*1 PER ANNUM, IN ADVANCE • \ ivinrer 4, TUB CHRISTIAN STC N is Published Semi-Monthly by HENRY B. HAYES, Publishing Agent. Edited by W. B. Welloi*^J. R. Holt, H. B. Have*. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. Chesley F. Faccktte, Thoma* J. Kilby, ■ Alfred Isley, R. H. Holland, E. F. Watson, J- B. Hinton, Alsey B. Freeman. Terms. One dollar per annum, payable fh advance or one dollar and twenty-live cent* if payment bo de?ay edNopa^nrhwill be discontinued until all arrearage, are oaid except at the discretion of the Publisher. P Any person obtaining five subscribers, and forwarding the money in advance, shall receive the sixth copy one year for nis services. . . ^ Advertisements, consistent with the character of the paper, will be inserted at the flowing.rates? fourteen litres or less for the first insertion one dollar, ehch subse quent insertion twehty-five cents. They must ^ accom panied with a responsible name. A reasonable yedue tion will be made to those who advertise by the year. - " - -- _tkn Pkriatifin Q1111 IY rut De maae iu muse “,.J. ■. ry All communications for the Christian Sun must be curected to H. B. Hayes, Raleigh, N. C., fret of post .. ’ _.__— amA I.nttnnrlnr) t/1 age, or thev mav not be attended to. COMMUNICATIONS. For the Christian Sun. THE REASON ABDENESS-OF CHRISTIANITY. « Be ready a I ways to giv«f an answer to every man that asketlZ- you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and/ear ”—1st Pet. 3, 15. In a system of relfgkrri professing to come from God, wo would expect to find principles and in stitutions in harmony with all the developments of Deity in the universe. The mosi striking and interesting feature in the works ofHu finite wisdom, is their harmony and admirable adap tation to one great and sublime end—the cul tivation and development of mind. When we look abroad in the material universe, we behold ^^^^jmrffbeautiful order and perfect adaptation. UillUgWIIOtlUUI puiuipics. ge. Ho re, a great ques Uhe principles and kjvith the teach antago* peo 'bircumsUnces. , comprehensive > comnrehension of man Oil n of all men, in all coming from the universal — beings, we would expect to and brightness of the Sun, that all ranks of society the high unlearned. In 1 i>uch a religion we would expect a system of Di vine truth, that all could comprehend, qnd teach ing that would come home to every heart.' Such is the religion of the New Testament. Here is a grand, beautiful and sublime system of religion suited to all minds. Whilst the teaching of the I New Testament unfolds new and sublime truths to the cultivated mind, it stoops to the capacity and instructs the most uncultivated. It speak: to all men with the same voice, of the same God upon whom all are dependent, of the same duties that all should perform, of the same sin that bur I dens al! consciences, of the same sorrows thai fiierce all hearts, of that death that terminates al ( ives, and of the same great and incomprehensible future to which all minds of all nations, and al ages have ever turned with deep and inquiring anxiety. It addresses the same doctrine, the same admonitions, the same precepts, the 6ame conso ’lalions, the same promises, the same hopes to al ■ mi^ds^ It warns of mangers to which all are ex posed, enjoins virtues that all should practice , and offers consolations which all at some season: I need. Its spirit of universal love and benevo leuce.is suited to all nations of all climes. Its obvious from these considerations that the reli gion' of the New Testament is fitted to become a universal religion, and is admirably adapted to the wants of all men of all nations and of all climes. Here we see the reasonableness of Christianity, and its . harmony with- the character of God as developed in the material universe. When we look around us in the world of man kind, we,behold a. vast disproportion between the capacious mind of man, and the sources of enjoy ment by which he is-surrounded. There is noth ing in all the realm, of nature to meet the large desires of the immortal mind. Earthly posses sions do not meet the wants and satisfy the de sires of the soul. An increase of possession only enlarges the desires of the human heart. We sometimes imagine that the possession of aucli and such objects, will satisfy the mind. We afr. quire them, but the mind is still unsatisfied, and its wants unmet. The mind is1 constantly-reach ing after something higher than the objects of earth. “ Man never is but always to be blessed.” Learning cannot satisfy the wants of the mind. Mkuning instead of satisfying thedesires of mind = Ifc^^powers, capacities and desires. Now Hkurole.-sing to come from God, we provisions suited to the wants e desires of the, human religion of the Gos isions- suited to the i of the by cultiva Ps in wisdoir powers of the [tensive the in tel him. In the verj I VO V'llUl VOQ i i vo soul that he nature of the to man, we would expect to find of religion professing to come front im, principles in harmony with it. Is this ^u< of the gospel ? All who ore acquainted with it' teachings must answer in the affirmative. Chris tianity places an infinite value upon the soul, and throws entire contempt upon the body, and its in terests in comparison with the soul and its eternal interests. The provisions of Christianity are ad mirably adapted to call out and cultivate the in tellcctunl powers of man, and carry him forwarc in his ever onward march. The gospel reveals f bright and glorious future where the powers o the soul shall be fully developed, and the immor tal mind shall ever increase in wisdom, knowledge virtue and goodness, and shall ever advance to wards the great fountain of Infinite perfection Thus we see the principles and teachings o Christianity are in harmony with the nature o man. We behold in man a principle of sociality— qualities that form him for society and associatioi with his fellow>beings. Man is formed for socie ty, and he cannot be happy without it. He is s< constituted that one of the richest souroes of hi: , earthly happiness is the social circle. Is th< teachings of Christianity in harmony with the so cial nature of man ? Perfectly.. Here we find institutions and teachings that are calculated tc refine and cultivate the social powers of the soul and to unite all men in one great family—on< greai brotherhood. It slays the enmity, destroy: i the prejudices, and strengthens the social power: ■ of the heart. It breaks down all partition wall: , in society, and inspires the soul with a spirit o ; universal love and good will. It makes friends o the most implacable enemies. When we look into the soul we behold stain: of sin, fears and forebodings of guilt. The mor | al and spiritual beauty of the soul is mared b_\ j sin, and its God-like powers are perverted by ini iquity. Such being the state of man we would i expect to find in a system of religion coming from the Author of all good, provision made for the regeneration of the soul—the redemption of man from sin—and aid granted to strengthen the soul in its struggles for the mastery of evil and thent tainment of virtue. Is this true of the religion of Christ ? To the very letter. Here we find ample provision made for the regeneration of the soul; blood sealed promises of forgiveness, and proffers of divine aid to strengthen the moral powers of the soul. Christianity proposes noth ing short of the. complete regeneration of the soul, its change into the moral image of God, the full development of all its powers, and its hap piness in the bright realms of unfading day. Wken we look into the soul we behold a prin* ciple of activity. The nature of man’s mind is such, that lie must be employed, he cannot re main une.tnrfrloyed. Without employment he is restless and unhappy. A secrect inwa.'d power is perpetually urging him oiiward. and if he is act -employed in something good—in works of henevee lence and virtue, he is engaged in works of dark ness. Now is the teachings and principles of Christianity in harmony with this principle of the soul ? Are they calculated to drive man from the walks of life, and crush this principle of ac tivity in the soul; or are they calculated to call it out and cultivate it, and direct the mind in use ful fields of labor ? The principles of Christianity afe calculated to awaken and quicken into life the principles of activity in the mind- The gospel opens a vast field of useful and interesting labor to the Christian, and enjoins it as an imperative duty upon the Christian, to be always engaged in doing good—in laboring to promote the happi x uua wo acr mat tuc i>UC liumau iciiuuy. principles and precepts of Christianity are in per ect harmony with the nature of man.''" The more we study the works of nature, the kther we extend our inquiries, and push our in stigations, the more we are impressed with the and sublime truth, that “ all are but parts ye stupendous whole ”—that they are the, of one wisdom, power, and goodness, rfect harmony of the works of nature, and dom developed in the universe clearlv e great truth that the universe is the “nite intelligence. This thrilling truth characters of living*®light upon tire of the universe. Are the teachings . in harmony with this great truth e gospel teaches us that the lim its myriads of inhabitants is the one Infinite mind, k around us . in the economy of Id evidence of impartial goodness i sends his rain and sunshine on e good, confines his blessings to no n or favored people, but distributes impartial hand upon all men. The genial rays impartially upon all; showers fall alike upon the fields utle zephyers fan the fevered brow man as well as the rich ; nature opens res of wealth alike to all men. Here the imnartial troodness of (rod Now. Rrincm'.es and provisions of Christianity ly wrth this great universal truth ? Per t shines upon the pages of holy writ he brightness of the sun. In the pro the Gospel, we read the universal love ’olence of God. The blessings of chris 3 free and impartial as the sunshine and : rain. Here, Christianity and nature perfectly har monize. In the material universe we behold one great ’ and stupendous system—one great whole. Noth ing strikes the reflecting mind with greater force i than this sublime truth. In the universe of mat j ter nothing stands alone. The lovely rose that adorns the garden, sustains an intimate relation J to the earth, the air, tl)e clouds and the sunshine. The vast and stupendous worlds that roll through the extensive wilds of ether, are dependent upon each other, and are held in their orbits by mutu al influence. From tho humblest flower up tc the tallest tree that adorns the forest—liora the grain of sand up to the ponderous worlds that , plough their way through the unmeasured field; of space—there is a complete system of depend ence. Harmony is the s'r0!U the universe. Here the teachings of Christianity and the materi al universe harmonize. They perfectly agree. ' The great object of Christianity is to bring the in telligent creation of God into the same harmony, peace, ati'd union, that binds the material universt , together--to unit* all in one great universal brcffli ‘ erhood—to hush into eternal silence the clangoi - of arms, and the thunder of war—to bring al , into harmony wifh God and Heaven. In nature and providence, notwithstanding al . their beauty and harmony, we behold many per f plexing aspects. Here are mingled sunshine anc f storm, success and adversity, health and sickness love and hhtred, war and peace, pleasure and pain . abundance and want, life and death. These to t i j careless observer, appear to be mixed up without | any aim or design. Reason earnestly_desires- a i solution of this great problem, the discovery ol Some great centralizing truth around which the I seemingly discordant elements revolve., Chris j tianity unties the gordian knot, solves the prob j lent, and unfolds to the mind, in the midst ol i s emingly discord, agreat universal system of har ! many, union, and benevolence, a great centra' | truth around which all revolve, as unity of pur pose in the midst of seeming hostile dispensation; | of Providence—a future and everlasting state bo yond the grave where the gloom of earth slial ■ no longer shroud the mind in darkness ; but vet ■; shall know even as we are known. “ We now see through a glass, darkly: but thyn face tc ; i face.” It has long been thought that the teachings | of reason and revelation are at war with each I other ; but this is a mistake. They perfectly liar-, j-tnonize. They are one. Christianity is the key ! that unlocks the mysteries of the universe,- and 1 reveals the grejrt and sublime purposes of Gqd. “ ’Tis revelation that satisfies ail doubts, And solves all mysteries except its own, ! And so illuminates the path of life I That fools discover it and stray no more.1’ j Revelation scatters the dark clouds that hung J over the past, reveals the birth of time, the erea I tion of the world, the formation and fall of man, the origin of evil, and contains the long and un j broken chain of prophecies, fiiiracles, and won | ders, that reaches through the period of four I thousand years. It dispells the darkness and | gloom that hung around the tomb, and reveals a ! glorious and sublime future where the pure and holy shall enjoy the society of the holy angels, , the companionship of Christ, and the smiles of our Franklin, Ohio, Feb. 1851. JAMES MAPLE. For the Christian Sun. REASONS TO PROVE THAT JESUS CHRIST ' IS THE SON OF GOD___ BY DLDEIt ISA .iC N. WALTER. One moment’s reflection upon the plain decla rations of Scripture, and the universal acknowl edgment of mankind, would appear to be suffi cient to establish this doctrine. It almost stems to be a work of supereroga tion to enter upon a discussion of this doctrine, especially in this day of light and Bible reading. But a few remarks may not be inappropriate at present, as your readers are expecting something, from my pen on this subject. The distinguishing doctrine* of the Christian denomination, which is noW’my object to defend, is that our Lord Jesus Christ is not the Supreme God, but the Son of God, and consequently a being distinct from Him. Let the candid reader bear in mind the maxim acknowledged on all hands, and laid down" at the commencement of our inquiry, that the truth of religious doctrines ought to be—tried, not by the standard of our fancies, wishes, aud feelings, but by fke word of Go.d ; desiring to arrive at the truth 1 apply to this source of information. In the first place, :I will notice numerous passages that represent Jesus Christ as a distinct being/from God. Thus Paul in his epistle to the Romans, chap. 5, and 12th verse, makes the following assertion: “ We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus J Christ.” Two different beings are presented to ; our, contemplation^ The first/is the being to j whom we are reconciled; th^."second is the Medi-1 ator through whom we are reconciled to llim. j The first is called God. Since, therefore we know that there is only one Supreme God, it necessa rily follows that the second is not God Supreme. Tbt same distinction is made by the Apostle j in the commencement of his epistle to the Ro mans : “ Grace be to you aud peace from God our Father, arid the Lord Jesus Christ—Rom. 1, 7-. 1st, Gorin." 1, 3. 2d Gorin. 1, 2. Eph. 1, 2. Phil. 1, 2. 1st Thessalo. 1, 1. 2d Thess. 1,-2. Philemon 3, and with a slight variety of ex pression.- Gal. 1, 3. 1st Tioao. j£, 2. 2d Timo, 1, 2. Titus 1, 4. . ! “ Grace aKud 'peace he maltiptted unto yod through the knowledge of GW, and Jesus our Lord—2d Pet. 1, 2. “Grace be with you, mer cy and peace, from God the Father,, and from the Lord Jsus Christ”—2d John 3. To these pas sages may be added the salutation of Paul—Eph. 6. 23: “ Peace be to the brethren and love with faith from God the Father and from the Lord Jsus ChristAlso, the blessing of the same Apostle j upon the Thessalonians, 2d Thess. 2, 16 : "Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and, God, even our Father who hath loved us, and given us everlast ing consolation, and gqod hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and establish you iu every good word and work.” And his devout wish : 1st Thess. 3, 11—*Note God himself aiul our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you.” Each of these seventeen passages express a pious and benevolent wish of favor and assistance,, from two distinct beings. One of the two is called “God Tup Father,” to the other, this title is never applied, and since it is certain that there is but one God the Father, it »/>/*»■*'s plainly and irresistibly certain, that this othei person, namely, our “ Lord Jesus Christ is not 1 God the Father. i The same conclusion may be drawn from the j marked distinction between God the Father, and | the Lord Jesus Christ in passages containing as 1 criptions of praise to the Supreme Being—Rom. 17, 27 : / John 3, 2. Acts 10, S3. These,passages prove that Jesus Christ is . a being distinct from God. j I will illustrate this phrase by 'a simple example; | Suppose that Luke the Evangelist is the same | man who is called in Pauls epistles Svlvanus. I We may conceive the question easily'settled in J the following manner, if I were to find in any j part of the New Testament the following expres sion : “Luke was with Sylvanus,” I should im ! mediately conclude that Luke was not Sylvanus, | but a different person. In like manner, when we J find it asserted that “the word was with God” or that “ God was with Christ,” I draw the ob Tlous inference that Jesus Christ was not the God that he was with. The same conclusion may be derived from the expression of Paulin 2d Cor. 5, 19—that “ God was in Christ.”, We find it frequently asserted in the Gospel of 1 John chapters 3, 2 ; 8,’ 42 ; 13, 3 ; 16, 10 10 if 27 28 30 ; 17, 13 20 17—that Jesus came from God and that he went to God. That God could come from himslef and go to himself is a manifest absurdity. These expressions, therefore imply a clear distinction between God the Fath er and Jesus Christ His Son. The following twenty-six passages (and many more might be added) will be found upon the ex amination of the diligent inquirer to present the same view of the Father and Son, as .we_have._ proven in the. foregoing, remarks. For the sake of brevity, I will not quote them at length, as the Dible is in the hands of almost every one, the reader will examine and compare for himself John 14,1; 17, 3. Acts 2, 22. Kora. 5, 11. 2nd Dorin. 2, 17 ; 3,4; 5; 18; 12,19. Gala. 1, 1. Eph. 4, 32 ; 5, 2. Phil. 2, 11 ; 3, 14. Col. 3, 3. 1st Thess. l, l; s, 18. zdTfiess. i, 1. 1st Tim. y, 1 ; 2, 5. 2d Tim. 4, 1, Heb. 13, 20 21. James 1, 1. 1st Pet, 5, 10. 2d Pet 1,1. Rev. 1, 1 ; 7, 10. we conclude iniscompenuius view ui uuc piuuis that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God, • and a being distinct from Him, by referring to the two following passages: 2d Cor. 4, 4 ; and Col. 1, 15 in which our Lord is said to be “ the image of Goil" to the parallel assertion of Paul in He brews, chap. 1, 1— that he was the “express im age of God’s person.” And to the remark in Phil. 2, 6—that Christ was “in the form of God.” rio say that any person is the image'of himself, or in the form of himself, would be absolute nonsense. When a resemblance is asserted to exist be tween two beings, the assertion necessarily implies that these two beings are distinct from each oth er. The above passages prove that Christ was the “ image of God,” and in the form ot God. at the same time proves that he could not be that God in whose image and form he was" The proofs which have been adduced in this chapter, to show that Jesus Christ-is the Son of God, and Saviour of the world, might be added to by nu merous passages from the Bible; but we submit the weight of evidence for the present, as per haps we may adduce a few hundred texts in ray chapters on the Divinity of Christ and Atone ment, provided these articles are called for. In my next, I shall give my views of the Holy Ghost, with all the scriptures bearing on this question. ~ Faucetts’s Store, N. C.,, Feb. Ip, 1851. For the Christian Sun. THE CHRISTIANS NOT A SECT. 4 Brother Hayes : We simply claim to be Chris tians, not a sect, in the common, or scriptural ap: propriation of the term Sect. Theterm sect means diversion or herfcsy, we are not. divisive in our operations, neither are we hereliebs. ‘1 he Saviour and the apostles nowhere appropriate the term Sect, to the humble iollowers of Jesus. I or this season we do not wish to appropriate.this title to any of the lovers of Christ. We profess and claim to be Christians, and noth ing else. We desire to be nothing else. Religious ly and practically, we own Christ for our Head, and Guide, Lawgiver, and Ruler, 'lire Bible is our religious code of Government, to it we appeal for all doctrine, (not Doctrines) that pertains to Godliness. It furnishes the man of God with all that is desirable for this life and that which is to come. We have not arisen to advocate Unitarian - ism or Trinitarianism, Calvinism or Arminianism nor any of the particularisms of the day. Neith er the Saviour, or the Apostles in all their teaou itiers know anythin*- <>' th:lt ure tauo“‘ in these days. With these peculiar isms the Bible holds no fellowship, and says not a word about them. We have no desire to drag these theories of men into our use, because we are better off without them. We do not receive any man into our communion because he is a Trinitarian or Unitarian, Calvinist or Aruiinian; he may be all of these and still bo no Christian. We simply wish to receive and fellowship men because they are practically Christians—because they are holy, just and goa l. We wish to bo understood