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VOL. XLI. RALEIGH, N. C„ THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 1888 NUMBER 12. mm Christian Sun I PtnUalBRBD SVBT THCMDaT BT RiV. J. FRH88LBr BARRETT. """"“oSSmKffSSST 1. The Lord JesusChristlstheonljrHead to the exclusion *. Thai i Holy Bible, or the Scripture# of end.New Testament#, • sufficient of faith and practloe. Christian character, or vital piety, the r t«et of fellowship or membership. 5. The right of private judgment and y of conscience, the privilege and the liberty < dutyofjjiL, CCNTROV KRSY IN RELIGION. bwtory of Controversy is the of the human family. Take Well written history oi anything affaire nn<l it will be a diffl to find one hundred pages in i home account ol controversy, in [ one shape or an other, ia not given. This is true ofttcieute, in all its mul tiplied branches, of History, of Politi cs! Economy, of Commerce, of Inter national Relations, of the Nine Arts, of8bcioland Moral Beforms, and .of Religion. Of all these, none have been ao fully and so continuously, as well as publicly, a subject of contro versy as has Religion. Thin may be due in part, even large ly, to this: Every nation under the sun, aave perhaps one of the African tribes, is possessed With religious in stincts or inclinations. home questions shake a country from center to circumtrence, when only one nation is interested, how much more must this be true when every tribe and nation on the face of the earth is interested in the question, as ia the ease with Religion ? From this standpoint it ia not strange that con troversy lias entered so largely into ; questions of Religion. While Religion was, a national mat ter, as with tiie Jews before the Chris tian Era, there were differences on all aides. When it passed from the national to the individual Religion and Christ became the leader, for nearly three hundred years there was comparative peace in the church. Then its services were plain and sim ple, and godliness, rather than fine sphn theories, was at premium. The doctrines of Christ were in their beau ty and purity. The precepts of Chris tianity were few and to the point and the mosses heard them gladly. About this time, early in the third century, some of the learned doctors who had studied other things more than Christ and his gospel, became devout students of the Platonic philoa sophy. Of itself no barm might have come ol it, but, so great was its hold upon them, that they sought to test all religion by its rules and teachings as the statglard. Origen, one of the! greatest intellectual men of the coun try, was leading this movement He was the father of Biblical criticism and exegesis, and, to a limited extent, the father of controversy under the Chris tian dispensation, for while controver sy had been indulged to some extent, yet so moderate was its character .that church history shows np to this time that little trouble had been experien ced. Later, when these dootora, en coutwged and helped by the learned men of Egypt, went to extremes and sought to bring Divine truth Into sub jection to man's fanciful speculations, then controversy-begun In earnest, and to this day it has found a place on al most every page of history. Taut tU^Kreawst) man ot h^ay became the bajftieafler pt controversy, mystifying and putting in a doubtful light the old nd precious truth’s of the plaiu gospel—that is, in a sort of semi- or half-hearted way. From that day *o the present, there baa Man a line of succession— a sort of Apostolic succession, if you please— in which this class of men, mentally restless, has sown discord and the seed of the false, or to say the least, far fetched, doctrine in the church, which, of course, like a glass‘with many small, surfaces on one large surface, -presents its own peculiarities from it* own standpoint, till the church baa Sbfthred .be rending of the vail of peace and brotherly love. As to the desirability of conlro versy, none can question that it is one ;$f the last things to be desired in a Christian experience, and yet, when the enemies of the Cross would ap proach and attack the strongholds, the very citadel of Truth, shall the disciple of thej Lord stand still snd say not a word? Here then arises a necessity, and for the Truth’s sake Controversy is waged a« a warfare— It becomes a necessity. Man must do bis part for the preservation of the Truth. Thus God's people have tbetr heart* fired to resist and defend His trsth in the world. Proceeding then from this stand point, various dUcussions and the presentation ot the several phases of truth have finally lei to the adoption of ideas by schools. These grew and became so strong that Anally, what waa graciously designed as the solace and comfort of the human heart, be came under man’s misguided direc tion a menace and a source of strife. AS might have been expected these controversies led to dltferent schools and the more strength these could com maud, the more bitter became the controversy, till division into parties became inevitable. . Each great idea garnered about it ioilowers, forming themselves into .dieses, and promulgating systems of doctrine till now it is thus divided: Roman Catholics, Greek Church, Church oi England, Presbyterians, Baptists, Congregationalism Method ist, Universalists, Unitarians and many others. Nor iB this Religio-conlroversal ten dency confined to Christianity. All heathendom is divided iuto as many, or more, parties, each claiming to be right, and the end is not yet. God in bis infinite wisdom will bring good oi all this, notwithstanding difficulties in the way, are high and strong. As indicated in our' last, it is our purpose to discuss some of the fea tures of the great controversies of the church. This article on Controversy in Religion is intended as introduc tory. Our first will be on the contro versy which brought about the Re formation, as headed and fed by Mar tin Luther. THE SPIRIT OF MlSSfOXS. The spirit of missions is the spirit of Ohrist, and when in the Church will find expression in various ways. In some instances men and women will be called to missionary work. A foil, round life means this to them, and if not permitted to enter the work, they will live and die with a sense of incom pleteness most painfol. It may not have occurred to the many that the spirit of missions finds but a limited expression in the life and woik of those who go out as mission aries. It is a grand expression, and brings out the heroic element in the Christian. But the grand expression of this spirit is found in the sympathy, prayers and contributions of the whole church. The missionary spirit in ev ery member of the church is the great need of thiB age. It has been said a thousand times that Jesus was the first missionary. This is true; and He intended to leave the spirit that brought him to this world in it when he left. He succeed ed in part, aud while many have it, a great numberdo not. Many Christians confess, without any seeming sense ot shame, tnat tney are opposed to missions. They have held this position for years, and never rohaugfe The careful reading of the Bible, prayer and submission to the Holy Spirit would change all this. The aggressive spirit of Christianity finds its real expression in the work of foreign missions;4 The glory of the gospel is not so much seen in what it for an individual as in what it does for the world. The highest type of Christian char* acter and manhood is wrought here by the reflex influence of the practical in terest men have taken in missions. The literature of Christian lands has been greatly enlarged and enriehed by the missionary work of the Church. The brightest pages of our ownUliurch history would be wanting but for what has been written by our missionaries. This spirit is breathed in the hymnol ogy of Christendom. What grand hymns have been inspired by the mis sion thought! How they ring in our churches and 'Sabbath-schools, and thrill the hearts of old and young ! This spirit is also folt in our homes. The missionary box is a censer of ten der abd benevolent thought. And how the heart of each goes out, in familv worship, to thoso who sit in darkness. A Christian is bound to know, as far as possible, the spiritual condition of others. Apathy on the subject of the work of missions is large ly the result of ignorance—and it is damaging ignorance. There is no more interesting study than that of the transition now going on in heathen lands. How wonderful ly the long-slumbering life of the na tion is being shaken up, and old insti tutions are being uprooted I Invisible forces are remolding the life of the na tions. It is the spirit of missions which God is breathing on heathen lands through the Church. Take the empire ol India as an ex ample. In 1793 missionary work was commenced by Dr. Carey. To-day thirty-six missionary societies are at work in that land, with 530 native or dained preachers and 449,755 native Christians; 50,000 females are stu dents in missionary institutions, and 25,000 more in schools of the Govern ment. Ohunder Sen said, shortly before he died : “India already belongs to Jesus, None but Christ ever deserved this mighty diadem.'7 India is in a great crisis. So aie Ja pan and China and many portions of Africa. This is the result of the spirit of missions as it goes out in aggres sions upon the kingdom of karkness from the consecrated hearts and brains of Christendom.— Religious leUtcope. THE RESTRICTION FALLACY. 1 find, bore in New York where I here been spending a tew weeks, many professed temperance people are in fa vor of high license or taxation as a “re strictive” measure. In so far as they affect the rum traffic, dram-drinking, dfnnkeness and revenue, license and taxation are the same. While a little convention at Syracuse the other day thought best to drop the expression “high license, because some good peo ple do not relish the idea of licensing a great crime,” some others contend that isTinf lhe traffic is morally worse, as taxing gives legislative consent without even an intimation of disap proval. But taxing or license—prac tically the terms are synonymous gives legislative approval and protec tion to the traffic ; and this it does for a part of the spoils—tor revenue. Do -I, in my righteous indignation) say —i) “Tax them heavily for the mischief and pauperism that their vile traffic entails upon thepublic ?” Tax whom? Does any one suppose that the rumsel ler has a penny less money at the end of the first month because of the tax or license fee which he paid, whether it were $100 or $600 ? Does not ev ery person know that the consumer— the “poor drunkard'’ and those on the road to drunkeness—foots the bills ? Then, to think that the State, for a part of the hard-earned wages of her depraved drinking subjects, instead of taking away, actually puts the,tempta tion before them—legalizing, protect ing and fostering this crime of crimes, thereby becoming a partner in the bu siness of drunsard making pauperism, and! death 1 And all this in a Chris tian (?) land. Ob, stand aghast, ye heavens 1 But, we are told, high li cense or tax restricts. Restricts what? Why, the number of saloons. This is the most that can be claimed for it In very many cases it fails gven in this A case : The town in which I lived in Ohio had fifteen saloons. The State, the great State of Ohio, concluded that she ought to have a part of the profits, and so put on each a tax of $200. Re sult : one low dive dropped out, and one more gilded and respectable (?) and hence more dangerous, came in. The number was contained in tact. Watching the papers, I saw no drop ping off oi reported arrests for drunk enness. Case No. 2: Nebraska has one of the first and most stringent high license laws—$1,000. The church or ganizations of that State are almost unanimous in condemning it as practi cally worthless in the fight against in temperance, and as being a fearful ob stacle in the way ot prohibition. The Baptist State Convention, held at York, that State, last fall, adopted, in open convention and without a dissent ing vote, a very strong report, contain ing among other things, the following: “We condemn the high license ays tern of Nebraska as morally wrong and' a compromise with the powers of dark ness under which the liquor traffic has been greatly fostered and developed, until it has become a mighty power for evil and a controlling influence in the politics and legislation of our State. We see in constitutional prohibition the only right and final settlement oi the saloon question, and we believe that- voting tor men who favor the li quor traffic by any form of license— high or low— is to lend to the traffic our indorsement, and is, therefore, uiuraiijr nrruug. This shows iiow the religious ele ment of Nebraska regards high license. Note carefully the report: “We con demn as morally wrong and os a com promise with the powers of darkness * * * under which the liquor traffic has been greatly fostered and develop ed,’’ etc. Where is the “restriction” here ? But am 1 told that in some places in Nebraska the number of sa loons has been cut down ? Admit it; then what ? In a tract on high license, which is being circulated over this State—New York—just now,-ioreffef ence to Nebraska, on page 21, l find the following: “In the country the number of saloons has been cut down, but there is no complaint among the foreign nationalities of a lack of ade quate saloon facilities.’’ And who has ever heard of any lack of saloon facili ties m any place where high tax or high license prevails ? We pauso lor the answer—who? Suppose the sa loons should be restricted even one third in number, the men who want their drink, as a rule, would have to walk but half a block fhrther to get all they want Talk about the friends ot sobriety and temperance uniting in the support and approval of high tax and high license laws 1 When the noonday sun makes a league with mid night darkness it may be. Why, thous ands ot our wisest, best and purest men oould no more do that than they could approve laws licensing any oth er crime—theft, adultery, murder. God's enactments against sin and crime are “Thou shall not.’’ God nev er compromises with evil and evil-do ers by saying, “For so many dollars thou mayest.” Is it not high time for all Christians and philanthropists to arrange themselves / on God’s side of this question ? License and tax laws give brewers and distillers very little concern. It is prohibitorv laws that they fear—that they pay their money | by the thousands to defeat. 1 A good friend speaks of the Sabbath observing city of Toronto, giving as a cause the fact that ,, in that city “no rumseller is allowed to keep open from 7 o’clock on Saturday eveoing until Monday morning, and any man engag ed in that wretched business is debar red by Canadian law ltom holding any office!” Good laws so far. Bat mark, there is no intimation in the above of any tax or license, bat two prohibi tions ; one prohibiting the sale ol rum for thirty-five boon, and the other prohibits the rumseller from holding office; and hence their restrictive pow er. And the same, and only the same, is true everywhere, that in proportion Ss prohibitory enactments are made and enforced are the evils snd horrors of the drink traffic restricted “How long, O Lord, bow long’’ will thy peo ple truckle to King Diaboins, consent ing to his work of death and destruc tion Bishop. COLPOR1AOE A P&ESEN1 AND PRESSING NEGESSI 2 Y. “The man will surely fail who dares delay, And lose to-morrow that has lost to day.’’ We are forcibly reminded ot this couplet, as we think of the lapse of years during which this important work has been neglected by us, and try to aggregate the manifold bless ings and advantages that we have lost through our negligence. Yesterday is lost. To-day is lost. Shall to-morrow be lost also ? Have we not lost enough—-yea, too meeb, already ? A great army oi col porters should to-day, be going up and down throughout the length and breadth of the State, carrying tracts and books to every city, town, hamlet and coun try home. We would, by no means, underesti mate the ministry of the word, God's own chosen instrumentality for the conversion of sinners and the enlarge ment and perpetuity of the Messiah’s kingdom. This is, and will be to the end of time, the chiefeat of God’s in strumentalities for the accomplish ment of his merciful purpose. But his people should have the wisdom to see and utilize whatever forces can be marie helpful to the advancement of their mission. Providence never de signed that one man, or one class of men, should have the ability to do all that is to be done in toe world, for the simple reason that -be would have every man do something. The business of this world is carried on by general co operation, each individual contributing his share, which may be as indistinguishable from the whole as the effect of the single rain-drop is from the swelling of the stream caus ed by the sho ver. Yet man contributes , bia part toybe sum of human misery or happiness, just as every drop of rain contributes its share to the swell mg oi me stream^ Among ibe lorces to be utilized, is the employment ot men to circulate the printed page. Satan and his emis saries, wiser and more active than many of Ood’s people, have seized upon this instrumentality and pre occupied much territory that we should have occupied long ago. An infidel and licentious press is spread ing its detestable poison broad cast over the land by means of our postal facilities and public thoroughfares. Against the distributors of the venom ous issues of a foul press, we must send out good men with a pure, regen rating, life-lifting, soul saving litera ture. We absolutely «mst engage in this work, brethren, inf self-detense, if from no other motive. The colportage work ig not some thing new and untire^ whose practi cability is to be demonstrated by ac tual experiment; bitf it is a work that has long since been recognized as a powerful, auxiliary, to every depart ment ufchfijstian endeavoi, touching and stimulating the whole and con flicting with none. We cannot, with out blame and merited reproach^Jong er ignore this important branch of evangelical enterprise. Let us, there fore, repair, the best we can, the in calculable damage of former delays, by prompt, united effort to put into operation suc|i a system of general colportage as will reach, iu its benefi cent results, the farthest limits of our beloved State. Richard Baxter ielt the importance of this great work in his day. Says he: “Another turtherance of my work was the 'writings’ which I wrote and gave among them [his people]. Some small books I gave each family, one of which went about eight hundred; and of the bigger, l ga*w fewer. **•* Many children did God work upon, at fourteen, fifteen, or sixteen years of age. •*•* We had some old per sons, near eighty years of age. who are, I hope, in heaven. , When the grievous plague visited London. I printed a half sheet, to stick on a wall tor the use of the ignorant and un godly who were sick or m daffger of sickness.'’ Martin Luther and his coadjutors bore testimony to the importance oi this work, in that they helped forward the interests of the reformation by i publishing small volumes for the | masses. 1 The great man of Princeton fame, % Dr. Archibald Alexander, whose sym pathy and ct> operation were given to the American Tract Society to the cioee of his useful life, left behind him this testimony in a letter address ed to the Society id the year 1838: “1 reflect on no part ol my life witn more satisfaction ' than any little agency which 1 bare bad in encour aging and promoting the volume cir culation by your Society." Five years later he wrote: “After a full survey of all the plans of doing good to the souls of men which are now in opera tion, it is my deliberate opinion, that with the exception of the preaching of the gospel and Circulating the Holy Scriptures, there is none which prom ises to lie more efficient and more ex tensively useful in promoting the spiritual ami eternal Interests of meu than ibe publication and wide circula tion of sound evangelical books and tracts." Man of blessed memory, the ^extent of whose laliors for Christ and I humanity eternity only can reveal, he gave, while on Ins dying bed, ten dol lars tor the furtherance of tlie work that lay so near his hiart. No wonder 'that, among bis last utterances, os death confronted him, be said, ‘Death nev^r appeared to me so delightful as n$iw when it is near!’ Brethren, let us begin this work at one.—Bibli cal Recorder. THU GOOD MAN'S PARTIN POLITICS. (From Raleigh Christian Advocate, Mar, 7, 1888.) There are some who will read the heading to this editorial and wonder that we venture to discuss politics at all. A religious paper, it is said, ought not to meddle with politics, and the same is said of preachers too. In re- j fere nee to pariizan politics this is true. , Notwithstanding all this, editors of re- < hgious journals, preachers of the gos , pel and other Christian men have a . duty to perform iu reference to the po- , lilicttl government of this country and . in reference to politicians, which we cannot shirk h is a very easy mat- , ter to dodge this duly by saying we will havu nothing to do with politics for fear of being damaged spiritually by it; but certain responsibilities are upon us, and when we dodge or shirk, them we do it at our pen! and to our discredit. The object of this editorial; is lo inquire as to what is the good man’s part in politics and how he may best discharge the duties devolving upon him. 1 he National and State Conventions are to meet within a few months. The National Conventions are to nominate candidates for the Presidency and Vice-Presidency of the United States. The State Conventions are to nominate candidates for the offices of Govenor, Lieutenant Govenor, Secretary of State Auditor, Treasurer, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Attorney-General, three Justices of the Supreme Court one for the vacancy now filled by ap pointment of the Govenor, and two to lake their seals in case the number of Justices shall be increased by the vote of -the people, and of two Electors for the State at large—and for the elec tion of Delegates and alternate Dele gates to the National Convention* Also toe the adoption of a platform o( prin ciples. It will be seen from this that the character of the National and State government are to be largely deter mined by these Contentions. The Na tional Convention will be composed of delegates elected by the State Conven tions : the State Convention will be composed of delegates elected by con ventions held in each county in the State: the county conventisna will be composed of delegates elected by town ship conventions, and the township conventions will be composed ot those who feel enough interest to attend. Now, this brings us to our first duty in political matters : Every good map, in all political parties, ought to attend the township and county conventions, and see to it that good men are ap pointed delegates to the State Conven tion. In most ot the comities in both parties there are a few men, generally of immoral character, who work up and control the appointment of dele gates, and they see to itAhat men are elected who represent their views of morality. If good men stay away from the “Primaries,” and from the county conventions, and allow a few immoral men to control things, when by their attendance and interest they might have it otherwise, these good meu who stay away/are to blame. Yes, if we can prevent an evil and fail to do it, we are responsible for that failure. In almost every county, the intelligent, good men could control these matters if they would only turn out and take an interest in thorn. We believe it tc lie their duty to do it, and it is Ihcbnly way to get good meu nominated foi the various offices. It is highly im portant that we have good men nomi nated for these offices. We like the following from the Wilmington Stnt: “ In North Carolina it is extremely important that for State offices the righl •nen should lie selec'ed. If a man ha< a bad record for sobriety, for integn ty, for open, (air dealing, it will be bai work to select him. If he cannot havi the “light turned on" both his polities and personal record he will not do/o the electric light campaign o( 1888. Na tnan should be nominated for any office, including the Judiciary, who is addicted to excessive drink. There are thousands of sober, mor il. even re ligious men in North Carolina, who are not willing to vole for men who cm brace the jug handle and who are more familiar with demijohns and ticklers tit*n they are with the l ist enactments and the Revised Statutes. It is not intended to imitate that such men will be selected. It is always wise to look at the situation in advance and see where there are any dangers, hidden or opend. It is too kite alter the e ec tion is over to avoid mistakes. “As to the Legislature this may be said: it is important tbat the Demo crats should nominate in all the coun ties their best men. Let men of high morals, of decided intelligence, of good education, of practical sense, be select ed whenever possible. Tbe complaints have been that our Legislatures have been composed ot inexperienced and raw bands, maiyuof whom were men of Ijille education and small brains. Let us do better this year.” Now, in order to get good met. nom inated, our best citizens must attend tbe township, county, and Stale con ventions, and see to it tbat a few dem agogues and “cross roads politicians’’ do not run the conventions and nomi nate -the candidates. We do not mean to advise any political scramble or un due political excitement. This is not necessary. But in a cool, quiet, calm, Christian way, every good man should assert himself, and have bis proper in fluence in determining these matters ol great interest to us as a people; and if they stay away from the conventions and allow a few immoral men to elect the delegates who will nominate tbe candidates, and these candidates are not good men, are those who stay away not responsible, to a large extent, for It? It does seem to.us. If yon want a good Govenor and other State offi cers nominated, send good men to Ral sigh to the State Convention to nomi nate them. In order to see that good m*en are sent you must attend the township aad countv conventions and help send them. If good men stay away, bad men will go and select bad men to represent themselves, and the probability is that bad men will be nominated. It seems to us that this is dear to every body. Again, good men of all parties ought to exert themsel ves to work a reforma tion in political methods This an other duty developing on them. The Progressive Fa rm er ex presses our views on this subject in the following timely editorial: ^ “A political campaign will soon ve upon us, and we wish to say a word in the interest of decency and on behalf of the dignity and moral character ot our people. We do not believe that public morality has so degenerated that it is necessary to the success of a candidate or of a party, that the op posing candidate or party should be villified, abused, maligned and slan dered. Especially is it repugnant to common decency, as well as to a sense of common justice, to prowl around the back yards and gather up the rags and tilth of generations past, with which to blacken the character of a candidate. We have too much per sonality in latter-day politics. Per sonal abuse and blackguardism is not argument, and it says little for a man Who aspires to honorable position, and little for the respect he has for the good sense and moral culture of those whom he hopes to influence, when he can rise no higher in the presentation of his claims and the claims of his par ty, than the dlane on which he would find his equal, if not superior, in the champion of a brothel or some black den of infamy. Let the press and the good men of all parties discountenance, discourage and disown this disgusting habit among our politicians, and select a high, moral type of manhood to fill public positions. And in this good year of our Lord is a most convenient Opportunity to l>egin this healthful work.” “Sister,” said a dying girl, “please do get the Bible and read for me that passage about the blood which cleans etb from siu; for I am afraid that some of my sins are too great to be forgiv en; do look whether it'says ‘all sins,’ or only ‘sin,’ for I don’t remember/ “Yes," replied the sister, “these are the exact words, 'The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.’ ’’ “Oh, that is sweet! That is delightful 1” said the dying girl, “for now there is pardon for all my sins.” —See 1 John,1:7. Which is the greater of these two wise men ? He who, rising above the storms and passicDs of his time, gazes down upon them with the calm "superiority of a spectator; or he who, having*attamed to the heights of phil osophical repose, throws himself down among his toiling fellowmen, and bravely battles with the evils that oppress them ? It is a grand sight to see the eagle soar through the storm into the calm of the upper sky; but it is grander when he poises himself for a moment in the blue of the heavens, and then swoops down through the dark storm clouds to the 1 rocks below, where crouch his little 1 i ones, t. enabling in their perilous eyrie. : —Joan Paul RUkter. The Christian sun., One Six TSktU Of WHCaiFTm i ,t.SH IS ADVA1VC*.) 1 M TFMW OF ADYtKTIISMOl One square, ten lines, first insertion. .91 For «W> wbn—i lamliBB... Om square three monte.• One squan, fix monte.> One square twelve monte.M Advertisers changing weekly must stake a special agreement Yearly advertisers will pay monthly or quarterly in advance. Transient advertisements to i'isertipa Sites §ithy joints. Wo make the danger when we feaf it Borrowing is the canker and tbe death of every man's estate. , Trusting to luck is only another AMpe for trnsting to laziness. '“'The fiist step toward self-maatery is § knowledge of what man is. Childhood shows the man, as morn ing shows the day —Milton. Debt is the subtlest and most far reaching form of despotism nnder the snD. Whatever you dislike in another person take care to correct in your self. Love alwayB has in its heart the seeds of new sacrifice.—Rev. Jonah Strong. Never think that you can make yourself great by trying to make oth ers less. Faithfulness in little things fits one for heroism when the great trials come. X. M. Alcott. Electricity alWays seeks the best conductor. God uses those who are most in harmony with himself! We cannot conquer a necessity, but we can yield to it in such a way as to be greatei than if we could. Imitation causes us to leave natural ways to enter into artificial ones ; it therefore makes us slaves.— Finer. Generosity does not consist in giv ing alone, but in making some sacri fice to enable one to give. Temptation in the line of duty God has provided for; but temptation sought and coveted God has made no provision for. There are sins secret as the grave, which crush, blight, ruin the divine image in mau, and tens of thousands never hear a warning word against them. Morbidity in religion might be par tially cured by more out-door exercise. There are some duties we can perform better on our feet than on our knees. The book to read is not tbe one which thinks for you, but tbe one which makes you think. No book in the world equals the Bible for that.— "tfr. McCoth. n, not having been able to cure death, misery and ignorance, have im agined to make themselves happy by not thinking of these things,—Patcal. If we have little grace, we shall do bat little good, but if we are filled with all the lulness of God, we shall exert a vast influence upon the interests of men. Do to-day's duty, fight to-day's temp* tatioo, and do not weaken and distract yourself by looking forward to things which you cannot see, and could not understand if you saw them.—Charles Kingsley. Let not unworthiness scare the chil dren of God. Parents love their chil dren and do them good, not because they see that they are more worthy than others, but because they are their own. One will confer the greatest benefits et; on his town, not by raising its roofs, but by exalting its souls; for it is bet ter that great souls should live in small habitations than that abject slaves should burrow in great houses. —Epictetus. “ The now is always mixed and ^ clouded.” Not if we take it simply as the “now;’- not if we do not oucselvet mix it We mix it with our have beeus, or our might have beens, or our by7 and by. God means it simply fbr now, the manna of to day. Humility is not only a virtue itself, but a vessel to contain the virtues, like embers which keep the fire alive that is hidden under them. It emptieth itself by a modest estimation of its own worth that Christ may fill it.—T. Adams. The sunden and severe assault of temptation revealed to others and to yourself what you had com* to be in the gradual but steady trend of your ~~ secret life from day to-day. The tree that fell in the high wind hail been rotting at the heart for years. The end of all secret sin is a catastrope.-A'ojA ville Christian Advocate. Those whose lives are very easy, are usually of small account in the matter of usefulness. Many who are doing very little, would be all the better for the fertilizing processes of pain and anguish. Sympathy with others is not learned without personal suffering. The power to comfort grows out ot our own afflictions. We can not help thinking; yet we can be helped in our thinking, and all need to be. We are continually in need of not only new information, but of fresh stimulation and direction.—The Advance.
The Christian Sun (Elon College, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
March 22, 1888, edition 1
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