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n i i n: r r nrf! ! PUBLISHED WEEKLY UY A COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS FOR THE NORTH CAROLINA CONFERENCE, M. E. CHURCH, SOUTH. RUFUS T. HEFLIN, Editor. VOL. 1,..-iW J. RALEIGH. FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, mo. si 50 A YEAR IN ADVANCE. ; :r iilfl mummm in, U t i r ij From fin Kn?li-h Publication. TUE FIRM BANK. Written of. a timt v:!i'::i public rrt'lit km xh'ir l. i-.it l,y (if. failure of setrrnl Lank. I Jjave fi riev'r-f;iiltr; .:i-.r, A more than Men -ir, : No earthly bank ik half ko rirli I low can J then he j.or? 'Tis when my ttock i-f s-pcnt and gone, And I without a jrront, I'm rhtd to hasten to my Lank, And i: a little not',-. .S-njethne iriv banker, Midline, Hay " Why don't you oi'tcricr coinc, An 1 when vmj drs-w a little uot.:, tV'i.y Ti'i', n larger hum ? Vt'Ly live ho niggardly a;il rfor T'iV i;;'tik i-ontain-; a j.Jcriry? Wiiy com" and take a oi,- f.i;unl note, When you may have a twenty! Yea., t wenty thousand ten time toM, Ii but a trifling Hum, To what your Father h;i lai l ip Secure in God, his Son." Since then my banker in so rich, I have no cause to borrow ; I'll live upon my cash to-day, And draw ajrain to-morrow. I've been a thousand 'ime before, And never was rejected ! Sometimes my banker ov..s me more Than ask'd for or expected. Sometimes I've felt a little proud, I've managed things so clover: But ah ! before the day was gone, . I've fcii a-; poor as ever. Sometimes with blushes on my face, Just at the door 1 .stand ; I .know if Moses kep me back, I surely rnut be (iamn'd. 1 know my bank will never break, No, it can never hiil, The firm, Three l'cr.ioiis in one God, Jehovah, Lord of all. Should all the banks of Dritain break The bank of England sma-h. Bring in your notes to ion's bank, You'll surely have your cash. And if you have but one small note, Fear imt to bring it in : Come boldly to this hank of grace, The banker is within. All forged notes will lie refused, Man-merits are rejected; There's not a single note will pass, That God has not accepted. 'Tis only those, beloved of God, .Redeemed by precious blood, That ever had a note to bring: Tlicsp are the gift of God. Thou' thousand ransomed souls may say, They have no rotes at all, Because they feel the plague of sin, So ruiu'd by the fall : This bank, is full of precious notes, All sign'd, and seal'd, and free, Though many doubting souls may say, " But there's not one for me." Base unbelief will lead the child To say what is not true : I tell the soul who feels self-lost, These notes belong to you. The leper had a little note " Lord, if thou wilt thou canst ;" The banker cash'd tiiis little note And heal'd the sickly man. We read of one young man indeed, Whose riches did abound, But in the banker's book (if grace This man was never found. But see the wretched dying thiet Hang by the banker's side ; lie cried, ' Dear Lord, remember me," And got his cash, and died. Cnntnutnirntimt For the X. C. Cb.istiau Advocate. Information from an Old Eecord; OR, MKTIIODISM IN WASHINGTON, N. C. Unfortunately, the j-oung society having been blessed with such a prosperous work, was destined to a spe edy and unexpected declension. In the most elevated places, the most important and arbitrary trusts, and under circumstances well calculated 'to stagger the most incredulous, the evi dence "of rottenness and instability was discovered. Prayerful men and women awoke from their pleasant dreams, to find all, or nearly all their faithful labor " the baseless fabric of a vision." Instead of a mere lukewarmuess creeping in among the body of the membership, downright apos tacy is found to have mastered some of the leading characters of the church. A class leaderaud exhorter, the names of whom it is not important to the purpose of this history to irive, backslided and were cast off. It is not stated that they were invol untarily overcome by the power of tempt ation, ensnared and spoiled without the chance of making a shift for their safety, but that of their'own unfaithfulness they became aliens and cast aways. What an emphatic lesson to those who have the .keeping of " the household of faith." The record itself, in committing their csises to the charity of mankind, leaves them with sentiments of sorrow, but, at the same time, of indignation and surprise. Heaven steady the soul that stumbleth. . -IWwhlv no more satisfactory account .11 v., tb.i Miisfis which suner- COU1U UC "iivu induced this leanness, than may be found in that custom, but too frequently encour aged among Methodists the promotion, to fill posts of difficulty and distinction, Ox men sli-htly commendable for piety and humility! Let the interests of religion be entrusted to stout hearts and faithful, let the confidence of the people of God be reposed in that quarter where hveth and is ever green the spirit of aeep, abiding grace, and the pillars of the ch urch will never crumble. AY e know not that these two individuals bad nothing to recommend them hut family influence or worldly af fluence. We do not even know that they Lad families or the easy po-dtion which wealth confers; the record neither criveth thorn kindred or riches. They may have deserted the society from priociple, carry ing the seeds of a Gospel piety with them. They may have maintained their Christian integrity entire, only preferring to cast their lots with another people. We only deal with them relatively, and declare tlist j their untimely separation made a gap in the results of the preceding revival, dan gerous and exceedingly difficult to fill. The spirits of our wandering brothers have been before their Judge for lo these many year, and we exclaim, Peace to their ashe.s. They inflicted a blow which cut to the core of the society ; but God pardoneth ins. At this critical juncture, nothing but nerves of steel, enlarged and liberal un derstandings, and the interposition of Pro- vi'tenee, evil of i' u!d ward off the impending r .latioii. Providence did j iiiterpu.-e.. raised up in defence of i Xiori'? palaces a couple of men in whose j undoubted qualifications every throb of j anxiety or fear might be put to rest. : iialph Potts, or as be is more familiarly j called in the record, Father Potts, and ! Thomas Kobasoa, both came to Washing-j tor- about the period of this declension j most probable the year following the first j revival, or in 1702. They were both j Englishmen Potts, being a merchant of j high standing and incorruptible business j habits, was induced to come hither after, pushing l is fortune, for a certain length , of time, in Portsmouth, Ya., while J'ob-.i-! son, a sail-maker by trade, arrived direct I from England. To become acquainted j was, with these two men of God, the ini-j tiatory step to a bosom friendship. Ilav- j ing found between them a common plat-! form of opinion and practice, they straight- j way mutually bonded themselves for the success of Methodistic religion, and not having failed to see th'e imminent danger threatening the little flock with which they had resolved to unite themselves, ; thev gladly placed their own shoulders be- j neath the falling ruins, and the wreck was ! stayed. Very little is said of Thomas j Kobason, outside or his connection with this mishap to the society, and then we are confined to the mere inference that he was made a fresh but strong spoke in the wheel of which such sad havoc was hap pening, lie was a member of the Wes leyan Connection in England, and upon his arrival here and connecting himself with the Society, soon won the enviable distinction of being possessed of " deep piety and considered in every way a Meth odist." But what shall we say of Ralph Potts, the man of all others who merits the affectionate remembrance of the pious and good the man who was a pattern in his day and generation, that could not be improved upon the man whose untiring exertions and ceaseless charitie for reli gion made him the glory of the society of his adoption. The children of the Meth odist Sabbath School it Washington should be taught that their grandfathers and grand mothers worshipped God side by side with this man, Ralph Potts. The middle-aged and the aged should seek after the mantle which he dropped by the Jordan of his ascension, and pause not until they have a double portion of his spirit. Upon his joining the society, the troubled waters seemed to go to rest, as if oil had been cast upon them, such was the speaking power which, dwelt in the Christian excel lence of his inner life. We do not pre tend to offer apologies for any peculiarities or defects which the wise and learned of Ralph Potts' day may have discovered in him, but we do say that the Methodist Church in Washington owes the very sap of its existence, at this day, to his faith, to his liberality, to his (call it sectarian, if you please,) unparalleled devotion to its interests. In 170S was erected the meeting-house at which the first demonstration of public worship was made. Ralph Potts, unaid ed, purchased a SDot of srrouud for this purpose, and untied his purse-strings for the full liquidation of the debt accumu lated by this purchase as well as the erec tion of the building. Having seen the completion of his generous plan, he con veyed the whole, by deed of gift, to the legal authority of the Methodist Episcopal Church. We do not remember to have ,see tL. wiuint of incipient religious enterprise, though many on the sunny side K 5aTV bcU 5" within the last quarter of a centuay. It was not, we suppose, the product of great architectural taste, as we have frequently heard it spoken of in derision by those who had more of fancy than goodness in their composition. It was quite small, but large enough fur our fathers to praise God in. In style it was entirely unlike any public or private building of this day, and in its construction economy was evi dently cousolted, as well as an adaptation to a kind of mechanical taste long since passed away. Indeed, it could not be ex pected that an enterprise dependent upon the financial sufficiency of one man alone, at a period when, for this remote section, a comfortable log-cabin made a respectable home and public buildiugs were regarded as a matter of but small moment, should be perfected with an eye either to style or richness of appearance. We suspect, more over, that Iialph Potts beheld rather too much poverty or straitened living among the members of the society to justify an application to them for assistance. A fair share of worldly prosperity had been en joved by some at an earlier day, but whether this still remained is doubtful, or whether the membership of these persons continued is unknown. The record deal eth but little in particulars. The portion of ground upon whijh the old church stood is still to be seen, in nearly the very heart of the town. For its extent, I do not believe there is a spot of earth that awakens sadder ox more sol emn memories. It is emphatically a place of graves. So many are the dead that sleep here, that the very question of title to the property has been swallowed up in the multiplicity of head-stones. Scarcely any one that you meet but can claim a sor rowful interest in it. Grey hairs and flax- en curls, vigorous and weakened limbs, , the Finoullering fires cf reQ-"rse are re strorsg heart and timid hearts, black eyes ' kin 'k-d, and the dreii sentence of con arid blue i.i a word, the whole poetry of , demnatioa is thundered upon the soul, life has come hither and vanished. A 4. A fourth attribute of conscience which young man in his prime, of joIi!Led mind wc saal notice, is iVi prophetic power. and noble heart, a true and tm-ty friend, , jfcr ;s ja every mini, co-existing with has a gruve here also; he died early, but ' ,1 emotions of approval and disapproval I had known Lir, lonr. Truly, a few feet w;tv, a en.e &f gttjt or a feeling of moral of ground may become sacred, for the old r,;?titude, an apprehension f jt the future ;. Methodi.-t church-yard has been hallowed ; a 4 0f ti;iVOf vague feeling, hardly ex and set part. j plaining itself, jet manif?st!y existing," of Huc-h valuable additions having been consequences in the fatnea, of infinite made to the membership of the society, ! eht and eternal duration, resulting from and such a comfortable place for worship j having been secured, we are naturally led to infer that it enjoyed, at this time, a most fluttering degree of prosperity. Most probably the gxjd God, in His wis dom, liad seen fit to lop oil' the decayed branches from the parent tree, that ills spirit might have free course, as the very juice that nourished its life, through the parts sound and unaffected ; probably that He might purge His people from the fel lowship of dead works, so to speak, that the purest love fur Ilim might abound. At any rate, the society enjoyed, at this stage, as large an amount of success uz had been realized at any previous period. We do not speak, certainly, in respect to a consideration of numbers, inasmuch as it must have reaped, numerically, quite an increase since quitting the point of its organization ; but in respect to those fea tures in spiritual character which, with a o'criuine Christian association, go to make up the most admirable spiritual condition . . love, love to (lod, and the most surprising concurrence 01 temporal coiuioris. 1 nere was only one thing wanting, says our re cord " a little more of the fostering care of the Conference, a little more respect on the part of the preachers." We do not pretend to endorse this statement, cither in the similitude of a fact or an opinion ; much less would we be reckless enough to attach to it a historical importance. We consider it a mere murmur, and, as such, entitled to no weight. We think it very scjenoc checks us," "Our conscience ac probable that the interests of the society ; qujt3 US; Qur conscience condemns us," received that deliberation from the preach-1 we must 0Dey our conscience," " that it ers, that annual provision for its necessi-: ;3 yT0V for a man to go against his con- ties, which its rank merited and the abii - ity of the Conference was equal to. At least, the facts and figures of the society in Washington, at that period, justify this conclusion. e have no possible teelmg j suca language an admission that this per in the matter ; we only speak by inspira-! sonaj influence is an authoritatiue influence, tiou of history. j tjat lSL3 an unquestionable right to com- From 1793 to 105 there were some al- j m&nd, and we are under clear, unquestion terations in the membership, by removals, at.le and imperative obligations to obey, deaths, &c, and a few names were added i This notion of a personal being, apart from to society; nothing of note, however, took place, worthy of special mention. In the meantime, the society preserved a noble consistency, having an eye to a blameless walk and godly conversation. The world beheld in its., operations a beautiful tran script of the religion or the Lord Jesus as well as a faultless practice of that which the world calls rclitrion honesty, liberal ity, and a high moral mind, and was sat isfied. G. Washington, X. C. For tbc N. C. Christian Advocate. The Office of Conscience. 1. Conscience is a perceptive faculty. " Conscience," says Ileid, " is the faculty by which we distinguish right from wrong, in regard to conduct, desires, or affections; by which we approve of what is deemed right and disapprove of what is deemed wrong." " Man," says Dewar, "is en dowed with the capacity of perceiving cer tain actions, as right or wrong, as beauti ful or the contrary, and as conferring merit or demerit on the agent." "It is as im possible," says the same writer, "for us not to approve of virtue as such, and to abhor vice as such, as it is for us not to perceive ttiat twice two are tour. All mon nn.r,;,To n miol r,ii .!;t,T tn nntov.1. IUV.il UV.lV.HU fc LllJlAL UUUUl'V 111 ULUUUS. 1 . 1 . ' ana approve or disapprove or tnem,a3 they 1 T P . 1 ve 01 theirj,a3 they appear right or wrong, virtuous or vicious. 2. Growing necessarily out of this ap proval of some actions as right, and disap proval of others as wrong, is an impulse of obligation to do what we approve as right, and a felt prohibition to check or with hold us from the practice of that which we disapprove as wrong. We feel con scious cf an inward impulse, impelling us to the practice of what is judged to be light, and prohibiting us from coing what is regarded as wrong. We find the expe rience of all men, whether savage or civil ized, universally testifying to the existence of an inward impulse a something that comniands men to do right and prohibits men from doing wronsr. The third office of conscience we shall notice, is that of recording upon the tablet of memory the actions of life, as they transpire in our m moral history. j the authoritative ! W nen, in obedience to commands of conscience, we always do what we regard to be right, every adieu is recorded, and yea.s after we can look back along the pathway of past history with a feeling of conscious approbation of our conduct. So, when we live in the violation of the prohibitions of conscience and act regardless of her warning voice, every act is put upon the record. And though years may pass away, and with them all thought of the many crimes we have corn m it ted, the record is not lost : for how frequently does an awakened cod-j science cause us to take a fearful retrospect of past life, blackened, as it is, by trans- gression and sin. A word, a thought, a look, an object, may kindle a train of thought that will bring all our sins in re view before the mind's eye. Sins long for gotten are evoked from the oblivion of the past, with all their circumstances of gravation and guilt, as so many hell-spec tree, to haunt us through life. We may have thought that the past, with all its J J- r 3 VI I 1 J 1 deeds of crime and blood, had been cov ere4 with a pall of impenetrable darkness, but all unlooked-for there flashes a light upon the whole pathway of sin that shows to the mind's eye every action of crime in life-like distinctness. There is poured npon cur past history a light th?t causes the soul to sicken over the magnitr.de and enormity of past sins, and grow pale with fear in an ticipation of the punishment that awaits if. The slumbering conscience is awakened. our conduct in this life. And when we look at conscience, unaided by the light of divine revelatioD, this pointing as with the finger of prophecy to the future is one of the most mysterious and inexplicable of its actions. But when revelation pours its unclouded light upon the darkness that appears naturally to envelope this subject, and we learnfrom its sacred pages that though probationers . time we. are candi- dates for eternity, the mystery disappears. We can see that the prophetic voice of conscience is the speaking out of the im mortal and undying spirit, though impris oned within the mortal and perishing; the lifting up of the instincts of our nature towards immortality arid eternal life ; hope spreading her eagle pinions for a heaven ward flight, and straining her eagle eye to catch the light of eternity. When we consider the prophetic power of con-cience, in connection with the revealed facts of judgment, heaven and hell, we see at once that the facts of revelation precisely an- 1 h.ier lL) me lusuueis ui uui 11101.11 uaiuic. j There are many things in the phenomena 1 0f natural conscience that most strikingly correspond with the doctrines of the Bible, aoa show a most remarkable analogy and j harmony between the principles of natural j anu revealed religion. It is said1 by an ; aoie wrjter upon this subject, " that we ' aricribo to this faculty personal cower, as if it were the influence upon us of an in dividual who is not ourselves." " We say, our conscience commands us, ' " Our con- : science' And what is this but to admit that this influence is a personal agency, separate and distinct from the individual upon which it i3 operating. And is not j atl(j ahove man, is more clearly displaved in the recording acts of conscience. For the fact that the words, thoughts and ac tions of man as a responsible subject of moral government, which are perfectly known only to hifiOi:ds".ent Jud.jro, are fall called up from the 'oblivion of the past j by the magic wand of this recording spirit, conclusively shows that it is endowed with omnipresence and omniscience, ihe pro phetic conscience, in pointing to a future judgment in its premonitions of future rewards and punishments in its anticipa tion of eternal life and endless death in its connecting the actions of time with the decisions and awards of eternity, undoubt edly displays a knowledge of the future in its relations to the present and the past, which belongs only to God. This view of conscience is in perfect harmony with the teaching of the sacred Scriptures in rela tion to the influence of the infinite and eternal Spirit. God is our Creator we are his creatures; God is our Father we are his children ; God is our sovereign we are his subjects; and should not the very idea of government and parental in struction involved in our relationship to God lead us to expect from Ilim a con stant diviue influents, powerful, to com niand cnwi'n and Sfinrtifv us ns his chil- .. . , . . . j , , , mi . n 1 " 1 I ren ana subjects, ltiis mnuence, ruicn the facts of natural religion would lead U3 to expect, and which the workings or con science partially reveal, is clearly taught in the Word of God. We are taught in the Bible that each moral and accountable sub ject of God's government is attended, from bifth to death, by the influence of the "third person in the Trinity," "the Holy Ghost"; "that He is God, of one sub stance with the Father" ; " that he proceeds from the Father and the Son, and is the giver of light and life." And this spirit, we are taught, "was sent to convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of a judgment to come." Thus it is seen that the workings of man's moral nature are in perfect harmony with the teachings of the Bible; and we discover the fundamental doctrine of divine influence in every com mand and nrohibit'ron, in every "voice and impulse of. the natural conscience. This ieadj us to the consideration of another question of vital importance to this sub ject. It is tins: " Is not onr conscience the Holy Spirit ?" That this question is of vital importance, will appear evident npon the supposition that it is answered in the affirmative. For if our conscience is the spirit of God, then it is our sole judge; then man has in himself the only rule ; " then he needs no knowledge, ' learning or education. All he is under obligation to do, is to follow the dictates of hi3 con- i science, and he must infallibly go right. These conclusions would naturally follow, were it true that conscience is the Holy Spirit, Nor is it impossible, or eve'n im- probable, that men should regard conscience in this light ; for it is a fact which cannot be successfully contradicted, that men do regard conscience as infallible, and make it the standard by hich they measure their conduct. It becomes neeessary, in giving an answer to this question, to dis tinguish between conscience, the natural (faculty within us, and the voice of the I 1 T.-.1 t. Illintf irifliin K Pnmr.i.'.r.oo 12 tha noiy Ghost within us. Conscience is the eye of our moral nature, by which we see the light, and the Holy Ghost is the divine light shiniDg upon the censcience. Con science is the ear with which we listen to the voice from heaven ; the Holy Ghost the heavenly voice audible to us through this faculty of our nature. Conscience is the moral sense by which ws feel the di vine influence ; the Holy Spirit is the di vine influence which we feel. So fa;, then, t as conscience Is a natural faculty, so fur it i subject to the irapDrfections c-'mm v-n to other natural faculties. For the light may ; be as the sua shinin z in mid day pplendcr, and yet the eye which is blinded by nature j or accident cannot see it. The voice may j be that of many waters or heaven's dread 1 artillery, and the ear that is deaf will not j bear it. The iDnaenee may be that cf the . rerafter j arvie the . divine spirit, and the conscience that is. he deceive! ; I. am mt 'seared will tot feed if. The faculty in as ' all I say are but the joy which we see the divine Hzbt, and hear conscientious view of j the divine voice, and feel the divine in- flnence, is distinct from the Holy Spirit, : ; which shines upon us. speaks to us, and j draws and melts and humbles us. But I notwithstanding the two are distinct, in 1 the investigation of this subiect it is ne- i c-essary to consider both the natural faculty "and the divine energy and influence to ,eveTJ rank an(i cdor. Lave combine 1 siog- which it answers." There are several in-; ing with their devotions. The Old TesU Iferenees from this subiect. of the m-t in- 'meat saints celebrated their deliverance i teresting character. The formation of the jeye proves that it W3S created for ndi ! adapted to the light; the construction of s j the ear proves that it was created with a I I view to the exigence of sound. Si, the ! 'nature of conscience shows that it was : formed with a direct view to divine in-? : flnence. Thus we have a conclusive argu-: ; ment for the doctrine of divine influence, tamci in the song, it is a bigti and hoiy las taught in the Bibie. We have soon, in 'employment; and when perf. rined in the I the discussion of this subject, that the j l? spirit, it is acceptable divin.j wr.r.4iip. ; prophetic conscience pointed directly to a s To the truly pious, nothing is more rrfin ! future state of rewards and punishments, ; ing t0 the mind, more pleasing to the ear, 1 from which we draw an argument f.r the or more congenial to the soul, than one of ; immortnlity cf the soul, the geheral judg- j tbc sweet " tongs of Zion." Instrumental i ment, the reward of the rirrhteous. and the 1 music, rolling from keys well strung and i punishment of the wickedT PAUL. For the X. C. Christian Advocate. The Sin cf our Times. " THE ALMIGHTY DOLLAR." Every age. as well as every nation, h j been distinguished for some peculiar vice, ! which has been indulged in by the masses, an'I but slightly condemned by moralists ' and divines. Posterity are loud in their condemnation of the vices for which for - I lner ages were distinguished, while they j too often pass by, with careless indifler - ; ence, the si-s of their own time. Thus, j the Jews at one time were distinguished i for their proneness to idolatry ; the Car - jthagiuians, Greeks, llomans, and others, tor then- lust or conquest ; ana it i have not greatly erred with regard to the signs of the times, tuis is the age in which the prevailing sm is cuaraetei izeu uy tne phrase, above ouoted, " The Almiirhty :i? . i .i ! Hollar !" It is a sin which prevails more extensively within the pale of the Chris tian church than any other; and, alas ! too often the children of our church be come infidels, because their parents shew more devotioii to gain than to God. Min isters and colporteurs, who endeavor to circulave a sound religious literature, often Tl VI rl 4 llrtT t C -.,-l, ll1 1 .L" .1 . 1 . i 1 . I ! uiiuj iv tuv;ii a'jii'jn j i-uui. tin.-) i.-i a iiawj. obstacle in their way. Xot long since, one who had endeavored in vain to induce her father to purchase a religious book, ex claimed, " I would not be as stingy as my jyou have often been pained raid mortified, father is for anything in the world '." On j at the blunders made in attempting to sing another occasion, a father observed, that j the praise of God in the public assembly. among other wonders which he saw at the Some congregations are dependent almost World's Fair, was a copy of the Lord's ' entirely upon oi man to lead this part of Prayer on a piece of paper of the size of God's worship, and others, worse off still, half a dime. "Pa!" replied one of the j have no dependence. The writer hasmin children, " if half a dime is as big in ev- gled, in other days, with more than a hun- erybody s eyes as it is in yours, 1 don t wouder at it !' Now, Mr. Editor, you have long been a watchman upon the walls of Zion, and doubtless you have often borne your testi- mony against the love of money, which is the root of all evil; but now you have taken a new and perilous position, it re - j mains to be seen how you will deal with I the Sebastopols and Gibraltars of covet- j ousness ; how you will grapple with the j serried hosts of "saint-seducing gold." You are a j-oung man, and not yet, as far ! as I know, committed to the worship of j the golden god. hue you are catering ! for the instruction of the noble-hearted! sons and daughters in the good old North State, there will be some even here in Vir- ginia who will watch your course with in - forest, and sometimes breathe a prayer that , the God of our fathers may snide your . head, your heart, and your pen, Perhap you may hear occasionally from Your friend. A SOUTHERN SCRIBE. Old Dominion, .Jan. 11, 150. Fur the X. C. Chrlsunn A-lvijeute. Mu. Editor : Receive my hearty con-; gratulations on your tlchut. I must not; flatter you. as you are a yon.i'j KJlfor, but ' can't help saying 1 feel proud of onr paw. ! Is there a Methodist preacher within the; bounds of the North Carolina Conference : who will not, on every fitting opportunity, bring its claims before the public within j his jurisdiction ? I hope not. Is there a .UCIUOUiSl lamuv m me euuc iiiaL hjii, ! not look with ea-cr anxiety for its regular ; weekly visits to their circle ? I hope not. ; John." The boy appeared diappo5n j And yet, there may be some who are not j ted, and walked away, wondering1 why j all? to tohp it. What ! not able to take a ;h;s'fathpr did not answer the OTic-tiori family, i iliaion paper, at one dollar oinl a half a ywr It is a mistake, if. jail such be sure they do not spend izr more moiicy ui s.ij;ie U5eies..-eiiraaga;ic.3; let them hi sure that it is not the diJ - i fion that is laekinir, instead of the h;i:of. ! If there is a family within my range iWy jtoo poor to take the "'Advocate," I will j pay for it for them, and I reckon every one of your subscribers would be willing !to do the -.ma thing; and this is not I written "for BunEum. But I will continue this subject another wli0 (jVeii me ; aud I am sire that time. I set out for the purpose of ex- i who ,oyej. me m fjM nct TK,r Dressing my re net that the uitlereut cir-. . a- t -c ..,, v T . J n r 'ti t. ' -nut me to suffer as i do, n it v. ere net euits in our Conference could make saen . . TT , ' i iT.,r ;.. indifferent provision for their preachers, , He Jow 13 and then should let them go awav very j that you find your Euflennga do you often v.npni'l. I intend to write a series'?00'! '. She replieu. Jly sant-nngs of articles on this subject, and I reckon ' are good for my soul ; they make me about as good a text as t could have would : more humble more patient: they make be that of the "Mississippi Hardshell" : ' me feel the value of the Savioar more " And he played upon a harp of a thousand . and they make me pray more ; and strings;; sperets of just men made per-jj am ure all this is good for me." feck;" for, to touch all who need touch-: j- had been verv attentive durintr ing, me rv,.a jnarC x tuuuiu i-au- ; thL-conversation, and the tears stood in "playnpon a harpof athousan-i string?; hLi eves whHe the afflicted woman was and when au were brought to a o, nk fatLcr looked at him, and fd ivy, the '-speret ff ju-t men," f.:ther in the t-Lareb. jrhar. tro-:.! yrtWfy rej ..iccJ to -ueh a ii;:r -y :..te of thinr "here bel w." But I d n'i intend t talc thi text. I i-l.ut f.le rae tht;t can ' onlr l cn h r?t3 t-- n.?. n wh.-.t it avs: 1 The laborer i wortbv r-f hi- hire :"' and j with this text here announced I shall ! Ix t none j .'. Lt ; and ; tpr A sniWAKlb For ice X. C. C?.riMian A:-. c- :i:e. Let ns Sin. Gentle resder. whv Jca't you sictr? The ; pcple of God in every age and clime, of ani victorious achievements with song? of adoring gratitude; and thousands, under t New, thrilled ith the pleasing hope of a blissful immortality, have raised, in bold- j strain, the rapturous cLcrus cf Iledetm-1 in? vc- . ! Singing is a delightful and profitable ex-! r-rcise. When moral sentiments are con - touched with a fkillful hand, is truly cap- j tivating; uut it is mnniteiy interior to the ; i harmonious shells and cadences of the hu- j man voice, liven the lofty mcludy cf the j I far oiTEoli'in harp falls far below the cn-i i chanting lays, rising from Nature's vocal ; strings, tuned and strung by Nature's God. ) It is evident that God intended mau to I sing, otherwise He would not have give n I him the powers of song. None of His gifts are in vain ; and woe he to him who sufiV rs ! them to lie dormant, or appropriates them j j to a foul purpose, lie gave man the eye ! to sec, the ear to hear, the tongue to speak, j j and the voice to sing. In two ways, this j noble endowment had been sbamtfallv a-! : bused. One has despised the gift, andVt.f- j ! fered it to remain in a lu le uncultivated I ' state; while another ha? made it, like all j :thc other talents bestowed r.poa him by his j Maker, subset vicnt to unhallowed eujoy- ; ment and the destruction of his soul. Chri tiau friend, will yua refuse to worship G'jd in hytnns of thanksgiving and raise, mere ly because the wicked hum in unholy strains the vulgar merriment of a sordid mind and a corrupt heart? As well may you refine to lift a prayer to God, because the ungod ly employ the tongue in bla-pheming His holy name. It will not be denied, it is presumed, that there is a great d"clcnilcn in thisp.,rt of Divine worship. In public service, at most places, the singing is inexcu-ably in ferior; and in family devotion it is almost entirely discontinued. No doubt, reader, jdred worshippers where there was no song. He frankly confese, that it seemed to Lini j little like the worship of God. " But j where was the prwirhrr ? and w hy did'nt i j he sing." Well, some preachers, like some j daymen, have never learned to sing; beside, J , it will be admitted, that the preacher ought ! ; not to be expected to lead the singing. It j j is very difficult to read and sing alternately, j ! especially after having preached for an j : hour. It is equally as incumbent upon ! every christian to simr, as it is upon the j preacher. It is the duty alike of all chris- jtians, to cultivate the science of vocal mu-' sic. In another paper. I thall notice the causes : contributing to the decline of singing at the present day, and Eugc-st a remedy- For 1 the present, I hid the friendly reader adieu. AI'OLLOS. nr vEljiltaL ; The nse of the Bible. ! I A little boy had often amused himself : jbv looking over the pictures of a large! Bible ; and his mother one Jay said to! him, "John, do you know the use of j tie jihle V He said, "No, mother." j ujhen. John, be .sure vou ask vour fath- I tLe aJvice U mtlier aVfc ' . .-,..,., t- e..:., ; , . . . j came iKme, John ran up to Lim, and : no,u io khs, , - - - - j father said. 'Til tell you another time, ' Cxivedlx. " 1 A ,IaY5 aftfer tjG fath,.r tk j to & where Wa u vwnan yerv j , .,. . , , , , . . . ,t , ' hf aiid 10 10 I aShcted woman, who s&iu tuat felie had i suffered a great deal of pain ; hut hoped that she was resigned to the will of God. '- "Do rou think." said the father, "that ; God does right to nercnit vo-: to feel so , much pain V "O ves," answered the! woman : for GgJLsiiit hevenlv Fath- then s.ii 1 to the woman, "My gl -.'lAU, can vcu tell m,: what i the uso .. f the Bible i" In an ir.st.-.nt John c-t hid eyes toward the woman. hI'.i'o face showed that he waa e.:r, :r,e oarer to hear her answer. The "in.in. with a stronger voice th.'.n bvfore , -i j. , sir, ih Bible h:s b e n my c -:-f: tin my annetion . " l ner - "'.:-. hi father, ''now y -i ktw.v of I.ille; it can give it- c-V:t-: : h--n we stand mort in nee I "f it." crr. A Child's Prayer- ietie "-i.cj.l cr l. ri'v r. . WJ.ile in t 1 I - c f ! Weak an 1 r-.wt-i i a.u. Sa c "ill h.i'. e thy little I :;.,:! K ! me .:" fr -ra -rv h..r..:. With t'.y Ahiii'.'y a W!ifn t!ie trnn -f !;' ur'.-f. When the !.. in t rr -r -. !'itle Msfpif-rd tli.-s. )- iu- iv Keen ie tvui t' !- I f--.tr : TiiOii, while p,,n i!e- I a.e wi. -a the t.--i.!;.tfrw- I Wii.-ii li- - fk- l! " j'- i";! i ' - Ki' !.v -in 1 1 2 .li-'r 1. a:i 1 ii)"- t- s.nn" ; c ..f ri'-' t Tim, i h I. -r I. mi;' ri 'cr I ikh. J.'iVC ;!! ?;. t i i ' !;'"' ! Fro a the S ur.'l: v Seh , i Children. I v. - .-! till V. r I t ; .-aid a litilo 1- .v d si;: v i ; i-.tr- ;i3 1 IP V. :- returning lVom the iir.-t ibhath school eoneci t he Ik: 1 v-vcr attn.dcd. in rejdy to the question hcth( r ), h-.d not slept during the inc'ting. 'i:,c little cliillrei;i would h iv- -aid, "I w:m ho t-hepy, I couldn't k-ep rtw:iko." What kept Ijittlv .loin ;iu;i!.o '' Ho 'wouldn't sleoji," that w. t'o; r-.i-i.ri. Jut so we ad do right b"c.r,i-i- v.v c-ill do right, or do wrong b.-c-tu." x.r if ill do wrong'. Did you cu r ti;;;k. (diil dren. when yon v. ore angry, !'.; thl, x (li.sohcIi'Tjt, that it wa- ;:!! !,. .,u chose to indulge wicked f-ol'jig lHd you ever think, too. tint t'w vea-on why you do not luvo Jt sus ( 'ii i-i is be cause you "will not ':" He hi!,..-. !f says so, "Vc will not conic unto .,., (i. love me) thatye m.iy have li IV." How ungrateful! "Will not" ho (hat ble.-.sed Saviour, who ha.s i.-nderly loved you us to dh: for you on ih" no-.-. Dear children, wlicn do yo:t intend to love lii m ? liver i Ah, I know when you will wih you had done it ! Win n you are about to step down into the "dark grave" to go intoctcrnity alone without any h'aviour -without any friend. Th n, too, yon urc ca.-t into that dreadful "lake of fire and brim stone," how will you then regret that you had not loved him v. ith 11 your heart. And your nio.-:t bitter thought will be, "I might have loved him, but J would not." O that I could p. r.suude; you tolove the (Sa.vionr now, ru.d tlnu save youiW-f that keen reflection, lie is infinitely lovely and graciou-l y wait to be loved: by vou; waits to n new your Vi'ieked heart.-; and to prepare thorn for heaven-j-thc "bon.c of tin- holy." Denr clii'drcn, once more let snc Kay, repctit of your sin, love rtiid o!'-y the Redeemer while vou live, arid h'-aven shall be your home, find Je:-u.i your undying friend. Affectionately your.-, V. Jt. II. j I-'., the Child', I'-p-r. Egyptian Lighthouse. Have you ever rend, dear children, about the beautiful light-hou.-e, htiilt of white niarlle, that Mood inany 'ci.t-i-lies ago at 1'hnio-, in Kgypt ? It V..--S erected at 'great expense, ar.d or. tie f ummit of the tower, which wa: r.-v( r.d hnndred feet above the ground, w-.fi a great fire kept burning every rii!;t. So, u.-: the .sailor pa-.-.ed ov r tii-- Med iterranean Kea, arid came !:-ar the city of Alexandria, thev .-aw far uwav in the distance the beacon-light, by which to steer tlnlr eour:-e. Xow, the Bible ii the same to you us the lighthouse h to the ;;i!o:-. It is "a 1 uop unto yonr feet, a light sn.'o your path." How earnestly docs the pi!o g-.z- to catch a gli npe,if po--ible, of the bright Leacon-lig'at that shall guid'j -him .s.ifciy over the dark K-a. Ho f-.ho.j'd u m.il; the Holy Bible your guiding-; ing he"d, "as to a light tl..' in a dark place" "It -v-ccily cheers our droo;.',.. la this dark va!..- of tc-ar : liright Si', a iainii it d:!iiTiC To gu!..; our Mh!s to !;.;.:..'' Eertenber. A llttl hov wa-; ama-.lit; hir, th l.:-:i-r!f :. ooata. with his plaything, ujon th-.- :. "Kdwt.r-1," said nis moth-vr, "it . th" Sabbath dav." "O, is it:" said he. " I did not re iQernber.'' " That v.i the very co:n:nand which God has given us," fcaid his cjothcr : IttiiteiiJuer the .Sabbath-da v, to keep it holy.'" Children often excuse thernselvc- by saying. " I did not think," " I forget," " I did jfiot remember," but hueh ex cuses are not acceptable to Gol. V'e may plead ignorance as an ex cuse for the neglect of duty, but not forgetful aess. A man who don't tke a newspap not only pr but will tdways remain -o. The less iiif-u know, the les they earn. Folk who 3ak.r for feeveiiy-vc cents a day, always gn their caiacs with an X. i x
North Carolina Christian Advocate (Raleigh, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Jan. 25, 1856, edition 1
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