The Lutheran visitor. (Columbia, S.C.) 1869-1904, March 13, 1874, Image 1

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^ ——- •• Revs. Rude & Miller, Editors OKI LORD. Oil FAITH. MTWBAPTIS1L"--XPHISIAI3 17:5 ‘^OR <OTHlH G! prs* COLUMBIA. S. C„ FKimV. MARCH 13, 1874. Original. “olive to the oorporenl presence of “Christ in tin Haora men t. Tran* “substantiation, or tb« obange of lb* “substance or the bread Into tin “body and Wood of (hriat, U« re “tiounced and oppoartl, bat |i»«©e “•latently sabatitated for It, (be, U “possible, atore aboard figment of “consubstout ration, or tbe real prea “•*00 of the natural body of Christ, “in, ami with, and sinler, tb« bread arena sphere are the winds cbillcd or tire reins siatoed it, leaving the work! U bleared and Um akias tkroogb wbkab It passed still sweat with iU lingering frsgnux*, to its glory as aa art* enfold mg dower in the bless •d garden of (kid. Hardy prolonged Ills on earth bath no boon like this! For each mortal lor eh nr a* to put on immortality —to riae from the carnal with aa UtOe memory of earth that ike mother * cradle aorta« to hare baaa saehail m the bonne ef saan% relatives or neighbors sre fostering is j our hearts, the loving Jesus will not lire in their company. There to no room for drunkenness or sensuali ty of any kind, for unclean boeks or libidinous lustings, and for tbe pure Uedeemer too. Any sin that holds tbe door against Jesus will damn your soul. By your own free will, and with tbe omnipotent help of the Holy 8pirit, you are to grapple with yoor besetting sin, and bud him out Tbe proof of your sincerity must be that you will be willing to cut off tbs right arm, rather than to lose Christ from year soul What wonderful gifts Jesus hath for you, as He waits outside the door! Pardon, peace, Joy, cleansing of conscience, strength, light, and an everlasting heirship mi glory! All these! Yet you shut him out with (he insulting words, “Gosway, Lord, for (in time—I am busy 1 When 1 bare a convenient season I will call for Thee.” So the compassionate Jesus lin gers outside of your barred and bolted heart. Hs has watted there through the year 1873, sad many u long year before. Hit sweet, heav enly voice baa sounded through that stubbornly cloned door, “If tbou wilt ope* unto Me, I will come in.” Jesus give# last knocks. He may soon be beard for the last time, say ing, “Behold, I stand at this heart, and knock; if thou wilt hear my voice and open to me, 1 will come in sad dwell with thee, and thou with me. r He withdraws—to eome not hack again forever! Another voice is beard, and another footstep is approaching! It is the swift, sure loot of death You start up ia fright and horror. You open the door, mod look out for the patient friend who waited there so long. Yon call for him with piercing cry! Ah! He Far the Lutheran Visitor. Luther and Ccncubstantiaticn. mumbkk I. Series. I'KIadrlfl Hier and the Lutheran Church 1U e to be very strangely and iteptly misrepresented Uy oer- clergjrimMi uml theologians of UeuomiuatioiiH. or *“i (xnitahU «ndcr the 3£ r already b^„ is a sermon on the Keel IVm+ttre. delivered by tbe Her. George C. Harris, Rector ol St. Mary's P, K. Church, Memphis Tewn , amt prim ed in tbe Memphis Appeal of Sept. 4tb, 1873. In that rermou, follow lowing a concise and well considered statement of tbe doctrine of the Lord’s Supper—a statement which has a very familiar, Lutheran sound, ami which can not be more accept able to Her. Mr. Harris than it is to us—we find tbe following words: “How this is, is the mystery. “Rome attempted to solve the mya “tery and produced the dogma of “Trausubstautiation. Martin Luther “attempted a solution of the myatery “and produced a similar dogma of “Consubetanttetioo, neither of which “is ancient or Catholic.” Now iu disposing, briefly, of tbs above quoted paragraphs, and tba charge which they contain, we barn only this to say : 1. If Bishop Johns, in asserting that Luther “substituted” tbe fig ment of Coosnhstantiatkm for Tran sulistantiatioo, and Rev. Mr. Harris, in asserting that attempting to solve the mystery of tbe Hopper be “pro- duced” tbe dogma of Coo*«t>eUnti* tkm, mean to say, that Luther orig mated, or was in say more the author or promulgator of that doc trine, they hare made a great mis take. Tbe historical fact is, that the word “couau baton (ratio*” was used as early as the Utb century, he, & -trtsH d—s— pem of Paris, “to denote what be held of the Lord’s Supper, over sgsmst the transubetantiaiiou which fnnouent 111. had pot forth as the dortrtae of tbe Latin church.” 2. Again, if Bishop Johns and Rer. Mr. Hants mean by “substi luted” and “produced,” that while Luthci may not have been tbe ortg inator of the word “coooubotantia- tioti,” nor yet of tbe thing for which it stood, he nevertheless adopted 3 tk tterd'a Sup|H*r, and how con anally sre we called upon, publicly privately, to refute the worn jsfcmdar, that Luther held and taught {fr&kiitmtiation ; and that that uu* gnptaral doctrine, is, historically jbJ m a matter of fact, part aud jttitel of the Lutheran Church's iu- fentaarc from the great Reformer 1 fp emptioess and groundlessness of th charge have been sliowu times jljjo&t without number. It is, in lied, rather difficult to understand lev one who has given any attention » tie confessional writings of out (touch, or to what has been pub |fcd ou the subject by our leadiug dmiogians from Luther’s day to the pmeot, eau Tor a moment counte ases it, and yet the gross misrep- atoation flies from mouth to mouth athoegh our Symbolical Books bad mar been written, and as though «w representative divines had made a stterances concerning this mat* ft wearied mind and chilled aflec Hooa, but from a child’s joyous heart fiwwiag ap into the power of an srehuuguik intellect—to bs raptured as s Messed babe through the gates of Paradise! Ah! this is bettor lha* to watch as aa old prophet for ths car el Are tu the valley of Jor within «» MesA i W JpIMKflMH j eWatere Ho rely God ia wise ia all his works. Aad urea aaud oar tears will we rejtofti ia this harvest feast, that mmemg aa, as elsewhere, he gathers ae largely “the flowers ia their sea tom ia writing i neat case. ‘*lve excellent he French, hr and 2d Series, «‘Vr TnrnsU- t w ill nnuoonca God protong* ths christiau’s life that he may do good to others, as well as lucres re in meet* ess for heft'ret. Tbe grace of God ia his experience is to he exhibited—his light is to shine for the benefit of ■mu. His life is to be spout iu do ing ths will of God. Iits useful seas wfll hs grad aa tod by bis holiness; the highest usefulness is inseparable from ft fall and entire dedication of soul to the service of God. l*rfty«e Iu its fullest exercise, and ■so* intimate approach to God, is the poorlag out of desires of ft wholly rnoasnrelod heart. . Sock, pray ia the Moty Ghost. They hare power with God, aud over mea iu prayer. Through this Instrumentality many B RABIES, ftueh that w* fur <m« book* dishing how** nrepe (Eog&ft t rates as ike hand » large which wo m rants of a %» Aid that which particularly ex dtoc our wonder, aud we might jntly add provokes our indignation, A that every now add then we M clergy men holding high po mps iu their respective churches, ad greatly esteemed because of four character and acquirements, federating to the world from their pfoits and in published discourses, to stale accusation against Luther ad oar ehurch with the air of those the sre merely statiug a well fixed ad oadeniahJc fact W* narar Aim) 1 fish, in these discourses, attempting t formal proof of the offensive huge, but always simply waking pirtion* in a tone which implies hit the tbiug asserted is so well bourn, aud has been so fully ac toweled ged, that formal proof is •necessary. 1 Now wo know that it snot a very gracioas declaration to sake concerning ministers deserved ly eoiueut, and of no mean parts as •tolars, to say that they are igno- rsnt of that whereof they speak in ocii bold and confident words, and jet that is the only charitable and utidactory construction to put upon toese assertions to which we allude. Ttoy certaiuly must be made iu ig- Wrauce; ignorance however which is almost wholly iuexeusable and which usbly incurs a very grave responsi- ; Wity. j 'Ve say “almost wholly iiiexcusa- Ne’for we know that these clergy- | might easily cite the names of | pits a number of divines and others vlw have not hesitated to charge doctrine of consubstantiation *poa Lather before them, aud from *l»m, no doubt, they have merely ®»ght it up. We are aware, for I sample, that Barrow has said sorne- I toag of “the Lutheran Consubstan tout* and the Roman transubetan fciliri*” We know that Bickersteth I ahdes to consulistautiation as a I toehing of Luther. We are not ig- • toofthhi etc. Those marked fftrocito by mats v« plf but to restil b orders. 51—ly of rellfkM*, If mol kftowu bore in evory (mat, will bt dearly shown ia tbe light of etoroily. A holy life will produce a powerful imfluemot of good in the world. In •very relate*) of life, ia every poti tew la Ufo, t« every position we may occupy, we must mantfret the grecc of God. The spirit of bnmanity, ■asks ess and love, filling the bsort, will be doorty sseo, aud will render oor life ft hymn of praise to God, while it will reprove ala, sad eacour age piety among men. What weald Heal of Tarsus hare bees with hia mental vigor, with all bis capabilities sod opportunities, without the grace of God ! What was that the Apostle with that grace I If he labored more abundant ly thaa tba other apostles, be says, “Not I, hot the freer- of God ia ma" —“by grace, I am what I am*— “ihriot Heath ia ase.* Grace aaocti fieri hia talent, aad gave it a right direetom. He consecrated *11 his powers to Christ hr counted not his life dear to himself—to him to lire was (hnst, and so he became a powerfhl illustration that we may glorify Clod la oor body and in our •pint, may do his wilt on earth as angvU do it in beaeee. Ia msch aa earnest, holy life, we shall fulfill its great mission, and oor labor shall sot be in rain in the Men have bae« busy, in the eager- ueaa of their misguided seal, and the selfishness of their wicked hearts, to improve upon inspired wisdom, by inverting the apostolic order of tbe graces, and making love tbe last aad ha least of the three; nay, their miaebei vous attempt has not stopped here, for, in effect, at least, they have widen voted to blot it out alto- getbn, and to reduce religion from the divine iriplicity that St Paul has given it to a mere duality, aud to make it consist exclusively of faith and hope. And since we are everywhere taught that religion is God’s image iu the tool of mao, what does this come to, as tbe last reach of this turpitude, but to rifie the divine character of lore, its in effable glory, and to make Jehovah simply a God of truth and justice f Leaving, then, the number aud order of tbe graces as we find it iu the Scripture, aud practically submitting to the truth of the apostolic declara tion, “that tbe greatest of them is charity,” let us sit down again at the feet of this inspired teacher, and studying afresh the genius of Chris tianity as it is portrayed iu his ele gant and beautiful personification, Tet us put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness; and, thus at tired, be prepared for union with all our brethreu. Is there, then, notwithstanding our differences, a principle known— a principle attainable by us all—a principle which is an integral part of our religion—a principle which, if it were more cultivated and in full exercise, would subjugate all that is low, and ml fish, and malevolent in our nature ; and whidh, while it filled oor own bosom with peace, would give us peace with our fellow Christians Y There ia. Love—holy love—heavenly love—Christian love. But where is it to be found t In the heart of God, in th« bosom of Jesus, in the minds of angels, in the spirits of just men made perfect, and in the New Testament we know: bnt where on earth shall we find it I It ought ■a. “Tba word romml aa^aOtl* la hie Mtf ......7 15pm 6 50am 7 10pm « 45am ioudaj, Wed- ivs: ..... 1 50 am ..... « 85pm « 50am 11 50am Ticket A*A Mtghto’t yom try T 1 *» Mr mtv aad IA spa half the rum spmk aad pray, who COMPASY, »ber 9,1877- ■er Schednb n cated. If oao or two take aU the lame, I have no af'ftsrtoftitj Tbe Hpm t boa bee* wort**, aawl ta aot (he ftymrit grieved Y Ilia wothiag I* Chriai*» body, of wtae aad of hia blood.* Aad what t'oOo hero a for an of Lalboraa*. ia general. Is trot of Lather ia |arilwmht. All hia alter aaees oo the aotoact orn perfectly const*It-at with the doetoralhm ta tin “Wittenberg Concord,” (which Lather helped to frame nod aigeed) which soya: “Wo doojt the doctrine of Uwaou baton ualiee, aa wo do also deny that tba body aad Mood of Ni*bt Tram- m 415 P» m 511pm m t723pm ni 9 87 pm m 238*® io *515 a m onpectiop.m* orth, amvwf also, «a Ba - iving »t Jfi Train ma*** miond, to *1| New York al (hrtat are foeoffjr iocfftded la the father to oah proya* for his t Aad why mm let the lad ted feds ow* os u 8 80 p m n 1058pm S ‘A®*; n 5t8a» n *7 48 am n 84S»« eminently. “Hold and oocompromt j sing,” he writes, “as oor coofeaaor* and tbeologiaua bare been, If the word consubataotiatioa (which is not a more hatnsii word than Trinity and Original Bin are human terms) had expressed correctly their doe- trine they would not have heottotod to use it.” Tbe fact that 1/Utlwr no where doe* use this teres, with which be was familiar, is, of itoetr, pretty conclusive evidence that few bad no sympathy with the nnaevip- tural dogma of which it hi the com monly employed aud somewhat de scriptive title. We aubuiit here too, the additioual fact, that all our acknowledged tbeo loginnn, both earlier aud later, when ever they aPudc to coosntiatontla the head board of bis bed. He when be retired he pointed to the |w*yer The simple sod seAcietit reason why atanwra do not kl tbe knocking 8av tear eome into their hearts is that they do not waat him there. As the preneaoe of * Christian minis tor breaking la upon a group of gambler* over their cards and their cords sod their cups would not be vwj welcome, so the presence of ths holy J earns Is just what the “lovers of pkooare* most dread. A cove tons maa don’t waat Jeans, feet He should claim a portion of the board ed gold. Every room snd closet of the woridliag’s heart is fall already ; there is no room for Christ So be is left to knock In rain for admission. To oca rioted sinners who really deairs salvation, bare is a most per tinent suggestion. Christ has come to you already. He is knocking for op a charge like this and P'iiigtke weight ot his name aud toitiou to it ou the bore assertion •fltasv, or even greater tnen tha'i Is he excusable, we would ** especially, when the books are *®^**thle io which he may easily tocover what Luther really did hold fl teach with regard to the pres- Christ in the 8acraraent of Supper 1 attention has recently lx»eu by differeut friends, to two FMcatious in which Luther’s |>o«i- ot> subject has been misrep ^*te<l. The first is a discourse ^ Right Reverend John jl*** H.D., LL.D., Bishop of the of Virginia, at the 78th An- 2 ( f Bven don of the P. E. Church Fnl, 1 " WiDche8te L Hay, 1873.— ^%WS^^ ^‘ 8cour8e quote as himself, who was honored ‘ i., f^ >roUuc « the vital doctrine of ‘W^ CaUoU b >' faitU on >y, a»>d who J*** ,U08t of tbe abgses J 6 " tUe, ‘ l> r «vaile<l. did not es- -.i '^ D tbo *°® Ut5 nce of the error bteh Uc had been educated r«l. »og», no tollowabip. God. la to them aa axaciiag aovrrviga, ooft a hoaroo ly Fatter. They pay him o kind of M oo thm Jew fait, abu miiL “Hakokl. J }• gMw*w aww w a’wpwwqi w as a. what a wwarioaoa T* It ia a logoi warrant that compote Utotr preoooco with aa unwilling gift, and that area tho “torn” and “moms," and tho rare ms of worship la both a muokody 1 —- -ft a ■Hi Ira la* ai 'Y'toas-wim km, omUt feats Of myth aiMI nHivirj. i BFrf mm iw fop« mp IO dtfbty, no regret ot doportore. no wtehmg for more to offer Hhoo they hare «»* from the fort, whore thoy hare profommd to ?<»reh*p, no fragrance Alla tho honor. Ttotr ate haotor box la at homo, oobrehsm ot devoted to «olL How dtffvreut are tbe feelings of a truly plooa heart f l»er of our Lord. If Lather, how ever, held and taught It, bow are we s to acconur, not only for the fact that | he nowhere tells us so, bnt foe tbe further fact that not one of the three Lutheran theologians to whom we have alluded bare given tbe slightest Intimation to tbe effret, that, agreeing everywhere else with the great Reformer, they were con strained at that one point, concern iug the real presence, to diverge from his teaching and make u a new departure "f Goes not tho fact of their not even bintihg such a thing show that they considered them an trance. If he oomee ta, he will not allow yea to harbor these old be •acting teas that have so long found booee room there. Self has got to take his hand off the door latch, and open to the waiting Jesus. Hellish- ness mast go oat, or Christ will never come In. If any dishonest gains are kid away—Nke Achsu's wedge o' gold—they most be disgorged. If otfl enmities sod grudges against The psalmist exclaii for are to drew at