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TRACTS 


AMERICAN  TRACT  SOCIETY. 


General   SeruB. 


VOL.  VIII. 


PRINTED  BY  THE 
AMEEICAN   TRACT    SOCIETY 

150   NASSAXJ-STREET,   NEW   YORK. 


CONTENTS. 


VOL.  VIII. 

No.  Pages. 

255.  Romanism  Contradictory  to  the  Bible.     By  Rev.  Thomas 

Hartwell  Home,  M.  A., 40 

256.  Poor  Swaizeland, 8 

257.  "  Life  from  the  Dead," 8 

258.  Three  Queries  to   the  Rejecters  of  Christianity.     By  Rev. 

Andrew  Fuller, 8 

259.  A  View^  of  the  Evidences  of  Christianity.     By  J.  Fletcher,  4 

260.  For  Ever !     From  Rev.  Richard  Baxter,      ....  4 

261.  The  Tap-root, 4 

262.  To  those  Commencing  a  Religious  Life,       ....  8 

263.  Indecision  in  Rehgion,     .......  8 

264.  George  Lovell, 16 

265.  Duties  of  Church-Members.    By  Rev.  Thos.  H.  Skinner,  D.  D.,  16 

266.  Blind  Betsey,  or  Comfort  for  the  Afflicted,   ....  8 

267.  "  I  am  an  Infidel," 4 

268.  To  the  Confident,  the  Diffident,  and  the  Careless,         .         .  8 

269.  Shall  I  come  to  the  Lord's  Supper?           ....  8 

270.  A  Traveller  at  the  End  of  her  Journey.     By  Rev.  Richard 

Knill, 8 

271.  Prayer.     By  Rev.  Seth  Williston, 28 

272.  The  Advantages  of  Sabbath-Schools,        ....  16 

273.  The  Lost  Soul, 4 

274.  The  Scotsman's  Fireside, 8 

275.  The  Amiable  Louisa.     From  "  The  Young  Christian,"         .  8 

276.  Bible  Argument  for  Temperance.     By  Rev.  Austin  Dickinson,  12 

277.  The  Eternal  Misery  of  Hell.     By  Rev.  James  Saurin,          .  8 

278.  Means  of  a  Revival.     By  President  Edwards,           .         .  8     ^ 

279.  "  What  have  I  Done  V     By  Rev.  Wm.  Nevins,  D.  D.,         .  12 

280.  Don't  Unchain  the  Tiger, 4 


4  CONTENTS. 

No.  Pages. 

281.  The  Almost  Christian.     By  Rev.  H.  A.  Boardman,  D.  D.,  .     16 

282.  David  Baldwin,  or  the  Millers  Son,  ....         16 

283.  Alarm  to  the  Careless, 8 

284.  Lydia  Sturtevant,  or  the  Fatal  Resolution.     By  Rev.  Eliakim 

Phelps,  D.  D., 8 

265.  What  is  a  Call  to  the  Ministry  ?     By  Rev.  James  D.  Knowles,  20 

286.  Dying  Testimony  of  Believers  and  Unbelievers.     ByWm.C. 

Brownlee,  D.  D., 32 

287.  The  General's  Widow.     By  W.  C.  Brownlee,  D.  D.,  .         .32 

288.  Four  Reasons  against  the  Use  of  Alcoholic  Liquors.     By 

John  Gridley,  M.  D.,       .         .         .         .         .         .         .12 

289.  To  a  Lady  in  Fashionable  Life, 8 

290.  The  Bold  Blasphemer, 8 

291.  Horrors  of  Heathenism, 16 

292.  Are  you  Ready] 4 

293.  Eliza,  the  Chippewa  Indian, 8 

294.  Marks  of  Saving  Faith.     By  Rev.  J.  Dickinson,           .         .  12 

295.  Marks  of  True  Repentance.     By  Rev.  J.  Dickinson,  16 

296.  Mistakes  of  Parents.     By  Rev.  John  A.  Vaughn,  D.  D.,      .  16 


IVo.  253. 

'ROMAIISM 

CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE 


BY  REV.  THOIUS  HARTWELL  HORNB,  M.A, 

AUTHOR    OF    THE    INTRODUCTION    TO   THE    BIBLE,    ETC. 


I.    OF  THE  HOLY  SCRIPTURES 

1.  The  holy  Scriptures  are  a  complete  rule  of  faith. 
The  divmely-inspired  apostle  Paul  affirms  that  the  holy 
Scriptures  "are  able  to  make  us  wise  unto  salvation;"  and 
that  "  all  Scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God,  and  is 
profitable  for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction,  for 
instruction  in  righteousness,  that  the  man  of  God  may  be 
perfect,  thoroughly  furnished  unto  all  good  works."  2  Tim. 
3:  15-17. 

Now,  if  the  "man  of  God,"  or  Christian  minister,  who 
is  to  instruct  others,  and  to  declare  unto  them  the  whole 
counsel  of  God,  so  far  as  is  necessary  for  their  attainment 
of  salvation,  be  perfectly  instructed  for  the  discharge  of  his 
high  and  responsible  office  from  the  Scriptures,  these  must 
necessarily  contain  all  saving  truth,  all  that  is  needful  to 
be  known  by  him,  and  by  every  private  Christian,  in  order 
to  salvation.  Compare  Psalm  19:7,  8;  Isaiah  8:20;  2 
Peter,  1:  19-21  ;  John  20:  31. 

Conformably  to  these  declarations,  all  Protestant 
churches  admit  of  no  other  rule  of  faith  and  practice  than 
the  Scripture,  "  which  containeth  all  things  necessary  to 
salvation." 

Further,  the  Scriptures  prohibit  all  additions  from  being 
made  to  them  by  any  mortal.     "  Ye  shall  not  add  unto  the 

VOL.  VIII.  1*" 


2  ROMANISM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE. 

word  which  I  command  you."  Dent.  4  :  2.  "Every  word 
of  God  is  pure.  Add  thou  not  unto  his  word,  lest  he 
reprove  thee,  and  thou  be  found  a  har."  Prov.  30 :  5,  6. 
*'  I  testify  unto  every  man  that  heareth  the  words  of  the 
prophecy  of  this  book,  If  any  man  shall  add  unto  these,  God 
shall  add  unto  him  the  plagues  that  are  written  in  this 
book."     Rev.  22  :  18. 

Agreeably  to  these  declarations  of  holy  writ,  "  whatso- 
ever is  not  read  therein,  nor  may  be  proved  thereby,  is  not 
to  be  required  of  any  man  that  it  should  be  believed  as  an 
article  of  the  faith,  or  be  thought  requisite  or  necessary  to 
salvation ;"  nor  has  the  church  a  right  to  enforce  any  thing 
besides  the  Scriptures  to  be  believed  as  necessary  to  salva- 
tion. 

But  the  Church  of  Rome,  in  direct  contradiction  to  the 
divine  commands,  equals  unwritten  traditions  with  the  holy 
Scriptures,  and  pronounces  a  curse  on  all  that  do  not  receive 
those  traditions.  "  I  most  steadfastly  admit  and  embrace 
the  apostolical  and  ecclesiastical  traditions,  with  the  rest 
of  the  constitutions  and  observations  of  the  said  church." 
Creed  of  Pius  lY,,  Art.  13.  "All  saving  truth  is  not  con- 
tained in  the  holy  Scripture,  but  partly  in  the  Scripture 
and  partly  in  unwritten  traditions ;  which  whosoever  doth 
not  receive,  with  like  piety  and  reverence  as  he  doth  the 
Scriptures,  is  accursed."  Concil.  Trident.  Sess.  4.  Decret. 
de  Can.  Script.* 

2.  Canon  of  Scripture.  "  In  the  name  of  Scripture  we 
understand  those  canonical  books  of  the  Old  Testament,  of 
whose  authority  there  never  was  any  doubt  in  the  church." 

But  the  Romish  church  makes  the  apocryphal  books 
of  equal  authority  with  those  of  the  Old  and  New  Testa- 
ment, although  such  apocryphal  books  ivere  never  recognized 
as  canonical  by  the  Jews,  to  whom  were  committed  the 

*  The  decisions  of  the  Council  of  Trent,  referred  to  here  and 
elsewhere  in  this  Tract,  are  acknoAvledged  as  binding  by  every 
true  Roman  Catholic. 


ROM  AM  ISM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE.  3 

oracles  of  God,  nor  by  the  primitive  church,  nor  by  any 
general  council,  nor  by  the  modern  Greek  church.  "If 
any  one  doth  not  receive  all  these  books,"  i.  e.  the  apocry- 
phal books,  which  are  intermixed  with  the  genuine  and  ca- 
nonical books,  "  with  every  part  of  them,  as  they  use  to  be 
read  in  the  [Roman]  Catholic  church,  and  as  they  are  con- 
tained in  the  ancient  vulgar  Latin  edition,  for  holy  and  ca- 
nonical, and  shall  knowingly  contemn  the  aforesaid  tradi- 
tions, let  him  be  anathema."  Cone.  Trid.  Sess.  4,  de  Can. 
Script. 

It  is  worthy  of  observation,  that,  besides  the  above- 
stated  reasons  why  Protestants  reject  the  apocryphal  books, 
these  books  clearly  and  manifestly  evince  that  they  never 
were  inspired,  not  only  by  the  fabulous  and  contradictory 
statements  they  contain,  and  which  are  directly  at  variance 
with  the  canonical  Scriptures,  but  also  by  the  virtual  ac- 
knowledgments made  by  some  of  the  authors  of  the  apoc- 
ryphal books,  that  they  were  not  inspired.  Thus,  in  the 
prologue  to  the  book  of  Ecclesiasticus,  the  son  of  Sirach 
entreats  the  reader  to  pardon  any  errors  he  may  have  com- 
mitted in  translating  the  works  of  his  grandfather  Jesus 
into  Greek.  In  1  Mace.  4  :  4G,  and  9  :  27,  it  is  confessed 
that  there  was  at  that  time  no  divinely-inspired  prophet  in 
Israel ;  consequently,  the  author  of  that  book  neither  was 
nor  could  be  an  inspired  writer.  The  second  book  of  Mac- 
cabees, 2  :  33,  is  an  avowed  abridgment  of  the  books  of 
Jason  and  Cyrene  ;  and  the  author  concludes,  15  :  38,  with 
the  following  words,  which  are  utterly  unworthy  of  a  per- 
son writing  by  inspiration :  "  If  I  have  done  well,  and  as  is 
fitting  the  story,  it  is  that  which  I  desired  ;  but,  if  slenderly 
and  meanly,  it  is  that  which  I  could  attain  unto." 

Fahulous  statements  in  the  Apoa-yphal  books.  1.  Rest  of  chap- 
ters of  Esther,  10 : 6.  "A  little  fountain  became  a  river,  and  there 
was  light,  and  the  sun,  and  much  water.  This  river  is  Esther, 
whom  the  king  married  and  made  queen."     14  :  2. 

2.  The  story  of  Bel  and  the  Dragon  is,  confessedly,  a  mere 


4  ROMANISM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE. 

fiction,  Avliich  contradicts  the  account  of  Daniel's  being  cast  into 
the  lion's  den. 

Contradictory  statements.  1.  The  author  of  the  book  of  the 
Wisdom  of  Solomon  alludes  to  the  people  of  Israel,  as  being  in 
subjection  to  their  enemies,  which  was  not  the  case  during  Solo- 
mon's reign.  We  read,  indeed,  that  he  had  enemies  in  the  per- 
sons of  Hadad,  Rezon,  and  Jeroboam,  1  Kings,  11 :  14,  23,  25, 
26,  who  vexed  him ;  but  we  nowhere  find  that  they  subdued  his 
people,  and  the  schism  of  the  ten  tribes  did  not  take  place  untU 
after  the  death  of  Solomon. 

2.  Baruch  is  said,  1 :  2,  to  have  been  carried  into  Babylon  at 
the  very  time  when  Jeremiah  tells  us,  43  :  6,  7,  that  he  was  car- 
ried into  the  land  of  Egypt. 

3.  The  story  in  1  Esdras,  3  :  4,  besides  wanting  every  mark  of 
the  majesty  and  sanctity  of  the  sacred  writings,  contradicts  Ezra's 
account  of  the  return  of  the  Jews  from  Babylon  under  Cyrus. 

4.  The  first  and  second  books  of  Maccabees  contradict  each 
other ;  for  in  the  former,  1  Mace.  6  :  4-16,  Antiochus  Epiphanes 
is  said  to  have  died  in  Babylon ;  and  in  the  latter  he  is  represented, 

Jirst,  as  having  been  slain  by  the  priests  at  Nanea,  in  Persia,  2 
Mace.  1 :  13-1 6,  and  afterwards,  9 :  28,  as  dying  a  miserable  death 
in  a  strange  country  among  the  mountains. 

5.  In  the  book  of  Tobit,  the  angel  that  is  introduced,  5 :  12, 
as  representing  himself  as  being  a  kinsman  of  Tobit,  in  12:  J  5, 
contradicts  himself,  by  affirming  that  he  is  Raphael,  one  of  the 
holy  angels.  The  author  of  this  book  has  also  added  to  the  views 
of  God  and  of  Providence,  delineated  in  the  Old  Testament,  tenets 
of  Assyrian  or  Babylonian  origin. 

Contradictory  doctrines.  1.  Prayers  for  the  dead.  "  And  when 
he  had  made  a  gathering  throughout  the  company,  to  the  sum 
of  two  thousand  drachms  of  silver,  he  sent  it  to  Jerusalem,  to 
oflfer  a  sin-offering,  doing  therein  very  well  and  honestly  ;  for,  if 
he  had  not  hoped  that  they  that  Avere  slain  should  have  risen 
again,  it  had  been  superfluous  and  vain  to  pray  for  the  dead." 
2  Mace.  12  :  43,  44.  This  statement  contradicts  the  whole  tenor 
of  the  sacred  writings,  which  nowhere  enjoin  or  allow  of  prayers 
for  the  dead. 

2.  The  heathen  notion  of  the  transmigration  of  souls,  which  is 
equally  contradictory  to  the  Bible,  is  asserted  in  Wisd.  8:19,  20. 
"  For  I  was  a  Avitty  cliild,  and  had  a  good  spirit ;  yea,  rather,  being 
good,  I  came  into  a  body  undefiled." 


ROMANISM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE.  5 

3.  Justification  by  the  tvorks  of  the  law,  in  opposition  to  the 
Scriptures,  which  teach  that  we  are  justified  or  accounted  right- 
eous only  by  faith,  is  taught  in  various  parts  of  the  apocryphal 
books.  "  The  just,  which  have  many  good  works  laid  up  with 
thee,  shall  out  of  their  own  deeds  receive  reward."  2  Esdras, 
3 :  33.  "  Prayer  is  good  with  fasting,  and  alms  and  righteous- 
ness  Alms  doth  deliver  from  death,  and  shall  purge 

away  all  sins.  Those  that  exercise  alms  and  righteousness  shall 
be  filled  with  life."  Tobit  12 :  8,  9.  "  Whoso  honoreth  his  father, 
maketh  atonement  for  his  sins."  Ecclus.  3:3.  "  Alms  maketh 
an  atonement  for  sins."  3 :  30.  "  To  forsake  unrighteousness  is 
a  propitiation."     35  :  3. 

4.  Sinless  perfection.  "  Riches  are  good  unto  him  that  hath 
no  sin."  Ecclus.  13  :  24.  But  what  say  the  Scriptures  ?  "  There 
is  not  a  just  man  upon  earth,  that  doeth  good,  and  sinneth  not." 
Eccles.  7  :  20.  "  All  have  sinned,  and  come  short  of  the  glory 
of  God."  Rom.  3  :  23.  "  If  we  say  that  we  have  no  sin,  we  de- 
ceive ourselves,  and  the  truth  is  not  in  us."     1  John,  1 :  8. 

Immoral  practices  commended  in  the  apocryphal  books,  which 
practices  are  prohibited  in  the  Scriptures. 

1.  Lying.  The  instances  already  cited  may  also  be  adduced 
here. 

2.  A  desperate  act  of  suicide — which  is  expressly  forbidden  in 
Exod.  20  :  13,  Thou  shalt  not  kill—\B  related  in  2  Mace.  14  :  41- 
46,  as  a  manful  act,  and  in  terms  of  great  commendation. 

3.  Jissassination,  which  is  equally  prohibited,  is  commended 
in  the  book  of  Judith,  9 :  2-9,  in  the  case  of  the  Shechemites, 
whose  base  murder  is  justly  condemned  in  Gen.  49  :  7. 

4.  Magical  incantations,  which  are  forbidden  in  Levit.  19 :  26, 
and  Deut.  18:  10,  11,  14,  are  introduced  in  Tobit  6:  16,  17,  as 
given  by  the  advice  of  an  angel  of  God. 

To  the  preceding  instances,  which  are  directly  at  variance 
with  the  divinely  inspired  Scriptures,  we  may  add,  that  in  the 
apocryphal  books  there  are  passages  which  are  so  inconsistent 
with  the  relations  of  all  other  profane  historians,  that  they  cannot 
be  admitted  without  much  greater  evidence  than  belongs  to  these 
books.  Thus,  1  Mace.  8  :  16,  it  is  said  that  the  Romans  "  com- 
mitted their  government  to  one  man  every  year,  who  ruled  over  all 
that  countiy,  and  that  all  were  obedient  to  that  one,  and  that 
there  was  neither  envy  nor  emulation  among  them." 

This  assertion  is  contradicted  by  evei-y  Roman  historian,  with- 


6  ROMAMSM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE. 

out  exception.  The  imperial  government  was  not  established 
until  more  tlian  a  century  after  tlie  time  when  the  first  book  of 
Maccabees  was  written.  In  like  manner,  the  account,  in  Mace. 
1 :  6,  7,  of  the  death  of  Alexander,  misnamed  the  Great,  is  not 
supported  by  any  of  the  historians  who  have  recorded  liis  last 
hours. 

3.  It  is  the  duty  of  all  to  read  the  Scriptures.  The 
Scriptures,  both  by  precept  and  example,  represent  it  to  be 
the  duty  of  all  to  read  them.  "  Search  the  Scriptures," 
is  the  command  of  Jesus  Christ.  John  5  :  39.  "I  charge 
you,"  says  St.  Paul,  "that  this  epistle  be  read  to  all  the 
holy  brethren."  1  Thess.  5:  27.  Take  unto  you,  he  says 
to  the  Ephesians,  without  exception,  "the  sword  of  the 
Spirit,  which  is  the  word  of  God,"  Eph.  6  :  17  ;  by  which 
we  are  enabled  to  repel  the  temptations  and  to  resist  the 
assaults  of  the  devil.  See  also  Col.  3  :  16.  The  same 
apostle  addresses  the  first  part  of  his  Epistles,  not  to  the 
presbyters  or  bishops,  but  "  to  the  churches  of  God,  to 
them  that  are  sanctified  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  to  all  that 
call  on  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  See  Rom. 
1  :  7  ;  1  Cor.  1  :  2  ;  2  Cor.  1:1;  Gal.  1:2;  Eph.  1  :  1. 
The  apostle  James,  in  like  manner,  addresses  his  Epistle 
to  the  "twelve  tribes  that  are  scattered  abroad,"  1:1; 
and  Peter  his  first  Epistle,  1  :  1,  "to  the  strangers  scattered 
throughout  Pontus,  Galatia,  Cappadocia,  Asia,  and  Bithy- 
nia ;"  and  his  second  Epistle  yet  more  generally,  "  to  all 
that  have  obtained  like  precious  faith  with  us,"  1  :  1 ;  the 
apostle  John  writes  to  fathers,  young  men,  and  children. 
Now,  what  pretence  can  there  be  to  hinder  those  persons 
from  reading  the  Epistles  which  were  addressed  to  them  ? 
The  Bereans  are  commended  for  their  diligent  searching  of 
the  Scriptures.  Acts  17  :  11.  It  was  the  duty  of  the 
Jews  to  have  the  law  in  their  houses,  and  to  read  it  to  their 
children,  Deut.  6  :  7-9;  and  much  more  must  it  be  the 
duty  of  all  Christians  to  peruse  the  Gospel,  since  they  live 
under  a  greater  and  richer  dispensation. 


IIOMANISM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE.  7 

But  the  Churcli  of  Rome  prohibits  the  reading  of  the 
Scriptures  by  the  common  people,  alleging  that  more  prejvi- 
dice  than  benefit  would  arise  to  them  from  such  perusal — 
Cone.  Trid.  Sess.  4,  Decret.  de  Can.  Scrip. — and  makes  it 
peril  for  booksellers  to  deal  in  Bibles.  In  the  4th  Rule  of 
the  Index  Librorum  prohibitorum,  it  is  thus  enacted  :  "  In- 
asmuch as  it  is  manifest  from  experience,  that  if  the  Holy 
Bible,  translated  into  the  vulgar  tongue,  be  indiscriminately 
allowed  to  every  one,  the  temerity  of  men  will  cause  more 
evil  than  good  to  arise  from  it" — with  as  much  reason 
might  men  be  prohibited  from  eating  or  drinking,  for  fear 
they  should  abuse  that  liberty — "  it  is  on  this  point  refer- 
red to  the  judgment  of  the  bishops  or  inquisitors,  who  may, 
by  the  advice  of  the  priest  or  the  confessor,  permit  the 
reading  of  the  Bible,  translated  into  the  vulgar  tongue  by 
Catholic  authors,  to  those  persons  whose  faith  and  piety, 
they  apprehend,  will  be  augmented  and  not  injured  by  it ; 
and  this  permission  they  must  have  in  writing.  But  if  any 
one  shall  have  the  'pre8umi:)tion  to  read  or  possess  it  with- 
out such  written  permission,  lie  shall  not  receive  absolution 
until  he  have  first  delivered  up  such  Bible  to  the  ordinary. 
Booksellers  who  shall  sell  or  otherwise  dispose  of  Bibles  in 
the  vulgar  tongue  to  any  person  not  having  such  permis- 
sion, shall  forfeit  the  value  of  the  books,  to  be  applied  by 
the  bishop  to  some  pious  use,  and  shall  be  subjected  to 
such  other  penalties  as  the  bishop  shall  judge  proper.  But 
regulars  shall  neither  read  nor  purchase  such  Bibles,  with- 
out a  special  license  from  their  superiors." 

Perfectly  in  unison  with  this  decree  is  the  Encyclical 
Letter  of  Leo  XII.,  dated  May  3d,  1824,  and  addressed  to 
all  patriarchs,  primates,  archbishops,  and  bishops.  "We 
also,  venerable  brethren,  conformably  to  our  apostolical  duty, 
exhort  you  diligently  to  occupy  yourselves,  by  all  means, 
to  turn  away  your  flock  from  these  deadly  pastures''' — the 
unadulterated  Scriptures,  translated  into  the  vulgar  tongue 
and  circulated  by  Protestants,  which  this  "  servant  of  the 


8  ROMANISM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE. 

servants  of  God"  had  just  before  termed  a  "  Gospel  of  the 
DeviV — "  reprove,  beseech,  be  instant  in  season  and  out 
of  season,  in  all  patience  and  doctrine,  that  the  faithful 
entrusted  to  you,  adhering  strictly  to  the  rules  of  our  con- 
gregation of  the  Index,  be  persuaded  that  if  the  sacred 
Scriptures  be  everywhere  indiscriminately  published,  more 
evil  than  advantage  will  arise  thence,  on  account  of  the 
rashness  of  men." 

It  is  no  wonder  that  the  Romish  Church  is  so  inveterate 
against  Christian  people  obeying  the  word  of  God,  and 
reading  it.  The  new  doctrines  contained  in  the  creed  of 
Pius  IV.  have  no  warrant  in  Scripture  ;  and  the  assembly  at 
Trent  innovated  in  matters  of  faith,  by  setting  up  unwritten 
tradition  for  a  rule  of  it. 

II.    PRIVATE   JUDGMENT   IN   MATTERS   OF   RELIGION— PRETENDED 
INFALLIBILITY  OF  THE  POPE. 

1.  The  holy  Scriptures  invite  and  command  inquiry. 
''Prove  all  things,"  says  St.  Paul;  ''hold  fast  that  which 
is  good.".  1  Thess.  5  :  21.  "Beloved,  believe  not  every 
spirit,"or  teacher,  "but  try  the  spirits,  whether  they  are  of 
God  ;  because  many  false  prophets  are  gone  out  into  the 
world."  1  John,  4:1.  How  are  we  to  do  this,  if  we  must 
take  all  things  upon  trust,  and  without  any  examination 
whatever  ?  "I  speak  as  unto  wise  men  ;  judge  ye  what  I 
say."  1  Cor.  10  :  15.  "Be  ye  ready  always  to  give  an 
answer  to  every  man  that  asketh  you  a  reason  of  the  hope 
that  is  in  you."     1  Pet.  3:15. 

But  how  can  Christians  give  such  answer,  unless  they 
understand  and  judge  of  the  grounds  of  faith  themselves  ? 
"  Though  we,"  says  Paul,  "  or  an  angel  from  heaven,  preach 
any  other  Gospel  to  you  than  that  which  ye  have  received, 
let  him  be  accursed."  Gal.  1  :  8.  Which  passage  plainly 
supposes  that  Christians  may  read,  and  can  judge  for  them- 
selves, when  and  what  doctrines  are  contrary  to  the  Gos- 
pel, and  that  they  ought  to  do  it,  and  not  blindly  rely  upon 
any  one — no,  not  an  apostle,  or  an  angel  from  heaven. 


ROMANISM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE.  9 

In  contradiction  to  these  and  many  other  texts  of  Scrip- 
ture which  might  be  produced,  the  Romish  church  claims 
to  be  infalHble,  and  that  it  belongs  to  her  to  judge  of  the 
sense  of  Scripture ;  so  that  all  persons  are  bound  by  her 
judgment  and  decisions.  Cone.  Trid.  Sess.  4,  Decret.  de 
Edit,  et  Usu  Libr.  Sac.  Catechism  of  the  Council  of  Trent, 
Creed,  Art.  9,  §  19,  p.  96,  Lond.  1687.  And  in  the  Creed 
of  Pius  lY.,  Art.  14,  every  Romanist  thus  declares  :  "I 
also  receive  the  holy  Scriptures  according  to  that  sense 
which  the  holy  mother  church — to  whom  it  belongs  to 
judge  of  the  true  sense  and  interpretation  of  the  holy 
Scripture — did,  and  doth  hold.  Nor  will  I  ever  take  and 
interpret  it  otherwise  than  according  to  the  unanimous  con- 
sent of  the  Fathers." 

2.  Pretended  infallibility  of  the  Poi^e.  The  papal 
claim  to  infallibility  has  no  foundation  in  Scripture,  reason, 
or  antiquity.  Romanists,  it  is  well  known,  are  not  agreed 
among  themselves  where  this  pretended  infallibility  exists  ; 
whether  in  the  pope,  or  in  a  general  council,  or  in  the 
diffusive  body  of  Christians.  Both  pojjes  and  general 
councils  have  notoriously  contradicted  one  another ;  and 
therefore  neither  of  them  can  be  infallible.  To  mention 
only  a  few  instances.  Gregory,  surnamed  the  Great, 
about  the  latter  end  of  the  sixth  century,  declared  that 
whoever  should  claim  the  universal  episcoimte  would  be 
the  forerunner  of  antichrist.  Epist.  lib.  6,  ep.  30.  Yet 
this  very  universal  episcopate  was  assumed,  three  or  four 
years  afterwards,  by  Boniface  III.,  and  has  been  subse- 
quently claimed  by  numerous  pontiffs  who  have  sat  in  what 
they  are  pleased  to  call  the  chair  of  St,  Peter.  Pope  Six- 
tus  Y.,  in  1590,  pubhshed  an  edition  of  the  Latin  Yulgate, 
which,  by  a  bull,  he  commanded  should  be  received  every- 
where, and  in  all  cases,  for  true,  legitimate,  authentic,  and 
undoubted ;  and  that  all  future  editions  should  be  made 
conformable  to  tliis,  not  the  least  syllable  being  changed, 
added,  or  omitted,  on  pain  of  the  greater  excommunication. 

VOL.   VIII.  2 


10  ROMANISM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE. 

Notwitlistanding  all  bis  infallibility,  Clement  YIII.,  not  very 
long  after,  revoked  tbe  decree  of  Sixtus,  siqjpressed  bis  edi- 
tion, and  piiblisbed  anotber  of  bis  own,  in  whicb  he  made 
more  tban  2,000  corrections. 

These  fatal  variances  between  editions  alike  promulgated  by 
pontifTs  claiming  infallibility,  have  been  exposed  by  various  Prot- 
estant divines.  Thomas  James,  in  his  "  Bellum  Papale,  sive  Con- 
cordia Discors  Sixti  V.,"  Londonini,  1600,  4to,  has  pointed  out 
very  numerous  additions,  omissions,  co>'tradictions,  and  other 
differences  between  the  editions  of  the  two  infallible  pontiffs,  Six- 
tus V.  and  Clement  VIII.  Specimens  of  these  contradictions  may 
be  seen  in  the  author's  Introduction  to  the  Critical  Study  and 
Knowledge  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  vol.  2. 

This  pretended  infallibility  is  supposed  to  proceed  from 
the  Holy  Ghost ;  but  how  could  the  Holy  Ghost  dwell  in 
the  hearts  of  some  of  those  pontiffs  who  have  -vrorn  the 
triple  crown  ?  The  popes  and  Saints  Eleutherius  and  Vic- 
tor both  sanctioned  the  heresy  of  the  Montanists :  under 
Dioclesian's  persecution,  Saint  Marcellus  denied  the  faith 
of  Christ  and  sacrificed  to  idols  at  tbe  prospect  of  imme- 
diate death.  "He  lived,"  we  are  told,  " to  repent  of  bis 
momentary  departure  from  the  faith ;  but  his  case  affords 
another  remarkable  example  of  tbe  supposed  infallible  suc- 
cession." Liberius,  who  had  been  deposed  for  his  ortho- 
doxy, in  order  to  regain  his  see,  subscribed  an  Arian  formu- 
lary of  faith,  which  Hilary,  Bishop  of  Aries,  designates  "  a 
blasphemous  creeds" 

"  In  looking  upon  Liberius  as  a  frail  and  erring  mortal,  sorely 
tempted  and  beset,  banished  from  home,  friends,  and  country,  we 
pause  before  we  pass  a  severe  sentence  upon  him,  remembering 
that,  Avere  we  equally  tempted,  our  faith  might  have  failed  like  his. 
But  when  we  view  him  as  an  infallible  pontiff,  we  are  obliged 
to  look  upon  his  conduct  in  anotlier  light ;  and,  while  we  commis- 
erate the  frailty  of  tlie  man,  to  adduce  it  as  a  proof  of  the  un- 
founded nature  of  those  claims,  which  rest  on  the  supposition  of 
an  unerring  succession  of  infallible  guides.  .  .  .  The  historians 
arid  those  strenuous  advocates  of  papal  infallibility,  Baronius  and 
Bellarmine,  appear  verj'  desirous  of  soflening  down,  as  much  as 


ROMANlSftI  COiNTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE.  H 

possible,  this  uncompromising  circumstance,  conscious  no  doubt 
that,  if  admitted  to  the  full  extent,  it  would  completely  invalidate 
the  pretension  of  freedom  from  doctrinal  error  in  the  successors  of 
Saint  Peter.  Bellarmine,  finding  the  subject  too  difficult  even  for 
his  Jesuitical  skill,  sums  up  his  arguments  by  remarking,  that, 
however  these  things  may  be,  Liberius  neither  taught  heresy, 
NOR  was  a  heretic,  but  merely  sinned  in  the  outward  act.  But 
these  palliating  attempts  are  vain.  '  St.  Hilary,  bishop  of  Poic- 
tiers.  Op.  pp.  1158, 1134-1137,  speaks  of  this  papal  lapse,  of  v/hich 
he  was  an  eye-witness,  very  plainly  and  openly ;  not  being  very 
anxious,  it  seems,  to  screen  the  infaUihle  chair.^  His  language  is 
very  strong.  'I  anathematize  thee,  O  Liberius,  thee  and  thy  com- 
panions ;  again  I  anathematize  thee  ;  and  for  the  third  time,  I  say 
unto  thee,  O  Liberius,  that  thou  art  a  prevaricator.'  And,  among 
other  very  strong  tenns  employed,  he  designates  the  creed  signed 
by  Liberius  '  a  blasphemous  creed.'  The  same  testimony  is  borne 
by  St.  Jerome,  Chron.  ad.  ann. ;  and  indeed  the  papal  historian 
Dupin,  Eccl.  Hist.,  vol.  2,  p.  63,  acknowledges  that  all  the  ancient 
authors  speak  of  the  fall  of  Liberius  as  the  approbation  of  the 
heresy  of  the  Arians."  Keary's  View  of  Papal  and  Concilian  In- 
fallibility, pp.  18-20. 

Saint  Felix,  the  successor  of  Liberius,  was  also  an 
Arian.  Saint  Zosimus  openly  favored  the  heresy  of  Pala- 
gius  and  Celestius.  Vigilius,  who  favored  the  Servian  her- 
esy, a  branch  of  that  broached  by  Eutyclies,  obtained  the 
see  of  Rome  by  bribery ;  banished  the  bishop  who  had 
been  canonically  elected,  and  who,  on  the  evidence  oi  forged 
letters,  had  been  accused  of  corresponding  with  the  hostile 
Goths ;  and  Vigilius  changed  his  opinions  only  four  times. 
Honorius  I.  determined  in  favor  of  the  Monothelite  heresy, 
and  condemned,  as  heretical,  the  opinion  of  the  orthodox 
bishops.  John  XII.  who,  at  the  early  age  of  sixteen,  with- 
out having  been  in  holy  orders,  or  indeed  capable  of  ordi- 
nation, was  placed  in  St.  Peter's  chair  by  his  father  Alberic, 
a  Roman  consul — this  ''monster  of  iniquity,"  as  Cardinal 
Baronius  terms  him,  was  convicted  of  simony,  perjury,  sac- 
rilege, murder,  and  blasphemy,  and  deposed  by  the  emperor 
Otho,  who  appointed  Leo  VIII.  in  his  room.     Resuming 


12  ROIMANISM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE. 

his  dignity  by  means  of  an  armed  force,  John  assembled  a 
council  of  his  supporters,  and,  in  the  fulness  of  papal 
power,  disannulled  all  that  had  been  enacted  against  him. 
While  the  emperor  was  preparing  to  make  an  example  of 
the  miquitaus  but  infallible  prelate,  he  fell  a  sacrifice  to  the 
vengeance  of  a  dishonored  husband.  John  XVIII.  was  a 
layman;  and  his  successor,  Boniface  IX.,  Avho  at  the  age 
of  ten  years  purchased  the  papacy,  after  ten  years  of  profli- 
gacy, rapine,  and  murders,  was  forcibly  and  ignominiously 
expelled  by  the  Romans  ;  and  after  a  temporary  resumption 
of  his  dignity,  finding  the  hatred  of  the  people  on  the  point 
of  bursting  forth  again  to  violent  measures,  sold  the  right 
and  title  to  infallibility  to  the  ignorant  and  unlettered  Greg- 
ory VI.  John  XXIII.  w^as  utterly  destitute  of  all  princi- 
ples, both  of  religion  and  probity ;  and,  after  purchasing 
the  cardinalate,  2^oisoned  his  predecessor,  Alexander  V. 
This  infallible  pontiff  w^as  deposed  for  his  various  crimes. 
Alexander  VI.  disgraced  his  dignity  by  his  ambition,  ava- 
rice, cruelties,  and  debaucheries ;  and,  by  a  righteous  reac- 
tion of  divine  Providence,  died,  having  by  mistake  taken 
that  poison  which  he  had  prepared  for  some  cardinals  whom 
he  had  invited  to  an  entertainment.  Not  to  dwell  on  other 
crimes  which  have  disgraced  the  occupants  of  the  holy  see, 
numerous  popes  and  antipopes  have  reigned  at  various 
times,  all  of  them  claiming  to  be  infallible,  and  anathema- 
tizing their  antagonists.  For  a  full  exposure  of  the  un- 
founded claims  to  infalhbility,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the 
Rev.  W.  Keary's  Historical  Review  of  Papal  and  Conciliar 
Infallibihty,  London,  1826,  12mo,  from  w^hich  the  preced- 
ing statement  is  abridged,  and  which  is  supported  in  all  its 
details  by  the  authorities  of  Romanist  historians. 

Ill  CLAIMS  OF  THE  ROMISH  CHURCH  TO  SUPREMACY. 

Jesus  Christ  prohibited  all  disputes  concerning  rank  and 
preeminency  in  his  kingdom.  "  Ye  know,"  he  said,  ''  that 
the  princes  of  the  Gentiles  exercise  dominion  over  them. 


ROMANISM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE.  I3 

and  they  that  are  great  exercise  authority  upon  them.  But 
it  shall  NOT  he  so  among  you :  but  whosoever  will  be  great 
among  you,  let  him  be  your  minister ;  and  whosoever  will 
be  chief  among  you,  let  him  be  your  servant :  even  as  the 
Son  of  man  came  not  to  be  ministered  unto,  but  to  minis- 
ter, and  to  give  his  life  a  ransom  for  many."  Matt.  20. 
Paul,  addressing  the  Ephesians,  says,  "  Ye  are  built  upon 
the  foundation  of  the  apostles  and  prophets,  Jesus  Christ 
himself  being  the  chief  corner-stone."  Eph.  2  :  20.  It  will 
be  observed  that  the  apostles  and  prophets  are  here  put 
in  the  same  rank,  and  are  all  equally  called  foundations. 
To  Jesus  Christ  alone  belongs  the  preeminence. 

But  the  Church  of  Rome  claims  to  be  the  supreme  mis- 
tress of  all  churches,  and  arrogates  to  the  popes  a  primacy 
of  dominion.  "  I  acknowledge  the  Holy  Catholic  Apostohc 
Roman  Church  to  be  the  mother  and  mistress  of  all  churches ; 
and  I  promise  to  swear  true  obedience  to  the  pope  of  Rome, 
who  is  the  successor  of  St.  Peter,  the  prince  of  the  apostles, 
and  vicar  of  Jesus  Christ."  Creed  of  Pius  IV.,  Art.  23, 
Catechism.  Roman.,  Part  L,  de  Symb.  Art.  9,  §  15. 

The  Romish  church  is  not  the  mother  and  mistress  of 
all  churches :  the  mother  church  was  the  church  at  Jerusa- 
lem, which  was  formed  immediately  after  the  ascension  of 
Christ;  next,  was  formed  the  church  at  Samaria,  Acts  8, 
A.  D.  34  ;  and  then,  the  churches  in  Cyprus  and  Phcenice, 
and  at  Antioch,  by  those  Christians  who  were  dispersed  in 
consequence  of  the  persecution  that  arose  about  Stephen. 
Acts  11  :  19-21.  There  is  no  evidence  Avhatever  that  the 
church  at  Rome  was  founded  by  Peter,  as  the  Romanists 
affirm,  or  by  the  joint  labors  of  Peter  and  Paul.  In  the 
first  council  held  at  N'ice,  all  other  Christian  churches  were 
on  an  equality  with  that  at  Rome ;  and  in  the  fourth  gene- 
ral council,  that  convened  at  Chalcedon,  it  was  declared, 
that  the  church  at  Constantinople  should  have  equal  honors 
with  that  at  Rome,  because  the  seat  of  imperial  govern- 
ment was  there.      Catholic,  that  is,  universal,  the  Romish 

VOL.  VIII  2* 


14  ROMANISM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE. 

church  NEVER  TVAS,  NOR  IS  ;  for  ecclesiastical  history  attests 
that  both  the  Asiatic  and  African  churches  formerly  rejected 
her  authority ;  and  also  that  the  Eastern  churches  to  this 
day  despise  her  pride  and  affectation  of  supremacy.  And 
a  simple  inspection  of  the  map  of  the  globe  will  prove,  that 
the  Romish  church  is  by  no  means  universal.  Over  the 
united  churches  of  England  and  Ireland,  Rome  can  have 
no  authority ;  for  the  churches  of  England  and  of  Ireland 
ivere  more  ancient  than  the  'pope's  supremacy :  they  were 
free  churches  from  the  first  planting  of  Christianity  among 
the  ancient  Britons  and  Irish ;  and  whatever  oppressions 
those  churches  suffered  from  papal  intrusions,  fraud,  and 
violence,  their  natural  freedom  remained  unaltered,  and  that 
freedom  is  justly  maintained.  The  fiction  of  papal  suprem- 
acy is  unsupported  by  Scripture,  and  is  a  novelty  of  the 
seventh  century.  See  Bishop  Burgess'  Protestant's  Cate- 
chism, where  all  these  topics  are  unanswerably  proved. 

IV.    OBJECTS  AND  MANNER  OF  WORSHIP. 

1.  Objects  of  ivorship).  The  Scriptures  expressly  affirm 
that  God  alone  is  the  proper  object  of  our  worship.  "  Thou 
shalt  ivorship)  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  him  only  shalt  thou 
serve."  Matt.  4  :  10.  "It  is  written,"  saith  Jesus  Christ, 
and  therefore  it  must  refer  to  Deut.  6  :  13,  "Thou  shalt 
fear  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  serve  him ;"  and  again,  Deut. 
10:  20,  "Him  shalt  thou  serve,  and  to  him  shalt  thou 
cleave ;"  that  is.  Him  only  shalt  thou  serve,  and  to  him 
only  shalt  thou  cleave  in  the  way  of  divine  worship ;  for  so 
our  infallible  Instructor  interprets  it.  Matt.  4  :  10  :  "Thou 
shalt  worship  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  him  onlyT  In  all 
these  passages,  God,  and  God  alone,  is  the  proper  object 
of  our  devout  worship. 

Further,  the  Scripture  says  that  Jesus  Christ  is  our 
ONLY  Mediator  and  Advocate  with  God,  and  the  only  foun- 
dation of  our  salvation.  "  There  is  one  God,  and  one  Me- 
diator between  God  and  man,  the  man  Christ  Jesus,  who 


ROMANISM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE.  15 

gave  himself  a  ransom  for  all."  1  Tim.  2  :  5,  6.  "If  any 
man  sin,  we  have  an  Advocate  ivith  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ 
the  righteous  ;  and  he  is  the  propitiation  for  our  sins,  and 
not  for  ours  only,  but  also  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world." 
1  John,  2:1,2.  ''  IS'either  is  there  salvation  in  any  other  ; 
for  there  is  none  other  name  under  heaven  given  among 
men,  whereby  we  must  be  saved."  Acts  4:12.  *'  Other 
foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus 
Christ."     1  Cor.  3:11. 

The  Romish  church,  on  the  contrary,  admits  the  merits 
and  intercession  of  the  Virgin  Mary  and  of  the  saints.  "  I 
also  beheve  that  the  saints,  who  reign  with  Christ,  are  to 
be  worship2>ed  and  prayed  to  ;  and  that  their  relics  are  to 
be  venerated."  Creed  of  Pius  IV.,  Art.  20.  See  also 
Cone.  Trid.  Sess.  25,  de  Invocat.  Catechism.  Roman.,  part 
3,  ch.  2.  The  saints  in  the  Romish  church  are  almost 
numberless :  the  lives  of  the  saints,  published  by  the  Bol- 
landists,  fill  only  ffty -four  massive  folio  volumes,  which  do 
not  come  lower  than  the  month  of  October ;  and  the  little 
hagiography  of  Mr.  Alban  Butler  extends  through  twelve 
closely-printed  octavo  volumes. 

To  evade  the  charge  of  idolatry,  some  writers  of  the  Romish 
church  have  recourse  to  a  superior  worship  of  God,  which  they 
call  Latria,  and  an  inferior  worship,  by  them  termed  Dulia,  and 
which  they  pay  to  the  saints,  to  images,  and  to  the  cross.  But 
there  is  no  foundation  for  this  distinction ;  for,  not  to  urge  what 
we  shall  soon  proceed  to  show,  that  all  worship  of  images  and  of 
every  thing  else,  God  alone  excepted,  is  most  expressly  forbidden 
in  the  holy  Scriptures : 

"  1.  The  nature  of  religious  worship  ivill  not  admit  of  such  nice 
distinctions.  It  is  plain,  from  our  Lord's  answer  to  the  devil,  that 
he  did  not  consider  there  were  different  degrees  of  religious  wor- 
ship, or  that  any  but  God  might  be  worshipped  in  any  way  or 
manner.  The  devil  required  from  him  no  more  than  the  papists 
give  to  saints  and  images — '  Fall  down  and  worship  me ' — and 
our  Lord's  refusal,  saying,  that  God  alone  is  to  be  served,  must  be 
understood  to  determine,  that  no  degree  of  religious  worship  is  to 
be  given  to  any  creature  whatsoever. 


16  ROMANISM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE- 

"  2.  The  Scriptures  mention  no  such  distinction.  Nothing  is 
there  said  of  an  inferior  degree  of  worship  fit  to  be  offered  to  saints 
or  angels.  An  angel  refused  any  kind  of  worship  from  St  John. 
*  I  fell  down  to  worship  before  the  feet  of  the  angel  which  showed 
me  these  things ;  then  saith  he  unto  me,  See  thou  do  it  not,  for  I 

am  thy  fellow-servant Worship  God.'     Rev.  19  :  10,  and 

22 : 9.  Yet  it  is  evident  that  the  church  of  Rome  commands  its 
members  to  do  the  very  thing  that  St.  John  was  directed  not  to  do. 
When  Cornelius  the  centurion  fell  down  at  St.  Peter's  feet  and 
worshipped  him,  the  apostle  forbade  him,  saying,  '  Stand  up,  I 
also  am  a  man.' 

"  3.  The  common  people  neither  understand  nor  observe  this  dis- 
tinction. This  is  confessed  by  one  of  their  own  writers.  '  The 
manner  in  which  the  church  invokes  the  saints  cannot  be  accounted 
idolatry,  although  the  ignorant  people  have  carried  the  abuse 
almost  as  far  as  idolatry,  either  in  considering  the  saints  as  the 
authors  of  the  favors  they  ask,  or  in  placing  more  confidence  in 
their  mediation  than  even  in  that  of  Jesus  Christ ;  or,  finally,  in 
persuading  themselves  that,  independently  of  a  good  life,  the 
merits  and  intercessions  of  the  saints  might  enable  them  to  obtain 
salvation.' "  See  the  History  of  the  Council  of  Trent,  translated 
into  French  by  Father  Le  Courayer.  Hamilton's  Tracts  on  some 
leading  EiTors  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  pp.  33,  34. 

By  whatever  modified  appellation  Romanists  may  designate 
the  worship  they  pay  to  images,  its  practical  tendency  on  the 
minds  of  the  lower  orders  must  be  collected  from  the  effect  it  pro- 
duces in  those  countries  where  the  religion  of  the  church  of  Rome 
is  tlie  only  one  of  which  they  have  any  notion.  In  the  Christian 
Examiner,  for  February,  1827,  there  is  an  account  of  tlie  corona- 
tion of  the  image  of  the  Virgin  Mary  of  the  Immaculate  Concep- 
tion, in  the  church  of  Gesu  Vecchio,  in  the  city  of  Naples,  so  lately 
as  the  30th  of  December,  1826.  The  account,  with  its  illustrative 
remarks,  is  too  long  to  admit  of  insertion  in  this  place.  It  must, 
therefore,  suffice  to  state,  tliat "  when  the  crown  was  placed  on  the 
head  of  the  infant  Jesus,  there  was  a  general  movement;  but  when 
she,"  the  image  of  the  virgin,  "  was  crowned,  the  lower  orders 
could  no  longer  contain  themselves  ;  and  the  shouts  of  the  men, 
the  cries,  the  outstretched  imploring  hands,  the  tears  and  convul- 
sive shrieks  of  the  women,  showed  how  vehemently  and  pro- 
foundly they  adored  the  virgin,  and  Avorshipped  her  image." 
After  the  coronation,  the  archbishop  of  Naples,  and  priests,  pro- 


ROMANISM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE.  17 

nounced  certain  sentences  and  responses,  in  which  the  unlimited 
power  of  the  virgin  over  all.  nature  was  unhesitatingly  proclaimed 
in  phrases  almost  scriptural. 

4.  The  doctors  of  the  Romish  church  are  not  agreed  concerning 
the  distinction  between  Latna,  or  supreme  ivorship,  and  Dulia^  or 
inferior  worship. 

"  Many  Avriters  in  that  church  deny  that  there  is  any  difference 
between  the  two  words,  and  admit '  that  it  is  one  and  the  same 
virtue  of  religion  which  containeth  them  both.  If  some  say  that 
it  is  idolatry  and  mortal  sin  to  give  Latria  to  a  saint  or  image, 
vv^hich  ought  only  to  receive  Didia,  and  if  others  tell  you  that  these 
words  signify  the  same  thing,  let  a  man  do  what  he  will,  he  incurs 
the  guilt  of  idolatry,  in  the  opinion  either  of  the  one  or  the  other 
of  these  parties.' 

"  If  the  papists  excuse  themselves  from  the  charge  of  idolatry, 
by  making  a  distinction  between  two  different  kinds  of  religious 
worship,  which  the  nature  of  the  thing  does  not  admit  of,  which 
the  Bible  nowhere  mentions,  which  the  common  people  cannot 
understand,  and  concerning  which  their  own  doctors  have  dis- 
puted, the  Protestants  have  a  good  excuse  for  not  worshipping 
saints  or  images."    Hamilton's  Tracts,  pp.  34,  35. 

Among  these  reputed  saints,  some  few  there  are  whose 
praise  is,  and  ever  will  be,  deservedly  in  the  Christian 
church :  such,  for  instance,  as  were  distinguished  instru- 
ments of  diffusing  the  knowledge  of  the  Gospel  while  here 
on  earth ;  and  these,  we  doubt  not,  are  now  shining  with  a 
glory  like  the  sun  in  the  kingdom  of  our  Father  in  heaven. 
But  others  there  are,  enrolled  in  the  catalogue  of  saints,  who 
never  had  any  existence  but  that  "which  is  assigned  to  them 
in  the  legends  of  the  Romish  church,  which  legends  have 
no  foundation  whatever  in  authentic  history,  civil  or  eccle- 
siastical ;  and  these  accounts  are  so  romantic,  that  one  would 
imagine  that  no  sensible  Romanist  could  ever  believe  there 
were  such  persons.  Witness  the  gigantic  Saint  Christo- 
pher, who  is  fabled  to  have  carried  Christ  across  an  arm  of 
the  sea ;  Saint  Amphibolius,  who  was  only  the  cloak  of 
Alban,  the  reputed  protomartyr  of  England  ;  Saint  Lon- 
ginus,  the  Roman  soldier  who  thrust  the  spear  into  Christ's 


18  ROMANISM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE. 

body  upon  the  cross ;  Saint  George ;  Saint  Ursula,  with 
her  eleven  thousand  virgin  martyrs,  of  whom  no  traces  are 
to  be  found  in  history.  Others  again,  who  are  exalted  to 
the  character  of  saints '  by  the  Romish  church,  one  would 
think,  could  be  thus  promoted  for  nothing  but  their  folly. 
The  great  Saint  Francis,  according  to  their  own  accounts, 
may  justly  be  suspected  of  wanting  common  sense,  as  well 
as  common  decency.  His  throwing  away  his  clothes,  and 
runninof  about  stark  naked,  was  such  a  freak  that  he  ouo-ht 
either  to  have  been  publicly  chastised  for  his  impudence,  or 
confined  for  lunacy ;  and  his  preaching  to  birds  and  beasts, 
and  talking  to  them  as  fellow- creatures,  was  an  act  equally 
stupid  and  ridiculous.  Preservative  against  Popery,  vol.  2, 
tit.  6,  p.  322. 

Others,  however,  of  these  reputed  saints  were  noto- 
rious SINNERS,  who  have  left  only  such  remembrances  of 
them  as  must  raise  the  just  indignation  of  every  pious  and 
virtuous  mind.  Such,  to  specify  a  few  only  of  the  most 
notorious,  were  Saint  Gregory  YII.,  better  known  by  the 
name  of  Hildebrand,  whose  whole  life  was  one  unceasing 
and  unprincipled  effort  to  realize  the  universal  dominion  of 
the  world,  which  he  claimed  as  an  appendage  to  the  see  of 
Rome,  and  against  whose  canonization  every  government  in 
communion  with  Rome  exclaimed,  so  that  he  is  worshipped 
only  in  Ireland  and  in  Italy.  Dr.  Philpott's  Supplemental 
Letter  to  Mr.  Butler,  pp.  145, 147.  Saint  Thomas  a  Becket, 
a  rebel  to  his  king,  and  a  traitor  to  his  country,  Avho,  having 
solemnly  promised  to  obey  the  laws  of  England,  deliber- 
ately \dolated  his  promise  and  his  allegiance,  Henry's  Hist, 
of  Engl.,  vol.  5,  p.  344 ;  for  which  saintly  virtues  he  was 
canonized,  and  became  in  a  manner  the  idol  of  this  part  of 
the  world  for  nearly  two  hundred  years,  so  that  in  one  year, 
A.  D.  1420,  not  fewer  than  fifty  thousand  foreigners  came  in 
pilgrimage  to  visit  the  tomb  of  this  j^e^ji^ ret?  man,  "■  for  whose 
martyrdom,"  the  Roman  Missal  for  the  use  of  the  Laity,  p. 
85,  London  edit.,  1815,  says,  ''the  angels  rejoice." 


ROMANISM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE.  19 

"About  fifty  years  after  Becket's  death,  it  was  the  subject  of 
a  public  dispute  at  the  university  of  Paris,  whether  Becket  was 
in  heaven  or  hell,  so  ambiguous  a  point  Avas  his  sanctity.  Some 
asserted  that,  for  his  extreme  pride,  he  deserved  to  be  damned : 
others,  on  the  contrary,  maintained  that  the  miracles  wrought  at 
his  tomb  were  undoubted  proofs  of  his  salvation.  This  last  argu- 
ment indeed  would  have  been  unanswerable,  if  these  miracles 
were  as  evidently  proved  as  industriously  spread. 

"  He  had  deserved  too  well  in  the  court  of  Rome  not  to  have 
a  place  in  the  catalogue  of  the  saints He  was  there- 
fore canonized  two  or  three  years  after  his  death.  However  de- 
sirous the  pope  was  to  show  his  gratitude  to  the  memory  of  so 
faithful  a  servant,  the  world  must  first  be  convinced  that  the  cause 
he  died  in  was  approved  by  God;  otherwise  his  canonization 
might  have  been  objected  against.  Nothing  was  more  proper  to 
infuse  this  belief  into  the  minds  of  the  people  than  miracles ;  ac- 
cordingly, such  multitudes  were  forthwith  wrought  at  the  tomb  of 
the  new  martyr,  tliat,  in  any  other  age,  the  number  of  these  mira- 
cles, instead  of  satisfying  the  world,  would  have  had  a  quite  con- 
trary effect.  Neither  Christ  nor  his  apostles  worked  the  like,  or 
so  many,  to  prove  the  truth  of  Christianity,  as  this  nev/  saint  did 
to  authorize  the  privileges  and  immunities  of  the  clergy.  It  was 
not  thought  sufficient  to  assert  his  restoring  dead  men  to  life,  but 
it  was  farther  affirmed  he  raised  the  very  beasts.  It  was  given 
out  for  certain,  that  being  exposed  to  vieAv  in  the  church  before 
he  was  buried,  he  rose  out  of  his  coffin,  and  went  and  lighted  the 
wax-candles  which  had  been  put  out.  It  is  said,  also,  after  the 
funeral  ceremony  was  over,  he  held  up  his  hand  to  bless  tlie  people. 
To  all  these  miracles,  many  others  are  added,  equally  unbecoming 
the  majesty  of  God.  Meanwhile  they  were  spread  with  that  con- 
fidence, that  not  a  man  was  found  hardy  enough  to  show  the  least 
sign  of  doubt.  The  pope's  legates,  sent  some  time  after  to  exam- 
ine these  matters,  found  the  people  at  Canterbury  so  persuaded 
of  the  truth  of  all  these  facts,  that,  upon  such  public  evidence,  his 
holiness  thought  he  should  run  no  great  hazard  in  canonizing 
Becket,  by  the  name  of  St.  Thomas  of  Canterbury.  The  tomb  of 
the  new  saint  was  first  adorned  with  few  ornaments ;  but,  fifty 
years  after  his  death,  his  body  was  laid  in  a  shrine,  enriched  with 
a  prodigious  quantity  of  precious  stones.  As  a  farther  honor  to 
his  memory,  the  pope  ordered  every  fiftieth  year  a  jubilee  to  be 
solemnized  in  the  church  where  he  lay.     From  thenceforward, 


20  ROMANISM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE. 

miracles  became  so  common  at  his  tomb,  and  their  fame  spread  so 
far,  that  they  drew  votaries  from  all  parts  of  Christendom,  who 
came  to  Canterbury  to  obtain  tlie  intercession  of  this  new  saint. 
In  1420,  they  kept  an  account  of  above  fifty  thousand  foreigners, 
of  all  ages  and  sexes,  that  came  in  pilgrimage  that  year  to  this 
renowned  tomb."  Rapin's  Hist  of  Eng.,  vol.  1,  pp.  232,  233,  folio 
edition. 

Saint  Plus  V.,  who,  besides  burning  more  heretics 
(Christians)  than  almost  any  of  his  predecessors,  not  only 
issued  a  bull  of  excommunication  against  Queen  Elizabeth, 
depriving  her  of  her  crown,  but  also  excited  her  Romanist 
subjects  to  rebellion,  and  supplied  some  of  them  with 
money  to  carry  on  their  traitorous  designs. 

''  The  invocation  of  saints  and  of  the  Virgin  Mary  is 
contrary  to  the  practice  of  antiquity  :  it  was  first  introduced 
by  Petrus  Gnapheus,  a  presbyter  of  Bithynia,  afterwards 
bishop  of  Antioch,  about  A.  D.  470,  and  it  was  first 
received  into  the  public  litanies  about  one  hundred  and  fifty 
years  after."  In  the  sixth  century  only  were  temples  first 
erected  in  honor  of  the  saints ;  and  it  was  not  until  the 
latter  end  of  the  ninth  century  that  the  Roman  pontiffs 
impiously  arrogated  to  themselves  the  power  of  raising  dead 
sinful  mortals  to  the  dignity  of  saints,  and  constituted  them 
objects  of  worship,  whose  prayers  and  merits  procure  heav- 
enly blessings,  and  by  whose  hands  they  are  conveyed. 

"  The  invocation  of  saints  is  contrary  to  reason  ;  for  how 
can  they  hear  prayers  ?  God  alone  is  the  object  of  all  the 
worship  and  veneration  which  are  due  to  an  invisible  being." 
It  is  equally  contrary  to  Scripture  ;  for  "  the  dead  Icnow 
not  any  thing,"  that  is,  as  the  context  shows,  they  know 
not  any  thing  of  the  affairs  of  this  Avorld.  "  Their  love,  and 
their  envy,  and  their  hatred,  is  perished  :  neither  have  they 
any  more  a  portion  for  ever  in  any  thing  that  is  done  under 
the  sun."  Eccl.  9  :  5,  6.  Townsend's  Accusations  of  His- 
tory against  the  Church  of  Rome,  p.  103. 

Image-ioorship  is  absolutely  and  universally  prohibited 
in  Scripture.     ''  Thou  shalt  not  make  unto  thee  any  graven 


ROMANISM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE.  21 

image,  or  any  likeness  of  any  thing  that  is  in  heaven  above, 
or  that  is  in  the  earth  beneath,  or  that  is  in  the  water  under 
the  earth.  Thou  shalt  not  bow  down  thyself  to  them,  nor 
serve  them."  Exod.  20  :  4,  5  ;  Deut.  4  :  15,  16;  Acts 
IV  :  29;  1  John,  5  :  21. 

But  the  Romish  church  declares  that  "  it  is  laivful  to 
represent  God  and  the  Holy  Trinity  by  images ;  and  that 
the  images  and  relics  of  Christ  and  the  saints  are  to  he  duly 
honored,  venerated,  or  luorshipped ;  and  that  in  this  venera- 
tion and  worship,  those  are  venerated  which  are  represented 
by  them."  Cone.  Trid.  Sess.  25,  de  Invocat.  Catech.,  Part 
3,  ch.  2.  Pius  lYth's  creed  runs  thus:  "I  most  firmly 
assert  that  the  images  of  Christ  and  of  the  mother  of  God, 
who  was  always  a  virgin,  are  to  be  had  and  retained ;  and 
that  due  honor  and  worship  is  to  be  given  to  them."  The 
worship  thus  enjoined  consists  in  kissing  images,  uncovering 
the  head  of  them,  offering  incense,  bowing,  and  making 
prayers  to  them.  The  adoration  of  the  host  and  of  the 
cross  are  two  notorious  instances  of  idolatrous  worship. 

2.  Manner  of  worship.  Under  the  Jewish  dispensation 
Jerusalem  was  the  place,  and  the  temple  was  the  house,  in 
which  were  the  symbols  of  the  Divine  presence,  and  thither 
all  Jews  were  bound  to  resort  three  times  in  the  year  to 
offer  their  prayers  and  sacrifices  to  God :  but  the  Gospel 
teaches  us  that  there  is  now  no  such  symbolical  presence  of 
the  Almighty  in  one  place  more  than  in  another ;  for  the 
Divine  presence  is  no  longer  confined  to  any  one  place,  but 
he  equally  accepts  the  worship  Avhich  is  devoutly  offered  to 
him  throughout  the  world.  "  The  hour  cometh,"  said  Jesus 
Christ  to  the  woman  of  Samaria,  "  when  ye  shall  neither  in 

this  place,  nor  yet  at  Jerusalem,  Avorship  the  Father 

The  hour  cometh,  and  now  is,  when  the  true  Avorshippers 
shall  worship  the  Father  in  spirit  and  in  truth  :  for  the 
Father  seeketh  such  to  Avorship  him."  John  4  :  21,  23. 
On  another  occasion  he  said,  "  Where  tAvo  or  three  are  gath- 
ered too-ether  in  mA^  name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them." 

VOL.   A''TTT.  3 


22  ROMANISM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE. 

Matt.  18  :  20.  *'  I  will  therefore,"  says  Paul,  1  Tim.  2  :  8, 
"that  men  pray  everywhere,  without  wrath  and  doubting  " 
of  God's  acceptance  of  our  supphcations. 

But  in  the  church  of  Rome  it  is  reputed  a  great  act  of 
devotion  to  go  in  pilgrimages,  to  visit  the  shrines  of  partic- 
ular saints  and  relics.  Cardinal  Bellarmine,  quoting  the 
decree  of  the  Council  of  Trent,  Sess.  25,  expressly  affirms, 
that  it  is  a  work  of  piety  to  go  on  pilgrimages  to  holy  places. 
De  Cult.  Sacr.  lib.  3,  c.  8.  Among  the  inducements  held 
out  in  the  bull  for  the  jubilee  in  1825,  to  persuade  persons 
to  go  to  Rome,  was  that  of  beholding  the  cradle  of  Christ ! 
"  Can  any  man  of  reflection,"  it  has  been  truly  asked, 
''  admit  that  the  pope  himself  believes  that  the  cradle  of 
Christ  is  to  be  seen  at  Rome  ?  and  if  not,  what  is  the 
pope?" 

2.  The  Scriptures  teach  us  that  divine  service  ought 
to  be  performed  in  a  language  that  is  intelligible  to  the 
people. 

"  He  that  speaketh  in  an  unknown  tongue,  speaketh  not 
imto  men,  but  unto  God :  for  no  man  understandeth  him. 
If  I  come  unto  you,"  says  St.  Paul,  "  speaking  with  tongues, 
what  shall  I  profit  you,  except  I  shall  speak  to  you  either 
by  revelation,  or  by  knowledge,  or  by  prophesying,  or  by 
doctrine  ?  For  if  I  pray  in  an  unknown  tongue,  my  spirit 
prayeth,  but  my  understanding  is  unfruitful.  Else,  when 
thou  shalt  bless  with  the  spirit,  how  shall  he  that  occupieth 
the  room  of  the  unlearned  say  Amen  at  thy  giving  of  thanks, 

seeing  he  understandeth  not  what  thou  sayest  ? In 

the  church  I  had  rather  speak  five  words  with  my  under- 
standing, that  by  my  voice  I  might  teach  others  also,  than 
ten  thousand  words  in  an  unknown  tongue."  I  Cor.  14  :  2, 
6,  14,  16,  19. 

But  in  the  Romish  church  mass  is  celebrated,  and  many 
other  acts  of  religious  worship  are  performed  in  Latin,  a 
language  which  is  unintelligible  to  the  people,  and  with 
numberless  ceremonies,  some  of  heathen  orio-in,  for  wliich 


ROMANISM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE.  *2d 

there  is  no  foundation  whatever  in  Scripture  ;  and  the  Coun- 
cil of  Trent,  acting  as  it  repeatedly  affirmed,  under  the 
guidance  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  denounces  an  anathema  against 
any  one  who  presumes  to  say  any  thing  to  the  contrary. 
Cone.  Trid.  Sess.  22,  de  Sacrificio  Missee,  cap.  8. 

V.  THE  COMPLETE  ATONEMENT  OF  CHRIST  CONTRADICTED  BY 
THE  CHURCH  OF  ROME. 

The  ScrijHure  teaches  that,  by  his  one  oblation  of  him- 
self upon  the  cross,  Jesus  Christ  has  made  a  full,  perfect, 
and  sufficient  atonement ;  and  that,  since  he  hath  expiated 
our  sins  by  his  blood,  there  is  no  need  of  any  other  sacrifice. 
*'  If  any  man  sin,  we  have  an  advocate  with  the  Father, 
Jesus  Christ  the  righteous  :  and  he  is  the 2^ropitlation  for  om' 
sins ;  and  not  for  ours  only,  but  also  for  the  sins  of  the 
whole  world."  1  John,  3  :  1,  2.  "  Christ  hath  redeertied 
us  from  the  curse  of  the  law."  Gal.  3  :  13.  "  Christ  being 
come  a  High-Priest  of  good  things  to  come  .  .  .he  entered 
in  once  into  the  holy  place,  having  obtained  eternal  redemp- 
tion for  us."  Heb.  9:12.  ''  Once  in  the  end  of  the  world 
hath  he  appeared  to  put  away  sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  him- 
self." Heb.  9  :  26.  "By  one  offering  he  hath  perfected 
for  ever  them  that  are  sanctified."     Heb.  10  :  14. 

But  the  Bomish  church  daily  renews  the  sacrifice  of 
Jesus  Christ  in  the  celebration  of  the  mass;  and  teaches 
"  that  in  the  mass  is  offered  to  God  a  true,  proper,  and  pro- 
pitiatory sacrifice  for  the  quick,"  or  living,  *'and  dead," 
Creed  of  Pius  IV.,  Art.  17.  "  If  any  one  say,  that  in  the 
mass  there  is  not  a  true  and  proper  sacrifice  offered  unto 
God  ;  or,  that  to  be  offered  is  nothing  else  but  for  Christ  to 
be  given  to  us  to  eat,  let  him  be  anathema."  Cone.  Trid. 
Sess.  22,  de  Sacrificio  Missoe,  Can.  1.  This  sacrifice  of  the 
mass,  as  it  is  called,  not  only  contradicts  the  two  passages 
above  cited,  but  is  also  destructive  of  all  the  arguments 
contained  in  the  seventh,  eighth,  and  ninth  chapters  of  the 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews. 


24  ROMAXISM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE. 

VL    OF  JUSTIFICATION  AND  THE  PARDON  OF  SIN. 

1.  The  Scripture  declares  that  "there  is  no  man  that 
sinneth  not,"  1  Kings,  8:46;  that  "  the  whole  world  heth  in 
wickedness,"  1  John,  5  :  19  ;  that  "the  Lord  looked  down 
from  heaven  upon  the  children  of  men,  to  see  if  there  were 
any  that  did  understand  and  seek  after  God.  They  are  all 
gone  aside,  they  are  all  together  become  filthy  ;  there  is  none 
that  doeth  good,  no,  not  one.  All  have  sinned,  and  come 
short  of  the  glory  of  God."  Psalm  14:2,  3  ;  Rom.  3  :  10- 
18,  23.  "All  we,  like  sheep,  have  gone  astray."  Isaiah 
53  :  6.  But  the  Council  of  Trent  declares  "that  it  is  not 
their  intention  to  comprehend  the  blessed  and  unspotted 
Virgin  Mary,  the  mother  of  God,  in  this  decree,  where  it 
treats  of  original  sin."     Cone.  Trid.  Sess.  5. 

2.  The  Scriiytiire  asserts  that  we  are  justified,  or  ac- 
counted righteous  before  God,  only  for  the  merit  of  our 
Lord  Jesus.  Christ,  through  faith,  and  not  meritoriously  by 
our  own  works. 

"  The  righteousness  of  God  is  hj  faith  of  Jesus  Christ 
unto  all,  and  upon  all  them  that  believe ;  for  there  is  no 
difierence  :  for  all  have  sinned,  and  come  short  of  the  glory 
of  God ;  being  justified  freely  by  his  grace,  through  the 
redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus.  Where  is  boasting  then  ? 
It  is  excluded.  By  what  law  ?  Of  works  ?  Nay  ;  but  by 
the  law  of  faith.  Therefore  we  conclude,  that  a  man  is  jus- 
tified by  faith  without  the  deeds  of  the  law."  Rom.  3:22- 
24,  27,  28.  "By  grace  are  ye  saved,  through /ae77i ;  and 
that  not  of  yourselves  :  it  is  the  gift  of  God :  not  of  works, 
lest  any  man  should  boast."  Eph.  2  :  8,  9.  Consequently, 
there  can  be  no  such  thing  as  merit  in  any  thing  that  we 
can  say  or  do.  "When,"  says  our  Saviour,  "ye  shall  have 
done  all  those  things  which  are  commanded  you,  say.  We 
are  unprofitable  servants."     Luke  17  :  10. 

But  the  Council  of  Trent  teaches,  that  the  good  w^orks 
of  justified  persons  are  truly  and  properly  meritorious,  and 


ROMANISM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE.  25 

fully  worthy  of  eternal  life,  by  denouncing  an  anathema 
against  all  who  hold  a  contrary  doctrine  !  Cone.  Trid.  Sess. 
6,  cap.  16,  can.  32. 

Vn.    OF  THE  SACRAMENTS. 

1.  dumber  of  the  sacraments.  Jesus  Christ  instituted 
only  two  sacraments  :  namely,  Baptism,  "  Go  ye,  and  teach 
all  nations,  haptizing  them,"  etc..  Matt.  28  :  19  ;  and  the 
Lord's  Supper.  See  Luke  26  :  19,  20,  and  the  parallel 
passages. 

But  the  Romish  church  teaches,  that  "  there  are  truly 
and  properly  seven  sacraments  of  the  new  law  instituted  by 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  are  necessary  to  the  salvation 
of  mankind,"  although  all  the  sacraments  are  not  necessary 
to  every  person,  "  namely.  Baptism,  Confirmation,  the  Lord's 
Supper,  Penance,  Extreme  Unction,  Orders,  and  Matrimo- 
ny," Creed  of  Pius  IV.,  Art.  15 ;  and  the  Council  of  Trent 
denounces  a  curse  against  any  who  say  that  these  "  were 
not  all  instituted  by  Christ,  or  that  there  are  more  or  fewer 
than  seven,  or  that"  any  of  the  seven  is  not  truly  and  prop- 
erly a  sacrament.  Sess.  1,  can.  1.  Peter  Lombard,  a 
writer  of  the  twelfth  century,  was  the  first  who  reckons 
seven  sacraments,  adding  to  Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per these  five,  namely,  Confiimation,  Penance,  Orders,  Mat- 
rimony, and  the  Extreme  Unction.  Pope  Eugenius  lY., 
about  the  middle  of  the  fifteenth  century,  pronounced  that 
these  five,  as  well  as  the  other  two,  ought  to  be  considered 
as  sacraments  ;  and  in  the  following  century  the  Council  of 
Trent  and  Pope  Pius  IV.  declared  them  to  be  equally  sac- 
raments. Consequently,  not  one  of  these  five  were  or  could 
have  been  constituted  sacraments  by  Jesus  Christ ;  though 
the  Council  of  Trent  has  been  pleased  to  assert  the  contrary. 

2.  Of  communion  in  both  kinds.  The  Scripture  teaches 
us,  that  Jesus  Christ  instituted  the  communion  in  both 
kinds,  that  is,  bread  and  wine,  and  so  commanded  that  it 
should  be  celebrated.     "  Jesus  took  bread,  and  blessed  it, 

VOL.  VIII.  3* 


26  ROMANISM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE. 

and  gave  it  to  the  disciples,  and  said,  '  Take,  eat ;  this  is' — 
represents,  according  to  the  oriental  idiom — 'my  body.' 
And  he  took  the  cup,  and  gave  thanks,  and  gave  it  them, 
saying,  *  Drink  ye  all  of  it ;  for  this  is,'  represents, '  my  blood 
of  the  new  testament.' "     Matt.  26  :  26-28. 

But  the  church  of  Rome  has  changed  what  Christ  ap- 
pointed, and  has  deprived  the  laity  of  the  cup;  and  has 
anathematized  any  who  say,  "  that  from  the  command  of 
God,  and  the  necessity  of  salvation,  all  and  every  believer 
in  Christ  ought  to  receive  both  kinds  of  the  most  holy 
sacrament  of  the  eucharist."  Cone.  Trid.  Sess.  21,  can. 
1.  ''I  do  also  confess,  that  under  either  kind  or  species 
only,  whole  and  entire,  Christ  and  the  true  sacrament  is 
received."  Creed  of  Pius  IV.,  Art.  18.  The  Council  of 
Constance,  held  in  the  year  1416,  was  the  first  that  sac- 
rilegiously deprived  the  laity  of  the  cup  in  the  sacrament, 
in  direct  contradiction  to  Christ's  command,  and  the  prac- 
tice of  the  primitive  church.  The  testimonies  of  the  fathers 
and  ecclesiastical  writers,  for  thirteen  or  fourteen  hundred 
years,  are  collected  by  Bishop  Beveridge  on  the  Articles. 
Art.  30. 

The  Scripture  teaches  us  that  the  consecrated  bread 
and  wine  are  the  communion  of  the  body  and  blood  of 
Christ.  "  The  cup  of  blessing  which  we  bless,  is  it  not  the 
communion  of  the  blood  of  Christ  ?  The  bread  which  we 
break,  is  it  not  the  communion  of  the  body  of  Christ  ?" 
1  Cor.  10  :  16. 

But  the  Romish  church  affirms,  that  "  in  the  most  holy 
sacrament  of  the  eucharist  there  is  really  and  substantially 
the  body  and  blood,  together  with  the  soul  and  divinity  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  and  that  there  is  a  conversion  of 
the  whole  substance  of  the  bread  into  his  body,  and  of  the 
whole  substance  of  the  wine  into  his  blood,  which  conver- 
sion the"  Roman  ''Catholic  church  calls  transubstantia- 
tionr     Creed  of  Pius  IV.,  Art.  17. 

This  term  was  not  invented  until  the  thirteenth  century : 


ROMANISM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE.  27 

the  first  idea  of  Christ's  bodily  presence  in  the  eiicharist 
was  started  in  the  beginning-  of  the  eighth  century  ;  the  first 
writer  who  maintained  the  doctrine  was  Paschasius  Rad- 
bertus,  in  the  ninth  century,  before  it  was  firmly  establish- 
ed ;  and  the  first  public  assertion  of  it  was  at  the  third 
Lateran  Council,  in  the  year  1215,  after  it  had  been  for 
some  time  avowed  by  the  popes,  and  in  obedience  to  their 
injunctions  inculcated  by  the  clergy.  But  the  term  tran- 
substantiation  was  not  known  until  the  thirteenth  century, 
when  it  was  invented  by  Stephen,  Bishop  of  Autun.  *'  This 
doctrine  of  transubstantiation  subverts  the  very  foundation 
on  which  the  credibility  of  the  Christian  religion  is  built, 
viz.,  our  Saviour's  miracles ;  and  not  only  does  it  contradict 
the  Scripture,  which  says  that  we  eat  bread  after  the  con- 
secration of  it,  1  Cor.  11  :  27,  but  it  is  also  contrary  to 
reason,  which  teaches  that  the  same  body  cannot  be  in  two 
places  at  the  same  time  ;  and  it  is  contrary  to  the  report 
which  our  senses  make  about  their  proper  objects.  So  that 
transubstantiation  contams  many  gross  falsehoods,  and  is 
incredible  to  all  who  consult  the  word  of  God,  their  own 
reason,  and  common  sense."  On  this  subject,  consult 
Archbishop  Tillotson's  discourse  against  Transubstantiation. 

Vm.    OF  MARRIAGE. 

"  Marriage,"  the  Scripture  declares,  "  is  honorable  in  all, 
and  the  bed  undefiled."  Heb.  13  :  4.  ''To  avoid  fornica- 
tion, let  every  man  have  his  own  wife,  and  every  woman 
her  own  husband."  1  Cor.  7  :  2.  These  precepts  are 
spoken  universally  ;  and  no  exception  is  made  of  the  clergy, 
or  ministers  of  the  Gospel :  nor  can  any  one  show  that  God 
hath  excepted  priests  or  monks.  See  also  1  Tim.  3  :  2,  4, 
5,  12  ;  Tit.  1:6.  In  the  prediction  of  the  great  apostasy 
from  the  pure  faith  of  the  Gospel,  St.  Paul  enumerates  the 
''forbidding  to  marry"  as  one  of  the  criteria  of  which  the 
Holy  "  Spirit  speaketh  expressly."     1  Tim.  4:1,3. 

In  opposition  to  the  divine  commands,  the  Council  of 


28  ROMANISM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE. 

Trent  decrees  that  the  "  clergy  may  not  marry T  Sess.  24, 
can.  9.  "Siricius,  who  died  A.  D.  399,  was  the  first  pope 
who  forbade  the  marriage  of  the  clergy ;  but  it  is  probable 
that  this  prohibition  was  but  little  regarded,  as  the  celibacy 
of  the  clergy  seems  not  to  have  been  completely  establish- 
ed till  the  papacy  of  Gregory  YII.,  at  the  end  of  the  elev- 
enth century  ;  and  even  then  it  was  complained  of  by  many 
writers."  Bishop  Tomline's  Elem.  of  Christ.  Theol.,  vol. 
2,  p.  520. 

The  sinrii  of  popery  remains  the  same.  The  Romish 
clergy  are,  to  this  day,  forbidden  to  marry ;  and  the  evils 
resulting  from  this  prohibition  have  been  often  and  ably  set 
forth. 

IX.  OF  PURGATORY  AND  INDULGENCES. 

1.  The  Scripture  declares  that  "it 'is  appointed  unto 
men  once  to  die,  but  after  this  the  judgment,"  Heb.  9:27: 
and  in  1  Sam.  25  :  29;  Matt.  7  :  13,  14;  8  :  11,  12,  and 
Luke  16  :  22,  23,  mention  is  made  only  of  a  two-fold  re- 
ceptacle of  souls  after  death.  The  penitent  thief  was  to  be 
that  day  in  'paradise,  Yivk^  23  :  43  ;  *' and  it  is  the  uni- 
form declaration  of  the  Scriptures,  that  all  sins  are  forgiven 
upon  our  own  repentance,  through  faith  and  trust  in  the 
atonement." 

In  direct  contradiction  to  the  Bible,  the  Council  of  Trent 
affirms,  that  'Hhere  is  a  purgatory,  or  place  of  torment 
after  this  life,  for  the  expiation  of  the  sins  of  good  men 
which  are  not  sufficiently  purged  here ;  and  that  the  souls 
there  detained  are  helped  by  the  masses,  prayers,  alms,  and 
other  good  works  of  the  living."  Cone.  Trid.  Sess.  6,  Can. 
30 ;  Sess.  25,  Decret.  de  Purgat.  The  practice  of  praying 
for  the  dead  began  in  the  third  century  ;  but  purgatory  was 
not  even  mentioned  until  long  after.  It  w^as  at  first  doubt- 
fully received,  and  was  not  fully  established  until  the  papa- 
cy of  Gregory,  in  the  beginning  of  the  seventh  century. 

2.  The  holy  Scriptures  declare,  that  it  is  the  preroga- 


ROMANISM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE.  29 

live  of  tlie  infinite  and  almighty  God  alone  to  forgive  sins, 
Psalm  130  :  4  ;  Isa.  43  :  25  ;  44  :  22  ;  Jer.  50  :  20  ;  Mark 
2:7;  Luke  5:21;  Eph.  4:32;  and  that  "  when  we  have 
done  all  those  things  which  are  commanded  us,  we  are 
unprofitable  servants."     Luke  17  :  10. 

But  the  pope  of  Rome,  a  finite  and  sinful  creature, 
claims  the  power  of  pardoning  sins,  and  of  granting  indul- 
gences, which  are  defined  to  be  a  remission  of  the  temporal 
punishment  due  to  sin  by  the  decree  of  God.  when  its  guilt 
and  eternal  punishment  are  remitted,  and  which  may  con- 
sist either  of  evil  in  this  life,  or  of  temporal  suffering  in  the 
next — which  temporal  suffermg  is  called  purgatory.  It  is 
made  an  article  of  faith  in  the  creed  of  Pius  IV.,  "  that  the 
power  of  indulgences  tvas  left  hy  Christ  to  his  church  ;  and 
that  the  use  of  them  is  very  helpful  to  Christian  p>eopley 
Art.  22. 

The  Romish  doctrine  of  indulgences  is  built  upon  the 
false  foundation  of  purgatory,  and  the  supererogations  of 
the  saints ;  that  is,  their  satisfying  over  and  above  what  is 
needful  for  themselves  and  their  own  sins ;  so  that  their 
satisfactions  may  serve  for  others  who  want  them,  or  wiio 
have  not  enough  of  their  own.  That  this  doctrine  has  no 
foundation  in  the  Bible,  and  consequently  was  not  instituted 
by  Jesus  Christ,  is  acknowledged  by  some  of  the  most 
learned  Romanists  themselves.  See  Bishop  Taylor's  Dis- 
suasive from  Popery,  part  1,  ch.  1.  sect.  3.  It  is  a  fact, 
well  attested  in  ecclesiastical  history,  that  the  power  of 
granting  indulgences  was  not  claimed  by  the  popes  before 
the  twelfth  century,  consequently  it  never  was  or  could 
have  been  left  by  Christ  to  his  church.  It  is  also  well 
known,  that  the  profligate  sale  of  indulgences  by  Leo  X.  led 
to  the  glorious  Reformation,  of  which,  under  God,  Luther 
was  a  distinguished  instrument.  Not  to  repeat  earlier  tes- 
timonies, it  will  be  seen  by  the  following  extract  from  the 
bull  of  Leo  XII.,  for  the  Jubilee  of  1825,  dated  Rome, 
May  24,  1824,  that  the  popes  still  usurp  the  prerogative 


30  ROMANISM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE. 

of  Almighty  God,  in  granting  remission  of  sins.  ''During 
this  year  of  Jubilee,  we  mercifully  in  the  Lord  grant  and 
impart  the  most  'plenary  and  complete  indulgence,  remission, 
and  pardon  of  all  their  sins,  to  all  the  faithful  in  Christ,  of 
both  sexes,  who  are  truly  penitent  and  have  confessed,  and 
who  have  refreshed  themselves  with  the  holy  communion ; 
provided,  if  Romans  or  inhabitants  of  the  city,  they  shall 
have  devoutly  visited  these  churches  of  the  city,  that  of 
the  blessed  Peter  and  Paul,  of  St.  John  Lateran,  and  of  St. 
Mary  Maggiore,"  or  the  greater,  "at  least  once  a  day  for 
thirty  days,  whether  successive  or  interrupted,  natural  or 
even  ecclesiastical ;  but  if  foreigners,  or  in  any  other  respect 
strangers,  they  must  have  devoutly  visited  these  churches 
at  least  fifteen  days :  provided  also,  that  they  shall  have 
poured  forth  pious  prayers  to  God  for  the  exaltation  of  the 
holy  church,  the  extirpation  of  heresies,  the  concord  of 
catholic  princes,  and  the  salvation  and  tranquillity  of  Chris- 
tendom." 

It  is  curious  to  see  how  the  clause  for  the  extirpation  of 
heresies  appears  in  the  "  Directions  and  Instructions,  ad- 
dressed to  all  the  faithful  in  the  London  district,  published 
by  the  R.  R.,  the  vicars  apostolic."  In  the  fourth  condition 
required  for  gaining  the  Jubilee,  p.  22,  is  the  visiting  of 
certain  churches  and  offering  up  prayers  "  for  the  exaltation 
of  the  holy  Catholic  church  throughout  the  world ;  for 
hringing  hack  all  straying  souls  to  the  ways  of  unity  and 
truth  ;  for  the  peace  and  concord  of  Christian  princes ;  and 
for  the  general  welfare  of  all  Christian  people,  both  for  time 
and  eternity."  Query.  Did  his  holiness,  "the  sovereign 
pontiff,"  in  his  bull,  dated  Dec.  25,  1825,  for  extending  the 
jubilee,  soften  the  original  language  above  cited,  in  order  to 
accommodate  himself  to  the  genius  of  Englishmen?  Or 
w^as  the  clause  for  the  extirp)ation  of  heresies  differently 
translated,  lest  it  should  offend  better  educated  members  of 
the  Romish  church  in  the  London  district  ? 

That  indulgences  have  been  sold  since  the  +ime  of  Leo 


ROMANISM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE.  31 

X.  for  the  commission  of  the  most  profligate  crimes,  has 
been  proved  by  the  unimpeachable  testimony  of  Romish 
writers ;  and  that  they  have  been  sold,  and  the  proceeds 
thereof  apphed  in  aid  of  rebellion  against  the  lawful  sove- 
reign  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  the  follomng  anecdote 
from  the  history  of  the  sister  island  will  sufficiently  attest. 
From  the  evidence  communicated  before  a  committee  of  the 
Irish  parliament  by  father  John  Hennesy,  it  appears  that 
his  holiness,  Pope  Benedict  XIII.,  in  compliance  with  the 
request  of  the  Romish  archbishops  and  bishops  of  Ireland, 
who  had  conspired  with  others  of  the  Romish  communion 
to  exterminate  King  George  II.  and  the  royal  family,  and 
to  place  the  Pretender  on  the  throne,  issued  his  bull  to  fa- 
cilitate their  ^:>/o?^5  intention,  and  sent  them  an  indulgence 
for  ten  years,  in  order  to  raise  a  sum  of  money  to  be  speed- 
ily applied  to  restore  James  III.  to  his  right.  This  bull 
further  enjoined  "that  ever}^  communicant  confessing  and 
receiving  upon  the  patron  days  of  every  respective  parish, 
and  any  Sunday,  from  the  first  of  May  to  September,  hav- 
ing repeated  the  Lord's  prayer  five  times,  and  once  the 
apostle's  creed,  upon  paying  two-iKnce  each  time,  was  to 
have  a  lylenary  indulgence  for  all  their  sins^  Under  this 
holy  bull  it  appears  that  the  sum  of  fifteen  hundred  pounds 
sterling  was  ready  to  be  remitted  to  the  Pretender's  agent 
in  Flanders  at  the  time  the  treasonable  conspiracy  was  de- 
tected by  the  vigilance  of  the  Irish  government. 

The  testimonies  of  Romanist  wi-iters  to  the  sale  of  indulgences 
may  be  seen  in  the  Rev.  Dr.  Philpott's  Letters  to  Mr.  Butler,  pp. 
151-153;  or  in  Dr.  Hales'  Analysis  of  Chronology,  vol.  2,  part 
2,  p.  1019-1022 ;  and  especially  in  "  Taxatio  Papalis ;  being  an 
Account  of  the  Tax-Books  of  tlie  United  Church  and  Court  of 
Modern  Rome."  London,  1825,  8vo.  That  the  scandalous  traffic 
in  indulgences  has  been  carried  on  in  later  times,  Avill  be  evident 
from  the  following  facts. 

"  In  the  year  1709,  a  Bristol  privateer  captured  a  vessel  from 
Spain,  on  her  passage  to  America,  which  had  on  board  upwards 
of  three  millions  of  these  bulls  of  indulgence,  which  were  to  be 


32  ROMA.MSM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE. 

sold  to  tlie  people  in  America,  at  various  prices,  from  20  pence 
for  the  poor,  so  high  as  £11  for  the  rich;  and  Captain  Dampier 
told  Bishop  Burnet  that  they  Avere  so  numerous  that  his  sailors 
used  them  in  careening  the  ship. 

"  In  the  year  1800,  a  Spanish  ship  from  Europe  was  captured 
near  the  coast  of  South  America  by  Admiral  Har\'ey,  then  captain 
of  the  Southampton  frigate.  There  were  on  board  large  bales  of 
paper,  valued  in  her  books  at  £7,500.  It  was  a  matter  of  surprise 
to  him  to  see  them  rated  so  high,  and  to  hear  the  master  of  the 
captured  vessel  speak  of  them  with  great  admiration :  he  exam- 
ined them,  and  found  tliem  all  filled  with  large  sheets  of  paper, 
printed,  some  in  Spanish,  and  some  in  Latin,  but  all  sealed  with 
the  seals  of  the  ecclesiastical  courts  in  Spain  or  at  Rome.  These 
were  indulgences  or  pardons  for  various  sins  mentioned  in  the 
Catholic  rubric,  and  the  price,  which  varied  from  half  a  dollar  to 
seven  dollars,  was  marked  upon  each.  They  had  been  bought  in 
Spain,  and  ivere  intended  for  sale  in  South  America.  At  Tortola, 
some  Dutch  merchants  bought  the  whole  for  £*200,  with  the  hope 
of  being  able  to  smuggle  tliem  among  the  Spaniards  in  America." 
Hamilton's  Tracts,  p.  68. 

X.    OF  AURICULAR  CONFESSION. 

Auricular  confession  to  a  priest  in  private,  required  by 
the  Council  of  Trent,  and  the  catechism  of  the  Romish 
church,  is  very  different  from  the  open,  general,  and  public 
confession,  which  all  Christians  receive  and  practice.  It  is 
contrary  to  Scripture.  James  5:16,  upon  which  passage 
the  custom  has  been  principally  enforced,  refers  only  to 
confession  in  the  miraculous  cases  of  sickness,  which  were 
inflicted  as  temporal  punishments  in  the  days  of  the  apos- 
tles. It  is  contrary  to  reason,  that  confession  to  a  man 
should  be  demanded  as  the  condition  of  the  forgiveness  of  sin. 
Though,  in  some  instances,  the  conscience  may  be  relieved 
by  confessing  great  crimes,  and  the  penitent  is  commanded 
to  confess  his  faults  to  those  against  whom  he  has  offended, 
he  is  not  commanded  to  confess  to  the  priest,  as  an  indispen- 
sable condition  of  the  forgiveness  of  God.  How  contrary 
this  antiscriptural  tenet  is  to  morality,  and  how  it  has  been 
made  subservient  to  plotting,  propagating,  and  carrying  on 


ROMANISM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE.  33 

treasonable  propositions  and  designs,  may  be  seen  at  length 
in  Bishop  Taylor's  Dissuasive  from  Popery,  part  2.,  book 
1.,  sec.  11. 

XI.    DEPOSING  POWER  OF  THE  POPE. 

The  concluding  article  of  Pius  IVth's  creed  runs  thus : 
"  I  also,  without  doubt,  receive  and  profess  all  other  things 
delivered,  defined,  and  declared  by  the  sacred  canons  and 
general  councils,  and  especially  by  the  holy  Council  of  Trent; 
and  all  things  contrary  to  them,  with  all  heresies  rejected 
and  cursed  by  the  chiu-ch,  I  likewise  reject,  condemn,  and 
curse." 

Among  these  "sacred  canons,"  to  omit  those  of  the 
Popes  Boniface  VIII.  and  Innocent  III.,  cited  at  length  by 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Philpott,  in  his  Letters  to  Mr.  Butler,  pp. 
278-281,  the  following  of  the  third  and  fourth  Lateran 
councils  are  particularly  worthy  of  notice. 

The  third  Lateran  council,  which  levelled  its  decree 
against  those  who  were  variously  denominated  Cathari, 
Patarenes,  or  publicans,  in  Gascony,  the  vicinity  of  Thou- 
louse,  and  other  regions,  subjects  to  a  curse  both  themselves, 
their  defenders,  and  harborers ;  and  also,  under  a  curse, 
prohibits  all  persons  from  admitting  them  into  their  houses, 
or  receiving  them  upon  their  lands,  or  cherishing  them,  or 
exercising  any  trade  with  them.  It  further  confiscates  their 
goods,  and  freely  permits  princes  to  reduce  them  to  slavery ; 
and  relaxes  two  years  of  enjoined  penance  to  those  faithful 
Christians,  who,  by  the  counsel  of  their  bishops,  shall  take 
up  arms  against  them,  to  subdue  them  by  fighting  against 
them.  Labbei  Concilia,  tom.  10,  p.  1522.  The  sixteenth 
decree  of  the  same  council  prescribes  that  ''  oaths  ivhich 
contravene  the  utilitij  of  the  church,  and  the  constitutions  of 
the  holy  fathers,  are  not  to  he  called  oaths,  hut  rather  f:erj\j- 

RIES." 

The  fourth  Lateran  council  is  even  more  precise  in  its 
denunciations.     "  Let  secular  powers,  whatever  ofiice  they 

VOL.  VIII.  ^ 


34  ROMANISM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE. 

execute,  be  admonished,  persuaded,  and,  if  necessary,  com- 
pelled BY  ECCLESIASTICAL  CENSURE,  that,  as  they  desire  to 
be  reputed  and  accounted  faithful,  so  they  would  publicly 
take  an  oath  for  the  defence  of  the  faith,"  that  is,  the  dog- 
mas of  the  Romish  church,  "  that  they  would  endeavor  in 
good  faith,  according  to  their  power,  to  destroy  all  heretics 
marl-ed  hy  the  church,  out  of  the  lands  of  their  jurisdiction. 
But  if  the  temporal  prince,  being  admonished  and  required, 
shall  neglect  to  purge  his  land  from  this  heretical  filthiness, 
HE  SHALL  BE  excommimicatcd  by  the  bishops  of  the  p)rovince : 
and,  if  he  shall  refuse  to  give  satisfaction  within  a  year,  let 
it  be  signified  to  the  pope,  that  he  may  forthwith  denounce 
his  vassals  absolved  from  their  allegiance,  and  expose  his 
land  to  be  possessed  by  Catholics,  who,  having  destroyed  the 
heretics,  may  possess  it  without  contradiction,  and  preserve  it 
in  the  purity  of  the  faith,  saving  the  right  of  the  principal 
lord,  whilst  that  he  doth  make  no  hinderance  to  it.  Never- 
theless, the  same  law  is  to  be  observed  towards  them  who 
have  no  principal  lord."  Labbei  Concilia,  tom.  11,  part  1, 
p.  148,  can.  3,  de  Heereticis. 

It  is,  undeniably,  the  doctrine  of  the  Romish  church, 
that  a  general  council,  Avhen  convened  and  approved  of  by 
the  pope,  is  empowered  to  pass  laws  binding  for  ever  on  its 
members ;  and  since  these  laws,  as  they  maintain,  emanate 
from  infalhble  authority,  they  are  deemed  equally  binding 
with  the  divinely-inspired  Scriptures.  Now,  the  decrees  of 
these  two  councils  bear  the  impress  of  this  authoritative 
sanction :  they  were  confirmed  by  the  then  reigning  pontiffs, 
and  ratified  by  the  Council  of  Trent ;  they  have  never  been 
abrogated,  and  by  the  above-cited  article  of  Pius  IV.  this 
creed  was  made  an  article  of  implicit  belief.  The  pages  of 
history  sufficiently  record  the  manner  in  which  the  deposi- 
tions of  sovereign  princes,  and  the  extermination  of  heretics, 
have  been  conducted  by  the  "  holy  Catholic"  pseudo  "  apos- 
tolic Roman  church."  To  state  the  principal  instances  as 
briefly  as  possible : 


ROMANISiM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE.  35 

Saint  Gregory  VII.  twice  anathematized  and  deposed 
the  emperor  Henry  IV.  In  1116  the  emperor  Henry  V. 
was  deposed  by  Paschal  II. ;  John,  king  of  England,  by 
Innocent  III.  in  1210,  and  Raymond,  count  of  Thoulouse, 
by  the  same  pontiff,  in  1215  ;  the  emperor  Frederick  II.  by 
Innocent  IV.  in  1245;  Peter,  king  of  Arragon,  by  Martin 
IV.  in  1283  ;  Matthew,  duke  of  Milan,  in  1322,  and  Lewis 
of  Bavaria,  in  1324,  by  John  XXII. ;  Barnabas,  duke  of 
Milan,  by  Urban  V.  in  1363  ;  Alphonzo,  king  of  Arragon, 
in  1425,  by  Martin  V. ;  the  king  of  Navarre,  by  Julius  II. 
in  1512;  Henry  VIII.  king  of  England,  by  Paul  III.  in 
1538  ;  Henry  III.  of  France,  in  1583,  by  Sixtus  V.,  who, 
on  hearing  of  this  monarch's  assassination  by  friar  Jacques 
Clement,  declared  that  the  murderer's  fervent  zeal  towards 
God  surpassed  that  of  Judith  and  Eleazar,  and  that  the  as- 
sassination was  effected  by  Providence !  In  1591,  Gregory 
XIV.,  and  in  the  following  year  the  uncanonically  elected 
pope  Clement  VII.,  issued  bulls  of  deposition  against  Hen- 
ry IV.  king  of  France,  whose  life  was  first  attempted  by 
John  Chastel,  a  Jesuit,  then  by  a  monk,  and  finally  he  was 
stabbed  by  Ravaillac.  In  1569  Saint  Pius  V.  deposed 
Queen  Elizabeth,  whose  Romanist  subjects  he  stimulated  to 
rebel  against  her,  and  furnished  some  of  them  with  money 
to  aid  their  nefarious  attempts  :  and  bulls  of  deposition  were 
fulminated  against  that  illustrious  queen,  by  Gregory  XIII. 
in  1580,  Sixtus  V.  in  1587,  and  Clement  VIII.  in  1600. 
Sixtus  v.,  in  his  bull,  styled  her  an  usurper,  a  heretic,  and 
an  excommunicate ;  gave  her  throne  to  Philip  II.  of  Spain, 
and  commanded  the  Enghsh  to  join  the  Spaniards  in  de- 
throning her.  Clement  VIII,,  in  1600,  issued  a  bull  to 
prevent  James  I.  ascending  the  throne  of  England,  declar- 
ing that  "  when  it  should  happen  that  that  miserable  wo- 
man," Queen  Elizabeth,  "  should  die,  they,"  her  subjects, 
"  should  admit  none  to  the  crown,  though  ever  so  nearly 
allied  to  it  by  blood,  except  they  would  not  only  tolerate 
the  "  Roman  "  Catholic  religion,  but  promote  it  to  the  ut- 


36  ROMANISM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE. 

most  of  tlieir  power ;  and  would,  according  to  ancient  cus- 
tom, undertake  upon  oath  to  perform  the  same."  In  1643, 
Urban  VIII.  issued  a  bull  of  deposition  against  Charles  I. 
in  Ireland  ;  where,  two  years  before,  not  fewer  than  100,000 
Protestants  were  massacred ;  and  to  those  who  had  joined 
the  rebellion  of  1641,  the  same  holy  pontiff  granted  2i  plen- 
ary indulgence.  In  1*729,  Benedict  XIII.,  at  the  instance  of 
the  Romanist  Irish  prelates,  issued  a  bull  to  dethrone  George 
II.  king  of  England,  with  an  indulgence,  as  we  have  above 
seen,  for  raising  money  to  support  the  Pretender.  In  1768, 
Clement  XIII.  published  a  brief,  on  occasion  of  certain 
edicts  issued  by  the  duke  of  Parma  and  Placentia,  in  his 
own  dominions  ;  wherein  the  pontiff,  in  the  plenitude  of  his 
usurped  authority,  abrogated,  repealed,  and  annulled,  as 
being  prejudicial  to  the  liberty,  immunity,  and  jurisdiction 
of  the  church,  whatever  the  duke  had  ordered  in  his  edicts, 
?indi  forbade  his  subjects  to  obey  their  sovereign;  further  de- 
priving all,  who  had  either  published  or.obeyed  the  edicts, 
of  all  their  privileges,  and  incapacitating  them  from  receiv- 
ing absolution,  until  they  should  fully  and  entirely  have 
restored  matters  to  their  former  condition,  or  should  have 
made  suitable  satisfaction  to  the  church,  and  to  the  holy 
see.  In  1800,  the  late  pope  Pius  VII.  announced  his  elec- 
tion to  the  pontificate  to  Louis  XVIII.  as  the  lawful  king 
of  France ;  and  in  the  following  year  he  exhibited  a  most 
edifying  instance  of  ^;«^ja?  diqylicity,  when  it  suited  his 
interest,  by  entering  into  a  concordat  with  Bonaparte,  in 
wiiich,  besides  suppressing  146  episcopal  and  metropolitan 
sees,  and  dismissing  their  bishops  and  metropolitans  without 
any  form  of  judicature,  he  absolved  all  Frenchmen  from 
their  oaths  of  allegiance  to  their  legitimate  sovereign,  and 
authorized  an  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  first  consul;  and 
when  Louis  XVIII.  sent  his  ambassador  to  Rome  to  present 
his  credentials,  the  pontiff  refused  to  receive  him.  With 
marvellous  infallibility,  however,  not  quite  eight  years  after, 
the  same  pontiff  issued  a  bull,  in  June  1809,  excommunicat- 


ROMANISM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE.  37 

ing  Bonaparte  and  all  who  adhered  to  him  in  his  invasion 
of  the  papal  states ;  in  which  bull  he  makes  the  same  ex- 
travagant pretensions  to  supreme  power  which  had  been 
put  forth  by  Saint  Gregory  VII.,  Innocent  III.,  and  other 
pontiffs. 

One  more  instance  may  suffice  to  show  the  continuance 
not  only  of  the  papal  pretensions  to  interfere  with  the  tem- 
poral interests  of  mankind,  but  also  of  the  readiness  with 
which  those  pretensions  are  asserted  whenever  an  opportu- 
nity presents  itself.  The  secularization  of  certain  German 
churches  and  chapters,  in  1803,  by  the  diet  of  Augsburg, 
which  distributed  some  of  them  as  indemnities  to  secular 
Protestant  princes,  gave  occasion  to  many  despatches  from 
Rome,  in  the  years  1803,  1804,  and  1805,  and  particularly 
to  an  instruction  to  the  papal  nuncio  resident  at  Vienna,  in 
1805,  in  which  Pius  VII.  says,  that  the  church  had  not 
only  taken  care  to  prohibit  heretics  from  confiscating  eccle- 
siastical possessions,  but  that  she  had  moreover  established, 
as  the 'penalty  of  the  crime  of  heresy,  the  confiscation  and  the 
loss  of  all  proper tij  possessed  by  heretics.  This  penalty,  as 
far  as  concerns  the  property  of  private  individuals,  is  de- 
creed, he  says,  by  a  bull  of  Innocent  III.,  cap.  Vergentes 
X.  de  Haereticis ;  and,  as  far  as  concerns  sovereignties  and 
fiefs,  it  is  a  rule  of  the  canon  law,  cap.  Absolutus  XVI.  de 
Haereticis,  that  the  subjects  of  a  prince,  manifestly  heretical, 
are  released  from  all  obligation  to  him,  dispensed  from  all 
allegiance  and  all  homage.  "  To  be  sure,"  his  holiness  goes 
on  to  say,  "  we  are  fallen  into  such  calamitous  times,  that 
it  is  not  possible  for  the  spouse  of  Jesus  Christ  to  practise, 
nor  even  expedient  for  her  to  recall  her  holy  maxims  of  just 
rigor  against  the  enemies  of  the  faith  ;  but,  although  she 
cannot  exercise  her  right  of  deposing  heretics  from  their 
lyrincipalities,  and  declaring  them  deprived  of  their  property, 
yet  can  she  for  one  moment  allow  that  they  should  rob 
her  of  her  property  to  aggrandize  and  enrich  themselves  ? 
What  an  object  of  derision  would  she  become  to  heretics 

VOL.  VIII.  4* 


38  ROMANISM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE. 

and  infidels,  who,  in  mocking  her  grief,  ^\'^uld  say  that  they 
had  found  out  a  way  of  making  her  tolerant.''  Essai  His- 
torique  sur  la  Puissance  Temporale  des  Papes,  torn.  2, 
p.  320. 

That  Leo  XII.  did  not  relinquish  his  pretended  right  to 
extirpate  heresies,  is  sufficiently  intelhgible  from  the  extract 
from  his  bull  for  the  jubilee  given  above,  to  Avhich  it  may 
be  added,  that  in  the  "  Catechism  for  the  Curates,  composed 
by  the  decree  of  the  Council  of  Trent,  and  published  by 
command  of  Pope  Pius  V.,  faithfully  translated  into  Eng- 
lish 2^^rmissu  siqjerioricm,''  it  is  expressly  taught  that  "  the 
heretics  and  schismatics,  because  they  have  fallen  off  from 
the  church,  nor  do  they  belong  [do  not  belong]  to  the 
church  any  more  than  vagabonds  or  renegadoes  belong  to 
an  army  from  which  they  ran  away  :  yet  it  is  not  to  be 
denied  but  that  they  are  in  the  j^oiuer  of  the  church,  as  those 
who  may  be  judged  by  her  and  condemned  tvith  an  anath- 
ema.'' P.  90,  London  edit.  1687.  And  in  the  class-book, 
taught  in  the  Romanist  college  at  Maynooth,  which  is  sup- 
ported by  the  bounty  of  the  British  parliament  to  the  annual 
amount  of  £8,978,  see  the  Act  7,  Geo.  lY.,  c.  79,  §  11, 
the  candidates  for  orders  in  the  Romish  church  in  Ireland 
are  taught  that  "The  church  retains  its  j^ower  over  all  her- 
etics, apostates,  and  schismatics,  though  they  may  no  longer 
belong  to  its  body  ;  as  a  general  may  have  a  right  to  inflict 
punishment  on  a  deserter,  though  his  name  is  no  longer  on 
the  muster-roll  of  the  army."  Tract  de  Theologia,  ch.  8 
de  Membris,  p.  404,  cited  in  the  Digest  of  Parliamentary 
Evidence,  Part  1,  p.  125. 

XII.    NO  FAITH  TO  BE  KEPT  WITH  HERETICS. 

The  doctrine  that  no  faith  is  to  he  'kept  ivith  heretics,  was 
established  by  the  Council  of  Constance  :  and  history  abun- 
dantly testifies  how  religiously  the  iniquitous  decree  of  that 
council  has  been  observed.  Not  to  insist  upon  the  numer- 
ous plots  and  conspiracies  against  the  reformed  religion  in 


ROMANISM  CONTRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE.  39 

Great  Britain,  from  its  establishment  to  the  memorable  gun- 
powder conspiracy,  and  the  Irish  conspiracy  in  1*729  ;  wit- 
ness the  martyrdom  of  John  Huss,  wlio,  though  he  had  a 
safe  conduct  from  the  emi-)eror  Sigismund,  guaranteeing  his 
free  access  to  the  Council  of  Constance,  and  his  free  return 
from  it,  was  nevertheless* imprisoned  there;  and,  after  a 
process  on  a  charge  of  heresy,  was  condemned  and  burnt  to 
death,  in  violation  of  every  law,  human  and  divine.  Witness 
the  massacre  of  St.  Bartholomew,  in  1572,  when  500  Prot- 
estant gentlemen,  and  10,000  of  the  lower  classes,  were 
assassinated  at  Paris,  and  not  fewer  than  40,000  in  the  prov- 
inces ;  at  which  pious  tidings,  Gregory  XIII.  was  so  over- 
joyed that  he  commanded  a  discharge  of  artillery  to  be 
made,  ordered  the  cardinals  to  return  solemn  thanks  to 
Almighty  God,  and  caused  a  medal  to  be  struck  in  honor 
of  the  unprincipled  transaction.  Witness  also  the  massacre 
of  1641,  in  Ireland,  where,  as  in  France,  sixty-nine  years 
before,  no  ties  of  nature  or  of  friendship  could  prevent  pa- 
pists from  embruing  their  hands  in  the  blood  of  their  near- 
est Protestant  relations.  To  these  instances  may  be  added 
the  unprincipled  revocation  of  the  sacred  and  irrevocable 
edict  of  Nantes,  by  Louis  XIV.,  against  the  faith  of  the  most 
solemn  treaties,  in  consequence  of  which  the  Protestant 
churches  were  desti'oyed  throughout  France ;  the  soldiers 
committed  the  most  scandalous  excesses  ;  and  after  the  loss 
of  innumerable  lives,  50,000  of  the  most  valuable  and  indus- 
trious of  the  citizens  of  France  were  forced  into  exile.  Once 
more,  in  1712,  when  by  virtue  of  the  treaty  of  Alt-Rastadt 
certain  places  were  to  be  surrendered  to  some  Protestant 
princes,  Pope  Clement  XI.,  in  a  letter  to  the  Emperor 
Charles  VI.,  denounced  the  Protestants  as  "  an  execrable 
sect,"  and  in  the  plenitude  of  his  pretended  supremacy 
declared  that  every  thing,  which  either  was  or  could  be 
construed  or  esteemed  to  be  in  any  way  obstructive  of,  or 
in  the  least  degree  prejudicial  to,  the  Romish  faith  or  wor- 
sliip,  or  to  the  authority,  juiisdiction,  or  any  rights  of  the 


40  ROMAMSM  CO^■TRADICTORY  TO  THE  BIBLE. 

church  whatsoever,  "  to  be,  and  to  have  been,  and  perpet- 
ually to  remain  hereafter  null,  unjust,  reprobated,  void,  and 
evacuated  of  all  force  from  the  beginning ;  and  that  no  per- 
son is  bound  to  the  observance  of  them,  although  the  same 
have  been  repeated,  ratified,  or  secured  hy  oathy  Digest 
of  Evidence  on  the  State  of  Ireland,  Part  2,  p.  243. 


Such  are  the  dogmas  of  the  church  of  Rome,  and  such 
has  been  her  practice  for  many  centuries.  Individuals  of 
hiofh  character,  belonoinsf  to  her  communion,  have  disclaimed 
them ;  but  they  remain  unrescinded  by  the  united  church 
and  court  of  modern  Rome.  These  doctrines — the  contra- 
riety of  which  to  Scripture,  reason,  and  in  many  instances, 
to  morality,  cannot  but  have  powerfully  struck  the  reader's 
mind — have  been  promulgated  by  popes,  councils,  and  can- 
onists :  they  must  be  rescinded  by  the  same  authorities 
before  Protestants  can  consent  to  give  up  those  securities 
upon  which  their  civil  and  rehgious  liberties  depend.  Have 
we  any  concern  for  jDure  and  undefiled  religion,  for  the  lib- 
erties of  our  country,  and  for  the  welfare  of  our  children 
and  posterity  ?  Let  us  then  stand  fast  in  the  liberty  where- 
with Christ  has  made  us  free  ;  and  "  let  the  word  of  Christ,'' 
and  not  human  traditions,  "  dw^ell  in  us  richly  in  all  wisdom." 
Col.  3  :  16.  "For  other  foundation  can  no  man  lay  than 
that  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus  Christ.''  1  Cor.  3:11.  "We 
have  renounced  the  hidden  things  of  dishonesty ;  not  walk- 
ing in  craftiness,  nor  handlmg  the  w^ord  of  God  deceitfully  ; 
but,  by  manifestation  of  the  truth,  commending  ourselves  to 
every  man's  conscience  in  the  sight  of  God."  2  Cor.  4  :  2. 
**  If  any  man  teach  otherwise,  and  consent  not  to  wholesome 
words,  even  the  words  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  to  the 
doctrine  which  is  according  to  godliness,  from  such  with- 
draw thyself"     1  Tim.  6  :  3,  5. 


IVo.  S36, 

POOR   SWAIZELAND. 

AN  AUTHENTIC   NARRATIVE. 
BY   A    CLERGYMAN. 


In  the  month  of  December,  1817,  as  I  was  on  a  visit  at 
the  house  of  a  lady  in  Kent,  England,  her  daughter  request- 
ed that  I  would  accompany  her  to  visit  a  man  who  had  met 
with  a  serious  accident. 

I  walked  with  her  to  a  little  cottage  on  Eowly-Common, 
in  a  room  of  which  a  poor  young  man  was  lying,  under  what 
appeared  to  me  almost  the  extremity  of  human  suffering. 
He  was  a  mason,  and  had  been  precipitated  from  a  scafibld- 
ing  about  twenty  feet  high.  He  was  grievously  mutilated 
by  the  fall ;  both  his  legs  were  broken,  and  several  of  his 
ribs,  and  his  spine  was  so  greatly  injured  that  from  the  pit 
of  his  stomach  to  his  feet  he  appeared  perfectly  dead,  and 
insensible  to  pain. 


2  POOR  SVVAIZELAND. 

When  I  saw  him  he  had  been  a  year  in  this  condition ; 
but  though  his  bones  had  been  set,  the  injury  in  his  spine 
precluded  the  possibility  of  his  moving  to  turn  in  his  bed, 
or  of  remaining  on  his  side,  if  placed  there  by  his  attend- 
ant ;  so  that,  being  obliged  to  lie  continually  on  his  back,  it 
had,  in  some  places,  at  different  times,  become  very  sore 
and  painful.  He  was  dependent  on  charity  for  subsistence, 
and  had  been  placed  in  this  cottage,  with  an  old  woman  to 
attend  him.  When  I  saw  him  he  was  pale  and  emaciated ; 
but  he  did  not  complain  of  bodily  pain :  the  anguish  of  his 
body  seemed  lost  in  that  of  his  mind. 

He  had  been  a  profligate ;  and  the  conviction  of  his 
guilt,  the  apprehension  of  God's  wrath,  and  the  dread  of 
approaching  judgment,  seemed  to  absorb  every  feeling  of 
his  heart.  He  said  he  felt  as  if  God  were  holding  him  over 
the  pit  of  hell,  and  he  did  not  know  the  moment  when  he 
Avould  let  him  drop ;  that  he  had  been  trying  to  prepare 
himself  to  die,  and  make  his  peace  with  God,  but  felt  whol- 
ly unable  to  do  so ;  that  he  had  made  many  promises  and 
resolutions  to  lead  a  different  life,  if  God  would  raise  him 
up ;  but  that  he  should  never  rise  from  his  bed,  and  these 
promises  would  be  of  no  avail  to  him. 

I  endeavored  to  explain  to  him,  that  while  he  failed  of 
going  to  Christ  for  pardon,  he  was  setting  about  the  work 
of  making  his  peace  with  God  in  a  very  false  way ;  that  all 
his  resolutions  of  amendment  in  his  external  conduct  would 
be  vain,  without  the  aids  of  divine  grace ;  that  if  he  were 
even  restored  to  health,  and  could  put  them  fully  into  prac- 
tice, they  would  be  of  no  avail  to  give  peace  to  his  con- 
science, or  salvation  to  his  soul.  I  endeavored  to  show  him, 
from  the  Scriptui'es,  that  the  work  which  he  was  vainly  la- 
boring to  do,  in  his  own  strength,  had  been  finished  for  the 
chief  of  sinners,  by  Him  who  died  upon  the  cross. 

I  endeavored,  in  various  ways,  to  illustrate  this,  and  to 
show  him,  that  the  effort  to  appease  the  wrath  of  his  of- 
fended God,  by  any  resolutions,  or  any  righteousness  of  his 
own,  would  be  as  vain  as  those  of  a  poor  mutilated,  bed- 


POOR  SWAIZELAND.  3 

ridden  pauper,  to  earn  money  to  discharge  a  debt  of  a  thou- 
sand pounds.  I  told  him  that  the  Lord  Jesus  had  paid  the 
mighty  debt  for  those  who  beheve  in  Mm,  and  who  could 
never  hope  to  discharge  it  themselves ;  that  he  had,  by  his 
righteousness,  fulfilled  that  holy  law  of  God,  which  we  have 
broken ;  that  he  had,  by  his  precious  death  upon  the  cross, 
stood  in  our  place,  and  borne  our  curse ;  and  that  the  mes- 
sage which  he  commanded  his  ministers  to  proclaim  to  sin- 
ners, was  a  message  of  free  and  full  pardon.  That,  instead 
of  vainly  attempting  to  work  out  a  righteousness  of  their  own, 
perishing  sinners  should  "  look  imto  him  and  be  saved  ;"  that, 
having  died  for  them,  they  might  be  delivered  from  every 
terror  of  death,  of  judgment,  and  of  hell,  and  be  saved  by 
his  merits  ;  that  therefore  I  came  to  him  with  these  "  good- 
tidings  of  great  joy :"  that,  though  he  had  been  wicked, 
and  profligate,  and  \ile,  yet  the  Gospel  declares,  that  "  the 
blood  of  Jesus  Christ  cleanseth  from  all  sin  ;"  that,  "  though 
our  sins  be  as  scarlet,  they  shall  be  white  as  snow  ;  though 
they  be  red  like  crimson,  they  shall  be  as  wool." 

The  poor  man  listened  to  these,  and  many  similar  truths, 
with  deep  anxiety,  but  I  could  not  perceive  that  he  seemed 
either  fully  to  understand,  or  derive  from  them  that  conso- 
lation which  they  are  calculated  to  give.  I  kneeled  by  him, 
and  prayed  4;hat  the  Holy  Spirit  would  teach  him  to  under- 
stand and  rest  upon  this  hope  set  before  him,  and  then 
bade  him  farewell. 

The  next  day  I  visited  him,  and  found  him  in  the  same 
state  of  mind ;  I  read  to  him,  and  endeavored  to  set  the 
same  truths  again  before  him,  as  plainly  and  simply  as  I 
could.  I  prayed  with  him  again,  but  again  left  him  without 
any  perceptible  change  in  his  feelings. 

The  third  day  Lis  countenance  wore  the  same  rueful 
aspect,  both  when  I  entered  and  when  I  left  the  room. 

But  on  the  fourth  morning,  as  soon  as  I  opened  the 
door  of  his  room,  a  very  different  scene  presented  itself.  He 
seemed  to  have  been  awaiting  my  arrival  with  anxiety — his 
countenance    was  illuminated  with  a  smile  of   peace,  and 


4  POOR  SWAIZELAND. 

hope,  and  joy — and  before  I  could  even  ask  him  how  he 
Avas,  he  burst  out,  as  soon  as  he  saw  me, 

"  0,  sir,  now  I  understand  all  you  have  been  saying  to 
me.  When  I  was  thinking  over  it  this  morning,  it  came  into 
my  mind  at  once — if  he  has  died  for  us — if  he  has  paid  our 
debt — then  we  have  not  to  pay  it  oiu'selves — we  may  de- 
pend on  him  and  rejoice." 

"  Yes,  my  dear  friend,"  said  I,  "  that  is  indeed  the  glo- 
rious truth  of  the  Gospel ;  he  has  died  for  us,  and  we  may 
rest  on  him  and  be  at  peace." 

I  then  opened  the  Scriptures,  and  began  to  read  the 
fifth  chapter  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans  :  "■  Therefore  be- 
ing justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with  God,  through  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

"  Oh  yes,  sir,"  said  he,  "  that's  true,  so  we  have ;  now 
I  understand  it." 

I  went  on — "  By  whom  also  Tve  have  access,  by  faith, 
into  this  grace  wherein  we  stand,  and  rejoice  in  hope  of  the 
glory  of  God." 

"  0  yes,  sir,"  said  he,  ''  that's  true,  we  do ;  we  do  re- 
joice, sir,  and  so  we  may  rejoice,  since  he  has  paid  our  debt, 
and  done  all  for  us." 

I  went  on  through  a  great  portion  of  the  chapter,  and 
it  was  wonderful  to  see  how  this  poor  man,  to  whom,  the 
day  before,  the  Bible  was  a  sealed  book,  who  had  listened 
with  attention,  indeed,  and  anxiety,  but  without  compre- 
hending the  truths  that  were  read  to  him,  seemed  now  to 
have  an  intuitive  perception  of  the  spiritual  import  of  the 
whole ;  and  instead  of  requiring  a  comment  from  me,  could 
give  me  a  practical,  and  a  most  instructive  comment  on  al- 
most every  word  I  read. 

The  knowledge  of  Jesus,  as  the  hope  and  refuge  of  the 
sinner's  soul,  is,  indeed,  the  key  of  the  Bible.  Like  the 
sun  arising  on  a  world  of  darkness,  it  pours  its  light  on  all 
that  was  unseen  before.  It  was  this  that  enabled  this  poor, 
unlettered  man,  not  only  to  understand,  but  to  comment  on 
the  Scripture  as  he  went  along. 


POOR  SWAIZELAND. 


For  about  a  month  after  this  I  visited  him,  read  to  him, 
and  conversed  and  prayed  with  him,  ahnost  every  day.  I 
never  saw  another  cloud  upon  his  brow,  nor  heard  another 
expression  of  the  fear  of  death  or  hell  from  his  hps :  the 
triumphant  passages  of  the  Psalms,  and  of  the  prophets, 
were  now  the  natural  expressions  of  his  feelings ;  and  I  can 
truly  say,  that,  during  all  that  time,  I  rather  derived  in- 
struction from  seeing  the  power  of  the  Gospel  so  practi- 
cally applied  to  cheer  and  enlighten  and  support  a  fellow- 
sinner,  under  the  deep  distress  of  poverty  and  bodily  an- 
guish, than  conveyed  to  him  increasing  edification,  by  any 
thing  that  I  could  say. 

I  took  one  day  two  young  boys,  the  sons  of  noblemen, 
to  see  him,  with  the  hope  of  making  some  impression  on 
their  minds.  I  told  him  who  they  were.  I  mentioned  the 
rank  and  *-iches  of  their  families.  I  asked  him,  in  their 
presence,  whether  he  would  exchange  his  poverty,  his  pain,' 
and  the  prospect  of  suffering  and  death  that  was  before  him, 
for  their  health  and  strength,  and  the  titles  and  riches  of 
their  fathers,  without  that  blessed  hope  which  cheered  and 
comforted  his  heart.  He  smiled  at  my  question,  and  as  his 
head  and  arms  were  the  only  parts  of  his  body  he  could 
move,  he  shook  his  head,  and  assured  them  he  would  not 
make  the  exchange,  with  an  emphasis  which,  in  his  circum- 
stances, poured  more  contempt  on  all  that  the  world  could 
give,  compared  with  the  glorious  hope  of  the  everlasting- 
Gospel,  than  all  the  studied  eloquence  the  pulpit  ever  could 
command. 

I  was  then  obliged  to  leave  that  part  of  the  country ; 
but  after  about  two  months  I  went  down  into  Kent,  and 
found  him  in  the  same  happy  frame  of  mind.  He  told  me, 
that  no  doubt  or  fear,  concerning  the  all-sufficiency  of  his 
adorable  Redeemer,  had  crossed  his  mind  ;  he  still  continued 
to  go  on  his  way  rejoicing,  though  his  bodily  sufferings  were 
just  as  when  I  had  seen  him  before.  I  read  and  prayed 
with  him,  and  read  over  several  hymns,  which  before  had 
criven  him  particular  pleasure  ;  and  having  stayed  with  him 
VOL.  vni.  -3 


6  POOR  SWAIZELAND. 

as  long  as  time  permitted,  I  bade  him  farewell,  thinking 
that  a  very  few  weeks  would  bring  him  to  the  haven  of 
eternal  rest. 

In  the  course  of  previous  conversations,  he  had  told  me 
the  various  struggles  of  his  mind,  in  the  efforts  he  had  made 
by  his  various  resolutions  to  obtain  peace  of  conscience,  and 
satisfy  his  offended  God  for  sin. 

A  person  who  had  visited  him,  had  told  him  that  he 
ought  to  feel  very  sorry  for  his  sins,  and  endeavor  by  sin- 
cere contrition  to  obtain  the  favor  of  God  ;  but  without 
pointing  him  to  the  sacrifice  of  Christ,  and  faith  in  his  blood, 
as  his  only  hope. 

"  I  often  strove,"  said  he,  ''  to  feel  very  sorry  ;  but  when 
I  thought  I  had  got  myself  to  be  very  much  grieved  for  my 
offences,  I  found  my  heart  going  back,  and  taking  as  much 
pleasure  in  them  as  ever.  This  gentleman,"  said  he,  "  also 
advised  me  to  receive  the  sacrament,  as  a  means  of  making 
my  peace  Avith  God ;  but  I  would  not  do  it."  An  expres- 
sion which  he  made  use  of  on  this  occasion,  evinced  great 
ignorance  of  that  sacred  ordinance  ;  and  I  endeavored  to  ex- 
plain to  him  the  nature  of  it :  that  it  was  given  by  our  Lord 
to  those  who  believe  on  him,  for  a  continual  remembrance 
of  his  great  salvation,  that  he  had  died  for  them,  and  fin- 
ished all  their  transgressions  ;  but  that,  when  used  as  a  sub- 
stitute for  Christ  and  his  salvation,  as  if  it  could  atone  for 
our  offences,  it  ceased  to  be  an  ordinance  of  true  religion, 
and  was  turned,  by  such  a  perversion,  into  an  idolatrous 
superstition. 

When  I  bade  him  farewell,  on  our  last  interview,  he  ex- 
pressed what  pleasure  he  had  lost,  after  my  departure  from 
Kent,  in  not  having  any  person  to  read  the  Bible  to  him ; 
for  the  old  woman  who  attended  him  read  so  very  imper- 
fectly, that  he  could  hardly  understand  her,  and  he  himself 
unhappily  had  never  learned. 

I  cheered  him,  however,  with  the  reflection,  that  though 
he  could  not  read,  he  could  pray ;  and  that  the  promise  of 
Christ  was  not,  "  He  that  readeth  shall  be  saved,"  but,  "  He 


POOR  SWAIZELAXD.  7 

that  helieveth  shall  be  saved."  Bidding  him  farewell,  I  set 
out  soon  after  for  Ireland.     This  was  in  March,  1818. 

In  December  of  that  year,  I  engaged  a  friend  to  visit 
the  cottage  of  my  poor  brother,  to  inquire  whether  he  had 
entered  into  rest,  or  that  he  might  cheer  and  comfort  his 
heart,  with  the  communion  of  one  who  rejoiced  in  the  same 
salvation.  He  found  him  still  living ;  still  lying  on  his  back, 
in  the  same  spot  on  which  I  had  left  him ;  still  rejoicing  in 
his  Lord,  and  drawing  water  out  of  the  wells  of  salvation. 
He  had,  in  the  interval  from  the  preceding  March,  learned 
his  letters,  learned  to  spell,  and  learned  to  read  his  Bible. 

I  thought  this  was  the  last  account  I  should  ever  hear 
of  poor  Swaizeland ;  but  in  April,  1821,  I  went  to  London, 
and  soon  after  to  Kent,  to  visit  my  friend.  It  was  on  Thurs- 
day, and,  at  a  miller's  cottage  on  the  heath,  I  Avas  informed 
that  on  the  day  but  one  before,  he  had  entered  into  his  ever- 
lasting rest. 

Havinor  learned,  that  the  old  woman  who  had  attended 
him,  lived  in  a  cottage  just  beside  the  mill,  I  mquired  of  her 
concerning  him, 

"  Wlien  I  went  to  him  first,"  said  she,  ''  he  was  such  an 
impatient,  wicked-tempered  man,  that  it  was  impossible  to 
live  with  him ;  but  a  gentleman  came  to  read  the  Bible  to 
him,  for  some  days,  and  after  that  he  became  like  a  child, 
so  that  it  grieved  my  heart  to  leave  him." 

The  old  lady  did  not  recognize  me,  but  her  testimony  is 
of  great  value,  to  show  that  the  Gospel  of  Jesus,  Avhen  sim- 
ply received  into  the  heart,  is  not  only  the  power  of  God 
unto  salvation,  but  also  transforms  the  vilest  character,  and 
turns  him,  who  had  before  been  a  servant  of  Satan,  into  a 
son  and  servant  of  the  living  God. 

We  went  on  to  the  cottage  where  his  remains  were  ly- 
ing ;  the  door  was  opened  by  his  sister,  who  had,  for  some 
time,  attended  him ;  she  was  a  widow,  with  five  children. 
I  asked  her  for  her  brother. 

She  told  me  he  was  dead. 

"  How  did  he  die  ?"  said  I. 


8  POOR  BWAIZELAND. 

"  In  great  peace  with  God,  sir,"  said  she. 

"  What  gave  him  that  peace  ?"  I  asked. 

"  Oh,  sir,"  she  said,  "  he  depended  on  the  blood  of  the 
Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ." 

"  Well,"  said  I,  "  how  can  that  give  peace  ?" 

*'  Oh,  sir,"  said  she,  smiling,  and  expressing  herself  with 
joyful  confidence,  ''  surely,  if  a  person  depends  on  Jesus,  he 
may  die  very  happy." 

"  And  pray,  my  friend,"  said  I,  "  who  taught  you  this?" 

"  Oh,  sir,"  she  replied,  "  it  was  my  dear  brother,  who 
is  gone." 

She  then  expressed  the  joy  that  she  felt  at  having  been 
called  to  attend  him  during  his  lingering  illness,  and  the 
blessings  which  his  instructions  had  conveyed  to  her  soul. 
"  I  hear,"  said  I,  "  that  he  learned  to  read  before  he  died." 

*'  0  yes,  sir,"  she  answered,  "  and  to  write  too  !  I  have 
several  hymns  of  his  writing." 

I  entreated  her  to  give  me  one,  but  she  had  lent  them 
all  to  a  gentleman  in  London ;  he  had  learned  to  write,  lying 
on  his  back,  w^ith  a  pencil  and  a  slate. 

I  went  to  see  his  remains :  I  could  not  have  recognized 
his  features ;  he  was  worn  to  a  skeleton ;  his  limbs  were  all 
contracted,  and  shrivelled  to  the  very  bone  ;  but  he  had  fled 
to  Him  who  dwelleth  where  the  inhabitants  shall  no  more 
say,  "  I  am  sick;"  "  who  shall  change  our  vile  body,  that 
it  may  be  fashioned  like  imto  his  glorious  body,  according 
to  the  mighty  Avorking  whereby  he  is  able  to  subdue  all 
things  unto  himself." 

"  Reader,  may'st  tliou  obtain  like  precious  faith, 
To  smile  in  anguish,  and  rejoice  in  death." 


PUBLISHED   BY    THE   AMERICAN    TRACT    SOCIETY. 


]Vo.  9S7. 

"LIFE  FROM  THE  DEAD." 

AN  AUTHENTIC  NARRATIVE. 


"  HOW  CAN  A  MAN  BE  BORN  WHEN  HE  IS  OLD  ?"— John  3  :  4. 

H ,  Esq.,  is  a  respectable  resident  in  one  of 


the  most  picturesque  and  delightful  villages  in  the  northern 
states  of  America.  He  is  now,  1833,  turned  of  seventy- 
years  of  age  ;  is  a  man  of  more  than  ordinary  natural  pow- 
ers, and  in  his  youth  enjoyed  the  advantages  of  a  good 
academical  education.  Possessing  an  active  mind,  and  an 
ardent  temperament,  he  never  was  an  idle  spectator  of  pass- 
ing events.  This  disposition,  with  a  ready  utterance,  which 
enabled  him  to  speak  on  all  occasions  without  embarrass- 
ment, led  him  to  engage  with  ardor  in  political  disputes, 
and  on  every  subject  his  influence  was  felt.  He  was  one 
of  that  class  of  men  who  must  take  sides,  and  who  are  con- 
stitutionally inclined  to  do  with  all  their  might  whatever 
they  undertake.  In  his  hours  of  relaxation  from  business 
he  was  always  seen  in  warm  debate  with  such  as  were  in- 
clined to  dispute  with  him,  or  zealously  giving  his  opinions 
to  those  who  were  accustomed  to  look  upon  him  as  their 
oracle.  In  these  conversations  religion  was  frequently  his 
topic.  This  Avas  a  subject  which  occupied  many  of  his 
thoughts,  and  in  relation  to  which,  until  his  fifty-seventh 
year,  he  cherished  all  the  deep-rooted  opposition  which 
usually  characterizes  open  infidels.  So  great,  indeed,  was 
his  contempt  for  the  Gospel,  that  he  could  hardly  speak  of 
those  who  professed  it  with  candor.  He  was  often  heard 
to  ridicule  the  experience  of  new  converts,  and  to  speak  in 
scoffing  terms  of  those  who  had  acquired  the  most  unex- 
ceptionable character  of  piety.  He  despised  the  preaching 
of  the  Gospel,  and,  though  born  of  parents  who  early  taught 
him  to  reverence  the  Sabbath  and  the  sanctuary,  he  had 
not  for  many  years  been  seen  in  the  house  of  God,  except 
VOL.  VIIL  5* 


2  LIFE  FROM  THE  DEAD. 

at  funerals,  and  lie  generally  prevented  his  family  from  at- 
tending public  worship. 

Thus  placing  himself  beyond  the  influence  of  restraint, 
casting  off  fear,  and  living  with  neighbors  who,  in  general, 
were  careless,  he  indulged  in  the  most  revolting  use  of  pro- 
fane language.  The  practice  of  using  oaths  became  so  ha- 
bitual to  him,  that  he  seldom  uttered  a  sentence  without 
taking  the  name  of  God  in  vain.  He  spent  most  of  his  Sab- 
baths and  evenings  in  ridiculing  religion,  and  in  defending 
various  systems  of  infidelity.  Sometimes  he  w'as  a  Deist : 
he  would  reject  the  Bible,  but  profess  to  believe  in  the  be- 
ing of  a  God,  and  the  immortality  of  the  soul.  At  other 
times  he  would  strenuously  urge  the  probability  that  death 
would  be  the  end  of  his  being.  But  his  sentiments  were 
more  permanently  those  of  a  Universalist  of  the  common 
stamp.  Here  was  a  system  peculiarly  congenial  to  his  feel- 
ings. It  spread  before  him,  in  prospect,  all  that  his  ardent 
mind  could  desire,  while  it  imposed  no  unpleasant  restraint 
vipon  his  life.  Tired,  therefore,  with  being  blown  about 
with  every  wind  of  doctrine,  he  determined  to  repose  in  his 
sins,  under  the  soothing  prospect  that,  whatever  his  life 
might  be,  all  would  be  well  with  him  at  the  last.  But,  pos- 
sessing a  mind  that  was  never  satisfied  to  adopt  an  opinion 
without  what  he  considered  to  be  proof,  he  found  it  neces- 
sary to  muster  his  strong  arguments.  He  furnished  him- 
self with  books  for  the  purpose,  and  seized  upon  all  the  wit 
and  ridicule  by  which  the  doctrines  of  universal  salvation 
have  usually  been  defended  ;  and  to  give  his  system  the  ap- 
pearance of  authority,  he  searched  the  Bible,  and  selected 
passages,  and  arranged  them  with  great  diligence  into  a 
system.  But  I  liave  heard  him  say,  "  Miserable  comforters 
were  they  all !"  Yet,  in  the  common  acceptation  of  the 
words,  he  was  an  honest  man,  frank,  ingenuous,  and  open- 
hearted  ;  and  often  congratulated  himself,  and  boasted  in 

the  presence  of  others,  that  he  was  no  hypocrite  !    But  J 

H had  a  conscience,  from  which  his  early  impressions 

of  religious  truth  w^ere  never  entirely  effaced — a  conscience 
too,  which,  he  is  now  convinced,  was  often  stimulated  to  the 
work  of  reproof  by  the  strivings  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  He 
was  a  champion  of  the  system  he  had  adopted,  but  his  mind 
was  "  like  the  troubled  sea  when  it  cannot  rest." 

Mr.  H was  now  fifty-six  years  of  age.     His  char- 


LIFE  FROM  THE  DEAD.  3 

acter  presented  the  melancholy  picture  of  a  miin  of  respect- 
ability and  influence  trusting  his  own  soul  to  a  refuge  of 
lies,  teaching  the  language  of  profaneness  to  a  numerous 
family,  and  leading  a  multitude  after  him  to  perdition.  Who 
■would  have  said  that  this  man  would  ever  be  a  Christian  ? 
"  Can  the  Ethiopian  change  his  skin,  or  the  leopard  his 
spots  ?  Then  may  they  also  do  good  that  are  accustomed 
to  do  evil." 

In  1819  the  minister  of  the  place  w^as  dismissed,  and 
removed  to  another  field  of  labor.  His  successor  arrived 
a  total  stranger,  and  the  next  day,  being  the  Sabbath,  be- 
gan to  deliver  the  Lord's  message  to  the  people.  Among 
his  hearers  was  the  man  whom  w^e  have  described  above. 
His  intelligent  countenance,  the  fixedness  of  his  posture, 
and  the  vivid  flash  of  his  eye,  caught  the  attention  of  the 
preacher,  and  peculiarly  interested  his  feelings.  "■  I  was 
never  sensible,"  said  he,  "  of  sending  forth  my  whole  soul 
with  so  much  solicitude  in  prayer  for  a  stranger,  while,  as 
yet,  I  was  entirely  unacquainted  with  his  character  and  con- 
dition." The  new  minister  had  a  desire  to  know  him,  and 
embraced  the  first  opportunity  to  inquire  his  name  and  char- 
acter. To  his  unspeakable  surprise  he  was  informed  that  it 
was  the  profane  Mr.  H ,  who  had  attended  church  be- 
fore but  once  or  twice  in  eleven  years,  and  that  all  his  ap- 
parent interest  in  the  discourse  alluded  to,  was  probably 
only  that  of  a  determined  opposer.  On  returning  from  the 
house  of  worship  he  was  heard  to  utter  an  expression  too 
profane  to  be  repeated.  Shocked  with  this  intelligence,  the 
minister  began  to  reflect  upon  himself  for  having  urged  Avith 
so  much  confidence  the  salvation  of  a  soul,  upon  Avhom,  it 
now  seemed  probable,  that,  on  account  of  his  rejection  of 
the  truth,  "  God  had  sent  strong  delusions,  that  he  might 
believe  a  lie,"  and  be  lost  for  ever.  He  had  but  little  rea- 
son to  hope  for  another  opportunity  of  preaching  the  Gos- 
pel to  Mr.  H ,  still  he  could  not  quite  give  him  up,  and 

prayed  that  it  might  be  otherwise  than  he  feared.     The 

next  Sabbath  Mr.  H was  among  his  hearers  ;  and  from 

that  day  to  the  present,  (thirteen  years,)  he  has  not  failed 
a  single  Sabbath,  when  not  detained  by  sickness,  of  being 
regularly  and  in  season  at  the  house  of  God. 

His  attendance,  at  first,  w^as  doubtless  secured  by  the 
following  circumstances.     Having  once  attended,  as  above 


4  LIFE  FROM  THE  DEAD. 

related,  a  careless  neighbor  bantered  him  on  the  subject ; 
when,  on  the  spur  of  the  moment,  he  swore  he  would  be 
present  more  times  in  six  months  than  his  neighbor  !  From 
this  time  neither  of  them  lost  an  opportunity  of  outdoing 
his  antagonist,  until,  by  the  time  the  other  had  given  up 

the  unholy  contest,  Mr.  H had  something  fastened  on 

his  mind  which  bound  him  to  the  sanctuary  far  more  strong- 
ly than  his  profane  oath,  with  all  the  irreverent  curses  by 
which  it  was  accompanied. 

During  this  time  the  new  minister  had  commenced,  in  a 
series  of  connected  discourses,  a  discussion  of  the  doctrines 
of  natural  religion,  which  led  him  often  to  notice  and  refute 
the  cavils  of  infidels.  From  this  he  proceeded  to  the  evi- 
dences of  revelation,  and  embodied  and  urged  that  system 
of  arguments  which  irresistibly  proves  the  divine  authority 

of  the  Bible.   The  ardent  and  penetrating  mind  of  Mr.  H 

was  led  captive,  and  his  interest  in  the  subject  grew  as  the 
discussion  advanced,  while  the  preacher  thought  he  could 
perceive  indications  of  increasing  anxiety  Avithin.  But  to 
those  who  conversed  with  him  during  the  week,  it  was  man- 
ifest that,  notwithstanding  his  apparent  feeling,  his  heart 
was  still  at  enmity  with  God.  He  would  roughly  assail  the 
arguments  of  the  preacher  in  the  hearing  of  others,  and  sev- 
eral times  he  accosted  the  minister  with  opposing  sentiments. 
But  the  minister  scrupulously  avoided  entering  into  disputes 
with  him,  and  was  accustomed  to  leave  him  with  some  sol- 
emn remark  on  the  necessity  of  pardon  through  the  blood 
of  Christ. 

After  several  months,  the  weakness  of  the  arguments  by 
Avhich  this  profane  man  had  sustained  his  infidel  scheme, 
became  apparent  to  his  own  mind.  The  sunbeams  of  truth 
had  fallen  on  his  dark  soul,  and  scattered  the  mists  of  error 
by  which  he  had  been  deluded.  His  own  wickedness  re- 
proved him.  He  saw  that,  with  the  word  of  God  in  his 
hand,  he  had  unwisely  formed  his  opinions  and  constructed 
his  system  of  theology  independent  of  its  authority.  He 
began  to  restrain  his  infidel  wit  and  cavillings  ;  and  one  day, 
while  passing  from  the  church,  he  remarked  with  an  oath, 
unconscious  of  the  dreadful  inconsistency  of  the  expression, 
that  he  believed  religion  a  good  thing,  and  that  he  meant  to 
seek  it.  Soon  after  this,  stung  with  a  sense  of  the  scandal 
he  had  brought  on  himself  and  family  by  his  long  neglect 


LIFE  FROM  THE  DEAD.  5 

of  the  sanctuary,  he  strictly  enjoined  it  on  his  children  to 
attend  worship  every  Sabbath ;  yet  in  urging  upon  them 
and  others  the  importance  of  religion,  his  conversation  was 
often  interspersed  with  oaths  and  profaneness  too  shocking 
to  be  repeated.  Indeed,  the  habit  of  using  profane  lan- 
guage had  become  so  familiar  to  him,  that  for  a  considera- 
ble time  after  his  mind  was  evidently  impressed,  he  seemed 
insensible  that  he  was  mingling  with  his  religious  remarks 
the  very  dialect  of  hell.  Of  this  he  was,  at  length,  remind- 
ed. He  trembled  at  the  consequences  of  a  sin  so  wanton 
and  senseless,  and  one  of  his  first  efforts  at  reformation  was 
a  determination  to  leave  off  swearing.  To  assist  him  in  this 
purpose,  he  invited  his  neighbors  to  reprove  him  whenever 
they  heard  him  use  an  oath.  This  they  had  frequent  occa- 
sion to  do,  till  in  a  few  weeks  he  subdued  a  habit  which 
had  acquired  the  strength  of  years. 

Having  thus  succeeded  in  this  and  several  other  points 

of  external  reformation,  Mr.  H trusted  in  himself  that 

he  should  be  righteous.  But  his  prospect  darkened  as  he 
proceeded,  and  the  gulf,  upon  whose  brink  he  had  sported 
away  a  long  life,  seemed  to  yawn  wider  and  wider,  the 
more  he  attempted,  in  his  own  strength,  to  escape  its  dan- 
gers. His  conflicts  with  particular  sinful  habits,  on  whose 
extermination  he  was  resolved,  convinced  him  that  they 
were  not  alone,  but  belonged  to  a  legion  within,  which  re- 
mained yet  to  be  subdued.  He  perceived  that  all  his  labo- 
rious attempts  at  external  reformation  had  not  even  touched 
the  seat  of  his  malady,  and  that  so  long  as  the  fountain  of 
his  heart  remained  uncleansed,  it  would  continue  to  send 
forth  bitter  streams.  These  streams  had  now  become  worm- 
wood and  gall  to  his  taste.  He  was  oppressed  with  a  deep 
sense  of  his  guilt  before  God.  He  ceased  to  talk  of  out- 
ward reformation.  He  was  ashamed,  and  blushed  to  lift 
up  his  face  even  to  a  fellow-mortal  in  justification  of  any 
thing  he  had  ever  done.  He  retired  from  the  society  of 
those  with  whom  he  had  been  accustomed  to  converse  with 
fluency  on  the  externals  of  religion.  His  whole  soul  was 
now  engaged.  So  severe  was  his  distress,  that  he  loathed 
his  necessary  food,  and  his  sleep  forsook  him  in  the  night 
season.  The  chills  of  despair  came  over  him.  His  coun- 
tenance was  cast  down  to  the  earth,  his  flesh  was  wasting 
away,  and  serious  apprehensions  were  entertained  by  his 


6  LIFE  FHOM  THE  DEAD. 

friends  as  to  the  result  upon  his  bodily  health.  He  remain- 
ed in  this  situation  about  two  weeks,  during  which  time  his 
convictions  of  sin  were  constantly  increasing,  and  he  found 
no  comfort  in  Christ.  At  length  he  called  one  morning 
upon  the  minister  who  was  now  settled  in  the  parish,  by 
whom  he  was  met  at  the  door.  The  minister  took  him  by 
the  hand,  and  inquired  after  his  health.  "  Oh,"  said  he, 
''  I  am  a  poor  creature  ;  there  is  nothing  for  me  but  miser}^, 
in  this  world,  or  in  the  world  to  come ;"  and  wept  aloud. 
The  minister  was  overpowered,  and  unable  to  command  his 
feelings  sufficiently  to  reply ;  and,  unmindful  of  the  notice 
of  those  who  might  be  passing,  he  stood  in  the  door  and 
wept  w^ith  him.  He  has  often  related  the  story,  and  said, 
"  I  was  never  conscious  of  feeling  so  deeply  a  sense  of  the 
goodness  of  God,  and  of  my  own  littleness,  as  wdien  I  saw 
that  gray-headed  sinner  before  me,  bathed  in  tears ;  that 
hackneyed  transgressor,  who  had  daringly  trampled  on  Sab- 
baths, and  sermons,  and  prayers,  and  the  Son  of  God  him- 
self, now,  in  the  evening  of  his  life,  so  humbled  by  the 
power  of  the  Highest,  that  he  would  come  to  me  for  coun- 
sel." 

The  minister  soon  regained  his  self-possession,  and  in- 
vited his  new  and  Avelcome  guest  to  his  chamber,  where  he 
knelt  down  with  him  and  prayed,  and  rose  up  and  preached 

Christ  crucified  for  the  remission  of  sins.     Mr.  H was 

convulsed  w4th  grief.  "  Oh,"  said  he,  "  there  can  be  no 
pardon  for  me ;  I  have  been  such  a  -wretch,  not  only  in 
spurning  the  offers  of  mercy  myself,  but  in  teaching  my 
dear  family  to  despise  religion.  I  have  been  angry  with 
them,  and  abused  them  when  they  have  sometimes  stolen 
away  from  me,  and  found  their  w^ay  to  the  sanctuary  of 
the  Lord's  house.  And  I  have  been  offended  with  my  wife, 
who  has  often  remained  in  her  room  alone,  I  knew  not  for 
what  purpose,  after  I  had  retired  to  my  bed.  She  now  tells 
me,  what  she  never  dared  mention  before,  that  she  used  to 
sit  u})  to  iwaij  for  me.     Oh,  it  is  too  much  to  be  forgiven  !" 

The  minister  replied,  "  It  can  be  forgiven,  Mr.  H .     '  It 

is  a  faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ 
Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners,  even  the  chief.' 
Believe  this ;  go  and  plead  it  before  the  throne  of  God,  and 
be  willing  to  be  any  thing,  that  you  may  promote  his  glory." 
Mr.  H listened  with  deep  feeling ;  he  partly  believed, 


LIFE  FROIM  THE  DEAD.  7 

but  his  proud  heart  could  not  yet  consent  entirely  to  give 
up  his  boasted  self-righteousness.  The  interview  closed, 
and  he  departed,  having  yet  no  peace  in  believing.  But 
the  Spirit  of  God  had  begun  a  good  work  in  his  soul.  He 
remained  in  the  deep  waters  until  the  following  Sabbath. 
Then,  as  he  listened  to  the  message  of  grace  through  the 
blood  of  Christ,  a  ray  of  hope  lighted  upon  his  heart. 

It  had  now  begun  to  be  a  time  of  revival  in  the  church, 
and  others  around  were  asking  what  they  must  do  to  be 
saved.      A  conference  meeting  was  held  on  the  Sabbath 

evening,  which  was  numerously  attended,  and  Mr.  H 

was  present.  After  a  powerful  address  by  the  pastor,  he 
arose  and  requested  liberty  to  speak.  With  eyes  filled  with 
tears,  and  in  broken  sentences,  he  proceeded  nearly  in  the 
following  words : 

"  My  friends  and  neighbors — I  am  now  fifty- eight  years 
of  age,  and  during  the  whole  of  my  life  I  have  served  the 
enemy  of  souls ;  and  you  are  witnesses  for  me  that  I  have 
done  it  zealously.  I  am  now  determined,  in  humble  reli- 
ance on  the  grace  of  God,  that  I  will  serve  the  Lord  as  zeal- 
ously all  the  remnant  of  my  days.  And  I  humbly  ask  an 
interest  in  the  prayers  of  God's  people  here,  that  I  may  be 
sustained  in  this  resolution.  I  have  been  esteemed  a  man 
of  truth,  and  so  I  have  been,  in  all  my  intercourse  with  the 
world,  and  you  had  reason  to  believe  me,  when  I  used  to 
say  I  was  a  Universalist.  I  tried  to  be  a  Universalist,  and 
tried  to  be  a  Deist,  and  once  thought  I  was  one.  But,  my 
friends,  I  was  not.  I  never  was  either,  I  had  no  rest  any- 
where, I  never  was  any  thing  but  an  enemy  to  God.  And 
I  now  humbly  ask  your  pardon  for  the  injury  I  have  done 
you  and  the  cause  of  Christ,  by  my  example,  and  by  all 
my  profane  conversation  on  these  subjects.  I  now  put 
all  my  confidence  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  choos^e  him  as  my 
portion." 

He  was  at  length  overcome  by  his  feelings,  and  was 
compelled  to  sit  down.  The  effect  on  the  meeting  was  vis- 
ible. Great  fear  came  upon  all,  and  every  body  said  that 
the  poAver  which  could  effect  such  a  change  must  be  divine. 
He  had  already  established  family  pi^aj-er,  which  he  has  ever 
since  continued  regularly.  He  is  now  an  ardent,  persever- 
ing Christian ;  and  all  who  remember  his  former  state,  con- 
template his  present  character  with  wonder. 


8  LIFE  FROM  THE  DEAD. 

"  Great  is  the  work,  my  neighbors  cried, 
And  own'd  thy  power  divine ; 
Great  is  the  Avork,  my  heart  replied, 
And  be  the  glory  thine." 

Thus  may  "  a  man  be  born  when  he  is  old,"  by  the  re- 
generating and  sanctifying  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  making 
him  a  new  creature  in  Christ  Jesus,  a  willing  servant  of  the 
Lord.  And  he,  to  whom  Christ  has  forgiven  much,  will 
love  much,  and.  strive  to  do  much  for  the  glory  of  God. 
The  happy  consequences  of  the  new  birth  of  the  subject  of 
this  narrative  have  already  been  witnessed  in  the  conversion 
of  five  of  his  children,  who,  together  with  himself  and  his 
aged  companion,  are  now  members  of  the  same  church. 
Two  extensive  revivals  of  religion  have  since  been  enjoyed 
in  that  place,  which  have  added  to  the  number  of  the  pro- 
fessed followers  of  Christ  more  than  two  hundred  and  fifty 
souls.  Many  of  these  will  doubtless  praise  God  in  eternity 
for  the  fervent  prayers  and  zealous  activity  of  the  aged, 

but  prompt  and  laborious  J H ;  and  if  the  Father 

of  mercies,  in  answer  to  the  prayer  of  the  writer,  shall  deign 
to  bless  this  Tract  to  the  souls  of  its  readers,  tens  of  thou- 
sands may  hereafter  be  converted  through  its  instrumen- 
tality ;  and  "■  what  shall  the  receiving  of  them  he,  hat  life 

FROM  THE  DEAD?"       RoDl.    11  :    15. 


PUBLISHED  BY  THE  AMERICAN  TRACT  SOCIETY 


No.  358. 


THREE  ClUEEIES 

TO 

THE  REJECTERS  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


BY  REV.  ANDREW  PULLER, 


I.  How  came  you  to  renounce  Christianity,  and  to  im- 
bibe your  present  principles  ? 

Retrace  the  process  of  your  mind,  and  ask  your  con- 
science, as  you  proceed,  whether  all  was  fair  and  upright  ? 
Nothing  is  more  common,  than  for  persons  of  relaxed  mor- 
als to  attribute  their  change  of  conduct  to  a  change  of  sen- 
timents or  views  relative  to  certain  subjects.  It  is  galling 
to  one's  own  feelings,  and  mean  in  the  account  of  others,  to 
act  against  pri7iciple ;  but  if  a  person  can  once  persuade 
himself  to  think  favorably  of  those  things  which  he  has 
formerly  accounted  sinful,  and  can  furnish  a  plea  for  them 
which,  at  least,  may  serve  to  parry  the  censures  of  man- 
kind, he  will  feel  much  more  at  ease,  and  be  able  to  put  on 
a  better  face  when  he  mingles  with  society.  Whatever  in- 
ward stings  may  annoy  his  peace  under  certain  occasional 
qualms,  yet  he  has  not  to  reproach  himself,  nor  can  others 
reproach  him,  with  such  inconsistency  of  character  as  in 
former  instances.  Rousseau  confesses  he  found  in  the  rea- 
sonings of  a  certain  lady,  with  whom  he  lived  in  the  great- 
est possible  familiarity,  all  those  ideas  ivhich  he  had  occasion 
for.  Have  you  not  found  the  same  in  the  conversation  and 
writings  of  Deists  ?  Did  you  not,  previously  to  your  rejec- 
tion of  Christianity,  indulge  in  vicious  courses ;  and  while 
indulging  in  these  courses,  did  not  its  holy  precepts  and 

VOL.  VIII,  6 


2  THREE  QUERIES  TO  THE 

awful  threatenings  gall  your  spirits  ?  Were  you  not  like  a 
person  gathering  forbidden  fruit  amidst  showers  of  arrows  ; 
and  had  you  not  recourse  to  your  present  principles  for  a 
shield  against  them  ?  If  you  cannot  honestly  answer  these 
questions  in  the  negative,  you  are  in  an  evil  case.  You 
may  flatter  yourself  for  a  while  that  perhaps  there  may  be 
no  hereafter,  or  at  least,  no  judgment  to  come ;  but  you 
know  the  time  is  not  far  distant  when  you  must  go  and  see  ; 
and  then,  if  you  should  be  mistaken,  what  will  you  do  ? 

Perhaps  you  are  descended  from  godly  parents,  and 
have  had  a  religious  education.  Has  not  your  infidelity 
arisen  from  the  dislike  which  you  conceived  in  early  life  to 
religious  exercises?  Family  worship  was  a  weariness  to 
you ;  and  the  cautions,  warnings,  and  counsels  which  were 
given  you,  instead  of  having  any  proper  effect,  only  irri- 
tated your  corruptions.  You  longed  to  be  from  under  the 
yoke.  Since  that  time  your  parents,  it  may  be,  have  been 
removed  by  death  ;  or  if  they  live,  they  may  have  lost  their 
control  over  you.  So  now  you  are  free.  But  still,  some- 
thing is  wanting  to  erase  the  prejudices  of  education,  which, 
in  spite  of  all  your  efforts,  will  accompany  you,  and  imbit- 
ter  your  present  pui'suits.  For  this  purpose,  a  friend  puts 
into  your  hands  some  deistical  composition.  You  read  it 
with  avidity.  This  is  the  very  thing  you  wanted.  You 
have  long  suspected  the  truth  of  Christianity,  but  had  not 
courage  to  oppose.  Now  then  you  are  a  philosopher  ;  yes, 
a  philosopher  !  "  Our  fathers,"  say  you,  "  might  be  well- 
meaning  people,  but  they  were  imposed  upon  by  priests. 
The  world  gets  more  enlightened  nowadays.  There  is  no 
need  of  such  rigidness.  The  Supreme  Being,  if  there  be 
one,  can  never  have  created  the  pleasures  of  life  but  for  the 
purpose  of  enjoyment.  Avaunt,  ye  self-denying  casuists  ; 
Nature  is  the  law  of  man!" 

Was  not  this,  or  something  nearly  resembling  it,  the 
process  of  your  mind  ?  Are  you  now  satisfied  ?  I  do  not 
ask  whether  you  have  been  able  to  defend  your  cause 
against  assailants,  or  whether  you  have  gained  converts  to 


REJECTERS  OF  CHRISTIAMTV.  3 

your  way  of  thinking :  you  may  have  done  both ;  but  are 
you  satisfied  with  yourself?  Do  you  really  beheve  yourself 
to  be  in  the  right  way  ?  Have  you  no  misgivings  of  heart  ? 
Is  there  not  something  within  you  that  occasionally  whis- 
pers, "  My  parents  were  righteous,  and  I  am  wicked.  O 
that  my  soul  was  in  their  souls'  stead  ?" 

Ah,  young  man,  if  such  be  the  occasional  revolutions 
of  your  own  mind,  what  are  you  doing  in  laboring  to  gain 
others  over  to  your  way  of  thinking  ?  Can  you,  from  expe- 
rience, honestly  promise  them  peace  of  mind  ?  Can  you  go 
about  to  persuade  them  that  there  is  no  hell,  when,  if  you 
would  speak  the  truth,  you  must  acknowledge  that  you 
have  already  an  earnest  of  it  kindled  in  your  own  bosom  ? 
If  counsels  were  not  lost  upon  you,  I  would  entreat  you  to 
be  contented  Avith  destroying  your  own  soul.  Have  pity 
on  your  fellow- creatures,  if  you  have  none  upon  yourself. 
Nay,  spare  yourself  so  much,  at  least,  as  not  to  incur  the 
everlasting  execrations  of  your  most  intimate  acquaintance. 
If  Christianity  should  prove  what  your  conscience,  in  your 
most  serious  moments,  tells  you  it  is,  you  are  doing  this 
every  day  of  your  life. 

II.  How  is  it,  that  almost  all  your  writers,  at  one  time 
or  other,  hear  testimony  in  favor  of  Christianity  ? 

It  were  easy  to  collect  from  those  very  writings  which 
were  designed  to  undermine  the  Christian  religion,  hundreds 
of  testimonies  in  its  favor.  Voltaire  and  Rousseau,  as  is 
well  known,  have,  at  times,  gone  far  towards  contradicting 
all  which  they  have  written  against  it.  Bolinghroke  has 
done  the  same.  Such  sentences  as  the  following  may  be 
found  in  his  publications :  "  Supposing  Christianity  to 
have  been  a  human  invention,  it  has  been  the  most  amiable 
invention  that  ever  was  imposed  on  mankind  for  their  good. 
Christianity,  as  it  came  out  of  the  hand  of  God,  if  I  may 
use  the  expression,  was  a  most  simple  and  intelligible  rule 
of  belief,  worship,  and  manners,  which  is  the  true  notion  of 
religion.  The  Gospel,  in  all  cases,  is  one  continued  lesson 
of  the  strictest  morality,  of  justice,  of  benevolence,  and  of 


4  THREE  aUERIES  TO  THE 

universal  charity."  Fame,  perhaps,  has  said  as  Httle  in 
this  way  as  any  of  your  writers,  yet  he  has  professed  re- 
spect for  the  character  of  Jesus  Christ.  "He  was,"  says 
he,  "  a  virtuous  and  an  amiable  man.  The  morahty  that 
he  preUched  and  practised  was  of  the  most  benevolent 
kind." 

In  what  manner  will  you  attempt  to  account  for  these 
concessions  ?  Christian  writers,  those  at  least  who  are  sin- 
cerely attached  to  the  cause,  are  not  seized  with  these  fits 
of  inconsistency.  How  is  it  that  yourSj  like  the  worship- 
pers of  Baal,  should  thus  be  continually  cutting  themselves 
with  knives  ? 

You  must  either  give  up  your  leaders,  as  a  set  of  men 
who,  while  they  were  laboring  to  persuade  the  world  of  the 
hypocrisy  of  priests,  were  themselves  the  most  infamous  of 
all  hypocrites  ;  or,  which  will  be  equally  fatal  to  your  cause, 
you  must  attribute  it  to  occasional  convictions  which  they 
felt  and  expressed,  though  contrary  to  the  general  strain  of 
their  writings.  Is  it  not  an  unfavorable  character  of  your 
cause,  that  in  this  particular  it  exactly  resembles  that  of 
vice  itself  ?  Vicious  men  will  often  bear  testimony  in  favor 
of  virtue,  especially  on  the  near  approach  of  death ;  but 
virtuous  men  never  retuiTi  the  compliment  by  bearing  tes- 
timony in  favor  of  vice.  We  are  not  afraid  of  Christians 
thus  betraying  their  cause :  but  neither  your  writers  nor 
your  conscience  are  to  be  trusted  in  a  serious  hour. 

HI.  Hoio  comes  it  to  jx^ss  that  your  principles  fail,  as 
they  are  frequently  knoimi  to  do,  in  a  dying  hour  ? 

It  is  a  rule  with  wise  men,  so  to  live  as  they  shall  wish 
they  had  lived  when  they  come  to  die.  How  do  you  suppose 
you  shall  wish  you  had  lived  in  that  day  ?  Look  at  the 
deaths  of  your  greatest  men,  and  see  what  their  principles 
have  done  for  them  at  last.  Mark  the  end  of  that  apostle 
and  high- priest  of  your  profession,  Voltaire;  and  try  if 
you  can  find  in  it  either  integrity,  or  hope,  or  any  thing 
that  should  render  it  an  object  of  envy.  The  follow- 
ing particulars,  among  many  others,  are  recorded  of  this 


REJECTERS  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  5 

•writer,  by  his  biographer,  Condorcet,  a  man  after  his  own 
heart. 

1.  That  he  conceived  the  design  of  ovei-turning  the 
Christian  rehgion,  and  that  by  his  own  hand.  ''I  am  wea- 
ried," said  he,  "  of  hearing  it  repeated,  that  twelve  men 
were  sufiScient  to  estabhsh  Christianity;  and  I  wish  to 
prove  there  needs  but  one  to  destroy  it." 

2.  That  in  pursuit  of  this  object  he  was  threatened  with 
a  prosecution,  to  avoid  w^hich  he  received  the  sacrament, 
and  publicly  declared  his  respect  for  the  church,  and  his 
disdain  for  his  detractors,  namely,  those  who  had  called  in 
question  his  Christianity  ! 

3.  That  in  his  last  illness  in  Paris,  being  desirous  of 
obtaining  what  is  called  Christian  burial,  he  sent  for  a 
priest,  to  whom  he  declared  that  he  "  died  in  the  Catholic 
faith,  in  which  he  was  born." 

4.  That  another  priest,  curate  of  the  parish,  troubled 
him  with  questions.  Among  other  things,  he  asked,  "Do 
you  believe  in  the  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ?"  "In  the 
name  of  God,  sir,"  replied  Voltaire,  "  speak  to  me  no  more 
of  that  man,  but  let  me  die  in  peace." 

Why  is  it  that  so  many  of  you  faint  in  the  day  of  trial  ? 
If  your  cause  Avere  good,  you  would  defend  it  with  upright- 
ness, and  die  with  inward  satisfaction.  But  is  it  so  ?  A 
Deist  may  flatter  himself  that  his  principles  will  bear  him 
up  in  the  prospect  of  death ;  and  it  is  possible  that  he  may 
brave  it  out  as  it  is  said  David  Hume  did.  Such  instances, 
however,  are  rare.  For  one  unbeliever  that  maintains  his 
courage,  many  might  be  produced  Avhose  hearts  have  failed 
them,  and  who  have  trembled  for  the  consequences  of  their 
infidelity. 

On  the  other  hand,  you  cannot  produce  a  single  instance 
of  a  Christian  ivlio,  at  the  ai^proach  of  death,  was  troubled 
or  terrified  in  his  conscience  for  having  been  a  Christian. 
Many  have  been  afraid  in  that  day,  lest  their  faith  in  Christ 
should  not  prove  genuine ;  but  who  that  has  put  his  trust 
in  him,  was  ever  known  to  be  apprehensive  lest  he  should 

VOL.  VIII.  6* 


Q  THREE  QUERIES  TO  THE 

at  last  deceive  him  ?  Can  you  account  for  that  difference  ? 
If  you  have  discovered  the  true  religion,  and  Christianity 
be  all  fable  and  imposture,  how  comes  it  to  pass  that  the 
issue  of  things  is  what  it  is?  Do  gold,  and  silver,  and 
precious  stones  perish  in  the  fire,  and  do  wood,  and  hay, 
and  stubble  endure  it  ? 

I  have  admitted  that  a  Deist  may  possibly  brave  it  out 
till  the  last ;  but  if  he  does,  his  courage  may  be  merely 
assumed.  Pride  will  induce  men  to  disguise  the  genuine 
feelings  of  their  hearts  on  more  occasions  than  one.  We 
hear  much  of  courage  among  duellists  ;  but  little  credit  is 
due  to  what  they  say,  if,  while  the  words  proceed  from 
their  lips,  we  see  them  approach  each  other  with  paleness 
and  trembling.  Your  own  writers  admit,  "the  Power  that 
called  us  into  being,  can,  if  he  pleases,  and  when  he  pleases, 
call  us  to  account  for  the  manner  in  which  we  live  here ; 
and  therefore,  without  seeking  any  farther  motive  for  the 
belief,  it  is  rational  to  beUeve  that  he  will,  for  we  know  be- 
forehand that  he  can." 

Let  this  hypothesis  be  admitted,  and  that  in  its  lowest 
form,  that  there  is  only  a  possibility  of  a  judgment  to  come  : 
this  is  sufficient  to  evince  your  folly,  and,  if  you  thought  on 
the  subject,  to  destroy  your  peace.  This  alone  has  induced 
many  infidels  in  their  last  moments  to  wish  that  they  had  lived 
like  Christians.  If  it  be  possible  that  there  may  be  a  judg- 
ment to  come,  why  should  it  not  be  equally  possible  that 
Christianity  itself  may  be  true?  And  if  it  should,  on  what 
ground  do  you  stand  ?  If  it  be  otherwise.  Christians  have 
nothing  to  fear.  While  they  are  taught  "  to  deny  ungodli- 
ness and  worldly  lusts,  and  live  soberly,  righteously,  and 
godly,  in  this  present  evil  world,"  whatever  might  prove 
true  with  respect  to  another,  it  is  presumed  they  are  safe ; 
but  if  that  Saviour  whom  you  have  despised  should  indeed 
be  the  Son  of  God — if  that  name  wliich  you  have  blas- 
phemed should  be  the  only  one  given  under  heaven  among 
men,  by  which  you  can  be  saved,  what  a  situation  must  you 
be  in !     You  may  wish  at  present  not  to  be  told  of  him ; 


REJECTERS  OF  CHRISTIAMTY.  7 

yea,  even  in  death  it  may  be  a  vexation,  as  it  was  to  Vol- 
taire, to  hear  of  him ;  but  hear  of  him  you  must,  and, 
what  is  more,  you  must  appear  before  him. 

I  cannot  condude  this  address  without  expressing*  my 
earnest  desire  for  your  salvation;  and  whether  you  will 
hear,  or  whether  you  will  forbear,  reminding  you  that  your 
Redeemer  is  merciful.  He  can  have  compassion  on  the 
ignorant,  and  them  who  are  out  of  the  way.  The  door  of 
mercy  is  not  yet  shut.  At  present  you  are  invited,  and 
even  entreated  to  enter  in.  And  every  thing  which,  as  a 
sinner,  you  can  want,  is  graciously  provided  in  the  Gospel : 
a  free  pardon  through  the  atonement  of  Jesus ;  a  full  justi- 
fication through  his  righteousness ;  and  the  promised  aids 
of  his  Holy  Spirit  to  purify  your  heart  and  reform  your 
life.  Now,  therefore,  is  the  accepted  time ;  this  is  the  day 
of  salvation.  But  if  you  still  continue  hardened  against 
Him,  you  may  find,  to  your  cost,  that  the  abuse  of  mercy 
gives  an  edge  to  justice ;  and  that,  to  be  crushed  to  atoms 
by  falling  rocks,  or  buried  in  oblivion  at  the  bottom  of 
mountains,  were  rather  to  be  chosen  than  an  exposure  to 
the  wrath  of  the  Lamb. 


TESTIMONY  OF  THE  INFIDEL  ROUSSEAU. 

"  I  will  confess  to  you  that  the  majesty  of  the  Scrip- 
tures strikes  me  witli  admiration,  as  the  purity  of  the 
Gospel  hath  its  influence  on  my  heart.  Peruse  the  works 
of  our  philosophers  with  all  their  pomp  of  diction :  how 
mean,  how  contemptible  are  they,  compared  with  the  Scrip- 
ture. Is  it  possible  that  a  book,  at  once  so  simple  and 
sublime,  should  be  merely  the  work  of  man  ?  Is  it  possible 
that  the  sacred  personage  whose  history  it  contains,  should 
be  himself  a  mere  man  ?  Do  we  find  that  he  assumed  the 
tone  of  an  enthusiast  or  ambitious  sectary  ?  What  sweet- 
ness, what  purity  in  his  manner ;  what  an  aff'ecting  grace- 
fulness in  his  delivery ;  what  sublimity  in  his  maxims ;  what 


8  THREE  UL'ERIES. 

profound  wisdom  in  his  discourses  ;  what  presence  of  mind, 
what  subtlety,  what  truth  in  his  rephes ;  how  great  the 
command  over  his  passions  !  Where  is  the  man,  where  the 
philosopher,  w^ho  could  so  live,  and  so  die,  without  weak- 
ness, and  without  ostentation  ? 

"  The  death  of  Socrates,  peaceably  philosophizing  with 
his  friends,  appears  the  most  agreeable  that  could  be  wish- 
ed for:  that  of  Jesus,  expiring  in  the  midst  of  agonizing 
pains,  abused,  insulted,  and  accused  by  a  whole  nation,  is 
the  most  horrible  that  could  be  feared.  Socrates,  in  re- 
ceiving the  poison,  blessed  indeed  the  weeping  executioner 
who  administered  it ;  but  Jesus,  in  the  midst  of  excruciat- 
ing tortures,  prayed  for  his  merciless  tormentors.  Yes,  if 
the  life  and  death  of  Socrates  were  those  of  a  sage,  the 
life  and  death  of  Jesus  are  those  of  a  God.  Shall  we  sup- 
pose the  evangelic  history  a  mere  fiction?  Indeed,  my 
friend,  it  bears  not  the  marks  of  fiction ;  on  the  contrary, 
the  history  of  Socrates,  which  nobody  presumes  to  doubt, 
is  not  so  w^ell  attested  as  that  of  Jesus  Christ.  Such  ii 
supposition,  in  fact,  only  shifts  the  difficulty^  Avithout  ob- 
viating it :  it  is  more  inconceivable  that  a  number  of  persons 
should  agree  to  write  such  a  history,  than  that  only  one 
should  furnish  the  history  of  it.  The  Jewish  authors  were 
incapable  of  the  diction,  and  strangers  to  the  morality  con- 
tained in  the  Gospel,  the  marks  of  whose  truth  are  so 
striking  and  inimitable,  that  the  inventor  would  be  a  more 
astonishing  character  than  the  hero.'"  Emile,  Book  4, 
Works,  vol.  9,  pp.  1 4*7-151,  Geneva. 


FUBLISHED  BY  THE  AMERICAN  TRACT  SOCIETY. 


JVo.  339. 

A   VIEW 

OF    THE 

EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


BY  J.   FLETCHER 


1.  The  sacred  penmen,  the  prophets  and  the  apostles, 
were  holy,  excellent  men,  and  would  not — artless,  illiterate 
men,  and  therefore  could  not,  lay  the  horrible  scheme  of 
deluding  mankind.  The  hope  of  gain  did  not  influence 
them,  for  they  were  self-denying  men,  that  left  all  to  follow 
a  Master  who  had  not  where  to  lay  his  head,  and  whose 
grand  initiating  maxim  was,  Except  a  man  forsake  all  that  he 
hath,  he  cannot  he  my  disciple.  They  were  so  disinterested 
that  they  secured  nothing  on  earth  but  hunger  and  naked- 
ness, stocks  and  prisons,  racks  and  tortures,  which  indeed 
was  all  that  they  could  or  did  expect,  in  consequence  of 
Christ's  express  declarations.  Add  to  this,  that  they  were 
so  many,  and  lived  at  such  distance  of  time  and  place  from 
each  other,  that,  had  they  been  impostors,  it  would  have 
been  impracticable  for  them  to  contrive  and  cany  on  a  forg- 
ery without  being  detected.  And  as  they  neither  would 
nor  could  deceive  the  world,  so  they  neither  could  nor  would 
he  deceived  themselves ;  for  they  were,  days,  months,  and 
years,  eye  and  ear  witnesses  of  the  things  which  they  relate  ; 
and,  to  leave  us  no  room  to  question  their  sincerity,  most  of 
them  joyfully  sealed  the  truth  of  their  doctrines  with  their 
own  blood. 

2.  But  even  while  they  lived,  they  confirmed  their  tes- 
timony by  a  variety  of  miracles,  wrought  in  divers  places, 
and  for  a  number  of  years  ;  sometimes  before  thousands  of 
their  enemies,  as  the  miracles  of  Christ  and  his  disciples ; 
sometimes  before  hundreds  of  thousands,  as  those  of  Moses. 
These  miracles  were  so  well  known  and  attested,  that  when 
both  Christ  and  Moses  appealed  to  their  authenticity  be- 
fore their  bitterest  opposers,  mentioning  the  persons  upon 
whom,  as  well  as  the  particular  time  when,  and  the  places 


2  TilE  EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 

"vvhere  they  had  been  performed,  the  facts  were  never  de- 
nied, but  were  passed  over  in  silence,  or  mahciously  attributed 
to  the  prince  of  the  devils.  So  sure,  then,  as  God  would 
never  have  displayed  his  arm  in  the  most  astonishing  man- 
ner for  the  support  of  imposture,  the  sacred  penmen  had 
their  commission  from  the  Almighty,  and  their  writings  are 
his  lively  oracles. 

3.  Reason  itself  dictates,  that  nothing  but  the  plainest 
matter  of  fact  could  induce  so  many  thousands  of  prejudiced 
and  persecuting  Jews  to  embrace  the  humbling,  self-deny- 
ing doctrines  of  the  cross,  which  they  so  much  despised  and 
abhorred.  Nothing  but  the  clearest  evidence,  arising  from 
undoubted  truth,  could  make  multitudes  of  lawless,  luxu- 
rious heathens  receive,  follow,  and  transmit  to  posterity  the 
doctrines  and  writings  of  the  apostles  ;  especially,  at  a  time 
when  the  vanity  of  their  pretensions  to  miracles  and  the 
gift  of  tongues  could  be  so  easily  discovered,  had  they  been 
impostors,  and  at  a  time  when  the  profession  of  Christianity 
exposed  persons  of  all  ranks  to  the  greatest  contempt  and 
most  imminent  danger.  In  this  respect,  the  case  of  the 
primitive  Christians  widely  differed  from  that  of  Mahomet's 
followei-s ;  for  those  who  adhered  to  the  warlike,  violent 
impostor,  saved  their  lives  and  property,  or  attained  to 
honor,  by  their  new,  easy,  and  flesh-pleasing  religion  ;  but 
those  who  devoted  themselves  to  the  meek,  self-denying, 
crucified  Jesus,  were  frequently  spoiled  of  their  goods,  and 
cruelly  put  to  death ;  or,  if  they  escaped  with  their  lives, 
were  looked  upon  as  the  very  dregs  of  mankind. 

4.  When  the  authenticity  of  the  miracles  was  attested 
by  thousands  of  living  witnesses,  religious  rites  were  insti- 
tuted and  performed  by  hundreds  of  thousands,  agreeable 
to  Scripture  injunctions,  in  order  to  perpetuate  that  authen- 
ticity. And  these  solemn  ceremonies  have  ever  since  been 
kept  up  in  all  parts  of  the  world  :  the  passover  by  the  Jews, 
in  remembrance  of  Moses'  miracles  in  Egypt ;  and  the 
eucharist  by  Christians,  as  a  memorial  of  Christ's  death. 

5.  The  Scriptures  have  not  only  the  external  sanction 
of  miracles,  but  the  internal  stamp  of  the  omniscient  God, 
by  a  variety  of  prophecies,  some  of  which  have  already  been 
most  exactly  confirmed  by  the  events  predicted :  witness 
the  rise  and  fall  of  the  four  grand  monarchies,  according  to 
Daniel's  prophecy,  chapters  2  and  7,  and  the  destruction 


THE  EVIDENCES  OF  CIIRISTIAXTTY.  3 

of  the  city  and  temple  of  Jerusalem,  foretold  by  Christ, 
Matt.  24:2;  while  others  are  every  day  fulfilled  in  the  face 
of  infidels,  particularly  the  persecution  of  the  real  disciples 
of  Christ  in  our  times,  as  well  as  in  all  ages — see  Matt. 
10  :  22,  35  ;  John  15  :  20  ;  and  Gal.  4  :  29 — and  the  present 
miserable  state  of  the  Jews,  so  exactly  described  by  Moses 
about  three  thousand  years  ago.     See  Deut.  28  :  65. 

G.  This  scattered,  despised  people,  the  irreconcilable 
enemies  of  Christians,  keep  with  amazing  care  the  Old  Tes- 
tament, full  of  the  prophetic  history  of  Jesus  Christ,  and 
by  that  means  afford  the  world  a  striking  proof  that  the 
New  Testament  is  true ;  and  Christians  in  their  turn  show 
that  the  Old  Testament  is  abundantly  confirmed  and  ex- 
plained by  the  New.  The  Earl  of  Rochester,  the  great 
wit  of  the  last  century,  was  so  struck  with  this  proof,  that 
upon  reading  the  fifty-third  chapter  of  Isaiah,  with  floods 
of  penitential  tears  he  lamented  his  former  infidelity,  and 
warmly  embraced  the  faith  which  he  had  so  publicly  ridi- 
culed. 

1.  To  say  nothing  of  the  venerable  antiquity,  and  won- 
derful preservation  of  those  books,  some  of  which  are  by 
far  the  most  ancient  in  the  world,  but  to  pass  over  the 
inimitable  simplicity,  or  true  sublimity  of  their  style,  they 
carry  with  them  such  characters  of  truth  as  command  the 
respect  of  every  unprejudiced  reader.  They  open  to  us  the 
mystery  of  the  creation,  the  nature  of  God,  angels,  and 
man,  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  the  end  for  which  we  were 
made,  the  origin  and  connection  of  moral  and  natural  evil, 
the  vanity  of  this  world,  and  the  glory  of  the  next.  There 
we  see  inspired  shepherds,  tradesmen,  and  fishermen,  sur- 
passing as  much  the  greatest  philosophers  as  these  did  the 
mass  of  mankind,  both  in  meekness  of  wisdom  and  sublimity 
of  doctrine.  There  we  admire  the  purest  morality  in  the 
world,  agreeable  to  the  dictates  of  sound  reason,  confirmed 
by  the  witness  which  God  has  placed  for  himself  in  our 
breasts,  and  exemplified  in  the  lives  of  men  of  like  passions 
with  ourselves.  There  we  discover  a  vein  of  ecclesiastical 
history  and  theological  truth,  consistently  running  throuo-h 
a  collection  of  sixty- six  different  books,  written  by  various 
authors,  in  different  languages,  during  the  space  of  above 
fifteen  hundred  years.  There  we  find,  as  in  a  deep  and 
pure  spring,  all  the  genuine  drops  and  streams  of  spiritual 


4  THE  EVIDEXCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 

knowledge  which  can  be  met  with  in  the  largest  libraries. 
There  the  workings  of  the  human  heart  are  described  in  a 
manner  that  demonstrates  the  inspiration  of  the  Searcher 
of  hearts.  There  we  have  a  particular  account  of  all  our 
spiritual  maladies,  with  their  various  symptoms,  and  the 
method  of  a  certain  cure — a  cure  that  has  been  witnessed 
by  millions  of  martyrs  and  departed  saints,  and  is  now  en- 
joyed by  thousands  of  good  men,  who  would  account  it  an 
honor  to  seal  the  truth  of  the  Scriptures  with  their  own 
blood.  There  you  meet  with  the  noblest  strains  of  peni- 
tential and  joyous  devotion,  adapted  to  the  dispositions  and 
states  of  all  travellers  to  Sion.  And  there  you  read  those 
awful  threatenings  and  cheering  promises,  which  are  daily 
fulfilled  in  the  consciences  of  men,  to  the  admiration  of  be- 
lievers and  the  astonishment  of  attentive  infidels. 

8.  The  wonderful  efficacy  of  the  Scriptures  is  another 
proof  that  they  are  of  God.  When  they  are  faithfully  ex- 
pounded by  his  ministers,  and  powerfully  applied  by  his 
Spirit,  they  wound  and  heal,  they  kill  and  malce  alive,  they 
alarm  the  careless,  turn  or  enrage  the  wicked,  direct  the 
lost,  support  the  tempted,  strengthen  the  weak,  comfort 
mourners,  and  nourish  pious  souls.  As  the  woman  of  Sa- 
maria said  of  Jesus,  Come,  see  a  man  that  told  me  all  that 
ever  I  did :  is  not  this  the  Christ  ?  a  good  man  can  say  of 
the  Bible,  Come,  see  a  book  that  told  me  all  that  was  in  my 
heart,  and  acquainted  me  with  the  various  trials  and  dan- 
gers I  have  met  with  in  my  spiritual  travels — a  book  where 
I  have  found  those  truths  which,  like  a  divinely-tempered 
sword,  have  cut  my  way  through  all  the  snares  and  forces 
of  my  spiritual  adversaries  ;  and  by  whose  directions  my 
soul  has  happily  entered  the  paradise  of  divine  and  broth- 
erly love.     Is  not  this  the  book  of  God  ? 

9.  To  conclude,  it  is  exceedingly  remarkable,  that  the 
more  humble  and  holy  people  are,  the  more  they  read,  ad- 
mire, and  value  the  Scriptures ;  and  on  the  contrary,  the 
more  self-conceited,  worldly-minded,  and  wicked,  the  more 
they  neglect,  despise,  and  asperse  them. 


PUBLISHED  BY   THE  AMERICAN  TRACT  SOCIETY. 


FOR    EVER! 


FROM  REV.  RICHARD  BAXTER 


Alas,  what  heart  can  conceive,  or  what  tongue  express, 
the  pains  of  those  souls  that  are  now  enduring  the  wrath  of 
God  !  If  thou  couldst  ask  the  thousands  in  hell  what  mad- 
ness brought  them  thither,  many  of  them  would  answer, 
"  We  thouofht  we  w^ere  Christians,  and  sure  of  beinof  saved, 
till  we  found  ourselves  here.  We  have  flattered  ourselves 
into  these  torments,  and  now  there  is  no  remedy." 

Reader,  I  must  in  faithfulness  tell  thee,  that  these  false 
hopes  of  being  saved  while  thou  art  living  in  sin,  will  prove 
in  the  end  but  a  ruinous  delusion.  There  is  none  of  this 
believino^  in  hell.  In  this  life,  thouo-h  sinners  are  threatened 
with  the  wrath  of  God,  yet  their  hope  of  escaping  bears  up 
their  hearts.  We  can  now  scarcely  speak  with  the  vilest 
drunkard,  or  swearer,  or  scoffer,  but  he  hopes  to  be  saved, 
notwithstanding  all  his  sins. 

It  is  the  most  pitiable  sight  this  world  affords,  to  see 
such  an  ungodly  person  dying,  and  to  think  of  his  soul  and 
his  hopes  departing  together.  With  what  a  sad  change  he 
appears  in  another  world  !  Think,  then,  how  it  will  aggra- 
vate the  misery  of  lost  souls,  that,  with  the  loss  of  heaven, 
they  shall  lose  all  that  hope  of  it  which  now  supports  them. 
Besides,  they  will  lose  also  that  false  peace  of  conscience, 
which  makes  their  present  life  so  easy.  Who  would  think, 
when  we  see  how  quietly  the  multitude  of  the  ungodly  live, 
that  they  must  very  shortly  lie  down  in  everlasting  flames  ? 
They  are  as  free  from  fears  as  an  obedient  believer,  and  per- 
haps often  have  less  uneasiness  of  mind.  In  this  life,  when 
they  were  told  of  hell,  or  when  conscience  troubled  their 
peace,  they  had  comforters  at  hand  :  their  jovial  friends, 
their  business,  their  company,  their  mirth.  They  could 
drink,  play,  or  sleep  away  their  sorrows.  There  is  none  of 
this  in  hell :  there  all  these  remedies  will  vanish.  They 
will  there  lose  all  their  carnal  mirth  and  jovial  companions. 
To  meditate  and  pray  now,  they  fancy  would  be  enough  to 
make  them  miserable,  or  run  mad.     They  were  wont  to 

VOL.  VIIT.  7 


2  FOR  EVER ! 

think  sermons  and  prayers  long.  Oh,  how  will  they  regret 
that  they  thought  so,  when  their  doom  is  fixed  for  ever. 
Poor  souls,  what  a  misery  will  that  life  be  where  they  shall 
have  nothing  but  sorrow — intense,  heart-piercing,  multiplied 
sorrow.  Is  there  one  merry  heart  in  hell,  or  one  joyful 
countenance,  or  jesting  tongue  ?  How  wull  it  even  cut  them 
to  the  heart  to  look  each  other  in  the  face.  What  an  inter- 
view will  there  be,  when  they  shall  be  heard  cursing  the 
day  that  ever  they  saw  one  another. 

But  the  torments  of  lost  souls  must  be  extreme,  because 
they  are  the  effect  of  divine  vengeance,  God,  being  infinitely 
just  as  well  as  abundant  in  mercy,  has  himself  appointed 
them  for  those  w^ho  reject  Christ.  As  it  was  no  less  than 
God  whom  they  offended,  so  it  is  no  less  than  God  who 
will  punish  them  for  their  ofiPences.  If  it  w^ere  but  a  crea- 
ture with  whom  they  had  to  do,  they  might  bear  it  better ; 
but  "it  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living 
God."     Heb.  10:31. 

Consider  also,  that  the  body  and  soul  tvill  suffer  together. 
The  body  must  bear  its  part,  but  the  soul  being  of  a  more 
excellent  nature  than  the  body,  its  torments  w^ill  far  exceed 
those  of  the  body.  That  body  which  was  so  carefully 
attended  to,  so  tenderly  cherished,  so  curiously  dressed, 
what  must  it  then  endure  !  Those  ears  which  were  accus- 
tomed to  music  and  songs,  shall  hear  the  shrieks  and  cries 
of  their  wretched  companions :  children  crying  out  against 
their  parents,  who  gave  them  encouragement  and  example 
in  evil ;  husbands  and  wives,  masters  and  servants,  ministers 
and  people,  magistrates  and  subjects,  charging  their  misery 
one  upon  another,  for  discouragement  in  duty,  for  conniv- 
ing at  sin,  and  being  silent  w^hen  they  should  have  plainly 
foretold  the  danger.  Thus  will  soul  and  body  be  compan- 
ions in  woe ! 

But  the  greatest  aggravation  of  these  torments  will  be 
their  eternitg.  When  a  thousand  millions  of  ages  are  past, 
they  are  as  fresh  to  begin  over  again  as  the  first  day.  If 
there  were  any  hope  of  an  end,  it  would  ease  lost  souls  to 
foresee  it ;  but  for  ever  is  an  intolerable  thought.  They 
were  never  weary  of  sinning,  nor  will  God  ever  be  weary 
of  punishing ;  they  never  heartily  repented  of  sin,  so  God 
will  never  repent  of  his  judgments.  They  broke  the  laws 
of  the  eternal  God,  and  therefore  shall  suffer  eternal  miserv. 


FOR  EVER !  3 

Why  does  the  approach  of  death  so  mucli  alarm  thee  ?  Why- 
does  the  thought  or  mention  of  hell  occasion  thee  so  much 
uneasiness  ?  If  the  bare  idea  be  grievous,  what  must  it  be 
to  endure  the  torments  themselves  for  ever?  Is  it  not  an 
intolerable  thing  to  burn  part  of  thy  body  by  holding  it  in 
the  fire  ?  What  then  will  it  be  to  suffer  ten  thousand  times 
more  for  ever  in  the  pit  of  misery,  where  thou  shalt  have  no 
other  companythan  devils  and  condemned  spirits,  and  shalt 
not  only  see  them,  but  be  tormented  with  them,  and  by 
them,  night  and  da}^  for  ever? 

Reader,  thou  art  to  this  day  in  earnest  about  the  things 
of  this  life.  If  thou  art  sick,  or  in  pain,  what  serious  com- 
plaints dost  thou  make  !  If  thou  art  poor,  how  hard  dost 
thou  labor  for  a  livelihood  !  And  is  not  the  business  of  thy 
salvation  of  far  greater  moment  ?  If  one  of  thine  acquaint- 
ance should  come  from  the  dead,  and  tell  thee  that  he  suf- 
fered the  torments  of  hell  for  those  sins  of  which  thou  art 
guilty,  what  a  different  person  wouldst  thou  afterwards  be ! 
If  thou  hadst  seen  the  judgment-seat,  and  the  books  opened, 
and  the  wicked  trembhng  on  the  left  hand  of  the  Judge, 
and  the  godly  rejoicing  on  the  right  hand,  and  their  different 
sentences  pronounced,  what  a  different  life  Avouldst  thou 
afterwards  lead  !  This  sight  thou  shalt  one  day  surely  see. 
If  thou  hadst  seen  hell  opened,  and  all  its  inhabitants  in 
their  ceaseless  torments,  and  heaven  opened,  as  Stephen  did, 
Acts  7  :  56,  and  all  the  saints  there  triumphing  in  glory, 
what  a  holy  life  wouldst  tltou  have  led  after  such  sights ! 
These  thou  wilt  see  before  long.  If  thou  hadst  endured 
one  year,  or  one  day,  or  one  hour,  the  torments  thou  now 
hearest  of,  how  seriously  w^ouldst  thou  then  speak  of  hell, 
and  pray  against  it !  If  thou  knewest  this  were  the  last  day 
thou  hadst  to  live,  how  wouldst  thou  spend  it  ? 

Now,  reader,  let  me  solemnly  ask  thee — What  sayest 
thou  to  all  this  ?  Thou  art  standing  this  day  on  the  brink 
of  eternity.  Wilt  thou  continue  in  thy  sins,  and  be  lost  for 
ever  ?  Remember,  God  is  in  earnest  with  thee  now,  and 
will  be  hereafter.  What,  shall  heaven  be  utterly  lost  to 
thee  ?  Shall  the  gates  of  hell  be  closed  upon  thee  for  ever  ? 
Trifle  no  longer.  Remember,  death  is  at  hand,  judgment 
comes  next,  and  after  that  an  eternity  of  happiness  or  mis- 
ery !  If  thou  diest  impenitent,  unpardoned,  and  unsancti- 
fied,  hell  is  thy  portion  for  ever  !  for  ever  !  for  ever  . 


4  FOR  EVER ! 

Dost  thou  then  mqiiire,  "  How  can  I  escape  the  Avrath  to 
come  ?  What  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?"  Acts  16:30.  Let 
me  tell  thee,  in  reply,  If  thou  art  really  sincere,  and  in 
earnest,  and  dost  feel  thyself  a  lost  sinner,  guilty  and  con- 
demned before  God,  and  if  thou  dost  really  desire  to  be 
saved,  then  hearken  unto  the  only  "vvay  of  salvation.  "  Be- 
lieve on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved," 
Acts  16  :  31 ;  *'for  God  so  loved  the  world  that  he  gave 
his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him 
should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life."  John  3:16. 
He  died  in  the  place  of  sinners,  as  their  substitute ;  so  that 
God  can  now  be  just,  and  the  justifier  of  him  that  believeth 
in  Jesus.  Rom.  3:26.  Repent,  therefore,  and  forsake  thy 
sins.  Flee  unto  Jesus  Christ  for  pardon  ;  for  he  says,  '*  Him 
that  Cometh  unto  me,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out."  John  6:37. 
Delay  not  one  moment,  lest  God's  anger  consume  thee,  and 
tear  thee  in  pieces,  and  there  be  none  to  deliver  thee. 
Psalm  50  :  22.  While  the  door  of  mercy  is  open  hasten 
unto  Christ,  and  he  will  receive  thee.  Retire  to  thy  room, 
fall  down  on  thy  knees,  and  when  none  but  God  can  see 
thee,  cry  mightily  unto  the  Lord  for  mercy.  Plead  the 
merits  of  Christ ;  pray  fervently  from  the  bottom  of  thy 
heart,  that  he  would  give  thee  his  Holy  Spirit,  and  create 
in  thee  desires  after  God  and  holiness,  and  so  prepare  thee 
for  heaven,  and  save  thy  soul  for  ever.  Remember,  the 
blood  of  Christ  can  alone  cleanse  thee  from  all  sin.  1  John, 
1  :  7.  He  alone  can  save  thee  from  the  dreadful  wrath  of 
God ;  for  he  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners.  1  Tim. 
1  :  15. 

Trembling  sinner,  thou  needest  not  despair.  Come  to 
Christ  and  be  saved.  Remember,  life  is  uncertain.  Health 
is  uncertain.  Now,  while  thou  hast  both,  set  about  thy 
salvation  in  earnest.  Christ  will  pardon  thee,  and  will  give 
thee  true  peace  of  mind  in  this  life,  and  when  thou  diest, 
thou  shalt  dwell  with  him  in  heaven,  in  perfect  happiness, 
throughout  the  countless  ages  of  eternity.     Amen. 


PUBLISHED  BY  THE  AMERICAN  TRACT  SOCIETY. 


JVo.  361 


THE    TAPROOT. 


On  a  bright  and  bracing  afternoon,  early  in  March,  re- 
turning from  a  visit  to  an  afflicted  family,  I  met  with  one  of 
my  intelligent  parishioners  sitting  on  a  fence.  A  gorgeous 
sunset  was  displaying  its  glories  in  the  west,  and  my  friend 
gave  true  indications  that  the  day  closing  around  us  had  not 
been  spent  in  idleness.  "  What,"  said  I,  in  a  friendly  tone 
of  recognition,  "  are  you  doing  here  ?"  "  I  want,"  said  he, 
"  to  transplant  that  pretty  elm  into  my  door-yard,  and  I 
have  been  laboring  here  for  hours  to  dig  it  up,  in  vain.  The 
tree,  perhaps,  is  a  little  too  old  to  be  transplanted  ;  but  if 
removed  early  in  the  spring,  and  with  a  large  root,  trees  fre- 
quently live,  even  beyond  the  age  of  this." 

I  crossed  the  fence  to  take  a  view  of  the  tree.  I  found 
it  surrounded  with  a  deep  trench,  and  its  lateral  roots  all 
cut ;  and  feehng  that  a  strong  push  would  lay  it  on  the 
earth,  I  gave  it  one.  Not  a  twig  nor  a  leaf  moved  the  more 
on  that  account.  I  wondered — and  turning  to  my  friend,  I 
asked,  "Why  is  it  so  firm,  when  so  many  of  its  roots  are  cut, 
and  when  united  to  the  earth  by  a  stem  so  small  ?"  "The 
taproot,'''  said  he,  "  remains,  and  until  that  is  cut  it  will 
stand  firm."  Hearing  the  phrase  for  the  first  time  in  my 
life,  I  asked,  "What  do  you  mean  by  the  tcqrroot?"  "Al- 
most every  tree,"  said  he,  "  has  its  taproot,  which  goes  as 
straight  down  into  the  earth  as  the  trunk  goes  into  the  air ; 
and  until  that  root  is  cut  the  tree  stands,  and  will  grow. 
And  if  I  should  fill  up  this  trench  now,  the  tree  would  feel 
but  little  the  cutting  of  all  these  lateral  roots.  They  would 
soon  grow  out,  and  the  tree  would  be  as  strong  as  ever," 

We  soon  parted.  I  pursued  my  way  home  pondering 
these  remarks.  The  tree  was  transplanted,  and  now  stands, 
a  noble  and  beautiful  tree,  just  in  the  place  selected  for  it. 
My  friend  has  been  transplanted  to  another  Avorld.  Years 
have  passed  since  the  above  conversation,  but  it  has  never 
been  forgotten.  It  has  suggested  many  truths  to  my  mind  ; 
and  it  explains  many  things  frequently  occurring  under  our 

VOL.  VIII.  7* 


2  THE  TAPROOT. 

own  observation,  and  which  frequently  cause  doubt  and 
hesitation.     Ponder  some  of  these. 

Are  trees  transplanted  with  difficulty  after  they  have 
received  a  certain  growth  ?  This  all  admit.  The  rule  is, 
to  transplant  them,  whether  fruit,  forest,  or  ornamental, 
when  young.  Such  is  the  law  which  rules  in  the  kingdom 
of  grace.  "How  can  a  man  be  born  when  he  is  old  ?"  is  a 
question  of  emphatic  import  to  those  who  have  grown  up  to 
mature  years  without  repentance. 

Has  almost  every  tree  its  taproot  ?  So  every  sinner  has 
his  besetting  sin,  which  sustains  him  in  his  rebellion  against 
God  more  than  any  other,  and  even  when  almost  all  others 
seem  to  be  laid  aside. 

Are  the  lateral  roots  cut  in  vain,  until  the  taproot  is 
cut  ?  Does  the  tree  stand  until  the  taproot  is  severed  ?  So, 
as  far  as  their  salvation  is  concerned,  men  are  reformed  in 
vain  from  immoral  practices,  until  the  heart  is  converted, 
A  depraved  heart  is  the  taproot  of  that  tree  of  evil  which 
bears  fruit  unto  death.  And  until  that  heart  is  taken  away, 
the  tree  stands. 

Is  the  tree  sustained  by  one  root  when  all  others  are 
cut  ?  Through  that  one  root  is  it  nourished  into  a  perma- 
nent,, if  not  a  luxurious  growth  ?  So  one  sin  unmortified, 
with  its  power  over  the  soul  unbroken,  secures  its  final,  its 
eternal  loss. 

How  manifold  are  the  illustrations  of  these  truths  in  the 
Bible  I  Why  did  Balaam,  who  understood  the  will  of  God, 
and  saw  the  visions  of  the  Almighty,  do  as  he  did  ?  Why 
did  Judas,  after  having  preached  the  Gospel,  and  wrought 
miracles,  and  been  numbered  with  the  apostles,  betray  his 
Master  ?  Why  did  Ananias  and  Sapphira,  and  Simon  Ma- 
gus, do  as  they  did  ?  Why  did  the  young  man,  who  asked 
of  Jesus  what  he  should  do  to  inherit  eternal  life,  and  whom 
Jesus  loved,  do  as  he  did  ?  In  all  these  cases  covetoiisness 
was  the  taproot  sin ;  and  that  was  uncut.  0  covetousness — 
often  miscalled  prudence  and  economy,  but,  by  God,  idol- 
atry— how  many  souls  hast  thou  destroyed,  and  art  thou 
destroying  I 

But  I  have  said  that  the  above  conversation  with  my 
friend  at  the  tree  also  explains  many  things  frequently 
occurring,  and  which  induce  doubt  and  hesitation. 

Under  the  ministry  of  a  faithful  pastor  sat  an  amiable 


THE  TAPROOT.  3 

man,  with  unfailing  regularity,  for  years.  All  hoped  he 
was  a  Christian.  At  each  returning  communion  season  it 
was  expected  that  he  would  profess  his  faith  in  Christ ;  but 
he  came  not.  None  were  more  tender  than  he  seemed ;  and 
his  pastor  supposed  that  he  was  kept  from  the  communion 
of  the  saints  only  by  that  diffidence  and  distrust  which  are 
often  the  accompaniments  of  true  piety.  A  truer  explana- 
tion came  at  last.  He  loved  stro7ig  drink,  but  took  it  only 
at  night.  The  appetite  grew  until  it  vanquished  shame,  and 
he  became  a  daily  and  open  drunkard.  He  forsook  the 
house  and  the  ordinances  of  God.  During  the  absence  of 
his  family  at  church  on  a  certain  Sabbath,  he  drank  beyond 
measure- — he  fell  into  the  fire — and  when  his  family  re- 
turned he  was  dead,  and  a  portion  of  his  body  burned  to  a 
cmder  I  Why  did  not  this  man,  in  the  days  of  his  tears 
and  tenderness,  take  Christ  for  his  portion?  The  taproot 
was  not  cut. 

I  knew  a  young  man,  who,  although  the  child  of  pray- 
ing parents,  grew  up  an  alien  and  outcast  from  the  common- 
wealth of  Israel.  Grace  is  not  hereditary  ;  it  is  the  gift  of 
God.  In  a  spiritual  refreshing,  he  was  deeply  convicted — 
he  hoped  he  was  converted.  He  sought  admission  to  the 
church  ;  but  fearing  that  all  was  not  right,  he  was  kindly 
requested  to  wait  until  the  next  communion  season.  In  a 
few  weeks  afterwards  he  sat  at  a  gaming-table  until  the 
stars  were  quenched  in  the  light  of  the  rising  sun.  And  he 
continued  until  his  death  tenfold  more  the  child  of  hell  than 
he  was  before.     The  taproot  was  not  cut. 

And  the  prevalence  of  some  one  sin — its  reigning  power 
over  the  soul — is  the  reason  why  every  sinner  that  hears 
the  Gospel  does  not  believe  it ;  or,  that  believes  the  Gospel, 
does  not  at  once,  by  repentance  towards  God  and  faith  in 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  seek  the  salvation  of  his  soul.  And 
the  remaining  influence  of  a  sin  whose  power  has  been 
broken,  is  the  reason  why  any  Christian  fails  in  consecrating 
himself  a  living  sacrifice  to  God. 

Header,  are  you  a  sinner  convinced  of  the  truth  of  the 
Gospel,  without  repentance,  without  faith  in  Christ  ?  If  so, 
how  important  to  know  the  sin  that  holds  you  back  from  the 
work  of  your  salvation.  There  is  some  one  sin  that  does 
this  more  than  any  other;  perhaps,  more  than  all  others. 
What  is  it  ? 


4  THE  TAPROOT. 

What  are  the  objects  that  most  dehght  you  ?  What  arc 
the  gratifications  on  which  you  bestow  most  time  ?  Thoughts 
as  to  what,  most  intrude  themselves  when  alone  ?  The  last 
thing  which  the  sailor  throws  overboard,  in  his  efforts  to 
save  his  sinking  vessel,  is  that  which  he  deems  most  pre- 
cious :  what  is  the  sin  you  are  most  anxious  to  retain  ? 
When  you  think  of  being  a  Christian,  what  is  the  sin,  the 
pursuit,  the  habit,  that  you  feel  in  prospect  would  give  you 
the  most  pain  to  abandon  ?  These  questions  point  to  your 
besetting  sin — your  taproot  sin.     Unless  cut,  you  are  lost. 

But  if  old  trees  cannot  be  transplanted,  may  not  old  sin- 
ners be  converted  ?  Yes,  they  may.  As  to  aged  sinners,  the 
difficulty  lies  in  the  nature  of  man,  and  of  sin,  and  of  evil 
habits,  and  not  in  the  grace  of  God.  Grace  is  all-conquering 
when  God  sees  fit  to  apply  it.  Reader,  are  you  an  aged 
sinner  ?  I  have  seen  the  man,  fourscore  and  two  years  old, 
who  bled  in  the  battles  of  the  Revolution,  who  learned  its 
worst  vices  and  continued  in  their  practice  until  the  age 
stated,  hopefully  converted.  I  have  seen  him  brought, 
trembling  with  palsy,  in  his  arm-chair  to  God's  house,  and 
there  joining  himself  to  the  people  of  God ;  and  having  com- 
memorated the  love  of  Christ,  lifting  up  his  withered  hands 
to  heaven  in  thanksgiving  for  the  mercies  vouchsafed.  And 
his  subsequent  hfe  and  triumphant  death  testified  that  the 
work  was  of  God.  But  in  my  experience  this  stands  out  a 
solitary  case,  to  check  presumption  on  the  one  hand,  and 
despair  on  the  other.  Take  then  these  thoughts  for  medi- 
tation : 

1 .  You  have  a  besetting  sin,  stronger  in  its  bad  influence 
over  you  than  any  other. 

2.  It  is  of  the  highest  importance  to  you  to  know  what 
it  is.     Resolve  to  know  it. 

3.  Reformation  is  not  conversion.  The  tree  stands  when 
all  its  lateral  roots  are  cut. 

4.  Unless  by  the  grace  of  God  your  heart  is  changed,  all 
is  vain.  The  tree  of  evil,  whose  fruit  is  death,  remains,  be- 
cause the  taproot  is  not  cut. 

5.  However  aged,  or  wicked,  there  is  grace  and  power 
to  meet  your  case.  Seek  them  without  delay,  and  aright, 
and  they  are  yours. 


PUBLISHED    BY    THE    AMERICAN    TRACT    SOCIETY. 


TO   THOSE 

COMMENCING  A  RELIGIOUS  LIFE. 


1.  Remember  that  the  commencement  of  the  Christian 
Hfe  is  hke  the  "  dawning  hght,  which  increaseth  more  and 
more  to  the  perfect  day."  Therefore,  when  the  hope  of 
peace  and  pardon  dawns  in  the  heart,  do  not  consider  the 
great  business  of  hfe  as  accomplished,  but  only  as  begun. 

2.  Do  not  expect  so  sudden  and  remarkable  a  change  as 
to  leave  no  doubt  of  its  reality.  Did  religion  enter  the  soul 
in  perfection,  and  to  the  entire  exclusion  of  sin,  the  change 
would  be  so  marked  and  obvious  as  to  leave  no  room  for 
doubt.  But  usually,  there  is  in  the  Christian  heart  a  per- 
petual struggle  between  good  and  evil,  and  thus  a  continual 
competition  of  evidence  for  and  against,  according  as  the 
good  or  evil  prevails. 

3.  Evidence  of  piety  is  not  so  much  to  be  sought  in  high 
emotions  of  any  kind,  as  in  real  humility,  self-distrust,  hun- 
gering and  thirsting  after  righteousness,  sorrow  for  sin,  and 
a  continual  effort,  in  every-day  life,  to  regulate  our  thoughts, 
feelings,  and  conduct,  by  the  word  of  God.  It  is  the  nature, 
and  not  the  degree  of  our  affections  which  is  to  be  regarded 
in  the  examination  of  our  evidences.  Some  persons  are  so 
constituted  that  they  are  not  susceptible  of  very  strong  emo- 
tions, and  ought  not  to  expect  them,  in  reference  to  rehgion, 
any  more  than  other  subjects  that  interest  the  mind.  The 
best  way  to  know  our  feelings  is  to  see  how  they  influence 
the  conduct.     "By  their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them." 

4.  Do  not  expect  to  find,  in  your  own  case,  every  thing 
you  have  heard  or  read  of  in  the  experience  of  others.  For 
it  may  be  that  many  things  we  hear  and  read  of  are  not 
correct  feelings,  and  do  not  afford  just  grounds  of  confidence 
to  any  one ;  and  if  they  are  correct  experience,  it  may  be 
the  experience  of  a  maAure  Christian,  and  not  to  be  expected 
in  the  beginning  of  a  religious  life.  It  must  be  remembered 
that  as  no  two  countenances  are  formed  alike,  so  no  two 


2  TO  THOSE  COMMENCING  A  RELIGIOUS  LIFE. 

hearts  are  fashioned  alike,  or  placed  in  exactly  the  same 
circumstances ;  and  it  would  be  as  vain  to  seek  all  the  vari- 
eties of  Christian  experience  in  one  person,  as  to  seek  all 
varieties  of  human  features  in  one  face. 

5.  Do  not  expect  that  the  evidence  desired  will  all  come 
immediately,  and  at  once.  It  must  come  progressively,  as 
the  result  of  continued  obedience  to  the  will  of  God. 

6.  Do  not  suppose  that  religion  is  a  principle  of  such 
self-preserving  energy,  that  when  once  implanted  in  the 
soul  it  will  continue  to  thrive  and  increase  without  effort. 
God  will  not  sustain  and  bring  to  maturity  the  work  of 
grace,  without  your  own  voluntary  concurrence  in  the  dili- 
gent use  of  means,  more  than  he  will  cause  the  harvest  to 
whiten  in  the  field  of  the  sluggard.  Indulge,  therefore,  no 
such  ideas  of  inability  and  dependence  on  God,  as  shall  im- 
pair a  full  sense  of  perfect  obligation  to  do  whatever  can  be 
done  in  working  out  your  own  salvation.  God  assists  those 
who  make  efforts  to  aid  and  advance  themselves. 

Y.  Entertain  no  such  ideas  of  the  sovereignty  of  God  in 
the  bestowment  of  his  grace,  as  would  awaken  any  doubt 
of  his  affording  needful  aid  where  he  sees  sincere  endeavors 
to  grow  in  grace.  If  some  Christians  are  more  eminent 
than  others,  it  is,  perhaps,  always  through  the  blessing  of 
God  on  their  more  devoted  efforts.  It  pleases  him  to  crown 
with  success  the  hand  of  the  diligent  instead  of  the  hand  of 
the  slothful,  not  only  in  temporal,  but  in  spiritual  things. 
This  thought  cannot  be  too  strongly  impressed  upon  the 
minds  of  those  who  are  just  commencing  the  Christian  life. 
To  them  peculiarly,  are  such  promises  as  these  directed : 
"Ask,  and  ye  shall  receive  ;  seek,  and  ye  shall  find  ;  knock, 
and  it  shall  be  opened  unto  you.  Every  one  that  asketh, 
receiveth,"  etc. 

Do  not  be  afraid  of  indulging  in  feelings  which  may 
seem  to  be  right,  from  the  fear  of  deception.  On  the  con- 
trary, cherish  such  feelings,  and  try  to  recall  them  often. 
Go  forward  in  the  strength  of  God,  and  do  your  duty,  and 
he  will  save  you  from  deception  while  thus  employed. 

8.  Do  not  expect  to  be  made  happy  by  religion,  unless 
you  become  eminent  Christians.  A  half-way  Christian  can 
neither  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  the  world  nor  the  pleasures 
of  religion  ;  for  his  conscience  Avill  not  let  him  seek  the  one, 
and  he  is  too  indolent  to  obtain  the  other.     The  Christian 


TO  THOSE  COMMENCING  A  RELIGIOUS  LIFE.  3 

may  be  the  happiest  man  on  earth,  but  he  must  be  a  faith- 
ful, active,  and  devoted  Christian,  None  are  disappointed 
in  finding  rehgion  a  source  of  unfaihng  peace  and  joy,  but 
those  who  refuse  to  drink  deep  from  the  wells  of  salvation  ; 
unless  we  except  those  who,  from  some  derangement  of  the 
nervous  system,  or  failure  of  health,  do  not  enjoy  the  clear 
and  undisturbed  exercise  of  their  faculties. 

9.  Do  not  make  the  practice  and  example  of  other 
Christians  the  standard  of  inety  at  which  you  aim.  By  this 
means,  a  more  disastrous  influence  has  been  exerted  on  the 
church  and  on  the  world,  than  perhaps  by  all  other  causes 
that  could  be  named.  Generally,  when  persons  commence 
the  Christian  life,  their  consciences  are  susceptible  and  ten- 
der. They  are  strict  and  watchful  in  the  performance  of 
duty,  and  are  pained  even  by  a  slight  neglect.  They  have 
been  wont  to  feel  that  becoming  religious  implies  a  great 
change ;  that  "  old  things  must  pass  away,  and  all  things 
become  new."  But  when  they  look  among  their  Christian 
friends,  and  turn  to  them  for  aid,  as  those  who  have  had 
experience  and  have  made  advances  in  the  Christian  life, 
they  find  that  they  seem  to  look  upon  duties  and  deficiencies 
in  a  very  different  manner.  They  seem  to  neglect  many 
things  which  the  young  Christian  has  felt  to  be  very  impor- 
tant ;  and  to  practise  many  things  which  he  had  supposed 
inconsistent  with  religion.  Then  commences  the  disastrous 
eifect.  The  young  Christian  begins  to  feel  that  he  need 
not  be  more  particular  than  those  to  whom  he  has  ever 
looked  up  with  deference  and  respect.  He  begins  to  imag- 
ine that  he  has  been  rather  too  strict  and  particular.  He 
begins  to  take  a  retrograde  course,  and  though  his  con- 
science and  the  Bible  often  check  and  reprove,  yet  after  a 
few  ineft'ectual  struggles,  he  lowers  his  standard  and  walks 
as  others  do. 

Look  into  your  Bible  and  see  how  Christians  ought  to 
live.  See  how  the  Bible  says  those  who  are  Christians  must 
live,  and  then  if  you  find  your  Christian  friends  living  in  a 
diff"erent  way,  instead  of  having  cause  for  feeling  that  you 
may  do  so  too,  you  have  only  cause  to  fear  that  they  are 
deceiving  themselves  wdth  the  belief  that  they  are  Chris- 
tians when  they  are  not.  Remember,  that  the  farther  your 
Christian  friends  depart  from  the  standard  of  Christian  char- 
acter laid  down  in  the  Bible,  the  lees  reason  have  vou  to 


4  TO  THOSE  COMMENCING  A  RELIGIOUS  LIFE. 

hope  that  they  are  Christians,  And  do  not  hesitate  on  this 
subject  because  you  find  many  professed  Christians  who  are 
indifferent  and  hix  in  their  practice  and  example.  Remem- 
ber that  Christ  has  said,  ''Many  shall  say  unto  me  in  that 
day,  Lord,  Lord,"  thus  claiming  to  be  his  disciples,  to  whom 
he  will  say,  "I  never  knew  you."  Do  not  let  professed 
Christians  tempt  you  to  fall  into  the  society  of  such  unhap- 
py castaways. 

10.  Do  not  be  inriodical  Christians.  There  are  some 
who  profess  religion,  who  never  seem  to  feel  any  interest  on 
the  subject  except  when  every  one  else  does.  It  is  true, 
there  are  special  seasons  of  revived  religion  in  the  hearts  of 
all  Christians  ;  but  if  it  is  only  at  such  times  that  progress 
is  made  in  the  divine  life,  and  interest  is  manifested  in  the 
salvation  of  souls,  there  is  great  reason  to  fear  that  what  is 
called  religion,  is  nothing  but  sympathy  with  the  feelings  of 
others. 

11.  Be  sure  that  there  exists  a  marked  difference  be- 
tween your  appearance  and  conduct,  and  that  of  those  who 
are  not  Christians.  Remember,  that  Christ  has  required 
this  of  you,  and  that  even  the  ivorld  expect  it.  Do  not  sup- 
pose you  can  recommend  religion  by  appearing  interested 
in  every  thing  that  interests  those  Avho  have  no  better  por- 
tion than  this  world.  Remember  that  your  deportment, 
your  conversation,  your  interest  in  dress,  in  company,  in 
amusements,  the  manner  in  which  you  perform  your  relig- 
ious duties,  are  all  carefully  noted  and  Aveighed  by  those 
around  you  who  do  not  love  religion ;  and  if  they  do  not 
see  a  marked  difference  between  you  and  themselves,  they 
either  conclude  that  there  is  nothing  in  religion,  or  else  that 
you  are  a  hypocrite.  The  people  of  the  world  expect  that 
you  will  be  very  different  from  them,  and  despise  you  in 
their  hearts  if  you  are  not.  If  you  wish  to  recommend 
relio-ion,  let  the  world  see  it  acted  out  accordino^  to  the 
beautiful  pattern  laid  doAvn  in  the  Bible,  and  do  not  suppose 
that  you  can  improve  this  pattern  by  any  addition  or  sub- 
traction of  your  own. 

On  one  subject  there  are  some  who  need  instruction. 
There  is  a  class  of  Christians  who  appear  taciturn,  unsocial, 
and  even  sad.  This  appearance  is  altogether  inconsistent 
with  the  spirit  of  religion.  Christians  ought  to  appear 
cheerful  and  happy  ;  to  appear  to  receive  with  pleasure  and 


TO  THOSE  COMMENCING  A  RELIGIOUS  LIFE.  5 

gratitude  all  the  lawful  enjoyments  bestowed  by  their  heav- 
enly Father.  Such  a  gloomy  deportment  as  has  been  de- 
scribed does  not  do  honor  to  religion,  and  causes  those 
whom  we  wish  to  win  to  the  ways  of  pleasantness  and 
peace,  to  feel  that  religion  is  a  melancholy,  unsocial,  and 
forbidding  subject.  All  professors  of  religion  should  en- 
deavor to  have  such  views  of  God,  his  love,  his  providence, 
his  care,  and  should  so  live,  as  to  be  cheerful  and  happy, 
and  to  appear  so. 

On  the  contrary,  there  is  a  class  of  professed  Christians 
who  indulge  in  frequent  trifling  and  levity.  This  is  quite 
as  inconsistent  and  injurious  as  the  former,  and  if  any  thing 
it  is  more  so.  Let  the  Christian,  at  least,  learn  to  make  a 
distinction  between  cheerfulness  and  levity.  Remember, 
we  are  commanded  to  avoid  ''foolish  talking  and  jesting," 
and  that  it  is  possible  to  be  happy,  cheerful,  affable,  and 
kind,  without  any  trifling  or  levity. 

12.  Remember,  that  your  evidence  of  possessing  rehgion 
ceases  when  any  thing  else  has  the  first  place  in  your 
thouo-hts  and  interests.  Relioion  should  not  lessen  our 
love  for  our  friends,  or  our  enjoyment  of  rational  pleasures ; 
but  the  desire  to  please  God,  in  all  our  ways,  should  be  the 
prevailing  feeling  of  the  mind.  Our  Saviour  says,  we  can- 
not have  two  masters  ;  God  and  his  service  must  be  first  in 
our  thoughts  and  aftections,  or  else  the  world  and  its  pleas- 
ures are  first.  If,  then,  we  would  find  whose  servants  we 
are,  we  must  find  who  has  the  first  place  in  our  thoughts 
and  affections. 

13.  Never  for  one  day  omit  to  read  the  Bible,  with  prayer. 
This  is  a  most  important  direction.  It  is  of  the  utmost 
importance  that  you  should  never,  for  once,  break  through 
this  habit.  Prayer  and  the  Bible  are  your  anchor  and 
your  shield ;  they  will  hold  you  firmly  in  the  path  of  duty, 
and  protect  you  fi'om  temptation.  You  had  better  give  up 
one  meal  every  day,  if  it  is  necessar}^  in  order  to  secure 
time  for  this  duty.  You  had  better  give  up  any  thing  else. 
Nothing  is  a  duty,  if  the  performance  of  it  Avill  interfere  with 
this  duty.  Remember,  that  the  Bible,  under  the  teaching 
of  the  Spirit,  is  the  bread  of  your  life,  and  the  water  of 
your  salvation ;  and  that  you  cannot  live  in  health  a  single 
day  without  their  strengthening  and  invigorating  influence* 

14.  Be  regulated  by  a  principle  of  duty  in  little  thinr/s. 

VOL.  VTII.  8 


6  TO  THOSE  COMMENCING  A  RELIGIOUS  LIFE. 

This  is  the  way  that  common  Christians  are  to  cause  their 
light  to  shine.  Few  Christians  can  expect  to  do  any  great 
things  to  show  their  love  for  the  Saviour,  but  all  can  *'  deny 
themselves,"  and  thus  daily  "  take  the  cross  and  follow  him." 
Religion  should  govern  the  temper  and  the  tongue ;  should 
keep  us  from  indolence,  from  vanity,  from  pride,  from  fool- 
ishness, from  levity,  from  moroseness,  from  selfishness,  and 
all  the  little  every-day  foibles  to  which  we  are  exposed. 
Religion  should  exemplify  its  gentleness,  in  your  kind  and 
affable  manners ;  its  purity  and  propriety,  in  your  conver- 
sation ;  its  benevolence,  in  your  conduct ;  and  its  consist- 
ency and  heavenly  tendency,  in  all  your  ways. 

It  is  a  most  excellent  method  to  go  to  some  sincere  and 
candid  friend,  and  inquire  what  are  your  own  defects  in 
temper,  character,  and  every-day  deportment :  and  when 
you  have  discovered  these,  make  it  the  object  of  your 
prayers  and  efforts  to  correct  them. 

One  thing  ought  to  be  strictly  regulated  by  principle, 
and  that  is  the  employment  of  time.  Always  feel  that  you 
are  doing  wrong  when  your  time  is  passing  unprofitably. 
Have  some  regularity  and  method  on  this  subject.  En- 
deavor to  ascertain  how  much  time  should  be  devoted  to 
your  friends  and  to  relaxation,  and  to  let  the  remainder  be 
all  of  it  employed  in  the  most  useful  manner  you  can  devise. 
Never  be  satisfied  with  the  manner  in  which  you  are  spend- 
ing your  time,  if  you  can  think  of  any  possible  way  in  which 
it  might  be  more  usefully  employed.  Remember,  that  time 
is  the  precious  talent  for  which  you  must  account  to  God ; 
and  if  you  find  yourself  indulging  in  listless  inactivity,  or 
tempted  to  engage  in  employments  of  no  practical  use, 
remember  your  account  to  God.  Be  in  a  habit  of  inquiring, 
when  you  commence  any  employment,  "  Is  there  any  thing 
I  can  do  more  useful  than  this  ?"  And  do  not  be  satisfied 
till  you  have  settled  the  question,  that  you  are  doing  all 
the  good  you  can. 

15.  Attempt,  by  your  efforts  and  example,  to  raise  the 
standard  of  piety  and  activity.  If  all  who  are  now  com- 
mencing the  Christian  life  should  make  this  an  object,  and 
not  fall  into  the  temptation  which  professed  Christians  so 
often  set  before  the  lambs  of  the  flock,  the  church  would 
indeed  soon  rise  before  the  world,  "  fair  as  the  moon,  clear 
as  the  sun,  and  terrible  as  an  armv  with  banners." 


TO  THOSE  COMMENCING  A  RELIGIOUS  LIFE.  7 

Resolve  to  be  an  example  to  those  who  ought  to  be  an 
example  to  yon,  and  take  the  Bible,  and  the  Bible  only,  for 
your  guide  in  forming  the  Christian  character. 

Be  active  in  promoting  all  benevolent  objects.  Make  it 
an  object  to  prepare  to  lead  with  propriety,  Avhen  necessary, 
in  all  social  devotional  duties.  At  this  period,  when  prayer 
and  effort  must  unite  in  hastening  the  great  day  of  the 
Lord,  let  every  Christian  learn  to  guide  the  devotions  of 
others,  as  well  as  to  lift  up  his  own  private  supplications. 
There  is  nothing  which  so  much  promotes  the  "  brotherly 
love"  required  in  the  Bible,  and  nothing  which  so  much 
promotes  union  of  effort  and  interest,  as  social  prayer ;  and 
every  one  who  commences  a  religious  life,  should  aim  to  be 
prepared  to  perform  such  duties  with  propriety,  and  should 
stimulate  others  to  engage  in  them. 

16.  Do  not  hesitate  in  the  performance  of  all  the  exter- 
nal duties  of  a  Christian,  because  you  do  not  find  satisfac- 
tory evidence  that  your  feelings  are  right.  Religious  duty 
consists  of  two  parts,  feeling  and  action ;  and  because  we 
find  great  deficiency  in  one  respect,  we  surely  ought  not  to 
neglect  the  whole.  It  is  as  imreasonable  as  it  would  be 
not  to  attempt  to  feel  right  till  every  external  duty  was 
perfectly  performed.  If  we  are  dissatisfied  with  our  evi- 
dence, let  us  go  on  and  do  every  thing  that  a  Christian 
should  do,  as  the  most  hopeful  way  to  gain  right  feelings. 
We  surely  cannot  hope  to  bring  our  hearts  right  by  neg- 
lecting our  outward  duties. 

17.  Remember,  that  the  principal  duty  of  a  Christian, 
as  it  respects  others,  is  to  excite  them  to  the  immediate  per- 
formance of  their  religious  duty.  Jesus  Christ  has  insti- 
tuted his  church  in  the  world,  that  through  its  instrumen- 
tality the  perishing  may  be  saved.  There  is  no  Christian 
but  can  find  some  one  mind,  at  least,  over  which  he  can 
have  some  influence ;  and  if  we  can  do  any  thing  to  save 
others  from  eternal  death,  nothing  should  for  a  moment 
prevent  our  attempting  it.  We  should  persuade  our  friend 
immediately  to  give  a  serious  and  earnest  attention  to  the 
subject,  to  search  the  Scriptures,  with  prayer  for  divine 
illumination,  and  to  give  the  affections  and  the  heart  to  God. 

Lastly,  do  not  be  discouraged  because  you  find  that 
you  are  very  deficient  in  every  one  of  the  particulars  specified. 
Remember,  that  the  Christian  life  is  a  warfare,  and  that  it 


8  TO  THOSE  COMMENCING  A  RELIGIOUS  LIFE. 

is  only  at  the  end  that  we  are  to  come  off  conquerors,  and 
more  than  conquerors.  Remember,  that  He  Avhom  you 
are  striving  to  serve  and  please  is  not  a  hard  master. 
Though  you  have  been  inexcusable  in  the  commission  of 
any  sin,  and  all  the  difficulties  you  find  are  of  your  own 
making,  yet  he  can  be  "  touched  with  the  feeling  of  your 
infirmities."  When  He  sees  that  you  really  are  afflicted 
because  you  so  constantly  abuse  and  forget  him,  he  pities 
you  "  as  a  father  pitieth  his  children ;"  and  so  long  as  you 
use  the  means  he  has  appointed  to  keep  you  from  sin,  and 
wait  upon  him  for  strength  and  guidance,  he  will  never 
leave  nor  forsake  you.  When  you  feel  your  own  strength 
and  resolution  failing,  go  to  him  who  hath  said,  "My  grace 
is  sufficient  for  thee,  and  my  strength  shall  be  made  perfect 
in  weakness."  Call  upon  him,  "and  he  will  be  very  gra- 
cious unto  the  voice  of  thy  cry :  when  he  shall  hear  it,  he 
will  answer  thee.  And  thine  ears  shall  hear  a  word  behind 
thee,  saying,  This  is  the  way,  walk  ye  therein,  when  ye 
turn  to  the  right,  and  when  ye  turn  to  the  left."  Remem- 
ber, also,  that  the  conflict  is  short ;  the  race  will  speedily 
be  accomplished.  Soon  your  deficiencies  and  guilt  shall 
pain  you  no  more ;  soon  you  shall  "  see  him  as  he  is,"  and 
"awake  in  his  likeness  to  be  satisfied  therewith." 


PUBLISHED    BY    THE    AMERICAN    TRACT    SOCIETY. 


i\o.  ^63. 


INDECISION  IN  RELIGION, 


*' Hoiv  long  halt  ye  between  tivo  opinions  ?^^  said  the 
prophet  EHjah  "unto  all  the  people" — "if  the  Lord  be 
God,  follow  him ;  but  if  Baal,  then  follow  him,"  1  Kings, 
18:21;  and  thus  God  now  addresses  all  who  are  undecided 
in  his  service.  In  calling  attention  to  this  divine  appeal,  I 
shall  take  it  for  granted,  that  the  reader  receives  the  Scrip- 
tures as  the  rule  of  faith  and  practice ;  that  he  recognizes 
the  great  truths  they-  reveal  of  man's  ruin  by  sin,  and  sal- 
vation only  through  faith  in  a  divine  Redeemer  and  by  the 
renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  that  he  acknowledges 
the  duty  of  putting  his  trust  in  Christ :  while  yet,  through 
indecision,  the  subject  of  his  own  salvation  is  neglected.  I 
remark,  then, 

1.  Such  indecision  is  criminal.  It  is  criminal,  because 
the  relations  which  we  sustain  to  God  and  the  Scriptures, 
which  teach  us  our  duty,  alike  demand  immediate  service. 

We  are  under  oblio^ations  which  never  rested  on  the 
highest  archangel.  He,  like  us,  has  received  his  all  from 
God,  and  is  bound  to  render  it  to  him  again.  But  he  was 
never  a  rebel  against  his  Maker ;  never  exposed  to  everlast- 
lasting  woe.  For  his  redemption  God  never  sacrificed  his 
only  Son.  To  rescue  him  from  perdition,  the  Lord  of  glory 
never  left  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  veiled  his  deity  in  clay, 
submitted  to  all  the  sufferings  a  rebel  world  could  heap 
upon  him,  and  shed  his  blood  upon  the  accursed  tree.  To 
secure  to  him  the  offers  of  this  salvation,  no  band  of  apos- 
tles spent  their  lives  in  toil ;  no  train  of  martyrs  sealed  their 
doctrines  with  their  blood  ;  no  church  has  been  preserved, 
with  all  its  institutions,  for  eighteen  hundred  years,  amidst 
the  wiles  of  Satan,  the  flames  of  persecution,  and  the  still 

VOL.  VIII.  8*' 


2  INDECISION  IN  RELIGION. 

more  destructive  ravages  of  internal  conflict.  But  for  us 
worms  of  the  dust,  guilty  and  polluted,  all  this  has  been 
done ;  and  it  has  been  effected,  too,  by  God  our  Creator, 
Jesus  our  Redeemer,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  our  Sanctifier. 
We  are  the  beings  towards  whom  all  this  benevolence  has 
been  manifested ;  to  whom  all  this  grace  is  offered.  And 
does  not  this  bring  us  into  a  relation  to  God  which  demands 
our  constant,  our  eternal  service  ?  Surely,  then,  it  requires 
the  immediate  performance  of  duty.  And  in  perfect  con- 
formity to  this  conclusion  are  all  the  requisitions  of  the  Bible. 

In  its  injunctions  it  makes  no  provision  for  any  delay. 
It  anticipates  no  such  delay.  In  its  precepts  it  declares 
what  is,  not  what  will  be  duty.  In  its  commands  it  is  no 
less  decisive.  "My  son,  give  me  thine  heart."  "Remem- 
ber now  thy  Creator,  in  the  days  of  thy  youth."  "  God 
now  commandeth  all  men  everywhere  to  repent."  And  the 
language  of  St.  Paul  is,  *'  I  beseech  you,  therefore,  breth- 
ren, by  the  mercies  of  God,  that  ye  present  your  bodies  a 
living  sacrifice,  holy,  acceptable  to  God,  which  is  your  rea- 
sonable service." 

Indecision  in  religion  is  further  criminal,  because  the 
Scriptures  point  out  our  duty  with  sufficient  plainness. 

The  sum  of  their  instructions  to  us  sinners  is,  that  Ave 
repent,  and  believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Every  one 
knows  what  it  is  to  be  sorry,  to  avoid  whatever  has  been 
the  occasion  of  his  sorrow,  and  to  pursue,  in  future,  a  dif- 
ferent course.  Repentance  consists  in  exercising  genuine 
sorrow  for  sin,  an  absolute  forsaking  of  all  sin,  and  the  ex- 
ercise of  love  and  obedience  to  God.  And  faith,  Avhich  the 
Gospel  requires,  consists  in  an  unwavering  belief,  or  an  im- 
plicit confidence  in  all  the  record  God  has  given  of  his  Son, 
accompanied  with  corresponding  affections  and  actions,  love 
and  obedience.  Are  not  these  duties  intelligible?  Will 
any  one  say  he  has  difficulty  in  understanding  them  ?  The 
Bible  says  to  every  individual,  '*  These  do,  and  thou  shalt 
live." 

But  if  the  claims  of  God  upon  us,  the  manner  in  which 


INDECISION  IN  RELIGION.  3 

he  has  made  known  his  will,  and  the  actual  knowledge  we 
possess  of  our  duty,  are  such  as  they  have  been  represent- 
ed ;  if  God  has  not  only  created  and  supported  us,  but  has 
given  his  Son  to  redeem  us  by  his  blood ;  if  he  has  written 
our  duty,  as  it  were,  with  a  sunbeam  before  our  eyes,  and 
we  are  constrained  to  acknowledge  that  we  do  understand 
it,  is  there  no  criminality  in  neglecting  to  comply  with  it  ? 
Does  indecision  upon  this  plain,  this  momentous  subject, 
incur  no  guilt  ?  What  should  w^e  think  of  the  child,  whom 
the  highest  degree  of  parental  kindness  could  not  excite  to 
the  performance  of  a  single  duty,  and  who  should  pay  no 
other  regard  to  the  injunctions  and  entreaties  of  the  most 
affectionate  parent,  than  the  cold  compliment,  "  They  are 
proper,  I  may  sometime  attend  to  them  ?"  "Who  would  not 
pronounce  him  a  monster  of  ingratitude  and  disobedience  ? 
And  yet  the  obligations  of  a  child  to  his  earthly  parent  bear 
no  more  proportion  to  our  obligations  to  God,  than  man,  a 
worm  of  the  dust,  bears  to  the  infinite  Jehovah.  Inasmuch, 
then,  as  all  the  motives  which  urge  us  to  the  discharge  of 
Christian  duties  at  all,  urge  us  to  their  immediate  perform- 
ance, we  see  both  the  fact  and  the  reason  that  indecision  in 
the  case  is  criminal. 

2.  Indecision  in  religion  is  dangerous.  It  is  dangerous 
from  the  uncertainty  of  life.  Our  salvation  must  be  secured 
while  life  continues,  or  it  is  lost  for  ever.  This  life  is  short 
at  the  longest.  Still,  were  Ave  certain  of  living  to  advanced 
age,  the  danger  of  delay  would  not  appear  so  great.  But 
when  we  reflect  on  the  proportion  of  our  race  who  are 
swept  away  in  middle  age,  in  youth,  and  even  in  childhood  ; 
when  we  consider  how  suddenly  disease  may  prostrate  these 
frail  bodies,  to  how  many  fatal  accidents  we  are  every  mo- 
ment exposed,  and  how  often,  in  the  midst  of  all  their  pur- 
suits, God  says  to  unheeding  mortals,  "  This  night  thy  soul 
shall  be  required  of  thee,"  Avho,  that  has  not  fled  to  the 
blessed  Jesus,  can  indulge  a  thought  of  safety  ?  Who,  that 
is  not  determined  to  make  religion  his  first,  his  constant 
business,  dares  presume  to  hope  for  heaven  ? 


4  INDECISION  IN  RELIGION. 

Again,  indecision  is  dangerous  on  account  of  its  injluence 
in  hardening  the  heart.  All  our  active  faculties  are  strength- 
ened by  exercise  ;  but  passive  impressions  always  leave  that 
part  of  the  system  on  which  they  are  made,  enervated,  and 
less  liable  to  be  again  affected  by  the  same  cause.  The 
soldier,  -whose  blood  almost  freezes  in  his  veins  at  the  first 
explosion  of  the  cannon,  after  the  exchange  of  a  few  shots 
scarcely  remembers  that  he  is  upon  the  field  of  death.  The 
surgeon,  whose  visage  whitened,  and  whose  whole  frame 
trembled  at  the  sight  of  an  ordinary  wound,  after  a  few 
years'  practice  can  calmly  amputate  a  limb,  or  trepan  a 
writhing  patient.  Not  less  evident  are  the  effects  of  this 
principle  of  our  nature  in  steeling  the  heart  against  religious 
impressions.  The  child  hears  a  few  words  respecting  the 
infinite  God,  or  a  boundless  eternity,  and  his  eyes  are  suf- 
fused with  tears.  When  he  has  arrived  at  the  season  of 
youth,  and  has  often  heard  these  subjects  discussed,  he  is 
not  so  easily  afiected.  Still,  he  is  tender.  Impressive  ser- 
mons, or  alarming  providences,  seize  upon  his  heart,  and 
tears  yet  steal  from  his  eyes.  But  go  with  him  to  the  pe- 
riod of  middle  age,  and  he  is  seldom  seen  to  weep.  Every 
thing  that  should  arouse  his  attention  to  the  concerns  of  eter- 
nity, has  become  so  familiar  that  nothing  makes  any  percep- 
tible impression.  He  can  stand  unmoved,  even  before  the 
exhibition  of  that  scene  which  shook  the  earth  to  its  centre, 
and  clothed  the  heavens  in  sackcloth.  Follow  him  to  the 
confines  of  second  childhood.  This  season,  it  might  natu- 
rally be  supposed,  would  be  favorable  to  seriousness.  It 
might  be  expected  that  the  honors,  the  riches,  and  the 
pleasures  of  the  world,  would  now  lose  their  hold  upon  his 
heart,  and  that  the  near  approach  of  eternity  would  cause 
its  scenes  to  produce  upon  his  mind  the  eflfect  of  realities. 
But  what  is  the  fact  ?  It  is  believed  that  futurity  dwells 
less  upon  his  mind  than  at  any  former  period.  It  is  true, 
as  his  system  grows  feeble,  a  degree  of  tenderness  returns. 
But,  is  he  affected,  it  is  in  view  of  the  past.  Does  he  weep, 
it  is  at  the  recollection  of  youthful  scenes,  which,  even  then, 


INDECISION  IN  RELIGION.  5 

produced  no  lasting  effects  upon  his  mind,  and  are  much 
less  likely  now  to  leave  any  salutary  impression. 

If  this  is  the  common  course  where  divine  grace  does 
not  interpose,  Avhat  are  the  natural  effects  of  indecision  in 
the  case  ?  It  not  only  leaves  a  person  exposed  to  all  this 
train  of  consequences,  but  that  very  state  of  mind  itself  has, 
perhaps,  a  more  powerful  tendency  to  harden  the  heart  than 
any  other  state  into  which  the  mind  can  be  thrown.  When 
truth  is  forced  upon  the  understanding,  and  obligation 
pressed  upon  the  conscien<ie,  the  man  is  deeply  affected. 
He  is  on  the  point  of  resolving.  Though  to  obey  he  has 
no  heart,  yet  refuse  compliance  he  dares  not.  But  the 
moment  the  expedient  of  delaying  the  decision  occurs  to  his 
mind,  he  has  at  once  an  opiate  for  every  uneasiness  ;  a  shield 
always  at  hand,  with  which  to  resist  every  dart  from  the  re- 
monstrances of  conscience,  and  every  arrow  from  the  quiver 
of  divine  truth. 

How  powerful,  hoAV  fatal,  then,  is  the  influence  of  inde- 
cision in  hardening  the  already  depraved  heart,  and  in  less- 
ening the  probability  that  it  will  ever  become  the  subject  of 
renewing  grace. 

But  once  more,  indecision  in  religion  is  dangerous,  be- 
cause it  tends  directly  to  iwovoke  God  to  remove  from  us  his 
Holy  S2nrit.  God  says,  "  My  Spirit  shall  not  always  strive 
with  man."  The  Scriptures  speak  of  those  who  are  left  to 
hardness  of  heart  and  blindness  of  mind.  If  we  believe 
the  representations  of  the  Bible  with  respect  to  the  deprav- 
ity of  the  heart,  we  must  be  assured  that  the  moment  the 
Holy  Spirit  is  finally  withdrawn  from  any  one,  his  destruc- 
tion is  inevitable. 

God  has  not  only  made  provision  for  our  salvation  at 
infinite  expense,  and  offered  it  without  money  and  without 
price,  but  in  compassion  to  our  stupidity  and  obduracy,  he 
grants  us  the  influences  of  his  Spirit,  to  enlighten  our  under- 
standings, to  awaken  our  consciences,  and  to  aftect  our  hearts. 
But  if  we  treat  with  listless  indifference  that  divine  Agent,  on 
whose  operations  our  eternal  all  is  suspended,  what,  in  the 


6  INDECISION  IN  RELIGION. 

sight  of  God,  must  be  the  import  of  such  conduct  ?  Is  it  not 
saying,  in  the  most  decisive  language,  "  Depart  from  us,  for 
we  desire  not  the  knowledge  of  thy  ways  ?"  What  can  be 
more  provoking  to  the  infinite  Jehovah  ?  What  more  cal- 
culated to  induce  him  to  withdraw  from  us  his  Spirit,  and 
leave  us  to  our  own  hearts'  desire  ?  And  should  he  do  this, 
with  regard  to  any  of  us,  the  consequences  must  be  inde- 
scrihahly  dreadful. 

No  matter  how  much  instruction  we  might  receive,  it 
would  only  serve  to  pour  light  upon  the  understanding, 
against  which  we  should  be  continually  sinning.  No  matter 
how  long  Ave  might  live,  it  would  only  be  to  fill  up  the 
measure  of  our  iniquities.  No  matter  how  much  we  might 
enjoy  Christian  society,  and  how  near  to  heaven  we  might 
be  exalted  by~our  privileges ;  they  would  only  serve  to  sink 
us  lower  in  the  pit  of  despair,  and  render  the  recollections 
of  neglected  mercy  a  thousandfold  more  insupportable. 
How  highly,  then,  does  it  become  us,  with  deep  humility, 
with  unfeigned  penitence,  with  determined  resolutions  of 
obedience,  to  raise,  with  the  Psalmist,  the  earnest  supplica- 
tion, "  Lord,  take  not  thy  Holy  Spirit  from  me," 

I  have  thus  considered  the  criminality  and  the  danger  of 
indecision  in  religion.  Faint  as  the  representation  has  been, 
the  subject  must  appear  important.  Let  it,  my  dear  reader, 
have  all  the  weight  on  your  mind  which  its  importance 
demands. 

But  perhaps  the  reader  is  conscious  that  he  is  one  of 
those  who  remain  yet  undecided  in  the  great  concern  of  re- 
ligion, and  still  "halting  between  two  opinions."  Allow  me, 
then,  to  say  to  you,  "  One  thing  thou  lackestT  And  that 
is  emphatically,  the  one  thing  needful.  An  object,  in  com- 
parison Avith  which,  crowns  are  but  toys — worlds  are  but 
bubbles. 

Suffer  me,  therefore,  to  use  the  utmost  plainness,  while  I 
attempt  to  prevail  on  you  to  abandon  the  dangerous  ground 
on  which  you  are  resting,  and  to  take  a  position  more  favor- 


INDECISION  IN  RELIGION.  7 

able  to  the  attainment  of  your  highest  good.  You  are 
firmly  convinced  that  religion  is  necessary,  and  that,  to  be 
happy,  you  must  possess  it  sooner  or  later.  With  rehgious 
truth,  too,  you  have  become  familiar.  But  it  makes  only  a 
shght  impression  on  your  mind.  You  have  therefore  con- 
cluded that  you  must  wait  until  God  shall  pass  before  you, 
in  some  remarkable  event  of  his  providence,  or  in  some  sig- 
nal display  of  his  grace  :  then  you  presume  your  attention 
will  be  excited  ;  then  you  shall  become  a  devoted  Christian. 

But  suffer  me  to  ask,  my  dear  friend,  on  what  basis  is 
this  presumption  founded?  If  the  thunders  of  Sinai,  the 
mercies  of  Calvary,  and  the  retributions  of  eternity  have 
hitherto  produced  no  effect  upon  your  mind,  what  can  you 
suppose  will  ever  arouse  you  ?  Will  Sinai  again  be  clothed 
in  terror  ?  Must  Calvary  again  be  crimsoned  with  the  blood 
of  an  expiring  Saviour  ?  Shall  the  Holy  Ghost  dictate  a 
new  revelation,  to  portray  in  livelier  colors  the  indescriba- 
ble destinies  of  the  world  to  come  ?  Or  must  the  angel  of 
death  tear  from  your  embrace  the  dearest  object  of  your 
affections,  and  thus  cause  your  eyes  to  weep,  and  your  heart 
to  bleed  ?  Any  of  these  scenes  w^ould  be  solemn.  They 
would  be  awfully  affecting.  But  with  an  undecided  heart, 
like  the  Jews  who  beheld  the  crucifixion  of  their  Lord,  you 
might  witness  them  without  one  holy  affection,  without  one 
religious  impression,  and  even  with  a  tenfold  degree  of 
hardness. 

The  character  of  God,  the  relations  w^e  sustain  to  him, 
and  the  ceaseless  mercies  we  receive  from  his  hand,  are 
motives  ever  before  us,  Avhich  should  impel  us  to  obedience. 
Bring  them  distinctly  before  your  mind.  Revolve  them  in 
the  house,  and  by  the  way ;  when  you  lie  down,  and  when 
you  rise  up.  And  should  you  find  within  your  bosom  a 
heart  unmoved  by  all  these  claims,  a  heart  that,  in  view  of 
so  much  excellence,  so  much  love,  so  much  mercy,  can  feel 
no  gratitude,  render  no  obedience,  consider,  I  beseech  you, 
what  must  be  the  character  of  that  heart,  and  treat  it  ac- 
cordino-  to  its  desert. 


8  INDECISION  IN  RELIGION. 

Fear  not  to  charge  home  upon  it  all  the  guilt  which 
such  astonisliing  insensibility  incurs,  and  determine  to  allow 
it  no  peace  till  it  shall  yield  unreserved  obedience.  And 
cease  not  day  nor  night  to  cry  to  the  Father  of  your  spirits, 
that  he  would  take  from  you  this  heart  of  stone,  and  give 
you  a  new  heart  of  flesh. 

Contemplate  also  the  wonders  of  the  day  in  which  you 
live.  It  is  a  day  in  which  operations  are  rapidly  advancing 
for  the  conversion  of  the  world.  Recolkct  the  claims  of 
God  upon  those  who  have  enjoyed  the  Gospel,  to  commu- 
nicate it  to  the  multitude  who  are  perishing  for  lack  of  vis- 
ion. And  can  you  remain  inactive  ?  Consider  the  glory 
that  will  redound  to  God,  and  the  happiness  which  will 
accrue  to  men,  from  these  efforts  of  Christian  love.  And 
can  you  rest  satisfied  without  any  part  or  lot  in  the  work, 
or  with  what  you  can  do  without  faith  in  Christ,  or  love  to 
the  souls  of  men  ?  Think  of  the  tide  of  mercy  that  is  roll- 
ing through  the  earth,  bearing  thousands  and  millions  on 
its  waves  to  heaven.  And  can  you  sit  at  the  very  gates  of 
the  New  Jerusalem,  and  not  make  one  effort,  not  form  one 
resolution,  to  participate  in  its  bliss  ? 

But  I  forbear.  I  cannot  doubt  that  more  than  the 
half-formed  resolution — I  will  not  doubt  that  the  full  inten- 
tion to  become  a  Christian  is  already  struggling  in  your 
breast.  O  let  it  be  a  present  determination.  Purposes  of 
future  amendment  are  of  no  avail.  They  are  at  best  but 
delusion.  Were  crowns  presented,  deliberation  would  be 
safety.  Were  kingdoms  proffered,  hesitation  would  be 
prudence.  But  in  the  momentous  concerns  of  eternity, 
experience  has  demonstrated  that  delay  is  presumption, 
that  procrastination  is  death. 


PUBLISHED   BY  THE  AMERICAN  TRACT  SOCIETY. 


!V©.  364, 


GEORGE  LOVELL 


AN    AUTHENTIC   N"ARRATIVE. 


-"-^^^^^^ 


There  are  some  passages  in  the  life  of  an  individual  of  my 
acquaintance  so  interesting  and  striking,  that  they  ought  not 
to  be  withheld  from  the  public  eye.  They  deserve  the  name 
of  co?ifessio7is,  and  I  know  no  more  suitable  channel  for  their 
conveyance  than  the  pages  of  a  tract.  George  Lovell — for 
by  that  name  I  will  introduce  to  my  readers  the  true  history 
of  the  subject  of  this  narrative — was  the  cliild  of  a  pious 
mother  and  a  moral  father.  His  father  was  once  inclined 
to  Universalist  or  Unitarian  sentiments,  but  the  serene  and 
steadfast  example  of  his  beloved  wife,  enforcing  the  Gospel 
truth  which  he  heard  every  Sabbath  from  the  pulpit,  wrought, 
under  God,  an  entire  change  in  his  speculative  sentiments. 
At  the  birth  of  George,  his  mother,  like  Hannah,  could  say, 
'  Fo?-  this  child  I  irrayecV     He  was  not  only  consecrated 

VOL.   VIII.  9 


2  GEORGE  LOVELL. 

to  God  in  fervent  and  believing  prayer,  but  by  a  similar 
reach  of  faith  to  that  which  adorned  the  mother  of  Samuel, 
was  consecrated  to  the  work  of  the  ministry.  "  /  have  lent 
him  to  the  Lord.  As  long  as  he  liveth  he  shall  he  lent  to 
the  LordT  Lent,  that  is,  returned,  according  to  the  literal 
translation.  Happy  mother — happy  mothers,  I  may  say. 
How  many  are  now  rejoicing  with  then-  sons  preeminent 
in  glory,  who  were  first  in  the  ranks  of  the  church  militant 
here.  I  need  only  mention,  as  representatives  of  the  brill- 
iant catalogue,  such  names  as  Timothy,  Augustine,  White- 
field,  Wesley,  Edwards,  Doddridge,  D wight,  whose  infancy 
blossomed,  whose  youth  ripened  beneath  the  smiles  and 
tears  of  maternal  piety.  There  is  no  feature  in  the  pic- 
ture of  domestic  beauty  so  attractive  as  that  of  the  pious, 
anxious  mother,  watching  the  expanding  mind  of  her  child, 
that  it  may  seize  the  preoccupying  influence  of  heavenly 
truth.  It  is  work  for  an  angel.  Each  lesson  is  a  seal  for 
eternity.  Thus  was  George  instructed.  There  was  not  an 
individual  in  the  family  who  had  any  sympathy  with  the 
pious  toil  of  the  mother ;  but  her  task  was  softened  and 
relieved  by  the  recollection  of  other  mothers  who  had 
gone  before  her,  and  by  the  anticipation  of  her  heavenly 
reward. 

There  may  be  said  to  be  a  time  when  the  care  of  the 
child  naturally  transfers  itself  from  the  mother  to  the  father ; 
I  mean  that  period  when  the  severer  studies  are  to  become 
objects  of  pursuit.  Mrs,  Lovell  had  done  her  part  in  the 
fear  of  God,  and  in  the  faith  of  his  promises.  No  indica- 
tions of  piety,  however,  were  observed  in  her  son — nothing 
beyond  that  general  sobriety  which  is  the  result  of  careful 
moral  training.  This,  too,  was  occasionally  disturbed  by 
sallies  of  temper,  which  too  plainly  demonstrated  the  wick- 
edness that  is  "bound  in  the  heart  of  a  child."  The  spirit 
of  disobedience  also  at  times  burst  through  the  frail  bar- 
riers of  education  and  example,  and  compelled  the  father 
to  exercise  the  stern  seveiity  of  the  rod. 


GEORGE  LOVELL.  3 

When  Georfre  had  reached  the  as^e  of  sixteen,  death  cast 
his  deepest  shadow  over  that  lovely  family,  by  removing 
her  that  was  its  light  and  its  ornament.  The  wife  and  the 
mother  were  no  more,  but  the  Christian,  the  saint,  lived 
with  God  in  heaven.  George  was  called  from  school  to 
witness  the  dying  struggles  of  his  beloved  mother,  whose 
triumphant  faith  bespoke  a  spirit  "  quite  on  the  verge  of 
heaven."  That  hour,  with  its  sad  accompaniments,  could 
never  be  effaced  from  his  recollection.  The  natural  heavens 
w^ere  darkened  by  a  rising  storm ;  clouds  dense  and  black 
rolled  on  clouds ;  peals  of  thunder  long  and  deep,  rather 
than  sudden  and  loud,  resounded  along  the  sky ;  and  in  the 
midst  of  these  solemn  and  sublime  exhibitions  of  nature, 
the  soul  of  the  dying  Christian  took  its  flight  to  the  region 
of  everlasting  peace  and  repose.  It  seemed  like  death  and 
judgment  combined.  But  while  their  sombre  images  were 
presented  to  the  mind,  another  image,  even  that  of  the 
triumph  and  security  of  the  redeemed  soul,  served  to  gild 
the  scene  with  a  bright  and  tender  ray,  and  to  diffuse  con- 
solation throughout  the  afflicted  family. 

A  class  of  sensations  entirely  new  now  took  possession 
of  the  bosom  of  George.  He  felt  himself  motherless.  For 
the  first  time  in  his  life  he  knew  what  it  is  to  be  a  mourner. 
Death  had  taken  companions  from  his  side,  but  never  be- 
fore had  laid  his  icy  hand  on  his  heart.  Every  fibre  of  that 
heart  shrunk  at  the  touch.  Can  it  be,  he  silently  asked 
himself,  that  I  have  no  mother ;  no  mother  to  love  me,  to 
guide  me,  to  pray  for  me  ?  Reader,  have  you  ever  lost  a 
mother  ?  If  you  have,  you  understand  me  when  I  say  it  is 
then  that  the  man,  the  woman,  becomes  a  child  again — not 
in  weakness,  not  in  the  evanescent  emotions  of  childish  age, 
but  in  affection,  in  passion,  in  principle,  in  all  that  is  beautiful 
in  filial  love.  Then,  every  remembered  act  of  disrespect,  of 
disobedience,  of  neglect,  pains  the  soul  with  more  than  child- 
like sorrow — a  sorrow  scarcely  relieved  by  the  more  grate- 
ful recollection  of  kindness  rendered  and  duty  discharged. 


4  GEORGE  LOVELL. 

The  seriousness  of  George  Avas  enhanced  by  ill  health 
He  imagined,  though  as  the  event  proved  without  founda- 
tion, that  the  fatal  germ  of  the  same  disorder  under  which 
his  mother  sunk  existed  within  him  ;  and  while  he  expected 
soon  perhaps  to  follow  her  to  eternity,  he  shuddered  at  the 
thought  of  the  endless  separation  that  would  imbitter  that 
eternity  to  his  lost  soul.  Such  a  prospect  as  this,  super- 
added to  the  thought  of  an  early  death — of  earthly  hopes 
crushed  in  the  bud — of  separation  from  loved  friends  and 
companions  here — of  the  utter  uselessness  which  the  event 
of  death  would  stamp  on  all  those  labored  acquisitions 
which  were  great  in  his  own  eyes — of  soon  leaving  all  in 
this  life  that  was  brilliant  in  promise — such  a  prospect,  I 
say,  was  of  itself  sufficient  to  hasten  the  decay,  if  not  the 
dissolution  of  a  constitution  at  no  time  remarkable  for 
vigor. 

He  had  no  discernment  of  the  spiritual  beauty  and  con- 
solation of  those  words  which  were  among  the  last  on  the 
lips  of  his  expiring  mother,  and  which  were  engraven  on 
the  marble  of  her  tomb  :  *'  Yea,  though  I  walk  through  the 
valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  I  will  fear  no  evil,  for  thou 
art  with  me  ;  thy  rod  and  thy  staff  they  comfort  me."  He 
felt  like  a  lonely  wanderer  amid  vast  and  comfortless  soli- 
tudes. When  he  saw  the  funeral  preparations,  when  the 
pastor  came  to  condole  with  the  bereaved  family,  when 
friends  came  to  mingle  their  sympathetic  tears,  and  espe- 
cially when  the  first  movement  was  made  by  the  bearers  to 
transfer  the  cold  and  coffined  remains  of  that  saint  from  the 
table  to  the  bier,  from  that  sweet  living  home  to  the  home 
of  the  dead,  how  did  the  sadness  of  his  heart  grow  deeper 
and  more  painful.  Then  the  deep-toned  toll  of  the  church- 
bell,  as  the  procession  began  to  move,  vibrated  on  his  heart 
with  a  new  and  strange  effect.  The  hollow  sound  of  the 
loose  earth,  as  it  fell  upon  the  coffin — how  saddening  !  And 
when  he  returned  home,  and  saw  his  disconsolate  father 
and  mourning  sisters,  all  in  their  sable  drapery,  all  the  sub- 


GEORGE  LOVELL.  5 

jects  of  undissembled  grief,  he  felt  that  with  this  eternity 
he  had  much  to  do. 

Rehgion,  he  now  thought,  was  the  most  desirable  thing 
on  earth ;  the  absolutely  necessary  thing  for  heaven.  At 
times  he  prayed ;  he  wept  alone ;  he  confessed  on  his 
knees  his  sins  to  God.  No  earthly  ear  heard  one  of  his 
sighs  or  groans ;  no  mind  suspected  that  the  sadness  of  his 
countenance  was  any  thing  but  the  effect  of  natural  grief 
for  the  loss  of  a  beloved  friend.  He  was  treated  accord- 
ingly. He  was  sympathized  with,  but  not  addressed  as  an 
anxious  sinner.  Nothing  was  done  by  his  pastor  to  draw 
out  an  expression  of  his  feelings.  He  preached  a  solemn, 
beautiful,  and  eloquent  funeral  sermon,  which  justly  com- 
memorated the  exemplary  virtues  and  the  triumphant  faith 
of  the  pious  dead  ;  but  he  gave  no  private  personal  warning 
to  the  impenitent  living.  And  this,  too,  at  a  time  when 
the  hearts  of  eight  children  were,  like  the  softened  wax, 
susceptible  of  any  impression.  Kindness  and  tenderness 
were  among  the  qualities  of  this  excellent  man ;  but  he 
could  not,  or  would  not,  administer  pointed  reproof  and 
warning.  He  was  to  be  commended  rather  for  his  pulpit- 
excellence  than  his  pastoral  faithfulness.  Yet  this  last  was 
what  George  stood  in  perishing  need  of.  He  told  me  it 
was  his  firm  belief,  that  if  he  had  been  faithfully  dealt  with 
at  that  crisis,  by  him  who  had  the  charge  of  his  soul,  or 
by  the  professed  people  of  God,  he  w^ould,  by  his  blessing, 
have  yielded ;  if  the  way  of  salvation  had  been  shown  to 
him,  he  would,  with  his  aid,  have  walked  in  it.  He  knew 
not  what  he  must  do.  He  scarcely  knew  the  nature  of  his 
own  feelings.  Time,  however,  seemed  as  nothing  to  him — 
eternity  as  every  thing. 

When  the  first  effervescence  of  sorrow  had  in  a  measure 
subsided,  George  resumed  his  studies  preparatory  to  his 
entrance  into  college.  Possessing  an  active  mind  and  a 
keen  relish  for  the  dead  languages,  he  studied  night  and 
day  the  Latin  and  the  Greek,  with  no  interruption  save  that 

VOL.  VIll.  9* 


6  GEORGE  LOVELL. 

the  image  of  his  departed  mother  would  often  cross  the 
page  on  which  his  mind  w^as  intent.  The  shghtest  associa- 
tion would  call  it  up  w^ith  great  force  and  tenderness,  nor 
did  it  begin  to  fade  from  the  mental  eye,  so  long  as  he  con- 
tinued near  the  scene  of  her  death,  or  the  spot  of  her  burial. 
With  this  image  there  never  failed  to  be  connected  the  idea 
of  her  piety,  her  prayers,  her  heavenly  walk,  her  faithful 
instructions,  her  dying  admonitions.  But  against  the  con- 
centrated force  of  all  these,  the  enthusiasm  of  study  pre- 
vailed, and  my  friend  preferred  the  honors  of  scholarship 
to  the  blessings  of  Christianity.  How  often  has  he  won- 
dered that  the  Spirit  of  God  did  not  at  that  critical  period 
bid  him  a  final,  a  returnless  farewell !  How  often  has  such 
a  crisis  sealed  up  for  ever  the  hopes  of  youth ! 

The  time  soon  ai'rived  when  he  was  to  leave  home,  and 
enter  the  walls  of  a  college — a  sphere  entirely  new — encir- 
cled with  temptations,  not  merely  to  the  indulgence  of  intel- 
lectual ambition,  but  of  gay  companionship,  of — what  shall 
I  call  it  ? — gregarious  indolence,  of  fun  and  folly,  of  many 
thincrs  which  no  p'overnmental  laws  can  restram  or  reach  ; 
which  nothing  but  the  predominant  spirit  of  religion  can 
control.  Surrounded  as  he  was  by  thoughtless  young- 
men,  courted  and  caressed  by  the  best  scholars,  proud  of 
his  own  capacities  of  attainment,  he  might  have  fallen  a 
victim  the  very  first  year  of  his  collegiate  life,  but  for  two 
things. 

The  first  was,  the  remembrance  of  his  sainted  mother. 
No  hving  voice  could  have  spoken  with  more  impressive 
effect  to  his  conscience,  than  did  the  silence  of  her  grave. 
She  had  taught  him  to  reverence  the  Sabbath  as  none  but 
God's — as  the  keystone  of  all  civil  and  sacred  institutions — 
the  day  when  it  becomes  an  absolute  duty  to  turn  the  mind 
from  secular  to  sacred  subjects.  Accordingly,  under  the 
influence  of  an  enlightened  natural  conscience,  he  regularly 
devoted  the  more  private  hours  of  the  Sabbath  to  books  of 
a  strictly  spiritual  character.     He  had,  however,  a  sufficient 


GEORGE  LOVELL.  7 

amount  of  good  sense  not  to  mistake  good  acts  and  habits 
for  real  spirituality  of  mind.  At  the  same  time  he  might 
be  said  to  indulge  a  kind  of  self-iighteous  hope  that  he  was 
in  a  fair  way  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

The  second  circumstance  which-  powerfully  restrained, 
and  even  highly  excited  him,  was  a  religious  revival  which 
commenced  during  the  last  term  of  his  first  year  in  college. 
He  had  contracted,  before  this  revival  commenced,  a  fond- 
ness for  what  he  then  thought  the  innocent,  but  afterwards 
knew  to  be  the  pernicious  amusement  of  ^ancing.  Having 
once  tasted  the  gay  and  guilty^  pleasure,  his  love  for  it  be- 
came excessive.  Excessive  and  extravao-ant  it  mio-ht  well 
be  called,  since  he  was  wilhng  not  only  to  sacrifice  his  time, 
but  his  very  soul  for  it.  It  Avas  the  reluctance  to  give  up 
this  foolish,  but  fascinating  amusement,  that  baiTed  all  ac- 
cess to  permanent  serious  impressions ;  and  George  has  told 
me  that  it  was  the  conviction  of  his  own  mind,  that  he 
should  have  embraced  religion  in  tliat  revival,  had  not  his 
passion  for  this  new-found  pleasure  absorbed  every  other 
consideration. 

He  that  has  witnessed  a  revival  in  a  college  knows  how 
peculiar  is  its  character.  The  intellectual  standing  of  its 
subjects,  their  local  contiguity,  the  solemn  regularity  of  the 
devotional  exercises,  the  fact  that  all  are  young  men,  the 
stillness  of  every  occurring  scene,  the  energy  of  religion 
working  through  the  social  principle,  which  exists  so  strong- 
ly in  classes,  and  in  the  tenants  of  the  same  room — all  these 
circumstances,  combined  with  the  certain  prospect  that  each 
one  of  these  anxious  youth  is  to  exert  an  influence  upon  so 

*  Guilty,  because  it  dissipates  the  time  and  the  mind,  opens  the 
door  to  licentious  imaginations,  wastes  money  that  mig-ht  be  bet- 
ter appropriated,  encourages  the  use  of  wine  and  strong  drink, 
ba^iishes  serious  reflection,  promotes  levity,  folly,  and  useless 
conversation,  indisposes  to  prayer  and  reading  the  Bible,  incites 
infatuated  youth  to  ridicule  the  ministers  of  religion  and  pious 
Christians,  and  leads  on  the  soul  to  perdition. 


g  GEORGE  LOVELL. 

many  immortal  minds,  serve  to  render  the  place  and  tlie 
occasion  awful  in  the  highest  degree. 

There  was  one  occasion  on  which  George  absolutely 
trembled  under  the  powerful  exhortation  of  a  member  of 
the  Junior  class,  and  let  fall  such  expressions  as  inspired 
hope  among  the  Christian  students  that  he  w^as  the  subject 
of  serious  impressions  and  convictions.  But  these  feelings 
soon  departed.  There  was  but  one  member  of  college,  now 
a  devoted  and  self-denying  missionary  in  a  foreign  land, 
who  dared  to  vi^t  him  in  his  room,  and  address  him  indi- 
vidually on  the  subject  of  his  soul's  salvation.  Would  it 
have  been  believed  that  the  opposition  of  a  heart  so  trained 
as  was  George's,  would  have  flashed  out  under  the  kindly 
warnino-s  of  such  a  friend  ?  Yet  such  was  the  fact.  He 
hated  the  person  of  his  ad\4ser.  And  what  was  this  but 
hatred  of  God  ?  How  true,  that  "  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity 
against  God !"  He  outlived  his  convictions.  He  survived 
the  revival,  unaffected  by  its  renovating  powder.  He  Avas  of 
course  prepared  to  relax  even  the  formal  strictness  which 
was  the  result  of  his  religious  education. 

In  the  second  year  at  college  he  made  a  retrograde  step 
in  point  of  the  observance  of  the  Sabbath.  From  reading 
spiritual  books  he  passed  by  an  easy  transition,  which  sat- 
isfied his  conscience,  to  the  reading  of  the  more  serious  kind 
of  poetiy,  such  as  Young's  Night  Thoughts,  Milton's  Para- 
dise Lost,  etc.  This  he  persuaded  himself  could  not  be 
wrong  on  the  Sabbath.  Without  entering  into  the  question 
of  the  moral  rectitude  of  reading  such  works  on  the  Sabbath, 
it  is  sufficient  to  say,  that  he  who  is  satisfied  with  mere 
works  of  taste,  however  solemn  the  drapery  which  envel- 
opes them,  must  be  far  from  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  The 
third  year  found  him  ready  for  another  step,  to  read  Shak- 
speare,  Dryden,  etc.  By  the  fourth  year  he  could  coolly  git 
doAvn  to  the  reading  of  novels  and  plays  of  all  kinds.  Se- 
rious books  were  utterly  forgotten — literary  ambition  had 
full  possession  of  his  soul — the  memory  of  his  mother  ceased 


GEORGE  LOVELL.  9 

to  exert  its  beneficent  power,  and  my  friend  was  about  to 
drift  away  upon  the  uncertain  sea  of  life,  when  the  star  of 
Bethlehem  arose. 

"  That  star  alone,  of  all  the  train, 
Can  fix  the  sinner's  wandering  eye." 

He  was  sitting  alone  in  his  room  on  the  Sabbath,  having 
indulged  himself  with  absence  from  church  for  the  purpose 
of  devoming  a  favorite  novel,  when  his  mind  was  suddenly 
arrested  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  the  whole  current  of  his 
thoughts  instantaneously  diverted  from  their  earthly  chan- 
nel towards  the  awful  things  of  eternity.  He  was  alarmed, 
highly  excited,  distressingly  convicted.  He  thought  he  had 
received  a  summons  to  the  bar  of  God,  He  expected  in  a 
few  moments  to  die.  He  paced  the  room  in  a  frenzy  of 
despair.  He  threw  himself  upon  the  bed,  and  with  the 
fearful  earnestness  and  energy  of  a  dying  man,  pleaded  in 
piteous  accents  for  mercy.  He  seemed  to  tremble  on  the 
verge  of  life,  and  felt  all  the  horrors  of  dying  alone,  without 
comfort  and  without  hope.  When  the  tumult  of  his  feel- 
ino^s  had  in  a  measure  subsided,  his  reflections,  thouo-li  less 
confused,  were  keen  and  painful ;  not  the  less  so,  from  the 
fact  that  they  were  constrained  in  his  own  bosom.  Pride, 
or  shame,  or  something  kindred  to  these,  compelled  him  to 
lock  up  the  distressing  secret,  while  the  strange  change  in 
his  appearance  was  attributed  by  his  friends  to  bodily  sick- 
ness. The  very  mention  of  the  word  death  agitated  his 
soul  to  its  inmost  centre.  He  relinquished  his  studies,  and 
returned  home.  He  prayed  and  wept  night .  and  day  in 
secret,  still  afraid  of  his  impending  doom,  and  afraid  to 
disclose  his  feelings  to  any  individual.  He  passed  his  min- 
ister without  daring  to  speak.  When  he  lay  down  to  sleep 
at  night,  he  expected  to  awake  in  hell !  At  length,  by  a 
mighty  effort,  he  called  a  pious  sister  aside,  and  with  a  burst 
of  tears,  which  mingled  with  her  own  at  the  recital,  he 
fold  his  convictions.     She  threw  her  arms  around  his  neck, 


10  GEORGE  LOVELL. 

and  continued  to  weep  for  joy  at  such  intelligence.  The 
deceiver,  however,  was  busy  with  his  temptations.  Be- 
tween the  constraining  convictions  of  his  conscience,  and 
his  love  for  the  world,  there  was  a  deadly  struggle.  Could 
he  give  up  all  for  Christ  ?  As  if  resolved  to  let  tempta- 
tion try  its  worst  with  him,  he  stole  out  by  night,  under 
all  the  pressure  of  his  convictions,  and  took  his  way  to  a 
ballroom,  where  an  assemblage  of  his  well-known  compan- 
ions were  engaged  in  the  dance.  He  entered  the  room, 
brilhant  with  lights,  gay  with  music,  and  ghttering  with 
the  attractions  of  beauty  and  fashion.  He  stood  and  gazed 
upon  the  scene.  He  was  welcomed  with  the  smiles  of  the 
young  and  the  beautiful.  "  Can  I  give  this  ujpV^  he  in- 
wardly asked  himself.  It  Avas  a  moment  big  with  eternal 
consequences.  The  scales  were  equally  balanced  between 
heaven  and  hell.  One  decisive  act  would  probably  settle 
his  destiny  for  ever.  In  this  perilous  extremity,  mercy  pre- 
vailed in  the  very  face  of  rebellion.  "  /  will  give  up  the 
world — /  luill  decide  for  God,''  he  thought  within  himself, 
and  turning  round,  he  rushed  out  of  the  chamber,  nor  ever 
again  turned  his  face  to  the  folhes  and  amusements  of  the 
world. 

The  night  on  which  George  renounced  the  ballroom, 
with  its  splendid  and  attractive  amusements,  was  one  of 
thick  darkness  to  his  soul.  It  might,  perhaps,  have  been 
expected  that  such  a  renunciation  would  be  immediately 
followed  by  a  surrender  of  his  heart  to  God,  if,  mdeed,  it 
were  not  the  consequence  of  such  a  surrender.  But  I  have 
too  often  learned  in  my  intercourse  with  the  awakened,  that 
they  are  willing  to  give  up,  sometimes  with  alacrity,  some- 
times with  reluctance,  one  thing  after  another,  if  they  may 
but  reserve  the  very  thing  which  first  of  all  God  requires — 
the  heart.  Revivals  of  religion  tear  away  many  things  from 
the  sinner,  while  he  still  refuses  the  supreme  love  of  his 
soul  to  the  great  object  on  which  it  should  be  bestowed.  I 
have  kno\vTi  Universalists  give  up,  under  the  influence  of  a 


GEORGE  LOVELL.  H 

revival,  their  fatal,  flattering  doctrine,  and  there  stop,  I 
have  known  Deists,  under  the  same  influence,  honor  the 
revelation  of  God,  without  submitting  their  souls  to  its 
power.  I  have  known  the  drunkard  transformed  to  a  sober 
and  temperate  citizen,  without  being  transformed  into  a  liv- 
ing Christian.  I  remember  to  have  seen  the  moral  man, 
perhaps  the  most  difficult  case,  compelled  by  the  "  force  of 
truth"  to  acknowledge  the  righteousness  of  Christ  as  the 
only  possible  ground  of  hope,  without  building  on  that 
glorious  basis.  I  have  seen,  also,  the  gay  beauty,  to  whom 
the  charms  of  this  world's  amusements  were  struck  dead 
by  this  holy  influence,  turn  from  them  in  disgust,  but  not 
to  lift  her  ravished  eye  to  the  glories  of  religion.  I  rec- 
ognize in  these  facts  a  most  powerful  demonstration  of 
tlie  collateral  good  effects  of  revivals  of  religion,  but  I  rec- 
ognize also  that  melancholy  character — an  almost  Chris- 
tian. 

George  had  liked  to  have  been  an  almost  Christian. 
He  gave  up  his  amusements,  for  how  can  they  "  minister 
to  a  mind  diseased?"  He  gave  up  his  irreligious  associ- 
ates ;  his  studies ;  his  ambition  ;  his  convivial  frolics ;  his 
liopes  for  this  life  ;  his  every  thing  but — the  heart.  Here 
was  the  struggle — the  bitter  agony.  He  saw  hell  before 
him  ;  for  when  he  arrived  at  home  he  feared  to  walk  across 
the  floor,  lest  it  should  open  beneath  him  a  passage  to  the 
abode  of  the  damned.  He  felt  that  "sting  of  death," 
Avhich  is  "  sin,"  beyond  all  the  acuteness  of  mortal  agony, 
for  it  was  sharpened  by  "the  law."  He  turned  to  look 
after  the  cross  of  Christ,  of  which  he  had  read,  but  saw 
nothing,  save  dense  and  threatening  clouds,  like  those 
which  enveloped  the  brow  of  Calvary  in  the  hour  of  the 
crucifixion. 

And  while  he  thus  groaned  beneath  the  load  of  his  dis- 
tress, what  think  you,  beloved  reader,  was  the  means — the 
simple  means  of  his  release  and  his  relief?^  A  letter — a 
plain,  humble  letter,  from  a  Christian  minister.     This  kind 


12  GEORGE  LOVELL. 

friend,  having  learned  from  his  sister  the  state  of  his  mind, 
immediately  sat  down  and  "svrote  him  a  clear,  plain,  and 
faithful  letter ;  delineating  the  nature  of  genuine  conviction, 
describing  the  path  through  which  the  sinner  must  return 
to  God,  and  urging  him  without  a  moment's  delay  to  com- 
mit his  soul  to  Jesus  Christ.  He  read  it  with  eagerness ; 
his  heart  palpitated — his  eyes  filled  with  tears — he  dropped 
the  letter  on  the  floor,  sunk  on  his  knees,  and  poured  out 
his  soul  in  believing  prayer  to  God.  That  moment,  to  use 
his  own  expression,  "  a  flash  of  glory  from  the  cross  struck 
athwart  my  soul — such  as,  while  memory  lasts,  I  can  never 
foro:et.  It  tilled  me  with  amazement  at  the  mercy  of  God. 
It  subdued  and  melted  me  into  a  delicious  submission  to 
the  will  of  God  and  the  merits  of  Jesus  Christ.  He  seem- 
ed a  precious — precious  Saviour — all  my  salvation  and  all 
my  desire." 

Such  was  his  account  of  the  memorable  scene.  The 
time — the  place — the  circumstances  of  the  event — the  event 
itself — seemed  in  his  narrative  like  a  present,  living  reality. 
Nothinof  could  exceed  the  enthusiasm  with  which,  at  the 
distance  of  years,  he  related  the  circumstances  of  his  con- 
version. He  now  read  the  Bible  with  a  new  and  strange 
delight.  Its  pages,  before  dark  and  uninteresting,  were 
now  full  of  light  and  love.  Tliey  were  luminous  with  Je- 
sus. Not  that  neAv  light  was  in  them,  but  he  had  new  eyes 
to  discern  that  light.  He  loved  to  spend  much  time  in 
aff'ectionate  prayer  to  God.  He  felt  a  peculiar,  an  earnest 
regard  for  Christians.  He  longed  for  the  salvation  of  sin- 
ners. He  thought  and  believed  that  he  could  convince  all 
of  the  excellence  and  loveliness  of  Christ.  He  rose,  as 
opportunity  presented,  in  meetings,  and  exhorted  all  to  em- 
brace that  Saviour  in  wliom  he  found  such  ''joy  unspeak- 
able." He  even  cast  a  longing  eye  towards  the  sacred  desk, 
though  he  felt  himself  at  an  immeasurable  distance  from 
that  awe-inspiiing  station. 

It  was  e\idcnt,  however,    to  his  friends,  that  God  in- 


TEORGE  LOVELI,.  I3 

tended  to  make  use  of  him  for  his  glory.  And  now  with 
what  deep  emotion  did  he  and  they  remember  his  early 
consecration  by  his  sainted  mother  to  the  holy  ministry  of 
the  Gospel !  Truly,  in  his  case,  it  could  not  be  said  that 
"  praying  breath  was  spent  in  vain."  His  venerable  grand- 
mother wept  for  joy  at  her  first  interview  with  her  favorite 
grandson,  after  his  return  to  God.  He  repaired  with  re- 
newed vigor  to  his  college  studies  and  exercises,  and  though 
there  was  a  period  when  Satan  tempted  and  prevailed 
with  him  to  yield  to  an  unholy  declension,  the  faithful  re- 
proof of  a  Christian  classmate  was  blessed  in  rousing  him 
from  his  sinful  dream.  Chastised  and  humbled  by  the 
affecting  remembrance  of  his  sins,  mortified  to  the  very 
soul  that  he  should  so  soon  wander  from  his  kind  Saviour, 
and  grieve  the  Holy  Spirit,  he  commenced  anew  the  Chris- 
tian course,  and  gave  fresh  promise  of  piety  and  usefulness. 
He  graduated  with  the  full  honors  of  the  best  of  his  class, 
and  at  the  public  commencement  excited  the  highest  hopes 
among  his  friends  and  the  friends  of  religion.  His  father, 
indeed,  having  been  long  in  political  life,  and  a  distinguished 
citizen  of  the  commonwealth  of ,  would  have  pre- 
ferred that  the  son  of  whom  he  was  so  proud  should  seek 
the  post  of  civil  honor  and  distinction ;  but  with  character- 
istic wisdom,  and  a  kind  policy,  shaped  in  a  measure  per- 
haps by  a  tender  regard  for  his  departed  wife,  he  declined 
interfering  with  the  inclinations  of  his  son,  or  counteracting 
the  advice  of  Christian  friends.  He  had  great  confidence 
in  his  abilities,  having  had  occasion  to  peruse  well-written 
compositions  of  George  at  the  age  of  thirteen,  at  which  age 
also  he  had  left  him  for  months  in  the  sole  charge  of  his 
business. 

In  a  few  weeks  George,  having  previously  made  a  pub- 
lic profession  of  religion,  entered  the  Theological  seminary 

at ,  with  a  deep  and  awful  impression  of  the  sacred 

work  to  which  he  felt  himself  called  and  devoted.     He 
pursued   his  studies  with    diligence   and   ardor,   and  after 

VOL.  VIII.  10 


14  GEORGE  LOVELL. 

three  years  entered,  with  great  zeal  and  delight,  into   the 
work  of  preaching  the  Gospel. 

He  was  in  due  time  ordained  to  a  pastoral  charge,  and 
I  rejoice  to  be  able  to  say  that,  during  the  ten  years  of  his 
ministry  which  have  elapsed,  he  is  believed  to  have  been 
instrumental  of  the  conversion  of  about  one  thousand 
souls,  some  of  whom  are  themselves  preachers  of  the  Gos- 
pel, and  some  also  have  been,  and  are  eminently  useful  as 
laymen.  Occupying  an  important  and  responsible  station 
in  the  church,  he  is  still  engaged  in  that  glorious  work  to 

AVHICH   HE  WAS   CONSECRATED  AT  HIS  BIRTH   BY  HIS    MOTHER, 

and  called  in  the  fulness  of  time  by  the  faithful  covenant 
God  of  his  mother. 

Fathers,  mothers,  what  you  have  read  is  literal  fact, 
without  embellishment  or  exaggeration.  Can  you  say, 
"  For  this  child  I  prayed?"  Look  at  that  hud  of  immor- 
tality, which  is  imfolding  itself  at  your  side.  Water  it 
with  your  tears.  Breathe  over  it  your  prayers.  Watch  it 
day  and  night.  Present  it  to  God.  Surrender  it  up,  not 
only  without  the  shadow  of  a  mental  reservation,  but  with 
the  full  energy  of  faith ;  and,  through  the  blessing  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  it  shall  not  only  bloom  in  beauty  here,  but 
vield  the  fruits  of  everlastino-  iwhteousness  hereafter. 


Of  George  Lovell's  conviction  of  sin,  he  said  to  a  friend, 
referring  to  the  anguish  of  his  mind  on  a  Sabbath  in  his 
last  year  at  college,  '•  I  wish  you  may  never  be  obliged  to 
experience  the  horrors  of  a  guilty  conscience  as  I  did. 
What  material  fire,  though  it  should  blaze  with  sevenfold 
intensity,  could  ever  inflict  such  pains  as  I  felt  that  day  ? 
I  could  not  doubt  but  the  Saviour  meant  by  '  the  worm  that 
never  dieth,'  the  stings  of  an  ever-living  conscience ;  nor 
that  he  knew  all  that  Avas,  or  was  to  be.  in  the  liuman 
heart." 


GEORGE  LOVELL.  15 

"  Can  3^ou  specify  the  feelings  you  then  had,"  said  his 
friend,  "  and  which  you  think  were  conviction  of  sin  ?" 

"  Can  I  ever  forget  them,  you  should  rather  ask,  when 
they  rose  in  my  mind  with  such  appalling  minuteness  ?  I 
will  state  them  in  order. 

1.  "I  clearly  saw  the  justice  of  God  in  sending  me — as 
I  supposed  I  was  going — to  hell.  I  not  only  understood, 
but  felt  my  doom  to  be  just.  All  good  and  holy  beings 
seemed  to  approve  it. 

2.  "I  could  not  see  how  it  was  possible  for  me,  possess- 
ing the  character  I  did,  ever  to  hold  any  communion  with 
God,  ever  to  look  upon  him  as  a  pleasant  being,  or  to  take 
any  complacency  in  him.  To  banish  myself  as  far  as  pos- 
sible from  his  presence,  however  w^-etched  the  alternative, 
I  felt  would  be  comparatively  desirable.  I  felt  that,  although 
the  righteous  '  hath  hope  in  his  death,'  I  must  justly  be 
*  driven  away  in  my  wickedness.' 

3.  "  Li  the  course  of  the  four  weeks'  solemn  reflections 
which  ensued,  agitated  as  it  often  was  with  the  most  gloomy 
forebodings,  I  was  led  deeply  to  abhor  the  whole  tenor  of 
my  past  life.  Among  the  things  which  pained  me  were 
broken  resolutions,  violated  promises,  abused  mercies,  de- 
liberate delays,  disobedience  to  maternal  admonitions,  neg- 
lect of  the  Bible,  and,  in  general,  utter  forgetfulness  of  God, 
or  not  remembering  him  in  any  sense  which  could  be  ac- 
ceptable to  him. 

4.  "  My  heart  was  deeply  aftected  with  my  ingratitude 
to  God.  This  sin  for  a  time  seemed  to  absorb  others,  and 
I  wept  and  prayed,  and  confessed  the  black  ingratitude  of 
my  life  to  so  good  and  kind  a  being  as  God.  *  Against 
thee,  thee  only  have  I  sinned,  and  done  this  evil  in  thy 
sight,  that  thou  mightest  be  justified  w^hen  thou  speakest, 
and  be  clear  when  thou  judgest.' 

5.  ''  I  felt  astonishment  that  any  sinner  could  for  a  mo- 
ment remain  unconcerned,  w^hen  he  had  every  reason  to 
believe  he  had  not  made  his  peace  with  God. 


16  GEORGE  LUVELL. 

6.  "I  was  convinced  that  I  deserved  to  suffer  the  exe- 
cution of  the  full  penalty  of  the  law,  which  pronounces  its 
curse  upon  all  those  who  do  not  render  it  personal,  per- 
petual, and  perfect  obedience.  Gal.  3:10.  I  felt  the  force 
of  the  truth,  '  the  law  is  our  schoolmaster,  to  bring  us  to 
Christ.'  I  writhed  under  the  severity  of  its  rod.  I  was 
sore  with  its  chastisement ;  I  felt  my  whole  head  sick — yes, 
my  'whole  heart  faint.'  When  this  commandment  came, 
sin  revived,  and  I  was  ready  to  die.  Had  I  been  willing 
at  once  to  die,  as  to  all  hopes  of  solid  comfort  and  genuine 
happiness,  except  in  the  abounding  merits  of  Jesus  Christ, 
I  should  not  have  hesitated  about  renouncing  all  at  once. 
I  should  not  have  lingered  around  any  of  the  scenes  of  my 
former  follies  and  iniquities,  and,  like  the  wife  of  Lot,  looked 
back  upon  my  darling  pleasures  in  Sodom,  while  the  mes- 
sengers of  mercy  were  hurrying  me  to  a  place  of  refuge 
from  the  impending  storm." 

In  turning  to  God  he  experienced,  1.  A  peace  of  mind 
which  he  had  never  before  enjoyed.  2.  Joy  in  the  service 
of  God.  3.  A  contempt  for  the  things  of  the  world.  4. 
Admiration  of  the  character  and  work  of  Christ.  5.  Fond- 
ness for  prayer.  6.  Longing  desires  for  the  salvation  of 
sinners.  '7.  A  sense  of  reliance  on  the  perfect  merits  and 
finished  righteousness  of  Christ. 

The  obstacles  which,  after  thirteen  years'  experience,  he 
has  found  most  powerful  to  resist  the  sanctification  of  the 
soul,  are,  1.  The  strong  influence  of  remaining  sin.  2. 
Failure  in  the  regular  discharge  of  the  duties  of  secret  de- 
votion. 3.  The  company  and  conversation  of  lukewarm 
professors,  or  of  friends  who  are  indifferent  to  religion.  4. 
Neglect  of  self-examination,  5.  Superficial  reading  of  the 
Bible.  6.  Want  of  habitual  contemplation  of  the  charac- 
ter of  God. 


JVo.  S65. 

DUTIES 


CHURCH-MEMBERS, 


BY  REV.  THOMAS  H.  SKINNER,  D.  D, 


Every  man  who  would  have  a  conscience  void  of  offence, 
should  understand  his  various  obligations  and  duties.  What 
duties  are  of  higher  importance  than  those  of  members  of 
the  church  of  God  ;  and  yet  w^hat  duties  are  more  generally- 
neglected?  As  this  neglect  may  in  some  measure  arise 
from  not  well  knowing  or  justly  appreciating  these  sacred 
duties,  we  shall  devote  the  following  pages  to  a  brief  con- 
sideration of  them. 

Our  subject  is,  the  duties  of  church-memhers  as  such. 
These  persons  may  be  regarded  as  members  either  of  the 
church  universal,  or  of  some  particular  and  local  church ; 
belonging  to  one,  they  belong  to  both ;  and  as  they  are 
viewed  in  one  or  the  other  of  these  relations,  a  correspond- 
ent view  will  present  itself  of  the  character  and  deportment 
that  become  them. 

Regarded  as  members  of  the  universal  church,  as  fellow- 
citizens  with  saints  of  all  ages  and  places,  as  of  the  house- 
hold of  God,  embracing  his  holy  family  both  in  heaven  and 
earth,  what  manner  of  persons  ought  they  to  be  in  all  holy 
conversation  and  godhness  :  how  peculiar,  how  different  in 
spirit,  in  purpose,  in  pursuit,  in  manner  of  life,  from  the 
world  around  them,  that  lieth  in  wickedness.  Am  I  a 
VOL.  VIII.  10* 


2  DUTIES  OF  CHURCH-MEMBERS. 

member  of  the  church  and  general  assembly  of  the  first- 
born which  are  written  in  heaven  ?  Am  I  of  God's  house- 
hold ;  of  the  same  family  with  Abel,  and  Enoch,  and  Noah ; 
with  Abraham,  and  Moses,  and  Samuel,  and  Elijah,  and 
all  the  prophets ;  with  Paul,  and  Peter,  and  John,  and  all 
the  apostles,  and  martyrs,  and  saints  in  light ;  men  of  whom 
the  world  was  not  worthy  ?  And  shall  I  live  amongst  men 
like  a  citizen  of  the  earth,  minding  earthly  things,  walking 
after  the  flesh,  and  fulfilling  sensual  aims  and  desires  ?  No 
more  a  foreigner  and  a  stranger  to  this  holy  society,  ought 
I  not  to  be  as  a  foreigner  and  stranger  to  the  world  ? 

But  the  better  way  to  obtain  definite  and  useful  impres- 
sions of  the  character  becoming  members  of  the  universal 
church,  is  to  view  them  as  belonging  to  some  distinctly  or- 
ganized portion  of  that  church :  our  thoughts  will  thus  fix 
upon  distinct  classes  of  duties,  and  we  cannot  fail  to  obtain  a 
more  just  conception  of  the  obligations  arising  out  of  church- 
membership,  taken  either  in  the  larger  or  narrower  sense. 

1.  One  branch  of  the  duty  of  every  church-member,  as 
such,  relates  to  the  ^:>astor  of  the  church.  He  is  himself  a 
church-member,  and  may  claim  from  his  Christian  brethren, 
in  common  with  themselves,  whatever  reo-ard  that  desiojna- 
tion  gives  a  right  to.  Nor  should  intelligence,  moral  worth, 
and  amiableness  of  manners,  be  unacknowledged  in  him, 
more  than  in  another  man.  But  there  are  special  reasons 
why  the  members  of  a  church  should  hold  their  pastor  in 
respect. 

He  is  to  them,  and  with  their  own  consent,  the  messen- 
ger and  minister  of  Christ,  an  ambassador  of  God,  whose 
official  acts,  rightly  performed,  have  their  seal  and  sanction 
in  heaven. 

Besides,  he  ought,  at  least  by  his  own  people,  to  be 


DUTIES  OF  CHURCH-MEMBERS.  3 

highly  esteemed  in  love  for  his  Avork's  sake,  the  object  of 
Avhich  is  the  advancement  of  their  everlasting  good,  and 
the  measures  and  methods  of  which  are,  of  all  others,  the 
most  laborious  and  wasting  to  flesh  and  blood ;  including 
deep  and  continual  meditations,  preaching  in  season  and  out 
of  season,  numberless  spiritual  conferences  with  individu- 
als and  families,  and  daily  solicitudes  about  the  success  of 
his  work.  Let  Paul,  in  two  places,  instruct  you  in  this 
respect.  "  We  beseech  you,  brethren,  to  know  them  which 
labor  among  you,  and  are  over  you  in  the  Lord,  and  ad- 
monish you,  and  esteem  them  very  highly  m  love  for  their 
work's  sake."  1  Thess.  5  :  12,  13.  And  again,  ''Obey 
them  that  have  the  rule  over  you,  and  submit  yourselves  ; 
for  they  watch  for  your  souls  as  they  that  must  give  ac- 
count." Heb.  13  :  17.  The  detail  of  the  duties  comprised 
in  this  obligation  thus  generally  enforced,  cannot  be  neces- 
sary. Let  it  be  in  the  spirit  of  a  church-member  to  esteem 
his  pastor  very  highly  in  love,  and  to  obey  him  in  the  Lord  ; 
and  he  Avill  need  no  illumination  as  to  particular  duties 
under  this  head. 

2.  Certain  men,  in  many  churches,  are  called  to  assist 
the  pastor  in  government ;  and  these  persons  will  receive 
peculiar  regard  from  every  worthy  church-member.  Their 
station  is  not  held  for  their  own  sake,  but  as  necessary  to 
the  peace  and  prosperity  of  the  people.  And  as  a  state 
dishonors  itself  when  it  does  not  hold  its  own  officers  in  re- 
spect, so  every  church-member  is  divided  against  his  church, 
and  does  it  dishonor,  who  behaves  himself  unseemly  towards 
these  brethren  while  discharging  their  appropriate  duties. 
These  duties,  and  the  correlative  ones  of  the  people,  need 
not  be  here  minutely  specified :  a  docile  and  well-disposed 
mind  can  hardly  mistake  them.     This  only  let  me  say,  that 


4  DUTIES  OF  CHURCH-MEMBEUS. 

when  a  member  of  the  church  disdains  to  receive  admonition 
from  those  authorized  to  give  it,  as  occasion  requires,  or 
when  he  speaks  of  them  contemptuously,  or  carries  himself 
proudly  towards  them  in  any  way,  he  reproaches  his  pro- 
fession, and  is  a  scandal  to  the  church. 

3,  The  members  of  a  particular  church  ought,  if  possi- 
ble, to  acquaint  themselves  ivlth  one  another.  Some  churches 
are  so  large  that  it  is  almost  impracticable  for  each  member 
to  make  himself  acquainted  with  all  the  rest ;  and  there  are 
persons  in  almost  every  church  who,  from  various  causes — 
some  from  humility,  some  from  pride  and  worldliness  of 
spirit — keep  themselves  so  much  away  from  their  brethren 
as  to  make  acquaintance  with  them  difficult ;  and  there  are 
unworthy  members,  who  are  yet  not  liable  to  excommuni- 
cation, with  whom  spiritually-minded  Christians  cannot,  and 
ought  not  to  be  familiar ;  but  that  members  of  a  church 
ought  to  know  one  another,  as  a  general  principle,  cannot 
be  questioned. 

Associated  with  them  in  the  same  communion,  and  united 
to  one  another,  like  the  members  of  the  body,  according  to 
St.  Paul's  illustration,  alienation  and  strangeness  seem  al- 
most unnatural.  Professing  sameness  of  character,  of  spirit, 
of  interest,  of  hope  ;  professing  to  have  their  hearts  occu- 
pied and  swayed  by  that  pure  love  which  rules  in  heaven, 
and  meeting  together  in  the  same  place  several  times  every 
week  ;  joining  their  hearts  and  voices  in  prayer  and  praise  ; 
communing  together  often  at  the  Lord's  supper ;  cooperat- 
ing in  various  voluntary  associations  for  the  furtherance  of 
their  common  cause ;  mingling  thus  together  continually  in 
holy  places  and  services,  how  immeet,  and  but  for  its  com- 
monness I  had  almost  said  unlikely,  that  they  should  scarce- 
ly know  each  other's  names  and  countenances. 


DUTIES  OF  CHURCH-MEMBERk?.  5 

Unrestrained  intimacy  and  familiarity,  siicli  as  idlers  and 
busy  bodies,  who  go  from  house  to  house,  and  other  ill-bred 
persons,  practise,  is  as  undesirable  and  unchristian  as  it  is 
vulgar  and  uncivil ;  nor  is  it  to  be  expected  or  wished,  that 
the  lines  by  which  the  several  classes  in  society  are  circum- 
stantially separated  from  each  other,  should  run  into  one, 
and  be  undistinofuishable  in  the  church's  enclosure.  Thouo-h 
"the  brother  of  low  degree  should  rejoice,"  as  being  in 
Christ  ''exalted,"  and  "the  rich,"  as  being  "made  low," 
yet  their  different  degrees,  low  and  rich,  remain.  Similar- 
ity of  condition,  education,  cast  of  mind,  habits,  prescribes 
rules  for  classification  and  intercourse,  not  less  among  Chris- 
tians than  others ;  and  utility  as  well  as  propriety,  is  mani- 
festly consulted  by  observing  these  rules ;  and  hence  there 
should,  and  needs  must  be,  circles  of  different  degrees  of 
acquaintanceship  in  the  same  church.  But  that  there  ought 
to  be  among  all  the  members  that  kind  and  fraternal  feel- 
ing, Avhich  makes  mutual  access  easy,  and  gives  free  scope 
for  the  prompt  exercise  of  Christian  sympathy  and  fellow- 
ship as  occasions  may  require,  and  leaves  what  degrees  of 
acquaintanceship  with  each  other  remain  among  them,  re- 
solvable into  some  other  than  a  blameworthy  cause,  is  clear 
to  every  one's  sense  of  right,  and  fitness,  and  duty. 

4.  The  law  of  hrotherly  love  should  have  special  sway 
over  the  members  of  a  church.  This  law,  as  being  enforced 
with  new  and  unparalleled  motives,  was  Christ's  neio  com- 
mandment to  all  his  followers ;  obedience  to  which  would 
demonstrate  their  discipleship  to  a  Master  in  whom  love  to 
them  and  to  all  mankind  was  so  powerful  a  principle.  And 
if  it  be  so  necessary  for  all  Christians  to  cultivate  the  love 
of  one  another,  shall  members  of  the  same  church  neglect 
it  and  be  guiltless  ?     Shall  they  meet,  and  sing,  and  pray. 


6  DUTIES  OF  CHURCH-MEMBERS. 

and  commune  together,  from  week  to  week,  and  year  to 
year,  and  yet  be  at  heart  cold  and  strange  to  one  another  ? 

If  the  chiu'ch  be  very  large,  it  may  be  with  love,  as 
with  personal  acquaintance,  each  may  not  be  able  to  form  a 
vivid  and  confidential  affection  for  every  one  of  the  rest ; 
and  members  of  a  certain  class,  earthly-minded  and  incon- 
sistent members,  cannot  be  the  objects  of  brotherly  love, 
which  is  the  love  of  complacency,  delight  in  Christ's  image 
in  his  saints.  But  with  these  restrictions,  if  the  members  of 
a  church  are  not  kindly  affectioned  towards  one  another  in 
brotherly  love,  they  are,  as  a  community,  devoid  of  spiritual 
comfort,  dignity,  and  strength ;  forsaken,  in  a  great  meas- 
ure, by  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  in  danger  of  irretrievable  de- 
clension. 

The  true  glory  and  might  of  the  church  is  brotherly 
love.  It  was  this  aflFection,  as  exhibited  by  the  first  Chris- 
tians, that  enabled  them  to  make  their  triumphant  way 
against  the  united  powers  of  hell  and  earth,  and  to  extend 
the  kingdom  of  their  Lord,  before  that  generation  passed 
away,  to  the  utmost  bounds  of  the  civilized  world.  And  it 
was  the  want  of  brotherly  love  among  the  professors  of 
Christianity  in  after-periods,  that  led  to  those  divisions  and 
desolations  by  which  the  course  of  the  church,  thenceforth 
until  now,  has  been  marked ;  nor  will  the  waste  places  of 
Zion  be  repaired,  and  her  boundaries  be  enlarged,  as  proph- 
ecy requires,  until  she  again  clothes  herself  in  the  beauty, 
the  majesty,  and  strength  of  brotherly  love. 

5.  The  members  of  a  church  ought  to  cherish  a  lively 
symjoathy  for  one  another.  Persons  so  related  should  take 
a  deep  interest  in  each  other's  happiness  ;  should  bear  each 
other's  burdens,  and  enjoy  each  other's  blessings.  They 
should  have  the  same  care  one  for  another ;  and  whether 


DUTIES  OF  CHURCH-MEMBERS.  7 

one  member  suffer,  all  the  members  should  suffer  with  him, 
or  one  member  be  honored,  all  the  members  should  rejoice 
•with  him.  When  the  members  of  a  church  are  indifferent 
towards  each  other's  sorrows,  and  envious  of  one  another's 
prosperity,  they  can  have  but  little  evidence  in  themselves 
of  belonging  to  Him  who  "  carried  our  sorrows,"  and  died 
for  our  sins ;  and  they  certainly  give  none  which  is  con- 
vincing to  the  world. 

6.  It  is  incumbent  on  church-members  to  seek  each 
other's  spiritual  advancement  and  edification.  If  any  be 
overtaken  in  a  fault,  they  who  are  spiritual  ought  to  restore 
such  in  the  spirit  of  meekness,  considering  themselves  lest 
they  also  be  tempted.  If  any  be  in  spiritual  trouble,  they 
who  have  endured  like  conflicts  ouQ-ht  with  o-reat  tenderness 
and  sympathy  to  counsel  and  encourage  them.  If  any  are 
feeble-minded  in  the  faith,  the  strong  should  endeavor  to 
confirm  them.  If  any  go  astray,  they  ouight  to  be  sought 
after  by  those  who  observe  their  wanderings,  or  who  are 
best  fitted  to  reclaim  them.  And  in  general  all  the  mem- 
bers should  pray  for  and  with  one  another,  admonish  and 
exhort  one  another,  consider  one  another  to  provoke  unto 
love  and  good  works ;  and  cheerfully  employ  their  graces 
and  gifts  to  the  edification  of  the  church,  keeping  order  as 
to  manner  and  time,  and  taking  in  all  respects  due  heed  to 
themselves. 

Yet,  have  we  not  to  lament  that  there  are  many 
such  unprofitable  and  unworthy  members,  who  show  no 
concern  whether  religion  flourishes  in  the  church  or  de- 
clines ;  whether  their  fellow- members  walk  worthily  or  un- 
worthily of  their  privileges ;  whether  the  Holy  Spirit  does 
or  does  not  utterly  abandon  them  to  desolation  and  destruc- 
tion ?     Some   are  hindered  from  taking  an  activ^e  part  in 


8  DUTIES  OF  CHURCH-MEMBERS. 

furthering  the  church's  good,  by  nervous  timidity  ;  some 
by  false  modesty  and  diffidence  ;  some  by  worldly  pride ; 
and  some  by  entire  want  of  the  life  and  power  of  religion. 
Let  just  discrimination  be  made ;  but  let  all  such  church- 
members  examine  well  the  reasons  of  their  indifference. 

V,  Every  church-member  should  heedfully  avoid  and 
resist  all  causes  of  alienation  and  division  among  his  fellow- 
members,  endeavoring,  as  the  apostle  enjoins,  "  to  keep  the 
unity  of  the  spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace."  If  it  be  the  duty 
of  Christians,  as  much  as  lieth  in  them,  to  live  peaceably 
■with  all  men,  it  is  much  more  their  duty  to  live  peaceably 
with  all  Christians ;  and  more  so  still,  with  all  who  belong- 
to  the  same  church  with  themselves.  "  Behold,  how  good 
and  how  pleasant  it  is  for  brethren  to  dwell  together  in 
unity;"  but  this  is  not  a  more  agreeable  spectacle  than 
that  of  a  divided  brotherhood  is  painful  and  revolting. 

A  divided  brotherhood  of  Christians,  among  whom  so 
many  peculiar  causes  require  that  there  be  but  one  heart 
and  one  soul !  Is  such  a  state  of  things  consistent  with  the 
church's  progress  in  spirituality  ?  Are  Christians  growing 
in  grace,  or  laboring  successfully  for  the  advancement  of 
the  Gospel  among  themselves,  when  they  are  divided 
against  one  another  in  spirit  ?  It  is  impossible.  The  heav- 
enly dove  has  flown  away  from  these  contenders ;  and  now 
what  do  they  gain  from  the  ministrations  of  the  Gospel  and 
its  ordinances  ?  How  serious,  how  sacred,  then,  the  duty 
of  shunning  or  resisting  the  first  appearance  of  wiiatever 
has  a  tendency  to  produce  division ;  and  w^hat  greater  mis- 
chief-makers can  be  found  than  its  authors  ?  There  may 
be,  indeed,  such  general  corruption  in  a  church,  that  purity 
of  spirit  and  fidelity  of  action  may  be  inconsistent  with 
peace  ;  division  may  be  that  church's  only  hope.     But  even 


DUTIES  OF  CHURCII-MEMBERS.  Q 

in  such  a  case,  to  faithfulness  should  be  joined  meekness, 
and  gentleness,  and  all  those  kind  graces  by  vvhich,  if  pos- 
sible, division  may  be  avoided. 

When  members  of  a  church  are  captious  and  censorious  ; 
when,  instead  of  confessing  their  faults  one  to  another,  they 
carry  themselves  as  if  they  had  no  faults  of  their  own,  and 
treat  others  as  if  they  had  nothing  but  faults ;  when  they 
withdraw  themselves  from  their  own  assemblies  on  the  pre- 
text of  their  not  being  conducted  in  the  proper  spirit ;  when 
they  secretly  alienate  their  fellow-members  from  the  pastor 
and  those  who  help  him  in  government ;  Avhen  they  aim  to 
nourish  a  party  in  the  bosom  of  their  church,  and  introduce 
or  favor  measures  and  proceedings  known  to  be  unwel- 
come— in  all  these  instances,  they  sow  the  seeds  of  discord, 
and  prove  themselves  the  children  of  contention  and  confu- 
sion. 

8.  Every  member  of  a  church  who  walks  orderly,  and 
according  to  his  covenant  with  God  and  his  brethren,  will 
pay  regular  attendance  on  the  ministrations  of  the  word  and 
ordinances.  Allowance  being  made  for  extraordinary  and 
unlooked-for  hinderances,  it  is  as  much  the  duty  of  every 
church-member  to  attend  the  stated  meetings  for  pubhc 
worship,  as  it  is  the  pastor's  duty  to  conduct  the  exercises 
of  those  meetings.  In  a  general  view,  the  truth  of  this 
remark  is  instantly  manifest.  The  stated  meetings  of  a 
congregation  may  be  too  numerous,  especially  during  sea- 
sons of  remarkable  revival,  to  admit  of  their  being  all 
attended  by  every  member;  and  when  they  are  so,  every 
member  ought  not  to  be  expected  to  be  always  present. 
But  when  they  are  not  more  numerous  than  custom  in  all 
the  churches  requires ;  when  there  is  but  one  weekly  ser- 
vice besides  the  meetings  on  the  Sabbath,  and  that  service 

VOL.  VIII.  11 


10  DUTIES  OF  CHURCH-MEMBERS. 

is  deemed  essential  to  the  spiritual  interests  of  the  congre- 
gation, habitual  attendance  on  all  the  stated  meetings  is 
not  more  the  pastor's  than  all  the  people's  duty.  For  if 
some  may  justifiably  forsake  the  assembling  themselves 
together,  so  may  others,  and  so  may  all. 

Strong  excuses,  I  know,  are  thought  to  be  urged  by 
some.  They  plead  their  engagements  in  benevolent  labors 
and  societies ;  but  if  that  plea  will  suffice  in  some  cases,  it 
will  in  others ;  and  our  weekly  lectures  may  soon  be  almost 
entirely  deserted.  But  that  excuse  ought  in  no  case  to  be 
received.  Our  benevolent  societies  must  not  induce  neg- 
lect of  the  soul ;  and  the  soul  is  neglected  when  the  ser- 
vices of  the  sanctuary  are  forsaken.  The  number  and 
labors  of  those  societies,  instead  of  justifying  us  in  less  fre- 
quent and  engaged  approaches  to  God,  in  his  house,  make 
such  approaches  more  necessary.  The  business  of  those 
societies  may  be  performed  without  devotion  or  piety ;  and 
is,  or  doubtless  will  soon  be  so  performed,  if  the  peculiar 
services  and  hours  of  piety  be  not  solemnly  observed.  If 
this  business  makes  us  inattentive  to  our  hearts,  it  will  pre- 
vent the  salvation  of  our  souls,  though  called  benevolent. 
There  are  no  inconsistencies  in  the  kingdom  of  God,  no 
clashinor  of  duties  with  duties ;  and  since  the  duties  of  the 
sanctuaiy  are,  by  universal  consent,  unchangeable  and 
necessary,  those  of  benevolence  cannot  require  them  to  be 
neglected. 

It  is  the  duty  of  every  member  of  a  church  to  bear  his 
just  portion  of  the  church's  necessary  expenses.  It  is  the 
will  of  God  that  they  who  preach  the  Gospel  should  live 
of  the  Gospel.  Their  maintenance,  therefore,  is  obligatory 
upon  the  church,  and  a  share  of  the  burden  falls  on  every 
church-member ;  for  if  one  may  exonerate  himself,  so  may 


DUTIES  OF  CHURCH-MEMBERS.  H 

every  one.  And  why  should  any  one  refuse  to  obey  this 
ordinance  of  God  ?  Why  is  not  the  laborer  in  this  case 
worthy  of  his  hire  ?  Does  he  render  useless  service  ?  Is 
it  useless  to  watch  for  souls,  and  to  feed  God's  heritage 
with  divine  knowledge  and  understandings?  "If  we  have 
sown  unto  you  spiritual  things,  is  it  a  great  thing  if  we  shall 
reap  your  carnal  things  ?"  And  if  the  ministers  of  Christ 
give  their  whole  time  and  strength  to  the  service  of  the 
church,  whence  is  their  support  to  come  if  the  church 
withhold  support  ?  Why  should  theirs  be  the  only  case 
in  which  recompense  for  labor  should  be  thought  undue  ? 
''Who  goeth  a  warfare,  at  any  time,  at  his  own  charges? 
Who  planteth  a  vineyard,  and  eateth  not  of  the  fruit 
thereof  ?  Or  who  feedeth  a  flock,  and  eateth  not  of  the 
milk  of  the  flock?" 

But  besides  the  support  of  the  pastor,  there  are  other 
expenses  incident  to  the  continuance  of  a  church,  which 
ought  to  be  distributed  in  just  proportions  among  the  mem- 
bers. The  relief  of  poor  brethren,  keeping  the  house  of 
God  in  order,  properly  conducting  the  sacred  music,  atten- 
tion to  the  external  convenience  and  comfort  of  the  assem- 
bly in  time  of  worsliip,  all  demand,  and  ought  to  receive 
pecuniary  contribution  from  every  church-member  Avho  does 
not  live  by  charity.  And  that  member  of  the  church  who 
enjoys  the  chm-ch's  privileges,  and  bears  not  his  part  of  her 
burdens,  but  leaves  these  to  be  sustained  by  others,  sets  an 
example  of  inconsistency,  not  to  say  dishonesty,  which,  if 
followed,  would  abolish  the  being  of  the  church. 

10.  It  is  binding  on  every  church-member  to  cooperate 
with  his  brethren  in  their  exertions  for  the  furtherance  of 
the  Gospel  in  the  world.  This,  next  to  the  glory  of  God,  is 
the  highest  end  and  purpose  of  churches.     If  it  may  be 


12  DUTIES  OF  CHURCH-MEMBERS. 

truly  said  of  private  Christians,  they  are  "  the  salt  of  the 
earth,"  they  are  "the  light  of  the  ^vorld,"  with  greater 
emphasis  may  it  be  said  of  local  churches.  If  a  private 
Christian  is  required  by  the  law  and  spirit  of  his  religion  to 
spend  and  be  spent  for  the  conversion  of  the  world,  is  not 
the  same  thing  required  of  a  number  of  Christians  associated 
together  in  a  church  ?  Ought  not  these  Christians,  in  their 
holy  and  happy  pale,  to  take  counsel  with  each  other,  and 
devise  the  best  plans  for  exerting  their  utmost  combined 
strength  for  the  advancement  of  the  Gospel  among  those 
who,  are  without  it  ?  Surely,  a  church  that  contents  itself 
Avitli  seeking  its  own  promotion,  loses  sight  of  its  proper 
aim  and  design,  and  wants,  m  a  lamentable  degree,  the 
spirit  of  its  Saviour  and  his  religion.  This  is  now  manifest, 
and  it  begins  to  be  generally  acknowledged  by  the  church- 
es; and  there  are  societies  in  almost  all  the  churches 
formed  to  aid  in  the  glorious  w^ork  of  converting  the  world 
to  God. 

And  what  worthy  church-member  can  refuse  to  take 
part  in  the  contributions  and  sacrifices  of  these  truly  Chris- 
tian societies  ?  Can  the  refuser  vindicate  his  conduct,  when 
if  all  should  imitate  his  example,  the  efforts  of  Christen- 
dom for  the  propagation  of  the  Gospel  would  come  to  an 
end?  He  cannot.  When  he  joined  the  church,  he  virtu- 
ally covenanted  to  cooperate  with  his  fellow-members  in 
the  necessary  exertions  for  the  spread  of  the  Gospel,  and  if 
he  had  not  so  covenanted,  the  spirit  and  precepts  of  the 
religion  he  professes  oblige  him. 

But  are  these  societies  necessary  ?  They  are.  Without 
Bible  societies,  how  can  the  Bible  be  printed  and  distrib- 
uted in  all  the  languages  of  the  earth  ?  Without  mission- 
ary societies,  how  can  living  teachers  be  sent  among  the 


DUTIES  OF  CHURCH-MEMBERS.  13 

nations?  Without  education  societies,  how  can  men  be 
trained  in  sufficient  numbers  for  the  work  of  the  ministry  ? 
"Without  tract  societies  how  can  the  mass  of  the  people  be 
imbued  with  divine  knowledge?  And  without  Sunday- 
school  societies,  how  can  the  rising  generation  be  rescued 
from  corruption  and  ruin  ?  All  these  societies  are  neces- 
sary. God  has  need  of  them  all.  And  the  demand  of  God 
is  not  met  by  that  member  of  the  church  who  does  not 
contribute  to  their  support  according  to  his  ability. 

11.  Finally,  every  member  of  a  church  ought  to 
strengthen  the  influence  of  church  discipline,  by  concurring 
in  the  just  censure  that  may  be  pronounced  against  delin- 
quents. What  can  bring  backsliders  and  scandalous  mem- 
bers to  repentance,  if  the  disciphne  of  the  church,  solemnly 
administered,  cannot  ?  For  church-members  to  impair  the 
power  of  this  benevolent  instrumentality  by  taking  part 
with  the  scandalous,  is  cruelty  to  them,  as  well  as  rebellion 
against  church  order.  Scandalous  persons,  persons  whose 
disorderly  walk  exposes  the  Christian  profession  to  reproach, 
are  apt,  in  their  deadness  and  stupidity  to  all  spiritual 
things,  to  despise  ecclesiastical  censure.  And  is  it  worthy 
of  a  professing  Christian  to  encourage  such  persons  in  their 
fatal  infatuation  ? 

Now,  having  endeavored,  under  the  guidance  of  the 
Scriptures  in  every  particular,  to  set  forth  the  duties  of 
membership  in  the  church  of  God,  let  me  very  briefly  urge, 
in  conclusion,  some  of  the  considerations  which  demand  the 
faithful  performance  of  these  duties. 

1.  The  strength,  prosperity,  and  usefulness  of  the  church, 
depend,  under  God,  on  her  individual  members  discharging 
the  obligations  which  their  relation  to  her  imposes  and  im- 

VOL.  VIII.  11* 


14  DUTIES  OF  CHURCH -MEMBERS. 

plies.  Let  church-members  be  faithless,  and  what  is  the 
church  herself  but  a  mass  of  corruption  ?  The  light  of  Zion 
then  shines,  and  her  glory  is  come,  and  the  world  feels  her 
reclaiming  and  sanctifying  influence,  when  her  sons  and  her 
daughters  are  in  all  respects  dutiful  and  true  to  her,  and 
to  one  another.  But  let  it  be  otherwise,  and  the  light  of 
the  world  is  quenched ;  the  salt  of  the  earth  has  lost  its 
saltness,  and  is  thenceforth  good  for  nothing  but  to  be 
cast  out  and  trodden  under  foot  of  men.  What  persons 
living  exert  an  influence  so  injurious,  or  do  as  much  harm, 
as  unfaithful  and  disorderly  church-members  ? 

2.  You  are  bound  by  covenant  and  contract  to  perform 
these  duties.  Such  a  contract  you  have  entered  into  both 
with  the  church  and  with  God.  Your  baptism  declares 
that  you  are  under  vows  to  the  Lord,  to  walk  in  all  his 
commandments  and  ordinances ;  and  you  renew  these  sol- 
emn engagements  whenever  you  partake  of  the  Lord's  sup- 
per. How  sacred  are  your  obligations  to  be  an  exemplary 
church-member :  how  great  your  guilt  if  you  are  not ! 
"  When  thou  vowest  a  vow  unto  God,  defer  not  to  pay  it ; 
for  he  hath  no  pleasure  in  fools :  pay  that  which  thou  hast 
vowed.  Better  is  it  that  thou  shouldst  not  vow,  than  that 
thou  shouldst  vow  and  not  pay."  Consider  what  influence 
your  engagement  would  have  upon  you,  if  it  were  merely 
a  worldly  covenant,  lawfully  ratified  and  confirmed,  between 
yourself  and  your  fellow-men.  You  would  not,  even  in 
that  case,  disregard  it.  The  fear  of  the  world's  contempt 
and  punishment,  if  not  a  sense  of  probity  and  self-respect, 
w^ould  make  you  mindful  of  youi*  obhgation.  And  will  not 
the  fear  of  eternal  contempt  and  shame ;  will  not  love  to 
God,  and  gratitude  to  Christ,  and  the  pleasure  of  a  good 
conscience,  and  the  hope  of  heaven,  keep  you  from  violating 


DUTIES  OF  CHURCH-MEMBERS.  15 

the  solemn  duties  lo  the  church,  which  you  are  bound,  by 
covenant  both  with  God  and  man,  to  fulfil  ? 

3,  Your  conduct  in  this  respect  is  the  true  test  of  your 
personal  piety.  You  have  no  sufficient  cause  to  think  your- 
self truly  pious,  if  you  shght  your  duties  as  a  member  of 
the  church.  What  are  you  the  better  for  calling  Christ 
Lord,  Lord,  if  you  do  not  the  things  which  he  commands 
you  ;  or  for  professing  to  know  God,  if  in  works  you  disown 
him ;  or  for  having  the  form  of  godliness,  if  you  deny  its 
power ;  or  for  walking  in  the  garb  of  a  Christian,  if  you  are, 
in  example,  an  enemy  to  the  cross  of  Christ?  And  are 
you  obedient  to  Christ's  commands,  do  you  not  disown 
God  in  works,  do  you  not  deny  the  power  of  godliness,  are 
you  not  practically  an  enemy  of  the  cross  of  Christ,  if  you 
are  regardless  of  the  sacred  obligations  of  church-member- 
ship ?  What  good  evidence  of  personal  holiness  can  they 
have,  who,  belonging  to  the  household  of  God,  care  nothing 
for  the  order,  and  the  peace,  and  the  honor  of  that  house- 
hold? Are  they  not  enemies  to  all  righteousness,  who 
thus  violate  the  most  awful  of  all  the  relations  of  righteous- 
ness ?  Who  are  wicked,  who  are  unprincipled,  who  are 
disobedient  and  to  every  good  work  reprobate,  who  have 
consciences  seared  as  with  a  hot  iron,  if  not  those  members 
of  the  church  who  make  light  of  the  responsibilities  and 
duties  of  members?  AVhat  is  the  religion  of  such  per- 
sons, but  an  abomination,  a  mockery  in  the  sight  of  God, 
and  a  stumbling-block  to  the  world  ?  Of  all  persons  the 
most  hopelessly  hardened,  according  to  both  observation 
and  Scripture,  are  unfaithful  members  of  the  church.  And 
hence  I  remark,  finally,  that, 

4.  Of  all  persons  these  are  they  whose  destruction  loill 
he  the  most  fearful.     They  will  not  only  perish,  but  perish 


16  DUTIES  OF  CHURCH-MEMBERS. 

more  terribly  than  others.  They  will  be  cast  out  of  the 
kingdom  of  God  **  into  outer  darkness,  where  are  weeping,'* 
and  wailing,  "  and  gnashing  of  teeth."  This,  by  express 
declaration  of  Scripture,  is  the  doom  of  false-hearted  and 
unfaithful  members  of  the  visible  church.  None  sin  as  do 
they,  and  none,  other  things  being  equal,  will  be  punished 
so  severely.  "  The  sinners  in  Zion  are  afraid ;  fearfulness 
hath  surprised  the  hypocrites.  Who  among  us  shall  dwell 
with  the  devouring  fire  ?  Who  among  us  shall  dwell  with 
everlasting  burnings  ?" 


LOYE  TO  THE  CHURCH. 

I  love  thy  kingdom,  Lord, 

The  house  of  thine  abode. 
The  church  our  blest  Redeemer  saved 

With  his  own  precious  blood. 

If  e'er,  to  bless  thy  sons, 

My  voice  or  hands  deny, 
These  hands  let  useful  skill  forsake. 

This  voice  in  silence  die. 

If  e'er  my  heart  forget 

Her  welfare  or  her  woe. 
Let  every  joy  this  heart  forsake. 

And  every  grief  o'erflow. 

For  her  my  tears  shall  fall. 

For  her  my  prayers  ascend  ; 
To  her  my  cares  and  toils  be  given. 

Till  toils  and  cares  shall  end.  watts. 


]¥o.  206. 

BLIND  BETSEY; 

OR, 

COMFORT  FOR  THE  AFFLICTED 

AN  AUTHENTIC  NARRATIVE. 


The  writer  was  for  many  years  intimately  acquainted 
with  the  subject  of  this  narrative,  in  which  every  statement 
may  be  relied  upon  as  a  matter  of  fact,  being  given,  as 
nearly  as  possible,  in  her  own  simple  words. 

She  was  born  of  pious,  but  poor  parents,  in  the  West 
of  England,  had  been  early  taught  to  read  the  Scriptures, 
and  had  committed  to  memory  many  of  Dr.  Watts'  hymns 
and  his  catechisms.  For  this  blessing  she  ever  expressed 
the  warmest  gratitude  to  God,  after  the  affliction  which 
deprived  her  of  sight  at  the  age  of  thirteen.  For  some 
time  she  contrived  to  write  a  journal  with  her  own  hand. 
Her  spelling  was  defective,  but  the  letters  were  better 
formed,  and  the  lines  more  uniform,  than  those  not  observant 
of  the  ingenuity  of  the  blind  would  suppose  possible.  A 
few  extracts  will  convey  the  state  of  her  mind. 

"  The  Lord  has  deprived  me  of  sight  to  read  his  blessed 
word,  but  I  bless  him  that  he  continued  it  to  me  so  long ; 
and  above  all,  that  he  has  given  me  a  glimmering  of  spirit- 
ual sight,  which  is  far  better.  AVhen  I  had  bodily  sight,  I 
was  too  apt  to  think  it  my  own,  but  it  was  a  horroived  fa- 
vor. I  suffer  much  pain,  but  if  I  have  a  minute's  ease,  I 
will  ascribe  it  to  the  goodness  of  the  Lord." 

Betsey's  loss  of  sight  was  attended  with  extreme  pain ; 
and  during  the  first  year  of  her  blindness,  she  describes 
herself  as  "blind,  both  in  body  and  soul."  She  remarks, 
**I  knew  nothing  of  divine  things,  till  it  pleased  God  to  send 
a  seizure  in  my  knee  :  the  pain  was  very  great,  so  that  I  had 


2  BLIND  BETSEY. 

no  rest  by  night  or  by  day.  Then  the  Lord  began  to  work 
upon  my  mind  with  terror.  I  thought  I  might  be  taken  off 
suddenly,  and  having  no  hope,  I  knew  that  I  must  then  be 
for  ever  miserable :  I  had  hell  in  my  conscience."  ''  I  prayed, 
*  Lord,  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner.  Oh  what  must  I  do  to 
be  saved?'" 

She  was  tempted  to  fear  it  was  too  late  for  her  to  seek 
pardon,  till  a  few  days  afterwards  a  friend  read  to  her  the 
I7th  chapter  of  John.  She  says,  "  Every  word  came  to  my 
soul  quick  and  powerful  as  a  two-edged  sword.  My  soul 
was  then  set  at  liberty,  though  my  sins  were  numberless  as 
the  sands  upon  the  sea-shore.  Jesus  has  washed  them  all 
in  his  precious  blood.  Eternity  was  no  longer  dreadful.  I 
saw  Jesus  was  my  Saviour.  Satan,  that  busy  enemy,  re- 
newed his  suggestions,  but  I  was  enabled  to  prostrate  my- 
self at  the  foot  of  the  cross,  and  he  fled  from  me.  '  The 
blood  of  Jesus  Christ  cleanseth  from  all  sin.' 

'  His  name,  and  love,  and  gracious  words, 
Have  fixed  my  roving  heart.' " 

Soon  after  this  period  she  writes,  "  Though  I  cannot  see 
to  read  a  word  in  the  hook,  yet  sometimes  I  have  such  sweet 
texts  of  Scripture  come  to  my  mind,  as  though  spoken  to 
me  with  power,  that  it  bears  my  burden  up.  Those  Chris- 
tians who  are  blessed  with  bodily  sight,  cannot  sufficiently 
prize  the  privilege.  When  they  are  burdened,  they  can  go 
and  look  to  the  blessed  word  of  God :  let  them  praise  God 
for  it,  and  I  will  praise  God  that  he  applies  his  own  words 
to  my  soul,  though  he  has  taken  my  sight." 

She  attached  great  value  to  the  word  of  God,  always 
requesting  her  friends  who  visited  her,  to  read  to  her  some 
portion  of  that  "  golden  treasury,"  and  uttering  most  earnest- 
ly her  desire  that  they  would  not  neglect  to  peruse  it  for 
themselves  ;  adding,  "  Oh,  I  would  give  all  I  possess,  or  ever 
shall  possess  in  this  world,  for  one  half  hour  s  sight,  to  read 
part  of  that  blessed  book  myself!" 

She  remarks  in  her  diary,  "  My  pain  is  very  great,  but 
I  can  rejoice  in  my  pain,  and  bless  God  for  my  affliction. 


BLIND  BETSEY.  3 

If  I  had  a  thousand  souls,  and  a  thousand  bodies,  I  would 
give  up  all  to  the  hands  of  my  Lord,  to  do  with  them  as  he 
pleases." 

When  she  was  about  fifteen  years  old,  she  was  again 
permitted  to  attend  public  worship.  Her  knee  gave  her 
great  pain,  but  with  much  difficulty  she  walked  to  the  house 
of  God  ;  this  being  the  time  when  she  first  publicly  avowed 
herself  to  be  a  disciple  of  Christ.  Her  lovely  expression 
of  countenance  will  never  be  forgotten ;  she  looked  like  one 
whose  heart,  as  well  as  eyes,  were  closed  upon  the  world. 

Some  time  afterwards  she  wrote  in  her  diary,  "  In  my 
first  setting  out  on  my  heavenly  journey,  I  was  kept  in  the 
golden  path :  I  little  thought  what  hard  conflicts  I  should 
have  with  my  wicked  heart  and  the  temptations  of  Satan, 
that  busy  enemy  of  my  soul.  I  fear  lest  I  should  grieve 
my  dear  Redeemer,  but  I  will  pray  to  the  Lord  for  grace 
to  withstand  all  the  temptations  of  the  adversary." 

Her  sufferings  were  more  severe  than  language  can  de- 
scribe ;  but  she  says,  *'  Though  the  Lord  hath  allotted  me  a 
thorny  path,  he  gives  me  strength  equal  to  my  day ;  there- 
fore will  I  rejoice  in  my  affliction.  Sometimes,  when  I  have 
been  in  company  with  the  people  of  God,  I  have  longed  to 
tell  them  what  God  has  done  for  my  soul,  but  Satan  has 
silenced  me ;  he  suggests  that  I  have  been  speaking  peace 
to  my  soul,  and  tells  me  it  is  all  a  delusion.  Constantly 
should  I  strive  against  this  enemy,  lest  he  should  get  my  soul 
into  prison,  then  all  would  be  darlcT 

After  three  years'  endurance  of  most  acute  pain  in  her 
knee,  a  suppuration  took  place,  followed  by  mortification, 
which  brought  this  poor  girl  apparently  to  the  brink  of  the 
grave.  Caustics  were  applied  daily,  and  it  was  thought 
nature  could  not  support  the  abundant  discharge.  In 
speaking  of  this  memorable  period,  she  says,  "  I  then  felt  a 
little  of  the  sting  of  death,  and  stood  shivering  on  the  brink ; 
yet  I  could  rejoice  under  all  my  affliction,  because  the  Lord 
Jesus  was  precious  to  my  soul,  and  I  was  enabled  to  cast 
my  burden  upon  him." 

About  ten  months  after  this  period  she  had  a  siniilar 


4  BLIND  BETSEY. 

attack  in  the  other  knee,  which  threatened  the  same  prog- 
ress of  disease,  and  of  as  long  continuance.  It  was  sug- 
gested by  her  medical  attendant,  that  amputation  would  be 
the  most  probable  means  of  continuing  her  life:  she  listened 
with  humble  desire  to  know  the  will  of  God,  and  was  able 
to  look  to  the  painful  operation  even  with  comfort ;  for  she 
says,  "  The  Lord  strengthened  me,  and  made  me  feel  his 
strength  in  my  weakness."  On  the  day  she  was  removed 
to  the  hospital,  she  says,  "I  felt  myself  happy  ;  it  did  not 
belong  to  me  to  murmur,  since  the  Lord  had  laid  it  upon  me. 
He  has  said,  '  Fear  not,  for  I  am  with  thee ;  I  will  sustain 
thee.'  I  left  all  in  my  Lord's  hands.  The  world  was  then 
nothing  to  me ;  and  when  carried  into  the  surgical  room,  I 
felt  no  wish  either  to  live  or  die.  The  Lord  carried  me 
through,  and  supported  me  under  the  operation  in  a  won- 
derful manner."  On  this  painful  occasion  not  a  groan  es- 
caped her  lips — scarcely  a  sigh ;  and  when  the  operators 
whispered,  "  She  does  not  feel,"  she  calmly  rephed,  "  I 
feel,  but  I  have  supports  you  know  nothing  of." 

A  young  student  in  the  hospital  saw  and  was  deeply 
affected  by  her  great  serenity ;  he  afterwards  took  every 
opportunity  of  visiting  her  bedside  while  she  remained  there. 
She  felt  great  interest  in  him,  and  prayed  earnestly  that 
God  would  give  him  that  light  which  he  needed,  to  show 
him  who  made  he?'  to  differ,  and  wherein  that  difference 
consisted.  She  said  she  ''never  felt  her  heart  so  much 
engaged  in  prayer  for  another."  And  what  encouragement 
is  there  to  fervent  prayer.  The  young  man  died  before  her, 
but  left  a  testimony  of  the  blessed  effects  of  this  blind  girl's 
conversation  and  example,  to  which  he  owed,  under  the 
blessing  of  God,  his  salvation. 

The  following  extract  from  Betsey's  diary,  is  almost  the 
last  written  by  her  own  hand.  Subsequently  to  this,  in 
consequence  of  losing  the  use  of  her  right  arm  after  six 
years'  painful  illness,  she  engaged  some  kind  friend  as  her 
amanuensis.  "  I  have  not  known  what  it  is  to  be  one  day 
free  from  pain,  but  I  can  praise  my  blessed  Lord  for  all  my 
psin.     '  All  things  work  together  for  good  to  them  that  love 


BLIND  BETSEY. 


God.'  I  trust  lie  has  given  me  to  love  him.  Therefore 
I  trust  all  things  will  work  together  for  my  good  and  his 
glory.  I  have  lost  my  sight,  lost  one  of  my  legs  and  the 
use  of  the  other,  and  am  in  great  pain  by  night  and  day  ; 
weak  in  body,  and  given  over  by  the  physicians  ;  yet  all 
is  for  my  good.  I  wish  to  lie  passive  in  the  Lord's  hands, 
and  know  no  will  but  his.  I  want  to  lose  my  wicked  heart, 
and  to  depart  and  be  for  ever  with  the  Lord ;  but  his  time 
is  the  best  time.  I  find  that  the  temptations  of  Satan  and 
my  own  wicked  heart  sometimes  threaten  to  overcome  me. 
I  have  many  doubts  and  fears.  I  am  the  vilest  of  the  vile, 
and  can  cry  out  with  the  publican,  '  Lord,  be  merciful  to  me 
a  sinner.'  Yet  I  hope,  through  the  blood  of  Jesus,  I  shall 
at  last  breathe  my  soul  into  his  bosom,  and,  dying,  clasp 
him  in  my  arms,  the  antidote  of  death." 

She  was,  however,  continued  nine  years  lonofer  in  this 
world  of  suffering,  in  mercy  to  many  souls,  who  date  the 
com.mencement  of  their  religious  course  to  her  bright  example 
of  patient  endurance,  nay,  even  joyful  reception  of  her 
Father's  rod ;  while  many,  very  many,  have  had  their  faith 
and  love  strengthened  by  communion  with  this  afHicted  child 
of  God. 

In  the  ninth  year  of  her  protracted  illness  she  says,  "  I 
have  lately  been  brought  through  a  very  painful  operation 
in  the  taking  out  of  my  right  eye,  and  the  Lord  is  in  infinite 
loving-kindness  heating  the  furnace  still  hotter.  My  knee 
is  in  a  very  dangerous  state,  and  I  am  again  ordered  to  the 
hospital.  What  the  Lord  is  about  to  do  with  me  I  know 
not,  but  my  times  are  in  his  hands ;  he  is  a  present  help  in 
every  time  of  need,  and  a  stronghold  in  the  day  of  trouble. 
Christ  the  Rock  is  my  refuge  in  every  storm  of  affliction ; 
my  shield,  my  hiding-place  in  every  temptation ;  my  strength, 
my  strong  hold,  my  high  tower,  my  defence,  when  the  bil- 
lows roll  around.  Jesus,  the  good  Pilot,  in  his  own  time, 
will  conduct  the  little  bark  safe  into  the  heavenly  port,  and 
not  a  wave  of  trouble  shall  again  cross  my  peaceful  breast ; 
there  I  shall  praise  Jesus  without  interruption,  and  join  with 
all  the  heavenly  host  to  sing  the  wonders  of  his  love.    While 

VOL.  VIII.  12 


6  BLIND  BETSEY. 

I  am  in  this  body  of  sin  and  death,  my  treacherous  heart 
and  the  great  enemy  of  souls  interrupt  me  in  my  best  ser- 
vices, and  I  cast  many  a  wishful  eye  and  longing  heart  to 
the  heavenly  Canaan,  to  see  my  dear  Redeemer,  and  drop 
this  clog  of  clay." 

At  another  time  she  remarks,  "  I  find  the  promises  to  be 
my  meat  and  drink,  my  comfort  in  every  trial ;  upon  them 
I  can  rest,  and  feel  steady  reliance  upon  the  Lord  Jesus, 
though  I  am  the  vilest  of  the  vile. 

"  I  thought  to  have  joined  the  triumphant  song  before 
this  time,  but  I  am  still  called  to  experience  wearisome 
nights  and  days  ;  a  few  months  ago  I  expected  I  was  just 
about  to  enter  the  heavenly  harbor.  In  the  nearest  view  of 
eternity,  my  soul  was  fixed  upon  Jesus,  the  Rock  of  ages ; 
I  looked  for  death  as  for  a  chariot  to  convey  me  to  glory, 
to  occupy  my  heavenly  mansion,  to  see  my  dear  Saviour  in 
his  full  beauty,  and  to  have  done  with  sin  and  every  care ; 
but  the  Lord  in  infinite  wisdom  keeps  me  a  little  longer  in 
this  vale  of  tears.  His  ways  are  hidden  in  the  deep,  and 
^ast  finding  out;  but  he  governs  the  armies  of  heaven  and 
of  earth  by  the  counsel  of  his  own  will.  The  Lord  has 
taken  the  use  of  my  limbs,  one  after  another :  let  him  take 
what  he  pleases.     I  will  praise  his  name." 

Truly  did  she  realize  the  fulfilment  of  the  promise,  "  As 
thy  days,  so  shall  thy  strength  be,"  which  such  passages  as 
the  following  Avill  prove.  "  I  find,  daily,  fresh  supplies  of 
bodily  pain ;  but,  blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord,  I  find  him 
a  present  help,  and  I  can  leave  myself  in  his  hands,  to  do  as 
seemeth  him  good.  I  am  still  called  to  endure  much  pain, 
but  my  Father,  who  aflSicts  me  with  one  hand,  upholds  me 
with  the  other.  I  have  for  some  time  been  kept  in  a  humble, 
steady  rehance  upon  the  Lord  Jesus.  I  find  the  prospect 
of  heaven  a  heaven  worth  suffering  for  ;  and  surely  the  po5- 
session  of  heaven  is  a  heaven  worth  waiting  for :  yet  a  little 
time,  and  he  will  come,  and  will  not  tarry.  I  shall  see  my 
soul's  delight  in  his  full  beauty ;  yet  I  trust  I  can  say,  '  all 
the  days  of  my  appointed  time  will  I  wait  till  my  change 
come.' 


BLIND  BETSEY.  7 

"  I  am  daily  waiting  till  the  Lord  shall  please  to  stretch 
out  his  alroighty  hand,  and  break  the  vital  string,  which  I 
believe  shall  be  my  unspeakable  gain.  '  Though  I  walk 
through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  I  will  fear  no 
evil.'  I  trust  he  will  make  the  waters  of  Jordan  shallow, 
and  give  me  an  abundant  entrance  into  the  joy  of  my  Lord. 

"  Though  my  bodily  pain  daily  increases,  yet  I  find  my 
Jesus  is  strength  in  weakness,  light  in  darkness,  and  his 
smiles  sweeten  every  cross.  My  life  is  as  a  stormy  winter, 
one  tempest  following  another  makes  the  cottage  shake  ;  the 
winter  of  my  life  will  pass  away,  and  my  eternal  summer 
soon  dawn.  The  breaches  cheerfully  foretell  this  tabernacle 
must  soon  fall.  I  rejoice  to  feel  it  dissolving,  for  I  have  'a 
building  of  God,  a  house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in 
the  heavens.'  My  heavenly  Father  entwines  the  string  of 
love  around  the  rod  with  which  he  afflicts  me.  The  heavier 
the  rod  falls,  the  more  stripes  of  joy  come  with  it.  I  know 
that  all  will  work  the  peaceable  fruits  of  righteousness." 

In  the  midst  of  this  delightful  assurance,  she  was  kept 
humble,  and  often  mourned  over  the  corruption  of  her 
treacherous  heart.  She  said,  "  Sin  is  more  and  more  my 
burden ;  I  abhor  myself  in  dust  and  ashes,  and  admire  the 
rich  free  grace  that  plucked  me  from  the  jaws  of  hell.  It 
is  all  of  grace.  I  must  sing  the  highest  notes  of  praise  to 
Him  who  hath  washed  me  in  his  own  blood.  I  am  lost  in 
wonder  at  the  love  of  God  to  wretched  me." 

She  was  alive  to  the  best  interests  of  her  friends,  and 
would  most  affectionately  express  that  interest,  always  di- 
recting them  to  the  inexhaustible  fulness  treasured  up  in 
Jesus  Christ. 

A  Christian  who  frequently  visited  her,,  remarks,  that  on 
inquiring  after  her  health,  Betsey  would  often  reply,  "  I  am 
on  the  brink  of  the  river,  waiting  for  some  kind  angel  to 
take  me  to  possess  my  glorious  inheritance.  I  am  like  a 
castle  built  upon  a  rock,  the  waves  may  beat  against  it,  but 
cannot  reach  its  top.  I  neither  fear  men  nor  devils  ;  I  shall 
soon  be  where  the  wicked  cease  from  troubling." 

And  to  the  same  friend,  in  her  last  illness,  she  said,  "  I 


8  BLIND  BETSEV. 

feel  so  serene  in  my  soul,  such  confidence  in  the  God  of  my 
salvation,  that  I  think  this  will  be  the  last  conflict.  It  is  as 
though  I  walked  not  by  faith  noio,  but  by  sight ;  that  prom- 
ise I  can  more  fully  comprehend  than  I  ever  did,  '  They  that 
trust  in  the  Lord  shall  be  as  Mount  Zion,  w^iich  cannot  be 
removed,  but  abideth  for  ever.'  " 

At  another  time  she  said,  "  I  am  quite  resigned  to  my 
Father's  will.  I  would  willingly  stay,  if  I  might  be  made 
useful  only  to  one  soul." 

After  expressing  to  this  friend  the  great  increase  of  pain 
which  she  endured,  she  said,  *'But  I  cannot  tell  you  what 
I  have  felt  in  my  soul,  or  what  glorious  views  I  have  had, 
by  faith,  of  a  crucified  Redeemer.  I  have  viewed  him  in 
the  garden  of  Gethsemane,  sweating  great  drops  of  blood. 
By  faith  I  view  him  on  the  cross,  his  open  side,  his  crown 
of  thorns."  When  in  the  agonies  of  death,  and  expecting 
that  she  was  entering  the  valley,  she  exclaimed  with  good 
old  Simeon,  "  Lord,  now  lettest  thou  thy  servant  depart  in 
peace.  Come,  Lord  Jesus,  come  quickly."  And  towards 
morning  she  said,  "■  The  Master  calleth,  and  my  lamp  is 
trimmed.     I  am  quite  ready." 

On  the  Sabbath  morning  before  her  death,  when  her 
friend  entered  the  room,  she  exclaimed  with  a  loud  voice, 
"  Happy,  happy,  happy.  Precious  Jesus.  I  see  him  face 
to  face.  I  have  glory  in  my  soul.  Can  you  hear  ?  My 
Jesus  is  precious.  I  have  seen  thousands  of  angels  around 
the  throne.  Glory,  glory  !"  This  was  her  repeated  theme 
from  Saturday  night,  eleven  o'clock,  until  Monday  morning 
at  one.  She  then  took  a  little  rest,  and  the  last  words  she 
was  heard  to  say,  were,  those  which  she  had  so  often  sound- 
ed in  the  ears  of  her  friends,  **  Jesus  is  precious." 


PUBLISHED  BY  THE  AMERICAN  TRACT  SOCIETY. 


rVo.   367. 

"I  AM  AN   INFIDEL!" 

AN  AUTHENTIC  NARRATIVE. 


Henry,  the  subject  of  the  folluwing^  strictly  authentic 
narrative,  possessed  from  childhood  an  active  and  enterpris- 
ing mind.  In  his  early  youth  he  perceived  that  the  self-de- 
nying precepts  of  the  Gospel  forbade  his  pursuing  that  course 
which  had  been  marked  out  for  him  by  an  unchastened  am- 
bition. To  get  rid  of  this  embarrassment,  he  had  recourse 
to  the  doctrine  of  universal  salvation  ;  but  being  convinc- 
ed, upon  a  careful  examination,  that  the  Bible  furnished  no 
support  to  his  new  religion,  he  rejected  the  unaccommodating 
book  as  a  system  of  i:)riestcraft,  and  adopted  the  sentiments 
of  David  Hume. 

Henry  was  of  an  amiable  temper ;  and  though  he  had 
got  rid  of  the  restraints  imposed  by  a  belief  in  revelation, 
and  wholly  neglected  the  institutions  of  Christianity,  he  still 
retained,  to  a  considerable  extent,  that  outward  morality 
which  forms  one  of  the  distinct  folds  in  the  accustomed  dra- 
pery of  the  Christian  religion. 

In  1826  he  had  nearly  finished  his  preparation  for  the 
bar,  and  had  gone  to  reside  in  the  lamily  of  a  pious  lady  in 
VOL.  VIII.  1*2* 


2  I  AM  AN  INFIDEL. 

the  village  of ,  whose  husband  was  absent  from  home. 

Though  there  was  a  powerful  revival  of  rehgion  in  that 
place,  Henry  had  kept  himself  aloof  from  what  he  consid- 
ered a  foolish  and  needless  excitement.  On  the  6th  of  De- 
cember he  was  induced,  by  a  sense  of  pohteness,  to  accom- 
pany the  lady  with  whom  he  boarded  and  a  female  friend 
of  hers,  residinor  in  the  familv,  to  an  evenins:  lecture.  He 
went  to  this  meeting,  as  he  afterwards  acknowledged,  with 
a  full  determination  of  keeping  his  mind  engrossed  with 
worldly  thoughts  ;  and  he  succeeded  so  well,  that,  on  his 
return  home,  he  had  no  distinct  recollection  of  what  had 
been  advanced  by  the  preacher. 

After  supper,  the  ladies  whom  he  had  accompanied  to 
the  house  of  God,  left  him  in  the  sitting-room,  and  retired 
to  a  closet  in  a  distant  part  of  the  house,  to  spend  a  short 
season  in  prayer  for  the  salvation  of  their  careless  boarder. 
They  had  not  been  long  engaged  in  pleading  at  the  throne 
of  grace,  when  they  were  interrupted  by  a  loud  cry  of  dis- 
tress from  the  sitting-room.  On  repairing  thither,  they  found 
the  family  Bible  open  upon  the  table,  and  the  late  thought- 
less Henry  standing  upon  his  feet,  with  strong  marks  of  dis- 
tress upon  his  countenance.  To  the  question,  What  is  the 
matter?  he  answered,  "I  cannot  tell,  but  I  entreat  you  to 
pray  for  me  I"  This  answer  had  scarcely  passed  his  lips, 
when  his  heavinsr  bosom  o-ave  vent  to  its  accumulatino-  an- 
guish  in  heart-rending  expressions  of  despair,  which  his  agi- 
tated frame  seemed  scarcely  capable  of  sustaining.  Henry 
now  saw  plainly  that  his  Universalism  and  infidelity  were 
alike  refuges  of  lies,  under  which  he  had  taken  shelter  to 
screen  himself  from  the  reproaches  of  a  guilty  conscience, 
and  believed  that  God  was  driving  him  from  them  by  the 
power  of  his  Spirit,  not  for  the  sake  of  having  merc}^  but 
to  make  him  a  monument  of  his  righteous  displeasure,  and 
hold  him  up  as  a  warning  to  those  who  should  afterwards 
Hve  ungodly. 

About  twelve  o'clock  at  night  he  requested  that  some 
of  his  companions  might  be  sent  for,  that  they,  seeing  his 
anguish,  might  avoid  the  hopeless  abyss  into  which  he  con- 
ceived himself  to  have  fallen.  At  two  in  the  morning  the 
writer  was  called  from  his  bed  to  visit  him.  Upon  enter- 
ing the  apartment  I  found  him  upon  his  knees,  not  indeed 
attempting  to  pray,  but  giving  vent  to  the  anguish  of  a 


I  AM  AX  INFIDEL.  3 

broken  spirit.  I  inquired  of  him  about  the  state  of  his  mind, 
but  only  received  for  answer,  "  I  am  an  Infidel — /  have 
denied  the  only  Saviour,  and  am  now  given  up  of  God  to  eat 
the  fruit  of  my  own  doings  /"  His  whole  soul  was  immersed 
in  agony,  while  the  shiverings  of  a  strange  unearthly  horror, 
which  ran  througii  his  manly  frame,  had  so  prostrated  his 
muscular  powers  that  he  was  unable  to  stand,  or  even  sit 
up  without  support.  After  giving  him  some  instruction 
from  the  word  of  God,  and  praying  for  him,  I  left  him  under 
the^are  of  some  judicious  Christian  fiiends. 

The  next  day  was  a  Thanksgiving  season  through  the 

state,  and  though  it  was  a  season  of  great  gratitude  in , 

it  was  also  a  season  of  deep  distress  with  many,  and  of  much 
agonizing  prayer  among  the  people  of  God.  In  the  even- 
ing there  was  a  meeting  of  religious  inquiry,  to  which  the 
despairing  Henry,  by  the  assistance  of  two  fi-iends,  repaired. 
Here  I  again  endeavored  to  lead  him  to  the  Saviour  of  sin- 
ners ;  but  to  every  overture  of  mercy  he  would  reply,  "  These 
2yrovisions  were  once  for  me;,  hut  I  have  rejected  them.  I  have 
sinned  away  my  day  of  grace — I  am  an  Infidel  !"  In  this 
state  of  mind  he  left  the  meeting,  and  continued  to  tremble 
under  "  a  fearful  looking  for  of  judgment  and  fiery  indigna- 
tion^^ from  the  2^i'esence  of  the  Almighty,  until  about  eleven 
o'clock  that  evening,  when  his  obdurate  heart  was  broken 
BY  THE  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  and  the  heart-rending  groans 
of  the  convicted  infidel  were  exchanged  for  the  joyful  song 
of  the  believing  saint. 

Henry's  transition  from  the  bitterness  of  a  broken  spirit 
to  joy  and  peace  in  believing,  was  sudden  ;  but  his  joy,  like 
the  light  which  is  shed  upon  the  path  of  the  just,  was  abid- 
ing, and  will,  we  have  reason  to  hope,  grow  stronger  and 
stronger  till  the  perfect  day. 

If  Henry's  case  may  be  considered  a  fair  specimen  of 
the  effects  of  infidelity  upon  a  mind  enlightened  by  the 
Spirit  of  God  here,  where  there  is  still  room  for  repentance, 
what  will  be  the  condition  of  the  infidel  when  eternity  shall 
disclose  all  its  awful  realities  to  his  view  ? 

The  freethinker  often  seems  to  consider  his  scepticism  as 
a  justification  for  all  that  he  does  amiss.  As  he  resorts  to 
this  system  to  get  rid  of  the  strictness  of  the  law  of  God, 
he  endeavors  to  avail  himself  of  the  license  given  him  by 
his  adopted  creed  to  quiet  his  conscience.     When  Christian 


4  I  AM  AN  L\  FIDEL. 

friends  would  have  him  attend  a  preached  Gospel,  it  is  to 
him  a  satisfactory  reply,  "  I  am  an  Infidel  !"  When  en- 
treated to  break  off  from  some  immoral  habit,  his  reply  is, 
"  I  AM  AN  Infidel  !"  And  when  we  would  set  before  him 
the  injury  he  is  doing  to  the  rising  generation  by  withdraw- 
ing our  youth  from  under  the  restraints  of  the  Gospel,  he 
meets  us  with  the  same  self- satisfying  justification,  and 
gravely  tells  us  that  he  is  "  an  Infidel  !"  But  what  if  his 
consoling  doctrine  should  not  prove  true  '?  What  if  the  Bible, 
after  all,  should  be  the  word  of  God,  as  the  Holy  Spirit 
taught  Henry  to  believe"?  Will  his  having  rejected  the  way 
of  life  then  save  him  ?  Infidelity  can  neither  deliver  from 
the  guilt  of  sin,  nor  from  the  penalty  of  a  righteous  law. 
It  may,  indeed,  blind  the  eyes  for  a  time,  and  enable  the 
sinner  to  vralk  with  a  firmer  step  in  the  downward  road. 
But  this  blindness  must  all  pass  away.  If  the  Spirit  of  God 
does  not  remove  it  in  this  world,  it  will  be  dispelled  by  the 
light  of  his  countenance  in  the  world  to  come. 

It  is  easy  for  men,  while  immersed  in  the  bustle  of  busi- 
ness, or  running  the  giddy  round  of  fashionable  amusements, 
or  listening  to  the  pleasant  song,  to  forget  God,  and  put  far 
off  the  evil  day.  It  is  easy  for  them,  while  sitting  at  a  full 
board  and  joining  in  the  pleasantries  of  the  convivial  circle, 
to  silence  the  small  voice  of  conscience  by  the  recollection 
that  they  are  infidels.  But  the  bustle  of  business,  and  the 
giddy  round  of  fashionable  amusements,  must  be  laid  aside ; 
the  song  of  pleasure  must  pass  away ;  the  full  board  and 
convivial  circle  must  depart.  Death's  awful  bereavements 
must  break  up  the  dearest  relationships  of  life  :  the  largest 
possessions  must  be  reduced  to  the  hmits  of  the  narrow 
house  ;  and  even  the  repose  of  the  grave  must  be  broken  by 
the  noise  of  the  heavens  and  the  earth  passing  away  ! 

Then,  impenitent  sinner,  what  will  you  do  ?  When  the 
clarion  of  the  Gospel  shall  be  exchanged  for  the  trumpet 
of  the  archangel,  and  the  sceptre  of  mercy  for  the  sword  of 
justice ;  when  you  shall  stand  upon  a  dissolving  world,  in 
the  presence  of  a  righteous  God  ;  when  the  history  of  your 
life  shall  be  unfolded,  the  book  of  God's  law  opened,  and 
the  offers  of  mercy  rolled  up  and  laid  aside,  will  you  be  able 
to  silence  the  reproaches  of  an  awakened  conscience,  or  still 
the  throbbings  of  an  aching  heart,  by  exclaiming,  "  I  am  an 
Infidel?" 


No.  «68. 

TO 


THE  CONFIDENT,  THE  DIFFIDENT, 


THE    CARELESS 


It  is  probable  that  every  reader  is  included  in  one  of 
these  three  classes,  or  at  least  may  find  something  suitable 
to  himself  in  these  hints  :  he  will  be  able  to  judge  of  this 
when  he  has  seriously  read  the  whole, 

TO  THE  CONFIDENT. 

To  such  I  would  say,  I  have  no  objection  to  confidence. 
The  Bible  spea]is  of  it  as  the  believer's  privilege.  I  have 
no  objection  to  its  rising  to  assurance,  to  full  assurance ;  to 
its  even  assuming  this  form  at  the  very  outset,  and  main- 
taining it  to  the  end  of  the  course ;  inasmuch  as  it  is  the 
gracious  design  of  God  that  his  people  should  know  that 
they  have  eternal  life.  And  the  case  is  quite  conceivable, 
of  so  clear  and  simple  a  perception,  and  so  strong  and  stead- 
fast a  belief  of  the  freeness  and  fulness  of  the  grace  of  God 
in  Christ  being  obtained  from  the  very  first,  and  continued 
ever  afterward,  as  shall  keep  the  believer  in  the  scriptural 
enjoyment  of  unshaken  confidence  to  the  last.  Nay,  more  ; 
whatever  there  may  be  in  believers  themselves  to  hinder  its 
being  uniformly  realized,  there  is  not  only  nothing  in  the 
word  of  God  to  prevent  it,  but  every  thing  to  warrant  and 
produce  it.  It  is  not  the  fault  of  God,  or  of  his  Gospel, 
that  it  is  not  always  thus.  It  is  not  that  we  are  strait- 
ened in  him,  but  in  ourselves.  It  will  be  well  for  the  con- 
fident, however,  to  attend  to  the  three  following  simple 
inquiries. 


2  TO  THE  CONFIDENT, 

1.  Are  you  sure  your  confidence  is  resting  on  the  true 
foundation — on  the  genuine  apostolic  Gospel — the  simple 
testimony  of  God  concerning  his  Son  ;  on  the  finished  work 
of  Jesus,  held  forth  in  that  testimony  as  the  divinely  ap- 
proved, and  therefore  only  ground  of  acceptance  for  sinners  ? 
Many,  you  must  be  well  aware,  have  had  confidence  in 
error.  See,  then,  that  your  foundation  be  right.  This  is 
the  first  concern.  If  this  be  wrong,  all  is  wrong.  Examine 
well  the  divine  record,  w^hich  reveals  the  ground  of  hope 
with  all  simplicity,  requiring  only  sincerity  on  the  sinner's 
part  to  understand  it ;  and  see  that  your  confidence  be 
founded  in  the  truth.  Then,  supposing  your  conceptions 
of  the  Gospel  to  be  according  to  the  simplicity  of  apostolic 
statement,  let  me  ask  you, 

2.  Is  your  confidence  humble  ?  You  may  fancy  it  hardly 
necessary  to  ask  such  a  question,  after  you  have  said  that 
your  confidence  rests  exclusively  on  the  finished  work  of  the 
Just  One.  Be  it  so.  All  I  wish  you  to  remember  is,  that 
if  it  really  do  rest  there,  it  loill  be  humble ;  and  that  the 
humble-minded  character  of  your  confidence  is  one  of  the 
evidences  that  this  is  indeed  its  foundation.  There  is  such 
a  thing  as  men's  humbling  themselves  in  words,  with  a  con- 
scious self-elation  at  their  humbling  themselves  so  well ; 
professing  to  trust  exclusively  in  the  righteousness  of  Christ, 
but  secretly,  and  unavo\vedly  to  themselves,  confiding  for 
salvation  in  their  very  zeal  for  the  exclusion  of  their  own 
righteousness ;  in  one  word,  "  trusting  in  themselves  that 
they  are  righteous,  and  despising  others."  Those  who  have 
been  taught  by  the  grace  of  God  to  build  their  hopes  on  the 
work  of  Christ  alone,  need  to  be  on  their  guard  against  the 
encroachment  of  such  a  spirit.  If  the  confidence  they  enjoy 
be  genuine,  they  will,  I  repeat,  hold  it  humbly  ;  with  a  deep 
and  self-abasing  consciousness  that  they  owe  their  simple 
and  cheering  views  of  the  Gospel  not  to  themselves  but  to 
the  Spirit  of  God,  that  they  are  debtors  for  every  thing  to 
sovereign  mercy  ;  and  with  a  melting  tenderness  of  compas- 
sion and  of  prayer  for  all  who  are  building  on  any  other 


THE  DIFFIDENT,  AND  THE  CARELESS.  3 

foundation,  or  who  may  "go  mourning  without  the  sun." 
I  ask, 

3,  Is  your  confidence  a  holy  confidence  ?  I  mean,  is  it 
a  confidence  in  union  with  practical  religion  ?  Is  it  asso- 
ciated with  "  denying  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  and 
living  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly;"  with  ''cleansing 
yourself  from  all  filthiness  of  the  flesh  and  spirit,  and  per- 
fecting holiness  in  the  fear  of  God  ?"  If  it  be  not — if  it  be 
connected  with  sin  and  w^orldliness,  with  conformity  to  the 
world — if  not  in  the  open  indulgence  of  vice,  yet  in  its  vani- 
ties and  follies,  its  gayeties  and  thoughtless  pleasures — as 
if  you  thought  religion,  instead  of  consisting  in  the  spiritual 
and  holy  influence  of  those  divine  truths  of  which  the  faith 
is  intended  "to  deliver  you  from  this  present  evil  world," 
lay  in  the  mere  holding  of  a  speculative  opinion,  the  adop- 
tion of  which  brought  with  it  the  privilege  of  worldly  in- 
dulgence— if  such  be  the  character  of  your  confidence,  such 
its  earthly  and  secular  associations  and  tendencies,  you  may 
call  it  by  the  scriptural  designation  of  "  the  assurance  of 
faith,"  but  I  say  again,  it  is  the  assurance  of  presumption. 
The  whole  word  of  God  disowns  it.  It  is  not  a  plant  of 
grace,  but  a  weed  of  corruption.  It  is  not  from  heaven,  but 
from  hell ;  not  from  the  Spirit  of  light,  but  from  the  prince 
of  darkness.  Jesus  "gave  himself  for  our  sins,  that  he 
might  deliver  us  from  this  present  evil  world,  according  to 
the  will  of  God  and  our  Father" — "gave  himself  for  us, 
that  he  might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity,  and  purify  unto 
himself  a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good  works." 

TO  THE  DIFFIDENT. 

To  such  I  would  say,  let  it  be  well  considered,  whence 
your  want  of  confidence  arises.  So  far  from  blaming  diffi- 
dence, w^hen  considered  as  meaning  self-distrust  or  self- 
jealousy,  I  would  apply  to  it  the  words  of  Solomon, 
"  Blessed  is  the  man  that  feareth  ahvay."  But  there  is  a 
desponding  diffidence,  which  wonders  at  the  cheerful  con- 
fidence of  others,  while  it  is  itself  the  oflfspring  of  obscure 


4  TO  THE  CONFIDENT, 

conceptions,  or  unbelieving  suspicions  of  the  freeness  and 
fulness  of  gospel  grace.  You  may  be  looking  too  much  to 
yourself,  and  too  little  to  Christ.  Let  me  remind  you  that 
the  Gospel  is  the  *'  Gospel  of  peace  ;"  that  it  is  "good  tid- 
ings of  great  joy;"  and  that  the  communication  of  peace 
and  joy  must  therefore  be  one  of  the  very  purposes  of  its 
proclamation  to  sinners.  There  is  no  presumption  in  a  sin- 
ner's joy,  when  he  ''  rejoices  in  Christ  Jesus,  having  no  con- 
fidence in  the  flesh,"  when  he  "joys  in  God,  through  Jesus 
Christ,  by  whom  he  has  received  the  reconciliation."  The 
possession  of  such  peace  and  joy  is  no  more  than  the  fulfil- 
ment of  the  very  end  of  God  in  the  mission  and  work  of  his 
Son.  And  how  is  it  to  be  retained  ?  I  answer,  by  stead- 
fast "  looking  unto  Jesus."  This  is  the  only  legitimate,  and 
it  is,  in  the  nature  of  things,  the  only  reasonable  way  to  find 
and  to  keep  it.  When  the  mariner  is  overtaken  by  the  per- 
ilous tempest,  what  imparts  to  his  mind  confidence  and 
tranquillity  ?  Does  he  look  forth  at  the  fury  of  the  raging 
storm,  and,  in  order  to  enjoy  peace  and  a  sense  of  security, 
set  himself  to  examine  the  state  of  his  own  feelings  about 
it?  No.  He  examines  the  tightness  of  his  vessel,  the 
firmness  of  its  timbers,  the  completeness  of  its  tackling,  and 
its  sea- worthy  structure  :  he  calls  to  mind  the  storms  it  has 
already  weathered,  the  fearful  seas  which  it  has  come 
through  in  safety.  Thus  should  we  do.  We  must  find  our 
peace,  and  security,  and  joy,  in  surveying  the  sufiiciency  of 
the  foundation  on  Avhich  our  hopes  are  built — not  shifting 
sand,  but  solid  rock — the  foundation  of  which  Jehovah  him- 
self hath  said,  "  Behold,  I  lay  in  Zion,  for  a  foundation,  a 
stone,  a  tried  stone,  a  precious  corner-stone,  a  sure  founda- 
tion ;  and  he  that  belie veth  on  him  shall  not  be  ashamed." 
You  will  tell  me,  perhaps,  that  your  affections  are  not 
as  they  ought  to  be  :  they  are  so  cold,  so  dead,  so  inade- 
quate to  the  extent  of  your  obligations  and  the  merits  and 
claims  of  their  object,  and  altogether  you  are  conscious  of 
such  failures,  that — how  can  you  have  peace  ?  To  such  I 
would  sav,  witli  all  aft'ection. 


THE  DIFFIDENT,  AMD  THE  CARELESS.  5 

1.  Remember,  that  the  exercise  of  your  affections  to- 
wards Christ  is  not  to  he  your  justifying  righteousness  ;  no, 
nor  any  part  of  it.  It  is  not  to  be,  in  any  degree  whatever, 
the  ground  of  your  hope  towards  God.  It  is  He  who  is 
the  object  of  your  faith  and  love,  that  constitutes  that  ground, 
even  Christ  himself,  in  his  perfect  righteousness  and  aton- 
ing blood.  See,  then,  that  you  keep  these  things  distinct ; 
for  many  have,  perhaps  unconsciously,  confounded  them, 
and,  by  confounding  them,  have  been  "  led  into  darkness, 
and  not  into  light." 

2.  Although  love  to  Christ  is  the  effect  and  evidence  of 
faith,  so  that  there  is  no  faith  where  there  is  no  love,  I  hope 
you  never  will  come  to  think  of  yourself,  that  you  love  him 
sufficiently — with  a  love  at  all  adequate  to  his  deserts,  or 
to  your  own  obligations ;  for  while  you  live  on  earth,  this 
will  never  be  true  :  and  even  in  heaven  itself,  although  your 
heart  shall  be  as  full  of  love  as  it  can  hold,  yet,  when  meas- 
ured by  the  worthiness  of.  its  object,  even  such  love  will 
ever  be  far  beneath  it ;  for  this  worthiness  is  infinite,  and 
the  love  which  would  be  a  suitable  return  for  it  would 
require  to  be  exercised  by  an  infinite  mind :  a  created  soul, 
however  enlarged,  and  however  holy,  can  never  contain  it. 
I  trust,  moreover,  that  you  will  never  cease  to  fear  lest 
your  love  should  cool,  exposed  as  it  is,  in  this  world,  to  so 
many  chilling  influences.  The  very  fear  of  not  loving  arises 
from  love,  and  from  an  impression  of  the  high  claims  of  its 
object;  and  this  description  of  self-jealousy  is  included  in 
the  saying  before  cited,  "Blessed  is  the  man  that  feareth 
alwa}^" 

3.  How  is  it  that  the  affections  are  to  be  excited,  and 
maintained  in  lively  exercise,  towards  their  objects  ?  How 
are  they  elevated  and  invigorated  towards  an  earthly  ob- 
ject ?  Is  it  by  sitting  down  to  muse  how  you  have  felt  in 
former  times,  or  how  you  are  feeling  now  ?  No  :  it  is  by 
thinking  of  your  friend ;  by  recollecting  in  your  own  mind, 
and  recounting  to  others,  his  various  excellences,  every  thing 
hi  him  and  about  him,  that  is  fitted  to  attract,  and  fix,  and 

VOL.  VITI.  13 


6  TO  THE  CONFIDENT, 

strengthen  attachment.  So  should  it  be  in  regard  to  your 
heavenly  Friend.  It  is  not  by  brooding  over  the  state  of 
your  own  mind  and  heart  that  your  love  to  him  is  to  be 
confirmed  and  animated :  it  is  by  "looking  unto  Jesus,"  by 
thinking  of  him,  reading  of  him,  speaking  of  him,  praising 
him ;  by  dwelling  on  his  love  to  you,  rather  than  on  yours 
to  him  ;  and  above  all,  let  me  say,  by  actively  serving  him, 
in  all  the  duties  of  life.  Your  great  error  lies  in  making 
happy  frames  and  feelings  too  much  your  object  or  aim. 
But  "  I  am  well  persuaded  that,  speaking  generally,  they 
will  be  found  to  enjoy  such  frames  most  habitually,  who 
think  least  about  them.  The  true  Avay  to  the  possession  of 
them  is,  not  setting  them  up  before  us  as  the  object  to 
which  our  endeavors  are  to  be  directed,  but  living  a  life  of 
operative  faith  upon  the  Son  of  God,  resting  with  firmness 
and  simplicity  on  his  finished  work,  and  under  the  influence 
of  humble  gratitude  and  love  to  his  name,  constantly  and 
diligently  doing  his  will,  and  promoting  his  glory."  Fol- 
low this  course,  and  "  the  joy  of  the  Lord  will  be  your 
strength." 

4.  All  our  self-inquiry,  if  conducted  on  right  principles, 
will  lead  us  to  Jesus.  When  you  bring  yourself  to  the  test 
of  God's  law,  and  perceive  and  feel  that,  when  tried  by  that 
standard,  there  is  nothing  for  you  but  despair,  what  should 
be  the  eftect  but  to  "  shut  you  up  "  the  more  to  him,  as 
your  only  refuge  and  your  onl}"  hope  ?  And  when  you  try 
yourself  by  the  Bible  description  of  the  Christian  character, 
and  are  still  conscious — as  who  is  not  ? — of  sad  and  multi- 
plied deficiencies,  let  this  operate  in  two  ways :  let  it 
deepen  still  more  your  humble  impression  of  your  need  of 
his  propitiatory  blood  and  abounding  mercy  ;  convincing 
you  that  even  the  character  of  the  renewed  nature,  in  any 
stage  of  its  advancement,  will  never  do  for  you  to  stand  in 
before  God :  and  let  it  impart  to  your  mind  a  still  livelier 
sense  of  the  value  of  his  name,  as  your  plea  at  the  throne 
of  grace,  for  that  divine  influence  which  is  needful,  to  en- 
lighten what  is  dark,  to  supply  what  is  wantino-.  to  correct 


THE  DIFFIDENT,  AND  THE  CARELESS.  7 

what  is  erroneous,  to  purify  what  is  corrupt,  to  spiritualize 
what  is  earthly,  to  elevate  what  is  depressed,  to  invigorate 
what  is  weak,  to  confirm  what  is  unstable,  to  keep  you  from 
temptation,  and  to  deliver  you  from  evil.  And  as  to  your 
experience,  what  is  the  use  you  should  make  of  it  ?  Are 
you  to  trust  in  it  ?  No  ;  but  only  to  draw  from  it  encour- 
agement to  return  to  the  source  from  which  it  was  derived. 
If  it  was  legitimate  and  scriptural,  that  source  was  Christ. 
The  Holy  Spirit  makes  Christ  the  spring  of  all  that  he 
acknowledges  as  Christian  experience ;  and  then,  keeping 
the  believing  soul  still  to  one  point,  makes  that  experience 
the  attraction  back  to  Christ. 

TO  THE  CARELESS. 

Some  may  read  this  Tract  who  are  careless  about  their 
own  interest  in  the  important  mattei*s  of  salvation  and  eter- 
nal life.  I  call  them  important.  Who  will  dispute  it? 
Their  importance  is  unutterable.  Yet,  while  every  sound 
judgment  assents  to  this,  alas,  with  what  listlessness  they 
are  generally  regarded !  Men  hear,  and  sometimes  read, 
discussions  about  eternal  life,  as  if  it  were  a  matter  in  which 
they  had  no  personal  concern.  But  let  me  beseech  you, 
with  affectionate  solicitude,  to  recollect  the  solemn  fact,  a 
fact  which  you  can  neither  gainsay  nor  alter,  that  you  are 
in  possession  of  an  existence  that  is  never  to  end  ;  and  that 
the  present  life  is  the  time  for  settling  the  question  whether 
this  eternal  existence  is  to  be  to  you  an  eternity  of  happi- 
ness or  of  woe.  The  very  possibility  of  this  alternative 
depending  on  your  present  transitory  life,  should  make  you 
serious  and  in  earnest.  Yet,  are  you  not  attending  to  and 
settling,  every  day,  questions  of  this  world's  personal,  do- 
mestic, commercial,  and  political  economy,  while  you  are 
leaving  uninvestigated  and  undecided  inquiries  relative  to 
that  never-ending  state  on  w^iich  every  instant  you  know 
not  but  you  may  enter  ?  To-morrow  itself,  on  which  you 
are  reckoning  as  a  part  of  your  present  life,  may  to  you  be 
a  part  not  of  time  but  of  eternity — a  fixed  and  immutable 


8  TO  THE  CONFIDENT,   ETC. 

eternity.  Are  you,  then,  acting  wisely  ;  are  you  acting 
consistently  with  that  reason,  which  is  your  boasted  dis- 
tinction from  the  brute  creation  ? 

Yet,  while  living  thus,  you  may  be  professing  to  believe 
the  Bible  to  be  God's  word.  But  if  you  really  knew  and 
believed  the  contents  of  this  divine  record,  you  could  not 
remain  as  you  are,  careless  about  the  eternal  results  which 
it  brings  before  you,  and  of  which  it  assures  you  with  such 
equal  fidelity  of  denunciation  and  promise.  The  question, 
who  have  and  who  have  not  eternal  life,  is  a  question  de- 
cided in  this  book  with  the  most  unwavering  explicitness. 
There  is  no  uncertainty  left  hanging  over  it :  "  He  that  hath 
the  Son,  hath  life ;  and  he  that  hath  not  the  Son  of  God, 
hath  not  life."  "  The  Father  loveth  the  Son,  and  hath 
given  all  things  into  his  hand.  He  that  believeth  on  the  Son, 
hath  everlasting  life ;  he  that  believeth  not  the  Son,  shall 
not  see  life,  but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him."  "Ver- 
ily, verily,  I  say  unto  thee,  Except  a  man  be  born  again,  he 
cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God."  These  declarations  stand 
on  record  in  this  book.  You  cannot  be  wise  in  treating: 
them  with  lightness,  till  you  have  carefully  examined  and 
deliberately  set  aside,  as  proved  to  be  futile,  all  the  evidence 
of  its  divine  original.  They  are  interesting  to  all :  they  are 
interesting  to  you.  Bring  the  question,  the  all-important 
question,  home.  Have  I  eternal  life  ?  That  you  should 
have  this  life,  is  to  you  of  infinite  and  everlasting  moment : 
that  you  should  knoiv  that  you  have  it,  is  essential  to  your 
highest  happiness  in  time,  as  is  its  possession  to  your  bless- 
edness in  eternity.  May  God  in  mercy  lead  you  to  both 
the  possession  and  the  knowledge,  by  leading  you  to  Christ. 


PUBLISHED    BY    THE    AMERICAN    TRACT    SOCIETY. 


IVo.  369. 

SHALL  1  COME 

TO 

THE  LORD'S  SUPPER? 


My  dear  Brother — According  to  your  request  I  will 
endeavor,  with  all  plainness,  to  answer  the  interesting  in- 
quiry you  proposed  to  me.  "A  pious  young  person,"  you 
inform  me,  ''hesitates  about  coming  to  the  Lord's  supper: 
how,"  you  ask,  "is  he  to  be  convinced  that  it  is  his  duty 
and  privilege  to  sit  down  at  the  Lord's  table  ?" 

Before  proceeding  to  the  subject  you  have  laid  before 
me,  it  is  proper  that  I  tell  you  in  what  sense  I  understand 
certain  words  you  employ  ;  because  if  we  disagree  in  these, 
it  is  not  likely  that  what  I  shall  say  will  prove  satisfactory 
to  you. 

In  the  first  place,  then,  when  you  call  this  person  "pi- 
ous,'' I  suppose  you  mean,  not  merely  that  he  is  thoughtful, 
or  seriously  reflecting,  or  moral  in  the  ordinary  sense  of  the 
term,  or  even  a  professor  of  religion,  but  that  he  is  one 
whose  heart  you  have  reason,  in  the  judgment  of  charity, 
to  believe  has  been  changed  by  the  grace  of  God. 

Again,  you  speak  of  communing  as  the  "duty  "  of  your 
friend  ;  and  by  this  I  presume  you  mean,  it  is  an  obligation 
immediately  2)ressing  upon  him.  In  a  very  important  sense, 
indeed,  it  is  the  duty  of  all  to  whom  the  Gospel  message 
is  come,  to  partake  of  the  holy  supper,  and  no  such  person 
can  decline  this  without  incurring  great  guilt.  But  if  he 
come  otherwise  than  God  has  commanded,  he  offends.  So 
awful  is  the  condition  of  such  a  person  !  If  he  partakes,  he 
sins — if  he  does  not,  he  sins.  What,  then,  must  he  do  ? 
There  is  but  one  way  of  safety  for  him.  Let  him  immedi- 
ately "  flee  for  refuge  to  lay  hold  upon  the  hope  set  before 
him"  in  the  Gospel.  Let  him  repent  and  believe,  and  come 
to  the  table  of  the  Lord.     All  these  are  alike  duties,  and 

VOL.  viii.  13* 


2  SHALL  1  COME  TO  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER  ? 

to  neglect  either  is  to  violate  a  divine  command.  But  they 
are  to  be  done  in  the  Gospel  order ;  repent  and  believe, 
and  being  baptized,  commemorate  the  dying  love  of  the  Re- 
deemer. 

I.  With  this  explanation  before  us,  I  will  now  endeavor 
to  remove  the  doubts  of  your  friend.  And  it  seems  to  me, 
these  will  in  a  great  measure  be  dissipated  by  a  bare  con- 
sideration of  the  nature  of  the  ordinance.  The  Lord's  sup- 
per is  spiritual  food,  designed  to  sustain  and  invigorate 
sjDiiitual  life,  even  as  the  symbols  of  bread  and  wine  therein 
used,  nourish  and  strengthen  the  body.  Such,  we  believe, 
is  the  simple,  scriptural  character  of  this  institution.  Now, 
the  question  is,  Who  ought  to  sit  down  to  this  feast ;  the 
friends,  or  the  enemies  of  the  Lord  Jesus  ?  And  when  we 
mention  these  two  classes  of  persons,  we  have  enumerated 
all  around  us.  For  as  it  regards  the  cause  of  Christ,  there 
is  no  such  thing  as  neutrality  :  "  they  who  are  not  for  me," 
says  he,  "  are  against  me."  If  we  are  not  his  friends,  we 
must  be  his  enemies.  Which  of  these,  then,  are  proper 
guests  at  the  table  of  the  Lord  ?  This  is  a  question,  we 
conceive,  that  admits  of  a  ready  answer.  Certainly,  we 
should  expect,  at  the  supper  of  the  Lord,  to  behold  none 
but  the  friends  of  the  Lord ;  and  the  absence  of  any  of 
these  ought  to  be  as  great  a  grief  to  us  as  the  presence  of 
his  enemies. 

IL  But  who  are  the  friends  of  Christ?  The  merely 
good  men  of  the  world  ?  No  ;  "  for  that  which  is  highly 
esteemed  among  men,  is  abomination  in  the  sight  of  God." 
All  those  who  assent  to  the  truth  of  the  Gospel?  No; 
"  the  devils  believe  and  tremble."  All  those  who  profess  to 
be  his  friends  ?  No ;  for  many  shall  say,  in  the  last  day, 
"  we  have  eaten  and  drunk  in  thy  presence,"  to  whom  the 
Lord  will  declare,  "  I  know  you  not — depart  from  me." 
Who,  then,  are  his  friends  ?  We  answer,  all  loho  are  not 
of  the  world.  The  Son  of  God  came  to  this  earth  to  estab- 
lish a  holy  kingdom  on  the  foundation  of  his  own  "  obedi- 
ence unto  death,"  and  by  the  sanctifying  influences  of  his 
Spirit.  Here,  then,  there  is  about  us  a  "  world  which  lieth 
in  wickedness,"  and  there  is  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  Now, 
have  we  so  repented  and  believed  in  the  Saviour,  as  to  have 
separated  ourselves  from  the  world  ?  If  so,  then  are  we  the 
willing  subjects  of  Emmanuel's  kingdom,  and  consequently, 


SHALI-  I  COME  TO  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER  1  3 

his  friends.  There  can  be  but  two  sorts  of  people :  all 
■who  "  are  not  of  the  Father,  are  of  the  Avorld."  "  A  friend 
of  the  world  is  the  enemy  of  God." 

III.  There  is  another  point  of  view  in  which  this  subject 
may  be  presented.  "  All  are  by  nature  dead  in  trespasses 
and  sins,"  and  therefore  "walk  according  to  the  course  of 
this  world ;"  but  some  have,  by  divine  grace,  been  made 
*' alive  unto  God,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,"  and  these 
*'  walk  in  newness  of  life." 

Now,  as  we  would  not  give  material  food  to  a  dead 
man — the  very  fact  of  his  being  dead  would  make  this  un- 
reasonable and  useless — so  ought  we  not  to  give  spiritual 
food  to  those  who  are  "  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  who 
Avalk  according  to  the  course  of  this  world."  Not  having 
been  made  "  alive  unto  God,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord," 
the  "bread  of  God"  could  not  profit  them.  As,  then, 
natural  food  is  for  living  men,  so  spiritual  food — the  Lord 
Jesus  fed  on  by  faith,  in  his  supper — is  for  living  souls, 
those  who  have  been  quickened  by  the  Spirit  of  God  from 
the  death  of  "trespasses  and  sins,"  and  who  therefore 
*'walk  with  God."  But  only  j^enitent  believers  "  vxxlk  with 
God ;"  such,  then,  are  they  who  have  been  made  "  alive 
unto  God,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."  They  are  the 
children  of  God,  through  faith  in  Christ,  and  by  the  regen- 
erating operation  of  his  Spirit. 

We  have  then  arrived  at  the  conclusion  that  all,  without 
exception  or  limitation,  all  ivlio  repent  and  believe,  and  are 
bajytized,  and  07ily  they,  are  fit  subjects  for  the  Lord's  sup- 
per. Such  persons  are  the  true  friends  of  Jesus,  and  there- 
fore have  a  place  at  his  table ;  they  are  the  children  of 
God,  being  born  of  his  Spirit,  and  consequently,  theirs  is 
the  "  children's  bread." 

IV.  But  here,  perhaps,  the  inquirer  may  ask,  "  How 
may  I  know  whether  I  am  a  penitent  believer  ?  I  fear  I 
have  never  felt  that  '  godly  sorrow  which  worketh  repent- 
ance unto  salvation ;'  I  fear  I  have  never  yet  *  believed  on 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  my  heart  unto  righteousness.'  " 
Is  it  thus  with  thee,  reader  ?  Then  put,  we  beseech  thee, 
these  few  questions  to  thyself  with  earnest  prayer  for  divine 
grace  to  enable  thee  to  answer  them  aright. 

1.  Has  the  Spirit  of  God  ever  "  convinced  thee  of  sin," 
so  as  to  make  thee  see  a  loathsome  pollution  in  all  thou  art. 


4  SHALL  I  COME  TO  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER  1 

and  all  thou  doest  ?     It  was  this  sense  of  personal  deprav 
ity  which  caused  the  apostle  to  exclaim,  "  I  know  that  in 
me,  (that  is,  in  my  flesh,)  dwelleth  no   good  thing.     O 
wretched  man  that  I  am !  who  shall  deliver  me  from  the 
body  of  this  death?" 

2.  Has  a  heartfelt  consciousness  of  guilt,  corruption, 
and  ruin,  led  thee  to  Him  who  was  "  lifted  up,  that  whoso- 
ever believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have  eternal 
life?" 

3.  While  seeking  the  Lord  in  the  way  of  his  appoint- 
ment, private  prayer,  searching  the  Scriptures,  listening  to 
a  preached  Gospel,  the  conversation  and  prayers  of  pious 
people — whilst  thus  seeking  the  Lord,  has  his  "secret — the 
great  mystery  of  godliness — Christ  crucified,"  been  in  some 
degree  reA'ealed  to  thee,  bringing  light  to  thy  mind,  peace 
to  thy  conscience,  and  love  to  thy  heart  ?  yea,  such  light, 
and  peace,  and  love,  as  have  caused  thee,  perhaps,  at  times 
to  ''  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory  ?" 

4.  Do  all  things  about  thee — the  men  of  the  world, 
their  character,  and  ways,  and  tendency,  appear  just  as 
God's  word  describes  them  to  be  ?  Have  you  discovered 
that  the  Lord  has  a  people  here  ?  And  are  these  precious  in 
your  eyes  ?  Do  you  esteem  them  the  excellent  of  the  earth  ? 
Do  you  prefer  their  fellowship  and  conversation  ?  Are  you 
willing  to  cast  in  your  lot  with  them,  "  choosing  rather  to 
suffer  affliction  with  the  people  of  God,  than  to  enjoy  the 
pleasures  of  sin  for  a  season?" 

5.  Do  you  "delight  in  the  law  of  God  after  the  in- 
ward man?"  and  is  it  your  daily  desire,  and  prayer,  and 
endeavor,  to  ''  deny  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  and  to 
live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly,  in  this  present  evil 
world?"  And  yet  are  you  so  sensible  of  your  shortcom- 
ings, of  the  sins  even  of  your  most  holy  things,  as  to  make 
"  Christ  crucified"  your  only  hope  ? 

6.  Do  you  see  in  the  salvation  of  the  Gospel  a  method 
of  redemption  most  glorious  to  the  holy  and  merciful  Sove- 
reio-n  of  heaven,  and  admirably  adapted  to  a  world  of  sin- 
ners ?     Have  you  felt  it  to  be  exactly  suited  to  your  case  ? 

Finally.  Have  you,  at  least,  had  any  such  sense  of  the 
things  contained  in  the  foregoing  questions  as  has  led  you 
to  hate  sin  and  love  holiness — and  to  wish  that  all  around 
you  might  be  brought  to  the  same  blessed  experience  ? 


SHALL  I  COME  TO  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER  1  5 

Certainly,  reader,  if  it  be  thus  ^Yith  thee,  thou  art  a 
Christian  indeed;  thou  liast  "the  Spirit  of  Christ."  He 
who  loves  the  law,  and  the  ways,  and  the  people  of  God, 
must  love  God  himself.  And  be  assured,  none  do  thus 
love  God  but  those  who  exercise  "  repentance  towards  God, 
and  faith  towards  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ," 

0  what  mercy  has  the  Lord  then  shown  thee !  Whilst 
mi^ltitudes  about  thee  are  going  on  in  blindness  and  sin, 
thou  hast  been  "  turned  from  darkness  to  light,  and  from 
the  power  of  Satan  unto  God."  How  many  are  living 
"  without  Christ — having  no  hope,  and  without  God  in  the 
world  ;"  but  "  God,  who  commanded  the  light  to  shine  out 
of  darkness,  hath  shined  into  thy  heart,  to  give  the  light  of 
the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus 
Christ!"  Thou  hast  found  "truth,  the  pearl  of  great 
price  ;"  peace,  hope,  hoHness,  are  thine  ;  andihere  are  sea- 
sons, perhaps,  when  thou  canst  rejoice  in  "the  hope  of 
glory." 

And  shall  "  the  Father  of  mercies"  have  done  so  much 
for  thee,  and  thy  heart  not  burn  within  thee  ?  Surely, 
gratitude  must  constrain  thee  to  live  no  more  to  thyself,  or 
to  the  world,  but  to  "Him  who  loved  thee  and  died  for 
thee  ;"  gratitude  must  constrain  thee  to  cast  the  full  weight 
of  thy  influence  into  the  scale  on  the  Lord's  side.  Surely, 
thy  full  heart  is  ready  to  burst  out  with  a  saint  of  old, 
"What  shall  I  render  unto  the  Lord  for  all  his  benefits 
towards  me  ?  I  will  take  the  cup  of  salvation,  and  call  up- 
on the  name  of  the  Lord.  I  will  pay  my  vows  unto  the 
Lord  now,  m  the  presence  of  all  his  p}eople.'' 

Y.  Here,  however,  the  serious  inquirer  may  reply,  "  I 
trust  that  I  truly  repent  of  my  sins,  and  believe  on  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  that  it  is  the  sincere  purpose  of 
my  heart  to  serve  and  please  God  in  all  my  ways  ;  but  I 
fear  my  repentance  is  not  deep  enough,  my  faith  not  strong 
enough  for  one  who  would  sit  down  at  the  table  of  the 
Lord."  Or  he  may  say,  "Even  if  my  repentance  and  faith 
be  of  the  most  lively  sort,  still  they  have  not  yet  sufficiently 
impressed  my  life  ;  1  am  not  so  eminently  pious  as  it  seems 
to  me  a  communicant  ought  to  be." 

Now,  God  forbid  that  Ave  should  say  one  word  which 
might  tend  to  diminish  the  longings  of  a  pious  heart  after 
greater  attainments  in  religion ;  but  do  not  such  fears  as 


6  SHALL  I  COME  TO  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER  1 

tliose  we  have  just  described,  proceed  from  mistaken  views 
of  this  ordinance  ?  It  is  designed  for  penitent  behevers, 
and  not  merely  for  those  who  have  attained  to  a  large  mea- 
sure of  repentance  and  faith.  Just  as  certain  is  it,  that  all 
who  truly  repent  of  their  sins,  and  believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  however  feeble  those  graces  may  be  in  them,  ought 
to  come  to  the  Lord's  supper,  as  it  is  that  all  i?npe7'rit€nt 
and  unbelieving  2^crsons  are  unmeet  guests. 

And  in  what  part  of  the  Bible  do  we  find  the  acquisi- 
tion of  an  extraordinary  degree  of  holiness  required  in  a 
believer  before  he  make  this  memorial  of  a  Saviour's  dying 
love  ? 

Either  Ave  are  impenitent  and  unbelieving,  or  we  do 
repent  and  believe  ;  either  we  are  worldly,  or  pious ;  either 
we  are  in  an  unconverted  state,  or  our  hearts  have  been 
changed  by  divine  grace ;  either  we  are  under  the  curse  of 
a  broken  law,  or  we  stand  justified  and  accepted  before  God 
throuo^h  faith  in  his  Son ;  either  we  are  riohteous  or  wicked  : 
in  one  word,  either  we  are  "without  Christ,"  or  "in  him." 
In  one  or  the  other  of  these  states  we  must  be ;  there  is  no 
such  a  thing  as  a  half-way  character,  or  half-way  condition. 
O,  there  is  an  awful  and,  indelible  line  drawn  in  the  word  of 
truth  between  the  whole  of  mankind !  The  new  birth  is 
that  line.  On  the  one  side  are  "  the  children  of  this  world," 
on  the  other  "the  children  of  God." 

Now,  if  ive  are  among  the  first  class,  then  to  come  to 
the  Lord's  supper  is  solemn  mockery  of  God,  because  we 
thereby  profess  ourselves  to  be  what  we  really  are  not — his 
friends.  But  if  we  belong  to  the  latter  company,  then, 
though  we  may  be  mere  "  babes  in  Christ,"  "less  than  the 
least  of  all  saints,"  still,  we  are  believers — we  are  the  peo- 
ple of  the  Lord — we  are  "  sanctified  in  Christ  Jesus  ;"  and, 
blessed  be  his  name,  he  invites  us,  though  "  in  weakness, 
and  fear,  and  much  trembling" — he  invites  us  to  draw  nigh 
and  feed  upon  the  "  true  bread,  which  cometh  down  from 
heaven."  And  to  refuse  this  invitation,  is  to  proclaim  our- 
selves what  indeed  we  are  not — the  enemies  of  Christ. 

VI.  Sometimes,  however,  another  fear  may  perplex  the 
mind  of  the  believer,  and  keep  him  back  from  the  table  of 
the  Lord.  He  may  complain,  "I  have  not  this  or  that 
Christian  grace,  and  therefore  dare  not  approach  the  holy 
communion." 


SHALL  I  COME  TO  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER?  7 

To  this  we  reply,  Thou  art  mistaken,  O  man ;  and 
plainly  "  writest  bitter  things"  against  thyself.  For  as  the 
worldly  soul  has  not  one  "fruit  of  the  Spirit,"  so  every 
believer  has  them  all  in  a  greater  or  less  degree.  He  may 
indeed  be  very  deficient  in  some  graces  of  the  Spirit,  yet 
he  is  not  utterly  destitute  of  any  one  of  them.  Hence,  to 
say  of  the  true  believer,  he  is  not  penitent — or  of  the  peni- 
tent, he  has  no  humility — or  of  the  humble-minded,  he  has 
no  boldness  in  the  Lord — or  in  general,  to  speak  of  the 
Christian  as  being  devoid  of  any  one  grace,  is  a  downright 
solecism  in  religion.  Be  assured,  the  "new  creature  in 
Christ"  is  a  perfect  man,  though  he  may  be  feeble  in  many 
of  his  members.  If  we  really  have  one  of  the  graces  of  the 
Sjyirit  in  any  degree,  we  have  them  all,  though  perhaps 
none  eminently  so.  And  it  is  just  to  nourish  and  invigorate 
the  "new  man"  in  the  graces  of  the  Spirit,  that  the  Lord's 
supper  Avas  instituted.  If,  then,  we  feel  humbly  conscious 
of  being  weak  in  any  particular  grace,  this,  so  far  from 
keeping  us  back  from  the  communion,  ought  to  impel  us 
forward.  For  it  is  at  this  ordinance,  especially,  we  may 
hope  to  "  grow  in  grace,  and  in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord 
and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ." 

To  sum  up  the  whole  in  a  few  words :  the  Lord's  sup- 
per is  "  spiritual  food"  to  cherish  and  strengthen  spiritual 
life  ;  and  the  means  whereby  it  is  received  is  faith.  Hence 
it  was  not  provided  exclusively  for  the  strong  in  faith,  but 
for  all  believers ;  it  is  bread,  not  merely  for  "  fathers,  and 
the  young,"  but  for  "little  children"  in  Christ.  And  as  we 
ought  not  to  admit  him  to  the  table  of  the  Lord  who  gives 
not  good  evidence  of  being  born  again  of  the  Spirit,  so  we 
dare  not  repel  the  feeblest  Christian. 

Vn.  Here,  however,  it  may  not  be  improper  to  notice 
Avhat  I  believe  to  be  a  dangerous  error,  that  has  sometimes 
fallen  in  my  way.  It  may  be  thus  stated :  A  person  who 
is  not  a  penitent  believer — who  is  not  converted  unto  God — 
but  who  is  anxious  for  his  soul,  and  professes  to  be  seeking 
the  Lord — is  advised  to  come  to  the  communion,  because  it 
is  means  of  grace.     Is  this  right  ? 

We  answer  decidedly.  No.  The  Lord's  supper  is  in- 
deed a  means  of  grace,  but  it  is  spiritual  food,  and  to  offer 
spiritual  food  to  a  dead  soul  is  something  worse  than  folly. 
He  who  has  not  been  by  divine  grace  "  made  ahve  unto 


8  SHALL  I  COME  TO  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER? 

God  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,"  is  ''  dead  in  trespasses 
and  sins ;"  or,  in  other  words,  he  who  is  not  a  Christian,  is 
impenitent  and  unbeheving  :  I  know  of  no  middle  character 
between  these  two.  Let  such  a  man,  then,  repent  and  be- 
lieve, or  else  come  not  to  the  table  of  the  Lord.  Advise  him 
to  come  to  the  Lord's  supper  ?  why,  this  is  to  counsel  the 
man  to  make  the  hypocritical  profession  of  a  friendship  he 
never  felt.  So  sure  as  there  is  any  meaning  in  the  Gospel, 
all  impenitent  and  unbelieving  persons  are  the  enemies  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

VIIL  One  remark  more,  and  I  have  done.  It  is  a  plain 
Scripture  testimony,  "If  any  man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new 
creature" — new  in  his  dispositions,  views,  and  objects — new 
in  his  spirit  and  conduct.  Hence,  what  such  a  man  once 
loved,  he  hates  ;  and  w^hat  he  once  hated,  he  loves.  Now, 
it  seems  to  me  that  a  consideration  of  this  Bible  account  of 
what  a  true  believer  in  the  Son  of  God  is,  will  at  once  show 
us  the  inconsistency  between  the  card-table,  the  ballroom, 
the  theatre,  the  horserace,  or  any  such  amusement  of  the 
world,  and  a  profession  of  religion.  A  pious  man  tvould 
not  desire  these  things ;  and  he  who  can  relish  them  gives 
fearful  evidence  that  he  is  destitute  of  the  Christian  charac- 
ter. Such  a  person  may  have  "a  name  to  live,"  but,  alas, 
is  he  not  dead — "dead  in  trespasses  and  sins  ?" 

Your  friend  in  the  bonds  of  the  Gospel,  b.  p.  a. 


PUBLISHED   BY    THE   AMERICAN    TRACT    SOCIETY. 


]Vo.  270. 

A  TRAVELLER 

AT 

THE  END  OF  HER  JOURNEY. 


BY   EEV.  RICHAED   KNILL, 

OF    ST.    PETERSBURGH. 

Miss  P.,  the  interesting  traveller  whose  short  history  is 
here  given,  was  a  native  of  a  rural  village  in  the  principality 
of  Wales.  There  she  spent  the  early  part  of  her  life,  and 
httle  thought  then,  that  she  should  visit  other  climes,  and 
die  in  a  foreign  land.  But  so  it  came  to  pass,  and  in  this 
w^ay  I  became  acquainted  with  her. 

It  was  the  unspeakable  privilege  of  this  young  person 
to  have  a  pious  mother,  whose  godly  life  and  scriptural  in- 
structions produced  deep  and  tender  feelings  on  her  youth- 
ful mind.  Her  mother  prayed  for  her,  and  icith  her,  and 
regularly  took  her  to  the  house  of  God.  Happily  for  her, 
the  preaching  she  attended  was  of  the  right  kind,  and  deep- 
ened the  impressions  which  were  made  at  home.  It  was 
similar  to  that  which  the  venerated  Legh  Richmond  de- 
scribes :  "  It  is  simple,  earnest,  scriptural,  plain,  and  inter- 
esting. The  awful  condition  of  a  sinner  in  his  natural  state, 
aild  the  consolations  and  promises  of  a  Saviour,  are  dwelt 
upon  throughout  their  prayers  and  discourses."  0,  were 
the  walls  of  every  place  of  worship  to  echo  with  the  sound 
of  such  truths,  what  a  glorious  transformation  would  it  pro- 
duce throughout  Christendom,  yea,  throughout  the  world ! 

By  these  means  her  memory  was  well  stored  with  hymns 
and  portions  of  the  Bible,  and  a  grand  outline  of  the  way  of 
salvation.  Impressions  thus  made  in  early  life  are  seldom 
entirely  effaced.  This  I  particularly  noticed  in  the  experi- 
ence of  my  departed  friend  ;  and  parents  and  preachers  too 
may  draw  great  encouragement  from  this  thought,  when 

VOL.  VIII.  14 


2  A  TRAVELLER  AT  THE 

they  are  endeavoring  to  lead  the  minds  of  the  young  to  the 
knowledge  of  Christ. 

The  first  time  I  ever  heard  of  Miss  P.  was  on  the  27th 
of  May,  1831.  Having  accompanied  a  dear  missionary 
brother  to  the  grave  of  a  departed  saint,  and  been  engaged 
with  him  in  planning  a  school  for  a  thickly  populated  neigh- 
borhood of  poor  children,  as  I  returned  home  I  found  a  note 
waiting  for  me,  saj'ing,  "  Miss  P.,  one  of  your  congregation, 
is  very  desirous  to  see  you.  She  is  exceedingly  ill,  and 
hopes  you  w^ill  come  soon."  The  distance  was  five  miles, 
and  the  next  morning  I  walked  over  to  her  residence,  I  found 
her  alone.  Her  countenance  indicated  that  her  continuance 
here  would  not  be  long.  I  said  to  her,  A  friend  of  yours 
has  Avritten  me  a  note  requesting  me  to  call  and  see  you, 
and  I  have  come.  "  Thank  you,"  she  replied,  "  I  am  glad 
to  see  you ;  I  hope  you  will  be  able  to  comfort  me." 

She  w^as  lying  on  her  bed,  neatly  dressed,  and  a  black 
velvet  pelisse,  trimmed  w^ith  fur,  w^as  thrown  loosely  over 
her  feet.  The  sight  was  very  affecting.  It  seemed  to  say, 
"  So  Avill  the  black  pall  soon  cover  me,  when  I  am  laid  in 
my  coffin." 

I  sat  down  by  her  bedside  and  entered  into  conversation, 
trying  at  the  same  time  to  recollect  if  I  had  ever  seen  her 
before  ;  but  I  could  not  trace  the  faintest  recollection.  Yet 
I  thought  I  had  seen  the  pelisse  among  my  hearers  at  the 
chapel.     I  said  to  her,  ''Pray,  miss,  do  you  know  me  ?" 

"  0  yes,"  she  replied,  ''  I  know  you  very  well ;  I  have 
seen  you  several  times.     Have  you  not  seen  me  ?" 

I  answered,  "  I  think  I  have  seen  this  pelisse,  but  I 
have  no  recollection  of  you." 

The  tears  started  in  her  eyes — "  Yes,"  said  she,  "  I  wore 
this  pelisse  when  I  was  at  chapel :  it  is  not  altered,  but  / 
am  greatly  altered.  My  illness  has  reduced  me  to  a  shad- 
ow, but  the  distress  of  my  soul  outweighs  all  my  bodily 
pains." 

Just  as  she  finished  this  sentence  a  lady  entered  the 
room.  It  was  the  amiable  and  benevolent  friend  to  whom 
the  house  belonged,  who  I  was  happy  to  perceive  was  un- 


END  OF  HER  JOURNEY.  3 

remitting  in  her  attentions  to  the  dying  sufferer.  This  lady 
immediately  began  about  the  distressing  state  of  Miss  P.'s 
mind.  ''I  cannot  account  for  it,  sir,"  said  she,  *' nor  would, 
you  be  able  to  account  for  it,  if  you  knew  her  character — 
so  kind,  so  religious,  so  affectionate,  so  obliging  is  she,  that 
every  body  loves  her.  She  is  an  angel !  I  assure  you  it  is 
a  fact." 

''I  have  no  reason  to  doubt  your  veracity,  madam,"  I 
replied,  "  but  I  do  think  I  can  account  for  Miss  P.'s  distress. 
She  wants  something  more  than  all  you  have  mentioned  in 
order  to  become  happy."  Then  turning  to  Miss  P.,  I  said, 
"  You  hear  Avhat  your  benevolent  friend  has  said  respecting 
you,  and  we  will  not  attempt  to  disprove  it  for  a  moment — 
but  tell  me,  is  all  this  which  the  lady  has  mentioned  suffi- 
cient for  you  to  rest  upon,  when  you  shall  stand  before  the 
judgment-seat  of  Christ?" 

"  0  no,"  she  replied. 

''And  suppose  that  you  could  command  all  the  excel- 
lences of  all  the  good  people  in  the  world,  would  all  this 
together  be  a  sure  foundation  on  which  you  could  venture 
the  salvation  of  your  soul  ?" 

"No,"  she  again  replied;  ''all  this  Avould  be  of  no 
avail  to  me." 

"  Then  your  friend  has  mistaken  your  case.  Pray,  how 
do  you  think  a  sinner  can  be  saved  ?" 

"  Ah,"  said  she,  "  there  is  only  one  way,  and  that  is  not 
by  works  of  righteousness  which  we  have  done,  but  through 
faith  in  the  merits  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

I  rejoiced  in  this  testimony  from  her  dying  lips.  It  gave 
me  great  encouragement  to  hope  that  her  soul  would  not 
remain  long  in  darkness,  and  it  afforded  me  a  fair  opportu- 
nity for  explaining  to  the  lady  what  the  Scriptures  say  re- 
specting the  "  only  name  under  heaven  given  among  men, 
whereby  we  must  be  saved." 

After  this  the  lady  read  a  chapter,  and  we  engaged  in 
prayer.  I  then  pointed  out  several  parts  of  the  Bible  which 
I  wished  to  have  read  to  Miss  P.,  as  her  strength  would 
bear  it ;  and  after  a  few  other  observations  took  my  leave. 


4  A  TRAVELLER  AT  THE 

Never  had  I  been  received  or  treated  with  greater  kind- 
ness. 

It  is  scarcely  possible  to  witness  any  thing  more  solemn 
or  instructive  than  a  death-bed  scene.  0  how  it  discovers 
the  vanity  of  all  earthly  things,  when  we  behold  a  fellow- 
creature  panting  for  life — struggling  with  death — crying  for 
mercy — calling  on  the  long-neglected  Saviour,  and  saying, 
**  0  could  I  but  obtain  the  assurance  of  his  love,  then  would 
I  shout,  *  0  death,  where  is  thy  sting  ?  0  grave,  where  is  thy 
victory  ?'  "  On  retiring  from  a  scene  like  this,  and  consid- 
ering how  many  there  are  who  never  think  of  their  souls 
and  eternit}^  who  would  not  breathe  out  the  prayer  of  the 
patriarch,  "  0  that  they  were  wise,  that  they  understood 
this,  that  they  would  consider  their  latter  end  ?"  Such  were 
frequently  my  impressions  when  returning  from  the  dying 
bed  of  this  young  woman,  and  such,  I  trust,  will  be  the  im- 
pressions of  many  who  read  these  lines. 

The  distance  of  my  house,  and  other  circumstances, 
would  not  permit  me  to  renew  my  visits  every  day,  but  I  soon 
endeavored  to  make  a  second  call.  On  entering  the  room 
she  looked  at  me  with  an  anxious  countenance,  and  said, 
"  Ah,  I  have  no  peace — my  soul  can  take  no  comfort — my 
burden  is  heavier  than  I  can  bear — I  am  greatly  distressed." 

I  spoke  of  the  Saviour. 

"Yes,"  she  replied,  "it  is  very  true — I  know  it  all — 
but,  my  unbelief,  this  is  my  burden.  I  cannot  take  hold  of 
the  encouragement.     I  want  to  come  to  Christ,  but  cannot. 

0  this  hard,  this  wicked  heart.   Pray  for  me,  I  beseech  you." 

"  I  will  attend  to  your  request,"  I  said  ;  "  but  compose 
your  mind.  Tell  me  a  little  about  your  history.  We  are 
strangers  to  each  other,  and  it  is  desirable  that  I  should 
know  something  of  the  disease,  in  order  to  apply  the  remedy." 

She  then  began  and  told  me  of  her  birthplace,  and  early 
religious  impressions,  and  the  advantages  she  had  enjoyed, 
and  added,  "  When  I  was  young,  my  dear  and  pious  mother 
died  ;  my  father  had  previously  been  taken  from  me,  and 
when  my  parents  were  gone  I  was  left  to  my  own  discretion. 

1  had  nothino-  of  a  worldlv  nature  to  detain  me  at  home,  and 


END  OF  HER  JOURNEY.  5 

knowing  that  I  had  relatives  in  this  country,  I  resolved  to 
be  with  them;  and  hither  I  came.  Here  I  have  received 
great  kindness  ;  indeed  I  have  had  every  thing  that  earth 
could  give  ;  hut  I  have  not  been  happy.  O  no  ;  I  have  not 
been  happy.  I  knew  too  much  of  my  Bible  to  be  happy. 
I  had  heard  and  seen  too  much  of  religion  to  be  happy.  I 
felt  the  vanity  of  the  world  even  when  I  was  most  occupied 
in  it.  I  cut  myself  off  from  religious  privileges,  and  it  has 
made  me  miserable." 

"  How  have  you  spent  your  time  since  you  have  been 
here?" 

''  I  have  been  chiefly  engaged  in  travelling,  either  in  this 
or  in  neighboring  countries." 

"How  have  you  spent  your  Sabbaths?" 

No  answer  but  a  gush  of  tears. 

"Have  you  frequently  been  to  places  of  worship  ?" 

"  No,  I  have  seldom  been  at  a  place  where  I  could  un- 
derstand the  church  language ;  and  since  my  return  here  I 
have  been  so  completely  occupied  that  I  could  only  attend 
chapel  about  four  times,  and  even  when  I  was  there  it  made 
me  miserable.  All  that  I  heard  seemed  to  be  against  me. 
The  invitations  and  promises,  as  well  as  the  threatenings, 
were  as  so  many  daggers  in  my  breast ;  and  once  when  the 
Lord's  supper  was  administered  in  my  presence,  it  was  like 
a  thunderbolt  to  me.     I  thought  I  should  have  fainted." 

"  Then  the  sum  total  of  your  history  appears  to  be  this  : 
you  were  well  instructed  in  divine  things  when  at  home,  but 
since  you  have  come  hither  you  have  slighted  them ;  yet 
you  had  too  much  light  to  be  happy  while  you  were  thus 
neglecting  the  great  salvation.  0  '  wliat  is  a  man  profited, 
if  he  gain  the  whole  world,  and  lose  his  own  soul:?'  " 

"  Ah,  yes,"  said  she,  "  that  is  it,  and  now  I  am  miser- 
able." 

I  replied,  "  It  wovild  be  strange  if  you  were  not  misera- 
ble ;  but  recollect  it  is  a  great  mercy  that  your  conscience  is 
not  seared  as  with  a  hot  iron — that  God  has  not  said  respect- 
ing you,  '  Let  her  alone  ' — that  the  Spirit,  whom  you  have 
grieved,  has  not  ceased  to  strive  with  vou.  Yes,  I  consider 
yoL.  viii.  14'' 


6  A  TRAVELLER  AT  THE 

it  a  great  mercy  that  your  mind  is  so  much  ahve  to  the 
solemnity  of  your  situation.  You  say  you  are  miserable, 
and  you  know  there  is  only  one  remedy  for  miserable  sin- 
ners. Take  that  remedy.  Embrace  that  Saviour.  Flee  to 
that  refuge.  Trust  in  the  merits  of  that  blood.  Christ  is 
the  sinner's  friend,  and  you  have  slighted  him  ;  but  now,  even 
now,  turn  to  him,  believe  in  him,  and  you  shall  be  saved !" 

A  pause  ensued.  I  left  her  to  her  own  reflections.  After 
a  few  minutes,  which  I  could  not  doubt  had  been  spent  in 
meditation  and  prayer,  I  said  to  her,  "  Can  you  repeat  any 
hymns  Avhich  refer  to  the  atonement  of  Christ?" 

"Yes,"  she  rephed,  **  I  can  repeat  many;  I  have  just 
been  teaching  a  beautiful  one  to  Mary," — a  sweet  little  girl 
who  sat  by  her  side.     She  then  began  it : 

"  There  is  a  fountain  filled  with  blood, 

Drawn  from  Emmanuel's  veins  ; 
And  sinners,  plunged  beneath  that  flood, 

Lose  all  their  guilty  stains. 
The  dying  thief  rejoiced  to  see 

That  fountain  in  his  day  ; 
And  there  would  I,  though  vile  as  he. 

Wash  all  my  sins  away." 

At  this  her  feelings  overcame  her,  and  she  could  pro- 
ceed no  farther. 

After  a  few  days  I  called  again,  and  was  happy  to  find 
her  composed  and  tranquil ;  trusting  in  her  Redeemer  to 
order  the  event  of  her  sickness  in  mercy,  and  committing  to 
him  the  interests  of  her  soul  for  eternity.  ''I  hope,"  said 
she,  "  that  I  shall  obtain  mercy — that  God  will  not  cast  me 
off" — that  the  Saviour  will  not  reject  me." 

"  What  leads  you  thus  to  hope  ?  Is  it  because  you 
think  you  are  better  than  you  were  before  ?" 

*'  No ;  I  am  not  looking  to  myself,  but  to  the  worjJ,  the 
promise,  and  the  oath  of  God,  '  that  we  might  have  strong 
consolation  who  have  fled  for  refuge  to  lay  hold  on  the  hope 
set  before  us,  which  hope  we  have  as  an  anchor  to  the  soul, 
both  sure  and  steadfast.'  " 

This  visit  was  to  me  both  edifying  and  comforting.     We 


END  OF  HER  JOURNEY.  7 

had  much  conversation,  and  that  part  which  she  took  in  it 
discovered  the  very  interesting  state  of  her  mind. 

Among  other  things,  she  said,  in  a  most  solemn  manner, 
"  I  have  been  looking  back  on  my  life,  and  I  am  mortified, 
and  ashamed,  and  humbled  at  the  review.  0  what  have  I 
been  doing !  How  have  I  wasted  my  precious  time !  .  I 
have  been  grasping  at  shadows !  I  have  been  feeding  on 
husks  !     A  deceived  heart  has  turned  me  aside." 

These  words  were  spoken  with  much  difficulty,  in  a  low 
tone,  and  with  long  pauses  between. 

She  added,  "  I  have  been  thinking  of  others  also.  The 
world  is  in  a  dangerous  condition.  I  see  it  now.  Yes — 
sacred  things  are  almost  universally,  neglected.  O  could  I 
but  make  my  feeble  voice  heard,  I  would  tell  them  all  of 
their  fearful  condition.  Will  you,  sir,  warn  them  to  flee 
from  the  Avrath  to  come  ?" 

I  replied,  "  I  will  do  what  I  can,  but  I  am  afraid  we 
shall  obtain  only  a  partial  hearing.  Men  are  too  much  en- 
grossed with  worldly  things.  The  chains  of  sin  are  too 
strong  upon  them.  Sabbath  occupations  are  too  carnal,  and 
sensual,  and  devilish.  The  '  god  of  this  world '  hath  bhnded 
the  eyes  and  hardened  the  hearts  of  most  men  ;  and  what 
makes  it  the  more  alarming,  is  the  fact,  that  they  have  no 
apprehension  of  their  danger.  But  let  us  do  what  we  can  ; 
and  above  all,  let  us  abound  in  prayer.  Let  us  call  down 
Omnipotence  to  oiu-  help — for  God  can  change  the  hardest 
heart.     Let  us  pray." 

It  gave  me  great  delight  to  observe  in  Miss  P.  so  much 
solicitude  for  the  souls  of  her  relatives ;  for  I  believe  this  is 
an  unequivocal  sign  of  a  right  frame  of  heart.  Where  this 
feeling  is  prevalent,  and  genuine,  the  happy  possessor  of  it 
may  assure  himself  that  he  has  the  mind  of  Christ.  May 
every  one  who  reads  this  have  no  peace,  nor  joy,  nor  satis- 
faction in  any  thing,  until  he  experiences  this  true  love  to 
God  and  man. 

More  than  four  weeks  had  now  passed  since  my  first 
interview.  A  great  change  had  passed  on  her  countenance, 
and  it  was  evident  that  the  earthly  house  of  her  tabernacle 


,8  A  TRAVELLER,  ETC. 

would  soon  be  dissolved  ;  but  her  intellect  remained  strong 
and  clear,  and  a  sweet  calm  gradually  took  possession  of  her 
breast.  During  the  last  day  or  two  of  her  life  she  could 
not  speak  so  as  to  be  heard  distinctly,  but  the  third  day 
before  her  spirit  took  its  flight,  she  said  to  her  friend,  "  I 
am  going — the  struggle  will  soon  be  over  :  I  am  happy — I 
am  happy ;"  and  on  the  day  six  weeks  after  I  first  saw  her, 
she  was  carried  to  her  grave. 

Standing,  as  it  were,  by  her  side  once  more,  I  would 
close  this  history  with  a  word  of  advice  to  those  who  attend 
the  sick  and  dying.  The  greatest  proof  of  love  to  your 
afflicted  friends  is,  to  act  towards  them  with  Christian  fidel- 
ity. That  is  a  false  tejiderness  which  would  lead  a  saint  or 
a  sinner  to  attempt  to  draw  comfort  from  a  blameless  moral 
life ;  and,  alas,  it  is  a  bad  sign  that  any  should  wish  to 
administer  such  poor  consolation.  It  is  but  too  plain  that 
their  own  views,  both  of  sin  and  salvation,  are  very  defective. 
Mr.  Cecil  mentions  a  case  of  this  kind.  He  had  been  con- 
versing with  an  afflicted  man  about  the  evils  of  his  conduct, 
when  his  wife  interiTipted  Mr.  Cecil,  by  assuring  him  that 
her  husband  had  been  an  excellent  man.  "  Silence,"  said 
the  dying  penitent,  "it  is  all  true  !" 

Something  not  unlike  this  took  place  at  the  dying  bed 
of  Miss  P.  Her  friend  and  benefactress  praised  her,  and 
wondered  how  one  who  had  lived  as  she  had  done  could 
now  be  distressed — but  it  would  not  do.  A  wounded  spirit — 
a  conscience  burdened  with  guilt — rejects  all  such  sup- 
port !  0  ye  that  stand  around  the  dying  bed,  do  not  flatter. 
I  must  have  a  Saviour,  or  I  am  lost — a  Redeemer,  or  I 
perish.  Take  away  every  false  prop- — break  down  every 
refuge  of  lies — strip  the  sinner  of  everj^  self-righteous  plea, 
and  then  pour  in  spiritual  consolation. 


PUBLISHED    BY    THE    AMERICAN    TRACT    SOCIETY. 


]\o.  an 

PRAYER. 


BY  THE  REV.  SETH  WILLISTON 


The  above  title  suggests  a  duty  which  ought  to  precede 
the  reading  of  this  paper.  Pause,  reader,  pause  and  pray — 
pray  for  the  blessing  of  God  on  this  Tract.  Without  his 
blessing,  it  will  promote  the  spirit  of  prayer  neither  in 
yourself  nor  others. 

A  due  examination  of  this  duty  will  lead  us  to  consider 
its  obligation,  its  nature,  its  benefits,  and  the  proper  occasions 
for  its  performance. 

I.    OBLIGATION  TO  PRAYER. 

The  Scriptures  clearly  inculcate  the  duty  of  prayer. 

1.  By  precejJt.  Of  the  repeated  injunctions  of  the  Old 
Testament,  I  shall  introduce  but  this  one  :  "  Thus  saith  the 
Lord  God,  I  will  yet  for  this  be  inquired  of  by  the  house 
of  Israel,  to  do  it  for  them."  Ezek.  36  :  37.  God  here 
expresses  his  purpose  to  bestow  the  blessings  of  his  grace 
only  in  answer  to  the  supplications  of  his  people.  The  New 
Testament  abounds  with  precepts  requiring  the  performance 
of  this  duty.  Christ  urged  it  with  great  frequency  and 
earnestness.  He  said,  "Ask — seek — knock — watch  and 
pray."  "He  spake  a  parable  to  this  end,  that  men  ought 
always  to  pray,  and  not  to  faint."  Luke  11:9;  18:1; 
Matt.  26':  41.  Paul,  Peter,  James,  John,  and  Jude,  who 
were  employed  by  the  Holy  Ghost  to  write  all  the  inspired 
epistles,  did  not  one  of  them  fail  to  inculcate  the  duty  in 
question.      Rom.  12  :  12  ;  Ephes.  6:18;  Phil.  4:6;  Col. 

4  :  2 ;  1  Thess.  5:17;   1  Pet.  4:7;  James  5:16;  1  John, 

5  :  14-16;  Jude,  verse  20. 


2  PRAYER. 

2.  By  example.  Those  who  lived  before  the  flood  called 
on  the  name  of  the  Lord.  Gen.  4  :  26.  Abraham,  Isaac, 
and  Jacob,  are  all  described  as  men  of  prayer.  Gen.  18  :  23- 
83;  24:63;  32:  9-32.  Those  illustrious  decendants  of 
theirs,  whose  names  adorn  the  pages  of  sacred  history — 
statesmen  and  monarchs,  as  well  as  priests  and  prophets — 
are  all  represented  as  men  who  had  communion  with  God. 
What  reader  of  the  Old  Testament  history  is  ignorant  of 
the  fact,  that  a  spirit  of  devotion  marked  the  character  of 
such  men  as  Moses,  Joshua,  Samuel,  David,  Asa,  Jehosha- 
phat,  Hezekiah,  Elijah,  Ezra,  Nehemiah,  and  Daniel ;  and 
of  such  women  as  Hannah,  Deborah,  and  Esther? 

The  worthies  of  the  New  Testament,  both  male  and 
female,  are  described  as  persons  who  conscientiously  re- 
garded this  duty.  We  know  this  was  the  case  with  Christ 
himself.  He  prayed  much.  To  engage  in  this  duty,  he 
arose  early  and  sat  up  late :  he  was  known  to  continue  all 
night  in  prayer  to  God.  Mark  1:35;  0:46,  47;  Luke 
6:12. 

3.  The  Scriptures  inculcate  this  duty  as  universal.  ''I 
will,"  said  one  who  spake  as  he  was  moved  by  the  Holy 
Ghost,  ''that  men  pray  everywhere."  As  we  can  never 
remove  from  under  the  dominion  of  the  Most  High,  nor 
cease  to  need  his  merciful  protection,  we  can  never  be  freed 
either  from  the  obligation  or  necessity  of  prayer.  Daniel, 
residing  at  Babylon,  the  seat  of  a  pagan  empire,  felt  both. 
Nehemiah  prayed  at  Shushan,  as  well  as  at  Jerusalem  ;  Jo- 
nah, in  the  whale's  belly  ;  and  Paul  and  Silas,  in  the  prison. 
This  duty  extends  its  claims  to  all  classes  of  society— to 
men  in  secular  life  as  well  as  those  in  the  holy  ministry ;  to 
rulers  as  well  as  private  citizens ;  to  the  rich  as  well  as  the 
poor.  None  are  so  exalted  as  to  be  above,  nor  so  depressed 
as  to  be  below,  either  the  obligation  or  privilege  of  prayer. 
The  servant  of  Abraham  prayed  to  the  same  God  to'  which 


PRAYER.  3 

his  master  prayed,  and  was  equally  accepted.  From  the 
claims  of  this  duty  no  age  nor  condition  in  life  is  exempt. 
"  Both  young  men  and  maidens,  old  men  and  children,  let 
them  praise  the  name  of  the  Lord."  The  little  child  as  well 
as  the  aged  man,  should  kneel  before  the  Lord  his  Maker. 
Psalm  148  :  12,  13  ;  1  Samuel,  1  :  28 ;  Luke  2  :  49,  52. 

4.  The  Scriptures  represent  this  duty  as  essential  to 
Christian  character.  "Just  and  devout" — '' mvinof  alms 
unto  the  people,  and  praying  to  God  always,"  are  joined 
together  to  constitute  the  character  of  the  good  man.  Luke 
2  :  25  ;  Acts  10  :  2.  None  are  considered  as  giving  more 
certain  indications  of  a  wicked  heart  than  those  who  say, 
"  What  is  the  Almighty,  that  we  should  serve  him  ?  and 
what  profit  shall  we  have,  if  we  pray  unto  him  ?"  Job 
21  :  15.  An  immoral  life  is  not  a  surer  index  of  an  un- 
sanctified  heart,  than  a  life  without  prayer.  ISTor  is  it  any 
more  certain,  that  a  renovation  of  heart  will  transform  the 
immoral  into  a  moral  man,  than  that  it  will  convert  the 
prayerless  into  a  praying  man.  "Behold,  he  prayeth,"  is 
the  Scripture  announcement  of  a  sinner's  conversion  to 
God  ;  and  a  neglect  of  this  duty  is  considered  as  furnishing 
sufficient  proof  of  the  unsoundness  of  any  man's  religion, 
however  promising  it  once  may  have  been.  Acts  9  :  11  ; 
Job  21  :  10. 

II.    THE  NATURE  OF  PRAYER. 

Though  the  Scriptures  thus  inculcate  the  obligation  to 
prayer,  they  are  very  far  from  approving  every  thing  which 
bears  the  name.  The  Pharisees  made  long  prayers,  and  yet 
to  the  holy  Jesus  no  class  of  sinners  were  more  offensive. 
Matt.  5  :  20 ;  6  :  5.  It  concerns  us  all  to  know  what  are 
the  essential  characteristics  of  that  prayer  which  God  will 
accept.  The  Scriptures  represent  it  under  a  variety  of 
phraseology,  as  "  drawing  near  to  God  " — "  speaking  unto 
the  Lord  " — "  declaring  to  him  our  ways  " — "  pouring  out 


4  PRAYER. 

our  heart  before  him  " — "  coming  to  the  throne  of  grace," 
etc.  Psalm  73  :  28  ;  Gen.  18  :  27  ;  Psalm  119  :  26  ;  62  :  8  ; 
Heb.  4  :  16.  It  has,  by  men  uninspired,  been  well  defined 
to  be  "  the  offering  up  of  our  desires  to  God,  for  things 
agreeable  to  his  will."  Without  desires  there  can  be  no 
prayer,  and  none  that  is  good  except  the  desires  be  holy ; 
and  these  must  be  offered  up  to  God.  There  may  be 
prayer  without  the  prostration  of  the  body,  or  the  moving 
of  the  hps,  but  not  without  the  lifting  up  of  the  soul  to 
God.     Psalm  25  :  1. 

Prayer  is  the  language  of  dependence.  It  is  poverty  and 
emptiness,  coming  to  infinite  fulness  for  supplies — ignorance, 
coming  to  wisdom  for  instruction  and  guidance — weakness, 
leaning  on  almighty  strength — pollution,  repairing  to  the 
fountain  which  is  opened  for  sin  and  uncleanness — ^guilt, 
pleading,  not  for  a  repeal  of  the  law,  but  for  the  forgiveness 
of  sin  through  an  infinite  atonement.  To  be  prepared  to 
engage  in  this  duty,  we  must  be  humble.  The  pride  of  our 
heart  must  be  brought  down,  and  the  Lord  alone  exalted. 
We  must  have  faith ;  believing  that  God  is,  and  that  he  is 
infinitely  great  and  good ;  both  able  and  willing  to  answer 
prayer.  Nor  can  we  be  prepared  to  pray  unless  we  exer- 
cise repentance  for  sin ;  for  if  we  regard  iniquity  in  our 
heart,  the  Lord  will  not  hear  us. 

A  suhmisslve  sjjirit  is  another  requisite  for  prayer.  The 
acceptableness  of  the  duty  is  increased  as  much  by  the  coi-- 
diality  of  our  submission,  as  by  the  strength  of  our  faith. 
In  our  Saviour's  prayer  in  the  garden  of  agony,  his  submis- 
sion, though  wonderfully  great,  did  not  imply  either  the 
absence  or  weakness  of  his  trust  in  God.  Indeed,  the 
graces  of  the  Spirit,  among  which  faith  and  submission  hold 
a  conspicuous  place,  do  not  seek  each  other's  destruction ; 
on  the  contrary,  they  afford  mutual  aid  in  rendering  prayer 
both  more  acceptable  and  prevalent. 


PRAYER.  5 

A  forgiving  sjnrit  is  not  less  essential  to  the  duty,  than 
faith  and  submission.  On  this  point  our  divine  Teacher  is 
very  exjDlicit :  "  When  ye  stand  praying,  forgive,  if  ye,  have 
aught  against  any  ;  that  your  Father  also,  which  is  in  heaven, 
may  forgive  you  your  trespasses."  While  we  are  in  the 
attitude  of  prayer,  pleading  with  God  to  forgive  us,  we 
must  do  the  same  towards  our  fellow-men  from  whom  we 
have  received  injuries. 

As  prayer  includes  tJianksgiving  for  favors  received,  a 
thankful  sinrit  is  indispensable  to  a  right  performance  of 
the  duty.  Isa.  QQ  :  2 ;  Heb.  11:6;  Psalm  66  :  18 ;  Matt. 
26  :  39  ;  Mark  11  :  25 ;  Phil.  4  :  6. 

In  prayer  we  have  concern  with  each  of  the  Persons  of 
the  Godhead.  We  address  the  Father,  in  the  name  of  the 
Son,  by  the  special  aid  of  the  Sjnrit.  This  is  all  spread  be- 
fore us  in  one  short  verse  :  ''For  through  IIi?n  we  both  have 
access  by  one  Sjnrit  unto  the  Father.'"  Ephes.  2:18.  The 
Son  directs  us  to  pray  to  the  Father  in  his  name.  Should 
we  forget  this  direction,  and  venture  to  go  in  our  own  name, 
our  petitions  will  remain  unanswered.  It  is  equally  necessary 
that  we  remember  our  dependence  on  the  Holy  Spirit,  lest, 
by  rejecting  his  proffered  aid,  and  trusting  in  our  own  gifts, 
we  incur  the  guilt,  like  Nadab  and  Abihu,  of  offering  strange 
fire  before  the  Lord.  Rom.  8 :  26,  27 ;  Jude  20 ;  Lev.  10:1. 
Should  our  devotions  be  regulated  by  the  best  of  forms,  still, 
if  the  Spirit  do  not  help  oui'  infirmities,  we  cannot  pray. 

The  matter  of  prayer  is  very  cojdIous.  There  is  no  sin 
we  commit,  but  it  is  to  be  confessed ;  no  mercy  Ave  need, 
for  the  body  or  the  soul,  for  ourselves  or  others,  but  we  are 
to  ask  it  of  God ;  no  favor  received,  for  which  we  are  not 
to  render  thanks  ;  no  duty  to  be  done,  nor  affliction  to  be 
borne,  but  we  need  help  in  it  from  God.  "  In  every  thing," 
said  the  apostle,  ''  by  prayer  and  supplication,  with  thanks- 
giving, let  your  requests  be  made  known  unto  God."  Phil. 
VOL-  viir,  15 


6  PRAYER. 

4  :  6.  We  are  required  to  intercede  for  our  children  and 
relatives,  our  civil  rulers  and  spiritual  guides,  for  the  church 
and  the  unbelieving  world.  Gen.  43  :  14  ;  25  :  21 ;  1  Tim. 
2  :  1-3  ;  Psalm  122  :  6;  Rom.  10  :  1. 

The  burden  of  our  petitions,  however,  should  be  for 
those  blessings  which  are  spiritual  and  enduring.  Of  six 
petitions  in  the  Lord's  prayer,  only  one  relates  to  the 
things  of  the  present  life.  These  are  a  mere  scaffolding,  on 
which  to  stand  while  putting  up  an  edifice  that  is  to  remain 
when  the  earth  and  the  works  thereof  shall  be  burnt  up. 

We  should  especially  pray  for  the  influences  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  which  our  Lord  has  represented  as  comprehending 
all  the  good  we  need.  Compare  Matt.  7:11  with  Luke 
11:  13.  The  atonement  is  already  made  ;  the  Scriptures 
are  written ;  the  great  blessing  which  now  remains  to  be 
received,  is  the  gift  of  the  Spirit.  If  this  gift  be  withheld, 
all  other  means  will  fail  to  effect  the  conversion  of  a  single 
sinner.  Until  the  Spirit  be  poured  from  on  high,  the  earth 
will  remain  a  moral  wilderness.  And  when  any  part  of  it 
is  chansred  into  a  fruitful  field,  and  become  the  Lord's  vine- 
yard,  it  cannot  retain  its  fruitfulness  except  by  a  continu- 
ance of  this  divine  watering,  which  it  needs,  not  once  a 
year,  but  every  moment.     Isa.  32  :  15  ;  27:3. 

The  Scriptures,  as  we  have  seen,  encourage  us  to  bring 
every  thing  into  our  prayers ;  yet  not  into  the  same  exer- 
cise. The  prayers  we  find  in  them  are  adapted  to  existing 
circumstances.  When  Moses  interceded  for  the  children  of 
Israel,  whom  the  Lord  had  threatened  to  destroy,  he  adapted 
his  petitions  to  the  urgency  of  their  case.  When  Solomon 
prayed  at  the  first  opening  of  the  temple,  his  prayer  was 
dedicatory.  The  Saviour's  intercessory  prayer,  which  he 
made  with  his  disciples  just  as  he  was  about  to  leave  them, 
was  peculiarly  appropriate  to  that  interesting  occasion- 
Exodus  32  :  31,  32  ;   1  Kino-s,  8  ;  John  17. 


PRAYER.  7 

The  prayers  of  the  Bible  also  abound  with  arguments. 
This  is  true  of  the  prayers  of  Abraham,  Jacob,  Moses, 
Joshua,  David,  Jehoshaphat,  Hezekiah,  Nehemiah,  Daniel, 
and  also  of  the  prayers  of  Christ.  Gen.  18  :  23-33  ;  32  : 
9-12  ;  Num.  14 :  13-19  ;  Josh.  7:7-9;  Psalm  25  :  11 ;  2 
Chron.  20  :  5-12  ;  2  Kings,  19  :  14-19;  Neh.  1 ;  Dan.  9  ; 
John  17.  The  Lord's  prayer  concludes  with  three  strong 
arguments,  or  reasons,  why  the  preceding  petitions  should 
be  granted.  These  arguments  are  not  selfish.  They  all 
honor  God.  We  pray  him  to  answer  our  requests,  because 
the  kingdom,  whose  advancement  is  sought,  is  his  own ; 
the  power  to  advance  it  is  in  his  own  hands ;  and  the  glory 
will  redound  to  his  own  great  name  for  ever.  The  more 
perfectly  we  understand  and  love  the  character  of  God,  and 
the  great  principles  he  has  adopted  for  the  government  of 
his  moral  kingdom  and  the  redemption  of  a  fallen  world, 
and  the  more  fully  we  imbibe  the  spirit  of  his  holy  word, 
the  better  prepared  we  shall  be  to  "  order  our  cause  before 
him,  and  fill  our  mouth  with  arguments."     Job  23  :  4. 

The  style  of  prayer  demands  consideration.  This,  when 
the  exercise  is  extemporaneous,  depends  wholly  on  the  per- 
son who  leads.  Rhetorical  flourishes  and  bombastic  ex- 
pressions never  appear  so  improper  as  in  this  exercise.  Let 
him  who  is  speaking  in  prayer  but  keep  in  mind  that  he  is 
dust  and  ashes,  addressing  the  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth ; 
that  he  is  a  guilty  sinner,  pleading  for  pardon  before  the 
mercy-seat ;  and  let  him  at  the  same  time  possess  the  spirit 
of  adoption,  and  it  cannot  fail  to  give  solemnity,  humility, 
and  a  childlike  simplicity  to  his  attitude,  voice,  and  language. 
Violent  gestures,  a  noisy  utterance,  and  dictatorial  and  cen- 
sorious language,  are  utterly  incompatible  with  the  nature 
of  this  duty.  Every  thing  calculated  to  give  pain  to  devout 
worshippers,  or  diminish  our  awe  of  the  divine  Majesty, 
should  be  carefullv  avoided. 


8  PRAYER. 

m.  THE  BENEFIT  OF  PRAYER. 

1.  It  honors  God.  It  is  a  practical  acknowledgment  of 
his  being,  perfections,  and  providence,  and  of  our  entire 
dependence  on  him  for  all  we  possess.  Those  creatures  of 
God  who  never  repair  to  his  mercy-seat  to  ask  for  needed 
favors  or  counsel,  virtually  deny  his  existence.  By  such  he 
is  not  glorified.  See  Psalm  50:  23,  with  Mai.  3  :  13-15. 
Is  it  not  evident  to  all,  that  God  is  honored  by  the  praying, 
rather  than  by  the  prayerless  man ;  by  tlie  praying,  rather 
than  by  the  prayerless  family ;  and  by  a  praying  commu- 
nity, whether  town,  city,  state,  or  kingdom,  rather  than  by 
such  as  call  not  on  his  name  ? 

2.  Prayer  2^^'omotes  both  the  sanctljication  and  enjoy- 
ment of  those  loho  engage  in  the  duty.  That  immediate 
converse  we  have  with  God  when  we  pray,  gives  us  uncom- 
monly clear  views  of  his  being  and  perfections ;  and  the 
acquaintance  we  form  with  ourselves,  while  on  our  knees 
before  him,  is  the  most  thorough  and  useful.  Hence,  prayer 
greatly  promotes  repentance  for  sin.  It  also  promotes  faith 
in  Christ ;  for  we  present  all  our  petitions  in  his  worthy 
name.  Here,  also,  we  gain  the  most  correct  and  impressive 
views  of  divine  Providence,  tranquillizing  our  troubled  minds, 
and  drawing  forth  our  gratitude  and  praise.  Nothing  more 
powerfully  excites  benevolent  feelings  towards  our  fellow- 
men,  enemies  as  well  as  friends,  than  to  pray  for  them. 
Indeed  prayer,  considered  as  a  means  of  cleansing  the  heart 
and  improving  the  character,  is  of  such  importance  that 
none  can  be  prepared  for  heaven  without  it. 

Nor  is  it  less  essential  to  our  enjoyment.  "  It  is  good 
for  me  to  draw  near  unto  God,"  said  one  who  knew  what 
nearness  to  God  was.  In  prosperity  no  joy  can  be  com- 
pared with  this  ;  and  nothing  is  like  it  to  sweeten  the  bitter 
cup  of  affliction.  "  Is  any  among  you  afflicted,"  says  an 
apostle,  "let  him  pray."     James  5  :  13. 


PRAYER.  9 

One  would  suppose  that  without  prayer,  as  the  means 
of  relieving  the  troubled  breast,  the  evils  of  the  present 
life  would  be  quite  insupportable.  "  I  wonder,"  said  an 
aged  saint,  who  had  been  speaking  of  the  comforts  he  de- 
rived from  prayer  and  meditation  during  the  wakeful  hours 
of  night,  "  I  wonder  what  those  old  people  do  for  comfort, 
who  have  such  sleepless  hours,  and  yet  have  no  God  to 
think  of  or  pray  to." 

3.  Prayer  is  'p'^'^^alent  with  God.  It  is  the  key  which 
unlocks  the  treasury  of  heaven.  God  has  said  to  the  chil- 
dren of  men,  "Ask,  and  ye  shall  receive."  And  again  he 
has  said,  "  Ye  have  not,  because  ye  ask  not."  It  is  a  most 
meagre  and  defective  view  of  the  benefit  of  prayer,  that  it 
consists  merely  in  preparing  the  minds  of  those  who  pray 
to  receive  blessings.  Has  the  Scripture  said  in  vain,  "  The 
effectual  fervent  prayer  of  the  righteous  man  availeth 
much?"  James  5  :  16.  See  also  Zech.  10  :  1 ;  Luke  11  : 
13  ;  Matt.  9:37,  38  ;  2  Thess.  3:1.  If  prayer  has  no 
influence  in  obtaining  blessings,  why  does  it  include  inter- 
cession ?  The  very  object  of  this  department  of  the  duty 
is  to  help  others ;  and  frequently,  those  who  are  absent, 
and  know  not  that  prayer  is  made  for  them.  Do  we  not 
pray  for  the  sick,  to  obtain  for  them  the  blessing  of  health  ? 
Do  not  saints  pray  for  sinners,  to  procure  their  conversion, 
rather  than  for  the  purpose  of  preparing  themselves  to  en- 
joy it  ?     2  Cor.  1:11;  James  5  ;  15  ;  Rom.  10  :  1. 

Prayer,  unlike  all  other  means,  exerts  its  infiuence  on 
God  himself.  Renouncing  dependence  on  all  created  ob- 
jects, we  say  unto  God,  "  Neither  know  we  what  to  do,  but 
our  eyes  are  unto  thee."  2  Chron.  20  :  12.  That  God 
views  the  prayers  of  his  people  as  designed  to  exert  an 
influence  on  himself,  is  made  evident  by  his  saying  to 
Moses,  when  he  was  about  to  intercede  for  the  idolatrous 
Israelites,  "  Let  me  alone."     Exod.  32  :  10. 

VOL.   VII!._  15*' 


IQ  PRAYER. 

That  the  prayers  of  the  righteous  are  prevalent  with  God, 
appears  also  in  the  dispensations  of  his  2^rovidence  and  grace. 
The  prayers  of  Jacob  at  Peniel  were  prevalent.  The  prayers 
of  Moses  and  Joshua  were  also  prevalent.  So  Avere  the 
prayers  of  Hannah,  Samuel,  and  David.  The  Scriptures  of 
the  Old  Testament  furnish  many  other  instances  of  evident 
answers  to  prayer.    See  Gen.  32  ;  Ps.  106  :  23 ;  Josh.  10:12 

1  Sam.  1:27;  T  :  9-12  ;  Ps.  18  :  6-50  ;  1  Kings,  18  :  36-45 

2  Chron.  14  :  9-15  ;  20  :  5-30  ;  32  :  20-23  ;  Ezra  8  :  21,  31 
Neh.  1,  2  ;  Dan.  9  :  21-23  ;  Esther  4  :  16,  compared  with 
the  subsequent  parts  of  the  book.  The  New  Testament  his- 
tory agrees  with  the  Old  in  representing  prayer  as  efficacious. 
The  ceaseless  prayers  of  the  church  delivered  Peter  from 
prison  and  from  death.  And  surely  that  praying  breath  was 
not  spent  in  vain,  which  called  down  such  a  mighty  influ- 
ence, that  in  one  day  three  thousand  souls  were  turned  from 
the  power  of  Satan  unto  God.  See  Acts  1:14,  with  2:41; 
12  :  5-17.  To  be  the  Hearer  of  prayer,  is  the  memorial  of 
Zion's  God  throughout  all  generations.     Ps.  65:2. 

Could  we  have  the  history  of  the  Christian  church  fully 
placed  before  us,  it  would  furnish  innumerable  cases  where 
fervent,  united,  and  persevering  prayer  for  the  outpouring 
of  the  Spirit,  has  been  answered  in  the  bestowment  of  this 
greatest  of  all  blessings.  I  well  remember,  many  years 
ago,  when  revivals  of  religion  were  less  frequent  in  this 
country,  hearing  a  Christian  pastor,  who  was  watching  for 
souls,  express  strong  confidence  that  the  Lord  was  about  to 
pour  out  his  Spirit  on  his  people,  assigning  as  his  reason, 
that  the  Jacobs  among  them  were  w^restling.  A  few 
months  after,  on  seeing  him  again,  and  inquiring,  "Do 
your  Jacobs  continue  to  Avrestle  ?"  he  replied,  with  an  over- 
flowing heart,  "  The  blessing  has  come."  This  case  has 
nothing  peculiar  in  it ;  the  chronicles  of  "  the  Israel  of 
God"  could  furnish  thousands  of  similar  examples. 


PRAYER.  II 

Who  can  tell  what  a  multitude  of  the  seed  of  God's 
people  have  been  brought  into  the  fold  of  Christ  in  answer 
to  the  prayers  of  their  pious  ixirents'^  The  case  of  Moni- 
ca, the  mother  of  Augustine,  whose  fervent  and  long-con- 
tinued prayers  for  her  son  were  answered  in  his  conversion 
and  singular  usefulness  to  the  cause  of  truth,  is  well  known 
in  the  history  of  the  church.  In  a  sketch,  a  few  years 
since,  of  the  hfe  of  an  aged  Christian  in  the  state  of  Maine, 
it  was  particularly  stated  that  he  had  been  observed  to  pray 
much  for  his  children,  and  his  children's  children,  and  more 
remote  posterity  ;  not  that  they  might  abound  in  wealth, 
but  in  grace,  and  the  comforts  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  And 
when  in  a  good  old  age  he  was  gathered  to  his  fathers,  and 
was  followed  to  the  grave  by  an  uncommon  number  of  de- 
scendants, almost  all  of  them  who  had  come  to  mature 
years,  appeared  to  be  the  humble  disciples  of  Christ. 
Were  every  good  man  to  write  his  own  biography,  there 
would  be  found  in  it  many  a  record  similar  to  that  of  the 
Psalmist :  "  Verily,  God  hath  heard  me  ;  he  hath  attended 
to  the  voice  of  my  prayer."  He  Avould  state,  at  such  and 
such  a  time  the  Lord  mercifully  prepared  my  heart  to  pray  ; 
and  in  such  and  such  ways  he  made  it  manifest  that  he  had 
caused  his  ear  to  hear.  Psalm  66:19;10:1'7;  116:1, 
2.  The  devout  man  rests  satisfied  that  the  prayer  which 
God  requires,  and  which  is  dictated  by  his  Spirit,  is  always 
acceptable  to  him,  and  that  it  invariably  procures  either 
the  specific  blessing  sought,  or  something  else  which  is  pref- 
erable.    2  Cor.  12  :   7,  a. 

Let  it  here  be  remembered,  that  the  Scriptures  do  not 
speak  of  the  exclusive  acceptableness  of  the  prayers  of  the 
righteous,  with  an  intention  to  exempt  the  wicked  from 
obligation  to  pray  ;  nor,  indeed,  to  discourage  them  from 
attempting  the  duty ;  but  rather  to  make  them  feel  the 
necessity  of  an  inward  and  radical  change  to  render  their 


12  PRAYER. 

prayers,  and  all  their  other  performances,  pleasing  to  a 
holy  God.  As  God  commands  all  men  everywhere  to 
repent,  so  he  commands  all  men  everywhere  to  pray ; 
but  he  commands  them  to  pray,  "lifting  up  holy  hands." 
Acts  17  :  30;  1  Tim.  2  :  8.  Living  without  prayer,  God 
may  continue  to  3^ou,  for  a  time,  the  bounties  of  his  provi- 
dence, but  the  light  of  his  countenance  you  have  not ; 
your  sins  are  not  forgiven,  nor  have  you  a  single  promise 
relating  to  the  life  to  come.  And  those  gifts  which  you 
have,  without  asking  them  of  God,  or  giving  him  thanks 
for  them,  will  soon  be  remanded,  and  then,  if  not  before, 
you  will  be  able  to  "  discern  between  the  righteous  and  the 
wicked  ;  between  him  that  serveth  God,  and  him  that  serv- 
eth  him  not."     Mai.  3  :  18. 

IV.  THE  OCCASIONS  FOR  PRAYER. 

The  apostle  exhorts  Christians  to  pray  with  "  all  prayer," 
that  is,  in  all  those  ways  which  our  various  circumstances 
and  relations  in  society  may  call  for.  Two,  and  even  many 
of  the  humble  disciples  of  Christ,  may  unite  in  the  same 
prayer,  and  with  "  one  accord" — in  the  same  adorations, 
confessions,  petitions,  and  ascriptions  of  praise.  They  will 
feel  that  they  are  all  the  same  guilty  creatures,  coming  to 
the  same  merciful  Creator,  and  in  the  name  of  a  common 
Mediator.  Such  prayer,  whether  it  be  pronounced  with 
one  mouth,  or  many  using  a  common  form,  should  unite 
the  hearts  of  all.  No  one  should  imagine  he  has  prayed, 
merely  because  he  has  heard  another  pray.  It  is  a  union 
of  souls,  not  an  assemblage  of  bodies,  which  gives  strength 
to  prayer.  The  Saviour  taught  his  disciples  that  the  agree- 
ment of  two  would  augment  its  prevalence.  Matt.  18  :  19. 
When  Daniel  had  Nebuchadnezzar's  dream  with  its  inter- 
pretation to  find  out,  he  applied  to  three  of  his  country- 
men, whom  he  knew  to  be  men  of  prayer,  to  unite  with 


PRAYER.  1 3 

him  in  desiring  mercies  of  the  God  of  heaven  concerning 
this  secret ;  assuming  the  principle,  that  a  union  of  hearts 
increases  the  prevalence  of  prayer.  This  is  true,  whether 
they  whose  hearts  are  united  should  form  a  meeting  for 
social  prayer,  or  should  agree  to  present  their  common 
request  in  their  respective  closets.  The  most  important 
branches  of  this  duty  are  the  following : 

1.  Sanctuary  2'>rayer.  ISTone  can  doubt  that  prayer  is 
a  proper  exercise  for  the  Lord's  house.  Christ  called  the 
temple  "a  house  of  prayer,"  and  the  appellation  is  with 
equal  propriety  applied  to  a  Christian  sanctuary.  It  is  the 
King's  business  which  is  here  transacted,  and  He  claims  to 
be  consulted  about  it.  Here  the  ordinances  are  adminis- 
tered, and  the  officers  of  the  church  solemnly  consecrated ; 
and  both  these  exercises  are  to  be  accompanied  Avith  prayer. 
Matt.  26  :  26,  2Y  ;  Acts  14  :  23.  Here,  also,  the  Gospel 
is  preached,  and  it  must  be  with  the  Holy  Ghost  sent  down 
from  heaven,  or  it  will  be  without  effect.  And  surely  we 
cannot  expect  the  descent  of  the  blessed  Spirit  upon  a 
prayerless  assembly.  See  2  Chron.  30  :  27  ;  Ezra  9  :  4-15  ; 
Psalm  116  :  17-19 ;  Matt.  11  :  25-30 ;  Acts  6  :  4 ;  1  Cor. 
14  :  14-17;  1  Tim.  2  :  1. 

The  prayers  of  the  sanctuary  are  an  interesting  part  of 
its  services.  They  ought  to  embrace  a  greater  number  of 
objects  than  social  prayer  in  general,  but  not  to  the  exclu- 
sion of  a  special  remembrance  of  the  wants  of  the  assem- 
bly. Prayer  should  not  be  substituted  for  preaching;  it 
should  ever  be  considered  as  an  address  to  God,  not  to  the 
people ;  and  yet  the  influence  which  is  exerted  on  an  as- 
sembly by  a  solemn  and  devout  prayer,  is  often  as  direct 
and  manifest  as  that  exerted  by  preaching. 

2.  Prayer -meetings.  In  such  meetings,  Christians  are 
advantageously  situated  to  strive  together  in  their  prayers 
to  God,  for  the  advancement  of  his  kingdom.     Such  was 


14  PRAYER. 

the  meeting  held  by  the  one  hundred  and  twenty  disciples 
in  the  upper  room,  before  the  great  effusion  of  the  Spirit 
on  the  day  of  Pentecost;  and  that  also  at  the  house  of 
Mary,  where  many  were  gathered  together  to  pray  for  the 
liberation  of  Peter.  This  class  of  meetings  may  be  either 
ordinary,  to  ask  for  those  blessings  Avhich  Ave  always  stand 
in  need  of,  or  extraordinary,  to  pray  for  some  particular 
object,  the  importance  of  which  is  suggested  by  passing- 
events,  'Not  being  designed  for  those  services  which  are 
peculiar  to  the  pastor,  they  do  not  necessarily  require  his 
presence,  or  that  of  any  of  the  officers  of  the  church.  But, 
if  wholly  composed  of  its  officers — and  is  it  not  desirable 
that  this  should  sometimes  be  the  case  ? — still,  they  would 
be  prayer-meetings.  Would  we  have  these  seasons  of  de- 
votion interesting  and  profitable,  we  must  remember  them 
beforehand,  in  our  closets,  and  go  to  them  with  praying- 
hearts.  Nor  ought  those  to  neglect  this  preparation  who 
do  not  expect  to  lead  in  these  exercises.  Let  a  company  of 
praying  people  come  together  in  a  prayerful  frame,  and 
they  can  hardly  fail  to  have  a  profitable  prayer-meeting. 
The  reading  of  some  short  and  pertinent  passage  from  the 
Scriptures,  or  from  some  religious  book  or  periodical,  brief 
and  well-adapted  remarks  or  exhortations,  and  songs  of 
praise,  may  help  to  quicken  their  devotions.  When  the 
meeting  is  more  particularly  intended  for  conference  and 
discussion,  as  is  doubtless  sometimes  desirable,  a  greater 
portion  of  the  time  may  be  occupied  in  reading  and  conver- 
siition.  But  whether  it  be  called  a  conference,  or  a  prayer- 
meeting,  it  ought  ever  to  be  sanctified  by  the  spirit  of  de- 
votion, and  the  love  of  the  truth.  However  lightly  many 
may  think  of  these  unostentatious  assemblies,  they  have 
been  found  almost  indispensable  to  the  Christian's  growth 
in  grace,  and  greatly  instrumental  in  bringing  forward  and 
sustaining  revivals  of  religion. 


PRAYEH.  15 

The  montlily  concert,  observed  on  the  first  Monday  of 
every  month,  is  a  prayer-meeting,  and  one  of  uncommon 
interest.  It  extends  to  all  nations  where  the  Christian  re- 
ligion is  embraced  in  its  purity.  It  came  into  existence 
simultaneous!}^  with  the  missionary  and  other  benevolent 
institutions  of  these  latter  days ;  and  when  it  is  viewed  in 
connection  with  the  special  eftbrts  now  making  by  the  va- 
rious denominations  of  evangelical  Christians,  it  may  be 
considered  as  their  united  declaration,  that  they  feel  them- 
selves entirely  dependent  on  God  for  success  in  all  their 
attempts  for  the  conversion  of  the  world.  Could  we  see 
this  concert  observed  by  greater  numbers,  and  with  a  deep- 
er interest — could  we  have  reason  to  believe  that  every 
Christian  observed  it,  either  in  a  social  or  a  secret  manner, 
presenting  both  prayers  and  pecuniary  offerings,  we  should 
have  ground  for  strong  hopes  of  the  near  approach  of  mil- 
lennial glory.  Some  other  days  are  also  set  apart  by  Chris- 
tians, to  pray  in  concert  for  particular  objects.  That  for 
Sabbath-schools  is  somewhat  extensiv^ely  observed,  on  the 
second  Monday  in  the  month.  These,  and  numerous  other 
objects,  are  of  sufficient  importance  to  draAv  forth  many  of 
the  prayers  of  Zion. 

3.  Praijev  among  select  friends.  We  read  of  Christ's 
praying  with  the  twelve,  and  also  of  his  selecting  three  of 
their  number  to  go  up  with  him  into  a  mountain  to  pray. 
Luke  ^  :  28.  There  is  perhaps  no  social  prayer  so  sweet  as 
that  which  is  made  by  a  few  select  friends,  who,  concerning 
the  things  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  are  every  way  like- 
minded.  In  its  freedom  from  restraint  it  resembles  the 
devotions  of  the  closet,  and  at  the  same  time  receives 
strength  by  a  union  of  hearts  ;  and  while  it  brings  the  wor- 
shippers near  to  God,  it  has  a  powerful  influence  in  pro- 
moting among  themselves  what  the  apostolic  benediction 
implores  for  all  saints,  ''  The ronunyvion  of  the  Holy  Ghost.'* 


16  PRAYER. 

Under  this  head  may  be  included  those  seasons  of  prayer 
which  Christians  sometimes  do,  and  should  oftener,  connect 
with  their  social  visits.  An  interview  designed  to  be  closed 
with  prayer,  will,  on  this  very  account,  be  rendered  more 
edifying.  Who  has  not  been  affected  in  reading  the  narra- 
tive of  Paul's  taking  his  leave  of  the  Ephesian  elders  at 
Miletus,  and  of  other  friends  on  the  shore  at  Tyre?  In 
both  these  instances  the  parting  prayer  is  to  the  pious  reader 
the  most  affecting  particular.     Acts  20  :  36  ;  21:5. 

This  kind  of  social  prayer  will  include  those  seasons, 
either  occasional  or  stated,  Avhen  a  few  Christian  friends 
meet  on  purpose  to  unbosom  the  emotions  of  their  hearts 
to  each  other,  and  to  their  heavenly  Father.  It  is  doubt- 
less entirely  proper  that  meetings  of  this  class  should  often 
be  wholly  composed  oi  females.  When  the  Scriptures  nar- 
rate the  devout  praises  of  Moses  and  the  children  of  Israel 
at  the  Red  Sea,  they  add  that  Miriam  took  a  timbrel  in  her 
hand,  and  all  the  women  went  out  after  her.  After  Esther 
had  given  a  charge  to  Mordecai  to  gather  the  Jews  of  Shu- 
shan  to  keep  a  fast,  she  adds,  I  also  and  my  maidens  will 
fast  likewise.  Exod.  15  :  20,  21 ;  Esther  4, :  16.  See  also 
Judges  21 :  21  ;  Luke  1 :  38-56.  There  are  many  pious 
females,  Avho,  without  neglecting  their  domestic  concerns, 
or  withdrawing  themselves  from  the  public  prayer-meetings, 
can  devote  an  hour  or  two  each  week  to  a  meeting  of  their 
own  ;  and  there  is  reason  to  beheve  that  meetings  of  this 
description  are  at  this  moment  exerting  a  very  happy  influ- 
ence in  raising  the  tone  of  female  piety,  in  promoting  the 
charitable  objects  of  the  day,  and  in  calling  down  the  bless- 
ing of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

4.  Family  ]irayer.  All  the  families  of  the  earth  ought 
to  call  on  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and  have  reason  to  fear  the 
pouring  out  of  his  fury  upon  them  if  they  refuse  to  do  it. 
Jer.  10:  25.     No  house  should  be  without  its  family  altar. 


PRAYER.  17 

Abraham,  the  father  of  all  who  have  true  faith,  set  us  a 
worthy  example :  wherever  he  pitched  his  tent,  he  erected 
an  altar,  and  called  on  the  name  of  the  Lord.  Joshua 
resolved,  "As  for  me  and  my  house,  we  will  serve  the 
Lord."  David  worshipped  in  the  sanctuary,  and  then 
returned  to  bless  liis  household.  Gen.  12  :  V,  8  ;  13:18; 
Joshua  24  :  15;  2  Samuel,  6  :  20.  Our  Saviour,  whose 
example  is  law,  observed  this  duty  as  far  as  his  circum- 
stances in  life  permitted.  He  had  no  other  family  than  his 
twelve  disciples:  with  these  he  daily  ate,  travelled,  and 
conversed ;  and  with  these  he  prayed.  By  his  praying 
sometimes  with  the  whole  number,  and  at  other  times  with 
a  part,  has  he  not  encouraged  parents  to  adopt  a  similar 
practice  in  relation  to  their  children?  Luke  9  :  18  ;  11  :  1, 
with  9:28,  and  Matthew  26  :  36,  37.  Every  precept  which 
requires  parents  religiously  to  educate  their  children,  obliges 
them  to  the  performance  of  this  duty.  To  profess  to  bring 
them  up  "in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord,"  and 
yet  not  pray  Avith  them — what  can  be  more  contradictory  ? 

The  spirit  and  order  of  family  worship  are  of  great  im- 
portance. At  the  regular  hours  for  its  observance,  parents, 
children,  and  domestics,  should  all  be  assembled  in  one 
place,  and  their  business  be  discontinued,  while  the  word  of 
God  is  read,  or  his  praises  sung,  and  the  throne  of  grace 
addressed.  All  should  listen  to  the  reading,  and  join  in  the 
other  exercises.  The  greater  the  number  of  praying  souls 
in  the  domestic  circle,  the  more  interest  will  it  give  to  this 
exercise.  When  the  father  and  the  mother  are  both  heirs 
of  the  grace  of  life,  and  live  in  character,  their  prayers  will 
not  be  hindered,  and  may  be  expected  to  avail  before  God. 
1  Peter,  3  :  1-7.  And  when  the  children  and  servants 
become  heirs  of  the  same  grace,  that  house  may  truly  be 
called  a  Bethel,  a  house  of  prayer. 

It  is  to  be  res^retted  that  this  service  should  ever  be 

VOL.   VIII.  16 


18  PRAYER. 

rendered  tedious  by  long,  formal,  and  inappropriate  pray- 
ers. An  understanding  richly  enlightened  with  divine  truth, 
and  a  heart  warmed  with  divine  love,  constitute  the  best 
preparation  for  the  duty,  and  will  render  the  exercise  edify- 
ing, whether  brief,  or  more  protracted.  The  state  of  the 
family,  the  chapter  which  is  read,  or  the  hymn  which  is 
sung,  may  all  suggest  matter  for  the  prayer.  The  family 
sins  should  be  confessed,  their  mercies  acknowledged,  and 
their  wants  spread  before  the  mercy-seat.  All  are  to  be 
prayed  for  collectively,  and  if  circumstances  call  for  it,  indi- 
vidually. Such  particularity  arrests  attention.  In  a  family 
of  the  writer's  acquaintance,  a  little  girl  at  the  age  of  eight 
appeared  to  become  a  subject  of  renewing  grace,  whose 
attention  was  first  arrested  at  the  family  altar  by  hearing 
her  father  pray  for  the  children.  In  that  branch  of  domes- 
tic worship  already  hinted  at,  when  the  family  are  taken 
in  smaller  portions,  or  individually,  into  the  secret  chamber, 
the  petitions  can  be  more  minutely  specific  and  adapted. 
Dr.  Cotton  Mather  had  fifteen  children,  and  hved  to  see  the 
greater  part  of  them  die  in  the  Lord.  When  they  were 
capable  of  understanding  him,  he  would  take  them  alone, 
one  by  one,  and  after  many  affectionate  admonitions  to  the 
child,  would  pray  with  him  and  make  him  the  witness  of  the 
ao-onies  and  strono^  cries  with  which,  on  his  behalf,  he  ad- 
dressed  the  throne  of  grace. 

In  this  department  of  the  worship  of  the  family,  Chns- 
tian  mothers  are  under  obligation  to  take  a  large  share. 
This  falls  within  their  appropriate  sphere  of  action ;  and  it 
gives  them  opportunity  to  labor  advantageously  for  the  sal- 
vation of  their  beloved  offspring.  Prov.  31 :  2.  "Wlien  tlie 
father  is  absent  from  home,  or  the  mother  is  left  in  widow- 
hood, she  becomes  the  head  of  the  family,  and  to  her  it 
belongs  to  offer  the  daily  sacrifice  of  prayer  and  praise  on 
the  domestic  altar. 


PRAYER.  19 

The  giving  of  thanks  at  our  meals  is  comprehended  in 
family  worship.  This  practice  is  enforced  by  the  example 
of  our  divine  Lord,  who  gave  thanks  not  only  at  the  sacra- 
mental supper,  but  repeatedly  at  other  meals.  Luke  9:16; 
24:  30.  Paul,  on  board  the  ship,  "took  bread  and  gave 
thanks  to  God  in  presence  of  them  all."  Acts  27  :  35. 
This  act  of  worship,  though  very  brief,  is  one  which  fre- 
quently renews  its  claims  upon  us,  and  is  too  important  to 
be  neglected,  or  performed  in  a  cold  and  formal  manner. 

There  are  other  occasions  for  social  prayer,  of  which  the 
limits  of  this  Tract  allow  only  a  very  brief  notice. 

5.  Praijer  connected  with  pastor al  visits.  It  is  expressly 
required  that  the  elders  of  the  church  should  pray  with  the 
sick.  James  5  :  14,  15.  Prayer  is  very  properly  connected 
with  other  pastoral  visits.  As  the  ministers  of  Christ  are 
under  obligation  to  teach,  not  only  in  public,  but  from  house 
to  house,  so  their  corresponding  duty  is  prayer  in  private 
families  as  well  as  in  the  public  assembly.  Nor  can  any 
doubt  the  propriety  of  connecting  prayer  with  the  religious 
visits  which  are  made  by  the  subordinate  officers  of  the 
church,  or  by  other  members  appomted  to  this  service. 

6.  Prayer  in  schools.  Prayer  is  a  suitable  exercise  in 
schools  of  every  description — not  only  in  those  devoted  to 
relisrious  instiiiction,  as  Sabbath-schools  and  theolos^ical 
seminaries,  but  also  in  schools  of  science.  Nothing  is  of 
greater  moment  to  the  welfare  of  our  country  than  the  char- 
acter of  its  schools.  In  these  the  children  and  youth  of  our 
land  are  preparing  to  act  on  the  stage  of  life ;  and  it  is 
inconceivably  important  that  they  all  should  be  exerting  a 
good  influence  on  the  youthful  character.  The  blessing  of 
God  should  be  implored  on  them  all,  by  the  religious  com- 
munity, and  in  them  all,  by  their  respective  teachers.  From 
the  university  down  to  the  infant  school,  none  should  be 
without  prayer — solemn,  affectionate,  and  appropriate  pray- 


20  PRAYER. 

er.  It  is  calculated,  perhaps  above  all  other  means,  to 
impress  the  minds  of  the  yomig ;  and  is  the  appointed  way 
of  calling  down  upon  them  the  blessing  of  heaven. 

7.  Prayer  connected  ivith  the  transaction  of  imhlic  busi- 
ness. "  He,  whose  name  alone  is  Jehovah,  is  the  Most  High 
overall  the  earth" — "the  Governor  among  the  nations." 
He  requires  that  we  should  acknowledge  him  in  all  our 
ways ;  and  this  requisition  extends  to  us  in  our  national,  as 
w^ell  as  individual  capacity.  What  can  be  more  strictly 
proper,  than  the  practice  of  opening  our  legislative  assem- 
hlies  with  a  solemn  and  devout  recognition  of  our  depend- 
ence on  Him,  and  of  his  supreme  dominion  over  us.  How 
suitable,  that  the  legislators  of  the  nation  should  come,  in 
the  attitude  of  prayer,  to  the  divine  Lawgiver,  to  ask  him 
to  assist  them  to  frame  such  laws  for  the  nation,  as  shall 
resemble  the  laws  he  has  made  for  the  universe ;  and  to 
preserve  them  from  enacting  any  law  which  shall  contravene 
his  own.  ISTor  is  it  less  proper  that  courts  of  justice  should 
be  opened  by  solemn  prayer  to  God.  He  is  the  "  Judge  of 
all  the  earth ;"  yet  he  concerns  himself  with  the  proceedings 
of  all  the  inferior  courts  throughout  his  extensive  dominion. 
"Take  heed,"  said  king  Jehoshaphat  to  the  judges  of  his 
courts,  "  Take  heed  what  ye  do ;  for  ye  judge  not  for  man, 
but  for  the  Lord,  who  is  with  you  in  the  judgment,  .  Where- 
fore now  let  the  fear  of  the  Lord  be  upon  you :  take  heed  and 
do  it ;  for  there  is  no  iniquity  with  the  Lord  our  God,  nor 
respect  of  persons,  nor  taking  of  gifts."  2  Chron.  19  :  6, 
7.  Let  such  sentiments  as  these  impress  the  pubhc  mind, 
and  prayer  to  God  will  accompany  the  administration  of 
justice;  prayer,  that  judges,  jurors,  and  counsellors  may 
possess  discernment  and  impartiality ;  that  witnesses  may 
be  preserved  from  perjury  or  the  misrepresentation  of 
facts ;  and  that  righteous  decisions  may  in  every  instance 
be  given. 


PRAYER  21 

Two  very  important  departments  of  solitary  prayer  re- 
main to  be  considered. 

8.  Ejaculatory  grayer.  This  branch  of  devotion  has  no 
restrictions  of  time  or  place.  It  can  be  breathed  out  in  sol- 
itude, or  in  the  midst  of  company.  It  may  be  so  intense 
as  to  divert  our  attention  from  every  other  pursuit,  or  it 
may  coexist  with  vigorous  exercises  of  the  body  and  mind. 
It  may  accompany  the  godly  man  while  employed  in  the 
labors  of  his  field  or  shop,  and  the  godly  woman  in  the 
labors  of  her  house.  It  may  be  protracted  through  all  the 
hours  of  the  day,  whether  we  are  at  home  or  abroad,  with- 
out interrupting  our  business  or  our  journey.  It  was  in 
ejaculatory  prayer  that  the  mother  of  Samuel  poured  out 
her  soul  before  the  Lord.  1  Sam.  1:13.  This  is  the  kind  of 
prayer  which  Nehemiah  offered  to  the  King  of  heaven  at 
the  very  moment  when  presenting  his  petition  to  the  king 
of  Persia.  Nehemiah  2  :  4.  The  meditations  in  which 
holy  David  seemed  so  much  to  delight,  Avere  filled  with 
adorations,  confessions,  petitions,  and  thanksgivings.  The 
longest  and  most  devotional  of  all  his  psalms,  every  verse 
of  which  expresses  his  high  regard  for  the  inspired  word, 
appears  to  be  a  collection  of  such  ejaculations  as  from  time 
to  time  he  had  breathed  out  into  the  bosom  of  his  God. 

This  is  a  branch  of  devotion  to  which  no  true  Christian 
can  be  a  stranger :  prayer  is  the  breath  of  every  one  who  is 
born  of  God.  Lam.  3  :  56 ;  Acts  9  :  11.  It  may  be  so 
increased  as  to  fill  up  all  the  vacancies  of  our  time,  sanctify 
all  the  business  of  life,  and  sweeten  all  its  bitter  cups,  even 
at  the  very  moment  Avhen  we  are  drinking  them  off.  The 
more  constantly  our  hearts  are  engaged  in  holy  aspirations 
to  God,  the  better  will  be  our  preparation  to  attend  on  all 
the  stated  services  of  religion.  This,  like  the  fire  which 
was  ever  kept  burning  upon  the  altar,  will  kindle  every 
sacrifice.     Levit.  6  :  13. 

VOL.  VIII.  16* 


22  PRAYER. 

9.  Closet  prayer.  Though  a  closet  is  a  small  apartment 
within  the  house,  our  Saviour  used  the  word  to  mean  any- 
place where,  with  no  embarrassment,  either  from  the  fear 
or  pride  of  observation,  we  can  freely  pour  out  our  hearts  in 
prayer  to  God.  The  devotions  of  the  closet  require  both 
time  and  i^lace.  That  this  Avas  the  Saviour's  view  of  the 
matter,  we  learn  both  from  what  he  taught  and  practised. 
He  taught  us,  when  we  were  about  to  pray  to  our  Father 
in  secret,  to  '•  enter  into  our  closet  and  shut  the  door." 
This  direction  lays  us  under  obligation  to  take  pains  to  re- 
tire from  business  and  company.  And  his  own  example  is 
proof,  that,  by  entering  into  the  closet  and  shutting  the 
door,  he  meant  we  should  go  into  a  place  of  retirement. 
At  one  time  we  read  of  his  departing,  unaccompanied  by 
any  of  his  disciples,  into  a  solitary  place  to  pray ;  and  at 
another,  of  his  going  up  into  a  mountain  apart  to  pray. 
Mark  1  :  35  ;  Matt.  14  :  23.  Jacob's  prayer  at  Peniel  be- 
longs to  this  class  of  devotions ;  and  to  prepare  himself  to 
engage  in  it,  he  dropped  all  business  from  his  hands,  and 
secluded  himself  from  the  society  of  his  own  family. 

Ejaculatory  prayer,  as  we  have  seen,  is  of  great  impor- 
tance ;  yet  the  prayer  of  the  closet  has  the  preeminence. 
This  excels  the  other  in  its  tendency  to  promote  depth  of 
feeling,  intimacy  of  communion,  and  importunity  of  desire. 
To  preserve  the  distinction  between  these  two  kinds  of 
secret  devotion,  is  of  greater  importance  to  a  life  of  piety 
than  many  imagine.  A  whole  day  of  fervent  ejaculations, 
whether  we  are  at  home  or  on  a  journey,  does  not  release 
us  from  obligation  to  remember  the  closet  exercises  of  the 
evening. 

Does  the  duty  of  'prayer  require  any  stated  seasons  for 
its  perforrtiance  ?  "  Stated  seasons,"  said  the  pious  Baxter, 
*'are  the  hedge  of  duty."  He  said  the  truth;  for  the 
breaking  down  of  the   hedge  which   incloses  your  field. 


PRAYER.  23 

would  not  more  certainly  expose  the  crop  to  be  destroyed, 
than  the  relinquishment  of  stated  seasons  for  your  religious 
duties  would  expose  the  soul  to  famish.  It  has  been  ob- 
jected, that  such  regularity  in  religious  exercises  is  unfavor- 
able to  devotion,  and  that  it  even  implies  a  denial  of  our 
dependence  on  the  help  of  the  Spirit.  But  the  divine  ap- 
pointment of  the  weekly  Sabbath  shows  that  God  is  not 
offended  with  regularity  in  our  devotions ;  and  the  daily 
sacrifice,  offered  every  morning  and  evening  in  the  church 
of  Israel,  is  a  valid  argument  in  favor  of  the  regular  worship 
of  God  every  morning  and  evening  through  the  whole  week. 
Concernino^  Solomon,  or  rather  one  o-reater  than  Solomon,  it 
is  said,  "  Prayer  also  shall  be  made  for  him  continually,  and 
daily  shall  he  be  praised."  Psalm  72  :  15.  "Everyday," 
said  the  devout  Psalmist,  "  will  I  bless  thee."  Psalm  145:2. 
In  the  life  of  Christ,  who  is  our  supreme  example,  particuhu- 
mention  is  made  of  his  morning  and  evening  devotions. 

Family  and  closet  prayer  should  be  considered  as  daily 
duties  ;  and  neither  of  them  be  less  frequent  than  moraing 
and  evening.  And  between  these  two  extreme  parts  of  the 
day,  the  distance  seems  too  great  to  be  passed  over  without 
some  intervening  regular  devotion.  Is  it  not  practicable  for 
most  to  have  a  stated  season  for  closet  prayer  in  the  middle 
of  the  day  ?  At  this  hour  Peter  went  up  upon  the  house- 
top to  pray.  Acts  10:9.  Among  the  pious  resolutions  of 
a  king,  who  was  far  from  being  neglectful  of  the  concerns 
of  his  kingdom,  this  was  one :  "  Evening  and  morning,  and 
at  noon,  will  I  pray."  Psalm  55  :  17.  This  is  also  record- 
ed among  the  pious  practices  of  one  of  the  most  fully  occu- 
pied men  who  ever  held  an  office  in  a  king's  court.  Dan. 
6:10.  The  closet  requires  stated  seasons,  and  of  frequent 
recurrence,  which  must  not  be  passed  by :  nor  are  these 
enough  to  satisfy  the  man  of  prayer.  In  a  duty  of  such 
vital  importance,  and  one  which  is  so  much  under  individual 


24  PRAYER. 

control,  it  would  indicate  a  low  state  of  piety,  always  to 
wait  for  the  return  of  the  regular  seasons.  Every  man 
who  feels  for  the  honor  of  God,  and  the  interest  of  religion 
in  his  own  heart,  in  his  own  family,  and  in  the  world,  has 
much  that  he  wishes  to  carry  to  God  in  prayer.  And  the 
closet  is  eminently  the  place  where  he  unburdens  himself, 
and  fills  his  mouth  with  arguments.  Here  he  pleads  for 
others  as  well  as  himself.  He  brings  before  God  many  in- 
dividual cases,  both  of  believers  and  unbelievers.  Here  he 
can  tell  his  Father  who  seeth  in  secret,  every  thing  that  he 
hopes,  and  every  thing  he  fears  concerning  himself  and  the 
individuals  for  whom  he  intercedes.  Is  there  not  reason  to 
conclude  it  was  principally  in  the  closet  that  Paul  made  so 
many  prayers  for  particular  chuixhes  and  individual  be- 
lievers ?  See  Rom.  1:9;  Ephes.  1 :  15,  16  ;  Phil.  1 :  3,  4  ; 
Col.  1:3;  1  Thess.  1:2;  2  Tim.  1:3;  Philemon  ver.  4. 

A  sketch  has  now  been  given  of  the  various  kinds  of 
prayer,  both  social  and  secret,  none  of  which  can  be  omit- 
ted without  great  hazard  to  the  soul.  Between  these  dif- 
ferent kinds  of  prayer  there  is  a  perfect  harmon}-.  Ejacu- 
lations will  seek  to  find  a  closet,  and  the  exercises  of  the 
closet  Avill  lead  to  the  family  altar,  and  the  sanctuary.  Se- 
cret duties  are,  however,  peculiarly  indispensable ;  since, 
without  these,  piety  can  have  no  existence  in  any  heart. 
These,  indeed,  are  the  only  duties  w^hich  the  child  of  God 
can  be  sure  of  enjoying.  His  situation  may  be  such,  at 
least  for  a  season,  as  to  shut  him  out  of  the  sanctuary  ;  and 
he  may  hold  such  a  subordinate  place  in  the  domestic  cir- 
cle as  to  be  unable  to  enjoy  family  worship  ;  but  should  he 
be  placed  in  servitude,  exile,  or  the  prison,  he  can  pray  to 
his  Father  in  secret.  Nothing  but  a  prayerless  heart  can 
prevent  this  intercourse  with  God. 

There  is  an  appendage,  that  the  Scriptures  sometimes 
connect  with  prayer,  both  social  and  solitary,  which  I  know 


PRAYER.  25 

not  how  to  pass  over  unnoticed.  I  refer  to  fasting.  Christ 
himself  fasted,  and  his  disciples  frequently  connected  fast- 
ing with  their  prayers.  It  is  a  solemn  accompaniment,  to 
which  there  is  a  peculiar  propriety  in  resorting  in  times  of 
exigency,  whether  in  relation  to  ourselves,  our  families,  the 
church,  or  the  nation.  Our  Lord,  when  speaking  of  the 
ejection  of  an  unclean  spirit,  said,  "  This  kind  goeth  not  out 
but  by  prayer  and  fasting,"  Matt.  17  :  21 ;  and  may  we  not 
conclude  that  the  adversary  of  souls,  who  is  still  abroad  in 
the  earth,  will  not  be  expelled  and  confined  to  his  prison 
until  there  has  first  been  much  prayer  and  fasting?  Let 
those  who  are  anxious  to  see  the  earth  freed  from  his  pol- 
luting influence,  not  wait  for  public  fasts  to  be  proclaimed 
by  church  or  state ;  but,  like  David,  and  Nehemiah,  and 
Daniel,  and  Anna,  let  them  appoint  fasts  for  themselves. 
See  2  Sam.  12  :  16;  Nehem.  1:4;  Dan.  9:3;  Luke 
2  :  37.  Before  that  foul  spirit  shall  be  cast  out,,  and  the 
earth  filled  with  the  glory  of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom, 
there  is  reason  to  believe  that,  among  other  means  to  effect 
this  glorious  revolution,  there  Avill  be  a  great  multiplication 
of  secret  fasts.     Matt.  6  :  16-18;  Zech.  12  :  10-14. 

Christians,  I  cannot  close  my  remarks  on  this  practi- 
cal subject  without  a  solemn  appeal  to  you.  I  address  not 
mere  members  of  the  church,  but  the  spiritual  members  of 
Christ.  You  constitute  but  a  small  part  of  the  inhabitants 
of  the  earth ;  a  small  part  of  Christendom ;  and  it  is  to  be 
feared,  the  minority  of  Christian  churches.  Yet,  in  the 
moral  conflict  in  our  Avorld,  you  alone  constitute  "  God's 
host;"  while  all  the  rest  of  the  race  form  an  opposing 
army.  The  controversy  is  founded  on  the  claims  of  Christ 
to  universal  dominion.  The  side  you  have  chosen — and  0, 
how  great  the  mercy  which  led  you  to  make  such  a  choice — 
is  the  side  which  is  approved  by  all  holy  beings,  and 
v/hich  the  Spirit  of  truth  has  foretold  shall  be  victorious. 


26  PRAYER. 

*'  These  shall  make  war  with  the  Ijamb,  and  the  Lamb  shall 
overcome  them  :  for  he  is  Lord  of  lords,  and  King  of  kings  ; 
and  they  that  are  with  him  are  called,  and  chosen,  and 
faithful."  "  The  saints  of  the  Most  High  shall  take  the 
kingdom,  and  possess  the  kingdom  for  ever."  Rev.  17  :  14  ; 
Daniel  7:18.  Christians,  remember  that  great  things  are 
to  be  effected  by  your  instrumentality.  It  is  under  your 
feet  that  the  God  of  peace  will  shortly  bruise  Satan,  that 
fallen  spirit  who  heads  the  opposition.  Rom.  16  :  20. 
The  saints  of  the  Most  High  are  to  take,  as  well  as  possess, 
the  kinordom  ;  and  in  the  decisive  battle,  in  which  the  Lamb 
shall  overcome,  he  is  to  be  followed  by  a  valiant  band,  even 
such  as  are  ''called,  and  chosen,  and  faithful." 

As  Christian  warriors,  you  are  furnished  with  many 
weapons  Avhich  are  mighty,  through  God,  to  pull  down  the 
strong-holds  of  the  enemy  ;  but  none  is  more  effectual  than 
p-ayer.  It  is  a  weapon  peculiar  to  yourselves  :  not  an  in- 
dividual of  all  the  opposition  can  use  it.  It  is  the  weapon 
by  which  Israel  of  old  gained  the  victory.  But  for  the 
hand  lifted  up  to  God  in  the  heavens,  Israel  had  been 
discomfited,  and  Amalek  had  prevailed.  Exod.  17.  Their 
prayer  took  hold  on  divine  strength,  and  brought  the 
Mighty  One  of  Jacob  to  their  help.  The  millennium,  the 
thousand  years  of  the  Redeemer's  reign,  is  drawing  near, 
but  it  can  never  be  introduced  until  the  spirit  of  prayer 
shall  be  greatly  increased.  Before  the  earth  can  be  made 
to  biing  forth  in  one  day,  or  a  nation  be  born  at  once,  Zion 
must  travail  in  agonizing  prayer.  Isa.  66  :  8.  The  God 
of  Zion  has  taken  the  mercy-seat,  and  is  now  waiting  to 
receive  the  petitions  of  his  people.  He  has  himself  com- 
manded us  to  be  importunate  in  presenting  them :  "  Ye 
that  make  mention  of  the  Lord,  keep  not  silence,  and  give 
him  no  rest,  till  he  establish,  and  till  he  make  Jerusalem  a 
praise  in  the  earth."     Isa.  62  :  6,  7. 


PRAYER  27 

Prayer  is  a  peculiarly  precious  exercise,  since  it  brings 
us  near  to  God,  and  keeps  alive  a  sense  of  our  dependence. 
It  is  the  nature  of  prayer  to  feel  its  dependence  on  God  for 
all  things,  even  for  its  own  existence ;  you  will,  therefore, 
not  forget  to  pray  that  you  may  be  'prayerful.  Cherish  in 
your  hearts  the  spirit  of  devotion.  Multiply  your  ejacula- 
tory  petitions,  so  that  the  meditation  of  your  heart  may  be 
truly  acceptable  in  God's  sight.  Prize  the  closet.  Rise 
early,  or  sit  up  late  ;  or  do  both,  to  increase  closet  devo- 
tions. Redeem  time  from  business  and  recreations,  from 
unprofitable  reading  and  conversation,  to  gain  it  for  prayer. 
Let  yowY  family  worship  become  more  spiritual.  Frequent 
prayer -meetings,  if  health  and  circumstances  will  permit, 
and  seek  for  the  Divine  presence  to  give  life  to  the  prayers 
and  interest  to  the  whole  exercise.  Let  the  Lord's  day  be 
to  you,  more  than  ever,  a  day  of  devotion  ;  and  let  the 
Lord's  liouse  become,  in  a  more  emphatic  sense,  "■  the  house 
of  prayer."  Fill  up  every  vacant  moment  after  you  have 
entered  the  sanctuary,  by  silent  petitions  for  the  blessing  of 
God  on  its  holy  exercises. 

Let  prayer  accompany  every  thing  you  undertake ;  and 
engage  in  nothing  on  Avhich  you  dare  not  implore  God's 
blessing.  Pray  that  Christ's  church  on  earth  may  become 
more  pure  and  spiritual — that  its  discipline  may  be  effectual 
— that  it  may  be  preserved  from  the  deadening  influence  of 
erroneous  doctrines  and  immoral  practices — that  its  minis- 
ters may  be  qualified  to  discharge  the  duties  of  their  sacred 
office — and  that  its  light,  shed  on  the  surrounding  world, 
may  prove  the  means  of  converting  multitudes  to  God. 

Let  there  be  much  prayer  for  revivals  of  religion,  that 
they  may  be  the  genuine  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Before 
the  latter  day  glory  of  the  church  shall  arrive,  there  must 
be  such  a  measure  of  divine  influence  shed  down  on  Gos- 
pel lands  as  will  altogether  surpass  any  thing  which  has 


28  PRAYER. 

yet  been  experienced.  And  to  prepare  the  way  for  this 
ineffable  blessing,  there  must  be  such  a  holy  fervor,  such  a 
sweet  union,  and  such  an  unbroken  hold  in  prayer,  as  we 
have  never  yet  known.  Let  us  neither  expect  nor  desire  it 
in  any  other  way.  The  conversion  of  Christendom  itself 
would  seem  to  call  for  all  this  prayerful ness ;  and  yet  a 
world  of  unbelieving  Jews,  Mahomedans,  and  Pagans,  all 
need  our  most  fervent  intercessions.  Brethren,  let  us  be 
up  and  doing.  Every  thing  within  our  power  let  us  do  to 
estabhsh  the  reign  of  the  Prince  of  peace.  Let  those  who 
have  money  give  freely  and  liberally ;  and  to  their  pecun- 
iary offerings  let  them  add  their  prayers.  Let  those  who 
have  qualifications,  go  into  the  field  of  labor,  and  bear  the 
heat  and  burden  of  the  day  ;  and  let  them  add  much  prayer 
to  their  toilsome  labors.  And  if  there  be  any,  among  all 
those  whom  God  has  laid  under  everlasting  obligation  by 
the  redemption  of  their  souls,  who  can  neither  become  la- 
borers themselves,  nor  furnish  money,  let  such  do  what 
they  can :  let  them  give  a  holy  example,  and  contribute  lib- 
erally of  their  prayers. 

Has  any  prayerless  sinner  read  these  pages  ?  Dear, 
precious  immortal,  we  tremble  for  you.  Continuing  as  you 
are,  your  state  is  hopeless.  To  the  great  Hearer  of  prayer 
you  are  unreconciled.  But,  through  the  atoning  blood  of 
Christ,  even  you  may  come  to  his  throne  of  mercy  and  be 
accepted.  ISTow,  be  entreated  to  hear  and  obey  his  voice  of 
warning  and  of  love :  "  Seek  ye  the  Lord  while  he  may 
be  found,  call  ye  upon  him  while  he  is  near  :  let  the  wicked 
forsake  his  wa}',  and  the  unrighteous  man  his  thoughts : 
and  let  him  return  unto  the  Lord,  and  he  will  have  mercy 
upon  him  ;  and  to  our  God,  for  he  will  abundantly  pardon." 

Note.  A  premium  of  fifty  dollars,  offered  by  a  friend,  was 
a^N'arded  to  the  author  of  this  Tract. 


jVo.  272. 
THE  ADVANTAGES 


OF 


SABBATH-SCHOOLS, 


While  contemplating  "the  signs  of  the  times,"  we  have 
sometimes  thought,  that  "if  the  Holy  Spirit  were  again,  as 
of  old,  to  select  twelve  men  with  whom  to  finish  the  great 
work  of  converting  mankind,"  and  for  this  purpose  should 
direct  them  to  any  special  means,  the  estahlishment  and  con- 
stant improvement  of  Sabbath-schools  w^ould  engage  a 
large  portion  of  their  attention. 

By  this  remark  we  intend  not  to  disparage  any  of  the 
grand  and  comprehensive  schemes  of  modern  benevolence 
which  contemplate  the  universal  extension  of  the  Redeem- 
er's kingdom.  No ;  we  view  them  all  with  unfeigned  ap- 
probation and  delight.  The  Bible  society,  distributing  to  a 
guilty  world  that  volume  from  the  throne  of  God,  which  is 
able  to  make  men  "wise  unto  salvation;"  the  missionary 
society,  pouring  its  flood  of  heavenly  light  on  the  deep 
darkness  of  heathen  superstition  and  idolatry;  the  Tract 
society,  scattering  its  voiceless  heralds  of  mercy  where  the 
living  preacher  might  never  come — we  cordially  hail  them 
all  as  coworkers  in  the  great  enterprise  of  evangelizing 
mankind,  and  hastening  the  dawn  of  millennial  glory. 

In  view  of  these  and  kindred  institutions,  each  moving 
majestically  onward  in  its  appropriate  walks  of  usefulness, 
the  estimate  we  have  given  of  the  importance  of  the  Sab- 
bath-school system,  associated  as  it  is  Avith  the  familiar  and 
imassuming  title  of  school,  may  seem  to  have  been  prompt- 
ed by  blind  partiality  or  excited  fancy.     But  the  opinion 

VOL.    VTII.  IT 


2  THE  ADVANTAGES  OF  SABBATH-SCHOOLS. 

will  scarce  seem  extravagant,  if  we  consider  the  immense 
moral  influence  which  this  institution  is  yet  to  exert  in  pro- 
moting those  two  great  ends  of  the  divine  administration, 
the  welfare  of  man,  and  the  glory  of  God,  That  this 
influence  may  be  properly  estimated,  let  us  glance  at  the 
advantages  of  the  Sabbath-school  system,  as  displayed  in 
the  BENEFITS  which  it  bestows,  and  the  manner  in  which  it 
confers  them.     We  remark,  then,  that 

The  Sabbath-school  system  provides,  by  its  schools,  for 
the  intellectual  improvement  of  its  2^u2:>ils.  This,  though  a 
subordinate  object,  is  one  of  incalculable  importance  in  its 
bearings  on  the  character,  usefulness,  and  happiness  of 
mankind.  Perhaps  no  country,  as  a  whole,  aftbrds  greater 
facilities  for  the  education  of  its  population  than  our  own, 
and  in  no  one  certainly  is  education  more  valuable ;  yet 
even  in  this  country  the  advantages  of  instruction  are  very 
unequally  distributed.  Up  to  the  present  hour,  eight  of 
our  states  and  territories  have  no  common-school  system, 
and  in  several  others  the  operations  of  that  system  are  well- 
nigh  paralyzed  by  the  legislative  limitation  of  its  advan- 
tages to  those  who  are  willing  to  call  themselves  "the 
poor."  And  even  where  common-schools  are  most  favora- 
bly organized,  and  most  successfully  conducted,  they  are, 
with  few  exceptions,  inadequate  to  the  wants  of  the  rising 
generation.  This  is  peculiarly  true  of  our  Avestern  and 
middle  states.  According  to  an  official  statement,  there 
are,  (1833,)  in  Pennsylvania,  250,000  children,  between  5 
and  15  years  of  age,  who  never  see  the  inside  of  a  school- 
house  ;  and  if  that  state  be  taken  as  a  fair  standard  of  com- 
putation, there  are,  in  our  own  favored  land,  two  millions 
and  a  half  of  children  entirely  destitute  of  common-school 
instruction. 

All  these,  however,  ivill  be  educated  in  industry  or  in 
idleness  ;  in  knowledge,  or  in  ignorance  ;  as  good,  or  as  evil 
members  of  society.  For  want  of  common-school  instruc- 
tion., they  are,  for  the  most  part,  unable  to  acquire  that 


THE  ADVANTAGES  OF  SABBATH-SCHOOLS.  3 

knowledge  whicli  is  the  only  safeguard  of  individual  or  na- 
tional welfare,  and  are  thus  rendered  liable  to  become,  at 
any  moment,  the  victims  of  temptation  and  depravity. 
Here,  however,  the  Sabbath-school  steps  in  to  redeem  them 
from  degradation  and  vice,  and  train  them  up  for  intelli- 
gence and  virtue.  The  common-school  system,  indeed, 
aims  at  the  same  results,  and  those  results,  were  it  imiver- 
sal,  it  might  universally  accomplish  :  but  here  it  stops.  Be- 
yond this  point  its  efforts  are  not  even  directed.  And  this 
suggests  what  is  the  prominent,  and  one  of  the  most  strik- 
ing characteristics  of  the  Sabbath-school  system. 

Its  great  aim  is,  to  provide  for  the  thorough  moral  and 
religious  education  of  the  rising  generation.  "  Knowledge 
is  power ;"  and  the  very  best  kind  of  power  is  that  wisdom 
which  Cometh  from  above.  One  of  the  greatest  blessings 
which  can  be  conferred  upon  man  is  intellectual  and  relig- 
ious instruction ;  the  former  to  prepare  him  for  respectability 
and  usefulness  on  earth,  the  latter  to  guide  him  to  regions 
of  endless  blessedness  beyond  the  grave.  The  former,  as 
we  have  seen,  the  Sabbath- school  system  neglects  not ;  but 
it  looks  beyond  this,  and  with  an  eye  fixed  on  the  eternal 
world,  seeks  to  train  up  its  pupils  for  glory,  and  honor,  and 
immortality.  It  is  the  only  general  system  of  education 
which  recognizes  man  in  his  true  character  as  an  intellectual 
and  moral  being,  possessed  of  a  never-dying  spirit,  whose 
capacities  for  enjoyment  or  misery  must  for  ever  expand, 
and  who  must  dwell  for  ever  with  angels  and  the  redeemed, 
amid  the  glories  of  heaven,  or  with  devils  and  the  damned, 
in  the  woes  of  hell.  It  brings  the  Bible,  with  all  its  motives 
of  light  and  love,  to  instruct  the  understanding  and  sway  the 
affections — to  bear  upon  the  conscience  and  influence  the 
conduct.  It  throws  around  its  pupils  the  powerful  restrain- 
ing influence  of  gospel  truth,  to  fortify  them  against  the 
assaults  of  temptation,  to  fit  them  for  the  discharge  of  the 
relative  duties  of  life,  and  to  prepare  their  minds  for  the 
cordial  reception  of  divine  truth. 


4  THE  ADVANTAGES  OF  SABBATH-SCHOOLS. 

Such  an  education  affords  the  strongest  assurance,  that 
the  individual  on  whom  it  is  conferred  will  prove  a  blessing 
to  himself  and  a  blessing  to  society — will  be  happy  on 
earth,  and  happy  in  heaven.  Such  an  education  is  the 
highest  boon  that  man  can  confer  upon  his  fellow-man ; 
for,  if  properly  improved,  it  will  guide  him  in  safety  through 
all  his  pilgrimage,  afford  him  light  in  darkness,  consolation 
in  affliction,  joy  in  sorrow,  support  in  trial,  victory  in  con- 
flict, and  life  eternal  in  the  midst  of  death. 

But  more  than  this ;  in  every  age  and  country,  the 
character  and  virtue  of  a  people,  the  prosperity  which  they 
enjoy,  and  the  institutions  which  they  possess,  depend  al- 
most entirely  upon  the  nature  of  their  instruction.  And 
what  means  are  better  adapted  to  promote  the  highest  in- 
terests of  a  nation  in  these  respects,  than  the  correct  relig- 
ious education  of  the  individuals  composing  it  ?  What  but 
this  can  raise  them  from  the  savage  to  a  civilized  state ; 
from  slaves  to  citizens ;  from  the  grossness  of  sensuality  to 
the  dignified  enjoyment  of  cultivated  life  ?  What  will  so 
effectually  diminish  their  temptations  to  crime,  give  a  proper 
direction  to  their  valuable  qualities,  control  those  which  are 
dangerous  and  hurtful,  and  even  render  them  subservient 
to  the  best  interests  of  society?  These  are  questions  of 
the  deepest  interest  to  the  philanthropist  and  the  Christian. 
And  while  *'the  Avorld  is  impelled,  with  such  violence,  in 
opposite  directions ;  while  a  spirit  of  giddiness  and  revolt 
is  shed  abroad  upon  the  nations,  the  only  safety  is  in  the 
improvement  of  the  mass  of  the  people  in  knowledge,  prob- 
ity, and  the  fear  of  the  Lord.  In  the  neglect  of  these,  the 
politeness  and  refinement  of  knowledge  accumulated  in  the 
higher  orders,  weak  and  impotent,  will  be  exposed  to  the 
most  imminent  danger,  and  will  perish  like  a  garland  in  the 
grasp  of  popular  fury." 

Yes,  the  only  security  is  to  be  found  in  early  religious 
instruction.  This,  the  Sabbath-school,  supplying  parental 
neglect  or  deficiency,  or  assisting  parental  faithfulness,  at- 


THE  ADVANTAGES  OF  SABBATII-SCHOOLS.  5 

tempts  to  furnish.  It  acts  on  the  principle  that  the  immor- 
tal soul  cannot  be  too  early  instructed  in  its  duties  and  its 
prospects  ;  that  the  best,  if  not  the  only  Avay  of  preserving 
the  mind  from  error,  is  to  store  it  abundantly  with  religious 
knowledge ;  that  the  surest  pledge  of  habitual  obedience 
is  a  memory  richly  furnished  with  Scripture  truths,  which 
in  the  hour  of  temptation  shall  prompt  the  warning  voice 
of  conscience,  or,  like  ministering  spirits,  sweetly  whisper, 
**This  is  the  way,  walk  ye  in  it."  It  affords,  also,  the  best 
foundation  for  enlightened  piety.  Ignorance  is  not  the 
mother  of  devotion,  but  sound  religious  instruction  is  the 
best  preservative  from  superstition,  fanaticism,  and  infideli- 
ty. Facts  testify,  that  of  those  who,  at  the  present  day, 
become  truly  converted  to  God,  a  krge  proportion  are 
those  who  have  been  brought  up  in  Sabbath-schools.  Of 
Y87  hopefully  converted  to  God  in  one  district,  within  a 
year,  592  were  either  teachers  or  pupils  of  Sabbath-schools. 
In  another  district,  reports  from  50  towns  give  150  teachers 
and  522  scholars,  who,  in  a  single  year,  made  a  profession 
of  rehgion.  During  the  first  14  years  of  the  New  York 
Sunday-school  Union,  1,871  teachers  and  scholars  made  a 
profession  of  their  faith  in  Christ,  of  whom  110  entered 
upon  the  study  of  divinity.  Not  less  than  5,000  teachers, 
and  10,000  scholars,  are  estimated  by  the  annual  report  of 
the  American  Sunday-school  Union  to  have  been  convert- 
ed in  the  year  ending  May,  1832.  The  number  of  conver- 
sions of  persons  connected  with  Sunday-schools,  reported 
during  the  first  eight  years  of  the  existence  of  that  society, 
was  26,393.  A  multitude  of  other  concurrent  facts  might 
be  adduced.  Thus,  by  providing  for  the  thorough  religious, 
scriptural  education  of  its  pupils,  the  Sabbath-school  sys- 
tem, both  by  its  direct  and  indirect  influence,  accomplishes 
an  incalculable  amount  of  good  for  the  benefit  of  society, 
for  the  happiness  of  individuals  on  earth,  and  for  tlie  future 
welfare  of  the  undying  spirit. 

But  another  and  highly  important  feature  of  the  Sab- 

VOL.  VIII.  "  17* 


:Q  THE  ADVANTAGES  OF  SABBATH-SCHOOLS. 

bath-scliool  system  is,  that  it  aims  to  2^^'ovide  suitable  read- 
me/ for  all  who  are  within  the  sphere  of  its  influence.  *'  Let 
me  write  the  ballads  of  a  nation,"  said  a  discriminating  ob- 
server of  human  nature — "  let  me  write  the  ballads  of  a 
nation,  and  I  care  not  who  makes  its  laws."  The  remark 
was  founded  on  a  careful  observation  of  the  causes  which 
form  and  modify  national  character,  and  it  suggests  the 
intimate  connection  which  ever  exists  between  popular  feel- 
ing and  the  healthful  moral  sentiment  of  a  community. 
But  if  such  be  the  influence  of  ballads,  how  vast  the  influ- 
ence of  the  entire  reading  of  all  the  childreyi  and  youth  of  a 
country.  And  when  we  remember  that  the  annual  increase 
of  our  reading  population  is  not  far  from  300,000,  how 
deeply  important  does  it  appear,  that  this  influence  be  so 
directed  as  to  promote  the  best  interests  of  society,  and  the 
glory  of  God.  That  they  may  further,  as  far  as  possible, 
this  great  object,  the  American  Sunday-school  Union  have 
assumed  the  responsible  duty  of  providing  rational  and 
profitable  reading  for  children  and  youth  of  our  land,  and 
are  now  preparing  and  sending  forth  books  which  cultivate 
the  taste,  improve  the  mind,  recommend  the  institutions 
and  enjoin  the  duties  of  Christianity,  and  urge  upon  the 
conscience  and  the  heart  the  claims  of  personal  religion. 
These  little  books  are  read  by  pupils  and  teachers.  They 
are  carried  home,  there  to  be  taken  up  by  those  who  would 
shrink  from  the  task  of  perusing  a  larger  volume.  Their 
simplicity  engages  the  mind  and  wins  the  attention,  and 
brings  the  individual  under  the  persuasive  influence  of  exam- 
ple and  precept.  The  old  and  the  young  read  them  with 
delight.  The  man  of  business  takes  them  up  in  his  mo- 
ments of  leisure,  and  the  parent  reads  them  in  the  midst  of 
the  attentive  family  circle.  To  all  they  impart  profitable 
and  pleasing  instruction,  and  not  unfrequently  they  lead 
the  irreligious  to  seek  in  earnest  the  salvation  of  their  souls. 
There  is  another  consideration  which  will  aid  us  to  esti- 
mate the  value  of  these  publications,  though  the  benefits 


THE  ADVANTAGES  OF  SABBATH-SCHOOLS.  7 

which  they  confer  cannot  be  fully  appreciated  until  dis- 
closed by  the  light  of  eternity.  It  is  that  they  take  the 
place  of  the  silly  and  worthless  books  which,  half  a  century 
ago,  w^ere  the  sources  of  youthful  instruction  and  amuse- 
ment, and,  we  may  add,  the  vehicles  of  superstition  and 
corruption.  Who  can  estimate  the  value  of  a  system  which 
not  only  excludes  from  the  nursery  and  the  parlor  such 
miserable  trash  as  "  Tom  Thumb  "  and  "  Goody  Two-Shoos," 
but  substitutes  in  their  place  works,  the  tendency  of  which 
is  to  train  the  youthful  mind  for  virtue  on  earth  and  happi- 
ness in  heaven  ? 

Such  are  the  blessings  which  the  Sabbath-school  system 
seeks  to  confer;  and,  great  as  they  are,  their  value  is 
"greatly  increased  by  the  manner  in  w^hich  they  are  be- 
stowed. 

They  are  conferred  principally  upon  the  young.  This 
is  decidedly  the  most  important  and  the  most  cheering  fea- 
ture of  the  Sabbath-school  system.  In  the  morning  of  life 
the  memory  is  retentive,  the  heart  is  tender,  conscience  is 
faithful  in  its  monitions,  and  prejudices  are  few  and  feeble. 
Impressions  are  then  most  easily  made ;  and  the  principles 
then  inculcated  continue  through  future  life  to  be  the  most 
permanent  and  powerful.  Habit,  too,  is  daily  increasing  its 
influence  for  evil  or  for  good — riveting  the  shackles  of  sin, 
or  strengthening  the  golden  chain  which  binds  the  heart  to 
God.  Such  is  the  dictate  of  human  wisdom  and  experience, 
which  proverbially  assert  that  youth  is  pecuharly  the  sea- 
son of  improvement.  Inspiration  confirms  the  same  truth 
by  her  declaration,  "  Train  up  a  child  in  the  way  he  should 
go,  and  when  he  is  old  he  will  not  depart  from  it ;"  and 
observation  might  point  us  to  many  a  broken-hearted  parent, 
who,  when  mourning  over  the  wayward  depravity  of  a 
ruined  child,  has  been  heard  to  exclaim,  in  bitterness  of 
spirit,  ''Ah,  if  I  had  but  restrained  him  inyouth,  he  would 
now  have  been  dutiful  and  obedient." 

This  same  principle,  too,  is  recognized  by  the  men  of 


§  TFIE  ADVANTAGES  OF  SABBATH-SCHOOLS. 

this  world,  who  are  too  often  "  wiser  in  their  generation 
than  the  children  of  light."  Cataline,  when  plotting  the 
overthrow  of  the  Roman  republic,  and  the  Grecian  tyrant, 
when  seeking  his  country's  subjection,  sought  among  young 
men  those  who  might  be  made  the  instruments  of  base 
and  wicked  designs ;  and,  in  modern  times,  it  has  been 
through  the  education  of  the  young  that  the  Jesuits  have 
swayed  the  thrones  of  Europe,  and  that  the  Romish  church 
has  extended  her  moral  despotism  over  the  nations  of  the 
old  world.  How  important  then  is  it,  that  the  friends  of 
the  Redeemer  should  systematically  improve  the  same  pe- 
riod to  implant  the  seeds  of  religious  knowledge,  to  mould 
the  character  for  eternity,  and  endeavor  to  seal  the  immor- 
tal youth  as  an  heir  of  heaven.  This  the  Sabbath-school 
aims  to  do,  and  thus  renders  its  blessings  doubly  valu- 
able. 

It  is  another  pleasing  characteristic  of  the  Sabbath- 
school  system,  that  its  benefits  are  hestoived  freely.  Hence 
it  is,  that  many  who  would  feel  ashamed  to  avail  themselves 
of  the  school-funds  set  apart  "for  the  education  of  the 
poor,"  and  many  more  who  are  unable  to  afford  the  neces- 
sary expense,  may,  by  means  of  Sabbath-schools,  easily 
secure  for  their  children  the  inestimable  benefits  of  Chris- 
tian education.  The  amount  which  the  system  before  us 
thus  freely  contributes  to  the  instruction  of  our  population, 
may  be  to  some  extent  estimated  by  the  fact,  that  there  are 
in  our  country  not  far  from  100,000  Sabbath-school  teach- 
ers, and  that  their  compensation,  at  thirty- three  cents  per 
Sabbath — the  rate  formerly  paid — would  every  year  amount 
to  3,300,000  dollars  ;  a  sum  greater  by  far  than  is  annually 
distributed  by  all  the  school-funds  of  our  land.  The  place 
of  assembling  usually  costs  nothing,  being  previously  pro- 
vided for  some  other  purpose.  The  use  of  the  libraries 
costs  nothing  ;  the  teaching,  as  we  have  seen,  is  gratuitous  ; 
and  the  text-books  are  gratuitously  furnished  to  all  who 
are  unable  to  purchase  them.     Truly,  the  Sabbath- school. 


THE  ADVANTAGES  OF  SABBATH-SCHOOLS.  9 

like  the  Gospel,  bestows  its  blessings  "  without  money  and 
without  price." 

But  another  interesting  trait  of  the  Sabbath- school  sys- 
tem is,  that  its  aims  are  universal.  Did  this  institution  ex- 
tend its  advantages  but  to  a  single  city,  or  a  single  province, 
it  would  deserve  our  approbation.  Did  it  seek  to  extend 
its  favors  to  an  entire  nation,  the  moral  grandeur  of  its  de- 
signs would  excite  our  warmest  admiration.  But  a  city,  a 
state,  a  nation,  are  not  the  limit  of  its  operations.  No,  its 
"field  is  the  world;"  and,  by  the  grace  of  God,  it  will 
never  cease  its  labors,  or  grow  weary  in  them,  till  its  bless- 
ings are  showered  on  the  Avhole  human  race.  All  classes, 
all  conditions,  are  alike  the  objects  of  its  kind  and  compre- 
hensive benevolence.  Pupils,  teachers,  parents,  and  friends, 
share  its  benefits.  None  are  so  high  as  to  be  above  its 
favors ;  none  so  low  as  to  be  beneath  its  notice.  The  sys- 
tem, too,  is  self-sustaining  and  expansive.  It  already  num- 
bers upwards  of  two  millions  in  its  connection;  and  its 
sacred  energies  shall  never  tire,  till,  to  the  east  and  the 
west,  and  the  north  and  the  south,  it  can  look  forth  with 
joy  upon  an  enlightened  and  regenerated  world.  Yes,  with 
delight  do  we  anticipate  the  day — even  now  its  golden  rays 
tinge  the  summits  of  the  mountains — when  these  institutions 
shall  become  universal ;  when  every  city,  town,  and  village 
shall  have  a  Sabbath-school,  from  which  the  voice  of  prayer 
and  praise  shall  ascend  up  and  mingle  with  the  voices  of 
angels  and  glorified  spirits,  before  the  throne  of  God.  The 
system  has  already  extended  itself  with  a  rapidity  surpass- 
ing the  highest*  expectations  of  its  friends,  and  it  will  con- 
tinue to  extend  till  it  shall  circle  the  wide  earth  with  its 
glory — till  it  beholds  the  children  of  a  world,  through  its 
instrumentality,  rescued  from  "  indignation  and  wrath,  trib- 
ulation and  anguish,"  and  prepared  for  an  eternal  inherit- 
ance of  "joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory." 

It  is  a  further  advantage  of  the  Sabbath-school,  that  its 
instructions  are  imparted  affectionately.     In  every  well-reg- 


10  THE  ADVAxXTAGES  OF  SABBATH-SCHOOLS. 

ulated  Sabbath- school,  the  teacher  rules  by  the  influence  of 
kindness,  and  the  law  of  love.  His  pupils  feel  that  he  is 
interested  in  them,  and  that  he  earnestly  desires  and  seeks 
their  highest  happiness  in  time  and  eternity.  Hence,  they 
■will  become  deeply  attached  to  him,  will  confidently  seek 
his  counsel,  and  be  guided  by  his  suggestions.  Under  these 
circumstances,  too,  the  social  feelings  will  be  best  cultivated, 
and  the  intellectual  and  moral  improvement  be  incompara- 
bly greater  than  where  equal  natural  capacity  is  coaxed  or 
driven  to  the  performance  of  the  daily  task. 

It  is  still  another  advantage  of  Sabbath-schools,  that 
they  are  held  on  the  Sabbath,  a  day  which,  if  not  thus  occu- 
pied, would  in  all  probability,  by  many  who  are  now  en- 
gaged in  these  schools,  be  profaned  by  worldly  business,  or 
wasted  in  idleness  and  folly.  How  many  children,  who 
otherwise,  as  formerly,  might  be  seen  loitering  away  the 
holy  Sabbath,  now  spend  its  sacred  hours  in  the  Sabbath- 
school  and  in  the  study  of  the  word  of  God.  How  many 
teachers  and  parents  are  thus  led  to  a  proper  improvement 
of  the  day  of  rest.  And  how  delightful  the  thought,  that 
through  the  influence  of  Sabbath-schools,  that  day  shall 
ere  long  be  rescued  from  long-continued  abuse  and  profana- 
tion, and  be  consecrated  to  the  service  of  Jehovah;  to  the 
acquisition  of  those  truths  Avhich  exert  the  most  salutary 
influence  on  the  heart  and  life,  and  which  make  the  soul 
Avise  imto  salvation. 

There  is  a  single  other  feature  of  the  Sabbath-school 
system  too  important  in  its  bearings  on  civil  society  to  pass 
without  notice ;  and  that  is,  the  influence  which  it  exerts 
in  the  2^^6vent{on  of  crime.  "  Wholesome  laws  and  severe 
pimishments,"  says  an  old  writer,  ''  are  but  slow  and  late 
ways  of  reforming  the  world  ;  the  timely  and  most  compen- 
dious method  of  doing  this,  is  by  early  religious  education." 
The  correctness  of  this  principle  is  abundantly  sustained  by 
all  sound  maxims  of  civil  government ;  for  the  grand  object 
of  all  wise  legislation  is  not  so  much  to  punish  crime  as  to 


THE  ADVANTAGES  OF  SABBATH-SCHOOLS.  H 

prevent  its  occuiTence.  Hence,  the  means  best  adapted  to 
prevent  the  commission  of  crimes,  most  effectually  promote 
the  great  ends  of  ci\'il  government.  Now,  as  a  matter  of 
fact,  by  far  the  greater  portion,  probably  ninety-nine  hun- 
dredths of  all  crimes  committed,  have  their  origin  in  those 
three  great  fountains  of  wickedness,  ignorance,  sabbath- 
breaking,  and  INTEMPERANCE.  But  who  are  less  likely  to 
grow  up  in  ignorance  than  Sabbath-school  scholars  ?  And 
how  many  of  the  five  hundred  thousand  drunkards  of  our 
land  have  been  trained  up  to  intemperance  in  Sabbath- 
schools  ?  And  who  are  so  unlikely  to  violate  the  sanctity 
of  the  Sabbath  as  those  who  are  early  and  systematically 
taught  to  reverence  and  hallow  this  holy  day  ?  Of  all  the 
pupils  of  the  celebrated  Robert  Raikes,  not  one  was  ever 
convicted  of  flagrant  crime.  Of  five  hundred  convicts  in 
one  of  our  prisons  recently  examined,  but  three  had  ever 
been  Sabbath-school  scholars.  And  if  all  the  prisons  of  our 
land  were  thoroughly  examined,  how  many  Sabbath-school 
pupils  is  it  supposed  would  be  found  among  their  eleven 
thousand  wretched  and  guilty  inmates  ?  The  number  Avould 
be  very  small ;  and  we  confidently  believe,  that  if  the  inves- 
tigation were  made,  its  results  would  show  that  Sabbath- 
schools,  by  their  preventive  influence,  are  doing  more  for  the 
social  and  civil  order  of  our  country,  than  all  the  statute- 
books,  and  dungeons,  and  gibbets  of  the  land. 

Such  is  the  Sabbath-school  system  :  the  simplest,  most 
efficient,  most  rational,  and  most  valuable  system  of  relig- 
ious education  ever  devised — distinguished  no  less  by  the 
nature  of  its  blessings,  than  by  the  manner  in  which  it  con- 
fers them — subordinately,  in  various  waj^s,  promoting  the 
mental  discipline  and  intellectual  culture  of  its  pupils,  but 
seeking,  as  its  chief  object,  to  train  them  up  for  the  enjoy- 
ments and  the  glories  of  a  holier  state  of  existence.  Its 
blessings,  too,  are  rendered  doubly  valuable  by  being  be- 
stowed, as  they  are,  in  youth,  a  season  so  favorable  to  im- 
provement ;  AFFECTIONATELY,  SO  as  to  secure,  by  the  influ- 


12  THE  ADVANTAGES  OF  SABBATH-SCHOOLS. 

ence  of  kindness,  the  highest  benefit  of  the  pupil ;  freely  , 
that  the  poorest  may  receive  them ;  universally,  that  a 
world  may  be  their  object ;  and  on  the  Sabbath,  which  is 
thus  redeemed  from  profanation,  and  improved  in  the  ser- 
vice of  Jehovah. 

Great,  too,  are  the  incidental  advantages  of  the  Sabbath- 
school  system.  It  exerts  a  silent,  but  powerful  influence 
in  uniting  the  hearts  of  Christians,  in  furthering  other  be- 
nevolent operations,  in  leading  multitudes  to  the  study  of 
the  Bible,  in  preparing  the  young  to  hear  the  Gospel  with 
intelligence  and  interest,  in  preventing  vice  and  the  commis- 
sion of  crime,  in  diffusing  inteUigence  and  good  order,  and 
in  extending  a  thousand  nameless,  yet  benign  and  hallowed 
influences  through  the  whole  mass  of  society.  Who  can 
fully  estimate  these  influences,  immense,  extended,  and 
constantly  extending  as  they  are  ?  Hoav  often  is  an  impor- 
tant truth  mentioned  at  school,  and  afterwards  repeated  at 
home  by  the  pupil,  to  reprove  the  careless  sinner,  or  cheer 
the  desponding  Christian.  How  many  teachers,  surprised 
at  their  own  ignorance  of  the  truths  which  they  teach  oth- 
ers, have  been  led  to  serious  reflection,  and,  through  the 
blessing  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  a  new  life.  How  many  par- 
ents and  friends,  roused  by  the  volume  from  the  Sabbath- 
school  library,  or  by  the  remark  of  a  pious  child,  have  been 
awakened  to  feel  the  value  of  the  soul,  and  to  seek  that  rest 
which  can  only  be  found  in  believing  in  Jesus,  How  many, 
in  short,  have,  through  the  instrumentality  of  Sabbath- 
schools,  been  preserved  from  degradation,  and  guilt,  and 
Avoe  in  this  world,  and  from  misery  eternal  in  the  world  to 
come.  Let  Sabbaths  rescued  from  profanation,  and  church- 
es reared  in  the  wilderness,  tell  us.  Tell  us,  ye  ignorant, 
instructed ;  ye  profligate,  reformed  ;  ye  who  were  once 
deo;raded,  but  have  been  snatched  as  "brands  from  the 
burning."  Tell  us,  ye  teachers,  and  parents,  and  friends, 
who  are  now  rejoicing  "in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God,"  and 
who  trace  your  first  serious  impressions  to  the  direct  or  in- 


THE  ADVANTAGES  OF  SABBATH-SCHOOLS.  13 

direct  influences  of  Sabbath-schools.  Tell  us,  ye  millions 
of  children  saved  from  vice  and  early  depravity,  governed 
by  the  law  of  kindness,  insti-ucted  in  the  holy  Scriptures, 
and  taught  in  childhood  to  lisp  the  praises  of  the  Prince  of 
peace.  Tell  us,  ye  angels  who  bear  to  heaven  the  joyful 
news  of  the  sinner's  repentance,  and  ye  ministering  spirits 
before  the  throne,  who  are  appointed  "  to  minister  for  them 
who  shall  be  heirs  of  salvation." 

In  this  view  of  the  subject,  the  duty  of  all  to  sustain 
the  Sabbath-school  cause,  and  to  extend  its  benefits  as 
widely  as  possible  by  their  influence,  their  efforts,  their  con- 
tributions, and  l\\e\Y  2irayers,  is  made  obvious.  To  the  phi- 
lanthropist, it  promises  the  melioration  of  the  condition  of 
all  mankind,  and  their  elevation  in  intelligence,  social  enjoy- 
ment, and  personal  happiness.  To  the  patriot,  it  affords 
the  surest  pledge  of  the  permanence  of  those  political  and 
civil  institutions  which  we  so  much  prize,  and  the  only  secure 
foundation  of  which  is  indi\'idual  and  national  virtue.  To 
the  Christian,  it  comes  as  the  agent  and  pioneer  of  the 
Gospel,  and  he  should  Avelcome  it  with  mingled  gratitude 
and  joy,  as  the  harbinger  of  boundless  blessings  to  the 
church  of  God. 

To  all,  then,  but  to  the  Christian  especially,  does  it  be- 
long to  cherish  and  extend  the  Sabbath-school  system ;  for 
probably  in  no  other  way  can  he  do  more  to  quicken  the 
flight  of  that  angel  who  has  the  everlasting  Gospel  to  preach 
to  every  creature — to  promote  the  cause  of  Christ  by  the 
conversion  of  his  fellow-men — to  cause  the  solitary  place  to 
breathe  forth  the  notes  of  joy  and  gladness,  and  the  wilder- 
ness to  rejoice  and  blossom  as  the  rose — to  make  oui*  whole 
land  Immanuel's  land,  and  the  wide  world  a  blooming  gar- 
den of  God.  Labor,  then,  fellow- Christian,  in  this  cause, 
to  gain  the  high  honor  of  turning  many  to  righteousness, 
that  when  the  assembled  universe  shall  rise  in  judgment, 
you  may  find,  among  the  millions  of  the  redeemed,  midti- 
tudes  saved  through  the  instrumentality  of  Sabbath-schools 

VOL.  VIII.  18 


14         THE  ADVANTAGES  OF  SABBATH-SCHOOLS. 

which  you  aided  to  establish,  who  shall  shine  for  ever  as 
the  brightness  of  the  firmament,  and  with  whom  you  may 
for  ever  praise  and  adore  the  riches  of  redeeming  grace. 

Note — A  premium,  offered  by  a  friend  of  Sabbath-schools,  was 
awarded  to  the  author  of  this  Tract. 


INFLUENCE  OF  SABBATH-SCHOOLS. 

Sabhath-sckools  2>^'€vent  the  desecration  of  the  Sabbath. 
Every  intelligent  man  must  acknowledge  the  importance  of 
observing  this  day  to  keep  it  holy.  Abolish  the  Sabbath, 
the  Bible  and  all  other  moral  influences  at  once  fade  away : 
as  the  Sabbath  is  observed  or  neglected,  so  will  the  prin- 
ciples and  doctrines  of  religion  be  honored  or  despised.  Of 
this  truth,  we  have  most  lamentable  demonstrations  iji  many 
of  our  cities  and  towns,  especially  our  seaports.  This  day 
being  neglected,  God's  name  is  wantonly  profaned,  and  all 
his  labors  set  at  naught.  Just  in  proportion  as  this  day 
is  disregarded,  will  the  knowledge  and  worship  of  Jehovah 
escape  from  the  mind,  the  moral  sense  of  the  community  be 
impaired,  its  powers  decay,  its  foundations  fail,  and  its  pil- 
lars totter  and  fall.  In  the  light  of  these  truths,  is  it  not 
an  important  consideration,  that  Sabbath-schools  prevent 
thousands  of  children  and  youth  from  Sabbath  desecration  ? 
They  gather  those  who  would  otherwise  be  loitering  about 
the  streets,  wandering  in  the  fields,  and  revelling  in  dissi- 
pation, and  impress  their  young  minds  with  reverence  for 
God's  sacred  day.  This  was  one  of  the  primary  objects  in 
the  mind  of  Robert  Raikes,  their  founder.  He  saw  the 
overwhelming  evils  of  this  crying  sin  ;  the  Sabbath-breaker 
is  prepared  for  almost  any  step  in  crime.  By  reference  to 
the  history  of  criminals,  we  find  that  nine-tenths  regard 
Sabbath-breaking  as  a  fatal  step  in  their  mad  career.  Rev- 
erence for  the  Sabbath  being  destroyed,  moral  principle  is 


THE  ADVANTAGES  OF  SABBATH-SCHOOLS.  15 

almost  extinct.  Who  then  can  compute  the  good  effected 
by  Sabbath-schools,  in  preventing  the  violation  of  the  fourth 
commandment. 

Sabbath- schools  bring  children  under  the  convicting  and 
converting  influences  of  the  Gospel.  Here  the  Bible  is  care- 
fully read,  and  accurately  studied :  its  precepts  and  invita- 
tions, its  warnings  and  threatenings,  are  all  intelligently, 
famiharly,  and  affectionately  explained  and  applied.  Here 
are  imparted  all  the  fundamental  principles  of  our  holy  re- 
ligion ;  children  are  solemnly  impressed  with  the  fact  of  the 
existence  of  a  God — theu'  relations  to  him  as  their  Creator, 
Preserver,  and  bountiful  Benefactor,  and  their  obligations 
growing  out  of  these  relations ;  they  are  taught  that  they 
are  sinners  lost  and  ruined — that  God  has  had  compassion 
on  our  race,  and  given  his  dear  Son  to  die  for  our  redemp- 
tion— that  Jesus  Christ  was  God  manifest  in  the  flesh — that 
he  lived  here  on  earth  as  we,  although  without  sin — wrought 
many  most  astonishing  and  benevolent  miracles,  such  as 
healing  the  sick,  and  even  raising  the  dead — that  he  was  per- 
secuted, insulted,  and  scourged — was  basely  traduced,  and 
finally  suffered  and  died  upon  the  cross,  as  a  sacrifice  for  sin. 
They  are  told  the  wonderful  phenomena  attending  the  cru- 
cifixion, all  establishing  the  reality  and  truth  of  our  glorious 
Christianity.  They  are  taught  the  terms  of  salvation,  re- 
pentance towards  God  and  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
The  exercises  are  accompanied  with  the  enhvening,  animat- 
ing, and  subduing  power  of  prayer  and  praise.  Such  is  the 
system  of  Sunday-school  instruction.  No  wonder  that  a 
great  majority  of  those  converted  at  the  present  day,  are 
or  have  been  connected  with  Sunday-schools.  That  chil- 
dren are  capable  of  understanding  the  Gospel  at  a  very 
early  age  cannot  be  disputed :  numerous  facts  are  in  point. 
The  instructions  and  impressions  which  resulted  in  John 
Newton's  conversion  were  received  from  his  mother,  who 
died  before  he  was  four  years  of  age.     A  celebrated  female 


16  THE  ADVANTAGES  OF  SABBATH-SCHOOLS. 

writer  says  she  distinctly  recollects  consultations  held  in  her 
own  mind  in  view  of  the  claims  of  the  Gospel,  while  only 
three  years  of  age.  Thus  we  see  the  practicability  and 
advantages  of  early  religious  education.  To  this  source 
may  be  traced  the  distinguished  piety  and  usefulness  of 
Samuel,  Timothy,  St.  Augustine,  Hooker,  Wesley,  D wight, 
Gardiner,  Doddridge,  and  a  host  of  other  illustrious  names. 

Sahhatli- schools  exert  a  'powerful  moral  influence  upon 
parents.  Parents  become  interested  in  the  cause  almost 
necessarily.  Their  children  repeat  in  their  presence  what 
they  have  learned  at  school,  and  hear  it  they  must.  Soon 
their  feelings  are  awakened — curiosity  is  excited,  and  per- 
chance they  accompany  their  little  ones  to  the  school.  Here 
their  hearts  are  enlisted,  and  from  the  school  they  proceed 
to  the  sanctuary.  Thus  are  they  brought  to  sit  under  the 
charming  sound  of  Gospel  truth,  and  frequently  to  feel  its 
saving  power.  In  assisting  children  to  learn  their  lessons, 
and  in  reading  the  Bible  and  other  books  they  use,  many 
have  been  led  to  reflection  and  repentance.  Teachers,  too, 
while  visiting  their  scholars,  have  full  access  to  the  parents, 
and  by  conversing  with  them  upon  the  solemn  interests  of 
their  souls,  are  often  the  means  of  their  salvation.  Thus, 
through  the  indirect  agency  of  Sunday-schools,  thousands 
of  fathers  and  mothers  have  been  benefited ;  many  have 
been  raised  from  ignorance  to  intelligence,  many  from  vice 
to  virtue,  many  from  the  dominion  of  Satan  to  the  service 
of  God. 


^o.  273, 

THE  LOST  SOUL. 


Soon  as  the  physician  announced  that  her  complaint 
was  beyond  the  reach  of  medicine,  and  that  she  could  not 
live,  all  hope  forsook  her.  Her  anticipations  of  worldly 
enjoyment  fled.  Her  thoughts  descended  into  the  depths 
of  eternity.  "  /  did  not  think  I  should  die  so  soon — /  have 
lost  my  soul,''  was  the  language  which  escaped,  in  a  moan- 
ing tone,  with  every  shortening  breath,  until,  in  a  few  hours, 
the  scene  closed  for  ever.  In  vain  did  her  anxious  friends 
and  her  minister  proclaim  a  free  pardon  through  the  blood 
and  righteousness  of  the  Saviour,  if  she  would  surrender 
her  heart  to  him ;  her  mind  could  not  be  diverted  for  a 
moment  from  the  one  all-absorbing  theme :  "  /  did  not 
think  I  should  die  so  soon — /  have  lost  my  soul  /" 

Poor  Ann ,  the  closing  scene  of  whose  life  is  here 

truly,  though  imperfectly  described,  had  pious  friends. 
From  Sabbath  to  Sabbath  the  Gospel  had  been  constantly 
and  faithfully  preached  to  her ;  she  had  lived  through  several 
revivals  of  religion  ;  had  once  and  again  been  moved  in  view 
of  her  danger  as  a  sinner,  exposed  to  the  wrath  of  God,  and 
as  often  had  relapsed  into  stupidity. 

Thus  sixteen  years  passed  away  under  the  sunshine  of 
religious  privileges,  accompanied,  at  times,  with  the  strivings 
of  God's  Holy  Spirit.  Now  the  season  of  reckoning  was 
come.  She  was  arrested  by  a  disease  which,  in  a  short 
time,  was  pronounced  incurable. 

"  O  death,  how  dreadful  must  thy  summons  be 
To  him  that  is  at  ease !" 

Is  there  not  distressing  reason  to  fear  that  Ann's  appre- 
hensions were  too  well  grounded  ?  In  her  death,  then, 
behold  a  solemn  attestation  to  the  following  truths. 

The  soul  may  be  lost.  Multitudes,  who  in  the  time  of 
health  and  prosperity  could  trifle,  perliaps,  with  the  threat- 
enings  of  the  Bible,  have  left,  in  the  honest  hour  of  death, 
a  similar  testimony.  Like  Ann,  they  have  shuddered  in 
prospect  of  their  doom.     The  representations  of  the  word 

VOL.  VIII.  18* 


2  THE  LOST  SOUL. 

of  God  have  pressed  upon  the  conscience  with  the  weight 
of  mountains — have  pierced  the  heart  with  the  anguish  of 
barbed  arrows.  In  such  circumstances,  human  strength 
and  courage  wither  away  under  the  question,  "  What  is  a 
man  profited,  if  he  shall  gain  the  whole  world,  and  lose 
his  own  soul  ?"  Now,  the  soul  is  seen  in  its  true,  intrinsic 
value — 

" the  thing  of  greatest  price 

The  whole  creation  round." 

0  how  much  is  meant  by  the  short  expression,  uttered  b}'  a 
dying  sinner,  "/  have  lost  my  soul !'' 

In  the  history  of  Ann  we  may  perceive,  that  great  joriv- 
ileges,  if  misimiwoved,  do  not  'prevent  the  loss  of  the  soul. 
What  more  could  have  been  done  for  her  than  was  done  ? 
Reader,  you  may  have  an  abundance  of  the  good  things  of 
this  world ;  nay,  you  may  have  pious  parents  and  praying- 
friends  ;  may  be  a  regular  attendant  on  the  preached  word  ; 
and  at  times,  imder  the  strivings  of  God's  Spirit,  may  feel 
that  an  interest  in  Christ  is  the  one  thing  needful ;  and,  after 
all,  may  come  unprepared  to  your  death-bed.  "  A  little  more 
sleep,  a  little  more  slumber" — so  shall  eternal  "poverty" 
overtake  thee  "as  an  armed  man."  Amid  the  wailings  in 
hell  is  heard  the  lamentation,  "  How  have  I  hated  instruc- 
tion and  despised  reproof!"  "If  I  had  not  come  and 
spoken  unto  them,"  says  Christ,  "they  had  not  had  sin; 
but  now  they  have  no  cloak  for  their  sin."  To  the  rich 
man  in  the  parable  it  was  said,  "  Remember  that  thou  in 
thy  lifetime  receivedst  thy  good  things  ;"  "  but"  noiu  "  thou 
art  tormented." 

Conscious  security  ivill  not  ^?rfye?i^  the  loss  of  the  soul. 
Ann  never  felt  more  safe  than  the  moment  before  she  was 
seized  by  her  mortal  malady.  In  her  estimation  the  evil 
hour  was  far  away;  while,  in  fact,  the  Judge  was  "stand- 
ing at  the  door."  "  When  they  shall  say,  Peace  and  safety, 
then  sudden  destruction  cometh."  "  Soul,  thou  hast  much 
goods  laid  up  for  many  years,"  said  one.  "  Thou  fool," 
said  God,  "this  night  thy  soul  shall  be  required  of  thee." 
0  plead  not,  as  the  evidence  of  safety,  that  stupidity  which, 
unless  removed,  insures  your  ruin.  Sinners  often  dance, 
and  jest,  and  laugh,  on  the  brink  of  everlasting  woe.  To- 
niglit,  they  eat  and  drink,  and  are  merry — to-morrow,  their 


THE  LOST  SOUL  3 

souls  are  lost  for  ever.  Reader,  thou  knowest  not  what  a 
day  may  bring  forth. 

From  Ann  we  also  learn,  that  an  amiable  temper  and 
external  morality  will  not  prevent  the  loss  of  the  soul.  She 
had  these,  but  what  did  they  avail  her  ?  While  such  as 
persevere  in  vicious  courses  will  surely  perish,  it  is  equally 
certain  that,  as  a  basis  of  justification  in  the  sight  of  God,  a 
blameless  moral  life  is  altogether  inadequate.  It  is  a  bed 
too  short  to  stretch  ourselves  upon,  a  garment  too  narrow 
to  cover  us.  Men  often  imagine,  in  their  blindness,  that 
they  are  too  good  to  become  eternal  associates  for  the  rep- 
robates in  hell ;  but  let  the  commandment  come,  and  their 
thoughts,  feehngs,  and  pursuits  be  brought  to  the  test  of 
God's  law,  and  they  soon  discover  themselves  to  be  "  the 
chief  of  sinners."  A  self- justifying  spirit  is  the  greatest 
obstacle  in  the  way  to  salvation.  Christ  is  the  Saviour  of 
such  only  as  feel  themselves  to  he  undone.  "  He  came  not 
to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners  to  repentance."  Often  do 
men  go  on,  flattering  themselves  in  their  own  eyes,  until 
eternity  discloses  their  real  character,  and  their  souls  are 
lost.  "  Except  a  man  be  horn  again,  he  cannot  see  the  kino-- 
dom  of  God." 

To  lose  the  soul  is  an  evil  inex2)ressihle  and  inconceivahle. 
0  wretched  state ! — to  bid  an  eternal  farewell  to  the  Bible, 
to  the  house  of  God,  to  the  sacramental  table,  to  the  invita- 
tions of  mercy,  to  mercy  itself ;  to  heaven,  to  angels,  to 
saints,  to  God,  and  to  Christ ;  to  love,  to  peace,  to  hope,  to 
all  enjoyment,  corporeal,  mental,  and  spiritual ;  to  become 
a  companion  of  devils  and  damned  spirits,  and  a  prey  to 
endless  remorse.  Unhappy  Ann  !  no  wonder  the  cold  drops 
stood  on  her  brow  as  she  exclaimed,  "  I  have  lost  my  soul  P' 
Reader,  are  you  prepared  to  encounter  this  mighty,  eternal 
struggle  of  unutterable,  agonized  feeling  ?  God  grant  that 
you  may  never  know  by  experience  the  import  of  the  ex- 
pression— a  lost  soul.  0  eternity!  "One  night,"  says 
Saurin,  "  passed  in  a  burning  fever,  or  in  strugg-ling  in  the 
waves  of  the  sea,  between  life  and  death,  appears  of  im- 
mense length ;  it  seems  to  the  sufferer  as  if  the  sun  had 
forgot  its  course,  and  as  if  the  laws  of  nature  itself  were 
subverted.  What,  then,  will  be  the  state  of  those  miserable 
victims  of  divine  displeasure  who,  after  they  shall  have 
passed  through  millions  of  millions  of  ages,  will  be  obliged 


4  THE  LOST  SOUL. 

to  make  this  overwhelming  reflection :  '  All  this  is  only  an 
atom  of  our  misery  !'  What  will  their  despair  be  when 
they  shall  be  forced  to  say  to  themselves,  '  Again  we  must 
revolve  through  these  enormous  periods ;  again  we  must 
suffer  a  privation  of  celestial  happiness — devouring  flames 
again — cruel  remorse  again — crimes  and  blasphemies  over 
and  over  again — for  ever !  for  ever  !'  " 

Said  the  rich  man  in  hell,  "I  have  five  brethren — send 
Lazarus  to  testify  unto  them,  lest  they  also  come  to  this 
place  of  torment."  Does  not  Ann  herself,  in  the  incident 
of  her  death,  appeal  to  us  from  the  eternal  luorld  ?  I  seem 
to  hear  her  say, 

"  Reader,  be  it  your  first  concern  to  secure  the  salvation 
of  your  soul.  The  least  delay  may  be  followed  by  fatal, 
irretrievable  consequences.  Take  warning  from  me.  God 
has  been  at  immense  expense  to  prevent  your  ruin.  Beth- 
lehem, Gethsemane,  and  Calvary,  cry  out  upon  you,  '  Why 
will  you  die  V  '  The  Spirit  and  the  bride  say.  Come :  let 
him  that  heareth,  say,  Come.''  You  may  be  saved.  After 
so  many  abused  privileges  and  misspent  years,  still  you  may 
be  saved.  Harden  not  your  heart.  Throw  yourself  upon 
the  mercy  of  God  in  Christ. 

'  While  God  invites,  how  blest  the  day, 

How  sweet  the  Gospel's  charming  sound ! 
Come,  sinner,  haste,  O  haste  away, 
While  yet  a  pard'ning  God  is  found.' 

Soon  your  day  of  grace  may  terminate,  suddenly,  unex- 
pectedlv,  for  ever.  Take  warniny  from  me!  To-morrow's 
sun,  as  it  gilds  the  eastern  heavens,  may  bring  no  light  to 
you ;  for  your  probationary  sun  may  have  set  in  eternity. 
Then,  dying  in  impenitence,  the  lamentation  will  be  yours, 
*  The  harvest  is  past,  the  summer  is  ended,  and  I  am  not 
saved.'  I  have  lost  my  soul.  Take  warning  from  me! 
Oh,  I  have  lost — I  have  lost  my  soul !" 


PUBLISHED    BY    THE    AMERICAN    TRACT    SOCIETY. 


.\o.  1374, 


THE 


SCOTSMAN'S  FIRESIDE 


AX    AUTHENTIC   XAKKATIVE 


0(1  "■         "^ 


"  From  scenes  like  these  old  Scotia's  grandeur  springs, 
That  makes  her  lov'd  at  home,  rever'd  abroad/' 

Ix  the  year  1805,  durinjr  the  prevalence  of  the  yellow- 
fever  in  New  York,  the  late  Mr.  B resided  a  few  miles 

from  that  city. 

On  his  return  one  evening  to  the  domestic  circle,  which 
then  consisted  of  his  wife  and  four  children,  and  his  venera- 
ble mother-in-law,  the  late  Mrs. ,  he  said  to  Mrs.  B , 

"  My  dear,  I  fear  I  have  done  what  will  not  please  you." 

Mrs.  B .  ■■'  What  is  that  ?" 

Mr.  B .  "  I  have  met  with  an  old  school-fellow  and 

countryman,  and  invited  him  to  stay  with  us  while  the  fever 
prevails." 

Mrs.  B .  "  And  why  should   I   be   displeased  with 

that?" 


2  THE  SCOTSMAN'S  FIRESIDE. 

Mr.  B .     "  Because  I  know  that  he  and  you  will 

not  agree  in  j^oUtics.'" 

Mrs.  B .     ''0,  if  that   be  all,  we  will  avoid  the 

subject." 

Mr.  B .     "  But  there  is  another  subject  on  which 

you  Avill  be  still  more  at  variance.     Mr.  M has  not 

only  imbibed  French  principles  in  politics,  but  also  on  the 
subject  of  religion.     He  is  an  infidel." 

Mrs.  B .     ''That,  indeed,  is  bad.     How  shall  we 

please  him,  and  yet  observe  the  religious  duties  incumbent 
on  us  as  a  Christian  family  ?" 

Mr.  B .     "  My  dear,  we  must  not  omit  one  of  them, 

and  you  must  help  me.  When  the  hour  for  family  worship 
arrives,  you  will  call  the  family  together,  and  we  will  do  our 

duty  as  usual.     Mr.  M is  a  gentleman,  and  however 

he  may  be  opposed  to  religion,  his  politeness  Avill,  at  least, 
prevent  him  from  ridiculing  it." 

In  the  course  of  the  evening  Mr.  M arrived,  and  a 

few  hours  were  spent  in  pleasant  conversation,  and  recol- 
lections of  the  "  land  of  the  mountain  and  the  flood" — the 
scenes  of  early  life. 

At  the  hour  of  nine  Mrs.  B rung  the  bell  three 

times,  the  usual  signal  for  calling  the  family  together ;  and 

turning  to  the  guest,  said,  "  Mr.  M ,  we  keep  up  the 

good  old  Scotch  custom  of  family  worship ;  I  hope  you 
have  no  objection  to  unite  with  us." 

"  Certainly  not,  madam,"  was  his  reply ;  "  I  hope  I 
may  not,  in  the  least,  interfere  with  your  domestic  arrange- 
ments." 

The  family  assembled. 

With  serious  face, 

They  round  the  ingle*  form  a  circle  wide  : 

The  sire  turns  o'er,  with  patriarchal  grace, 
The  big  hall  Bible,  once  his  father's  pride  ; 

Those  strains  that  once  did  sweet  in  Zion  glide. 
He  walesf  a  portion  with  judicious  care. 

And,  "  Let  us  worship  God,"  he  says,  with  solemn  air. 

They  chant  their  artless  notes  with  simple  guise ; 

They  tune  their  hearts,  by  far  the  noblest  aim  : 
Perhaps  Dundee's  wild  warbling  measures  rise. 

Or  plaintive  Martyrs'',  worthy  of  the  name. 

*  Fireside.  f  Selects. 


THE  SCOTSMAN'S  FIRESIDE.  3 

The  priest-like  father  reads  the  sacred  page  : 
Perhaps  the  Christian  volume  is  the  theme  ; 

How  guiltless  blood  for  guilty  man  was  shed ; 
How  he,  who  bare  in  heaven  the  second  name, 

Had  not,  on  earth,  whereon  to  lay  his  head. 

Then  kneeling  down,  to  heaven's  eternal  King 

The  saint,  the  father,  and  the  husband  prays  : 
Hope  springs  exulting  on  triumphant  wing, 

That  thus  they  all  shall  meet  in  future  days ; 
There,  ever  bask  in  uncreated  rays. 

No  more  to  sigh,  or  shed  the  bitter  tear ; 
Together  hymning  their  Creator's  praise 

In  such  society,  yet  still  more  dear, 
While  circling  time  moves  round  in  an  eternal  sphere. 

Cotter's  Saturday  Niglit. 

Mr.  M knelt  with  the  family,  and  on  rising,  ob- 
served to  Mrs.  B that  he  had  not  bent  his  knee  in  the 

same  manner  for  ten  years.  This  led  to  serious  conversa- 
tion between  him  and  Mrs.  Graham,  which  was  continued  to 
a  late  hour  ;  he,  of  course,  arguing  against  revealed  relio-ion. 

Next  day,  and  every  day,  the  subject  was  renewed,  with 
much  pleasantry  and  politeness  on  his  part,  and  great  for- 
bearance on  the  part  of  those  whose  minds  the  Spirit  of 
God  had  enlightened.  Instead  of  saying,  "  Stand  by  thy- 
self, I  am  holier  than  thou,"  they  often  said  to  each  other, 
"Who  maketh  us  to  differ?"  and  united  in  private  prayer 
that  God  would  look  in  compassion  on  their  guest,  and 
bless  their  conversation  to  awaken  him  to  a  sense  of  his  sin 
and  danger. 

One  day,  while  conversing  with  Mrs.  Graham,  he  re- 
marked, "I  have  travelled  through  many  countries,  and 
have  seen  many  families,  but  never,  till  now,  have  I  wit- 
nessed such  perfect  happiness." 

"Perhaps,  sir,"  said  the  aged  saint,  "you  never  were 
with  those  who  had  an  assured  liope  of  an  interest  in  Christ, 
and  that,  through  his  atonement,  '  all  things  shall  Avork  to- 
gether for  their  good,'  both  in  time  and  eternity." 

"  No,  indeed  I  have  not,  since  I  left  the  parental  roof." 

One  of  the  children,  a  lovely  girl  about  tw^o  years  old, 
was  his  particular  favorite,  and  he  often  walked  the  gar- 
den with  her  in  his  arms,  entertaining  her  with  Scottish 
melody. 


4  THE  SCOTSMAN'S  FIRESIDE 

When  the  fever  had  subsided,  Mr.  M returned  to 

W ,  where  he  resided,  to  arrange  his  business  previous 

to  going  to  the  West  Indies  to  visit  his  brothers,  with  a  view 
to  procure  aid  towards  embarking  in  the  mercantile  Hne. 
In  the  mean  time  it  pleased  God  to  remove  by  death  the 
lovely  olive-plant  who  had  so  often  shared  in  his  attentions. 

On  his  return  to  New  York,  Mr.  B could  scarcely 

persuade  him  to  visit  the  family,  as  he  feared  that  Mrs. 

B 's  sorrows,  on  seeing  him,  would  be  renewed.     He, 

however,  was  prevailed  on,  and  again  and  again  religion 
became  the  subject  of  conversation. 

As  Mr.  M had  recently  been  deprived  of  an  oiSice 

under  government,  his  pecuniary  means  were  slender,  which 

caused  Mr.  and  Mrs.  B to  add  to  his  sea-stores  such 

comforts  as  in  those  days  were  not  furnished  to  ship  pas- 
sengers ;  and  each  determined  to  add  provision  for  the  soul 
as  well  as  the  body.  Mrs.  B put  up  a  small  pocket- 
Bible,  with  references  in  the  blank  leaf  to  appropriate  texts  ; 
Mrs.   Graham  added  "The  Rise  and  Progress  of  Religion 

in  the  Soul ;"  and  Mr.  B ,  "  The  Refuge,"  with  a  long 

letter,  superscribed,  "  Not  to  he  opened  till  out  at  sea^ 

Many  months  elapsed  before  the  family  heard  from  Mr. 

M ,  but  he  was  often  remembered  at  the  throne  of 

grace,  and  his  three  friends  derived  some  consolation  from 
the  recollection  that,  during  his  last  visit,  he  had  appeared 
more  serious,  and  had  courted  religious  conversation.     At 

length  Mr.  B received  a  letter  from  Mr.  M ,  dated 

at  G ,  at  the  close  of  which  he  remarked  that  he  never 

expected  to  be  as  happy  as  they,  for  his  past  life  had  been 
spent  in  such  a  way  as  to  deprive  him  of  all  hopes  of  ever 
enjoying  the  favor  of  God. 

But  we  will  let  Mr.  M tell  his  own  story.     Two 

years  after  that  period,  he  was  again  a  visitor  in  that  parlor 
where,  for  the  first  time  in  ten  years,  he  bowed  the  knee. 
He  then  related  to  a  dear  departed  Christian  friend  and 

Mrs.  B ,  the  way  in  which  the  Lord  had  led  him,  until 

he  found  "  peace  in  believing."  His  account  was  substan- 
tially as  follows  : 

"There,"  said  he,  pointing  with  his  finger,  "there,  on 
that  spot,  I  bowed  the  knee  in  complaisance  to  man,  while 
my  heart  was  filled  with  enmity  against  God  ;  and  0,  the 
long-suffering  and   compassion  of  that  God,  who  of  such  a 


THE  SCOTSMAN'S  FIRESIDE.  5 

rebel  has  made  a  child  of  grace.  The  moment  I  found  my- 
self on  my  knees,  early  associations  crowded  on  my  mind  ; 

I  did  not  hear  a  word  of  Mr.  B 's  prayer,  for  I  was 

immediately,  in  idea,  transported  back  to  similar  scenes  un- 
der my  father's  roof. 

"  I  arose  from  my  knees  as  if  waking  from  a  dream  ; 
and  from  that  hour  I  have  found  myself  often  mentally  ask- 
ing the  question,  *  If  the  Bible,  after  all,  should  be  true, 
what  must  become  of  me  V 

"  When  it  pleased  God  to  remove  by  death  your  lovely 

R ,  I  was  filled  with  anger.     '  Is  this  the  God  so  often 

extolled  for  his  mercy  and  justice?'  I  said  with  myself; 
*  does  he  thus  reward  those  who  faithfully  serve  him  V  I 
felt  that  I  could  have  torn  him  from  his  throne  ;  and  when 
I  visited  the  city  a  few  weeks  after,  I  feared  to  call  on  you, 
lest  the  presence  of  one  who  so  fondly  loved  your  darling, 

should  renew  your  grief;  but  Mr,  B insisted,  saying, 

'  Go,  my  friend,  and  see  the  consolation  religion  affords  in 
time  of  trouble.' 

''  Every  time  I  visited  you,  and  conversed  with  Mrs. 
Graham,  I  felt  that  there  must  be  some  source  from  which 
Christians  derive  happiness,  of  Avhich  I  was  ignorant.  I 
did  not  avoid  religious  conversation,  and  generally  left  your 
family  with  a  painful  feeling  that  all  my  golden  expecta- 
tions of  happiness  connected  with  '  liberty  and  equaUty,' 
and  man's  perfectability,  must  soon  pass  away :  and  that  I 
must  yield  the  palm  of  discovery  to  those  Avhom  I  had 
often  made  the  jest  of  revelry,  and  let  that  volume  which 
I  had  considered  only  as  '  old  wives'  fables,'  take  the  place  of 
infidel  writers.  '  Miserable  comforters'  I  had  found  them  all. 
Still,  however,  I  felt  irresolute  as  to  my  future  conduct. 

"  When  at  sea,  I  read  Mr.  B 's  letter,  and  looked 

into  the  books  that  accompanied  it.  Every  word  I  read 
condemned  me ;  and  I  saw  that  I  was  a  wretched,  guilty 
sinner,  at  the  mercy  of  an  offended  God.  But  to  become 
relio-ious  would  mar  my  worldly  prospects.  I  feared  'the 
world's  dread  laugh,'  when  again  I  should  meet  my  former 
associates.  I  had  no  time  to  retrace  my  steps,  and  I  there- 
fore continued  in  the  same  course.  I  took  the  letter  and 
books,  iind  pushing  them  out  of  sight  at  the  bottom  of  my 
trunk,'  I  determined  to  banish  all  thoughts  of  religion  from 
my  mind. 

VOL.  VITI.  19 


6  THE  SCOTSMAN'S  FIRESIDE. 

"  I  succeeded  in  mj  object  in  the  West  Indies,  and  re- 
turned to  W ,  from  which  place  I  wrote  to  Mr.  B , 

to  inform  him  of  my  phins.  Before  closing  my  letter,  I 
thought  '  1  must  add  something  on  the  subject  of  religion, 
to  please  tliose  good  people,  who  are  certamly  the  kindest 
enthusiasts^-  I  ever  knew.' 

"  What   I   said   called  forth   another  letter  from  Mr. 

B .     He  did  not  suspect  my  hypocrisy,  but  viewed  me 

as  one  convinced  of  sin,  and  anxious  to  know  what  I  should 
'  do  to  be  saved.'  He  advised  me  to  procure  Saurin's  Ser- 
mons, and  read  that  '  On  the  Compassion  of  God.'  But  it 
was  far  from  my  intention  to  comply  with  his  request ;  and 
only  that  part  of  his  letter  that  related  to  worldly  prospects 
was  attended  to.  I  continued  to  associate  with  the  gay,  care- 
fully concealing  the  fearful  doubts  and  forebodings  w^hich 
often  haunted  my  mind  while  partaking  in  their  revels. 

"  Shortly  after,  I  made  one  of  a  party  to  attend  a  grand 
ball  at  A .  We  dined  at  a  tavern,  and  the  glass  circu- 
lated till  the  festive  scene  of  the  evening  commenced.  The 
excitino-  influence  of  dancino-,  added  to  that  of  wine,  caused 
me  to  fly  rather  than  dance,  and  by  some  means  to  me  un- 
accountable, I  fell  and  broke  my  arm.  A  young  physician, 
one  of  the  party,  set  it ;  and  while  the  gay  revellers  re- 
turned to  their  homes,  I  was  carried  to  the  upper  story  of 
the  building,  where  I  passed  a  sleepless  night,  under  the 
excitement  of  fever,  aggravated  by  an  alarmed  and  awaken- 
ed conscience. 

"  Again  early  associations  recurred  to  my  mind,  espe- 
cially the  slighted  admonitions  of  a  pious  mother,  blended 
with  the  remembrance  of  her  soothing  attentions  in  child- 
hood, when  laid  on  a  sick  bed.  And  '  0,  that  I  knew  where 
I  could  find  that  God  whose  consolations  she  and  my  New 
York  friends  enjoy  in  time  of  trial !'  was  my  earnest  cry. 

"  Uj  arm  not  being  properly  set,  had  again  to  be  broken 
and  reset,  which  made  my  confinement  much  longer  than  it 
would  otherwise  have  been.  I  sent  for  Saurin'sSermons, 
and  found  consolation  in  reading  the  sermon  recommend- 
ed by  Mr.  B .     I  carefully  read  Doddridge's  Rise  and 

Progress,  every  word  of  which  seemed  to  accord  with  the 

*  Perhaps  the  epithet  enthiisiasf  grated  on  his  mind,  like  coivard 
on  that  of  the  duellist,  and  hushed  the  "  still  small  voice  of  con- 
science." 


THE  SLOTriMAN'ri  FIRE.SIDE.  7 

state  of  my  mind.  I  opened  my  long-neglected  Bible.  I 
saw  that  I  was  ruined  by  sin ;  justly  condemned ;  and  that 
there  was  no  salvation  except '  through  the  redemption  that 
is  in  Christ  Jesus/  in  whom  God  could  be  'just,  and  the 
justifier  of  him  that  believeth.'  Into  the  arms  of  that  Re- 
deemer I  was  enabled  to  throw  myself.  I  left  my  room, 
humbly  trusting  I  had  an  advocate  with  my  offended  Father, 
in  Christ  Jesus  ;  and  cordially  relying  on  his  righteousness, 
I  was  freed  from  the  awful  dread  of  a  judgment  to  come. 

''  I  returned  to  W ,  determined  to  break  off  from 

the  world  and  my  former  associates  ;  and  now,  *  clothed 
and  in  my  right  mind,'  never  to  quit  the  feet  of  Jesus. 

"A  few  weeks  after,  hearing  that  the  communion  was 

to  be  dispensed  at  A ,  I  resolved  that  the  scene  of  my 

former  folly  should  first  witness  my  deep  repentance,  and 
my  humble  trust  in  that  Saviour  I  had  so  long  rejected. 
There  I  publicly  devoted  myself  to  him,  and  partook  of  the 
symbols  of  the  broken  body  and  shed  blood  of  him  '  who 
loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for  me.' 

"  And  now,  my  friends,  will  you  not  help  me  to  bless 
and  magnify  the  name  of  God,  who  thus  took  me  from  '  the 
horrible  pit'  of  infidelity,  and  *  the  miry  clay'  of  worldli- 
ness  and  sin,  and  set  my  feet  upon  the  '  Rock  of  ages  ?'" 

]\Xr,  M ,  during  the  Avhole  of  his  subsequent  life, 

proved  his  faith  by  his  works.  Prayer-meetings,  Sabbath- 
schools,  plans  for  ameliorating  the  condition  of  the  poor, 
and  all  the  benevolent  objects  of  the  day,  shared  his  atten- 
tion. He  became  an  officer  in  the  church,  and  by  his  phi- 
lanthropy obtained  the  name  of  the  Howard  of  G n. 

His  constitution,  never  very  robust,  gave  way  about  the 
age  of  forty,  when  he  departed  in  peace. 

Two  of  his  three  friends  have  since  joined  him — he  who, 
like  Abraham,  "  commanded  his  children  and  his  household 
after  him ;"  and  the  mother  in  Israel,  who  saw  her  chil- 
dren's children  following  her  steps,  and  ''who,  being  dead, 
yet  speaketh." 

Reader,  hast  thou,  like  the  subject  of  this  narrative, 
imbibed  infidel  i^rinciples  ;  does  the  Bible — if,  indeed,  thou 
hast  one — lie  unopened  ;  do  thy  knees  never  bend  to  the 
God  who  made  thee  ?  Be  instructed  by  the  history  of  Mr. 
M ,  and  weary  not  thyself  seeking  happiness  where 


3  THE  SCOTSMAN'S  FIRESIDE. 

thou  seest  he  never  found  it.  Take  down  thy  long-neg- 
lected Bible.  Turn  to  Psalm  14:1,  and  read  the  charac- 
ter of  him  who  "hath  said  in  his  heart,  There  is  no  GodT 
Then  turn  to  those  precious  words,  Isaiah  55  :  6,  7,  "  Seek 
ye  the  Lord  while  he  may  be  found  ;  call  ye  upon  him- 
while  he  is  near.  Let  the  wicked  forsake  his  way,  and  the 
unrighteous  man  his  thoughts ;  and  let  him  return  unto  the 
Lord,  and  he  will  have  mercy  upon  him ;  and  to  our  God, 
for  he  w411  abundantly  pardon." 

Is  the  reader  ^^oo?-  .^  And  dost  thou  think  thou  hast  no 
time  to  read  thy  Bible  or  to  attend  to  the  interests  of  thy  soul  ? 
Turn  to  Psalm  127  :  1,  2,  and  thou  wilt  see  that  without  the 
blessing  of  God,  "it  is  in  vain  for  thee  to  rise  up  early,  to  sit 
up  late,  and  to  eat  the  bread  of  sorrows."  Then  turn  to  Mat- 
thew 6  :  33,  and  immediately  comply  with  thy  Saviour's 
command :  "  Seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  right- 
eousness, and  all  these  things  shall  be  added  unto  you." 

Are  these  pages  read  by  a  fireside  like  that  above  de- 
scribed ;  where  the  morning  and  evening  worship  are  like  a 
foundation  and  a  covering  to  the  dwelling  ?  Let  the  value 
of  early  religious  impressions,  illustrated  in  this  narrative, 
incite  parents  and  guardians,  not  only  to  be  faithful  to  their 
own  households,  but  by  every  practicable  method  to  pro- 
mote the  religious  improvement  of  all  the  rising  generation — 
contributing  to  Sabbath  and  infant-schools,  and  all  charities 
for  the  ignorant  and  destitute,  time,  talents,  and  substance, 
according  as  the  Lord  hath  given  them. 

Let  this  narrative  also  encourage  the  friends  of  the  Re- 
deemer to  be  faithful  to  those  w^ho  may  seem  farthest  from 
the  kingdom  of  God.  Let  them  remember  in  their  prayers 
and  their  kind  Christian  endeavors,  the  rich,  the  infidel,  the 
gay,  and  the  iwoud.  On  all  suitable  occasions,  and  in  a 
proper  manner,  let  the  truths  of  the  Gospel  be  pressed  even 
on  their  hearts  ;  and  let  them  be  exemplified  and  commend- 
ed, by  a  uniformly  meek,  consistent,  and  Godly  example. 

Reader,  whoever  you  are,  while  you  reject  the  Gospel, 
you  "  spend  money  for  that  w^hich  is  not  bread,  and  your 
labor  for  that  which  satisfieth  not."  Hear,  then,  and  ac- 
cept the  invitation,  Isaiali  55  :  1,  "Ho,  every  one  that 
thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters ;  and  he  that  hath  no 
money,  come  ye  ;  yea,  come,  buy  wine  and  milk,  without 
money  and  without  price." 


No.  375. 

THE  AMIABLE  LOUISA. 


FROM  "THE  YOUXG  CHRISTIAX. 


The  circumstances  related  in  the  following  narrative  are  of 
recent  occurrence,  and  the  reader  may  rely  upon  the  strict  truth 
and  faithfulness  of  the  description. 

Shortly  after  my  settlement  in  the  ministry,  I  observed 
in  the  congregation  a  young  lady  whose  blooming  counte- 
nance and  cheerful  air  showed  perfect  health  and  high  ela- 
tion of  spirits.  Her  appearance  satisfied  me  at  once  that 
she  was  amiable  and  thoughtless.  There  was  no  one  of  my 
charge  whose  prospers  for  long  life  were  more  promising 
than  her  owr^,  and  perhaps  no  one  who  looked  forward  to 
the  future  with  more  pleasing  hopes  of  enjoyment.  To  her 
eye  the  world  seemed  bright.  She  often  said  she  wished 
to  enjoy  more  of  it  before  she  became  a  Christian. 

Louisa — for  by  that  name  I  shall  call  her — manifest-ed 
no  particular  hostility  to  religion,  but  wished  to  Hve  a  gay 
and  merry  life  till  just  before  her  death,  and  then  to  become 
pious  and  die  happy.  She  was  constant  in  her  attendance 
at  church,  and  while  others  seemed  moved  by  the  exhibi- 
tion of  the  Saviour's  love,  she  seemed  entirely  miaffected. 
Upon  whatever  subject  I  preached,  her  countenance  retained 
the  same  marks  of  indifference  and  unconcern.  The  same 
easy  smile  played  upon  her  features,  whether  sin  or  death, 
or  heaven  or  hell,  was  the  theme  of  discourse.  One  even- 
ing I  invited  a  few  of  the  young  ladies  of  my  society  to 
meet  at  my  house.  She  came  with  her  companions.  I  had 
sougiii;  the  interview  with  them,  that  I  might  more  directly 
urge  upon  them  the  importance  of  religion.  All  in  the 
room  were  affected — and  she,  though  evidently  moved,  en- 
deavored to  conceal  her  feelings. 

The  interest  in  this  great  subject  manifested  by  those 
present  was  such,  that  I  informed  them  that  I  would  meet, 
in  a  week  from  that  time,  any  who  wished  for  personal  con- 
versation.    The  appointed  evening  arrived,  and  I  was  de- 

VOL.  Vill  19* 


2  THE  AMIABLE  LOUISA. 

lighted  in  seeing,  -svith  two  or  three  others,  Louisa  enter  my 
house. 

I  conversed  with  each  one  individually.  They  gener- 
ally, with  much  frankness,  expressed  their  state  of  feeling. 
Most  of  them  expressed  much  solicitude  respecting  their 
eternal  interests.  Louisa  appeared  different  from  all  the 
rest.  She  was  anxious  and  unable  to  conceal  her  anxiety, 
and  yet  ashamed  to  have  it  known.  She  had  come  to  con- 
verse with  me  upon  the  subject  of  religion,  and  yet  Avas 
making  an  evident  effort  to  appear  indifferent.  I  had  long 
felt  interested  in  Louisa,  and  was  glad  of  this  opportunity 
to  converse  with  her. 

"  Louisa,"  said  I,  "I  am  happy  to  see  you  here  this 
evening,  and  particularly  so,  as  you  have  become  interested 
in  the  subject  of  religion." 
She  made  no  reply. 

"  Have  you  been  long  thinking  upon  this  subject, 
Louisa?" 

''  I  always  thought  the  subject  important,  sir,  but  have 
not  attended  to  it  as  I  suppose  1  ouoht." 

**  Do  you  now  feel  the  subject  to  be  more  important 
than  you  have  previously  ?" 

**  I  don't  know,  sir ;  I  think  I  want  to  be  a  Christian." 
"  Do  you  feel  that  you  are  a  sinner,  Louisa?" 
"  I  knoiv  that  I  am  a  sinner,  for  the  Bible  says  so,  but 
I  suppose  that  I  do  not  feel  it  enough." 

*'  Can  you  expect  that  God  w^ill  receive  you  into  his 
favor  while  you  are  in  such  a  state  of  mind  ?  He  has  made 
you,  and  he  is  now  taking  care  of  you,  giving  you  every 
blessing  and  every  enjoyment  you  have,  and  yet  you  have 
lived  many  years  without  any  gratitude  to  him,  and  contin- 
ually breaking  his  commandments,  and  now  do  not  feel  that 
you  are  a  sinner.  What  would  you  think  of  a  child  whose 
kind  and  affectionate  parents  had  done  every  thing  in  their 
power  to  make  her  happy,  and  who  should  yet  not  feel  that 
she  had  done  any  thing  wrong,  though  she  had  been  every 
day  disobeying  her  parents,  and  had  never  expressed  any 
gratitude  for  their  kindness.  You,  Louisa,  would  abhor 
such  a  child.  And  yet  this  is  the  way  you  have  been  treat- 
ing your  heavenly  Father,  and  he  has  heard  you  say  this 
evening  that  you  do  not  feel  that  you  have  done  wrong,  and 
he  sees  your  heart,  and  knows  how  unfeeling  it  is.     Now, 


THE  AMIABLE  LOUISA.  3 

Louisa,  you  must  be  lost,  unless  you  repent  of  your  sins, 
and  ask  humbly,  and  earnestly,  for  forgiveness.  And  why 
will  you  not  ?  You  know  that  Christ  has  died  to  atone  for 
sin,  and  that  God  will  forgive  you  for  his  Son's  sake  if  you 
trust  in  him." 

To  this  Louisa  made  no  reply.  She  did  not  seem  dis- 
pleased, neither  did  her  feelings  appear  subdued. 

After  addressing  a  few  general  remarks  to  my  young- 
friends,  we  kneeled  in  prayer,  and  the  interview  closed. 
Another  meeting  was  appointed  on  the  same  evening  of  the 
succeeding  week.  Louisa  again  made  her  appearance  with 
the  same  young  ladies  and  a  few  others.  She  appeared 
much  more  deeply  impressed.  Her  coldness  and  reserve 
had  given  place  to  a  frank  expression  of  interest  and  exhibi- 
tion of  feeling. 

"  Well,  Louisa,"  said  I,  as  in  turn  I  commenced  con- 
versing with  her,  "  I  was  almost  afraid  I  should  not  see  you 
here  this  evening." 

'*  I  feel,  sir,"  said  she,  *'  that  it  is  time  for  me  to  attend 
to  my  immortal  soul.     I  have  neglected  it  too  long." 

"  Do  you /(?<??  that  you  are  a  sinner,  Louisa?" 

"  Yes,  sir,  I  do." 

"  Do  you  think,  Louisa,  you  have  any  claim  upon  God 
to  forgive  you  ?" 

"  No,  sir.  It  would  be  just  in  God  to  leave  me  to  per- 
ish. I  think  I  want  to  repent,  but  I  cannot.  I  want  to  love 
God,  but  do  not  know  how  I  can." 

"  Do  you  remember,  Louisa,  that  Christ  has  said,  '  Who- 
soever he  be  of  you  that  forsaketh  not  all  that  he  hath,  he 
cannot  be  my  disciple  ?'  " 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"  Well,  Louisa,  now  count  the  cost ;  are  you  ready  to 
give  up  all  for  Christ?  Are  you  ready  to  turn  from  your 
gay  companions,  and  lay  aside  your  frivolous  pleasures,  and 
acknowledge  the  Saviour  publicly,  and  be  derided,  as  per- 
haps you  will  be,  by  your  former  friends,  and  live  a  life  of 
prayer  and  of  effort  to  do  good  ?" 

She  hesitated  for  a  moment,  and  then  replied,  "  I  am 
afraid  not." 

"  Well,  Louisa,  the  terms  of  acceptance  with  God  are 
plain,  and  there  is  no  altering  them.  You  cannot  serve 
God  and  mammon.    If  you  would  be  a  Christian,  you  must 


4  THE  AMIABLE  LOUISA 

renounce  all  sin,  and  with  a  broken  heart  surrender  your- 
self entirely  to  the  Saviour." 

This  evening's  interview  closed  as  before,  and  a  similar 
appointment  Avas  made  for  the  next  week.  Some  of  the 
young  ladies  present,  I  had  reason  to  believe,  had  accepted 
the  terms  of  salvation.  The  next  Aveek  about  the  same  num- 
ber Avere  present,  but  Louisa  Avas  not  Avith  them ;  a  slight 
cold  had  detained  her.  But  the  Aveek  after  she  again  ap- 
peared. To  my  great  disappointment  I  found  her  interest 
diminishing.  Though  not  exhibiting  that  cold  reserve  Avhich 
she  at  first  manifested,  she  seemed  far  less  anxious  than  at 
our  last  intervieAv — the  Spirit  Avas  grieved  aAvay.  This  Avas 
the  last  time  she  called  to  see  me ;  but  alas,  I  was  soon 
called  to  see  her,  under  circumstances  AA^hich,  at  that  time, 
Avere  but  little  anticipated.  These  social  meetings  continued 
for  some  time,  and  many  of  Louisa's  associates,  I  have  cause 
to  hope,  became  the  disciples  of  Jesus. 

Tavo  or  three  months  passed  aAvay,  and  my  various  du- 
ties so  far  engrossed  my  mind  that  my  particular  interest  in 
Louisa's  spiritual  welfare  had  giA^en  place  to  other  solici- 
tudes ;  when  one  day  as  I  Avas  riding  out,  making  parochial 
visits,  one  of  my  parishioners  informed  me  that  she  Avas 
quite  uuAvell,  and  desired  to  see  me.  In  a  fcAv  moments  I 
Avas  in  her  sick  chamber.  She  had  taken  a  A'iolent  cold,  and 
it  had  settled  into  a  feA^er.  She  AA^as  lying  in  her  bed,  her 
cheek  gloAving  Avith  the  feverish  hue,  and  her  lips  parched 
Avith  thirst.  She  seemed  agitated  Avhen  I  entered  the  room, 
and  the  moment  I  stood  by  her  bedside  and  inquired  hoAv 
she  did,  she  covered  her  face  Avith  both  hands  and  burst 
into  a  flood  of  tears. 

Her  sister,  Avho  Avas  by  her  bedside,  immediately  turned 
to  me  and  said,  "  Sir,  she  is  in  great  distress  of  mind.  Men- 
tal agony  has  kept  her  aAvake  nearly  all  night.  She  has 
Avanted  verA^  much  to  see  you,  that  you  might  couA^erse  Avith 
her." 

I  AA'as  fearful  that  the  agitation  of  her  feelings  might 
seriously  injure  her  health,  and  did  all  I  consistently  could 
to  soothe  and  quiet  her. 

"But,  sir,"  said  Louisa,  "I  am  sick,  and  may  die;  I 
knoAV  that  I  am  not  a  Christian,  and  Oh,  if  I  die  in  this  state 
of  mind,  Avhat  Avill  become  of  me  ?  What  Avill  become  of 
me?"  and  she  again  burst  into  tears. 


THE  AMIABLE  LOUISA,  5 

What  could  I  say?  Every  word  she  said  was  true. 
Her  eyes  were  opened  to  her  danger.  There  was  cause  for 
alarm.  Sickness  was  upon  her.  Delirium  might  soon  en- 
sue ;  death  might  be  very  near ;  and  her  soul  was  unpre- 
pared to  appear  before  God.  She  saw  it  all ;  she  felt  it  all. 
Fever  was  burning  in  her  veins.  But  she  forgot  her  pain 
in  view  of  the  terrors  of  approaching  judgment. 

I  told  her  that  the  Lord  was  merciful  and  ready  to  par- 
don ;  that  he  had  given  his  Son  to  die  for  sinners ;  and  was 
more  ready  to  forgive  than  we  to  ask  forgiveness. 

"  But,  sir,"  said  she,  *'  I  have  known  my  duty  long,  and 
have  not  done  it.  I  have  been  ashamed  of  my  Saviour,  and 
grieved  away  the  Spirit;  and  now  I  am  upon  a  sick  bed, 
and  perhaps  must  die.  Oh,  if  I  were  but  a  Christian  I 
should  be  willing  to  die." 

I  told  her  of  the  Saviour's  love.  I  pointed  to  many  of 
God's  precious  promises  to  the  penitent.  I  endeavored  to 
induce  her  to  resign  her  soul  calmly  to  the  Saviour.  But 
all  was  unavailing.  Trembling  and  agitated,  she  was  look- 
ing forward  to  the  dark  future.  ■  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  had 
opened  her  eyes,  and  through  her  own  reflections  had  led 
her  into  this  state  of  alarm.  I  knelt  by  her  bedside  and 
fervently  prayed  that  the  Holy  Spirit  would  guide  her  to 
the  truth,  and  that  the  Saviour  would  speak  peace  to  her 
troubled  soul.  0  could  they  who  are  postponing  repent- 
ance to  a  sick-bed  have  Avitnessed  the  suffering  of  this  once 
merry  girl,  they  would  shudder  at  the  thought  of  trusting 
to  a  dying  hour.  How  poor  a  time  to  prepare  to  meet  God, 
when  the  mind  is  enfeebled,  when  the  body  is  restless  or 
racked  with  pain,  and  when  mental  agitation  frustrates  the 
skill  of  the  physician.  Yet  so  it  is.  One  half  the  world  are 
postponing  repentance  to  a  dying  bed.  And  when  sickness 
comes,  the  very  circumstance  of  being  unprepared  hurries 
the  miserable  victim  to  the  grave. 

The  next  day  I  called  again  to  see  Louisa.  Her  fever 
was  still  raging,  and  its  fires  were  fanned  by  mental  suffer- 
ing. Poor  girl !  thought  I,  as  the  first  glance  of  her  coun- 
tenance showed  the  strong  lineaments  of  despair.  I  needed 
not  to  ask  how  she  felt.  Her  countenance  told  her  feelings. 
And  I  knew  that  while  her  mind  was  in  this  state,  restora- 
tion to  health  was  out  of  the  question. 

"  And  can  vou  not,  Louisa,"  said  I,  "  trust  vour  soul 


6  THE  AMIABLE  LOUISA. 

with  the  Saviour  who  died  for  3^ou  ?  He  has  said,  '  Come 
unto  me,  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will 
give  you  rest.'  " 

"  Oh,  sir,  I  know  the  Saviour  is  merciful,  but  somehow 
or  other  I  cannot  go  to  him,  I  know  not  Avhy — Oh,  I  am 
miserable  indeed." 

"  Do  3"ou  think,  Louisa,  that  you  are  penitent  for  sin? 
If  you  are,  you  are  forgiven ;  for  God  who  gave  his  Son  to 
die  for  us,  is  more  ready  to  pardon  than  we  to  ask  for- 
giveness. He  is  more  ready  to  give  good  gifts  to  the  pen- 
itent than  any  earthly  parent  to  give  bread  to  his  hungry 
child." 

I  then  opened  the  Bible  at  the  15th  chapter  of  Luke, 
and  read  the  parable  of  the  prodigal  son.  I  particularly 
directed  her  attention  to  the  20th  verse :  "  When  he  was 
3'et  a  great  way  off  his  father  saw  him,  and  had  compassion, 
and  ran,  and  fell  upon  his  neck,  and  kissed  him." 

"  Oh,  sir,"  said  she,  ''  none  of  these  promises  are  for  me. 
I  find  no  peace  to  my  troubled  spirit.  I  have  long  been 
sinnino-  ao-ainst  God,  and  now  he  is  summonino;  me  to  ren- 
der  up  my  account;  and  Oh,  what  an  account  have  I  to 
render !  The  doctor  gives  me  medicine,  but  I  feel  that  it 
does  no  good,  for  I  can  think  of  nothing  but  my  poor  soul. 
Even  if  I  w^ere  perfectly  well,  I  could  hardly  endure  the 
view  Avhich  God  has  given  me  of  my  sins.  If  they  were 
forgiven  how  happy  should  I  be  !  but  now — Oh !" — her 
voice  was  stopped  by  a  fit  of  shuddering,  w^hich  agitated 
those  around  her  with  the  fear  that  she  mio-ht  be  dvinor. 
Soon,  however,  her  nerves  Avere  more  quiet,  and  I  kneeled 
to  commend  her  spirit  to  the  Lord. 

As  I  rode  home,  her  despairing  countenance  was  un- 
ceasingly before  me.  Her  lamentations,  her  mournful 
groans  were  continually  crying  in  my  ears.  As  I  kneeled 
with  my  family  at  evening,  I  bore  Louisa  upon  my  heart  to 
the  throne  of  grace.  All  night  I  was  restlessly  upon  my 
pillow  dreaming  of  unavailing  efforts  at  this  sick-bed. 

Another  morning  came.  As  I  knocked  at  the  door  of 
her  dwelling  I  felt  a  most  painful  solicitude  as  to  the  an- 
swer I  might  receive. 

"  How  is  Louisa  this  morning  ?"  said  I  to  the  person 
who  opened  the  door. 

"  She  is  fast  failing,  sir,  and  the  doctor  thinks  she  can- 


THE  A.MIABLE  LOUISA.  7 

not  recover.    We  have  just  sent  for  her  friends  to  come  and 
see  her  before  she  dies." 

''  Is  her  mind  more  composed  than  it  has  been  ?" 
"  0  no,  sir.     She  has  had  a  dreadful  night.     She  says 
that  she  is  lost,  and  that  there  is  no  hope  for  her." 

I  went  into  her  chamber.  Despair  was  pictured  more 
deeply  than  ever  upon  her  flushed  and  fevered  countenance. 
I  was  surprised  at  the  strength  she  still  manifested  as  she 
tossed  from  side  to  side.  Death  was  evidently  drawing 
near.  She  knew  it.  She  had  lived  without  God,  and  felt 
that  she  was  unprepared  to  stand  before  him.  A  few  of 
her  young  friends  were  standing  by  her  bedside.  She 
warned  them  in  the  most  affecting  terms  to  prepare  for 
death  while  in  health.  She  told  them  of  the  mental  agony 
she  was  then  enduring,  and  of  the  heavier  woes  which  were 
thickly  scattered  through  that  endless  career  she  was  about 
to  enter.  All  her  conversation  was  interspersed  with  the 
most  heart-rending  exclamations  of  despair.  She  said  she 
knew  that  God  was  ready  to  forgive  the  sincerely  penitent, 
but  that  her  sorrow  was  not  sorrow  for  sin,  but  dread  of  its 
awful  penalty. 

I  had  already  said  all  that  I  could  to  lead  her  to  the 
Saviour — but  no  Saviour  cast  his  love  on  this  dying  bed — 
no  ray  of  peace  cheered  the  departing  soul.  Youth  and 
beauty  were  struggling  with  death ;  and  as  that  eye  which 
but  a  few  days  before  had  sparkled  with  gayety,  now  gazed 
on  eternity,  it  was  fixed  in  an  expression  of  despair. 

"  By  many  a  death-bed  I  had  been, 
And  many  a  sinner's  parting  seen, 
But  never  aught  like  this." 

There  was  nothing  that  could  be  said.  The  moanings 
of  the  sufferer  mingled  with  the  prayer,  which  was  almost 
inarticulately  uttered,  from  the  emotions  which  the  scene 
inspired. 

Late  in  the  afternoon  I  called  again.  But  her  reason 
was  gone,  and  in  restless  agony  she  was  grappling  with 
death.  Her  friends  were  standing  around  her,  but  she  did 
not  recognize  them.  Every  eye  in  the  room  was  filled  with 
tears,  but  poor  Louisa  saw  not,  and  heeded  not  their  weep- 
ing. It  was  a  scene  which  neither  pen  nor  pencil  can  por- 
triiy.      At  the  present  moment  that  chamber  of  death  is  as 


8  THE  AMIABLE  LOUISA. 

vividly  present  to  my  mind  as  it  was  when  I  looked  upon  it 
through  irrepressible  tears.  I  can  now  see  the  disorder  of 
the  dying  bed — the  restless  form — the  swollen  veins — the 
hectic  burning  cheek — the  eyes  rolling  wildly  around  the 
room — and  the  weeping  friends.  Who  can  describe  such  a 
scene  ?  And  who  can  imagine  the  emotions  which  one  must 
feel  who  knew  her  history,  and  who  knew  that  this  delirium 
succeeded  temporal,  and  perhaps  preceded  eternal  despair  ? 
Louisa  could  no  longer  listen  to  my  prayers  ;  she  could  no 
longer  receive  the  precious  instructions  of  God's  word.  And 
what  could  be  said  to  console  her  friends  ?  Nothing.  "  Be 
still,  and  know  that  I  am  God,"  was  all  that  could  be  said. 
I  could  only  look  and  listen  with  reverence,  inwardly  pray- 
ing that  the  sad  spectacle  might  not  be  lost  upon  any  of  us. 
For  some  time  I  lingered  around  the  solemn  scene  in  silence. 
Not  a  word  was  spoken.  All  knew  that  death  was  near. 
The  friends  who  were  most  deepl}^  affected  struggled  hard 
to  restrain  the  audible  expression  of  grief.  In  silence  I  had 
entered  the  room,  and  in  silence  and  sadness  I  Avent  away. 

Early  the  next  morning  I  called  at  the  door  to  inquire 
for  Louisa. 

"  She  is  dead,  sir,"  was  the  reply  to  my  question. 

"  At  what  time  did  she  die  ?" 

"  About  midnight,  sir." 

"  Was  her  reason  restored  before  her  death  ?" 

*'  It  appeared  partially  to  return  a  few  moments  before 
she  breathed  her  last,  but  she  was  almost  gone,  and  we 
could  hardly  understand  what  she  said." 

"  Did  she  seem  any  more  peaceful  in  her  mind  ?" 

"  Her  friends  thought,  sir,  that  she  did  express  a  will- 
ingness to  depart,  but  she  Avas  so  weak  and  so  far  gone 
that  it  was  impossible  for  her  to  express  her  mind  Avith  an}?- 
clearness." 

This  is  all  that  can  be  said  of  the  eternal  prospects  of 
one  who  "  ivished  to  live  a  gay  and  merry  life  till  just 
hefore  death,  and  then  to  become  2>ioiis,  and  die  happyT 
Reader, 

"  Be  wise  to-day — 'tis  madness  to  defer." 


PUBLISHED   BY    THE   AMERICAN    TRACT    SOCIETY. 


nro.  276. 

BIBLE   ARGUMENT 

FOR 

TEMPERANCE. 


BY  REV.    AUSTIN   DICKINSON. 


The  Bible  requires  us  to  "  present  our  bodies  a  living- 
sacrifice,  holy  and  acceptable  unto  God ;"  to  "  purify  our- 
selves, even  as  he  is  pure ;"  to  "  give  no  occasion  of  stum- 
bling to  any  brother;"  to  "give  no  offence  to  the  church 
of  God;"  to  "love  our  neighbor  as  ourselves;"  to  "do 
good  to  all  as  we  have  opportunity ;"  to  "abstain  from  all 
appearance  of  evil ;"  to  "  use  the  world  as  not  abusing  it ;" 
and,  "  whether  we  eat  or  drink,  or  whatsoever  we  do,  to  do 
all  to  the  glory  of  God." 

A  Being  of  infinite  benevolence  could  not  prescribe 
rules  of  action  less  holy,  and  they  are  "  the  same  that  shall 
judge  us  in  the  last  day."  Any  indulgence,  therefore,  not 
consistent  with  these  rules,  is  rebellion  against  the  great 
Lawgiver,  and  must  disqualify  us  for  "  standing  in  the  judg- 
ment." 

As  honest  men,  then,  let  us  try  by  these  rules  the  com- 
mon practice  of  drinking  or  selling  intoxicating  liquor. 

The  use  of  such  liquor,  instead  of  enabling  us  to  "  pre- 
sent our  bodies  a  living  sacrifice,  holy  and  acceptable," 
actually  degrades,  and  prematureUj  destroys  both  body  and 
mind.  Dr.  Rush,  after  enumerating  various  loathsome  dis- 
eases, adds,  that  these  are  "  the  usual,  natural,  and  legiti- 
mate consequences  of  its  use."  Another  eminent  physician 
says,  "  The  observation  of  twenty  years  has  convinced  me, 
that  were  ten  young  men,  on  their  twenty-first  birthday, 
to  begin  to  drink  one  glass  of  ardent  spirit,  and  were  they 
vol,.  VIII.  20 


2  BIBLE  ARGUJIEXT  FOR  TEMPERAN-CE. 

to  drink  this  supposed  moderate  quantity  daily,  the  lives  of 
eight  out  of  the  ten  would  be  abridged  by  ten  or  fifteen 
years."  When  taken  freely,  its  corrupting  influences  are 
strikingly  manifest.  And  even  when  taken  moderately,  very 
few  now  pretend  to  doubt  that  it  shortens  life.  But  nothing 
can  be  clearer,  than  that  he  who  thus  wilfully  cuts  short 
his  probation  five,  ten,  or  twenty  years,  is  as  truly  a  suicide, 
as  if  he  slew  himself  violently.  Or  if  he  knowingly  encour- 
age his  neighbor  to  do  this,  he  is  equally  guilty.  He  is,  by 
the  law  of  God,  "  a  murderer." 

But  besides  prematurely  destroying  the  body,  alcoholic 
drink  injures  the  immortal  mind.  To  illustrate  the  blinding 
and  perverting  influence  of  even  a  small  quantity  of  such 
liquor,  let  a  strictly  temperate  man  spend  an  evening  with 
a  dozen  others  indulging  themselves  "  moderately :"  they 
will  be  sure  to  say  things  which  to  him  will  appear  foolish, 
if  not  wicked  ;  and  which  will  appear  so  to  themselves  on 
reflection ;  though  at  the  time  they  may  not  be  conscious 
of  any  impropriety.  And  if  this  "moderate  indulgence" 
be  habitual,  there  must,  of  course,  be  an  increased  mental 
perversion ;  till  conscience  is  "  seared  as  with  a  hot  iron," 
and  the  mind  is  lost  to  the  poAver  of  being  aff'ected  by  truth, 
as  well  as  to  the  capacity  for  usefulness.  And  is  this 
destruction  of  the  talents  God  has  given,  consistent  with  the 
injunction  to  "glorify  God  in  body  and  spirit?" 

Again,  the  habit  of  drinking  is  incoirqKitihle  with  that 
eminent  holiness  to  ivhich  you  are  commanded  to  aspire.  The 
great  Founder  of  Christianity  enjoins,  "  Be  ye  perfect,  even 
as  your  Father  in  heaven  is  perfect."  This  Avill  be  the  true 
Christian's  desire.  And  a  soul  aspiring  to  the  image  and 
full  enjoyment  of  God,  will  have  no  relish  for  any  counter- 
acting influence. 

Is  it  said,  that  for  eminently  holy  men  to  "■  mingle  strong 
drink"  may  be  inconsistent;  but  not  so  for  those  less  spir- 
itual ?  This  is  making  the  want  of  spirituality  an  excuse 
for  sensuality ;  thus  adding  sin  to  sin,  and  only  provoking 
the  Most  High.  His  mandate  is  universal :  "  Be  ye  holy, 
for  I  am  holy." 


BIBLE  ARGUMENT  FOR  TEiMPERANtE.  3 

To  this  end  you  are  charged  to  "  abstain  from  fleshly- 
lusts,  which  war  against  the  soul ;"  to  "mortify  your  mem- 
bers, which  are  earthly ;"  to  *'  exercise  yourselves  rather 
unto  godliness;"  to  ''be  kindly  aftectioned  towards  all 
men."  But  who  does  not  know  that  ''strong  drink,"  not 
only  ''eats  out  the  brain,"  but  "taketh  away  the  heart," 
diminishes  "  natural  affection,"  and  deadens  the  moral  sen- 
sibihties,  while  it  cherishes  those  very  passions  which  the 
Holy  Spirit  condemns  ?  And  how  can  one  aspiring  to  the 
divine  image,  drink  that  which  thus  tends  to  destroy  all 
that  is  pure,  spiritual,  and  lovely,  Avhile  it  kindles  the  very 
elements  of  hell  ? 

The  use  of  such  liquor  is  utterly  inconsistent  ivith  any 
thing  like  high  spiritual  enjoyment,  clear  spirittml  views,  or 
true  devotion.  A  sense  of  shame  must  inevitably  torment 
the  professor  who  in  such  a  day  cannot  resist  those  "  fleshly 
lusts  which  war  against  the  soul ;"  his  brethren  will  turn 
from  him  in  pity  or  disgust ;  and,  what  is  infinitely  more 
affecting,  the  Holy  Spirit  will  not  abide  with  him.  Thus, 
without  an  approving  conscience,  without  cordial  Christian 
intercourse,  without  the  smiles  of  the  Comforter,  how  can 
he  enjoy  religion  ? 

Abstinence  from  highly  stimulating  liquor  or  food  has 
ever  been  regarded  indispensable  to  that  serenity  of  soul 
and  clearness  of  views  so  infinitely  desirable  in  matters  of 
religion.  Hence,  the  ministers  of  religion  especially,  were 
commanded  not  to  touch  an}^  thing  like  strong  drink  when 
about  to  enter  the  sanctuary.  Lev.  10:9.  And  this,  it  is 
added,  shall  be  a  statute  for  ever  throughout  your  genera- 
tions ;  that  ye  may  put  difference  between  holy  and  unholy  ; 
clearly  showing  God's  judgment  of  the  effect  of  temperance 
on  spiritual  discernment. 

On  the  principle  of  abstinence  we  may  account,  in  part, 
for  that  holy  ecstasy,  that  amazing  clearness  of  spiritual 
vision,  sometimes  enjoyed  on  the  deathbed.  "  Administer 
nothing,"  said  the  eloquent  dying  Summerfield,  "that  will 
create  a  stupor,  not  even  so  much  as  a  little  porter  and 
water — that  I  may  have  an  unclouded  view.'"     For  the  same 


4  BIBLE  ARGUMENT  FOR  TEMPERANCE. 

reason,  Dr.  Rush,  who  so  well  knew  the  effect  of  strong 
drink,  peremptorily  ordered  it  not  to  be  given  him  in  his 
last  hours.  And  it  is  recorded,  that  the  dying  Sa\iour, 
"  who  knew  all  things,"  when  offered  "  wine  mingled  with 
myrrh,"  ''received  it  not.''''  The  truly  wise  will  not  barter 
visions  of  glory  for  mere  animal  excitement  and  mental  stu- 
pefaction. 

Equally  illustrative  of  our  principle  is  the  confession  of 
an  aged  deacon,  accustomed  to  drink  moderately :  "  I  always, 
ill  prayer,  felt  a  coldness  and  heaviness  at  heart — never  sus- 
pecting it  was  the  whiskey !  but  since  that  is  given  up,  I 
have  heavenly  communion  T^  O,  what  an  increase  of  pure 
light  and  joy  might  there  be,  would  all  understand  this,  and 
be  temperate  in  all  things.''' 

The  use  of  such  liquor  is  inconsistent  with  the  sacred 
order  and  clisci])line  of  the  church.  A  venerable  minister, 
of  great  experience,  gives  it  as  the  result  of  his  observation, 
that  nine-tenths  of  all  the  cases  calling  for  church  discipline 
have  in  former  years  been  occasioned  by  this  liquor.  This 
is  a  tremendous  fact.  But  a  little  examination  will  convince 
any  one  that  the  estimate  is  not  too  high.  And  can  it  be 
right  to  continue  an  indulgence  that  brings  tenfold,  or  even 
fourfold  more  trouble  and  disgrace  on  the  church  than  all 
other  causes  imited  ?  Do  not  these  foul  "  spots  in  your 
feasts  of  charity"  clearly  say,  "Touch  not  the  unclean 
thinor?"      Can  Ave  countenance  that  which  is  certain  to 

CD 

bring  deep  reproach  on  the  church  of  Christ  ?  ''  It  must 
needs  be  that  offences  come,  but  woe  to  that  man  by  whom 
the  offence  cometh." 

The  use  of  alcoholic  liquor  by  the  religious  community 
is  inconsistent  ivith  the  hope  of  reforming  and  saving  the 
intemperate  ;  and  thus  shows  a  want  of  love  to  souls.  The 
Christian  knows,  that  drunkards  cannot  inherit  eternal  life. 
He  knows  also,  that  hundreds  of  thousands  now  sustain  or 
are  contractino-  this  odious  character  ;  and  that  if  the  e\dl 
be  not  arrested,  millions  more  Avill  come  on  in  the  same 
track,  and  go  down  to  the  burning  gulf.  But  the  man  who 
drinks  just  so  much  as  to  make  himself  "feel  well,"  cannot 


BIBLE  ARGUMENT  FOR  TEMPERANCE.  5 

reprove  the  drunkard  who  only  does  the  same  thin<r.  The 
drunkard  may  say  to  him,  "  My  appetite  is  stronger  than 
yours ;  more,  therefore,  is  necessary,  in  order  to  make  me 
*feel  well;'  and  if  you  cannot  deny  yourself,  how  can  I 
control  a  more  raging  appetite  ?"  This  rebuke  would  be 
unanswerable. 

All  agree  that  total  abstinence  is  the  only  hope  of  the 
drunkard.  But  is  it  not  preposterous  to  expect  him  to 
abstain,  if  he  sees  the  minister,  the  elder,  the  deacon,  and 
other  respectable  men  indulging  their  cups  ?  With  mind 
enfeebled  and  character  lost,  can  he  summon  resolution  to 
be  singular,  and  live  more  temperately  than  his  acknow- 
ledged superiors  ? — thus  telling  to  all  that  lie  has  been  a 
drunkard!  This  cannot  be  expected  of  poor  sunken  hu- 
man nature.  No  ;  let  moderate  drinking  be  generally  al- 
lowed, and  in  less  than  thirty  years,  according  to  the  past 
ratio  of  their  deaths,  armies  of  drunkards  greater  than  all 
the  American  churches,  will  s^o  from  this  land  of  licrht  and 
freedom  to  "  everlasting  chains  of  darkness."  If,  then,  the 
drunkard  is  worth  saving,  if  he  has  a  soul  capable  of  shin- 
ing with  seraphim,  and  if  you  have  **'  any  bowels  of  mercies,'* 
then  give  him  the  benefit  of  your  example.  Professing  to 
"do  good  to  all  as  you  have  opportunity,"  be  consistent  in 
this  matter.  By  a  little  self-denial  you  may  save  multitudes 
from  ruin.  But  if  you  cannot  yield  a  little,  to  save  fellow - 
sinners  from  eternal  pain,  have  you  the  spirit  of  Him  who, 
for  his  enemies,  exchanged  a  throne  for  a  cross  ? 

Could  all  the  wailings  of  the  thousand  thousands  slain 
by  this  poison  come  up  in  one  loud  thunder  of  remonstrance 
on  your  ear,  you  might  then  think  it  wrong  to  sanction  its 
use.  But  "let  God  be  true,"  and  those  wailings  are  as  real 
as  if  heard  in  ceaseless  thunders. 

Again,  the  use  of  intoxicating  drink  is  inconsistent  with 
t}:ue  Christian  patriotism.  All  former  efforts  to  arrest  the 
national  sin  of  intemperance  have  failed.  A  glorious  effort 
is  now  making  to  remove  it  with  pure  Avater.  Thousands 
are  rejoicing  in  the  remedy.  ISTot  a  sober  man  in  the  nation 
really  doubts  its  efficacv  and  importance.     Who,  then,  that 

VOL.  VIII.  20* 


6  BIBLE  ARGUMENT  FOR  TEMPERANCE. 

regards  our  national,  character  can  hesitate  to  adopt  it  ?  Es- 
pecially, who  that  is  a  Christian,  can  cling  to  that  which 
has  darkened  the  pathway  of  heaven,  threatened  our  liber- 
ties, desolated  families  and  neighborhoods,  and  stigmatized 
us  as  a  "nation  of  drunkards?" 

Is  it  said,  that  the  influence  of  a  small  temperance  so- 
ciety, or  church,  is  unimportant  ?  Not  so ;  its  light  may 
save  the  surrounding  region ;  its  example  may  influence  a 
thousand  churches.  And  let  the  thousand  thousand  pro- 
fessing Christians  in  this  land,  with  such  others  as  they  can 
enlist,  resolve  on  total  abstinence — let  this  great  example 
be  held  up  to  view — and  it  would  be  such  a  testimony  as  the 
world  has  not  yet  seen.  Let  such  a  multitude  show,  that 
these  drinks  are  unnecessary,  and  reformation  easy,  and  the 
demonstration  would  be  complete.  Few  of  the  moral  would 
continue  the  poison ;  thousands  of  the  immoral  abandon  it 
at  once ;  and  the  nation  be  reformed. 

The  use  of  this  liquor  is  inconsistent  loith  the  proper  in- 
fluence of  Christian  example.  The  Saviour  says,  "  Let  your 
light  so  shine  before  men,  that  they  may  see  your  good 
works,  and  glorify  your  Father  w^ho  is  in  heaven."  But 
will  men  esteem  Christians  the  more  for  drinking,  and  thus 
be  led  to  glorify  God  on  their  behalf?  Or  will  the  Saviour 
praise  them  for  this,  "when  he  shall  come  to  be  glorified  in 
his  saints,  and  to  be  admired  in  all  them  that  beheve?" 
Rather,  w^ill  not  their  drinking  lead  some  to  excess,  and  thus 
sully  the  Creator's  work  ?  Nay,  is  it  not  certain,  that  if 
the  religious  community  indulge,  the  example  will  lead 
millions  to  drunkenness  and  perdition  ?  And,  on  the  other 
hand,  is  it  not  morally  certain,  that  if  they  abstain,  their 
combined  influence  will  save  millions  from  infamy  and  ruin  ? 
How,  then,  in  view  of  that  day  when  all  the  bearings  of 
your  conduct  shall  be  judged,  can  you  hesitate  on  which 
side  to  give  your  influence  ?  It  is  not  a  little  matter  ;  for 
who  can  conceive  the  results  of  even  one  impulse,  among 
beings  connected  with  others  by  ten  thousand  strings ! 

The  use  of  this  liquor  is  inconsistent  with  that  harmony 
a/nd  brotherly  love  which   Christ  requires  in  his  professed 


BIBLE  ARGUMENT  FOR  TEMPERANCE.  7 

folloivers.  He  requires  them  to  "  love  one  another  with  a 
pure  heart,  fervently;"  to  "be  all  of  one  mind ;"  to  be  "of 
one  heart  and  one  soul."  But  who  does  not  see  the  utter 
impossibility  of  this,  if  some  continue  an  indulgence  which 
others  regard  with  abhorrence  ?  Since  public  attention  has 
been  turned  to  the  subject,  thousands  have  come  to  the  full 
conviction,  that  to  use  intoxicating  liquor  is  a  sinful  as  well 
as  foolish  practice.  The  most  distinguished  lights  of  the 
church,  and  such  as  peculiarly  adorn  human  nature,  embrace 
this  sentiment.  And  how  can  you  associate  with  these,  and 
yet  continue  a  habit  viewed  by  them  with  disgust  ?  Ah, 
the  man,  however  decent,  who  "  will  have  his  glass,  not 
caring  whom  he  offends,"  must  have  it ;  but  he  must  also 
"  have  his  reivard.''  "  Whoso  shall  offend  one  of  these  little 
ones  ivhich  believe  in  me,  it  were  better  for  him  that  a  mill- 
stone were  hanged  about  his  neck." 

The  use  of  intoxicating  drink,  in  this  day  of  light,  is  in- 
compatible loith  the  hope  of  receiving  any  general  effusion  of 
ihe  Holy  Spirit.  Christians  are  allowed  to  hope  for  the 
Spirit  to  be  poured  out  only  in  answer  to  prayer — true, 
spiritual,  believing  prayer.  "  If  they  regard  iniquity  in 
their  heart,  the  Lord  will  not  hear  them."  If  they  wilfully 
cherish  sin,  they  cannot  have  faith.  Indeed,  how  odious 
the  spectacle  of  a  company  looking  towards  heaven,  but  in 
the  posture  of  devotion  breathing  forth  the  foul,  fiery  ele- 
ment— literally  "  offering  strange  fire  before  the  Lord  !" 

We  are  not,  then,  to  expect  divine  influence  to  come 
down  "like  showers  that  water  the  earth,"  till  we  put  away 
that  which  we  know  tends  only  to  wither  and  consume  all 
the  "  fruits  of  the  Spirit." 

The  loaste  of  property  in  the  use  of  alcoholic  drink  is 
inconsistent  with  faithful  steivardship  for  Christ.  Religious 
"contributions"  are  among  the  appointed  means  for  saving 
the  world.  But  allow  each  of  the  tens  of  thousands  of  pro- 
fessing Christians  in  this  land  only  three  cents  worth  of 
such  liquor  daily,  and  the  annual  cost  is  some  millions  of 
DOLLARS  ;  which  would  be  sufficient  to  support  thousands 
OF  missionaries.     Let  "stewards"  of  the  Lord's  bounty, 


8  BIBLE  ARGUMENT  FOR  TEMPERANCE. 

then,  who  would  consume  their  portion  of  this  "little''  on 
appetite,  ponder  and  blush  for  such  inconsistency  ;  and  let 
them  hasten  to  clear  off  the  heavy  charge,  "  Ye  have  rob- 
bed me,  even  this  tvhole  nation.'' 

Again,  to  indulge  in  intoxicating  liquor  is  inconsistent 
loith  attempts  to  recommend  the  Gospel  to  the  heathen.  Noth- 
ing has  done  more,  in  former  years,  to  prejudice  our  Indian 
neighbors,  and  hinder  among  them  the  influence  of  the  Gos- 
pel, than  those  liquors  we  have  encouraged  them  to  use. 
Several  tribes  have  set  the  noble  example  of  excluding  them 
by  the  strong  arm  of  law ;  and  it  is  only  by  convincing  such 
that  really  consistent  Christians  do  not  encourage  these  evils, 
that  our  missionaries  have  been  able  to  gain  their  confidence. 

The  same  feeling  prevails  in  some  distant  heathen  na- 
tions. They  cannot  but  distrust  those  who  use  and  sell  a 
polluting  drink,  which  they,  to  a  great  extent,  regard  with 
abhorrence. 

Suppose  our  missionaries  should  meet  the  heathen  with 
the  Bible  in  one  hand,  and  the  intoxicating  cup  in  the  other  ; 
what  impression  would  they  make  ?  Nature  herself  would 
revolt  at  the  alliance.  And  nothing  but  custom  and  fashion 
have  reconciled  any  to  similar  inconsistencies  at  home. 

But  not  only  must  our  missionaries  be  imspotted,  they 
must  be  able  to  testify,  that  no  real  Christians  encourage 
this  or  any  unclean  thing.  With  such  testimony  they  might 
secure  the  conviction,  that  our  religion  is  indeed  elevating, 
and  that  our  God  is  the  true  God.  For  saith  Jehovah, 
*'  Then  shall  the  heathen  know  that  I  am  the  Lord,  when  I 
shall  be  sanctified  in  you  before  their  eyes." 

Indulgence  in  this  drink,  especially  by  the  church,  is 
inconsistent  with  any  reasonable  hope  that  the  fiood  of  intem- 
perance would  not  return  iqjon  the  land,  even  should  it  for  a 
season  be  dried  up.  The  same  causes  which  have  produced 
it  would  produce  it  again,  unless  there  be  some  permanent 
counteracting  influence.  Temperance  associations  ar6  un- 
speakably important  as  means  of  reformation.  But  they 
are  not  permanent  bodies  ;  their  organization  may  cease 
when  intemperance  is  once  done  away  ;  and  unless  the  prin- 


BIBLE  ARGUMENT  FOR  TEMPERANCE.  9 

ciple  of  TOTAL  ABSTINENCE  be  generally  acknowledged  and 
regarded  as  a  Christian  duty,  by  some  great  association  that 
is  to  be  2yerpetual,  it  may  in  time  be  forgotten  or  despised  ; 
and  then  drunkenness  will  again  abound.  Such  an  associa- 
tion is  found  only  in  ''the  church  of  the  living  God."  This 
will  continue  while  the  world  stands.  Let  the  principle  of 
ENTIRE  ABSTINENCE,  then,  be  recognized  by  all  members  of 
the  church,  and  such  others  as  they  can  influence ;  and  you 
have  a  great  multitude  to  sustain  the  temperance  cause, 
"till  time  shall  be  no  longer."  And  can  the  real  Christian, 
or  patriot,  think  it  hard  thus  to  enlist  for  the  safety  of  all 
future  generations  ?  If  parents  love  their  offspring,  if 
Christians  love  the  millions  coming  upon  the  stage,  will 
they  not  gladly  secure  them  all  from  the  destroyer  ?  Has 
he  a  shadow  of  consistency  who  will  rather  do  that,  which, 
if  done  by  the  church  generally,  would  lead  millions  to 
hopeless  ruin  ? 

The  use  of  intoxicating  drink,  as  an  article  of  luxury  or 
living,  is  inconsistent  with  the  plain  sjnrit  and  -precepts  of 
God's  word.  The  proper  use  to  be  made  of  it,  is  so  dis- 
tinctly pointed  out  in  Scripture,  that  men  need  not  mistake. 
It  is  to  be  used  as  a  medicine  in  extreme  cases.  ''  Give 
strong  drink  unto  him  that  is  ready  to  perish.''''  Its  com- 
mon use  is  condemned  as  foolish  and  pernicious.  "  Strong- 
drink  is  raging ;  and  whosoever  is  deceived  thereby,  is  not 
wise.'"  "They  are  out  of  the  way  through  strong  drink; 
they  err  in  vision  ;  they  stumble  in  judgment."  Such  pas- 
sages show  clearly  the  mind  of  God  with  respect  to  the 
nature  and  use  of  this  article. 

Moreover,  it  is  said,  "  Woe  unto  him  that  giveth  his 
neighbor  drink."  But  does  not  every  man  who  sells  or 
uses  this  liquor,  as  a  beverage,  encourage  his  neighbor  to 
drink,  and  thus  contemn  God's  authority  ?  Does  he  not 
aggravate  his  guilt  by  sinning  against  great  light  ?  And 
would  he  not  aggravate  it  still  further,  should  he  charge 
the  blame  on  the  sacred  word  ?  0,  what  a  blot  on  the 
Bible,  should  one  sentence  be  added,  encouraging  the  com- 
mon use  of  intoxicating  liquor/     "If  any  man  thus  add, 


10  BIBLE  ARGUMENT  FOR  TEMPERANCE. 

God  shall  add  unto  him  the  plagues  that  are  written  in  this 
book." 

To  encourage  the  manufacture  of  such  liquors  is  to 
abuse  the  bounties  of  Providence.  When  God  had  formed 
man,  he  kindly  said,  "  Behold,  I  have  given  you  every  herb 
bearing  seed,  which  is  upon  the  face  of  all  the  earth,  and 
every  tree,  in  the  which  is  the  fruit  of  a  tree  yielding  seed ; 
to  you  it  shall  be  for  meat."  God,  then,  it  seems,  intended 
men  should  use  the  fruits  of  the  earth  for  food.  But  "  they 
have  sought  out  many  inventions."  And  one  of  these  is, 
to  convert  these  "  gifts  of  God  "  into  a  poison,  most  insid- 
ious in  its  nature,  and  destructive  both  to  soul  and  body. 
The  distiller,  the  vender,  and  the  consumer,  encourage  one 
another  in  this  perversion  of  God's  gifts.  And  is  this  "  re- 
ceiving his  gifts  with  thanksgiving?"  Better,  infinitely  bet- 
ter, to  cast  them  at  once  into  the  fire,  and  say  unto  the  Al- 
mighty, "  We  have  no  need  of  these."  But  the  ingratitude 
does  not  stop  here.  When  men,  in  abuse  of  the  divine 
bounty,  have  made  this  poison,  to  give  it  currency,  they 
call  it  one  of  the  "creatures  of  God."  With  as  much  pro- 
priety might  they  call  gambling  establishments  and  mur- 
derous weapons  his  "  creatures."  But  how  awful  the  im- 
piety  of  thus  ascribing  the  worst  of  man's  inventions  to  the 
benevolent  God ! 

For  a  man  to  persevere  in  making,  selling,  or  using  in- 
toxicating liquor,  as  an  article  of  luxury  or  living,  while 

FULLY     KNOWING    ITS    EFFECTS,    and    pOSSeSSing    THE     LIGHT 

Providence  has  poured  on  this  subject,  is  utterly  incon- 
sistent with  any  satisfactory  evidence  of  piety.  "By  their 
fruits  ye  shall  know  them."  And  what  are  his  fruits.  Why, 
as  Ave  have  seen,  he  wilfully  cuts  short  his  own  life,  or  the 
life  of  his  neighbor;  he  wilfully  impairs  memory,  judgment, 
imagination,  all  the  immortal  faculties,  merely  for  sensual 
indulgence  or  paltry  gain ;  he  stupefies  conscience,  and  cher- 
ishes all  the  evil  passions ;  he  prefers  sordid  appetite  to 
pure  spiritual  enjoyment ;  he  is  the  occasion  of  stumbling 
to  those  for  whom  Christ  died,  and  of  dark  reproach  on  the 
church  ;  he  neglects  the  only  means  Providence  has  pointed 


BIBLE  ARGUMENT  FOR  TEMPERANCE.  H 

out  for  saving  millions  from  drunkenness  and  perdition ;  he 
wilfully  encourages  their  downward  course  ;  he  refuses  the 
aid  he  might  give  to  a  great  national  reform ;  he  lends  his 
whole  weight  against  this  reformation ;  he  is  the  occasion 
of  offence,  grief,  and  discord  among  brethren;  he  grieves 
the  Holy  Spirit ;  he  robs  the  Lord's  treasury ;  he  makes 
Christianity  infamous  in  the  eyes  of  the  heathen ;  he  disre- 
gards the  plain  spirit  of  the  Bible  ;  and,  in  fine,  he  perverts 
even  the  common  bounties  of  Providence.  Such  are  his 
fruits.  And  the  jnan,  surely,  who  can  do  all  this  in  me- 
ridian lio'ht,  while  God  is  looking  on,  and  widows  and  or- 
phans  are  remonstrating,  does  not  c/ive  satisfactory  evidence 
of  piety.  He  shows  neither  respect  for  God  nor  love  to 
man. 

Let  conscience  now  solemnly  review  this  whole  argu- 
ment by  the  infinitely  holy  law.  Is  it  indeed  right  and 
scriptural  to  impair  body  and  mind,  to  defile  the  flesh, 
cloud  the  soul,  stupefy  conscience,  and  cherish  the  worst 
passions  ?  Is  it  right  to  bring  occasions  of  stumbling  into 
the  church  ?  Is  it  right  to  encourage  drunkards  ;  right  to 
treat  with  contempt  a  great  national  reform  ?  Is  it  right 
to  offend  such  as  Christ  calls  "  brethren ;"  rio-ht  to  o-rieve 
the  Holy  Spirit,  and  hinder  his  blessed  influence  ?  Is  it 
right  to  ''consume  on  lust"  what  would  fill  the  Lord's 
treasury  ;  and  right  to  make  rehgion  odious  to  the  heathen  ? 
Is  it  right  to  leave  the  land  exposed  to  new  floods  of  intem- 
perance ;  to  disregard  the  manifest  lessons  of  God's  word 
and  providence  ;  and  to  convert  food  to  poison  ?  Is  it  in- 
deed scriptural  and  right  to  sanction  habits  fraught  only 
with  wounds,  death,  and  perdition  ?  Can  real  Christians, 
by  example,  propagate  such  heresy  ? 

Let  it  not  be  suggested  that  our  argument  bears  chiefly 
against  the  excessive  use  of  these  hquors  ;  for  common  ob- 
servation and  candor  will  testify  that  the  moderate  use  of 
the  poison  is  the  real  occasion  of  all  its  woes  and  abomina- 
tions. Who  was  ever  induced  to  taste,  by  the  disgusting 
sight  of  a  drunkard  ?  Or  who  ever  became  a  drunkard, 
except  bv  moderate  indulgence  in  the  beginning?     Indeed, 


12  BIBLE  ARGUMENT  FOR  TEMPERANCE. 

this  habit  of  moderate  drinking  is,  perhaps,  tenfold  loorse 
in  its  general  influence  on  society  than  occasional  instances 
of  drunkenness ;  for  these  excite  abhorrence  and  alarm, 
while  moderate  indulgence  sanctions  the  general  use,  and 
betrays  millions  to  destruction.  0  never,  since  the  first 
temptation,  did  Satan  gain  such  a  victory,  as  when  he  in- 
duced Christians  to  sanction  everywhere  the  use  of  intoxi- 
cating liquor.  And  never,  since  the  triumph  of  Calvary, 
has  he  experienced  such  a  defeat  as  they  are  now  sum- 
moned to  accomplish.  Let  them  unitedly  pledge  them- 
selves against  strong  drink,  and  by  diffusing  light  on  this 
subject,  do  as  much  to  expose  as  they  have  done  to  encour- 
age this  grand  device  of  Satan,  and  mighty  rivers  of  death 
will  soon  be  dried  up. 

In  this  work  of  light  and  love,  then,  be  generous,  "  be 
sober,  be  self-denying,  be  vigilant,  be  of  one  mind  ;"  for 
the  great  adversary,  *'as  a  roaring  lion,  walketh  about." 
And  possibly  through  apathy,  or  discord,  or  treason  among 
professed  friends  of  temperance,  "  Satan  may  yet  get  an 
advantage,"  and  turn  our  fair  morning  into  a  heavier  night 
of  darkness,  and  tempest,  and  war.  But  woe  to  that  man 
who,  in  this  day  of  light,  shall  wilfully  encourage  the  ex- 
citing cause  of  such  evils.  And  heaviest  woe  to  him  who 
shall  avail  himself  of  a  standing  in  the  church  for  this  pur- 
pose. I  hear  for  such  a  loud  remonstrance  from  countless 
millions  yet  unborn,  and  a  louder  still  from  the  throne  of 
eternal  Justice. 

But  "  though  we  thus  speak,"  we  hope  better  things, 
especially  from  the  decided  followers  of  the  Lamb,  of  every 
name  ;  "  things  which  make  for  peace,  things  wherewith 
one  may  edify  another,  and  things  which  accompany  salva- 
tion" to  a  dying  world. 


THE 


ETERNAL  MISERY  OF  HELL. 


BY   REV.  JAMES   SAURIN 


God  would  never  threaten  mankind  with  a  punishment, 
the  infliction  of  which  would  be  incompatible  with  his  per- 
fections. If  the  reality  of  such  a  hell  as  the  Scriptures  de- 
scribe be  inconsistent  with  the  perfections  of  the  Creator, 
such  a  hell  would  not  have  been  revealed.  The  infinite 
holiness  of  God  will  not  allow  him  to  terrify  his  creatures 
with  the  idea  of  a  punishment  which  he  cannot  inflict  with- 
out injustice ;  and,  considering  the  weakness  of  our  reason 
and  the  narrow  limits  of  our  knowledge,  we  ought  not  to 
say.  Such  a  thing  is  unjust;  therefore,  it  is  not  revealed  : 
but  on  the  contrary,  we  should  rather  say.  Such  a  thing  is 
revealed  ;  therefore,  it  is  just. 

Observe,  then,  the  quality  and  the  duration  of  the  pun- 
ishments of  hell. 

A  privation  of  celestial  happiness  is  the  first  idea  of 
hell — an  idea  which  we  are  incapable  of  forming  fully  in 
this  life.  We  have  eyes  of  flesh  and  blood— we  judge  of 
happiness  and  misery  according  to  this  flesh  and  blood, 
and  as  things  relate  to  our  families,  our  fortunes,  our  pro- 
fessions ;  and  we  seldom  think  we  have  immortal  souls.  In 
the  great  day  of  retribution  all  these  veils  will  be  taken 
away  ;  darkness  will  be  dissipated  ;  scales  will  fall  from  our 
eves  ;  the  chief  good  will  be  known  ;  but  what  will  be  the 
condition  of  him,  who  no  sooner  discovers  the  chief  good 
than  he  discovers  also  that  he  shall  be  for  ever  deprived  of 
it.  Represent  to  yourself  a  man  constrained  to  see,  and 
made  by  his  own  experience  to  know,  that  the  pleasures, 
the  grandeur,  and  all  the  riches  of  this  world  are  nothing 


vol..    VIII. 


'il 


2  THE  ETERNAL  MISERY  OF  HELL. 

but  wind  and  smoke  ;  and  that  true  felicity  consists  in  com- 
munion with  God — in  beholding  his  perfections  and  partici- 
pating his  glory :  or,  to  use  emblems  taken  from  Scripture, 
represent  to  yourself  a  man  who  shall  see  the  nuptial  cham- 
ber of  the  bridegroom — his  triumphant  pomp  and  his  mag- 
nificent palace  ;  and  who  shall  see  all  these  glorious  objects 
as  felicities  which  his  crimes  forbid  him  to  enjoy.     What 
regrets !  what  despair !  Lord  of  nature !  Being  of  beings ! 
adorable   assemblage  of  all   perfections !    Eternal   Father ! 
well-beloved  Son  !  Holy  Spirit !  glorious  body  of  the  divine 
Redeemer  !  archangels !  cherubim  !  seraphim  !  powers  !  do- 
minions !    general  assembly  of  the  first-born !    myriads  of 
angels  !  apostles  !  martyrs !  saints  of  all  ages  and  of  all  na- 
tions !  unfading  crown !  perfect  knowledge !  communion  of 
a  soul  with  its  God  1  throne  of  glory  !  fulness  of  joy  I  rivers 
of  pleasure !     All  Avhich  I  see,  all  which  I  know,  and  wish 
to  enjoy,  even  while  avenging  justice  separates  me  from 
you.     Am  I,  then,  for  ever  excluded  from  all  your  ineffable 
delights ;  are  you  all  shown  to  me  to  make  me  more  sensi- 
ble of  my  misery  ;  and  do  you  display  so  much  felicity  only 
to  render  my  pain  more  acute,  and  my  destruction  more 
terrible  ? 

Consider  pcchif id  sensations.  To  these  belong  all  those 
expressions  of  Scripture — "  darkness,  blackness  of  dark- 
ness, thirst,  fire,  lake  burning  with  fire  and  brimstone  " — 
and  all  these  to  such  a  degree  that  the  damned  would  es- 
teem as  an  invaluable  benefit  one  drop  of  water  to  cool  their 
tongues.  Luke  16  :  24.  We  dare  not  pretend  to  determine 
that  hell  consists  of  material  fire.  But  if  you  recollect  the 
power  of  God  to  excite  in  our  souls  such  sensations  as  he 
pleases — if  to  this  reflection  you  add  the  thought,  that  Scrip- 
ture almost  always  employs  the  idea  of  fire  to  express  the 
pains  of  hell,  you  will  be  inclined  to  believe  that  most  of 
these  unhappy  sufferers  literally  endure  torments  like  those 
w'hich  men  burning  in  flames  feel,  whether  God  act  imme- 
diately on  their  souls,  or  unite  them  to  particles  of  material 
fire.     The  yery  name  given  in  Scripture  to  the  fire  of  hell. 


THE  ETERx\AL  MISERY  OF  HELL.  3 

hath  something  very  significant  in  it :  it  is  called  the  fire 
of  Gehenna.  Matt.  5  :  22.  This  word  is  compounded  of 
words  which  signify  the  valley  of  H'mnom  :  this  valley  was 
rendered  famous  by  the  abominable  sacrifices  which  the 
idolatrous  Jews  offered  to  Moloch.  They  set  up  a  hollow 
brazen  figure,  inclosed  their  children  in  it,  kindled  fires  un- 
derneath, and  in  this  horrible  manner  consumed  the  miser- 
able infant  victims  of  their  cruel  superstition.  This  is  an 
image  of  hell — terrible  image  !  We  have  no  need  of  ab- 
stract and  metaphysical  ideas.  Who  among  us  could 
patiently  bear  his  hand  one  hour  in  fire  ?  who  would  not 
tremble  to  be  condemned  to  pass  one  day  in  this  monstrous 
machine  ?  and  who,  who  could  bear  to  be  eternally  con- 
fined in  it — ''and  yet  forbid  to  die?"  When  we  see  a 
criminal  in  chains,  given  up  to  an  executioner  of  human  jus- 
tice, and  just  going  to  be  burnt  to  death,  nature  shudders 
at  the  sight — the  flesh  of  spectators  shivers — and  the  cries 
of  the  sufferer  rend  their  heart,  and  excite,  in  painful  com- 
passion, all  the  emotions  of  the  soul !  What  then  must  it 
be  to  be  delivered  up  to  an  executioner  of  divine  justice  ? 
What  to  be  cast  into  the  fire  of  hell  ?  Delicate  flesh  !  fee- 
ble organs  of  the  human  body  !  what  will  you  do  when  you 
are  cast  into  the  quick  and  devouring  flames  of  hell  ? 

The  third  idea  of  future  punishment  is  that  of  the 
remorse  of  conscience.  The  pains  of  the  mind  are  as  lively 
and  sensible  as  those  of  the  body.  The  grief  of  one  man 
who  loses  a  person  dear  to  him ;  the  inquietude  of  another 
afraid  of  apparitions  and  spectres  ;  the  gloomy  terrors  of  a 
third  in  solitude  ;  the  emotions  of  a  criminal  receiving  his 
sentence  of  death  ;  and  above  all,  the  agitation  of  a  con- 
science filled  with  a  sense  of  guilt,  are  pains  as  lively  and 
sensible  as  those  which  are  excited  by  the  most  cruel  tor- 
ments. What  great  effects  has  remorse  produced.  It  has 
made  tyrants  tremble ;  it  has  smitten  the  knees  of  a  Bel- 
shazzar  together  in  the  midst  of  his  courtiers ;  it  has  ren- 
dered the  voluptuous  insensible  to  pleasure ;  and  it  has  put 
many  a  hardened  wretch  upon  the  rack.     It  has  done  more  : 


4  THE  ETERNAL  xAIISERY  OF  HELL. 

it  has  forced  some,  who  upon  scaffolds  and  wheels  have 
denied  their  crimes,  after  a  release,  to  confess  them — to  find 
out  a  judge — to  give  evidence  against  themselves — and  to 
implore  the  mercy  of  a  violent  death,  more  tolerable  than 
the  agonies  of  their  guilty  souls.  This  will  be  the  state  of 
the  damned — this  will  be  the  worm  that  never  dies  !  Con- 
science will  do  homage  to  an  avenging  God :  it  will  be 
forced  to  acknowledge  that  the  motives  of  the  Gospel  were 
highly  proper  to  affect  every  man  who  had  not  made  his 
face  as  an  adamant — Ms  forehead  harder  than  a  flint.  It 
will  be  forced  to  acknowledge  that  the  goodness  of  God  had 
been  enough  to  penetrate  every  heart — even  those  which 
were  least  capable  of  gratitude  ;  it  will  be  constrained  to 
own  that  the  strivings  of  the  Spirit  of  God  had  been  wil- 
fully resisted  ;  it  will  be  driven  to  own  that  the  destruction 
of  man  came  of  himself,  and  that  he  sacrificed  his  salvation 
to  vain  imaginations,  more  delusive  than  vanity  itself.  The 
testimony  of  a  good  conscience  hath  supported  martyrs  in 
fire  and  tortures.  When  a  martyr  said  to  himself,  I  suffer 
for  truth ;  I  bear  my  Saviour's  cross ;  I  am  a  martyr  for 
God  himself ;  he  was  happy  in  spite  of  seeming  horrors. 
But  when  the  reproaches  of  conscience  are  added  to  terrible 
torments,  when  the  sufferer  is  obliged  to  say  to  himself,  I 
am  the  author  of  my  own  punishment ;  I  suffer  for  my  own 
sins  ;  I  am  a  victim  for  the  devil ;  nothing  can  equal  his 
horror  and  despair. 

A  fourth  idea  is  taken  from  the  horror  of  the  society  in 
hell.  How  great  soever  the  misery  of  a  man  on  earth  may 
be,  he  bears  it  with  patience,  when  wise  discourse  is  ad- 
dressed to  him  for  his  consolation — when  a  friend  opens  his 
bosom  to  him — when  a  father  shares  his  sufiferings,  and  a 
charitable  hand  endeavors  to  wipe  away  his  tears  ;  the  con- 
versation of  a  grave  and  sympathizing  friend  diminishes  his 
troubles,  softens  his  pains,  and  charms  him  under  his  afflic- 
tions, till  he  becomes  easy  and  happy  in  them.  But  what 
society  is  that  in  hell  ?  Imagine  yourself  condemned  to 
pass  all  your  days  with  those  odious  men  who  seem  formed 


THE  ETERNAL  MISERY  OF  HELL.  5 

only  to  trouble  the  world.  Imagine  yourself  shut  up  in  a 
close  prison  with  a  band  of  reprobates — imagine  yourself 
lying  on  a  death-bed,  and  having  no  other  comforters  than 
traitors  and  assassins !  This  is  an  image  of  hell.  0  God, 
what  a  society  !  tyrants,  assassins,  blasphemers — Satan  with 
his  angels — the  prince  of  the  air  with  all  his  infernal  legions  ! 
From  all  these  ideas  results  a  fifth — an  increase  of  sin. 
As  God  will  aggravate  the  sufferings  of  the  damned  by  dis- 
playing his  glorious  attributes,  their  hatred  of  him  will  be 
unbounded — their  torment  will  excite  their  hatred — their 
hatred  will  aggravate  their  torment.  Is  not  this  the  height 
of  misery  ?  To  be  filled  with  unmixed  hate  towards  the 
perfect  Being,  the  supreme  Being,  the  sovereign  Beauty — 
in  a  word,  to  hate  the  infinite  God  !  Does  not  this  idea 
present  to  your  mind  a  state  the  most  melancholy,  the  most 
miserable?  One  chief  excellence  of  the  glory  of  happy 
spirits  is  a  consummate  love  to  their  Creator.  One  of  the 
most  horrible  punishments  of  hell  is  the  exclusion  of  divine 
love.  O  miserable  state  of  the  damned  !  In  it  they  utter 
as  many  blasphemies  against  God  as  the  happy  souls  in 
heaven  shout  hallelujahs  to  his  praise. 

These  are  the  punishments  of  condemned  souls.  It 
remains  only  that  we  consider  the  length  and  duration 
of  them.  But  can  we  number  the  innumerable,  and  meas- 
ure that  which  is  immeasurable  ?  Can  we  make  you  com- 
prehend the  incomprehensible  ;  and  shall  we  amuse  you 
with  our  imaginations  ? 

When  I  endeavor  to  represent  eternity  to  myself,  I  avail 
myself  of  whatever  I  conceive  most  long  and  durable.  I 
go  back  to  the  patriarchal  age,  and  consider  a  life  extending 
through  a  thousand  years ;  and  I  say  to  myself,  All  this  is 
not  eternity — all  this  is  only  a  point  in  comparison  of  eter- 
nity. 

I  go  from  our  age  to  the  time  of  publishing  the  Gospel ; 
from  thence  to  the  publication  of  the  law — from  the  law  to 
the  flood,  from  the  flood  to  the  creation ;  I  join  this  epoch 

VOL.  VIII.  21* 


(5  THE  ETERNAL  MISERY  OF  HELL. 

to  the  present  time,  and  I.  imagine  Adam  yet  living.  Had 
Adam  lived  till  now,  and  had  he  lived  in  misery — had  he 
passed  all  his  time  in  fire,  or  on  a  rack — what  idea  must  we 
form  of  his  condition  ?  At  what  price  would  we  agree  to 
expose  ourselves  to  misery  so  great  ?  What  imperial  glory 
would  appear  glorious,  were  it  followed  by  so  much  woe  ? 
Yet  this  is  not  eternity — all  this  is  nothing  in  comparison 
of  eternity. 

I  go  further  still :  I  proceed  from  imagination  to  imag- 
ination, from  one  supposition  to  another  ;  I  take  the  greatest 
number  of  years  that  can  be  imagined ;  I  add  ages  to  ages, 
millions  of  ages  to  millions  of  ages ;  I  form  of  all  these  one 
fixed  number,  and  I  stay  my  imagination.  After  this,  I 
suppose  God  to  create  a  world  like  this  which  we  inhabit: 
I  suppose  him  creating  it,  by  forming  one  atom  after  an- 
other, and  employing  in  the  production  of  each  atom  the 
time  fixed  in  my  calculation  just  now  mentioned.  What 
numberless  asfes  would  the  creation  of  such  a  world  in  such 
a  manner  require  !  Then  I  suppose  the  Creator  to  arrange 
these  atoms,  and  to  pursue  the  same  plan  of  arranging  them 
as  of  creating  them.  What  numberless  ages  would  such  an 
arrangement  require !  Finally,  I  suppose  him  to  dissolve 
and  annihilate  the  whole,  and  observing  the  same  method 
in  this  dissolution  as  he  observed  in  the  creation  and  dispo- 
sition of  the  whole.  What  an  immense  duration  would  be 
consumed  !  Yet  this  is  not  eternity — all  this  is  only  a  point 
in  comparison  of  eternity. 

Associate  now  all  these  suppositions,  and  of  all  these 
periods  make  one  fixed  period ;  multiply  it  again,  and  sup- 
pose yourself  to  pass  in  multiplying  it  a  time  equal  to  that 
which  the  period  contains  :  it  is  literally  and  strictly  true, 
all  this  is  not  eternity — all  this  is  only  a  point  in  comparison 
of  eternity. 

Ah  me  !  one  night  passed  in  a  burning  fever,  or  in 
struo-orlincr  in  the  waves  of  the  sea  between  life  and  death, 
appears  of  immense  length.  It  seems  to  the  sufferer  as  if 
the  sun  had  forgot  its  course,  and  as  if  the  laws  of  nature 


THE  ETERNAL  MISERY  OF  HELL.  7 

itself  were  subverted.  ^NTiat,  then,  will  be  the  state  of 
those  miserable  victims  of  divine  displeasure,  who,  after 
they  shall  have  passed  through  the  ages  we  have  been  de- 
scribing, will  be  obliged  to  make  this  overwhelming  reflec- 
tion :  All  this  is  only  an  atom  of  our  misery !  What  will 
their  despair  be,  when  they  shall  be  forced  to  say  to  them- 
selves. Again  we  must  revolve  through  these  enormous 
periods — again  we  must  suff'er  a  privation  of  celestial 
happiness — devouring  flames  again — cruel  remorse  again — 
crimes  and  blasphemies  over  and  over  again !  For  ever — 
for  ever!  Ah,  how  severe  is  this  word,  even  in  this  life ! 
How  great  is  a  misfortune,  when  it  is  incapable  of  relief — 
how  insupportable,  when  we  are  obliged  to  add  for  ever  to 
it !  These  irons  for  ever — these  chains  for  ever — this  prison 
for  ever — ^this  universal  contempt  for  ever— this  domestic 
trouble  for  ever !  Poor  mortals,  how  short-sighted  are  you 
to  call  sorrows  eternal,  which  end  with  your  Uves  !  What, 
this  life— this  life,  that  passeth  with  the  rapidity  of  a  iveav- 
cr's  shuttle — this  life,  which  vanisheth  like  a  sleep  !  Is  this 
what  you  call /or  ever  ?  Ah,  absorbing  periods  of  eternity — 
accumulated  myriads  of  ages— these,  if  I  may  be  allowed 
to  speak  so — these  will  be  the  for  ever  of  the  damned  ! 

I  sink  under  the  weight  of  this  subject ;  and  I  declare, 
when  I  see  my  friends,  my  relations,  the  people  of  my 
charge— when  I  think  that  I,  that  you,  that  we  are  all 
threatened  with  these  torments— when  I  see,  in  the  luke- 
warmness  of  my  devotions,  in  the  languor  of  my  love,  in  the 
faintness  of  my  resolutions  and  designs,  the  least  evidence, 
though  it  be  only  probable  or  presumptive,  of  my  future 
misery,  yet  I  find  in  the  thought  a  mortal  poison,  which 
diff"uses  itself  into  every  period  of  my  life,  rendering  society 
tiresome,  nourishment  insipid,  pleasure  disgustful,  and  life 
itself  a  cruel  bitter— I  cease  to  wonder  that  a  fear  of  hell 
has  made  some  melancholy,  and  others  mad ;  that  it  has 
inclined  some  to  expose  themselves  to  a  living  martyrdom 
by  fleeing  from  all  commerce  with  the  rest  of  mankind,  and 
others  to  suff'er  the  most  violent  and  terrible  torments. 


8  THE  ETERNAL  MISERY  OF  HEI.L. 

But  the  more  terror  this  idea  inspires,  the  more  inex- 
cusable we  are,  if  it  produce  no  good  fruits  in  us.  The 
idea  of  eternity  ought  to  subvert  all  our  sinful  projects. 
In  order  to  avoid  eternal  misery,  all  should  be  suffered,  all 
surmounted,  all  undertaken — sinful  self  should  be  crucified, 
and  the  whole  man  devoted  in  holy  sacrifice  to  God.  Let 
each  moment  of  life  expose  us  to  a  new  martyrdom ;  still, 
we  should  be  happy,  could  we  avoid  the  flaming  sword  that 
hangs  over  our  heads,  and  escape  the  gulfs  of  misery  which 
yawn  beneath  our  feet. 

But  remember,  this  life  is  the  only  time  given  to  pre- 
vent these  terrible  punishments.  After  this  life,  no  more 
exhortations,  no  more  sermons,  no  more  place  for  repent- 
ance. 

And  think  on  the  hrevlty  of  life — think  there  may  be 
perhaps  only  one  year  granted,  perhaps  only  one  month, 
perhaps  only  one  day,  perhaps  only  one  hour,  perhaps  only 
one  moment,  to  avoid  this  misery ;  so  that,  perhaps — 0, 
Lord,  avert  the  dreadful  supposition! — perhaps  you  may 
this  very  day  experience  all  these  torments. 

Finally,  consider  what  God  is  now  doing  in  your  favor. 
In  the  plenitude  of  his  compassion,  and  with  bowels  of 
tenderest  love,  he  entreats  and  exhorts  you  to  escape  these 
terrible  miseries;  he  conjures  you  not  to  destroy  yourself; 
he  saith  to  you,  0  that  my  people  would  hearken  imto  me  ! 
Be  instructed,  0  Jerusalem,  lest  my  soul  depart  from  thee ! 
Why,  why  will  ye  die,  0  house  of  Israel  ?  0,  if  there  re- 
mained the  least  spark  of  reason  in  us,  the  image  of  hell 
would  make  the  deepest  impression  on  our  souls,  and  give 
us  no  rest  till  we  had  full  evidence  that  our  feet  were  plant- 
ed on  the  everlasting  Rock ! 


PUBLISHED  BY   THE  AMERICAN  TRACT  SOCIETY. 


IVo.  278. 

MEANS    OF  A  REVIVAL 

BY  PRESIDENT  EDWARDS. 


The  first  duty  to  Avhich  our  attention  should  be  directed 
is  to  remove  stumbling-blocks.  When  God  is  revealed  as 
about  to  come  gloriously  to  set  up  his  kingdom  in  the  world, 
it  is  proclaimed,  "  Prepare  ye  the  way  of  the  Lord,  make 
straight  in  the  desert  a  highway  for  our  God."  "  Cast  ye 
up,  cast  ye  up,  prepare  the  way,  take  up  the  stumbling- 
blocks  out  of  the  way  of  my  people."  And  in  order  to 
this,  there  must  be  confessing  of  faults.  There  is  hardly 
any  duty  more  contrary  to  our  corrupt  dispositions  and 
mortifying  to  the  pride  of  man  ;  but  it  must  be  done.  Re- 
pentance of  faults  is,  in  a  peculiar  manner,  a  proper  duty, 
when  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand,  or  when  we  espe- 
cially expect  or  desire  that  it  should  come ;  as  appears  by 
John  the  Baptist's  preaching.  And  if  God  now  loudly  calls 
upon  us  to  repent,  then  he  also  calls  upon  us  to  make 
proper  manifestations  of  our  repentance.  For  Christians  to 
act  like  Christians  in  openly  humbling  themselves  when  they 
have  openly  offended,  brings  in  the  end  the  greatest  honor 
to  Christ  and  religion ;  and  in  this  way  are  persons  most 
likely  to  have  God  appear  for  them. 

Again,  at  such  a  day  as  this  God  especially  calls  his 
people  to  the  exercise  of  meekness  and  mutual  forbearance. 
Christ  appears  as  it  were  coming  in  his  kingdom,  which 
calls  for  great  moderation  in  our  behavior  towards  all  men ; 
as  is  evident  from  Phil.  4:5,  "  Let  your  moderation  be 
known  unto  all  men;  the  Lord  is  at  hand :"  the  awe  of  the 
Divine  majesty  that  appears  present  or  approaching,  should 
dispose  us  to  it,  and  deter  us  from  the  contrary.  For  us  to 
be  judging  one  another,  and  showing  fierceness  and  bitter- 


2  MEANS  OF  A  REVIVAL. 

ness  one  towards  another,  when  he  who  is  the  Searcher  of 
all  hearts,  to  whom  we  must  all  give  an  account,  appears 
so  remarkably  present,  is  exceedingly  unsuitable.  Our  bu- 
siness at  such  a  time  should  be  at  home,  searching  ourselves, 
condemning  ourselves,  taking  heed  to  ourselves.  If  there 
be  glorious  prosperity  to  the  church  of  God  approaching, 
those  that  are  the  most  meek  will  have  the  largest  share  in 
it:  for  when  Christ  "rides  forth  in  his  glory  and  majesty, 
it  is  because  of  truth,  meekness,  and  righteousness."  And 
when  God  remarkably  "arises  to  execute  judgment,  it  is  to 
save  all  the  meek  of  the  earth."  And  it  is  "the  meek" 
that  "  shall  increase  their  joy  in  the  Lord."  And  when  the 
time  comes  that  God  will  give  this  lower  world  into  the 
hands  of  his  saints,  it  is  "  the  meek  "  that  "  shall  inherit  the 
earth."  But  "with  the  froward,  God  will  show  himself 
fro  ward."     Psalm  18  :  26. 

Contrary  to  this  meekness,  is  stigmatizing  one  another 
with  odious  names,  which  tends  greatly  to  widen  and  per- 
petuate breaches.  Such  distinguishing  names  of  reproach 
do,  as  it  were,  divide  Christians  into  armies,  separated  and 
drawn  up  in  battle  array,  ready  to  fight  one  with  another, 
which  greatly  hinders  the  work  of  God. 

Again,  there  is  peculiarly  requisite  in  God's  people  the 
exercise  of  great  patience  in  waiting  on  God  under  anij  spe- 
cial difficulties  and  disadvantages  as  to  the  means  of  grace. 
The  beginning  of  a  revival  of  religion  will  naturally  and 
necessarily  be  attended  with  difficulties  of  this  nature,  by 
reason  of  what  remains  of  the  old  disease  of  a  general  cor- 
ruption of  the  visible  church.  We  cannot  expect  that,  after 
a  long  period  of  degeneracy  and  depravity  in  the  state  of 
the  church,  thinofs  should  all  become  risfht  at  once  :  it  must 
be  a  work  of  time :  and  for  God's  people  to  be  over-hasty 
and  violent  in  such  a  case,  being  resolved  to  have  every 
thing  rectified  at  once,  or  else  forcibly  to  deliver  themselves 
by  breaches  and  separations,  is  the  way  to  hinder  the  very 
result  they  desire,  and  to  break  in  pieces.  The  case,  in- 
deed, may  be  such,  the  difficulty  so  intolerable,  as  to  allow 
of  no  delay,  and  that  God's  people  cannot  continue  in  the 
state  wherein  they  were  without  violating  absolute  com- 
mands of  God.  But  otherwise,  though  the  difficulty  may 
be  very  great,  another  course  should  be  taken.     God's  peo- 


MEANS  OF  A  REVIVAL.  3 

pie  should  have  recourse  directly  to  the  throne  of  grace,  to 
present  their  difficulties  before  the  "  great  Shephei'd  of  the 
sheep,"  who  has  the  care  of  all  the  affairs  of  his  church  ; 
and  while  they  do  this  they  should  wait  patiently  upon  him. 
If  they  do  so,  they  may  expect  that  in  his  time  he  will 
appear  for  their  deliverance ;  but  if,  instead  of  this,  they 
are  impatient,  and  take  the  work  into  their  own  hands,  they 
will  betray  their  want  of  faith,  and  will  dishonor  God,  and 
cannot  have  such  reason  to  hope  that  Christ  will  appear  for 
them  as  they  have  desired.  They  will  rather  have  reason 
to  fear  that  he  will  leave  them  to  manage  their  affairs  for 
themselves  as  well  as  they  can ;  when  if  they  had  waited 
on  Christ  patiently,  continuing  instayit  in  ^wayer,  he  would 
have  appeared  for  them  much  moi'e  effectually  to  deliver 
them.  "  He  that  believeth  shall  not  make  haste  ;"  and  it  is 
for  those  that  are  found  patiently  waiting  on  the  Lord  under 
difficulties,  that  he  will  especially  appear  when  he  comes  to 
do  great  things  for  his  church. 

What  has  been  said  thus  far,  has  relation  to  our  obliga- 
tions, as  we  would  prevent  the  hinderance  of  a  revival ;  but 
besides  these,  there  are  things  that  must  be  done  more 
directly  to  advance  it.  And  here  it  concerns  every  one,  in 
the  first  place,  to  look  into  his  own  heart,  and  see  to  it  that 
he  be  a  partaker  of  the  benefits  of  the  work  himself,  and 
that  it  be  promoted  in  his  oion  soul.  It  is  manifestly  with 
respect  to  a  time  of  great  revival  of  religion  that  we  have 
that  gracious,  earnest,  and  moving  invitation  proclaimed  in 
Isaiah  55,  "  Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth,"  etc.,  as  is  evi- 
dent by  what  precedes  and  what  folloAvs.  In  the  sixth 
verse,  it  is  said,  "  Seek  ye  the  Lord  while  he  may  be  found  ; 
call  upon  him  while  he  is  near."  And  it  is  with  special 
reference  to  such  a  time  that  Christ  proclaims,  "  I  will  give 
unto  him  that  is  athirst,  of  the  fountain  of  the  water  of  life 
freely." 

Especially  w^e  that  are  7ninisters  not  only  have  need  of 
some  true  experience  of  the  saving  influence  of  the  Spirit 
of  God  upon  our  heart,  but  we  need  a  double  portion  of  the 
Spirit  of  God  at  such  a  time  as  this ;  we  have  need  to  be  as 
full  of  light  as  a  glass  held  out  in  the  sun  ;  and  with  respect 
to  love  and  zeal,  to  be  like  the  ano^els  that  are  a  flame  of 


4  MEANS  OF  A  REVIVAT.. 

fire.  The  state  of  the  times  requires  a  fulness  of  the  divine 
Spirit  in  ministers,  and  we  ought  to  give  ourselves  no  rest 
till  we  have  obtained  it.  And  in  order  to  this,  I  should 
think  ministers,  above  all  persons,  ought  to  be  much  in 
secret  prayer  and  fasting,  and  also  much  in  prayer  and  fast- 
ing one  with  another.  It  seems  to  me  it  would  be  becom- 
ing the  circumstances  of  the  present  day,  if  ministers  in .  a 
neighborhood  would  often  meet  together,  and  spend  days 
in  fasting  and  fervent  prayer  among  themselves,  earnestly 
seeking  for  extraordinary  supplies  of  divine  grace  from 
heaven. 

Ministers  in  a  special  manner  should  act  ns  fellow -help- 
ers in  their  great  work.  It  should  be  seen  that  they  are 
animated  and  engaged,  and  exert  themselves  with  one  heart 
and  soul,  and  with  united  strength,  to  promote  the  revival 
of  religion ;  and  to  this  end  they  should  often  meet  together, 
and  act  in  concert.  And  if  it  were  a  common  thing  for 
ministers  to  join  in  public  exercises  and  second  one  another 
in  their  preaching,  earnestly  enforcing  each  other's  warnings 
and  counsels,  I  believe  it  would  be  of  great  service.  SucJi 
united  zeal  in  ministers  would  have  a  great  tendency  to 
awaken  attention  and  impress  and  animate  the  hearers,  as 
has  been  found  by  experience  in  some  parts  of  the  country. 

Two  things  very  essential  in  ministers,  if  they  would 
greatly  advance  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  are  zeal  and  resolu- 
tion. The  influence  and  power  of  these  to  bring  to  pass 
great  effects,  is  more  important  than  can  well  be  imagined : 
a  man  of  but  ordinary  capacity  "will  do  more  with  them,  than 
one  of  ten  times  the  ability  and  learning  without  them: 
more  may  be  done  with  them  in  a  few  days  or  weeks,  than 
can  be  done  without  them  in  many  years. 

Zeal  and  courage  will  do  much  in  persons  of  but  ordi- 
nary capacity ;  but  especially  would  they  do  great  things, 
if  joined  with  superior  abilities.  If  some  distinguished  men 
who  have  appeared  in  our  nation,  had  been  as  eminent  in 
piety  as  they  were  in  philosophy,  and  had  engaged  in  the 
Christian  cause  with  as  much  zeal  and  fervency  as  some 
others  have  done,  and  with  a  proportionable  blessing  of 
heaven,  they  would  have  moved  and  sent  a  benign  influence 
throuo-h  the  Avorld.  We  have  many  ministers  and  pious 
laymen  in  the  land  distinguished  for  talents  and  learning; 
they  should  consider  how  much  is  expected  and  will  be 


MEANS  OF  A  REVIVAL.  5 

required  of  them  by  their  Lord  and  Master,  and  how  much 
they  might  do  for  Christ,  and  Avhat  honor  and  how  glorious 
a  reward  they  might  receive,  if  they  had  in  their  hearts  a 
heavenly  warmth  and  divine  zeal  proportionable  to  their 
light. 

~  Rich  men,  too,  have  a  talent  in  their  hands,  in  the  dis- 
posal and  improvement  of  which  they  might  very  much 
promote  the  revival  and  advancement  of  religion.  They 
have  advantages  far  beyond  others  to  do  good,  and  lay  up 
for  themselves  treasures  in  heaven.  One  would  think  that 
all  our  rich  men  who  call  themselves  Christians,  might  de- 
vise or  select  some  glorious  object  to  accomplish  with  their 
money,  for  advancing  the  kingdom  of  their  Redeemer  and 
the  prosperity  of  the  souls  of  men,  at  a  time  of  such  extra- 
ordinary opportunities  £or  it.  It  seems  to  me,  that  in  this 
age  most  of  us  have  but  very  narrow,  penurious  notions 
of  Christianity,  as  it  respects  the  use  and  disposal  of  tem- 
poral goods.  The  primitive  Christians  had  not  such  limited 
notions ;  they  were  trained  up  by  the  apostles  in  another 
way.  And  I  trust  in  God  the  days  are  coming,  when  the 
great  and  rich  men  of  the  world  shall  bring  their  honor  and 
glory  into  the  church,  and  shall,  as  it  were,  strip  themselves 
to  spread  their  garments  under  Christ's  feet,  as  he  enters 
triumphantly  into  Jerusalem  ;  and  when  those  that  will  not 
do  so  shall  have  no  glory,  their  silver  and  gold  shall  be 
cankered,  and  their  garments  moth-eaten :  for  the  saints 
shall  then  inherit  the  earth,  and  those  that  honor  God  he 
will  honor,  and  those  that  despise  him  shall  be  lightly  es- 
teemed. 

If  some  of  our  rich  men  would  give  one  quarter  of  their 
property  to  advance  this  work,  they  would  act  in  some  de- 
gree as  if  they  lived  for  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  and  as  rich 
men  by  and  by  will  act,  who  shall  be  partakers  of  the  spir- 
itual wealth  and  glories  of  that  kingdom.  Great  things 
might  be  done  by  liberal  contributions  for  the  support  and 
propagation  of  religion;  by  supporting  preachers  eminently 
qualified  by  gifts  and  grace,  in  more  destitute  parts  of  the 
country  ;  by  bringing  forward  young  men  of  promising  abil- 
ities, and  whose  hearts  are  full  of  love  to  Christ,  for  the 
ministry ;  and  by  distributing  books  that  are  remarkably 
fitted  to  promote  vital  religion,  or  bearing  the  expense  of 

VOL.  vrii.  22 


Q  MEANS  OF  A  REVIVAI.. 

sending  such  books  into  various  parts  of  the  land  to  be 
sold.* 

But  I  would  now  proceed  to  mention  some  things  that 
at  such  a  day  concern  oil. 

And  the  first  is,  faHincf  and  'praijer.  It  seems  to  me 
that  circumstances  loudly  call  on  God's  people  to  abound 
in  this  ;  whether  they  consider  the  blessing  already  received 
in  the  effusions  of  his  Spirit ;  the  great  encouragement 
he  has  given  to  prayer  in  the  richness  and  freeness  of  his 
grace ;  or  the  opposition  of  Satan,  and  the  many  obstacles 
that  must  be  encountered. 

It  is  God's  will,  through  his  wonderful  grace,  that  the 
prayers  of  his  saints  should  be  one  principal  means  of  ad- 
vancing the  kingdom  of  Christ  in  the  world.  When  God 
has  something  very  great  to  accomplish  for  his  church,  it 
is  his  will  that  there  should  precede  it  the  extraordinary 
prayers  of  his  people;  as  is  manifest  in  Ezek.  36  :  37,  "I 
will  yet  for  this  he  inquired  of  by  the  house  of  Israel,  to 
do  it  for  them  ;"  together  with  the  context.  And  it  is  re- 
vealed, that  Avhen  God  is  about  to  accomplish  great  things 
for  his  church,  he  Avill  begin  by  remarkably  pouring  out  the 
spirit  of  grace  and  supplication.  Zech.  12:10.  If,  in  the 
time  of  Christ,  the  devil  was  not  cast  out  of  a  particular 
person,  under  a  bodily  possession,  without  extraordinary 
prayer,  or  prayer  and  fasting ;  how  much  less  should  y^e 
expect  that  he  will  be  cast  out  of  the  land  and  the  world 
without  it  ? 

I  am  sensible  that  much  has  been  done  in  duties  of  this 
kind,  in  some  places ;  but  I  do  not  think  so  much  as  God, 
in  the  present  dispensations  of  his  providence  and  grace, 
calls  for.  I  think  the  people  of  God,  in  this  land,  at  such 
a  time  as  this,  would  be  in  the  way  of  their  duty  to  devote 
themselves  three  times  as  much  as  they  do  to  fasting  and 
prayer;  not  only,  nor  principally,  for  the  pouring  out  of 
the  Spirit  on  those  towns  or  places  where  they  reside  ;  but 
that  God  would  appear  for  his  church,  and  in  mercy  to 
miserable  men,  carry  on  his  work  throughout  the  land,  and 
the  Avorld  of  mankind,  and  fulfil  the  thmgs  he  has  spoken 

*  The  standard  evangelical  volumes  of  the  American  Tract 
Society,  are  well  adapted  to  this  purpose. 


MEANS  OF  A  REVIVAL.  7 

in  his  word,  and  for  which  his  church  has  been  so  long 
wishing,  and  hoping,  and  waiting.  They  that  make  men- 
tion of  the  Lord  at  this  day,  ought  not  to  keep  silence,  and 
should  give  him  no  rest  till  he  establish,  and  till  he  make 
Jerusalem  a  praise  in  the  earth.  Before  the  first  great  out- 
pouring of  the  Spirit  of  God  on  the  Christian  church,  which 
began  at  Jerusalem,  the  church  of  God  gave  themselves  to 
incessant  prayer.  There  is  a  time  spoken  of,  wherein  God 
will  remarkably  and  wonderfully  appear  for  the  deliverance 
of  his  church  from  all  her  enemies,  and  when  he  will  avenge 
his  own  elect ;  and  Christ  reveals  that  this  will  be  in  answer 
to  their  incessant  prayers,  crying  day  and  night.  Luke  18:7. 
In  Israel,  the  day  of  atonement,  which  was  their  great  day 
of  fasting  and  prayer,  preceded  and  made  way  for  the 
glorious  and  joyful  feast  of  tabernacles.  When  Christ  is 
mystically  born  into  the  world  to  rule  over  all  nations,  it  is 
represented  in  Rev.  12,  as  being  in  consequence  of  the 
church's  "  crying,  and  travailing  in  birth."  One  thing  here 
intended,  doubtless,  is  her  crying  and  agonizing  in  prayer. 

God  seems  now  to  be  waiting  for  this  from  us.  When 
God  is  about  to  bestow  some  great  blessing  on  his  church, 
he  often  so  orders  events  in  his  providence  as  to  show  his 
church  their  great  need  of  it,  and  thus  bring  them  to  cry 
earnestly  to  him.  And  let  us  consider  God's  present  dis- 
pensations towards  his  church  in  this  land  :  a  glorious  work 
of  grace  has  been  begun  and  carried  on ;  but  God  has  suf- 
fered difficulties  to  arise,  and  yet  does  not  wholly  forsake 
the  work  of  his  hand  ;  there  are  remarkable  tokens  of  his 
presence  still  to  be  seen ;  as  though  he  was  not  forward  to 
forsake  us,  and,  if  I  may  so  say,  as  though  he  had  a  mind 
to  carry  on  his  work,  but  only  w^as  waiting  for  something 
that  he  expected  in  us,  as  requisite  in  order  to  it.  And  we 
have  great  reason  to  think  that  one  thing  at  least  is,  that 
we  should  further  acknowledge  the  greatness  and  necessity 
of  such  a  mercy,  and  our  dependence  on  God  for  it,  in 
earnest  prayer. 

There  is,  perhaps,  no  way  that  Christians  can  do  so 
much  to  promote  the  work  of  God,  and  advance  the  king- 
dom of  Christ,  as  by  fervent  prayer.  Let  persons  have 
ever  so  small  advantages  to  do  much  for  Christ  and  the 
souls  of  men  otherwise  ;  yet,  if  they  have  much  of  the 
spirit  of  grace  and  supplication,  they  may  have  power  with 


g  MEANS  OF  A  REVIVAL, 

Him  that  is  infinite  in  power ;  and  thus  a  poor  man  in  his 
cottage  may  exert  a  blessed  influence  all  over  the  world. 
God  is,  if  I  may  so  say,  at  the  command  of  the  prayer  of 
faith  ;  and  in  this  respect  is,  as  it  were,  under  the  power  of 
his  people  :  as  princes,  they  have  jiowev  with  God,  and  pre- 
vail. 

Finally,  to  promote  a  revival  among  a  professing  peo- 
ple, one  proper  means,  recommended  by  frequent  Scripture 
examples,  is  their  solemn,  public  renewing  their  covenant 
with  God.  And  doubtless  it  would  greatly  tend  to  pro- 
mote a  work  of  grace  in  the  land,  if  the  congregations  of 
God's  people  generally  should  do  this  ;  if,  at  a  proper  time, 
a  draft  of  a  covenant  should  be  made  by  their  ministers, 
wherein  there  should  be  an  express  mention  of  those  par- 
ticular duties  that  the  people  of  the  respective  congrega- 
tions have  been  observed  to  be  most  prone  to  neglect,  and 
those  particular  sins  into  which  they  have  fallen,  or  of 
which  they  are  especially  in  danger,  whereby  they  may 
prevent  or  resist  the  motions  of  God's  Spirit ;  and  the  mat- 
ter should  be  fully  proposed  and  explained  to  the  people, 
and  sufficient  opportunity  be  given  them  for  consideration, 
and  then  they  should  appear  together,  on  a  day  of  prayer 
and  fasting,  publicly  to  own  it  before  God  in  his  house,  as 
their  vows  to  the 'Lord.  In  this  way,  congregations  of 
Christians  might  do  that  which  would  be  beautiful,  would 
honor  God,  and  be  very  profitable  to  themselves,  and  the 
occasion  of  joy  in  heaven  over  many  repenting  sinners. 


PUBLISHED  BY  THE  AMERICAN  TRACT  SOCIETY. 


Xo.  379. 


¥HAT  HAVE  I  DONE? 


BY  REV.  WILLIAM  NEVINS,  D.  D 

B  ALTIMORE  . 


The  person  into  whose  hand  this  treatise  may  come,  is 
supposed  to  ask,  "  What  have  I  done  ?"  and  it  is  designed 
to  answer  his  question.  Let  no  one  refuse  to  consider  the 
answer  on  the  ground  that  he  knows  already  what  he  has 
done  better  than  any  one  can  tell  him.  It  may  appear,  on 
examination,  that  you  have  yet  much  to  learn  in  regard  to 
what  you  have  done.  Nor  let  any  one  deny  me  a  hearing, 
on  the  plea  that  it  matters  not  what  he  has  done.  It  mat- 
ters much  ;  you  are  a  moral  and  accountable  agent,  ansAver- 
able  for  your  conduct  to  God.  There  is  a  rule  by  which  it 
should  be  regulated :  God  is  the  author  of  that  rule,  and 
he  is  the  avenger  of  its  violations.  There  is  a  conduct 
which  is  pleasing  to  him,  and  a  conduct  which  is  displeas- 
ing :  and  whether  he  be  pleased  or  displeased,  whether  he 
smile  or  frown,  is  certainly  of  some  consequence. 

The  inquiry  relates  not  merely  to  overt  acts :  what  you 
have  done,  embraces  what  you  have  said,  thought,  and/e?^ 
as  well  as  what  you  have  acted ;  and  for  all  you  are  equally 
accountable.  "  The  law  is  spiritual — the  commandment  is 
exceeding  broad — God  will  bring  every  work  into  judgment, 
with  every  secret  thmg — all  a  man's  ways  are  right  in  his 
own  eyes,  but  the  Lord  pondereth  the  heart — the  Lord 
weigheth  the  spirit.'' 

This  language,  "What  have  I  done?"  sometimes  be- 
speaks a  mind  utterly  devoid  of  conviction.     It  asks,  in  a 
VOL.  VIII.  22* 


2  WHAT  HAVE  I  DONE  ? 

spirit  of  self-justification,  what  evil  the  person  has  done. 
At  other  times  it  expresses  the  keenest  sensibihty  to  sin. 
A  person  having  done  something,  the  evil  nature  of  which 
he  did  not  at  the  time  fully  apprehend,  and  the  sad  conse- 
quences of  which  he  did  not  foresee,  when  afterwards  he 
comes  to  perceive  the  evil  and  mischief  of  it,  exclaims  in 
mingled  alarm  and  grief,  "  What  have  I  done !" 

I  shall  consider  it  as  the  language  of  simple  inquiry  ; 
as  the  serious  interrogation  of  a  person  willing  to  know 
what  he  hath  done.  And  God  grant  that  while  I  am  an- 
swering the  interrogation,  '*  What  have  I  done?"  it  may 
become  the  heart-felt  exclamation  of  each  impenitent  reader. 

You  ask  what  you  have  done.  I  will  tell  you  ;  neither 
on  the  one  hand  extenuating,  nor  on  the  other  exaggerating. 

1.  What  if  you  had  done  nothing?  You  say,  "What 
have  I  done  ?"  meaning  perhaps  that  you  have  done  noth- 
ing, and  supposing  that  this  is  a  valid  plea,  a  sufficient 
justification  for  you.  But  is  it  so  ?  Can  I  not  condemn 
you  on  your  own  admission,  out  of  your  own  mouth  ?  You 
have  done  nothing  !  But  you  are  required  to  do  something 
— aye,  much.  You  have  done  nothing  !  Then  you  have 
not  loved  God  with  all  your  heart,  nor  glorified  him  in  your 
body  and  spirit,  which  are  his.  If  you  have  done  nothing, 
you  have  broken  one-half,  at  least,  of  the  law  of  God.  In 
so  far  as  its  positive  requirements  are  concerned,  you  are 
guilty,  according  to  your  own  confession.  It  was  for  not 
doing  that  the  inhabitants  of  Meroz  were  cursed — "  they 
came  not  to  the  help  of  the  Lord  against  the  mighty." 
They  staid  at  home  and  minded  their  worldly  business. 
And  Christ  will  say,  he  informs  us,  to  those  on  his  left 
hand,  in  the  final  day,  when  he  bids  them  depart  from  him, 
"Inasmuch  as  ye  did  it  not,''  etc.  And  he  says  also, 
*'Cast  ye  the  unprofitable  servant,"  the  servant  that  does 


WHAT  HAVE  1  DONE  ?  3 

nothing,  "  into  outer  darkness."  You  have  done  nothing! 
But  to  do  nothing  when  there  is  so  much  required  to  be 
done,  is  to  do  evil — to  do  wrong — to  do  that  which  must 
cast  you  away  for  ever.  You  need  do  no  more  than  nothing 
to  insure  and  justify  your  condemnation.  Strange,  that 
you  should  expect  to  be  justified  for  the  very  reason  for 
which  Christ  says  he  will  condemn  men !     But, 

2.  This  plea,  though  it  would  not  sustain  you,  if  you 
could  offer  it,  you  cannot  offer,  for  you  have  done  something. 
You  have  not  been  idle.  You  are  no  mere  negative  charac- 
ter. You  have  acted  under  law,  and  in  view  of  law,  as  a 
moral  and  accountable  agent.  As  such,  you  have  perform- 
ed innumerable  acts,  and  have  been  the  subject  of  number- 
less exercises  of  thought  and  feeling ;  each  of  which  acts 
and  exercises  has  possessed  a  moral  character,  has  or  has 
not  been  conformed  to  the  revealed  rule  of  duty,  and  is 
worthy  of  praise  or  blame.  It  is  impossible  to  compute 
the  number  of  times  you  have  acted  and  been  exercised  in 
the  capacity  of  a  moral  agent  and  an  accountable  subject 
of  the  law  of  God ;  and  all  these  have  been  acts  of  obe- 
dience or  of  disobedience.  Each  exercise  has  been  right 
or  wrong.  They  have  met  the  approbation  of  God,  or  pro- 
voked his  displeasure.  If  they  have  been  worthy  of  reward, 
they  will  be  rewarded ;  if  of  punishment,  they  will  be  pun- 
ished. Of  the  one  or  the  other,  they  are  worthy.  All  the 
while  you  have  lived,  God  has  been  looking  on  your  heart 
and  life,  and  in  view  of  each  emotion,  thought,  and  act,  has 
smiled  or  frowned. 

Yes,  you  have  done  something:  you  have  formed  a 
decided  character.  You  have  laid  up  a  large  store  of  some- 
thing for  the  future ;  you  have  done  a  great  deal  of  good 
or  evil ;  you  are  very  much  in  the  right,  or  very  far  in  the 
wrong  :  which  is  it  ?      What  have  you  done  ? 

3.  You  have  done  wrong.     You  have  acted  unreason- 


4  WHAT  HAVE  1  DONE  ? 

ably  and  unfitly.  You  have  acted  in  opposition  to  those 
dictates  of  duty  which  come  to  you  from  within.  You 
have  disobeyed  conscience.  You  have  transgressed  the 
law  written  upon  the  heart. 

You  have  done  more  :  you  have  not  only  sinned  against 
your  own  soul,  but  against  God.  You  have  disobeyed  the 
Lord  of  conscience.  You  have  acted  contrary  to  his  known 
will ;  broken  his  holy,  just,  and  good  law.  You  have  done 
all  this — you  cannot  deny  it — wrong,  and  thus  wrong. 

4.  Now,  suppose  you  had  done  this  but  once ;  suppose 
that  of  your  innumerable  acts  and  exercises  only  one  was 
sinful.  Even  on  that  supposition  you  are  guilty,  condemn- 
ed, inexcusable,  and  undone.  You  cannot  answer  for  that 
one  sin.  The  divine  law  tolerates  sin  in  no  respect,  and  in 
no  instance.  "  Cursed  is  every  one  that  continueth  not  in  all 
things  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them.  He  that 
offerideth  in  one  point,  is  guilty  of  all."  Gal.  3:10;  James 
2  :  10.  The  law  of  God  is  one,  and  he  that  breaks  it  in  any 
part,  breaks  it  all.  The  angels  who  kept  not  their  first  estate, 
were  consigned  to  the  place  they  now  occupy,  in  chains 
and  utter  darkness,  for  doing  wrong  once.  Did  God  wait 
for  a  second  offence?  Why  should  he?  Does  human  law 
wait  for  the  repetition  of  a  crime  ?  In  like  manner  Adam, 
for  one  offence,  incurred  the  sentence  of  death.  ISTow,  if  you 
have  done  wrong  only  once,  you  have  done  as  much  as  de- 
throned the  angels,  and  destroyed  the  father  of  the  human 
race.  If  one  offence  ruined  them,  is  not  one  enough  to  ruin 
you  ?     But  I  need  not  speak  on  this  supposition,  for, 

5.  You  have  done  wrong  more  than  once.  How  many 
times  in  your  life  do  you  suppose  that  you  have  acted, 
spoken,  thought,  and  felt  sinfully  and  wrong  ?  So  many 
times,  that  there  is  but  one  Being  who  can  tell  how  many  ; 
and  he  will  tell,  when  "the  books  are  opened"  before  as- 
sembled worlds. 


WHAT  HAVE  I  DONE  1 


Some  appear  to  think  that  if  their  wrong  doings,  no 
matter  how  many  they  be,  do  not  exceed  their  right  doings  ; 
if  their  good  deeds  only  outnumber  by  one  their  evil  deeds, 
they  have  nothing  to  fear,  and  this  is  all  that  is  required  of 
them.  For  this  opinion  there  is  as  little  support  derived 
from  reason  as  from  Scripture.  There  is  none  from  either. 
It  is  absolute  folly  to  think  and  talk  thus.  A  man  should 
be  ashamed  to  entertain  such  an  opinion.  All  analogy  is 
against  it.  Is  this  all  that  the  magistrate  requires  of  the 
subject,  or  the  parent  of  the  child ;  namely,  that  they  be 
careful  to  maintain  a  proper  proportion  between  their  acts 
of  obedience  and  their  acts  of  disobedience,  never  permitting 
the  latter  to  outnumber  the  former?  May  the  subject  or 
the  child  break  this  law,  provided  only  he  obey  that  ?  Does 
not  all  law  require  universal  obedience  ?  Did  any  law  ever 
allow  or  excuse  its  own  transgression  in  any  respect  or  in- 
stance ?  There  is  not  a  government  or  society  of  any  kind 
existing  among  men,  having  laws  or  rules  for  its  regulation, 
which  does  not  require  the  strict  observance  of  all  its  rules 
by  its  every  member.  It  punishes  every  breach  of  each  rule. 
It  does  not  wait  till  more  than  half  of  them  are  broken. 

Yet  men  expect  that  the  great  and  jealous  God  will 
allow  them  to  treat  his  holy,  just,  and  good  law,  as  no  other 
law  was  ever  allowed  to  be  treated.  And  all  the  hope  which 
many  have  is  built  on  this  expectation.  Standing  on  this 
foundation,  they  are  looking  forward  to  the  prospect  of  meet- 
ing God,  with  a  calmness  and  confidence  that  nothing  seems 
capable  of  disturbing.  They  acknowledge  they  have  sinned, 
and  they  do  not  pretend  that  they  have  repented  and  secured 
an  interest  in  the  atonement.  They  have  not,  they  suppose, 
sinned  enough  for  that.  It  is  not  every  sin,  according  to 
their  notion,  that  renders  repentance  and  a  satisfaction  ne- 
cessary ;  but  only  the  surplusage  of  sin,  if  any  there  should 
be,  after  their  good  doings  are  subtracted  from  their  evil 


6  WHAT  HAVE  I  DONE  ? 

ones !  Into  what  absurdity  and  folly,  not  to  say  aggravated 
guilt,  will  erring  mortals  plunge.  Sin  first  infatuates,  then 
destroys  them.  It  begins  with  making  fools  of  them,  and 
ends  with  making  them  ivretches. 

You  perceive,  then,  that  it  would  avail  nothing,  though 
you  could  maintain  the  ground,  that  your  right  doings  out- 
number your  wrong  doings.  But  even  this  ground,  were  it 
available,  you  cannot  maintain.     For, 

6.  You  have  not  done  more  good  than  evil — more  right 
than  wrong.  I  know  it  is  an  astounding  and  unpalatable 
sentiment  that  I  am  about  to  advance ;  but  it  has  the  rec- 
ommendation of  being  true,  if  it  is  not  popular.  You  may 
disbelieve  it,  but  you  cannot  disprove  it.  It  is  this  :  instead 
of  having  done  more  good  than  evil,  if  you  are  not  now  a 
penitent,  a  believer  in  Christ,  a  new  creature,  you  have,  so 
far  as  your  moral  nature  is  concerned,  done  no  good — you 
have  done  nothing  right.  Your  moral  acts  and  exercises 
have  been  all  of  one  kind,  and  all  evil,  all  ivrong.  When 
this  is  said,  it  is  not  meant  that  your  acts  have  been  evil  and 
wrong  in  every  sense  of  those  words.  Right  and  good, 
accordino-  to  the  subordinate  sio-nification  of  those  words,  it 
is  not  disputed  that  you  have  done  ;  but  in  the  most  impor- 
tant sense  of  the  words,  their  scriptural  sense,  that  sense  of 
them  in  which  they  will  be  explained  by  God  and  under- 
stood in  the  day  of  judgment,  and  that  is  the  true  sense  of 
them,  you  have  done  "  only  evil,"  and  that  "  continually." 
This  assertion,  though  clothed  with  divine  authority,  may 
give  offence ;  but  examine  it  carefully,  remembering  with 
whom  you  have  to  do. 

Right  is  that  which  is  conformable  to  the  rule  ivhich  God 
has  given  for  the  regulation  of  human  conduct ;  that  con- 
formity, liaving  for  its  spring  and  principle  the  love  of  God, 
and  for  its  object  his  glory.  Now,  though  you  have  acted 
in  some  things  agreeably  to  the  revealed  rule  of  God ;  yet 


WHAT  HAVE  I  DONE?  7 

has  your  motive  been  his  love,  and  your  aim  his  glory  ?  It 
is  quite  possible  to  do  things  required  by  the  law  of  God, 
and  yet  render  no  acceptable  obedience  to  that  law ;  for 
they  may  be  done  without  any  respect  for  the  law ;  done 
for  other  reasons  than  that  God  requires  them ;  or  done 
rather  from  fear  than  love.  To  do  right,  is  to  do  what  God 
requires,  because  he  requires  it,  at  the  suggestion  of  love, 
and  Avith  a  desire  to  glorify  him.  To  do  good,  is  to  do  what 
is  pleasing  to  God  ;  but  "  Avithout  faith  it  is  impossible  to 
please  him."  There  are  no  truly  good  works,  according  to 
the  Scripture,  but  those  unto  which  we  are  "■  created  in 
Christ  Jesus."  "They  that  are  in  the  flesh,"  that  is,  in  an 
imregenerate  state,  "  cannot  please  God."  *'  I  know  that  in 
me,  that  is,  in  my  flesh,  dwelleth  no  good  thing."  And  it 
stands  to  reason  that  repentance,  in  the  case  of  the  sinner, 
must  go  before  all  acceptable  obedience,  and  that  all  good 
in  him  must  be  the  fruit  and  consequence  of  repentance. 
In  the  case  of  the  rebelling  subject  or  child,  after  the  first 
act  of  rebellion  and  disobedience,  it  is  all  rebellion  and  diso- 
bedience up  to  the  moment  he  repents  and  makes  his  sub- 
mission.    So  it  is  Avith  all  who  rebel  against  God. 

Well  then,  it  appears  you  have  done  wrong,  and  nothing 
hut  wrong.  You  have  done  a  great  deal,  and  it  has  all 
been  evil.  All  the  entries  under  your  name,  in  the  book  of 
God's  remembrance,  are  on  one  side.  The  other  side  is  a 
blank.  You  will  never  have  any  thing  of  your  own  to  be 
entered  there  ;  and  the  obedience  of  the  great  Surety  is  not 
entered  to  your  account,  because  you  have  not  believed  on 
him,  and  with  all  your  heart  confided  in  him  as  your  Surety. 
So  the  case  stands.  This  is  what  you  have  done.  And 
now, 

Consider  to  whom  you  have  done  it — to  God,  the  great, 
blessed,  and  benevolent  God,  your  Creator,  Preserver,  and 
Benefactor.     You  have  broken  his  law,  which  is  holy,  just, 


8  WHAT  HAVE  I  DONE  7 

and  good  ;  have  transgressed  his  commandments,  which  are 
not  grievous  ;  and  have  refused  to  render  to  him  that  which 
is  your  reasonable  service. 

Consider  under  what  circumstances  you  have  done  it ; 
circumstances  of  light  and  love ;  in  despite  of  exhortation 
and  command,  admonition  and  entreaty,  promise  and  threat- 
ening, judgment  and  mercy ;  with  heaven  open  to  allure 
you,  and  hell  uncovered  to  alarm  you,  and  the  cross  of  the 
Son  of  God  in  full  view  before  you ;  you  have  acted  wrong, 
with  every  inducement  to  act  right. 

Consider  also  the  evils  involved  in  such  doings,  under 
such  circumstances ;  the  presumption  and  rebellion,  the 
impiety  and  injustice,  the  folly  and  madness,  the  baseness 
and  daring,  but  above  all,  the  ingratitude  of  having,  under 
such  circumstances,  acted  as  you  have  acted  towards  God. 

The  ingratitude !  There  never  was  such  a  case  of  in- 
gratitude before,  and  I  suppose  there  never  could  be  another 
like  it.  God  never  so  loved  any  other  Avorld  as  to  give  his 
only-begotten  Son  to  die  for  its  inhabitants.  Such  good- 
ness does  not  exist  to  lead  other  sinners  to  repentance. 
They  have  no  such  love  to  despise.  They  have  no  hlood  of 
atonement  to  tread  under  foot.  They  cannot  be  so  ungrate- 
ful. The  intervention  of  the  Son  of  God  to  save  rebel  man, 
renders  his  case  2'>€culiar,  and  will  render  his  condition  here- 
after peculiar.  He  will  rise  to  the  highest  in  heaven,  or 
sink  to  the  lowest  in  hell.  He  is  the  only  sinner  that  ever 
received  a  call  to  repent  and  return.  God  never  before 
sought  to  woo  back  a  wandering  soul  to  him.  But  for  you, 
0  man,  he  has  bowed  his  heavens  and  come  down.  He  has 
sent  his  Son  after  you.  And  what  have  you  done  ?  How 
have  you  requited  God's  gift  of  his  Son  ?  How  have  you 
met  the  mercies  of  redemption  ?  How  have  you  treated 
Christ?  Has  his  story  interested  you?  Has  his  cross 
attracted  you  ?     Have  you  stopped  and  gone  near  to  see 


WHAT  HAVE  I  DONE  1  9 

and  sympathize  in  those  unparalleled  sorrows,  of  which  you 
"were  the  author  as  well  as  the  object  ?  For  he,  who  died 
for  you,  died  also  hy  you.  Have  you  ever  looked  on  him 
whom  you  pierced,  and  mourned  ?  Have  you  given  to  him 
your  heart  ?  and  are  you  living  now  to  him  who  died  for 
you  ?  Alas,  has  he  not  been  despised  and  rejected  of  you? 
Have  you  not  passed  by  him,  even  if  you  have  done  no 
more? 

But  some,  to  all  else  they  have  done,  are  adding  this, 
the  last  and  worst  they  can  do,  the  resisting  and  grieving  of 
the  Holy  Ghost.  Art  thou  one  of  them  ?  They  counter- 
work the  divine  Spirit,  who  strives  with  them.  God  comes 
on  a  visit  of  mercy  to  them,  and  whispers  in  the  ear  of  the 
soul,  of  pardon  and  heaven ;  but  they  say,  "  Depart  from 
us  ;  we  desire  not  the  knowledge  of  thy  ways.  Who  is  the 
Lord,  that  we  should  obey  him  ?"  And  he  departs,  per- 
haps ;  for  he  says,  "  Be  instructed,  O  Jerusalem,  lest  my 
soul  depart  from  thee.  My  Spirit  shall  not  always  strive 
with  man."  What  then  ?  What  is  their  history  after  that  ? 
I  know  not ;  but  this  I  know,  a  dark  death  and  a  deep  and 
desperate  damnation  are  the  subjects  of  the  last  chapter. 

Sinner,  there  is  one  piece  of  advice  that,  as  a  friend,  I 
■would  give  you.  It  is,  whatever  you  do,  "  Quench  not  the 
Spirit."  You  may  do  any  thing  but  that,  and  your  case 
not  be  desperate.  But  if  you  quench  the  Spirit,  there  re- 
mains no  hope  ;  there  is  no  refuge  left ;  there  is  no  fourth 
person  in  the  Godhead  to  undertake  the  case  of  the  sinner 
who  has  wilfully  put  away  from  him  the  light  and  fire 
of  the  divine  Spirit.  Art  thou  grieving  him  ?  Beware ! 
Another  hour — another  moment — and  he  may  depart  for 
ever ! 

I  have  told  you  what  you  have  done.  Let  me  now  urge 
you  to  consider  the  consequences  of  having  done  so ;  the 
great  guilt  vou  have  incurred,  the  deep  and  virulent  de- 
vor.,.  viir,  '?3 


10  WHAT  HAVE  1  DONE  1 

pravity  you  liave  contracted,  the  tremendous  wrath  you 
have  treasured  up  for  yourself,  and  the  utter  ruin  you  have 
entailed  on  soul  and  body,  for  time  and  for  eternity.  In 
doing  what  you  have  done,  you  have  destroyed  yourself; 
you  have  forfeited  the  divine  favor,  and  lost  the  divine  like- 
ness. The  privilege  and  dignity  of  being  a  child  and  heir 
of  God  are  gone  from  you ;  and  peace  is  gone,  and  purity 
is  gone,  and  freedom,  and  honor,  and  all  but  just  one  only 
hope  is  gone,  and  that  is  going,  and  unless  you  lay  hold  of 
it  will  soon  be  gone,  never  to  return.  You  have  blasted 
your  prospects  for  eternity.  You  have  caused  a  blight  to 
come  over  the  beauty  and  fruitfulness  of  the  soul.  You 
have  lost  all  that  was  worth  having,  and  have  got  in  ex- 
change nothing  but  what  it  is  as  much  your  interest  as  your 
duty  to  give  up. 

You  have  done  w^hat  to  vmdo  constituted  a  problem  that 
baffled  all  created  minds.  You  have  done  what  to  undo 
required  a  special  interposition  from  the  adorable  Trinity, 
and  from  the  Son  of  God  exacted  suffering  the  deepest  and 
most  dreadful. 

In  fine,  you  have  done,  0  sinner,  so  rmich  that  it  is 
necessary  you  should  do  something  more.  And  do  you  ask 
me  what  it  is  ?  Dost  thou,  in  view  of  what  thou  hast  clone, 
ask  what  thou  must  do?  I  am  glad  to  hear  that  ques- 
tion ;  it  indicates  returning  reason.  I  will  briefly  answer  it. 
And, 

First.  You  must  do  something — you  must  act;  you 
will  never  be  saved  without  your  own  agency.  When  the 
jailer  asked  this  question,  did  Paul  and  Silas  say,  "Do 
nothing  ;  wait — wait  God's  time  ?"  A  time,  by  the  way, 
which  cannot  be  ivaited  for,  because  it  has  come  already. 
It  is  noiv. 

Secondly.  What  you  do,  you  must  do  quicJcly.  The 
command  of  God  urffes  vou  to  immediate  action.     The  dif- 


WHAT  HAVE  I  DONE  ?  H 

ficulty  of  the  work  urges  you.  The  uncertainty  of  life 
urges  you.  The  ever-increasing  hardness  of  the  unregen- 
erate  heart  affords  another  argument  for  doing  immediately 
what  you  find  to  do.  "  Behold,  now  is  the  accepted  time ; 
behold,  now  is  the  day  of  salvation." 

Thirdly.  You  cannot  be  saved  by  doing  any  thing 
w^hich  you  may  choose  to  do,  aside  from  what  God  com- 
mands you  to  do.  No  amount  of  unauthorized  effort  will 
avail  you  any  thing. 

Fourthly.  You  may  do  many  things  which  the  word  of 
God  approves,  and  even  enjoins,  and  yet  never  be  saved  ; 
for  no  one  of  them  may  be  that  specific  thing  to  which  the 
promise  of  salvation  is  made. 

Fifthly.  There  is  only  one  thing  that  you  can  do  to 
secure  your  salvation.  You  will  be  disappointed  if  you 
expect  to  be  saved  by  doing  many  things.  One  act,  one 
single  exercise,  is  the  indispensable  requisite  to  salvation. 
What  is  it? 

Sixthly.  That  which  you  do  in  order  to  he  saved,  is  not 
to  make  an  atonement  for  sin,  nor  is  it  to  acquire,  yourself, 
a  title  to  heaven :  it  is  not  any  act  whereby  you  may  make 
yourself  better,  or  recommend  yourself  to  God.  There  is 
nothing  expiatory,  meritorious,  or  commendatory  in  what 
you  are  required  to  do.  The  object  of  the  act  is  not  lo 
make  atonement,  but  to  receive  an  atonement  already  made. 
It  is  not  to  do  something  for  yourself,  but  to  avail  yourself 
of  what  another  has  done  for  you. 

Seventhly.  It  is  no  external  act  or  movement  that  is  re- 
quired. It  is  an  act  of  the  soul — a  single,  confiding  act  of 
the  soul,  the  object  of  the  confidence  being  Christ  Jesus. 
There  are  two  things  presupposed  as  necessary  to  this  act, 
viz.,  a  sense  of  your  need  of  him,  and  an  apprehension  of 
his  suitableness  and  sufficiency  for  you.  These  existing, 
you  have  nothing  to  do  that  you  may  be  saved,  but  heartily 


12  WHAT  HAVE  I  DONE  ? 

to  trust  in  him.  "  Believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and 
thou  shalt  be  saved."  Exercise  a  confiding  faith  in  him, 
and  all  is  done.  Cease  to  do  any  thing  for  yourself,  except 
cordially  to  trust  Christ  to  do  every  thing  for  you. 

This  is  what  you  must  do.  Now  do  it.  It  is  reason- 
able that  you  should.  Christ  is  altogether  worthy  of  your 
confidence.  He  is  able  to  save,  and  he  is  willing.  He 
offers  himself  to  you — he  presses  himself  upon  you.  Re- 
ceive him,  and  you  are  saved.  Do  not  be  confounded  by 
the  very  simplicity  of  the  requirement.  Do  not  say,  "  Can 
this  be  all  ?"  I  assure  you  it  is  all.  And  there  is  nothing 
to  be  done  in  preparation  for  doing  this.  If  you  know  that 
you  are  a  sinner,  and  believe  that  Chiist  is  a  Saviour,  then 
as  a  sinner  trust  in  that  Saviour.  And  you  can  do  it  noio 
as  well  as  at  any  other  time ;  yea,  tetter.  The  duty  will 
never  be  different  from  what  it  now  is — ^never  easier.  Will 
you  do  it  noio  ?  Now,  while  God  waits  to  be  gracious,  and 
Jesus  stands  with  arms  extended  and  with  open  heart  to 
receive  you  ;  and  the  blessed  Spirit  striveth  with  you ;  now, 
when  all  things  are  ready,  and  all  circumstances  favor; 
now,  in  the  strength  of  God,  will  you  do  it?  What  is 
your  decision  ?  It  is  known  in  heaven.  It  is  recorded 
there. 

Note. — A  premium  of  fifty  dollars,  offered  by  a  friend  was 
awarded  to  the  author  of  this  Tract 


IVo.  ^80. 

DON'T  UICHAIN  THE  TIGER. 


When  an  infidel  production  was  submitted — probably 
by  Paine — to  Benjamin  Franklin,  in  manuscript,  he  returned 
it  to  the  author,  with  a  letter,  from  which  the  following  is 
extracted :  "  I  ivoidd  advise  you  not  to  atteiivpt  unchain- 
ing THE  TIGER,  hut  to  hum  tkis  2^iece  before  it  is  seen  hy  any 
other 2^erson,"  "If  men  are  so  ivicJced  w^ith  religion,  what 
would  they  he  without  it?'' 

The  doctor  was  once  an  advocate  for  infidelity.  He 
informs  us  that  he  was,  in  his  early  youth,  "  a  perfect  Deist ; 
that  his  arguments  had  perverted  some  other  young  persons, 
particularly  Collins  and  Ralph.  But  in  the  sequel,  when 
he  recollected  that  they  had  both  treated  him  exceedingly 
ill,  without  the  smallest  remorse ;  when  he  considered  the 
behavior  of  Keith,  another  freethinker,  and  his  own  conduct 
towards  Vernon  and  Miss  Reed,  which  at  times  gave  him 
great  uneasiness,  he  was  led  to  suspect  that  the  doctrine, 
though  it  might  be  true,  was  not  very  useful."  Franklin's 
Life,  by  Key  and  Mielke,  pp.  76  and  VV. 

Youth  and  inexperience  exposed  even  Franklin  to  be 
led  astray  by  infidel  speculations ;  but  age  and  observation 
convinced  him,  first,  that  they  were  unprofitable,  and  then, 
that  their  propagation  would  be  like  the  unchaining  of  a 
tiger  in  a  populous  city.  *'  Think,'"  said  he  to  Paine,  in  a 
letter  to  which  allusion  has  been  made,  "  hoio  many  incon- 
siderate and  inexperienced  youth  of  both  sexes  there  are,  who 
have  need  of  the  motives  of  religion  to  restrain  them  from 
vice,  to  support  their  virtue,  and  retain  them  in  the  practice 
of  it  till  it  becomes  habitual.'"  He  traced  his  own  aberra- 
tions from  the  path  of  virtue,  and  the  vices  of  the  "  young 
persons  "  whom  "  his  arguments  had  perverted,"  to  the  ab- 
sence of  religious  restraints ;  and  when  he  saw  the  youth 
of  his  beloved  country  in  danger  from  the  same  cause,  he 
bore  his  solemn  testimony  against  the  rash  experiment,  and 
entreated  his  reckless  friend  to  burn  the  manuscript  before 
it  should  be  seen  by  any  other  individual. 
VOL.  viir.  23* 


2  DON'T  UXCHALN  THE  TIGER. 

Reader,  if  such  a  man  as  Franklin,  after  trying  infidelity 
himself,  and  carefully  noticing  its  effects  upon  others,  dep- 
recated it  as  the  bane  of  personal  purity  and  social  order 
and  happiness,  are  you  willing  to  give  it  currency  in  our 
great  republic  ? 

Infidelity,  if  it  prevails  in  this  country,  must  be  substi- 
tuted for  Christianity — for  the  religion  of  tlie  Bible.  This 
religion,  its  enemies  themselves  confess,  is,  in  its  moral  code, 
holy,  and  just,  and  good.  In  its  doctrine  it  is  dignified  and 
glorious.  In  its  tendency  it  is  pure  and  peaceable,  gentle, 
and  easy  to  be  entreated,  full  of  mercy  and  good  fruits, 
■without  partiality,  and  without  hypocrisy.  The  celebrated 
Montesquieu  remarks,  "The  Christian  religion,  ivhich  or- 
dains that  men  should  love  each  other,  ivould  without  doubt 
have  every  nation  blest  ivith  the  best  -political  and  civil  laws  ; 
because  these,  next  to  religion,  are  the  greatest  good  that  men 
can  give  and  receive.'"  Spirit  of  Laws,  London  edit.,  vol.  1, 
p.  72.  The  congress  of  1*776,  speaking  of  the  same  relig- 
ion, declared  that  it  was  the  "  only  solid  basis  of  public 
liberty  and  happiness  f'  and  Gen.  Washington  calls  it  "one 
of  the  great  pillars  of  human  happiness,  and  the  firmest  prop 
of  the  duty  of  men  and  citizens.''  Having  such  a  religion 
as  this  to  form  the  habits  of  our  youth,  to  guide  the  coun- 
cils of  our  statesmen,  to  teach  our  senators  wisdom,  and 
prepare  our  citizens  to  appreciate  the  mild  institutions  of 
our  republic,  what  could  we  be  profited  by  exchanging  it 
for  deism  or  atheism,  in  any  of  their  modifications  ? 

Infidehty  would  indeed  break  down  our  altars,  and  take 
away  our  Bibles  and  our  Sabbaths.  It  would  shut  up  the 
Sabbath-schools,  and  turn  into  the  streets  more  than  a  mill- 
ion of  children,  who  are  now  taught  the  pure  morality  of 
the  Gospel  every  Sabbath-day.  It  would  bereave  the  liv- 
ing of  his  rule  of  life,  and  rob  the  dying  of  his  only  anti- 
dote aofainst  the  fear  of  death.  But  what  would  it  brino- 
us  in  return  ?  Its  doctrines  are  vague  speculations,  founded 
neither  on  data  nor  evidence ;  and  in  these  speculations 
scarcely  any  two  are  agreed.  Some  believe  in  the  existence 
of  a  God,  while  others  deny  it.  Some  believe  in  the  im- 
mortality of  the  soul,  while  others,  with  the  French  philos- 
ophers, write  over  the  gates  of  their  cemeteries,  "Death  an 
eternal  sleep.'' 

Nor  have  infidels  any  more  certainty  or  any  better  agree- 


DON'T  UXCHAIX  THE  TIGER.  3 

ment  among  themselves,  in  regard  to  tlieir  moral  code,  than 
then-  doctrinal  speculations.  Lord  Herbert  and  the  Earl  of* 
Shaftesbury  thought  that  the  light  of  nature  would  teach 
all  men,  without  the  aid  of  revelation,  to  observe  the  mo- 
rality of  the  Bible.  Spinosa  and  Hobbes,  two  other  distin- 
guished infidel  writers,  the  one  believing  in  the  existence  of 
a  God  and  the  other  denying  it,  were  agreed  that  there  ivas 
nothing  either  right  or  lurong  iii  its  oivn  nature ;  hut  that 
every  man  has  a  natural  right  to  obtain,  either  by  force  or 
fraud,  every  thing  which  either  his  reason  or  his  passions 
prompt  him  to  believe  may  he  useful  to  himself  Blount, 
another  freethinker,  supposed  that  the  moral  law  of  nature 
justified  self-murder  ;  and  Lord  Bolingbroke,  that  it  enjoined 
polygamy,  and  neither  ^rohihiie^A  fornication,  adultery,  nor 
incest,  excep}t  between  2Mrents  and  children. 

But  the  vagueness  and  uncertainty  of  its  doctrinal  spec- 
ulations, and  the  looseness  and  immorality  of  its  rules  of 
life,  are  not  the  only  things  to  be  objected  against  infidehty. 
Its  tendency,  wherever  it  has  been  introduced,  has  been 
evil,  and  only  evil. 

France,  at  the  commencement  of  her  revolution,  in  1789, 
was  an  infidel  nation.  The  profligacy  of  the  Catholic  priest- 
hood, the  demoralizing  example  of  the  Regent  Duke  of  Or- 
leans, and  the  infidel  pubhcations  of  Voltaire  and  his  asso- 
ciates, had  produced  a  contempt  for  religion  through  every 
rank  of  society.  The  people  were  taught  by  their  literati 
that  the  Bible  was  at  war  with  their  liberties,  and  that  they 
could  never  expect  to  overturn  the  throne  till  they  had 
broken  down  the  altar.  Here  the  tiger  was  unchained. 
The  lusts  and  passions  of  men  were  set  free  from  the  re- 
straints of  Christianity,  and  the  bloody  history  of  that  de- 
voted nation  should  convince  every  man  that  infidelity  has 
done  her  no  good,  but  much  evil. 

France  needed  a  revolution  as  much  as  America  did, 
and  had  she  engaged  in  it  with  a  pious  reliance  upon  God, 
and  with  the  hearts  of  her  people  deeply  imbued  with  the 
morality  of  the  Bible,  the  scion  of  liberty,  carried  by  her 
honored  Lafayette  from  this  country,  would  have  taken  deep 
root,  and  cast  forth  its  branches ;  and  before  this  time  the 
fairest  portion  of  Europe  might  have  reposed  under  its 
shadow.  But  her  principles  had  poisoned  her  morals,  and 
her  immorality  disqualified  her  for  being  free ;  and  after 


4  DON'T  UNCHAIN  THE  TIGER. 

expending  an  incredible  amount  of  treasure,  and  sacrificing 
more  than  two  millions  of  men,  she  consented  to  be  ruled 
by  a  despot,  in  hope  of  some  protection  from  herself,  and 
some  security  from  the  tiger  which  she  had  unchained. 

Nor  was  infidelity  in  France  more  friendly  to  individual 
and  domestic  purity  and  happiness  than  to  national  liberty. 
Its  prevalence  caused  such  a  dereliction  from  virtue,  that 
in  1801,  when  the  rage  of  the  revolution  waS  over,  and  the 
government  settled  in  the  hands  of  Napoleon,  the  single 
city  of  Paris  reported  4,881  illegitimate  births,  720  divorces, 
8,258  deaths  in  poorhouses,  and  201  found  dead  in  the 
streets.  In  1803,  the  prefect  of  police  reported  to  the 
grand  judges  that  there  were,  in  the  same  city,  657  cases 
of  suicide,  150  of  murder,  604  divorces,  155  executions, 
12,076  common  prostitutes,  1,552  kept  mistresses,  and  308 
licensed  brothels.  Here  we  see  the  effects  of  infidelity 
upon  a  refined  and  enlightened  people.  There  is  no  other 
conceiv^able  cause  why  France  is  not  this  day  a  mighty  and 
happy  republic.  There  was  no  cause  why  720  wives  should 
be  divorced  from  their  husbands,  and  4,881  daughters  be- 
come the  wretched  mothers  of  illegitimate  children,  in  one 
year,  in  a  single  city,  but  that  the  restraints  of  Christianity 
were  taken  off  from  the  people. 

With  such  facts  before  us,  let  Americans  decide,  not 
merely  as  Christians,  but  as  patriots  and  fathers,  whether 
they  will  embrace  the  pure  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  tendered 
to  us  from  heaven,  and  sealed  by  his  blood,  that  "  whoso- 
ever believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlast- 
ing life ;"  or  whether  they  will  become  accessory  to  the 
crime  of  banishing  the  restraints  of  religion  and  a  sound 
morality  from  our  mighty  republic.  Religion  has  made  our 
country  free.  It  has  made  our  sons  industrious  and  moral ; 
our  daughters  virtuous  and  happy.  Under  its  purifying 
influence,  our  land  has  become  the  glory  of  all  lands.  Shall 
we  now  exchange  this  heavenly  rehgion,  which  supported 
our  fathers  in  the  struggle  for  independence,  and  taught 
their  sons  how  to  be  free,  for  that  dark  and  cheerless  sys- 
tem, which  covered  with  crime  and  deluged  in  blood  the 
only  nation  by  which  it  was  ever  publicly  embraced  ? 


PUBLISHED   BY    THE    AMERICAN    TRACT    SOCIETY. 


Wo.  981. 

THE 

ALMOST  CHRISTIAN 


BY  REV.  H.  A.  BOARDMAN,  D.  D., 

PHILADELPHIA. 


It  is  probable  that  the  person  who  takes  up  this  Tract, 
will  be  at  once  reminded  by  its  title  of  some  one  or  more  in 
the  circle  of  his  friends,  to  whom  the  designation  Almost 
Christian  will  apply  :  and  there  are  few  evangelical  pastors 
who  could  not  readily  refer  to  many  examples  in  illustration 
of  this  subject.  We  speak  not  now  of  that  large,  undefined, 
and  varying  class  of  which  king  Agrippa  may  be  considered 
a  fit  representative — men  who,  having  grown  up  in  infidelity 
and  vice,  uniformly  regardless  of  their  obligations  to  God, 
and  deaf  to  the  invitations  of  the  Gospel,  are  at  length,  in 
some  favored  hour,  suddenly  aroused  from  their  stupidity, 
and  constrained,  under  a  partial  view  of  their  ruined  condi- 
tion, to  exclaim,  "  Almost  thou  persuadest  me  to  be  a  Chris- 
tian." We  speak  rather  of  those  whom  we  think  of  when 
we  read  the  affecting  narrative  of  our  Saviour's  interview 
Avith  the  amiable  young  ruler,  and  those  who  Avere,  imper- 
fectly indeed,  represented  by  the  scribe  to  whom  the  assur- 
ance was  given,  "Thou  art  not  far  from  the  kingdom  of 
God."  Such  persons  are  not  unfrequently  met  Avith  ;  and 
they  seldom  cross  our  path  without  exciting  a  peculiar  in- 
terest in  their  spiritual  welfare.  We  "  look  upon  them  and 
love  them,"  as  our  blessed  Saviour  did  in  one  of  the  instances 
just  cited ;  and  when  we  find  them  reluctant  to  exchange 
the  paltry  riches  or  honors  of  this  world  for  the  friendship 


2  THE  ALMOST  CHRISTIAN. 

of  Christ  and  a  crown  of  unfading  glory,  we  feel  something 
of  that  commiseration  which  h^  felt  when  the  young  man 
"went  away  grieved"  at  his  call  of  infinite  love. 

There  are,  of  course,  minor  diversities  of  character 
amongst  the  individuals  to  whom  the  name  Almost  Chris- 
tian may  in  this  sense  be  applied ;  but  they  possess  certain 
prominent  traits  in  common.  The  following  outline  exhibits 
some  of  these  characteristic  features  ;  it  is  drawn  from  real 
life  ;  and  though  it  Avill  doubtless  require  to  be  varied,  in 
order  to  suit  particular  cases,  it  is  perhaps  sufficiently  defi- 
nite to  enable  each  one  who  reads  it  to  determine  whether 
he  belongs  to  the  class  of  Almost  Christians. 

1.  They  are  more  frequently  to  be  found  in  the  middle 
and  higher  walks  of  life,  than  among  those  whose  pecuniary 
circumstances  have  precluded  them  from  enjoying  many 
intellectual  and  religious  privileges. 

2.  They  are  usually  the  offspring  of  pious  parents,  or  at 
least  members  of  families  in  which  religion  is  sincerely  re- 
spected, and  its  leading  doctiines  inculcated  upon  the  minds 
of  the  young.  This  remark,  however,  admits  of  considera- 
ble modification,  inasmuch  as  many  persons  who  have  failed 
of  receiving  this  instruction  in  childhood,  have  subsequently 
been  brought  to  possess  the  character  which  we  are  endeav- 
oring to  delineate. 

3.  They  are  for  the  most  part  persons  of  intelligence — 
many  of  them  of  highly  cultivated  minds,  stored  with  the 
fruits  and  embelhshed  with  the  accomplishments  of  a  hberal 
education. 

4.  They  are  almost  uniformly  characterized  by  much 
amiableness  of  temper ;  and  their  kind  and  affectionate  de- 
meanor so  wins  upon  the  heart,  that  we  cannot  know  them 
without  according  to  them  the  tribute  of  our  sincere  esteem. 
Especially  is  this  the  case  when  we  observe  that  this  kind- 
ness of  heart  prompts  them  to  many  acts  of  benevolence ; 
and  that  they  appear  to  derive  much  of  their  own  enjoyment 


THE  ALMOST  CHRISTIAN.  3 

from  promoting,  by  little  offices  of  attention  and  love,  the 
happiness  of  those  around  them. 

5.  The  class  we  speak  of  profess  the  fullest  belief  in  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  and  approve  of  most  of  the  doctrines  there 
revealed.  They  are  regular  attendants  at  the  sanctuary, 
and  some  of  them  are  not  ashamed  to  be  seen  at  social 
prayer-meetings.  Many  are  Sabbath- school  teachers  or 
members  of  Bible-classes.  A  few  of  them  go  so  far  as  to 
study  the  Bible  with  considerable  diligence,  and  even  to  offer 
up  an  occasional  prayer  in  secret.  They  are  not  averse  to 
the  society  of  Christians.  Their  deportment  is  generally 
correct ;  and  they  sometimes  exhibit  a  degree  of  conscien- 
tiousness which  might  well  reprove  some  who  are  within 
the  pale  of  the  church.  They  profess  to  rejoice  in  the 
increase  of  revivals  and  in  the  conversion  of  their  friends. 
They  freely  admit  that  personal  religion  is  indispensable  to 
the  true  enjoyment  of  this  world,  and  that  it  furnishes  the 
only  adequate  preparation  for  eternity.  They  acknowledge, 
however,  that  they  have  never  availed  themselves  of  the 
gracious  offers  of  the  Gospel,  and  have  no  personal  interest 
in  the  great  Redeemer. 

Such  are  some  of  the  distinguishing  marks  of  the  Almost 
Christian.  The  sketch  is  indeed  very  imperfect.  The 
reader  may  perhaps  feel  that  a  part  of  the  description  is 
applicable  to  his  own  case,  while  the  remainder  is  not.  His 
character  may  be  less  fair  and  his  deportment  less  exem- 
plaiy  than  that  here  delineated :  while  cherishing  a  sincere 
respect  for  religion,  he  may  neglect  many  even  of  its  external 
duties  ;  and  while  vaguely  wishing  that  he  were  a  Christian, 
he  may  have  no  precise  views  of  the  nature  of  that  obedi- 
ence which  the  holy  law  of  God  requires.  But  whatever 
peculiarities  of  this  kind  may  mark  your  case,  allow  one 
who  would  if  possible  benefit  your  soul,  aflfectionately  to 
solicit  your  serious  attention  to  the  remarks  which  will  now 
be  offered  with  reference  to  the  preceding  statement. 


4  THE  ALMOST  CHRISTIAN. 

I.  The  qualities  zokich  have  been  ascribed  to  the  Almost 
Christian  may,  and  in  foxt  do,  coexist  in  his  heart  with 
determined  enmity  against  God.  It  is  very  important  for 
you  to  remember,  that  the  term  Almost  Christian  is  one 
devised  by  man,  and  not  by  God ;  and  that  the  ground  of 
its  appHcation  to  you  is  not  that  of  internal  purity,  but  of 
outward  decency.  In  that  discriminating  classification  of 
mankind  which  the  Bible  makes,  only  two  descriptions  of 
persons  are  recognized,  saints  and  sinners,  believers  and 
unbelievers,  the  holy  and  the  unholy.  It  is  the  peculiar 
trait  of  the  former  that  they  love  God ;  and,  in  this  case, 
the  absence  of  love  is  aversion  or  hatred.  "  He  that  is  not 
with  me,"  said  our  Saviour,  "  is  against  me  ;"  and  "  he  that 
loveth  father  or  mother  more  than  me,  is  not  worthy  of 
me."  But  you  do  not  even  pretend  to  love  God ;  and  as 
love  to  God  is  the  first  and  great  commandment,  and  *'  the 
fulfilling  of  the  law,"  it  follows  not  only  that  your  heart 
tnay  be,  but  must  be  full  of  enmity  towards  your  Maker. 
If  it  be  true  that  the  law  of  God  is  spiritual,  reaching  even 
to  the  thoughts  and  intents  of  the  heart,  then  no  external 
obedience  can  be  acceptable  to  him  w^hich  is  not  founded 
on  a  just  apprehension  of  his  authority  and  a  sincere  rever- 
ence for  it.  Those  acts  of  courtesy  and  kindness,  therefore, 
that  sweetness  of  manner,  that  respect  for  religion,  and  that 
rigid  observance  of  many  of  its  public  and  perhaps  some  of 
its  private  duties,  however  commendable  in  themselves,  are 
perfectly  compatible  with  a  state  of  wilful  and  perverse 
rebellion  against  the  infinite  Jehovah. 

It  is  exceedingly  difficult  to  convince  many  persons  of 
the  truth  of  this  assertion.  They  will  admit,  in  words  at 
least,  that  the  eye  of  Omniscience  is  fixed  upon  the  heart, 
and  that  every  act  must  necessarily  be  oflPensive  to  him 
w^hich  he  perceives  is  not  prompted  by  an  internal  principle 
of  obedience  to  his  righteous  law.  Still  they  are  ready  to 
ask,  whether  so  much  decency  of  behavior,  so  many  deeds 


THE  ALMOST  CHRISTIAN.  5 

of  charity,  and  a  uniform  course  of  life  so  widely  different 
from  that  pursued  by  the  great  mass  of  the  world,  are  at 
last  to  come  into  condemnation  and  fail  of  an  eternal  reward. 
It  is  obvious  that  a  point  is  virtually  denied  in  this  inquiry, 
which  the  objector  a  moment  before  conceded  ;  for  no  plau- 
sibility of  statement  and  no  ingenuity  of  reasoning  can  invaH- 
date  the  conclusion,  that  if  God  approves  only  of  such  acts 
as  spring  from  sincere  love  to  his  character  and  law,  no  acts 
to  which  this  essential  quality  does  not  belong  can  be  ac- 
ceptable to  him.  Let  the  case  then  be  ever  so  strong — let 
one  be  found  who  can  exclaim  with  all  the  mistaken  ardor 
of  the  young  ruler,  and  with  reference  to  the  Avhole  deca- 
logue, ''all  these  have  I  kept  from  my  youth  up,"  yet 
without  love  to  God  as  the  foundation  of  his  obedience,  his 
religion  will  be  "as  sounding  brass  or  a  tinkling  cymbal." 

It  is  obvious,  then,  that  if  you  are  but  an  "Almost 
Christian,"  you  are  still  in  the  bonds  of  iniquity.  Notwith- 
standing all  your  amiableness,  your  hatred  to  God  is  yet 
unsubdued.  And  rest  assured,  that  where  this  feeling  pre- 
vails, there  is  no  true  virtue.  There  may  be  the  semblance 
of  it,  but  there  cannot  be  the  reahty.  That  single  mark 
evinces  that  the  whole  heart  is  dreadfully  corrupt.  Noth- 
ing which  is  good  can  groAv  in  such  a  soil :  as  well  might 
we  expect  the  ground  which  is  shaded  by  the  deadly  Upas 
to  produce  nutritious  fruit  for  the  sustenance  of  man. 

11.  The  Almost  Christian  is  peculiarly  liable  to  self-de- 
ception. His  situation  is  one  which  not  only  indisposes  a 
person  to  self-examination,  but  absolutely  unfits  him  for 
performing  this  essential  duty  with  any  tolerable  degree  of 
fidelity.  He  furnishes  perhaps  the  most  striking  illustra- 
tion of  the  unmeasurable  deceitfulness  of  the  human  heart, 
which  is  to  be  found  in  a  Christian  community.  There  are 
indeed  exceptions  to  this  remark,  amongst  the  large  class 
who  are  designated  by  the  term  Almost  Christian ;  but,  as 
a  general  thing,  it  is  believed  they  are  miserably  mistaken 
VOL.  VI ij.  24 


6  THE  ALMOST  CHRISTIAX. 

in  regard  to  their  true  character.  IN'ot  by  any  means  that 
they  iirmly  believe  themselves  to  be  real  Christians,  and 
much  less  that  they  express  that  opinion :  they  universally 
acknowledge,  when  asked  the  question,  that  they  have  never 
experienced  the  saving  efficacy  of  the  blood  of  Christ  upon 
their  hearts.  Still,  it  may  be  doubted  whether  they  are  not 
self-deluded  in  the  very  act  of  making  these  confessions — 
whether  they  are  so  utterly  destitute  of  hope  as  they  pro- 
fess to  be.  The  heart  which  has  not  been  humbled  and 
sanctified  by  grace  is  seldom  disposed  to  bring  its  excellence 
to  the  severe  tests  exhibited  in  the  Scriptures,  or  to  view 
its  own  deformity  in  the  mirror  of  the  Gospel.  And  it  is 
plain  that  the  man  who  takes  no  pains  to  learn  what  his 
true  character  is,  will  be  strongly  inclined  to  form  too  favor- 
able an  estimate  of  himself.  Especially  will  this  be  the 
case  if  he  is  conscious  of  possessing  those  amiable  qualities 
which  secure  for  him  general  esteem,  and  if  his  hfe  is  stained 
with  few  violations  of  those  rules  of  honesty  and  sobriety 
which,  however  improperly,  are  by  common  consent,  in  all 
civilized  countries,  invested  with  the  authority  of  a  code  of 
morals. 

It  is  hardly  possible  that  one  so  situated  should  scruti- 
nize his  own  heart  with  that  impartiality  which  is  demanded 
alike  by  a  regard  to  his  personal  safety  and  by  the  requisi- 
tions of  eternal  justice.  To  imagine  that  he  can  look  with- 
out a  sinful  self-complacency  on  all  his  acts  of  kindness  and 
charity,  and  that  he  will  be  disposed  impartially  to  examine 
these  actions  and  the  general  tenor  of  his  life  by  the  pure 
light  of  revealed  truth,  is  to  suppose  that  he  has  already 
been  taught  those  lessons  concerning  the  depravity  of  the 
heart  which  are  only  to  be  learned  by  sitting  at  the  feet  of 
Jesus  Christ.  Considering  what  human  nature  is,  is  it  sur- 
prising that  he  should  be  flattered,  by  the  caresses  of  friends 
and  the  concurrent  approbation  of  all  around  him,  into  a 
secret  and   firm,  though  perhaps  unacknowledged   belief. 


THE  ALMOST  CHRISTIAN.  7 

tliat  even  God  himself  looks  down  upon  him  with  a  feeling 
of  complacency?  Such  an  impression  is  so  favorable  to 
peace  of  mind,  that  we  may  presume  there  is  a  predisposi- 
tion to  receive  it ;  and  it  would  be  cherished  and  confirmed 
by  that  frequent,  though  only  half-designed  comparison, 
which  the  Almost  Christian  is  so  prone  to  institute  between 
himself  and  his  less  exemplary  neighbors  and  associates. 

Perhaps  the  reader  has,  in  some  honest  moment,  de- 
tected himself  in  this  specious  kind  of  self-gratulation ;  and 
if  he  will  but  candidly  examine  this  single  act,  it  will  open 
to  him  the  ground  of  that  delusion  which  is  threatening  to 
destroy  his  soul.  He  appeals  to  some  other  standard  than 
the  word  of  God  in  order  to  determine  the  true  character  of 
his  actions.  But  of  what  account  is  it,  with  reference  to 
the  retributions  of  eternity,  how  blameless  your  life  may  be 
in  the  judgment  of  men,  provided  your  heart  is  not  right  in 
the  sight  of  God  ?  It  obviously  concerns  you  to  know  how 
your  conduct  appears  in  the  eyes  of  him  who  is  to  deal 
with  you  according  to  your  works,  and  fix  your  everlasting 
destiny  at  the  great  day  of  account.  Every  other  inquiry 
is  totally  irrelevant  until  this  be  settled.  If  God  has  sol- 
emnly decreed  that  "  without  holiness  no  man  shall  see  the 
Lord,"  you  are  running  a  fearful  hazard  by  building  your 
hopes  of  heaven  on  the  favorable  estimate  which  men,  frail 
and  sinful  like  yourself,  may  form  of  your  character.  You 
deny,  indeed,  that  you  are  trusting  to  any  such  foundation. 
You  assert  that  nothing  is  further  from  your  belief  than  the 
opinion  that  your  good  works  will  wholly  or  partially  avail 
to  save  you.  But  beware  of  yourself.  Search  deeply  into 
your  heart,  and  see  if  you  do  not  discover,  beneath  all  your 
apparent  humility  and  self-renunciation,  an  under-current 
of  pride  and  selfishness,  which  is  silently  but  rapidly  bear- 
ing you  towards  the  "  lake  which  burnetii  with  fire  and 
brimstone." 

Nor  is  the  Almost  Christian  less  erroneously  deceived 


8  THE  ALMOST  CHRISTIAN'. 

in  regard  to  his  prospects  of  becoming  pious.  If  he  is  not 
actually  indulging  a  secret  hope  in  the  mercy  of  God,  he 
flatters  himself  that  he  is  approaching  that  point  at  which 
sovereign  grace  will  surely  interpose  for  his  deliverance. 
He  practically  believes  that  the  course  he  is  pursuing, 
though  not  precisely  coincident  with  the  '*'  strait  and  nar- 
row way,"  is  gradually  converging  towards  it,  and  will  in 
due  season  conduct  him  into  it ;  or  else  that  the  two  paths 
are  so  near  together  that,  in  case  of  any  sudden  calamity, 
as  an  attact^of  sickness  or  the  like,  he  can  step,  at  a  mo- 
ment's warning,  from  his  own  into  the  other.  He  perceives 
that  there  is  reason  enough  why  the  vicious  and  profane,  the 
sensualist  and  the  drunkard,  should  be  promptly  arrested 
in  their  downward  career ;  but  why  should  he  be  alarmed 
who  "has  been  growing  better  and  better  for  years?"  It 
is  well  to  go  and  try  to  collect  together  the  Israelites  who 
are  scattered  all  over  the  desert,  and  in  danger  of  'being  cut 
off  by  their  foes ;  but  why  disturb  the  peace  of  one  who  is 
living  on  the  very  bank  of  Jordan,  and  can  at  any  time  cross 
over  to  the  land  of  promise  and  repose  ?  Strange,  strange 
infatuation — to  think  that  sin  can  tend  to  holiness ;  that  a 
life  of  rebellion  against  God  is  qualifying  a  creature  for 
heaven ;  that  a  heart  which  is  daily  abusing  offered  mercy, 
and  crucifying  anew  the  Saviour,  is  softening  rather  than 
hardening  in  its  iniquity  !  0  throw  off  this  delusion.  Tear 
away  the  veil  from  your  eyes.  Look  at  yourself  as  you  are. 
Believe  that  "  he  who  is  not  with  Christ,  is  against  him ;" 
that  he  who  is  not  "laying  up  treasure  in  heaven,"  is 
"  treasuring  up  wrath  against  the  day  of  wrath  ;"  and  that 
every  hour  you  persist  in  impenitence,  is  strengthening  the 
fearful  probability  that  you  will  at  last  fail  of  eternal  life. 

III.  The  state  of  the  Almost  Christian  is  one  of  aggra- 
vated and  increasiiig  guilt.  It  has  already  been  shown,  that 
with  all  his  apparent  amiableness  he  still  cherishes  bitter 
enmity  against  God,  and  we  shall  now  endeavor  to  prove 


THE  ALMOST  CHRISTIAN.  9 

that  his  sin  is  of  no  ordinary  stamp.  This  "will  be  manifest, 
if  we  examine  his  conduct  in  the  light  of  that  simple  and 
equitable  principle  of  the  divine  administration — a  principle 
which  we  recognize  in  all  our  dealings  with  one  another — 
that  "  unto  whomsoever  much  is  given,  of  him  shall  much 
be  required."  Now,  according  to  the  view  which  we  have 
taken,  the  Almost  Christian  is  one  to  whom  this  maxim  will 
apply  in  all  the  plenitude  of  its  meaning.  He  has  not  only 
enjoyed  the  common  bounties  of  Providence  and  the  means 
of  grace,  but  he  has  been  mercifully  restrained  from  flagrant 
sins,  educated  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  taught  to  cherish 
a  sincere  respect  for  the  ordinances  and  interests  of  religion. 
While  thousands  around  him  have  grown  up  like  heathens 
in  a  Christian  land,  his  mind  has  been  stored  with  sacred 
truth,  he  has  been  instructed  in  lessons  of  virtue,  and  pious 
friends  have  been  constantly  near  to  impart  their  counsel 
and  to  direct  him  in  the  path  of  duty.  More  than  this,  he 
has  been  led  by  divine  grace  to  reflect  much  and  seriously 
on  eternal  things ;  he  has  been  convinced  of  the  reasonable 
claims  of  God  upon  hist  heart;  he  has  been  brought  to 
acknowledge  that  his  course  of  life  is  irrational,  sinful,  and 
dangerous ;  he  knows  that  there  is  salvation  for  him  only 
through  the  atoning  sacrifice  and  righteousness  of  Christ, 
and  that  unless  he  repent  and  believe  in  him  he  must  inevi- 
tably perish. 

All  this  has  been  done  for  him — all  this  he  knows — and 
yet  does  he  still  persevere  in  resisting  all  the  calls  and  mo- 
tives to  repentance.  He  looks  upon  Sinai :  he  sees  its  light- 
nings, he  hears  its  thunders :  the  law  is  proclaimed,  and  he 
confesses  that  it  is  "holy,  and  just,  and  good  ;"  but  he  re- 
fuses to  render  to  it  any  other  than  a  cold  and  formal  obe- 
dience. He  looks  upon  Calvary  :  he  beholds  a  scene  which 
filled  all  heaven  with  wonder — which  made  the  rocks  to  rend, 
the  graves  to  open,  and  the  dead  to  come  forth ;  but  no 
tear  of  penitence  starts  from  his  eye,  no  pang  of  godly  sor- 
VOL.  VIII.  24* 


10  THE  ALMOST  CHRISTIAN. 

row  thrills  his  heart.  Thouo^h  confessino-  that  Jesus  was 
the  Son  of  God,  yet  he  ^Yill  not  obey  him — that  he  is  alto- 
gether lovely,  yet  he  will  not  love  him — that  he  died  to 
save  sinners,  yet  he  will  not  be  saved  by  him.  He  hears 
the  proffer  of  rest  to  the  weary  and  heavy-laden,  but  he 
refuses  to  appropriate  it  to  himself.  He  knows  that  there 
is  a  "fountain  opened  for  sin  and  for  uncleanness,"  but  he 
will  not  repair  to  it.  He  believes  in  the  assurance  that 
those  who  need,  can  have  "  Avine  and  milk  "without  money 
and  without  price ;"  but,  while  acknowledging  his  need,  he 
is  too  proud  to  accept  the  boon. 

And  what  more  coiild  he  do  to  aggravate  his  guilt  ? 
What  more  could  be  done  to  bring  him  to  Christ  ?  From 
Sabbath  to  Sabbath,  from  year  to  year — perhaps  all  the 
while  flattering,  himself  that  he  is  drawing  nearer  and  nearer 
to  the  kingdom  of  heaven — he  lives  unmoved  alike  by  jtidg- 
ments  and  mercies.  He  perhaps  sits  side  by  side  in  the 
sanctuary  with  some  avowed,  and,  it  may  be,  profligate  op- 
posers  of  religion  ;  and  while  their  hearts  melt  under  the 
power  of  the  truth,  his  own,  as  though  encased  in  iron,  but 
too  fatally  wards  off  every  shaft.  The  same  afflictive  prov- 
idence which  is  the  means  of  arresting  and  awakening  many 
of  his  companions,  leaves  no  permanent  impression  on  his 
mind.  He  is  ready,  indeed,  to  sympathize  with  the  bereaved, 
and  to  alleviate  their  sorrows  by  all  the  kind  offices  of  friend- 
ship ;  but  he  forgets  that  the  stroke  which  has  clad  them, 
and  perhaps  himself  also,  in  mourning,  was  mercifully  de- 
signed to  direct  his  wandering  heart  to  the  Saviour. 

The  writer  is  well  aware  that  the  opposite  effects  here 
spoken  of  are,  in  an  important  sense,  referable  to  the  divine 
sovereignty ;  nor  would  he  pen  a  single  sentence  which 
might  seem  to  be  in  the  slightest  degree  inconsistent  with 
that  great,  and,  to  the  Christian,  most  precious  doctrine. 
But,  however  that  doctrine  may  be  explained,  all  the  guilt 
which  has  been  charged  upon  the  Almost  Christian  lies 


THE  ALMOST  CHRISTIAX.  H 

most  justly  at  his  door.  And  for  proof  of  this,  let  the  ap- 
peal be  made  to  his  own  consciousness.  If  such  an  one  is 
now  perusing  this  Tract,  let  me  ask  whether  a  single  un- 
righteous allegation  has  been  advanced  against  you  in  these 
remarks  ?  Does  not  the  Bible,  by  direct  assertion  or  obvi- 
ous implication,  confirm,  in  your  own  judgment,  all  that  has 
been  said  respecting  the  true  character  of  ^your  depraved 
heart  ?  And  do  you  not  acknowledge  that  the  preceding 
enumeration  of  your  sins  is  in  no  other  way  incorrect,  than  as 
it  fails  in  representing  fully  their  number  and  their  heinous- 
ness  ?     If  this  be  so,  then,  truly, 

IV.  The  condition  of  the  Almost  Christian  is  one  of  aw- 
ful danger.  It  is  so,  because  of  the  hardening  effect  of  his 
sins  upon  his  heart.  By  his  own  confession,  he  sins  against 
much  more  light  than  other  men,  and  therefore  he  must 
make  a  more  wilful  resistance  to  the  truth.  The  Gospel 
is  a  savor  of  life  unto  life,  or  of  death  unto  death,  to  all  who 
hear  it.  The  man  who  rejects  one  solemn  and  pungent 
appeal  on  the  subject  of  his  soul's  salvation,  is  thereby  forti- 
fied, in  a  measure,  against  a  second ;  and  he  who  rejects  a 
second,  will  be  better  able  to  resist  a  third ;  and  in  this 
gradual  manner  do  multitudes  so  completely  arm  themselves 
against  the  messages  of  God  as  to  make  their  own  destruc- 
tion sure. 

Again,  the  Almost  Christian  is  in  great  danger,  because, 
by  persisting  so  wilfully  in  impenitence,  he  may  grieve  the 
Holy  Spirit  until  he  depart  from  him.  That  men  are  some- 
times thus  given  over  to  the  workings  of  a  reprobate  mind, 
is  a  doctrine  dreadful  indeed  to  contemplate,  but  too  plainly 
taught  in  the  Scriptures  to  be  overlooked.  It  is  God  who 
speaks  in  such  language  as  the  following  :  "  My  Spirit  shall 
not  always  strive  with  man."  "  Because  I  have  called,  and 
ye  refused ;  I  have  stretched  out  my  hand,  and  no  man 
regai-ded ;  but  ye  have  set  at  naught  all  my  counsel,  and 
would  none  of  my  reproof :  I  also  will  laugh  at  your  calam- 


12  I'HE  ALMOST  CHRISTIAN. 

ity  ;  I  -will  mock  when  your  fear  cometh."  Prov.  1.  "  If 
thou  hadst  known,"  said  our  blessed  Saviour  to  Jerusalem, 
even  Avhile  he  wept  over  it — "  if  thou  hadst  known,  even 
thou,  at  least  in  this  thy  day,  the  things  which  belong  unto 
thy  peace !  but  now  they  are  hid  from  thine  eyes."  And 
again,  "  Thou  knewest  not  the  time  of  thy  visitation."  Luke 
19.  Who,  then,  are  so  likely  to  be  thus  forsaken  of  God, 
as  those  with  whom  his  Spirit  has  been  long  striving ;  who 
have  been  faithfully  instructed,  admonished,  warned,  en- 
treated to  repent  and  believe  in  Christ ;  and  who,  notwith- 
standing the  flood  of  light  which  has  been  shed  upon  their 
path,  and  the  unnumbered  mercies  of  God,  are  still  abusing 
his  goodness,  and  trampling  on  the  blood  of  his  Son  ?  Be- 
w  are,  lest  you  provoke  his  WTath,  and  he  swear  that  you 
shall  not  enter  into  his  rest. 

There  is  still  another  circumstance  which  adds  to  the 
danger  of  the  Almost  Christian,  resulting  from  the  gross 
deception  which,  as  we  have  seen,  he  is  constantly  practis- 
ing upon  himself.  He  has  so  long  reflected  on  the  solemn 
truths  of  the  Gospel,  that  he  listens  to  them  without  expect- 
ing them  to  make  any  deep  impression  on  his  mind.  He  is 
not  surprised  to  see  others  aff"ected  even  to  tears  under  the 
faithful  preaching  of  the  word,  but  he  would  look  upon 
himself  with  astonishment,  should  the  same  exhibition  of 
the  truth  excite  in  his  own  bosom  any  strong  emotion.  His 
respect  for  religion  remains  undiminished,  his  external  con- 
duct is  still  blameless,  his  attendance  on  public  worship 
regular,  and  his  conscience,  perhaps,  tender ;  but  there  is  a 
sameness,  a  uniformity  in  his  feelings,  throughout  successive 
months  and  years,  which  may  well  excite  painful  forebod- 
ings as  to  the  end  of  his  course.  He  often  Avishes  that  he 
were  a  Christian;  but  he  has  no  wish  strong  enough  to 
carry  him  beyond  the  unvarying  circuit  of  his  daily  life. 
He  is  frequently  serious  ;  but  his  seriousness  never  rises  to 
genuine  conviction  and  abhorrence  of  sin.     He  often  feels 


THE  ALMOST  CIIRISTIAX.  I3 

solicitous  about  his  soul ;  but  lie  is  never  sufficiently  alarmed 
to  make  the  trembling  inquiry,  "  What  must  I  do  to  be 
saved?"  How  little  prospect,  then,  humanly  speaking,  is 
there  that  he  will  ever  awake,  in  this  life,  to  the  realities  of 
his  condition.  Nor  is  it  to  be  forgotten  that  his  state  is  be- 
coming more  alarming  every  day.  It  is  only  in  appearance 
that  he  is  stationary.  He  is  every  hour,  as  we  have  already 
seen,  becoming  more  hardened  in  sin,  and  more  confirmed 
in  impenitence. 

We  appeal,  therefore,  to  the  Almost  Christian,  whether 
he  is  not  encompassed  with  dangers.  It  is  a  small  matter, 
that  in  the  estimation  of  your  own  flattering  heart,  or  of 
partial  friends,  you  may  have  no  cause  for  anxiety  about 
your  soul.  Are  you  not  still  under  the  curse  of  the  law  ? 
Is  not  the  sword  of  God's  justice  impending  over  you,  and 
his  wrath  ready  to  burst  upon  your  head  ?  Is  not  your 
soul  in  dreadful  peril?  You  are  walking  blindfold  upon 
the  verge  of  a  tremendous  precipice.  Death  hastens  on ; 
the  judgment-bar  of  your  offended  Saviour  is  just  before 
you ;  time  is  bearing  you  rapidly  along  to  the  retributions 
of  eternity,  and  the  only  preparation  you  are  making,  is  a 
preparation  for  endless  exclusion  from  the  presence  of  God 
and  the  joys  of  heaven.  Are  you  ready  for  this  doom  ? 
Can  you  meet  it  with  composure  ?  Or  does  the  thought  of 
it  inspire  you  rather  with  a  desire  to  avoid  it  ?  Are  you 
disposed  now  to  seek  reconciliation  with  God  on  the  terms 
which  he  has  prescribed  in  his  "holy  word?  If  you  are,  I 
will  endeavor  briefly  to  point  out  your  duty. 

You  need  not  be  told  that  there  is  but  one  way  of  sal- 
vation. ''Except  ye  repent,"  said  our  Saviour,  "ye  shall 
all  likewise  perish."  ''Believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  thou  shalt  be  saved."  Repentance  and  faith  are  as 
requisite  for  you  as  they  were  for  a  Mary  Magdalene  or  a 
Saul  of  Tarsus ;  or  as  they  are  now  for  the  vilest  wretch 
who  bears  the  form  of  man.     You  are  aware  that  repent- 


14  THE  ALMOST  CHRISTIAN. 

ance  includes  godly  soitow  for  sin,  a  forsaking  of  every 
sinful  habit,  and  a  firm  determination  to  walk  with  God,  in 
the  ways  of  new  obedience ;  and  that  faith  includes  a  re- 
ceiving and  resting  on  Christ  alone  for  pardon  and  salvation. 
It  is  your  duty  at  once  to  renounce  every  other  dependence, 
to  give  up  all  reliance  on  your  amiableness  of  temper  and 
exemplary  conduct,  as  recommending  you  to  the  favor  of 
God,  and  to  come  humble  and  contrite  for  your  sins  to 
Jesus  Christ,  Cast  yourself  on  his  mercy ;  receive  him  as 
your  Saviour ;  and  commit  your  soul  and  all  its  concerns  to 
him,  for  time  and  for  eternity.  Do  this  noiv.  You  have 
trifled  with  religion  too  long  already.  The  Bible  has  no 
promise  for  you  beyond  the  present  moment.  It  requires 
immediate  repentance  and  the  immediate  exercise  of  faith. 

To  all  this  you  will  probably  answer,  "I  have  often 
endeavored  to  give  myself  up  to  Christ  in  the  way  here 
described,  but  I  have  never  been  able  to  get  a  clear  view  of 
my  own  sinfulness,  nor  have  I  felt  sufficiently  the  burden 
of  sin," 

On  this  I  would  remark,  first,  this  only  evinces  the 
dreadful  depravity  of  your  heart.  Your  sins  are,  on  your 
own  confession,  of  a  highly  aggravated  nature,  and  yet  you 
do  not  feel  them.  But  again,  the  Almost  Christian  very 
frequently  commits  a  mistake  in  regard  to  the  character  of 
his  exercises.  He  invariably  fixes  upon  a  high  degree  of 
conviction  of  sin,  as  an  indispensable  prerequisite  to  his 
accepting  the  offers  of  mercy.  And  thence  his  plea^  when 
urged  to  renounce  the  world  for  Christ,  miiformly  is,  "I  do 
not  feel  enough  to  take  this  step  yet."  Now,  it  is  true,  that 
without  the  conviction  of  your  ruin  by  sin,  there  can  be  no 
evangelical  repentance;  yet,  as  this  conviction  is  itself, 
when  real,  the  work  of  the  Holy  vSpirit,  it  is  not  for  a  worm 
of  the  dust  to  declare  that  he  will  persist  in  rebellion 
against  his  Maker,  until  he  is  favored  with  an  overwhelming 
view  of  his  own  depravity.     Again,  he  should  remember 


THE  ALMOST  CHRISTIAX.  15 

that  many  persons  have  more  pungent  convictions  at  various 
seasons  after  their  conversion,  than  they  had  at  the  precise 
period  of  it.  And  again,  it  is  well  known  that  persons 
whose  character  and  education  correspond  to  the  descrip- 
tion given  in  the  foregoing  pages  of  the  Almost  Christian,  if 
converted  at  all,  are  often  brought  into  the  fold  of  Christ 
without  experiencing  those  highly  wrought  exercises  which 
frequently  attend  the  conviction  and  conversion  of  the  aban- 
doned and  profligate.  Still,  it  is  evident  that  until  you  are 
led  by  the  Holy  Spirit  to  feel,  in  some  measure,  your  need 
of  a  Saviour,  you  will  not  repair  to  him. 

But  why  are  you  not  sensible  of  your  need  now  ?  To 
this  question  you  have  correctly  replied,  that  you  have  no 
just  view  of  your  own  character — no  clear  apprehension  of 
the  momentous  truths  of  the  holy  Scriptures.  Were  those 
truths  once  brought  home  to  your  heart,  you  could  no  more 
remain  unmoved  than  could  Belshazzar  when  he  beheld  the 
mystical  hand-writing  on  the  wall  of  his  palace.  Should 
the  Spirit  of  God  apply  them  to  your  conscience  with  all 
the  directness  and  force  of  a  "  Thou  art  the  man,'"  you 
would  instantly  throw  aside  your  pride,  and  formality,  and 
unbelief,  and  cry  out  in  agony  of  soul,  "  What  must  I  do 
to  be  saved?" 

But  the  question  still  remains,'  Why  do  you  not  reahze 
the  import  of  these  solemn  truths  ?  why  are  you  still  blind 
to  your  own  wickedness  ?  why  are  you  not  now  Avithin  the 
ark  of  refuge  ?  Simply,  mider  God,  because  you  have  never 
been  in  earnest  to  secure  the  salvation  of  your  soul.  If  you 
were  obhged  to  cross  a  rugged  mountain,  you  would  not 
expect  to  pass  it  by  making  weak  and  irregular  efforts,  by 
alternate  seasons  of  activity  and  idleness,  of  encouragement 
and  despondency.  And  if  you  expect  ever  to  reach  heaven, 
no  partial,  unsteady,  and  inconstant  exertions  will  avail. 
Millions  perish  because  there  is  no  period  at  which  they  are 
ready  solemnly  to  vow  before  God,  "  NOW,  /7'o??^  this  mo- 


16  THE  ALMOST  CHRISTIAN. 

MENT,  /  will,  in  dependence  on  divine  grace,  seek  supremely 
the  honor  of  Christ  in  the  salvation  of  my  soul  and  the 
extension  of  his  kingdom,  and  make  every  thing  else  subordi- 
nate to  this  great  end.'' 

Are  you  ready  now  to  make  this  solemn  consecration  of 
yourself  to  God  ?  If  so,  do  it  on  your  bended  knees,  in 
his  immediate  presence.  And  once  done,  let  there  be  no 
shrinking  back — no  misgiving.  "  Remember  Lot's  wife." 
Having  put  your  hand  to  the  plough,  one  look  behind  may 
cost  you  a  crown  of  glory.  The  world  will  tempt  you — 
friends  may  ridicule  you.  Regard  them  not.  Let  all  the 
energies  of  your  mind  be  devoted  to  the  great  question  at 
issue  between  your  soul  and  your  Maker.  Separate  your- 
self, as  far  as  possible,  from  ensnaring  company ;  let  not  the 
perplexities  of  business  draw  your  heart  away  from  God ; 
banish  every  thing  which  might  distract  your  attention. 
Reflect  on  the  merciful  providences  which  have  marked 
your  history,  and  let  these  excite  your  gratitude.  Above 
all,  look  to  the  bleeding  Saviour.  Think  of  his  agony  in 
the  garden — his  bloody  sweat — his  crown  of  thorns — his 
piercing  cry,  *'My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken 
me  ?" — his  pouring  out  his  soul  an  offering  for  sin,  that 
"whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have 
everlasting  life."  Implore  the  Holy  Spirit  to  take  of  the 
things  of  Christ  and  show  them  unto  you  ;  to  sanctify  you  ; 
to  strengthen  you  in  duty.  He  will  give  you  the  victory  over 
every  spiritual  adversary,  preserve  you  to  the  end,  and 
"present  you  faultless  before  the  presence  of  his  glory 
with  exceeding  joy." 


T¥o.  S8!3, 


DAVID    BALDWIN; 


THE    MILLER'S    SON 


The  father  of  the  youth  who  forms  the  subject  of  this 
narrative,  is  a  respectable  miller  in  the  county  of  Kings,  Long 
Island.  He  has  for  several  years  occupied  one  of  those  nu- 
merous mills  moved  by  the  tide  waters  of  the  ocean,  which 
stand  along  the  bays  indenting  the  south-western  shore.  The 
wide  expanse  which  these  locations  present  to  the  eye,  the 
tumultuous  roarings  of  the  ocean,  with  the  occasional  terror 
and  majesty  of  the  storm,  are  calculated  to  give  a  philosoph- 
ical, if  not  a  religious  turn  to  the  reflecting  mind. 

David  Baldwin,  who  died  April  5,  1833,  aged  22,  was 
brought  up  at  one  of  these  mills.  His  opportunity  for  edu- 
cation was  only  that  of  a  common  school.  But  breaking 
VOL.  viii.  25 


2  DAVID  BALDWIN  ;  OR, 

through  the  disadvantages  of  his  situation,  he  made  very 
respectable  attainments.  With  the  exception  of  the  Latin 
and  Greek  languages,  he  surpassed  in  general  knowledge 
most  of  the  youth  who  issue  from  our  collegiate  institu- 
tions. The  powers  of  his  mind  were  of  the  first  order. 
Strongly  intellectual,  he  was  able  to  grapple  with  any  sub- 
ject to  which  his  attention  was  given.  In  the  accomplish- 
ment of  his  purposes  he  was  unbending,  and  immovably 
tenacious  of  the  opinions  he  embraced  ;  nevertheless  he 
was  kind  and  condescending  in  his  feelings,  sober,  quiet, 
and  industrious  in  his  habits. 

The  constant  resort  to  his  father's  mill  by  the  inhabit- 
ants of  the  adjacent  country,  rendered  it  a  position  ex- 
tremely favorable  for  exerting  an  extensive  influence ;  but 
most  unhappily,  as  it  appeared  to  us,  for  the  interests  of 
religion  and  for  the  souls  of  many  who  admired  his  talents, 
he  embraced  that  system  of  opinions  which  regards  the 
Bible  as  a  fable,  and  Jesus  Christ,  our  blessed  Saviour,  as 
an  impostor.  These  sentiments  absorbed  his  whole  mind, 
and  completely  warped  his  understanding,  in  other  respects 
remarkably  good  ;  he  became  thoroughly  versed  in  the 
Avhole  system  of  infidelity ;  he  knew  all  the  objections  and 
arguments  which  for  two  hundred  years  infidels  have  been 
using  against  the  Bible.  Over  these  he  pored  by  night 
and  by  day ;  he  knew  which  were  strong  and  which  were 
weak.  Indeed,  it  is  rare  to  find  a  Christian  more  thought- 
ful, or  one  who  studies  his  Bible  with  so  much  care  as  he 
studied  the  arguments  and  objections  which  infidels  have 
brought  against  it. 

How  long  since  he  embraced  these  sentiments  we  are 
unable  to  say.  Some  time  since,  passing  from  his  father's 
house  after  conversing  with  the  family,  I  perceived  him 
standing  at  a  little  distance  by  himself,  and  stepping  aside, 
addressed  a  few  words  to  him  on  the  subject  of  religion. 


THE  MILLER'S  SON.  3 

He  immediately  replied,  that  his  views  on  that  subject 
were  very  different  from  mine. 

As  time  and  circumstances  did  not  then  admit  of  dis- 
cussion, and  knowing  his  vigorous  powers  and  unyielding 
nature  too  well  to  believe  that  he  would  surrender  his  opin- 
ions without  an  effort,  I  requested  an  interview  with  him 
at  some  future  day.     To  this  he  assented. 

Having  an  errand  soon  after  to  the  mill,  I  found  him 
alone,  and  then,  with  no  other  ear  to  hear  than  the  ear  of 
Jehovah  himself,  and  no  other  eye  upon  us  than  that  which 
searches  the  heart,  our  discussions  commenced.  These 
were  continued  in  the  same  place  from  time  to  time  for 
several  months,  until  we  had  travelled,  step  by  step,  over 
the  whole  system  of  infidelity. 

Hume's  argument,  alleging  that  miracles  were  not  sus- 
ceptible of  proof,  he  seemed  to  regard  as  his  strong  hold. 
After  I  had  thought  its  sophistry,  its  want  of  philosoph- 
ical soundness,  even  in  its  first  principles,  had  been  clearly 
exposed,  he  would  still  cling  to  it  with  a  pertinacity  plainly 
showing  it  to  be  a  cherished  favorite. 

At  one  time,  while  earnestly  engaged  upon  the  external 
evidences  of  divine  revelation,  he  remarked  with  energy, 
that  he  would  not  believe  the  Bible  to  be  the  inspired  word 
of  God  even  if  there  were  external  evidence  sufficient  to 
sustain  it. 

"  Why  not  ?"  I  inquired. 

"  The  matters  contained  in  it,  and  recorded  as  facts," 
he  replied,  "  are  so  unreasonable,  so  inconsistent,  so  fool- 
ish, and  so  much  at  issue  with  all  our  ideas  of  truth  and 
propriety,  that  no  man  unblinded  by  superstition  or  preju- 
dice can  possibly  believe  them." 

"What  are  these  facts?"  I  asked;  "will  you  name 
some  of  them  ?" 

He  mentioned  several,  but  soon  fastened  upon  the  con- 


4  DAVID  BALDWIN  ;  OR, 

version  of  Saul  of  Tarsus,  showing  by  his  comments  that 
he  viewed  it  as  the  most  extravagant  of  them  aU. 

I  rephed,  that  it  was  a  fact  as  well  attested  as  any  other 
fact  in  history,  and  although  there  was  something  unusual 
in  the  occurrence,  there  was  certainly  nothing  unreason- 
able. As  you  acknowledge  God  to  be  the  creator  of  the 
human  soul,  there  can  be  nothing  unreasonable  in  saying 
that  he  has  power  to  renew  or  change  that  which  he  had 
power  to  form.  If  he  fashioned  it  once,  he  must  surely 
have  power  to  fashion  it  again,  or  turn  it  whithersoever 
he  will. 

Here  he  reverted  immediately  to  the  doctrines  of  Hume, 
saying  that  such  a  conversion  must  be  a  miracle,  and  mira- 
cles were  not  susceptible  of  human  proof. 

In  one  of  those  excursions  I  was  frequently  making  to 
the  mill,  the  weather  was  extremely  boisterous ;  the  roads 
were  filled  with  mud,  and  ice,  and  snow ;  a  blackening  train 
of  crows  were  beating  in  the  adverse  winds  above,  whilst 
endeavoring  to  make  their  way  from  the  adjacent  island  to 
the  main ;  every  thing  around  was  calculated  to  fill  the 
mind  with  gloom.  When  I  arrived,  I  said  to  my  young 
friend,  with  a  serious  air,  "  I  was  thinking,  as  I  came  along, 
what  a  gloomy  world  this  is.  It  appears  to  be  so  full  of 
difficulty  and  trouble,  I  had  concluded  that,  if  your  views 
were  correct,  it  would  be  much  better  for  us  to  administer 
to  each  other  a  portion  of  some  fatal  drug  that  would  lay 
us  asleep  for  ever :  it  will  only  be  a  sleep,  you  say,  and 
why  not  sleep  at  once  ?  After  we  have  struggled  through 
difficulty  and  sorrow  for  years,  you  tell  us  it  will  only  be  a 
sleep  at  last :  if  so,  I  can  see  no  reason  for  continuing  the 
struggle  any  longer." 

When  he  recovered  from  the  first  emotions  of  surprise, 
he  replied,  "  We  must  take  the  bitter  with  the  sweet." 

**  But  the  sweet  is  of  short  duration,  the  bitter  seems 


THE  MILLER'S  SON.  5 

to  constitute  by  far  the  largest  portion  of  the  cup,"  I  con- 
tinued. 

Seeing  to  what  conclusion  it  must  inevitably  come,  he 
adroitly  returned  the  question,  saying,  ''Will  you  please  to 
tell  me  first  what  sustains  you  ?" 

"Hope,"  I  immediately  replied — "the  hope  of  bless- 
edness to  come  sustains  us ;  btit  you  have  no  hope,  you  are 
constantly  looking  into  the  earth  as  the  end  of  your  being : 
on  your  principles  you  can  hope  for  no  higher  destiny  than 
that  which  pertains  to  the  mere  animal  creation ;  but  we 
think  our  present  afflictions  are  not  worthy  to  be  compared 
with  the  glory  to  be  revealed." 

At  another  time  I  asked  him  what  advantage  the  world 
would  gain,  should  these  principles  be  universally  embrac- 
ed. They  produce  no  hope,  but  take  away  many  whole- 
some restraints.  Taking  away  the  Bible  would  be  lifting 
the  floodofates  of  vice. 

"  I  know  it,"  said  he ;  "the  world  is  not  yet  sufficiently 
philosophical  to  endure  the  change." 

"Unless,"  said  I,  "the  fountain  of  vice  in  the  heart  is 
dried  up  by  the  operations  of  that  Eternal  Spirit  whom  the 
Bible  reveals,  I  fear  these  days  of  philosophical  liberty  can 
never  arrive." 

On  another  occasion,  whilst  deeply  occupied  upon  this 
all-absorbing  subject,  I  asked  him  if  infidels  ever  prayed. 

He  said  "  he  thought  not ;  he  never  knew  one  that  did, 
nor  had  he  ever  heard  of  an  instance." 

"Are  infidels,  then,  independent  of  their  Maker?" 

He  replied,  "No." 

"  Is  it  not  then  unreasonable,  is  it  not  contrary  to  the 
common  sense  of  mankind,  that  dependent  creatures  should 
never  thank  that  Being  on  whom  they  always  depend? 
What  would  you  say  to  see  a  poor  suffering  fellow-creature 
by  the  wayside,  ready  to  perish,  and  a  man  of  wealth  and 

VOL.  VIII.  25* 


6  DAVID  BALDWIN  ;  OR, 

benevolence  passing  by,  touched  with  compassion,  kindly- 
supplying  his  wants — what  would  you  say  to  see  him  re- 
ceive the  gift,  and  turn  away  with  dumb  sullenness  from 
the  kind  giver  ?" 

"  I  would  say  he  was  ungrateful,  he  ought  to  thank  his 
benefactor,"  he  replied. 

"  What  would  the  common  sense  of  mankind  say  ?" 

*' It  would  say  so  too.  But,"  continued  he,  "  the  case 
is  not  parallel ;  our  thanks  can  add  nothing  to  the  glory  of 
the  Almighty,  he  is  so  far  above  us." 

"  Neither  could  the  thanks  of  the  miserable  being  add 
any  thing  to  the  wealth  or  respectability  of  his  kind  bene- 
factor. But  what  is  duty  ?  And  now,  David,  I  wish  to  ask 
you  a  particular  question,  and  I  know  your  integrity  too 
well  to  believe  you  will  deceive  me  in  the  answer.  Do  you 
ever  pray  ?" 

After  some  hesitation,  his  countenance  at  the  same  time 
betraying  the  emotions  within,  he  answered,  "  No,  I  do  not 
pray." 

"Then  I  think  reason  must  decide  that  that  religion 
which  leads  the  soul  to  God  must  be  right,  while  that 
which  leads  it  away  from  the  Source  of  all  good  must  cer- 
tainly be  wrong." 

I  placed  in  his  hands  Faber's  Difficulties  of  Infidelity, 
Leslie's  Short  Method  with  the  Deists,  etc.  Paley's  Evi- 
dences of  a  Divine  Revelation  he  told  me  he  had  read. 
But,  after  all  that  had  passed  between  us,  the  details  of 
which,  if  written  out,  would  fill  a  large  volume,  he  still 
remained  inflexibly  firm.  He  appeared  to  be  as  immovable 
as  the  man  who  had  placed  his  foundation  upon  a  rock. 

Believing  further  discussion  unprofitable,  I  told  him  it 
must  be  left  to  aflSiction  and  death  to  test  the  truth  and 
value  of  our  respective  principles ;  and  here  we  ceased  to 
agitate  the  question. 


THE  MILLER'S  SON. 


In  the  meantime  a  disease  with  which  he  had  been  af- 
flicted increased,  and  finally  assumed  the  consumptive  form. 
He  was  constrained  to  relinquish  business,  and  was  soon 
entirely  confined  to  the  house. 

During  his  confinement  I  called  several  times  to  see  him, 
inquired  after  his  health,  and  conversed  with  him  respect- 
ing every  thing  else  than  that  which  held  the  deepest  place 
in  my  heart.  From  a  few  hints  which  he  inadvertently 
dropped  in  the  course  of  these  conversations,  I  perceived 
that  his  views  were  unchanged. 

As  the  spring  advanced  his  disease  made  alarming 
strides,  he  was  thrown  upon  the  bed,  and  all  hope  of  re- 
covery was  given  up.  He  had  been  one  week  in  this  sit- 
uation when  I  called  on  him. 

On  entering  the  room  I  readily  perceived  that  the  hand 
of  the  last  enemy  was  upon  him,  and  taking  my  seat  by  the 
side  of  his  bed,  I  affectionately  inquired  how  he  was. 

Said  he,  "  I  am  fast  sinking  ;  it  is  impossible  that  I 
should  recover ;  but  I  am  resigned  to  my  fate,  or  to  the 
disposal  of  the  great  God  of  nature.'* 

I  observed,  "  that  resignation  was  good  under  such  cir- 
cumstances, if  it  were  well  founded ;  but  in  order  to  have 
any  thing  valuable  in  it,  it  must  rest  upon  some  sure  foun- 
dation. A  resignation  founded  upon  the  word  of  God,  the 
hopes  and  promises  of  the  Gospel,  must  surely  be  good  for 
a  dying  man ;  but  if  you  cast  away  the  Bible,  your  resig- 
nation rests  upon  nothing  but  your  own  carnal  reasonings 
or  vain  imaginations." 

"Every  man  has  his  opinion,"  said  he;  "the  Moham- 
medan has  his  opinion,  the  Jew  has  his,  you  have  yours, 
and  I  have  mine." 

"  That  may  be,"  I  replied,  "  but  still  it  does  not  make 
all  our  opinions  equally  wise  or  safe.  As  these  opinions 
are  contrary  to  each  other,  some  of  them  must  be  wrong : 


8  DAVJl)  r.ALDU'IX;  OR, 

and  now,  if  yours  are  right,  David,  all  the  rest  of  us  are 
just  as  safe  as  you  are  ;  but  if  yours  are  wrong,  0  how 
awful  the  thought !  What  a  mighty  difference  death  must 
make  between  you  and  us." 

"  Hush,  hush  !"  he  exclaimed  with  vehemence,  averting 
his  face  to  the  opposite  side  of  the  room,  his  whole  system 
at  the  same  time  becoming  greatly  agitated. 

His  anxious  mother,  agonizing  for  the  salvation  of  her 
son,  cried,   "David,  David,  why  will  you  do  so?" 

Turning  again,  he  replied  to  his  mother,  "  What  else 
can  I  say  ?   I  am  too  weak  to  listen  to  such  things  now." 

Waitinfy  until  his  feelino-s  had  in  some  measure  sub- 
sided,  I  said,  "  David,  this  is  not  weakness,  it  is  conscience  ; 
I  have  often  seen  Christians  much  weaker  than,  you  are, 
converse  for  a  whole  hour  upon  the  promises  and  the  hopes 
of  the  Gospel ;  I  have  seen  them  contemplate  with  delight 
the  glory  hereafter  to  be  revealed :  but  you  seem  to  be 
easily  disturbed ;  you  appear  to  have  but  little  confidence 
in  your  own  system ;  it  does  not  bring  you  any  comfort  in 
the  prospect  of  death." 

''Trouble  me  no  more,"  said  he;  ''you  could  not  con- 
vince me  when  I  was  well,  it  is  in  vain  to  think  of  doing  it 
now  I  am  sick :  do  not  come  here  to  disturb  a  dying  man ; 
let  me  die  in  peace." 

I  told  him  "I  had  not  come  to  argue,  I  had  come  to 
preach  Christ  and  him  crucified,  the  only  way  of  life,  the 
only  hope  of  a  resurrection  from  the  dead  and  eternal  bless- 
edness beyond  the  grave.  I  have  not  come  because  I  am 
desirous  of  giving  you  pain ;  I  came  to  seek  your  eternal 
good.  I  never  have  felt  any  thing  but  kindness  towards 
you ;  in  all  our  arguments  you  never  saw  me  manifest  any 
other  feeling." 

"  That  is  so,"  said  he,  "  I  never  did." 

"  And  now,  David,  with  regard  to  your  dying  in  peace. 


THE  MILLER'S  SON.  9 

that  cannot  be.  For  you  to  die  in  peace,  as  you  now  are, 
is  utterly  impossible.  There  can  be  no  peace,  saith  my 
God,  to  the  wicked." 

"  You  ought  to  have  charity,"  said  he,  with  emotion ; 
"  it  is  a  poor  religion  that  does  not  produce  charity." 

"I  would  most  gladly  have  charity  for  you  if  I  could," 
I  replied  ;  "  but  I  cannot  have  it ;  my  Bible  will  not  permit 
me  to  have  it :  my  Bible  declares,  '  he  that  believeth  shall 
be  saved,  but  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned.'  " 

"That  is  hard,"  said  he. 

I  continued  my  discourse,  saying  to  him,  *'  I  would  take 
great  pleasure  in  administering  comfort,  if  it  were  in  my 
power  so  to  do ;  but  I  know  of  no  way  in  which  a  minister 
of  Christ  can  comfort  a  dying  man  but  by  presenting  the 
consolations  of  the  Gospel.  These,  David,  you  have  cast 
away — you  have  cast  away  the  Saviour,  and  trampled  the 
blood  of  the  covenant  beneath  your  feet.  How  can  I  com- 
fort you?  Strong  as  is  my  desire  to  do  so,  you  place  it 
entirely  beyond  my  power  to  offer  you  one  drop  of  conso- 
lation." 

"I  hope  then,"  said  he,  ''you  will  not  distress  me." 

Perceiving  his  feelings  much  agitated,  I  desisted.  Af- 
ter pausing  until  he  was  somewhat  composed  again,  I  said, 
"  David,  shall  I  pray  with  you  ?" 

He  hesitated  for  a  moment,  and  then  answered,  "  No. 
The  great  God  of  nature  cannot  be  changed  by  man's  pray- 
ers.    He  is  immutable." 

"Nevertheless,"  said  I,  "he  has  declared  himself  to  be 
the  hearer  of  prayer  and  the  rewarder  of  those  who  dili- 
gently seek  him.  He  has  said,  they  that  seek  shall  find — 
they  that  ask  shall  receive — and  unto  them  that  knock  it 
shall  be  opened." 

"You  may  think  so,"  said  he,  "but  I  think  otherwise." 

After  another  considerable  pause,  in  which  not  a  word 


10  DAVID  BALDWIN;  OR, 

was  spoken  by  any  person  in  the  room,  nor  any  thing  heard 
but  the  sighs  occasioned  by  a  mother's  and  a  sister's  an- 
guish, I  said  to  him,  "  David,  I  must  now  take  my  leave  of 
you.     But  shall  I  ever  come  to  see  you  again  ?" 

He  looked  earnestly  in  my  face,  and  with  an  expression 
of  kindness,  he  slowly  said,  "  If  you  will  come  and  see  me 
as  a  friend." 

"  Then  you  do  not  Avish  to  see  me  as  a  minister  of  the 
Gospel?" 

He  answered  distinctly,  "  No." 

"But  seeing  I  sustain  that  office,"  I  replied,  "I  cannot 
reconcile  it  with  my  sense  of  duty  to  visit  a  dying  man 
without  presenting  the  only  hope  God  hath  provided  for 
the  dying.  If  I  come  to  see  you,  I  must  preach  Christ  and 
him  crucified."  So  saying,  with  painful  emotions  I  bade 
him  adieu. 

On  retiring,  his  mother  requested  me  to  pray  with  the 
family  and  the  friends  who  were  present  in  the  adjoining 
room,  to  which  I  readily  assented.  And  when  she  had  set 
his  door  open,  we  lifted  up  our  souls  in  earnest  supplica- 
tion to  that  God  who  has  the  hearts  of  all  in  his  hands, 
and  is  able  to  turn  them  whithersoever  he  will.  It  was  a 
moment  of  indescribable  solemnity.  A  son — a  brother — a 
beloved  and  admired  friend,  was  about  to  take  his  flight 
to  the  world  of  spirits,  unreconciled  to  God,  at  enmity  with 
Jesus  Christ,  accounting  even  his  precious  saving  blood  as 
an  unholy  and  a  hateful  thing.  We  earnestly  besought  the 
Lord  to  have  mercy  on  his  soul — to  scatter  the  delusions 
of  Satan — to  subdue  his  enmity — to  give  him  light,  and  to 
give  him  life. 

After  prayer  I  took  my  leave  of  the  family  and  deeply 
afflicted  parents,  promising  soon  to  return,  for  I  was  still 
unwilling  to  give  him  over  as  lost,  whilst  any  portion  of  his 
day  of  grace  appeared  to  remain.     Returning  home,  I  pon- 


THE  MILLER'S  SON.  H 

^  dered  upon  all  that  had  past.  I  felt  exceedingly  pained 
and  disappointed  at  what  I  had  witnessed,  and  said  to  my- 
self, "  0  who  hath  believed  our  report,  and  to  whom  is  the 
arm  of  the  Lord  revealed  ?  Is  the  Lord's  arm  shortened, 
that  it  cannot  save  ;  or  his  ear  heavy,  that  it  cannot  hear?" 

A  little  after  sundown  the  same  day  I  was  surprised  at 
the  reception  of  a  note  from  a  member  of  the  family,  re- 
questing my  immediate  attendance.  I  readily  obeyed  the 
call.  David  was  very  desirous  of  seeing  me,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  I  was  there. 

When  I  came  in,  his  father  said,  "  David  has  been 
exceedingly  distressed  since  you  were  here.  I  perceived, 
during  the  day,  that  he  rolled  and  tossed  from  side  to  side, 
groaning  as  if  in  the  greatest  anguish,  and  I  said  to  him, 
*  David,  what  is  the  matter  ?'  '  O,'  said  he,  '  I  have  no 
pain  of  body,  but  I  have  such  awful  distress  and  agony  of 
soul.'  Was  this  distress  occasioned  by  the  conversation  this 
morning?  '0,  yes,'  said  he;  'I  once  thought  I  could  die 
in  peace,  but  now  I  find  I  cannot.'  To  his  mother  he  after- 
wards said,  '0  what  a  poor  prodigal  I  have  been!  Can 
you  not  pray  for  me,  mother  ?  Will  you  not  pray  for  me  ?' 
He  also  requested  us  to  send  for  you,  which  we  immedi- 
ately did." 

When  I  entered  his  room  he  looked  up  in  my  face  and 
said,  "  I  have  been  deeply  distressed  since  you  were  here 
this  morning." 

"What  has  given  you  so  much  trouble?"  I  affection- 
ately inquired. 

"O,"  said  he,  "that  question  respecting  the  Saviour." 

"  Then  you  begin  to  lose  confidence  in  the  opinions  you 
have  embraced?" 

"  Yes,"  he  replied,  "  they  bring  no  comfort  to  the  soul ; 
they  do  not  sustain  me.  A  Saviour  is  necessary.  Is  there 
salvation  for  me  ?" 


12  DAVID  BALDVVlx\  ;  OR, 

I  answered  in  the  aflfirmative,  and  began  at  once  to  pre- 
sent the  fuhiess  and  the  freeness  of  the  gospel  offer,  and  to 
exhibit  the  abiUty  and  willingness  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
to  save  sinners,  even  the  chief.  For  this  purpose  I  recited 
many  passages  of  Scripture,  such  as,  "  Ho,  every  one  that 
thirsteth" — "Come,  and  let  us  reason  together" — "Let 
the  wicked  forsake  his  Avay  " — "He  that  believeth  shall  be 
saved  " — "  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt 
be  saved."  Li  order  to  give  him  a  view  of  the  nature  of 
Christ's  substitution  in  the  room  and  stead  of  sinners,  the 
only  means  by  which  w^e  can  be  delivered  from  the  burden 
and  condemnation  of  sin,  I  read  and  expounded,  as  far  as 
time  w^ould  permit,  the  fifty -third  of  Isaiah,  and  also  the 
fifth  chapter  of  Paul's  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  He  listened 
attentively  to  all  that  was  said.  Like  the  new-born  babe, 
he  seemed  to  desire  the  sincere  milk  of  the  word,  to  be 
entirely  subdued  and  humbled  in  spirit ;  and  when  I  con- 
cluded, he  said  w^ith  emphasis, 

"  These  are  comforting  truths." 

"  But  w^ill  you  believe  them  ?"  I  inquired. 

*'  0  yes,  I  will  try  to  believe  them." 

I  then  asked  if  1  should  pray  with  him. 

"  Most  certainly,"  he  replied,  "  I  should  be  glad  to  have 
you  do  so." 

We  then  united  in  prayer  around  his  dying  bed  with 
feelings  widely  different  from  those  we  had  experienced  in 
the  morning.  AYe  thanked  the  Lord  for  his  mercy  and 
compassion  to  the  children  of  men.  We  earnestly  besought 
him  that  the  good  work,  which  we  trusted  was  begun,  might 
be  carried  on  to  perfection ;  that  the  youth  before  us  might 
be  made  a  rich  trophy  of  God's  free,  adorable,  and  match- 
less grace. 

At  the  close  of  the  prayer  he  said  aloud,  "  Amen,  so 
let  it  be." 


THE  IVULLER'S  SON.  13 

When  I  came  again  on  the  following  morning,  as  he  had 
desired  me  to  do,  the  family  told  me  he  had  requested  his 
sister  to  be  called  before  day  to  read  the  Scriptures  for 
him,  and  that  he  himself  had  engaged  in  prayer.  To  my 
inquiries  respecting  the  state  of  his  mind,  he  said, 

"There  is  one  thought  that  particularly  troubles  me. 
I  have  rejected  Christ — I  fear  Christ  will  reject  me." 

I  continued,  as  I  had  done  the  preceding  evening,  to 
present  Christ  in  all  his  fulness — his  willingness  and  his 
sufficiency  to  save.  I  read  and  remarked  upon  several  pas- 
sages of  Scripture.  He  seemed  to  catch  every  word  with 
eagerness.  He  complained  of  no  weakness — no  fatigue. 
He  did  not  seem  to  droop  or  grow  weary.  The  infirmities 
of  the  body  appeared  to  be  forgotten  in  his  eagerness  to 
gain  the  bread  of  life  for  his  soul. 

When  I  had  concluded,  he  said,  "  I  have  endeavored  to 
cast  myself  entirely  on  the  mercy  of  God,  as  manifested  in 
Jesus  Christ.     I  can  trust  to  no  other." 

After  prayer  to  the  throne  of  grace,  which  he  closed  as 
before,  by  saying  Amen,  I  left  him. 

The  next  time  I  came  to  see  him,  he  said,  "  I  am  hke 
Saul  of  Tarsus.  The  scales  have  fallen  from  my  eyes ;  I 
can  now  understand  by  experience  what  that  conversion 
means ;  I  can  now  see  what  before  was  involved  in  dark- 
ness. I  feel  that  Jesus  Christ  is  precious.  How  could  I 
have  died  with  my  former  views,  and  without  an  interest 
in  Christ  ?  It  is  painful  to  think  of."  He  seemed  now  to 
regard  the  principles  of  infidelity  with  the  deepest  abhor- 
rence, and  to  look  with  wonder  and  gratitude  at  the  fearful 
gulf  from  which  he  had  escaped. 

I  inquired  if  his  former  views  had  ever  given  him  peace 
or  comfort. 

He  replied,  "  Not  any.  I  have  tried  hard  to  extract 
comfort  from  them,  but  I  could  never  obtain  it."  He  then 
VOL.  Yin.  26 


14  DAVID  BALDWIN  ;  OR, 

related  to  me  a  long  conversation  which  he  had  held  that 
morning  with  a  neighbor,  for  whom  he  had  sent,  and  who 
had  for  some  time  past  entertained  similar  views  with  him- 
self. ''I  told  him,"  said  he,  "that  the  philosophy  we  had 
been  cherishinor  could  not  sustain  the  soul ;  it  could  not 
stand  the  test  of  death.  I  have  had  to  abandon  it,  and  if 
ever  you  die  happy,  you  must  abandon  it  also." 

I  observed  to  him  "  that  there  were  a  great  many  who 
professed  to  adhere  to  infidel  principles  in  this  place,  and 
if  my  life  is  spared,  I  shall  most  probably  have  an  oppor- 
tunity of  addressing  them.  What  shall  I  say  to  them  from 
you?" 

"  Tell  them,"  said  he,  "  that  philosophy  will  not  sustain 
the  soul  in  the  prospect  of  death — it  contains  no  support 
for  the  dying  man  ;  that  now  is  the  time  to  give  it  up,  and 
to  become  reconciled  to  God  through  Jesus  Christ.  Whilst 
my  life  remains,  I  will  do  what  I  can  to  correct  the  evil 
myself." 

On  quitting  the  room  his  mother  told  me  that  he  exact- 
ed a  solemn  promise  from  her  that  she  would  burn  all  his 
infidel  books,  so  that  no  other  person  might  be  poisoned  by 
them  in  the  manner  he  had  been. 

Contrary  to  the  expectation  of  all,  he  continued  eleven 
days  from  the  time  this  extraordinary  change  took  place. 
During  this  time  he  was  seen  by  many  individuals,  and  to 
all  who  conversed  with  him  he  gave  the  most  decisive  evi- 
dence of  a  change  of  heart  and  a  precious  work  of  grace 
wrought  in  the  soul.  All  the  exercises  of  his  mind  seemed 
to  be  of  a  highly  devotional  character.  He  kept  his  sister 
constantly  employed  in  reading  the  sacred  Scriptures.  In 
the  Psalms  of  David  he  greatly  delighted,  saying  at  the 
same  time  that  all  the  rest  of  the  Bible  was  good. 

After  a  portion  of  Scripture  was  read  to  him  in  the 
morning,  he  would  engage  in  prayer  for  himself  and  the 


THE  MILLER'S  SOX.  15 

family.  He  delighted  greatly  in  this  duty.  After  long 
conversation  with  his  physician  respecting  his  former  and 
his  present  views  of  the  Christian  religion,  he  requested 
him  to  pray.  At  the  close  of  the  prayer,  he  said  with 
emphasis,  ''What  a  blessed  privilege  Christians  enjoy,  in 
offering  up  the  desires  of  their  hearts  to  God  in  behalf  of 
poor  sinful  worms  of  the  dust !" 

He  continued  in  the  manifestation  of  hope  and  confi- 
dence in  the  Redeemer  until  he  breathed  out  his  soul,  as 
we  trust,  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  ascended  to  those 
regions  of  light  and  blessedness  whence  all  errors  and  delu- 
sions will  be  for  ever  excluded. 

From  this  simple  narrative  the  reader  cannot  fail  to  per- 
ceive how  utterly  unstable  the  strongest  human  foundation 
becomes  in  the  hour  of  trial.  With  judgment  and  eternity 
in  view,  it  becomes  as  movable  as  the  sand  swept  away  by 
the  flood.  No  foundation  will  stand  the  test  or  give  com- 
fort to  the  soul  but  that  which  God  has  laid.  That  foun- 
dation has  stood  the  test  of  ages.  No  one  resting  thereon 
ever  found  himself  disappointed,  or  said  at  last  he  was 
deceived.  The  nearer  they  have  approached  the  fearful 
crisis,  the  more  confidence  they  have  felt  in  the  truth  of 
God  and  the  saving  efficacy  of  his  precious  Son.  When 
that  awful  hour  draws  nigh,  so  far  from  requirino-  their 
Bibles  to  be  burnt  as  delusive  books,  their  Bibles  become 
more  dear  to  their  souls.  When  the  world  recedes,  when 
flesh  faints  and  the  heart  fails,  they  look  up  with  confi- 
dence to  Him  who  hath  promised  to  be  the  strength  of  their 
hearts,  and  their  portion  for  ever.  Thousands  in  all  ages, 
trusting  in  Christ,  have  died  thus.  They  have  met  that, 
which  has  always  been  the  king  of  terrors  to  the  wicked, 
with  calm  composure,  holy  joy,  triumphant  faith,  singing 
victory  even  amid  the  throes  of  death. 

But  take  away  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  only  name 


16  DAVID  BALDWIN  ;  OR,  THE  MILLER'S  gON. 

given  under  heaven  whereby  we  can  be  saved,  and  what  is 
left  to  bear  up  the  soul  ?  When  the  sorrows  of  death  en- 
compass it,  and  the  pains  of  hell  begin  to  take  hold  upon 
it,  what  can  sustain  it  ?  Can  the  force  of  human  reason,  or 
the  value  of  human  merit  ?  Ah,  no.  Had  it  been  in  the 
power  of  human  reason  or  human  merit  to  do  so,  our  young 
friend  would  have  been  amply  sustained.  His  intellectual 
perceptions  were  strong  and  clear — his  mind  was  enlarged — 
the  habits  of  his  life  were  irreproachable — his  industry  ex- 
tracted all  the  sweets  which  the  system  of  infidelity  con- 
tained, and  yet  he  freely  confessed  that  he  never  experienced 
peace  until  he  found  it  in  Jesus  Christ. 

In  view  of  these  facts,  why  will  men  indulge  such  a 
delusive  hope  ?  The  language  this  youth  employed  to  those 
whom  he  called  to  his  dying  bed  was,  ''  Give  it  up.  If  you 
would  escape  the  sufferings  and  anguish  I  have  endured, 
give  it  up."  And  if  any  reader  is  cherishing  this  awful 
delusion,  we  would  say.  Give  it  up.  If  you  would  escape 
that  tremendous  gulf  into  which  all  the  unbelieving  will  be 
cast — if  you  would  gain  an  inheritance  in  that  kingdom  into 
which  all  the  faithful  of  God  shall  be  ultimately  gathered, 
give  it  up  and  embrace  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  he  is 
freely  offered  to  you  in  the  Gospel. 


i\o.  983. 

ALARM  TO  THE  CARELESS. 


Indifference  to  religion  in  a  rational  being  cannot  but 
excite  surprise  and  occasion  grief  in  every  serious  mind. 
Religion  is  an  infinite  reality ;  the  Gospel  is  worthy  of  all 
acceptation ;  its  claims  are  high  and  paramount  to  every 
other ;  and  we  cannot  but  know  that  in  an  unexpected  mo- 
ment we  may  be  called  to  give  an  account  of  the  deeds 
done  in  the  body.  And  can  any  be  found  in  these  circum- 
stances indifferent  to  their  highest  interests  ?  What  can  be 
said  to  one  who  cares  for  none  of  these  things  which  the 
infinite  God  has  revealed,  into  which  the  angels  desire  to 
look,  which  are  not  vain — either  doubtful  or  unimportant — 
but  of  unutterable  value,  and  will  stand  when  heaven  and 
earth  shall  pass  away  ? 

I  entreat  your  serious  attention  while  I  present  some 
reasons  loluj  you  ought  to  be  alarmed. 

1.  The  fact  that  you  are  careless  is  ground  of  alarm.  It 
is  evidence  that  you  do  not  reflect  upon  God.  One  hour's 
solemn  meditation  upon  his  omniscience,  his  purity  and 
righteousness,  would  break  up  your  apathy.  Did  you  think 
of  your  relation  to  him,  his  goodness  to  you,  your  obliga- 
tions to  him,  you  could  not  be  at  ease.  Ought  you  not  to 
be  troubled  that  you  are  surrounded  by  Jehovah,  every 
moment  liable  to  be  summoned  to  his  bar,  and  still  indiffer- 
ent— asleep  in  your  sins  ?  Your  carelessness  is  evidence 
that  you  are  ignorant  of  your  true  condition  in  the  sight  of 
God ;  for  who  that  realizes  the  guilt  of  transgression,  the 
holy  nature  and  fearful  penalty  of  the  law,  and  feels  that 
he  has  broken  that  law  and  incurred  that  penalty,  will  not 
tremble  ?  There  is  something  truly  awful  in  false  security, 
where  the  danger  is  real  and  great.  Who  does  not  pity 
the  poor  victim  of  intemperance,  who  has  just  passed  the 
line  that  decided  his  character  as  a  drunkard?  He  still 
cries.  There  is  no  danger.  He  dreams  of  happiness  and 
respectability  while  the  hand  of  death  is  upon  him;  his 
VOL.  VIII.  26* 


2  alar:m  to  the  careless. 

fancied  security  is  the  most  alarming  symptom :  could  he 
feel  his  danger,  there  would  be  hope ;  but  this  he  luill  not 
see,  and  his  indifference  is  the  touch  of  death. 

Who  that  had  seen  the  prodigal  amid  his  cups  and  rev- 
els, reckless  of  his  approaching  ruin,  would  not  have  wept 
over  his  guilty  thoughtlessness  ?  If  just  then  he  had  been 
admonished  of  his  danger,  he  would  doubtless  have  replied 
in  anger,  as  the  sinner  often  does,  "  Your  sympathy  is  un- 
called for ;  my  resources  are  not  exhausted,  nor  do  I  intend 
to  become  the  slave  of  indulgence ;  an  occasional  liberty 
may  be  taken  without  hazard."  Ah,  how  little  did  he  know 
of  the  wiles  of  the  destroyer !  He  was  then  undone,  but 
he  had  not  yet  come  to  himself  to  see  it. 

And  such  is  your  condition,  careless  sinner,  but  you 
know  it  not.  A  disease  is  upon  your  soul ;  it  has  penetrated' 
your  nature  through ;  and  yet  you  are  whole  in  your  own 
estimation,  and  need  not  a  physician.  Your  very  apathy  is 
the  darkest  symptom. 

You  are  condemned — the  sentence  of  death  lies  against 
you — and  yet  you  feel  secure.  Just  in  proportion  to  the 
character  of  the  sentence,  the  nearness  and  certainty  of  its 
execution,  is  the  fearfulness  of  your  indifference.  If  it  were 
a  temporal  loss  it  could  be  borne,  apathy  would  not  be  so 
appalling  :  but  when  we  remember  that  the  sentence  against 
you  is  eternal  death  ;  that  God  is  the  Judge  who  pronounced 
it ;  that  this  very  night  your  soul  may  be  required,  we  know 
not  how  to  express  our  sense  of  the  criminality  of  such 
carelessness. 

2.  Another  reason  of  alarm  is,  that  this  indifference  in- 
dicates a  state  of  mind  in  which  every  blessing  is  abused, 
every  warning  neglected.  The  sinner's  heart  is  represented 
by  the  barren  heath  which  knoweth  not  when  good  cometh  ; 
which  receives  the  sweet  showers  of  heaven,  but  makes  no 
return.  While  this  apath}'-  remains,  the  goodness  of  God 
may  be  lavished  upon  you,  the  blessings  of  Providence  may 
fall  around  you,  the  kindness  and  love  of  God  our  Saviour 
may  be  shown  you,  and  no  gratitude  spring  up  in  your 
heart.  Should  it  not  trouble  you  to  have  such  a  heart  ?  Is 
not  such  a  state  of  mind  truly  deplorable  ?  A  habit  of  body 
that  would  render  every  thing  received  for  nourishment  or 
for  medicine  perfectly  useless  would  be  dreadful ;  what 
then  must  be  that  moral  disease  which  leads  men  to  pervert 


ALARM  TO  THE  CARELESS.  3 

every  gift,  to  turn  away  from  every  overture,  to  resist  every 
motive  ?  Every  prayer  you  hear  leaves  you  far  from  God  ; 
every  chapter  of  the  Bible  read  is  without  effect ;  every 
sermon  you  hear,  every  funeral  you  attend,  leaves  you  still 
in  love  with  the  world.  Thus  all  the  means  which  a  mer- 
ciful God  employs,  accomplish  nothing  for  your  highest 
good  ;  and  this  because  you  are  careless. 

3.  You  ought  to  be  troubled  when  you  reflect  what  it 
is  you  are  careless  about — salvation.  The  man  indifferent 
about  his  health  is  unwise  enough  ;  the  man  regardless  of 
his  temporal  interests  can  expect  little  commiseration ;  what 
then  shall  be  said  of  him  who  by  neglect  hazards  the  sal- 
vation of  his  soul?  You  are  now  on  trial  for  eternity. 
Christ  has  died  that  you  might  live — salvation  is  offered  in 
his  name — indifference  is  unbelief.  In  an  hour  you  think 
not  you  may  be  called  to  your  account ;  by  mere  neglect 
you  may  lose  heaven  ;  eternal  death  is  the  fruit  of  a  careless 
life,  and  this  you  may  incur  before  to-morrow.  What  in- 
fatuation, thus  to  expose  immortal  interests  when  nothing 
is  to  be  gained.  0,  ye  careless,  awake  from  sleep ;  you 
have  too  much  at  stake  thus  to  slumber.  If  you  would  but 
pause,  you  could  not  fail  to  see  the  inconsistency  of  being 
so  eager  after  the  vanities  of  this  Avorld,  while  you  are  neg- 
ligent of  the  realities  of  the  world  to  come ;  of  being  so 
intent  upon  the  acquisition  of  wealth  that  may  take  to  itself 
wings  and  fly  away,  while  you  are  indifferent  about  the  true 
riches ;  of  grasping  after  momentary  honor,  while  you  let 
go  immortal  glory, 

4.  Another  cause  of  alarm  is  the  exposure  of  your  pres- 
ent condition.  Neglect  of  the  Gospel  insures  destruction. 
"How  shall  we  escape,  if  we  neglect  so  great  salvation?" 
Many  think,  if  they  escape  those  outbreaking  sins  which 
bring  ruin  upon  men  in  this  world,  they  are  in  no  danger  of 
the  fearful  gulf ;  but  this  is  a  fatal  mistake.  Careless  sin- 
ner, if  you  had  never  uttered  a  falsehood,  injured  a  neigh- 
bor, or  stained  your  hands  with  a  single  trespass  against 
society,  you  would  still  be  in  the  gall  of  bitterness ;  your 
apathy  is  a  crime  for  which  no  morality  can  atone.  You 
have  never  thought  enough  of  God  to  love  him,  or  of  Christ 
to  follow  him.  Were  you  to  die  in  your  present  state,  your 
ahenation  of  heart,  your  indifference  to  religion  would  ex- 
clude you  from  the  kingdom  of  God.     Nor  Avould  there  be 


4  alar:.i  tu  the  careles;?. 

any  thing  arbitrary  in  this.  A  heart  insensible  to  the  claims 
of  the  Gospel,  and  unmoved  by  the  affecting  scenes  of  Cal- 
vary, in  such  a  world  of  ruin  as  this,  surely  is  not  meet  for 
the  inheritance  of  the  saints.  Were  you,  therefore,  not  to 
commit  another  sin,  were  you  to  remain  stationary  as  to 
moral  character,  you  must  be  lost.  By  all  that  is  heart- 
rending in  the  idea  of  banishment  from  God,  in  the  thought 
of  lying  down  in  everlasting  sorrow,  I  would  arouse  you  to 
reflection,  and  entreat  you  to  lay  these  things  to  heart. 

5.  Another  consideration  is,  no  more  ijowerful  means 
will  he  employed  to  awaken  you  to  the  concerns  of  your  soul. 
Consider  what  God  has  done  to  induce  you  to  seek  him. 
His  words  are  full  of  emphasis,  calculated  to  seal  up  every 
mouth  and  sweep  away  every  excuse :  '*  What  could  have 
been  done  to  my  vineyard  that  I  have  not  done  ?  Hoav  often 
would  I  have  gathered  you,  and  ye  would  not."  That  you 
might  know  God,  his  works  have  been  spread  out  before 
you ;  that  you  might  early  serve  him,  parents  and  teachers 
have  instructed  you  from  the  first  dawn  of  moral  being ; 
that  you  might  be  convinced  of  sin,  the  piercing  light  of  the 
law  has  shined  into  your  heart ;  its  high  and  holy  precepts 
have  been  placed  beside  your  conduct,  that  you  might  mark 
your  deficiency ;  that  you  might  escape  the  wrath  of  God, 
the  Lamb  slain  from  the  foundation  of  the  world  has  been 
set  forth  as  the  propitiation  for  sin.  Ministei-s  have  preached, 
Christian  friends  have  entreated,  the  Holy  Spirit  has  been 
sent  to  \dsit  your  heart,  and  still  you  are  careless  about  the 
most  solemn  subject  in  the  universe.  Are  you  waiting  to 
be  moved  ?  There  is  enough  now  bearing  upon  you  to  ex- 
cite half  the  heathen  world.  The  presence  of  one  mission- 
ary moves  all  Burmah.  The  heathen  have  heard  that 
there  is  an  eternal  hell,  and  they  are  afraid ;  but  you  sit 
unmoved.  They  have  learned  that  there  is  an  eternal  God, 
and  they  desire  to  know  him ;  but  you  say.  Depart  from 
us,  we  desire  not  a  knowledge  of  thy  ways.  They  ask  for 
Tracts,  while  some  here  Avill  not  receive  them  into  their 
houses.  They  regard  with  unspeakable  interest  a  servant 
of  Jesus  Christ,  and  will  take  a  three  months'  journey  to 
enjoy  the  privilege  of  listening  to  his  words  ;  while  you  Avill 
suffer  him  to  stand  and  stretch  forth  his  hands  without 
heeding  his  message.  Ah,  the  poor  heathen  will  rise  up  in 
the  judgment  and  condemn  you. 


ALARM  TO  THE  CARELESS.  5 

0,  ye  careless  ones,  what  shall  be  done  to  distm-b  your 
deep  slumbers  ?  If  one  rising  from  the  dead  would  not 
make  those  hear  who  had  Moses  and  the  prophets,  what 
neio  thing,  or  solemn  thing,  shall  be  said  to  those  who,  in 
addition,  have  Christ  and  the  apostles  ?  There  is  every 
reason  to  fear  you  will  still  sleep  on.  The  fact  that  you  are 
on  the  slippery  brink  of  ruin,  on  the  sides  of  a  volcano  ready 
to  burst  forth,  does  not  alarm  you ;  the  fact  that  God 
stoops  to  warn  you,  and  that  he  will  not  send  another  Gos- 
pel, or  make  another  display  of  his  love  before  you,  excites 
no  interest.  We  are  ready  to  exclaim  with  the  prophet, 
"  0  that  my  head  were  waters,  and  mine  eyes  a  fountain  of 
tears,  that  I  might  weep  day  and  night "  over  the  stupidity 
of  sinners. 

6.  This  carelessness  is  increased  hy  indulgence,  and  co7i- 
firmed  hy  habit.  A  long  process  of  hardening  the  heart  is 
gone  through  with,  before  such  a  state  of  perfect  apathy  is 
reached.  What  saith  the  Scripture  ?  "  Can  the  Ethiopian 
change  his  skin,  or  the  leopard  his  spots  ?  Then  may  ye 
also  do  good,  that  are  accustomed  to  do  evil."  A  deceived 
heart  turns  the  sinner  aside,  so  that  he  cannot  deliver  his 
soul,  nor  say.  Is  there  not  a  lie  in  my  right  hand  ?  A  state 
of  indifference,  induced  by  the  habit  of  neglecting  the  Gos- 
pel for  years,  will  not  be  easily  broken  up.  Novelty,  which 
is  a  powerful  auxiliaiy  to  truth,  is  lost  upon  such.  If  the 
mighty  works  which  Christ  wrought  in  Chorazin  and  Beth- 
saida,  but  which  lost  their  effect  by  repetition,  had  been 
done  in  Tyre  and  Sidon — heathen  cities — the  first  impres- 
sion of  such  stupendous  power  had  struck  every  mind — 
they  2oould  have  repented.  And  if  the  same  truths  which 
sinners  hardened  under  the  Gospel  reject,  were  delivered  in 
the  name  of  Christ  to  many  in  the  waste  places  of  the  earth, 
they  would  doubtless  turn  to  the  Lord. 

This  indifference  of  which  God  complains  is  voluntary. 
Go  thy  way,  said  Felix  to  Paul ;  when  I  have  a  convenient 
season  I  will  call  for  thee.  He  made  his  seriousness  yield 
to  his  convenience.  Who  will  say  he  was  under  a  necessity 
to  dismiss  the  apostle  ?  He  says  no  such  thing.  He  might 
have  taken  a  different  course  ;  and  so  might  you  have  done, 
careless  reader ;  for  you  were  not  always  as  indifferent  as 
you  now  are.  When  eternal  things  were  pressed  upon  your 
regard,  when  the  truth  of  God  was  felt,  or  a  solemn  provi- 


6  ALAllM  TO  THE  CARELESS. 

dence  filled  you  with  seriousness,  wlien  you  Avere  agitating 
the  question  whether  you  should  arise  and  go  to  your  Father 
with  the  prodigal's  confession,  who  will  say  that  an  iron 
necessity  bound  you  to  the  fatal  course  you  took  ?  What 
but  a  perverse  will  led  you  to  dismiss  your  fears,  to  aban- 
don your  closet,  to  forsake  the  meeting  for  social  prayer,  to 
prefer  the  world  ?  Ah,  you  must  know  that  you  acted  de- 
liberately ;  you  would  not  come  to  Christ  that  you  might 
have  life ;  and  now,  if  you  die  in  your  sins,  if  the  Spirit  of 
God  never  again  awaken  you,  if  you  are  left  to  the  sleep  of 
spiritual  and  eternal  death,  it  will  be  for  ever  true  that  God 
called,  and  you  refused  ;  that  he  knocked  at  your  heart,  and 
you  would  not  open  to  him  ;  that  he  stretched  out  his  hand, 
and  you  would  not  regard  him ;  that  he  sent  his  ministers 
to  beseech  you  to  be  reconciled,  and  that  you  hated  know- 
ledge, and  despised  all  his  reproofs. 

7.  Another  reason  why  you  should  be  troubled  is,  this 
carelessness  is  a  state  of  mind  that  'p'^ovokes  God  to  with- 
draio  his  Spirit.  This  indifference  springs  from  deep  de- 
pravity ;  it  is  deeply  criminal.  If  the  heart  were  not  de- 
ceitful above  all  things  and  desperately  wicked,  men  would 
not  be  so  insensible  to  divine  things.  In  heaven  there  is  no 
apathy ;  there  ought  to  be  none  on  earth.  The  truths  of 
God  possess  sufficient  interest  to  excite  every  sensibility,  to 
awaken  every  power.  Must  it  not  offend  the  Author  of  this 
record,  to  say  that  he  has  failed  to  reveal  himself  in  a  way 
to  interest  his  creatures  ?  They  can  be  interested ;  a  ro- 
mance, a  fictitious  scene,  a  work  of  the  imagination  can  hold 
them  waking  till  midnight,  while  the  Gospel  is  nodded  over, 
or  wholly  neglected.  Ah,  the  cause  is  not  in  the  inspired 
record,  but  in  the  heart ;  it  is  **  enmity  against  God."  Men 
reject  Christ,  '*  because  their  deeds  are  evil ;"  and  continu- 
ing to  reject  him,  they  are  in  danger  of  being  given  up  to 
incorrigible  hardness  of  heart.  All  habits  gather  strength 
by  repetition.  The  man  who  sinned  against  his  conscience 
the  last  Sabbath,  will  be  more  likely  to  sin  against  it  to-day. 
He  who  stifled  conviction  then,  is  probably  more  disposed 
to  do  it  noiv.  In  this  way  God  is  provoked  to  leave  him. 
His  Spirit  will  not  always  strive  with  man.  The  sinner  first 
sinks  into  indifference  before  he  sinks  into  judicial  sleep.  0 
how  many  who  were  apparently  not  far  from  the  kingdom 
of  God,  relapse  into  stupidity,  and  never  wake  out  of  it. 


ALARM  TO  THE  CARELESS.  7 

They  have  eyes,  but  they  see  not ;  their  ears  are  dull  of 
hearing,  their  hearts  have  waxed  gross,  so  that  they  will 
not  turn  to  the  Lord.  Woe  unto  you  when  God  departs 
from  you.  This  is  no  uncommon  case.  In  ancient  times 
God  said,  "  My  people  would  not  hearken  to  my  voice ;  so 
I  gave  them  up  to  their  own  hearts'  lusts."  If  unbelief 
under  the  Old  Testament  dispensation  thus  provoked  him, 
how  must  he  regard  those  who  reject  his  Son  ?  Says  Jesus 
Christ,  "  0  that  they  had  known,  in  this  their  day,  the  things 
which  belong  to  their  peace  ;  but  now  they  are  hidden  from 
their  eyes."  God  spake  to  the  heathen,  says  the  apostle, 
so  as  to  take  away  excuse  even  from  them  ;  but  they  refused 
to  hear,  and  their  punishment  is  thus  described  :  "  Because 
they  liked  not  to  retain  God  in  their  knowledge,  he  gave 
them  up  to  a  reprobate  mind."  What  then  will  he  do  to 
those  who  turn  away  from  him  who  speaks  from  heaven  ? 

8.  Let  me  say,  in  conclusion,  your  indifference  vjill  ulti- 
mately he  broken  iq^,  and  will  aggravate  your  condemna- 
tion a  thousand  fold.  The  wrath  of  God  is  revealed  from 
heaven  against  all  unrighteousness  of  men  ;  and  though 
the  retribution  sleep,  it  will  come,  and  will  not  tarry.  The 
measure  of  iniquity  may  be  long  filling  up  ;  but  when  it  is 
full,  the  judgment  will  be  inflicted.  The  Jews  were  spared 
forty  3'^ears  after  the  Sa\'iour  wept  over  their  devoted  city, 
and  in  the  midst  of  his  tears  pronounced  the  irreversible 
sentence;  but  the  cloud  burst  at  length  and  swept  them 
away. 

And,  careless  sinner,  you  may  be  continued — the  Sab- 
bath may  dawn  upon  you,  the  voice  of  prayer  may  fall  upon 
your  ears  while  you  sleep  securely  in  your  sins ;  but  the 
summons  of  death  will  come  :  "  Give  an  account  of  thy 
stewardship,  for  thou  mayest  be  no  longer  steward."  You 
may  reject  the  Gospel  and  despise  its  overtures,  but  that 
summons  you  cannot  reject,  that  mandate  you  cannot  de- 
spise. Your  dream  of  delusion  will  then  be  dissipated  ;  the 
awful  realities  of  the  judgment  will  produce  a  conviction 
which  will  deepen  for  ever ;  the  trial  of  the  last  day,  and 
the  chains  and  darkness  of  the  eternal  prison,  will  convince 
you  that  God  is  righteous  when  he  judgeth. 

0,  to  awake  in  despair,  and  find,  from  the  actual  inflic- 
tion of  God's  wrath,  what  an  evil  thing  it  is  to  sin  against 
him ;  to  know  by  irreparable  loss  the  value  of  blessings  de- 


9  ALARM  TO  THE  CARELESS, 

spised,  of  atoning  blood  trampled  in  the  dust,  of  grace  re- 
jected. How  will  it  imbitter  the  soul  to  dwell  upon  scenes 
passed  through  during  a  probationary  season.  The  light 
that  now  shines  will  add  deeper  shades  to  the  darkness  of 
the  pit.  Recollection  will  be  an  endless  source  of  misery 
to  the  lost.  "  Son,"  said  Jesus  Christ  to  the  man  in  tor- 
ment, "  REMEMBER  that  thou  iu  thy  lifetime  receivedst  thy 
good  things."  What  words  can  express  the  anguish  of  a 
soul  thus  reminded  of  lost  opportunities  ?  "  0,  had  it  not 
been  for  my  foolish  pride,  I  might  now  be  robed  in  purity 
at  God's  right  hand :  but  I  would  not  yield  to  truth — -I 
contended  with  God,  and  justly  perish."  Let  these  lam- 
entations from  the  world  of  woe  now  rouse  you  to  throw 
off  this  lethargy  that  settles  upon  you ;  call  upon  God — 
cast  yourself  at  his  feet — and  from  this  hour  act  for  eterni- 
ty ;  for  if  you  wrap  yourself  in  the  delusion  that  to-mor- 
row shall  be  as  this  day,  in  such  an  hour  as  you  think  not, 
the  avenger  of  blood  may  be  upon  you.  And  will  you  run 
the  desperate  hazard  of  having  this  great  work  to  jperform 
on  a  dying  bed?  Delay,  and  your  "dreadful  end"  may 
only  furnish  another  warning  to  such  as  "  forget  God."  But 
give  him  your  heart  now,  and  life  shall  be  peace,  death  a 
welcome  messenger,  and  your  eternity  a  scene  of  unmingled 
happiness  and  triumphant  glory. 


PUBLISHED  BY  THE  AMERICAN  TRACT  SOCIETY. 


«fo.  384. 


LYDIA  STURTEVANT; 


OR, 


THE  FATAL  RESOLUTION, 

AN  AUTHENTIC  NARRATIVE. 


BY  REV.  ELIAKIM  PHELPS,  D.  D. 


Lydia  Sturtevant  was  the  name  of  an  amiable  young 
lady  of  my  acquaintance,  who  died  at  the  age  of  sixteen. 
She  was  the  daughter  of  respectable  and  pious  parents  in 
one  of  the  New  England  states.  On  the  cultivation  of  her 
mind  considerable  attention  had  been  bestowed.  Buoyant 
in  spirit  and  beautiful  in  person,  she  was  the  pride  of  her 
parents,  the  ornament  of  her  circle,  and  the  admiration  of 
all  who  knew  her. 

To  what  extent  her  mind  had  been  imbued  with  relig- 
ious truth  in  childhood,  I  have  not  been  able  fully  to  learn. 
It  is  certain  that,  from  her  earliest  years,  she  had  regarded 
religion  with  respect,  and  had  entertained  the  expectation 
of  becoming  a  Christian  before  she  died.  It  is  not  known, 
however,  that  she  was  the  subject  of  special  religious  im- 
pressions until  the  summer  of  1824.  During  the  months 
of  July  and  August  of  that  year,  her  mind  was  solemnly 
impressed,  and  she  felt  that  it  was  unsafe  to  continue  in  the 
neglect  of  religion  any  longer.  One  morning,  especially, 
the  first  impression  as  she  awoke  was,  that  she  must  em- 
brace religion  then;  and  that  her  soul  was  in  imminent  dan- 
ger of  being  lost  if  she  delayed.     She  saw  herself,  as  she 

VOL.  viii,  27 


LYDIA  STURTEVANT ;  OR 


expressed  it,  "  to  be  a  great  sinner,  in  the  hands  of  a  God 
of  justice" — saw  that  there  "was  no  hope  but  in  Jesus 
Christ — that  in  Christ  there  was  a  full  and  complete  salva- 
tion— that  he  was  ready  and  willing  to  receive  her  then,  and 
that  delay  would  probably  be  fatal  to  her  soul."  She  de- 
liberated ;  she  reasoned ;  she  prayed,  and  finally  made  up 
her  mind  to  the  deliberate  resolution,  that  she  ivould  re- 
j^ent  and  accept  the  offer  of  salvation  before  the  close  of  that 
DAY.  She  did  not  actually  repent  then,  but  resolved  that 
she  ivould  do  it  that  day.  This  resolution  Avas,  as  she  be- 
lieved, the  solemn  and  deliberate  purpose  of  her  soul ;  and 
she  felt  a  degree  of  satisfaction  in  the  thought,  that  the 
question  of  her  eternal  salvation  was  now  so  near  a  final  and 
favorable  adjustment.  But  the  day  had  its  cares  and  its 
pleasures ;  business  and  company  filled  up  its  hours,  and 
the  nio-ht  found  her  as  thouo^htless,  almost,  as  she  had  been 
for  months. 

The  next  morning  her  religious  impressions  were  re- 
newed and  deepened.  She  saw,  more  clearly  than  before, 
the  danger  of  her  condition,  and  the  necessity  of  immediate 
repentance.  Sin  now  appeared  more  exceedingly  sinful; 
she  reproached  herself  for  violating  the  resolution  of  the 
previous  morning,  and  in  agony  of  soul,  better  conceived 
than  described,  formed  another  resolution,  as  she  expressed 
it,  "  to  begin  religion  before  the  close  of  that  day.''  And 
with  this  the  anxiety  of  her  mind  again  subsided.  The 
violated  vows  of  the  previous  morning  gave  her  some  un- 
easiness ;  she  felt  not  quite  the  same  confidence  in  herself 
that  she  did  before  ;  but  she  had  now  formed  her  resolution 
so  firmly,  she  was  so  fixed  in  her  purpose,  that  she  consid- 
ered the  issue  could  hardly  be  any  longer  doubtful ;  and 
the  agony  of  her  soul  gave  way  to  the  soothing  reflection 
that  she  should  soon  be  a  Christian.  She  had  now  taken, 
as  she  imagined,  "  one  step  " — had  formed  a  solemn  pur- 
pose, and  had  2;"iven  a  pledge  to  repent  that  day.     She  felt, 


THE  FATAL  RESOLUTION.  3 

as  she  expressed  it,  committed,  and  hardly  had  a  doubt  as 
to  the  accomplishment  of  her  purpose.  This  day  also 
passed  away  as  before.  She  did,  indeed,  several  times 
during  the  day,  thinTc  of  her  resolution,  but  not  -with  that 
overwhelming  interest  she  had  felt  in  the  morning,  and 
nothing  decisive  was  done. 

The  next  morning  her  impressions  were  again  renewed, 
and  she  again  renewed  her  resolution ;  and  it  was  dissipated 
as  before ;  and  thus  she  went  on  resolving,  and  breaking 
her  resolutions,  until  at  length  her  anxiety  entirely  subsided, 
and  she  relapsed  into  her  former  state  of  unconcern.  She 
was  not,  however,  absolutely  indifferent ;  she  still  expected 
and  resolved  to  be  a  Christian;  but  her  resolutions  now 
looked  to  a  more  distant  period  for  their  accomplishment, 
and  she  returned  to  the  cares  and  pleasures  of  the  world 
with  the  same  interest  as  before. 

About  this  time  she  went  to  reside  in  a  neighboring  vil- 
lage, and  I  did  not  see  her  again  for  about  three  months, 
when  I  was  called  at  an  early  hour  one  morning  to  visit  her 
on  the  bed  of  death.  Her  last  sickness  was  short — of  only 
five  days'  continuance.  So  insidious  was  its  progress,  that 
no  serious  apprehensions  Avere  entertained  as  to  its  issue, 
until  about  eight  hours  before  her  death ;  and  no  anxiety 
for  her  salvation,  up  to  this  hour,  appears  to  have  occupied 
her  mind.  About  daybreak,  on  the  morning  of  the  day 
she  died,  she  was  informed  that  her  symptoms  had  become 
alarming,  and  that  her  sickness  would  probably  be  fatal. 
The  intelligence  was  awfully  surprising.  It  was  an  hour  of 
indescribable  interest  to  her  soul.  A  solemn  stillness  reigned 
around.  It  was  at  the  early  dawn  of  day,  just  about  the 
hour  at  which  she  formed  what  she  emphatically  called 
THAT  FATAL  RESOLUTION,  a  sliort  time  before.  The  opening 
twilight,  the  chamber  in  which  she  lay,  every  object  around 
brought  to  mind  her  former  resolutions,  and  in  a  moment 


4  LYDIA  STURTEVANT  ;  OR, 

all  the  horrors  of  her  situation  filled  her  soul.  She  now  saw 
herself  a  hardened  sinner,  in  the  hands  of  God — impenitent, 
unpardoned — without  hope — at  the  very  gate  of  death — 
her  Saviour  slighted,  the  Spirit  grieved  and  gone,  and  the 
judgment  with  its  tremendous  retributions  just  before  her. 

For  a  moment  suppose  her  case  your  own.  Time,  that 
was  given  her  to  prepare  for  eternity,  was  gone.  Health, 
strength,  flattering  hopes,  were  gone.  The  insidious  dis- 
ease had  made  such  rapid  inroads,  that  her  blood  was  al- 
ready beginning  to  stagnate,  and  her  lungs  to  falter  in  the 
work  of  respiration.  Feeble  and  faint,  and  racked  with 
pain,  just  sinking  in  death,  what  could  she  do  for  her  soul  ? 
And  yet  do  she  must,  now  or  never;  for  in  a  few  short 
hours,  it  would  be  for  ever  too  late.  At  one  time  her  dis- 
tress became  so  intense,  and  her  energies  so  exhausted,  that 
she  was  forced  to  conclude  her  soul  lost — that  nothing  could 
now  be  done  for  it ;  and  for  a  moment  she  seemed  as  if  in 
a  horrid  struggle  to  adjust  her  mind  to  her  anticipated  doom. 
But  0  that  word  LOST.  It  was  a  living  scorpion  to  her 
deathless  soul.  Her  whole  frame  shuddered  at  the  thought. 
She  struggled  again  for  life — raised  her  haggard  eyes,  and 
seemed  to  summon  every  efifort  to  pray.  0  what  agony 
did  that  prayer  express !  She  called,  she  begged,  she  im- 
portuned for  mercy,  until  her  weak  frame  gave  way,  and 
she  sunk  into  a  partial  swoon.  A  momentary  delirium 
seemed  then  to  distract  her  thoughts ;  she  appeared  to 
dream  that  she  was  well  again,  and  spoke  wildly  of  her 
companions,  and  her  employments,  and  her  pleasures.  But 
the  next  moment  a  return  of  reason  dissipated  the  illusion, 
and  forced  back  upon  her  the  dread  reality  of  her  situation — • 
just  trembling  on  the  verge  of  the  pit — ^just  sinking,  as  she 
several  times  affirmed,  to  an  endless  hell. 

At  this  awful  thouofht  her  soul  aijain  summoned 
strength — again  she  cried  for  mercy  with  an  agony  too  in- 
tense for  her  weak  frame,  and  again  she  fainted.      It  was 


THE  FATAL  RESOLUTION.  5 

now  nearly  noon.  Most  of  the  morning  had  been  employed 
either  in  prayer  at  her  bedside,  or  in  attempting  to  guide 
her  to  the  Saviour ;  but  all  seemed  ineffectual :  her  strength 
was  now  near  gone ;  vital  action  was  no  longer  perceptible 
at  the  extremities ;  the  cold  death-sweat  was  gathering  on 
her  brow,  and  dread  despair  seemed  ready  to  possess  her 
soul.  She  saw,  and  we  all  saw,  that  the  fatal  moment  was 
at  hand,  and  her  future  prospect  one  of  unmingled  horror. 
She  shrunk  from  it.  She  turned  her  eye  to  me,  and  called 
on  all  who  stood  around  her  to  beseech  once  more  the  God 
of  mercy  in  her  behalf. 

Turning  at  one  time  to  her  distressed  father,  as  he  sat 
beside  her,  watching  the  changes  of  her  countenance,  she 
said,  with  a  look  such  as  parents  alone  can  understand,  "  0, 
my  dear  father,  can't  you  help  me  ? — can't  you  keep  me 
alive  a  Kttle  longer  ?  0,  pray  for  me — pray  for  me."  We 
all  kneeled  again  at  her  bedside,  and  having  once  more 
commended  her  to  God,  I  tried  again  to  direct  her  to  the 
Saviour,  and  was  beginning  to  repeat  some  promises  which 
I  thought  appropriate,  when  she  interrupted  me,  saying 
with  emphasis,  she  ^' could  not  he  pardoned ;  it  was  too 
late — too  late.""  And  again  alluding  to  that  fatal  reso- 
lution, she  begged  of  me  to  charge  all  the  youth  of  my 
congregation  not  to  neglect  religion  as  she  had  done ;  not 
to  stifle  their  conviction  by  a  mere  resolution  to  repent. 
"Warn  them,  warn  them,''  said  she,  "by  my  case" — and 
again  she  attempted  to  pray,  and  swooned  again. 

Her  voice  was  now  become  inarticulate,  the  dimness  of 
death  was  setthng  upon  her  eyes,  Avhich  now  and  then,  in 
a  frantifc  stare,  told  of  agonies  that  the  tongue  could  not 
express.  The  energies  of  her  soul,  however,  seemed  not 
in  the  least  abated.  The  same  effort  to  pray  was  manifestly 
still  continued,  though  it  was  indicated  now  rather  by 
struggles  and  expressive  looks  and  groans,  than  words. 
She  continued  thus  alternately  to  struggle  and  faint,  every 
VOL.  VIII.  27* 


6  LYDIA  STURTEVANT  ;  OR, 

succeeding  effort  becoming  feebler,  until  the  last  convulsive 
struggle  closed  the  scene,  and  her  spirit  took  its  everlasting 
flight. 

As  I  retired  from  the  scene  of  death,  I.  was  led  to  con- 
template and  write  down  this  brief  history  of  that  lovely- 
female,  whose  state  was  now  unalterably  fixed.  But  a  few 
weeks  before,  she  was  within  the  reach  of  hope,  and  prom- 
ise, and  Gospel  influence,  a  subject  of  deep  and  solemn 
conviction.  The  Saviour  called,  the  Spirit  strove  ;  she  list- 
ened, deliberated,  resolved.  But  alas,  her  resolution  fixed 
on  a  future  period ;  and  although  it  was  but  a  few  hours 
distant,  it  aff'orded  time  for  "  the  wicked  one  to  catch  away 
that  which  was  sown  in  her  heart."  The  circumstance 
which  quieted  her  conviction,  and  perhaps  prevented  her 
repentance,  was  her  resolution  that  she  luould  repent ;  or, 
as  she  more  than  once  expressed  it,  "  that  fatal  resolu- 
tion." Had  she  actually  reimited  and  embraced  salvation 
then,  instead  of  simply  resolving  that  she  ivould  do  it,  her 
death,  though  in  the  morning  of  her  days,  might  have 
been  peaceful  and  triumphant,  her  memory  blessed,  and 
her  immortality  glorious. 

But  how  was  it  that  a  resolution  to  repent  and  become 
a  Christian — a  resolution  so  solemnly  adopted,  and  to  be 
executed  so  soon,  could  have  led  to  a  result  so  disastrous  ? 
The  ansAver  is  clear.  We  see  in  this  case  the  deceitfulness 
of  the  human  heart,  and  the  dark  device  of  Satan.  Instead 
of  yielding  to  conviction  and  rep.enting  at  once,  she  was 
quieted  by  her  resolution,  until  the  cares  and  pleasures  of 
the  day  could  have  time  to  come  in  and  take  possession  of 
her  soul.  Her  resolution  Avas  so  firmly  made  and  so  soon  to 
be  accomplished,  that  she  felt  in  a  measure  secure,  and  her 
anxieties  subsided.  The  resolution  that  she  ivould  repent 
that  day  calmed  her  apprehensions,  and  thus  removed  from 
her  mind  the  most  powerful  stimulant  to  do  it  noiv.  The 
effect  upon  her  conscience  was  that  of  a  deceptive  and  dead- 


THE  FATAL  RESOLUTION.  7 

ly  opiate  ;  it  lulled  to  a  fatal  slumber,  to  be  broken  only  by 
the  angel  of  death. 

How  many,  as  we  have  reason  to  fear,  are  going  down 
to  the  pit  under  the  same  delusion.  Impenitent  reader,  is 
not  this  your  case  ?  Why  are  you  so  unconcerned  ?  Is  it 
not  that  you  are  purposing  to  repent  hereafter  ?  Would 
you — could  you  be  content  to  live  one  day,  one  hour,  in 
this  unprepared  state,  if  you  had  not  some  such  opiate  to 
stupefy  conscience,  and  perpetuate  its  slumbers  ?  Suppose 
it  were  now  revealed,  that  in  a  few  short  hours  death  would 
be  upon  you,  would  you  not  be  awakened  ?  Would  you 
not  with  great  earnestness  seek  the  Lord  while  he  might 
be  found  ?  But  what  real  difference  is  there  between  the 
condition  here  supposed  and  your  actual  condition  now? 
Death  is  certain  to  come.  Why,  then,  when  the  fact  that 
you  must  die  ere  long  is  so  certain,  why  do  you  feel  so  little 
solicitude  to  be  prepared  ?  With  the  tremendous  alterna- 
tive of  heaven  or  hell  appended  to  your  decision,  what  Sa- 
tanic delusion  holds  you  in  fatal  slumbers  ? — what  but  this 
delusive  purpose  to  repent  hereafter  ?  Take  away  this,  and 
the  vain  hope  which  hangs  upon  it,  and  would  you  slum- 
ber ?  No  more  than  you  would  slumber  under  the  trumpet 
of  the  last  day. 

The  deceptive  influence,  then,  of  this  7'esolutwn — this 
mere  purpose  to  repent,  can  at  once  be  seen.  It  perpetu- 
ates that  insensibility  which  threatens,  even  now,  your  soul's 
eternal  ruin.  No  matter  how  firmly  you  may  resolve  to 
repent  hereafter ;  the  more  firmly  you  resolve,  the  more 
imminent,  perhaps,  is  your  danger,  for  the  greater  is  the 
probability  that  you  will  trust  in  it,  and  that  conscience  will 
be  silenced.  No  matter  how  short  the  period  before  your 
resolution  is  to  be  accomplished.  Though  it  were  merely 
*'  to  go  and  bury  your  father,"  or  ''  bid  them  farewell  that 
are  at  home  at  your  house  ;"  if  it  admits  a  s'mgle  half  hour 
of  delay,  it  involves  a  hazard  for  which  the  wealth  of  king- 


8  LYDIA  STURTEVANT,  ETC. 

doms  would  not  compensate.  It  is  a  wilful  delay  of  repent- 
ance now  commanded;  it  may  lead  to  diverting  company  or 
care ;  it  may  grieve  away  the  Holy  Spirit ;  it  may  be  that 
sin,  for  which  all  the  sighs,  and  groans,  and  tears  of  a  world 
could  not  atone.  This  mere  purpose  to  repent  has  been 
long  enough  peopling  the  world  of  perdition.  It  is  one  of 
the  darkest  devices  of  Satan.  It  is  not  to  be  trusted,  even 
for  an  hour.  It  is  like  the  pilgrim's  "enchanted  ground  ;" 
he  who  sleeps  there,  sleeps  in  the  gate  of  death.  If  relig- 
ion will  ever  have  any  value,  it  has  that  value  now.  If  its 
sanctions  ever  ivill  be  binding,  they  are  binding  noiv.  If 
the  Most  Hiofh  ever  ivill  have  a  claim  to  your  obedience,  he 
has  that  claim  now.  The  business  of  religion  is  a  business 
to  be  transacted,  not  to  be  trifled  with  or  delayed.  It  re- 
quires not  simply  your  purposes,  or  promises,  or  resolutions, 
but  the  immediate  surrender  of  your  heart,  a  cheerful  sub- 
mission of  your  ivill  to  the  word,  and  Spirit,  and  holy  will 
of  God ;  a  cordial  acquiescence  in  the  method  of  salvation 
through  Jesus  Christ.  It  is  a  concern  in  which  no  man's 
ivord  can  be  taken,  even  for  an  hour.  Not  even  the  most 
solemn  voiv,  if  it  fix  only  on  a  future  period,  can  meet  that 
high  and  holy  injunction  which  "  noiu  urges  all  men  every- 
where to  reptent.'"  0  then,  by  the  awful  majesty  of  that 
God  who  thus  "  commands  " — by  the  tremendous  decisions 
of  his  last  tribunal — by  the  amazing  worth  of  your  own 
soul — and  above  all,  by  the  infinite  love  of  Him  who  has 
died  for  sinners,  be  constrained  to  REPENT  NOW. 


PUBLISHED  BY   THE  AMERICAN  TRACT  SOCIETY. 


WHAT  IS 

A  CALL  TO  THE  MINISTRY  ? 


BY  REV.  JAMES  D.  KNOWLES 


LETTER   I. 

My  dear  Brother — I  need  not  assure  you  that  the 
subject  on  which  we  recently  conversed  is  deeply  interest- 
ing to  my  mind.  The  inquiry,  Is  it  my  duty  to  preach  the 
Gospel  ?  is  one  of  the  most  important  that  can  occupy  your 
attention.  I  have  wished  that  some  person  competent  to 
the  task  would  furnish  the  church  with  a  judicious  treatise 
on  this  topic.  It  would  be  most  gratefully  received  by 
hundreds  of  young  men,  whose  minds  are  agitated  by 
doubts  concerning  their  duty.  Such  a  treatise,  too,  would 
be  a  valuable  assistant  to  pastors,  both  by  reminding  them 
of  their  duty  to  the  young  men  in  their  respective  churches, 
and  by  aiding  them  to  perform  that  duty.  The  churches 
also  need  instruction  respecting  their  obligations  to  seek  out 
and  cherish  the  gifts  which  may  exist  among  their  young 
members.  But  as  such  an  essay  has  not  yet  appeared,  you 
will  allow  me  to  suggest  a  few  thoughts  on  the  subject. 

It  gives  me  pleasure  to  know  that  you  agree  with  me 
on  the  point,  that  sincei^e  love  to  the  Saviour  is  the  first  and 
indispensable  qualification.  If  I  had  doubt  whether  you 
have  been  "  born  of  the  Spirit,"  I  could  not  think  of  you  in 
reference  to  the  ministry,  but  should  rather  feel  it  my  first 
duty  to  beseech  you,  in  Christ's  stead,  to  be  reconciled  to 
God.     A  man  who  has  not  scriptural  evidence  that  his 


2  WHAT  IS  A  CALL  TO  THE  MLXISTRY  ? 

heart  has  been  renewed,  may  be  sure  that  it  would  be  pre- 
sumption to  intrude  himself  into  the  ministry.  ISo  monarch 
would  employ  a  rebel  as  an  ambassador.  Much  less  will 
the  Saviour  appoint  an  impenitent  sinner  to  proclaim  his 
Gospel.  To  such  a  man  the  words  of  the  psalmist  may  be 
most  emphatically  applied  :  "  Unto  the  wicked  God  saith, 
What  hast  thou  to  do  to  declare  my  statutes,  or  that  thou 
shouldest  take  my  covenant  in  thy  mouth  ?  seeing  thou 
hatest  instruction,  and  castest  my  words  behind  thee." 

But,  while  I  believe  you  to  be  a  true  Christian,  I  must 
exhort  3^ou,  before  you  proceed  further  in  your  inquiries 
concerning  the  ministry,  to  "make  your  calling  and  elec- 
tion sure  "  by  a  faithful  application  to  your  own  soul  of  the 
scriptural  tests  of  conversion.  That  it  is  possible  to  arrive 
at  a  well-grounded  persuasion  of  our  adoption — that  we 
may  "  know  that  we  have  passed  from  death  unto  life  " — 
that  we  may  enjoy  the  ''full  assurance  of  faith" — is  indis- 
putable. Every  Christian  perhaps  experiences  occasional 
eclipses  of  his  hope,  because  he  is  betrayed  into  sin,  which 
darkens  his  understanding  and  disturbs  his  peace.  But 
this  is  a  different  thing  from  that  perpetual  overshadowing 
of  the  soul  of  which  some  professing  Christians  complain. 
They  have  some  light,  but  the  rays  struggle  through  a 
cloud.  They  enjoy  some  hope,  but  it  is  faint  and  waver- 
ing. They  have  a  little  peace,  but  it  is  often  disturbed  by 
fears.  Such  a  doubting  believer  is  not  qualified  to  plead 
the  Saviour's  cause  with  men.  He  cannot  confidently  urge 
others  to  believe,  while  he  himself  has  only  a  feeble  faith. 
He  cannot  speak  persuasively  of  the  excellence  of  that 
religion,  the  consolations  of  which  he  does  not  himself  en- 
joy. He  cannot  comfort  the  mourner,  guide  the  inquirer, 
and  remove  the  doubts  of  the  perplexed.  The  young  man, 
then,  who  is  inquiring  concerning  the  ministry,  must  ex- 
amine himself,  not  merely  to  be  satisfied  that  he  is  a  Chris- 


WHAT  IS  A  CALL  TO  THE  MINISTRY  1  3 

tian,  but  to  ascertain  whether  his  faith  is  sufficiently  firm  to 
enable  him  to  go  onward  in  the  toils  and  conflicts  of  the 
ministry  Avith  the  confidence  of  Paul :  "I  know  whom  I 
have  believed,  and  am  persuaded  that  he  is  able  to  keep 
that  which  I  have  committed  unto  him  against  that  day." 

Another  fundamental  point  which  you  fully  admit  is, 
that  there  must  be  a  call  to  the  ministry.  You  believe 
that  it  belongs  to  the  Saviour  alone  to  give  pastors  and 
teachers  to  his  church,  and  to  commission  ambassadors  to 
his  enemies.  You  do  not  believe  that  every  pious  man,  nor 
even  every  pious  and  well-educated  man,  has  a  right  to 
become  a  minister.  You  believe  that  he  whom  God  designs 
for  the  ministry  will  have  a  special  intimation  of  the  will  of 
God,  without  which  he  must  not  presume  to  enter  the 
sacred  office.  I  will  proceed,  then,  in  my  next  to  examine 
the  nature  of  a  call  to  the  ministry.  May  the  Lord  pre- 
serve us  from  error,  and  guide  us  into  all  truth. 

Afifectionately  yours. 


LETTER  II. 


My  dear  Brother — While  you  fully  believe  that  there 
is  a  special  call  to  the  ministry,  you  do  not  admit  the  idea 
of  a  m^Vac^^?ow5  intimation  of  the  will  of  God.  You  do  not 
expect  to  be  addressed  by  an  audible  voice.  You  look  for 
no  visions.  You  wait  for  no  supernatural  light  from  heaven 
to  flash  suddenly  upon  you.  Of  all  these  you  find  instances 
in  the  Scriptures :  but  you  do  not  believe  that  God  now 
communicates,  by  such  methods,  his  commands  to  men.  A 
knowledge  of  his  will,  therefore,  in  all  cases  where  there  is 
not  an  express  revelation  of  that  will  in  the  Scriptures,  must 
be  gathered  from  the  general  principles  there  laid  down. 


4  WHAT  IS  A  CALL  TO  THE  MINISTRY  1 

from  the  providence  of  God,  and  from  the  movings  of  his 
Spirit  on  the  soul. 

Let  us  then  inquire  what  hght  on  this  subject  may  be 
derived  from  the  general  principles  of  the  Bible. 

One  of  these  principles  is,  that  we  are  not  our  own,  but 
are  bought  with  a  price.  The  Saviour  has  redeemed  us  by 
his  precious  blood,  and  we  are  his  by  every  claim  which 
can  spring  from  his  relation  to  us  as  our  Creator  and  our 
Redeemer.  All  Christians  are  bound  by  every  tie  of  love, 
of  gratitude,  of  regard  to  their  own  happiness,  and  of  desire 
for  the  glory  of  their  Lord,  "  to  live,  not  unto  themselves, 
but  unto  him  which  died  for  them,  and  rose  again."  Chris- 
tians are  in  the  highest  sense  the  "  peculiar  people  " — that 
is,  the  property  of  the  Saviour,  whom  he  has  an  entire  right 
to  place  where  he  pleases,  to  employ  in  whatever  service  he 
may  choose,  and  to  subject  to  whatever  trials  and  labors 
may  be  best  adapted  to  promote  his  own  glory  and  the 
prosperity  of  his  kingdom.  No  Christian,  therefore,  is  at 
liberty  to  consult  his  own  taste  or  inclination  alone,  nor  to 
seek  exclusively  his  own  advantage.  Every  Christian  ought 
to  inquire  with  a  humble,  grateful  spirit  of  self-consecration 
to  the  Saviour's  cause,  *'  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to 
do?"  There  is,  in  a  certain  sense,  a  call  to  every  service 
in  which  a  Christian  can  be  engaged,  and  he  ought  not  to 
take  any  important  step  without  seeking  by  prayer,  by 
observing  the  providences  of  God,  and  by  listening  to  the 
intimations  of  the  Spirit,  to  know  what  is  the  divine  will. 
A  call  to  the  ministry,  I  conceive,  differs  from  a  call  to 
occupy  any  other  post  in  the  service  of  the  Saviour,  not  so 
much  in  its  nature  as  in  its  importance.  The  office  of  the 
ministry  is  more  important,  and  therefore  requires  higher 
quahfications  ;  but  the  minister's  duty  to  live  for  the  Sav- 
iour is  no  stronger,  and  indeed  no  other  than  the  obligation 
which  embraces  every  Christian. 


WHAT  IS  A  CALL  TO  THE  mNISTRY  1  5 

From  this  principle  then,  my  decar  brother,  we  deduce 
this  rule,  that  a7i  entire  willingness  to  serve  the  Saviour 
in  the  ministry,  or  in  any  other  post,  is  one  necessary  qual- 
ification of  a  minister.  This  willingness,  I  am  happy  to 
believe,  you  sincerely  cherish.  Ever  pray  that  it  may 
continue  to  influence  all  your  conduct.  It  will  be  a  source 
of  peace  to  whatever  sphere  of  duty  the  Saviour  may  direct 
you.  Affectionately  yours. 


LETTER  III. 


My  dear  Brother — Another  general  principle  which 
the  Scriptures  teach  is,  that  it  is  the  duty  of  every  Chris- 
tian to  contribute  all  in  his  power  to  the  promotion  of  truth 
and  holiness.  Nothing  less  than  the  utmost  exertion  of 
all  his  faculties  can  fulfil  his  duty.  It  becomes,  then,  a 
question  which  every  Christian  ought  seriously  and  prayer- 
fully to  examine,  Hoio  can  I  he  most  useful?  As  God  has 
given  to  men  different  degrees  of  ability,  he  has  evidently 
designed  them  for  different  stations.  The  parable  of  the 
talents  is  founded  on  this  principle,  and  it  teaches  us  the 
consolatory  truth,  that  the  faithful  servant  will  be  approved 
and  rewarded  by  his  master,  whether  he  possess  ten  talents 
or  but  one.  The  reasoning  of  the  apostle  Paul,  in  the  12th 
chapter  of  Romans,  proceeds  on  the  fact,  that  there  are 
different  offices  to  be  filled,  and  that  different  qualifications 
are  given  to  those  who  are  designed  to  occupy  them  :  "  As 
we  have  many  members  in  one  body,  and  all  members  have 
not  the  same  office,  so  we,  being  many,  are  one  body  in 
Christ,  and  every  one  members  one  of  another.  Having 
then  gifts  differing  according  to  the  grace  that  is  given  to 
us,  whether  prophecy,  let  us   prophesy  according  to  the 

VOL.  VTII.  28 


6  WHAT  IS  A  CALL  TO  THE  ftHNISTRY  ? 

proportion  of  faith ;  or  ministry,  let  ns  wait  on  our  minis- 
tering ;  or  he  tliat  teacheth,  on  teaching ;  or  he  that  ex- 
horteth^  on  exhortation ;  he  that  giveth,  let  him  do  it  with 
simplicity ;  he  that  ruleth,  with  diligence ;  he  that  showeth 
mercy,  with  cheerfulness."  We  may,  then,  safely  adopt 
this  general  rule,  that  wherever  God  has  given  to  an  indi- 
vidual the  qualifications  for  a  particular  work,  he  ought  to 
eno^ao'e  in  that  work.  There  would  otherwise  seem  to  be  a 
waste  of  power.  In  the  human  body,  each  organ  is  evi- 
dently intended  for  its  appropriate  service.  There  is  no- 
thing deficient,  and  nothing  superfluous.  In  the  body  of 
Christ  the  case  is  similar.  God  has  undoubtedly  distributed 
among  her  members  all  needful  gifts  foi  her  preservation 
and  growth.  It  is  to  be  lamented  that  these  gifts  are  not 
always  judiciously  and  faithfully  employed. 

The  principle  now  under  consideration  supplies  us  with 
two  important  rules,  which  may  assist  a  young  man  to  as- 
certain his  duty  respecting  the  ministry. 

1.  That  he  ought  himself  to  he  convinced,  on  reasonable 
grounds,  that  he  loould  he  more  useful  as  a  miiiistei'  than  in 
any  other  sphere  of  duty. 

2.  That  he  ought  to  possess,  in  the  opinion  of  others 
who  are  competent  to  judge,  the  essential  qualifications  for  the 
ministry. 

The  judicious  Andrew  Fuller  has  accordingly  stated,  in 
his  brief  remarks  on  a  ''  Call  to  the  Ministry,"  that  it  is  a 
principle  which  may  be  taken  for  granted,  that  "  whoever 
possesses  the  essential  qualifications  for  the  Christian  minis- 
try, is  called  to  exercise  them."  I  will,  in  my  next  letter, 
consider  what  light  may  be  reflected  on  the  path  of  duty 
from  the  providence  of  God. 

Afl'ectionately  yours. 


WHAT  IS  A  CALL  TO  THE  MINISTRY  1 


LETTER  IV. 

My  dear  Brother — I  mean  to  use  the  phrase  provi- 
dence of  God,  as  includmg  whatever  God  has  done  for  a^ 
man,  m  respect  to  his  endowments  of  body  and  of  mind,  the 
situation  in  which  he  is  placed,  and  his  duties  and  relations 
to  his  fellow-men. 

That  the  physical  constitution  has  some  bearing  on  the 
question  of  duty  respecting  the  ministry,  is  evident.  A 
dumb  man  could  not  be  a  minister,  whatever  might  be  his 
mental  and  spiritual  qualifications.  A  man  whose  health 
was  greatly  impaired,  or  whose  constitution  was  so  feeble 
as  to  preclude  the  hope  of  efficiency,  ought  not  to  enter  on 
the  work.  In  all  such  cases,  the  providence  of  God  has 
decided  the  question. 

The  constitution  of  the  mind  has  a  still  more  direct 
connection  with  the  subject.  A  man  must  have  such  a 
degree  of  understanding  as  to  enable  him  to  learn  and  to 
teach,  or  he  cannot  be  fit  for  a  minister.  This  degree  we 
cannot  fix  in  theory,  though  there  will  be  little  difficulty, 
perhaps,  in  deciding  the  point  m  practice.  A  feeble  mind, 
which  cannot  manage  ordinary  affairs  with  success ;  a  dull 
mind,  which  cannot  learn ;  an  eccentric  mind,  which  prompts 
a  man  to  say  and  do  imprudent  things ;  an  indolent  mind, 
which  will  not  study ;  a  very  irascible  temper,  and  other 
bad  qualities  of  this  kind,  ought  to  be  regarded  as  evidence 
that  God  does  not  intend  the  individual  for  the  ministry. 
The  qualifications  specified  in  1  Tim.  3  :  1-7,  and  Titus 
1  :  5-9,  should  be  carefully  considered. 

I  say  nothing  here  of  an  ignorant  mind,  because  such  a 
mind  may  be  instructed,  if  it  possess  the  ability  and  dispo- 
sition. And  here,  my  brother,  allow  me  to  make  a  sugges- 
tion, which  is,  I  conceive,  very  unportant.     The  question. 


8  WHAT  IS  A  CALL  TO  THE  MINISTRY  ? 

Am  I  called  to  be  a  mhiister  ?  does  not  include  the  ques- 
tion, Is  it  my  duty  now  to  preach  ?  Much  of  the  eiror 
which  exists  on  this  subject  among  the  churches,  and  much 
of  the  embarrassment  which  often  distresses  the  minds  of 
young  Christians,  spring  from  confounding  these  questions. 
The  inquiry,  in  most  cases,  ought  to  be,  Is  it  my  duty  to 
PREPARE  to  preach  the  Gospel  ?  It  may  be  a  man's  duty 
to  be  acquiring  the  quahfications  for  the  ministry,  who  is 
not  yet  fit  to  preach.  This  is  too  plain,  it  would  seem,  to 
need  proof.  Yet  it  may  be  profitable  to  illustrate  this 
point.  Paul  informs  us  that  he  was  separated  and  design- 
ed for  the  ministry  from  his  birth.  Gal.  1:15.  The  same 
fact  is  asserted  by  Jehovah  himself  concerning  Jeremiah. 
Jer.  1:5.  And  all  who  believe  in  the  foreknowledge  of 
God,  must  believe  that  this  is  true  of  all  the  ministers 
whom  he  appoints.  Some  eminent  ministers,  like  Dr. 
Doddridge,  became  pious  in  childhood.  If  Dr.  Doddridge, 
while  a  child,  had  been  informed  by  Jehovah  that  he  was 
designed  for  the  ministry,  would  it  have  been  his  duty  then 
to  commence  preaching  ?  Certainly  not.  It  would  have 
been  his  duty  to  devote  himself  to  an  earnest  preparation 
for  the  work.  If,  then,  a  case  might  happen,  in  which  the 
individual  would  be  called,  not  to  preach,  but  to  prepare  to 
preach,  why  should  we  suppose  it  unreasonable  to  conclude 
that  God  often  does,  by  his  providence  and  his  Spirit,  call 
men  to  the  ministry,  to  be  exercised  not  now,  but  when 
they  shall  have  acquired  the  necessary  preparation  ?  Our 
Saviour  called  his  apostles,  not  to  preach  immediately,  but 
to  be  disciples,  that  is,  learners,  and  when  they  were  in- 
structed, he  sent  them  forth  to  proclaim  his  Gospel. 

If  this  reasoning  is  correct,  the  difficulty  which  seriously 
embarrasses  many  young  men,  the  want  of  sufficient  educa- 
tion, is  removed.  It  is  a  plain  case,  that  God  does  not  call 
a  man  to  preach  immediately,  who  is  incapable  of  teaching. 


WHAT  IS  A  CALL  TO  THE  MINISTRY  ?  9 

It  would  be  an  impeachment  of  his  wisdom  to  suppose  it. 
But  he  may  call  a  man  to  prepare  to  preach.  If  a  young 
man,  then,  has  the  other  qualifications,  his  want  of  educa- 
tion is  not  a  reason  for  doubting  whether  he  is  called  to  be 
a  minister;  that  is,  to  be  a  minister  Avhen  he  shall  have 
made  all  suitable  preparation.  And  at  this  time,  when 
Education  Societies  are  ready  to  assist  every  suitable  ap- 
plicant, and  when  seminaries  of  learning  are  so  numerous, 
almost  every  young  man  may,  if  he  will,  obtain  a  competent 
education. 

This  view  of  the  case,  too,  shows  how  unfounded  is  the 
objection,  which  is  often  made  by  Christians,  to  a  course  of 
education  for  the  ministry.  If,  say  they,  a  man  is  called  to 
preach,  he  ought  to  preach,  and  not  to  spend  his  time  at 
college,  or  at  the  theological  seminary.  But  they  mistake 
the  point.  If  the  call  is  to  pit'epare  to  preach,  the  young 
man  would  disobey  God  if  he  should  preach  instead  of 
pursuing  his  studies.  Let,  then,  Christians  beware  how 
they  censure  young  men,  and  entice  them  from  their  books. 
They  undoubtedly  often  resist  the  will  of  God  by  such  an 
interference,  and  destroy  the  usefulness  of  the  unhappy 
man  Avhom  they  have  persuaded  to  misinterpret  his  call, 
and  enter  the  field  before  he  was  prepared.  This  course 
of  reasoning,  too,  shows  that  it  is  an  injurious  and  wrono- 
practice,  to  give  a  young  man  a  license  to  preach  before  he 
is  prepared.  The  practice  of  the  churches  on  this  subject 
ought  to  be  conformed  to  the  indications  of  God's  will.  If 
the  call  is  to  prepare  to  preach,  the  church  ought  to  give  a 
young  man,  of  whose  other  qualifications  they  are  satisfied, 
an  expression  of  their  approbation  of  such  a  course  of  prep- 
aration, reserving  the  license  for  that  period  when  he  shall 
have  acquired  a  sufficient  amount  of  knowledge  and  expe- 
rience to  enable  him  to  teach. 

Affectionately  yours. 
VOL.  VIIL  28=^ 


10  WHAT  IS  A  CALL  TO  THE  MLMSTRY? 

LETTER  V. 

My  dear  Brother — We  may  reasonably  suppose  that 
if  God  designs  a  young  man  for  the  ministry,  his  provi- 
dence will  furnish  some  intimation  of  his  will  besides  the 
proper  endowments  of  body  and  mind.  The  individual 
may  expect  to  see,  in  his  situation,  in  his  pursuits,  in  his 
connection  with  others,  a  variety  of  circumstances  concur- 
ring to  point  out  his  duty.  The  hand  of  God  will  be 
presented  to  guide  his  steps.  There  will  be,  especially,  a 
removal  of  obstacles.  These  may  spring  from  the  opposi- 
tion of  parents  or  employers,  in  the  case  of  a  minor ;  from 
various  ensaffements  which  cannot  be  violated  without  sin, 
and  a  release  from  which  cannot  be  obtained ;  from  pecu- 
niary obligations ;  from  domestic  ties ;  and  from  a  great 
variety  of  other  causes.  A  man  may  be  sure  that  while 
any  lawful  engagement  which  he  cannot  honorably  disre- 
gard, opposes  his  entrance  into  the  ministry,  he  must  not 
proceed.  He  may  use  all  proper  means  to  obtain  a  release, 
but  if  this  is  impossible,  he  must  submit.  The  minister 
must  have  a  spotless  reputation,  and  the  scandal  of  violated 
engagements  would  destroy  his  usefulness.  He  must  wait 
patiently,  and  if  the  difficulty  is  never  removed,  he  must 
forego  the  privilege  of  preaching  the  Gospel.  But  a  re- 
moval of  the  obstacle,  especially  if  it  takes  place  in  such  a 
way  as  to  make  the  interference  of  God  manifest,  may  be 
an  encouraging  indication  of  his  will  in  reference  to  the 
ministry. 

There  are  circumstances,  too,  in  which  a  young  man  is 
sometimes  placed,  which  impel  him  towards  the  ministry 
without  any  volition,  or  indeed  consciousness  of  the  fact,  on 
his  part.  In  the  Sabbath-school  he  may  be  required,  by  a 
sense  of  duty,  to  take  a  prominent  place.  In  conference 
and  prayer-meetings  the  absence  or  supineness  of  others 


WHAT  IS  A  CALL  TO  THE  MINISTRY?  H 

may  force  him  to  become  the  leader.  In  some  cases,  where 
a  chm-ch  is  destitute  of  a  pastor,  a  young  man  may  be  urged 
by  his  brethren  to  read,  and  pray,  and  address  the  assem- 
bly, till  he  finds  himself  considered  by  others  as  a  minister, 
and  his  own  heart  is  too  much  interested  to  allow  him  to 
retrace  his  steps.  This  was  almost  literally  the  case  with 
Andrew  Fuller.  Such  providential  events  are  among  the 
strongest  external  evidences  of  a  call  to  the  ministry. 

But  the  general  opinion  of  Christians,  among  whom  a 
young  man  is  placed,  that  he  is  designed  for  the  ministry, 
may  be  considered  as  the  most  satisfactory  proof  which  can 
be  furnished  by  God's  providence.    Respecting  many  of  the 
necessary  qualifications  a  man  is  not  himself  a  sufficient 
judge.     Of  his  talents,  his  piety,  his  prudence,  his  zeal  for 
the  glory  of  God,  his  aptness  to  teach,  and  his  poAver  to 
interest  and  benefit  others,  his  brethren  are  better  able  to 
judge  than  himself.     If,  then.  Christians  around  him  come 
gradually  to  think   that  he  is  designed  for  the  ministry, 
while  he  himself  makes  no  disclosure  of  his  feelings  on  the 
subject ;  or  if,  when  he  mentions  it,  he  finds  their  minds 
prepared  to  approve  and  to  encourage  him,  he  may  con- 
sider this  concurrent  opinion  of  Christians  as  a  strong  indi- 
cation of  the  will  of  God.     He  ought  not,  it  is  true,  to  de- 
cide without  that  internal  conviction  of  duty,  of  which  I 
shall  soon  speak ;  but  the  favorable  judgment  of  Christians 
ought  greatly  to  strengthen  that  conviction.     On  the  other 
hand,  it  may  be  established  as  a  general  rule,  that  a  person 
ought  to  suspect  the  ground  of  such  a  conviction,  if  judi- 
cious and  pious  men  around  do  not  perceive  in  him  minis- 
terial gifts,  and  cannot  bid  him  God  speed.     There  are, 
without  doubt,  cases,  in  which  the  ignorance  or  prejudices 
of  Christians  may  induce  them  to  refuse  their  countenance 
and  aid  to  a  young  man,  and  he  may  be  forced  to  act  from 
his  own  sense  of  duty.    He  would  need,  however,  unusual- 


12  WHAT  IS  A  CALL  TO  THE  MINISTRY  1 

[y  strong  evidences  of  his  call,  to  authorize  him  to  proceed 
in  opposition  to  the  opinion  of  his  brethren. 

AflFectionately  yours. 


LETTER  VI. 

My  dear  Brother — I  now  approach,  with  some  sohci- 
tude,  the  most  important  and  difficult  part  of  this  subject. 
The  internal  call,  hy  the  operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit  on  the 
heart,  is,  we  fully  believe,  indispensable.  But  the  mode  of 
that  operation  cannot  be  described,  for  the  same  reason  that 
we  cannot  define  the  mode  in  which  the  Spirit  accomplishes 
the  call  of  a  sinner  from  darkness  to  light.  In  both  cases, 
we  can  do  no  more  than  describe  some  of  the  effects. 

I  have  spoken,  in  Letter  II.,  of  the  entire  willingness 
which  a  man  must  feel  to  serve  the  Saviour  in  the  ministry, 
or  in  any  other  sphere  of  duty.  This  willingness  is  a  fruit 
of  the  Spirit.  There  must  be,  besides  this,  a  decided  desire 
to  be  thus  employed.  Such  a  desire  is  referred  to  by  Paul. 
*'  This  is  a  true  saying,  if  a  man  desire  the  office  of  a  bishop, 
he  desireth  a  good  work."  There  is  not  necessarily  any  im- 
modesty, any  ambitious  aspiration  in  the  desire  to  be  a  min- 
ister ;  but  it  is  taken  for  granted,  as  Mr.  Fuller  remarks,  that 
"  this  desire  shall  spring  from  a  pure  motive,  and  not  from 
the  love  of  ease,  affluence,  or  applause.  It  is  necessary,  in 
my  judgment,"  he  continues,  "  that  there  should  be  a  spe- 
cial desire  of  this  sort,  a  kind  of  fire  kindled  in  the  bosom, 
that  it  would  be  painful  to  extinguish." 

This  desire  will  not  be  that  transient  impulse  of  zeal 
which  usually  impels  young  Christians  to  be  active  in  relig- 
ious duties,  and  to  think  that  it  would  be  a  privilege  to 
preach  the  Gospel,  because  they  could  thus  be  more  use- 
ful.    This  feeling  generally  subsides  into  a  calm  principle 


WHAT  IS  A  CALL  TO  THE  MLNISTRY  1  13 

of  benevolent  activ  ity  in  the  particular  sphere  in  which  God 
may  have  placed  tlie  individual.  But  if  a  man  is  designed 
for  the  ministry  this  desire  will  increase.  The  value  of  the 
soul,  the  ruin  and  danger  of  impenitent  sinners,  and  the 
rapid  approach  of  eternity,  will  press  themselves  with  great 
solemnity  on  his  mind.  He  will  feel  an  irrepressible  desire 
to  warn  sinners  of  their  danger,  and  to  beseech  them,  in 
Christ's  stead,  to  be  reconciled  to  God.  He  wull  thus  warn 
and  beseech  them,  when  he  has  an  opportunity,  either  in 
private  or  in  the  Sabbath-school,  or  in  the  prayer-meeting. 
He  will  desire  to  be  wholly  occupied  in  thus  persuading 
men  to  be  reconciled  to  God ;  and  the  ministry,  though  he 
feels  it  to  be  awfully  responsible  and  arduous,  will  appear 
to  him  desirable,  because  it  would  enable  him  to  extend 
more  widely  his  endeavors  to  turn  his  fellow-men  from 
darkness  to  light,  and  to  prepare  them  for  the  judgment- 
day. 

But  besides  this  earnest  and  unceasing  desire  to  be  em- 
ployed in  the  ministerial  office,  there  will  be  a  conviction  of 
duty  to  be  thus  engaged.  The  individual  will  feel  so  strong 
an  impulse  of  soul  towards  this  point,  so  entire  a  concentra- 
tion of  his  thoughts  and  affections,  that  he  cannot  with  a 
quiet  mind  think  of  pursuing  any  other  employment.  The 
condition  of  impenitent  sinners,  the  urgent  need  of  pastors 
for  the  destitute  churches  at  home,  and  of  missionaries  to 
preach  the  Gospel  to  those  who  sit  in  darkness,  will  occupy 
his  thoughts,  will  be  the  theme  of  his  conversation,  and  will 
sometimes  so  excite  his  feehngs  that  he  cannot  rest.  He 
looks  around  on  the  ordinary  pursuits  of  men,  and  feels  that 
they  are  all  comparatively  trifling.  He  cannot  endure  the 
thought  of  spending  his  life  in  such  pursuits.  He  is  willing 
to  renounce  all  worldly  prospects  for  the  sake  of  his  Saviour 
and  of  his  fellow-men.  Though  he  is  willing  to  do  what 
his  Lord  may  direct,  yet  he  cannot  think  with  satisfaction 


14  WHAT  IS  A  CALL  TO  THE  MINISTRY  1 

of  any  other  course  of  life  than  that  which  shall  allow  him 
the  privilege  of  preaching  the  Gospel.  He  is  fully  aware 
that  the  ministry  is  arduous  and  responsible ;  and  that 
human  wisdom  and  strength  are  not  "  sufficient  for  these 
things."  But  he  is  not  dismayed.  He  is  willing  to  en- 
counter the  toil,  and  the  self-denial ;  and  his  trust  is  in  the 
Saviour,  that  his  grace  will  be  sufficient  for  him. 

And  all  these  feelings  will  be  the  strongest  at  those 
hours  when  his  mind  is  most  spiritual ;  when  he  enjoys  the 
most  communion  with  God ;  when  the  Saviour  is  the  most 
precious  to  his  soul,  and  when  eternity  rises  to  his  view 
w^ith  the  most  distinctness,  solemnity,  and  grandeur.  It  is 
in  his  closet,  alone  before  God,  that  he  feels  most  deeply 
the  duty  of  devoting  his  life  to  the  sacred  work ;  and  it  is 
then  that  he  can,  with  the  utmost  simplicity  and  godly  sin- 
cerity, offer  himself  to  his  Redeemer,  to  be  his  servant,  say- 
ing, "  Here,  Lord,  am  I,  send  me.  Employ  me  as  thou 
mayest  please.  Send  me  whither  thou  shalt  choose,  even 
if  it  be  to  the  ends  of  the  earth.  Appoint  for  me  prosper- 
ity or  suffering,  as  thou  mayest  judge  to  be  best ;  but  allow 
me  the  privilege  of  preaching  thy  Gospel  to  perishing  men. 
Make  me  the  instrument  of  saving  them  from  sin  and  from 
wrath  ;  and  grant  me  thy  presence,  in  life  and  in  death,  and 
I  ask  no  more." 

These,  my  brother,  are  some  of  the  feelings  which  the 
Holy  Spirit  produces  in  the  heart  of  that  man  whom  he 
designs  for  the  ministry.  They  may  not  be  experienced  in 
an  equal  degree  by  all  who  are  called  to  preach  the  Gos- 
pel ;  but  he  who  has  never  felt  such  emotions  ought  to 
doubt  whether  it  is  his  duty  to  be  a  minister. 

He,  on  the  contrary,  who  does  feel  them,  and  who  at 
the  same  time  is  conscious  that  from  pure  motives  he  de- 
sires to  be  engaged  in  the  ministry,  may  be  satisfied  that 
the  Holy  Spirit  is  moving  him  to  the  work  ;  and  if  the  prov- 


WHAT  IS  A  CALL  TO  THE  MINISTRY  ?  15 

idence  of  God  seems  to  point  in  the  same  direction ;  if  ob- 
stacles are  removed  from  his  path ;  if  circumstances  concur 
to  promote  his  wishes ;  if  there  is  nothing  adverse  in  his 
mental  or  physical  constitution ;  and  especially,  if  judicious 
and  pious  friends  concur  in  the  opinion  that  he  possesses 
suitable  gifts  for  the  ministry,  he  ought  not  to  hesitate. 
His  call  is  clear.  It  has  the  distinct  signature  of  the  divine 
hand.  Let  him  at  once  surrender  himself  to  the  Saviour's 
service,  and  prosecute  with  all  diligence  the  necessary  prep- 
aration for  the  great  and  arduous,  but  most  glorious  office 
of  preaching  Christ  crucified  as  "  the  way,  the  truth,  and 
the  life,"  He  will  need  great  mental  as  well  as  spiritual 
resources,  and  he  must  employ  all  the  means  in  his  power 
to  cultivate  his  mind  and  to  grow  in  grace.  If  circum- 
stances allow  him  to  obtain  a  thorough  education,  he  would 
be  guilty  if  he  neglected  them.  If  he  cannot  prosecute  an 
extensive  course  of  study,  let  him  do  what  he  can,  and  his 
Master  will  aid,  approve,  and  reward  him. 

Affectionately  yours. 


LETTER  YII. 


My  dear  Brother — I  have  endeavored,  in  the  preced- 
ing letters,  to  lay  before  you  all  the  considerations  which 
seem  to  me  necessary  to  enable  you  to  decide  the  question 
of  duty  respecting  the  ministry.  You  alone  can  judge  re- 
specting the  application  to  yourself  of  several  of  the  rules 
which  I  have  mentioned.  Allow  me  to  present  them  again 
to  your  mind  in  the  form  of  questions ;  and  may  He  who 
judges  the  heart  enable  you  to  examine  faithfully  your  feel- 
ings and  motives. 

o 

Are  you  satisfied  that  you  have  been  born  again ;  and 
can  you,  like  Peter,  sa}^  "  Lord,  thou  knowest  all  things. 


16  WHAT  IS  A  CALL  TO  THE  MINISTRY? 

thou  knowest  that  I  love  thee  ?"  Do  you  habitually  re- 
gard yourself  as  not  your  own,  but  as  under  sacred  obhga- 
tions  to  live,  not  unto  yourself,  but  unto  Him  who  died  for 
you  and  rose  again  ?  And  do  you  feel  an  entire  willingness 
to  serve  him,  either  in  the  ministry,  or  in  the  humblest  sta- 
tion which  he  may  please  to  appoint  for  you  ?  Do  you  con- 
stantly feel  it  to  be  your  duty  to  be  as  useful  as  possible ; 
and  do  you  seize  every  opportunity  of  usefulness  which  is 
presented  to  you  by  the  providence  of  God  ?  Are  you 
active  in  the  Sabbath-school,  punctual  at  the  conference  and 
prayer-meeting,  and  always  ready  to  admonish  and  plead 
with  the  impenitent  ?  Does  a  strong  love  for  the  Saviour's 
cause,  and  for  the  souls  of  men,  warm  your  heart ;  and  do 
you  desire  to  be  a  minister  of  the  Gospel,  that  you  may  be 
entirely  devoted  to  the  work  of  spreading  the  knowledge 
of  Christ  and  him  crucified  ?  Are  you  conscious  that  this 
desire  springs  from  pure  motives,  from  sincere  love  to  the 
Saviour  and  compassion  to  perishing  men,  and  not  from 
ambition,  nor  from  a  wish  for  ease  and  emolument  ? 

Are  you  solemnly  impressed  with  a  sense  of  duty  to 
preach  the  Gospel  ?  Do  you  find  your  thoughts  and  feel- 
ings strongly  directed  towards  the  ministry,  as  the  sphere 
in  which,  as  you  believe,  you  may  be  the  most  useful  and 
the  most  happy  ?  Does  every  other  employment  seem  to 
you  uninviting  and  irksome,  not  from  indolence,  but  because 
you  feel  that  your  life  may  be  spent  more  profitably  in 
pleading  the  Saviour's  cause  with  men  ?  Do  you  feel  that 
it  would  render  you  unhappy,  and  make  life  a  melancholy 
scene,  if  you  should  be  denied  the  privilege  of  preaching 
the  Gospel  ?  And  in  your  most  devotional  hours,  when 
souls  appear  the  most  valuable,  and  the  Gospel  the  most 
important  and  glorious,  and  your  spirit  draws  the  nearest 
to  God,  does  the  ministry  then  appear  the  most  inviting, 
your  duty  the  most  plain,  and  your  motives  satisfactory  to 


WHAT  IS  A  CALL  TO  THE  MLNISTRY  ?  17 

your  own  mind  ?  And,  finally,  does  the  providence  of  God 
seem  to  indicate  his  will  ?  Are  you  free  from  every  en- 
gagement which  might  prevent  your  entrance  on  the  minis- 
try, and  do  the  difficulties  in  the  way  disappear  ? 

If  you  can,  my  dear  brother,  in  the  fear  of  God,  an- 
swer these  questions  in  the  affirmative,  you  may  confidently 
believe  that  you  are  called  to  the  ministry,  so  far  as  that 
call  can  be  inferred  from  your  own  feelings  and  observation. 
There  are  other  points,  relating  to  your  physical  and  men- 
tal constitution,  your  moral  character,  and  your  general 
habits,  of  which  your  brethren  must  judge.  You  ought  to 
consult  them,  and  if  they  are  satisfied  that  you  possess  gifts 
which,  with  proper  cultivation,  w411  make  you  a  useful  min- 
ister, you  have  all  the  evidence  which  you  can  have,  with- 
out a  revelation  from  heaven,  that  it  is  your  duty  to  preach 
the  Gospel.  I  believe,  my  brother,  you  do  possess  the 
internal  and  the  outward  testimonials  of  God's  will ;  and  I 
earnestly  exhort  you  to  hesitate  no  longer,  but  to  arise  and 
commence  your  preparation  for  the  great  work.  I  rejoice 
to  observe  your  conscientious  anxiety  to  ascertain  your  duty 
before  you  proceed.  It  is,  indeed,  of  immense  importance 
to  be  satisfied  on  this  point ;  for  no  minister  can  be  happy, 
or  very  useful,  who  is  in  doubt  respecting  his  call  to  preach 
the  Gospel.  I  need  say  nothing  of  the  minister  who  has 
either  ignorantly  or  presumptuously  entered  the  sacred 
office,  and  still  finds  himself  without  love  to  the  Saviour. 
Such  a  minister,  even  admitting  his  deportment  to  be  moral, 
is,  nevertheless,  a  hinderance  to  the  progress  of  religion ; 
while  he,  as  it  has  been  strongly  said,  "  pursues  the  hardest 
road  to  hell  which  a  man  can  travel." 

But,  my  brother,  you  may  offend  God  by  demanding 

proofs  of  his  will  which  he  may  not  be  pleased  to  give.     If 

you  have  the  evidences  which  I  have  mentioned,  you  may 

and  ought  to  proceed.     That  you  may  thus  decide,  and  that 

VOL.  VIII.  29 


18  WHAT  IS  A  CALL  TO  THE  MINISTRY? 

God  may  make  you  a  blessing  to  his  church,  and  an  instru- 
ment of  turning  many  to  righteousness,  is  my  earnest  prayer. 
You  will  find  the  ministry  laborious,  and  attended  by  many 
trials  of  patience  and  of  faith.  But  it  has  many  precious 
consolations  and  pleasures  now,  and  there  is  reserved  a  glo- 
rious crown  in  heaven  for  all  the  faithful  servants  of  our 
Lord.  "  They  that  be  wise  shall  shine  as  the  brightness 
of  the  firmament,  and  they  that  turn  many  to  righteousness, 
as  the  stars  for  ever  and  ever." 

If  my  voice  could  reach  all  the  young  men  in  the 
churches,  I  would  now  say  to  them,  "  My  dear  brethren, 
in  what  way  will  you  serve  the  Saviour  ?  How  can  you  do 
most  for  his  glory,  and  for  perishing  men  ?  Why  is  it  not 
your  duty  to  preach  the  Gospel  ?  Examine  yourselves  ; 
apply  the  preceding  observations  to  your  own  hearts,  and 
alone,  before  God,  with  the  cross  of  Christ,  the  world  lying 
in  wickedness,  and  the  judgment-day  before  you,  inquire, 
*  Lord,  what  w^ilt  thou  have  me  to  do  ?'  " 

And  to  the  pastom  and  churches  I  would  sa}^.  You  have 
in  this  matter  an  important  duty  to  perform.  You  ought 
to  seek  out  the  young  men  who  furnish  evidence  of  minis- 
terial gifts.  You  ought  to  converse  with  them,  and  to  en- 
courage them.  Often,  it  may  be  feared,  do  pastors  and 
churches  neglect  their  duty  on  this  point.  Young  men  are 
left  to  struggle  with  their  feelings,  without  one  word  of 
advice  or  encouragement.  The  more  modest  they  are,  and 
therefore  the  more  deserving  of  sympathy,  the  more  reluc- 
tant they  are  to  disclose  their  feelings,  lest  they  should  be 
attributed  to  pride  and  presumption.  A  sense  of  unfitness, 
the  greatness  of  the  work,  doubts  concerning  duty,  all 
throng  upon  the  mind,  and  often  produce  inconceivable  dis- 
tress, which  one  word  of  kind  sympathy  and  advice  from  a 
pastor  or  Christian  friend  might  remove.  Many  young 
men,  it  cannot  be  doubted,  who  ought  to  preach  the  Gos- 


WHAT  IS  A  CALL  TO  THE  MLNISTRY  ?  19 

pel,  are  overcome  by  these  anxieties,  doubts,  and  fears,  and 
relinquish  the  thought  of  the  ministry.  It  is  a  mistake  to 
suppose,  that  if  it  is  a  man's  duty  to  preach,  he  will  force 
his  way  through  every  obstacle.  A  man  may  neglect  to 
preach  as  he  may  fail  to  perform  any  other  duty ;  and  he  is 
the  more  liable  to  neglect  this  duty,  because  the  conscien- 
tious mind  will  probably  consider  it  a  less  sin  to  refuse  to 
preach,  though  it  be  a  duty,  than  to  preach  when  it  is  not. 
If  his  doubts  preponderate  in  the  smallest  degree,  the  mind 
of  a  conscientious  man  will  be  very  liable  to  abandon  the 
design,  and  thus  the  very  best  ministers  may  be  lost  to  the 
church. 

But  if  a  young  man  surmounts  his  doubts  and  discour- 
agements, and  makes  his  case  known  to  his  brethren,  he  is 
sometimes  treated  with  cold  suspicion,  and  obstacles  are 
thrown  in  his  way  on  purpose  to  test  the  strength  of  his 
zeal.  And  if,  at  last,  the  proper  encouragement  is  given, 
so  much  time  may  have  been  wasted,  that  it  is  too  late  to 
enter  upon  the  work  with  advantage. 

There  may  be  cases,  too,  in  which  a  young  man  may 
not  have  thought  of  the  ministry,  who  may,  nevertheless, 
furnish  evidence  of  piety,  talents,  and  zeal,  which  would 
make  him  useful  as  a  minister.  It  is  undoubtedly  the  duty 
of  pastors  and  Christians  to  converse  with  such  a  person, 
in  a  judicious  manner;  to  inquire  respecting  his  feelings  ;  to 
ask  him  if  it  is  not  his  duty  to  preach  the  Gospel ;  to  urge 
him  to  reflect  and  pray  on  the  subject ;  and  thus  give  his 
mind  a  direction  towards  the  object.  No  reason  can  be 
given  why  it  is  not  as  much  our  duty  to  use  the  proper 
means  in  this  case,  as  it  is  to  persuade  a  sinner  to  be  recon- 
ciled to  God.  In  both  cases  God  may  employ  us  as  instru- 
ments to  accomplish  his  will. 

May  God  preserve  us  all  from  the  guilt  of  neglecting 
our  own  duty,  and  of  hindering  others.    May  he  send  forth 


20  WHAT  IS  A  CALL  TO  THE  MLMSTRY1 

many  laborers  into  liis  harvest,  and  may  his  kingdom  come, 
and  his  will  be  done  on  earth,  as  it  is  in  heaven. 

The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  you,  my 
brother,  and  with  all  who  love  him  in  sincerity. 

Your  affectionate  BROTHER. 

Note. — A  premium,  offered  by  a  friend,  was  awarded  to  the 
author  of  this  Tract 


HERALDS  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 

How  beauteous  are  their  feet 

Who  stand  on  Zion's  hill ! 
Who  bring  salvation  on  their  tongues. 

And  words  of  peace  reveal. 

How  charming  is  their  voice ! 

How  sweet  the  tidings  are ! 
"  Zion,  behold  thy  Saviour  King ; 

He  reigns  and  triumphs  here." 

How  happy  are  our  ears, 

That  hear  this  joyful  sound. 
Which  kings  and  prophets  waited  for, 

And  sought,  but  never  found  ! 

How  blessed  are  our  eyes, 

That  see  this  heavenly  light ; 
Prophets  and  kings  desired  it  long, 

But  died  without  the  sight ! 

The  watchmen  join  their  voice. 

And  tuneful  notes  employ  ; 
Jerusalem  breaks  forth  in  songs, 

And  deserts  leara  the  joy.  Watu. 


DYING  TESTIMONY 


OF 


BELIEVERS  AND  UNBELIEVERS 


COLLECTED  FROM  AUTHENTIC  SOURCES. 


BY   W.  C.   BROWNLEE,   D.  D. 


Christianity  has  its  living  icitncsses,  whose  testimony 
is  "  known  and  read  of  all  men."  In  these  are  held  forth 
the  truth  and  divinity  of  the  Christian  religion,  in  its  life, 
beauty,  and  fascinating  charms  of  holiness.  This  evidence 
is  vivid  and  affecting,  the  manifest  result  of  a  divine  efficacy 
put  forth  in  the  formation  of  Christian  character.  It  is  seen 
and  known  to  be  of  God,  by  all  Avho  have  eyes  to  see  and 
hearts  to  understand.  It  is  evidence,  at  once  striking  and 
convincing.  It  exhibits  an  efect  for  which  no  human  wis- 
dom or  power  can  ever  be  deemed  an  adequate  cause.  It 
VOL.  VIII.  29* 


I>YL\G  TESTlMOxNY  OF 


is  ever  present  before  the  eyes  of  men ;  exhibiting  the  same 
heavenly  traits  from  generation  to  generation.  And  when 
a  uniformly  consistent  and  holy  life  is  closed  by  a  dying 
testimony,  the  evidence  is  then  complete. 

We  should  not,  therefore,  separate  the  consistent  hfe  of 
godliness  from  the  dying  testimony  of  the  saints.  The  two 
combined  constitute  an  invaluable  living  epistle  to  the  honor 
of  Christ  Jesus  and  his  holy  religion. 

It  is  true,  the  Christiaji,  after  a  consistent  course  of  holi- 
ness, may  depart  this  life  without  an  opportunity  of  bearing 
his  dying  testimony.  He  may  die  suddenly,  or  in  the  delir- 
ium of  a  fever — safely  as  to  his  state,  it  is  true,  but  without 
having  the  honor  and  the  felicity  of  bearing  a  dying  testi- 
mony for  his  Lord. 

In  other  instances,  dying  Christians,  having  lived  too 
much  in  the  spirit  of  the  world,  have  exhibited  great  mental 
distress  under  the  hidings  of  God's  countenance.  The  cele- 
brated Hugo  Grotius  in  the  bitterness  of  his  spirit  cried 
out,  "  Oh,  I  have  consumed  my  days  in  a  laborious  trifling. 
I  would  give  all  my  learning  and  honor  for  the  plain  integ- 
rity of  poor  John  Urich  !"  This  was  a  poor  neighbor  of  his, 
who  usually  spent  eight  hours  a  day  in  prayer.  When  Sal- 
MASius,  one  of  the  finest  scholars  of  his  age,  came  to  die,  he 
cried  out,  "  Oh,  I  have  lost  a  world  of  time  :  the  most  pre- 
cious thinof  in  the  world.  Oh,  sirs,  mind  the  world  less,  and 
God  more  !"  The  famous  Swiss  physician.  Baron  Haller, 
was  in  great  darkness  and  distress  of  mind  an  his  death-bed  ; 
he  bewailed  his  misspent  time,  and  solemnly  warned  those 
about  him  to  devote  their  time  to  God.  He  was  enabled 
at  last,  however,  to  express  his  renewed  confidence  in  God's 
mercy,  through  Jesus  Christ.  The  case  of  Dr.  Samuel 
Johnson,  the  colossus  of  English  hterature,  was  very  sim- 
ilar to  this.  It  was  not  until  the  pure  light  of  evangelical 
truth  broke  in  upon  his  mind  that  he  obtained  true  Chris- 
tian peace. 


BELIEVERS  A^D  UXBELIEVERP.  3 

The  deaths  of  men  of  the  world,  and  the  enemies  of 
Christ,  we  cannot  contemplate  without  salutary  instruction 
and  solemn  warning.  I  might  refer  to  many  recorded  in 
the  Bible,  such  as  that  of  Pharaoh  ;  of  Korah  ;  of  the  two 
sons  of  Aaron,  who  perished  under  the  influence  of  wine,  in 
the  act  of  offering,  like  the  infidel,  "  strange  fire  on  God's 
altar;"  of  Achan,  whose  heinous  crimes  brought  sudden 
death  on  thirty-six  men,  and  a  fearful  retribution  on  him- 
self; and  Balaam,  who  sacrificed  his  allegiance  to  God,  and 
his  own  honor,  conscience,  and  life,  to  the  lust  of  ambition ; 
Absalom,  the  unnatural  child  and  rebellious  subject ;  King 
Ahab,  and  his  queen  Jezebel,  who  met  the  fearful  doom  of 
the  persecutors  of  Christ  and  his  people  ;  Haman,  the  un- 
principled statesman,  who  sought  to  sacrifice  the  people  of 
God  on  the  altar  of  his  personal  ambition,  and  who  was 
hurried  suddenly  to  the  very  gibbet  which  his  hands  had 
reared  for  his  rival ;  Judas  Iscariot,  who  betrayed  our 
Lord,  and  whose  doom  was  thus  written  by  God — "  Good 
ivere  it  for  that  man  had  he  never  been  horn  /"  Ananias 
and  Sapphira,  who  "lied  unto  God  the  Holy  Ghost,"  and 
perished  in  the  act  of  their  sin  ;  and  Elymas,  the  false 
prophet,  who  was  smitten  blind  while  he  opposed  the  Gos- 
pel of  Christ :  but  we  shall  select  the  following. 

Julian  the  Apostate  sought  to  destroy  the  Christian 
religion,  and  its  ministry,  by  depriving  them  of  their  schools 
and  the  means  of  education.  He  avowed  it  as  his  object  to 
show  the  falsity  of  the  Scripture  predictions  respecting  the 
temple  ;  and  for  this  purpose  he  gave  orders  that  it  should 
be  rebuilt,  and  the  Jews'  worship  set  up  again.  But,  as 
historians  relate,  he  was  utterly  defeated ;  balls  of  fire  issu- 
ino-  out  of  the  foundation,  scatterinor  the  materials  and  over- 
whelming  the  workmen  with  terror.  He  fell  in  battle,  fight- 
ing against  the  Persians.  Finding  himself  mortally  wounded, 
he  received  a  handful  of  his  gushing  blood,  and  thi-ew  it 
up  towards  heaven,  ''in  spite,"  says  one  historian,  ''against 


4  DYLNG  TESTIMONY  OF 

the  sun,  the  idol  of  the  Persians,  which  fought  against  him ;" 
but  more  probably,  as  other  respectable  historians  state, 
"  in  malio-nant  hatred  aoainst  Christ ;"  who  also  add,  that 
"as  he  hurled  the  blood  upward,  he  cried,  Thou  hast  con- 
quered, 0  Galilean!'' 

Antiochus  IV.  was  an  unrelenting  enemy  of  the  church 
of  God.  In  a  furious  passion  he  vowed  the  utter  ruin  of 
Jerusalem  and  the  people  of  God.  He  took  an  oath  that 
he  would  make  it  a  national  sepulchre  for  the  Jews,  and 
extirpate  them  to  a  man.  But  even  while  the  words  were 
in  his  mouth  the  wrath  of  God  fell  on  him,  and  smote  him 
with  a  horrible  disease.  In  spite  of  all  the  arts  of  his  phy- 
sicians, his  body  became  a  mass  of  putrefaction,  whence 
there  issued  an  incredible  number  of  worms ;  and  the 
torture  of  his  mind  was  infinitely  superior  to  that  of  his 
body.  And  before  he  sunk  into  a  delirium  he  acknow- 
ledged that  it  was  the  hand  of  the  Almighty  that  had 
crushed  him. 

And  by  the  same  form  of  disease  Philip  II.  of  Spain 
perished  ;  a  persecutor  of  Christians,  more  bigoted  and 
more  bloody  than  either  of  the  former.  His  flesh  consumed 
away  on  his  bones,  by  incurable  ulcers,  which  sent  forth 
innumerable  swarms  of  worms,  so  that  nobody  could  ap- 
proach him  without  fainting.  His  shrieks  and  groans  were 
heard  over  the  palace. 

Alexander  Campbell  was  a  Dominican  friar,  who  stood 
by  and  assailed  the  Scottish  martyr,  Patrick  Hamilton. 
After  the  martyr  was  in  the  flames,  and  the  powder,  having 
exploded,  had  severely  scorched  his  hand  and  his  face,  this 
impious  man  cried  out  incessantly  to  him,  "  Repent,  heretic. 
Call  on  our  lady,  and  say.  Hail,  Manj !''  The  martyr 
meekly  replied,  "Depart  from  me,  thou  messenger  of  Satan, 
and  trouble  not  my  last  moments."  But,  as  he  still  uttered 
with  great  vehemence,  "  Pray  to  our  lady  ;  say.  Hail,  Mary  /" 
the  martyr  turned  his  eyes  on  him  and  said,  "  0  thou  vilest 


BELIEVERS  AND  UNBELIEVERS.  5 

of  men,  thou  knowest  in  thy  conscience  that  these  doctrines 
which  thou  condemnest  are  true,  and  this  thou  didst  confess 
to  me  in  secret.  I  cite  thee  to  answer  for  this  at  the  judg- 
ment-seat of  Christ."  Buchanan  and  Knox  add,  that  the 
friar  in  a  short  time  became  distracted,  and  died  in  the 
ragings  of  despair.     Scot's  Worthies. 

John  Nisbet,  a  lawyer  of  Glasgow,  was  a  mocker  of 
piety,  and  a  drunkard.  In  1681,  when  the  martyr,  the 
Rev.  Donald  Cargill,  was  on  the  way  to  the  scene  of  his 
sufferings  for  Christ's  cause  and  crown,  this  man  cruelly  in- 
sulted him  in  public.  As  the  martyr  stood  in  chains,  he 
said  to  him,  *'  Mr.  Donald  " — Mr.  Cargill,  whom  he  thus  ad- 
dressed, was  an  aged  man,  his  hair  as  white  as  snow ;  he 
had  been  long  the  eloquent  minister  of  the  High  Church  of 
Glasgow,  loved  iind  revered  by  all  good  men — ''  Mr.  Donald, 
will  you  give  us  one  word  ?nore?"  alluding,  in  mockery,  to 
a  familiar  phrase  which  this  eminent  man  of  God  frequently 
used  when  summing  up  his  discourses.  The  martyr  turned 
his  eyes  in  tears  of  sorrow  and  regret  on  him,  and  said  to 
him,  in  that  deep  and  solemn  tone  so  peculiar  to  him, 
"Mock  not,  lest  your  bands  be  made  strong."  He  added, 
after  a  solemn  pause,  "  That  day  is  coming  when  you  shall 
not  have  one  word  to  say,  though  you  would  !"  The  histo- 
rian Wodrow  adds,  "  Not  many  days  after  this,  the  Lord 
was  pleased  to  lay  his  hands  on  that  bad  man.  At  Glas- 
gow, where  he  lived,  he  fell  suddenly  ill,  and  for  three 
days  his  tongue  swelled,  and  though  he  seemed  very  ear- 
nest to  speak,  yet  he  could  not  command  one  word,  and  he 
died  in  great  torment  and  seeming  terror."  This  faithful 
historian,  who  published  his  great  work  in  folio,  *'  The  His- 
tory of  the  Sufferings  of  the  Church,"  etc.,  in  the  year  1722, 
has  added  these  words  :  "  Some  yet  alive  knoio  the  truth  of 
this  passage.''     Vol.  3,  p.  279,  8vo  edit. 

HoBBES,  after  spreading  atheism  among  some  of  the 
first  men  of  the  nation,  and  corrupting  the  youth,  said  with 


6  DYLXG  TESTIMONY  OF 

horror,  in  his  hist  moments,  "  I  am  taking  a  fearful  leap  in 
the  dark.'' 

Voltaire  died  amid  the  impious  adulations  of  France, 
one  of  the  most  miserable  of  human  beings  in  this  world, 
smitten  by  the  visible  stroke  of  the  Almighty,  crying  out  in 
the  horrors  of  despair  on  the  name  of  Christ  at  one  time, 
and  at  another,  on  the  names  of  his  associates  and  admirers, 
whom  he  execrated,  and  cvu-sed  as  the  cause  of  his  ruin 
and  abandonment  of  heaven.     Wilson's  Evid.  of  Chris. 

"David  Hume  died  as  a  philosopher  dies,"  said  Dr. 
Smith  in  his  memoir.  But  he  and  Laurence  Sterne  are 
among  the  few  instances  of  men  who  died  as  the  fool  dieth ; 
or  affected  to  do  so.  The  former,  "  the  philosophical  liisto- 
rian,"  relieved  the  agitations  of  his  mind  by  his  favorite 
whist,  and  by  puerile  attempts  at  wit,  in  fabricating  dia- 
logues between  himself  and  the  fictitious  Charon.  The 
latter,  "the  clerical  buffoon,"  as  Simpson  calls  him,  when 
he  came  to  be  in  dying  circumstances,  perceiving  death  to 
make  his  advances  upward,  affected  to  be  witty ;  raising 
himself  up  in  his  bed,  he  is  said,  either  in  real  or  pretended 
rage,  to  have  sworn  at  the  sly  assassin  death,  that  he  should 
not  kill  him  yet!  But  it  is  now  well  known  in  the  literary 
and  religious  world,  that  Hume  died  in  extreme  agony  and 
horror  of  mind.  His  nurse,  a  truly  respectable  woman,  has 
detailed  the  dreadful  secret,  and  expressed  her  fervent  de- 
sire never  to  witness  such  another  horrible  death-bed  scene.* 

Thomas  Paine  was  another  who,  as  some  yet  alive  in 
the  city  of  New  York  know,  yielded  up  his  troubled  spirit 
in  a  tempest  of  agony  and  despair ;  alternately  uttering 
fearful  execrations,  and  calhng  on  the  insulted  name  of 
Jesus  Christ. 

Francis  Spira,  a  Venetian  lawyer  of  the  sixteenth  cen- 
tury,  who    had  deliberately  violated   his    conscience,  and 

*  See  Professor  Silli man's  Journal  in  Europe,  and  several  re- 
cent statements. 


BELIEVERS  AND  UNBELIEVERS.  7 

denied  his  God,  seemed  to  be  forsaken  of  his  Maker,  and 
given  up  to  the  horrors  of  despair ;  his  body  was  wasted 
away  to  a  skeleton,  w^hile  an  unquenchable  fire  consumed 
his  soul. 

Thomas  Scot,  a  privy  councillor  of  James  Y.  of  Scot- 
land, was  a  noted  persecutor  of  tlie  reformers.  Being 
taken  suddenly  ill,  and  finding  himself  dying,  he  cried  out 
to  the  Roman  priests  who  sought  to  comfort  him,  "  Begone, 
you  and  your  trumpery  ;  until  this  moment  I  believed  that 
there  was  neither  a  God  nor  a  hell.  Now  I  know  and  I  feel 
that  there  are  both,  and  I  am  doomed  to  perdition  by  the 
just  judgment  of  the  Almighty."  Scot's  Worthies,  Appen- 
dix, p.  7. 

Cardinal  Mazarine  cried  out  with  tears  in  his  last 
moments,  "0  my  poor  soul,  what  is  to  become  of  thee? 
Whither  w^ilt  thou  go  ?  0,  were  I  permitted  to  live  again, 
I  would  sooner  be  the  humblest  wretch  in  the  ranks  of 
mendicants  than  a  courtier." 

Charles  IX.,  king  of  France,  Avas  young  in  years,  but 
old  in  crime.  He  plotted  the  horrid  massacre  of  the  Prot- 
estants in  his  kingdom.  AVithin  a  few  days  30,000  ;  others 
say  50,000  ;  another  writer,  100,000  Protestants  were 
butchered  in  cold  blood.  "  Being  stricken  in  early  life  by 
an  incurable  disease,  these  scenes,  so  shocking  to  humanity, 
presented  themselves  in  fearful  array  to  his  guilty  mind," 
and,  as  an  accurate  recorder  of  events  says,  "  produced  on 
his  death-bed  the  appalling  exhibition  of  a  tortured  con- 
science and  an  aveno-ino-  heaven." 

The  case  of  Lord  P is  detailed  by  Mr.  Simpson 

in  his  "  Plea.'"  He  was  an  apostate,  a  deist,  and  a  mocker 
of  religion.  On  his  dying  bed  his  conscience  was  over- 
whelmed with  horror  at  what  he  had  done.  In  this  agony 
of  mind  he  called  to  a  person  to  "go  and  bring  that  cursed 
book,"  meaning  the  work  by  which  he  had  been  seduced 
into  deism  ;  "  I  cannot  die  until  T  destroy  it."     It  was  put 


8  DYIXG  TESTIMONY  OF 

into  his  hands.  With  mingled  horror  and  revenge  he  tore 
it  into  pieces,  and  hurled  it  into  the  flames,  and  soon  after 
died  in  great  horrors.     Evang.  Mag.,  June,  1797. 

William  Pope  of  Bolton  was  an  apostate  from  religion. 
He  united  with  a  society  of  deists,  who  spent  the  Sabbath- 
day  in  confirming  each  other  in  deism,  and  in  every  outrage 
aorainst  the  Holy  Bible  and  the  Christian  relio-ion.  But  the 
judgments  of  God  soon  fell  on  him.  In  his  fatal  illness  he 
exclaimed,  "  Oh,  I  long  to  die,  that  I  may  be  in  the  place 
of  perdition — that  I  may  know  the  worst  of  it."  Being  in  a 
fearful  agony,  in  his  last  moments  he  exclaimed  with  a 
doleful  moan,  "  My  damnation  is  sealed."  This  he  repeated 
until  he  expired.  See  Meth.  Mag.,  August,  1798,  and  Simp- 
son's Plea. 

The  Duke  of  Rothes  was  the  president  of  the  supreme 
national  council  of  Scotland  under  Charles  II.,  and  one  of 
the  chief  instruments  who  conducted  the  revolting  persecu- 
tions of  that  day.  In  early  life  he  had  made  a  profession 
of  religion.  But  he  forgot  the  example,  and  disappointed 
the  pious  hopes  of  his  religious  father.  He  became  an 
apostate,  and  was  one  of  seven  public  men  who  were  sol- 
emnly excommunicated  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Donald  Cargill. 
On  the  morning  of  the  day  in  which  this  minister,  Mr.  Car- 
gill,  was  led  to  the  scaffold — and  it  is  a  memorable  fact 
that  he  was  condemned  in  the  court  of  the  lords  of  the  jus- 
ticiary by  the  casting-vote  of  Lord  Rothes — Rothes  was 
taken  suddenly  ill  with  a  fatal  distemper.  The  near  pros- 
pect of  eternity  awakened  the  horrors  of  his  sleeping  con- 
science, the  very  bed  shook  under  him,  and  his  piercing 
cries  of  agony  were  heard  over  the  neighborhood.  By  his 
request,  the  ministers  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  whom 
he  had  persecuted,  were  assembled  at  his  bedside  to  pray 
for  him.  While  the  Duke  of  Hamilton  and  the  other  no- 
bles and  officers  of  state  were  standing  near  him,  he  cried 
out,  "We  all  thought  little  of  that  man,"  j\fr.  Caro-ill.  "his 


BELIEVERS  AND  UNBELIEVERS.  9 

preaching,  and  his  sentence.  But  O,  sirs,  I  find  it  binding 
on  my  conscience  now  ;  and  it  will  bind  me  to  all  eternity." 
Shortly  after  this  he  expired. 

William  Emmerson  was,  in  his  day,  an  eminent  mathe- 
matician and  scholar ;  but  being  an  infidel,  the  fruits  of  it 
were  profaneness,  vice,  and  drunkenness.  In  his  last  days 
he  exhibited  a  painful  spectacle.  In  his  paroxysms  of  the 
stone,  he  would  crav/1  on  his  hands  and  knees,  uttering  at 
times  broken  sentences  of  prayer,  intermingled  with  blas- 
phemies and  profane  swearing.  What  a  contrast  between 
his  death  and  that  of  Sir  Isaac  Newtox,  who  died  of  the 
same  painful  disease.  In  the  severest  paroxysms,  which 
even  forced  large  drops  of  sweat  that  ran  down  his  face, 
Sir  Isaac  never  uttered  a  complaint,  or  showed  the  least 
impatience. ^^ 

"  These  examples,"  as  one  observes,  "give  little  encour- 
agement indeed  to  any  person  who  has  a  proper  concern 
for  his  own  welfare,  to  embark  in  the  atheistic  or  the  deiatic 
schemes.  In  those  cases  w^here  conscience  is  awake,  the 
miserable  man  is  filled  with  anguish,  and  overwhelmed  with 
amazement  and  inexpressible  horror  ;  and  in  those  where 
conscience  seems  asleep,  there  appears  nothing  enviable  in 
his  situation,  even  upon  his  owm  supposition  that  there  is 
no  after-reckoning.  If  to-  die  like  an  ass  be  a  privilege,  I 
give  him  joy  of  it.  Let  him  reap  the  benefit  of  it.  But 
let  me  die  the  death  of  the  righteous,  and.  let  my  last  eiid  be 
like  his.'' 

We  now  turn  to  contemplate  the  death-bed  scenes  of 
some  of  the  noble  army  of  martyrs,  confessors,  and  private 
Christians — "  My  fathers,  my  fathers,  the  chariots  of  Israel, 

*  It  affords  pleasure  to  find  that  Dr.  Hales,  in  his  work  on 
"  Faith  in  the  Holy  Trinity,^''  has  vindicated  Sir  Isaac  Newton 
from  the  calumnious  charge  of  being  a  Socinian,  or  Arian,  See 
vol.  2,  pp.  189, 190,  note, 

VOL.   VIII.  30 


10  DYIXG  TESTIMONY  OF 

and  the  horsemen  thereof!" — and  while  we  look  upon  them 
as  they  go  up,  may  the  Spiiit  that  rested  on  them  descend 
and  rest  upon  iis. 

.1.  We  shall  place  at  the  head  of  them  all,  the  Prince 
OF  MARTYRS,  THE  LoRD  Jesus  Christ  ;  for  wliilc  wc  do,  by 
faith,  look  to  him  as  onr  great  High-priest,  who,  by  his 
sufferings  on  the  cross-,  made  a  perfect  atonement  and  satis- 
faction to  divine  justice  for  us,  we  must  not  fail  to  look  to 
him  as  a  martyr  to  the  truth,  a  perfect  example  for  imita- 
tion in  all  ages.  In  his  agonies  in  the  garden,  when  wrest- 
ling with  the  powers  of  darkness  and  anticipating  the  more 
awful  agonies  of  the  cross,  he  cried  out,  "  0,  my  Father,  if 
it  be  possible,  let  this  cup  pass  from  me.  Nevertheless, 
not  my  will,  but  thine  be  done."  He  was  not  afraid,  not 
imwilling  to  die  for  us ;  but  .0,  let  us  remember  what  his 
soul  and  body  were  then  enduring  under  the  guilt  of  sin- 
ners. His  holy  soul  did  shudder  at  the  prospect ;  and  it 
did  set  us  moreover  an  example  of  willingness  to  be  spared 
as  to  our  lives,  and  also  of  willingness  to  suffer  and  die 
whenever  God's  will  should  require  it.  O  what  dignity, 
what  submission,  what  self-possession,  what  meekness  did 
THE  Prince  of  martyrs  uniformly  display  !  "  He  was  led 
as  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter,  and  as  a  sheep  before  her  shear- 
ers is  dumb,  so  he  opened  not  his  mouth."  "The  cup 
which  my  Father  giveth  me,  shall  I  not  drink  it?"  Look- 
ing in  the  infinitude  of  his  benevolence  upon  his  bloody 
persecutors,  he  set  before  us  the  great  and  divine  model 
of  the  forgiveness  of  enemies:   "Father,  forgive  them; 

FOR  THEY  KNOW  NOT  WHAT  THEY  DO."       And  then,  kuowiug 

all  things  to  be  accomplished,  he  meekly  bowed  his  head, 
as  he  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  "  It  is  finished,"  and  gave 
up  his  spirit.  If  Socrates  died  as  a  hero,  Jesus  Christ 
verily  died  AS  a  God. 

Let  us  now  turn  to  the  noble  band  of  martyrs  and  con- 
fessors, who  have  been  imitators  of  God,  as  dear  children. 


BELIEVERS  AND  UNBELIEVERS.  H 

2.  Tiie  martyr  Stephen  was  stoned  to  death  while  call- 
ing upon  God,  and  saymg,  "Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit." 
And  he  kneeled  down  and  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  "  Lord, 
lay  not  this  sin  to  their  charge ;"  and  when  he  had  said  this, 
he  fell  asleep. 

3.  The  apostle  Paul,  in  prospect  of  his  martyrdom, 
thus  expressed  himself:  ''I  am  now  ready  to  be  offered, 
and  the  time  of  my  departure  is  at  hand.  I  have  fought  a 
good  fight ;  I  have  finished  my  course ;  I  have  kept  the 
faith  :  henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of  right- 
eousness, which  the  righteous  Judge  shall  give  me  at  that 
day." 

4.  Ignatius,  who  succeeded  the  apostle  Peter  in  the 
church  of  Antioch,  after  faithfully  preaching  the  Gospel, 
and  winning  many  souls  to  Christ,  sealed  the  truth  with  his 
blood.  By  the  edict  of  the  emperor  Trajan,  he  was  carried 
from  Antioch  to  the  city  of  Rome.  Through  all  places 
whither  he  was  conducted,  he  ceased  not  to  exhort  and 
animate  all  Christians  ;  he  was  continually  breathing  out 
ardent  desires  for  the  crown  of  martyrdom,  repeating,  "  My 
Love  was  crucified  for  me."  In  the  amphitheatre  of  Rome, 
he  was  thrown  to  the  hungry  lions,  and  devoured  by  them 
as  he  commended  his  departing  soul  to  Christ. 

5.  PoLYCARP,  bishop  of  Smyrna,  Avas  a  devoted  minis- 
ter of  the  Lord.  He  suffered  martyrdom  in  the  ninety-fifth 
year  of  his  age.  When  he  was  brought  to  the  bar,  the 
proconsul  said,  "  Repent ;  reproach  your  Christ,  and  I  will 
release  you."  *'  These  fourscore-and-six  years,"  cried  Poly- 
carp,  "  I  have  been  his  faithful  follower  and  minister ;  never 
did  he  use  me  unkindly ;  how,  then,  can  I  blaspheme  my 
King  and  Saviour?"  ''Repent;  swear  by  the  genius  of 
the  emperor,  and  offer  incense,"  cried  the  Roman.  "  No, 
no,"  said  the  martyr;  "I  am  a  Christian,  and  cannot  do 
IT."  "  Abjui:e  Christianity,  or  you  shall  be  thrown  to  the 
wild  beasts."     ''Let  them  come  on,"  cried  Polycarp  ;  '*  we 


12  DYING  TESTIMONY  OF 

Christians  are  not  accustomed  to  change  from  letter  to  worse, 
but  from  had  to  better.''  "  You  shall  be  burned  alive," 
said  the  proconsul.  Polycarp  fixed  his  eyes  on  him  and 
replied,  "  Your  fire  will  be  spent  in  an  hour,  but  that  which 
is  reserved  for  sinners  is  eternal."  These  were  his  last 
words:  "O  God  of  angels,  and  powers,  and  all  creatures, 
and  of  all  the  just  that  live  in  thy  sight,  blessed  be  thou 
that  hast  made  me  worthy  to  see  this  day  and  hour — that 
hast  made  me  a  partaker  among  thy  holy  martyrs.  0  grant 
that  this  day  I  may  be  presented  before  thee  among  thy 
saints,  a  rich  and  acceptable  sacrifice,  according  to  thy  will. 
0  Lord,  I  adore  thee  for  all  thy  mercies ;  I  bless  thee,  I 
glorify  thee,  through  thy  onl}^- begotten  Son,  the  eternal 
High-Priest,  Christ  Jesus ;  through  whom,  in  the  unity  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  to  thee  be  glory  now  and  for  evermore ;" 
and  as  he  cried  aloud  "Amen,'"  the  fire  was  kindled,  and 
he  died  in  peace,  with  constancy  and  courage. 

6.  The  famous  Augustine,  after  a  life  of  devotion  to 
the  service  of  God,  longed  to  depart  and  be  with  Christ. 
''O  Lord,  shall  1  die  at  all— shall  I  die  at  all?"  "Yes." 
"  Why,  then,  0  Lord,  if  ever,  why  not  now  ;  0  why  not 
now  ?  But  thy  ^\\\\  be  done.  Come,  Lord  Jesus."  Brooks' 
Apples  of  Gold. 

v.  There  is  an  affecting  resemblance  between  the  last 
w^ords  of  good  old  Simeon  in  the  temple,  who  took  the 
infant  Saviour  in  his  arms,  and  those  of  that  holy  man 
Hilary,  the  bishop  of  Poictiers,  A.  D.  355,  the  fellow- 
laborer  of  Athanasius  in  defence  of  the  truth.  Simeon 
exclaimed,  '*  Now,  Lord,  lettest  thou  thy  servant  depart  in 
peace,  according  to  thy  word ;  for  mine  eyes  have  seen  thy 
salvation."  The  venerable  Hilary,  in  his  last  moments, 
thus  addressed  his  soul :  ''  Soul,  thou  hast  served  Christ 
these  seventy  years,  and  art  thou  afraid  to  die  ?  Go  out, 
soul,  go  out."     Brooks. 

8.  John  Huss,  the  Bohemian  martvr,  was  burned  alive 


BELIEVERS  AM)  U.NBELIEVERS. 


13 


in  A.  D.  1415.  When  he  came  to  tlie  place  of  execution, 
he  threw  liimself  on  his  knees  and  sung  a  psalm,  and  look- 
ing steadfastly  up  to  heaven,  he  uttered  this  prayer  :  "  Into 
thy  hands,  O  Lord,  I  commit  my  spirit.  Thou  hast  re- 
deemed me,  0  most  good  and  faithful  God.  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  assist  me,  that  with  a  firm  and  present  mind,  by  thy 
most  powerful  grace,  I  may  undergo  this  most  cruel  death, 
to  which  I  am  condemned  for  preaching  thy  most  holy  Gos- 
pel. Amen."  When  the  chain  was  placed  on  his  neck, 
he  exclaimed  with  a  smile,  "  Welcome  this  chain,  for  Christ's 
sake."  As  the  faggots  were  piled  up  to  his  neck,  the  duke 
of  Bavaria  in  a  brutal  manner  called  on  him  to  abjure  and 
submit.  ''No,  no,"  cried  the  martyr;  "I  take  God  to  wit- 
ness I  preached  none  but  his  own  pure  doctrines ;  and  what 
I  taught  I  am  ready  to  seal  with  my  blood."  The  fire  be- 
ing kindled,  Huss  sung  a  hymn  with  a  loud  voice,  which 
was  heard  above  all  the  crackling  and  roaring  of  the  flames. 
Having  finished  the  hymn,  he  cried  with  a  loud  voice, 
"Lord  Jesus,  thou  Son  of  the  hving  God,  have  mercy  on 
me ;"  and  as  he  uttered  this,  he  sunk  down  in  the  flames 
and  expired. 

9.  Jerome  of  Prague,  the  associate  of  Huss  in  the  work 
of  reformation,  followed  him  to  the  stake  a  few  months  after 
this.  Arrived  at  the  place,  he  knelt  down  and  commended 
himself  to  God  in  nearly  the  same  words  as  Huss  did.  The 
whole  deportment  of  this  faithful  minister  of  Christ  exhib- 
ited unshaken  courage,  and  at  the  same  time  holy  submis- 
sion to  God's  will.  When  the  executioner  was  about  to 
kindle  the  fire  behindhiia,  he  said,  '*  Bring  thy  torch  hither  ; 
do  thine  office  before  my  face ;  had  I  feared  death,  I  might 
have  avoided  it."  As  the  faggots  began  to  blaze,  he  com- 
menced singing  a  psalm  in  a  loud  voice,  until  at  length  he 
was  suffocated  in  the  flames. 

10.  The  character  of  Luther,  the  great  reformer,  is  well 
known.     The  two  chief  elements  of  his  character  Avere  fer- 
vor..  viii.  ,  30^ 


14  DYING  TESTIMONY  OF 

vent  devotion*  and  invincible  courage.  When  any  fresh 
trouble  arose,  he  Avould  say,  "  Come,  let  us  sing  the  forty- 
sixth  psalm."  When  making  his  last  will,  he  "bequeathed 
his  detestation  of  popery  to  his  friends  and  the  brethren ;" 
and  repeated  a  saying  of  his  own,  "  I  was  tlie  plague  of 
popery  in  my  life,  and  shall  continue  to  be  so  in  my  death." 
A  little  before  he  expired,  he  said  often  to  his  friends, 
'•  Pray,  pray  much  for  the  propagation  of  the  Gospel ;  the 
council  of  Trent " — which  had  sat  once  or  twice — "  and  the 
pope  would  devise  strange  things  against  it."  The  last 
words  he  was  heard  to  utter  were  these:  "Into  thy  hands 
I  commend  my  spirit.  Thou  hast  redeemed  me,  0  Lord 
God  of  truth,"  Thus  the  great  reformer  died  a  happy  and 
triumphant  death. 

11.  Melancthox,  his  illustrious  associate,  closed  his 
glorious  fjareer  also  by  a  happy  death.  Raising  himself  up 
in  his  death-bed,  he  exclaimed  with  holy  joy,  "  If  God  be 
for  us,  who  can  be  against  us  ?"  Being  asked  by  his  affec- 
tionate relatives  if  he  wanted  any  thing,  he  replied,  "  I^otli- 
ing  but  heaven."  And  laying  himself  back,  he  gently  fell 
asleep  in  Christ. 

12.  Beza,  the  colleague  and  successor  of  Calvin,  when 
on  his  dying  bed,  went  over  the  various  promises  contained 
in  the  ninety-first  psalm,  and  then  rehearsing  the  leading 
events  and  escapes  he  had  met  with,  showed  how  wonder- 
fully God  had  fulfilled  all  these  promises  to  him.  "  Thou 
hast  often  delivered  me  from  the  snare  of  the  fowler,  and 
from  the  noisome  pestilence  which  walked  in  secret ;  thou 
hast  been  my  refuge  and  fortress  when,  on  the  field  of  bat- 
tle, with  my  Protestant  brethren,  thousands  were  falling  on 
every  side.  The  Lord  has  given  his  angels  charge  over  me  ; 
and  now,  having  'satisfied  me  with  a  long  life,'  I  have  no 
more  to  wait  for  but  the  fulfilling  of  the  last  words  of  the 

*  He  never  spent  less  than  three  hours  a  day  in  secret  prayer. 
Jones^  Hist. 


BELIEVERS  AND  UNBELIEVERS.  15 

psalm,  '  I  loill  shoio  him  my  salvation,''  for  which  in  confi- 
dence I  have  longed."     Fleming's  Fulf.  of  the  Script. 

13.  Patrick  Hamilton,  the  Scottish  martyr,  was  re- 
lated to  the  first  nobles  of  Scotland,  and  also  to  King  James 
V.  He  was  converted  imder  the  ministry  of  Luther,  Avhile 
finishing  his  education  in  Germany,  and  about  to  receive 
the  highest  honors  of  the  Romish  church  in  his  native  land. 
He  returned  home  in  the  twenty-third  year  of  his  age,  and 
began  to  proclaim  the  pure  Gospel  to  bis  countrymen.  He 
was  hurried  through  a  mock  trial  by  the  court,  and  con- 
demned, February  28,  1527,  to  be  burned  alive;  and  the 
same  day  was  carried  to  the  stake.  While  throwing  off  his 
upper  garments  he  observed,  "  Albeit  this  death  be  bitter 
and  painful  in  man's  judgment,  yet  it  is  the  entrance  to 
eternal  life."  While  friar  Campbell  disturbed  his  devo- 
tions, and  said,  "  Recant,  heretic,  and  call  on  the  Virgin," 
the  martyr  meekly  replied,  "  0,  wicked  man,  thou  knowest 
that  I  am  no  heretic  :  I  cite  thee  to  appear  at  the  judgment- 
seat  of  Christ."  As  the  fire  blazed  around  him,  he  cried 
out,  "  How  long,  0  Lord,  shall  darkness  overwhelm  this 
realm?  How  long  wilt  thou  suffer  this  tyranny  of  men?" 
And  just  before  he  sunk  down  in  the  fierce  flames,  looking 
up  to  heaven,  he  uttered  these,  his  last  words  :  "0  Lord 
Jesus,  receive  my  spirit." 

14.  George  Wishart,  a  man  of  apostolic  character, 
w^ho  trained  the  useful  spirit  of  John  Knox,  and  paved  the 
w^ay  for  him  in  the  Scottish  reformation,  fell  a  victim  to  the 
truth  nineteen  years  after  Patrick  Hamilton.  At  the  stake 
he  cried  out,  "  For  the  true  Gospel,  gHven  me  by  the  grace 
of  God,  I  suffer  this  day  with  a  glad  heart.  Behold,  and 
consider  my  visage ;  ye  shall  not  see  me  change  color ;  I 
fear  not  this  fire.  I  know  surely,  and  my  faith  is  such,  that 
my  soul  shall  drink  ivine  new  ivith  my  Saviour  this  night  1^'' 
And  kneeling  down,  he  prayed  for  forgiveness  to  his  accus- 
ers and  enemies.     As  the  fire  was  kindled,  he  raised  his 


1(3  DYLN'G  TESTIMONY  OF 

eyes  to  heaven  and  cried,  "  0  Saviour  of  the  world,  have 
mercy  on  me  !  Father  of  heaven,  into  thy  hands  I  commend 
my  spirit. '' 

15.  John  Knox  the  Scottish  reformer's  dying  words 
were,  "  Come,  Lord  Jesus,  sweet  Jesus,  into  thy  hands  I 
commend  my  spirit :  be  merciful,  0  Lord,  to  thy  church, 
which  tliou  hast  redeemed ;  raise  up  faithful  pastors." 
After  this,  calling  his  friends  to  his  bedside,  he  broke  out 
in  these  rapturous  expressions  :  *'  I  have  been  meditating 
on  the  troubled  state  of  the  church,  the  spouse  of  Christ ; 
I  have  called  on  God,  and  committed  her  to  her  head, 
Christ ;  I  have  fought  against  spiritual  wickedness  in  high 
places,  and  have  prevailed ;  I  have  tasted  of  the  heavenly 
joys  where  presently  I  shall  be."  "  jS"ow,  for  the  last  time, 
I  commit  soul,  body,  and  spirit  into  his  hands."  Uttering 
a  deep  sigh,  he  said,  "  Xoiu  it  is  come  F'  His  faithful  attend- 
ant desired  him  to  give  his  friends  a  sign  that  he  died  in 
peace.  On  this  he  w^aved  his  hand,  and  uttering  two  deep 
sighs,  he  fell  asleep  in  Jesus.     See  Dr.  M'Crie. 

16.  When  Tindal,  the  translator  of  the  Bible,  suffered 
martyrdom,  in  1536,  the  last  prayer  he  uttered  was,  ''  0 
Lord,  open  the  king  of  England's  eyes  !"  He  lost  sight  of 
his  own  afflictions  in  his  anxiety  for  the  welfare  of  the  church 
of  Christ. 

17.  When  the  martyr  Bilney  suffered  at  the  stake,  in 
the  reign  of  Henry  YIH.,  he  lifted  up  his  arms  towards 
heaven  as  the  fire  w^as  applied  to  the  faggots,  and  died 
exclaiming,  "I  believe,  I  believe." 

18.  Lambert,  a  martyr  under  Henry  VIH.,  while  he 
was  cruelly  mangled  by  the  soldiers'  halberts,  and  con- 
sumed in  a  slow  fire,  raised  his  hands,  now  flaming  with 
fire,  and  exclaimed  with ^  distinct  voice,  ''None  hut  Christ ; 
none  hut  Christ.'' 

19.  Lawrence  Saunders  suffered  martyrdom  under 
the  "bloody  Queen  Mary."     He  kissed  the  stake  at  which 


BELIEVERS  AND  UNBELIEVERS.  17 

he  was  bound,  and  cried  aloud,  "  Welcome  the  cross  of 
Christ ;  welcome  the  oross  of  Christ !  Welcome  life  ever- 
lasting !" 

20.  Bradford,  the  most  famous  preacher  of  ICing  Ed- 
ward's day,  was  brought  to  the  stake  by  Queen  Mary.  His 
last  words,  as  he  submitted  to  the  flames,  were,  "  Strait  is 
the  gate  and  narrow  is  the  way  that  leadeth  unto  life  ;  and 
few  there  be  that  find  it.  And  now,  0  Lord  Jesus,  receive 
my  spirit." 

21,  22.  In  a  few  months  after  him,  the  immortal  Lati- 
mer and  Ridley  were  burned  at  Oxford.  Latimer  died  in 
a  short  time  in  the  fierce  fire,  but  the  wind  kept  the  flames 
off  the  vitals  of  Ridley  :  his  sufferings  were  excruciating ; 
his  lower  parts  being  consumed  before  the  fire  reached  his 
body !  Their  courage  and  holy  resignation  showed  mani- 
festly the  presence  of  the  blessed  Comforter  sustaining 
them.  ^'  Be  of  good  heart,  brother,''  cried  Ridley;  "for  our 
God  luill  either  assuage  the  fury  of  this  fame,  or  enable  us 
to  abide  it.''  Latimer  replied,  '■'  Beof  good  comfort,  brother  ; 
for  ive  shall  this  dag  light  such  a  candle  in  England  as,  by 
God's  grace,  shall  never  be  put  out!" 

23.  The  famous  Cranmer,  when  brought  to  the  stake, 
after  making  a  bold  confession  of  his  faith,  and  deploring 
the  error  into  which  he  had  fallen  in  the  hour  of  tempta- 
tion, thrust  his  right  hand  into  the  flames,  that  being  the 
hand  with  which  he  had  signed  his  denial  of  his  Lord,  ex- 
claiming, "  This  hand  has  offended — this  unworthy  hand  f 
and  he  moved  it  not,  except  once  to  wipe  oflf  the  sweat  of 
agony  from  his  face,  until  it  dropped  oft^!  He  then  cried 
aloud,  "  0  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit."  What  a  trium- 
phant death  before  the  very  eyes  of  Christ's  enemies  ! 

24.  Cur^us,  a  learned  German  physician,  when  dying, 
said,  "  I  am  oppressed,  0  Lord  ;  but  it  is  enough  that  thy 
hand  has  done  it.  0  dissolve  me,  that  I  may  be  with  thee. 
Now,  when  my  breath  and  spirits  fail,  let,  0  blessed  Saviour, 


18  DYLNG  TESTIMONY  OF 

thy  Spirit  speak,  and  intercede  in  my  soul  for  me,  with  un- 
utterable groans,"  "I  shall  see  my  Saviour  m  the  flesh,  at 
the  Father's  rio-ht  hand.     I  shall  follow  him  whither  he 

o 

goeth.  0  come,  let  us  go  forth  to  meet  our  Redeemer : 
behold,  he  cometh.     Lord  Jesus,  receive  me." 

25.  Bergerus,  an  illustrious  councillor  of  the  emperor 
Maximilian,  and  one  much  admired  by  Melancthon,  said  on 
his  dying  bed,  "Farewell,  O  farewell,  all  earthly  things, 
and  welcome  heaven  !  Let  none  hereafter  make  any  men- 
tion of  earthly  things  to  me." 

26.  ZuNiGER,  a  learned  professor  of  medicine  at  Basle, 
approached  his  end  with  holy  longings  and  pantings  after 
death :  "I  rejoice,  yea,  my  spirit  leaps  Avithin  me  for  joy 
that  now  the  time  at  last  is  come,  when  I  shall  see  the 
glorious  God  face  to  face ;  whose  glory  I  have  had  some 
glances  of  here,  in  the  search  of  natural  things ;  whom  I 
have  w^orshipped,  whom  I  have  by  faith  longed  after,  and 
after  whom  my  soul  has  panted." 

27.  Olympia  Fulvia  Morata  was  a  young  lady  brought 
up  at  the  court  of  Ferrara,  Italy,  of  distinguished  talents 
and  great  acquirements  ;  she  could  write  and  speak  Greek 
and  Latin.  Having  married  a  German  physician,  she  re- 
moved into  Germany,  and  was  by  his  instructions  brought 
to  embrace  the  Protestant  religion.  In  her  last  illness,  her 
husband,  deeply  affected,  was  oftering  her  consolations  out 
of  the  Holy  Bible,  and  discoursing  of  heaven.  She  replied 
yviih  a  sweet  smile,  "  I  long  to  be  dissolved,  and  to  be  with 
Christ.  I  am  all  joy — full  of  joy.  And  now,  dear  husband, 
I  know  you  no  more.  I  feel  an  inexpressible  tranquillity 
and  peace  with  God,  through  Jesus  Christ." 

28.  John  Bunyan,  the  immortal  author  of  the  Pilgrim's 
Progress,  closed  his  course  of  usefulness  and  honor  by  a 
truly  Christian  death.  Having  frequently  exhorted  all 
about  his  dying  bed  to  faith  and  a  godly  life,  he  called  on 
them  repeatedly  to  spend  much  of  their  time  in  prayer. 


BELIEVERS  AND  UNBELIEVERS.  19 

His  last  words  were,  "  Weep  not  for  me,  but  for  yourselves. 
I  go  to  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  wlio  no  doubt 
will  receive  me,  though  a  sinner,  through  the  mediation  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  where  I  hope  we  shall  ere  long 
meet,  to  sing  the  new  song,  and  remain  happy  for  ever, 
world  without  end.  Amen."  Inverne}^'s  Memorial  of 
Bun  van. 

29.  Addison,  just  before  his  departure,  sent  for  a  young 
nobleman  for  whom  he  had  felt  a  deep  interest,  and  taking 
him  by  the  hand,  said,  "  Behold  in  what  peace  a  Christian 
can  die." 

30.  Lord  William  Russel,  son  of  the  duke  of  Bedford, 
and  a  distinguished  patriot,  fell  a  victim  to  the  tyranny  of 
Charles  IL  in  1683.  When  his  last  interview  was  over 
with  the  countess  his  wife,  on  the  evening  before  he  was 
executed,  he  observed,  "  The  bitterness  of  death  is  already 
past."  Just  before  he  was  beheaded,  he  said  aloud,  "Nei- 
ther imprisonment  nor  fear  of  death  have  been  able  to  dis- 
compose me  in  any  degree.  On  the  contrary,  I  have  found 
the  assurances  of  the  love  and  mercy  of  God,  in  and  throui^h 
my  blessed  Redeemer,  in  whom  alone  I  trust.  And  I  do 
not  question  but  I  am  going  to  partake  of  that  fulness  of 
joy  which  is  in  his  presence ;  the  hopes  of  which  do  so 
wonderfully  delight  me,  that  I  think  this  is  the  happiest 
time  of  my  life,  though  others  may  look  upon  it  as  the 
saddest." 

3L  George  Buchanan,  the  ornament  of  Scottish  liter- 
ature, and  the  tutor  of  King  James  VI.,  was  an  eminent 
Christian.  Having  gone  into  the  country  to  see  his  friends, 
he  was  there  taken  with  his  last  illness.  King  James,  need- 
ing his  assistance,  sent  a  pressing  message  to  him  to  be  at 
court  in  twenty  days.  He  sent  this  reply  :  "  Before  the 
days  mentioned  by  your  majesty  shall  be  expired,  I  shall 
be  in  that  place  where  few  kings  enter."  At  the  hearino- 
of  this  message  the  king  wept  bitterlv. 


20  DYING  TESTIMONY  OF 

32.  Lord  Bacon  was  one  of  the  greatest  geniuses  of 
England,  and  what  is  more  than  all,  a  sincere  Christian. 
How  delicious  to  turn  away  from  the  vaporing  pomp  and 
parade  of  philosophists  and  infidels  to  the  pages  of  such 
men  as  Bacox,  and  hear  him  saying,  "A  little  .philosophy 
inclineth  men's  minds  to  atheism  ;  but  depths  in  pliilosophy 
bring  men's  minds  about  to  religion."  I  find  a  prayer  of 
his  which  begins  with  these  words,  and  which  we  record  as 
his  last  testimony  :  "  Thy  creatures,  0  Lord,  have  been  my 
books,  but  thy  holy  Scriptures  much  more.  I  have  sought 
thee  in  the  courts,  fields,  and  gardens ;  but  I  have  found 
thee,  0  God,  in  thy  sanctuary,  thy  temples." 

33.  John  Welch,  the  son-in-law  of  John  Knox,  was 
one  of  the  most  gifted  ministers  of  the  church  of  Scotland  ; 
a  man  of  apostolic  zeal  and  extraordinary  devotion :  he 
lived  in  holy  communion  with  God.  He  died  an  exile  in 
France  for  the  word  of  God  and  the  testimony  of  Jesus. 
Having  preached  to  a  congregation  of  Protestants  in  France, 
he  was  taken  ill  immediately  as  he  left  the  pulpit.  On  his 
death-bed  he  seemed  to  feel  himself  on  the  very  threshold 
of  glory  ;  he  was  filled  and  overpowered  with  the  sensible 
manifestations  of  God's  love  and  glory.  The  last  words  of 
this  holy  man  were  uttered  in  an  ecstasy  of  joy :  "  It  is 
enough,  0  Lord,  it  is  now  enough  ;  hold  thy  hand ;  thy 
servant  is  a  clay  vessel,  and  can  hold  no  more  !"  See 
Scot's  Worthies. 

34.  Robert  Bruce,  another  burning  and  shining  light 
of  that  church,  had  been  educated  for  the  law  by  his  father, 
one  of  the  first  barons  of  Scotland,  and  had  got  a  patent  to 
be  one  of  the  lords  of  session.  But  he  was  called  by  the 
grace  of  God  to  the  ministry,  and  abandoning  all  his  fasci- 
nating prospects,  he  joyfully  took  up  the  cross  and  followed 
Jesus.  He  was  ordained  to  the  ministry  m  Edinburgh, 
where  he  withstood  King  James'  attempts  to  overturn  the 
religion  and  liberties  of  Scotland,  until  he  was  exiled.     He 


BELIEVERS  AND  UNBELIEVERS.  21 

died  in  his  seventy-second  year.  He  had  taken  his  seat  as 
usual  at  breakfast,  and  having  eaten  an  egg  as  he  used  to 
do,  and  feeling  still  a  good  appetite,  he  called  for  another ; 
but  suddenly  reclining  his  head  in  a  musing  posture,  he 
said,  "Hold,  daughter,  my  Master  calls  me T'  He  lost  his 
siMit  in  a  few  moments ;  but  callino'  for  the  Bible,  he  told 
them  to  open  it  at  the  eighth  chapter  of  the  Romans,  at 
these  words :  "  For  I  am  persuaded  that  neither  death  nor 
life  shall  be  able  to  separate  me  from  the  love  of  God 
which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord."  "  Now,"  said  the 
venerable  man,  **  put  my  finger  on  these  words  ;"  and  being 
told  that  it  was,  he  said,  "  Now,  God  be  with  you,  my  dear 
children ;  I  have  breakfasted  with  you,  and  I  shall  sup  with 
my  Lord  Jesus  Christ  this  night."  And  saying  this,  he 
gently  fell  asleep.     Scot's  Worthies,  p.  llT. 

35.  James  Durham  was  chaplain  to  King  Charles  I., 
and  minister  of  the  high  church  of  Glasgow.  On  his  dying 
bed  he  was  at  first  in  much  darkness  of  mind.  He  said  to 
a  friend,  "  For  all  that  I  have  preached  and  written,  there 
is  but  one  Scripture  I  can  think  of,  or  dare  to  lay  hold  of ; 
tell  me,  brother,  if  I  may  dare  lay  the  weight  of  my  salva- 
tion on  it :  '  Whosoever  cometh  to  me,  I  ivill  in  noiuise  cast 
out.'"  ''That  you  may  depend  on,"  said  the  minister  in 
reply,  "  though  you  had  a  thousand  salvations  at  hazard." 
Having  remained  some  time  in  silence,  in  great  bodily  pain, 
but  wrestling  in  faith  and  prayer,  he  at  length  came  joy- 
fully from  beneath  the  dark  cloud,  and  cried  in  a  rapture 
of  joy,  "  Is  not  the  Lord  good  ?  Is  he  not  infinitely  good? 
See,  how  he  smiles !  I  do  say  it,  and  I  do  proclaim  it." 
Scot's  AVorthies,  p.  1*79,  etc. 

36.  Samuel  Rutherford,  one  of  the  most  resplendent 
lights  that  ever  rose  in  Scotland,  was  the  professor  of  di- 
vinity in  the  university  of  St.  Andrew's.  When  the  parlia- 
ment of  Scotland  summoned  him  for  trial  because  he  stood 
up  for  hberty  and  religion,  he  was  on  his  dying  bed.     *'Tell 

VOL.  riTi.  31 


22  DYING  TESTIMONY  OF 

the  parliament,"  said  he  to  the  messenger,  "that  I  have 
received  a  summons  to  a  higher  bar  ;  I  must  needs  answer 
that  first ;  and  when  the  day  you  name  shall  come,  I  shall 
be  where  feAv  of  you  shall  enter."  In  his  last  moments  he 
said  to  ministers  around  him,  "  There  is  none  like  Christ. 
O,  dear  brethren,  pray  for  Christ,  preach  for  Christ,  do  all 
for  Christ ;  feed  the  flock  of  God.  And  0,  beware  of  men- 
pleasing."  Having  recovered  from  a  fainting  fit,  he  said, 
"I  feel,  I  feel,  I  believe,  I  joy,  I  rejoice,  I  feed  on  manna ; 
my  eyes  shall  see  my  Redeemer,  and  I  shall  be  ever  with 
him.  And  what  would  you  more  ?  I  have  been  a  sinful 
man ;  but  I  stand  at  the  best  pass  that  ever  a  man  did. 
Christ  is  mine,  and  I  am  his.  Glory,  glory  to  my  Creator 
and  Redeemer  for  ever.  Glory  shines  in  Immanuel's  land. 
O  for  arms  to  embrace  him  !  O  for  a  well-tuned  harp  !" 
He  continued  exulting  in  God  his  Saviour  to  the  last,  as 
one  in  the  full  vision  of  joy  and  glory. 

37.  The  noble  Marquis  of  Argyle,  whom  the  Scottish 
church  piously  numbers  among  her  martyrs,  sacrificed  all 
for  Christ's  cause.  On  the  morning  of  his  execution,  while 
busied  in  settling  his  worldly  business,  he  was  so  overpow- 
ered by  a  sensible  effusion  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  he  broke 
out  in  a  holy  rapture,  and  said,  "  I  thought  to  have  con- 
cealed the  Lord's  goodness,  but  it  w^ll  not  do.  I  am  now 
ordering  my  affairs,  and  God  is  sealing  my  charter  to  my 
lieavenly  inheritance,  and  is  just  now  saying  unto  me.  Son, 
be  of  good  cheer,  thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee."  When  ad- 
vancing to  the  scaffold  where  he  was  beheaded,  he  exclaimed, 
*'  I  could  die  as  a  Roman,  but  I  choose  rather  to  die  as  a 
Christian."     See  Scot's  Worthies,  and  Wodrow. 

38.  -Mr.  James  Guthrie  was  a  learned  and  godly  min- 
ister, the  companion  of  the  noble  Argyle.  He  was  the  lead- 
ing minister  of  the  Presbyterian  church  in  that  afflictive 
period,  and  was  singled  out  as  the  next  victim  by  Charles 
II.     He    met   his    sufferino-s  with   Christian   couraoe    and 


BELIEVERS  AND  UNBELIEVERS.  23 

cheerfulness.  He  dined  with  his  friends  on  the  day  of  his 
execution ;  after  dinner  he  called  for  a  little  cheese,  which 
his  physician  had  hitherto  dissuaded  him  from  using,  as  be- 
ing not  good  for  the  gravel :  "  Now,  my  friends,  I  may  use 
it,"  said  he  with  a  smile,  "  for  I  am  beyond  the  reach  of 
the  gravel."  His  sufferings  were  occasioned  purely  by  his 
religion  and  his  opposing  the  tyranny  of  the  Stuart  dynasty. 
On  the  scaffold,  after  having  fully  enumerated  the  causes 
of  his  suffering,  he  said,  "  I  take  God  to  record  on  my  soul, 
that  I  would  not  exchange  this  scaffold  for  the  palace  and 
the  mitre  of  the  greatest  prelate  in  Britain.  Blessed  be 
God,  who  has  showed  mercy  to  me,  and  made  me  a  minis- 
ter of  the  everlasting  Gospel.  Jesus  is  my  light  and  life, 
my  righteousness,  my  strength  and  salvation,  and  all  my 
desire.  Him,  0  him  do  I  commend  with  all  my  soul  unto 
you.  Bless  him,  O  my  soul,  now  and  for  ever.  N'ow,  0 
Lord,  lettest  thou  thy  servant  depart  in  peace,  for  mine 
eyes  have  seen  thy  salvation." 

39.  Hugh  McKail,  who  was  among  the  first  victims  in 
the  twenty-eight  years'  persecution  in  Scotland,  was  exe- 
cuted in  the  twenty-sixth  year  of  his  age.  His  great  influ- 
ence and  popular  talents  as  a  preacher  made  him  an  object 
of  jealousy.  He  closed  his  powerful  and  eloquent  speech 
on  the  scaffold,  in  these  sublime  and  touching  words  :  "  Now 
I  leave  off  to  speak  any  more  to  creatures,  and  begin  my 
intercourse  with  God  for  ever.  Farewell,  father  and  mother, 
friends  and  relations ;  farewell  the  world  and  all  its  delio-hts : 
farewell  food  and  drink;  farewell  sun,  moon,  and  stars. 
Welcome,  God  and  Father ;  welcome,  sweet  Jesus,  the 
Mediator  of  the  New  Testament ;  welcome,  blessed  Spirit 
of  all  grace,  and  God  of  consolations  ;  welcome  glory,  wel- 
come eternal  life,  welcome  death  !"  And  having  prayed  a 
few  moments,  he  lifted  his  eyes  to  heaven  and  cried  with  a 
loud  voice,  "  0  Lord,  into  thy  hands  I  commend  my  spirit ; 
for  thou  hast  redeemed  my  soul,  0  Lord  God  of  truth." 


24  DYING  TESTIMONY  OF 

And    while    uttering  this   prayer   he    was    launched   into 
eternity. 

40.  James  Renwick  was  the  last  that  was  martyred  in 
that  persecution  for  "liberty,  rehgion,  and  the  covenants." 
Like  McKail,  he  was  young,  being  only  twenty-six  years 
of  age  when  he  suffered,  and  of  distinguished  talents  and 
oratory.  On  the  scaffold  he  was  repeatedly  interrupted  in 
a  brutal  manner,  by  the  tumultuous  beating  of  the  drums 
stationed  below  the  scaffold,  in  order  to  prevent  the  im- 
mense multitude  from  hearing  his  speech,  a  custom  peculiar 
to  those  days.  He  smiled  and  said,  "  They  will  not  let  a 
dying  man  be  heard."  His  last  words  were,  *'  0  Lord,  I 
die  in  the  faith  that  thou  wilt  not  leave  thy  church,  but  that 
thou  wilt  make  the  blood  of  thy  witnesses  the  seed  of  thy 
church,  and  return  again,  and  be  glorious  in  our  land.  And 
now,  0  Lord,  I  am  ready."  Then  whispering  to  his  friend 
on  whom  he  leaned,  he  said,  "Farewell,  be  diligent  in  duty; 
carry  my  love  to  my  dear  brethren  in  the  furnace."  Then 
turning  to  the  multitude,  and  lifting  his  eyes  to  heaven,  he 
cried,  "  Lord,  into  thy  hands,  I  commend  my  spirit ;  for 
thou  hast  redeemed  me.  Lord  God  of  truth.     Amen." 

41.  Capt.  John  Paton.  These  heroic  Christian  exam- 
ples were  not  confined  to  the  ministers  in  that  period. 
Captain  Paton,  who  served  in  the  wars  under  Gustavus 
Adolphus,  and  afterwards  in  the  army  of  Scotland,  was  a 
brave  and  judicious  soldier.  He  died  for  his  religion,  and 
in  the  defence  of  Scottish  liberty.  His  last  words  on  the 
scaffold  were,  "  I  leave  my  testimony  against  the  impious 
usurpation  of  Christ's  prerogative  and  crown.  I  solemnly 
adhere  to  the  whole  work  of  reformation ;  I  forgive  all  my 
persecutors  and  enemies,  and  pray  God  to  forgive  them. 
I  leave  my  dear  wife  and  my  six  sweet  children  on  the 
Lord,  the  Father  of  the  orphans  and  the  widow's  husband. 
And  now,  farewell  all  worldly  joys,  farewell  sweet  Scrip- 
tures, and  preaching,  and  reading,  and  praying,  and  sing- 


BELIEVERS  AXD  UNBELIEVERS.  05 

ing.  Welcome,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit.  I  desire  to 
commit  my  soul  to  thee  in  well-doing.  0  Lord,  receive  my 
spirit."  Thus  fell  one  of  the  most  gallant  officers  of  the 
Scottish  army.     Scot's  Worthies,  p.  396. 

42.  Claude,  whose  fame  is  in  all  the  churches,  was 
exiled  from  France  by  the  ferocious  bigotry  of  Louis  XIY. 
His  closing  scene  was  truly  affecting  and  instructive.  Hav- 
ing pronounced  his  solemn  benediction  on  his  spouse  and 
his  son — an  able  minister  of  Christ — and  on  an  as^ed  do- 
mestic,  all  kneeling  at  his  bedside;  and  having  committed 
them  to  the  God  of  the  widow  and  fatherless,  he  uttered 
these  his  last  words  :  "  I  am  so  oppressed  that  I  can  attend 
only  to  tivo  of  the  great  truths  of  religion,  namely,  the  mercy 
of  God,  and  the  gracious  aids  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  I  know 
in  whom  I  have  believed,  and  am  persuaded  that  he  is  able 
to  keep  that  which  I  have  committed  to  him  •  against  that 
day.     Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  my  only  righteousness." 

43.  The  pious  Hervey  thus  closed  his  life,  pouring  out 
his  soul  in  prayer  :  "  How  thankful  am  I  for  death  !  It  is 
the  passage  to  the  Lord  and  Giver  of  eternal  life.  0  wel- 
come, welcome  death !  Thou  mayest  well  be  reckoned 
among  the  treasures  of  the  Christian ;  to  live  is  Christ,  to 
die  is  gain.  Lord,  now  lettest  thou  thy  serv^ant  depart  in 
peace,  for  mine  eyes  have  seen  thy  salvation." 

44.  Dr.  Leechman,  the  venerable  principal  of  the  uni- 
versity of  Glasgow,  when  dying,  thus  addressed  a  youno- 
nobleman :  "  You  see  my  tranquilhty  and  composure  :  it  is 
joy,  it  is  triumph  ;  it  is  complete  exultation.  And  whence 
does  it  spring?  From  the  blessed  Gospel  contained  in  the 
Holy  Bible.  It  is  that,  it  is  that  which  makes  us  certain 
that  this  mortal  shall  put  on  immortality." 

45.  The  venerable  Ralph  Erskine,  a  faithful  and  de- 
voted minister  of  the  church  of  Scotland,  was  for  a  few 
hours  preceding  his  dissolution  in  great  darkness  and  men- 
tal distress.     But,   shortly  before  he  died,  he  raised  his 

VOL.  viii.  81=^ 


26  DYING  TESTIMONY  OF 

hands,   and   clapping  them,  he  exclaimed,   "Victory,  vic- 
tory !"  and  soon  after  expired. 

46.  The  pious  Bishop  Bedell,  who  has  been  styled 
"  the  scourge  of  corruption,  and  the  great  luminary  of  the 
Irish  church,"  died  as  a  man  of  God  dies.  Having  blessed 
his  family,  and  addressed  godly  admonitions  and  instruc- 
tions to  his  sons,  he  said,  "  I  have  waited  for  thy  salvation, 
O  Lord."  "I  have  fought  the  good  fight,  I  have  finished 
my  course."  "  Grievous  wolves  have  crept  in  upon  us ; 
but  the  good  Shepherd  will  take  care  of  his  sheep,  and 
they  shall  dwell  safely.  I  have  kept  the  faith ;  for  Avhich 
cause  I  have  suffered ;  but  I  am  not  ashamed :  I  know 
whom  I  have  believed ;  he  will  keep  that  which  I  have 
committed  to  him  against  that  day."  Soon  after  he  fell 
asleep  in  Christ. 

47.  The  immortal  John  Locke  applied  himself  closely 
to  the  study  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  for  the  last  fourteen 
years  of  his  life.  To  a  young  gentleman  he  said,  "  If  you 
would  attain  the  true  knowledge  of  the  Christian  rehgion, 
study  the  Bible,  especially  the  New  Testament.  The  Bible 
has  God  for  its  author,  salvation  for  its  end,  and  truth, 
without  any  mixture  of  error,  for  its  matter."  On  his 
death-bed  he  exhorted  all  about  him  to  study  the  word  of 
God.  '*  Blessed  be  God,"  said  he,  "for  what  the  law  has 
shown  to  man ;  blessed  be  his  name  for  justifying  him 
through  faith  in  Christ;  and  thanks  be  to  thy  name,  O 
God,  for  havinor  called  me  to  the  knowledsre  of  the  divine 
Saviour." 

48.  Baxter  closed  his  course  full  of  the  joys  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.  To  some  ministers  who  Avere  comforting  him, 
he  said,  "  I  have  pains  ;  there  is  no  arguing  against  sense  ; 
but  I  have  peace,  I  have  peace."  "You  are  now  drawing 
near  your  long-desired  home,"  said  one.  "I  believe,  I 
believe,"  was  his  reply.  When  the  question  was  put  to 
him,   "How  are  you?"  he  promptly  answered,  ''Almost 


BELIEVERS  AND  UNBELIEVERS.  27 

well.''^  To  a  friend  who  entered  the  chamber,  he  said,  "  I 
thank  you,  I  thank  you  for  coming."  Then  fixing  his  eye 
on  him,  he  added,  **  The  Lord  teach  you  how  to  die."  These 
were  his  last  words. 

49.  John  Janeway,  a  young  minister  of  England,  died 
a  triumphant  death.  Not  a  word  dropped  from  him  which 
did  not  breathe  of  Christ  and  heaven.  "  0,  my  friends, 
stand  and  wonder :  was  there  ever  greater  kindness  ;  were 
there  ever  more  sensible  manifestations  of  grace  ?  0  why 
me.  Lord,  why  me  ?  If  this  be  dying,  dying  is  sweet.  Let 
no  Christian  be  afraid  of  dying:  O,  death  is  sweet  to  me; 
this  bed  is  soft :  Christ's  arms,  his  smiles,  his  visits,  sure 
they  would  turn  hell  into  heaven.  What  are  all  human 
pleasures  compared  to  one  glimpse  of  his  glory,  which 
shines  so  strongly  on  my  soul  ?  I  shall  soon  be  in  eternity ; 
I  shall  soon  see  Christ  himself,  who  died  for  me,  who  loved 
me,  and  washed  me  in  his  blood.  I  shall  soon  mingle  in 
the  hallelujahs  of  glory.  Methinks  I  hear  the  melody  of 
heaven,  and  by  faith  I  see  the  angels  waiting  to  carry  me 
to  the  bosom  of  Jesus.  And  I  shall  be  for  ever  with  the 
Lord.     And  who  can  choose  but  rejoice  in  all  this  ?" 

50.  Matthew  Henry.  This  famous  and  excellent  divine 
said  to  a  friend  a  short  time  before  his  sudden  death,  "  You 
have  been  used  to  take  notice  of  the  sayings  of  dying  men  ; 
this  is  mine :  that  a  life  spent  in  the  service  of  God,  and 
communion  with  him,  is  the  most  comfortable  and  pleasant 
life  that  any  one  can  live  in  this  world." 

51.  President  Edwards  died  with  as  much  calmness 
and  composure  as  if  going  to  sleep.  He  was  in  the  full 
possession  of  reason  to  the  last,  and  looked  into  eternity  as 
into  his  Father's  house  in  the  heavens.  "  Never  did  any 
one  more  fully  evidence  the  sincerity  of  his  profession  by 
one  continued,  universal,  calm,  cheerful,  and  patient  resig- 
nation to  the  divine  will,  than  he,"  said  his  physician.  "  Not 
one  murmur,  not  one  whisper  of  his  was  heard  indicating 


28  DYING  TESTIMONY  OF 

discontent.  When  some  were  deploring  his  departure  as  a 
frown  on  the  college,  and  as  a  heavy  stroke  on  the  church, 
not  being  sensible  that  he  heard  them,  he  turned  his  dying 
eyes  on  them,  and  said,  '  Trust  in  God,  and  you  need  not 
fear.'  "  These  were  the  last  words  that  this  great  and 
pious  divine  spoke  on  earth. 

52.  The  apostolical  Whitefield  uttered  this  noble  sen- 
timent when  a  Christian  friend  asked  him  what  Jiis  dying 
testimony  would  be  :  "  My  dying  testimony  is  this  :  I  have 
PREACHED  Christ  a  living  testimony  ;"  a  sentiment  per- 
fectly in  keeping  with  his  zeal,  his  piety,  his  fervor,  his 
incessant  labors  in  the  ministry,  and  his  wonderful  success 
in  winning  souls  to  Christ. 

53.  Dr.  CoNDiCT,  the  president  of  Queen's,  now  Rut- 
gers' college,  New  Jersey,  was  known  to  be  much  afraid 
of  death.  But  he  died  triumphantly.  Feeling  his  end  ap- 
proaching, he  raised  himself  up  from  his  pillow,  and  stretch- 
ing out  his  quivering  hands,  he  said,  "  I  have  fought  a  good 
fight,  I  have  finished  my  course,  I  have  kept  the  faith ; 
henceforth  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of  righteousness,  which 
the  Lord,  the  righteous  Judge,  shall  give  me."  He  then 
added,  "Let  us  pray;"  and  having  uttered  a  brief  and 
solemn  prayer,  he  gently  leaned  back  on  his  pillow,  and 
closing  his  eyes  with  his  own  hands,  he  soon  after  fell 
asleep  in  Jesus. 

54.  Dr.  DwiGHT,  the  president  of  Yale  college,  closed 
a  most  useful  and  Christian  life  by  a  peaceful  and  happy 
death.  He  requested  his  brother  to  read  to  him  the  17th 
chapter  of  John.  While  listening  to  the  latter  verses  of 
that  chapter,  he  exclaimed,  "  O  what  triumphant  truths  !" 
Some  one  recited  to  him  a  part  of  the  23d  psalm,  and 
asked  him,  "  Can  you  now  say,  though  I  walk  through  the 
valley  of  the  shadoiv  of  death,  I  iv ill  fear  no  evil,  for  thou 
art  ivith  me?''  He  replied,  "  I  hope  so."  He  was  occupied 
a  great  part  of  his  time  in  speaking ;  from  what  could  be 


BELIEVERS  AND  UNBELIEVERS.  29 

gathered,  it  appeared  that  he  was  constantly  engaged  in 
praj'er  and  adoration.  He  expired  in  peace,  without  a 
struggle  or  a  groan. 

55.  The  Rev.  Thomas  Scott,  the  commentator,  died  in 
1821.  As  a  faithful  minister,  a  judicious  writer,  and  a  holy 
man,  he  had  few  equals.  His  dying  bed  may  be  said  to 
have  been  sublimely  Christian.  He  exhibited  an  awful 
sense  of  divine  things,  of  the  evil  of  sin,  of  the  purity  and 
holiness  of  God.  And  notwithstanding  his  progress  heav- 
enward, what  self-abasement  he  ever  manifested !  "  O 
Lord,  abhor  me  not,"  said  he  in  fervent  prayer,  "though  I 
be  abJiorrible,  and  abhor  myself  :  say  not,  '  Thou  filthy  soul, 
continue  to  be  filthy  still ;'  but  rather  say,  */  will,  be  thou 
clean."'  He  longed  much  to  be  gone:  "I  am  weary  of 
my  journey,  and  wish  to  be  at  home,  if  it  be  God's  will." 
*'  Ah,  I  had  thought  that  I  should  close  the  sacred  services 
of  this  day,"  the  Sabbath,  "in  heaven."  A  great  part  of 
his  time  he  prayed  and  thought  aloud.  On  one  occasion 
he  said,  "  Posthumous  reputation :  the  veriest  bubble  with 
which  the  devil  ever  deluded  a  wretched  mortal !  But 
posthumous  tcsef  Illness — ay,  in  that  there  is  indeed  some- 
thing ;  that  was  what  Moses,  the  prophets,  and  the  apostles 
desired  ;  and  most  of  all,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  Among 
the  last  words  he  uttered  were  these  :  "  Lord,  support  me  ; 
Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit."  To  his  weeping  wife  and 
children  he  said,  with  tenderness,  "  Can  any  rational  being 
grieve  at  my  departure?  Well,  nature  will  have  its  first 
burst  of  sorrow,  but  you  will  soon  learn  to  view  it  in  its 
true  light."  "  Christ  is  my  all.  He  is  my  only  hope." 
"  0  to  realize  the  fulness  of  joy ;  0  to  have  done  with 
temptation  !"  "  This  is  heaven  begun  ;  I  have  done  with 
darkness  for  ever.  Satan  is  vanquished.  Nothing  remains 
but  salvation  with  eternal  glory,  eternal  glory  !" 

56.  Jeremiah  Evarts,  so  well  knoAvn  and  beloved  by 
every  friend    of  missionaries,    died   a   triumphant   death. 


30  DYING  TESTIMONY  OF 

When  nearly  exhausted,  he  expressed  with  great  tender- 
ness his  affection  for  his  Saviour ;  and  soon  after  broke  out 
into  rapturous  expressions  :  "  Praise  him,  praise  him,  praise 
him  in  a  way  which  you  know  not  of."  Some  one  said  to 
him,  "  You  will  soon  see  Jesus  as  he  is,  and  know  how  to 
praise  him."  He  replied,  "  O  wonderful,  wonderful,  won- 
derful glory !  We  cannot  comprehend — wonderful  glory  ! 
I  will  praise  him,  I  Avill  praise  him !  Wonderful — glory — 
Jesus  reigneth !" 

57.  Mr.  Halyburtox  was  one  of  the  most  learned  di- 
vines of  Scotland,  and  professor  of  divinity  in  the  university 
of  St.  Andrews.  The  ablest  of  his  writings  is  his  "  JVatu- 
ral  Religion  insufficient,  and  Revealed  necessary  to  Mans 
ha'ppiness.''  He  wrote  against  Lord  Herbert,  the  father  of 
the  English  deists ;  and  was  the  first  who  carried  the  war 
into  the  enemy's  camp,  showing  the  absurdity  and  futility 
of  the  deist's  system.  The  chief  of  his  practical  works  is 
his  "  Great  Concern.''  He  w^as  a  truly  devoted  Christian, 
and  he  breathed  out  his  soul  to  God  in  a  triumphant  death. 
The  following  were  his  last  words  :  "■  I  dare  look  death  in 
the  face,  in  its  most  ghastly  shape,  and  hope  soon  to  have 
the  victory  over  it.  Glory,  glory  to  him.  O  what  of  God 
do  I  see  !  I  have  never  seen  any  thing  like  'it.  The  begin- 
ning  and  the  end  of  religion  are  wonderfully  sweet.  I  long 
for  his  salvation ;  I  bless  his  name,  I  have  found  him.  I 
am  taken  up  in  blessing  him ;  I  am  dying,  rejoicing  in  the 
Lord.  Oh,  I  could  not  have  believed  that  I  should  bear, 
and  bear  cheerfully,  as  I  have  done,  this  rod,  which  hath 
lain  on  me  long.  This  is  a  miracle.  Pain  without  pain. 
You  see  a  man  dying ;  a  monument  of  the  glorious  power 
of  astonishing  grace."  Some  time  after  he  said,  "When  I 
shall  be  so  weak  as  no  longer  to  be  able  to  speak,  I  will,  if 
I  can,  give  you  a  sign  of  triumph  when  I  am  near  to  glory." 
He  did  so;  for  when  one  said,  "I  hope  you  are  encourag- 
ing yourself  in  the  Lord,"  being  now  unable  to  speak,  he 


BELIEVERS  AND  UNBELIEVERS.  31 

lifted  up  his  ha7ids  and  clapped  them,  and  in  a  few  moments 
expired. 

58.  Mr.  Augustus  M.  Toplady  closed  a  long  and  emi- 
nently holy  life  by  a  very  triumphant  death.  He  said,  "  0 
how  this  soul  of  mine  longs  to  be  gone  :  like  an  imprisoned 
bird,  it  longs  to  take  its  flight.  0  that  I  had  the  wings  of 
a  dove,  I  should  flee  away  to  the  realms  of  bliss,  and  be  at 
rest  for  ever.  I  long  to  be  absent  from  the  body  and  pres- 
ent with  the  Lord."  At  another  time  he  said,  "  0  what  a 
day  of  sunshine  has  this  been  to  me.  I  have  no  words  to 
express  it ;  it  is  unutterable.  0,  my  friends,  how  good  our 
God  is.  Almost  without  interruption  his  presence  has  been 
with  me."  Being  near  his  end,  having  awakened  out  of 
sleep,  he  said,  "  0  what  delights  :  who  can  fathom  the  joys 
of  the  third  heavens !"  And  just  before  he  expired,  he 
said,  "  The  sky  is  clear ;  there  is  no  cloud :  come>  Lord 
Jesus,  come  quickly." 

59.  Dr.  Edward  Payson  was  an  eminent  Christian,  a 
devoted  and  faithful  minister  of  the  Lord.  He  had  a  fine 
mind,  a  charming  imagination,  and  an  ardent  love  to  his 
Master.  He  died  a  triumphant  death.  "A  young  man," 
said  he,  "  when  about  to  leave  the  world,  exclaimed,  '  The 
battle's  fought,  the  battle's  fought,  but  the  victory  is  lost 
for  ever !'  But  I  can  say,  the  battle's  fought,  the  battle's 
fought,  and  the  victory  is  ivon  I  The  victory  is  ivon  for 
ever !  I  am  going  to  bathe  in  an  ocean  of  purity,  and  be- 
nevolence, and  happiness,  to  all  eternity."  He  was  heard 
to  express  himself  in  the  following  soliloquy:  "I  am  a 
Christian — what  then  ?  Why,  I  am  a  redeemed  sinner  ;  a 
pardoned  rebel.  I  am  a  Christian — what  then  ?  Why,  I 
am  a  temple  of  God ;  I  ought  surely  to  be  pure  and  holy. 
I  am  a  Christian — what  then  ?  I  am  a  child  of  God,  and 
ought  to  be  filled  with  filial  love,  joy,  and  gratitude.  I  am 
a  Christian — what  then  ?  Why,  I  am  a  disciple  of  Christ, 
and  must  imitate  him  who  was  meek  and  lowlv  of  heart. 


32  DYING  TESTIMONY,  ETC. 

I  am  a  Christian — what  then  ?  Why,  I  am  an  heir  of  God, 
and  hastening  on  to  the  abodes  of  bliss  in  the  skies."  Again, 
"Hitherto  I  have  viewed  God  as  a  fixed  star;  bright  indeed, 
but  often  intercepted  by  clouds.  But  now  he  is  coming 
nearer  and  nearer ;  and  he  spreads  into  a  sun  so  vast  and 
so  glorious,  that  the  sight  is  too  dazzling  for  flesh  and  blood 
to  sustain."  On  one  occasion,  Avhen  laboring  under  very 
acute  pains,  he  exclaimed,  "  These  are  God's  arrows,  but 
they  are  sharpened  with  love."  Once  he  exclaimed,  "  Vic- 
tory, victory!  Peace,  peace!"  Looking  on  his  wife  and 
children,  he  said,  "  I  am  going,  but  God  will  surely  be  with 
you."  The  last  words  he  was  heard  to  whisper  were  these  : 
"Faith  and  patience,  hold  out." 

It  is  worthy  of  being  noticed,  that  he  gave  instructions 
that  after  he  was  dead  and  laid  out,  the  following  label 
should  be  laid  on  his  breast,  that  every  one  might  read  it 
as  he  took  a  last  look  of  their  pastor's  remains  :  "  Remem- 
ber THE  WORDS  WHICH  I  SPAKE  UNTO  YOU  WHILE  I  WAS  YET 
PRESENT  WITH  YOU." 

And  now  who  that  is  in  his  right  mind,  will  not  say, 
"Let  me  die  the  death  of  the  righteous,  and  let  my  last  end 
he  like  his  ?" 


IVo.  387. 


THE 


GENERAL'S  WIDOW. 


A   TRUE   NARRATIVE. 


BY  V7".  0.  BEOWNLEE,  D.  D. 


Brother,  we  ai-e  only  lialf  awate  :   we  are  none  of  us  naore  than 
half  awake  — Legh  Richmond. 


In  1817,  I  was  called,  in  the  providence  of  God,  to  take 

the  pastoral  care  of  the  church  of .     It  is  situated  in  a 

rich  and  beautiful  valley,  with  a  chain  of  mountains  sweep- 
ing round  it  in  a  semicircle  ;  and,  for  many  miles  around,  all 
the  families  of  a  dense  population,  with  the  exception  of  one 
or  two,  belonged  to  that  congregation.     Among  them  was 

the  family  of  General ,  one  of  the  first  agriculturists  of 

the  country 

VOL.  VIII.  32 


2  THE  GENERAL'S  WIDOW. 

When  I  entered  on  my  pastoral  duties  the  general  had 
deceased,  being  comparatively  a  young  man  when  he  died. 
His  family  was  still  in  mourning  for  the  bereavement ;  and 
on  the  Sabbath,  his  widow  and  nine  beautiful  children,  in 
their  deep  weeds,  attracted  the  respectful  notice  and  sym- 
pathy of  all  who  entered  the  church.  The  general  and  his 
lady  had  both  descended  from  a  race  of  intelligent  and  pious 
Christians.  The  colonel,  his  father,  had  been  no  less  noted 
for  the  gallant  spirit  and  patriotism  of  his  youth,  than  for 
enlightened  and  fervent  piety  in  his  advanced  years.  And 
the  general's  lady  was  among  the  best  educated  and  most 
accomplished  women  of  her  native  county. 

But  the  general  had  been  one  of  the  unhappy  victims 
of  error  who  had  been  seduced  from  the  ways  of  the  God 
of  his  fathers,  about  the  time  when  infidelity,  in  its  most 
rude  and  degraded  form,  with  the  noted  Thomas  Pai7ie  at 
its  head,  made  a  struggle  to  gain  an  ascendency  in  many 
parts  of  our  country.  "  The  Age  of  Reason''  had  with  him 
displaced  the  Holy  Bible,  and  he  drank  in  those  polluted 
streams  until,  being  perfectly  intoxicated  with  error,  he  cast 
off  fear  and  restrained  prayer,  and  openly  denied  the  God 
of  his  fathers. 

It  was  on  a  delightful  morning  in  May,  181-, — I  remem- 
ber it  as  distinctly  as  if  it  had  been  yesterday — one  of  the 
elders  of  the  church  came  to  desire  me,  as  soon  as  practi- 
cable, to  visit  the  general's  widow. 

"Ah,  sir,"  said  he,  as  tears  filled  his  eyes,  "the  poor 
woman  has  not  long  to  live,  and  she  knows  it  not.  And  0, 
sir,  she  is  ill  prepared  to  die." 

In  a  short  time  we  were  on  our  way,  he  having  kindly 
volunteered  to  accompany  me  to  her  mansion. 

Our  ride  lay  through  the  beautiful  farms  of  the  late 

General  L d  S g;  laid  out  in  square  fields  of  great 

extent,  highly  cultivated ;  with  orchards  abounding  in  eveiy 
variety  of  fruit-trees,  particularly  of  grafted  English  cher- 
ries, of  no  less  than  twelve  varieties ;  and  luxuriant  fields 
of  grain,  affording  happy  promise  to  the  labors  of  the  hus- 
bandman.    We   soon    crossed   the    bridge    over  the  dark 


THE  GENERAL'S  WIDOW.  3 

P ,  and   ascended   the  romantic  hill  which  forms   its 

lofty  bank.  From  its  summit,  which  we  soon  reached, 
there  is  a  lovely  prospect  of  ten  or  twenty  miles  around. 
All  nature  was  in  the  glory  of  spring :  the  very  air  was 
perfumed  with  the  delicious  blossoms  on  every  hand. 

"What  a  happy  world  this  would  be,"  said  the  elder, 
**  if  our  souls,  being  pmified  from  sin,  did  so  rejoice  in  the 
presence  of  God  as  he  makes  all  things  smile  around  us !" 

"  Yes,  my  friend  ;  but  it  is  the  sanctified  and  well-regu- 
lated mind  alone,  prepared  for  the  Master's  service,  which 
has  the  capacity  of  really  enjoying  his  presence  in  the  beau- 
ties of  nature.  That  congenial  soul  sees  him  in  every  leaf, 
and  bud,  and  beautiful  flower ;  hears  and  adores  him  in  the 
whisperings  of  the  breeze,  the  murmuring  of  the  brook,  the 
music  of  the  songsters,  as  well  as  in  the  rushing  of  the 
cataract,  and  the  roaring  of  the  mountain  storm.  He  sees 
him  and  adores  him  in  every  thing.  The  guilty  mind  is  at 
enmity  with  God,  and  by  such  a  one,  the  presence  of  God, 
in  the  glorious  works  of  his  hands,  is  neither  seen  nor 
appreciated." 

"Ah,  sir,"  said  he,  "that  was  what  the  good  old  colonel 
would  often  say  to  his  son,  whose  widow's  mansion  we  are 
now  approaching.  '  I  tell  thee,  boy,'  the  old  Christian 
would  say,  'infidelity  paralyzes  the  noble  powers  of  man, 
and  renders  him  blind,  and  deaf,  and  dead  to  the  joys  of 
God's  presence  in  the  kingdom  of  nature  as  well  as  of  grace. 
Age  of  reason,  Ha !  The  age  of  folly,  of  mental  degrada- 
tion, and  of  little  men.  Why,  I  tell  thee,  it  requires  a  clear 
head  and  a  pure  heart  to  be  able  to  take  up  the  argument 
of  TRUTH.  The  profane  scoffer  of  the  Paine  school  cannot 
comprehend  the  delicacy  and  force  of  divine  reasoning  on 
the  goodness  of  God  in  nature,  and  his  pure  and  overpow- 
ering love  in  grace.'  Another  time,  when  his  son  was 
venturing  his  doubts  touching  the  Gospel,  the  colonel 
exclaimed,  '  Doubts,  my  poor  boy  !  Seest  thou  that  bright 
sun  pouring  down  his  glorious  beams  ?  Seest  thou  those 
brilliant  fields  and  meadows  glowing  in  their  living  and 
breathing  beauty  under  the  present  Deity  ?     All  these — 


4  THE  GENERAL'S  WIDOW. 

aye,  and  my  own  senses,  can  I  sooner  doubt  and  mistrust, 
than  doubt  the  love  of  my  God  and  Redeemer  in  the  king- 
dom of  his  providence  and  grace.'  " 

We  were  now  entering  the  long  avenue  which  led  up  to 
the  house,  lined  on  each  side  with  rows  of  cherry-trees, 
now  in  all  the  magnificent  beauty  of  their  white  and  purple 
blossoms. 

"  I  am  not  quite  sure,"  said  I,  *'  whether  our  A'isit  here 
will  be  welcome." 

"I  am  not  sure  that  it  will,"  said  the  elder;  ''but  what 
then  ?  We  must  never  think  of  measuring  duty  by  such 
considerations  as  those  which  move  the  men  of  the  world." 

"  You  are  right,"  said  I.  "  But  tell  me,  you  often  vis- 
ited the  late  general  in  company  with  my  venerable  prede- 
cessor Dr.  F ,  how  were  you  received  in  your  visits  to 

his  death-bed  ?" 

"Always  courteously,"  said  he;  **  but  never  recognized, 
I  rather  think,  as  Christians.  And  often  has  the  pastor 
observed  to  me,  that  he  never  met  with  a  more  deeply 
confirmed  infidel.  Sir,  I  witnessed  the  last  interview :  it 
took  place  on  a  Saturday.  The  minister  spent  several 
hours  at  the  death-bed  of  the  general ;  he  saw  that  the 
last  sands  of  life  were  fast  falling — he  died  on  Monday  fol- 
lowing—and his  anxious  soul  was  in  an  agony  to  win  him 
over,  if  such  was  the  will  of  God. 

"  But  no  argument,  no  appeal,  no  prayer,  no  tears  moved 
him  from  his  infidel  principles,  or  seemed  to  shake  his  con- 
fidence. Let  no  man  tell  me  this  was  the  fruit  of  the  infi- 
del's faith,  which,  like  the  reviving  and  exhilarating  hopes 
and  faith  of  the  Christian,  in  his  creed  and  in  his  Redeemer, 
was  now  sustaining  the  hope  and  confidence  of  his  soul. 
Ah,  sir,  I  knew  the  contrary.  I  was  his  near  neighbor ; 
I  saw  him  oftener  than  the  pastor,  and  in  his  last  hours, 
oftener  than  his  infidel  associates.  I  saw  him  in  the  mid- 
night hours,  and  in  his  unguarded  moments ;  I  heard  him 
utter  thoughts  that  came  fresh  from  an  unveiled  and  burn- 
ing spirit.  I  saw  him — I  knew  him  to  be  a  miserable  man ; 
but  not  more  so  than  any  other  infidel.     Au  infidel  die 


THE  GENERAL'S  WIDOW.  5 

happy !  A  happy  philosophic  death  !  Die  as  a  philosopher 
dies  !  Can  any  rational  being  believe  what  the  infidel  him- 
self does  not,  and  cannot  himself  believe?  An  immortal 
spirit  leave  its  heaven  here,  and  go  away  into  an  unknown, 
dark,  dismal  oblivion !  Even  on  its  own  principles  it  cannot 
die  happy,  without  its  firm  belief  in  an  incredible  miracle ; 
namely,  that  a  great  and  polished  philosophic  soul  can  be 
perfectly  willing,  that  is,  happy  to  give  up  all  the  heaven 
it  has,  for  a  dark,  unknown,  hated,  and  horrid  oblivion. 
Another  proof  that  infidels  are  not  only  the  most  credulous, 
but  absolutely  the  most  duped  of  all  the  children  of  men. 
For  the  general,  he  would  yield  to  no  argument ;  he  was 
too  proud  in  spirit :  he  never  had  hitherto  flinched.  But, 
ah,  on  that  Saturday  I  saw  him  yield;  and  I  witnessed  the 
confession  which,  to  this  day,  is  well  known  over  our  valley. 
But  it  was  the  mere  yielding  of  parental  feeling. 

"  '  Well,  general,'  said  the  minister,  as  we  rose  to  go, 
*  time  speeds  its  course ;  I  must  take  my  leave  of  you,*  He 
took  him  by  the  hand.  '  Farewell ;  I  shall  never  see  you 
more,  until  you  and  I  stand  at  the  judgment-seat  of  eternal 
Justice:  farewell.'  He  paused;  the  general  still  kept  a 
hold  of  his  hand.  '  Ere  I  go,  I  have  one  question  to  ask 
you,'  said  the  pastor :  he  paused  again,  and  turning,  cast 
his  eyes  around  the  circle  of  the  general's  sons,  his  daugh- 
ters, and  his  weeping  wife :  the  general's  eyes  wandered 
after  those  of  the  pastor,  over  the  dear  and  interesting 
group.  'Now,  hear  me,'  said  the  minister;  'my  question 
is  this :  Is  it  your  will,  now,  in  your  last  moments,  that 
these  dear  and  beloved  beings  should  follow  the  minister, 
or  yourself  f 

"  The  general  looked  first  at  the  pastor  with  an  earnest 
eye,  as  if  to  penetrate  into  his  soul :  he  saw  that  he  was  in 
earnest,  for  tlie  tears  rolled  in  silence  over  his  cheeks :  he  rap- 
idly glanced  at  the  circle  of  his  dear  children  and  spouse :  he 
heaved  one  deep  sigh  as  he  clasped  his  hands  on  his  breast ; 
then  resuming  his  hold  of  the  pastor's  extended  hand,  he 
said  with  a  solemnity  which  I  never  heard  from  the  genera] 
before,  '  It  is  my  will  that  they  follow  the  minister.' 
VOL.  VIII.  32* 


C  THE  GENERAL'S  WIDOW. 

"  '  Then  let  me  offer  up  my  last  prayer  at  your  death- 
bed,' said  the  minister,  as  he  threw  himself  on  his  knees. 
And  0,  sir,  he  did  pour  out  his  soul  in  such  fervent  wrest- 
lings as  I  never  witnessed  before :  all  of  us  wept,  except 
the  general.  He  appeared  confounded  and  bewildered  ; 
he  seemed  conscious  that  his  creed  was  untenable  ;  he  did 
seem  like  one  looking  out  for  some  fearful  and  undefinable 
disaster ;  his  reason  seemed  to  reel ;  but  his  pride,  shall  I 
call  it,  or  obstinacy,  prevented  him  from  humbling  himself 
at  the  throne  of  grace.  He  seemed  like  one  given  up  of 
God  and  of  man.  And  he  died  as  he  had  hved,  I  fear. 
And  this  desperate  outbraving  of  all  entreaties  and  remon- 
strances of  conscience,  this  reckless  clinging  to  his  ship- 
wrecked hope,  and  defiance  of  the  justice  of  God  his  Judge, 
has  tended  to  harden  his  family  in  unbelief,  and  to  efface 
from  their  memory  all  the  admonitions,  and  prayers,  and 
tears  of  the  minister.  But  here  we  are  at  the  door," 
added  my  friend,  "  and  may  God  give  you  wisdom,  my 
dear  pastor,  to  win  over  to  Christ  the  souls  of  this  desolate 
family."  "Amen,"  said  I,  in  the  extreme  anxiety  of  my 
spirit,  as  we  advanced  to  the  chamber  of  the  general's 
widow. 

We  found  her  silting  up  ;  but  her  once  beautiful  form 
was  wasting  away  under  the  disease  that  was  consuming 
her  vitals.  She  received  us  with  the  utmost  pohteness  and 
kindness.  But  we  soon  discovered  that  it  would  be  impos- 
sible to  eno^ao-e  her  in  devout,  or  even  serious  conversation. 
She  contrived  to  resist  every  attempt  to  direct  her  atten- 
tion in  good  earnest,  to  the  necessary  preparation  to  meet 
her  Judge.  And  she  abruptly  put  an  end  to  all  our  sug- 
gestions by  a  remark  of  this  kind  :  that  "her  dear  husband 
died  in  the  belief  which  she  held  ;  such  a  good  man  could 
not  be  miserable.  And  as  for  herself,  she  never  could  wish 
to  go  to  a  better  place  than  where  he  was!" 

We  parted  from  her  with  a  heavy  heart.  I  had  utterly 
failed  of  delivering  my  message ;  and  at  this,  and  also  the 
second  visit,  not  even  the  permission  was  conceded  to  us  of 
joining  in  prayer  with  her. 


THE  GENERAL'S  WIDOW.  7 

As  I  approached  the  house  on  the  day  of  my  third  visit, 
I  felt  my  mind  exceedingly  agitated.  Here,  thought  I,  is 
an  interesting  immortal  being  now  very  near  the  verge  of 
eternity,  and,  alas,  utterly  unprepared ;  and  not  only  so,  but 
this  noble  spirit  of  hers  is  filled  with  bitter  enmity  against 
the  cross  of  Christ. 

I  found  her  alone :  she  was  now  confined  to  her  bed ; 
and  the  hectic  spot  on  her  pale  cheek  indicated  that  her 
days  were  nearly  numbered.  She  gave  me  a  cordial  wel- 
come, and  thanked  me  for  this  token  of  respect  in  coming 
again  so  soon.  I  blessed  the  Lord  for  this  favorable  oppor- 
tunity, and  in  secret  implored  of  him  wisdom  and  skill  to 
do  my  duty  at  this  critical  moment.  A  long  and  painful 
silence  followed.  At  length  she  broke  it,  by  asking,  "  Is 
not  God  goodness  itself,  goodness  in  his  very  nature?  Am 
I  wrong  in  believing  also,  that  he  has  implanted  in  every 
soul  the  unquenchable  hope  of  happiness  ?  And  who  will 
say  that  infinite  goodness  will  blast  the  hope  which  he 
himself  has  nursed  and  ripened  in  us?" 

This  opened  a  fruitful  theme  of  discussion  for  at  least 
an  hour.  The  following  dilemma  was  respectfully  placed 
before  her  :  "  Madam,  how  do  you  know  that  God  is  good- 
ness itself?  If  from  the  demonstrations  of  nature  and  prov- 
idence, then  from  the  same  evidence  do  we  learn  infallibly, 
that  he  is  infinitely  just  and  awfully  severe.  You  have 
only  to  look  abroad  over  the  w^orld's  history,  and  contem- 
plate the  tremendous  exhibitions  of  his  justice  in  the  endless 
train  of  the  terrible  scourges  which  have  swept  the  men  of 
many  generations  off  the  earth.  Do  these  prove  simply  his 
unmingled  goodness  ?  Again,  if  you  seek  your  proof  from 
the  holy  Scriptures,  there  we  are  taught  that  '  He  who  is 
good  and  merciful,  will  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty.'  "  And 
the  argument  against  universal  happiness  was  closed  by 
submitting  to  her  vigorous  mind  these  ttvo  ideas. 

"  If  you  choose  to  decide  the  matter  by  the  full  and 
most  complete  evidence  draw^n  from  Scripture,  then  is  it 
obvious  that  the  inspired  writer,  who  uses  the  same  word 
in  Matt.  25  :  46,  to  express  the  eternity  of  the  wicked  man's 


8  THE  GENERAL' S  WIDOW. 

punishment,  and  that  of  the  righteous  man's  glory  in  heaven, 
without  giving  us  any  intimation  of  his  using  it  in  an  infi- 
nitely different  sense  in  the  same  sentence,  has  decided  the 
point  that  the  second  death  of  the  one  party  is  as  endur- 
ing and  endless  as  is  the  life  of  the  other  party.  The 
objection  that  'everlasting'  is  applied  to  the  hills  and  ma- 
terial things,  has  no  force  here.  To  whatever  object  it  is 
applied,  it  always  means  the  longest  possible  existence  of  that 
object.  Here  it  is  applied  to  the  immortal  soul,  immaterial 
and  ever-enduring :  to  that  this  punishment  will  cling  as 
long  as  the  soul  exists  ;  that  is,  for  ever  and  ever.  And 
hence,  in  perfect  accordance  with  this,  the  punishment  of 
the  wicked  is  pronounced  by  God  to  be  'everlasting,'  after 
temporal  duration  has  ceased,  and  after  eternity  has  com- 
menced.    2  Thess.  1  :  8,  9,  etc. 

"  And,  madam,  if  you  choose  to  settle  the  point  by  rea- 
son, aided  by  revelation,  then  you  must  admit  that  God  will 
not  confer  happiness  on  sinners  as  long  as  their  sin  and  im- 
penitence continue.  But  inasmuch  as  they  die  impenitent, 
and  hence  descend  into  eternity  full  of  sin,  and.  still  sinning ; 
and  inasmuch  as  neither  God,  nor  themselves,  nor  any  other 
being  will  convert  them  after  death,  they  will  continue  to 
hate  God  and  sin  against  him  just  as  they  did  before  death ; 
and  as  sin  goes  on  in  its  self- perpetuating  virulence,  they 
will  rebel  against  the  most  Holy  One  for  ever  and  ever. 
Hence,  they  keep  themselves  out  of  heaven,  that  is,  they 
keep  themselves  in  hell,  for  ever  and  ever. 

"  Besides,  Universalists  and  Infidels  are  usually  believers 
in  freewill,  in  its  unlimited  acceptation.  I  pray  you,  then, 
madam,  how  can  you,  or  any  of  them,  pretend  to  justify 
God,  if  he  were  to  compel  these  unconverted  men,  against 
their  determination  to  the  contrary,  into  a  holy  heaven,  a 
place  which  they  have  all  their  lifetime  abhorred,  and  which 
they  will  as  heartily  abhor  as  ever,  to  all  eternity  ?" 

This  address  I  uttered  in  the  mildest  terms  I  could. 
Her  danger  excited  in  me  feelings  of  the  intensest  earnest- 
ness. The  effect  of  these  plain  and  simple  truths  was  visi- 
ble.   There  was  a  solemnity  in  her  words,  and  in  her  whole 


THE  GENERAL'S  VViDO.V.  9 

deportment,  which  I  had  not  witnessed  hitherto.  0  my 
God,  I  thank  thee  that  I  am  not  without  some  hope  that 
the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  visiting  her  in  mercy.  Breathe  on 
her,  O  blessed  Spirit ! 

The  following  propositions  I  put  into  her  hand  as  I  left 
her. 

1.  There  is  no  power  or  virtue  in  sinful  man,  which 
can  efficiently  lead  him  to  peace  with  God  and  true  hap- 
piness. 

2.  To  deny  a  communication  from  heaven,  on  the  sup- 
position that  God  has  the  intention  of  showing  mercy  and 
favor  to  us,  is  actually  an  impeachment  of  the  divine  good- 
ness. The  infidel  system  is  cruel :  on  the  face  of  its  very 
first  principle,  it  brings  a  solemn  impeachment  against  the 
divine  goodness  and  pity. 

3.  It  is  our  duty  faithfully  to  determine  by  a  close  ex- 
amination, whether  it  be  by  argument,  or  by  delusion  and 
depravity,  that  we  are  induced  to  continue  in  hostility  to 
God  our  Maker,  and  to  hate  the  Holy  Bible. 

4.  No  man  nor  power  on  earth  can  prove  what  the  infi- 
del affirms ;  namely,  that  the  Bible  is  not  a  genuine  revela- 
tion from  heaven. 

5.  No  man  can  call  Jesus  Lord,  or  give  the  Bible  the 
reception  of  true  faith,  but  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 

This  visit  was  closed  Avithout  prayer,  it  having  been 
declined  by  her.  She  noticed  the  pain  which  her  refusal 
caused,  and  retained  my  hand  for  several  seconds ;  and  I 
hurried  away  to  conceal  my  emotions.  Her  mind,  I  knew, 
was  not  prepared  to  have  these  services  urged,  far  less 
forced  upon  her.  0  gracious  Master,  grant  me  spiritual 
skill,  wisdom,  and  patience  to  do  thy  work  aright ;  deliver 
me  from  a  furious  zeal  without  knowledge ;  free  me  equally 
from  the  spirit  of  indolence,  coldness,  and  negligence  in 
duty. 

As  soon  as  practicable,  I  hastened  to  renew  my  visit. 
I  found  her  in  company  with  her  daughters  and  two  grown 
up  sons.  She  was  fast  fading  away,  like  the  sere  leaves  of 
autumn,  or  the  snow  before  the  April  sun. 


10  THE  GENERAL'S  WIDOW. 

"  Sir,"  said  she,  as  by  her  request  I  took  my  seat  close 
to  her,  "  I  own  myself  overcome  by  those  dilemmas  which 
you  placed  before  my  mind.  '  The  sim^jle  truth  of  God  is 
overwhelming.'  That  expression  of  yours,  dropped  occa- 
sionally the  other  day,  I  cannot  get  rid  of.  Yes,  I  must 
even  admit — my  conscience  will  not  let  me  equivocate — if 
the  Bihle  he  true,  then  Vnivej'salism,  in  which  I  have  taken 
refuge  is  false — age,  utterig  false  /  This  is  now  my  delib- 
erate opinion  :  yes,  my  children,  by  the  civil  law,  the  delib- 
erate murderer  must  die  ;  that  is  to  say,  be  cut  off  for  ever 
from  this  life,  for  ever  from  his  family,  for  ever  from  all 
earthly  happiness.  I  should  insult  my  reason,  and  never 
regain  self-respect,  did  I  conclude  otherwise.  If  the  Bihle 
he  true,  then  am  I  sure  Universalism  is  false  as  Satan. 
But  then,  the  Bible — I  cannot,  I  will  not,  I  never  can 
believe  it  to  be  a  revelation  from  heaven.  Oh,  I  can- 
not  " 

I  made  no  reply  until  she  was  restored  perfectly  to 
self-possession.  Her  fine  mind,  which  knew  no  disguise, 
here  betraj^ed,  without  concealment,  one  of  the  usual  and 
very  natural  feelings  of  one  who  has  unhappily  been  se- 
duced by  the  impious  sophistry  of  the  infidel.  In  its  des- 
perate efforts,  the  unsettled  mind  hurries  from  one  false 
refuge  into  another,  plunging  deeper  and  deeper  at  each 
retreat.  She  had  been  strong  in  her  confidence  in  Univer- 
salism :  the  lingering  remains  of  her  respect  for  the  Bible 
were  owing  to  her  being  taught  this  sentiment :  the  delu- 
sion had  rapidly  vanished  under  the  light  of  reason,  con- 
science, and  the  plain  exhibiting  of  divine  truth :  and  the 
deep  current  of  hatred,  quickened  by  the  disappointment, 
was  directed,  in  all  its  force,  against  the  Holy  Bible. 

I  endeavored  to  draw  her  attention  to  the  necessity  of 
a  divine  revelation,  and  exhibited  in  a  plain  manner  the 
usual  arguments  on  this  point,  taken  chiefly  from  Home's 
Introduction.  And  I  concluded,  by  illustrating  the  second 
proposition,  which  I  had  submitted  to  her  consideration  at 
a  former  meeting. 

*'  Do  you  beheve  that  God  is  good?"     "Undoubtedly 


THE  GENERAL'S  WIDOW.  H 

he  is,"  she  replied.  "Do  you  believe  that  God  intends  to 
be  merciful  and  gracious  to  us  ?"  "I  do  believe  it."  "  Then, 
my  dear  madam,  if  you  admit  all  this,  and  yet  obstinately 
deny  that  God  has  spoken  to  us  one  kind  word,  or  one 
cheering  promise,  you  take  away  the  very  basis  of  this 
belief;  you  have  thence  no  ground  of  faith,  nor  of  the 
humblest  hope  in  mercy,  or  pity,  or  love,  from  him.  In 
fact,  you  impeach  his  goodness  and  mercy.  And  that  ma- 
lignant being  who  goes  about  to  compass  the  ruin  of 
immortal  souls,  could  alone  counsel  and  devise  such  a 
horrid  scheme." 

She  turned  her  head  round  on  the  pillow,  and  placing 
her  hand  on  her  brow,  remained  some  time  in  deep  medita- 
tion. *'Ah,  dear  madam,  who  can  have  persuaded  you 
that  our  heavenly  Father,  who  intends  to  be  so  merciful 
and  gracious  to  us,  does,  nevertheless,  never  utter  one 
word  of  peace — never  send  one  ray  of  light — never  make 
one  communication  from  heaven  to  us?  Believe  it  who 
will,  I  cannot.  None  but  the  heai-tless  infidel  can  cherish 
an  idea  so  melancholy,  and  so  opposed  to  divine  goodness." 

"  I  cannot,  I  do  not  believe  the  Bible ;  it  is  no  revela- 
tion from  heaven,"  cried  she,  waving  her  hand  and  turning 
her  face  away  from  me.  A  long  and  painful  silence  en- 
sued. I  implored  in  secret  that  the  Master  would  give  me 
prudence,  and  the  tongue  of  the  wise  who  win  souls  to 
Christ.  Then,  as  if  nothing  had  fallen  from  her  lips,  I 
begged  her  permission  to  review  the  fourth  proposition 
formerly  submitted  to  her.  "With  your  leave,  my  dear 
madam,  I  shall  presently  examine  the  evidence  of  the  Holy 
Bible,  external  and  internal ;  but  there  is  a  previous  ques- 
tion with  you.  Are  you  aware  that  the  infidel  school  can 
never  prove  what  they  assert,  namely,  that  the  Bible  is  not 
a  revelation  from  heaven. ^'^ 

This  excited  her  deep  attention.  I  went  on.  "  Have 
you,  or  any  of  all  your  school,  from  Celsus  down  to  the 
humblest  writer  of  the  canaille,  searched  this  sacred  vol- 
ume itself  critically,  historically,  in  the  originals,  or  in  its 
various  translations  ?     No  one  who  has  not  done  this  has 


12  THE  GENERAL'S  WIDOW. 

any  claim  to  be  heard,  or  even  to  be  reckoned  a  sensible 
believer  in  the  infidel  creed.  Have  your  champions  searched 
all  the  evidence  of  the  Jews,  and  their  writings  ?  Have 
they  searched  all  the  evidence  attainable  from  every  Chris- 
tian in  the  world  ?  Have  you  conversed  with  angels,  and 
collected  the  evidence  that  those  pure  intelligences  can 
communicate  ?  Have  you  sought  out  all  the  evidence 
attainable  from  departed  spirits  now  in  heaven,  or  from  the 
doomed  spirits  now  in  hell  ?  No.  Then  your  researches 
for  evidence,  even  after  all  the  labors  of  thousands  of  years, 
can  scarcely  be  said  to  have  yet  begun.  Now,  until  this 
infinity  of  sources  be  perfectly  examined,  no  one  of  you 
can  have  faith  in  the  infidel  creed.  You  may  imagine  a 
faith  and  a  peace  of  mind.  You  may  stifle  conscience.  But 
if  you  only  act  as  reasonable  beings,  you  must  ever  be  in 
a  state  of  agonizing  doubt.  Hence,  there  can  be  no  peace, 
no  joy.  You  must,  in  fact,  cease  to  think  or  act  as  rational 
beings,  and  you  must  drown  your  noble  powers  in  the  per- 
dition of  this  world's  profligacy  before  you  can  cease  to 
feel  the  agonies  of  remorse.  And  even  all  these  are 
wretched  opiates,  out  of  the  sleep  of  which  you  will  one 
day  awake  to  acuter  and  more  horrible  agonies." 

Both  of  her  sons,  who  had  imbibed  infidel  opinions, 
had  come  close  up  to  us,  and  were  listening  with  deep 
attention.  At  the  close  of  the  argument,  they  cast  an 
anxious  and  searching  look  on  each  other,  and  then  on  their 
mother  ;  while  her  eyes  were  scrutinizing  their  looks,  as  if 
imploring  their  aid  against  these  dilemmas.  They  were 
agitated,  but  remained  silent. 

**  If  you  discover  any  defect  in  this  argument,  young 
gentlemen,  you  will  confer  a  favor  on  me  to  name  it ;  but  if 
there  be  truth  in  it,  0,  in  the  fear  of  your  Maker,  I  beseech 
you,  resist  it  not.  We  can  have  no  interest,  either  of 
us,  in  being  deceived  in  a  matter  of  this  solemn  impor- 
tance." 

For  the  first  time,  I  saw  a  tear  quivering  in  the  mother's 
eye,  and  steahng  down  her  faded  cheek.  *' O,  my  God," 
said  I,  in  the  secret  agony  of  my  heart,  "  break,  break  in 


THE  GENERAL'S  WIDOW.  13 

pieces  this  hard  and  flinty  heart.  O,  is  not  thy  word  as  a 
fire  and  a  hammer?"  I  rose  to  take  my  leave,  not  wishing 
to  check  this  first  flowing-  of  emotions  from  the  flinty  rock : 
she  retained  my  hand  for  some  moments:  there  was  a 
mental  struggle.  "Oh,  you  will  not  go  away  thus — you 
will  surely  pray  with  us,"  said  she,  with  a  sweet  and  im- 
ploring look.  "  Blessed  be  the  Lord,  who  has  heard  us,  and 
put  this  at  last  into  your  heart,"  said  I,  with  emotions  which 
I  could  not  overcome-  I  felt  as  if  a  ray  of  hope  had  burst 
through  the  dark  gloom,  and  beamed  on  this  beloved  being, 
for  whom  our  souls  had  been  in  travail.  We  kneeled  down 
by  her  bed  ;  and  Oh,  I  thought  I  felt  the  reviving  presence 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  with  us  in  prayer,  and  believed  his 
power  was  awakening  deep  convictions  in  her  for  whom  our 
souls  were  poured  out.  And  yet,  when  I  bethought  me  of 
the  deceitfulness  of  the  heart,  and  in  a  special  manner,  the 
fearful  malignity  of  the  spirit  of  deism,  I  seemed  to  hope 
against  hope  ;  while  I  cried  unto  God,  and  said,  "  Come 
from  the  four  winds,  0  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  and  breathe 
upon  this  dying  mother  and  her  family." 

At  the  next  visit  I  was  grieved  to  find  her  tender  im- 
pressions gone,  or  carefully  concealed ;  and  I  thought  with 
pain  of  that  message  of  the  Lord,  "  Your  goodness  is  as 
the  morning  cloud  ;  and  as  the  early  dew  it  goeth  away." 
O  my  God,  slay  the  enmity  of  this  sin-stricken  heart  by  the 
sharp  sword  which  issueth  out  of  thy  mouth,  even  thy 
living  .and  powerful  word. 

At  this  and  the  following  visit,  by  her  leave,  I  went 
over  the  evidence  of  the  authenticity  and  divinity  of  the 
Holy  Bible.  I  conducted  her  active  and  acute  mind  over 
the  hidorical  evidence.  She  listened  with  attention  and 
eagerness  to  the  testimony  of  the  Christian  fathers,  from 
Augustine  back  over  the  early  centuries,  and  up  to  the 
apostolical  fathers ;  ^vhile  I  demonstrated  to  her  that  not 
onlv  all  these,  but  that  heathen  writers  also,  and  ojyponents, 
such  as  Celsus,  Porphyry,  and  Julian  the  Apostate,  freely 
quoted  these  books  called  the  Bible,  as  genuine  and  au- 
thentic wiitings.  Every  ancient  an  tar/on  i'-'t  admitted  these 
VOL.  VIII.  33 


14  THE  GENERAL'S  WIDOW. 

hooks  of  the  Bible  to  have  been  loritten  by  the  men  whose 
names  they  bear. 

"  The  inspired  writers  possessed  the  gift  of  tongues  and 
the  power  of  working  miracles :  they  healed  the  blind,  the 
maimed,  the  lame,  and  raised  the  dead.  All  this  was  done 
publicly  before  the  church  and  their  enemies.  And  having 
thus  established  their  divine  mission  from  God,  they  pre- 
sented publicly  to  the  church  the  books  written  by  them, 
as  the  accredited  messengers  of  God.  Thus  the  miracu- 
lous powers  and  gifts  established  the  fact  of  their  apostolical 
commission  from  God  :  this  was  their  grand  object.  And 
the  fact  of  their  being  the  authors  of  these  books  was 
established  by  the  living  and  credible  witnesses,  even  all 
Christians,  in  their  days,  who  received  these  books  publicly 
from  their  hands,  and  deposited  them  in  their  archives,  and 
transmitted  the  autographs  to  their  children.  Now,  when 
these  books  of  the  New  Testament  were  written,  there 
were  hundreds  of  thousands  of  Christians  alive :  these  with 
one  voice  declared  that  they  saw  the  apostles  work  mira- 
cles :  '  We  knew  them,  and  believed  most  truh^  that  they 
were  sent  of  God  :  we  know  these  books  to  have  been  given 
by  them,  for  we  received  them  as  a  public  deposit,  and  as 
such  we  transmit  them  to  our  children.' 

*'  No  one  book,  nor  even  a  single  sentence,  could  be  added 
to  these  inspired  books  without  speedy  detection.  This 
could  not  happen  in  the  apostles'  lifetime :  they  were  alive 
to  expose  to  the  church  the  imposture.  This  could  not 
happen  after  their  decease  ;  for  by  this  time  copies  were 
multiplied,  and  the  holy  Scriptures  were  in  every  church  in 
Asia,  Europe,  and  Africa.  In  fact,  dear  madam,  it  would 
be  as  easy  and  as  practicable  to  add  a  new  chapter  or  a 
new  sentence  to  the  common  law  of  the  land,  or  to  a  na- 
tional charter,  or  to  abstract  from  them,  as  it  would  have 
been  to  palm  a  new  book  of  holy  writ,  or  even  one  sen- 
tence, on  the  watchful  church  of  God." 

Here  we  were  interrupted,  and  at  her  request  I  closed 
with  prayer ;  and  with  many  tears  she  was  commended  to 
God,  the  great  and  good  Shepherd  of  Israel,  who  gathers 


THE  GENERAL'S  WIDOW.  15 

the  wandering  sheep  from  "  all  places  whither  they  have 
been  driven  in  the  cloudy  and  dark  day." 

In  a  few  days  my  visit  was  renewed  with  an  interest 
now  daily  increasing.  I  met  her  physician,  who  whispered 
in  my  ear  to  take  com-affe  :  *'  She  has  at  lena^th  commenced 
a  dilio-ent  readino-  of  the  Bible :  her  attendant  reads  to  her 

o  o 

as  long  and  as  often  as  her  weakness  can  sustain  it.  But  it 
is  singular,"  added  he  ;  "she  will  hear  only  out  of  the  Old 
Testament.^' 

After  an  affectionate  salutation  from  her,  with  her  per- 
mission I  proceeded  in  the  examination  of  the  internal  evi- 
dence of  the  Scriptures :  I  pressed  upon  her  attention  the 
evidence  of  their  divinity,  from  the  peculiar  sublimity  of 
their  conceptions  of  God  and  his  perfections,  and  their  spot- 
less purity.  "The  genius  and  the  wits  of  Greece  and 
Rome  never,  in  one  thought  or  conception,  attained  any 
thing  similar,  far  less  equal  to  the  sublimity  of  their  con- 
ceptions of  God ;  and  never,  in  one  instance,  to  any  thing 
resembling  their  spiritual  purity.  There  is  evidently  some- 
thing on  the  pages  of  the  Bible  altogether  superhuman. 
Unassisted  human  nature  would  let  fall  of  necessity,  as  in 
fact  we  see  it  invariably  does  in  all  matters  and  in  all  human 
writings,  the  stain  of  its  own  impurity.  Good  men,  having 
the  fear  of  God  before  their  eyes  in  all  things,  could  not 
practise  a  deception  on  the  world,  and  give  out  their  own 
impostures  as  from  God.  And  most  manifest  is  it,  that  no 
wicked  man  could  have  conceived  such  pure  and  heavenly 
doctrines  in  his  mind ;  far  less,  by  any  combination  of  his 
associates,  have  formed  a  system  breathing  nothing  but 
spotless  purity  in  morals  and  religion.  And  then  notice 
the  perfect  harmony  of  all  the  parts.  These  tracts  which 
compose  the  volume  of  the  Bible,  were  written,  some  of 
them,  by  kings  and  princes  ;  some  by  statesmen ;  some  by 
peasants  and  herdsmen ;  men  living  over  a  period  of  fifteen 
hundred  years,  who  never  saw  and  never  conversed  with 
each  other.  Such  a  perfect  harmony  in  views  and  in  sen- 
timents, on  any  subject,  existing  among  some  fifty  men, 
even  in  our  times,  and  who  had  even  all  seen  and  conversed 


16  THE  GENERAL'S  WIDOW. 

with  each  other,  would  absolutely  be  pronounced  a  miracle 
by  even  the  Deist. 

"  Their  purity  in  waging  a  war  of  extermination  against 
all  sin — even  in  the  secrecy  of  the  heart's  emotions  and 
desires — and  their  irresistible  efficacy  in  subduing  the 
hearts  of  the  children  of  men,  exhibit  the  proofs  of  their 
divinity.  They  convert  the  passionate  man  into  a  lamb  ; 
the  avaricious  into  benevolent  Christians ;  the  timorous  and 
cowardly  into  courageous  soldiers  of  the  cross ;  so  that,  at 
the  call  of  their  Lord,  they  can  despise  fires  and  torments. 
They  have  converted  the  lewd  into  pure  and  chaste  persons  ; 
the  cruel  and  bloodthirsty  into  kind-hearted  and  courteous 
Christians ;  the  unjust,  foolish,  and  notorious  offender  they 
have  rendered  equitable,  prudent,  and  hol}^  Nay,  so  great, 
says  Lactantius,  in  one  word,  is  the  force  of  divine  wisdom, 
that  when  infused  into  the  heart,  it  expels,  by  a  single  effort, 
folly,  the  mother  of  sin.  And  these  are  moral  miracles, 
which  you  and  I  witness  weekly ;  as  the  church  has  wit- 
nessed them  in  all  ages.  In  the  days  of  the  apostles,  hun- 
dreds of  thousands,  once  vile  and  debased  heathens,  but 
then  clothed  in  the  i*obes  of  righteousness  and  holiness, 
stood  up  as  the  living  witnesses  of  this  irresistible  power 
of  the  Gospel,  and  of  its  moral  miracles.  And  from  that 
period  millions,  in  their  successive  generations,  have  borne 
their  testimony,  Avith  all  the  force  of  a  moral  demonstra- 
tion, to  the  all-powerful  influence  of  the  blessed  Gospel  of 
Christ.  They  have  done — and  done  before  th«  eyes  of  the 
shrewdest  and  most  cunning  oppoSers — what  no  human 
eloquence,  no  human  reasoning,  no  human  persuasions,  no 
energy  of  philosophy,  no  created  authority,  or  force,  ever 
could  do.  They  have  illumined  the  darkest  minds ;  sub- 
dued and  softened  the  hardest  hearts ;  overcome  the  most 
obstinate  pagan  and  idolater ;  and  returned  them  to  society, 
virtuous,  pure,  and  holy  men  :  they  have  soothed  their  men- 
tal agony  in  the  dying  hour,  and  led  them  to  rest  and  glory 
in  eternity.  In  a  word,  that  has  been  done  by  them,  which 
God  only  does  by  his  own  selected  means.  Hence,  the 
seal  of  heaven's  testimony  is  set  to  them,  that  they  are 


THE  GENERAL'S  WIDOW.  17 

God's  most  holy  truths,  used  by  him,  and  owned  by  him, 
before  all." 

During  this  last  address  the  widow  was  bathed  in  tears  ; 
and  often  uttered,  in  a  low  and  tremulous  moan,  "  O  my 
God.  0  my  distracted  soul.  God,  pity  my  weakness. 
Mercy,  0  Lord,  mercy  on  me ;  and  heal  my  blindness,  if  I 
am  in  error." 

Kneeling  down,  I  once  more  mingled  my  tears  with  hers, 
and  offered  our  fervent  supplications  to  the  prayer-hearing 
God  for  his  quickening  and  forgiving  grace  to  this  broken- 
hearted woman.  I  did  feel  as  if  I  w^as  now  wrestling  in  hope. 
"  0  heavenly  Father,  dissipate  this  dark  cloud  of  sorrow : 
bring  in  this  poor  wanderer :  receive  her  to  the  bosom  of 
thy  love.  0  God,  say  unto  her,  in  the  effectual  workings 
of  thy  free  Spirit,  Daughter,  thou  art  loosed  from  thine  in- 
firmities ;  go  in  peace.  0  bring  her  to  the  foot  of  the  cross 
of  Christ :  there  let  her  be  found  sitting,  clothed,  and  in 
her  right  mind."  And  yet  I  could  not  resist  the  fearful 
forebodings  which  came  over  my  mind  as  I  rode  home.  O 
the  fatal  influence  of  infidelity;  so  congenial  to  corrupt 
reason ;  so  soothing  to  the  depraved  heart ;  so  subservient 
to  the  vicious  desires  and  appetites ;  so  potent  in  its  se- 
ductions. I  dared  scarcely  indulge  a  hope.  "  But  0,  most 
merciful  Father,  thy  Spirit  is  able  to  subdue  the  most  ob- 
stinate heart :  I  present  her  at  the  foot  of  thy  throne  :  O 
descend.  Holy  Ghost,  in  thy  subduing  influences :  renew 
her  soul :  O  pluck  the  brand  from  the  flames.  To  thee  I 
commit  her." 

In  a  day  or  two  I  renewed  my  visit ;  and  at  her  request, 
after  prayer,  I  discussed  with  her  the  evidence  of  miracles 
and  projjhecy.  She  lent  her  deep  and  serious  attention  to 
the  subject. 

I  studied  to  remove  her  difficulties  on  miracles,  and  show 
her  that  a  miracle  is  just  as  susceptible  of  proof  as  any 
other  fact  or  public  event  of  history.  "  Christ  and  his 
apostles  came  before  the  public,  and  called  on  all  men,  in 
the  name  of  God,  to  believe  the  Gospel  and  repent  of  their 
sins.  In  evidence  of  their  divine  mission,  they  invited  all 
VOL.  VIII.  33* 


18  THE  GENERAL'S  WIDOW. 

to  bring  out  their  blind,  their  maimed,  the  impotent,  the 
dead  ;  and  with  a  word  they  healed  them  all,  instantane- 
ously,  and  called  the  dead  to  life  in  the  presence  of  their 
foes.  And  in  their  appeals  to  the  multitude  they  said. 
We  have  cured  all  your  diseased,  and  raised  your  dead, 
now  believe  us  as  the  accredited  messengers  of  God  :  be- 
lieve in  Christ,  who,  by  miracles  performed  by  his  own 
unborrowed,  underived  power,  has  showm  himself  to  be  the 
Son  of  God,  come  down  to  save  the  lost  w^orld :  believe  in 
our  messages  from  him :  believe  in  these  our  written  testi- 
monies, which  we  now  publicly  deliver  to  you,  and  leave 
in  the  bosom  of  the  church,  to  be  transmitted  to  posterity. 

**And  they  did  so  in  the  very  seat  of  opposition,  even 
in  Jerusalem.  Within  a  few  days  after  the  descent  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  at  pentecost,  there  were  many  thousands  con- 
verted to  the  Christian  faith  in  that  city ;  and  no  mean  men 
were  they :  there  were  among  them  some  of  the  chief 
priests,  some  of  the  chief  men  of  the  nation ;  men  who 
had  been  witnesses  of  all  the  leading  events  in  our  Lord's 
life  and  death  ;  and  even  those  who  had  taken  an  active 
part  in  his  trial,  and  in  putting  him  to  death.  These  being 
converted  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  stood  up  and  publicly 
declared  that  they  had  seen  these  miracles,  and  felt  the 
power  of  them  on  their  own  bodies,  and  on  those  of  others 
before  their  eyes.  To  suppose  that  so  many  of  the  most 
intelligent  persons  in  Jerusalem  and  Judea  should  thus  be 
imposed  upon,  and  induced  to  declare  publicly  that  they 
believed  wdiat  they  knew  to  be  false,  would,  in  fact,  be  the 
supposition  of  a  miracle  greater  in  its  very  nature,  and 
surrounded  with  more  difficulties  than  what  any  infidel, 
even  of  the  most  extraordinary  credulity,  would  care  to 
encounter.  It  is,  in  fact,  an  assertion  by  a  few  men  no 
ways  w^orthy  of  credit,  that  several  thousands  of  people,  the 
most  virtuous  in  Jerusalem,  and  some  of  them  the  foremost 
men  of  the  nation>  had  all,  without  any  accountable  motive, 
suddenly  conspired  to  become  an  army  of  impostors." 

I  paused  to  give  the  Avidow  or  her  sons  time  to  reply ; 
neither  answer  nor  objection  was  offered. 


THE  GENERAL'S  WIDOW.  J 9 

The  discussion  of  the  evidence  drawTi  from  'proiihecy 
was  taken  up,  and  at  her  request  continued  at  intervals,  as 
she  was  able  to  sustain  it.  We  went  over  the  field  of 
prophecy  touching  the  Jews  and  other  ancient  nations,  and 
also  those  which  respect  events  of  a  more  recent  date :  we 
pointed  out  instances  of  fulfilment  in  the  New  Testament 
era,  and  also  those  now  actually  being  fulfilled,  relative  to 
Jews,  and  Mohammed,  and  popish  Antichrist.  See  Home's 
Introd.,  vol.  1,  chap.  4,  sect.  3. 

I  had  observed  more  than  once,  in  my  intercourse  Avith 
this  family,  and  indeed  with  all  other  Deists  whom  I  had 
met,  that  whenever  we  entered  on  cool  and  deliberate  aro-u- 
ment,  on  miracles,  j^t'ojyhecy,  or  historical  evidence,  they 
chose  usually  to  say  little,  or  nothing.  It  occurred  to  me 
that,  with  a  few  exceptions,  infidels  are  led  by  prejudice, 
or  a  vitiated  taste,  or  a  depraved  heart,  to  adopt  their  the- 
ory ;  and,  with  few  exceptions,  they  contrive  to  keep  them- 
selves in  it  by  scoffing  or  ridicule,  and  not  imfrequently  by 
rude  and  boisterous  merriment.  Argument  and  investiga- 
tion seem  out  of  the  question.  They  fulfil,  to  the  letter, 
the  divine  prediction,  "  There  shall  come  in  the  last  davs 
scoffers,  walking  after  their  own  lusts  ;"  there  being  many 
things  which  they  are  "willingly  ignorant  of." 

I  availed  myself  of  an  opportunity  of  drawing  the  atten- 
tion of  the  family  to  this ;  and  I  was  speedily  convinced 
that,  of  all  their  antipathies,  no  one  is  stronger  than  that 
against  the  devoted  "  ministry.'"  This  occupied  our  atten- 
tion, in  a  singular  discussion,  the  most  of  an  afternoon. 

I  asked  a  question  for  information — it  was  this :  whether, 
next  to  the  ''minister,'"  they  did  not  feel  an  imconquerable 
aversion  to  the  peculiar  ordinances  of  the  Gospel,  namely, 
hajjtism  and  the  Lord's  supper  ?  They  seemed  surprised 
at  the  question,  but  frankly  admitted  that  they  did ;  that 
they  not  only  ridiculed  them,  as  they  did  the  priests,  but 
even  detested  them. 

I  replied  that  it  would,  to  me,  have  been  inexplicable, 
if  they  had  not  hated  them  :  and  I  went  on  to  show  them, 
that  this  proceeds  from  a  deep  principle  in  the  corrupt 


20  THE  GENERAL'S  WIDOW. 

heart,  and  is  cherished  by  the  master  spirit  who  opposes 
Christ. 

I  set  out  in  the  discussion,  by  insisting  on  the  distinction 
between  the  true  pastor  and  the  false  pretender,  the  Ro- 
mish priest :  two  beings  as  distinct  as  the  lawful  magis- 
trate, and  the  fell  despot.  And  by  an  appeal  to  reason 
and  history,  and  to  the  character  and  office  of  the  two — 
the  one  being  the  minister  of  Christ,  the  other  the  priest 
of  antichrist — I  succeeded  in  removing  much  of  the  odium, 
and,  thence,  very  much  of  their  prejudice.  The  "minis- 
ter" comes  not  to  lord  it  over  the  conscience ;  not  to  per- 
secute ;  not  to  offer  any  new  sacrifice  "  for  the  quick  and 
the  dead :"  "  Christ,  by  his  one  sacrifice,  has  for  ever  per- 
fected them  that  are  sanctified."  But  he  comes  in  the 
meekness  of  an  unassuming  teacher :  he  relies  on  no  civil 
authority,  no  human  power :  he  comes  with  no  armor  but 
the  armor  of  truth :  he  comes  with  no  traditions  and  ordi- 
nances of  man :  he  appeals  to  the  public  documents  of 
Christianity — **  to  the  law  and  the  testimony."  Out  of 
these,  lying  open  to  every  man's  inspection,  he  reasons, 
and  teaches,  and  urges,  not  as  a  lordly  tyrant,  but  as  the 
humble  and  devout  follower  of  his  divine  Master. 

"  And  the  influence  of  their  moral  exertions  and  religious 
labors  in  a  nation  are  incalculable  in  their  importance. 
There  is  one  nation  set  up  as  a  beacon  on  the  stormy  ocean ; 
I  mean  France,  and  she  has  the  lesson  before  her,  written  in 
blood.  Had  the  Bourbons  not  destroyed  the  reformed  min- 
istry of  France  by  a  long  series  of  persecutions — and  thus 
overthrown  the  spiritual  guides  of  the  people,  and  quenched 
the  lamps  of  truth — never  would  she,  probably,  have  experi- 
enced the  reign  of  atheism  and  terror  in  the  old  revolution. 

"Besides,  my  dear  friends,  the  ministry  exercise  no 
dominion,  no  deceptions  of  '  priestcraft ;'  they  usurp  no 
power  not  given  to  them  from  the  word  of  God  and  the 
voice  of  the  people.  It  is  the  Christian  community  who 
call  out  the  ministry  and  sustain  them.  This  the  infidel 
'is  ivilfully  ignorant  of  P  "  Tlrfs  produced  a  deep  sensa- 
tion on  the  vouno'  men. 


THE  GENERAL'S  WIDOW.  21 

"  Now,  my  friends,  permit  me  to  conduct  you  to  the 
main  point — and  one  which  you,  I  presume,  have  always 
overlooked,"  said  I,  availing  myself  of  Leslie's  four  rules, 
in  his  Short  Method  with  the  Deists. 

"  We  can  demonstrate  the  truth  and  the  facts  of  Christ's 
miracles,  resurrection  from  the  dead,  and  the  gospel  system 
and  history,  just  as  easily  as  you  can,  by  national  monu- 
ments, demonstrate  the  fact  of  our  national  Declaration  of 
1776." 

I  paused.  They  begged  me  to  proceed.  "  Let  me  have 
your  careful  attention,  then,  to  our  four  rules.  1st.  The 
matters  of  fact  commemorated,  must  be  such  that  maris 
senses  can  be  judges  of  them.  2nd.  These  deeds  and  facts 
must  have  been  publicly  done,  in  the  face  of  men.  3d.  Not 
only  must  public  monuments  have  been  set  up,  but  certain 
outward  actions  performed  in  memory  of  these  events.  4th. 
These  monuments  and  outward  actions  must  have  been 
instituted,  and  must  have  commenced,  at  the  time  when  the 
facts  took  place. 

*'Now  apply  these  four  rules  to  the  miracles  of  Moses 
and  his  times,  and  to  the  miracles  of  Jesus  Christ  and  his 
times.  Let  us,  in  order  to  be  brief,  confine  ourselves  to  the 
last,  namely,  the  miracles  of  Christ. 

"  In  accordance  with  the  first  two  rules,  the  miracles  of 
our  Lord  were  palpable  to  men's  senses,  and  publicly  per- 
formed before  men  :  such  as  the  raising  of  Lazarus  from 
the  dead ;  curing  all  manner  of  diseases,  instantly,  by  a 
word  ;  and  finally,  his  own  resurrection  from  the  dead  : 
they  Avere  public,  that  is  to  say,  before  witnesses.  Will  you 
admit  this  ?" 

They  nodded  their  assent  with  an  interest  which  con- 
vinced me  that  I  was  understood.     I  went  on, 

"  Now,  as  the  national  rites  of  the  Jews,  and  also  the 
dedication  of  the  Levites  to  the  office  of  the  priesthood,  were 
the  national  monuments  to  perpetuate  the  knowledge  of 
these  facts ;  even  so  the  gospel  ministry^  and  the  holy 
ordinances  of  the  New  Testament,  are  set  up  as  the  grand 
monuments  to  commemorate  the  Saviour  and  his  works. 


22  THE  GENERAL'S  WIDOW. 

The  same  eyes  and  the  same  ears  that  witnessed  the  mh-a- 
cles  of  our  Lord — and  thousands  witnessed  them — saw 
these  evangelical  monuments  set  up  and  coiTesponding 
actions  enjoined  on  their  faithful  observance.  *'Do  this  in 
remembrance  of  me."  "Go  ye  and  preach  the  Gospel  to 
every  creature,  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father, 
and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost." 

"And  fourth,  these  monuments  were  set  up  at  the  very 
date  of  those  facts  and  miracles.  And,  like  our  own 
national  monuments  of  the  fourth  of  July,  and  our  repub- 
lican magistracy,  they  have  contmued  to  this  day,  in  a 
regular  succession,  in  memory  of  these  facts  and  events. 
And  I  do  aver,  that  it  is  just  as  reasonable  to  assert  that 
an  impostor  could  persuade  twelve  millions  of  people  that 
they  keep  the  fourth  of  July  in  memory  of  what  never  took 
place,  or  could  palm  the  body  of  our  republican  magistrates 
on  the  American  republic,  under  a  charter  which  never 
existed,  as  to  maintain  with  the  Deist,  that  the  Gospel  and 
its  institutions  are  the  inventions  of  priestcraft. 

"  The  Gospel  is  as  much  a  law  to  the  Christian  churches, 
as  the  laws  of  Moses  were  to  the  nation  of  the  Jews.  This 
Gospel  declares,  on  the  face  of  it,  that  these  monuments, 
and  the  public  office  of  the  ministry,  were  appointed  by 
Christ;  and  are  to  continue  in  unbroken  succession  to  the 
end  of  time. 

"Now,  let  us  suppose,  as  the  Deist  does,  that  this  Gos- 
pel is  a  fiction;  and,  of  course,  invented.  If  invented  in 
ancient  times,  and  put  forth  under  the  names  of  the  apos- 
tles, of  course  it  must  have  been  instantly  detected  by  the 
living  apostles  and  their  thousands  of  Christian  converts. 
In  this  era,  then,  they  cannot  date  the  age  of  the  fiction. 
If  a  fiction,  then  it  must  have  been  invented  in  some  period 
or  other  after  Christ,  and  after  the  apostles  had  departed 
this  life.  Now,  mark  it  well :  if  invented  after  them,  then, 
at  the  time  of  the  invention,  there  could  be  no  public  mon- 
uments, no  ministry  of  the  Gospel,  no  baptism,  no  Lord's 
supper,  on  the  part  of  the  Church,  unless — what  would  be 
an  extraordinai-y  supposition — the  cunning  impostor  in  ques- 


THE  GENERAL'S  WIDOW.  23 

tion  did  actually,  by  a  miracle,  invent  and  make  all  these 
public  monuments ;  and  moreover  did  succeed  in  persuad- 
ing  all  the  Christian  nations  and  people  to  believe  that 
they  had  actually  been  observing  public  rites,  and  had  ac- 
tually seen  the  gospel  ministry  publicly  officiating- — when, 
on  the  Deist's  supposition,  they  did  not,  previous  to  that 
moment,  actually  exist ! 

"  On  the  other  hand,  if  the  cunning  impostor  who  in- 
vented the  Gospel,  appeared  before  men  simply  ^vith  the 
Gospel  as  a  luritten  record,  unaccompanied  by  any  monu- 
ments, and  without  the  clergy  as  its  ministers,  to  expound 
and  teach ;  then  that  Gospel  bore  on  the  face  of  it  the  evi- 
dence of  its  own  falsehood.  It  declares  on  its  first  pages, 
that  this  gospel  ministry  and  these  holy  ordinances  did  ex- 
ist, and  were  used  and  celebrated  by  corresponding  actions, 
in  all  times  of  the  Gospel ;  and  yet  these  very  monuments 
mentioned  and  appealed  to  by  this  impostor's  gospel,  were 
never  yet  seen,  and  never  yet  heard  of,  on  the  Deist's  alle- 
gation ! 

"  But  here  are  monumental  actions  and  official  charac- 
ters existing  in  the  successive  generations  from  our  Lord's 
resurrection :  no  man  could  palm  these  on  the  nations  and 
Christian  churches — these  hold  forth  the  Gospel  from 
Christ;  and  their  evidence  is  as  irresistible  and  as  decisive 
in  favor  of  the  facts  and  truths  of  the  Gospel,  to  say  the 
least,  as  the  national  monuments  of  our  fourth  of  July,  and 
our  Declaration  of  Independence,  and  our  body  of  the 
magistracy,  prove,  with  irresistible  demonstration,  that  we 
did  separate  from  England,  and  did  establish  a  republic  in 
1776. 

''  And  hence,  in  conclusion — this  being  the  grand  end 
of  the  monumental  actions,  and  ofices — it  is  just  as  natural 
that  the  great  adversary  of  Christ  and  his  truth  should 
stimulate  into  operation  all  possible  hatred  and  malignity 
against  them,  as  that  he  should  excite  all  possible  opposi- 
tion to  the  divine  evidence  of  his  holy  word.  If  the  chil- 
•dren  of  infidelity  and  darkness  did  not  persecute  the  '  jyriest- 
hoocL'  and  hate  the  sncred  ordinances  of  the  Gospel,  then 


24  THE  GENERAL'S  WIDOW. 

could  the  adversar}^  view  unmoved,  and  without  opposition, 
all  the  grand  and  palpable  evidence  of  God's  Gospel  by 
these  monuments.  In  one  word,  in  proportion  as  Satan 
and  his  emissaries  pursue,  with  unrelenting  malignity,  the 
ministry  and  the  ordinances  of  Christ,  so  do  they  indicate 
their  perception  and  deep  conviction  that  their  existence  is 
an  irrefragable  evidence  of  the  truth  of  the  miracles  and 
facts  on  which  the  glorious  Gospel  is  immovably  based !" 

The  attention  of  the  young  gentlemen  was  excited  by 
this  to  the  highest  degree.  It  was  evident  that  they  never 
had  seriously  examined  into  the  nature,  uses,  or  ends  of 
these  evangelical  monuments.  And  as  they  expressed  some 
anxiety  to  pursue  this  argument  at  length  by  themselves,  I 
put  into  their  hands  the  original  of  Leslie's  Short  Way 
WITH  THE  Deists. 

The  next  week,  when  I  renewed  my  visit,  my  good 
friend,  who  had  been  with  me  at  the  last  discussion,  whis- 
pered in  my  ear,  as  we  approached  the  sick  chamber, 
"  Sir,  you  must  shoot  lower  !''' 

I  had  not  a  moment  to  reflect  on  this  hint,  nor  did  I 
conceive,  at  the  moment,  his  meaning;  in  an  instant  we 
were  by  the  death-bed  of  the  general's  widow. 

I  found  that  she  had  been  studying  the  New  Testa- 
ment, at  last ;  the  Holy  Bible  lay  open,  on  a  small  round 
table  by  her  bedside  ;  it  was  open  at  the  seventeenth 
chapter  of  John.  She  had  been  weeping  over  it :  several 
tear-drops  still  moistened  the  sacred  leaves.  Yet,  in  the 
course  of  conversation  with  her  on  the  state  of  her  mind,  I 
could  discover  that  we  had  only  shaken  her  confidence — in 
no  small  degree,  it  is  true,  in  that  deceitful  system  in  which 
she  had  been  seeking  repose.  This  was  indeed  much,  but, 
alas,  there  was  the  same  cold  and  deathlike  aversion  of  the 
soul  to  Christ,  and,  I  feared,  an  utter  repugnance  to  his 
precious  doctrines,  and  an  obstinate  aversion  to  the  yielding 
up  of  her  soul  in  submission  to  him. 

These  six  weeks  we  had  been  laboring ;  and  yet  little 
progress,  apparently,  had  been  made.  The  words  of  the 
elder  now  occurred  to  me  :   "  /  must  shoot  lower.'''     Hith- 


THE  GENERAL'S  WIDOW.  25 

erto  I  had  been  exhibiting  the  outworks  of  the  Holy  Bible : 
now  for  its  precious  hidden  treasures,  its  peculiar  doctrines, 
the  doctrines  of  the  cross ;  now  we  come  to  close  quar- 
ters ;  and  may  the  Holy  Spirit  direct  us.     Amen. 

At  this  and  my  next  interview  I  drew  her  attention  to 
the  nature  of  sin,  viewed  in  the  holy  hght  of  God's  spotless 
purity  and  impartial  justice.  I  dwelt  on  its  terrible  influ- 
ence on  the  soul  and  the  heart ;  its  bitter  fruits  ;  its  terrible 
guilt,  as  committed  against  the  Holy  One.  I  endeavored 
to  bring  before  her  mind  its  appalling  evils,  entailed  on  man 
in  this  world ;  its  inconceivable  terrors  on  a  dying  bed ;  its 
fearful  retribution  in  the  world  to  come.  Behold  the  dis- 
plays of  God's  holy  indignation  against  sin ;  behold  his  an- 
ger against  it,  in  all  the  evils  w^hich  infest  our  world — wars, 
famine,  pestilence,  death  in  every  appalling  form  :  it  has 
turned  the  world  into  a  Golgotha,  and  it  has  formed  the 
bottomless  pit !  0,  who  can  conceive,  who  describe  the 
evil  of  sin — "  the  abominable  thing  which  God  hates !" 
And  opening  the  Bible,  I  repeated  certain  texts  with  the 
solemnity  befitting  the  subject.  "  God  i&  jealous,  and  the 
Lord  revengeth :  the  Lord  revengeth,  and  is  furious :  the 
Lord  will  take  vengeance  on  his  adversaries,  and  he  reserv- 
eth  wrath  for  his  enemies :  he  is  slow  to  ano^er,  and  of 
great  power,  and  will  not  at  all  acquit  the  ivicked.'" 
"  Upon  the  wicked  God  will  rain  snares,  fire  and  brimstone, 
and  a  horrible  tempest :  this  shall  be  the  portion  of  their 
cup."  **  They  shall  be  punished  with  everlasting  destruc- 
tion from  the  presence  of  the  Lord  and  the  glory  of  his 
power — when  he  shall  come  to  be  glorified,"  etc.  etc. 
"I  will  gather  you  into  the  midst  of  the  furnace,  and  I  will 
blow  on  you  in  the  fury  of  my  wrath,  and  I  will  leave  you 
there,  and  melt  you."  Ezek.  22  :  18-22.  O  then,  "can 
thine  heart  endure,  can  thy  hands  be  strong  in  the  day  that 
I  shall  deal  with  thee  ?  I  the  Lord  have  spoken  it,  and  I 
will  do  it."  0  wretched  condition  of  the  sinner  !  God  is 
angry  with  him  every  day ;  he  hardeneth  his  heart  against 
his  Maker:  "he  makes  his  brow  as  brass,  and  his  neck  a 
sinew  of  iron  !"  "  He  hideth  himself  in  his  false  refuges; 
VOL.  VIII.  34 


26  THE  GENERAL'S  WIDOW. 

lie  flatters  himself  in  his  extravagant  delusions  :  he  saith  in 
his  heart,  there  is  no  God ;  there  is  no  justice  ;  there  is  no 
punishment !  He  wars  against  conscience,  and  reason,  and 
God  ;  until  the  hatefulness  of  his  iniquity  is  found  out." 
"A  tempest  stealeth  him  away  in  the  night." 

These  alarming  passages  of  God's  word,  and  this  appeal 
sti-uck  deep  into  her  conscience :  she  had  wept  incessantly 
on  her  sister's  bosom  from  the  time  that  we  had  entered  on 
this  subject ;  noAv  her  whole  soul  seemed  to  be  bowed  down 
under  the  rod  of  God ;  and  often  she  moaned  out,  "  0  my 
God,  is  there  no  hope?     God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner!" 

These  touching  exclamations  led  me  instantly  to  the 
exhibition  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  his  atonement.  I 
drew  her  attention  to  the  necessity  of  the  atonement : 
"Without  shedding  of  blood  there  is  no  remission."  To  its 
reality.  Having  the  true  and  spotless  matter  of  a  sacrifice, 
a  holy  human  nature,  he  offered  up  his  one  sacrifice,  and 
once  for  all.  "  He  was  wounded  for  our  transgressions  ;  he 
was  bruised  for  our  iniquities ;  the  chastisement  of  our  peace 
was  upon  him,  and  by  his  stripes  are  we  healed."  "He 
hath  made  him  to  be  '  a  sin  oft'ering'  for  us,  who  knew  no 
sin,  that  we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in 
him."  And,  finally,  its  perfection.  "The  Lord  is  well 
pleased  for  his  righteousness'  sake :  he  will  magnify  the 
law,  and  make  it  honorable."  And  now,  "behold  the 
Lamb  of  God,  who  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the  world." 

"  0  my  God,  I  wish "     She  paused  a  long  time. 

"I  wish  I  had  known  these  things  years  ago.  But  now — 
0,  they  are  hid  from  mine  eyes.  I  sinned  against  con- 
science and  early  instruction — I  have  sinned  against  the 
strivings  of  the  Spirit.  0  how  wickedly  I  strove  against 
him,  and  resisted  him  !  Now  he  has  given  me  up — and 
there  is  no  hope!  I  would  not  hioiv  these  things  because  I 
disbelieved  the  Bible." 

I  now  hastened  to  lay  the  gospel  call  before  her  wound- 
ed and  broken  heart;  while  I  implored  of  God  wisdom  and 
spiritual  skill  to  guide  her,  and  woo  her  heart  to  Christ. 
The  call  of  the  Gospel  I  set  before  her,  taking  care  that 


THE  GENERAL'S  WIDOW.  27 

she  should  not  lose  sight  of  the  fearful  and  just  denuncia- 
tions of  the  pure  law  of  God.  From  the  top  of  Sinai  I  bade 
her  hear  the  law  :  "  Cursed  is  every  one  that  continueth 
not  in  all  thifigs  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them." 
I  pressed  it  on  her  conscience,  while  I  implored  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  that  she  might  be  "so  kept  under  the  law,''  as 
to  feel  her  utter  helplessness  from  the  deeds  of  the  law ; 
and  that  she  might  "  he  shut  tip  to  the  faith,''  hedged  in 
on  every  side,  that  being  no  longer  left  to  go  after  false 
refuges,  and  self-dependence,  and  legal  hopes,  she  might 
be  **  shut  up"  to  the  one  new  and  living  way,  "  the  faith  of 
Christ,"  the  simple  rehance  on  him  alone. 

I  made  a  long  pause,  for  my  emotions  had  overpowered 
me.  I  felt  as  if  choked.  I  could  not  find  utterance  for 
some  moments.  I  thought  of  the  misery  of  the  sinner,  and 
her  guilt.  I  thought  of  the  infinite  purity  of  divine  jus- 
tice, with  which  all  sinners  do  most  awfully  trifle  ;  I 
thought  of  the  horrors  of  perdition,  and  the  worm  that 
never  dieth.  I  thought  of  this  most  gracious  provision  of 
God's  grace  by  the  mediation  of  his  Son.  0  what  misery ! 
0  what  a  remedy !  0  blinded  and  most  wilful  sinners — 
they  will  not  come  unto  him,  that  they  may  be  saved !  O 
deplorable  condition  of  this  interesting  woman ;  so  near  the 
grave,  and  apparently,  so  ill  prepared !  And  in  a  mental 
agony  I  wrestled  with  God  for  her  immortal  soul.  "0 
Holy  Spirit,  come,  break,  subdue,  breathe  life  into  the  dry 
bones  :  breathe  on  her  soul,  and  she  shall  live  !" 

At  this  moment  the  elder  drew  near ;  and  taking  her 
by  the  hand,  said,  " '  Turn  thee,  turn  thee,  why  wilt  thou 
die  ?  As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord,  I  have  no  pleasure  in  the 
death  of  the  wicked ;  wherefore,  return  ye,  and  live.' 
Does  not  God  even  stoop  to  expostulate  with  thee  ?  hear 
his  voice.  'Come  now,  and  let  us  reason  together,  saith 
the  Lord  :  though  your  sins  be  ds  scarlet,  they  shall  be 
white  as  snow:  though  they  be  red  like  crimson,  they 
shall  be  as  wool.'  Yes,  dear  lady,  thine  iniquities  are 
great — thy  transgressions  are  infinite  !  I  lay  no  flattering 
unction  to  thy  troubled  conscience,  but,  glory  be  to  his 


28  THE  GENERAL'S  WIDOW. 

grace,  his  mercy  is  equal  to  all  thy  misery ;  his  grace  to 
thy  boundless  wants.  '  Christ  is  able  to  save  unto  the 
uttermost  all  that  come  unto  God  by  him.' " 

The  "widow  sobbed  aloud  ;  and  I  could  hear  her  utter 
in  a  suppressed  moan,  *'  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner  ! 
what  shall  I  do — what  must  I  do,  to  be  saved  ?  I  believe 
the  Bible  to  be  from  God.  Can  it  lead  me  to  a  cure  for  a 
broken  heart  ?     Is  it  Jesus  Christ  ?" 

''What  avails  it,"  continued  the  elder,  not  hearing 
what  she  said,  "  that  thou  shouldest  reject  the  Holy  Bible, 
and  urge  all  the  strength  of  infidel  objections  against  the 
revelation  of  Christ  ?  thine  immortal  soul  is  quivering  like 
a  sere  leaf  on  the  autumnal  bough,  ready  to  drop  into  hell. 
0  tell  me  wherewith  thou  shalt  come  before  thy  Lord,  or 
bow  thyself  before  God  ?  Can  the  most  costly  offerings 
be  accepted  by  thy  Judge?  How  canst  thou  be  justified 
before  Him  who  is  of  purer  eyes  than  to  look  upon  iniquity ; 
w^ho  cannot  behold  it  without  abhorrence  ?  Can  the  Judge 
declare  that  there  is  no  sin,  where  thy  conscience  itself 
crieth  out  under  the  load  of  thy  guilt  ?  Can  he  who  has 
declared  that  he  will  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty,  even 
now  acquit  thee  without  an  adequate  reparation  to  law  and 
justice?  0  may  God  be  merciful  to  thee  a  sinner!  Deists 
may  prate,  and  the  profane  may  scoff ;  but  there  is  a  God — 
there  is  impartial  justice — there  is  a  tremendous  bar  of 
judgment !  And  there  is  a  sentence  under  which  the  bold- 
est and  stoutest-hearted  blasphemer  shall  quail,  as  the 
fiercest  demon  in  eternal  darkness  has  quailed  !  But  0, 
there  is  hope  for  thee.  Cast  away  all  thy  transgressions ; 
there  is  justification  for  the  chief  of  sinners." 

"  0  how  ?"  cried  she  in  a  transport ;  "where,  dear  pas- 
tor ;  by  what  means  ;  by  whom  ?  0  that  I  knew  Him,  I 
would  come  even  to  his  feet." 

The  elder's  manner  was  severe,  but  his  heart  was  all 
kindness  :  the  evidence  of  this  was  manifest,  for  he  was 
sheddinof  tears  Avhile  he  was  utterinsf  these  searchinfj  words. 
And  then  allowance  must  be  made  for  him :  he  was  the 
neighbor  of  the  general  and  the  widow's  family,  and  he  had 


THE  GENERALS  WIDOW.  29 

long  been  witness  of  the  \iriilence  and  malignity  with  which 
the  Holy  Bible  and  the  Christian  religion  had  been  treated 
in  this  family ;  and  he  thought  no  convictions  too  deep,  no 
remorse  too  pungent,  no  repentance  tliorough  enough,  in 
such  a  penitent. 

She  laid  her  hand  gently  on  mine,  and  in  deep  distress 
repeated,  "  Tell  me,  0  tell  me  how%  where,  by  ivhom  I  can 
be  justified  from  this  overwhelming  guilt  of  my  soul." 

I  hastened  to  explain  the  nature  of  saving  faith  and 
evangelical  repentance.  I  dwelt  at  some  length  on  the 
nature  and  manner  of  justification  before  God,  by  faith  in 
the  atoning  blood  of  Christ.  I  implored  her,  in  the  name 
of  the  Most  High,  to  cast  herself  on  the  grace  and  mercy 
of  God  in  Christ.  "  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  t«hou  shalt  be  saved."  The  gospel  offer  is  clear,  full, 
explicit ;  so  also  is  the  call  of  mercy :  "  Come  imto  me, 
all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you 
rest." 

"  Stop,"  said  she,  with  a  look  of  mingled  emotion — 
"repeat  that  again." 

"  Come  unto  me  " —  "  Whom  ?"  cried  she  ;  "  what  7ne  ? 
who  speaks  this  to  me  ?" 

*'  Christ  the  Lamb,  the  dear  'Lamb  of  God,  who  taketh 
away  the  sins  of  the  world.'  '  He  bore  our  sins  in  his  own 
body  on  the  tree,'  that  such  sinners  as  you  and  I  may  be 
saved,  and  never  come  into  the  second  death.  He  says 
this  ;  and  his  saying  is  a  command.     Come,  then,  unto  him  : 

0  seek  his  Holy  Spirit,  to  illumine  thee  and  renew  thee. 
Here  is  the  promise." 

"What  promise?"  cried  she,  eagerly. 
"  I  will  sprinkle  clean  water  upon  you,  and  ye  shall  be 
clean  :  from  all  your  filthiness,  and  from  all  your  idols,  will 

1  cleanse  you.  A  new  heart,  also,  will  I  give  you,  and  a 
new  spirit  will  I  put  within  you ;  and  I  will  take  away  the 
stony  heart  out  of  your  flesh,  and  I  will  give  you  a  heart 
of  flesh."     Ezek.  36  :  25-27. 

*'  0  may  I  venture  ?"  said  she,  in  a  low  moan.    "  Hear," 
Baid  I,  "  out  of  his  own  w^ord,  the  authority  binding  you, 
VOL.  yiii.  34=^ 


30  THE  GENERAL'S  WIDOW. 

and  the  reason  why  you  should  venture  instantly.  *  Ho, 
every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters,  and  he 
that  hath  no  money ;  come  ye,  buy  and  eat ;  yea,  come, 
buy  wine  and  milk  without  money  and  without  price.  In- 
cline your  ear,  and  come  unto  me  ;  hear,  and  your  soul  shall 
live ;  and  I  will  make  an  everlasting  covenant  with  you, 
even  the  sure  mercies  of  David.'  'Ask,  and  it  shall  be 
given  you ;  seek,  and  ye  shall  find ;  knock,  and  it  shall  be 
opened  unto  you.'  *  The  Spirit  and  the  bride  say.  Come  ; 
and  let  him  that  heareth  say.  Come ;  and  let  him  that  is 
athirst  come ;  and  whosoever  will,  let  him  come  and  take 
the  water  of  life  freely.'  " 

"  O,  my  God,  and  are  such  promises,  are  such  offers 
made  to  such  as  me?^^ 

"  O  yes,  to  thee  and  the  chief  of  sinners :  free  is  the 
gospel  offer;  perfect  is  the  atonement;  all-sufficient  the 
blessed  Saviour :  and  you  have,  as  your  warrant  to  come, 
God's  own  call.  0  come  unto  him :  accept  him  :  add  not 
the  sin  of  fresh  rebellion  to  all  thy  other  sins.  Believe  in 
him  noiv,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved." 

Her  face  was  bathed  in  tears :  she  covered  her  head, 
and  turned  herself  round  into  the  arms  of  her  sister,  who 
had  been  all  this  time  supporting  her  on  the  bed.  A  long 
and  deep  silence  occurred,  interrupted  only  by  her  Ioav 
moanings  and  sobbings  of  pain  and  agon3^  The  children 
hastened  into  her  bedroom,  as  if  anticipating  her  dissolution. 

Her  son  I leaned  on  a  sofa  opposite  her  bed,  with  his 

eyes  fixed  with  intense  interest  oh  us. 

The  elder  had  bent  his  head  down  on  his  knees,  and 
was  wrestling  for  her  soul  in  secret  prayer ;  and  my  spirit, 
in  indescribable  emotions,  with  some  faint  beamings  of  joy, 
Avas  imploring  the  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  "  Come, 
O  breath  of  the  Lord,  and  breathe  on  this  crushed  and  bro- 
ken spirit.  O  leave  her  not ;  let  her  not  return  again  to 
folly.  Deliver  her,  0  gracious  Saviour:  bring  her  up  out 
of  the  deep  waters.  Set  her  feet  upon  a  rock — the  Rock  of 
ages :  put  the  new  song  into  her  lips.  Holy  Father,  hear 
her,  0  hear  her  in  these  secret  wrestlins^s  and  ao^onies  of 


THE  GENERAL'S  WIDOW. 


31 


her  soul ;  and  let  it  be  seen  that  she  is  a  vessel  of  mercy 
for  the  Master's  glory.     Amen." 

The  silence  was  long  and  distressing,  still  interrupted 
by  heavy  moans  and  sighs.  Meantime  her  sister,  a  mother 
in  Israel  and  a  ripe  Christian,  was  whispering  instructions 
and  consolations  into  her  ear. 

We  rose  to  depart ;  we  were  unwilling  to  interrupt  these 
emotions ;  and  we  hoped  that  these  were  the  labors  and 
travails  of  the  new  birth.  She  pressed  my  hand,  and  re- 
tained the  hold  of  it  for  several  minutes,  without  turning 
round  or  uncovering  her  head. 

'*  My  dear  madam,  farewell :  may  God  bless  you.  You 
are  on  the  borders  of  Jordan,  for  you  are  fast  fading  awaj^ ; 
and  now  we  take  our  leave.  I  may  never  see  you  in  the 
land  of  the  living  any  more  :  pray,  what  are  now  your  hopes 
and  prospects  in  the  solemn  view  of  eternity  ?" 

I  shall  never  forget  the  scene  that  followed.  She  turned 
herself  slowly  round,  raised  her  hands,  and  clasping  them, 
said,  in  the  most  solemn  tone,  "  0,  my  Redeemer,  I  take 
thee — I  take  thee  as  my  Saviour — now,  wholly,  only,  and 
for  ever."  She  paused;  then  added,  "I  have  found  thee, 
0  my  Redeemer.  Long,  long  have  I  wandered  from  thee, 
my  Shepherd ;  thou  hast  sought  me,  even  me,  in  these 
dreadful  wanderings.  On  thy  bosom  didst  thou  lay  me, 
and  bring  me  back.  Dear  Saviour,  in  thy  righteousness 
alone  have  I  hope  and  strength.  Rich  is  the  grace  that 
saved  a  wretch  like  me." 

She  spoke  this  in  a  low  whisper,  yet  with  great  anima- 
tion ;  and  sunk  back  on  her  pillow,  and  gave  way  to  a  flood 
of  tears. 

The  elder  looked  first  at  her,  then  at  me,  and  then  round 
the  circle  of  the  children  ;  and  in  an  ecstasy  of  joy,  clasping 
his  hands,  and  sinking  down  on  his  knees,  he  cried,  "  Then, 
dear  pastor,  let  us  give  solemn  thanks :  the  wanderer  that 
was  long  lost,  is  found  ;  and  she  that  was  dead,  is  now 
alive." 

We  all  kneeled  down  by  her  bedside,  and  offered  thanks 
and  praises  to  the  Hearer  of  prayer,  who  had  in  his  rich 


32  THE  GENERAL'S  WIDOW. 

grace,  sought  out  and  brought  back  the  lost  sheep  from  the 
places  whither  she  had  Avandered  in  the  cloudy  and  dark 
day.  And  we  parted  from  her,  "glorifying  God  in  her 
behalf;"  and  rejoicing  at  the  consolations  of  the  Spirit 
which  were  abounding  in  her. 

I  saw  her  only  twice  after  this  happy  issue  of  her  sor- 
rows :  she  continued  to  rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God. 
She  seemed  to  be  steadily  engaged  in  meditation  and  secret 
devotion ;  often  repeating,  with  unusual  satisfaction,  these 
gracious  words  of  Christ  which  had  brought  her  comfort : 
*'  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labor ;"  and  delighting  much 
in  the  daily  reading  of  the  Holy  Bible.  And  her  pious 
sister,  who  was  by  her  night  and  day,  told  me  that  she  died 
with  the  calmness,  resignation,  and  mild  joy  of  a  Christian  ; 
breathing  out  her  soul  into  the  bosom  of  the  Redeemer  ; 
uttering,  in  a  low  whisper,  "  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  part- 
ing spirit :  thou  hast  redeemed  me,  Lord  God  of  truth." 

On  the  third  day  her  funeral  took  place.  And  at  the 
suggestion  of  my  friend  the  elder,  I  gave  a  detailed  account 
of  the  form  of  instruction  which  we  had  pursued  in  our  first 
ten  visits  previous  to  her  conversion.  And  the  most  of  the 
inhabitants  of  that  vicinity  are  alive  this  day,  who  heard 
the  detail  with  emotions  and  tears  of  joy.  For  the  church 
rejoiced  in  the  grace  and  mercy  of  her  Lord,  who  had  given 
this  signal  triumph  of  his  truth  over  the  fell  enemy  that  had 
sent  desolation  and  woe,  in  former  days,  into  this  family. 


IVo.  288. 

FOUR  REASONS 


AGAINST    THE 


USE  OE  ALCOHOLIC  LIClUOPtS, 


BY    JOHN    GRIDLEY,   M.  D. 

In  presenting  this  subject,  it  shall  be  my  aim  to  state 
and  illustrate  such  facts  and  principles  as  shall  induce  every 
man,  woman,  and  child,  capable  of  contemplating  truth  and 
appreciating  motive,  to  exert  the  whole  weight  of  their  in- 
fluence in  favor  of  the  ''  Temperance  Reform."  There 
are  Four  Reasons  which  claim  special  attention. 

The  FIRST  reason  we  Avould  urge,  why  the  use  of  alco- 
holic liquors  should  be  altogether  dispensed  with,  is  their 
immense  cost  to  the  consumers.  It  is  estimated  from  data 
as  unerring  as  custom-house  books,  and  the  declarations  of 
the  manufacturers  of  domestic  distilled  spirit,  that  previous 
to  1826,  60,000,000  gallons  of  ardent  spirit  were  annually 
consumed  in  these  United  States  ;  the  average  cost  of 
which  is  moderately  stated  at  fifty  cents  per  gallon,  and  in 
the  aggregate  thirty  millions  of  dollars. 

Thirty  millions  of  dollars  annually  !  A  sum  which,  if 
spread  out  in  one  dollar  bank-notes,  end  to  end,  would 
reach  across  the  Atlantic.  Or,  if  in  silver  dollars  piled  one 
upon  the  other,  would  form  a  column  nearly  thirty  miles 
high ;  and  which  it  would  occupy  a  man  twelve  hours  in 
each  day,  for  almost  two  years,  to  enumerate,  allowing  him 
to  count  one  every  second.  Or  to  suppose  a  useful  appli- 
cation of  this  fund,  it  would  support  annually  from  two  to 
three  hundred  thousand  young  men  in  preparing  for  the  Gos- 
pel ministry.  In  three  years  it  is  a  smn  more  than  equal  to 
the  supply  of  a  Bible  to  every  family  on  the  habitable  globe. 


2  FOUR  REASONS  AGAINST 

One-half  the  amount  would  defray  all  the  ordmary  expenses 
incident  to  the  carrying  on  of  our  nation's  governmental 
operations  every  year.  Thus  I  might  multiply  object  upon 
object,  which  this  vast  sum  is  adequate  to  accomplish,  and 
carry  the  mind  from  comparison  to  comparison  in  estimat- 
ing its  immense  amount ;  still  the  cost,  thus  considered  as 
involving  the  iKcuniary  resources  of  the  country,  is  a  mere 
item  of  the  aggregate,  when  the  loss  of  time,  waste  of  provi- 
dential bounty,  neglect  of  business,  etc.,  incident  to  the 
consumption  of  this  one  article,  are  thrown  into  the  account. 
A  SECOND  REASON  why  its  use  should  be  condemned  is, 
the  entire  inadequacy  of  any  jiroperty  it  2^ossesses  to  imixirt 
the  least  benefit,  either  nutrient,  or  in  any  other  way  sub- 
stantially to  the  consumer,  to  say  nothing  just  now  of  its 
never-failing  injurious  effects.  Alcohol  consists  chemically 
in  a  state  of  purity  of  carbon,  oxygen,  and  hydrogen ;  in 
the  proportions  of  carbon  about  52  parts,  oxygen  34,  and 
hvdroG^en  14  to  the  100.  The  addition  of  water  forms  the 
various  proof  spirits.  It  can  be  generated  in  no  way  but 
hj  fermentation :  no  skill  of  art  has  yet  been  able  to  com- 
bine the  above  elements  in  such  proportions,  or  relations,  as 
to  produce  alcohol,  except  by  heat  and  moisture  inciting 
fermentation  in  vegetable  substances.  But  it  should  be 
understood,  that  vegetables  may  undergo  a  certain  degree 
of  fermentation  without  producing  alcohol ;  or,  if  suffered 
to  produce  it,  another  stage  of  fermentation  will  radically 
destroy  it,  and  produce  an  acid.  Thus,  any  of  the  vege- 
table substances,  as  corn  or  rye,  subjected  to  a  certain  de- 
gree of  heat  and  moisture,  will  soon  suffer  a  decomposition, 
and  a  development  of  sugar,  to  a  greater  or  less  degree, 
will  take  place.  If  removed  now  from  circumstances  favor- 
able to  its  farther  fermentation,  as  is  the  case  with  dough 
for  bread,  etc.,  no  appreciable  quantity  of  alcohol  is  created. 
A  further  degree  of  fermentation,  however,  is  generative  of 
alcohol,  and  if  arrested  here,  the  alcohol  maintains  its  de- 
cided character ;  while  still  another  stage  presents  the  ace- 
tous state,  and  the  alcoholic  property  is  lost  in  vinegar.    As 


THE  USE  OF  ALCOHOLIC  LIQUORS .  3 

in  our  opinion,  success  to  the  temperance  cause  depends  much 
UDon  a  rio-ht  understandins^  of  ivhat  alcohol  is,  and  the  man- 
ner  of  its  production,  a  more  simple  illustration  may  not  be 
hiappropriate  here. 

A  farmer  takes  a  quantity  of  apples  to  the  mill  in  order 
to  convert  them  into  cider.  He  grinds,  then  lays  them  up 
into  a  cheese,  when  pressure  is  applied,  and  the  juice  runs 
into  a  vat  placed  to  receive  it.  Here,  at  this  stage  of  the 
business,  there  is  no  alcohol  in  the  juice.  It  is  now  put  into 
casks,  and  the  sweet  or  sugar  stage  of  fermentation,  which 
is  already  begun,  soon  passes  into  the  vinous  or  alcoholic 
stage,  as  it  is  called,  and  alcohol  is  formed.  The  prudent 
farmer,  at  this  point,  when  the  juice  is  done  worJcing,  or 
fermenting,  immediately  bungs  his  casks,  and  does  such 
other  things  as  his  skill  and  experience  may  suggest,  to 
prevent  his  cider  becoming  sour,  which  it  will  do  if  the  third 
stage  of  fermentation  is  permitted  to  succeed.  Here,  then, 
he  has  perfect  alcohol,  though  in  small  proportions  ;  as  per- 
fect as  it  is  in  brandy,  gin,  rum,  and  whiskey.  The  same 
results  ensue  from  subjecting  corn,  rye,  barley,  etc.,  to  such 
processes  as  is  customary  to  prepare  them  for  distillation, 
namely,  to  such  a  degree  of  fermentation  as  that  alcohol  is 
formed.  And  when  the  alcohol  is  formed  by  fermentation, 
then  it  is  drawn  off,  by  distilling,  from  its  union  with  the 
other  materials  in  the  fermented  mass.  Alcohol,  then,  is 
strictly  the  product  of  fermentation.  It  is  not,  and  cannot 
be  produced  in  any  other  way.  To  distil,  therefore,  is  only 
to  lead  it  off  from  its  union  with  the  vegetable  mass,  and 
show  it  naked  with  all  its  virulence. 

Having  considered  the  manner  in  which  alcohol  is 
formed,  let  us  examine  some  of  its  properties.  It  contains 
nothing  that  can  afford  any  nourishment  to  the  body,  and 
consequently  it  can  impart  no  strength.  When  taken  in 
certain  quantities,  diluted  with  water,  as  it  must  be  for 
common  use,  its  effect  is,  to  arouse  the  energies  of  the  sys- 
tem, and  for  a  while  the  individual  feels  stronger ;  but  this 
excitement  is  always  followed. by  depression  and  loss  of 


4  FOUR  REASONS  AGAINST 

animal  and  mental  vigor.  Thus  it  is  a  mere  provocative  to 
momentary  personal  effort,  without  affording  any  resources 
to  direct  or  execute.  Hence  the  fallacy  of  that  doctrine 
held  by  some,  that  to  accomplish  deeds  of  daring,  feats  of 
muscular  strength,  etc.,  with  success,  demands  the  drinking 
of  spirituous  liquors.  Were  I  about  to  storm  an  enemy's 
battery,  with  no  alternative  before  me  but  victory  or  death, 
I  might,  principle  aside,  infuriate  my  men  with  the  madden- 
ing influence  of  ardent  spirit,  and  let  them  loose  upon  the 
charge,  as  I  would  a  wounded  elephant,  or  an  enraged 
tiger.  But  in  attaining  an  object  to  which  the  combined 
energies  of  mind  and  body  were  requisite,  I  should  never 
think  of  the  appropriateness  of  spirituous  liquor  to  aid  the 
effort. 

But  an  objector  says,  "  I  certainly  feel  stronger  upon 
drinking  a  glass  of  spirit  and  water,  and  can  do  more  work 
than  I  can  without  it.  I  can  swing  a  scythe  with  more 
nerve,  or  pitch  a  load  of  hay  in  less  time ;  and  feel  a  general 
invigoration  of  my  body  during  the  heat  of  a  summer's  day, 
after  having  drank  a  quantity  of  grog.  How  is  this  ?"  We 
reply,  doubtless  you  feel  for  the  moment  all  that  you  de- 
scribe ;  but  your  feeling  strength  thus  suddenly  excited,  is 
far  from  being  proof  that  you  are  really  any  stronger.  The 
opposite  is  the  fact ;  which  we  infer  from  the  inadequacy 
of  any  substance,  be  it  ever  so  nutritious,  to  impart  strength 
so  suddenly,  as  it  would  seem  ardent  spirit  did  when  drank; 
for  there  has  not  been  sufficient  time  for  digestion,  through 
which  process  only  can  any  substantial  nourishment  be  de- 
rived to  the  body.  The  apparent  strength  which  an  indi- 
vidual feels  upon  drinking  ardent  spirit,  is  the  same  in  kind, 
though  not  in  degree,  Avith  that  which  a  man  feels  who  has 
lain  sick  with  a  fever  fifteen  or  twenty  days,  during  which 
time  he  has  taken  little  food,  and  been  subjected  to  the 
weakening  influence  of  medicines ;  but  who  on  a  sudden 
manifests  great  strength,  striving  to  rise  from  his  bed,  etc., 
and  in  his  delirious  efforts  must  be  restrained  perhaps  by 
force.     Now  no  man  in  his  senses  will  call  this  any  real 


THE  USE  OF  ALCOHOLIC  LiaUORS.  5 

increase  of  strength  in  the  sick  man,  who  has  been  starving 
thus  long ;  but  only  a  rallying  of  the  poAvers  of  life  under 
the  stimulus  of  disease,  Avhich  is  always  followed  by  extreme 
languor  and  debility,  if  not  by  death.  So  it  is  with  the  in- 
dividual under  the  influence  of  ardent  spirit :  he  feels  the 
powers  of  his  body  excited  from  the  stimulus  of  the  spirit ; 
yet,  as  we  think  must  be  clear  to  the  apprehension  of  any 
one,  without  any  addition  of  actual  strength. 

Again,  alcohol  is  not  only  innutritions,  but  is  jyoisonoui^. 
Taken  into  the  stomach  in  an  undiluted  and  concentrated 
state,  in  quantities  of  two  or  three  teaspoonfulls,  it  destroys 
life,  as  clearly  shown  in  Accum's  experiments.  Combined 
with  different  proportions  of  water,  sugar,  etc.,  it  is  modi- 
fied in  its  effects.  Most  of  the  vegetable  and  mineral 
poisons  may  be  so  diluted  and  modified  as  to  be  capable 
of  application  to  the  bodies  of  men  internally,  without  pro- 
ducing immediate  fatal  consequences ;  which,  nevertheless, 
cannot  be  used  any  length  of  time,  even  thus  disarmed, 
without  producing  pernicious  effects.  So  it  is  with  alcohol : 
like  other  poisons,  it  cannot  be  used  any  length  of  time, 
even  diluted  and  modified,  without  proving  pernicious  to 
health,  and  if  persevered  in,  in  considerable  quantities,  in- 
evitably destructive  to  life.  This  last  sentiment,  however, 
we  will  consider  more  particularly  under  the 

Third  reason  for  the  disuse  of  alcohol :  It  destroys 
both  body  and  soul.  It  is  estimated  that  thirty  or  forty 
thousand  died  annually  in  the  United  States  from  the  intem- 
perate use  of  ardent  spirit  before  the  Temperance  reforma- 
tion began.  Thirty  or  forty  thousand  !  a  sacrifice  seldom 
matched  by  war  or  pestilence.  The  blood  which  flowed 
from  the  veins  of  our  martyred  countrymen,  in  the  cause 
of  freedom,  never  reached  this  annual  sacrifice.  And  the 
pestilential  cholera,  ruthless  as  it  is,  which  has  marked  its 
desolating  track  through  many  of  our  towns  and  cities, 
numbers  not  an  amount  of  victims  like  this  plague,  much 
as  its  virulence  has  been  enhanced  by  ardent  spirit.  The 
destructive    influence    of    immoderate    drinking    upon    the 

VOL.   VIII.  'io 


6  FOUR  REASONS  AGAINST 

bodily  powers  of  men,  is  painfully  apparent,  sometimes  long 
before  the  fatal  catastrophe.  The  face,  the  speech,  the 
eyes,  the  walk,  the  sleep,  the  breath,  all  proclaim  the  dry- 
ing up  of  the  springs  of  life.  And  although  abused  nature 
will  often  struggle,  and  struggle,  and  struggle,  to  maintain 
the  balance  of  her  powers,  and  restore  her  wasted  energies, 
she  is  compelled  to  yield  at  length  to  suicidal  violence. 

The  efiect  of  the  habitual  use  of  ardent  spirit  upon  the 
health,  is  much  greater  than  is  generally  supposed.  An 
individual  who  is  in  the  habit  of  drinking  spirits  daily,  al- 
though he  may  not  fall  under  the  character  of  a  drunkard, 
is  undermining  his  constitution  gradually,  but  certainly ;  as 
a  noble  building,  standing  by  the  side  of  a  small,  unnoticed 
rivulet,  whose  current  steals  alono-  under  its  foundation, 
and  carries  away  from  its  support  sand  after  sand,  has  its 
security  certainly  though  imperceptibly  impaired,  and  finally 
falls  into  utter  ruin.  A  large  proportion  of  the  inmates  of 
our  madhouses  are  the  victims  of  ardent  spirit.  Our  hos- 
pitals and  poor-houses  speak  volumes  of  the  ruin  that 
awaits  the  bodily  powers  of  those  who  indulge  in  even 
moderate  tippling.  It  exposes  the  system  to  much  greater 
ravages  when  disease  attacks  it.  The  powers  of  nature  are 
weakened,  and  less  able  to  resist  disease;  and  medicines 
will  never  act  so  promptly  and  kindly  upon  those  who  are 
accustomed  to  strong  drink  as  upon  those  who  are  not. 

But  where  is  the  soul,  the  disembodied  spirit  of  a  de- 
ceased drunkard  ?  "  No  drunkard  shall  inherit  the  king- 
dom of  God,"  is  the  plain  declaration  of  sacred  writ ;  and 
were  there  no  such  scriptural  denunciation  of  the  wretched 
inebriate,  the  very  nature  of  his  case  would  render  his  pros- 
pect dark  and  dismal.  In  the  intervals  of  his  cups,  when 
his  animal  powers  are  not  goaded  by  artificial  excitement, 
his  distressed  spirit  partakes  of  the  horrible  collapse  of  its 
polluted  tenement,  and  can  contemplate  no  motive,  however 
weighty,  nor  entertain  any  other  thought,  be  it  ever  so  in- 
teresting, than  how  to  relieve  its  present  wretchedness. 
When,  then,   can  the   unhappy  man  find  peace  with  God 


THE  USE  OF  ALCOHOLIC  LiaUORS.  7 

amid  this  tumult  of  his  unbalanced  faculties,  this  perturba- 
tion of  his  unholy  passions  ?  How  utterly  unfitted  to  per- 
form those  duties  which  are  requisite  to  secure  a  blessed 
immortality  ? 

Our  FOURTH  REASON  for  the  disuse  of  alcoholic  hquors 
is,  that  any  thing  short  of  entire  abstinence  exjjoses  to  all  the 
dread  consequences  just  named.  Here  is  the  grand  hope  of 
our  cause.  Total  abstinence  defies  all  danger  and  mocks 
at  consequences.     With  it,  we  are  safe ;  without  it,  in  peril. 

JSTo  man  was  ever  horn  a  drunkard ;  nor  are  we  born 
with  a  natural  taste  or  thirst  for  alcoholic  drinks,  any  more 
than  we  are  born  with  an  appetite  for  aloes,  assafoetida,  or 
any  other  drug  or  medicine.  And  the  child  when  first 
taught  to  take  it,  is  induced  to  do  so  only  by  sweetening  it, 
and  thus  rendering  it  palatable,  a^  is  the  case  with  other 
medicines.  Neither  is  it,  at  any  time,  the  taste  or  flavor  of 
alcohol,  exclusively,  that  presents  such  charms  for  the  use 
of  it ;  but  in  the  effect  upon  the  stomach  and  nerves  lie  all 
the  magic  and  witchery  of  this  destructive  agent.  In  proof 
of  this,  watch  the  trembling  victim  of  strong  drink  while  he 
pours  down  his  morning  or  mid-day  dram,  and  see  him 
retch  and  stningle  like  a  sickened  child  at  a  nauseous 
medicine.  Ask  him,  too,  and  he  will  confess  it  is  not  the 
taste  for  which  he  drinks.  Intemperate  drinking  is  ever 
the  result  of  what  has  been  misnamed  temjperate  drinking. 
"Taking  a  little"  when  we  are  too  cold,  or  too  hot,  or  wet, 
or  fatigued,  or  low-spirited,  or  have  a  pain  in  the  stomach, 
or  to  keep  off  fevers,  or  from  politeness  to  a  friend,  or  not 
to  appear  singular  in  company,  etc.,  etc.,  or  as  is  sometimes 
churlishly  said,  "when  we  have  a  mind  to." 

And  here  I  shall  step  aside  a  little  from  the  main  argu- 
ment, and  attempt  to  explain  the  effects  which  temperate 
drinking  has  upon  the  animal  system ;  and  how  it  leads  to 
ruinous  drunkenness,  by  a  law  of  our  natures,  certain 
and  invariable.  The  nervous  system,  as  I  have  said,  is  that 
department  of  our  bodies  which  suffers  most  from  stimulants 
and  narcotics.     Although  the  circulation  of  the  blood  is 


8  FOUR  REASONS  AGAINST 

increased,  and  all  the  animal  spirits  roused  by  alcoholic 
drink ;  still,  the  nerves  are  the  organs  that  must  finally  bear 
the  brunt  and  evil  of  this  undue  excitement.  Thus  we  see 
in  the  man  who  has  been  overexcited  by  these  stimulants, 
a  trembling  hand,  an  infirm  step,  and  impaired  mental  vigor. 
The  excitahility  of  our  system — and  by  this  term  we  mean 
that  property  of  our  natures  which  distinguishes  all  living 
from  dead  matter — is  acted  upon  by  stimuli,  either  external 
or  internal ;  and  it  is  by  various  stimuli,  applied  properly, 
and  in  due  proportion,  that  the  various  functions  of  life  are 
kept  up.  Thus  a  proper  portion  of  food,  and  drink,  and 
heat,  and  exercise,  serves  to  maintain  that  balance  of  action 
among  all  the  organs,  which  secures  health  to  the  individual. 
But  if  an  agent  is  applied  to  the  system,  exerting  stimulant 
powers  exceeding  those  that  are  necessary  for  carrying  on 
the  vital  functions  steadily,  an  excitement  ensues  which  is 
always  followed  by  a  corresponding  collapse.  This  princi- 
ple is  clearly  illustrated  by  the  stimulus  of  alcohol.  If  a 
person  unaccustomed  to  its  use  receives  into  his  stomach  a 
given  quantity  of  distilled  spirits,  it  will  soon  produce  symp- 
toms of  universal  excitement.  The  pulse  increases  in  fre- 
quency ;  the  action  of  all  the  animal  functions  is  quickened ; 
and  even  the  soul,  partaking  of  the  impulse  of  its  fleshly 
tabernacle,  is  unduly  aroused.  But  this  is  of  short  duration, 
and  a  sinking,  or  collapse,  proportioned  to  the  excitement, 
soon  takes  place,  with  a  derangement,  more  or  less,  of  all 
the  organs  of  the  body.  The  stimulus  repeated,  the  same 
effect  ensues.  We  must,  however,  notice  that  the  same 
quantity  of  any  unnatural  stimulus,  such  as  opium,  spirit, 
etc.,  frequently  repeated,  fails  to  produce  its  specific  effect. 
Hence,  in  order  to  secure  the  same  effect,  it  is  necessary  to 
increase  its  quantity.  Thus,  to  a  person  indulging  in  the 
frequent  or  stated  practice  of  drinking,  before  he  is  aware, 
the  repetition  becomes  pleasant.  As  the  accustomed  hour 
returns  for  his  dram,  he  regularly  remembers  it ;  again  and 
again  he  drinks ;  the  desire  increases ;  he  makes  himself 
believe  it  is  necessary  from  the  very  fact  that  he  desires  it ; 


THE  USE  OF  ALCOHOLIC  LiaUORS.  9 

the  principle,  or  law,  of  which  we  have  been  speaking,  de- 
velopes  itself;  an  increased  quantity  becomes  necessary  to 
insure  a  feeling  of  gratification ;  more,  and  still  more  be- 
comes necessary,  and  oftener  repeated,  until  without  it  he 
is  miserable ;  his  overexcited  system  is  wretched,  soul  and 
body,  without  the  constant  strain  which  the  stimulus  affords. 

Here  is  a  solution  of  tlie  fact  that  has  astonished  thou- 
sands ;  how  the  unhappy  drunkard,  with  all  the  certain 
consequences  of  his  course  staring  him  in  the  face,  and 
amid  the  entreaties  and  arguments  of  distressed  friends, 
and  the  solemn  denunciations  of  holy  Avrit  sounding  in  his 
ears,  and  the  sure  prospect  of  an  untimely  grave,  will  still 
press  on,  and  hold  the  destroyer  still  firmer  to  his  Hps.  It 
is  because  nature  shrieks  at  every  pore,  if  I  may  be  allowed 
the  expression.  Every  nerve,  every  vein,  every  fibre  pines, 
and  groans,  and  aches  for  its  accustomed  stimulus.  No 
substitute  will  do  ;  no  ransom  can  purchase  relief ;  insatiate 
as  the  grave,  every  fibre  cries,  Give,  give !  The  dictates 
of  reason  are  drowned  in  the  clamor  of  the  senses.  Thus 
the  temperate  drinker,  hy  persisting  in  the  practice,  throws 
himself  within  the  influence  of  a  law  of  his  system,  of  which 
he  can  no  more  control  the  development,  nor  resist  the 
urgency,  than  he  can  that  law  which  circulates  the  blood 
through  his  heart,  or  any  other  law  peculiar  to  animal  life. 
That  law  is  the  law  of  stimulation,  which  is  never  unduly 
aroused,  exce.pt  by  sinful  indulgences ;  but  when  aroused, 
is  dreadfully  urgent.  We  will  state  a  case  strikingly  exem- 
plifying the  influence  of  this  lavr. 

A  gentleman,  an  acquaintance  and  friend  of  the  writer, 
contracted  the  habit  of  drinking  during  his  college  course. 
He  settled  in  the  practice  of  the  law  in  one  of  the  villages 
of  his  native  state.  He  soon  became  invested  with  oflices 
of  honor  and  profit,  and  although  young,  gave  promise  of 
shining  brilliantly  in  the  profession  he  had  chosen.  He  was 
the  pride  of  a  large  and  respectable  family,  Avho  witnessed 
his  growing  prospects  with  that  satisfaction  and  dehght 
which  the  prosperity  of  a  beloved  son  and  brother  cannot 
VOL.  viii.  35* 


10  FOUR  REASONS  AGAINST 

fail  to  impart.  In  the  midst  of  these  circumstances  the 
physician  was  one  day  called  in  haste  to  see  him.  He  had 
fallen  into  a  fit.  His  manly  form  lay  stretched  upon  the 
carpet,  while  his  features  were  distorted  and  purpled  from 
the  agony  of  the  convulsions.  After  some  days,  however, 
he  recovered,  without  having  sustained  any  permanent  in- 
jury. Being  in  company  with  his  physician  alone,  soon 
after,  he  said  to  hira,  "  I  suspect,  sir,  you  do  not  know  the 
cause  of  my  fit ;  and  as  I  may  have  a  return  of  it,  when 
you  will  probably  be  called,  I  think  it  proper  that  you 
should  be  made  acquainted  with  my  habits  of  life."  He  then 
informed  his  physician,  that  for  a  number  of  years  previous 
he  had  been  in  the  daily  use  of  ardent  spirit,  that  the  prac- 
tice had  grown  upon  him  ever  since  he  left  college,  and  that 
he  was  conscious  it  injured  him.  However,  it  was  not  known 
even  to  his  own  family  what  quantity  he  used.  His  physi- 
cian did  not  hesitate  to  inform  him  of  the  extreme  danger  to 
his  life  in  persisting  in  the  use  of  intoxicating  drinks.  He 
acknowledged  his  perfect  conviction  of  the  truth  of  all  that 
was  said,  and  resolved  to  abandon  his  wicked  course. 

Not  many  weeks  after,  he  was  seized  with  another  fit ; 
but  owing  to  the  absence  of  the  family  physician,  he  did  not 
see  him  until  some  time  after  he  had  come  out  of  it.  The 
physician,  however,  who  attended,  informed  him  it  was  vio- 
lent. After  repeated  assurances  of  his  increasing  danger, 
and  the  remonstrances  of  friends,  who  had  now  begun  to 
learn  the  real  cause  of  his  fits,  he  renewed  his  promises 
and  determination  to  reform,  and  entered  upon  a  course  of 
total  abstinence,  which  he  maintained  for  several  months, 
and  inspired  many  of  his  friends  with  pleasing  hopes  of  his 
entire  reform  and  the  reestablishment  of  his  health.  But, 
alas,  in  an  unguarded  moment,  he  dared  to  taste  again  the 
forbidden  cup,  and  Avith  this  fled  all  his  resolutions  and 
restraints.  From  that  time  he  drank  more  openly  and  freeh\ 
His  fits  returned  with  painful  violence  ;  friends  remonstrated, 
entreated,  pleaded,  but  all  in  vain.  He  thus  continued  his 
course  of  intemperance,  with  intervals  of  fits  and  sickness. 


THE  USE  OF  ALCOHOLIC  LiaUORS.  H 

about  eight  or  ten  months,  and  at  length  died  drunk  in  his 
bed,  where  he  had  lain  for  two  or  three  weeks  in  a  continual 
state  of  intoxication. 

The  writer  has  stated  this  case  in  detail,  to  show  the 
influence  of  the  law  of  stimulation,  or  what  in  popular 
language  is  termed,  "the  appetite  for  spirituous  hquors," 
when  once  it  is  awakened. 

Here  we  have  the  instance  of  an  individual,  of  a  fine  and 
cultivated  intellect,  with  every  thing  on  earth  to  render  him 
happy,  that  could  be  comprised  in  wealth,  friends,  honor, 
and  bright  prospects.  Ay,  indeed,  too,  he  professed  an 
interest  in  the  blood  of  the  Saviour,  and  had  communed 
with  Christians  at  his  table  ;  surrounded  by  those  whom  he 
tenderly  loved,  the  wife  of  his  bosom,  and  the  dear  pledges 
of  her  devotion.  Yet,  in  spite  of  all  these  considerations, 
and  the  most  sensible  conviction  of  his  fatal  career,  he  con- 
tinued to  drink,  and  thus  pressed  downward  to  the  gate  of 
death  and  hell. 

Now  what  was  this?  What  giant's  arm  dragged  this 
fair  victim  to  an  untimely  grave  ?  Was  it  for  the  want  of 
motives  and  obligations  to  pursue  an  opposite  course  ?  No. 
Was  it  for  the  want  of  intellect  and  talents  to  appreciate 
those  oblio^ations  ?  No.  Was  it  trouble,  arisino:  from  dis- 
appointed  hopes  and  blasted  prospects  ?  Certainly,  by  those 
who  knew  him  best,  he  was  accounted  a  man  who  might 
have  been  happy.  What  was  it,  then,  that  urged  this  indi- 
vidual, with  his  eyes  open  upon  the  consequences,  and  in 
the  face  of  every  thing  most  dear,  thus  to  sacrifice  his  all 
upon  the  altar  of  intemperance  ?  It  ivas  that  laiu  of  which 
we  have  spoken,  enkindled  into  action  by  his  tippling,  and 
which  once  developed,  he  could  no  more  control,  ivhile  per- 
sisting in  his  pernicious  practice  of  drinking,  than  he  could 
have  hurled  the  Andes  from  their  base,  or  have  plucked  the 
moon  from  her  orbit. 

We  say,  then,  that  all  persons  who  drink  ardent  spirit 
habitually,  bring  themselves  inevitably  under  the  influence 
of  a  law  peculiar  to  their  natures,  which  leads  on  to  ruin. 


12  FOUR  REASONS,  ETC. 

Instances  may  indeed  have  occurred,  in  which  individuals 
have  used  ardent  spirit  daily  for  a  long  course  of  years,  and 
yet  died  without  becoming  drunkards ;  but  it  only  proves 
that  these  have  been  constitutions  that  could  resist  the 
speedy  develojpment  of  the  law  in  question.  Where  one  indi- 
vidual is  found  with  a  constitution  vigorous  enough  to  resist 
the  development  of  this  law  through  a  life  of  habitual  drink- 
ing, thousands  go  down  to  a  drunkard's  grave,  and  a  drunk- 
ard's retribution,  from  only  a  few  years'  indulgence. 

We  have  thus  briefly  shown  the  immense  cost  of  the  use 
of  alcoholic  liquors.  We  have  shown  that  they  contain  no 
property  that  can  impart  substantial  strength  or  nourish- 
ment to  the  body  ;  and  that  they  are  actually  a  poison.  We 
have  shown  that  they  destroy  both  body  and  soul ;  clouding 
the  view  of  truth,  and  resisting  the  influences  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  "No  drunkard  shall  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God." 
We  have  shown  that  the  temperate  use  of  these  liquors  tends 
inevitably  to  the  intemperate  use ;  since  those  who  drink 
them  habitually,  throw  themselves  within  the  influence  of 
a  law  of  their  natures,  which  leads  on  directly  to  ruin. 

In  view  of  such  considerations  and  such  facts,  who  is  so 
degraded,  so  enslaved  to  appetite,  or  the  love  of  gain,  that 
he  will  not  lend  his  aid  to  the  Temperance  Reform  ?  Who 
will  indulge  in  what  he  calls  the  temperate  use,  flattering 
himself  that  he  can  control  his  appetite,  when  thousands, 
w^ho  have  boasted  of  self-control,  have  found  themselves, 
ere  they  were  aware,  within  the  coil  of  a  serpent  whose 
touch  is  poison,  and  whose  sting  is  death  ?  0,  who  that 
regards  his  neighbor,  his  family,  his  own  reputation,  or  his 
own  soul,  will  in  this  day  of  light  be  found  dallying  with 
that  which  aff'ords  at  best  only  sensual  pleasui^e,  and  which 
at  the  last  biteth  like  a  serpent,  and  stingeth  like  an  adder? 


TKo.  289. 


TO  A  LADY 


FASHIOIABLE    LIFE. 


My  dear  Friend — The  long  and  uninteniipted  friend- 
ship which  has  existed  between  us,  and  the  deep  interest  I 
have  felt  in  the  best  good  of  your  family,  will  excuse  me 
for  claiming  your  indulgence,  and  for  speaking  with  unusual 
freedom.  You  are  aware  that  I  have  been  led  to  reo*ard 
some  of  the  customs  of  fashionable  life  in  w^hich  we  have 
indulged,  in  a  new  light ;  and  knowing  my  opportunities  for 
observation,  you  will,  I  am  persuaded,  allow  my  opinions 
their  full  weight.  You  are  not  without  occasional  solici- 
tude for  your  own  future  welfare ;  and  you  often  look  with 
trembling  anxiety  on  your  sons  and  your  daughters :  and 
amid  all  the  temptations  that  surround  you,  it  is  reasonable 
that  you  should. 

I  shall  confine  my  remarks  at  this  time  to  dancing  as- 
semblies and  the  theatre.  The  Jirst  you  have  considered 
as  essential  to  an  accomplished  education  for  vour  children ; 
and  the  second,  as  an  innocent,  if  not  a  useful  recreation, 
both  for  yourself  and  them. 

To  secure  for  your  children  an  agreeable  and  fashion- 
able indulgence  in  the  first,  it  often  seems  necessary  to  com- 
mit them  early  to  the  care  of  men  with  whom  you  would 
not  associate,  and  whose  very  profession  is  a  bar  to  truly 
refined  and  virtuous  society.  To  such  characters,  not  un- 
frequently  the  very  refuse  of  foreign  and  corrupted  cities, 
you  must  send  your  children  to  learn  ease  and  gracefulness 
of  movement  and  manners.  You  must  send  them  from  your 
own  home,  not  unfrequently  to  places  of  public  and  hazard- 
ous resort,  and  this  too  at  an  age  of  tenderest  and  most 
delicate  sensibility,  and  at  hours  of  the  greatest  exposure. 
Is  all  this  exposure  warranted  by  the  object  to  be  secured  ? 


2  TO  A  LADY  IN  FASHIOxXABLE  LIFE. 

Passing  by  considerations  of  loss  of  time,  health,  and  waste 
of  intellectual  resources,  I  appeal  to  your  sense  of  proprie- 
ty, as  a  lady  and  a  mother,  if  the  movements,  attitudes,  and 
evolutions  of  modern  dancing  are  not  inconsistent  with  those 
pure  and  delicate  sensibilities  which  you  wish  your  sons  and 
your  daughters  to  cherish,  and  hazardous  to  those  princi- 
ples Avhich  you  would  wish  to  cultivate?  Under  all  the 
exciting  influences  of  societ}'',  music,  and  refreshments  pecu- 
liar to  the  time  and  place  of  this  recreation,  do  you  not 
tremble  for  tlieir  safety  ?  Not  only  the  principles  of  pride, 
vanity,  and  extravagance  are  fostered,  but  delicate  sensi- 
bility and  unsullied  purity  are  left  exposed,  and  often  rude- 
ly assailed. 

Your  children,  with  all  the  youth  of  our  city  and  our 
country,  are  more  or  less  exposed  to  vice  and  ruin ;  and  the 
fact  should  not  be  withheld,  that  there  is  no  resort  of  wide 
and  ruinous  debauchery,  where  the  young  and  unsuspect- 
ing are  decoyed,  to  which  music  and  the  dance  are  not  con- 
sidered as  essential  trihutaries.  Around  these  habitations 
is  thrown  a  brilliancy  that  catches  the  eye,  while  strains  of 
enlivening  and  voluptuous  music  salute  the  ear ;  and  within, 
the  lascivious  movements  of  the  dance  bewilder  and  enchain 
the  young,  till  the  unsuspecting  and  the  matured  in  vice 
sink  together  in  the  embrace  of  infamy  and  death.  Can  this 
be  gainsaid?  No.  These  thousand  receptacles  of  rob- 
bery and  crime  are  sustained  and  upheld  by  enchanting 
music  and  the  dance.  Grant  that  this  amusement  is  inno- 
cent in  itself,  it  is  from  its  very  nature  tributary  to  the  evils 
of  which  I  speak. 

Consider  also  what  communities  and  what  nations  are 
most  addicted  to  indulgence  in  this  amusement.  France 
and  Italy.  And  as  to  morals  and  virtue,  purity  and  chasti- 
ty, what  are  France  and  Italy  ?  Facts  here  are  too  appal- 
ling to  be  disclosed. 

There  is,  unquestionably,  from  the  nature  of  the  amuse- 
ment itself,  even  in  its  most  innocent  form  and  limited  ex- 
ercise, a  tendency  to  inflame  passion,  to  poison  virtue,  en- 
danger purity,  and  to  lead  on  to.  more  gross  and  deadly  evils. 
If  not,  then  sin  and  death  have  seized  an  innocent  recrea- 
tion, and  made  it  to  subserve  their  cause,  in  maturing  crimes 
at  which  humanity  shudders,  and  in  annihilating  hopes  and 
destroying  souls  beyond  computation.     And  who  that  is 


TO  A  LADY  IN  FASHIONABLE  LIFE.  3 

wise  will  cultivate  and  allow  recreations  at  such  perils  as 
these  ? 

I  will  take  but  one  other  view  of  this  subject  at  this 
time.  You  are  destined  to  the  grave,  and  with  your  off- 
spring to  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ.  You  and  they  are 
always  liable  to  death.  And  as  dying  and  immortal  beings, 
would  you  crowd  the  last  days  and  hours  of  life  with  such 
recreations,  even  though  esteemed  innocent  ?  Ah,  there  is 
in  your  very  nature  a  shrinking  back  from  them,  as  you 
bring  eternity  to  view.  The  conflagration  of  that  house  of 
mirth,  and  the  youth  falling  dead  in  the  midst  of  such 
pleasures,  send  a  shock  to  the  soul,  and  that  too,  wholly 
unlike  the  emotion  that  swells  the  heart,  as  the  crowded 
ship  sinks  in  the  sea,  or  a  soul,  by  an  explosion,  is  sent  in  a 
moment  to  eternity.  And  why  this  difference  of  feeling  ? 
Simply,  the  moral  difference  of  circumstances  under  which 
these  souls  exchanged  worlds.  Moral  principle  decides  this 
instinctively,  and  tells  us  plainly,  that  there  is  something 
besides  innocent  recreation  here.  As  the  youth  in  his  gaye- 
ty  fell  from  the  precipice  and  was  lost  in  the  raging  stream, 
we  were  drawn  to  the  fatal  spot  with  tenderest  sympathy ; 
while  he  who  falls  and  mingles  his  dying  groans  with  sounds 
of  mirth,  appals  the  very  heart  of  affection.  This  moral 
impression  no  man  can  erase,  and  it  is  no  doubtful  monitor 
of  the  tendency  of  this  amusement. 

The  remaining  subject  upon  which  I  wish  to  speak,  is 
that  of  the  theatre.  Its  tendency  is  obviously  still  more 
immoral,  and  it  sweeps  in  its  resistless  tide  countless  victims 
to  disgrace  and  death.  I  have  always  been  astonished,  even 
in  my  most  youthful  days,  that  ladies  called  respectable 
should  frequent  a  theatre,  and  allow  their  daughters  to  be 
there.  I  have  been  led  to  believe  they  could  not  be  aAvare 
of  its  true  character.  Though  you  are  not  a  stranger  to 
the  theatre,  there  may  be  facts  connected  with  it  which 
have  escaped  your  observation,  and  which  show  it  to  be  a 
perilous  place  for  your  children. 

You  are  not  ignorant  of  the  low  repute  in  which  the 
stage  has  been  held  ever  since  its  establishment,  and  that 
no  man  can  remain  a  respectable  member  of  society  who 
becomes  a  public  actor.  Both  in  heathen  and  in  Christian 
countries,  infamy  is  attached  to  the  profession.  Whether 
this  arises  from  the  corrupting  influence  of  the  scenes  acted. 


4  TO  A  LADY  IN  FASHIONABLE  LIFE. 

or  from  a  just  impression  of  the  moral  character  of  the  stage, 
it  is  not  necessary  to  inquire.  My  object  is  simply  to  show 
that  the  theatre  is  unsuited  to  the  refinement  of  female 
character,  and  often  fatal  to  youthful  purity. 

You  are  aware  that  it  is  not  a  place  for  the  cultivation 
of  female  delicacy.  You  must  allow  that  there  are  few 
tragedies  or  comedies,  presented  on  the  stage,  in  which 
there  is  not  much  that  is  either  profane  or  vulgar.  Proba- 
bly you  never  passed  one  evening  at  a  theatre  without  wit- 
nessing things  which  were  highly  indecorous,  ''  and  which, 
had  they  passed  in  a  private  family,  you  would  have  retired 
from  with  indignation,  and  considered  your  reputation  as 
ruined  by  your  return,"  Much  that  you  there  hear  and 
see,  is  at  direct  war  with  delicate  sensibility  and  every  vir- 
tuous feeling.  Could  you,  with  any  gentleman  on  earth,  in 
your  own  drawung-room,  read  what  is  there  rehearsed  ? 
Would  you  have  reacted,  at  your  own  house,  what  is  there 
presented  ?  Can  you  then  with  propriety  allow  yourself 
and  your  family  to  participate  in  those  amusements  abroad, 
which  would  disgrace  and  ruin  the  reputation  of  your  own 
house  ?  Examine  the  internal  arrangements  of  the  theatre, 
the  character  of  the  audience,  and  the  ordinary,  if  not  the 
necessary  influence  of  what  there  transpires.  You  leave 
your  home  with  your  family,  unsuspicious  of  danger.  Seated 
in  your  box,  can  you  read  the  character  of  those  who  are 
crowded  around  you?  Allow  that  the^j  are  intelligent  and 
virtuous.  Look  below  into  the  pit,  and  the  refuse  of  the 
city  is  swept  to  fill  this  reservoir  of  degradation.  Look 
above  you,  and  arrayed  in  all  the  fascinations  of  dress  and 
beauty,  are  the  profligate  and  abandoned  of  your  own  sex. 
In  every  corner  of  this  immense  edifice  are  presented  new 
temptations  to  indulgence.  In  another  apartment,  both 
spacious  and  splendid,  is  stored  every  luxury,  to  gratify, 
stimulate,  and  fire  the  passions,  already  too  much  roused  by 
the  scenes  of  the  stage.  Here  your  sons  may  retire  on  the 
natural  errand  of  procuring  refreshments  for  yourself  and 
daughters  ;  and  here,  too,  they  may  learn  the  first  lessons 
of  fatal  indulgence,  and  be  allured  beyond  the  reach  not 
only  of  safety,  but  of  your  remonstrance  and  your  tears. 
Here  are  crowds,  who  meet  to  make  their  arrangements  of 
guilt,  and  who,  by  the  aid  of  stimulants,  so  mingled  and 
poisoned  as  to  arouse  to  a  flame  the  most  fatal  passions. 


TO  A  LADY  IN  FASHIONABLE  LIFE.  5 

seize  and  lead  captive  many  a  victim,  who  entered  with  un- 
sullied innocence.  Other  departments  of  this  frightful  hab- 
itation I  will  not  disclose;  but  if  the  testimony  of  those 
who  know  them  best  can  be  beheved,  they  are  enough  to 
deter  every  virtuous  female  from  ever  placing  her  foot  upon 
its  threshold. 

As  to  the  society  you  here  meet,  you  must  acknowledge 
that  it  is  not  the  most  intelligent,  virtuous,  and  refined.  You 
are  crowded  with  those  who  are  already  poisoned  with  vice, 
and  with  many  who  are  already  lost  to  every  sense  of  shame. 
With  the  great  mass  whom  you  here  meet,  you  would  not 
be  known  under  other  circumstances  to  associate  at  all. 
Will  you  then  train  your  family  to  such  society  ?  Will  you 
expose  them  to  influences  which  lie  wholly  beyond  your 
control  ?  Let  me  say  to  you,  that  multitudes  are  here  pre- 
pared for  the  most  gross  and  abandoned  characters  that  in- 
fest our  city ;  and  that  so  well  is  this  understood,  that  seats 
in  the  galleries  of  some  theatres  are  free  to  the  most  aban- 
doned of  our  race,  and  the  keepers  of  dram-shops,  of  gam- 
bling-rooms, of  assignation-houses  and  abodes  of  infamy, 
here  resort,  to  mark  and  seize  their  victims,  and  from  this 
nursery  of  death  they  are  gathered  in  multitudes.  Here 
many  of  our  youth  of  either  sex,  and  from  the  highest  walks 
of  life,  have  entered  guileless  and  unsuspecting,  but  retired 
to  sink  in  speedy  disgrace  and  death.  Shall  your  own  sons 
and  daughters  be  exposed  yet  to  swell  that  melancholy 
number?  Consider  the  influence  of  these  scenes  on  the 
character  and  prospects  of  the  ^ounr/  generally,  many  of 
whom  have  not  the  securities  with  which  your  family  are 
furnished  :  nor  can  you  fail  to  reflect  that  the  time  may 
soon  come,  when  even  yours  may  be  deprived  of  a  mother's 
watchfulness,  and  be  left  alone. 

"  Among  the  causes  of  vicious  excitement  in  our  city," 
says  Professor  Griscom  of  New  York,  "  none  appear  to  be 
so  powerful  in  their  nature  as  theatrical  amusements.  The 
number  of  boys  and  young  men  who  have  become  deter- 
mined thieves,  in  order  to  procure  the  means  of  introduc- 
tion to  the  theatres  and  circuses,  would  appal  the  feelings 
of  every  virtuous  mind,  could  the  whole  truth  be  laid  open 
to  the  public.  In  the  cases  of  the  feebler  sex  the  result  is 
still  worse.  A  relish  for  the  amusements  of  the  theatre, 
without  the  means  of  indulgence,  becomes,  too  often,  a  mo- 
VOL.  viii.  86 


6  TO  A  LADY  IN  FASHIONABLE  LIFE. 

live  for  listening  to  the  first  suggestions  of  the  seducer,  and 
thus  prepares  for  the  haunts  of  infamy,  and  a  total  desti- 
tution of  all  that  is  valuable  in  the  mind  and  character  of 
■women. 

"  During  the  progress,"  he  adds,  "  of  one  of  the  most 
ferocious  revolutions  which  ever  shocked  the  face  of  heaven, 
theatres,  in  Paris  alone,  multiplied  from  six  to  twenty-five. 
One  of  two  conclusions  follows  from  this.  Either  the  spirit 
of  the  times  produced  the  institutions,  or  the  institutions 
cherished  the  spirit  of  the  times ;  and  this  will  certainly 
prove  that  they  are  either  the  parents  of  vice  or  the  off- 
spring of  it." 

The  infidel  Rousseau  declares,  that  the  theatre  is,  in  all 
cases,  a  school  of  vice.  Su'  John  Haw^kins,  in  his  life  of 
Johnson,  says,  "  a  playhouse  and  the  regions  about  it  are 
the  very  hotbeds  of  vice."  Archbishop  Tillotson  declares 
the  theatre  a  nursery  of  licentiousness  and  vice.  Bishop 
Collier  says,  "  that  he  was  persuaded  that  nothing  had 
done  more  to  debauch  the  age  in  which  he  lived,  than  the 
stage-poets  and  the  playhouse."  And  even  Plato  has  de- 
clared that  "  plays  raise  the  passions  and  pervert  the  use 
of  them,  and  are  of  course  dangerous  to  morality." 

Let  it  not  be  argued  that  these  amusements  are  securi- 
ties against  grosser  immorality.  They  rather  prepare  the 
way  for  such  immorality.  They  are  to  multitudes  the  very 
cause  of  gross,  profane,  and  fatal  habits,  and  the  highway 
to  infamy  and  death.  There  is  not  a  man  on  earth,  who 
imderstands  the  resources  of  the  theatre  and  the  results  to 
which  they  lead,  who  will  question  for  a  moment  the  truth 
of  this  declaration.  With  all  the  innocence  and  purity  as- 
cribed to  these  amusements,  they  are  linked  to  a  chain  of 
downward  and  deteriorating  causes,  while  they  never  are 
to  upward  and  more  virtuous  associations. 

But  you  have  sons,  in  whose  prosperity  you  feel  the 
deepest  interest,  and  whose  danger  is  peculiarly  great.  The 
customs  of  society  impose  restrictions  on  the  female  mem- 
bers of  respectable  families  which  young  men  do  not  feel. 
The  hour  arrives  when  the  one  class  are  handed  to  their 
homes,  not  indeed  in  the  most  favorable  circumstances,  but 
they  retire  perhaps  to  the  wakeful  solicitude  of  a  mother's 
love,  and  it  may  be  beneath  the  guardianship  of  a  mother's 
prayer.     But  the  other  class  are  now  left  alone,  to  review 


TO  A  LADY  IN  FASHIONABLE  LIFE.  7 

the  events  of  tlie  evening.  They  pass  their  commendations 
and  their  strictures,  not  always  in  the  most  chaste  and  be- 
coming manner,  for  the  nature  of  the  subjects  under  review 
does  not  always  admit  it.  Under  the  lassitude  and  exhaus- 
tion of  past  hours,  they  seek  additional  stimulants  to  refresh 
and  invigorate.  The  night  is  far  spent,  the  remainder  of  it 
is  exhausted  in  feasting  and  in  games,  and  a  weary  and  dis- 
eased frame  is  dragged  out  to  the  employments  of  another 
day,  or  seeks  repose  to  recruit  its  energies. 

As  the  gay  scene  closes,  a  crowd  of  young  men  are 
thrown  out  upon  the  open  bosom  of  our  city,  who  have  no 
homes  to  visit,  no  parents  nor  friends  to  watch  over  them ; 
and  with  minds  poorly  fitted  to  retire  to  their  solitary  re- 
pose, they  visit  the  brilliant  retreats  that  blazon  around  the 
place  of  their  recreation.  Temptations  are  spread  before 
them,  and  where  mere  curiosity  first  led  their  steps,  hope 
of  gain  now  binds  them,  and  by  the  fatal  influence  of  a  sol- 
itary night,  many  are  irrecoverably  lost. 

To  others,  the  refreshing  air  of  night  will  invite  a  walk 
from  the  concluded  scenes  of  the  theatre.  They  too,  may 
have  no  guardians  nor  waiting  friends  to  fear  or  regard. 
They  soon  hear  the  strains  of  that  voluptuous  music  which 
never  sleeps.  Led  by  curiosity,  the  unsuspecting  victim 
pauses  at  the  brilliantly  lighted  habitation,  while  all  is  gay- 
ety  within.  He  hears  ''  of  peace-offerings  from  enticing 
lips'' — ''he  goes  as  an  ox  to  the  slaughter — a  dart  strikes 
through  his  liver — this  house  is  the  way  to  hell,  going  doivn 
to  the  chambers  of  death.''  Oh,  a  million  of  youth,  paid  back 
to  broken  hearts,  would  not  replace  the  sacrifice  thus  made 
in  a  single  city. 

My  dear  friend,  those  amusements  in  which  you  have 
indulged,  and  allowed  your  sons  and  daughters  to  indulge, 
do  contribute  powerfully  to  these  tremendous  evils,  and 
from  your  endeared  circle,  a  victim  may  yet  be  snatched — 
a  just,  yet  melancholy  sacrifice,  to  these  your  perilous  in- 
dulgences. As  a  lady  of  fashionable  life,  and  of  influence, 
as  one  who  respects  morality,  and  who  would,  by  no  means, 
abandon  the  hope  of  future  piety,  will  you  not  suspend  this 
indulgence  ?  For  the  safety,  virtue,  and  salvation  of  your 
children,  will  you  not  do  it?  Can  you  ever  retire  again 
from  these  amusements,  with  your  daughters,  and  not  feel 
that  your  virtuous  sensibilities  have  been  endangered  ?    Al- 


8  TO  A  LADY  IN  FASHIONABLE  LIFE. 

low  me  to  add,  in  the  language  of  a  distinguished  gentle- 
man, "  It  is  amazing  to  think,  that  women  who  pretend  to 
decency  and  reputation,  whose  brightest  ornament  ought  to 
be  modesty,  should  continue  to  abet,  by  their  presence,  so 
much  unchastity  as  is  to  be  found  in  the  theatre."  If  this 
astonishment  could  be  expressed  fifty  years  ago,  what  ought 
to  be  the  language  of  astonishment  now  ?  You  live  in  a 
day  when  an  experiment  is  making  upon  female  delicacy 
and  self-respect ;  and  it  is  called,  by  the  advocates  of  the 
theatre,  a  "  hold  exjyeriinenty  It  is  an  experiment  on  your 
virtue  and  moral  principle ;  and  shall  it  be  said,  that  there 
is  not  "  shrinking  delicacy  "  enough  in  your  bosoms  to  repel 
and  refute  their  boastings,  ''  that  they  hove  now  nothing  to 
fear?''  You  may  have  frowned  upon  this  rude  encroach- 
ment, which  has  already  been  made  upon  your  modesty 
and  virtue ;  but  that  frown  has  not  been  followed  by  your 
continued  absence,  and  you  thus  are  giving  encouragement 
to  another  and  more  daring  experiment.  If  you,  and  the 
more  respectable  and  virtuous  females  of  our  city  and  coun- 
try will  not  withdraw  from  these  polluting  scenes,  no  one 
can  calculate  the  degradation  to  which  we  are  doomed ; 
and  you  and  they  may  yet  be  called  to  weep  when  tears 
will  be  unavailing;  and  the  miserable  wrecks  of  your  en- 
deared hopes  may  add  keener  anguish  to  your  dying  hours. 
You  must  die,  and  then  you  will  not  need  the  anticipations 
of  an  eternal  state  to  harrow  up  your  soul  in  view  of  pre- 
cious seasons  lost  in  folly  and  in  sin.  But  there  is,  my 
friend,  an  eternal  state  oi  just  and  righteous  retribution ; 
and  will  you  longer  expose  your  soul,  and  the  souls  of  your 
offspring,  to  its  fatal  issues  ?  Tell  me,  I  pray  you,  in  view 
of  death,  judgment,  and  eternity,  are  these  scenes  longer  to 
be  loved  ?  If  there  is  not  a  remnant  of  anxiety  for  your- 
self remaining  in  your  soul,  will  you  lead,  by  the  hand  of 
parental  influence,  your  beloved  children  to  the  gates  of 
death  ?  You  will  meet  them  in  eternity  ;  and  Oh,  calculate, 
if  you  can,  an  eternity  of  happiness  lost  to  them  and  to 
you — an  eternity  of  misery  by  them  and  you  to  be  endured  ! 
I  am  sincerely  and  affectionately  your 

FRIEND. 


PUBLISHED   BY    THE   AMERICAN    TRACT    SOCIETY. 


No.  390< 

THE 


BOLD  BLASPHEMER. 

A   NARRATIVE   OF   FACTS. 


About  thirty  miles  from  the  place  in  which  for  a  number 
of  years  I  resided,  lived  a  respectable  family,  with  whom  I 
frequently  tarried  for  a  night,  and  became  well  acquainted. 
In  that  new  country  there  are  very  few  taverns  except  in 
towns,  and  at  the  house  of  Mr.  W.  L.  I  always  received 
a  hearty  welcome.  He  Avas  a  frank,  open-hearted,  hospita- 
ble man,  and  though  himself  irreligious,  was  quick-sighted 
to  discern  consistency  of  character,  and  respected  the  man 
who  was  not  ashamed  of  his  religion.  I  had  several  times 
heard  him  mention  that  the  overseer  he  had  employed  for 
a  number  of  years  was  sick,  and  had  gone  to  live  nearer  to 
a  physician,  and  he  often  expressed  his  fears  that  "  poor  T. 
would  not  recover."  His  complaints  were  of  such  a  nature 
as  almost  to  preclude  the  hope. 

I  asked  something  about  the  character  of  the  sick  man ; 
and  in  reply  Mr.  L.  said,  ''He  is  the  best  manager  I  ever 
had,  but  he  is  the  most  wicked  swearer  I  ever  heard.  Bad 
as  I  am  myself,  it  chills  my  very  blood  to  hear  him.  It 
seems  to  me  his  oaths  must  come  from  the  lower  regions, 
they  are  so  wicked."  I  asked,  "Does  he  not  seem  sensible 
that  he  has  but  a  little  time  to  live  ?"  Mr.  L.  answered, 
"  I  told  him  last  week  that  he  did  not  seem  to  be  getting 
any  better,  when  he  broke  out  in  such  a  volley  of  curses, 
that  I  was  almost  afraid  to  stay  in  the  house.  -He  cursed 
his  Maker  for  sending  upon  him  such  sufferings.  He  cursed 
the  physicians  for  not  curing  him.  He  cursed  me  for  tell- 
ing him  he  would  not  get  well.  I  never  heard  such  pro- 
faneness.     It  was  awful  to  hear  him." 

When  J.  T.  found  there  was  no  hope  of  cure,  he  re- 
quested to  be  carried  home  to  the  house  of  his  employer, 
and  here  I  saw  and  heard  this  bold  blasphemer.  My  first 
VOL.  viii.  36* 


2  THE  BOLD  BLASPHEMER. 

interview  Avas  very  brief,  and  he  attempted  no  reply  to  the 
few  words  I  addressed  to  him. 

In  the  same  neighborhood  hved  a  humble  Christian, 
whom  this  blasphemer  had  delighted  to  ridicule.  As  soon 
as  good  Mr.  G.  heard  of  J.  T.'s  return  to  the  neighborhood, 
he  took  his  Bible,  and  went  over  to  see  him.  To  the  usual 
inquiry  as  to  his  health,  he  uttered  a  horrid  oath,  and  said, 
"  You  see  I  am  sick,  what  do  you  ask  me  for  ?"  Mr.  G. 
remarked,  "  Yes,  I  know  you  are  sick,  and  I  came  over  to 
sit  a  while  and  have  some  talk  with  you." 

T.  "  Well,  if  you  have  any  news  to  tell  me,  speak  out ; 
but  don't  say  a  word  about  your  cui'sed  religion.    I  hate  it." 
Mr.  G.  "  Why  do  you  hate  religion  ?" 
T.  "  I  never  saw  any  body  made  better  by  it." 

G./'  How  is  that  ?     Look  at  James  S .     Is  he  the 

same  horse-racer,  and  fighter,  and  drunkard,  he  used  to  be  ? 
Is  he  none  the  better  for  his  religion  ?" 

T.  "  Perhaps  he  is  ;  but  there  is  H.  W.  over  the  river, 
he  pretended  to  become  a  Christian,  and  there  is  not  a 
greater  cheat  in  the  whole  county  of  W." 

G.  "It  is  true  he  is  a  professor  of  religion,  but  it  is  to 
be  feared  from  his  conduct,  that  his  heart  is  not  right  with 
God.  But  you  don't  throw  away  all  your  bank-notes  be- 
cause you  get  now  and  then  a  counterfeit.  One  of  the  best 
evidences  of  the  excellency  of  the  Christian  religion  is,  that 
its  enemies  expect  its  professors  to  be  good  and  holy  men. 
True  religion  makes  those  who  possess  it  good  men,  good 
husbands,  and  fathers,  and  masters.  Now  T.,  you  know  in 
your  heart  this  is  true." 

T.  "  And  you  know  if  I  was  not  sick  I  could  outtalk 
you,  and  head  you  up,  whichever  road  you  took ;  but  I  am 
too  sick  to  talk,  and  I  don't  care  about  hearing  any  more 
preaching." 

G.  "1  make  no  question  of  your  superior  abilities  ;  but 
I  think  God  has  made  me  a  hcqypier  man  than  some  I 
know." 

T.  *'/  am  not  a  happy  man,  God  knows." 
G.  "  But  I  can  tell  what  would  make  you  happy." 
T.   "I  know  what  you  are  going  to  say,  but  say  on." 
G.  Opens  his  Bible  and  reads.     "  This  is  a  faithful  say- 
ing, and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ  Jesus  came 
into  the  world  to  save  sinners,  of  whom  I  am  chief."     "  Be- 


THE  BOLD  BLASPHEMER.  3 

lieve  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thoii  shalt  be  saved." 
**  Repent  ye,  therefore,  and  be  converted,  that  your  sins 
may  be  blotted  out."  "  He  that,  being  often  reproved, 
hardeneth  his  neck,  shall  suddenly  be  destroyed,  and  that 
without  remedy."  ''  Every  one  of  us  shall  give  account 
oi  himself  to  God." 

Even  these  passages  of  Scripture,  with  the  few  remarks 
by  which  they  were  accompanied,  were  so  offensive,  that 
while  the  good  man  was  yet  speaking,  T.  summoned  un- 
wonted strength,  crawled  off  his  bed,  and  succeeded  in 
reaching  a  bed  in  the  adjoining  room.  Mr.  G.  was  greatly 
affected,  and  after  some  appropriate  conversation  with  Mrs. 
L.  left  the  house. 

The  next  evening  a  pious  man,  who  stopped  to  spend 
the  night,  attempted  to  have  some  conversation  with  T.,  but 
finding  it  only  irritated  him,  he  desisted.  His  case  was, 
however,  particularly  mentioned  in  family  prayer ;  but  it 
so  enraged  the  sick  man,  that  he  seized  a  chair  Avith  the 
strength  of  a  maniac,  and  struck  his  black  boy  who  waited 
on  him. 

T.'s  situation  became  every  day  more  and  more  distress- 
ing. As  he  became  conscious  he  could  not  live  much  longer, 
his  hatred  to  God,  to  Christians,  and  to  the  Bible,  increased 
in  malignity.  Mrs.  L.  told  him,  that  so  dreadful  were  his 
imprecations  and  curses,  she  was  terrified  continually,  and 
feared  some  heavy  judgment  would  be  sent  on  the  whole 
house.  I  saw  him  at  this  time,  and  can  never  forget  his 
appearance.  He  was  emaciated  to  a  skeleton.  His  sharp 
black  eye  liad  an  unnatural  fierceness  ;  his  voice  was  deep 
and  hollow.  There  was  a  haggardness  in  his  looks,  a  rest- 
less impatience  and  anguish  depicted  in  his  face,  such  as  I 
never  saw  before.  I  was  journeying  in  company  with  a 
clergyman,  and  we  stopped  to  spend  the  night  with  our 
hospitable  friend,  W.  L.  I  knew  our  visit  would  be  pleas- 
ant to  Mrs.  L.,  as  she  had  recently  indulged  hope  in  Christ. 
I  knew,  too,  that  she  was  greatly  distressed  and  worn  out 
by  the  scene  which  was  passing  before  her,  and  that  a  visit 
from  my  friend  would  be  gratifying  to  her,  as  she  had  told 
me  that  his  conversation  on  the  importance  of  a  prepara- 
tion for  death  had  been  the  means  of  leading  her  to  the 
Saviour. 

We  entered  the  usual  sitting-room,  and  here  lay  poor  T. 


4  THE  BOLD  BLASPHEMER. 

He  could  not  bear  to  be  left  alone,  and  at  his  urgent  request 
he  had  been  removed  to  this  room,  forgetting  that  he  must 
go  alone  to  try  the  realities  of  eternity — that  he  must  go 
alone  to  the  judgment-bar  of  the  God  he  had  so  often  blas- 
phemed. 

As  soon  as  conversation  could  be  introduced,  ni}^  fellow- 
traveller  inquired  of  T.  as  to  the  nature  of  his  complaints, 
etc.  He  was  very  free  to  converse  on  this  subject ;  the 
more  so,  probably,  because  he  knew  that  Mr.  W.  had  some 
medical  knowledge.  He  related  his  symptoms,  his  suffer- 
ings, the  various  remedies  used,  etc.,  and  finding  he  was 
listened  to  patiently,  he  seemed  quite  animated,  possibly 
with  the  faint  hope  that  something  could  yet  be  done  for 
him.  Mr.  W.  endeavored  to  draw  from  him  whether  he 
had  any  hope  of  recovery,  and  it  appeared  evident  that  if 
he  had  any,  it  was  very  feeble.  In  a  very  tender,  but 
solemn  manner,  Mr.  W.  then  spoke  of  the  change  which 
awaits  all  men,  of  the  eternity  to  which  all  are  hastening, 
of  the  judgment-seat  before  which  all  must  stand,  and  of 
the  final  sentence  from  Avhich  there  is  no  appeal,  no  escape. 

We  listened  with  breathless  anxiety,  and  I  trust  more 
than  one  offered  up  fervent  petitions  that  this  poor  sinner 
mio-ht  awake  to  a  sense  of  his  dano-er.  It  was  the  first  time 
that  he  had  listened  so  long  to  any  serious  conversation 
without  interrupting  it.  I  perceived  he  was  restless,  and  I 
had  begun  to  indulge  the  hope  that  we  should  hear  him 
exclaim,  ''  Sirs,  what  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?"  But,  alas, 
when  the  question  was  asked,  *'  Do  you  feel  prepared  to 
stand  before  the  holy  and  just  God,  to  whose  eyes  all  things 
are  naked  and  open?"  he  broke  out,  saying, 

"■  I  am  as  much  prepared  as  I  ever  shall  be ;  and  if  I 
am  not,  it  is  none  of  your  business." 

Fixing  his  eyes  full  upon  him,  Mr.  W.  said,  ''Young 
man,  let  me  tell  you,  you  may  realize  your  situation  yet 
before  you  die ;  you  may  Avish  in  vain  for  the  short  time 
which  appears  to  be  now  between  you  and  eternity.  You 
can  live  but  a  few  days  ;  it  may  be,  but  a  few  hours.  God 
calls  you  now  to  repent.  But  if  you  loill  not,  if  you  harden 
your  heart  and  stiffen  your  neck,  you  may  call  when  God 
will  not  hear,  you  may  stretch  out  your  hand  when  he  will 
not  regard,  because  you  have  set  at  naught  all  his  counsel, 
and  despised  his  reproof." 


THE  BOLD  BLASPHEMER.  5 

Mr.  "W.  was  asked  to  lead  in  family  prayer ;  and  here 
another  opportunity  offered,  which  was  eagerly  embraced, 
of  reaching  the  case  of  the  sick  man.  A  suitable  portion 
of  Scripture  was  read,  a  solemn  and  affecting  exhortation 
given,  and  then  such  a  prayer  offered  as  it  seems  to  me  I 
never  united  in  before.  I  thought  T.  would  be  melted ; 
but  no,  he  was  wroth — he  tossed  upon  his  bed — he  rolled 
over — his  eyes.  Oh  I  can  never  forget  their  expression- — he 
raised  himself  up — he  tossed  to  one  side  of  the  bed  and  the 
other — he  rose  upon  his  feet — staggered  to  the  door — was 
caught  and  seated  in  a  chair  in  the  entry  till  the  prayer  was 
over,  and  then  brought  back  to  his  bed. 

Nothing  more  was  said  to  him  that  night.  But  it  was 
to  him  a  night  of  unspeakable  horror — his  groans  we  could 
distinctly  hear,  intermingled  occasionally  with  shocking 
oaths.  He  was  evidently  afraid  to  sleep  himself,  and 
seemed  determined  that  no  one  else  should. 

We  took  our  leave  early  in  the  morning,  when  again  a 
word  was  addressed  to  him.  A  week  after,  we  heard  that 
this  bold  blasphemer  had  gone  to  the  eternal  world.  The 
circumstances  of  his  death  were  related  to  me  by  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  L.,  and  Mr.  G. 

Two  nights  after  we  left  him,  there  was  evidently  a 
change  for  the  worse,  which  he  was  the  first  to  notice.  He 
had  an  hour  or  two  of  disturbed  sleep,  and  awoke  in  great 
distress  both  of  body  and  mind,  crying  out,  "  I  shall  die  ; 
Oh  I  am  dying,  and  shall  go  to  hell." 

Those  around  him  tried  to  tell  him  about  the  Saviour 
of  sinners,  but  he  would  not  hear.  He  continued  to  ex- 
claim, "  I  am  lost — 0,  I  am  lost — I  shall  go  to  hell." 

He  requested  Mr.  W.  to  be  sent  for ;  but  as  it  was 
thought  he  could  not  live  through  the  night,  and  the  dis- 
tance was  great,  it  was  not  judged  best  to  send.  He  then 
requested  old  Mr.  G.  to  be  sent  for.  The  old  man  soon 
came. 

Mr.  T.  "  0  do  pray  for  me,  I  must  die,  and  go  to  hell." 

Mr.  G.  "  You  must  prav  for  yourself." 

T.  "I  can't." 

G.  "You  can  say,  '  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner.'  " 

T.  ''  0  no  I  can't.     God  will  not  hear  such  a  wretch." 

G.  "  But  my  prayers  cannot  save  you  ;  you  must  pray 
for  yourself;  you  must  repent  of  sin.     You  must  believe  in 


6  THE  BOLD  BLASPHEMER. 

the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  yield  up  yourself  to  him,  and 
through  his  atoning  blood  all  your  sins  shall  be  forgiven." 

T.  "  0  do  pray — 0  do  pray  for  me." 

His  request  Avas  complied  with  ;  but  he  continued  his 
groans  and  exclamations,  so  that  it  is  probable  he  heard 
but  little  of  the  prayer.  When  Mr.  G.  ceased,  he  begged 
him  to  read  the  Bible.  This  was  done.  If  Mr.  G.  stopped, 
he  would  cry  out,  "do  read,"  or  "do  pray,"  or  "do  talk." 

Mr.  G.  fearing  he  w^as  depending  on  him  to  save  him, 
and  knowing  that  he  was  rapidly  going  into  eternity,  left 
the  house.  He  told  me  he  could  scarcely  endure  the 
moans  and  cries  which  this  blasphemer  uttered.  They 
seemed  not  the  cries  of  a  penitent  pleading  for  mercy,  but 
of  a  soul  suffering  under  God's  w^rath,  and  tasting  the  cup 
which  his  own  folly  and  wickedness  had  mixed.  He  tossed 
upon  his  bed,  lashed  by  the  upbraidings  of  conscience,  and 
there  seemed  to  be  realized  in  his  case  "  a  certain  fearful 
looking  for  of  judgment  and  fiery  indignation  "  from  his 
offended  Creator. 

He  was  often  urged,  during  these  hours  of  anguish,  to 
repent  now — to  ^:)ray  noio.  To  which  he  invariably  answered, 
"  I  can't — 'tis  too  late — too  late — 'tis  too  late  for  me.  Take 
warning  by  me,  0  take  warning — 'tis  too  late  for  me."  In 
this  manner  he  continued  to  groan,  and  toss,  and  struggle, 
till  nature  was  exhausted. 

Thus  died  this  bold  blasphemer.  And  now  w^here 
is  he? 

Reader,  here  is  a  simple  narrative  of  facts.  Many  per- 
sons were  acquainted  with  the  man  and  the  manner  of  his 
death.  I  often  heard  it  talked  about  while  I  lived  in  that 
part  of  the  country.  I  am  sure  that  no  one  who  saw  him 
during  the  last  week  of  his  hfe  can  ever  forget  him.  Often 
have  I  thought  of  his  appearance,  and  my  blood  has  chilled 
in  my  veins.  Yet,  hardened  and  wicked  as  he  was,  "  his 
sin  found  him  out."  Even  in  this  world  he  felt  the  gnaw- 
ings  "  of  the  worm  that  never  dies."  He  had  a  clear  per- 
ception of  what  his  sins  deserved,  and  though  he  trembled 
and  shrunk  at  the  sight,  yet  no  meltings  of  godly  sorrow 
came  over  his  soul.  No  change  of  posture  gave  ease  to  his 
tortured  spirit.  He  had  often  prayed  that  God  would 
damn  his  soul ;  but  now  he  felt  he  could  not  pray  that  it 
might  be  saved.     He  had  racked  his  invention  to  make  the 


THE  BOLD  BLASPHEMER.  7 

most  absurd  and  Avicked  oaths,  and  now  he  saw  them  re- 
turning upon  his  own  soul,  and  ready  to  sink  him  to  that 
world  of  woe  from  Avhich  he  seemed  to  have  borrowed  lan- 
guage to  express  the  wickedness  of  his  heart. 

"It  is  too  late — too  late  for  me,"  was  his  cry,  when 
urged  to  repent — "Too  late — too  late.''  "He  knew  his 
duty,  but  he  did  it  not."  He  knew  that  he  was  a  creature 
of  God,  who  had  a  claim  to  his  obedience.  He  knew  that 
his  laws  were  holy,  just,  and  good,  and  that  he  had  wilfully 
broken  them,  and  incurred  the  penalty,  "  The  soul  that  sin- 
neth,  it  shall  die." 

Reader,  is  it  yet  "  too  late  "  for  you  ?  Are  you  still  in 
your  sins  ?  Is  it  nothing  to  you  that  God  your  Maker 
claims  your  obedience  and  love  ?  Is  it  nothing  to  you  that 
the  Redeemer  has  died,  and  that  "  he  that  believeth  "  in 
him  "shall  be  saved,  and  he  that  beheveth  not  shall  be 
damned  ?" 

Are  you  a  profane  swearer?  "Be  sure  your  sin  will 
find  you  out."  Have  you  ever  prayed  God  to  "damn  your 
soul?"  He  has  heard  that  prayer,  and  it  may  be,  he  will 
answer  it  according  to  your  request.  And  now  let  me  se- 
riously ask  you,  can  you  calmly  repeat  the  impious  prayer 
you  have  so  often  uttered  ?  Can  you  do  it  ?  Dare  you  do 
it  ?  Are  you  so  hardened  in  sin  that  you  can  deliberately 
pray  for  "  damnation  V 

Think,  what  is  it  to  be  damned — to  be  cast  off  from 
God,  from  happiness,  from  heaven,  and  cast  down  to  hell, 
the  prison  of  despair  ?  Think,  too,  that  this  will  be  eternal. 
God  hath  said,  "The  wicked  shall  go  away  into  everlasting 
punishment,  where  their  worm  dieth  not,  and  the  fire  is  not 
quenched." 

Do  you  plead  as  an  excuse  for  swearing,  that  you  do  it 
thoughtlessly,  that  you  have  acquired  the  hahit,  and  now 
you  hardly  know  when  you  swear?  This  is  a  dreadful 
acknowledgment  that  you  so  constantly  break  the  com- 
mand, "Thou  shalt  not  take  the  name  of  the  Lord  thy 
God  in  vain,"  that  it  has  become  habitual.  You  thus  ac- 
knowledge that  you  care  not  for  the  command,  and  defy 
the  penalty. 

Do  you  say  that  you  only  swear  when  you  are  in  a 
passion  ?  Do  you  offer  this  as  an  excuse  ?  Will  you  carry 
up  this  excuse  to  the  judgment  of  the  great  God,  before 


8  THE  BOLD  BLASPHEMER. 

whom  you  must  answer  for  "  every  idle  word  ?"  Will  you 
tell  him  that  you  broke  his  commands  thoughtlessly,  habit- 
uall}'-,  and  when  you  were  in  a  passion ;  or  do  you  hope  to 
escape  the  notice  of  Omniscience  ?  Think  not  that  in  that 
immense  assembly,  when  all  who  have  lived  shall  stand 
before  the  Judge,  you  may  be  overlooked  or  passed  by  un- 
observed. 0 110.  He  who  numbers  the  hairs  of  ypur  head ; 
whose  eyes,  as  a  flame  of  fire,  have  been  fixed  upon  you 
during  all  your  wayward  course ;  Avho  has  often  warned 
you  by  his  providence,  his  ministers,  his  Spirit,  and  by 
your  own  conscience ;  who  has  borne  with  you  patiently,  it 
may  be  twenty,  thirty,  or  fifty  years  ;  he  will  not  let  you 
escape.  The  mountains  will  not  heed  your  call,  nor  will 
the  hills  cover  you  "  from  the  face  of  Him  that  sitteth  on 
the  throne,  and  from  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb." 

Now,  fellow- sinner,  what  will  you  do?  Conscience 
whispers  that  you  are  verily  guilty.  What  then  will  you 
do  ?  Come  to  a  decision.  Will  you  continue  this  senseless, 
absurd,  wicked  practice  of  swearing  ;  or  will  you  break  off 
from  this,  and  all  other  sins,  and  lead  a  life  of  obedience  to 
all  -the  commands  of  your  Maker?  Will  you  throw  aside 
this  Tract,  which  pleads  with  you,  as  a  man  with  his  friend, 
to  think  of  these  things  as  you  will  wish  you  had  done 
when  you  come  to  die  ?  Will  you  deliberately  crowd  these 
considerations  out  of  mind,  and  pursue  the  same  downward 
course  ?  Will  you,  when  your  eternal  all  is  at  stake,  throw 
away  your  soul  ?  Throw  it  away  !  Where  ?  Into  the  cold, 
dark,  cheerless  gulf  of  annihilation  ?  This  you  cannot  do. 
You  cannot  cease  to  exist.  0  no.  If  you  repent  not,  you 
Avilfully  throw  your  soul  into  that  boundless,  unfathomable 
abyss  where  no  sound  is  heard  save  "  v>'eeping,  and  wailing, 
and  gnashing  of  teeth  for  ever." 

*^*  The  facts  in  the  above  narrative  are  fully  substantiated  to 
the  Committee  of  the  American  Tract  Societ}^ 


PUBLISHED   BY    THE   AMERICAN    TRACT    SOCIETY, 


]¥o.  S91 


THE 


HORRORS  OF   HEATHENISM. 


The  object  of  these  pages  is  to  present  the  moral  condi- 
tion of  the  heathen,  and  the  motives  for  sending  them  the 
glorious  Gospel.  The  facts  are  from  the  most  authentic 
sources,  chiefly  from  eye-witnesses ;  and  the  subject  is  pre- 
sented with  the  devout  hope,  that  such  compassion  for  the 
miserable  and  perishing  may  be  awakened  as  will  rouse  to 
ardent  prayer  and  more  active  benevolence. 

I.  EXTENT  OF  HEATHENISM. 

More  than  half  the  earth's  surface  is  covered  with  moral 
darkness.     Almost  the  whole  of  the  vast  regions  of  Asia 
and  of  Africa,  extensive  portions  of  North  and  South  Amer- 
voL.  VIII.  37 


2  HORRORS  OF  HEATHENISM. 

ica,  together  with  numerous  islands  of  the  sea,  belong  to 
the  empire  of  paganism.  In  its  deplorable  darkness  are 
enveloped,  according  to  the  besi  authority,  not  less  than 
five  hundred  millions  of  the  human  race;  and  these  regions 
embrace  many  of  the  fairest  portions  of  the  globe.  Nature 
is  nowhere  seen  in  more  lovely  attire,  and  has  been  nowhere 
more  lavish  of  her  bounties.  In  grandeur  and  beauty  of 
scenery,  in  fertility  of  soil,  in  variety  of  useful  productions, 
they  are  exceeded  by  none  on  earth.  Let  the  eye  of  Chris- 
tian benevolence  run  to  and  fro  through  this  immense  em- 
pire of  darkness.     Truly  the  harvest  is  great. 

n.   ABSURDITIES  OF  HEATHENISM  IN  RESPECT  TO  THE  DEITY  AND 
DIVINE  WORSHIP. 

1 .  Objects  of  worship.  More  than  two  hundred  millions 
of  our  race,  embracino^  China  and  contioruous  countries,  are 
Buddliists,  worshipping  a  great  variety  of  imaginary  deities, 
paying  homage  to  the  spirits  of  departed  ancestors,  and  to 
innumerable  idols.  More  than  fifty  millions  are  worship- 
pers of  the  Grand  Lama,  a  deified  human  being.  More 
than  one  hundred  millions,  includincr  Hindostan  and  rec^ions 
adjacent,  are  worshippers  of  the  deity  under  three  forms, 
Brahma,  Vishnu,  and  Siva,  Avith  numberless  subordinate 
deities.  The  millions  inhabiting  the  various  Asiatic  and 
Pacific  islands  worship  an  -endless  variety  of  false  gods, 
represented  by  images  in  every  variety  of  monstrous  and 
disgusting  forms.  In  different  pagan  nations  various  ani- 
mals receive  divine  honors,  as  the  cow  in  India,  various  rep- 
tiles in  South  Africa,  the  shark  among  the  natives  of  the 
Pacific  isles,  and  the  crow  among  natives  of  the  North-west 
coast.  The  luminaries  of  heaven  are  also  deified,  as  are 
rivers,  and  trees,  and  departed  souls  of  men,  and  malignant 
demons. 

2.  Their  religious  rites  evince  the  greatest  degradation. 
In  some  regions  they  are  attended  with  excessive  cruelties. 
"The  shark,"  says  Rev.  Mr.  Ellis,  "was  formerly  worship- 
ped in  the  South  Sea  islands.  On  the  occasion  of  worship, 
the  priests  sallied  forth,  and  wherever  a  company  of  per- 


HORRORS  OF  HEATHENISiM.  3 

sons  were  assembled,  a  rope  with  a  noose  was  suddenly  and 
unexpectedly  thrown  among  them,  and  the  first  person  taken 
in  the  snare,  man,  woman,  or  child,  was  strangled,  cut  in 
pieces,  and  thrown  'into  the  sea,  to  be  devoured  by  the 
shark." 

Dr.  Buchanan  writes,  "The  horrid  solemnities  of  Jug- 
gernaut continue.  Yesterday  a  woman  devoted  herself  to 
the  idol.  The  wheel  did  not  kill  her  instantaneously,  as  is 
generally  the  case,  but  she  died  in  a  few  hours.  This  morn- 
ing, as  I  passed  '  the  place  of  skulls,'  nothing  remained  but 
her  bones." 

Religious  rites  in  some  regions  are  most  disgusting. 
"Tlie  car  of  the  chief  Hindoo  idol,"  says  Dr.  Buchanan, 
"  moved  on  a  little  way  and  then  stopped.  A  boy  of  about 
twelve  years  was  then  brought  forth  to  attempt  something 
yet  more  lascivious,  if  peradventure  the  god  would  move. 
The  child  perfected  the  praise  of  his  idol  with  such  ardent 
expression  and  gesture  that  the  god  was  pleased,  and  the 
multitude  emitting  a  sensual  yell  of  delight,  urged  the  car 
along."  The  Hindoo  gods  are  represented  as  examples  of 
every  kind  of  licentiousness,  and  as  pleased  with  correspond- 
ent rites  of  worship.  Their  images  and  the  sculpture  of 
their  temples  are  spectacles  of  impurity.  The  whole  idol 
system  exerts  a  most  debasing  and  demoralizing  influence 
upon  the  mind.  What  a  contrast  between  paganism  and 
revelation  on  the  grand  point,  the  character  of  God  and  the 
way  of  acceptance  with  him ! 

III.    THE  HEATHEN  HAVE  NO  CORRECT  VIEWS  OF  A  FUTURE 
STATE. 

This  is  another  affecting  feature  of  their  moral  degrada- 
tion. The  Chinese  and  the  Hindoos — and  theirs  is  the  faith 
of  more  than  half  the  heathen  world — believe  in  the  trajis- 
migration  of  the  soul,  or  its  passage  after  death,  from  the 
present  body  to  some  other;  the  good  to  nobler,  the  bad 
to  viler  bodies.  These  views  involve  a  mere  animal  exist- 
ence after  death,  and  rewards  and  punishments  correspond- 
ing to  such  an  existence.     Various  African  and  Indian  tribes 


4  HORRORS  OF  HEATHENISM. 

suppose  the  future  state  a  sort  of  continuance  of  the  pres- 
ent, involving  similar  wants,  and  perils,  and  circumstances. 
Accordingly  the  grave  of  the  Indian  receives  also  his  dress, 
arms,  etc.  Retribution  to  the  good  will  consist  of  cloudless 
skies,  unfaihng  verdure,  and  abundant  game,  with  all  the 
luxuries  of  sensual  appetite;  while  the  wicked  are  to  en- 
dure all  the  torments  of  ungratified  desire  in  barren  lands, 
abounding  with  wild  beasts  and  venomous  serpents,  and 
darkened  with  storms  and  tempests.  Without  greater  par- 
ticularity on  this  subject,  it  may  suffice  to  say,  that  while 
we  find  no  pagan  nation  destitute  of  some  idea  of  a  future 
state,  we  find  none  whose  views  are  not  mingled  with  ex- 
travagant absurdities.  While  they  have  been  unable  to 
resist  the  impression  of  a  future  life,  they  have  given  to  a 
corrupt  and  disordered  fancy  the  privilege  of  drawing  such 
a  picture  as  she  pleased. 

In  respect  to  character,  moral  debasement  is  the  univer- 
sal tendency  of  heathen  views  of  futurity.  An  anticipated 
sensual  paradise  countenances  the  baser  appetites,  while  the 
fierce  and  mahgnant  passions  are  inflamed  by  the  supposed 
future  rewards  of  success  in  war  or  schemes  of  revenge. 
Instead  of  awing  the  transgressor's  mind  and  repressing 
evil  deeds,  the  reverse  is  the  melancholy  fact.  And  on 
happiness  t\ie\v  influence  is  no  less  disastrous.  By  bloody 
sacrifices  of  human  victims,  by  unbounded  indulgence  of 
hateful  lusts  and  malignant  passions,  countenanced  and 
encouraged  as  these  are  by  absurd  views  of  a  future  world, 
the  sum  of  human  misery  has  been  vastly  increased.  How 
beneficent  the  hand  that  bestows  that  Gospel  which  brings 
"  life  and  immortality  to  light,"  which  sets  truly  before  the 
benighted  pagan's  mind  the  things  that  shall  be  hereafter ! 

IV.    VICE  AND  CRIME  AMONG  THE  HEATHEN. 

Under  the  influence  of  polluting  and  debasing  views  of 
the  Deity  and  divine  worship,  of  incorrect  apprehensions 
of  a  future  world,  and  the  grinding  oppression  of  despotic 
rulers,  iniquity  bursts  forth  in  heathen  countries  in  prodig- 


HORRORS  OF  HEATH ExXISJI.  5 

ious  luxuriance.  Our  limits  forbid  a  survey  of  the  great 
sea  of  pagan  wickedness.  The  united  voice  of  all  who  have 
dwelt  among  the  heathen  proclaims,  that  none  but  those 
actually  present  to  behold  them  can  have  any  idea  of  Avhat 
revolting  scenes  of  depravity  are  every  day  witnessed. 
Those  upon  the  spot  declare,  that  the  awful  picture  of  hea- 
then abominations,  drawn  in  the  first  chapter  of  Romans,  is 
essentially  the  state  of  heathenism  as  developed  before  their 
eyes.  Vice  bursts  over  all  control,  and  rolls  its  waves  of 
corruption  on  every  side.  The  whole  idol  system,  all  over 
the  earth,  is  full  of  abominations  :  it  carries  its  deluded  vic- 
tims down  to  such  a  frightful  depth  of  shameless  pollution 
as  renders  details  too  revolting  to  be  endured. 

V.  THE  MISERIES  OF  THE  HEATHEN  ARE  VERY  GREAT. 

1.  Despotic  governments  produce  incalculable  misery. 
The  arm  of  oppression  often  strips  men  in  an  hour  of  the 
gains  of  years,  thus  plunging  famihes,  sometimes  whole  dis- 
tricts, into  the  depths  of  poverty  and  misery.  Capricious 
and  sanguinary  laAvs  stretch  the  rod  of  terror  over  the 
enslaved  and  trembling  subject.  Property,  liberty,  or  life, 
must  be  surrendered  at  the  caprice  of  a  tyrant. 

2.  Religious  customs  inflict  great  miseries.  It  has  ever 
been  a  favorite  pagan  notion,  that  suffering  was  pleasing  to 
the  Deity.  This  is  often  voluntary,  inflicted  by  deluded 
devotees  upon  themselves.  The  flesh  is  cut  or  pierced  with 
sharp  instruments,  tortured  by  fire,  or  emaciated  by  absti- 
nence from  food.  A  most  miserable  death  is  often  the  con- 
sequence of  this  infatuation.  Some  cast  themselves  upon 
iron  spikes,  which  inflict  deadly  wounds  ;  others  bury  them- 
selves alive  in  the  earth  ;  others  sink  themselves  Avith  heavy 
stones  to  the  bottom  of  the  ocean  ;  others  throw  themselves 
beneath  the  wheels  of  idol  cars.  The  funeral  pile  in  India 
was  a  dreadful  specimen  of  self-inflicted  misery. 

"  In  the  year  1799,  twenty-two  females,"  says  the  Lon- 
don Christian  Observer,  "  were  burnt  alive  with  the  dead 
body  of  Unutio,  a  Brahmin.     The  fire  was  kept  burning 
VOL.  VIII.  37* 


6  HORRORS  OF  HEATHENISM. 

three  days.  When  one  or  more  arrived,  the  ceremonies 
were  gone  through  with,  and  they  threw  themselves  upon 
the  blazing  fire  !  On  the  first  day  three  were  burned  ;  on 
the  second  and  third  days  nineteen  more."  ''  Another  Brah- 
min died  near  Serampore,  who  had  married  forty  women ; 
all  but  eighteen  had  died  before  him.  On  this  occasion  a 
fire  extending  ten  or  twelve  yards  in  length  Avas  prepared, 
into  which  the  remaining  eighteen  threw  themselves,  leaving 
more  than  forty  children."  In  the  Bengal  presidency  in 
nine  years,  from  1815  to  1824,  the  number  of  suttees  (cases 
of  burning  as  above)  Avas  5,997. 

The  sufferings  by  pilgrimages  in  India  are  immense. 
More  than  300,000  persons  have  been  known  to  visit  a  fa- 
vorite idol  in  a  single  year.  By  disease  and  want  a  fright- 
ful havoc  of  life  is  occasioned.  The  London  Missionary 
Register  gives  the  following  facts  from  an  eye-witness : 
*'  The  poor  pilgrims  are  to  be  seen  in  every  direction  dead, 
or  in  the  agonies  of  death ;  lying  by  fives,  tens,  and  twen- 
ties ;  and  in  some  parts  there  were  hundreds  to  be  seen 
in  one  place."  "  I  saw  one  poor  creature  who  was  partly 
eaten,  though  alive ;  the  crows  made  an  incision  in  the  back, 
and  were  pulling  at  the  wound  when  I  came  up.  The  poor 
creature  feeling  the  torment,  moved  his  head  and  shoulders 
for  a  moment ;  the  birds  flew  up,  but  immediately  returned 
and  recommenced  their  meal." 

'3.  Their  miseries  are  multiplied  by  the  ivant  of  natural 
affection.  This  principle  is  weakened,  and  it  seems  in  some 
cases  totally  destroyed.  The  infirmities  of  declining  life, 
instead  of  being  soothed  by  filial  tenderness,  are  the  occa- 
sion of  cruel  abandonment,  or  death  is  hastened  by  bloody 
weapons.  "  Sometimes,"  says  Rev.  Mr.  Ellis,  "  the  South 
Sea  native,  tired  of  waiting  on  him,  would  pierce  his  aged 
and  unsuspecting  father  with  a  spear.  Sometimes  the  chil- 
dren would  pretend  they  were  carrj^ing  their  father  to  bathe, 
when  they  would  throw  him  into  a  grave  previously  pre- 
pared, stifle  his  cries,  and  put  an  end  to  his  life  by  throwing 
large  stones  upon  him." 


HORRORS  OF  HEATIIEMSM.  ^ 

"Infanticide  has  prevailed  in  almost  every  heathen  coun- 
try. "  Hundreds  of  helpless  children,"  says  Mr.  Kingsbu- 
ry, "have  been  murdered  among  the  Choctaws.  Sometimes 
the  mother  digs  a  grave  and  buries  her  child  alive  as  soon 
as  it  is  born ;  sometimes  she  puts  it  to  death  by  stamping 
on  its  breast,  by  strangling,  or  knocking  it  on  the  head." 

"A  Hindoo  woman  cast  her  child,  between  three  and 
four  years  old,  into  the  Ganges,  as  an  offering  to  the  god- 
dess. The  little  creature  made  its  way  to  a  raft  of  bamboos 
that  happened  to  be  floating  by,  and  seizing  one  end  of  it 
was  di'ifted  along,  crying  to  its  unnatural  parent  for  help. 
She  perceiving  from  the  shore  the  danger  of  the  child's 
escaping,  plunged  into  the  water,  tore  away  its  hold,  broke 
its  neck,  and  hurled  its  life-warm  corpse  into  the  middle 
of  the  current,  by  which  it  was  soon  drifted  out  of  sight." 
Tyerman  and  Bennett's  Journal. 

4.  Heathen  wars  are  cruel.  War  is  horrid  enough  under 
all  the  mitigations  of  civilized  life,  but  in  pagan  lands  it  is 
carried  on  with  terrible  ferocity.  Scarcely  could  unchained 
demons,  bursting  from  their  abodes  beneath,  make  more 
horrid  exhibitions  of  malignant  passions.  "  The  barbarity 
of  wars  in  the  South  Sea  islands,"  says  Rev.  Mr.  Ellis,  "was 
dreadful.  Here  a  warrior  mio^ht  be  seen  tossincy  little  chil- 
dren  and  infants  into  the  ail',  and  catching  them  upon  the 
point  of  his  spear,  where  they  expired  in  agonies.  There 
another  might  be  seen  dragging  in  savage  triumph  five  or 
six  lifeless  children  by  a  cord,  which  had  been  passed  suc- 
cessively through  their  heads  from  ear  to  ear.  Yonder,  all 
covered  with  gore,  another  might  be  seen  scooping  with  his 
hands  the  blood  from  the  gushing  trunk  of  his  decapitated 
foe,  and  drinking  it  with  hideous  exultation." 

5.  Their  sorrows  are  multiplied  by  indifference  to  each 
other  s  woes.  The  most  hard-hearted  selfishness  is  gener- 
ated by  heathenism.  The  sick  languish  unattended;  the 
poor  perish  by  cruel  neglect,  or  direct  acts  of  inhumanity. 
"As  we  passed,  we  saw  a  poor  man  lying  dead  among  the 
heaps  of  grain.     He  had  just  picked  up  a  few  husks  of  peas 


8  HORRORS  OF  HEATHENISM. 

and  grain,  which  it  appears  he  had  been  attempting  to  eat, 
but  was  too  far  gone.  Not  a  single  man  in  the  market 
would  give  this  poor  creature  one  handful  of  wheat  to  save 
his  life."     Christian  Observer. 

"  Every  Hindoo,"  says  Dr.  Ward,  "  in  the  hour  of  death 
is  hurried  to  the  side  of  the  Gan2:es,  or  some  sacred  river, 
where  he  is  exposed  to  the  burning  sun  by  day  and  the 
dews  and  cold  by  night.  Just  before  the  soul  quits  the 
body  he  is  immersed  to  the  middle  in  the  stream,  while  his 
relations  stand  around  him  tormenting  him  in  these  last 
moments  with  superstitious  rites,  and  increasing  an  hundred 
fold  the  pains  of  dying.  Very  often  when  recovery  might 
be  hoped  for,  these  barbarous  rites  bring  on  premature 
death." 

6.  Sense  of  insecurity  is  a  great  source  of  misery.  Ev- 
ery thing  dear  in  the  present  world,  friends,  property,  lib- 
erty, and  life,  are  in  constant  jeopardy  from  the  rapacity  of 
despots.  The  storm  may  burst  at  any  moment,  taking  every 
thing  dear  at  a  single  stroke,  or  repeat  its  visit,  emptying 
the  vials  of  wrath,  drop  by  drop.  The  effects  of  super- 
stition in  this  respect,  especially  in  Africa,  are  appalling. 
"  When  one  of  the  royal  family  dies,  human  blood  must  flow 
as  an  offering  to  the  gods.  On  these  occasions  the  princes 
rush  out,  seize  the  first  person  they  meet,  and  drag  him  in 
for  sacrifice.  While  this  season  lasts,  therefore,  it  is  with 
trembling  steps  that  any  one  crosses  his  threshold ;  and 
when  compelled  to  do  so,  he  rushes  along  with  the  utmost 
speed,  avoiding  every  moment  the  murderous  grasp  that 
would  consign  him  to  death."  Discoveries  and  Adventures 
in  Africa. 

7.  Unrestrained  indulgence  of  the  passions  multiplies  the 
woes  of  the  heathen.  The  horrid  passion  of  revenge  has 
turned  into  an  utter  desolation  rich  and  populous  provinces. 
Disease,  the  curse  of  unbridled  lust,  had  made  the  most 
dreadful  havoc  on  several  of  the  South  Sea  islands  when 
they  were  first  visited  by  missionaries.  Intemperance,  an 
importation  from  Christian  countries,  has  frightfully  aug- 


HORRORS  OF  IIEATHEiMSM.  9 

mented  pagan  wretchedness.  Envy,  and  jealousy,  and  mal- 
ice, and  remorseless  covetousness,  contribute  also  to  swell 
the  tide  which  sends  its  bitter  waters  through  a  large  por- 
tion of  the  scenes  of  social  and  domestic  life. 

8.  The  miseries  of  females.  Humanity  weeps  at  the 
melancholy  picture  of  their  degradation  and  wretchedness. 
"  I  would  to  God,"  said  a  South  American  Indian  mother, 
"  that  my  mother  by  my  death  had  prevented  the  distresses 
I  endure.  What  kindness  can  we  show  to  our  female  chil- 
dren equal  to  that  of  relieving  them  by  death  from  such 
oppression,  a  thousand  times  more  bitter  than  death  ?  I  say 
again,  would  to  God  my  mother  had  put  me  under  ground 
the  moment  I  was  born,"     Cecil's  Miss.  Sermon. 

"Hindoo  females,"  says  the  Abbe  Dubois,  "are  in  fact 
used  as  mere  animals.  The  men  regard  them  as  slaves, 
and  treat  them  on  all  occasions  with  severity  and  contempt. 
The  object  for  which  an  Hindoo  marries  is  not  to  gain  a 
companion  to  aid  him  in  enduring  the  ills  of  life,  but  a  slave 
to  bear  children  and  be  subservient  to  his  rule." 

"The  Chinese  peasant,"  says  Malte  Brun,  "yokes  his 
wife  and  his  ass  together  to  his  plough."  And  Mrs.  Jud- 
son  writes,  "  So  far  from  receiving  those  delicate  attentions 
which  render  happy  the  conjugal  state,  and  which  distin- 
guish civilized  from  heathen  countries,  the  wife  receives  the 
appellation,  mi/  servant,  or  my  doff,  and  is  allowed  to  par- 
take of  what  her  lordly  brutal  husband  is  pleased  to  give 
her  at  the  conclusion  of  his  own  repast." 

9.  Savage  customs.  The  system  of  caste  in  India  is  one 
of  the  greatest  scourges  which  ever  afflicted  human  nature. 
It  is  repugnant  to  every  feeling  of  justice  and  humanity, 
and  binds  a  most  grievous  burden  upon  millions  of  the  hu- 
man family.  The  taboo  system  of  the  Pacific  islands  was  a 
kindred  work  of  darkness,  inflicting  a  cruel  death  upon  all 
that  broke  its  absurd  enactments.  The  system  of  ordeals, 
or  trials  of  accused  persons  by  fire,  water,  poison,  exposure 
to  wild  beasts,  etc.,  is  a  perfect  mockery  of  justice,  and  a 
vast  arena  of  cruelty  and  misery. 


10  HORRORS  OF  HEATHENISM. 

10.  Anxieties  and  forebodings  respecting  a  future  state. 
The  vices  and  crimes  of  the  heathen  are  so  many  and  so 
odious,  and  so  contrary  to  reason  and  conscience,  the  law 
written  on  their  hearts  so  destructive  to  the  body  and  pol- 
luting to  the  mind,  and  their  modes  of  appeasing  the  Deity 
so  utterly  and  manifestly  absurd,  that  there  cannot  but  be 
apprehensions  for  the  future.  It  is  said  of  the  natives  of 
the  South  Sea  islands,  that  in  their  dying  agonies  they  would 
often  cry  to  their  attendants,  "  There,  there  stand  the  de- 
mons watching  for  my  spirit !  0  guard  its  exit ;  0  preserve 
it  from  their  grasp !"  We  cannot  doubt  that  there  are  pain- 
ful forebodings  in  the  minds  of  millions  as  they  contemplate 
the  unknown  future ;  these  are  whisperings  of  an  immortal- 
ity ;  there  is  conscious  guilt,  there  is  consequently  anxiety 
and  alarm. 

"Their  sorrows  shall  be  multiplied  that  hasten  after 
another  god."  We  have  given  a  mere  outline,  a  drop  or 
two  of  a  great  ocean.  The  cry  of  heathen  degradation  and 
wretchedness  is  an  ''exceeding  bitter  cry;"  it  is  like  the 
voice  of  many  waters ;  it  calls  for  the  alleviating  influence 
of  that  Gospel  whose  inviting  voice  is,  "  Come  unto  me,  all 
ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest." 

VI.  PROSPECTS  OF  THE  HEATHEN  FOR  ETERNITY. 

1.  Throughout  the  Old  Testament  the  character  of  the 
heathen  is  described  as  excessively  wicked  and  most  deeply 
offensive  to  God.  He  reproves  them  in  the  severest  lan- 
guage. He  warns  his  people,  in  every  form  of  solemn  ad- 
monition, against  following  their  examples,  and  punishes 
them  with  severity  when  they  imitate  the  heathen.  He 
chastises  pagan  nations  in  the  most  terrible  manner,  assign- 
ing their  wickedness  as  the  reason.  Witness  the  utter  des- 
olation of  Sodom,  Babylon,  Tyre,  Edom,  and  Moab.  These 
terrible  facts  show  that  God  views  heathen  abominations 
as  inexcusable.  They  carried  their  pollutions  with  them  to 
the  grave,  dying  as  they  lived,  leaving  not  a  shadow  of  rea- 
son for  believing  their  moral  characters  altered,  and  conse- 


HORRORS  OF  HEATHENISM.  1 1 

quently  giving  melancholy  assurance  of  their  having  no  part 
"in  the  resurrection  of  the  just." 

2.  The  New  Testament  describes  in  the  plainest  lan- 
guage the  character  of  those  who  cannot  enter  the  kingdom 
of  heaven.  The  vices  which  involve  this  exclusion  are  such 
as  these:  "Idolatry,  uncleanness,  lasciviousness,  hatred,  en- 
A"yings,  wrath,  malice,  strife,  seditions,  covetousness,  drunk- 
enness, murders,  revelhngs,"  etc.  Those  exposed  to  eternal 
wrath  are  also  designated  as  "  covenant-breakers,  inventors 
of  evil  things,  without  natural  affection,  implacable,  unmer- 
ciful, whose  throat  is  an  open  sepulchre,  under  whose  tongues 
is  the  poison  of  asps,  whose  mouth  is  full  of  cursing  and 
bitterness,  whose  feet  are  swift  to  shed  blood,  who  have  no 
fear  of  God  before  their  eyes."  All  testimony  respecting  the 
heathen  proclaims  that  they  live  and  die  in  just  the  moral 
condition  here  described.  They  do  just  such  things,  and 
have  pleasure  in  them  that  do  them.  The  inference  is,  that 
they  inherit  "that  wrath  which  is  revealed  from  heaven." 

3.  But  we  have  express  declarations  upon  this  point. 
"  But  unto  them  that  are  contentious,  and  do  not  obey  the 
truth,  but  obey  unrighteousness,  indignation  and  wrath,  trib- 
ulation and  anguish,  upon  everj^  soul  of  man  that  doeth  evil ; 
of  the  Jew  first,  and  also  of  the  Gentile.''  Romans  2  :  8,  9. 
Thus  the  heathen  are  as  certainly  exposed  to  perdition  as  any 
other  class  of  sinners ;  no  exception  is  made  in  their  favor. 
Moral  character  is  the  ground  upon  which  destiny  is  settled, 
and  a  miserable  retribution  will  follow  guilt  wherever  found. 
Again,  "  For  as  many  as  have  sinned  without  law,"  that  is, 
without  knowledge  of  revelation,  "  shall  ^er/sA  without  law," 
Romans  2  :  12 — not  by  being  judged  by  the  requirements 
of  revelation,  but  for  not  following  the  light  they  did  enjoy. 
Nothing  can  be  plainer  than  that  the  heathen  may  sin  unto 
perdition,  though  unenlightened  by  revelation. 

4.  Upon  no  principle  but  the  one  now  advocated  can  we 
account  for  the  conduct  of  the  apostles  towards  the  heathen. 
Their  earnest  warnings,  made  "day  and  night  with  tears," 
their  agonizing  prayers,  their  cheerful  endurance  of  every 


12  HORRORS  OF  HEATHENISM. 

species  of  reproach  and  suffeiing  while  preaching  to  the 
heathen,  their  renunciation  of  every  temporal  advantage, 
and  their  cheerful  surrender  of  life  to  any  horrid  form  of 
death,  rather  than  abandon  their  work — all  this  is  plain  and 
consistent  on  the  supposition  of  wrath  to  come,  and  incon- 
sistent and  inexplicable  on  any  other.  They  were  men  full 
of  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  certainty  of  sure  perdition  to  im- 
penitent heathen  accounts  for  their  conduct.  They  acted 
like  madmen  on  any  other  principle. 

5.  The  position  now  taken  is  confirmed  by  a  scriptural 
view  of  the  character  of  God,  and  the  nature  of  the  heavenly 
world.  God  is  glorious  in  holiness,  and  the  character,  em- 
ployments, and  pleasures  of  the  heavenly  inhabitants  are 
represented  as  at  the  farthest  possible  distance  from  every 
thing  that  defileth.  With  such  a  God,  and  in  such  a  heaven, 
can  such  persons  dwell  as  the  Bible  describes  the  heathen 
to  be,  and  as  we  know  them  to  be  ?  Can  the  idolater,  the 
reveller,  the  effeminate,  the  adulterer,  the  implacable,  the 
unmerciful  enter  there?  But  this  is  the  character  of  the 
heathen ;  they  carry  their  abominations  to  their  dying  beds, 
and  sink  in  death  with  all  their  pollutions  upon  them.  Do 
not  the  heathen,  then,  "awake  to  shame  and  everlasting 
contempt?"  If  life,  to  probation's  last  hour,  be  spent  in 
guilt  and  pollution,  can  we  believe  it  will  be  succeeded  by 
a  happy  immortality  ? 

To  the  apology,  that  they  worship  God  according  to  the 
best  of  their  knowledo-e,  and  are  therefore  in  no  dano-er  of 
perdition,  I  reply, 

1.  The  word  of  God  expressly  denies  this  alleged  igno- 
rance, declaring  that  the  works  of  nature  display  such  evi- 
dences of  the  being  and  attributes  of  God,  that  there  is  no 
palliation  of  the  guilt  of  idol  worship.  "  For  the  invisible 
things  of  him  from  the  creation  of  the  world  are  clearly 
seen,  being  understood  by  the  things  that  are  made,  even 
his  eternal  power  and  Godhead ;  so  that  they  are  without 
excuse:  because  that  when  they  knew  God,  they  glorified 
him  not  as  God,"  etc.     Rom.  1  :  20,  21.     "Who,  knowing 


HORRORS  OF  HEATHENISM.  13 

the  judgment  of  God,  that  they  which  commit  such  things 
are  ivorthy  of  death,  not  only  do  the  same,  but  have  pleas- 
ure in  them  that  do  them.'^  Rom.  1  :  32.  The  works  of 
nature*  pour  as  much  light  now  upon  pagan  minds  respect- 
ing the  character  and  will  of  God  as  they  did  when  these 
passages  were  written,  and  the  inference  of  their  inexcusa- 
bleness  is  as  just  now  as  it  was  then. 

2.  But  facts  show  their  apology  has  no  ground.  Twi- 
light is  not  noonday,  but  it  may,  nevertheless,  be  sufficient 
to  show  which  is  the  right  and  which  the  wrong  path.  The 
leading  principles  of  the  moral  law  have  never  yet  been 
entirely  effaced  amid  all  the  darkness  and  depravity  of  the 
world.  "At  a  very  early  age  I  was  employed,"  confesses 
a  distinguished  pagan,  "  by  my  father  to  perform  various 
offices  in  an  idol  temple.  I  hardly  remember  the  time  when 
my  mind  was  not  exercised  on  the  folly  of  idolatry.  These 
idols,  I  thought,  were  made  only  by  the  hand  of  man,  can 
move  from  one  place  to  another  only  by  man,  and,  whether 
treated  well  or  ill,  are  unconscious  of  either.  So  affected 
was  I  once  by  these  considerations,  that,  instead  of  placing 
the  idols  according  to  custom,  I  threw  them  from  their  ped- 
estals and  left  them  with  their  faces  in  the  dust."  Mission- 
ary Register. 

It  cannot  be  doubted  that  in  the  minds  of  millions  there 
is  more  or  less  conviction  of  their  folly  and  wickedness  ;  but 
as  their  religious  systems  give  full  sway  to  those  passions 
whose  indulgence  constitutes  their  chief  happiness,  they 
willingly  stifle  conviction,  and  permit  themselves  to  be  borne 
away  by  the  current. 

It  is  no  position  of  ours,  that  no  iwgan  ever  gropes  his 
way  to  God.  At  the  same  time,  with  Scripture  principles 
before  us  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  character  of  the  heathen 
on  the  other,  the  conviction  cannot  be  resisted,  that  the  great 
body  of  them  ''go  away  into  everlasting  punishment." 

Let  there  be  no  misapprehension  on  another  point.  They 
do  not  perish  for  rejecting  Christ.  How  shall  they  reject 
one  of  whom  thev  have  never  heard  ?  They  are  condemned 
VOL.  vii].  3^ 


14  HORRORS  OF  HEATHENISM. 

for  not  following  the  light  they  do  enjoy.  Their  voluntary 
wickedness,  their  utter  moral  unfitness  for  heaven,  and  that 
alone,  is  the  ground  of  their  exclusion. 

If  any  thing  can  be  proved  from  the  word  of  God,  it  can 
be  proved  that  the  great  body  of  the  heathen  are  not  saved. 
This  is  indeed  a  startling  and  awful  conclusion ;  but  it  can- 
not be  avoided.  And  it  would  seem  that,  in  view  of  such 
facts,  all  Christendom  would  be  filled  with  the  deepest  com- 
passion ;  that  throughout  all  its  coasts  would  be  heard  the 
cry,  Let  us  hasten  to  the  perishing  nations  with  that  glorious 
Gospel  which  is  the  "  wisdom  of  God  and  the  power  of  God 
unto  salvation." 

Vn.    MOTIVES  FOR  SENDING  THE  GOSPEL  TO  THE  HEATHEN. 

1.  The  Gos2yel  is  the  grand  and  only  remedy  for  their 
wants.  It  meets  them  all.  It  is  "a  light  to  lighten  the 
Gentiles."  It  reveals  the  true  character  of  Jehovah,  unfolds 
the  way  of  acceptance  through  a  Mediator,  communicates 
all  the  great  truths  respecting  a  coming  w^orld  needful  for 
man  to  know,  explains  and  enforces  the  duties  of  man  in  the 
present  life,  and  moreover  is  accompanied,  wherever  it  is 
proclaimed,  by  those  gracious  influences  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
by  which  men  are  "  born  again,"  "  pass  from  death  unto 
life,"  are  filled  with  the  love  of  God,  are  taught  to  deny 
every  worldly  lust,  to  lead  lives  of  humility,  meekness,  pa- 
tience, and  active  benevolence,  and  by  which  they  are  qual- 
ified for  a  holy  and  happy  immortality.  And  the  Gospel  is 
the  only  means  by  which  these  glorious  results  can  be  accom- 
plished. Its  Author's  name  is  the  only  one  under  heaven 
given  among  men,  whereby  they  can  be  saved.  The  Gos- 
pel is  the  light  of  life ;  therefore  are  we  bound  to  send  it 
to  every  benighted  region. 

2.  The  triumphs  it  has  already  ivon  urge  its  7iniversal 
diffusion.  Within  thirty  years  it  has  driven  idolatry  from 
more  than  twenty  islands  of  the  sea.  "  It  has  so  tamed  the 
ferocity  of  numerous  savage  tribes,  that  they  have  beat  their 
swords  into  ploughshares,  and   their  spears  into  pruning- 


HORRORS  OF  HEATHENISM.  15 

hooks.  It  has  broken  in  pieces  some  of  the  most  iron- 
hearted  despotisms  that  have  ever  scourged  our  race.  It 
has  erected  hundreds  of  temples  to  the  Hving  God,  and  from 
them  is  now  pouring  on  the  surrounding  darkness  the  glo- 
rious light  of  truth.  It  has  raised  whole  communities  from 
the  most  disgusting,  brutal,  and  miserable  degradation,  to 
intelligence,  sobriety,  social  order,  and  domestic  happiness. 
It  has  exerted  its  sanctifying  power  over  thousands,  inspir- 
ing hatred  of  sin  and  the  love  and  practice  of  holiness.  It 
has  furnished  the  miserable  with  precious  consolations,  and 
the  dying  with  triumphant  hopes."  Labor,  therefore,  has 
not  been  spent  for  naught.  Here  is  a  loud  appeal  to  scatter 
the  good  seed  with  an  unsparing  hand.  The  moral  artil- 
lery of  the  Gospel  has  never  been  faithfully  used  without  a 
triumph.  Let  the  sound  thereof  go  out  to  the  ends  of  the 
world.     Let  it  peal  on  every  human  ear. 

3.  The  facilities  with  which  we  are  furnished  for  i)ro8e- 
cuting  this  work,  urge  us  forward.  No  age  has  enjoyed  so 
many.  Christian  enterprise  has  already  lighted  the  lamp 
of  life  on  the  borders  of  the  principal  heathen  kingdoms. 
From  these  positions  light  may  be  sent  in  every  direction 
through  the  surrounding  darkness.  The  benevolent  heart 
can  make  its  choice  in  what  region  of  the  shadow  of  death 
it  would  diffuse  the  glad  tidings.  By  a  thousand  channels 
we  can  pour  the  waters  of  salvation  on  dry  and  thirsty  lands. 
And  in  such  arrangements  of  Providence  is  found  the  earnest 
remonstrance,  "  Why  stand  ye  here  all  the  day  idle  ?" 

4.  The  2>^'esent  attitude  of  the  pagan  world  powerfully 
appeals  to  us  on  their  behalf  The  long  slumbers  of  moral 
death  begin  to  be  broken.  As  here  and  there  a  ray  of  light 
has  penetrated  the  thick  darkness,  the  spirit  of  inquiry  has 
been  roused.  The  superstitions  of  an  hundred  generations 
are  shaken.  They  seem  sinking  under  the  mighty  mass  of 
their  own  corruptions.  The  mind,  so  long  debased  and 
benighted,  as  if  the  burden  could  be  endured  no  longer,  is 
looking  round  for  some  supply  of  its  immortal  wants.  The 
glimmerings  of  the  true  light  have  shown  the  heathen  the 


IQ  HORRORS  OF  HEATHENISM. 

frightfvil  reality  of  their  own  degradation  and  wretchedness. 
"  Come  over  and  help  us,"  is  the  cry  which  is  waxing  louder 
and  louder  from  different  regions  of  the  pagan  woild.  How 
affecting  the  spectacle  of  benighted  natioife  asking  for  the 
bread  of  life  !  Who  can  withstand  such  an  appeal  ?  A  most 
solemn  responsibility  rests  upon  those  who  hear  it.  A  mo- 
tive to  exertion  is  thus  presented  which  cannot  be  resisted 
without  deep  guilt.  Whose  heart  can  refuse  the  fervent 
prayer  ;  whose  hand  deny  the  generous  offering  ? 

5.  I  urge  one  more  motive,  and  it  is  an  imperative  one, 
the  last  command  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  He  knew  the 
darkness,  the  pollutions,  the  miseries,  and  the  dangers  of  the 
heathen.  He  knew  his  Gospel  was  their  only  remedy.  He 
knew,  too,  all  the  objections  which  enmity,  imbelief,  covet- 
ousness,  or  lukewarmness  could  make  to  its  diffusion.  But 
he  makes  no  reservation.  "  Go,  preach  the  Gospel  to  every 
creature."  Traverse  every  sea ;  penetrate  every  benighted 
island  and  continent ;  preach  it  in  every  language  ;  let  every 
creature  hear  its  glad  tidings.  No  evasion  is  possible  ;  none 
can  be  made  which  would  not  justify  violation  of  any  other 
divine  precept.  There  stands  the  imperative  injunction  be- 
fore the  eyes  of  all  Christians ;  uttered  last,  that  it  might 
be  remembered  longest ;  uttered  as  the  closing  act  of  the 
Saviour's  mission  on  earth,  that  nothing  should  be  wanting 
to  its  solemnity.  And  that  precept  does  bind,  if  divine 
authority  can  impose  obligation,  it  does  bind  those  who  have 
the  Gospel,  to  send  it  through  the  world. 

Reader,  the  claims  of  the  heathen  are  before  you.  You 
cannot  now  refuse  them  the  aid  Providence  enables  you  to 
give,  and  be  guiltless  of  their  blood.  If  you  harden  your 
heart  under  the  affecting  appeals  of  pagan  miseries,  "  Doth 
not  he  that  pondereth  the  heart  consider  it ;  and  he  that 
keepeth  thy  soul,  doth  not  he  know  it?"  Surrender  your 
mind  to  the  influence  of  Christian  benevolence.  By  fervent 
prayer,  by  every  needed  sacrifice  of  time,  and  property,  and 
influence,  bear  your  part  in  the  blessed  enterprise  of  pour- 
inor  the  light  of  salvation  on  a  benio-hted  world. 


i¥o.  a03, 


ARE   YOU   READY? 


"  What  do  you  mean  by  this  question?'''  There  is  a 
great  event  before  you :  its  arrival  is  certain ;  but  it  is  ut- 
terly beyond  your  power  to  ascertain  at  what  hour  it  will 
arrive.  Ten  or  twenty  years  may  elapse  before  its  arrival — 
perhaps  not  as  many  minutes.  Some  have  expected  it  long, 
but  it  still  delays.  Millions  have  put  it  far  off,  but  it  has 
burst  unexpectedly  upon  them.  This  is  a  most  moment- 
ous event.  It  will  sunder  all  your  relations  to  the  present 
world  :  it  will  break  every  tie  of  mortality — strip  off  every 
disguise — expose  every  error  and  deception — bring  out  to 
light  your  whole  character,  even  to  every  secret  thing — pre- 
sent you  before  a  just  and  holy  Judge,  and  introduce  you 
to  an  unchangeable  condition  of  joy  or  sorrow.  This  event 
is  DEATH ;  and  the  question  is,  are  you  ready  to  die  ?" 

"  Who  asks  this  question?''  Your  Maker.  He  does  it 
in  his  word.  One  of  the  grand  objects  of  that  blessed  vol- 
ume is  to  enable  you  to  give  it  an  affirmative  answer.  By 
judgments  and  by  mercies  does  his  holy  providence  press 
this  matter  upon  you.  Your  own  rational  nature  does  the 
same.  When  reason  and  conscience  are  permitted  to  speak, 
they  urge  attention  to  this  great  concern.  Dispel  from  your 
mind  the  delusive  charms  of  this  world  ;  press  your  way  out 
of  that  torreiit  of  cares  or  pleasures  which  sweeps  every 
serious  thought  away ;  rebuke  every  other  appeal,  and  let 
that  only  be  heard  which  the  unblinded  reason  and  the  un- 
seared  conscience  make,  and  you  will  perceive  that  this  in- 
quiry is  solemnly  addressed  to  you.  By  your  frailty  and 
mortality  is  this  question  pressed.  Nothing  can  be  more 
precarious  than  your  hold  on  life.  Your  body  is  the  tie 
that  binds  you  to  the  earth.  How  frail  a  flower !  "  The 
wind  passeth  over  it,  and  it  is  gone."     It  is  in  health  and 

VOL.    Vlil.  3"^* 


2  ARE  YOU  READY  1 

vigor  to-day  ;  to-morrow  it  is  lifeless  and  cold,  and  full  of 
corruption.  "  The  worm  is  thy  sister  and  thy  mother." 
Your  frailty  therefore  cries,  Ai'e  you  ready  ?  and  the  voice 
waxes  louder  and  louder  with  every  wasting  hour  of  your 
probation.  Eternity  seems  uttering  the  same  appeal :  as  if 
with  a  living  voice,  it  presses  every  human  mind  with  the 
momentous  truth,  that  beyond  the  grave  man's  destiny  is 
irreversibly  settled  ;  the  righteous  are  "  righteous  still,"  the 
filthy,  "  filthy  still."  And  it  utters  the  earnest  admonition, 
*'  Beware  of  unpreparedness  to  die."  But  there  is  yet  an- 
other voice — and,  reader,  if  there  be  any  voice  that  should 
drown  all  the  appeals  of  the  cares  and  pleasures  of  this 
world — which  should  excite  the  soul's  most  intense  and  de- 
vout attention — which  should  penetrate  its. lowest  depths, 
and  arouse  its  strongest  emotions — it  should  be  the  voice  of 
the  Redeemer.  "  Be  ye  also  ready,"  is  his  admonition.  No 
voice  breaks  upon  human  ears  in  so  much  tenderness  and 
love  ;  for  no  friendship  has  man  experienced  like  that  shown 
him  by  the  Son  of  God,  and  no  voice  is  so  suited  to  inspire 
solemnity  and  awe  as  that  of  the  final  Judge. 

"  Why  ask  this  question  V  Because  none  can  be  con- 
ceived of  so  much  importance.  Because,  disturbing  men's 
sinful  minds  as  it  does,  they  are  not  disposed  to  press  it 
honestly  and  earnestly  upon  themselves.  Because  an  hon- 
est, serious,  enlightened  decision  of  this  question  may  be  of 
everlasting  benefit  to  5^our  soul.  Because,  amid  the  hurry 
of  business  or  the  whirl  of  pleasure,  you  ma}?^  at  this  hour 
need  something  to  lead  you  to  consider  your  character  and 
eternal  prospects.  Because,  if  the  subject  which  this  ques- 
tion urges  upon  you  is  not  attended  to,  the  soul  will  be  lost. 

**  Why  ask  me  this  question  ?"  Because  it  respects  in- 
terests of  yours  of  infinite  value — interests  in  fearful  peril, 
if  you  cannot  answer  this  question  in  the  afifirmative.  Be- 
cause this  question  is  suited  to  arouse  attention  to  what  yoic 
may  have  totally  neglected.  Because  you  may  be  the  very 
person  of  all  living  who  most  needs  such  an  appeal ;  being, 
perhaps,  the  victim  of  a  false  hope,  or  of  fatal  error,  and 
borne  farther  and  farther  every  day  from  God  by  the  grow- 


ARE  YOU  READY?  3 

ing  power  of  sin.  Because  it  is  of  infinite  importance  that 
you  make  a  correct  decision  of  this  question.  And  espe- 
cially, because  the  next  bosom  pierced  by  the  dart  of  deatli 
may  be  your  own  I 

"  Who  are  not  ready?''  Common  opinion,  in  a  Gospel 
land,  sweeps  a  large  circle,  and  there  stand  within  it  the 
murderer,  the  thief,  the  drunkard,  the  idolater,  the  profane 
swearer,  the  adulterer,  the  scoffer,  the  liar,  and  the  hypo- 
crite. But  the  word  of  God  sweeps  a  larger  circle  still,  in- 
cluding not  only  those,  but  these :  the  covetous,  the  lewd, 
the  lovers  of  pleasure  more  than  of  God,  the  fraudulent, 
the  unmerciful,  the  formalist,  the  prayerless,  the  worldly — 
indeed  every  soul  which  has  not  been  ^vashed  in  the  blood 
of  Christ,  and  is  not  an  habitation  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Not 
one  of  all  these  can  give  an  affirmative  answer  to  the  ques- 
tion now  urged.  Not  one  of  them  is  ready  to  die.  Death's 
arrival,  if  they  understood  their  own  condition,  would  fill 
them  wath  inexpressible  consternation. 

''If  I  am  ready — what  thenV  As  this  is  one  of  the 
most  important  decisions  mortal  man  can  make — as  it  in- 
volves interests  of  infinite  value — as  a  Avrong  decision  would 
be  unspeakably  perilous — make  it  not  without  the  most  care- 
ful examination.  Spread  before  you  the  Holy  Scriptures, 
and  ponder  deeply  their  descriptions  of  Christian  character. 
Apply  the  line  and  plummet  to  your  own  heart  and  life. 
Rest  on  no  man's  good  opinion.  Keep  in  mind  the  final 
trial  of  your  case.  How  solemn,  how  searching  that  trial ! 
How  momentous  the  result !  If,  after  all,  you  can  humbly 
hope  you  are  accepted  in  Christ,  then  honor  with  the  warm- 
est zeal,  and  in  every  possible  manner,  the  Author  and  Fin- 
isher of  your  faith.  Let  all  men  see  that  your  hope  pmifies, 
and  your  faith  works  by  love.  Let  them  see  that  your 
whole  character  has  been  cast  anew  in  the  mould  of  the 
Gospel.  By  every  energy  you  can  employ,  endeavor  to 
make  your  fellow-men  possessors  of  a  like  glorious  hope. 

''  If  I  am  not  ready — lohat  then?''  Then  you  have 
already  run  a  most  desperate  hazard  of  losing  your  soul. 
You  could  not  have  said,  in  any  hour  of  life,  the  next  should 


4  ARE  YOU  READY  1 

not  be  your  last ;  and  as  you  are  now  unprepared  to  die, 
you  have  run  as  many  risks  of  everlasting  ruin  as  you  have 
Hved  hours.  You  have  stood  on  the  dizzy  height  of  a  most 
frightful  precipice  !  Your  feet  had  well  nigh  slipped  !  Look 
back  :  it  would  seem  your  heart  would  grow  faint  and  sick 
at  the  dreadful  peril  to  which  you  have  been  exposed.  Your 
not  being  now  ready  also  implies  very  great  guilt.  It  im- 
plies insensibility  to  the  most  powerful  and  aflfecting  mo- 
tives ;  stubborn  refusal  of  a  thousand  kind  and  affectionate 
invitations  ;  contempt  of  most  solemn  warnings  ;  reckless  in- 
difterence  to  the  soul's  value.  I  appeal  not  to  vices  and 
crimes  in  proof  of  sin ;  there  is  evidence  enough  without 
this  to  prove  you  stained  with  crimson  guilt.  But  if  you 
are  not  ready,  there  is  no  work  so  important,  no  obligation 
so  pressing,  as  your  immediately  seeking  the  favor  of  God. 
Bid  the  world  retire.  Its  highest  and  most  pressing  claims 
should  not  impede  you  for  a  moment  in  the  great  work  of 
getting  ready  to  die. 

"  But  I  am  in  health,  in  the  fulness  of  my  strength,  why 
press  this  matter  so  earnestly  upon  me  ?"  You  are  just  the 
person  to  be  addressed.  If  you  lay  upon  a  dying  bed,  life's 
lamp  expiring,  and  all  your  powers  sinking  into  ruin  ;  if  you 
had  reached  such  a  point  unprepared,  had  crowded  this 
great  work  into  that  most  unfit  hour,  there  would  be  scarce 
the  slightest  prospect  that  any  appeal  would  avail. 

Once  more.  The  question,  Are  you  ready  ?  though  now 
asked  in  affectionate  earnestness,  will  not  be  asked  by  that 
unrelenting  destroyer.  Death.  He  asks  no  man  if  he  is 
ready.  He  drives  his  dart  alike  through  the  ready  and  the 
reluctant  soul.  Furnished  or  unfurnished  for  the  world  to 
come,  it  must  obey  the  dreadful  summons.  Reader,  by  all 
that  is  blessed  in  a  death  of  peace  and  hope,  be  entreated 
to  regard  the  solemn  expostulation  of  your  Lord  :  "  Be  ye 
also  ready  ;  for  in  such  an  hour  as  you  think  not,  the  Son 
of  man  cometh.'^ 


PUBLISHED    BY    THE    AMERICAN    TRACT    SOCIETY. 


]¥o.  393. 

ELIZA, 

THE    CJIIPPEWAY   INDIAN. 


MISSION    STATION    AT    MACKINAW. 

It  was  in  the  autumn  of  1823  that  I  met  a  little  Indian 
boy  on  the  island  of  Mackinaw,  and  accompanying  him  home 
to  gain  permission  of  his  mother  to  bring  him  into  the  mis- 
sion school,  I  first  saw  the  then  wretched  woman  who  forms 
the  subject  of  this  narrative.  She  was  about  forty-five  years 
old.  'Her  Indian  name  was  0-dah-be-tiih-ghe-zhe-go-quai, 
signifying,  in  English,  the  Midway-sky- woman,  or  the  place 
of  the  sun  at  noon.  She  was  born  about  three  hundred 
miles  up  the  south  shore  of  lake  Superior,  and  was  by  blood 
of  the  ChippcAvay  tribe. 

Her  uncle  being  a  chief,  she  was  chosen,  in  early  life, 
to  become  interpreter  of  dreams.  The  qualifications  for 
this  honor  were  to  be  decided  by  living  ten  days  in  a  sepa- 
rate hut,  wdthout  any  other  nourishment  than  a  little  water 
each  night.  She  faithfully  observed  the  prescribed  absti- 
nence, although   it  nearly  cost   her  life,  and- of  her   own 


2  THE  CHIPPEWAY  INDIAN. 

accord  afterwards  fasted  nine  days  more.  From  this  time 
she  was  considered  an  extraordinary  being.  The  tribe 
would  not  permit  her  to  work,  but  provided  her  with  a 
wigwam  of  distinction,  and  she  constantly  received  from 
them  the  best  of  their  food  and  clothing.  She  was  also 
furnished  with  a  large  otter  skin,  or  medicine  sack,  stored 
with  every  article  thought  to  be  necessary  either  for  the 
magical  cure  of  the  sick,  or  for  interpreting  dreams.  This 
sack,  which  she  carefully  preserved,  was  her  badge  of 
honor ;  and  in  all  their  medicine  dances  she  was  greatest 
among  the  great.  On  these  occasions  she  took  the  lead  in 
drinking  whiskey,  till  she  became  excessively  intemperate, 
and  by  the  neglect  of  the  Indians  and  the  death  of  three 
of  her  children,  she  was  reduced  to  a  state  of  seclusion  and 
poverty. 

She  was  thus  living  when  I  found  her  little  boy  and 
accompanied  him  to  her  lodge.  A  wretchedly  destitute  and 
miserable  scene  we  witnessed.  At  that  time  no  persuasion 
could  induce  her  to  allow  her  son  to  join  the  mission  school. 
But  going  the  second  time,  and  the  boy  himself  being  will- 
ing, she  at  length  gave  her  reluctant  consent. 

About  two  years  after  she  began  to  pay  a  serious  atten- 
tion to  religion,  but  for  some  time  was  very  fluctuating. 
While  under  the  sound  of  instruction  she  would  be  affected 
sometimes  to  tears.  This  was  often  the  case  at  our  adult 
Sabbath- school ;  though  afterwards,  as  she  says,  she  would 
throw  the  subject  off,  and  become,  in  a  measure,  indifferent. 
Again,  impressed  with  the  idea  that  there  could  be  no 
mercy  for  such  a  creature  as  herself,  and  the  thought  of 
her  religious  state  making  her  unhappy,  she  would  avoid 
being  present  at  our  meetings.  Yet,  she  says,  she  often 
felt  so  strong  a  desire  to  hear  the  sound  of  prayer  and  sing- 
ing, that  she  has  gone  to  the  door  and  remained  there  as 
long  as  she  thought  she  could  without  being  discovered, 
sometimes  till  nearly  frozen.  During  most  of  that  winter 
she  felt  such  uneasiness  of  mind  that,  not  daring  herself  to 
look  to  God  for  mercy,  because  she  was  such  a  sinner,  she 
felt  it  a  relief  to  hear  the  worship  of  others ;  as  if  God 


THE  CHIPPEWAY  INDIAN.  3 

might  possibly  hear  their  prayers,  though  she  was  unworthy 
to  be  present.  During  the  spring  she  was  greatly  distressed. 
When  gathering  maple  sap  she  often  had  thoughts  like 
these :  "  Here  I  am,  going  the  same  round  daily  from  tree 
to  tree,  and  can  find  no  relief;  I  must  always  carry  this 
wicked  heart,  and  when  I  die,  be  miserable  for  ever."  A 
pious  Indian  woman  used  to  converse  with  her,  and,  after 
praying,  would  ask  her  if  she  did  not  feel  the  importance 
of  joining  with  her  in  heart.  She  said  she  did  ;  and  though 
there  Avas,  to  her  mind,  no  prospect  of  ever  being  better, 
yet  she  would  often  feel  strong  desires  for  mercy.  After 
her  return  from  the  sugar  camp,  she  thought  that  every  one 
must  look  upon  her  condition  as  hopeless ;  and,  as  before, 
she  often  stayed  away  from  divine  worship,  because  she 
thought  herself  unfit  to  be  there.  During  the  following 
summer  she  seemed  at  times  to  awake  to  an  afl^ecting  view 
of  her  religious  state,  and  with  such  feelings  that  she  would 
go  and  pray  and  weep  alone ;  but  for  the  most  part  she 
indulged  in  despair,  and  found  no  relief. 

The  next  autumn  Eliza  and  her  son  Joseph  were  both 
taken  ill.  The  child  had  profited  by  the  instructions  re- 
ceived, and  spoke  to  her  much ;  but  she  said  she  was  like 
one  who  had  lost  her  senses,  and  nothing  seemed  to  move 
her  feelings.  Joseph  became  dangerously  ill,  and  showed 
the  influence  of  religious  instruction  on  his  mind  in  the  time 
of  affliction.  He  had  a  long  conversation  with  her ;  he  told 
her  that  he  should  die  soon,  and  that  he  wanted  her  to 
promise  him  never  to  drink  any  more  whiskey,  to  remain 
with  the  mission  family,  listen  to  their  instructions,  love 
God,  and  pray  every  day  to  him  ;  then,  when  she  died,  she 
would  go  to  God  and  be  with  him.  At  first  she  told  him, 
that  if  he  died  she  would  die  too.  But  Joseph  said  that  was 
wrong;  for  that  God  only  had  a  right  to  call  her  to  die 
when  he  saw  fit.  At  length  she  promised  him  that  she 
would  remember  and  do  as  he  had  requested. 

During  the  whole  scene  of  Joseph's  death  and  funeral 
her  behavior  was  singularly  calm  and  solemn ;  so  much  so 
that  it  was  noticed  by  all.     When  she  perceived  that  his 


4  THE  CHIPPEVVAY  INDIAN. 

spirit  was  really  gone,  the  tears  rolled  down  her  face,  and 
she  exclaimed,  in  Indian,  "  My  son !  my  son  !"  but  further 
than  this  not  a  complaint  or  groan  was  heard  to  escape 
her  lips. 

After  the  funeral  I  sat  down  with  her  and  had  a  long 
conversation.  Among  other  things,  I  asked  her  why  it  was 
that  she  appeared  as  she  now  did,  and  whether  it  had  been 
so  at  the  death  of  her  other  children.  She  said  no ;  for 
she  had,  as  is  common  among  the  Indians,  wailed  and  man- 
gled her  body  in  her  affliction.  "  I  have  no  such  feelings 
now — God  is  good,  and  I  feel  that  what  he  has  done  must 
be  right."  Although  she  expressed  no  consciousness  of 
the  love  of  God  in  her  soul,  yet  she  gave  evidence  that  her 
feelings  Avere  under  the  sanctifying  influence  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  Nor  was  it  long,  before,  through  the  mercy  of  her 
heavenly  Father,  she  began  to  experience  peace  and  joy  in 
believing  in  Christ.  Her  soul  was  also  filled  with  love  to 
all  the  members  of  the  mission  family,  and  she  said  she 
felt  that  her  own  children  had  never  been  so  near  her  heart 
as  they.  At  times  her  mind  would  recur  to  the  scene  of 
her  son's  death  ;  but,  to  use  her  own  expression,  literally 
interpreted,  "  I  felt  as  if  I  was  in  a  narrow,  happy  way  ; 
and  if  a  thought  came  to  me  about  Joseph,  it  seemed  like 
beino-  drawn  out  of  this  way,  and  I  longed  to  get  back  im- 
mediately." With  these  feelings  towards  God  and  Chris- 
tians, she  now  became  very  anxious  for  the  souls  of  her 
own  people,  and  said,  "  0,  if  they  could  only  see  as  I  do, 
hoAv  happy  they  would  be  !" 

When  asked  about  the  state  of  her  mind  afterwards,  she 
said,  "  I  have  always  been  happy  in  God  since  then.  The 
more  I  have  seen  of  the  love  of  God  in  Christ,  and  the 
loncrer  I  have  lived,  the  more  I  have  desired  to  love  him, 
and  to  love  him  more  and  more,  and  to  be  more  and  moi-e 
like  him  in  my  soul.  I  do  not  know  that  I  have  since  ever 
had  any  sorrow  of  soul  so  great  as  I  have  had  for  those 
who  are  ignorant  of  God.  Sometimes,  when  going  into 
church,  or  while  there,  it  has  made  me  weep  to  think  of 
those  who  do  not  love  God.     There  has  never  been  anv 


THE  CHIPPEWAY  INDIAN  5 

day  since  I  found  peace  to  my  soul,  when  I  did  not  feel 
that  God  was  with  me.  Every  Sabbath,"  she  said,  "  I 
have  felt  that  this  leaves  me  one  Sabbath  less  to  be  in  this 
world,  and  brings  me  one  Sabbath  nearer  the  time  when  I 
shall  be  with  Christ," 

About  two  years  since,  she  was  reduced  quite  low,  and 
one  evening  was  thought  to  be  dying ;  but  expressed  joy 
in  the  prospect  of  being  soon  with  God.  "  I  long  to  be 
gone,"  said  she,  "I  want  to  have  the  time  come."  After- 
wards she  felt  that  she  had  expressed  impatience,  and  it 
grieved  her  so  that  she  had  several  seasons  of  weeping  on 
account  of  it. 

At  another  time  she  had  gone  to  bed,  and,  as  she  sup- 
poses, had  not  slept  long,  when  she  awoke  and  felt  a  desire 
to  pray.  She  arose  and  knelt,  but  in  a  few  moments  fell 
asleep  on  her  knees.  This  occurred  again ;  but  awaking 
the  second  time,  she  feared  that  her  love  to  God  was  de- 
caying. With  tears  and  a  burdened  heart  she  set  about 
prayer  in  earnest ;  her  soul  was  so  full  she  could  not  sleep, 
and  she  spent  the  remainder  of  the  night  in  prayer  and  joy 
in  God, 

I  afterwards  put  several  questions  to  her  :  "  You-  said, 
before  you  found  peace  in  Christ,  that  for  many  months 
you  felt  yourself  wretched,  and  that  you  often  prayed  ; 
was  it  for  the  merits  of  these  prayers  that  God  gave  you 
peace  ?"  "  No,  it  was  because  of  Christ's  pity  to  my  soul; 
because  he  died  for  po'or  sinners ;  and  it  was  of  God's 
mercy  that  missionaries  were  sent  to  teach  me."  *'Do  you 
mean  that  you  never  have  had  any  fears  that  you  were 
deceived?"  "I  have  always  felt  sure  that  God  has  had 
mercy  on  my  soul ;  and  the  more  I  have  thought  on  my 
old  wicked  life,  the  more  it  has  drawn  me  near  to  God ;  it 
has  made  me  feel  more  humble  in  myself,  and  a  strong- 
desire  to  hve  only  for  him."  "  But  should  God  take  away 
his  Spirit  from  your  heart  and  leave  you  to  yourself,  what 
do  you  think  would  become  of  you  ?"  "  I  should  be  good 
for  nothing."  "  Have  you  any  fears  that  God  will  take 
away    his    Spirit    from    vour    soul?"      "No."     **Why?" 

VOL.  VITI,  39 


6  THE  CHIPPEWAY  INDIAN. 

''From  what  I  have  heard  of  his  word,  he  has  promised 
to  keep  those  that  trust  in  him ;  and  I  believe  he  is  faithful 
to  his  word,"  "There  have  been  several  times  in  your 
sickness  when  you  have  been  very  low,  and  have  had  rea- 
son to  think  you  should  live  but  a  short  time  ;  have  you, 
at  none  of  these  times,  been  unwilUng  or  afraid  to  die  ?" 
*'No."  "Have  you  constantly  felt  that  if  it  were  God's 
will  it  would  be  a  privilege  to  die,  and  you  would  be  glad 
to  have  the  hour  come?"  "Yes,  I  have.  This  fall,  when 
I  was  very  sick  for  two  days  and  nights,  and  felt  that  God 
only  could  make  me  better  or  take  me  away,  I  thought,  if 
it  were  his  will,  how  glad  I  should  be  to  be  sure  that  I  was 
dying,  that  I  might  be  with  God."  "A  year  ago  last 
spring  3'ou  were  received  into  the  church  ;  can  you  tell  me 
any  thing  of  your  feelings  at  that  time?"  "After  I  un- 
derstood that  Christ  had  commanded  it,  I  had  a  very  strong 
desire  to  join  myself  to  his  people;  nor  Avas  there  any 
thing  in  this  world  I  felt  to  be  so  great  a  privilege.  When 
I  promised  solemnly  to  be  for  God,  I  really  felt  in  my 
heart  every  word,  and  that  I  was  now  all  the  Lord's,  and 
no  more  for  myself,  or  for  any  other.  I  was  happier  than 
I  can  express."  "  Have  your  seasons  of  communion  with 
the  Lord's  people  been  alwaj^s  precious  ?"  "  Yes,  every 
one  of  them.  I  have  heard  more  of  the  Saviour,  and  have 
learned  more  of  his  love  from  the  Bible  ;  I  have  felt,  if 
possible,  more  and  more  near  to  him  and  happy  in  him." 
"What  good  do  you  think  a  proTession  of  rehgion  could 
do  you  without  a  heart  to  love  the  Saviour?"  "None; 
there  would  be  no  joy  to  my  soul."  "Could  you  have 
this  joy  and  peace  of  Avhich  you  have  told  me,  if  you  did 
not,  as  far  as  you  know,  strive  to  serve  God  in  all  things  ^" 
"  No,  I  could  not.  Though  unable  to  labor  with  my  hands 
for  God,  it  is  my  sincere  desire  daily  to  have  my  heart 
much  in  prayer  for  the  salvation  of  others ;  and  because 
God  lets  me  live,  I  believe  he  wishes  me  to  be  devoted  in 
spirit  to  this."  "  Do  you  think  you  love  God  and  souls  as 
much  as  you  ought  ?"  "  No,  I  try  to  love,  but  do  not  feel 
as  much  as  I  ought."     "When  do    you    e.xpect  to  have 


THE  CHIPPEWAY  INDIAN.  7 

perfect  love  to  God  and  souls?"  At  first  she  answered, 
''Never;"  thinking  that  I  meant  while  in  the  body;  but 
afterwards  said,  "  When  I  get  to  heaven." 

From  this  time  her  bodily  powers  failed,  but  she  was 
strengthened  in  the  Lord  day  by  day.  Her  sufferings  were 
great ;  but  she  was  uniformly  patient  and  happy.  It  was 
the  daily  practice  for  some  member  of  the  family  to  take 
an  interpreter  and  spend  some  time  in  reading  the  Bible 
to  her.  She  frequently  spoke  of  these  privileges  with  ex- 
quisite delight.  On  one  occasion  she  expressed  a  fear  that 
her  faith  was  growing  weak,  and  requested  mef  to  read 
about  EUjah's  praying  for  rain;  adding,  she  had  never 
forgot  that  since  she  first  heard  it.  The  chapter  was  read, 
and  also  the  last  of  James.  She  seemed  much  strength- 
ened, and  often  gave  her  assent  while  we  were  reading.  I 
asked  her  what  she  understood  by  it,  and  how  it  applied  to 
her.  She  answered,  "  We  should  pray  as  earnestly  for  the 
Spirit  as  Elijah  did  for  rain,  and  God  would  as  certainly 
send  down  a  shower  of  grace."  This  was  on  the  evening 
of  the  monthly  concert  of  prayer.  I  asked  her  if  she  knew 
that  this  night  Christians  throughout  the  world  were  pray- 
ing. She  answered,  "  Yes,  I  have  been  thinking  of  it  all 
day,  and  when  I  heard  the  bell  ring  I  knew  it  and  felt 
glad."  We  then  sang  a  verse,  and  two  of  the  mission 
children  prayed  in  Indian.  It  was  a  precious  season,  and 
before  we  closed  Eliza  seemed  to  be  again  on  the  mount. 

As  a  member  of  the  family  was  passing  the  door  that 
led  to  Eliza's  room,  she  heard  her  singing  in  her  own 
language,  "Heavenly  Father,  come  down  and  take  thy 
wanderer  home,  for  I  want  to  be  with  thee.  0  how  I  long 
to  be  with  thee.     Come,  Lord  Jesus,  come." 

On  Saturday  evening,  as  another  entered  her  room,  she 
took  her  affectionately  by  the  hand,  and  began  to  express 
her  feelings,  but  was  so  much  affected  that  she  could  not 
proceed.  The  next  day  the  same  individual  carried  her 
"  The  Life  of  Christ."  While  looking  at  the  plates,  she 
discovered  much  emotion,  particularly  with  the  view  of 
the  Saviour's  bearing  the  cross,  and  said,  He  was  now  near 


8  THE  CHIPPEWAY  INDIAN. 

her.  She  then  said,  "  I  wish  you  to  know  that  I  did  not 
weep  3'esterday  for  my  pain  and  suffering,  but  for  joy. 
God  was  very  near.  I  did  not  rest  while  he  was  so  near, 
but  prayed  all  the  time."  To  her  heathen  sister,  who  was 
sitting  by,  she  then  turned  and  ^id,  "  You  must  not  Aveep 
for  me  when  I  am  gone ;  I  am  going  to  a  better  country." 

As  we  were  daily  expecting  her  death,  I  took  the  little 
girls  of  the  mission  to  see  her.  While  they  were  viewing 
her  emaciated  frame,  she  faintly  said,  "  Listen  to  instruc- 
tion— love  God,  that  you  may  meet  me  in  heaven." 

On  the  day  of  her  death  she  repeatedly  said,  *'  I  think 
I  shall  go  to-day."  In  the  afternoon  she  requested  that 
the  Indian  hymn,  "  And  must  this  body  fail,"  etc.,  might 
be  sung. 

After  it  was  finished  one  of  the  missionaries  asked  if  it 
expressed  her  feelings.  She  said,  "  Yes."  She  was  then 
told,  if  she  kept  her  eyes  on  Jesus  he  would  not  forsake 
her,  but  go  with  her  through  the  dark  valley.  With  much 
emphasis  she  pronounced  Bagish,  the  Indian  word  for  yes, 
and  appeared  to  be  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost.  She  con- 
tinued to  fail  through  the  evening.  As  one  went  in  to  bid 
her  farewell  for  the  night,  she  clasped  her  hand,  with  eyes 
beaming  with  pleasure,  saying,  "  I  think  I  shall  go  to- 
night !"  She  then  bade  her  a  solemn,  affectionate,  and 
cheerful  farewell;  and,  in  allusion  to  David's  words,  said 
she  "feared  no  evil."  Soon  after  she  became  speechless. 
One  who  was  attending  her  remarked,  "  You  will  soon  get 
through."  She  cast  her  wishful  eyes  towards  heaven,  and 
seemed  to  say,  I  hope  soon  to  be  there  ;  and  about  eleven 
in  the  evening,  November,  1830,  she  died. 

Reader,  beware  lest,  when  you  meet  this  benighted 
heathen  in  the  day  of  judgment,  "a  ransomed  soul,'"  you 
be,  by  your  own  criminal  rejection  of  Christ,  "-yourself 
thrust  out.'' 


MARKS  OF  SAVING  FAITH. 


BY    REV.    JONATHAN   DICKINSON, 

FIRST    PRESIDENT    OF    PRrXCETON    COLLEGE.. 


That  men  may  doctrinally  believe  the  truth  of  the  Gos- 
pel without  a  saving  faith  in  Christ,  and  without  an  interest 
in  him,  is  a  truth  clearly  taught  in  the  Scriptures,  and  abun- 
dantly evident  from  our  own  experience  and  observation. 

"What  then,"  you  ask,  "is  the  j^lciin  distinction  between 
a  SAVING  and  a  bead  faith  ?''     I  answer, 

1.  A  trice  and  saving  faith  involves  a  realizing  and  sen- 
sihle  impression  of  the  truth  of  the  Gospel ;  whereas  a  dead 
faith  is  but  a  mere  speculative  belief  of  it.  Faith,  as  de- 
scribed by  the  apostle,  is  "  the  substance  of  things  hoped 
for,  and  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen;"  that  which  brings 
eternal  things  into  a  near  view,  and  presents  them  to  the 
soul  as  realities.  Hence  the  true  behever,  when  he  is  wea- 
ried out  of  all  his  false  refuges,  emptied  of  all  hope  in  him- 
self, and  brought  to  see  and  feel  the  danger  and  misery  of 
his  state  by  nature,  is  then  brought  in  earnest  to  look  to 
Jesus,  as  the  only  refuge  and  safety  to  his  soul.  He  then 
sees  the  incomparable  excellency  of  a  precious  Saviour, 
breathes  with  ardent  desire  after  him,  repairs  to  him  as  the 
only  fountain  of  hope,  and  "  rejoices  in  Christ  Jesus,  having 
no  confidence  in  the  fiesh."  Now,  the  blessed  Saviour  and 
his  glorious  salvation  is  the  subject  of  his  serious,  frequent, 
and  delightful  contemplation.  Now,  an  interest  in  Christ  is 
valued  by  him  above  all  the  world,  and  he  is  in  earnest  to 
obtain  and  preserve  good  evidence  that  his  hope  in  Christ  is 
well  founded.  He  mourns  under  a  sense  of  his  former  sins, 
groans  under  the  burden  of  remaining  corruption  and  imper- 
fection, and  with  earnest  diligence  folloAvs  after  holiness. 

On  the  other  hand,  a  dead  faith  often  leaves  the  man 
secure  and  careless,  trifling  and  indiflferent  in  the  concerns 
VOL.  VIII.  39* 


2  MARKS  OF  SAVING  FAITH. 

of  the  eternal  world.  These  appear  to  him  but  distant  futu- 
rities, which  do  not  engage  his  solemn  attention,  nor  give 
any  effectual  check  to  his  inordinate  appetites  and  passions. 
Or  if,  as  it  sometimes  happens,  any  awakening  dispensation 
alarms  the  conscience  of  such  a  person,  drives  him  to  ex- 
ternal reformation,  and  makes  him  more  careful  and  watch- 
ful in  his  conduct,  he  has  yet  no  sensible,  impressive  view 
of  the  way  of  salvation  by  Jesus  Christ.  He  either  en- 
deavors to  pacify  the  justice  of  God  and  his  own  conscience 
b}^  his  religious  performances,  and  so  lulls  himself  asleep 
again  in  his  former  security,  or  else  continues  to  agonize 
under  most  dark,  dreadful,  and  unworthy  apprehensions  of 
the  glorious  God,  as  if  he  were  implacable  -and  irreconcil- 
able to  such  sinners  as  himself.  Such  a  person  would 
readily  acknowledge,  but  he  cannot  feel  this  blessed  truth, 
that  Christ  Jesus  is  a  sufficient  Saviour.  He  allows  it  to 
be  truth,  yet  he  does  not  humbly  and  joyfully  venture  his 
soul  and  his  eternal  interest  upon  it. 

Thus  a  true  faith  realizes  the  great  truths  of  the  Gospel 
by  a  lively  and  feeling  discovery  of  them,  giving  the  "light 
of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus 
Christ."  A  false  faith  gives, but  a  lifeless  and  inactive 
assent  to  these  important  truths.  The  one  influences  the 
heart  and  affections,  and  "by  beholding  with  open  face,  as 
in  a  glass,  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  changes  the  soul  into  the 
same  image,  from  glory  to  glory."  The  other  only  swims 
in  the  head,  and  leaves  the  heart  in  a  state.either  of  secu- 
rity or  despondency.  The  one  is  an  abiding  principle  of 
divine  life,  from  which  flow  rivers  of  living  water ;  the  other 
is  transient  and  unsteady,  and  leaves  the  soul  short  of  any 
spiritual  principle  of  life  and  activity. 

2.  A  saving  faith  cordially  embraces  the  terms  of  the 
Gospel,  while  a  dead  faith  is  but  a  cold  assent  to  its  truth. 
Accordingly,  true  faith  is  in  the  Gospel  described  to  be  a 
receiving  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  "To  as  many  as 
received  him,  to  them  gave  he  power  to  become  the  sons  of 
God."  Our  blessed  Redeemer  is  freely  offering  himself  and 
his  saving  benefits  to  poor  perishing  sinners.     Our  com- 


MARKS  OF  SAVING  FAITH.  3 

pliance  with  and  acceptance  of  the  gospel  offer,  are  the 
terms  of  our  interest  in  him.  They,  therefore,  and  they 
only,  are  true  believers  in  Christ,  who  heartily  acquiesce  in 
the  glorious  method  of  a  sinner's  recovery  from  ruin  by 
Jesus  Christ,  and  cordially  accept  an  offered  Saviour,  in  ail 
liis  offices  and  benefits.  A  true  believer,  convinced  of  his 
natural  blindness  and  ignorance,  repairs  to  the  Lord  Jesus 
to  enlighten  his  mind,  to  make  his  way  plain,  and  to  give 
him  a  clear  and  spiritual  acquaintance  with  the  great  things 
of  his  eternal  peace.  The  true  behever  has  found,  by  expe- 
rience, liis  utter  incapacity  to  procure  the  divine  favor  by 
any  reformations  or  moral  performances,  and  that  he  has 
cause  to  be  ashamed  and  confounded  in  his  own  sight  for 
the  great  defects  of  his  highest  attainments  in  religion  ;  and 
therefore  welcomes  Christ  to  his  soul  as  the  "Lord  his 
righteousness ;"  repairs  to  him,  and  to  him  only,  *'for  Avis- 
dom,  righteousness,  sanctification,  and  redemption ;"  and 
builds  all  his  hope  of  acceptance  with  God  upon  what  Christ 
has  done  and  suffered  for  him.  The  true  believer  is  heavy 
laden  with  the  sinfulness  of  his  nature,  and  longs  for  entire 
victory  over  his  corrupt  affections,  appetites,  and  passions, 
for  pure  spirituality  in  his  duties,  and  for  perfection  in  holi- 
ness, and  therefore  heartily  desires  and  accepts  the  Lord 
Jesus  as  his  Sanctijier  as  well  as  Saviour,  and  earnestly 
seeks  the  renewing,  strengthening,  and  quickening  influ- 
ences of  his  Spirit.  The  true  believer  feels  the  necessity 
of  this  blessed  Saviour  in  all  his  offices,  relations,  and  char- 
acters. He  sees  him  to  be  just  such  a  Saviour  as  his  soul 
wants,  and  therefore  cheerfully  accepts  a  whole  Christ  with 
his  whole  heart,  without  any  desire  of  other  terms  of  ac- 
ceptance with  God.  He  may  entertain  dark  apprehensions 
of  himself,  and  complain  heavily  of  the  great  defects  of  his 
faith  and  holiness,  but  he  can  never  entertain  hard  thoughts 
of  the  ffos2)el  scheme,  nor  complain  of  the  terms  of  salva- 
tion :  these  appear  to  him  "  the  wisdom  of  God  and  the 
power  of  God,"  and  every  way  suited  to  the  exigencies  of 
his  state  and  the  desires  of  his  soul. 

But  a  dead  faith  never  brings  the  soul  to  consent  to  the 


4  MARKS  OF  SAVING  FAITH. 

terms  of  the  Gospel  without  some  exception  and  reserve. 
The  unsound  behever  may  imagine  that  he  accepts  the  Lord 
Jesus  as  his  Saviour ;  but  what  is  the  foundation  and  encour- 
aging motive  of  his  imaginary  comphance  with  the  gospel 
oft'er  ?  Upon  an  impartial  inquiry  it  will  always  be  found 
to  be  something  in  himself:  his  good  affections,  duties,  mo- 
ralities, reformations,  promises,  or  purposes.  He  endeavors 
by  these  to  recommend  himself  to  God  ;  and  on  account  of 
these  he  hopes  to  find  acceptance  through  Christ.  Or  if  he 
feels  ever  so  strong  a  desire  of  salvation  by  Christ,  yet  he 
is  driven  to  it  only  hy  fear  and  self-love,  and  will  renew  his 
affections  to  his  other  lords  as  soon  as  his  awakening  appre- 
hensions are  worn  off.  He  does  not  feel  his  want  of  Christ's 
enlio^htenino^  and  enlivenino-  influences,  for  he  knows  not 
what  they  mean.  He  "  submits  not  to  the  righteousness  of 
Christ ;"  for  he  is  still  endeavoring  to  procure  acceptance 
with  God  by  some  good  qualifications  of  his  own,  some  du- 
ties which  he  performs,  or  some  progress  which  he  makes, 
or  designs  to  make,  in  his  religious  course.  He  cannot  sub- 
mit to  Christ  as  his  Lord,  for  there  is  some  slothful  indul- 
gence which  he  cannot  forego,  some  darling  lust  which  he 
cannot  part  with,  some  worldly  idol  which  his  heart  is  set 
upon,  or  some  difficult  duty  from  which  he  must  excuse 
himself. 

There  is  nothing  more  apparent  than  the  distinction  be- 
tween these  two  sorts  of  believers.  The  one  comes  to  Christ 
destitute  of  all  hope  and  help  in  himself,  but  sees  enough 
in  Christ  to  answer  all  his  wants :  the  other  is  full  in  him- 
self. The  one  looks  to  Christ  to  be  his  light :  the  other 
leans  to  his  own  understanding.  The  one  makes  mention 
of  Christ's  righteousness,  and  that  only :  the  other  hopes 
for  an  interest  in  Christ  and  his  salvation  on  account  of  his 
own  attainments ;  and,  in  effect,  expects  justification  by  his 
own  righteousness,  for  Christ's  sake.  The  one  brings  a 
guilty,  polluted,  unworthy  soul  to  the  blessed  Redeemer, 
without  any  qualification  to  recommend  it,  expecting  from 
him  alone  all  the  supphes  he  wants — repairing  to  him  for 
"  gold  tried  in  the  fire,  that  he  may  be  rich  ;  for  eye-salve, 


MARKS  OF  SAVING  FAITH  5 

that  he  may  see ;  and  for  white  raiment,  that  he  may  be 
clothed  :"  the  other  ordinarily  raises  his  expectations  from 
Christ  in  proportion  to  his. own  imaginary  qualifications  and 
good  disposition.  The  one  desires  salvation  by  Christ  from 
pollution  as  well  as  from  guilt :  the  other  has  a  reserve  of 
some  deceitful  lust,  and  hugs  some  Delilah  in  his  bosom  which 
he  cannot  be  willing  to  part  with.  In  fine,  the  one  is  willing 
to  accept  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  upon  any  terms :  the  other 
will  not  come  to  Christ  but  upon  terms  of  his  own  stating. 
3.  A  saving  faith  is  an  humble  trust  in  Christ,  as  the 
author  of  our  salvation  ;  but  a  dead  faith  always  builds 
upon  %OTiiQ  false  foundation,  or  upon  none  at  all.  A  saving 
faith  is  often  described  in  Scripture  by  a  "trusting  in  the 
Lord,  committing  our  way  to  him,  resting  on  him,"  and  such 
like  expressions,  which  suppose  an  humble  confidence  in  the 
abundant  sufficiency  of  the  Redeemer's  merits,  and  the 
boundless  riches  of  God's  mercy  in  him.  Accordingly,  the 
true  believer,  in  his  greatest  darkness  and  discouragement, 
ventures  his  soul  and  eternal  interests  in  the  hands  of  Christ. 
His  past  sins  may  appear  in  most  frightful  forms,  vastly 
numerous,  dreadfully  aggravated ;  still,  he  humbly  trusts 
that  "  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  cleanseth  from  all  sin."  He 
may  be  oppressed  with  the  sense  of  the  defects  of  his  duties 
and  religious  attainments,  but  he  yet  sees  righteousness 
enough  in  Christ  for  a  safe  foundation  of  confidence.  This, 
and  this  alone,  keeps  his  soul  from  sinking,  answers  the 
clamors  of  conscience,  and  disposes  him  to  rely  upon  the  free 
grace  and  mercy  of  God.  He  may  be  distressed  with  the 
prevalence  of  his  inward  corruptions ;  he  may,  in  an  un- 
guarded hour,  be  surprised  and  foiled  by  the  power  of  his 
sinful  appetites  or  passions,  or  by  some  unexpected  tempta- 
tion ;  but,  even  in  this  case,  his  refuge  is  in  that  blessed 
"Advocate  with  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ  the  righteous.'* 
And  though,  from  sad  experience  of  his  own  dreadful  im- 
perfections, he  may  be  ready  to  question  his  state,  and  to 
fear  lest  he  be  deceived,  he  ventures  that  also  in  the  hands 
of  Christ,  and  depends  upon  him,  that  he  will  not  leave  him 
to  a  soul-ruining  deceit,  but  will  "guide him  by  his  counsel. 


6  MARKS  OF  SAVING  FAITH. 

and  afterwards  receive  him  to  glor3^"  Such  a  dependence 
upon  Christ  the  behever  ordinarily  exercises  in  his  darkest 
hours.  But  when  he  is  in  the  more  lively  exercise  of  grace, 
he  "  knows  whom  he  has  believed,  and  that  he  is  able  to 
keep  that  which  he  has  committed  to  him  against  that  day." 
With  this  confidence,  he  can  even  "  glory  in  tribulation ;" 
he  can  cheerfully  look  death  itself  in  the  face,  and  triumph 
over  the  king  of  terrors. 

On  the  contrar}^,  the  false  believe?'  ordinarily  raises  his 
expectations  and  encouragements  from  something  i7i  himself. 
His  good  frames,  his  joys  and  comforts,  his  endeavors  or 
designs  to  serve  God,  are  what  he  has  to  depend  upon ;  and 
upon  these  he  does  and  will  depend,  and  perhaps  will  never 
see  his  mistake  until  it  be  too  late.  Some  of  these,  indeed, 
do  not  find  even  this  false  foundation  to  build  upon,  but 
quiet  their  souls  with  a  loose  and  general  hope.  They  be- 
lieve that  God  is  merciful,  and  that  Jesus  Christ  came  to 
save  sinners ;  or  they  hope  they  shall  some  time  or  other 
obtain  grace,  though  they  find  none  at  present.  Thus  many 
go  on  quietly  in  their  sins,  dwell  at  ease,  and  cry  ^jewce  to 
their  souls,  until  the  flood  of  God's  displeasure  sweeps  away 
tlieir  refuges  of  lies.  Others  there  are  who,  by  means  of  a 
better  education,  or  from  some  awakening  sense  of  guilt  and 
danger,  cannot  but  see  that  these  beds  are  too  short  to 
stretch  themselves  upon,  and  therefore  their  faith  is  their 
torment.  They  believe  in  Christ  as  their  Judge,  but  not  as 
their  Saviour.  They  are  harassed  with  fear  and  anxiety 
whenever  conscience  is  awake  to  any  serious  apprehension 
of  a  future  world.  Thus  they  live  under  a  "  spirit  of  bond- 
age," never  venturing  their  souls  upon  the  pardoning  mercy 
of  God  and  the  infinite  merit  of  the  Redeemer's  blood. 

Nothing  can  be  more  apparent  than  the  difference  be- 
tween these  two  sorts  of  believers.  The  one,  in  all  his  straits, 
fears,  difficulties,  and  dangers,  looks  to  Christ  as  to  a  sure 
foundation  of  safety,  confidence,  and  hope ;  and  though  he 
may  at  some  times  doubt  his  interest  in  him,  he  can  at  no 
time  deliberately  place  his  confidence,  or  expect  safety  for 
his  soul  anywhere  else.     The  other  leaves  the  soul  asleep, 


MARKS  OF  SAVING  FAITH.  7 

or  else  seeks  rest  only  from  the  righteousness  of  the  law, 
from  desires  and  endeavors  of  his  own,  and  must  either  find 
comfort  there,  or  nowhere.  The  one  ventures  all  his  inter- 
ests, and  all  his  hopes  of  grace  and  glory,  upon  the  faithful- 
ness of  the  gospel  promises  and  the  infinite  mercy  of  God 
in  Christ.  The  other  sees  not  how  to  quiet  the  accusations 
of  his  conscience,  and  obtain  qualifications  for  salvation,  by 
depending  upon  a  naked  promise.  In  a  word,  the  one  can 
see  safety  and  security  in  leaving  all  the  concerns  both  of 
time  and  eternity  in  the  hands  of  Christ.  The  other,  being 
iofnorant  of  the  rio-hteousness  of  Christ,  must  make  the 
righteousness  of  the  law  his  refuge,  or  else  live  without  hope. 

4.  A.  saving  isiith.  subjects  the  soul  to  Christ ;  but  a  dead 
faith  leaves  the  soul  unrenewed  and  disobedient.  A  true 
"  faith  purifies  the  heart  "  and  "overcomes  the  world  ;"  and 
"he  that  hath  this  hope"  in  Christ  "purifieth  himself,  even 
as  he  is  pure."  A  true  faith  unites  the  soul  to  Christ,  as  the 
branch  is  united  to  the  vine,  and  thereby  enables  the  man 
to  bring  forth  much  fruit.  The  true  believer  hates  every 
false  way ;  he  mourns  over,  and  watches,  strives,  and  prays 
against  all  the  corruptions  of  his  nature,  and  all  the  imper- 
fections of  his  heart  and  life.  There  is  no  known  sin  which 
he  indulges  himself  in ;  no  known  duty  which  he  willingly 
neglects ;  no  difficulty  which  can  deter  him  from  following 
Christ ;  no  temptation  which  can  allure  him  from  endeavor- 
ing a  conformity  to  the  whole  will  of  God.  "  Not  as  though 
he  had  already  attained,  or  were  already  perfect."  He  has 
daily  cause  to  lament  his  defects,  but  yet  he  can  truly  say 
that  "  he  delights  in  the  law  of  the  Lord  after  the  inward 
man ;"  and  accordingly  endeavors,  in  every  station  and  re- 
lation, in  all  his  conduct,  both  to  God  and  man,  as  well  in 
secret  as  openly,  to  live  a  life  of  conformity  to  God  in  all 
the  duties  he  requires  of  hira. 

But,  on  the  other  hand,  the  seeming  obedience  of  ?i  false 
believer  is  very  partial,  defective,  temporary,  and  but  a  matter 
of  force  and  constraint  upon  the  appetites  and  affections. 
If,  with  Herod,  he  reforms,  and  "does  many  things,"  yet 
he  retains  some  darlincr  corruption  unmortified.  or  leaves 


8  MARKS  OF  SAVING  FAITH. 

some  duty  neglected.  Or  if,  by  the  lashes  of  an  awakened 
conscience,  he  is  driven  for  a  time  to  a  more  general  refor- 
mation from  all  known  sin,  and  to  outward  attendance  upon 
all  known  duty,  he  finds  no  inward  complacency  in  it,  and 
therefore  is  like  a  dull  horse,  that  will  be  kept  on  his  way 
no  longer  than  he  feels  a  spur  in  his  side. 

Here,  then,  is  a  conspicuous  difference  between  a  true 
and  false  believer.  The  one  has  a  principle  of  holiness,  a 
delight  in  it,  and  an  earnest  and  continuing  desire  after 
further  proficiency  in  the  divine  life.  The  other  aims  only 
at  so  much  holiness  as  he  thinks  will  save  him  from  hell, 
but  cares  for  nothing  more ;  and  what  he  has  is  excited  hj 
fear  or  constrained  by  force,  contrary  to  the  real  tendency 
and  bias  of  his  soul.  In  fine,  the  one  makes  it  the  endeavor 
of  his  life  to  approve  himself  to  a  pure,  holy,  and  omnis- 
cient God.  The  other  rests  in  endeavors  to  quiet  conscience 
and  silence  its  clamors. 

5.  A  saving  faith  works  by  love  to  God  and  man ;  but 
a  dead  faith  always  falls  short  of  both.  The  apostle  assures 
us,  that  "if  we  have  all  faith,  so  that  we  could  remove 
mountains,  and  have  not  charity,  (or  love,)  we  are  nothing. 
Faith  worketh  by  love  ;"  and  the  true  believer  "  keeps  him- 
self in  the  love  of  God,  looking  to  the  mercy  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  for  eternal  life."  He  delights  in  contemplating 
the  perfections  of  the  divine  nature.  His  meditations  upon 
God  are  sweet,  and  the  thoughts  of  him  precious  to  his  soul. 
If  he  can  have  the  glorious  God  for  his  portion,  and  live  in 
the  light  of  his  countenance,  he  can  be  content  with  straits 
and  difficulties,  trials  and  aflflictions.  He  takes  peculiar 
pleasure  in  the  ordinances  of  God,  and  all  the  appointed 
means  of  a  near  approach  into  his  special  presence ;  and 
often  enjoys  sensible  communion  with  hiai.  He  heavily 
complains  of  his  own  deadness  or  worldliness,  which  sepa- 
rates between  God  and  his  soul,  and  can  find  no  true  rest 
or  satisfaction  till  he  returns  to  him.  This  is  the  ordinary 
course  and  tenor  of  the  believer's  life  ;  and  if  at  any  time  he 
grow  foi'getful  of  God,  and  have  the  prevalence  of  a  dead, 
carnal,  worldlv  frame  in  his  soul,  this  darkens  the  evidence 


MARKS  OF  SAVING  FAITH.  9 

of  his  state,  robs  him  of  comfort  and  peace,  and  will  at  length 
put  him  upon  vigorous  and  active  endeavors  for  obtaining 
a  revival  of  his  languishing  graces,  by  a  fresh  supply  of  the 
spirit  of  Jesus  Christ.  Thus  the  true  believer  has  the  love 
of  God  dwelling  in  him. 

And  from  the  same  principle  he  likewise  loves  his  neigh- 
hor  as  himself.  He  maintains  a  life  of  justice,  meekness, 
kindness,  and  beneficence  towards  all  men,  bears  injuries,  is 
ready  to  forgive,  entertains  the  best  opinion  of  men's  states 
and  actions  that  the  case  will  allow,  and  endeavors  to  live  in 
the  exercise  of  "  love,  joy,  peace,  long-suffering,  gentleness, 
goodness,  faith,  meekness."  And  as  he  thus  maintains  a 
love  of  benevolence  to  all  men,  he  has,  in  a  special  manner, 
a  love  of  complacence  towards  those  who  bear  marks  of  the 
divine  image.  These  he  delights  in,  because  the  children 
of  God.  He  loves  them  for  their  heavenly  Father's  sake, 
as  well  as  for  those  gracious  qualifications  which  make  *'  the 
righteous  more  excellent  than  his  neighbor."  He  loves  the 
company  of  the  saints :  these  are  "  the  excellent  in  whom 
is  all  his  delight."  He  loves  their  piety,  and  studies  an 
imitation  of  them  wherein  they  follow  Christ ;  and  studies 
to  equal,  if  not  excel  them  in  their  highest  improvements 
in  religion.  He  loves  their  persons,  and  hopes  to  join  in 
concert  with  them  in  the  eternal  praises  of  God. 

The  highest  attainments  of  a  dead  faith  fall  short  of  every 
part  of  this  description.  The  false  believer  may  imagine 
that  he  has  something  of  love  to  God  in  him ;  but,  upon  a 
just  view,  it  will  appear  that  it  is  only  to  an  idol,  the  crea- 
ture of  his  own  imagination.  If  he  seems  to  love  God 
under  an  apprehension  of  his  goodness  and  mercy,  he  yet 
dreads  him  on  account  of  his  justice,  and  has  an  inward 
aversion  to  his  purity  and  holiness  ;  so  that  the  object  of  his 
love  is  an  imaginary  being  of  infinite  mercy,  without  either 
justice  or  holiness.  If,  from  the  alarms  of  conscience  or  the 
emotions  of  his  natural  affections,  he  takes  some  pleasure  in 
religious  exercises,  this  pleasure  is  short  and  transient,  like 
the  principle  whence  it  flows ;  he  soon  sinks  into  careless- 
ness and  forgetfulness  of  God,  and  has  his  affections  quickly 

VOL.  VIII.  40 


10  MARKS  OF  SAVING  FAITH. 

engaged  in  worldly  and  sensual  pursuits.  And  however  he 
may  deceive  himself  in  any  supposed  progress  in  religion, 
he  can  never  satisfy  his  soul  with  having  God  for  his  por- 
tion. He  can  never,  of  course,  keep  up  a  life  of  spiritual- 
mindedness  and  delight  in  God. 

The  same  defects  are  likewise  found  in  the  unsound  be- 
liever with  respect  to  his  love  to  his  neighbor.  If  he  be  not, 
as  is  too  commonly  found,  unjust  and  deceitful,  wrathful 
and  contentious,  hard-hearted  and  unkind,  bitter  and  cen- 
sorious, revengeful  and  implacable,  yet  he  never  loves  the 
children  of  God  as  such.  Whatever  love  he  may  have  to 
any  such  from  intimate  acquaintance,  or  from  their  being  in 
the  same  cause,  party,  or  persuasion  with  himself,  which  is, 
indeed,  no  more  than  the  exercise  of  selfishness,  he  never 
loves  the  image  of  Christ  in  every  sect  or  party  in  whom  he 
finds  it,  nor  can  he  love  a  conformity  to  the  children  of  God 
in  the  holiness  of  their  hearts  and  lives. 

Here,  then,  you  see  a  difference  in  these  two  kinds  of  be- 
lievers. The  one  loves  God  above  all  things;  and,  indeed, 
he  that  does  not  love  him  with  a  supreme  love,  does  not 
love  him  as  God,  and  consequently  does  not  love  him  at  all. 
But  the  other  seeks  the  favor  of  God  from  no  other  motive 
but  fear  of  his  displeasure,  or  some  desire  of  happiness,  and 
not  from  a  sense  of  the  excellency  of  his  glorious  perfections. 
The  one  loves  w^hat  God  loves,  hates  what  he  hates,  and  is 
satisfied  with  himself  only  in  proportion  to  his  conformity  to 
God.  The  other  retains  his  delight  in  his  lusts  and  idols, 
and  repairs  to  God  because  he  dare  not  do  otherwise.  The 
one,  like  God  himself,  takes  pleasure  in  doing  good  to  all 
men ;  and  takes  special  delight  in  all,  without  distinction, 
w^ho  are  partakers  of  the  divine  nature.  The  other,  at  the 
best,  has  his  love  to  man  influenced  by  selfish  principles. 

6.  A  saving  faith  humbles  the  soul,  and  makes  it  loio  and 
vile  in  its  own  eyes  ;  whereas  a  dead  faith  tends  to  exalt  the 
mind  with  vain  apprehensions  of  some  sufficiency  or  excel- 
lence of  its  own.  The  true  believer  has  a  deep  sense  of  the 
greatness  and  aggravation  of  his  sins,  loathes  himself  on 
account  of  them,  and  adores  the  louff-suffprincr  of  God  to- 


-    MARKS  OF  SAVING  FAITH.  H 

wards  him,  that  has  kept  him  out  of  hell.  He  is  so  sensi- 
ble of  the  great  defects  of  his  duties,  of  the  sinfulness  of  his 
heart,  the  imperfections  of  his  life,  and  his  utter  unworthi- 
ness  of  any  favor  from  God,  that  he  cannot  but  entertain  a 
most  deep  and  sensible  impression  that  it  must  be  a  Avonder- 
ful  display  of  mere  sovereign  grace  if  he  obtains  salvation. 
It  is  always  true,  that  the  greater  manifestation  of  God's  love 
is  made  to  his  soul,  the  greater  sense  he  has  of  his  own 
nothingness  and  unworthiness,  and  the  more  he  admires  and 
adores  the  astonishing  riches  of  free  distinguishing  grace 
to  such  a  guilty,  polluted  creature  as  he  is.  Though  the 
true  behever  lives  in  the  exercise  of  that  charity  towards 
others  which  "  thinketh  no  evil,  but  belie veth  all  things,  and 
hopeth  all  things  ;"  he  yet  always  finds  occasion  to  condemn 
himself,  and  to  censure  his  own  inward  affections  and  out- 
ward performances,  religious  duties  and  moral  conduct,  and 
therefore  cannot  but  esteem  others  better  than  himself.  He 
finds  occasion  of  renewed  repentance  every  day :  he  every 
day  finds  new  cause  to  complain  of  himself,  and  new  cause 
to  commit  a  sinful  and  unworthy  soul  to  the  mere  mercy  of 
God  in  Christ. 

On  the  contrary,  a  dead  faith  always  either  /»?/^5  up  the 
Viind  with  a  haughty,  pleasing  apprehension  of  its  own  at- 
tainments, makes  it  censorious  and  uncharitable,  and  inspires 
it  with  that  proud  pharisaical  language,  "  I  thank  God,  I 
am  not  as  other  men ;"  or  else,  from  the  same  haughty 
principle,  either  leaves  the  soul  secure  and  easy  in  its  good 
designs  and  purposes  of  future  repentance,  or  impatient  and 
desponding,  through  want  of  those  good  qualifications  which 
it  supposes  necessary. 

And  now  to  sum  up  the  whole  in  a  short  and  easy  view. 
If  you  have  good  evidence  of  a  saving  faith  in  Christ,  you 
must  have  such  a  sensible  impression  of  the  truth  of  the 
Gospel  as  makes  you  feel  the  importance  of  your  eternal 
concerns,  and  your  necessity  of  an  interest  in  Christ,  and 
puts  your  soul  upon  earnest  and  active  desires  after  him,  as 
your  only  hope  and  safety.  You  must  heartily  approve  the 
way  of  salvation  Avhich  the  Gospel  reveals,  and  heartily  con- 


12  MARKS  OF  SAVING  FAITH. 

sent  to  the  terms  on  which  it  is  offered.  You  must  accept 
of  Christ  as  a  free  gift,  bringing  nothing  with  you  of  your 
own  to  recommend  you  to  his  acceptance.  You  must  accept 
him  as  your  only  righteousness  to  justify  you  before  God, 
and  as  your  Prince  as  well  as  Saviour,  consenting  as  Avell 
to  be  governed  as  to  be  saved,  to  be  sanctified  as  to  be 
justified  by  him.  And  as  you  must  receive  him,  so  you 
must  confidently  trust  in  him  alone,  as  a  sure  foundation  of 
safety  and  hope,  and  as  a  continuing  fountain  of  all  supplies 
of  grace  to  your  soul,  whatever  difficulties  and  discourage- 
ments you  may  meet  with.  And  you  must  have  this  stand- 
ing evidence  of  the  sincerity  of  your  faith,  that  it  purifies 
your  heart,  and  brings  you  to  an  earnest  endeavor  after 
habitual  holiness  of  heart  and  life ;  that  it  works  by  love  to 
God  and  man,  and  keeps  up  in  your  soul  at  the  same  time 
an  abasing  sense  of  your  own  vileness  and  utter  unworthiness. 
This  is  that  precious  faith  to  which  alone  the  promises  of 
the  Gospel  are  made. 

To  conclude  with  a  still  shorter  view.  When  a  realizing 
belief  of  the  Gospel,  and  a  despair  of  all  help  in  yourself, 
brings  you  to  repair  to  Christ  as  your  only  safety,  and  to 
venture  your  soul,  guilty  as  it  is,  upon  the  merit  of  his  obe- 
dience, the  sufficiency  of  his  grace  and  strength,  and  the 
faithfulness  of  his  promises,  and  heartily  to  submit  to  his 
rule  and  government,  you  cannot  fail  of  the  sanctifying  in- 
fluences of  his  Spirit  to  qualify  you  for  the  eternal  inherit- 
ance ;  for  "  the  Amen,  the  faithful  and  true  Witness,"  has 
given  you  his  word  for  it,  that  if  you  thus  ''  come  to  him, 
he  will  in  nowise  cast  you  out." 

I  might  sum  up  this  important  point  in  a  yet  shorter 
view.  If  you  so  heartily  approve  of  and  delight  in  the  gos- 
pel way  of  salvation  by  Christ  alone,  that  you  can  cheerfully 
venture  your  soul  and  your  eternal  interests  upon  it,  as  the 
sure  and  only  foundation  of  hope  and  safety,  you  have  then 
true  faith.  And  in  this  case,  he  that  has  bestowed  such 
grace  upon  you,  will  carry  on  his  own  work  in  your  soul, 
and  will  at  last  present  you  faultless  before  his  throne,  with 
exceeding  joy. 


i\o.  393, 

MARKS 


TRUE  REPEITAICE. 


BY   REV.    JONATHAN   DICKINSON^ 

FIRST    PRESIDENT    OF    PRINCETON    COLLEGE. 


You  ask  the  distinction  between  a  legal  and  an  evangel- 
ical  repentance.  To  give  a  clear  view  of  the  subject,  I  will 
first  name  some  particulars  wherein  the  distinction  does  not 
consist. 

A  deep  distress  of  mind  on  account  of  sinning  against 
God,  is  common  both  to  legal  and  evangelical  repentance. 
Even  Judas  could  cry  out  with  agony  of  soul,  '*  I  have  sin- 
ned in  betraying  innocent  blood ;"  as  well  as  the  Psalmist 
groan  out  his  complaint,  that  there  was  ''no  rest  in  his 
bones  because  of  his  sins." 

A.  fearful  apprehension  of  the  divine  displeasure  may  be 
common  to  both  sorts  of  penitents.  Mere  legal  convictions 
may  make  "sinners  in  Zion  afraid,  and  fearfulness  surprise 
the  hypocrite ;"  and  "  destruction  from  God  may  be  a  ter- 
ror" to  a  holy  Job,  in  as  great  reality,  though  not  with 
such  despairing  infidelity,  as  to  a  Cain  or  Judas. 

Dread  of  outward  and  known  courses  of  sinning,  and  a 
temporary  reformation  from  them,  may  likewise  be  the  con- 
sequence of  both  a  legal  and  evangelical  repentance.  Ahab 
humbled  himself,  lay  in  sackcloth,  and  went  softly;  and 
Herod  reformed  many  things,  as  well  as  David  "  refrained 
VOL.  VIII.  40*^ 


2  MARKS  OF  TRUE  REPENTANCE. 

his  feet  from  every  evil  way."  It  is  impossible  for  a  sinner 
to  giv€  the  reins  to  his  lusts  while  under  the  lashes  of  an 
awakened  conscience ;  a  mere  legal  conviction  must,  while 
it  lasts,  produce  an  external  reformation. 

Men  may  be  brought  to  diligence  and  activity  in  external 
duty,  by  both  a  legal  and  evangelical  repentance.  An  in- 
sincere repentance  may  bring  men,  with  the  hypocritical 
Jews,  to  "  seek  the  Lord  daily  ;"  as  true  repentance  always 
brings  men  *'  to  lift  up  their  hearts  and  their  hands  to  God 
in  the  heavens." 

A  comforting  persuasion  of  having  obtained  pardoning 
mercy  is  common  to  both  kinds  of  penitents.  God's  ancient 
people,  when  most  incorrigible  in  their  impiety,  would 
"trust  in  lying  words,  come  and  stand  before  him  in  the 
house  that  was  called  by  his  name,  and  say,  We  are  deliv- 
ered to  do  all  these  abominations."  The  Israelites  in  the 
wilderness  concluded  that  "  God  was  their  rock,  and  the 
most  high  God  their  Redeemer,  when  they  flattered  him 
with  their  lips,  and  lied  to  him  with  their  tongues,  and  their 
hearts  were  not  right  with  him."  And  on  the  other  hand, 
the  true  penitent  may  say  with  David,  '*  I  said,  I  will  con- 
fess my  transgressions  unto  the  Lord  ;  and  thou  forgavest 
me  the  iniquity  of  my  sins." 

In  short,  it  is  not  the  deepest  sense  of  sin  or  guilt,  nor 
the  most  distressing  sorrow  on  that  account ;  it  is  not  the 
fear  of  God's  wrath,  nor  the  greatest  external  reformation 
of  life ;  it  is  not  the  most  diligent  external  attendance  upon 
duty,  nor  the  most  quieting  persuasion  of  having  made  our 
peace  with  God,  nor  all  these  together,  that  will  prove  a 
man  sincerely  penitent ;  for  all  these  may  be,  and  have 
been  attained  by  mere  hypocrites,  and  often  are  found 
with  the  false  as  well  as  the  true  professor. 


MARKS  OF  TRUE  REPENTANCE.  J 

Having,  by  way  of  precaution,  made  these  remarks,  I 
now  proceed  directly  to  consider  the  distinction  between 

LEGAL  AND  EVANGELICAL  REPENTANCE. 

1.  A  le^al  repentance  flows  only  from  a  sense  of  danger 
and  fear  of  lorath  ;  but  evangelical  repentance  is  a  true 
mourning  for  sin,  and  earnest  desire  of  deliverance  from  it. 

When  the  conscience  of  a  sinner  is  alarmed  with  a  sense 
of  his  dreadful  guilt  and  danger,  it  must  necessarily  remon- 
strate against  those  impieties  which  threaten  him  with  ruin. 
Hence  those  frights  and  terrors  which  we  so  commonly  see 
in  awakened  sinners.  Their  sins,  especially  some  grosser 
enormities  of  their  lives,  stare  them  in  the  face,  with  their 
peculiar  aggravations.  They  are  brought  upon  their  knees 
before  God  to  acknowledge  their  sins,  and  to  cry  for  mercy ; 
and  now  conscience,  like  a  flaming  sword,  perhaps  keeps 
them  from  their  former  course  of  impiety.  And  what  is  all 
this  repentance,  but  mere  terror  and  fear  of  hell?  It  is 
true,  the  law  sometimes  proves  a  schoolmaster  to  drive  sin- 
ners to  Christ ;  and  conviction  of  sin,  and  a  legal  repent- 
ance, are  a  necessary  preparative  to  a  saving  conversion ; 
but  these  alone  give  no  claim  to  the  promise  of  the  Gospel. 
The  house  may  be  thus  empty,  swept,  and  garnished  but 
for  the  reception  of  seven  worse  spirits  than  were  driven 
out  of  it;  and  a  sinner  may  thus  "  escape  the  pollutions  of 
the  world,"  and  yet  have  "his  latter  end  worse  than  the 
beginning." 

If,  on  the  other  hand,  we  consider  the  character  of  a 
sincere  gosi^el  repentance,  though  such  legal  terrors  may 
lead  to  its  exercise,  they  do  not  belong  to  its  nature ;  nor 
are  they  any  part  of  it.  Sin  itself  becomes  the  greatest 
burden  and  aversion  to  a  truly  penitent  soul.  "I  hate," 
says  the  psalmist,  **  every  false  way."     "0  wretched  man 


4  MARKS  OF  TRUE  REPENTANCE. 

that  I  am!"  says  the  apostle,  ''who  shall  deliver  me  from 
the  body  of  this  death?"  Thus  the  penitent  groans,  being 
burdened ;  not  for  fear  of  hell,  such  fear  being  no  part  of 
true  repentance,  though  it  may  sometimes  accompany  it, 
but  from  an  affecting,  humbling  sense  of  sin.  His  language 
is,  "I  acknowledge  my  transgressions,  and  my  sin  is  ever 
before  me.  Mine  iniquities  are  gone  over  my  head ;  as  a 
heavy  burden  they  are  too  heavy  for  me.  Deliver  me  from 
all  my  transgressions.  Let  not  my  sins  have  dominion  over 
me.  Innumerable  evils  have  compassed  me  about:  mine 
iniquities  have  taken  hold  upon  me,  so  that  I  am  not  able 
to  look  up  ;  they  are  more  than  the  hairs  of  my  head ; 
therefore  my  heart  faileth  me.  Be  pleased,  0  Lord,  to 
dehver  me  :  O  Lord,  make  haste  to  help  me."  As  the  true 
penitent  longs  for  more  and  more  victory  over  his  corrup- 
tions, so  is  he  most  watchful,  prayerful,  and  in  earnest  to 
mortify  his  lusts,  and  to  cut  off  all  supplies  of  sin.  There 
is  nothing  so  grievous  to  him  as  sin,  and  nothing  which  he 
so  earnestly  desires  as  a  nearer  approach  to  that  blessed 
state,  w^here  ''  nothing  can  enter  which  defileth  or  worketh 
abomination." 

Here  you  see  the  difference  between  being  driven  from  a 
course  of  sinning  by  the  lashes  of  an  awakened  conscience, 
and  loathing  ourselves  in  our  own  sight,  for  all  our  iniqui- 
ties and  abominations.  The  former  is  merely  the  fruit  of 
self-love,  which  prompts  the  soul  to  fly  from  danger:  the 
latter  is  the  exercise  of  a  vital  principle,  which  separates  the 
soul  from  sin,  and  engages  the  whole  man  in  a  continued 
opposition  to  it. 

2.  A  legal  repentance  flows  from  imhelief;  but  an  evan- 
gelical repentance  is  the  fruit  of  saving  faith. 

I  have  shown  that  a  legal  repentance  is  effected  by  fear- 


MARKS  OF  TRUE  REPENTANCE.  5 

ful  apprehensions  of  hell.  And  whence  this  fear  and  ter- 
ror? Has  not  the  Gospel  provided  a  glorious  relief  for 
such  distresses,  and  opened  a  blessed  door  of  hope  for  the 
greatest  sinners  ?  Is  not  pardon  and  salvation  freely  oflfered 
to  all  that  will  accept  a  blessed  Saviour  and  his  saving  ben- 
efits ?  Is  not  the  blood  of  Christ  sufficient  to  cleanse  from 
all  sin,  however  aggravated  ?  Why  then  do  they  not  cheer- 
fully fly  for  refuge  to  this  hope  set  before  them  ?  Alas, 
they  can  see  no  safety  in  it !  The  law  of  God  condemns 
their  disobedience ;  conscience  joins  it,  and  hence  their  only 
refuge  is  resolutions,  reformations,  duties,  penance,  or  some 
such  self-righteous  methods,  to  pacify  God's  justice  and 
^uiet  conscience.  The  defect  of  their  endeavors  and  attain- 
ments creates  new  terrors  ;  their  terrors  excite  new  endeav- 
ors; and  thus  they  go  on,  without  ''attaining  to  the  law  of 
righteousness,  because  they  seek  it  not  of  faith,  but  as  it 
were  by  the  works  of  the  law."  They  may,  it  is  true,  have 
some  respect  to  Christ,  in  this  their  legal  progress.  They 
may  hope  that  God  will  accept  them  for  Christ's  sake. 
They  may  use  his  name  in  their  prayers  for  pardon,  while 
they  dare  not  depend  upon  the  merits  of  his  blood  for  the 
remission  of  their  sins,  and  a  freedom  from  condemnation. 
And  what  is  all  this  but  a  secret  hope  that  the  redemption 
of  Christ  will  add  such  merit  to  their  frights  and  fears, 
reformations  and  duties,  as  to  make  them  atone  for  their 
sins,  and  purchase  the  favor  of  God  ?  So  that  all  their 
penitential  appearances  are  nothing  but  the  workings  of 
unbelief. 

The  true  -penitent  approaches  God's  presence  with  a 
deep  impression  of  his  guilt  and  umvorthiness,  and  of  his 
just  desert  of  an  eternal  rejection  from  God.  But  then  he 
comes  before  a  mercy-seat.     Though  he  is  forced  to  acknow- 


6  MARKS  OF  TRUE  REPENTANCE. 

ledge  that  if  God  should  mark  iniquity  he  could  not  stand 
before  him,  he  yet  remembers  that  "with  God  there  is 
forgiveness,  that  he  may  be  feared;"  and  "that  with  him 
there  is  plenteous  redemption."  He  looks  to  the  blood  of 
Christ  as  what  alone  can  cleanse  away  his  numerous  and 
aggravated  sins,  and  from  thence  he  takes  encouragement 
to  mourn  out  the  psalmist's  language,  "Wash  me  thor- 
oughly from  mine  iniquity,  and  cleanse  me  from  my  sin. 
Purge  me  with  hyssop,  and  I  shall  be  clean ;  wash  me,  and 
I  shall  be  whiter  than  the  snow."  This  is  the  prospect 
which  both  encourages  and  invigorates  his  cries  for  mercy, 
and  imbitters  his  sins  to  him ;  and  which  makes  him  loathe 
them  all,  and  long  for  dehverance  from  them  all.  "  Is  God 
infinitely  merciful  and  ready  to  forgive,"  says  the  penitent 
soul,  "and  have  I  been  so  basely  ungrateful  as  to  sin 
against  such  astonishing  goodness,  to  affront  and  abuse  such 
mercy  and  love !  Is  sin  so  hateful  to  God,  that  his  own 
dear  Son  must  die  ?  How  vile,  how  polluted  and  abomin- 
able must  I  then  appear  in  the  eyes  of  his  holiness  and 
justice,  that  am  nothing  but  defilement  and  guilt,  from  the 
crown  of  my  head  to  the  soles  of  my  feet — ^nothing  but 
wounds,  and  bruises,  and  putrefying  sores  !  Has  the  blessed 
Saviour  suffered  his  Father's  wrath  for  my  sins  ?  Have 
they  nailed  him  to  the  cross,  and  brought  him  under  the 
agonies  of  an  accursed  death ;  and  shall  I  be  ever  recon- 
ciled to  my  lusts  any  more,  and  go  on  to  crucify  the  Son  of 
God  afresh  ?  May  I  obtain  strength  from  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  for  victory  over  my  corruptions ;  and  shall  I  not 
both  resolve  in  his  strength  against  them,  and  lie  at  his  feet, 
that  '  the  law  of  the  spirit  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus  may  make 
me  free  from  the  law  of  sin  and  death  ?*  Have  I  dishon- 
ored God  so  much  already,  loaded  my  precious  Saviour 


MARKS  OF  TRUE  REPENTANCE.  7 

with  so  many  indignities,  and  brought  sucli  a  weight  of 
guilt  upon  myself ;  and  is  it  not  now  high  time  to  bid  an 
utter  defiance  to  my  most  darling  lusts,  the  greatest  ene- 
mies to  God  and  my  own  soul  ?"  Such  is  the  language  of 
a  gospel  repentance. 

You  cannot  but  see  the  great  distinction,  and  even  con- 
trariety, between  a  guilty  flight  of  soul  from  God,  like 
Adam  after  his  fall,  and  an  humbhnor  self-condemnino^  flio-ht 
to  God's  pardoning  mercy,  like  the  prodigal,  when  return- 
ing to  his  Father's  house ;  between  legal,  slavish,  self- 
righteous  endeavors  to  atone  for  our  sins  and  make  our 
peace  with  God,  and  repairing  only  to  the  blood  of  Christ 
for  cleansing  from  all  sin  ;  between  mourning  for  our  guilt 
and  danger,  and  mourning  for  our  sins,  as  they  are  against 
God,  against  a  precious  Saviour,  against  infinite  mercy  and 
love ;  and,  in  a  word,  between  attempting  a  new  life  by 
the  strength  of  our  own  resolutions  and  endeavors,  and 
looking  only  to  the  mercy  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  for 
grace  and  strength,  as  well  as  pardon  and  freedom  from 
condemnation. 

3.  A  legal  repentance  flows  from  an  aversion  to  God  and 
his  holy  law  ;  but  evangelical  repentance  from  love  to  both. 

The  distress,  the  terror  and  amazement  that  awakened 
sinners  are  under,  arise  from  their  dreadful  apprehensions  of 
God  and  his  terrible  justice.  They  know  they  have  greatly 
provoked  him,  and  are  afraid  of  his  wrath ;  and  therefore 
want  some  covert,  where  they  may  hide  themselves  from 
his  presence.  They  might  before,  perhaps,  have  some 
pleasing  apprehensions  of  God,  while  they  considered  him 
as  being  all  mercy  without  justice ;  and  while  they  could 
hope  for  pardon,  and  yet  live  in  their  sins.  But,  now  they 
have  some  sense  of  his  holiness  and  justice,  he  appears  an 


8  MARKS  OF  TRUE  REPENTANCE. 

infinite  enemy,  and  therefore  most  terrible  to  their  souls. 
They  are  consulting,  indeed,  some  way  to  be  at  peace  with 
him,  because  they  are  afraid  the  controversy  will  issue  in 
their  destruction.  They  resolve  upon  new  obedience,  from 
the  same  motives  that  slaves  obey  their  severe,  tyrannical 
masters ;  while  the  rule  of  their  obedience  is  directly  con- 
trary to  the  bent,  bias,  and  disposition  of  their  souls.  Were 
the  penalty  of  the  law  taken  away,  their  aversion  to  it 
would  quickly  appear,  and  they  would  soon  embrace  their 
beloved  lusts  with  the  same  pleasure  and  delight  as  former- 
ly. This  is  frequently  exemplified  in  those  who  wear  off 
their  convictions  and  reformations  together,  and  notwith- 
standing all  their  former  religious  appearances,  discover  the 
alienation  of  their  hearts  to  God  and  his  law  by  their  sinful 
lives,  and,  as  the  apostle  expresses  it,  show  themselves 
*'  enemies  in  their  minds,  by  wicked  works." 

But,  on  the  contrary,  the  sincere  gospel  penitent  sees  an 
admirable  beauty  and  excellency  in  a  life  of  holiness,  and 
therefore  groans  after  higher  attainments  in  it.  He  is  sen- 
sible how  much  he  has  transgressed  the  law  of  God,  how 
very  far  he  is  departed  from  the  purity  and  holiness  of  the 
divine  nature.  This  is  the  burden  of  his  soul.  Hence  it  is 
that  he  often  walks  in  heaviness,  and  waters  his  couch  with 
tears.  He  mourns,  not  because  the  law  is  so  strict,  or  the 
penalty  so  severe,  for  he  esteems  "  the  law  to  be  holy,  and 
the  commandment  holy,  just,  and  good ;"  but  he  mourns, 
that  though  *'  the  law  be  spiritual,"  he  is  "  carnal,  sold  un- 
der sin."  He  mourns,  that  his  nature  is  so  contrary  to  God, 
that  his  practice  is  so  contrary  to  his  will,  and  that  he  can 
make  no  better  progress  in  mortifying  the  deeds  of  the  flesh, 
in  regulating  his  affections,  appetites,  and  passions,  and  in 
living  to  God.    He  breathes  with  the  same  earnestness  after 


MARKS  OF  TRUE  REPENTANCE.  9 

sanctification,  as  after  freedom  from  wrath.  He  does  not 
want  to  have  the  law  bend  to  his  corruptions,  but  to  have 
his  heart  and  hfe  fully  subjected  to  the  law  and  will  of  God. 
There  is  nothing  he  so  much  desires  as  freedom  from  sin, 
proficiency  in  faith  and  holiness,  and  a  life  of  fellowship  with 
God.  "O,"  says  the  penitent  believer,  "what  a  wicked 
heart  have  I,  that  is  so  estranged  from  the  holy  nature  of 
God,  and  from  his  righteous  law !  What  a  guilty  w^retch 
have  I  been,  who  have  walked  so  contrary  to  the  glorious 
God,  have  trampled  upon  his  excellent  perfections,  violated 
his  holy  law,  and  made  so  near  an  approach  even  to  the 
nature  of  the  devil !  ■  O  for  the  cleansing  efficacy  of  the 
blood  of  Christ,  and  the  renewing  influences  of  his  Holy 
Spirit,  to  purify  this  sink  of  pollution,  and  to  sanctify  these 
depraved  aff"ections  of  my  soul.  '  Create  in  me  a  clean 
heart,  0  God,  and  renew  a  right  spirit  within  me.'  Let  me 
be  a  partaker  of  the  divine  nature,  and  be  brought  near  to 
God,  whatever  else  be  denied  me.  '  0  that  my  ways  were 
directed  to  keep  thy  statutes.'  "  Such  are  the  aspirations 
of  sincere  repentance. 

Thus  the  legal  penitent  looks  upon  God  with  dread,  ter- 
ror, and  aversion  of  soul :  the  evangelical  penitent  mourns 
his  distance  from  him,  and  longs  to  be  more  transformed 
into  his  image.  The  one  still  loves  his  sins,  in  his  heart, 
though  he  mourns  that  there  is  a  law  to  punish  them ;  the 
other  hates  all  his  sins  without  reserve,  and  groans  under 
the  burden  of  them,  because  they  are  contrary  to  God  and 
his  holy  law.  The  obedience  of  the  one  is  by  mere  con- 
straint ;  the  imperfections  of  the  other  are  matter  of  con- 
tinual grief,  and  he  is  constantly  longing  and  striving  after 
greater  degrees  of  grace  and  holiness.  The  one  can  find  no 
inward  and  abiding  cpmplacency  in  the  service  of  God  ;  th^ 

VOL.   YITI.  41 


10  MARKS  OF  TRUE  REPENTANCE. 

other  runs  in  the  way  of  his  commandments  with  dehght, 
and  takes  more  pleasure  in  obedience  than  in  any  thing  else. 

4.  A  legal  repentance  ordinarily  flows  from  discourage- 
ment and  despondency  ;  but  an  evangelical  repentance  is  ac- 
companied with  a  confiding  trust  in  God^s  mercy. 

I  have  already  considered  how  a  legal  repentance  is 
excited  and  maintained  by  terrors  of  conscience  and  fearful 
apprehensions  of  the  wrath  of  God.  Some,  indeed,  by  their 
external  reformations,  pacify  conscience,  and  cry  peace  to 
their  souls ;  but  while  their  concern  continues,  their  de- 
sponding fears  are  the  very  life  of  it.  They  are  afraid  that 
God  will  never  pardon  and  accept  svich  rebels  as  they  have 
been ;  and  though  they  dare  not  neglect  duty,  they  come 
with  horror  into  the  presence  of  God,  as  to  an  inexorable 
judge ;  and  have  nothing  to  keep  their  souls  from  sinking 
into  despair  but  their  good  designs  and  endeavors,  which 
yet  are  too  defective  to  give  them  comfortable  hope.  And 
what  is  all  this  but  a  most  unorrateful  undervaluinof  the 
blood  of  Christ,  limiting  the  goodness  and  mercy  of  God, 
and  an  implicit  denying  the  truth  of  the  whole  Gospel  of 
God  our  Saviour  ? 

On  the  other  hand,  though  the  true  gospel  penitent  may 
have  a  deeper  impression  of  the  greatness  of  his  guilt  than 
even  the  awakened,  terrified  legalist  himself,  yet  he  dare  not 
despair  of  God's  mercy.  A  fear  and  jealousy  of  our  own 
sincerity  may  be  consistent  with  true  repentance,  and  per- 
haps sometimes  serve  to  further  its  progress  ;  yet  all  doubts 
of  the  faithfulness  of  the  gospel  promises,  of  the  extensive- 
ness  of  the  divine  mercy,  and  fears  of  our  exclusion  from 
the  gospel  offer ;  all  apprehensions  of  our  not  being  elected, 
of  our  having  sinned  away  the  day  of  grace,  or  sinned 
against  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  all  imaginations  that  our  sins 


MARKS  OF  TRUE  REPENTANCE.  H 

are  so  circumstanced  as  not  to  admit  of  pardoning  mercy, 
are  inconsistent  with  the  actings  of  a  true  repentance.  A 
sincere  penitent  looks  over  the  highest  mountains  which  are 
raised  before  him  by  the  greatness  of  his  sins,  his  own  mis- 
giving heart,  or  the  temptations  of  Satan,  into  an  ocean  of 
infinite  goodness  and  mercy.  Thither  he  will  fly,  and  there 
he  will  hope,  let  his  case  appear  ever  so  dark,  and  though 
every  thing  seems  to  make  against  him.  And  the  more 
lively  and  comfortable  his  hope  is,  the  more  he  is  humbled 
and  abased  for  his  sins,  and  the  more  vigorous  are  his  en- 
deavors after  a  life  of  new  obedience. 

"  I  confess,"  says  the  truly  penitent  soul,  "that  my  sins 
are  like  the  stars  of  the  firmament,  and  like  the  sand  on  the 
sea-shore,  for  multitude ;  that  they  are  of  a  scarlet  and 
crimson  dye ;  and  that  it  is  of  the  infinite  patience  of  God 
that  such  a  guilty  wretch  is  out  of  hell.  But  yet,  great 
and  dreadfully  aggravated  as  are  my  sins,  the  merit  of  a 
Redeemer's  blood  is  sufficient  to  atone  for  them  all ;  and 
infinite  mercy  is  still  greater  than  my  greatest  sins.  I  will, 
therefore,  cast  my  guilty  soul  at  the  footstool  of  a  sovereign 
God,  and  rely  on  infinite  mercy  through  a  Redeemer.  I  will 
depend  upon  the  blood  of  Christ,  which  cleanseth  from  all 
sin.  O  how  will  mercy  triumph  over  such  sins  as  mine. 
How  great  glory  will  God  bring  to  the  riches  of  his  infinite 
grace,  in  the  salvation  of  such  a  sinner  as  I,  if  ever  I  am 
saved.  How  will  heaven  ring  with  eternal  hallelujahs  on 
my  account.  Surely,  I  have  sinned  enough  already.  Let 
me  no  more  add  to  the  number  and  guilt  of  my  sins,  by 
distrust  of  God's  mercy,  or  by  doubting  the  sincerity  of  his 
invitations. 

5.  A  legal  repentance  is  teinporary,  wearing  off  with  the 
convictions  of  conscience  which  occasion  it ;  but  an  evan- 


12  MARKS  OF  TRUE  REPENTANCE. 

gelical  repentance  is  the  daily  exercise  of  the  true  Chris- 
tian, 

We  have  sad  and  numerous  instances  of  those  who,  for 
a  while,  appear  under  the  greatest  remorse  for  sin,  and  yet 
quickly  wear  off  all  their  impressions,  and  return  to  the 
same  course  of  impiety  which  occasioned  their  distress  and 
terror ;  and  thereby  declare  to  the  world  that  their  good- 
ness, like  Ephraim's,  was  but  as  *'  a  morning  cloud  and  the 
early  dew."  And  besides  these,  there  seem  to  be  some  who 
quiet  conscience  and  speak  peace  to  their  souls,  from  their 
having  been  in  distress  and  terror  for  their  sins,  from  their 
reformation  of  some  grosser  immoralities,  and  from  a  formal 
course  of  duty.  They  have  repented,  they  think,  and  there- 
fore conclude  themselves  at  peace  with  God,  and  seem  to 
have  no  great  care  or  concern  about  either  their  former  im- 
pieties or  their  daily  transgressions.  They  conclude  them- 
selves in  a  converted  state,  and  are  therefore  easy,  careless, 
and  secure.  These  may  think,  and  perhaps  speak  loftily 
of  their  experiences;  they  may  be  blown  up  with  joyful 
apprehensions  of  their  safe  state,  but  have  no  impressions 
of  their  sins,  no  mourning  after  pardon,  no  groaning  under 
the  burden  of  a  wicked  heart,  imperfect  duties,  and  renewed 
provocations  against  God.  They  perform  their  duties  in  a 
careless  manner,  with  a  trifling,  remiss  frame  of  soul,  while 
the  great  concerns  of  an  unseen,  eternal  world,  are  but 
little  in  their  minds ;  and  all  their  religion  is  a  mere  cold 
formality.  They  maintain  the  form,  but  are  unconcerned 
about  the  power  of  godliness. 

On  the  other  hand,  a  saving  evangelical  repentance  in- 
volves a  continual  self- abasement  and  abhorrence  of  all  sin, 
both  in  the  heart  and  life.  The  true  penitent  does  not  for- 
get his  past  sins,  and  grow  careless  and  unconcerned  about 


MARKS  OF  TRUE  REPENTANCE.  13 

them,  as  soon  as  he  obtains  peace  in  his  conscience,  and  a 
comforting  hope  that  he  is  reconciled  to  God ;  but  the 
clearer  evidences  he  obtains  of  the  divine  favor,  the  more 
does  he  loathe,  abhor,  and  condemn  himself  for  sin,  the 
more  vile  does  he  seem  in  his  own  eyes,  and  the  more  ag- 
gravated and  enormous  do  his  past  sins  appear.  A  sense 
of  pardoning  mercy  makes  Paul  appear  to  himself  "  the 
chief  of  sinners,"  and  speak  of  himself  as  a  pattern  of  hope 
to  all  that  shall  come  after  him.  The  true  penitent  not 
only  continues  to  abhor  himself  on  account  of  his  past  guilt 
and  defilement,  but  finds  daily  cause  to  rencAV  his  repent- 
ance before  God.  He  finds  so  much  deadness,  formality, 
and  hypocrisy  in  his  duties,  so  much  carnaUty,  worldly- 
mindedness,  and  unbelief  in  his  heart,  so  much  prevalence 
of  his  sinful  affections,  appetites,  and  passions,  and  so  many 
foils  by  the  sin  that  easily  besets  him,  that  he  cannot  but 
''groan,  being  burdened,  while  he  is  in  this  tabernacle." 
Repentance,  therefore,  is  the  daily  continued  exercise  of  the 
Christian.  ''Have  I  hope,"  says  the  penitent  soul,  "that 
God  has  pardoned  my  sins  ?  What  an  instance  of  pardon- 
ing mercy  is  this  !  How  adorable  is  that  wonderful  grace, 
which  has  plucked  such  a  brand  out  of  the  fire !  And  am 
I  still  daily  oflfending  against  such  mercy  and  love  ?  Am  I 
yet  doing  so  little  for  him,  who  has  done  so  much  for  me  ? 
Ah,  vile,  sinful  heart !  Ah,  base  ingratitude  to  such  amaz- 
ing goodness  !  0  for  more  victory  over  my  corruptions ; 
for  more  thankfulness  for  such  mercies ;  for  more  spiritu- 
ahty  and  heavenly-mindedness  !  What  need  have  I,  every 
day,  to  have  this  polluted  soul  washed  in  the  blood  of 
Christ,  and  to  repair  to  the  glorious  Advocate  with  the 
Father  for  the  benefit  of  his  intercession !  Not  a  step  can 
I  take  in  my  spmtual  progress  without  fresh  suppHes  from 


VOL.  VIII. 


41* 


14  MARKS  OF  TRUE  REPENTANCE. 

the  fountain  of  grace  and  strength ;  and  yet  how  often  am 
I  provoking  him  to  withdraw  his  influences,  in  whom  is  all 
my  hope  and  confidence.  *  0  wretched  man  that  I  am  !  who 
shall  deliver  me  from  this  body  of  death  ?'  "  Thus  the 
true  penitent  "  goes  with  his  face  Zionward,  mourning  as 
he  goes."  And  thus,  in  his  highest  attainments  of  comfort 
and  joy,  will  he  find  cause  to  be  deeply  humbled  before 
God,  and  to  wrestle  with  him  for  renewed  pardon,  and  new 
supplies  of  strengthening  and  quickening  grace. 

The  difference  between  these  two  sorts  of  penitents  is 
like  that  between  the  running  of  water  in  the  paths  after  a 
shower,  and  the  streams  flowing  from  a  living  fountain  ;  a 
legal  repentance  lasting  no  longer  than  the  terrors  which 
occasion  it,  but  an  evangelical  repentance  being  a  continued 
war  with  sin. 

6.  A  legal  repentance  does  at  most  produce  only  3.  par- 
tial and  external  reformation  ;  but  an  evangelical  repentance 
is  a  total  change  of  heart  and  life,  a  universal  turning  from 
sm  to  G-od. 

As  some  of  the  more  gi-oss  iniquities  most  commonly 
lead  the  way  to  that  distress  and  terror  which  is  the  life  of 
a  legal  and  insincere  repentance  ;  so  a  reformation  of  those 
sins  too  frequently  wears  off  the  impression,  and  gives  peace 
and  rest  to  the  troubled  conscience,  without  any  further 
change.  Or,  at  best,  there  will  be  some  darling  lusts  re- 
tained, some  right  hand  or  right  eye  spared,  some  sweet 
morsel  rolled  under  the  tongue.  If  the  legal  penitent  be 
afraid  of  the  sins  of  commission,  he  may  still  live  in  the 
omission  or  the  careless  performance  of  known  duty.  Or, 
if  he  be  more  forward  in  the  duties  of  God's  immediate 
worship,  he  may  still  live  in  acts  of  injustice,  strife,  and 
uncharitableness  towards  men.     If  he  shows  some  zeal  and 


MARKS  OF  TRUE  REPENTANCE.  15 

activity  in  the  service  of  God,  lie  will  yet,  perhaps,  have 
his  heart  and  affections  inordinately  attached  to  the  world, 
and  pursue  it  as  the  object  of  his  chief  desire  and  delight. 
If  he  avoids  all  open  sins,  he  yet  little  regards  the  sins  of 
his  heart,  but  lives  in  envy,  malice,  pride,  carnality,  unbe- 
lief, or  some  other  such  heart- defiling  sin.  To  finish  his 
character,  whatever  seeming  progress  he  may  make  in  re- 
ligion, his  heart  is  "not  right  with  God,"  but  is  still  going 
after  his  idols,  still  estranged  from  the  power  of  godliness. 
The  character  of  the  sincere  penitent  is  directly  contrary 
to  this.  He  finds,  indeed,  continued  occasion  to  lament  the 
great  imperfections  of  his  heart  and  life,  and  accordingly 
seeks  renewed  pardon  and  cleansing  in  the  blood  of  Christ. 
But  though  he  has  "  not  already  attained,  nor  is  already 
perfect,"  he  is  "  pressing  towards  perfection."  He  is  watch- 
ing, striving  against  all  his  corruptions ;  aiming  at,  and 
endeavoring  after  further  conformity  to  God,  in  all  holy 
conversation  and  godliness.  He  is  never  satisfied  with  a 
partial  reformation,  Avith  external  duty,  or  with  any  thing 
short  of  a  life  of  vital  piety.  He  does  not  renounce  one 
lust  and  retain  another ;  content  himself  with  the  duties  of 
the  first  table  of  the  law,  and  neglect  those  of  the  second ; 
nor  quiet  himself  in  a  life  of  mere  formal  godliness ;  nor 
can  he  rest  till  he  "rejoices  in  the  testimony  of  his  con- 
science, that  in  simplicity  and  godly  sincerity,  not  with 
fleshly  wisdom,  but  by  the  grace  of  God,  he  has  his  con- 
versation in  the  world."  All  the  actings  of  his  mind,  as 
well  as  his  external  conduct,  fall  under  his  strictest  inspec- 
tion, and  he  is  ever  earnest  to  approve  himself  to  Him  who 
"knows  his  thoughts  afar  ofi^'."  His  reformation  extends  not 
only  to  the  devotions  of  the  church,  but  of  his  family  and 
his  closet ;  not  only  to  his  conversation,  but  to  his  thoughts 


16  MARKS  OF  TRUE  REPENTANCE. 

and  affections ;  not  only  to  the  worship  of  God,  but  to  the 
duties  of  every  relation  he  sustains  among  men ;  and,  in  a 
word,  his  repentance  produces  heavenly-mindedness,  hu- 
mility, meekness,  charity,  patience,  forgiving  of  injuries, 
self-denial ;  and  is  accompanied  with  all  other  fruits  and 
graces  of  the  blessed  Spirit.  "  It  is  the  desire  of  my  soul," 
says  the  sincere  penitent,  ''  to  keep  the  way  of  the  Lord, 
and  never  depart  from  my  God.  I  would  refrain  my  feet 
from  every  evil  way,  and  walk  within  my  house  with  a  per- 
fect heart.  I  know  I  have  to  do  with  a  God  who  trieth  the 
heart ;  I  would,  therefore,  set  the  Lord  always  before  me, 
and  serve  him  with  a  perfect  heart  and  a  willing  mind." 

A  legal  repentance  is  an  external  reformation  only,  des- 
titute of  all  the  graces  of  the  blessed  Spirit.  True  repent- 
ance is  a  change  of  the  heart,  of  the  will  and  affections,  as 
well  as  of  the  outward  conversation ;  a  change  which  is 
accompanied  with  all  the  fruits  and  graces  of  the  Spirit  of 
God,  The  one  aims  at  just  so  much  religion  as  will  keep 
the  mind  easy,  and  calm  the  ruffles  of  an  awakened  con- 
science ;  the  other  aims  at  a  holy,  humble,  watchful,  and 
spiritual  walk  with  God,  and  rests  in  no  degree  of  attain- 
ments whatsoever. 

Reader,  I  have  thus  laid  before  you  some  of  the  distin- 
guishing marks  of  true  repentance,  not  to  gratify  curiosity, 
or  as  a  subject  of  useless  speculation,  but  that,  renouncing 
all  sin,  and  casting  yourself  on  the  mercy  of  Christ,  you 
may,  through  the  sanctifying  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
exercise  and  practise  that  repentance  xvhich  is  '^iinto  life,  not 
to  he  repented  of.^^ 


i¥o.  396. 


MISTAKES  OP  PARENTS. 


BY  REV.  JOHN  A.  VAUGHAN,  D.  D. 


The  attention  of  parents  is  here  invited  to  the  consider- 
ation of  their  pecuHar  mistakes,  duties,  and  encourage- 
ments ;  principally  the  first. 

OBJECT  OF  SABBATH-SCHOOLS  MISTAKEN. 

The  Sabbath-school  is  an  important  help  to  the  parent 
in  training  his  child  for  God;  but  its  object  is  too  often  mis- 
apprehended. In  practice  the  parent  seems  to  say,  "  My 
duties  in  the  religious  instruction  of  my  offspring  are  now 
much  relieved,  if  not  entirely  superseded.  The  teacher 
will  see  to  this ;  he  is  far  more  capable  than  I  am.  If  I 
say  too  much,  I  shall  only  weary  my  child.  I  will  send 
him  regularly  to  the  school,  and  there  he  will  grow  wise 
unto  salvation." 

Here  you  may  date  the  origin  of  many  a  child's  want  of 
interest  in  the  Sabbath-school.  Here  you  may  see  the  cause 
of  that  unwilling  mind,  that  wandering  eye,  that  withering 
indifference,  which  so  often  meets  the  patient  teacher,  when 
the  Sabbath  lesson  is  taken  in  hand,  or  when  the  subject  of 
religion  is  any  way  presented  to  the  attention.  It  is  not 
usually  because  you  talk  of  religion  that  your  children  are 
weary,  but  because  you  have  not  done  it  earlier,  or,  doing  it, 
have  been  grossly  injudicious.  It  is  not  enough  that  you 
simply  pray  with  them,  and  then  leave  them  to  their  teacher : 
you  must  yourself  labor  for  them,  as  well  as  pray.  How 
can  you  expect  that  a  pupil  who  spends  but  one  hour  in  168 
with  his  teacher  will  be  essentially  benefited,  if  the  remain- 
ing 167  of  the  week  are  under  the  influence  of  a  parent 
who,  it  may  be,  is  a  warm  admirer  of  Sabbath-schools,  but 
goes  no  further ;  who  never  bestows  a  thought  upon  the 
appointed  lesson,  or  upon  the  teacher  who  labors  for  him, 


2  MISTAKES  OF  PARENTS. 

and  never  accompanies  bis  children  to  the  school  to  watch 
their  growing  interest  in  divine  truth  ? 

But  begin  early;  consult  frequently  with  the  teacher;  let 
your  observing  pupil  have  two  instructors,  who  shall  be 
one  in  their  aim,  their  desires,  their  labors,  their  prayers. 
Let  this  be  evident  to  him.  Let  him  be  instructed  pleas- 
antly in  the  subject  of  the  lesson  at  home.  Then  occasion- 
ally, at  least,  follow  him  to  the  school ;  manifest  that  yours 
is  the  ivork  of  Christian  education,  and  that  you  employ  the 
school  to  assist  in  it ;  and  you  will  not  long  complain  of 
want  of  interest,  unless  past  neglect  has  hardened  the  pupil 
to  indifference.  0,  if  Sabbath-schools  were  the  common 
resort  of  parents,  the  united  voice  of  thanksgiving  would 
much  oftener  accompany  the  petition  for  converting  grace. 

But  all  this  is  far  from  enough.  The  hoolcs  from  the 
Sabbath-school  library  should  be  carefully  inspected,  not 
only  to  know  their  tendency,  but  that  you  may  converse 
upon  them,  illustrate  and  apply  what  you  find  useful,  and 
examine  your  children  in  what  they  read.  By  these  means 
you  will  interest  them,  and  check  that  sad  propensity  to 
seek  for  novelty  rather  than  improvement,  unhappily  pro- 
moted by  the  present  system  of  Sabbath-school  reading. 
Says  a  learned  judge,  "I  read  every  book  my  children  bring 
into  the  house,  even  to  the  penny  sheet." 

INQUIRY  AT  A  SABBATH-SCHOOL  AS  TO  PREVIOUS  PREPARATION. 

The  usual  amount  of  this  domestic  preparation  may  be 
inferred  from  the  following  results  of  inquiries  in  a  respect- 
able Sabbath-school.  Two  questions  were  put  to  each  pu- 
pil. 1.  Was  your  lesson  attended  to  at  home?  2.  Were 
you  assisted?  Of  184  members  of  the  school,  (it  being 
winter,)  103  were  present.  To  the  first  question,  66  an- 
swered in  the  affirmative.  To  the  second,  24 ;  and  these 
last  were  assisted  by  1 7  persons — the  attention  really  given 
to  the  lesson  being  in  some  of  these  cases  very  far  from  a 
careful  study.  On  that  day  no  parent  of  any  pupil  visited 
the  school.  Every  pupil  in  a  Sabbath-school,  even  the 
youngest,  should  have  an  appointed  lesson,  if  it  be  only  a 
verse  in  one  of  Dr.  Watts'  hymns  for  children.  And  unless 
parents  set  apart  a  regular  time  for  attending  to  this  lesson, 
and  see  to  it  themselves,  they  cannot  expect  the  needful 
preparation  will  be  made. 


MISTAKES  OF  PARENTS.  3 

TIME  GIVEN  TO  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION. 

Such  instruction  often  loses  its  weight  because  it  is  seen 
by  children  to  bear  but  a  very  small  proportion,  in  the  time 
allotted  to  it,  to  the  various  other  subjects  which  are  urged 
upon  their  attention.  If  it  really  were  so  important,  is  their 
natural  inference,  we  should  hear  more  of  it.  Let  parents 
take  this  rebuke  home,  for  it  is  just.  It  is  not  enough  to 
send  your  child  for  six  hours  a  day  to  school,  and  to  allow 
him  as  many  more  for  amusement  or  some  common  em- 
ployments, and  then  recite  before  him,  in  your  evening  de- 
votions, that  religion  is  the  most  important  subject  to  which 
old  or  young  can  possibly  attend.  Will  he  believe  you  ? 
Or  father,  will  not  your  prayers  be  to  him  a  mere  form  ? 
Instead  of  thus  keeping  religion  out  of  sight,  there  are  a 
thousand  ways  in  which,  by  example  and  by  conversation, 
you  may  so  mingle  the  motives  to  piety  with  daily  business, 
and  even  amusements,  that  your  child  shall  be  at  no  loss  to 
determine  what  rank  holiness  holds  in  your  heart,  and  what 
rank  it  should  occupy  in  his.  Be  on  the  watch,  and  you 
will  not  fail  in  opportunity.  Two  boys,  in  a  boat  on  a  river, 
being  upset,  were  taken  from  the  water  nearly  exhausted, 
and  conveyed  home.  The  moment  they  were  sufficiently 
recovered,  the  mother  addressed  them,  and  in  feeling  lan- 
guage spoke  of  their  dehverance:  "Kneel  down,  my  boys," 
said  she,  "and  let  us  thank  God  for  your  preservation." 
Better  far  than  swooning*  away  w^ith  fright,  as  is  too  often 
the  case  with  a  fond  mother.  A  lady  who  was  then  pres- 
ent remarked,  "  1  shall  never  forget  the  impressiveness  of 
that  scene." 

MODE  OF  CONVEYING  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION— ILLUSTRATION. 

Parents  frequently  misapprehend  the  proper  mode  of 
conveying  what  they  most  earnestly  desire  their  children 
should  know  and  receive.  This  may  arise  from  mistaken 
views  of  the  youthful  capacities.  There  is  a  beautiful  sim- 
plicity in  the  mind  of  a  child,  w^hich  requires  patience  and 
common  sense  in  the  mode  of  address.  There  is  a  freedom 
of  inquiry  peculiar  to  the  intelligent  child,  which  should  be 
answered  with  much  discretion.  A  little  infant  scholar  of 
four,  asked  her  sister,  who  was  only  three  years  older, 
"  How  can  God  wipe  away  the  tears  from  their  eyes  when 
he  hasn't  got  any  handkerchief?"     "It  doesn't  mean  so," 


4  mSTAKES  OF  PARENTS. 

says  her  sister;  ''it  means  that  he  will  keep  them  from  cry- 
ing." Startling  as  such  queries  may  sometimes  be,  it  should 
always  be  borne  in  mind  from  whence  they  proceed,  and 
that  much  may  then  be  allowed  which  at  another  age  would 
be  a  direct  impropriety.  Even  a  smile  in  the  midst  of  the 
most  sacred  things,  which  at  forty  might  betray  want  of 
becoming  seriousness,  may  frequently  be  expected  in  the 
child  of  four  or  of  fourteen, 

A  cause  of  frequent  failure  in  instruction,  is  the  use  of 
language  not  adapted  to  the  capacities  and  feelings  of  chil- 
dren. A  child  perhaps  rejects  a  general  proposition,  when 
a  circumstance  or  anecdote  within  its  own  compass  or  ob- 
servation, involving  the  same  truth,  might  be  fastened  upon 
its  attention.  Parents  of  deep  piety  often  lose  sight  of  this 
law  of  the  mind,  and  forget  that  the  manner  of  the  Bible 
itself  is  founded  upon  this  very  law.  It  was  designed  not 
only  for  the  learned  and  reflecting,  but  for  the  uncultivated 
and  the  young,  who  are  in  this  respect  on  the  same  footing. 
Where  an  important  truth  is  to  be  impressed,  we  find  a  nar- 
ration or  a  parable  is  given  involving  it,  and  the  inference 
to  the  inquiring  mind  is  irresistible,  though  the  submission 
of  the  heart  may  not  immediately  follow. 

Now  follow  this  plan  closely  in  early  religious  instruc- 
tion. Think  not  to  impress  your  children  Avith  eloquent  and 
elaborate  descriptions  of  holy  truth  or  holy  affections,  but 
proceed  by  illustration  and  example.  What  would  cause 
the  adult  Christian  to  glow  with  delight,  may  be  lost  upon 
your  little  auditor  of  five,  ten,  or  tAvelve,  bent  perhaps  the 
whole  time  upon  some  scheme  which  better  suits  his  active 
and  impatient  little  mind  and  limbs.  Suppose  your  subject 
is  a  particular  providence.  You  have  deeply  felt  the  near- 
ness of  God  in  some  of  his  dealings,  and,  full  of  pious  emo- 
tion, you  seek  to  arrest  your  child  with  the  current  of  your 
own  reflections.  But  he  is  neither  able  nor  willing  to  un- 
derstand, perhaps  will  not  attend,  and  you  are  disappointed. 
An  injury  is  thus  done  to  you  and  to  him.  Now  try  an- 
other mode.  Watch  your  opportunity  and  improve  it.  Go 
then  to  the  Bible,  lead  your  child  gently  along  the  journey 
of  Abraham  to  Mount  Moriah.  The  little  listener  will  soon 
notice  every  incident.  When  you  see  this,  point  him  to  the 
uplifted  knife;  and  then,  just  as  the  son  is  about  to  die  be- 
neath the  hand  of  the  father,  vour  child  will  hear  the  voice 


MISTAKES  OF  PARENTS.  5 

of  God  averting  the  blow.  Tell  liim  in  tlie  same  way  of 
Elijah  fed  by  ravens ;  or  of  Joseph's  extraordinary  history. 
Carry  him  at  another  time  to  the  plain  assertion  of  Christ, 
that  not  a  "  sparrow  falls  to  the  ground  without  our  heavenly 
Father ;"  that  the  very  "  hairs  of  our  head  are  all  numbered  ;" 
and  now  he  is  prepared  for  the  practical  deduction,  "Fear 
not,  ye  are  of  more  value  than  many  sparrcws." 

KNOWLEDGE  OF  SIN— CARELESSNESS  IN  FORGIVING  FAULTS. 

The  principle  just  illustrated  may  be  applied  success- 
fully to  every  important  truth  of  this  description.  Urge 
upon  a  child  continually  that  all  men  have  sinned,  and  un- 
less he  has  been  otherwise  interested  in  religious  inquiry, 
these  words  will  soon  fall  powerless  upon  the  ear.  But  he 
has  himself  committed  some  fault  which  causes  uneasiness. 
Leave  this  until  you  perceive  a  favorable  moment,  when 
there  may  be  a  more  than  usual  sense  of  God's  presence, 
perhaps  Avhen  the  activity  of  the  day  is  past,  and  your  child 
is  committing  himself  quietly  to  rest.  Now  remind  him  of 
his  fault ;  show  him  the  unhappiness  so  closely  connected 
with  sin ;  point  out  some  instances  of  the  mournful  retribu- 
tions of  sin,  especially  in  the  young,  in  your  own  neighbor- 
hood. He  will  at  once  perceive  and  feel  that  there  is  some- 
thing wrong,  something  unhappy  in  self-indulgence,  and 
that  he  himself  is  not  exempt.  Now  call  sin  by  its  right 
name,  and  it  will  at  least'be  known,  if  not  avoided,  in  what- 
ever garb  it  may  appear.  This  will  in  most  cases  be  a  great 
point  gained ;  and  if  you  avoid  the  common  error  of  con- 
founding a  parent's  forgiveness  with  that  of  God,  you  may 
do  much  to  lead  him  to  the  only  source  of  pardon,  to  the 
Saviour.  You  may  soon  convince  him,  that  although  your 
share  in  the  offence  may  be  forgiven,  God  alone  can  forgive, 
so  far  as  his  commands  have  been  broken.  How  sad  the 
delusion  which  here  overspreads  the  Avhole  business  of  edu- 
cation !  The  child  is  sorry  for  a  fault ;  a  lie  perhaps  has 
been  told ;  some  care  has  been  taken  to  enlighten  the  con- 
science, and  he  feels  its  condemning  power.  He  comes  to 
his  parent  and  asks  forgiveness  in  such  a  manner  that  the 
parent  grants  it  at  once.  Now  this  may  be  right,  but  it  is 
far  from  enough.  Has  there  been  no  offence  against  the 
law  of  God,  which  parental  love  cannot  clear  away  ?  While 
the  child  thinks  the  whole  account  settled,  is  there  not 

VOL.  vni.  42 


6  MISTAKES  OF  PARENTS. 

"written  against  him  a  sentence  in  heaven,  where  he  has 
sought  no  forgiveness  ?  Never,  then,  suffer  your  child  to 
forget  the  solemn  truth,  which  was  admitted  by  the  Jews 
of  old,  *'  Who  can  forgive  sins  but  God  only  ?^^  If  all  sin 
is  an  offence  against  the  great  law  of  love  to  God,  how  can 
a  serious  parent  dare  thus  to  settle  the  account  and  silence 
conscience  ?  As  well  might  the  trembling  criminal,  who 
has  dipped  his  hands  in  blood,  think  that  all  is  settled, 
when  a  verdict  of  "not  guilty"  has  been  returned  in  his 
favor,  or  when  a  pardon  is  received  from  the  highest  author- 
ity in  the  state,  or  even  when  his  sentence  is  executed.  The 
difference  is  only  in  degree.  In  kind  it  is  the  same  with 
the  faults  of  childhood.  One  who  freely  and  carelessly 
forgives  a  lie  may  do  much  to  ruin  his  child. 

HEAVENLY  EXJOYiMENTS  ILLUSTRATED. 

The  child  must  be  at  first  approached  through  the 
senses.  You  must  talk  of  what  he  can  perceive,  as  the 
means  of  his  attaining  some  idea  of  things  unseen.  For 
instance,  your  child  has  listened  with  delight  to  some  elo- 
quent display  of  mind ;  he  has  formed  very  exalted  ideas 
of  the  intellect  and  attainments  of  others.  It  is  immaterial 
whether  he  has  felt  this  incipient  admiration  from  a  lecture, 
from  an  interestinir  and  intellicrent  author,  or  from  listeninfr 
to  sensible  conversation.  Now  point  him  to  an  eternal,  an 
infinite  Mind,  and  show  him  that  there  must  be  unspeaka- 
ble delight  to  the  humble  and  the  holy,  in  contemplating 
the  powers  and  works  of  such  a  mind,  and  that  to  this  de- 
light there  can  be  no  end. 

FRUITS  OF  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION  NOT  ALWAYS  EVIDENT  AT 
THE  TIME. 

Parents  often  seem  to  think  that  the  religious  character 
of  their  offspring  must  receive  its  whole  impress  in  some 
single  act.  Struck  by  extraordinary  cases  of  youthful  con- 
version, and  trusting  that  the  special  influences  of  the  Spirit 
will  cause  the  light  suddenly  to  shine  fully  in  the  heart, 
there  is  a  strong  leaning  to  the  belief  that  this  favored  mo- 
ment must  be  very  distinctly  marked.  Now,  with  God 
such  may  be  the  case,  but  not  perhaps  with  you.  If  it 
were,  you  might  know  too  much ;  and  it  would  not  be  as 
with  the  "wind,"  which  "bloweth  where  it  listeth,  and 


MISTAKES  OF  PARENTS.  7 

thou  hearest  the  sound  thereof,  but  canst  not  tell  whence  it 
Cometh  or  whither  it  goeth."  No  ;  you  must  be  stead}^  and 
unceasing  in  your  influence,  your  instructions,  your  means. 
God  may  work  with  them  or  without  them,  as  he  shall  see 
fit;  but  your  labor  in  the  Lord  shall  not  be  in  vain.  "  In 
the  morning  sow  thy  seed,  and  in  the  evening  withhold  not 
thy  hand,  for  thou  knowest  not  whether  shall  prosper,  either 
this  or  that,  or  whether  they  both  shall  be  alike  good." 

DISCOURAGEMENT.— DR.  MORRISON.— ISAAC  BARROW. 

Closely  connected  with  this,  is  the  very  common  mis- 
take of  discouragement.  No  feeling  of  this  kind  should 
ever  prevail  with  the  faithful  parent.  Want  of  success 
should  lead  to  self-inquiry,  to  vigorous  effort,  to  a  faithful 
study  of  the  subject  in  all  its  parts,  but  never  to  discour- 
agement. Such  a  feeling  in  the  Christian  betrays  a  want 
of  humble  confidence  in  the  God  of  grace.  The  case  of  Dr. 
Morrison  cannot  be  too  often  urged — the  ragged,  aban- 
doned, and  hardened  Sabbath-school  boy,  about  to  be  dis- 
missed by  his  discouraged  teacher — one  eftbrt  more,  and 
he  becomes  the  subject  of  penitence  and  of  faith — then  the 
learned  and  indefatigable  translator  for  the  Chinese,  and 
then  a  star  of  first  magnitude  in  the  East,  reflecting  beams 
from  the  Sun  of  righteousness  that  may  light  millions  to 
glory.  Such  was  the  early  stupidity  and  hopeless  conduct 
of  that  sound  English  divine,  Isaac  Barrow,  that,  strange 
to  say,  his  father,  in  utter  despair  of  his  graceless  son,  cried 
out,  that  if  called  to  part  with  any  child,  he  hoped  it  might 
be  Isaac.     But  God  knew  better. 

THE  SAILOR  CONVERTED  BY  MEANS  OF  THREE  WORDS. 

A  simple  fact  or  two  w^ill  show  how  it  may  be  with 
every  one  that  is  born  of  the  Spirit,  and  how  it  is  with 
many.  A  rough  sailor  who  kept  watch  on  deck  during  the 
still  hours  of  midnight,  becomes  thoughtful.  On  a  sudden 
the  words,  *'  Pray  loithout  ceasing,'^  fall  upon  his  memory, 
and  then  upon  his  conscience.  What  are  these  strange 
terms,  and  where  did  the  command  come  from?  He  is 
roused  to  inquire,  and  soon  recollects  that,  seven  years  be- 
fore, he  had  strolled  over  London  on  the  Sabbath.  On 
passing  through  the  immense  building  of  St.  Paul's,  he  had 
observed  in  one  part,  separated  from  the  rest,  a  congrega- 


8  MISTAKES  OF  PARENTS. 

tion  at  worship.  He  had  looked  in  and  remained  long 
enough  to  hear  the  Avords,  ''Pray  without  ceasing."  He 
had  forgotten  them,  but  now  the  contrast  between  the  com- 
mand and  his  neglect  is  forced  upon  him.  He  seeks  divine 
forgiveness.  He  remembers  that  his  chest  contains  at  the 
bottom  a  despised  and  unopened  Bible,  which  a  careful 
mother  had  placed  there  years  before.  His  impressions  are 
deepened,  the  Holy  Spirit  sanctifies  to  him  the  truth,  and 
"behold,  he  prayeth." 

A  YOUNG  MAN  CONVINCED  OF  SIN  WHILE  DISTURBING  A 
SABBATH-SCHOOL. 

Some  time  since  a  young  man  of  Bellows  Falls  deter- 
mined to  add  to  his  Sunday  sports  and  amuse  his  ungodly 
associates  by  a  visit  of  intrusion  to  the  Sabbath- school.  He 
had  scarcely  obtained  firm  footing  within  the  room,  when 
this  reflection  came  over  him,  he  knew  not  how,  but  to 
shake  it  off  was  impossible:  "What  motiv^e  can  influence 
so  many  teachers  to  spend  their  time,  their  means,  and  un- 
ceasino:  toil  in  the  relimous  instruction  of  others  ?  It  must 
be  something  very  different  from  that  which  actuates  me  in 
disturbing  them.  Their  reward  is  not  here ;  mine  is  the 
wages  of  sin."  He  is  for  some  time  riveted  to  the  floor, 
and  when  a  teacher  approaches  with  a  friendly  invitation, 
he  suff'ers  himself  to  be  led  like  a  lamb,  and  joins  a  class. 
His  ungodly  companions  are  his  no  longer,  and  he  joins, 
shortly,  the  great  company  of  those  who  are  rejoicing  on 
their  way  to  heaven. 

Now,  in  each  of  the  above  cases,  who  will  say  that  other 
means,  applied  faithfully,  might  not  have  availed,  and  saved 
years  of  sin  and  sorrow  ?  But  who  will  say,  in  view  of 
such  cases,  that  there  is  ever  ground  for  despair  ?  Still 
more,  when  we  see,  in  ten  thousand  other  cases,  sorrowful 
warnings  against  delay,  what  parent,  whose  heart  has  been 
warmed  with  the  hope  of  the  Gospel,  will  venture  to  omit 
a  single  act  of  fidelity  to  his  off"spring  ?  His  hope  of  suc- 
cess will  rest  only  upon  such  a  conscientious  and  unremit- 
ting faithfulness,  that  he  can  joyfully  leave  the  result  with 
God,  confiding  in  his  promise.  Do  your  duty,  and  "  hope 
that  your  child  will  be  a  Christian." 


MISTAKES  OF  PARENTS.  9 

CONTRAST. 

The  principle  of  contrast  is  too  seldom  improved.  This 
appears  to  be  a  prominent  feature  in  that  word  which  "  is 
quick  and  powerful,  sharper  than  a  two-edged  sword  :"  the 
life  of  sin  and  its  appalling  consequences  on  the  one  hand ; 
the  life  of  holiness  with  its  cheering  and  peaceful  posses- 
sions on  the  other.  Let  parents  follow  the  example,  and 
bring  this  principle  more  frequently  into  view.  Pride  may 
long  affect  to  deny  the  difference,  and  refuse  to  make  the 
self-application ;  but  enlightened  conscience  may  at  length 
be  goaded  on  to  a  decision.  It  is  not  always  requisite  to 
picture  the  transgressor's  self.  Show  him  sometimes  his 
reverse,  and  sin  will  often  defeat  its  own  designs,  by  bring- 
ing out  in  glowing  colors  its  affecting  contrast.  When  a 
portrait  of  impiety  has  been  in  vain  presented,  and  the  truth 
is  resisted  or  evaded,  then  show  him  what  he  should  be, 
what  he  may  be,  but  what  he  is  not.  It  may  suit  his  pecu- 
liar temper  and  excite  inquiry,  though  not  a  word  may  have 
been  said  in  personal  condemnation.  No  one  can  describe 
to  another  his  heart  so  well  as  himself  can  see  it,  provided 
he  will  but  look  ;  and  this  looking  may  be  induced  by  means 
as  various  as  the  tempers  of  individuals.  Says  Cecil,  that 
devoted  man  of  God,  "Parental  influence  hangs  on  the 
wheels  of  evil.  I  had  a  pious  mother,  who  would  talk  to 
me,  and  weep  as  she  talked.  I  flung  out  of  the  house  with 
an  oath,  but  wept  too  when  I  got  into  the  street.  Sympa- 
thy is  the  powerful  engine  of  the  mother." 

KINDNESS  AND  AUTHORITY. 

It  is  a  difficult  matter  for  any  suitably  to  mingle  kind- 
ness and  authority  in  urging  the  claims  of  religion.  In 
kindness  there  is  danger  of  loose  indifterence,  or  at  least  the 
appearance  of  it ;  in  authority,  the  parent  fears  producing 
formality,  and  perhaps  disgust.  Let  him  distinguish  here 
between  the  feelings  and  the  judgment  of  a  child.  The 
feelings  may,  by  no  means,  be  of  that  obstinately  perverted 
character  which  the  same  inclinations  would  imply,  were 
the  judgment  mature ;  and  yet  how  many  parents  either 
command  the  performance  of  religious  duties  Avhen  persua- 
sion would  be  sufficient,  or  on  the  other  hand,  improperly 
leave  the  decision  entirely  to  the  youthful  judgment  when 
authority  is  necessary !  How  many  of  the  young,  for  ex- 
voL.  vm.  42* 


10  MISTAKES  OF  PARENTS. 

ample,  are  just  requested  to  attend  the  Sabbath-school. 
Nothing  is  felt  of  its  importance  by  the  child  himself,  and  a 
little  feeling  of  disrelish  decides  upon  a  step  of  perhaps 
immeasurable  consequence  to  an  immortal  soul.  With  a 
well-educated  child  the  decided  ivish  of  a  parent  will  be 
equivalent  to  a  command  ;  and  where  it  is  not,  the  command 
should  certainly  be  given  and  enforced.  A  child  might  be 
left  to  neglect  public  worship,  the  day-school,  and  every 
privilege,  for  want  of  parental  decision,  with  just  as  much 
propriety  as  the  benefit  of  a  Sabbath-school. 

YOUTHFUL  DIFFICULTIES. 

There  will  be  with  the  young  peculiar  difficulties,  and 
no  less  in  the  formation  of  religious  character  than  in  other 
things.  These  difficulties  should  be  considered,  and  every 
proper  means  taken  to  remove  them.  It  will  not  do  to  treat 
all  the  children  even  of  one  family  alike  in  all  things :  a 
delicacy  and  discrimination  are  requisite,  too  often  lost  sight 
of  in  a  hasty  mode  of  family  rule.  The  first  movements  of 
a  religious  cast  are  often  extremely  susceptible.  They  may 
be  extinguished  by  a  rough  and  unexpected  treatment  even 
of  a  Christian  parent;  or  from  a  reserve  frequently  accom- 
panying these  impressions,  they  may  remain  without  sym- 
pathy, because  unknown.  On  the  other  hand,  they  may, 
by  a  gentle  cooperation,  in  humble  dependence  on  divine 
grace,  be  fanned  into  a  pure,  steady,  and  heavenward  flame. 

HOME  MADE  INTERESTING  TO  THE  YOUNG. 

Sufficient  pains  are  not  generally  taken  to  make  home 
interesting  and  pleasant  to  the  young.  Well  has  it  been 
said,  that  children  should  feel  convinced  that  they  may  be 
more  wicked  elsewhere,  but  that  they  cannot  be  more  happy. 
If  this  conviction  is  strongly  fixed  at  an  early  age,  there 
will  be  little  desire  for  the  false  excitements  of  distant  pleas- 
ure. There  is  a  restlessness  at  this  age,  which  must  receive 
a  right  direction,  or  it  will  infallibly  take  a  wrong  one.  If 
not  in  some  measure  consulted  and  made  happy  at  home, 
company  will  be  sought  abroad,  and  that  almost  of  neces- 
sity of  a  corrupting  tendency.  A  parent,  therefore,  who 
expects  his  son  or  daughter  to  grow  up  with  warm  domes- 
tic attachments,  and  to  seek  their  enjoyments  principally  at 
home,  must  endeavor  to  render  those  enjoyments  satisfying. 


MISTAKES  OF  PARENTS.  H 

He  must  sympathize  with  his  children  in  their  little  interests, 
and  thus  gain  an  influence  which  he  may  use  for  God.  In- 
struction and  amusement  must,  for  this,  be  pleasantly  and 
systematically  introduced.  Listen  to  your  child  when  he 
speaks  of  his  little  troubles  and  joys,  and  he  will  listen  to 
you  when  you  speak  of  God  and  the  Bible.  Gain  his  ear, 
and  you  may  then  whisper  the  things  which  concern  his 
everlasting  peace.  But  it  would  be  unnatural  to  expect 
him  to  give  up  the  fascinations  of  extended  intercourse  for 
home,  Avithout  any  thing  to  fill  the  void. 

MATERIAL  CARE. 

Man's  life  is  his  term  of  preparation  for  the  scene  be- 
yond the  grave ;  but  it  has  been  correctly  observed,  that 
practically  considered,  this  season  of  preparation  is  in  many 
cases  over,  long  before  the  close  of  life.  The  chief  hope 
of  the  parent  lies  before  his  child  has  attained  the  age  of 
twenty  ;  and  a  father  has  usually  but  little  continued  influ- 
ence over  his  son  after  he  is  fifteen :  even  before  this  period 
the  busy  occupations  of  life  leave  the  burden  chiefly  upon 
the  mother,  who  can  scarcely  control  an  unruly  spirit  over 
ten  or  twelve.  If,  then,  she  would  have  her  son  a  shining 
light  in  the  regions  of  grace,  she  must  think  nothing  of  her 
ten  years  of  labor  and  care  for  him,  in  comparison  with  the 
fearful  loss  to  be  avoided,  and  the  more  than  worlds  to  be 
gained.  O  think  how  much  one  Christian  mother  does  in 
training  up  for  God  some  devoted  servant — a  Whitefield,  a 
Scott,  or  a  Chalmers — or  who  even  o-ains  over  a  Washingr- 
ton,  or  a  Wilberforce,  to  the  pure  and  disinterested  love  of 
his  fellow-man !  She  sets  at  work  a  moral  power  which 
goes  on  accumulating  for  ever. 

PATERXAL  CARE. 

But  let  the  father  of  a  growing  family  also  remember, 
pressing  as  his  business  may  be,  that  very  much  depends 
upon  his  devoting  systematically  some  portion  of  his  time 
to  that  instruction  of  his  family  which  no  money  can  pro- 
cure. Let  him  by  no  means  plead  ignorance :  if  he  begins 
in  time,  he  can  at  least  grow  Avith  his  children  in  their 
attainments.  He  should  remember  that  in  a  course  of  years 
a  large  family,  brought  up  on  sound  and  conscientious 
principles,  will  cost  less  than  one  child  of  expensive  and 


12  MISTAKES  OF  PARENTS. 

dissipated  habits.  He  should  remember  also  that  his  chil- 
dren have  eternal  interests,  for  which  he  is  bound  to  consult. 
And  when  is  the  child  to  meet  the  parent  in  this  search 
for  goodly  pearls,  if  the  one  is  wholly  occupied  in  school 
through  the  day,  and  the  other  in  business  through  the 
evening  ? 

HIRING  CHILDREN  TO  BE  GOOD. 

There  is  an  apparently  trifling  but  very  pernicious  prac- 
tice which  often  prevails,  of  hiring  children  to  do  their 
duty,  especially  when  of  that  description  which  is  plainly 
commanded  by  God.  If  you  pay  them  for  obeying  you, 
for  attending  upon  religious  instruction,  or  performing  any 
religious  duty,  you  lay  the  foundation  for  an  inveterate 
perversion  of  heart  and  character.  Ev^ery  worthy  motive 
is  thus  shut  out,  and  a  low  feehng  of  selfish  barter  intro- 
duced. The  plan  may  be  less  questionable,  when  occasionally 
applied  to  encourage  any  system  of  industry,  or  persever- 
ance, or  self-denial  not  so  obviously  required  by  moral 
obligation ;  but  the  simple  fact  that  God  has  commanded, 
should  silence  every  selfish  inclination,  and  be  felt  in  all  its 
singleness. 

DISSIPATING  AMUSEMENTS— VICE. 

Too  often  parents  and  even  professed  Christians  are 
found  indulging  their  children  in  amusements  inconsistent 
with  the  grand  business  of  Christian  education,  and  perhaps 
also  in  vices  which  destroy  the  sensibility  of  conscience. 
Hard  indeed  must  it  be  for  a  parent  to  interpose  his  au- 
thority, when  such  habits  have  been  formed  through  his 
own  neglect,  or  want  of  judgment,  or  silent  acquiescence. 
But  it  must  be  done,  or  the  double  sin  will  lie  at  his  door. 
The  affecting  example  of  Eli  speaks  in  solemn  and  awful 
tones  of  rebuke  to  all  who,  from  any  cause,  indulge  their 
offspring  in  any  known  immorality.  "  I  will  judge  his 
house  for  ever  for  the  iniquity  which  he  knoweth,  because 
his  sons  made  themselves  vile,  and  he  restrained  them  not." 

EDUCATION  TO  BE  STUDIED  AS  A  SYSTEM. 

If  any  pursuit  requires  study  and  system,  it  is  parental 
duty  in  the  business  of  education ;  which,  to  be  complete, 
requires  the  aid  of  religious  principle  from  the  foundation 


MISTAKES  OF  PARENTS.  13 

to  the  topstone ;  and  yet  liow  remiss  are  parents  on  this 
point.  After  bringing  forward  the  older  children,  perhaps 
with  injury  at  every  step,  they  begin  to  see  the  sad  effects 
of  errors  in  judgment,  even  where  the  best  intentions  may 
have  existed.  They  now  reverse  the  system,  but  too  late ; 
and,  passing  from  one  extreme  to  another,  all  is  difficulty 
and  anxiety.  The  elder  pervert  the  younger ;  and  the 
difference  in  plan  adds  perplexity  to  the  whole  scene.  It 
is  the  part  of  wisdom  to  avail  ourselves  of  the  experience 
of  others,  and  yet  how  hard  to  acknowledge  that  we  need 
it !  Otherwise,  how  is  it  that  most  lamentable  mistakes  in 
education,  after  having  been  often  and  clearly  pointed  out, 
are  still  followed  in  so  many  families,  leading  on  to  disap- 
pointment, disgrace,  and  ruin  ? 

INSTANCES  OF  SUCCESS.— MODES  OF  ATTAINING  IT. 

To  encourage  parents  in  the  religious  education  of  their 
children,  God  has  said,  "  Train  up  a  child  in  the  way  he 
should  go,  and  when  he  is  old  he  will  not  depart  from  it." 
So  far,  then,  as  a  parent  fails  in  what  he  might  perform,  if 
rightly  instructed  in  his  work,  he  is  accountable  for  the 
result,  and  for  the  prevalence  of  evil.  And  when  there  are 
striking  instances  of  success,  they  should  be  published  and 
examined  by  others,  and  the  best  modes  of  proceeding 
should  be  sought  out,  and  adopted  systematically  by  all 
around.  A  few  plain  books  of  direction  should  be  in  the 
hands  of  every  intelligent  parent.  Take  a  family  as  an 
example :  the  facts  can  be  vouched  for.  The  parents  of 
this  family  are  of  exemplary  piety ;  the  children  (seven  in 
number)  all  intelligent,  well  informed,  and  well  educated, 
cheerful  and  active  in  the  cause  of  their  Redeemer,  being 
all  apparently  of  decided  and  winning  piety.  The  five  sons 
are  in  the  ministry,  or  preparing  for  it.  Is  there  nothing  to 
be  learned  from  such  parents  ?  Go  one  step  further.  Says 
the  father  of  this  family  to  a  female  friend,  "To  you, 
madam,  we  are  largely  indebted  for  our  success."  "  How  ?" 
says  the  astonished  acquaintance.  "  By  lending  us,  many 
years  since,  a  copy  of  the  little  work.  Elementary  Princi- 
ples of  Education."  Now,  although  this  Avork  is  by  no 
means  a  sufficient  guide  in  Christian  education,  yet  its  use- 
fulness to  these  parents  proves  that  all  justifiable  means 
are  to  be  sought  for  gaining  an  influence  over  the  young. 


14  MISTAKES  OF  PARENTS. 

Let  another  case  be  added.  The  mother  of  that  ardent 
little  Christian,  Mary  Lothrop,  whose  simple  biography  has 
excited  so  strong  an  interest  in  every  reader,  was  asked  by 
a  friend  how  she  succeeded  in  cultivating  the  religious  affec- 
tions of  her  children,  and  fixing  so  deeply  and  so  early  such 
strong  impressions  of  Christian  obedience  and  faith.  Her 
answer  Avas  full  of  interest  and  of  sound  philosophy,  worthy 
the  attention  of  parents,  teachers,  and  even  divines,  and 
was  to  this  effect :  "  I  do  not  take  the  opportunity  when 
mij  own  heart  is  warm  in  devotion,  but  I  seek  the  moments 
when  my  children  are  interested  and  tender,  and  then  I  lead 
them  to  duty  and  to  God.  I  then  labor,  and  then  my 
labors  are  blessed." 

PARENTAL  MEETINGS— MATERNAL  ASSOCIATIONS. 

Valuable  hints  are  to  be  gathered  by  interchange  of 
thought  and  comparison  of  experience.  It  is  not  improba- 
ble, if  we  may  judge  from  experiments  already  made,  that 
social  rehgious  meetings  may  hereafter  be  conducted  with 
a  more  distinct  reference  to  classification,  and  connected 
with  mutual  instructions  in  the  duties  of  life  peculiar  to 
each  portion  of  a  Christian  community.  The  Sabbath- 
school  is  one  step  towards  this.  Maternal  societies  may  be 
another  ;  and  we  may  hereafter  find  parents  associated 
together  to  study  out  faithfully  their  responsibilities,  and 
the  Avay  to  meet  them.  Thus,  vastly  more  energy,  and 
prayer,  and  faith  will  be  enlisted  for  securing  the  early  con- 
version of  children  and  youth. 

WARNINGS  TO  PARENTS  NOT  PIOUS. 

The  foregoing  remarks  have  been  addressed  principally 
to  those  personally  interested  in  religion.  But  there  are 
parents  who  feel  that  they  are  themselves  destitute  of  piety, 
and  yet  are  deeply  concerned  that  their  children  should  be 
brought  up  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord. 
They  wish  success  to  Sabbath- schools,  and  send  their  chil- 
dren. Theb'  language  practically  is,  "  My  beloved  offspring, 
I  feel  the  importance  of  piety,  of  seeking  that  peace  which 
the  world  can  neither  give  nor  take  away.  To  be  safe,  you 
must  remember  your  Creator  in  the  days  of  your  youth, 
and  walk  in  his  ways,  and  give  yourselves  to  his  service.  I 
advise  you  urgently  to  do  this ;  but  if  you  follow  my  advice — • 


MISTAKES  OF  PARENTS.  15 

and  I  trust  you  will — we  must  part,  and  perhaps  for  ever. 
You  will  be  rising  higher  and  higher  towards  the  mansions 
of  the  just ;  you  will  be  '  seeking  for  glory,  honor,  immor- 
tality ;'  '  eternal  life '  will  be  your  reward ;  but  I  shall 
most  likely  go  on.  My  habits  are  fixed,  and  the  grave,  I 
fear,  will  find  me  as  I  now  am.  I  am  moral,  and  kind  to 
others  ;  but  I  am  too  old  to  think  now  of  turning  heartily 
to  God.  I  am  not  happy,  and  have  no  reason  to  think  I 
ever  shall  be  ;  but  you  may  rejoice  for  ever."  Strange, 
dreadful  inconsistency  !  and  yet  how  many  parents  take 
their  children  by  the  hand,  and  without  giving  them  a 
single  warning,  lead  them  with  all  the  force  of  example 
steadily  onwards  towards  the  grave,  without  God  and  with- 
out hope  !  0  how  immensely  important,  then,  that  parents 
should  possess  a  living  faith,  and  show  the  way ;  and  by 
their  own  Christian  character,  by  their  unceasing  instruc- 
tions and  prayers,  set  in  full  view  before  their  youthful 
dependents  the  difficult  but  sure  path  of  life,  and  glory, 
and  immortal  blessedness  ! 

ENCOURAGEMENT  FOR  FAITHFUL  PARENTS. 

We  may  safely  appeal  to  the  experience  of  the  Christian 
father  and  mother,  to  declare  the  joy  they  experienced  when 
they  have  witnessed  the  blessing  of  God  crowning  their 
labors  and  prayers  with  success — when  they  have  found 
Christ  formed  in  the  heart  of  their  child — when  the  young- 
immortal,  owing  its  existence  to  them,  has  turned  from  an 
unsatisfying  world  to  the  service  of  the  living  God,  and 
become  a  meek,  self-denying,  ardent  follower  of  the  Lamb. 
Upon  all  others  the  trial  is  now  urgently  pressed  ;  they  may 
expect  their  encouragements  and  rewards  to  be  the  same, 
if  the  work  is  undertaken  in  the  same  faith.  And  let  every 
parent  remember,  that  in  whatever  other  ways  the  voice  of 
God  may  speak,  it  should  be  heard  with  reverence,  and 
obeyed. 

If  you  are  unfaithful,  even  undesignedly,  when  you  might 
have  known  your  duty,  your  offspring  may  be  deprived,  by 
your  means,  of  the  choicest  blessings  of  heaven.  Receive 
then  instruction,  and  be  wise  :  "  There  is  joy  in  the  presence 
of  the  angels  of  God  over  one  sinner  that  repenteth."  And 
if  the  repentance  of  even  an  aged  wanderer,  who  has  nothing 
to  offer  on  his  return  but  a  worn-out  self,  can  cause  such 


16  MISTAKES  OF  PARENTS. 

joy  in  the  world  of  light,  who  but  a  parent  can  tell  the 
rejoicings  unspeakable  that  swell  a  parent's  bosom,  when 
that  sinner  is  a  beloved  child,  a  child  now  willing  to  devote 
body  and  soul,  free  and  vigorous,  to  the  service  of  a  Sav- 
iour, where  every  name  before  had  fallen  as  an  unmeaning 
sound  upon  the  ear  ? 

Parents,  your  Sabbath- school  teachers  have  labored  with 
you  to  secure  these  rejoicings,  and  to  multiply  the  joys  of 
the  heavenly  host;  how  faithfully,  how  successfully,  will 
be  known  only  in  the  great  day  of  account.  You  are  now 
called  upon  to  cooperate  more  cordially  with  them ;  and 
may  you  be  quickened  and  invigorated  by  the  same  assur- 
ance that  animates  them.  They  that  turn  many  to  right- 
eousness shall  shine  as  the  stars  for  ever  and  ever. 


WATCH   AND   PRAY. 

My  soul,  be  on  thy  guard, 

Ten  thousand  foes  arise. 
And  hosts  of  sins  are  pressing  hard 

To  draw  thee  from  the  skies. 

0  watch,  and  fight,  and  pray ; 

The  battle  ne'er  give  o'er ; 
Renew  it  boldly  every  day, 

And  help  divine  implore. 

Ke'er  think  the  victory  won, 

Nor  once  at  ease  sit  down : 
Thy  arduous  work  will  not  be  done 

Till  thou  hast  got  thy  crown.  Heath. 


Date  Due 

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