The Lutheran visitor. (Columbia, S.C.) 1869-1904, November 09, 1870, Image 1
ONE LORD, ONE FA TH, ONE BAPTI8M"-EPHE8IAN8 IV: 5.
COLUMBIA, S. C., WEDNESDAY NOYKMBER 9, 1870
tahold the face of my Father which
is in heaven.* His sweetest, tender
( est words were of Uttle children,
and his most lovely picture* were
drawn from them—from their ten
denies*—tbeir docility, and their
confiding faith. And now, when con
firming the faltering faith of Simon
Peter, ami in re-oommisioning him
to go forth to the world with the
message of salvation, the first com
mand be gives, in the discharge
of which Peter would find a happy
menus of strenghtening his own
declining faith, and of gemiitienesH
of his love to Jesus is, “Feed my
lambs.*
The church took up the duty, and
has ever recognised it as of great
importance. And all lawful methods
which in her wisdom she has adopt
ed as most promotive of this noble
end, have been signally blessed, ami
thus have found a divine sanction
in the com maud of the Saviour.
Prominent among these instru
mentalities" is the Sabbath-school—
prominent bees use of its divine sanc
tion, its. immense utility, and its
<, glorious rewards. Its origin is found
f in the miod of Deity, its divine
tuissiou embraces the moat profound
philosophy, the m<t»i enlarged be
uevolencc, the most extensive phi-
lapt-hropy, and the most exalted piety.
Its results reach to and take in the
rewards and the glory of the eternal
world.
It is not an idea of man uppmuM
to the economy of grace fur the
salvation of man, to be nsed or not
at onr option, but A glorious instru
mentality in the divine economyv
included in the S(KMfcolie commission,
co-ordinate with the command to
preach the gospel, and reiterated to
Peter, and through him to the elxirth
down to the end of time. It t* not
the church, but an? efficient agency
in the church—a factor of herself,
which she utilizes by so skilfully
using it as to make it bring its con-
tribntion ami lay* it upon her altar
of praise and glory. The school of
the churCh—that great idea so bap
pily developed in the German mind,
and so efficiently pat into opera t ha i
in their chnrch—has many sanctums
in the Divine Word, hot more bean-
, tiful, more nsefiil, ami equally scrip-
i. tnral, is the properly eondneted
i Sabbath-school of our day. It “trains
the child in the way he should go,*
and the church eatablishes him in
> the faith, so that “when lie is okl be
will not depart from it.* It “trains,*
, and the church furnishes the “narturo
and admonition of the Lord.* The
Sabbath-school furnishes the “sincere
milk of the Word* for these “tabs*
in Christthe church Amishes, in
her public ministrations, the strong
} meat for those who have been made
“able to bear it.® The one is within
, the other, and yet is identical with
the other. Each is represented ’by
the other; the little children in the
Sabbath school are the representa
tives of the kingdom of Christ, and
the citisen* of that kingdom are
like little children. The citizens are
“training" them up for the kingdom,
and are at the same time imitating
them as worthy example*. There is,
therefore, in the economy of the
‘ chnrch, an informing element, co
operating with each otlier, promo
tive of a most {glorious reforming
out growth. It is a divine ma
chinery in which all part* are ad
mirably adjusted, and the whole
working out, in beautiful perfection,
the desired result.
And thns the life, and (tower, ami
beauty of the church are developed,
and the Sabbath-school shines forth
as the light of the world, and the
church’s most efficient agency for the
conversion and salvation of sonls.
Arising as it has in the very bosom
r of the church, eminating from her
divine King* and Head, sealed and
guarded by his smiles and blessings,
hit is God’s own school of instrw'tion
whore he is preparing bis soldiery,
who are to fight his battles in the
world, and then share bis triumph
in heaven. And prominent as it is,
behold, if you please, the humble
place, which it occupies! It super
cedes no duty of family religion. It
takes not the place of the family
altar, or fireside culture. It comes
not in the place of the public min
istry, or the ordinances of God’s
lionse. It displaces none of the pub
lie or private obligations of Chris
tianity or philanthropy, nor inter
feres with any of the means for the
proper estivation of Christian graces.
But it happily cooperates with all
these, by snbduhig, incorporating,
Btihziug and sanctifying all the agen
cies of family religion, and by devel
oping and intensifying the public
fa* UHrifot
USHRD ‘ : f
SDNESDAV
it
IfTT.T.ER.
efforts of Christianity and philanthro
py to bless mankind. And thu*,
in a quiet, unpretending manner,, it
works Into and vitalises all the noble
and praiseworthy enterprises of the
day. i ,
Its object is single—the sal vat km
of the immortal soul—but it* scope Is
two fold. This two-fold scope of dm
Sabbath school is usually overlook'd,
and |o this I wish at present to call
particular attention.
If there is any meaning or effkm-y
of all this ado. We oftep have to
persuade our baptised children that
whHa young and hrfbrc they assume
their baptismal vows, they are the
greatest sinuem in the world. Onr
great otfiect should be to imprws
deeply upon their yoqug and tender
hearts the solemn aud yet glorious
truth that they arc oirimdy Ckrut'i
own dear little fails,- aad became
they are his, mod because he own
ami accepts them, they ought to
love, honor and glorify him. Our
otyert should be to “train them up
la the nurture nod admonition of
Has God enriched you with this
world’s goods 1 Seek to view your
self as a roasters ted medium for
dispensing them to others. Beware
alike of penurious hording and selfish
extravagance. How sad the case
of those whose lot God has made
thus to abound with temporal mer
cies, who have gone to the grave
nnoouaoioae of diminishing one drop
of human misery, or making one of
the world’s myriad aching hearts
happier! How the example of Jeans
rebukes the eoM and calculating
kinds coses the mitelikq offering*
of many even of His own people!
“whose libation is not like His, from
the brim of an overflowing cop, but
from the bottom—from the dregs F
You may have little to give. Your
sphere and means may be alike lim
ited. But nmember God can be as
much glorified by the triflle saved
from the earnings of poverty} as by
the splendid benefaction from the
lap of plenty. “The Lord kneth a
cheerful giver.® The nobler part of
Christian benevolence is not vast
largesses, munificent pecuniary sac
rifices. “He went about doing good*
The merciful visit, the friendly word,
the look of sympathy, the cap of
cold water, the little unostentatious
service, the giving without thought
or hope of recompense, the kindly
“considering of the poor," anticipa
ting their wants, studying their com
forts—these are what God values
and loves. They are “loanat* to Him
self—tributary streams to “the river
of His pleasures.* They will be ac
knowledged at last as such-“Ye
did it onto Me.*
peaMhingf •*» with tinyadf. But,
with two or three exceptions, I was
uncertain whether they wees pleased
with me or not.
One summer my health was un
usually poor, sod at the same time
I was not a Mttie depressed in spirit
Everything looked dark to me. And
somehow I got the Impression that
my people were dissatisfied with me.
I dreaded to meet them on the Sab
bath. I took no pleasure in preach
ing to them. I coaid hardly sum
mon the courage to look them in
the fere. I was an unhappy mss.
The people were in moderate cir-
ctmtstances. Deaths and removals
were occurring. It was with diffi
culty that they raised my salary ;
and it was feared that they might
not be able to do it much longer.
In the midst of this state of things
I called one day npon an aged fe
male member of my chnrch, who
incidentally reposted to me an ex-
premdon which the had heard from
mm of the people. “I would sell
my old dotheu* he add. “before
I would let Mr. 8. go." That remark
was like a medicine to me. It did
i*m* • *• • • • •* • s
rs of Mintstenm,
VBllNUUl** a • A a • *
fail to remit at
their aubsrrtp-
frw times, ami they will be aatoa
‘•bed and delighted to find the life
sod activity they will awaken. Ko
child would wintufty be absent from
•orh a school, and all would feel that
this hour la the house of God was
that they are out of the way, wan
driers ton Christ, sod hateful to
Him.
A distinction should therefore lie
made between the little ehildrrti aud
those adult youth* who have aot
cultivated properly the grace of
taptiam, end have not apfinqelated
to tbemeelvce the tworth* of the
8aviuur*s death. A dintim lius should
also be made between the lit tie chil
dim of the chunk end those of
onbeberera who have not been
“sanctified* by tbr rouarrrating sa
crament of baptism. Till* is what
we menu by tho Hebtath-*rkoel
bavisg a two fold ncupe. The church
generally seems to have lost sight
of it. I say hit right of it, for it
certainij recognized it at first. It Is
intimated in the taptimsl service
of nearly all churches which practice
infent baptism, sad is promiaeutiy
taught iu those of the Rfdaoufiol sod
Lutheran Churches.
Thk very efficient agency of thr
church—tho Hobbsth srhuul—4* at
t meting thr respectfel attention of
the world, umI the m at .wring*
rvtiridorstioti of all good men. Fa
cilities for carrying it foruard are
r»|ihtly maltiplying, and with them
cornea the great danger of a Mtprf-
!t* literature riwmkl
....; 8 30
....<< 8 00
7 00
....] 10 00
» square* and
p*r cent., of
10 per cent.,
40 per cent,
upwards, 00
it. will he del acted from ths above
carry oa an active, efficient Hsbtatk
school, and that ft Is their special
duty to be there, and not yours
or mine. The command of <%ri*t,
“Feed my tomta," la to you, ami
t» me, and to all. We should all
fed ft a privilege to have something
to do iu the salvation of the chil
dree, who are there bring tanght
the way to life sad heaven. Barely
the object Is so noble, the work in
ffkwtoua, sad the reward no rich,
when mors than fir* lim,
- sigh t words, pay-rid* in
it* am t* p*r quarter.
•! id communication* to
R. RUDE.
' Columbi
For the Lutheran Visitor.
Wo ace commanded to “work"
hi »lr Isnfi vineyard ; we are to
“ooeapy" till (litht routes; we are
kia diart|4e* if wo d* what he com
mmmdm. That rbnrrtt will be com
parathriy dead and inefficient, I
«*re not how eloquent its paste)
may be, whom- membership i* not
int* rested in all tbe dutie* of reH
gtoe sod all tbe exercise* of GodV
l my lambs.*
, text, my
d among tj
Saviour a I
-St. John xxi: 15.
brethren
^ i stands
ic first commands
er he had broken
t. It was uttered
im as ho btood before his
poized cbn -ch the almighty
i«ror of dea h and helj. It is
unction to h s church involving
y of the vert first impqrtanre,
eaus for discharging which are
fod, but left to the discretion
oat* to whoi i the dntj? is as
it It is a i epetition of com
8 formerly jiven, anil I which
rind scatter d throughout the
1 of the Me saic dispensation,
i ordered, loijjg centuries before
t came, “Gwther the peo|de
bfr, men, women, and children,
hie stranger I that is vytbin tl^'
• that they u ay hear, and that
may learn, a ad fear tl|e Lord
God, and obi erve to dq all the
} of this lav f, and that their
[mi who hav > not known any-
[may hear, a id learn, and fear
Lqrd your Gj
|he said : “ j
l 1 command (
t thy heart ;|
I them diligd
I and thou s|
j thou sittest!
thou walked
thou liest i
risest up.
item for a slg|
bey shall he
thy eyes;
them upon 1
abed new tight npon matters, ft
encouraged me to l»VK>r on for the
good of the people. My health soon
began to mend, aud, by the blessing
of God, my efforts were not in vain.
< Hher ministers, 1 doubt not, are
often discouraged and depressed for
thr want of some kind word from
their people. If you (in oonarten-
tioualy qv»k such a word, don’t
herniate to do it. if you have been
benefited by aome sermon which
your minister has preached, don't
hesitate to tell him of it. Or if you
have beard others speak favorably
of hts labors, whisper it in his ear.
You need not Batter him, and you
should not; but, if he is a faithful
man, sad devotes himself to yoor
good, you may, and you ought to,
To-Day.
Tho only period on which the
gospel-calf emphatically insists is
to-day. In its precepts and in
junctions it knows no other time.
“Behold, now is the accepted time.
Now is the day of salvation." Mani
festly, it i* tbe only fitting period
upon which the divine command eqn
insist for tbe taginning of tbe duties
which it enjoins. To'name tomorrow
as tbe accepted time would plainly
be to justify the disobedience or
disaffection of today.
Besides, it is tbe only time of
wbch we con be sore. God deals
oat to ns onr time in seconds. He
thus teaches us its value. These
little particles are all distinct . The
sands of the hour-glass are not more
thoroughly disintegrated than the
moments are which come to us from
GodV hand. The present minute
does not insure that which for a
brief season is fixture. While it is
passing, the decision may be made,
of which there is no reversal.
What peril and uncertainty are
surrounding the sinner in his aliena
tion from God! With Him, in
whose hand onr breath is, and whoee
are all our days, all is fixed. The
number of our months is with Him ;
and to thoee who love Him the
thought is ftrfi of precious comfort.
Our times are in His hand. He
orders our changes. “AH things are
working together for good.® Even
the present hour of sorrow, bereave
ment. and distress in the very order
of its coming has a bearing upon the
unseen good which it is sure to bring
in God’s own way Mid time. Now,
heaven is open to the penitent and
believing. Pardon and peace are
sure to them who obey God’s call,
but beyond this, to-day is the to
morrow which grace mentions only
to warn the shiner against boasting
ofit
“Boast not thyself of to morrow,
for thou k nowest not what a day
may bring forth."
There is vast presumption in the
confidence with which men assure
themselves that the future is their
own. The best of God’s children
are prone to forget that they are
sure only of that portion of to-day
m which they are living now. How
many are constantly laying out plans
as though their lease oi life was in
the handwriting of the great Lord
of heaven aud earth. They speak
with as much certainty of what they
will do this year and the next, as
though they knew the whole history
of years to come, whereas they know
not what shall be on the morrow.
There is wholesome admonition in
the pungent saying of St. James,
and we all may take heed to it:
“Go to, now, ye that say, To-day
Gbrudtoa* will think that that can
he M I nit little importance in which
their parrots take no intercut And
parrot* really have no right to com
plain of a want of interest on tftr
part of ihcir children, when they
exhibit non* thcmsHvre. I am well
aware that there are parent* who
Arial training
be guarded with a jrabm* rye.—
Much of ft, ami especially that of
tbe AsM-rican Honda} arW»l t'uisa,
ami that of inrspotirible mdivtdual
eaterpnwes, already need* a I borough
re virion. Mark of its nnar m of a
qaeritunable dharactaa. And while
we *boukl rep Her is aay and all
the aarfel improves**at*, aad wit
•ugly adopt whatever will tend to
give life and energy aud power to
the Anhhatb srbool, we shuuld, at
the same time, guard our ebarrbea
against oil "ftcroarfcmerits of a doubt
fol propriety, ami use a wiae dm
rriminatiou in the rkoiee w« make
of hooka, paiiere and murir. The
00a m
45am
57pm
00pm
SO p m
Train*
»Notik
amuL ft wilt do hmi good. It will
lighten kia heart of it* hardens. It
will stimulate him to labor more
diligently aad tto|iefuily. Ha will
feat tke favorable imineDoe in kia
risdy, in the pulpit, and in all his
intercourse with kia people.—Casa.
those who would trade iu literature
at tke risk of immortal *onU; aud
there is a disposition on the part
of all, araat all, who are deeply
interested ia the mare, eagerly to
arise aad devour every thing that is
offered for tke ore of Habtath
tetalk
What wa seed to gnanl n• agwori
all the evila to whirti I have ad
verted, and other* whirk I can aot
menthmi now, ia, a hUrrvterr «/ ear
ears, in which will a|q«ear tke dee-
triam of ear own flared, and I rum
which nor childrea «ha>! hr tanght
that which we wink them to retain.
Then, and not till then, will tke
ministry of our < ‘burrfa lie relieved
of the necessity of ffadtenting tke
error* taught oar children in their
infancy from liook* and paper* |ib-
liahed by those who differ from n*.
There ia one other subject couoert
ed with the Habhoth school, of great
importance, now agitating the public
mind, npon whirk I mast tag to
present a thought or two, and then
1 have done. It relates to the best
method of retoiaiag thr children, nmd
fieinf life mmd imtereet to tke arerrim.
This question ba* prrplried many
good men and women who are offer
ing in tbe Hobbsth-arbonl “their
aoola and bodies, a living imeriften
to God." Many expedient* hare
bre resorted to, uad with varied
sucooaa. But tke true one ta* been
discovered by but few congregations.
That is, for the jmremte Is accompany
their children.
This in, we are sure, the moot
efficient means of inftiring new life
and interest htto all our schools, and
of retaining it And ft costa but
little, jit ia a reasonable demand,
ami it certainly will repay any pa
rent. 4 It requires but an boar's time
on the Sabbath, the very day sol
apart for religious exercise*. It ia a
greet tjp the touch re aad ths chil
dren, aad so tt certainly would be
to the parent too. W« do not ask
all to touch, but simply give os your
presence and jour smiles. “Iron
alt talk of tliep
in tby house, and
t by the why, and
lown, -ami when
And thoil sbatt
n npon thy head,
as frontlets ta-
jand thou .shaft
be posts uf thine
fates." I
hrliest times tbe
bharch wire iu-
hrincs* anil dnties
This »ome instruction,
e cnltu e was infcorjsir-
the J<
Ifenevoleocr, “ITirist’s great end,®
says Richard Baxter, “was to enve
men from tbeir sins; but be delight
ed to save them from tbeir sorrows."
His heart bled for human misery.
Beuevoleooe brought him from heav
en ; benevolence followed bis steps
wherever he went on earth. Tbe
journeys of tbe Divine Philanthro
p»*t were marked by tears of thank
fatness, and breathings of grateful
lore. The helpless, the blind, the
lame, the desolate rejoiced at tbe
sound of his footfall. Truly might
ft be said of him, “When the ear
Heard me, then It Messed me; and
where tbe eye saw me, it gave wit
ness to me." (Job. xrix : 11.)
Aft suffering hearts were a magnet
to Jeans. It was not more his pre
rogative than his happiness to turn
tears into smiles. One of tbe few
phousres which on earth gladdened
the spirit of the “Man of sorrows,"
was the pleasure of doing good—
soothing grief, and alleviating misery.
Next to the joy of the widow of Nain
when her son w as restored, was the
m in the bosom of the Divine Re
storer! He often went out of his
way to be kind. A journey was not
grudged, even if one aching spirit
were to be soothed. (Mark v : 1;
John iv: 4-5.) Nor were his kind-
nesses dispensed through the inter
vention of others. They were all
personal acts; bis own hand healed.
Hie own voice spoke. His own foot
step lingered ou the threshold of be
reavement, or at the preeiacts of the
tomb- Ah! had the princes of this
world known the loving tenderness
of that heart, “they would not have
crucified the Lord of Glory!" -
Do you know anything of anch
active benevolence t Have you ever
felt the luxury of doing good f Have
you never felt, that to making others
happy, you make yourself so I that,
by a great law of yoar being, enun
ciated by the Divine Patron and
Pattern of Benevolences “It is more
bleated to five than to receive F
wish system of
and w;»« a prom-
Jewish worship,
all thy children
tanght ofj tbe Lord; and
»ll be th > peace - >f thy
* ami the Jew alwsfys felt
reward.
I have oo doubt that wbea Christ,
at the Bar, shall pruooaocv a poo
hi triad aad feithfal one* the “well
re upon tbe : proper t aining
children in th 3 duties o
e observance) of the laH
^hen the grd*t Teacher
h this iiynnci ion, incorp
be comm aw to preat
, and investe< ‘with the a
him who sps ke as man
caine forth |from his
lothed with ill the ti
eftj, life, am * power <
Uspensation. The eba
ns himself g ves beautj
ty to these living wi
my lambs." Dim of tta
infan
came
irated
h tbe
nthor-
never
did H unto Me. Enter thmi into thr
joy of thy Lord." And O what joy
—whet an “eternal weight of glory"
will tarsi npon your happy souls
as throe little ones gather around
you snd claim you a# their spiritual
teacher, through whose self-denying
labors they have been saved.
May Almighty God, the Shepherd
and Bishop of onr sonls, and the
seals of oar children, enable os so to
improve this sntyact that we may
all be disposed by HI* rich grace
to feed His lamb*. Amen.
titan of
maon-
t their
or to-morrow we will go into such a
city, and continue there a year, and
buy and sell and get gain. 'Whereas
ye know not what shall be on the
morrow. For what is your life! It
ia even a vapor that appeareth for
a little time, and then vaniabeth
away- For that ye ought to aay, If
the Lord will, we shall live, and do
this or that."
Oh! the goodness of pod! Men
abuse His patience, and ‘count upon
length of days, aad yoA He waits,
ami knocks, and caffs. “To-day, if
ve would hear Hip voice, harden not
Many favors which God giveth ns
revel out for want of hemming,
through our own nn thank fatness ;
for though prayer purchased) bless
ings, giving prater doth deepen the