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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 : /<l'o Goo only wise be glory through
l Jesus Christ forever.” Ephesians 5, 20—“ Giving
thanks always, for all things, unto God and the
Father, in the name of mtr Lord Jesus Christ:’
Col. 3, 10—:“ Whatsoever y6 do in word or
deed, do all in the name of our Lord Jesus, liv
ing thanks to God and the Father by him.” Heb;
13, 15—By Him (Jesus) therefore let us cffer
the sacrifice of praise to God continually.” 1st
Pet. 2, 5—“Ye also as lively stones are built up
a spiritual house, a holy priesTfioSd, to offer up
spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God hy Jesus
Christ.— All these Scriptures point out the being
'! to whom we are to offer our sacrifices of prayer
j.ana praise, and the Lord Jesus Christ through
j whom these services are to be rendered to him,
! and it is beautifully and clearly expressed in 1st
l Tim. 2, 5—“ For there is one God and one Me
) cliator between God and men, the man Christ
I Jesus."
There are various passages in the New Testa
1 ment which assert that Jesus Christ was with
God as John 1, 12; or that God was with him,
as> 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