The Lutheran visitor. (Columbia, S.C.) 1869-1904, January 19, 1870, Image 1
£■»
lLS.
»f.
• gcr sbq.
' »IW*d
!>•» four
, will 1»
m.
■ iVJICWIW
Ke<W
luh liar
ml will
i optfk-
Anklow,
' V«u«,
CW
houldm
t*o
SD Ulr
I fulfil
k, now
7 Ti
1 ALLMAN*.
Oner,
a>
above
|co.
-tf
VISITOR,
' • - if.
‘ONE LORD, ONE FAITH, ONE BAFTI8U,”—EFHE8IAN8 IV: 5.
NEW SERIES, VOL. 2-NO. 20.
COLUMBIA. S. C., WEDNESDAY. JANUARY 19, 1870.
OLD SERIES, VOL. IV.-NO. 73....
IS KTBLISHID
EVERY WEDNESDAY
BY
.. RUDE & MILLER.
m TEBMS:
ft, LCTW.A* Y»™» *“ b -
rtribera at *>-*> .
nwwTMO. their WiOowa, ami SiaOeeU at
TlSSj, •" <*4^ » 5 »° **' » l»W »
*rtJTnie.. wh6 do Ml psy* I ‘ LI "
of the time their year tiffs*. w'H »
Xry out, ti charred aft v «•*•• atUtuonal.
BATxa or iDTMtiwso:
for ana aquare (one lech of column):
Pneimuam * . !?
Oee »eulh J ”
Three moatha •
^amontlm-... .1 “
Twolro ** wu
0, adrerttnoairtta of three erpwree ami up-
warfe a rthwoont ot JO per cent. of Bee square.
^wartht SO par cent, of ten aqunree and
■amnia. 4# per w>h eud «f eee half column
opvrafda, SO per cent will be deducted (rum
the above meea.
Chile**— whan more tluin live linen, ten
cent, for ehtht word*, payable in advance.
Pomp—Fire ceitla per quarter.
,w pieaee remember a.I buaioem letttera
rfcettld he a* hr and to
Rav. A. R. RODS,
Culmmb,a, At C
Communications.
F**r tlie Lutheran V lailor.
pastoral Support
Meant. Editnri: How often do we
hear the regret uttered by laytneu,
by ministers, and by officials in Con
ferences and Synods, that there
are so many pastoral charges in our
Southern Zion! And, although there
ate perhaps some itching ears in al
most every congregation, which is
always craving something new, it is
a fact, [intent to every [mstor, that
the most intelligent, most liberal,
and most earnest- members—the Nine
and sinew of tiie Church—almost
always desire to retain the services
of a faithful minister longer than he
asnally remains in one place. And
the regret consequent upon the dti-
Toptiou of the pastoral relation be
tween a faithful minister of the Gos
pel, and the charge to which he has
(ministered in spiritual things, is not
.coalined to the best part of the
membership of hia charge ; bat the
most [siignaut pain is felt in that
jpastor's heart. With them he has
convened ; for them he has wept
and prayed; to them he has preach
td the Word with all the earnestness
and ability that he possessed ; and
the consequence is, he feels the most
earnest solicitude for the flock over
which he has been overseer.
If these regrets are mutual—if the
best portion of the membership arc
loth to part with a faitbfnl pastor,
and if he in retnro is loth to leave
hie brethren, why is it that pastoral
changes are so frequent t Frequent
ly have we pondered this question,
and as frequently have we arrived at
this conclusion; viz: In most cases,
it j» because the membership do not
do tfeir duty in the support of their
pastor. There is sufficient ability,
Pftfhajis in every charge, to support,
comfortably, him who ministers to
the people in holy things. Bat the
vtil to do it is lacking with perhaps
ninety-nine out of one hundred of
our .members. “It is a life devoted
to money-getting” on the part of
maiy- church members, that robs
mogt pastors of much that is due
them. .,
Said a young man to ns, not long
since, “When I began business for
myself, I resolved to give one. tenth
of all I made—not of w hat I gained
annually—bat of all my gross in
come, to the Lord. I carried ont my
resolution faithfully one year, ami
upon, counting up at the end of the
7*** how much I had given, I was
morticed to Ouuk that I had con
ryribnted -so little into the treasury
,of Ujjp who gives me all I have aud
. en joy- Ami .since tbeu I contributed
to the support of the ministry, edu
cation, missions, Ac., &*, three or
four tenths of my gross income an
nually.” Now auppose\his was the'
ruling (deposition of all church mem
ber^. or oven of one-fourth of them,
how handsomely would most of our
pastocs bo supported 1 But some
n>iw**y one will say, such prodigal
ly wilL impoverish'every one who
practices it. But such is not the
«*e! with the individual alluded to
fbovw, He is not wealthy, but there
* not another young man in his
neighborliood who prospers as he
docs^aior one so universally respect
ed aq»l beloved. Gcd takes care of
“°*c who are good stewards.
How does this young man’s liber
ty contrast with the pennriousness
of the taemliers of a wealthy charge,
whose iwstor wrote me not long
“nw, in language substantially ns
follows: “Y am going to leave my
charge, because I mut. It I stay
longer, 1 shall be hopetanly involved
in debt.” This good brother is high
ly prised by Uls people as a pastor
and preacher—but I tear they prise
their money more highly than the
services of a fttitliftil minister of Jesus
C'hrisL There are one hundred and
thirty members belonging to the
charge; and I speak within the
bounds of moderation and reason,
when I say that there are six men in
that number who could easily give a
salary of six hundred dollars. And
yet they will suffer this dear brother
to become Hopelessly involved in
debt, or go to another Held of labor,
rather than give him more than #300
or #400 per annum. Shame ! Shame
on such a miserly mode of doling out
a few dollars to the support of a faith
ful pastor! And this same charge,
although situated in the midst of a
moat fertile region, has the lasting
stigma resting upon it, of worshiping
God in the moat unsightly, incon
venient, aud uncomfortable old cos
ties, which tl»ey tumor with the name
of ehurrhes, to be found in all that re
gion of country.
But this brother is not tin* only one
whose -services are not prised as much
as dollars and ceuts. I just now
think of another minister who served,
I think, Jtre congregations, whose
extremes were upwards of forty miles
apart—and yet he had to add to this
onerous labor the duties of a school
teacher to ohtuiu barely enough sala
ry to support a frugal family. Aud,
although that brother has often becu
heard to speak qnite favorably of the
liberality of some of the mcmtiera ol
his charge, I have uot the least doubt
but that he could lie quite comforts
bly sup|s>rted, if the membership
would <Ui what they could. Is there
any charge so poor hut that each
member may average #3.011 per year
to [sistorul snp|s>rt f I think uot. A
few there may be who could not con
tribute so mucli; but how many ure
there who could give ten, twenty,
thirty, ami even Illy times this
ninouut I But “ a life devoted to
money getting,” mid a life devoted to
fashion, and a hundred other things,
unworthy of the attention of rational
aud aeeonntable beluga—aye, un
worthy pf the servant of Jesus, cheat
many a faithful pastor of his hard
earned does, and debar many a
charge of the continued sendee* of
intelligent, zealous ami pious pastors.
How long will these things contin
ue ! Will our people never, never
awake to their dnty in the support of
the ministry t An intelligent mem
ber of the Presbyterian charge said
to me, not loug since, that every
charge could support one or two pas
tors, if they only “ hail a mind to do
it.” Who, when the requisite amount
has failed to have been raised in
money, cannot fnrnish besides money,
some article or other that would be
useful to his or her pastor Y The peo
ple do not think. What a wonderful
amount of good, in this respect, one
or two live deacon* do in some chnrrhea,
by reminding their brethren of the
wants at the parsonage, and by be
speaking a contribution in some much
needed article.
brother deacons, have yon been
discharging your duty faithfully in
this respect t If not, go right away,
aud ascertain your pastor’s wants,
aye, his ueeeeeitin, and If you do your
whole duty, not one month will
elapse, liefore you will have a much
stranger hold upon him, and be ujion
the hearts of the people, than be now
has—and he will turn a deaf ear to
the next call that is wafted to him
from a distant, vacant charge.
Yours truly, JUAN.
Sermon,
From the Charleston Courier.
Fifty-Fifth Anniversary Sermon by Fov.
Dr. Bachman. Bt John’s Lmthcran
Chnrch.
Dm wnfraHc Pastor, after the
Altar Services in his Church were
very impressively performed yes
terday by the Rev. John H. Honour,
delivered his Fifty-fifth Anniversary
Sermon to a largo and deeply inter
ested congregation. Probably no
man in South Carolina, we might
almost embrace the United States,
has enjoyed a richer, or more diversi
fied personal experience during a life
now compassed by nearly one hun
dred years. Up the hill of youth,
along the broad table-land of man
hood, and down the steep decline of
old age, he has' steadily jammed the
pathway of usefulness, and, to-day,
he lingers at the foot, still engaged in
life’s great task, wearing a wreath of
laurel, and waiting only for the crown.
Full of honors won by mental labor
and achievements In the wurid of
aoifJKWS fttll of those manly virtues
which have made him a model ritiaea
sod friend, tell of devotion to that
Christian dnty which has rewarded
his long ministry 'with thonsnnds
■lion thousand* of converts to the
cause of his Maker, he stands forth
at once the type Mid embodiment of
all that can attract hud concentrate
human affection. Probably, no man
In this community is more tenderly
behind: none, there are, whose foot
steps are watched with kinder solici
tude, and wdg'uicrcfore, may we feel
interest la every word that tells fhwi
his lip*.
The sermon presented below may
be the last over preached by this ven
erable man, and because It cornea to
us as it were from eternity Itself, be
cause it Is the utterance of an age of
thought ami memory, because its
perusal may freshly string every heart
with new energy to wage the battle
of life, we invite for it the attention
of every reader of the Courier :
SK1U4CI.N.
Proverbs, liith chapter 31st verse:
“ The hoor) head is a eroies of glory,
if it he found im the way of rifhteoue-
Hess.”
ily Helored Vcoftle—Tuue is ever
on the wing—everything is in a state ;
of |>rogrraMM>li—the smallest twig
gradually swells into the mageatic ’
tree. This, in time, grows obi, tot
ters, decays, and falls to the ground.
The rivulets springing from the
fountain mingle their streams and
ftinn the broad river, which hurries
ouwanl, onward, until it empties
itself, and is hist in tho mighty
ocean. These are emblem* of hu
man life. And the wise nun givea
a true estimate of its shortness—oil
arc hasten ipg to the cud of their
journey ; and if the.life of the young
is spand^iho hoary head must lutue
at lust; and, if your character* are
formed on religious prinetplra, U you
arc pure, upright, bcnrvoletit amt
piou*; if, iu s word, you are found
in the way of nghteonsa,-*■«, then
yoar hoary head will be to you “a
crown of glory.” shedding it* radi
ance on ail around yau.
Your aged pastor, who is now
sddressing yon. perhaps for the hud
time, has arrived at almost the ex
treme verge of bumun life. The
Psalmist exclaims—-‘The days of i
our years are threescore year* and
ten. and if by reason of streagtli
they be fourscore > earn, yet ia t heir
strength. labor and sorrow, for it
shall be soon rut off. and we fly
sway.” This is an accurate descrip
tion of man’s fleeting life; threescore
and ten, or seventy years, are ac
counted by the inspired Psalmist
ss the age to which man, under
favorable circumstance*, may attain:
if, however, by reason of a good
constitution, and God’s rope rial aid
he shaukl reach fourscore or eighty
years, the period has then arrived,
when his strength shall soon be cat
off, his soul severed from the body.
As music from the string ascends,
so it flees upwards to a home of
immortality and joy.
It is by the permission of an All
Wise Providence, that I hare pre
sided ever this congregation daring
the long period of fifty live years
to-day, aad ia three weeks I shall
have entered upon the eighty-flrnt
year at ay life. I stand not here
to day to repent the history of other
days—of tlie prosperity anil advers
ity through which we have passed—
band In band—I only intend to throw
sonic lessons of moral Improvement
from oar long connection. I will
endeavor to show you,
1st. That minister ami people will
have to render an aceoaiH of the
manner in which the one has given
aud the other received the instruc
tions of tlie past,
3d. The rewards or punishments
which await both miniater ami (ma
ple in this world and in the next.
First let ns consider the manner in
which we shall lie called to an ac
count before God, onr Judge. TYio
oue for the performance of his dnty
us a teacher of righteousneen, and
others os hearers of God’t word.
The minister has this hoIciuo warn
ing before him, “Sou of man, 1 have
muds tW a watchman nnto the
house of Israel.” “When I any unto
the wicked, tiioti sbalt surely die,
and thou giveat him not warning,
the same wicked man shall die in
hia iniquity, but hia blood will I
require at thine hand. Bat if thou
warn the wicked and be turn not
from his wickedness, be shall die in
his iniquity, but tbou hast delivered
thy soul.” Yon pereeive then, my
dear bretlireu, how solemn, hsw aw
ful arc <mr responsibilities. The
minister of the Gospel Is to be
judged, rewarded or imnished by
the him Being, who win reward
or punish the ttoek over whom he
has been appointed Hbepherrt. And
the nearer year Mkepherd draws to
tha sad of hia eaotOa, an much nearer
it Ike lime of Ida reward or panish
mnit at baud. Think not, my dear
friend*, that yoav pastor, who has
rodravsesd to discharge his duty,
however imperfectly, to yoar fore
fathers, to yoar fhthers and to yoa,
baa been actuated by personal feel
lags against you whan he spoke of
yearn neglect of duty, or desired to
•hid fewer ia yoar right by palliating
your short routing*. You hove heard
hi* aathurtty for the reproof of yoar
error*, sad hi* saeourugeaieat for
hading yoa in the path of truth ami
of duty. As pastor aad people we
have possessed opportunities for the
improvement of surorive* and of tue-
fnine** to other*, aad for all these
privilege* we must sue day render
on account to God.
Young uiao, young woamn, as yet
yao have oaly been permitted to
pluck the lilsasumt of Bpriag, atilt
yoa have been loag enough in this
garden of the world to learn to dis
criiuuiNlr between the pore, the fra
grant, aad the wholeaomc; ami tiist
which is peisoaouB aad ntalevolent.
Ye middle aged, have ye act heard
the oft-ropeated assurance* of the
puiiiokaieat that will be reaped by
ain, aud the reword* ww-arrd by in
tegrity, u png Hines* aud piety. Ye
aged, have yo uot had time enough
ia yuur probation, to leora that the
hoary head is a . rown of glort—hat
only if it be found ia the way of
rigbteousMo*.
Ask yoar hearts, my dear Christian
friends, in what manner have you
received the inwtrurtioa* of this aged
man during his prolonged ministry’ f
Noon—very soon—wr trill all be sum
maned Ware the bar of God, to
render for tlie deeds done in the
body, for every Iraana given from
tkia desk, for i rery adanmition. every
exhortation and every appeal to your
coanrtencm and to yoar God. Aad
this hoary head aleairru to receive a
crown of rigfctronanesa, ami to effect
this, your Pastor fervently dewire*
and prays that he oat he found ia
tho way af rightmasiww*. My young
frieoda. let me again address you,
and remind you that although yoa
may look forward to many years of
earthly euloyiaeuta. yet even if your
live* are spared, the hoary bead and
the evil days must come. Age bring*
its iaflnuities—therefore I beoceeh
yoa, secure for yooraeive* the sift*
ports and consolations of religion, so
mnrli needed ia the winter of life,
t’attivate now those virtue* which
trill ranse the blossom* of yoar
sjrring to perfotne with their frag
rance, the fruits of yoar snraaier and
the abundance of your autumn, to
render your middle life a blessing to
all around von, that in the winter of
old age a crown of glory may rest
npon your hoary head. My ebilderu
do yon nut see, if yoa embrace rdig-
hm In youth, and are found in the
way of righteouaneaa. then if death
cuts you off in early life yoa trill be
prepared for an exchange of worlds;
or, If you lire on to hoary hairs, you
secure to yonrsrtvea a crown here
and s Miaafol eternal reward here
alter Y—for the Hfr of man is neither
limited to ronth nor to old age—bat
is linked to eternity. Again, In every
portion of life, remember there are
joys to he secured liy a Ihithful per
formance of duty to God and man,
and sorrows to Iri earned for our
selves ami entailed npon other* by a
neglect af, or unfaithful performance
of dnty. Ami my young friends,
yon perceive that the pilgrimngr of
yoar aged Pastor la now bat short,
his labors are nearly ended, his sun
i* fast going down. If his dnty ha*
been faithfully discharged he has the
hope of reward set before him, not
on account of his own works, but
through the merit* of Him who Wed
fur Him on the cross and mode a
propitiation for hi* sins by hia aton
ing death. Tims, let the children of
God, whatever [wwltion they may
hold, minister or hearer, young or
old, prepare to enter Into that rest
which is reserved for tlie people of
God.
Aged friends, if we arc Christians,
we possess some comforts and bless
ings which are denied to the young.
Tlie mind of tlie aged man has be
come sobered by time and experience;
his passions have been subdued, and
calmness and tranquility should take
possession of his soul. Like the
patriarch Isaac of rid, he can enter
into the field* at eventide and medi
tate. And he 1mm the satisfaction of
reviewing, not a few year* only, but
s long Mfo time. And if he has frith-
folly fulfilled his dntieo, he may enjoy
the roapect and even the adoration
of the community, nod might almost
be able to say with Job of old t
“When the ear heard me then it
biassed me, and when the eye saw
mb It gave witness to ate ; because I
delivered the poor that cried, ami the
fatherless, gml him that had none to
help him, the blearing of him ihst
was ready to perish came u|*m am,
aad 1 canoed the widow's heart to
ring for joy; I pat oa righteous, and
if clothed me; my judgment was aa
a robe and a diadem ; I was eyes to
the Mind and feet worn I to the lame.
I was a tether to the poor; and the
eooae which 1 knew not I scarebrd
oat." Many brrmvaMmta must Adi
to the portion of the aged in the
course of a loag life-time, bat os a
child of God. the memory of hia de
parted friends does not fill Ms mind
with gtuom and «lea|ioiMleney ; the
recollections of the associations of
other years, the pirtnrM of the [suit,
bat fill bis miud with pleasure, and
animate his heart with hopes of a
reunion in the world above, when
ever) sis will lie Watted oat; where
sorrows and tears shall be wiped
away, sad where he arill p -seas a
Wear knowledge of things airh he
long desired to look into. . ,d having
attained to the purity angel*, he
•ball rit down with hL neloved, and
with Isaac nnd Jacob, in the prrarere
of the King of Glory, daring the age*
of eternity.
Thu# you peter ive, my dear friends,
that the nearer the aged Christian
advances to the grave, tlie nearer lie
arrives at thefruHioa of all bis hope*
in that henvealy world where God Is
all in all.
But here, my dear friend*, the
great and im|turtaut fact should not.
must not be overlooked, that in order
to attain to this high Christian rotate,
we must he trained in the school
of Christ; we most pray earnestly
to Him to anhdur our [*>**!<ou, to
regulate onr minds oa Christian
principle*, to convert our hearts to
God, to teach n* to fed that we are
Hia children, and to walk ia the way
of Ills commandments. For the
('hriktuui life ti one of discipline aud
training; it requires all the exertiou*
of man oa ooe part, and all the Ideas
ings of God ntt the other. For a* we
sow, shall wr imp—and the must
teithfhl Christian* are those who
beirin «nH t v to l«l»or in Gotf*n vine-
y*nl; bat time U not'limited with
the Almighty. He ti ready to accept
those who have lingered ou the way,
even until their sun is going down.
For Christ has mid, Come ye who
are weary and heavy ladeued and I
will give yoa rest. lie win remove
the Ixirdra of yoar sins from your
son I, and send peace, joy and rejotc
iag into yoar homes and yuur hearts.
I have yet one more serious, prayer
fid request to urge npon yoa. I desire
mast earnestly to see the work of
grace abounding in the hearts sod
lives of my people. Often aod‘often
for many yean past, has the Spirit
of God visited aa—very reread) spate
who had waited long surrendered
their hearts to God. One who had
resolved to be among us was cat
down suddenly before the opportuni
ty was afforded him to dedicate him
self to God ; the Almighty, no doubt,
accepted the will for the deed. And
many other* are before me, who have
long, very long, been the subjects
not alone of the prayer* of their aged
Pastor but of their wive*, their chil
dren, their brothers, their sisters,
ami frk-nd*. Come, beloved broth rvn,
hoar my instructions and [deadings,
let not my words fall unheeded on
yoar o r*. He who has so loug es
teemed yon a* friend*, who has par
taken so often of yoar hospitality,
who united yon in the holy bonds of
marriage—who baptised your little
children—who psrticiputrd in your
joys, and mourned with you in your
sorrows, comes to you now—in the
last day* of bis life, w ith the earnest
entreaty, the fervent pra)-er “ Be ye
reconciled to GotL” You believe
iu the doctrine of the resurrection;
you desire that the tender associa
tions commenced in life, may be per
petuated in heaven. Come, take one
step more, and God will do the rest.
Make n profession of religion, come
with all your imperfections to a
throne of grace and merry, and he
who said to the penitent of old, u thy
dim arc forgiven thee, go and sin no
more," will take you under his pater
nal protection and training, and fit
yon for that kingdom which is eternal
in the heavens. At our next Com
munion at Easter, we hope aud pray
that you will l<e among the many who
will dedicate themselves to the ser-
vfca of the living God. Ol daisy
not, delay not, my sun of life ti
rapidly going down, and the hands
that now invite yoa, and are now
ready to blew you, are trembling
with founoore year*. Ol what joy,
what thaotcfatness will be created in
bis aged heart, if those to whose fore
father* be has administered, aad for
whose deaeeudeats he is now spend
ing his lateot^weath, ahooM with one
accord bring the offerings of their
heart* to the altar of the living God.
. Brethren, what more eaa I say-
take the beet wishes, the fervent
prayer* sod the heartfelt blasting of
yoar aged tether and Pastor. May
yoar children be trained *p to the
fear of God; ia the nurture aad ad
monition of the Lord. May the young
before me, crowd around this altar
to receive the blessing of their Hea
veuly Father, husbands aad wires
draw nigh to this table of the Lord
with devoted affection in their heart*
toward* each other and towards their
God, and may throe my aged friends
who are tottering on the brisk of th*
grave, now give evidence that they
have a well grounded hope for thtir
anticipation* of a reunion with their
beloved beyoud the grave. And mom
may iod have merry u|xm us all.
Soon—very soua, if we walk feitk
hilly with Him, will eurth's tears all
he wiped away and the wailing* of
sorrow be swallowed up in the songs
of joy olid rejoicing; chili poverty be
fell no more, hut in tlie mam
us—Strength that is t
from falling—try to walk dose to
Hu ride, keep onr robes from Main,
and every day try Bore nearly to ap
proach that faultlewueas, bolding
Hie image up before our ey es as wo
walk, that we may daily “grow up
into the perfect man, unto the meas
ure of the stature of the ftdnesa of
Christ.”—Pariek VUitor.
Amkittia ia tbs Pal pit *
Ambition in the pulpit! It i* Uka
a monstrosity ia the domestic cirela.
It stands right before the man Of
God and and conceals him entirely
from view. It bushes the throbbing*
of the heart-yearning to work for
Christ. It choke* hi* utterances
struggling forth iu behalf of the di
vine cause. It gives the true salat
false motions, false language, aad
false sentiments. If Christ be ad
mitted to the pulpit at all, he is po
litely seated in one corner, to iiminla
like any other respectable hearer ia
silence. If the Holy Spirit com** at
all, be may hover in the ceiling of
the chnrch uutil the benediction rlnsr
the services. If the angels drop in
to see what ti going on, and per
chance hear the glad news of peni
tence, for fresh theme of song to the
heavenly choir, not one ti invited to
a seat in the altar, but are left to
hang around the door or shift for
themselves as best they can, sad go
i bock to glory as empty as they cams
above—within the [tenrl.v gate*, light j Of all ambitioua, ambition ia a
and peace and joy will abound ; preacher of the gospel ti the lowoM,
throughout the age* of immortality. ( the meanest. The great “I” is pZ
Amen. , ed, glorified, immortalized. The tricks
j of rhetoric are played off with tW
skill of a juggler. The prayer ti
eloquent with thought, .sentiment,
| ideas, mformattin, which ho
1 gratefal to the implied ignorance of
“He ti aide to present you foult- the IMrine Being. The discoura* ti
low before the presence of His glory i a [[ that is desirable to tickle tha
Selections.
1 to Os Fsnrard.
with exceeding joy !* What
eouragement to poor, stuuldiag
Oirtittiua to keep on tlirir wv. We
eee ouraelve* covered over with sin,
our white rube* so spotted with their
stain that they look all black. We
fancy, blind the mural
and regale the guilty
Just imagine a tuan standing in
Christ's own place performing lik*
an ape; standing on the threshold oL
heaven, and throwing reflection* of
look led over evert one week of our earth’s glare around upon the p—pi-,
hfr. aud *«• the accumulation of sin j a *t a* children throw gleams of ike
that, if left there, might condemn sun from a piece of glass; -—«-g
ns torever to lie lost. We look for on the brink of hell, and by vocal
ward on the way, and it Neeas os modulations harmonizing its discord*
though temptation would overcome j wails; standing between the
ns altogether, at though there was i bring and the dead singing the re-
hardly auy of us to try again, so quictn of the one, aud shouting, “oa
often do we tell. We pray against ] ,vitli the dance,” to the other, aad
our easily besetting sin, and try to { this man, this erwture, this thing, ti
conquer it in ni* strength; then. : flushed with high expectation of ro-
feeiinga little stronger, we try in wiring tho bring crown in eternity,
our own, alien it gains the mastery [Methoiut Recorder.
ami we get discouraged. All sen
discountgiug and hopeless! Ilo* cau
we ever ho|ic to enter beareu among
the spotless angels Y To appear be
fore Ilim in whose sight the heaven
of heaven* ti not clean, and who
chargeth the angels with toMy Y” Is
there any use in still trying Y Let
ns tarn away tram self, and sec how
Odd regard* this pour weak life of
ours, lie knows the e»i, from the
beginning, and see* ns already clean
and |mre. He looks at ns “in the
face of Ilia anointed,” who is holy,
sod who ti *Mr to present us "Jnult
tin before tlie presence of His glory,
with ervredimg jog. 9 Already Be
looks at our purified, apoticss souls
coming up to HU throne washed
from all earthly stain. He “ sees of
the travail of Hi* soul and is eotie-
Jtedf ia ns. „
Bo, through all our failures, when
It seems no use for ns to try again.
He has patience with us, and once
more helps u* to rise awl go forward,
lie sura us now easting our crowns
of victor) before His throne; so He
listens, while here we bow opr heads
burdened with sin, seeking i*rdon.
He already sees us w alking among
the redeemed with spotless robes;
so once more He w ashes the fresh
stain at onr request.
Preeeut ue fa ultteaj What a relief
that will be; “No more sin” to strug
gle against; no more bitter tears of
penitence to sited; no more thought
or fear of grieving the Saviour. Only
songs of thanksgiving and triumph
forever. And as already He hears
those songs that we shall sing w ben
we have been presented, He again
stoops to listen here to the confes
sion of sins and promises of liqisn-
tance that hourly go up before Ilim
“who ever liveth to make interces
sion for ns.” May we uot praise our
omniscient Godt Weil it ti for us
that He does know tho end from the
beginning, or He, too, might lose
patience at seeing His own cbildrcu
so often leaving Hti side, stumbling,
weak, and sinful; but He knows, and
so rejoices over us even now.
Aad it ti to he the Saviour’s joy,
not ours alone. Shall we not, then,
ia the strength H* daily holds oat t*
• The Preacher's Disappointment.
Mr. Neale relates the story of “ an
emiuent living prelate,” who with
the greatest good humor is Occam-
turned to narrate the incident himsrtt
as a wanting to his clergy to preach
plainly. \Yhilc be was still serving
a curacy, he was anxious to try hti
hand at extempore preaching, nod
accordingly took the text, “ Th* foo*
hath said iu his heart there ti no God. -
On this subject lie dwelt, match to hti
satisfaction, for tho uso-1 time; h*
proved from the works of creation,
from the construction of onr bodies,
•ad from the other usual topic*, that
there must be a creative power, had
that creative power ti God. He cam*
down from the pulpit with the eom-
fortable conv iction that be hod no* -
done so badly after alL Happening
to walk home with aiuwer who had
attended the service, he ou anxious
to learn what impression he had pro
duced, and accordingly made some
observation which led to the point ' *
he wished to introduce. “A very
capital sermon you gave us, Mr. B,”
remarked hti companion, “ lint some
how I can't help thinking there ti a
God, for all yoo saidCuirereal
Rerietr.
m ^ , ,i
Rev. Dr. Breckinridge was exam
ining a dull student who had a habit
of answering one question by asking
another. “Where,” inquired the doc
tor, “was Solomon's temple Y” “Hem;
do yon refer to its location, sirf”
“Tea,” growled the doctor in hti
deepest tones, “I refer to its loca
tion, or to anything else about it that
aiay be embraced under the word
‘where.’ ”
Dr. Lyman Beecher once said:
“A great many professed Christians
have no other idea of religion than
that it ti a means of getting to
heaven when they die. As to doing
anything for God w hile they live, it
does not enter into their plana I
tell you, my brethren, I do not beltiv*
there is an* in five hundred of each
professors that will reach heaven;
for there ti n magnanimity in true
religion that ti above ail such con
temptible meanness.”