University of South Carolina Libraries
■m aHN'i inutk*. res BjSMf •*» ' l „ “•-ADO**, ’* n* Arr KrsiATttM. t a ffrirvl ttumt *«jr* 5 *ui AJm. 2Sv5 F* iDX * mi *• - ti - .^ny^ #*«** M Fen:;: |S “ssart* r,b £«i - f*. K»»«r . Krywcwtm um*n. C*». i » »»#*t I nil feats ssi >mc forms 'H by th* WiMtl |frT7h«*»*Ww ed-«4 »W» for*—• wr» JB WfS'iL lt*t* ttctl j»ro#*i«, Sc«K kit 1. U lb* lai nts, etr% Dl*r, ■right 1 ? 54- fejsS I t»a« IHHI- rh»M tbvri I* >-i tor. amt Loin*. (f ^ i’ftWth v>»« vent. aSE fmn 1 nsJfa ?s inceliigt ,.ith Giro [al~ with on Chsr* RailrtMMl. August* on AW td»y* an " between |Tv^* d ^ i ’ 'rat#*'*- it Aa*■ lain. q 1873- Sohed^ B ftc*r SUN* .itTm* 0, 8 30 P® 'ftl* .?s:s ip»* “&rss W; 1 t i I visitor; Rhd* & Killer, Editors. •« SEW SERIES, VOL 6-NO. 19. OKI LORD, OKI FAITH. Oil BAFTISX.”-!FHISUKS IT:& COLUMBIA. S C.. FkJIy. JANUARY 30. 1874. Terms: $2.00 a Tear. Selections. f-j Tr---p.- On Family Praytr. •wftil displeasure of haavaa Tbe prophet ray*, (Jar. x: 35,) “Pour oat thy fary npon the he*tl.*»it, ami the families that call not upon thy name* Hera notice those fismilie* that call not on tbs name of the Lord, are reckoned with heathen j but the prayer, “Poar oat thy fary * this was the prajer of inspiration, and of course afTeeable to the Di vine will. O ye prayerl*** fathers and careless mothers! are yoa pro pared to meet this praytr I soil, perhaps, yoa make a profession of religion, too, and are yoa ashamed to own Christ before yoar familea and the world I And will not Chriat be aahamsd of you in eternity f Amt will not yoar ohildren and families be swift wit nesses apainst yoa f The fowl Lord help yoa to rear the family, as fellah did the altar of the Lord that had been thrown down, and may the holy Are descend and bant upon yoar hearts, until you sod your families shall say, from a sense of the Divio* presence, the Lord he is Owl I the Lord he is God I OLD SERIES, VOL 6-N0. 279. Tbs Qood Shepherd. Some years ago, s friend of mine was in Greece in the month of March. „ IU vu traveling in (he rono.rv ,bTr,l, > “«" M J •» • U “- _, .t. L .. .. Thore utiuifliers K 4 ^family devotion was practised I- Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Job, tit,, tan be but little doubt, as they gpifesd, from time to time, both (kb sad ft>r their families; btft the 0* of sacrifice was a time of prayer gg| ferotion, and family devotion rtjwknbly the commencement of fttblte. Invstion. When God intro- ' : Mosaic law, and regulated and limes of their aacri- the morning and toeitg sscri flees, to ba Observed ss t perpetual statute—Ex. xxlx : 90-42. fta wu also the tiara of bnrning jmtr g,r zxx:7-9; 2Chron.xii: g, The time of sacrifice and burning jMeose was » time of prayer—Luke i:W; Pi- cxli: 2. Hence we read of fe bur of prayer (Acts iii: 1) being the ninth hour, fer this was the time g the efferiog of the evening aacri- Iw, and therefore known and under used smoog the Jews everywhere *th» boor of prayer. Here, theu, «e tore the institution of morning gi evening devotion, established by fed himself. As it was impossible |r the whole nation to meet at the aspfe daily, for the morning and wring devotions, they had their gMfogues sod places where prayer ms west to be made, or literally, psytr bouses. At such a place as dm St Pan! attended when Lydia ms converted, and it was, no doubt, vhsn they were going to the regular bw of prayer, that the damsel, passsaed with the spirit of divina tin, followed them. Bat when the sacrifices ceased, ad the temple was no more, did the wrung and evening devotions cease? Ihe Jewish converts had always toes accustomed to their morning ■devtniug devotions ; and although Ih# Jewish sacrifices had ended, fey b*d embraced Christ as their feeing sacrifice and as their high West, to present their prayers as UPSS .before th» tl» «•.►•>« of the ■NUT That the primitive Christians kept iptbeir morning and evening family Milions, is clear from tlie history & those times. Dr. Cove, in his wount of the primitive Christians fes: “Their family duties were ■rally performed in this order. At feir first rising in the morning they »«• wont to betake themselves to payer, to praise God for the protec- tiw uid refreshment of the night, wl to beg his grace for the following fey. This was done by tbe master the house, unless some minister *as present to attend to it. I ques- feo not bnt now they read some fetaon of the Scriptures, which they •sw ready to do at all suitable times, •xl therefore certainly would not •it it now. That they had their Ws of prayer, the third, sixth and :i;D '-k hoars, which they borrowed 'in the Jews, is plain from St. fypriaa, Clem. Alexandrinus, and *&«*• When night approached, ^fore going to rest, the family was *Pin called to prayer, after which retired to bed, and about mid* T* were generally wont to to pray and sing praiaes to God. , , T custom was very ancient, amPferty lieard and hit bosom its rise from the times of perae- •Jhcn, when, not daring to meet in y they held their religious *fe*blies in the night. This prac . ? however, being found inconve tor the generality of Christians, **1®°*% laid aside.” J^hat fitmily devotion at certian an ^ especially morning anft that seek me early shall find me • ! increased, or do they not rather go neil tog, i n which all the family ! Among the twenty one hundred to hear something that will sooth* Prfedhiag tor Itoniity Ws do work is tfee church oternity as wall sa for •ore for eternity than for time So the luinistsrs of the cresa of J«*«a afeoald preach every sermon with dear reference u> tfee feta re deal lay of oar ram, of every ladle Ideal, ia tfee groat forever. He afeoald keep before tfee eye of feta adad tfee vaJae of tfee soul—the richest gem is tfee tsaiveree of maa—deaUood to Uve aod reign with Gfertet la eternal day. or aiak to •leery aad woe Irretriev able In endless night The preacihsr afeoald always resaewber paageatly tfeat some person la listening for the taat tine to tfee preaching of tfee gospel, sail that this very senaoa •ay be tfee means, if feithfelly de liveresl, of saving a soul frooi-dsatb, aad adding uoe aiove to tfee company of tfee raaaomed on felgh Every aerMoti, then, should he riefely scent ed and savored with tfee tuuae of Jesna, tbe clear, plain, positive dee larstioos of God's word. There ia ootbmg so interesting to an haabled sinner as tfee story of tfee cross j and j nothing else will .humble a sinner bat the preaching of Christ applied to bis heart by the Uoly Spirit. And the word of God is the word of the •ay avoid —« -A, and tfeat s»ay fe» aontioasd la tfee fesali at To preach for neceseary to reaurTvetkoa ia loriog bis user, ms to log bat Cferist emitted, da this properly Mm oe •bully givsa up ministry, to be a work. It Is al filled with the di ft Is from God. bs cossetoos of Uoa to all tfee The seal mn love of tfee Itivisi baptised with quenchless isms king the •feiatnf light ia shall we preach for afore it j. aad •loners shall be refevertsd to God May the Lord fire strength and gram for tfee wort, aad crown us saioog the blood washed to tfee city of oat God afeovaAforffokHM TrU Christ's SyaptUf. deeftne Jean* and the • dlatiact, aad In order to tO b* rorh of tbe of bat one to be tW with tfee I foeasure, producing a * heart, are* a burning aad where the shepherds live. He to three shepherds with tbair Horks. One had about six hundred fifty sheep, another bad about seven hundred, and the other had shout seven hundred and fifty. In all, they had about twenty one hundred sheep. They ware out in tbe valleys where the grasa grew. All the flock* were mingled together. Every sheep bail its own uame. It would not come nor go if called by any other name; nor would it conn* nor go. if called by any but its own shepherd. Every shepherd knew all his oan slieep. He kuew their names also. If Any one was alioat to go into a wrong place be ealted it and it turned back. If the way was narrow and •teen he wonhl *r.» hnfim> «i«l iW would follow him. This ia just like what tbe Bible says about t'hriat ami bis flock “Tbe sheep heard li bis voice; and he ealleth liis own sheep by name, aod leodeth them Tfee sympathy of Ufeftat was not merely lovs of mw ia ’ loved tfee >i re fee km ml iLr n* ■ w a apoa asresiemfo P of indivntaaia, he oaTlfes foalutodr f • j •(•cd. in who would preach for eternity caw Hod no ti»a to pteach *u) thing else but Christ era * ,>U | cifled. This iusy ba fe> some a slum i Wing block and toother* fuwliiliMM] but to all who beliava, it sill tw> the aMi '">***+** *«r fifftag Taler aad power of God auto salvation. Tbia ***** Tb«*are* Ha I*it for the da | will W more thau all tfe* vain fdnhm o|djy in the nuiiriw ran d«*. It is Ia> U“ rrgn Itrd that m» many who are tbe professed minister* of the crtNM of Christ altuoat <»i quite forget this grand aad ever new theme of the gospel, as«t *{ket»d their lime and talent in preselling sermons which, lo say the least of them, have but meager extracts froai God's *** *ay«s* tfeoa, truth, and are Ailed up with imag "ifoombody hath inary <ht «h»ul*tful tfeeorma ooneerniug CMmow** how fee w touched fey y ■wm tree, lie litsrwmfbn of bisdias||des. tie auaad fern tear* attfe the foiled sob* fey the grave of Imaaraf. Uncalled lire abashed efeddrea to ht> an la. Armmgsi the »amixer*, ns ha walked, fee da •rtad tfee indtt Idaal loach af fmth ^Master, the muitaad* 'N fen I .y, » U to being tempted la aU poiata, yat without sta, that •akae sympathy real, manly, perfect, instead of a mere senUmenLal ten eruaaa foo w 01 not teach yoa to foel fer Irieto. U ail) not enable yea to JMlfol, than, fo be merfofol to thorn, nor to help thorn ia Um« of need fit any aerUinty. It to the soma human sympathy which qusiiflies Christ fur judgment U to wniten that tfea Father hath aumiadted all jodgmont to him, ha OMfoa ha to the ftao of man. Tfea Chnat ex loads to tfea ias oprera, not to its ; ba to “touched with the foaling of oar iatrmittoa” There to nothing ta feto haaow which oan harmonise with maltoa j be can not M for envy; fee has no fellow led ing fer crwalty—oppreaatoa—hypoe* rtoy; Utter, oeosorMNis jodgmenta. ®tomo*bar # fee could look round about him with anger. Tfea sympa thy of Chriat ia a comforting subject. It to, besides, a tremendous subject; fm on sy mpathy tbe awards af bear •a and bell are built “Except a man be born sgais'—not be shall **®L bat—“fee can not enter into bsaven.” There ia nothing in him which has affinity to anything in the lodge's bosom a sympathy for that which to pore implies a repul sum of that which ts impure. Hatred of avil to iu proportion to the strength of love for good. To love good in tensely to to hate evil intensely. It was in strict accordance with the laws of sympathy that fee blighted i*k*mai*ai in such ungentle words as these. “Ye serpents, ye general»ou of % i pees! how can y * enesjw’ tbe daw nation of hell T Win the mind of Cbnai now—or else his sympathy for human nature will not reve yon from, but only tusnre, the recoil of abhorrence at the last—“Depart from •* * I sever knew yon.*— Uobtrimu, mar pfeiloaopliy, geolog\, aatr«MH»my «<r m.i»•*—«tth • w sues* other aciamce. Two se4a»Mt»» ^e j >xa»hii»•*** •* »s<i«.^s*.»w«(ewfoaWMre *■. ont. And when be {isittetb forth hi* own sheep he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him; fot tbev know his voice. Am! a stranger will they not follow, bat will fire from him; for they know not the voice of stranger*. I am tbe good shepherd and know my sheep sad am known of mine. I lay my lifo down for the sheep.” The day my friend saw tbe sbep herds was a cold day. Some of tbs Iambs were quite strong and fall of play; bnt some of them were young and tender. The cold chilled them aod they coaid not walk. The abep herds bad on something like large cloaks tied a room! their neck* and girt about their waists. So they took up the little lambs and put them in their bosoms. Rot they did not smother them, they left tbeir heads out so that they could breathe well. But they kept tham snug and warm. It was a pleasing tight to see an old shepherd, with hi* long full of lamba. Just so the Bible says of Christ. “He shall gather tbe lambs in his arms and carry them in his bosom.” Many little children have loved Chriat. And he ha* never let such perish. He to as good to little children as to old people. He says. “I love them that love me. and those ! Miration Ihroogh CfenM receive* 1 oaly parit»l attvnliaa to* them, j while It *feould engage I heir time, I talent sn<l their all. Here to an in [exhaustible mine uf truth to which : every minister should he engaged all ; his life, and where only he may 1 secure I reman re* into eternal life- Not long ago I heard a mas preach a sermon from a test wfetefe embraced the feetrefeip of Gutl'e children la the kiagdoai of t'briaC lie labored! toog and hard lo prove that there ia no kingdom for God'a children mow within or without. He than dosed ap tbe argument by the quotation front fit Pan! t “For the kingdom of God to not meat aad drink, bat righteousness, and peace, aad joy la the Holy Oho**,”— Rum. slv: 17. tt reminded me af boys building rob houses for tbe fan of tumbling them over when bail!. Tfea* mini*ter* often specatata upon airy themes, instead of preaching tfee aaacarrfe- able riche* of Christ. They do not preach with that trenteorioaw ear seat nos* wfetefe tbe realties of etnuti ty demand. They preach for iiare, with comparatively Utile interest la what to to take place ia reullews years, life, how shall it go with such when they ttand before Ifeo jodglaaot seal of (?fertot V Wfeat do men want with abstract nuesiioti* rtf throktri or of tfee *g wfwp'VWvwivi” *** **»vw*war wire ossaoe single tfefoh, ta a stogie that does am ifertlt at ware with more Ifeao dec trie speed op to the mighty heart of Go*. Yoa feev e not shed a tear »or a axgh that dal not worn ii' back to yon exalted •w4poriAedb| feavtag pasaed tferoagfe the Eternal Ikmmhw. The sympathy of the Divine lie* man! fee hmtwa what foraaglfe to seeded. It# gwes gvsae Is hol|>; end when the world, with its ifeea whisper to a* ss to Kean. tWM am thy hSrtferlght, tha other resss apeak*. *aa—n I |u>im liOwadiMS for hnirtrl , rieaav a v^m* a^s-w ®eisew aw^^rw warn the toward paaaa fer the oat ward thrill—the feeaedletsaa of ajr Father fer a area* af p<#U*gr ? There ta wfeee ww seam to tread this earth, aapener to its al ifeAa M da wnfeaat Mi firmly hearing aatwrivea M War^Liy Christiaan. Hare so OdtewafHp with *W anfvniVfal Bldrit” “For tbe frwH of the Spirit to in at? goodness sod righteousness and truth ” “Sec (bat ye walk cir oumapectly, not aa fools, but a* wise, redeeming the time, beoeuae the days nreevil” “That ye may be blame fem and ken*fas#, the children of God, without rebuke in the midst of a crooked aod perversa nation, among whom ya ahiao aa lifkt* in the world.” Theatre going, ball and circus ffc«Af cfertoltoua, have you pat on the whole armor, and having done aU, do you stand for Urn Church to yoar heart of baertaf Are yoa krrewe fey the fruits of tfee Bpirit, or the works of the flesh and the world ? If yoa are a parent, I |#*y yoa do not teach yoar children to lake de light in that species of excitement experienced in Lire theatre, where they may form false tastes, aud ex aggers tad views of life, that may unfit them for tfee quiet and sacred iuflu enciea af home life, and the sweet re lations of the domestic altar. Xor ye* the false graces and vain glory of the bell room, w here their minds ihroogh execs* of dissipation may exclude the wholesome mental disci pline of sober thought, aod the salu tary lentous of serious reflection. Nor yat the detnoraltoitig, sensoali* ting, towenug atmosphere of tha cir cos, where all that to best aud holiest in Christian saciety is made fit subject for ooaraa jest, indelicate song, or nhald tooeudo. Where a true sms to made to blush /«r woman, and pity bis fellow man; that being made in God's own image he should so de grade himself, and become a fool! to be laughed at, and yet held in utter contempt. t Thousands of our kardmined taon ay are squandered amid such guilty, uujtroiiubL aaaociatioua, while our ekwrrkm tongwmk /or /wads, our places of the dead from neglect, our homes of orphans—many of them children of fathers w ho died for ns, our homes, and rtmsfry—for the comforts and ecuesaanea of life. Be ashamed, O Christian, w ho plead* for these guilty When we read tfea simple truths of ^ * f m ‘bferSai* an* fiu ib. LiMr, arid *<»mpare oat daily C harch hors upon earth; let us look walk with iU holy prrmpU. how yoa was glad , bat II was whsu ont Ward trials bad abahwo tbe son) to Its vary rewire, then there ohm from him “grare to help ta turns cd owed ” H# who would *y mpaifeive ... a — —a M — ■ t» a, a stAoum fvioMi vP wp in«i There to a bard and »nii .ji-ti a In aa wt a MalMsa wa* hakmifiis MPMMMi Iw "i"■Mr*m YfrefiIII™ requires ta tie saflewed down W« aetenresoa the Haltoath, after having pass fey snlforiwf gnyty. aaaefeaaty. alt the week been perplexed with a Ifeounaad dtflfoultto* af life ? Da they go to have their pevplssities * er ® j°«o, has always been kept ; sheep were some old sod feeble one*. nhttLjk* c ^ urclt °f Ood, from its They could not walk much. If the j***tot history to the present time, j way was miry or steep, they eonld hardly go along. So the shepherd* would come and put their cloak* under tbeir bodies. Just behind their fore legs, and help them along. They treated them with great gentleness and care. Jnst so “the good Sbep bent has pity on the weak, and gently helps them along.” He nevet leaves nor forsakes them “His rod and bis staff comfort them ” He leads all his sheep into his fold for safety. He leads them out that they may find pasture. If little boy* and girls art wise, they will desire above all thing* to belong to Christ’s flock. I hope all of you will commit to memory the twenty.third Psalm It is beautifol. “The Lord is my *hep herd; I shall not want.”— Afar l>r. Ptumer. *3fl -iAJLfc ;n tu.i. not be seriously questioned. * im Portance of this duty is not J? ar *»«l upon the high authority and its nniversal prac- . ®y the pious in every age, but Rs happy effect*. Certainly that family is more TV to preserve harmony am! order the daily labor is begun and wlth prayer. ‘^ Places the head of a family ^ he ought to stand, as giving *_, exarn Pl® and encouragement to °^ r a, wl piety. The influence on the minds r *srni rW | Where fam *ly devotion is l observed, impressions are ^ °«sand times made which will (^ 8 ^ e * r fotore destiny, both in IjU ®tornity. Inspiration has t 4y „ ’ “Train up a child in the hi* u be 8hoald «°* aud w hen he he will not depart from it.” this f° uclude ’ Those who neglect seem to fall under tbe of When we are alone we have oar thoughts to watch, in tfee family o«r tempers, and in company oar tongues. tbeir sorrow* simI rettove I heir per plexities f Do they not go lo feed on thing* easily digested, rather than to reaeive a mass of oomasffi cated food? They go to get wo# thing to *trwngtbeo their good reao tattoos and comfort their weary souls Christian* go there to hear inability to enter into diflfcrattiea of of Christ aod tfee gforiso id feto great tfeoagfet which marks tfea mind to solvation, sad they want sire to which aU tfeiag* have been perorated preach as thoagh they mean what saperfriafly, aod which has saver sot ta craettfi tot* aufreHagty, jaat fewwaa #0.^* fe >: sbji*m' am fesaafl atesWHmW' a* mM® refil lug fe. We wowsd asaa fey omt looks and oar abrupt esprsaston* without iatrodtag It, t raom we fears not been taught tfea dstkacy, aad tfee tact, aod tfea gemtlsaaaa which oan oaly ha tsarnod fey tfee wooadiug of oor own *e<tatb4M«toa There to a haughty feeling ia aprif blares * fetch has never been oa tfea verge of foil that requires humbling There to aa they say, with the powor and do mooslraliou of tfea .Spirit No ass can preach for eterotiy who doe* aot tfens declare the truth of feto Master. It to a solemn thing to declare tfea counsel* of God to dyiag men—to fee tfee messenger* of marey to tfee not es*** sad tfee jifisooer*. It to aa important trust committed to oar core, to cry aloud and spore not, to giva to each their portion in due •ooson. Each minister of tfea gospel to cfeargsd with o massage af awfol weight to every todtvtdoal, sad fe# afeoald deliver It carefully, solemnly —being all tfee time oa tfee watch that fee may not add very fur *tort do ws mare, of an "upright walk and con vernation,* and of putting oa tfee whole armor of God, that we may tie aide to stand against tfee wiles of the Devil. We are t«ld “to have oor loin* girt about with troth, aad having on the breastplate of righteousness, to fee shod with the preparation of tbe gospel, aod above all, taking the shield of faith, the helmet of aolva Uoo. aad tfee s«ord of the Bpirit, that wa may lc strong in the Lord, and lo the power of hi* might * The danger* and temptation* that beset the disciple* of tfee lari io Tsui's day, extol to an alarming extent ia oor own. Crowding thick aod fast upon us, are tfee powers of dark tie**, m the form of refined *• soiiisemenU such a* tfee theatre, the °f opera, tha hall room and card party, ba j as well as those far lest so, such as the wiue dub, billiard and liquor asJoon* aod that curse to society — the rireu*? Each and all are con reded fey the werM, as well a* the church, to fctfoag to the world, and a* decidedly worldly; yet their bale fnl influence to fast creeping into the church, white they find many watm and stout defender* among professing Christians, who bare failed to put on the whole anaor of God, sod still fieri** their besetting sin*. Tbe tore of many a soldier of the croa* raxes cold, in these «vit times that teat the true Christian, and many members of that Church, “that Chriat so loved, as to give himsetf for it, that be might preoaot it to himself a gforso«m church, not baviog spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; bat should be holy sod without blemish”—are aid ing and abetting these device* to its grievous injury, and the encourage meat of iu enemies. One may ba a Christian, and occa sionally be overcoare of the tempter and frequent such places; yet it experienced tfee horror of feshag tfee k» of doubt crushing beneath the m... . . vWw%* remOni ^ —i dfc fHiih ^i<n air mhsmsi a ^ ty* os — Tnerosorw, u j oo s*ptre to ue s son of roosoistioo— if yoa would par take af tfee priestly gift of sympathy . if tnH VtKlid IVMIf h. I r S : f. m 1 w. ***““* S 11 ffi kfififi *<^^01*» *• » W i aud common niece nontoiitkxi into hr Tt if v mi vmild rises through the intereourae of dally life urftfe the de! ret# tact which never inflicts polo—If to that most scute of haama ailments, mental doubt, yoa ore ever to gtvw shows o faulty Christian sentiment, bring* reproach oo tbe church and piovea a stumbling block to many. Though tfea cotiacieooe aod tbe world may condemn yet such Christians may aod often do excare themselves upon tfee plea, “that there to so koras to it; simply o rweraatkoe, and ooa needs recreation; God created all thing* for man’s enjoyment.” ButO moo, O woman, where to yoar ac countability for tfee way in which yon oar or abuse them? aod bow roads thy Bible ? “Tbay that are Chriat'ls have crucified the flesh with the af vnu mass os rontawi to psy in* price of tfea costly edoeotfoe like him, fertioos aod luata* “If wo lire io tempted. tfea Bpirit, let a* also walk lo the well to oor steps, that others seeing them may take courage. Let us re solve to love aud honor Him more, who hath loved us aud washed ua iu Hi* own most precious blood.—A*. C. f *#■ sniiuferkit m uL # 000^0^1 Shooting cs tha Wing. How to reach individuals with di rect appeal* of a religious kind is not sti easy problem. If all who dcaire benefit attended the public means of grace, so that the preacher might at least speak in their pres euce, even then his words would not certainly be heard, much less felt. As a teacher as well as preacher, often taking occasion to ask persons Just from church what tbe preacher ha* said, I have been suissed to find many unable to auswer intelligently. Either tbe preaching is above their capacities, or it i* dull, or it has no advantage with tbe hearer from a predisposing love of religious truth. It is certain, multitudes fail to get much |Hsr»otial religious impulse from the pulpit. Terhaps we do not “preach the word* iu all simplicity, and tliu# the service may have be come with people a mere religious decency, and not a personal interest of the most pressing sort. I do not pretend to aay why it is, but merely to say it ia so. Granting that there were a deeper iutcrcst in the class referred to, as to pnblic worship, then we fear there is, we know there is a necessity of some further and different labor to roach tiMj* desired result. Truth, like an arrow or a rifle ball, needs to hit the mark. One night a thoughtless boy was leaving the church, unmoved by the discourse, but hi* godlv uncle laid his hand ou his shoulder with the intention to ask him to go to Christ, but his emotion allowed him only to ejaculate bis nephew’s uame. That broken ejaculation led him to Christ and into the ministry. 1 speak only of tbe ontward instrumentality. I was once visiting “pastorally” certain families with my venerable colleague, one of the most successful pastors, the late Dr. Barnabas King, ot Bockaway. He was then au old mao, and I suppose, at least, io the forty fifth year of his ministry. In the last family we visited that day, we met a lady who had long been a devoted Christian, and as we rose from our knees, and were about to leave, she said to Dr. King. “Do you remember visiting the Pigeon Hill neighborhood one stormy day forty years ago F The pastor remembered it well, and also in what discourage meut he had kept the appointment, announced from tbe pulpit tbe pre vious Sabbath, aa was his custom. “Well,” said tbe lady, “that was a great dsy in my life. I was a giddy, wicked girl, and had declared that you should not have a chance to talk to sse. That evening you took tea where I was Bring, god I had to go into the room where yoa were orated with the riders. 1 *M*ed ta aod was flitting oat, whoa yon said, ‘And ore yoa going to neglect yonr soul’s sal vation T That was all, for I ran out of the room; but that arrow hit the mark, and I am a Christian because 3*ou raid that sentence then and there!” I speak again only of the human instrumentality, but that arrow shot at her did what a pulpit broadside had failed to do. Borne years ago au interesting but godless young man was riding in the cars southward, an invalid in the Tain search for health. A Christian man seated near him became deeply Interested m him, and on leaving the cars ventured to place in his hands either a tract or a blank leaf on w hich were the words, “Are you a Christian V How casual, how tri fling, tbe coincidence of two travel er* thus coming near together with out speaking, and no attempt at a religious impulse possible except those four words written on a leaf! And yet that little agency won that soul to Christ, ss was discovered, through a published inquiry some mouths after, from the grateful friends of the dead invalid, for tbe faithful man who “shot a bow at a venture.” We are never to speak slightingly of tbe preaching of the word. It is a great power, the greatest on earth; but if I were asked for another great force, not to supplant bat to supple ment the first, I would mention this force, the private, penmai appeal to ktartitawrtefited %wr^anoot^owix and wideawake Christian fidelity may approve. It is the chance shot, or the taking the bird on the wing, or tbe labor to save sonls “out ot season.” Tbe human heart has a tremen dous aversion to evangelical tnxth. It is as shy as a mountain partridge is to the hunter, and it will not do to wait until the bird shall light on a limb iu plain sight, and we can “get a rest,” before we shook We mast fire w hen w« can, even if the bird be on the wiug, and trust Him for help who cau give it, to send the shot home. We mast be ready in the shop, at the street corner, in the lecture-room, in tba casual meeting, at any time or place, to give the impulse of a word, a sou tence from tbe Scripture, or a tender invitation to Christ, with the prayer to God to make it to do what it was meant to do. In this way al most the entire field of society would be covered by very potent influences, warning and wiuning souls that oth erwise might para into another world uuwarned and unwon. Such shoot ing must bring down much game.— Christian Banner. 'The Sabbath. There is one weapou which the enemy has employed to destroy Christianity and to drive it from tbe world, which has never been employ ed but with signal success. It is the attempt to corrupt the Christian Sabbath, to make it a day of festivi ty, to cause Christians to feel that its sacred and rigid obligation has ceased, to induce them on that day to mingle in the scenes of pleasure or the exciting plans of ambition, to make them feel that they may pur sue their journeys by land and water, by tha steamboat and the railway, regardless of the command of God; and this has done, and will continue to do, what no argument, no sophistry, no imperial power has been able to accomplish. The “Book of Sports” did more to destroy chris tianity than all the tea persecutions of the Roman Emperors: and the views of the Seoona Charles and his Court about the Lord’s day tended more to drive religion from the Bristish nation than all the fires that were enkindled by Mary. Paris has no Sabbath, and that fact has done more to banish Christianity than all the writings of Voltaire: and Vienna has no Sabbath, and hat fact does more to annihilate re- I igion than ever did the scepticism of Frederick. Tarn the Sabbath into a day of sports >nd pastimes, of military reviews, and of pan tomimee and theatrical exhibitions, and not an infidel anywhere would care a forthing about the tomes of Volney or Voltaire, about tbe scep ticism of Hume, the sneers of Gib bon, or tbe scurrility of Paine — British American I*rc9byterian.