A.DYOC
ATE.
v 11 it I k3 1 1 ri
1 1
PUBLISHED "WEEKLY BY A COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS FOR THE NORTH CAROLINA CON FERENCE, M. E. CnURCH, SOUTH RUFUS T. IIEFLIN, Edit:
I 50 a Year, ia Advance.
Vol. 1.---XQ. V
RALKicn, FainY, July is, i?r, .
P 0 1 1 nj .
School f,r the Advocate.
A SACRED 1IEKORY.
If y .n bright Ka.ru which jr:m the tro
li'i o'icli 5i Uif-.ful 'i-.veKir: r!i?r
I 11.11 t ,T1l J;-!!', J-r O'T'?,
jr .v .
An 1 !
M;x -.til
t it -.VT" t OI.'.O t'J
v: t!.H Llii'hte 1 orb nf.ir
th ou!.
v f
r',:a
lint oh! Lov 'Ink, bow '5rar, Low 1 one
V.'dul s-'-Mii thLriyht';-t w.,r!dof bliss
If vr;in ! rin through caeh ra'J i'mt one,
f:i',',e t- Grid th'; 1 ov-l one of this !
If thrrt !' more t:.';!ie m.ouM t vine
Which i-1' hi col i hare! ai'iritc:in fccvc-r, .
jn . i.u-n Mar ui " mi j. ' ' '
lrc Lawful as they Mw: forever.
It cann t he ! each hope nr. 1 fear
TliMt hliIitu the f.-yc or ch.uds the hraw,
I'r'xrl.iirrr-: th'-r'f is a htipyiier Hj.hcre
'J'hari thin l.lack worhi that holds us now!
Th'-re is a v ioe which s .rr iw he-irx,
V h.-ti h' avic-t weighs life's ui ing chain;
'Th li-aw-n that whi-per, "Dry thy tears:
The Mire ia heart shall rno-'.-t again!"'
(Cammttnirntiuun.
Vor tl.'j X. C. Chrit:n Advocate.
T1IK I JOLT n in i:
Of th", Fiii'd Uiiorli(ionr'l Pernc
v.raii':': 'f tliA S liatz conni'lcrcl,
find ri'fatiil.
:; i. m is k it viii.
lie:. 11. T. lljlla: 1 propose to close .
my examination of the .Scripture authori- ;
ties claimed, to prove the final and uneon-
ditmnal perseverance- of the saints, in this ;
No. It is true, I shall have to pass by
a great many that arc pressed into this
controversy: I do this, to avoid too extend-:
cd aii investigation ; and also because those are in heaviness through manifold tempta
whieh I do 'notice are the strongest that j tions : that the trial of your faith, being
can be produced on that side of the oues- i much more precious than of gold that pe-
tiou. j
o. The text in I. John, iii : 0, will not ;
support the doctrine for which it is brought '
forward.
To what T h-ive said on this text, in a 1
former No., 1 now add the following: j consumed, might nevertheless le caused
" 1. That these words cannot be intend-J to "'perish" by other agencies. This is
ed to signify that he who is born of the true ; so that whilst it abides "the action
. Spirit and the Word can never fall from j of all culinary fires, however applied, yet
that stati, is evident partly because it it perisheth by the celestial fire and the
hath been proved already that tho Holy J solar influence: the rays of the sun, col
Spirit may depart, and quit his habitation, j lected in the focu.s of a powerful burning
and so he who was once born of the Spi- j glass, and the application of the electric
lit may cease to be so, partly because i fluid, destroy its color, and alter and im
men may not continue in the Word, but j pair all its properties." Dr. A. Clarke, on
may be" removed from tho hope of the j the place. Now, although their ordinary
Gospel, :r is apparent from the words of j trials would not affect their " faith" any
this Apostle, who, having told the con- j more than ordinary or " culinary" fire
verted Jews (a) That the old command-j would gold, yet, as they "Were then evi
nieut was that which they had heard from j dently laboring under more than ordinary
the bej.inning, he adds, (b,) Let that which j temptations, (i. e. trials,) on account of
ye have heard from the beginning abide in j which they were " in heaviness," the Apos
you; for if that which you have hoard j tie suggested to them the need of an un
irom the b'eainning abide iu you. ye shall usual degree of confidence in tho "power
abide in the Hon and in the Father. And ' of God," by which alone they could bo
asain, Little children, abide in Him, that " kept" while thus confident : test, a fail
when He shall appear, you may not be i ure of "faith" iu this critical juncture
ashamed at His coming ; clearly intimating j " might" cause all to be lost. Evidently
by these exhortations 'that they might not intimating, that in this crfsis, if their
abide iu Him, and Ills word might not j " ; faith" failed, though "much more pre
ahide in them. In his second epistle, he ! cious than gold," which could endure "all
tells the Elect Lady and her children, (c) !
That many deceivers were gone out into
the world, who denied that Jesus Lnnst
was come in the flesh; and therefore bids
them look to themselves, that they lose not
the things that they had wrought, viz. by
embracing the .doctrines of such deceivers ;
and to make them the more cautious, he
adds,(d) He that transgresseth,and abideth
not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God;
plainly insinuating, that they might so be
drawn away by these deceivers as not to
abide in the doctrine of Christ, and so '
might lose their interest in God and the
things which they had wrought. And
this he learned from his great Master, who
declared that they only were His true dis
ciples who continued in His word, and
that they who did not keep His word did
not truly love him.
Vnstrer i ihr.fl trords of Christ. !
A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good j
fruit, to-wit, because it is corrupt ; - and j
those of the Apostles, (e) The carnal mind j
is not subject to the law of God, neither t
indeed can be, viz. because it is carnal;
and they that are in the flesh cannot please
God, for the same reason, do not prove that
a corrupt tree cannot cease to be corrupt,
or become good, or that the carnal mind
cannot cease to be so and become spirit
ual ; so neither do these words, He that is
born of God cannot sin, because he is born
of God, prove that he who is born of God
cannot cease to be so, and then go on in a
course of sin to his own destruction.
"Again, as these words, How can ye
that are evil speak good things, the world
cannot hate you that are of it, the Jew?
- eouid not believe, the world cannot re
ceive the Spirit, do not signify an impossi
bility that it should be otherwise, but only
their present indisposition to the contrary,
and the aversation of their minds from
those things which it is said they cannot
do : so these words, He that is born of God
cannot sin, do not import any impossibility
thr:t they should do so, but only that they
have at present that frame of spirit which
renders them strongly averse to sin, and
indisposed to yield to any temptation to
commit it.
"Answer 3. The interpretation which
many of the ancient fathers give us of
these words are a demonstration tnat tney
believed not the doctrine of the Saints
Perseverance, for they expound the words
thus : He that is born of God sinneth not,
neither can sin, quamdtu rinatus es, whilst
he is born of God, because he ceaseth to
be a child of God when he sins; and this
must necessarily be the import of the words
if you interpret them of living in an habit,
or any course of sin ; for 'tis certain that
whilst a man doth so, he is not born of
God, as it is that whilst a tree bringeth
forth corrupt fruit, it cannot be a good
tree; and 'tis as certain that when a man
falls back into any habit, or course of sin,
12 ceaseth to be a child of God, for the
! same rea-,n." l)r. Whiuy on the I"ive ;
i Point, pp. 4J0-IJ.
I 4. Tho pv-vage ifj I. Pet. i : ". 0, us re-
! ferred to, docs hy no mean-; prove the point ;
I for whl'-h it i u.tro'i-JC;'. 'i hit it doe. ;
' not prove the " certainty &nd jrifaiirmhty"
iof the perseverance of the saint?, uneon-
i ditionally, i- very clear from the- whole ;.
j scope of the y:r.s'':. It will follow, I f
ahii is shown, that the per-evercnee of the
J feuiiit- is a eonditioml matter tdtc'ether, ;
I con.-equently that there is a po-.-lbiiity of;
i their failing to secure eternal lif-;. Now,
J th:it thii irf the true iruport of this text, .'
! appears conclusively from the following
j consideration?! : !
i 1. The-- f-trarijerK were r.ow undergo-1
i:i'' a "trial," which was to test them tho-
ro.j.,liy.
C 1 . ) The ordeai thiouh which they were i
called to p-tss, would put to the iuost riid j
'test their "fjkh," hy which it rriiht h(- j
' purified and increased. Now, it is evident !
i that under such a process, there was a pos- j
nihility that their "faith" might "fail"!
' (hem, as it had once in the case of the au- j
: thor of the text. So far had his " failed" j
him, that on the one hand, h was aban- j
5 doned of (Jod for the time being, so tb-jt:
; he actually " cursed and swore" in confirm- i
: ation of the falsehood of which lie was I
guilty, when he denied his Lord; and on j
; the other, it was necessary that lie should j
! experience again regeneration, or conver-j
; sion ; otherwise he could neither enjoy j
j God's favor, nor he in a coa lition to i
: " strengthen the brethren." i
! (2.) In the process of this "trial," it j
j was possible for them not so to stand, as j
I at last to be found " unto praise and lion- i
or, and glory, at the appearing of .Jesus j
Christ." This is evident from the terms!
used here, hy the Apostle: "Who are j
kept by the power of God through faith
unto salvation, ready to be revealed iu the i
hist time. "Wherein e greatly rejoice,)
though now for a season (if need be; ye j
risheth, though it be tried with fire, might !
he found unto praise," &c. The " trial of j
their faith," here, is evidently illustrated;
by the test of gold, which, although it j
iniifht be "tried with fire" and not be!
the action ot culinary tire, might, not
withstanding, be caused to perish by other
agencies : even so, might their "faith" fail
them ; and if so, it could not then be
" unto praise, and honor, and glory, at the
appearing of Jesus Christ." This "might"
of the Apostles is a bold stroke of truth
iu this passage, and is a clear demonstra
tion that Peter did not believe that these
" strangers" could be " kept by the power
of God unto salvation," unless this "faith,"
through which that "power acted, finally
endured the mighty ordeal through which
it was passing
2. The Apostle did not believe that
these "strangers" could not " finally fall
away" and perish. Not only is this evi
dent from the foregoing views, but more
especially so, from other considerations
which he uses elsewhere, to stimulate them
to obedience and perseverance. A
(L) He urges the necessity of advance-
ment in Christian experience, to prevent,
on the one hand, "final apostacy," and to
qualify them, on the other, for an entrance
into heaven. Hence he says : "And be
sides this, giving all diligence, add to your
faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge ;
and to knowledge, temperance; and to tem
perance, patience; and to patience, godli
ness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness;
and to brotherly kindness, charity. For if
these things be in you and abound, they
make you that ye shall neither be barren
or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord
Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these
things is blind, and cannot see afar off,
and hath forgotten that he was purged
from his old sins. Wherefore the rather,
brethren, give diligence to make your call
ing and election sure ; for if ye do these
things, ye shall never fall: for so an en
trance shall be ministered unto you abun
dantly into the everlasting kingdom ot our
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." II. Pet.
i: 5-11.
(2.) He warns them against " heresies"
and other influences, because these would
not only corrupt them in their doctrines,
but especially subvert their " faith," and
" bring" upon them " damnation" ;. and
that these things would cause " many" to
be corrupted and ruined. Hence he says :
" But there were false prophets also among
the people, even as there shall be false
teachers among you, who privily shall bring
m damnable heresies, even denying the
Lord that bought them, and bring upon
themselves swift destruction. And many
shall follow their pernicious ways, by rea
son of whom the way of truth shall be
evil spoken of them- And through cov-
etousness shall they with feigned words
make merchandize of you: whose judg
ment now of a long time lingereth not,
and their damnation slumbereth not, II
Vet. ii: 1-3. See also II. Pet. iii : IT.
(3.) He affirms that some who once were
certainly born again, and in the way to hea
ven, did nevertheless "fall away" through
.'7
.1
: - re -
'11-
in. This he tuV.b-U-B U fcundry cor.
emion-i in II. Pet. it: 4-22. fcr.l ::.
duce? . eiaii.T.'e? the fill of a r;
tr- :
their
world,
the OV:
erthrow
of te c.
God's ri'L
p.-,utes Lei
ucr.-iorj-
ut.VliS Oi
fco'i-s judjrmc-nts ujy.n ti.e
Kpoten of.
Fro.'a these ' :jT,) 'cr;.ti
it
aows
id of
COTs'. :
teit u
the he
. . 1 . ,1 . , , -1 r.n -I. i
ing the doctrine of the
, f ..'! tho- who
weWorice bom of God, end had the "faith !
of God's elect." The conditionally of
t;.;s rcrseverar.ee, as
frfiown ov tnc pre-;
1 1 1 i
cedirj'' eoriH'ie:
ding considerations, '-jeanv oeinontratcs ;
that, although the sainfi, while they Lave j
"faith" vigorously exercised, will " cer-,
tamly" be "kept by the power of God; i
yet, neither tuis text, nor any other, ai
I'rms tlrfit this " faith" may not fail. But
the evidences wo have given above are de
monstrable, that the "power of God" fail
ed to " keep" some " unto salvation," be
cause, through a variety of agencies, their
" faith perished," and consequently could j
not any more engage, on their hi. hair,
exertion of the " power of God."
5. The text in Job, xvii : 0, is cert
the
,in!v
produced. For, while it affirms a truth
which no one will dispute, viz. that the
" righteous shall hold on his way," and he
that hath " clean hands f-hall be stronger
and stronger." it does not intimate either
that the " righteous'
11 or must necessa- j
rilv continue righteous, or that he who has !
" clem hands" must " certainly and infal
libly" retain "clean hands" unto death.
This, then, is the point that must be prov
ed, before this text will lend its authority
for the doctrine contended for. But, while
the facts which have been brought to view
in the above articles remain inspired reali
ties, we must conclude that a being once
holy may again become unholy, and so, by
losing its character for purity, forfeit its
"right to the tree of life," and be justly
" deprived of its salvation."
I have now pursued this examination as
far as I contemplated, and, indeed, as far
as there is any practical necessity. My
object has been to afford a sufficient amount
of evidence, that the principles assumed,
and the authorities from Scripture claimed,
in support of these principles, are insuffi
cient to establish the doctrine iu contro
versy. Another object had in view was,
to remove these difficulties out of the way,
so that when I come to the direct argument
from Scripture proving the possibility of
apostacy, I might have the field all before
me, without let or hindrance. Hereafter,
therefore, my Nos. will be of quite a dif
ferent character, and will lead me into a
close examination of the Bible doctrine
concerning the perseverance of the saints.
Yours, affectionately,
PETER UOUB.
Normal College, May, 1850.
(a) I. John, ii : 7.
(c) Yer. 7, 8.
(e) Horn, viii : 8.
(b) Yer. 24, 27,28.
(d) Yer. 0.
For the N. C. Christian Advocate.
Our Country.
Composed and read Inj Miss VIRGINIA
II. MOODY, of Mecklenburg
Ya., at
the late Commencement of Greensboro'
Female College.
Could we take a position high above
the earth, whence we could survey at
a glance the nations of the world, what
a varied scene would they present !
In one are found the tools of industry,
and the bread of care ; in another, the
insignia of power, the diadem, the
mitre, and all the aching luxury of
thrones ; in a third, is hung the unfa
ding laurel of the muse, which attracts
universal gaze by it3 poetry and song.
One looketh out upon the green field
with their blossoms, their full ears,
their bending branches ; and another
looketh out upon the broad pea with its
tall ships and cunning merchandise.
Among which Our Country now ranks
first. She needeth jiot the eloquence
of a Cicero, nor the imagination of a
Milton, or a Homer, to describe her
true greatness. j
The principle of human equality, so
congenial to man's nature, was first
successfully developed on the soil of
America. Here freedom commenced
to exert in full power its elevating in
fluence. The spirit of liberty, though
long pent-up, could not be annihilated.
As the igneous spark is evolved by the
pressure of the air, so the spark of lib
erty was forced out by oppression's
heavy hand, which, finding appropriate
fuel, soon kindled into a flame that
rose higher and higher, until its beams
illuminated the whole earth. From
the first hour of her colonization, her
progress has been onward.
True, America was in one age under
subjection to the British King ; but
when the clearer light of another age
revealed her numerous abuses, she
burst through the r mounds and levies
that penned her up, threw off her yoke
of subjection to the English Parlia
ment, became independent of royal
sway ; victory perched upon her stand
ard, and liberty unrolled her sky for
the star-spangled banner ; while science
threw across her rushing streams her
triumphant arches ; yoked together with
Cyclopean architecture the everlasting
hills, and then led over their giddy
summits the peaceful caravans of com
merce. Within her borders, we may behold
the most sublime sight which the world
can afford more than twenty millions
of freemen, differing each from the
otrer, yet, with a common country, a
common interest, and a common hope.
Within her borders, freedom 13 indeed
a godless, a queen, crowned with the
t-Vil tiVJ r't comuei : anj p-.-r.
i!v - I of lamr a trave hero, hj the
ILaTi.i of Washington.
Y c-.. in A is erica dwells the ceni
of
:i
,- ; aril ti.e Tnu.?e of Li:
won the chariot of time.
Here, tie ib;: of the Republic waves
in every direction ; here, the eagle etill
hover; ; an I here, many a soiled batr.c-r
which moved above a haughty foe5 may
Le seen.
few rnormtaents in cur country,
ar.l
scarcely the rr.ue's footsteps are found
in the paths of her forests, or along
1 t 1 fT " i- 1
tne o iic-r rivers . vet cer an
ias been consecrated bv the blood of
hero'.'?, and ty zreat and holy deeds
fj ce . her wide extent has'become
,f tr.t rlnm
sanctified by the prayers and-blessings
of the persecuted of every ?cct.
and
the wretched of all nations.
The history of foreign countries may
present
to America the tombs ot their
mighty dead, rich with the labors of an
cient art and adorned with the somp of
heraldry; but what names does she rtad
there ? Those of princes and nobles,
many of whom are now remembered
only for their vices ; and of sovereigns,
at whose deaths no tears wen shed ;
and whose memories lived not an hour
in the affection of their subjects.
There, too, she may see other names,
long familiar to her for their ambigu-
oils tame. lhere sleeps tne Diooa
stained soldier ; the orator, who was the
ready apologist of tyranny ; great scho
lars, who were the flatterers of power,
and poets, who profaned the high gift
of genius to encourage the vices of a
corrupt court. But the history of our
country, like the glorious temple of
fame, reared by the imagination of the
poet, and decorated by the taste of the
artist, is dedicated to the memory of
the truly great. Within, no idle mon
uments encumber. The pure light from
heaven enters and sheds a serene ra
diance all around. As the eye wan
ders over its pages, it sees accounts of
the unadorned monuments of brave and
good men, who have bled or toiled for
their country. Then, if the ancients
tell you of tneir heroes, remind them
of your Washington, your Jackson, and
your Taylor. If of their orators, tell
them that your legislative halls and
senate chambers have resounded with
as loud thunders of eloquence as ever
did the ancient forum of Rome, when
Cicero was its pride and pattern. If
of their philosophers, tell them of your
Franklin, who instructed the philoso
phers of the old world in the deepest
mysteries of science ; tell them, that
the kite which brought lightning; from
heaven will be seen sailing in the clouds
by remote posterity, when the proud
pyramids of Egypt have crumbled into
ruins. If they tell you of their states
men, remind them of your Jefferson,
your Adams, your Clay, your Calhoun,
and your "Webster; and if of their lit
erary characters, tell them of yottr
Bancroft, your Bryant, your Cooper,
and your Irving. If they tell you of
brave Leonidas, and the ten thousand
champions who fought upon the fields
of Marathon and Thermopylae, tell them
you can find examples of patriotic vir
tue nearer home, in your own country,
on your own soil ; that strains of the
noblest sentiments that ever filled the
breast of heroes, are breathing to U3
from every page of our country's his
tory, in the native eloquence of our mo
ther tongue.
Yes, the bright star of American
glory has gradually risen from the dark
night of barbarism to its present ex
alted height. One might almost think
without extravagance that the departed
wise and good of our country are now
looking from their happy seats, to wit
ness the results of their great achieve
m t Till
ments ; that they who lavished their
wealth and their blood, who labored
and suffered, who spake and wrote, who
fought and perished in one great cause
of freedom and truth, are now hanging
from their orbs on high over their coun
try. As mv imagination now wanders
over the spots once the scene of their
labors, and I picture to myself their
senate chambers and legislative halls,
I seem to hear a voice from the tombs
of our renowned forefathers a voice
from the gory graves of the Revolu
tion, a voice from the sepulchres of the
saviors of our country, and a voice
softly stealing from the vault of Ver
non, approbating the glorious enter
prise of her children. But while we
speak of the fame of our eminent men,
who are now quietly sleeping in their
tombs, let us not for one moment ima
gine that the spirit of genius has yet
fled from the sacred boundaries of our
country. Perhaps to-day some silent
thinker among us is now at work, whose
name i3 to fill the earth. Perhaps
there is now cradled in our country
some one who is to make a second
" Washington in war," or a second
Wirt in eloquence, a second Jefferson
in the Presidential chair, or a second
Jay in the counsels of his country ;
who is to open a new era in history ;
who is to fire the human soul with new
hopes and new zeal.
It may be truly said that interest
and thrift are graven on everything in
America: even the waves and the
winds are unwelcome without the ex
pected gain. The great harvest of our
literature no longer remains unreaped.
The heart of the philanthropist now
Je-sp? with pleasure at the profpec that
religion, bind in ban 1 with k-arnSn::, I
is now rapidly iil'amir.atin and nisir. ; ing wh are n about the V'.U n 1
cur country to the highest pinnacle of belies en crefk ar.d river?. i:h sun
human glory. Ask of commerce why ; and fishing tackle, on the S.ibb-th day.
she dances like a sailor boy in the And with those may be nuu-bcrt 1 an
' breeze! Listen to the busy, gladsome other cla?-.. who nsr be tcrme-l Sal
tan of art. mingling with the voice of, bath go:frs, who make it a bu'r.-
nature! Behold education the innaate? to trespass on the iirr.e of their neigh-
of the humblest dwelling! Count the ! bor?, while c-ngazed frequently in the,
number of institutions erected in the j coletnn services of Sabbath duty. Now,
spirit of wisdom and moderation on the it is sometimes the case that those rro-
flowery fields of America, sending forth i fessing the rcdigk-n of Chrlt arc found 5
: hundreds of great scholars to add new: indulging, to some extent, in the most j
; lustre to every page of her future Lis-iof these tilings ; and -when such is the
' tory, to grace the halls of legislation ; case. Oh! bow much does the cause of
leading the muses to repose in the bow-' religion suffer. Alas ! for professors
. ers of religion and virtue. Yes, the who persist in the neglect of Sabbath
i very swelling waves 4hat roll onward duties. It is with Him who marketh
from the Atlantic to the Pacific bear iniquity to pronounce their d'x.m. Oh!
j upon their bosom the influence of the may they count the cost at an eavly
learnin'1, and the religion which now; day, and return and do their first
enlighten America. j works.
Our Country ! What do these two j Well may we hope to see the time
words contain? All that is dear to i when the people everywhere will be
us. Oh! land of liberty! well may ' found encouraging a.d rra;::.; S.l
thv children rear their lofty heads and bath Schools infusing a knowledge f .
swell with proud emotions at the men-;
tion of thy name. Although war may
now threaten thee, I feel that thou art i
destined to become the great central
' point, the great orb, around which the I
. other countries are to revolve. Then,!
may '.'peace be within thy walls, and:
, plenteousness within thv palaces!" t
May truth flourish in thee, and mav!article in vour piper of the Oth June,
prosperity look down from heaven and ; over the initial letter B. headed "a ,
smile upon thee. Yes, in the language ; circumstance," wliich needs some i m
of one, may our ship of state, self- j portant correctives. Thoe unacqu tin
poised upon the billows, gather in her j ted with the individual who is the ub
sails and fly with lightning speed to the 1 ject of that article, would necessarily
haven ot transcendant glory, amia tne
. loud applause and favoring acclama
tions of an admiring world
'' Fur the X. C. Christian Advocate.
i
I Bro. IIeflix : Read my little com- i
! munication for the Advocate, and if ; wicked man ; on the contrary, he wis
j you think my fears groundless, throw i what we, doicn thin v:ay, con.-ider'
j my sheet under the table, and forget it. ! quite a moral one. He was honest,;
j "Can you not allay some of my" fears I temperate, peaceable ; easily approach
j in your next editorial ? j ed by old or young, and ready to con-
j You will be so kind as to let not one ! verse freely and familiarly with all, on
! ray of light fall upon me, that I may j any subject. He attended strictly I
I be" totally in the dark, as I make known I and industriously to his own business,
to our great family, whose head is God, j
1 a few fears wdiich I entertain. As a
I clean thing came from Nazareth, so
truth may be spoken in the dark.
Tho' darkness is horrible, vet the mis-
I tery connected with it has its power.
i A truthful saying is often lost in the
! insignificancy of the sayer.
i I fear that our class-meetings are
j not conducted properly. Should we
j not go to the class-room to have a so
! cial talk about the dealings of God
i with our souls ?
I fear that too many hours set apart
for praise and prayer to God, are spent
.without much benefit, in listening to
dry lectures. Do not some of our
preachers like to hear themselves talk ?
T ff-nr that, we have not enough
heart religion, and too much head re-j
li-rion. Could this not be remedied I
j by preaching less to the head, and j tached to this part ot the "circum
more to the heart ? ' stance," inasmuch as he succeeded very
I fear that we have not enough of I effectually in driving one sinner from
every-day preaching. We need six j the Church for life. He never visited
times more everv-dav preaching, than ! it again.
I sunday-preaching.
! I fear that some of U3 are too am-
bitious of the highest seats in the
afO"ue. "
CIfear that money has too much
power among us. "
I fear that we love our rich breth-
ren and sisters better than our poor
brother and sisters.
I fear that we think too much about
adorning the outward man.
I havl some other fears, but enough
for the present. '
A LAYMAN,
July 3, 1856.
r, - . , , - ,
We fear that there is some ground
j for the fears of Brother Layman. But j
i there is a remedy, if preachers, class;
leaders, will go to Him who,
''First taught our hearts to fear,
And then our fears relieved.''
Editor.
For the X. C. Christian Advocate.
Sabbath Breakers.
A good many practices of Sabbath
breaking have become a sort of custom
and fashion - in some places of the
world. There are very many who
adopt the Sabbath day to transact
their neighborhood business on, and in
order to do so with convenience, make
it a rule as interest may direct, to at
tend places of Sabbath worship ; and
not unfrequently do they visit their
neighbor, to make contracts for pro
duce, stock, land or Slaves, as the case
may be.
Now, while thi3 clas3 of Sabbath-
breakers are busily engaged on that
holy dav, in effecting trades to redeem
the time they may have lost, as they
are heard to remark, there is another
class, who, in place of attending on
Divine worship, or spending the Sab
bath in a profitable manner, are en
gaged at home casting up accounts,
calculating interest on bonds, counting
over the almighty dollars, and rumina
ting in mind how they may effect a
loan of the precious stuff at an ad
vance of twenty-five per cent. While
such is the course pursued by those, it
should be deprecated by the professor.
There h however, another class, not
Ty'-e-K-lnz that
I'll a Libit rather cf
and proper regard for, th word of j
God that holiness may take the plac
of sin and wickedness, and the Sab- j
bath be made a day of quiet and rest. :
Home Yiiia, IS". C. T. :
I
F..r the X. o. christian Aav-va.
Mr. Editor: Sir. I have read an '.
.conclude that lie was an out-breaking
sinner, dreaded and shunned by ail his
neighbors, and that the repro. f from
the Presiding Elder wj3 administered
for some heinous offence neither of:
which is true.
He was not a very
and let other peoples alone ; at least j
he came nearer doing so than three j
fourths of all the specimens of human-:
itv with which I am acquainted. The '
-1 1
i offence which called forth the reproof
irom the 1 'residing folder, was lor ns- ;
inx to leave the Church after the ser-!
mon was ended, before the congrega-1
tion was dismissed, The Elder said, j
"Stop, Sir stop, I tell you," with j
some other equally abrupt and authori-i
tative expressions. The old gentleman j
was not aware,at first, that the minister!
was addressing him ; but so soon a3 he j
was aware, of it, he sat down upon i
the first vacant scathe could find, very ;
much embarrassed, and his feelings '
badly hurt. !
This, sir. was the "head and front)
of his offending." Tho Elder, Ij
presume, is entitled to all the credit at- j
! I may be mistaken, sir, in the con j
! elusions to which I have arrived in rc-1
syn-jgard to this matter ; but I will venture
a few of them at all hazards, viz.
1st. The old "Boat maker" had aj
right to leave the church, fso he did it j
quietly,) whenever it suited him to do
so, without being there!: y subjected to ;
j insult from any quarter. I
j 2nd. Had he been dressed in a fine j
j suit of broad cloth instead of homes-1
! pun with gold spectacles on h;s no-;e, j
(n0 reproof would have been adrninis-;
j tered on that occasion. Enough said, j
j I will, however, add, that I think an j
' ingenious Christian m.ght perhaps be !
, . , , , B's "circumstance" :
miy &0 t0 pojrit a moral" in more :
ways than one. VT. !
We shall never knowingly publish j
any thing which can do wrong to the'
dead or the living ; nor would our cor-
respondent, "B." do so. But as. his j
article has made an impression which j
neither the writer nor the Editcr in ten-;
ded, we publiih the above strictures,!
and hope all parties will see the pro- I
priety of our decision that here the j
matter must end in these columns.
Elitcp.
For the X. C- Cbr:s:ian A i voi-a'e.
Scrap3 by the Way.
"Bthold the, Vdlet of the feld," rf-c
Yes, behold them. For even they are not
beneath the all-comprehensive glance, end
the special superintending care of our Ilea
venlv Father. See the arrangements to
bless even the flower that is " bom to
blush unseen." The earth mut receive
its roots, into her bosom, that the flower
babe may draw from its parent the nour
ishmect'of life. The .un must give it the
lieht of LL? countenance, to promote its
"Towth and peccll its beauties. The at
mosphere must supply its lips with mois
ture, and in other respects is a necessary
to its developeuient as it is to the life of
man. Thus the humble fiowc-r is linked
with the ages that are pa.st, that formed
the soil as a birth-place for it, with the
san in all his sdory, whose light and heat
warm it into life ; and the atmosphere, as
it wings its way around the world, is its
ministerin? angel. And in the relations
and dc-periecies of nature, we see the
r.k i s J
.V ,
e A i u-t'i. it bar tV cl- -)
f.f n iL.a n lv. of tV I-:'
fir .'!-. h- b"-vel s'iiti. r. in t ir.
irirfd crjf'. a I i c -nv"r!--.I f .-r'v- r
I'l th- t-i.. ' f thA S 'T " f tri-
L
f.",v:j ' r : X. C. 0..-: a A'rvi'v
The Strange Preacher A Ltgczi.
" It l.-.rrs. -I rv
r. ri:- friar w.-. aj pir. :. rrf-.ch th?
h '.i - r;r, in th 1.- .1 c f !. An
thony. Th-; jub;-t of !.! !: u-
the prvini . f h- H. Or? .lay. l.wvr.
nl.cn in ru!p t. h,v f hi . If in.
di-r p.T5 i (Mie l t- d - or.tii-. ;- ; 1 ;:
he rr ::!; 1 the cnr- ;nt" n t r - r .
the d-s-..i:re en the f. ,!;.. r-2 n- T-in
The mrnins cv..ie, an-1 f ' 1 th frir ?
much w.re thnt the pV-'r; . of th c -n-vent
f. it-r- le -.n to la" i."rc.i; aodtl
iov .'i I s ::t f t the I t t r- 1. .ir I i
th -t s,:n ors of t'i. r w ;' i take hi i l t--
in tr t.'j i- i and r.Mi:i."
oa - ? ; hut thf y. oa h an i
.. :'. . ... a"-... ir ' wnt .t
I-ret-irr.:! .n. Oar m 1c frii'
exraj-'
'.rf,'-
exc-'-c L:
th n
LT--W f-r.
ti.e Mi:
that a 1
nrrivl
1
t; e 1 .ri 1.
.ii 'i, nn 1 w.
-!i fr..- i v- it . wl :i .
: -, on r '"'.! t. .i. th--
re;n i.-r-.':ier, n
. . r ! r. , i I t t T
i. . !
it til' r-l;el;t th
r.L-1 !
L rr;; . Led th.tt he J. . I the apt--of
an ii.U -il- :ta d in-m ; he w. n
.r r
1 1
black
ai.d l..:.rl. s.i. 1 hi.-h hi
1 :;
.- i.e w .
li.ll-.-dl-
I
r , rr ! . 11k! !,t I- r t
Mr.iii'.'cr, t ! 1 him his u.Si-innot. ! i -
o m st.-1 hi u-..d t.tTi-c. Aft r
it; ti .ii, the buoign f . i r con-t;.ti 1, r. .
to the ti thc lr. l, .-isM i.d.d the p.i'; it, r. 1
pr-u hf 1 ..ii thf 'ji-.cii Mihjfot--the .
of lu ll. Never bef..re hid -U'-h a i f i
l, - !i h-nrd in I'.el n. He chow.-1 f.-rth.
in the m t .'lowing col-.rs, tl." i;. : . ' '
of sin, and the htii" r i f t r.nnj'l: i. u-.-i r
for it the hnlv t oailitMid ru nt ; hit! -
i, l!v in eril inu' th n.i--ri'V. r f !.,!,
he 5 poke with "j .-h a !; :y and ovrp.'.v r
ili'' el.. ;llfncf . til 'it I..." t before th y i
of the a.-toiii-h.-d and f rriff 1 ' '.'., :.- t
so lau'-h a j.i t ire, ;s an awful r . . t v -
They felt t. eir ln-art ph ri-'-l , :. :i
S'.Vor l, bv his intense o: r n r--1 in"- . :i 1 1 d e . .'. !
l:ot rofrrdit from Wf,p:.n,r and ! f-itf 1 - ,
m.-tking mcutally a thoti-:iiid vow ! r
formation and hewne-s of life. W !. n i1.
preeh r d. ''ri.l',d from the pwljiit, t'e
.ei'pl- retire-J u tears, and tl. Min :
liet!iicli i-.X)l'i'-'-d th.-ir wanne.'t t'e.i.l.
to the : n.r.er f.,r the manner invhi 'i
1,." had (-. rt'-d his extr:iord:n:iry t-h ,
lilid o;j.T-:.-'-.l their deli-ht St tl.- ?r--::t
h'-n.-'it th hieireiw had evidently r . iv d.
Tl.' ii, :i ho w shed to tnko liirf l-eive of hi 4
hi : ho.,1. and pro.-. cd on I.h j.ilu' i ..-.-of,
they all uttcnd''d l.iiii with Jr j r
eou:te.-v ') the outT '".-.V: of the cornoi.t
lint a
re walking on, an n ; .-n i
v.rv d v.. )t friar, nho-i; -ycs wif oft' ri
c . 1 1 -" . t . -1 1 to see thiriL'-t beyond t!i- ) r-
fCf'.ion of ordinary mortal--, eph d n v) .v- n
fit UT"!i-r the monastic habit of the -t: ri-
Yr ;-nd iiionediatcly di."eovcrerl that it
Was no .Minorite hroth.-r, hizt an iriearo ire
fieiid of le ll. The old man fiuiiimoro 1 uj
his tour.'iL'e, aid adjured hi in in th ri.ii...'
of the great Creator of all thin-t, to ci-
fess was he n't a devil '! W hy, th' n, h I
he unworthily as-iini'-d that habit, and
come thither to preach and tca h tie- v, .y
of Filvation, to which him-t-lf con: 1 ih-v r
attain, and from whieh it has ev-r u hi
aim t turn awy mankind I Tie: fie.. 1,
thus adjured, eoritesti-d in the prevm-'; of
the hrothci h'od, and of fu:ne lavn.eri '.sho
were in comj-any, that he WM in t.-it'i a
devil; i then -.he eipr.-iori of hi fo-f; ,'-
eii.e t.K) Li Jeo ns to look upon, i. u 1 )-.'n
eves blazed f .rth flams of Yijht;j he !! 1
that Lis ! it; f,,r tlie perdition of n.en
was as irrcat a ever, a. id that the ferti.ori
he had preached t-j lit. jrople that d-y
wo jl l he so "i.r from turning them t t!.r
way of .- dva'.ion, that, on the eoo'r.ty, it
W'.'ild ten 1 to thei.- con -'lernm-tion, for he
had j.reach-d to the:.: awiol trtt!, b.rl
th'-v 1 id ovr.ed the for' e of those tnriis
- ...
bv their teari and tt.e:r penit:rjce. iJ-.i
thv-o' tears were dried w'r e:i they I' ft the
church-do jr. m l thit p' l.'tence It-u-1 no
hr.'or th-n till th-y found thcm'-e.'ve at
ho:o'-, arr.i'i their uual x:cupationi and
p!e-;.;ire-, snd their tohnowled-."-'!, but
f-' on'ified convieti. n, w;j but an iri'-re..e
of fin. ' At the 1 '- day,' he eoctinned,
' I mv-eif iii j'p':ar ss witoe a;'-. in-,
this peoj.Ie, nod v. . A i-ay to the Juo!-.e v. is, it
His throne, 0. Thou Mi-hty ih.'.'l-.-1;.
!1 these i.t-n ! How can thev ice:-.: toe
of teroptir;;: them to sia? ffave 1 r ot
warned the o in a voice of thunder of 'hi
corr-cjuenec of iin I, who knew !t v
wt-il, have I rot described to them, forci
bly dt-crihe J, the agonies of Lt-li ? ao 1
who knows them as I do, or can pairit them
fcs I can '. Have they not owned, for a mo
ment, that I preached awf-;l truth-, ar. l
then turned away, dried their tear, and
f.,rgot V) r .-per.t?' How "hull thty ju-'.ify
their el us Ly accusing me & the.r ten.jt-
'Thus say in-j-, he vani-hed out of the'r
fcight, iv.'x them mute with terror an-1
x-tonh-hnitr-t. The devout oil friar wa
the r-t Vj epeak. 4 W'p '.' he kM, .
ther e men who will u A h.- jcn-uad' d t
heaven hy the mild and irr.ciou.-i inviti
ti'.LS of their Gvl, nor r-sre'J frAu he.'l
lv the Fclemn warning with which .Satan
h!.i.fclf admotiftht them.' "
Lea:.' Diet A Methodi-st Minister
at the Weit, who lived on a very small
salary, was greatly troubled at one time
to get his quarterly install ment. He
at last told the paying trustee that he
must ha re his money, as bis fHioily were
suffering; for the necessaries of life.
"You preach fr money! I thought
you preached for the good of souls!"
"Soubl" replied the Minister; "I
can't eat souls, and if I could, it would
take a thousand such as your3 to make
a deceit meal!"