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PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY A C03ISIITTEE OF MINISTERS FOB THE METHODIST EPI COPAL CHUECH, SOUTH. HTJF17S T. HEFLIN, Editor.
VOL IV NO. 46.
to
ORIGINAL.
For the N. C. Christian Advocate.
cecks to Controversy, or Logical
Headings from tae Scriptures
No. I.
WITNKSS OK THE SPIRIT, OH ANSWER OF
FAITH.
1. Beloved, believe not every spirit, but
try the spirits whether they are of God.
1 John ix, 1-
There are, then, divers kinds of spirits,
or at least, the false and the true. But
tie caution here enforced is not referable
to the subject of self deception, but to the i jiion 0f fruit3j anj thence gleaning
mode of judging of the piety or religious j from t,)e op;nion of otnerSj incidental
creed of others. It is not the internal evi- j knowledge of themselves ? This might, in
dence or witness h reinafter to be noticed j & measurei answer. But is there not a
as given to every true convert, but the j b(jUer wgy ? Js t,jere nQt a direct and pos.
fruits of that witness exhibited in the con- j one , We think gQ . and now ap.
duct of professors. There were those in , p-roaCQ it witn cautiousness, it is true, for
the times of the apostles who professed to j ;t .gtan ;m,ortant doctrine, but with zeal
be teachers of the system of Christianity, as j of its essentiality in the ques-
revealed in the gospel, yet, who in reality, j tinQ of genuine p;ctv jt is a tcrjet inany
bad not the spirit of Christ. The caution, gl)r;uk froa)j because they fear its search
therefore, came very appropriately try i jng natur6j anj ;t n)S,y unchUreh them,
the pretensions of all such with this test : : thouh of hgh staD(jng ;n the church.
Was Jesus the Christ, the Son of God? j R(.jj;on aud heaven are made dependent
All denying this were not in possession of , upon i(. . anJ ;f are fjjnd to"bave it
the true witness, because God would not : tbey an yefc ginnors befor0 Qod an(j
send Comforter to the those not having ever have their first works to perform. It would
be i-ved on Him whom he had sent. J be by mauy corls;deretl a disgrace to ad-
But i- such caution applicable now-a- j mit a cr(;ed tbat would gen(J tbem back tQ
davs? Do any professing religion fail to ; iearn the first rrincioles of reliirion. Fruits.
recognize the Divinity of Christ? IIow is j
; ;rh tlit. Onnkpr. the Unitarian, and the
like? Let them answer to their consci
ences. How can they have tne true wit
ness who deny the true nature of Il m who
said, '-UulessI go away the Comforter
will not come : but if I go away, will
send him ? Try professors, therefore, by
the spirits, aud try the spirits by the ten-IU-ps
of these nrofessors. Much of
St. John's writings are seemingly intend- j
ed to settle the question who are and who !
are not true disciples, and marly all the j
tests employed relate to. the evidence af- j
forded by religious groundwork, chanty ;
nr ,v.-, of man toward man. If any had j
this, the argument was, they must ncces- j
garily have all else of christian character, j
tr.d consequently, the witness of the Spirit, j
In judging of the pr -tensions of any, we j
are, therefore, provided with such rules j
and safeguards as prevent all mistake, es- j
t.ei-iallv when the outward conduct is man- ,
if.-.-tiy repreh-nsible, aiu"unt'nig, in the
language- of the Divine, to a denial o: the
couiiugof Christ iu tlu flesh, and of the
authority of that command which was at
the very beginning and bottom of religion,
namely, man's love for man. The second
selection of Scripture u, therefore, of easy
and lasting application, and whi;h is,
2. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God ;
every spirit that coufessoth that Jesus
Christ is come in the flesh, is of God. 1
J-.hn iv, "2.
The plain meaning, whereof, appears
to be, that the iuCuence necessary to pro
duce a conviction of Christ's mediatorial ad
vent and character can only originate in
the operation of the Divine Spirit upon the
understanding, an i the sincere confession
of this conviction and conversion, is evi
d'neeof uch operation, and admissible.
In other words, it is the same as saying, j
" with the heart man believeth unto right- ;
eousness. and with the mouth confess on j
is made unto salvation." It is very true,
such confession might originate in hypoc-
riv. sua tne cnurcu oc iuijni.-ctiiju'i ,
the hypocrite could not stand the other j
tests we have selected : and so it would be i
soon discovered that his professions were
Loliow. Unless he showed a "sincere con
f -ssion" by corresponding external acts, it
would be the same in a religious point of
view as if he was of anti-Christ ; for this
confession of Christ, is but the putting on of
Christ, aud what is that but being like him
iu love, in good works, iu charity ? The
idea is, therefore general when St. John
speaks, as in the verse before us. It com
prehends every thing of a christian char
acter, if we are pleased to understand it so,
but was merely intended to guard the.
church against the " many deceivers that
a e eotjrel into the world, who confess not
t it Jesus Christ is come in the flesh."
Hji-e lies the great danger. Many would
come teaching this pernious doctrine, and
mislead the incautious. Not then as now,
was the public sentiment so impressed with
the truth of the gospel, for it was a new
thins, and the apostle's aim was to advance
its claims to universal belief. A teacher
confinf now with a denial of Christ's ad- I
vent, nature and office, would be set down
as a rare instance of moral blindness, or
hypocrisy, and the danger of his infidel
notions be very trifling. Bat at the early
day of which we are speaking, mind had to
be moulded to the reception of christiauity;
and hence, line upon line, precept upon
precept, had to be given to the newly or
cauized chinch. Some, even with all their
caution, entered wiuiui us sacreu p.uu. aa j
, -.t i i
the apostle says, to "spy out their liberty," apparent aosence iroin eariu.tue intra per
while others were probably bo anxious to son in the Trinity is employed in answer
oppose tU progress of the gospel, as to wg to such absence ; and whereas, Christ,
seek admittance kto private houses as j while present and demonstrably vi&ible,
guests and friends, thereby the more ef
! fectua'Iy scattering the seeds of infidelity.
Hence a very proper caution : If there
come any other unto you, and bring not
this doctrine, receive him not iuto your
house, neither bid him God speed."
But there is another, and more impor
tant sense in which we are to take the wri
ter's words. All else that has been said
may be better considered as refering to our
decision upon the standing of others not
our own. It is of interest to know more
than such instances imply. All wish, or
should wish, to know their own immediate
standins with God, as well as with the
J h rcb " IIow are til0V to do this if Br the
gay .. W) baye tQ whieb aj can
and become satisfied of a consistent chris
tian course, and what is more requisite?
We cannot believe in such a- rigid doc
trine. We hae never experienced any
such testimony as you speak of. and hen-e
there can be such thing. Ah, my friend
and nominal brother, you must come to
this test soon or late : then why not now ?
You rive in charitv ? Yes. You attend
church regularly ? Yes. You partake of
the jMT Supper ? Yes. In a word you
gre aQ aceeptalj'c n,eniUcr of your church,
Xow may npt &n tha nm
tendencios s;univ? Even lcfs; niay no(.
this formality arise from the force of fop
ular opinion ? IIow was it with the Phar
isees ? They outstripped all others in pro
fession ; iltejf fasie-l twice in the wve's.
gave tithes of ali they possessed, made long
prayers, taught zealously in the market
plares, but scrutiny they could uot bear.
Their religion consisted iu form. They
did indeed appear unto men as very pious,
but Christ did not acknowledge them to bs
so. They knew no more about religion than
the heathen, and were even further from
the kingdom of heaven, because it is al
ways easier to learn than to unlearn. Let
those, therefore, who rely on mere exter
nals, examine themselves by the second
class of tests, and see how they stand be
fore God. And the firs', ia :
3. And we know that he abideth in us,
by the Spirit which he hath given us.
1 John iii, 24.
This, as is seen relates not to external,
but to inward emotions what one feels and
knows to be within to blessed persons
experience, the assurance of faith If by
other evidencce we may be, and often are,
deceived, in that it reaches not fur enough,
here there can be no room for doubt, inas
much as what one feels and enjoys is not t
be doubted.
Christ is here represented as abiding iu
us, and the assurance of this is discovered
to us by his Spirit, by the Iloly Spirit, or
the witness. It is possible for us to bo de
ceived, by imagining we possess the Spirit
when we do not, but not possible to be ig
norant of such possession when once exis
ting. Though uudefinable, unspeakable,
it is so unlike anything else, we cannot
forget its soul-in spiring influence, though
deprived of it for years. So the caution
we sometimes hear urged, not to be too
hasty in conceiving we have the witness,
lest it; should turn out a delusion, applies
uot so much to those who are possessed, as
to those without it. The great danger lies,
not iu men's being deceived in its fruition,
but in coming altogether short of ever ob
taining this the highest, yea, also the low
est mark of the high calling in Christ ;
aud the best t! iug they who are acquain
ted with the operations of the Spirit can do
is, to encourage all in striving, unremit
tingly, till the witness is given, for in so
doing, H j will come and not tarry.
The very design iu fact, of our Lord's
ascension, seems to have been that he
might send the Holy Ghost, who would
not come, said he, unless so sent. The
philosophy of which appears to be, that
the human mind must have its connection
with the unseen woild and proper assur
ances of a spiritual kind, and as in times of
old, God spake by the mouths of his pro
phets, and while on earth, Christ fulfilled
that mission, by speaking himself, and in
the progressing consummation of the plan
of salvation, required the ascension, as well
m rfsnrrpctinn or our ljord: and hence in nis
forgave sins audibly, so the Spirit only,
! and without audible sound, declares and pro
i claims the same thing with equal clearness.
' And as Christ will never more be on earth
: in visible form, till it be dissolved, the
! Holy Spirit must be our only instructor
! guide, and only speaking power. And
j there are thousands and millions who real
j ize the fulfilment of that promise, "rejoie-
ing in hope of the glory of God." Breth
j eren, let none of us stop short of it.but,
j 4. Hereby we know we dwell in him,
and he in us, because Tie ha'di given us of
j his Spirit. 1 John iv, 13.
j Our Lord, in his hist in'iervie'qr wih his
! disciples unfolds to them the mystery of
! that union which he designed should exist
between him and his true followers, ex-
, pressing himself thus : "I have declared
i unto them thy name, and will declare it;
j that the love wherewith thou hast loved me
! may be in them, and I in them.'" And
they rec'; ived the evidence of such union
! by the gift and indwelling of the Spirit.
j They then knew that Christ was dwelling'in
them. But could not this union have been
; explained and enforced in a still stronjrr
and more impressive manner as to lan
j guage? If not. language could, at least,
j be so varied as to enlarge upon the idea,
and hence the apostle puts it in the form
we see above. " We dwell in Him, and
how know it ? By the operation of his
Spirit within us. lie takes up his abode
j with us, and we take up ours with him.
; We therefore, live and abide together,
' that they all maj' be one, as thou Father,
art in me, and I in thee, that they also may
j be one in us." How could a union be
j more complete and gratifying ? And how
j better assured unto us than by the witness
j of the Spirit? Brother, do your fruits
! testify that you abide iu him ? Do you
j convince others that you so abide? or your
j self? Are you in doubt of this indwelling
j of yourself in Christ Docs he say you
dwell in him? Ifj-our fruits hear witness
of it to the world, and the Holy Ghost to
your own souls, then well ; you have the
highest proof possible ; and no man taketh
this gift from you, or "intermeddleth there
with," " for what man knoweth the things
i of a man save the spirit of a man which is
iu him." But above all things, be surd ye
j do well In lilm, lest when ine irrc-at, tiny
i arrives, ye be found naked, "uot having on
the garment of righteousness." But, be
! l ved, we are persuade! better things f
3-ou, even things pertaining to salvation ;
ye who mind not tiic things of the flesh, but
of the Spirit, who no'e the operation of the
j Holy Ghost, which will not testify to the
existence of what does not exist ; who will
only speak peace and joy wheu faith is
sound and practical. How else should it
be ? Surely none would have themselves
deceived iu imagining all well, when not.
Destined for im mortality, we should know
j how stands the case with us, and if devoid
! of the assurance promised in the gospel as
j awaiting the proper exercise of faith, to be-
stir ourselves till there be no doubt in this
i particular. How delightful is it to have
j the persuasion we are dwelling in Christ,
j in him who is to be our heaven of comfort
i at the last? IIow pleasant to feel assured
i " we live and move and have our being"
i in hi o, though this is but to generalize ;
I but to feel that he smiles propitiously on us
is better. How awfully dangerous to live !
on without internal evidence of a change of
, heart to live in truth, " without God in
; the world!" Such but grope their way in
I the dark. They have yet to pass the thresh
: hold of religious experience to enter iu at
j the strait gate. Let all, therefore, inquire
diligently of their owa hearts if the inward
monitor testifies to their divine acceptance
at the present moment, if they dwell in
Christ Jiut the sacred writer st ps not
here. He has said that we dwell in Christ,
j and he in us, that we know this by certain
j experience the gift of the Spirit. It is
j now further added :
J 5. The Spirit itself beareth witness
I with our spirit that wo are the children
i of G d. Roman viii, 16.
j The Holy Spirit convinces of sin,
of righteousness and a judgment to
; come ; we tremble and seek forgiveness; in
: contrition we lie low in the dust : with
j uplifted eye and outstretched hands we im
j plore divine clemency ; with compassion
j we are beneld from above; quickly de-
seends the blessing desired in a sense of
j pardon; we arise and rejoice, tell sinners
i of a present, if visibly absent Saviour; the
heart is full of love to God and man ; we
breathe free, as if in a new and better at
1110s; here. What has wrought all this?
The Spirit has borne its testimony to our
acceptance ; our spirit has caught divine
light and heat from the throne of God.
The trust reposed in Christ's merits has
brought down the reponse of heaven that it
is even so, and enough, and we are healed,
an 1 happy in knowing it.
Now shall any say, this is delusion ?
the work of Bel.al ? or, but the work of
tne heated fancy ? that when the hour of
excitement is passed, tiic pretended visi
ter will have gone also ? By no means.
This, perhaps to prevent deception andde-
1 lusion, the witness is given, all other rea-
sons being excluded. God is by it but de
claring our acceptance, our admission into
his family of believing children, "as an
heir of God, and a joint-beir with Christ."
We might as well doubt the evidence of
our senses as the testimony of the Spirit.
An audible voice coming from on high
would not .so plainly and positively as
sure of acceptance, because some question
might grow out of such manifestation. But
the voice that "inly speaks," puts the
matter beyond dispute, as both mind and
matter, sense and intellect, are exercised
in religion. God intends it to be decisive;
it is given foi the purpose of n;aking the
soul happy, or rather, we would say, it is
but the natural consequence of pardon, and
favor with God, just as the sun-light and
heat descends as soon as the mists and
gloom are driven avay ; though, if not giv
en to tell of reconciliation, it certainly has
the effect as an incident, and settles the
query on every mind, of religion or no re
ligion. Suppose we could not know we
were pardoned, how would be our conduct?
Live on in doubt ail our life, and never
glorify our Savior by testing his promise
and proclaiming it true?
In the times of the old dispensation,
the time wh?n the Ark was on eartn, and
the children of Israel resorted to it for the
purpose of learning the will and commands
of God, by urim and thummim.the due ap
proach of the worshipper and enquirer was
expected to be followed by instantaneous
replies. If the question was. "Shall we
go up against tne Amalekites ?" the an
swer came iu an instant, "Ye shall go."
So in the later periods cf the same dispen
sation, yet its prophetical phase, when the
mouth of God's pi'ophcts was looked to for
his decrees, tha petition was as quickly
followed by the expected announcement.
In a word, the appeal to heaven was al
ways made with the expectation ftf some
kind of reply, fully meeting the case. The
Ark of the Covenant has been moved final
ly to the upper world ; the urim and thum
mim reply from thence ; prophets are no
longer needed 011 earth, (the apocalypse be
ing already written up,) and they have
given place to dnct reference to the Spirit
that scut them. The dwelling-place of
Cherub:m is now and henee-forth near t he
inrone orwoor mirnecnu?eTno"Oiaaispcrisa;-
tion is at an end, and the new one, with
our blessed and risen Saviour at its head,
transferred to another and better world,
the upper temple, do we lose those privi
leges enjoyed by the darker ages of priest
aud prophet in having no one to answer
when we call ? Sliull we, in this more
glorious day of light and liberty, kneel in
prayer and find no waiting car to catch
the petition ? Shall we, like Baal's pro
phets, supplicate and find none to answer?
or, if the answer comes, is it to be indis
tinct, incoherent, unintelligible? or is it
to be long delayed and a dying hour
looked to for a development ? Had Moses
returned from the sanctuary with no word
for the people, or Peter knelt and prayed
by the insensible remains of Dorcas, and
no life been given, or, our Lord said to
Lazarus, "Come forth," and he remained
in the grave, there would have been an
end to he ief in the Bible. God had de
termined such such shonld not be r and the
prnyer of faith always brought correspond
ing results ; and now the prayer we make
toward heaven, the place where dwelleth
our great high priest, is instantly heard,
and as in the days of patriarch and seer,
as njieedily answered. We hear iu voice,
see no sign, but have better evideace still,
;n that the "spirit itself beareth witness
with our spirit, that we are the children of
God." We cannot explain it to others,
not even to ourselves ; but the sense of
God's presence is overshadowing, so over
powering, so glorious withal in its indwell
ing, that we c in only exclaim, "glory to
God in the highest,' and give up the fac
ulties to the transporting feast. There is
ex itement about it, which we have no
wish to deny, but no less of reason ; a
flow or, tears, but no sense of pain ; a feel
ing of exaltation raising us almost to the
skies ; but no prid', yea, rather deepest
self-abasement. We feel "Christ has
formed in us the hope of glory." Yet
there is still something further to urge, for
it is added,
6. In whom also, after that ye believ
ed ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of
promise. Eph. 1 13.
The word "after" here used, is a con
tinuation of the form of expression employ
ed by the apostle in beginning the verse ;
to wit: "after ye heard the word of truth,"
&c, meaning when they had heard tho
gospel preached, the' then believed it,
and in believing, were also seeded with the
Spirit 'promised by our Saviour. A sealed
instrument therefore is the figure used to
show our title to this heavenly inheritance.
An instrument may, however, be lost, and
with it, as a consequence, our title, or our
earnest, or plege of what shall be the final
reward of the faithful, may be lost, and
the claim go with it. But so long as we
retain the impression of the Holy Spirit,
the sense of its indwelling, we are secure.
It is from this we date our start in the
divine life ; by this signal are aware of our
direction toward heaven. There is no
sealing which looks beyond this. No un
conditional sealing, so as to lead any to
imagine they cannot lose their evidence of
thi9 ' indwelling." We are not sealed,
"shut up" to eternal life, as some suppose;
but there is placed upon the tablets of the
heart a divine impress, giving a foretaste
of future joy, and by it, while continued,
we feel sure of an inheritance, the purchas
ed possession. The heavenly life ia in
fact begun on earth, and we look not aside
for similar joys, but onward in the one di-
i-ectiou, for more of the life "we now live.
The soul is satisfied, perfectly satisfied,
that this is nothing, can be nothing but
the earlier portions of the true and heav
enly promise, and it can only cry, "O,
that I might more of heaven enjoy," "that
the earthen vessel might break ;" that it
could but "drink endless pleasures in !"
ARGUMEXT.
1. The Abrahamic and Mosaic dispen
sations directly witnessed on every proper
occasion.
2. So did the prophetical.
3. And so the christiau in the day and
person of Christ, by forgieing sins and an
nouncing t.
4. The same necessity exists now as for
merly for forgiveness and a knowlcdje
thereof.
5. The Holy Ghost is sent to supply
this knowledge.
6. This evidence should not be less dis
tinct and satisfactory an one.in a brighter
dispensation than in the older and dark
er ones. Hence,
6 "The Spirit itself beareth w'Uness
with our spirits, that we are the children
of God."
J. P. OLDS.
For t lie N. C. Christian Advocate.
Bibic Characters Jubal.
Cain was cursed of the Almighty for his
heinous crime, aud yet had the care and
mercy of God upon himself and family.
Among his descendants who became men
of usefulness was Jubal.
The Bible account of this man is that
"he was the father of such as dwell in
-t, ltv t tic ' ' Tui ia all that
is said of him, and yet how suggestive is
this sentence. I suppose the meaning of
the historian to be, that he was the father
of a very important tribe which followed
the s' eperd's life, or that he was the first
to adopt ihis mode of life, and may be said
to be the "father" of all such as follow
that vocation.
Adam was sent forth to till the ground,
aud "Cain brought of the fruits of the
cround, a sacrifice unto the Lord And
Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of
his flock, and the fat thereof." This shows
that the raising of flocks was common even
then. But perhaps the raising of cattle
was not followed even by Abel as a voca
tion. But Jubal made this his business, and
dwelt, perhaps, in movable tents that he
might move as often as the wants of his
flocks and herds should require.
This became an honorable and profita
ble business after the flood, and was fol
lowed by many of the greatest men of the
world. One of the best kings who ever
lived was raised a shepherd boy, many
long years after Jubal slept in the grave.
Again ; how little we know of tho man
ners and customs of those early times.
Who can tell whether before J ubal's time
the people ever had tents, or artificial sheds,
or houses of any kini ? May we not sup
pose that all the shelter they had was the
clefts of rocjs, or natural caves, or the
boughs of some giant tree which had grown
before the earth was cursed for sin ?
Surely the carpenter's trade, if indeed
thought of, was not very perfect, and I
I imagine that house-keeping was rather
below the standard of the present day.
Perhaps Jnbal was, not only the first to
make cattle raising a business, but the first
to invent an artificial dwelling place for
man. The fine houses and palaces of these
times may be only improvements on this
poor man's cruue invention. When we
consider the comforts which we derive
both from his invention and from the vo
cation which made him eminent, we appre
ciate this man, though his name is seldom
heard among men. He has only shared
the fate of most men of inventive genius.
The fruit of their ingenuity is enjoyed by
thousands r f men, while they lie forgotten
in the grave. C.
Nearer
One sweetly solemn thought
Come to me o'er and o'er;
I'm nearer my home to-day
Tha'n I've ever been before.
Nearer my Father's house,
Where the many mansions be ;
Nearer the great white throne,
Nearer the jasper sea.
Nearer the bound of life,
Where we lay our burdens down ;
Nearer leaving my cross.
Nearer wearing my crown.
SELECTIONS.
Clitrnixiana.
The deed is done. Dr. Conant, tho re
visionist, has finished Matthew, and it is
announced that he has deliberately trans
mutilated baptize into immerse. Immense
industry, vigils of scholarship, and patient
snuffing of mouldy manuscripts, are talked
of by the revisionists as having been the
cause of this effect. They would have us
believe that the Doctor started with a mind
perfectly open to conviction, and followed
the lead of truth with as much simplicity as
if it Ijad been an ignis ituas and ha s
traveller upon the moor over which it
danced. We cannot believe that the Doc
tor got into the bog after that simple man
ner. He always knew it was, and intend
ed to plunge into it in time, and to aston
ish us with the assurance that he had been
led to that infelicitous conclusion by a
strange, mysterious light, which we were
to admit to be from heaven. Both the
Doctor and the Revisionists were, as we
have intimated, fully aware of the water
born character of that light ; they knew
that it sprang from the bog of their own
sectarianism, and that after darting about
delusively for a while it would return
whence it came.
For a time the Itevisionists assured us
that their chief object was to get Pharaoh
properly drowned, and to relieve the gol
den calf from any suspicion of Egyptian
mortgage. If we said anything about im
mersion, they replied that their chief ob
ject was to harden the old King's heart by
an orthodox process, and to make the Is
raelites demand instead of borrow the jew
elry they never intended to return. Now,
it turns out, as 6onie suspected, that all
this solicitude, was simply a covering for a
preconceived design to get " baptize" out
of the way. This deed, as we said, is
done. And now, lest the Chcenixians
should lose cast with the curious, t-ey an
nounce that there is some other " stent"
to be developed hereafter. The Bible
Union, says one of its organs, is even now
giving itself to "secret, indomitable, and
determined work." We wist not tnat
there could be any great mystery behind.
But we wait in patience, and hope that
the lJible Union, "rhich haa huen "lot
hitherto" in the complete unfolding of its
design, may soon cease to find any pru
dential consideration in the way of " ma
king a clean breast."
The name Chocnixian which we have
given to the Revisionists, is fairly earned
by their translation of a verse iu the
Book of Revelation, on their principle of
plainness of speech. The verso referred to
is in tr.e fifth chapter, and reads,, ve ry un
intelligibly as follows in the old version :
"A measure of wheat for a penny, and
three measures of barley for a penny," etc.
The lucid Revisionists lucidify the myste
ry in this manner : "A chconix of wheat
for a denarius, and threo choenixes of bar
ley for a denarius," etc. To approach
perfect clearness it should have readj: " A
choenix of the Triticum Ilybcrnum for a
denarius, and three chcenixes of the ILtr
deam Hexastichon for a denarius," and
then all the old ladies who read the new
version over their knitting, might truly
have sung
" And still new beauties do we sec,
And still increasing light."
But what human work is perfect, and
who wou'd be unappreciative enough to say
" the old is better" after even such a taste
of the "new." Texas Advocate.
CIiurcBi Statistics.
Perhaps in no department of tho annual
statistics is there so much inaccuracy as in
the return of the numbers in society. This
mainly grows out of inattention to the reg
istration of names, and the proper revision
every year of the Church records. No
preacher is blameless who neglects this
part of his work ; a faithful return should
be made every year.
We have on hand and are ready to sup
ply the whole Connection with Church
Registers." We copy from our Catalogue :
CBX'RCU REGISTERS.
Two valuable Registers, for the Metho
dist Episcopal Church, South, have been
recently gotten up, and arc now on sale at
the Publishing House and the Deposito
ries. Register First, for the names of Church
members and Probationer.
Eight quires, large cap, full bound in
best sheep, Russia corners, gilt-lettered,
Six quires, large C3p, full bound iu best
sheep, Russia corners, gilt-lettered, $4 50.
Four quires, large cap. half-bound, mo
rocco backs, muslin sides, gilt-lettered,
$2 50.
Two quires, large cap, half-bound, mo
rocco backs, muslin sides, gilt-lettered,
$150.
Register Second, for Baptisms and Mar
riages. Four quires, large cap, half-bound mo
rocco backs, muslin side?, gilt-lettered,
$2 50. v
$1.50 a year, in advance.
) Two quires, large cap, half-bound, mo.
I rocco backs, muslin sides, gilt-Icttcred,
' $1 50.
As these important books have long been
called for by the Church, and as a consid
erable sum has been expended in procuring
the needed supply, it is now confidently
hoped that our brethren in tho ministry
will jtake the necessary steps to have all
our churches promptly furnished with these
valuable records.
A discount of ten per cent, on the fore
going price will be made for cash. Nath
villc Ch. Advocate.
A Higher Standard of Piety.
HOW SHALL IT Bl BEACHED ?
This question, treated at some length by
one of your contributors, seems to me of
such importance as to be worthy of further
and earnest consideration. All acknowl
edge in words the importance of individuals
raising the standard in their own hearts,
Lut in all this there is a certain intlrfmi'e
ness of object. A mere vague belief that
we might be better, and ought to bo better
does uot give us any standard at whieh to
aim, and the general standard of preach
ing and conscant and unvarying confes
sions in prayer, both in tho church and iu
the prayer meetings, show that just about
the same shortcoming and failures arc cx
pected from day to day and year to year.
In the case of a child, you would have
little to expect as the result of a mere ex
hortation " You ought to bo a better
child, more obedient, more docile, more
kind ; you must have a higher standard of
life as a child." But if he is told, " You
must be peifecily obedicut to tho letter
and spirit of your parents command' : you
must live iu entire harmony with your
brothers and bisters : you must always have
perfect lessons in school ; you must always
speak the truth," then ho sees something
definite aud attaiuab e ; ho has a fixed
standard, aud can know how near he has
come to it. He has an object and a mo
tive. Our Christian course is upward.
Suppose we are ascci ding a mountain ;
peak after peak rises before us. We sco
them in apparently interminable succes
sion, but the goal is above all. We may
sot out and toll ou, on, ou, painfully, auJ
may be making progress upward. But
are we conscious of progress ? There is
another experience. The ascent is seldom
up and up in a direct line, but from 0113
point to another; an if in going up wo
fix our eye upon some point and aim at
that, it is and encouragement when that
point is reached. Then, turning to look
back on all the way we havo come, wa
again make s'iuc other spot still above us,
and aim at that util we reach it.
Thus we go from strength to strength.
Applying this to our Christian life, let
us first believe that we can reach a higher
stauJarl, then aim to reach it, an I instead
of vague y, indefinitely reaching upward,
aim at points of progress :
Directly overcoming any known sin.
Performing some known or neglected
duty.
Faith in prayer.
The fu 1 assurance of hope.
Perfect love, which castcth out fear.
Subduing the will.
F ul harmony of our own will with the
will of God.
Attaining to the " peace" of God which
passeth all understanding.
Sanctification, or holiness of heart and
life.
Whatsoever wo believe to be attainable,
let it be made the direct object of aim and
effort ; and by these steps we may reach a
higher standard of Christian life. But
there must be the full belief that it may Lc
attained, and earnestness in tho striving to
attain it.
How was it with conversion ? We be
lieved it possible, desirable ; wo labored
prayed, read, inquired, sought, rested not
until the blessing came. So if there be
other points of attainment beyond conver
sion, there should be tho like definitcncM
of aim, the like earnestness, steadfast u s
of purpose, reading, striving prayer.
When this truth shall bo fully appre
hended and acted upon by tho church,
then we may look for a higher standard
of Christian character. A". Y. lndpm
dent. Fanner.
There are s?ven reasons why farm
ers are healthier than professional men.
viz :
1. They work more, and develop all the
leading muscles of the body.
2. They take their exercise in the open
air and breathe a great amount of oxygon.
3. Their food and drinks are commonly
less adulterated and far more simple.
4. They do not overwork their brain
as much as industrious profesional men.
5. They take their sleep commonly
during the hour of darkness, and do not
try to turn day into night.
G. They are not so ambitious and do not
wear themselves out so rapidly ia the con
test of rivalry.
7. Their pleasures aro simple and lotf
exhausting.
is.