cordance to bis precept At the time Jesus an
swered and said, “ I thank thee O 1-athkb, Lord
of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid those
things from the wise and prudent, and hast re
vealed them unto babes; even Fawibr for so
it seemed good in thy sight —Matt. 11, 25 -6.
Luke 10th chapter, 21st verse.
That it was the practice of Jesus to address
himself in the language of supplication to the
Father, is likewise manifest from the following
passages; Matt. 26, 39 42 53. Mark 14,30.
Luke 22, 42 ; chap. 23, 34 46. John 12, 26 28;
chap 14, 16 ; chap. 10, 26 ; chap. 17, 1 5 11 21 .
24 and 25th verses. I
In this respect as well as in all others, Paul
was a follower of our blessed Lord. To give
thanks to the Father, for all things was his prac
tice—Eph. 3, 14. Col. 1, 3; and his precept—
Rom. 15, 6. Eph. 6, 20. Col. 1st chapter, 12th
verse ; and chap. 3, 17th verse.
Thus we are authorised by the examples and
commands of Christ, and of the Apostle Taul, to
consider the Father as the Supreme object of
adoration. Hence we conclude that he is the
only true God. So numerous and decisive are
the proofs, which establish the great doctrines of
the Christian denomination. First, that God is
one undivided and immutable being, and second,
that this One being is' the Father.
And is it not an unspeakable satisfaction, to
have the subject thus simplified and cleared of
mystery, and presented in the language of Scrip
ture ?
Must not the humble worshipper who laments
that his piety is checked, not only by the impor
tunities of appetite, and the attraction of mate
rial objects, but by the real difficulty of contem
f plating with fixed attention a being unseen, unfelt,
V/and unheard, rejoice in every discovery which
contributes to render the sublime work of praise
more easy, as well as more delightful ? - But to
enlarge on these views, though useful as well as
agreeable, would ke to depart from the line of
strict scriptural argumentation.
— In my next, a few thoughts on the characler
and person of Christ, and may the Holy Spirit
help us to preseut the truth,, with reference to
the Son of God.
Faucetts’ Store, N. C., Feb. 8th, 1851.
For the Christian Sun.
WHEN MUST I DIE ?
“What is Death ? a busy husbandman
* Who in season and out of season, wields and ever ready
sickle. Tuppcr.
Mortal life cannot abide forever—it must have
an end. The irreversible fiat has gone forth from
the courts of Jehovah, that “ Man is mortal and
death inevitable ’’—the sacred volume of revela
tion proclaims, that “ Death is appointed once
for all men” the decay and mutation of nature at
test to all the solemn truth, and we dare not doubt
it. We pause not then to ascertain the certain
ty or to develope the justice of Nature’s stern im
mutable law, we bow submissively to the known
decree^ and in simplicity only inquire, when?
When must I die said a young itnd lovely child
to me : and as she faintly lisped the sweet accents
of simplicity and innocence a tremBfing tear
gently stole from her soft blue eye—•' Mother
told me I should have to die, like litttle brother,
but when I asked her when ? she would not tell
me. Please sir, tell me when I must die and
when I told her, that neither I nor her good
i. mother but God alone could tell, her little bosom
heaved and she seemed almost transfixed with
horror, that she could not know when she should
be laid solitary and alone’ in the cold and cheer
less grave. Alas ! the dark pall of doubt is not
thrown alone around the mind of the simple little
infant in tracing up this inquiry. Here is a pro
blem, so abstruse and mystical, that science nor
philosopy can never solve it. A Confucius, Zoro
aster or Watts ma,y ha,y.e investigate.d nll th^ laws
of thought and action, piled up precept of Wisdom
upon precept and heaped volume of human lore on
volume ; a Newton or a Franklin may have un
folded many of the most startling mysteries of
nature, measured the distance and explained
the movements of the heavenly bodies in their
ceaseless rotations, and chained’ the insidious
fluid that courses the mighty veins of the thunder
throbbing bosom of Heaven, submissive to the
will of man : but with all their skill, ingenuity
and wisdom they could never lift aside the mystic
veil of the future, and answer the question of this
innocent little girl.
_j
w lien must j. uie : me au-auwni..g
Omniscience alone respond. Death *is no regular
periodical visitor. He does not always favor us
with timely premonitions of his appearance, but
he often comes without giving the faintest war
ning to prepare. Alas ! in my own brief experi
ence how many sad and unexpected inroads have I
seen him make in circles where all was gladness,
hilarity and joyous dreams of a golden future.
The young mother bangs with listless care over
the peaceful slumbers of her first-born babe, and
while be closely nestles in her bosom and she
pictures for him naught but bright sun lit paths,
the tender bud is nipped by the cold and icy fin
gers of death. The cup of life is proffered to
his lips, he tastes the bitter draught and refuses
to drink. Oh Death!
' “ Gold, beauty, virtue, youth,
Even helpless swaddled innoceney fails
To soften thy heart of stone; the infants’ blood
Pleases well thy taste—and while the mother weeps,
Bereaved by thee, lonely and wastes in wo,
Thy ever grinding jaws devour her too.”
See yon lovely girl, bedecked in all the beau
ties cf nature and of art; the roseate tints of the
carnation blushing on her healthful cheeks, whilst
crowds of admirers fawn around her footsteps, and
drink in every glance from the melting eyes—and
reflect before to-morrow’s sun shall gild the eas
tern hills, she may be levelled U> the dust and
become the food of crawling worms ! The noble
and manly youth that sets out upon the tumultu
ous ocean of life in his fragile bark, his big
heart burning with lofty 'aspirations, and while
lhe*bcacon-light of Hope gleams with lustre and
the finger of Fame beckons a far off, he rushes
recklessly, madly onward, till, in a fatal moment,
the maelstrom of death is reached and he is bdr
ied in his yawning vortex. What a forcible ad
monition, that “ in the midst of life we are in
death!” 1 have seen the man of ambition and
j fhe votary of popularity of strong and buoyant
frame and vigorous intellect, drinking with ecsta
cy the applause of the multitude, with iron sinews
flimbing the ladder of Fame, and dreaming only of
golden honors and untying laurels, swallowed up
in an ktant by the insatiate jaws of Death ; and I
could but ask, what is human fame and glory ?
And reason whispered ’tis merely the liny boat
which the school boy cut with his penknife, from a
small piece of bark, and launched upon the brook,
ind as the first gale wafted by, it overset, scarcely
provoking a riffle upon the. placid stream.
When must I die ? Let the inquiry sink deep
in our hearts. Frequent warnings are necessary to
make us reflect on this solemn subject; for we
are too apt to repel from our minds all thoughts of
death and of a future state. Propose it often and
seriously to your hearts frail man, and it will en
able you to brace up your nerves to meet the
event with greater firmness and composure when
it shall occur, and not sink down prostrate and
paralyzed with fear. Open the broad book of
Nature and find an allegory there. • In this sea
son of the year most particularly many images of
death present themselves to our view. Nature is
now disrobed of those beauties which but last
summer, charmed our eyes and filled our souls
with delight. The grove and fields through which
we rambled, inhaling the gentle breeze as they
wafted over fragrant flowers, and listened to the
weet strains of the feathered songsters, and now
all solitary and cheerless and divested of all their
variety and charm. That giant oak which last
summer clothed with foliage and verdue. towered
proudly toward the skies, is now felled by the
sturdy woodman’s axe. The raging winds sweep
furiously along, and in the wild and sportive play
tear up many a proud tree, which a short time
since, seemed in its security to defy the rude
blasts of winter. ’Tis thus with thee, oh death !
“ None can escape thee : in this dungeon house,
Where darkness-dwells, and thrice-fearlhl silence,
Thou sitt’sl Irom age to age insatiate,
And drink’s t the blood of men, and gorge thy flesh,
And with thy iron teeth grindest them to powder
No br-ibe can buy thy favor for an hour,
Nor mitigate the cruel cage
For human prey.” l /
Many animals pasaThe winter in a profound stu
por from which they do not awake till the mild
heat of rsturning spring reanimates their system.
Just so the long night of winter steals upon us
and intercepts our efforts to obtain the facinating
pleasures of this vain world, and presenting to our
astonished gaze a symbol of the night of death,
which so often comes wheq least expected. Thus
we may derive lasting benefit from the various
changes of nature if we fear not to contemplate
them.
When must I die ? I cannot tell: but enough
for me to know that “ Death is appointed once for
all men, and after death, judgment.” Let me
then so live as one who knows this day may termi
nate mine earthly career. Let me become familiar
with the idea of my latter end, and with force, let
its cogent lessons reach my heart. And at least
let me meet the dread messenger without fear or
trembling, and rejoice in his appearance as a her
ald of the approach of a joyful eternity m the bright
mansions of undying bliss.
“ Engage oh God ! this wavering heart,
Wisely to choose the better part, /
To scorn the trifles of a day,
For joys that never lade away.
If thou my Father, still be nigh,
Cheerful! I live, and joyful die, /___
Secure when mortal comforts flee
To find ten thousand worlds in thee.”
ADOLESCENS.
Nansemond Ya. /
For the Christian Sun.
Mr. Editor: I observe- in the “Sun” of the
12 th instant, a request made,by Elder M. B. Bar
rett, for some one of your Correspondents to give
the true meaning of the following passage of
Scripture: /
“ And I say unto you; Make to yourselves
friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that
when ye fail, they may receive you into everlast
ing habitations!"
The interpretation Or true meaning of the above
passage is. this : I believe our Saviour meant for
us to use as much foresight and diligence about
the concerns of eternity, as worldly-minded men
do about the things of this world. Instead of
employing uncertain riches in any unrighteous
way, use them rather in aots of piety and charity,
with a subserviaace to real and everlasting hap
piness ; that, when flesh and heart, and all these
enjoyments (friends of mammon) fail, and we
come to die, God ma!y receive ns as faithful stew
ards to eternal mannsions in the heavens.
To give you a more comprehensive view of the
words “ friends of the mammon of unrighteous
ness,”.! will here quote from an eminent Divine,
who says:
“ Mammon signifies riches; and according to
the Heathen Mythology, was the God of plenty,
and all the treasure of this world are here called
the 4fcmmon or riches of unrighteousness, in op
position to the true riches, because they are empty
and unsatisfying, precarious and disappointing to
the expectations of those that place their happi
ness in them; and yet -they may likewise be so
called, because they are often unjustly obtained
and possessed, abused and made the means of
corrupting many, and are the only portion of un
righteous men." A TRUE BELIEVER.
Raleigh, February 19th, 1851.
For the Christian Sun.
THE CHRISTIAN CONNEXION.
We thank God that our Church is able to main
tain her position, being founded as we believe,
upon a Rock. Others built upon the foundations
of men have been unable to-stand firm when trials
and opposition come. But opposition has only
served to confirm and establish our Connexion.
She has nothing to fear from investigation. Her
foundation is too firm to be moved ; and her ban-'
ner floats too high in the air to be reached by her
enemies. Her principles are opposed to nothing
but sin. She advances in strength and numbers
slmost imperceptibly. Her policy is not to build
up her walls upon the ruins of other Christian
communities ; but by gaining volunteers from the
ranks of the world—receiving into her number all
who with a willing mind are disposed to enlist
under the Captain of our salvation. ,
Let us be encouraged; for we are fully per
suaded, that the most substantial basis, that
could have been formed by man, must have given
way ere this, before the powerful opposition we
as a denomination have had.to encounter. When
ever and wherever, her principles are proclaimed,
the people see the ground she occupies, is scrip
tural find reasonable: and like the little leaven
will continue to spread and leaven the whole
lump. We need not fear of failing to be success
ful my dcar'brethren in building up our oansein
the world ; (not by pulling down other churches)
but by rolling on the tide of true piety and Godly
zeal until the whole earth is filled with righteous
ness and true holiness. JAMES I. HOBBY.
CHRISTIAN SUN.
RALEIGH, N. C.
Wednesday, February a®, 1851.
OUR LEADING PRINCIPLES.
-L We Qwn no name but Christian; believing it was
given by Divine appointment. * * “ And thou shalt
be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord
shall name.” “ The disciples were first called Chris
tians at Antioch.”
2. The Bible, as our only authoritative rule of faith
and practice. “ All scripture is given by inspiration of
| God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for cor
; rection, for instruction in righteousness; that the man
i of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished Unto all
1 good works.” .
i 3. Cristian Character, the only proper test of Chris
| lian fellowship. “ By their fruits ye shall know them.”
i 4. Christian Union, among all Saints upon Bibje
grounds. “ Ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Our Terms. It appears that there are some of
our subscribers who do not understand why twen
ty-five cents more is to be charged to the sub
scription price of the Sun, when payment is de
layed six months, or longer. We answer; The
additional charge is to enable the Publisher to
employ an Agent to collect his dues on the Sun.
We think it nothing but justice. The subscriber
can avoid the payment of the additional quarter
of a dollar, just by paying his subscription accord
ing to the Terms found on the first page ; i. e.,
in advance ; and then there will be no/need of
paying an Agent to collect such dues.
$3T The Postmaster general has/decided that
Postmasters may frank letters enclosing subcrip.
tion money to the published of newspapers.
Our friends can pay the dalfar to their Postmas
ter and g&t him to forward it on, to us. Our
Agents who may have larger sums to send us,
can do the same and save postage.
To Agents. You can save us a great deal of
trouble by observing the following directions ;
When you piake remittances, be sure to write in
a plain hand, the name of the subscriber and his
post office for whom the money is sent.
In sending pay for new .suJ^ribers^_aLways_dis-_
tipguish between them and old ones.
In ordering discontinuances, be sure to give the
name of the post office, as well as the name of the
subscriber that wishes to discontinue.
Kider L). r. rise oi rtewDurypori, mass. iicu>
kindly consented to-afct as our regular correspon
dent for the Ermt. We call the attention of our
readers to his very interesting article contained in
this number, under the head of “ Revivals in New
England.” May the good work spread gloriously
throughout those Northern regions.
“ The Chrsitian Sun” is now published in this
city. Since its transfer to this place its typo
graphical appearance has greatly improved. . We
are sorry to see in its correspondents a disposition
now and then to find fault With the Missionary
Baptists. Biblical Recorder.
Will Brother Tohey be so good as to infor
us, which one of our Correspondents has shov
disposition to find fault with the Missionary
tists ? And upon what grounds? We
people generally are in favor of the
cause ;Vnd their “disposition” is t« 1
speed to every laudable effort that is
to Christianize the world. We wish,
not to be represented as being oppos
sionary opperations.
We have home Missionary Societies ofl
and have several Missionaries in the fie™
true, we have no foreign missions establii
but it is Dot because we are opposed
But when our people are fully awakened
duty, we trust that some of our ministers
the honored instruments in the hands of
turning many of the benighted heathen
their idolatry to the worship of -the One true
living God.
We copy below the Resolutions adopted by tbl
General Convention of the Christian Connexion,
held at Marion, New York, in October last on the
subject of slavery.
It appears, that our Northern-Brethren, though
entertaining views adverse to Slavery, in general,
yet “ believe that no part of the Union is j ustified
in boasting of exclusiveness from sin over anoth
er,” concerning slavery as it exists in our own
country. They fully recognize all Godly people
living in the Southern States as Christians. Hence
we have no occasion to fear a split in our de
nomination, upon that ground, as others have done.
Resolved, That we consider the personal free
dom of every human being to be a sacred right
of his nature; and that Slavery, therefore in this
country, and in every other, is a great infraction
of the right of humanity; that it is not a natu
ral relation; and that we entertain the belief, and
cherish the hope, that the tendency to improve
ment, inseparable from the nature of man,—the
teachings and spirit of Christian religion, with the
beneficent workings of the great Providence which
tenderly cares for the welfare of each and all of
God’s moral offspring, will finally abolish this re
lation from the face of the earth.
Retolvtd, That to remove the evils of Slavery
it should be approached with no partisan motives,
that the love of humanity, rendered wise by the
consciousness of the present imperfect
man society. el»o«!d temper every word we write,
or utter on this subject; that we consider no part
of the Union as being justified in boasting in ex
clusiveness from sin over another; that, for ever
regarding the fraternal ties which unite the differ
ent parts of our country together, we ought to
treat with kindness and esteem, the good men and
women of the South whose birth and education
have been providentially cast in aGjegion of country
inheriting the system of slavery.
Strictures on a pamphlet recently published in
Havana Chdpvxng County, N. Y., entitled "Uni
tarianism. A dialogue summarily exhibiting
from their approved Authors~the doctrine ad
' - vanced by a sect called Chris-tians, in which their
arguments are stated and confuted by Rev. C. L.
Brown of the M. E. Church. By Jabez Chad
wick, A. M., a minister of the Christian Church.
We have received from the author a copy of
the above work ; a pamphlet containing 48 pages
of well printed matter. Were it not that some
uninformed good men might be led astray, and ig
norantly misrepresent us to others, we should
be opposed to any of our ministers noticing such
scurrilous publications as that of Mr. Brown s
which Elder Chadwick has so ably refuted in the
above pamphlet. Akin to this publication of Mr.
Brown’s is a work entitled, “ A check to Modern
Arianism,” by one Hiram Mattison of the M. E.
Church. That has also been taken up, and
perfectly dissected by Elder Chadwick. It is a
pitv that any church embodying so mafiy thous
ands of Godly men, and devoted Christians ; and
whose ministers have labored so hard for the con
version of the world, should number among them
such cruel slanderers as C. L. Brown and Hiram
Mattison. Such publications as theirs, will do
any thing but injuie us where we are kuown.
False representations, and unfair dealing will
tever prosper. Fair argument and sound reason
ing we love, but falsehoood and slander we des
pise.
W. B. W.
ELDER BENJAMIN SEEVER.
This brother is now on a visit to the churches
j[ Virginia and North Carolina. We hope he
will be well received and encouraged
!y sort. Elder Seever is
ind much devoted to his
i/ifh liim to .
horizon,"
I hope fro
that you
thy th^cau
success. I rema
Extract of a lets
dated Faucett’s!
February lst^^ofil:
“ Sun ” came to hand, it was joytun^^J
It shines brightly, and I hope it ever may "pour
its light upon a dark world, that the people may
enjoy he light of the glorious Gospel.”
A party of 400 Mormons sailed from Liverpool,
on the 5th., for New Orleans. Their destination
is the Valley of the Great Salt Laks. A second
ship, with 280 emigrants of the same pursuasion
and for the same destination, was ready to sail
from Liverpool.
AN nn* i ahuci,
below we give the names of all the Ministers
who were present at the late General Convention,
at Marion, New York. This will be an interest
ing table to many of our readers. It was prepar
ed by Elder John Ellis, of Castile, N. Y. for his
own use, and we have solicited from him a copy
for publication. The statistics were received from
each Minister’s own lips, showing when they were
Born—the year they were converted—the time they
commenced preaching—the years they have been
I engaged in pr caching—and their present age, as
I follows:
S
|
s
I
<t
so
•i
1. Jaber Chadwick,
2. David Ford,
3. John Ross,
4. Jesse E. Church,
5. David Millard,
C. Jasper Hazen,
7 John Case,
8. Jason McKee,
9. Daniel P. Pike,
10. Thomas Henry,
11. David Wade,
12 D. F. Ladley,
13. John Philips,
14. W. R. Stowe,
15. C. L. F. Havens,
16. H. S. Fish,
17. W. B. Wellons,
18. P. Roberts,
19. George Bailey,
20. E. H. Halladay,
21. E. Bulloch,
22. James Elliott,
23. L. B. Hyatt,
24. Eli Fayv—‘ "
25. A. Stanton,
26. J. R. Freese,
27. A. S. Langdon,
28. J. H. Currier,
29. Chester Covell,
30. Ira Brown,
31. Charles H Plummer,
32. G. S. Warren,
33. Theobold Miller,
34. Moses Cummings,
35. John B. Weston,
36. John Waggoner,
37. B. Hanes,
38. J. W. Tilton,
29. Moses Kidder,
40 E. Chadwick,
41. W. T. Caton,
42. G. H. Hebbard,
43. Josiah Knight
44. Z. M. Ellis,.
45. John!
nurtti '
1779
1779
1794
1804
1794
1790
1786
1800
1815
1799
1793
1806
1810
1815
1818
1816
1821
1815
1790
1811
1820
1825
1817
1827
1812
1826
1807
1808
1817
1806
1822
1809
1808
1816
1821
1813
1820
1812
1817
181
1702
1799
1814
1820
1814
1808
1807
1818
1830
1825
1816
1822
1825
1831
1840
1838
1834
1831
1805
1833
1833
1840
1836
1844
1830
1846
1826
1824
1832
1825
1842
1830
1825
1831
1835
1834
1810
1829
1831
9 >
* 5
o S"
1600 50
1799 51
1817 33
1825 25
1815 35
1809 41
1815 35
1831 19
1835 15
1830 20
1820 30
1833 17
1833 17
1839 11
1840 10
1842 8
1845 5
1831 16
1827 23
1835 15
1843 8
1840 10
1841 ; 9
1844 6
1832 18
71
71
56
46
56
60
64
50
35
51
57
44
40
35
1834 16
1833 17
1841 9
1827 23
1842 8
1832 18
1834 16
1836 14
1843 7
1841 9
1840 10
1839
34
29
35
60
39
30
35
33
23
38
24
43
42
33
44
28
41
42
34
29
37
30
/
into port.
Elder Jamks M. Minnis’
Head, Sumner County, Tenn,
for him should be directed accpi
Elder Charles H; PlummerPost
for the present, is Lewisville,
Township, Chester County, Penn.
%
.* f/
ffioe address