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- LM , . .. -J- , TB:B0RQA 0 THE, NORTH CAROLINA BAfTIBTB-DEVQTED TO BIBLE RJSLIQION, EDUCATIONt LITERAWR AND GENERAL INTELLIGENCE. Volume 88. RALEIGH, N.C., WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1803 Number 33 the Biblical Recorder. PUBLISHED J5VBRY, WEDNESDAY; , i' " OFFICE : . tl3 (op stairs) Fayetteville Street, Raleigh, N. O. Tibms or BtrBsoaiFnoir; Oat copy, one year , . . . $ 2.00 Ooseopy, six months ..... 1.00 Clubfof ten (copy extra to sender) .......... 20.00 Anonymous communications will always find their way to the waste basket. No exceptions. In sending letters of business, ft is absolutely neo- tmrj that yon give your poetofflce address in lull. "V The date on the label of your paper indicates when your subscription expires, and also serves as s receipt for your money. Obituaries, sixty words lone, are inserted free of , charge. When they exceed this length, one cent for each word moat be paid In advance. . t : , . When writing to hare your paper changed, please -"-state the postotuoe at which you receive the paper, u well as the one to which you wish it changed. - Remittances must be sent by Registered Letter, postofflce Order, Postal Note, Express or Draft, payable to the order of the Publisher. Do not send ' stamps, y y:v --v.-- ' ' Obrist in Metaphor Ko. 1. V - BT BIGHT C. MOORE. . . THE TESTATOB. "For where a testament is, there mast also of necessity be the death of the testa tor." Heb, 9: 16.,;'.. . The text is the simple recognition of a point in civil law. No will is Talid while the testator lives. It eoes into force only at his death. . r ' The -Apostle argues the precedence of ? Christianity over Judaism. The former cov- ) enant has been eclipsed by one far superior The ceremonies of the old dispensation were typical of the new. Past blessings were the prophecy of fa tare glories. The twilight of the centuries now merges into noonday bril liancy. The true Messiah comes, the divine . testator. He draws his last will and testa ment, and therein bequeathes priceless leg- ' acies to the children of men. r'- ' - Here, then, we have a striking metaphor. It presents the dying Saviour making his final covenant with men and cementing it with his blood. It unfolds the true mission of Jesus to the world. It reveals him plac ing the treasures of heaven at man's dispo sal. In bold outline it sketches the whole . plan of . redemption. Clearly we nee the heavenly testator (1) making his will. (2) r naming bis legacies, (3) describing his heirs, and (4) appointing , his executors, , Let us consider him more particularly in each of these relations. ' I. his wnx. 1. It Is bis last will A . living testator may make a hundred testaments, bat after his death only the last is binding. Christ knew his hoar was coming. He made his .will in view of his death. The covenant of the past may now be declared hull and void: those of the future are counterfeits of the basest 'type. This alone is valid and true because it is the last will of the testator. It is, hence, unalterable. Curses are pro nounced on those who dare to change it.. And it is enduring. "Heaven and earth shall pass away; bat my word shall not pass sway,' 2. It is tlgned and sealed. A will with no seal or signature is a dead letter. It has no value. It is totally useless. These are es sential to its validity. ,The covenant of re demption is not weak at .this point The hand that was pierced on the cross firmly and willingly signed this document Then Christ sealed it with his own blood and r made it secure.' 8. It Is witnessed. Angels came down to sing "on earth peace, good will toward men." A halo of glory encompassed the Messiah as the Father declared, "This is my weiovea on in wnom I am well pleased, hear ye him," Jesus said to the heirs, "Ye are my witnesses," and they went forth amid fiery trial and fierce persecution to attest his mission to earth. Conscience, guided by the Spirit, bears unmistakable testimony. Even the critical world is often brought to recog nize the true claim of Christ and the valid ity of his will. : ' - ' 4. It is published. The commission was given, "Go ye into all the world and preach m7 gospel to every creature." The heralds of the cross have gone forth. The condi tions of this covenant have been rehearsed JEhuts and hovels, in courts and kingdoms. The contents of this will have been widely I scattered. Its benefits have been extensively realized. And past achievement is the ear nest of future success, It is destined to go into every tongog, to invade every nation nnder heaven, to belt the entire globe. "For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea." ' . v'. . his legacies. s The divine testator has wealth in exhaust less abundance. He owns the fat of the land and the fruit of the sea. The rich mine, the fertile plain, and the stately forest are bis possessions. "The cattle on a thousand hills are hia.M TTa la Kin nt 1Hnn ' All thrones, sceptres,- and coronets are subject w mm. tie is the embodiment of power and might and strength." He can speak and worlds come ,into existence. All nature hearkens to his voice. '.His commands are heeded throughout the universe; . He is "Lord of all." " : ' Out of his treasury the wants of man are supplied , He said, "All things are yours." 'But he does not always bestow on .his heirs material wealth. There is something of greater value than silver and gold. There is property more secure than houses and lands. This he freely bequeathes to the race,'-''-- v:t ,- : i r -H---: I 2 1. He gave himself. It is said that the Queen of Cambra consulted the gods as to how the drought cursing her domain might be checked. The reply came, "It will be stayed, if the Queen will give herself a sac rifice for her people." 'She consented and was burled alive. Dot of the hill on which 6he was buried gushed a stream of pure wa ter, and the land was blessed and the people were saved. Thus Christ gave "his life a ransom for many." The crystal stream has gone forth and now the barren waste may blossom as the rose. Upon his sacrifice hinges our salvation. His blood appeased the wrath of Ood and effected our redemp tion.' :ri.- ', ': ;--.. v He also left us an 'example that we should follow his steps." A clean record is a price less heritage. A pure life is a guiding star. A noble example is the loftiest inspiration. The path of Jesus will lead the weary pil grim to the mansions above. The career of Christ as a compass will guide the voyager safely, into the harbor of rest The courage of the Captain of our salvation inspires with hope his nagging lines and urges them on to victory. A stainless life is before us com plete in suffering, submission, and sacrifice. wnat greater bequest has ever been made? ' 2. In giving himself, he also gave happi ness, xnere is orten misery in a palace and bliss in a dungeon. There have been times when kings were willing to barter thrones for the unmixed delights of ordinary life. Jesus brings joy. The Prince of Peace de clares, "My peace I give unto you." ' Joy and peace are named as fruits of the Spirit Paul in the midst of trial wrote "Rejoice evermore," and at the hour of midnight in the Philippian jail he sang praises to God. The martyr can be happy though his flesh crackle in the flames, he clouds of gloom may hover low, but the child of Ood delights in the clear rays of the San of Righteous ness. The floods of trouble may roll high and rage fearfully, bat the christian rejoices in security with his feet planted on the Rock of Eternal Ages. . Persecution may come with .cyclonic force, but in blissful safety the divine heir has refuge in " the covert from the tempest." The saint can rejoice in "poverty's vale or abounding in wealth." tie is content In the sunshine of prosperity and in the shadows of adversity. His sour ces of joy are abundant as he treads the path of duty. And when life's toil is over, he sinks peacefully into the embrace of death. Happy is the lot of the christian who re ceives on earth this joy supreme. ' 3. Another legacy is heaven. Each heir Is entitled to a home in the skies. "I go to prepare a place for-you." The mansions above are capacious and costly. The streets of the city are paved with gold, its walls are of jasper, and its gates of pearl. The river of life proceeds from the throne of God. There is the tree of life with its. fruit and "leaves for the healing of the nations." Heaven is enduring. It is "an inheritance incorruptible, undented, and thatfadeth not away." . No foul thief is there entertained. No fraudulent speculator finds habitation within its walls. None but true heirs are admitted to the " building of God eternal in the heavens." They are given harps, of praise, crowns of victory, and mansions of everlasting bliss. They spend eternity sur rounded by glories indescribable and joys beyond conception. And all through the endless ages they cluster around the great Testator in devout and ceaseless thanksgiv ing for the bequests of himself, happiness, and heaven so generously given to rebellious man. ' . hl his heirs. . ' ' ; A prince, hunting in the forests of Ger many years ago, found a poor blind orphan, boy, shivering, hungry, and homeless. His heart, throbbed with , tenderest sympathy. He carried the boy at once to his court, and supplied him . with every possible comfort He secured the highest medical skill, and soon the youth recovered his vision. Then he adopted the boy as his own son and gave him all his property. Tears passed, and the ragged waif , grew to be a mi ghty prince. Thus man was wandering in the wilderness of earth without spiritual . sight, home, wealth, or friends. Then Jesus with infinite compassion came "to seek and to save the lost" , In melting tenderness he spake to croDincr millions, savin?. "Onme unto me all ye that labor and are neavy laden, and I will i give , you rest' strangers receive a hearty welcome. They are adopted into the divine family and become heirs!' entitled to the treasures of the kingdom of heaven. But not all are adopted. Why t There are conditions to be met and only those who comply enter the palace of the King.. The heirs are possessed of a peculiar nature and history. -V-'-VvV-jj ':i,r''';i.,''T:X-K t 1., They are characterized by heart crush ing penitence. ,. This was enjoined by patri arch and prophet " Repent ye" was the life-long theme of Christ and his forerunner. The apostles in flood and flame tenaciously held forth the same doctrine, ' Martyrs went to the rack and the stake , in its advocacy. They grasped the great truth that penitence precedes adoption. .; : . ' entrance into heaven for the most precious ' mere is a siory wac uoa onerea a man thing on earth. . The man then secured the purest gold and flew, to the gates of pearl, but they were bolted against him. He went again, gathered the finest jewelry and most precious stones, and bore them up, but the gates were still barred. A third time he went forth on his search. Walking on the beach, he saw a little child lying under the shade of the trees asleep. A robber came up and bending over the child thought of its innocence in contrast with his own wicked and reckless life. Then he drew a deep sigh of regret for sin and a tear dropped from his eye. The searcher caught it and again flew to the celestial gates. He found them wide open and a chorus of heavenly voices rang out, "Yes, you have -brought us the most precious thing in all the. world the tear of penitence." It is shed by the children of God. It moves the heart of Jehovah, v It is a passport into the realms of bliss. v 2. Repentance goes hand in hand with faith. They are inseparably linked together. "Repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" 'Every trufy peni tent soul is a believing souL i Like repent ance, faith Is an element in the character of the heavenly heir, Abraham "believed God and it was conn-: ted unto him for righteousness." David. the Psalmist, sweetly sang, "In thee, O God, do I put my trust" Job said in accents of strongest faith, "I know that my Redeemer liveth," and "though he slay me, yet will I trust in him." Isaiah was commanded to say to wayward Israel, "He that puttethhis Jrust in me shall possess the land."- Paul declares, "The just shall live by faith," and "without faih it is impossible to please God." Then arching over the gates of the celes tial city, these words glow in full view of men, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.", In Buayan'a allegory, Ignorance knocked for admittance without the roll of faith in his bosom. As an in truder he was borne away and loiged in the cavern of woe. Only those who have faith can enter and be crowned heirs of eternal joy. ' 8. True penitence and living faith are pro ductive of energy. ' There is no Denitence without exertion and "faith without works is dead." Paul of Tarsus, penitent and be lieving, cries out, " Lord,, what wilt thou have me to do t" The command was given and obeyed, and the chief of sinners became the chief of the apostles in conflict suffer ing, success. How earnestly he toiled ! How nobly he suffered J How fiercely he fought in Immanuel's army 1 And when, be had expended all the energies of his being in the Master's cause he could say. "I have fought a good fight, I have kept the faith; there is laid up for me a crown." ? ; And so with every heir of God. They are never to cherish a spirit of idleness and in difference. There is labor to perform : "Go work to day in my vineyard.'?. There is fighting to be done : "Fight the good fight of faith." There is a race course to pursue: "So run that ye may obtain." In a world of ceaseless activity, the christian most not be inactive. ? With fiery energy he must" press on from achievement to achievement rv. his executors. The will has been made. The legacies have been named. The heirs have been de scribed. The Testator has expired on the tree. Before his death Christ in a prayer to the Father said, "All mine are thine," and he promised the. heirs a Comforter, declar ing "He will guide you into all truth." The executors, then, are the Father and the Holy Spirit Notice, . ' l 1. They are qualified tor the position.' They have infinite knowledge and skill. They thoroughly understand all the wishes of the Testator. , All the circumstances of the legatees are known to them. They will keep all - the treasures in absolute safety. "Jno man is able to pines them out of my Father's hand. 2. They are faithful. They are interested in the heirs., They will carry out the , will In every particular. No loss shall be sus tained. -The envious may present their groundless claims, but divine wealth goes only to the rightful heirs. A jealous Father guards the interests of his children with un swerving fidelity. , Christ stands before us, the divine Testa tor.1 Are you one of .his heirs I " Rejoice and be exceeding glad." Toil earnestly in his vineyard.' Fight valiantly in his army. Die, if need be, in the advocacy of his cause. ' Are you without a title to the privileges of the kingdom of heaven t Then, I invite you in his name to become a member of his family and an heir of his wealth ; Delay no longer.1 Your eternal interests are at stake. He will receive you. No one has ever been turned away ? "Him that cometh to me will in no wise cast out" 1 " , ' : , Preparation to Meet the Lord.- "' '' ' V ' ! ' 1 BY REV. : 3,'; B.' ' JONES. ' ' ' ' ' , Therefore, be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man oometh ilatt 2Stt 44...:.,.:.!..,:vj, j;th'r.t':'j?. .;!-,sj-: -ri'l: i -1: Here we have an exhortation, and the reason why it should be heeded. The ex hortation isr Be ye also ready." 5 The rea son why it should be heeded : "For In such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh.".-;f .tv i:l ,-':fi'-ti0.'Z-;. tr.vfi'i'-h ;( !; If you or I were looking for a very distin guished guest and did not know at what hour he would cdme, we would spare no pains to keep everything in readiness for his coming. The Lord is coming.! No doctrine ' the Bible is more clearly taught He is coming finally to judge the world, to gather his people together and receive them up into glory, and to cast Jhe wicked into everlast ing perdition, r, But, prastically : to us, his coming will be at our death. If we shall be found ready, there will be no event in our lives up to that time fraught with e uch hap-. piness as his coming will be to us. . On the other hand, if we are not ready; especially so far as faith and repentance are concerned, there can be no event in our lives up to that time that will compare to the dread and ter ror that will lay hold upon us." Death to the impenitent is the. beginning of that death "whose pangs outlast the- fleeting years." To them it is the transition point from their state here to one of indescribable woe and misery. 1 Let us notice I. What we mast do to be ready. . -There are four things to be done; and if death comes and finds us with any one of these undone, we shall not be fully ready for it First of all we must repent of our sins, and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour. Whatever else we may do, without repentance and faith the Lord will not accept us. "Repent ye, therefore, and 49 -i CPU yerted, that ypur ; sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing 'shall eome from the presence of the Lord." " Bat without faith it is impossible to please .him; for he that cometh to God most believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." . " Go ye into all the world and preach the 'gospel to every crea ture. He that believeth and is , baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned." On the day of Pentecost when the convicted people cried, "What shall we do r Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift 'of the Holy Ghost." ; '' .". r i From these and other like passages we see that the first thing to be done in order to be ready for the coming , of the Lord is to re pent and believe. . , Repentance is heartfelt sorrow on account of sin, and turning away from it in mind and heart, being followed by conversion. that is, change in the life or conduct The things Paul loved as an impenitent sinner against Jesus,' he hated after repentance; and the zeal with which he served the Lord Jesus whom he persecuted before his repen tance, was conversion. To "quit your meanness and do good " is not repentance, but conversion, and may be the fruit of gen uine, evangelical repentance, and it may not be. Unless it is such, there i no readiness in it for the coming of the Lord.;; Faith is belief in the truthfulness of God's word, and trust in the Saviour presented to us in that word. - It commits the soul to the keeping of the love and power of Jesns, 'feeling that he will dp for us all that he has promised. Have you repented,-and are. you trusting Jesus t If so, in the most important partic-i ular, you are ready. But this, while the most important, is only the beginning of the christian life, and the work of preparation for the ccming of the Lord. In all respects; the christian life must be worthy of emula tion, and the more worthy it is the more ready will the christian be to meet the Lord. This leads me to say r . 2. That to be , ready we must constantly strive after holiness of life, and be ever ac tive in christian work;-v?v:':v'f k-'&'l Peter exhorts us "to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord;" and that means to increase in piety -spirituality, and in favor with God, to let the image of the Saviour be more and mqre clearly seen in us, and to be constantly learning more and more or mm. ; raui exnorts us to grow up into Christ in all things. The newly re generated are regarded in the Scriptures as "babes in Christ" They ought to grow. They need to grow, and must be found growing when the Lord comes if they would be ready to meet him. This growth is kept up oy usmg-tne means of grace we nave, such as prayer, church privileges, the BibleH and religious conversation. To neglect these means to cease to grow, and to become cold and worldly minded. And ' worldly mindedness is the dry rot that is eating out the life of and destroying the power of many christians and churches. The more nearly we are like Christ when he comes the more we shall enjoy his coming. Again, we must be found active in christian work. I think we would feel sadly unready if ; the Lord were to come and find us doing nothing for him, and that we had done nothing, or but very little. A young man lay dying. Sud denly a look of sadness crossed his face. To the query of a friend he exclaimed, " No, I am not afraid;, Jesus saves me now. , Bat oh, must I go and empty handed!" Ah, brother, are you going to meet Jesus empty handed t Will you have no sheaves to lav at his feetf An aged servant of the Lord, and one of the best men I ever knew, said in conversation with a friend just a day or two before he died. "If I knew the judg ment would come this evening I woold not change my coarse." How many of us can say mat i , rue Lord says to you and to me, "Occupy till I come." Be busy in the nse of the powersprivileges and opportunities that he has given us. .To be active in the protracted meeting and on Sunday, and idle the balance of the time, will not do. . The Lord may not come to us In the protracted meeting, nor on Sunday. Religion is an every day, an all the-time, business. If we wish to be ready, let us keep busy at work for the Lord, r We notice , 8. That to be.ready we must be square with the world. ' ' And that means to have all accounts with those with whom we have had dealings set tied, or provision made for their settlement. There is a deplorable indifference on the part of many, and even of some church members, about paying debts, and most es pecially when the debts have become old. I They seefn to forget that old claims are as oinaing as new ones, and are blind to the force of the Bible injunction, ' Owe ho man anything, but to love him." &c, and go right along as if there were no danger of bringing theit character under suspicion by such indifference, and forfeiting the confi dence of their fellowmen. No one with debts upon him unprovided for is fully ready to meet death. If adverse circumstances. over which he has nd control, render it im- possible for him to pay them, or to have Srovision made for their payment, he can ie with a clear conscience, but be will not have a quiet, undisturbed frame of mind; for while he may have the satisfaction, of knowing that he has done his best, there will be the thought, and at that time a most unpleasant thought it will be to' him, that somebody will lose by him. Another thought there will be to trouble him, and that is, to have to go down to the grave with his char acter rundersnspicion.-; Whiler in his case -the suspicion would be without foundation and unjust, yet it would exist It arises in this way. If a person can, and will not pay bis debts, he is dishonest We all know that Now, whether the man's failure to fay his debts Je the result of extravagant, iving, - bad management neglect misfor tune, or sheet dishonesty, there will be some who will suspect his character. This thought, to any one who wishes to leave be hind him a reputation for strict integrity, a name that would be a blessing to his family and an inspiration to uprightness of life, would be as bitterness in the soul. ? And if this is true of one, who, on account of mis fortune, fails to pay his debts, what do you think, my brother, will be your experience in your last days if your failure is on ac count of extravagant living, or mere indif ference f You will be sadlyunready. The thing for os to do, then, is to try to keep out of debt, and when it becomes necessary, as it sometimes does, to go in debt, to use every possible effort, exercising the most rigid economy, and even self-denial, to get out as quickly; as possible. Taking great risks in speculations, in the hope of reali zing large profits, is not wise, when disap pointment would result in direct loss to others. ; Let us all endeavor to bo live that when we come to die there will be no claims against ns that cannot be satisfied, s '; 4. Another thing we must do to be ready is to get our business matters in such shape ' that their settlement will not bring trouble and discord into our families. " Set your house in order, for thou shalt sorely die." Many family estrangements have been caused by the settlement of es tates left in a conf used condition. ; I have no doubt bat that many have been rendered uncomfortable in their last hours by the thought that the division, of their property would, most likely cause serious trouble in their families. Every one knows what dis position he wants made of his property after he is dead; and he owes it to himself and to his family to have such disposition put in writing, and in terms so plain as to preclude the possibility of misconstruction, i This We must do to be fully ready to meet the Lord in death. 'V;-Vv -;? ,1 , ''U i 5. The reason the Saviour gives why we should be ready at all times is, that we do not know when he is coming, r . ; "Be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man cometh." We do not know what night the thief will ' come, and therefore we lock up our goods every night While the rich man was re joicing over his bountiful harvest, and think ing of the royal good time he was going to have for many years, the Lord said to him, "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be re quired of thee.". At the very moment when Belshazzar was reveling and drinking him self drunk at the great feast he had given, Uyrus, at the head or a great army, was marching into the city, and almost before Belshazzar knew it, the city was taken, and he in the hands of his conqueror.. Ab, friends, while making your plans for pleas ure or wealth, do not forget the all impor tant matter of being ready for death; for it may be nearer than you think. A young lady Went to her room one night much con cerned about her soul's condition. She sat down at her table and wrote . " One year from to-night I will try to become a chris tian, And then, as it appears, she thought that was too long to put it off, and wrote nnder the first lines: "Six months from to night I will try to become a christian." But it seems that she was afraid to wait that long, and wrote Again: "One month from to-night I will, try to become a christian." So short a time as a month seemed to satisfy her, and she retired. The next raornlr-; she did not come down to breakfast. A servant was sent to her room to see . ! t was the matter, and found her cold in cL " . Death was so near, and yet she thor- ' t ii was surely a month off. The only 7 1 be sure of being ready to meet the L ; ; to be ready all the time. Soma v. I : fore us is death. We know net 1 ' f it is. Beyond it is 1od, lor.' c'. , how we shall spend it depcii J s or not we are Teady wLcn C How Important, then, to tx you ready, my friend, ere y " ready without delay. I' ' f you. " Pray for the gui ' : ;
The Biblical Recorder (Raleigh, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Feb. 15, 1893, edition 1
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