings  accord 
with  theirs  as  far  as  the  soul's  ex- 
istence apart  from  the  body  goes  ? 
We  believe  it  did,  and  we  shall  give 
the  evidence  which  has  produced 
this  belief. 

The  questions  we  are   about    giv- 
ing    some    attention    to,    namely, 
these,  does  the  soul  of  the   believer 
die  with  the  body  and  remain  dead 
until  the  resurrection,  and  does  the 
soul  of  the  sinner  become   annihila- 
ted at  death  ?    are  certainly    ques- 
tions of  great  importance,  and  if  an 
affirmative  answer  is  given  to  them, 
we  may  reasonably  look  for  it  to  be 
given  in  "great  plainness  of  speech."  \ 
But  is  this  the   case  ?     Are   we   not  i 
rather  to  learn  from  Christ  and   his  \ 
apostles  that  the  soul  continues    to ; 
exist  after  the  body    is    dead,    and  \ 
that  the  righteous  go  to   a  place  of 
enjoyment,  but  the  unrighteous  to 
a  place  of  punishment  ?     We   think 
that  we  are ;  and  that  the  convictions ! 
of  a  mind  not  previously  biased  by 
any  favorite  system,  formed   from 
a  candid  reading  of  what  Christ  and 
the  apostles  have  taught,  will  be  a] 


negative  answer  to  the  questions 
heading  this  article.  We  shall  ex- 
amine some  scriptures  which  seem 
to  have  a  strong  bearing  upon  the 
subject  under  consideration. 

'•'Fear  not  them  which  kill  the 
body,  but  are  not  able  to  kill  the 
,  soul :  but  rather  fear  him  which  is 
able  to  destroy  both  soul  and  body 
iin  hell.''  Matt.  10  :  28.  Now  it  is 
j  very  plain  from  this  language  of 
I  Christ,  that  the  soul  is  not  necessa- 
:  rily  killed  when  the  body  is  killed. 
■■  Men  cannot  according  to  this  lan- 
I  guage  kill  the  soul.  But  if  the  soul 
,  is  no  more  than  the  life  of  the  body, 
then  when  the  body  is  killed,  the 
soul  also  is  dead,  and  men  can  kill 
both.  But  men  cannot  kill  both, 
and  therefore  a  plain  distinction 
is  recognized  by  Christ  between  the 
soul  and  body.  Again  :  hell  in  the 
text  cannot  mean  the  grave.  For 
unless  a  man  is  buried  alive,  he  can- 
not be  said  to  have  his  life  and 
body  destroyed  in  the  grave.  If  a 
man  is  killed,  and  then  his  body  put 
into  the  grave  after  life  is  extinct, 
his  soul  in  that  case  if  it  is  no  more 
than  his  life,  cannot  be  said  to  go 
into  the  grave. 

"And  he  said  unto  Jesus,  Lord, 
remember  me  when  thou  comest 
into  thy  kingdom.  And  Jesus 
said  unto  him,  verily  I  say  unto 
thee,  "To  day  shalt  thou  be  with- 
me  in  paradise."  Luke  23  :  42,  43. 
Here  is  a  passage  that  most  con- 
clusively proves  that  the  soul  does 
not  die  with  the  body.  The  peni- 
tent thief  was  not  b-Aiied  in  the 
same  sepulchre  with  the  Savior, 
and  hence,  he  could  not  have  meanA 
that  they  would  be  together  in  one 
common  grave.  l??i'ither  could 
Christ  have  meant   tha:    one    com- 


168 


DOES  THE  SOUL  DIE  WITH  THE  BODY  &c. 


moil  death  awaited  them  both,  and 
that  they  «lioiihi  merely  hv.  together 
with  the  dead,  for  this  coiikl  liave 
given  the  dying  penitent  no  comfort 
whatever.  The  only  rational  con- 
clusion that  we  can  come  to  is,  that 
the  soul  of  the  penitent  thief  w^ould 
survive  the  death  of  his  body,  and 
'be  with  the  soul  of  Christ  in  the 
unseen  world — in  paradise,  that 
part  of  Hades  to  Avhich  the  souls  of 
the  faithful  go  when  they  die,  and 
where  they  shall  remain  enjoying 
much  liappincss,  until  the  resurrec- 
tion, when  they  will  be  presented 
unto  God,  and  have  their  felicity 
consummated.  This  text  of  itselt  is 
Bufticient  to  prove  that  the  soul  does 
not  die  with  the  body. 

The  passage  concerning  the  rich 
man  and  Lazarus  recorded  in  Luke 
IG  :  19 — 31,  demands  our  consider- 
ation, as  containing  evidence  that 
there  is  a  consciousness  after  death. 
It  is  not  material  for  our  present 
purpose,  whether  -wo  regard  the 
4iscourso  of  Christ  we  are  about 
examining,  as  a  parable  or  as  a  his- 
tory. In  whichever  light  wo  con- 
sider it,  we  must  regard  it  as  used 
by  Christ  for  conveying  to  our  minds 
important  information  concerning 
the  condition  of  men  in  the  other 
world,  and  the  connection  between 
that  condition  and  their  conduct  in 
the  present.  There  are  representa- 
tions in  the  discourse,  which  seem 
absolutely  to  require  the  recogni- 
tion of  an  intermediate  state  be- 
tween the  present  mode  of  exist- 
ence and  the  resurrection. 

<'And  it  camo  to  pass  that  the 
boggar  diod,  and  was  carried  by  the 
afigcls  into  Abraham's  bosom :  the 
rich  man  also  diod,  and  was  buried: 
and  in  hell  he  lifted  up  his  eycs^   be- 


ing in  torments,  and  sceth  Abraham 
afar  off,  and  Lazarus  in  his  bosom. 
And  he  cried  and  said.  Father  Abra- 
ham, have  mercy  on  me,  and  send 
Lazarus,  tliat  he  ma}-  dip  the  tip  of 
his  finger  in  water,  and  cool  my 
tongue;  for  I  am  tormented  in  this 
flame.  But  Abraham  said,  Son^ 
remember  that  thou  in  thy  lifetime 
receivedst  thy  good  things,  anci 
likewise  Lazarus  evil  things :  but 
now  he  is  comforted,  and  thou  art 
tormented."  As  it  is  expressly  said 
that  they  both  died,  and  as  reference 
is  made  to  what  had  taken  plaeo 
during  their  lifetime,  in  contrast 
with  what  they  then  were  experien- 
cing, it  is  certain  that  the  torment 
of  the  rich  man,  and  the  repose  of 
Lazarus  cannot  represent  their  con- 
dition in  the  present  state  of  exis- 
tence. Xeither  can  the  conditions 
which  they  are  represented  to  bo  in, 
refer  to  the  state  of  things  as  it  will 
be  after  the  general  resurrection. 
For  the  five  brothers  of  the  rich 
man  are  represented  as  being  in  the 
world  subject  to  a  moral  change, 
and  enjoying  the  means  of  grace  af- 
forded by  the  teaching  of  Moses  and 
the  prophets.  But  we  have  no  rea- 
son whatever  to  su2)poso  that  such 
a  state  of  things  as  this  will  exist 
after  the  resurrection.  Then  if  this 
impressive  discourse  of  Christ  rela- 
tive to  the  torment  and  repose  of 
the  rich  man  and  Lazarus  cannot 
refer  to  their  condition  in  this 
world,  nor  after  the  resurrection, 
it  must  refer  to  an  intermediata 
state  of  consciousness  between 
death  and  the  resurrection,  and  thd 
conscious  state  of  the  dead  is,  ther^ 
fore,  clearly  taught  by  Christ. 

And  as  it  regards  the  doctrine  of 

the  annihilation  of  the  wicked  at 

I  death,  this  discourse  of  Christ  seem» 


DOES  THE  SOUL  DIE  WITH  THE  BODY  &c. 


169 


plainly  to  contradict  it.  To  explain 
the  language  of  Christ  here  made 
use  of,  by  rules  warranted  by  sound 
interpretation  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures, without  admitting  the  exist- 
ence of  an  intermediate  state,  seems 
to  be  impossible,  since  there  are  oc- 
currences in  the  scene  which  must 
necessarily  be  referred  to  a  future 
state,  but  which  cannot  be  referred 
to  a  period  beyond  the  resurrection. 

^'And  they  stoned  Stephen,  call- 
ing upon  God,  and  saying.  Lord  Je- 
sus receive  my  spirit."  Acts  7  :  59. 
Xow  the  spirit  of  Stephen  here  can- 
not mean  his  natural  life,  for  with 
what  propriety  could  he  say  he 
committed  his  life  into  the  hands 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  when  that  life 
was  about  becoming  extinct  ?  He 
did  this  when  he  became  converted, 
and  when  he  became  a  servant  of 
Christ.  Stephen  evidently  believed 
that  there  was  a  part  of  him — his 
spirit,  which  would  survive  the 
death  of  his  body,  and  this 
part  —  this  spirit,  he  »  desired 
the  Lord  Jesus  to  receive.  The 
soul  then,  according  to  the  lan- 
guage of  Stephen  uttered  in  the  near 
approach  of  death,  when  heaven 
was  opened  before  him,  does  not 
die  with  the  body. 

"For  we  know  that  if  our  earthly 
house  of  this  tabernacle  were  dis- 
■solved,  we  have  a  building  of  God, 
an  house  not  made  with  hands,  eter- 
nal in  the  heavens.  For  in  this  we 
groan,  earnestly  desiring  to  be 
clothed  upon  with  our  house  which 
rs  from  heaven :  If  so  be  that  being 
•clothed  we  shall  not  be  found  naked. 
For  we  that  are  in  this  tabernacle 
do  groan,  being  burdened :  not  for 
that  we  would  bo  unclothed,  but 
clothed  upon,  that  mortality  might 
be  swallowed  up  of  life.    Now  he 


that  hath  wrought  us  for  the  self 
same  thing  is  God,  who  also  hath 
given  unto  us  the  earnest  of  th© 
Spirit.  Therefore  wo  are  always 
confident,  knowing  that,  whilst  w© 
are  at  home  in  the  body,  we  are 
absent  from  the  Lord :  (For  we 
walk  by  faith,  not  by  sight :)  We 
are  confident,  I  say,  and  willing 
rather  to  be  absent  from  the  body, 
and  to  be  present  with  the  Lord. 
AYherefore  we  labor,  that,  whether 
present  or  absent,  we  may  be  ac- 
cepted of  him.''     2  Cor.  5  :  1—9. 

There  are  expressions  used  by  the 
apostle  Paul  in  this  connection, 
which  we  cannot  reconcile  with  the 
idea,  that  at  death  we  go  into  a- 
state  of  unconsciousness.  The  ex- 
pressions, "we  are  at  home  in  the 
body,"  and  "to  be  absent  from  the 
body,"  plainly  recognize  a  two  fold 
nature  in  man,  as  in  2  Cor  4  :  16, 
where  he  remarks,  "Though  our 
outward  man  perish,  yet  the  inward 
man  is  renewed  day  by  day."  'The 
inward  man,"  the  sj^irit,  is  rcpre* 
sented  as  possessing  the  attributeg 
of  personality,  and  is  personated  by 
the  pronoun  "we,"  and  is  repre- 
sented as  "being  at  home  in  the 
body"  and  as  being  "absent  from 
the  body."  Now  if  the  soul  or  spir- 
it means  merely  the  animal  or  nat- 
ural life,  then  with  what  propriety 
could  the  apostle  have  spoken  of 
being  absent  from  the  body,  since 
we  cannot  conceive  of  the  life  as 
something  that  is  separate  from  the 
body  ?  Such  an  idea  appears  to  be 
an  absurdity.  "Wo"  then,  as  used 
by  Paul,  must  mean  something 
more  than  the  life,  it  must  mean 
something  which  can  have  a  being 
when  "absent  from  the  body,"  as 
well  as  when  "at  home  in  the  body.' 
It  must  mean  the  soul,  that  myste- 


170 


DOES  THE  SOUL  DIB  WITH  THE  BODY  &c. 


rioiis  something,  which  possesses 
consciousness  when  absent  from 
the  body,  and  capacities  for  happi- 
ness and  misery. 

Again :  He  desired  to  be,  or  at 
least  was  willing  to  be,  (his  lan- 
guage implies  more  than  a  willing- 
ness, see  V.  8,)  absent  from  the  body, 
and  to  bo  present  with  the  Lord. 
This  desire  of  his  can   not    refer   to 


the  resun-ection  state,  for  then  he 
will  not  bo  absent  from  tho  body, 
but  in  the  body.  Neither  can  it 
refer  to  that  spiritual  communion 
•which  believers  have  with  the  Lord, 
and  to  which  ho  referred  when  he 
said,  *'Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway, 
even  unto  the  end  of  the  world." 
Matt.  28  :  20.  This  happy  state, 
Paul  was  enjoying  to  a  considera- 
ble degree,  no  doubt,  at  the  time  he 
was  writing  the  language,  "We  are 
confident,  I  say,  and  willing  rather 
to  be  absent  from  the  body,  and  to 
be  present  with  the  Lord."  If  then 
his  language  cannot,  with  propriety, 
be  referred  to  the  resurrection  state, 
neither  to  the  time  at  which  he  was 
writing  it  must  be  referred  to  an 
intermediate  state  between  death 
and  the  resurrection,  and  such  a 
state  receives  the  confirmation  of 
the  apostle's  writing  as  quoted 
above. 

'*I  know  a  man  in  Christ  above 
fourteoji  years  ago,  (whether  in  the 
body,  I  cunnot  tell  j  or  whether  out 
of  the  body,  I  cannot  tell;  God 
knoweth ;)  such  an  one  caught  up 
to  the  third  heaven.  And  I  knew 
such  a  man,  (whether  in  tho  body, 
or  out  of  the  body,  I  cannot  tell : 
God  knoweth:)  IIow  that  he  was 
caught  up  into  paradise  and  heard 
unspeakable  words,  which  it  is  not 
lawful  for  a  man  to  utter."  2  Cor. 
12:  2-4.     It  will  bo  observed  here 


that  Paul  (we  assume  that  reference 
is  made  to  himself)  did  not  know 
whether  he  was  in  the  body  or  out 
of  the  body  during  the  time  of  his 
trance.  But  if  the  soul  of  man  has 
no  consciousness,  and  indeed  no  ex- 
istence, apart  from  the  body,  as 
those  who  believe  in  the  unconscious 
state  of  the  dead  affirm,  then  Paul 
certainly  knew  this,  for  we  cannot 
for  a  moment  admit  the  idea  that  he 
did  not  know  as  much  about  the 
constituent  parts  of  man,  as  well  as 
about  the  laws  which  govern  him, 
as  any  of  our  wise  men  of  modern 
times.  But  if  Paul  knew  that  the 
soul  cannot  exist  apart  from  the 
body,  then  he  must  have  known,  at 
once,  that  his  soul  made  its  ascen- 
sion to  the  third  heaven  in  his  body, 
and  then  he  could  not  have  enter- 
tained the  doubt  which  he  did, 
whether  it  was  in  the  body  or  out 
of  the  body. 

From  the  expression  of  the  apos- 
tle's mind  relative  to  his  trance,   it 
is  very  evident  then  that  his  views 
of  man  were  such,  that  he  entertain- 
ed the  idea  that   there  is  a  part  of 
man,   the  soul,  or  spirit,  or  call   it 
whatever  we  may,  which  may  exist 
out  of,  and  apart  from  the  body,  and 
that  too  in  a  state  of  consciousness, 
for  he  "heard   unspeakable   words.'' 
We  then  regard  his  admission  that 
the  soul  may  exist  out  of,  and  apart 
from  the  body,    which    his   doubti 
whether  he  was  in  the  body  or  oui 
of  tho  body  evidently  imply,  as  con- 
firming the  position  that  the  soul  of 
man  doos  not  die  with  tho  body. 

"But  ye  are  come  unto  mount  Sj- 
on,  and  unto  the  city  of  the  living 
God,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  and  to 
an  innumerable  company  of  angels, 
to  the  general  assembly  and  church, 
of  tho  firstborn,  which  are  written 


DOES  THE  SOUL  DIE  WITH  THE  BODY?  &c. 


171 


in  heaven,  and  to  God  the  Judge  of 
all,  and  to  the  spirits  of  just  men 
made  perfect."  Heb.  12  :  22.  23. 
Here  the  apostle  in  enumerating  the 
distinguished  privileges  possessed  by 
christian  believers,  declares  they  are 
come,  among  other  things,  to  the 
"spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect." 
Reference  is  here  made,  no  doubt,  to 
the  saints  of  a  former  age.  Now  how 
do  Christians  come  to  these?  Do 
they  come  to  these  by  coming  "to 
death,  and  to  the  house  appointed 
for  all  living?"  Job  30:  23.  The 
apostle  must  have  had  another  idea 
in  view  than  that  the  saints  of  a 
former  age  and  those  of  the  christ- 
ian age,  would  come  to  a  common 
end — to  death.  This  does  not  agree 
with  the  sublime  train  of  thought 
that  he  was  presenting  for  the  encour- 
agement &  comfort  of  his  brethren. 
But  the  language,  *ye  are  come  unto 
the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect," 
shows  that  the  living  to  whom  he 
was  speaking,  had  already  come  un- 
to those  spirits,  and  this  clearly  ex- 
cludes the  idea  that  he  merety  meant 
they  reposed  in  the  dust  togeth- 
er, since  those  to  whom  he  was 
speaking  or  writing  were  yet  living. 
We  must  then  understand  that  those 
spirits  of  just  men,  were  yet  living 
although  their  bodies  had  moulder- 
ed to  the  dust,  and  that  those  spir- 
its with  the  living  saints  to  whom  the 
apostle  was  writing,  constitute  the 
one  family  referred  to  by  him  in  the 
following  language  :  "For  this  cause 
I  bow  my  knees  unto  the  Father  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  of  whom  the 
whole  family  in  heaven  and  earth  is 
named."  Eph.  3  :  14.  15.  It  appears 
then  that  the  spirits  of  just  men 
live  after  their  bodies  have  died,  and 
that  their  souls  do  not  die  with 
their  bodies. 


And  the  above  passage  from  Paul'« 
letter  to  the  Ephesians,  confirms  the 
doctrine  we  believe  the  Scriptures 
teach  concerning  the  dead.  What 
are  we  to  understand  by  "the  whole 
family  in  heaven  and  earth"  bearing 
the  name  or  character  of  Christ,  as 
this  family  is  said  to  do  ?  Must  we 
not  understand  it  to  mean  the  fami- 
ly of  the  redeemed?  These  consti- 
tute his  family  according  to  Heb. 
3:6;  "But  Christ  as  a  son  over  his 
own  house;  whose  house  are  we,  if 
we  hold  fast  the  confidence  &there- 
joicingof  the  hope  firm  unto  the  end.* 
A  part  of  Christ's  redeemed  family 
then  is  in  heaven,  while  a  part  is  on 
earth.  But  those  in  heaven  with 
but  two  or  three  exceptions  have 
not  yet  received  their  resurrection 
bodies,  and  consequently  are  in  a 
disembodied  state;  and,  therefore, 
the  spirit  exists  apart  from  the  bodyf 
and  does  not  die  with  the  body. 

We  have  now  given  a  number  of 
passages  of  Scripture,  which  we 
think  will,  when  explained  by  sound 
rules  of  biblical  exegesis  or  explan- 
ation, convey  to  the  minds  of  the 
unprejudiced,  humble,  sincere,  and 
diligent  student  of  the  Gospel,  the 
doctrines  we  have  attributed  to 
them,  namely,  these  :  The  soul  does 
not  die  with  the  body  and  the  dead 
are  not  unconscious.  We  might 
greatly  enlarge  the  number,  since 
we  have  made  no  quotations  from 
the  Old  Testament,  nor  from  the 
book  of  Revelation.  But  we  shall 
not  add  to  the  list,  believiüg  those, 
which  we  have  adduced,  are  suffi- 
cient to  sustain  the  doctrine  we  un- 
derstand the  Scriptures  teach,  rela- 
tive to  the  dead. 

The  degree  of  importance  which 
the  sacred  writers  frequently  attach 
to  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection, 


172 


eeconciliAtion  with  god. 


has  led  some  to  think,  tlmttlic  chris- 
tian will  enjoy  no  positive  happi- 
ness after  death  until  the  resurrec- 
tion. This  idea  we  cannot  receive, 
as  our  views  given  above  will  show. 
Wo  would  not,  however,  wish  to  di- 
minish in  the  least  the  importance 
attached  to  the  resurrection  of  the 
bod3\  It  certainly  is  a  great  fea- 
ture in  the  consummation  of  the 
happiness  of  the  christian.  It  is  not 
until  the  saints  shall  have  received 
their  glorious  bodies,  that  Christ 
will  present  them  faultless  before  the 
presence  of  God's  glory  with  ex- 
ceeding joy.  Jude  24.  Until  the  res- 
urrection, death  will  reign,  and  our 
redemption  will  only  be  partial,  and 
consequently  our  enjoyment  will  be 
quite  limited.  Hence,  the  resurrec- 
tion is  made  a  prominent  theme  in 
the  Scriptures,  for  without  it  the 
victory  of  the  saints  through  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  will  not  be  com- 
plete. 1  Cor.  15:57.  It  is  not  until  after 
the  resurrection  that  the  saints  can, 
with  death  a  conquered  foe  beneath 
their  feet  exclaim,  ''O  death,  where 
is  thy  sting  ?  O  grave,  where  is  thy 
victory'/'' 

The  bearing  of  our  subject  upon 
the  destiny  of  the  wicked,  or  the 
question.  Are  the  wicked  finally  an- 
nihilated at  death  ?  will  be  further 
noticed  in  another  article. 

J.    Q. 


EECONCILIATION  WITH  GOD. 

As  the  result  of  this  work  of  Christ 
for  sinful  mankind,  Paul  specifies 
reconciliation  with  God,  redemp- 
tion,ju8tification.  With  respect  to  the 
idea  of  reconciliation,  it  cannot  have 
been  conceived  by  Paul  as  if  men 
had  been  objects  of  the  divine  wrath 
aud  hatred,  till  Christ  appeasing  the 


j  divine  justice  by  his  sufferings,  by 
his  timely  intervention  reconciled 
an  offended  God  to  mankind,  and 
made  them  again  the  objects  of  his 
love;  for  the  plan  of  redemption 
presupposes  the  love  of  God  towards 
the  race  that  needed  redemption, 
and  Paul  considers  the  sending  of 
Christ,  and  his  living  and  suffering 
for  mankind,  as  the  revelation  of 
the  superabounding  love  and  grace 
of  God;  Eph.  3:  19.  Titus  3:  4.  Horn. 
5:8;  8 :  32.  And  this  council  of 
God's  love  he  represents  as  eternal, 
so  that  the  notion  of  an  influence  on 
God  produced  in  time  falls  to  the 
ground,  since  the  whole  life  and  suf- 
ferings of  Christ  were  only  the  com- 
pletion of  the  eternal  council  of  di- 
vine love.  Therefore  Paul  never 
says,  that  God  being  hostile  to  men, 
became  reconciled  to  them  through 
Christ,  but  that  men  who  were  th© 
enemies  of  God  became  reconciled 
to  him;  Eom.  5:  10;  2 Cor.  5:  16. 
Thus  ho  calls  on  men  to  become  rec- 
onciled to  God;  2  Cor.  5:  20.  The 
obstacle  exists  on  the  side  of  men, 
and  owing  to  this  they  do  not  re- 
ceive the  revelation  of  the  love  of 
God  into  their  self-consciousness; 
and  since  by  the  redeeming  work  of 
Christ  this  obstacle  is  taken  away, 
it  is  said  of  him  that  he  has  recon- 
ciled man  to  God,  and  made  him  an 
object  of  divine  love. 

From  what  has  been  said,  we  may 
attach  merely  a  subjective  moaning 
to  reconciliation;  and  the  ideas  pre- 
supposed by  it  of  enmity  with  God 
and  of  God'i  wrath  may  appear  to 
bo  only  indications  of  ßubjective  re* 
lations,  in  which  man  finds  himself 
in  a  certain  state  of  disposition  tow- 
ards God — indications  of  the  man- 
ner in  which  God  presents  himself 
to  the  conscience  of  man  estranged 


EECONCILIATION  WITH  GOD. 


173 


from  him  by  sin,  or  the  manner  in 
which  the  knowledge  of  God  must 
develop  itself  in  connection  with  the 
consciousness  of  guilt.  Thus  by  the 
term  Eeconciliation,  only  such  an 
influence  on  the  disposition  of  man 
may  be  denoted,  by  which  it  is  deliv- 
ered from  its  former  state,  and  pla- 
ced in  another  relation  towards  God. 
Since  Christ  by  his  whole  life,  by 
his  words  and  works,  and  especially 
by  his  participation  in  the  suffer- 
ings of  humanity,  and  by  his  suifer- 
ing  for  men,  has  revealed  God's  love 
towards  those  who  must  have  felt 
themselves  estranged  from  him  by 
sin — and  has  exhibited  his  suffering 
as  a  pledge  of  the  forgiving  love  of 
God,  and  his  resurrection  as  a  pledge 
of  the  eternal  life  destined  for  them, 
thus  he  has  kindled  a  reciprocal  love 
and  childlike  confidence  towards 
God  in  the  souls  of  those,  who  were 
unable  to  free  themselves  from 
the  state  of  disquietude,  which  was 
produced  by  the  consciousness  of 
guilt. 

The  reconciliation  of  man  to  God 
(according  to  this  view),  consists  in 
nothing  else  than  the  alteration  of 
disposition  arising  from  the  revela- 
tion of  God's  love  towards  fallen  hu- 
manity, which  this  revelation  pro- 
duces in  their  self-consciousness. —  j 
Still  it  is  supposed  that  the  reconcile  | 
iation  of  man  to  God,  is  not  the  result  i 
of  any  amendment  on  the  part  of  the  j 
former,  but  the  amendment  is  the 
result  of  the  reconciliation,  since' 
through  the  determination  of  the  I 
self-consciousness  by  means  of  love 
and  confidence  towards  God,  an  al- ' 
new  direction  of  the  life,  \ 
source  of  all  real  amendment! 
turned  towards  God  and  away  fi*om ' 
ein  is  produced.  According  to  this! 
view  also,    it  is  presupposed  that! 


together 
the 


man,  who  felt  himself  estranged 
from  God  by  sin,  finds  in  himself  no 
ground  of  confidence  towards  God, 
and  requires  an  objective  ground,  a 
practical  revelation  to  which  his  own 
self-consciousness  can  attach  itself, 
in  order  to  excite  and  support  his 
confidence.  This  latter  is,  without 
doubt,  a  leading  point  of  the  Paul- 
ine system,  as  it  is  of  the  doctrine 
of  the  New  Testament  in  general. 

All  the  exhortations  and  encour- 
agements of  the  apostle,  proceed 
continually  from  a  reference  to  the 
practical  revelation  of  God's  redeem- 
ing love.  Xor  can  it  be  a  valid  ob- 
jection, on  the  other  hand,  that  Paul 
in  2  Cor.  5:  20,  addressing  those  who 
were  already  believers,  and  calling 
on  them  to  be  reconciled  to  God, 
meant  that  by  amendment  they  en- 
tered into  a  new  relation  to  God, 
and  were  brought  out  of  their  for- 
mer state  of  enmity;  for  it  makes 
here  no  difterence  whether  Paul  is 
speaking  to  those  who  had  already 
professed  Christianity,  or  to  those 
w^ith  whom  this  was  not  the  case. — 
In  every  case,  according  to  his  own 
conceptions,  the  believing  appropri- 
ation of  the  reconciliation  of  man 
with  God  effected  through  Christ, 
was  accompanied  by  a  new  direction 
of  the  life,  and  where  this  did  not 
ensue,  it  was  a  sign  that  the  believ- 
ing appropriation  had  not  taken 
place,  and  the  man  was  still  desti- 
tute of  that  reconciliation  with  God 
from  which  amendment  proceeds. 

In  that  very  passage  Paul  does 
not  say,  Amend  yourselves  in  order 
that  you  may  be  reconciled  to  God; 
but  rather.  Let  not  the  grace  of  rec- 
onciliation appear  to  be  in  vain  for 
you,  as  if  you  had  not  appropriated 
it.  By  Christ's  offering  up  his  life 
for  man  estranged  from  God,  man  is 


1T4 


ON  PEEACHING  THE  GOSPEL. 


objectively  reconciled  to  God.  God 
has  removed  that  which  made  the 
separation  between  himself  and  man. 
But  what  has  been  objectively  ac- 
complished for  all  mankind,  must 
now  bo  appropriated  by  each  indi- 
vidual and  thus  become  subjective. 
Ilence,  according  to  these  different 
points  of  view,  Paul  could  say,   "Be 


God.  In  this  universal  fact,  we  have 
a  witness  of  the  revelation  of  God's 
holiness  in  the  consciences  of  man- 
kind, which  is  as  undeniable  as  the 
revelation  of  his  love.  By  the 
^^ wrath  of  Gody'  though  in  an  an- 
thropopathical  form,  something 
objective  and  real  is  signified,  which 
is  not  fully  expressed  by  the  idea  of 


yo  reconciled  (subjectively)  to  God,'  punishment,  but  includes  what  is  the 
and  "Wo  are   reconciled  (objective-  ground  of  all  punishment,  (on  which 


account  this  phrase  "the  wrath  of 
God"  is  sometimes  used  to  express 
merely  punishment,)  the  ground  of 


ly)  to  God  by  the  death  of  his  Son." 
Bom.  5 :  10. 

But  those  views  in  conformity  to 
which  the  life  and  sufferings  of j the  necessary  connection  between 
Christ  are  considered  merely  as  a  sin  and  evil,  the  absolute  contrarie- 
manifestation  of  God's  love,  and  the  Sty  existing  between  God  as  the  Ho- 
reconciliation  effected  by  him  as  the  |ly  One  and  sin.  God  recognizes  evil 
subjective  influence  of  this  manifes-  as  evil,  as  that  which  stands  in  con- 
tation  on  the  human  heart,  appear  trariety  to  his  holiness,  rebels  against 
by  no  means  adequate  to  the  mean- ;  him  and  his  holy  order,  and  would 
ing  of  the  Pauline  declarations  al-  exist  independent  of  him.  The  mode 
ready  quoted  respecting  the  redemp-  in  which  God  recognizes  evil,  is  al- 
tion  of  Christ.  And  although  the  ;  so  a  sentence  of  condemnation  upon 
gross  anthropopathical  notion  of  it,  and  is  a  proof  of  its  powerless- 
God's  reconciliation  with  man,  is  ness  and  wretchedness.  Evil  is  de- 
evidently  inconsistent   with   Paul's  nied,   if  not   contemplated  as  some- 


thing occupying  the  place  of  God. 
Br  Neander. 


For  the  Visitor. 
ON  PREACHING  THE  GOSPEL. 

I  will  first   call  the   attention   of 


train  of  ideas,  it  does  not  follow, 
that  by  the  expression  reconciliation, 
only  a  subjective  change  in  the  dis- 
position of  man  is  denoted,  for  we 
are  by  means  justified  in  explaining 
the  conclative  ideas  of  an  enmity 
with  God,  and  a  wrath  of  God  | 
merely  as  subjective,  and  among  the  j  the  reader  to  certain  Scriptures 
various  designations  of  the  divine  |  which  read  as  follows  :  "And  it  came 
attributes  connected  with  them,  ac-|to  pass,  that,  when  the  spirit  rested 
knowledge  a  reality  merely  in  the  upon  them,  they  prophesied,  and  did 
idea  of  the  love  of  God.  On  the  not  cease.  Num.  11:  25.  Now  Mo- 
contrary,  the  common  fact  of  human  ses  had  not  chosen  these,  and  "one 
consciousness,  according  to  which  a  \  of  his  young  men,  answered  and 
man  addicted  to  sin  feels  himself  es- 'said,  My  Lord  Moses,  forbid  them, 
trangcd  from  God,  and  cannot  get  And  Moses  said  unto  him,  Enviest 
rid  of  the  feeling  of  his  guilt  and  ill- 'thou  for  my  sake?  would  God  that 
deserts,  reveals  to  us  a  deep-object-  all  tho  Lord's  people  were  prophets; 
ive  ground  in  the  moral  constitution  and  that  the  Lord  would  put  his 
of  the  universe  and  in  the  essence  of  Spirit  upon   them,"  verses  28,   29. 


ON  PEE  ACHING  THE  GOSPEL. 


175 


Now  we  see  that  envy  was  the  cause 
of  this,  and  where  similar  things  are 
manifested,  we  have  reason  to  fear 
that  envy  is  at  the  root  of  it,  wheth- 
er it  be  for  himself  or  for  Moses. 
^'Surely  the  Lord  God  will  do  noth- 
ing, but  he  revealeth  his  secrets 
unto  his  servants  the  prophets.  The 
lion  hath  roared,  who  will  not  fear; 
the  Lord  hath  sj)oken,  who  can  but 
prophesy?"  Amos  3  :  7.  ''Some  in- 
deed 2)reach  Christ  even  of  envy  and 
ßtrife;  and  some  also  of  good  will. 
.  .  .  What  then?  notwithstanding,, 
every  way,  whether  in  pretense,  or 
in  truth,  Christ  is  preached ;  and  I 
therein  do  rejoice,  yea,  and  will  re- 
joice." Philippians  1:  15-18.  Here 
Paul  rejoiced  that  Christ  was  preach- 
ed, whether  in  pretense  or  in  truth. 
Now  Paul  did  not  rejoice  in  a  false 
motive,  or  in  any  thing  that  was 
not  of  Christ,  but  because  Christ  the 
very  foundation  of  the  hope  of  glory 
was  preached. 

"Follow  after  charity,  and  desire 


20.  ''Paul,  an  apostle,  (not  of  men, 
neither  by  man,  but  by  Jesus  Christ, 
and  God  the  Father,  who  raised 
him  from  the  dead.")  Gal.  1 :  1.  "I 
beseech  you  brethren,  (ye  know  the 
house  of  Stephanas  that  it  is  the  first 
fruits  of  Achaia,  and  that  they  have 
addicted  themselves  to  the  ministry 
of  the  saints,)  that  ye  submit  your- 
selves unto  such,  and  to  every  one 
that  helpeth  with  us,  and  laboreth.^' 
1  Cor.  16  :  15,  16.  "Quench  not  the 
Spirit.  Despise  not  prophesyings. 
Prove  all  things;  hold  fast  that 
which  is  good."  1  Thess.  5:  19-21. 
"Knowing  this  first,  that  no  prophe- 
cy of  the  Scripture  is  of  any  private 
interpretation.  For  the  prophecy 
came  not  in  old  time  by  the  will  of 
man :  but  holy  men  of  God  spake  as 
they  were  moved  by  the  Holy 
Ghost."  2  Pet.  1:  20,  21. 

Now  did  not  God  send  Moses,  and 
Aaron,  and  Miriam,  before  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  through  the  wilder- 
ness ?    He   declares   that  he  did  in 


spiritual  gifts,  but  rather  that  ye  Micah  6  :  4.  And  was  not  Leborah 
may  prophesy."  1  Cor.  14:  1.  "For  L  prophetess,  and  did  she  not  judge 
ye  may  all  prophesy,  one  by  one,  |  Israel,  and  deliver  it  too  ?  She  did 
that  all  may  learn,  and  all  be  com- !  according  to  the  4th  chap,  of  Judges, 
forted."  V.  31.  "Wherefore,  breth- i  And  did  not  Esther  likewise  deliver 
ren,  covet  to  prophesy,  and  forbid  j Israel  ?  And  there  was  Anna,  a 
not  to  speak  with  tongues.     Let  all  prophetess,  who  departed  not  from 


things  be  done  decently  and  in  or- 
der," verses  39,  40.  "And  John  an- 
swered him,  saying.  Master,  we  saw 


the  temple,  and  she  coming  in  that 
instant  gave  thanks  likewise  unto 
the  Lord,  and  spake   of  him   to  all 


one  castmg  out  devils  in  thy  name,  |  them  that  looked  for  redemption  in 
and  he  foUoweth  not  us :  and  we  for- 1  Jerusalem.  Luke  2  :  37.  38.  And 
bade  him  because  he  followeth  not  I  was  not  Mary  the  first  that  the  Sav- 
ns.  But  Jesus  said,  forbid  him  not:  i  ior  sent  to  preach  his  resurrection? 
for  there  is  no  man  which  shall  do  a ;  And  had  not  Philip  foui-  daughters 
miracle  in  my  name,  that  can  light-,  who  did  prophesy?  Yes,  these  things 
ly  speak  evil  of  me.  For  he  that  is  ]  are  certainly  so. 
not  against  us  is  on  our  part.  Mark:  But  laving  aside  all  the  above 
9:  38-40.  And  straightway  he  '  quotations  for  the  present,  we  shaU 
preached  Christ  m  the  synagogues,  look  at  the  language  of  the  apostle 
.1.0.  ^.;..^..  «..  ..  r...  .    Acts  9  :  Peter.      "But    Peter,  standing  up 


that  he  is  the  Son  of  God.' 


176 


ON  PREACHING  THE  GOSPEL. 


witli  tho  eleven,  lifted  up  his  voice 
and  said  unto  them,  Ye  men  of  Ju- 
dea,  and  all  yc  that  dwell  at  Jerusa- 
lem, be  tliis  known  unto  you,  and 
hearken  unto  my  -words:  For  these 
arc  not  drunken,  as  ye  sui^pose,  see- 
ing it  is  but  the  third  hour  of  the 
day.  But  this  is  that  which  was 
epokcn  by  the  prophet  Joel :  And  it 
ßhall  come  to  pass  in  the  last  day, 
ßaith  God,  I  will  pour  out  ray  Spirit 
upon  all  flesh  :  and  your  sons  and 
your  dauijjhters  shall  prophesy,  and 
your  young  men  shall  see  visions, 
and  j^our  old  men  shall  dream 
dreams:  and  on  my  servants  and  on 
jny  handmaidens  I  will  pour  out  in 
those  days  of  my  Spirit;  and  they 
ehall  prophesy."  Acts  2:  14-18.  I 
believe,  that  every  day  that  projjhe- 
cy  was  fulfilled,  for  it  is  said,  ''and 
it  shall  come  to  pass  in  the  last  days, 
ßaith  God."  Aud  is  it  now  thought 
by  mortal  man,  that  the  spirit  of 
prophecy,  which  is  poured  out  by 
God  himself  upon  his  sons  and 
daughters,  can  be  quenched  by  op- 
pression ?  O  no,  oppression  can  not 
reach  it,  it  is  a  light,  lighted  up  in 
the  soul  of  man  by  the  omnipotent 
hand  of  God,  and  never  designed  to 
be  quenched  by  the  power  of  man. 
Now  I  am  sorry  that  there  has 
advantage  been  taken  of  the  old 
Brethren's  views  on  the  subject  of 
preaching  the  gospel  of  Christ. 
Some  of  our  younger  brethren,  who 
are  not  so  well  informed  in  scrip- 
ture as  they  should  be,  say  that 
the  old  Brethren  forbid  any  breth- 
ren to  preach  who  are  not  elected 
hy  tho  majority  of  the  church, 
but  it  seems  to  me  this  is  said  be- 
cause of  a  want  of  a  better  knowl- 
edge of  things.  It  is  true,  there 
tiave  been  queries  brought  up  to 
tho    annual     meeting      concerning 


brethren  who  have  become  some- 
what troublesome,  or  perhaps  quite 
disorderly  through  their  forwardness, 
and  under  such  circumstances  the 
old  Brethren  have  said,  that  they 
had  better  be  silent.  But  is  this 
saying,  that  they  positively  forbid 
any  one  from  preaching  that  has 
not  been  elected  ?  I  cannot  think 
so.  For  if  this  would  be  the  case, 
then  what  would  the  church  do,  if 
the  spirit  of  prophecy  would  fall 
upon  one  who  was  not  elected  like 
it  did  in  the  time  of  Moses  ?  And 
what  would  be  the  use  to  covet 
to  prophesy  if  we  dare  not  proph- 
esy ?  All  liberty  would  be  cut  off 
from  among  the  brethren  in  Christ ; 
but  the  apostle  says,  ''where  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lord  is,  there  is  liber- 
ty." And  if  a  brother  would  not 
have  liberty  among  the  brethren, 
must  he  go  among  the  Indians  and 
savages  to  preach  the  gospel  of 
Christ,  or  at  least  a  distance  from 
home  ?  0  brethren,  this  will  not 
do.  O  "tell  it  not  in  Gath,  publish 
it  not  in  the  streets  of  Askelon ; 
lest  the  daughters  of  the  Philistines 
rejoice,  lest  the  daughters  of  the  un- 
circumcised  triumph." 

AYhat  then  is  to  be  done  with  a 
brother  that  is  not  disorderly,  and 
feels  that  the  Lord  has  called  him 
to  preach  or  prophesy,  whichever 
you  please  to  call  it,  as  I  for  my 
part  do  not  know  how  to  separate 
them  as  they  were  so  closely  con- 
nected at  the  day  of  pentecost  when 
Peter  declared  that  the  prophecy 
of  Joel  was  fulfilled  ?  I  ask  again 
what  is  to  be  done  for  that  broth- 
er that  feels  the  spirit  of  prophecy 
when  the  scripture  says,  "Quench 
not  the  Spirit."  Despise  not  proph- 
esying ?  That  brother  certainly 
must  feel  the    powers    of  his    God 


ox  PEEACIIING  THE  GOSPEL. 


177 


and  the  lashes  of  his  conscience. — 
And  what  must  I  say  next  ?  Dare 
I  say  the  scorns  of  some  of  his  breth- 
ren ?  But  if  of  some  of  them,  by  no 
means  all.  But  is  there  no  balm  in 
Oilead  ?  Is  there  no  physician  there  ? 
Ah  !  yes,  there  is  balm  for  all  our 
wounds,  a  cordial  for  all  our  fears. 
And  what  are  our  fears  ?  that  such 
a  brother  would  cause  difficulties  in 
the  church  ?  And  if  he  was  elected 
by  the  church,  are  we  sure  that  he 
would  not  cause  disorder  ?     He  that 


fail  me  to  tell  of  Gideon,  and  of  Ba- 
rak, and  of  Samson,  and  of  Jeph- 
thae ;  of  David  also,  and  of  Sam- 
uel, and  the  prohets  :  who  through 
faith  subdued  kingdoms,  wl'ought 
righteousness,  and  obtained  promi- 
ses, stopped  the  mouths  of  lions, 
quenched  the  violence  of  tire,  es- 
caped the  edge  of  the  sword,  out  of 
weakness  were  made  strong." — 
Brethren,  without  fail,  if  we  keep 
hold  of  the  omnipotent  liandof  God, 
we  like  David,  can  walk  through  a 


is  not  called  of  God  will  be  disorder- !  troop,  and  leap  over  a  Avail. 

ly  whether  he    is    chosen    by    the  |      Yea,  more  th^^n  this,  we  can  sin-, 

church  or  not,   and  they   that   the  j^^^^g^-j^^  through  the  deep  waters  of 

Lord  calls,  will  be  consistent  wheth- ,;  .^^j.^.^.^^^^  ^-^^  ^^^^  gj^^H  not  overflow 

er   chosen  of  the  church  or  not,   f^i';,,« 

their  God  is  a  God  of  order,  and  he :      „^^^^  i,ow   shall   dust  his   worth 

is  able  to  keep  them  that  are  his,  for  |  declare 

Jesus  declared  w^hen  he  arose  from!     AVhen  anoels  try  in  vain." 

the  grave   that   all  power  in  heaven  ; 

and^in   earth  was  given  unto   him. !     ^^^  ^'''''^''''  language  fails,  it  is  too 

And  he  said  unto  his  disciples,    -lo,  ^^'^ak     to    express     the    wonderful 

I  am  with  you  alway,    even   unto  ^^'^^'^^  ^^.^l^«  I^ord,  who  blasted  the 

the  end  of  the   world."      He   thenlglory   of  the  proud  Babylon,    and 

will  keep  them  in  all  their  trials  and ;  scatters  the  people.       His   Son  the 


Messiah,  now  reigns  in  triumph  by 
his  Father's  side.  He  also  acts  as 
our  advocate  there  and  pleads  for  us 
noor  sinful   mortals,  who  are  so  de- 


troubles.     For  if  he  has  all  power, 

who   can   question    his   power,    for 

there  is   no   power  wanting  in  him. 

All  is  wanting   is   a  proper   faith — 

that  faith  which  was  once  delivered  Pe^^^^ent   upon   God.     O  how   often 

unto   the   saints— that   faith  which  ,^^^"^^0  I  thought,   I  would  to  God  we 

the  Savior  alluded  to  when  he  said,  could  more  sensibly  feel  the  truth  of 

^'nevertheless,  when  the  Son  of  man 


this. 


Cometh  shall  befind  faith  on  the  earth?' , 
That  faith  which  Moses  had,  and 
which  led  him  to  refuse  to  be  called 
the  son  of  Pharaoh's  daughter,  that 
faith  by  which  the  children  of  Israel 
passed  through  the  Ptcd  sea,  that 
faith  by  which  the  walls  of  Jericho 
fell  down,  that  faith  by  which  the 
harlot  Eahab  perished  not,  that  faith 
the  victories   of  which,    Paul    cele- 


My  dear  brethren  and  sisters,  who 
with  me  have  enlisted  under  the 
blood  stained  banner  of  king  Eman- 
uel, let  us  try  and  be  faithful  soldiers 
of  the  cross,  right  up  in  the  ranks, 
with  breastplate,  shield,  and  sword, 
and,  proclaim  a  war  in  Christ's 
name,  against  the  hosts  of  hell,  and 
be  not  discouraged  at  persecution, 
for  we  know  that  it^is  written  that 
"they  that  will  live  godly  in  Christ 


brates  when  he  further  says,  "What 

shall  I  more  say  ?  for  the  time  would,  Jesus,  shall  sutler  persecution." 

G.  Y.  Yol.  X.         12 


178 


lissemi:nation  of  the  gospel. 


Kow  what  I  have  written,  I  have 
written  out  of  love  to  tlie  truth,  and 
fijv  the  welfare  of  my  brethren 
whom  it  concerns,  feelinj^  for  tliose 
who  are  bound,  as  being  bound 
with  them.  And  I  desire  that  this 
article  may  find  a  place  in  the  Vis- 
itor, and  1  also  desire  that  some  bro- 
ther will  answer  it.  If  I  have  writ- 
ten any  thin^  that  is  not  according: 
to  the  (lospel,  I  wish  to  be  inform- 
ed, and  I  will  be  thankful  for  it;  for 
I  do  not  want  to  be  in  error,  and  I 
will  l)e  thankful  for  all  the  informa- 
tion on  the  above  questions  that  I 
can  get,  whether  it  agrees  with  my 
views  or  not,  so  that  it  has  good  gos- 
pel ground,  or  the  word  of  God  to 
sustain  it.  I  do  not  want  merely 
what  people  think  is  best,  for  that 
may  not  be  acceptable  to  God,  as 
was  the  case  when  Peter  wanted  to 
make  three  tabernacles,  and  when 
Saul  saved  the  flittest  of  the  oxen  to 
offer  sacrifice  to  the  Lord  at  Gilgal. 

One  question  more,  and  I  beg  of 
you  not  to  be  angry  with  me,  as 
Abraham  begged  of  the  Lord.  Where 
can  we  find  in  the  scripture  that  the 
choice  of  a  speaker  is  to  be  left  to 
the  majority  of  the  church  ?  I  know 
that  the  apostles  chose  some,  and 
that  lots  were  also  cast,  and  that 
they  ordained  elders  in  every  city; 
and  that  they  chose  deacons,  but 
where  they  elected  a  preacher,  and 
that  by  a  majority  of  the  church,  I 
cannot  find   in  scripture. 

Brethren,  bear  with  me,  when  I 
say  this  way  of  electing  speakers 
does  not  agree  with  Paul's  writinir 
when  he  sa^'S,  women  are  not  per- 
mitted to  speak  in  the  cluirch,  but 
shouhl  he  in  subjection  to  their  hus- 
bands as  Sarafi  was  to  Abraliam, 
even  calling  him  Lord,  whose  daugh- 


ters we  are  in  faitli,  and  are  not  to 
usurp  any  authority  over  the  man. 
]^ow  when  we  have  our  ejections  for 
a  speaker,  the  brethren  generally 
make  choice  first,  and  then  the  sis- 
tors,  and  their  votes  may  decide  tho 
choice.  Now  brethren,  who  speak 
and  rule  in  such  a  case  ?  I  shall 
look  for  an  answer. 

L.     C. 


Yov  the  Visitor. 
DISSEMINATION  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 

Selected  from  Harris'  great  Com- 
mission,    By  L.     F. 

''Go  ye  into  all  the  icorld,  and 
preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature." 
Mark  16:  15. 

Forasmuch  as  the  more  extensive 
spread  of  the  gospel  has  of  late  years 
agitated  the  minds  of  the  Brethren, 
I  will  try  in  this  essay  to  urge  tho 
necessity  of  the  same,  by  some  il- 
lustrations from  prophecy,  &c. 

If  it  be  a  doctrine  of  prophecy, 
that  the  diffusion  of  the  gospel  is  to 
be  the  grand  instrument  in  the  hand 
of  God  for  the  conversion  of  the 
world,  may  we  not  expect  that  oth- 
er departments  of  holy  Scripture  will 
be  found  to  contain  allusions  and 
statements  corroborative  of  the  doc- 
trine ?  May  we  not  expect  for  ex- 
ample, that  the  apostles  have  left  on 
record  some  indications,  however 
incidental,  that  they  interpreted  an- 
cient prophecy  in  the  manner  suppo- 
sed? 

Accordingly  avc  find,  that  such  in- 
dications actually  exist :    The  appli- 
'  cation  which   James   makes  of  the 
j  prophecy  of  Amos,  Acts  15:  14-18. 
is  precisely    on    this   principle,   and 
I  might  properly   be  regarded  as  sup- 
plying the  legitimate  key  to  all  thoso 
ligurative   predictions  of  the  gospel 


DISSEMINATION  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 


179 


dispensation,  which  employ  lan- 
guage drawn  from  the  Jewish  econ- 
omy. Had  Isaiah  predicted  that 
Christ  should  be  given  to  be  a  light 
to  the  Gentiles?  "Lo  we  turn  to  thei 
the  Gentiles,"  said  Paul  and  Barna- ! 
bas,  "for  so  hath  the  Lord  comman-  \ 
ded  us,  saying,  I  have  set  thee  to  be ; 
a  light  to  the  Gentiles,  that  thou  i 
shouldest  be  for  salvation  to  the ' 
ends  of  the  earth.,'  Acts  13 :  46.  47. ! 
Whence  we  learn,  first,  that  tbey  in- 
ferred the  prophecy  to  be  fulfilled, : 
and  the  world  to  be  enlightened  by ! 
the  ]3^i^lit'^^tion  of  the  gospel,  for: 
this  was  the  only  instrumentality 
then  employed.  And,  secondly,  that ! 
so  coincident  in  their  view  was  the 
spirit  of  the  prophecy  with  the  spir-j 
it  of  the  apostolic  commission,  that 
theyregarded  the  prediction  as  equiv- ; 
alent  in  meaning  to  a  divine  com- 1 
mand    to  preach  the   gospel.  j 

Had  the  prophet  Joel  announced ! 
that  during  the  last   days,    "whoso- . 
ever  shall  call  on  the   name   of  the ' 
Lord  shall  be  saved  ?"      "How  then 
shall  they  call  upon   him   in  whom  • 
they  have   not  believed  V    inquires  ! 
the  apostle  Paul;    Rom.  10:  14.  15. 
and  how  shall  they  believe  in  him  of 
whom    they  have   not  heard  ?    and 
how  shall  they  hear  without  a  prea- 
cher? and  how  shall  they  preach  ex- 
cept they  be  sent?"      By   putting 
the  necessity   of  preaching  the  gos- 
pel  in    the   interrogatory  form,  he 
would  impress  us   in   the   most  em- ! 
phatic  manner,  that  there  is  no  other ! 
conceivable     instrumentality,! 
by  which  the  Gentiles  can  be  saved.  | 

And  had  "the  voice  of  him  that' 
crieth  in  the  wilderness"  announ- 1 
ced,  "All  flesh  is  grass,  and  all  the 
goodliness  thereof  is  as  the  flower  of  | 
the  field  ; — the  o-rass  withereth,  the  i 
flower  fadcth,   but   the  word  of  our  i 


God  shall  stand  forever."  "This  is 
the  word,"  says  Peter,  "which  by 
the  gospel  is  preached  unto  you ;" 
1  Pet.  1 :  24,  25.  plainly  implying 
that  in  opposition  to  the  instability 
of  all  things  human,  the  dispensa- 
tion of  the  gospel  is  to  last  forever  ; 
and  that  in  defiance  of  all  the  hos- 
tility of  the  earth,  it  is  to  continue 
as  the  great  and  onl}'  principle  of 
the  world's  regeneration. 

Were  it  possible,  that  the  present 
economy  should  be  suspended  or 
terminated,  before  the  world  is  sav- 
ed, all  hope  of  human  recovery 
would  perish.  Man  would  behold 
the  only  Eock  on  which  his  hope 
can  anchor,  sink  in  a  shoreless  and 
tempestuous  sea;  for  amid  the  cease- 
less whirl  and  disappearance  of  ev- 
ery thing  around  him,  the  only 
ground  of  hope  for  the  future  which 
God  himself  has  supplied  consists, 
according  to  this  apostle,  in  the  suf- 
ficiency and  perpetuity  of  the  gospel 
of  Christ. 

Second,  May  we  not  expect  to 
find  that  the  cheering  anticipation  of 
a  world  reclaimed  by  the  sanctified 
diffusioQ  of  the  gospel,  would  lead 
*'holy  men  of  God"  to  give  utter- 
ance to  corresponding  desires  in 
prayer  ?  The  expectation  is  not  dis- 
appointed. The  psalmist  prayed: 
"That  the  way  be  known  upon 
earth,  and  thy  saving  health  among 
all  nations."  Psalm  67.  That  the 
healing  influence  of  divine  revela^ 
lion,  like  a  heavenly  current  of  vital 
air,  might  sweep  over  the  spiritual 
sickness  of  the  world,  and  impart 
to  it  health,  and  vigor,  and  happi- 
ness. 

And  as  he  regarded  the  knowledge 
of  God  as  the  only  remedy'  for  the 
world's  misery,  so  he  appears  to 
have  taken  it   fer  granted  that  tlic 


180 


DISSEMINATION  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 


))roF;pcnty  of  the  cliurch  would  be 
marked  by  the  diffusion  of  that 
knowlodi^e,  and  that  such  diffusion 
Avould  bo  attended  ^vith  the  most 
happy  results.  **God  shall  bless  us," 
ho  adds,  "and  all  tho  ends  of  the 
earth  shall  fear  him  :"  the  leaven  of 
his  grace  sliall  work  from  his  church 
outwards,  till  the  entire  mass  of  hu- 
manity be  leavened;  his  kingdom 
8hall  extend  on  every  side  till  it  em- 
braces the  world. 

But  the  language  of  Christ  him- 
«elf  on  this  subject  is  conclusive. 
Matt.  9  :  36-38.  "When  he  saw  the 
multitudes  ho  was  moved  with  com- 
])assion  on  them,  because  they  fain- 
ted, and  were  scattered  abroad,  as 
sheep  having  no  shepherd.  Then 
saith  ho  to  his  disciples:  The  harvest 
truly  is  plenteous^  but  the  laborers 
are  few;  pray  ye  ^therefore  the  Lord 
of  the  harvest,  that  he  will  send 
forth  laborers  into  his  harvest." 

That  this  was  not  a  duty  binding!  that  if  the  kingdom  of  Christ  on 
only  on  those  immediately  address- 1  earth  is  to  be  set  up  by  means  of  his 
ed  is  evident,  for  the  reason! dependent  but  devoted  subjects,  the 
of  the  command  is  laid  in  the  j  result  will  be  attained  gradually  as 
destitute  condition  of  the  multi-|  opposed  to  suddenly;  and  that,  in 
tudes.  As  long,  therefore,  as  it  is  |  order  to  correct  and  guide  our  ex- 
pectations, scriptural  intimations 
will  be  afforded,  that  progressive- 
ness  will  be  one  of  the   characteris- 


that  agency  is  increased  under  his 
superintendence,  will  be  the  extent 
of  harvest  saved.  And  still  more  to 
the  pui^iose,  if  possible,  is  the  lan- 
guage of  Christ  in  his  intercesso- 
ry prayer :  "Neither  pray  I  for 
these  alone,  but  for  them  also  Avho 
shall  believe  on  me  throuMi  their 
word ;  that  they  all  may  bo 
one — that  the  world  may  believe 
that  thou  hast  sent  me."  Leaving 
us  to  the  necessary  inference,  first, 
that  the  only  way  in  which  the 
church  is  to  look  for  additions,  is  by 
men  being  })rouglit  to  believe  the 
gospel  ;  for  if  any  are  to  be  conver- 
ted otherwise,  for  such  the  Savior 
did  not  pray.  And,  secondly,  that 
as  often  as  such  additions  are  made, 
they  are  to  unite  with  the  great 
body  of  the  faithful  for  the  conver- 
sion of  others,  and  thus  to  proceed 
till  the  world  is  saved. 

3.    May   we   not   expect  further, 


tics  of  the  work  ?     Analogy,  indeed, 
might   lead   us   to   expect  this;  for 


true  that  any  portion  of  mankind  are 
perishing  "as  sheep  having  no  shep- 
herd," it  will  continue  to  be  the  du- 
ty of  Christians  to  pray  that  shep- 
herds may  be  provided  for  them. 
And  as  long  as  any  disproportion; progress  is  one  of  the  distinctive 
I'cmains  between  the  vast  harvest  of,  features  of  all  the  divine  operations 
souls  to  be  gathered  into  the  garner  in  na^n-e  and  providence.  But  here, 
of  Christ,  and  the  number  of  labor-  where  tho  agency  to  be  emploj^ed  is 
ors  employed,  it  will  ever  be  imper-  human,  it  appears  unavoidable, 
ativeon  the  churcli  to  repeat  thei  For  the  eminent  piety  of  the  indi- 
cry,  for  an  increase  of  Christian  in-|vidual  Christian,  and  the  union  and 
t^trumcntality.  I  devotedness  of  tho  collective  church, 

The  languageof  Christ  thus  plainly  the  twofold  element  of  instrumental 
implies,  that  the  harvest  of  the,  fitness  requisite  for  the  conversion 
worldis  to  bo  reaped  by  the  agency  of  of  mankind,  can  only  result  from  a 
his  people;  and  thatin  proportion  as  prolonged  course  of  divine  discipline. 


DISSEMINATION  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 


181 


Accordingly,  the  various  imagery 
under  which  the  dissemination  of 
Christianity  is  represented  in  the 
woixi  of  God,  is  remarkable  for  the 
uniform  manner  in  which  it  pre- 
serves this  characteristic  of  progres- 
siveness. 

If  Ezekiel  beheld  it  in  the  living 
stream  which  flowed  from  the  sanc- 
tuary, he  saw   that  stream  deepen 
and  widen  in  its  onward  course,  till  I  W'^^<^  t^'^  ^^^^^  0/  the  world:'     For  the 
^'the  waters  were  risen,   waters  to  i  context  implies  and  requires  a  prom- 


look  for  in  Scripture  without  readily 
finding  it  ?  Is  it  an  express  com- 
mand on  the  subject  ?  "We  possess 
it  in  the  final  command  of  Christ  to 
his  servants,  to  ^^ preach  the  Gospel 
to  every  creatureJ'  Is  it  a  promise 
of  divine  assistance  and  success  in 
obeying  this  command  ?  We  have 
it  in  the  promise  which  accompanies 
it,  ^'JjO  I  aril  with  you   always,   even 


swim  in,  a  river  that  could  not  be 
passed  over."  If  Daniel  was  in- 
structed to  recognize,  in  "a  stone 
cut  out  without  hands,"  an  emblem 
of  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  the  myste- 
rious manner  in  which  it  became  en- 
larged, and  occupied  province  alter 
province,  till  it  '^filled  the  whole 
earth,"  strikingly  represented  the 
growth  of  that  spiritual  empire 
w^hicli  is  destined  to  "break  in  pie- 
ces and  consume  all  hostile  power, 
and  to  stand  for  ever." 

If  the  sovereign  himself  ofthat 
kingdom  selects  appropriate  em- 
blems of  its  progress,  he  finds  them 
in  the  growth  of  the  mustard-seed 
and  in  the  diflusive  influence  of  the 
leaven.  Not,  indeed,  that  in  its  pro- 
gress to  perfection  it  will  be  entirely 
exempted  from  external  shocks.  Like 
the  earthly  empire  which  it  isdestined 
finally  to  absorb,  its  affairs  may  of- 
ten approach  a  crisis  which  may  ap- 
pear to  threaten  its  existence.  But, 
true  to  the  emblems  by  which  our 
Lord  represents  it,  its  history  will 
eventually  exhibit  the  threefold 
characteristic,  of  original  insignif- 
icance, constant  though  often  im- 
perceptible progress,  crowned  with 
ultimate  greatness  and  universal 
power. 

4.     But  what  appropriate  test  of 
the  truth  of   the   doctrine   can   we 


ise,  not  so  much  of  protection  in 
danger,  as  of  success  in  the  accom- 
plishment of  the  object  proposed  -, 
so  that  the  command  and  promise 
combined  may  be  regarded  as  the 
great  missionary  character  of  the 
church  for  all  time  ;  securing  to  its 
devoted  servants,  in  every  age,  a 
measure  of  success  proportioned  to 
their  zeal  for  his  glory.     —  — 

Are  we  tempted  to  apprehend  for 
instance,  that  the   Christian  church 


its   energies  in   its  first 
can  never  again  expect 


exhausted 
daj's,  and 
to  see  them  repeated?  Prophecy 
points  us  aloft  to  an  emblem  of  the 
present,  and  behold  an  angel  comes 
speeding  through  the  vault  of  heav- 
en, having  the  everlasting  Gospel  to 
preach  to  all  the  dwellers  on  earth, 
telling  us  of  facilities  for  its  propaga- 
tion yet  to  appear,  of  resources  in 
the  church  j^et  to  be  developed,  and 
of  unexampled  triumphs  in  the 
world  yet  to  be  won. 

Do  we  entertain  a  fear  that  the 
hostility  of  the  world  w^ill  cloud  our 
prospect  and  arrest  our  progress  ? 
In  the  visions  of  prophecy  we  behold 
another  mighty  angel  casting  a  mill- 
stone into  the  sea,  and  crying,  Thus 
Babylon  is  fallen,  is  fallen."  The 
united  stronghold  of  Anti-Christ s, 
and  another  drying  up  the  Euphra- 
tes of  Mahomed  an   power;  and   an- 


182 


AN  EXTRACT  FROM  OLD  MINUTES— 1813. 


other  binding  Apollyon   himself  in  I  church  of  Christ  is  militant;    and 


the  chain  of  God's  decrees,  and  cast- 'considering  the  object  of  its  contest, 
inghim  down  into  his  own  pit.    The 'the  character  of  its   spiritual  allies 

and   resources,   the  divinity   of  its 
leader,  and  the   cp-andeur  of  its  dcs- 


mountains  of  horses  and   chariots  of 
lire    round    about    Elisha,     which 


bursts  on  the  opened  eyes  of  his  ser-ltiny,  it  absorbs  all  the  spiritual  and 


vant,  is  tameness    itself  compared  created   greatness  of  the  universe; 
with    the   vision   of  the   future   to  |  and  should  it  be  satisfied  with  a  lit- 


which  prophecy  points  the  church, 
all  heaven  mai-shalled  and  occupied 
in  removing  every  conceivable  ob- 
stacle to  the  free  and  universal  dif- 
fusion of  the  Gospel  of  Christ. 

At  no  period  of  the  past,  probably 
could  our  ej-es  have  been  opened  to 
the  reality  of  supernatural  agency 
in  the  church,  without  beholding 
the  sublime  spectacle  "of  the  an- 
gels of  God  ascending  &  descending" 
in  its  service,  or  arrayed  in  its  de- 
fence. But,  as  if  the  active  share  the}' 
have  hitherto  taken  in  its  aflPairs,werc 
as  nothing  when  compared  with  that 
which  devolves  on  them  during  ^the 
time  of  the  end,'  the  successive 
scenes  of  the  Apocalyptic  visions  are 
crowded  with  their  numbers,  and 
distinguished  by  their  agency. 

Is  it  that  as  that  time  approaches 
its  close,  and  events  rush  to  their  fi- 
nal result,  they  will  take  a  more  in- 
tense interest  in  the  issue  ?  Or  is 
it  that  the  ranks  of  the  church  tri- 
umphant will  be  allowed  to  draw 
nearer  to  those  of  the  church  mili- 
tant, and  more  frequently  to  mingle 
&  make  common  cause,  preparatoiy 
to  their  com))lote  and  everlasting 
juncture  in  heaven  ? 

However  this  may  bo,  should  not 
the  prophetic  vision  of  their  winged 
activity  and  flaming  zeal,  kindle  the 
tire  of  a  holy  and  consuming  emula- 
tion in  the  church  below  ?  "A  great 
nation"  it  was  lately  said  by  a  high 
political  authority — "a  great  nation 
cannot    have   a  little   war."       The 


tie  war  ? 

Should  not  every  blast  of  the  apoc- 
alyptic trumi>et  ring  through  the 
church  as  a  summons  to  universal 
action  ?  And  every  soldier  of  the 
Christian  army  demean  himself  as  if 
an  angel  fought  at  his  side  and  infi- 
nite issues  were  waiting  the  result? 
Do  we  ask  to  look  beyond  the  conflict, 
and  see  its  final  results  ?  They  have 
been  seen  ;  and  the  eyes  that  gazed 
on  them,  though  closing  in  death, 
beamed  and  brightened  with  the  re- 
fleeted  glory.  They  have  been  sung; 
and  they  who  sang  them  may  be  re- 
garded as  having  lived  for  this  as  for 
their  highest  earthly  end;  and  while 
they  sang,  angels  have  hushed  the 
music  of  their  harps  to  listen  to  the 
strain.  And  still  it  is  the  office  of 
prophecy  to  point  out  these  results 
to  the    eye  of  faith. 

(Concluded  in  our  next.) 


For    the    Visitor. 
An  Extract  from  Old  Mintites-~1813. 
It  was  further  discussed  in   com- 
mon    [council,]     concerning     elec- 
tioneering,  namely,    about    voting 
to  elect    men  to  the   assembly,    or 
congress,   to     serve     in     such   like 
worldly  offices ;    and,   as  the  time» 
in  which  we  have  come,   are    w^ear- 
ing  such  a  gloomy  aspect,   that  in 
the  kingdom  of  this  world,  the  party  ' 
spirit  has  arisen  to  such   a  degree,  ' 
that  the  people,  oven  the  heads  of 


QUERIES. 


18^ 


government,  are  so  divid^i,  it  was 
considered,  generally,  that  it  would 
be  much  better  not  to  vote  at  all 
for  such  officers,  for  as  long  as  there 
is  such  a  division,  we  will  render 
ourselves  obnoxious,  and  odious  on 
one  side,  we  may  vote  on  whatever 
side  we  Avill.  Hereby  can  each  one, 
who  will  be  defenceless,  easily  prove 
what  might  be  the  best. 

Besides,  as  our  country,  and  near- 
ly all  kingdoms  are  involved  in 
wars,  it  is  considered  to  be  best  not 
to  cast  a  vote,  otherwise  we  might, 
perhaps,  help  to  elect  such  as  would 
afterwards  oppress  us  with  war. 

To  pray  diligently  for  our  govern- 
ment, w^e  believe  to  be  our  duty,  and 
the  most  pleasing  to  the  Lord. 

Henry  Danner, 
George  Preis, 
Herman  Blaeser, 
Benjamin   Bauman, 
Daniel  Stober, 
David  Long, 
Martin  Gerber, 
Martin  Eeinhart, 
Abraham  Reinhart. 
(Translated  from  the  German.) 

The  above  is  an  extract  from  the 
minutes  of  the  yearly  meeting  held 
at  Schuylkill,  June  4th  1813,  which, 
in  my  estimation,  is  worthy  of  a  place 
in  the  Yisitor,  asitseems  to  breathe 
forth  the  true   spirit  of  the  Gospel. 
The  advice  of  our  beloved  brethren  | 
forty   seven  years  ago,   is  certainly  | 
entitled  to  our  serious  regard ;  and  | 
as  the  commotion  in  the  elements  of  j 
this  world  is  so   great   at  this  time,  | 
and  party  contention  so  strong,  it  is  j 
astonishing  to   me  that  a  follower  of 
Christ  should   have  the  least  desire 
to    take    part  in  the  same.      <'My 
kingdom  is  not  of  this  world."  John 
18  :  36.  I  would  have  more  to  write, 
but   I   forbear,   for  the  present  at 
least. 

D.     B. 


^xitru^ 


1.    Explanation  of  Matt.  10  :  39. 

Dear  Editors :  I  have  read  the 
two  numbers  of  the  Gospel  Yisitor 
with  great  delight.  1  would  like 
you  to  give  us  an  explanation  of 
Matt.  10  :  39. 

K     M. 

Feb.  28th.  1860. 

Answer. — The  passage  upon  which 
an  explanation  is  desired  reads  as 
follows  :  ''He  that  findeth  his  life 
shall  lose  it :  and  he  that  loseth  his 
life  for  my  sake  shall  find  it."  The 
Savior  was  discoursing  upon  the 
subject  of  self-denial  when  he  used 
this  language,  and  in  the  verse  im- 
mediately preceding  the  one  quoted 
above  he  says,  ''And  he  that  taketh 
not  his  cross,  and  followeth  after 
me,  is  not  worthy  of  me."  By  keep- 
ing the^  connection  in  mind,  the 
meaning  of  the  words  to  be  explain- 
ed will  the  more  readily  be  per- 
ceived. 

The  Greek  word  •*'TXH,  transla- 
ted life,  signifies  both  soul  and  life 
as  well  as  other  ideas.  In  the  text, 
the  meaning  of  which  we  are  exam- 
ining it  implies  a  twofold  existence, 
a  higher  and  a  lower,  and  whichever 
ot  these  man  prefers  to  live,  he  can 
choose.  To  paraphrase  the  passage 
in  the  following  manner,  will  give 
what  we  conceive  to  be  its  mean- 
ing :  He  who  makes  it  his  great 
object  to  take  care  of  his  present 
life,  or  to  find  its  enjoyment  in 
feeding  and  clothing  his  body;  to 
live  a  life  of  ease,  free  from  the 
self-denial  and  hardships  and  duties 
which  I  in  my  teaching  inculcat«, 
shall  lose  that  higher  life  which  I 
have  come  to  reveal,  and  to  prepare 
man  for,  and  to  which  he  may  at- 


184 


QUERIES. 


tain;  but  he  that  out  of  fiiitlifulnesslprimogeciture,  to  the  tribe  of  Levi 
and  lovo  to  me  is  wiIliiip;to  lot^o  hisiXum.  3  :  12 — 18;  8  :  18.  And  as* 
natural  life  if  duty  to  nie  requires 'God  had  taken  the  Levites  to  servo 
it,  or  is  willin/T  to  deny  himself  of  him  instead  of  all  the  tirst-born,  the 
any  fcratification  which  the  animal  first-born  of  all  the  other  tribes 
life  niii^ht  desire,  for  my  sake,  he  I  were  to  be  redeemed  from  serving 
shall  find  a  spiritual    lifo,    he    shall! him  as  priests.    Num.    18:  15,16; 


attiiin  to  a  higher  state  of  existence, 
which  more  justly  deserves  the 
name  of  life;  he  hliall  never  die  but 
live  for  ever. 


99 


Luke 

The  first-born  also  succeeded  to 
the  official  authority  possessed  by 
his  father.     If   the   father     was    a 


The  addition  of,/c>r  my  sake,  is  of  iking,  the  first-born  son  was  regard- 
importance,  inasmuch  as  it  opposes  I  ed  as  his  legitimate  successor,  un- 
itselfto  all  self-devised  means  of  I  less  some  peculiar  occurrence  inter- 
sanctification  and  perfecting  of  spir-l  fered.  Then  as  it  seems  it  was  tho 
itual  life.  A  crucifying  of  the  flesh, ;  order  in  the  early  ages  for  the  first- 
and  self-denial  undertaken  for  one's  j  born  to  become  priest  by  virtue  of 
otcn  sake,  ior  one's  own  perfecting,  [his  priority  of  descent,  provided  no 
are  an  abomination  in  the  sight  of  j  blemish  or  defect  attached  to  him, 
the  Lord,    since    they    are    always  and  likewise  to   inherit   the   official 


in  such  a  case,  the  proofs  of  secret 
presumption  and  pride.  On  the 
contrary,  they  must  be    done    from 


authority  possessed  by  his  father, 
and  as  this  combination  of  charac- 
ters was  i^'obably  found  in   Melchiz- 


love  to  Jesus,  from  a  principle  of  cdek,  he  was  then  priest  according 
obedience  to  him,  and  by  the  work- !  to  this  order  or  custom  of  the  re- 
ing  of  his  Spirit;  it  is  then  only  | mote  age  in  which  ho  lived.  And 
that  they  bring  forth  beautiful  j  as  there  were  united  in  his  person 
fruits,  and  produce  that  ^'holiness,  |  the  characters  of  both  king  and 
without  which  no  man  shall  see  priest,  for  this  as  well  as  for  other 
the  Lord."  Heb.  12  :  14. 

2.   An  explanation  of  Heb.  G  :  20. , ,  .  .  ^  .  ,      , 

his  person  various    official    charac- 

Dear  Brethren  :     Wo   would   likej^^^^- 

to  have  your   views    on   the    latter!     As  the  priesthood  of  Melchizedek 

l)art  of  the  20th.  v.  of  the   6th.   ch. 


easons  he  became  a  very  express- 
jivetype   of  Christ,   who  united    in 


The    query    is.    Of 

was      Melchizedek's 


of  Ilebrows. 
what  order 
jtriesthood  ? 

Yours  in  the  bonds  of  the  gospel. 

B.     S. 
Answer. — It     appears     that    the 
first-born  was  the  priest  of  the  whole 


is  not  particularly  explained  in  the 
Bible  to  our  knowledge,  unless  it 
was  of  an  order  sometliing  like  that 
given  above,  we  know  not  what 
oi-der  it  was  after. 

3.     On  Luke  19  :  3. 
Editors   of  the    Gospel    Visitor: 
Sirs:  Please  explain  the  3rd.  verse 


iamily.  But  tho  honor  of  perform-  of  the  19th.  chap,  of  Luke.  ''He 
ing  the  office  of  the  priesthood  was  I  sought  to  see  Jesus  who  he  was; 
changed  by  the  command  of  God 'and  could  not  for  the  press,  because 
given  through  Moses,  fi*om  Kenben  I  he  was  little  of  stature."  Who  was 
to  whom  it   belonged    by    right   of'gmall  in  stature,  Jc-jus  or  Zacchcus!'' 


QTJEEIES. 


185 


For  which  of  these  nouns  does  the 
jiei^sonal  pronoun  "he'^  stand  ?  How 
can  we  discover  this  grammaticallv? 
Or  do  Tou  regard  the  expression  as 
ambiguous  ? 

Yours  affectionatelv, 

k     B.     B. 
Stark  CO.  O. 

Answer. — It  was  no  doubt  Zac- 
cheus  who  was  ^'little  of  stature." 
And  he  ran  before,  and  climbed  up  in- 
to a  s^'camore  tree  to  see  him.  Here 
the  pronoun  '-he"  in  the  4th.  verse, 
refers  to  or  personates  the  same 
character  that  "he,"  does  alluded 
to  in  the  query,  and  it  is  evident 
that  the  "he"  in  the  4th.  verse  per- 
sonates Zaccheus.  The  expression 
in  itself  may  be  considered  some- 
what ambiguous,  but  the  context 
will  settle  the  idea.  We  have  many 
passages  in  the  scriptures  in  which 
the  pronoun  does  not  refer  to  the 
noun  which  immediately  precedes 
it,  as  its  antecedent,  but  to  a  re- 
mote noun  as  its  antecedent.  The 
passage  refen*ed  to  in  the  query  is 
one  of  this  class.  And  we  may 
give  the  following  as  examples  of 
the  same  class:  "And  fell  down  on 
his  face  at  his  feet,  giving  him 
thanks  :  and  he  was  a  Samaritan." 
Luke  17  :  16.  Here  the  pronoun 
"he"  refers  back  to  the  man  which 
was  cured.  "And  he  gave  him 
none  inheritance  in  it,  no,  not  so 
much  as  toset  his  foot  on:  yet  he 
promised  that  he  would  give  it  to 
him  for  a  j^ossession,  and  to  his 
seed  after  him,  when' as  yet  he  had 
no  child."  Acts  7  :  5.  Here  the 
last  "he"  refei-s  to  Abraham  in  the 
2nd.  verse,  as  its  antecedent. 

4.  An  Explanation  OF  Matt.  11: 12. 

Beloved  brethren    in    the    Lord. 

I  wish  to  have  an  explanation  from 


I  you  on  Matt  11  :  12.  where  it   says, 
"And  from  the   days    of   John    the 
Baptist,  until  now,  the  kingdom   of 
heaven  suffereth  violence,   and   the 
violent  take  it  by  force."    Does  it 
suffer  violence  on    our  account,    or 
on  account  of   those,    who   do    not 
obey  the   gospel,   or   of  those   who 
:  take  it    by    force  ?     Or    can    those 
who  take  it  by  force,  be  saved  there- 
by?     A   friend   and   controversial- 
ist  maintained    that    the    kingdom 
I  must  suffer  violence,   and  I  am    of  a 
1  different  opinion.     If  you  deem  this 
j  worthy  an   explanation   and   inser- 
^  tion,  put  it  in  German  and   English. 
M.     D.  ^31. 

Answer. — The  Greek  word  biazo- 

niaiy    which  is    translated  suffereth 

violence,  is  defined  by  Parkhurst   to 

mean,  to  force  oneself,  to  press.     And 

in  the  following  passage,  Luke   16  : 

16,  "The  law  and  the  prophets  were 

until    John :    since    that    time    the 

kingdom  of  God  is   preached,    and 

every  man   presseth    into    it,"    the 

^  same  word  hiazornai  occurs    and    is 

•  translated  presseth.      We    are    not 

then  to  understand  that  the    king- 

dom  of  heaven    itself   hag    violence 

i  done  to  it,  but  that  men    must    use 

exertions  and  oftentimes  must  press 

through     opposing      circumstances 

j  in  order  to  get  into    it.     And   it    is 

I  only  when  men  make  exertions,  and 

'by  the  ardor  of  their  feelings   force 

I  their  reluctant  and  depraved  nature 

to  come  to  Christ,  and    when    they 

'take  up  their    cross    which    nature 

!  will  often  resist,  that   they  can   ob- 

I  tain  the  kingdom    of  heaven    with 

i  its  pardoning  and   saving   blessings. 

I  "They  that  are  Christ's"    says    th« 

I  apostle,   "have    crucified   the    flesh 

'  with  the  affections  and  lusts."  Gal- 

!  5  :  24. 


18G 


QUEEIES. 


'^Mortify  therefore  your  members 
«which  arc  upon  the  earth;  fornica- 
tion, uncleanncss,  inordiniito  affec- 
tion, evil  concupiscence  and  cove- 
tousnees,  which  is  idolatry."  Col. 
3  :  5.  Now  to  crucify  and  mortify 
our  corrupt  natures,  violence  or 
force  is  required.  Hence  it  is  said 
iji  the  text  we  are  considering, 
«'The  violent  lake  it  by  force." 
«'The  violence  that  is  to  be  used,  is 
not  to  be  done  to  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  as  we  have  ah-eady  observed, 
but  it  is  to  bo  done  to  our  hard 
hearts  and  our  corrupt  natures. 
Dr.  Webster  in  defining  the  Eng- 
lish word  violence  as  a  noun,  gives 
as  the  second  definition  of  the  term, 
the  following  words  as  its  meaning: 
Moral  force;  highly  excited  feeling; 
vehemence.  Then  moral  force,  ve- 
hemence, and  some  degree  of  ex- 
citement of  feelings,  are  necessary, 
if  we  would  secure  the  kingdom 
of  heaven. 

Wesley  renders  the  text  thus : 
«'The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  entered 
by  force,  and  they  who  strive  with 
all  their  might  take  it  by  violence." 
Similar  to  this  rendering  is  the  mar- 
ginal reading  of  our  common  ver- 
sian.  It  is  this:  "The  kingdom  of 
heaven  is  gotten  by  force,  and  they 
that  thrust  men  &c. 

Under  the  faithful  and  powerful 
preaching  of  John  the  Baptist,  a 
Btrong  feeling  of  a  religious  charac- 
ter was  produced,  and  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  was  taken  by  violence 
when  the  earnestness  was  manifest- 
ed which  led  John  to  say,  "O  gen- 
eration of  vipers,  who  hath  warned 
you  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to 
come  ? 


5.  Concerning    the     conducting 

of  worship. 

Dearly  beloved  brethren  in  the 
Lord :  I  wish  an  answer  to  the 
following  question  ;  Is  it  right  for  a 
speaker  to  invite  a  preacher  of  any 
other  denomination  whatever,  to 
preach  when  there  is  one  or  more 
of  our  own  preachers  present  ?  or 
is  it  according  to  the  order  of  the 
brethren  to  do  so  ? 

J.    B.    H. 

Answer. — Ministers  who  have 
the  conducting  of  a  meeting  should 
use  their  discretion  in  this  matter. 
When  the  meeting  has  been  ap- 
pointed for  the  brethren,  and  when 
it  is  expected  to  be  attended  to  by 
them,  they  should  preach.  When 
brethren  have  appointments  in 
meeting  houses  belonging  to  other 
denominations,  and  when  the  min- 
isters who  preach  for  those  denom- 
inations are  present,  and  at  funer- 
als, and  on  some  peculiar  occasions, 
christian  courtesey  would  seem  to 
require  that  some  liberty  should  be 
extended  to  ministers  of  other  de- 
nominations. 

The  following  extract  is  from  the 
thirty  first  article  of  the  minutes 
of  1859  :  ''And  is  it  according  to  the 
gospel  to  call  such  (ministers  of 
other  denominations)  brethren,  and 
give  them  liberty  to  take  part  in 
our  public  worship  ? 

Answer. — As  a  general  thing,  we 
think  it  is  not  expedient  to  do  so." 
As  we  have  said,  discretion  should 
be  used,  and  regard  should  be  had 
to  men's  characters,  and  their  love 
and  respect  for  the  truth. 

6.  An  explanation  ofMAtt.  3  :  11. 
Dear  Editors :     Please    give    me 

an  explanation  of  the  words,  *'He 
shall  baj)tize  you  with  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  with  fire."  Matt.  3  ;   11. 


QUJEEIES. 


187 


Answer. — From      the     following  the  tongues  were  only  like  fire,   and 
words,  which    immediately     follow  not  fire  itself, 

those  in  the  query,  ''Whose  fan  is  ]  If  the  baptism  with  fire  refers 
in  his  hand,  and  he  will  thoroughly '  to  believers,  it  must  point  to  their 
purge  his  floor,  and  gather  his  baptism  in  sufferings  by  which  their 
wheat  into  his  garner ;  but  he  will  purification  from  sin  was  promoted, 
burn  up  the  chaff  with  unquencha-|  But  we  are  inclined  to  refer  the 
ble  fire,"  it  appears  highly  proba-  baptism  with  fire  as  something 
bie  that  the  Savior  had  two  classes  pertaining  to  the  wicked, 
ofpersons  before  his  mind  when  hei  ^ 'To  baptize  with  the  Holy  Spirit 
spoke.  And  his  words  then  may|ör„^  icith  fire,"  says  Dr.  Priestly, 
signify  that  the  one  class  to  which  i^otes  Yol.  lY.  P.  45,  ''may  signify 
he  referred,  called  wheat  in  the  12th.  then,  he  shall  conmunicate  the  holy 
verse,  should    be    baptized    in    the 'gpiHt  in  profusion,    which  may  in- 


clude the  attestations  from  above 
to  his  divine  mission  with  the  effects 
which  the  acknowledgements  of  it 
would  produce  ;  but  unto   obstinate 


Holy  Ghost ;  that  the  other  class, 
called  in  the  following  or  12th.  verse 
chaff,  should  be  baptized  in  intense 
sufferings,  either    when   the    wi*ath 

of  God  should  come  upon  the  Jew- j  and  vicious  unbelievers  he  will 
ish  nation  at  the  destruction  of!  prove  the  minister  of  the  divine 
Jerusalem,  or  when  the  wicked  re- 1 judgments.  He  will  baptize  them 
ceive  a  fiery  baptism  in  eternity  of 
which  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem 
sinners  was  but  a  type.  This  view 
seems  to  be  confirmed  by  the  fact 
that  when  Christ  refers  to  the  bap- 
tism in  the  Spirit,  which  his  disci- 
ples were  to  experience,  nothing  is 
said  about  the  fire  :  ''For  John  tru- 
ly baptized  with  water;  but  ye 
shall  be  baptized  with  the  Holy 
Ghost  not  many  days  hence."  Acts 
1:5.  So  when  Peter  refers  to  the 
baptism  in  the  Spirit,  he  leaves  the 
fire  away :  "Then  remembered  1 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  how  that  he 
said,  John  indeed  baptized  with  wa- 
ter :  btit  ye  shall  be  baptized  with 
the  Holy  Ghost."  Acts  11  :  16.  In 
both  of  these  cases,  no  reference  is 
made  to  fire,  because  believers  alone 
were  baptized.  To  refer  the  bap- 
tism "with  fire"  to  the  "cloven 
tongues  like  as  of  fire"  which  sat 
upon  the  apostles    at    the    day    of 


with  unquenchable  fire,  alluding 
most  probably  to  the  complete  over- 
throw of  the  Jewish  nation,  to 
which  he  had  before  referred  under 
the  appellation  of  the  wrath  to  come'' 

7.  An  explanation  of  Isaiah  45  :  7. 

Dear  Brethren :  Permit  me  to 
make  one  request.  I  have  of  late 
found  that  the  7th.  verse  of  the  45th 
chapter  of  Isaiah  is  a  strong  hold 
of  infidelity.  Please  give  your 
views  through  the  Gospel  Yisitor 
of  this  important  verse. 

Yours  in  the  bonds  of  love, 

G.     T. 

Answer. — The  passage  referred 
to  reads  thus:  "I  form  the  light, 
and  create  darkness  :  I  make  peace, 
and  create  evil :  I  the  Lord  do  all 
these  things."  The  Lord  is  here 
said  to  "create  evil,"  and  this  seemg 
to  conflict  with  the  general  charac- 
ter of  God  and  his  works  as  reveal- 


Pentecost,  does  not  seem  to  be   ad-jedin   the   scripture.     This  passage 
nilssible  from  the  consideration  that  i  of  scripture,  and    some    others,    at 


THE  ELDEE  SON. 


first  night,  may  seem  to  present 
God's  character  in  a  light  not  alto- 
gether consistent  with  purity  and 
holiness.  AVhon,  however,  such 
passages  are  carefully  examined,  it 
will  be  found  that  they  show  no 
countenance  to  any  system  derog- 
atory to  the  character  of  God. 

Evil  is  of  two  kinds,  natural  and 
vioral.  Katural  evil,  is  that  which 
produces  pain,  distress,  loss,  or  ca- 
lamity j  such  as  sickness,  death, 
famine  and  war. 

Moral  evil,  is  a  departure  from 
those  rules  given  by  God,  for  the 
government  of  moral  beings.  Or 
in  other  words  it  is  sin. 

Kow  God  neither  tempts,  nor 
inclines,  nor  makes  men,  to  sin. 
Hence  he  is  not  the  author  of  moral 
evil.  But  as  the  sovereign  of  the 
universe,  he  has  a  right  to  annex 
to  the  violation  of  his  holy  law, 
whatever  penalty  he  judges  right. 
And  it  is  his  prerogative  to  execute 
his  laws.  As  he  therefore  has  seen 
proper  to  connect  disease,  and 
death,  and  various  kinds  of  punish- 
ment with  the  violations  of  his  laws 
and  as  these  things  arc  regarded 
as  evils,  that  is,  as  painful  and 
distressing  to  those  on  Avhom  they 
fall,  evil  then,  in  the  sense  of  painful 
judgments,  come  from  God.  And 
hence  such  language  occurs  in  scrip- 
ture as  that  in  the  passage  under 
consideration.  ^\nd  the  meaning 
of  such  scriptures  is  simply  this : 
afflictions  and  judgments  come  from 
God,  as  the  penalties  of  violated 
law.  Job  said,  wlien  passing 
through  his  afflictions.  Shall  we 
receive  good  at  the  hand  of  God, 
ajid  shall  we  not  receive  evil  ?  Job 
2:  10. 


For  tlic  Visitor. 
THE  ELDER  SON.    Luke  15 :  25. 

Hear  Editors  and  friendly  reader» 
of  the  Gospel  Visitor:  The  impres- 
sion that  there  are  few  subjects  of 
greater  importance  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament teaching,  than  that  of  the 
elder  son,  spoken  of  in  the  parable 
is  designed  to  represent;  incites  mo 
to  endeavor  to  indite  an  essay  on 
that  subject.  And  I  am  inclined  to 
think,  few  subjects  are  les.s  consider- 
ed and  understood.  Knowing  my 
frailty.  J  am  sure  m}'  endeavors 
will  be  in  vain,  without  his  divine 
assistance  who  said  '^without  me  ye 
can  do  nothing."^  I  find  occasion  to 
commence  with  some  introductory 
comparisons,  which  to  my  regret, 
will  somewhat  swell  the  essay  I  am 
about  writing,  but  I  hope  you  will 
exercise  patience  until  you  get 
through ;  by  which  time,  you  may 
ascertain  them  to  be  materials  nec- 
essary to  complete  the  main  subject. 

1.  The  industrious  bee,  humming 
at  the  fragrant  flowers,  indicates  its 
favorite  element  nec(^ssary  for  its 
peculiar  subsistence,  to  be  obtaina- 
ble there.  But  notwithstanding  the 
bee's  diligence,  its  labor  to  attain 
its  full  fruition,  will  be  irksome  and 
unavailing,  before  the  rays  of  the 
warm  sun  and  the  blessinii:  of  the 
smiling  rains  give  the  flowers  suffi- 
cient growth  an,<l  maturity  to  devel- 
op their  interior  fragrance.  Nor  is 
the  bee  capable  of  prospering  with- 
out the  proper  food  suited  to  its  na- 
ture. Neither  can  Christians  live  a 
Christian  life  when  destitute  of 
Christian  food  and  Christian  atmos- 
phere. But  having  once  tasted  the. 
fragrance  of  heavenly  gifts,  they 
will  hunger  and  thirst  after  light- 
eousness.     And  if  thev  seek  diliicent- 


THE  ELDEE  SOX 


189 


Ij  for  an  entire  fruition,   the  jDrom- 
iseis,  they  shall  ^71^  and  he  filled. 

2.  God  however,  sees  proper  to 
distribute  the  gifts  or  talents,  some- 
Avhat  variably  to  man.  (See  1  Cor. 
12.)  And  our  ability  to  compre- 
hend and  perform  things  in  the  use 
of  our  talents,  is  represented  to  be 
proportioned  to  our  integrity  and 
fidelity.  It  remains,  therefore,  that 
vre  must  be  sincere  and  diligent, 
faithful,  modest,  and  patient.  To 
aspire  to  a  full  fruition  of  holiness 
at  the  expense  of  either  of  these 
would  be  unavailing.  I  do  not  aim 
to  convey  the  idea  that  all  our  short- 
comings are  the  result  of  unfaithful- 
ness. Very  much  depends  on  the 
number  of  talents  given  us;  3'et 
much  more  depends  on  the  manner 
in  which  they  are  improved.  For 
^^if  we  are  not  faithful  in  that  which 
is  least,  who  will  commit  to  our 
trust  the  true  riches  ?"  This  intro- 
duction may  now  suffice,  and  I  will  j 
endeavor  to  proceed.  j 

In  Scriptural   points,    some  parts ! 
will  appear  more  difficult  to  under- 1 
stand,  k  will  require  more  attention  ; 
to  ascertain  what  they  are  designed 
to  represent,  than   what  others  do.  i 
In  such  cases,  the  most  qualified  and  ' 
practical  expounders   may  be  liable 
to  err,  since  they  are  but   babes  to 
whom  'the  Father  has  revealed  these 
things." 

The  subject  under  consideration  I 
now  is,  it  seems,   one  uncommonly  j 
difficult  to  many   to   understand. — 
Who  the  elder  son  spoken  of  in  the 
parable    is   designed    to    represent, ' 
generally  is  admitted  to  be  difficult 
to  ascertain.     Various    views  have  | 
been  applied  to  ascertain  the  design ; 
of  his   representation.     Nearly   all, ' 
however,  entertain  doubts  to   their  I 


correctness,  and  (like  the  bee  at  the 
closed  flowers)  will  view  it  again 
and  again  with  an  impression  that 
the  most  valuable  substance  is  still 
concealed.  I  shall  only  hint  at  one, 
&  briefly  notice  another  of  the  ma- 
ny views  that  have  been  applied  to 
this  part  of  the   parable. 

First,  The  elder  son  represents 
the  Jews  who  murmured  at  the  re- 
ception of  the  Gentiles  into  the  Gos- 
pel Church  upon  equal  terms  and 
equal  privileges  with  themselves. 
The  readers  of  the  Visitor  will  rec- 
ollect this  subject  had  some  attention 
given  in  answer  to  a  query,  in  vol. 
VIII.  i^age  342.  The  writer  of  that 
article,  plainly  and  definitely  proved 
the  fallacy  of  the  view  that  the  el- 
der son  represents  the  Jews,  and  I 
refer  you  to  said  article  for  further 
satisfaction. 

Second,  The  writer  of  the  article 
alluded  to,  also  presented  his  readers 
with  a  very  considerate  explanation 
to  adapt  the  design  of  the  elder  son, 
namely,  he  represents  the  angels, 
those  holy  and  pure  beings  which 
have  always  retained  their  state  of 
obedience.  This  view,  I  presume, 
will  be  more  generally  considered  to 
meet  the  parable,  than  the  one  which 
he  reasoned  to  naught,  for  indeed, 
I  thouc^ht  it  would  do  rio-ht  well  un- 
til  of  late  my  mind  was  roused  to 
read  and  compare  it  more  carefully, 
and  I  became  firmly  impressed  with 
the  thought  that,  though  that  view 
would  meet  the  parable  against  cer- 
tain objections,  that  it  would  still  re- 
main capable  of  representing  a  more 
important  lesson  to  us,  &  hence  I  am 
prompted  in  love  to  reason  the  mat- 
ter, to  which  I  humbly  expect  your 
kind  permission.  Our  Savior  ad- 
dressed us  in  the  language  of  three 
parables,  spoken  apparently  in  con- 


190 


THE  ELDER  SON. 


nection.  The  third  one,  is  that  of 
the  prodigal,  in  connection  with  the 
elder  son.  A  harmony  of  meaning 
is  ver}'  apparent  in  the  three.  Tlie 
löst  soul  is  represented  by  the  lost 
sheep,  the  lost  piece  of  silver,  and 
the  lost  son.  We  are  told  in  the 
parable  of  the  lost  sheep,  of  ninety 
and  nine  sheep  which  were  not  lost, 
while  the  one  necessary  to  com})lctc 
the  luindi'cd,  had  strayed  from  the 
flock,  and  like  the  prodigal  son,  was 
in  danger  and  in  want.  But  it  was 
found  and  restored  again,  and  the 
conclusion  is,  there  is  joy  in  heaven 
over  one  sinner  that  rcpciiteth,  more 
than  over  ninety  &  nine  just  persons 
that  need  no  repentance.  Again,  the 
lost  piece  of  silver  also  represents  the 
lost  soul,  which,  when  it  was  found, 
our  Lord's  conclusion  of  the  parable 
is,  that  likewise  ^'there  is  joy  in  the 
presence  of  the  angels  of  God  over 
one  sinner  that  repenteth."  And 
lastly,  when  the  lost  son  arose  and 
came  to  his  father's  house,  we  are 
tojd  of  one  son,  the  elder,  who  was 
angry  and  would  not  go  in  because 
the  father  commanded  the  fatted 
calf  to  be  killed,  and  ordained  a  feast 
of  joy  and  mirth  for  his  brother. 
The  explanation  that  this  elder  son 
represents  the  holy  angels  that  re- 
tained their  state  of  obedience,  when 
examined  more  closely,  will  appear, 
not  only  objectionable,  but  untena- 
ble, and  irreconcilable.  Can  we  lor 
a  moment  suppose  our  righteous 
Lord  in  one  ])arable  to  represent 
the  loyalty  of  angels  in  the  harmo- 
nious engagement,  in  rejoicing  in 
the  ])resence  of  God  when  sinners 
return  to  their  Father's  house,  and 
forthwith  in  another  parable  repre- 
sent the  same  angels  as  being  an- 
gry because  the  Father  ordained  a 
feast  ofjoy  and  mirtli  under  similar 


circumstances  as  those  under  which 
they  previously  so  cordially  rejoiced? 
We  can  not.  I  coincide  with  my 
dear  brother,  that  whatever  view 
is  taken  of  the  sheep  that  went  not 
astray,  and  of  the  pieces  of  silver 
that  were  not  lost,  should  be  applied 
to  the  case  of  the  'elder  son'.  Hav- 
ing minutely  developed  the  imprac- 
ticability of  his  application,  the  im- 
portant question,  AVho  does  the  el- 
der son  represent?  still  remains  un- 
answered. 

Li  the  parable  of  the  lost  sheep  it 
is  said,  that  likewise  joy  shall  be  in 
heaven  over  one  sinner  that  repen- 
teth,  more  than  over  ninety  and 
nine  just  persons,  which  need  no  re- 
pentance. In  the  next  parable  it  is 
said,  there  is  joy  in  the  presence  of  the 
angels  of  God  over  one  sinner  that 
repenteth  ;  (more  than  over  ninety 
and  nine  just  persons  which  need  no 
repentance.)  An  explicit  distinc- 
tion is  very  apparent  between  the 
angels  in  heaven,  and  the  ninety  <fe 
nine  just  persons  which  need  no  re- 
pentance. Our  Lord  and  Master 
justly  claims  for  himself  the  titlo 
''Good  Shepherd,"  and  his  disciples 
he  denominates  sheep ;  the  lost 
sheep  spoken  of  in  the  parable  is  out- 
side of  the  fold  where  the  sinner  is 
whom  it  represents;  the  ninety  and 
nine  not  lost,  certainly  are  in  the 
fold,  where  the  saints  are,  whom 
they  are  designed  to  represent. 

And  so  I  regui'd  the  'elder'  son 
in  the  parable  oi'  the  lost  son,  to  rep- 
resent the  same  just  persons,  Avhich 
always  retained  their  state  of  obedi- 
ence. Kow  the  elder  son  was  in 
the  field  :  and  as  he  came  and  drew 
nigh  to  the  house,  he  heard  music 
<&  dancing.  And  he  called  one  of  the 
servants,  &  asked  what  these  things 
meant.     And  he  said  unto  him,  thy 


TO    OUR    COERESPOXDENTS. 


191 


brother  is  come;  and  thy  father  hath 
killed  the  fatted  calf,  because  he 
hath  received  him  safe  and  sound. 

He  was  in  the  field,  doubtless,  ac- 
tively engaged  in  his  father's  ser- 
vice. The  field  is  the  world,  where 
labor  is  always  plenty,  a  very  suit- 
able place  for  serving  many  years, 
without  occasion  to  transgress  at 
*  any  time  the  father's  command- 
ments. "And  yet  thou  never  gavest 
me  a  kid  that  I  might  make  merry 
with  my  friends  :  but  as  soon  as  this 
thy  son  is  come,  which  hath  devour- 
ed thy  living  with  harlots,  thou 
hast  killed  for  him  the  fatted  calf. 
And  he  said  unto  him,  son,  thou  art 
ever  with  me,  and  all  that  I  have  is 
thine." 

Banqueting  for  gratifying  our 
carnal  lusts  and  inclinations,  is  not 
countenanced  by  the  Father ;  He 
knows  that  we  stand  in  need  of  dai- 
ly food,  and  says  'SSon,  thou  art 
ever  with  me  ;"  "where  I  am,  there 
will  be  my  servant  also;"  and  "all 
that  I  have  is  thine."  "My  king- 
dom is  not  of  this  world."  "In  my 
Father's  house  are  many  mansions; 
I  will  come  again  and  receive  you 
unto  myself:  that  where  I  am,  there 
3^emay  be  also." 

It  was  meet  that  we  should  make 
merry,  &  be  glad:  for  this  thy  brother 
was  dead,  and  is  alive  agaiii  ;  and 
was  lost,  and  is  found.  He  was 
perishing  for  want  of  proper  food. 
To  be  sure,  he  was  a  voluntary  ex- 
ile, a  wilful  rebel,  a  disobedient,  head- 
strong, lawless  child  ;  he  might  have 
lived  in  plenty  had  he  not  so  great- 
ly sinned;  now  he  comes  penitent, 
hungry,  and  naked,  his  misery  is 
great  enough,  he  deserves  your  pity, 
not  your  anger ;  give  him  not  only 
the  remnant  of  your  flock,  but  the 
liatted  calf     Give  him  a  full  supply 


lest  he  come  in  want  again;  re- 
ceive him  in  the  family,  put  the  ring 
of  love  on  his  hand ;  teach  him  to 
wear  the  best  robe  of  righteousness, 
and  put  shoes  of  caution  on  his  feet. 
Thus,  dear  reader,  we  can  under- 
stand what  is  meant  by  the  elder 
son,  and  what  an  important  lesson 
the  parable  is  designed  to  teach  us. 
May  we  all  be  benefited  thereby  in 
promoting  love,  union  and  charity 
among  the  brotherhood,  and  there- 
by extend  charity  to  all  mankind. 
I  shall  now  close  this  essay,  by  re- 
questing you  to  compare  it  with  the 
subject  on  which  it  is  based;  and 
give  it  weight  only  in  proportion  to 
its  consistency  with  the  word  of  God, 
it  being  my  first  attempt  to  write 
for  publication,  I  greatly  desire  in- 
structions in  whatever  you  can  find 


me  m  error. 


Tomsbrook,  Ya. 


M.     H. 


TO  OITR  COEEESPONDEXTS. 

It  is  very  desirable  that  all  busi- 
ness-letters or  other  correspon- 
dence for  the  Visitor  should  be  sim- 
ply directed  to  "Editors  of  the  Gos- 
pel Visitor,  Columbiana,  O."  and 
not  to  either  editor  personally,  as 
private  letters.  It  is  often  the  case 
that  one  of  the  editors  is  absent, 
sometimes  for  weeks  together,  and 
if  business-letters,  communications, 
obituaries  &c,  directed  to  the  absent 
one,  were  to  be  left  unopened  until 
his  return,  an  unnecessary  delay  in 
attending  to  the  matter  would  be 
unavoidable.  Therefore  let  strictly 
private  letters  be  directed  to  the 
proper  person  (marked private),  and 
if  business  is  part  of  the  communica- 
tion, let  the  former  be  on  a  separate 
paper  (marked  private  and  separ- 
ately sealed)  and  both  be  put  in  the 
same  envelope,  directed  as  stated  at 
the  beginning.  Please  attend  to 
this,  brethren ! 


192 


OBITU  AEIES. 


OBITUARIES. 

Diud  nt  the  residence  of  her  Htep?ün  Daniel 
Oarber,  about  2  miles  from  Harri.-'oMbiirj;.  Rock- 
iiip:liaiu  CO.  Va.  on  Mondiiy  April  Dth.  Sister 
KLIZAUKTH  G ARBER.  relict  ot  Elder  Daniel 
(tarber,  dee'd.  aged  79  years,  1  month  and  20 
days.  She  was  a  consistent  member  of  the 
fliiirch  for  Kixty  years,  and  died  in  the  hupe 
of  able^'9cd  immortnUty. 

Diofl  near  ML  Solon,  Aupusta  co.  Vn.  Jan. 
9th.  brother  JOHN  SHEPHERD  in  the  70th. 
year  of  his  nge.  Ho  had  become  a  member  of 
the  church  a  .short  time  before  bis  death,  and 
died  trustini^  in  Christ  for  salvation. 

Died  in  Highland  co.  0.  Oct.  2r.,  1859  SE- 
BASTIAN R.  HIXSOX,  aged  2:5  yeans  5  m. 
and  i;{  days.  His  disenso  was  enlargement  of 
the  heart.  He  had  determined  to  be  numbered 
among  the  people  of  God  at  the  commuoion 
then  near  at  himd.  but  was  prevented  by  the 
severity  of  disease.  Leaves  a  wife  and  two 
little  children  to  mourn  their  loss. 

Died  in  same  county  October  28,  1859,  MAR- 
THA A.  KINZER,  daughter  of  brother  Dan- 
iel and  Sister  Louisa  Kiuzcr,  aged  18  years,  5 
months  and  6  days.  She  had  also  intended  to 
tecomo  a  member,  but  death  overtook  her 
likewise,  before  it  was  uccompli.=hed.  Let 
these  two  examples  servo  as  a  warning  to  old 
and  young,  not  to  delay  their  duty  too  long. 
Both  funerals  were  attended  by  Elder  Thomas 
and   .sister  Sanvh  Mnjor. 

Dietl  in  Butler  co.  Iowa  March  5,  our  beloved 
brother  in  the  Lord  Elder  PHILIP  MOSS,  after 
a  short  illness  of  only  5  davs.  Age  51  vears, 
9  months  and  12  days.  Also  Sister  BARBARA 
MOSS,  the  wife  of  said  Philip  Moss,  died  April 
9th.  after  an  illness  of  7  days  (inüamation  of  the 
lunjrs)  jigcd  47  years,  7  months  and  4  days. 
This  brother  Aud  sister  have  left  behind  seven 
children  to  mourn  their  loss,  and  also  quite  a 
number  of  brethren  and  sisters  are  left  hero  to 
feel  the  loss  of  the  only  ministering  brother 
they  had  within  20  miles.  Funeral  services 
from  Rev.  14  :  13.  by  br.  John  Ogg  from  Min- 
nesota, Jacob  Waters  from  Lynn,  and  John  H. 
Fillmore  of  Floyd  go's  Iowa. 

Died  in  the  same  neighborhood  March  31  th. 
pistcr  SUSANNA  HARDMAN,  widow  of  br  John 
Hardmau  decM,  aged  74  years,  3  months  and 
14  days.  Funeral  text  Matt.  5  :  4.  by  J.  U. 
Fillmore  and  I  Meyers. 

J.     F.     I. 

Died  in  M.inor  congregati<)n.  Indiana  co. 
Pa.  July  1st.  1S50,  Sister  MARY  FYOCK,  a 
well -beloved  member  for  more  tiian  40  years, 
nged  about  69  years.  Funeral  t«\t  Rev.  14: 
12,  13.,  by  Levi  Fry  and  Adam  Helmau. 

Died  insame  congregation  December  1,  1859 
Sister  HANNAH  WISE,  wife  of  br.  John 
Wise,  leaving  4  children  to  mourn  their  loss  ; 
age  about  31  years.  Funeral  text  2  Tim.  4  : 
7,  8.  by  David  Over. 

Died  in  Tuscarawas  church  Ohio  April  2, 
Sister  JANE  SCH  IDLER,  wife  of  br.  David 
S.'hidler,  aged  00  years,  11  montlia  and  IS  days 
— and  5  days  afterward  died  also  said  brother 
DAVID  SiilDLER,  at  the  ago  of  69  years  and 
4  day».         Funeral  services  hy  br.    Ü    Kehlur, 


Martin  Rochly  and  J  K    S.   from    John  16  :  22, 
and  Job  22  ;  21. 

C.  Kehlf.ti. 

Died  in  Shelby  co.  Ohio  March  19,  brother 
ABRAHAM  THOMPSON,  aged  2.'?  years  less 
one  day.  He  was  an  esteemed  3-oung  brother 
nearly  four  years,  and  died  in  a  firm  hope  of 
the  glorious  resurrection  of  the  just.  Funcril 
discourse  by  br.  Daniel  Jordan. 

J.  J.    Kessleu. 

Died  in  Yellow  Creek  church,  Bedford  co.  Pa. 
December    8,    1859,  brother  JOHN    ROUDA- 
BUSH,  aged  51  years,  8  months  and    28    days. 
Daniel  S.NOwBKRf;Kn. 

Died  in  Älontgomerv  CO.  Indiana  April  11  th. 
AARON  A  SCHENK,  jr.  son  of  AARON 
R  SCHENK,  who  died  next  day,  when  people 
had  just  collected  to  biiry  the  son*  The  son 
was  only  11>  years  and  10  months,  and  the  father 
52  years  25  days  old.  At  the  funeral  mini.«tcr- 
cd  br  R  H  Miller  and  M  Frantz  from  1  Cor. 
(15:  )21,22. 

Samiel  Habshberger. 

Died  in  the  U.  Conowago  church  Adams  co. 
Pa.  Nov.  4,  1859.  Brother  JOHN  (JROVE, 
sen.  aged  65  years,  10  months  and  14  days. 
The  funeral  occasion  was  improved  by  Adum 
Brown  and  others. 

Died  in  the  same  church  December  15,  br. 
JOHN  BOBLITZ,  sen.  aged  abont  68  years. 
Funeral  services  by  J  Myers  and  others. 

Died  in  the  same  church  near  Abbotstown, 
April  5,  1860  brother  DANIEL  HOLLINGER 
(of  consumption)  aged  35  years,  10  months  ami 
14  days.  Funeral  services  by  A  Brown  and 
A  xMiiler. 

Died  in  the  same  church  near  Hampton  April 
20,  brother  ANDREW  BROUGH,  sen.  aged  77 
years,  7  mouths  and  7  days.  Funeral  sermon 
by  Sam.  Longenecker  and  Adam  Brown. 

Died  in  the  Lower  Cumberland  church  dis- 
trict Pa.  April  27,  ANNA  SOLLENBERGER, 
daughter  of  br.  John  Sollcnberger,  ago<l  4  I  y. 
and  1  month.  There  was  something  singular 
in  her  case.  She  had  been  very  feel)le  for  about 
22  years,  and  tlie  last  fourteen  years  was  s;>eeeh- 
Icss,  and  most  of  her  time  bedt  ist.  She  hatl  not 
been  received  into  full  fellowship  of  the  church, 
but  she  was  much  engaged  about  religion. 
She  selected  her  fur  oral  text  and  hymn.  Psalm 
11(5  first  part,  Ger.  hymn  "Nun  bricht  der 
llueiten  Haus;cut::wey,"  and  Eng.  Hymn.  "Why 
should  we  start  and  I'car  to  die?'  about  ton 
years  ago,  audit  was  done  according  to  her  wishes. 

Died  in  Lynn  co.  Iowa  April  28,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  chiM'a  clothes  catching  fire  AN- 
NA MARY  SNYDEB,  daughter  of  brother 
Thomas  and  sister  Hetty  Snyder,  agod  4  years 
8  m,  14    days.     Funenü    serviced    from    Matt. 

18  :  3. 

Jac.  0   Watters. 

j  Died  in  the  Knob  Creek  ch.  Washington  co. 
Tenn.  (date  not  given)  Sifter    NANCY    SHER- 

I  FIG,  consort  of    Sai.uiel  S  Sherfig,     and  second 

I  daughter  of  brother  Frederic  Garst,  formerly  of 
Va.  She  left  a  husband  and  7  living  children 
with  a  large  circle  of  friends  to  mourn  their  loss, 

'  Her  age  was  12  y.  0  m.  &  25  d.  and  she  was  a 
member  for  IS  years.  Funeral  Services  from 
2  Tim,  4  :  7.  S.  liy  eld.  John  Nead  tt  the  «riter. 

I  y.,   M.  BOWMAX. 


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OF  JULY  NO. 

The  Exemplary  Life  of  Christ  page 

The  true  Christian  Character 

The  happy  Man 

Dissemination  of  tlie  Gospel 

The  Spreading  of  the  Cospel 

The  Spirit  A:;  Laws  of  Christianity 

Mnltuoi  in  Parvo 

Evils  of  Novel  Reading 

Were  the  Evangelists  Illiterate 

The  Nature  of  Sin 

A  Mother's  Influence 

Solemnizing  Marriages 

Correspondence 

Our  Visit  to  Virginia 

The  Annual  Meeting  of  1860 

The  California  and  Oregon  Mission 

Appointments 

Contributions  and  Obituary 


193 
195 

196 
201 
203 
205 
207 
208 
209 
210 
212 
213 
215 
219 
221 
222 
223 


S'ur  3uh>  I860. 

tjg  ifJ  ni(f)t  cinerlci>  ivrtö  num 

Cilaubt  f        i        ^.97 

2Bie  ifl'  fcae  9^euc  ^ejlament  ent* 

fJanben            ?          ?  99 

@i6t  Co  einen  DJtittelort        s  100 

^io^iw  tie  SOJieberbringunij    *  103 

^rngen  beantwortet: 

1.  (Jrflaruna  über  9J?attl;.  10,  39  104 

2.  i         i         .fpeb.  6,  20  105 

3.  ^         i         Sue.  19,  3  106 

4.  j>        *      93hUt!^.  11,  12  — 

5.  ®ic  ber  ©otfesbienf^t  ju  füllten  107 

6.  ^Jrflrtrunä  uDei«  93Jnttl).  3,  11  108 

7.  ^  «  3efai  45,7  — 
©ie  (Sfllifornia  unb  Oregon  5i)ilffion  109 
^errid)tun9  Don  Trauungen  t  110 
^obe^s^tn^eige          *        g        s  111 


Jcr  Sl.cels.  do.  &  Via.  PLongfni: 
Jos  Araotd  do.  John  Miles.  Jo? 
Kline.  SS  Hummer.  H  Keller  fV^ 
C  Biijher-f  min.  Jac  Miller  f  HF 
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Simon  Snyder  f  Vis.  Esther  Martir 
Vis.  Th  I)  Lyon  f  min.  N  Faw  d< 
A  B  Brumbaugh  f  H  ß  &  Vis.  Gc 
Gibbel  fmin.  Th     D    Lyon  f  book 

John  Zug.         D  L  Replogle  f  min. 
Nicholson  do.       Joseph    Holsopple.     \ 
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J  Wimer.         A  Burkholder    do- 
Swigart  do.       II     R    Holsinger. 
W^ise  do.     Daniel  P  Sayler.       A 
rell. 


Dr 

SI 

Joh 

JCoi 


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WHOLESALE  GROCERS,    TEA 
SPICE  DEALERS. 
No:  236  N.  3d.  St.  above  Race, 
Philadelphia, 

Offer  to  the  Trade  a  large  and  well  sc 
lected  Stock  of  Goods,  at  the  very  lou 
esl  prices.  As  we  sell  for  Cash  only,  c 
to  men  of  the  most  undoubted  Cbara< 
ter — thus  avoiding  the  great  risks  of  bt 
siness — we  are  enabled  to  offer  rare  ir 
ducemenls  to  §^ood  Buyers.  Ordei 
respectfully  solicited,  and  promptly  at 
tended  to.  All  kinds  of  country  pre 
duce  received  in  Exchange  for  Goodi 
or  sold  upon  Commission. 


Til  mimi-mmm. 

VOL.  1-         SnlS  1S60.  NO.  7. 


THE  EXEMPLARY  LIFE  OF 
CHRIST. 

The  recorded  life  of  Christ  proves 
that  he  neither  sought  to  gain,  nor, 
in  point  of  fact  did  gain,  power, 
wealth,  or  fame,  for  himself, .  or  for 
any  connected  with  him.  He  hadi 
frequent  and  fair  opportunities  of 
gratifying  ambition,  had  his  nature 
been  tainted  with  that  passion.  Oc- 
casions were  even  thrust  upon  him, 
and  the  amplest  means  were  ever 
ready  to  his  hand.  The  Jews  ex- 
pected in  their  Messiah  a  king,  and 
were  burning  with  impatience  for 
his  advent.  Jesus  needed  only  to 
have  announced  himself,  and  the 
country  would  have  hailed  him 
with  enthusiasm,  and  would  have 
enthroned  and  crowned  him.  As 
a  matter  of  fact,  such  was  the  state 
of  the  public  -mind,  that  on  more 
than  one  occasion,  the  people  were 
about  to  take  him  by  force  to  make 
him  a  king,  but  he  quietly  with- 
drew till  the  excitement  had  passed 
away.  Throughout  his  public  life, 
though  announcing  the  sublimest 
truths,  and  performing  the  noblest 
works,  he  never  stepped,  or  sought 
to  step,  out  of  the  humble  sphere 
in  which  he  had  been  brought  up. 
It  has  been  shown  that  he  was  at 
first,  and  he  continued  to  the  last,  a 
poor  man.  He  does  not  seem  to 
have  ever  possessed  for  himself  to 
the  value  of  the  smallest  coin,  and, 
when  he  died,  he  had  no  means  of 
providing  for  his  mother,  and  could 
only  commend  her  to  the  care  of 
one  of  his  disciples. 


The  entire  absence  of  selfishness, 
in  any  form,  from  the  character  of 
Christ  can  not  be  questioned, 
and  not  less  undoubted  was  the  ac- 
tive presence  of  pure  and  lofty  mo- 
tives. His  life  was  not  only  nega- 
tively good,  it  was  filled  up  with 
positive  and  matchless  excellence, 
and  was  spent  directly  and  wholly 
in  blessing  the  world.  A  large  por- 
tion of  it  was  occupied  with  teach- 
ing, and  both  in  its  design  and  na- 
tive tendency,  Christ's  teaching  was 
only  restorative  and  healing,  and 
itself  at  once  reveals  the  motive  in 
which  it  originated — love  of  ma^^» 
2)rofound,  unselfish  love.  This 
reigning  spirit  was  yet  more  appa- 
rent, though  not  more  really  pres- 
ent, in  another  region  of  Christ's 
life.  He  lived  not  merely  to  an- 
nounce spiritual  truth,  but  to  re- 
lieve and  remove  physical  suffering. 
The  supernatural  character  of  this 
portion  of  his  work  among  men,  we 
do  not  urge ;  but  apart  from  this, 
it  is  quite  certain  that  much  of  his 
life  was  occupied  in  healing  the  sick, 
and  comforting  the  sorrowing  and 
the  poor.  The  substance  of  the 
record  on  this  head,  is  condensed  in 
a  few  beautiful  sentences  by  Mat- 
thew, 4th.  ch.  23d.  and  24th.  verses. 
''And  Jesus  went  about  all  Galilee, 
teaching  in  their  synagogues,  and 
preaching  the  gospel  of  the  king- 
dom, and  healing  all  manner  of 
sickness,  and  all  manner  of  disease 
among  the  people.  And  his  fame 
went  throughout  all  vSyria :  and 
they  brought  unto  him  all  sick  peo- 
ple that    were  taken    with    divers 


G.  y.  Vol.  X. 


13 


194 


THE  EXEMPLARY  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


diseases  and  torments,  and  those  precious  to  him ;  he  felt  also  the 
thai  were  possessed  with  devils,  and  burden  of  a  great  mission,  and  he 
%080  which  were  lunatic,  and  those  I  was  tenderly  alive  to  all  the  rights 
that  had  palsy,  and  he  liealed  them.'  and  claims  of  God.  But  he  pitied 
Make  what  deductions  we  will,  it  and  loved  the  multitude;  their 
is  perfectly  certain,  if  any  thing  of,  spiritual  condition,  their  destinies, 
historj^  remain  in  the  gospels,  tliat  their  necessities,  and  their  sorrows 
multitudes  in  that  age  experienced  oppressed  his  heart.  In  addition  to 
the  effects  of  Christ's  merciful  inter- 1  all  the  force  of  fidelity  to  God,  to 
position.  ''He  went  about  doing  j  himself,  and  to  truth  of  which  ho 
good.'*  He  wiped  away  many  a  was  conscious,  there  were  impulses 
tear ;  he  made  many  human  hearts  of  love  and  pity  that  gushed  up  ever 
glad  ;  and  many  others  connected|  warm  and  fresh  in  his  bosom,  and 
benii^nant    and 


with  them  telt  the 
genial  influence  of  his  earthly  min- 
istry. He  relieved  and  removed  a 
great  amount  of  physical  suffering; 
he  created  and  planted  in  the  world 
a  great  amount  of  physical  happi- 
ness. He  devoted  himself  to  the 
work  of  blessing  man ;  and  in  both 
reirions  of  his  life,  in  his  acts  and  in 
his  words,  in  the  healing  spiritual 
truths  which  he  imparted,  and  in 
the  unnumbered  material  kindness- 
es which  he  bestowed,  we  discover 
one  reigning  motive — love  of  man, 
deep,  enduring,  redeeming  love. 

We  are  entitled  to  assert  that 
compassion  for  humanity  held  the 
place  of  a  master-force  in  the  soul  of 
Jesus  Christ.  The  man  is  worse 
than  blind  who  does  not  perceive 
the  charm  of  a  subduing  tender- 
ness streaming  fresh  from  his  heart, 
and  shed  over  his  whole  public  life. 
It  is  related  that,  once  as  he  looked 
upon  the  multitudes  that  had  assem- 
bled to  listen  to  his  teaching,  <4ie 
had  compassion  on  them,  because 
they  were  as  sheep  having  no  shep- 
herd." Matt.  15  :  32.  We  hold  that 
this  short  sentence  descends  to  the 
deepest  depth  of  his  being,  and  lays 
open  the  chief  spring  of  all  his  move- 
ments, he  had  compassion  on  the 
multitudes.       Spiritual     truth     was 


imparted  a  subduing  tone  to  all  his 
ministrations.  Jesus  saw  an  inex- 
j)ressible  worth  in  human  nature. 
It  is  fallen  and  ruined,  but  it  is  a 
precious  ruip.  The  wonderful  pow- 
ers yet  left  to  the  soul,  and  the 
amazing  destiny  before  it,  ineffably 
bright  or  unutterably  dark,  were 
present  to  his  mind,  and  were  the 
source  of  that  yearning  affection 
which  ruled  his  life.  He  loved  as 
man.  The  attachment  of  members 
of  the  same  family,  or  the  natives  of 
the  same  country,  of  companions  in 
suffering,  and  of  disciples  of  the 
same  faith,  to  each  other,  is  easily 
understood.  But  when  the  circle 
is  widened,  the  attachment  is  pro- 
portionally impaired,  and  love  to 
man,  simply  as  man^  is  scarcely  in- 
telligible. To  Christ  this  was  not 
only  an  intelligible,  but  a  profound 
reality.  Neither  natural  relation- 
ship, nor  condition,  nor  even  char- 
acter, nor  country,  nor  creed,  deter- 
mined the  movement  of  his  heart. 
It  was  man  he  loved,  the  nature, 
the  race,  for  its  own  sake,  and  be- 
cause of  its  solemn  relations  to  eter- 
nity, and  to  God.  Himself  man, 
he  felt  an  inexpressible  nearness  to 
humanity,  and  his  whole  lile,  and 
still  more  his  death,  were  an  ex- 
pression of  his    unmeasurable    love. 


THE  TEUE  CHEISTIAN  CHAEACTEE.  &c. 


195 


Tlie  higher  purposes  of  the  cross  are 
not  now  bei  ore  us;  but  it  must  not 
be  overlooked  that,  at  least,  Jesus 
could  have  saved  his  life  if  he  would 
have  sacrificed  his  mission.  But ' 
that  mission  was  dearer  to  him 
than  life  y  man  was  dearer  to  him, 
man's  redem^^tion  and  restoration 
to  God  were  dearer  to  him  than  life. 
He  could  not,  would  not,  abandon ; 
these  ;  but  his  hfe  he  could  and  did 
eurrender,  a  true  and  holy  sacrifice 
on  the  cross. 

A  single  act   of   pure    generosity 


Selected  for  the  Visitor. 

THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN 

CHARACTER. 

The  three  essentials  of  a  Christian 
are  a  good  will  flowing  through  a 
true  understanding,  into  a  uniform 
life  of  Justice  and  Judgment.  It  is 
not  enough  that  we  mean  well,  or 
know  our  duty,  or  try  to  do  right ; 
for  good  intention  is  powerless, 
without  truth  to  guide  it  aright; 
and  truth  in  the  intellect,  alone, 
is  mere  winter  light,  without  the 
summer  heat  of  love    to    God    and 

fails  not  to  touch  the  human  heart;  i  ^°^''  *°  """^ '  ""^  bl«nde"°g  efforts 
all  men  bow  down  instinctively  be-i*"*^^«"'"'^"^^  *""«  P°°'"  neologies  for 
fore    it.     There    are   some     human '  "'"^'^O"^ ''"«'"S'««' ^«"  ^""«^'^t'^'^  ''"'^ 


names  which  the  world    can    never 


efficiently  applied  ;  the  three    alone 


forget,  the  names  of  those  who,  in  '''^^  constitute  us  true  christians; 
different  departments  perhaps  for  ^- "•  ^^^  ^^^'^'  understanding  and 
a  course  of  years,  exhibited  ^^n-  ^^^^  ^^'*  *^^  ^^'^^-^^^  ^"^^  harmoni- 
derful  devotion  to  the  good  of  oth-  ous  and  efficient  unity,  in  order  that 
era.  What  then  shall  be  said  of  .^^^^'^^^  ^^  ^^^^^^^^  ^^  ^^^^  ^^^^^ ''^^^^ 
Him,  whose  entire  life  was  spent  in 


benefiting,  not  a  single  class,  but  al 
classes  of  men,  and    in  originating. 


holy  apj^ellation. 

Things  must  not  only  be  thought 
of,  aud  desired,   purposed  and    in- 


principle  of  truth,  may  be  flowing 
constantly,  from  the  center  to  the 
circumference  of  actions.     We  must 


not  one  form,  but  endless  forms  of  ^^^^^^  ^  ^^^*  ^^'^y  ^^^^  ^^  ^'^^^^ 
good,  from  the  lowest  up  to  that  ^^"^"^  .^^''^  ^^  the  Lord,  that  He  as.a 
which  relates  to  the  immortal  na- 
ture and  its  highest  destinies? 
Christianity,  and  Christianity  aloue, 
is  the  revelation  of  a  pure  and  per-  P''^^^^^^*^  ^^^^  '^^  know  of  the  truth, 
feet  love,  the  unvailiug  of  the  solita-'  ^^^  "'^^^  ^^^^  ^^^  ^'^'^  o^"^^^*  heaven- 
ry  living  model  of  this  grace  which  ^>'*'^^^^^'^  commandments,  so  as 
humanity  has  furnished.  Apro-:  ^^  ^^^'^  ^^'^  S^^^^^'^  ^°^  truth  im- 
found  secret  of  God,  the  unfath-  1'^^^^^^  ^'^  ^'' ^^^'^*  ^^  ^^^^^  ^^''^^^ 
omable  mercy  of  his  nature  was  tol^^"^^^^  ^'^^^^^  ^^""^  '^^^  become 
be  divulged  to   the  world.     It  ^^.s^V^'^^^^t  men  and   women  in    Christ. 


pronounced  in  words  of  deep  sig-j 
nificance ;  but  it  was  also  expressed  j 
by  a  sign ;  and  there  stood  before 
men  an  impersonation  of  perfect 
love,  a  life  which  disclosed  and  em- 
bodied intense,  inextinguishable, 
self  sacrificing  love. 

The  Christ  of  History. 


J.     H.     G. 


Selected  for  the  Visitor. 
THE  HAPPY  MAN. 

The  happy  man  was  boru  in  the 
city  of  Eegeneration,  in  the  parish 
of  Eepentance  unto  Life;  was  edu- 
cated in  the  school  of  perseverance, 


lOG 


DISSEMINATION  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 


vv^orkcd  at  the  trade  of  diligence, 
and  somotimea  performed  acts  of 
s^-denial.  He  is  clothed  in  the 
philn  starb  of  humility,  and  has  a 
better  suit  to  appear  in  at  court, 
allied  the  robe  of  Christ's  right- 
eousness. He  breakfasts  every 
morning  on  spiritual  prayer,  and 
sups  every  evening  on  the  same. 
U.Q  has  meat  to  eat  which  the  world 
knows  nothing  of,  and  his  drink 
.  is  the  sincere  milk  of  the  word. 

He  has  a  large  estate  in  the  coun- 
try of  christian  contentment,  and 
his  delightful  mansion  is  the  house 
of  God.  His  associates  are  the 
excellent  of  the  earth,  such  as  those 
who  excel  in  virtue  and  piety  ;  and 
where  truth  inhabits,  there  is  he. 
On  his  life  is  written  the  law  of 
kindness,  on  his  tongue,  the  dictates 
of  truth.  His  breast  is  fortified 
with  the  armor  of  Christ's  right- 
eousness, and  in  his  heart  is  no 
guile.  Faith  becomes  a  shield  be- 
fore him,  while  Mercy  presides  at 
his  right  hand,  and  Justice  at  his 
left.  Should  darkness  at  any  time 
envelope  his  goings,  God's  w^ord  is 
a  lamp  unto  his  path,  and  none  of 
his  steps  shall  slide.  Thus  he  pur- 
sues the  noiseless  tenor  of  his  way 
through  the  wilderness  of  this  world 
to  the  celestial  Canaan,  where  the 
spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect  are 
ever  with  the  Lord.  In  a  word,  he 
has  sin  under  his  feet,  the  world 
behind  his  back,  grace  in  his  heart, 
heaven  in  his  eye,  and  a  crown  of 
glory  for  his  head.  Happy  is  the 
life  of  such  a  man,  and  ha])]iy  is  his 
death.  To  attain  which,  strive 
earnestly,  Avork  diligently,  ])ray 
fervently,  persevere  to  the  end,  live 
holily,  die  daily,  watch  your  heart, 
guide     your   senses,    redeem    your 


time,  love  Christ.  Mark  the  per- 
fect man,  and  behold  the  upright, 
for  the  end  ofthat  man  is  peace. 

P.    F. 


DISSEMINATION  OP  THE  GOSPEL. 

Concluded  from  last  No.  pag-e  182. 

But  what  is  the  form  in  which 
we  would  see  them  ?  for  <'in  the 
visions  of  the  Lord"  they  have  been 
made  to  assume  every  hue  of  beau- 
ty, every  character  of  greatness, 
every  aspect  of  glory.  Is  it  that 
of  a  stone  instinct  with  life,  and 
growing  as  it  rolls  by  an  invisible 
power,  till  it  fills  the  earth  ?  Proph- 
ecy conducts  us  to  an  elevation 
where  we  behold  that  mystic  stone 
in  motion.  Alread}'  has  it  attained 
the  magnitude  of  a  mountain,  and 
attracts  the  eyes  of  the  nations. 

Onward  it  rolls  through  Island 
and  Continent,  scattering  from  its 
side  the  seeds  and  fertility  of  a  new 
creation,  and  pouring  from  its  bo- 
som the  stream  of  the  water  of  life. 
Like  the  Andes  to  South  Ameri- 
ca, it  is  seen  from  every  quarter  j 
and  with  the  light  of  an  unsetting  sun 
resting  on  its  summit,  it  forms  the 
only  object  of  true  sublimity  the 
earth  contains. 

Is  it  a  temple?  Now,  it  is  only 
in  the  course  of  erection ;  and  we 
find  ourselves  standing  amidst  the 
apparent  confusion  of  the  surround- 
ing materials  ;  while  many  of  the 
laborers  are  away,  preparing  the 
"living  stones;"  and  the  great  ma- 
jority of  the  race  are  bowing  at 
idolatrous  shrines  and  worshipping 
'<an  unknown  God." 

But  ])rophccy  takes  us  to  a  mount 
of  vision,  and,  lo !  the  stupendous 
fabric,  ample  as  the   earth,    silently 


DISSEMINATION  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 


197 


rising  toward  heaven ;  the  pedi- 
ment placed  on  the  columns,  the 
edifice  crowned  with  its  dome,  *'and 
all  nations  flowing  into  it  1"  And 
while  we  are  looking,  thej  suddenly 
recover  from  their  breathless  admi- 
ration of  its  magnftude,  proportions, 
and  glories,  to  burst  forth  into  that 
anthem  of  praise  with  which  the 
universe  and  eternity  are  destined 
to  resound. 

Is  it  the  achievement  ofa  con- 
quest, and  the  erection  ofa  Kingdom  ? 
**The  God  of  heaven  shall  set  up  a 
Kingdom  which  shall  never  be 
destroyed."  When  we  read  the 
history  of  an  earthly  power  we  are 
constrained  to  admire  the  march  of 
events  by  which  it  attains  to  nation- 
al greatness.  As  its  population 
multiplies,  and  its  boundaries  en- 
large, battles  are  fought,  and  victo- 
ries won.  Its  times  of  excitement 
develop  greatness  of  character,  and 
that  greatness  of  chai-acter  impress- 
es its  image  on  the  times. 

But  how  effectually  is  all  this  glo- 
ry eclipsed  when  brought  into  con- 
trast with  the  progress  of  the  king- 
dom of  Christ  I  'Here  the  field  is 
the  world,  while  every  object  in  it 
is  a  weapon,  every  being  it  con- 
tains is  an  actor,  and  every  issue 
depending  is  eternal.  In  this  strife, 
already  kingdoms  have  been  sub- 
verted, and  generations  have  been 
engaged!  Who  does  not  pant  for 
a  height  whence  he  can  look  down 
and  survey  its  progress  ?  To  such 
a  point  does  prophecy  conduct  us. 
£ven  while  we  look,  the  charge  is 
sounded,  and  the  onset  made. 

Far  and  wide  the  conflict  rages. 
Banner  after  banner  joins  the  foe  : 
Tribe  after  tribe  "come  out  to  the 
jkelp  of  the  Lord,  to  the  help  of  the 


Lord  against  the  mighty."  Victory 
seems  to  alternate  from  side  to  side. 
Now  the  soldiers  of  the  cross  give 
way,  <^as  when  a  standard  bearer 
fainteth;"  and  now  raise  a  shout 
of  joy  as  they  plant  their  standard 
on  some  fallen  fortress  of  Satan. 

Here  "the  captain  of  salvation" 
sends  them    unexpected    support; 
'and  there  "His  right  hand   teaches 
him     terrible     things."        Leading 
them  on  from   "conquering  to   con- 
iquer,"    opposition  gradually   slack- 
I  ens  :  "The     armies    of  the    aliens" 
are  put  to  flight,  or  yield  themselves 
willing  captives.     The   earth     with 
I  joy  receives  her  King;  and  his  king- 
dom of  righteousness,    pea-ce,    and 
joy  embraces  the  world. 

Is  the  aspect  under  which  we  would 
Hook  on  the  result  of  spiritual   agen- 
cy that  of  a    neAV    creation?    "He 
that  sat  upon  the  throne  said,  "Be- 
hold, I  make  all  things  new  I" 

Even  now  the  spirit  is  moving 
on  the  face  of  human  chaos.  Fiat 
after  fiat  goes  forth;  and  what 
light  breaks  on  the  darkness  of 
ages;  what  mighty  masses  of  hu- 
manity are  uplifting  themselves  in 
solemn  majesty,  like  primitive 
mountains  rising  from  the  deep; 
what  more  than  verdant  beauty 
I  clothes  the  moral  landscape ;  How 
I  gloriously  dawns  the  sabbath  of  the 
world. 

Where  now  is  the  midnight 
gloom  of  ignorance  and  idolatry? 
the  desolation  and  misery  attendant 
on  sin  ?  We  look,  and  listen ;  but 
no  reign  of  darkness,  no  habitation 
of  cruelty,  no  sound  of  anguish  re- 
mains !  The  will  of  God  is  done  on 
earth,  as  it  is  done  in  heaven !  The 
nations    own  no  other    law :    and 


198 


DISSEMINATION  OF  TUE  GOSPEL. 


hence  their  aspect  is  that  of  a  hap-» 
jiy  family.  Tlie  church  aims  at  no 
other  end  ;  and  hence  all  her  mem- 
bers are  invested  with  the  c;arment 
of  salvation,  and  the  robes  of 
praise. 

The  world  is  bathed  in  the  lipjht 
of  peace,  and  purity  and  love.  In- 
animate nature  itself  partakes  of 
the  c^neral  joy.  To  the  eye  of  re- 
newed man  it  exhibits  a  beauty 
unknown  before,  and  to  his  ear  '<it 
brings  lessons  of  surpassing  wisdom. 
Trees  wave  with  gladness,  and  the 
floods  clap  their  hands ;  the  light 
of  the  moon  is  as  the  light  of  the 
sun,  and  the  light  of  the  sun  is  sev- 
enfold. Over  that  scene  the  morn- 
ing stars  sing  together,  and  the 
sons  of  God  shout  for  joy;  while 
tlie  Divine  Creator  himself  compla-, 
cently  beholds  it,  and  proclaims  it; 
good.    ,  j 

Or  finally,  would  we  contemplate  I 
the  result  of  the  whole  in  heaven  ?  j 
Then  must  we  take  up  a  position 
from  which  we  can  behold  the  clo- 
sing scenes  of  time,  and  the  open- 
ing grandeurs  of  eternity  j  the  com- 
ing of  Christ,  the  pomp  and  min- 
istry of  his  attendant  angels,  the 
resurrection  of  the  dead,  and  the 
awful  solemnities  of  the  judgment 
d^.'  '■  With  the  prophet  of  Patmos, 
we  must  mark  the  numbers  of  those 
who  go  away  into  everlasting  life 
and  leäm  their  songs;  we  must  try 
to  estimate  their  joy  when  they 
cast  their  crowns  at  the  feet  of 
infinite  love,  and  to  multiply  its: 
amount  by  the  ages  of  eternity.         | 

True;  these  are  visions;  but  they' 
are  visions  painted  by  the  hand ' 
of  God;  dear  in  every  ago  to  the 
church  of  God;  gazed  on  in  death  | 
by  the  Son  of  God.     Yes  then    they| 


were  brought  and  set  before  him  ; 
and  such  was  the  joy  with  which 
they  filled  him,  "That  he  endured 
the  cross,  despising  the  shame." 
He  saw  that  stone  advance;  that 
temple  rise;  that  kingdom  come; 
that  new  creation  dawn  ;  that  beat- 
itude of  the  redeemed  in  heaven— 
his  grace  the  theme  of  tongue,  his 
glory  the  object  of  every  eye.  He 
saw  of  the  travail  of  his  soul,  and 
was  satisfied — his  soul  was  satisfied; 
even  in  the  hour  of  its  travail  it  was 
satisfied. 

"What  an  unlimited  vision  of  hap- 
piness must  it  have  been — happi- 
ness not  bounded  by  time,  but  fill- 
ing the  expanse  of  eternity !  His 
prophetic  eye,  even  then  caught  a 
view  of  the  infinite  result  in  heaven. 
His  ear  caught  the  far  distant  shout 
of  his  redeemed  and  glorified  church, 
singing,  "Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that 
was  slain!"  And  if  we  would  do 
justice  to  our  office  as  instruments 
for  the  salvation  of  the  world,  if  we 
would  catch  the  true  inspiration  of 
our  works,  we  too  must  often  cross 
as  he  did,  the  threshold  of  eternity, 
transport  ourselves  ten  thousand 
ages  hence  into  the  *  blessedness  of 
heaven,  and  behold  the  fruits  of  our 
instrumentality  there,  still  adding 
new  joy  to  angels,  and  new  tides  of 
glory  around  the  throne  of  God,  and' 
of  the  Lamb. 

What  other,  practical  purpose, 
indeed  can  these  prophetic  disclo-. 
sures  at  present  answer?  Or  to, 
what  higher  end  can  they  be  ap-. 
plied?  If  the  progress  of  the  gos- 
pel and  its  happy  results,  assume« 
the  appearance  of  a  mountain  as  ever 
moving  onwards,  and  ever  growing 
as  it  moves,  displacing  or  crushing" 
every  obstacle,  and  filling  the  whole 


DISSE^mXATIOX  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 


199 


earth  with  its  presence.  What  does  j  the  way  for  that  which  succeeded, 
it  say  to  our  inactivity,  but  that  we  All  its  unfinished  parts  reciprocated 
must  advance  along  with  it,  or  be  their  iufluence,  pointed  to  that 
annihilated  by  it?    "  which  was  to    follow,    and    craved 

And  what  does  it  say  to  our  fearB^"*^  ^"""^"^  *''  "^  P^'"'''^^-'  ^l'»''^- 
ofopposition  and  failures,  but  that  i^'«''*  ^''^  S'^<^"  *°  t'^*'  «"°  ^^  be 
we  may  give  them  all  to  the  ^j^a?  |'^i^P''"f  ^^^  «"'L'^'' f"'*'"'''!  ^he  law 
If,  for  the  same  end,  a  temple  rises,  "^  ^'^  ^^'"'S-  Had  he  been  endowed 
whose  courts  include  a  worshipping  r^"^  intelligence  and  responsible 
world,  and  whose  incense  of  praise  ■P«^^'"' '»"^  1^^^  ^"^  "'  ^^'^  «^'^'"«se 
perfumes  the  universe,  what  is  the  :  ^^^  ^'^''^  power  retracted  his  beams, 
language  in  which  it  addresses  us  a°d  refused  to  shine,  how  enormous 
but  that  of  David  on  the  prospect  o{.^^'=  -"'^''  ^"^  f«''^*""'  ^'^^  ''^«^1^  ' 
erecting  its  ancient  type,  "And  who  I  in  the  process  of  the  new  crea- 
then  is  willing  to  consecrate  his 'tion,  the  darkness  has  passed  away, 
service  this  day  unto  the  Lord."  and  the  light  of  salvation   has  come 

— light  in  the  presence  of  which  all 


If  the  church  appear  in  conflict 
with  the  world,  and  trium^ihant  over 
it,  why  are  we  allowed   to   look   on 


material  splendour  is  eclipsed  and 
disappears.  That  light  has  been 
given  to  us  in  a  sense  which  justifies 
its  author  in  saying,  ''Ye  are  the 
light  of  the  world  j"  and  given  to 
us  with  a  solemn  charge  that  we  so 
dispense  it  as  that  the  world  may  re- 
joice in  its  beams. 


To  withhold  our  light,  then,  is  to 
j  contract  a    guilt    of   a 


magnitude 


the  stirring  scene  but  that  we   may  jf 
catch  the    ardor    of   the    Christian 
hero;  may  mark  how   certainly  ev- 
ery one  that  is    not    for    Christ   is 
against  him,  how    necessarily    inac- 
tivity in    his    cause    produces    the 
effect,  and  receives  the  punishment, 
of  positive   hostility;  may   be  exci- 
ted to  endure  hardship  and  to  aspire  , 
to  the  glorious   deeds  of  good    gol- ! ''«^•<"' *°  ^«^  «°'^P"^*''-     Or  if.  ^^ile 
diers  of  Jesus  Christ  ?  I""®  ^'•<'  ''''''"S.  ""^liat  shall  the  e,.d 

i  of  these  things  be  ?'^  we  are  an- 
Ifthe  splendours  of  a  new  crea-|swered  by  the  sight  of  numbers 
tion  burst  on  our  view,  why  is  it  without  number  waiving  their 
but  that  we  may  feel  a  pang  of  so- :  victorious  palms,  and  by  the  voices 
licitude  for  the  groans  and  travails  j  of  all  these,  joined  by  the  hosts  of 
of  the  old?  Why,  but  that  we  may  I  the  Unfällen,  in  one  stupendous 
remember  that  we  are  living  du- j  concert  of  praise, — who  does  not 
rin^- the  work-days  of  the  mighty  (hear,  above  this  "sound  of  many 
process;  and  that     He     who   com- j  waters/'    the    voice      which   saith. 


manded  the  light  to  shine  out  of 
darknes  hath  issued  the  fiat  to  us, 
<<Let  your  light  shine  before  men," 
"Go  into  all  the  world  and  dif- 
fuseit?"  ,        .         :       . 

Each  staore  of  the  üiaterial 


''Be  thou  faithful  unto  death,  and  I 
will  give  thee  a  crown  of  life." 
"They  that  be  wise  shall  shine  as 
the  brightness  of  the  firmament, 
and  they  that  turn  many  to  right- 
crea-  eousne.^s.  as  the   stars  forever   and 


tion  was  wisely  adapted  to  prepare! ever." 


200 


DISSEMINATION  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 


And  is  this  the  lofty  practical 
pui'pose  of  prophecy?  And  are 
these  our  indiieenients  to  proceed 
in  the  diffusion  of  the  gospel  ?  Then 
ought  they  not  to  be  felt  by  us  at 
this  moment  with  as  much  fresh- 
ness and  lb  reo  as  if  they  had  opened 
on  us  now  for  the  firfc^t  time. 

Suppose  this  were  literally  the 
fact.  Had  prophetic  vision,  like 
those  wo  have  considered,  never  as 
yet  been  vouchsafed  to  us.  Had 
the  primitive  christian  church  com- 
Dienced  its  missionary  operations 
simply  in  obedience  to  what  it  sup- 
posed to  be  the  unuttered  will  of 
God;  had  it  assembled  by  its  rep- 
resentatives to  consult  on  the  pro- 
priety of  continuing  those  opera- 
tions;— had  a  spirit  of  indolence  or 
despondency  seized  it,  and  a  dispo- 
sition to  wait  for  some  divine  inti- 
mation before  it  advanced  auy  far- 
ther ;  had  it  wrestled  in  prayer  for 
such  an  intimation;  and  if,  while 
its  members  were  thus  "with  one  ac- 
cord in  one  place,"  there  had  sudden- 
ly come  ''a  sound  from  heaven  as  of 
a  rushing  mighty  wind,"  filling  all 
the  place;  had  Isaiah  com^e  and  sung 
the  glory  of  the  latter  days;  hud 
Daniel  shown  them  tlie  kingdom 
of  the  Messiah  enlarging  and  ab- 
sorbing all  earthly  power;  had 
John  recounted  the  scenes  of  Pat- 
mos;  and  had  He  who  sent  his  an- 
gel there  to  interpret  th«m  again 
appeared,  commanding  them  to 
hasten  away  with  his  gospel  into 
all  the  world,  promising  to  be  al- 
ways with  them,  and  assuring  them 
of  ^'floods'  of  spiritual  influence 
yet  to  be  poured  out  upon  all  flesh, 
whoflo  zeal  would  not  kindle  and 
burn?  Whoso  purpose  would  not 
oatch  a  measure  of  divine  greatness? 


Whose  lips  would  not  be  ready  to 
exclaim,  "Here  am  I,  send  me?" 
As  if  such  a  vision  had  just  trans- 
pired, let  us  aim  to  realize  its  inspi- 
ring motives ;  and  every  christian 
will  be  transformed  in  effect  into  a 
prophet,  "crying  prepare  ye  the 
way  of  the  Lord,  make  his  paths 
straight." 

In  coming  to  a  conclusion,  we  will 
quote  a  passage  of  scripture,  which 
stand«  as  the  divine  posteeiiptof  the 
sacred  volume ;  which  if  we  mistake 
not,  virtually  includes,  and  practi- 
cally applies  the  whole."  And 
the  spirit  and  the  bride  say,  come. 
And  let  him  that  heareth  say  come* 
And  let  him  that  is  athirst,  como 
And  whosoever  will,  let  him  take  of 
the  water  of  life  freely." 

Here  are  at  once  the  plans  by 
which  every  holy  agency  is  com- 
bined, and  put  in  requisition  for 
the  recovery  of  man. 

The  summons  of  the  Lord  of  the 
church  himself  for  every  new  agen- 
cy as  it  comes  into  being  to  join  in 
the  great  object  for  which  the  plan 
exists,"  and  considering  the  position 
which  the  verse  occupies  us  among 
the  closing  words  of  the  revelation 
— the  practical  application  of  all  un- 
fulfilled prophecy  respecting  that 
object. 

Taking  the  verse  in  connection 
with  its  contexts,  its  practietjl  pow- 
er becomes  even  more  emplmtic.  "I 
Jesus  have  sent  mine  aaigel  to  tes- 
tify unto  you  these  things  in  the 
churches.  I  am  the  root  and  th« 
offspring  of  David,  and  the  bright 
and  morning  star.  And  as  my  per- 
son unites  the  wide  extremes  of  di- 
vinity and  humanity,  my  office  in- 
vests me  with  all  power  in  heavea 


THE  SPREADING  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 


201 


and  on  earth,  and  my  purposes  of 
mercy  require  that  angels,  as  well 
as  men,  should  be  employed  in  my 
service. 

Accordingly  one  of  them  has  been 
sent  to  instruct  the  churches  in 
those  mysteries  of  Providence, 
whose  accomplishment  is  to  reach 
to  the  end  of  time.  And  now,  I 
myself  appear,  to  close  these  proph- 
ecies, as  I  came  to  open  them.  Hear 
then,  the  conclusion  of  the  whole 
matter.  I  have  a  fountain  of  life 
for  a  perishing  world.  The  spirit 
and  the  church — God,  angels,  and 
holy  men — are  combined,  in  urging 
the  world  to  come. 

And  as  often  as  a  single  soul  is 
prevailed  on  to  obey  the  call,  he  is 
to  consider  himself  bound,  even 
though  he  can  but  feebly  lift  up  his 
voice,  and  say,  come !  to  unite  with 
all  who  are  already  employed  in 
publishing  my  invitation  of  mercy  3 
for  whosoever  will,  is  welcome  to 
partake. 

How  glorious  the  object  which 
induces  the  Savior  to  address  his 
church — the  salvation  of  the  world  ! 
How  simple  the  method  by  which 
he  proposes  to  accomplish  it !  How 
fearful  his  sacred  jealously,  that 
nothing  should  be  said  or  done,  to 
impair  its  efficiency!  How  strong 
the  certainty  implied  in  that  jeal- 
ousy that  his  end  will  be  finally 
gained !  And  how  loud  the  sum- 
mons of  the  whole  to  every  chris- 
tian, and  every  christian  church, 
to  unite  and  call  the  world  to  come  ! 

If  all  the  orders  of  the  church 
triumphant  were  permitted  audibly 
to  address  the  world,  but  were  re- 
stricted to  a  single  word,  that  word 
would  be  Come.    If  all  the  invita- 


tions of  the  gospel,  travailing  as 
they  do  with  the  burden  of  infinite 
compassion,  could  be  condensed  and 
uttered  in  a  single  word,  that  word 
would  be,  come. 

But  the  church  of  the  day  is  tho 
only  organ  through  which  that 
word  can  be  uttered ;  so  that,  were 
all  its  duties  in  reference  to  the 
world  to  be  expressed  in  a  single 
term,  it  would  be  to  utter  the  invi- 
tation come  'y  and  if,  in  uttering  it, 
all  the  tongues  were  to  become  vocal, 
and  each  of  its  members  could  pour 
into  it  all  the  passionate  and  holy 
emotion  the  heart  of  man  has  ever 
known,  it  would  only  be  approach- 
ing the  emphasis  with  which  the 
invitation  should  be  uttered. 

As  if  the  church  of  the  present 
day,  then,  had  to  retrieve  the  si- 
lence of  the  past,  and  as  if  it  had 
only  a  word  to  retrieve  that  silence, 
and  a  moment  in  which  to  utter 
that  word,  let  it  call,  beseech,  ad- 
jure, the  world  to  come)  And  the 
spirit  himself  would  speak  in  its 
tones  with  an  infinite  energy ;  and 
then,  to  the  sublime  announcement 
of  Christ,  "Behold  I  come  quickly," 
the  church  would  be  prepared  to 
respond  with  joy.  Amen.  Even  so 
come.  Lord  Jesus. 
From  Harris*  '^Great  Commission.'* 
March  24,  1860. 


For    the    Visitor. 
THE  SPREADING  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 

Dear  Brethren : 

Having  in  view  the 
honor  and  glory  of  God,  I  embrace 
the  present  opportunity  of  writing 
an  article  on  the  subject  of  spread- 
ing the  Gospel.  This  is  a  subject  of 
great  importance,  and  one,  in  which 


2Ü2 


THE  SPKEADIIn^G  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 


•wc  should  all  fool  deeply  interested.  I  and  with  that  assurance  leave  us  to 
Ami  I  am  happy  to  sec  that  the ! ourselves ;  but  he  hath  made  a  way 
brethren  are,  as  it  were,  waking  up  possible,  whereby  we  may  escape 
on  this  important  matter.  And  I 
firmly  believe  that  it  is  hii^h  time 
that  we  should  awake  from  sleep 
and  shake  off  our  dullness,  and  arm- 
in_i^  ourselves  with  the  sword  of  the 
spirit,  which  is  the  word  of  God,  go 
boldly  forward  in  the  glorious  war- 
fare of  our  exalted  King.  When  I 
cast  a  look  around  me,  and  see  a 
world  of  sinners  moving  towards 
thi'  gaping  grave  and  an  endless 
et(  rnity,  on  the  fleetest  wings  of 
time,  my  soul  is  made  to  mourn  over 
the  passing  scene.  When  I  consid- 
er the  rapidity  with  which  the 
swarming  millions  of  earth  are  pass- 
iuLT,  and  the  inevitable  destiny  of 
those  who  spend  their  precious  lives 
in  sin's  destructive  ways,  I  must  la- 
ment at  the  thought  and  in  sadness 
ask  whether  there  is  no  preventive. 
Is  there  no  way  to  impede  the  pro- 
gress of  sin  ?  Is  there  not  a  means  to 
friislrate  the  malicious  designs  of 
tili  enemy  of  all  good  ? 


The  enemy  of  souls  is  exceedingly 
zealous  J  he,  "as  a  roaring  lion, 
•wjlketh  al)Oiit,  seeking  whom  he 
may  devour."  And  it  is  a  fact  to 
be  deplored  that  he  is  speedily  exe- 
cuiing  his  malignant  and  deceitful 
pui'poses.  Yes,  by  promising  what 
he  can  never  give,  he  succeeds  in 
lea' ling  multitudes  of  souls,  each  of 
which  is  of  greater  value  than  mill- 
ions of  worlds,  in  the  paths  of  vice 
and  folly,  down  to  unutterable  wo. 
But  while  this  is  the  case,  we  may 
rejoice  that  tliere  is  a  mightier  than 
ho,  who  dosiros  not  the  death  of  a 
sinner  J  but  rather,  that  all  should 
turn  unto  him  and  live.  And  God 
does  not   only  desire  our  salvation, 


and  be  saved. 

When  *'God  made  man  in  his  own 
image,"  he  gave  him  a  will  and  pow- 
er to  act  according  to  his  inclina- 
tion ;  but  wtien  man  broke  the 
command  of  God,  he  fell  from  the 
state  in  which  he  was  created.  He 
was  taken  captive  and  could  no 
more  act  as  being  free.  Ko  doubt 
but  our  first  parents,  the  represen- 
tatives of  the  whole  human  family, 
immediately  saw  from  whence  they 
had  fallen  ;  but,  they  had  not  power 
to  gain  their  former  position-;  no 
vain  would  have  been  their  utmost 
endeavors :  for  they  were  justly 
placed  at  a  distance  from  God  they 
could  never  pass.  But  God  looked 
upon  man,  and  the  bowels  of  his 
compassion  yearned  over  the  work 
of  his  hands,  and  the  infinite  mind 
of  Jehovah  was  moved  to  mercy, 
and  it  was  then  that  grace  divine 
was  first  conceived;  and  after  a 
lapse  of  four  thousand  years,  all  of 
which  time  afi'ords  most  striking  in- 
cidents of  human  depravity,  God's 
grace  was  made  known.  He  sent 
his  only  begotten  son  into  the  world, 
who  went  about  doing  good,  in  all 
things  obeying  his  Father's  will; 
and  altera  life  of  obedience,  he  was 
taken,  ''and  by  wicked  hands  was 
crucified  and  slain."  He,  who  was 
holy  and  did  no  sin,  and  in  whose 
mouth  no  guile  was  found,  *'who 
when  he  was  reviled,  reviled  not  a- 
gain  ;  when  he  suffered,  he,  threat- 
ened not ;  but  committed  himself  to 
him  that  judgeth  righteously,"  suf- 
fered in  our  behalf-  He  was  made 
''to  be  sin  for  us,  who  knew  no  siö; 
that  we  might  be  made  the  rij^ht- 
eousnes  of  God  in  him."    "Sureiv 


THE  SPIEIT  AND  LAWS  OF  CHEISTIANITY 


203 


he  hath  borne  our  griefs,  and  carri-jname  of  the  Lord ;  and,  conseqnent- 
ed  our  soitows;  vet  we  did  es-'ly,  they  will  not  be  among  those 
teem  him  stricken,  smitten  of  God,  |  who  will  be  saved  through  calling 
and  afflicted.  But  he  was  wounded  i  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord.  I  would 
for  our  transgressions,  he  was  bruis-  to  God  that  we  might  all  consider 
ed  for  our  iniquities ;  the  chastise- ,  the  obligations  we  are  under  to 
ment  of  our  peace  was  upon  him ;! spread  the  gospel  of  Christ;  for  it 
and  with  his  stripes  we  are  healed.'*  jis  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation. 
He  redeemed  us  from  the  cnrse  of  j  And  if  the  gospel  of  Christ  is  the 
the  law  and  reconciled  us  to  God  by  power  of  God,  in  vain  may  we  hope 


sufiering  in  our  stead. 

I   have   briefly    rehearsed   man's 
fall  and  redemption,  and  I  will  now 


for  salvation  by  any  other  means. — 
And  as  this  is  the  case,  it  is  our  du- 
ty  as    accountable  beings,   and   as 


dwell  a  little   on  our  duty  toward  P^fessors  of  the  religion  of  Christ 


to  do  all  that  lies  in  our  power  to 
spread  the  gospel  in  its  purity, 
that  the  kingdom  of  God  may  come, 
and  over  all  prevail. 

J.     W.     B. 


God  in  consideration  of  what  he  has 
done  for  us. 

John  says,  ''In  this  was  manifes- 
ted the  love  of  God  toward  us,  be- 
cause that  God  sent  his  only  begot- 
ten Son  into  the  world  that  we 
might  live  through  him."  And  a- 
gain,  **  We  love  him,  because  he  first 
loved  us."  And  I  would  now  ask, 
Who  can  consider  the  love  of  God 
toward  us  without  loving  him  in  re- 
turn ?     Christ  also  says,  "if  ye  love 

me  keep  my  commandments."  And , ,  .  ,.  i      -r^•   • 

^_r     111  1    to  write  somethintr   on   the  Divine 

again,  "He  that  hath  my  command-  U  ^     j?      i  •  i        n   i 

^      '         ,    ,  ,,,..!  Law,    part   ot  which  will   be  an  ex- 


For  the  Visitor. 

THE   SPIRIT  AND  LAWS  OF 
CHEISTIAliTITY. 

Dear  Brethren:  I  lately  saw  an 
article  written  by  Brother  P.  N.  on 
the  civil  law.  It  has  led  me  to  try 
to  write  something 


ments  and  keepeth  them,  he  itisj 
that  loveth  me  :  and  he  that  loveth 
me  shall  be  loved  of  my  Father,  and 
I  will  love  him,  and  will  manifest 
myself  to  him."  These  are  kind 
admonitions  and  consoling  promises 
from  our  blessed  Master;  and  they 
should  incite  us  to  the  most  ardent 
love,  gratitude,  and  zeal. 

One  of  the  commands  of  our  Sav- 
ior is,  ^'Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and 
preach  the  gospel  to  every  crea- 
ture." And  this  is  a  very  impor- 
tant* duty,  for  unless  the  gospel  is 
preached  people  cannot  hear,  and  if 
they  do  not  hear,  they  cannot  be- 
lieve ;  and  so  long  as   thev   do  not 


tract.  I  have,  however,  no  objec- 
tions to  the  Brother's  views  on  the 
civil  law.  The  morality  of  the  gos- 
pel gives  it  an  infinite  superiority 
over  all  systems  of  doctrine  that  ev- 
er were  devised  by  man.  Were  our 
lives  and  opinions  to  be  regulated  as. 
it  prescribes,  nothing  would  be  wan- 
ting to  make  us  happy.  There 
would  be  no  injustice,  no  impiety, 
no  disorderly  passions.  Harmony 
and  love  would  universally  prevail. 
Every  man  content  with  his  lot,  re- 
signed to  the  divine  will,  and  fally 
persuaded  that  a  haypy  eternity  is 
before  him,  would  pass  his  days  in 
tranquility  and  joy,  to  which  neither 


believe,  they   cannot   call  upon  the] pain  nor  even  fear   of  death   could 


204 


THE  SPIRIT  AXD  LAWS  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


give  any  interruption.  We  find  that 
the  best  systeniB  of  pagan  ethics  are 
very  imperfect,  and  not  free  from 
absurdities.  But  of  all  the  Lord's 
institutions,  the  object  is,  to  promote 
the  happiness  of  all  mankind.  In  the 
next  place,  his  peculiar  doctrines  are 
not  like  any  thing  of  human  contri- 
vance. ^'Nevcr  man  spake  like  this 
man."  One  of  the  first  names  given 
to  that  dispensation  of  things  w^hich 
he  came  to  introduce,  was,  the  king- 
dom of  heaven.  It  was  justly  so 
called,  being  thus  distinguished  not 
only  from  the  religion  of  Moses,  but 
from  every  other. 

The  views  of  the  heathen  m  oralist 
extended  not  beyond  this  Avorld. 
Those  of  the  Christian  are  fixed  on 
that  which  is  to  come;  the  former 
was  concerned  for  his  own  country 
or  chiefly  so  ;  the  latter,  takes  con- 
cern in  the  happiness  of  all  men,  of 
all  nations  and  capacities.  A  few, 
and  but  a  few  of  the  ancient  philos- 
ophers, spoke  of  a  future  state  of  ret- 
ribution as  a  thing  desirable,  and 
not  improbable :  revelation  speaks 
of  it  as  certain,  and  of  the  present 
life  as  a  state  of  trial,  wherein  virtue 
or  holiness,  and  patience  are  neces- 
sary, not  only  to  entitle  us  to  that 
salvation  which  through  the  mercy 
of  God  and  the  merits  of  his  Son, 
Christians  are  taught  to  look  for, 
but  also  to  prepare  us  by  habits  of 
piety  and  benevolence,  for  a  reward 
which  none  but  the  pure  in  heart 
€an  receive. 

The  duties  of  piety  as  far  as  the 
heart  is  concerned,  were  not  much 
Attended  to  by  the  heathen  lawgiv- 
ers. Cicero  ranks  them  with  the 
social  virtues,  and  says  very  little 
»bout  them.  And  what  the  stoics 
iHught  of  resignation  to  the  will  of  J 


heaven,  or  to  the  decrees  of  fate, 
was  so  repugnant  to  some  of  their 
other  tenets,  that  little  good  could 
be  expected  from  them.  The  love 
and  fear  of  God  must  every  moment 
prevail  in  the  heart  of  a  follower  of 
Jesus,  and  whether  we  eat  or  drink, 
or  whatever  we  do,  it  must  all  be 
to  the  glory  of  the  Creator. 

Set  therefore  your  afi'ections  on 
things  above,  and  not  on  things  of 
the  earth.  Let  it  be  your  supreme 
desire  to  obtain  the  favor  of  God. 
O  my  fellow  travelers  to  eternity, 
let  us  prepare  ourselves  for  a  read- 
mission  into  that  rank  which  was 
forfeited  by  the  fall.  What  an  eleva- 
tion it  gives  to  our  minds  to  con- 
template the  supreme  Being  and  his 
providence  as  revealed  to  us  in 
Scripture !  We  are  there  taught 
that  man  was  created  in  "the  image 
of  God,  innocent  and  happy ;  and 
that  he  had  no  sooner  fallen  into 
sin,  than  his  Creator  instead  of  aban- 
doning him  and  his  offspring  to  the 
natural  consequences  of  his  disobe- 
dience, and  of  their  hereditary  de- 
pravity, was  pleased  to  begin  a 
wonderful  dispensation  of  grace  in 
order  to  rescue  from  perdition,  and 
raise  again  to  ha2)pineBS,  as  many 
as  should  acquiesce  in  the  terms  of 
the  offered  salvation,  and  regulate 
their  lives  accordingly.  By  the  sa- 
cred books  that  contain  the  history 
of  this  dispensation,  we  are  further 
taught,  God  is  a  spirit  unchangea- 
ble, and  eternal,  universally  present 
and  absolutely  perfect;  that  it  is 
our  duty  to  fear  him,  as  a  Being  of 
consummate  purity  and  inflexible 
justice,  and  to  love  him  aa  the  Fa- 
ther of  mercies,  and  the  God  of  all 
consolation;  to  trust  in  him  as  a 
friend,  the  Comforter,  and  the  al- 
mighty guardian  of  all  who  believe 


MULTÜK  m  PAHYO, 


205 


and  obey  him ;  to  rejoice  in  him  as 
the  best  of  Beings,  and  adore  him  as 
the  greatest.  We  are  also  taught 
that  he  will  make  allowance  for  our 
frailties,  and  pardon  the  sins  of  those 
who  repent :  we  are  taught  that  He 
gave  his  only  Son  as  our  ransom 
and  deliverer ;  and  we  are  not  only 
permitted,  but  commanded  to  pray 
to  him,  and  address  him  as  our  Fa- 
ther ; — we  are  taught  moreover,  that 
the  evils  incident  to  this  state  of 
trial  are  permitted  by  him  in  order 
to  exercise  our  faith,  and  prepare  us 
for  a  future  state  of  never-ending  fe- 
licity, and  that  these  momentary  af- 
flictions are  pledges  of  his  paternal 
love,  and  shall,  if  we  receive  them 
as  such,  and  venerate  him  accord- 
ingly, work  out  for  us  an  exceeding 
great  and  eternal  weight  of  glory. 

Christianity  proposes  to  our  imi- 
tation the  highest  examples  of  be- 
nevolence, purity,  and  piety.  It 
shows  that  all  actions,  purposes,  and 
thoughts  are  to  us  of  infinite  imj^or- 
tance.  We  are  commanded  to  love 
our  neighbor  as  ourselves,  by  decla- 
ring every  man  our  neighbor  to 
whom  we  have  it  in  our  power  to 
do  good.  It  improves  benevolence 
to  the  highest  pitch,  by  prohibiting 
revenge,  malice,  pride,  vanity,  en- 
vy and  covetousness.  The  laws  of 
Christ  require  us  to  forgive,  to  pray 
for,  &  to  bless  enemies,  and  to  do  un- 
to others,  as  we  would  that  they 
should  do  unto  us.  It  lays  a  re- 
straint on  every  malevolent  and  tur- 
bulent passion.  Christianity  rec- 
ommends the  strictest  self-attention, 
by  this  awful  consideration,  that 
God  is  continually  present  with  us, 
knows  what  we  think,  as  well  as 
what  we  do,  and  will  judge  the 
world  in  righteousness,  and  render 
unto   every   man   according  to   his 


works.  It  makes  us  consider 
conscience,  as  his  voice  and  law 
within  us ;  purity  of  heart,  as  that 
which  alone  can  qualify  us  for  the 
enjoyment  of  a  future  reward,  and 
mutual  love  or  charity,  as  that 
without  which  all  other  virtues  and 
accomplishments   are  of  no  value. 

And  by  a  view  of  things  peculiar- 
ly striking,  it  causes  vice  to  ap- 
pear a  most  pernicious  and  abomi- 
nable thing,  which  cannot  escape 
punishment.  In  a  word,  Christianity 
observes  nothing  that  is  superfluous 
or  even  burdensome,  and  it  is  a  sys- 
tem in  which  there  is  nothing  wan- 
ting which  can  procure  happiness  to 
mankind,  or  by  which  God  can  be 
glorified. 

Dear  Brethren,  I  have  written 
this  article  that  peradventure  it  may 
have  a  good  influence  over  some  of 
my  readers,  &  if  it  does  not,  I  hope  it 
may  not  dqany  harm.  And  ifyoucon- 
sider  it  worthy  a  place  in  your  valua- 
ble pages,  3'ou  may  give  it  publicity. 
Boss  Co.  O. 

P.     M. 


For  the  Visitor. 
MULTTTM  IN  PABYO. 

OR 

MUCH    (COMPOSED)  IN  FEW 
WORDS. 

Let  your  pleasure   be  moderate, 
seasonable,  lawful,   and    becoming. 
Be  very  deliberate  in  your  choice  of 
I  a  friend.     In  the  civility,  follow  the 
I  many  :  in  piety,  the  few  :  and  in  all 
I  things,  the  good.     Be  cheerfully  se- 
rious,  and  seriously  cheerful.     Let 
j  another's  passion  be  a  lecture  to  thy 
reason.     If  thou  canst  not  have  a 
straight  wind,  be  thankful  for  a  side 
one.     Never    insult   misery,    deride 
infirmity,   or    despise   deformity. — 


206 


MULTUM  m  PAEVO, 


Look  not  upon  sin  lest  it  hurt  thee, 
taste  it  not — lest  it  wound  thee, — 
feed  not  on  it,  lest  it  kill  thee.  Take 
heaven  and  earth  and  weigh  them  : 
soul  and  body,  and  value  them : 
time  and  eternity,  and  compare 
them. 

If  thou  art  not  wise  enough  to 
Bpcak,  hokl  thy  peace  :  watch  over 
thy  thoughts,  affections,  words  and 
actions.  On  Saturday  night,  shut 
thy  gates  against  the  world  as  Ne- 
hemiah  did  those  of  Jerusalem. — 
AVliere  God  is  silent,  be  still :  never 
pick  the  lock  where  God  allows  no 
key.  In  thy  calling,  be  diligent; 
the  idle  person  is  the  devil's  hire- 
ling, whose  livery  is  rags,  his  diet, 
famine  ;  his  wages,  disgrace.  Be  so- 
ber: with  the  drunkard,  blasphemy 
is  wit;  oaths,  rhetoric ;  uncleanness, 
frolic ;  quarrels,  manhood ;  murder, 
valour;  friends,  enemies;  and  se- 
crets,   proclamations. 

In  buying  and  selling,  do  not  mul- 
tiply words,  nor  use  disguise,  false 
weights,  or  bad  money.  Let  conju- 
gal affection  be  cordial,  constant, 
pure,  and  temperate.  Let  masters 
instruct,  command,  admonish,  and 
encourage  their  servants,  who  owe 
to  their  masters,  obedience,  dili- 
gence, and  fidelity. 

Let  parents  present  their  children 
to  God,  raise  them  for  God,  and 
bless  them  by  God.  Children,  hon- 
or your  father  and  mother  with  rev- 
erence, obedience,  and  gratitude. 
Pray  for  magistrates  ;  honor  their 
persons,  and  be  subject  to  their 
laws.  Esteem  ministers,  so  as  to 
hear  them ;  pray  for  them,  and 
maintain  them.  Let  the  rich  be 
thankful,  humble  and  charitable. 
Let  the  poor  be  content :  for  God 
has  chosen  them   to  stain  the  pride 


of  man.  Let  all  men  repent,  be- 
lieve and  obey  the  gospel.  Marry 
not  too  young,  nor  too  old,  lest  thou 
be  rash  in  the  first,  and  doat  in  the 
last,  and  repent  of  both.  It  is  not 
a  better  partner,  situation,  place,  or 
trade  that  can  make  thee  better, 
but  a  better   heart. 

Do    with   trials   as   men    do  with 
new  hats ;  wear  them  till  they  be- 
come easy.     Beware  of  avarice,  it  is 
'  incompatible  with  reason  ;  it  ruined 
I  Lot's  wife,  Judas,  Demas,  and  Simon 
!  Magus. 

Let  your  thoughts  be  divine,  aw- 
ful, and  godly. 
Let  your  conversation  be  little,  hon- 
est, and  true. 
Let  your  works  be  profitable,  holy, 

and  charitable. 
Let  your  manners  be  grave,  courte- 
ous and  cheerful. 
Let  your  diet  be   temperate,  conve- 
nient, and  sober. 
Let  your   apparel  be  frugal,   neat, 

and  comely. 
Let  your  will  be  constant,  obedient, 

and  ready. 
Let  your  sleep  be  moderate,  quiet, 

seasonable. 
Let  your  recreation  be  lawful,  brief, 

and   seldom. 
Let  your   memory   be   death,   pun- 
ishment, glory. 
Hear  and  learn  to  be  silent. 
Be  silent,  and  learn  to  understand. 
Understand,  and  learn  to  remember. 
Eemember,  and  learn  to  do  accord- 
ingly. 
All  that  you  see  judge  not. 
All  that  you  hear,  believe  not. 
All  that  you   know,  tell   not. 
All  that  you  can  do,  do  not. 
If  ever  you  speak  any  thing,  think 
first,  and  look  narrowly  at  what  you 
speak,  of  whom  you   speak,   and  to 
whom   3'ou  speak,    lest  3'ou    bring 
yourself  into  great  trouble. 

PiQUA,  O.  E.  E. 


EVILS  OF  XOYEL-EEADIKG. 


207 


Selected  for  the  Visitor. 
EVILS  OF  NOVEL  READING. 

A  beautiful  girl  of  nineteen  years, 
a  member  of  a   popular   boarding- 
school,  left  her  room  in   the  middle 
of  a  wintry  night,  and  drowned  her- 
self in  a  neighboring  stream.     In  a 
letter  to  her  teacher  a  few  hours  be- 
fore her  death,    she   left  this  honest 
confession  :    "I  have  read  too  many 
novels  for  my  good.   Some,  perhaps, 
might  have  read  them  without  in-  i 
jury ;  but  it  has  affected  me.    I  look 
around  and   see  those   that  are  no  | 
better  &  have  no  wealthier  parents,  > 
educated.       They  can  stand  as  high  j 
in  society  as  the  wealthiest.     Why  > 
is  it  ?     Because  their  friends  feel  an 
interest  in  their   welfare.     This  re- , 
minds  me  of  things  that  I  have  read 
about."  While  prosecuting  her  trade  , 
as  a  dress-maker,   she   had  indulged 
a  romantic  and  unreciprocated  affec- , 
tion  for  a  young  man  just   comple- ; 
ting    his  professional   studies.     Ac- 
customed  to  the   marvellous   turns 
of  fortune  which  are  common  in  ro- ! 
mances,  in  wtiich  difficulties  vanish 
without  the  use  of  means,  and  relief 
happens  at  the  moment  of  extremi-  \ 
ty,  she  had  entered  the  school  in  the 
romantic  hope  that  she  might  raise 
herself  to   a  level  which    would  se- 
cure his  favor,  and  in  the  romantic 
expectation    that  means   would   in 
some   way   be   forthcoming  for  her  \ 
support.     But,   unable   to   pay   her; 
term   bills  when  they  became  due, 
her  affections  crossed,  her  hopes  dis- ! 
appointed,  she   yielded  to  a  roman- 
tic sorrow.     She  wrote  to  her  teach- 
er: ''When  you   see  the  cold   moon{ 
shining  on  the  water,  think  that  it 
shines  on  me  I'^    and   went   out  and 
committed  the  fearful  crime  of  de- 
stroying her  own  life — a  suicide  by . 
novel  reading. 


A  minister  at  the  West  writes : 
"I  was  recently  called  to  visit  a 
sick  woma#  who  was  made  poor  by 
her  own  folly.  She  told  me  that 
she  was  raised  and  partly  educated 
by  a  lady  in  eastern  Virginia  :  when 
young  she  was  led  to  read  a  few  nov- 
els. These  gave  her  a  taste  for  that 
kind  of  reading,  and  she  soon  be- 
came so  fond  of  it  that  she  would 
sit  up  all  night  to  read  fiction.  She 
continued  in  this  course  for  years; 
and  even  after  marriage  she  found 
it  necessary  for  her  happiness. — 
Thus  the  hours  which  ought  to  have 
been  spent  in  taking  care  of  her 
children  and  superintending  house- 
hold affairs,  were  worse  than  was- 
ted in  S3'mpathiesthrowTi  away  upon 
imaginary  persons  and  suffering ; 
making  the  heart  wholly  unfit  for 
sharing  in  the  common  duties  and 
cares  of  life.  As  she  lay  on  her 
miserable  couch,  surrounded  by  all 
the  marks  of  poverty,  her  body  ema- 
ciated by  protracted  ill  health,  she 
raised  her  bony  arm  and  said  :  "See, 
sir,  what  a  wretch  I  have  made  my- 
self by  novel-reading  !  I  have  ru- 
ined my  health  and  I  have  ruined 
my  mind  by  indulging  in  that  mis- 
erable trash.  I  have  no  peace.  Sa- 
tan is  continually  tempting  me  to  be- 
lieve that  there  is  no  God,  no  heaven, 
no  hell,  and  that  I  had  better  put  an 
end  to  my  life.  Then  Satan  holds 
up  some  of  those  heroines  for  my  ex- 
amples, who  first  murdered  their 
souls,  and  then  their  bodies."  As 
I  stood  by  her  bedside,  I  wished 
that  all  the  young  ladies  of  our  land, 
who  spent  so  much  precious  time 
poring  over  those  '-Gems  of  Litera- 
tui-e,"  and  shedding  tears  at  imagin- 
ary sorrow,  could  have  witnessed 
this,  the  natural  end  of  their  own 
course  of  folly. 


208 


WERE  THE  EVANGELISTS  ILLITERATE? 


Insanity  is  also  an  occasional  re- 
sult of  novel-readintr.  Don  Quixote 
is  the  ideal  of  real  person^  crazed  by 
romances. 

In  other  instances  novel-reading 
results  in  crime. 

"In  one  city  in  less  than  three 
months,  three  youths  were  convic- 
ted of  crimes  committed  in  imita- 
tion of  the  hero  of  a  novel."  The 
following  remarks  refer  to  one  of 
those  scenes  of  illicit  love  &  bloody 
revenge  which,  within  a  few  years, 
have  attained  a  painful  notoriety. — 
«'Here  is  a  court  of  justice  in  ses- 
ßion.  Blood  has  been  shed.  Men 
are  on  trials  for  their  lives.  All  the 
parties  involved  are  intelligent  and 
wealthy.  The  community  is  exci- 
ted. Crowds  throng  the  court-room 
from  day  to  day.  The  papers  are 
filled  with  the  letters  which  led  to 
the  tragical  end  of  one  &  the  misery 
of  many.  Among  the  witnesses  is 
one  of  manly  form,  polished  man- 
ners, and  hoary  locks.  His  country 
has  honored  him.  He  must  testify 
and  he  will  tell  the  truth,  for  he 
has  honor,  and  blood  is  concerned. 
He  says,  "the  husband  of  my  daugh- 
ter was  kind,  honorable,  and  affec- 
tionate," and  if  my  daughter  has 
been  in  an  unhappy  state  of  mind,  I 
attribute  it  to  the  impure  works  of 
Eugene  Sue  and  Bulwer." 


WERE  THE  EVANGELISTS  ILLIT- 
ERATE? 
But  were  the  Evangelists  illiter- 
ate ?  We  have  been  accustorrted  to 
acquiesce  in  the  application  of  this 
epithet,  and  to  glory  in  it,  without 
considering  its  different  meaning  in 
reference  either  to  their  times  or 
our  own.—  They  were   undoubtedly 


well  versed  in  the  Jewish  Scrip- 
tures, containing  the  history,  poetry 
and  moral  wisdom  of  their  country. 
They  had  drunk  deeper  than  most 
of  their  age,  priest  or  rabbi,  of  the 
spirit,  if  not  also  of  the  letter,  of 
those  wonderful  classics — Mosesand 
the  Prophets.  To  be  versant  in 
them  implied,  though  fishermen,  the 
knowledge  of  the  Hebrew,  then  a 
dead  language,  or  of  the  Greek  of 
the  Septuagint  translation,  imply- 
ing therefore,  the  knowledge  of  one, 
if  not  two  languages,  besides  Ara- 
maic, the  spoken  language  of  Pales- 
tine. Can  we  call  that  man  illiter- 
ate that  speaks  one  language,  and 
has  acquired  one  or  two  besides,  and 
that  not  for  purposes  of  trade  only 
or  chiefly,  but  to  gain  access  to  its 
literary  treasures?  Their  knowl- 
edge of  Greek,  in  which  the  gospels 
have  come  down  to  us,  however  ac- 
quired, is  a  fact  implying  that  they 
were  "lettered,"  even  in  the  mod- 
ern sense,  and  implying  a  culture 
that  may  well  rescue  them  from  the 
imputation  of  being  unable  to  ap- 
preciate the  interest  attaching  to 
the  record  of  the  birth,  year  and 
day  of  Christ.—  The  truth  is,  the 
Evangelists,  in  relation  to  their 
times  and  country,  were  illiterate 
only  in  the  sense  of  being  unskilled 
in  that  Rabbinical  learning  in  vogue 
in  Jerusalem — an  ignorance  blessed 
to  them,  to  us,  to  all  ages— which 
enabled  them  to  read  and  interpret, 
as  Rabbles  could  not  do,  Moses  and 
the  Prophets  ,  and  made  them  the 
most  pure  and  perfect  medium  of 
(transmitting  the  teachings  of  a 
I  greater  than,  Moses.  We  have  talk- 
j  ed  of  the  Evangelists  being  illiterate 
j because  by  trade  fishermen,  and  be- 
1  cause  Pharisees  and  Rabbies  said  so; 
but   no    man  can    calmly   consider 


THE  XATURE  OF  SIN. 


209 


these  facts,  or  read  those  discourses ' 
■which  John  has  recorded,   without 
feeling  that  men  Tvho   could   appre-; 
ciate  those  sayings   of  Christ  Trhich 
have  exercised,   and   still  exercise, 
some  of  the   highest  minds  of  oui-j 
race  in  exploring    their    depths    of 
thought,  could  not  be   intellectually' 
unequal,  or  indifferent  to,  the  record  I 
of  the  nativity  of  Him  \^hom  they  \ 
made  known  as  the  Light  and  Life  I 
of  the  world.     The  name  fishermen 
expresses  their  social,  but  not  their 
intellectual  position. 

To   what     class  of  fishei-men   on 
our  British  shores  shall  we   compare 
a  John  or  a  Peter  ? — Fishermen  that  i 
knew,  when  they    wrote    the    Gos-  j 
pels,  two  living  and  one   dead  lan-i 
guage,  and  wrote  in   Greek;  fisher-^ 
men  familiar  with  the  sacred  classics 
of  their  country  from    their   earliest' 
years;    fishermen    that    frequented, 
every  Sabbath  day   the    synagogue , 
of  their  native    village,    and    were; 
accustomed  in  the  schools  of  3Ioses  '■ 
and  the  Prophets  to  take  not  a  mere ' 
passive,  but  an  active  part  as  speak- 1 
ers  and  questioners.  j 

The  apostles   of   our   Lord    were  ■ 
probably   some    of  the  best  speci-j 
mens  of  the  Jewish  common  people, 
quickened  into  intellectual  and  mor- 1 
al  life  above  the  common  people   of 
every  other  ancient  nation,    by  the 
Sabbath    and  the    synagogue ;  the 
foremost  men  in  the   svnafroirues   of  i 
Capernaum   and    Bethsaida  ;  inqui-  ^ 
rers  into  the  meaning  of  types   and: 
ceremonies,   and  of  ancient  proph- 
ecy; and  waiters  for  the  coming   of; 
Him  whom  they  saw  foreshadowed 
in  all  Jewish  things,  answering  and 
asking  questions  about  all  such  mat- 
ters, and  not  unaccustomed  to  speak  i 
their  minds.  Just  because  they  were ! 


awake  and  alive  to  all  these  things, 
these  fishermen  attached  themselves 
first  to  the  Baptist  when  he  an- 
nounced the  Messiah.  At  least 
three,  out  of  the  twelve  apostles, 
were  disciples  of  the  Forerunner,  and 
followed  John  until  shown  by  him-the 
Christ.  Illiterate,  therefore,  they 
were  not,  save  in  the  eyes  of  Jewish 
rabbles,  whose  light  wasas  darkness, 
&  whose  literature  was  only  perverted 
knowledge. — North  British  Bevieic. 


THE  NATURE  OF  SIN. 

There  is  one  thing  that  children 
ought  to  understand  very  distinctly 
about  sin ;  and  that  is,  that  its  chief 
seat  is  the  heart.  It  exists  in  the 
heart)  and  it  is  very  difficult  to  drive 
it  out  from  there.  Two  boys  were 
quarelling  one  day,  on  the  road  to 
school;  they  got  very  angiy,  and 
began  to  strike  each  other.  This 
was  sin  ;  but  the  sin  was  not  so 
much  in  the  striking,  as  in  the  feel- 
ings of  malice,  hatred,  and  revenge 
in  their  hearts. 

Presently  they  saw  the  teacher 
coming  along ;  they  were  afraid  of 
him,  BO  they  left  off  fighting,  and 
walked  along,  calling  each  other 
hard  names,  and  using  all  sorts  of 
violent  and  threatening  language. 
This,  too,  was  sin ;  but  the  sin  did 
not  consist  so  much  in  the  an- 
gry and  wicked  words,  as  in 
the  feelings  of  malice,  hatred,  and 
revenge  in  their  hearts.  Soon  the 
teacher  came  up  so  near  them,  that 
they  could  not  talk  without  being 
overheard.  They  stopped  talking, 
therefore,  and  walked  along  e^-e- 
ing  each  other  with  ferocious  and 
angiy  looks.  This,  too,  was  sin; 
but  the  sin  was  not  so  much  in  the 
looks,  as  in  the  malice,  hatred,  and 
G.  Y.     Yol.  X.         U. 


210 


A  MOTHEirs  INFLUENCE. 


revenge  which  ßtill  raged  in  their 
hearts. 

When  the  teacher  came  quite  up 
to  them,  thoy  dared  no  longer  to 
show  their  passions  in  their  looks, 
walked  along  as  if  nothing  were 
the  matter;  but  the  malice  and  ha- 
tred and  revenge  still  burned  in 
their  hearts  as  much  as  before. 
The  mere  coming  up  of  the  teacher 
had  first  stopped  the  sinful  actions, 
then  the  sinful  words,  and  at  last 
the  sinful  looks;  but  the  sin  still 
remained  in  the  heart  as  bad  as 
ever ;  and  there  it  would  be  very 
hard  to  reach  it. 

In  liict,  all  sin  is  really  in  the 
heart.  If  a  boy  disobeys  his  father 
or  mother,  the  great  wickedness 
is  his  disobedient,  ungrateful  heart, 
not  in  the  action  ;  and  if  he  is  afraid 
to  do  the  action,  while  yet  he  has 
disobedient  and  ungratetul  feelings 
at  heart,  it  is  almost  as  bad.  Some- 
"timcs  great  sin  is  committed,  while 
the  child  who  commits  it  seems  to 
be  doing  nothing  at  all. 

Two  deceitful  boys,  for  example, 
were  one  day  going  to  fire  a  little 
cannon  behind  the  house,  in  a  place 
where  they  thought  their  father 
would  not  see  them.  So  they  got 
the  powder  and  fire,  and  loaded  the 
cannon,  feeling  all  the  time  guilty 
and  wretched.  Just  then  they 
heard  a  noise,  and  one  of  them  said 
their  father  was  coming  ;  so  they 
pushed  the  cannon  under  a  log, 
threw  away  the  fire,  and  stood  still, 
trying  to  look  unconcerned  ;  their 
father,  as  he  passed  along,  saw  them 
and  supposed  that  they  were  about 
some  innocent  play,  and  went  on. 

Now,  perhaps,  you  may  think 
that  the  groat  sin  which  these  boys 
committed,  was  getting  the  cannon 


and  the  powder,  when  they  knew 
their  father  disapproved  of  it.  But 
no,  this  was  not  their  greatest  sin. 
It  was  a  very  great  sin,  but  not  the 
greatest.  The  greatest  was  com- 
mitted while  they  were  standing 
there,  doing  nothing. 

It  was  then  that  their  hearts 
were  in  their  most  sinful  state — 
unfaithfulness,  disobedience,  deceit, 
hyjjocrisy,  were  the  sins  of  the 
heart,  which  they  were  committing, 
while  they  stood  still,  doing  noth- 
ing, sa^ung  nothing,  and  uncon- 
cerned. Thus  you  see  that  all  sina 
really  belong  to  the  heart  alone; 
and  every  child  who  reads  or  hears 
this  will  sec,  if  he  looks  within,  and 
thinks  of  his  past  life,  that  his  heart 
often  has  been,  and  still  is,  sadly 
filled  with  sin. — 


A  MOTHER'S  INFLUENCE. 

^'Why  are  you  so  sad,  Herbert  ?" 
said  Mrs.  Orton,  as  she  laid  her 
hand  caressingly  on  her  son's  head. 

Herbert  Orton  looked  up  into  his 
mother's  face,  and  a  painful  smile 
broke  over  his  fine  countenance. 
He  replied, 

"It  is  enough  to  make  me  look 
sad,  when  I  think  of  ray  present 
condition  and  future  prospects." 

''Cheer  up,  Herbert,  better  days 
will  come  by-and-by.  There  is  a 
bright  side  as  well  as  a  dark  side  to 
look  upon." 

''Yes,"  returned  Herbert,  clasp- 
ing her  hand  in  his,  "I  am  glad,  for 
your  sake,  that  you  find  a  bright 
side.  When  I  think  of  the  time  and 
money  expended  to  qualify  mo  for 


A  MOTHEE'S  IXFLIJEXCE. 


211 


a  physician,  and  now  see  others 
around  me  pressed  with  business 
in  the  profession,  while  I  sit  here 
idle,  I  cannot  help  feeling  low  spir- 
ited.— I  wish  I  had,  at  father's 
death,  abandoned  my  studies,  and 
sought  some  other  pursuit  which 
would  have  aiiorded  us  a  comforta- 
ble maintenance,  for  six  months  I 
hare  been  here  waiting  for  prac- 
tice, and  have  waited  in  vain,  till  I 
have  become  heart-sick.'^ 

Tears  slathered  in  his  mother^s 
eyes,  but  striving  to  appear  cheerful, 
she  said, 

"Do  not  be  discouraged.  It  is 
true  you  have  been  unsuccessful 
thus  far,  but  I  do  not  believe  it  will 
always  be  so.  You  have  talents  to 
make  your  way  in  your  profession, 
whenever  you  have  an  opportunity 
to  show  it,  and  that  often  comes 
when  we  least  expect  it." 

"But  I  cannot  wait  much  longer. 
The  little  money  I  had  left,  on  the 
completion  of  my  studies,  is  nearly 
gone  J  and  I  must  seek  some  em- 
ployment that  will  relieve  you  from 
the  necessity  of  toiling  early  and 
late  with  your  needle,  as  you  are 
compelled  to  now,"  said  the  young 
physician  moodily. 

The  tearful  eye  and  quivering  lip 
of  Mrs.  Ortontold  how  deeply  she 
felt  for  Herbert's  disappointment. 

"Do  not  despair  quite  3-et,  Her- 
bert," she  said,  endeavoring  to 
arouse  his  drooping  s^^irits;  "I  can- 
not bear  to  think  of  your  abandon- 
ing your  profession,  now  that  you 
liave  been  so  long  qualifying  your- 
self for  it.  Your  father,  on  his 
death-bed,  desired  you  to  go  on  with 
your  studies,  and  told  you  not  to 
be  discouraged  if  at  fii'st  you   did 


not  meet  with  success,  as  that  was 
an  ordeal  which  nearly  every  young 
physician  was  compelled  to  endure. 
— Keep  up  a  good  heart  a  little 
longer,  and  I'm  sure  all  will  go  well 
with  you  in  time." 

She  had  hardly  ceased  speaking 
when  a  loud'  knock  was  heard  at 
the  door,  which  was  quickly  open-* 
ed,  and  a  boy  announced  that  "Doc- 
tor Orton  was  wanted  down  at  !Mr. 
Grayson's  immediately."  Herbert 
was  soon  on  the  road,  and  his  moth- 
er, in  a  state  of  pleasant  excitement, 
sat  down  at  her  little  work-table 
till  his  return. 

It  was  the  first  time  that  Her- 
bert had  received  a  call  for  profess- 
ional services  since  his  modest  little 
sign,  "Herbert  Orton,  Physician 
and  Surgeon,"  in  gilt  letters,  was 
hung  out  to  the  view  of  the  good 
people  of  the  village,  many  months 
ago.  There  were  two  older  phy- 
sicians in  the  place,  who,  as  usual 
in  such  times,  bui'ied  their  mutual 
jealousies,  and  united  to  drive  out 
the  young  interloper,  as  they  term- 
ed Herbert ;  and  they  would  have 
succeeded  but  for  his  mother,  who 
strove  constantly  to  drive  despon- 
dency from  his  heart. 

After  an  absence  of  several  hours, 
Herbert  returned,  his  step  lighter, 
and  his  spirits  more  buoyant  than 
they  had  been  for  months  previous. 

"Mother,  you  have  made  my  for- 
tune," he  said,  kissing  her.  "But 
for  your  words  of  encouragement  I 
should  have  given  up  and  left  the 
field  ;  now  I  have  no  fears  for  the 
future.  Mr.  Gi*ayson  sent  for  me 
to  attend  his  little  grandson,  who 
had  been  kicked  by  a  horse,  and 
1  who,  on  my  arrival,   was  suj^posed 


2i: 


SOLEMNIZING  MAREIAGES. 


tobe  dying.      Dr.   Smith   and    Dr.jof  a  mother's  earnest  love   and  pa- 
Lcc  had  been  immediately  Bummon-  tient  hope  'i — Independent. 
ed,  and  both  declared  their  inability 


to  do  anything  for  his  relief,  and 
gave  it  as  their  opinion  that  noth- 
ing could  bo  done  for  him.  Upon 
an  examination,  I   found   the   only 


SOLEMNIZING  MARRIAGES. 

(Being    frequently    asked    for  a 
form  of  solemnizing  marriages,  and 


chance  of  saving  his  life  was  b}'' having  quite  recently  to  answer 
}>erforniing  a  difficult  and  hazard- 'such  a  request,  wo  give  the  follow- 
ous  operation. — Fortunately  I  had,  ing  extract  from    our    reply,  in  the 


hope  parti}'-  of  saving  ourselves  a 
little  trouble  of  transcribing  so  of- 
ten, and  partl}^  of  eliciting  from 
our  elder  brethren  a  better  and 
improved  form.) 

Extract  of  a  letter  to  a  brother. 

Concerning:  the   Brethren's   form 

con- 


of  solemnizing 


marriages,  I 


when  studying  with  Dr.  Benson, 
assisted  in  a  similar  case.  With 
the  consent  of  Mr.  Grayson,  I  un- 
dertook the  task,  and  succeeded  be- 
yond my  hopes.  Dr.  Smith  was 
unwillingly  compelled  to  acknowl- 
edge my   skill    in    its  performance. 

Nothing  but  care  and  time   is  re- 
quired to  make  the   little   fellow   as  jfess  that  I  could  not  give  it  to    you 
Avell  as  before,  with  the   exception 
of  a  slight  lameness.'* 

Tears  stood  in  the  mother's  eyes 
before  Herbert  had  concluded — 
tears  of  thankfulness  that  she  had 
checi-cd  and  sustained  his  despond- 
ing spirits  when  his  prospects  seem- 
ed darkest. 

It  was  indeed  as  Herbert  had  said 
— ^'his  fortune  was  made."  The 
fame  of  his  skill  and  the  rapid  re- 
covery of  the  little  sufferer  were  in 
t'verybody's    mouth.        This,    w 


precisely,  neither  am  I  aware  of  a 
written  form  of  the  Brethren  being 
extant.  I  will  try  however  to  give 
you  a  sketch,  how  I  most  generally 
do  in  this  case.  When  all  the  par- 
ties and  friends  are  collected,  I  be- 
gin speaking  a  Itttle  (more  or  less) 
on  the  importance  and  solemnity  of 
the  occasion,  and  reading  some 
passage  of  scripture,  such  as  Eph. 
5  :  22 — 33,  commenting  thereon. 

Then  I  rise  and  request  the  bride 

,  and  bridcirroom  to    rise    also,    and 

j  if  they  have  not  handed  in   the   cer- 
iheaid  of  Mr.   Grayson,  who   was  i ^.^^^^^  ^^^^^^^   j  ,^^^    ^^^.    j^    ^^^^ 

one  of  the  most  influential  men  ^^.^^^^i^^y^ui^^x^^^^i^  ^j,y  person 
the  village,  introduced  Herbert  into  I  p^,^g^j^^J^.^^  1^.^^  ^^^  j^.^^l  objoc- 
notice,  and  he  soon  acquired  an  ex- 1  ^-^^^  ^^,^^^,  ^j^jg  ^^^  ^^^  ^j^ja  Ionian 
tensive  practice.  should  not  be  joined  together  in  the 

Years  now  have  passed  since  |  holy  state  of  matrimony  according 
Herbert  had  his  firet  case,  and  du-  to  the  law  of  the  land  and  accord- 
ring  this  time  fortune  has  favored  j  ing  to  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,' 
liim;  but  ho  always  attributes  his  |  let  it  now  publicly  be  declared,  or 
success  to  his  mother,  whose  affec-j  for  ever  alter  let  them  hold  their 
tion  encouraged  and  sustained  him  jpeace."  Then,  after  a  proper  pause 
in  adversity,  when  friends  were  i  when  all  remain  silent,  1  proceed 
few.     Who  can  estimate   the   value 'as  follows  : 


COERESPÜXDENCE. 


213 


''An  d  since  there  seems  to  be 
no  impediment,  I  ask  in  the  first 
place,  (turning  to  the  bridegroom,) 
Do  you  (name)  in  the  presence  of 
God  and  these  witnesses,  agree  to 
take  (name  of  the  bride,)  whom 
you  hold  by  the  right  hand,  to  be 
your  lawful,  wedded  wife ;  do  you 
promise  to  love  her,  to  keep  her  in 
sickness  and  in  health,  in  prosperity 
and  adversity,  as  a  faithful  husband 
is  bound  to  do,  and  forsaking  all 
others,  to  cleave  to  her  alone,  and 
not  to  part  from  her,  until  it  pleases 
God  to  part  you  by  death  ? — Is  this 
the  firm  resolution  of  your  heart  V 
(Answer :  yes.) 

Then  I  turn  to  the  bride,  and 
say,  Do  you  (her  name)  in  the  pres- 
ence of  God  and  these  witnesses, 
agree  to  take  (name  of  bridegroom) 
whom  you  hold  by  the  right  hand, 
to  be  your  lawful,  wedded  husband; 
do  you  promise  to  love  him,  and 
honor  him,  to  assist  and  stand  by 
him  in  sickness  and  in  health,  in 
prosperity  and  adversity,  as  a  faith- 
ful wife  is  bound  to  do ;  and  forsa- 
king all  others  cleave  to  him  alone, 
and  not  to  part  from  him,  until 
it  pleases  God  to  part  you  by  death? 
— Is  this  the  free-  and  firm  resolution 
of  your  heart  ?"     (Answer :  yes.) 

Then  I  lay  my  hand  upon  their 
joined  hands,  and  say:  *<Tho8c 
whom  God  hath  joined  together, 
let  no  man  put  asunder.  Inasmuch 
as  (name  of  bridegroom)  and  (name 
of  bride)  have  given  an?d  pledged 
their  faith  to  each  other  in  holy 
wedlock,  and  have  witnessed  the 
same  before  God  and  this  company, 
therefore,  by  virtue  of  the  author- 
ity vested  in  me,  as  a  Minister  of 
the  gospel,  I  hereby  pronounce 
them  as  Man  and  Wife." 

Then  I  conclude    with  a    prayer. 


CORRESPONDENCE. 

Greencastle,  April  9th.  1860. 
Dear  Brethren,    Editors    of   the 
Gospel  Yisitor : 

^'My  peace  I  leave  with  you,  my 
peace  I  give  unto  you."  John  14  :  27. 

I  will  try  by  the  help  of  God,  and 
with  the  hope  that  I  shall  be  gui- 
ded by  his  holy  Spirit  to  offer  a 
few  thoughts  to  your  readers.  It 
is  Avith  much  weakness  and  imper- 
fection that  I  make  the  attempt, 
and  I  would  not  make  the  attempt, 
were  it  not  that  I  am  encouraged 
by  the  kind  promises  of  God.  He 
has  promised  to  give  might  to  the 
weak,  when  we  undertake  to  do 
his  service  in  the  right  spirit.  He 
has  promised  the  help  of  his  spirit 
to  bring  aH  things  to  our  remem- 
brance that  we  should  do,  if  we 
wish  to  be  happy  for  ever.  He  has 
likewise  taught  us  the  consequence 
of  disobedience,  that  we  may  be 
kept  from  doing  wrong. 

I  always  think  the  time  long  when 
looking  for  the  Gospel  Visitor,  as  I 
want  to  hear  what  the  Spirit  has 
brought  to  the  remembi^nce  of  our 
dear  brethi*en  in  order  that  they 
could  communicate  it  through  that 
medium  to  us.  If  what  is  written 
is  written  according  to  the  Spirit, 
and  then  if  we  read  it  in  a  proper 
spirit,  we  shall  reeeive  consolation, 
and  have  our  fiiith  strengthened. 
It  doei  us  good,  to  know  that  our 
dear  brethren  are  all  led  by  ih» 
same  spirit, — by  that  spirit  which 
will  lead  us  all  on  in  the  nanrow 
way  that  l^ds  to  God. 

We  may  differ  some  little  m  our 
views  of  some  things  in  the  gospel, 
but  we  all  have  the  same^  faith  in 
the  practical  truths  ot  Christianity. 


214 


CORRESPONDENCE. 


Wc  all  believe  in  tho  great  power 
of  God ;  that  ho  will  hold  us  re- 
sponnible  for  our  conduct  j  that  we 
all  sliould  yield  obedience  to  his 
law  by  which  wo  are  to  be  judged 
in  a  coming  day.  Wo  all  believe 
as  has  already  been  observ^od,  in 
tho  same  doctrine  which  has  been 
brouirht  from  heaven  to  redeem  us 
from  that  awful  condition  which 
we  fell  into  by  the  disobedience 
of  our  first  parents.  This  same  doc- 
trine will  bring  consolation  to  the 
soul  if  we  are  faithful,  and  condem- 
nation if  we  disobey  it. 


Wc  have  great  consolation  given 
to  us  in  the  passage  we  have  at 
the  head  of  our  article.  ^^My  peace 
I  leave  with  you,  my  peace  I  give 
unto  you."  Let  not  your  hearts  be 
troubled  neither  let  them  be  afraid." 
These  indeed  are  words  of  consola- 
tion to  all  who  have  humbled  them- 
selves under  the  mighty  hand  of 
God,  and  subjected  ourselves  to  his 
will  as  our  heavenly  Father,  w^ho 
has  ever  been  mindful  of  us,  and 
has  sent  his  kind  Spirit  to  bring  all 
things  to  our  remembrance.  And 
it  has  indeed  reminded  us  of  many 
things — of  death,  &  judgment,  and 
a  never  ending  eternity — it  reminds 
us  that  if  we  die  in  our  sins  we 
must  be  forever  lost.  It  likewise 
teaches  us  by  the  word,  how  we 
should  live  in  this  world,  and  how 
needy  we  are  continually,  and  how 
much  we  need  the  help  of  God,  that 
we  may  live  as  wc  ought.  It  will 
bring  our  feelings  often  to  our  mind, 
where  wc  have  not  perhaps  been  as 
watchful  over  our  children  as  we 
should  have  been,  and  not  so  much 
concerned  about  their  salvation  as 
wc  should  have  been,  and  where  we 
have  suffered  our  minds  to  be  taken 


up  too  much  with  the  vain  k  perish- 
able things  of  this  world.     And  per- 
haps it  sometimes  will  remind  us  of 
a  wrong  we  have  done  in  giving  our 
children  means  to    indulge    in    the 
pride    and    vanity    of   tho    world, 
which  is    an    abomination    in    the 
sight  of  the  Lord.     This  kind  spirit 
will  reprove  us  of  all  such  failings. 
And  it  will  lead  us  to  feel   like   ad- 
monishing our  children  of  the   con- 
sequences of   traveling    the    down- 
ward road  that  leads  to  destruction; 
to   encourage    and    instruct    them, 
and  give  them    to  understand  that 
God  will  hold  them  accountable  for 
doing  wrong.    These  things  through 
the    teaching  of  this  spirit,   have 
been  brought  with  force  to  my  mind. 
How  thankful  we   should    be    to 
the  divine  Giver  of  every  good  and 
perfect  gift,  and  especially    for    the 
law  whereby    we    can   judge    our- 
selves, and  know    how    we    stand 
in  the  sight  of  God.     We   are    com- 
manded to  judge  ourselves  that  we 
be  not  judged.     And  if  we  find  upon 
a  close    examination    of   ourselves, 
that  we  have  not  properly  counted 
the  cost,  or  that    we    have   become 
involved  in  any  sin,  and    apply    to 
the  Savior,  he  will  give    us    pardon 
and  grace  to  set  us  right  again.     If 
we  do   God's    commands,   we   shall 
be  his  children,  and  then    we    shall 
be  related  likewise  to  Christ.      And 
if  we  suffer  for  his    sake,    we    shall 
be  more  like  him,   and    the    neare* 
related  to  him.     It  is  better  for  ui 
to    forsake    all    for    Christ's   sake 
than  for  him  to  forsake    us.    If  w 
have  faith  in  God  and  do    his    wil' 
he  will  never  forsake  us,  but  bleb 
with   peace.    When  the  Savic 


us 


was  here  on  earth,  he  always  d- 
mandcd  their  faith,  and  accordir 
to  their  faith  so  were   the  blessings/ 


OUE  VISIT  TO  YIEGINIA. 


215 


they  received  from  Christ.  Hence 
he  said  on  one  occasion,  "Accord- 
ing to  your  faith,  be  it  unto  you." 
The  woman  who  came  to  Jesus  to 
be  cured,  fell  down  at  his  feet,  and 
Jesus  said  unto  her,  "Daughter,  be 
of  good  comfort:  thy  faith  hath 
made  thee  whole;  go  in  peace.'' 
Now  as  our  Eedeemer  is  so  good  and 
kind  to  us,  we  ought  to  be  careful 
to  do  all  his  commandments  which 
he  has  left  on  record  and  they  are 
many.  And  if  we  follow  the  lead- 
ings of  the  good  Spirit  it  will  lead 
us  to  obey  all  these  commandments, 
Und  it  will  not  deceive  us.  But  if 
we  are  not  careful,  we  may  deceive 
ourselves,  or  we  may  follow  other 
spirits  besides  this  good  Spirit,  for 
there  are  other  spirits,  and  they 
will  lead  us  astray,  and  tell  us  that 
we  need  not  so  strictly  keep  all  the 
commands  of  God. 

But  let  us  remember  that  lasting 
joy  and  peace  can  only  be  found  at 
the  feet  of  Jesus.  "My  peace"  said 
he,  "I  leave  with  you,  my  peace  I 
give  unto  you :  not  as  the  world 
giveth  give  I  unto  you.  Let  not 
your  heart  be  troubled,  neither  let 
it  be  afraid."  If  we  desire  to  enjoy 
a  constant  peace  in  our  souls,  it 
requires  spiritual  food  to  nourish 
that  peace  O  that  life  which  is 
devoted  to  God  is  a  happy  life.  We 
are  poor  creatures,  and  when  we 
would  do  good  evil  is  present  with 
us,  and  if  it  were  not  for  the  mercy 
of  God,  none  of  us  could  be  saved. 
But  God's  plans  and  works  are  all 
wise,  and  he  makes  us  see  our  great 
poverty,  that  we  may  see  the  riches 
of  his  grace. 

"We     are  commanded  to  confess 
our  faults  to  one  another,  and  to 


pray  for  one  another.    It  is  like- 
wise our  duty  to  confess  our  faults 
to  God.    But  we  are  not  as  ready 
as  we  should  be  oftentimes  to  con- 
fess our  faults.      We  are  more  in- 
clined to  be  like  the  man  who  pro- 
claimed all  out  of   doors   that    was 
done  within.    He    forgot    that    he 
was  like  the  sea  which  loses  as  much 
on  the  one  shore  as  it  gains  on    the 
other  side.     He  hid  his  sins  which 
he  should  have  confessed,  and  pub- 
lished   his    good    deeds    which    he 
should  have    concealed.     God    will 
reward  us  for  all  the    good    we    do. 
He  says,  he  that  gives  to  the  poor 
lends  to  the  Lord.      If   we    make 
our  good    deeds    known,    that    we 
may  be  seen  of  men,  we  then  shall 
have  no  reward  of  the   Lord.      We 
are  not  to  let  the   left    hand    know 
what  the  right  hand  does.      We  are 
to  seek  our  reward  in  heaven.      He 
that  sees  in  secret,   will  reward  us 
openly.    We  should    not   seek    the 
honor  of  man.     The    earth    is    the 
Lord's  and  the  fulness  thereof,  and 
all  we  have  we  have  received  of  the 
Lord,  and  he  has  lent  it  to  us  for  a 
season.     We  come  into   this    world 
to  die,  and  we  die  to  live.      And    it 
should  be  our  object  while  here,   to 
do  all  the  good  we    can.      I    have 
tried  to  cast  in  a  widow's  mite  into 
the  treasury  of  the  Lord,  and  what 
I  have  written,  I  have  tried  to  ap- 
ply   to    myself,  and  if  others  can 
make  any  useful  application  of  it, 
my  object  is  obtained. 
Your  affectionate  sister  in  the  Lord, 

E.    S. 


ODTR  VISIT  TO  VIEOINIA.  < 

On  the  first  of  May  we  left  home 
for  the  Annual  Meeting  in   Tennes- 
Having  been  frequently-  re- 


see. 


21G 


OUR  VISIT  TO  VIRGINIA. 


qncstod  by  the  brcthreii  in  the.  Val-ihei*e  was  not  large,  but  the  atten- 
ley  of  Virginia  to  visit  tbo  churches,  tion  was  good.  Here  brother  and 
there,  and  that  request  being  now  j  sister  Neff  met  us  and  conveyed  us 
urged  with  peculiar  ibrcc  upon  the,  to  their  hospitable  home  in  the 
contiideration  tliat  it  would  suit  .evening,  and  on  the  following- morn- 
very  well  to  visit  them  on  our  way  ling  br.  NefF conveyed  us  to  the  Flat 
to  Tennessee,  wo  consented  to  com-  Rock  meeting  house.  Ilcre  we  met  a 


ply  with  the  request    if   the    Lord 
would  permit  us  to  do  so.     Conse- 
quently, we  directed  our   course  to 
Harper's  Ferry,  where  the  Shenan- 
doah river  unites   with   the   Poto- 
mac, and  hero   entered  the    Valley 
of  Virginia.       By    the    Winchester 
and  Potomac  Railway,   we  went  to 
"Winchester,    which     is  thirty   two 
miles    from   Harper's   Ferr^-.      We 
then  went  to  Strasburg,  a  distance 
of  eighteen    miles    by    stage.     We 
were  now  in  the  vicinity   of   breth- 
ren, and  were  taken  on    the    morn- 
ing of  the  4th.  to  br.  Stouffer's  some 
three  miles  from  Strasburg.  Though 
no  appointment  had  been   made   for 
meeting  here    before    we    arrived, 
yet  as  br.  Stouffer's  wife   was  very 
much  afflicted,  a   meeting   was    de- 
fcired,    and    a    few    neighbors    and 
fi'iends  being  called  together  in   the 
evening,  we  had  a  pleasant  waiting 
upon  the  Lord.     The  next  morning 
br.   Stouffer    conveyed   me    to    br. 
George  Shaeffer's.     Here  on  Lord's 
day,  the  6th..,  we  had  two  meetings. 
The  attendance  wjis  very  good,  and 
the  interest  manifes.tod  encouraging. 
We  .found    souls   here    out    of   the 
church,    who    ought   to  bo   in    the 
service    of  the    Lord.       They    ac- 
knowledged it,  and  we  hope  to  hear 
of  them  confessing  the   Savior.     On 
Monday  morning  br.   Shaeffer,  ac-i 


very  large  congregation,  which  gave 
good  attention  to  the  word   spoken. 
From  this  meeting  br.  Early   con- 
veyed us  to  his  house,    an4  on    tho 
next  day  we  had  a  meeting    in    tho 
neighborhood  of  Xew  Market.     Wo 
addressed  a    large,   attentive,    and 
apparently,  an  interested   congrega- 
tion.    From  this  point,  br.   Samuel 
Kline  conveyed  us  to  his  home,  near 
Linvell's  Creek   meeting  house,  in. 
Rockingham  Co.     It  is  in  this   con- 
gregation that  our  well  known,  and 
beloved  brother,  John  Kline  resides. 
On  the  10th.  our  appointment   was 
at   this    place,    and    although    the 
morning  was  wet,  the  congregation 
WAS     quite     large,    and  we    had  a 
pleasant  waiting    upon    the    Lord. 
There    seemed      to    be    something 
more  than  a  mere  hearing  given  to 
the  word    spoken.     Our    next    ap- 
pointjnent    was    at    Green    Mount 
meeting  house.     And   although  the 
morning  was  very    wet,    we    had  a 
very    good     congregation,      which 
gave  very  good    attention    to    the 
message  of  mercy  which   we   tried 
to  deliver.     We  stopped   here   with 
br.  Jacob    Miller,    who,    the    next 
morning  conveyed   U5  to  Hamson- 
burg,  the  county   seat    of  Rocking- 
ham county.     Hore  we  had  an   ap- 
pointment in  the    Southern    Meth- 
odists' church.     Wo    met    a    largo, 


companied  by  several    members    ofp"^^^^"^»   and  interesting  congra- 
hisfamily,convey^mo  to  Union  k^^^^°'^"^^^"^^    comforted    whila 


wo 


^                 ,  .  »      1  ,              I  •■  -    waited    upon    tho    Lord.     We 

Fori^e  at  which  place  wo    had    an  I,.      ,      -n    nr       wr    4.                      r> 

^                    ^  dined  with  Mr.    Wartman    one    of 

appointment.       Tho  congregation ' tho  oditor.s  of  tho  Rockingham   Re- 


OUE  VISIT  TO  VIRGINIA. 


217 


gister,  who  with  his  lady,  received 
us  very  courteously,  and  entertain- 
ed us  very  hospitably. 

On  Sunday  the  13th.  our  appoint- 
ment was  at  the  place  known,  as 
the  ^'old  meeting  house."  It  is  in 
the  congregation  where  lived  and 
labored  for  many  years,  br.  Daniel 
Garber,  "whose  praise  is  in  the  gos- 
pel throughout  all  the  churches/' 
And  although  his  stately  form  is  no 
more  seen,  nor  his  powerful  voice 
heard  in  expounding  the  divine  or- 
acles, in  the  "old  meeting  house," 
there  are  others  that  have  taken 
his  pkce,  and  there  is  a  large  and 
flourisihing  church  which  meets 
there  to  worship  "the  God  of  our 
fathers." 

Br.  John  "Wine  conveyed  us  from 
this  place  to  the  Beaver  Creek 
congregation,  the  church  in  which 
he  resides  and  labors.  "We  enjoyed 
the  hospitality  of  Jiis  kind  family, 
spending  Sunday  night  with  them. 
On  Monday  we  had  an  appoint- 
ment in  the  Beaver  Creek  meeting 
house.  We  had  here  a  large  con- 
gregation and  a  pleasant  meeting. 
This  is  the  place  fixed  upon  for  the 
Annual  Meeting  in  1861.  There  is 
a  large  and  flourishing  congrega- 
tion here,  containing  a  considerable 
number  of  young  members.  Ac- 
cording to  the  arrangements  made 
for  our  conveyance,  br.  Wine  was 
to  take  us  in  his  carriage  to  the 
point  where  we  should  take  the 
cars  for  the  Annual  Meeting.  From 
his  place  we  went  into  the  congre- 
gation in  Augusta  Co.  Here  there 
was  a  communion  meeting  on  the 
15th.  We  had  a  very  pleasant 
time  throughout  the  meeting.  Al- 
though there  were  many  persons 
present,  there  was  excellent  order, 


'  and  a  very  good  feeling  was  mani- 
fested in  the  congregation.  Such 
seasons  are  antepasts  of  the  great 
communion  in  heaven. 

"Where  the  saints  of  all    ages    in 

harmony    meet, 
Their  Savior  and  brethren,  trans- 
ported to  greet ; 
While  the  anthems  of  rapture  un- 
ceasingly roll, 
And  the  smile  of  the  Lord  is    the 

feast  of  the  soul." 
The  next  day  we  had  a  meeting 
in  the  same  congregation,  though 
not  in  the  same  meeting  house. 
We  had  a  comfortable  time  togeth- 
er, and  our  feelings  upon  separating 
from  one  another,  were  ofthat  ten- 
der character  which  seemed  to  in- 
dicate the  prevalence  of  christian 
love  among  us. 

,  After  the  meeting  on  the  16th. 
we  w^ent  with  our  friend  Jacob 
Stouffer  to  his  house,  and  lodged 
with  him  that  night.  We  were  all 
very  kindly  entertained  by  him. 
His  wife  is  a  sister,  and  he  is  not 
without  a  knowledge  of  duty,  and 
serious  impressions.  We  know  he 
would  be  a  happier  man  if  he  enjoy- 
ed that  peace  of  mind  which  a  soul 
does,  that  truly  loves  the  Lord. 
We  hope  he  will  not  lose  the  bless- 
ing of  life  provided  and  offered  by 
Christ.  We  left  here  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  17th.  for  Eockbridgo 
county,  and  arrived  at  our  friend 
Daniel  Yount's  on  the  evening  of 
the  same  day.  We  had  meeting 
the  next  day  in  a  baptist  meeting 
house.  The  congregation  here 
was  not  very  large,  but  there  was 
good  attention,  and  a  good  feeling 
manifested.  We  felt  for  friend 
Yount  and  his  family,  and  hope 
from  indications  given,  that  he  and 


218 


OUR  VISIT  TO  VIRGINIA. 


others  will  not  be  long  ont  of  the 
kingdom  of  Christ.  After  oui-  meet- 
ing, wo  pursued  our  journey,  and 
arrived  in  the  evening  at  the  Nat- 
ural Bridge.  The  next  morning 
wo  examined  this  justly  celebrated 
natural  curiosity.  We  were  much 
gratified  with  the  view  of  this  pro- 
duction of  nature.  The  grandeur 
of  the  scene  exceeded  our  expecta- 
tion. ^'Great  and  marvellous  are 
thy  works,  Lord  God  Almighty." 

Our  next  appointment  was  in 
Bodetourt  county,  and  we  jtrrived 
at  br.  Peter  Nininger's  on  Saturday 
evening  the  19th.  In  the  meeting 
liousc  here,  we  had  two  meetings 
on  Sunday,  and  one  on  Monday 
morning.  These  meetings  were  all 
well  attended,  and  we  had  a  very 
pleasant  time  together.  The  atten- 
tion given  to  the  preaching  was 
very  good,  and  a  good  degree  of 
seriousness  was  manifested.  After 
the  meeting  in  the  morning,  we 
went  into  that  part  of  the  same 
congregation  which  lies  around 
Bonsacks  station  and  where  br. 
Benjamin  Moomaw  lives.  He  con- 
veyed us  home  with  him,  and  in 
his  family  we  were  very  kindly  en- 
tertained. The  brethren  here  have 
a  meeting  house  in  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  the  station.  Here  we 
had  three  meetings,  one  on  Monday 
afternoon,  and  two  on  Tuesday. 
Here  as  in  the  other  part  of  the  con- 
gregation, the  attendance  was  good, 
and  the  word  preached  was  listened 
to  with  much  apparent  interest. 
Wo  found  several  jxirsons  among 
our  hearers  at  these  meetings,  in- 
terested  upon  the  subject  of  salva- 
tion, who  have  not  yet  received 
Christ.  But  we  hope  they  will 
without  delay  receive  him,  and  ex- 


perience the  blessed  effects  of  such 
a  reception.  "As  many  as  received 
him,  to  them  gave  he  power  to 
become  the  sons  of  God,  even  to 
them  that  believe  on  his  name." 
''And  if  children,  then  heirs:  heirs 
of  God,  and  joint-heirs  with  Christ; 
if  so  be  that  we  suffer  with  him, 
that  we  may  be  also  glorified  to- 
gether." These  are  precious  ti-uths, 
and  we  hope  our  seriously  disposed 
friends,  alluded  to  above,  will  real- 
ize their  preciousness.  After  the 
meeting  on  Tuesday  night  we  went 
homo  with  br.  Plain  and  lodged 
with  him.  From  this  kind  family 
we  parted  in  the  morning,  and  took 
the  cars  on  the  Virginia  and  Ten- 
nessee Rail  Road  for  the  Annual 
Meeting. 

Thus  ended  our  labors  in  the  Val- 
ley of  Virginia,  We  experienced 
a  very  pleasant  visit  to  the  church- 
es here.  An  increased  acquaint- 
ance with  the  brethren  in  those 
churches,  has  increased  our  chris- 
tian love  to  them.  Peace  and  har- 
mony seemed  to  prevail,  and  the 
churches  generally  appeared  to  be 
in  a  prosperous  condition.  Several 
of  them  have,  in  the  past  year,  ex- 
perienced times  of  refreshing  from 
the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  many 
have  been  added  to  them.  We 
were  pleased  to  find  a  considerable 
number  of  young  persons  in  some 
of  the  churches.  This  is  where 
our  youth  should  be,  consecrating 
their  best  da^'s  and  best  energies 
to  the  noble  cause  of  Christianity* 
Our  youth  should  bo  looked  after 
and  cared  for.  So  far  as  human 
agency  is  needed  to  advance  the 
Redeemer's  kingdom,  our  youth 
are  the  hope  of  the  church,  and  they 
should  be  religiously,  intellectually; 


THE  ANNUAL  MEETING  OF  1860. 


219 


and  physically  educated,  in  order]  that  it  might  be  difficult  to  travel 
that  they  may  be  prepared  for  the  j  through  the  Southern  states  with- 
greatest  possible  usefulness.  TTe  out  annoyance.  Again,  the  meeting 
^ere  pleased  to  find  that  in  places! being  held  in  the  neighborhood 
iu  the  country  through  which  we  i  where  a  difficulty  had  occuiTed  ^vith 
traveled,  our  brethren  occupy  a  one  of  our  brethren,  growing  out 
position  which  gives  them  consider-  of  some  remarks  made  by  him 
able  influence.     May  all  the  influ-  touching  slavery,  it  was  feared  that 


ence  which  they  possess,  be  exerted 
to  spread  the  great  principles  of 
a  divine  Christianity,  the  only   rem 


this  circumstance   might   have    an 
unfavorable  bearing  upon  the  meet- 
ing.    As  things  turned   out  howev- 
edy  for  a  soiTOwing  and  perishing  I  er,  we  were  happy  to  ascertain  that 
world.     Ma  V  the    Lord    make    and  I  there  was  no  occasion  for  such  fears. 


keep  us  holy  and  faithful,  and  in  the 
day  of  his  coming  own  us  and 
crown  us,  and  the  glory  shall  be 
his. 

J.     Q. 


THE  ANNUAL  MEETING  OF  1860. 

Our  late  Annual  Meeting  in  Ten- 
nessee, as  was  feared  and  anticipa- 
ted would  be  the  case,    was    not   as 


No  annoyance  was  experienced 
by  any  of  the  brethren,  and  the 
Meeting  passed  off  in  a  very  pleas- 
ant manner  indeed. 

Although,  as  already  observed, 
the  delegation  was  not  large,  yet 
we  truly  had  a  feast  of  fat  things 
together,  and  were  much  favored 
and  honored  with  the  presence  of 
the  great  Head  of  the  church  in 
our  midst,  who   exerted   such   a  di- 


well  attended  by    the    members    ofj^ine  influence  among  us   and    over 

us,  as  led  us  to  feel  that  it  was  good 
to  be  there. 

The  accommodations  for  the 
Meeting  were  aU  that  could  reason- 
ably be  expected,  and  were  such  as 
answered  the  purpose  very  well. 
The  beloved  brethren  upon  whom 
the  labor  devolved  of  making  the 
necessary  arrangements  for  the 
and    of     accommo  dating 


the  different  churches  forming  the 
brotherhood,  as  such  meetings  usu- 
ally are.  There  were  comparatively 
but  few  churches  represented.  There 
were  no  delegates  at  all  from  Penn- 
sylvania and  New  J  ersey,  while  the 
number  from  all  the  Northern 
states  was  very  small.  Various 
causes,  no  doubt,  had  their  influ- ^ 
ence  in  preventing  a  more  general  j^^^^^^S 
representation      of     our    churches.' ^^^^  ^^^^^^^^ 


from  a    distance,    did 

The  meeting  being  at  the   extreme  ^^^^^^^^^^^  P^^f  ^^^  '^i'^l!!^'*!''  T^. 
end  of  the    brotherhood,    and   thus 
making  the  distance  to   be  traveled 


to  reach  it  considerable,  was  no 
doubt  one  cause  why  there  were 
not  more  delegates  from  the  north- 
em  states.  And  then  the  excited 
state  of  feeling  known  to  exist  in 
the  South  in  consequence  of  the 
unfortunate  occurrence  at  Harper's 
Perry  last  fall,  led  ßome  to    think 


necessities,  and  to  make  us  feel 
that  we  were  at  home  among  them. 
Although  we  did  feel  before  we 
left  home  that  we  would  have  pre- 
ferred to  have  had  the  meeting, 
more  within  the  bounds  of  the 
brotherhood,  yet  when  we  got 
among  our  brethren  in  Tennessee, 
and  became  a  little  acquainted  with 
their  circumstances,  we  felt  glad 
that  the  Meeting  had  been  appoint- 


220 


THE  A^^XUAL  MEETING  OF  1860. 


c4ju'^t  there.  There  may  he  oh- 
joctioiiB  to  having  such  meotings 
at  the  extreme  end  of  the  brother- 
hood, but  there  are  likewise  con- 
Hiderationö  in  fiivorof  having  them 
in  8uch  localities.  Brethren  who 
live  in  the  extreme  parts  of  the 
brotherhood,  and  who  have  not  bo 
much  intercourse  with  the  body  of 
the  church,  have  not  the  opportu- 
nities that  it  is  desirable  they  should 
have,  of  becoming  acquainted  with 
the  brethren  and  their  manners, 
ofdiH'ereut  localities.  When  we 
are  brought  together  from  different 
points,  with  customs  and  habits 
slightly  different,  the  occasion  af- 
fords us  an  opportunity  for  the  ex- 
ercise of  patience,  forbearance,  and 
love,  and  if  we  are  willing  to  learn 
and  anxious  to  improve,  we  may 
exert  a  happy  influence  over  one 
another.  And  as  the  following  is 
an  apostolic  precept,  if  it  is  practi- 
cally observed,  we  may  learn  from 
all:  <'In  lowliness  of  mind  let  each 
esteem  others  better  than  them- 
selves." Again,  such  general  gath- 
erings of  the  church,  bring  together 
the  different  talents  and  the  vari- 
ous gifts  possessed  by  the  church, 
and  consequently  they  afford  it  a 
better  opportunity  of  having  itself 
properly  understood  by  the  world. 
And  itis  very  desirable  that  the  true 
character  of  the  church«  should  be 
understood  by  the  world. 

Great  unanimity  and  harmony 
seemed  to  prevail  in  the  meeting. 
And  although  there  was  not  as 
much  business  before  the  council 
as  there  sometimes  has  been,  there 
were  some  important  subjects  be- 
fore the  meeting.  And  wc  hope 
that  the  manner  in  which  the  busi- 
ness was  disponed  of,  will  be  satis- 
factory to  the  brotherhood.     Know- 


ing, as  we  do,  the  deep  interest  that 
many  of  our  brethren  feel  in  the 
more  general  spread  of  the  "gospel, 
we  think  it  probable  that  some  may 
feel  somewhat  disappointed,  that 
nothing  more  decided  was  done  by 
the  meeting  in  relation  to  that  sub- 
ject. AVe  say  for  the  encourage- 
ment of  the  friends  of  this  measure, 
that  it  is  gaining  favor  with  the 
brethren.  And  we  think  we  are 
warranted  in  saying  that  it  has  a 
strong  hold  upon  their  feelings. 
There  was  scarcely  any  opposition 
manifested  to  the  report  presented 
by  the  committee  appointed  to  re- 
port upon  the  subject.  And  we 
think  the  meeting  might  have  been 
brought  to  adopt  the  report,  but 
as  the  churches  were  not  generally 
represented,  some  desired  to  have 
the  subject  postponed  a  little  while, 
and  the  friends  of  the  measure 
thought  it  best  not  to  urge  the 
adoption  of  it.  AVe  perhaps  feel 
as  much  interested  in  this  matter 
as  the  brethren  in  general  do,  and 
we  must  say,  and  we  say  it  with 
gratitude  in  our  heart  to  God,  and 
for  the  encouragement  of  brethren 
who  sympathize  with  us  in  our 
views,  that  we  are  much  comforted 
and  gratified  with  the  apparent 
growth  of  a  healthy  feeling  among 
the  brethren,  upon  the  missionary 
cause,  or  the  work  of  evangelism. 
The  brethren  will  do  right.  Let  us 
have  confidence  in  them  and  in  God, 
and  every  gospel  measure  will  go 
forward,  and  ultimately  triumph. 
j  In  the  meanwhile,  let  us  avail  our- 
selves of  the  liberty,  the  brethren 
have  granted,  and  be  up  and  a  do- 
I  ing  "whatsoever  our  hands  find  to 
I  do,  with  all  our  might." 

There  was  more  public  preaching 
than  us    U  at    this    mooting.     And 


THE  CALIFOENIA  &  OEEGOIS"  3IISSI0X. 


221 


with  this  arrangement  vre  were 
pleased,  as  we  have  often  felt  that 
much  time  was  wasted  on  such  oc- 
casions, and  vet  we  saw  the  difficul- 
ty in  having  things  arranged  differ- 
ently. We  had  two  protracted 
services  on  Saturday  and  on  Sun- 
day, and  one  on  !Monday.  And  the 
effects  of  the  preaching  were  very 
apparent.  There  were  interest  and 
feelins:  manifested  throucrhout  the 
meeting.  And  on  Tuesday  even- 
ing when  the  meeting  closed,  the 
feeling  was  deep  and  general. 
>Iany  souls  felt  like  turning  to  the 
1/ord.  And  we  indulge  the  pleas- 
ing hope  that  many  of  them  have 
sought  and  found  Christ  precious. 
There  were  some  baptized  during 
the  meeting,  and  we  learned  that 
there  were  some  baptized  on  Wed- 
nesday, the  day  after  the  meeting 
closed.  We  left  immediately  after 
the  meeting  closed  to  fill  an  ap- 
pointment    in    Jonesborough    the 


Our  thoughts  often  revert  to  the 
scene  of  our  meeting  since  we 
left.  We  think  of  our  dear  brcth  - 
ren  and  sisters  far  off  in  Tennessee, 
and  our  christian  love  is  awakened 
afresh  towards  them.  May  heav- 
en's blessings  rest  upon  them,  and 
may  peace  and  love  dwell  among 
them.  There  is  a  great  work 
there  for  them  to  do,  and  may  they 
be  prepared  to  accomplish  it.  We 
think  of  the  mourner,  and  we  re- 
member it  is  §aid  "blessed  are  they 
that  mourn,  for  they  shall  be  com- 
forted.^'  Yes,  there  is  comfort  for 
the  soul  that  mourns  for  sin,  and 
balm  in  Giiiad  for  the  wounded 
heart.  Jesus  came  to  save  the  lost 
and  guilty,  and  calls  such  unto 
him. 


j  As  pleasant  as  our  meeting  was, 
I  and  as  refreshing  as  was  the  fellow- 
!  ship  of  kindred  spirits,  the  time  of 
^  our  separation  soon  came,  and  wc 
I  had  to  take  the  parting  hand,  and 
jsay,  ^'Farewell.^'  The  parting 
scene  was  one  of  solemnity  and  ten- 

■  derness.     In  reverting  to  it,  in  wri- 
I  ting  these  lines,   the    peculiar    feel- 
ings then  awakened,    are    renewed. 

:  Well,  we  will  thank  God  that  we 
1  have  this  evidence    of  conversion  : 

■  "We  know  that  we  have  passed 
ifrom  death  unto  life,  because  we 
I  love  the  brethren."  Let  us  not  be 
'  weary  in  well  doing.      The   eternal 

sabbath  will  soon  dawn  upon  us, 
and  disperse  the  clouds,  when  the 
Savior  will  come  and  collect  his 
jewels  together,  ^nd  then  we  shall 
!  not  only  be  with  one  another,  but 
we  shall  ever  be  with  the  Lord. 
,  The  prospect  of  an  eternal  union, 
reconciles  us  to  temporary  separ- 
j  ations :  the  prospect  of  the  enjoy- 
i  ment  of  heaven  after  a  little  while, 
I  reconciles  us  to  our  place  of  duty 
I  on  earth,  however  that  place   may 

■  be  connected  with  trials  and  suA  r- 
lings;  the   prospect  of  having  God 

!  as  our  portion  for  ever,  reconciles 
'  us  to  the  loss   and    want    of   every 


thing  else. 


S.    Q. 


THE  CALIFORNIA  AND   OKEGON 
MISSION. 

The  readers  of  the  Gospel  Yisitor 
will  remember  that  requests  have 
come  from  both  California  and  Or- 
egon for  brethren  to  visit  them, 
to  preach  the  gospel  and  to  organ- 
ize churches.  The  late  Annual 
Meeting  had  the  subject  under  con- 
sideration, and  took  a  favorable 
action  upon  it.    It  will  be  seen    by 


APPOINTMENTS. 


the  minutes,  that  tlie  standing  com- 
mittee is  a  board  of  managers  to 
make  tlie   necessary  arran<rement8 


Gliost  will  make  it  manifest,  who 
are  to  go.  We  feel  confident  we 
arc  expressing  not  only  the   views 


for  two  brethren  to  go    to    the    Pa-|of    every   member    of   the    board, 
cific  Ocean  j  and  also  that  the  meet- 1  but  of  a  much  larger  number  of  our 


ing  advices  the  dilfcrcnt  churches 
throughout  the  brotherhood,  to 
make  colloctions  for  the  procuring 
of  funds  to  defray  the  expenses 
of  the  brethren  who  go.  We  kind- 
ly call  the  attention  of  the  brethren 
to  the  suhjcct,  hoping  that  they 
will  take  an  early  action  upon  it. 
It  is  desirable  that  the  brethren 
who  go,  should  start  as  soon  after 
harvest  us  possible.  As  the  trav- 
eling expenses  will  be  the  same 
whether  they  remain  three  months 
or  six,  we  think  it  would  be  well 
if  the  Lord  spares  their  lives  and 
prospers  their  mission,  and  a  door 
seems  to  bo  opened  for  preaching 
the    gospel,    for    them    to    remain 


some  SIX,  nine,  or 


twelve    months, 
if   circumstances 


or  even  longer, 
Avouldseemto  require  it.  An  im- 
l)ortant  question  now  comes  up 
before  us,  namely,  this ;  who  shall 
go?     This  question  we  should    like 


tk#Lord  to  answer,  and  we  hope 
he  will,  if  we  lay  it  properly  before 
him.  Believing  as  we  do,  that 
there  is  perfect  safety  in  following 
the  precedents  that  are  laid  down 
in  the  practices  of  the  apostolic 
church,  we  would  call  the  attention 
of  our  dear  brethren  to  the  exam- 
ple of  the  apostolic  church  at  Anti- 
och.  It  is  said,  "As  they  minister- 
ed to  the  Lord,  and  fasted,  the  Holy 
Ghost  said.  Separate  me  Barnabas 
and  Saul  for  the  work  whercunto 
I  have  called  them."  Acts  13  :  2. 
Let  us  then,  dear  brethren  and  sis- 
ters, by  prayer  and  fasting,  seek 
the  guidance  of  the  Lord  uj)on  this 
matter.     We  hope    that    the    Holy 


brethren,  when  we  recommend  this 
course.     We  want  the  brotherhood 
in  general  to    take    an   interest    in 
the  matter,  and    give  it  their  sym- 
pathy, tlieir  prayei-s,  and  their  sup- 
port.    And  while  we  should  be  wil- 
ling to  do  our  part  in  any    and    ev- 
ery way    we    can,    and   while    we 
should   hold  all  we   have  subsei'vi- 
ent  to  the  Lord's   disposal,   we   de- 
sire that  he  shall  control  the    whole 
movement.        Brethren     will    you 
think  of  this  matter,  talk  of  it,   and 
pray  over  ?     That  a  proper  feeling 
may  be  awakened   among    us    and 
a  proper  action  prompted,    in  order 
that  the  borders  of   our    Zion   may 
be  enlarged,   her  scattered   citizens 
strengthened    and    comforted,   sin- 
ners   brought    to   a  saving    knowl- 
edge of  the  truth,  and    our    blessed 
Eedeemer  who  travailed  in  soul  for 
the  salvation  of  the  world,  be  great- 
ly honored  and  glorified. 


J. 


APPOINTMENTS. 
There  will  be  Communion-Meetings 

In  IOWA 
at  the  following  time  and  places. 

September 
with  the  brethren  in  Clinton 


CO. 

Cedar  co. 
Linn  co. 
Benton  co. 


2  &,  .3. 
5  A  6. 
8  A  9. 
11  A  12. 


"  "    Illackhftwk  CO,  15  A  IG. 

**  "    Butler  CO.  18  A  19. 

"  "    llardin  CO.  22  A  2.3. 

thence  to  Story  and  Pblk  co's,  time 
and  place  not  determined  yet.  By 
having  this  published  in  the  Visitor, 
we  expect  to  have  the  happiness  to 
enjoy  the  company  of  some  of  the 
Eastern  brethren,  that  we  would 
not  otherwise. 

John  Murray. 


CON  TEIBÜTIQNS.— OBITUAEIES. 


223 


Also  in  Bond  co.  Illinois,  Mul- 
berry Grove  Church  August  4th. 
next.  We  extend  our  invitation  to 
the    brethren    generally,    and    the 


ministering 
Brethren  we 
and  help  us. 


brethren      specially. 
deSii-e   you    to    come 

Daniel  B.  Sturgis. 
"William  Elam. 


^mitributiDUS 


towards  the  Relief  of  br.  S.  Garber. 

Eeported  in  last  May-Xo.  as  re- 
maining in  our  hands  $50,67 
deceived  since  byM.  Beshoar 

from  Juniata  ch,  Pa.       5,00 
"    by  David  Bosserman  from 

Adains  co.  church,  Pa     7,19 
"    by  Daniel    Yount    Eock- 

ingham,  Va.  5,00 


OBITUARIES. 


67,86 
Deduct  for  draft  sent  last  fall         40 

67;46. 
Eeceived  by  the  hands  of  James 
Quinter  these  Sixty-Seven  Dollars 
Forty -Six  Cents  in  full. 

Madison  M.  Bowman. 
Inasmuch  the  debt  is  not  yet 
fully  cancelled,  there  is  still  an  op- 
portunity for  brethren  and  churches 
to  throw  in  their  mites,  and  since 
the  above  was  sent,  we  received 
the  following : 

Prom  br.  David  Summer,   Columbi- 
ana CO.  O.  81,00 

N.  B.  Willbr.  M.  M.  B,  in  Tennessee  please 
state  to  us  forthwith,  how  much  is  lacking  yet, 
K)  fully  relieve  those  responsible  for  br.  Gar- 
ber ?  The  sum  you  stated  a  year  ago  was  One 
hundred  and  forty- four  dollars,  on  which  ac- 
count Tou  have  received  by  us  in  two  payments 
One  hundred  and  Seven  dollars  Forty-six*  Cects, 
and  if  you  received  nothing  from  other  quarters, 
there  would  still  be  wanting  some  Thirty-seven 
dollars.  But  perhaps  there  has  some  interest 
accrued. 

To  our  charitable  brethren  &  churches, whohave 
not  already  done  any  thing  in  this  case,  we  say 
meanwhile,  you  need  not  fear  to  come  too  late 
with  your  contributions  ,•  for  if  one  year  is  not 
enough  to  collect  a  sum,  so  trifling  for  our 
brotherhood,  we  must  try  to  accomplish  it  in 
two  years,  though  we  are  almost  ashamed  to 
say  it.  In  case  there  should  be  a  surplus  sent, 
the  California  and  Oregon  Mission  will  need 
that  surplus. 


Died  in  Yellow  creek  church,  Bedford  co.  Pa. 
April  15,  1860  sister  SUSANNA  MILLER, 
wife  of  brother  David  T.  Miller,  aged  35  years, 
10  months  and  6  days,  leaving  a  sorrowing  hus- 
band and  6  children.  Yet  we  sorrow  not  as 
though  we  had  no  hope,  for  the  sister,  though 
she  had  a  painful  and  protracted  disease,  (con- 
sumption) yet  she  bore  every  thing  with  won- 
derful fortitude  and  christian  resignation. 
Some  time  before  her  death  she  was  upon  her 
request  anointed  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  She 
died  in  the  hope  of  a  glorious  immortality. 
Funeral  services  by  brethren  D.  M.  Holsinger 
and  D.  Snowberger  from  Isaiah  3  :  10,  11. 

A.    H. 

Died  suddenly  with  a  stroke  of  the  palsy  near 
J/ohrsvillo,  Berks  co.  Pa.  February  25,  1860, 
Mother  ANNA  YODER,  wife  of  Jacob  Yoder, 
aged  74  years,  2  months.  Funeral  services  by 
brother  John  Zug  on  Rom.  14:  8. 
-  Died  at  the  same  place  May  9,  with  dropsy 
father  JACOB  YODER,  the  consort  of  the  fore- 
going, aged  78  years  and  27  days.  Funeral 
services  by  the  same  on  Rev.  14 :  13.  These 
parents  leave  behind  2  sons  and  3  daughters, 
two  of  whom  are  members  of  the  chrrch. 

John  Zug. 

Died  in  Painther  Creek  church.  Miami  co. 
0,  March  11.  last  sister  ELIZABETH  ULERY, 
widow  of  Jacob  Ulery,  aged  72  y.  and  26  days. 
Funeral  sermon  by  Eld.  Cadwalader  on  (Luke) 
2:  37,  38. 

Died  in  Cowanshannock  distr.  Armstrong  co. 
Pa.  April  10,  brother  PHILIP  SHOEMAKER, 
the  father  of  our  beloved  fellow-laborer  Joseph 
Shoemaker,  aged  76  years  2  month  and  15  d. 
Funeraltext  1  Thess.  4:  13,  14. 

J.  H.  Goodman. 

Died  near  Springville,  Linn  co.  Iowa  May 
5th  very  sudden  in  a  spasm  SUSAN  MENT- 
ZER,  daughter  of  David  and  Sister  Mentzer, 
aged  16  years,  10  months  and  17  days.  Funer- 
al services  by  Eld.  Watters  and  the  writer  from 
James  4  :  14. 

Thos.  G.  SmrDEB. 

Died  in  Hancock  co.  0.  April  27  ABRAHAM 
LOEHR,  son  of  Jacob  Loehr,  and  nephew  of 
sen.  Editor,  aged  28  years,  4  months  and  9  days. 
Fourteen  years  he  suffered  from  epileptic 
spasms,  which  finally  were  ended  with  his  life. 
Funeraltext  Rev.  14 :  13. 

Died  in  Stark  co.  0.  September  17,  1859,  Sis- 
ter CHRISTINA  MARK  LEY,  wife  of  brother 
George  Markley,  aged  53  years,  2  months  and 
5  days.  Funeral  services  by  Eld.  Joseph  Sho- 
walter. 

Died  in  Squirrel  Creek  Dist,  Miami  co.  Ind. 
January  27th  last  our  much  beloved  sister 
CATHARINE  A.  FLORA,  wife  of  brother  Al- 
exander N.  Flora,  aged  49  years,  9  months  and 
29  days.     Funeral  text  Psalm  116  :  15  by  broth- 


er Samuel  Her  and  other  brethren. 

Died  in  the  South  English  congregation  Keo- 
kuk CO.  Iowa  April  13,  1860  brother  JAMES 
WOLF,  formerly  of  Ohio  about  46  years  of  age. 
He  left  a  widow  and  S  childreu  to  mourn  the 
loss  of  one  who  was  near  and  dear  to  ihem. 


224 


OBITUARIES. 


Died  ftlpo  in  the  sume  conprogation  near 
Southen^rlish  on  tho  Ulli  day  of  Mny  of  inflam- 
mation of  tho  brain  sister  SAKAII  WINE,  wife 
of  brothiT  Solomon  Win«*,  furniorlj  of  Rocking- 
ham CO.  Ya,  aged  ono  day  iackiii;;  of  55  years. 
She  left  n  husband  and  three  children  besides 
two  step  children,  to  mourn  the  loss  of  a  dear 
mother.  Her* funeral  wns  attended  by  a  very 
largo  concourso  of  people. 

Samuel  Flort. 

Piod  ii  Jennings  co.  Ind.  (dato  not  given) 
MARY  CATIIARINK  PILKCK,  wife  of  Willi- 
am U.  Pierce,  n^ed  -SO  years,  2  months  and  8 
days,  leaving  a  husband  and  5  small  children 
to  mourn  their  loss,    but  she  died  in  tho  Lord. 

Also  in  the  same  co.  (date  not  given)  sister 
SATiTA'  PIERCE,  the  mother  of  tho  above 
named  Williain  B.  Pierce,  aged  76  years,  6 
months  and  20  days.  She  was  a  member  of  the 
church  for  more  than  60  years.  Funeral  ser- 
vice« by  brother  Abraham  Moss  on  tho  13th  of 
May. 

Died  in  Sandy  church,  Columbiana  co.  0, 
Maj'  24.  after  a  protracted  illness  of  about  3 
months  (Gastritis)  which  she  bore  with  Christ- 
iin  fortitude,  sister  ANNIE  (or  NANCY) 
COXNELL,  wife  of  brother  Amos  Connell,  aged 
49  vears,  11  months  and  3  days.  She  was  a 
faituful  member  of  the  church  for  nearly  29 
years,  and  left  a  large  family  of  children  to 
mourn  theif  loss,  which  was,  we  hope,  her  great 
gain.  Funeral  services  by  brethren  L.  Glass 
and  D.  Byers  on  Rev.  14 :  13.    . 

Farewell,  döar  husband,  children  too, 
I'm  going  home  and  look   for  you ; 
Walk  in  the  path,  which  I  have  trod, 
It  is  the  path,  which  leads  to  God. 
Come  rest  with  me,  no  more  to  roam 
In  quest  of  joy,  for  heav'u's  our  home, 
But  bear  your  cross  that  you  may  see 
The  power  that  gave  new  life  to  me. 
I  knew  your  beams  of  warmest  love. 
Sure  they  were  made  for  th'  world  above. 
Some  shining  spirits  help  you  rise, 
That  you  may  meet  me  in  the  skies. 
Blcss'd  Je£us  met  me  on  the  road, 
He'll  meet  you  too  in  his  aUode  ; 
Clotho  you  with  vesture  here  nnknowD, 
To  follow  me  up  to  bis  throne. 

For  our  Mother. 

Died  Northeast  of  Ladoga,  Montgomery  co. 
Tod.  May  lOth  la.-t  our  oki  and  moch  esteemed 
brother  SAMUEL  PEFIV,  aged  84  years,  6 
months  and  17  days.  The  old  sister  is  living 
yet,  aad  says,  they  have  kept  house  together  63 
years,  and  havo  been  members  of  our  church  57 
years.  They  emigrated  from  Bodetourt  co.  Va. 
to  this  CO.  in  1835.  The  old  brother  was  a 
faithful  member,  but  had  the  misfortune  of  lo- 
sing his  eyesight  some  6  or  7  years  ago. 
Funoraltoxt  Rev.  14  :  12,  13.  by  brethren  R. 
JI.  Miller  and  M.  Frantz. 

Farewell,  dear  father,  thou  art  gone, 
And  we  are  left  for  thee  to  mourn  ; 
But  still  our  loss  is  thy  great  gain, 
l?or  thou  art  free  from  woe  und  pain. 

Samuel  Uarshoergbr. 


Died  in  Yellow  Creek  church,  Bedford  co. 
Pa.  January  31st  last  MARGARETH  JANE 
GRAYBILL,  aged  1  year,  2  months  and  22 
days  and  May  6th  last  CATHARINE  GRAY- 
BILL,  aged  17  years  and  8  days  ;  both  tho  chil- 
dren of  brother  Levi  and  sister  Margaretb 
Graybill.  • 

Died  in  Macon  co.  Illinois  with  the  soro 
throat  the  following  children  of  Peter  Esbeltcaa, 

1,  ELIZABETH  ESIIELMAN  died  Decem- 
ber 21,  1869,  aged  5  years,  3  month»  and  6  days. 

2,  ABRAHAM  ESHEL.MAN,  December  25 
last,  aged  6  years,  3  months  and  21  days. 

3,  GEORGE  ESHELMAN,  December  29, 
aged  7  years,  4  months  and  6  days.  Thus  tho 
parents  were  bereaved  in  little  more  than  a 
week's  time  of  3  of  theif  children.  Georgy,  a 
little  before  he  died,  told  his  mother,   he  didn't 

I  want  any  more  medicine  ;  ho  was  willing  to  die. 

i  He  told  his  father  and  mother  to  aiog,  and  said, 
"he  saw  the  good  man,  and  his  brother  and  sis- 
ter," and  addressing  his  mother,  said,  "I  wish 
you  could  go  along  with  me,"  and  soon  expired. 

Died  in  Columbiana,  Ohio  Juno  10th  last 
Friend  WILLIAM  NICHOLS,  a  public  member 
of  the  Society  of  Friends,  aud  highly  esteemed 
resident  of  this  place,  aged  about  81  years,  lea- 

I  ving  an  aged  and  highly  respected  widow  and 
family  of  10  children,  43  grandchildren,  aud  8 

{ great  grand  children. 

Died  in  tho  same  neighborhood  in  the  adjoin- 
ing county  of  Mahoning,  Juuo  10,  JONAS 
SiiUTTER,  aged  26  years,  3  months  and  6 
d.,  leaving  a  young  widow,  an  aged  father,  and 
an  only  brother  to  deplore  their  loss.  Funeral 
text :  Luke  12:  39,  40. 

Died  in  tho  same  place,  the  same  day,  and 
nearly  the  same  hour,  the  nearest  neighbor  of 
tho  foregoing,  JOHN  G.  LECHNER,  aged 
about  31  years,  and  leaving  also  a  young  widow 
with  4  small  children.     Funeraltext ;    John  5  : 

28,  29.  These  foregoing  three  funeral  occasions 
occurred  all  in  one  day,  and  it  was  the  first 
time  in  the  ministerial  life  of  the  senior  editor 
[in  more  than  40  years]  that  he  attended  so  ma- 
ny funerals  in  one  day. 

Died  in  this  vicinity  [Mahoning  co.  0.]  some 
time  since,  JACOB  HOFFMAN,  and  quite  late- 
ly STEPHAN  RENTZ,  both  old  teachers  of  a 
little  society,  called  tho  Separatists.  Tho  latte» 
was  over  88  years  old. 

Died  in  Beaver  township,    same  county  June 
,  13th  Mother  K  ECK,  wife  of  Michael  Keck,  aged 
I  60  years,  leaving  a  sorrowful  widower  and  chil- 
dren, to  mourn  their  loss. 

Died  near  Ungerstown,  Wayne  co.  Ind.  May 

29,  brother  JACOB  DILLING,  aged  63  years.  1 
month  and  15  days.  His  lifo  was  exemplary, 
and  we  trust  his  end  was  peace. 

Died  in  the  same  church  Juno  10,  sister 
CATHARINE  ULRICH,  consort  of  brother 
Daniel  Ulrich,  aged  61  years,  11  months,  and  13 
days.  She  was  a  kind  wife,  mother  and  neigh- 
bor, mournod  by  all.  Both  the  foregoing  fu- 
neral occa.xions  wcro  improved  by  tho  brothren 
before  large  multitudes  of  people. 


Mail   Irregularities. 

We  Lave  never  beard  of  so  inaoy  com- 
plaints  from  onr  subscrioers,  than  Ibis 
winter,  A^ain  and  again  we  have  been 
called  upon  to  supply  missing  >io's,  that 
with  doing  so  and  also  furnishing  back 
No's  to  lately  coming  in  subscribers,  our 
edition  of  the  three  first  No's  is  entirely 
exhausted,  even  imperfect  Copies,  which 
were  not  to  be  sent  out  ordinarily,  we 
had  to  send,  knowing  that  those,  whose 
No.  was  lost,  would  rather  have  a  poor 
one  than  none  at  all.  We  are  sorry,  un- 
der these  circumstances  to  be  unable  to 
supply  the  first  four  Numbers  of  the 
present  volume  any  more,  and  therefore 
propose  to  new  subscribers  to  send  us 
hereafter  only  Sixty  Cents  Ihe  single 
copy  for  the  balance  of  the  year  from 
May  to  December,  both  inclusive,  or 
Five  Dollars  for  ten  copies  for  the  same 
time. 

Expecting  ournext  yearly  meeting  to 
bean  important  one,  and  that  many  of 
our  brethren  would  like  to  know  all 
about  it,  we  will  enlarge  the  edition  of 
the  Visitor  sufficiently  to  meet  the  in- 
creased demand.  Of  courst  the  Min- 
tites  will  be  charged  extra  as  hereto- 
fore. 


THE  CANCER  CURED, 

DR,  LEBBEUS  B^GELOW 
lite  of  Adamsburg,  Pa.  was  very  suc- 
cessful in  treating  cancers.  Before  bis 
death  he  comrnunigated  to  the  under 
signed  bis  mode  of  treatment,  and  they 
are  now  practicing  it  with  success. 
They  therefore  invite  those  afBicted 
with  cancers,  to  call  opon  tnem  and 
test  the  efficacy  of  their  mode  of  treating 
this  malignant  disease.  Persons  coming 
by  the  Pennsylvania  central  R.  Road, 
will  stop  at  Manor  station.  We  will 
convey  them  from  the  station  to  Adams- 
burg,  if  informed  of  the  time  of  their 
arrival. 

Address,  F.  BLOCHER  4-  CO. 
Adamsbubo,  Westhoreland  CO.  Pa. 


journal  of  mechanics  and  science,  an- 
nounce that  it  will  be  enlarged  on  the 
first  of  July,  and  otherwise  greaily  im- 
proved, coutainingsixteen  pages  instead 
ofeight,  the  present  size,  which  will 
make  It  the  largest  and  cheapest  scien- 
tific journal  in  the  world  ;  it  is  the  on- 
ly journal  of  its  class  that  has  ever  suc- 
ceeded in  this  country,  and  maintains 
a  character  for  autbority  in  all  matters 
of  mechanics,  science  and  the  arts, 
which  is  not  excelled  bv  any  other 
journal  published  in  this  country  or  iri 
Euope.  Although  the  publishers  will 
incur  an  increased  Expense  of  $8,000 
a  year  by  this  enlargement,  they  have 
determined  not  to  raise  the  price  of 
subscription-,  relying  upon  their  friends 
to  indemnify  them  in  this  increased 
expenditure,  by  a  corresponding  in- 
crease of  subscribers.  Terms  $2  a 
year,  or  10  copies  for  $15.  Specimen 
copies  of  the  paper  with  a  pamphlet 
of  information  to  inventors,  furnished 
gratil,  by  mail,  on  application  to  the 
publishers, 

MÜNN&  Co.  No.  37  Park  Row, 
New  York. 

Hon.  Judge  Mason  of fowa,  who  made 
himself  so  popular  with  the  Inventors 
of  the  Country  while  he  held  the  office 
of  Commissioner  of  Patents  has,  we 
lÄrn,  associate  J  himself  with  Munn  & 
Co.  at  the  Scientific  American  office 
New  York. — 


LITERARY  NOTICE. 

WNTIFlTjMERICM. 

The  publishers  of  this    widely  circu- 
lated and   popular  illustrated     weekly 


THE  GOOD  OLD 

Ohio  Cultivator 

FOE  1860. 

DEVOTED    TO    THE 

Farm,  Live  St;pck,  Garden,  Orchard, 
And  the  Gultivation  of  the  People. 

The  Ohio  Cultivator  is  a  practical  and  re- 
liable Farmers*  Paper,  published  by  S. 
D.  Haris,  at  Columbus,  twice  every 
month,  in  book  form  for  binding.     , 

Terms — $\  a  year  single  copy  ;  ihrce 
copies  for  $2  ;  six  for  $4  ;  nine  for  ^; 
^nd  a  copy  extra  to  the  getter  up  of 
every  club  of  nine. 

S.D.HARRIS,  CoLUMBr»,  O. 


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.t>5         "03,  L'S 


LITERARY  NOTICE. 


One  of.the  most  interesting  and  iisc- 
lul  piiblicalioLS  which  comes  to  our 
sanctum  is  the  Scjentifig  American,  a 
weekly  publication,  tlevoted  to  popuJar 
science,  new  inventions,  and  the  whole 
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arts.  The  iSciENTiFic  American  has 
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MuNN  Ac  Co*.  37  Park  Row,  New-York  ; 
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household  inventions  and  shop  tools 
which  are  illustrated  by  engra\ings 
and  described. in  its  columns,  with  the 
practical  receipts  contained  in  every 
Dumber,  renders  the  work  desirable  to 
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CEE  FOR  RHEUMATISM. 

Dr.  E.  W.  Moore,s  Indian  Tincture 
for  Rheumatism  has  never  failed  in  four- 
teen years  czperience  iu  curing  the 
worst  cases.  For  two  dollar's,  a  box 
containing  six  bottles  will  be  sent  to» 
any  address. 

Address  l)r  E.  W.  Moore 
Scalp  Level,  .Cambria  Co,  Pa. 


I  m-^mi  fisiTii,  i 


ä 


Tb 


liM^^EY  PtBLIÜTIÖN 


>.   »- 


y  nsßi^.Ki-iiTZ  &  jamus  q vis  ter. 


I  VOL.  X.        Af  OUST  1860.         NO.  8.  ' 

1^  i 


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OK  AUürsr-No, 

Are  the  (cd  Commandmcnts   still   b 

ing  P^gc 

Tl.e    I^c  of  (Jod 
Tl.a  liüiy  Hi'.le 
Are  Ihe  wicked  anniliilated  ! 
■'i'lie  rxrision  <jf  oiir  xncnil)er8 
Scriptural  tlionghts 
Universal  Depravity 
INIarks  of  religious  declension 
Siicccssful  men 
The  niglit  wa.cli 
Family  Circle.     A  wife's  remorse 

"       Heart  stream  of  the     farmly 
YoutirB  Dep.  j\  JJoy's  evenings 

•       HoM  on,  boys 
Queries,   1.  Concerning  Matt. 4  :   1 
2  "  *'      13:^44 

'•  ,1.  ♦'  ]  CLron.i: 

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«♦  4.  1  Cor.  5  :    11 

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eti 

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d  in  four- 


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CÄt^ainUfgfii»,  bottles    wilj 
anv  addresff?^«^  » 


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DRi  f.  K  r:  I]  E  US  BIG  EL  0  W\ 

late  of^uurusburg.    Pa.    was    very    suc»ij 
ceBsfulin».^rcating    cancers.     Hefore  l.i 
death    hc.Jöoftimunicatcd   to    tl.e  i|Qd 
signed  his  mode  of  tr.aiment,   and  *ll 
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with  «ancers,  »to   call   upon 
tes^lho  efiijc^y  of  l'^eir..!     '  ■  <     'i.k 
this  inaligiwint  disease,      i  r    -. 

by  the  Pennfy^vania  c 
will  stop  yi^Älanor  sta; 
convey  then)  from  the  station  to  Adams 
burgv  if  informed  of  \M  lin'e  of  lyii 
arri\^I.  ^.  ^ 

Address,  F.  \}L^\\VAi  ^ilo. 

AdaMSBUKG,     NVtSTMORELAND    Co  .    Pa 


A\ 


THE  GOOD  pLD 

Ohio  CuUJvatoc  : 

FOR      1060.     X 

Is  going  riglii  along  as  usual,  and  enter« 
upon  its  sixteenth  year  on  the  fust  of 
January, IHOO. 

Teums— $1  a  year,  single  copy  ;  lhro.:4; 
copies  for  $2;    six  for  $\  ;  nine   for   |fi, 
and    a   copy  ezlra     to   the  getter-npof 
every  club  of  nine. 

S.  D.  HAKRI8. 
CoLi'.MDis,  Omo. 


VOL.  h 


GQSPIL  « TISITQE, 

^ng^nm  iseo.       NO.  §. 


For  the  Visitor. 

ARE  THE  TE!^  COMMANDMEIsTS 
STILLEINDING? 
A  few  remarks  of  br.  P.  JS".  in  liis 
^•Essays  on   the   civil  Law"  in  the 
Xay  Xo.  of  the  Visitor,   page   136, 
has  somewhat  ^insettled    nij  mind 
on  this   subject;  he  says, '-The  Dec- j 
alogue  or   ten   commandments    arc ; 
still  in  force,    and    are    as    binding 
now;  upon  the  human  family  as  they 
were  at  the  time  of  their  delivery." 

I  Avill  now  state   the  views  I  had 

herto  entertained  concerning  this 
Mibject,  and  would  be  thankful  for 
an    explanation   from   br.  P.  X.   or 

?   Editors  or  any  other   brother. 

lo  not  desire  a  controversy,  but  am 
search   of  knowledge. 

B/  a  diligent  search  of  the  scrip- 
tures. I  came  to  the  conclusion  that 
^'1'  gospel,  or  the  -law  of  Christ, 
lich  is  a  perfect  law,  teaches  all 
it  is  necessary  for  a  christian  to 
-  serve ;  and  that  the  law  of  blo- 
ßes (the  Decalogue  included)  was 
abolished.  What  other  law  does 
Paul  allude  to  when  he  says  in  2  , 
Cor.  3  :  7—13,  "But  if  the  ministra- 
tion of  death,  written  and  engraven 
in  stones,  was  glorious,  so  that  the 
children  of  Israel  could  not  stead- 
fastly behold  the  f-ice  of  Closes  for 
the  glory  of  his  countenance ;  which 
glory  was  to  be  done  away:  how 
shall  not  the  ministration  of  the 
spirit  be  rather  glorious?  Por 
even  that  which  was  made  glorious 
had  no  glory  in  this  respect,  by 
reason  of  the  glory  that  excelleth. 
For  if  that  which  is  done  away  was 
[2JÖ] 


glorious,  much  more  that   which  re" 
inaineth,  is   glorious.     Seeing    then 
that  we  have  such  a   hope,  we   use 
gjeat  plainness  of  speech :  And  not 
as  ^oses,  which  put  a  veil  over  his 
faccj   that    the    children   of    Israel 
could  not  steadfastly    look  *to    the 
end  of    that    which    is    abolished." 
See     also    Galatians  4 :    22—25.     I 
readily  admit  that    all    the    morals 
taught  and  commanded  in  the  Dec- 
alogue are  also  commanded  in    tlic 
Xew  Testament.     But  what  will  we 
make  of  the  fourth  commandment? 
There  is  a  very  respectable  body  of 
Christian  professors  in  our  immedi- 
ate neighborhood,  who  contend  that 
the    ten     commandmentäi    ar^  ^Vet 
binding,  and   consequently   ob^.^' 
the  seventh  day  of  the  week   as   rh 
sabbath.     Xow    this    is    cc 
with  their  faith  ;  and  if 
that  the  Decalogn^,  as  i 
ered  to  Moses,   is  yet    ^ 
to  be  consistent,  sh«fuld  :  ^ 

the  seventh  day,  which 
commanded  therein. 

I  have  submitted  these  lew  re- 
marks, with  the  hope  of  obtaininjr 
an  ex|jlanation,  through  the  colunu:  ' 
of  the  Visitor,  from  some  one  who 
may  have  more  light  on  the  sub- 
ject than  I  have;  and  if  my  views 
are  not  according  to  the  word  of 
God,  I  am  willing  to  drop  them. 

D.     S. 


For  the  Visitor. 
THE  EYE  OF  GOD. 
F  r  mine  eyesore  upon    all  their 
(Pays  ;  they  are  not  hid  from  my  face, 


G.  V.  Vol.  X. 


15 


22G 


THE  FA'E  OF  GOD. 


neither    is    Heir    iniquity  hid  from  tary  dungeons,  caves  and  caverns  of 


mine.  eyes.     Jcr.  16  :  17. 

Brethren  and  Editors:  After  my 


the  earth,     He  can    also    with   the 
sight  of  his  sleepless  eye  penetrate 


best  i-espects  to  you  and  all  who ,  i"^^  ^^^e  very  recesses  of  our  hearts, 
may  read  this,  I  will  attempt  to  and  behold  the  evil  as  well  as  the 
write  a  fcu'  words  about  the  all-pen-  good  therein. 

ctrating  03'e     of  God.      The   verse       God  forbid  that  an    evil    thought 
above  says,  "Mine  eyes  are  upon   all  should  be  form(?d  in  our  hearts. 
their  ways,"   and  God's   words   are.     But  as  we  ai-e  of  a    sinful    nature, 
true.     Admitting  the   last  fact,  we Uve  are  prone  to   do    evil,    but    the 
miist  cyiKilude  that  God  sees  us  and  I  scriptures    declare    that    if  we    sin 
rf*«'  we  do.     IIow    careful    then    ^ve  j  and  repent,  we    have    an    advocate 
should  le  not  to  do  any  thing   thatjwith  the  Father:  even  Jesus  Christ 
God  hat<*8,  for  he  eavs  *'do   not  that  1  the  ri2:hteous  who    is    willino;    and 
abominalfle   thing    which    I    hate."  1  just  to  forgive. 
Hagar  Said,  "Thou  God  seest   me,"|     Since  it  is  out  of   the    abundance 
Gen.  IG:  16.     If  we  admit   the  fact^f«^^^^  j^^.^^.^  ^I^^^t  the  mouth   speak- 
that  Go^  saw  Ilagar,  we  must   bei^^j^  >.  ^^   ^^^^^  ^^..^^.e  ^jj^^Jj^q   ^,^  ^j^ 
ready  io  admit  that  God  sees  us  and  ^^^^^.  ^^^^^^^  ^j^^  ;^e  may  speak   such 
all  our  ictions  whether  good  or  bad.  ^^.^^^  ^^  ^,j^j  ^^^^  ^^   promote    the 
Goal's    all-penetrating     eye.,  can  cause  of  Christ   and    that    Avill' not 
pierc«  through   the  gloomy  shades  need  to  be  repented  of 
r.  midnight,  though  it  be  as   black!      'M'dj  God  give  us  grace  for  every 
'Y  more  so  than  the  misty  darkness  trial,  and  what  is  sufficient   to    save 
;;;iied  in  Egypt  in  the  time  us  in  heaven,  that  we  may  not  fear 
,  I  when    troubles  rise   like   mountains 

cian  be  imprisoned  and  high,  and  storms  of  sorrow  flill,   bUt 
le  solitary  cejls,  or  dun- ^  that  we  may  safely  reach  our  home, 
darkness  prevails,  it  is  our  God,  our  Heaven,  our  all. 
;  to  call  to    mind    thatj      We   find   in  the   scriptures  a  de- 
himself   has    said,    "mine  scription  of  the  heart  which  is    rep- 
ty  I    ;;•(•  upon  all  their    wa^'s,"    and 'resented  to  be   evil    and    above    all 
we  al:so  believe  that  his    ears    are  things  desperately  wicked.     Hence 
lopcn    to   their    cries.       The     saint  evil   thoughts   arise   on  aceouLt   of 
though  he  be  contined  as   were  the  the  corruptness  of  our  hearts, 
apostles,  and  hid  Irom   the   view   of;      >7ovv   mav    God    in    his    infinite 
persons,  or  dei)arrcd  from   holding;  j^pi,(-.y  pp^-jon  our  sins,  cleanse   our 
converse  with  Me/n,  can  call  to  mind  ■  Imparts  of    all    their  ipipurities,    fill 
that  God  Rces  him,    and    will    also  j-j^^.^^^  ^vjth  grace  divine,  go   with  us 
hear  him'if  he  prays  to  him  aright.!  ^l^rough  the  journey  of  Hfe,  forsake 
Hence,  ho  can  hold   sweet  converse  i^^g  pot  at    death,    but    save    us    in 
with  his  God,  whose   ears  are  open' j^'^^^ven  with  all    the   redeemed  and 
to  the  cries  of  his  believing  children.'  t^anctified  host,    with    an    everlast- 

Sii.c'  God  can  see  through  Egyp-jinggniy.^j^ju  for  his  name  sake. 
ti:iJi       •i;.rkue68 — tliruugh       gloorayl  JuNlATA. 

shades  of  midnight — and    into   so"  \£ay  9th.  1860. 


THE  HOLY  BIBLE. 


For  ibe  Visitor. 
THE  HOLY  BIBLE. 
''Holy  Bible,  Book  divine, 
Precious  treasure  tliou  art  nime. 

the  book   of  books 


The  Bibh 


18 


obey  the  Bible.  Through  it  he 
will  get  understanding  and  will 
hate  every  false  way  -,  and  by  it  he 
"will  be  furnished  thoroughly  for 
every  good  work. 

the  word  of  God.  In  it  he  makes  ^  On  the  sabbath  he  should  study 
kno^vnhiswiU,  or  what  he  would ;  ^l^is  good  Book  in  its  divinely  in- 
haveusdo.  It  is  all  given  by  in- l^pired  aspects,  and  connection  ;  not 
spiration  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  .is  ^^^'^l"^'  ^^'^^'^  ^^^  ^^7  o^^^^'ii"  '''  greater 
profitable;  teaching  men 
them 


111     w 


Avhat  to  ^^^^^^^^t^®  ^^  ^^  himself,  but  also 
hat  ^^^^  ^^  ^^y  ^^  better  qualified  to 
^jjgjj^  I  communicate  this  knowledge  to 
others.  He  should  also,  as  he  mav 
be  able,  avail  himself  of  the  assist- 
ance of  his  fellow  men,  that  he  may 
receive  from  the  treasures  of  reve- 
lation thiugs  new  and  old. 


For  this  ])ui'pose  he    should    con- 
fine his  worldly  business,  cares,   c^c. 


believe ;    showin 
they  are   wi'ong  ^  _ 

in  what  is  right;  and  leading  them, 
througli  the  grace  of  God  to  do  it. 
Although  written  by  men,  God  di- 
rected them  what  to  write,  and  how 
to  vrrite  k,  that  as  a  rule  of  human 
faith  and  conduct,  it  might  be  per- 
fect. Having  been  all  written,  not 
in  words  taught  by  the  wisdom  of 'to  six  days  in  a  week,  and  on  the 
men,  but  the  wisdom  of  God,  it  is  :  Sabbath  he  should  be  engaged  in 
''perfect,  converting  the  soul;  sure, 'something  that  would  lead  to  the 
making  wise  the  simple;  and  right,  | conversion  ot  sinners,  the  promo- 
rejoicing  the  heart."  Of  course  jtion  of  Christ's  kingdom  and  the 
a  knowledge  of  the  Bible  is  more  to ;  extension  of  his  cause.  This  he 
be  desired  than  gold,  yea,  even  than  may  do  by  reading  God's  word,  and 
much  fine  gold;  because  in  under-  by  prayer  in  his  family  and  in  his 
standing,  believing,  and  obeying! closet,  through  faith,  believing  that 
this  lioly  Book,  there  is  great  pres-'l  God  will  grant  for  Christ's  sake, 
ent,  and  a  still    greaCer    future    re-  any  thing  he  may  ask. 

j  Eeader,  make  the  Bible  your 
Hence,  every  person  (who  can  ;  chief  book  of  study.  By  it  trv  your 
read)  should  read  a  portion  of  it  j  faith,  and  your  patience.  Hearken 
everyday;  asking  God  to  teach  to  it  daily,"  as  the  voice  of  God 
him  by  his  spirit,  rightly  to  under-  [speaking  to  you,  telling  you  words 
stand,  cordially  to  believe,  and  \  by  Avhich  you  may  be  slaved,  and  by 
faithfully  to  obey  it.  It  will  then  |  ^hich  you  may  also  be  instrument- 
be  spin  t  and  life  to  his  soul,  and  I  al  in  saving  others.  Follow  all  its 
make  him    wise    to    salvation.     It  heavenly  teachings,  and   all  things 

shall  work  together  for  your  good. 
God  will  guide  you  by  his  counsel 
through  life ;  he  will  support  and 
comfort  you  in  death;  and  after 
He  will  be  wiser,  in    the    things    of  |  death,  he  will  receive  you  to  glory ; 

ight   an- 


will  be  a  lamp  to  his  feet,  and  a 
light  to  his  path ;  guiding  him  in 
the  way  of  righteousness,  that  way 
of  pleasantness  and  path    of  peace. 


God,  even  than  his  teachers,  if  they  j  ^^here  you  with  all   the   br 
do    not    understand,    believe,    and  Igeiic  host  will  be  able   to    sing 


the 


228 


AKl^  Tlii:  WICKED  ANNIHILATEI)  &c. 


song  of  Moses  and  of  the  Lamb  I 
tlirough  the  ceaseless  ages  of  eterni-| 
tv.  May  God  add  his  blessing  and ! 
buvo  us  all  for  Christ's  sake.     Amen. 

PEECIOUS Bible!  what  a  treas- 
urc 
Does  the  word  of  CJod  afford  I 
All  1  want  for  liie  and  pleasure, 
J^'ood  or  med'cine,  shield  or   sword  I 
Let  the  world  account  me  poor, 
ILaving  this,  I  want  no  more. 

Food  to  which  the  world's  a  stran- 

Here  ray  hungry  soul  enjoys, 
Of  excess  there  is  no  danger, 
Though  it  fills  it  never  cloys, 
On  a  dying  Christ  I   feed, 
Here  is  meat  and  drink  indeed  I 

When  m}'  faith  is  faint  and  sickly. 
Or  when  Satan  wounds    my    mind. 
Cordials  to  revive  me  quickly. 
Healing  medicines  here  1  find; 
To  the  pKomises  I  flee. 
Each  affords  a  remedy. 

In  the  hour  of  dark  temptation, 
Satan  can  not  make  me  yield, 
jor  the  word  of  consolation, 
Is  to  me  a  mighty  shield, 
While  the   scripture   truths    endure 
From  his  power  I  am  secure. 

Juniata. 
W\alnut,  Pa.  May  12,  I860. 


ARE 


THE    WICKED  ANNIHILA- 
TED AT  DEATH  ? 


To  this  question  some  give  an 
affirmative  answer.  To  us,  howev- 
er, a  negative  answer  seems  to  be 
the  response  when  the  scriptures 
reply  to  the  interrogator3^  The 
doctrine  of  the  annihilation  of  the 
wicked  at  death,  seems  to  us  to 
conflict  with  the  general  tenor  of 
the  teaching  of  the  gospel,  while 
the  plain  meaning  of  many  passa- 
ges are  not  only  irreconcileable  with 
the  doctrine,  but  evidently  convoys  a 


different  view — a  view  of  their  con- 
tinued being  in  another  state  of  ex- 
istence. Some  of  the  passages  of 
scrii)ture  we  quoted  in  a  former  ar- 
ticle upon  the  state  of  the  dead  in 
general,  or  upon  their  consciousness, 
bear  likewise  upon  the  present 
question. 

It  is  assumed  b}-  those  vv'ho  be- 
lieve in  the  doctrine  of  annihilation, 
that  the  penalty  annexed  to  the  lavr 
of  God  is  natural  death  ;  and  when 
God  said,  "In  the  day  that  thou 
eatest  thereof  thou  shalt  surely  die," 
he  meant  no  more  than  that  Adam 
should  experience  a  natural  death, 
and,  consequently,  that  death  is  all 
the  punishment  that  will  be  inflict- 
ed upon  the  wicked.  Xow  when  we 
look  at  the  punishment  Avith  which 
the  wicked  are  threatened,  and 
which  they  are  represented  as  ex- 
periencing, it  certainly  implies 
more  than  a  natural  death. 

I.  Passages  of  scripture  which 
imply  2n(nishment  after  death. 

Luke  12  :  4.     "And   I   say    unto 

you  my  friends,    Be  not    afraid    of 

them  that  kill  the   body,  and   after 

that  have  no   more   that  they   can 

do.     Eut  I  will  forewarn  you  whom 

ye  shall  fear  :  fear  him,  which  after 

he  hath  killed  hath   power  to   cast 

into  hell ;  yea,  I  say  unto  you,  fear 

him."     Now^  according  to   this  lan- 

I  iruairc  of  the  Savior,  death  does   not 

i 

i  wholly  annihilate  the  wicked  3  there 

I  is  something    to    take    place    after 

'death,— they  are    to    be    cast   into 

'hell."     And    let  it   be    further   ob- 

'  served,     that     according    to    these 

words,  however  painful  death  is   to 

the  wicked,  there  is   a    punishment 

law^aitiug  them    more    painful    than 

death,  since  they  are  warned  not  to 

fear  men  who  can  only   take   away 


AEE  THE  WICKED  AXXIHILATED  &c. 


229 


natural  life,  but  him,  that  is  God, 
who  can  not  only  take  away  nat- 
ural life,  but  who  can  inflict  greater 
punishment  than    that    which    con- 


taken  to  Paradise.  The  rich  man 
died,  his  body  was  buried  and  his 
soul  was  in  hell,  while  his  five  breth- 
ren were  on  earth  in  a  state  of  pro- 


sists   merely    in    dying.       And    as  ibation,  and  would   not   hearken    to 

there  is  a  punishment    beside    that  ''Moses  and  the  prophet? 

of  death,  and  after  death,  and   more 

to  be  dreaded  than  death,  therefore 

death  cannot  be  the    final    end    of 

the  wicked. 


Luke  16  :  22—24.  ''The  rich 
man  also  died  and  was  buried ;  and 
in  hell  he  lifted  up  his  eyes,  being 
in  torments,  and  seeth  Abraham 
afar  off,  and  Lazarus  in   his    bosom. 

And  he  cried  and  said,  Father  Abra>^^   ordinary    death? 
ham,havemercvonme,    and    sendi^^^^^^  ^^-     Admittmg 
Lazarus,  that  he  may  dip  the  tip  of 'P^^^^^^^^*  contained 


Mark  9  :  43,  44.  "And  if  thy  hand 
offend  thee,  cut  it  off :  it  is  better 
for  thee  to  enter  into  life  maimed 
than  having  two  hands  to  go  into 
I  hell,  into  the  fire  that  never  shall 
I  be  quenched :  where  their  worm 
dieth  not,  and  the  fire  is  not  quench- 
ied."  Can  these  words  be  limited 
I  to  the  sufferings    consequent    upon 


his  finger  in 


water,    and    cool 


my 
this 
fiame."     Can  we,  with   any  degree 


tongue ;  for  I  am  tormented  in 


We  cannot 
the  ideas  of 
in  the  lan- 
guage of  Christ,  are  taken  from 
the  doom  inflicted  by  the  Eastern 
nations  on  wicked  offenders,  who 
of  propriety  whatever,  explain  ^he  |  ^^^^  left  exposed  after  they  were 
torment  of  the  rich  man  to  consist  N^^^^^^  ^«  be  burned  with  fire,  or  con- 
Äierely  in  dving?  We  certainly !  ^^^^^d  by  worms,  and  who  were 
cannot.  He  declares  that  he  is  in  j^ot  honored  with  the  rites  of  burial, 
a  "place  of  torment."  His  punish- !  «till  that  does  not  satisfactorily  ex- 
ment  then  arises  from  the  place  Pl^^«  the  implied  punishment,  since 
that  he  is  in,  and  not   merelv    from  ^^e  body  after  life  is   extinct  is   not 


susceptible   of  any  further  punish- 
ment. 


the   act    of   dying.     Abraham    ad- 
dresses him  after  he   is   dead,    and 
j^ays  "thou  art    tormented."     Then      But  again;  hell  here    means   the 
death  was  not  his  final    end,    since  ]  grave  or  some  place  of  punishment. 


he  suffered  after  death.  Though 
we  may  grant  that  this  account  of 
the  rich  man  and  the  betr^rar  is  but 

CO 

a  parable,  it  will  certainly  prove 
the  existence[of  the  rich  man's  soul 
in  a  place  of  torment  before  the 
resurrection  of  the  body,  for  the 
existence  of  souls  in  a  separate 
State,  while  men  dwell  here  on 
earth,  is  certainly  a  very  promi- 
nent doctrine,  if  not  the  very  found- 
ation of  the  parable,  if  it  be  a  para- 
ble, and  runs  through  the  whole  of 
it.    Lazarus  died  and  his   soul   was 


Now  it  cannot  mean  the  grave,  for 
if  it  has  reference  as  Dr.  Whately 
and  others  suggest  to  "the  kind  of 
doom'inflicted  by  the  Eastern  na- 
tions on  the  vilest  offenders,  who 
were  not  only  slain,  but  their  bod- 
ies deprived  of  the  rites  of  burial, 
and  either  burned  to  ashes  (which, 
among  them,  was  regarded  as  a 
great  indignity,)  or  left  to  moulder 
above  ground  and  to  be  devoured 
by  worms,"  then  they  were  not 
cast  into  graves  at  all,  and  hell  can- 
not  mean    gi*ave.      It   must   then 


230 


I 

Avx  ttit:  AYICKED  AXXIHILATED  &c. 


mciin  a  phico  of    ^... it   apart 

irom  the  grave  and  beyond  death, 
and  so  death  eannot  be  tlic  final 
end  of  the  u'ieked. 

Matt.  25  :  41.  *'Then  shall  ho 
say  also  unto  them  on  tlie  left  hand, 
Depart  from  mo,  ye  cursed,  into  ev- 
orlastintj;  fire,  ])repared  for  the  dev- 
il and  his  angels."  Kow  what  was 
the  punishment  inflicted  on  the  dev- 
il  and  his  angels?  Was  it  death 
taken  in  its  ordinary  acceptation — 
the  final  termination  of  existence— 
or  annihilation  ?  This  was  not 
their  punishment.  The  following 
language  of  Jude  is  used  in  refer- 
once  to  the  punishment  of  fallen 
angels  :  "And  the  angels  ,  which 
kept  not  their  first  estate,  but  left 
their  own  habitation,  he  hath  re- 
öcrved  in  everlasting  chains  under 
darkness  unto  the  judgment  of  the 
great  day."  Jude,  v.Glh.  If  the  fall 
of  angels  occurred,  as  it  probably 
did,  before  the  creation  of  man, 
then  for  nearly  six  thousand  years 
esnoo  their  fall,  have  angels  been 
living  bound  in  everlasting  chains 
under  darkness,  experiencing  no 
doubt  a  degree  of  punishment  du- 
ring this  time,  but  having  a  greater 
punishment  awaiting  them  after 
the  ^'judgment  of  the  great  day.'^ 
Then  as  condeniiied  sinners  are  to 
go  into  the  fire  or  punishment  pre- 
pared for  the  devil  and  his  angels, 
and  as  that  punishment  consists  in 
confinement  for  ages— unto  the 
judgment —  and  after  that  punish- 
ment mord  dreadful  than  what  they 
had  previously  received,  with  what 
propriety  can  we  make  the  punish- 
ment of  sinners  to  consist  in  dying 
ftn  ordinary  death,  when  they  are 
to  be  punished  in  the  place  that 
angels  are,  and   with  a   punishment 


similar  to  that  with  which  angels 
are  punished?  This  punisnment 
with  fallen  angels,  certainly  implies 
something  more  than  a  natural 
death. 

Rev.  20  :  12—15.  "And  I  saw 
the  dead,  small  and  great,  stand  be- 
fore God ;  and  the  books  were  open- 
ed :  and  another  book  was  opened, 
which  is  the  book  of  life  j  and  the 
dead  were  judged  out  of  those 
things  which  were  written  in  the 
books,  according  to  their  works. 
And  the  sea  gave  up  the  dead  which 
were  in  it;  and  death  and  bell  deliv- 
ered uj)  the  dead  Avhich  were  in 
them  :  and  they  were  judged  every 
man  according  to  their  works. 
And  death  and  hell  w^ere  cast  into 
the  lake  of  fire.  This  is  the  second 
death.  And  whosoever  was  not 
found  written  in  the  book  of  life 
was  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire."  We 
are  here  presented  with  the  idea 
of  a  second  death.  Now  if  natural 
death,  or  the  death  of  the  body,  cov- 
ers the  whole  penalty  of  Gods  law 
threatened  to  the  wicked,  then  where 
is  the  occasion  for  the  second  death  ? 
It  has  been  fraid  that  this  second 
death  implies  the  death  of  the  whole 
man.  But  as  annihilationists  be- 
lieve that  man  has  no  soul  that  can 
live  apart  from  the  body,  then  they 
must  believe  that  when  the  body 
dies — wlien  natural  death  takes 
place,  the  whole  man  dies.  Where 
then,  we  ask  again,  is  the  occasion 
for  the  second  deaths  It  appears 
evident,  thqn,  that  according  to 
this  passage  of  scripture  in  which  a 
second  death  is  taught,,  that  the 
naturat  death  whic^l^  sinaprs  die, 
does  not  cover  the  whole  penalty 
of  the  divine  law,  but  that  there  is 
an  additional  punishment  to  be    in- 


AEE  THE  KICKED  ANNIKILATED  &e. 


231 


flicted  upon  them  after  death,  and ;  for  the  wicked  intelligible  to  ns  in 
hence  they  cannot  be  annihilated 'our  present  state,  and  hence  the 
at  death.  many  names   which    are    given    to 

IL  The  phrases  whirh  describe  the  punishments  of  hell.  .Many  of 
the  punishment  of  the  icicked,  {77?;?/?/ i  the  Jews,  and  also  many  of  the  ear- 
something  more  than  simply  dying.       \  Iy  Christians,  understood  the  terma 

used  in  scripture  in  a  literal  sense^ 
and  thought  there  would  be  real 
fire  in  hell.  This  may  be  so,  and  it 
may  not,  but    from    the    words    of 


That  punishment  is  indicated  in 
phrases  like  the  following :  ''the 
place  of  torment,"  Luke  16  :  28 ; 
^'everlasting  fire."  Matt.  25  :  41 ; 
-where  their  worm  dieth   not,    and  ^'l^^^^^^"^!    ^'^    ^^P^^"*^^^    ^^    ^^"^^ 


the  fire  is  not  quenched,"  Mark  9  : 
44:  "oater  darkness,"  Matt.  8  :  12  j 
''I  am  tormented  in  this  flame," 
Luke  16  :  24;  ''a  furnace  of  fire," 
Matt.  Jo  :  42;  "unquenchable  fire,"  j 


evidently  infer  that  they  intended 
to  convey  the  idea  that  great  mis- 
eries will  constitute  the  punishment 
of  the  wicked.  And  the  words  ex- 
pressive of  those  miseries,  as  well  as 


Matt.  3:  12:    "blackness    of   dark-|^^^^^^  ^'^P^^^^^^^   of  their  duration, 


ness,"  Jude   13;    '-he  shall   be   tor 
mented  with   fire    and    brimstone.' 


I  forbid  that  we    should    confine    the 
jpunishment  of  the  wicked  to  a  nat- 


Eev.  14  :  10;  "the  smoke    of    their  j"^^^  ^^^^^^• 

torment  ascendeth   up   forever   and,;      jjj       The  doctrine  of  annihilation 

ever;  and  they   have   no    rest  dayi,^^„^^,  ^^  ^.^^^.-^.^   ^.^-^^  the  scriptural 

doctrine  of  degrees  in  the  punishment 
of  the  wicked. 


nor  night,"     Eev.  14:  11;     lake  of 
fire,"  Kev.  20  :  15. 

Such  are  some  of  the   exprsssions 


As   sins   differ  in   qualitv  and  de- 
used  to  represent  the  punishment  of;  .   1  .  ,        n    ^^    '     ^ 
^                   A                            gvQQ,  we  mi£{ht  expect  as  God  isjust 

the  wicked.     Xowtogive  this  lan.:„^^  riirhteous,   a  correBpondin^r'dif- 
gnage  its  proper  meauing,  must  ^'^  j,^^^^^   ^^   t,,e  punishment  of  sin- 

not  admit  that   it   conveys    to    the  1  .^^    .,.     •      ,1^  j     +  •         r» 

•^  ners.     And   this  is   the  doctrine  of 

mind  something  more  than  the  ideaV^u  -^^  ^   .1  i.-o  „,.^^+1^        n  \     •>.     i 

°  Christ  and  his  apostles.     "Ana  who- 

of  natural  death?      It  is    evidently  •  ,^^_^„   .v,„ii    ^^*  ^^.^-  ^ 

•^    soever   shall   not  receive   you,    nor 

the  desig-n  of  the  sacred   writers,  in  1  ^„^  _^„„   ™^«,i„     ^v,^ "     a         + 

^  '        hear  your   worae,   when   ye  depart 


using  such  language,  to  awaken  the 


out  of  that  bouse  or  citX',  shake  off 


idea  of  something  terrible  and  fear-  ,i     a     ^    t^    ^      c    4.      vr-i      t 

o  the  dust  or  your  feet,      v  enly  I  say 

ful.     Tl>ey  wish  to  conrey  the   idea  „„^^  ^^„^   i"t  shall  be  more  tolernble 
ttfat  the  punishments  beyond    the  ^^^  ^^;  ,^^^  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah 


grave   will  produce   the   same  feel- 


in  the   day  of  judgment,  than    for 


ings  of  distress  as  are  produced   on  ^,,^^  ^.      „     jj^^^  ^(, ._  ,5       ..T,^^^^ 

earth  by  the  objects  used    to   repre- i  j,^^^^  j,^  ^^      ^,^^5^  ^^^  ^.^i^^  ^^^^^_ 

sent  them.  j.    "       ^      o  i  •        •  v^  i 

in  most   of   his  mighty  works  were 

We  are  but  little  acquainted  with  '  done,  because  they  repented  not.  Woe 

the  state  in  which  we  shall  be  here- 'unto  thee,  Chorazin  !  woe  unto  thee 

after,  and  also  with   the  nature  of  Bethsaida  I   for  if  the  mighty  works 

the  bodies   we  shall   hereafter  pos-  which  were   done  in   you,  had  been 

sess,  and  consequently,  it  is  difficult  done  in  Tyre  and  Sidcn,  they  would 

to  make  the    punishment   designed  have  repented  long  ago  in  sack-cloth 


ARB  THE  WICKED  A^^NIIIILATED  &c. 


nnd  ashes.  But  T  say  unto  you,  It 
hIuiII  be  more  tolerable  lor  Tyre  and 
Sidon  at  the  day  of  judgment  than 
lor  you."  Matt.  11:20-22.  And 
that  seryant,  which  knew  his  lord's 
will,  and  ])repared  not  himself,  nei- 
ther did  according  to  his  will,  shall 
be  beaten  with  many  stri])eH.  But 
he  that  knew  not,  and  did  commit 
things  worthy  of  stripes,  shall  be 
beaten  with  few  stripes.  For  unto 
whomsoeyer  much  is  given,  of  him 
much  shall  be  required :  and  to 
whom  men  hayc  committed  much, 
of  him  they  will  ask  the  more." 
Luke  22  :  47.  48. 

According  to  the  doctrine  taught 
in  such  scriptures  as  these,  we  learn 
that  the  more  knowledge  of  the  di- 
vine law  a  man  possesses,  the  more 
his  opportunities  and  inducements 
to  avoid  sin,  and  the  stronger  the 
motives  set  before  liim  are  to  exer- 
cise faith,  and  to  become  holy,  the 
greater  will  be  his  punishment  if  he 
fails  to  make  a  ])roper  use  of  all  his 
ad\'tintages.  But  the  doctrine  of 
annihilation  making  death  the  only 
pimishmont  for  sin,  precludes  the 
idea  of  that  difference  in  the  punish- 
ment of  sinners,  which  the  Scrip- 
ture so  plainly  teach. 

To  say  that  the  sinners  of  Tyre 
and  Sidon  experienced  a  more  miser- 
able death  than  did  those  of  Sodom 
and  Gomorrah,  and  that  that  is  what 
Christ  meant,  by  saying  it  shall  be 
more  tolerable  for  Sodom  and  Go- 
morrah than  for  Tyre  and  Sidon,  is 
certainly  not  expressing  the  full  im- 
poi't  of  the  Savior's  solemn  words  of 
warning.  He  does  not  say  the  sin 
ners  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  shall 
r,xpcrience  a  less  painful  death  than 
fbo«c  of  Tyro  and  Sidon,  but  that  it 
*hall  be  more  tolerable  ioi*  them  at 
iUa  day   of  judgment. 


But  if  annihilation  is  to  be  the 
common  doom  of  all  the  wicked, 
then  nojudgment  day  would  be  nec- 
essary to  apportion  their  punish- 
ment, since  it  would  be  alike  to  all. 
There  is,  however,  such  a  day  fre- 
quentl}'  alluded  to  in  the  scriptures, 
and  that  plainly  shows  that  the  wick- 
ed will  be  punished  heyond  that  day, 
and  hence  they  cannot  be  annihila- 
ted in  death. 

lY.  TJic  doctrine  of  annihilation 
is  incompatible  icith  the  doctrine  of 
the  resurrection  of  the  tcickcd. 

The  doctrine  of  annihilation  is,  as 
we  have  ali*eady  stated,  and  we  wish 
it  kept  in  mind  that  our  present  argu- 
ment may  be  properly  appreciated, 
that  natural  death  is  the  penalty  in- 
flicted on  the  sinner  for  the  transgres- 
sion of  the  divine  law,  and  that  this  is 
to  be  his  punishment.  If  this  is  cor- 
rect, and  death  is  the  only  punish- 
ment that  sinners  are  to  experience, 
then,  certainly,  no  resurrection  is 
necessary.  That  the  wicked  are  to 
be  raised,  is  evident  from  the  follow- 
ing scriptures: 

^^And  many  of  them  that  sleep  in 
the  dust  of  the  earth  shall  awake, 
some  to  everlasting  life,  and  some  to 
shame  and  everlasting  contempt." 
Dan.  12  :  2. 

"Marvel  not  at  this :  for  the  hour 
is  coming,  in  the  which  all  that  are 
in  their  graves  shall  hear  his  voice, 
and  shall  come  forth ;  they  that 
have  done  good,  unto  the  resurrec- 
tion of  life;  and  they  that  have 
done  evil,  unto  the  resurrection  of 
damnation."     John  5  ;  28.  29. 

'*Butthis  I  confess  unto  thoe,  that 
after  the  way  which  they  call  here- 
sy, so  worship  I  the  God  of  my  fa- 
thors,  believing  all  things  which  are 
written  in  the  law  and  in  theproph- 


ARE  THE  WICKED  AXXIHILATED  &c. 


238 


ets :  and  have  hope  toward  God,  [  Again ;  if  the  wicked  are  de- 
which  they  themselves  also  allow, 'stroved  when  they  die,  to  suppose 
that  there  shall  be  a  resurrection  of ;  that  God  will  raise  them  up  for  tho 
the  dead,  both  of  the  just  &  unjust."  ^  sole  purpose  of  destroying  them 
Acts  24:  15.  16.  again   immediately  after  they    are 

''And  I  saw  thrones,  and  they  sat  raised,  is  neither  in  accordance  with 
upon  them,  and  judgment  was  given  ^his  character  nor  his  word.  "For  I 
unto  them  :  and  I  saw  the  souls  of  have  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  him 
them  that  were  beheaded  for  the  that  dieth,  saith  the  Lord  God/' 
witness  of  Jesus,  and  for  the  word  jEzek.  18  :  32.  Therefore  the  Bible 
of  God,  and  which  had  not  worship-  j  doctrine  of  the  resurrection  of  the 
ped  the  beast,  neither  his  image,  wicked  proves  the  annihilation  the- 
neither  had  received  his  mark  upon  lory  to  be  unsound, 
their  foreheads,  or  in  their  hands  ;  i 
and    they   lived   and    reisrned  with 


reigned 

Christ  a  thousand  years.  But  the 
rest  of  the  dead  lived  not  as^ain  un- 
til  the  thousand  years  were  finished. 
This  is  the  first  resurrection."  Eev. 
20  :  4.  5. 

If  then  the  wicked  are  to  be  rais- 
ed, it  must  be  for  their  further  pun- 
ishment, consequently,  the  doctrine 
which  makes  natural  death  the  only 
punishment  which  sinners  are  to 
receive,  does  not  seem  to  be  sus- 
tained by  the  scriptures. 


Y.  Such  words  as  the  followingf 
descriptive  of  the  end  of  the  loickedy 
declare^  it  is  affirmed,  their  annihila- 
tion :  viz.,  Perish  —  Destruction — 
Destroy  —  Death —  Second  Death — 
Die,  (Sec. 

It  is  said  in  2  Pet.  3  :  6,  in  rela- 
tion to  the  world  before  the  flood, 
''The  world  that  then  was,  being 
overflowed  with  water,  perished.'* 
Xow  we  know  that  the  world  which 
then  perished,  was  not  annihilated, 
and,  theix?fore,   it  does   not  follow 


But  perhaps  it  may  be  said  the  j  ^^.^j^^  t^^e  meaning  of  the  term  üj& 
wicked  are  to  be  raised  in  order  i^ge^j  in  scripture,  that  the  wicked 
that  they  may  then  be  destroyed  or  j  ^^^g^  necessarily  be  annihilated,  if 
annihilated.      According,   lio^^^er,  •' ^j^^^  pgj.jglj 

to  the    theory  of    annihilationists,  |     -o     .  ,    ,  ^     , 

,  .    i        J     .  J     xu     •        '     Perish  does  not  always  mean  an- 

t hey  were  destroyed  at  death,  since     .,.,,.  .  *^ 

X.        n  1        .  1    J       xi      \      1    Inihilation — it  may  mean   punish- 

nothincrof  the  wicked,  as  they  teach,  I  ^    ^      ^.    ''       ,    ,    ^ 

•■..!_      Tx.^1.      .1  ,,    'ment.     Destruction  and  destroy,  a« 

survives  death,     it  then  the  penalty  i  ,  ^      , ,      -„^  i  ,        i. 

o  ^x      .'   .      y       .  J     u      i  defined  by  Webster,  mean  a  demoh- 

«f  the  divme  law  is  answered  when    .        ^     ;       ,.  .  „. 

,         .  1     ,   J.      .1  r  tion,  to  demolish,  a  pullini?  down,  t-o 

tJie  wicked  die,  there  can  be  no  ne-  '  „        '     ^         °  ' 

cessity  whatever  for  their  resurrec-  j  '       ' 

tion.  i     These  and   other    definitions  at- 

But  there  is  a  necessity  for  their  tributed  to  these  words  do  not  nec- 


resurrection,  for  they  would  not  be 
raised  if  there  was  no  necessity,  and 
that  they  are  to  be  raised  is  plainly 
declared  in  scripture  as  we  have 
^en,  and,  hence,  we  must  conclude 
that  their  punishment  was  not  fin- 
ished at  death. 


essarily  imply  a  complete  annihila» 
tion.  The  wicked  are  to  "fall,"  to 
be  "cast  down,"  their  condition  is  to 
be  greatly  changed,  and  hence  it  is 
said  they  are  to  be  destroyed.  And 
"death"  does  not  always  mean  the 
tennination  of  existence,   but  a  dis- 


234 


THE  EXCISION  OF  OUR  MEMBERS. 


ordorcd  and  wretched  state  of  exist- 
ence. 

Sinners  while  living  are  represen- 
ted to  be  dead  "in  ti-espas^scH  and 
eins,"  Eph.  2  :  1.  Now  if  a  sinner 
should  live  to  be  a  hundred  years 
old,  .that  existence  according  to 
scriptural  language,  would  be  a  state 
of  death.  And  so  ''the  second 
death"  to  be  experienced  by  the 
wicked,  will  only  bo  a  more  miser- 
able exi.'st.encc  than  that  v.hich  they 
have  livcvl  in  this  world. 

The  annihilation  of  the  wicked, 
then,  docs  not  seem  to  he  taught  in 
th(>  scri))turcs,  and  it  appears  to  be 
incompatible  with  much  that  is  con- 
tained therein. 

J.     Q. 


For    the    Visitor. 
The  Excision  of  our  Members. 

'^A?id  if  thy  right  eye  offend  thee, 
2)lvek  it  ovt,  and  cast  it  from  thee  : 
for  it  is  better  for  thee  that  one  of  thy 
members  should  perish,  and  not  that 
thy  v:hoIe  body  should  be  cast  into 
hell. 

And  if  thy  right  hand  offend  thee, 
cut  it  off',  and  cast  it  from  thee:  for 
it  is  profitable  for  thee  that  one  of  thy 
members  should  perish,  and  not  that 
thy  ichole  body  should  be  cast  into 
heir     Matth.  6:  29. 

I  do  not  suppose  that  any  person 
whose  mind  is  enlightened  by  the 
doctrines  and  experience  of  Christ- 
ianity, will  for  one  moment  contend 
that  Christ  in  giving  the  above  in- 
«truetion  had  any  allusion  to  the 
menkbers  of  our  natural  body.  To 
deprive  ourselves  of  our  right  eye 
and  right  hand,  would  bo  in  a  gr^t 
measuro  to  deprive  ourselves  of  the 
Tuoans  to  su])port  ourselves  and  iiira- 


ilies,  and  consequentl}^  would  make 
us  dej^cndeiit  u])on  our  fellow-beings 
for  support.  And  if  every  person 
in  offending  by  his  natural  mem- 
bers, would  pluck  them  out,  or.  cut 
them  off,  how  many  such  helpless 
creatures  would  there  be  ?  The 
world  would  be  full  of  them,  as 
nearly  every  person  professes  relig- 
ion of  some  kind  or  other,  and  none 
can  claim  that  they  have  not  at 
some  time  or  other  offended  by  some 
of  their  natural  members.  By  fol- 
lowing this  process,  the  condition  of 
the  human  family  would  become  so 
miserable,  that  the  whole  persons 
would  not  be  able  to  take  care  and 
y)rovide  for  the  crippled  ones.  Fur- 
ther, could  not  the  left  eye  see 
where  the  right  one  could  ?  and 
could  not  the  left  hand  reach  where 
the  right  one  could  ?  most  certainly. 
Hence,  it  is  evident  that  they  would 
also  have  to  be  removed  in  case  of 
offense.  To  pursue  such  a  course 
would  be  sinning  in  the  sight  of 
God  and  man. 

The  above   instruction  of  Christ 
undoubtedly    has  reference   to   the 
members    of     our    spiritual    body. 
"There  is  a  natural  body,  and  there 
is  a  spiritual  body."     The   natural 
jlife  has  a  close  connection   with  the 
i  natural  de'-ires.     Just  so  far  as  such 
desires  are   inordinate  in   their  ac- 
tion, they  arc   the  result  ofunsanc- 
tified  nature,  and  not  of  the  Spirit  of 
God.     The  root  however,   the  origi- 
nal and  fruitful  source  ofthat  state 
of  things  in  the  natural  heart,  which 
is    conveniently    denominated    the 
.natural  life,  is  the  inordinate  action 
'of  the  principle  of  self-love,  denomi- 
[nafed  in  a  single  term  Selfishness. 

'     The    pernicious    influence     from 
ithis  source,    with  the  exception  of 


THE  EXCISIOX  OF  OUE  .MEMBEES. 


235 


^ 


what-  has  become  sanctified  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  reaches  and  corrupts 
every  thing.     Hence  the  importance 
of  the  pix)ces?  of  excision.     It  is  not 
only   important,   but  indispensably 
necessary   that  this    evil    influence 
should  be  met  and  destroyed  where- 
evcr  it  exists.     A  process  often  ex- 
ceedingly painful,  but  inevitable  to 
him  who  would  be  relieved  from  his 
fake  position  and  put  in  harmony ; 
with  God.     There  must  be  a  cutting ' 
off,  and  a  renewed  and  repeated  cut- 
ting off  till  the  tree  of  Self,  despoiled 
of  its  branches   and    foliage,     and 
thus   deprived  of  the   nourishment 
of     the   rain,    the   sun,     and    thej 
atmosphere,   dies  down  to  its  very  j 
root,  giving  place   in    its  destruc-j 
tion,    to   the    sweet  bloom   of   the] 
tree  of  Life.  j 

For  example  :     If  it  is  our  purpose  j 
to    devote    ourselves    to  the    Lord 
without  reserve,  it  is  important  that , 
we  should  look  seriously  and  closely  ' 
into  the  nature  and  detn-ee  of  our  de- ' 
sires.     It  is  true,   desires  are  an  es-  j 
sential  part  of  our  nature.     As  nat- 
ural principles,  such  as  the  desire  of  i 
life,  the  desire  of  food,  the  desire  of 
knowledge,    the   desire  of   society, 
they   have   their  place,   their  laws, 
their  uses.     But    the   difficulty    is,': 
that  in  the  natural  man,  and  also  in  ' 
the   partially   sanctified  man,    they ' 
are    not   adequately    superintended, 
and   controlled  by  the  principles  of 
divine   love.     They  multiply  them-  \ 
selves  beyond  due  limits,   and  they 
are  often  self-interested,  inordinate, 
and  evil.     So  much  so,  as  .sometimes 
to  bring  the  whole  man  into  subjec-' 
tion.     Desires  thus  inordinate   and 
selfish     which     are     characterized, 
among  other  things,  by  the   fatal 
trait  of  inward  agitation  and  rest- 
lessness, must  be  cut  off. 


Further,  in  connection  with  the 
desires,  we  will  say  a  few  words 
about  the  appetite?.  The  appetite^ 
are  good  in  their  appropriate  place ; 
but  when  they  are  not  properly  reg- 
ulated, by  being  restricted  to  their 
appropriate  occasions  and  objects, 
they  are  the  source  of  great  evil. 
Men  speak  of  the  appetites  in 
terms  which  obviously  indicate  their 
convictions  on  this  subject.  They 
speak  of  them  whenever  they  oper- 
ate out  of  their  appropriate  sphere 
and  degree,  as  low,  degrading,  and 
polhiting.  and  compare  those  who 
thus  indulge  in  them,  to  the  swine 
that  wallow  in  the  mire.  All  such 
excessive  indulgences  must  be  cut 
oft: 

If  our  desires  or  appetites  for  the 
accumulation  of  wealth  are  such  as 
to  rob  God  of  the  time,  talent,  and 
honor  which  justly  belongs  to  him, 
they  must  be  cut  off. 

If  our  appetites  for  intoxicatiDg 
drinks  are  such  as  to  enslave  and 
disgrace  us,  they  must  be  cut  off. 

If  our  appetites  whether  in  eating 
or  drinking,  or  using  tobacco,  are 
such  as  to  be  in  any  degree  intem- 
j)erate,  they  are  just  so  far  wrong, 
and  must  be  cut  off. 

K  the  principle  of  Self  Love  be 
such  as  to  make  an  idol  of  ourselves^ 
instead  of  worshij^ing  God  with  all 
our  mind,  heart,  soul,  and  strength, 
it  must  be  cut  off. 

If  the  principle  of  curiosity  be 
such  as  to  disturb  our  inward  peace 
and  quietude,  causing  us  to  be  rest- 
less and  thii*sting  always  for  some- 
thing new  and  curious,  thereby  dis- 
turbing the  life  of  God  in  the  soul, 
it  must  be  cut  off. 

In  short,  the  heart  which  is  nat- 
urallv   wicked  bein^:  the  seat  of  the  . 


23G 


SCRIPTURAL  THOUGHTS. 


affection?,  anything  thut  would  take 
its  place  within  our  hearts,  that 
would  in  any  degree  exclude  and  su- 
percede the  life  and  influence  of 
God,  must  be  cut  off.  Whotlier  in 
eatinir  and  drinking:,  or  clothinij  of 
ourselves,  or  friends,  or  relation, 
son,  or  daughter,  ail  must  be  gov- 
erned and  regulated  in  subordina- 
tion to  the  claims  and  will  of  God. 
E  Pluribus  Unüm. 


For  the  Visitor. 
SCRIPTURAL  THOUGHTS. 

Hope  exercised  by  faith  upon  the 
promises,  brings  heaven  down  to 
the  heart.  The  promises  are  the 
:jame  to  hope,  that  hope  is  to  the 
fioul.  The  promises  are  the  anchor 
of  hope,  as  hope  is  the  anchor 
of  the  soul.  The  experience  of  di- 
vine knowledge  will  lall  a  man  with 
spiritual  activity.  It  will  make  a 
man  work  as  if  he  would  be  saved 
by  works,  yet  knowledge  and  faith 
will  teach  him  that  he  must  be 
fiaved  by  grace  at  last.  Perseve- 
rance is  a  virtue  that  crowns  all  vir- 
tues. It  casts  a  genial  beauty  and 
glory  upon  every  grace.  It  con- 
ducts every  grace  to  perfection. 
Where  Christ  has  set  his  name, 
there  set  thy  heart.  Call  things  as 
Christ  has  called  them.  Call  noth- 
ing little  that  Christ  calls  great. 
He  that  is  little  in  his  own  estima- 
tion, shall  be  great  in  the  estimation 
of  the  Lord.  The  least  sin  should 
be  avoided  and  prevented  rather 
than  the  greatest  sufferings.  If  the 
cockatrice  be  not  crushed  in  the 
eggj  it  will  soon  be  a  serpent.  The 
thoughts  and  desires  of  sin  will 
bring  forth  action,  action  custom, 
and  custom  habit,  and  then  both 
soul  and  body  will  be  lost. 


Wo  to  that  man  that  fi^rbts 
against  God  with  all  his  mercy,  and 
that  will  be  sinful  because  God  is 
merciful.  Abused  mercy  will  at 
last  be  turned  into  justice.  Then 
wo  to  the  despisers  and  abusers  of 
it.  The  grace  of  God  that  bringcth 
salvation  hath  appeared  to  all  men. 
There  is  no  better  way  of  getting 
more  grace,  than  to  be  true,  honest, 
and  faithful  with  what  we  already 
have.  A  gracious  soul  knows  that 
if  he  be  rich  in  faith,  he  cannot  be 
poor  in  other  graces.  He  knows 
that  the  growth  of  grace  will  be  a» 
the  former  and  latter  rain  to  all 
the  other  graces.  The  exercise  of 
faith  and  love  is  the  only  way  to 
outgrow  all  our  fears.  Sincerity 
is  the  queen  of  virtues,  yea,  the 
presence  of  it  in  the  soul  gives  a 
beautiful  color  to  all  the  rest. 

Faith  is  not  words  but  works, 
not  leaves  but  fruit,  and  this  God 
expects,  and  if  we  cross  his  expecta- 
tion we  frustrate  our  salvation. 
Every  soul  should  submit  to  God*B 
will.  Disobedience  is  sin,  and  sin 
wounds  Christ,  grieves  the  Spirit, 
subverts  the  government  of  God, 
and  wrongs  the  soul.  A  gracious 
soul  grieves  more  that  God  is  griev- 
ed and  dishonored  by  his  sins,  than 
that  he  is  chastened  and  afflicted 
for  them. 

Do  the  wicked  murmur  at  the 
affliction  of  Providence,  when  they 
should  bo  praying  that  their  afflic- 
tion might  be  sanctified.  It  is  the 
very  drift  and  design  of  the  scrip- 
ture to  bring  souls,  first  to  an  ac- 
quaintance with  Christ,  and  then  to 
an  acceptance  of  Christ,  and  then  to 
the  building  of  them  up  into  a  sweet 
assurance  of  their  actual  interest  in 
Christ.       Christians     have      found 


UXIYEESAL  DEPRAYITT.  237 

praying  times  to  be  sealing  times,  plant  of  a  strange  vine.  He  soon 
Many  have  found  prayer  to  be  a  refused  obedience  to  bis  rightful 
shelter  to  the  soul,  a  sacrifice  to; Lord  and  sovereign.  By  sinning 
God,  a  sweet  savor  to  Christ,  a  against  God,  man  became  so  defiled, 
scourge  to  Satan,  and  an  inlet  to  that  he  was  utterly  unqualified  to 
assurance.  God  often  gives  assu-:  enjoy  the  blessings  of  heaven,  or 
ranee  in  one  ordinance  that  he  de-  even  to  dwell  in  the  immediate 
nies  in  another,  so  that  we  may  presence  of  God — Hence  his  expul- 
see  his  face  in  all.  ^ion    from    Paradise.       Under    the 

In  the  winter  men  gird  their  most  painful  circumstances,  man  is 
clothes  closely  about  them  but  in. doomed  to  sorrow  and  pain  and 
the  summer  they  let  them  hang; eventually  to  return  to  the  earth 
loose.  So  in  the  winter  of  adversi-  itself;  ''dust  thou  art  and  unto  dust 
ty  many  christians  gird  their  hab-,sbalt  thou  return."  This  was  the 
its  to  God,  to  Christ,  to  the  gospel, '  condition  not  only  of  our  fii'st  pa- 
to  godliness,  to  ordinances,  to  du-  rents,  but  it  is  the  condition  of  the 
tics,  who  in  the  summer  of  mercy  /^liole  human  family :  For  "by  one 
and  prosperity  hang  loose  from  all. jean's  disobedience  many  are  made 
But  true  faith  is  watchful,  it  al-  sinners.''  And  while  the  scriptures 
ways  finds  something  to  do.  Faith  declare  that  ''death  is  the  wages  of 
putting  on  Christ's  righteousness,  j  sin,"  they  also  teach  us  that '-in  Ad- 
brings  doAvn  blessings  upon  the !  am  all  die."  ^Jvow  since  all  die  in 
soul.  Xo  obedience  but  heart  obe- 1  ^^am,  and  since  death  is  the  wages 
dience  is  acceptable  to  Christ,  o^  sin,  it  necessarily  follows  that  all 
AY  hen  Jacob  put  on  his  elder  men  must  have  sinned  in  Adam, 
brother's  garment,  he  carried  the  Human  nature  has  become  cor- 
blessing  away;  so  can  we  in  put-  rupt  in  the  original  fountain,  and 
ting  on  Christ's  righteousness,  consequently  all  the  streams  which 
Applicatory  knowledge  is  the  sweet-  issue  thence,  partake  of  the  impuri- 
est  knowledge,  it  revives  the  heart,  ty  of  their  source.  It  is  undeniably 
it  cheers  the  spirit,  it  rejoices  the|  true  of  the  whole  race  of  man  in 
soul,  and  it  makes  men  go  singing 'their  unrenewed  state,  that  this  heart 
to  their  duties.  is  not  right  in    the    sight    of   God. 

D.     L.      ' ''The  Lord  looked  down  from   heav- 

,  ^  ^ ,  ^ ien  upon  the  children  of  men,  to  see 

'  if  there  were   any   that  did   under- 

For  the  Visitor.  i  g^and  and  seek  God.     They  are    aU 

UIv-IVESSAL   DEPRAVITY.  .one  aside,  they  are   altogether  be- 

From  the  Lively  Oracles  we  come  filthy.  There  is  none  that 
learn  the  original  state  of  man  was  doeth  good,  no,  not  one./ 
one  of  happiness  and  of  holiness.!  As  Adam  by  his  apostacy  lost 
In  his  primitive  state,  man  was  that  purity  of  nature  with  Vhich 
endured  with  full  ability  to  keep  he  was  originally  adorned,  and  be- 
the  commandments  of  God.  ^'God  come  a  sinful,  depraved  being,  so 
hath  made  man    upright    but    they !  ^g  in  consequence   of   our    relation 


have  sought  out  many   inventions." 
He  speedily  became  the   degenerate 


to  him;  derive  from  him,  a  depraved 
nature- 


238 


MAIIKS  OF  EELIGIOUS  DECLENSION. 


Accordingly  the  sacred  historian 
in  rocordini^  the  birth  of  Seth,  the 
sou  of  Adam,  makes  this  remarka- 
ble declaration,  that  "Adam  begat 
a  son  in  his  own  likeness,  after  his 
image."  But  witli  respect  to  the 
creation  of  Adam,  God  said,  ''let 
us  make  man  in  our  image,  after 
our  likeness.'' 

But  now  he  who  was  crowned 
with  dignity  and  honor,  is  become 
an  unholy  being,  and  the  glory  of 
primeval  innocencyis  departed  and 
his  offspring  experience  the  fatal 
effects  of  this  unhappy  change.  Ad- 
am begat  a  son.  not  in  the  image  of 
God,  but  in  his  own  image!  or  in 
other  words,  a  depraved  creature 
like  himself. 

The  history  of  our  fallen  race 
may  be  adduced  in  favor  of  our  po- 


Adam  has  effected  every  individual 
of  the  human  race — so  that  now- — 
all  are  sinners  ;  and  the  scriptures 
declare  ''all  have  sinned  and  come 
short  of  the  glory  of  God." 

n.   T. 

Mt.  Pleasant  May  SOth.  18G0. 


MARKS  OF  RELIGIOUS  DECLENSION. 

The  following  are  a  few  marks  by 
which  you  may  judge  whether  your 
soul  iß  prospering : 

1.  When  you  are  reluctant  to  re- 
ligious conversation,  and  the  com- 
pany of  serious,  heavenly-minded 
Christians,  and  enjoy  yourself  best 
with  men  of  the  world 

2.  AVhcn,  from  preference,  you 
are  absent  from  meetings  for  prayer, 
confine  yourself  to   Sabbath   meet- 


sition.     At  an  early  period    of   the  ings,  are  easily  detained  from  them, 


world,"  God  saw  that  the  wicked- 
ness ot  man  was  great  in  the  earth, 
and  that  every  imagination  of  the 
thoughts  of  his  heart  was  only  evil 
continually."  Of  our  race  immedi- 
atel}'  after  the  flood  it  is  said,  "The 
Lord  said   in  his  heart,    I  will    not 


irround 


lor  man's  sake,  for  the  imagination 
of  man's  heart  is  evil  from  his 
youth." 

"The  wicked,"  says  the  Psalmist 
"are  estrayed  from  the  womb.  They 
go  astray  as  soon  as  they  are  born 
speaking  lies."  Under  every  variety 
of  circumstances,  in  every  age,  and 
in  every  nation,  wherever  we  meet 
with  man,  we  find  him  a  sinful  be- 
ing. It  is  therefore  undeniably 
true  of  man  in  his  unrenewed  state, 
that  his  heart  is  not  right  Avith 
God."  And  from  the  many  proofs 
around  us  and  within    us    wo    con- 


and  are  ready  to  excuse  such  neg- 
lects. 

o.  When  you  are  afraid  to  con- 
sider certain  duties  seriously,  lest 
your  conscience  rebuke  past  neglect, 
and  insist  on  fidelity  now. 

4.  When  it  is  more  your  object, 
any    more  |  in  doing  duty,  to  pacify  conscience. 


than  to   honor  Christ,  obtain  spirit- 
ual profit  or  do  good  to  others. 

5.  AVhen  you  have  an  over  crit- 
ical spirit  respecting  preaching;  are 
dissatisfied  Avith  the  manner,  as  inel- 
egant, too  plain,  too  intellectual,  or 
not  according  to  some  favorite  mod- 
el, or  with  the  matter  as  too  doc- 
trinal, or  too  perceptive ;  or  when 
you  com]>lain  of  it  as  too  close,  o;i' 
are  suspicious  of  personality. 

6.  When  3'ou  are  more  afraid  of 
being  accounted  strict,  than  of  sin- 
ning against  Christ  by  negli- 
gence and  practice,   and  unfaithful- 


cludc,  that  the  original  apostacy  of.  ness  'to  your  Lord  and  Master.' 


SUCCESSFUL  MEX. 


\9 


7.  "When  you  have  little  fear  of  agoing  to  destruction,  and  the  church 
temptation,  and  can  triße  with  spir- '  suffering  declension,  unmindful  that 
itual  danger.  I  prudence   can  be  united  with  apos- 

8.  W^ien  you  thirst  for  the  com-'tolic  fidelity,  and  peaceablenesswith 
placency  of  men  of  the  world,  and; most  anxious  seeking  of  the  salva- 
are  more  anxious  to  know  what  they  tion  of  souls.     Also, 

think  or  say  of  you,   than   whether'      18.     When,  because  there  is  false 
you  honor  the  Savior  in  their  sight.  |  zeal  abroad,   you  will  neither  trust 

9.  When  scandals  to  religion  are ',  yourself  or  others,  even  in  that  'fer- 
more  the  subjects  of  your  censure '  vency  in  spirit,  serving  the  Lord' 
than  of  your  secret  grieving  andj^'iiich  Paul  taught  and  practiced, 
prayer  before  God,   and  fiiithful  en-j      19.     When  you  are  secretly  more 


gratified  at  the  fall  of  some   profes- 
When  YOU  are  more  afraid  to  «^^^  of  religion,  than  grieved  for  the 

wounds  which  he  inflicts  on  Christ. 

20.  When,  under  chastisement  of 
Providence,  you  think  more  of  your 
sufferings  than  your  deserts,  and 
look  more  for  relief  than  purification 
from  sin. 

21.  When  you  confess  but  do  not 
forsalx  besetting  sin. 

22.  When  you  acknowledge  but 
still  neo'lect  dutv. 


deavors  for  their  removal 

encounter  the  scorn  of,  or  offending 
man,  by  rebuking  sin,  than  of  ofibn- 
ding  God  by  silence.  j 

11.  When  you  are  more  bent  up- . 
on  being  rich  than  holy.  i 

12.  When  you  cannot  receive  de- 1 
served  reproof  for  faults,  are  unwil-  j 
ling  to  confess  them,  and  justify, 
yourself  *  I 

13.  When  you  are  impatient  and  \ 
unforbearing  towards  the  frailties, 
misjudgments   and  faults  of  others. 

14.  When    vour  readinir   of  the 


Eeader,  if  you  feel  in  a  declining 
state,  use  God's  remedy  for  your  re- 
covery.    This  is  it  :    '0   Israel,  re- 

-r...  ,    .    ^         ,     ,  ,  .      ,turn   unto  the  Lord  thy  God:    for 

bible  IS  lormal,    hasty,    lesson-wise.'   ,        ,  „„       ,       ^,  .        -   -      -^ 

,     .       '  ,         ,  ';  thou  hast  fallen  by  thine  iniquity, 

or  merelv  intellectual,   and  unatten-;  ^  ,  .  ,  ,  - 

,,.,,",„        ,.     ,.  ,       i  Take  with   vou  words  and  turn  to 

ded  with   seli-appiication,   or   when    ,       ^      ,     "^  ,.         ,„  , 

T      ,     ^\  '  ,        ,      ,  ;the    Lord;     say    unto    him,     lake 

you    read   almost    any   other  book!  „   .   .      . 

.,,  .   ^        ^  ^1        .1     1      1      r'away   all  iniquity,    and   receive  us 

with  more  interest  than  the  book  of  •'  i      ^  ' 


God. 


10. 


When  you  have  more  religion  j 


graciously  :    so  we   will   render  the 
I  calves  of  our  lips. — Asshur  shall  not 


abroad  than  at  home;  are  apparent- j  ' 
ly  fervent  when  'seen  of  men,'   or 
languid  when  seen  only  in  the  fami- 
ly or  by  God  alone. 

16.  ^  hen  your  religious  taste  is 
more  for  the  new  things  of  men, 
than  for  the  old  things  of  the  treasu- 
ry of  God's  word. 

17.  When  you  call  spiritual  sloth 
and  withdrawment  from  Christian 
activity  by  the  names  of  prudence 


save  us  ;    we  will  not  ride  upon  hor- 


ses ;  neither  will  we  say  any  more 
I  to  the  work  of  our  hands.  Ye  are 
!  our  Gods  :  for  in  thee  the  fatherless 
'  findeth  mercy.'    (Hos.  U.)— British 

Messenger. 


SUCCESSFUL    MEN. 


Who  are  they  ?     They  are   those 
who,  when  boys,  were  compelled  to 
and  peaccfulness,   while  sinners  are  ^  work,   either  to  help  themselves  or 


240 


SUCCESSFUL  MEN. 


their  parents;  and  who,  when  a  lit- 
tle older,  were  .under  the  stern  ne- 
cessity of  doing  more  than  their  le- 
gitimate share  of  lahor  :  who,  as 
30ung  men,  had  their  wits  shar- 
j)en'ed  hy  having  to  devise  ways  and 
means  of  making  their  time  more 
available  than  it  would  have  been 
under  ordinary  circumstances. — 
Hence,  in  reading  the  lives  of  men 
who  have  greatly  distinguished 
themselves,  we  find  their  whole 
youth  passed  in  self  denials  of  food, 
and  rest,  and  sleep,  and  recreation. 
They  sat  up  late,  and  rose  earlj-,  to 
the  Performance  of  imperative  du- 
ties; doing  by  daylight  the  work  ofi 
one  man,  and  by  night  the  work  of 
another. 

Said  a  gentleman,  the  other  day, 
now  a  private  banker  of  high  integ- 
rity, and  whom  we  knew  had  star- 
ted in  life  without  a  dollar  :  "For 
years  together  I  was  in  my  place  of 
business  at  sunrise,  and  often  did 
not  leave  it  for  fifteen  and  eighteen 
hours. 

Let  not,  therefore,  any  youth  be 
discouraged  if  he  has  to  make  his 
own  living,  or  even  to  support  be- 
sides a  widowed  mother,  or  sick 
sister,  or  unfortunate  relation,  for 
this  has  bee  a  the  road  to  eminence 
of  many  a  proud  name.  This  is  the 
path  which  printers  and  teachers 
have  often  trod;  thorny  enough  at 
times,  at  others  so  beset  with  obsta- 
cles as  to  be  almost  impassible  ,  but 
the  way  has  cleared,  sunshine  came^ 
success  followed,  then  the  glory  and 
renown  I 

A  young  man  writes  us:  *'I  am 
an  humble  school-teacher;  with  the 
duties  belonging  to  half  a  hundred 
pupils,  I  issue   a  month Iv,   printed 


nine  miles  away,  and  do  all  the 
folding,  stitching,  binding  and  mail- 
ing of  three  thousand  copies,  with 
a  deep  feeling  that  good  may  be 
done.     I  hope  I  may  succeed." 

Certainly  he  will  succeed !  For 
he  has  the  two  great  elements  of 
success;  a  will  to  work,  and  a  heart 
in  the  right  place;  a  heart  whose 
object  is  not  glory,  but  good. 

But  too  often  has  it  happened  that 
there  comes  in,  between  the  manly 
effort  and  a  glorious  fruition,  dis- 
ease, crippling  the  body,  depressing 
the  mind,  and  Avasting  and  wear- 
ing away  the  whole  man.  Who 
does  not  remember  grand  intellects 
which  have  gone  down  in  the  night 
of  a  premature  grave?  Who  has 
not  seen  young  men  with  magnifi- 
cent minds,  standing  on  the  borders, 
looking  wistfully,  O !  how  wist- 
fully !  over,  but  unable  to  "go  in 
and  possess  the  land"  only  for  the 
want  of  bodily  health  ?  A  health 
by  no  means  wanting  originally, 
but  sacrificed ;  pitilessly,  remorsely 
sacrificed  by  inattention  and  sheer 
ignorance;  learned  in  everything 
else ;  perfect  masters  of  everything 
else,  e:xcept  the  knowledge  of  a  few 
general  principles  as  to  the  care  of 
the  body;  principles  which  could 
be  perfectly  mastered  in  any  twen- 
ty-four hours  by  a  mind  accustomed 
to  think. 

Within  a  few  months  two  men 
have  died  in  the  very  prime  and 
vigor  of  mental  manhood,  being  not 
far  from  fifty,  one  the  first  scholar 
of  his  time;  the  other,  one  of  the 
very  best  and  most  useful  men  oi 
the  age  ;  both  of  them  the  victims 
of  wrong  habits  of  life;  habitf 
framed  in  youth,  and  utterly  repug 
nant  to  the    commonest    dictates  o 


THE  XIGHT-WATCH. 


241 


common  sense.  Some  of  the  most 
nseful  rules  for  the  preservation  of 
the  health  of  the  young,  while  ob- 
taining an  education,  are  these  ; 

1.  Keep  the  feet  always  dry  and 
Tvrarm. 

2.  Eat  thrice   a  day,   at  regular 
times ;  not  an  atom  between  meals ;  i 
taking  for    sapper    only  a  piece    of 
cold  bread  and  butter  with  sl  single 
cup  of  any  warm  drink. 

3.  Go  to  bed  not  later  than  ten 
o'clock,  and  never  remain  there 
longer  than  eight  hours  at  far- 
thest, not  sleeping  a  moment  in 
the  day-time. 

4.  Cool  off  with  the  utmost 
felo  wness  after  all  forms  of  exercise ; 
never  allowing  an  instant's  expo- 
sure to  the  slicrhtest  drausrht  of  air 
while  in  a  state  of  rest  after  that 
exercise. 

6.  If  the  bowels  fail  of  acting 
daily  at  the  regular  hour,  eat  not' 
an  atom  until  they  do,  but  drink  all! 
that  is  desired,  and  give  more  time' 
than  usual  to  out-door  exercise,  for  j 
several  days. 

These  five  rules  can  easily  be 
remembered,  and  we  appeal  to  the 
educated  physicians  of  all  lands  for 
confirmation  of  the  truth  of  the 
sentiment,  that  a  judicious  habitual 
attention  to  them  is  essential  to  the 
preservation  of  sound  health  and 
the  maintenance  of  a  good  constitu- 
tion, the  world  over.  Their  proper 
observance  would  add  a  young  life- 
time to  the  average  age  of  man. — 
SalVs  Journal  of  Health. 


THE  NIGHT-WATCH. 

BY  REV.  H0RATIÜS  BONAK,  D.  D., 

KELSO,  SCOTLAND.  j 

"We  are  not  of  the  world,    though) 
we  are  i>i  the    world.     So  ^'we   are 


not  of  the  night,"  though  we  are  in 
the  night.  We  are  '^children  of  the 
day  •/'  we  belong  to  the  day,  and 
the  day  belongs  to  us,  as  our  true 
heritage,  though  it  has  not  yet 
dawned.  Hope  rests  there;  and, 
though  defen*ed,  will  not  always 
tariy,  nor  when  it  comes  will  it 
shame  our  trust.  ''TVhen  the  de- 
sire Cometh  it  shall  be  a  tree  of 
life." 

Night  is  around  ns  still ;  but  it  is 
not  merely  one  of  weeping,  it  is  al- 
so one  of  ic  at  c?irng.  Xo  soiTOw  is 
to  make  us  less  watchful:  nay, 
much  more.  So  far  fi-om  tribulation 
throwing  us  off  our  guard,  it  should 
lead  to  added  vigilance.  It  pre- 
vents our  falling  asleep,  as  we 
should  certainly  do,  were  all  peace- 
ful and  pix)sperous.  It  makes  the 
night  more  cold  and  bitter  to  us, 
thereby  rendering  us  more  weary 
of- it,  and  more  eager  foi  the  day. 
TTere  the  night  air  mill,  and  the 
night  sky  clear,  we  should  grow 
contented  with  it,  ard  cease  to 
watch  for  day  break. 

This  is  our  night-wa:ch.  To  this 
the  blaster  has  appoin:ed  us  during 
his  absence.  "  Watch  ye,  therefore ; 
for  ye  know  not  when  the  master 
of  the  house  cometh,  ct  even,  or  at 
midnight,  or  at  the  cockcrowing."  or 
in  the  morning ;  lest,  coming  sud- 
denly, he  find  you  sleeping.  And 
what  I  say  unto  you,  I  say  unto  all, 
Watch."  (:Mark  13  :  35—37.)  It 
is  the  prospect  of  morning  and  of 
the  ^Master's  retui-n  that  keeps  us 
watching, — especially  in  these  last 
days,  when  watch  after  watch  has 
come  and  gone,  and  he  has  not  yet 
arrived.  '*His  going  forth  is  pre- 
pared as  the  morning,"  (Hos. 
6:3;)   and  that    morning    cannot 

now  be  distant. 

G.  y.  Vol.  X.  16 


242 


THE  NIGHT.WATCH.   ' 


The  church  must  fulfil  her,  night- 
watch.  AVhethcr  long  or  short, 
porilouR  or  easy,  she  must  fulfil  it. 
It  is  iratching  to  whicli  she  is  spe- 
cially called;  and  sadly  will  she 
helie  her  profession,  as  well  as  dis- 
obey her  Lord,  if  she  watches  not. 
She  need  not  think  to  substitute 
other  du,ties  for  tliis,  as  more  need- 
ful, more  important,  or  more  in 
ohiiractcr.  She  dare  not  mxy,  <'I 
loy,e>  I  believe,  I  pray,  I  praise, 
why  should  I  also  watch ^  will  not 
these  do  instead  of  watching,  or  is 
not  watching  included  in  these?" 
Her  Lord  has  bidden  her  watch,  and 
r.o  other  duty,  no  other  grace,  can 
he  a  substitute  or  an  excuse  for 
this. 

She  is  to  believe;  but  that  is  not 
all ;  she  is  also  to  watch.  She  is 
to  rejoice  ;  bkt  that  is  not  all ;  she 
is  also  to  wa\ch.  She  is  to  love ; 
but  that  is  not  all;  she  is  also  to 
v.ttch.  She  i.Uo  wait:  but  that  is 
not  all ;  she  i^also  to  watch.  She 
is  to  long;  but  that  is  not  all;  she 
i.N  also  to  icatch  This  is  to  be  her 
specuü  attitudel  and  nothing  can 
compensate  for  \t.  'By  this  she  is  to 
bo  known  '.\  iii  ages,  as  the  Avatch- 
ing  one.  By  this  the  world  is  to  be 
made  to  feel  +he  |  difference  between 
itself  and  her.  By  this  she  is  spe- 
cially to  show  how  truly  she  feels 
herself  to  be  a  stranger  here. 

Men  ask  her,  AVhy  stand  ye  ga- 
zing up  into  heaven  ?  If  er  reply  is, 
*'I  am  watching."  Men  taunt  her 
and  say,  Why  this  unrestfulness? 
Her  reply  is,  *'I  am  watching." 
Men  tliink  it  strange  that  she  runs 
not  with  them  to  the  same  excess  ot 
riot.  (1  l»cter4:4.)  She  tells 
them,  <'I  am  watching."  They  ask 
hea  to  come   forth    and   join    their 


gayety,  to  come  forth  and  sing 
their  songs,  to  come  forth  and  taste 
their  pleasures,  that  thus  they  may 
teach  ber  to  forget  her  sorrows. 
She  refuses,  saying,  "I  dare  not,  I 
am  w^atching."  The  scoffer  mocks 
her,  and  says.  Where  is  the  promise 
of  his  coming  ?  She  heeds  not,  but 
continues  watching,  and  clasps  her 
hope  more  firmly. 

Sometimes,  too,  a  feeble,  doubt- 
ing, or,  it  may  be,  inconsistent  saint 
asks  in  w^onder,  How  are  you  so 
strong,  so  hardy,  so  able  for  tho 
struggle,  so  successful  in  the  battle  ? 
She  answers,  ''I  watch."  Or  he 
asks,  How  do  you  keep  up  a  tone  so 
elevated,  and  maintain  a  walk  so 
close,  so  consistent,  so  unearthly  ? 
She  answers,  ^'1  watch."  Or  he 
asks,  How  do  you  overcome  sloth, 
and  selfishness,  and  love  of  ease; 
or  check  fretfulness  and  anxiety, 
or  gain  the  victory  over  the  delay- 
ing spirit?  She  answers,  *'I  watch." 
Or  he  asks,  How  do  you  make  head. 
against  your  fears,  and  challenge 
danger,  and  defy  enemies,  and  keep 
under  the  flesh?  She  repUes,  "I 
watch."  Or  he  asks,  How  do  you 
wrestle  with  your  griefs,  and  dry 
up  your  tears,  and  heal  your  wounds, 
nay,  glory  in  tribulation?  She  an- 
swers, *'I  watch." 

Oh,  what  this  watching  can  do, 
to  one  who  understands  it  aright  I 
Faith  alone  will  not  do.  Love 
alone  will  not  do.  Expectation 
alone  will  not  do.  Obedience  alone 
will  not  do.  There  must  be  watch- 
ing. 

And  this  watching  takes  for 
granted  the  suddenness  and  uncer- 
tainty of  the  day  of  the  Lord.  It 
docs  not  say,  the  Lord  must  come 
in  my  day;  but  it  says,  the  Lord 
may  come  in  my  day,  therefore  I 


THE  XIGHT-TV^ATCH. 


243. 


must  be  on  the  lookout.  This  may\  We  watch;  ior  the  night  i?  far 
come  in  the  secret  of  a  watchful  spent,  ^ot  only  do  we  know  ol 
spirit.  Without  it  we  cannot 'enongh  &e/or^  u^  ere  the  Lord  aiTive; 
watch.  We  may  love,  and  hope,  j  but  we  know  of  much  behind  tts. 
and  wait;  but  we  caimot  watch,  i  Hours,  years,  ages  have  gone  hj. 
Our  lamps  are  to  be  alicays  trim- 1  And  if  the  whole  night  was  to  be- 
med.  AVhy?  ^Xot  merely  because- brief,  only  "a  little  while,"  then 
the  Bridegroom  is  to  come,  but  be- 'surely  very  much  of  it  must  now 
cause  we  know  not  how  soon  he  j be  over.  ^'The  night  is  far  spent," 
may  come.  Our  loins  are  to  be  says  the  apostle;  literally,  it  is- "cut 
ülvcays  girt  up.  Why?  ]Sot  sim-joff,"  it  is/ore.sÄo?t6??6'^,  that  is,  it  is 
ply  because  we  know  that  there  is  to  ■  becoming  shorter,  it  is  drawing  to  a 
be  a  coming;  but  because  we  know!  close.  Behind  us  are  lying  centu- 
not  when  tbat  coming  is  to  be.  iries  of  tears  and  shadows;  the  great- 

*  The  Lord  foresaw  the  spirit  of ,  er  part  of  the  little  while  must  bt^ 
unwatchfulness  into  which  his  peo-  past;  the  day  must  beat  hand.  The 
pie  would  be  apt  to  fall,  while  he  j  nearness  makes  the  thought  of  da^' 
tarried,  and  he  warns  us  against  it.  doubly  welcome.  We  bend  tow- 
He  would  have  us  always  to  remem-'ards  it  with  warm  longings;  we 
ber  that  there  will  be  a  danger ''  strain  our  eyes  to  catch  the  first 
of  our  becoming  easy-minded  iind!  token  of  it ;  we  rouse  om*selves  to 
earthly;  content  with  his  absence  vigilance,  knowing  that  now  is  oui* 
instead  of  mourning  because  of  it :  salvation  nearer  than  when  we  be- 
content   with   his  delay  instead   of  Heved. 

joining  in  the  primitive  cry^  "How  '  How  it  disappoints,  how  it  damps, 
long?"  He  saw  that  the  world  to  be  told,  there  are  centuries  more 
would  throw  us  off  our  guard;  that ';  of  this  night- watching  still  to  come  \ 
few  would  really  keep  awake  and|Could  that  bep7-öi76'^,it  would  sadly 
watch;  that  many  would  get  tired; chill  our  hope.  ,7!r-;ifi>igbt  at  once 
with  watching,  and  find  out  excu-|  come  down  from  our  watch-tower 
ses  for  not  watching;  that  many  j  and  give  up  our  expectations.  To 
would  sit  down  and  try  to  make -''look  for  and  haste  unto  the  com- 
themselves  comfortable  here  with- jing  of  the  day  of  God/' would  be  no 
out  him.  Hence  he  so  often  repeat- 'longer  a  duty.  The  last  generation 
ed  the  warning— Watch '.  Hence'of  the  church,  living  at  the  close  of 
he  added,  "lest,  coming  suddenly,  the  millennium,  might  get  up  into 
he  find  you  sleeping  J'  the  watch-tower,  but  for  us.  watch- 

During  this  our  night-watch, 'ing  would  be  a  name,  a  mere  atti- 
faith  is  to  be  ever  vigorous  and  injtude  of  form  or  show, 
motion.  For  it  is  the  root  of  watch- i  "  It  has  ever  been  Satan's  object 
fulness.  Without  fiiith,  one  can  j  to  interpose  some  object  between 
hardly  have  the  idea  of  what  it  is  to 'the  church  and  the  Lord's  arrival; 
watch.  For  all  the  objects  towards  _  but  never  did  he  light  upon  a  more 
which  watchfulness  turns,  are  con- j  specious,  more  successful  device 
nected  with  things  unseen,— an  un-'than  that  of  nvaking  the  interposed 
seen  Savior,   and  an  unseen  «ling-! object  a  glorious   and  blessed  on^ 

/  O        i    ,„  .1  1-11  y-^tl  1 


dorn. 


iTo    no    other    would  the   Church 


244 


A  WIFE'S  REMOESE. 


have  listened.  She  would  have 
shrunk  and  turned  away  from  a 
thousand  years'  sorrow ;  but  she  is 
attracted  and  dazzled  by  the  prom- 
ise of'a  thousand  years'  rest  andjoy. 
Yet,  is  the  interposition  of  any 
fixed  interval  (be  it  sad  or  joyous) 
lawful  or  scriptural  ?  If  the  Lord's 
advent  be  thrust  into  the  distance, 
it  matters  not  what  may  be  intro- 
duced to  till  the  interval.  If  the 
Hope  of  the  church  be  hidden,  it  is 
of  small  moment  whether  it  be  by 
a  shroud  of  sackcloth  or  by  a  veil 
of  woven  gold. 

Voice  of  the  Prophets. 


1Ü  JmwWd    €m\t 


(^ 


A  WIFE'S  REMORSE. 

"Sick — sick  again !"  said  the 
heedless  wife,  with  petulance.  "I'm 
so  tired  of  seeing  a  pale  face  from 
morning  till  night,  of  hearing 
groans,  and  of  mixing  doses.  It 
seems  to  me  there  is  little  need  of 
this  constant  giving  up !  Why  don't 
I  give  up  ?" 

"Mary — ^Mary,"  cried  a  quiver- 
ing voice. 

"Coming,  coming,"  repiied  the 
woman.  '-Oh,  dear!  how  I  have 
to  run.  He's  so  impatient,  and  I 
must  always  be  there.  Men  never 
ought  to  be  sick;  they  make  so 
much  trouble." 

There  was  but  little  tenderness 
in  the  voice  that  answered  the  faint 
queries  of  the  sick  man,»  and  yet 
Mrs.  IN'ash  waSv not  a  hard-hearted 
of  an  unfeeling  woman.  Her 
character  leaned  somewhat  to 
the  side  of  sellishncss,  ai^d  being  in 
robust  health,  she  hj^d  no  knowl- 
edge of  the  heart-wearing  that  con- 


tinued pullbacks  cause  to  men  of 
the  strongest  wills. 

"Oh,  dear!"  sighed  the  man,  half 
childish,  "it  seems  as  if  my  head 
never  did  ache  as  it  does  now." 

"I've  heard  you  say  that  a  hun- 
dred times,"  said  Mrs.  Nash,  not  in 
the  softest  manner. 

"But  I'm  sure  it  is  worse.  If  you 
will  only  pull  the  curtain  down — 
the  least  light  strikes  through  my 
eyes,  even  when    they    are    shut." 

"Up  again,"  thought  the  wife, 
rising  somewhat  impatientty,  scat- 
tering .her  woi-k  with  some  noise 
as  she  did  so;  and,  heedless  of  the 
groan  that  followed,  she  let  the 
blind  fall  heavily. 

"I'm  a  great  deal  of  trouble," 
said  the  sick  man,  seeing  the  cloud 
on  his  wife's  brow. 

"Oh,  no  !" — her  face  cleared  up — 
"you  are  notional,  of  course — all 
men  are.  Men  don't  know  what 
sickness  is,  and  they're  so  frighten- 
ed at  the  least  pain." 

"But  this  is  terrible  !"  cried  the 
invalid,  pressing  his  closed  eyelids 
together. 

Oh  !  how  he  longed  to  have  some 
soothing  hand  upon  his  temples; 
but  he  would  not  ask  his  wife,  be- 
cause he  saw  that  she  had  snatched 
up  her  sewing  and  was  again  ab- 
sorbed in  its  completion. 

Hours  passed,  and  the  pulse  leap- 
ed madly,  the  eyes  grew  strained 
and  crossed  with  veins,  the  temples 
fluttered  with  the  throbbing  flesh, 
and  strange  words  came  thickly  on 
the  stillness  of  the  chamber. 

Mi*s.  Nash  had  been  down  stairs 
preparing  the  supper.  She  had  just 
laughingly  said,  in  reply  to  a  neigh- 
bor's question  concerning  her  hus- 
band« 


A  T\n[FE'S  EEiJklOESE. 


245 


''Oh,  going  to   die,   as    you    men  j  cry  for  her  rang  out,  and  still  there 
all  are,  if  you  happen   to  cut  your  was  no  consciousness. 


finger.'^ 
Little  she  thoucrht  how  true   was 


Tears,  and  wild  prayers  to  heav- 
en, sweet  and  fervent  words  of  love 


the  prophecy  she   so  unthinkingly  |  availed   nothing. 


uttered  !     In  another  moment 
eldest  son  came  into  the  room. 


her! came,   and   with 


The  death  hour 
il    consciousness. 


Arrows  could  not  have  pierced  that 

"Isn't  it  funny?"  he   cried,   «p^^ ;  sad  heart  as  did  the    last   woi-ds    of 
don't  know  me.     He  called  me   Mr.  ^^^^  ^P°g  ^^^ 
Morris,  and  asked  me  if  I  had  that 


will  all  made  out." 

"T7hat  do  you  mean,  child?"  his 
mother  paused  in  the  midst  of  her 
work. 

''He  don't  know    me,    because    I 


"Dearest,  you  have  been  a  good 
wife  to  me." 

The  meek  face  looked  calm  amidst 
the  casements  of  the  gi-ave,  but  it 
was  scarcely  whiter  than  the  face 
that  bent   over !     Oh  !  what  would 

given   to 


kept  calling  pa,  and  he  would  look  |  ^^^^^  ^^^^.^^^^  j^^^.^  ^^^^ 

at  me  so  strangely  and  keep  asking  .^^^^^  ^^^^^  ^.^1^^  ^^.^,^3  ^^^  ^^^^ 

me  if  I  had  that  wiUaU  made  out."  j^^^e  ringing  in  her  own  ears  at 
Her  cheek  paling  a  little,  Mrs.  j  every  step.  Tbie  was  the  thought 
Xash  hurried  up  to  the  chamber.  |  that  gave  anguish  unparallele  ^  as 
Her  husband  was  talking  wildly  | her  trembling  steps  led  her  to  hid 
to  himself,  and  his  appearance  had  ■,  open  grave — as  she  looked  her  last 
changed  frightfully.  Xow,  serious- 1  upon  the  dear,  manly  face  that  had 
ly  alarmed,  she  sent  for  the  physi-  Lever  had  a  smile  for  her  I 
cian,  who  wa«  all  wonder  that'  he  ^^^ ^  ^^^  ^^^^  ^^^^^^  ^^  ^.^  ^^^ 
had  been  called  at  so  lat^  an  hour.       ^^^,,  ^^^  ^^^  ^^^j^^  ^^^^   ^^    ^^ 

"The  man  must  have  shown  accused  herself,  "I  wodd  give 
symptoms  of  mo^  than  ordmary  |  worlds  !"  But  the  sorrow,  -dread- 
distress  this  morning,"  he  said;  jf^i  as  it  was,  has  not  bedj^prithout 
"did  he  make  complaints  of  nothing  Ji^s  salutary  influence,  ^ow  the 
but  an  ordinary  headache  ?"  |  -widowed  woman    is    the    welcome 

The  wife  was  forced  to  confess  |  visitor  by  the  bedside  of  ihe  sick. 
thfcät  the  symptoms  had  been  unusu-  Her  gentle  voice  «oothes  as  the 
ally  severe,  but  he  was  so  liable  to  |  voice  of  a  mother— her  hand's  touch 
these  attacks  that  she  didn't  think  !  is  like  the  pressure 


much  of  it.  Her  heart,  however, 
condemned  her.  She  was  conscious 
that  the  moans  and  complaints  of 
her  sick  husband  hadr  irritated  her 
to  an  unsual  degree,  and  that  she 
had  borne  far  from  patiently  with 
him.  Now  she  was  re^idy  to  make 
all  amends.  "With  tears  and  loving 
thoughts  she  hovered  over  that  sick 
bed,  accusing  herself;  aa  every  wild 


of  velvet — her 

very  sympathy  ia  the  sweetest  cor- 
dial. And  if  she  is  ever  tempted  to 
think  an  impatient  thought,  or  gave 
expression  to  a  selfish  wish,  there 
comes  up  before  her  the  vision  of  a 
pale  face  !  that,  but  for  her  neglect, 
might  be  smiling  on  her  now — anä 
with  the  rebuke  working  patienc« 
in  her  heart,  she  goes  about  her 
Master's  work. 


246 


iieaet-strea:m  of  the  family. 


HEART-STREAM  OF  THE  FAMILY,  und  answers  back  again.      Xcarly 

.  'ar ever  crystal   wator  ou^^ht    to  half  a/ eantury  havo   the  parents  of 

flow  sparldinn:ovcr  'shininir   stones,]  that  hapyy  household  dwelt  togeth- 

it  slvoiiltl  W  tl.o  lK':u1-slrc:nu    of  the  *^^i^  i^^  '^  blessed  union. 

"Their  feiurs,  their  hope?,  their  aims   are   one. 
Their  comforts,  and  their  c.nres." 

Each  was  happy  in  living  for  the 
runger  tici| 


iUrnil^'." 

,,  ^  saidiiiy  pastoi*  n  few  scibbaths 

ago,  imd  often  Since  have  those  few] other,  until  new  and   st 


oxpre^bivo  wovds   suggested,  to  my,  ^ycre  given   them;  and   then   thosö 


jniudi\^,viiriety  of  homes. 


precious  gifts  from  God  bound  them 


I   havo   seen  a  fiimüy   wear  out-|in  a  nearer  relation,  andthey  strove 
wardly   the   appearance    of  mutual; together     to    train    the     immortal 


lov"6  and  delight  in  each  otkor'ü 
Joys,  the  scmbhmce  of  contentment 
und  happiness  j  every  luxury  that 
wealth  could  ])ro(raro  ©r    good  taste 


souls  entrusted  to  their  mutual 
care,  for  the  home  of  perfect  ,']ju}?ity 
and  endless  love.  •  -,  ,  •'  t . 

It  was  no  slight  struggle  for  those 


di4Xate  surrounded  the   place   they  i  parents,    dependent   as   they   were 


"•'.ailed  "homo,V  yet  it  was  home 
only  in  name. 

"A  pe>/Mt'  m  too  streamlet  scant 

Has  turned  the  course  of  many  a  river,"  • 

And  t^adly  disturbed  was  the  flow  of 
the  ^  heart-sti'eam  of  that  ab(Kle. 
The  husband  diifered  from  the  wifej 
ber  opinion  seldom  concurred  with 
his;  neither  would  yield,  for  union 
or  love's  sake }  one  parent  indulged 
the  children  in  every  foolish  desu'e ; 
the  other  administered  reproof  and- 
discipline  uncalled,  for.  Their  off- 
spring followed  their  example,   and 

-muri- 


upon  untiring  labor,  to  maintain  so 
large  a  family;  but  their  united 
efforts  and  strong  determination 
enabled  them  to  give  their  children 
far  better  advantages  than  many 
who  are  accounted  rich.  More  than 
this  they  did.  They  set  before 
their  ohildren  aai  example  of  union 
of  heart  and  soul — of  earnc-^t  living 
piety.  .How,  then,  could  there  ex- 
ist among  them  contention  and 
strife  ?  .  How  could  selfishness 
,thrive  and  flourish  beneath  tho 
shade  of  that  roof-ti-ee,  where  pa- 
arfare  reigned^  in  AvhicU 'I'^ntal  affection  and  trust    were    so 

manifest  ? 

That  family  altar  was  more  than 
a  dead  formality.  That  mother — 
every  Sabbath's  setting  sun  found 
her  kneeling  in  herdaughter's  room, 


<>ach  pSipfTt  took  a  separate  part 
That  harmony  which  should  charac- 
terize a  home  where  an  indulgent 
Father  1  \  licavenhad  gTtuited  such 
^^»rofiiaioupf  means  for  happiness, 
was'"' unseen,  unfelt.  Many  such 
whitcd  sepulchres  abound,  outward- 
ly brilliant  and  beautifiil,  inwardly 
loveless  and  soiTowful. 

But  liappily  ajl  homes  are  not 
heartless.  Ifhaxe  in  mind  one,  a 
gP^y^  'glpriQfiö  family— a  home 
jf^hcre  the  sunlight  of  love,  the  joy 
of  hope,  precious  confidence,  and 
j^rust  abide;  heart  opens  to  heart, 


commending  them  to  the  Fa,ther  of 
love,  and  entreating  them,  with  a 
mother's  tenderness,  to  seek  an 
interest  in  the  dear  Kedeemer. 

Tliat  good  ^ed,  so  deeply  im- 
planted in  their  heart«  in  the  spring- 
timtjof  life,  bedewed  by  a  moth- 
er's tciu's,  enriched  by  a  father's 
influence,  warmed  by  heavenly 
sunlight'  and  carefully  watched  and 


A  BOY^S  EYEOTNGS  &c. 


247 


nourished,  must  bring  forth  an 
abundant  harvest.  And  thus  it  re- 
sulted. All  of  those  seven  children 
have  hopefully  and  professedly  be- 
come the  children  of  God ;  three  of 
them  have  gone  home  to  Jesus,  and 
become  members  of  that  blissful 
company  of  which  the  Christian 
family  on  earth  should  be  a  type. 

The  happy  parents  still  live, 
blessing  their  four  remaining  chil- 
dren by  words  of  advice  and  en- 
couragement, and  instilling  into 
their  minds  the  same  piouä  zeal 
which  has  made  their  life  so  blessed, 
their  old  age  so  joyous,  and  has 
opened  to  them  the  gates  of  Para- 
dise. 

Would  that  every  ^'heart-stream 
of  the  family"  might  flow  thus  mu- 
sically down  through  life's  wan- 
derings and  windings  -,  mingling 
each  with  every  other,  and  in  one 
mighty  tide  sparkling  with  beams 
divine,  rush  on  and  onward  into 
**that  eternal  river  "the  streams 
whereof  shall  make  glad  the  city 
of  our  God." — 


length,  finding  Joseph  alone  in  the 
counting-room  one  day,  he  asked 
him  if  he  was  well. 

^'Pretty  well,  sir,"  answered  Jo- 
seph. 

''You  look  sick  of  late,"  said  Mr, 
Abbot. 

"Have  the  headache  sometimes/' 
the  young  man  said. 

"What  gives  you  the  headache?" 
asked  the  merchant; 

"I  do  not  know  as  I  know  sir." 

"Do  you  go  to  bed  in  good  sea- 
son ?" 

Joseph  blushed.  "As  early  as 
most  of  the  boarders,"  he  said. 

"How  do  you.  spend  your  even- 
ings, Joseph  ?" 

"O,  sir,  not  as  my  pious  mother 
would  approve,"  answered  the 
young  man,  tears  starting  in  his 
eyes. 

"Joseph,"  said  the  old  merchant, 
"your  character  and  all  your  fu- 
ture usefulness  and  prosperity  de- 
pend upon  the  way  you  pass  your 
evenings.  Take  my  word  for  it, 
it  is  a  young  man's  evenings  that 
make  him  or  break  him." 


A  BOY'S  EVENINGS. 

Joseph  Clark  was  as  fine-looking 

and  healthy  a  lad  as    ever    left    the 

country  to    go   into  a    city    store. 

I  His  cheek  was  red  with  health,   his 

•arm  strong,   and    his    step    quick. 

His  master  liked  his  looks,  and  said 

that   boy  would    make    something. 

^He     had     been     clerk    about    six 

•Jttioiiths,  when  Mr.  Abbot  observed 

.a  change    in    Joseph.    His  cheek 

(grew  pale,  his  eyes  hollow,  and  be 

V  always  seemed  sleepy.    Mr.  Abbot 

Sftid    nothing   for   a   while.        At 


HOLD  ON,  BOYS. 

Hold  on  to  your  tongue  When 
you  are  just  ready  to  swear,  lie, 
speak  harshly  or  say  any  improper 
word.  Hold  on  to  your  hand  when 
you  are  about  to  strike,  pinch, 
scratch,  steal,  or  do  any  disobedi- 
ent or  improper  act.  Hold  on  to 
your  foot  when  you  are  on  the 
point  of  kicking,  running  away 
from  duty,  or  pursuing  the  path  of 
error,  shame  or  crime.  Hold  on' to 
your  temper  when  you  are  angry> 
excited,  or  imposed  upon,  or  oth- 
ers are  angry  about  you.  Hold  on 
to  your  heart  when  evil  associatea 


248 


QUEEIES. 


seek  your  company  and  invito  you 
tojoin  in  their  games,  mirth  and 
revelry.  Hold  on  to  your  good 
name  at  all  times,  for  it  is  more 
valuable  to  you  than  gold,  high 
places,  or  fashionable  attire.  Hold 
on  to  your  truth,  for  it  will  serve 
you  well  and  do  you  good  through 
eternity.  Hold  on  to  your  virtue, 
it  is  above  all  price  to  you  in  all 
times  and  places.  Hold  on  to  your 
good  character,  for  it  is,  and  ever 
will  be,  your  best  wealth. 


Queries, 

1.    Concerning  Matt.  4  :  1. 

i)ear  Editors : 

We  desire  an  ex- 
planation of  Matt.  4  :  1.  What 
kind  of  Spirit  was  it  that  led  Jesus 
into  the  wilderness  ? 

J.    W. 

Answer. — The  text  referred  to 
reads  as  follows :  "Then  was  Jesus 
led  up  by  the  Spirit  into  the  wilder- 
ness to  be  tempted  by  the  devil.'' 
We  understand  that  the  spirit 
which  led  Jesus  into  the  wilderness 
was  none  other  than  the  Spirit  Of 
God,  1.  It  is  said  that  "the  tempt- 
er came  to  him"  in  the  wilderness. 
And  this  implies  that  ho  was  not 
with  him  before,  and  so  it  could 
not  have  been  tlxe  evil  spirit  which 
led  him  into  the  wilderness.  2. 
When  the  phrase  *<the  Spirit"  oc- 
curs, in  other  cases  it  means  the 
Spirit  of  God;  as,  "And  he  came  by 
the  Spirit  into  the  temple."  Luke 
2  :  27 :  "And  Jesus  returned  in  the 
power  of  tho  Spirit  into  Galilee." 
Xiuko  4 :  14.  "For  God  giveth  not 
the  Spirit  by  measure  unto  him." 
John  3  :  34. 


2.    Concerning  Matt.  13  :  44. 

Dear  Brethren : 

If  you  please, 
give  us  an  explana?tion  in  the  Yis- 
itor  ofMatt.  13  :  44. 

Answer. — Matt.  13  :  44,  reads  as 
follows:  "Again,  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  is  like  unto  treasure  hid  in 
a  field;  the  which  when  a  man 
hath  found,  he  hideth,  and  for  joy 
thereof  goeth  and  selleth  all  that  he 
hath,  and  buyeth  that  field."  The 
field  probably  represents  the  ^^word 
of  God"  The  precious  promises 
and  the  sweet  comforts  of  the  gos- 
pel cannot  properly  be  said  to  be- 
long to  tho  sinner.  While  he  re- 
mains in  an  unconverted  state  he 
has  "no  part  or  lot  in  the  matter." 
But  when  he  sees  his  lost  condition, 
and  is  taught  that  in  the  scriptures 
there  is  ofiered  to  him  a  Savior  in 
every  way  adapted  to  his  wants, 
for  in  reference  to  the  scriptures 
Jesus  said,  "they  are  they  which 
testify  of  me,"  he  never  rests  until 
he  has  really  and  spiritually  made 
himself  possessor  of  the  gospel 
which  "is  the  power  of  God  unto 
salvation  to  every  one  that  believ- 
eth."  The  "treasure  hid  in  tho 
field"  has  reference  to  a  practice 
said  to  be  somewhat  common  in  tho 
East.  In  Eastern  countries  it  is 
said  property  is  very  insecure,  on 
account  of  the  frequent  changes  and 
revolutions  which  take  place.  Hence 
the  rich  divide  their  goods  into 
three  parts :  one  they  employ  in 
commerce,  or  for  their  necessary  sup- 
port; one  they  turn  into  je  weis,  which 
should  it  be  necessary  to  flee  from 
the  country,  could  be  easily  taken 
with  them;  »third  part  they  bury. 
And  as  they  trust  no  one  with  tha 
knowledge  of  the  place  where  tho 
treasure  is  buried,  ehould  they  not 


QUEEIES. 


249 


return  to  the  spot  again  before 
their  death,  it  is  as  good  as  lost, 
until  by  chance,  some  fortunate 
man  while  he  is  digging  in  the  field, 
comes  upon  it. 

"By  selling  all  that  he  hath,"  we 
understand  the  renouncing  of  every 
thing  that  might  prove  a  hinder- 
ance  to  his  making  the  gospel  with 
all  its  blessings  his  own. 

But  a  difficulty  has  been  some- 
times found  in  the  circumstance 
of  the  finder  of  the  treasure  going 
and  buying  the  field,  keeping  back, 
as  it  is  evident  that  he  did,  from  the 
owner,  the  knowledge  of  the  fact 
which  would  have  increased  its  val- 
ue so  much  that  either  he  would 
not  have  parted  with  it  at  all,  or 
only  at  a  much  higher  price.  As  to 
the  honesty  or  otherwise  of  the 
man  in  the  matter,  we  have  nothing 
to  do.  It  is  no  more  intended  that 
we  should  act  upon  the  principle 
which  influenced  Afm,  than  we  are 
to  act  upon  the  principle  which  in- 
fluenced the  unjust  steward.  Just 
as  in  the  latter  case  it  is  the  man's 
shrewdnesSj  not  his  dishonesty,  that 
is  the  lesson ;  so  in  the  parable  un- 
der consideration,  it  is  the  m^'s 
eager  desire  to  obtain  at  whatever 
cost  it  may  be  done,  "the  treasure  in 
the  field  J  ^  which  is  the  lesson,  not 
the  craft  and  cunning  by  which  he 
accomplished  his  end. 

8.    On  1  Chronicles  2  :  13—17. 
Dear  Brethren : 

Being  a  reader  of 
the  Gospel  Visitor,  I  desire  an  ex- 
planaticJnof  1  Chronicles  2  :  13—17. 
The  queriei  I  wish  to  present  are 
the  following :  Ist.  Had  Jesse  more 
than  the  seven  sons  here  spoken  of, 
since  in  1  Sam.  16ch.  there  is  reason 
given  for  beiieviDghe  had  eight? 


2d.  TVTiose  sisters  were  Zeruiah  and 
Abigail,  Jesse's  or  David's?  3rd. 
Was  the  Amasa  here  spoken  of  the 
same  as  the  one  spoken  of  in  2  Sam. 
17  :  25  ? 

Please  give  an  answer  to  these 
queries,  and  oblige  j^ours  in  the 
bonds  of  the  gospel. 

A.    J.     H. 
!N^ew  Lexington,  Ohio. 

Answer. — To  query  1st.  we  reply, 
that  as  it  is  not  said  in  1  Chron,  2, 
that  Jesse  never  had  more  than  sev- 
en sons,  and  qs  it  is  evident  from 
1  Sam.  16,  that  he  had  eight,  we 
conclude  that  one  had  died,  and 
consequently  he  was  not  taken  ac- 
count of  in  1  Chron.  2  ch.  2.  Ze- 
ruiah and  Abigail  were  David's 
sisters.  3.  The  Amasa  hei^  spoken 
of  was  the  same  as  the  Amasa  men- 
tioned in  2  Sam.  17  :  25,  since  each 
was  the  son  of  Abigail  and  Jether 
or  Ithra.  (see  marginal  reading.) 
And  although  in  2  Sam.  17  :  25, 
Abigail  is  said  to  be  the  daughter 
of  iS'ahash,  in  the  marginal  it  is 
Jesse,  instead  of  Nahash. 

4.    Concerning  ICor.  5  :  11. 

Dear  Editors :  I  desire  an  expla- 
nation on  1  Cor.  5  :  11,  especially 
on  the  words,  ^*With  such  an  one 
no  not  to  oat."  Does  the  apostle 
mean  that  we  are  not  to  eat  with 
such  a  person  while  called  a  broth- 
er, and  while  he  is  in  the  church,  or 
after  he  has  been  put  out  of  the 
church  ? 

D.    D.    Y. 

Answer. — A  similar  question  to 
the  above  is  contained  in  Yol  YIII. 
P.  178,  and  answered,  and  we  here 
subjoin  the  answer  there  given. 

"We  will  give  the  words  of  the 
apostle  in  relation  to  those  excom- 
municated for  certain    crimes;  "1 


250 


QUEKIES. 


have  written  unto  you  not  to  keep  I 
company,  if  any  man  that  is  called 
a  brutber  bo  a  fornicator,  or  cov- 
otoiis,  or  an  idolater,  or  a  railer,  or 
a  drunkard,  or  an  extortioner  :  with 
such  an  one  no  not  to  eat."  1  Cor. 
5:  11;  "Mark  tlieni  which  "cause 
divisions  and  offences  contrary  to 
the  doctrine  which  ye  bave  learned, 
and  avoid*  tbem.''  Rom.  16  :  17. 
*'If  any  man  obey  not  our  word 
by  this  epistle,  note  that  man,  and 
liave  no  company  with  him,  tbathe 
may  be  ashamed."  2  Thes.  o  :  14. 
If  the  plain  sense  of  tbe  apostle's 
language  as  used  in  thesö  texts  is 
taken  as  his  meaning,  and  we  would 
think  it  should  be  taken  as  sucb, 
then  does  he  teach  christians  to 
avoid  familiar  intercourse  with  the 
excommunicated — not  even  to  eat 
with  them.  And  the  churches  of 
the  Brethren  which  make  it  a  rule 
not  to  eat  with  such,  appear  to  have 
the  apostle's  authority  for  doing  as 
they  do.  This  however  is  not  to  be 
done  out  of  any  hatred  to  the  per- 
Bons  excommunicated,  but  out  of 
love  to  their  souls,  and  for  the  pur- 
pose of  making  them  ashamed  of 
their  conduct,  that  they  may  come 
to  a  penitent  state,  and  obtain  for- 
giveness for  their  sins,  and  be  again 
admitted  into  the  church.  It  is  al- 
so designed  as  a  caution  to  others, 
and  to  shoAV  the  church's  abhor- 
arence  of  sin. 

r 

.  However  the  various  religious 
dcnominatinns  may  fail  to  carry 
out  the  apostle's  directions,  com- 
mentators admit  that  his  prohibi- 
tion extends  to  the  forbidding  of 
Christians  to  eat  with  the  excom- 
municated. Dr.  Olshausen  remarks 
on  1  Cor.  5  :  11,  as  follows :  "The 
iovorc  ecclesiastical  penance  of  the 


ancient  church  is  here  defined  by 
the  apostle  himself,  and  we  can  on- 
ly regard  it  as  a  sign  of  the  church's 
decline  that  this  command  now  not 
onl}^  is  not  carried  out,  but  cannot 
be." 

The  ancient  church  strictly  ob- 
served the  literal  command  of  the 
apostle.  Theodoret  says,  "And  if 
we  should  not  commune  with  such 
persons  in  common  meals,  much 
less  in  that  which  is  mystical  and 
divine,  {ineaning  the  holy  Supper.) 

We  will  give  an  extract  from 
Bingham  concerning:  the  senti- 
raents  and  practice  of  the  ancient 
church  relating  to  the  subject. 
"No  one  was  to  receive  excommu- 
nicated persons  into  their  houses, 
nor  eat  at  the  same  table  with 
them;  they  were  not  to  converse 
with  them  fiimiliarly  whilst  living; 
nor  perform  the  funeral  obsequies 
for  them,  when  dead,  after  the  sol- 
emn rites  and  manners  that  were 
used  toward  other  Christians. 
These  directions  were  drawn  irp 
upon  the  model  of  those  rules  of 
the  apostles,  which  forbade  Chris- 
tians to  give  any  countenance  to 
notorious  offenders,  continuing  im- 
penitent, even  in  ordinary  conver- 
sation. 1  Cor.  5  :  11;  Rom.  16  : 
17;  2Thess.  3  :  14.  2  John  1  :  10, 
11.  In  conformity  to  these  rules, 
and  the  reasons  here  assigned  for 
observation  of  them,  the  ancients 
made  strict  laws  to  forbid  all  famil- 
iar intcrcoui'so  with  excommunica- 
ted persons  in  ordinary  conversa- 
tion, unlciss  some  absolute  necessity, 
or  some  greater  and  more  obliging 
moral  consideration,  required  them 
to  do  otherwise.  The  first  council 
of  Toledo  has  four  or  five  canons 
to  this  pui'pose.    It  will  be  sufiicient 


QIJEEIE3. 


251 


to  recite  the  first  of  them,  which  is  adds  this  further  concerning  Poly- 
in  these  words ;  '-If  any  layman  is  ^  carp,  that  happening  once  to  meet 
excommunicated,  let  no  clerk  or'Marcion  the  heretic,  and  Marcion 
religious  pei'son  come  near  him  or  I  asking  him  whether  he  did  not 
his    house.       In  like    manner    if  a  I  know  him,  he  replied,  Yes,  ^I  know 


clergyman  is  excommunicated,  let 
the  clergy  avoid  him.  And  if  any 
is  found  to   converse  or  eat  with 


thee  to  be  the  first-born  of  Satan. 
So  cautious,  says  Irenaeus  were  the 
apostles  and   their  disciples,  not  to 


him,  let  him  also  be  excommunica- 1  communicate  so  much  as  in  word, 
ted."  The  second  council  of  Aries  j  with  the  perverters  of  truth,  ac- 
orders  a  suspended  bishop,  to  be  1  cording  to  that  of  St.  Paul,  "A  man 
excluded,  not  only  from  the  conver-  that  is  an  heretic,  after  the  first  and 
sation  and  table  of  the  clergy  but  of  |  second  admonition  reject,  knowing 
all  the  people  likewise.  And  many  I  that  such  an  one  is  subverted,  and 
other  such  canons  occur  in  the  j  sinneth,  being  condemned  of  him- 
councils  of  Yannes,  and  the   first  of  |  self."     In  like  manner  St.  Ambrose 


Tours,  and  the  first  of  Orleans,  ex- 
cluding excommunicated  persons 
from  all  entertainments  of  the  faith- 
ful. 

'•For,  to  show  that  these  were 
not  mere  empty  and  ineffective 
laws,  we  may  often  observe  them 
in  a  remarkable  manner  put  in 
practice.  Irenaeus  tells  ns,  from 
those  who  had  it  from  the  mouth 
of  Polycarp,  that  when  he  once  oc- 
casionally accompanied  St.  John 
into  a  bath  at  Ephesus,  and  they 
there  found  Cerinthus  the  heretic. 
St.  John  immediately  cried  out  to 
Polycarp,  Let  us  fly  hence,  lest  the 
bath  should  fall,  in  which  Cerin- 
thus the  enemy  of  truth  is.  Euse- 
bius  and  Theodoret  both  mention 
the  same  story  out  of  Irenseus ;  and 
Epiphanius  also  relates  it  at  large, 
only  with  this  difi:erence,  that  it 
was  Ebion  the  heretic  to  whom,  by 
the  guidance  of  the  Spirit,  he  show- 
ed this  aversion,  for  a  memorial 
and  example  to  future  ages.  Whence 
Baronius  conjectures  both  these 
heretics  might  be  present,  and  that 
the  saying  had  equal  relation  to 
them  both.    Irenjeus,  in  the    same 


observes  of  a  certain  Christian 
judge,  in  the  time  of  Julian,  that, 
having  condemned  one  of  his  breth- 
ren for  demolishing  an  altar,  no 
one  would  vouchsafe  to  ivssociate 
with  him,  no  one  would  speak  to 
him  or  salute  him.  And  St.  Basil, 
writing  to  Athanasius  concerning  a 
certain  governor  of  Lybia,  (whom 
Athanasius  had  excommunicated 
for  his  immoralities,  and,  according 
to  custom,  had  given  notice  of  it  to 
Basil,)  tells  him,  they  would  all 
avoid  him,  and  have  no  communion 
with  him,  in  fire,  or  water,  or  house, 
that  is,  in  the  common  ways  of  or- 
dinary conversation.  A  great  many 
other    instances    of   the  like    kind 


micrht  be 


given, 


but 


I  shall  only 
add  that  of  Monica,  St.  Austin'3 
mother  toward ^her  son,  while  he 
continued  a  Manichee.  St.  Austin 
himself  tells  us,  that  she  so  detest- 
ed the  blasphemies  of  his  eiTors, 
and  had  such  an  aversion  to  him  on 
account  of  them,  that  she  would 
not  admit  him  to  eat  with  her  at 
the  same  table  in  her  own  house." 
Antiquit.  of  the  Christ.  Church. 
Book  XYI.  Ch.  II. 


2b2 


OUE  LOYE-FEASTS. 


5.      CONCERNINQ  AVOIDANCE. 

Please  likewise  answer  the  follow- 
ing query:  If  a  brother  marries  a 
woman  that  was  never  baptized, 
V  nd  then  ho  leaves  the  church,  is 
such  a  one  to  bo  avoided,  even  so 
i.iras  not  to  eat  witli  him? 

Answer. — No. — Such  a  case  the 
apostlo's  words,  1  Cor  5  :  11,  do  not 
8  »em  to  reach. 

6.  Concerning  the  pro^iety 
of  electinq  a  brother  to  ofeice. 
iv  the  church,  whose  wife  is  not  a 
member  of  the  church. 

Dear  Brethren :  As  I  have  been  a 
constant  reader  of  your  valuable 
publication,  I  would  just  request 
one  favor  of  you.  Please  give  your 
views  of  the  following  query:  Is  it 
contrary  to  the  w^ord  of  God  to 
choose  a  brother  whose  wife  does 
not  belong  to  the  brotherhood,  to 
ail  office  in  the  church  ?  And  if  it 
is  contrary  to  the  gospel  to  choose 
such  a  brother,  is  there  not  an  in- 
cimsisteney  in  leaving  those  serve 
who  wei'O  chosen  while  their  wives 
were  sisters,  and  after  their  death, 
married  women  who  did  not  belong 
to  the  church,  and  who  probably 
never  will  ? 

A.    J. 

Answer. — It  has  not  been  con- 
sidered, by  the  brethren,  contrary 
to  the  word  of  God,  to  choose  a 
brother  whose  wife  may  not  be  a 
member  of  the  church,  to  an  office 
in  the  church,  and  it  has  been  done. 


For    the    Visitor. 
OUB  LOYE-rEASTS. 

I  wish  to  drop  a  fow  words 
through  the  Visitor  (if  permitted) 
concerning  the  way  oui-  love-feasta 


are  conducted  in  many  places.  I 
have  a  reference  to  the  feeding  of 
the  people,  &c.  There  was  a  time 
when  it  worked  well,  when  all  the 
people  could  be  fed  in  a  christian- 
like manner  and  I  presume  there 
are  places  yet  wehere  it  can  be  done 
in  order.  But  where  the  country 
is  becoming  so  thickly  settled,  and 
all  the  loose,  coarse,  and  disorderly 
characters  are  accustomed  to  gath- 
er up  at  our  love-feast  meetings, 
where  they  expect  to  be  fed  either 
by  crowding  in  or  otherwise,  and 
are  frequently  seen  in  large  crowds 
around  grocery  wagons,  eating  and 
drinkhig  to  excess  &c.  it  has  be- 
come impossible  to  attend  in  a 
christian-like  order  to  the  feeding 
of  such  crowds. 

I  have  heard  even  from  the  world 
at  different  times,  that  the  breth- 
ren were  doinf]c  much  wrong  in 
conducting  their  meetings  as  they 
did. — I  would  ask  thej  question 
could  not  the  matter  be  remedied  ? 
Could  we  not  all  be  dismissed,  and 
by  dividing  out,  feed  at  our  houses 
those  who  came  from  a  distance, 
and  then  assemble  dcjain  for  even- 
ing  services  ? — I  think  we  should 
give  as  little  occasion  as  possible 
for  unruly  characters  to  carry  on 
in  such  a  disorderly  manner  as  I 
have  very  frequently  and  painfully 
beheld.  Brethren  what  do  you 
say  to  this  ?  I  give  it  merely  for 
consideration.  If  this  shall  find 
a  place  in  the  Visitor,  may  it  find 
it  as  soon  as  possible. 

S.    K. 
Dayton  O,  June  10, 1860. 


My  Ood  !  and  is   thy  table  spread  ? 
And  do68  thy  cup  with  lovo  o'erflow 
Let  crowds  approach  with  fear   and   dread, 
Anu  *v    them  fill  thy  prceeacc  know ! 


CAL.  &  OEE.  mSSIOX.— COERESPOXDEXCE. 


253 


THE  CALIFORNIA  AND  OEEGON 
MISSION. 
We  feel  that  the  importance   of 
this  movement  justifies  ns  in   calling 
the  attention  of  the  brethren   again 
to  it.     We    hope  that  some  breth- 
ren in  esLch.  of  the  chnrches  -w-ill  see 
that  the  resolution  of  the  Annual 
Meeting  relative  to    the   collection 
of  funds  is  earned  out.     We  in   the 
last  number  of  the   Visitor  recom- 
mended to  the  churches  to   seek  by 
l^rayer  and  fasting  the   guidance  of  | 
the  Lord,  that  the  proper  brethren  i 
may  be  selected  for  the  work.      We  | 
now     fuilher    recommend    to    the  I 
churches  to  inform  us  of  any  breth- 
ren who    may    be  judged    suitable ; 
for    the     responsible    undertaking,  | 
provided  they    are  willing  to   go,  | 
and  the    churches  in    which    theyj 
are  now    laboring    are    willing    to ' 
spare     them.      The    committee    to  ■ 
whom  the  matter  has  been  referred, 
desires  to  have  every  facility   avail-  ] 
able  for  making    a  proper    choice  \ 
of  brethren. 


CORRESPONDENCE. 

^arfi  from  ih«  Cluirrlti^rj. 

Woodford  Co.  Ills.   April  10,    1860. 
Dear  Brethren  in  the  Lord  : 

I  write 
you  a  few  lines  for  the  Gospel  Visi- 
tor, for  the  satisfaction  of  our  dear 
brethren  and  sisters.  We  feel  like 
praising  the  Lord  for  that  which  he 
has  done  for  us.  We  believe  he  has 
been  at  work  in  this  part  of  his  mor- 
al vineyard,  and  that  he  is  still  at 
work  in  the  hearts  of  the  children 
of  men.  Four  weeks  ago  there 
were  nine  added  to  the  church  by 
baptism ;  and  it  was  said  by  many 
that  it   was   the   largest  crowd  oi 


people  that  they  had  ever  seen  at  a 
common  meeting.  The  people  in 
these  parts  seem  very  anxious  to 
know  more  about  the  brethren's 
doctrine,  for  it  is  something  new  to 
many.  In  two  weeks  there  will  bo 
several  more  baptized,  and  we  hope 
the  good  work  of  the  Lord  will  still 
go  on,  for  the  people  seem  to  be 
very  much  concerned  about  their 
soul's  salvation.  Although  there  are 
but  a  few  of  us  here,  we  have  great 
reason  to  rejoice  in  the  God  of  our 
salvation.  Brethren  and  sistei^s 
pray  for  us  that  our  little  Zion  may 
be  built  up,  and  that  it  may  become 
like  a  city  set  on  a  hill  that  cannot 
be  hid.  It  is  but  about  nine  years 
since  the  first  sermon  was  preached 
in  Woodford  county  by  the  Breth- 
ren. And  we  would  be  glad  if  some 
of  our  dear  brethren  could  visit  us 
oftener,  and  spend  more  time  with 
US,  for  we  think  there  might  *e  * 
much  good  done  in  the  name  of  Je- 
sus. If  any  of  the  brethren  from 
the  east  wish  to  take  a  trip  west, 
we  live  seven  miles  west  of  Panola, 
a  tOAvn  on  the  Illinois  Central  Eail 
Eoad,  and  three  miles  north  of  Secor 
on  the  Peoria  and  Oquaka  Eail  Eoad, 
the  road  that  runs  to  Logansport, 
Ind. 

My  prayer  is  that  God  may 
strengthen  ns  in  faith,  and  perfect 
us  in  love. 

Ö.     W.     G. 


Extract  of  a  letter  from  Phüadelphia. 
"We  have  some  good  news  to  tell 
you  from  here.  In  the  early  part 
of  March,  three  of  our  young  men, 
teachers  in  our  sabbath  school,  be- 
'  came  troubled  about  the  salvation  of 
■  their  souls  and  made  up  their  mmds 
■to  become  obedient  to  the  Lord  and 


254 


COREESPONDENCE. 


join  tlie  i;liurch.  About  tliut  lime  a 
prayer  meeting  was  opened  on 
Thursday  cveningfi,  whieh  was  at- 
tended with  60  mueh  of  the  power 
of  the  Spirit,  that  six  of  our  youn^ 
women  (two  of  them  3'oung  iijarried 
women)  got  into,  trouble  also,  and 
on  the  8th  of  April,  they  were  all, 
nine  in  number,  baptized.  Several 
others  are  under  conviction,  but 
they  have  not  yet  made  application 
for  membership.  Brethren,  pray 
with  ue  that  the  good  work  may 
not  stop  here." 


Mulbcrrygrovc,  Bond  co.  IlFs^ 
April  23d,  1860. 

Dear  brethren. 

I  received  a  line  from  you,  when 
I  was  just  in  the  act  of  starting  to 
visit  the  churches  in  the  northern 
'parts  of  this  state,  where  I  spent  o- 
ver  six  weeks  in  traveling,  preach- 
ing, and  hearing  our  dear  old  breth- 
ren preach,  from  whom  I  desired  to 
learn  the  wa}^  of  the  Lord  more  per- 
fectly, and  I  was  truly  rejoiced  to 
bear  such  eloquent  and  soul  stirring 
preaching  of  the  truths  of  the  Gospel 
of  Christ,  as  I  did  hear  from  our  be- 
loved brethren  in  Lee,  Ogle,  Steph- 
enson, Carrol  and  other  counties.  I 
was  made  to  rejoice  to  see  such  zeal 
and  power  joined  with  meekness,  hu- 
mility and  lo^.  I  could  say,  '^his 
is  the  house  of  God,"  for  those  are 
truly  his  children,  who  walk  in  his 
commandments. 

I  purpose  traveling  most  of  the 
time,  (the  Lord  willing,)  for  the  next 
five  years."  I  am  nearly  fifty  years 
old,  have  belonged  to  the  Brethren 
twenty  seven,   have  been  a  speaker 


first  going  among  the  old  brethren, 
that  if  any  thing  be  yet  lacking  in 
the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  it  may 
be  supplied  to  me  by  my  dear  old 
brethren,  at  wliosefeet  I  love  to  sit^ 
and  learn  lessons  of  wisdom. 

Our  lovefeast  will  be  on  the  fourth 
of  August-  We  give  a  general  invi- 
tation to  all,  but  especially  to  the 
laborers  in  word  and  doctrine.  We 
beseech  you,  brethren,  come  and 
help  us.  We  are  75  miles  from  any 
other  branch  of  the  brethren.  The 
church  here  numbers  over  100,  and 
we  need  help.  The  brethren  join  me 
in  requesting  our  dear  brethren  who 
wish  to  move  to  the  West,  to  come 
to  Bond  CO.  Ills,  where  we  have  a 
mild  climate,  healthy  rolling  prairie 
country,  plenty  of  good  timber,  and 
one  of  the  finest  fruit  i^rowin^j  sec- 
tions  in  the  state.  Prices  low  \  good 
farming  land  can  be  bought  at  from 
10  to  25dollars  per  acre.  We  have 
good  schools,  good  citizens,  plenty 
of  mills,  a  good  wheat  growing 
country,  and  we  again  invite  breth- 
ren to  come  and  see  for  themselves. 

Yours  in  love 

D.  B.  Sturgis. 


Kingston  Center,  Delaware  Co. 
O.  July  3rd.  1860. 

Dear  Brethren :  Br.  Samuel  Car- 
ver and  myself  recently  made  a 
journey  to  Michigan,  Clinton  Co. 
for  the  purpose  of  preaching  the 
gosj^el  to  the  people  there.  After 
a  pleasant  vo3-age  over  the  lake 
from  Cleveland^to  Detroit,  we  took 
the  Detroit  and  Milwaukee  Rail 
Boad  to  St.  John's  Eight  miles 
north  of  St.  John's,  we  found  a 
brother  and  sister  who  had  moved 
from  Ohio  nine   years 


ago.     These 


twenty  three  years,   and  yet  I  feel  j  with  many  others    were  ver}-    anx- 
my  great  weakness,  and  the  need  of lious  to    hear   the    truth.     On   the 


APPOi:s"TMEi!HTS.— MIXUTES.— POETEY. 


Tve   had  I  received  since,  have  been  altered  to 


night  of  the  22nd.  of  June 

a  meeting.     We  had  a    very    atten-!  suit  traveling  brethren,  as   follows 


tive     congregation.      On     the     next  M   -n  the  church  adjoining  br.  Oggs  in  Minnesota 

night  we  had  another  meeting.    WeU  «  «       «    ofbr.  John  OgfSore  11^2 
had  very   ffood  order,  and  a  deep^""      «  in  Butler  co.  Iowa  15—15 

-^     ^     ^,,     ,       '  m,      i*  "  in  Blackhawk,  '• 

interest  Tvas    felt    by    many.     'Iheo-'"      "  Hardin 

next7-<iay  beins;  the  Lord's  day,  wej     Thence  to  Story,— next    to 


IS— 19 
22—23 

Ben- 


had  meeting  at  11  o'clock  and  spoke  I  ton,  thence  to  Lynn,  thence  to  Ce- 
by  the  request  of  many,  upon  the'^^T,  and  from  there  to  Maquoketa. 
doctrines  and  institutions  of  the  |  The  brethren  in  the  southern  part 
church.  We  had  meeting  again  in !  of  this  state  (Iowa)  will  arrange 
the  afternoon  and  also  at  night,  j  their  communions  to  suit  them- 
We  had  meeting  the    next    day    at  selves. 


4  o'clok,  and  five  persons  were  bap- 
tized. We  commenced  a  little 
church  there,  and  left  the  members 
with  the  understanding  that  they 
would  meet  once  in  two  weeks,  to 
sing  and  pray,  and  to  read  the 
Scriptures,  and  to  exhort  and  en- 
courage one  another,  as  they  are 
some  considerable  distance<^rom 
any  of  the  brethren,  though  I 
think  the  brethren  from  the  Haw 
Patch,    Indiana,    would    not    have 


John  Murray. 


MINUTES 
of  the  late  Yearly  Meeting. 

We  are  asked,  what. is  the  price 
of  the  Minutes,  and  answer  here 
once  for  all.  Ten  Cents  a  copy  or 
One  dollar  for  twelve  copies. 

We  have  a  good  supply  yet  on 
hand,  after    sending    out    aU    that 


Those  who  did  not 
us  imrae- 
di^Tfely  know,  as  well  as  those  who 
would  like  to  have  them,  so  as  to 
insure  their  getting  them.  When 
once  out  of  print,  it  will  be  too  late. 


V.     ^  on       -1       were  ordered.     ..- 

very  far  as  they  are  about  0O  miles  i         .        ,    .        ,      ii   i  ^ 
*',      ^  -r        r        -^^                        •    !  receive  theirs,  should  let 
north  ot  Lansing.     JSow    we    want,  -^^-,^-^,_  , ,,^  ^,^n  ^„ 

the  brethren  and  sisters  to  remem- 
ber them,  in  love,  and  in  deed  and 
in  truth,  as  there  was  a  very  deep 
interest  felt  by  many.  AYe  think 
some  of  the  laboring  brethren,  will 
feel  constrained  by  the  love  of 
Christ  to  go  and  preach  there  that 
souls  may  be  saved  and  God  glori- 
fied. 

H.     D.     D. 


|0dr5. 


WHAT  WILT  THOU  DO  FOR 
CHRIST? 


APPOINTMENTS. 

There  will  be  a  lovefeast   held  at 
brother   Michael  Farneys  in   Rich- 
land CO.     Illinois,  on   the  2^rd.   of  i  ^^  ^^  ^^*'"'^^*^^^  ^'^''^y  ^^^^  IPJ'^^.'*"*^ 
September      next.       Invitation    as 
usual. 

N.  B.    Change  of  Appointments. 

1.  Pf  appointments  in    Iowa,    pub-  ,  ^^t  t^ou  become  a  votary  at  the  shrine 
Lslfed  m  last  JSo.  we  learn    by  letter  1  of  fashion,  Worshiping  the  tinseled  garb 


thou 


What  ■wilt  thou  do  for  Christ,  when 
shalt  go 
Forth  from  thy  childhood's  home,  and  all  the 
world 


Before  thy  youthful  vision.     Will  the  song, 
The  siren  song  of  pleasure,  lure  away- 
Toward  bowers  of  rest,   ere   thou  hast  reached 
the  goal  ? 


256 


OBITUARIES. 


In  which  thou  dost  enwrap   thy  mortal  self? 
Or,  wilt  thou  listen  to  ambition's   voice, 
That  whispers  in  thy  car  of  laurel  wreaths 
Thy  intellect  might  weave  ?— or   worst   of  all, 
AViltthou,  ou  Mammon's  altar  offer  up 
The  best  affections  of  the  human   heart  ? — 
The  world  is  full  of  Sodom's  golden  fruit, — 
And  hast  thou  strength  to  turn  aside  from  all 
To  servo  thy  lowly  Master  ? — Canst  thou  wear 
A  humble  garb,  and  live  a  life  of  toil, 
And  seek  amid  the  charities  of  life, 
Those  gentle  offices  that  win  the  heart, — 
To  glorify  thy  Lord  ? 

Canst  thou  stoop  down 
To  raise  the  fallen, — to  support  the  weak, 
And  t«ach  the  little  ones  the    way   to   heaven  ? 
And   then,   when    thou  hast  done  all  that  thy 

hand 
Could  find  to  do,  and  thy  warm  heart    devise 
For  his  dear  sake  who  loved  thee,   canst  thou 

bear 
To  have  thy  name  a  hissing  and  reproach, — 
To  have  ^Jie  work  which   thou  hast  done  with 

faith. 
With  self-denial,  and  with  earnest  prayer, 
Affirmed  to  be  an  offering  thou  hast  made 
To  thy  ambition,  thy  desire  to  be 
Accounted  holier  thaft  those  around  ? 
Canst  thou  bear  this,    if  the    dear    Savior    sees 
Thus  and  thns  only   thou  canst  bo  prepared 
To  gather  jewels  for  thy  heavenly   crown  ? 
These  western    fields    are    rich   with   waving 

grain  * 

That  waits  the  reaper's  hand.  Alas  how  few  •  " 
Are  they  who  toil  to  bind  the  golden  sheaves 
And  gather  in  the  precious  gleanings.  Whence, 
Oh !  whence,   shall  reapers,  and    the  gleaners 

come. 
If  they  who  are  like  thee  in  morn  of  life, 
Hear  not  the  Master's  call  ? 

I  trust  thou  hearest, — 
CLod  give  thee  grace  to  bear  the  toil  and  heat 
Of  life's    brief  day, — and    when    the    evening 

shadows  fall. 
Send   messengers   to   help   thee  bear  thy  gath- 
ered sheaves, 
And  bring  thee,  with    glad    song    of   "harvest 

home," 
Mid  angel  plaudits,  to  eternal  rest. 

The  Tract  Journal. 


OBITUARIES. 


Departed   this  life  in  Rockingham    co.   Va. 
May   11»,   18C0.    Brother  EMANUEL   RODE- 


CÄP,  aged  72  years,  7  months  and  26  days. 
He  came  to  his  death  suddenly  by  the  kick  of 
a  horse. 

■  Died  in  Beaver  township,  Mahoning  eo.  0. 
June  20.  SUSANNA  FREY,  wife  of  Jacob 
Frey,  aged  55  years,  5  months  and  20  days, 
leaving  behind  a  sorrowing  widower,  and  3  chil- 
dren, while  2  had  gone  before  her.  At  the  fu- 
neral the  sen.  Ed.  of  this  attended  and  spoko 
from  Luke  20 :  35 — 38  in  connection  with  ''iuke 
15:  8—10. 

Died  in  Bachelor's  Run  church,  Carroll  co, 
Ind.  May  22,  last  Sister  SUSANNA  MARTIN, 
wife  of  br.  Nicholas  Martin,  after  one  year's 
confinement  to  her  bed;  age  61  years  and  8 
months.  When  tho  yearly  meeting  was  at 
Bachelor's  Run,  she  was  there  on  Saturday, 
which  was  the  last  time  she  was  from  her 
house,  till  she  was  taken  to  that  narrow  bouse 
made  in  the  earth.  At  the  funeral  ministered 
brethren  Moyer,  Ikenberry  and  Fisher  from 
John  5:  25—28. 


Al.so  in  the  same  church  May  28,  Brother 
NICHOLAS  MARTIN,  husband  of  said  Susan- 
na,  aged  02  years  and  8  days.  The  brother  was 
not  stout  for  some  3  or  4  years,  but  war  again 
so  that  he  would  go  about,  and  was  in  a  little 
wagon  going  to  his  daughter,  when  one  of  the 
wheels  went  into  a  chuckhole,  and  threw  him 
out  of  the  wagon.  Some  person  not  far  away 
went  to  the  spot,  and  took  him  up,  but  in  about 
an  hour  he  breathed  his  last.  Funeral  services 
by  D.  Fisher  and  J.  Flora.  They  formerly 
emigrated  from  Franklin  co.  Pa. 

J.   a   S. 

Died  near  Lewistown,  Mifflin  co.  Pa.  June  15, 
ISGO,  SARAH  YOUTZY,  eldest  daughter  of  br. 
Michael  and  Catharine  Youtzy,  aged  15  years,  2 
months  and  13  days.  Funeral  services  by  our 
beloved  brethren  Reuben  Myers  and  William 
How  from  Psalms  23. 

Died  in  the  Ui  per  Cumberland  '  church, 
in  Cumberland  c^-.  Pa.  on  the  6th  July  1860. 
CATHARINE  ANN  HUTCHISON,  youngest 
child  of  brother  William  and  sister  Elizabeth 
Hutchison,  ttnd  grand.child  of  elder  Daniel  Hol- 
linger  dec'  ^  ,  Age  1  year,  5  months  and  5  days. 
Funeral  s  V^-'s  by  brethren  Joseph  Sollenbcr- 
ger  and  Da  tl  Demuth  from  1  Pet.  1 :  23,24,25. 

Died  in  Clay  co.  Hlinois  in  the  big  creek 
church  sister  RACHEL  ANN  SECRIST,  wife  of 
brother  Jacob  Secrist,  and  daughter  of  brother 
Wm.  and  sister  Rebecca  Tams».t  (March  6,  1860) 
aged  25  years,  11  months  and  9  days.  She  gave 
evidence  of  a  happy  exchange  from  time  to  eter- 
nity ;  her  last  words  were,  "Glory,  hallelujah, 
praise  tho  Lord !  I  will  soon  be  across  Jor- 
dan." She  selected  the  53d  hymn  that  she 
wished  to  have  sung  at  her  funeral  commen- 
cing. 

Dear  friends,  farewell,  1  go  to  dwell 
With  Jesus  Christ  on  high  Ac. 
Funeral  services  by   br.   M.   Forney    on   Rev. 
14:  13. 

J.     H. 


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"mlBLE  trmtTof" 

LAND  FOR  SALE. 
IN  Iowa. 

Felix  Senger,  offers  for  salo,  ^0  t* 
!00  acres  of  Prairie,  and  20  to40  acrei 
oftimber  land.  The  Prairie  adioia» 
his  farm,  hence  he  will  sell  in  quanth/ 
to  suit  the  purchaser.  It  is  most  beau- 
tifully located  for  a  farm,  and  is  in 
progress  of  improvement,— has  on  it 
a  comfortable  log  house,  about  40 
acres  fenced,  and  about  20  acres  under 
cultivation.  From  40  to  60  acres  mor« 
is  in  contemplation  to  be  broke  this 
summer.  There  is  a  never  failir.g 
stream  of  water  on  it  ;  about  20  a«  -? 
of  excellent  meadow; — within  1  ; 
ofa  very  large  body  of  heavy  1;,.  l  , 
4 grist  mills,  5  to  7  miles  off,  &  ple.i.y 
of  saw  mills,  24  miles  to  the  noareit 
Mississippi  mafket,  IS  miles  to  th« 
Dewitt  R.  R.,6  miles  to  tlie  Maquoketa 
Steam  boat  navigation, —  In  the  n,i  1st 
of  a  thickly  settled,  and  good  «pcio« 
of  country. —  Plenty  of  religious  iireach- 
ing,  especially  the  Brethren  of  the 
German  Baptist  church  are  in  a^  thri- 
ving condition. 

Present  price  $12,50  per  acre,  (be- 
ing very  low)  and  higher  according  to 
the  improvements  when  sold.        - 

Those  wishing  to  purchase  will  ple?s« 
address 

Felix  Senger, 
Maquoketa,  JacksoD  Co,  Iowa. 


Old  Dr.  PETER  F\HRNEY*S 

rRr.PARTION    FOR 

CLEANSING   THE    BLOOD! 


TUB  IIERMJ  OF  TRITH: 


FOUR  SERMONS  EACH  WEEK. 


This  admirable  Preparation  is  com- 
posrd  of  the  I.est  remedies  known  in 
WiC. Materia. Mcdica,  fur  the  cure  of  all 
diseases  aribing  from  Impure  IJlood. 

It  ct.nlaiijsmore  than  twenty  ingredi- 
ents, entirel)  l^c^-e/rt/i/e.  and  is  com- 
posed ot  Rot)tsand  Herbs  which  possess 
the  highest  degree  of  purifying  proper- 
ties. .    .      ,, 

This  Medicine  was  originally  pre- 
pared by  old  J)r.  PETER  FAtlRMiA  . 
of  Washington  County  Maryland.  1  es- 
timonials  from  hundreds  of  families 
could  be  given,  who  h.  ve  used  it  for 
many  years,  and  consider  it  an  indispen- 
sable Remedy  for  the  cure  of  Chronic 
Diseases.  It  has  been  in  use  for  more 
than  halfa  century  and  its  beneficial 
efTecis  are  known  in  Pennsylvania, 
Marylaod.  Virginia,  and  many  other 
Stales  of  the  Union. 

This  medicine  is  put  up  in  packares 
accompanied  by  a  small  vial.  It  can 
be  sent  by  mail  or  express  to  all  parts  of 
the  United  States.  Price  by  mail  '.Post- 
age  Paid)  $1,00  a  single  package.  IJy 
express  ,75  cents  a  single  package  or 
46  00  for  one  dozen;  a  percentage  is 
allowed  to  persons  acting  as  agents. 
For  particulars  address  the  Proprietors. 
Prepared  and  sold  by 

PETER  FXHRNEY  «fe 
.lOHN  BURKHOLDET?  M.  O. 
Quincy ,  Franklin  Co.  Pa. 


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Journal    of   '^t^nlth. 

$1  a  year.     Specimens  ICc. 

Dr.  W.  W.  HAtL,  Editor,  No.  42  Irving 
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Among  this  year's  subjects  are  : 
Bathing.  Consumption.  Costiveucs«. 
Dieting.  Dyspepsia.  Exercise.'  Rheum- 
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Sick  Headache.  HourStomach.  Eat- 
ing Wisely.  Curing  Colds.  Hcajlii 
Without     IJrMgs.  Fever  and    Ap:uc. 

Spring      Diseases.  Keeping    Wei!. 

Warming  Houses.     Cold  Feet.        Care 
of  Eyes.     Throat  Ails. 

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THE  i 


espEL  fisiiei  1 


A  Möi\TlILY  PUBLICATION 


BY    HENRY   KURTZ    &   JAiMES  QUINTER. 


VOL.  X.  ^e^tfrm^trr  i860.  NO.  9. 


Ztxtn^* 


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PRINTED  &  PUBLISHED  in  COLUMBIANA,  Columbiana  Co.  Q. 
BY  AN  ASSOCIATION. 


II 


P, 


'Review  of  an  article  on  Keet-wa^li- 

inpr             -             -             -  257 
Leiter  loa  Pedohaptist  .Minister 

on  infant  haptinm               -  2GS 

Kinflness              -              -              -  -^-^ 

Nijxlitly  innsii!(;s               -              -  ^74 

Tlie  el«ier  son                    -               -  275 
Tl.fe  stoiie  wliicli  the  hnildors    re- 

;    jrcte.l                       -  ,          -  276 

A  plaij  fur  fipreadinp  llie  p-ospol  27S 

Faijnilv  ('ircle. —  l'rain  up  a  cliild  2"^! 

A  good  daiiprhtor               -               -  2)^2 

yüulli's  Departnienl'      Tlio  first  de- 

,       ceplion                  -              -  ^^'^ 

««.                  ♦*      Karly   Uiüifigr  «See.  2^4 

Correspondence  frotnTlvi  n,  O.  2^fy 

from  Hurkittsvilie  Md.  ?^'l> 

Poptrv.      ()  Land  of  Rest  2^7 

(vonlribiitions       -               -               -  2S8 

A  ppoin  Intents     "             i'              "  — 

Obiitiiarv               .              .              -  — 


jnbcAt  ^fö  IfonnvKlif-^f"  ^cfucl)ö 

für   %\h\nn  uuD  t£t'ptenibcr. 
(Top  altere  ecba  *         * 

(*?ibt  f?  cinon  O.Vitrelcrt  :c.        f 
(Y)<^n  ^ie  'XMe^crbri^,au^ll         ? 

T^v  i^.iiiieel  unt  t.i6  Oi\iN'lcbr 
ilf'inMuhe  (Einfalt  te6   Qil.uibfne 
(Jbrjrni?  He ';^-n'Ml-att        «        ? 
(£in  »grief  ren  ^)>.uten?iM(le; 
^.15  ^.U)r    1867  *         * 

Tie  =3äl)rlivbe  a$crfanimluni\  1860 
^^>cefie  ^  5  j 

Cntf.tultiyun^f  ^^eitrni^e,  ^e^e^5^}{lu 


J13 
117 

120 
121 
127 

128 

129 

i:^o 

189 
141 

142 


Letters^  Received 

FVou)  Ab.  (»rubh  for  hooks  tV  min. 
A  llobin-c^r  f  Vis  6,87,  A.H.Cassel. 
J)?.t>"S(Mi}ver  f  jnin.  1.  Joseph  Arnold. 
Km-'.Üliier.  "  P.  Kike.  Dr.  Dove.  J)av. 
(lerls^ch  f  Vis.  &  min  M.  M.  Bowman 
L  Kimmcl  f  hoi'ks.  Jac.  I)  Uosenher- 
ü^er  JTfiarher's  l{.eliefÄ::  ^Mission  Fund 
5.  John  Kline.  Sam.  JS  Hfimmer. 

H^nry  Clapptr  min.  1.  V.iu.  J.  Hlaotrh 
min,  Km.  Slifer  Henj.  Wray  Vis.  <$• 
mini  Dan  Miller  Vis  1.  John  A.  Uey- 
erbork  Äc  miu.  V.  Wrightsman,  John 
<:(isl5flir  f  min.  Jacob  Stover.  A.  H. 
Rinehart  finin  1.  -I'hym  S  Holsinger. 
Jncol»  Miller.  Josiab  («oiighnour.  .  J« 
C.  Mollen  fVis.  U  *)ol.  VV.  HolUngcr  t' 
boofe.     D.  V.  Walker.         Petor  Long  f 


hcoks.  Jolin  Zug.  Em.  Slifer.  Ah, 
^eir.      P.  J.  lirowti.  \V.  E.  Robert  I 

'min.  John  B.  Knrry  f books.  Call«.  A. 
Foreman.  C^eo.  Brnmbaugh  f  min 
Peter  r.ong.  F.  M.  Beachly.  8ül.\V, 
Bolling('r  f  min.  .lac  M.  Themas.  Dan 
K«owherger.  II.  Keller  f  min.         L. 

Edmister.  J.S.Floty.  Silas  Thomas 
10  f  Vis.  D.  P.  Sayler.  Jesse  Roop 
Jacob  .Mnsser  15  f  books  &.  Vis.  11.  R, 
HoUinger.  Dr.  C  Baeiz.  Jacob  Long- 
/»necker.  N.  N.Carlisle.  P.J.Browo 
■f. Mission  Fund  10,00. 

Qi^^.An  order  for  colored  paper  given 
fonr  waeks  ago,  was  not  filled  in  tini€ 
for  the  present  No.  and  so  we  were 
compelled  to  nse  some  while  papei 
in  pari  for  our  covers. 


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THE  GOSPEL  -  YISITQB:, 


REVIEW  or  Ali  AETTCIE  VVO'S 
lEET-WASHIHa. 

in  the  Jich'g'Ous  Herald  of  June 
7th.,  there  is  an  essay  on  Feet- 
washing,  which  we  have  beeh  re- 
quested to  Dotice.  The  following 
is  an  extract  from   a  letter   from  a 


you  a/iOtf?^ accompany- your  sister;' 
but  let  the  child  oilier  objections, 
and  themoth.er  sa^'s,  'You  shall  do 
so.'  In  the  first  case  she  niordy  in- 
dicates duty;  in  the  second  she  com- 
ma nds.  It  may  be  contended  that 
5Ao?iZ''?  is  another  form  of  shall ,   and 


brother  accompanying  a  copy  of  j  therefore  equivalent  to  it  in  force; 
the  paper  containir.g  the  essay  :  |  but  every  scholar  knows  this  is  not 
"I  have  sent  to  your  address  a  copy  |  the  case.  :jlr.  Bullions,  in  his  Eng- 
of  the  EellQious  Serald  in  which  iish  Grammar,  says,  ^S'Äo?/?.iis  often 
youwill  fiiid  an  article  on  Feet-  used  instead  of  oui/ht,  to  express 
washing,  v:hich  3-0U  are  requested  duty  or  obligation.'  Again  it  may 
to  answer  through  the  Yisltor.  be  urged  that  in  this  case  we  iiave 
The  opponents  of  the  ordinance  are  the  plain  example  of  our  blessed 
triumphing  over  it  very  much,  and  Lord  himself  So  be  it.  I  doubt 
it   is    calculated  to    mislead    those 


whomay  road  it,  and  who  are  not 
just  so  well  posted  upon  the  subject. 
Hence  the  necessity  of  meeting  it 
with    the    truth."      In    compliance 


with  the  above  request,  we 
take  some  notice  of  the  essay 
ded  to. 


shall 
allu- 


not  he  had  two  objects  in  view. 

1.     '-To  teach  a  great    lesson    of 

humility,  enjoiniog  by  this  action  a 

whole  class  ofmoral  duties  to  which 

he  makes  allusion  in  the  words  :  'If  ye 

know  tjicsc  things,  happy  are   ye   if 

ye  do  them.'       Adam    Clarke    eon- 

tends  that  the  washing  of  tcot   took 

I  place  prior  to  the  administration  of 

1.     The  writer  of  thje_ article   At.  the  Supper;  and    that,    instead    of 

B.,  makes  use   of  the   following,  as  'supper    being    ended,'    wo    should 

his  first   argument :    '-This   duty   if^TQud/whik  supper    icas   preparing'/ 

not  ur'i'ed  in    the    form    of  a  direct  1  so"  tliat  the  i^ronoun  them  could  have 

O  J  X 

and  positive  command.  Our  Lord  j  üo  reference  to  the  supper;  and  as 
says :  'If  I,  then,  your  Lord  and  •  [^  includes  more  than  one,  '  it  cer- 
^lastey,  have  Avashed  your  feet,  ye  tuinly  refers  to  a  class  ofmoral  du- 
also   ougJit  to   vrash   one   another's  ties.  ^g 

feet.     For  I  have  fxiven  you   an  ex-     "  2.     '-It  was    n^f3saiy    to    wash 


For  I  have  ciiven  you  an  ex- 
ample  that  ye  shoidd  do  as  I  have 
done  to  you.'  Hereit  may  be  remark- 
ed that  ov'jht  and  should,  are  used 
to  indicate  this  duty.  These  are  the 
very  words  usually  employed  to 
express  mural  duty,  but  not  posifeve 
command  or  obligation.  Tho -moth- 
er says,  Oly  child,  yoii  ov.ght  to,  or 


s  n( 
feet  frequently  in  Palestine.  They 
wore  a  kind  of  shoes  called  sandals, 
which  were  merely  strapped  on 
their  feet,  leaving  them  \Qry  much 
exposed  to  the^ßontractioi^  of  de= 
filement.  Of  course  the  Savior  in- 
tended this  custom  to  bo  observed 
for    nocessarv    pur])0scs.     He    evi- 

G.  Y.  Vol.  X.        17 


258 


BEYIEW  OF  AN  AETICLE  UPON  FEET-WASHING. 


dcntl}' refers  to  this  in  his  address 
to  Peter,  ^vh()  at  first  objected  to 
having  his  feet  -vvaslied  by  his  Mas- 
ter. Cfirist  said  tohim, 'If  I  wash 
thee  not,  tliou  hast  no  ])art  -with 
nie.'  Peter  answered,  <Lord,  not 
my  feet  only,  but  also  mf  hands  and 
my  head.'  Christ  responded,  'He 
tliat  is  waslied  necdeth  not  save  to 
wash  his  feet,  but  is  clean  every 
whit.'  It  is  fiuj^posed  by  some  that 
they  had  i^ono  to  a  pool  and  washed 
themselves  all  over,  and  in  return- 
inf^,  they  got  Jheir  feet  defiled,  and 
now  the  Savior  just  before  supper, 
performs  this  necessary  act  of  kind- 
ness. 

'•From  the  outer  washing  he  re- 
fers to  the  inner,  when  he  says'  'Ye 
arc  clean,  but  not  allf  alluding  to 
the  fact  that  Judas  had  not  been 
washed  from  his  sins.  He  surely 
would  not  have  washed  their  feet, 
had  they  not  needed  it-  Elder 
Dagg    says :     'He  who  washes   the 


Thou  ouglitcst  therefore  to  have 
put  my  money  to  the  exchangers. — 
Matt.  25. 

2.  To  be  necessary;  to  behoove. 
Ought  not  Christ  to  have  suffered 

these  things,  and  to   enter  into    his 
glory  ?— TJukc  24. 

3.  To  be  fit  or  expedient  in  a 
moral  view. 

My  brethren,  these  things  ought 
not  so  to  be. — James  3. 

Should.  In  the  second  and  third 
persons,  it  denotes  obligation  or  du- 
ty- 

Ought,  originally  the  past  tenso 
oi  owe,  is  now  used  to  signify  pres- 
ent dut3^  Bullions.  Ought  and 
should  then  are  used  to  convey  tho 
idea  of  duty.  This  M.  B.  acknowl- 
edges. "These"  ho  saj^s,  when  re- 
ferring to  ought  and  should,  "arc  tho 
very  words  usually  employed  to 
express  moral  duty,  but  not  positive 
command  or  obi i station."  But  we 
have     seqn    that   Webster    defines 


feet  of  a  saint    when    those    feet  do  \shoidd  when  used  in  the  second  per- 
not  need  washing,  is  as  if  he  gave  a !  son,  to    mean    oWigation.     And    it 


cup  of  cold  water  to  a  disciple    who 

is  not  thirsty.'" 

• 

In  noticing  his  remarks  we  shall 
first  look  at  what  he  says  u])on  the 
words  ought  and  should.  ''These" 
he  says  "are  the  very  words  usually 
employed  to  express  moral  duty, 
but  not  positive  command  or  obliga- 
tion." Webster  thus  defines  ought 
and  should  and  gives  the  examples 
annexed :  Ouf!]it,.^o  be  held  or  bound 
in  duty  or  moral  obligation. 

'l^hcuQ  ought  JG  to  have  done,  and 
not  to  leave  the  others  undone. — 
Matt.  23  :  23. 

AVe  that  are  strong  ought  to  bear 
the  infirmities  of  tho  weak.-Roin.  15. 


was  used  in  the  second  person  when 
the  Savior  said,  "I  have  given  you 
an  example,  that  ye  should  do  as  I 
have  done  to  3'ou."  Therefore  tho 
word  used  b}^  the  Savior,  shows 
that  the  disciples  were  under  obli- 
o-ations  to  wash  one   another's  feet. 

o 

But  M.  B.  sa^'S  that  these  words 
ought  and  should  "express  a  moral 
duty  but  not  a  positive  command 
or  obligation."  Now  if  our  duty  is 
presented  to  us,  it  matters  not 
whether  it  comes  in  the  form  of  a 
positive  command  or  not,  or  wheth- 
er it  comes  in  the  imperative  modo 
which  is  used  commonly  for  com- 
manding, or  in  the  potential  modo 
which  implies  obligation;  we  aro 
guilty  bciore  God  of  a  sin  of  omis- 


EETIEW  OF  AX  AETICLE  TPOX  FEET-WASHIXG.  259 

sioii  if  that  (lutv   is  not   performed.  I  And  the   Spirit   leads   by  motives. 

And  if   feet-washing    was  a   moral  i  And  does  the   child    of   God    want 

duty  as  friend M.  B.  admits  it   was,! any  thing  more  to    incline    him    to 

then  if  the   disciples    had    not   per-  j  perform  an   action,    than  to   know 

formed  it,  they  could  not  have  been  |  that  it  is  the   will   of  the  heavenly 

blameless   in  the  sight  of  God.     We  \  Master  that  he  should  do  so  ?    ''Xot 

are  presented  with    an    illustration  every  one  that  saith  unto  me,  Lord, 

designed    to  ,  show    the    difference ,  Lord,  shall  enter  into  the    kingdom 

between    oyght    and    shall       <-The!of  heaven;  but  he    that    doeth    tho 

mother  says,  Oly   child,   you  ö^^^A^  will  of  my  Father  which  is  in  heav- 

to,  or  you   sJiOuJd  accompany  your, en."     ATatt.  7  :  21.      The     remarks 

ßister;'  but  let  the  child  offer   objec- 1  upon  the  words  s/io'jf^tZ    and    aught, 

tions,  and  the    mother    says,    <You  ^liich  we  often  hear    made    as    an 

shall  do  so.'     In  the  first    case    she ,  implied  excuse    lor    not   practicing 

merely  mdiGntes  duty ;  in    the    sec- i  feet-washing,  seem  to  betray  a  want 

ond  she    commands."       ^Te    would  of  the  mind  of  Christ,  which  promp- 

ask  whether  the  child,  if  it   was  an  ted  him  to  say,  ^'My  meat   is   to   do 

obedient  one,  would  not    go    along  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me,"    John 

with  its  sister  at  once,  if  it  knew  its,  4:  34.     ^-Xow    if   any    man    have 

mother  wished  it  to  do  so  ?     It  cer-  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is    nono 

tainly  would.     And  if  it  would   not,  of  his,"  Ptom.  8  :  9.     If  the    Savior 

it  would  show  it  was   a   very   diso-  would  speak  fi'om  herjven    to  friend 

fcedient  child.      Then    an    obedient  \  M.  B.  and  say  to  him,  "You  and  your 

■disciple  of    Christ    vdll    want    the  brethren  ought  to  wash  one  anoth- 

Savior's  will  conveyed  in   no   more  er's  feet,"    could    he   possibly    feel 

positive    language    than    ought    or  ^satisfied  without  doing  it,  although 

•fi/<ov?^,  to  prompt    him  to    do    that  the    Savior    had    only    said,    "yoit 

will.     But  the    mother    by    saying;  ought?"     If  he  is  a  converted  man , 

"You  shall  do  so,"  implied  that    she :  and  has  that   supreme    regard    and 

would  compel  the  child  to  go.      But  love  to  Christ,  which  are  the   fruitn 

does  Jesus  use  compulsion  to  obtain  ■  of  conversion,    he    certainly    could 

the      obedience     of   his    disciples  ?  not.       Then    let    not    feet-washing 

Does  he  force  them  to    be    baptized ;  be    rejected     by    any    believer    in 

or  to  come  to    the    communion    ta-,  Christ  on  the  grounds  that   shotiJd. 

ble?     Certainly  not.     Papists   have;  and  oii^/Zr^  do  not  make  it   sufScient- 

nsed   this   compulsion,    but    Christ  ly  binding  to  require  our    obedience 

never  sanctioned  it,  and  the   author ;  to  it. 

of  the  essay   we  are  noticincj,   does       ^  ,  .i    ^    ^    ^         •. 

,.,;-.,  \    .     \     Our  author  savs    that    feet-wasn- 

not  think  he  did  m  the  case  of  the^.  ,,,     .      \  4.   i      ^^   ^4: 

_      .  .  mg  was  '-to  teacii  a  irreat   lesson  01 

,  Papists  nor  in  any  other  case.     The  ,   "    ....  ...        ,       ,,  .,   „,x-  ,, 

I     /  -^  humility,  enjoining   by   this  action 

i  wicked  are  to  be  bound    hand    and         1    i       i     '       x-  i     -   +•        x^ 

a  whole  class    of   moral    ciuties    to 

I  foot,"  and  cast  into  outer  darkness,"  I  ^i^ich  he  makes    allusion    in    tkese 

I  but  Christians  are  not  to   be  bound  \^Oj,(lg.  ,jf    y^  j^-^ow  these  things^ 

i  and  forced   to   the  performance   of  happy    are  ye    if   yc    do    them.'  "^ 

duty.     They  that  are   ^^led    by    the  "Whatever  moral  duties  were  taught 

Spirit  of  God  are  the  sons  of  God."  or  implied  in  the  action   the    Savior 


5G0 


IlEVIEYf  OF  AX  AETICLE  UPON  FEET- WASHING. 


pcrfoi'mod  to  the  disciples,  "^vc  can- 
Jiotjiossibly  resist  tho  conclusion 
that  ho  tau*;ht  tliem  to  wasli  one 
another's  feet.  IIq  said  alter  he 
Jiad  Av;ishcd  thoir  loot,  ''Yo  also 
ought  to  wash  ono  another's  foot, 
jbr  1  hcivo  given  you  an  example, 
that  ye  sliould  do  as  I  have  done  to 
you."  Xow  his  example  could  not 
bo  misunderstood.  They  saw  ^vhat 
*Le  did — he  Vv^ashcd  their  feet,  and 
they  were  to  do,  to  one  another, 
the  very  thing  he  had  dono  to  them. 
"It  was,"  says  friend  AI.  13.,  ^'neces- 
^;ary  to  wash  feet  frequently  in 
Palestine Oi' course  tho  Sav- 
ior intended  tliis  custom  to  he  ob- 
served for  necessary  purposes."  It 
certainly  was  for  a  "necessary  pur- 
pose.'' And  wluit  was  that  "necessa- 
ry purjiosc  ?"  Friend  M,  B.  would 
probably  say,  it  was  merely  to 
make  tlie  feet  clean.  But  vre  shall 
let  tho  Savior  explain  tho  purpose. 
"If ye  know  these  thinü:s,  happy 
are  ye  if  ye  do  them."  Here  is  tiie 
pur{)ose  for  which  feet-washizi_<;'  Avas 
instituted,  ])lainly  set  before  us. 
It  was  to  promote  our  happiness 
according  to  the  explanation  of 
Christ.  And  we  mu^t  preier  his 
explanation  to  that  of  friend  M.  B. 
Th;it  the  Savior  included  fcet-wash- 
ing  in  tho  phrase  "these  things," 
when  ho  said,  '^If  ye  knov^  these 
things,  happy  are  ye  if  ye  do  them," 
cannot  possibly  be  denied,  for  it 
was  immcdiatelj'  after  ho  had  wash- 
ed his  disciples'  feet,  arid  said,  "I 
liavc  given  you  nil  cxam|)le,  th:it  ye 
should  do  as  I  have  done  to  you," 
that  ho  r.sed  the  words  "If  ye 
know"  cvc.  But  friend  31.  B.  says, 
"It  was  necessary  to  Vvash  feet  iro- 
quently  in  Palestine."  And  what 
if  it  was  nccessar}-  to  wash  iect   ire- , 


Iquently  in  that  country  ?  Does  it 
j  therefore  necessarily  follovv^  tliat 
I  because  a  proper  regard  to  bodily 
health  and  comfort  in  the  eastern 
countries  made  it  necessary  to  have 
the  feet  washed  that  they  might  bo 
cleansed  Irom  natural  defilement, 
Christ  must  have  washed  tiie  feet 
of  the  disciples  for  tho  same  pur- 
pose, namely,  to  make  them  clean  ? 
Such  a  conclusion  by  no  means  fol-* 
lows; — no  more  than  it  would  fol- 
low that  because  bodily  health  and 
comfort  required  that  the  peo]Dle 
of  the  eastern  countries  should  of- 
ten bathe  their  entire  bodies,  there- 
fore the  immersion  that  Christ 
enjoined  upon  his  disciples    Avas    to 


le    llesh 


I  put  away  the  filth  of  tl 
Such  a  conclusion  relative  to  christ- 
ian immersion  friend  M.  B.'  would 
not  adniit,  and  yet  it  vv'ould  be  as 
logical  as  his  conclusion  concern- 
ing Christ's  action  in  washing  the 
feet  of  his  disciples.  Indeed  it  ap- 
pears there  were  some  in  the  apos- 
tles' days  Avho  looked  upon  bajv 
tism  as  our  author  looks  upon  foet- 
Vx'ashing — thej-'regarded  it  as  an 
act  designed  to  cleanse  the  body 
from  natural  defdement.  Ilenco 
the  apostle  Peter  had  to  correct  th^ 
error  into  vrhich  such  had  Jallcji, 
and  he  declares  that  baptism  is 
"not  the  ])utting  away  of  tho  tilth 
I  of  the  flesh,  but  the  answer  of  ä 
I  good  conscience  toward  God."  1 
|Peter3:21.  So  the  washing  of 
I  feet  among  the  disciples  of  Christy 
lis  "not  the  putting  away  of  tho 
fillh  of  tho  ilesli''  but  it,  too,  is  the 
answer  of  a  good  conscience,  for  it 
is  following  the  example  and  obey- 
ing the  command  of  the  Savior. 
Although  the  believer  was  subject- 
ed to  a  bodily  washing  in  baptism, 
yet  the  act  was  designed  to  confer  a 


EEVIEVr  OF  A^'  AETICLE  TPOX  FE2T-TVASHIXG.  261 

►iritual  blessing.  So  the  feet  of  a 'after  righteousness :  for  they  shall 
?liever  are  subjected  to  a  literal '  be  li  11  cd."  Xo"^  the  soul  that  him- 
ashiag,  yet  the  act  mar,  and  it  gcrs  and  thirsts  after  righteousness, 
ill,  ^vhen  properly  observed,  con- 1 does  not  want  a  literal  cup  of  cold 
p  a  spiritual  blessing:  ^^Jf  ye  Tvatcr,  but  it  wants  the  water  of 
10 w  these  tiling?,  happy  are  ye  life.  Jesus  says  to  such  a  soul, 
ye  do  them."  ;*'Take   my    yoke    npon    you,    and 

Again:  To  confine  Christ's  per-!^-^™  ^^  ^^  ^  for  I  am  meek  and 
rmancein   washing  his  discii>les' :^^^^^:r  in  h^a^t :  and  you   shall    find 

5t,  and  theirs  in  washing  one  an-|^^^*-''  ^^^  ^^^^^'  ^^^  ^'^''y 
her's,simp;v  to  the -putting  away '^^^1^^^^^^^^^^^^'  ^^^  ^-^^^^  ^^ 
■the  filth  of  the  fiesh,"  is  to  make  !^^^^^^'  ^^^^  '"^  listening  to  his  teach- 
irist  the  author  of  a  carnal  ordi.;^^-^  ^^"^'•^  ^^^  '^^  ^^  ^^^'^  ^^^ 
inee.  But  according  to  p^ulj^^^^  i«  P^^^^^t  ^^^^^  ^^^^  ^^^^^t- 
eb.9:  10,  who,  in  referring  to  the  i^?^^^^"^'  ^^^  ^^^^^^^  happiness- 
remonies  of  the  jJosaie  law,  srys,  '*^^^  ^^  ^"•-  ^^  ^"^^'"^"^  ^^"^  "^^  ^  *^^"' 
l^hieh  stood  onlv  in  meats  ^nd^-^^^^  ^^^^  ^^^^^  ^^^''^^'  ^^^^^  ^"=^^- 
inks,  and  divei^  washings,  andi^^  ^^'^^^  ^^^^^^^  ^'^^  ^^-'^^  ^^ 
mal  ordinances,  impo.sed  on  them  i^^'^^'^  ^^^  another's  feet.  Fori 
iil  the  time  of  reformation,"  car>^^^  g^^''^^  y^""  ^^  example,  that 
I  ordinances  were  only  to  eontin-|:^'^  ^^'^^'^  ^^  ^^  ^  ^^^^  ^^^^  ^^  3'^^' 
fantil  the  time  of  reformation;  •• '  live  know  these  things  happy 
It  is,  until  the  time  of  Christ.  ^^'"^  >'^ '^' ^^'^  ^^  *^^'^-"  ^^  ^^'^^J'-'' 
^  was  to  bo  "an  hi-h  wriest  ofj^"^^^  ^^^^  ^^'^IW  ^«7  obedience, 
od  things  to  come"— of  spiritual i^^^^'^^^^^S  ^^  *^^^  promise,  "happy 
hi-.     Therefore  the   washin-   ofr^^'^^'eii" ye  do  them."       Thus    doe* 

-   practiced  and  commanded  |  ^^^^-^^'^^^^^^^S  t^-<^'ome    to    the    soul 

thirsting  after  Christ,  as  refreshing 


ist,  was  not  a  carnal,  but  a 
alordinaiice,  designed  to  pro- 
bte the  growth    of   the    spii'itual 


as  a  cap  of  cold  water  does    to    him 

who  is   naturally     thirsty.       Then 

in  \he  disciples,    especially '  ^^^^^»S  "t  the   spiritual    import    of 

esofhumilityandlove.      "  |  feet-washing     as     commanded     by 

j  Christ,  it  is  adapted  to  the  wants 
Dur  author  Quotes,  and  appears  i  of  those  who  desire  that  happiness 
Tivehis  sanction,  to  the  follow- j  ^vhich  is  imparted  by  Christianity, 
sentiment  from  Elder  Dagg:!].^  the  natural  condition  of  the 
e  who  washes  the  feet  of  a  saint  jfect  be  what  it  may. 
en  those  feet  do  not  need   wash-  j 

,  is  as  if  he  gave  a  cup  of  cold  I  What  will  friend  M.  B.  think  of 
tcr  to  a  disciple  who  is  not  thirs-j  the  following  proposition?  He 
We  should  always  keep  the  I  who  gives  the  bread  and  wine  to  a 
at  design  of  Christianity  in  saint  when  that  saint  is  not  hungry 
ST.  Men  have  spiritual  as  well  J  and  thirsty,  is  as  if  he  gave  a  cup 
natural  want3  to  be  supplied, !  of  cold  water  to  a  disciple  whii  is 
Christianity  was  designed  to  I  not  thirsty.  This  is  an  applicatioa 
D^-  those  wants."  Blessed  are!  of  Elder  Dagg's  principle  to  another 
vrhich  do   hunger  and  thirst!  subject.     And  if  we  admit  the  pria- 


2G2 


IREVIEAV  OF  AN  AETICLE  UPON  FEET-M^iSIIIXG. 


ciplo  as  illustrated  amd  applied  b}- 
Elder  l)a;>;.ix,  '^vhy  not  as'  applied  as 
above  ?  Elder  Dagg  and  Iriond  M, 
B.  lost  si;.cb  of  the  spiritual  import 
ofteet-Avasliing,  and,  therefore,  have 
not  given  us  an  apt  illusl ration. 
As  the  l.>j'ead  and  ^vine  of  the  com- 
munion were  ^lot  designed  to  allay 
hunger  and  thirst,  so  feet-washing 
was  not  designed  to  put  Away  the 
fill h  of  the  flesh.  As  the\first  were 
•designed  to  benefit  the  som,  vit  does 
not  require  a  person  to  be  hungry 
lo  enjoy  their  benefits  ;  so,  the  sec- 
ond, having  for  its  object  a  similar 
design,  does  not  require  the  feet  to 
be  unclean  in  order  that  the  object 
for  which  feet-washing  was  institu- 
ted may  be  realized. 

II.  The  second  argument  of 
friend  M.  B.  against  fiet-washing 
iis  a  duty  obligatory  upon  christ- 
ians, is  given  in  the  following 
•word :  ^'Again  ;  MatthcAV  sets  out 
to  write  the  history,  the  life  and 
commands  of  Christ.  He  writes 
his  gospel  befoi^  any  of  the  others, 
iind  he  represents  the  Savior  as  en- 
joining the  observance  of  every 
thing  ho  had  ever  commanded. 
And  now  let  me  inquire,  how  were 
these  all  things  to  be  known,  wdien 
he  had  left  out  a  i:)art  ?  It  vras  at 
^  iirst  the  only  gospel  in  existence. 
He  could  not  go  into  all  the  world 
to  tell  the  people  to  wash  feet,  and 
it  was  useless  to  send  his  gospel,  for 
that  said  not  a  word  about  it.  It  is 
compute4  that  ]\[atthc'v^  wrote  his 
gospel  A.  D.  39;  Mark,  A.D.  43; 
iiuke  A.  D.  5G ;  and  John  A.  J).  9G— 
leaving  a  space  of  57  years  between 
Ihe  writing  of  Matthew's  and  John's 
gosj^jcl.  Now,  ou  the  supposition 
thaJt  the  washing  of  feoi  is  an  ordi- 
nance^ and  according  to   the  views 


of  some  who  practise  it,  that  it  R 
essential  to  salvation,  what  became 
of  those  who  lived  before  Johr 
wrote  '/  For  it  -^nll  be  borne  in  mine 
that  Matthew,  Mark  and  Luke 
say  not  one  syllable  hljout  feet-wash' 
ing.  Is  it  possible  that  there  arc 
only  three  ordinances,  and  thes4 
^11  essential  to  salvation,  and  thai 
three  out  of  four  of  the  evaiigelista 
have  named  oiily  two  and  left  oui 
one  ?  How  unfaithful  they  musi 
have  been  !  What  a  wonder  it  ij 
that  one  did  not  leave  out  the  aC' 
count  of  the  crucifixion,  another  th( 
ordinance  of  baptism,  and  anothe] 
the  supper!  If  the  washing  of  fee 
stands  on  a  level  witk  the  ordi 
nances  and  other  commands,  the^ 
might  with  equal  propriety  hav< 
left  them  out.     Docs  not  this  aro-u 

o 

ment  destroy  the  force  of  all  rea 
soning  in  fiivor  of  feet-washing  a 
an  OAÜn^iice?  Did  the  memory  o 
these  writers  fail  th-em  ?  This  can 
not  be,  for  they  wrote  by  inspira 
tion.  Did  they  refuse  to  writ( 
what  the  Holy  Spirit  dictated 
This  was  impracticable,  for  th 
Lord  could  not  employ»  such  agent 
to  do  this  kind  of  work.  Did  Chris 
say  to  them,  thete  is  oa'e  ^  of  m;; 
commands,  which  shall  be  bindini 
on  the  world  till  time  shall  end 
but  then,  you  need  nof  record  it 
How  absurd  I  AVha.t  then?  Di( 
Matthew  say,  Tliey  may  depend  o: 
tradition  for  a  while  ?  But  ho\ 
did  he  know  that  John  would  eve 
write?  And  how  very  uncertaii 
is  tradition  at  best !" 

Feeling  disposed  to  do  full  jlistic 
to  our  author,  v»-e  have  quoted  hi 
argument  at  length.  r^'The  dcsig 
of  it  yeems  to  be  to  show  that  fee 
washing  was  not  designed  to  Jic  ol 


EEVIE^,T  OF  AX  AETICLE  UPOX  PEET-^ASHIXG. 


2G^ 


served,  as  it  could  not  have  been  he  said,  "If  I  then,  3'our  Lord  and 
known,  Matthew  saying  nothing ,  blaster,  have  washed  your  feet ; 
about,  it  and  hi*A)eing  the  only  one  ye  also  ought  to  wash  one  anoth- 
of  the  gospels  for  several  years,  *  er's  feet.  For  I  have  given  you  an 
wUich  was  written.  A  difference  [  example,  that  ye  should  do  as  I 
of  opinion  obtains  among  the  learned  ,  have  done  to  you."  So  the  eleven 
concerning  the  time. at  which  Mat- 1  disciples  were  commanded  by  Jesus 
thew  wrote  his  gospel.  The  carli- '  to  wash  one  another s  feet.  And 
est  time  fixed  is  A.  D.  37 ;  and  the  the  same  eleven  disciples  were  corn- 
latest,  A.  D.  64,  making  a  difierence^;U3anded  by  him  to  teach  the  nations 
of  27  years  The  argument  of:  to  observe  the  things  which  he  had 
friend  M.B.  drawn  from  the  dates  ;  commanded  them.  Consequently, 
of  the  gospels  of  Matthew  and  John,  I  there  were  eleven  teachers,  instead 
is  based  upon  the  assumption  that ;  of  one,  lo  teach  feet-washing, 
nothing  could  have  been  known  i  Friend  31.  B.  must  know,  and  ev- 
aboutfeet-washinguntilJohn  wrote,  eiy  person  who  has  given  the  sub- 
as  the  other  evangelists  said  noth-  i  ject  any  thing  like  a  proper  degree 
ing  about  it.  His  premises  in  his  of  consideration  must  know,  that 
argument  are  not  correct,  and  of :  the  apostles  taught  Christianity  at 
coui'sehis  conclusion  is  not  reliable,  öi'st  more  viva  voce  or  by  word  of 
In  speaking  of  Matthew  he  says, '^^outh,  than  they  did  by  writing. 
'-He  could  not  go  into  all  the  world  I  Copies    of   books    multiplied    vei^ 

J  to  tell  the  people  to  wash  feet,  and  1  slowly  in  those  times,  as  they  had^ 
it  was  useless  to  send  his  gospel,  |  to  be  transcribed.  ^  If  the  world  du-' 
for  that  said  not  a  word  about  it.'' j  ring  the  time  it  had  no  written 
A  strange  idea  this  !  Was  Matthew  i  work  on  Christianity  but  Matthew's 
the  only  one  of   the  apostles   that  |  gospel,  would  have   known  nothing 

'knew  any  thing  about  feet-washing?  j  about  Christianity  but  what  it  leara- 
Vas  he  the  only  one  present  when  |ed  from  that  work,  it  would  have 
Jesus  said,  '^Go  ye  therefore,  and  I  known  but  very  little  about  it. 
t  '^ch  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in 


xQ  of  the  Father,  and  of  the   Son, 
L  of  the   Holy   Ghost:  Teachinof 


The  author  of  the  essay   we  are 
noticing,  seems  to    think    tfiat    the 


ni  to  observe  aU   things    whatso^- 1  ^.«^"^^  ^''^^l^  ^^""^  ^^^^^  nothing  of 

..I  have  commanded  vou.''Matf.i^ö^t-^a^^^^g^^^^^^   J^^^^  ^'^^^   ^^^ - 

L    :  19,20.     In  the  16th  verse  of  the!  gospel,   which   was  A.  D.  96.     Let 

c:.upter  we  have  just  quoted  from,  I  ^s   test  this  argument.       Matthew 

reread  as  follows:  ''Then  the  el  cv- 1'^^«*®  says   our  author,  A.   D.    39; 

en  disciples  weftt  away  into  Galilee,  i^ay  others,  A.  D.  64.      Xow   if  the 

into  a  mountain  where  Jesus    had '  ^^^^'^^  ^^^^   nothing   of  feet-wash- 

.   ^    ,  ^v        ,,      K     11  .  -.1  inorfi'om    the    ascension    of   Christ 

appointed  them.''     And  let  it  be  re.  1     ^.,   -,   .,  ^    i-  i    a     -r^ 

^^  i until  John  wrote  his   gospel  A.   D. 

membered  that  these   eleven  disci- ,g^^  ^  p^^,.^^   ^^   62    y^^^^^    by  '  tljc 

1  '  -  to  whom  Jesus  epake  and  said,  same  mode  of  reasoning  we  prove 
aching  them  to  observe  all  things  that  the  woi^ld  knew,  liothing  of 
-Ltsoever     I     have     commanded  ja^y  of  the Mnstitutions  »of  Christi- 

you/'  were  present  with  Jesus  when  iaÄity  from  the  ascension   of  Christ 


:g4      r.HviEAV  OF  ax  article  rrox  feet-wasiiixg. 


until  Jialthcw  wrote    his  '  gos 


J).  ^9, 


ofti' 


<pel,  A.! connection  Avitli  baptism,  our    Lord 
years;  or,  if i says:  'I  am  with  you  till  the   Avorld 


j)cri0(i  01  nvo 

we  give  the  latest  date  to  his  gos-,  shall  end ;'  and  of  the  supper:  Yo 
pel,  namely,  A.  D.  G4,  theiik»  the  do  show^  the  Lord's  death  till  ht> 
world  knew  nothini^  of  ('hristian-  come." 
ity  for  a  period  of  thirt}'  years,  for 
it  had  no  wvittcn  record  of  Christi- 


=Thc  w, 


ng  of  feet"  says  friend 
auity  for  that  lejigth  of  time.     But '  ^L  3->. ''docs  not  typify    Christ    nor 


this  conclusion  is  erroneous,  although 
it  justly  follows  from  the  preniises 
of  friend  M.  B.'s  argument,  showing 
that  his  premises  arc  not  correct, 
and  of  course  liis  conclusion  must 
be  wrong.  The  error  in  the  pre- 
mises of  his  argument  is  this:  The 
world  could  have  known  nathing 
about  feet- washing  since  the  first 
cliristia]!  records  contained  nothing 
concerning  it ;  overlooking  the  fact 
that  the  first  teachers  sent  out  to 
teiich  the  w^orld  Christianity,  taught 
v4va  voce  or  by  word  of  mouth,  and 
that  there  were  at  least  eleven  of 
these  who  knew  all  about  fect-wash- 


lUg. 


•JJocs    not    this    arirument" 


asks  our  author,  destroy  the  force 
ol'all  reasoning  in  favor  of  feet- 
washing  as  an  ordinance  ?"  In- 
stead of  destroying  all  reasoning  in 
fhvor  of  feet-washing,  we  have  seen 
that  the  argument  has  no  force 
whatever  in  it,  being  built  upon  a 
mere  assumption. 

III.  The  remarks  under  the 
tlurd  head  of  our  author's  essay 
&ro  as  follows:  ^'Take  another 
thought.  The  washing  of  feet  does 
not  typify  Christ  nor  any  thing 
ohiQ.  While  ba])tism  typifies  the 
burial  and  resurrection  of  Christ, 
apd  the  supper  his  death,  feet-wash- 
ing appears  to  typify  nothing. 
And  while  we  are  told  that  those 
shall  continue  to  tho  end  of  time, 
tto  appears  to  be  entirely  under 
tho   control    of   circumstances.     In 


any  thing  else."  And  what  if  it  does 
not?  Must  every  Christian  duty 
be  a  type  referring  to  some  anti- 
type ?  Certainly  not.  But  how 
will  this  assertion  agree  wdth  a  po- 
sition taken  in  the  first  part  of  tho 
essay,  and  contained  in  the  follow- 
ing ATords  :  '^I  doubt  not  ho  had  two 
objects  in  view,  1.  To  teacji  a 
great  lesson  of  humility,  enjoining 
by  this  action  a  Avholo  class  of  mor- 
al duties."  ISov:  what  moral  du- 
ties docs  it  teach '/  The  words  of 
the  »Savior  accompanying  the  act,, 
show  that  it  was  designed  to  teacli 
the  disciples  to  do  to  one  another, 
what  he  had  done  to  them.  But 
as  friend  ]VL  B.  thinks  it  enjoined 
something  more  than  this,  and 
something  different  from  it,  it  must 
then  according  to  his  oviu  showing, 
have  had  a  t^'pical  signification. 
And  may  it  not.be  a  typical  action 
indicating  the  character  of  Christ 
as  a  servant,  willing  and  ready  to 
do  any  thing  for  his  people  ?  And 
may  not  its  frequent  observance' 
remind  us  of  the  duty  inculcated 
by  the  apostle  in  these  words.  "By- 
love  serve  one  another."  Gal.  5  :  13. 
Wo  regard  feet- washing  both  as  a 
means  of  grace  calculAted  to  pro- 
mote the  growth  of  practical  humil- 
ity and  love,  and  also  a  sign  to  in- 
dicate the  presence  of  thoso  Christ- 
ian dispositions. 

Friend  M.  B.  says,  ''while  we   aro 
told  that  those,"   meaning  baptism 


EEYIEW  OF  AX  AETICLE  UPOX  FEET-WASHIXG. 


265 


ii lid  the  supper,  '^shall   continue    to | poorest  Christians:  they  thouglit  it 
the  ei^  of  time,  this  appears  to   be  I  not  below  them  to   cook   and  pro- 


vide victuals  for  them,  to  visit  the 
imprisoned,  to  kiss  their  chains,  to 
dress   their  Avounds,  to  wash  their 


entirely  under  the  control  of  circum- 
stances." AVe  may,  it  is  true,  con- 
trol it  by  circumstances,  but  have 
we  a  right  to  do  so?  lie  did  not 'feet.  And  in  this  onr  Lord  hira- 
admit  the  power  of  circumstances!  self  went  before  them,  when,  a  littlo 
to  control  it  when  ho  enjoined  it  i before  his  death,  he  rose  from 
upon  his  disciples.     He  did  not  -say, '  t- 


ible. 


girt 


wash  one  another's  feet  in  this 
place,  and  omit  it  in  that.  Or,  do 
it  for  a  time,  and  then  abandon  it. 
And  when  he  gave  the  last  commis- 
sion to  his  disciples,  he  did  not  say, 
AVhen  you  are  teaching  the  people 
of  a  warm  climate  and  sandy  coun- 
tiy,  teach  them  to  wash  one  anoth- 
oi's  feet,  but  when  you  are  teach- 
ing those  of  a  colder  climate,  it  need 
not  be  tauglil.  ''Teaching  them  to 
observe  all  things  whatsoever  I  j  sent  him."  Accordingly  we  find 
have    commanded    you/'    was    the  j  this  particular  act  of  Christian   con- 


himsclf,  'vashcd  and 
wiped  his  disciples'  feet,  and  then 
told  what  influence  this  ought  to 
have  upon  them;  --that  if  their 
Lord  and  Master  had  washed  their 
feet,  they  ought  also  to  wash  one 
another's  feet,  for  that  he  had  given 
them  an  example,  that  they  should 
do  as  he  had  done  to  them  3"  and 
good  reason,  ''the  servant  not  being 
greater  than  his  lord,  neither  ho 
that  is  sent  iri'oater    than    he    that 


Savior's  direction,  and  not  the  most 
remote  intimation  given  that  cir- 
cumstances were  to  control  it. 


lY.     Our 
ment  against 


author's   fourth    arju- 
feet-washinix  is  thus 


descension  frequently  used  in  tho 
primitive  church.  St.  Paul  express- 
ly requires  it  as  a  qualification  in  a 
widow,  that  was  to  be  taken  as  a 
deaconess  into  the  church,  that   sho 


stated:  "Moreover;  we  do  not  learn  |  ^e   "one  that   used  to  lodge  stran- 
from  ecclesiastical  history,  that  theL^^^'^^  ^^^  ^^  ^^^^^h    the  saints'  feet, 
washing  of  feet  was   practised    as  a 
church  ordinance  in  the   early  ages 
of  Christianitv." 


records  feet- washing 
practices  of  the  early  Christians,  it 
must  be  because  he  is  not  acquaint- 
od  very  extensively  with  the  histo- 
ry of  the  early  ages  of  Christianity, 
and  not  because  history  is  silent 
upon  the  subject,  as  will  appear 
from  the  following  testimonies  : 

<'I  shall  give  but  one  instance 
more  of  the  humility  of  those  times ; 
and  that  is,  their  ready  condescend- 
ing to   any   office  or  employment, 


Tertullian  assures  us  it  was  usually 
done  by  Christians  in  his  time,  to  go 
into  the  prisons  to  kiss  and  embrace 
the  martyrs'  chains,  to  harbour  and 
If  he  has  not  learned  that  history  ^^^,^^-^^  ^^^^.  indigent  bretliren,  and 
among  the  to  bring  water  to  wash  the  saints' 
feet :  no  office  so  low  which  they 
were  not  content  to  stoop  to." 
Cave's  Frimitive  Christianity.  P  179. 


"Some  have  understood  this 
literalli/y  and  have  thought  these 
words  amount  to  the  institution  cf 
a  standing  ordinance  in  the  church ; 
that  christians  should,  in  a  solemn 
religious  manner,  icash  one  anoth- 
cfsfeety    in    token   of  their  conde- 


tbough  never  so  mean,   about  the|scending  love  to    one   another.    St. 


206        EEYIEW  OF  A:N  AHTICLE  UPOK  FEFT-WASHUSTG. 


Ambrose  took  it  so,  and  practised 
it  in  the  church  of  Milan."  Henry's 
JExposition  of  John  13  ch.  Ambrose 
■was  Bishop  ot\A[ihin  in  the  north- 
ern part  of  Italy,  and  lived  in  the 
4th.  century-. 

''To  this  ^vas  added,  in  many 
churches,  the  trashing  of  their  feet 
by  the  ]iishop,  in  imitation  of  Christ 
in  washing  his  disciples'  feet,  which 
is  retained  as  a  ceremony  of  the 
Greek  Church."  Coleman's  Ancient 
Christianity  Exemplified.    P.  373. 

"We  rea/i  in  a  valuable  work  en- 
titled the'  History  of  all  Eeligions/ 
on  page  214,  that  the  'Moravians 
separated  themselves  from  the  An- 
abaptists, in  the  16th.  century,  and 
observed  many  of  the  original  acts 
of  the  apostles,  such  as  the  washing 
each  other's  feet,  after  the  manner 
of  a  sect  which  arose  iu  the  second 
century,  called  Apostolicals,  because 
they  observed  the  acts  of  the  apos- 
tles.' "     Ham,  P.  86. 

More  testimonies  of  this  charac- 
ter could  be  adduced,  but  we  have 
presented  enough  to  prove  that 
feet-washing  was  practiced  in  the 
early  ages  of  Christianity,  as  a 
Christian  rite. 

V.  The  jßfth  and  last  argument 
of  friend  M.  B.  in  his  essay,  is  thus 
ßtated :  "The  last  argument  I 
ßhall  offer,  and  that  on  which 
I  rely  more  than  any  other, 
is  based  upon  the  apostolic  allusion 
to  this  custom.  Paul  plainly  and 
unmistakeably  sets  it  down  as  a 
good  work.  He  informs  Timothy 
that  a  widow  should  not  be  taken 
into  the  account  unless  well  report- 
ed of  for  good  works,  enumerated 
as  follows  :  'If  she  have  brought  up 
children,  if  she  have  lodged  stran- 
gers, if  she  have  washed  the  baints, 


feet,  if  she  have  relieved  the  afflict- 
ed, if  she  have  diligently  f(f!bwed 
every  good  work  •/  1  Tim.  5 :  10. 
In  another  place  Paul  writes,  *Bo 
not  forgetful  to  entertain  stran- 
gers.' Why?  Because  it  is  a  good 
work,  and  in  doing  so,  some  have 
entertained  angels.  We  are  fur- 
ther told  that  one  part  of  pure  re- 
ligion consists  in  visiting  the  afflict- 
ed. Why?  Because  they  need  at- 
tention, and  it  is  therefore  a  good 
work.  It  is  demonstrated,  then, 
that  feet-washing  was  practised  as 
a  good  work  or  moral  duty,  and 
consequently  not  as  an  ordinance. 
And  I  may  confidently  ass-crt  that 
the  same  thing  cannot  be  an  ordi- 
nance and  a  good  work.  It  has 
been  shown  that  ordinances  arc 
typical  or  emblematical ;  but  good 
works  are  thus  defined:  'These' 
things  are  good  and  profitable  unto 
men ;'  that  is,  those  for  whom  they 
are  performed.  If  a  friend  is  sick, 
and  cannot  wash  his  own  feet,  if 
they  need  it,  it  is  a  good  work  to 
wash  them  for  him;  but  if  he  can 
Avash  them,  it  is  no  kindness  to 
wash  them  for  him.  Taking  this 
view  of  the  subject,  feet-washing, 
as  an  ordinance  among  us,  would 
be  one  of  the  cfi'eatest  absurdities : 
for  it  is  well  known  that  all  persons 
coming  to  church  to  have  then* 
feet  Avashed,  would  give  them  such 
a  scrubbing  before  leaving  home, 
as  to  supercede  the  necessity  of  ex- 
posing their  naked  feet  in   church." 

He  thinks  that  the  argument 
drawn  from  Paul's  allusion  to  feet- 
washing  in  1  Tim.  5.  :  10,  may  be 
relied  on  more  than  any  other  of 
his  argument.  His  other  argu- 
ments can  certainly  not  be  much 
relied  on,  for  there  is  but  very  little 


EEYIEW  OF  AX  AETICLE  UPO:sr  PEET-T\"ASHING. 


267 


force  in  them.  And  it  is  the  same 
Avith  this.  That  Paul's  aUiision  to 
feet-Trashing  confirms  the  idea  that 
it  was  practiced  by  the  early  Christ- 
ians as  a  Christian  rite,  is  evident 
from  the  followinc*  consideration : 
The  other  duties  mentioned,  name- 
ly, the  lodging-  of  strangers,  and 
the  relieving  of  the  afäicted,  vrere 
duties  that  Averc  to  he  performed  to 
ßinners  as  well  as  to  saints.  But 
here  is  a  duty  specified,  namely, 
the  washing  of  ^^the  saints'  feet,^' 
■which  is  to  be  performed  to  saints 
alone,  and  hence  it  is  proved  to  be 
ii  Christian  rite  practiced  among 
Christians.  If  Paul  would  have 
meant  it  to  be  a  mere  act  of  hospi- 
i^ality,  to  be  performed  to  a  person 
when  he  could  not  wash  his  own 
feet,  he  would  have  said,  ''if  she 
have  washed  the  stranger's  feet." 
But  he  has  not  said  so,  but  has  made 
it  a  duty  to  be  performed  to  saints, 
by  saying,  "if  she  has  washed  the 
saints'  feet."  This  language  of  the 
Ji2:)0stle  when  properly  analyzed, 
iind  vrhen  carefully  examined,  pre- 
sents strono-  corroborative  testi- 
mony  proving  that  the  words  of 
Christ  concerning  feet-washing, 
jimounted  to  a  command,  and  that 
they  were  so  understood  by  the 
aj)ostlcs  and  early  Christians. 

"If  a  friend  is  sick,"  says  friend 
M.  B.,  "and  cannot  wash  his  own 
feet,  if  they  need  it,  it  is  a  good 
work  to  wash  them  for  him ;  but 
if  he  can  wash  them,  it  is  no  kind- 
ness to  wash  them  for  him."  He 
seems  to  entertain  the  idea,  that 
a  good  work  consist  in  relieving 
the  body  of  pain,  or  in  administer- 
ing bodily  comfort.  This  idea  is 
disproved  by  the  fact  that  the  wo- 
man Y\-ho  anointed  the  head   of  the 


The    direction,    "Be   not 
strangers," 


Savior,  performed  a  "good  vrork" 
upon  him.  Matt.  26  :  10.  Kow 
she  did  not  anoint«iiim  because  he 
was  sick,  or  because  he  was  in  want 
of  any  bodily  comfort,  but  it  was  a 
compliment  to  him,  prompted  by 
her  love  and  respect  for  him,  and 
yet  it  was  a  good  loork.  And  Paul 
says,  "If  a  man  desire  the  office  of 
a  bishop,  he  desireth  a  good  work." 
Tim.  3:1.  Here  all  the  spiritual 
duties  pertaining  to  the  ofiice  of 
bishop,  are  called  a  good  work. 
Then  his  assertion  "that  the  same 
thing  cannot  be  an  ordinance  and 
a  good  work,"  wants  proof  to  sus- 
tain it 

forgetful  to  entertain 
is  both  an  ordinance  and  a  good 
work.  And  the  implied  duty  of 
visiting  "the  fatherless  and  widows 
in  their  afiiictiou,"  likewise  possess- 
es the  two-fold  character  of  ordi- 
nance and  good  work.  For  what  is 
an  ordinance  ?  "J.  rule  established  by 
autlioritij ;  a  iiermanent  rule  of  ac- 
tion."    TTebster. 

FriendM.  B.  thinks  to  practice  feet 
washing  among  us  when  the  feet  are 
not  dirty,  would  be  an  absurdity. 
There  is  no  more  ^surdity  in  such 
a  practice  than  there  is  in  being 
baptized  when  the  body  is  clean, 
or  in  taking  the  communion  wlien 
we  are  not  hungry.  "^Yhen  all 
these  rites  are  received  as  parts  of 
the  truth,  and  vrhen  the  jDOwer  of 
the  truth  in  being  obeyed,  to  puri- 
fy the  soul,  1  Pet.  1 :  22,  is  acknowl- 
edged, nothing  in  these  Christian 
rites  will  appear  as  absurd,  but 
they  will  all  appear  wisely  selected, 
and  admirably  adapted  to  the  ac- 
complishment of  their  design. 

"The  washing  of  feet"  remarks 
friend  M.  B.  in  concluding  his  essay^ 


268 


A  LPriTEr.  OF  A  BFlOTHER  &c. 


Avas  once  a  moral  duty,  Lccausoj apostles  to  teach  the  baptized  ot 
circumstances  made  it  8o,  and  be-  all  nations,  to  observe  all  things 
cause  it  had  also  tlfe  example  of  Ihe  whatsoever  he  had  commanded 
bh^ssed  Savior,  who  thus  taught  us  [them,  is  something  v/hich  cannot  bo 
that  in  every  ago  and  country  we  done.  We  su])mit  the  matter  to 
sliould  l)e  ready  to  ever}'  good^ the  reader  with  tlic  liopc  that  ho 
word  and  vroi'k,  and  that  we  should  i  will  examine  it  seriously  and  can- 
osteem  no  necessary  offices  of  kind-,  didl3',  and  with  the  prayer  that  ho 
iiobs  to  our  brethren  beneath  our 
dignity." 


I  may  be  led  to  the  discovery   of    the 
truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus. 

J.     Q. 


How  has    tlie    Savior    taught  us 
'ftiiat  in  every  age  and   country  vre 
sliould  be  ready  to  every  good  word  A  Letter  of  a  Erothcr  to  a  Pcdobap- 
ftndwork,  &c."     Has  he    tauirht   it 


by  his  own  act  of  washing  his  dis- 
ciples feet?  If  so,  why  did  he  then 
command  his  disciples  to  wash  one 
another's  feet?  If  ho  designed  to 
teach  this  important  lesson  to  his 
disciples  by  their  own    practice    to 


to  one   another,  whicl 
have  been  the  case,    as 


tist  Minister  on  Infant  baptism  &c. 

Union  Deposit  Dauphin  Co.   Pa. 
June  15th.  1860. 

I^espected  Friend : 


Conformably 
to  your  request,  I  will,  in  brevity, 
aj^pears  to] give  you  some  reasons  ior  reject- 
they  were'iug  tlie  doctrine  of  infant  sprink- 
tu  wash  one  another's  feet,  then  it  ling.  My  first  and  principal  objec- 
ehould  be  continued,  that  the  lesson  'tion  is,  that  it  is  not  found  in  the 
may  continue  to  be  taught.  *'The|  word  of  Clod.  There  is  much  said 
washing  of  feet''  says  friend  31.  B.  in  the  holy  scriptures  of  baptizing 
was  once  a  moral  duty,  "because  I  adults,  but  of  adding  inflmts  to  tho 
circuniltances  made  it  so.''  These Uliurch,  citlicr  by  baptism  or  sprink- 
circumstances  alluded  to  were,  we;liug,  wc  do  not  read  one  word — no 
j)resume,  thÄ  climate,  sou,  &c.  of  i  not  One.  All  the  reasoning  employ- 
Palestine.  According  to  this  idea,  |  ed  to  prove  the  contrary  is  purely 
we  suppose  that  if  friend  M.  B.  was!  inferential,  and  desperately  strained, 
in  Palestine,  he  would  preach  and  [and  shallow  at  that.  In  your  re- 
practice  feet-washing  as  a  -'moral  i  cent  attempt  to  establish  your  doc- 
duty,"  inasmuch  as  the  circum-i  trine  bj^  scriptural  testimony,  you 
stances  there  now,  are  similar  to  I  admitted  that  the  baptism  of  infants 
what  they  wore  when  Christ  wash-  is  not  found  in  tho  word  of  God, 
cd  his  disciples'  feet.  lie  nwi^iVüii  so  inany  vords,  but  is  plainly 
likewise  believe  that  it  is  a  ''moral  inferred.  Christ  prayed,  "Sanctify 
duty"  obligatory   upon   the   Christ- 


ians who  are  now  in  Palestine,  and 
other  countries  in  the  cast.  Now 
to  reconcile  the  idea  that  feet-wash- 


them  in  thy  truth,  thy  icord  is 
truth."  If  not  found  in  the  wordj 
it  caiviot  be  trutft.  Again, ''AVhen 
the  Spirit  of  truth  is  come,   ho    will 


ing  is  a  local  duty  to  be  contincd  to,  guide  into  all  truth."  His  word  is 
Palestine,  with  that  part  of  the  I  ^r«//i,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  h  to 
commission    which     recjuired      the j guide  us  into    the    icord    which    is 


A  LETTE  R  OF  A  BilOTIIER  &c. 


269 


fnitJi.  and  you  cAmit  the  doctrine  j led.)  ^'^«(Z  A^r  JiouseJtold"  Act?  16  : 
you  sui^port  is  not  in  the  icord.  15.  The  J:vHer  "was  baptized,  ho 
Theretore  it  is  selfevident  that  the  and  all  his  straighway."  ActslG: 
Holy  Ghost  has  fiiiled  to  fdfill  his  33.  It  is  tal:cn  for  granted  hj  pcdo- 
office  and  led  joii  from  the  truth  J  baptists  that  children  must  have 
or  it  is  not  the  Holy  Spirit  by  which  belonged  to  those  families,  and  in 
you  are  led.  You  did  not,  in  a  sin-  their  publications  they  insist  on 
gle  instance,  refer  your  audience  to  this  point  with  an  earnestness  that 
any  passage  of  Holy  writ,  where  in-  leads  many  to  accept  it  as  an  indis-^ 
fant  sprinkling  is  sanctioned,  cither  putable  fiict  But  you  cannot  fail 
by  precept  or  example.  The  gist]  to  perceive  that  this  argument 
of  your  argument  was  based  on  the  jPi'Ovcs  too  much,  and  therefore 
words, '•!  will  establish  my  cove-  pi'oves  nothing,  and  is,  consequent- 
nant  between  me  and  thee,  and  It,  both  illogical  and  unscriptural. 
thy  seed  after  thee,  in  their  genera-  If  the   fact  that  whole   households 

were  baptized  is  an  evidence  that 
YOU  children  belonged  to  the  number, 
it  also  proves  that  there  must,  of 
necessity,  be  children  found  in  all 
households.  I  cannot  see  how  you 
can  avoid  this  conclusion. 


Another   passage    often    referred 

to  the    coToiant  "between  !*°'^^*'^""-^^^=°^"''-'l'"-"^^"-^^=  ^'' 

15,  vrhere  Christ  laid  his   hands    on 

But  what  has    this 

9 


tions,  for  an  everlasting  c  »vcnant 

Gen.  17  :  7.      And    from    this 

attempted    to     show    that    inflmts 

must  needs  be    admitted    into    the 

church,  because  it  is   an   everlasting 

covenant.     TVere  vou  only  io-norant. 

or  were  you  dishonest,  in   neglect- ; 

ing  to  define  the  term  everlasting  as  I 

applied 

God    and    Abraham?       AVhen    the 

Passover  was  instituted,  it  was   ex-  p^"^^  '^^^^^'^^• 

->resslv  declared,  three  times  in   the  ^"^  ^^  ^^'""^^  '"'^'^  question  ?       Baptism 

.ame    chapter,    that    ^-'they   should!'^''''*   mentioned,    and    wiu.out    a 

observe   this   dav  in  their  -enera- i  "^''^^^'^^"^    perversion    of    language 

lions  bv  an  ordinance /örcm?'    e^  jtbo  words  of  Christ  cannot   be  con- 

li  :  14.17-24.     And  yet    no    o^o ^'^'"'"''^^  ^^ '''^■^'' ^^'"'   children   w^ere 

believes  that    the  Passover    gi,o,^ij'^^c^<^ed  to  the  church.     Thathebless- 

be  observed  in  the  chr^f^im  church  '''^  *^^'"  '^''^^  ^""^  i''"^'"''  ^''^'^  ^'^ 
simply  because  it  was  to  be  an  cr^<- 1  ^^^1'^^'^^'^  ^^^^-  ^^*^^^^^  ^'^^'^  ^^^1'" 
nance forever.  You  would  sneer  .tltized  why  is  the  fact  not  recorded? 
such  an  argument,  and  at  the  same!^^>' ^^^^  ^^"'^  Evangelists  leavens 
time,  with  marvellous  inconKistencyJ'''^^^^^^^^^  a  subject  which  it 
you  adopt  it,  and  cling  to  it  with ; ^'^""'^^''''^  "^^  ^^  "^""^^  ^^  know? 
surprising  tenacity,  to  ^bolster  your  I  ^^^  ''^  '^  *^'^^  *^^  doctrine  which 
tottering  cause.    "  "         ■  you  labor  to   overthrow  is  invaria- 

j  bly  expressed  in  plain,  direct  terms, 
The  cases  of  Lydia  and  the  Jailer:  while  the  one  that  you  maintain, 
are  cited  as  instances  to  prove  that 'is  shrouded  in  dark,  dubious  passa- 
baptism  was  administered  to  cA/^ges,  and  can  only  be  reached  by  iu- 
dren.  Lydia,  aft^r  hearing  thelforence?  Can  Christ  and  his  apos- 
apostles  preach,  and  embracing  the  ties  be  regarded  as  efficient  teach- 
faith,  ••'was  6^'j>i<'^<?<^,"   (not   sprink-;ers  of  religion,   when    they    employ 


270 


A  LETTER  OF  A  BROTHEE  &c. 


langnai;-c   si)   grossly  ambiguous  as  I  filled  the  same,  unto  us  their  chil- 


to  convey  a  meaning  exactly  the 
reverse  of  that  which  they  intend- 
ed ?  Xo,  never.  Let  God  be  true, 
though  thousands  pervert  the  plain 
teachings  of  his  gospel,  and  lead 
tens  of  thousands  into  delusion  and 
ruin. 

I  confess  my  utter  '  inability  to 
comprehend  why  any  one  should 
infer  that  Christ  sprinkled  inftints 
simply  because  it  is  said  he  blessed 
them.  Isaac  blessed  Jacob,  Jacob 
blessed  the  Patriarchs,  and  Christ 
blessed  his  disciples  on  Mount  Oli- 
vet, before  his  ascension,  and  yet, 
pedobaptists  will  not  for  a  moment 
allow  that  baptism  is  connected 
with  these  blessings.  Is  not  this 
strangely  inconsistent?  The  infer- 
ence as  regards  baptism  is  equally 
strong  in  all  the  above  instances. 
"Why  not  allow  that  it  was  admin- 
istered in  all  ?  Because  the  admis- 
sion would  be  palpably  absurd ;  and 
not  to  admit  it  will  be  fatal  to  your 
'jtrgument. 

•  Anotiicr  text  to  which  pedobap- 
tists point  in  triumph,  as  supposed 
to  prove  the  doctrine  of  inflmt 
sprinkling,  is  recorded  in  Acts  2  : 
39,  "The  promise  is  unto  you,  and 
to  yowY  children."  Here  the  Avord 
children  is  not  restricted  to  infants, 
but  simply  means  the  offspring  of 
Jewish  parents.  We  are  all  the 
children  of  our  parents,  even  when 
wo  are  no  longer  children  in  the 
type  of  our  bodies.  This  passage 
is  further  illustrated,  and  this  point 
forever  settled  in  the  view  of  every 
candid  mind,  by  referring  to  Acts 
13  :  32,  33,  where  the  apostle  Paul 
says,    *'Tho    promise    which     was 


dren."  It  cannot  be  denied  that 
the  word  children  is  here  emplo3'cd 
to  denote  adults.  The  promise  was 
confirmed  unto  us,  that  is,  to  the 
present  generation  of  Jews,  who  are 
the  children  of  those  that  lived  in  a 
former  generation.  By  using  the 
pronoun  us,  the  ajlostle  included 
also  himself.  That  this  is  the  true 
meaning  is  admitted  even  by  dis- 
tinguished pedobaptists.  1  cannot 
see  there  is  any  advantage  gained 
in  sprinkling  infants.  They  need  no 
compliance  with  external  ordinan- 
ces, for  these  belong  only  to  those 
who  are  capable  of  experiencing 
the  inner,  spiritual  conditions  or 
states  which  are  represented  by 
outward  rites.  If  baptism  rested 
on  the  same  principle  with  circum- 
cision, we  would  be  under  obliga- 
tions to  unite  our  children  with  the 
church.  But  you  know,  or  ought 
to  know,  that  this  is  not  the  case. 
Circumcision  was  the  seal  of  a 
national  covenant,  to  distinguish 
them  from  all  other  nations  on  the 
earth.  In  baptism  the  convert  en- 
ters the  new  covenant  on  his  oioi 
resjyonsibility,  and  not  through  the 
medium  of  a  third  party,  as  is  done 
in  the  sprinkling  of.  infants.  ''lie 
that  helieveth  and  is  baptized  shall  be 
saved."  Mark  IG  :  16.  ''If  thou  he- 
lici:est  with  all  thine  heart  thou  may- 
est."  Acts  8  :  37.  Circumcision 
was  performed  on  males  only,  but 
baptism  is  administered  irrespec- 
tive of  sex.  Hero  again  you  muti- 
late the  very  principle  which  is  the 
corner-stone  of  your  antiscriptural 
dogma.  God  has  made  a  new  cov- 
enant in  Christ  Jesus.  In  baptism 
we  publicly  testify  that  we  regard 
made  unto  owriiUhers,  God  has   ful- 1  it  as  adapted  to  all  th«    wants    and 


A  LETTEE  OF  A  BEOTHEE  &c. 


271 


necessities  of  our  immortal  nature,  j  because  it  implies  that  he  did  not 
Ho^  can  an  infant  bear  testimony  fully  redeem  humanity.  And  that 
to  the  fitness  of  the  covenant  to  it  is  not  necessaiy  to  the  salvation 
secure  its  hitchest  advanta2:e,  when ,  of  infants  is  virtuallv  acknowledsced 
it  neither  understands  its  nature ;  by  pedobaptists  themselves,  in  ad- 
and  design,  nor  appreciates  its  ben- !  mitting  that  all  infants  are  saved, 
efits  ?     To  be  annexed  to  the  church '  even  those  that  die  previous  to  the 


in  infancy  is  not  choice  but  chance. 
There  can  no  scriptural  evidence 
be  produced   to   show  that,  under 


administration  of  this  ordinance. 

The  unreasonableness  and  incon- 
the  new  economy,  we  are  to  become  j  sistency  of  administering  to  infents 
members  of  the  church  till  we  that  ordinance  which  symbolizes 
are  capable  of  entering  it  by  faith,  [regeneration,  is  fui*ther  made  appa- 
The  oft  repeated  notion  that  infants ;  rent  by  the  following  considera- 
must  be  admitted,  and  then  bejtions. — If  infants  are  to  be  made 
brought  up  "in  the  nurture  and  ad-  members  of  the  church,  they  aro 
monition  of  the  Lord,"  rests  on  a  |  entitled  to  the  privileges  of  the 
totterino:  basis,   and   has   its  origin  church.      Xo   consistent   argument 


wholly  in  ''the  traditions  of  men." 
Experience  abundantly  proves  that 
infant  church-membership   does  not 


can  be  produced  against  the  pro- 
priety of  allowing  them  a  place  at 
the  communion  table.     All  the  mem- 


render  parental  instruction  a  whit  ,bers  of  Christ's  body  are  not  only 
more  effectual  than  in  opposite  ca-  privileged  but  required  to  partake 
ses.  The  hereditary  sin  by  which  |  of  the  Lord's  supper,  as  a  memorial 
human  nature  was  i^tsiined  hef ore  of  his  dying  love.  How  can  children 
the  divine  incarnation,  has  been  ob- 1  celebrate  an  event  of  which  they 
literatedby  the  blood  of  the  atone-|ija^e  no  knowledge?  As  none 
ment.  "Christ  became  an  infant !  should  approach  the  table  of  the 
that  he  might  sanctify  infancy." i  j^oi^d  except  tliose  who  have  beei| 
To-^dminister  baptism  to  infants  is  |  ^.^^^e^e^  in  the  spirit  of  their  mind, 
a  tat^it  declaration  that  we  ignore  i  r^^  ^^^^  l,ave  appropriated  Christ 
the  efficacy  of  Christ's  blood  in  re- ky  a  living  faith  and  personal  obedi- 
gardto  all  those  whose  infantile  I  e^^e^  tlie  (..03,(.l^giQj^  ^g  unavoidable 
capacity  prevents  them  rendering'  t^^^^ -j^f.^^^^  ^^^^  not  to  be  admitted, 
personal  and  rational  obedience  to  Uf  ^^^^  ^^11^^^^  ^  pl^^^,  ^^,  ^l,e  com- 
the  requirements  of  the  gospel.  I  j^^^^jo^^  ^t^^n  not  admitted  into  the 
Has  Christ  accomplished  any  thing  •  (..jj^^j.^^^  They  were  the  chiklren  of 
r  infancy?  If  he  has,  what  need;^,^^!^  without  personal  trans-res- 
of  administering  that  ordinance  i  g^^n,  and  have  become  the  redee^med 
which  is  emblematical  ofthat  spirit- ^  of  the  Lord  without  personal  obedi- 
ual  cleansing  of  which  they  have '  ^^^^^  It  is  both  unreasonable  and 
no  need?  Personal  obedience  ^^-\ynnatural  that  thev  should  be  ad- 
longs  o/J^  to  those  who  are  guilty  j^l^tM  into  the ''household  of  faith" 
of  personal  transgression.  j  ^^^^^,^  ^^^^  ^^^  capMe  of  participa- 

m,     J     4.  •       ^f"  4^    4.         'IT       tins:  in,  and  beiner  benefitted  by   its 
The  doctrme  of  mfant   sprinkling        t?      ?  "  &  ^ 

1  4.     ^  ^     +1,^  -u  ^/-.u  •  X  I  sacred  ordinances, 

derogates  from  the  honor  of  Christ 


A  LETTEP.  OF  A  BKOTirEPt  Sec. 


The    commis.-^ion    Avhicli     Christ |  Spirit.     It   is  also  admitted   on    all 


gave  his  dirfviples,  as  recorded  in 
:\Iatt.  28:  19.  20.  proves  beyond  dis- 
pute that  we  are  to  b^  taii.i^lit  tlie, 
nature  and  iniportance  of  rclip;ion  be- 
fore wo  assumo  its  responsibilities. 
All  nations  are  to  be  first  instnicted, 
and  after  understanding^  their  obli- 
t^ations  to  Christ,  and  the  require- 
ments of  his  CIospcl,  they  arc  to  be 
admitted  into  the  Ciiurch  by  bap- 
tism, through  the  faith  in  Him  in 
whose  triune  name  the)/  are  immersed. 
]I{)\v  beautifully  appropriate  is  the  sprinklinij;  without  being  entirely 
order  of  th(3,(rosp'jl,  and  how  easily  deficient  in  meaning  and  signifi- 
understood,  Avhen  the  mind  is  un-  canee,  I  leave  to  j'our  impartial 
eloudcd  by  prejudice  or  tlic  mists  of  judgment.     I     am    inclined    to   he- 


hands,  that  by  personal  transgres- 
sion, we  have  become  utterly  pollu- 
ted and  unfit  for  that  ])ure,  spiritual 
communion  with  God  which  the 
sanctified  enjoy;  and  that  nothing 
short  of  a  thorough,  universal  bap- 
tism of  the  Holy  Ghost,  extending 
over  and  covering  ever}-  part  of  our 
nature,  will  effect  tlic  purification 
which  is  signified  by  the  ordinance 
under  consideration.  Whether  this 
rite  can  jjossibly  be  administered  by 


theological  error.  The  first  function 
of  the. IE0I3' Spirit  is  to  illuminate 
our  minds  and  bring  us  to  a  sense 
of  our    ruined     condition.      Then, 


lieve  that  a  prayerful  and  unpreju- 
diced examination  of  the  subject 
w^ill  convince  you  that  infant 
chui'ch-membership,  ;ind  baptism  by 


througli  the  transforming  power  of ;  sprinkling,  arc  repugnant  to  reason, 
the  spirit  of  grace,  we  repent  and  j  and  the  teachings  of  Christ  and  his 
turn  to  God,  and  through  faith  ac- !  Apostles, 
ccpt  J  esus  as  our  Savior,  upon  which 


^SSit 


But  I  deem  it  unnecessary  to 
pursue  the  subject  into  greater  de- 
tail in 


present   communicatioi 


we  unite  with  the  church,  through 
ptism,  for  the  remission  of  sins 
d-  til-  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Acts2:  ;;8.  This  is  the  order  in- |lf '>vhat  i  have  announced  fails  t- 
stitulcl  by  our  blessed  Eodeemer  [satisfy  3'ou  that  the  doctrine  of*in- 
and  iaiJuully  promulgated  by  his  f^^nt  sprinkling  rests  on  a  sandy 
Apostles,  and  woe  to  the  presump- 1  foundation,  nothing  could  be  gained 
tuous  mortal  vrho,  by  unseriptural  >y  extending  the  inquiry  still  furth- 
rcasonings,  tar-fetched  inferences,  er. 
and  strained  explanations,  leads  his 

fellow-beings  into  the  paths  of  error,  ^'^  "^^  ^''''''^  remarks  I  have  cp.re- 
-teaching  for  doctrine  the  command-  ^^^^b'  ^-^^oided  .consulting  human 
rnents  of  men."  productions,  believing  that  the  word 

of  God  furnishes  ample  proof  that 
In  regard 'to  the  mode  in  which  no  baptism  is  valid  except  by  im- 
this  ordinance  is  to  be  administered  Imcrsion,  and  when  administered  to 
I  will  introduce  but  a  single  iwoi^o-^ believers.  H:id  it  been  my  object 
bition.  It  is  granted,  both  by  bap- 1  to  fill  my  ei)istle  wnth  quotations 
tists  and  pedobaptists,  that  l>aptism  [from  eminent  divines,  I  could  have 
is  emblematical  of  the  renovation  dispatched  you  witii  your  own 
and  sanctification  of  the  heart,  by  I  weapons.  I  have  before  mi 
the  cleansing  influence  of  the   Hjly  [tracts  from  tb-  -■  '" 


KIXDXESS. 


273 


five  of  the  most  distinguished  ped- 
obaptist  authors,  who  are  unanimous 
in  the  expression  that  the  primi- 
tive church  administered  baptism 
by  immersion.  Among  whom  are 
Luther,  Calvin,  Doddridge,  Wall, 
Sir  David  Brewster  &c.  Much  has 
been  written,  and  well  written,  by 
capable  advocates  of  infant  sprink- 
ling, but  all  that  has  ever  been 
advanced,  or  can  be  advanced,  even 
were  it  spoken  by  angels  from  heav- 
en, does  not  weigh  an  atom  with 
me  against  the  positive  declara- 
tions of  scripture.  Gal.  1  :  8.  In  sup- 
port of  my  views  I  have  given  you 
the  plain  unadulterated  word  of  God, 
and  when  Christ  speaks  all  contro- 
versy should  cease.  His  word  is 
higher  than  the  loftiest  efforts  of 
human  genius,  and  should  outweigh 
till  probabilities.  ''Thus  saith  the 
Lord"  must  decide  the  point,  v^^heth- 
er  we  are  sustained  or  controvert- 
ed by  human  authority.  Many  la- 
bored attempts  have  been  made  to 
prove  that  infant  sprinkling  is  a 
fragment  of  Judaism,  circumcision 
under  a  new  and  more  literal  form. 
But  the  doctrine  is  far  from  havini^: 
its  origin  in  the  I/aw.  It  is  an  ab- 
surdity borrowed  from  the  Papal 
system,  and  outside  of  that  idola- 
trous church  it  is  the  hoariest  abom- 
ination in  Christendom.  "Great  is 
my  boldness  of  speech  toward  you," 
because  "I  speak  the  truth  in 
Christ,  and  lie  not,''  2  Cor.  7  :  4. 
1  Tim.  2:7.  Do  not  misapprehend 
me.  I  can  save  your  character  in 
my  regard,  as  a  7nan,  "though  I 
speak  thus."  Because  you  preach  a 
doctrine  never  sanctioned  by  the 
Head  of  the  church,  a  sense  of  duty 
impels  me  to  embrace  all  proper 
methods    to   counteract  the  perni- 


cious tendency  of  your  teachings. 
I  entreat  you  to  give  this  subject  an 
impartial  investigation,  lor  your 
own  sake,  and  for  the  sake  of  your 
deluded  fiock,  who,  through  3'our 
ministry,  are  led  to  trust  in  a  "ref- 
uge of  lies."  Make  the  Bible  the 
"man  of  your  counsel,"  and  you 
cannot  fail,  ultimately,  of  finding 
"the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus." 

And  vrith  these  remarks  I  will 
conclude.  If  the  views  I  have  pre- 
sented are  accordant  with  scripture 
and  reason,  you  are  under  positive 
obligations  to  embrace  them,  thi^ 
you  will  admit.  But  if  you  can 
prove  that  the  facts  on  which  I 
based  my  arguments,  ^ve  false,  and 
my  deductions    illogical,    let    it    bo 

done. 

I 
Hoping,  'Sk  least  earnestly  wish- 
ing, that  our  Heavenly  Father  will 
bless  this  feeble  effort  to  the  estab- 
lishing of  your  mind  in  the  truth, 
I  subscribe  my  self  very  kindly  and 
truly,  your  friend, 

C.     H.     B. 


For  the  Visitor. 

KIIJDNESS. 

Kindness  will  bring  us  more  hap- 
piness in  this  world,  than  all  the 
haughtiness  and  asperity  we  can 
possibly  assume. 

It  is  much  easier  to  treat  our 
neighbors  kindly  th^tn  it  is  to  treat 
them  with  a  frown,  when  we  con- 
sider the  advantages  that  are  de- 
rived from  doing  so.  A  kind  and 
sympathizing  word  falls  like  oil 
upon  the  rufiied  waters  of  the  hu- 
man breast.  There  is  nothing  more 
valuable,  that  is  so  easily  performed. 
G.  Y.  Yol.  X.         18 


274 


NIGHTLY  MUSINGS. 


Kindness  is  like  tho  pure  sun- 
Rliino;  it  gladdens,  cheers,  and  onli- 
viMis  tho  droopiiiir  heart  in  the 
midst  of  tronhlo,  and  pain.  Every 
kind  act  vro  büstow  upon  a  friend, 
or  enemy  falh  like  dew  drops  upon 
tlie  droopinc^  flower. 

AVho  kuow.i  tlio  benefit  of  a  nod 
of  the  huad,  or  of  a  smile  ?  One 
tliin«!:  is  triie  ;  it  costs  but  little; 
it  often  kills  enemies,  drowns  old 
grudges,  and  blights  out  all  asperi- 
ty. Persons  who^succor  tho  poor, 
the  friendless,  the  deji;raded,  and 
the  cast  down,  have  closer  commu- 
nion with  Ihoir  Maker,  than  when 
they  minister  in  his  temple. 

In  checking  any  form  of  suffer- 
ing or  wrong,  wo  pour  ointment 
more  precious,  than  ^that  of  Mary 
upon  tho  head  of  JeÄs — ointment 
whose  perfumes  fill  not  only  the 
house,  but  tho  heavens. 

AYhcn  we  bestow  kindness  upon 
the  poor  and  the  needy,  ,ve  not  only 
bestow  it  upon  them ;  but  we  be- 
stow it  upon  Jesus ;  Jesus  says, 
"It  was  I  who  was  an  hungered; 
itwaslwho  was  thirsty;  it  was  I 
who  was  a  stranger;  it  Avas  1  who 
was  naked ^  it  was'  I  who  was 
ßick  ;  it  was  I  who  was  in  prison/' 
&c. 

AVhen  we  have  bestowed  kind 
acts  upon  tho  poor,  we  remember 
them  in  tho  hours  of  afSiction,  and 
death,  however  small  they  help  to 
widen  and  swell  the  river  of  mercy 
an<l  goodness,  that  will  eventually 
80  fertilize  the  moral  world,  that  it 
will  become  the  garden  of  tho  Lord, 
and  the  happy  abode  of  the  redeem- 
ed, and  Christian  efforts. 

W.     J^     1). 
Pleasant  Kill,  O.,  June  22nd.  18C0. 


For  the  Visitor. 
NIGHTLY  MUSINGS. 
As  duty  calls  me  to  sit  beside  my 
sick  child  at  a  late  hour,  and  all  is 
stillness  around  mo,  save  the  loud 
breathing  of  little  Mary,  my  mind 
is  impressed  with  the  shortness  of 
time,  and  with  the  thoug^it,  how 
many  precious  moments  are  unim- 
proved. But  this  has  been  a  busy 
day  to  hundreds,  being  the  4th.  of 
July;  and  I  doubt  not  but  many 
who  have  been  joyous  through  the 
day,  are  now  in  sadness  as  the  dark 
mantle  of  night  hangs  over  them, 
n;ivin<T  them  time  for  reflection. 
Some  of  us  have  had  trials  of  vari- 
ous kinds  to  pass  through ;  espe- 
cially when  we  have  been  made  to 
look  upon  the  consequences  of  sin, 
and  behold  suffering  humanity  even 
in  a  little  child.  So  in  this  sinful 
world  we  have  our  trials,  nor  is  the 
christian  exempt. 

But  true  piety  has  the  power  to 
counteract  the  evils  of  this  "fallen 
state,  and  it  appears  most  conspic- 
uous amid  tho  darkest  scenes  which 
Providence  gathers  around  our 
path-way.  Then  she  may  come  to 
illustrate  that  promise  which  de- 
clares, "As  thy  days,  so  shall  thy 
strength  bo."  There  are  few  chris- 
tians who  have  not  some  trials; 
but  some  appear  to  have  many 
more  than  otliers.  But  a  general 
inheritance  of  tribulation  seems  to 
be  tho  portion  of  Christ's  followers. 
"In  the,  world  ye  shall  have  tribu- 
lation." These  afflictions  are  vari- 
ous. Povci'ly  and  pei*secution,  dis- 
appointed earthly  .expectations, 
alienated  friendships  ;  sickness  and 
bereavement,  are  among  tho  prin- 
cipal burdens  which  are  laid  upon 
UÖ.     Nature   shrinks    from   the  or- 


THE  ELDEE  SOX 


deal.  The  ficiy  furnace  is  intimi- 
dating, and  we  dread  to  enter, 
though  we  should  come  forth  un- 
harmed. But  O,  if  we  could  only 
realize  that  an  invisible  hand  will 
arrange  our  circumstances  of  trial 
and  give  them  their'  happiest  effect 
upon  the  soul,  we  might  gain  much 
comfort  even  here.  But  worldly 
joy  rests  on  a  slender  foundation, 
so  we  must  look  far  away  to  find 
the  christian's  joy.  This  joy  grows 
not  on  earth,  nor  depends  for  its 
aliment  on  the  smiles  which  earth 
can  bestow.  It  is  planted  in  heav- 
en, and  is  watered  .by  that  stream 
which  makes  glad  the  city  of  God. 
"VTitli  these  considerations  the 
christian  may  look  through  his 
tears,  and  smilingly  say,  God  is  his 
portion,  and  heaven  is  his  eternal 
home.  We  can  bear  to  traverse  a 
rugged  way,  if  it  terminates  in  a 
fertile  country,  or  if  it  conducts  us 
to  a  well  furnished  home. 

And  while  we  keep  these  things 
in  view,  we  shall  think  no  cup  too 
bitter  when  we  are  convinced  that 
our  heavenly  Father  hath  given  it 
us  to  drink.  But  the  moisture  that 
bedews  the  eye  of  the  christian,  is 
often  like  the  last  drops  of  a  shower 
trembling  and  glistening  in  the  joy- 


Let  us  then  amidst  all  our  trials 
say  we  will  kiss  the  afflicting  rod. 
And  O,  may  every  christian  plant 
his  feet  upon  the  rock,  and  contem- 
plate the  billows  as  beating  harm- 
lessly against  it.  And  may  we  all 
o^lance  our  eve  to  that  rei^ion  where 
there  is  no  more  pain,  or  sickness, 
or  roaring  sea  for  our  frail  bark  to 
toss  upon  J  and  where  the  clouds 
that  curtained  the  footsteps  of  the 
Almighty,  will  have  cleared  away 
and  revealed  the  wisdom  of  his 
plans,  the  benignity  of  his  acts,  the 
rectitude  of  his  government,  and 
the  triumphs  of  his  mercy.  The 
pathwa}'  to  our  rest,  if  not  all 
smooth  and  verdant,  is  sufficiently 
so  to  give  it  a  decided  preference 
over  those  which  the  worldling 
treads.  So  let  us  hold  fast  our  con- 
fidence and  persevere  to  the  end, 
and  behold  the  triumphs  of  Zion, 
and  join  in  the  trophies  of  redeem- 
ing grace  and  dying  love. 

C.     A.     H. 


For  the  Visitor. 
THE  ELDER    SOxN. 

Inasmuch  as  several  articles  bave  ap- 
peared in  the  G.  V.  on  the  above,  a 
subject  which  has  more  or  less  occupied 
my  thoughts  for  several  years,  and  nei- 
ther of  the  explanations  seera  to  me  as 
ous  sun-beam.  The  divine  promises  precisely  meeting  and  elucidating  the 
cover  all  the  christians  earthly  j  subject  of  which  they  treat,  I  thought 
changes,  and  refer  to  all  his  earthlvll  wculd  sit  dovrn    and   indite  an  essay, 

relations.  In  the  loss  of  earthly  ^^j^^'  ^  H^V'l^  ^^ '"T"^'^ '°  ^'''^^^ 
„  .      ,  ,  .  ,  ,.  ,,  as  it  IS  not  for  fondness  of  controversy 

friendships,  under  persecutions,  andl,^^^^  j  ^^-^^^  ^^^^  ^^^^^^^  j  ^-^^  ^^  ^„. 

when  envy  and  malignity  have  |  jg^stand  the  Gospel  correctly,  that  I 
sharpened  their  arrows  against  am  led  to  communicate  my  vie^vs  to  the 
him.  he  can  go  to  the  divine  word  j  public,  in  order  that,  if  I  entertain 
and' gather   fresh  strength  to  suffer,  j^f^^^g  views,  I  may  be  c-^rrected,  for  I 

°      .  11.  iwish  to  receive  instruction, 

and  obtain   new   and   glorious    mo-|      The  articles  to  which  I  have  reference 


tives  to  persevere   in   the    path 
dutv. 


of  I  may  be  found,  one  in  the  Gospel  Visitor 
I  vol.  8.  p  34-2,  and  the  other  in  vol.  10, 
I  p.  188;  both  these  \Triters  seem  to  en- 


276        THE  STONE  WHICII  THE  BUILDERS  EEJECTED. 


tertain  the  idea  that  the  three  parables, 
of  the  lost  sheep,  of  the  lost  pieces  of  sil- 
ver, and  of  the  prüdip;al  son,  were  spo- 
ken to  the  same  persons  and  for  the  same 
purpose;  and  this  view  I  cannot  wholly 
entertain,  and  I  shall  proceed  to  aive 
my  reason  for  differing  with  the  writers 
of  those  articles. 

We  should  always  be  careful  to  notice 
to  whom  cS:  for  what  purpose,  the  words 
under  consideration  were  spoken;  and 
the  nature  of  the  case  will  generally 
give  much  light  on  a  subject  which 
seems  difficult  to  understand,  if  difl'er- 
ent  objects  are  designed  to  answer  the 
same  purpose. 

Now  it  13  plain  tliat  the  parable  of 
the  lost  sheep,  and  that  of  the  lost  piece 
of  silver,  were  spoken  to  the  pharisees 
and  scribes  in  reproof,  when  they  mur- 
mured against  Christ  for  receiving  pub- 
licans and  sinners,  and  eating  with 
them ;  and  consequently  the  ninety  and 
nine  sheep  and  the  nine  pieces  of  silver 
which  were  not  lost,  represent  the 
scribes  and  pharisees,  who  were  willing; 
to  justify  themselves,  and  needed  no  | 
repentance,  for  ''they  that  are  whole 
need  no  physician,  but  they  that  are 
sick.'' 

And  the  parable  of  the    prodigal  son 
was  spoken  to  his   disciples  as  will  ap- 
pear  by   what  follows  in  the  next  chap 
ter,  (Luke  16th)    "And    he   said  also 
unto  bis   disciples,"  &c.      Why  is  'also' 
introduced  into  the  first  clause  */     Plain- 
ly to  show  that  something  preceding  was 
spoken  to  his  disciples.     Why  did    He 
speak  this  parable   (of  the  prodigal  sou)  i 
to  his  disciple»  ?     To    warn   them    that  | 
theij  should  not  murmur  agaiiist   his  re^  I 
ceiving    publicans  and   sinners    as    the  | 
scribes  and  pharisees  had  done.  1 

New  this  view  leads  us  to  apply  what 
was  spoken  of  the  lost  shcpp  and  the 
lost  pieces  of  silver,  to  the  publicans 
and  sinners,  and  what  was  spoken  of 
the  slieyp  and  siivcrpieces  which  were 
not  lost  to  scribes  and  pharisees;  and 
wh  »t  V7as  spoken  of  the  elder  son  is  ap- 
plied fo  his  disciples,  and  tljc  prodigal 
represents  the  publicans  and  sinners. 

This  view  seems  to  mo  consistent 
throughout,  for  bis  disciples,  I  do  not 
believe,  had  ever  left  him,  but  always 
hoped  for    him,    trusted    in   him,    and 


when  he  called  them  they  followed  him, 
and  hence  he  gives  them  the  consola- 
tion, "Thou  art  ever  with  me,  and  all 
I  have  is    thine." 

''It  was  meet  that  we  should  make 
merry,  and  be  glad  ;  for  this  thy  broth- 
er (the  publicans  and  sinners)  was  dead, 
and  is  alive  again ;  and  was  lost,  and  is 
found  again." 

Scalp-Level,  Pa.  J.     H. 


For    the    Yisitor. 

THE   STONE   WHICH  THE  BIJIL- 

DEES  REJECTED. 

When  the  temple  at  Jerusalem  was 
building,  we  are  told  that  there  was  nei- 
ther hammer,  nor  axe,  nor  any  tool  of 
iron  heard  in  the  house  while  it  was  in 
building.  1  Kings  6:7.  It  follows 
then  that  the  stones  were  all  hewn  and 
wrought  out  to  perfection,  before  they 
were  brought  together.  Now,  tradition 
says,  that  when  the  laborers  were  enga- 
ged in  gathering  those  stones  together, 
they  rejected  one  as  useless,  uulit,  or 
defective  But  before  the  building  was 
completed,  a  place  was  found  where  no 
one  of  those  brought  together  would  fit; 
so  they  brought  the  one  that  had  been 
rejected,  and  behold!  it  fitted  exactly. 
Hence  the  text:  '*The  stone  which  the 
builders  rejected,  the  same  is  become 
the  head  of  the  corner." 

In  tne  same  light  we  may  view  the 
commands,  the  ordinances,  the  precepts, 
the  examples,  and  lessons  of  our  divine 
teacher,  Jesus  Christ.  They  are  design- 
ed for  the  perfecting  of  the  saints;  for 
the  building  up  of  a  "spiritual  house, 
and  a  royal  priesthood."  They  are 
wrought  out  with  sucli  exactness  and 
precision  by  the  great  Master  Builder, 
that  they  will  fit  in  their  place,  time, 
and  order,  and   there  only. 

The  apostle  speaks  of  himself  and 
brethren,  as  workers  together  with  Him 
that  is,  with  Gud.  Hence,  it  may  be 
said,  that  believers  or  christians,  and 
more  particularly  christian  ministers, 
are  engaged  in  working  with  Him.  Not 
indeed,  in  working  out,  or  preparing 
those  materials  lor  the  spiritual  temple, 
for  as  stated  above,  they  have  been  pre- 
pared by  the  great  head  of  the  churchy 


THE  STONE  WHICH  THE  BUILDEES  EEJECTED.        277 


But  in  bringing  them  together,  and 
placing  or  administering  every  one  in  its 
proper  place,  time  and  order. 

Now  it  appears  that  some  of  our 
'workers  with  him/  have  found  a  vacu- 
um or  unfilled  space  which  seems  very 
difficult  to  them  to  fill  up,  although 
they  seem  to  believe,  and  that  justly 


(if  I  may  use  the 
which   will  fit  if 


that  there  is  a  block 
term)  wrought  out. 
rightly  applied.  I  allude  to  the  query, 
who  is  intended  by  the  'Elder  son'  in 
our  Savior^s  parable,  and  the  different 
answers  given  thereto  through  the  Vis- 
itor. 

It  is  certain  when  Solomon's  temple 
■was  in  building,  the  men  employed, 
must  have  worked  by  rule  altogether, 
and  if  the  tradition  mentioned  be  true, 
those  that  collected  the  materials  must 
have  disregarded  that  rule,  and  hence 
they  rejected  the  stone  necessary  to 
complete  building.  Here  then,  as  well 
us  in  many  other  places,  we  learn  that 
it  will  not  do  to  go  according  to  imagi- 
nation, or  self. conceived  opinion.  God 
being  the  author  of  the  system  under 
which  we  act,  his  word  of  course  must 
be  the  rule  by  which  we  act. 

I  will  now  take  up  the  subject  under 
the  above  figure,  that  is,  as  an  unfilled 
space  in  the  walls  of  a  house,  and  see 
whether  the  one  intended  has  not  been 
rejected,  or  laid  aside  as  untenable. 
I  shall  do  as  the  brethren  did  who  have 
•written  on  the  subject :  first,  bring  in 
my  objections  to  their  explanations,  and 
then  state  my  views  &c.  The  first  ex- 
planation is,  that  the  "Elder  son"  rep- 
resents the  angels,  and  this  view  I  con- 
sider has  been  satisfactorily  set  aside  by 
brother  M.  H. 

Still,  I  will  state  another  objection  to 
this  view.  Heb.  2  :  16.  ''For  verily 
he  took  not  on  him  the  nature  of  an- 
gels ;  but  he  took  on  him  the  seed  of 
Abraham."  Again,  verse  14,  "Foras- 
much then  as  the  children  are  partakers 
of  fiesh  and  blood,  he  also  likewise  him- 
self took  part  of  the  same."  From  these 
and  many  other  passages  we  learn  that 
there  is  quite  a  difference  in  nature  be- 
tween men  and  angels,  and  therefore  I 
eonsider  the  term  brother  between  them 
altogether  inappropriate. 


Brother  M.  H.  if  I  understand  him 
aright, considers  the  'elder  son'  to  repre- 
sent the  body  of  believers,  or  the  sheep 
within  the  fold  of  Christ ;  or,  as  he  ex- 
presses it,  'The  same  just  persons, 
which  always  retained  their  state  of 
obedience.'  Now  I  believe  he  is  exact- 
ly right,  if  he  makes  his  application  to 
the  right  time;  but  it  would  not  apply 
in  our  own  day,  for  as  far  as  my  own 
observation  is  concerned,  I  always  saw 
that  those,  whom  I  would  regard  as 
just  persons,  rejoiced  when  prodigals  re- 
turned or  sinners  repented,  and  even 
with  tears  of  joy  welcomed  them  into 
the  Father's  house. 

Have  you  not  seen  it  so,  my  dear 
Brethren  ?  And  is  not  such  quite  un- 
like the  conduct  of  the  Elder  son  ?  But 
as  I  said,  if  applied  to  the  right  or  prop- 
er age  of  the  church,  brother  M.  H's 
explanation  agrees  with  my  views ;  and 
that  is  to  the  age  in  which  the  parable 
was  put  forth.  I  will  now  state  my 
views  briefly,  and  then  notice  the  objec- 
tions that  have  been  advanced  already, 
which  is  not  a  light  hinderance  in  my 
way,  yet  duty  seems  to  prompt  me. 

In  Luke  15 :  2.  we  read  that  the 
pharisees  and  scribes  murmured,  saying, 
This  man  receiveth  sinners  and  eateth 
with  them.  Whereupon  the  three  dis- 
tinct parables  follow,  setting  forth  the 
object  of  Christ's  coming  into  the  world 
namely,  'To  seek  and  to  save  that  which 
was  lost,'  and  the  love  and  tenderness 
with  which  they  would  be  received,  if 
truly  humbled  and  penitent. 

It  seems  to  me  quite  reasonable,  and 
in  harmony  too  with  the  Savior's  cus- 
tom of  addressing  himself  to  them  by 
parables,  on  the  charge  made  against 
him  that  he  would  in  some  way  or  other 
include  those  whom  he  addressed,  and 
either  instruct  them,  or  answer  and  re- 
fute the  charge  preferred  against  him ; 
all  of  which  he  did  in  the  three  para- 
bles that  follow  the  said  charge,  or 
murmuring.  I  ask  the  question,  is  there 
not  a  very  striking  analogy  between  the 
conduct  of  the  pharisees  and  scribes, 
and  that  of  the  Elder  son  ?  All  must 
admit  there  is  j  but  then  they  hava  ob- 
jections to  make  where  they  think  the 
idea  will  not  hold  good. 


278 


A  PLAN  FOR  SPEEADma  THE  GOSPEL. 


Tho  first  objection  atlvanccd  ajrninst '  different  dif^pensations,  it  is  governed  by 
tbo  id. «a  of  the  Elder  son  to  represent  I  different  hiWH.  It  is  also  represented 
the  Jews,  is,  The  Jew  is  not  the  elder  I  under  different  names:  "The  church  of 
and  the  Gentile  not  the  younc^er,  &c.  the  living  God,  the  kingdom  uf  heaven, 
In  answer  to  this  objection  I  will  only 'a  vineyard,  &c.  In  Revelation  it  is  rep- 
ine rt  the  22d  verse  of  the  4th  chap. 'resented  under  the  term  of  a  woman, 
of  Kxodijs,  without  any  comment  what-  bringing  forth  a  man  child, 
ever,  believinir  it  to  bo  sufficient  to  s-it  Further,  to  tue  last  objection  I  would 
isfv  any    candid   mind  on  that  head;  it' yet  say,  whence  take  this  view  of  the 

Jewish  church,  which    I  think  we  may 


reads  :is  follows  :  "And  thou  shalt  say 
Hnto  Pharaoh,  thus  saith  the  Lord,  Is- 
rael is  my  son,  even  m?/ first  horn" 

So  we  have  to  this,  a  "thus  saith  the 
Lord,"  and  man  can  i;ay  nothing  against 
it.  Again  it  is  objected,  becai^se  the 
Jews  were  a  stiff-necked,  rebellious  and 
di^obrdieut  pe<»ple,  and  at  that  time  fil- 
ling up  the  measure  of  their  iniquities, 
&c.,  that  it  vvould  be  quite  incuu.^istent 
to  represent  God  as  saying  to  them  : 
"Son,  thou  art  ever  with  me,  and  all 
that  1  have  is  thine." 

I  admit  that  would  be  inconsistent 
vith  a  great  many  ot  them,  but  it  must 
be  remembered  that  there  always  was  a 
remnant — a  faithful  few,  who  had  not 
defiled  their  garments,  and  who  bewail- 
ed the  corruption  au.d  disobedience  of 
the  great  mass.  These  'few'  are  hinted 
at  iu  the  words  "he  came  to  his  own,'.' 
»nd,  "But  as  many  as  received  him,". 
&c.  Of  these  few  were  Zacharias  and 
his  wife,  Joseph  and  Mary,  the  shep- 
lierds,  old  oimeon  and  Anna,  the  Apos 
ties,    &c. 

These  wore  the  sheep  to  whom  the 
good  Shepherd  came,  entered  by  the 
Soor  into  the  Jewish  sheepfold,  to  whom 
the  porter  opened  and  he  led  them  forth. 
Even  these  manifested  some  reluctance 
to  receiving  gentiles  into  the  church,  as 
wc  see  in  the  case  of  ('ornelius  *tc. 

"W^e  as  Chrijstians  believe  our  Sav- 
ior's words,  in  regard  to  his  Church, 
that  the  gates  of  hell  have  not  prevailed 
again.-jt  it;  although  in  the  dark  ages 
of  anti-christ's  power,  it  may  have  at 
times  consisted  of  but  few  members, 
still  the  word  held  good,  for  the  prom- 
ise is  limited  down  to  the  number  of 
two  or  three. 

Just  so  I  believe  of  the  Jcwi;<h  church, 
the  number  at  times,  may  have  been 
fmall,  but  still  they  composed  God's  vis- 
ible cliurch  on  earth,  and  1  hold  that  the 
cJiurch  always  is  tho  same,   but  under 


safely  do,  there  is  no  incou-^i-sttncy  in 
applying  to  them  the  words :  ''Son,  thou 
art  ever  with  ine."  For  those  that  be- 
lie vod  the  writings  of  Woses,  also  be- 
lieved Christ's  words,  and  needed  only 
to  be  transferred  from  the  old  into  the 
new.  But  the  good  Shepherd  speaks  of 
other  sheep  not  of  this  fold,  and  which 
must  be  brought  in;  and  this  seems  the 
identical  point  of  the  Elder  son's  mur- 
muriugs  against  the  father. 

I  have  not  written  for  the  sake  of  ar- 
gument, neither  do  I  wish  to  be  singu- 
lar in  my  views,  but  my  wish  is  to  have 
the  subject  fairly  tested,  tried  with  God's 
measuring  line  and  squared  with  his 
word,  and  if  in  so  doing,  the  stone  will 
not  fit,  reject  it  again,  and  I  will  not 
trouble  you  any  more  with  it.  Still,  I 
claim  a  right  to  my  view,  until  convin- 
ced of  errjr,  or  of  another  that  is  better; 
which  conviction  the  articles  referred  to 
have  failed  to  produce.  I  have  not  the 
gift  like  some  to  express  myself  in  few 
words,  hence  this  article  is  much  lon- 
ger than  it  should  have  been  had  I  the 
gift  of  brevity. 

D.     M.     II. 


For  the  Visitor. 

A  PLAN  FOR   SPREADING  THE 
GOSPEL. 

Detir  ^.rcthreii.  "Go  ye  and 
preach  tho  gospel  to  eveiy  creature,' 
is  a  eommandmoDt  which  should  cn- 
gaii;c  the  atLciaion  of  the  children 
of  God  OH  much  as  any  other  com- 
mand ntterod  by  the  lips  of  the  Sav- 
iour. Seeing  that  it  ha«  become  a 
part  of  the  consideration  of  the 
Brethren,  I  will  try,  by  the  grace  of 
God,  to  cast  in  my  little  mite  also. 


A  pla:s^  foe  speeadixg  the  gospel. 


279 


The  commission  rs  too  plain  to  need  |  cliurches,  and  slily  prepares  liimself 
any  defence,   or  argument  to  estab-  for  action.     And  as  soon  as  the  mis- 


sionaries return  home,,  he  u-ill  dis-;, 
charge  the  veryartillery  of  darkness 
upon  them,  and  if  possible,  bring  to 
naught  all  their  labors. 

This  state  of  things  has  been  most* 
sadly  experienced  in  many  ])HYts  of 
Illinois  and  Iowa.  Even  in  our  lit- 
tle congregation,  for  a  fcTv  years, 
the  dark  cloud  of  despair  seemed  to 
hang  heavily  over  us,  and  ail  looked 
gloomy  and  discouraging.  But  thank 
Godjthrough  perseverance  in  prayer 


lish  it.  But  how  to  accomplish  a 
Tvell-established  rule  to  fill  this  great 
commission,  seems  to  be  the  contest 
or  great  desideratum.  Hence  ev- 
ery brother  and  sister  in  the  land, 
should  be  seriously  engaged  in  brea- 
thini^  their  fiervent  and  heartfelt 
prayers  to  God  in  behalf  of  this  mat- 
ter. 

I  have  carefully  perused  the  plan 
of  the  committee  as  stated  in  the 
Minutes  of  the  last  annual  meeting, 

and  I  heartily  ao;ree    with   them  as        ,  ^^     .-        ^      /--    i   •      i    i    ix» 

•^      ^      .  .  and  supplications  to    Gocf  m   behalf 

to  the  manner  of  raising  funds,  to  I    r.  ,-,  ^         ir.        ^r.  ■>-..■,      ry-         ,i 

_  ,  .  ^    ^  '         01   the   weliare  ot   little    Zion,    the 

aid  m  carrying  out   the   great   pur- 1 1    •   i  ,  r-    •   -i  ,  i     i 

^  Ö  j^       ,  bright  sun  ol  righteousness  calmlj' 

pose  of  God  in  the  proclamation  ofl  ,.  -,   ,-.  i     i     i      i  i 

f  ^  I  dispersed  those  dark  clouds,  and  we 

his  word.     But  as  to  the  manner  of !  .        .       , 

I  are  now  prospering  m  the  most  en- 
sending  out    missionaries,  I    want  I  .  it 
^                                  '                   couragmg    manner,  and   our   weak 
more  lii-'ht  ere  I  can  approve  of  the  U  i.      •     +i     t      ^  +    i       ^ 

'-  ^^  i  labor  in  the  Eord  seems  to  be  effec- 

plan  in  full.       jSTow  if  the  brethren  I ,      , 

will,  by  the  above  means,  send  out  Hence,  my  plan  to  accomplish 
several  well  established  brethren  to  |  this  great  task,  is  as  follows  :  In  the 
visit  the   brethren    in   Oregon  and  i  fi^^t  place   let   all  the  brethren  and 

sisters  in  Christ  Jesus,  be  seriously. 

engaged  in  prayer  to  God,  that  a  ho- 
lt would  be  conducive  to  much  good  \y  ^eal   may   be   awakened   in    the 


California,  and  set   the  things  in  or- 
der that  are  there  wanting,   I  think 


&  to  the  glory  of  God.  But  to  send 
out  missionaries  to  Oregon,  Califor- 
nia, or  any  other  place  where  the 
word  has  not  yet  been  preached  in 
its  original  purity,  to  convert  sin- 
ners to  God,  and  organize  churches, 
and  continue  with  them  6  or  12 
months,»  then  return  home,  will  in  a 
majority  of  instances  be  money 
sjjent  in  vain,  and  labor  lost. 


hearts  of  the  ministers  of  God;  that 
many  of  the  ministers  may  be  made 
willing  to  bid  adieu  to  their  stately 
mansions,  their  well  improved  farms, 
the  home  of  their  childhood,  where 
all  the  pleasant  scenes  of  life  have 
made  home  sweet  to  them,  and  let 
them  move  to  those  places  where 
they  are  most  needed,  and  settle 
down,  and  preach   the  word.     Let 


The  labor  of  converting  sinners,  |  the  "marks  of  the  Lord  Jesus  b« 
by  brethren  who  are  filled  with  the  I  seen  upon  their  bodies,"  by  their 
spirit  of  the  Lord,  and  well  equiped  walk  and   conduct,   by  their  chaste 


with  his  powerful  word,  is  not  un- 
commonly tedious.  For  the  devil 
yields,  and  the  work  of  conversion 
goes  on  well  enough.  But  hark  ! 
he  (the  devil)  watches  all  the  move- 
ments   of   those    newly    organized 


conversation  and  general  good  de- 
portment through  life,  that  they 
may  be  ensamples  to  the  flock,  and 
if  Satan  then  tries  to  make  inroads 
of  confusion  upon  them,  hewillhav* 
some  to  contend  with    who   knoyr 


280 


A  PLAX  FOR  SPrvEADING  THE  GOSPEL. 


something  fjH)ut  his  vilcB,  and  i  work  of  the  Lord  would  go  on  most 
trcaclieroiis  arts,  <fc  who  arc  through  I  prosi^eroiisl}-,  and  tlic  Lord  Jesus 
experience  Avell  equipped   with  the  woidd  most  certainly  accompan}^  the 

good  work  to  the  end  of  the  world. 
Having  now  given  an  imperfect 
sketch  of  my  views  upon  the  sub- 
ject, some  may  remember  the  words 
of  Jesus,  Avho  said,  "Wo  unto  you 
lawyers  for  ye  load  men  with  bur- 
dens grievous  to  ]>e  borne,  and  yo 
3^ourselve8  touch  not  the  burdens 
with  one  of  your  fingers."  This, 
however,  is  not  my  case.  For  I  am 
willing  to  put  my  hand  to  the  plow, 
and  do  my  share  in  the  plan  I  intro- 


wholo  armor  of  (lod,  and  thus  be  a- 
blc  to  withstand  the  fiery  darts  of 
Satan,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord. 
*  And  if  an}' of  those  ministers  are 
so  circifmstanced  in  life,  as  to  need 
hflp  to  move  there  and  perform  this 
great  task,  then  let  the  necessary 
amount  be  drawn  from  those  funds 
of  "divine  appointment/'  and  help 
those  brethren. 

This  plan,   my  brethren,  I  think 
would  be  by  far  the  least  expensive 


to  the  churches,  as  in  a  majority  of'duce.     This  announcement  will  per- 
haps startle  some  of  my  friends,  who 
thought    with   me,     that   I   settled 
down  in  Iowa  for  life.     And  truly  I 
see  no  temporal  or  worldly   induce- 
ment to  encourage  me  to  leave  here. 
For  I  need  to   accomplish  but  one 
thing  to  make   me  as  well  satisfied 
here,  as  I  could  expect  to  be  in  any 
part  of  the   union ;  and   that  is,   to 
sell  a  portion  of  my  land   to  meet 
certain  obligations,   and  add    some 
improvements  to  the  rest.     And  to 
"2^ull  up    stakes"  and   move  2000 
miles,  and  meet  with  all  the  troub- 
les and  trying  scenes  on  such  a  long 
journey,  I   could  by  no   means  ex- 
pect to  better  my  condition  in  life. 
But  that  God  who  led  Israel  through 
the   Red    sea,   and   the    wilderness 
with  a  mighty  hand,  is  still  able  to 
support  those  who  go  in,  good   f;iith 
to  perform  his  work.    Now  breth- 
ren  I   ask  no  assistance  from  the 
treasury    to   accomplish   the   great 


cases  the  ministers  are  able  to  go  & 
get  homes  there,  without  help.  And 
I  feel  entirely  confident  that  it 
would  be  conducive  to  the  most 
«rood.  And  then  if  such  brethren  will 
succeed  in  converting  sinners  to  God, 
and  organizing  churches,  let  a  few 
ciders  occasionally  visit  tliem,  &c. 
Not  only  a  few  brethren  should  go 
hut  since  the  field  is  large,  and  the 
harvest  great,  even  hundreds  should 
go.  But  here  is  the  trouble  again, 
wh'>  shall  cro  ?  who  is  idle  that  he 
can  be  spared  ?  Brethren,  if  our 
united  prayers  in  behalf  of  the  con- 
version of  souls,  reaches  the  ears  of 
the  Lord,  and  the  Lord  stirs  up  the 
liearts  of  your  ministers  to  go,  then 
dont  surround  him  and  say  we  can 
not  spare  you,  let  others  go,  nay 
but  help  him,  encourage  him,  believ- 
ing that  the  Lord  is  able  to  stir  up 
the  spirit  of  others,  to  take  his  place. 
How  many  precious  talents  go  un- 
developed to  the  grave  with  the 
brethren,  just  because  they  are  not 
needed.  Hence  I  would  say,  let  no 
<;hurch  try  to  withhold  a  minister- 
ing brother  from  going  to  fill  the 


task  of  moving  and  settling  dow^n 
in  California.  All  I  ask  of  the 
brethren  is,  to  assist  me  in  selling 
my  farm.  I  have  200  acres  of  prai- 
rie land,  (now   all  broke  but  about 


commission.     Brethren,  methinks  if  1 40  acres).     And  60  acres  of  timber 
we  would  be  thus  engaged,  that  the  I  only  3d  rate.    For  description  of  lo- 


TEAIN  UP  A  CHILD. 


281 


cality  &c.  see  advertisement  in  the 
Visitor.  Taking  all  together,  I  will 
sell  it  at  the  low  figure  of  820  per 
acre.  The  farm  is  a  very  desirable 
one,  and  at  that  price,  the  money 
would  be  well  invested  in  the  pur- 
chase of  it.  If  any  of  the  Ifjj-ethren 
are  desirous  to  speak  or  write  to 
some  who  have  seen  the  place,  I 
would  refer  them  to  the  following 
brethren :  Christian  Long,  Mount 
Carroll,  Carroll  co.  Ills.;  Joseph 
Mishler,  Mogadore,  Summit  co.  O.; 
Henry  Petry,  Dayton,  Eockingham 
CO.  Ya. ;  John  Umstad  of  Pa.,  who 
can  give  a  full  description  of  the 
farm  and  country.  Kow  brethren, 
if  such  a  weak  instrument  as  I,  can 
be  useful  in  the  hands  of  the  Lord, 
then  take  hold  of  the  matter,  if  none 
can  be  found  who  would  buy  the  farm 
to  live  on  it  before  next  spring,  are 
thei-e  not  those  who  have  their  thou- 
sands upon  interest,  who  would  buy 
it  and  rent  it  out,  till  an  opportuni- 
ty of  selling  it  would  be  offered. — 

]N'ow  fellow  laborers  in  the  Gos- 
pel, who  of  you  will  be  moved  by 
the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  to  leave  your 
native  homes  and  go  with  me  to 
California  ?  Think  of  it  brethren, 
and  let  us  hear  from  you  through 
the  medium  of  the  Visitor,  or  by  let- 
ter, not  only  ministers,  but  any 
members  that  feel  an  interest  in  the 
good  cauße.  There  are  two  famihes 
of  members  in  'this  vicinity  prepa- 
ring to  go  next  spring,  and  if  the 
Lord  will  bless  our  undertaking,  I 
would  be  much  pleased  to  have  a 
considerable  company  of  members 
to  go  together  in  company.  Those 
that  wish  to   communicate  with  me 

on  the  subject  will  address:  

Maquoketa,  Jackson  Co.  Iowa. 


I  A  few  words  in  behalf  of  our  little 
church; — is  there  no  minister  some 

I  where  that  would  buy  my  farm  and 
fill  my  place  ?  *  "We  have  a  large 
field  here  and  much  to  do,  our 
church  is  in  a  thriving  condition, 
and  a  laborer  can  go  to  work  well 
encouraged.  If  any  should  say, 
why  then  dont  you  stay  ?  I  would 
reply,  because  we  are  commanded 
to  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  crea- 
ture, and  many  brethren  can  be 
found  that  would  come  as  far  as 
Iowa,  but  could  not  be  persuaded  to 
go  to  California  or  Oregon.  Hence 
I  would  say,  brethren  help  those  off 
that  are  willing.  Yours  in  hope  of 
eternal  life. 

Felix  Sexger. 

P.  S.  Editors  ''Gospel  Visitor." 
Please  give  me  br.  John  TJmstad'3 
address.  F.     S. 

Br.  Umstad's  address  is :  Port 
Providence,  Montgomery  Co.   Pa. 


S^fe  (Jjamtlü   (^dt 


TEAIN  UP  A  CHILD. 

Let  us  discuss  in  a  few  words 
more  the  question  of  governing 
children.  "The  rod  and  reproof  for 
wisdom,"  yet  there  is  much  preju- 
dice against  the  rod — unjust  preju- 
dice, for  its  use  by  no  means  im- 
plies severity.  A  little  rod  is  often 
very  effective.  As  a.  sign  of  au- 
thority it  is  impressive ;  and  if  pain 
must  be  inflicted  it  is  less  severe 
than  the  heavier  blow  of  the    hand. 

Said  a  most  judicious,  affectionate, 
and  successful  mother  to  me,  "I  nev- 
er mean  to  punish  my  children 
after  they  are  old  enough  to  remem- 
ber it.''    She  began  with   the    first 


2S2 


A  GOOD  DAUGHTER. 


symptoms  of  (lisol)cdicnce —  the!  have  been  loft  to  the  threats  and 
touching  a  forbidden  thing,  the  re- 1  fearful  stories  of  ignorant  or  un- 
fiising  to  bring  anything  which  principled  nursery-maids.  Better 
she  desired.     If  Hie  little  hand  were  anything    than    such    horrors    and 


put  forth,  she  said  no.     If  the  look 
«ind  the   -word   were   not  sufficient, 


terrors. 

AVhen   early  discipline  has   been 


she  touclied  the  offending  hand,  i  neglecti^jl,  more  grave  ])unishments 
and  if  it  were  not  withdrawn,  the,  must  be  resorted  to,  but  it  is  belter 
blow     was    repeated;  nor   did   her  I  to  crush  small   evils  in    the    begin- 


soul  spare  for  his   crying  till  obedi- 
ence was  secured. 

So  also  if  the  child  refused  to 
bring  what  she  required,  to  close 
a  door,  or  perform  any  such  simple 
act.  It  is  often  a  question  of 
mere  will  with  the  child;  with  the 
mother  it  becomes  matter  of  princi- 
ple. Thus  she  enforced  obedience 
early.  It  was  comparatively  easy 
to  do  this  in  little  things,  and  then 
the  great  occasions  never  came. 

^Nordidshe  leave  the  child  half 
subdued.  When  the  will  was  whol- 
ly couquere  1  >he  secured  the  exhi- 
bition of  a  most  loving  and  cheerful 
spirit,     showing    that   no   tinge   of 


"wroniiC  feeling  remained.  It  is  of 
little  avail  to  try  to  reason  with  a 
little  child;  such  motives  must  be 
presented  as  he  can  recognize,  and 
among  these  are  the  sight  c^f  the 
mother's  grave,  displeased  face,  and 
the  fear  of  pain. 

Of  other  modes  of  punishment 
flomething  may  be  said.  Depriving 
chiidrou  of  food  is  generally  inju- 
rious; depriving  them  of  luxuries 
is  to  make  eating  a  matter  of  too 
inu('h  moiuent.  Shutting  them  uj) 
often  actually  terrifies  them,  espe- 
cially if  they  are  nervous  or  natu- 
rally timid.  Children  suffer  untold 
a^-onies  from  being  left  ahme  and 
in  the    dark,    particularly    if   they 


ning.     Pull  up  small  weeds,  and  you 
never  need  dig  up  deep  roots. 

EilNEST. 


A  GOOD  DAUGHTER. 

A  good  daughter!  There  are 
other  ministers  of  love  more  con- 
SjDicuous  than  her,  but  none  in  which 
a  gentler,  lovelier  spirit  dwells,  and 
none  to  whieh  her  heart's  warm 
requitals  more  joyfully  respond. 
There  is  no  such  •  a  thing  as  a  com- 
parative estimate  of  a  parent's  love 
for  one  or  another  child.  There  is 
little  which  he  needs  to  covet,  to 
whom  the  treasure  of  a  good  child 
has  been  given.  But  a  son's  occu- 
pation and  pleasure  carry  him 
abroad,  and  he  resides  more  among 
temptations,  which  hardly  permit 
affection  that  is  following,  i')erhap8 
over  half  the  globe,  to  be  mingled 
with  anxiety,  until  the  time  when 
he  comes  to  relinquish  the  shelter  of 
his  father's  roof  for  one  of  his  own; 
while  a  good  daughter  is  the  steady 
light  of  her  parent's  house. 

Her  idea  is  iudissolubly  connect- 
ed with  that  of  his  happy  fireside. 
She  is  his  morning  sunlight,  and 
evening  star.  The  grace,  vivacity 
and  tenderness  of  her  sex,  have 
their  place  in  the  mighty  sway 
which  she  holds  over  his  spirit. 
The  lessons  ot  recorded  wisdom 
which  she  reads  with  her  eyeSj 
come  to  his  mind  with  a  new  charm, 


THE  FIEST  DECEPTIOX. 


283 


jis  blended  Tvith  tlie  beloved  melody 
of  her  voice.  He  scarcely  knows 
■weariness  which  her  song  does   not 


o;loom 


make  him  forget,  or 
is  proof  against   the   yoang  bright- 
ness of  her  smile.     She  is  the   pride 


er  boys,  more  inclined  to  play  and 
read  story  books  than  I  was  to 
study  my  lessons  )  it  was  a  rule  at 
our  school  to  carry  a  book  home 
every  night  and  study  the  lesson 
for  the   following  day;  but  I  would 


and    ornament    of   his  hospitality,  i  avoid  this  by  some    deception,   and 
of  his     sickness,  i  of  course  the  next  morning   my   re- 


the  gentle  nurse 


and  ihe  constant  agent  in  those 
nameless,  numberless  acts  of  kind- 
ness, which  one  chiefly  cares  to 
have  rendered  because  they  are  un- 
pretending, but  expressive  proofs 
of  love.  And  then  what  a  cheerful 
sharer  she  is,  and  what  an  able 
lightener  of  her  mother's  cares? 
What  an  ever  present  delight  and 
triumph  to  a  mother's  afiection. 

Ah !  how  little  do  those  daugh- 
ters know  of  the  powers  which  God 
has  committed  to  them,  and  the 
happiness  God  would  have  them  en- 
joy, who  do  not,  everj'  time  the  pa- 
rent's eye  rests  upon  them,  bring 
a  rapture  to  the  ^^arent's  h^art.  A 
true  love  will  almost  certainly  al- 
ways greet  their  approaching  foot- 
steps, that  they  will  alienate.  But 
their  ambition  should  be,  not  to  have 
it  love  merely,  which  feelings  im- 
planted by  nature  excite  but  one 
made  mtense  and  overflowing  by 
approbation  of  wortli}'  conduct,  and 
she  is  strangely  blind  to  her  own 
hai)piness,  as  well  as  un dutiful  •  to 
them  she  owes  most,  in  whom  the 
perpetual  appeals  of  parental  disin- 
terestedness do  not  call  forth  the 
prompt  and  fond  echo  of  filial  de- 
votion. 


THE  FIRST  DECEPTION. 

"When  I  was  a  boy,  and   attended 
school;  I  was  like  a  great  many  oth- 


citation  would  be  very   imperfect. 

One  morning  I  awoke  quite  early' 
and  I  remembered  that  we   were  to 
have  a  very  difficult  lesson   on  that 
morning,   and  I    had    neglected    it 
that  I  might  join  in  a  game  of  foot- 
ball.    It  was  too  late  then   to   com- 
mit it  to  memory,  and  I  felt  ashamed 
to  go  to    school    without   it,    for  I 
knew  that  I    should    be    punished, 
and  be  obliged  to  remain   in   at    re- 
cess to  make  up  the    lesson.     I   di(i 
not  want  to  play  truant,  for   I   was 
fearful  of  detection,  so  I  went  to  w.j 
father  and  feigned   a  headache,  and 
plead  that  I  might  remain  at   home 
that  day.     The  wish    was   granted, 
and  for  a    moment  I  felt    relieved, 
but  at  breakfast   or    dinner,  I    was 
not  allowed  to  eat  anything;  1  was 
obliged  to  remain  in  doors   all  day, 
although  the  sun  was  shining  bright- 
ly out   of  doors,    and    with  a    con- 
science restless  and    reproving    me 
all    the    time,  I  passed  a    wretched 
day. 

My  father,  always  kind  and  at- 
tentive to  his  children,  would  lay 
his  hand  upon  my  head  and  pity 
me,  so  that  my  heart  ached  when  I 
thought  how  V,  ickedly  I  was  de- 
ceiving him. — The  day  passed, 
and  I  went  early  to  i^y  bed,  but  I 
could  not  sleep.  I  had  told  my 
father  a  lie,  and  the  thought  of  it 
lay  like  a  weight  upon  my  heart. 
I  slept  a  little,  but  it  was  a  troubled 
and  unhappy  sleep.    When  I  arose 


281 


^0 


EAELY  RISING  &o. 


in  the  morning,  I  went  to  my   fath-jnings  witli  the  Father  of  our  spirits; 
er,  and  with   tearful  eyes  confessed  i  but  when  the    quiet    morning    first 


ni}'  deception.  lie  was  surprised 
and  grieved,  I  stood  before  him 
with  head  hung  down,  feeling 
thorouglil}'  ashamed.  I  asked  for- 
giveness of  him  and  it  was  granted. 
I  was  then  told  to  go  to  school  and 
tell  the  teacher  of  m}-  fault  and 
promise  never    to    attempt    such  a 


I  have  grown  a  man  since  then, 
but  the  memory  of  that  error  is 
still  fresh  in  my  mind.  It  Avas  the 
last  time  I  ever  attempted  to  de- 
ceive ni}'  father.  I  have  no  father 
or  mother  now,  but  the  lesson 
which  that  day  I  learned,  will 
guard  me  through  life  from  any 
attempt  at  deceiving  those  to  whom 
I  am  indebted  for  kindness  and  love. 
If  any  little  boy  should  read  this 
Btory,  let  him  be  mindful,  and  avoid 
all  temptations  which,  if  yielded  to, 
will  cause  him  in  after  years  many 
bitter  pangs  and  hearty  remorse. — 
Cliristian  Witness. 


EARLY  RISING. 

It  is  said  by  Xenophon  that  the 
Magi  were  first  appointed  under 
Cyrus  to  sing  songs  to  the  gods  ^^as 
soon  as  it  was  day."  The  state- 
ment is  highly  suggestive.  Early 
rising  has  a  claim  upon  the  con- 
science of  the  Christian  as  the  means 
of  early  devotion.  Can  we  inno- 
cently choose  to  lie  in  unconscious 
hlumber,  when  the  return  of  light 
calls  us  to  the  remembrance  of 
God?  Have  thoughts  of  his  pres- 
ence no  rightful  power  to  charm 
us  from  "leaden  sleep?'*  As  the 
<lay  wears  on,  the  press  of  business 
will  allow  us  only  broken  commu- 


goes  abroad  on  the  earth,  our  "med- 
itation on  him  will  be  sweet,"  be- 
cause no  harsh  interruption  breaks 
in  upon  it?  Is  not  this  a  duty? 
Is  it  not  in  equal  measure  a  privi- 
lege ?  On  no  other  supposition  can 
we  explain  such  passages  as  these 
in  the  Psalms,  if  that  book  be  in- 
deed a  model  for  the  devotions  of 
the  godly  throughout  all  time : 
"My  voice  shalt  thou  hear  in  the 
morning,  O  Lord;  in  the  morning 
will  I  direct  my  prayer  unto  thee 
and  will  look  up."  "Awake  psal- 
tery and  harp ;  I  myself  will  awake 
early."  "I  cried  unto  thee;  save 
me,  and  I  shall  keep  thy  testimo- 
nies. I  prevented  the  dawning  of 
the  morning,  and  cried :  I  hoped 
in  thy  word." 


LIFE  WITHOUT  TRIALS. 

*  "Would  you  wish  to  live  without 
a  trial  ?  Then  you  would  wish  to 
die  but  half  a  man.  Without  trial 
you  cannot  guess  at  your  own 
strength.  Men  do  not  learn  to 
swim  on  a  table ;  they  must  go  into 
deep  water,  and  buffet  the  surges. 
If  you  wish  to  understand  their 
true  character — if  you  would  know 
their  whole  strength — of  what  they 
are  capable — throw  them  overboard! 
Over  with  them — and  if  they  are 
worth  saving,  they  will  swim 
ashore  of  themselves. 


When  Satan  sifts  the  Christian  as 
wheat,  when  fiery  darts  are  directed 
upon  him  in  fearful  volleys,  when 
earthly  good  forsakes  him,  and  prov- 
idence seems  adverse*;  when  crea- 
ted resources  arc  dried  up,  and  sick 


CORRESPONDENCE. 


285 


ness,  pain  and  decay  seize  upon 
liini ;  when  the  spirit  is  chased  out 
of  its  habitation,  no  longer  surround- 
ed by  the  earthly  tabernacle,  then 
the  bosom  of  God  is  the  Christian's 
refuge;  the  house  not  made  with 
hands  is  his  abode;  the  heavenly 
mansion  his  dwelling  for  ever  and 
•  ever. 


CLYDE,  O.  July  16,  1860. 
Dear  Brethren  : 
I  am  on  my  way  here  home  from 
the  Annual  Meetincr  and  doomed  to 
lie  over  here  for  9  hours.  I  shall 
proceed  from  here  towards  Buffalo, 
j^ew  York,  Philadelphia,  and  Balti- 
more, home — where  I  hope  to  be  on 
Saturday  evening,  having  then  been 
from  home  some  nine  weeks. 

I    accompanied   Bro.   Xead    and 
Ebersole,  and   others  to   Louisville 
wkere  we  separated  from  them.     I 
was  accompanied  by  brother  Chris- 
tian Long  and  two  brethren  whose 
names   I    have   forgotten   living  in 
north  Indiana  :  the  two  last  leavino; 
us  at  31.  city.       Brother  Long  and 
mvself  went   on   to   Chicao-o.      He 
then  also  left  me, — from   whence   I 
l^fibceeded  after  a  day's   sojourn  to 
»Freeport,  thence  south  to  Ogle  coun- 
jty,  to  visit  my  two  brethren,  Thom- 
^ii.«i|^and  Joshua  Slifer,  one  living  near 
'  /MJ^Morris,  and  the  other  near   ]\It. 
'^CSSoll,  in  whose  neighborhoods  I 
preafched  several  times.     I   also  at- 
tended a  large   communion  meeting 
in  br.   Joseph  Emmert's   congrega- 
tion, meeting  there  many  brethren 
with  whom  I  was  acquainted  in  the 
East.       xVmong  the  speakers  were 
brethren  Lehman,   Sprogle,    Long, 
Kittenhouse,  Garber,   Hershey  and 


other  speakers,  beside  a  great  num- 
ber of  private  members.  We  had 
trul}'  a  feast  of  charity  together. — 
From  thence  I  went  south  to  Ful- 
ton, crossed  the  great  father  of  wa- 
ters there  passed  down  down  on  the 
Iowa  side  to  Camanche,  the  town 
Avhich  was  visited  by  the  great  hur- 
ricane a  short  time  previous,of  which 
circumstance  I  will  simply  say,  that 
the  accounts  we  had  in  the  public 
papers  were  not  exaggerated.  There 
were  some  39  persons  buried  at  the 
town  left,  being  those  killed  outright 
and  those  who  died  from  wounds 
received.  From  thence  I  went  to 
the  neighborhood  of  Palmyra,  3Io. 
where  I  have  relatives  living,  some 
of  which  are  members  of  our  church, 
where  1  preached  twice  in  the  Bap- 
tist meeting  house,  with  acceptance, 
as  I  had  reason  to  believe.  From 
thence  I  proceeded  down  the  river 
to  the  great  city  of  St.  Louis,  re- 
maining there  but  24  hours.  From 
which  place  I  turned  my  face  home- 
wards. Stopping  at  a  place  called 
Bunker  HilljSome  thirty  miles  east 
of  St.  Louis,  to  visit  a  relative  whom 
I  had  not  seen  for  24  years.  Here 
I  also  preached  in  the  Baptist  meet- 
ing house  to  a  pretty  good  congre- 
gation at  night.  From  thence  I  went 
East,  stopping  at  Indianapolis  with 
old  &  respected  friends  several  days. 
Thence  I  proceeded  to  Hagerstown, 
where  I  also  met  a  brother  David 
Slifer,  whom  I  had  not  seen  for  22 
years.  In  the  neighborhood  and  in 
town  I  preached  twice.  Our  breth- 
ren here  have  a  large  congregation. 
Their  elder  is  David  Hardman.  I 
spent  about  a  week  here,  visiting 
many  of  our  members  and  friends 
who  once  lived  in  my  own  immedi- 
ate church  and  neighborhood,  and 
through  them  I  made  the  acquaint- 


286 


COEEESPOXDENCE. 


anco  of  mniiy  others  whose  acquain- 
tance I  will  over  hij;hly  appreciate, 
among  which  I  will  name  brethren 
llanlinan,  JIaller,  BoAvman,  and  the 
other  speakers.  Also  br.  S.  Ogle  & 
others  wIk^sc  names  T  do  not  now 
recollect.  From  thence  I  Avent  into 
■the  neiglii  orhood  of  Dayton  where 
it  was  cxj)ected  I  should  preach  in 
the  United  Brethren's  church,  but 
I  was  prevented  by  sickness.  We 
have  a  very  fine  meeting  house  in 
Dayton,  but  I  was  told  that  those 
who  principally  worship  tiicre,  reside 
in  the  country,  there  not  being  ma- 
ny members  in  town,  Br.  Kelso 
had  preached  for  them  on  Sunday 
before  wüth  much  acceptance.  From 
here  I  went  to  Springfield,  and 
thence  out  to  br.  France's  congre- 
gation, enjoying  the  hospitality  of 


br.  Sheliaberger  lor   several 


nights. 


I  there  also  pi-cached,  but  owing  to 
rain  Ave  had  but  a  small  turn  out. 
I  next  preached  in  Urbana  in  the 
Baptist  church  which  was  kindl}" 
tendered  tome.  From  thence  I  went 
to  br.  Ebersolc's  congregation,  and 
preached  for  him  twice  on  last  Sab- 
batii,  and  on  ]\Ionday  morning  I  al- 
so preached  a  funeral  sermon  in  the 
neighborhood.  From  thence  I  went 
to  Tifiin  in  Y>diich  neighborhood  I 
also  preaclied,    it  being   in  the  out- 


BURKITTSVILLE,    Md. 

July  25th.  1860. 

Dear  Brethren : 
I  wrote  to  you  from  Clyde,  Ohio, 
giving  you  a  succinct  account  of 
ray  trips  after  I  left  the  Annual 
Meeting.  I  have  thought  it  advisa- 
ble to  continue  the  same  home.  You 
may  continue  the  remainder  with 
the  rest,  or  as  you  choose  about  the 
whole  matter. 

After  having  remained  at  Clyde 
about  nine  hours,  not  altogether  un- 
imployed,  for  I  have  the  happy  fac- 
ulty of  making  acquaintances,  and 
therefore  had  some  very  pleasant 
conversations  with  different  persons 
there — had  the  opportunity  of  re- 
commending religion  generally,  and 
particularly  our  peculiar  views. 

I  trust  my  stay  there  will  not  be 
without  some  good  eftect.  From  there 
I  proceeded  to  Cleveland  where  I  ar- 
rived about  8  o'clock  P.  M.  and  im- 
mediately boarded  a  verj-  fine  steam 
boat  plying  from  Cleveland  to  Buf- 
falo, doing  it  however  with  some 
trepidation  and  fear.  After  entering 
my  state  room,  and  seeing  several 
kinds  of  life  preservers  in  the  room, 
I  at  once  concluded  Umt  they  would 
be  of  no  use  to  me  unless  I  knew 
how  to  use  them.  So  I  called  in  a 
person  who  had  that  knowledge, 
who  also  imparted  it  to  me  by  an 
actual  adjustment  of  the  apparatus 
upon  my  person.  So  with  confi- 
dence in  it  but  above  all,  rel; 
upon  the  preserving  power 
Almighty  God,  I  resigned  myself  to. 


skirts   of  br.  IiOO])'s   con^TCii-ation,  irr'""»;;"«^   ^"■"'  ',  'i  Ti     r  .  *"      ^viL 
I  ^    o  "his  will,  as  regarded  the  future.   VVj» 

\asant  run  to  Buffalo  arrit' 


whom  I  had  not  the  pleasure  of  see-  ^^^^  a  pi 

ing.  I  found  the  brotherhood  and  ying  there  in  the  morning  at  s  o 
rehitives  generally  well  in  body,  and  clock.  I  immediately  proceed^on 
I  also  hope  in  soul.  to  visit  the  Falls   of  Kiagara,  IN 


I  trust  that  my  feeble  efforts  may 

prove  beneficial   to   many  in   their  ^V'.]!."^* 
^  .      ^        '^  tskm  .' 

efforts  to  servo  the  Lord.       If  you 

publish  this   it  might  be  a  gratifica- 
tion  to  some  of  my  friends,   yet  do 
60  at  your  own  discretion. 
Youi's  aflcctionately, 

Emanuel   Slifkk. 


to  visit  the  Falls  of  Kiagara,  T>ne 
of  the  greatest  wonders  in  the 
world.  1  accompanied  in  a  small 
several  jiersons  across  the  boil- 
ing cauldron  to  the  Canada  side  of 
the  river,  and  viewed  this  mighty 
wonder  from  many  points.  And  in 
the  amazement  in  which  I  was  sur- 
rounded, T  did  not  forget  the  projec- 
tor and  governor  of  this  mighty  cat- 
aract, but  was  led  to  adore  Him.-    I 


POETEY. 


28: 


think  this  would  be  the  effect   upon 
all  who  would  visit  this  place. 

I  then  proceeded  down  the  river 
■fcome  two  miles  to  the  Suspension 
bridge,  one  of  the  greatest  achieve- 
ments of  the  skill  of  human  ingenui- 
ty, and  was  but  a  day  too  late  to 
see  Bloudin  cross  the  river  on  his 
suspended  rope.  Crossed  the  bridge, 
and  back  to  the  hotel,  from  thence  i 
in  a  few  hours  I  was  on  my  way  to 
Albany-,  passing  during  the  night 
Eochester,  Syracuse,  Eome,  Utica, 
and  in  the  morning  passing  through 
Albany,  taking  the  cars  down  the 
Hudson  to  Xew  York,  passing  down 
the  east  side  of  the  river,  and  thus 
having  aflbrded  to  me  one  of  the 
finest  sceneries,  continuous  I  may 
say,  to  Zsew  York,  that  I  ever  be- 
held. I  was  told,  and  no  doubt  it ' 
was  so,  that  had  I  went  down  the 
river  in  a  boat,  it  would  have  been 
enhanced  doubly,  rendered  so  b}" 
having  both  sides  of  the  river  in 
view  at  the  same  time.  I  remained 
but  one  hour  in  Xew  York,  it  being 
so  extremely  hot  while  there,  that  I 
had  no  inclination  to  remain  longer, 
yet  I  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  the 
Great  Eastern  in  her  external  pro- 
portions. I  had  not  the  curiosity  to 
see  her  internal  arrangement  as  I 
had  seen  that  very  fine  boat  ujion 
Lake  Erie.  I  felt  assured  that  her 
internal  fixtures  could  but  have  been 
more  extensive  and  not  more  splen- 
did and  tasteful.  1  went  on  to 
Philadelphia,  where  I  remained  over 
Sunday,  preached  twice  for  the 
brethren  during  the  day,  making 
some  valued  acquaintances,  not?only 
here,  but  every  where  on  my  ver}' 
pleasant  and  agreeable  trip.  Imme- 
diately after  night  service,  I  left 
for  Baltimore,  arriving  there  at  day 
light,  and  after  taking  breakfast, 
proceeded  home  some  70  miles  on 
the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  Eailroad, 
finding  my  own  family  well  and 
anxious  to  see  me.  But  was  sorry 
to  hear  of  some  deaths  of  friends  in 
my  absence,  and  still  some  more 
upon  beds  of  affliction.  3Iay  the 
God  of  all  grace  alleviate  their  suf- 
ferings,  and    mitigate  their  pains, 


and  under  all  circumstances  prepare 
them  for  the  future.  I  was  just  9 
weeks  from  home.  And  I  trust  to 
see,  if  not  earlier,  in  eternity,  at 
least  some  fruits,  happy  fruits,,  of  my 
trip.  And  I  hereby  tender  to  the 
vast  number  of  friends  I  met,  my 
sincere  acknowledgement  for  their 
unreserved  attention  to  me  while  in 
their  midst. 

Yours  affectionately, 

E.MAxrEL   Slifer. 


1 0  e  t  r  ^ . 

The  following  lines  are  among  the 
Poetic  Selections  of  Bachel,  late 
consort  of  Eld.  Philip  Bovle,  of  New 
Windsor,  Md. 

•'0  LAND  OF  REST." 
O  land  of  rest,  for  thee  I  sigh, 

"When  shall  I  gain  thy  shore  ? 
When  shall  I  land  my  weary  soul 

Where  I   shall  sigh  no  more  ? 
When  will  my  toils  and  conflicts  end, 

My  cares  and  labors  cease  ? 
When  shall  I  reach  thy  blissful  realm, 

Where  all  is  joy  and  peace  ? 

j   O  land  of  rest,  I  long  to  dwell 
I     Upon  thy  peaceful  shore  ; 
;  Where  the  chill  blasts  and  storms  of 
{  time 

I     Mioht  never  reach  me  more. 
Aly  friends  are   there;  and   dearest 
friends 
In  thee  securely  rest  : 
O  happy  land !  I  pant  to  be 
In  thee  for  ever  blest. 

0  land  of  rest,  the  toughts  of  thee 
j      My  fiiinting  spirits  cheer; 
And  soothe  the  sorrows  of  my  heart 
I     For  now  I  feel  thee  near. 
Yes,   soon   life's    toilsome    voyage 
shall  close, 
And  I,   no  longer  driven 
By  adverse  winds  on  time's  rough 
sea, 
ShaU  calmly  rest  in  heaven. 
'  The  jS'ew  Windsor  Herald, 


288        CONTRIBUTIONS.— APPOINTlVfENTS.—OBITUAEIL 


CONTHIBUTIONS  i      Died  in  Auzlaizc  chnrob,  Allen  co.    0.,   July 

,  J       XI.        r.  1    -w      •  Ti       J    1 22,  sister  MARY   BAKER,    wife  of  br.    Jacob 

towards     tne     CrOSpel  Mission    iUna.    L  Baker,  ngecUO  years,  4  months  and  25    iays, 

Eeceived  hy  letter  lor   the    Gospel   leaving  a  husband  and  4  of  her  own    and  5  step 

Mission  Fund  from  the  Lower  Cuni- 
berhind  ehiirc-h,  Pennsylvania  per 
br.  Moses  Miller  Ten  Dollars    $10,00 


D.  P.  Sayler  treasurer. 

Brother  Jacob  i>.  Ilosenl)erger  of 
Ililltown  (Pa.)  sent  to  the   under- 
signed the  sum  of  five  dollars    §5,00 
to  be  divided  for  the  relief  of 
br.  8.  Garber  and  for  the  two 
brethren  having  to  go  to  the 
Paeitic  Ocean,  leaving   it   to 
us  to  make  the  distribution. 

From  the  Salamon y  church, 
Huntingdon  co.  Indiana   by 
br.  Andrew   II.    8noAvbcrger 
were  sent  to  us  five  dollars  5,00 

From  Columbiana  church, 
Ohio  by  II.  K.  Fifty  Dollars      50,00 

A  similar  sum  (^50,00)  is 
aunounced  from  Franklin  co. 
Ya.  and  from  Logan  co. 
(church)  Ohio  ($5,00)  


§00,00 
These  sixty  Dollars  to   be   in   the 
hands  of  the  subscriber,    is    hereby 
acknowledged  by 

IIexry  Kurtz. 


APPODITMENTS. 

A  conimunion-raeeting  will    be    in 
Nimisrhillen  ohurcli,  Stark      co.  0.  September  6 
Medina    church,  Medina        "     "  "  8 

Williams  church.  Williams    •'     "  "  26 

Yellow  River,      xMar:,hall       "   Ind.       "  25 

Kear  South  English,  Kcoknk  "  Iowa     "  19—20  1 
With  the  brethren  in  Mahaska  co.  "       "  22—23  | 

Also  there  will  be  a  general  council  meeting  ! 
the  last  Friday  and  Saturday  in  October  next 
for  all  the  cliurch  districts  iu  Iowa,  to  be  held  i 
with  the  brethren  in  Marion  co.  Iowa  about  20 
miles  West  of  O^kaloosa,  and  some  8  miles 
East  of  Knoxvillc  the  county  seat  of  Marion. 
It  is  requested  that  some  brethren  from  each 
church  district  in  Iowa  attend  said  meeting. 
David  Buower. 


OBITUARIES. 


Departed  this  life  in  Monrovia  Frederic  Co. 
Md.  on  the  morning  of  the  28th  of  Juno  last 
Biater  CATFlARIiSE  CRONISE  at  the  advanced 
Cge  of  76  years,  8  months  and  14  days. 


i  children  to  mourn  their  loss.  Funeral  text  .^ 
\  Thess.  4  :  13—18,  by  br.  C  Wagoner. 
]  Departed  this  life  in  Rockingham  co.  Va. 
July  2'.),  our  beloved  old  brother.  Elder  DAN- 
IEL YOUNT,  aged  76  years,  two  days  less. 
He  never  had  a  family,  but  the  church  of  Christ, 
the  cau.sc  of  the  Gospel,  and  the  poor  ever  had 
his  sympathies.  May  the  Lord  reward  him. 
Funeral  text:  Rev.  14:  13,  >>y  Benjamin  Bow- 
man, Daniel  Thomas  and  others. 

Djed  in  the  same  co.  and  on  the  same  day, 
Sister  ELIZABATH  DRIVER,  wife  of  Lewis 
Driver,  aged  37  yrs.  5  mon.  29  days.  From  the 
same  text  funeral  services  by  Jacob  Miller  and 
John  Giel. 

Died  in  Brush  Creek  church,  Adams  co.  Ohio 
June  21,  sister  CATIIARLXE  ELLEN DER- 
GER,  wife  of  brother  Peter  Ellenberger.  aged 
62  years,  3  months  and  12  days,  leaving  a 
disconsolate  husband  and  two  sons,  both  mar- 
ried, and  one  also  a  member  of  the  church. 
The  sister  was  a  consistent  menibcr  for  nearly 
29  years,  and  bore  her  last  illness  with  very 
great  patience.  Funeral  services  by  br.  B. 
Smith  and  M  Calvert  from  Rev.  14  :  13  and 
Heb.  4  :  9.  The  children  request  those  lines 
under  sister  Connels  obituary  in  the  July 
Visitor  to  be  read  also  in  conuectiör  with  this. 
Died  in  the  Conemaugh  congregation,  Cam- 
Bria  co  Pa.  June  18,  brother  JOSEPH  DI- 
MOND,  disease  :  palsy,  a^cd  66  years.  Fu- 
neral discourse  by  br.  S,  Benshoof,  L  Cobaugh 
and  D.  Albaugh. 

Died  in  Huntingdon  co  Ind.  June  19,  of  ty- 
phoid fever  brother  JOSEPH  BOLLINGER, 
formerly  of  Columbiana  co.  Ohio.  Age  63  years 
9  months  21  days.  Ho  was  a  deacon  in  the 
church.  Funeral  text:  1  Thes5.  4  :  19  to  end, 
by  I  Calvert,  Jacob  Metzger  and  Daniel  Ulrey. 
Also  of  the  same  family  by  a  sad  accid«nt 
thirty  miles  from  home  on  the  28th  of  July 
was  killed  PETER  BOLLINGER,  a  son  of  the 
foregoing  Joseph.  The  circumstances  were 
about  thus:  He  had  been  about  40  miles  trom 
I  home  with  his  team,  and  had  proceeded  oa  his 
!  return  10  miles,  when  his  horses  took  fright  and 
I  ran  away.  There  was  another  man  with  him, 
]  who  fell  from  the  wagon  and  was  unhurt. 
i  But  Peter  had  got  fast  iu  the  wagon,  and  was 
dragged  along  under  it  for  one  mile ;  his  leg 
was  broken  in  three  places,  and  the  back  of  his 
head  was  all  smashed  in.  He  died  at  the  age 
of  33  years,  7  months  and  24  days,  leaving  a 
wife  and  7  children  to  mourn  their  loss.  His 
wife  was  a  daughter  of  David  Shoemaker,  who 
died  four  years  ago.  Perhaps  the  saddest 
circumstance  was  this,  that  our  friend  met  his 
late  apparently  in  an  unprepared  state,  having 
formerly  been  a  member  of  the  church,  and  be- 
ing called  away  before  his  restoration  was  ac- 
complished. Ö  that  this  might  bo  a  warning  to 
all,  not  to  delay  whatever  is  necessary  fur  our 
peace. 

Died  also  in  Huntingdon  co.  Ind.  July  31, 
br.  SAMUEL  BOLLINGER,  a  son  &  br.  of  the 
two  foregoing,  of  typhoid  fever,  aged  39  year.«, 
0  month.s  uuii  24  days.  Ho  leaves  a  wife  and  8 
small  children  to  mourn  their  loss,  and  had 
been  a  member  of  the  church   for  about  2  years. 


Mail  Irregularities. 

We  iiave  never  lieard  of  so  many  com- 
plaints from  our  subscriiers,  than  tLis 
winter,  Again  and  again  \re  Lave  been 
called  upon  to  supply  missing:  No's,  that 
with  doing  so  and  also  furuishmg  back 
No's  to  lately  coming  in  siibscri'  ers.  onr 
edition  of  the  three  first  No's  is  entirely 
exhausted,  even  imperfect  Copies,  wijicii 
were  not  to  be  sent  out  ordinarily,  we 
had  to  send,  kr)o\ving  that  tiiose,  whose 
No.  was  lost,  would  rather  have  a  pour 
one  than  none  at  all.  We  are  sorry,  un- 
der thes-9  circumstances  to  he  unabit-  to 
supply  the  first  four  Numbers  of  the 
present  volume  any  more,  and  therefore 
propose  to  new  subscribers  to  send  us 
hereafter  only  Sixty  Cents  the  single 
copy  for  the  bülauceof  the  ye  r  fr<iin 
31ay  to  Decen^.ber,  both  inclusive,  or 
Five  Dollars  for  ten  copies  for  the  same 
lime. 

Expecting  ournext  yearly  meeting  to 
bean  important  one,  and  ttiat  many  of 
our  bretliren  wöuld  like  to  know  al! 
about  it,  we  will  enlarge  tlie  edition  of 
the  Visitor  sufficiently  to  meet  the  in- 
creased demind.  (Jf  course  the  Min- 
utes will  be  charged  extra  as  hereto- 
fore. 


THE  CANCER  CURED. 

DR.  LEBBEUS  B^GELOW 
]  ite  of  Adamsburg,  Pa.  was  vrry  suc- 
cessful in  treating  cancers.  Before  his 
death  he  comniunicaled  to  the  under 
signed  his  mode  of  treatment,  and  they 
are  now  practicing  it  with  success. 
They  tlierefore  invite  those  aSicted 
with  cancers,  to  call  upon  them  and 
te^t  tlie  eßicacy  of  their  mode  of  treating 
this  malignant  disease.  Persons  corning 
by  the  Penosylvania  central  R.  Road, 
will  stop  at  Manor  station.  We  will 
convey  them  from  the  station  to  Adams- 
burg,  if  informed  of  the  time  of  their 
ar-ival. 

Address,  F.  BLOCHER  Sf  CO. 
Ai>AMSBURG,  Westmoreland  co.  Pa. 


jo'il  of  mecliani  -  i  i  «cience,  nn- 
noi>tliatit  »vi;i  ...rj  arged  oa  the 
firs  .July,  and  oth^vise  greaily  im- 
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ofe:,  the  present  'ize,  which  will 
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ly joal  of  its  class  that  has  ever  suc- 
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whi  is  not  excelled  by  any  other 
joiir  published  in  this  country  or  in 
Eur,  Allhough  the  publishers  will 
incui  increased  expense  of  ;^?,000 
a  yeiy  this  eniargemsnt,  they  have 
delened  not  to  raise  the  price  of 
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to  imnify  them  in  this  increased 
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year*  10  copies  for  .$15.  Specimen 
copiof  the  paper  with  a  pamphlet 
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Hon.dge  Mason  ofTowa,  wliO  made 
himsfso  po[»ular  with  the  Inventors 
of  tiicjuntry  while  he  held  the  office 
of  Caiisioner  (f  Patents  has.  we 
learnssociate  J  himself  with  Munn  & 
i)o.  ae  >?cienLific  American  office 
^ew  rk. — 


H  Geiger 


&  Co. 


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CURB  FOR  RflEMATISM* 

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teen years  experience  in  curing  the 
worst  Cii-es.  Eor  two  dollars,  a  box 
containin'g  tjx  bottles  will  be  sent  W 
any  addresi. 

Addrese  O'  fc .  W.  Moobb 
»-Flp  LeTol,  CAMftRkA  Ce.  Pa, 


TBE 


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B T  EEXR Y  KURTZ    <&    JA3IES  Q  VTA  TER. 


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OF  OCTuHKIt-NO. 

A  Keview  of  a  treatise  on,  (or  against) 

trine   immersion              page  ^^ö 

]{cmarks  on  v.otinj              -              -  'Si^-i 

(ileariings                  -              -              -  IU)4 

•Stray  lierms            -              -  J305 

Peculiar  attraclion  ofJolm's  (jlospcl  — 

(iod's  Laws  not.  arbitrary  308 

Queries.  1.  On  Mark  O':  4i— 50  :U2 

2.  '•   KzeU.  8  :    17—10  ^13 

•■  8.  **    lilaspliemy  against 

the  Holy  Ghost         -  — 

4.  "   Uev.:3:   15,  16  315 

Correspondence               -             -  316 

Our  l*rüspcclMs                 -             -  318 

Contributions                    -              -  — 

Personal  and   Obituary                 -  319 

füi*   OcrcDcr. 

Qöie  i|^  ^'^ö  ^-  ^ejiamcnt  entjlnn^en  145 


(y>[\}t  c5  einen  9JiittcIcit  k. 
OJfi^en  tie  '2ßicberbrinv\uni)        t 
"IS^'lvtt  eincö  ©läiibivv»  ' 

^Tiiöcn  ben nt'.r ortet 

1.  über  93eattl;.  4,1.         f 

2.  f         fi         13,  44      s 

3.  f     1  (5l)ron.  2,  13—17 

4.  fi     1  Qier.  5,  11 

5.  3»  betreff  ter?3?ei;hin{(  — 
G.  ^9ei}en  einem  ^ISrufcer  ,^u  einem 

^ienfi-  ,^u  enval)lcn,  fceffen  5Bei() 
fein  ?•3lit^lie^  i\1  — 

Sorrefpcntenj.     Unfer  Ü^erfcbKuj        158 
33eitvajje  unt)  '^ct'es^  ^In^ei^jen  159 


147 
151 
153 

155 

156 
157 


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THE  CANCER  CURED 

DR.  LEBBEUS  BIGELOn 
late  of  Adamsburg,  Pa.  was  very  suc- 
cessftilin  treating  cancers.  liefore  his 
death  he  communicated  to  the  under- 
signed his  mode  of  treatment,  and  they 
are  now  practicing  it  with  success. 
They  therefore  invite  those  afflicted 
with  cancers,  to  call  upon  them  and 
test  the  cßjcacy  of  their  mode  oftrealing 
this  malignant  disease.  Persons  cominj 
by  the  l*ennsylvania  central  11.  iioad, 
will  stop  at  Manor  station.  We  will 
convey  them  from  the  station  to  zVdams- 
burg,  if  informed  of  the  time  of  their 
arrival. 

Address,  F.  IJLCCHER&Co. 
ADAJrsDURo,   Wkstmoreland  Co.  Pa. 


Letters  Receired    ßUßE  FOR  RHEUMATISM. 


From  E.  Koni^g-macher.  Geo.  Eby  f 
H.  15.  (sent.)  R.(^  Ross  fniin.  H.  R. 
Holfaingcr.  J.  I'^vcrt  f  min.  Jos.  Sher- 
ry. John  H.  Ritter,  (The  strictures 
were  sent  at  the  time,  and  are  now  out 
of  p'int.]  J).  J.  .Spicher.  31ich  Zug. 
Ezra  Danburn.  C.Custer.  John  11, 
NeikirU  1,  f  min.  Joseph  8hcrfy.  Da- 
vid Molsbeo.  Jac.  ?Shambcrger.  jr. 
M.  iMycrs  f  H.  P.  and  min'  (sent.] 
If.  Klein  f  min.  U.  M.  Beachly  3  f  adv. 
[I'^xprcss  charges  1,00.]  J.  A  Riden- 
Jiourfmin.  Jer.  Sheets.  Adam  Drown 
1  f  Vis.  (ico  W  Hrumbaugh.  Jac. 
Wolfe.  John  Brindlo  2  f  Vis.  J.  Wise. 
.T.  Zug.  J.  \V.  Henkel.  S.  W  Bolling- 
er.    Henry  Ilerrf  H.  B.  [sent.] 


Dr.  E.  W.  riIoore,s  Indian  Tincture 
for  Rheumatism  has  never  failed  in  four- 
teen years  experience  in  curing  the 
\vorst  ca=es.  For  two  dolia'-s,  a  box 
containing  six  bottles  will  be  sent  !• 
any  address. 

Address  TV  E.W.MoonE 
StIj-  Level,  Ca:*:dria  Co.  Pa. 


^•%u 


THE  GQSPa  -  imiTOE, 

VOL-\-     ®rto»rr    iseo.    KO.  lo. 


A  REVIEW  OF  A    ''TREATISE 
ON   TEINE  IMMERSION." 

Some  time  since  there  was  sent 
us  a  pamphlet  bearing  the  following 
title:  ''Treatise  on  Trine  Immer- 
sion. By  Elder  E.  Adarnson."  Al- 
though the  title  itself  does  not  de- 
clare the  fact,  the  Treatise  is  writ- 
ten against  trine  immersion.  As 
the  pamphlet  has  extensively  been 
circulated  in  some  sections  of  coun- 
try by  those  who  agree  in  senti- 
ment with  the  author,  we  presume 
that  such  judge  it  well  calculated 
to  accomplish  the  object  for  which 
it  was  designed.  AVe  have  been 
requested  to  take  some  notice  of  the 
work,  and  to  review  the  arguments 
against  trine  immersion  which  it 
contains.  Our  regard  for  what  we 
honestly  believe  to  be  the  truth, 
imposes  upon  us  the  duty  of  com- 
plying with  the  request.  We  had 
designed  to  notice  the  work  before 
this,  but  our  various  engagements 
with  some  other  considerations 
Ixave  prevented  us  from    doing  so. 

The  work  is  evidently  a  reply  to 
an  article  of  ours  in  the  Visitor  of 
1858,  although  there  is  no  mention 
made  of  the  Editors,  or  Visitor  by 
name.  Our  article  alluded  to,  and 
of  which  elder  Adamson's  treatise 
is  a  review,  was  a  reply  to  a  letter 
addressed  to  us  by  a  friend  in  Illi- 
nois who  signed  himself  ^'il." 
Whether  elder  Adamson  was  judged 
better  qualified  than  'OI"  to  '-de- 
molish our  Scriptural  fort,"  we 
cannot  affirm,  but  when  the  former 
ceased  his    efforts,  the    latter    com- 


menced his.  And  if  elder  Adam- 
son  has  shown  more  tact  than  ''W 
in  managing,  the  subject,  he  has 
shown  less  respect  for  those  whose 
practice  he  has  assailed. 

Elder  Adamson's  pamphlet  is 
characterized  by  a  strong  feeling  of 
hostility  to  the  Brethren,  as  will 
be  seen  from  the  following  passa- 
ges of  his  work  :  "Indeed,  according 
to  this  view  of  the  subject,  the 
trine  immersionists  are  more  in- 
consistent than  those  who   practice 

•  sprinkling  and  pouring.'^  P.  22. 
"Indeed,  to  say  the  best  that  can 
be  said,  it  is  extremely  doubtful 
whether  three  immersions  can  in- 
clude the  'one  immersion,  of  which 
Paul  speaks,  Eph.  4:5;  whether 
three  immersions  bring  any  per- 
sons 'by  one  spirit  into  the  'one 
body'  spoken  of  by  the  apostle,  1 
Cor.  12;  13;  ivhether  three  immer- 
sions  are  any  better  than  sprinkling 
or  pouring.  In  short,  there  is  no 
ground  for  any  assurance  that  the 
Lord  will  accept  of  any  such  perver- 
sion of  his  ordinance.  The  baptism 
of  persons  who  are  immersed  three 
times,  if  it  can  be  rightly  called  bap- 
tism, is  not  according  to  the  scrip- 
tures, not  according  to  the  teach- 
ing of  Christ  and  the   Apostles,  not 

:  according  to  the  example  and  prac- 
tice of  the  primitive  Christians; 
but  it  is  as  destitute  of  scriptural 
authority  as  any  other  human  in- 
stitution ever  practiced  under  the 
pretense  ot  religion."  P.  23 — 24. 
The  italicizing  is  ours. 

It  is  true,  in   a   concluding  para- 
ü^raph,  the    author    professes   some 
G.  V.     Vol.  X.         19 


290 


EEYIEW  OE  A  TREATISE  ON  TEIXE  IMMEESIOX 


respc^'t  for  us:  ^'In  conclusion,  I  [Christian  church.  Not,  however, 
wish  to  say  that  I  have  no  doubt ,  because  we  have  any  fears  that  its 
that  trine  immersionists  are  gcner- 1  final  results  will  be  at  all  unfavora- 
iilly  candid  and  sincere  in  their, ble  to  the  mode  of  immersion  we 
profession  and  practice,  and  I  have  ;  advocate  and  practice,  for  the  more 
much  respect  for  them  on  several  attention  we  have  given  this  sub- 
accounts J    but     a    regard    for   the  ject,  the  stronger  has  been  the   con- 


truth  induces  me  to  sliow  wherein 
they  are  in  Ärror.  This  I  have  en- 
deavored to  do  in  such  a  way  as  to 
give  no  groutid  for  offence :  but 
rather  to  promote  an  inquiry  for 
the  truth.''  F.32.  Although  the 
author  charges  us  with  the  * 'per- 
version" of  the  ordinance    of   bap- 


tism, and  with   the   '^perverison    of 

the  language  of  one    lexicon,"    with  upon  the  subject,  that 


viction  of  our  mind  that  trine  im- 
mersion is  the  Scriptural  mode  of 
baptism.  And  we  are  confident 
that  where  candor  and  sincerity, 
and  the  different  qualifications 
necessary  to  prepare  the  mind  for 
the  wholesome  reception  of  truth 
exist,  and  where  there  is  a  proper 
use  made  of  the  evidence  bearing 
the 


being  more  inconsistent  "than 
those  who  practice  sj^rinkling  and 
pouring,"  &c.  yet  he  thinks  he  has 
given  "no  grounds  for  offence." 
Well,  we  think  we  are  not  offended, 
but  we  are  sorry  that  such  charges 
are  made  against  the  truth. 

We,  however,  hope  that  the  meek- 
ness, patience,  forbearance  and  love, 
which  have  ever  characterized  the 
true  christians  in  all  the  insults 
that  have  been  offered  them,  and  in 
all  the  assaults  that  have  been 
made  upon  the  doctrines  which 
they  have  loved  and  revered,  will 
prevent  those  against  whom  the 
above  chargxis  have  been  made  from 
entertaining  any  unchristian  feel- 
ings towards  the  author,  or  tow- 
ards any  of  those  identified  with 
the  sj'stem  which  he  represents. 

We  are  sorry  for  the  appearance 
of  elder  Adamson's  treatise,  or  rath- 
er sorry  for  the  hostile  attack  he 
has  u])on  the  mode  of  immersion 
practiced  by  the  Brethren  in  com- 
mon with  a  large  number  of  immer- 
sionists   in    every     period    of   the 


tion  of  other  minds  will 
to  that  of  our  own. 


to 

coavic- 
bc    similar 


But  we   regret  the 


hostile  man- 
ner in  which  the  author  of  the  trea- 
tise has  attacked  trine  immersion, 
because  we  are  fearful  that  it  will 
have  a  tendency  to  interrupt  the 
fraternal  feeling  that  has  apparent- 
ly hitherto  existed  between  the 
Disciples,  of  which  community  el- 
der J^damson  is  a  member,  and  our 
own  brotherhood.  We  have  fre- 
quentl}^  preached  in  their  meeting 
houses,  and  have  spent  pleasant 
hours  in  christian  conversation 
with  a  number  of  the  preachers  and 
members  of  that  denomination. 
x\nd  our  brethren  have  generally 
been  treated  with  much  apparent 
fraternal  feeling  by  the  members  of 
that  community.  And  if  that  res- 
pect was  real  and  not  hypocritical, 
we  feel  assured  that  many  of  the 
brethren  of  elder  Adamson  will  be 
far  from  sympathizing  with  him 
in  his  attack  upon  our  brotherhood. 

We  would  rather  that  circum- 
stances had  not  called  for  a  notice 
from  us  of  elder  Adamson's  treatise. 


P.EVIEW  OF  A  TEEATISE  OX  TEI^^E  IMMEESIOjS^. 


291 


It'  rot  pleasant  for  us  to  differ  i  times,  that  is,  one  after  the  utter- 
wiia  any  that  bear  the  christian  iance  of  each  of  the  three  names  in 
name.  Our  readers,  however,  will,  |  the  baptismal  formula ;  and  an  ap- 
we  presume,  appreciate  our  position,  'peal  is  made  to  any  good  gramma- 
and  see  not  only  the  propriety,  but  |  rian  in  support  of  this  construction 
the  necessity  of  us  maintaining  our  and  conclusion, 
the    assaults    made 


cause    asrainst 

upon  it.  Our  notice  of  elder  Ad- 
amson's  treatise  is  a  defence  of  the 
practict^'of  our  brotherhood  against 
an  attack  of  his,  and  not  an  aggres- 
sive act  of  ours  against  the  prac- 
tices of  a  community  bearing  in 
common  with  us  the  christian  name, 
but  differing  with  us  in  the  observ- 
ance of  a  christian  ordinance.  Af- 
ter some  introductory  remarks  in 
which  he  notices  several  points 
upon  which  trine  immersionists ! 
agree  with  other  immersionists,  he 
thus  commences  : 

"In  the  first  place,  then,  let  us 
notice  the  argument  in  favor  of 
trine  immersion.  The  only  pasage 
of  Scripture  relied  on  by  the  advo- 
cates of  trine  immersion   is  found  in 


"It  is  worthy  of  notice  that  this 
■argument  makes  the  practice  of 
trine  immersion  depend,  not  upon 
what  is  in  the  Scriptures,  but  upon 
what  we  are  told  ought  to  be  there 
to  complete  the  sense,  and  that  it 
bases  this  distinctive  practice  of  a 
people  professing  to  take  the  Scrip- 
tures for  their  rule  of  faith  and 
practice — and  that,  too,  in  refer- 
ence to  one  of  the  most  solemn  or- 
dinances of  the  Christian  religion — 
uj^on  grammatical  criticism  upon  a 
supposed  ellipsis;  or,  in  other 
words,  it  bases  their  peculiar  prac- 
tice in  this  respect  upon  what  is 
not  in  the  book."  pp.  4,  5. 

In  reply  to  this  we  remark,  we 
do  believe  the  la  iguage  used  by 
Christ  when  giving  the  commission 
the  last  commission  of  Christ  to  ^  j^  enjptical  ^  but  we  do  not  give  to 
his  Apostles:  'Go  ye,  therefore,  | the  ellipsis  that  degree  of  import- 
and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  jance  which  our  author's  language 
them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  j  implies  we  do.  We  not  do  say  that 
and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  i  the  ellipsis  is  necessary  to  complete 
Ghost;'  Matt.  28  :  19.  It  is  claim- 1  the  sense,  for  the  sense  is  conveyed 
ed  by  the  advocates  of  trine  immer- [\vithout  it.  But  we  say  it  is  ne- 
ßion  that  this  language  is  elliptical,  cessary  to  complete  the  construc- 
and  that  in  order  to  complete  theltion,  and  when  the  construction  is 
sense  it  is  necessary  to  supply  the  |  completed,  the  sense  or  meaning  is 
words  'baptizing  them  in  the  name,'  more  plainly  manifested.  It  is  with 
ßo  as  to  make  the  passage  read,  the  use  of  the  ellipsis  somewhat 
^baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  |iike  it  is  in  substituting  one  word 
Father,  and  baptizing  them  in  the  '  for  another.  By  substituting  a 
name  of  the  Son,  and  baptizing  ^qj.^  [^  common  use,  and  one  whose 
them  in  the  name  of  the  Holy  meaning  is  well  known,  for  one  not 
Ghost.'  And  it  is  claimed  that  this  so  much  used,  and  not  so  weU 
language,  when  these  words  are 
thus  supplied,  requires  the  action 
of  baptizing  to  be  performed  three 


known,  the  meaning  of  an  author 
or  speaker  is  more  readily  per- 
ceived.      Take    for     example     the 


292         REVIEW  OF  A  TREATISE  ON  TRINE  IMMERSION 


word  baptize.  Its  meaning  is  to  dip 
01'  immei-He.  Now  we  have  neither 
dip  nor  immerse  used  in  the  Eng- 
lish SeriptiiTCs  to  express  the  ordi- 
nance of  christian  baptism  J  yet  el- 
der Adamson  bases  his  practice  of 
baptism  upon  immersion  as  the 
meaning  of  baptize.  Does  he  there- 
fore base  it  "upon  what  is  not  in 
the  book?"  We  presume  he  thinks 
ho  does  not.  And  why  does  he 
think  so  ?  It  is,  no  doubt,  because 
he  thinks  he  has  in  the  word  bap- 
tize an  equivalent  of  the  word  im- 
merse. And  so  he  has.  For  we 
have  the  idea  of  immersion  plainly 
taught  us  in  the  New  Testament, 
although  we  have  not  the  word  im- 
mersion in  the  English  version. 
So  we  believe  that  Ave  have  trine 
immersion  in  the  phraseology  of  the 
commission,  as  well  as  immersion 
in  the  word  baptize.  And  our  prac- 
tice of  trine  immersion  is  not  based 
upon  what  is  not  in  the  book,  but 
upon  what  is  in  it. 

As  we  desire  to  make  our  subject 
intelligible  to  all  our  readers,  and 
as  some  of  them  may  not  under- 
stand the  meaning  of  an  ellipsis,  we 
shall  give  some  illustrations  show- 
ing more  fully  the  nature  and  mean- 
ing of  this  figure.  ^'Thcre  was  a 
certain  householder,  which  planted 
avine^'ard,  and  (Jie)  hedged  it  round 
about,  and  {he)  digged  a  vine  press 
in  it,  and  (/le)  built  a  tower,  and 
(Äf)  let  it  out  to  husbandmen,  and 
(Ac)  went  into  a  far  country." 
Matt.  21 :  33.  In  this  passage  the 
five  words  in  italic  are  ellipses,  and 
must  be  supplied  to  complete  the 
construction  and  make  it  plenary  or 
full.  "I  will  pull  down  my  barns 
and  (7  icill)  build  greater  {barns.") 
Luke  12  :  19.       In   these    passages 


the  sense  is  conveyed  without  the 
words  being  sup j:)lied,  yet  they  aro 
necessary  in.  parsing  or  analizing 
the  sentences.  i 

Hence,  "Ellipsis  is  the  omission  of 
a  word,  phrase,  or  clause,  which  is 
necessary  to  complete  the  construc- 
tion. It  should  be  understood  that 
the  words  omitted  by  this  figure 
as  truly  belong  to  the  sentence, 
grammatically  considered,  as  those 
which  are  expressed."  Greene. 
Then  according  to  Mr.  Greene,  the 
words  omitted  in  an  elliptical  sen- 
tence are  to  be  considered  a  part  of 
the  sentence,  and,  consequently  a 
part  of  the  book,  as  well  as  those 
which  are  expressed.  Hence,  if 
our  practice  depended  entirely  upon 
the  words  to  be  supplied  when  the 
ellipses  are  filled,  it  could  not  justly 
be  said  to  depend  upon  what  is  not 
in  the  book  as  elder  A.  has  asserted. 
But  our  practice  does  not  depend 
upon  a  "supposed"  nor  upon  a  real 
ellipsis,  nor  upon  "grammatical 
criticism,"  but  upon  the  grammati- 
cal or  established  usage  of  language. 
And  when  we  supply  the  ellipsis,  it 
is  only  for  the  purpose  of  making 
the  meaning  more  clearly  per- 
ceived. 


The  Scriptures  abound  in  ellipses. 
And  the  reason  is  very  apparent. 
The  inspired  writers  wished  to  con- 
vey their  meaning  in  as  few  words 
as  possible,  that  the  book  contain- 
lins:  the  revelation  of  the  Divine 
Mind  might  not  be  unnecessarily 
large.  Mr.  Greene  the  author  from 
Iwhomwchave  quoted  the  above 
j  definition  of  ellipsis,  makes  the  fol- 
lowing observation.  "When  the 
'construction  requires  the  repetition 
I  of  any  part  of  the  sentence,  that 
jpart,  ifthe   meaning  is  sujficiently 


EEYIEW  OE  A  TEEATISE  OX  TEDsE  i:M:]yiERSiOX. 


293 


evident,  may  he  suppressed  or  o?7i<Y-j  distinct  characters — to  each  charac- 
ted  by  ellipsis.'^  Whatever  part?  ter  a  name.  Elder  Adamson  in  bis 
however,  may  be  omitted  in  wri- 1  analysis  cf  the  commission,  uses  the 
ting,  must  be    supplied    when    the ,  folio  wing  language : 

sentence  is  parsed,  and  frequentlyj  a  .p^ther,^ 'Son,' and  'Ghost,^  are 
itmustbesuppliedm  the  mindofj^  ^^.^.^^  ^^^^^^  ^^  ^^^  ^^^^ 
the  reader,  if  he  would  read  under-  j  ,^^^^  ,  ^^^  ^^^^  ^^^.^^^ 


standingly. 


the  adjective    'the,'  and    'Ghost,    is 


That  the  language  of  the  commis-  also  modified  by  the  adjective  'Ho- 
sion  is  elliptical,  we  verily  believe,  |iy.^  Each  of  these  words,  'Father' 
and  we  shall  give  the  grounds  of'  ^Son,'  and  ^Ghost,'  is  a  noun,  proper, 
our  belief.  As  it  stands  without  ■  third  person,  masculine  gender, 
the  ellipsis  being  supplied,  it  reads  singular  number,  objective  case, 
as  follows  :  "Go  ye  therefore,  and  |  governed  by  the  preposition  'of.' " 
teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in '  p.  8. 
the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the 


Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  And 
with  the  ellipses  supplied  it  will 
read  thus :  "Go  ye  therefore,  and 
teach  ye  all  nations,  baptizing  them 
in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  bap- 
tizing them  in  the  name  of  the  Son, 


To  say,  as  elder  A.  in  the  above 

paragraph  does  say,  that  *'  'Father, 

'Son,'    and    'Ghost'    are     adjective 

modifiers  of  the   noun  'name,'   and, 

also,  that    "each    of  these    words, 

'Father,'    'Son,'    and   'Ghost,'    is  a 

,,  „,  noun,"  is  to  say  that  the  three  char- 

and  baptizmcr  them  m   the  name   oi  i     ^       ,         ,    "^  , 

,     ^^\     ^,      .  ,,     TT-  .        J      ,      ,  I  acters  have  but  one  name,  whereas, 
the  Holy  Ghost.       1  e  is  understood    .  •  i     .i      i  ^i  mi  • 


Holy 
after  teach,  and  it  should  be  sup- 
plied in  parsing  the  sentenee. 
Yerbs  in  the  imperative  mode  fre- 
quently have  their  nominatives 
understood  3  as,  ''Hearken  unto  me, 
my  people."  Is.  51  :  4.  That  is. 
Hearken  ye  unto  me  my  people. 
And'  "name"  is  understood  before 
Son,  and  before  Holy  Ghost,  as  it  is 
expressed  before  Father,  and  the 
nameol  the  Son,  and 
7Uime  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

First.  This  is  evident  from  the 
kibvious  meaning  of  the  language. 
There  are  three  distinct  characters 
bronght  to  view  in  the  formula  for 


they  evidently  have  three.  This 
elder  Adamson  himself  admits  ao 
cording  to  his  language,  for  he  says, 
"It  is  claimed  that  this  language, 
when  these  w  ords  are  thus  supplied, 
requii'es  the  action  of  baptizing  to 
be  performed  three  times,  that  is, 
once  after  the  utterance  of  each  of 
the  three  names  in  the  baptismal  for- 
mula" In  note  1,  to  his  analysis, 
he  further  uses  the  following  lan- 
guage concerning  the  word  "name'' 
occurring  before  Father:  "And 
these  several  phrases"  ('of  the  Fath- 
er'of  the 'Son/  and  ^of  the  Holy 
Ghost')  all  qualifying  the  noun 
name,  denote  joint  possession.      We 


administering  Christian  baptism,  consider  this  mode  of  disposing  of 
The  name  of  the  first  character  is 'the  word  "name"  as  it  occurs  in  th« 
Father;  the  name  of  the  second. 
Son ;  the  name  of  the  third,  Holy 
Ghost.  Here,  then,  we  have  three 
distinct  names  given  to  the  three 


commission,  as  altogether  inadmis- 
sible. "We  evidently  have  names — 
three  names — and  not  barely  on^. 
because  we  have  three  characters? 


294 


REVIEW  OF  A  TREATISE  ON  TEINE  IMMERSION. 


To  suppose  that  the  word  ''namc"|  who  descended  for  the  union,  and 
is  used  to  express  some  character. redemption,  and  communion  of  the 
formed  by  the  combination  or  uni-  principalities  or  powers."  Ibid.  B. 
on  of  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  XI.  ch.  9.  Sec.  8.  It  appears  from 
or  that  these  three  characters   "de-  Oldshausen,   that   such    phrases  aSj 


note  joiut  possession"  of  "name," 
is  inadmissible,  because  we  have  no 
name  given  to  the  three  characters, 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost  taken 
conjointly.  If  we  have  such  a 
name,  what  is  it?  We  look  in 
Tain  for  it  in  the  commission. 

There  have  been  many  erroneous 
and  mystical  formulas  for  adminis- 
tering baptism  taken  from  the 
commission  when  its  plain  and  liter- 
al meaning  has  not  been  adhered 
to.  The  cateschism  of  the  council 
of  Trent,  a  Roman  Catholic  i)roduc- 
tion,  says,  "The  word  'name*  is 
here  referred  not  to  the  persons, 
but  to  the  divine  essence,  virtue, 
and  power,  which  are  one  and  the 
same  in  the  three  persons."  Ac- 
cording to  this,  the  word  "name" 
is  not  referred  to  either  of  the  per- 
sons mentioned!  This  view  is  in 
harmony  with  the  mj'stical  sense 
given  by  the  Roman  Catholic  body 
of  professed  christians,  of  many 
portionsof  scripture,  but  it  is  the 
result,  of  the  application  of  a  veiy 
dangerous  principle  of  biblical  in- 
terpretation. The  Anomoeans,  who 
were  the  followers  of  Eunomins, 
baptized  "in  the  name  of  the  un- 
created God,  and  the  name  of  the 
created  God,  and  the  name  of  the 
sanctifying  Spirit,  created  by  the 
created  Son.  Bingham's  Antiquities 
Book  XI.  ch.  3.  Sec.  9.  The  ibllow- 
ors  of  one  Marcus,  were  taught  by 
their  master  to  baptize  "in  the 
name  of  the  unknown  Father  of  all 
things;  in  the  name  of  truth,  the 
moth' er  of  all  things ;  an^  in    Jesus, 


"to  baptize  into  the  eternal  love,'' 
have  also  been  used. 

Now  if  the  names  expressive  ol 
the  divine  characters,  viz.  Fatherj 
Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  are  not  to  b^ 
used  in  their  plain  sense,  but  the 
imagination  left  to  conceive  of  some 
mystical  name  expressive  of  the 
essence  of  all  these  names:  or,  ii 
the  three  divine  characters  named 
above,  are  taken  conjointly  to  mod- 
ify the  word  "name"  as  used  in  tht 
commission,  then  will  our  ideas  noi 
be  very  clear  upon  the  designed 
actions  of  baptism  as  taught  in  the 
commission. 

The  writer  in  Kitto's  Cyclopse 
dia  of  Biblical  Literature,  of  the 
article,  Holy  Spirit,  presents  in  Ün 
following  words,  a  more  consistent 
view  of  the  meaning  of  "name"  at 
used  in  the  language  of  the  commis- 
sion. "The  subject  is  baptizec 
into  the  belief  of  three  pei*sona' 
agents.  To  suppose  that,  in  thif 
solemn  profession  of  faith,  he  avowf 
his  belief  in  the  Father  and  Son,  anc 
the  power  or  influence  of  God,  ii 
forced  and  frigid.  He  is  baptizec 
into  the  name  oi  each  of  the  three/ 
(Matt.  XXYIII.  19.)  According  tc 
this  statement,  we  are  to  be  bap 
tized  into  the  name  of  the  Father 
and  into  the  name  of  the  Son,  anc 
into  the  name  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
separately,  for  "each  of  the  three,' 
means  the  three  taken  separately 
as  this  is  the  import  of  each.  Thii 
is,  we  think,  the  con-cct  view  of  th< 
language  used. 


EETIEW  OF  A  TEEATISE  OX  TEIXE  DDIEESIOX 


295 


The  following  observations  from  'Ghost/ "  and  if,  as  he  farther  as- 
James  Purves  "of  Edinburgh,  who 'serts,  "Each  of  these  words,  'Fath- 
was  a  man  of  learning,  confirms' er," Son'  and  'Ghost'  is  a  'noim/ 
our  view  of  the  elliptical  character ;  then  must  we  have  names  in  the 
of  the  language  of  the  commission  :  |  plural  instead  of  name  in  the  singu- 
"It  is  very  evident,  that  the  word'lar  according  to  the  following  mle : 
TZ^meistobe  understood  as  if  h\'' Singular  nominatives  connected 
were  to  be  repeated  with  the  Son  |  by  and  require  a  plural  verb,  noun 
and  the  Holy  Spirit.     For  when   it  |  and  pronoun."     Barrefs   Grammar, 


is  said,  'Baptizing  them  in  the  name  j  P.  63.  Bide  10.  As  many  of  our 
of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and.  readers  may  not  know  much  about 
of  the  Holv  Spirit;'  it  is  the  same, '  grammar,  and  consequently  will  not 
or  of  the  same  import,  as  to  say,;  understand  this  rule  without  an  ex- 
'Baptizin--  them  in  the  name  of  the  [planation,  we  shall  explain  it.  Let 
Father,  and  in  the  name  of  the  Son,  1  us  take  an  example  :  "And  James 
and  in  the  name  of  the  Holy  Spirit. :  and  John,  the  sons  of  Zebedee,  come 
If  this  is  not  the  sense,  what  does  unto  him.''  Mark  10  :  35.  Here, 
the  name  refer  to?  or  what  is  then,  though  James  and  John  are 
meant  by  it?  If  it  does  not  refer  singular  nouns,  yet  being  connect- 
to,  or  mean  the  name  of  the  Father,  led  by  and,  the  nopn  which  repre- 
the  name  of  the  Son,  and  the  namejsents  them,  must  be  a  plural  noun 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  it  would  seem  according  to  the  rule.  And  to  say- 
that  the  text  should,  in  part,  have !  James  and  John  the  son  of  Zebedee 
read  the  very  reverse  of  what  it  j  would  evidently  not  be  correct, 
doth;  that  is,  it  should  have  read,  | So  in  the  language  of  the  commis- 
Biiptizing  them  in  the  ?iöme  not  of.  sion  which  is  under  consideration, 
the  Father,  nor  the  Son,  nor  the '  For  if  the  words  Father,  Son,  and 
Holy  Spirit,  but  in  the  Jiarae  that  |  Ghost  are  nouns,  and  connected  by 
denotes  the  unity  of  their   essence,  the  conjunction  "and"   as  Elder  A. 


I  suppose  any  one  jnay  see  the  ab- 
surdity of  this,  and  what  difficul- 
ties it  would  present  to  a  serious  en- 
quirer, while  the  text  as  it  stands, 
is  suited  to  convey  instruc- 
tion to  the  most  ordinary  capacity." 
Pui'ves's  Attempt,  P.  44. 

Secondly.  It  is  evident  from  the 
structure  of  the  text,  when  viewed 
in  the  light  of  the  principles  of  the 
English  language,  that  narne  can  on- 
ly belong  to,  and  be  modified  by 
Father ;  and,  therefore,  the  sentence 
must  be  elliptical.  If,  as  Elder  Ad- 
amson  asserts,  "The  first  conjunc- 
tion ^and'  connects  the  words 
^Father'  and  'Son*  and  the  second 


declares,  then  according  to  the 
above  rule,  and  according  to  the 
principle  which  requires  sons  in  the 
example  we  have  given  to  be  in  the 
plural  number,  and  not  in  the  sin- 
gular, we  must  also  have  "names" 
in  the  plural  number;  and  the  syn- 
tax of  "names"  will  then  be, 
"names  of  Father,  Son,  and  Ghost."^ 
But  as  we  cannot  change  name  to 
names,  but  must  leave  it  as  the  sa- 
cred wi'iter  has  given  it  to  us,  we 
therefore  only  read  "name  of  the 
Father,"  as  the  syntax  of  name, 
leaving  us  to  supply  name  before 
Son,  and  giving  it  the  syntax, 
"name  of  Son."    In  the  same  way. 


«and' connects  the  words  'Son'  and  |  we  must  supply  name  before  H0I7 


29G         REVIEW  OF  A  TREATISE  ON  TRINE  IMMERSION. 

Ghost.  We  then  find  that  wo  can-  ^'Note  1.  In  the  phrases,  '^of 
not,  witliout  violating  the  rule  of  the  Father/  'of  the  Son/  and  'of  the 
syntax,  join  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Holy  Ghost/  the  words  Father, 
Ghost  together,  and  make  them  all  iS'o«,  and  Ghost,  are  grammatically 
modify '^ name/'  for  they  will  not  in  the  objective  case,  but  in  signifi- 
agree  wiüh  name,  as  the  rule  of  syn- 
tax above  quoted  requires  them  to 
do.  But  do  not  conjunctions  con- 
nect words?  Not  alwaj^s.  '<A 
conjunction  is  a  word  used  to  con- 
nect words,  phrases,  or  clauses." 
The  conjunction  occurring  between 
Father  and  Son,  and  also  that  oc- 
curring between  Son  and  Holy 
Ghost,  connect  phrases  and  not 
words.  They  connect  the  phrases 
Baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the 
Father,  and  baptizing  them  in  the 
name  of  the  Son,  and  baptizing  them 
in  the  name  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Then 
Avhen  the  ellipsis  is  supplied,  the 
construction  is  completed,  and  the 
sense  very  apparent- 


In  making  the  first  ''and"  con- 
nect "Father"  and  "Son,"  and  the 
becond  "and"  connect  '^Son  and 
Ghost/'  as  elder  A.  lias  done,  lie 
lias  lost  sight  of  the  words  of  the 
which  occur  before  each  of  the  three 
nouns,  We  cannot  therefore  join 
ihe  nouns  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Ghost  as  single  nouns,  but  must 
consider  them  in  connection  with 
the  words  which  are  associated 
with  them  in  the  construction,  as 
phrases,  and  make  the  conjujQctions 
connect  them  as  such. 

Thirdly.  There  is  another  rule 
/>f  language  which  will,  when  ap- 
plied to  the  words  of  the  commis- 
flion,  prove  the  necessity  of  supply- 
ing navxe  before  Son  and  also  before 
Holy  Ghost.  Elder  A.  adds  two 
notes  to  his  analysis  of  the  com- 
miöeion  ;  Tho  first  ia  as  follows : 


cation  they  are  in  the  genitive,  de- 
noting possession,  according  to  an 
idiom  of  the  English  language,  by 
which  tho  objective,  with  the  prep- 
osition of,  is  frequently  used  instead 
of  the  possessive:  This  will  bo 
seen  by  referring  to  the  German 
translation,  and  to  tho  Greek,  in 
both  of  which  these  Avords  are  in 
the  genitive;  and  these  several 
phrases  all  qualifying  the  noun 
name  denote  joint  possession." 


Now  if  there  is  such  an  idiom  of 
the  English  language  as  is  referred 
to  in  the  above  noie  of  Elder  A. 
namely,  this,  "the  objective  with 
the  preposition  of,  is  frequently 
used  instead  of  the  possessive,"  and 
that  there  is  such  an  idiom  of  the 
language  none  who  understand  the 
language  will  deny,  then  we  may 
give  the  phrases  "name  of  the  Fath- 
er/' "of  the  Son"  and  "of  the  Holy 
Ghost,"  the  possessive  form  thus: 
The  Father's  name,  the  Son's,  and 
the  Holy  Ghosfs.  The  Father's 
name,  being  equal  in  signification  to 
the  name  "of  the  Father/'  the 
So7i's,  equal  to,  of  the  Son  ;  The  Ho- 
ly Ghost's,  equal  to,  '^of  the  Holy 
Ghost." 

It  will  then  be  understood  by  our 
readers  that  we  are  warranted  by 
a^n  idiom  of  the  English  language, 
in  giving  the  phrases  tho  Father's 
name,  the  Son's,  and  the  Holy 
Ghost's,  as  expressive  of  the  samo 
ideas  as  are  contained  in  the  phra- 
ses, "name  of  tho  Father/'  and  "of 
the  Son"  and  "of  the  Holy  Ghost.', 
And  now  if  wo   api^ly  a  rule   of 


EEYIEW  OF  A  TREATISE  OX  TEINE  1M:MERSI0X 


297 


grammar  for  governiug  us  in  the  | 
use  of  the  possessive  sine,  and  in  | 
ascertaining  the  meaning  in  certain 
cases  when  it  is  used,  we  shall  see 
that  name  must  be  placed  before 
Son,  and  also  before  Holy  Ghost' 
We  take  two  notes  under  the  third 
rule  of  syntax,  fron  CoveU's  Digest 
of  English  Grammar. 

1.  Nouns  denoting  a  possessive 
relation  to  the  same  object,  have  the 
sign  annexed  to  the  last  only; 
as  ^^Mason  and  Dixon's  line.  Day, 
Snow  and  White's  store." 

2.  Xouns  denoting  a  possessive 
relation  to  different  objects,  have  the 
sign  annexed  to  each ;  as,  Ad- 
am's and  Jackson's  administration ;" 
i.  e.  Adam's  administration,  and 
Jackson's  administration.'' 

Xow  in  the  i)hrases,  the  Fathers 
7iame,  the  Son's  and  the  Holy  Ghost's, 
the  possessive  sign  is  annexed  to 
each  noun ;  therefore  according  to 
the  second  note,  and  the  illustration 
under  it,  the  nouns  denote  a  posses- 
sive relation  to  different  objects,  and 
meaning  is,  the  Father's  name,  the 
Son's  name,  and  the  Holy  Ghost's 
name.  We  have  now  by  arguments 
based  upon  the  recognized  princi- 
ples of  grammar;  sustained  the  posi- 
tion we  occupy  in  believing  the  lan- 
guage of  the  commission  to  be  ellip- 
tical, requiring  'name'  to  be  supplied 
before  Son,  and  also  before  Holy 
Ghost,  to  complete  the  construction. 
We  then  have  the  commission  in  the 
following  form:  "Go  ye  therefore 
and  teach  ye  all  nations  baptizing 
them  in  the  name  of  the  Father, 
and  in  the  name  of  the  Son,  and  in 
the  name  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

But  there  are  likewise  other  ellip- 
ses to  be  supplied  to  make  the  sen- 
tence plenary  or  full,    The  follow- 


ing rules  are  from  the  "American 
system  of  English  Syntax,  or  Gram- 
mar, by  James  Brown." 

1.  Every  Monoramus  gives  a  ney 
section;  as,  he  went  (iinto  the 
mount)   (of  Olives.) 

2.  Every  Coramus  gives  a  new 
section;  as  [Paul  (and  Silas  ,  ,  ) 
sung  praises.]  That  is,  Paul  sung 
praises,  and  Silas  sung  praises.  To 
the  Monoramus  class  of  words  in 
James  Brown's  Syntax,  belong  the 
words  called  by  other  authors,  prep- 
ositions; and  to -the  Coramus  class^ 
those  called  conjunctions.  Hence 
in  using  the  terms  more  commonly 
used  by  authors  of  grammars  to  des- 
ignate the  different  classes  into 
which  the  words  of  our  language  are 
divided,  we  would  say,  every  prep- 
osition gives  a  new  section,  and  ev- 
ery conjunction  gives  a  new  section. 

We  have  seen  that  the  sentence  in 
the  commission,  when  name  is  sup- 
plied before  Son,  and  before  Holy 
Ghost,  takes  the  following  form: 
''Baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the 
Father,  and  in  the  name  of  the  Son^ 
and  in  the  name  of  the  Holy  Ghost/ 
Xow  dividing  this  into  sections  ac- 
cording to  the  above  rules,  and  by 
adding  the  words  necessary  to  sup- 
ply the  ellipses,  and  to  give  all  the 
words  their  proper  syntax,  we  have 
the  sentence  in  the  following  form: 
(Go  ye  therefore)  (and  teach  ye  all 
nations,  baptizing  them)  (in  the 
name)  (of  the  Father,)  (and  bapti- 
zing them)  (in  the  name)  (of  the 
Son,)  (and  baptizing  them)  (in  th« 
name)  (of  the  Holy  Ghost.) 

It  is  also  a  compound  sentence^ 
"-4.  compound  sentence  is  one  that 
contains  similar  propositions ;  as,  *I 
will  walk ;  and  you  may  ride.'  ^ J 
willwaW  is  the  first;  smd  you  may 
ride^  is   the  second  clause.    Thesa 


298 


I^EYIEW  OF  A  TEEATISE  ON  TRINE  BDIEESIOK 


arc  independent  of  each  other;  i.  e.j mission   affords   its  just   ground  f( 

each  makes  perfect  sense  by   itself,  i  trine  immersion. 

Hence,  the  propositions,   or  clauses, !     I.     The  following  explanation  i 


are  similar  and  coordinate;  i.  e.  of 
equal  rank."  CovelVs  Digest  of  Eng- 
lish Grammar,  p.  114. 


the  form  of  a  note,  occurs  on  the  91 
page  of  Elder  Adamson's  pamphle 
"The  phrase  in  the  name,  in  this  pa 


^'Go  ye  therefore  and  teach  ye  all  «^S^j  ^^'^uld  be  correctly   translate 
nations,"  &c.      ''Go   ye  ii^   the  first,  '^^^^  the   name',  and   denotes,   m 


teaeh  ye  all  nations  is  the  second 
clause.  These  arc  similar  and  inde- 
pendent propositions,  and  connec- 
ted by  a  coordinate  conjunction,  and 
therefore  the  sentence  containing 
them  is  a  compound  sentence. 

The  sentence  then  containing  the 
formula  of  baptism  is  both  a  com- 
pound and  an  elliptical  sentence,  al- 
though elder  Adamson  declares  it 
is  neither.  He  says,  '  It  may  be  re- 
j)licd,  in  the  first  place,  that  this  is 
not  a  compound  sentence;  and  sec- 
ondly, that  it  is  not  elliptical  at  all, 
but  it  can  be  correctly  analyzed  and 
parsed  as  it  is,  without  supplying  a 
word.     J).  6. 

"We  have  now  by  reference  to  the 
rules  of  English  Syntax  given  by  ac- 
knowledged authority,  proved  the 
sentence  which  contains  the  formula 
of  baptism  to  be  elliptical  and  com- 
pound, and  presented  it  in  its  plena- 
ry or  full  form  with  the  ellipses  sup- 
plied. And  in  this  form  it  may  read- 
ily be  parsed  or  analyzed.  We  have 
dealt  considerably  in  grammatical 
criticisms,  not  so  much  because  we 
think  the  simple  truth  required  it 
to  have  it  made  plain,  but  because 
the  objections  made  to  our  practice 


the  authority  by  which  baptism 
administered,  but  the  relation  inl 
whic^i  persons  are  brought  by  bein 
baptized."  The  reading  that  Eld( 
A.  proposes,  is  that  which  is  no^ 
sustained  by  the  learned  generalb 
if  not  universally,  and  is  withoi 
doubt  the  most  correct  reading.- 
The  preposition  translated  'into'  i 
eis  in  the  Greek  and  not  en.  An 
'eis'  is  properly  translated  i?ito  an 
not  in.  Believers  then  are  to  b 
baptized  into  three  names,  for  w 
have  already  seen  that  there  ar 
three  names  mentioned.  And  a 
these  names  designate  the  thre 
characters  to  which  they  belong,  i 
is  in  reality,  into  the  three  charac 
ters  themselves,  the  Father,  the  Soi 
and  the  Holy  Ghost  that  believer 
are  baptized,  With  the  distinctioi 
and  ])luratity  of  names,  corrcspon( 
the  distinction  and  plurality  of  char 
acters  ;  and  with  these  should  cori'e 
spond  the  distinction  and  plurality 
of  actions  in  administering  Christiai 
baptism  according  to  the  formuh 
given  by  Christ.  This  formula  was 
without  doubt  designed  to  convej 
to  the  mind  the  idea  that  there  is  2 
distinction  between  the  three  char- 
acters named,   and  that  they  are  all 


seemed  to  demand  it.  We  hope  our  engaged  to  encourage,  to  further, 
readers  will  appreciate  the  position! and  to  secure  the  salvation  of  the 
we  occupy,  and  see  the  propriety  of  believer.  And  our  Lord  by  having 
our  course.  The  remainder  of  the  jus  baptized  into  the  three  sacred 
work  will  require  less  of  this  kind  of 'names,  Avould  impress  us  with  the 
material.  We  shall  now  proceed  to  j  three  ideas  of  necessity,  privilege  & 
Bhow  that  thclanguago  of  the  com-jduty.— Of  necessity,  by  reminding 


EEYIE^  OF  A  TEEATISE  OX  TPJNE  BDIEESION- 


299 


u?  tbat  our  condition  as  fallen  orea-^ 
tures  and  guilty  sinners  is  one  at- 
tended with  so  much  difficulty,  andj 
one  of  such  entire  helplessness,  that: 
the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost  are ; 
all  necessary  to  redeem  us  from  our 
guilt  and  to  perfect  us  in  holiness. ; 
Of  iH'ivilege,  by  teaching  us  that  by 
beijig  baptized  into  the  three  sacred 
characters,  all  the  extensive  treas-  j 
ures  hidden  in  them  are  accessible ; 
to  those  who  are  brought  into  that 
relationship  to  them,  into  which  bap-; 
tism,  when  administered  according  i 
to  the  formula,  brings  them. —  Of 
duty,  for  it  follows,  that  in  favoring  | 
us  with  their  infinite  treasures  forj 
the  promotion  of  our  salvation  and ; 
happiness,  we  are  under  infinite  ob-  j 
ligations  to  render  to  them,  to  the' 
Father,  to  the  Son,  and  to  the  Holy; 
Ghost,  all  the  gratitude,  homage  and; 
obedience  we  possibly  can,  fi'om  the  | 
time  of  our  conversion  until  the' 
hour  of  our  death.  t 

The  searching,  reflecting,  and  en-! 
ligb-ened  mind,  will  not  fail  to  per-j 
ceive  the  strikins;  resemblance  there : 
is   between   the  baptism   of  Christ! 
himself,  and  that  which  he  hasinsti-' 
tuted  for  his   followers.     And  this; 
will  not  appear  so  strange  when  we ; 
•onsider,  that  he  was  not  baptized  so ; 
much  for  himself  as  he  was  for  us — 1 
for  our  example.     At  the  baptism  of 
Christ    all    the    Divine   Characters 
were  clearly  manifested,   which  are 
named  in  the  formula  for   adminis- ! 
tering  Christian  baptism.     The  Son  • 
was  in  Jordan    receiving    baptism 
from  John  j  the  Holy  Spirit   in   the . 
fonn  of  a  dove  was  seen  descending 
and  lighting  upon  him  j  the  Father, 
from  his    throne    in    the  heavens, 
spake  and  said,  "This  is  my  belov- 
ed Son  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased." 
"The  baptism  appointed  by  Christ 


manifestly  refers  back  to  the  sym- 
bolical baptism  which  Christ  Him- 
self received  in  the  Jordan ;  for,  as 
the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost 
were  first  fully  revealed  in  their  sa- 
cred trinity,  so  now  disciples  wero 
to  be  baptized  unto  or  into  the  name, 
not  merely  of  the  Father  who  then 
bore  witness,  not  merely  of  the  Son 
who  then  received  the  witness  that 
he  was  the  Son,  but  also  most  per- 
fectly into  the  name  of  that  Holy 
Spirit."  Stier.  What  is  plainer  in 
this  scene  in  the  river  Jordan  than 
that  the  three  Sacred  Characters 
which  were  there  manifested,  were 
distinct  from  one^noth3r?  And 
this  distinction  is  evidently  designed 
to  be  taught  in  the  formula  of  bap- 
tism contained  in  the  commission. 
For  whatever  unity  may  be  recog- 
nized in  other  Scrij)tures  as  existing 
between  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Ghost,  and  we  readily  admit  that 
there  is  a  unity  recognized,  this  for- 
mula teaches  a  distinction  between 
the  persons  named.  This  is  ac- 
knowledged by  writers  of  various 
denominations.  Dr.  Clarke,  in  re- 
feiTing  to  the  words  of  the  commis- 
sion says  :  <'And  do  they  not  direct 
every  reader  to  consider  the  Father, 
the  §on,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  as 
three  distinct  persons  ?" 

"The  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Ghost  are  here  distinctly  mentioned. 
They  are  all  mentioned  in  the 
same  manner  and  for  the  same  end. 
Whatsoever  is  meant  by  ^the  name* 
of  Father,  must  be  understood  also 
in  reference  to  the  Son  and  Holy 
Ghost.'*     Simeon. 

Then  as  there  are  three  distinct 
names,  expressive  of  three  distinct 
agents  or  characters,  mentioned  in 
the  commi  ssion,  into  each  of  which 
the  believer  is  to  be  baptized,  and 


800 


REVIEW  OF  A  TREATISE  ON  TRINE  IMMERSION. 


as  the  formula  for  administering 
Christian  baptism  was  designed  to 
bring  distinctly  before  the  mind  the 
tliroc  Divine  Characters  named,  trine 
immersion  or  three  actions  in  bap- 
tism, corresponding  to  the  three 
characters  named,  very  clearly  shows 
the  distinction  between  those  char- 
acters which  it  is  thought  the  words 
in  the  commission  to  be  used  in  ad- 
ministering baptism,  were  designed 
to  show. 

Believers  are  to  be  baptized  in 
the  distinct  name  of  the  Father. 
Trine  immersionists  thus  baptize 
them.  They  arc  Ukew^ise  to  be  bap- 
tized into  the  distinct  name  of  the 
Son.  And  they  are  so  baptized. 
The}^  are  also  to  be  baptized  into 
the  distinct  name  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
And  this  is  done.  And  thus  do  trine 
immersionists  observe  the  command 
of  Christ  contained  in  the  formula 
for  administering  baptism,  strictly 
and  literally,.  They  fulfill  the  de- 
sign and  letter  of  the   formula. 

And  as  the  formula  for  adminis- 
tering baptism  requires  believers  to 
be  baptized  into  the  name  of  the  Fa- 
tlicr,  and  into  the  name  of  the  Son, 
and  into  the  name  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  as  into  three  distinct  charac- 
ters or  personal  agents,  hence  Chris- 
tians are  represented  in  the  Scrip- 
tures as  being  in  the  Father,  and  in 
the  Son,  and  in  the  Holy  Spirit ;  as, 
*^lf  that  which  ye  have  heard  from 
the  beginning  shall  remain  in  you, 
yo  also  shall  continue  in  the  Son, 
and  in  the  Father."  1  John  2  :  24. 
<'If  yelive  in  the  Spirit,  let  us  also 
walk  in  the  Spirit."     Gal.  5:  25. 

II.  Comparing  the  peculiar  form 
given  to  the  language  of  the  com- 
mission, with  other  forms  bearing 
an  exact  analogy  to  it  in  principle, 


and  which  forms  are  known  to  have 
required  repeated  action,  the  neces- 
sity of  repeated  action  in  adminis- 
tering christian  baptism,  in  ordet 
that  the  person  to  be  baptized  may 
be  baptized  into  the  Father,  and 
into  the  Son,  and  into  the  Holy 
Ghost,  becomes  apparent;  as,  ^^And 
Jesus  entered  into  Jerusalem,  and 
into  the  temple."  Mark  11  :  11. 
Here  we  have  an  elliptical  sentence, 
and  analogous  in  its  construction  to 
the  sentence  containing  the  formu- 
la for  administering  baptism.  And 
if  we  supply  the  ellipsis,  we  have 
the  sentence  in  the  following  form«: 
And  Jesus  entered  into  Jerusalem, 
and  he  entered  into  the  temple. 
Here  we  have  two  actions  required 
to  take  Jesus  into  Jerusalem  and 
into  the  temple  because  they  are 
two  distinct  places. 

Take  also  the  following  case  ; 
'^Lord,  have  mercy  on  my  son :  tor 
he  is  lunatic,  and  sore  vexed  for 
oftimes  he  falleth  into  the  fire,  and 
oft  into  the  water."  Matt.  17  :  16. 
This  sentence  is  likewise  elliptical, 
and  when  the  ellipsis  is  suj^plied, 
and  the  sentence  made  plenary  or 
full,  it  will  read  as  follows.  For 
oftimes  he  falleth  into  the  fire,  and 
oftimes  he  fiiUeth  into  the  water. 
Here  one  action  will  only  put  him 
into  the  fire,  while  another  actio» 
is  necessary  to  put  him  into  the 
water,  because  the  fire  and  water 
are  distinct  elements. 

Wo  will  take  the  following  exam- 
ple given  by  grammarians  to  illus- 
trate an  elliptical  sentence:  "He 
went  into  the  abbeys,  halls,  and 
public  buildings."  When  the  ellip- 
sis in  the  above  sentence  is  supplied 
as  grammarians  supply  it,  we  have 
it  in  this  form :  Ho-  went  into  the 


EEYIEW  OF  A  TEEATISE  OS  TEIXE  imiEESIO:S. 


301 


abbeys,  he  went  into  the  halls,  and  I  words     ^^Jones  and    Brown ;"    yet 
he  went  into  the  public    buildings,  every  one  knows    that    the    goods 


8ee  Murray  and  Smith  on  the  ellip- 
sis. 
oSTow  as  the  case  cited  above  from 


would  be  purchased  only  once,  and 
not  three  times."  P.  9.  Elder  Ad- 
amson  must  think  that  his  readers 


Murray  and  Smith,  the  individual  are  very  generous  or  very  ignorant 
referred  to,  did  not  necessarily  go  j —very  generous  to  accept  of  an  il- 
into  the  halls  when  he  went  into  j  lustration  so  far  from  being  analo- 
the  abbeys,  nor  into  the  public  |  gous  to  the  language  of  the  com- 
buildings  when  he  went  into  the  i  i^i^sion— or  so  ignorunt  as  not  to 
halls,  but  he  went  into  each  by  a  i  Perceive  the  want  of  analogy  be- 
distinct  action  because  there  were  |  tween  his  ülustration  and  the  sen- 
three  distinct  places ;  and  as  Jesus  j  tence  he  designs  to  illustrate.  ^'Sup- 
did  not  necessarily  enter  into  the  P^se  a  person  should  say  that  he 
temple,  when  he  entered  into  Jeru-  j  ^^ought  goods  at  the  store  of  Smith, 
salem,  but  entered  into    each    by  a!  Jones  and  Brown."     This   says  he. 


would  be   a  construction   similar  to 

that  in  Matt.  XXYIII.  19,   execpt- 

omission   of  the   first   co.i- 


ing  the 


distinct  action,  because  they  were 
two  distinct  places;  and,  lastlv,  as 
the  lunatic  fell  into  the  fire,  he  did 
not  necessarily  fall  into  the  water,  P^^^-^i«^' and  the  omission  of  the 
but  fell  into  this  element  by  another  I  Pi'^POsition  denoting  the  genitive 
action,  because  it  was  a  distinct  el-P^^^^^  ^^^  ^^^'^^  J^nes  and  Brown.'' 
ement,  so,  when  believers  accord- 1  ^^^^^^ '  To  say  the  least.  Elder  A. 
ing  to  the  language  of  the  commis- j  ^^^^^^  ^^*  ^s^'  ^^^  ^^  ^^^^^  ^^^ 
sion  are  baptized  into  the  name  of  j  ^^"^^^^^^l^  ^^P^^^'  ^^^  intelligent 
the  Father,  they  are  not  necessarily  j  ^'^^^^^  to  accept  of  an  illustration 
baptized  into  the  name  of  the   Son,  ^^ 


dissimilar  to  the   sentence    un- 
der consideration.     We    shall    take 
his  example,  by  making  it   strictly 
the    sentence    in   the 


analogous  to 


and  into    the    name    of  the    Holy 
Ghost,  but  as  these  are  three  distinct 
names,  it  is  bv  three   distinct   ac- 
tionsthat    believers    are    baptized  ^-^"^^^'^i^^' ^^^^^  ^^  ^^^^^^^  t^^^^" 
into  the  three  distinct  names.  ^'  ^^^^^  immersion.     Suppose  a  per- 

son  should  say  that  he  bought  goods 
Elder  Adamson  gives  the  foUow-  ^^  ^^^  store  of  Smith,  and  of  Jones, 
mg  illustration,  which  he  thinks  |  ^^^  of  Brown.  Here  we  have  a 
plainly  shows  the  incorrectness  of  sentence  constructed  like  the  com- 
the  grounds  taken  by  the  friends  of  i^ission.  -''Baptizing  them  in  the 
trine  immersion. 


"But  to  illustrate  this  subject  to 
the  comprehension  of  every  one, 
suppose  a  person  should  say  that 
he  bought  goods  at  the  store  of 
Smith,  Jones  and  Brown.  This 
would  be  a  construction  similar  to 
that  in  Matt.  XXYIII.  19,  except- 
ing the  omission  of  the  preposition 
denoting    the  genitive    before    the 


name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son, 
and  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  Xow  ap- 
ply to  the  example  we  have  sup- 
posed, the  "idiom  of  the  English 
language,  by  which  the  objective 
with  the  preposition  of,  is  frequent- 
ly used  instead  of  the  possessive," 
and  we  have  the  sentence  in  the 
following  form :  "he  bought  goods 
at  Smith's    store,    and    at    Jones's, 


302 


EEMAEKS  0:N  VOTING. 


and  at  Brown's."  Then  apply  to 
the  sentence  in  this  form,  the  prin- 
ciple in  the  83nitax  of  our  language, 
a  ]>i-inciplc  already  stated  by  us, 
namely,  this,  ''Nouns  denoting  a 
possessive  relation  to  different  ob- 
jects, have  the  sign  annexed  to 
each ;  as,  ^'Adams'  and  Jackson's 
administration j"  i.e.,  Adams'  ad- 
ministration, and  Jackson's  admin- 
istnition."  Note  7  P.  133,  of  Cov- 
elVs  Digest  of  English  Grammar. 
Now  by  applying  the  principle  con- 
tained in  the  above  note,  and  illus- 
trated in  the  example  annexed,  we 
shall  have  the  sentence  completed 
in  the  foUoAvincj  form  :  he  bouirlit 
goods  at  Smith's  store,  and  at 
Jones'  store,  and  at  Brown's  store. 
Here  then  we  have  three  different 
Stores  refeiTcd  to  according  to  the 
grammar  of  our  language,  and  the 
goods  were  bought  at  three  different 
stores,  and  of  course  not  at  one 
time  only,  but  at  three  different 
times,  "as  every  one  knows."  For 
when  the  sentence  is  made  j^lenary 
or  full  by  supplying  all  the  ellipses 
it  will  read,  he  bought  goods  at 
Smith's  store,  and  he  bought  goods 
at  Jones'  store,  and  he  bought 
goods  at  Brown's  store.  So  elder 
Adamson's  own  cxam2)le  when  made 
similar  in  construction  to  the  form 
of  the  commission,  completely  dis- 
proves his  position,  and  most  clear- 
ly and  effectually  sustains  ours,  and 
the  subject  is  illustrated  ''to  the 
comprehension  of  every  one,"  and 
the  practice  of  trine  immersionists 
is  found  to  be  in  strict  accordance 
with  the  meaning  of  the  language 
of  the  commisssion.  Can  there  be 
anything   else    wanting?       Is  not 

the  case  made  out  ?  "Do  ye  now 
])clieve?" 


Neither  are  his  other  examjes 
strictly  analogous.  He  has  iot 
shown  a  single  case  where  there  ate 
three  distinct  receivers  to  receive 
a  person  into  each,  as  is  the  case  in 
the  baptismal  formula,  and  that 
one  action  is  sufficient  to  put  the 
person  into  the  three. 

To  he  continued. 


REMARKS  OS  VOTING. 

GosiiKN,  Elkhart  Co.  Ind. 
August  5,  18G0. 

Dear  Brethren:  I  have  seated  my- 
self for  the  purpose  of  dropping  a 
few  hints  to  the  readers  of  the  Visit- 
or on  some  remarks  that  were  made 
on  the  Civil  law  in  Nos.  2.  3.  and  5. 
of  the  present  vol.  of  the  Visitor. 

The  brother  who  wrote  the  artic- 
les alluded  to,  encourages  the  Breth- 
ren to  go  to  the  polls  and  vote  for 
the  best  man  and  thinks  it  is  their 
duty  to  do  so.  Now  I  think  if  it 
is  the  duty  of  brethren  to  vote,  it 
is  their  duty  also  to  hold  office  from 
the  least  to  the  greatest.  We  read 
in  Psalms  118  :  8.  "It  is  better  to 
trust  in  the  Lord  than  to  put  confi- 
dence in  princes."  And  Paul  de- 
clares Eom.  8  :  5,  "They  that  aro 
after  the  flesh  do  mind  the  things  of 
the  flesh;  but  they  that  are  after 
the  Spirit  the  things  of  the  Spirit." 
And  in  verse  6,  he  says :  "For  to  be 
carnally  minded  is  death  :  but  to  be 
tspirituall}' minded  is  life  and  peace.' 
Verse  13th.  "But  if  ye  through  tho 
Spirit  do  mortify  the  deeds  of 
the  body,  ye  shall  live."  Verse 
I4th.  "For  as  many  as  are  led 
by  the  Spirit  of  God,  they  aro  tho 
sons  of  God."  John  3:  5,  "Jesus 
answered,  verily,  verily,  I  say  unto 
thee,  ExcejUa  man  be  born  ot  water 
and  of  the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  God."     Philip- 


ox  VOTING. 


303 


piaDS  2:  1-3,  "If  there  be  therefore 
nnj  consolation  in  Christ,  if  any 
comfort  of  love,  if  any  fellowship  of 
the  Spirit,  if  any  bowels  and  mer- 
cies, lulfill  ye  my  joy,  that  ye  be 
like  minded,  having  the  same  love, 
being  of  one  accord,  of  one  mind. — 
Xet  nothing  be  done  through  strife 
or  vain  glory;  but  in  lowliness  of 
mind  let  each  esteem  other  bet- 
ter than  themselves."  1  John  5  :  3, 
*^For  this  is  the  love  of  God,  that  we 
keep  his  commandments;  and  his 
commandments  are  not  grievous." 

God  our  Savior  has  devised  a  plan 
by  which  his  sinful  creatures  may 
be  saved.  He  has  given  us  his  com- 
maadments,  &  enjoined  upon  us  the 
duties  that  we  owe  to  him.  And  he 
says  the  first  and  greatest  command- 
ment is  this,  "Thou  shalt  love  the 
Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart, 
and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all 
thy  mind.  This  is  the  first  and 
great  commandment.  And  the  sec- 
ond is  like  unto  it,  Thou  shalt  love 
thy  neighbor  as  thyself  On  these 
two  commandments  hang  all  the  law 
and  the  prophets." 

It  seems  to    be  our   duty  further, 
to  use   diligence   and    economy    in' 
supporting  our   families.     And   the; 
Apostle  has   said,    2  Thess.   3 :    10,  j 
"This  we  command  you,  that  if  any  I 
•would  not  work,  neither  should   he 
cat."       And  further,  it  is  declared, : 
"If   any   provide  not  for  his  own,  I 
and  specially  for  those   of  his   own  I 
house,  he  hath  denied  the  faith,  and  i 
is  worse  than  an  infidel."     1  Tim.  5  :  \ 
10,  We  are  likewise  commanded  to ' 
"provide  things  honest   in  the  sight 
of  all  men."     And  we   are  to  be  as 
a  city  set  upon  a  hill,  and  as  a  light 
to  the  world,   that  others   may  see 
our  good  works,  and  be  led  thereby ' 
^0  glorify  and  serve  God.  These  are 


some  of  his  commandments  to  us. — 
He  has  likewise  told  us  what  our  con- 
versation shall  be,  and  says,  "Let 
your  communication  be,  Yea,  yea; 
Nay,  nay;  for  whatsoever  is  more 
than  these  cometh  of  evil."  And  in 
relation  to  the  manner  in  which  we 
are  to  worship,  Jesus  has  said,  "God 
is  a  Spirit,  and  they  that  worship 
him,  must  worship  him  in  spirit  and 
in  truth."  And  if  we  discharge  our 
duties  as  contained  in  the  command- 
ments of  God,  and  hold  out  faithful 
unto  the  end  we  shall  be  saved. 

I  must  say,  and  I  say  it  with  love 
to  all  my  brethren,  that  I  have  nev- 
er read  in  the  holy  Scriptures  that 
it  is  our  duty,  or  that  we  are  com- 
manded by  God,  to  go  to  the  polls 
and  vote  for  the  best  candidate  for 
sheriff  or  president,  for  while  they 
may  make  good  laws,  they  will  also, 
if  circumstances  require  it,  counte- 
nance the  shedding  of  blood.  But 
while  we  are  not  commanded  to  go 
to  the  election  and  vote,  we  are  com- 
manded to  watch  and  to  pra}^,  and 
to  pray  without  ceasing  and  to  put 
all  our  confidence  in  Jesus.  And 
when  we  pray  as  he  has  commanded 
us  to  do,  for  kings  and  for  all  who 
are  in  authority,  that  we  may  have 
good  and  wholesome  laws,  that  un- 
der such  laws  we  may  work  out  our 
salvation  with  fear  and  trembling, 
then  he  will  hear  us,  and  grant  us 
our  petitions. 

The  beloved  brother  remarked  in 
his  essay  on  the  Civil  law,  where 
there  is  light  there  is  no  darkness, 
and  where  there  is  darkness,  there  is 
no  light.  In  this  I  agree.  Under 
all  circumstances  there  is  a  bright 
side  and  a  dark  side,  as  above  stated. 
The  Savior  and  his  apostles  have 
given  their  commission  and  they 
have  never  commanded  us  to  use  our 


304 


GLEANINGS. 


infliience  at  the  ballot  box.  So  there 
is  sufficient  proof  that  voting  is  on 
the  dark  side,  or  according  to  the 
carnal  mind,  and  this  is  enmity  with 
God. 

As  for  myself,  I  feel  like  believing 
övery  word  that  Jesus  Christ  has 
brought  down  from  heaven  in  this 
lower  world;  that  they  are  life  and 
Spirit;  that  the  commandments 
which  Christ  and  the  apostles  have 
left  on  record,  are  spiritual  com- 
mandments, and  that  we  must  obey 
them  with  an  eye  of  faith  to  Jesus 
as  their  Author.  And  it  becomes 
our  duty  -to  examine  ourselves  dai- 
ly, and  whatever  others  niiiy  do,  our 
resolution  should  be  that  of  Joshua 
of  old,  "As  for  me  and  my  house, 
we  will  serve  the  Lord.''  That  is  a 
solemn  truth  taught  us  in  Eev.  3 : 
15,  16,  "I  know  thy  works  that  thou 
art  neither  cold  nor  hot :  I  would 
thou  wert  cold  or  hot.  So  then  be- 
cause thou  art  lukewarm,  and  nei- 
ther cold  nor  hot,  I  will  spue  thee 
out  of  my  mouth."  This  shows 
the  importance  of  being  zealously 
enf]jao;ed  in  the  service  of  God.  And 
if  we  are  engaged  in  his  service  as 
we  ought  to  be,  we  shall  not  want 
much  to  do  with  political  matters. 
''It  is  better  to  trust  in  the  Lord 
than  to  put  confidence  in  man," — 
''Seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God, 
and  his  righteousness;  and  all  these 
things  shall  be  added  unto  you." — 
This  glorious  promise  includes  both 
temporal  and  spiritual  things  as  far 
as  the  Lord  sees  we  need  them  and 
can  bear  them. 

I  noAv  say,  if  I  have  dropped  any 
thing  in  my  views  not  according  to 
ßcri]Uure,  I  hope  I  shall  have  the 
forltearance  of  my  beloved  brethren, 
and  the  forgiveness  of  God. 

J.    L. 


Postscript  by  another  hand.  In 
36  years  that  I  have  had  a  right  to 
vote,  I  have  voted  but  once,  but 
have  closely  observed  the  result  ev- 
er since.  Now  the  fact  is,  that  In- 
no case  my  vote  would  have  availed 
any  thing,  and  I  feel  morally  cer- 
tain that  if  all  our  brethren  would 
refrain  from  voting,  it  would  make 
no  material  difference  in  the  result 
of  elections,  much  less  than  if  we 
would  all  pray  instead  of  voting  for 
the  good  of  our  common  country. 
If  all  would  do  so,  there  would  be 
no  election,  says  the  politician.  But 
we  answer.  There  is  no  danger 
while  the  world  in  general  thinks  so 
little  of  praying,  and  so  much  of  vo- 
ting. But  while  we  say.  Let  the 
world  take  its  own  course,  let  us  not 
forget,  that  we  are  "not  of  this 
world,"  but  that  we  are  to  follow 
the  Lamb,  whithersoever  he  goeth. 
An  old  disciple. 


For  the  Visitor. 
GLEANINGS. 

I  love  a  storm-day  sometimes — 
a  day  when  the  thunders  heave 
wrathfully — when  the  lightnings 
dart  out  their  serpent  tongues  in 
angry  gleams — when  the  winds 
shriek  and  howl — the  trees  throw 
their  arms  wildly,  and  all  nature 
quivers  before  the  desolating    blast. 

I  feel  then  a  stilly  awe — a  holy 
reverence  :  for  I  think  this  is  but 
the  breath  of  his  nostrils; — surely  I 
am  safe  in  His  mi<jht. 

I  love  a  sunny  day  often — a  ^aj 
when  the  sky  is  softly  blue — when 
the  air  is  balmy  and  fragrant  with 
the  aroma  of  flowers — when  the 
leaves  of  the  trees  whisper  softly  to 
each  other — when  the  birds  warble 
•oyously,  and  the  brooklets  ripple 


STEAY  GERMS. 


SO5 


cheerily  over  pebbles,  and  throw 
up  sweet  kisses  of  coolness  to  the 
flov\-er3.  I  feel  happiness  then 
spj'inging  up  in  my  heart,  as  the 
fountain  bubbles  and  gleams  in  the 
sunbeams. 

And  when  I  think  tliis  is  but  the 
57<^6?026' of  things  to  come,  then  my 
soulreturnethtoherrcst:  fori  know 
that  "up  above"  there  will  be  ful- 
ness of  joy  forevermore. 


Por  the  Visitor. . 
STEAY  GEEKS. 

Once  as  I  trayeled  over  a  toil- 
some road,  I  saw  a  stately  oak; — 
it  stood  alone,  firmer  and  hio-her 
than  all  others.  Its  limbs  were 
"wide  spreading  and  its  foliage 
strong  and  dense,  so  that  I  sat  me 
down  under  its  shadow  with  great 
delight,  for  it  gave  cool  refresh- 
ment from  the  burning  heat,  and 
ironi  the  noon-day  sun. 

13  ut  afar  I  saw  a  cloud — a  little 
cloud,  no  bigger  than  a  man's  hand, ' 
yet  it  grew  until  there  came ; 
nfiighty  storm,  and  I  would  have, 
fled  for  protection  to  the  mount- 
ains or  the  caverns,  but  I  found  none,  j 
I  looked  up  and  behold  I  the  strong  ] 
Hmbs  and  branches  but  late  so  j 
beautiful,  were  tossing  wildly  and .. 
I  saw  they  could  not  shelter  me.  I 
Then  I  cried  for  help  with  great  ^ 
wailing :  and  the  wind  seemed  to  \ 
mock  me. 

But  the  tree  had  a  great  cleft  in 
one  side  and  when  I  saw  it  I  was ' 
glad,  for  I  knew  within  there  was 
calm  and  no  storm.  Then  was  I  at 
peace  as  in  a  dwelling  place ;  and  as 
the  storm  passed  away,  a  still  small  i 


j  voice    whispered  me,    ^'Loök  tho^^ 
I  from  Kature  up  to  Xature's  God. 

Then  I  wondered  at  the  voice  and 
[its  meaning,  and  as  I  wondered,  it 
I  came  into  my  mind,  that  each 
branch  did  represent  a  member,  all 
the  limbs  the  church,  and  the 
tree  itself,  Christ. 

Then  said  I  surely  in  the  church 
there  is  sweet  peace  and  great  de- 
light, and  when  the  storms  of  per- 
secution howl  over  us  and  we  are 
tossed  as  branches,  yet  to  those 
abiding  in  Him,  there  is  security 
and  rest  within  the  cleft. 

Then  the  water  came  into  my 
eyes  and  grateful  joy  into  my  heart, 
and  I  went  on  with  joy. 


PECTJLIAR  ATTEACTIOX  OF 
JOHl^^'S  GOSPEL. 

Translated  from    Schaff's  Kirchen- 
freund. 

Every  one  of  the  Gospels  possess- 
es a  leading  characteristic,  that  for 
this  reason  constitutes  its  peculiar 
worth.  Only  by  combining  the 
outlines  as  drawn  by  all,  can  Ave 
form  a  complete  image  of  Christ. 
A  landscape^  presents  different 
scenes  according  as  it  is  viewed 
from  different  points  of  observation, 
and  thus  furnishes  material  for  a 
variety  of  paintings  j  but  these  nev- 
ertheless correspond  in  the  main, 
and  complete  the  whole  view  recip- 
rocally. Socrates  was  a  man  of  so 
profound  and  rich  a  mind,  that  the 
labor  of  Plato  and  Xenophon,  two 
men  of  entirely  different  mental 
habits,  were  necessary  in  order  to 
unfold  a  full  idea  of  his  genius. 
AV^ithhow  much  more  force  must 
not  this  principle  hold  true  of  Him, 
who  was  not  only   the  archetype  01 


G.  V.     Yol.  X. 


20 


PECULIAR  ATTRACTION  OF  JOHN'S  GOSPEL. 


human  nature,  and  of  all  that  is 
beautiful,  noble  and  t^rand,  but  in 
whom  besides  all  the  fulness  of  the 
eternal  Godhead  dwelt  in  bodil3^ 
form !  Surely,  to  have  such  a  de- 
lineation drawri  of  himself,  as  would 
be  a  mere  proximation  to  the  i'ull 
reality,  the  Cod-man,  Jesus  Christ, 
needed  the  serviec  of  more  than  a 
Binglo  mind. 

Of  all  others,  the  peculiar  eliaruc- 
ter  of  the  fourth  Gospel  stands  out 
with  n^reatest  clearness.  Although 
Matthew,  Mark  and  Luke  differ  de- 
cidedly, and  each  one  contributes 
his  part  to  the  living  portrait  of  the 
Redeemer  independently  of  the  oth- 
er ;  yet,  they  are  intimately  con- 
nected, and  tvogether  form  a  class, 
as  soon  as  we  'institute  a  compari- 
son between  them  and  the  Gospel 
according  to  John. 

We  are  naturally  led  to  expect 
from  this  favorite  disciple  the  most 
penetrating  and  profound  exhibition 
of  the  divine  human  character  of 
our  Lord.  Lying  on  his  Master's 
bosom,  he  listened  to  the  softest 
notes  of  the  music  of  heavenly  love. 
Pure,  confiding  and  susceptible,  his 
whole  being  fitted  him  to  receive  a 
most  accurate  impress  of  Christ,  the 
living  image  of  divine  life.  Through- 
out the  whole  of  his  Gospel,  there- 
fore, we  perceive  the  gentle  respira- 
tions of  Jesus'  bosom,  the  peaceful 
refreshing  breathings  of  heaven. 
Every  page  discloses  the  delightful 
joyousnessof  the  Evangelist,  feast- 
ing his  soul  as  he  Ijolds  a  commu- 
nion of  life  with  the  Son  of  God. 
But  with  it  are  blended  tones  of 
Badness,  and  sacred  grief,  in  view  of 
the  spiritual  obtuseness  and  in- 
gratitude of  unbelieving  men.  This 
'^son  of  thunder,"  on  the  other  hand. 


carries  us  along  in  adoring  admira- 
tion, as,  borne  on  the  pinions  of 
profound  reflection,  he  ascends  the 
heights  of  uncreated  glory,  which 
the  eternal  Son  had  with  the  Father 
before  the  foundation  of  the  world. 
Like  a  royal  eagle,  that,  attracted 
by  the  glory  of  the  sun,  is  lost  in 
delight  while  he  flaps  his  athletic 
wings  and  describes  his  grand  cir- 
cles in  the  air,  he  sails  on  majesti- 
cally towards  the  fountain  of  light, 
to  follow  the  evangelist  when  he 
draws  the  sublime  but  simple  out- 
lines of  his  views  of  absolute  truth 
and  beauty,  even  the  boldest  and 
strongest  thinker  needs  to  collect  all 
the  energies  of  his  genius.  But,  on 
the  other  hand,  the  utmost  simpli- 
city and  the  loveliest  child-like  spir- 
it, are  coupled  with  this  daring 
flight  of  thought  and  this  depth  of 
reflection;  our  hearts  are  reached 
and  he  wins  our  entire  confidence. 
Although  his  exhibition  of  divine 
truth  is  unfathomable,  to  a  certain 
extent  it  is  nevertheksss  adapted  to 
the  comprehension  of  a  child.  In 
this  respect  he  resembles  a  quiet 
lake,  so  deep  that  men  cannot 
sound  its  abyss,  yet  so  clear  and 
transparent  that  its  waters  reflect 
the  bright  face  of  the  full-orbed  sun, 
and  we  cast  our  eyes  over  the  gild- 
ed surface  in  rapture. 

No  wonder  then,  that  from  the 
beginning  of  its  history,  this  Gospel 
has  always  attracted  the  most  spir- 
itual and  profound  theologians  of 
every  age  with  irresistible  force. 
Origin  calls  it  the  main  Gospel, 
which  those  only  can  comprehend 
who  lie  on  the  bosom  of  Jesus,  and 
there  imbibe  the  spirit  that  imbued 
Jolln,  just  fts  he  did  the  spirit  of 
Christ.    Chrysostou\  extols  its  celcs- 


PECULIAE  ATTRACTION  OF  JOH]S''S  GOSPEL. 


£07 


tial  tones  with  all  the  ardor  of  his 
eloquence  ;  it  is  a  voice  of  thunder 
reverberating  through  the  whole 
earth;  notwithstanding  its  all-con- 
quering power  it  does  not  utter  a 
harsh  sound,  but  is  more  lovely, 
bewitching  and  elevating  in  its  in- 
fluence than  all  the  harmonies  of 
music.  Besides,  it  awakens  the 
awe — inspiring  consciousness,  that 
it  is  big  with  the  most  lorecioiis 
gifts  of  grace,  which  elevate  those 
who  appropriate  them  to  themselves 
above  the  earthly  pursuits  of  this 
life,  constitute  them  citizens  of 
Heaven  and  heirs  of  the  blessedness 
of  angels.  Augustine  says:  "Of  the 
four  Gospels,  or  rather  the  four 
books  of  but  one  Gospel,  the  one 
according  to  John,  who  may  justly 
be  compared  to  a  soaring  eagle  as 
regards  spiritual  apprehension,  is 
more  elevated  and  sublime  in  its 
tone  than  the  other  three ;  and  as 
he  rises  in  his  upward  flight  he 
seeks  to  carry  us  along  with  him. 
The  first  three  evangelists  say  but  little 
of  the  divine  nature  of  our  Lord,  but 
associate  with  him  as  he  appeared  upon 
earth  in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh. 
But  John,  as  if  wearied  with  beholding 
the  sojourn  of  Christ  among  men,  rises 
in  the  very  introduction  to  his  Gospel 
not  only  above  earth,  air,  and  the  spang- 
led vault  of  heaven,  but  goes  beyond 
the  angelic  host  and  all  the  orders  of 
invisible  powers,  and,  fixing  his  eye  on 
Him  by  whom  all  things  were  created, 
commences :  In  the  beginninf]:  was  the 
Word,  and  the  Word  was  with  God, 
and  the  Word  was  God.  From  begin- 
ning to  end  the  whole  Gospel  corre- 
sponds with  the  sublimity  of  this  intro- 
duction. As  he  speaks  of  the  divine 
personality  of  Jesus,  none  other  does. 
He  did  but  pour  forth  the  water  of  life, 
which  himself  had    drunk   in.     For  he 


does  not  relate  the  fact  without  good 
reason,  that  at  the  last  supper  the  be- 
loved disciple  laid  his  head  on  th« 
Lord's  bosom.  From  this  bosom  his 
soul  drank  in  living  streams.  Then  he 
revealed  this  secret  communion  to  the 
world,  that  the  world  might  become  a 
partaker  of  his  joy." 

Luther  speaks  of  the  Gospel  of  Johft 
as  being,  "the  only  real  gospel,  tlie  lead- 
ing, living  one,    that    should    be    pre- 
ferred by  for  to  the   others.      John    re- 
cords mainly  the  discourses    of    Christ 
in  his  own  words,  from   which  we  learn 
truth  and    life    as    taught   by    himself. 
The    rest    dwell    at    length    upon  his 
works"     Calvin    designates   it    as    the 
key  that  opens  the  way    to    a  right  un- 
derstanding  of  the  o';her   three.     This 
gospel  reveals  the  soul  of   Christ ;     the 
others  seek  rather  to  describe  his    body. 
In  a  work  on  idolatry,  Lessing  pronoun- 
ces  it,    without  qualification,  to  ba   the 
most  important  portion  of  the  New  Tes« 
tamcnt.    Ernesti  calls  it :  "The  heart  of 
Christ."     Herder,  in  extacies,  exclaims: 
I  "Written  by  the   hand    of    an    angel." 
In  his  work,  entitled    'Weihnachtsfeier' 
(celebration  of  Christmas)  that   extraor- 
;dinary  genius,   Schleiermacher,   express 
his  own  prefeience    for   Jojin's   Gospel 
in  the  language  of    Edward,     the    third 
speaker  at   the    festival:   "More    mysti- 
;cal  than  any  one  of  the  four,   comiiuini- 
Icates  but  little   information    about   par- 
!ticular  events,  and  does  not  even    relate 
I  the  actual  birth  of  Christ,   but   eternal, 
'child-like    christmas-joys     pervade     its 
,  soul."      Commentators    of  later    date, 
'such  35  Lueckcf  Olshausen   and    Tho- 
luck  share  the    same   preference.      The 
latter  applies  to  it,  in  an  elevated   sense, 
the  language  of  Hamann   is   referred  to 
Claudius  :   'Thy  harp  sends    forth   light 
ethereal  sounds  that  float  gently    in  the 
air,  and  fill  our  hearts  with   tender  sad- 


308 


GOD'S  LAWS  NOT  ARBITRARY 


ness,  even  after  its  strings  have  ceased 
to  vibrate."  Profound  philosophers 
have  been  particularly  fascinated  by 
the  introduction,  (ch.  1  :  1 — 18),  which 
may  be  regarded  as  a  compendium  of 
speculative  wisdom.  Fichte,  durinj^ 
the  latter  and  more  religious  period  of 
Lis  life,  and  Schelliug,  regard  John  as 
the  typical  representation  of  the  perfect 
ideal  church  of  the  future. 

Posts,  too,  havelavishel  their  praises 
on  this  mysterious  and  wonderful  pro. 
duction  of  the  Apostolic  age.  Claudius, 
of  'Wandsbeck,'  one  of  the  most  in- 
offensive, upright,  sincere  and  heart- 
felt popular  writers  of  his  time,  has 
given  a  description  of  it,  composed  in 
the  simple  style  of  John  himself,  that 
has  really  become  classic.  He  says: 
'Above  all  do  I  like  to  read  the  gospe  1 
of  John.  There  is  something  truly 
wonderful  in  it:  twili^rht  and  niirht: 
and  athwart  flashes  the  vivid  lightning. 
A  calm  evening  sky,  and  on  the  back 
ground,  see  the  large,  full  moon  in 
very  deed !  Something  sad,  sublime, 
that  fills  my  soul  with  longing  !  One 
never  becomes  satisfied  !  Every  time 
I  read  John,  it  seems  as  if  I  could  see 
him  before  me  lying  on  the  bosom  of  his 
Walter  at  the  last  supper — as  if  his  an- 
gel were  standing  by  my  side  with  a  lamp 
in  his  hand,  and,  when  I  come  to  par- 
ticular passages,  would  clasp  me  in  his 
arms  and  whisper  a  word  in  my  car. 
There  is  a  great  deal  that  I  do  not  un- 
derstand when  I  read;  but  I  often  feel  I 
as  if  John's  meaning  were  floating  be-| 
fore  mc  at  a  distance ;.  even  when  my 
eye  lights  on  a  dark  place,  I  have  nev. 
crthelt'ss  a  presentiment  of  a  sense, 
sublime  and  glorious,  that  I  shall  some 
day  understand.  On  this  account  I 
grasp  eagerly  at  every  new  exposition  of 
John's  Gospeh  But,  alas,  the  most  of 
ti.»  n-  arc  only  delighted  with   the  even" 


ing  sky,  whilst  the  bright  moon   awa- 
kens  very  little  admiration." 

Mcrccrshurg  Revieiv. 


For  the  Yisitor. 
GOD'S  LAWS  NOT  ARBITRAIIY. 

Man,  in  the  present  state  of  exist-* 
ence,  is  placed  in,  and  surrounded  with 
circumstances  which  render  it  necessary 
that  he  be  subjected  to  certain  rules  and 
regulations  by  which  his  conduct  is  to 
be  measured.  In  his  natural  state, 
from  a  want  of  knowledge  of  what  is 
best  for  him  to  do,  or  what  is  most  con- 
ducive to  his  happin-ess,  he  is  incapable 
of  making  laws  for  himself  that  will  da 
to  live  and  die  by ; — that  is,  such  laws 
whose  natural  tendency  is  to  reclaim 
man  from  that  state  of  moral  depravity 
into  which  sin  has  plungeJ  him :  There- 
fore it  is  meet  that  God  should  prescribe 
these  laws  for  him.  He  is  possessed  of 
passions  and  inclinations  conflicting 
with,  and  opposite  to  each  other.  On 
the  one  hand  he  is  urged  on  by  an  in- 
nate inclination  to  love  and  practice  that 
which  in  its  very  nature  has  a  tendency 
to  plunge  him  down  to  a  still  lower 
depth  in  the  gulf  of  misery  and  deprav- 
ity; while  on  the  other  hand  there  is 
implanted  in  his  soul  a  good  principle, 
a  seed  which,  though  in  a  great  major- 
ity of  men  it  lies  dormant;  still  at  times 
will  shoot  and  throw  out  branches  of 
the  p'ant  called  truth.  This  is  that 
hidden  love  of  good  which  inclines  him 
to  choose  the  good  part  which  is  calcula- 
ted to  raise  him  from  the  condition  of  a 
mere  animal,  to  that  of  a  glorious  and 
happy  intelligence.  There  are  two 
principal  elements  or  passions  in  the 
composition  of  that  strange  medley  of 
warring  passions  and  emotions,  the  hu- 
man soul,  namely  love  and  hate.  All 
the  rest,  such  as  revenge,  malice,    fear, 


GOD'S  LAWS  NOT  ARBITRARY. 


309 


hope  S:c.  are  but  branch  es  or  ramifica-] 
tions  of  these.  Love  is  by  far  the  most  j 
important, — undoubtedly  the  most  im-| 
portant  passion  in  the  constitution  of  1 
any  being,  whether  human  or  angelic; 
inasmuch  as  it  is,  and  must  be,  a  prin- 
cipal cause  or  mean  of  the  happiness  of 
all  created  intelligences  in  God's  wide 
universe.  All  intelligent  beings  must 
and  will  have  something  to  love;  and, 
bence,  from  the  possession  of  a  loved 
object,  or  from  being  exercised  in  some 
agreeable  employments,  springs  what! 
-we  call  enjoyment  or  happiness.  Hate 
is  the  opposite  of  love,  and  its  legiti- 
mate tendency  is  to  produce  an  opposite 
result.  This  is  easily  exemplified  when 
we  look  at  the  state  of  things  which  is 
produced,  when  those  wbo  are  to  associ- 
ate together  in  life  are  inspired  with  a 
deadly  hatred  toward  each  other.  Fur- 
ther comment  here  is  needless. 

I  have  said  that  man,  in  his  present 
state  is  incapable  of  being  his  own  coun- 
selor  or  lawgiver.  He  is  here  in  a 
mere  rudiment  or  caterpillar  state,  so  to 
speak,  and  will  not  be  what  God  has  de- 
signed him  to  be,  until  after  his  change 
from  mortality  to  immortality ;  not  un- 
til after  the  shuffling  off  of  this  mortal 
•coil  and  putting  on  the  new  and  glori- 
fied bodies  in  the  Heaven  of  heavens. 
The  wonderful  and  mysterious  transmu- 
tation from  one  state  into  another,  quite 
and  widely  different  from  the  first,  in 
the  case  of  some  insects,  is  well  calcula- 
ted to  arouse  in  us  a  joyful  looking  for- 
ward as  to  what  God  may  do  for  us 
when  we  shall  pass  through  death  from 
this  to  a  glorified  state  in  a  future  world. 
What  can  be  more  wonderful  than  to 
see  a  disgusting  worm  that  crawls  on 
the  ground,  after  lying  in  death,  as  it 
were  for  a  certain  length  of  time, 
em^rjge  from  its  grave  and  rise  up  a 
beautiful    butterfly   winging  its  flight 


over  meadow  and  field  ?     If  God  does 

so   much  for  a  crawling   worm    of  the 

dust,  what  may  he  not  do  for  us  when 

our  change  shall   come  !     The    Apostle 

ihad  some   foretaste    of    this   when    he 

[wrote:  'Eye  has  not  seen,   nor   ear  has 

heard,    nor  has  it  entered  into  the  heart 

'  of  man,  what  God  has  prepared  for  those 

that  love  him.'' 


But  to  return  to  the  thread  of  my 
subject:  I  have  intimated  that  man  is 
here  placed  in  a  primary  or  first  state 
of  existence,  and  consequently  an  imper- 
fect one :  and  it  is  very  likely  that  in 
his  uncultivated  or  barbarous  state,  man 
is  the  very  lowest  order  of  beings  to 
which  the  term  rationar  or  intelligent 
can  be  applied.  He  is  indeed  endowed 
with  certain  faculties  of  reasoning  and 
thinking,  but  these  are  of  a  mere  rudi- 
mental  order,  and  must,  like  the  moral 
nature  of  man,  be  carried  through  dif- 
ferent successive  stages  of  cultivation 
and  developement  in  order  to  raise  him 
to  that  perfect  state  of  holiness  and  wis- 
dom for  which  his  creator  has  designed 
him  ;  but  since  he  is'  incapable,  as  we 
have  seen,  from  a  want  of  adequate 
powers  of  discernment,  to  devise  the 
means  for  his  own  improvement,  it  is 
but  just,  and  highly  proper  that  the 
Omniscient  God  and  Creator  should  give 
him  a  law  whereby  he  may  be  reclaim- 
ed from  the  state  of  imperfection  and 
misery  wherein  he  now  lies. 

Again;  I  have  said  that  love,  that 
holiest  emanation  from  the  very  essence 
of  divine  goodness,  and  on  which,  doubt- 
less, thQ  felicity  of  all  holy  intelligen- 
ces, in. a  great  measure  depends,  is  a 
principal  element  in  the  structure  of 
the  soul ;  and  as  a  desire  for  happiness 
is  deeply  rooted  in  the  soul,  and  as 
happiness  consists  in  enjoying  the  love 
of  some  object  which,  is  .able  to  make 
us   happy;  and,    hence,    the   constaüfe 


310 


GODS  LAWS  NOT  ARBITRARY. 


aimiiK' and  schcminn  (.fall  classes  of  ward  toward  their  great  source,  in  purp 
miMi  t'>  fnid  aoiijo  oljc'it  whereon  to  re-  unsullied  streams,  now  became  pervert- 
pose  their  trust  and  affection  But  it  is, ,  cd  and  began  to  roll  back  and  downward 
of  course,  needless  to  say  that  it  is  im-  in  torrent  and  strife,  hate,  malice,  and 
possiihlefor  man,  in  his  fallen  condition,  |  all  kinds  of  evil  and  destructive  pasbion. 
to  find  an  object  on  earth  that  can  Men  began  to  hate  each  other,  their 
make  him  supremely  happy;  how  near ;  God,  and  all  that  is  good  j  and  on  the 
the  condition  of  our  fir.st  parents  before  |  other  hand,  they  would  love  those  things 
the  fall,  approached  perfect  happiness, ;  which,  in  their  nature  are  calculated  to 
we  have  no  means  of  juilging;  yet  it  is  produce  misery  and  woe.  And  thence 
probable  that  they  were  not  yet  at  the  have  sprung  all  the  scenes  of  degrada- 
gummit  of  felicity,  as  it  may  fairly  be  tion,  sorrow  and  affliction  wherewith 
questioned  whetlier  the  state  in  which  ,  mankind  have  been  cursed  in  all  ages  of 
thty  were  first  placed  was  intended  to  j  the  world.  Now,  from  this  deplorable 
have  been  an  endless  one  :  and  I  consid- ;  condition,  it  was  utterly  impossible  for 
er  it  probable  that  it  was  not,  from  the!  man  to  extricate  himself;  and  it  became 
fact  that  their  bodies  were  of  the  same  |  necessary  that  the  energies  of  Omnip- 
forni  «nd   physiological  arrangements  as' o^ence  should  be   exerted    in    favor    of 


those  in  which  we,  their  degraded  pos- 
terity, now  tabernacle  that  is,  their 
bodies  consisted  of  flesh  and  blood,  and 
consequently,  must  have  been  subject  to 
eertain  inconveniences,  under  certain 
oircumstances,  such  as  pain  from  wounds 
or  injuries  which  might  happen  to  bod- 
ies thus  constituted  and  circumstanced. 
But  as  they  were  not  subject  to  death 
before  t^e  fall,  it  is  probable  that  they 
were  placed  in  the  garden  of  Eden 
merely  under  trial,  and  that  God  pur- 
Dosed,  in  his  goodness,  after  they  should 
have  kept  their  first  estate  for  a  certain 
length  of  time,  to  have  transported  them 
bv  some  glorious  transmutation,  from  this 
state  of  first  principles  to  one  of  eternal, 
infinite,  unbounded  joy  and  glory.  Now, 
our  first  parents,  doubtless  loved  their  Cre- 
ator and  each  other  with  a  whole  souled 
affection,  and  from  thus  loving  and 
eujoying  what  was  pure,  and  good,  and 
Tforthy  of  the  highest  esteem  and  affec- 
tion, they  enjoyed  as  high  a  degree  of 
happiness  as  they  were,  in  that  state 
capable  of.  But  as  sin  entered,  its 
baleful  effects  were  seen  in  the  woeful 
disarrangements  of  the  Creator's  plans. 
CThe  affections  which  before   flowed  up- 


the  poor,  deluded  sons  and  daughters 
of  men.  And  as  God  is  good  and  mer- 
ciful, he  did  not  enact  a  mere  arbitrary 
law  for  his  creatures, — such  as  a  puny 
despot  on  earth  might  impose  on  his 
subjects.  No!  He  is  compassionate 
and  pities  the  sorrows  of  his  poor,  be- 
nighted children  in  this  valley  and 
shadow  of  death.  Hence,  he  gives  us 
such  laws,  and  only  such  as  are  indis- 
pensably necessary  to  our  reclamation 
from  that  depth  of  misery  to  which 
through  sin  we  have  fallen.  God  made 
us  that  we  should  be  happy  in  him  and 
rejoice  forever  in  his  love.  This  wc  have 
lost,  and  Oh  I  who  can  estimate  the  ex- 
tent of  that  loss  ?  All  that  is  desirable 
in  being,  all  that  is  worth  loving,  all 
that  can  make  us  happy, — God,  the  au- 
thor, the  source,  the  life,  the  soul,  the 
beginning  and  end  and  substance  of  our 
being  and  happiness  lost !  Since,  then, 
our  happiness  in  time  and  eternity  de- 
pends on  the  love  of  God,  it  is  not 
difficult  to  see  the  reasonableness  ofthat 
great  law,  which  Christ  himself  calU 
the  great  or  first  commandment,  namely 
this :  «'Hear,  0  Israel ;  The  Lord  our 
Gcd  is  one  Lord  :     And  thou  shalt  love 


GOD'S  LAWS  NOT  ARBITKARY. 


311 


tie  T-ord  tby  God  ^ith  all  thy  heart,  onl}'  coiumauded  to  love  God -vrith  all 
ai)d  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  our  heart,  but  also  to  love  our  neighbor 
mind,  and  with  all  thy  strength:  And  !  as  ourself.  0,  Yos  I  Who  does  not 
the  second  is  like,  namely,  this:  Thou  '  love  his  own  soul  or  wish  to  be  D;ade 
shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself."  j  happy  ?  This  is  a  precious  law;  if 
Kuw,  deducing  the  conclusion  from  the  men  love  every  one,  his  neighbor  as 
preiuisi^s,  namely,  that  our  happiness!  hiniself  out  of  a  pure  heart,  how  soon 
df-'pen  is  on  the  love  oi'  some  object  aij  ^varring,  all  strife  and  contentiong 
whose  native  qualities  are  of  such  a  |^ill  cease  from  their' midst.  Our  God 
character  as  to  render  us  hapyy  while  j  ig  a  good  and  merciful  God.  He  will 
loving  it  and  enjoying  its  love,  whatjnot  Jay  upon  us  burdens  which  we  are 
can  be  more  reasonable  than  the  above  jno^  able  to  bear;  a  .d  if  at  times  his 
commandment.     God  is  all  in    all,     the 


creator  of  ail,    the  be -inning,  the   end, 


chastening  hand  sends  afflictions    which. 

seem  s^re  and  hard  to  bear,  we  should 
the  sum  and  substance  of  all  perfections,  ke  wise  and  consider  how  much  we 
Whatever  there  is  of  beauty,  whatever  j  have  deserved  from  his  justice,  for  our 
there  is  of  comeliness,  whatever  there  Lins.  And  if  at  times  we  may  not  be 
is     of    goodness,     of     sweetness,      of  i  able  to  discern  the  use  of  the  dispensa- 


lovelinet-s,  is  found  in  its  ful- 
lest perfection  in  him.  Whatever 
pure  and  sparkling  waters  of  an  un- 
sullied bli.^s,  a  pure,  sanctified,  sainted 
soul,  freed  from  the  grovelling  desires 
of  earth,  may,  in  its  loftiest,  holiest, 
sublimest  flights  of  holy  or  sanctified 
desire  ^aint  or  picture  to  itself  as  the 
end,  the  goal,  the  foundation  and  object 
of  its  purest  desires  and  affections,  is, 
and  must  forever  be  fixed  and  centered 
in  the  one  great,  and  triune  God  whose 
love  is  eternal,  whose  perfections  are 
infinite.  Therefore,  this  great  law,  as 
are  all  the  laws  and  commandments  of 
God  to  his  straying  creatures,  is  found- 
ed on  the  nature  of  things ;  that  is,  its 
native  tendency  is  to  reclaim  man  from 
the  forlorn  and  miserable  condition  in 
which  he  now  is.  We  are  prone,  in 
the  perverted  state  of  our  afi"ections,  to 
love  the  fleeting,  vanishing  things  of 
this  world,  which,  though  they  are  ne- 
cessary for  our  sustenance  while  we  are 
sojourning  here  on  trial,  for  a  season  in 
this  'vale  of  tears,'  away  from  God, 
away  from  home,  away  from  heaven  and 
»11  that  the  soul  loves  and  holds  dear 
in  time  and  eternity,  can  never  make  us 
happy.     But  this  is  not  all;  we  are  net 


tions  visited  upon  us,  we  should  always 
consif^c  that  His  ways  are  i^t  our 
ways,  and  His  thoughts  notour  thoughts, 
and  that  a!l  things  work  for  the  best  of 
those  that  love  him.  "The  mystery  is 
great;  1  speak  of  Christ  and  the 
church."  There  are  many  mysteries 
connected  with  the  soul's  eternal  destiny 
which  we  shall  never  be  able  to  unravel 
this  side  ot  the  grave ;  nor  is  it  xieces- 
sary  that  we  should. 

It  is 

''Enough  for  us  -with  rays  divine. 
In  our  appointed  path  to  shine, 
And  serve  our  Maker's  ends." 

01  then  let  us  trust  in  God  and  wait 
patiently  till  our  appointed  time.  Let 
us  love  each  other  while  sojourning  ia 
this  ^thorny  desert.'  How  many  a  wd« 
we  may  rob  of  its  pang ;  how  many  a 
sorrow  we  may  rot>  of  its  sting,  and  how 
many  a  sweet  draught  of  exquisite  joy 
we  may  snatch  from  the  fountain  of 
happiness  above,  if  our  hearts  are  actua- 
ted by  the  impulse  of  pure  aflection  for 
each  other  here.  But  the  scenes  of  en- 
joyment on  earth  are  few  and  far  be- 
tween. There  are  partings  of  dearest 
friends;  there  are  separatings  of  those 
who  love  most  sincerely;  there  are  ri* 


312 


QUERIES. 


ViDgs  of  the  dearest  ties  on    enrth,    andj      Answer — The    passage    referred    to 
tbere  are  many  tears    to  phctl  over    the; above  reads  as  follows:  *'And    whosoev- 
loved  and  lost.'      There    is    no    perfect' er  shall  offend  one  of  these   little  ones 
happiness  here.     There  is  no  joy    ^vith-  that   believe     in    me,    it   is  better    for 
out  its    attendant  sorrow;  there    is    no  him  thata  milUtone  were  hanired   aboni' 
rose  without  it;?  thorn.     But  in  heaven  i  his  neck,  and  he  were  cast  into  the  sea. 
it  will  not  be  so  !  but  0  !    what  shall  it  And  if  thy  hand  offond  thee,   cut   it  off: 
be — wl'.at  shall    it    be?     Human    Ian- 1  it  is  better  for  thee  to    enter    into    life 
guage  fails,  und  words  become  tame  and!  maimed,  than   bavin;:;  two  b?ind.s  t">   so 
meaningless  when  I  attempt  to  describe; into  hell,  into  the   fire  that  never  shall 
or  imaprine  the  scene  of  joy   and   trans 
portation  that  shall  burst  on    the  aston- 
ished vision  when  God    shall    call    his 
'Wanderers  home  to  live  an  eternal  life; 
when  we  shall  be  clothed    in    new    and 
glorified    bodies,     death   banished,    un- 
bounded love  and  its   purest  and  sweet- 
est enjoyments  reign  supreme   in    every 


be  quenched  :  Where  their  worm  dioth 
not,  and  the  fire  is  not  quenched.  And 
if  thy  foot  offend  thee,  cut  it  off;  it  is 
better  for  thee  to  enter  halt  into  life, 
than  havinn^  two  feet  to  be  cast  into 
hell,  into  the  fire  that  never  shall  be 
qhenched  :  Where  their  worm  dieth 
not,  and  the  fire  is  not  quenched.  And 
heart,  and  God  the  father  and  the  Son' if  thine  eye  offend  thee,  pluck  it  out: 
the  tewple  and  the  light  for  evermore. !  it  is  better  for  thee  to  enter  into  the 
Here  I  drop  my  pen;  the  theme  is  too |  kingdom  of  God  with  one  eye,  than 
great,  too  high, — yet  I  will  say  with  the 
poet : — 

"There  friends  shall  meet  again 
Who  have  loved — who  have  loved  ; 
Our  embraces  shall  be  sweet, 
When  we  each  other  greet 
At  our  great  Redeemer's  feet 
"Who  hath  loved— who  hath'loved." 

D.      S. 
Brother's  Valley,  July  5th.  18G0. 


^ntxiti^. 


1.  Explanatory— Mark  9  :  42—50. 

Dear  Brethren  :    I  want  to  note  a  few 

passages  of  Scripture  for  you    to    make 

'an  explanation  on,    and  you   will   give 

the  same  in  the  Visitor. 

1.  On  Mark  9  :  42—50.  It  may  be 
that  you  think  this  along  series  of  pas- 
sages, but  I  doubt  not  you  can  answer 
it.  Especially  I  want  your  view  on  the 
passage,  "Every  öno  shall  bo  salted 
with  fire,"  also  on  the  cutting  off  the 
hand  and  foot. 

J.     Z, 


having  two  eyes  to  be  cast  into  hell 
fire :  Where  their  worm  dieth  not, 
and  the  fire  is  not  quenched.  For  ev- 
ery one  shall  be  salted  with  fire,  and  ev- 
ery sacrifice  shall  be  salted    with    salt." 

The  42d.  verse,  concerning  the  offend- 
ing of  little  ones,  is  a  solemn  caution 
not  to  offend  one  of  his  disciples.  The 
hanging  or  fastening  of  a  millstone  to 
the  neck  of  a  criminal  and  then  casting 
him  into  the  sea  to  be  drowned  was  a 
mode  of  punishment  among  some  na- 
tions of  the  east.  And  tho  meaning 
of  the  Savior  seems  to  be  this.  Howev- 
er painful  and  dishonorable  it  may  be  to 
be  cast  into  the  sea  and  drowned  by  hav- 
ing a  millstone  fastened  to  the  neck,  it 
would  be  better  to  be  subjected  to  such 
a  punishment  infiicted  by  civil  authori- 
ty, than  to  be  subject  to  the  punish- 
ment which  God  will  inflict  on  those 
who  offend  bis  children. 

The  general  meaning  of  the  words 
the  cutting  off  liand  and  foot,  andpluck- 
ing  out  of  the  eye,  is  designed  to  show 
us  that  it  is    our    duty    to  deny   our- 


QUERIES. 


313 


selves  of  all  that  is  dearest  to  us  and 'me,  for  children,  and  for  children's 
necessary  to  the  outward  life,  if  such  i  children,  I  believe  an  explanation  of  the 
things  would  endanpfer  our  spiritual  I  above  passages  might  be  usefal  foi« 
life.     The  cutting  of  t.f  hand   and  foot,  ' 


cannot  be  taken  lilerally,  for  what  would 

•I'ifc'avail  to  cut  off  the   natural  members 

which  had  participated  in    sin,     if    the 

root  oi' «in  was    net    destroyed    in 


brethren  and  sisters  now  and  hereafter. 


J.     Z. 


goul.     For  example,     what  good  would 


Answer. — The  words  of  Ezekiel  refer- 

the  i  red  to  are  as  follows :  ''Sou  of  man,  I  have 

made  thee  a  watchman  unto    the  house 

of  Israel :  therefore  bear    the    word    at 


it  do  to  cut  off  the  hand  that  had  sto- 
len, if  the  feeling  of  sin  in  the  heart 
which  prompted  the  act  is  not  destroyed,  i^y  mouth,  and  give  them  warning 
We  therefore  are  inclined  to  think  that  «from  me.  "When  I  say  unto  the  wicked, 
liand  &ud  foot  and  eye  here  seem  to  be  jxhou  shalt  surely  die;  and  thou  givest 
used  by  the  Savior  to  represent  certain  ,  ^^^  ^^^  ^^^^.  ^^^  .^^^^^  ^^  ^^^^ 
power?  and  Gispositions  or  the  mind,  and  '  ,  .,,„,..,, 
directs  that  they  should  be  restrained,  i  *^^  ^^^'^^^  ^^'«^  ^'^  ^'^^^^  ^^^- '  ^^ 
and  as  it  were  cut  off.  if  their  cultiva-| save  his  life;  the  same  wicked  man 
tion  and  exercise  should  interfere  with; shall  die  in  his  iniquity;  but  his  blood 
the    higher  or  spiritual  life.     It  is  not  ^  ^ill  I  require    at  thine    hand.       Yet  if 

thou  warn  the  wicked,   and  he  turn  not 
from  his  wickedness,  nor  from  his  wick- 


tincommon  in  the  scriptures  to  find  the 
mind  represented  as  possessing  mem- 
bers similar  to  those  the  body  possesses. 
It  is  not  enough   that  the  members    of !  ed  way,  he  shall  die    in    his    iniquity; 

delivered    thy    soul." 


the  body  he    restrained    and  controlled,  j  but    thou    hast 

but  the  evil  dispositions  of  the  heart  must .  ^ow  let  us  look  at  the  lanaua^re  of  Paul 
be  suppressed.     We  are   to  brinij  "into  I       7    •  .•  •   •  ,  i    ^  x°     -l       -i 

,.  "f  ,,        .^     .      *i     '^  u  J-    a  christian  minister,  spoken  to    the    el- 

/?3ptivity  every  thousrnt    to    the    obeai-  i  ,  '   ^ 

ence  ot  Ohrist."  2  Cor.  10  :  5.  i^^"  0^  ^^^  church  at  Ephesus  whea    be 

j  was  about  leaving  them.     "I    take  you 
am  pure  from 


^ 


.      ''Every  one  shall  be  salted  with  fire."  1  to  record  this  day,  that  I 
The  meaning  of  these  words    seems    to  the  blöod  of  all  men.     For  I    have   not 


shunned  to  declare  unto  you  all  the  coun- 
God.  . 


be  this,  because  of  the    general  sinful 
ness  of  mankind,   every  individual  must! 

be  salted  with  fire,  either    on    the    onejS^^  «f  God Therefore  watch,  and 

hand  by  bis  entering  voluntary  upon  .'remember,  that  by  the  space  of  three 
a  christian  life  of  self-denial,  which  j  years  I  ceased  not  to  warn  every  one 
will  lead  him  through  "fiery  trials"  Li  j.^  ^nd  day  with  tears."  Acts  20  : 
Wüien  are  to  try  him,   and  purify  him,  i„^^     ^1       tt-i  -^        ., 

from  his  iniquities,  or  on  the  other  j"^--^-  ^  ^en  we  cons^uer  the  Ian- 
band,  if  he  refuses  to  submit  to  the  pu-  *  guage  of  Paul  as  given  above,  and  the 
rifying  means  by  which  God  purifies  |  duties  of  a  christian  minister,  as  those 
his  people,  then  shall  he  meet  with  the  j^^^.g  ^.^  j^j^  ^^^^  -^  ^y^^  christian 
runisbmcut  01  nre,  ana  be  cast  into  the  i      .  ^  ...  ,  , 

-i,»„  ..,'  11-1    I  S^^TTk*"''»«:       TITO     m-ncf         KqNöttq        *hr>f         *Hr\ 

lake  01  nre.     x^nd  so  "every    one    shall 


be  salted  with  fire. 

2.    COXCERNIXG  EZEK 


17—19. 


scriptures,  we  must  believe  that  the 
I  responsibilities  of  christian  watchmen 
;are  similar  to  those  of  Ezekiel.  although 
i  the  words  of  the  Lord  to  the  prophet 
Another  question.  We  read  in  the  may  have  been  designed  particularly 
prophecies  of  Ezek.  3  :  17 — 19,  of  a  |  for  him. 
watchman.  Do  these  words  refer  also 
to  us,  who  are  watchmen  in  this  Gospel 
time,  or  did  they  refer  only  to  the 
prophet  Ezekiel  himself?  Dear  breth- 
ren, as  I  am  in  the  habit  of  getting  the 


Visitor  bound  for  those   coming  after  planation   on  Matt.  12 


3. 


The  Dlasphemy  against  the 
Holy  Ghost. 


Dear  Editors  :  I  wish  to  have  an 


ex. 


31,32; 


JIark 


-SU 


QUERIES. 


Luke  12  :  10.       Also    anlmittod  when  the  nijin,  with   entire   con- 


8  :  28,29; 

cxpkination  of  Ilev.  3  :  15,  IG. 

Jacob  V. 

Answer. — The  passages  in  the  first 
question  refer  to  the  blasphemy  against 
th(^  Holy  Ghost,  and  according  to  Mat- 
thew, the  passage  reads,  "Wherefore  I 
say  unto  you,  all  manner  of  sin  and 
blasphemy  shall  be  forgiven  unto  men  ; 
but  the  blasphemy  against  the  Holy 
Ghost  shall  not  be  forgiven  unto  men. 
And  whosoever  speaketh  a  word  against 
the  Son  of  man,  it  shall  be  forgiven 
him :  but  whosoever  spcaketh  against 
the  Holy  Ghost  it  shall  not  be  forgiven 
him,  neither  in  this  world,  neither  in 
the  world  to  come.'' 

The  language  of  the  Savior  is  a  sol- 
emn note  of  warning  not  only    to    the 

Jews  to  whom  it  was    directly    spoken, 

but  to  all  who  enjoy  the  light   and    op 

portunities  of  the  gospel  dispensation — 

the  dispensation  of  the  Spirit,  and    it  is 

as  if  he  had  said,  ''It  is  a   very  serious 

and  dangerous    thing !       Many    a  one 

muy  he  offaim^t  Me,  msiy   speak    or   act 

against  Me,  even  for  a  whole  life   time, 

ami  yet  forgiveness  stand  open    to  bim  ; 

but  there  is,  even  in  this  world,  a  wilful  j  apply  the  truth  to  the  heart  of  the  sin- 
ner, and  to  perform  an  important  office 
in  bringing  the  sinner  into  a  penitent 
state  If,  therefore,  the  Holy  Spirit  is 
blasphemed  and  driven  away  from  the 
heart,  it  is  left  in  such  a  state  that  it 
cannot  repent,  and  of  course  then  there 
can  be  no  forgiveness.  It  is  not  sim- 
ply the  greatness  of  the  sin  that  ren- 
ders its  pardon  impossible,  but  the  pe- 
culiar manner  in  which  it  effects  the 
Holy  Spirit,  an  essential  agent  in  the 
work  of  repentance/  which  must  precedo 
forgiveness.  Hence  we  are  admonished 
by  the  apostle  not  to  ^'grieve  the  Holy 


viction,  knows  what,  in  complete  wick- 
edness, he  does,  for  thus  did  Christ  on 
the  cross,  mark  the  limits  of  forgive- 
ness and  atonemoKt.  It  is  distinguished 
from  every  other  pardonable  sin  of 
man  by  this,  taat  in  it  there  is  not  even 
the  least  of  Satanic  deceit  practiced 
upon  the  understanding  (G:n.  8  :  13), 
or  compvhion  of  any  nature,  or  by  any 
creature,  upon  the  will,  but  the  purely 
evil  is  willed,  spoken,  and  done  instead 
of  the  known  and  rejected  good,  the  lie, 
as  such,  instead  of  the  blasphemed  truth. 
That  it  should  «  e  forgiven  is  impossi- 
ble, not  on  God's  account,  but  on  ac- 
count of  the  creature,  who  has  put  him- 
self under  such  a  ban,  that  he  hence- 
forth remains  incapable  of  repentanco 
and  faith  in  divine  grace." 

It  appears  to  be  the  stubborn  rojeo- 
tion  of  all  the  testimonies  afforded  by 
the  Spirit,  in  confirmation  of  the  truth 
of  Christianity.  And  not  only  so,  bot 
the  blaspheming  of  that  Spirit — the  re- 
viling and  speaking  reproachfully  of  the 
Holy  Spirit. 

It  is  the  office  of  the  Holy    Spirit    to 


contradiction  and  resistance  which  for- 
feits all  grace  for  ever  — therefore,  I 
have  reason  to  say  to  youj  Beware  !" 

The  following  remarks  from  Sticr 
explanatory  of  the  sin  of  blasphemy 
again.st  the  Holy  Ghost  are  probably 
correct :  It  is  the  rejection  and — on  ac 
count  of  this  its  inherent  eternal  nature 
as  a  sin — the  eternally  unpardonable 
rejection  of  the  perfectly  known,  imme- 
diate, testimony  of  the  Spirit,  with 
which  the  Holy  Ghost  has  presented 
the  truth  and  grace,  developed  in  a  hu- 
man being  till  it  brings  him  to  be  of  Spirit  of  God,  whereby  we  are  sealed 
tUo  same  nature  with  Satan.     It  is  com- 1  unto  the  dny  of  redemption."     Eph.  4 


QUERIES. 


315 


30  ^Ye  therefore  should  be  careful 
not  to  grieve  or  resist  the  Holy  Spirit. 
We,  however,  must  be  careful  to  distin- 
guish between  resisting  the  Holy  Spirit, 
Acts  7  :  51,  and  grieving  the  Spirit^ 
and  blaspheming  against  the  Holy 
Ghost;  the  last  only  is  the  unpardona- 
ble sin. 

Itisnotan  uncommon  circumstance 
for  persons  when  they  become  distress- 
ed on  account  of  their  sins  to  imagine 
that  they  have  committed  the  sin  for 
•which  there  is  no  forgiveness.  It  is, 
however,  a  very  good  evidence  that  that 
sin  has  not  been  c^mimitted,  when  the 
Holy  Spirit  is  present  applying  the 
word  and  convincing  the  soul  of  sin. 

The  following  paraj3hrase  of  the  words 
of  the  Savior  presents  the  subject  in  an 
intelligible  manner  :  ''You  have  repre- 
sented me  as  a  wine-bibber,  a  friend  of 
publicans  and  sinners,  and  as  one  who 
casts  out  devils  by  Beelzebub  ;  and  you 
"will  still  go  on,  after  all  the  miracles 
•which  I  have  done  among  you,  to  rep- 
resent me  as  a  false  prophet,  and  a  de- 
ceiver of  the  people :  nevertheless  all 
these  grievous  sins  shall  be  forgiven 
you,  if  that  last  dispensation  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  which  I  shall  after  my  ascension 
send  among  you,  shall  prevail  •with  you 
to  believe  in  me :  but  if,  when  I  have 
sent  the  Holy  Ghost  to  testify  the  truth 
of  my  mission,  and  of  my  resurrection, 
you  shall  continue  in  your  unbelief,  and 
shall  blaspheme  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
represent  him  also  as  an  evil  spirit/ 
your  sin  shall  never  be  forgiven,  nor 
shall  any  thing  further  be  done  to  call 
you  to  repentance.'' 

4.  Explanation  op  Rev.  3  :  15,  16. 
The  words  of  the  passage  here  refer- 
red to,  read  as  follows :  ''I  know  thy 
works,  that  thou  art  neither  cold  nor 
hot:  I  would  thou  wert 'cold  or  hot. 
So  then  because  thou  art  lukewarm;  and 


neither  cold  nor  hot,  I  will  spue  thee 
out  of  my  mouth."  It  must  not  h% 
forgotten  that  this  language  was  ad- 
dressed to  the  church  of  the  Laodiceans, 
and  it  relates  to  professors  of  religion  in 
different  states.  The  hot  state  repre- 
sents those  possessing  that  ardent  zeal 
which  is  a  characteristic  of  a  true 
christian  ; — the  lukewarm  state  is  that 
in  which  great  indifference  is  manifest- 
ed to  the  enjoyments  and  duties  of 
Christianity,  but  still  there  is  a  profes- 
sion, and  that  is  about  all, — sucli  havd 
a  name  that  they  live,  and  are  dead  ; — 
the  cold  are  those  who  have  apo-tatized, 
and  gone  back  again  to  the  world.  And 
wliy  does  the  Lord  prefer  the  state  of 
the  apostate,  to  that  of  those  who  have 
a  profession,  but  no  more?  The  reason 
is  plain.  It  is  this:  The  apostate  who 
has  gone  back  into  the  world,  and  who 
has  given  up  christiauity  altogether, 
knows  where  he  stands  and  is  not 
building  a  hope  of  heaven  on  a  false 
foundation.  Whereas  the  lukewarm 
soul,  the  person  who  has  a  mere  profess- 
ion, imagines  he  has  a  hope  of  heav- 
en, although  in  reality,  he  is  no  more 
fit  for  heaven  than  the  apostate  soul. 
Now  the  latter  stands  a  better  chance 
of  becoming  alarmed  at  his  lost  condi- 
tion, than  the  former,  for  he  has  not 
the  veil  of  a  mere  profession  to  blind 
I  his  eyes  against  the  light  of  truth  when 
it  is  preached,  as  the  mere  professor 
has,  and  so  upon  the  whole,  the  indi- 
vidual who  has  gone  back  into  the  world 
and  who  makes  no  profession  of  Christi- 
anity, will  bo  more  likely  to  become 
converted,  than  ho  will,  who  has  a  pro- 
fession, but  no  more.  The  Savior  said 
when  speaking  to  the  chief  priests  and 
elders,  ''The  publicans  and  harlots  ga 
into  the  kingdom  of  God  before  you." 
Matt.  21  5 .31. 

Again  :  Persons  making  a   profession 
of  Christianity  and  being  :q  the    church 


316 


CORRESPONDENCE. 


and  yet  having  no  piety,   may    dishonor 
and  injure  the  cause  of  Christ  more  than 


a  state  of  probation    in    which    we    arc 
educating  ourselves  for  an  immortal  life, 


they  could  if  they    were    out    of  the  and  as  preparatory  to    our    entering    on 
church.  I  higher  scdnes  of  contemplation    and   «n- 

Lukewarm  water  is  known  to  be  very  li^y^^"^.  In  this  point  of  view,  it  is  of 
disagreeable  to  the  stomach,  and  hence  i  ^"^P^^^^^^ce  to  consider  that  our  present 
the  ügurc  of  spewing  out  of  the  mouth.  j"^iew8  and  recollections  will  be  carried 
The  fio-ure  is  a  strong  one,  and  it   shows  i  ^^^ng  with  us  into  that  future  world,  that 


how  oflfonsive   a,    lukewarm    member   of 
the  church  is  to  the  Lord. 


(!Larrcfjpan(lnue. 


Jcnesboro,  Tcnu.  July  15,  18G0. 
Dear  Brother  in  the  Lord : 

Tours  of 
the  loth.  uK.  came  duly  to  hand,  and 
after  reading  its  contents,  would  say  in 
reply  that  you  gave  me  much  consolation. 
Thank  God,  we  still  lind  some  brethren, 
-that  take  the  proper  and  appropriate 
views  of  Christianity.  O  the  lamenta- 
ble ignorance  that  overshadows  the  great 
masses  of  the  professed  christian  world 
in  regard  to  the  greatness  and  goodness 
of  our  adorable  lledeeraer.  May  the 
Lord  speedily  dispel  this  cloud  of  mutu- 
jil  darkness  and  let  the  effulgent  rays  of 


our  virtues  or  vices  will  be  as  immortal 
as  ourselves,  and  will  influence  our 
future  as  well  as  our  present  happiness, 
and,  consequently,  that  every  study  in 
which  we  engage,  every  disposition  wo 
now  cultivate,  and  every  action  we  per- 
form, is  to  be  regarded  as  pointing  be- 
yond the  present  to  an  unseen  and  eter- 
nal existence. 

If,  then,  we  admit  that  the  present 
state  is  connected  with  the  future,  and 
that  the  hour  of  death  is  not  the  termi- 
nation of  our  existence,  it  must  be  a 
matter  of  the  utmost  importance,  that 
the  mind  of  every  candidate  for  immor- 
tality be  tutored  in  those  departments 
of  knowledge  which  have  a  relation  to 
the  future  world,  and  which  will  tend 
to  qualify  him  for  engaging  in  the 
employments,  and  for  relishing  tho 
pleasures  and  enjoyments  of  that    state. 


his     countenance    illumine,  the    entire  i  The  following  remarks  are  intended    to 


universe. 

AVe  are  beings  destined  for  eternity. 
Tho  present  world  through  which  we 
are  traveling  is  only  a  transitory  scene, 
introductory  to  a  future  and  an  immor- 
tal existence.  When  this  corporeal 
frame  sinks  into  the  grave,  and  is  re- 
solved into  its  primitive  elements,  the 
intellectual  principle  by  which  it  was 
animated  shall  pays  into  another  region, 
and  be  happy  or  miserable,  according 
to  the  governing  principles  by  which 
it  sfvas  actuated  in  the  present  life. 

The  world  in  which  we  now  live 
may  be  considered  as  the  great  nursery 
of  our  future  and  eternal    existence    as 


illustrate,  in  the  first  place,  that  the 
knowledge  acquired  in  the  present  state, 
whatever  be  its  na'ture,  will  he  carried 
along  icith  us  uhcu  we  wing  our  flight 
to  the  eternal  icorld,  la  passing  into 
that  world  we  ehall  not  lose  any  of  the 
mental  faculties  we  now  possess,  nor 
shall  we  lose  our  identity,  or  conscious- 
ness of  being  the  same  persons  we  now 
are ;  otherwise,  it  were  necessary  to  be 
a  different  order  of  beings,  and  conse- 
quently could  not  be  the  subject  either 
of  reward  or  punishment  for  anything 
done  in  the  present  state.  The  destruc- 
tion of  our  faculties,  or  a  total  change  of 
them;  or  the  loss  of  consciousness,  woulj 


COPiRESPONDENCE. 


be  equivalent  to   an  annihilation  of  our  jness  ia  the  future    world 
existence. 


But,  if  we  carry  into  the  future  state 
all  our  moral  and  intellectual  powers, 
we  must  also,  of  neees^iity,  carry  along 
with  them  all  the  recollections  of  tue 
present  life,  which  these  faculties  en- 
abled us  to  acquire.     V^e   have    our  ex- 


,  since  he  is- 
destitute  of,  those  qualifications  which 
are  rec^uisite  in  order  to  his  relishing 
its  enjoyments. 


Science  is  nothin^cr  else  than  an  inves- 
tigation ot  the  divine  perfections  and. 
operations  as  displayed  in  the  economy 
of  the  universe;  and    we    have    every 


cmphfication  of  this  in  the  parable  of  i^g^^^^^  ^^,^^^^1^^^^  ^^^j^  ^^^^  common 
our  Savicrr  respecting  the  rich  man  and  3^^^.^^^^^^^  ^.^^gl^^j^^^  that  such  investi- 
Lazarus,  where  Abraham  13  representea !  g^tj^^,  ^jU  ^^^  ^.^^-^^^  forward,  on  a 
as  addressing  the  former  m  these  words ;  ^^.^  enlarged  scale,  in  the  future  world 
''Son,  m7ie;;z^er,  that  thou  in  tny  hie- :  ^hen  the  intellectual  powers,  freed  from 
time  receivedst  thy  good  things,  and: ^he  obstructionB  which  now  impede 
likewise  Lazarus  evil   things;     eviaent-Jtj^.jj.  ti^^^  ^j,l  become   more    vig- 

ly  implying  that  the  rich  man  retained  |  ^,^,^3  ^^^  expansive,  and  a  more  exten- 
the  power  of  wi€mo?-y,  tnat  he  posseseed  ,i^3  gc^De  of  divine  operation  be  pre- 
a  consciousness,  that  he  was  the  same  gented  to  the  view 
thinkinor  b-^inj?  that  existed  in  a   former 


state,  and  that  he  had  a  perfect  recol- 
lection of  the  course  he  pursued,  and 
the  scenes  in  which  he  was  placed  in 
this  sublunary  world.  If,  then,  it  be 
admitted,  that  we  shall  be  substantially, 
the  same  intelleciual  beings  as  at  pres- 
ent, though  placed  in  a  higher  and  dif- 
ferent element,  and  that  the    ideas    and 


Notwithstanding  all  the  -'church- 
going"  which  is  so  com.mon  amongst  us, 
both  anionor  the  hio-her  and  the  lower 
classes,  and  the  numerous  sermons 
which  are  preached  in  relation  to  this 
subject,  it  does  not  appear,  that  the  one 
half  of  our  people  have  any  fixed  and 
impressive  belief  of    the    reality    of  an 


moral  principles  we  now  acquire  will  eternal  world.  If  it  were  otherwis  ■,  n 
pass  along  with  us  into  futurity,  and  ,  would  be  more  frequently  manifested  in 
influence  our  conduct  and  happiness  in  |  their  general  temper,  conversation  and 
that  state,— it  cannot  be  a  matter  of !  conduct.  But  we  find  the  great  mass  of 
indifi'erence  whether  the  mind  of  an  im- 'society  as  keenly  engaged  in  the  all-en- 
morral  being  be  left  to  grope  amidst  i  grossing  pursuit  of  wealth  and  honor 
the  mists  of  ignorance,  and  to  sink  into  as  if  the  enjoyment  of  this  world  were 
immorality,  or   he  trainei  "  ' 

knowledge  of  every    thin^ 
be^uing  on  its  eternal  destiny.     On    the  | relation    to"  it    is    studiouslv  '  avoided. 


up    in    the  I  to  last  for   ever.     In    general   conversa- 
tbat    has  ajtion,  the  topic  of  a  future  world,  and  our 


contrary,  nothing  can^ be  of  higher  val- j  While  a  person  may  talk  with  the  ut- 
us  and  importance  to  every  human  be- '  most  ease  about  a  farm  that  he  has  re- 
ing,  considered  as  immortal,  than  to  centiy  bought,  or  a  large  lot  of  wheat  or 
be  trained  to  habits  of  reasoning  and  ;  flour,  or  a  certain  speculation  by  which 
reflection,  and  to  acquire  that  knowl- 1  he  expects  to  realize  one  thousand  dol- 
edge  of  his  Creator,  of  himself,  of  his  lars  profit,  and  will  be  listened  to  with 
duty,  and  of  the  relations  in  which  he  i  pleasure— but  were  he  to  intimate  or 
stands  to  this  world,  and'  the  next,  1  converse  in  certain  christian  societies, 
which  will  qualify  him  for  the  society '  of  his  expected  departure  to  a  future 
lu  which  he  is  hereafter  to  mingle,  and  |  world,  and  of  the  important  realities  to 
the  part  he  has  to  act  in  a  higner  scene  ^  which  he  will  be  introduced  in  that 
of  action  and  enjoyment.  For,  as  gross  state,— were  he  even  to  suggest  a  hint, 
Ignorance  is  the  source  of  immoral  ac-  [  that  the  scene  of  our  destinTrion  ou^jht 
tion,  and  as  immoral  principles  and"  hab- j  occasionally  to  form  the  subject  of  our 
Its  unfit  the  soul  for  the  pleasures  and  conversation, — either  a  sneer  or  a  sol- 
enjoyments  -.f  an  immortal  state,  the  :emn  gloom  would  appear  on  every  face, 
man  who  is  allowed  to  remain  amidst  and  he  would  be  regarded  as  a  wild  and 
the  natural  darkness  of  his  understand-|  visionary  enthusiast  or  a  sanctimonious 
mg,  can  have  but  little    hopj    of  happi- i  hypocrite.     Among  the  many    causes  of 


ai  8        CORRESPONDE  :.  CE.— PROSPECTUS.— CONTRIBUTIONS. 


tlie  indifference  -which  prcfj^ils  on  this  laid  in  "repentance  toward  God,  and 
subject,  ?'7»<orf/;?rc  and  iiienuil  inactivi- !  faith  toward  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 
ty  are  none  of  the  least.  Immersed  in  '  We  must  be  convinced  of  our  sin  and 
Sv  nsual  gratifications  and  pursuits,  un- 1  dt*pravity  as  descendants  of  the  first 
acquainted  with  the  pleasures  of  intel  lAdara,  of  the  demerit  of  our  ofi"ence3, 
loct,  and  unaccustomed  to  rational  trains  of  the  spotless  purity  and  eternal  recti- 
of  reflection.  iMultitudcs  pass  through  tude  of  that  Being  whom  we  have  of- 
life  without  any  serious  conciderations  fended,  and  of  the  danger  to  whxh  we 
of  the  future  scene  of  another  world,  re-  are  exposed  as  the  violators  of  his  laws. 

humility 


solved,  at  the  hour    of    dissolution,    to 


take  their  chance  with  the  millions  that 
Lave  gone  before  them. 

What  pleasure  would  a  miser,   whose 
mind  is  wholly  absorbed  in  the  acquisi- 
tion of  riches,   feel    in  a    world    where 
neither  gold  nor   silver,    nor  any  other 
object  of  avarice  is  to  be  found  P     What 
entert  linment  would  a  man  whose  chief 
enj'>yment  consists    in   reading    novels 
and  romances,  and  in  listening  to    tales 
of  scandal,  derive    in    a    world    where 
there  is  nothing   but  substantial    reali- 
tie--,  and  where  the  inhabitants  are  uni- 
ted in  bonds  of    the    purest    afifection  ? 
All    the   arrangements  of  the    celestial 
"world  would  have  to  be  changed  and  over- 
turned,   and  angels,      archangels,    and 
redeemed  men,  banished  from  its  abodes, 
before  such  characters  could  find  enter- 
tainments agreeable  to  their  former  hab- 
its and  desires.     They    would    perceive 
nothing  CDngjnial  to  their  former  pur- 
suits ;  they   would  feel   an    inward   re- 
luctance to  the  pure  and  holy    exercises 
of  the  place,  and  they    would  anxiously 
desiro  to  fly   away   to   regions    and    to 
companions     more    congenial    to    their 
grovelling  views   and    affections.     For, 
it  is   the   decree  of  heaven — a    decree 
founded  on  the  moral  laws  which  govern 
the  intelligent  universe,  and  which    like 
the  law  of  the  Modes  and  Persians,  can- 
not be  changed, — that  ^'without  holiness 
no  man  can  see  the  Lord^^  and  that  "no 
impure  person    that,    worketh  abomina- 
tion, or  maketh  a  lie,    can    enter  within 
the  gates  of  the  Heavenly    Jerusalem." 

As  in  the  present  life  there  are  cer- 
tain mental  endowments  necessary  for 
securing  substantial  happiness,  so,  there 
are  certain  moral  qualifications  iufUqieii- 
aahlt/  requisite  in  order  to  prepare  us 
for  relishing  the  entertainments,  and 
the  enjoyments  of  the  life  to  come.  The 
foundation  of    future    felicity    must  be 


AVe  must   receive    w^ith    humility    and 
gratitude,  the  salvation  exhibited  in  the 
gospel,  and  "behold,"  with   the    eye  of 
faith,  "the  Lamb  of  God    who    taketh 
away  the  sins  of  the  world."     We  must 
depend  on  the  aid  of  the   Spirit   of  God 
to  enable  us  to  counteract  the  evil  pro- 
pensities of   cur  nature,  to    renew    our 
souls  after  the  divine  image,  and  to  in- 
spire us  with  ardent  desires    to    abound 
in  all  those    "fruits    of    righteousness 
which  are  to  the  praise    and    glory    of 
God."     We  must  add  to  our  faith    vir- 
tue; to    virtue      knowledge;  and      to 
knowledge  temperance ;  and  to  temper- 
ance patience ;    and    to    patience   godli- 
ness ;  and  to  godliness  brotherly   kind- 
ness ;  and  to   brotherly    kindness   char- 
ity.    For  if  these  things  be  in    us    and 
abound  they  will  permit  us  to  be   neith- 
er barren  nor  unfruitful  in    the    knoiol- 
edge  of  our  Lord  Jesus   Christ ; — and  so 
an  entrance  shall  be  abundantly  admin- 
istered unto    us    into    the     everlasting 
kingdom  of  cur  Lord  and   Savior   Jesus 
Christ." 

Finally,  Brother,  Farewell.  To  the 
only  wise  God  our  Savior,  be  glory  and 
majesty,  dominion  and  power,  both  now 


and  forever.     Amen. 


A.     D. 


OUR  PROSPECTUS    FOR 

1861 
WILL    ACCOMPANY    THIS    NO. 


CONTRIBUTIONS 
FOR  GARBER'S  RELIEF. 

From  br.  Jonathan  Wyland,  Catharine 
Wiuecrar,  and  Jacob  Funderburg  each 
§1  "33,00 

L.  S.  Snyder  Harrison  co.  Iowa         ,50 


CONTRIBUTIONS.— PERSONAL.— 0  BITUAR  lES. 


319 


CONTRIBUTIONS 
TO  THE  MISSION  FUND. 
Prom  Sandy  Greek  church,  Preston  co. 
Va.  by  br.  P.  J.  Brown  810,00 

From  Solomon's  Creek  church 
Elkhart  go.  Inda,  by  br.  Daniel 
Shively 

From    Nettle   Creek    church, 

"Wayne  co.  Inda,   by    br.    David 

Hardman^  ded.  Express  charges 

From  L.  S.  Snyder,  Harrison 

CO.  Iowa 


OBITUMIES. 


22,75 


iO 


50 


61,00 


|nnaiuiL 


Died  in  Cherrv  Grove  Carroll  co.  Ills.  August 
3,  Sister  ELIZABETH  BOLLIXGER,  wife  of 
elder  Michael  Bollinger,  formerly  of  Huntingdon 
j  CO.  Pa.  Age  53  years ,  8  months  and  Iday, 
leaving  a  kind  husbanl  and  ten  children  to 
mourn  their  loss  of  an  afifectionate  wife  and 
mother.  Her  death  wns  occasioned  by  a  small 
bruise  on  the  under  part  of  the  foot,  produced 
by  a  stone,  which  in  a  few  days  caused  morti- 
fication, and  soon  tern.\inated  in  death. 

Died  in  Berlin  chur'.'h,  Somerset  co.  Pa.  July 
26,  ELIZABETH  RIEMAN,  daughter  of  br. 
Jacob  and  sister  Eli:;abctb  Rieman,  aged  10- 
years,  7  months  and  26  days.  Funeral  services 
by  br,  Jacob  Blanch  and  G  Shrock,  on  Job 
14  :  1,  2. 

Died  in  Yellow  Creek  church,  Bedford  co.  Pa. 


Julv 


Sister  ELIZABETH    DAYli 


{A  simple  obituary  of  sister  Cronise  was  given 
in  the  last  No.  For  want  of  room  the  following 
was  then  left  oat.     We  now  insert  it.) 

The  subject  of  the  above  notice  our  mother 
and  sister,  who  the  good  Lord  through  his  wis- 
dom has  seen  best  to  call  from  labor  to  reward, 
■was  truly  a  mother  in  Israel.  She  was  always 
a,  regular  attendant  at  God's  house  from  her 
youth,  and  a  devoted  christian  for  52  years. 
She  was  one  of  the  senior  member?  of  four  that 
first  started  the  consreiration  of  the  brethren  at 


wife  of 
Ellis  Davis,  and  a  daughter  of  elder  Leonard 
Furry,  aged  26  yenrs,  7  months  and  13  d;iys. 
In  the  year  1854  she  was  married  to  Levi  Hol- 
singer,  son  of  elder  George  Holsinger.  who 
about  9  months  after  their  marriage  feU  from  a 
barn  he  was  building,  and  never  spoke  after- 
wards, breathing  his  last  in  about  12  hours  after- 
the  accident,  leaving  her  a  sorrowing  widow. 
About  two  years  ago  she  was  married  to  Ellis- 
Davis,  for  whose  welfare  she  was  much  concern- 
ed while  living.  About  two  month  after  her 
-     -  marriage  with  Davis,  and  the  next  dav  after  mo- 

Bush  Creek,  and  had  the  pleasure  to  live  to  see!  ins:  from  home  she  took  the  Bilious  fever- 
a  meeting  house  built,  and  manv  souls  made  L^l^-cii  issaed  in  consumption,  the  fatal  disease 
wiJing  to  turn  to  God,  and  serve  him  m  his  that  took  her  away  from  us.  Her  last  days, 
appointed  waj-.  1  ^ere  chiefly  spent  in  prayer  to  God,  and  prayed 

She  was  a  constant  suFerer    for   ten    months  i  very  fervently  for  that    sincerity,    which    alone 
which  she  bore  calmly  and  submissively.     Some  |  can  make  our  worship  acceptable.     We   hope  to- 
six  or  eight  days  before    her    departure,    when  i  Qieet  her  in  heaven,    where    parting    shall    be 
«he  could  not  retain  her  nourishment,  one  of  her  'known  no  more.     Her  sorrowing  husband   was 
daughters  said,  Oh  !  mother  I  am   so    soik^  you  ;  since  received  into  the  church  ;  may    God    help 
cannot  keep  down  your  food,  ^^c  remar^l  so  j  tini  to  hold  out  faithful  unto  the  end.     Funeral 
calm,  and  sweetly,  well,  waT'dR^ot  always  keep  i  services  by  John  Holsinger  and  others. 
*in  down  ,•  her  la^t    connected   worda  i«^re,  my  i     Died  in  Perry  co.  Pa.  August  11,  at  his  grand- 
<:rod,  my  heaven   my    S      She    sur^ved    her  j  father's   Peter   Long,    SAMUEL   EBY,  son    of" 
companion  within  a  few  flays  of  a  year.      Thus   David  and  Anna  Eby,  deceased,  asied  15   vears, 
in  less  than  one  short  year  t^Q  ffei^J  iias    been  ;  9  months  and  11  days.     His  funeral  was  attend- 
bereft  of  a  kind  father    and  a  demoted    mother,  i  ed  by  a  large  concourse  of  people,   and   service« 
}^  7-^i  ?f,  mother  of  thirteen  chUdren,    four  |  by  Abraham  Borah  and  others    from    Matthew 
ot  which  fell  asleep  in  the  arms  of  Jesus  in   their  ■  24  :  42. 

infancy,  and  three  at  the  a:re   of    maturitv.    all;"  T^•   T  »  ^  1  a   ,'^/.n     /•  .   a  x-         r  t 

being  members  of  tbe  true  church  of  God/  and  .,1''^  ^^,°°^^  J^x^vnnV^  ^^mT^v  TA  V^ 
six  are  still  living  who  together  with  a  number  '  ^°'''^''  '°^^^^'  °^  ^^^^^  ^°^  ^^'^^^  BEEÄY, 
of  grand  children,  and 


a  large  circle  of  other 
relatives  and  acquaintances  mourn  the  irre- 
pairable  loss  of  a  christian  mother.  Mav  her 
example  be  followed  as  ftir  as  she  followed 
Christ,  by  all  who  mourn  her  loss,  being  as- 
sured by  the  word  of  the  Lord,  that    their    loss 


aged  4  months  and  2  days.  '♦Suffer  little  chil- 
dren and  forbid  them  not  to  eome  unto  me,  for 
of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven." 

a 

Painter  Creek  church,  Miami  co.,  Ohio. 


.  .  , .„.^ ,      Died  in  Sandy  Creek  church.  Preston  co.  Ta. 

IS  her  eternal  gain;  and  the  promise  is  unto  !  on  the  Sth  of  August  1S60,  EVE  THOMAS,  the 
them,  if  faithful,  to  meet  those  loved  ones  in  i  ""-idow  of  Levi  Thomas,  leaving  six  fatherless 
a  better  land  than  thij.  Thus  I  have  endeav-  j  and  motherless  children.  Her  age  38  years,  (5 
ored  to  write  a  few  lines  in  honor  to  our  chris-  months.  8  days.  Funeral  text.  2d,  Timothy 
tian  mother,  and  my  prayer  is  that  we  may  all  '4:6,  7,  8.  by'P.  J.  Brown  and  Jacob  Beeghly. 
be  so  happy  as  to  meet  around    the    throne    ofj  Jacob  iL  Thoxas. 

God  and  be  the  happy  recipients  of  that  rest  Died  (in  Old  Bern,  now  Penn  township) 
M-hich  the  Savior  of  the  world  has  gone  to  pre-  Berks  co.  Pa.  Mondav  August  C,  our  dear  old 
pare  for  all  tnose  who  keep  his  commandments,  brother  JOHX  RABER.  aged  85  years  and  29 
and  worship  him  according  to  his  word.  days.     The  sister,  bis  wife,    went  home    before 

lours   1-  the  io^e  of  the  Gospel,  |  him  about  10  years  ago.     He  leaves  9  children, 

A.     H.     E.      '  of  whom  G  are  members  in   the  church.    At  his 


320 


OBITUARIES. 


funeral  the  oor grc^gation  wns  cflified  by  breth- 
ren John  Ziit^  and  JoDbthau  llunsecker  from 
Prov.  10  :  28. 

Died  iu  Bethel  townehip.  Lebanon  co.  Pa. 
(Tiiuo  of  (loath  not  ^iven)  and  was  buried  Au- 
gxiM  7,  Si.-tc-r  CHRISTINA  GERHARD,  whose 
muideii  name  was  Lentz,  and  widow  of  Wendel 
Gerhard,  who  died  about  two  years  since.  As 
much  men  can  know  we  sccni  to  be  entitled  to 
the  hojie  that  she  wa.s  a  livinj^  niciuber  in  the 
body  uf  Ciirist.  For  her  more  full  purification 
she  had  to  suffer  (or  about  two  years  v.'ilh  the 
cancer  und  tlie  drDji.^-y,  until  at  last  through  the 
mercilul  love  of  tJod  her  sufferings  wero  brought 
to  Kii  end.  Brother  John  Zug  and  others  ad- 
dre.«Ped  the  birgc  funeral  cor.grcgation  from  tlic 
words  of  PmuI:  "For  to  lue  to  live  is  Christ, 
and  to  die  ii  gain."     Her  &ge  was  68  years. 

Died  suddenly  June  30,  Sister  SARAH 
SPERRT,  relict  of  br.  John  Sperry,  deceased,  a 
member  of  Upper  Dublin  church,  Montgomery 
CO.  I'ii.  u^ed  67  years.  JBr  Jacob  Reiner  officia- 
ted at  ber  funeral. 

Silas  Thomas. 

Died  in  Appanoose  co  Iowa  August  12,  after 
a  protracted  illness  ofaboni  20  months,  which 
she  bore  with  great  patience,  christian  fortitude 
and  resignation,  Sister  ELIZABETH  HARD- 
MAN,  aged  60  years,  5  months  and  2  days. 
She  was  a  faithful  member  for  many  years,  and 
left  behind  a  companion  and  4  children  to 
mourn  tbeii-  loss.  The  funeral  occasion  was 
improved  by  the  brethren  from  John  5. :  24,  25. 

Died  Also  in  the  same  house  August  10,  HEN- 
KY  NEWTON  HARDMAN,  infant  son  of  Da- 
vid and  Elizabeth  Hardman,  and  grandson  of 
Is.  and  Elizabeth  Hardman,  aged  2  months  and 
21  days.     Funeral  t«xt  Luke  18  :  16.  17. 

Departed  this  life  iiear  the  same  place  August 
5,  GEORGE  R.  HOLSINGER,  infant  son  of  br. 
John  and  sister  E.^ther  Holsinger,  aged  19  days. 
Funeral  text:  Matt.  19  :  14,  15. 

Died  iu  Pipe  Creek  church,  Carroll  co  Md- 
January  16,  last,  Brother  JACOB  ROOP  in  the 
75  year  of  his  age.  Had  no  particular  sickness, 
but  rather  fell  asleep  in  Jesus  without  much  ap- 
parent pain. 

"Farewell,  dear  father,  tliou  art  gone, 
And  we  are  left  for  thee  to  mourn, 
But  Ftill  our  loss  is  thy  great  gain. 
For  thou  art  fiee  from  woe  and  pain." 

Jksse  Roop. 

Died  in  Bcavcrdam  church,  Frederic  co.  Md. 
March  20.  after  a  sbort  but  severe  illness  of  but 
«ne  week,  our  brother  and  co-laborer  in  the 
Oo«pel,J01INR  ENGEL  in  the  31st  year  of 
his  atre.  He  wa^^  a  much  beloved  and  accepta- 
ble minister  of  the  word,  and  promised  much 
future  usefulness.  But  our  father  in  heaven, 
who  hnowcth  all  things  best,  took  him  home 
from  his  work  to  his  reward  at  his  right  hand. 
The  last  day  of  his  life  he  called  for  the  elder  of 
tbei  church,  and  wai«  anointed  according  to  the 
command  of  Jesas  as  recorded  by  James,  and 
then  foil  aelecp  in  .Jesus  without  the  least  con- 
cern about  the  disposition  of  his  worldly  goods. 
Funeral  text,  Mark  8  :  34: — 38  inclusive. 

"Farewell  dear  wife   and  children  too, 
I'm  going  home  and  look  for  you; 
Walk  in  the  path  which  I  have  trod. 
It's  Jesus'  way  that  leads  to  God. 


Come  rest  with  mo,  no-  more  to  roam 
In  quest  of  joy,  fur  hoav'ns    our  home^ 
But  bear  your  cross  thatt  you  may    see 
Tho  power  that  gave  u^w  life  to  me." 
By   recjuest  of  hi;  companion.  Jessb  Roor.    • 

Died  in  the  Clover  Creek  ehurch,  Blair  co  Pa. 
July  5.  brother  SAMUEL  CAMERER,  aged 
55  years.  4  months  and  23  days.  He  lingered 
around  about  six  months,  and  although  ho 
would  not  admit  tliat  he  was  i-ick  (being  some- 
what deranged  in  his  mind)  he  must  have  3utrer- 
cd  considerably,  as  his  body  was  reduced  to  al- 
most a  skeleton. 

Died  in  tho  same  church,  August  V',  sister 
ELIZABETH  BRUMBAUGH  wife  of  brother 
Sifmuel  Brumbaugh,  and  daughter  of  brother 
Jacob  and  sister  Catharine  Hoover,  aged  28 
years,  6  months  and  27  days.  She  left  her  hus- 
band with  seven  small  children,  the  youngest 
beijug  only  a  few  hours  old,  by  which  fact  may 
be  inferred  the  nature  of  her  death.  She  was  a» 
kind  wife  and  mother,  and  we  deeply  symi)a- 
thize  with  our,  bereft  brother.  Yet  let  us  not 
mourn,  as  thofe  do  who  have  no  hope,  for  wo 
have  every  reason  to  believe  that  she  has  gone 
to  rest. 

H.    R.     H. 

Died  near  Carlisle,  Cumberland  co.  Pa.  Au- 
gugt  16,  1860,  CATHARINE  JANE  HOL- 
LINGER,  daughter  of  brother  Jacob  and  Mary 
Anne  Hollinger,  and  grand  child  of  elder  Dan- 
iel Hollinger  deed,  aged  11  months  and  11  days. 
Funeral  services  by  brethren  elder  David 
Harst  andMosos  Miller,   from  James  4:  14,  17. 

Died  in  Philadelphia,  August  10,  our  beloved 
br.  in  the  Lord,  eUer  JOHN  RIGHTER,  in 
the  77  year  of  his  age.  He  was  51  years  a 
member  of  the  church,  and  19  years  a  preacher 
of  the  gospel.  He  was  in  delicate  health  for  sev- 
eral years,  and  suffered  much  which  ho  endured 
with  more  than  usual  christian  fortitude.  His  end 
was  like  the  going  down  of  a  balmy  summer 
eveniuÄ's  sun.  He  Avas  sensible  to  the  last,  and 
with  lÄience  waited  for  his  end  when  his  disem- 
bodiijr spirit  sho^|||j|ro  home  to  dwell  with  the 
saints,  who  ha'^'macW  their  robes  white  in  the 
blood  oÄiWjanlb.  F«iei'al  .-service  by  breth- 
ren Joh^T. 'Cmstad  alpJohn  Fox.  Subject — 
"It  is  better  to  go  to  the  house  of  mouruia^;, 
than  to  the  hou^te  ot  feasting." 

We  who  arc  left  to  mourn  his  departure  can 
say  with  truth  :  Another  of  God's  servants  hath 
put  on  the  garment  of  salvation — has  laid  aside 
Earth's  heavy  raiment,  and  arr:iyed  in  white, 
has  gone  to  enjoy  the  house  of  many  mansions. 
We  weep  that  he  has  left  us  alone — in  grief 
we  tread  life's   desert  pathway,  but  when    life 

:  hath  passed,  may  we  go  up   to  him  .  and   claim 

j  his  hand,  to  lead  us    where    the    living    waters 

I  flow. 

Died  in  the  Lower  Shenandoah  church,  Shen- 
andoah CO.  Va.  July  31,  ISÜO,  br.  JONATHAN 
GOCHENOUR,     lie  was  the   oldest     Deacon  in 

!  our  church-  Aged  CO  years.  7  monthj?  and  a, 
few  days.  .Funeral  services  by  elder  James  D. 
Tablerand  John  Brindle. 

Died  near  Middletown  Frederic  co.  Va.  at  the 
residence  of  elder  James  D.  Tabler,  August  1', 
18()0,  MARTIN  BENJAMIN  BOWMAN,  only 
son  of  Jacob  and  sister  Liza  Bowman  of  Rock- 
ingham CO.  Va.  and  grandson  of  ehUr  Jnnies  D 
Tablcr,  aged  10  months  and  6  days.  Funeral 
eervices  by  br.  John  Brindle.. 


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OF  NOVEMHER-NO. 
A  Review  of  a  treatise   on  Trine 
Immersion  -         piige 

The  prcat  business  of  Man's  life 
'J'lie    Voiingor  Son 
The  overthrow  of  .Sodom  &  Gomor- 

rali  >  -  . 

J^cthlchrm  -  -  . 

A  Propljccy  of  tlie  last   times 
The  American  Anlumn 
Queries.    I.  Concerning  the  binding 
Matt.  18  :    18       - 
«'  2.  On  John  5  :   25 

«'  y.  On  I':ph.4.-   1 

4.  On  Matt.  24  :    15 

5.  On  John  10  :    1 
Fauiily  Cirlc. — The  stnd"y  of  cliil- 

drcn's  faces 
«'      Parental  Sympathy 

The  Drought  in  Kansas — an  Appeal 

Proceedings  of  a  mecliiigcVc.     - 

Kotice 

Editors'  Table — Our  Recent  trav- 
els -  -  _ 

Our  New  Prospcctu? 

Alexander  Mack's  IJook 

Obituaries  -  -  - 


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THE  CANCER  CURED. 

DR.    LEBDEUS     B^GELOW 

lite  of  Adamsburg,  Pa.  was  vfry  sur 
cessful  in  treating  cancers.  Before  hi 
death  he  communicated  to  the  under 
signed  his  mode  of  treatment,  and  they 
arc  now  practicing  it  w)th  success. 
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by  the  Pennsylvania  central  R.  Road, 
will  stop  at  Manor  station.  We  will 
convey  them  from  the  station  to  Adams- 
burg,  if  informed  of  the  time  of  tlicir 
arrival.  " 

Address,  F.  BLOCHER  Sf  CO. 
Adamsburo,  Westmoreland  co.  Pa. 


TEI  SOSPa  -  YISITQft, 


A  EEVIEW  OF  ^'A  TREATISE  OX 
TEINE  IMMERSION. 

Continued. 

From  the  commission  elder  Ad- 
amson  proceeds  to  state  a  number 
of  objections  to  trine  immersion. 
We  shall  notice  them  in  the  numer- 
ical order  he  has  presented  them. 

I.  ^^ Trine  immersion  is  never  once 
mentioned  in  the  Bible.  And  yet  its 
advocates  tell  us  that  the  Scriptures 
are  the  only  rule  of  faith  and  prac- 
tice. How  can  the  consistency  of! 
this  profession  be  made  to  harmo-' 
nize  with  setting  up,  as  an  ordi- 
nance of  the  Bible,  and  insisting 
that  no  one  can  be  received  as  a 
member  of  the  church  without  sub- 
mitting to  it  ?  That  the  Bible  no- 
where says  one  word  about  trine 
immersion,  and  makes  no  allusion 
to  it  whatever,  should  be  sufficient 
to  set  aside  the  practice  at  once  and 
for  ever.  Yet  in  the  face  of  this  si- 
lence of  the  Scriptures  on  the  sub- 
ject, it  has  been  declared  and  pub- 
lished to  the  world  that  trine  immer- 

n  is  the  only  valid  baptism." 

AVe  do  not  exactly  sec  the   neces- 
sity of  this   separate   argument  of 
I-  our  author.      He   starts   with   this 
I   declaration:      ^'The     only    passage 
i  of  Scripture  relied  on  by  the  advo- 
■  cates  of  trine  irfimersion   is  found  in 
the  last  commission  of  Christ  to  his 
Apostles:"     'Go  ye  therefore,   and 
.  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in 
the  name  of  the  Father,  kc.     Xow 
if  this  is  the  only  Scripture  we  rely 
on,  and    if  elder  Adamson  thought 
that  he    had    clearly    proved    that 
[321] 


there  is  no  ground  for  trine  immer- 
sion here,  why  should  he  make  a 
separate  argument  bearing  the  bold 
beading  which  his  first  objection 
does  ?  We  presume  he  was  fearful 
that  some  might  still  think  that 
there  are  some  grounds  for  trine 
immersion  either  in  the  commission 
or  somewhere  else  in  the  Bible. 
His  first  objection,  whatever  ap- 
pearance it  makes,  or  whatever 
sound  it  may  have,  is  rn^MJ»  ut>  al- 
together of  bare  assertioA 

We  have  seen  by  a  careful  exam- 
ination of  the  language  of  the  com- 
mission that  it  requires  a  trine  im- 
mersion. This  is  proved,  First, 
from  the  consideration  that  it  re- 
quires the  believer  to  be  baptized 
into  three  distinct  names.  And  we 
found  by  comparing  the  structure 
of  the  language  of  the  commission 
with  other  analogous  sentences, 
that  it  requires  three  actions,  or 
three  immersions  to  put  the  believ- 
er into  the  three  names.  Secondly; 
we  have  proved  it  from  the  ac- 
knowledged design  of  the  formula 
for  administering  ba])tism.  This 
design  is  to  show  a  distinction  be- 
tween the  divine  characters  or  per- 
sons mentioned,  and  this  the  trine 
immersion  most  clearly  does.  Third- 
ly J  we  state  it  as  a  fact,  and  one 
the  truth  of  which  raay  be  proved, 
and  the  proof  of  which  we  hope  to 
present  at  a  proper  time,  that  there 
are  few  if  any  doctrines  in  the 
Christian  system  upon  which  a 
greater  unanimity  of  sentiment  ob- 
tained among  the  various  denomi. 
nations  of  Christians,  for  the  first 
G.     V.     Vol.  X.  21 


322        HEVTEW  OF  A  TREATISE  ON  TRINE  IMMERSION. 


fifteen  lumdred  years  of  the  Christ- 
ian era  than  this,  namely,  the  ne- 
cessity of  a  three-fold  action  in  the 
administration  of  Christian  bap- 
tism. Instead  of  giving  the  proof 
at  length  hero,  wo  shall  give  it  in  a 
very  condensed  form  from  Henry's 
Christian  Antiquities,  P.  129. 

"The  practice  of  the  early  church 
"was  to  immerse  the  body  under  wa- 
ter three  several  times.  Tertullian 
speaks  of  it  as  the  general  custom 
in  his  time;  so  Basil,  Jerome,  and 
others,  some  of  whom  say  it  was 
done  at  the  distinct  mention  of  each 
person  of  the  blessed  Trinity.  Two 
reasons  were  given  for  this  practice, 
the  one  that  it  represented  their 
profession  of  faith  in  the  Holy  Trin- 
ity, the  other  that  it  referred  to 
the  three  days  of  Christ's  burial. 
Augustine  joins  both  these  reasons 
together. 

'^This  practice  was  derived  by 
some  from  apostolic  tradition;  b}' 
others  from  its  institution  by  our 
Savior;  by  others  it  was  thought 
to  be  an  indifferent  circumstance. 
Tertullian,  Basil,  and  Jerome  reck- 
on it  to  have  been  handed  down 
from  apostolical  tradition.  Chrysos- 
tom  seems  to  think  it  prescribed  in 
the  Savior's  words  of  institution. 
The  apostolical  Canons  order  every 
minister  to  be  deposed  who  should 
baptize  otherwise.  Innovations 
were  however  after  a  time  made  in 
this  respect,  and  controversies 
growing  out  of  theological  views 
arose  concerning  the  practice, 
which  at  length  led  the  council  of 
Toledo  to  make  rules  to  dispense 
with  it;  yet  Strabo  considenn  it  to 
have  been  the  prevalent  jpracticc  of 
'  the  Church  till  the  seventh  century ; 
and  Voesius  speaks  of  trine  immer- 


sion, or  what  corresponds  to  it — 
the  trino  aspersion,  being  the  gen- 
eral practice  of  the  modern  church." 
The  italicizing  is  our  own.  Wo 
have  given  this  testimony  here  to 
show  that  elder  Adamson  in  taking 
the  position  he  has  in  his  first  ob- 
jection, that  trine  immersion  is  not 
in  the  Bible,  he  has  the  prevailing 
sentiment  of  the  Christian  world 
for  the  first  fifteen  hundred  yeara 
after  Christ  against  bim. 

And  as  his  declarations  were   not 

supported  by  evidence,  this  prevail- 

Christian    world 


ing  belief  of  the 
for  so  long  a  time,  must  have  a 
weight  and  authority  which  they 
have  not.  The  Savior  gave  a  com- 
mandment, which  required  in  con- 
nection with  certain  moral  qualifi- 
cations, physical  actions.  And  the 
above  testimony  is  the  decision 
of  the  Christian  wOrld  during  the 
time  alluded  to,  relative  to  the 
number  of  actions  which  that  com- 
mandment required.  It  is  hardly 
likely  that  it  would  have  so  gener- 
ally, and  fior  so  many  ages,  fallen 
into  so  great  an  error  in  understand- 
ing language  that  was  designed  to 
convey  an  idea  of  physical  actions. 

It  must  not  be  thought  that  this 
prevailing  sentiment  in  favor  oi 
trine  immersion  was  founded  alone 
on  tradition.  This  was  by  no 
means  the  case.  We  have  seen  in 
the  above  quotation,  that  Chrysos- 
tom  one  of  the  most  prominent  of 
the  Greek  fathers  believed  that  it 
was  contained  in  the  Savior's  worda 
of  the  commission.  The  following 
remarks  of  a  translator  of  tho 
Apostolical  Canons,  an  Episcopa- 
lian minister,  when  remarking  upon 
the  fort}'  second  Canon,   which   en- 


REYIEW  OF  A  TEEATISE  OK  TEIKE  IMMEESIOl^. 


823 


joins  a  trine  immersion,  show  that 
it  was  believed  that  the  language 
which  contains  the  commission 
positively  requires  a  three  fold  ac- 
tion in  the  administration  of  bap- 
tism. ''The  original  form  of  bap- 
tism is  a  most  unanswerable  argu- 
ment against  all  antitrinitarians,  no 
wonder  therefore  if  they  opposed  a 
practice,  and  a  form  of  baptism  so 
contradictory  to  their  own  notions  : 
and  on  the  other  side  all  who  hear- 
tily believe  a  Divine  Trinity  ought 
earnestly  to  contend  for  retaining  of 
that  form,  which  Christ  himself 
instituted,  and  that  mode  of  per- 
forming it,  which  is  most  agreea- 
ble to  that  faith,  I  mean  the  trine 
immersion,  or  affusion/'  Clergy- 
man's Vade-mecum,  Vol.  II.  p.  25, 
London  Edition  of  1709.  We  have 
given  these  quotations  to  show  how 
generally  trine  immersion  has  been 
believed,  and  believed  too  to  be 
taught  in  Christ's  commission  to 
baptize.  The  reader  must  not  sup- 
pose that  trine  immersion  was  only 
l^racticed  by  the  Trinitarians,  for 
this  is  not  the  case.  It  was  also 
practiced  by  the  Arians.  "But 
though  this  custom  (trine  immer- 
sion) was,  in  a  manner,  universal, 
yet  in  some  places  (in  after-times 
especially)  it  Avas  otherwise ;  par- 
ticularly in  Spain,  where  they  used 
it  but  once,  lest  they  should  gratify 
the  Arians  who  made  use  of  the 
trine  immersion  to  denote  the  per- 
sons in  the  Trinity  to  be  three  dis- 
tinct substances,  and  gloried  that 
the  Catholics  did  and  held  the  same 
with  them."  Cave's  Frimitive 
Christianity  J  P.  167. 

His  second  arp-ument  asiainst 
trine  immersion  he  states  in  the 
following  words :  "The  figures  used 


in  the  scriptures  in  reference  to 
baptism  arc  inconsistent  with  trine 
immersion.''  Under  this  head  he 
gives  us  four  figures,  which  he 
thinks  are  inconsistent  with  trin« 
immersion. 

"1.  Born  of  water.  John  3  :  5. 
The  Savior  said  to  ISTicodemus,  'Ex- 
cept a  man  be  born  of  water  and  of 
the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  God.'  In  this  passage, 
to  'be  born  of  water'  is  understood 
by  trine  immersionists,  as  well  as 
other  immersionists,  to  refer  to  bap- 
tism.. But  in  natural  birth,  the 
figure  here  employed,  a  person  is 
born  only  once;  hence  this  single 
act  can  not  properly  represent  trine 
immersion  which   is  three  actions." 

"2.  Buried  with  him  by  hajptism. 
Eom.  6  :  4,  'Therefore  we  are  buried 
with  him  by  baptism  into  death.' 
In  this  passage,  burial  is  the  figure 
used.  jSTow  in  burying  a  person 
literally,  he  is  buried  only  once. 
But  to  make  a  burial  a  figure  of 
baptism,  if  baptism  is  trine  immer- 
sion, we  ought  to  bury  a  person 
three  times.'  .  .  .  The  burial  of  our 
Savior  can  not  possibly  represent 
trine  immersion." 

"3.  Risen  with  him.  Col.  2  :  12. 
'Buried  with  him  in  baptism,  where- 
in also  ye  are  risen  with  him  through 
the  faith  of  the  operation  of  God, 
who  hath  raised  him  from  the  dead/ 
This  passage  shows  that  the  breth- 
ren at  Colosse  were  risen  with 
Christ  in  baptism,  and  that  the  ref- 
erence is  to  his  resurrection  from 
the  dead.  Then,  as  Christ  in  rising 
from  the  dead  rose  only  once,  we  in 
rising  with  him  in  baptism  should 
rise  only  once ;  but  in  trine  immer- 
sion the  person   rises   three   times ; 


S24  EEVIEW  OF  A  TREATISE  ON  TRINE  IMMERSION, 


hence  there  is,  in  trine  immersion, 
no  analogy  to  the  resurrec-iion  of 
Ciirist."  ' 


-^'4.  Tlie  ark.  1 
'The  like  figure  [or  antitype — 
Greek,  antituponl  -wlicreiinto  even 
baptism  doth  also  now  save  us.' 
In  this  passage,  trine  imracrsionists 
regard  the  ark  as  the  figure  of 
which  baptism  is  the  antitype,  and 
they  regard  the  entrance  into  the 
ark  as  representing  the  action  ot 
baptism.  But  as  the  entrance  into 
the  ark  was  a  single  act,  it    cannot 

be  typical  of  trine  immersion 

So  then,  whatever  may  be  the  j)oint 
of  analogy  in  this  figure,  it  certainly 
can  not  be  typical  of  trine  immer- 
sion. 

^'We  see  that  all  these  figures  are 
dearly  against  trine  immersion." 


Thus  reasons  elder  Adanison  from 
figurative  allusions  to  baptism, 
against  trine  immersion.  As  a 
knowledge  of  the  rules  laid  dowm 
by  reputable  authorities  for  under- ! 
standing  the  figures  and  types  of 
Scripture,  will  show  the  ntter  fal- 
lacy of  his  arguments,  we  shall 
present  some  of  these  rules. 

"We  should  guard  against  ma- 
king the  antit3-pe  to  answer  to  the 
type  in  every  circumstance,  when 
only  a  general  resemblance  is  in- 
tended. 

*'It  is  likewise  proper  to  show, 
that  the  perfections  of  the  ty])c  are 
found  in  the  antit^-pc  in  a  superior 
degree  ;  but  that  (ho 


can  be  found  in   the   type."      Fry's 
Scripture  Types,  Vol.  I.  pp.  24,  25. 

The  following  rule  on  the  figura- 
Petor  3:  21, 1  tive  languagö  of  Scripture,  with  the 
illustration  is  from  Ilorne. 

Infixing  the  sense  exhibited  hy  a 
metaphor,  the  comparison  ought  never 
to  be  extended  too  far,  or  into  any 
tiling  which  cannot  he  properly  ap- 
plied to  the  person  or  thing  represent- 
ed. What  wild,  and  indeed  what 
wicked,  abuse,  would  be  made  of 
the  Scripture  expression  concerning 
our  Lord  that  he  loill  come  as  a 
thief  in  the  night,  (Rev.  IG  :  15.)  if 
we  were  not  to  confine  the  sense  to 
the  suddenness  and  surprisal  of  tho 
thief,  but  should  extend  it  to  the 
temper  and  designs  of  the  villain 
Avho  breaks  open  houses  in  tho 
night  V  Home's  Introduction  to  the 
Critical  Study  and  Knoxdedge  of  the 
Holy  Scriptures.     Vol.  1.  p.  358. 

^^As  there  must  be  a  similarity 
or  analogy  between  the  type  and 
thea,ntit3'pe,  so  there  is  also  a  dis- 
parity or  dissimilitude  between 
them. 

It  is  not  in  the  nature  of  type  and 
antitype  that  they  should  agree  Li 
all  things;  else,  instead  of  simili- 
tude, there  would  be  identity."  Kit- 
to's  Cyclopaedia  of  Biblical  Literature, 
Art.   Type. 

According  to  the  rules  laid  down 
by  these  writers,  a  disparity  is  al- 
lowed between  the  Types  and  Anti- 
types. And  that  a  disparity  existfi 
between  the  Types   and    the    Anti- 

vident 
I  Ironi  a  reference  to  them. 

1.  Adam  was  a  figure  of  Christ. 
Rom. '5  :  14.      But    as    our     object 


imperfections  ^yP^''^  <^^  ^^'^  ^"^^'^"^P^"^'^'^'   ^"   ""' 


uro  not  found.  Frequently  there 
is  more  in  the  antitype  than  in  the 
type.  Ae  no  singlo  type  can  ex- 
press the  life  and  particuhir  actions  does  not  require  us  to  notice  the 
of  our  blessed  Lord,  there  is,  neces- 1  parallel  between  tho  type  and  the 
.sarily,  more    in  the   antitype    than  jantitypo,    but     the    disparity,    the 


EEYIEW  OF  A  TEEATISE  ON  TEINE  IMMEUSIOIS'.        325 


latter  is  all  that  we  shall  notice.  Ad  |  about  thirty  four  years  old  when  he 
am  was  disobedient,  and  by  his ''diso-!  was  sacrificed,  and  his  body  was 
bedience  many  were  made  sinners."  I  neither  roasted  nor  eaten.  And 
Rom.  5  :  19.  Christ  was  -'obedi-j  what  a  great  disparity  was  thei*o 
cnt  unto  death,  even  the  death  of ;  between  a  Iamb  and  Christ  whoso 
tlie    cross,  Phil.  2  :  8,    and    by    his  |  body  was  a  perfect  specimen  of  the 

human  form,  and  who  was  the  per», 
feet  Son  of  God!  And  notwitb- 
standing  the  great  disparity  which 
we  find  between  the  two,  the  pafr- 
chal  lamb  was  a  very  prominent 
type  of  Christ.  Many  more  exam« 
pies  might  be  adduced  from  the 
Scriptures  proving  the  correctnee* 
of  the  rules  wo  have  quoted  above, 
as  applicable  to  the  explaining  of 
types,  bu-t  more  are  quite  unneces- 
sary. Then  it  is  a  well  established 
point,  that  great  disparity  is  allow- 
able between  types  and  their  anti- 
types. 

Xow  according  to  elder  Adamson, 
who  can  see  no  analogy  between 
trine  immersion  and  a  burial,  those 
persons  and  things,  namely,  Adam, 
Moses,  the  paschal  lamb,  &c.  could 
not  have  been  types  of  Christ. 
But  we  have  seen  that  the  Scrip- 
tures make  them  types.  He  seem^ 
to  confound  analogy  with  identity  j 
and  seems  to  think  there  must  be 
no  more,  nor  no  less  in  the  antitype 
than  there  is  in  the  type.  But  this 
view  is  neither  in  acoordaiice  witlj 
the  acknowledged  rules  for  inter» 
preting  types,  nor  with  the  exam- 
ples of  Scripture.  And  wh«n  the 
analogy  between-  trino  immersioii 
and  a  burial,  and  a  resurrection, 
and  a.  birth,  is  viewed  froia  a  Scrip- 
tural  s^nd-point,,  or  in  tke  light  ol 
sound  rules  of  Scriptural  exegesis, 
there  will  quite  as  mucii  analogy 
bo  found  to  exist  between  them, 
as  exists  between  Adam  and  Christ^ 
Moses  and  Christ,  itnd  j.he  paschf^l 
lamb  and  C Wet. 


obedience  "shall  many  be  made 
righteous."  Eom.  5  :  19.  We  thus 
see  that  there  was  a  great  disparity 
between  Adam  and  Christ,  and  yet 
the  former  was  a  figure  or  type  of 
the  latter. 

2.     3Ioses  was  a    type    of   Christ. 
"For  Moses  truly  said  unto  the  fath- 
ers, A  prophet  shall  the   Lord   your 
God  raise  up  unto  you  of  your  breth- 
ren, like  unto  me :  him  shall  ye  hear 
in  all    things    whatsoever  he    shall 
say  unto  you."      Acts  3  :  22,     Yet 
Moses  was  unfaithful.,  and  the  Lord 
said  concerning  hini,  "he   shall  not 
enter  into  the   Pand   which  I    have 
given  unto   the  children  of  Israel, 
because    ye     rebelled    against    my 
word  at  the   water   of   Meribath." 
Numb.  20 :  24.     We  see  here  that 
Moses  rebelled    against   the   Lord, 
and    waß   denied    admittance    into 
the  land  of  Canaan ;  that  he  died  a 
natural  death  at  the  age  of  one  hun- 
dred   and    twenty    years.     Christ 
neither  rebelled  nor  murmured,  but 
drank  the  cup  of  suifering,  and  in- 
stead of  dying  a  natural   death   at 
an  advanced  age,   died  the  violent 
death  of  crucifixion.     Still,  with  all 
the  disparity    between    these  two 
characters,    Moses    was  a   typo    of 
Christ, 

8.  The  paschal  Imnh  was  a  type 
of  Christ.  <Tor  even  Christ  our 
passover  is  sacrificed  ibr  us.''  1  Cor. 
&  :  7.  The  pasohal  lamb  was  to  be 
about  a  year  old,  to  be  roasted  and 
eaten;  and  what  was  not  eaten 
was  to  be  biu^ned.       Christ  was 


326        KEYIEW  OF  A  TEEATISE  ON  TEINE  IMMEESiON. 


Although  as  we  have  seen,  a  dis- 
parity existed  between  the  types 
lillttded  to  and  Christ  the  antitype, 
yet  there  is  hkewiso  a  striking 
analogy  to  bo  discovered  between 
them.  So  we  perceive  a  veiy  stri- 
king analogy  between  baptism 
-when  administered  by  a  trine  im- 
mersion and  the  burial  of  Christ. 
He  was  put  into  the  grave  and  cov- 
ered over.  We  put  our  candidates 
into  the  water  and  they  are  cov- 
ered over.'  Ilence  the  analogy  is 
very  plain,  however  often  the  act 
of  dipping  may  have  been  perform- 
ed. And  as  baptism  is  recognized 
in  the  Scriptures  as  the  ordinance 
by  which  we  publicly  confess  or 
put  on  (^'hrist,  or  become  connected 
or  associated  with  him  as  our  head, 
thus  becoming  ^'members  of  his 
body,  of  his  fiesh,  and  of  his  bones," 
flo  tliat  in  rising  from  the  water 
after  we  have  been,  baptized,  if  we 
have  had  the  prerequisites  for  the 
ordinance,  we  rise  with  him,  bow- 
ever  often  we  may  have  been  dip- 
ped. And,  therefore  we  are  buried 
and  raised  with  him  in  our  baptism. 

In  the  same  manner  we  may  re- 
mark concerning  being  "bom  of  the 
ivater."  When  the  candidates  for 
the  ordinance  of  baptism  possess 
the  qualifications  necessary,  and  are 
baptized  in  water,  and  in  connec- 
tion with  thifl,  arc  bom  of  the  Spir- 
it, they  now  commence  to  live  a 
now  life — a  hfe  of  holiness.  Pre- 
vious to  their  birth  the  young  are 
conöealed,  and  in  being  born,  they 
are  brought  forth  from  coneeal- 
ancnt  into  a  state  in  which  they 
<»n  bo  seen.  And  as  the  believer 
puts  on  Christ  in  baptism,  Gal,  3  : 
27,.  he  then  puts  his  christian  light 
on  a   candlestick,   and   from   that 


I  time  stands  before  the  world  as  a 
new  man,  or  rather  as  a  new 
born  babe  in  Christ.  And,  as 
the  ordinance  of  baptism,  opera- 
ting in  connection  with  the  other 
gospel  means  through  which  men 
become  regenerated,  has  its  influ- 
ence in  giving  them  thöir  new  char- 
acter and  their  new  nature,  they 
are  said  to  be  born  of  the  wai- 
ter. The  analogy  consists  in  the 
general  idea  of  coming  forth  out  of 
the  water  of  baptism  to  begin  lifo 
anew,  and  not  in  any  particular 
number  of  actions  performed  in  the 
water.  The  analogy  then  between 
baptism  when  administered  by  trine 
immersion  and  a  birth,  when  such  a 
baptism  is  followed  by  a  new  life, 
is  sufficiently  plain  to  justify  a  ref- 
erence to  baptism  as  a  birth.  The 
analogy  between  the  figure — a  birth 
— and  the  thing  prefigured — trine 
immersion — is  quite  as  perceptible 
as  many  of  the  figures  contained 
in  the  Scriptures  and  the  things 
prefigured,  as  we  have  already  seen. 
And  what  is  the  point  of  analogy 
between  the  ark  in  which  "eight 
souls  wei-e  saved  hy  water,''  and 
baptism  ?  Elder  Adamson  says^ 
"But  as  the  entrance  into  the  ark 
was  a  single  act,  it  cannot  be  typi- 
cal of  trine  immersion."  TThenever 
this  passage  trom  the  apostle  Peter, 
is  forced  into  the  baptismal  contro- 
versy to  prove  single  or  trine  im- 
mersion, or  sprinkling,  we  believe 
it  to  be  wrested  from  its  original 
design,  for  it  was  never  designed  to 
prove  the  maijner  in  which  baptism 
is  to  be  performed.  The  analogy 
wuU  be  seen  by  looking  at  the  effects 
of  the  ark  and  of  baptism.  Tho 
ark,  or  the  water  which  floated 
the  ark,  saved  eight  souls,  for  Pe- 
ter declares  they  *^werc  saved   by 


REYIEW  OF  A  TEEATISB  OX  TEINE  I^DIEESIOjST. 


327 


water."  And  baptism  with  its  con- 
nections, namely,  faith  as  its  ante- 
cedent, and  holiness   as   its   subse- 


mersion  inconsistent  Tvith  the  thingg 
to  which  baptism  is  compared, 
when    those    figures    are    properly 


quent,  which  are  to  be  understood  j  understood,  and  the  points  of  anal 


as  connected  with  it  when  salvation 
IS  attributed  to  it,   saves   believers. 


ogy    between    them    and    bai^tism 
perceived,     yet     thinking    it    may 


Here  then  we  find  a  striking  analo-|help  to  remove  the  prejudice  which 
gy,  and  this  is  sufficient  without  i  seems  to  exist  in  some  minds 
seeking  an  analogy  in  every  partic-  ]  against  trine  immersion  when  vie w- 


ular.  For  we  have  seen  in  our  re-  ed  in 
marks  upon  types,  that  we  must 
not  seek  for  a  perfect  resemblance 
between  the  type  and  the  antitype. 
Trine  immersion  then  has  nothing 
in  it  incongruous  or  unsuitable  to  | 
Peter's  figure   of  baptism — the  ark.  j 

And  was  the  entrance  into  the  | 
ark  a  single  act  as  Elder  Adamson ; 
affirms  ?  Kot  at  all.  How  did  all  i 
the  animals  get  into  the  ark  ?  The  ] 
language  of  God  to  Koah  shows] 
how  they  got  into  it.  ^'And  of  ev- ; 
ery  living  thing  of  all  flesh,  tv\0j 
of  every  sort  shalt  thou  bring  into  i 
the  ark."      Gen.  6  :  19 


the  light 


of  a  birth, 


burial, 
resurrection,  &c.,  we  shall  at  this 
stage  of  our  remarks,  give  the  man- 
ner in  which  trine  immersion  is 
performed  by  those  who  practice 
it.  The  administrator  and  the  can- 
didate go  into  the  water  to  a  suffi- 
cient depth  that  the  latter  when 
he  kneels  may  have  the  water  to 
come  up  some  little  distance  over 
the    chest.       The     candidate    th 


n 
kneels  down  in  the  water,  and  the 
administrator  bends  him  forward 
till  that  part  of  the  body  which  re- 
mained out  of  the  water  after  he 
And  how!^^^  ^^^^^^^^' ^"^  immersed;  he   does 


did  he  get  the    food    into    the   ark 
"whieh  was  necessary   for  the   sub- 
eistence  of  all  that  were  in  it  ?      He 
took   it  in  according  to    the  com- 
mandment ;    "And  take  thou  unto 
thee  of  all  food  that  is   eaten,   and 
thou  shalt  gather  it  to  thee."     Gen. 
6  :  21.      And  did  Noah    take     all 
the   animals    and    food     which   he 
-was  commanded  to   take   into    the  j 
ark,  by  "a  single  act  ?"     It  is   very  j 
plain   that  he   did  not.     He  mustj 
have  gone  into  the   ark  repeatedly. 


this  three  times,  the  first  immer- 
sion being  performed  in  the  name 
of  the  Father,  the  second,  in  the 
name  of  the  Son,  and  the  third,  in 
the  name  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  The 
administrator  then  lays  his  hands 
on  the  candidate  and  prays,  after 
which  the  latter  rises  up,  and  com  eg 
out  of  the  water.  And  as  the  can- 
didate is  not  taken  out  of  the  water 
in  the  intervals  between  the  im- 
mersions, he  goes  into  the  water 
but  once,  and  comes  out  but  once; 
and  while  there   are   three   partial 


What  then  becomes  of   Elder  A's 

single  act?      Then   instead  of  this  I  i^^^^^^^^s  performed  in    adminis. 

figure  of  the  ark  being  inconsistent 
with  trine  immersion,  it  really  con- 


firms it,  and  goes  against  the  single 
action. 

Although  as  we  have  seen,  there 
is  nothing  whatever  in  trine  im- 


tering  the  ordinance  to  him,  there - 
is  but  one  entire  immersion.  So  in 
reality,  he  is  buried  but  once,  he 
rises  but  once,  and  he  comes  forth 
but  once.  We  then  have  three 
immersions  in  one,  constituting 
Christian  baptism.      Baptism  per- 


828 


REVIEW  OF  A  TREATISE  ON  TRINE  IMMERSION. 


formed  in  this  manner,  is  a  most 
striking  representation  of  hoth  the 
unity  and  distinction  recognized 
in  the  Bivine  Characters  into  whose 
names  we  are  baptized. 

Ehler  Adamson  lias  tried  hard 
to  make  it  appear  that  ^^the  figures 
used  in  the  Scriptures  in  reference 
to  ba2)tism  are  inconsistent  with 
trine  immersion."  We,  however, 
have  shown  that  tliis  is  not  the 
case.  But  how  does  his  own  prac- 
tice harmonize  with  his  theory  of 
cxphiining figures?  He  would  have 
us  to  believe  that  there  must  be  a 
perfect  resemblance  between  the 
types  and  their  antitypes.  In  ref- 
erence to  the  ark  ho  remarks,  "they 
entered  into  the  ark  but  once  ;  and 
remaining  there,  they  Avero  in  the 
ark  but  once,  and  the  ark  was  im- 
onerscd  in  the  flood  but  once.  So 
then,  whatever  may  be  the  point  of 
analogy  iu  this  figure,  it  certainly 
cannot  be  typical  of  trine  immer- 
sion." And  was  it  typical  of  im- 
mersion as  he  himself  practices 
it  ?  Does  he  believe  that  Noah  and 
those  who  went  with  him  into  the 
ark  went  into  it  backwards?  Can 
any  person  believe  they  did  ?  Now 
if  they  Avent  into  the  ark  forwards 
and  Elder  A.  administer  immersion 
'by  putting  the  candidate  into  the 
water  in  a  supine  position  or  back- 
ward, then  there  is  a  disparity  be- 
tween the  type  and  the  antitype  3 
but  as  ho  will  not  allow  ot  any  dis- 
parity between  them,  the  ark  can- 
not be  typical  of  his  mode  of  im- 
mersion. He  likewise  refers  to  the 
baptism  of  the  Israelites  iu  the 
cloud  and  iu  the  sea,  as  being 
against  ti-ine  immersion,  and  says, 
'U^^roni  which  it  a])pcnrs  that  to  be 
baptized  accordiog  to   this  passage, 


is  to  be  immersed  only  once,  not 
three  times."  This  is  evidently  a 
figurative  use  of  baptism.  And 
how  will  it  agree  with  his  mode  of 
immersion  when  explained  by  hia 
theory  of  types?  Did  the  children 
of  Israel  go  in  the  sea  backward, 
and  were  they  baptized  unto  Moses 
in  the  sea  and  in  the  cloud  back- 
ward or  in  a  supine  position  ?  From 
the  history  of  the  interesting  oc- 
currence it  appears  not.  ''And  the 
Lord  said  unto  Moses,  wherefore 
criest  thou  unto  me  ?  speak  unto 
the  children  of  Israel,  that  they  go 
forward."     Ex.  14  :  15. 

How  does  elder  Adamson's  prac- 
tice look  in  the  light  of  his  own. 
theory  for  explaining  figures  ?  The 
one  conflicts  with  the  other.  If 
his  theory  .is  right,  his  practice  is 
wrong,  and  he  should  forever  aban- 
don it.  If  his  practice  is  right, 
his  theory  of  figures  is  wrong,  and 
all  he  has  said  upon  it  against  trine 
immersion  is  powerless. 

III.  -'The  meaning  of  the  word 
bajjtize,  ichen  used  loitJiout  reference 
to  baptisni  as  an  ordinance,  is  op- 
posed  to  trine  immersion,  as  will  bo 
seen  by  the  following  examples. 

1.  ''  'Baptized  unto  Moses  in  the 
cloud  and  in  the  sea  •/  1  Cor.  10  :  2. 
In  this  transaction  the  Israelites 
were  evidently  immersed  only  once, 
and  yet  they  are  said  to  have  been 

i  baptized ;  from  which  it  appears 
that  to  be  baptized,  according  to 
this  passage,  is  to  be  immersed  on- 
ly once,  not  three  times. 

2.  <'The  Savior  says,  *I  have  a 
baptism  to  bo  baptized  with,  and 
how  am  I  straitened  till  it  be  ac^ 
complished;'  liuke  12  :  50.  This 
in  generally  understood  to  refer  to 


ßEYIE^Y  OF  A  TEEATISE  OX  TEINE  IM:yrEESIOX 


829 


lis  beinir  overwhelmed  in  suffering.  |  were  not  necessary.  But  in  Christian 
Tf  this  be  the  correct  application,  as  it  baptism,  the  baptized  are  to  be  put 
is  certain  that  the  suffering  of  the  into  three  names,  Eather,  Son,  and 
Savior  was  one  continued  scene,  it!  Holy  Ghost,  representing  three 
can  not  possibly  convey  the  idea '  charactei^,  and  therefore  three  ac- 
of  three  immersions  as  the  meaning:  tions  or  three  immersions  are  ne- 
of  the  word.     But  if  (as  some  think)  !  cessary. 

4ie  refers  to  his  burial,  the  conclu-  Baptism  when  applied  to  the  suf- 
sion  as  to  the  meaning  of  the  word  jferings  of  Christ  evidently  is  usecJ 
must  be  that  it  denotes  only  one  | in  a  metaphorical  sense,  but  con- 
immersion. 


3.  '^Baptized  with  the  Holy 
Ghost.  This  language  is  used  by 
John    the    Baptist,     Matt.    3  :  11, 


veying  the  idea  of  plunging  or  over- 
whelming. ''I  have  indeed  a  most 
dreadful  baptism  to  be  baptized 
with;  and  know  that  I  shall  be 
shortly  bathed,  as  it  were   in   blood, 


Mark  1  :  8,  Luke  3  :  16,  and  John|.^^j^,,^„^^^  .^  ^^^  ^^^^  overwhelm- 


i  :  33 ;  by  the  Savior,  Acts  1  :  o ; 
and  by  Peter,  Act«  11  :  16.  The 
only  instances  in  which  the   Scrip- 


ing  distress."  Doddridge's  Para- 
phrase on  Luke  12  :  50.  ZS'ow  as- 
trine   immersion    is   a  plunging    or 


tures  record  the  fact  of  any  pei-sonj^^^^,^j^^j^.^^^  .^  corresi^onds  well 
being  baptized  with  the  Holy  Spir- j  ^-^j^  ^j^^  ^^^^  ^^^^.^^  ^^  ^^^^  ^^ 
it,    are    found    in    the    second  and  |  ^^^^^^^^^  ^j^^  g^^^.^^,^  g^^^.^^-^^g^      j-j. 

tenth  chapters  of  Acts.  From  ^^^'.^ev  Xdammn  vemavks^^'a^^  it  is  cer- 
examination  of  these  passages,  it  isj^.^^^  ^^^^  ^1^^  ^^^^^^,.^^„3  ^^  ^^.^  S^^_ 
evident  that  the  persons  baptized  ior  was  one  continued  scene,  it  can- 
with  the  Holy  Spirit,  on  those  oc-  ^^^  possibly  convev  the  idea  of 
Gasions,  were  immersed  in  the  Spir-  three  immersions  as  the  meaning  of 
it  only  once  not  three  times/^  kc.  ^^^  ^^^^„  ^y^  ^^^^  ^^^^  ^^^^  -^ 
pp.  10,  i..  ^^Q  ^^^   ^^  which  trine  immersion- 

We  might  simply  remark  upon  ists  perform  baptism,  there  is  a  pe- 
this  objection  to  trine  immersion,  |culiar  connection  in  the  actions,  as 
that  the  word  baptize  is  used  in  all! the  candidate  remains  in  the  water 
the  instances  referred  to   under  the  |  while  the   several   actions  are   per- 


objection,  not  in  a  literal,  but  in  a 
metaphorical  or  figurative  sense, 
gnd  consequently  what  we  have 
said  upon  the  subject  of  figures  or 
types,  meets  this  objection.  The 
baptism  in  the  cloud  and  in  the 
sea,  put  the  Israelstes,  in  a  figura- 
tive sense  into  Moses,  that  is, 
brought  them  to  acknowledge  their 
obligations  to  Moses  as  one  sent 
by  God.  And  as  there  was  but  one. 
^'haracter,  namely,  Moses,  into  which  ] 


formed,  and  consequently  baptism, 
performed  in  this  way  is  "one  con- 
tinued scene,''  as  Elder  A.  says  the 
sufferings  c^^.the  Savior  were.  But 
the  blessed  Savior  when  receiving 
his  baptism  of  suffering  bowed  and 
fell  on  his  face  three  times.  So  iB 
receiving  baptism  in  the  water  as 
administered  by  trine  immersion- 
ists,  the  candidate  bows  and  falls  oa 
his  face  three  times.  What  a  beau- 
tiful and  .striking  coincidence  be- 
tween baptism  as   administered   br 


iho  Israelites  were  to  be  baptized,  i  trine  immersionists  and  the  Savior's 
t-hrce  immersions  or  three  actions |  baptism  of  suffering! 


380 


THE  GREAT  BUSINESS  OF  MAN'S  LIFE. 


Baptize  in  its  ordinary  accepta- 
tion expresij^es  a  physical  action. 
And  when  used  to  express  the  rela- 
tion that  believers  wore  brought  into 
to  the  llol}^  Spirit,  it  is  used  in  a 
metaphorical  sense.  That  which  is 
baptized  in  a  liquid  is  completely 
subjected  to  its  influence  and  im- 
bued with  its  virtues;  so  to  be  bap- 
tized in  the  Spirit,  represents  the 
soul,  body,  and  spirit,  subject  to 
its  influence.  The  disciples  were 
baptized  into  the  Holy  Spirit,  be- 
cause they  partook  of  the  abundance 
of  his  gifts.  The  point  of  resem- 
blance then  between  baptism  when 
performed  by  trine  immersion  in 
water,  and  the  baptism  in  the  Ho- 
ly Spirit  is  sufficiently  obvious. 
But  again:  To  be  baptized  into  the 
Holy  Spirit,  is  to  be  baptized  into 
but  one  character,  and  one  action 
may  suffice.  But  the  formula  giv- 
en by  Christ  for  administering 
Christian  baptism,  requires  believ- 
ers to  be  baptized  into  the  name  of 
the  Father,  and  into  the  name  of 
the  Son,  and  into  the  name  of  the 
Holy  Ghost — into  three  distinct 
Barnes  or  characters,  and  hence 
three  distinct  actions  are  required. 
To  be  continued. 


For  the  Visitor. 

THE  GREAT  BUSINESS  OF  MAN'S 
LIFE. 

What  is  really  the  gi'eat  end  of 
our  being,  or  what  is  to  be  the 
chief  concern  of  onr  life  ?  Is  it  to 
amass  fortunes,  to  add  acre  to  acre, 
or  farm  to  farm  ?  Is  it  to  multiply 
dollars  and  cents,  to  add  thousand 
to  thousand,  or  million  to  million  ? 
Is  it  to  acquire  earthly  renown  and 
lionor,  by  making  ourselves  experts 


in  any  of  the  avocations  of  life,  or 
by  worshipping  at  the  shrine  of  po- 
litical fame  ?  Tell  us  what  is  the 
final  purpose?  What  is  the  prize 
to  be  won  in  the  race  you  run? 
What  sort  of  a  crown  do  you  ex- 
pect to  obtain  as  the  result  of  your 
strivings  for  the  mastery  ?  I  fear 
the  reward  that  many  seek  is  ad 
perishable  and  evanescent  as  a  bub- 
ble. I  therefore  propose,  by  the 
assisting  grace  of  God,  to  designate 
what,  in  my  humble  opinion  is  the 
great  business  of  man's  life.  In  or- 
der to  clearly  understand  this  sub- 
ject, it  will  be  essential,  in  the  first 
place,  that  we  ascertain  what  was 
God's  ultimate  design  in  the  crea- 
tion of  man. 

We  think  the  very  fact  of  intro- 
ducing man  into  the  garden  of 
Eden  to  keep  and  dress  it,  and  the 
command  to  eat  freely  of  eveiy  tree, 
with  but  one  exception,  clearly  im- 
plies that  God  designed  to  estab- 
lish the  grand  truth  that  he  was 
vested  with  imperial  majesty,  sov- 
ereign power  and  jurisdiction,  pos- 
sessing all  the  attributes  of  a  su- 
preme Euler  and  King,  and  as  such 
is  worthy  of  all  tlic  honor,  rever- 
ence, and  obedience  that  we  as  fi- 
nite beings  can  render  to  him.  We 
perceive  then  that  God  when  he 
first  addressed  himself  to  man,  gave 
him  positive  command  what  to  do, 
and  what  not  to  do,  and  it  now 
remained  for  him,  as  his  principal 
business  and  his  greatest  concern 
to  obey  the  injunction  of  his  divine 
Legislator.  However,  we  need 
not  only  refer  to  implied  testimony 
on  this  subject,  but  we  have  the 
express  declarations  of  the  prophets, 
the  Messiah  and  his  apostles,  to  en- 
lighten us  in  this  all-important 
matter.    Let  us  hear  the  testimony 


THE  GEEAT  BUSmESS  OF  MA]N'\S  LIFE. 


831 


of  the  preacher  as  regards  the  great 
business  of  man's  life.  He  says: 
*^Let  us  hear  the  conclusion  of  the 
whole  matter;  Fear  God  and  keep 
his  commandments  -,  for  this  is  the 
whole  duty  of  man."  True  these 
"words  were  uttered  in  the  days  of 
the  Jewish  religion,  yet  they  cover 
the  whole  ground  of  both  the  Jewish 
and  christian  economy  of  religion. 
The  children  of  Israel  were  oft  ex- 
horted in  similar  language  to  obey 
the  commandmentsof  the  Lord,  and 
whatever  promised  enjoyment  they 
failed  to  realize  was  in  consequence 
of  neglecting  to  give  heed  to  the 
things  they  heard  in  this  summary 
of  God's  will.  Indeed  among  that 
immense  assembly  of  about  six  hun- 
dred thousand  souls,  but  two  enter- 
ed the  long  hoped  for  Canaan. 

We  perceive  that  in  this  compen- 
dium of  God's  will,  two  important 
duties  are  especially  enforced. 
First,  the  fear  of  God;  and  secondly, 
the  keeping  of  his    commandments. 

In  scripture,  fear  is  used  to  e^- 
Tpress  Si  filial  or  a  slavish  passion. 
As  a.  filial  passion  in  good  men,  the 
fear  of  God  is  a  holy  awe,  or  rever- 
ence of  God  and  his  laws,  which 
springs  from  a  just  view  and  real 
love  of  the  divine  character,  leading 
the  subject  of  it  to  hate  and  shun 
every  thing  that  can  offend  such  a 
holy  being,  and  inclining  them  to 
aim  at  perfect  obedience.  But 
slavish  fear  is  the  effect  or  conse- 
quence of  guilt,  it  is  the  painful  ap- 
prehension of  merited  punishment. 
For  proof  of  this  slavish  fear,  hear 
what  the  apostle  Paul  says  to  the 
Boman  brethren  :  "For  ye  have  not 
received  the  spirit  of  bondage  again 
to  fear ;  but  ye  have  received  the 
epirit  of  adoption,  whereby  we  cry, 


Abba,  Father ;"  and  to  Timothy  he 
says :  ''For  God  hath  not  given  us 
the  spirit  of  fear ;  but  of  power  and 
of  love,  and  of  a  sound  mind;"  and 
to  the  Hebrews  he  writes  thus : 
"and  deliver  them  who  through 
fear  of  death  were  all  their  life-time 
subject  to  bondage;"  '-but  perfect 
love,  (or  the  love  of  God)  casteth 
out  fear,"  says  the  apostle  John. 
However,  it  is  the  fear  of  God  as 
set  forth  and  recommended  in  the 
language  of  the  Preacher,  which 
we  at  present  discuss  as  part  of  oiu* 
great  business  in  life.  Methinks  I 
hear  you  say,  well,  if  this  is  the 
first  and  most  essential  duty  devolv- 
ing upon  me  in  this  life,  what  are 
the  motives  that  should  call  this 
godly  fear  into  exercise?  If  this 
be  your  query  concerning  this  mat- 
ter, we  answer  you  in  the  language 
of  Divine  Inspiration:  ''See  now 
that  I,  even  I,  am  he,  and  there  is 
no  god  with  me ;  I  kill  and  I  make 
alive;  I  wound,  and  I  heal;  neither 
is  there  any  that  can  deliver  out 
of  my  hand."  The  Lord  killeth 
and  maketh  alive;  he  brincreth 
down  to  the  grave,  and  bringeth 
up."  "Shall  not  his  excellency 
make  you  afraid?  and  his  dread 
fall  upon  you?"  "Thou,  even  thou 
art  to  be  feared;  and  who  may 
stand  in  thy  sight  when  once  thou 
art  angry?"  "But  there  is  forgive- 
ness with  thee  that  thou  mayest 
be  found."  "And  fear  not  them 
which  kill  the  body,  but  are  not 
able  to  kill  the  soul ;  but  rather 
fear  him  which  is  able  to  destroy  both 
soul  and  body  in  hell."  "Where- 
fore  we  receiving  a  kingdom  which 
cannot  be  moved,  let  us  have  grace 
whereby  we  may  serve  God  ac- 
ceptably with  reverence  and  godly 
fear;  for  God  is  a  consuming  fire.'' 


S32 


THE  GKEAT  BUSINESS  OF  MAN'S  LIFE 


Wo  next  offer  the  ^ood  effects] 
that  emanate  Irom  the  fear  of  (JodJ 
hopini^  that  it  may  convince  yoii| 
that  there  is  really  nothinsj:,  in  this| 
«^reat  nniverse,  that  yoii  can  engage 
in,  that  is  so  beneticont  in  ita  ten- 
dency, and  that  brings  you  into] 
the  enjoyments  of  such  inestimable  ■ 
blessings  as  does  the  faithful  dis- 
charge of  the  duties  in  the  great 
bnsiness  of  man's  life.  Thus  we 
liear  from  the  <'voicc  of  wisdom." 
"The  fear  of  the  Lord  is  the  begin- 
Tiing  of  wisdom."  <'Tho  fear  of  the 
Lord  is  to  hate  evil;  pride,  and  ar- 
rogancy,  &  the  evil  way,  &  tlie  fr  o- 
ward  mouth."  ''A  wise  man  feareih, 
and  dcpartcth  from  evil;"  "and  by 
the  fear  of  the  Lord  men  depart 
from  evil."  By  humility,  and  the 
fear  of  the  Lord  are  riches,  and  hon- 
or, and  life.  Having  given  you  an 
epitome  of  the  good  effects  growing- 
out  of  the  fear  of  God,  wo  shall  next 
offer  a  short  sketch  of  the  good 
deeds  that  the  exercise  of  this  prin- 
ciple accomplishes  in  the  human 
teart. 

We  say  that  the  fear  of  God  ban- 
ishes, or  removes  the  .fear  of  man, 
And  as  proof  of  our  position  we 
again  call  up  the  ancient  fathers 
of  Israel,  the  Messiah^  and  his  apos- 
ties. 

The  Psalmist  says,  '^In  God  I  will 
praise  his  word ;  in  God  I  have  put 
•my  trust  j  I  will  not  fear  what  flesh 
can  do  unto  me."  ^<The  Lord  is 
on  my  side;  I  will  not  fear  what 
man  can  do  unto  mo."  "The  fear 
of  man  bringeth  a  snare  ;  but  who- 
so putteth  his  trust  in  the  Lord 
fthall  be  safe."  The  Savior  in  ma- 
king np  the  sura  of  the  apostles' 
ttiisbion,  thus  comforts  them  against 
•petrsccution ;  "Fear  them  not  there- 


fore; for  there  is  nothing  covered, 
that  shall  not  be  revealed,  and  hid 
that  shall  not  be  known."  And 
the  apostles  thus  console  and  ad- 
monish the  brethren  of  the  different 
churches;  "So  that  we  may  boldly 
say,  The  Lord  is  my  helper,  and 
I  will  not  fear  what  man  shall  do 
unto  me."  ''But  and  if  ye  suffer 
for  righteousness'  sake,  happy  are 
ye  ;  and  be  not  afraid  of  their  ter- 
ror, neither  be  troubled."  Another 
noble  trait  we  discover  in  the  fear 
of  God,  is,  that  it  is  opposed  to  pre- 
sumption. Paul  exhorts  the  Ro- 
man brethren  thus  :  "Be  not  high- 
minded  but  fear;"  and  to  the  Cor- 
inthians ho  says  ia  his  admonition» 
and  warnings,  "Wherefore  let  him 
that  thinketh  he  standeth,  take 
heed  lest  he  fall."  "Knowing, 
therefore,  the  terror  of  the  Lord, 
wo  persuade  men  ;"  and  Peter  says, 
"If  ye  call  on  the  Father,  who  with- 
out respect  to  persons  judgeth  ac- 
cording to  every  man's  work,  pass 
the  time  of  your  sojourning  here 
in  fear."  Well  may  the  wise  man 
have  recommended  the  fear  of  God 
as  part  of  the  great  business  of 
man's  life,  in  view  of  its  good  ef- 
fects being  so  numerous,  removing 
the  fear  of  man,  opposing  pride, 
presumption  &all  manner  &  form  of 
evil.  The  fear  of  the  Lord  is  not  the 
whole  duty  of  man  ;  but  the  keep- 
ing of  his  commandments  constitute 
an  essential  part.  From  the  defini- 
tion we  have  presented  of  the  for- 
mer, wo  should  infer  that  the  latter 
was  quite  easily  practiced. 

We  are  bold  to  assert  that  we  be- 
lieve that  the  fear  of  God  must  ne- 
cessarily have  a  lodgment  in  th« 
heart,  in  order  to  incline  the  min* 
to   obodicnce.      It  is,   wo    thiulfi 


THE  YOÜXGEE  SOX. 


333 


much  more  reasonable,  for  a  chris- 
tian, to  say  that  he  keeps  the  com- 
mandments of  the  Lord,  because  he 
fears  him,  than  to  say  he  fears  him 
because  he  obeys.  This  would  be 
mistaking  the  effect  for  the  cause. 
It  is,  when  you  see  a  man  do  the 
commandments  of  the  Lord  that 
you  have  the  evidence  of  godly  fear. 
To  keep  the  commandments  of  the 
Lord  is  indeed  an  indispensable 
branch  of  the  business  of  your  life. 
TVe  need  no*,  enumerate  them. 
We  know  that  the  decalogue  was 
not  abrogated  by  Christ,  and  there- 
fore claims  your  attention  and  obe- 
dience. AH  that  Christ  taught  and 
practiced  when  in  this  world,  makes 
up  the  sum  and  substance  of  God's 
will;  andif  you  do  this  will,  or  his 
commandments,  you  have  the  right 
of  relationship  which  makes  you  an 
heir  of  eternal  life.  '-For  whosoev- 
er shall  do  the  will  of  my  Father 
which  is  in  heaven,  the  same  is 
my  brother,  &  sister  and  mother.'' 
Obedience  to  God,  constitutes  us 
Lis  children;  '-And  if  children, 
then  heirs;  heirs  of  God  and  joint 
heirs  with  Christ;  if  so  be  that  we 
Buffer  with  him,  that  we  may  also 
be  glorified  together."  "And  I 
know  that  his  commandment  is 
life  everlasting;"  so  says  He,  who 
also  declared  that  ''Ye  are  my 
friends  if  ye  do  whatsoever  I  com- 
mand you."  In  answer  to  the 
scribes  inquiry  as  regards  the  first 
commaudiiient,  the  Savior  thus 
quotes  trom  the  law;  '-And  thou 
Shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all, 
thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul, 
and  with  all  thy  mind,  and  with 
ail  thy  strength.  This  is  the  first 
commandment;"  and  the  second  is, 
''Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as 
thyself.  There  is  öone  other  com- 
mandment    greater     than    these." 


If  you  are  not  truly  converted  to 
God,  you  will  doubtless  consider  the 
commandments  of  the  Lord  a  bur- 
den; but  this  is  a  great  mistake  as 
you  will  learn  from  the  Holy  Ora- 
cles. "For  this  is  the  love  of  God, 
that  we  keep  his  commandments, 
and  his  coqimandments  are  not 
grievious."  "For  my  yoke  is  easy 
and  my  burden  is  light."  "But  if 
thou  wilt  enter  into  life  keep  the 
commandments." 

We  have  tried  to  show  that  the 
orreat  business  of  man's  life  is  to 
fear  God  and  keep  his  command- 
ments, to  serve  him  with  all  the 
energies  of  soul  and  body,  and  give 
diligence  to  make  your  calling  and 
election  sure ;  for  if  you  do  these 
things  ye  shall  never  fall.  This  is 
the  whole  duty  of  man:  and  the 
primary  and  most  essential  business 
in  life  is  to,  "First  seek  the  king- 
dom of  God  and  his  righteousnes.s, 
and  the  rest  shall  be  added  unto 
you."  Therefore,  in  conclusion 
take  encouragement,  for  "Blessed 
are  they  that  do  his  commandments 
that  they  may  have  right  to  the 
tree  of  life  and  enter  thi-ough  th© 
gates  into   the  citv." 

E.     S.    M. 

Somerset,  Pa.  July  5,  1860. 


For  the  Visitor. 
THE  YOUNGER  SON. 

Editors  of  the  Gospel  Visitor: 
Lear  Brethren  in  Christ :  It  is  with 
a  deep  sense  of  my  obligations  to 
our  Heavenly  Father  that  I  take 
up  my  pen  to  drop  a  few  thoughts 
to  my  Brethren  through  the  medi- 
um of  the  Gospel  Visitor. 

Having  noticed  an  occasional  ar- 
ticle in  vour  columns,  in  which  the 


334 


THE  YOUNGER  SON. 


writer  endeavored    to   arrive    at  a 
proper  conclusion,    as    to    who    is 
represented  by  the    ''Elder    Son"  in 
Luke  15th.  eh.,  and  I  think  if  we 
can  arrive   at  a  correct   knowledge 
as  to  who  he  is,  the  opinion  express- 
ed  by   the   Editors  that   he  repre- 
sents the  Angels  who    never  fell,  is 
correct.     But  to  my  mind  this  part 
of  the   parable    has  always   been  a 
matter  of  entire   indifference,   Irom 
the  fact  that   it  is   the   history   and 
conduct  of  the    Younger   Son,  that 
it  is  to  teach    us    the    great    lesson 
that  is  designed  in  the   noted  para- 
bles known  as  the   parable    of    the 
pi'odigal  Son."     And  by  your  per- 
mission and  the  aid   of  the    Divine 
light,  we  will  try    to    consider    the 
lesson   taught   us  by  the     parable. 
It  is   undoubtedly  the  doctrine   of 
repentance  that  the  Savior  is  teach- 
ing in  the    chapter    in    which    the 
parable  occurs.      And   in  order  to 
give   us  a  proper  understanding   of 
the  nature  of  repentance,  he   selects 
and  presents  three  parables  as  illus- 
trative of  the  doctrine  he  was  teach- 
ing.    1.  That    of   the   lost     sheep; 
and  2nd.  that  of  the  piece  of  silver, 
to  show  that  it  is  one  who  is    lost 
that  may   return  or  repent,   to  il- 
lustrate the  truth  of  another   asser- 
tion, that  the  Son  of  man   ca7ne  not 
to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners  to 
repentance. 

And  having   taught  by    these  il- 
ustrations     that     it     is     the    lost 
rhom  he  came  to  seek  ;  and   that  it 
s  sinners  that  are   proper   subjects 
>f  repentance  J  and  that  the   angels 
of  God  rejoice  at  their  return.      He 
now  puts  forth   the   parable   of  the 
younger  son  to  show  how   men    be- 
came sinners,  and  in  what  way  they 


must  repent  in  order  to  be  again 
restored  into  the  favor  of  God. 

It  is  believed  by  the  brotherhood 
universally,  and  Bible  readers  gen- 
erally, that  children  while  in  their 
infantile  state,  are  not  to  be  regard- 
ed as  sinners,  but  they  are  the  pur- 
chase of  Christ's  blood  and  will  be 
saved  without  repentance.  In  fact 
they  are  not  subjects  of  repentance, 
they  cannot  repent,  not  any  more 
than  the  younger  son  could  return 
to  his  father  before  he  went  away 
from  him.  Neither  indeed  can 
children  be  ''brought  into  the 
church"  until  they  go  out  of  it. 
Indeed  there  is  precisely  the  same 
propriety  in  talking  of  "dedicating 
children  to  the  Lord"  as  there 
would  have  been  of  bringing  the 
prodigal  back  to  his  father  before 
he  had  left  him.  How  could  the 
young  man  return  to  his  father  be- 
fore he  left  his  father  ?  Would  it 
not  be  folly  to  think  of  or  talk  of 
his  going  into  his  father's  house 
when  he  had  never  been  out  of  itf 
Just  so  in  reference  to  bringing 
children  into  the  church  before  they 
go  out  of  it.  This  parable  points 
out  the  conduct  of  men,  that  is 
young  persons,  and  it  also  pre- 
scribes a  remedy  to  all  prodigals. 

Their  conduct  is  this,  as  soon  as 
they  get  old  enough  to  do  business 
for  themselves,  they  go  away  from 
God,  they  waste  their  substance  in 
riotous  living,  and  finally  forfeit 
their  title  to  the  kingdom  of  Heav- 
en, although  it  was  a  good  sub- 
stance, a  good  title,  written  by  Je- 
sus Christ  in  his  agony  in  Geth- 
semane,  sealed  by  his  blood  on  Cal- 
vary, yet  notwithstanding  all  this, 
jthe  Avretch  wastes  it  by  -'riotous 
living"  by  engaging  in  the  pleasures 


THE  YOUl^GEE  SOiS", 


335 


of  sin,  !N"ow  poor  yontli,  you  are!  compass  him  about.  He  stands 
gone  away  from  youi'  father's  liouse.  lupon  the  rock  of  dark  damnation, 
Now  he  goes  ^'into  a  far  country" '  and  the  fiery  volumes  of  eternal 
and  "joins  himself  to  a  citizen  of  that ;  despair  roll  under  his  feet,  and  in 
country/  What  country  ?  the  world. !  this  condition  he  must  die,  die  eter- 
What  citizen?  the  Devil.  What  doesjnally  if  God  will  not  with  tender 
he  want  with  him    in  this  worldly '  mercy  rescue  him. 

country?  he  wants  Um  to  feedj  ^^  ^.^^  in  the  17th.  verse  "and 
8wine,that  i«,  cultivate,  nourish,  I  ^.j^^,_^  j^^  ^.^^^  ^^  j^j^^^^.  ^,^;^  ;^ 
and  raise  up    more    as    wicked    as 


yourself,  to  serve  him  as    you    do. 


a  glorious  and  happy  epocha  in  the 


Yes,   bring  a   sin- 


o     1   .         .1-1       1      1     -1,    I.-.I.        sinner  s  history, 
buch  13  methinks  the  devil  s  biddmst'        .    i-        ^n        j  i    •    ^ 

^     ,,  ,     ,  ,    .      -^  ,^iner  to  himself,   and   you  can    bring 

to  those  who  leave  their   Heavenly  j,.      ^    m    -  ^        j   /   r>  a      -d  ^   t 
-^    ,  ,        1.       .      ,  ,  .       him  to  Christ  and  to  God.     tut   i 

lather  and    enlist    m    his    service.!,  ,  r       ^    u.^  •    ^^  ^ 

-r,  ,  .    -TT-  1     . ,      ^  -      ,      I  have  always    found    this  the    most 

j3ut  we  learn  m  Heb.    11:  2o,   thatj,.^     ,     r-   n  .i     ^    i      •  T^^^ 

,      '  ^        I  difficult  of  all  the  tasks  m  my  little 
the  pleasures  oi  sm    are    but    for  a 

season,  and  thank  God  that  it  is  so. 


Were  it  not  so,  were    the  pleasures 
of  sin  continual  without  remorse   or 


experience  in  the  ministry.  In  fact 
I  believe  a  sinner  will  never  come 
to  himself,  but  will  rush    headlong 


^      .         ^,  nil         n      ;  down  to  rum,  if  God   will  not   stop 

famine,   there   would   be    but    few  ,  . 

him, 


prodigals  that  would  return.  Well, 
when  the  sinner  has  wasted  all  his 
substance,  the  famine,  the  mighty 
famine,  will  arise  in  that  country. 
This  world  is  no  longer  a  garden 
of  pleasui-e,  but  all  is  starvation  and 
prospective  death. 

He  now  begins  to  suffer  with 
hunger,  that  is,  a  guilty  conscience 
haunts  him. 


and  bring  him  to  himself. 
We  have  a  faint  illustration  of  this 
part  of  our  subject  in  the  case  of 
Balaam,  when  at  the  solicitation 
of  Balak  he  went  to  curse  Israel. 
He  persisted  in  his  wicked  course 
until  God  brought  him  to  himself 
by  presenting  the  angel  in  his  way 
with  a  flaming  sword,  and  Balam 
saw    where     he    was,    ''he   bowed 


He    spends    sleepless  j  down  his  head  and   fell    flat  on  his 
nights;  he  is  troubled.     What   nextiface,"  Num.  22nd.  ch.     We  read  in 

Eomans  1st.  ch.  that  the  Gospel  is 
the  "power  oi  God  unto  salvation." 
Again,  it  is  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,'- 
Eph.  6  :  17.  "And  I  saw  another 
be  partaken  of  at  the  bar,  the  gam- !  angel  flying  in  the  midst  of  Heaven 
ing  table,  the  race  ground,  or  what- 1  having  the  everlasting  gospel  to 
ever  ri  )tous  living  they  may  choose  i  preach  to  them  who  dwell  on  the 
to  engage  in.     He   vainly    tries    to  earth  &c.     Eev.  14  :  16. 


loes  he  do  ?  he  now  tries  to  satisfy 
lis  guilty  soul  by  partaking  of  the 
/asks  of  which  the  swine,  his  wick- 
ed companions  do  eat.     These  may 


fill  himself  with  these,  but  no  man 
can  satisfy  him  with  these,  they 
do  not  fill  the  vacancy  in  his  breast, 
which  can  only  be  filled  by  the  love 
of  God  being  shed  abroad  in  it. 
Here  the  young  man  is  in  a  dread- 
ful condition.     The  horrors   of  hell 


Erom  these  considerations  it  is 
plain,  that  it  is  by  the  preaching  of 
the  gospel  to  them  that  are  prodi- 
gals, to  them  that  are  in  a  far  coun- 
try, to  those  who  are  in  the  service 
of  the  citizen  of  that  far  country, 
far  from  God ;  it  is  by  the  faithful 


33G 


THE  OVERTHROW  OF  SODOM  AND  OOMORRAH. 


niinlstor  appearing  in  the  sinner's 
■way  like  the  angel  did  in  the  way 
of  Balam  j  it  is,  wo  say  by  Bueh 
ineaMS  that  God  will  bring  the  sin- 
ner to  himself.  And  when  brought 
to  himKclf,  wo  can  easily  bring  liim 
to  (iod  ;  yea,  he  will  arise  and  go 
•to  his  Father,  and  will  confess  his 
flins  and  beg  for  forgiveness.  It  is 
in  this  act  of  arising  and  going  to 
the  father,  that  I  recognize  the  act 
of  repentance.  For  repentance  is 
an  act  toward  God.  Acts  20  :  21. 
It  is  an  action  leading  from  sin — 
''repentance /yom  dead  works.  Heb. 
6  :  2.  So  it  is  when  the  sinner 
leaves  his  sins,  and  returns  to  God, 
ihat  ho  repents.  In  fact,  repent- 
ance towards  God,  is  returning  to 
God,  as  the  young  man  did  when  he 
arose  and  came  to  his  father.  And 
in  order  that  he  may  '  repent,  he 
must  be  brought  to  himself;  and  in 
order  to  bring  sinners  to  themselves, 
the  everlasting  gospel  must  be 
preached  to  them,  yea  to.  all  nations. 
Oh  brethren,  how  much  of  it  do  wc 
do?  do  we  eni:jao:e  as  much  in  the 
work  as  we  should  ?  Will  our 
brethren  try  to  do  a  little  more  of 
it  ?  Will  the  church  awake  to  her 
duty?  Sec  how  many  precious 
Bouls  are  perishing  for  the  want  of 
the  word  being  faithfully,  purely 
and  truly  preached  to  them.  When 
the  sinner  repents,  he  repents  tow- 
ards God  the  Father,  Acts  20  :  21. 
And  the  Father  gives  him  into  the 
hands  of  the  Son,  John  17  :  24, 
and  the  Son  converts  him  by  remit- 
ting his  sins;  this  he  does  through 
human  instrumentality.  The  filthy 
rags  will  be  taken  oil",  and  the  best 
robe  will  be  put  on  him  by  the  ser- 
vants. What  is  this  best  robe  ? 
answer ;  Raul  says,  "as  many  as 
Lave  been  baptized  into  Christ  have 


put  on  Christ.  This  is  the  very 
best  robe.  And  they  will  put  a 
ring  on  his  hand,  ''the  bond  of  love 
which  is  the  bond  of  perfection, 
and  put  shoes  on  his  feeii.  What 
are  these?  "^nd  having  your  feet 
shod  Avith  the  preparation  of  the 
gospel  of  peace.  And  the  fatted 
calf  was  killed.  What  is  this  ?  Oh, 
the  feast  of  charity.      Is,  that  all  ? 

0  no  I  the  Marriage  supper  of  tho 
Lamb. 

We  leave  the  reader  to  follow  the 
subject  with  his  own  thoughts  into 
eternity,,  and  eternal  glory,  after 
all  things  are  subdued  under  the 
feet  of  Jesus  Christ.  The  above 
are  some  of  the  thoughts  presented 
to  my  mind  by  an  investigation  of 
this  noble  parable.  And  let  the 
elder   son  represent  what  he    may, 

1  think  all  my  readers  will  know 
who  the  younger  son  represents, 
and  this  is  what  the  Savior  intend- 
ed for  us  to  know,  and  knowing 
that  we  may  profit  by  it. 

'•May  Brotherly  love  continue.'' 
P.     J.     B. 


For  the  Visitor. 

THE  OVERTHROW  OF  SODOML 
AND  GOKORRAH. 

'•Then  the  Lord  rained  npon  Sod- 
om and  Gomorrah  brimstone  and 
fire  from  the  Lord  out  of  heaven  ; 
and  he  overthrew  those  cities,  and 
all  tlie  plain,  and  all  the  inhabitants 
of  the  cities,  and  that  which  grew 
upon  tho  ground."  Gen.  19  :  2-1 — 25. 

The  inhal>IUints  of  Sodom  and 
Gomorrah  had  become  very 
wicked  as  will  be  seen  by  the  loth- 
j verse.  The  angel  said  to  Lot, 
"Arise  take  thy  wife  and    thy    two 


THE  OVERTHROW  OF  SODOM  AND  GOMORRAH. 


337 


daughters  whicli  are  here,  lest  thou 
be  consumed  in  the  iniquity  of  the 
city."  Thus  you  see  the  people  had 
become  iniquitous  or  wicked,  and 
Lot  being  a  just  man,  and  God  be- 
ing merciful,  (as  he  is  to  his  people) 
did.  not  wish  to  consume  him  with 
those  wicked  opposers  of  religion. 
Hence  the  command,  '-Escape  for 
thy  life  &c.,  17th.  verse.  Thus  you 
see  God  did  not  wish  to  destroy  the 
good.  He  further  tells  them  "uQt 
to  stay  in  all  the  plain,  or  to  look 
back,  ''but  escape  to  the  mou  it- 
ain"  lest  they  should  be  consumed 
with  the  wicked  inhabitants  of! 
those  cities,  for  they  were  about  to  : 
be  destroyed  Avith  fire  and  brim-i 
stone.  The  17th.  verse  contains  i 
four  commands:  viz.  '-Escape  for 
thy  life;  look  not  behind  thee ;  j 
neither  stay  thou  in  all  the  plain  ; , 
escape  to  the  mountain."  Were  all  i 
thesec  ommands  strictly  obeyed  ?  I 
They  were  not;  the  second  one  was 
violated. 


land  the  sun'ounding  vicinity,  is  em- 
jblematical  of  the  consummation  of 
ithe  world.  '-Likewise  also  as  it 
I  was  in  the  days  of  Lot ;  they  did 
I  eat,  they  drank,  they  bought,  they 
'sold,  they  j^lanted,  they  builded-; 
;  but  the  same  day  that  Lot  went 
jout  of  Sodom  it  rained  fire  and 
!  brimstone  from  heaven,  and  destroy- 
!  ed  them  all.  Even  thus  shall  it  be 
;  in  the  day  when  the  Son  of  man  is 
j revealed."  (St.  Luke  17th.  ch.  2S, 
:29,  and3Ötb.  verses.)  Those  that 
jare  wicked  and  hypocritical,  and 
i  will  not  obey  the  gospel  of  our 
Lord  and  Savior  Jesus  Christ,  will 
then  be  cut  off  and  destroyed  as 
[Were  the  Sodomites.  Their  pun- 
1  ishment  may  even  be  greater,  (i.  e. 
[the  wicked  living  in  a  gospel  land 
and  not  obeying  it.)  Christ  says  to 
the  Pharisees,  "If  the  mighty  works 
which  have  been  done  in  you  had 
been  done  in  Tyre  and  Sidon,  they 
would  have  repented  long  ago 
sitting  in  sack  cloth  and  ashes." 


Lot's  wife  looked  behind  her.  Great  God  I  forbid  that  simuar 
She  no  doubt  was  anxious  to  see  I  language  should  sound  in  our  ears 
how  Sodom  with  its  multitudes  of;  at  the  judgment  day,  such  as  the 
people  appeared,  or  fared.  We  will ;  Ibllowing  :"  O  ye  Americans,  if  tlie 
further  notice  the  punishment  in- i  Sodomites  had^  had  the  privile-o  uf 
flicted  far  the  violation  of  the  one  |  working  out  their  soul's  salviition 
commandment.  By  examination  of ;  as  you  have  in  a  land  of  Bibles, 
th'e  26th.  verse  we  find  ^^She  be-!  they  would  have  repented. — May 
came  a  pillar  of  salt,"  and  there!  the  Lord  enlighten  the  minds  of 
stood  as  a  monument  of  the  wrath  !  the  people  of  this  free  nation,  for 
of  God  against  her  for  breaking  his  |  we  fear  that  great  darkness  is  in 
command.     Although  this  happened '  the  land,  and   gross  darkness  covers 


many  hundred  years  ago,  yet  it  im- 
parts doctrine  useful  to  us.  In  the 
Xew  Testament  of  our  Lord  Jesus 


the  minds  of  the  peoph 
Much     is   said   about  the 


■Id 


it  is  said,  "He"  that  breaketh  the; being  Christianized  at  the  present 
least  of  these  commandments  is 'time.  ~But  it  seems  to  me  to  be 
guilty  of  the  whole."  Our  Lord  to  the  contrary.  We  see  men  de- 
and  Master  calls  our  attention  to  «pising  the  true,  simple  doctrine  of 
the  case  or  c^dition  of  Lot's  wife  Jesus  the  true  Messiah.  If  the 
in  the  i7th.  ch.  of  St.  Luke,  and  the  world  is  becoming  Christianized 
32nd.  verse,  in  the  following-  words  :  ^^s  it  is  said  it  is,  from  whence  is  all 
*  the  wickedness  now  so  abundant  in 

'-Eemember  Lot's  wife."  The  the  world?  I  fear,  vea  I  verv  much 
Lord  wishes  to  remind  his  people  fear  that  the  time  lias  arrived  that 
that  she  lost  her  life  by  disobeying  false  teachers  and  blind  leaders  of 
God's  command.  So  if  men  now-a- ;  the  blind,  are  abroad  in  the  land, 
days  do  not  follow  Christ's  direc- 1  deceiving  the  nations,  and  makini;, 
tions,  they  will  perish.  The  de-;or  instituting  for  the  commandments 
struction  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrahiof  Christ,  forms  of  their  own  getting 

G.  V.  Vol.  X.  'l.i 


BETHLKHEM. 


"np.  and  Ijn'inij;  aside  tlic  pin  in  and 
Boiil  chci'vin^  eoniniands  of  the 
.Ravior.  ])oar  Brethren  in  the  Lord,; 
let  us  beware  that  we-  be  not  de- i 
coived  by  those  i)retenflinL!;  to  be' 
tlie  toUowers  ol'tlie  meek  and  h)wly| 
Lamb  ot'Gofl,  but  l)y  tl'Kiir  works! 
deny  liim  and    his   lioly  commands. | 

"Conu' out  from  among  lier  my' 
peo]de  tlial  you  be  not  partakers  of 
her  sins." 

Now  si  nee  we    liave    Christ    our! 
m-eat  Head  and  Mastej*'s  command-! 
ments  in  phiin  hmguage,    let    u.s   do 
ouV  utmost   to    obey    Christ    as    be| 
also    ol>eyed    his    F;ither;      not  on-j 
]y    in    ))art.    but   in   every   partieu-'. 
]ar.     "Teach    them    to    observe    all  I 
tlunu-s     v.hatsoever    I    have'   com- 
manded   you,"   saitli  Christ.     Matt. 
28.     In  conclusion  I  would   say,   let 
us  devote  more"  of   our  time   to   the 
spread  of  the  Cosj)el,   and  tlie  con- 
version of  mankind. 

s.    \y.    B. 

AYalnut,  Pa. 


Selected  for  the  Visitor, 
BETHLEHEM. 

Bethlehem  Avas  a  small  city 
^•among  the  thousands  of  Judah/' 
and  is  little  mentioned  in  Jewish 
history.  Yet  no  city  except  Jeru- 
salem is  dearer  to  christians,  as  it 
was  tlic  birthplace  of  our  Savior. 
i\iicah  5:2. 

It  lies  six  miles  south  of  Jerusa- 
lem, by  a  rugged  and  hilly  road; 
and    is  now    called  by    the  natives 


Beit-lahm.     I 


ngoincr  to  it  from  Je- 


rusalem you  pass  near  l^achel's 
Tomb,  less  than  two  miles  from 
Bethlehem,  and  a  little  west  of  the 
road,  very  ])ossibly  on  the  true  site 
which  we  know  was  long  mai-ked 
by  a  moimment,  (or  pillar.)  Gen. 
OÜ  :  10,  2U.  Scnnewliat  nearer 
Bethlehem  is  a  high  ridge,  oü'erin"- 
a  tine  view  both  ofthat  city  and  of 
the  Dead  Sea;  the  latter,  tlit)ugh 
twenty  miles  oiF,  seeming  very  near. 
The   view    of  Bethlehem    from  this 


point,  rising  beyond  a  deep  valley 
is  striking  and  pleasant.  Midwa^^ 
on  the  road  is  a  well  of  pure  wate^i 
and  delicious,  supposed  to  be  the 
one  of  which  David  so  longed  tc 
drink.     2  Samuel  23  :  15—17. 

The  houses  of  Bethlehem,  (oi 
Beit-lahm)  are  solidly  but  roughly 
built,  on  very  narrow  streets,  and 
many  are  in  a  ruinous  condition. 
The  most  conspicuous  object  is  a 
huge  fortress-like  monastery,  at 
the  eastern  and  lower  end  of  town, 
enclosing  various  buildings;  one  of 
which,  the  Greek  cha]xd,  covers  the 
traditionary  ''cave  of  the  nativity." 
The  very  spot,  as  the  monks  pre- 
tend, is  marked  by  a  star  made  of 
silver  and  gems,  around  which  an 
inscription  in  Latin,  states  that 
''here  Jesus  Christ  was  born  of  the 
virgin  Mary."  It  is  known  that 
the  Arabs,  in  case  of  need,  shelter 
themselves  and  their  flocks  in  cav- 
erns; but  it  is  not  probable  that  a 
subterranean  cave,  difficult  of  access, 
^uch  as  is  now  visited,  was  the 
stable  of  the  inn  at  Bethlehem. 

A  recent  traveller,  Dr.  Clin,  says, 
"The  environs  of  Bethlehem  are 
beautiful,  but  cannot  be  said  to  be 
well  cultivated.  The  soil  is  fertile, 
but  is  encumbered  with  roclvs. 
The  deep  valley  on  the  northern 
side  of  the  town,  overlooked  by  the 
road  to  Jerusalem,  presents  a  scene 
of  beauty  and  luxuriance  unrivaled, 
so  far  as  I  have  yet  seen,  in  Pales- 
tine. The  steep  hill-sides  by  which 
it  is  bounded  are  terraced  with 
great  labor  and  care,  and  covered 
with  fine  fruit-trees.  This  delicioufi 
spot  may  be  taken  as  a  specimen 
of  the  general  appearance  of  the 
hill- country  in  the  prosperous  days 
of  the  Jewish  state,  and  of  what  it 
might  once  more  become  under  the 
fostering  care  of  a  good  government. 

It  is  only  under  the  walls  of 
considerable  towns  that  agriculture 
is  practicable.  AVithin  two  miles  of 
Bethlehem  fields  are  ])ermitted  to 
lie  waste,  which  once  emploj-ed  and 
amply  rewarded  the  labor   of  a  nu- 


A  PROPHECY  OF  THE  L^8^^  TIMES. 


339 


merous  ]>easantiy.  Tbc  Bedoiins. 
•\t1io  are  always  in  the  vicinity, 
seize  the  fruit  and  corn  even  before 
they  come  to  maturity.  Undci- 
such  diseonragements,  little  atten- 
tion is  paid  to  agriculture.  The  peo- 
ple of  Bethlehem  make  crosses, 
beads,  and  various  ornaments,  of 
pearl,  and  of  the  wood  kernels  .of 
the  olives  that  grow  in  and  about 
the  garden  of  Gethsemane.  They 
f>uppiy  with  these  the  bazaars  of 
Jerusalem,  and  press  them  upon 
travellers  with  annoving  importu- 
nity." They  are  mostly  nominal 
Christians,  and  number  perhaps 
two  thousand. 

Iq  the  valley  of  Bethlehem,  more 
than  three  thousand  years  ago,  Ruth 
gleaned  after  the  reapers  in    the   barley 

I  harvest; — in  the  gate  of   the   city    she 
was    publicly     betrothed   to  Boaz,    and 
from  them  David  and  Christ  descended. 
Riith  1:4       Here    David    the    shep- 
herd king    was   born,    and    anointed  by 
Samuel  the  prophet    to   his  royal  office. 
1  Sam«  IG.        On     tiie    hills  and    fields 
around  he  fed   his   fiithtr's    flocks,   and 
prai.sed  God    with    harp    and    psalms. 
Over  the  same  fields,  t.3u  centuries  later  j 
'•a   great  multitude  of    the     heavenly  i 
host"  sung  in  honor  of  Christ's  advent;  i 
while    in  a    corner  of   the  half  covered  j 
court  of  the   inn   of  Bethlehem   the  Re- : 
deemer  was    born.       Hero   he    received  ; 
the  worship  of  the  wise  men  and  of  the  ^ 
shephft-ds;  and  here  the    bloody  Herod  ! 
sought  him  iu  vain.     The   prophecy    ofi 
Micah    5  eh.,    2  verse,     was     fulfilled,  : 
(which  reads   thus :  But  thou,   Bethle- , 

.  hem,  Ephrata,  though  |thou  be  little 
among  the  thou.sands  of  Judah,  yet  out 
of  thee  shall  I;e  como  forth  unto  me 
<Aa^  ts  to  be  rider  in  Israel;  whose  go- 
ings forth  have  been  from  of  old,  from 
everlasting,  or  as  the  Hebrew  renders 
it,  the  days  of  eternity.)  So  will  bf 
the  prophecy  in  the  angel's  song: 
^'Glory  to  God  in  the  highest;  and  on 
earth  peace,  good  will  towards  all  men." 
S.     W.     B 


A  PPwOPHECY  OP  TEE  LAST 
TIMES. 
'^But  tills  knoio  thou,  that  in  the  lat- 
ter day  a  hard  times  will  come;  and 
miu  will  he  lovers  of  themselves,  and  loV" 
ers  of  money,  boasters,  proud,  censori- 
ous,  unyieldingi  tow  irrls  their  oxen  peo- 
ple, deni/ers  of  grace,  icichcd  calumnia' 
tors,  addicted  to  concupiscence,  fero- 
cious, haters  of  (jood,  treacherous,  rash, 
inßated,  attached  to  pjhasure  more  than 
to  the  love  of  God,  having  a  form  of 
respect  for  God,  hut  wide  from  tht 
power  of  God  Them  icho  are  such 
repel  from  thee  "—2  Tim.  3  :  1—5. 
— Syrinc  Version. 

The  following  graphic  picture  of 
these  last  times  is  taken  from  th» 
Xew  York  Independent,  3Iay  31,  1860. 

li  it  not  A  FULFILMENT  OF    PROPHECY? 

man's  nature,  as  interpreted  by 
the  prevalence  of  crime. 
Tt  was  well  remarked  by  one  cf  the 
-peakers  at  the  recent  anniversarj 
meetings  in  this  city,  that  the  present 
times  bid  fair  to  be  distinguished,  in 
this  country  at  least,  not  especially  as 
a  period  of  art,  of  liberty,  of  humanity, 
of  general  comfort  or  general  culture, 
but  pre-eminently  as  a  period  of  crime. 
The  progress  and  the  prevalence  of 
even  the  grossest  forms  of  wickedness, 
in  different  places,  and  amomg  divers» 
clas.^es,  are  facts  frightful  to  observe, 
and  more  frightful  to  ponder.  Every 
newspaper  .is  laden  with  the  records 
of  such.  Dishonesty,  licentiousness, 
violence,  murder,  they  do  not  meet 
us  as  exceptional  instances;  they  mal^» 
the  staple  of  the  news  of  the  day; 
they  load  and  daiken  the  columns  of 
all  journals;  till  one  trembles  almost 
to  take  up  the  morning  paper,  is  afraid 
to  have  it  read  in  the  family,  and  lays 
it  down  with  a  sense  of  heart-sickness, 
a  saddening  impression  of  ineffective- 
ness of  our   means  of  public    moral  and 


340 


A  PEOPHECY  OF  THE  LAST  TIMES. 


religious  instruction,  a  keen  appre- 
hension of  what  is  to  bo  expected 
in  the  future. 

It  is  not  the  rich  and  luxurious, 
alone,  among  whom  such  evidences 
of  viciousnoss  abound.  It  is  not 
those  who  are  avowedly  worldly 
and  godless  in  their  life.  Mechan- 
ics, merchants,  farmers,  teachers, 
l)hysicians,  lawcrs,  ministers  of  the 
gospel,  men  high  in  social  rank  and 
in  political  influence,  women  as  well 
as  men,  the  young  not  onl}^  but  the 
aged,  in  wcU-nigh  equal  measure, 
the  refined  and  cultivated  as  well  as 
the  coarse,  all  seem  to  be  smit  with 
the  foul  cooitagion, — and  suddenly 
to  break  ottt  with  the  vile  and  hate- 
ful leprosy  of  sin.  Not  crimes  of 
dishonesty  alone  are  common ;  but 
the  murder  of  wives,  of  husbands,  of 
children,  of  the  most  confiding  and 
affectionate  friends,  a  horrible  lust- 
fulness,  the  most  flagrant  and  fiend- 
ish violations  of  faith, — ail  seem  as 
common  as  the  blossoming  oi  trees, 
and  are  coming  to  be  spoken  of  as 
familiarly  and  frequently,  and  with 
nearly  as  little  apparent  concern 
as  are  the  most  ordinary  and  triv- 
ial facts. 

No  one,  we  think,    can   feel   that 
in  this  descriptive  outline  the  case  is 
at  all  overstated;  that  any  slightest; 
exaggeration  of  the  truth   is   either} 
intended  or  allowed.     The  same  im-| 
pression  must    be    made    upon    all, 
w^hose  eyes  and  ears  are  measurably 
open   to  wliat   is  publicly    passing  i 
around  them,  and  who  contrast   this' 
present  state  of  things,  not   against 
8omo  ideal  plan  of  the  social   state,  | 
Home  fancy  of  their  own  as  to   what ' 
might  be,  but  what  never  has  been; 
or.  even    against     the   comparative 
purcness  oftlie  manners  of  our  fath- 


ers, but  against  the  actual  state  of 
society  as  it  was  in  this  country 
only  twenty  or  thirty  years  ago. 
That  was  not  Arcadian,  but  it  looks 
almost  so  in  comparison  of  the  pres- 
ent. It  certainly  is  true  that  ex- 
cesses of  crime  are  vastl}'  moro 
common  now  than  then,  and  that 
what  would  then  have  shocked  a 
community  so  deeply  and  indelibly 
as  to  be  remembered  and  recounted 
for  years,  is  now  forgotten  beneath 
the  impression  ofthat  which  follows 
it,  in  a  few  days  or  weeks.  A  senso 
of  unsafeness  begins  to  prevail 
throughout  many  circles.  A  sud- 
den death  can  hardly  anywhere 
occur  without  exciting  the  suspi- 
cion of  foul  means.  Elopements 
and  domestic  infidelities  are  so  com- 
mon as  hardly  to  excite  any  remark 
unless  perhaps  a  ribald  jest.  And 
no  sense  of  strangeness  is  awaken- 
ed in  the  public  mind  by  the  story 
of  even  a  parricide  or  a  vrile-murder. 
There  arc  many  tlioughts  sug- 
gested by  this  state  of  things,  as  al- 
so many  duties  that  are  palpably 
impressed  by  it,  to  some  of  which 
we  may  very  likely  have  occasion 
hereafter  to  refer.  But  there  is 
one  truth  so  jDlainly  preached  by  it, 
and  in  itself  so  important  and  im- 
perative, that  wo  cannot  but  advert 
to  it  a  moment  here.  It  »would 
seem  impossible  that  all  thoughtful 
persons  should  not  be  at  once  and 
equally  reached  by  it,  and  should 
not  equall}'  recognize  the  proof  of 
it.  It  is,  that  HUMAN  nature,  as 
unchanged   by   grace,  is  now   just 

AS  DEPRAVED  AS  IT  EVER  HAS     BEEN  J 

is,  in  fact,  precisely  the  same  in 
its  character,  and  the  same  in  its 
tendencies,  that  it  was  in  the  age  of 
the  lioman  amphitheatre ;  that  it 
was  in  the  days  of  the  Ptolemies  or 
the  Pharaohs. 


A  PEOPHECY  OF  THE  LAST  TIMES. 


341 


An  intense  and  passionate  selfish- 
ness is  at  the  heart  of  it.  It  does 
not  seek  the  interests  of  others,  bnt 
primarily  its  own.  It  does  not 
seek  to  honor  God,  but  to  gratify 
its  own  ambition  and  passion.  It 
<loes  not  acknowledge  allegiance  to 
Tirtne,  but  aims  at  indulgence,  mas- 
tery, pleasure,  at  whatever  cost, 
and  at  whatever  hazard  ;  and  so  it 
has  in  it  the  quick  seeds  of  all  crime, 
and  only  shows  these  more  fearful- 
ly and  boldly,  in  more  terrific 
forms  of  exhibition,  as  its  means 
and  instruments  for  such  revela- 
tion become  more  complete.  "We 
have  not  always  been  as  ready  as 
we  should  have  been  to  perceive 
and  to  feel  this;  but  it  is  true, 
nevertheless,  and  the  papers  now 
proclaim  it  with  million  tongues, 
and  a  most  appalling  and  unan- 
swerable emphasis. 

It  is  one  of  the  wide-spread  er- 
rors of  our  day, — most  disastrous 
and  most  dangerous, — the  notion 
that  our  institutions  of  freedom, 
"with  an  outrunning  commerce,  a 
copious  prosperity,  a  generally  dif- 
fused intellectual  cultivation,  the 
discipline  and  invigoration  of  the 
popular  mind,  the  accomplishment 
of  great  outward  and  material 
works,  the  wide  circulation  of  re- 
ligious instruction, —  that  these 
have  essentially  elevated  man's  na- 
ture, and  made  it  less  sensual  and 
gross  than  it  was.  The  gilding  on 
the  drug  has  been  believed  to  have 
eliminated  from  it  the  radical  poi- 
son ;  the  ornamentation  on  the  out- 
side of  the  sarcophagus  to  have 
arrested  the  process  of  decay  un- 
derneath ;  the  placing  of  the  tiger 
in  zoological  gardens  to  have  made 
him  less  ferocious  thaa  he  was  in 


!the  woods;  the  housing  of  man- 
j  kind  in  marble  or  in  freestone  to 
jhave  cleansed  their  inner  spirit, 
'  and  made  it  less -^-ile  and  less  dead- 
ly than  it  was  when  the  unlettered 
,  tribes  dwelt  in  huts  or  in  tents. 
Perhaps  we  all  have  felt  something 
:  of  this.  And  not  a  few  have  really 
I  accepted  the  plausible  idea  that  all 
these  material  means   and  mechan- 


I  isms  were  raising  a  sort  of  inclined 
'\planej  up  which  men  would  pass  by 
!  insensible  degrees,  till  without 
help  of  grace  it  should  lift  them  to 
the  level  of  millenial  attainment ! 

Aicay  icith  such  dainty  and  deli- 
cate theories!  The  times  denounce 
them,  and  unansiceraUy  demonstrate 
them  short-sighted  and  pernicious! 
Man  is  to-day,  unchanged  by  God's 
Spirit,  precisely  what  he  has  always 
been.  He  is  in  Massachusetts,  in 
Xew  Jersey,  in  ^ew  York,  wbat 
he  was  in  old  Pome  or  older  Bab- 
ylon. This  city  is  Xineveh  on  an- 
other continent,  wanting  only  its 
readiness  to  rei^ent.  The  mechan- 
ic at  Weymouth,  if  guilty  as  alleged, 
is  Caligula  or  Tiberius,  with  only, 
thank  God,  a  less  opportunity. 
The  preacher  poisoning  his  wife, 
wants  only  a  different  occasion  and 
arena  to  repeat  the  worst  horrors  of 
what  we  are  wont  to  caU,  by  way 
of  eminence,  "the  Dark  Ages." 
The  outward  glitter  and  garnish  of 
society  have  not  availed  to  regener- 
ate man,  to  reform  or  essentially  to 
restrain  hia  nature.  His  manners 
may  be  modified,  but  his  temper  is 
still,  at  the  root,  identical.  His 
wealth  is  greater,  but  his  heart  is 
no  more  Godlike  than  before.  He 
now,  as  of  old,  caiTies  in  him  the 
furious  volcanic  fires  of  idolatry, 
and  of  lu8t;  that  may  break  at  any 


342 


THE  AMERICAN  AUTIJMX. 


time    into    liiilcl      and   devashitin/j;!     Let  us  tli 


^.ff] 


tliis,  find  foci  it!- 


ananifosttilion.     IIo  is  liai^dly   nfraidlaivl  let  the  force  of  its  meaning  and 
of  the  law  man   has    made;  not'  at' the  lesRona   of  its     verity   instnict 


all  of  the  hxw  -wliich  i?   hiü;her  than 'and  inspire 

tliis,  the  ground    of    it«    authority,  ought. 

the  measure    of   its    justness,    and| 

■which  has   the  Eternal    and   Omni-j 

^present  for  its  executive 

shrink  from  human 'Courts,  but  not; 

drom  the  great  assize  of  the  future. 

Ho  is  at  heart  just    as    godless    as 

ever,   and    just    as    rebellious;  ma- 


il*^ 


i:lit    they 


AYith  such  a    ])ictnrc    of   human 

, .  ociety,  in  its  best  and  liighest  con- 
110   may    ,.  .       .     ,,     .,,    ...  '   ,  ,        , 

•^^laition  in  the  Christian  world,    who 

can  look   for  a  temporal   millenium, 

or  the  conversion  of  the  world? 


The  world   is   now  as   it   -was   in 


king  gods  for  himself  of  his  pride 'the  days  of  Noah  and  Lot,  and  just 
and  his  lusts,  and  of  his  greed  fori  as  the  Ba\  ior  declared  it  would  be 
worldly  good,  and  wishing  that  iji  the  day  of  his  coming.  AYhat 
■the  Almighty  were  out  of  tho  way  jjwait  we  foi-  but  the  filling  up  of  the 


ready  to  hurl  liim  from  his  throne 
each  moment,  to  gain  the  Tberty 
of  unlimited  indulgence  j  of  doing 
^precisely  what  he  wishes!  When 
•we  get  to  the  centre  of  the  nature 
of  man  as  shown  in  the  current 
äiistory  of  our  times,  it  is  preciiiely 
this  that  we  find  there, — unchanged 
by  years;  unremoved  by  the  prog- 
ress of  outward  civilization ;  tastes 
and  tendencies  just  as  vicious  as 
ever;  capacities  for  cruelty,  treach- 
ery, falsehood,  for  crimes  of  every 
grade  and  dye,  exactly  the  same 
in  kind  and  in  measure  that  have 
foeen  shown  along  the  bloodiest 
(passages  of  the  past; — any  other 
description  of  this  nature  misstates 
lit;  any  other  view  of  it  essentially 
anisconceives  it.  To  try  to  change 
ot  by  any  other  means  than  those 
•which  reach   the    heart   itself,  and 


pruj'lictic  periods,  when  God  shall 
"cleanpc  his  sanctuary,"  and  '^make 
all  things  newr"  '-Come,  Lord 
Jesus,  and  come  quickly."  * 

Voice  of  the  Prophets. 


For  the  Visitor. 

THE  AMEEIGAN  AL'TUMN. 

This  is  the  most  delightful,  in- 
teresting, and  instructive  season  of 
the  3'ear.-i  Our  springs  are  too  hu- 
mid and  chilly;  our  summers  too 
hot  and  dusty;  and  our  winters  too 
cold  and  tempestuous.  But  autumn 
comes,  that  soft  twilight  of  the 
waning  year,  and  is  ever  delight- 
fully temperate  and  agreeable. 
When  the  trees  are  bending  with 
the  loads  of  the  ripe  fruit,  and  the 
vine  yielding  its  luscious  clusters   of 


^.«    .,    ^  .      ,     ,       i.    •+     •  i' grapes !      When   the  trees    put  on 

Tectify  that,  IS    to  treat   its  inward  i*^,    ^      .  ,  ,  .  ,    ^      , 

their   rich   and   varierrated  mantles 


'hurt  too  slightly.  And  it  is  not 
the  pulpit  that  now  alone  or  chiefly 
preaches  this;  but  it  is  the  com- 
mon speech  of  men.  A  thousand 
«newspapers  aro  every  day  announ- 
<>ing  and  repeating  it,  with  an  ap- 
paUing  irrcflißtiblo  energy^  to  the 
^yholo  reading  world ! 


after  throwing  oft'  their  light  green 
drapery!  In  this  country  autumni-i 
comes  not  in  ^'russet  mantle  clad  but 
like  a  triumphant  emperor  arrayed 
in  "gorgeous  robes  of  Sj-rian  dyes.*' 
We  read  of -Italian  skies,  which 
prodigal     nature    ha«    created    for 


QUEEIES. 


ä43 


man's  comfort,  where  the  earth  is 
never  chilled  -with  the  irost  and 
snows  of  winter,  and  we  often 
•lonff  to  visit  those  sunny  climes 
where  the  birds  have  ''no  sorrow  | 
in  their  song,  no  winter  in  their 
year."  We  also  read  of  tropical  ever- 
greens which  enrich  the  earth,  and 
make  it  seem  like  an  Eden  of  plen- 
ty. But  where  can  we  find  a  sea-: 
son  of  such  unrivaled  beauty  as' 
the  autumn  of  America.  We  may 
explore  the  other  four  divisions  of 
the  earth  in  vain.  To  them  has; 
been  given  balmy  springs,  summers' 
of  plenty,  and  winters  of  mildness. ! 
But  to  our  own  land  alone  has! 
been  given  this  season  of  mai^nifi- 
cence  and  abundance.  3Iost  of  ourj 
poets  have  sung  the  song  of  thisj 
season — all  varying  from  each  oth-; 
er,  and  all  beautiful  like  the  many ; 
tinted  leaves  of  the  groves.  The  i 
pensive  By^ant  says,  I 

'•The  melancholy  days  hare  come  i 

The  saddest  of  the  year;"  I 

But  we  resist  the  temptation  to; 
quote  these  beautiful  lines  as  they 
are  so  universally  known.  But 
this  objection  does  not  apply  to  the ! 
delicate  lines  of  poor  Brainard: 
•which  has  seldom  been  copied,  is 
in  little  repute,  but  which  contains 
the  true  inspiration  of  poetry. 

"What  is    there    saddening    in    these   autumn 

leaves  'i 
Have  they  that  'green   and  yellow  melancholy,' 
That  the  sweet   poet   epake  of  ?    Ilad  he    seen 
Our  vaxiegatcd  woods,  when  first  the   frost 
Turns  into  beauty  all   October's  charms — 
When   the   dread  fever   quits    us — when     the 

storms 
Of  the  wild  equinox,  with  all  its  wet, 
Has  left  the  land,  as  the  first  deluge   left  it, 
With  a  bright  bow  of  many  colors  hung 
'Upon  tbo  forest  tops,  he  had  not  sighed. 
The  möon  stays   longest  for  the    hunter    now 
TiiQ  trees  cast  down    their  fruitage,  and    the 

bUthe 


And  busy  .«quirrel  hoards  his  winter  store  : 
While  man  enjoys  the  brcere  that  sweeps  along 
The  bright  blue  sky  above  hiin,snd  that  lend» 
Magnificently  »ll  the  forest's  pride, 
0'  whispers  through  the  trvorgrüen.s,  and  ask« 
'What  is  there  saddenini:  ia  the  autuma 
]eave>?'" 

I  have  said  this  is  an  instructive 
season.  When  we  see  the  tree« 
robbed  of  their  youth  and  beauty 
and  the  foliage  blighted  with  th» 
biting  frost,  we  are  reminded  of 
man  in  his  spring  time,  but  slowly 
ripening  for  the  grave,  as  the  frost» 
of  age  chill  his  frame,  and  change» 
his  youthful  asjject.  for  the  tot- 
tering frame     and   whitened  locks. 

And  as  the  trees  which  will 
shortly  lose  their  foliage  and  Sitm 
to  decay,  but  which  are  still  kept 
alive  by  the  live  current  within,  so 
man  loses  this  tenement  of  clay, 
sinks  into  the  tomb,  and  seems  tV 
perish.  But  there  is  principle  with- 
in which  will  one  day  infuse  new 
life  into  the  dead.  And  as  the  treef 
and  plants,  some  of  which  will  bud 
and  bloom  in  the  spring,  so  some  of 
the  children  of  men  will  rise  into  a- 
new  and  glorioiis  life,  but  some 
will  perish  forever. 

Hattie. 


1.    Concerning  the  binding. 
Matt.  18  :  18. 

Dear  Editors  of  the  Gospel  Yiei-= 
tor:  I  would  like  you  to  give  u« 
the  explanations  on  a  few  texts  of 
Scripture  if  you  think  them  worth  j 
of  notice.  1.  Matt.  18  :  18.  *' What- 
soever ye  shall  bind  on  earth  shall 
be  bound  in  heaven."  When  shall 
this  binding  t^ike  place  ? 

C.    W. 


844 


QUERIES. 


Answer.  —  Wlien  the  church 
avails  itself  of  all  the  helps  wliich 
its   Divine    founder 


3.     ONrEpn.4:  1. 


What  gave  rise  to   the   saying  of 
,     .     .         .,_  ^^^'^^    f^^'^^^^  the  apostle,  -I   therefore,   the  pris- 

forit,it  will  decide  correctly  "pon  1^,^^^  of  the  Lord.',     F.ph.  4  :  1.     In 
whatever    matters    properly    c-ome  ^.j^^^  ^^^^^  ^^..^^^ 


befoi-e  it.  And  its  decisions  when 
thus  made,  will  bo  sanctioned  and 
conlirmed  in  heaven.  And  then 
whatsoever  shall  be  bound  on  earth 
shall  be  bound  in  heaven  :  and  what- 
soever shall  be  loosed  on  earth 
shall  bo  loosed  in  heaven.  As  the 
question  refers  more  particularly 
to  the  time  of  binding,  we 
say,  that  things  are  bound  in  heav- 
en, or  receive  the  sanction  of  heav- 
en, as  soon  as  they  arc  bound  ac- 
cording to  the  gospel  on  earth,  al- 
though the  agreement  between 
the  decisions  in  heaven  and  on 
earth  may  not  in  all  cases  be  made 
manifest  before  the  day  of  judg- 
ment. 

2.     Ox  John  5  :  25. 

In    the   following  text,  who   are 
the  dead  sj^oken  of?     ''Yerily,  Ycr- 


F.ph. 
he  the  prisoner  of 
the  Loi-d  y  Does  it  mean  that  ho 
was  taken  prisoner  by  the  Lord, 
whed  he  was  apprehended  by  him 
on  his  way  to  Damascus,  or  that 
he  was  taken  prisoner  by  the  officers 
of  the  law  for  preaching  Christ? 

Answer. — Paul  says,  1  Cor.  7  :  22, 

^^.<^^^l(j ;  "For  he  that  is  called  in  the  Lord, 

!  being  a  servant, 


man."       And 
prisoner,  to   those 


ily,  I  say  unto  you,  the  hour  is 
coming,  and  now  is,  when  the  dead 
shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of 
God  J  and  they  that  hear  shall 
live.'^ 

Answer. — As  we  have  in  the  24th. 
verse,  or  in  the  verse  which  precedes 
that  to  which  the  query  refers,  the 
following  phrase,  *'is  passed  from 
death  unto  life,"  and  as  this  evi- 
dently expresses  the  change  which 
takes  place  in  sinners  when  they 
arc  converted,  when  they  are 
brought  from  a  state  of  spiritual 
death  into  a  state  of  spiritual  life, 
Aye  think  that  the  25th.  verse  refers 
to  the  same  change,  and  ''the  dead'' 
in  the  query  means  those  wlio  are 
dead  in  "trespasses  and  sins." 
Eph.2:l. 


is  the  Lord's  free- 
to  apply  the  term 
who  have  sub- 
mitted to  the  truth,  and  who  have 
yielded  to  the  Lord,  does  not  seem 
to  be  justified  from  the  common 
meaning  of  the  word,  nor  from  the 
use  that  is  made  of  it  in  the  Scrip- 
tures. We  therefore  think  he  was 
the  prisoner  of  the  Lord  because  he 
had  to  suffer  in  bonds  for  his  fidel- 
ity to  the  gospel. 

4.     On  Matt.  24 


Dear  Brethren  :  Please 
explanation      of     Matt, 
through  the  "Visitor. 


15. 

give 
24: 


an 
15, 


Answer. — The   verse 
in     the    query     reads 


J.    U. 

referred  to 
as  follows : 
"When  ye  therefore  shall  see  the 
abomination  of  jdesolation,  spoken 
of  by  Daniel  the  prophet,  stand  in 
the  holy  place,  (whoso  readeth, 
let  him  understand.)"  "The  abom- 
ination of  desolation"  seems  to 
mean  the  Roman  armies,  which  had 
on  their  standards  images  and  ob- 
jects of  adoration  which  were  held 
in  abhorrence  by  the  Jews.  These 
Roman  armies  which  were  an  abom- 
ination to  the  Jews,  were  to  spread 
desolation  in  Jerusalem  according  to 


QUEßiES 


345 


Daniel  9  :  27,  where  it  is  declared, 
<'And  for  the  overspreading  of  abom- 
ination he  shall  make  it  desolate, 
even  until  th-e  consummation,  and 
that  determined  shall  be  poured 
upon  the  desolate."  The  profaning 
of  the  temple  by  taking  into  it  those 
things  which  were  considered  an 
abomination  by  the  Jews,  is  most 
likely  the  circumstance  alluded  to. 
The  parallel  passage  in  Luk-e  21  : 
20,  makes  it  plain  that  reference  is 
made  to  the  Eoman  armies.  In 
that  passage  we  have  the  following 
language ;  ''And  when  ye  shall  see 
Jerusalem  compassed  with  armies, 
then  know  that  the  desolation 
thereof  is  nigh." 

But  as  the  destruction  ot  Jerusa- 
lem w^as  a  type  of  the  more  gener- 
al judgments  of  God  Avhich  are  to 
come  upon  the  world  in  the  latter 
end  of  the  present  dispensation, 
«'the  abomination  of  desolation 
Standing  in  the  holy  place"'  may 
likewise  refer  to  the  false  doctrines 
and  erroneous  practices  introduced 
into  the  Christian  system  and 
which  wrill  bring  the  judgments  of 
heaven  upon  an  apostate  Christen- 
dom. ^'This  know  also,  that  in  the 
last  days  perilous  times  shall  come. 
For  men  shall  be  lovers  of  their  own 
selves,  covetous,  boasters,  proud, 
"blasphemous,  disobedient  to  pa- 
rents, unthankful,  unholy,  without 
natural  affection,  trucebreakers, 
false  accusers,  incontinent,  fierce, 
despisers  of  those  that  are  good, 
traitors,  heady,  highminded,  lovers 
of  pleasure  more  than  lovers  of 
God;  having  a  form  of  godliness, 
but  denying  the  power  thereof: 
from  such  turn  away."  2  Tim.  3  :  1 
— 5.  The  prevalence  of  these  evils, 
and  a  form  of  godliness  without  the 


power,   are  indications   of  the   ap- 
proaich  of  the  last  days. 

5.     On  John  10  :  1. 

Also  please  give  an  explanation 
of  John  10  :  1. 

Answer. — The  passage  referred 
to  reads  thus :  ''Yerily,  verily,  I 
say  unto  you,  he  that  entereth  not 
by  the  door  into  the  sheepfold,  but 
climbeth  up  some  other  way,  the 
same  is  a  thief  and  a  robber."  The 
10th.  chapter  of  John  is  a  contin- 
uation of  a  discourse  of  Christ  with 
the  Pharisees,  in  which  he  reproved 
them  and  vindicated  his  own  char- 
acter as  the  Me^iah.  The  Phar- 
isees claimed  to  be  the  shepherds 
of  the  flock  or  the  pastors  of  God's 
people,  and  charged  Christ  with 
being  an  impostor  having  no  right 
to  teach  because  he  received  no  au- 
thority from  them.  He  uses  the 
parable  of  the  sheepfold,  and  de- 
clares that  *'He  that  entereth  not 
by  the  door  into  the  sheepfold,  but 
climbeth  up  some  other  waj",  the 
same  is  a  thief  and  a  robber."  The 
door  was  the  proper  or  lawful  en- 
trance into  a  building.  The  Phar- 
isees  were  not  the  lawfully  accred- 
ited shepherds  of  God's  flock,  and, 
consequently,  had  not  entered  in 
by  the  door,  and  were  therefore,  as 
thieves  and  robbers.  Jesus  as  the 
true  teacher  sent  from  God,  and 
as  the  good  shepherd,  came  in  the 
lawful  way — in  the  way  pointed 
out  by  the  prophets  of  the  Lord. 
And,  therefore,  he  came  in  by 
the  door,  and  the  Spirit  de- 
scended upon  him  from  heaven, 
and  the  Father  gave  his  testimony, 
"this  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom 
I  am  well  pleased." 


TDT.  STi:i)Y  OF  CIIILPREK'S  FACES  &c 


?lif  afnmiln    (link. 


very    ba])])v — imieh     loss    so    than 
tl»ough  they  had  been  taui>;ht  obedi- 

THE  STUDY  OF  CHIir'HEN'S        j  ^"^'^  ^o  parontal  authority,  for  their 
FACES.  I  mother  neither  Iccls  nor  looks   very 

Jt  is  iiitei-e.stin<_r  lo  stndv    liiuiian  iJ^W^^l- 

But  dis])leasiiiir  as  is  a  surly-faced 
youth,  a  sad  eliild  is  indeed  a  sorry 
sight.  If  its  bod}'  has  much  vital- 
ity, a  sensitive  soul  breathes  an 
inconirenial  atmosphere,  probably 
in  the  very  heart  of  home.  Child- 
hood should  be  lauirhinü:.  ros}-,  sun- 
ny I  and  when  it  is  thus,  how  at- 
tractive I  I  iiad  almost  said,  how 
iK'Mutiinl  are  they  who  represent  it, 
though  their  leatures  be  very  nn-. 
symmetrical!  Many  a  mother  is 
overburdened  with  care  and  sorrow, 
whose  is  a  continual  strug'«i;Ie  with 
the  heavy  artillery  of  life,  it  is  true, 
when  it  is  hard  to  wear  smiles  j 
yet  chafing  and  fretting  cannot 
lighten  her  burden.^  She  must 
look  to  God,  who  will  do  all  things 
(fesiraV'le  for  he  r — He  who  loves  to 
see  his  creatures  happy. 


n-itiiro    in    children's      faces — to  see 
1  lie  effect  of  different  modes  of  edu- 
o;ition     upon   divei-s   dcvc^lopenients 
of  m\\\<\  and    bf),Iy.     Many   children 
look  sour,     wil  ul    and    uuly-  some 
pad.  even  ;  wliile  others  look    sweet, 
pleasant  A:  liai)jn'.  as  children  sljouhl. 
^luch    as    ])erfcct      or      diseased 
phyNical  natures,  proper  or  iin|)rop- 
Ci*  diet,  may  have   1o    do    in    jn-odu- 
ciiig  these   a]){)earMnc"s,'  home   dis- 
ci ])line   and     i'xamplc.  as  a  general 
thing,  have  more. -rMoi hers    do  not 
realize  that  they    fasti^n   their   own 
■feelings,  so  far  as  expressed,  in  their 
offspring.        Siie     who    scowls    and 
frowns  habitually,  must   not  cx])eei: 
Jicr  child  to  look  joyful,  but  gnarled 
or  surly.     Like  mothtci-,  like   ch.ild; 
only  she  who    "sows   the   win<l"    in 
the  heart  of  her  daughter,    may  ex- 
pect  to  see    the    whirlwind  gather 
and    burst  forth,    as   our    harvests 
are  generally  more  plentiful  than  the 
seed  we  scatter.   Select  a  very  ])leas- 
ant-looking child, <^:  notice  ifit  has  not 
a  very  pleasant-looking  mother — one 
who  answers  many  of  its  thousand  & 
one  questions  with    a  warm,  loving 
fimiie,  instead  of  turning   away  the 
inquiring  mind,  and   fretting   at  its 


endless  teasings. 

AVho  of  us,  amid  continual  irri- 
tation, would  preserve  the  same 
i)enignity  of  countenance?  and  can 
children  bo  expected  to  do  better 
than  their  seniors  and  teachers 
in  this  respect? — How  1  pity  the 
half  dozen  offspring  of  her  in  whoso 
'houso  there  is  no  acknowledged 
ruler,  save,  perhaps,  tho  youngest 
child !    Those  youth  do    not    look 


PAEENTAL  SYMPATHY. 

Parents  express  too  little  sympa- 
thy for  their  children  ;  the  efiect  of 
this  is  lamentablt>. 

"How  your  children  love  you! 
I  Avould  give  the  world  to  have  my 
children  so  devoted  to  me  I"  said  a 
mother  to  one  who  did  not  regard 
the  time  given  to  her  children  as  so 
much  capital  wasted.  Parents  err 
fatally  when  they  grudge  the  time 
necessary  for  their  children's  amuse-  ' 
ment  and  instruction;  for  no  in- 
vestment brings  so  sure  and  so  rich 
returns. 

Tho  child's  love  is  holy;  and  if 
tho  parent  docs  not  fix  that  lovd 
upon  himself,  ho  dcßcrres  to  lose  it. 


THE  DEOÜGHT  IX  KAXSAS.— AX  APPEAL.  347 


and  in  after-Iifo  to  bewail  his  povcr- 
crty  of  heart. 

The  child's  heart  is   full    of  love, 


sequence  of  unprecedented  drought 
that  has  visited  our  new  countrv.  I 
have  concluded   to    say    something 


and  it  must  gush  out  toward  some- 'upon  the  subject.  And  I  will  first 
body  or  something.  If  the  parent  say,  we  had  no  rain  to  moisten  the 
is  worthy  of  it,  and  possesses  it, 'gi'ound  over  four  inches  for  one 
he  is  blest:  aisd  the  child  is  safe,  jj'ear.  Some  time  this  week,  we 
"When  the  child  loves  worthy  per-! had  one  shower.  In  February  one; 
ßons.  and  rfoeives  their  sympathy,  i in  May  another;  in  August  per- 
he  is  less  Hable  to  be  influenced  by  haps  three  or  four  smaller  showers 
the  undeserving;  for  in  his  soul  are  ' merely  to  start  the  eaves  to  drop, 
models  of  excellence,  with  which !  We  had  no  snow  to  cover  the 
he  compares  others.  'ground  last  winter.     Thus  from  the 

Any  parent  can  descend  from  his  Kansas  river  to  the  south  line  of 
chilling  dignity,  and  freely  answer 'Kansas,  and  as  much  further  as  we 
the  child's  questions,  talking  famil-i  have  heard  from,  the  drought  is 
iarlv  and  tenderlv  with  him;  andlsevcre.  Xorth  of  the  river,  it  is 
when  the  little  one  wishes  help,  the  ; the  same  until  the  Xebraska  line; 
parent  should  come  out  of  his  ab-  i  there  we  hear  the  farmers  have 
straetions  and  cheerfully  help  him.  ^raised  some  corn,  perhaps  enough 
Then  his  mind  will  return  to  his 'to  bread  them.  And  on  the  border 
speculations  elastic,  and  it  will  act ;  of  the  Missouri  river  at  one  point, 
with  force.  All  parents  can  find  a  j  there  is  some  corn.  The  balance 
few  minutes  occasionally,  duringjof  the  teiTitory  is  a  failure.  Wheat 
the  day,  to  read  little  stories  to  the  j  has  heretofore  yielded  productively; 
children,  and  to  illustrate  the  re- 'this  year,  the  twentieth  bushel 
ßpective  tendencies  of  good  and :  sown  is  not  harvested.  If  we 
bad  feelings.  They  can  talk  to  j  would  have  had  dews  as  in  former 
them  about  flowers,  birds,  trees, 'seasons,  there  would  perhaps  have 
about  angels,  and  about  God.       .      j  been  corn  enouüjh  to   have    breaded 


o 


They  can  show  interest  in  their  |  the  people,  but  these  we  had  not. 
eports,  determining  the  character  j  The  winds  blew  from  the  south 
of  them.     What  is  a  surer  way  than  j  I'^gul^^ii'ly  through  July  and  August, 


this  of  binding  the  child  to  the  heart 
of  the  parent  ?  When  you  have 
made  a  friend  of  a  child,  you  may 
congratulate  yourself  you  have  a 
friend  for  life. — Life  Illustrated. 


and'  some  days  were  too  hot  fbi;  Iny 
human   being  to  be  out.        ^' 

We  believe  from  appearance,  that 

had  we  been  blessed  with  one  good 

soaking  rain    the    first    or    second 

week     in     August,    such    was    the 

amount     planted    and    sown,    that 

THE  DROUGHT   IN  KÄ.NSAS-~     j  there  would  have    been  a  full    sup- 

AN  APPEAL—  Iplv.     But  instead  of  rain,   the   ther- 

Lawrence,  Kansas,  Sept.  13th.  1860.  mometer  stood  in  July  and  August 

Dear  Brethren :  Jn  the  shade  at  110   and    in    some 

Seeing  various '  localities  I  am  told  it  stood  at  116 

Imports  in  different    papers    of   the  "degrees.     And  on  four  days   of  the 

condition  of  OTir  Territory,  in    con- 1  first  week  ia    September    it    stood 


348 


•  THE  DEOUGIIT  IX  KANSAS.— AN  APPEAL. 


from  100  to  104.  The  farmers  Bow- 
ed all  the  hiickwheat  seed  they 
couUl  get,  and  the  rain  in  August 
brought  it  up,  but  the  hist  hot 
-weather  withered  it  up.  Our  gar- 
dens are  as  destitute  of  vegetation 
as  in  Mareh.  The  potato  vines  are 
still  growing  and  good  size,  but 
their  season  is  past.  Thus  you  see 
the  people  of  Kansas  are  left  with- 
out anything  to  subsist  upon  until 
next  harvest.  The  people  used  ev- 
ery cxertioi\.  in  their  power.  They 
plowed,  planted,  and  sowed  until 
it  was  too  late.  And  so  all  hope 
is  fled,  and  the  people  are  left  in 
despair.  There  are  many  poor  in 
Kansas? ;  many  lost  and  spent,  in 
our  troubles  here,  all  they  brought. 
There  are  perhaps  forty  or  fifty 
families  of  Brethren  in  Kansas. 
Some  have  funds  to  buy  with  until 
harvest,  others  are  out  of  funds 
now.  If  the  Brethren  could  sell 
their  surplus  lands  and  stock,  they 
could  all  do.  but  there  is  no  sale  for 
any  thing  but  clothing  and  provis- 
ion. Now  I  do  not  wish  to  make 
this  article  unreasonably  long  breth- 
ren, but  this  is  the  condition  in 
part,  of  the  poor  in  Kansas.  But, 
dear  brethren,  let  us  be  thankful  to 
God  whose  blessings  extend  as  far 
as  his  unbounded  power,  that  he 
lias  not  withheld  the  rains  and 
dews  from  the  northern  states  with 
their  immense  population.  Had  the 
drought  extended  over  our  whole 
country,  all  the  treasures  in  our 
land  could  not  have  procured  the 
necessaries  of  life,  and  famine  and 
Buffering  would  have  been  our  lot. 
But  as  the  northern  states  have 
been  blessed  with  an  abundant 
iiarvest,  we  still  hope,  that  ))y  the 
charity  of  the  brethren  and  friends 
in  the  northern  btatc;^  ihe  poor   will 


find  support  until  harvest,  when  we 
hope  that  God  will  again  bless  our 
fertile  lands  with  a  crop. 

There  has  been  wheat  sent  here 
from  Wayne  count}-  Indiana,  but 
the  freight  and  commission  are  two 
dollars  per  hundred  weight,  and  in 
some  cases  more,  which,  is  near 
what  the  price  of  wheat  is  at  Kan- 
sas city,  and  the  money  is  not  hero 
to  redeem  it.  So  if  the  brethren  or 
friends  desire  to  send  aid  to  the 
poor,  they  bad  better  send  the  mon- 
ey to  their  brethren  or  aquaintan- 
ces,  and  send  it  to  the  nearest  post 
or  express  office.  Our  address  is  at 
Lawrence,  Kansas  Territory. 

O  what  a  change  can  bo  brought 
about  in  one  year.  Last  fall  the 
price  of  corn  was  from  18  to  20 
cents,  and  the  cry  was,  what  will 
we  do  with  our  large  surplus.  Now 
the  cry  is,  what  will  we  do  for 
bread  until  harvest.  But  brethren, 
let  not  this  drought,  which  is  a 
providential  occurrence,  discourage 
any  of  you  who  desire  to  come  to 
the  west.  The  vast  rich  prairies 
remain,  and  the  climate  is  pleasant, 
and  we  trust  j  the  fruitful  seasons 
will  return  again.  I  think  I  may 
say  that  at  least  one  fourth  of  tho 
land  bought  in  Kansas  is  under 
mortgages  to  eastern  speculators, 
and  these  mortgages  will  be  duo 
next  spring,  and  to  purchase  the 
land  at  a  low  price  would  be  doing 
the  present  owners  a  favor,  and  pre-^ 
vent  it  from  falling  into  the  hands 
of  speculators.  The  water  in  Ivan- 
sas  is  very  low.  But  each  neigh- 
borhood has  plenty  for  house  use. 
Stock  bad  to  be  driven  in  parts 
two  miles  to  water.  Brethren  will 
you  give  this  a  place  in  the   Visitor 


PEOCEEDIXGS  OF  A  MEETING    &c. 


349 


soon,  for  the  benefit  ot    the    needy. 
The  grace  of  God    be    with    you. 
Jacob  tJLRicH. 


Remarks  on  the  above. 

Would  it  not  be  well  for.  those 
brethren  Avho  live  in  those  districts 
where  the  drought  will  make  it 
necessary  to  have  assistance  ren- 
dered to  keep  the  people  from  suff- 
ering, to  appoint  a  committee  to 
receive  and  distribute  the  funds 
their  friends  in  the  states  may  send 
them? 

Eds. 


Proceedings   of  a    Meeting  held  in 

Eastern  Pennsylvania  upon  the 

subject  of  Evangelism. 

Pursuant  to  the  advice  or  sug- 
gestion of  the  committee  appointed 
by  the  Y.  31.  of  1859,  who  reported 
to  the  Y.  M.  of  I860,  Br.  J.  H  Um- 
STAD  of  Green  Tree  church,  Mont- 
gomery CO.,  Pa.  issued  a  call  to 
the  brethren  of  the  churches  East 
of  the  Susquehanna  river,  to  send 
delegates  or  letters  to  a  meeting  of 
delegates  to  be  held  at  Green  Tree 
church  on  the  22d.  of  September,  to 
consider  those  suggestions  for  the 
furtherance  of  the  Gospel  in  the 
work  of  Evangelism. 

The  meeting  was  organized  by 
appointing  br.  Jacob  Got  waits  mod- 
erator, and  I.  Price  Secretary. 

The  following  named  churches 
were  represented  on  said  day  at 
said  place: 

Green  Tree  church,  Montgomery  co. 
Pa.  I 

Delegates,  John    H.    TJmstad   and 
Jacob  Gotwalts. 
Indian     Creek    churchy  Jiontgo/nery 
Co.  Pa. 


:  Delegates,  Samuel  Harlet,  Jacob 

Price  and  Jacob  Eeixer. 

William  Xyce  and  Abraham  Cas- 

SEL,  volunteers  to  the   call. 

Whiteoak  churchy  Lancaster  co.  Pa. 

was  represented  by  letter. 

Conestoga      church,     Lancaster    co. 

by  letter. 

Big  Sicatara,  Dauphin  co. 

Delegates,   William   Hertzel  and 

Wend  ALL  Henry. 
Tulpehocken  church,  Lebanon  co. 

Delegates,  Christian  Bücher   and 

John  L.  Zug. 

Little  Sicatara  church,  Lebanon  and 

Berks  co. 

John  Hertzler  and   George   Gip- 
fle. 

North  Coventry  church,    Cfiester  co., 

Pa. 

I  Delegates,  John  E.  Price,  A  Grubb 
'  and  William  Perches. 

!  Philadelphia  church. 

Delegate,  John  Eox. 
;  Christian  Custer,  volunteer. 

I  Gennantown  church. 

Delegate,  John  Price. 

Xeic  Jersey  church. 
Delegates,    Israel    Poulson     and 
I  Enoch  Hoffman. 

If  there  be  organized  churches 
East  of  the  Susquehanna  Eiver  ot 
the  Brethren  not  named  in  the 
above,  we  desire  that  Aey  may 
report  to  the  next  meeting. 

On  motion,  it  was  resolved  tha^ 
the  deliberations  of  the  meeting 
be  open  to  participation  to  all  the 
above  named  Brethren,  but  in  any 
vote  of  action  taken,  each  church 
be  entitled  to  two  votes. 

There  was  expression  -df  desire 
on  the  part  of  all  the  churches  to  do 
what  was  best  for  the  cause  of  the 
MasteiF      All    appeared    burdened 


^K 


50 


NOFICE.— EDITORS'  TABLE. 


■with  a  sense  of  the  respoiisibilit}' 
\re  arc  resting  nndcr  to  promote 
Gospel  truth  and  Gospel  life. 

There  was,  however,  a  fear  man- 
ifested in  relation  to  the  jjernicious 
cftect  which  might  result  'from  the 
new  feature  of  a  treasury  provided 
for  that  puspose. 

To  provide  money  funds,  to  pro- 
mote gospel  truths,  struck  the 
minds  of  many  as  a  new  and  dan- 
gerous feature.  And  it  was  feared 
that  there  Avas  a  disposition  to  pat- 
tern after  other  than  gospel  exam- 
ples. 


proving    the 
donor.    There 


There  was  unit}'  of  thought  or 
voice,  that  the  responsibility  of 
spreading  the  gospel  rested  on  each 
individual  member.  But  whether, 
a  few,  should  give  all  their  time 
and  effort,  and  be  supported  by  the 
remainder,  Avhile  all  that  other  por- 
tion of  the  church  should  each  cast 
in  a  mite  in  pecuniary  form — or 
whether  each  should  be  an  evan- 
gelist in  life,  teaching  by  practice 
how  to  obey  the  gospel — And  such 
only  go  forth  as  felt  deeply  impress- 
ed with  the  duty — relying  upon 
the  faithfulness  of  the  body  of  the ' 
brethren  to  sustain  them  as  aid 
was  needed,  were  the  points  upon 
which  a  diversity  pf  opinion  obtain- 
ed. There  were  strong  fears  ex- 
pressed by  several,  perhaps  a  large 
majori tylpf the  pernicious  tenden- 
cy of  a  timsury.  Yet  all  were  anx- 
ious that  more  effort  should  l)e 
inade.  Those  discussions  arose  un- 
der  the    consideration    of  the    text 

referred  to  in  the  minutes   of  Y.  }l.  *         r-r"^ nflnf^ 

on  1  Cor.  10  :  2.— That  store  it  was  '^-^    X>i  U  ttct:) 

argued,    Avas    for    the    poof.     Somcj  Cardington,  O.,  Oct.  14,  1860. 

thought  for  a  special  occasion.     But  Dear  Brolhren  : 
manifestly,   the    majority   appeared |  Tl  write  to   j'ou  a  few   lines 

to  think  it  was  not  for  evangelism  which ^Vish  you  to  insert  in  the 
in  th^  way  now  proposed,  thouglr  Vi>ik)r  for  the. benefit  of  the  breth- 
it  might  be   for   evangelisn^in  the /ofi  penerally 


ing  wants — and  thus 
spirit  of  Ciirist  in  the 
was  life  in  the  meeting — love  man- 
ifested— amidst  strong  zeal,  and  a 
tenacity  that  the  ancient^  character- 
istics of  the  Brethren  be  maintained. 
If  we  have  departed  from  the  hu- 
mility, zeal,  self-sacrificing  spirit 
of  our  old  Brethren  Avho  have  gone 
before  us,  let  us  labor  to  get  back 
from  whence  we  de))arted,  rather 
than  mark  out  new  modes  of  evan- 
gelism, seemed  to  the  reporter  to 
be  the  br.rden  of  many  minds.  Yet 
all  iolt  a  strong  call  for  action,  and 
amidst  the  discussion,  the  foUcJ^ving 
resolution  was  offered  : 

Eesolved  that  the  churclies  of  the 
Brethren  east  of  tlie  Kiver  Sus- 
fiuehana,  constitute  a  district,  foi* 
the  more  efficient  promotion  of  the 
work  of  evangelism. 

There  were  a  few  who  desired  no 
other  organization  than  heretofore, 
— while  others  in  argument  favored 
the  district  eflbrt,  yet  none  seemed 
lo  be  prepared  for  any  definite  ac- 
tion acceptaljle  to  the  whole.  And 
some  of  the  delegates  desired  to  re- 
turn home  to  receive  more  definite 
instruction. 

Near  the  setting  of  the  sun,  it 
was  resolved,  that  we  adjourn  to 
meet  on  Friday,  the  2Gth.  of  Octo- 
Ifer,  at  the  same  place,  at  the  hour 
of  nine  A.  M.  for  worship — and  at 
10  A.  M.  enter  again  into  further 
deliberation  on    the    same   subject. 

'Further  resolved,  that  these  pro- 
ceedings be  olfered  to  the  Gospel- 
Visitor  for  publication.  » 

Isaac  Price,  Secretary. 
Jacob  Gotwaltz,  Moderator. 


for   evangelism 
indirect  mode    of   reafhin 


souls  b5'siip])lying  their  mo 


UmhIv 
)ress- 


case  is  this : 
There  is  a  man  by  the  name  ol" 
David  vSnkll,  now  in   Indiana,  who 


The 

man    by 


EDITGES'  TABLE.— PEOTPECTÜS  &c. 


351 


claims  to  be  a  preacher  among  the 
brethren,  and  we  hear  that  he  has 
been  received  as  a  minister  out 
west.  Xow  the  truth  is,  he  is  no 
minister,  and  has  been  twice  ex- 
pelled for^:ransgressions  and  will  be 
expelled  again  when  his. case  comes 
before  the  church.  He  has  no  au- 
thority from  the  church  to  speak 
in  public,  but  the  reverse.  He 
belongs  to  the  Sciota  district. 

Elder  Charles  H.   AVolfe, 
Sciota  District. 


whiJ'h    accumulated  during  our  ab- 
sence.    Brethren,  pray  for  us. 

J.     Q. 


Y  

OUR  RECENT  TRAVELS. 

^*  In  the  latter  part  of  xlugust  and 
^'  in  the  beginning  of  September,  we 
made  a  short  visit  into  the  state 
of  Indiana.  We  visited  the  church 
in  the  vicinity  of  Antioch.  in  Hunt- 
ington CO.  ai^  a  few  of  the  churches 
in"  St.  "Josepii  eo.  More  recently 
we  visited  several  of  the  churches  in 
the  western  part  of  this  state ; 
namely,  the  church  fn  Eoss  co.,  one 
of  the  chiÄhes  in  Highland  co.,  and 
some  half  do^en  churches  in  the 
Aliami  valley*  During  our  travels 
we  attended  six  communion  meet- 
ings, and  some  thirt^'-five  meet- 
ings besides.  Several  Avere  added 
10  the  churches,  and  we  had  some 
very  pleasant  and  soul  refreshing 
s^sons  together  in  waiting  upon 
the  Lord.  We  were  happy  to  find 
the  brethren,  apparently,  anxious 
to  be  doing  the  service  of  the  Lord, 
and  also  anxious  U)  have  others 
enlisted  in  the  same  holy,  happy, 
and  profitable  service.  Our  time 
ei\  present,  and  our  room  in  this 
number,  prevent  us  from  giving 
any  thing  more  than  this  brief 
sketch  of  «mr  labors.  Asa  number 
of  the  brethren  wished  to  know 
of  our  welfare  and  our  health 
after  our  return  home,  we  take  this 
opportunity  to  gratify  them.  Our 
liealth  continued  good,  and  at  this 
time  we  are  quite  well,  and  the 
Lord  be  praised  that  it  is  so.  V^e 
are   now    in    the    midst    of   labors 


OUR  NEW  PROSPECTUS. 

i      Vriih  our  last  number  we  sent  out 

iour  new  Prospectus.       We   kindly 

j  request  every  one   who   receives  it 

jto  make  an    efi^brt  to  raise   a    large 

list.      Should  any   receive   it    who 

wish  to   be   excused  from    making 

any  etfort     to    procure   subscribers 

«ch  will  please  hand  it  to  some^ 
hers  who  will  be  likely  to  make,' 
an  effort.  With  some  little  exer- 
tion on  the  part  of  our  friends,  wc 
think  a.  good  list  can  be  secured  in 
'every  neighborhood  where  the 
brethren  are  known.  Wc  hope  that 
all  who  have  received  our  Prospec- 
tus, will  make  an  efibrt  to  increase 
'the  circulation  of  the  Visitor  in 
I  their  respective  localities.  We 
:  think  the  tendency  of  our  work  is 
\  to  do  good  ,•  we  are  sure  the  design 
of  it  is  such.  If  therefore  our  circu- 
;lation  is  increased,  our  facilities 
|for  doing  good,  will  proportionably 
be  inci'^ased.  Will  our  dear  breth- 
ren and  sisters  respond  to  oiu*  re- 
quest ? 


;     ALEXANDER  MACKS  BOOK. 

;     Being  requested  by  several  of  our 

, brethren  to  publish  a  new  edition 
of  the  work  of  Alexander  Mack  sen. 
we    concluded  to-,  do  so.     And  we 

I  thought  it  best  to  make  a  now 
translation,  which  we  h^^  accord- 
ingly  done.        We   havdjpublished 

'it  in  pamphlet  form,  the  German 
and  English  on  the  same   page,  but 

I  in  separate  columns.  AVc  have  giv- 
en in  connection  with  the  work,  a 
memoir  of  the  author.  The  pam- 
phlet   contains    about    150    pages. 

I  The  price  is  twenty-five  cents  ^sin- 
gle copy.  Sent  by  mail,  thirty-one 
cents.  We  shall  be  pleased  to*  send 
the  work  to  any  who  may   order  it. 

iWe    think    the   brethren  will  find 

'the  work  to' be  interesting  to  tliem. 

I  It     defcnd3»^he    practices    of    the 


352 


OBTUARIES. 


Brethren.  The  reUition  --vhieh  tlie 
autlior  stands  in  to  our  brotherhood, 
is  siK'li,  as  to  make  it  desirable  that 
our  brethren  should  know  some- 
thing about  him   and   liis    >vritings 


OBITUARIES. 


Died  in  Ross    co.    O.    September  12th.   sister 
MARTHA    MÜMAW,    wife   of  brother   Philip 
Mumaw,  !i;;od  4S  3  cjirt:,    5  months  and    14  daj's. 
She  was"  the   mother   of   1-4   children,   eleven  of 
which    were    livinjr    at    the   time  of   her  death. 
Our  sisters  death  was  peaceful  and  hopeful. 
"Her  llesh  shrill  shuuhcr  under  ground, 
Till  the  last  trunipet,s  jovful  sound; 
Then  burst  the  chains  with    «weet   surprise, 
And  in  her  Savior's  image  rise." 

(As  there  was  a  mistake  made  in  the  follow- 
ing obituary  when  it  wa.s  given,  wo  have  been 
requested  to  give  it  correctly.) 

Died  near  Newton,  Miami  00. »  0.  November 
24th.  1858,  sister  MARY  SOL'DER,  widow  of 
Joshua  Soudcr,  aged  7S  years,  10  months  and 
21  days. 

Died  in  Morrison's  Cnve.  Bedford  co.  Pa. 
September  22,  sister  NANCY  BECHTEL  daugh- 
ter of  brother  Peter  and  sister  Elizabeth  Bech- 
tel.  aged  25  years,  4  monrhs  and  21  days.  She 
had  been  a  member  of  the  church  about  two 
years,  and  died  in  the  hope  of  a  glorious  im- 
mortality.    Funeral  text  Rev.  14  :  12,  13. 

Died  in  the  Iowa  river  church.  Marshal  co. 
Iowa  September  1,  1860.  brother  RUDOLPH 
BOLLINGER,  aged  73  years,  1  month  and  7 
days,  leaving  a  widow  of  »bout  the  same  age. 
This  old  couple  lived  together  as  husband  and 
wife  for  many  years,  and  have  only  two  children 
left  out  often  born  to  them,  one  living  in  Ohio, 
the  other  in  this  state  (Iowa.)  The  widow  feels 
if  it  was  the  Lord's  will,  a  de-ire  to  depart  this 
life  soon,  and  to  be  reunited  to  her  departed 
companion. 

J  M. 
Died  July  20.  1860,  in  Hancock  co.  0.  Rome 
district,  br.  ISAAC  SWIHART,  aged  23  years,  9 
months  and  5  days — disease  consumption.  He 
was  a  wortJI^oung  brother,  much  esteemed  by 
all  around  iHT.  Ho  was  a  single  man  and  left 
a  large  circl^f  friends  to  mourn  their  loss.  Fu- 
neral services  by  brethren  Daniel  Rosenberger 
and  Elias  Wickard  and  the  subscriber.  Funer- 
al text,  1  Cor.  15  :  22—21. 

John  P.  Ebehsole. 

Brother  Isaac  is  gone 

No  more  to   return, 

Till  tho  Trumpet  shall  sound 

To  welcome  him  hoiiic. 
%       lie  will  rise  with  tho  blest 

An<l  then  go  to  rest 

In  the  new  heavens 

And  there  he'll  bo  dre?sed 

With  a  crown  on  his  head, 

And  n  ]>alm  in  his  hand, 

And  sing  hallelujah 

With  all  the  redeemed. 


Died  in  the  Conemaugh  congregation,  Cam- 
bria CO.  Ph.  Juno  18.  brother  JÖSEIIH  DI- 
MOND,  aged  nearly  06  years.  Disease — palsy. 
Funeral-discourse  by  brethren  S.  Benshoof,  L. 
Cobaugh  and  D.  Albaugh. 

J     G. 

(This  was  overlooked  for  som»  time,  on  ac- 
count of  being  in  a  letter  concerning  a  different 
matter.  Obituaries  should  always  be  written 
either  on  a  separate  paper,  or  at  least  on  one 
end  of  tho  letter,  so  that  they  can  be  cut  off 
without  interfering  with  the  other  part. 

Died  near  Somerfield,  Fayette  co.  Pa.  August 
8th.  the  youngest  child  of  brother  Largen  and 
sister  Sarah  Hall,  aged  1  year  and  3  months. 
Funeral  service  by  Elder  J.  M.  Thomas.  Text, 
1  Cor.  15  :  55—58. 

J.    M.     T. 

Died  September  1,  sister  MARY  SWEARER, 
wife  of  Samuel  Swearer,  aged  73  year^  Sho 
had  been  a  consistent  momher  of  the  church  for 
more  than  30  years.  Sho  suffered  much  toward» 
the  latter  part  of  her  sickness  butshebore  itwitfc  * 
christian  patience  and  fortitude.  She  said  that,  al- 
though she  had  thought  much  about  dying,  death 
did  not  terrify  her  as  she  had  a  comfortable  hope  •w 
that  when  her  sufferings  were  over  here  she 
would  enjoy  that,  peace  which  the  people  of 
God  enjoy  in  another  world.  The  church  baa 
lost  a  consistent  member,    her  husband  a  good  1 

companion,  the  people  of  the  vicinity  in  which 
she  lived  a  good  neighbor,  and  her  children  an 
affectionate  anÄ  exemplary  m'Sther.  But  this  is 
our  consolation,  that  our  loss  is  her  everlastiog 
gain.  W.     G. 

Died  in  the  Upper  Canawago  church,  Adams 
CO.,  Pa.,  September  30th.  our  dear  brother 
SAMUEL  L.  BURKHOLDER,  aged  GO  vears, 
1  month  and  21  days.  Our  brother  was  a  faith- 
ful deacon  in  the  church,  and  we  hope  he  has 
gonfe  homo  to  his  reward.  Funeral  service  bj 
brethren  Miller,  Buchcr  and  Longenecker. 
Text,  Rev.  7  :  13—17. 

Died  in  the  borough  of  Lebanon,  Lebanon  co. 
Pa.  the  17th  of  September  1600,  and  was  buried 
on  the  20th  in  Germantown  at  the  old  Brethreu's 
burying  ground,  brother  WILLIAM  LEHMAN, 
in  tho  70th  year  of  his  age.  Tiiirtyfiye  yolars 
ago  he  came  as  a  member  and  deacon  or  minis- 
ter of  the  church  at  Germantown,  to  Lebanon, 
where  he  resided  ever  smce,  and  filled  several 
offices  of  trust  creditably,  and  preached  also  oc- 
casionally tho  gospel.  He  leaves  behind  a  sor- 
rowing widow  and  children  and  children's  chil- 
dren. 

Died  near  Fellowsville  in  Preston  co.  Va., 
July  25,  1860,  ABRAHAM  B.,  aged  9  years,  5 
months  and  5  days. 

August  the  5th  NANCY  C,  aged  4  years,  4 
montiis  and  19  days.  These  were  children  of 
borther  Ephraim  and  sister  Sarah  SHUCK,  for- 
merly of  Pennsylvania.  Disease :  Diptheria. 
This  disease  is  i)rovailing  to  a  great  extent  in 
Northwestern  Va.  Funeral  services  by  the 
writer  from  Rev.  1  :  6,  7. 

"Transient  and  vain  is  every  hope, 

A  rising  race  can  give. 
In  endless  honor  and  delight,  , 

My  children  all  shall  live." 

Henry  Wilsok. 


PROSPECTUS 

m  mnl  nsiTHi 

:;;  Tsar  1861  YoL  XI, 


) 


L  Visitor   is  a  monthly 
jir-güzice,    edited   and    pub- 
Henry    Kurtz   and    James 
Columbiana,    Ohio.       The 
0  work  is  and    will    be    the 
'  ;  pure  Christianity,    with 
ractices,  and  experience, 
established,    and    devcl- 
.  .-    and    his  inspired    sue- 


:'  of  the  English  Gospel 
ntain  32  psges  double 
the  German,  16  pages, 
on  good  paper,  put  up  in 
,  and  mailed  to  subscri- 
1 1  •"/    *\\2    first    of  each 


L  Visitor  has  passed 
•lumes.  has  given  general 

There  it  has  been  taken, 

.rowing  in  favor  with  the 
111  the    beginning.     And 

link,  to  have  a  wide  circu- 


TERMS: 
-  I  he  English,  one  year, 

-  ai,oo 

-      5,00 

Am  TRACT  OF 

V-NDFOR  SALE. 
IN  Iowa. 

na,  offers  for  sale,  -u  :o 
rairie,  and  20  to  40  acres 
i.  TiiG  Prairie  adjoins 
3  he  will  sell  in  quantity 
icliaser.  It  i»  most  bean- 
for  a  farm,  and  is  in 
improvement, — has    on    it 


10,00 


,50 
3,00 
5,00 

1.25 

7,00 


Thirteen  copies, 

Single  copy  of  the  German,  one 

year,  in  advance, 
Seven  copies 
Thirteen  copies, 
Single  copy  of  the  German  and 

English, 
Six  copies,  -  -         - 

And  at  the  same  rate  for  any  number 
over  those  mentioned. 

ß@°"We  send  out  this  circular  for 
the  purpose  of  extending  our  circula- 
tion, and  it  is  very  desirable  that  we 
have  as  many  names  as  possible  of  old 
subscribers  as  well  as  new  ooes,  sent  us 
before  the  first  of  December,  that  we 
may  form  some  idea  of  the  extent  of  the 
edition  that  will  be  required. 

J!>:€?*We  make  our  appeal  to  you, 
Brethren  and  Sisters,  desiring  you  to 
give  us  your  assistance  for  the  increa- 
sing of  the  circulation  of  the  next  vnT. 
ume. 

J^^Please  circulate  this,  cr  pat  it 
into  the  hands  of  some   one  who  will. 

HENRY  KURTZ, 
JAMES  QUINTER. 
Columbiana,  Columbiana  Co.  O, 
September,  1860. 


a  comfortable  log-  iioiise,  about  40 
acres  fenced,  and  about  20  acres  under 
cultivation.  From  40  to  CO  acres  more 
is  in  contemplation  to  be  broke  this 
-ümmer.  There  is  a  never  failing 
stream  of  water  on  it  ;  about  20  acres 
of  excellent  meadow; — within  4  miles 
ofa  very  large  body  of  heavy  limber, 
4grist  mills,  5  to  7  miles  oft,  6c  plenty 
of  saw  mills,  24  miles  to  the  nearest 
Mississippi  market,  IS  miles  to  the 
Dewilt  R.  R.,6  miles  to  the  Maqnoketa 


Slcam  lioat    navigation, — In   the    midst   ranp:e  of  mechauic  and    manufa^nring 
and    good,    section  ails.       The    Scicntific   American    has 


(1  a  Ihickl)-  settled 
(  r  cunnlry.— PIcDly  of  religious  preach- 
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¥11  »SPllL » flSITOl, 

VOL.  I     mttttu^tv  I860.     KO.  12. 


A  REVIEW  OF  "A  TREATISE  ON 
TRINE  IMMERSION. 

Co?iclude(L 
''lY.  The  meaning  of  the  CrreeJc 
words  baptizo  and  baptismos  is  op- 
posed to  trine  immersion,  as  trans- 
lated in  passages  not  relating  to 
baptism  as  an  ordinance." 

''In  Mark  7  :  4  and  S,  these  words 
are  rendered  icashy  and  washing, 
by  putting  the  effect  of  the  action 
for  the  action  itself.  'When  they 
come  from  the  market,  except  they 
wash,  [dip  themselves — Greek  bap- 
tizouta,]  they  eat  not.'  If  our 
translators  had  transferred  tliis 
Avord  here  as  they  have  done  else- 
Avhero,  and  given  the  force  of  the 
middle  voice,  it  would  read,  'except 
they  baptize  themselves.'  Yet  no 
one  supposes  for  a  moment  that 
the  Jews  dipped  themselves  three 
times  whenever  they  came  from  tlie 
market." 

Elder  Adamson  thinks  that  the 
words  wash  and  Avashing,  the  trans- 
lations of  baptizo  and  bajjtismos,  are 
against  trine  immersion,  or  against 
a  number  of  actions  in  administer- 
ing baptism.  But  he  is  certainly 
mistaken.  These  words  when  care- 
fully examined,  will  evidently  favor 
the  idea  of  repeated  action  being 
conveyed  by  them,  in  the  connec- 
tion in  which  they  stand.  ''And 
when  they  come  from  the  market, 
except  they  wash,  they  eat  not." 
]\rark  T  :  4.  This  seems  to  inipiv 
that  the  Jews  when  they  come 
from  the  market,  in  order  that  they 
may  be  ceremonially  clean,   baptize 


or  bathe  themselves.  Elder  A'da'm- 
son  remarks,  "no  one  supposes  for  a 
moment  that  the  Jews  di])ped  them- 
selves three  times,  whenever  they 
came  from  the  market."  ]S'ow  we 
suppose  it  highly  probable  that  if 
they  dipped  themselves  at  all,  wliich 
they  evidently  did,  they  most  like- 
ly dipped  themselves  more  than 
once.  This  is  likely  from  the  fol- 
lowing considerations:  1.  The 
Jews  were  very  careful  to  have  the 
whole  person  washed;  and  hence 
Maimonides,  a  Jew,  says,  "If  any 
man  wash  himself  all  over,  except 
the  top  of  his  little  finger,  he  is  still 
in  his  uncleanness.  Robinson's  his- 
tory of  Bajjtism,  p.  S2.  JSow  the 
fear  of  having  some  part  left  un- 
washed, would  be  very  likely  to 
lead  them  to  repeat  the  action.  2. 
It  is  very  natural,  and  very  com- 
mon for  persons  when  Vaey  go  into 
the  water  to  bathe,  to  dip  them- 
selves repeatedly.  The  presump- 
tion then  is,  that  the  Jews  in  dip- 
ping themselves,  repeated  the  ac- 
tion. 

In  the  same  connection,  jlark  7  : 
4,  we  read  of  baptizing  or  '-wj^shing 
of  cups,  pots,  brazen  vessels,"  ttc. 
Now  it  is  well  known  that  in  wasii- 
ing  such  things,  they  arc  dipped 
into  the  water  repeatedly.  We  see 
then  that  the  use  of  the  words  bap- 
tizo and  baptismos  in  the  cases  refer- 
red to,  favor  the  idea  of  repeated 
action. 

In  relation  to  the  case  of  ^STaaman, 
given  in  2  Kings  5  :  14,  elder  Adam- 
son  remarks,  "This  shows  that  bap- 
tizo in  Gveek,  taufe  in  German,  and 
G.  V.    Vol.  X.         2a 


304 


REVIEW  OF  A  TREATISE  ON  TRINE  IMMERSION. 


dip  in  English,  arc  synonymous, 
signifying  to  immerse  once,  and 
that  when  a  grcat<^r  number  of  im- 
«niersions  than  one  is  intended,  it 
must  bo  so  expressed.''  Be  it  so. 
Ill  the  formula  given  in  tlie  com- 
inission,  three  immersions  are  in- 
tended, and  this  idea  is  expressed 
by  the  subject  for  baptism  being 
required  to  be  baptized  into 
the  name  of  the  Father,  and 
into  the  name  of  the  Son,  and 
into  the  name  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
The  number  of  name«  given  here 
into  which  persons  are  to  be  bap- 
tized, and  which  is  three,  will  regu- 
late the  number  of  actions. 

''V.  The  teaching  of  Christ,  and 
ihe  jnactice  of  the  apostles,  are  in- 
consistent with  trine  immersion,  as 
recorded  in  the  Scriptures,  in  every 
instance  where  the  ordinance  is 
läpoken  of  There  is  not  the  slight- 
est intimation,  in  all  the  teaching 
and  practice  of  Christ  and  the  Apos- 
tles, that  any  person  was  immersed 
more  than  once,  or  that  any  such 
thing  was  required.  But  if  more 
than  one  immersion  had  been  in- 
tended, or  practiced,  it  would  have 
been  as  necessary  that  Christ  should 
tell  his  disciples  how  many  times  to 
baptize  the  converts,  and  that  the 
historian  should  tell  us  how  many 
times  the}"  did  baptize  them,  as  it 
was  that  the  Prophet  should  tell 
Naaman  how  many  times  to  wash 
himself,  or  that  the  historian  should 
tell  us  how  man}'  times  he  dipped 
himself" 

To  this  we  reply,  that  Christ  did 
expressly  "tell  his  disciples  how 
many  times  to  baptize  the  con- 
verts," when  he  told  them  te  bap- 
tize into  the  name  of  the  Father, 
and   into    the   name  of  tin»  Son,  and 


into  the  name  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
We  have  already  proved  that  this 
language  clearly  implies  three  ira* 
mcrsions  or  three  actions,  since 
there  are  three  distinct  names  into 
each  of  which  the  converts  are  to 
be  baptized. 

But      elder      Adamson      reasons 
against  trine  immersion  because  the 
historian  does  not  tell  ns  that    the 
converts      were     immersed      three 
times.     He  thinks  it   was  as  neces- 
sary that  the  historian  who   record- 
ed the  baptisms   which   took   place 
should   have   told  us   that  the  con- 
:  verts    were  immersed   three  times, 
;  if  they  were  immersed  that  number 
of  times,  as  it  was    that    the  histo- 
'  rian  who  recorded  the  case  of  Naa- 
'man,  should  tell  us  that    he   dipped 
i  himself  seven  times,  as  he  had  been 
•commanded  to  do.     But  our  author 
'assumes  premises    here    to   reason 
:  from,  which  the  Scriptures  will   not 
I  warrant,  and  consequently  his   rea- 
soning    amounts     to    nothing,    al- 
though he  uses   much    positiveness 
in  making  his  declarations.      When 
I  Christ     gave    his   disciples   a  com- 
I  mand,  because  we  know  that   they 
were  obedient    to    him,    we    know 
they     obeyed    that    command,    al- 
though we   may    not    be    informed 
that   they   did   so.      Consequently, 
when    Christ    gave   his   disciples  a 
command  to  immerse   the    converts 
to  his  religion  three    times,    as    ho 
evident  1}-  did,  as   we   have  already 
seen,  we  are  confident  they   did  so, 
!  although    the    historian    dees    not 
record  the  fact,   hecau.«?c   they  sure- 
ly were  obedient  to    his    command. 

Wo  will  test  elder  A  dam  son's 
argument.  He  argues  that  if  more 
than  one  immersion  had  been  prac- 
ticed by  the    apostles    when   bapti- 


EEYIEW  OF  A  TREATISE  ON  TRINE  BMERSION. 


355 


zing  the  converts,  the  historian! 
should  tell  us  ho^v  many  times  they 
did  baptize  them.  Christ  command- 
ed his  disciples  to  baptize  the  con- 
verts in  the  name  of  the  Father, 
and  in  the  name  of  the  Son,  and  in 
the  name  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Now 
ßince  the  historian  does  not  record 
the  fact,  that  the  disciples  ever  used 
the  names  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Ghost,  when  they  baptized  the  con- 
verts, according  to  elder  Adamson's 
reasoning,  they  never  did  use  those 
words,  for  he  thinks  the  historian 
should  tell  us  how  many  times  the 
disciples  did  baptize  the  converts 
as  the  historian  tells  us  that  Naa- 
man  dipped  himself  seven  times. 
And  of  course  if  the  historian 
should  tell  us  how  many  times  the 
disciples  baptized  the  converts,  he 
should  also  tell  us  in  what  names 
they  were  baptized.  But  he  has 
not  told  us  that  the  converts  were 
baptized  in  the  three  names  given 
in  the  formula,  for  administering 
baptism,  and,  therefore,  according 
to  elder  Adamson's  reasoning,  the 
converts  were  not  baptized  in  those 
names.  But  this  would  imply  that 
tlie  disciples  were  not  obedient  to 
the  Savior's  command.  Thus  we 
see  that  our  author  himself,  would 
not  admit  the  conclusion  which 
his  own  reasouincc  leads  to. 

Christ  in  his  last  commission  to 
his  disciples  gave  them  the  ibrmula 
for  administering  baptism;  and 
this  formula  implies,  as  we  have 
seen,  a  trine  immersion.  Conse- 
quently, whenever  baptism  is  re- 
ferred to  by  the  sacred  writers  af- 
ter the  commission  was  given,  that 
baptism  which  was  commanded 
in  the  commission  is  meant,  unless 
the    context     shows    that    another 


baptism  is  to  be  understood,  and  as 
the  baptism  taught  in  the  commis- 
sion implies  a  trine  immersion, 
when  an  allusion  is  made  to  that 
baptism,  we  are  to  associate  with 
it  whatever  the  Savior  connected 
with  it,  both  as  it  regards  its  de- 
sign or  benefits,  and  the  manner  in 
which  it  is  to  be  performed. 

''VI.  The  arguments  of  trine  im- 
mersionists  against  sprinkling  and 
pouring,  are  inconsistent  with 
trine  immersion. 

^'1.  They  argue  against  sprink- 
ling and  pouring  from  the  meaning 
of  the  word,  showing  that  baptizo 
in  the  Greek,  and  taufe  in  the  Ger- 
man, signify  to  dip.  This  being 
admitted,  as  we  have  already  seen, 
is  opposed  to  trine  immersion,  as 
well  as  to  sprinkling  and  pouripg. 
For  if  the  meaning  is  to  dip,  it  is 
only  to  dip  '  once,  unless  qualified 
to  denote  the  number  of  times." 

We  have  seen  that  it  is  qualified 
by  the  phraseology  in  which  it  is 
used  in  the  commission,  to  denote 
three  immersions.  So  there  is  noth- 
insf  in  our  arguments  ac:ainst 
sprinkling  and  pouring  inconsistent 
with    trine    immersion.  Bapjtizo 

does  not  mean  to  sprinkle  oi*  pour. 
But  the  phraseology  "baptizing 
them  in  the  name  of  the  Father, 
and  of  the  Son,  and  of  th^  Holy 
Ghost,  does  favor  the  idea  of  a 
trine  immersion. 

*'2.  They  argue  against  sprink- 
ling and  pouring  from  the  scriptu- 
ral use  of  the  word  bapjtize,  refer- 
ring to  the  Israelites  being  baptized 
unto  Moses  in  the  cloud  and  in  the 
sea,  and  also  to  those  who  were  bap- 
tized with  the  Holy  Spirit.  But 
we  have  already  seen  that  this 
usage  in  every  instance  shovrs  that 
the   subjects    were   immersed   only 


356 


EEYIEAV  OF  A  TREATISE  ON  TRINE  IMMERSION. 


once.  Ilcnco  this  argument  is  just 
as  good  against  three  immersions 
as  it  is  against  sprinkling  and  pour- 

This  objection  has  already  been 
met.  The  Israelites  were  baptized 
into  or  unto  Moses.  As  there  was 
l)ut  one  name  or  character  into 
which  they  were  to  bo  baptized,  one 
immersion  or  one  action  was  suffi- 
cient. The  formula  for  adminis- 
tering Christian  baptism  requires 
believers  to  bo  baptized  into  three 
names.  Therefoi'c  three  immer- 
sions and  throe  actions  are  neces- 
sary. 

AVhen  baptism  is  used  in  refer- 
ence to  the  bestovvment  of  spiritual 
gifts,  and  other  occurrences  which 
accompanied  the  descent  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  on  the  day  of  Pente- 
cq?>t,  it  is  used  in  a  figurative  sense, 
and  it  conveys  no  idea  whatever 
inconsistent  with  trine  immersion. 
This  objection  was  brought  up  be- 
fore, and  we  answered  it. 

^'o.  They  argue  against  sprink- 
ling and  pouring  from  the  figures 
used  in  reference  to  baptism,  refer- 
ring to  each  of  the  following  :  'born 
of  water;'  'buried  with  him  in  bap- 
tism ;'  'wherein  also  3'e  arc  risen 
with  him;'  'planted  together  in 
the  likeness  of  his  death;'  'the  nrk  '^- 
***  wherein  few,  that  is  eight 
souls,  were  saved  by  water;'  all  of 
which  are  inappropriate  as  figures 
to  denote  sprinkling  or  pouring : 
and  it  has  been  shown  above  that 
they  are  equally  inappropriate  as 
representations  of  trine  immersion." 

Although  we  do  believe  that 
these  figures  used  in  reference  to 
baptism  arc  against  sprinkling  and 
pouring,  we  have  proved  that  ac- 
cordinif  to  ibe    rules    «riven    fur    the 


explanation  of  figures,  there  is 
nothing  whatever  in  them  incon- 
sistent with  trine  immersion.  And 
if  elder  Adamsom's  view  of  figures 
is  correct,  and  there  must  be  a  ]ier- 
fect  resemblance  between  the  type 
and  the  antitype,  then  as  ihe  Is- 
raelites and  the  eijrht  souls 
saved  by  water,  did  not  go  back- 
ward but  forward,  in  the  figures  of 
baptism,  while  he  puts  the  con- 
verts backward  or  in  a  supine  po- 
sition when  he  baptizes  them,  wo 
may  Avith  propriet}'  adopt  his  own 
language  and  say  "they  (the  fig- 
ures alluded  to)  are  equally  inap- 
propriate as  representations  of  his 
mode  of  immersion. 

"4.  They  argue  most  conclu- 
sively against  sprinkling  and  pour- 
ing on  the  ground  that  they  are 
I  never  once  mentioned  as  baptism 
■in  the  Bible.  But  neither  is  trine 
I  immersion  mentioned  at  all  in  the 
!  Bible.  Hence  this  argument  is  as 
!  much  against  trine  immersion  as  it 
lis  against  sprinkling  and  pouring. 
I  Indeed,  according  to  this  view  of  the 
subject,  the  trine  immersionists  are 
'more  inconsistent  than  those  who 
i practice  sprinkling  and  pouring; 
I  for  they  claim  that  the  action  per- 
formed is  unimportant,  and  jidmit 
the  validity  of  other  actions;  but 
•trine  immersionists  claim  that  the 
action  is  important  to  the  validity 
of  the  ordinance,  and  deny  that 
'any  thing  is  valid  but  trine  immer- 
sion. And  their  inconsistency  is 
the  more  inexcusable,  as  the  Scrip- 
tures, which  they  ]n'ofess  to  take 
as  their  only  rule  of  faith  and  prac- 
tice, contain  not  one  word  about 
that  to  which  they  attach  so  much 
importance  as  to  call  it  the  'only 
aud  true  baptism.'  " 


ßEVIEW  OF  A  TEEATISE  OX  TRINE  liDIEESIOX.         357 

All  contained  under   this  division  |  it  is   equivalent  to   saying  that   it 

of  elder    Adamson's    objections    to  j  takes  three  immersions  to  make  one 

trine  immersion,  is  simply  a  reitera-, immersion,    which    is    absurd.     AVe 

tion  of  his   objection,  no.  I,  ''Trine,might  just  as  well  conclude   that   it 

immersion;is  never  once   mentioned  j  takes  three  bodies  to  constitute  one 

in  the  Bible,"   with   some  effort  to  j  body,    three    spirits    to    constitute 

make  it  appear  that  "trine  immer- j  one  spirit,  three  Lords  to  make   one 

sionists  are  more   inconsistent  than  j  Lord,  or  three  faiths  to  make   one 

those  who   practice   si^rinkling  and  ■  faith,  as  to   conclude   that  it    takes 

poui-ing."     Wo   need    only    remind  three  immersions  to  make   one  bap- 

our  readers  of  our  resj^onses  to   his  tism." 

objections.        "We    have    shown,  l,;      m^    «ij        aj  > 

^.\  ^,        ^     -      n^.     o  ■      -^^    elder  Adamson's    argument 

that  a  careful  analysis  01  the  lormu- i        •     .  *  •       •  •       i        -, 

,      .  ,    .   .  .    .         V     ..         .      !  against  trine  immersion  based  upon 

la  lor    admimsterins:    baptism    im-  -r'  -u    a     c^  11/ 

,.  ,,  /.17    ^-  ^i,       lEph.  4:  5,  we  remark,    that    bap- 

plies  a  three   fold   action,  or  three i,.       -,  .-,  .       / 

t  .  .  xi  ^1..      !  tism  here  means  more  than   simply 

immersions,   since    there   are  three !       .  .  ^,  ,   ,        . 

,.    .     ,       '      .   ,  ,       .      ,  .  ,  j  an  immersion,  as  the  word  baptism 

Oistmct  names  into  each    of   which  i    .  ,  ,  ,    ^         -^ 

,,     1    ,.  .     ^     1      .  10  j^^^ays  does  when  used   to  express 

the  believer  IS   to  be  immersed.     2,-  ,.,,  ,.  r   ^,    .    .     . 

,^    ^     ,     ,,     .„     ^    ^.  ,  .  ,       '.one  of  the  ordinances  of  Chnstiani- 

W  e  took   the  illustration   which   el- 1.  A    d  'f 

der     Adamson     himself     selected,        .,  ,     .         ^   1      .. 

,      ^,    .      o  ,       .    ^  asthe    rendering   of   baptism,    we 

namely,  that    01   a  person    buying  i   •   ^  n-       xi  1        •  ,, 


*'goods  at  the  store  of  Smith,  Jones 
and  Brown,''  and  when  this  illus- 
tration has  the  form  given  to  it 
which  the  formula  for  administer- 
ing baptism  has,  and  then  analyzed 
accordini::  to  the  aeknowledo^ed 
principles  of  our  language,  we 
found  that  it  proved  the  correctness 
of  our  position,  namely,  this,  there 
are  three  actions  or  three  immer- 
bions  implied  in  the  commission. 


when  we  say,  that  the  one  immer 
sion  of  Paul,  which  we  are  exam- 
ining, means  more  than  simply  an 
immersion. 


We  read  in  2  Kings  6  :  5,  that 
as  one  of  the  sons  of  the  prophets 
''was  felling  a  beam,  the  axe  head 
fell  into  the  water."  Xow  it  is 
true,  the  axe  was  baptized  or  im- 
mersed, but  to  say  it  was  baptized, 
and  attach  all  the  meaning  to  bap- 
^'YII.  The  express  language  of  j  tize  which  we  attach  to  it  when 
Scripture  is  opposed  to  trine  im- 1  we  use  it  to  express  the  christian 
mersion.  The  apostle  Paul  says,  j  ordinance,  would  be  very  improp- 
^'There  is"  "one  baptism;"  Eph.ier.  Christian  baptism  is  the  im- 
4:  5.       This    settles    the    question  j  mersion  into  water,  in  the  name   of 


against    trine    immei-sion.      For  if  the  Father,  and  of  the    Son,    and  of 
baptism  means  immersion,  as  trine  j  the  Holy  Ghost,   of  an    intelligent 


immersionists  contend,  then  o;ie:  being,  who  believes  in  the  Lord 
baptism  \s  one  imnierstoriy  and  neith-j  Jesus  Christ,  and  who  voluntarily 
er  more  nor  less.  It  will  not  do  to  j  embraces  the  christian  faith.  And 
»ay  that  it  takes  three  immersions  ^  how  is  that  immersion  to  be  pcr- 
to  make  one  baptism,  for  that  is, formed?  This  cannot  be  learned 
either  to  abandon  the  position  that  from  Paul's  refevence  to  one  immer- 
baptism  means    immersion,    or  ehe  sion,  nor  from  uny   of   raul's    wri- 


858 


REVIEW  OF  A  TREATISE  ON  TRINE  IMMERSION. 


tings,  but  it  must  be  learned  from 
the  commission  pivcn  by  Christ, 
for  the  formuhi  for  administering 
baptism  is  no  where  else  given  in 
the  Christian  scriptures. 

And  when  wo  refer  to  the  com- 
mission to  ascertain  the  particulars 
relative  to  this  immersion,  we  find 
it  is  a  trine  immersion.  Baptism 
is  evidently  used  by  the  apostle  in 
Eph.  4  :  5,  in  the  sense  of  an  initia- 
tory ordinance  into  the  christian 
faith.  And  his  meaning  evidently 
is,  that  there  is  one  ordinance  of 
initiation  or  confession,  for  both  the 
Jew  and  Gentile,  for  according  to 
the  commission,  all  nations  wore  to 
bo  baptized  in  the  same  way.  We 
must  take  the  apostle's  one  bap- 
tism or  one  immersion,  in  the  sense 
of  an  ordinance,  or  it  will  not  har- 
monize with  other  parts  of  the 
Scriptures.  There  are  at  least  three 
baptisms  recognized  in  the  New 
Testament.  Baptism  in  water,  bap- 
tism in  the  Spirit,  and  baptism  in 
suffering.  We  then  have  three 
baptisms.  Whereas,  Paul  in  tlie 
text  under  consideration,  declares 
there  is  one.  We  must  therefor  un- 
derstand the  apostle's  language  in  a 
qualified  and  not  in  an  absolute 
sense.  Eor  if  we  understand  his 
language  in  an  absolute  sense,  and 
take  it  to  mean  that  there  is  abso- 
lutely but  one  baptism,  wo  would 
make  him  contradict  the  fact  above 
referred  to,  namely,  this,  that  there 
arc  at  least  three  baptisms  recog- 
nized in  the  New  Testament.  But 
if  he  referred  to  baptism  as  an  or- 
dinance, which  he  evidently  did, 
ho  could  with  propriety  say,  there 
is  <'one  baptism,''  for  there  is  one 
ordinance  of  initiation  into  the 
christian  system  for  Jews  and  Gen- 


tiles. Taking  his  language  in  a 
qualified  sense,  it  is  evident  that 
he  refers  to  baptism  as  an  ordi- 
nance, and  not  at  all  to  the  modo 
of  performing  baptism. 

Elder  Adamson  thinks  it  is  ab- 
surd to  sa}^  that  it  takes  three  im- 
mersions to  make  one  immersion. 
There  is  no  absurdity  whatever  in 
it,  when  we  make  the  one  immer- 
sion denote  the  ordinance,  and  the 
three  immersions  denote  the  man- 
ner in  which  the  ordinance  is  per- 
formed. 

The  church  is  sometimes  repre- 
sented as  a  unity ;  as,  "And  upon 
this  rock  I  will  build  my  church,'* 
Matt.  16  :  18.  It  is  likewise 
represented  as  a  plurality;  as, 
"The  churches  of  Christ  salute  you," 
Rom.  16  :  16;  "John  to  the  seven 
churches  in  Asia,''  Rev.  1  :  4.  Now 
is  the  idea  that  three  immersions 
may  make  one  immersion,  any  more 
absurd  than  the  idea  that  three  or 
seven  churches  may  make  one 
church  ?  We  do  not  think  that  it 
is.  The  plurality  of  churches  are 
the  parts  which  constitute  the 
whole  church.  And  the  plurality  of 
immersions  are  the  parts  which 
constitute  the  ordinance  of  baptism, 
or  christian  immersion. 

But  Paul  says,  <'0f  the  doctrine 
of  baptisms."  Heb.  6  :  2.  Now  if 
baptism  means  immersion,  as  elder 
Adamson  contends,  then,  baptisms 
are  immersions.  And  thus  we  see 
that  the  Scriptures  recognize  a 
plurality  of  immersions,  and  "thia 
settles  the  question  against"  the 
idea  that  there  is  but  one  immer- 
sion. Then  while  there  may  be 
several  immersions,  there  is  but 
one  ordinance  of  initiation  into  tho 
Christian  faith. 


EEVIEW  OF  A  TEE4TISE  ON  TRINE  IMMEESION.  859 


'^Having  shown  that  the  prae-l 
tice  of  trine  immersion  i^  without  j 
any  scriptural  authority,  we  might; 
leave  the  subject  here;  but  we 
ought,  perhaps,  to  notice  some, 
other  reasons  which  have  been! 
advanced  in  favor  of  the  practice.; 
A  cotemporary  writer,  acknowl- 
edged among  trine  immmersionistsl 
as  one  of  their  ablest  men,  sums  up| 
what  he  calls  some  of  the  reasons  | 
for   practicing    trine    immersion  asj 

follows :  I 

1 

'1.  The  word  baptizo,  as  defined! 
by  lexicographers,  favors  repeated! 
actions.  Donegan,  an  author  pop- 
ular in  England  and  America,  de- 
fines it  thus  :  Baptizo — to  immerse 
repeatedly  into  a  liquid.  Bret- 
schneider,  of  high  authority  among 
the  lexicographers  oi  the  New 
Testament,  defines  it  as  follows : 
Pro2)erly,  often  to  dip — often  to 
wash. 

*2.  The  formula  of  baptism  as 
given  by  Christ  in  the  commission, 
when  analyzed  by  rules  of  reputa- 
ble authority  in  the  English  lan- 
guage, and  when  compared  with 
other  passages  of  Scripture  similar- 
ly constructed,  favors  the  trine  im- 
mersion or  three  actions. 

*3.  Some  of  the  most  learned  of 
tlie  Greek  fathers,  among  whom 
were  Chrysostom  and  Theodoret, 
referred  trine  immersion  to  the 
words  of  Christ  in  the  commission. 
Did  not  those  learned  Greeks  under- 
stand the  construction  of  their  own 
language  ? 

*4.  The  uniform  practice  of  the 
Greek  church  has  always  been 
trine  immersion.  This  church 
liolds  this  form  of  immersion  to  be 
as  necessary  to  the  form  of  baptism^ 


as  water  is  necessary  to  constitute 
the  pro2}er  element.  The  practice 
of  the  Greek  church  in  performing 
bapt^'ym  by  immersion,  has  always 
been  re^^arded  as  one  of  the  strontj- 
est  arguments  for  immersion,  since 
it  is  to  be  presumed  that  the  Greeks 
would  understand  their  own  lan- 
guage. Now,  whatever  argument 
ma}'  be  drawn  from  the  practice  of 
the  Greek  church  in  favor  of  im- 
mersion, an  argument  of  equal  pow- 
er may  be  drawn  in  favor  of  trine 
immersion. 

'5.  A  knowledge  of  the  antiqui- 
ties of  the  christian  church  show^ 
that  the  trine  immersion  is  the  first 
form  of  baptism  mentioned  in  the 
history  of  the  church.'" 

Elder  Adamson  continues :  "We 
will  now  proceed  to  examine  briefly 
the  foregoing  reasons/' 

<'In  reply  to  the  first  I  will  no- 
tice the  authorities  cited.  In  ref- 
erence to  the  definition  quoted 
from  Donegan,  I  would  remark — 

*'l.  The  definition,  'to  immerse 
repeatedly,'  is  not  supported  in  Don- 
egan's  lexicon  by  a  reference  to 
any  authority  or  usage   whatever." 

Although  Donegan  has  given  no 
authority  for  the  definition  to  'im- 
merse repeatedly'  as  the  definition 
of  baptizo,  he  certainly  had  author- 
ity or  he  would  not  have  given 
the  definition  which  he  has  given 
in  his  lexicon. 

^2.  It  is  not  sustained  by  any- 
other  lexicographer,  critic  or  com- 
mentator whose  works  have  been 
quoted  on  this  subject,  so  fer  as 
my  knowledge  extends." 

The  Lexicon  of  Liddell  and  Scott 
gives  -'to  dip  repeatedly,"  amon^ 
the  definitions  of  baptizo,    agreeing 


;go 


I^EYIEW  OF  A  TREATISE  OX  TRINE  IMMERSION. 


M'ilh  Ponegan  and  Bretseliiieider.  i  We  hIiuU  give  Bretschneider's 
So  elder  Adamson'8  "knowledge"  definitions  of  baptizo,  as  quoted  by 
does  not  extend  to  all  lexieons,  :Dr.  Rice,  in  his  debate  with  Mr. 
r^ince  he  declares  the  definition  ^'to  I  Campbell  p,  GO.  ''Propriae  saepius 
immerse  repeatedly"  ''is  not  siis-jintingo,  saepiiis  lavo;  deindo  (1) 
tttined  by  any  other  lexicographer,  j  lavo,  abluo  simpliciter — medium, 
cu-itic,  or  commentator  whose  works ;&c.;  lavo  me,  abluo  me:"  properly 
liave  been  quoted  on  this  subject,  I  often  to  dip,  often  to  wash;  then 
ßo  far  as  my  knowledge  extends."  |  (1)  simply  to  wash,  to  cleanse;  in 
''3.  It  is  not  sustained  by  clas-^the  middle  voice,  ''I  wash  or 
ßical  usage;  there  being  no  one  of, cleanse  myself"  We  adhere  to  our 
aJl  the  examples  cited  of  its  use  in  j  construction  of  Bretschneider,  and 
which  it  must  necessarily  have  this  [think  that  the  phrases  ''often  to 
moaning,  and  many  being  cited  in  j^^ip"  »i^d  "often  to  wash,"  mean  to 
which  it  can   not  possibly  have  the  j  dip  often  and  to  w^ash  often.     If  ho 


meaning  of   repeated   immersions." 

When  lexicographers  assert  that 
baptizo  means  "to  dip  repeatedly" 
they  must  have  authority  to  justify 
their  assertion  or  they  would  not 
make  it.  We  give  one  example, 
which  is  sufiicient  to  show  that  the 
lexicographer  have  "classical 
usage"  to  sustain  them,  and  that 
elder  Adamson  is  mistaken  when  he 
declares  there  is  "no  one  of  all  the 
examples  cited  of  its  use  in  which 
it  must  necessarily  have  this   mean- 

"The  Greek  Scholiast  on  Aratus, 
§.  951, — 'The  crow  often  dips  (bap- 
tizes) herself  from  head  to  the  top 
of  the  shoulders  in  the  river.'" 
Fuller  on  Baptism,  p.  16. 

"In  reference  to  the  definition  tions  that  prominent  place  in  the 
quoted  from  33retschneider,  I  would  i  meaning  of  baptizo,  which  Brct- 
anerciy  say  that  it  gives  no  favor  Schneider  evidently  designed  they 
to  the  idea  of  repeated   actions,    as  should   have.       It  likewise     leaves 


meant,  by  the  phrase  "often  to 
wash,"  that  baptizo  often  means  to 
wash,  as  elder  Adamson  asserts, 
then  why  would  he  add  the  defi- 
nition "simply  to  wash?"  This 
last  definition  "simply  to  wash," 
shows  that  the  other  definition, 
"often  to  wash,"  meant  more  than 
simply  a  washing;  it  meant  a 
w^ashiug  by  repeated  actions,  while 
"simply  to  w^ash"  meant  a  washing 
without  any  reference  to  the  number 
of  actions.  This  must  be  his  mean- 
ing. Then  '-often  to  dip"  will 
mean  to  dip  repeatedly.  Again;  to 
take  the  phrases  "often  to  dip"  and 
"often  to  wash"  to  imply  that  bap- 
tizo properly  often  signifies  "to 
dip,"  and  that  it  often  signifies  "to 
w^ash,"  is   not    giving  these    dcfini- 


any  one  can  see  who  will  read  it 
correctly.  Tlio  definition,  <proper- 
ly,  often  to  dip,  often  to  wash,' 
<loe8  not    mean    ^to    dip    often,    to 


the  reader  to  infer  that  there  are 
various  other  definitions  of  baptizo, 
besides  these,  and  thus  seeming  to 
countenance   the  idea  that   sprink- 


wash  often;'  but  Bretschneider i ling  and  pour  might  be  added; 
jneaus  that  baptizo  projierly  often  but  this  was  certainly  not  Brct- 
«jgnitics 'to  dip,'  and  that  it   often  Schneider's   idea,   for  he  evidently 


tjlgnities  ^to  wa? 


wished   to 


cunvov 


the    idea    that 


I^ETIEW  OF  A  TEEATISE  OX  TPJXE  IMMEESION 


!61 


*'often  to  dip"  and  '-often  to  wash"  merse  repeatedly,"  and  as  some 
M'cre  the  primary  and  principal  writers  make  it  the  frequentative 
definitions  of  baptizo.  But  accord- i  form  of  the  verb,  we  have  said,  and 
ing  to  elder  Adamson's  view,  these  have  given  authority  for  it,  that 
are  not  necessarily  the  principal  the  word  selected  hy  the  Savior  to 
definitions.  ; express  the   ordinance  of, baptism, 

''Thus  we  see  that  the  amount  favors  repeated  action.  Elder  Ad- 
of  this  supj)osed  authority  of  the  amson  thinks  that  the  first  and 
lexicons  consists  of  the  ]>erversioni  second  arguments  from  the  cotem- 
of  the  language  of  one  lexicon,  and  porary  writer,  from  whom  he  lias 
the  solitary,  unsu])ported  and  un-:  quoted,  are  inconsistent  with  each 
supportable  definition   of  another."! other.     He  says  : 

Elder  Adamson  in  the  above  par- 


char 


charging    us    with 


agraph  makes  a  serious 
against  us,  in 
perverting  an  author's 
and  in  using  the  unsupported  and 
unsupportable  definition  of  another. 
But  we  have  proved  that  we  are 
-free  from  the  charge,  and  we  shall 
leave  it  with  the  reader  to  judge 
who  has  made  ''unsupported  and 
luisupportabie"  assertions,  and  who 
has  misunderstood  language.  Wej 
fiAv  misunderstood,  \Ye  will   not   say; 


'•The  second  reason  iias  been 
already  examined.  I  will  only  add 
that  these  two  reasons  for  trine 
immersion  are  inconsistent  with 
each  other,  and  with  the  practice. 
*  *  *  *  Xow,  by  supplying  the  sup- 
posed ellipsis,  and  substituting  this 
definition  o^  baptizo j  we  have  the 
following  as  the  reading  of  the 
commission  resulting  from  these 
two  positions:  'Immersing  them 
repeatedly  in  the  name  of  the 
Father,   and    immersing    them    re- 


perverted  \aii\s:,ua<r(3,  for  pervert  im-;        -    -n      •      ^v  ^x»  .1       o 

^,.  „'^  ,  ^,  \       ,  ,  ipeatedly  in  the  name  of  the   Son 

plies  an  evil  design,  and   with  our^^     1  .  •       xi  ^  ji      • 

^  °  _  '  and  immersin^r  them    reiieatedlv   n 


wantofanv  further   knowled2:e   of 


and  immersing  them   repeatedly  in 


,  ,        ,  ,  ,  ,  :  the    name    of    the     Holy     Ghost.' 

elder   Adamson    than  we  have,  we  im,  1    .  .i         . 

J  .,  ■  Thus  we  see  that  these  two  reasons, 

cannot     in    accordance     with    our;.^,    ^i      ■,     ...    .         ..  i         .         , 

„   ,    .  ,.  ,  I II  both  admitted,  and  taken   too-eth- 

views  of  christian   courtesy,  charge;  .,,  .     ,  ^     . 

....  .J         [  er,  will   prove    entirely    too    much 

him  with  an  evil   desii^n.      And  we  .       .  .      ,, 

,.,    ,.       ,  ^.     ,  I  lor  trme  immersion.^' 

think  his  charge    against    us    was, 

premature.  !     Xow  as  we   have  not   contended 

We    would    not    have  dwelt    sojthat  ^«^j-fi'^o,  in  and  of  itself  ahcaijs 

long  on  the  first  of  the   reasons  for  j  implies,  repeated  immersions,  elder 

trine  immersion     which  elder   Ad-|  Adamson's  attempt   to    prove    our 

amson  has- quoted   from  a  "cotem- j inconsistency     is    a    failure.        Al- 

porary  writer,"   had   he   not   made  j  though  the  word  ^a^fi-:o   may   from 

the  charges  against    us    which    he  I  its  peculiar  form,  as  the   authors  we 

ha.s  made.     "VYe  simply  ßaid,  "The  have  quoted  intimate   it  does,,  sug- 

^y  or  d  baptize  J  SkS  defined  by  lexicog-jgest  the   idea   of   repeated    immer- 

raphcrs,  favors    repeated    actions,"  jsions    or  repeated   actions,    yet    it 

and  then  gave    a   few    authorities. 

AVe  do   not  put  much   stress  upon 

tins  ar<2;ument.     But  as   some    lex- 


may  be  used  to  express  a  single  ax:- 
tion.      The  pronoun  you   is   j^lural 
in   form,  and   takes  a  plural   verb 
icographcrs  define  hnptizo   ''to  im- 'after  it,  and    yet    it    is    frequently 


862 


KEYIEW  OF  A  TREATISE  01^  TRINE  IMMERSION. 


nBcd  to  represent  a  single  person. 
Otlier  word«  of  the  same  kind 
ini<rlit  bo  adduced.  Then  we  see  we 
are  justified  in  our  observation  that 
"the  word  haptizo^  as  defined  by 
lexicographers,  favors  repeated 
actions."  But  as  wo  have  not  as- 
serted that  the  word  itself  always 
requires  the  action  to  be  repeated, 
there  is  no  inconsistency  between 
our  practice  and  the  idea  that  bap- 
tizo  does  at  times  mean  repeated 
immersions.  Wo  immerse  the  be- 
liever once  into  the  name  of  the 
Father,  and  once  into  the  name  of 
the  Son,  and  once  into  the  name  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  and  in  doing  so, 
our  practice  is  in  accordance  with 
the  teaching  of  the  commission,  and 
the  rule  of  the  primitive  church. 
When  we  refer  to  the  commission 
for  the  authority  ior  trine  immer- 
sion, it  is  not  to  the  meaning  of  the 
word  baptizo  we  refer,  but  to  the 
formula  for  administering  baptism, 
which  requires  the  believer  to  be 
baptized  ''in  the  name  of  the  Father, 
and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost."  And  this  language  as  we 
have  seen  in  our  examination  of  it, 
implies  three  actions  or  three  im- 
mersions. 

"In  connection  with  this  writer's 
tliird  reason,  I  notice  that  it  is  cus- 
tomary for  the  advocates  of  trine 
immersion  to  refer  to  or  quote  the 
language  of  some  of  the  fiithers.  The 
most  ancient  of  the  fathers  quoted 
by  them  is  TertuUian,  who  is  the 
first  writer  who  mentions  trine  im- 
mersion. Hence  a  reply  to  the  ar- 
gument from  the  testimony  of  Ter- 
tuUian is  a  sufficient  refutation  of 
tto  argument  from  the  testimony 
]^  fathers  referred  to.  The 
following  language  is  cited  as  a 
quotation  from  TertuUian  by  a  wri- 


ter who  calls  himself  'A  Lover  of 
Divine  Truth,'  who  does  not  gJTO 
his  name  to  the  public,  and  neither 
does  he  give  the  whole  passage  from 
TertuUian  in  its  connection. 

"  'When  we  go  to  the  water,'  says 
he,  'that  we  may  make  the  begin- 
ning with  baptism,  we  bear  witness 
there,  the  same  as  we  did  before  in 
the  congregation,  under  the  hand 
of  the  overseer,  that  we  renounce 
the  devil  with  all  his  adherents  and 
angels;  after  which  we  are  im- 
mersed three  times.'  The  substance 
of  this  much  is  quoted  by  other  wri- 
ters on  this  subject,  and  it  is  argued 
'that  this  was  no  new  doctrine  nor 
mode  of  baptizing,  but  that  it  wa» 
practiced  in  the  same  manner  from 
the  times  of  the  apostles  by  the 
primitive  Christians.'  To  this  ar- 
gument I  reply,  in  the  first  place, 
that  TertuUian,  who  first  mention» 
trine  immersion,  wrote  in  the  be- 
ginning of  the  third  century,  about 
a  hundred  and  twenty  years  after 
the  death  of  John,  the  last  one  of 
the  Apostles.  And  secondly,  Ter- 
tuUian does  not  say  that  this  wa» 
the  apostolic  practice ;  but  on  the 
contrary,  he  admits  it  to  be  without 
scriptural  authority,  as  the  passage 
will  show  when  taken  in  its  connec- 
tion. I  give  the  whole  passage  as 
quoted  in  the  debate  between  . 
Campbell  and  Purcell,  on  the  Roman 
Catholic  religion,  page  124." 

"  'To  begin,'  says  he,  'with  bap- 
tism, when  wo  are  ready  to  enter 
into  the  water,  and  even  before,  we 
make  our  protestations  before  the 
bishop,  and  in  the  church,  that  we 
renounce  the  devil,  all  his  pomp» 
and  ministers ;  afterwards,  we  are 
plunged  in  the  water  three  times, 
and  they  make  us  answer  to  some 


EEYIEW  OF  A  TEEATISE  OX  TKIXE  IMMERSIOX. 


►63 


things  which  are  not  precisely  set 
down  in  the  gospel ;  after  that  they 
make  us  taste  milk  and  honey,  and 
we  bathe  ourselves  eveiy  day,  du- 
rinff  that  whole  week.  We  receive 
the  sacrament  of  the  eucharist,  insti- 
tuted by  Jesus  Christ,  when  we  cat, 
and  in  the  morning  assemblies  we 
do  not  receive  it  but  from  the  hands 
of  those  that  preside  there.  TTe  of- 
fer yearly  oblations  for  the  dead  in 
honor  of  the  martp's.  "We  believe 
that  it  is  not  lawful  to  fast  on  a  Sun- 
day and  to  pray  to  God  kneeling. 
From  Easter  to  JVhitsuntide  we  en- 
joy the  same  privilege.  We  take 
great  care  not  to  suffer  any  part  of 
the  wine  and  consecrated  bread  to 
fall  to  the  ground.  We  often  sign 
ourselves  with  the  sign  of  the  cross. 
K  you  demand  a  law  for  these  prac- 
tices taken  from  Scripture,  we  can- 
not find  one  there  -,  but  we  must  an- 
swer that  it  is  tradition  that  has  es- 
tablished them,  custom  has  author- 
ized them,  and  faith  has  made  them 
to  be  observed." 

It  is  evident  that  Tertullian  does 
not  mean  that  all  that  he  here  men- 
tions has  only  tradition  for  their  au- 
thority. He  mentions  the  sacra- 
ment of  the  eucharist  as  instituted 
by  Jesus  Christ.  Then  if  the  sacra- 
ment of  the  eucharist  did  not  depend 
merely  upon  tradition  for  its  author- 
ity, neither  do  the  three  immersions. 
And  if  the  three  immersions  men- 
tioned by  Tertullian,  have  tradition 
for  their  authority,  will  not  immer- 
sion itself  stand  in  the  same  class? 
And  will  elder  Adamson  admit  that 
Tertullian  declares  there  is  no  law 
in  the  Scriptures  for  immersion,  and 
that  it  has  no  authority  but  tradi- 
tion ?  This  would  be  making  his 
argument  from  Tertullian  against 
trine  immersion  prove  too  much.  It 


further  appears  that  Tertullian  does 
inot  make  the  form  of  immersion  de- 
'pend  upon  tradition,  since  he  refers 
ito  the  words  of  the  commission  as 
'containing  the  form,  as  the  following 
■passages  in  his  works  show  :  '*The 
•condition  of  baptism  was  imposed, 

and  the  form  prescribed.  Go,  saith 
;  he,  teach  the  nations,   baptizing  thevi 

in  the  Name  of  the  Father,  and  of 
\the  Son,    and  of    the   Hohj   Ghost" 

Tertuilian's  works,    vol.   1.  p.   273. 

iSTot  havingthe  whole  of  Tertullian'» 
'  works  before  us,  we  quote  the  folio w- 
;ing  language  as  having  been  used  i)y 
jhim,  from  the  ^'Disciple"  ;  the  quo- 
station  and  translation  are  made  by 
!the  editor,  C.  L.  Loos,  who  is  a 
'scholar  and  an  honorable  man,  and 
ia  minister  of  the  some  fraternity 
{that  eider  Adam.son  is.  The  cor- 
jrectness  of  the  passage  may  be  re- 
ilied  on:  '*The  last  command  of 
!  Christ,  Avas,  that  they  (the  apostles) 
I  should    immerse  {\it   tingerent,    dip) 

into    the   Father,    Son,    and   Holy 
pirit. — Xot   into  one,    because  we 


iS 


are  dipped  not  once  but  thi-ice." 
&c.,  &c.  {Nam  non  serael  std  ter, 
ad  singula  nomina  in  personas  sin- 
gulas,  tingi'mur")  Tert.  adv.  Prax. 
chap.  25.  Here  let  it  be  observed 
ithat  Tertullian  connects  the  three 
I  immersions  with  the  Father,  Son, 
;  and  Holy  Spirit,  and  with  the  com- 
mand of  Christ  as  given  in  the  com- 
mission, in  a  manner  which  plainly 
(indicates  that  the  language  of  the 
i  commission  is  the  warrant  for  the 
j  three  immersions.  He  likewise  de- 
I  Clares,  as  we  have  seen,  that  the  form 
j  of  baptism  is  prescribed  in  the  com- 
mission. From  an  examination  of 
these  passages  in  Tertulhan,  we 
j  must  conclude  that  injustice  is  done 
jto  him  and  to  trine  immersion,  when 
'he  is  represented  as  giving  tradition 


3G4 


REVIEW  OF  A  TEEATISE  OX  TPJXE  IMMEESION. 


as  the  only  authority  he  had  for 
trine  inunorsion.  It  is  the  appen- 
dages or  the  things  accompanying 
baptism,  the  tasting  of  milk  and 
lioney,  the  bathing,  kv..,  that  he  al- 
ludes to,  and  not  the  three  immer- 
»ions,  when  he  says,  "it  i3  tradition 
that  has  CvStablished  them.'' 

'*As  to  the  Greek  fathers  under- 
standing their  own  language,  none 
of  them,  so  far  as  I  have  been  able 
to  find,  claim  that  trine  immersion 
is  the  meaning  of  the  word  haptizo, 
or  that  it  was  the  apostolic  prac- 
tice; and  none  of  them  mention  it 
iit  an  earlier  date  than  Tertullian, 
whose  testimony  we  have  noticed. 
The  construction  of  the  commission 
has  also  been  examined.'' 

We  shall  give  the  authority  of 
Jwo  eminent  fathers,  namely,  Chry- 
^ostom  and  Theodoret,  who  be- 
lieved that  trine  immersion  was 
cf)mmanded  and  taught  in  the 
knguagc  ol  the  commission.  Both 
of  these  Greek  fathers  lived  in  the 
fourth  century.  Chrysostom  is 
said  to  have  been  'Hhe  most  re- 
nowned of  the  Greek  fathers."  And 
of  Theodoret  it  has  been  said  by 
•his  biographer,  <'lt  is  evident  from 
his  works  that  he  was  a  very  learn- 
ed man,  conversant  with  classical 
and  theological  literature,  and  ac- 
quainted with  several  languages 
besides  his  own,  which  was  the 
8yriac." 

<'St.  Chrysostom  seems  rather  to 
)nake  it  (trine  immersion)  part  of 
the  first  institution.  For  he  says, 
Christ  delivered  to  his  disciples 
one  baptism  in  three  immersions  of 
*he  body,  when  he  said  to  thorn, 
*Go,  teach  all  nations,  baptizing 
them  in  the  name  of  the  Father, 
and  of  ihe   Son,   and    of  the  Jloly 


:  Ghost.'  Chry.  llom.  de  fide,  t.  7  p. 
J290.  Edit.  Savil.  And  Theodoret 
!was  of  the  same  opinion:  for  lie 
icharges  Ilunomius  as  making  inno- 
vation upon  the  original  institu- 
tion of  baptism,  delivered  by  Christ 
and  his  apostles,  in  that  he  made 
a  contrary  law,  that  men  sliould 
not  be  baptized  with  three  immci*- 
sions,  nor  with  invocation  of  the 
I  Trinity,  but  only  with  one  immer- 
sion into  the  death  of  Christ.  Thc- 
od.  Haeret,  Fab.  lib.  4.  c.  p.  23G. 
*  *  *  *  It  is  plain,  all  these  wri- 
ters thought  this  (trine  immersion) 
a  necessary  circumstance  from  our 
Savior's  institution."  Bingham's 
Antiquities,  B.  XL  ch.  XL  Sect.  7. 
Here  is  satisfactory  evidence  that 
the  Greek  lathers  understood  trine 
immersion  to  have  been  taught  by 
Christ  and  his  apostles,  although 
it  seems  elder  Adamson  was  not 
able  to  find  such  evidence. 

"The  practice  of  the  Greek 
church  does  not  prove  that  trine 
immersion  was  the  primitive  or 
apostolic  practice;  for  while  the 
Greek  church  claims  that  baptism 
is  immersion,  according  to  the 
meaning  of  the  word,  yet  she  does 
not  claim  that  the  meaning  of  the 
word  is  trine  immersion,  but  prac- 
tices trine  immersion  upon  other 
grounds.  The  Greek  church  claims 
for  trine  immersion  no  authority 
but  tradition." 

Trino  immersion  has  been  tho 
invariable  practice  of  the  Greek 
cliurch.  Sir  P.  Picaut,  writing  on 
this  church,  says :  "Thrice  dipping 
or  plunging  this  church  holds  to  be 
as  iiecessary  to  the  form  of  bap- 
tism, as  water  to  the  matter."  Hiu- 
ton'a  History  of  Baptism,  p.  180. 
Now  as  the  Greeks  make  trine 
immersion  essential  to  baptism,  it  is 


EEYIEW  OF  A  TEEATISE  OX  TEIXE  I3IMERSI0X. 


165 


evident  that  they  deny  to  single' 
immersion  the  authority  of  both' 
the  commission  of  Christ  and  tra-j 
dltion.  Indeed  the  scriptural  and! 
traditional  authority  are  with  the '. 
Greeks  equally  binding.  "Thej 
Greek  church,  like  the  Eoman  i 
CatholiCj  ackno^vledges  a  double! 
foundation  of  faith — the  Bible,  and  ! 
tradition.  Under  this  latter  ap-' 
pellation  it  comprehends  such  doc-i 
trines  as  are  .supposed  to  have  been ; 
verbally  taught  by  the  apostles."] 
Penny  Cyclopaedia,  Art.  Greek; 
Church.  "They  (the  Oriental' 
churches)  receive  Scripture  as  thei 
rule  of  their  faith,  and  the  apostol-: 
ical  traditions  of  the  church  as  a 
guide  in  its  interpretation."  Pal-i 
mers's  Treatise  on  the  church,  Yol-| 
I.  p.  181.  Then  the  Greek  church' 
believes  that  trine  immmersion  ^ 
was  taught  by  the  apostles,  and' 
consequently  believes  that  it  was 
taught  hy  Christ  in  the  commis- 
sion to  the  apostles. 

Alexander  De   Stourdza,   an   em- 
inent man  in  the  Greek  church  and 
an  author,  when  treating   upon  the 
subject     of    baptism,    says:      ''She 
(the  Greek    church)  alone  has  pre- 
served the   deep   meaning   as    well' 
as   the      imposing      forms     of    the 
initiatory  sacrament,  and  one  need 
only  read  in  the  annals  of  the   fir.st 
centuries  a  description   of  the    bap- 
tismal  ceremonies     through    which  j 
the  catechumens  had  to  pass,  to   be' 
Struck  with  their   perfect    identity  I 
with  our  present  rites.  i 

'•At  the  present  moment,  nearly  , 
sixty  millions  of  Christians  yet  i 
administer  baptism  after  the  simil- ! 
itudeof  that  of  Jesus  Christ  and  of 
the  Apostles,  and  according  to  the' 
institutions  of  theprimitive  church'."; 


Augusti's  Christian  Archaeolog}', 
p.  227,  translated  from  the  French 
by  Professor  Loos.  This  author 
declares  that  the  baptism  of  his 
church  is  ''after  the  similitude  of 
Jesus  Christ  and  of  the  apostles." 
Now  since  the  trine  immersion  is 
the  form  of  baptism  used  by  the 
Greek  church,  the  above  declara- 
tion is  equivalent  to  saying  that 
trine  immersion  is  "after  the  si- 
militude of  Jesus  Christ  and  his 
apostles." 

'*'As  to  the  antiquities  of  the 
church,  we  find  one  immersion  in 
the  first  and  second  centuries.  But 
wc  find  no  mention  of  trine  immer- 
sion until  the  third  century,  when 
we  find  an  admission  by  the  first 
writer  who  mentions  it,  that  it  is 
without  scriptural  authority,  and 
we  also  find  it  accompanied  by 
many  other  absurd  and  unscriptu- 
ral  practices,  such  as  giving  milk 
and  honey  to  the  baptized,  bathing 
themselves  every  day  for  a  week, 
signing  themselves  with  the  sign 
of  the  cross,  and  offering  oblations 
for  the  dead." 

Tertullian's  testimony  in  favor 
of  trine  immersion  we  have  exam- 
ined and  vindicated ;  he  is  an  im- 
portant witness  that  trine  immer- 
sion was  the  practice  of  his  time. 
He  is  probably  not  however  the 
first  writer  alter  the  apostles  who 
mentions  trine  im.mersion.  Clem- 
ent of  Alexandria,  was  born  in  the 
middle  of  the  second  century.  The 
following  is  his  testimony  to  trine 
immei^ion :  ''Ye  wei-e  conducted 
to  a  bath,  just  as  Christ  was  car- 
ried to  the  grave,  and  were  thrice 
immersed,  to  si gmfy  iha  three  diwa 
of  his  burial."  Wei  berg  on  Bap- 
tism, p.   228.       But    the    apostolic 


306        REVIEW  OF  A  TREATISE  OX  TRINE  IMMERSION. 


cauouR  probably  ttike  us  back  to 
Btill  an  earlier  age.  These  are  a 
number  of  ecclesiastical  rules  or 
laws  which  some  have  thoui^ht 
were  framed  by  the  apostles.  But 
this  is  not  correct.  The  learned 
have  concluded  that  tliey  were  com- 
pared b}-  councils  held  in  the  sec- 
ond and  third   centuries,    and    that 


and  his  followers  about  the  close  of 
the  second  century.  But  these 
were  leputed  heretics,  and  did  not 
perform  baptism  according  to  the 
formula  given  by  Christ,  in  the 
name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son, 
and  of  the  Holy  Gliost,  but  only 
into  Christ.  Clergyman's  Vade- 
mecum,  Vol.  II.  p.  25.      The   Euno- 


they  describe  the   ceremonies  of  the  mians     another     sect     of   heretics 


church  in  those  centuries.  The 
42nd  canon  of  my  edition  of  1709, 
reads  as  follows  :  '"If  an}'  Bishop  or 
Priest  do  not  perform  the  three 
Ablutions  of  one  Mystery  [or  Sac- 
rament,] but  one  ablution  into  the 
Peath  ot  Christ,  let  him  be  deposed  ; 
for  our  Lord  said  not  Baptize  into 
my  Death,  but  into  the  name  oj 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.  Ye 
therefore,  O  Bishops,  make  three 
Ablutions."  Clergyman's  Yade- 
mecLim,  vol.  II.  p.  25.  By  ablution, 
immersion  is  to  be  understood.  AVe 
here  see  how  trine  immersion  was 
Avhen  this  canon  was 
It  was  considered  essen- 
tial to  the  ordinance.  And  what 
was  the  authority  upon  which  the 
bishop  AVUS  required  to  baptize  by 
trine  immersion  ?  It  was  not  upon 
the  authority   of  tradition,    but  be 


regarded 
formed. 


which  arose  in  the  fourth  century, 
baptized  by  one  immersion.  They 
did  not  use  the  formula  given  by 
Christ  for  administering  baptism, 
but  used  the  following  form:  ''I 
baptize  thee  into  the  death  of 
Christ."  Bingham's  Antiquities, 
B.  XI.  chap.  III.  sec.  8. 

It  appears  then  from  the  history 
of  baptism  by  one  immersion,  that 
when  this  mode  was  introduced, 
it  was  not  performed  in  the  name 
of  the  Father,  aucl  of  the  Son,  and 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  the  Savior 
had  commanded  it  should  be  per- 
formed, but  into  Christ  only,  or 
into  his  death.  Now  as  the  formu- 
la given  by  Christ  in  the  coi.irus- 
sion  for  administering  baptism, 
containing  the  three  names,  Fath- 
er, Son,  and  Holy   Ghost,    was    not 


cause  the   Lord  had   said,    baptize]  used,  but  another  form   containing 

but  one  name  or   one   thing,    when 


<'inio  the  name  of  Father,  Son,  and 
Holy  Ghost."  Here  then  we  have 
the  most  satisfactory  evidence 
from  the  antiquities  of  the  church 
til  at  trine  immersion  was  prac- 
ticed in  the  church  at  a  very  early  j  "^^"^er^ion 
day;  that    it   was   regarded   essen- 


baptism  by  one  immersion  was  first 
introduced,  it  is  evident  that  tho 
words  in  the  commission,  were  un- 
derstood to  require  more  than  ono 
We     have   therefore. 


from  the  history  of  the  origin  of 
tiul  to  baptism;  and  thai  it  was  ^Jip^ism  by  one  immersion,  confirm- 
practiced  upon  the  authority  of  the /^tory  evidence  that  the  formula 
commission.  Elder  Adamson  says, '  given  by  Christ  for  admini.^tering 
''wclindone  immersion  in  the  first  j  baptism,  requires  three  immersions, 
and  second  centuries."  It  is  true,!  Wo  have  now  finished  our  review 
we  find  that  baptism  was  perform-  of  elder  Adamson's  Treatise.  Our 
ed  by  one    immersion,    by    Praxcas  work  has  been,  as    will    I'oadily    bo 


XEAEING  DELIVERANCE. 


367 


perceived,  altogether  of  a  defensive  i 
character,  "ve  being  led  to  it  to  de-  i 
fend  our  mode  of  performing  chris- 
tian baptism  from  the  attack  made 
upon  it  by  the  author  of  the  trea- 
tise. AVe  hope  that  He  who  knows 
our  heart  knows  that  our  object 
has  been  to  ^''contend  for  the  faith 
once  delivered  unto  the  saints," 
as  a  precious  treasure,  to  be  used 
but  not  abused.  We  think  wc  have 
written  with  no  unkind  feelings  to 
any  holding  views  different  from 
our  own.  And  should  our  readers 
find  any  thing  in  our  language  to 
condemn,  as  wanting  in  christian 
courtesy,  we  unite  with  them  in 
the  condemnation,  for  we  do  not  al- 
low ourselves  to  use  such  language. 

Our  author  intimates  near  the 
close  of  his  work,  that  he  has  writ- 
ten '*to  promote  an  i  iquiry  for  the 
truth. "His  treatise  has  led  us  to 
make  some  further  inquiry  con- 
cerning the  truth  of  the  subject 
upon  which  he  has  written.  And 
the  result  has  been  the  accumula- 
tion of  testimony  in  favor  of  trine 
immersion.  We  have  given  a 
giiffieiency  of  testimony  to  meet  all 
the  objections  against  trine  immer- 
sion, brought  forward  by  elder 
Adamson.  This  for  the  present 
may  suffice.  AVe  design  giving 
hereafter,  what  has  been  presented 
in  this  Eeview  through  the  Visitor, 
with  additional  testimonies  in  favor 
of  trine  immersion,  and  with  some 
c^'usiderations  upon  another  branch 
of  the  subject,  in  another,  and  in  a 
more  convenient  form.  In  the 
meanwhile,  we  submit  the  consid- 
erations we  have  brought  forward 
to  our  readers,  accompanied  with  a 
prayerful  desire,  that  they  may 
have  the  assistance    of   that    Spirit 


that  is  said  to  guide  into  all  truth, 
that  they  may  find  the  truth, 
love  the  truth,  obey  the  truth,  and 
be  purified  by  the  truth,  for  this  is 
the  means  which  heaven  has  ap- 
pointed for  the  purification  of  man's 
moral  nature.  And  the  purifica- 
jtion  of  the  heart'  is  the  prerequisite 
for  the  enjoyment  of  God.  ^'Bless- 
led  are  the  pure  in  heart:  for  they 
I  shall  see  God." 
I  J.    Q. 


NEAItmG   DELIVERANCE. 

BY  JOHN  GUMMING,  D.  D. 

According  to  the  most  compe- 
tent judge,  the  future  is  to  be  hailed 
and  prayed  for,  not  deprecated  by 
the  Christian,  as  if  it  unbosomed 
only  calamity. 

"i^or  noia  is  our  salvation  nearer 
than  ichen  we  believed." — Eomans 
13  :  11. 

The  salvation  referred  to  by  Paul 
is  unquestionably  that  large  and 
comprehensive  deliverance  which  is 
the  destiny  of  all  created  things, 
and  of  all  the  living,  rational,  and 
responsible  beings  who  have  be- 
lieved in  Christ,  and  are  regenera- 
ted by  his  Spirit.  Personal  salva- 
tion is  an  experience  of  the  present ; 
the  salvation  alluded  to  is  a  fact 
that  lies  still' in  the  future.  It  is 
not  individual  safety,  but  the  gen- 
eral salvation  of  the  whole  body  of 
the  Church,  to  which  Paul  refers. 
It  is  time  to  awake,  because  our 
salvation  or  deliverance  is  nearer 
than  when  we  believed;  and  the 
nii(ht  which  means  the  whole  of 
this  existing  economy,  is  far  spent; 
the  day,  which  means  the  future, 
everlasting  sunshine,  that  S2:)reads 
over  all  the  earth,  when  Christ 
takes  to  him  his  great   power,   an  ' 


368 


NEAEIXG  DELIVERANCE. 


sways   his  sceptre    from  sea  to  sea, ! 
is  near  at  hand.     lie  speaks  ofthat 
future    deliverance,     which   he  de-| 
scribes  in    the   8th  chapter   of  llo-j 
mans,   as  the  manifestiition   of  the; 
sons    of    Cod:    the    rcdeni])lion    of 
the  earth  from  its  a'roans,   its   trav-j 
ail,  and  its    expectancy,    and    thatj 
restoration  of  all  things   wliich   had! 
been  spoken    of    by    the    prophets,  | 
and  is  the  distinctive  feature  of  that' 
millennial   day,  which     approaches 
faster  and  nearer  as    the    centuries' 
roll  on.     Eew  can  fail  to   be   struck  i 
in  reading  the    epistles   of  St.  Paul,  | 
with  his  constant  statement   of  thel 
nearness,  and  the     instancy   of  the! 
advent   of  our  Lord.     He   sa^-s   inj 
one  passage,  ''The  Lord  is  at   hand  j ' 
in  another  passage,    ''Looking    for 
that  blessed  epiphany,   the  glorious 
appearing  of  Jesus  Christ,  our  great 
God  and  Savior."     St.   James   says, 
''Be  patient;  the  Lord  is   at    hand; 
the  Judge  is  at  the  door."     'Nor  can 
any  fair  reader  of  the  epistles  of  St. 
Paul  escape   constantly  perceiving, 
not  a  mere  matter  of  hope,  but    of 
fact,  that  the  motive  and  the    hope; 
that  he  puts  before  Christians  is  not! 
the  nearness  ot  their  death,  but  the! 
instancy  of   the  approach  of   their  I 
great  and  blessed  hope,  our  Lord  and  I 
Savior  Jcsns  Christ.  In  other  words,  | 
the  governing  hope  of  the  Christian! 
is  not  his  own  personal  deliverance 
at   death,    but    the   coming    of  his' 
Lord.     His  hope  in  a  Savior  that  is 
to  come  is  as  entire,    intense,    and 
joyous  as   his  trust   and   faith  in  a 
Savior  tliat  has  come.     The  attitude 
of  a  Christian    is  resting,  by  retro- 
spective faith,  on  Christ,  bearing  his 
curse,  his  only  atonement,    and  h\s 
looking,  prospective   hope    of  that 
same  Savior  to  come  the  second  time 
without   sin  unto   salvation.     AVhat 


salvation  ?  Not  the  personal  safety 
of  the  believer,  wliich  is  secured  at 
his  own  death  :  but  the  universal 
restoration  of  heaven  and  earth,  of 
sonl  and  body,  which  is  the  bright 
hope  that,  like  a  star  in  a  dark 
night,  shines  in  the  eye  of  the  belie- 
ver continually.  ]5iit  when  the 
apostle  speaks  of  Christ  being  at 
hand,  of  his  being  soon  to  be  revealed, 
you  ask,  how  could  this  be? — how 
could  the  apostle  say  so,  without  be- 
ing deceived,  when,  as  matter  of 
history,  we  know  that  eighteen 
centuries  have  elapsed  since  Paul 
spoke  of  Christ's  advent  as  at  hand  ? 
The  explanation  of  some  is  that  it 
means  no  more  than  the  Christian's 
death,  as  an  equivalent  to  Christ's 
coming.  But  surely  that  cannot  be. 
When  a  Christian  dies,  he  goes  to 
Christ,  it  is  not  Christ  who  comes  to 
him.  But  the  hope  of  a  Christian  is 
not  his  going  to  Christ,  but  Christ's 
coming  to  him.  And  if  language 
has  any  definite  meaning,  we  are 
warranted  in  translating  or  inter- 
preting Christ's  promised  advent 
the  second  time,  without  sin  unto 
salvation,  as  the  Christian's  deliver- 
ance from  this  body  of  death,  and 
his  introduction  into  the  presence  of 
his  Lord. 

The  Christian  like  the  voyager  on 
the  great  sea,  may  often  misinter- 
pret;  tiuit  is  possible,  for  he  is  hu- 
man ;  and  in  the  dilliciflt  path  of  the 
unfulfilled,  to  err  is  common.  The 
mariner  may  take  the  piece  of  drift- 
wood that  he  finds  uj)()n  the  sea,  for 
a  fragment  too  rocontly  torn  from 
the  shore,  indicating,  therefore,  his 
nearness  to  laiul,  and  it  may  have 
been  long  tossed,  or  it  may  be  some- 
thing torn  by  the  storm  fr  »m  the 
depths  of  the  sea.  Or  he  may  take 
some   wing-weary   bird   for  a  recent 


NEARINa  DELIVERANCE. 


;g9 


emigrant  from  the  land,  when  really 
it  has  lost  its  way,  has  been  long  at 
sea,  and  is  sinking  with  fatigue. 
Or  he  may  mistake  that  as  the  first 
ray  of  the  rising  sun,  which  is  only 
a  phosphorescent  meteor.  But  inci- 
dental errors  will  not  make  him  des- 
pair, they  will  only  induce  him 
more  carefully  to  watch  and  wait, 
certain  that  the  fact  itself  will  be, 
and  that  phenomena  indicative  of 
its  nearness,  will  multiply  as  it  ap- 
proaches. So  the  Christian  may 
err, — may  seize  some  startling  scene 
as  appearing  to  him  the  token  of  its 
nearness;  or  he  may  interpret  some 
voice  in  the  wilderness  as  the  sound 
ofhis  chariot- wheels;  or  he  may  think 
that  the  transient  blaze  of  the  meteor 
is  the  burst  of  the  morning  sun ;  but  if 
he  find  that  he  has  fiillen  into  error 
in  so  interpreting,  he  will  not  there- 
fore despair,  or  give  up  his  investi- 
gation. And  far  better  have  the 
character  of  him  who  intently  looks, 
and  in  his  intense  lonsino-  treats 
that  as  a  sign  which  is  not,  than  the 
skeptic  and  freezing  apathy  of  the 
man  whose  heart  is  dead,  and  whose 
hopes  are  cold,  and  who  cares  for, 
and  looks  for  none  of  these  things. 
The  incidental  error  of  a  few  cannot 
shake  or  shatter  the  trust  of  the 
many  j  and  the  error  that  is  made 
by  one  watcher  for  the  advent  will 
only  lead  another,  like  a  buoy  upon 
a  wreck  in  the  channel,  to  avoid  the 
reef  on  which  his  predecessor  may 
have  suffered. 

If  this  salvation  to  Avhich  the  apos- 
tle alludes,  to  which  he  also  refers 
in  Hebrews,  when  he  says,  '^Christ 
will  come  the  second  time  without 
sin  unto  salvation ;"  was  spoken  of 
as  nearer  in  the  days  in  which  he 
wrote  than  it    was   in   the   days  in! 


which  he  first  believed;  we  may 
with  greater  emphasis  say,  because 
we  have  evidence  that  the  apostle 
then  had  not,  that  this  salvation  is 
nearer  still.  It  might  be  said,  with 
some  semblance  of  truth,  in  the 
days  of  Paul,  "All  things  continue 
as  they  were  since  the  beginning;" 
but  it  cannot  be  said,  with  any 
semblance  of  truth,  that  ail  things 
continue  now  as  they  were  from 
the  very  beginning.  Events  pre- 
dicted b}'  Paul  to  precede  that  ad- 
vent, have  demonstrably  occurred; 
developements  of  error,  and  the 
apostacy,  and  the  decadence  of  that 
apostasy,  and  its  nearness  to  its 
degradation  and  destruction,  are  so 
palpable  now,  that  being  laid  down 
as  signs  of  the  nearness  of  Christ's 
approach,  we  can  scarcely  misin- 
terpret or  misunderstand  them. 
During  the  last  ten  years,  event 
has  thundered  upon  event,  and  1)\iq- 
nom^enon  trodden  upon  phenom- 
enon, till  the  most  apathetic,  care- 
less, and  indifferent,  begin  to  see 
signs  of  a  supernatural  presence, 
and  to  read  and  listen  to  the  ex- 
planations of  students  of  prophecy, 
when  they  sneered  at  them  or  de- 
spised them  altogether  before.  We 
cannot,  of  course,  expect  that  all 
will  see  this ;  because,  to  the  very 
end,  thousands  will  be  saying,  as 
Peter  predicted,  "'Where  is  the 
promise  of  his  coming,  lor  all  things 
continue  as  they  were  since  the  be- 
ginning?" And  if  men  ask,  as  in- 
deed they  do.  If  only  ten  or  twenty 
years  remain  before  the  coming  of 
Christ;  if  our  chronology  be  cor- 
rect, "Then,"  some  are  saying, 
"what  is  predicted  in  the  Bible  to 
take  place  before  that  event  cannot 
possibly  be  completed  in  that  time." 
But  in  answer  so  far  to  this  difficul- 
G.  Y.    Yol.  X.        24. 


370 


NKAKLNG  DELIVERANCE. 


ty,  who  docs  not  know  that  events  I  they  have:  but  our  Lord  knew  that 
are  accomplished  now,  in  days,  that  as  well  as  you  j  and  yet  he  says  that 
used  to  require  3'ears,  and  in  a  3'ear,  these  things  will  be  forerunners  of  his 
that  used  to  require  centuries,  and  second  connntr  unto  salvation  to  all 
in  a  century  that    used     to    require  them    that  believe:    this     must   mean 


a  niillcnniuiu  ?  Why  nobody,  in 
18.')4,  could  have  antiv'ipated  that 
\2vents  would  iiave  occurred  which 
rocked  the  world  with    convulsions. 


something.  1  ventured  to  show  the 
complete  fulfillment  of  the  drying  up  of 
the  Euphrates.  If  we  can  identify  one 
fact  in  hiütory  with  a  specific  symbol 
and  agitated  and  revolutionized  the  in  the  Apocalypse,  and    if  the    i,dentifi- 


feelings  of  Europe  during  1855, 
185G,  and  1850.  Nor  have  succeed- 
ing years  been  less  stormy,  and 
who  can  say  that  events,  as  the 
time  gets  nearer,  may  not  be  more 
crowded  and  condensed?  The 
wheel  is  rolling  down  the  mount- 
ain side,  and  the  nearer  it  approach- 
es the  valley  below  it,  becomes 
more  rapid  in  its  revolutions.  Ev- 
ery one  feels  now  that  time  runs 
at  greater  speed  than  it  used  to  do ; 
not  that  it  really  does  so,  but  that 
events  are  now  so  many,  so  stirring, 
and  the  excitement  of  them  so 
great,  that  months  seem  days, 
years  seem  months,  and  ages  are 
reduced  to  years. 

But  let  me  notice  some  of  those 
events  which  lead  us  to  anticipate, 
even  more  than  the  apostolic  church 
could,  the  increasing  nearness  of 
these  great  changes.  Can  one  fail 
to  see  all  over  Europe  startling 
events  ?  If  earthquakes  in  divers 
places,  if  famines,  if  pestilences,  and 
plagues,  were  to  be  among  the  ear- 
liest forerunners  of  a  great  change; 
are    not    these    most     conspicuous 


cation  be  so  exact,  complete,  and  so 
truly  overlapping  it  that  there  can 
scarcely  be  a  mistake,  we  not  only  as- 
certain the  fulfilment  of  a  given  proph- 
ecy, but  we  ascertain  the  point  of  time 
we  occupy  in  the  great  calendar  of  proph- 
ecy. Now  one  of  these  events  that 
were  to  take  place  under  the  sixth  vial, 
when  the  unclean  spirits  were  to  gath- 
er the  nations  to  that  great  war, — not 
battle,  but  war, — of  Armageddon,  was 
that  the  great  river  Euphrates,  the  sym- 
bol of  the  Turkish  power  in  Europe, 
from  which  the  Turks  started,  and  to 
which,  as  the  reilux  of  a  stream,  they 
are  going  back  again,  should  be  dried 
up,  so  that  the  exhaustion  of  it,  or  the 
waning  of  the  crescent,  or  the  drying  up 
of  the  Mahammedan  power  in  Europe, 
would  be  the  fulfillment  of  that.  This 
I  stated  many  years  ago,  and  within 
this  present  year  we  have  seen  the  uu- 
mi.stakable  fulfillment  of  it.  And  the 
correspondent  of  one  of  the  daily  papers, 
writing  the  other  day,  speaking  of  Tur- 
key, says,  "Her  resources  are  utterly 
exhausted.''  God  brings  to  pass  the 
fulfillment  of  his  own  prediction, 
strangely,  indeed,  by  the  very  process 
most  justly  employed    by   the    western 


DOW?  Does  not  every  day's  news  1  powers  to  keep  up  and  prevent  the 
bring  accounts  of  them  ?  Docs  net  ev- j  evaporation  of  the  great  river  Euphra- 
cry  paper  reveal  iu  diflforent  parts  of  |  tes.  In  the  same  paper  I  read,  ''The 
the  world  one  or  more,  or  many  of  I  admission  of  the  Turkish  state  into  the 
these  facta  and  phenomena.  1  know;  ji^uropean  system  under  the  counsels 
quite  well  the  objection.  ''Why,  all '  and  the  tutelage  of  the  western  powers 
these  thin js  have   always    b^en  !"      Soils  now  inevitable;"  that   is,    it   is    no 


NEARINa  DELIVERANCE. 


371 


longer  tobe  an  independent  nationaliry. 
Of  course  it  will  not  be ;  and  T  am 
quoting  it  simply  as  a  proof  of  the  ful- 
fillment of  that  statement  of  the  Apoca- 
lypse. "The  sixth  angel  poured  his 
vial  into  the  air,  and  the  great  river 
Euphrates  was  dried  up,  that  the  way 
of  tlie  kings  from  the  sunrising,"  that 
is,  the  Jews,  ''might  be  prepared." 
And  then  what  takes  place  ? — and  it  is 
for  this  I  quote  it.  Immediately,  du- 
ring the  action  of  this  vial,  or  before  it 
is  completely  exhausted, — for  each  vial 
describes  a  process,  not  a  fact ;  the 
process  of  the  one  extending  into  and 
interlacing  with  the  process  that  begins 
in  the  succeeding  one;  during  the 
pouring  out  of  this  vial,  or  just  at  the 
exhaustion  of  that  empire,  the  words 
are  heard,  like  a  startling  sound,  ''Be- 
hold, I  come  as  a  thief."  And  the  con- 
stant prediction  in  the  epist'e  to  the 
Thessalonians  is  that  Christ  comes  as  a 
thief  in  the  night;  when  the  great 
mass  shall  be  saying,  "Peace,  peace," 
be  shall  come  instantly  as  a  thief  in  the 
night.  Or  as  he  himself  describes  it, 
"As  the  lightning  cometh  out  of  the 
east,  and  shineth  even  upon  the  west;" 
in  speed,  in  startling  and  overpowering 
splendor;  "such  will  be  the  coming  of 
the  Son  of -man."  If  we  be  actually,  I 
say,  at  this  epoch  in  prophecy,  the  great 
truth  that  belongs  to  the  day,  the  great 
truth  that  every  christian  should  feel, 
and  study,  and  ponder,  is  Christ's  own 
saying,  "Behold,  I  come  as  a  thief;" 
just  in  an  hour  when  you  expect  not; 
and  at  that  hour  especially  when  men 
shall  be  found  most  frequently  saying, 
"Peace,  peace ;  all  things  continue  as 
they  were ;  these  prophets  are  always 
talking  prophecy ;  there  is  no  meaning 
or  sense  in  it ;  it  is  all  nonsense ;  let 
us  eat,  and  drink,  and  be  merry;  all 
things  continue  as  they  were,  and  will 
continue  to  the  end.''     "Behold  I  come 


as  a  thief,"  is  Christ's  own  word.  Our 
duty  is,  "Blessed  is  he  that  watcheth;" 
not  miserable,  not  wretched,  but  "hap- 
py is  he  that  watcheth,  and  kespeth  his 
garments,  lest  he  walk  naked." 

Another  great    event  that  I   have  al- 
luded to  which   shows    that    our   salva- 
|tion  is  nearer  than  when  we  awoke,  or, 
'in  other  words,   that    there    are   tokens 
of  the  approach  of  that  great  era,  is  the 
unequivocal  the  irresistible  evidence   of 
;the    decadence    and    the  imminent  de- 
jstruction  ofthat  huge    sacerdotal  tyran- 
ny under   which   Europe  has    groaned, 
1  and  which  has  struck  its  roots   so  deep 
'  into  dynasties,    and    nations,   and   gov- 
I  ernments ;  1  mean  the  Papal    or  West- 
^ern  Apostasy.      Now  this  is  an   event, 
I  may  mention,  that  is  one  of  the  most 
'important  as  a  token  in  the  whole  Bible. 
( The  apostle  says  that  an  apostasy,  head- 
jedbyapope,  the    man    of  sin,    should 
begin  from  Christ's   first   advent;  and 
that  it  should    be    utterly  destroyed   by 
his  second  advent.     He  says  first  of  all, 
I  "Whom  the  Lord  shall   consume    with 
'the    spirit   of  his    mouth;"     that     is, 
through  the  preaching  of  the   gospel; 
and  strike  down,  at   a   blow,    with  the 
I  brilliancy,  the    brightness,    of  his  own 
•  personal  advent.     We  read  in  the  Apcc- 
jalypse,  that  when    the  seventh   vial   is 
poured  out,  great  Babylon  comes   into 
remembrance,     to   give  her   the  judg- 
ment-cup, in  drinking  which  her   decay 
is  to  be   precipitated,  her   consumption 
to  goon,  her  sufferings  to  be    increased. 
And  then  at  the  end  of  it  an   angel  is  to 
cry  from  heaven,  "Babylon  the  great  is 
fallen ;"     and   her   judgments    are     to 
come  upon  her  in  one  day,    and  she    is 
to   sink  like  a  millstone   in    the    great 
waters.     I  have  always  quoted  the   pub- 
lic press,  not  its   opinions,    but    its    re- 
corded facts,  which  are  modern    history, 
as  a  striking  proof  of  the  fulfillment  of 


372 


NEARING  DELIVERANCE. 


the  prophecy.  When  I  ventured  to 
Buy  a  year  ago  that  Romanism  was  dy- 
ing, that  it  was  expiring;  some  thought 


wept  over  the  spectacle ;  those  sympa- 
thies of  yours  would  rush  back  to 
Smithficld,    or  travel    to    the    Cottian 


that  that  was  rash,  it  was  not  true;  it:  Alps,  or  to  the  dungeons  at  Rome,  or 
was  merely  quiet  for  a  moment.  But  j  to  the  Inquisition  of  Spain ;  and  wit- 
there  do  seem  to  me  all  the  evidences  i  nessing  the  scenes  that  have  been  trans- 
of  rapid  decay ;  and  that  the  ascenden- '  acted  there,  they  would  come  back 
ey  of  the  Pope  of  Rome,  or  his  pro- 1  armed  with  indignation  ;  and  instead  of 
consul  in  Westminster,  in  this  country  I  weeping  over  the  ruin,  you  should,  as 
again,  is  one    of  the   impossibilities   of  angels  bid  you,  rejoice  that  great  Babylon 

is  fallen, — is  fallen, — is  fallen.  If  this 
be  the  recorded  state  of  things,  it  is  an- 
other token  that  our  salvation  is  nearer 
than  when  we  believed.  I  do  not 
Vatican.  He  has  a  presentiment  of |  quote  more.  I  quote  these  two  as 
the  nearness  of  his  doom.       What  office  I  prominent     and     striking    foretokens; 


the  day,  and  no  more  likelihood  of  it 
than  the  ascendency  of  Mohammed, 
or  any  other  head  of  superstition  and 
fanaticism.     The  Pope  trembles  in    the 


in  Europe  would  insure  his  Pontifical 
life  for  five  years?  Now  just  think 
what  this  power    was   in    ancient  days : 


and  the  lesson  that  they  all  teach  is  not 
fear,  not  alarm,  not  terror;  but,  ''Pre- 
pare, 0  Israel,  to  meet  thy   God.      Be- 


a  power    that   made   kings    tremble   oaihold  the  Bridegroom    cometh;  go  out 


their  thrones ;  a  power  that  could  force 
a  German  Emperor  to  remain  doing 
penance  amid  the  snows  in  the  trenches 
around  the  imperial  city,  till  the  Pope 
gave  him  absolution ;  a  power  that 
could    dispose   of    Britain's    crown    to 


to  meet  him.'' 

People  say,  "What  a  dreadful  thing  I 
But  is  not  death  in  that  sense  a  very 
dreadful  thing?"  As  far  as  you  are 
personally  concerned,  it  is  all  the  same 
whomsoever  he  pleased;  the  great  power  j  whether  your  soul  goes  to  him  or  he 
thai  reigned  over  the  Kings  of  the  earth,  j  comes  to  you.  The  real  question  is,  are 
«'How  are  the  mighty  now  fallen !  Is  j  you  justified?  are  you  regenerated? 
this  the  man  that  shook  kingdoms,  that  are  you  sanctified?  And  if  you  are, 
made  the  earth  to  tremble  ?  Is  he  be-  come  either,  it  must  be  happiness  to 
come  as  ond  of  us  ?"  And  what  do  re-jjo"-  Is  it  not  a  very  solemn  thing, 
cent  events  indicate  ?  The  decadence  that  needs  no  prophet  to  predict,  that 
of  the  system  to  the  very  verge,  when  j^be  St.  Paul's  bell  does  not  strike  twice 
like  the  thief  in  the  night,  he  comes , in  the  hearing  of  the  same  persons? 
whose  right  it  is  to  reign;  and  the !  the  persons  that  hear  it  strike  twelve 
whole  is  struck  down;  and  that  great! bear  it  not  strike  one;  they  that  hear 
city  is  literally  swallowed  up  and  de- 1  it  strike  one  will  not  hear  it  strike 
stroyed  by  fire ;  and  the  smoke  of  its  |  two.  In  all  probability  of  those  that 
torment  begins  to  rise  forever    and   for-  assemble  within  the  walls   of  the  sanc- 


ever.     I  am  speaking  not    of   persons 
but  the  system  ;  and  if  you  knew  it  as 


tuary  on  each  Sunday,  one  drops   weary 
with  the  march  of  life,  and  goes   to    thf^ 


1  know  it,    if  you  knew  what  an    uwful  judgment-seat.     Audit   is   not   at    u. 
mystery  of  wickedness  it  is,    instead   of  |iiupiobable,     certainly    not    impossible, 
being  sorrowful,  or  when    you    hear   of  j  that  of  all  that  sit  in    their  pews,    look- 
her  judgments,  letting  your  sympathies  jiap;  and  listening,  one    Sunday,    several 
go  out  with  her,  and  tears  begin    to    be  j  shall  be  in  the  course  of  the  next    week 


QUERIES. 


373 


at  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ.  I3  not  mendous  precipice;  we  sleep  on  the 
that  equally  terrible  ?  Does  not  that  margin  of  the  sea  which  the  flowing 
make  you  think ;  And  why  then  should ;  tide  is  rolling  inwards  with  irresistible 
the  objection  be  made  to  that  better  force.  We  stand,  and  eat,  and  drink, 
event  which  is  happiness  to  all  God's  and  walk  in  jeopardy  every  hour, 
people,  and  only  confusion  to  them  that ,  But  if  we  have  accepted  the  only  Sav- 
believe  not  in  Christ  and  obey  not  the  ior;  if  we  have  committed  soul,  body, 
gospel?  Christians  need  in  these  times  and  spirit,  to  his  keeping;  if  our 
to  be  summoned  to  think  and  pause,  I  ground  of  trust  is,  that  he  was  made 
prepare  and  make  ready.  "We  are  all  sin  for  us,  and  our  conviction  be  that 
too  prone  to  repose  at  ease,  fanned  by '  ^e  are  made  righteousness  by  him ; 
the  gales  of  worldly  prosperity,  dream-if  we  be  justified  by  faith  in  his  blood, 
ing  "of  scenes  that  may  never  come, ! and  regenerated  by  his  Holy  Spirit; 
and  of  success  that  we  may  never  attain;!  then,  whether  we  are  called  to  the 
instead  of  feeling  every  moment,  we-'j^^g^^^iit-seat,  or  Christ  comes  to  us; 
know  not  what  a  day  may  bring  forth.  |  whether  we  are  taken  to  him,  or  he 
And  if  ooe  can  only  awaken  one  single  | comes  to  us;  it  will  be  equally  well 
soul  to  pause,  to  think,  to  work  while  \  for  tbere  is  no  condemnation  to  them 
it  is  called  to-day;  to  disentangle  the  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus.  And  when 
affections  from  things  that  perish  in  we  look  at  scenes  in  the  East  and  West, 
the  using ;  to  set  them  not  upon  things  i  thickening,  multiplying,  ominous  of 
that  are  beneath,  but  upon   things  that:  yet  future  ones,  more  dreadful  and   di«- 


are  above ;  to  use  the  world  as  not  abu 
sing  it,  knowing  that  the  fashion   of  it 


astrous, — we   can  learn   this   lesson  at 
least,  that  that  man   has   no  humanity. 


passeth  away ;  it  will  not  be  in  vain  j  no  philanthropy,  and  certainly  no 
that  I  have  called  attention  to  this  most  i  Christianity,  who  does  not  long  for  that 
important,  too  much  neglected,  too  fre-  i  long  promised  day  when  earth  shall  be 
quently  forgotten  subject.  We  must,  j  restored  from  its  thraldom,  when  the 
on  all  these  great  questions,  not  ask  j  gro^^is  of  creation  shall  cease,  when  all 
what  the  Rabbi's  say,  but  try  to  ascer- 1  tilings  shall  be  made  new,  when  Para- 
tain  what  God  has  revealed  in  his  holy j^ise  shall  return;  and  Christ  the  head 
word.  Let  me  ask,  if  that  lightning '  s^all  reign  over  a  happy,  a  holy,  and  a 
were  to  stretch  from  the  east  to  the  west; 'peaceful  world;  and  God  shall  have 
if  the  warning  voice,  ^'Behold,  I  come  j  gW>  and  we  shall  praise  him  day  and 
33  a  thief,"  told  to-day,  were  to-morJ^g^t,  as  the  monuments  of  his  love,. 
TOW  to  be  a  reality ;  if  the  shout  were!  and  the  purchase  of  a  Savior's  blood,, 
to  be  heard  going  from  earth  to  heaven,  and  without  ceasing. 


and  from  heaven  to  earth,  "Behold  the 
Bridegroom  cometh*/'  are  we  ready? 
are  our  lamps  burning  ?  are  our  loins 
girt  ? — Can  we  say,  "I  know  in  whom 
I  have  believed,  and  that  he  is  able  to 
keep  what  I  have  committed  to  him 
against  that  day ;"  Have  I  settled  the 
great  question  of  personal  acceptance 
before  God  throush  Jesus   Christ?     If 


Come,    Lord    Jesus,    come  quickly» 
Amen. —  Voice  of  the,  Prophets. 


ufirif s. 


1. 


Concerning  Judas.  Matt.  27:  5. 

Dear    Brethren :   I  will     propose  a 

query  which  I  would    like   to   se^    a»- 

not,  we  dream  upon  the  edge  of  a  tre- 1  gwexed  in  the  Visitor.    In  reference  t« 


S74 


QUERIES 


Judas  WC  rt'ud  in  Matt.  27  :  5,  "Ai)d  ;  sense,  or  conscience,  or  the  law  of  God 
be  cast  dowu  the  pieces  of  silver  in  the  writteu  (;ij  the  heart,  is  represented  as 
temple,  and  de;^artcd,  and  went  and; a  light.  "The  spirit  of  man  is  the 
hanged  himself."     In  Acts  1  :   18,    ws' candle  of  the    Lord,    searching   all    the 


read,  "Now  this  man   purchased  a  field  inward 
vith  the  reward  of  iniquity ;  and    fall 
ing  headlong,  he  burst   asunder   in   the 
midst,  and  all  his  bowels  gushod   out." 
How  are  we  to  reconcile  the  two   pa.ssa- 
ges  ? 

Yours  in  love. 

A.  II  S. 
Answer. — 'W^'e  reconcile  the  two  pas- 
sages above  alluded  to,  the  manner  in 
which  Judas  came  to  his  death,  in  the 
following  way  :  He  went  away  from  rhe 
temple  and  made  preparations  to  hang 
himself,  but  as  he  leaped  off  of  tht  ob- 
ject on  which  he  was  standing,  the  force 
hy  which  he  fell,  caused  the  rope  to 
break,  and  falling  upon  his  face,  he  burst 
asunder  by  the  shock  of  the  fall,  having 
fallen  a  considerable  distance,  and  his 
bowels  came  out,  dying  a  miserable 
death,  and  presenting  a  horrible  sight 
to  all  who  beheld  him.  He  may  then 
be  said  to  have  come  to  his  death  by 
hanging,  and  also  by  falling  and  burst- 
ing asunder.  Matthew  refers  to  the 
former,  and  Luke  to  the  latter,  and 
there  is  no  real  contradiction  in  the 
two  accounts. 


2.     Explanatory — John  1  :  9. 

BeloTed  brethren  in  the  Lord:  I 
Wsh  to  have  an  explanation  from  you 
on  John  1  ;  9,  "That  was  the  true 
light,  which  lighteth  every  man  that 
Cometh  into  the  world.''  How  can  it 
be  said  that  Christ  lighteth  every  man 
that  cometh  into  the  world?  If  you 
deem  this  worthy  of  an  explanation, 
you  may  insert  it. 

R.    C.    R. 

Answer. — Man  as  an  intelligent  and 
xtioral  being,  possesses  reason  and  what 
iü  called  the  moral  sense.    This  moral 


parts    of    the    belly."  .  Prov. 
20  :  27.     Perhaps  the  soul   itself  may 
here  be  called  the  candle   of   the  Lord. 
But  the    faculties  of  reason   and    con- 
science may  more  especially  be  so  called. 
Now  it  is    said  in  the  3rd.    and    4th. 
ver.ses,  ''All  thinga  were  made  by  him; 
and  without   him    was   not   any    thing 
made  that  was  made.     In  him  was  life; 
and  the  life  was  the  light  of  men."     It 
is  here  said  that  the  life  of  Christ  was 
the  light  of  men.     And    this  seems    to 
refer  to  men  in  general,  and  not  only  to 
regenerated  men.     And    owing   to   the 
peculiar  relation  which  Christ  stands  in 
to  man,   the  fullness  of  wisdom  which 
was  in  him,  was  the    fountain    of    light 
to  the  whole  creation,  as   all   the  light 
both  of   reason    and  revelation,  in    the 
world  of  mind,  is  the  result    of  his   in- 
fluence exerted  upon  mind.     Christ  is 
called  the  sun  of  righteousness,    because 
he  is    the  light    of    the    moral    world. 
The  command  of  the    Savior  to  the  dis- 
ciples was,  "Go  ye  into   all  the  world 
and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature." 
Maik  16  :  16.     The    text   under   con- 
Fideration  mai/  have   reference  to  light 
of  the  gospel  alone,  but  the  view   given 
above,  seems  to  us    to    be    the  correct 
one. 

3.    Was  John's  baptism  Christian 

BAPTISM. 

Dear  Editors;  I  heard  a  Presby- 
terian minister  lecture  a  couple  of 
weeks  ago  on  the  3rd.  chapter  of* 
Matthew.  In  his  lecture  he  said 
that  John's  baptism  was  no  Chris- 
tian baptism  at  all,  and  that  it  was 
only  unto  repentance.  I  would 
like  to  hear  what  you  have  to  say 
upon  the  subject.  I  would  like  to 
hear  through  the  Visitor. 

C.    A.    R 
Specrsville,  Fulton  Co. 


QUERIES. 


6t^ 


Answer. — We  give  the  following 
from  Vol.  VIII.  Xo.  5.  it  being  an 
extract  from  our  answer  to  a  sim- 
ilar question. 

1.  The  object  of  John's  baptism 
iras  the  same  with  that  of  Christian ; 
and  from  this  it  may  be  concluded 
that  one  did  not  ditier  from  the  oth- 
er. John  exhorted  tlie  persons 
baptized  by  him  to  repentance  and 
to  faith  in  the  ^Messiah  who  was 
shortly  to  appear,  and  made  these 
duties  obligatory  upon  them  by 
this  rite,  Matt.  3  :  11 ;  Luke  J.  So 
in  Christian  baptism,  repentance 
and  faith  in  Christ  as  the  Messiah 
are  likewise  required  as  the  prere- 
quisites of  the  subjects  of  this  ordi- 
nance. 

2.  The  practice  of  the  first  Chris-  j 
tian  church  confirms  the  idea  that 
the  baptism  of  John  was  the  same 
as  Christian  baptism.  For  those 
"who  acknowledged  that  they  had 
professed,  by  the  baptism  of  John, 
to  believe  in  Jesus  as  tbe  Christ, 
and  who  in  consequence  of  this  had 
become  in  fact  his  disciples,  and  had 
believed  in  him,  were  not,  that  we 
find,  in  a  single  instance,  baptized 
again  into  Christ,  becatise  this  was 
considered  as  having  been  already 
done.  Hence  we  do  not  find  that 
any  apostle  or  any  other  disciple 
of  Jesus  was  the  second  time  bap- 
tized ;  it  does  not  appear  that  even 
Apollos  mentioned  in  Acts,  18  :  25, 
Tvas  baptized  again,  although  he 
had  received  only  the  baptism  of 
John,  because  he  had  before  believed 
VOL  Jesus  as  the  Christ. 

But  all  those  disciples  of  John 
who  had  not  before  acknowledged 
this  truth,  and  had  received  the 
baptism  of  John  or  his  successors 


in  a  different  manner,  were  proper- 
ly considered  at  the  time  of  the 
apostles  as  not  being  baptized,  or  as 
wrongly  baptized,  and  all  such  were 
therefore  required  to  bo  baptized, 
expressly  into  Christ  as  the  Mes- 
siah.— This  was  the  case  perhaps 
with  some  of  the  Je\s.  who,  ac- 
cording to  Acts,  2-41,  were  bap- 
tized into  Jesus,  among  whom  there 
probably  were  some  whom  John 
had  baptized,  hut  who  had  not  then 
recognized  Jesus  as  the  Messiah, 
and  had  even  taken  part  perhaps 
in  his  crucifixion.  This  was  like- 
wise the  case  wiih  those  persors 
whom  Paul  permitted  to  be  bap- 
tized at  Ephesus,  althotigh  they 
had  already  received  the  baptism 
of  John.  Acts,  19:  1—5.  The 
meaning  of  this  passage  seems  to  be 
this :  When  they  heard  from  Paul 
that  it  was  necessary  to  be  properly 
qualified  for  baptism  that  one  should 
believe  in  Jesus  as  the  Lord  and 
Christ,  (which  they  hitherto  had 
not  done,  since  the  disciples  of 
John  who  baptized  them  had  said 
nothing  to  them  about  it,)  they 
were  then  willing  to  suffer  them- 
selves to  be  solemnly  obligated  by 
baptism  to  the  acknowledgement 
of  Jesus.  It  seems  that  many  of 
the  disciples  of  John  had  entirely 
separated  themselves  from  the 
Christians.  And  those  false  dis- 
ciples of  John  still  continued  to 
practise  John's  baptism  into  the 
approaching  Messiah,  but  denied 
that  Jesus  of  Nazareth  was  the 
Messiah. — Hence  it  was  necessary 
for  those  who  had  been  baptized  by 
such,  to  be  baptized  into  the  true 
Messiah,  in  the  proper  faith.  TVe 
do  not  then  think  that  from  what 
we  can  learn  from  the  Scripttire, 
that  those  who  had  been  baptized 


CORKESPONDENCE. 


by  John  were  required  to  bo  rebap- 
tized,  in  order  to  have  admission 
into  the  Christian  Church. 


(!['  0  r  r  i^  fi  p  0  luh  lu  t 

Kingston  Center,  Nov.  0,  1860. 
Dear  Brethren  :  As  many  of  the 
brethren  desired  my  address,  on 
my  late  journey,  1  told  them  I 
would  have  it  published  in  the  Vis- 
itor, with  a  sketch  of  my  travels. 
I  accordingly,  send  you  the  follow- 
ing notes  of  my  journey. 

We  loft  home,  (my  wife  accompa- 
nying me,)  on  the  19th  of  July. 
There  was  a  love  feast  in  our  con- 
crregation  at  br.  Daniel  Bo&tetter's. 
We  had  a  good  meeting,  and  there 
were  some  additions  to  the  church. 
We  then  went  on  our  way  east,  and 
held  meeting  in  the  Danville  church, 
in  Knox  Co.  and  also  in  the  Lou- 
dcnville  church.  We  then  went  to 
br.  Jacob  Kurtz's,  and  held  several 
meetings  with  the  brethren  there, 
and  f\  good  deal  of  interest  seemed 
to  be  manifested  by  many.  We 
then  went  to  br.  Kalcr's  church,  in 
Tuscarawas  Co.  and  had  several 
meetings  there,  had  many  hearers, 
and  qui  to  an  interest  appeared  to 
be  felt  by  many.  We  then  went  to 
br.  Sniper's  in  Stark  Co.  and  while 
attending  ft  love  feast  here,  my 
wife  wM  taken  sick.  Much  care 
was  manifested,  and  much  attention 
was  given  her,  and  much  prayer 
was  offered  by  the  brethren  and 
i»istei*8  for  her.  We  thank  the 
brethren  and  sisters  for  their  labor 
of  love,  and  hope  God  will  bless 
ihcm.  Leaving  my  wife  among 
the  christian  friends,  I  attended  a 
Jove  feast  near  Gcoru-etown,  Colum- 


biana Co.  on  the  17th  of  August.  I 
then  attended  a  love  least  at  br. 
Summer's  near  the  town  of  Columbi- 
ana. I  then  returned  to  Stark  Co. 
where  I  had  left  my  wife,  and  held 
a  meeting  in  Georgetown  on  my 
way.  When  I  returned  to  Stark, 
I  found  my  vrife  in  br.  Bowman's 
family,  and  much  better. 

On  Tuesday  the  21st  of  August, 
we  started  for  Pennsylvania.  Wo 
arrived  in  br.  John  AVise's  settlement 
on  the  23d  and  found  the  brethren 
generally  well,  and  remained  with 
the  brethren  there  about  a  week, 
and  held  meeting  every  day  or 
nio-ht  while  with  them.  We  then 
went  to  Jacob's  Creek,  to  a  love 
feast  there,  and  met  with  brethren 
Berkley,  Ilauger,  Meyers  and  oth- 
ers, and  then  went  to  a  love  feast 
in  the  Indian  Creek  congregation 
at  the  foot  of  J^aurel  Hill,  on  the 
4th,  of  September.  We  then  went 
to  Somerset  Co.  to  the  Middle  creek 
congregation.  Here  there  wero 
several  meetings,  and  a  communion 
meeting  on  the  7th.  On  the  8th, 
we  started  for  Meyers'  mills,  and 
had  a  love  feast  here  on  the  9th. 
We  remained  here  several  days,  bad 
some  good  meetings,  and  some  ad- 
ditions to  the  church. 

On  the  12th  we  started  for  Mary- 
land, and  reached  br.  Martin  Mey- 
ers'sat  Clear  Spring,  Washington 
CO.  on  the  14th.  and  remained  in 
the  neighborhood  several  days,  and 
held  meetings  at  Welch  Pain,  and 
many  other  places  till  quite  an  in- 
teres.t  was  felt  by  many.  We  visi-. 
ted  br.  Kcefer  and  found  his  wiie 
sick,  but  she  has  since  recovered. 
On  the  24th,  of  September  we  star- 

]  ted  for  Frederic  co.  near    Monrovia. 

!  At  br.    David    Pinehart's   we    met 


COEEESPONDEXCE. 


377 


with  brethren  Jacob  and  Daniel 
Sayler,  and  had  a  love  feast  in  the 
Bush  creek  meetiDg  house,  and  a 
ver}'  good  meeting.  On  the  28th  we 
came  to  br.  Koontz's  congregation 
k  had  meeting  in  br.  Fahrney's  meet- 
ing house.  We  then  went  to  Sharps- 
burg  and  had  meeting  in  the  church 
where  br.  Ilarshberger  lives.  On, 
Lord's  day  we  went  to  the  Manor 
church  to  attend  the  funeral  of  br. 
Daniel  Eichard's  dau£j;hter.  There 
were  many  persons  present.  But  I 
must  make  my  notes  as  short  as 
possible. 

On  the  6th.  of  October  we  went  I 
to  a  love  feast  at  Marsh  creek,  in 
Adams  co.  Pa.  There  we  met  br. 
Isaac  Price,  and  had  several  good 
meetings,  and  much  interest  was 
felt  by  man}-.  On  the  12th,  we 
went  to  a  love  feast  at  Antedum,  the 
meeting  was  large  and  interesting. 
We  then  went  to  Black  creek  churh 
and  attended  a  love  feast  there. 
Much  interest  was  felt  by  many 
present,  and  there  were  some  added 
to  the  church.  Here  we  met  br. 
John  Kline  of  Ya.  Erom  this  place 
we  went  to  the  Broad  fording  meet- 
ing house,  and  had  a  very  good 
meeting  there.  On  the  16th.  there 
was  a  love  feast  there.  On  the  18, 
we  went  to  a  love  feast  at  Beaver 
creek.  On  the  20th.  there  was  a 
love  feast  in  the  Manor  church. 
There  seemed  to  be  quite  an  inter- 
est taken  in  the  Meeting,  and  there 
were  some  added  to  the  church. 
On  the  22nd.  we  went  to  br.  D.  P. 
Sayler's,  and  found  his  wife  very 
sick,  and  left  her  with  tears  still 
poorly.  We  had  a  very  good  meet- 
ing there  and  I  think  there  was 
some  good  done  to  those  out  of  the 
church  as  well  as  to  the  brethren. 
From  this  place  we  went  to  a  love 


feast  at  Beaver  Dam,  in  br.  Jacob 
Sayler's  congregation.  '  On  the  27, 
we  had  meeting  in  the  Meadow 
Branch  church.  Here  there  were 
several  added  to  the  church.  We 
then  sttirted  towards  home  and 
came  to  br.  John  Pfoutz's  where 
there  is  a  young  sister  lying  sick. 
We  had  meeting  there,  and  then 
came  on  to  Clear  Spring,  crossed 
the  Potomac  river  on  the  1st.  of 
November  and  started  for  home. 
We  had  good  luck  all  the  way  and 
landed  safely  at  home  on  the  6th. 
of  Xovember,  and  found  one  of  our 
daughters  sick  with  a  spinal  affec- 
tion and  liver  complaint.  She  is 
still  verv  sick,  and  not  able  to  be 
up. 

Kow  as  God  has  permitted  us  to 
enjoy  what  we  have  enjoyed,  breth- 
ren and  sisters,  let  us  watch  unto 
prayer. 

My  address  is  Kingston  Center, 
Delaware  Co.  O. 

H.  D.  Davy. 


THE  WAY  IT  GOES  SOMETIMES 
AT  POSTOFFICES. 

The  following  extract  of  a  letter 
from  a  brother  will  explain,  how  it 
happens  in  some  jjl^ces,  that  the 
Visitor  or  Minutes  do  not  come,  and 
how  they  may  be  found  near  at 
home. 

"The  July-Ko.  of  the  Yisitor  and 
the  last  (lot  of)  Minutes  you  sent 
lay  two  weeks  at  the  office  before  I 
g-ot  them,  and  in  that  time  I  called 
three  times  for  them,  and  the  last 
time  I  called,  they  said,  they  were 
not  there;  but  I  looked  around 
among  some  papers  l3'ing  on  the 
desk,  and  there  I  saw  a  Yisitor  and 
some  minutes.'' 


CONTRIBUTIONS. 


I  then  suid  to  the  postma.sler, 
there  they  arc.  He  said,  they  arc  not 
ynurs;  they  were  directed  to  this 
oificc  for  me  to  distribute.  There 
Tsas  no  name  on  the  oiitside-wrap- 
per.  he  said,  and  consoquQntly  he 
Chiimed  them  as  his.  But  I  told 
hJm  to  let  me  see  them  ;  (they  were 
all  scattered  about  over  the  desk-) 
he  handed  me  the  Visitor,  and  when 
I  looked  at  the  bottom  of  it,  I  could 
there  show  him  my  name." 

"I  then  asked  him,  whether  they 
all  came  in  one  wrapper ;  He  said, 
tl'<  y  did,  and  he  said,  they  had 
boon  there  at  least  two  weeks,  but 
"when  they  came  without  a  name, 
(a\c  had  undoubtedly  put  the  name 
on  the  outside  wrapper,  and  in  such 
case,  no  postmaster  we  think  has 
a  right  to  tear  oft'  the  wrapper  ex- 
cept in  the  presence  of  him  to  whom 
it  is  directed;  Ed.)  he  thought  they 
■were  for  him  to  distribute.  He 
said,  he  had  not  noticed  the  name 
on  tlic  cover,  till  I  showed  it  to 
him,  kc." 

J.     S. 


church,  Miami  co.  O.  of  sSlO 
in  part 


^antribiiticrnr) 

FOR  THE  OREGON  MISSION. 

Rep(n'ted  in  September  No.  $10,00 
Received  from  21  members  of 

the  Limestone  church, Tenn.  22,75 
Rec'd.  from  Bodetourt  church, 

A'^a.  by  the  hands  of  Elder 


7,00 


Peter  Nininger 


37,00 


Received  by 

D.  P.  Sayler,  Treasurer. 
Reported   in    September  No. 

(deducting  $2,50.  from  br. 

Rosenberger    for    Garber's 

Relief)  -        -        -        «57,50 

-Reported  in  October  No.  61,00 

fBoc'd  since  from  Lost  Crcok 


Rec'd  from  Solomon's  Creek 
church,  Elkhart  co.  Ind. 
additional     -         -         . 

Rec'd    from    L.     Tombaugh, 

Washington  CO.  Pa.      -  1,00 


1,00 


127,50 
Acknowledged  to  be  in  the  hands  of 

Henry  Kurtz. 
Beside  these  sums  there  have  been 
fifty  Dollars  announced  by  the 
church  in  Franklin  Co.  Ya.  and  fivo 
Dollars  by  the  church  in  Logan  Co. 
Ohio;  which  altogether  Avould  amount 
to  6  252,  25.  in  all;  about  one  fourth 
of  the  sum  needed  for  the  Oregon 
Mission.  But  who  are  the  men  to  go 
on  this  mission  ?  This  question  can 
only  be  answered  by  the  holy  Ghost. 
See  Act.  13:  2.  When  a  church  has 
5.  6.  or  7.  able  teachers  like  that  of 
Antioch,  so  that  they  could  easily 
spare  one  or  two,  they  should  fast 
and  try  and  learn  the  will  of  God  in 
this  matter,  &  then  such  church  ought 
to  propose  to  the  committee  those 
brethren  whom  they  feel  willing  to 
give  up  for  a  time,  and  whom  they 
deem  proper  and  suitable  for  this 
important  business.  The  most  wor- 
thy and  capable  brethren  will  feel 
a  delicacy  to  öfter  themselves.  Sev- 
eral names  have been  sent  into  us  by 
individuals,  [they  did  not  send  their 
own  names  :]  Joseph  Showalter,  Eli- 
as Dicky  and  George  Witwer  from 
Ashland  co.  O.  Daniel  Miller,  of 
Preble  Co.  O.  H.  D.  Davy  of  Dela- 
ware CO.  O.  John  Metzger  of  Tip- 
pecanoe CO.  Ind.  and  others,  some 
of  whom  are  absolutely  unable 
now  to  obey  the  call. 


FOR  GARBER'S  RELIEF, 

was  required,  when  the  appeal  to  Y. 
M.  1859  was  made,  the  sum  of 

$175,00 

Ofthat  sum  was  collec- 
ted at  said  Y.  M.  1859   $31,00 

By  Contributions  sent 
to  Editors  G.  Y.  &  re- 


DISTEESS  IN  KANSAS.— OBITUAEIES. 


379 


mitted  to  Tennessee  (see 

Jan.  No. 

40,00 

Do.  do .  by  JamesQuin 

ter  (see  July  No.)   - 

67,46 

Later  Contributions  re- 

ported July  No. 

1,00 

Do.     do.     Oct.  No. 

3,50 

^'  of  J.  D.  Eosenberger 

see  above 

2.50 

"  "  Lost  Creek  church 

Miami  co.  0. 

3,00 

148,46 

Still  lacking    26,54 

Those  ten  Dollars  still  in  our 
hands  our  brethren  in  Tennessee 
may  retain  from  money  coming  to 
us,  and  send  us  a  receipt  instead. 
We  Avish  to  be  done  with  this  mat- 
ter ;  yet  we  feel  still,  as  if  all  was 
not  right,  until  that  balance  is  can- 
celed. Will  br  Sam.  Grarber's  own 
church  not  say  and  do  something 
according  to  promise  ?  See  Gosp. 
Yis.  January  No.  of  this  present 
volume. 


terrible  drouth  that  has  befallen  the 
greater  part  of  that  country.  Bro- 
ther Abraham  Eothrock  was  former- 
ly living  near  Lewistown,  Mifflin  Co. 
Pa.  whom  we  know  tliesemany  years 
so  that  we  could  easily  endorse  his  re- 
commendation above.  His  main  bus- 
iness is  merely  to  call  personally 
with  as  many  churches  as  possible, 
and  state  the  case,  mainly  corrobo- 
rating the  facts  given  in  a  commu- 
nication of  Jacob  Ujrich,  given  in 
our  last  No.  Brother  Jacob  ITl- 
Ricn  in  Lawrence,  he  says,  is  ap- 
pointed to  receive  all  donations,  and 
brother  Daniel  Weybright,  to 
keep  a  record  of  them  likewise. 
Both  brethren  to  be  addressed  Law. 
rence,  Douglas  co.  Kansas  T.  We 
now  recommend  this  distressing  case 
to  the  heart  feeling  consideration  of 
all  the  charitable,  and  only  pray, 
that  the  suffering  may  receive  early 
help  and  timely  relief,  and  that  both 
the  givers  and  recipients  may  be 
blessed  with  food,  that  satisfies  the 
soul. 

The  Editors. 


DISTRESS  IN  KANSAS. 

Lawrence,  Douglas  co.  Kansas  T. 
September  27,  1860. 

We  the  undersigned  members  of 
the  German  Baptist  church  at  Wash- 
ington Creek,Douglas  co.  and  Cotton- 
wood, Chase  co.  recommend  to  your 
confidence  br.  and  elder  Abraham 
Eothrock  as  our  representative  to 
solicit  donations  for  the  relief  of  the 
brethren  and  sisters  and  our  neigh- 
bors in  Kansas,  who  are  destitute  of 
tlie  necessaries  of  life  on  account  of  i 
the  great  drought  that  prevailed  all  | 
through  our  Territory." 

This  paper  was  signed  by  4  min- 
ifiters  and  6  deacons  and  a  number 
of  other  brethren,  and  presented  by 
the  bearer,   Elder  Abraham   Roth- 
rock,  who  is  now  traveling  through 
the  country  in  order  to  call  upon 
tlie  brethren  and  churches  to  succor ! 
the    poor    members  and   others  inj 
Kansas,  that  have  no  bread  and  no  | 
njoney  to  buy,  in  consequence  of  the  I 


OBITUARIES. 


Died  in  Salem,  Clarion  co..  Pa.,  September 
6,  br.  CHRISTIAN  SHIVELT,  aged  81  years. 
Funeral  text,  Her.  14  :  13  by  D.  Eshelman  and 
J.  Goodman. 

Died  in  Armstrong  co.  Pa.  June  or  July  2, 
(we  cannot  make  out  distinctly)  Sister  SALLY 
FEPiNIN,  consort  of  br.  Andrew  Fernin,  aged 
49  years  and  17  days.  Funeral  text  Matt.  24  : 
44  by  David  Eshelman. 

Died  in  Bear  Creek  church,  Allezeni  co  Md, 
Sept.  13,  br.  HENRY  PECK,  aged  78  year?, 
8  months  and  26  days.  Funeral  attended  by 
br-  J.  Pisel  and  Jer.  JBeeghly. 

Died  in  Cowanshannock  church,  Armstrong 
CO.  Pa.,  September  13,  Sister  CATHARINE 
WAMPLER,  aged  76  years,  7  months,  and  21 
days.  She  was  the  widow  of  br.  David  Wam- 
pler,  who  died  8  years  ago.  Funeral  services 
by  br.  Jos.  Shoemaker    from  1  Cor.  15  :  26,  27. 

On  the  tree  of  life  eternal 
Let  our  hope  of  heav'n  be  laid! 
This  alone,  forever  vernal, 
Bears  a.  leaf  that  shall  not  fade. 

Died  in  Elkhart  co.  Indiana  Octobor  15.  and 
16,  two  of  the  children  of  brother  SAMUEL 
STUTSMAN  and  the  sister,  his  wife,  and  wer» 
buried  in  one  grave.    The  youngest    died  first 


380 


OBITUAEIES. 


aged  3  years,  6  months  and  20  days,  and  the 
eldest  last,  aged  5  y^'iirs,  9  months,  and  i)  days. 
Fuucral  service  hy  the  writer,  from   llcv.  7  :  9. 

Our  dearest  children  now  are  gone, 
There  if  no  doubt  their  hcav'n  is  won, 
And  wo  are  loll  to  mourn  our  loss, 
Till  we  are  done  to  bear  the  cross. 
Then  wc  expect  to  meet  again. 
Where  ev'ry  loss  becomes  a  gain, 
In  that  bright  world  ol"  endless  praise, 
And  sing  for  e'er  redeeming  grace. 

Jacob  Studedakbu. 


Died    near    Strasburg, 

CATHARINE    STOVER, 


Shenandoah  co.  Va. 
August  24,  CATIIARß^E  STOVER,  consort 
of  br.  Joseph  Stover,  aged  63  years,  7  months 
Äud  15  days.  She  had  been  afflicted  for  several 
years. 

ITow  bless'd  is  our  mother,  bereft 
Of  all  that  could  burden  her  mind; 
How  rich  is  the  soul  that  has  loft 
This  weariflome  body  behind. 

Died  in  the  Tuscarawas,  Ohio  congregation 
«n  the  30th,  of  June,  Sister  NAXCY  WELTY, 
consort  of  br.  Christian  Welty,  aged  74  years, 
3  months,  and  27  days.  She  was  the  mother  of 
C  children,  4  of  whom  are  now  living  with  the 
father  to  mourn  their  loss.  Disease,  dropsy. 
Puueral  services  by  br.  Conrad  Kahler  and 
the  writer  from  2d.  Cor.  5:1. 

In  the  same  congregation,  September  the  19, 
DAVID  KAHLER,  son  of  br.  Conrad  and  sister 
Elizabeth  Kahler,  aged  7  j'cars,  1  month,  and 
13  days.  Disease,  typhoid  fever.  Funeral  ser- 
vice by  br.  Gabriel  Neff  and  the  writer,  from  1 
Peter  1  :  24. 

My  dearest  parents,  I  have  gone 

To  dwell  in  endless  bliss, 
I'm  free  from  pain  and  sickness  now^ 

I  dwell  where  Jesus  is. 

Now  you,  my  parents,  faithful  prove, 

In  serving  Christ  the  Lord, 
And  when  your  race  is  run  on  earth, 

You'll  meet  a  great  reward. 

Then  j'ou  shall  meet  your  son  again 

In  bliss  divinely  free, 
"Where  parting  hands  are  known  no  more 

Throughout  Eternity. 

Died  in  the  Lawrence  district,  Summit  co.  0. 
October  4,  MARY  HUMBERT,  daughter  of 
Jacob  and  Maria  Humbert,  aged  4  years,  7 
months  and  25  days.  Disease  diptheria  or  sore 
throat.  Funeral  services  by  brother  Provant 
and  the  writer  from  1  Cor.  15 :  22. 

The  above  parents  are  not  members,  but  we 
trust  sincere  seekers :  May  the  Lord  give  them 
grace  to  find. 

Jonx  K.  L.  SwinART. 

Diediin  Washington  co.  Iowa,  August  20,  Sis- 
ter SARAH  ANN  CORRELL,  a  daughter  of  br. 
Daniel  and  sister  Sarah  Correll  of  Wayne  co.  0. 
aged  20  years,  8  months,  and  9  days.  Funeral 
service  by  Stephen  Yoder  from  Amos  4  :  12. 
The  last  named  brother  states  further  the  fol- 
lowing i)articulars.  "She  started  vith  usforlowa 
September  21,  1859.  On  the  way  she  became 
dce])ly  conccrnsd  about  her  soul's  falvation. 
A«  we  were  traveling  day  after  day,  she  was 
reading  the  liible  on  her  way  to  the    lar    West 


On  the  15,  of  October,  as  we  had  encamped  on 
the  West  bank  cf  the  Mississippi  River  she 
made  application  for  baptism  to  be  administered 
to  her  as  soon  as  an  opportunity  would  afford. 
On  the  18th.  we  landed  in  Washington  co.  at 
Levi  Goons,  with  her  sister  Susanna,  and  on  th« 
30th.  of  October  1S59,  she' was  baptized  in 
Crooked  Creek  by  the  writer.  This  was  the 
first  person  that  had  ever  been  baptized  in  this 
county  by  a  brother,  She  was  truly  a  light  to 
the  world,  and  an  example  to  all  around  her; 
her  delight  was  in  the  service  of  the  Lord,  and 
she  was  truly  an  affectionate  sister. 

In  March  1860,  she  was  taken  with  the  lung 
fever,  and  was  confined  to  her  bed  for  nine 
weeks.  Then  she  became  able  to  be  up  and 
around,  but  unable  to  clo  much  work;  but  she 
would  go  to  meeting  whenever  opportunity 
would  afford.  We  would  send  for  her,  and 
have  her  to  come  and  stay  with  us  for  several 
days;  we  were  always  rejoiced  to  see  her,  and 
converse  together.  On  the  25th.  of  July,  she 
was  struck  with  the  palsy,  and  lay  on  her 
deathbed  until  the  20th  of  August,  and  instead 
of  returning  home  to  her  kind  parents  and 
sister  in  Ohio,  it  pleased  the  Lord  to  taJve  her 
to  that  glorious  home.  We  hope  our  loss  is 
her  eternal  gain,  and  we  may  say  that  the  day 
of  her  death,  was  better  than  the  day  of  her 
birth. 

I  was  requested  to  write   all    the    particulars 

about  her  from  the  time  we  left  Wayne  co.  Ohio, 

until  her  death.     I  will  also  enclose  some  lines 

sent  by  her  sister,  tobe  inserted  in   the  Visitor. 

Stephex  Yoder.    • 

FOR  OUE  DEAR  SISTER. 

Our  sister  hns  gone  to  the  Spirit  land, 
And  we  trust  she  is  free  from  all  pain ; 
united  with  tho  angelic  band, 
Our  loss  is  her  endless  gain. 

She  has  crossed  dark  Jordan's  icy  flood, 
And  gain'd  the  farthest  shore; 
And  now  we  trust  she  dwells  with  God, 
Where  death  is  known  no  more, 

She  slumbers  in  the  silent  ground, 
(As  dying  mortals  must.) 
Till  Gabriel's  trumpet  shall  resound, 
To  wake  her  sleeping  dust. 

She  then  shall  rise,  with  glorious  form, 
To  meet  the  saints  on  high  ; 
(Oh  !  may  wo  too  in  that  blest  morn, 
With  wings  seraphic  fly.) 

Farewell,  Farewell,  my  sisters  dear. 
For  sweetly  lay  I  sleeping  here; 
Then  ready  be,  for  die  you  must, 
And  with  your  sister  sleep  in  dust. 

Think,  brothers  dear,  by  grief  oppressed 
Your  sister  in  the  grave  doth  rest. 
The  spirit  rests  above  the  sky; 
Prepare  to  meet  me  when  you  die  ! 

There's  glory,  rest,  and  peace  and  lore 
In  that  blest  region  up  above 
Which  I  enjoy,  and  long  to  see 
You  ready  for  my  company 


OBITUAEIES. 


38: 


Farewell,  my  loving  parents,  too, 
"NVer'e  parted  for  a  wbile  'tis  true, 
If  garments  white  you  do  retain, 
"We'll  meet  and  no  more  part  again. 

Died  in  Ross  countv.  Ohio  October  12  last 
the  infant  son  of  ALFRED  and  MART  SHEE- 
LY,  and  grandson  of  Peter  and  Celia  Moomaw, 
aged  2  days."  Our  Savior  says,  "Let  little  chil- 
dren come  unto  me,  and  forbid  them  not,  for  of 
such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

Died  in  Pattonsville,  Bedford  county,  Pa.  Oc- 
tober 17  last  after  a  short  illne^fs  sister  MAG- 
DALENA BÜRGET,  wife  of  Henry  Bürget, 
aged  3G  years,  9  months  and  13  days,  leaving  a 
disconsolate  husband  and  2  children  to  mourn 
their  loss.  Funeral  service  to  a  large  concourse 
of  people  by  Elder  John  M.  Holsinger  and  Ja- 
cob Miller, 

"Farewell,  farewell,  my  children  dear, 
For  sweetly  lay  I  sleeping  hero  ; 
Then  ready  be,  for  die  yon  must, 
"With  your  kind  mother  sleep  in  dust. 

Farewell  my  loving  husband  too, 
"We're  parted  for  a  while,  'tis  true; 
If  garments  white  you  do  retain, 
"We'll  meet  and  no  more  part  again. 

S.     T. 

Died  in  Chase  county,  Kansas  T.  October  17- 
I860,  our  old  and  beloved  brother  GABRIEL 
Jacobs,  aged  76  years,  3  months  and  7  days. 
Sickness  chronic  diarrhea.  He  leaves  a  widow 
and  a  family  of  children  (which  are  all  grown 
to  man  and  womanhood)  with  many  friends  to 
mourn  at  his  departure.  But  we  do  not  need 
to  mourn  as  those  that  have  no  hope.  He  has 
left  strong  evidence  of  his  acceptance  and  desi- 
red to  be  released  from  this  tabernacle  of  clay, 
aud  go  to  Jesus  where  sickness,  pain  and  death 
are  feared  and  felt  no  more. 

Our  brother  became  a  member  of  the  church 
in  Pa.  some  30  years  ago ;  he  was  shortly  after 
elected  to  the  ministry,  and  from  Pa.  he  emigra- 
ted to  Indiana  some  20  years  since,  where  he 
lived  until  1856;  he  then  moved  into  where  he 
has  been  living  since  until  he  died.  He  still 
went  forth  to  preach  the  word  of  God,  as  long 
as  he  had  physical  strength  to  go  ,  but  at  last 
his  strength  failed  him.  Thus  we  see  the  old 
fathers  going  home  one  after  another,  and  none 
knows  the  loss  as  those  who  have  to  take  their 
jdace  in  the  church.  Funeral  services  deferred 
until  some  future  time. 

W.     H. 

Died  in  Paintercreek  church,  Miami  county, 
Ohio,  on  the  21st  of  October  1S60.  of  Diptheria, 
AMANDA  ROYER,  infant  daughter  of  brother 
John  and  sister  Sophia  Royer,  aged  1  year,  2 
months  and  21  days.  True  life  is  but  like  a  va- 
por that  appeareth  for  a  season  but  soon  vanish- 
es  away. 

'•Can  a  woman's  tender  care 
Cease   towards  the  child  she  bars  ? 
l"es  she  may  forgetful  be, 
Y'et  will  I  remember  thee. 
Covington,  Ohio,  October  28,  1860. 

Died  Northeast  of  Ladoga,  Montgomery  coun- 
ty, Indiana,  July  28th  last  brother  ANDREW 
PEFFLl^,  aged  32  years,  2j  months  and  10  days, 
he  left  a  tender  wife,   and  an  old  mother,  with 


5  small  children,  the  youngest  'only  6  days  old 
on  the  day  of  her  death.  Funeral  service  by  br. 
Samuel  Murray  and  R.  H.  Miller  from  1  Cor. 
15:   22. 

Died  in  the  Nimishillen  church.  Stark  county, 
Ohio,  October  27  sister  SARAH  HOOVER,  wife 
of  Moses  Hoover,  and  the  only  daughter  left  of 
John  Dolhour  deceased.  Her  age  was  27  years, 
3  months  and  3  days,  leaving  behind  a  sorrow- 
ful husband  and  2  children.  Funeral  service 
1  by  brother  David  Byers  and  others  from  Rev. 
\U:  13. 

j  Died  near  Goshen,  Elkhart  countv,  Indiana, 
:  October  30  old  brother  PETER  CRELL,  in  his 
I  71st" year  after  a  lingering  consumption.  Fn- 
I  neral  services  by  the  writer  and  others  on  John 
14 :  1,  2. 

J.  S.  B. 
Diod  in  Lancaster  countv,  Pa.  October  30, 
1860  sister  CATHARINE  HARLEY,  wife  of 
Samuel  Harley,  and  daughter  of  Samuel  Lan- 
des, aged  38  years,  8  months  and  18  days.  Her 
complaint  was  consumption  and  dropsy  for  over 
2  years.  Funeral  text  Philipians  1  :  23.  by 
brethren  C.  Bombarger  and  J.  Rinehold. 

Died  in  the  "Wadams  Grove  church  at  Chelsea, 
Joe  Davies  co.  111.  September  15,  sister  ANNA 
BOWMAN,  wife  of  Peter  Bowman,  and  daugh- 
I  ter  of  Jacob  and  Susannah  Eby  formerly  of 
!  Franklin  county.  Pa.,  aged  22  years,  9  months 
,  and  27  days,  leaving  a  kind  husband  and  2 
\  children,  with  many  friends  to  mourn  their  loss. 
j  Her  death  was  occasioned  by  the  Typhoidfever, 
1  of  about  10  days  duration.  The  funeral  occasion 
I  was  improved  by  brethrf;n  Christian  Long  and 
Daniel  Frey  from  Heb.  13  :  14  in  the  presence 
I  of  a  large  concourse  of  people,  and  especially 
i  friends,  who  very  reluctantly  had  to  yield  to  the 
1  unexpected  visitation  of  death  in  snatching 
(from  their  midst  one  who  was  not  only  a  pious 
'  and  affectionate  mother  injthe  family  circle,  but 
;  one  whom  we  anticipated  in  the  future  to  be  a 
!  mother  in  Israel .  May  her  unexpected  death  be 
I  sanctified  to  the  eternal  good  of  all  who  mourn 
j  her  loss,  and  especially  to  the  kind  and  bereaved 
'  husband,  that  he  may  be  prepared  when  death 
j  visits  him  to  meet  her  in  glory  is   the  prayer  of 


the  writer. 

'Tis  finished,  the  conflict  is  past, 
The  heaven  born  Spirit  is  fled. 
Her  wish  is  accomplished  at  last ; 
And  now  she's  entombed,  with  the  dead. 
The  months  of  affliction  are  o'er, 
The  days  and  the  nights  of  distress; 
"We  see  her  in  anguish  no  more. 
She's  gained  her  happy  release. 

No  sickness,   or  sorrow,  or  pain 
Shall  ever  disquiet  her  now. 
For  death  to  her  «pirit  was  gain, 
Sirce  Christ  was  her  life  when  below. 
Her  soul  has  now  takenjher  flight. 
To  mansions  of  glory  above 
To  mingle  with  angels  of  light, 
And  dwell  in  the  kingdom  of  love. 

The  victory  now  is  obtained  ; 
She's  gone  her  dear  Savior  to   see  : 
Her  wishes  she  fully  has  gained, 
She's  now  where  she  longed  to  be. 
Then  let  us  forbear  to  complain 
That  she  has  now  gone  from  our  sightj 
"We  soon  shall  behold  her  again 
With  new  and  redoubled  delight. 


INDEX  TO  VOLUME  X 


A. 

Alexander  Mack's  book        -  351 

Aniericim  Aiitiinin,  the         -  342 

An  apostolical  command       -  148 

Anniliilated,  arc  the  wicked  228 

Ann.  thciVetfnl             -         -  122 

Annual  Mcetin;r  of  1860  219 

Appeal  in  behalf  of  Kansas  347 
Appointments  -  222,255,288 
Are  the  ten  commandments  still 

bindinir?  -  -  2^5 
Attempt,  P]mperor  Julian's  to 

rebuild  Jerusalem  18 
Attractions,  peculiar  to  John's 

Gospel         .            -  305 

B. 

Baptism  for  the  remission  of 

sins            -  -  47 

Bethlehem            -  -  338 

Bible,  the  14  the  holy  -  227 

Boys,  hold  on!     -  -  247 

Brevities               -  -  154 

Bright  side,  the  -  111 

C. 

California  &  Oregon,  Mission 

to 
Calling  (the)  of  Elisha    -  74 

Children  -  -  89 

Christian  character,  the  true        195 
Christianity,  the  spirit  and 

laws  of     -  -  203 

Christ,  the  exemplary  life  of        193 
Chrysostom's  homily  on  John 

3:5-  -  33 

Church-government      -  188 

Contributions    31,  95,  158,  223,  228, 

318,  378, 
Correction         -  -  158 ' 

Correspondence       92,  191,  213,  253, 
285,  316,  377 
Creation  -  -  10 

D. 

Daughter,  a  good 
Deception,  the  first 
Declension,  marks  of  religious 
Deliverance  nearing    - 
Depravity,  universal     - 
Dissemination  of  the  Gospel  178,190 


Distress  in  Kausas  -  379 

Does  the  soul  die  with  the  body   165 

E. 

Early  rising         -  -  284 

Economies,  a  chapter  on  27 

Editors'  Table     -  -  351 

Education  -  -  118 

Elder  son  (the)    -_        -_    188,275 

38 

05 

136 

•247 

116 

55 


Essay  on  the  Civil  Law  JS'o.  1 

u         ii         ii         a         u       ~^o.  2 
a         ii         a         a         u       ^q^  3 

Evenings,  a  boy's 

Exhortation 

Explanation  of  Matt.  16  :  28 
•^        * "  the  baptism  of 
the  Holy  Ghost    - 
<'         <'  Heb.  4  :  12 


56 
57 

58 

82 
83 


221,  253 


282 
283 
238 
367 
237 


''  "   1  John  3  :  9 

'^  <^  Deut.  18  :  18 

''  Numb.  20  :  11 
''  Luke  7  :  26,  28 
''  Malt.  9  :  16, 17 

''  "  John  15  :  5 

''  Mark  9:  38—40 
''  Luke  1:  63,64 

"  ''  Matt.  10  :  39 

^'  '^  Heb.  6  :  20 

^'  ''  Luke  19  :  2 

''  Matt.  11  :  12 

a  a         u    3  .   11 

''         ''  Isai.  45 

"  "  Matt.  4  :  1 

u  a       u  13  .  44  — 

^'  lChron.2:  13-17  249 
<'  '<■  1  Cor.  5  :  11  — 

"  Mark  9  :  42—50 
"  '^  Ezek.  3  :  17—19 

<^  Eev.-3  :  15,16 

''  Matt.  18  :  18 
<<  "  John  5  :  25 

<'  ''  Eph.  4  :  1 

"  "  Matt.  24  :  15 

"  "  John  10:1 

Extract  from  old  Minutes 
F. 

Fall  of  Man  (the) 

P'amih'-altar  (the) 

Family-Circle      24,  52,  89,  244,  281, 


84 
85 
152 
153 
183 
184 

185 
186 

187 
248 


312 
313 
315 
343 
344 


345 

182 

60 
112 


Forbearance 


340 

77 


INDEX  TO  VOLUME  X. 


383 


G. 


Gleanings 

304 

God  careth  for  us 

72 

God's  laws  not  arbitrary 

308 

God  power  in   sermons 

22 

God,  the  eye  of 

225 

Gos|)el  Visitor  (the 

59 

H. 

Hallowed  be  thy  name 

127 

Heartstream  of  the  family 

246 

Home 

54 

How  to  study  the  Scriptures 

20 

Humility 

I. 

Idle  moments 

50 

163 

Illiterate,  were  the  Evangelists? 

208 

Influence,  a  mother's 

210 

Index             -          - 

382 

Mission-Question  (the)  2no. 

U  ii  ii  A^Q 


Is  it  degrading  for  ministers  to 
labor  with  their  hands  ? 


K. 


Ki 


maness 


Letter  to  a  Pedobaptist  on  in- 
fant baptism 

Light 

Lines, — Xot  lost  but  gone  be- 
fore    - 

Logic  of  the  Christian  life 

Look  to  thyself 

Lovefeasts,  our 

Love  for  our  neio^hbor 

M. 

3Iaking  fun 

Man,  the  great  business  of  his 
lite 
"     the  happy 

*•     the  primeval  dignity  of 
"     the  universal  corruption 
of  his  nature 
Marriage  relation,  (the) 

''     Solemnizing 
Members,  the  excision  of 
Minister  (the)  and  his  scythe 
Minutes  of  the  late  Y.  3L 
Missionarv  labor 


15 


Mortality  of  man 

Mother's  grave  (my 

Mother  (the 

Multum  in  parvo    - 

Music 

My  opinion 

^. 

Xews  from  the  churches 


No. 


107 

129 

149 

161 

52 

53 

205 

144 

50 


Xew  year  (the 
Xightly  musings    - 
Night  watch  (the 
Ninth  commandment  (the 
Notice 


62,  94, 

124,  253 

7 

274 

241 

145 

126,  157,  350 

207 


268! 
148; 

79 
133 
121 
252 

78' 


156 


Novel  reading,  evils  of    - 
O. 


Obedience  -  -  54 

Obituaries  32,  63,  96,  127, 159, 

192,  223,  256,  288,  319,  351,  379 

380,  381 

One  way  and  the  other  26 

P. 

Parental  sympathy  -  346 

Personal  -  29,  61, 319 

Poetry  29,  126,  157,  255,  287 

Power  to  save      -  -  48 

Prayer  -  -  85 

Prayer  answered  -  106 

Preaching  the  Gospel       -  174 

Preface  -  -  3 

Priceless  gift  (the  -  112 

Proceedings  of  a  meeting  349 

Prophecy  of  the  last  times  339 

Prospectus,  our     -  -      318, 351 

Puritying  power  (the)  of  hoj^e        80 

Q- 


330 

Queries.—             29,  55,  82,  152, 

183, 

195 

248,  312,  343 

373 

43 

^' 

Explanatory  of  John  1  :  9 

374 

^'' 

Concerning  the  visit 

153 

146 

u 

"     the  conducting   of 

54 

worship 

186 

212 

u 

"     avoidance 

q; 

234 

ii 

"     electing  to  office 

— 

110 

ii 

*'     blaspheming  against 

255 

the  Hoi v"^ Ghost 

313 

114 

" 

''     Judas,  Matt.  27:  5 

373 

r  F4 


INDEX  TO  VOLUME  X. 


Queries.       was  John's  baptism 

ChrJPtian  baptism 

"     should  deacons  baptize 

K. 

Tveaders,  to  our 
lloconciliation  with  God 
Keligious  belief 
Kemarks  on  TIeb.  13  :  8,  9 

"        <'  Rev.  13  :  3,  4 

"         "  Voting 
Remorse,  a  wife's     - 
Eeply,  a  beautiful 
llevicw  of  an   article  on   feet- 
washing 
^'     of  a  treatise  on  trine  im- 


mersion 


289,  321, 


S. 


Scriptural  thoughts 

Secret  things  belong  unto   the 
Lord  -^        -        40, 

Sin  and  folly  of  scolding 

Sin,  the  nature  of 

Sodom  &  Gomorrah,  the  over- 
throw of 

Spreading  (the)  of  the  Gospel 
"        a  plan  for 


374 
152 


31 

172 

111 

S 

11 
302 
244 
112 

257 

353 

236 

104 
24 

209 

33G 
201 

278 


Star  of  Bethlehem 

Stone  (the)  which  the  builders 

rejected 
Stray  Germs 
Study  of  children's  faces 
Successful  men 

T. 

Temptation 

That  awful  woodpile 

The  way  it  goes  in  postoffices 

Title  page 

To  our  agents  and  subscribers 

Train  up  a  child     - 

Truth 


V. 


Visit  to  Virginia 


W. 

"Warning,  a  -  - 

Wearing  of  gold  &  costly  array 
Worship  in  singing 
Y. 
Younger  son,  (the 
Young  man  (the)  warned,  or  the 

responsibilities  of  youth 
Youth's  Department  27,  54 

247, 


70 

276 
305 
346 
239 


5 

91 

377 

1 

63 

281 

122 

215 

134 
44 

107 

333 

97 
,91, 

283 


END  OF  VOLUME  X. 


> 


PROSPECTUS 

ffliiiesPiLfisifiL 

For  the  Year  IS6J,  Vol.  XI. 

The  Gospel  Visitor  is  a  moiithly  Thi                                   -        -  )() 

Cbrisdan    Mgazine,     ed\te>\    and   )»ub-  Mii-i.  c  j;\  in    tiif  w  riiKU»,  mo 

lished  by     Heury    Kurrz     smd    JaJiiC:*                     s.jir,  iu  advance,  ,      50 

Quinter,   in    Coiumbianu,    Ohio.       Tho  Seven  c»mi'>,            -         .  ;  ilO 

object  of  the  work  is   :iiid    will    be    the  TfiTitt  •  n  c<  pi.-         -         ~  jQ 

promotion  of  a  pure    Chri.stianiry,  with  8jDgIe  et'j»v  <  f  the  Gcriuan  ari  I 

its  doc'riüe«.  practicos,  and    cxp'rienco,                    hiiirli^h,               -          -  1.25 

as    originated,    cstabli-lied,    and    d^vel-  Sis  cnpi^-s,                -         -          -  ",00 

oped  Tjv   Christ  and    l.i-    iü-Dired    sac-         Ana  at  thosnnie  r:»|^  for  iiny  D-.r-;be? 

cessors.  over  iloso  njeutioned. 

Each  number  of  thv  r:,iun-,i    ^To.^pol        j^-  WV  s.-nd    out    this   eircuhr    for 

Visn<^r    wil!   contain   82    pag-s   dcmlde  the  purp. ö^-    «.f  -x'cndinji  „or   eirc»  a^ 

columns,    and     the    German    16  pa'je?,  tl»n,  yn  I    it  is    verv    de  irahl-    thm  \vq 

neatly  printed  on  good  paper,  put  up  in  i,;.vea.s  inaiiy  nan.  s  as   p:,s-jhle    of  -id 

printed  covrrs,   and    mailed    to    snb-cri-  snh>criht'r>  a.s  well   :.s  ru-w  "<>iic^,  s  i,t  ug 

bers  regularly  about    the   first  of  each  before  the  first  of    D.cni!    r     i      r    -./e 

month.  ijjjjy  f(„.„,  come  i-,ea  of  tf'  :'ie 

The   Gospel    Visitor    has    pi.«^5?ed  edition  that  will  i».   rrT|ui:    . 
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satisfaction   where  it    ha.    be-in  '  taken,  ^^  ^*  ^^ «   /-» 'k-   our  .pp^-.tl  f    yo«, 

and  has  been  growin- in  f.vor  with  the  Br.tnren  and   .-i;tor.<,    deM..n.u    ^.m    tO 

brotherhood  from   the  K sinning.      And  K'^'^  »;;  J-*^»- I'^^'f  V»  '^    ^"^    ^'=     ''"-•'•^'^- 

it  oucrht,  we.think,  to  have  a  wide  circa-  ^'''^  «^  '^'^  oxrnUn  :e.^:L   vol- 

ktion.  ^-*"^ 

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Sincrle  copy  of  the  English,  one  ypir,  ^,  ._  .      ,.      ,,     .. 

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I". f  diU  bound  in  muslin  40  or  pp.  50 

Th     -^    who  buy  by  the  dozen  or  more, 

"«rill  b        rititled  toextra  copies. 

Address  Editors  of  G,  V, 


T  i;  K  M  8 : 
In     ci.ih'jsscd      Morocco    binding,  inafjl 

edpci'S  $^^^ 

In  Iniiialion  TurUej  Morocco    bin'.inr 

extra   gill  f^-O 

In       I'urliey       Morocco    binding,  extrtl 

ff.ll  l'>,Of| 

ANDEIlSON&i   FCLLEll,   I*ubli«hem 
Toledo,  Ohio,  j\ 

-Q:^\gcnl8  wanted  for-all  the    Weal 
cru  States.      Letters  ol  inquiry  ad«iie«s 
ed  to   the    Publishers  will    be    prompll) 
answered. 

(Mavirig  received  a  copy  of  this  val 
nable  üible  for  examiitation,  and  be 
ing  satisfn'd,  that  it  is  all,  what  it  ii 
represented  to  be,  an  excellent  Family« 
Bible,  highly  recommended  tiuth  ir. 
England  and  in  tliis  ct>utilry,  *vc  t 
disposed  to  act  as  agents,  especi'.ilij 
among  our  Bre'hren,  to  receive  s  ib- 
acriptious.  aud  supfdy  those  of  oui 
friends,  who  may  pr^Jer  to  address  us. 
Ed'  of  Gospel  Visitor. 


OI.D  Dr,   PEl'IOIl   FXHir  ■   V 
preparation  for 
CLEANSIxNG   THE    BLOOD] 


IILY-BlDLE. 

')  or 

C  BIBLE 
the   Rev.    Ln- 


.\  Bible  is    puh- 

n   Unarter    Volume 

•IS  si  vies  tjfBinding. 

»rized    version, 

Bible   con- 

"  ings,     and- 

I    and    Illrjs- 

Scctariao 

i'cllectioni  ; 

;      140,000 

-  o, 

Md    at    any 
bed  to  sub- 


This  admirable  Preparation  is  com 
poseü  of  the  b<sl  ren»edie8  known  io 
ihemMulerid  t'iledica^  for  the  cure  of  all 
diseases  arising  from  impure  Blood. 

It  contains  r7iore  than  twenty  ingredi- 
ents, enlirfly  F(gelal,le,  and  is  c<»in- 
posed  of  iiootsand  Herbs  which  possess 
the  highest  degree  of  purifying  pr«*pcr 
ties. 

This  ^Icdicinc  was  originally  pre- 
pared by  old  Dr  iM'.l'Ell  FAMIINKV, 
of  Washington  Oounty  Maryland  res- 
tirnonials  from  hundreds  of  fan>ilies 
could  be  given,  who  h;  ve  used  it  for 
iiiany  years,  and  consider  it  an  indispeo 
sable  Remedy  for  the  cure  of  (;iironi« 
Diseases.  It  ha«  been  in  use  for  inor« 
than  halfa  century  and  its  beneficial 
effects  are  küoivn  io  PennsyUania, 
Maryland.  Virginia,  aud  many  olhcF 
Stales  of  the  Union. 

This  medicine  is  put  up  in  package* 
accompanied  by  a  small  vial.  It  can 
be  sent  by  mail  or  express  to  all  parts  of 
the  United  States.  Price  by  mail  ''Post- 
age  l^aid)  $1,00  a  single  package'.  Bj 
express  ,7.'i  cents  a  single  package  or 
«fjOOOforone  dozen;  a  percent;4ge  iit 
allowed  to  persons  acting  as  agent«. 
For  particulars  aildress  the  Proprietor», 
Prepared  and  8(jld  by 

PETEK  F\HRNRY& 
.TOHX  BIJKKHOl,DER  M.  D. 
Quincy,  FranklioCo.  Pa. 


« -  ,CI  v,^: 


Wl?*»**^. 


KrT'' 


^JW' 


AV«,, 


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