PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY A COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS FOR THE METHODIST EPIS COPAL CHURCH, SOUTH. RUFUS T. HEFLIH, Editor.
RALEIGH, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 1859.
VOL. IV NO. 23.
ORIGINAL.
For the N. C. Christian Advocate.
"Calvinism vs. Arminisinism,"
Reviewed. So. VI.
Rkv. R T. Hkflix: I now proceed
to the consideration of No. 3, of P. T. P.8
communications. In this, he contemplates j p0Wer perfectly ' irresistible." Arminiau
the "Power of God" in regard to the work j jsm con!S;jerj, U)an, as ati intelligent, tree,
of the regeneration of man. This is aceom- ! nj)raj aff(.nt co-operating with God, and
plished.he says, by this " power operating
irrrsi&libtv unon the hearts of men," &c.-
See the entire article in No. 3. April 2
T 3 is, I answer briefly Poer simply
conndi red in itself, is erne, thin?, and its
txertV', is quite another. God has ener
gy quite sufficient io regenerate all men :
but tha energy is not, cannot, be exercis
ed mbitari'y. but in harmony with all his
manifold perfections; and the constitution
of man's intellectual and moral nature
Ce.r ire energy cannot be exercised
consistently with His perfections, and
man's moral account ability. .Power alone
never operates, ei:her in the production. or j
preservation, or the rectification of man's
nature. This the Mosaic history fully
demonstrates; as well the whole revelation
of God evinces. And His providence, in
all its multifarious o, erations fully corobo
rates. Methodism, iu this regard, is in
harmony with the soundest principles of
Philosophy, and the teachings of the Bible.
'Calvinism," however, contemplates this
whole business, so completely under the
control of " irresistible''' energy, that the
foeble (though all it can do) resistance of
human nature, is overwhelmed by an influ
ence so great, that the poor sinner is crush-,
ed beneath its weight, and made a- " new
creature " altogether contrary to, and in
opposition to all his efforts to the contra
ry ! I ! This is Cih in 'tm wilt a witness.
To sustain Calvinism, P. T. P. affirms,
(and I deny) that the " experience of all
t'Lri-iians" coincides with the Calvinistic
views. Paul's experience is here introdu
ced in support of the affirmation. This, it
is, however denied, as being the case.
Methodism, alias Arminianism, argues, in
this regard, with Paul in christian expe
rience," as he has set that before us; both
in his own case, and the general doctrine
cn this subject, as recorded by him in
Rom. vii. 14-25. where be demonstrates
the enormousness of the doctrine in No. 3
of P. T. P.s communications; and the
scripturalness of West's doctrine, in the
sermons quoted in that No. Paul fully
endorses the princij les set forth by Mr.
Wes'ey in those sermons; proving most
conclusively, that, while God " operates
upon the hearts of men," producing in
them conviction for sin ; that the sinner,
before his regenerationoes actually "will
in his own mind that " which is good ;"
and so far is he from resisting the divine
will in hisuse.that his concern is to "find"
by what means, or by whim be may be
" delivered from the body of this death."
Upon the discovery of this deliverer, he
thanks God and takes courage ; and when
heard from next, he is found free from
condemnation, and the reason assigned.
See Rom. viii. 1-4.
The character of Mr. Wesley's Sermons
quoted here, is clearly misapprehended by
P T. P. In the fi: st, he quotes the sub
ject, carefully, of the "general spread rf
the gospel," giving a comprehensive view
of the economy of salvation, as contempla
ted by the Prophet. In the second, he was
discussing the sulject'if " Dicim Provi
dence." In both, his subject was to show
that the wisdom, goodness, and justice of
God, were as essential in the administra
tion of His government,both of Grace and
of Providence, as his Power. Man, he con
tended, (and that truly) was dealt with by
God, as an intell'i-p t free moral agent
whose nature, though deprave 1, wrs not
left entirely in its fallen condition 33 it
was in Adam before a Redeemer was pro
mised, and that, through this Redeemer,
man now, as a personally existent being,
derived such abilities as enabled him, thro'
the " abounding' race of God, to do the
things which make for his peace. Rom.
v. 12-21.
Arminianism, alias, Methodism, never
supposed or ever taught the doctrine, that
God could not exert a power, sufficient, in
itself, to regenerate man ; nor, that the
regeneration of man, did not require the
omnipotence of God to accomplish : but
while this power was necessary to do jfhis
work, it could only be exercised in harmo
ny with all the perfections of his nature,
and the moral free agency, with which he
has g'raciously endowe I man. Here, the
salvation of man i3 recognized as resultant
from man's co-operation with the will and
power of God. This is the clearly revealed
doctrine of Paul : "Wherefore, my belov
ed, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my
presence only, but now much more in my
absence, working out your own salvation
with fear and trembling : jr it is God
which worketh iu you both to will and to
do of his good pleasure." Phil. ii.J2,13.
The doctrine of man's free agency, is at
once, the doctrine of Arminianism, Scrip-,
tore and common sense ; and stands forev
er antagonistic to Calvinisn:, on the tub-
ject of man's regeneration. Calvinism .con
siders man as passve in this work, and
that the "Almighty Jehovah" must "ope
rate with irredstihle. power," upon the
subject of it. to overcome and subdue the
resisting will of man This makes man
appear 111 tins woru. as a iiiorui maumc,
j actjng onj wh, n acted upon by a foreign
. recc;ving t!,e grace of God" in his heart,
and working with God Hence, it is af
firmed. that " we har' no power to do good
works. pl as-nt and acceptable to God,
without the gnice of God by Christ pre
venting us, that we may have a good will,
and working with us when we have that
good will." Article viii. Methodist E
Church, South, p. 22.
P. T. P., will, perhaps, say, that it is
because God operates " irresixt bly in the
sinner that he works and is saved. Not
so fast, my brother. If so, where is there
! room for the sinner to work, when, as you
say. he works altogthcr in opposition to
God, until God " irresistibly " works sal
vation in him. Your words are: " His
resistance cense not until his nature is
changed, and n u in life is breathed into his
soul by the II I Ghost." The sinner.ac
cording to Calvinism, works against God,
and yet is saved, whereas, Isaiah, Paul,
and Christ, teach, that before: a man can
be saved, even by the power of God, he
must 'be willing, obedient not receive the
grace of God in vain and personally "be
lieve," or he will be " damned." - There
is a discrepancy here, between yovr teach
ing and those others. Vho am I to be
lieve? Calvini.-m here, has these witness
es against it ! Rut, if God woiks irresis
tibly in the sinner's heart, while he ceases
not to " resist," how, I ask, can it be pos
sible, in this instance, to " receive the
grace of God in vain," which --Paul says
maybe the ease? Can irresistible grace
be frustrated ?
You sny, if Mr, Wet ley's doctrine is
true, it will prove that 4 Devils md wick
ed men are stronger than God.'' Why ?
You say this flows from the doctrine of the
"freedom of the human will." It may not
be true that " devils and wicked men are
stronger than God," and yet it may be
true, that neither t! e " devil" nor some
" wicked men" will not be saved As to
the " devil," it would seem that the pow
er of God cannot operate to his salvation ;
because his probation is end , .-n 1 h" is
now suffering the " vengeance of eternal
fire.' God, to s vp him, would have to
revoke the decree, (unchangeable though
it be) by which he banished him frOm hea
ven, and remit bis sin, without regard to
the chrins of jusice, as it claims in this
instance, would not be met, by an act of
pardon. Could power be thus exercised?
Or if this could not be, then the doctrine of
Purgatory must come iu to satisfy the claims
of justice, and secure his salv ition.by pa)--ing
the list farthing of suffering: or, De
ism is t ue, which contemplates the salva
tion of all beings whom G k! has made by
an " irresistible " act of his power, without
any regard to biw or justice, or any other
principle of moral government.
It docs not follow that men are stronger
than God, if they ure rot sued ; because
salvation is of grace, and not of power,
whether that power is irresistible or not.
Power in this case cannot contravene grace;
but must co-operate with it. Not precede
grace, but accompany it. This is demon
strated by St. Paul, in Rom. i. 16, 17;
and 1 Cor. i. 18-21. The power of God,
i. e. the " gospel," works the salvation of
"everyone that hclieveth;" it evidently
does not accomplish this work before
"faith " is exercised, but at the time of
its exercise. It, therefore, follows, that
mere pow,er cannot accomplish any thing.
It acts with, or through, the faith of the
subject. Where there is no faith, this pow
er acts not. The doctrine of Arminianism
is farther demonstrated in Christ himself:
John i 11-13. So far is Christ from in
culcating Calvinism here, that he teaches
the contrary ; affirming that the reason
why some are not " born again," was, be
cause they " received him not," i. e. re
sisted him ; others were regenerated, be
cause they " believed on bis name." Our
Saviour in this text, strikes down Calvin
ism iu two respects : 1. By showing that a
sinner must be a " believer," before his
regeneration ; and not as P. T. P. says,
that the sinner's " resistance ceases not
nntil his nature is changed, and a new
life is breathed into his sou ." &c. 2. That
tho " power cf God" in man's regenera
tion, cannot be effectual, until faith re
ceives Christ " as the MeBsiah. The sin
ner's strength is greater than God s power
in this instance ; his power will not act,
unless faith is exercised in Christ. "As
many as received him." to them " gave be
power to become the sons of God."
Yours affectionately.
PETER DOUB.
l'ayetteville, N. C, May 21, 1859.
Common Sense.
Tho argument most apt and ample.
For common minds, is the example.
Tor the N. C. Christian Advocate.
Parsonages.
How tofur ish them and he p th m fur
nished cm appeal to the lalies of the
A'. C. Conference. '
There is no subject in which the Meth
odist church is more deeply interested,
than the one I have chosen for this article.
An itenerant ministry is an essentiality of
Methodism. Whatever has a tendency to
prevent a complete development and ope
ration of this system is derogatory to the
interest of the church and should be care
fully guarded against or removed. Ever3'
thh.g having a tendency to increase the
efficiency and perpetuity of the system
should receive encouragement and support.
Of all the arrangements of the church for
its expansion and perpetuity, there is none,
to my mind, of more importance than a
proper provision for the comfort of the
itenerant and his family. Ministers of
other churches, with permanent pastoral
charges, do not labor under tho disadvan
tages in many respects, attendant upon a
j life in the Itenerancy. I do not mean that
! a 1 1 1 1 .1
iney get ueuer paiu : as a general ming,
this is not so. But they are settled ; and
every man of any experience in the matter
knows, that there are hundreds of ways in
which a man permanently located, may
increase the comfort, and impose the tem
poral condition of his family, of which an
itenerant cannot avail himself. He can
have his own furniture comfortable fur
niture ; which the itenerant can ouly do at
a very great disadvantage. Every circuit
and station ought to havea Parsonage
something worthy the name ; and then they
ought to be well furnished. And why
should not every District have its parson
age also? If this were so if proper
provision were made for the comfort of
the preacher's wife and ei:i! V: n, with hvw
much more heart eouU he o:ir in ills
master's work ! how much more efficiency
would be given to his labors !
But as strange as it may seem, th re
are many persons opposed to parsonage s.
Said a brother to me the other d:y : !
am op nosed to parsonages on the i:r uk
that different preachers having different
tastes, porsonages :re n?vor furnished '
suit them the furniture that snils one,
do -s not suit the other." In reply to such
an objection, I simply say: if the parson
age is furnished as it ought to be, there i
not a minister in the Conference, who would
object to it on the ground of " taste.1 ''
Says another, who wants an excuse for
hoarding his money: "They are never
furnished : at every 2d meeting the preach
er is begging the stewards to buy furniture ;
and the reason is : the furniture is not
properly taken care of." I believe Meth
odist preachers generally have as industri
ous, careful wives, as other people. The
fact is : your furniture, my brother, wears
out as well as the preacher's. You break
a glass, and buy another : it is not the
preacher's business to do this ; and besides
as a general thing, he would not be able.
But says some old fogy of a Methodist,
with a miserly soul. " I am an old fash
ion Methodist.' and I want to see preach
ers do now like they did when I was a boy;
then they carried their wives with them,
and visited the people ; and they did a heap
more good.' " Yes brother ! and you were
born in a log cabin, and your father made
fie cradle in which you were rocked : Why
don't you live in one now, and do like your
father did. I for one, would provide a
home for my wife and children (if I had
them) by location before I would drag them
all around my circuit, just to save a little
money to a miserly " primative methodist.''
who would be willing for me to do such a
thing when there was no necessity for it.
Is not the inconvenience of moving every
one or two years, sacrifice enough ? must
the preacher be the only one to make sac
rifices ? There is another consideration :
fifty years ago, ladies were not raised as
they are now ; it was not the same sacri
fice for them to laber under these disadvan
tages, that it is now. A Methodist preach
er is a man of U o much nobleness of soul,
to marry a lady brougbt up in ease and
luxury; refined, sensitive, modest: and
compell her to. " travel round." Catch me
at it.
It is a source of gratification to me to
believe that the class of pprsons, whose ob
jections I have been answering, embraces
but a small portion of our membership
As a general thing, the church appreciates
the importance of parsonages, and in some
places, seeni3 to be fully alive to the sub
ject. Ah ! that the Methodist church
would come up to the full measure of its
duty in this nutter ! What a glorious
epoch in her history it will be, when every
preacher shall know, upon the anounce
ment of his appointment, that he has a
well furnished home to which to take his
wife and little ones.
But what can the ladies do ? Wonders
if they would. It is known to most of the
female readers of the Advocate, that in j
our towns, the ladies have societies organ- j
ized for the benefit of the parsonage. In
seme instances they have sewing societies; j
to these I am, in the general opposed :
better work for your family and give your
money to the church. But these societies
do well keep the parsonage furnished, so
that the necessity for making a special ef
fort ever few years, to replenish the fur
niture, is removed. I had never heard of
such a society being organized on a circuit;
but I have tried it. I have established
what I call a " Parsonage Aid Society,"
and expect it to embrace at least one hun
dred members. E,ach jueinber contributes
ten cents ppr month to the funds of the
society. Tlise funds are placed in the
bands of the preacher who appropriates
them for the benefit of the parsonage, at
his discretion. I do not think it possible
to have the complete organization of the
Society in the county that may be had in
town. But we raise the money and tha
in furnishing parsonages, is the " one thing
needed." Suppose one half of the ladies
in the Co ference would appropriate only
ten cents a month to a parsonage fund I
mean to furuish, and replenish how
much good might be done. Ladies you
who know what a woman ought to have to
make her comfortable you who dread the
idea of your daughter marrying a preacher
because his home, is so badly furnished
take hold of the .matter and do something
for your church ; your preacher, and the
Lord. RIDGEWAY.
--BBPaaMiiM. i
SELECTIONS.
From the Nashville Ch. A'lvoc-ite.
Across the Continent. ZVo. 1.
Delay for men and Means Contingent
Liberality of the East The Parting
A New Recruit in Old Fashioned Itine
rancy The Land and thp Sea From
Sunshine" Westward A fine Hotel
A liberal Californian A premature set
tlement A delightful Week New Or
leans, ami its Characteristics Duty of
the Church.
M it. Editor : My departure for Califor
nia has been delayed a month or two by
ny efforts to obtain money and preachers
for the Pacific Conference, as ordered by
tho General Conference. One transfer
from T. xas has gone in advance. I have
iv ::k t hroc-y.ung meu ntie froia Geor
u';;t. ue from East Tenneesee, one from
Arkansas. Several preachers have offered
to go, but -iu most instances they have be
longed to Conferences too weak to spare,
without detriment, and of their number.
The collections have beeu liberal, all things
considered, and relation both to men and
means, I think the Eastern Conferences in
clined to sympathy and action and that
they will co-operate cheerfully, if assured
that our -T-ranization in California ought
to be maintained. In due time I shall,
give the Church my impressions on this
subject.
Long accustomed to leave home and
friends for days and weeks and months to
gether, 1 thought I ha 1 schooled my heart
to such control as to be master of myself
and my sensibilities. But California is a
long way from Georgia there are perils
by land and water letters, uncertain in
their transmit and of old date on theit re
ception, mocking you uth ancient history
when you are longing for news. And now
before I start, for days the children look
sad ; unbidden tears well op in their eyes,
and all the househo d move about as if a
calamity had fallen or was coming plans
for the year must be laid, one child sent
here, another sent there, directions given
as rhough I wa? writing my last will and
testament, and finally the farewell morning
comes the adieu is spoken amid convul
sive sobs and long lingering embraces.
Say what we will, strong iu faith, resolv
ed on duty as we may be, such a time is a
trial. Never wavering, delaying not a
moment beyond the appointed time so I
felt and feel it still. True, Mrs. P. and
our youngest daughter bear me company,
but this rather adds to than diminishes my
solitude. This companionship increases
the anxieties of travel and takes away the
feeling of security about home interests.
On all former occasions I left home satisfi
ed that the good sense and prudent man
agement of my 'better half,' would con
serve all interests there : now I go down to
the war and leave the stuff to inexperienc
ed hands. In a long itinerant life, my
wife has never accompanied me before. and
I suspect will locate at the end of the pres
ent year. So far she is delighted with
the trip Railroads and steamboats ar6
pleasant modes of conveyance, especially
as they bear you from town to town city
to city, amid old friends and acquaintan
ces ; but she will see 'the elephant' before
we reaeh California. Twenty-five hun
dred miles of stage travel, mainly through
the wilderness not to say a desert is old
fashioned itinerancy. "What are you
going the land route ?" has been said to
me in wonder, a hundred times. Yes, I
answer ; for several reasons I do not like
to travel on water ; it is perilous, monoto
nous, wearisome ; sea sickness is horrid,
revolting, (believe me.) Let others poet
ize about the 'deep, deep blue sea,' my im
agination is more at borne amid plains and
mountains. Talk of breeze and billow I
like the first when it blows on land, and
the other when it rolls am' leaves me sta
tionary. The face is, an old Phoenician
galley propelled by cars along the coast,
suits me better than your modern steamer,
with all he appliances for destruction. I
was born in the country raised in the
country live in the country now love it ;
fee 1 at home amid fields,and woods, and do
not like to loose sight of them. I go by
laud, because I wish to see the far West in
its wildness. I like adventure upon land)
have no fears of toil and fatigue ; and sus
pect to make the trip subserve my ministry
the cause of missions and the extension
of the Church, South. Last but not least,
Mr. Giddings, the mail contractor, volun
tarily and kindly offered me a free passage
for myself and wife, with every assurance
of safety and comfort the route allows.
Withal, the brethren in California urged
me to come this way, alleging that I could
better serve the Conference by entering
the State far from San Francisco and work
ing at points not likely to be visited cn any
other plan. But enough, for prelimina
ries. We left "Sunshine" in tears on the 7th
inst.. spent a night at Malison with my
brother and his family, and left for Colum
bus, to see my father and my sisters, resi
ding there. Preached twice on Sabbath
took a respectable collection for the Church
in San Francisco passed the bitter ordeal
of parting with friends again, and left for
Montgomery. My old friend. Dr. Daw
son, with his wife, took passage with us.
I had hoped to preach at night and beg, but
the boat for Mobile left at 5 P. M. ,. and
we were constrained to depart. Montgom
ery is on my list (if need be) when I re
turn. At Selma, "the Czar" rounded to
early in the morning, and as she was tak
ing on cotton I was taken off, and pressed
to preach. I yielded, and heldforth to a
congregation hastily gathered , and whether
the church was edified or not, I cannot
tell, but the truth was joy and power to
nie. We reached Mobile in the night,
and rather than disturb our friends at an
unseasonable hour, we went to the Battle
House, the best hotel in the South. I
have seen none equal tfl it any where.
Crowded with people, it is nevertheless
quiet as a private dwelling ; servants
prompt and polite rooms airy and clean
table loaded with the luxuries of land and
sea, and all the appointments of the house
are of the first class. None who stop
there wi'I go away disapointed. The Sab
bath was appropriated to preaching and
collections as usual. The preaching was
not great, and the collection was not heavy,
but respectable. On Monday afternoon,
as we were leaving, a gentlman who had
been to California, handed me a hundred
dollars, to be used at my discretion.
This addition helped the collection smartly,
and will be use accordingly to the discre
tionary instructions of the donor.
The, boat-traveling from Mobile to the
Crescent City is refreshing. A noble craft
a quiet lake delightful company the
present trip was an enjoyment to be remem
bered ' ' Remembered joys are never past,"
saith Montgomery. So then I shall have
one thread of light in the web of the future.
When we reached the wharf and took our
seats in the cars, we expected soon to
reach the city four miles distant. But
we moved slowly more slowly yet, and
then stood still ; the engine had hopelessly
failed. We considered ourselves settled
for a season. It was early morn we had
the day before us and could afford to wait.
We did not wait long. Engines may fail
telegraph wires may break steamboats
may explode, but tidings of misfortune
never lack for carriers. The news will
spread, especially if the victim cm pay.
In a twinkling almost we heard the ring of
rapid hoofs and the roar of revolving wheels
and presently the din of tongues " Have
a carriage, sir ? carry you any where in
the city." Hack drivers, I suppose, are a
public convenience, but they are a nuisance
too. We were rescued from their annoy
ance by my good brother Gillespie, who
came out to take us to his hospitable house
I have rarely seen a Methodist preacher
whose heart was not bigger than his habi
tation, G's house and heart are both elastic
can stretch without straining, and so re
jecting all remonstrance to the contrary, he
took us all captive and away we went, to
Dr. Dawson and wife , (I despise that word
lady, in this connection,) myself, wife, and
daughter, and found ourselves at home.
The week spent here was one of unmingled
pleasure. Renewed intercourse with chos
en friends new acquaintancesletter from
home access to all the Church papers
consultations with experienced bretheren
on the ejiterpises of Southern Methodism
the privilege of preaching several times
the prompt responses of the people to my
call for aid, all served to beguile time of j
its weariness and make me hopeful and
happy. Nevertheless, as I wandered
about, and looked upon the throng of the
bu y and the gay sad, depressing
thoughts would intrude. How few among
these thousands ' fear God and keep His
commandments!' What temptations to
earthliness, sensuality and sin abound !
Here amusement spread her snares and
plies her charms by night and day, cater
ing alike to the vulgar and refined, full of
invention, fraud and trick. Business con
densed into a few months, demads the
time, thought, care, of all who prefer gold
to pleasure. Buy, sell, get gain, make
haste, get away, the yellow fever comes,
so life is concentrated the pressure is too
strong to be resisted, and thus eternity is
lost in time. After all, I see not that
New Orleans is more wicked than other
great cities True, the desecration of the
'Sabbath is alarming afflictive, but the
explanation is to be found, not in the de
pravity of the American population, but
in the foreign elements assembled here,
in the Jews, who have a Sabbath of their
own, and in the godless latitude allowed
by the Catholic religion. 1 believe the
municipal authorities here, as elsewhere,
err egregiously in yielding to the demands
of the lawless and abominable, who, under
false views of religious toleration and civ 1
liberty, are pleading exemption from
wholesome restraints, and seekiug to flood
the land with a licentious infidelity. This
is a Christirn a protestant country and
while toleration in religion is the guaran
tee of the Constitution, and is supported
by the sentiment of the people, no man or
community of men can plead conscience for
outraging public morality. The doctrine
of rights is destined to revision the time .
is at hand the necessity is upon us, and
when the work is done and the truth es
tablished, it will be found that the Bible is
the law and thai nobody has the natural
right to do moral wrong.
In the mean time, let the Protestant
Churches be faithful to their high calling.
Multiply churches, Sunday-schools es
tablish Missions circulate Tracts preach
in the Market-places carry the gospel to
the outcast and neglected. Our large cit
ies are mission fields, demanding more
men and money than have ever been ap
priated to them.
We fchall likely reach Surcport to night.
Our boat stops at every landing, and we
"make haste slowly.''
G. F. Pierck.
Red River, Steamer Lecomte, April 30,
1859.
From the Presbyterian Sentinel.
The Devil and St. Beutii.
A Story for Church Sleepers, in the read
ing of which, they may Learn Something
to their Advantage.
St. Beatus (according to a Swiss legend)
was a native of Britain, a convert from
Druidism, a pupil of Bornabas, and espec
ial y commissioned by St. Peter to convert
the Helvetians and with for Christ that
most desirable land and that proud race of
man. Redundant miracles attended his
preaching. He journeyed on the lake
without a boat, buoyed up by his miracu
lous cloak, imperious to water and woven
by angels. The adventure of this holy
man with the Devil was on this wise :
Achates, the companion of Beatus, had
charge of a church of converted idolaters
on the other shore of the lake. One Eas
ter day Beatus went on in his miraculous
cloak to join in the service ; but arriving a
little late, and finding the temple full of
worshipers, he was afraid of interrupting
the sermon, and set down on one of the
farthest seats. The heat was intense, the
audience dull, and the good Saint was
scandalized at seeing all the members of
the congregation gradually fall asleep, one
after another. While he was sadly musing
on this culpable indifference, be spied
Satan under the pulpit, horns, tusks,
cla-vs, and all, his left foot on his right
knee, a crow-quill in his hand, busily
writing down on a skin the names of the
unlucky sleepers, who were thus uncon
sciously endangering the salvation of their
souls. Anxious as he was to wake them,
he feared to commit tho mortal sin of in
terrupting the sermon. The Devil kept
on wriiing, filled his register full, and had
more names yet which he had not room to
put denvn. He then tried to 6tretch the
skin on which he was writing and get more
room, pulling it with his teeth and claws,
but in his satanic zeal he pulled so hard
that he knocked his head against the pul
pit. At this mishap Beatus could not con
tain himself. He burst out laughing ; the
laugh waked up the people, and they all
had time to say Amen to the sermon. The
Devil was foiled ; and took himself off.
But Beatus lost his boat, for the magio
property of his cloak was now abstracted.
to punish him for interrupting public wor
ship. That laugh saved the people, but
it compelled the Saint to go on foot ever
a&er. He lived, say 3 the legend, to the
age of ninety."
When the sons of God came to present
themselves before the Lord, Satan, doubt
less, comes also among them now a-days,
as iu former times. In winter's rold, as
well as in summer's heat, he will find
enough to keep him busy among the dull
and sleepy hearers of the Gospel, if indeed
$ 1.50 a year, in advance.
j the dull and sleepy can be called hearers.
j We think we know of some churches
where he will be obliged to stretch his skin
considerably, in order to put down the
j names of all whom he can claim as his own.
I And it is not always that the fortunate
laugh of a St. Beatus wakes up the incon
siderate transgressors, in time to save them
from their imminent peril. Some ore so
dull that they cannot tell the text, and if
any Amen has been pronounced, they do
not know it. Perhaps they pronounce it
to themselves on their way homewards, as
a quietus to conscience, or as expressive of
their confidence in the orthodoxy and faith
fulness of the minister. What their doom
will be, we will not undertake to say.
Poor St. Beatus ! His sentence was a severe
one. It would have been hard even for a
Saint, not to hare laughed under the cir
cumstances. Yet, his laugh saved the
sleepers from the clutches of the adversary.
But had there been no sleepinf, there
would have been no laughing, and the
Devil's skin would have been useless, and
his Satanic Majesty would have saved his
head that hard knock against the pulpit !
Moral : " Keep thy foot when thou
goest to the house of God, and be more
ready to hear, than to give the sacrifrerj
fools : for they consider not that they do .
evil." MONITOR.
From the Nashville Advocate.
Rev. Phillip Bruce.
Mr. Editor: You gave us to under
stand recently, that likely a biographical
sketch of this faithful and laborious advo
cate of Methodism, in its earlier days, would
be given to the public, and I feel inclined '
to give your readers an incident in his life
that very impressively shoirs the estimate
that he placed upon prayer. I had the
incident from Rev. A. J. Crawford, a su
perannuated member of the Alabama Con
ference. He and Brother Bruce spent a
night together, during which there fell a
heavy snow.
Next morning, there being no place in
the house for private devotion, they retired
to the woods for stent prayer. When they
had got out of sight, ab hough the enow
was about knee deep, the venerable Bruce
bowed himself before God, the snow almost
covering him, and poured out his soul in
fervent fupplieutions at the throne of the
heavenly mercy. His earnest pleadings
with his Heavenly Father, with uplifted
eyes, while the morning breezes were fan
ning his hoary locks, made salutary and
lasting impressions upon the mind of lm
companion. It was truly edifying to hear
Brother Crawford relate the incident as he
I added, " That uhm the secret of his pow
j er and success as a preacher," My mind
i instantly recurred to Jesus when "ho went
! up into a mountain to pray" and also when
at Gethscmano he "fell on his face and
prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be pos
sible, let this cup pas from me : neverthe
less, not us I will, but as thou wilt.n
J. W. S.
May 4, 1859.
JIow the old North State wan done
out of her Copper mines.
Looking along the boundary, between
North Carolina and Tennessee, it will be
seen that the line, after pursuing a gene
ral southwest course for nearly the whola
way, suddenly bends directly south as it
approaches the Georgia border. Now this
line should have kept on southwest, as it
started, but tho boundary commissioners
being so near the close of their labors, re
solved, it is said, to indulge in a general
" spree," in the course of which the Caro
linians got gloriously inebriated, and their
Tenncsse confreres amused themselves by
changing the line, and cheating them out
of a small corner. It was considered a cap
ital joke at the time, on both sides, for the
land " stands on its edge," and appears to
be of that description that makes a man
oorer the more he has of it. But it baa
ately been found to be no joke, as far as
' Old Rip" is concerned, at any rate, for
this very corner has within ;t the great
copper deposit of Ducktown, which con
tains immense and inexhaustible beds of
that valuable metal.
Mining is in its infancy there, yet the
valley already pours out its ores by mil
lions, worth, and constantly increasing ev
ery year. In ten years, probably, the
market value of this mining region, will
be not less than a hundred millions. The
line was run about fifty years ago, and
North Carolina is barred by the statute of
limitation from reclamation. The "moun
tain dew " was decidedly unwholesome that
tiuie for tho good old State.
Rcceipe for Despondency.
At the close of the New England Con
ference, just before reading the appoint
ments, Bishop Ames said he was saddon
ed by the thought that the announcement
might, in some instances cause pain.
" But." he added, " if you ever find any
tendency to despondency, let me give you
s recipe Get a little nearer the cross, a
little more intimate with Jesus. And how
ever poor or good your station.be it yours,
under God. to make it better."
More religion and harder work will cer
tainly effect the cure of any curable ten
dency to krwa?M of spirits.
4
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