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I ! II II , N V O RELIGION, MORALITY, LITERATURE, AND GENERAL INTELLIGENCE. MEREDITH, EDITOR. NEWBEUN, N. C. WI5DN ES DAY, JANUARY liV, 1836. WHOLE NO. 53 . V. . , '. 7 . . . . i::.: . . . .. ................ - if. B 1' , --H : .;. ' ". 7 ' :,.-'.-, ""3 "rrr-- -r-.r: .;-'T-;::ir.:'"r'':'':'7:-r'-':r:n-. I V : : i . i -' I , ! 11 .', T K 11 M S. ,.. .''!!;! f, TCictJcAL Ilrcjmnca is published every ' v7.dned:H , at '-1. 50 per annum, if paid within ; -...jx'. t:onth, or if paid subsequently to that 1 ,v Person Avhq will become responsible for six . J; .i: . ,.;:nr,.,.,.,.,J .i i.e. :.. ..i. D'liCSi l.'f W1IU' in iuittiu nit; names ui suu- ; .-n!)':-, fc-!i:vll be 'entitle I 'u l!UT!ptlon Will ;l. ....... n i'i.I ir music, gamed admittance into the castle,? but could not obtain a sijjht of his master, to know whether he u ns there or not ; till one day he pla ced himself over against a window of the tower iu which King Richard was kept, .und began to T timid correctness ;. when ihe preacher, instead of attempting 'dominari in concoinibus,' was chiefly solicitous to I avoid ridicule,, satisfied with the negative prniso of not Jfivjna offence. : This U snrelv a very confined limit for the ambition of a .1 . : ! . ' . . . ii sing a lM-eich song which they had formerly christian minister : but Whoever would greatly composed together. When the Kins heard the sarpas? ,it,;an'd nccomnlish, to any considerable d to a scvclilh emm gratis be '"received iof less than song, ne knew tnat trie singer was iiioncieJ, and it : i : .. a : " 1 : i ' f i''i'r. uuie j'-uu mi uuviiiicc; anu liq uiseon ' I iiiu-'-' "-' will l.e .allowed uutil arrearages are paid. ',Vrsoas wishing to, discontinue will be expected ,.- ivtf luniee to that effect prior to the c'omniepce- n-'Mt (-f a new year; ot!ieryise they will be Con iulcrod as responsible io'r the ensuing twelve ':.; ut l'--5' , '.-'.. ' v' ' ' i ' ' All co'.nmu-.ii.caiions except those of agents who i 't r.Uuitoujly,- to secure attention, must be pout ku'iL .'." ;'-' ' A lew aJvertiseinents will be admitted, at I M'vont'j'-live cents, per square, for the first, and I'ihty-sjvea and a hall oeuts for each subsequent iiir-eriiun I'roai an Address by G. V.-Lucas. IU'- i- VX'TS OV MUSIC. When', in th? sixth denlurv, Anuct'iac and his "Iii-.ijiS.iri.,s went Iro n i j.ikp.'d to cjayert to-U i'l'V e: a ployed aiujic ; 3 i fay to Eii -panel, find at ristianity its lhabitants a mo-it po wer.ui ineans o ; i.l i :.ic-. T.-3'll;n'. (ipor ,;e Dana 13tirdman,an adv and Aiithml-MiisS . i' i ." . : i . i :. t!ie bin Jv -and p.raot - . . ... j'.s e jualled his el 1011 Liiu'i i on ins conversion ii, naiiieuiateiy commtn- of sacred music. His is, and tie soon became ci eX'T'.'ii.oai per uraier. rr. vuusune. speaknur says I'ite voices UoweJ in at my j in my liiart, rtiwl iheallVc-' in sweet tears of iow5 ! t,)an.n; t.ie r-e.un ol t ohst intisie the lust Chris tiao L npcror, theatres were suppressed, Churche 'rjti-wcrated to i!i j service of God, and plain Chnrch i i j,n;-o!K'rally pro.noU'd. hi ih seeoad. centu rv . J u sii ii M.irlvr praiseld v:d in divine soncr and when half of it was sung, he responded in -the other half. Biondel, then ascertained the resi dence of the King, went back to England, and related his discovery to the Kuglish Daroru:, which led to his releru-e." ' i .- : In the ninth century. - Alfred, disguised as a musician, entered the jDan.ish cajir.pand discover ed the strength of their forces. And, by the same means, 'the Danish King Anlad"' entertained Athelstan andhis lords ith his singing, made what discover-he, desired, and was honorably dismissed, liv the aid ofmask, Farinellj resto red iiilijfkWjfth, King of Spain, to the use of his teason Philip wa ' seized with1 a '"'total dejection of spirits, which made him refuse to be shaved, and rendered him incapable of attending council or transacting a flairs of state. The Queen who had. in vain tried every thing, .determined j that an experiment should be made on him. with music, of which he ws extremely fond. The celebrated singer Tarinelli, being in Madried, her Maj v.ty contrived that there should be a concei t in a room adjoining to the, Kiiiii'sitnait- inent, in which this singo'r perfornied one of his j an most ctvptjtvating sorwrs Philip appeinvd at first ( yo surprised, tnen aiiected,, f.hd at last made tne extent, the truo objects of preaching, must, after deeply meditallw h is subject, and 'Making a tol- j erably copious analysis, trust the clothing of his ideas to the toeing o! thempment. 1 would not, however, urge rvyoung preacher to attempt all this at once but rather never to read entirely to. write the whole or a good part of his sermon for a while then to trust himself gradually more to bis extemporaneous powers. ' ) With respect, to, the course of study to be pun sued, and the proper books to be read by a young man who is preparing for sacred orders. I am t ashamed to aUemj)t to give my opinion, conscious as i am ot beingo deficient myslf inthe knowl-edgt- whiclvif vot aUscluteK' ;iu:.ute. is vet highly conducive to the profitable discharge of the christian ministry. j' i ji suppose the most necessary study pf all is the acquiring of an intimat acquaintance with both Testaments in their original lanfruajres, never i j I I losing sight of the Septuagint, which is the best interpreter of the Hebrew words, as well as of the Hellenistic dialect, which pervades the tv Testament. This. 1 presume, should form part. and a considerable 'one. cfthe dailv 'study 'of a iigious also, and having no other possible mode of obtaining it. Prayer was offered up in the mosques, mid the skj? was anxiously watched. Tin immutability of thingi in the east, and the illustrations given to the writings of former times, is not the least pleasure a person expe riences in these country?." The approach of rain ii'inriicatexl here as iv Was in Syria, by the ap pearance of a small, dark, dense, circumecrib.id cloud, hauling over theEnxineor Propontis. 'A dervish stands on the top of the giant's inouutain t - may be t.ie mstrmaents of detraction. If any one M disposed to favor us xvith a history of another Hiii Us la u. ask hiiq if Uc has taken theiirst.ci, with the one of whom he speaks. If he has not i? become our duty to take the first sten with . In n li.r lol.. I.. : . .... v . ... -.,u,a,,ng. u eslioulcj imitate the ex cellent example of Mr. Pearce.of Cirminrhain. It was his rule always tr discourage c vil-spcak-ing; nor would he ulilr iu.vcrtm . L. . . c-ood a,,d,uctarycndwa'stoLc answer : ell by it. . iVo of his friends frn.n .V.., and when lie sees a cloud, he. unuounces lU aji- j being at his house together, durin"- a temrorarv proach, like Elijah from the top of Carmel. I , absence of one of them, . the other su"cstpd one ua v ciuneu 10 le day climed to the same place, and saw the ( something .o his disadvantage, jryisfi on the watch, "and 1 looked towards the i stopped the .conversation, bys ivin" '.a tnd beheld a little cloud risinr put of the sea, ; take him abide, and tell h;IM rJ' l;i like n man s nanu, ana i gat mepoun tnat the. nim e;oou. lt us derv se Mr. iJ earce. g, lie is here: vou mav do O ! I T1 t. ! t i,....I..M.. inenot. In etlect, it immediately adojl the rwsolmi:i of hiia who said I will followed, and the Turks were relieved from a se- ; take heed to my way?, that I' tin not tciii mn rious cause ofanxuty. J lhnut for 'if any ujan offend not in word, the t- . - - iefl perfect man, and able abo to bridle the ; wno:e Douy. ' EVIL-SPEAKING. Extracts from the OircularLcttetufjthc Huston j v,:"rs' iruta was uisliue.. 'v.iX of pictv ovei dowei i is use to his fdloAwChris- e,i r a e ii y r o c o .n m j ik; e q i::i::s. ' ' In iho fouith coatutvL wlier. t!id Christians were .i i . i ... i r-vTiucu oy me em rcss jiiMina,. "iney sun iwji.ns aau nyinns, taai mey iniiu not iana;uisii a. i.l pi:ie away wna a tieaious sorrow.- JJisnop 'w.l, speaking oftha religious excitement whih id spread through-. the t.eiiiiiDorr.Ti places. s.H'fr- A eaan-'C-no.w appears intong the people, whitth nothing promoU- i h'pre f.na tlis surf tag ot psalm. feuirounued by pa- TT 1 1 In A.: n iij I . . 1 i i U ? 1 lite I i 1 1 1 W Ii ! r rt 'n rt t w 411 U'IH(lly"'Jj V- 47M714 4IV 111 ) lUliai Ul V-UUltMIll IWli f"und great coailort mi sir.gia tiyinns ,sto hone b-.it tlie j5-iprcme,l?cing and his only Son."' The t calls music rvlebrated astrono-ne lles-chel, - Joa'a Milton, 'i Th rious calls'. it r.-! tier to the poet, 1 rcJcnc the Ceat, ?inger enter tn?. royar? apartment, loading him jvith compliments and skin- him how he could sufficiently reward such taltents ; as'su'ri:ig him t!hat he would refuse him nothing. Farinelli, previously instructed, only begged that his Ma jesty won lei pervnit Kis attendants to shave him cc that he would, appear in council as usual. From this tune the King's disease gave way to medi cine, and the singer had all the honor of the cure. ' - Every nation has -i'.c music in some-form or kind, i The-Siberian sins to his idol ( Jed. The Laplander s-ings as he gtMes over the snow. The Scotch pipes' 'cheer the workmen as they gather their crops. The Greenlander celebrates the return of day-with music. The; Greek bids hjs home and his friends farewell in plaintive son?r 1 Lie Icelander and iartanan have: their crude instruments and sqn?s Even the (anai- bals of New Zealand are f6ad of music, lloracc end to the temple.y " Iaimus 1 he companion of sacrifices oun.or oi me. King Alfred, Edward ;thcr Sixth, Katharine .anl!, y.j pjjny acc kjr daugliter Clucen Mary, all b .ire their testimoiiv r - i ' " . ) h the happy eiforts ofmusic. Henry the Eighth, f.81' I,nns ( a . . - Addisjii,! Platollesired that none bat temple music inisrht uses t!ie early Christiuns Christ as to God. Clemens vhilliitiagi for-1 ha Arfhbishopri:k.Jf Canterbury: ! Alexandrmusreferred the music of the vp.ee rnra lii tr I 1 1 t rr ii 1 1 1 1 n ti thii chi t' nf miT iir i J a i 11 liui um- unf ii --'' i j iu;a.- ivi, ! j-.rnr.: year.?'...' I 110 Lmneror acknowledged the pleasure h sic ana olteu suag wiliil nis c oir. the clamor of instruments. And Suidus Charles the Jilth, speakjp of the responsive singing of the ancients, e received from inu- jiBis'iopy Stillingslieet was. of opinion that the hoir. i' aboleon, not-1 earlv E'ritoivs received their sacred music at the . . . i . ; .. . . : . : VvMthst-.mdmg his warinte spirit, was often alioctdd .! time St. I'ai with soft music, l'le otahlisUed 'an academy H j Charles r the musical science in Paris in the eariy ik'rt of tile i nfr t'i i,,; Q the Karl Sir John the Lord jjo ers vee daily taught to is i itruciion of chil-Jien Jilied in most Clmstua. countries xercie- improves their! 1 r-j volution. AnJ the British Gov'enKUnl. sensi ble of the" salutitry. .intluence of thisl ifiohle art. give two' hundred and forty t&ousanJ dulLus for l'leextablivliaieat of a similar instituiiorJJ Amon-r 'c directors of this national scliosl may be seen t rv names ol the L:ike ot Maaclieter flVickingha ;i, the Hon. James ITruce I'uckwort'u-tiie Earl of Chesteilield. Mayor of liOU'Ion, Lord viscount L'emerick, -M".-t lea. Wade, the Duke! of Uichmoad and oil epiallv respectable. I I . - Jl-jtorc Moscow was bilirnt, ii contained an inkti a!) out bight tliousand child'ren ng. Academies for the J in siagimr, are now estau- i his pleasing ninds by traickeuing their s.msiuihties to a more delicate perception obmen t il rs wcH-as natural o'ojecta. The general educa tion -.of children ia.inusic, it is earnestly hoped, y. ill ere long drive' from all oar churches those i Theatrical bands w!i profane the 'temple ana . woaii 1 tlx? piJus ear) with wild, flourishes nnJ " '-qijleaks, without words of jsense to. purify the 1 jii! or cheer- the hcartj Q,ueen Ann would not ! allow those who sung in the churches to sing at j' tie theatre or. pave any thing to do with; the theatric al music. Weill would it be for' the cause ot religion if the like feijlings on this subject were more prevalent at the present day. Too many of 'ourcliurch singers atleippt to imitate stage singers. 1 hey seem not to know that the . strong passion 1 . 11 Next, Ecclesiastical History will demand his attention, which, Without neplectmg some mo dern historians, will be the best learned utofl Kusebtus; and, if he wishes to pursue the htstorv of the church beyond the fourth century, from Socrates and Soxomen. Tiie compilation of Kuscbius is invaluable, and the History of So crates very entertaining, and full of ilielancholy instruction. - . " For Jewish Antiipiities, 1 know nothing better than Deauspbre and L'Enfant's Introduction to the Prussian Testament ; though the subject is handled more fully ly Jcunings, in two volumes, octdvo. ; Of commetnalorsl -am not very confident to speak, having not conversed with them very w-delv Urolius is perhaps the most profound and-enlightened particularly on the gospels. I J is legal views of religion, however, almost al ways confounding sanctifieation and justification, requi re to be strictly guarded against. Matthew Henry, as a practical and devotional commonta- tor, exceeds all praise, and suggests most matter. for sermonizing ofany. 4-S to general theologians, 1 much prefer Howe to any whom it his been my lot to meet with. lie was at once a man of stupendous genius, ajpd of great unction ; thogh his style is harsh arkl repulsive. 1 should recommend a young'manwho is entering on the ministry to make himself intimately acquainted with our ml ivisited that Island. Nero . and j older writers, Barrow, Tillotson, Hooker, Milton, ninth.'ilike Nepoleon, were often Chillinw'orth, Pearson, &e. of whom, incom- affected by sohj music, and cultivated it With ; parisou with later writers, I should be disposed Cfrcat care. i to say, with ,very lew exceptions, ' Wpone, hav- Dut man is not the only being susceptible of ; ing tasted old wine, straightway desjireth ne w, .musical inljuence; The bagpipe has been sue-; for he saith the old is better." cessfully employed in tolling herds of stags from! Thus 1 have attempted very briefly to coin ply one place to- another; and Professor Metoxa of with your request ; and with my sincere prayers Rome, says, that. in 18:22, he saw a number of i and wishes.that ye.iv may be enabled to "approve snakes violentlv agitated b the tones of an orl! vouisclf to God a workman that needdth notto be an 1 Jiaptist Association, 1S35. by llcv: Stephen Io veil, of Cambridge. 4,Hy (.MVl-speakipg, we do not mean direct falsehood, or designed shmder, nor profane, ob scene, or unchaste ipecciies. Wc mean detrac tion or studiously lessvmng the reputation of others, by 'concealing "rr- excellencies, and magnifying their infirmities whispering or privatefy mentioning the faultl of the absent; backbiting or openly defaming" talebearing or bringing reports to persons al variance, for the ,&4u-;nAY scnoct. 'TrAcatns mat rr.oVroTE I Tin: glory" or cod. j Let not these claims upon your co operation surprise you. Vou can ro-orWa? iu promoUngthe dhine glorv. Mad you no other talent, but the power of teaching children Jo read iq Sunday-.H-hool; and no other time but the in tervals of public uorshin vou" nnv r- blessing hi your nvighlorhood. , And whatever te your talents, this would not Le unworthy ot a " part of your time. That young man's mental v; saon 1. piibf.r H'nil- i-i .'.....ir. j ...1. ,....v. ..j jaiiiiuin-u, w no sees no liurnose oi widening the breach between them : C infl r.M-iKnfr b. illn.r in -nni.Kl I.I.f..- I "K,ry abOUt hllllda V-ScllOOlS. TfUP thw r.. no. mc sun tliat rules by day nor the moon that rules by hihi' in the moral world; Lut they arc ' the stars df its firmann j I 1 V Ml.U dU.JIUl.l by Hie saine hand that planted the sanctunrv nnd . ....... 0.. . , ., , " J It is relating ofan absent I,0,nwqc cJosi-t. I liey are, too, stars that will agin in tjiieir courses,' against the Slstras of ty ranny, superstition, and infidelity. He .wh'j bringeth out the hosts of hcaum in their sea sons,1 brought cut these schools, in the season when the hiMory of the world was; tbout to btU anew, and when the institutions oAhc worldbc gtin to be remodelled. Kational liberty wanted them. The age of bibles wanted them. 'Mission ary enterprise wanted them. And they .have, greatly helped' on, all that is goo.d or promising escape Can. borne of them attempteu ito others "turned towards the instrument " ' Indeed the principles of music seem common to all nature in the order and harmony of the heavenly bodies of the four seasons the pro portions of animal structure -the agreement -of numbers and the measure of melody. No less deep tones of the rolling ocean the ma- jesiic river the waving groves, than the shrill notes of birds innumerable which so mucii touch t and quicken the fancy. Sippr and be not the last and least to the sou I, cleligi then, O than. ashamed,1' T remain, with sincere' esteem, yours most re-! spectfullv, i ItODERT. HALL. Iu jaddition to this decided testimony to the value of Matthew Henry's Exposition, we may add that the late ltichard Watson emphatically declared, s; that Matthew Ileniy's Commentary was the bestjhe knew, not only for practical god liness, but for sound criticism without the show of it." : 1 (.'presented in stage uiusi as well as in a glass of p;irtorson53 in- too cpmdnoh use, require very (iTcrent kind of style and music from that proper t'or the solemn and calm! worship of Qpd. Says ' . j.- .11. L i - 1 t auii; wiiixr usi expression in cuurcn music. enjoy this heavenly giit. IIOBERT HALL ON PREPARATORY J : STUDIES FOR THE MINISTRY. The Rev. J. Jones, M. A., ihcumbent minister of St.-Andrew's church, Liverpool, has just pub lished an English edition of Dr. Portei's Hellers on Homilelics and Preaching with an appendix, containing among. other useful matter, the follow ing letter addressed to JVIr. Jones, while a student at Cambridge, bythat distinguished preacher, the late Robert Hail. 'lliCre seems as little J rpason tor sacrificing the paetry it' the music as the music id tlrb .tfbeiry. If .'uc sciHimenis 01 me worus cannot oe entorceu aifd embellished by the music, they had better be road' Says another,) " The highest objects of ., church music cannot be attained without words and their distinct utterance' SaySjTamsur, in ,:Jii.s excellent Musical (Drrammer, 'ln drder to sing .'with good effect, let every singer read 'well, ex press every vowel, syllable, and Word clearly, and : distinctly place the accent according to the most approved method of pronunciation., The saviges ol iNootxa, on the western saores-ol-wns continent, signified their friendly disposition towards Capt. .'ookand his men; byj standing up and singing as - they approached his: ship. The GreenlanJers Mettle their difficulties! not with the cane and pis- - tol, but with music. When one is mjured he c om- ooses a satirical ballad, and challenges his ohpo-'-ucrrt to sinr. Their hearers determine which has got the .victory. , A1 liie marriage of a certain Duke, n V'rpn4i crnntlemaii was so excited by the music, that ha drew hii sword and swore he wbujd Jight some one a chahze in the music soon sooth- w cd him. By the aid of music, Biondel discover ed the prison of his beloved master, Richard the "First, which led to his release. Blordel, after . wandering through many countries in pursuit of his roaster;, came to 'a city near the j castle in which King Richard was confined, and asking his host to .Whom it belonged, was told that it was one ofthe foTtresses of the Duke of Austria. -Blonde! tUcn inquired whether there were anV prisoners in it. Which was a. question thai he al ways took some indirect method of introducing ; was told that there w-as one prisoner who had . been in it more than a year, but he knew h6t who 1 it wa?.4 Upon thir. jBlonde, by lhe aid '.of h.s. the instance before, Dear j Sir, I am happy to hear, as in that God is uiclining by his bpiritso many young students to devote themselves to the ministry from trie purest and most evangelical motives.' With sneh views and dispositions you may "be assured tot vour receiving a competent measure of that sa- cred unction that teacheth all 'things, iiut as you have condescended to ask my advice respecting the best mode of preparing yourself for the sacred work of the ministry, I can only lament my incom petence tor tho task you have assigned me. In the mean time I have no doubt you will take inigoVid part theifew suggestions which I shall present you, witjhout suspecting me of a'disposition to dic tate or dogmatize. Wjth respect to ' your first inquiry, I haverm doubt that the extemporaneous mode of preaching is the best; by which I am fal from intending the neglect of previous study, but the practice of de livering sermons with little ot no immediate use pf notes; That it possesses a superior power of keeping up attention and exciting an .iuipression, -can scarcely e doubted; and all that can be said on the other slide is, that it is unfavorable to accu- T . I 1 "'II racy, uui why shoulu sermons ne more eiano- rately exact, iti point of composition, than the speeches in parliament, or at the bar or the force and pathos naturally attendant on the extempora ry mode of speaking be excluded only fiom the in culcation of divide truth : that truth which we are Adjoined by t,he highest example and authority not to attempt to combine with excellency of speech, pr of wisdom I The matter appears to me to be this. - The o-cneial decline of piety amongst the regular clerv in the reijjn of the two Charles'' almost extinguished nulnit eloquence. And when true religion began to be held m dis esteem, nothing Tpmflinpd to li? cultivated but a scrupulous and i "From ha Presbyterian, i THE " LITTLE CLOUD." 1 Kings xvii; 41. The Rev. R. Walsh, LL. D. in his narrative of a journey from Constantinople to England, re marks, that it would have been quite impossible for a large city to have existed on the spot where Constantinople is I situated, if some artificial means had not been devised to supply the defi iiepcies of nature, , as it regards water. . The first of these means are cisterns and wells, construct ed at the bottom of houses, as reservoirs, to save the rain vyater that falls in winter ; but to a peo ple like, the Turks, to whom'watcr is a religious as well as a natural want, and who use it for ab lution as well as drinking, it was necessary to have a much more abundant supply ; and this is j found in the bends qc tanks which they have con structed in the mountains, near the shores of the Bfack Sea. These mountains are the regions of streams and showers; and wherever a small ill is found running into a valley on any ele vation, a mound is raised across the lower end. and the water, thus obstructed, is thrown back. and acc hmulated till it forms a lanre,1 deep, and ar lake. This mound is generally faced trianfru i . .- O. I - . ! ( ' .1 with indrble, covered with sculptures ot oriental device, and has a verv trrand ancl magnificent appearance. Pipes, formed of tiles, moulded in to tubes, convey the water along.thc hills ; and when a valley interposes, it is crosseu Dy an aqueduct. Some ofthe! aqueducts arc very strik ing and noble in perspective I passed the autumn of 1832 near one of the largest and most important.of these reservoirs. - The summer had been remarkaoiy ary ; ana it anneared. from atablothat I kept, tliat it had not rained from the 4th of Anril to the 2d of Novcm- - hex, with the exception of a lew passing snow ers. The water in the tanks or bends became low and muddy, and the Turks took the alarm The water engineers were sent out, and I accom nnnied them tn snm ofthe bends: they mcasur eri the quantity of water, and they found no more than sufficient to supply the city for fifteen days ! Judge of the consternation of seven hundred thousand persons suddenly deprived of an ele ment essential not only for domestiauses, but re- reproach. AH t is is evil-speaking, .and is as much a violation ofthe command, 'speak evil of no man,' . " 1 1 .- C . I - I I it's uiuriier is a vioiauon 01 mo law wnicn savs .til I 1 t V t sm 1 uou shalt not UUI.' person, something evil which he has either done I or said. All that is said may be strictly true, and yet it is evii-speuiviug.' 1 may near a man, curse and swear, or know him to get drunk and de fraud his neighbor. But if 1 tell this when he isnot present to anrwer for himself, I speak evil of him, and trample under foot the precepts of the Bible. When Christians are required to put away afl evil-speaking, it is not only, notto bring a false charge against another, but not to pro claim his faults injuriously and uncalled for: es pecially in his absence, for this is properly cal led backbiting. And if we would form a just estimate of this evil, let us notice the class in which it is placed by the apostle. 'Lest there be,' said he, 'debates, envying?, wraths, strifes, back bitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults.' Again, backbiters, and 'whisperers, are classed with 'haters of Cod, despiteful, proud, boasters, inven tors of evil things, and covenant-breakers.' j Talebearing is uearly the same thing. And rhow do the Scriptures represent that? 'Thou I shalt not o up and down as a tale bearer among thy people. 'A talebearer revealcth secrets. 'The. words of a talebearer are; as wounds.' 'Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out; so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth,' 'when he speaketh fair, believe him uot; for there are seven abominations in his heart..' When a tale is told in a s&fr, quite manner, it js called whispering particularly, when there is. an expression of good will, and a hope that things may not be quite so bad as they arc feared to be. But let it be remembered, 'the whisperer sepirateth chief friends' 'and in the multitude of words, there v . nteth not sin.' Evil-speaking constitutes the principal part of the conversation in the social circle. It gratifies our pridcto mention such faults pf olhersj as we consider ourselves to-be innocent cf. Although we c-ay flatter ourselves that it is a noble and holy indignation against sin that induces us to speak, and we may term it if we please, a zeal for God, still we deceive ourVelvcs; We arc committing sin. At best,. we are doing 1 evil that good may come. If we plead the'eom mon excuse of a good motive, that cannot alter the case. For no motive should justify us in violating a plain and known command of God, like that which says, 'speak'evil of no man.' It will not help the case to say, that the story is true; that we did not originate it, or that it is a current report; for the mere recital of it to some one who, otherwise, would remain ignorant, is certainly increasing the evil : especially if the person of whom we speak be a professor of religion. The practice is supported, either by a wrong disposition toward the injured, a wish to be always relating something new, or a mistaken v;cw ot the method 01 doing joou. The toqjzommon, but injurious practice, ot lis tening to fallowing up, and repeating, perhaps with additions, every mischiovous story, whether true or false, should neyer be countenanced by Christians. How noble in this respect, was the conduct of Peter the Great. When any one was speaking evil of another in his presence. after listening awhile, he would interrupt him by ask ing, 4 Is there not a fjiir side also, to the charac ter ofthe person of. whom you speak? Come, tell mc what good qualities you remarked about him.' '. Now. these rules are perfectly plain, and of universal application. Ihe only exceptions to them allowed by the gospel, are, f L Wrhen the laws of our country require us to become a witness ajrainst another. 2. WThen the exposure of an intended crime, of which wc may have some knowledge, will save the lives or property of those in danger, or, 3. When no personal communication can be had with the of fender ; in which caso .we may have access to him by writing, or through sonic faithful friend, authorized to act in our place. Finally, to prevent the circulation of injurious reports about a Christian brother, we must not bo suspicious, but exercise that charity, which thinkclh no evil, and bo ready always to put. the best construction on the words and actions of ey- erv one. wc must aiso reiuse to near ucuaTui- . I i i " 1 ... . . ui. lumiu uuu auroau. .Not mat thev taught chil dren the elements of wise policy," or of public spirit : Lut the men who taufrbtch'ildren and s.nv I children learn to read the bible, saw also what a nation reading the tibleshouU be, and would be. Philanthropists iearnt more than they intended to teach. Even mere politicians, although tbev knew not how it was created, found a public opin ion abroad in the country, uporj which every raor aLqucstion could fall back w ithout losing "round and rest until it was irresistible. For&why can no -real moral question be lost cow, from thera ment it is moved ? OhvirmsK- ho.,ci, jits can be appreciated at once, by alUhe friends vi euueauon. Ana they see them, not only in the abstract, but also in tbuir practical bearings upon the bible-taught community. Thus whilst there are no politics in Sunday-schools, they help migh tily to place and keep all national obiort in 'true li?ht. ; But the grand bearings of those seminaries arc upon eternity. This is not seen, however, when attention is confined to the instauccs of early pie ty, which individual schools, present to the ey These.are not few: but they are nothing to the general preparation which is made for eventual piety. There is something for the gpspcl to work upon to appear unto in all who learn to read the word of God. They can never for get all their lessons, nor lose all their early im pressions. Both prosperity and adversity will recall the memory of their teachers their class, and their convictions of duty, and thus Provi dence, as. well as Grace, will find much to turn into account. And they will turn it to good ac count. This sowing -to. the. Spirit' is itself a pledge that Providence will watch, and the Spir it waiejr, the seed of eternal life. God would never have put it into the hearts of so many sow the precious seed in the hearts ofthe young, had he not intended to produce an eventual har vest of ripe fruits, which should blets the carth and even beautify the heaven of heavens. Con secrated teachers will, therefore, see, longbeforc ukj uay 01 judgement declares it. that thev have li a : rt't mi r ,J uvuauuieu 111 tain. 1 cey wi II oiten hMr th harps of angels struck to celebrate the rcrentflnp of some jof their scholars. Their mansions cf lory will be frequently claddcned hv ih n. trarjee'-of) some spirit, to whose childhood they ujiuiairrrru uu farm, nna in whose matarilr and fellowship they shall rejoice forercr. Bo atcacher, if you can do nothinir else. Them will be a 'Sunday-school Jubilee1 in heaven, as surely as there will be a ministerial Jubilee. I But you can do more than teach children : you can learn to speak a word lpcasbri t6 the sickand the dying. Amongst them, too, a .har vest may.be reaped, . which-shali sweeten your own life, aud swell ; the songs of eternity. "Tho lingering death-beds of the poor and the wretch ed, are the last appeals which God makes to our sympathies! on behalf of their souls.' It is not by accident that they sufTer so much or so long. TIc is giving them 'spaee for repentance,' that wo may give them the knowledge of salvation. Ho forbears to cut them down at once, as cumberers of the ground, that we may dig about them, and thus see if they will bear fruit; Work, therefore. lor trod, if you wojuld not weep in time: W ork, if vou -would not ween through eternity. PAU- : . rt able reports. Our cars; as -cll as ourtongacs, the rubr I From the Boston Recorder. rorisn BOASTS. Not only the fact, but the lime of papal triumph has been settled. v itnin the last thirty rears.?" said a priest in one of the middle States, withi thirty years, the protestant heresy in the United States will come to'an end." "But do you really -calculate," he was asked, "on the conversion of New bngland within thirty years?' h, there's v he says: "Jut if weaa onl?ecurcbe f.; if '. ' 4 1. . 1 ir i"f4'- .. .: . M 1 4 . 1 , ! 4 -- T 11'.'- - 1 ! . HI- 1
The Biblical Recorder (Raleigh, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Jan. 13, 1836, edition 1
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