Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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BY HUGH WILSON ABBEVILLE, S. C., WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28 1886. YOLUME XXX. NO. 43. j QUEEN OF T0E FESTIMS.1 COMMEMORATING THE RESURRECTION OF j THE SAVIOUR OF MANKIND. j' # The Way in Which the ^Iost Sacrod | I>ay In the Religious Calender was j Observed in Abbeville?Appropri- I ate Sermons ? Beautiful l>ccora? j1 tions?Devout Worshippers. Last Sunday was one of the loveliest of the ? ~ ? -i nn-Klo aiu.i-fhiulv >n>nt (n I opnug u<v> r?, unu iiunij \ *... j ... | church. (Mil congregations were nt each of1 the chi^rchcs which were opened, and the ser-1 | vlceii were-uausually interesting. The Epis-I) copal, the Methodist, and the colored Metho-.1 dists, hud Ibeir houses of worship elaborately | decorated. ?nd the colored Presbytellans held j. an Easter festival in their church oti Monday j Jiiglit, the house having been nicely dressed, h .At the Presbyterian church, the day was j ] cnarked by Use ordination and installation of|J two Ruling Elders, Judge J. ,S. Cothran and ; j .Major A. B. Wardlaw. Churches which wore not opened : The Bap- j itist, the Catholic, and the colored Baptist. , The town on that day made a combined 11 display of beautiful faces, beautiful bounets, j j and beautiful apparel, which was never ex-!.] celled. Some of the young ladies were "just j < too lovely" in their spriug bonnets?as some js of our bachelor friends will agree. 11 # * "(MIST IS PJSEK." | T&ITH, LOVE, AND HOLINESS ARE THE:! FOUNDATION STONES OF OUR SPIR- | j ITUAL EDIFICE. i I ( - 11 Tke Doctrine of the Resurrection is ' i the Ba*is I'pou Which the Chris* tiun Religion is Founded. r t Sermon by the Rev. S. A. Weber in tbe i Jfletbodist Church, Abbeville, on Easter 1 Morning, 1886. i A? the congregation entered the Methodist church, the prettiest decorations greeted the t eye from the chancel railing, the tables and 1 nulDit. u-hlleon the wall in rear of the prcacli* ? er wore the woids, made of evergreen leaves: "Christ is Risen." Rev. 8. A. Weber,' the ' pastor, delivered Hie lollowing sermon which Ave reproduce In full, and which will be read with interest by a host of admirers : Tkxt: "I <li't?-rmin<'cl not to know anything t j?ui?nij you ?avo Jtsutt Christ and hiui crucillcd.v? s 1 Cor. ii,2. i It is most appropriate, on this Easter Sun- ' day. theanniversury of the resurrection ot our ' Lord, to review in order to emphasize their ' importance to our f.iitn and experience, tiie ; basal facts of our holy religion. The Apostle, J "whose words we quote as u text, wus a splen- j -<lill illustration or the doctrine ne preacucu. He was the uncompromising advocate and ' minister of a system of truth which admit- t% ted oi no compioiuisc with its ol'jectors or enemies, whether found among his own couti- v trymen or anion? the cultured and pliilo- ' .soplite Greeks. "Christ ami Him Cructlied," f "Jesus and the ltesurection," tliis was Lis ( tneme??, stumbling block to Ihv prijuillced ^ Jew and foolishness tothe Greek; "hut untoi' them which are called, both Jewsand Greeks, I " Christ, tke power of (iod and the wisdom ot!' God/' I . 1. The imposing apparatus of ceremonial | J riles and spectacles, familiar in t lie worship!1 of the Old Testament dispensation, was in-! . tended by Divine wisdom to make the truth ,J impressive and effective. Instead ot being c wisely used, however, it was unwisely " abused; and instead ol only subserving the * <*nd intended, the result was to increase in j1 t lie Jewish mind a demand ror me sensioie : " .and the gross. Hence wo hud their frequent j c lapses into idolatry and also their chastise-j* .iiivtnts on account of their idolatries. Now ( 0,uey are delivered Into the hands of their en- v emles, now they arescourged with famine and ' pestilence, tiuaily they are carried away into c jiabylonish captivity. Notwithstanding the j punitive and corrective providences ot God, j1 this strong tendency to idolatry remained in 1 full force to fche last and was in full force when |s (JnrisL appeared. They?the Jews?rejected (' the antitype .and clung to the type; they re- * jected tiie substance and clung to the shadow. ' They sought alter miracles, not as a means, P but as an end. They looked for Christ as a i ' temooral Druu.-e and his Kingdom as a mate- | 1 rial one. They looked for improvement to 1 t heir outward condition rather than to their . spiritual. J This demand for the sensible and material j is still a peculiarity of the Jewish mind and 1 character. They still look for a great deliverer?a national Messiah. Find the Jew wher- ? <?ver you will, his eye is still toward Jerusa- 51 4em. His hopes?.re centered there. He still * requires a sign and expects a Savior aecoin- j modatiug himself to his pre-oonceived ouin-!1 dons, He makes pilgrimages to the Holy | City. He lingers About Zion. To such the doctrine of "Jesus and the Res- 1 <urectiou" was an offense, and is. Expect- { ing their Messiah come into all the cir- 1 cumstance of splendid royalty, how were J vthey offended in One, "who made himself of ( jioreputationanfdAook upon him the iorm of 1 .u seryant." . I *#?*** i The humbling aed leveling doctrines of the r| meek and lowly Jesus stand greatly in con- 1 trust with the predilections of tbe Hebrew mind. Christ in organizing his Church took not the apparatus and ritual of the Temple 5 lor his model; but its arrangements of wor- 1 . Miip and service were adopted from the siin- j1 ijJHjr (IUU 1I1U1C U.^WO Kfl UlIC (?,r I lu^v^v.v., 1 its chief strength and beauty consisted and do jf consist, both in the simplicity of its ritual ar- J rautieinents and in the simplicity of its doc- { Xrtnat and its practical requirements. lit 1ms only two sacraments, Baptism and * the Lord's Supper, the form of the eclcbm- ' tion of neither of which is enjoined. Mode is 1 of secondary importance. The moral and ' spiritual significance underlying mode is the ' prime consideration. The prescription oi ' mode leads first to giving undue importance j < to mode and finally to making an idol of il. j1 And thus devotion is degraded into idolatry. J It seems tome tliat the Church best fulfills i j , the end of its institution and cho object of its i j Otviue iounuer, wnen, in mil vi iij> uriau^c- . luents and forum Ire of worship .nd doctrine there is shown less of the sign and noreofthe 1 thing signified, less of the .simply formal and more of the essentially spiritual. There is a | .great disposition in the natural heart to lay ! undue stress on the formalities of religious I worship?to lay too much stress on the letter j and not enough on the spirit, and wherever 1 this is the ease it ends in superstition aud 1 bigotry. Superstition and bigotry, twin sis- ' ters these. Kvery branch ot the Christian Church tends ? to honor its peculiarities too much. When ( .you look into the differences of the evangel- ' leal churches, you don't find them to differ as ]1 to their foundation principle, which is '-Josns j J .and the Kesureetion.'' but as to non-essential ; ' forms and doctrinal differences that in fact 1 make no practical difference. Immersion i iirnong theBaptists,the ApostolicSuc-cession of [ the Episcopalians, the Five Points of the i'res- J1 uyterians, and the Arminianlsin that the j .Methodists teach, constitute no sufficient rea-11 ison to array these several communions, the ??ne auainst the other; and especially so as 11 they stand in the presence and in solid pha-1' Qanx in the front of a common foe. Mvthodisni was intended by him, who nn- ! der God was Its founder, to have no doctrinal i1 peculiarities as a condition oV membership.! The only condition required of those who!' ;seek a place among us is "a desire to lice the ; wrath to come und to be saved from sin."! Faith, love, and holiness, these are the loan- j dution stones of our spiritual edifice. We at- 1 .tach but little importance to form. We bap-' tlze by sprinkling, pouring, or immersion, as j the candidate or sponsor may decide. We ad-! minister the sacramcst of the Lord's Supper!1 to the communicant, kneeling, sitting, or | .standing, as may be preferred. We preach a crucified and an arisen Christ?a stumbling*! block to the Jew and to all modern Judaizers, | who rest in the shadow to tins neglect of the j .substance, who pay more attention to the! .sign than the signified Savior. Ah! my j brethren, if we only exemplied in the prac-j tlce of our lives and in their spirit, what we j believe ana ictu-n, unu uu wo ?ucn. anu i teach,how much less emuscu luted would we! be of the virile streugth of a live Church of the living God I 11. "The Greeks seek after wisdom," and in this, their national peculiarity, may we account' for their rejection of the gospel of Christ. Early in their history they received the kiowledgoof letters from the East. Ambitious of literary distinction and loving learning, for its own sake, they distinguished themselves not only in "their acquisition of Jknowlcdfif;, but also Ju the originality and grandeur of their Ideas. They looked not higher than their own Philosophy?the intuitions and discoveries of their own minds?to solve the questions that human life and'human destiny suggest and oblige. Their system of morals being ethical only and in no sense religious?making provision for time only and feeling no want for any provision fur eternity?they rejected everything that caine not. according to the way of their ethics und denounced Christ and his religion as the foolish dogma of Jewish superstition. The principle on which they acted in their rejection of Christ was not a novel one then, nor is it so now, but was a very dangerous one, namely, the contempt of a question previous to the examination of its merits. It, is not necessary to go far to lind their reasons for this contempt. The Apostle calls the gospel "foolishness to the Greeks." i'oth Greeks und Romans regarded Jehovnh in the Jewish ~ * * * T luilti WDM Z,eus or .lUpiUM "iis in LU^II iispective mythologies, anil when tlicy heard of the excitement produced by the mission mid ministry of Jesus and his immediate coadjutors, they regarded his doctrine as a rival tenet, h novel doctrine, a superstitious dogma In the Jewish religion; and despising the Jews as a people and their religion through them, the gospel scarcely cost them a thought. Further than this, the circumstances of the birth, the manner of life and death, and the peculiar doctrines and precepts of Christ were offensive to tnem. Grecian philosophy was Df too lofty a tone to admit into the system of its belief the leveling doctrines of the Cross. L'hey looked down with an unconcealed contempt upon a religion identllifd with tlie ministry of one who was horn in a manger, who n as brought up at a trade and who had for his bllowers humble fishermen, and one who furthermore died the shameful death of a malefactor. When Paul preached "Jesus and the Resurrection" at their literary Capital they ailed him a"babble'r" and the setter-forthof strange pods." That philosophy which meekly sits at the feet of Jesus and learns from him ts of very rreat service to the cause of religion : but hat philosophy, vainly so called, which re CCtS Christ IS, lor tnub verv ivumiii, juvii iu >e rejected. The materialist, who would reiolve the soul of man into mere matter, the ationalist. who would repudiate everything supernatural in Christianity, the trauscenlentalist, who praises Christianity in a paronizing tone and gives it only a niche in lie the temple ol" philosophy, the agnostic, ivho conceals his unbelief under the modest 'oufcssiou of "I don't know," all these are in he succession from the ancient enemies of he Gospel, to whom the preaching of the \po*.tie was "foolishness." We would not underrate culture. The spirt and indeed the business of Christianity is 0 foster it. And yet while learning may be 1 great blessing, it may be a great curse. It is >ut an instrument and may be the instrument of good or of evil, accordingly as jt is ised or utilised. If sanctified by grace and iroseeuted in a reverent ami teachable spirit, J t will adorn the Christian liie and character ind promote its usefulness; if prostituted to ;e I fish or base ends, it becomes a terrific and J remenduous evil. With the torch of revelaion in her hand Philosophy makes sure and iteudy and substantial progress iu the in vesication of truth; without this light she tumbles and totters like an unsteady child, rake the example before us. Compare what 5recce taught?Greece at her best?with what s familiar under the auspices of Christianity n the well-assured experience of her humdest disciples. Hear the dying words of So rates, whom Coleridge calls 'that plank from lie wreck of Paradise that stranded on the bores of idolatrous Greece,' hear his dyng testimony; and then put beside It he dying testimony of some good Chilian woman, who couid possibly do little uore than spell her way through her Tuchnnont Ah mi?! I'hilnSO >hv dreamed of bliss; but Christianity points I oitas a never-failing reality. The hnmble ishermen of Galilee taught sublimer truths han sill the philosophers of Greece or of the rorld. Says a distinguished recent, writer: j 'God is the only way to Himself." While the | visest of men by the unassisted aid of the inman understanding can never ht; able to irrive at a knowledge of theabsolnto? the un:onditioned?(iod, yet the humblest disciple if the despised Xaxarene, hi' a supernatural nsisrht which gracy supplies?and grue? only -cuii cry out. with perfect conlideuce: "I enow that my Redeemer liveth." III. Turn wo now to the snhject-mntter of he Apostle's teaching?th?' tacts that the doerioe of 'Jesus and the Itrsurection" implies. 1. First, then, let mecaII your attention to j resus, the perfect man. Whose birth Is to be omoared t<> if is? It has often been remark ible'of t lie great of the world that they spring ud-Jenly into prominence and favor, without tie advantage of a distinguished uncus try, ind dazzle the world all the more from the bseurityof their early surroundings. Jesus pas born of poor parents to be sin e and eralied at his birth in a manger; but his advent vas in answer to the prophetic declarations >f every age of the world. The second Adam lould trace his ancestry to the tirst, Adam. VII along from the time of the first sin till his ictual appearance among men, he was th^ turden of the world's dreams and hopes and onus. And when in the fulness of time he ame, whose birth wns ever so announced and celebrated as his? The angels sang: "Glory o God in the highest ; on earth, peace: Kood vill to men." A star guided the wise men of lie East to his cradle; and they and tliesheplerdsof Jtidcn hastened to give him the homme of their faith. 'Whoseyouth like his? See him In the irescnee of the doctors in the temple asking hem questions and confounding them with lis wisdom! What are the best examples of humanity lompared to him! The best and holiest men ire to him us the lesser lights of the heavens vhich roil in diminished brightness around licir central sun, while the greatest, of eartliy heroes* come near him only to show their leformity in the light of his purity. When io is brought by the side of any one, even the nost perfect example of humanity, the corn>arison loses itself in contrast. The world las had but one instance of a perfect man. hJcce Homo! Heboid the man! When we :onteniplate the character of Bible saints, we ire struck in each case with some pre-emilent virtue. For example, wo consider the aith of Abraham, the conscientiousness of Ibseph, the contrition of David, the genorosty Jonathan, the meekness of Moses, the paiencu of Job, the zeal of Klijab. the love of [ohn. But who could single out the virtues >f the character of Jesus? All of them exist n harmonious unity, like the seven distinct :olors in the ray of white light. 2. I beg you now to consider Jesus Christ, ts Divinely anointed for his mission. Let is follow him from the waters of liis baptism ind t he descent upon of the Holy Ghost! Let is behold his sublime deeds and hear him ipeak! "Ho spake as never man spake." "lie .aught as one having authority." Says the nodern infid<'l Rousseau: "Peruse the works ?f our philosophers with all their pomp of iiction, how mean, how contemptible arc hey compared with the Scriptures, and the !onneetion shows that lie had reference to the ri'i/.liin.c'i of (!ln.i<t Wlini'M will votl lilld such ji sermon as the Senium on tlie Mount ?" Where such sublime truths as in nis parables and his colloquial discourses with his disciples? Not only his teachings jut his works proved his .Messiahship, lie :iealed the sick, unstopped tin* ears of the Jeaf,opened the eyes of the blind, unloosed ih?? tongues of the dumb, made the lame to walk and raised the dead. In order to invalidate the miracles of the New Testament, Mr. Hume mentions others not mentioned in the Bible nor periormed for any pious purpose, which he claims to be equally worthy of uredenee and consideration as those marking [lie ministry of Christ. All the instances lie jives admit of a double construction ?can be iasily explained away. Mahomet, the most successful of modern impostors, makes no irlaitn to miraculous power. The miracles, so jailed, at the tombs of the canonized saints of the Romish Church may he accounted for by at her than miraculous agencies. 3. We now come to consider Jesus Christ, the crucitied, risen and ascended Savior. If before wc have admired him as a man and find more than a man, as we have considered tils human life and his more than human words and works, we now give him the hoin* " - ' - I.i... Pge OI Olir Iitllll UIIU lUVt; il> wu t?n>ivin mill emptying himself of thi< glory which he had with the Father before tlie world was to make his soul an offering for sin. While thinking of tlie cnnracter of Jesus, the son of Mary, weexclaim '"Heboid and admire!" but ivhen thinking of Christ., our Divine .Savior, we say "Look and live!" Admirable indeed liave been those death-scenes of martyrs who have embraced the stake with a smile and shouted for joy amid tho flames; but never before nor since has the potnpot death been so impressive and sub11 ?%a ?.T.l?. IvhI fried iur:ii 11 with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And behold the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom: and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; and the graves were opened, and many bodies of the saints which slept, arose * * * * Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watch ins Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying. Truly this was the Son of God." Ilark how he groans ! while nature shakes, And earth's strong pillars bend ! The temple's vail in sunder breaks The soliu marbles rend. 'Tis done! the precious ransom's paid! "Receive my soul!" he cries: See where he bows his sacred head ! He bows his head and dies ! Rut though he died, yet he lives. Death was conquest. Strange paradox! Emphatically he conquered. And how unlike earth I '' " I ! ly heroes and conquerors! Alexander, whom I luer. called "the Great," the scourge and : conqueror of the world, died drunk at Baby-! | Ion. Hannii>a), after lending his urmv across | j the Alps and lifting imperial Rome with terj ror, died by his own hand. The lirst Napolc|on, after revolutionizing Europe, died an ! exiled prisoner. Jesus Christ, having redeem| ed the world by his death, anise with spoilfnl grandeur from the grave that we mitfhr, arise | with him from the bondage and curse of sin and from the cerements of the tomb. These are the underlying facts of our /nith." We enter with joy and with a sense of asJ8iired vietory into the sublime challenge of I 1110 ApOKlll'I " W ll?> IS MB Ulill/ tiiiini;iiiN5Hii j It is Christ," or to use Martin Blither's transi lation, "Thorp stands Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again. who is oven nn the ! right hand ot God, who also maketli interces| sion fof us." Bound upon the accursed tree, Sad and dyinsr, who is he? By the last and bitter cry, Ghost {riven up in agony, By the lifeless body laid ] n the chamber ol* the dead, Crucified ! we know thee now,? Son of Man! 'tis thou ! 'tis thou ! Bound upon the accursed tree, Dread and awful, who is lie? By the spoiled and empty grave, By the souls he died to save, By t lie conquest, he hath won. By the saints before ills throne, By the rainbow round his brow,? Son of God, 'tis thou! 'tis thou! May this vision of our faith prepare us for the duties of life and sweeten to us the bitterest. cup our Father's hand puts to our lips! One may look so long and so Intently at the sun as that his blazinc disk is indellibly burned upon the eye, so that wherever he Is or wherever he looks?day or nisiht?the red r\ < < ,.r ?*,* KoTAra him rirwl or*ilTt that '"Jesus and t tie Hosurcction" may be ever before our eyes to give us peace la life and hope iu death! "IT IS FINISHED." THE STORY OF THE CROSS AND THE RESURRECTION OF OUR BLESSED REDEEMER. The Divinity of Our Saviour ? Our Duty to I<ovc Ifim ivith our Whole Heart?The Promise that we shall See Jesus on the Last Day. Sermon by the Rev. W. H. Hanckel, of the Emacooal Church. Abbeville. Easter Morning, 18SG. Entering the door of the Episcopal church, we pass by a great lloral cross in the vestibule. The chancel, the 'baptismal fount, and other suitable places are dressed in the flowel's of the season, while the wall is decorated with the words, "It is Finished." The following is the sermon: "I know that my IJerteprner livetli, and that lie shall stand ut the latter day upon tbo earth : And thougu after my skin worms shall destroy this body, yet in my llesh shall 1 see God."?Job xix : 20-20. Easter-Day is the Christian's time of renewed hope. On Good Friday we saw the Son of God "wounded lor our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities," and we heard his last groans of agony, suffered lor us and our salvation Yesterday his pale marred, dead oody was laid to rest in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathca. To human sight the tragedy was complete, and the hope of those who trusted that the day of redemption had come, went out in'darkness. To day, we may sec the form of sinful flesh, of a servant and a sufferer, Isiid aside forever. .Testis the Saviour rises, rises by liis own and His Father's pow er, rises triumphant oyer death, the conquer* er of tlio grr.ve, the; first fruits of tlieiri thai sle?ij? in Jesiis. The angels of God come down to do him honor, they roll away the stone and open the sepulchre, the earth is tremulous for joy under the feet of its risen King, all nature puts on its fairest attire, and Joins in celebrating the Redeemer's triumph. On every side are re-echoed the words of assured hope and rapture ' ! know that my Redeemer Uveth, Ac.. ?tc." These words wrro spoken by Job, a righteous man suddenly east down from the height of prosperity, afflicted with all evils that can embitter the lot of man. But sustained by religious laith, resting with confidence on the love of God, and the hopes of the hereafter, he looks through the long vista of many successive generations, and sees Ills Saviour seated on a throne, when he would receive in place of his present misery, unchanging blessedness. He forgets the sorrows of the present in the anticipated joys of the future, nay, though his body should perish, yet he should he raised from the dead, and see liis God and I oy hie l>Ai*tinn niirl unrl t.hnf. with his own eyes, iu his own body, raised from the dead. Such was the hope of the righteous, thousands of years before the light, of Christianity dawned upon the world. How It was revealed to them,and how distinct was the revelation we do not know. But the hope which supported thorn under every calamity, with us rests on solid foundations. In the time of Job, the Son of God had not then appeared in our flesh, nor had he i>led upon the cross for tbe sin* of mankind. His atonement was only shadowed forth under types and images, and dimly discerned through the cloud of incense and the smoke of.sacrifice. But in these latter days, the long expected Redeemer, when he came to take away sin by the sacrifice of himself, He in very deed dwelt with men. He suffered, Ho died, He descended into the grave, He rose again,?the very same Jesus that died, and was buried? ros<! as the sure earnest of our resurrection, and ascended into the heavens, where "Heever livotli to make intercession for us." These are facts that rest on sure evidence, outside of the internal, intrinsic power of I Christianity?a power which has revolution: ized the world, and Is the force that now conI trols the actions and moulds the moral na I lures of millions. They are lacts which Have | stood the keenest, scrutiny of friend and foe, | and been received, except by the wilfully j blind, as sufficient to confirm the faith and establish our hopes of life and immortality. On the truth of these facts rests the whole fabric of the Christian faith. "The resurrection of Christ is the crucial test of tlie world's redemption." While He lived upon earth I He claimed to bo ihe Son of God, and the | crowning proof of his Divinity, which he ofI fered to give was His own resurrection. Unj less He had been "the everlasting Son ot the Father," the sleep which heslept in Joseph's garden would have known no waking, and: I the name of Christian would never hsive been | heard. "We cannot pillow our hopes on cloudlnnd, and yet all is eloudland if wo can-1 not discern in the past the Divine pcrsonali- | ty of him, who "when He had overcome the sharpness of death, opened the kingdom olj heaven to all believers." As we "tremble on the verge of the dark and terrible valley which parts the land of the living from the i untried hereafter, if we cannot take this [ Hand of human tenderness, yet godlike ! strength, we totter into the gloom without j pro]) or stay. Christ not risen, means that I there is absolutely nothing?worse than nothI ing?in ihe Diblo and in Christianity. "Wo are yet in our sins." Life is miserable, and the future is hopeless. "Christ risen, means that His religion is no human device, but a i revelation from above." The Christian Church has never stirunlc from the alternative, but exults in its jubilant assurance. "Christ is risen from the dead." "1 know I that my Redeemer llvetli." "He was dellv! ered up for our offences, and was raised for our justification." L That our blessed Lord lived, suffered, died [and was buried both friends and enemies ot Christianity admit. The point is,did He rise again? That ihe event is improbable lull SCI I, till [Jl'UVfu i?.? iiuwuimutiiucuw-, i/iitm 11/ | is widely ditlerent from what has over occurred in our own individual experience, is freely confessed. Hut improbability does not disprove the fact, unless it can be sliown to be beyond Divine power, or that it cannot.be ver-; ified by human testimony, or that there was 1 no cause why Divine power should be exerted j to raise the crucified Christ to life, Hut to deny Divine power is to deny God's existence, I and nothing more is to be said. We have seen that Christ's rising is tue great pillar that bears the weight of the Christian system and that it involves the eternal interests of the whole human family. The death of our ! blessed Lord showed hissufl'eringforsin. liis resurrection proves full satisfaction made by those sullerin^s. The meaning of His death is summed up in these words: "God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful ilesh, and forjsiu, condemned sin in the llesli." The meaning of ills resurrection runs thus: "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifleth ; Who is he that condemned! ? It is Christ that died, yea rattier, ttmt is risen again, who is even at ttie right hand of God, who also makcth intercesKion for us." His resurrection is as it were the voice of th? Eternal proclaiming through nil the universe, "Tilts is iny beloved Sou," in whoso person and work, in whose life and death "I am well pleased." He is crowned with glory ana honor, the one Mediator between God and man. JS'ow it would be impossible to enter on all I the facts that prove tills arreat and wondrous event. If you believe that the lour contemporary historians, who record the fact aud the testimony, were divinely inspired, no human arguments would be necessary, for there would be no doubts. But were we only to regard our Lord's resurrection In the light of any other historical fact, the proofs of Its truth are conclusive to the unprejudiced mind. The writers of that and immediately succeeding day, prove beyond question, that, the Gospel records are authentic, that their authors were the very persons they describe themselves to be, the disciples of Christ, the witnesses of what they record, the propagators ot Christianity, and that they wrote in times and J places so distant as to destroy all idea of col- j lusion. Now what was the character of these disci-1 plesand the weight of their testimony, what were their opportunities for information, and the pecullarclrcumstancesin which tliey published and preached Christ and the resurrection ? It appears then, that they were plain, unlearned men.Ill fitted therefore, to affect so complete u change as was wrought ii: the oeuei wi man i\ i uu, njrjr <> ? prudent, very unlikely, therefore, to propagate the visionary dreams of enthusiasm, knowing that they would thus bring upon themselves every kind of suffering. They were so infected with Jewish prejudices, that they were long unable to comprehend the whole scheme of Christianity, and little disposed to adopt a ne%v for the old creed, or give up the dream of temporal greatness, for themselves and their people, through Jesus, whom they believed to he the Messiah. When therefore, they saw Him dje on the cross,and laid in the grave, their expeciations were disappointed and all their hopes at an end. Though he had told them again and usam', that lie Would rise the third day, they seemed to forget and to despair. Contrary, however, to tneir utmost. hopes, the crucified Redeemer burst the bonds of the tomb and gave undoubted proof to His followers and to the world, that He is the living Redeemer, the Sou of God most High, by the resurrection from the dead. Unr.li lu tVinlr rlonl-iriitlon \n\V how far i8 this declaration sustained r?y the circumstances of the case ? Jesus died on the cross, and was laid in the tomb, His body, against nil human probability and in spite of every precaution, on the third day, was not in the tomb, it was either stolen by His enemies, or. His friends, or He was actually restored to' life. The enemies would not have removed] and hidden tlie body, that would have defeat-] ed their very design, which was to prove He had not risen and could not rise. His terrified disciples could not, if they bad . tried, have overcome the armed Ho-' man guard, or rolled away in silence and secrecy the heavy stone at the door of the sepulchre. They could not have carried the body ! unnoticed through the crowded streets of Je-1 rusaletn.and while the full-orbed moon shono down upon the scene. The soldiers would not have risked death by sleeping, nor would tho whole uetachment have slept ?fc the same time, nor if they did sieep, could they say the disciples came by night and took away the body. But even I f His followers had obtained possession of His body, what motive could they have had in asserting that the Loid was risen? What was the prospect of success in the monstrous attempt? What the rewards l'or founding a religion that should rest on so incredible a circumstance as the resurrection nr < + 1. nr.mUm/t utlthnr i Despised by the Romans, hated by their own countrymen, without learning, without riches, without Influence of any klnd^wliat could have induced the flrst champions of Christianity to preach this wonderful doctrine? It was not power. Often did they groan under its merciless scourge, but never did they attempt to sway its sceptre. It was not fame. "They were accounted the ofiscouringof all things." Jtwaa noteaseor pleasure They were persecuted, imprisoned,scourged and martyred. It was not to give veign to their evil passions. The morality of the gospel called them to Pell-denial and the avoidance of all sin. The only motive that could have led them to give up everything dear to man and sufler every peril and pain, must have been the absolute belief that the Master was risen, and that In love and obedience they must preach that, which they knew was true, and on which so much depended. But could they be under a delusion themselves. ihat the r..ord wuk risen. Wli^n they told Thomas the joyful news they indicated the ground of their faith. They said, "We have seen the Lord." They did not nay, Wu have soon the spirit or likeness of Hun in whom we once trusted as the Redeem ir of Israel, but who is now with the dcud but we have seen t he Lord Himself. We hav < enjoyed His bodily presence. \Ve have se >n Him ent and drink before us. Afterwarcs when Thomas doubted Jesus suffered him to handle His body, to touch the print of the luiils and to thrust his hands into his woundt d side. Ho went in and out among them for forty days, and was seen not once but often, not only by some, but all. He talked with ihem, walked with them and instructed them "concerning Himself," that they might kcow that "death had no more dominion over Him," that all power in heaven and earth -was His. That with calm confidence they mi?;htwalt for the outpouring of the Holy Ghost, and lear no evil from human malice, or the powers of darkness for "the lJedcemer livoth. We come now to consider the last thing asscrtpd by the text?that "in our ftesii we shall see God." Of all doctrines taught by the gospel, the most mysterious to human reason is that of our resurrection from the dead, the reunion of the bo.ly and soul in another world, und whore there will he no more death, xne old philosophers and reflecting heathen lelt within them an immortal spirit, and they had a faint, notion of a future state. But that future state was to consist, in their view, not of another union to the body, but in a complete separation from its bondage. And the Deists and Saddueeesof modern times have never I risen to a higher conception of the future. J Hut the teachings of Christianity is of a rlifterent character, it promises to man a perfection and an eternity both in body and soul. It tells the believer in Revelation that as he is now, so he will be hereafter?a compound being. That the same being that now disbelieves and sins, will in that same form 111 which he sinned be condemned; and, I hat on the other hand, the same being who on earth i< faithful to his Saviour will be glorified by thnt. snviom*. and received into everlasting habitations. This was ihe promise of Jesus to His followers, and to illustrate and confirm t hat promise He himself rose from the dead and proclaimed "tho resurrection and the life." Ho had told His dl:-rnpl<*s, notooly that where He was, they should also be, but as He j was they also should becomc. is'ow they had seen Him risen from the I tomb, therefore they would rise. They had seen Him ascending up t<> heaven?into heaven?therefore they themselves would co. They had seen J'lim ear ying up thither the wry body in which I o h id walked with them, and talked wltl them on earth: in their own bodies therefore they tln'inselves were to follow Him int> the heavenly placcs, and become the eompai ions of angels, principalities and powers. And, why brethren should it bo Ihoui'ht impossible, .'is it is by r'l-i t (:<>il vli/Hitil ni ise t lie dead '? WIlV should ii lie thought improbable thatafter the body has mingled with its kindred elements it. should be reanimated as to everytiling essential to its identity? It is neither physical* ly impossible, nor inconsistent with the analogy of nature, that, our bodies should rise fro in th? dust, iu a new and more glorious form, llow often, in many of the works of nat ure, has presumptuous scientific ignorance boldly drawn the line of impossibility, and lliat to its own confusion. But for experience the acorn that drops lifeless from the bough, is withered by the winds, is drenched by the rains, and moulders unseen beneath the carlh might with equal justice be thought to have perished. Yet shrill '"the sapling spring up in its vigor and expand into the mighty oak of the forest." The insect that sported in sum-1 mer pride, though now an inanimate form, shall in due season be clothed in brightest hues, and wafted on the gale of sprins. Thus man shall arise from the dust when light and liberty awake the slumbers of tlx; tomb. The hand which from a buried grain of wheat can raise lip tlie blade and the car, can uud will cull forth our mortal bodies from the ruin into which they have fallen, and give them a frame lit to partake of the inheritance of the saints in light. He who made man at the tirst from the dust of the ground can compel death to give back that, dust inviolate,and will forever crown it with unlading glory. The word of God assures us that our body though "it, Is sown in corruption, is raised In incorrupt!011, though it is sown in dishonor, is raised in glory ; though it is sown in weakness, is raised in power; though it is sown a natural body, is raised a spiritual body." Amid the darkness of departed hopes, under the shadow of our earthly sorrows, and our | dread of the grave, a liirht beams from the: risen tomb of the Saviour; It is the light of j immortality, and a voice is heard proclaim-] insr the destruction of death, and a resnrree-j tion U> life eternal. in tin* last day, brethren, j when the Redeemer who liveth foiwermore ] shall.stand upon earth,Shall we meet. Him j with fesir and terror, or shall we "love His appearing" and receive from Him a joy and portion unspeakable and full of glory? What the "Greenville Mews"' Thin Its. Greenville News, '22d. Gen. E. It. Hemphill, of the Ahbcville Urcrti- \ um. and Capt. M.L. Bonhum.of the Messenger, are said to be the rival candidates for the Senate in Abbeville. If this be true, Citizen Hugh Wilson, of the Press and Banner, ought to hold the balance of power. Mies Sarah Brady will be glad to show all the new shapes in hats on opening day. Wm. E. Bell. # 4-7 \ * ... *" IN THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, ORDINATION AND INSTALLATION OF TWO RULING ELDERS. An AMe and Instructive Discourse Defining the Duties ol' Elder, by the Itcv. J. Loivric Wilson, Sunday, April 25, 1SSG. Tlie service in tills church wns noted by the ordination and installation into the office*of Failing Elder two of our distinguished citizens, Judge J. .S. Cotbrnn and Major A. I). Wardlaw. Mr. Wilson, pastor of the church, spoke as follows: "Who is she that Jonketh forth as the mornlnjr, fair ns the in'ion, olfiir as the sun, and terrible us an army with banners.'"?dong v!. 111. This passage, so highly poetic, refers to the church?picturing her beauty In Clirist?s esteem, her lofty mission, and her equipment for accomplishing it. For the entire "song," of which it forms a part, Is but. a'representation of the relations between Christ and His people. The bride, who figures so prominent ly lii it, Is unquestionably the same tliat Is styled elsewhere '"the Lamb's Bride;" and the person, towards whom her a flections so ardently flow, the Lord Jesus Christ. On tio othet hypothesis can this "Sony of .Sonus" bo entitled to a place in the canon of scripture. The conception is too sublime to refer to any other than Christ in the closeness of His relation to the church. This must ever be borne in mind, lest otherwise Its gorgeous imagery mislead. But lightly apprehended, the person of Christ as here set forth, appears the "Chiefest among ten thousand, the One altogether lovely"?exciting iu all believers a holy passion for Himself; while His "Bride," the church, appears also In a light of surpassing beauty, the recipient of His tenderest aud most impassioned love. Few descriptions of the church, with which the scriptures so abound, are more comprehensive. For It is but a life-painting of His "Bride," In which her gifts and graces, her conflicts and her triumphs, are pencueu wnn consummate skill. The conception Is in every particular worthy of Its Divine Author. Nature, in lis most Impressive phenomena, is made to set forth her relations to Christ and the world, the stupendous work before her, and the manner and means of its accomplishment. "Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?" The picture is complete, Christ's own ideal of the church in all its multiform aspects. As such it deserves ourearnest thought, alike lor instruction and encouragement. Now, the first tiling that strikes us while gazing upon this picture, Is Its missionary spirit and design. And I use this term, in the absence of any other, to indlcaie that animating principle, that native impulse, which prompts her as by intuition to disseminate the light and truth of God. The church was not meant to be a huge receiver Into which the grace of God should be poured, only to stagnate there as In a pool of selfishness; but rather jus an aceney for diffusing it to others. So prominently is this feature impressed upon her, that if it were eliminated her most distinctive characteristic disappears. Take any one of the several metaphors employed In the text, and it reduces in its last analysis to this?active service in the cause of Christ; earnest, Felf-sacriflcing endeavors to make Hlin known to others. Your attention will necessarily have to be limited to-day to but two aspects of the church: J. IIS KUH'Jrui uum^ii Him liuiuic. auu IL Its thorough equipment for the work before it. I. First, then, as to Its general design and nature. Here we are brought face to face with the truth already hinted at,that the church is the appointed agency for communicating the knowledge of Christ to the perishing of eartti. For it is represented, in Hie very first glimpse, as "looking forth as the jnorninpr." By tills improHslve metaphor the Holy Ghost would doubtless have us to understand, the development of her own graces, and the constant enlargement in the sphereof her operations. Like "the path of the sun," her light is to shine brighter and brighter "unto the perfect day,''dispersing the "shadows'' before it, and ever expanding the circle of its influence. Hence she is pictured as in an expectant attitude. Not as yet "already per feet" in her own attainments and experience; nor as having realized the upnnd design of her mission until the lost of earth shall have nad the refusal of Christ and His salvation. Her inner life is to bo unfolding itself day by dny; ner "graces to uecoiue jriure unu imui; rent; and the theatre of her labors to broaden until it takes in the whole world. Her attitude is that of expectancy. A co-worker with her blessed Lord, and like Him in this particular, she is to respond in His name and by Ills authority, to the "Macedonian cry" of perishing humanity, and break to them the "glad tidincs of great joy." "Advn nee" is therefore to be her watch-word, the battle order of her great Captain. "Advance," the inscription on her waving standards, the shout of her sacramental hosts as they move onward to the conquest of a world. Tnat flag ot the bloody cross is to be planted on the "oanks of ancient rivers," on "many a palmy plain." The name of "Jesus" is to be sounded in the ear of perishing heathen, and to cheer their lonely passage through the dark river of death. Immortality, brought to light thiough His gospel, is to restore hope to hearts long sunken In the depths of despondency. The shrines of false religions are to be I broken down, and their idol-deities thrown to the moles and the bats. The shackles torn ofl' I which have fettered religious thought, and the human son] emancipated "from errors chain" by the truth as it is in Jesus. The "tidal-wave" ?>r redemption, absorbing in its course the biliows of every.ocean, is to breal: at last with "tidingsof great joy" on the most distant shore, ''till likca sea of glory it spread from pole to pole." Suoh, in brief, is the splendid prospect spreading itself out before I her, while "looking forth as the morning;" and such the design of her great Founder. | Her mission upon earth is to gather together into the fold of the One Shepherd Ilis elect, people from the four comers of the earth, and there qualifying them for Ilis service here and in glory. 2nd. Again, the nature of the chitreb, and the lines fn which she is to move, is also liera indicated: "Who is she that Jooketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon." Hy this we are to understand her relation to Christ and the world. l,1or as the "moon" is not a luminous hotly, but dependent on the sun for every beam that it receives; so with the church. She lias no light in herself, but such alone as she receives Iroin Jesus Christ, the ".Sun of Righteousness." She gives forth only whati herself receives, and is therefore but a reflector of Ilis glory. Whatever she originates in herself, either in doctrine or in government, I and attempts to impose on the conscience* of men. is lor this reason tin warrantable. For. like the "moon." she is opaque, i. e., is ut terly dark, incapable of producing light, and depeni1enlon(Jhrist for every solitary beam that i she enjoys. To set herself above the word of j God, and to hind the consciences of her mem- j hers by doctrines and ordinances of h<*r own j devising, is to usurp tiie authority of Christ her king, and to arrogate to herself functions that do not belong to her. She cannot oiigi-1 nate light: creative power is an aitrinuu! or| Deity, lie tiluno can say "let there he li'_rht," i and "light was*" Every attempt of her's to! create "light," or to take Christ's place in this j particular, has the contrary elleef. When the < "moon" passes between the earth and the] sun, it. throws the latter into eclipse, and darkness ensues. So when the church gets between Christ and the consciences of men, it throws Him into eclipse, and spiritual darkness is the result. Even to impinge on tin* crown-rights of Jesus, is to effect a partial i eclipse. Such surely cannot be called ''fair as I the moon;" for the "moon" appears "lair''! only when reflecting the sun's bright beams | on a world lying in darkness, and certainly I not when obscuring it with her own passage. Again, as the "moon" receives light from! the sun only to pour it buck on the dark side j of earth, so she Is appointed of (Jod to be the satellite of earth for this one purpose?'a light to rule by night." iler mission etuis with the sunrise. Hutso longas "night"continues her presence is needful to dispel the darkness, and ever to remind this benighted world of another .and brighter orb, who^o glory she retlects only in part. So, ton, with the church. She isset as a mirror to reflect Christ's glory on the souls of intn. Tiiis is her one great business, to pour forth the light of Jesus on the dark side of earth. With the coining of Christ in glory her mission ends. When the "Sun of Righteousness" clears the horizon, encircling the world with beams of living light no intervening "moon" will be necessa ry; for Christ will then be "all and in all." Hut so long as llio night of error throws its dark mantle over the human mind, her presence will be necessary?"until the day breaks, and the shadows flee away." As the satellite of earth for this one purpose the church is to make Christ known the world over as the only hope of lost sinners. This Is MIC ija i-eii L iiv i iiJiMjwii iiim n>nniu.sM(Mi, And this she is to accomplish by simply publishing the gospel; by proclaiming as with trumpet and tongue, "IIo, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters !" In all her ordinances a dying Christ is to be held up before the perishing, the dying urged to gaze upon Ilis cross and live, and "prisoners of hope" pointed to Him as lheir "stronghold." From which it is clear, thut she has nothing to do with anytbingbut Jesus: uo entangling nllinnces to foran with the kingdoms of this world?110 lusting after temporal dominion! The union of Church and Stain is l?ut the nnirringe of the Lamb's bride to Caesar, a union unnatural in itself, and abhorrent, to her every instinct. Not more remote from each other are the''moon" and . t lie "earth" than are the heaveii-ilxed lines between the "Church" and the State."- No potentate ol earth has an.v risiht to step betweep her conscience and her Lord ; for she knows no ki if; hut Jesus, and therefore bends her queenly knee to no other sceptre. No more line she the right to intermeddle in matters of state, to receive the liomnuc of courts, or to dictate their policies. The two orbits sire totally dls tinet, as much po us t hose of the earth and moon. Were there any point in common, collision would be imminent, aijd. the safety 1?41. 1 I, it, i r? ?hr 1)1 UULII 1 111 jll"! I lUi I. lilt \ iiuivii ?] <11 n.v world, but not of it: it is, therefore, not in her province to maintain her authority by invoking the strou?4 arm of "Caesar." Not less to be avoided itnd feared nre world' ly influences upon the Church. Nothing, if more hurtful to herself, or more deadening t< her influence. When the earth gets between the sun imd the moon, its shadow throws the latter into eclipse. So when the wcrld gets between Christ and the Church, it throws liei Into eclipse, and the light of Jesus is shut of; from her. From these observations it is cvl dent, that a proper angle of reflection musi ever be maintained towards Christ and the world ; lor thus only will she appear "fair at ,tlie moon." 11. Huving thus glanced at the design ant nature of the Church, please now to consldei her equipment for the great work before her The metaphor here changes, and now it If an "army," "terrible" with its display oi ' banners." The flrst giance at this mlghtj host reveals the unity of the church. For un der the many "banners" we discover but one "army." Each "banner" marks a separnt< division of the one command; and each h necessary to make up the whole. Its unity ii like that of the rainbow, whose colors, thougl many, form: but one bow. Or like the unitj | of the ocean?''distinst as the billow, yet on< I as t.li? spn " TOvrrrv lifiiintniniLi ion ot Chris thins that holds to the "Headship of Christ' and "justification by faith through His aton Infr blood," is entitled to recognition us an in tegral pari of the one "army." Its prcsenei there, in that wondrous line, with its owr distinctive "ba nner" above it, helps to realize Christ's prayer In the garden, "that they al may be one!" For over all these division col ors floats the one "banner" of the "cross" and this gives unity to the whole ! A second glance reveals her magnificent or ganization. The Church of, Jesus Christ >s nr mob. but a body under law! T^oyCbannern' floating above her are symbols of authority and indicate there the presence of a rullnj mind! Need I pause to tell you that that rui ilg mind is Christ! Seated on the mediato rial throne, at the Father's right hand in glo ry, with all power in heaven and In earth given unto Him, He preside^ over all hei councils. He. that plans her camp?igns. and by His blessed spirit directs all her move ment8. "Lo, I am with you always even un to the end ol the world !" Like the "pillar oi cloud" by day end the "pillar of tire" bj night which rested over ttie cneampnent o Israel; like the flaming "shekinah" which blazed in the recess of the Hebrew tabernacle that "Presence" has ever abode with her "The I<ord of Hosts" is His name. His will as made Known m ine scriptures 01 me uic and New Testaments, constitutes he ''article! of war." By these her actions are to be regu lated, and herself governed. To isnore thenis Insubordination', anil subjects the oflV-ndei to the penalties laid down in them. All the offices needful to her thorough equipment and the method of filling them aFe thereit declared. Now, in a well-ordered "army" three of fleers are evidently Indispensable. They an such as are essential ...to its subsistence, ife means of effective aggression, and its,-govern ment. Corresponding to these we find in thl? ' army" of the living God, three, similar of flees which in their nature are to be peroet ual. 1st.. The "Minister ot the Word," wh< f is to feed the Church of God with his truth i to "break unto them the Bread of Life:" ant I to whom lie says, "Feed my sheep." 2nd The Diuconatc, to whom is entrusted the tem poralities of the church. And3rd, The"ltul Ing Elder." to whom is committed its govern ment. Passing by the first two of thene to I nay.iei me nx jour attention upon mihu since that is about to receive a special emplia I sis in the solemnities before ns. | And first. To the antiquity and divine or j igin of this office. It Is, in fact, the most au clentof all offices in the church?its government in every age being that of '-Elders.' Yoi: may find it even in patriarchal times though not so clearly defined as afterward* When'.authorized by Gcd to brinR His peoph out of Egypt, Moses was sent, to tlie "Elders' and showed ihem his commission: "Go anc gather the Elders of Israel together," Ac Under the Sinai covenant a court consisting of seventy Elders was appointed to aid in tin government of Israel. Each city had its bench of Elders, who sat as a court in th< gates of the city. To the "Eiders" lioaz ap pealed for the redemption of Ruth by him self. To the "Elders" Elijah came to mak< known God's will respecting Israel. Durlnj the Babylonish captivity the synagogue was introduced with its bench of "Elders;" anc ever after, to the coming of Christ, was re cognized as the ruling authority in nil spirit uai matters. "Elders" sat even in theconnci of apostate church which condemned out blessed Lord to death. Under the JS'ew Testa I mcnt tliey are to oe ioimu every wnere: im I apostles going about and ordaining "elders' j in every city. "Elders" appear also In Heav I en casting their crowns at the feet of Jesus ] We feci, therefore, to-day in closest sympathy with the church in every, period of her his tory, in her hoary past; and with the mag nllicent ideal of what is yet to be, as reveah'ci through the door opened in heaven. Wc seem to hear the approving voices of the church of the pasr. and toe clntreh of the future, while engaging in this solemn ceremo lilal. It is it scene with which the church o: God has ever been familiar. 2d. Its duties. These are two-fold. First, to sit In her conrts-nmrtial: or, ir other words, to maintain discipline in the ar I iny. He is a line officer; and as such is t< bend his energies towards conserving the efficiency of the command. Straggling musi be prevented; every soldier kept in propei nlsino* fiiint-liOH rf.rdness or co\v:irdi(!0 rehuk led; and the spirit of insubordination suppressed. Otherwise, that mighty host will reduce to the condition of a mob; anil its banners be terrible only to itself, and curtain ly not to its foes. Such is ihe imperfection ir even the best of Christians, and such theii fatal facility to relapse into sin, that tin church is ever in dauber from this source Religion is never more injured than wlier wounded in the house of its friends. To prevent these threatened evils, and to keep tin [ army in effective condition, I lie ofiiee ul Kid I intr Elder has been appointed. 15y every | means in his power, by vigilance and prayer I by firmness, discretion, and judgment, by hi> I own example and precept, he is to seek tin | attainment of this high end, Second, he is also to sit In her solemn coun ! ells of war, to deliberate in her assemblies, ts give liis best thousrht, his talent and his energies to all that att'ccts the prosperity of Zion With profound gratitude to God for his signal mercies to us as a church in continuing te us the blessings of His grace and all the ordinances of Mis house, we gratefully accept His renewed token of love to-day in the gill (?f these new Elders. May their accession to the rank of the Eldership be Use occasion ol invat benefit to us nil. ;uid I lie lie^iunini ol ji newera of pii)>:>i;>ily ibis enujn'cyation. And may it nici-i the a|?|>rova! of our blessed f.ord in ;Joiy, ?n:l !< ; ?( llini tosny of our belovivl ehureb. "W ho i< siie that looltelh f.M'th as tin* aiontin-j. lair a-: iluooii, ciear as tin Min. and temblo* us j'.n anny wiili banners." "THE LORD IS RISEN INDEED.1' DECORATIONS, MOTTOES, LARGE CONGREGATION. Excr?lsps in tho Colored llclliodlst Chtiroll, Abbeville, llasler JloriiIn;?, 1SSG. The colored Methodists decorated their church with morn than usual care,and tJie effect of the labor and skill at the work were both appropriate and pleasing. Lettering, arches and wreaths of leaves and flowers were gracefully intermingled. The colored people like their white brethren were out in great mi mliorc Their pastor, (lie Ilev. K. Tan I Greenige, delivered a sermon from the words, "IJeimld I stand at the door and knock." lie spoke of the different, theories of the resurrection, as had been announced by unbelievers and by believers. Jiut lie lbought all the men who had ever written or spoken of the subject hail tfiven less information us to tlie resurrection of the body, than can be found in St. Paul's writings. He then said that.St. Paul speaks of a natural body ami a spiritual body. The preacher said the whole power of the resurrection was supernatural. Even the disciples of our Saviour thought him a spirit, but he was willing to convince them that he was the real Christ, which had been crucified, dead and buried, but now risen. The preacher rtiought. at the last day, we would be changed in a niomeiit, wheu ull the good of-earth, . . I . .. ,^_r., -I-,., f' i transformed and made like his own glorlons body, sh:i 11 he brought np-nnti will rk>e to 1| ! meet our blessed Saviour in the air; ; "HE IS RISEN AS HE SAID." | | THE UNIVERSALITY OF THE, CELEBRA- ^fl TION OF EASTER. Exorcises in the Colored Preabyterlan Church, Abbeville, Easter Morning, 18S6. On Friday and Saturday the colored Presby^ / ;$ffl terlans drpssed their house of worship very \^jSH "[handsomely,and on Sunday the church watf 11,Med with worshippers who were deeply In- . -3fll terested iu, the words ns pronounced by their [ pastor, the-Hev. E. "VV. Williams, who dls<; coursed on flic suA'prlng and death of ourSav- & * iour because of his love fi>r us. Me referred to . r the fno4 ihat millions of the human family ' were at this moment celebrartog ttan resurreo" Hon of Jesus Christ,,and najd tfiat.-!f wa? a . yjM , blessed privilege to join with.Ch?istif\n? In all *>a parts of the world, to sins a tuilvertf&l by1*1" '~'vM ' of thanksgiving and praise to the Saviour of <';4g , mankind. The celebration of this day wnrt'-'V-vfM i not to be compared to the celebration of any - 1 other Rvpnt which is known to man. and It N .<*3 ; therefore right and proper that Christlanfe. : I wheresoever scattered over the face of tber I earth, join In observing the day. ^ ; THE FARM. ! Some Practical Common Seo.se Talk About It. The question of how much cotton or how ' J39 much corn shall be planted for this crop wilt v-aw be settled in the next thirty days. Is it worth the paper npo.? which it Is writ-ten to ofter one more plea?another (earnest .Vv3?; exhortation?to our farmers to plant com ZxU I enough to produce lood for man und beast? . Shall we repeat that expressive old adaite,, (3m . miiLsajb: ilisjiuu wen "io uuvu un our ' eggs in one basket?" These remarks are intended as suggestions , for the month's work, and therefore we can- .h-j&M > not go Into any argument 011 th-fe point, bat . will simply add, in conclusion, that we havir ')>? ; lone since become most thoroughly corrvinw ' ' ed that there is no future for our farmers u'?~ 'JjShMB . til they make their own provisions; aud W . beg you to stick a pin here. i Is now to be planted, and 1 f you have not .?$1' thoroughly prepared your land in the bed- -:YagM - ding, it is too late now. We'hope but few of :r-jg3| f you have done as we *aw a so-called former /idSffl - doing the other day; he had ridged his cotton r rows with a wide turn plough, two farrows DV vrofH i the row, and was breaking out tlie middles1 r-\*\aflj , with a double wing plough, with one furrow, . Complete preparation is naif the cultivation. SmB; . Among the multiplicity of cotton planters Jt 1 is not hard to get ii good one. We prefer a> ' i planter that does not, require the seed to bo rolled The advantage of a planter is that is % .ytfjBH i takes less seed, does the work mork uniform- ' ffiwl r ly, and leaves the seed in mucii better condi- A > Hon to irfit a rnifular stand, as well aa far , easier to work, of one thing make sure, and i that, is, use plenty of seed, it is much easier 'v^SM to cut out two stalks than to replace a tulssing one. Use improved seed?those tliat.ex- ' perieuee has shown to be best suited to your' scctiojv; ail the while devote more or lean nttentlon t'o hriproviug your owiise?d b^ care-, ful selection. ' ' * '' r r ^ M It would seem superfluous to go into details as to planting cotton; you have silent -.rag your lives learning it. and we will leave the ""'iffa subject with this closing remark: Give tho . 'Vags planting your careful personal nlientipp? put', ..-.vsa your' best and most careful hands; at the" work; a mistake at tbis time can' uover bo entirely corrected. JIuch, ifnot nil, of the uplands have nl* ready been plained, unci It will have received " jflfflB its first working beiore the next Issue of tUl* V'^Jj " Report. Corn is very jealous of the farmer's ' ' -^8 ' atteiitien and is not going to submit to any ; neglect without making him sutler for it; . when well up, harrow yuor Held across the . . -.jjS ? rows with the Thomas or some linetooht '" ' ys3s3 harrow having the teeth set at an angle of forty-five degrees; in a week or ten days sldo with long tongue plough; thin, by hand or 1 with hoe, to one stalk in the hill. If you 'LSa| have the time, and it will be time well spent i%M ' if you break out the middles thoroughly; If ' nor, every ten days put two furrows t-o your . 1 corn with a sweep or shovel and bow until it ; is laid by. Bottom lands will next want attention, and 03 ' here is where you should put'in some of your y 1 best work; nothing will repay you better ou ' the/arm than these lands thoroughly preparJ ed and worked. Tlie best work we have ever 1 done on this line was to break with three- It ' horse sulkly plough, harrow with the Disk : harrow, bed with a small turn olouzh. and '<- ?* 1 then plant our corn on ttie bed; "cultivate us r suntfested /or uplands. One of the greatest ' ' p ' enemies to bottom corn is tbe bud worm; ; there are several remedies for this evil. Give ' ^ the seed a thin coating of-coal tar?one-half jUS " pint tar to the bushel of corn. Another is to . ; soak the corn for twelve hours and then roll in air-slacked lime. Some farmers advocate ' one plan, some another; and right here allow : us to say what an impetus farmers could give " 1 to agriculture in its knowledge and ndvarice! meut if each and every one of them would f make some one careful experiment, guarding' as closely as possible against all errors, ana ' then report through us to all the farmers of [ t.!ieState. Will not some volunteer to put the ball in motion? I SWEET TOTAT0ES. iina Manure lightly with stable manure or with soluable guano. We have had tine results from a mixture of cotton seed meal, acid aud kainit. Itidge your land in three toot row* . 4-?j and leave the middle until just before you ' v'* dnuv your slips. It is best to have a lar^o .*,2 bed su as to givo you suilicient slips to get your crop started olf- early in the season. Last, but not least, dou't forget your kitchen garden. There is no reasonable excuse 4 why every farmer should not have a gootl ., J garden tilled with all kinds of vegetablies in their season. This month is one in which all stock will require especial attention; it is the timo when horses and mules are shedding nnd s<? liable to ~et "under the weather.'1 Young stock take the distcmuer a:;d are aiiuos.. down before vou are aware of it. if you tiro i:<? [ not giving this mutter your especial utUm. lion. Keep always on hand a package of cat- , tie powders, and whenever an uniiual seems; . 1. i; . dull and refuse his tbod give a tablespoon Ail ' , every night; this is a dear case of an onuco. of prevention. The heaviest tax tho Son tlb pays is her mule tax?mules and horses klll' ud annually by carelessnes and neglect. , Give some extra care to your call le. Marclv you know, always Immtows two weeks trout' April in which to kill old cows. From our standpoint we have suggested' , what should be done uming tho month. Wo f will now suggest something that should not. l tie done, neither in April or any other month: | lion,t buy guano at thirty dollars per-- tort, * . have it spread duriug.a windy day on gcound. brojyji from one and a half to two inches , deep?get your eotuwi buint up bv- th.> tirst _ Mry drouth," and theu "aware" that "guano. won't pay." . , . Don't employ a hireling at. tea dollars per month and get out of patience because ? ? /. don't attend to your business while y??u nro nirdliuiiLin.tr, .t a .shooting match or loating al the country store. Don'tgive that hireling rt poor mule, poor gear and poorer plough, i hen feel dlSeoumgcd. because you get such poor pUxtyhiiig done. Don't always ascribe your want of success to some other cause than the right one. ... Don't feed your mules in an open shelter, open to the deperdations of the feathered tribes by night, then wonder why ybur stock will keep poor. Don't make half-way nrrangeinents for feeding and paying your hands, and expect l lmm lo work decently. , ., Don't spend hundred of dollars for commcr eial manures vvliile your mules waste most of theirs in an open lot because you c??'t sparo cue hundred to tlx up a comfortable roomy stable. Don't tell your neighbors just how they ou^htto do and then go and do some other way yourself. ]):' P. DUNCAN. Mr. Kenet lor Congress. Greeuwood Tribune. Mr. W. C. lienet, of Abbovillo, lias been mentioned as a suitable candidate tor Congress from this District and .Mr. Whltner, of Anderson, lias also been mentioned. Com! men ting on tb Is matter, the Sumter Advance says: We do not know* anything about Mr. Whitner, but Mr. Henet would make such a representative in Congress a.s th; people of his i jjisrnci mm 01 me niaic. wouiu do prouu i<? i own. lie would scarcely have an intellectual I superior In the House, and his course would bo marked with a nirve and brilliancy that would be refreshing. The people of that Congressional District could not do better, in our opinion, for themselves and for the State than to send Mr. Usuct to t'ougresw if ho will go, !_ - ?