North Carolina Newspapers

T THE FLOWERS COLLECTlOJj n in 1 . . ...... . . , , . - - .; SFOR WEEKLY BY A COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS FOR THE MEftfGDI' . . - - - - ---- ----- of North " , j - k .at we have fOPAL CHURCH, SOUTH. F.UFUS T. HEFLIN, Editor. PUBLISHED SI 50 a year, in advance. A "oh TII...jST0. 33, F? A T iTHTiTr HT- r M lj K.?SiA.i. -.jr- UST19, 1858. .ch wo offer tc - v.f 4 ' " A k n pli Zl 1 1 W I 1 1 a j . bo had ir - viiiiumil. For the X. C t'liri.vti:in Advocate. A Ileniedy for Church Evils. Our nrpspr.t. pnnrsp in nnrrL.otinrr tn i entree the rules of the church is. well ! , n. ?P0D a1tilf su a. sat , calculated to spread and VorpMe,a f 'V I So 1 .. 1 , which he wished to write. Jhe pen was among tt.e mas.es of our people, not J lrcaJ in hU hand but it was evening, i only ignorance ot tue obligation, but of, aod he was fatil,aed whh work, and pres-1 the existence of these rules. to! down went his eyelids, and h-j was ! The persons referred to, may have j asleep. It seemed to him that he heard a ; heard them read from the pulpit", or! stir, that the paper began to creak and to n:av have met with tliein in turning ! crackle, z i knittern and knatteru and he over ii:e leaves oi tne jisciPime. lat! what attention will "be paid to rules I that are never heard of. except in the ! necessary to membership, they carnot, j to re ore, :n the estimation of our peo-1 (. i..c.Si-ai v to aivatiou. 'xlu'v l::iVe no ihaD are time ri)v inel'-.ation fiu works j r.tieVlv urvelcss. What motive : to heed and remember? Sure-! is th; ly L- ami i -nee of our rules is the natural :. unar.t gvovvtti of our present )0.:ey JJut U LUC illi'i LI1C ! Icing of them are. so far as we have j ;ortu!iitv. r.ecessarv to sa.vatton, tiita ose iio know t ;em not, are i perishing for the lack of knowledge. i So ignorance and destruction rise and ; spread from our present course, as mal-1 aria from stagnant waters. Can we be ! willing to pursue in the verv teeth ofi our Discipline, apV:i?" ihat'inust. in-1 evitablv, entail death" and woe upon ! imntorful souls ? Brethren for whom ! reflections? That ignorance and vio-! -ii- i n , ' i sized : and tiie Ink had overflowed the ta- : cious, perish for the want of that know-; b,e? Qow QVer rrofcssor.s st(J,lv.gown! I ledge which tne faithful enforcement j and faUon upon the fll)1,r. This wa's a sore ' of the Discipline would have imparted !j mishap for the good man, as ho did not: V hat comfort can we find in these sad j wi.sh to snoil the colors of his robe bv hav- i lation of the rules do not produce spirit-! thoroughl' aroused by the aspect of this! ual death? An Antinomian may get j unfortunate accident, and wrote his boak, j comfort from tin's source, but a Metho-1 tbc subject of which was, that icltni any '. cast preacher never. Can we take com- j t1iillJ ''JCS !u expropriate function fort in the thought that our course of! ?s 'J'""1 " lf can hand thf7 ; i . j t ! i icorkinn fo'efh'r run produce somethunt j neglect does not necessarily involve lg-: J , J, ,J. , ,. J i-o n'-L j. p ,1 i qrcat and sivenitiil, which notkrnn can or- , norance and rum : lhat some of the17 , 7 , J ... , , . . connjtf h it voruinq alone. i members do know and observe the ru.es, j The boJk ,,a(, a creat run . and even tllC - and all mignt I his is a general ; papsrj the Pen, and the Ink, seemed to source of comfort among the preachers, ! have laid the lesson to heart, as thereafter, i and I shall endeavor to remove it. wh'n tho Professor slept late beside hisj- l o take comiort irom this source, we i uvust believe that we are not guilty of; other men's sins, so long as we know I there are persons in the same circum-; stances who do not sin ; that we are not guilty ot the sins Oi cur members who : violate the rule?, because there ar others under the same administration j that observe them. If this be true, I ! rxiav, without guilt, desist from any j further effort in behalf of all who have had the means bv which others have 1 i , i..,.,i, ,r ; If this be true, we may, without guilt, i 1 ' v X' , cause numbers have been saved who j never, by j .uning the church, came un- ; der its restraints. If tliis be true, we ; may, without gr.il t, confine ourselves to ; the bare placing the means cf salvation '. within the reach of men, without urg-1 were sitting on the hanks that they prccip ing, cr to use the words of Christ, ; lately pltmged into the watr. -compelling them" to accept. One! "Ha ! what is that ?" spoke one of the class of means may be adapted to one ! mwt "putable Kabbits. "Bebo-d, there class of people, and when these m.ans :ire other creatures who are frightened by , r r ' , , , ! us as much as we are by our enemies. nave ocen prcpeny applied and press- j After a our circuMlstan cannot be the ed, we may be c.ear of the sms of that ; ffi()St desper;itc in the world. And we can, clas-. But oii.er means are adapted j fancy at least, postpone this water-death to others, and these must, if they are j a season. at our command, be applied and press-! The adoption of this proposition has pre ed, or we are verily guilty of our broth- i served the race of rabbits to this day. And er's blood. The simple preaching of; the Gospel, without any church organ- j ization, will save many 'souls. But the j great mass of mankind must have, the j benefit of an efficient church govern merit, or the preaching of the Gospel ' - , i r ! w 1! he lost upon tnem. j We, therefore, have no right to any j comfort in reflecting upon the ruinous ignorance that grows out of our neglect i of Discipline from the consideration j that some do, and all might, know and ' -ui ve the rules. Our present meth- i.f antilvinff tho me arm of s:ilvation can develope the vigorous religion of , r, V i c ii ? the (rospel in only a small class. spel in only Whereas, if church government were administered, with firm and holy hands, this vigorous religion"'would he the wide-spread, universal growth of the c urch. Under the faithful adminis tration of our Discipline, the rules of the church, would be as well known to the members, as the regulations of a well-ordered school are to the students. And I add, we had just as well expect sound scholarship in a school, where wise regulations are unknown and un observed, as to expect sound and vigor " ou5 piety, where the wise, tTie scriptu ral rules of our Discipline are unknown and unobserved. " My people perish for lack of know ledge." J. TILLETT. Ridgewav, Aug. 12th. rn For th.c X. C. Christian Advocate. A Erace of Stories. FROM THE GERMAN. How the Professor found a subject for a Book. A Professor had upon his writing-table, as all Professors have, paper, ink and pen. V Pi-ofrssoi- my dear children, is a man to whom grown people go to school, as boys ind girls eo to a S'clfolmastcr- a maiwho has learned so much that many a time he do:'.-; not know what to d with I all things ho has iri!)i.tLudl, and in thatj way occasionally loses Vorue of them: ai man who has read a great u any Looks, am' I who h:is written almost a.s many as he has road ; wherefore he needs pen., ink and P:,per. "vain it i a mi uui.-, 'I should like to know what the Pro- ! Ill . 1 . ,0is"rs w,'a-'3 "' e; ne cuu.u , O. Ink hrJk pllp "icit0 tbe discourse, ho vou tiur.iinv ot In re tl you talK in that lastuou .' it-is tne k let! or which iuasc tiio book. I Wt i -. i r 1 - O T . .1 Ida that whi jh a'w.-.vs -ou V ti- pai faec nd upoa whicii evt-iy ore turns his attention." irc! oth ignorant," the Pen caek- led, still 'retulaing some of its original goose for it is plain as the day, th:. '. i aai the principle personage in this r' :-.t nn not I that, witlioat wuk-!i Jhe i;tt-...v cf)u!i n .it bt. forIi)cd -. jy, ,,ou v.-aliy, O ; ti- r,, .,v th,.,-, v 'U-.,t b-. aotitul hiots wo should see, if you should undertake to write.'" i The pen continued its clatter, still lou- j d--r and louder, while it roused the Pro-1 lessor. He had, in his sleep, made a great: hlur with the Pen, o?er the Paper.and had ; borne with SUcb a haD,i as sPht u,e Vi:a i aU the Wi,-V UP t'1?re be ba.1, qpproaeh-i ic too near nie lwtMauu, waicn ntixi t;ap- j noil tne colors ot uis rope l inir it marked. But the Professo.- was 1 work, he heard no more such altercations as had aforetime distracted hire, II. A Co:soi.ixg Reflection. Tbe rabbits were once grievins over the nr.rious mode of their lives. "Do w ! not Mve." said on, "in p.-met.u:d terror of1 men, dogs, wild-Leasts a?;d wild-birds? Are we not the prey of all these, just as often and as much as they choose? And i n't better once for all to die, than to ,ive in n PTtual anxiety which is a crtater anguish than death itself; The words of the speaker found ready j -should forthwith and unanimously proceed tQ diwa 'tbc.mselves. There was a pond n(,ar tle church yard, and thither they has- j tened with the utUK speed. The noise j 0f their coming and the very appearance j thereof so frightened a number of frogs who i thou, in thy severest tribulations, should j not allow thyself to be tortured by di-qui- i ft- Look around among thy fellow-men, j aml thou wilt tnly behold some, with j ate th'm "change thy ownf Compare thyseli with these, and be j comforted, , 0nr YfllinT Vr..urs are re0Uested to notice ! the German di-tinetion betweenProfessorand i Schoolmaster, lii-w ''.nde1'1 ..tliere Gurm!,nii lli.w wretehculv narrow- a must bo ! Why, in this glorious couutry.our teachers of a school of country urchins at a cro.ss-roads may take the name of Professor, or even a teacher of v.histlins is a "Trofessor of the Syringmalo- i 'nArt-" But German ideas, no inatter how ' deep, are not like American notions, "nngh- L ,i t . t V . V. Dr. Tyng on the Prophecies. The Commencement of Williams College, Williamstown, Mas3., opened with a sermon by the Rev. Dr. Tyng, of New York, on Sunday, 1st inst. A correspondent of the N. Y. Post says : Instead of gratifying the audience by one of his extempore speeches, he read a long, learned and labored dis cussion of the prophecies of the Bible, as to the inauguration of the kingdom of Christ upon the earth, altogether novel in its character, and somewhat remarkable in its views and conclusions. He held that God's will had never been dominant in any human govern ment, but that they were all mere or ganizations of man's apostacy to God. God, in his authority, is banished from the earth He spoke severely of the way in which Great Britain panders to Indian superstitions, and America to slavery. Dr. Tyng found in the prophecies the ground of his hope and confidence. He interpreted them as predicting that four successive and universal monar chies were to rule the world, all unsub- jected to God's will, the kingdoms of cold, silver, brass and iron. Finally there would be a fifth universal king- J0m the real reign of God on earth J5arivlouian, the Persian, the Grecian, and " the Itoman. TLe fovr were the All these are passed. This is the i we repeat, l.not onty tne most enect stae of transition and chaos. Soon, ive in regimen, the most elective in" and by a mighty and sadden revolution, anu uv .1 liiigiiiy ixfiu auMULii iuvuiuliuii, the last, kingdom ,will be ushered in. The time, he argued, was very near. ... . Iflrrticns. Fii)ia the Christian Advocate atid Journal. Methodism and the Protestant Episcopal Church. liisltop Smith Wlii-1: sJioitll w.per cede tJw "fliers, the .'LfihoJiat Upis- CO copal r the Protestant IJnigtr 7 Vhurchfl'reeeaent Lunms or i i o d i s tniUisre:-resi'iitntio.is of y 71 i'sleit Did llesicq approve mc t; .-..7. " p .-.th. in his late annual ad - iii tho Kentucky Protestant Epis. - r . copal Convention, said More than a quarter of a century ri. aft-T th'-'t surveying Kentucky a3 -ieid of labor in connection with the higher culture, tho moral improvement, aim tne spiritual weiiare oi tne gene ra c; ' s in time to come, I mado a re mark, fthich I have since never failed to repeat on all proper oeoas.ous. that the Methodist and Epis-.'opal brandies of the Church in Amcr-ca ovglit never to have been TWO. They a-e. near enough alike to be one. Eacii. under very different circumstance?, it is true, is an offshoot of th sarxs venera ble, live oak-stock the Church of England. It iras not intended by Mr. nounce(l the apostolic succession 'a fa Weslev that his societies should ever be ! bb, ' that is his n!ir-is about it and other tlian supplementary to tne v. nu-cu yet ti,;s fablc, with its logical i i ... i r i i ot England, lranspiantea to tr-s sou es c;ul be the only import ot lventucuy, tuey s.ann more eveniy uv T? shon Smith could rupplementary to eacu other stih. As Mr. Wesley never wjuld leave tue absorbed in ours. Church of England, though he mourn- phe remark that Wesley never de ed over its declensions and deplored s;ned that his societies should separate the evilsof an establishment, much t,e Church of England is one of less, in Kentucky, could he be found ; tbo30 inccSsantly repeated but irreve any where, except in the ranks of the ; CIlt sophisms with which the Protestant clergy of the same Church, here some- Episcopal Church has tired out the what reformed, and entirely so in all : pa't;eilce 0f American Methodists who those respects which grieved his pious 'uow anything about the case. This heart. Here they arc more than ever was Yfcsley's view3 respecting the so supplementary to each other. 'cieties in England, and perhaps there There is a tone of liberality in these wa3 a pr0vidcntial design in the fact; remarks, but it is all on one side a ;l ra;iy be that thus Methodism, so ra stylc which, by a paradox of poor hu-F);.!v absorbing the population of the man nature, expresses liberal feelings ; English Church, is vet to supercede the while it means onljr prejudice and j Establishment,especialiy at the no very selfishness. The good bis.iop lovca l.hs dl3tant day when ihi.-ltor must fail, Methodist neighbors, but loves the jo ! .in( wben Methodism must be a much much that he cannot but mourn that , greater necessity for England than it they should remain Methodists any Ion-mJs ever yet been. Bat Wesley did ger, though they differ not essentially in ; not entCrtain this view of American his opinion from his own people. He j Methodism after our Revolution. On sees clearly, as most men of his good tlie contrary, he organized American sense must see, that there is notsufii-: Methodism as a distinct Church. It is cient reason for the existence of two . absurd to question this fact in view of such bodies as the Protestant and Me- p,;, acts arui correspondence. No fact thodist Episcopal Churches in any part ; in i,jstorv ;3 better demonstrated, and it of this country, but he would have the j js not t0"o muc. t0 saj that it is abso morc important body annihilated to ; lutev impossiLlo for an honest man to make way for the smaller one. In no (oubt itj afcer an eiamination of the part of the nation do we believe there , i,;atory 0f the question. He ordained exists any necessity for both Churches. ; Thomas Coke as the episcopal head of There is no public advantage afforded ; the liew American body Thomas by the Protestant Episcopal Church, ; Coke wbo was already a presbyter, not even in this city of 2m ew iork, ; anJ tierefovc coud ;je ordained only to which the Methodist Episcopal Church the next office above thafc of presbyter, could not as freely afford, were the J namelv the episcopv.oWeslev fellow former to give way to the latter : but j cJ lh; ptlibric in ord dning'him, by on tho ether hand, who does not see . iaYu the required number of prcsby that there are he mst important ad-1 ters to assist at the cereiaonv: he as vantages of religion, the most needed , si?ne(l a written reason for"the act, methods of labor, and discriminations j w'hich 8ftOWS that he understood it to of religious doctrine afforded, by Moth- j be an 0riiaa.tioTi to the episcopate, odism, which are not, and probably j narnelv, the proof of Lord King that could not be afforded by the Protestant i pi.esbvters could in the ancient Chnrch Episcopal Church under its present reg- ! orJai bishops a carious fact to cite ime ? Which is the most successful ?!5r ho (1id not think he was ordaining The question is not an invidious one ; ono himself: he called Coke :a super- it is here simpiy a test one. n men discriminates best before the popular mind, the theological opinions that are most essential to the popular reforma tion and to vital religion ? Which ha3 the most effective organization ? Meth odism certainly takes precedence in these respects. And then, as to the invidious tact ot numbers, tne prepon- j ucrcuee is iiiiugc iic. v., ... side. While Methodism is the popular religion of this country in a more emi nent sense tnan any otner v. nuicn, oui . tion of the Churc published, at his Protestant Episcopal brethren are but0WR pook IIouse Jn London, its Min- comparitivcly a small ingredient of the ut in wh;ch h leda,ed that .f0now. religious mass, scarcely perceptible in , , , f Mr. Weslev' it had -' . .1 tv I- most places, and perceptible in a few, chiefly by wealth, or sinvhir facts of social position, which, Sc-'ipturally con sidered, are far far froJ being the best proofs of a true Chui-h. In fact, in Every cspect Methodism takes the preccderce. It does so,even chronologically. Both the Metliodist Episcopal and the Protestant Episco pal Churches we:-e originally parts of the English lational Church in the American col.nies. The Revolu tion dissolved their relations to Eng land, and left th-'m afloat, unorganized on the current ft the events after the war. Both att'inpt to collect their re- spcctive tragtu-'nts, ana to ootain trom England soms form of reorganization as a substitut- for the defunct Anglo American Chirch. Methodism obtain- i . i . ... T "- i , i , er,ik.K-7r--f" .6"-! l,"u n"' VT i Tr' , V J strikes us as characteristic of a consum Weslev witf solemn forms, he being a . i i v esity, it , mate denominational vanity and arro- nreshvter the Church of England, i , J , , presoyiei 0 "1U ; jrance and when we remember that ind actio in tbis case according to i in Chnvnb nlornr nc gooo. v, j bv some of the highest an - ' confirm by some of the highest au &tj i n iianil it i self. The Methodic ZJ .-pai Church, I theology, vastly t ie i;ioH effective nu- : Liicw.i , iuohj c'. ...v. . ;mericai!y. bu. the ol 'i$t in org ; ti,n. Vh . '1- inh:i name of mon 3ei:s-'-sr.vuld it be called up orqantzu - com- jnon to g;--c way to a moi rre -ent denormna tion having th? sam? parentage and the same general ' feattn s, , Vat a sab.se- quent birth, and less cfu :'""cnest? The iP.otestant Episcopal CV.urch, on all : terms of Christian catholicity, ought to he merged in the Methodlit Episcopal i Church. The latter is thd true jffspring of the English Church jr. this country ; ti -aeticallv out of r lace, and had Meth-' e tr.vrupr is lint, an . '.Ter-uu ui, aim ; 0(ilSEa retaip.ed the oil' ritual, (as it ! dee.s retain a part if. ii ; ,.. .irt, -.f ;, , nr .should it : ,,,,,, U a, ;r'.---y v-.v'rMT ntiver evpr resume it, (.!. n z.-j. nart jf the strength of tr.o Protestant 1 Episcopal Church would be gradual-y ; trlmsferred to it. It is not impossible i . . i t i a. tint ir. may yet effectively displace the litter on this continent, and there are strong probabilities that instead of be in.' swallowed up by the national ; Church in England, Wesleyan Metho disni will absorb the latter after that coming and inevitable event the disso lution of Church and State in England. Why, then,should not the good Bish op of 'Kentucky propose to merge his own Church in ours, rather than ours in his? Tne only obious ground of hesitation must he his notions of eccle slasticism, but these John Wesley,whom ho claims as of his opinion on the ques- t;0, threw to the wind.-. Wesley pro- sequen- ;art reason not consent tj,.l(. own denomination should be ;nten(jcnt' which nuans the same as bishop, he did not lue the latter title because of its adventitious associations, but he liked the thirg, the office ; he sent over a liturgy by Bishop Coke to be used forever in tht new Church, and in this liturgy were ictained the Eng lish forms for the ordination of, not on- j deacons and presbyters, but also of Lithous. thouirh the K:ter were named jps, simply 'superintendent.' Wesley him self did all this, and after the organiza- formed itselfinto 'an Eriscopal Church;' and Charles .Wesley, whose high churchism was always cramping Meth odism, complained that Coke had done wrong, Wesley defended the latter as having done right. He did, we say, all this, anl did it before the present Protestant Episcopal Church was or ganized. Our readers know well that we are heartily catholic, and care little about ecclesiasticism of any kind, except to scout it as the blighting curse of all Church history. We greet every inti mation of catholicity V;at appears amid the prevalent dogged sectarianism ; but this sort of liberality, that comes from one of the numerically and morally feeblest of the sects of the country, proposing to swallow up, through sheer UI UpUSlIllI IU BttitliOH UL; love, the largest and most effective, lut" gc'1-1 uua I" vpuiaitiuii 13 made Clliei- v, lf pot only, cn the ground of the - ' - ' 6 I thovit.o? of the (.'' 1 ecclesiastical follv of the " Anostolic i Succession," it apppirs to us the com- I pletest exemprifi.-atioi. to li round any I where' cf Christ's Vvn sarcasm about straining at a knar and ; sv.all.jvvig a camel; or at iea?t attem: Jiso ?wa,l - low one. j'1 - ai'"- - ' ' We regret not only 'jTi.KoT'Mmith's ireinarks, but much more ttlL', occasion of them. That ception of e Methodist E. Ch occ was- ine if. re- r'pri ac.Vrrf- .of the n, into me Protestant Episcopal l.iinistr We would treat all such cases with "cacy Where the conscience is involved, ar, 'n imnortant theological opinions, a good" man not only may, but somet'mes should, change his Church relations. It is an example due to ihe supremacy of truth. We can conceive too of other strong'feasons for such a painful change; but they are rare, In the early Meth- i r, 1 1-. m 1.711 t r" 0:1 vc 'm"''!' J '- " ' ' '''-" -Un. - .-.'"-"-1"-' - frequent, and not a few of us proactiers in England and America yielded to ithem; but seldom with advantage. As jlato as thirty years ago, when we en j tered the ministry, few young men, especially such as had struggled for an education, and were inder-ed for it, could enter our,, ministry without de spondent misgivings. We know a prea cher whose whole youth had been a 1 . . 1 . ,j 1 i ,t j.1 . i time commenced his public life in one of our churches in a dense d expen sive city ; his board was paid by the society in an humble home, and his salary was one hundred dollars a year. Before half the first year was gone, a debt of eighty dollars for his education came upon him, leaving him twenty dollars for all hi3 expense of travel, books, clothing, and charity during the jyear. He was sui rounded witn good : Protestant Episcopal brethren, who, as usual, held out the kindest and most i tempting offers to him. He could not i but feel their seductions ; but we know that he has often since been inexpres sibly grateful that he finally escaped ' from what he now believes was a temp tation, which, with all its apparent jus tifications, would have afilicted his whole life with painful recollections. There are sometimes still more urgent motives appealing to the young preach er's most affectionate sympathies and dearest hopes of domestic life. Lotus not then be too harsh with such cases. r " nr i . t t i xiut it can oe amrmea mat such mo I tives, though once common among us, are now almost exceptional; in any instance, the sense of 1 . 1 . good cause, and :or a generous ; 1 1 re 1 .1 - 1 0 1 . 111 ' is a richer consolation to a noble heart . 1 . 11. Ti . than any temporal advantage. It is i-rr. u "e 11 1 dnhcult for us to recall a single instance in which such changes have not left an unfortunate trace on the character of the preacher. Any man who finds himself capable of succumbing to the ! ,1l-"Ti.1 Tnrtf ttfrtff tlrt li-..wl t r f-!.i.-iwvt m n -n i i .1 .i 1 c 1 i conclude that the elements of true he - roism, of true greatness, are not in him ; and no man, no young man especially, should ever admit that conclusion. Had the men who have gone to Bishop Smith, who have turned away from the Church which saved them and gave them rank as preachers of the Gospel a rank which they probably would never otherwise have obtained, ky rea son of the requirement of theological education by other churches had they 1 left tneir oretnren lor any poorer or less ostensible denomination, their ex- 1 1 1 i ample would nave been more excusa- j ble ; had they turned aside to a Church i of more contrasted theological opinions, it would have been less suspicious ; had they even turned to popery, tho pub lic, regretting their greater error, would, nevertheless, have charitably felt that the change might have been more conscientious ; but the nearly identical character of the Protestant Episcopal and Methodist Episcopal Churches, in all fundamental theology, allows no such honorable excuse for these clerical somersets. Self-seeking, social position, salary, or ease, or some kindred motive, will inevitably be sus pected by the most charitable minds, in most such cases. However legiti mate these motives may be to clergy men, when kept in subordination to higher ones, the public mind will never allow them, now that cur Church fi nances are so much improved, to be sufficient to justify the evil effects which always attend a revolution like this m the position of a clergyman the grief of Christian brethren, the breaking up of old Christian ties, the ungrateful disregard of precious mem ories and obligations to the people who saved and nurtured the heartless pros elyte, the scorn of honest but godless men, who think they see the virtual si mony of the act. Conscience can sel dom be pleaded in cases like these, because it can seldom really act in them ; never, perhaps, but when delu ded by a self-sought sophistry. We say to any man who, after a lair ex amination of the matter, wishes to de sert the M. E. Church, Go! the quick er the better, if you are capable of the deed ; but for the honor ot our com mon Christianity, of our common hu manity even, give, in so extraordinary a change, some show of heroism ; don't go where you can slink away from your toiling and self-sacrificing brethren into gowned ca3e, and com petent obscurity and inefficiency ; there 1 are poor and struggling churches enough, where you can find opinions; j or forms to meet your consciences ; go ; among them ; go with the self-sacrifice ' that is necessary for your self-respect : n an act so suspicious ana painim to I most good men. The Moravians have ; the' Apostolic Succession,' the Free will Bnntist3 will meet vour scruples 'about immersion and rour Arminian fsm also ; if you must shock the whole ' circle ot' your public influence by i?uch j secessions, give at least to Christian j iijcu the comfort of seeing that" .m choose for conscience sake to take tne lower rather than tho uppermost seats j in the Eemarkabie Special Providences. It is An authentic fact that during I the terrible massacre in Paris, in which j many eminent Christians were cruelly -------- j V - ' Moulin, was preserveu for further use- i rr fulness to the cause or the gospel m a most remarkable manner. He crept into a brick oven to conceal himself, but had little hope of remaining undis covered in the ferreting .search for slaughter that was carried on. In the kind providence of God, a spider im- j mediately crawled to the opening of the j uu ' 'u 111:111 a icueuu hiiu wove u cu .J ' 4. . 1 u acr ?3 it Ine dust blew upon the airy ! screen and made it dingy ; so that the place appeared long unfreqwnted. The enemies of the Christians soon passed by, and one of them carelessly remarked, " No one could have been in that oven for several days !" What a touching idea does this inci dent give of our Father's protecting love for his children ! An anecdote similar in character is related of Mr. Churchill, a native of j England, who had taken up his abode in India, about two miles from V iza gapatan. Soon aftrr sunset, on one occasion, while he was sitting in his dwelling, of which the outer door was thrown open, meditating with deep sor row upon the recent loss of his wife, and the helplessness of his little chil dren, who were lying asleep near him, he was suddenly thrilicd with terror to see a monstrous tiger cross the thres hold of his house, and enter the room, with glarinu eyes and a ferocious howl. But the animal caught sight of his full sized image reflected in a largcd mir ror opposite the door, and rushing at it 1 n itn an jiio luiy, uicuiiuur 11 miiu a ....th .,11 r.,.. i...i.: ;t : rr j thousand fragments, he suddenly turn suffering I , 1 , P ., ' . J eu aim neu irom tne spot. j.nusprov- . mciuiiiii v uiu vjuu iiitsi'YB mu June I children and their father from the paws - ., , , , J Ot a wild beast ! i T .1 -n- 1 . t 1 Less thrilling, but not less rcmarka- , , A, . ?; , , ,. , . . ! e. 13 tb?f ,n,ClJe,n.t "e-. !f,,e fd" I 0W! epitapdi, which is copied from a ! tTomb .Uear rt-R&Jal ,ri the of i i( ., a - T. n , ua a native of Montpelier, in r ranee, 1 ,'. , , , rl , ' which country he left on account of tho Revocation. lie was swallowed up by the earthquake which occurred in this place in 1092, but, by the great prov idence of God was, by a second shock, flung into the sea, where he continued swimming till lescucd by a boat, and lived forty years afterward." It is said of John Knox, the great Scottish reformer,who had many friends and many enemies, that it was his fre quent custom, while in his own house, to sit at the head of a table with his back ta the window. On one evening, however, he would not take his usual seat, and gave a positive command that no one of his family should occupy it. He took another chair in a different part of the room, and shortly afterward a gun was fired, the bullet of which passed through the favorite window, grazed the top of his vacant seat, and shattered the candlestick that stood upon his table I This 13 not the only wonderful escape he had from hi ma licious and determined foes. In the Bartholomew massacrc,which we have already mentioned, at the or der of the King of France, the Admi ral de Coligny was put to death in h'13 own house. His chaplain, the pious Merlin, fled from the murderers, who designed also to take his life, and hid himself in a loft of hay. After the days of blood were over, and the Protestants were suffered to keep their lives and their religion, a Synod was convened, of which he was the moderator. In this assembly, when it was stated that many who taken refuge in similar re treats perished from starvation, he was asked how he contrived to keep him self alive. He replied giving thanks to God while he said it that a hen laid an eg"" every day during his conceal ment, in a nest so near to him that he could reach it with his hand. The celebrated Dr. Calamy, in his " Life and Times," related that he knew a sea-captain named Stevens, of Harwich, England, who was once, by a wonderful providence, preserved from together with all his crew t U1U11 IlllJil, .1 ; While on a homeward passage from Holland, the vessel sprung a leak, and the water gained in the hold so rapidly that, in spite of the pumps, which were worked with the energy of despair, all on board soon gave themselves up for lost. Suddenly, however, and to the surprise of all, the water ceased to gain in depth, and the pumps being again plied, the ship safely reached her har bor. After her arrival, it was discov- cred, on examination, that the body of a fish had become so firmly wedged in the leak that it could with difficulty bo taken out whole ! It is of but little consequence, though it is an established fact, that the fish was preserved in al cohol, and kept as a curiosity in the family of Capt. Stevens. In view of these striking instances of Divine Providence, how can we think of our Father in heaven and not be touched with the thought of that ten der love which leads him to take such Avondcrful can. of his children ? Tru ly, we may ""a3t all our care upon him," for he careth for us.'" The Vantage Ground. 'No pleasure,' say? Bacon, 'ii com parable to the vantage ground of truth.' And in this case, as in Gurney'i maxim on happiness to b found in kindntS3, the- p!L-acure ut 'ly cjua"' to the power. There is rcal,genulne, whole-hearted pleasure in knowing that you aro right that God is on your side that his word has revealed the truth so plain ly that there is no mistaking the mind and will of the Spirit. Then a man rises up to a noble enthusiasm in the defenco and spread of his faith. He counts it all joy if he suffers for i and is ready to die a martyr if a victim is demanded. There is great poircr, too, in having this vantage ground to stand upon. Any man fights better when he has the best ground. It gives hitn confidence, and tho prestige of victory. Sure of being right he presses his argument home upon his adversary, with a will, and every blow tells. He is not fight ing his own battle enlv. He is the champion of truth ; and men, angels and God himself are interested specta tors of the conflict in which he is engag ed. Compassed with such a cloud of witnesses, and shielded with theconsci ousnesss of being right, and wielding the sword of truth, he has indeed the vantage ground, and is sure to win the day. X. Y. Observer. Luther A coarse, rugged, plrbian face it was, with great crag3 of cheek bones a wild amount of passionate energy and appetite ! But in hia dark eyes were floods of tears ; and deepest melan choly, sweetness, and misery were all there. Often did there seem to meet in Luther the very opposite poles in man's character. He, lor example, of-" whom Ilichter had said that his words were half battles, he, when he first be gun to preach, suffered unheard agony. " O, Dr. Staupitz, Dr. Staupitz," said he to the Vicar General of his order, "I cannot do it ; I shall die in three months. Indeed, I cannot do it." Dr. Staupitz, a wise and considerate man, said upon this, "Well, Sir Mar tin, if you must die, you must ; but re member that they need good heads up yonder, too. So preach, man, preach, and then live or die as it happens." So Luther preached and lived, and he became, indeed one groat whirlwind of energy, to work without resting in this world, and also before he died Lo wrote very many books books in which speaks the true man for in the midst of all they denounced and cursed, what touches of tenderness lay ! Look at tho Table Talk, for example. We 6ee in it a little bird, having alighted at sunset on tho bough of a pear tree that grew in Luther's garden. Luther looked upon it, and said, "That little bird, how it covers it3 wing?; and will sleep there, so still and fearless, though over it are the infinite starry spaces, and the great blue depths ot" immensity. Yet it fears not it is at home. The God that made it, too, is there." The same gentle spirit of lyr ical admiration is in the other passages of hia book. Coining homo from Lcip zic in the autumn season, he breaks forth into living wonder at the fields of corn. "How it stand.-- there," he says, "erect on its beautiful taper stem, and bending its beautiful golden head with bread in it the bread of man sent to him another year." Such thoughts as these are as little windows through which we gaze into the interior of the depths of Martin Luther's soul, and see, visible across its tempests and clouds, a whole heaven of light and love. lift might have painted ho might have sung could have been beautiful like Raphael, great like Mi chael Angelo. Carlyle. Humility. They who in reality know much, aro the most easily satisfied that they know but little. The last sentence uttered by the distinguished La Place was, What we know, is litt'e ; what we are ignorant of, is immense Sir Isaco Newton, before his death expressed a similar sentiment. 'I do not know what I may appear to the world ; btt to myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the seashore, and d' verting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebblo or a prettier shell than ordinary, while the vast ocean of truth lay still undiscovered before men.