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For the Recorder.
The Church. So. 2
Inmj last, I endeavored, to show, and as I
Aink, conclusively, that in the organization . of
&e cLurch at Jerusalem, none -but godly men
md women were received into fellowship ; that
$ere were neither Infants, unconverted persons,
lor mere " seekers," admitted. We trace the
lisforj of that church, as contained in the " Acts
the Apostles," and we find 1 the same order
observed ; the same law of membership strictly
idlicre J to. Not a passage can be found that
Tesany support to infant baptism, any encour
igement to an unconverted membership, or mem
term the church, that they may bt converted,
Tb inspired narrative is brief, but coraprehen
are. Thus, in the 19th verse of the 3d chapter,
urcad that Peter, after setting forth Christ
tracified as " the way,4be Truth, and the Life,"
tints exhorted the multitude : Repent ye there
fore, "tnd be converted, that your , sins may be
blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall
come from the presence of the Lord." And
fan it is added in the 4th verse of the 4 th chap
ter;!' Many of them which htatd the word,
kStrftjand the number of the men was about
ire thousand." Here, as before, the apostle
Inched " repentance toward God," and faith
tie name of Christ, and of those who heard,
msj believed, " and the multitude of them that
Kiievea were oi one neart jinu, or one soui."
(t:32.)
The 7 church was now f ally established in
in the . Holy City." The instructions of the
church's Great Head had been obeyed ; the
"are word of prophecy" was fulfilled. " Re
pataace arid remission of sins" had been preach
ed in Christ's natue, ( beginning at Jerusalem."
lesus had been set forth as the only way of sal
ration in that city whero .. by wicked hands"
fee Lad been put to "death ; ' and - many of that
guilty nation by whom he was crucified, and, it
nay be, soma of those who had cried " crucify
Mm, crucify him," had . renounced their unbe
lief, repented of their sins, and been graciously
pardoned through the merits of his blood and
righteousness upon a profession of their faith in
Urn, being baptized into" fellowship ' with his
tharcb. But this gracious work had ' only be-
pa. it wasthence to extend to au nations."
God therefore permitted " a ? great persecution
against the church which was at Jerusalem."
Though many believed, yet many more disbe-
EeTed. i -Those who disbelieved were of the chief
priests andscribes and Pharisees, rulers . among
Be Jews, who had before accomplished the death
of Jesus, and now were determined, if possible,
to destroy his followers. But, as In the first in
stance they were the unconscious instruments in
oe hands of God accomplishing ' bis gracious
Nfftioae . an in the second, thev did only' what
Uod had " before determined," prepared- tne
nj for the fulfilment of what had long before
been snokeri bv his holy prophets. -Though by
persecution, they scattered the church j yet it was
uy to extend its influence, to wiaen us spnere
tfpower. to diffuse the leaven of truth through
"at a larger mass. Hence we read Acts 8. 4,
iat hir that vhere scattered abroad went
ttcrv where nreachinff the iVirord.? ,, We read
also, that- they were all scatterea am-oaa
houtthe regions of Judea and camaria,
Scent the apostles!"1 " And as they went " eve-
7 where preaching the word," the effect of their
ereion was, the seeds oi - trutn . were sown
ironffhonttha Jewish world, br the mouths of
Pa thousand Dreachers of the gospel : for it ap
Fars that in these days oi primitive simplicity,
i thtf Lord's people were prophets, au tes-
d of Jesus and the resurrectiorur,rLe nave
H record of what thev did. nor of the i fruit of
r larjors: eicerji :.m one jusbauuu. jxuivuz.
se who were scattered abroad, was Philip one
'the seven deacons, of whose appointment and
uiatioir we read in the 6th chapter; ox : Acts.
e " went down into the city of' Samaria,- and
ttkt& Christ unto iAimgr&cts 8 i6$. And
they ieiietftf Philip preaching the things
cernbge kingdom .of God, and the name
Jesos Christ, they tccrejbaptized.both menand
ttt."V, (verse 12.) 5 And ia.the 6th verse wel
tititft tTA thinnrs which -Philio sbake.?
J1 was formed1 the second1 church" of f Jesua
Jrist, 6f which ire have" anrecord ,t " And here
ame simple, significant, beautiful order, was
Svedas at rst. Phillip first "preached
Jistunto the people; they gave heed" to
! he said ; they believed, and ipheH they be
ed they were baptized both vien and -wo-
Is there anv thins of infant baptism here r
! .?efe- infants baptized, entirely-precluded
? qualifvin? clause, 41 botht men nd tto-
They were men and women too- that
fheard and beliexedzaA whin they believed,
were baptized.'1 Here ' again,5 unconverted
fons anit' Vdbrrre excluded; ? The same
;:as observe4iu the baptism of the Ethio
V etmuch, an accounts of which x we v havet in
"Iter 8 : 3540! ' Philip u preached unto
? Jesus "Bittin with him: in: his ' chariot. '
j -3 Philip was thus preaching, " they came to
c-ua water i and the. eunuch: ?a;th, see," here
h.r, what doth hinder me to he, baptized 1
7fcihp itid, If thoti letievest Vilh all thm
i lWOAL RECORDER
V ye8VV ".im eunuch then . pro-
Gl n H V saChthe Son of
J
dcsirtst to belwve, thou mayest," or " if thou
MKtreiy anxtout to Delieve, thou mayest ?"
Doubtless hq had no yet discovered ; that thb
was the method lest adapted to h umaa nature.
i niosi mvumg ta intelligent wnrfs, the meth
od the least offensive to human pride! ' This
was Jeft for the prosrrcssive SDlit,, of a future
develove.. Oh.
A J ' ti ii avvvi i?auawa
man cease to be wiser than his teachers : cease
to tamper with the institutions of God, and by
his vaunted improvements,- rob ; the gospel plan
of salvation of ita simplicitv. its sniriitualitv: and
ue uqxv ennrett ot Unnst was pathrftd at
Cesarea, and was composed of those, who. were
' fn off i - r? :l L '' .1 r , .i .
.-?. p.vrcm,uea,, wiujxiLxoe ora , cauea
as no did the oburches at Jerusalem tmd Sanft
ria, by the preaching of the gospel " in the ' de
mon8tration of the Spirit and of .power." Peter
had been instructed in a vision to go to the housd
of Cornelius, a Roman centurion, who had also
been instructed of God to send messengers to
accompany him there. When he was eome, he
preached unto Cornelius and all that assembled
with him as he did to the Jews at Jerusalem,
"testifying that it was Jesus which was ordain.
cd of God to be the Judge, of quick. ; and dead.'?
auu wiai, - io mm give an tne prophets witness,
that through his name whosoever believtthinhim
shall receive remission of sins." And whilo
he " yet spake, the Holy Ghost fell on all them
which heard the word." And they" spake with
tongues, ana magnified Uod." Upon this Pe
ter said, can any man forbid water, that these
should not be baptized, which have received the
Holy Ghost as well as we ? And he comman
ded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord
Acts JO : 42 48. Mark the order of this
transaction. Peter preached Christ to Come
uus auu au iu at were m nis noose, ana upon as
i: i -ii .1 - . i i .
many as hear a the word, the Holy Ghost fell,
so that they magnified God with other tonnies:
upon which reter being satisfied that God had
received them through faith in the name of Jesus,
commanded them to be baptized in his name.
It is by some contended, however, that V as the
whole household were baptized, and that as there
are usually infants in a household, that there I
must have been mfants here. But here, again, I
infants are. precluded by the qualifying terms. !
As many only as heard the word received the j
Holy' Ghost, and only those who received the
Holy Ghost, as was evinced in p their speaking
with tongues, were baptized. As it ' is absurd.
therefore, to suppose that infants heard the word
or received the Holy Ghost,' so thai they spake
with tongues and magnified (io l, so is it certain
that no infant was baptized.
. ; 1 remarked above that wo have no reeord of
the. labors of those wlio were scattered abroad
by the persecution at Jerusalem, except those of
Philip at Samaria. In this I was mistaken. In
Acts 11 : 19 21, we read : " No)r they which
were scattered abroad upon the persecution that
arose about Stephen, travelled as far as Phenice,
and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching to none
but unto the Jews only. And some of them
were? men of Cyprus and-Cyrene, which when
they "were come to Antioch, spake unto the Gre
cians, preaching the Lord J esus. - And the hand
of the Lord was with them ; and a great num
ber believed and turned unto, the Lord." And
in the 26th verse it is added : ' And the dis
ciples were called' Christians first at Antioch."
This was the fourth, apostolic church. It was
with this church that Barnabas and Paul labored
a whole year,"' and u taught much - people ;
and it was by this church that these faithful men
of God were ordained and sent forth as missiona
ries to preach Christ in regions where he was riot
yet known. Here we perceive that this church
was composed of the same elements as were
those at Jerusalem, Samaria, and Cesarea. It
was gathered also in the same way, or by simi
lar instrumentality. .All heard," "believed,"
and . turned to the Lord." .. Infants and uncon
verted persons were of course not of thp number.
-This church was situated -in Antioch. of Syria.
Paul and Barnabas, as missionaries visited an
other city of the same riame Antioch in Pisi
dia." Their stay here was short, though their
success was considerable. They preached,' as
in' other -places "Jesus andHhe resurrection. And
" when the Gentiles heard, they were glad, and
glorified the word of the Lord : and as many as
were ordained to eternal life, believed. I And the
word of the Lord was published ; throughout all
the resrion." liBut the Jews : beins filled with
envy " raised , persecution; i against Paul and
Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.
We do not learn , here that they constituted a
church at this place, but in chapter 14 : 2 123,
we read that after visiting several, other places,
they returned to " Lystm, jlcoriiumi and Anli
ocA," wherd they ordained . elders,, in etery
churchy Autioch m:Pisidia is certainly meant
here, for immediately after they went to iC Anti
och front whence they- bad been ".recommended
to the grace of God for the work which they
fulfilled." v," , t'
t So that the church at Antioch in Pisidia ; was
the fifth apostolic ehurch and was fornfed upon
the same model and composed or tne . Bame ele
ments, was those previously mentioned. The
anostles nreached Jiesus, ' the people " heard,"
' glorified the word of the' Lord' and believed ;
and of course as they were formed into a church,
they were baptized in the name of Jesus,
In my next, I will further examine the argu
ment assumed to bo in favor of infant bapUsm,
founded on the baptism -of households, -as also
that founded on the covenant of circumcision. ; :
- IVUmvngton, Aug. 21, 1852: o ....A. J.,
- f $ - - ,' S - r ' li ' v :i . T T i x
I believe nothing, for i half a century, Aas
done such deep and deadly injury to. Romanism,
as fhis!tria!, and I feel aurA that ur Legate
Cullen, the English ; Cardinal Wiseman, would
P1V6 ail It - Has cusw iucui, nuu lust u uu irme,
a thousand times ;ioiu, vuiu ma .eminence, uau
been mesriierized when he wrote ;the' article
which had done itl all, arid that Newman had
been buried in .his academio education studies
when he bodied forth that article so as to make
it fitted to be dealt with by ai Britishf judgevand
jury: The fact is, Britain and the world have
got, by means of this trial, a picture of Italian
popery, traced by' Popish priests, and .witnesses
of their, own training; jsrhera the system is in
full Wntr. ' nnfthfteVed bv : opposition, and with
all its favoring influences, such as, had it been
given in a romance, would ham VwW d,nnn.
as'too revolting foV reality ; aud. which wfll do
Priesthood, dissipate
charm of convents and the confessional than
countless tomes of controversy.2V. Yt ObiP'
. rom the Watchman and Reflector.,
" DlTersIty of Ministerial Gifts."
" ST below the report'furnishedusby acorres-
ndent of RlV. Dr. NealA'fl ormnn Kfnra tl Maw
ppi
York Baptist Education Sodety, at its last anniver-
wy w mammon: . . . . , . -
' And he gave some, apostles and some prophets ;
and some, evangelists ; and some, ua&lora and leach.
ers j for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of.
the ministry,. for the edifying of the body of Christ."
Eph. 4i 11,12..
After speaking of the diversity of instrumen
tality whjoh God employs in the natural .world,
in the-formation of national haracter. . in the
work of human reemptiorilr-and tivimr several
illustrations of this diversity in the ministry,
how that one was more successful as a pastor,
another asa preacher, one more efficient with
the pen,, another with his tongue. One bad in
ventive power, another that of more effective
public speaking. Mr. N. proceeded to show
the wisdom of God in this arrangement.
, ,1. A diversity of gifts was demanded by the
diversity of minds on which-the gospel was to
exert its influence. The peculiarities of indi
vidual character remained in conviction aud con
version, and all the changes wrought by Divine
grace. One Was struck suddenly to the earth
like Saul of Tarsus, another converted by a gen
tler process. No two experiences weroalike.
Some are led to Christ amid the thunderiugs and
lightnings of Mount Sinai, and so terrible is the
sight that like Moses they exceedingly fear aud
quake, while another beholding as in a glass the
glory of the Lamb, is changed into the saute im
age from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the
Lord. The piety of some was nourished by
forms and ceremonies, and " heavenly tones,"
while others wanted only the sound doctriue, the
strong in2at. 2. A diversity of ministerial gifts
was demanded by the variety in the Book which
the ministry was to explain and enforce. There
is a great variety of style in the Bible, and a
corresponding diversity in those chosen to preach
the word . Different men are led to different
portions. A minister is known by his texts.
One is at home among. the Prophets, another
revels in the Psalms and the enchanting senti
ments of SC John the T)ivine. One will bring
out the marrow of the gospel' from the driest
part of Leviticus and Chronielcs even, and it is
no weak evidence that Solomon's
Song
is a
le-
gitimato portion of the sacred Canon, that there
are men who seem specially raised up of God
for its exposition. r 1 -
4. A diversity of gifts in the ministry is de
manded by the multifarious work to which they
are called. Not only are theological chairs-fill
ed by clergymen, but the presidents and profes
sors of our colleges and literary institutions, the
conductors of our religious journals, the secre
taries and agents of our benevolent societies, are,
most of them, ministers of the gospel. And
though we sometimes wish it were otherwise, yet
what would become of laese interests if minis
ters Were to stand aloof? God has obviously
imposed these burdens on the clerical profession,
and as obviously fitted their neck to tha yoke.
Iri no respect is the wisdom of Heaven more
instructively manifest, than in adapting men to
the stations they are designed to occupy. Pro
phets and apostles had a special work to do, and
were prepared accordingly; There was wanted
a messenger to precede the Messiah, the voice
of one cryingin the wilderness, saying, prepare
ye the way of the Lord, ' make straight in the
desert an highway for Our God. John the Bap
tist, rigid in his morals, on whoso features were
all thi roughness and hardihood of his own de
sert, possessing a fea.iess independence of mind,
a masculine strength and .energy of thought,
stern, awful, and majestic, was just the man
for the occasion. ; Sin had become encased in
too strong a fortress to be disturbed by ; the gen
tle tan of the gloved hand, there was wanted the
bold, arid well told stroke of the brazen knocker
that chmild make the buildinz tremble to its
foundation; and send consternation and dismay
through all its apartments. -
John the ' beloved disciple, was ' fitted to a
widely different mission; Tender; affectionate,
confidinz. be was better qualified to preach to
Christians,-than to the unconvetted ; to feed the
church, rather ; than make violent assaults upon
the synagogue of Satan. I be church was pas
sing through a fieryK ordeal, heresies were rife,
the wolf and the lion were prowling around the
fold, arid the hearts of many were fainting and
failing them ; for fear. The 'beloved disciple,
called when the dew of his youth was fresh upon
hirri: 'the chosen companion and confident of
Christ, who had drank in the spirit of his Mas
ter, and leaned upon the Saviours bosom, who
had seen him alive after bis passion, and in his
ascension to heaven j having'now through a long
life, lingered in memory around these early and
hallowed scenes, and ; drank from them fresh
hope and joy, as from a fountain, of living wa
ters, full of age and experience, he seemed spe
cially anriointed like his Lord,' to speak good
tidings to' the ' meek, to bind up the broken
heart, and to comfort all that mourn. ; ' '
As the good shepherd tends his fleecy care, '
v Seeks freshest Pasture and the parest air,
Explores the i lost, the wandering sheep directs
By day oversees them and by night protects, , ,
.-i The tender lambs he gathers in his arms
- Feeds from his' hands Or in his boson warms,' " .
So did the church his guardian care engage, -
- Mellowed by love, by. piety, and age.'! ; :
Other ministers appointed by the - Lord; were
distingubhe 1 by a rimilar diversity- of talent.
Paul was doctrinal, while James dwelt more ex
clusively on praetical duties. -Barnabas .was the
very man to work well in - a revival. r Appollos
was cast m ft uiudreai muum. u i ui j pyuuu
theologianAudverf Jilwly made but few pasto
ral yisits, nt he was an wtractlve speaker, fas
cinatirig in his address,; and 'thus mightily con--viriced
the Jews that Jesus was the Christ: V" '
Mr: N. illustrated' his subject' further by re
ference to Luther, and Melaucthon, Fuller and
n and Pierce of the English Baptist mis
sion, and closed with the following practical re
marks': -
1.1 In our systems bf education, reference should
be had to this actual "and required diversity of
gifts. The idea of requiring aU to go through
the same routine, was' impracticable and unne,
cessary. The Catholic church encouraged every
variety of gift, from tho Cardinal, to the bare-
. . r : " " -
ent . forth under the seal and sanction of eccle
siastical authorities and with the benedictions of
his Holiness. While in the Enzlish church none
were allowed, to take orders unless graduated at
the university, ,
Whatever we may think of the motive which
influences the papal policy, there can be no
doubt' of its" being founded on a farscein? wis
dom and a comprehensive knowledge of man
kind. If a man can preach let him preacK
If he casts out devils in the name of the Lord,
in the ame of tho Lord let him do it. . K
' 2, ThU subject shows the folly of the expec
tation, ometinea cherished bj ; the churches,
who think their own minister, must possess all
possible qualifications, while God has seen fit to
uistriDute inemj in various proportions among
diarent men. . n
3. "Pfo.m ibis subject may be seen' the wis
Worn of tharjnjunctioni Know thyself. Ev
ery aav has bis forte. There is something
whieh 'the humble son of Jesse can do better
than any man in Israel. He may not manage
the heavy ordinance of war, but give him his
own way, and he will meet Goliath ot Gath. Let
him take his sling and stone; and he is mightier
than if clad in the massive panoply of Saul. Let
u l cu tuitu iu we juuiu s UitUlt. UUU 11(3 .Call
stana up who resistless power Dtitoro "all Israel
and the sun." ..V
4. There was one clement of power without
which all others would be unavailing, viz. , a
ueart aeepiy penetraie i wnn tne truin as it is
in Josus." Here was the great fountain of thought
and the inspiration of the sublimest eloquence.
The blind preacher of Virginia, Chalmers and
Hall, were adduced ab specimens.
Mr. N. concluded with an affectionate refer
ence to the men who had labored to furnish to
the churches: such a ministry. Staughton and
Chaplin, and Chase, men who had made every
earthly sacrifice to aid young men in obtaining
an education, and ye$ enforced in theory and
practice, tho need of "an unction from the Holy
On3."' Such, also, were the revered founders of
y ur own institution. All honor to the memory
ot KendriCK and Hiscail. hey lived as upon
"the mount of vision," and from this school of
the prophets ascended ta heaven as in the chari
ot of Elijah. Their mantles we trust, will rest
upon their successors, who in entering upon
their labors will be ever animated with the same
spirit. A position of no ordinary interest is oc
cupied by the t acuity and guardians of this uni
versity. Her past history while it imposes
present weighty responsibility, famishes, at the
same time, an inspiring hope for the future.
Your Alumni distinguished for their literary and
theological attainments,' now scattered over the
wide West and on the distant shores of India,
and every where known for their untiring, Christ-
like devotion to the -sacred work, have already
earned for voh a name that will . live i forever
With every passing-year of your existence there
will be an increasing interest in the spot around
which are thronging so many hallowed memories
Be assured, brethren, the churches. never wil
forget or forsake an institution, which has acted
so prominent and noble a part iri perfecting the
saints, the work of the ministry, and the edifying
of the- body of Christ. Thousands of gratefu
hearts on earth and in heaven, are now blessing
you for your fidelity, the faithful pastor -thinks
of you amid his toils, and the missionary as he
lays himself down to die far away from his fath
er's sepulchre, and what is better than all, the
great Head of the church will smile upon you,
and follow, you with his choicest, benedictions
until that more blessed occasion, when patron
and beneficiary, tho teacher and the pupil, th
sower and reaper, shall rejoice together.
Wine Drinking.
We invite the attention of all, but especially
those who think it " safe to drink wine," to the
following facts, the testimony of professor Good
rick, of Yale College. It is a part of his speech
before the late Stata Temperance Convention o
Connecticut- ' "
Thousands of young men in our country are
destroying themselves, for time -and eternity,
deluded and deceived, by those who oubt to
know better, like the young man here stated.-
We rejoice that the community are waking up,
respecting the awful desolations caused , by the
use of fermented drinks, and trust they will not
go to sleep again until the U93 of alcohol, as a
beverage, in any form or name, is fully believed
to be a " mocker," and forever discarded.
' Had I been called three years ago to express
my views of the subject, they would probably
have been" different from those I entertain at
present. I am now astonished that I did not
take higher grounds. But changes have since
taken place, of immense importance. The in
quiry has shown that the causes of intemperance
are situated further back than is generally sup
posed. had, a widow's son committed to my
particular care. J He was heir to a great estate.
He went through the different stages of his edu
cation, anclj finally left Yale College with a good
moral character, and bright in prospects. But
during the course of his education ber had heard
the sentiment advanced, which I then supposed
correct, that the use of wine was not1 only ad
missible, but a real auxiliary to the temperance
cause. Alter ne nan jeis tne coiiege, ior iew
years he continued to be respectful to aae At
length ho became reserved, and the next A heard
was, he rushed one night , unceremoniously into
my room, and his appearance told, the , dreadful
secret. He said he came to talk with me. , He
had been told during his senior year, that it was
safe to drink wine, and by that idea he had been
mined, a asaeu uuu u uia muuicr ucn tuis.
He said no, he had carefully concealed the se
cret from her.-1 asked him if. he was auen a
slave that he t could not abandon the habit f--
Talk riot to me of slavery, said bo, X anu ruined,
and before I go to bed J shall quarrel 'with the
barkeeper of the Tontine, for brandy or gin t)
sate my burning thirst, In one month this young
man was m his. grave.., U.went to my neart.
Wine is the cause of ruin to a great proportion
of the young men in our country. : Another cou-
SlCieraUUU to, kUO UU1U V WUIIfimj Mtu
hospitality are now directed to the use of wine
Once it was the use of distillod liquor. Toddy,
and sling, and bitters were the fashion.
. Another fact Breweries are increasing, mil
lions of capital, much of it changed from other
uset--have been employ ed in this business. ' You
have put out the fires of the distillery , and light
ed the fires of the breweries, r But drunkenness
from beer,' as seen in England, is as bad as drun
kenness from any thing else.
footed Friar. - Men and women, even, were
,Ybu give rip your wiue and I mtl give up
my rum,' says, the. drain drinker. Once - Mr.
G. said, he would not yield to this -now he
thinks he ought, for the sake of checking intem
perance. -He would notspeak for others but
or him it would be a sin to do otherwise." "
: - . A Dull Meeting. .
"A very dull meeting to night," said Mr.
Scely, as he came in from the prayer meeting,
and sat down and prepared to resume certain
speculations respecting the-propriety of extend-
iog a certain urauca oi uis ousmeES s peculations
a 1 -e l; i r - i .
wmcu naa Deen interrupted an nour Detore. bv
the not .very acceptable information that the
a i w-- -M
hour for meeting had arrived, and the subse
quent prediction that he would be late, a predic-
tion vennea py ao event" a very uuii meet
ing," repeated he as though his earnest repeti
tion of the fact would alter for better or worse
if - the minister docs not 'make "the' meetings
ore interesting, there wiH be few who will take
the trouble to attend them, , ; '"
At that moment, Mr oanford came in. lie
was a resular attendant at the prayer, meetinz.
but was detained that evening by attending up
on a man wbo bad met with an accident which
threatened to deprive him of a limb.
VV na tho mootinff vail nttonnoil thin Avamnr
said he.
" No ; it was a yery dull meeting."
"What made it dull?"
" There was nothing to make it interesting.-
Those wbo were there had nothing to say, and
the prayers that were made were as cold as
. a t
stones." a . .
" Why didn't you say something ?"
M.l never speak in meeting."
"Why not?"
. 1 have no gift."
Do you mean to say that you have no
gift
for speaking in public r;
" Yes." ; ; :- : -"A" ';"v
' The people did not think so when you ad
dressed the railway meeting."
. " That is quite a different matter."
" It was certainly.j There the interest of the
township was concerned to the extent of a few
thousand dollars.. You made a speech that pro
duced a very beneficial effect. You influenced
your fellow citizens to pursue a course which
has been very favorable to their interests. Now
1 see no difficulty in your addressing riicn On the
subject of their eternal interests. Have you
any right to complain that a meeting was dull,
and in part because nothing was said, when you
probably bad the best gifts for speaking of any
one present, except the minister ?" r
" You know I am not in the habit of speaking
in meetings." .. .
. "1 know you are not. , The question is, wheth
er the habit you have formed in this respect b a
correct .one.? fes:'.uv":' ?;' -j' "''U'i; J-
u Nothing is more unpleasant or less adapted
to edification,Jthan for a man to speak, when, he
has. nothing to say. We sometimes heir a good
brother preface bis remarks by informing us he
has nothing to say, a piece of information which
the sequel proves to have been quite unnecessary.'-
--rr ...-iE :
u If you mean to excuse yourself from speak
ing, by affirming that you have nothing to say,
I affirm that yon ought to have something s to
say. You have habits of reflection, and power
of expression ; you have, I trust, experienced
the renovating influences of the Holy Spirit.
Surely a redeemed sinner can find something to
say for his Saviour. If your heart was deeply
interested in the things of the kingdom, as deep
ly as it ought to be, you would find you had a
gift for speaking in meeting." "
" 1 shall not be likely to be thus interested, if
our meetings are as dull as they have been late
ly." . .,-,-, . . ' .:;
no responsibility in the matter that you-were
to remain passive nd to be acted upon, f sup
pose you are quite as much , responsible for the
dullness of the meetings as any one . else. I
doubt not we should see a change, if. you would
prepare yourself mentally and morally for the
meeting if you would repair to your closet and
implore the spirit of prayer before you go, and
arrange some thoughts for the edification of those
who may be present. ! am tar trom thinking
that the sole responsibility of rendering the meet
ings interesting depends upon you. AU ought
to prepare for the meetings. And when this is
faithfully done, when Christians take pains to
get their hearts warm before they come, then
will the flame of love kindle, and the light will
shine, and in the light of it, sinners, may be gui
dad to the cross." . . ' ; .. s ' '
41 You would have us get that before-hand
which wo goto meeting to get." t , . ''
uNo, 1 would have the requisite preparation
for availing ourselves of the means of grace. -
We" are, moreover! to have reference to doing
good as well as getting good.. In truth, greater
regard should be paid to the former than to the
latter. - The more we try to promote growth of
grace among others, the more we shall grow in
grace ourselves. The more good we do, the
more good wo get. f Now j my brother, let me en
treat you to make diligent preparation for the
next meeting. Go to it with thepurpose of do
ing your best to make it useful to others, and I
am certain re shall not have a dull meeting. "
N. X- Observer., . . .V t . ':
From the Watchman anct Reflector. " ?
r j Don't bt afraid, Father is : Hereof 'tfi.
t - Two little 1 brothers,'; On f a certain occasion,
were: with their father iri the field when the
older hearing a rustling near, became alarmed.
The younger lad, . with perfect composure, im
mediately exclaimed,L" Brother,, don't be afraid,
father is here.?... .... ...j, . . :
Father is here. Yes, Christian friend, your
Heavenly ; Father is, ynth you. u -yy hy thea fear?
He has made to yon and to your beloved Zion
great arid precious roriiiseal.! Fear not, thou
worm, Jacob', I will help thee, saith the Lord.V
When thou passeth through the waters I will
bo with thee,' arid through the rivert they shall
not overflow thee j when thou walkest through
the fire thou shalt not be burned ; neither shall
the flame kindle upon ; thee.1 ' Are. not these
promises,- enough ? . Then Uke this one : A11
things orork together for pood to them that love
God,n and add to it Ms i What I do; thon
knowestnot now, but thou shalt know . hereaf
ter;" and to this add also the promise, that Jer
sua Christ shall have 'the heath en 'forhis inher
itanee. and the uttermost parts of the earth for
his possession.' Hath he said,' and will he not
doit ? Remember that God reigneth, even
your, rawer in oeaven. tjrive;tnen ail yonrv
fears and sorrows and troubles to the winds, on-,
ly be sure to " keep your heart m "the love; "of
God,'1, and to m faithful in the performance of
every duty, ; Your God will triumph over all
his enemies gloriously.; H e will keeptyou from
being harmed.during the conflict, and will even
tually make yon o;ne of that holy choir who will
celebrate the conquest in an everlasting song of
praise. s . - -
Recallable Examples of Eiile Beadkg.
Many of the anecdotes compressed within tho
following paragraph, it b easy to verify ; and ev
ery jreader will acknowledge the value of the les
son which they are intended to teach. Remark
able as some of them are. not one approaches
what is related arid earnestly believed "i in the
CastI of a famous Mohammedan, namely, that
during his confinement in the prison of Bagdad, ,
where ; be -died, he -jread-avcxJLauK.oran seven
thousand times S 7" - - . - s -
That we may see -says Dr. Plumcr what,
can be done in becoming acquainted with the BU
bie, Jet us look at a few facts. : Usebius tells us
of one who had his eyes burnt out in the Dio
cletian persecution," and who repeated in a pub
lic assembly the very words of Scripture with
as much accuracy aaif he had been reading them.
Jerome says of ' Nepolian, that ; by reading and
meditation he had made his : soul ' a library of
Christ.- Theodosius the .younger, was so famil
iar with the. word of God, that he , made.it a
subject of conversation with the old bishops as
if he had been- one of them., Augustine says
it.i -A. ; :u .
uia aider uia cuuversioa ue ceaseu. ia reiisu even
Cicero, his former favorite author, and that tho
Scriptures were his pure delight. Tertnllian
spent a largo portion of his time in reading
the Scriptures, and committed large portions of
them to memory. In - his youth, Beza learned
all Paul's Epistles in Greek so thoroughly, that,
when he was eighty years old,' he could repeat
them in that language.- Cranmer is said to hays
been able to repeat the. New Testament front
memory. Luther was one of the most; indefati
gable students of the Biblo that the world has
ever seen. Ridley said, " The walls and trees
of my orchard, could they speak, would bear
witness that there I learned by heart almost all
the Epistles ; of which study, although in time a
greater part was lost, yet the sweet savor thereof,
I trust I shajl carry with me to heaven:" r Sir,
John Hartop, a man of - many earns 1 made the
book of God so .much his study, that it lay -be
fore him night and day. A Jr rench nobleman
used to reatl three chapters of the Bible -every
day on his bended knees, with his head nneov
ered. Joshua Barnes is said to have read s
small pocket Bible a hundred and twenty times
over. .- Roger. Cotton read the Bible through
twelve times a year. William Romairie studied
nothing but the Bible for the last thirty or forty
years of his life.' : John Boyse, tone of the trans
la tors of our Bible, had read all the Scriptures
before he was five years old his mother read
them through twelve times. ' I have read of more
than one, of whom it was said, that if the Bible
hail Kann ltof tit A vlinla mirrVif Itava Kaan MMr.
ercu trom vneir memories. . in suort, was tuero
J f iL.! i T l 1 it -
ever an eminent Christian who was not remarka
ble for his study of Scripture as he had opporta-
nityr ua. Uhronicle,
. Many examples of the evil results of Protestant
patents sending their children to schools taught
by Romanists have already been published. The
last number of the Louisviilo Christian Ad vocats
furnishes the following additional one : Chris-
ISot very tar trom this city,' there lives aq op
m m ...... . . ..
ulent and distinguished Protestant family, cele
u . ,1 i:t r :. u i j : i.v.
The parents of this family, under the influence
of the strange delusion which so commonly pre-:
vails, that Roman Catholic schools are the most
learned and safer institutions among ns for the
since, their lovely young daughter to the Nuns
and Priests of a neighboring seminary; for: her
mental training. Believing that the pledge of
the Principals of the school would be kept, that
her religious sentiments ! and feelings should riot
bti tamnered with, thev rested in tha f&l.ui tuteni
lity that all was right with their beloved child.'
A few weeks ago, sha returned home from" the
seminary, sick unto death. " The ' family physi
cian,' who had been called in, announced to the
a. - - . - - m
distressed rather and mother th it Their child
must die. Then came the test of Roman Cath
olic fidelity iri the keeping of Protestant pledges'.
The venerable minister of the family was pro
posed to the young lady as a spiritual comforfc-sr"
in her last hours, but, to tbeat&axement of the
family, the dying girl peremptorily refosed his
visitation, and demanded that a Roman Catho
lic Priest should be sent for. ' She said ' she
would receive the consolations of religion only
from him, declaring, at the same : time, that aU
-1 1 :j it- n.iL.i; 1
cuo ucbiucs me vai4juuca were ucrcura, auu ncrw
consigned to ; perdition. Where did you hear
that .'" said the father. " I was tatghtit at tho
school,'!1 murmured the poor girl. The father
on nis lips as me conviction OI toe iruiu nasueu
across his mind, but it was too late ' now, the
deed was done, and could not be remedied. Un
der the circuriistarices, they were compelled to
yield to the wishes of their daughter," and thus a
ivoman uatnoiio rnwi was iBiruuueeu wwj ia9
chamber of a dying Protestant girl, who, proba
bly, was as well acquainted with the experimen
tal religion of the Bible and the kingdom of hea
ven, as the horse he rode was ' with tho paths of
Effypt and the kingdom of the Pharaohs. : Prot-'
estants, what think you of patronizing Caiholio
schools? , ' ; Iri yrff?ty.ui&
- Isaiah's Satire ca Kslatrj. . V ; :
A few years ago. a young African addressed
Mr. Johnson, a .missionary,' in : language lika -
this t ? ' .-
uMassa, them words yon talk last night sfrik.
very much. When yon preach you read the 15th
and the iota verses ci the 44tn cnapter, ci isaiaq, -and
explain them, yon shew oe how our country
people stand.' Me say, Ah T who UYL mass all
this ? 1 He never been in my country. rYou say,
Do not your country people live in that fasTjiou.
I gay yes, - that true ; God knows all things be "
put them things iri the Bible J Massa,! to sura
that the Bible is God's word, foreman cannif put
the things -ju mere, oecause ne no sea. it. xz 1 aat
time I live with a man that make greegreo. Ho
take me in the bush, and teach ma to make grec-