Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, November 29, 1836, Page 220, Image 4
l'Aitr Or A t.'i'lTIiit
Fr >m Robert llt/danc. Esj.. h> //?> Rer.
Dr. Morrison, Editor of the Ec mge'ica!
M.iguzinr, respecting t'ie Co/warn fur if of
Professor Stuart, on flic Epis'.h to the
Romans.
\ou venture J, yon say. when a lorn >r
edition of Mr. Sunn's Co urn ;ntary on the
hyistlc to toe Ho n ms ma le its app si ranee,
to 'com nond it vorveanvs ly to the at cation
of T teological students.' Yes; and j
lot nvj remind you of sotm of those 'jjro.v !
swelling worls.' by which you inttohced !
him to the public.?*1 lis love of tru ?, his 1
fearlessness of all consequ ;nc??s in the assertion
of it, his freedom from all dogmatism
and vanity, his patience in pining for.!)
the amount of labour necessary towards
reaching u difficult conclusion, his perfect
simplicity of hear;, are quaii ies which none .
- -? -i- ~~ .. :
CUll OV TiOOK. ill |*ci u.-viij; mia (I'uinhi liv; i tings.'
Assuredly you. Sir, canno' si\ wi h
Paul, 'noi.hor at any time usjcI we II ittoring
wort-Is.' His love of tru'/i. Did you not;
shudder when you wrote this? if is freedorn
from all canity--his perfect sinipftcitif of
heart. If this bo so, no marvel, if cons :io.is
of those qualifies which you so unreservedly ,
ascribe to him, Mr. Stuart canno for a
moment conceive that the personal experience
of the aposde Paul is described in "hi
seventh chapter oftlie ldpistle .othe Horn ms,
nor is it in the least surprising that lie
should explain the sixth chapter 'den I i<>
sin,' to mean to 'renounce sin ; to become
as it were insensible to its exti ing power
or influence (as a dead person is in capable
of sensibility.') And as it is impossible
to overlook the 'characteristic features
<-*i .? u:. _
ol i*ll. o u in s iiiiiKi hi uis unma ujic ?./? tingi,
it is not to bo wondered at that voti
veu'ured to commend them vert/ carnct'Iy;
although now, indeed, you say you see
*inuch in them, in the form of implication
and inference, calculated to unsettle all the i
ancient landmarks on the subject of the
innate depravity of human nature.' You '
also say,'After all that Mr. S.uart has advanced
in the present edi ion to support his
theory,' you hire not a whit more reconciled
to its truh.' Hut why ! Because, accord-1
ingto you, it is now'stripped of all disguise.'
When you ventured so earnestly to recommend
his admirable writings, were you not
aware of the evil they cun.a ned, although}
possibly not so fully as now when you have '
got them stripped of alf disguise f Sir, 1
hi iintain, that such a paragraph as I have
quoted above from your review, it will not
be easy to ma'c'i. Moreover, as it has seldom
been exemplified,that any one ae ing as
you have done in this matter, has, without J
the smallest confession of his gu'h, voluntarily
come forward as the accuser of another, ,
who probably helped him to see 'through the :
' disguise" under which a fundamental doc
trine of Christianity is undermined and over- |;
thrown. Can you he ignorant that a very
ample acknowledgement to the Christian I
public is due bv you, of your aid in contrib- 1
uting to disseminate the poison contained in .!
Mr. Stuart's writings ? I i
The Apostle Paul warned Christians i .*
-against men who from among themselves ;
wrose speaking perverse things to draw away
disciples after them, and instead of com-; >
plimenting false teachers in his day, as you >
<lo Mr. Stuart, denounced an angel from j t
l>eaven on the supposi ion of his preaching . t
another Gospel. And ey n now, when your I
eyes are opened to the deleterious character v
of Mr. Stuart's wr.tings.and wlien compelled c
to admit that, hit ripped of all disguise,' his | i
theory is, tliat there is no sin in the world :
K.ir /ic/u/i/ ell) Iwv.it lil'lftk tllf? I'
mony you have borne against them ? Yet 1 r
can anything Ik? more dangerous tlian her- | r
esy under disguise ? And can that system v
be called Christianity which denies original t
.sin? Was it not your dutv, then, to lift up s
your voice like a trumpet, to cry aloud and c
spare not; to do all in your power to testify j 1
repentance for your most unmerited pane- j *
gsrics o.i tliis opposer of the truth, and on ! li
his 'admirable wriiings,' which, when strip-1 h
ped of all disguise, cidlbit his frightful iier-J i
esies and awlul con radictions of the tru'n of {
(rod! Is that truth to be trifled wi h, and il
suffered to be trampled on in this manner ? v
For 'he parr, Sir, you iiave acted, you ought ^
to humble yourself in the dust. If my style r
be not applicable to Mr. Suar.', is yours ap- j:
plicable ? You had better have looked to ; c
vour own style before vou came forward s
. _ ^ * J
to censure mine. It ou should have remem-; i
bered the beam in your own eve. I
Sir, it is unrandid and unfair to attempt, f
as you have done by an indirect, unsubstan- I
tiated, and undefined charge, to impress the t
?nrisiian public with the opinion that in ' j
condemning the errors of Mr. Stuart, I c
have employed a style of censure that is not c
applicable to him. My style of censure would c
be applicable to all the ang 'Is of heaven, j >
were they to teach the heresies of Moses (
Stuart. And with all your complimen arv (
phraseology, what do you vir.ually say of i
him ? Do you not charge his doctrine, ;
when stripped of all disguise, as heretical;, t
ami virtually deny him a sound understanding
when you admit that he teaches fundarnen'al
errors, through a mass of misdirected
learning! j
You reverence Mr. Stuart's learning, criticism,
and mental power; but is it possible j
that sound criticism can load to false theology?
I venture to predic', that after Mr.
Carson's work shall be completed, the first i
part of which is just published, en'itled, 'examination
of the Principles of Biblical Interpretation*';"
Ernesti, Amnion, Stuart, and
other Philologis s,' die claims of Moses Stuart
will in those respects he much lowered.
Nothing more clearly shows the necessity '
of sac 1 a work than the fact, that by the aid
of false criticism, many modern interpreters
have contrived to corrupt the Gospel, and !
darken the word of God with a plausibility j
that deceives the generality of readers, anu
with a show of learning that overawes them. ,
It is thus dm Mr. S uart's work on the Epistle
to the Romans has commanded the admiration
of those who would be thought
learned, or averted the opposition of others
who may have suspected its authority. [
* It is certainly no evidence of Mr. Stuart's
> # uncommon candour, when, in x passage (
quoted by you. ho onby? von. ?; <? imnre-s* ! r
L
??www ? amif j mm ? mi n ?
nis readers wit!) a conviction that hisoppu- i
nen:s will be .v v7nriant and parly.men.? j
Want lie sayson this sub; a*t \on chnrae cr- ;
ise as 'adaiirubl r tv narks;' you ought rather j
to have designated i!i m:i as abominable ar- j
tiiicc and dishorns dealing. Sectarianism ;
is u'terly out of die que.s ion. It is the doe- '
trinos of the Goy>"| which are concerned,
an 1 no the d'.stinvtionsof see s and parties.
And now it turns out tli.it vou yourself arc
on > of the par.v-m n or scc'arians referred :
so by Mr. Stuart, though you arc both ol
the same sect, Sectarian disdnctions have
nothing to do wit:i tins eou'roversy. Mr. ;
Stuar.'s works orerluru tiie Llospel, and you
know it.
Mr. S u ir! Laa it down ns an a\:oni that
the impntat'o i of sin and righteousness is.
impossible. W.iero is he ('.iris ian who,!
after this, will h ive the b ildncss io defend
Mr. Stuurds work, or to aflirm that to hitn
? i - I
uie s'rongest sty]; ol coustiro is not appheable!
Where is ike (Juris ian who will at- ;
enijit even to palliate such heresies? Can j
>> > t.? ...:M ..... i
n!l v m m do c:iil a o insnau ? nu \?ia hu ;
aeknowl \lge tint lie wis shipen hi iniquity ;
and conceived in sin; or who will hold up
!i:s fsfo t;> aflirm in the day when the ,
he ivcn s and the oar h shall Hoc away from ;
; lie pros-nee of I Ian tint sitte.h on thai
throne, 'no shall b * nh'e to s'and, except bv |
he imjniu'ion of the righteousnessofChr.s ?!
Ail refuges of lies, such as those which Mr. 1
Stuart has suhstitu : 1 in its place, will then
bo swept away. 1 is worthy of particular ,
remark, that in or lor to explode the doe. !
trine of justification by the imputa ion of
that righteousness, an I to snpj>ort his destructive
errors, Mr. Stuart has sdectcd the
very portion of Scripture in which it is mos 1
expressly taught, an I has perverted its
meaning in a manner the most ar lul.
Tnevc has of late b .ven mien discussion
in this country rospec;ing the state of re- j
ligion in America, Some maintain that it
is in a flourishing condition, while others !
uiiirm thai a great declens:on in sound doe- }
trine has taken pkio \ Aothing o;i tliesut). ,
ject has been prod need that more strongly |
confirms ihis las: opinion that the astound,
ing laci that on? of the largest denominations
of professed Ciiris inns there, continues
iO recognise Mr. Stuart as a lending ins trueor
of their fu uro pas or*. Tiieir lukewarm
state, and litde regard for die purity of the |
truth as i: is in Jesus, is thus manifest to all. j
I low dilferent must their character be from ,
the cliarae'cr of those cliureb -s whom tue ! i
ford comm rvJed because they could not I
bear them which are evi:. and hated the j doc
rines which he hates! Tnis fac% con- I
neeied with the lit.le general disapprobation
and abhorrence of Mr. S uart's system ; |
which has been exhibited in that country, j i
speaks volumes, an 1 both invincibly prove ; |
hat a Laodicean spirit of indilK-rence to |
1 . 1 . ..
sound uoctruic vcrv extensively prevails.
11 1 .1.^ c.-ln, ,^f 1
'..Jil tlie WtlOIO, Oil", Ousurviliil Hivi iv^ v. | |
liigli approbation with which M;*. S narl's : (
Commentary on the Kpis lolo the Romans . j
ias been ushered into this country, in the j
juilt of which you so largely participate; ! |
ind when no warning voice was heard to <
idinoiiish Christians of their danger, I con-1 f
iidered it to be my duty* openly and loudly i (
o denounce his heresies, and to prove h;s j |
jysteni to be in direct oposition to the Scrip- 1
ures. I held it to bo proper, at the same i <
iin?, to point out the heretical character of j f
dr. Mucknight's Common.ary, which up. j t,
accountably stands so high in the estimation t
it many. Several years ago, after publish- s
ng strictures on that work, I received a lot- c
or from Mr Burder, the late excellent Sec- | c
clary of die London Missionary Society, ! Is
eq nesting me to send him some copies of; a
ny remarks, saying how seasonable they j li
vere, and stating that his reason for wishing 1 d
o distribute them was, that none; of the m's- t
ionaries went out from the Society wi.h- ' o
?ut being furnished with that commentary. J p
fiiis he deeply regretted: and assuredly a "
it *
vorse book,?one more calculated !o mis- \
ead and pervert them,?could not have j n
iceu put into their lnnds. Mr. Burdcr found !
io fault with the s yle of my censures, al- ! s
hoii<'h precisely of the same character with ' fi
liat wliicn v'C'J condemn. It is the style j ]
rhieh 1 believe to bo 8^i.CT,orHlf! l}y the t
Scriptures, while I am convinced tha\ if, m i
cferenceto Mr. Smart's work, I had em- ' h
loy.'d a ditTerent style, it would have been tl
:omrary to what duty demanded, it is the n
larno style that I adopted on the Continent I]
n opposition to the enemies of the cross of I a
Jhnst in that quarter, which was highly ap- s
iroved of by the Christians there, and which, . v
would humbly and thankfully remember,! a
he Lord was graciously pleased to accom. c
>any with so many and such signal tokens ; o
>f his approbation. And the good effects i I
>f this same style are apparent in the very ; li
lifferent manner in which Mr. S.uart's I I:
vorks are now regarded by many. This ; g
mcourages me to hope, that to whatever p
I xt l\o nvnciuofl nil tln> n.irf nf , (i
;UiJ*MllCTO t I1ICIJ WW VAJ?V?JVV? Vfii HIV |'V?I I, VI ; I'
nan. the testimony which I have borne i i
igainst them has been accompanied with j tl
he blessing of my Divine Master. i a
I am, Sir, your obedient servant, i y
Robert IIaldane. u
Edinburgh* June, 1S3G. ii
v
THANKFULNESS. ]
We sometimes think that we arc thankful, a
vhen we have very little cause to take credit c
jn this account : lor, when our minds are i
it ease, our bo lies in health, and our pro.; i!
>erty seemingly secure, when every want a
s well supplied, and every wish gratified,j s
vhat cause have we for uiithaukfulness ? It ; !
s oae thing to be thankful for a well spread I
able, and another to be thankful for the J I
able crumbs. It is one tiling to be thankful j c
vhen we have all we want, and another to i v
jo thankful for whatever Clod bestows. : I
So long as Clod's dealings fall in with , t
jur inclinations and add to our prosperity, j f
ve may not repine ; but when the Trier of j s
he heart and reins puts forth his hand and ! i
ouches as ; when he abridges our comforts, I s
ifllicts our bodies, and burdens our minds ' 1
villi care, matters are sadly changed ; too i
)ften impatience and unthankfulness take v
)ossess;on of our hearts. ; t
It is an old remark, that wc bear no af- i r
liction so well as the afflictions of others, c:
)'a. fhc4*o *nu"h frr/h in *!ii . W.? think
inrselvcs wowJimusIy patient and contented
n i thankful, wh.11 we hear others complain,
vithoir considering that we are not smarting
aider the scalding drops of alike ion that
ig< n zc their hearts.
No v the degree of thankfulness that a J
Jhrist'an should try to attain, I take to he j
this : to have such a sense of Gods' wisdom !
in.! goodness in his dealings, as to rest fully j
satisfied that what he does must he for the j
lr*s: : so that come what will we can he I
thankful. God made the sun to gdd the |
earth and skies with glory, and lie made the J
clouds also to shroud his beams. God i
made the rose to burst forth in fragrance j
and benn y, and the same stem that it grows j
on. he has set widi prickly thorns. IJ is are
the sun and flowers. I lis also are the sliadows
find the thorns. Never do we err
? ' ' - - ? om ! /"? r\ II n ? )?\r> I tin j
more Tilil11 \> llt'll Wis lu-'.ivt, uui ui.^iu o niv.
test of(rod's mercies; we would ha\e flow,
rets and sunbeams forever, and thorns and
shadows make us unthankful.
Tnankfulncss is a hard lesson to learn,
unless the Father of mercies is our instructor.
That is ho right sort of thankfulness
which is thankful for all things; believing
that "all things work together for good to
litem that love Clod." Thankful for much
and t<?r li'de ; thankful when comforts are j
less wed tint they are not all gone, that the j
Father of mercies is able to provide more; j
thankful when afflicted with the gravel, j
that it is not the stone;?thankful with a
broken arm, that it is not a broken '
leg;?.hankfu! whether high or low, rich |
or poor, in health and in sickness; in life j
and in death.
"I HAVE DO.\E GIVING.
A gentleman of high respcc'abiSity, and |
a member of a Christian church, made this |
remark tiie other day, when informed that)
an application was about to be inadeto him ;
in behalf of some charitable object,41 have j
done giving,'said lie. When I heard of
this remark, it awakened in my mind a
train of reflections, which I have thought
it might not Lo amiss to communicate
through your medium.
* Done giving!"?Has he, indeed? Why ?
[I:is he given all ? lias ho nothing left to |
[jive ? i las this disciple done what his
Master did ? Was he rich, and lias lie he;o:nj
poor for the sake of others, that they,
iirough his poverty, might be rich ??O.:
to ; he is rich siill! He has more than
nougii to keep him in elegance, and enable
urn to leave ail ample inheritance to his
thildren.
What, if he has given a great deal?
"Ihas not only not impoverished himself,
>m is probably iidler now, through the hi
or of Proviilt ncc, tlwo bp uou <1 have been J
lad he never given any thi.ig.* Now, if,
>y honoring the Lord with ins substance,
lis barns, ins'cad of being emptied, have
iccn filled v.idt plenty, iie had bcter conditio
this mode of honoring him. He should i
a* her increase than lessen his liberality.
"Done giving;" Why? Is there no 1
norc need of giving ? Is every want abun- 1
lanlly supplied ? Is tlie whole population \
f our country furnished with the means
fgrace? Is tlx; world evangelized? Have 1
lissionaries visited every shore? Is the 1
l.bie translated into every language, and 1
istributed in every land?a cepy in every '
imily, and every member of every family '
iught ;o read it ? Are the accommodations I
>r widows and orphans as ample as they 1
lould be? Is there a house of refuge for *
verv class of the human family that needs y
nc? Or have the poor ceased from the ^
in J ? Oh, no ; there are no such reasons 1
s these for ceasing to give. Why, then, *
as he done giving ? Is it because others v
o not give as they ought ? But what is 1
lat to him ? Will he make the practice of y
thers his rule of conduct, rather than the ^
reccpts of Jesus Christ ? If others do not (
ive, so much the more he should impart. (
^ill he add another name to the list of c
iggards ? 1
Does he feel worse for having given away *
o o ?
5 much ??Has it made him unhappy ? Is ^
is experience different from that of the
,ord Jesus, w!io said, 44 it is more blessed *
) give than to receive ?"
I las hp> who thinks Ik? will give no more, 1
ecu l.-d to that conclusion, by having found
lat what ha?" been given hitherto has done
o good ? And is it so, that no good has
cen done by all the Bibles published, and
II the trac s distributed, all the missionaries
jnt abroad into our own land and into the
orld, and all the schools established, and
II the children taught to read, and all the
iviliz ition introduced, and all the asylums
pened, and all the poverty relieved ?
las no good been done ? Good, great good
as been done by what lias been given;
lit still more will be done by what sh:'l! be
iven hereafter. Bibles can now he
rinted at a cheaper rate than hereto>1*0,
and the conductors of our charitale
woiks have learned by experience
tat economy which can bo learned in no
tlier way. And yet at ibis time, when
sovereign goes so far in doing good, here
44 1 rritr S
tl 111:111 W l IU1 oavoj x tiu? v uwiiu gn * j ig."
If I had his car for a momenN ' '
ould ask him if lie had done receiving ? |
f Go I had done giving to him? I would t
sk htm, moreover, if lie lias done spending,
r done hoarding, or done was ing ? Now, J
'he has not, lie surely should not cease i
iving. When he ceases to waste, to hoard, I
nd to spend, except for the merest neces- <
uies, then he may stop giving, hut never >
il then. j 1
"Done giving!*' done lending to the j ^
iord ! Done sowing and watering ! Done J i
fib-ring the sacrifices with which God is i <
ell pleased! done making the widow's ! (
eart leap for joy, and bringing on himself j *
ic blessing of them that were ready to | i
erish ! Well, I am sorry?sorry for the | i
ike of the poor, the rich, the orphan, the j <
jnoranf, and tiie heathen. But no less <
arry am I tor the man's own sake. Poor j <
lan? poor with all his affluence! for there J s
; no one really more poor than ho, who,! i
*ith the ability to give, has not the inclina- j :
oil. He has it in his power to give, but i I
ot in his heart. He is enriched with ahim-1 t
ance, but not wi-h liberal! y. j*
J ),-,np givner!" W''!!. r!i"?. if he wi'i1 j
no: give, lie must keep it. And yet ho1
short the time lie can keep it! Had he ih
better freely give away soipe of it, tha
wait for it all to be torn awav from him
Tiie thought that helms given, will be :
least as agreeable a meditation in his dyin
moments, as tiic lefljction that ho spent, c
that he laid it up.
I hope that gentleman who said, "I hav
done giving," will recall his resolution, am
taking revenge on himself for having mat
O ~ O
it, give more liberally than ever.
FriendI-J Visitor.
* Tiie idea seems to ho held out here, th;
men are rewarded by a return of wealth f<
giving to the cause of the l^ord. We ha\
sometimes heard this kind of inducemei
held out by ministers of the Gospel, when m;
king public appeals to congregations on belir
of some benevolent object. But we see i
authority lor it in tlic Scriptures, it was n
to secure to the redeemed this world's goo<
that the Lord Jesus left the glory which I
had with his father before the world was;
was not for the goods of this world that Pa
labored; it is not to lay up for themselvi
treasure 011 earth that ministers are cornmam
e l to go into all the world and preach tl
Gospel to every creature, or that Christiar
arc enjoined to contribute of their substanc
that they who preach the Gospel should lit
of the Gospel. They who have no high'
motive than this in their charities and the
contributions to benevolent objects, have 1
spiritual discernment of the Gospel.
S. C. Herald.
From the Edinburg Christian Magazine.
EXTRACT.
Till: IIP.ABI OPENED EV AND TO CHRIST.
Ivcv. iii. '20.?If any man hear my voice, an
open I he door.
The sinner cannot open the (lonr of h
heart to Christ. These words by no moar
stippos- tha' a sinner can open his hear
for though they run in a hypo helical lorn
''If any man hear my voice, and open tli
door;" ye, to understand diem as int'im
ting the natural ability of man, would b
to contradict other express declarations c
scripture, as well as to deny the doctrines (
grace. Christ knows that the sinner ha
neither power nor inclination to o{>en hi
heart, and cannot therefore impose upo
die church by words con'rary to truth, j
- i : - "...
miy man cum open ins iiu.m in iiiim. in
grace of God. then every man can do i
and thus the* scriptures that declare the na:
ural imbecility and enmity of the hear
must contradict experience. But let Go
be true, and every man a liar. The scrip
tores assert, most unequivocally, that me
are dead in trespasses and sins; that the
arc without s rength, and that \vi hout Chris
they can do nothing; these arc solemn as
scilions, and universal experience confirm
them. Even granting that men have
natural power to open their hearts to Chris!
yet what avails this without an inclination
We can open the door to an enemy, but jcii
not: but in the case before us, men bavi
neither power nor inclination. We will 111
201110. to Christ that we may have life.?
Tho carnal mind is enmity against God
culiinpt In tln> luir nPlfllP
iir'J i."5 iiwi oui'jwi iv iiiu u%?? v. x^w.
indeed can be. Can the man with the with
?red arm s'retch it out without the power o
Jurist? Can the dry bones live, till tin
Lord breathe bv his Spirit? None eve
> et, in the whole history of man, opened hi:
leart to Chris:! That man is not to b<
bund, in heaven or in earth, who can afTirn
.vith truth, that he opened his heart, and Ic
Jhrist in. This is a work transcending nI
;he power of creatures, especially of crea
urcs who are in a slate of sin and mora
veakness. This, as the work of creatiot
ind ot raising the dead, is exclusively th<
vork of God. It was God who opened tin
leart of Lydia, it was God who created ;
dean heart in David, and who promise:
Ezek, xxxvi. 24.) to do the same to lh<
thurch. It was said of old, "Who openet
hine eyes?" meaning by this question, tha
jod alone could open them; so may we as!
>f every believer, Who opened thy heart'
rhe answer will be, It was Christ himscl
vho did it! Christ has knocked long at the
learts of sinners, and left ofl' knocking, a.'
in evidence that they could not ot themselves
>pen their hearts; nay, lie has knocked a
he hearts of those whom he ultimately con
piers by his grace, and gives over knocking
or a while. Butts there is a time fixed ir
he eternal councils for opening the heart
iC returns again; then the time of love ar
ives, means become cflec ual, and the work
)f gi a ;e is accomplished.
That the grace of Christ at length deletnines
the sinner to open the door. After
ong knocking, by conscience, the word, by
he tlolv Spirit, and by providence; after a
liousaiul refusals on the sinner's part, after
en thousand provocations to make Chrisl
lepart, the sinner is at length delightfully
compelled to yield. Christ's hand is put in
>v the hole of the door, and the bowels ol
he sinner arc moved for him; the grace ol
,ioJ insinuates itself into the mind; the en.
nity is subdued, and the heart is taken; t he
tinner becomes willing, not of himself, bui
s made, willing l>y infinite love and infinite
" *' ?m.en!iilo(l nnd rnnhlpfi
jU?Llj I J?ar. v.\. /. j/uiov,^
o receive a whole Saviour for salvation.?
['lie heart is thus thrown open to the Lore
testis: the nates of brass and the bars ofiror
ire hurst in sunder, the evci lasting gates
ift up their heads, the eternal doors arc
>penod, and the King of glory comes in, and
virh him an entire salvation. Then the sin.
ler, formerly an enemj', and to every gooc
voik reprobate, exclaims, 4,Coinc in thoi
dossed of the Lord, why standestthou with
)ut??Otlier loids besides thee have had the
Jominion over us, but by thee only will wc
n :ke mention of thv name.?Ashur sha!
lot save us, neither will we ride upon horses;
leithcr will we say any more to the works
)four hands, Vc are our gods.?IJchoId wc
:ome un'o thee, tor thou art the Lord oui
iiod. Thine are we, O David, and on th\
;ide, tiiou Son of Jesse." Under this divine
nfluence, the sinner casts his idols ofsilvci
md gold to the moles and to the hats, his
icart is loosened from the love ofevery sin
he dominion of sin is destroyed, and he
valks at iilvrty. because lie so'-ks 'he divine
rep's.
! ==~: I
A ! EXTRACTS FROM AN ORDINATION SERMON
it j BY THE REVEREND DOCTOR JOHN WITHER j
1) 1 SPOON.
i? (Continued.)
it You must also take care to preach ex- j
g perimentally anil particularly. You will
ir; soon find that this is the only profitable way j
of preaching, and that, unless you apply
c general truths to the several classes and <
j: characters in your audience, they will make j
|e I but a sorry improvement of the best iusfruclion.
The ignorant cannot, and the wiser
will not apply them to themselves. Besides
! ihe general way is not only useless, but per'
nicious and hurtful. Suppose I should !
! make an encomium on the wise, just, and |
^ | gracious government of God over his ra-;
tional creation, and observe what reason all j
t]f have to rejoice under his adminis ration.?
10 Should I say so to this audience without dis-1
at tinction, it would be to many a dangerous |
^ ; stupifving poison. A just and holy God is a
[? i consuming lire to all the workers of iniquity.
'.'Those who are still in their sins, should j
i tremble to think of the government of God.
- i u.:? 1 i:I: I
[J. j Dl'SIUl'S pU'HIO |Jt i:u<~lliug, vuu llius uc um- |
ic : itcnt among your pcoplu fromhousc to house. |
is You must not neglect family instruction,
J and personal admonition or reproof. This
c is if not the most useful part of u minister's
!r; work, at least absolutely necessary to the
lo ! success of his preaching. It is also by far
1 the most laborious part, from which sloth- j
fu! men arc most apt to excuse themselves. '
A man may gratify his vanity by preaching
and public performances; or, the neglect i
being visible, he may be compelled to regularity
by fear of reproach or persecution*
! But diligence in private can scarcely arise
i from any thing but a sense of duty, and of
i the presence and observation of God.
The exercise of discipline is another part
is ! of your duty which must not be omitted. It !
is! is ofverv irreat moment to the interest of
' ?" r. - : r V .1!
t* i religion. 11 u bctyiug ui *miu ui in*> uiob j
n, I reformers, 4 They that desire to banish disciic
, plinc,desire to banish Christ from hisClmrch.'
i. There must needs be offences in the Chris10
; tian church. But when discipline is neg- .
jf lecicd, then the offence becomes unspeaka-j
if bly more dangerous, especially to the young
is and weak. It makes them think lightly of
is the character and privileges of a Christian,
11 j when there is either a promiscuous admis[f
sion to church communion, or when openly
e wicked persons arc suffered to continue with-;
t, out censure. When you come to instruct j
t. young persons, in order to renewing their ,
t, baptismal engagements in the Lord's Sup- j
d per; or, if ever you have occasion to instruct j j
>. a heathen in order to baptism, I can assure j
n you, from experience, you will find the tin- j '
V j happy effect of the low state of discipline
it | among us. It will immediately strike your- 1
i self, and these Catechumens will soon be,s
| tray, bv their discourse,4iow hard it is to j (
a have a just sense of the sanctity of the Uhris- j (
t, ! lian character, while so many profane per- (
i? I sons are sufFercd ro be called Christians ; I
7 and not a few whose conduct is very ex- (
e ceptionable, continue to be admitted at sta- <
it tecJ times, fo the se.als of God's covenant. {
| QUERIES OF SELF-EXAMINATION FOR PRO- \
r FESSORS OF RELIGION.
1 # J
-! Read the texts of Scripture quoted,
f j 1. What tun I doing for the glorv of|(
e God ? 1 Cor. x. 10. (
rl 2. Am I making personal effort for the j <
s salvation of any individual ? James v. 20. t
? 3. What has been my conduct while in 1 s
l . company ? Was it such as to recommend t
t! religion to others??Matt. xii. 36. (
1' 4. I)o I attend regularly tlie ordinances .
- j of public worship ??fleb. x. 12. j,
1 ! 5. Do I maintain family worship morn- .
i; i iiic and evening??Jer. x. 25. t
J G. Have I been in closet daily? IIow i |
' often? What were my feelings while there? }
i ?Matt. vi. 6.
5 7. I)o I indulge any known sin ??Ps. j
3 Ixvi. 18. Ij
I 8. Do I cultivate a friendly feeling to-, (
t wards all, especially the household of faith ? j (
c Gal. vi. 10. \
? 9. Do I cherish enmity in my heart to- j
II wards ony one ??Matt. vi. 15. f ^
;| 10. Do I ki:o.v of any one who has |
i { aught against me??Matt. v. 20, 24.
51 11. What good books am I reading? t|
t Do 1 delight in the Hible ? John v. 39. u
1 12. Am I informing my mind on the r
j J state of the world and of the Church, bv j tj
i' means of some good religious periodical ?! 0
, Prov. xi. 9 ; xvii. 2. j u
. 13. What am 1 doing for Sabbath- j a
: j schools ? Do my children attend ? Rom. ; c
xxil. 60. r
j 14, Ami growing in grace daily??' t,
. I Priv. iv. 8.
I oo.What am I doing Tor the conversion (|
i; of the world ??Mark x\i. 15 ; Rom. X. 14. j,
16. Do I die daily to the world and live (_
; unto righteousness??1 Peter ii. 24. ! I17.
Do I live as though this were not my j,
, home, but as though I were travelling to a c
r city not made wtth hands, eternal in the
r heavens ??2 Cor. v. 1. I u
From the Mother's Magazine. * | ^
J ? ! tl
t CHILDREN EARLY BROUGHT TO CHRIST.
Mothers need great wisdom from God. f,
I The Holy Spirit will make their little child- c
. rea serious. * A child, under serious im- s
1 pressions, goes as naturally to his mother, ii
i with his sober questions about spiritual c
; things, as the tender lamb, when separa- ti
; ted from its dam, sends forth its pensive
I bleatings, and then listens for the well- j ti
. known response. I wish it were so, that 1 tt
1 all mothers on such critical occasions, were ,
i ready to direct their children to Christ?to j S
. impart to them instructions, which should . a
> he "like apples of gold in pictures of silver." g
? Hut alas!?how often do the dear little ones i s
I) let all their seriousness pass off without any i p
; instruction, which is directly applicable to ' r
i the peculiar state of their mind. ! v
; It has occurred to me that "Maternal I u
| Associations" might be greatly improved, j tl
' j and tiieir benefits extended, should the Di;
| rectress of each prepare a regular set of e
i questions, for the use of mothers, such as i n
> | serious children would naturally ask. Let: o
,! mothers ha trained on this subject, as our : p
' Bible classes are on the subjects they pursue, a
I have frequently heard mothers ask a va-j h
v'r'v of'qM"S*rf ?:s, which 1 could ?oe hid /
-
some peculiar hearings?finally, they would
say, "Well, 1 don't know what to think, or
what to say to my son, or my daughter.?
Thev are serious most of the time. 1 don't
feel fit to bring them up." So has the mother
of lit'Ic Elizabeth said to me. When
Elizabeth was three years old, there was a
revival in the place. Her mind was deeply
affected; she would not close her eyes to
sleep at night, before she had prayed in the
simplicity of her heart. Of en would she
ask her mother, whose heart was full of pious
solicitude, to pray for her. From the
questions she almost daily asked, it was evident
her mind was mos.ly occupied with
religious subjects; and sometimes in the
dead of night her mother would be aroused
from her slumbers by the sweet voice of her
little daughter, who kneeling beside her bed,
would devoutly prav to Him who said, "Suf
for little children to come unto rnc." It is
about four years since these feelings commenced.
She remains still in an equally in-'
teresting state of mind. Two years since,
her teacher did not pray in the sdhool, at'
which she grieved much, and asked her
mother if she might not ask Miss to?
pray with the scholars. Her practice is
not to let her two younger sisters sleep at
night till she has taught them their prayers;
and not unfrequeuily after they begin to
slumber, she ge:s up and pours out the desires
of her heart to the Lord. She often
weeps when reading the life of pious children,
and says, "Oh, mother! I wish I was a Christian,
and loved Jesus as they did, then
should be so happy." With all the solicitude
which her pious mother has, she often
knows not how to adapt her instructions to
the capacity of her ch id. I know other
mothers who feel not unlike the above.?
Some facts of the kind I may communicate
hereafter. The difficulty seems to be this,
they know not how to adapt their conyersasation
to the capacity of little children, so
that they will comprehend the spiritual
meaning. For the want of this instruction,
many children, I fear, will lie down in sorrow.
Why should not mothers let it be the
study of their lives, to mould the mind of
their offspring for immortality. Mothers
often lack the faith which God requires them
to exercise, in his power and willingness to
set home upon the hearts and the consciences
of their children, the instruction which
thev endeavor to communicate. S. C.
THE BIBLE IN SPAIN.
In the Archives du Chrisiianisme, of August
27ih, we find an account of the efforts
r>f the Paris Bible Society, to introduce the
Bible into Spain. The Society has published
an edition of the Spanish Bible, from
stereotype plates, and has engaged its friends
n the south-west of France, to embrace
Dvery opportunity of sending them across
the frontier. The Archives publishes an
extract of a letter from an English gentleman
at Barcelona, who says:
"I have found things here in such a state,
hat I think I risk nothing in furnishing myself
with copies of the Word of Life, and
>pen!y offering them for sale. The very
jay on which I received your letter, I sold
16 copies and gave away six. Duriijg the
iix following days, I found purchasers for
L20 copies, and gave away 40. I cannot
lescribe to you the difficulty of introducing
?ven a single eonv of the Scrintures into
7 ~ ;"0" ?v j i
Spain; but the goodness of God is greater
ban the opposition of men. I was about
sending back to Marseilles 820 copies of
lie Bible, which I had on board a vessel, because
of the impossibility of procuring their
idmission; when I found a way, by legal,
hough secret means, to introduce them at
i slight expense. I have now remaining
300 copies; but as I expend a certain num>er
every day, I hope the whole will soon
lave passed from my hands into those of the
nhabitants of this city."
The Archives informs us, that tl?e Spansh
newspapers begin to narrate the labors
if Bible Societies. The Espagnoly published
at JMadrid,contain( d a long article, which
vas copied into a paper at Barcelona, of Juy
1st. The author gives an account of the
irigin, object and efforts of Bible Societies,
le concludes as follows:
"And why shall Spain, which discovered
he New World, which gave prevalence to
inoculation to arrest the ravages of a horible
pestilence, which has always beendis- \
uguished by zeal in laboring for the good
f mankind,?why shall Spain alone contin
e destitute of Bible societies/ Why should
nation, so eminen.ly Catholic in its spirit,
ontinue to stand aloof from the rest of Euopc?taking
no part in this magnificent comprise?
"We have declared, on many occasions*
hat liberty can never be firmly established
i our country, so long as its partisans regard
Christianity as incompatible with it,andnegset
to associate political influence with the
ufluence of religion. We now say, in view
if the very limited knowledge of Christianity
aught in our primary schools, that beyond
i doubt ignorance is the most powerful cause
if the criminal hostility which exists between
he disciples of Christ and the partisans of
leral opinions. But if Bible Societies were
aunded and multiplied by all possible means,
arrying Christian instruction to the purest
ources, there would be a better understandr<r
of the meaniner of the GosDel. and an
O " O I ?
nd of the system which regards the desfruc-.
on of religious belief as on improvement,"
A Spanish gentleman, who sent to Paris
ic paper from which these extracts wero
iken. remarks:
"The publication of this article in the
ipanish Journals is a manifest advance, and
very remarkable fact. Ifthe furious strugle
which now is devouring unhappy Spain
hall come to an end, I doubt not that the
ropagation of wholesome doctrines will be
apid, and the sweetness of evangelical truth
fill take place of that fanatical error, which,
ndcr the name of religion, leads to excesses
ic most deplorable."
To us. this information is intensely intersting.
We have seen nothing which shows
nore clearly and conclusively, the state of
pinions, the character of parties, and the
rospccfs of religion, in Spain; and, we may
dd, nothing which inspires so confident
ope of better days for thcit unhappy land.?.
?. nrrnrrfrr.