The Christian Sun. j
FRIDAY, JULY 16,1880.
D. B. Dnnbar,.Proprietor.
Rev.1 J. Pressley Barrett — - Editor.
0|)H PRINC IPI.K*.
]_The Lord Jesus Christ is the only Head of
the Ohtmffi.
3.—The name Christian, to the exclusion of
alt party, or sectarian names,.
3. —The Holy Bible, or the Scriptures of the
Old and NCtv Testament a sufficient rule of faith
and practice.
4. —Christian character, or vital piety, the
only test of fellowship, or church membership.
n.—The right of private judgement and the
liberty of conscience, the privilege and duty of
all.
NOTICE.
Brethren who have collected money
lor the Convention Fund will please
lorward at once to the Treasurer of
their Conference. This is very ne
cessary because the Hymn Book must
be paid for ere long and we wish to
have the money ready when the book
is doue. Churches which have taken
up no collection for this purpose will
please do so at once and report to the
proper Treasurer. In the Eastern
Virginia Conference send to Col. A*
Savage, Norfolk, Va., and all others
should send direct to Alfred Moring,
Esq., jlorrisville, N. C. Please give
this your immediate attention, breth
ren.
EDITORIAL NOTES.
The Biblical Recorder sensibly says
stand by your pastor. So say we,and
we hope our people will do so.
The church at Betban^is indebted
to Sister W. H. Coggsdale for a water
service for the pulpit’ Many thanks,
dear sister.
Rev. C. J. Ralston expects to go to
• assist Rev. F. T. Klapp in meetiugs
during the last of July aud first oi
August. Bro.Ralston is a hard work
er in revival meetings.
An interesting communication
from Rev. R. H. Holland was crowd
ed out this week—but will lose none
of its interest by this omission. It
will appear in our next issue.
We spent last Sabbath with Rev.
C. J. Ralston in his Liberty Spring
charge. We had a large congrega
tion and .good attention and the
l church seems to be doing well. It is
an active church, and we wish it much
success. The Missionary Society is
hard at work.
The Rev. Barnas Sears, D.D.,
LL.D., of Staunton, Va., died at Sar
atoga, N. Y., July 6th. He was a
rnau of fine abilities and was a firm
advocate of education. He was for
some years prior to his death agent
lor the Peabody Educational lor the
South. He was 77 years of age.
Profs. Kernodleand Kilby are hard
at work for the Institute and we call
upon all friends of the school to do
thefitbest for it. Get your owu chil
drABeady and look up others among
your friends and neighbors. We
must push this institution—it is now
a strong ally for the cause of the
church iu Eastern Virginia.
Rev. .T, W. Wellons has returned
from his evaugelistio tour South. A
note from him of July 12, says he was
then in Frauklinton, 17. C. He ex
pects soon to be off again to the Vir
ginia Valley Conference. He is one
of our most busy and hard working
men in the Master’s cause. Brethren
wishing to correspond with him
should address him at Liuville, Rock
ingham county, Va. We wish him
abundant success iu his work. May
the Lord direct him.
We see that our exchanges ate urg
ing their patrons to stand by their
own schools. They regard it as one
of the fatal blunders to send their
children elsewhere than to au institu
tion of their owu faith and order.
We hope our people will imitate this
example and when they send their
sous and daughters off to school, be
sure to send them to your own school.
We have two good schools, the Gra
ham High School at Graham, C.,
and the Suffolk Collegiate Institnte
at Suffolk, Ya. At either place you
may put your children and have them
well trained. Send for Catalogue
and stand by your own schools.
Kev. .1. W. Holt says in a private
note to us, June 30: “About three
weeks uow before I commence in pro
tracted meetings. 1 will be very busy
then for about 8 or 10 weeks. I am
getting along very well with my
churches. 1 have large and attentive
congregations at all of my appoint
ments.* I have good Sunday-schools
at each of my churches. A missieua
iy society at two and expect to or
ganize at the other two soon.” That
is encouraging news from the held.
It iq a jjjotfoJ,: letter too. Short and
to the purpose. Bio. Holt has au im
portant article ip this week’s Sun
and promises us another on the same )
subject. -Let us hear from you, i
Bio. H. (
PARAGRAPHS.
—Interment in England. The Eng
lish Parliament isjn a big controver
sy over the burial question. It is
quite well known that in England
this subject has been the occasion of
much trouble. A rule in
the Church of England prohibits the
burying ef Dissenters, and in fact
auy one outside of the Church of Eng
land in -Its churchyards. The ques
tion is one of long stauding which
wears upon its selfish face bigotry in
the highest sense of the word. If
Mr. Gladstone, the new Prime Miuis
tor, shall aucceud m bringing to au
end this bitter controversy, as is now
very probable, he will show not only
the inauguration of a more liberal
spirit in the government, but Also the
wise use of common sense ; for, to ns,
there is no doubt that this is one of
the most insignificant questions the
English government will have to deal
with at present. Ybt, notwithstand
ing Its insignificance, it has been the
source of significant bitterness and
evil. Think of a great government
fighting in much bitterness over the
simple question of burying the dead.
There is absolutely no real occasion
for the controversy. Surely, Eng
land’s soil is not yet full to overflow
ing with dead men and dead men’s
bones. We suspect there is plenty of
room—a place for all. If we mistake
not the sigus, as they now appear,
Mr. Gladstone will secure tickets for
the Dissenters to enter the church
man’s churchyard when he is ready
to say: ‘‘Earewell Old England 1”
—A Cure for the Drunkard's Appe
tite. We have heard it often said
that when a mau once becomes a con
firmed drunkard, nothiug will snatch
him from the clutches of the terrible
demon. Doubtless there are many
who if they knew of a remedy for the
cure of their uugoveruahle appetites
for liquor, would be just delighted to
secure its assistance in breaking away
from the horrors of a drunkard’s
death and the shame of such a death.
To all such as may really desire to
break away from the habit we recom
mend that the following remedies be
carefully used according to directions
given in the following from the Bos
ton Traveller. In speaking of the
drunkard it says: “His laboratory
need contain only a small quantity’ ol
cayenne pepper, a pot of concentrated
extract of beef, a few grains of bro
mide of potassium. When the desire
for driuk returns, make a tea from
cayenne pepper, as strong as can be
taken with any degree of comfoit;
sweeten with milk and sugar, and
drink it. This tea will supply the
same place that a glass of liquor
would fill, and it leaves no injurious
effects behind. Repeated daily, or as
often as the appetite returns, it will
be but a few days before the sufferei
will have become disgusted with the
taste of the pepper. With the ap
pearance of this disgust disappears
the love for liquor. This fact is prov
eu every day. The extract of beef is
to be made into beef tea, according
to the directions on the pot, in sucl
quantities as may be heeded for th«
time being; and it furnishes a cheaj.
easily-digestible, and healthful nutri
meut, it being made to stay on tht
stomach when other articles of foot
would be rejected. The bromide o
potassium is to be nsed carefully, anc
only in case of extreme nervousness
the dose being from fifteen to twenty
graius dissolved in water.” It is sitn
pie as a remedy for so terrible a dis
ease. Try it, if you ate in need o
such assistance.
—Non Church Goers. The South
ern Churchman, Boston Herald aur
Christian Union have been of late in
vestigatiug the subject and seeking
for the cause of the absence of sc
many from our churches on the Sab
bath, or we might state it more siin
ply as why so few people go to church
ou Sunday. It is a lamentable fact
that vast numbers do not atteud wor
ship on the Sabbath or any other
time. We suppose not one-third ol
city people go to church. This is a
rough estimate, but may give an idea
of the numbers of uon church going
people. Iu the country we think pos
sibly balfof the people atteud church.
Half of these we suppose go simply
“to go,v while half of the remaining
half,go to see and be with their friends,
leaving just one-eighth, if we are cor
rect, who go as honest devout wor
shippers. What a grand field for
work for the Master! About one
eighth of the people have the real
work of leading others to become de
vout followers of the meek Saviour.
Doubtless some of our readers who
are deeply concerned about the spread
of the gospel will feel discouraged at
the present state of things Discour
agemeut is not the proper feeling un
der these circumstances. Let all true
Christians remember that God will
not allow his cause to be defeated
in the end. There are times of dark
ness in the church—the world-spint
seems to be over riding religion, but
let the timid remember that God is
directing his affairs. He always
keeps his seven thousand who have
not bowed the knee to Baal, aud iff,
bis own good time he will greatly
multiply this number, meauwbile we|
irge our church-going people to do I
.heir utmost in leading their non
fhnrcli-going friends aud neighbors
o attend the worship of Almighty I
iod regularly. I
A COLLEGIATE EDUCATION AND ITS
RELATION TO THE CHURCH.
A misconception of the relation of
our educational institutions to the
churches is apparent. From the na
ture of surrounding circumstances wo
have taught, our churches to look for
a return of tlie assistance given our
educational institutions only in the
training and education of our minis
ters. This is a mistake. The work
these institutions are doing for the
chinch in educating our ministry is
very great, but this is not the main
work they are doing for the church
The ranks of the ministry have been
greatly strengthened and built up
under the elevating inllences of our
denominational schools, but not more
so, perhaps, than the ranks of the
laity. Indeed, we suppose that, our
schools have done more for the ad
vancement of real effective work
among the laity than among the min
istry!
Let us see how this works. We
will take a church which has a mini
berof good members, but without any
of the influences of education. They
have property sufficient for comforta
ble living. They love their church
and cherish a fond hope of heaven,
and in a slow', snail-gallop fashion,
look after some of the benevolent en
terprises of tbe church ; but from the
very nature of things they do not do
much,—in fact, they do not know
bow to work in such n atters.
Two or three of these good breth
ren send off' to onr high school a son
and a daughter each. The school is
located where an active, well organ
ized church is at work. These young
meu and ladies eatcb the spiritof this
church for work. Add to this tbe
advantage of the meutal training
tuey nave received at scnoot witn all
the influences naturally following,and
when they retnrn home and enter
upon the various pursuits of life, you
will see a new life in the church
which was formerly so slow and suail
like in its movements. Why so?
The matter is easily explained. These
yonng men and ladies under the influ
euce of education have become the
moving power in this church ; ami
now it is first and foremost in every
good work. Hone will question the
fact that this church was greatly
beueiitted by the schools at which its
young men aud ladies were educated.
Further, we think none will question
the fact that the church was amply
repaid for any aid aud encouragement
it gave the high school.
To our churches we wish to say
help your high schools, the Srffolk
Collegiate Institute, the Graham High
tScliool aud others, aud they w ill well
repay you by educatingyour children
and makiug them active, earnest
workers for Jesus. Let all possible
encouragement be given to our
schools.
We append the following sensible
paragraph fiotn the Interior on this
subject. Head it, study it—it will do
you good. It will do our cause good.
“In advocating denominational ed
ucation—the maintenance of denomi
national colleges—it is usual to lay
great stress upon their influence in
directing young men to the work of
the ministry. But there is a large
and probably an interesting class who
are not moved by appeals of this
kind. As a profession,, that of the
ministry will take care of itself. The
demand will, with the facilities now
offered by the Church, bring the sup
ply. Our Presbyterian colleges are
doing a better work in making intel
ligent Presbyterian laymen than they
are in “feeding the seminaries.” They
elevate the Church in the public es
teem aud extend its influence beyond
the young men whom they educate.
They push the control of the Church
into the places of successful business,
into the influential professions, into
the departments of government, aud
they lay the foundations of sound
commercial and political morals, and
thua our instilutions bring honor, re
spect, and iutlpeuce to the denomina
tion The string of ministerial edu
cation should be left to the exclusive
use of the boards of ministerial edu
cation.”
DRINK IMG CHURCH MEMBERS.
Several communications ou this
subject have appeared in the Sun re
cently, but I think more may yet be
said. A very great majority of ail
church troubles may he directly nr
indirectly attributed to
ardent spirits. I agree with “X" in
what ho says about church members
manufacturing or tratlicing in ardent
spirits, but 1 am uuable to agree with
him that the ‘‘poor drunkard” should
be let remain in the church until the
traffic is stopped. He says, “stop
this unholy traffic and the trouble
will end.” Granted. But is it not
the demand of tl|e consumer that
calls into existence the producer of
cotton, tobacco, wheat, corn machin
ery, &c. If there were no demand for
cotton or machinery would not the
producer of these things be forced to
stop their production ? ff there were
no demand for whiskey would there
be any produced! The drunkard
and the moderate drinker are the
co#sfi$er» of ardent spirits, and call
Jjto service ttys producer. And I
venture W Pr«dio(' IbHg
demand for arde^',plrU?
as to offer pecuniary profit t.C.
inoer, jast so long will there be pro-1
dncers. Destroy the cousomer and
the producer will die, the traffic will
cease. Nothing but religion can do
this. Fill a man full of religion and
he will not want to drink«whiskey,for
there will be no room in him for it,
consequently no demand for it. Re
ligion is the only effectual remedy,
and the church must begin to apply
it. Suppose yon suppress the traffic,
and thereby put liquor beyond the
reach of the drinker, will the evil be
entirely removed ! Here is a drink
er, whiskey has I teen put beyond his
reaeh. but he says, to himself', if not.
openly, “if l had a gallon to-night I
would drink ns much as I want and
get drunk.” Is he not as guilty in
the sight of God as if ho could actu
ally get the liquor he wants? We
must expel from the man the will to
drink before he is sale. Nothing but
religion cun do this, and implant in
him the will not to drink. Stop the
use of ardent spirits and this unholy
truffle will cease and souls will be
saved.
liro. Beale pities' the “poor drunk
ard.” I don’t remember that Christ
ever pitied him. But wheu be healed
the impotent man at the pool of Be.
thesda, lie said unto him, “Sin no
more, lest a worse tiling come unto
thee.” 1 fear that the feeling of pity
which is commonly tendered to the
druukitrd, has been the cause of much
evil. Instead of nerving him to re
sist the temptation, it suggests to
him that he has lost his strength and
the power of self-control, and that he
now cannot help getting druuk, and
goes far towards helping him to be
lieve that lor this reason the privi
lege of getting druuk has been ac
corded to bun, and that the stigma
of his crime has been removed from
the minds of the people. I tear that
unstuken nity has caused the final
in ill of thousands of drunkards. 1
know the drunkard is in the habit of
.racing in excuse, ‘-I am v ery sorry for
it, but l can’t help it.” Suppose what
he says to be true, that lie ready eau’t
help it. Is there any siu in his get
ting drunk 1 Does God condemn a
man fordoing what he canuot help
doiugt But we all believe it to be
wrong for him to-get drunk. Hence
his excuse must be faulty. He can
help it. 1 set before a thirsty drunk
ard a glass of good lipuor, such as he
kuows to be good. 1 tell him that it
is all that can be had uuywhero, but
that he may drink it. I then drop a
little strychnine into it which I de
clare has not altered the taste of it,
but that it will, as he knows, kill him
almost instantly. Would he drink itf
1 think not. Then he is uot such a
poor impotent man after all. His
will has some controlling power yet.
Let me tell him that the liquor with
out the strychnine will eventually de
stroy him both soul and body in hell.
Let him exercise the same faith now
that he did when the strychnine was
in the glass, and make the same per
sonal effort to resist the temptation
and he will likely be as successful. In
the last case he may appeal to the as
sistance of God’s grace and make sue
cess doubly sure. Instead of pityiug,
suppose we tell the drunkard that he
can and must help it. Suppose we
tell the moderate drinker, the manu
facturer and the dealer the same.
Would it uot suggest a consideration
of the scripture, “Drunkard’s shall
not inherit the kingdom of heuven.”
1 Cor. VI : 10. “Woe unto him that
giveth his neighbor drink, that put
test thy bottle to him, and inakest
him drnuken also." Hub. II: 15. I
am in favor of putting the drunkard
out of the church. Drunkenness, af
ter the first offense, becomes habitu
al, and I have been unable to find any
satisfactory excuse for habitual sin. 1
think our churches ought to act more
upon the command given to the Is
raelites, “Thou shalt put the evil
away from a m o n g you.” Deut.
XVII: 7.
1 have been asked, “lipw ilrnnk
should a member be to be a subject
for church discipline 1” i will answer
by asking- and answering another
question. How do 1 know when a
man is drunk? l!y his talking and
acting as he would not if there was
no liquor in him. And 1 think wheu
be has liquor enough in him to make
him do that, he is much too drank to
be a member ot the church. But I
will close, for fear ol a trespass, by
asking the attention of “X,” E. W.
B., and all our churobes to the
following language of Paul: “But
now I have written unto you not to
keep company, if any man that is
called a brother be a druukard, with
such an one, uo uot to eat.” 1 Cor.
V: 11. “Therefore put away from
among yourselves that wicked per
son,” Verse 13.
J, W. H.
GOOD NEWS.
Me. Editor.—You will please per
mit me to extend to my friends at
Providence cbjwb, a»4 especially to
Brother R. A. Hyslop, through your
paper, my most sincere tbaDksfora
very handsome present in the shape
of a suit of clothes.
May the Lord bless these dear
friSwiWI
H. H. Butlbb.
VerUe?;Y*->Ja'?U>im'
PJfcWS FROMTHE FIELD.
"Lift up your eyeii, and look on the Fielde; for
hey are white, already to harveet,”—St. John 4:311.
Miutown, AlA", .Tune 28,1880.—
I wrote you last from Louina. The
ruin broke np our meeting there the
third night. The meeting was inter
esting all the time. Satnrday I prea
ched at New Hope for Brother .1. D.
Elder, after which the quarterly con
ference was held. In the afternoon at
my request the preachers and repre
sentative brethren from surrounding
churches met me here. We discussed
important questions pertaining to the
general interests of the Conference,
which I hope will result in good for
the cause of Christ aud the denomi
nation. Ou Saturday night liev. J.
IT. Elder preached au excellent ser
mon. Early tiuuduy the people be
gau to gather in from every direc
tion. By preaching time twice as
many as could he comfortable seated
were on the ground. Thu best at
tention was giveu to the preaching
and itiauj were moved to tears all
through the sermon. At the close of
the sermon the Loid’s table was
spread and quite a number commu
ned. It was a pleasant season, lu
the eveuiug the choir had a meetiug
for singing. Thus closed a delightful
day’s worship at New Hope —the Je
rusalem of this Conference in Ala
bama, but in Georgia Ked Hill is
their Jerusalem.
Another busy week of preachiug
is before me; then to Georgia, spend
ing awhile with some destitute places
there, aud then I shall leave these
dear brethren and sisters for the Vir
ginia Valley. My health is much im
proved aud 1 think my trip to this
Conference wilt result in go d.
J. W. Wellons.
FRANKI.lNSYtLLK. N. C.—Ill fu
lure my address will be Hartford, N.
0., via Frauklinaville. My health is
much imptovud.su that 1 can till my
appointments. 1 am ucarly well. If
you come to the Deep Diver Confer
euce,,come to the Gulf. Conveyance
will be furnished from there lor all
that will come. I was at Pleasant
Grove last Sunday, aud preached the
funeral of Bio. Leonard's four cbil
dieu. I have not heard Horn Breth
reu Wellons and Apple.
\Y. It. Brown.
We hope to be at Deep ItiverCon
fereuce, Bro. B.—Ed.
Berkley, V:l, July 1,18SU.—My
meeting will not commence at Slniron
until the 4th Sunday in September.
Will \uu please announce my meet
ing at Berea 3rd Sunday in July, and
also at Providence 3rd Sunday in Au
gust.
Ask the brethren in the ministry
to help me.
H. H. Butlee.
Linville, Va., July 7,1880.—Hav
ing received a letter from Kev. J. W.
Wellons, askiug for information in
regard to my protracted meetings in
this Conference, and said letter fail
ing to reach my office in time to an
swer him at Milltown, Alabama, 1 re
spectfully request the medium of the
Sun to give him the desired iuforraa
tiou.
My meetings will commeuce the
Sabbath in August and continue un
til Conference, which will commence
the second day of September. I can
not give him any information about
the Central Conference. We are
anxious for him to get here by the
last of this mouth.
D. T. Beanes.
Chapel Hill, N. €., June 28.—
As you have bad no news from out
part of the field lor some time, 1 pro
pose to offer a short report. Out
church (Damascus) is thought to be
iu better cotiditiou at present than at
any time previous. Our pastor, Kev.
J. W.Holt, is much beloved by bit
congregation.
The weekly prayer-meetings are
regularly kept up, with an increasing
interest and attendance. Our ever
greeu Sunday School which hat
known no suspension for several
j ears is still nourishing. After the
lesson recitation on last Sabbath, the
title of which was "Missions,” we or
ganized a Children’s Missionary So
ciety, with twenty-six little mission
aries for a start, some of whom we
hope will, at some future day, not
only be paying, but working mission
aries. The following are tbe officers,
viz : President, J. J. Pritchard ; vice
President,.Willie Lindsay; Secretary
Miss Ella Nevtll; Treasurer, Miss
Josie Daniel.
Please say to our beloved and impor
tunate mission man Bro. C -, that tbe
little ones of Damascus hope to make
him smile at our next Conference.
W. N. PiUTCHAUD.
"Morbisville, N. C., July 5,1880.
I think the churches in this part ot
the Conference will come up tolerably
well with the Convention Fund, aud
I trust they will everywhere else, lor
we greatly need the money,
I want tu say to the brethren at
New Hill that 1 think the churches oi
my charge will help them more in re
gard to their house of worship than
they are requested to do.
W. G. Clements.
Milltown, Ala., July 6,1880.-1
have time to write only a few lines. I
spent last week preaching every
night aud sometimes in the day at
different places. Penitents came for
ward for prayer of every Jdaoe when
invited- flaring the lost two weeks
oyer ope hundred penitents have ap
proached the altar ot prayer. I prea
ched last Saturday aud Sunday at
Fellowship church, in Baudolpb Co.,
Ala. Over twenty persons presented
themselves lor prayer. Sundftv night
1 preached at #0(^0^ a up little
town iu thjs county- Bad a good
meeting—six or seven asking prayer.
1 preach to-uigbt at New Hope, aud
expect to leave to morrow for West
Point, Ga., and then ont to North
Caroliua and Vhgiuia. My ftd.iW*1!
now will he h'fiville, Buckingham
poimty, ya. fyhen f can get tiipe, _
vyiH \yntp more of Georgia and Ala
bama Oonfereaee,
4, \Y. WHEEONB, |
"HOW IS THIS," AGAIN.
Mb. Editor: It has been some
time since I have Rent auy matter for
the SUN. I must confess my pen has
become somewhat rusiy, but I will
try and brush off the rust for a "few
moments, at least. I noticed a abort
article in last week’s issue headed
“How ia This f”
It seems that some brother has
written to you about his pastor,
speakiug of giving up the church to
which he belohgs. Now Mr. Editor,
if this pastor is going t'o leave the
church Irom the fact the church is
poor, then he is wrong, provided the
church in her poverty is doiug all she
can to sustain him and he has other
cuurches to supplement his salary.
I don’t know the pastor or the church
to which the article alludeB, but I
tbiuk I nui sufficiently acquainted
with the uiiuisteis of our church to
say they are willing to sacrifice for
the good of the church, when they
are convinced that the sacrifices are
duly appreciated.
Mr. Editor, it strikes me that the
brother has taken up the wrong idea
conceruiug his pastor. It may be
thut his pastor is compelled to leave
them lor the want of a support. All
of his churches may be poor or fail to
give him a sufficient salary to sup
port his family, or it may be that
these chuiches promise to pay him so
much and never meet their promises.
If this be so, then I thiuk that minis
ter is justified in giving up his
charge, for it is evident that he can’t
live on puiiuises. New, if tiie broth
er’s church has paid him all that they'
can, and arc willing to continue their
efforts in t his direction, 1 don’t think
ho wilt lose uis pastor, i know of a
great nniuy churches that cry out
poverty, and when we begin to inves
tigate Ibeir condition, we iiuditquite
different from what they represented
it to he. Here comes tiie great trou
hlh—they don’t deny themselves ol
the uiitiiy luxuries which might he
dispensed with and the proceeds giv
en to the church. It is very Irue the
poor should have the gospel and it is
uo less true that tiie minister must
live while he is preaching that gos
pel.
“Harry Clements” is right, wheu
the case is as he supposes. A weak
church can do its best. It' they do
this, there is little doubt but that
they will get their share of the gospel.
Poverty is too .frequeutly claimed
wheu there is no ue>(l for such a
claim. Our poorest churches wheu
doiug all they can, will do much more
than many of our wealthy churches
which try and do always wear, or
rather preteud to wear poverty’s gar
ment*.—Ed. Sun.
LEND A HELPING HAND.
I'saw iu our last week’s Sun that
one of oue juiuister’s thinks of giving
up ode of his weak churches. Why
is this, iny brother? Is it because
the members are good enough and
need no more preachiug, or is it be
cause they are so sinful ? If the latter
is the case, I think they have need to
hear more preachiug than they have
heard ere this, instead of less; and
more tuan that, a little private talk
from you, their pastoi and brother iu
Christ, would enable theiji to over
come their Biutul habits. If this is
not the cause, what is it I Because
the membership is so small that it is
not able to pay you as much as some
other churches? Or, becanse you see
it is going down hill ? If so, why not
still lend a helping hand? If the
burden is too great for you, ask some
of your brother ministers to help you.
uo not ever give it np. Cling to it
to the last with a determined will, re
membering that our Heavenly Father
has said, “Whatsoever ye ask of me
iu faith believing, that will I give
uuto thee.” Why not spend some
of your leisure moments in secret
prayer for the pros]>erity of this
church ! Yon may say that it appears
that you cannot accomplish any good,
and that there ought to be a change.
Perhaps that is all so, but by your
leaving or turniug yonr back upon it
in the manner you think of, it may
not be able to get any one else that
would suit as well as you do, or can
do by your Heavenly Father’s will.
• Oh 1 my brother, tliiuk of the
oburcli yon are about to desert! Per
haps it is a poor, persecuted church,
one that never had auy enoonrage
meut eveu from you, their Pastor.
If they ever do any thing that they
think is for the upbuildiug of the
church, just praise them a little and
encourage them ou in the path of
duty. Excuse me, dear brother, for
saying this much, as I know not who
you are, and as I also feel my inabili
ty of giving advice. Hut I thought
perhaps you hud never been a mem
ber g weak church, and did not
put the right construction on the ac
tions of the members who have be
come so much discouraged, as mem
bers of uiuprosperona churches will
do. When ( saw id the dim that yon
thqnghj of giving up that church of
yours, it made me think of a eaying
that I have known ever since I could
recollect, and that is this; “When
ever a tush starts down hill the toe of
every passing foot helps him onward.
A TROUBLED SUUl.
Once ft poor gentleman was great
ly trot*bed about bis voul’s salva
tion, he was a professor of religion,
but he seemed to be more of a
stumbling stone in the church than a
rock at its foundation, doing its part
of the work in keeping the church
from falling.
One night he fell asleep and wan
dered in the laud of dreams. He
seemed to be in a dreary place, full of
deep precipices and high mountains,
without an house or living person vis
ible. It seemed that be was compell
ed to pass over this desolate place, in
order to reach a bright and beautiful
land just beyond, It seemed that
this beautiful land was Heaven.
Just as he was struggling and
about to give up all hope, he saw a
thick cloud separate and just between
the divided cloud he saw written on
a beautiful object, which resembled a
star, the only difference being in the
size, these words: “Have faith, hope
ever, and be charitable.” Then this
immediately vanished. He knelt and
prayed that God might sustain and
help him. When he arose lrom his
knees he saw another cloud separate
and a large baud with“Faith” written
on it, reached out aud taking hold of
him lifted him over the rojugh places,
and led him down the deep precipices
with safety,and just as the hand van
ished, leaving him in that beautiful
land be had been trying to reach, ho
awoke. After that he became a firm
aud earnest worker in .the church.
Doubtless, my dear friends, you are
in the same sail plight. Vou may be a
member of the church, aud you may
do all the work required of you; but
let me warn you, dear friends, unless
.tou.love Christ as you should and
have faith in him,you will surely stum
ble over the rough places, which are
sins,aud thus you willstumbleou uutil
you reach a deep precipice, a great
crime, when perhaps you will stop a
moment, then taking one step you
will fall in and tie there unable to
draw yourself from its depth of per
dition.
■•nave [aim, nope ever,aim De cuari
table,” and without doubt you will at
last reach that house not made with
hands, eternal in tbtj heavens.
W. O. 8.
A SAD THOUGHT.
That we are growing old. That the
largest part of the path of life is be
hind ns. That the sun of oqr jife is
siuking fast and our race is nearly
run. That the associations here will
soon be broken n>> and the tenderest,
sweetest, strongest ties of life will be
severed. I)o not reflections like these
make yon feel sadt To some they do
produce this effect, to others the ef
fect is quite different; and they
would change the adjective in the
above heading, and for it would in
sert, cheerful, or blessed, or glorious
thought. To the Christian pilgrim
the thought of being so near home
fills his soul with heavenly emotion
aud he sings, “I would not live alway
I ask not to stay, where storm after
storm rises dark o’er the way.” 1
welcome the tomb ; since Jesus bath
lain there I dread not its gloom. This
is the feeling methinks of the weath
er-beaten mariner. He knows he
will soon safely anchor in heaven’s
harbor, where the surges cease to
roll.
Oh! the sonl prepared for bliss
eternal will most gladly welcome that
messenger that admits him to enter
through the strait gate into the city
of heaven.
But what are the feelings of that
man who realizes the near approach
of death, with the conviction that he
is not ready, and who Satan makes
believe that he cannot get leady.
That the time is now too short and
the sius of his life are too numerous
to be pardoned. I ask again, what
are the feelings of that soul whiuh is
drawn near to the gate of death with
such a conviction as this upon it.”—
I hear such an one say, I’ll give seven
and a half millions of dollars for a
hope of heaven. But he perishes
with his money. I do not believe
that language tan describe the
wretchedness of such a soul. If thete
is a condition in life which deserves
sympathy, aud one over which an
gels, if they could, would weep, it is
that man who has sinned away his
day of grace and who with fast wast
ing strength is waiting to pass death’s
awful flood at the command of God.
Well may one under such circum
stances have drawn back and ex
claimed, “I cannot die.4’
Sinner! this will be jour doom, if
you do not come, aud that soon, to
Christ fpr refuge. Not one single
day, nor bony, none to lose.
“Soon borne on time’* most rapid wing, .1
W ill death command you to the grave.
Before his bar your spirit bring,
And none be found to hear or nave.”
Escape now, I pray you, ere the
lamp of life goes ont in eternal dark
ness. E. W. B.
An interesting communication from
Rev. H. A. Albright came too late
for this issue.
StiascaiBE f<Jr yont church paper.