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U 111
PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY A COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS FOR THE METHODIST EPIS COPAL CHURCH, SOUTH. RUFUS T. HEFLIN, Editor.
VOL. IV NO. 26.
RALEIGH, THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 1859.
$1.50 a year, in advance.
D
ADVOCAT
Br
IUlo
ORIGINAL.
For the N. C. Christian Advocate.
Calvinism vs. Armimanisin,"
Reviewed. So. IX.
Rkv.-R. T. Heflix: I now pass to
No. VI, of P. T. P.'s communications. It
is on tbe " Goodness of Gxi." The good
ness of God is a subject to be admired by
angels and men, and has been the subject
of contemplation of the wisest and best
iu all ages. Whatever, therefore, is derog
atory thereto, in the systems of men, must
be rejeted by niau, as unworthy of his ac
ceptance. If Armlmanisui, as a "system,
teaches anything of this character, so as to
involve the entire system, then it should
be abhorred by all good and intelligent
men. F..T. P. affirms this of it as a sys
tem. 1. He charges this system with, not on
ly denying the Calviniotic view, as stated
by him, but as affirming, " That it is con
trary to the mercy, as well as the justice
of God.to choose some of the human race to
salvation, and leave others to perish ; that
such a purpose on the part of God would j
make Him more cruel than the devil ;' "
and that to invite men to the provisions of
the gospel, haviug previously determined
not to bestow the influences of His Spirit
in sufficient strength to enable tlum to ae-
cept the invitation, is a " mockery of His
helpless creatures." As to the first, the
Anninians do believe it to be ' contrary to
the mercy, as well the justice of God to
choose some of the human race to salvation
and leave others to perish ; if that " choos
ing7' and "leaving " was irrespective and
independent of their good or evil conduct
and they predicate their views upon such
passages as follows: Ezek. xviii. 20 -32,
xxxiii. 7--20; Jeremiah, xviii. 110.
Here, both the ' mercy of God iu choos
ingv' and his "justice in leaving" or pun
ishing men is clearly demonstrated, as be
ing predicated upon their obeying or sin
ning. His administration in this regard
is to be judged of according to these prin
ciples, and not by his sovereign will, which
Calvinism represents as chiefly, if not only
contemplated in this transaction As to
the second, " That such a purpose, on the
part of God, would make Him " more cru
el than the devil," I observe. That this is
certainly the case, if God's conduct, in this
matter, towards men, is wholly irrespective
of their moral character, and grounded
upon His decree, by which, for the "mani
festation of his glory, some men and angels
are predestinated unto everlasting life,
and others fore-ordained to everlasting
death." Confession of Faith Presbyterian
Church, Chap. iii. Sect. 3 ; and especially
also Sect, v., in which it is positively de
nied, that faith or good works, or perse
verance in either of them, or any other
thing in the creature, are conditions or
causes moving him thereto." Here, then
the decree is wholy independent of any
consideration of " faith," &c, in the object
" predestinated to life ;"' and of course, un
belief, &c, in those " fore-ordained to ev
erlasting death." This is unconditional
predestination to life, and unconditional
" fore-ordination to everlasting death."
Now, if this be the true notion, then is it
also true, that " God is more cruel than
the devil:" because, though the "devil"
would do this to all the "angels and
men,'' he cannot accomplish it in a single
instance, but God has, (if this Calvinism
is true) done this with perhaps, "millions"
of" men."
As to the third, " That to invite men
to the provisions of the gospel, having pre
viously determined not to bestow the influ
ences of His Spirit in sufficient strength to
enable them to accept the invitation, is a
' mockery of His creatures.' " I observe,
this is true upon the supposition noticed in
the above paragraph. The teaching of
Calvinism on the invitations that God "has
previously determined not to bestow," is
thus expressed with regard to the "passed
by." " Others not elected, although they
may be called by the ministry of the word,
and m'iy have some common operations of
the Spirit, never truly come to Christ, and
therefore cannot be saved." Confession of
Faith, &c, Chap. x. Sect. 4. These were,
1. Not redeemed by Christ." 2. Nor "ef
fectually called." 3. Therefore, they can
not be "justified, adopted, sanctified, and
saved. uoniession, o.c, inap. m. cec.
6. and Chap x. entire. Now, to " invite"
such " to the provisions of the gospel,"
when, all this time, God has fired by an
" eternal decree," that none of these things
shall prove " effectual ;" and has positive
ly " decreed" that they should not be ' re
deemed bv Christ," &c, is certainly noth
ing tire, and nothing less, than solemn
"mockery,' with a witness. And this is
f-peiially affirmed by P. T. P. with regard
to inefficient calling or " drawing," which
fully sustains the position I have proved ; j
his words are : " That God refuses to draw j
all men by that almighty power," &c, and
yet " invites" them, &c , and then damns j
them, because they "will not come," &c, ,
when he knew they could not, because he 1
' ' refused to decree them " without which j
it was impossible for them to " accept the I
invitations." If this is not "cruelty,"
there can be no such thing in the universe.
But Arminians are charged with teach
ing that which " nullifies the grace of God
altogether," because they teach that God
does for men "all that infinito wisdom,
almighty power, and boundless love can do
without forcing them to be saved," and
that he "gives sufficient and saving grace
to all men." Now, in answer to this, I ob
serve : 1. The whole of this view of the
Arminians is sustained by the Bible.
What could have been done more to my
vineyard that I have not done for it ?
wherefore, when I looked that it should
bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild
grapes ? Isa v. 17. The parable of the
' ' pounds " and the talents prove the same.
Paul teaches the same in 1 Cor. xii. 7.
And Christ, Matt, xxiii. 3739 ; Luke,
xiii. 34, 35. 2. The clear reason of the
thing proves Arminianisni to be true on
this point. For, if men are damned for
their own conduct, when viewed in connex
ion with the grace, &c, of God, it mast
be because that "grace was sufficient" to
save them, or they are condemned for the
rejection of grace which God knew he nev
er intendei to make effectual in their case.
Where is the " goodness of God " in this ?
offering men grace (according to Calvin
ism) which he knows cannot save them ;
and knows too, that " previously " to his
" invitations" given them, that He "de
termined not to bestow the influences of His
Spirit in sufficient strength to enable them
to accept the invitation." Who now "nul
lifies" the grace of God altogether?" the
Calvinist or Arminian. The Calviaist tru
ly, as he makes (i. e., his system) it inef
fectual per se, and not the Arminian, be
cause, his system considers it, like the
above scriptures, sufficiently efficacious to
save men ; and does so, in all cases, where,
by the wilful rejection of it, it is not re
ceived in vain.
" If the Arminian system be true, God
would be unjust to bestow ' sufficient sav
ing grace upon one, and withhold it
from another of his sinful human creatures.
For the N. C. Christian Advocane.
Zioii Church.
tions is in its nature logically debatable
the second is not.
A question of fact is not debateable until
tome testimony is produced in support of
the fact affirmed. No testimony but histo-
of the Fedee river. The building is large j j
j n r i i ... . w " uu,ao auuve luumaicu, u leBumonv.nenn-
and well furmshed.with a spacious gallery k i t . j
? . . o ' er much or little, has been nifuinood or
r ,
This church, now a Station in the N. C.
Conference, ia on the plank road between
Fayetteville and Albemarle, 3 miles east
SELECTIONS
tor the colored people. It stands on a hill,
covered with a good oak grove, and it in
the midst of a densely populated, intelli
gent neighborhood, many of whom are
professors of religion, and spiritual wor
shippers of Christ. On this hill are sev
eral dry goods stores, and a large Masonic
hall, painted white, in the basement of
which a flourishing school is kept. The
grave-yard in front of the church is an oh
ject of peculiar interest, and I assure you,
Mr. Editor it was bo to me, on this my
nrst visit to this consecrated place, called
hither as I was by Rev, P. H. Scovelle to
assist him in a two day's meeting. Here
rests the du3t of many whose memory is
precious to the church. Rev. Absalom
Brown, and Rev. Alfred Richardson, for
merly of the South Carolina Conference
sleep here, as do many others of like faith
As I stood by the graves, I thought
" how quick, how quiet and peaceful, how
happy and blessed are the dead who rest
in hope of the resurrection !" Long will
these names be cherished in the memory of
the living ; " The righteous shall be had
in everlasting remembrance."
iiHu, aner tne ciose oi tne
meeting, which was, I believe, pleasant
and profitable to ministers and people, I
ten like saying,
" My soul shall pray for Zion still
While life or breath remains,
There my best friends and kindred dwell,
There God forever reigns."
J. W. PUETT.
Albemarle, N. C. June 7, 1859.
attempted to be produced, from history, on
the subject of a connected chain of ordi
nations from the Apostles.
Having bestowed more labor upon this
subject than some of my brethren, and see
ing the article in yonr $er, allied to, I
have thought it not amiss to set forth the
above thesis, in order, at least, to induce a
correct line of thinking on the subject. And
I have also had occasion to know that some
of the presbyterian writers of our church,
Bishop Emory, Mr. Powell, Dr. Bangs,
and others, present the singularly awkward
argument of denying the doctrine of the
Apostolic succession on the one hand, and
then of finding the validity of our church
and ministry in that doctrine on the other.
This is illogical.
Yours truly, R. ABBEY.
For the N. C . Christian Advocate.
Have We a Poet among: Us !
For the N. C. Christian Advocate.
Apostolic Succession.
Wc rather think we have. In proof,
we give a statement, and append a poem.
Several years ago Hookerton was somewhat
noted for intemperance now it is quite
otherwise in that beautiful village. The
Sons of Temperance began their good work
there. Their opponents got up a grand
demonstration, and marched through the
streets with drums and bottles, in formida
ble procession. As Rev. Nathan A. Hook
er stood at a corner and viewed the pro
cession, his soul was stirred within him,
and hidden poetic fires were kindled in his
bosom. That night the Sons had a mee
ting, and Brother Hooker was called out
for a speech. He told them he had no
speech, but if they pleased he would give
them a song. He then poured forth the
following, in stentorian but not unmusical
tones, which ' ' brought down the house.
Philip Bruce.
We lately asked for a memorial of that
pioneer of Methodism in North Carolina,
Philip Bruce. And a valued lady friend
sends us the following, which was clipped
from an old number of the JVashville Chris
tian Advocate :
"This justly venerated minister was long
known to, and highly appreciated by, early
Methodists. He was one of the active pi
oaeers of Methodism on the American con
tinent; and although his theater of mis
sionary action was principally the Atlan
tic States, the last years of his earthly pil
grimage were spent. in the West, where he
was revered and beloved by all who knew
him. He was probably a native of North
phia, and in 1800 Baltimore; in 1801 and
'2, on Richmond district, Va. ; in 1803,
Salisbury district, N. C; in 1804, '5, and
'6, Newbern district, N. C; in 1807 and
'8, Norfolk district, Va.; in 1809, '10, and
'11, Newbern district, N. C; in 1812,
Meherrin district, Va.; in 1813, stationed
in Raleigh city, N. C. My acquaintance
with this valuable minister commenced in
the Virginia Conference, in 1796, which
was discontinued on my transfer to the
west. I regret that I cannot give farther
details of his itinerent career, and his em
inent useful services. I met him at a camp
meeting in-Giles county, in the year 1822,
in a superannuated state. Dr. Taylor
writes as follows : "He died at his brother
Joel Brace's, in Giles county, Tenn., I
think, in June, 1829. He died not only
m peace, but in great triumph. I wrote
them. We are no admirers of Nmoleon
III., neither do we believe that his enter
prise is a scheme for enfranchising Italy
religiously or politically, but we think that,
in the probable event of his success, cir
cumstances will render this a necessary
course. At present the Bible has free
circulation throughout the whole of hin
empire ; the head of the Romish Church is
virtually a prisoner in his hands. We
believe that as a matter of policy he will
guarantee to Italy at least a freedom from
that Romish tyranny under which efae has
groaned lor centuries."
......,,,,. .,
Criticism.
There is a well-known fable told of "an
ancient painter who opened a picture to
public criticism, requesting that every per-
Carolina, in which State his father resided t . , ft tnvay.n j MBi,; who observed a fault would put a mark
when the writer visited him in the year ,w fiftr . A VMra upon it. When the artist came, in the
1797. It was understood that Philp Bruce v, tn . . ... evening.to take his painting home.he found
volunteered in defense of his country in the tta wn9 mmio. f. m - ... it one mass of marks of disapprobation. Ev-
revoluttonary struggle, when quite a youth whom j haye beeQ whose worJ
and was probably at the noted battle of and action evinced a sanctified heart." In
King s Mountain. He, however, became t,- l w , - . , .
a 7 ' film t ho Wpg Avon nlan rF mnrn n
an itinerant Methodist preacher before the .;fi . A, . 3
ble gentleman, and the exemplary, digni
fied Christian minister " in language
plain, and plain in manners."
L. G.
close of the war, and was stationed on New
Hope circuit, North Carolina, in the year
1781. This was a perilous undertaking
at that critical period, when war was ra
ging in its most hideous forms when dis
affection toward the American cause was
rife in that State, and when a Methodist
preacher was a target for the spleen of the
enemies of vital religion. At that date,
and under the circumstances, it required
no small degree of zeal and moral courage
to become a traveling Methodist preacher.
And in Philip Bruce we have a striking minister.
Alick : or, Praying- and Working.
' Where's Alick ?' asked a minister one
day of a baker as he stepped into his store.
' Alick is below, sir, in the bakehouse,'
replied the man of bread.
May I speak with him ?' asked the
ery critic had found in it something to
condemn. The next day having carefully
erased the marks, the painter again display,
ed his work of art, requesting that every
beholder who noticed a beauty would put
a mark upon it. At evening, he found
the canvass was covered with signs of ap
probation. Every part had found its ad
mirers in similar touches with those that
had, only the day previous, been condemn
ed by the critics. Is not this fable true of
the world to day ? Do not the majority of
those who criticise, either to praise ar
condemn, follow, each one, the bias of their
own taste, rather than any just standard
of literature or art ?
To the Editor : Your paper of the 2d
inst., contains an extracted artiol with
Afnf5e.C?DOt.beStOWaCfrtaindegree remai'ksaPPendc wfth ich it was first
nigh cuurchism, or the Apostolic succes- received, has continued to this day ; and it
sion, as it is called ; and you intimate that ! is warbled forth in melody by many a fair
a better understanding of that subject is daughter of the eastern counties.
1 i - ... I
neeaea m your part ot tbe country. SONS OF TEMPERANCE.
V ill you allow me to make a very few
ODservations touching that matter, and to AIR: A WET sheet and a flowing sea
vl tiuijcieui saving grace upon one
without being under obligation to bestow
an equal degree ot " sufficient saving
grace " upon all, &c. Arminianism, how
ever, as a system, never taught that doc
trine ; but teaches the same that Christ
did in the parable of talents. Matt. xxv.
14-30. Where there are three degrees,
five.two and one. This latter is proved to
have been sufficient per se to save, but be
came ineffectual, became rejected, i. e.,
b tried, ver 25, and if it had been properly
used, would have been salutary, ver. 27.
The doctrine here is the very essense of
Arminianisni. Although there are degrees
in "saving grace," they are all "suffi
cient " per se, and may all be rejected, or
received in vain." God is therefor.
not " under obligation " to give to all alike
degrees of grace ; but if he damns any
for rejecting that which is rejected must
have been a "sufficient saving grace," or
else it was unjust in God in damning them
for rejecting, "insufficient grace ;" especi
ally as their damnation could not have been
avoided, even if they had used it. What !
" insufficient saving grace " save if used ! !
Arminianism, as a system, denies that
God is " under obligation to bestow "
grace upon any man ; it teaches that it is
the " gift" of God. That no man ever
did, or can " deserve it ;' and therefore.no
man can have any claim upon God, on the
ground of justice, or any other principle.
It is all of mercy, through Christ Jesus.
It never taught anything else, the asser
tion of P. T. P., to the contrary, notwith
standing. These facts of Arminian teach
ing fully invalidate the instances given by
P. T. P. of an aged man and young lady.
As also the case of Paul and Alexander :
for no one of all its principles, incul
cates the sentiment that all men must have
exactly the same quantum of grace to save
them. But if the thing is both good and
just, the grace must be "sufficient" per
se, or else that damnation, resultant
from the rejection of insufficient grace, or
"neglect of so great a salvation." when
that " great salvation" could not, by any
possibility, be obtained, though grace was
used, and the salvation not "neglected,"
must bo entirely unjust. From the above,
it also follows, that P. T. P. has misren-
resented Arminianism iu its teachings of
sinners, when ha affirms: "The Armin
ian system informs him that God is bound
to give, and has given him as much "suf
ficient saving grace '' as any body else,"
fcc. Does this follow from the Arminian
view given by Christ, of five, two, and one
talents, as given to men ?
As to the "654th of Methodist Hymns,"
Arminians can sing it with a good deal of
grace.as descriptive of their "Experience,"
without conceiving at all, that grace alone
" works out their own salvation with fear
and trembling." They believe that God
ivories, and that they then can and must
work, if saved at all.
Yours affectionately,
PETER DOCB.
Lumberton, N. C, Miy31, 1859.
say, by way of preliminary, that I think it
has not always been conducted before the
public, in the books and elsewhere, in the
very best and most logical manner on eith
er side of the argument. Presbyterian
writers have suffered high churchmen to
lug in, and have consented to discuss
with them, very much irrelevant matter.
They seem to have forgotten that the party,
in any debate, having the truth on its side,
Let Temp'rance men from every part
Unite with us in song ;
We have our Order's cause at heart,
Its praise upon our tongue.
Let every cheerful Son rehearse,
(United, heart and hand,)
We seek to drive the blighting curse
Of tippling from our land.
Chorus.
has, always, everything to loose and noth- And men7 men are we, my boys,
ing to gam by the discussion of irrelevant Ana merry men are we :
issues. And again : they have tacitly ne ies come aid our cause ;
and otherwise, admitted vastly too much n merry men are we !
either for truth, or for policy
I hold the following propositions to be
demonstrable :
First. The idea that Jesus Christ, or
somebody else, about his time, set up, es
tablished or organized the Christian Church
or any other church, is totally erroneous
Isothmg of that sort nothing like it ever
happened in the history of the reliion of
the Bible, neither in the days of the Apos
ties nor in any other days
Second. The doctrine of the Apostolic
Succession, as it is called and is well un
derstood, is not nor was it ever the doc
trine of any church. It was never set up
or affirmed by any body of christian men
claiming to act for or to represent any in
tegrat body of christians. No ecclesiasti-
w 4-a a .
cai congress or Synod ever endorsed or
taught it
Third.. No man pretends, or can for a
moment pretend except by a most eare
gious blunder, which is capable of the
easiest and most palpable exposure that
there is any historic evidence of a connect
ed chain of ordinations coming down from
the Apostles. There is not a list of names
in point, of good, bad or doubtful history,
ouxou t,u,lt,i,. ,0 uj itpresem a cuain oi or
dinations trom the Apostles. So that all
arguments as to the validity or strength of
History on that point are of course, irrele
vant and superfluous.
Fourth. All reference to or arguments
about Mr. John Wesley.in this connection,
are wholely immaterial. It matters not a
whit to the argument whether he ever or
dained any body or not, whether he was a
presbyter or a bishop, or what his opinions
were on this or any other subject. It as
sists no part of the argument to know that
there was ever such a man, or when or
where he lived or died.
Fifth. The question of the Apostolic
Succession embodies and consists of two
other integral questions, viz : 1st, whether The ladies come to aid our couse,
the theory of religion requires, in order to And merrv men are we !
the existence of a church and ministry, a
Our Order sheds a gleam of hope
On Woman, all forlorn,
And bids the tide of sorrow stop,
And peace and joy return.
Degraded and abandoned man,
A mark for witlings' puns,
Is raised to cheer his home again
By kind and generous Sons.
Though anti-Temperance men may rail
And muster all our foes,
Our Cause so glorious, must prevail,
Whatever may oppose.
The Dutchman said that, " I hash done
Good pisiness in mine shop,
Before dese men, mit collars on,
Vas come and proke me up."
We place these collars on our necks,
To show that all agree,
To shun intoxicating drinks,
More than the upas tree.
This neat rosette, its modesty,
Say, who can disapprove ?
Its colors point to purity,
Fidelity and love.
' ' I cannot love that stupid man"
I heard a fair one say,
"Who joins the motley, tippling clan,
In this enlightened day."
These nice young ladies can but smile
This noble band to see ;
Their hearts are beating all the while,
" A Temperance man for me !"
Let sons of Bacchus beat their drum.
And bear their bottles high ;
But Sons of Temp'rance shun vile rum,
And pass the wine-cup by.
What, though these slaves of Baochus chide
The Sons of Liberty,
We have the ladies on our side.
And merry men are we !
Chorus.
And merry men are we, my boys,
And merry men are we;
a connected chain of ordinations coming Sir Joshua Reynolds being asked how
down from actual Apostolic ordinations ne woula" personate Folly in a painting,
and second, whether there exists sufficient rePlied that ne would represent a man
historic evidence that such a chain has been cl."?binS over a 7aI'at oh
. . 4 , UdB Deen with an open gate close by, through which
actually kept up. The first of these ques- he might walk with ease and safety
example of zeal, courage, and entire devO'
tion to God and his work. A communi
cation from Dr. G. D. Taylor, the inti
mate friend of brother Bruce in his last
years, gives some interesting particulars
in the history of that good man. " He
informed me," says Dr. Taylor, "that he
was at the battle of King's Mountain ; but
as he was somewhat of a chaplain, the
troops would not consent for him to enter
into the engagement, and being left with
the sick and baggage, he was only a spec
tator of the success of our arms on that oc
casion, lie was sometimes, while riding
the circuit, taken prisoner by the British,
sometimes by the Americans, but never
mal-treated by either pai ty. At onetime
he was persuaded to preach to an assembly
of tories, whose captain had gone to George
town for arms, and persuaded them to dis
perse he did so, and they dispersed.
When the captain returned with arms, he
had no men ; and as he was informed
through whose influence his men had dis
persed.he swore vengeance against Bruce
One day, after he had preached at the
house of a friend, up rode the captain with
two of his men. Giving his horse to the
men, he rushed to the porch where Bruce
was quietly reading, and, with horrid im
precations, presented his gun at his breast.
Bruce caught the muzzle, and a scuffle en
sued ; the captain drew his sword and made
a cut at Bruce's head, but struck the raf
ter of the porch. While they were thus
engaged, up rode three Whigs. The man
who had the captain's horse gave the alarm,
and Bruce, finding the captain willing to
be off, pushed him down the steps, and
sprang into the house and shut the door.
The captain immediately mounted, and
the three rode off in quick time, and
the three whigs rode as fast the other way.
As the captain passed the window, Bruce
said, Good-bye, captain. In replying, he
swore he would kill him before long. Bruce
went to an appointment, and although his
horse was put up, and the people had be
gun to collect it was so solemnly impressed
on his mind that it was his duty to leave
there immediately, that notwithstanding
the remonstrance of the landlord, he got
his horse and started, leaving an appoint
ment for another time. Among others
that attended to hear him preach, was a
preacher of another denomination. Bruce
was not more than out of sight, when the
captain's lieutenant rode up with a file of
men, and inquired for the preacher. The
one who had come to hear Bruce preach
was pointed out to them as the only preach
er there, and they instantly shot him down;
and as they rode off, bragged that Bruce
would never disperse another tory compa
ny." In the history of the excellent Bruce,
we have a sample of real, active, and ex
tensive itinerant operations, ofunpreten
ding greatness, and of untiring missionary
zeal. He traveled several circuits in Vir
ginia and North Carolina in trying times.
In 1784, he acted as " assistant," in con
nection with Mr. Asbury and others, prior
to the organization of the M. E. Church ;
in 1785, on New River circuit ; in 1786
'87, elder on a district around Portsmouth,
Va. ; he then acted as elder on a district
north east of James river, until 1794 ; in
1795, elder on a district embracing Char
leston, S. C. ; in 1796 and '97, stationed
in Norfolk, Va. ; in 1798, he and Joseph
Everett were joint presiding elders on a
dirtrict partly in Maryland and partly in
Virginia; in 1799, stationed in Philadel-
Certainly, certainly, sir,' said the ba
ker ; ' walk below, sir.'
As the minister went down the stairs
leading to the bakehouse, he heard a voice
saying, ' Lord, help me to serve thee !
Lord, keep me faithful! Lord, make me a
good preacher I
The voice was Alick's, and when the
minister reached the bakehouse he found
the lad with his shirt sleeves rolled up to
his shoulders, kneading dough with all his
might, and praying as earnestly as he was
working. No doubt he was pleased to find
the youthful preacher so well employed.
No doubt that he felt that the appointment
which he wanted Alick to fill would bo
well supplied.
The Lord soon called Alick from the
bakehouse to the pulpit, from which he fed
thousands of hungry souls with bread of
eternal life. The young man carried the
working and praying spirit which he had
in the workshop into the ministry. The
result was that God made him a useful and
an honorable man, for our Alick was no
less a personage than Alexander Mather,
one of the presidents of the Wesleyan Con
ference. Prayer and work made Alick all he was,
and prayer and work will do great things
for all my young readers. Try it, boys
girls. Work hard with your studies at
school, and when the lesson won't stick to
your memories, and the answer to your
sum won't come out right, lift your hearts
to God and say, Lord help me to study !
Lord, make my mind clear !' So when
you are at play, keep saying in your mind,
' Lord, make me a good boy," or, ' Lord,
make me a good girl ! Help me to do
right !" When you are at work for your
parents, say, ' Lord, help me to obey my
father and mother ! Lord, make me in
dustrious ! Lord, give me a lowly, loving
holy heart !' Sometimes it would be well
for you to pray with each other.
Friday.
It is strange enough that Friday is re
garded in all countries as a peculiar day.
In England it is generally considered
unlucky ; many people will not commence
an "undertaking on that day; and most
sailors believe that the vessel is sure to be
wrecked that sails on a Friday. If a mar
riage takes place on that day, the old wives
shake their heads, and predict all kinds of
misfortunes to the bride and bridegroom.
Nay, they even pity all children who are
so unlucky as to be born on Friday. In
Germany, on the contrary, Friday is con
sidered a lucky day for weddings, com
mencing new undertakings, or other memo
rable events ; and the reason of this super
stition is the ancient belief that the
witches and sorcerers held their weekly
meetings on this day ; and of course while
they were amusing thamselves with dan
cing, and riding on broomsticks round
the Blocksbcrg, they could have no time
to work any evil.
. And by all sensible people Friday is re
garded no better and no worse than any
other of the six.
The Bible and War.
The British and Foreign Bible Society,
taking advantage of the political changes
which have just .taken place in Tuscany,
have sent out a special agent to the authori
ties in Florence, to plead the cause of civil
and religioug liberty, and to promote the
circulation of the Scriptures in Italy.
The Christian Times says: "During
the turmoil of war, through the instru
mentality of the Bible Society, the Scrip
tures will be carried into Piedmont, Tus
cany, and Parma, and among the strange
ly mingled masses which fight under the
banners if the Allies. The readers of the
TtiVila will 1fnrn nf . liliprftr ivliorovnf.li
i Christ makes his people free ; it is not
likely that they will again tamely submit
to be trodden under foot by Rome. ' The
candle lighted in Italy shall, by the grace
of God, never be put out.' There can be "
no return to ecclesiastical bondage among
men who have been made free by the truth
of God ; there can be no return to political
slavery when the great agent of tyranny
has been overthrown. The war in Italy,
as undertaken by France and Sardinia, is
the unwitting agent of civil and religious
liberty. The light of history shines upon
it, and by it we read that the wicked are
blindly working the righteous will of Heav
en, and that the present deplorable con
flict is the agent to bring about in those
blighted Papal lands the triumph of that
Gospel which is not only to survive all
changes, but is to be established through
Teach Children to Love.
A father had better extinguish his boy's
eyes than take away his heart. Who has
experienced the joy of friendship, and val
ues sympathy and the affection of the touJ,
and would not rather lose all that is beau
tiful in nature's scenery, than be robbed of
treasures of the heart? WTho would not
rather follow his children to the grave than
entomb his parental affection? Cherish,
then, your heart's best affections. Indulge
in the warm and gushing emotions of filial,
parental and fraternal love. Think it not
a weakness God is love. Love God
love everybody and everything that is love
ly. Teach your children to love the rose,
the robin, and their parents. Let it be the
constant object of domestic culture to give
them warm hearts and ardent affections.
Bind your whole family together by these
strong cords. You cannot make them too
strong. Religion is lore to God, and love
to man.
Evcniugr Before a Weddlnjr.
" I will tell you," continued her aunt
to Louisa, " two things which I have fully
proved The first will go far towards pre
venting the possibility of any discord after
marriage; the second is the best and surest
preservative of feminine character."
" leu me I ' said Louisa, anxiously.
" The first is this to demand of your
bridegroom, as soon as the marriage cere
mony is over, a solemn vow, and promise
yourself, never, even in jest, to dispute, or
express any disagreement I tell you,
never ! for what begins in mere bantering,
will lead to serious earnest. Avoid ex
pressing any irritation at one another s
words. Mutual forbearance is the one
great secret of domestic happiness.
If you have erred, confess it freely.
even if confessions costs you some tears.
Further, promise faithfully and solemnly
never, upon any pretext or excuse, to have
any secret or concealments from each other
but to keep your private affairs from father
mother, sister, brother, relations, and the
world. Let them be known only to each
other and your God. Remember that any
third person admitted into your confidence
becomes a party to stand between you, and
will naturally side with one or the other.
Promise to avoid this, and renew tbe vow
upon every temptation. It will preserve
that perfect confidence, that union, which,
will indeed make you one. 0. if the new
ly married would but practice this spin?
of connubial peace, how many unions would
be happy which are now miserable."
Knickerbocker.