The Lutheran visitor. (Columbia, S.C.) 1869-1904, December 21, 1870, Image 1
Rail.
7 *>*„,
***tn
f
ww
• «« n
--> 0»o ni
[12 »p£
1 3 I***
■ MIS
JURE,
end<nt
1:2 £*»
|-8 88 An
-8 80 am
|--t 10 p ®
-7 45am
-4 25 p m
-8 00am
.4 10 pm
. I*
1.7 00pm
-«4oSm
1.7 OS a m
1.7 80 pm
6 00pm
-6 00 am
*r train*
»TS MMl
len ami
* *
8 85am
111 08am
1 00 pm
1.5 40 p m
V Snp't
■
8 00 a ro
|11 45 am
1 57 pm
4 00pm
6 80pm
Trains
its North
8 80am
ll 15 a m
58 p m
I 3 45 pm
8 50pm
|h Trains
id* for
Florida.
Mobile,
... Mem-
Drinnati,
|ml West.
Night
Bag-
ata.
.. «rohia
| different
Sup't.
|ght and ,
.' i -<v
I Railroad
n •
II •
4 30 p m
17 00 p m
.3 80am
16 10 am
Cfc Tic
Hal-
Loud can
J Station*
IndersOn,
and Al-
Agent,
ientfi.
P
m
die
IT That
L itmder
[i* , in*rk,
aac^r-
lexiat *n
, infan-
i others
_• chil-
of the
as
infant,
no
STS
for the-
of
i niRRO'
ifXur
c(M~
n sine 0
having
PIPHP^PPMH
mpisr-
*
m-
f
■f .**l|*M<rV
’
■ *
M
iV co se
Pfgj
Sir
i ««•***
Vr»oe
i ar
J*Y*tT \o 1
M
»>*.V‘wV, ‘td t Iff *>#*«<;
•ft!'#
Llllt
£A2l
K
i* <
5 M <Tfrnl tart 4H ‘hw
'JLlL /thrtrif Hi * hy *!_,
JhtX j },;;.,«!-», | m!| ’ [.ttfT
IBS. VOL. 3—NO. 17
Mp«t r *fKU* t (nff, towns I
3ma
..
V
:l ,«■ J* PtTBLprtKD WM*™ '•»
_ tV WE
'•'•if 4,i • Itlgy
)N T F,SDAY
id .l»i!tl ;-#>?iooh
rate* or m*#m
•*
• square (one it* It of
idt'ertio*..... j}.*. ..U
msnth......,.
(wrath*—
in A
1JB
Mln^torv
ITH. , 3.W
f U tn remit MS
Tper «t*miu 3.00
tered cnt the *wb
the flr-t payment
fel !■*.-,
rr
_,)>e *r+M
months. .,..
fluents o
■iWh
•.«,»••i% 3,88
l.soo
• - .-*► 7 00
10 00
Kr> ll ,
area ami
p 8era fs'fl V* *
i and up ward a, Q0
deduettd from the abmu
arhen niofa than tee line*,
for eight w >rda,
cent*
aud
pqjaWe
U
'quarter,
muuuea turns fa
DDE, l\f>.,
'ulmmUo, 8. C.
0 IS,
1LL_
n eh t lion
1
t i< For the LeUneea Visitor.
Lather and
instrument
Reformation.
the head
Bat while
positions as
/STo~~-~T Tm!
iuiitni-yi*n in|
n»4fe»«»n*^ iff’
id# hoa .hiP'/H
’ a *
rfgif H "i
>tt' ant m li»
T
j.
ONE LORD, ONE PAITH. ONE B APTI8 M”-EPHE 81A NS IV: 6.
’ • • j' . ^ ;;Q I, 4, , . <;j .1 ‘ ^ ^
, ./•
=C=C3
1 ihi
COLUMBIA,^, C., WK0NKSDAY, DKCEMBER 21,'1870.
.
ootMlemtihffion^aml Vrhen he he held
OhriM reflected ht the Ij8w, and el
perfetuvd thepreAtnesa and frraeiooa
weaa of aahrtitian thmn^h him. he
posaessed u 11 in)atakaide evidemrs (if
the ri£*M*«hei« <# the Me he
ttrtir eitifryieg- lOrward, and of the
hewelen ha 8flji»med fn the rimreh
of Rome. Thera were fnterttttl and
exteriml ortdes in hi* htatory nidth,
thmujfli divine grace, made htm the
I,utln‘r «»f the Reform.it inn. The
evident hand^of (Vod was over him
aa ; 8 pmteetihg anff guiding power,
educating him by tl»e very extrent
itiea to which the rhtirrh hud been
bnaiglit for the inwitiou ef huntnn
lieadship in its renoration. * * v
* ‘ Meianehthoti never experienred
three apiritnai straggle*, either in
hie ent^’ or mature llfb. fn holy
baptism he had been pianttsi in
the garden of f^od,’ and the vhria
tlan culture of his childhood saved
him fVoni being torn t»|» am! im
periled by those who sought to
destroy the precious growth. Ten
der the influence* of evangelic*!
home instruction his religions UfV
expanded, nnhindered by the con
flicta aronnd. iQnMIy he atone to
position in that splendid galaxy
of Reformers, unaided by religions
coiiqneets, ami unheralded by heroic
actions. His tendency was, from
an inherent quiet greatness, to And
h»» ortiit weaf ' the sun, that he
might be env4op8d in his bright
ness, rather than reflect it to tlln
mine otheiw.
• .11 s' • ”* jV ]
Melanchthon wss not a creature
of the Refonaiatton in the same
sense with Isither. He wonid have
attaine«l dritimttion hi the depart
nient of literatan* under other rir
cumstauces than those of the lflth
ceatnry. He would bare Hvrd tn
bis literary fume as RemliKn and
Erasmus hntv Hve<l, withont the
reiignma agitations into which lie
w»s drawn, and to whieh he so
greatly contributed. His disfMiHttion
by ihitnre was^ neither aggressive
nor defrmdre, End in the violent
opposition of tbnf age he appears
In sU controversies as the mediator,
seeking to rt‘Coucile contending |«ar
ties. He loved peace more than
all else—save truth, and even tins
he seriously intperihsl, if he
not compromise. HiA course 1
e<l an attempt j to reconcile truth
and error. He Mled to comprehend
the breadth and depth of the guff
between the pritieiples of the Ref*
omr.ition and those of the Papucj'.
In theory, to himj fundamental truths
were frw, and the chief points of dis
tinction between the Reformed and
Romish ehnrches were matters which
he regarded sdisphorn, and In no way
men—a development of affecting the essence of Christianity,
y and pow^r—a great- The (Confession of (848, the Angs
11
OLD SERIES, VOL. V.-NO. 121.
v
—
termed bigotry; when charity I* pot Heiigfon *h» tt* so
M the equivalent that liix rility thought 1 fliffnyw
which embrace* iUTLc all creed*, or
Ignores all 'otgecttve faith ? Vcfpy,
inneh Of the boaated religious lilwrty
of our age h» only rejtgiou* lietui-
StfaiL 1 *. *
Vor his strong sfiosto^r faith T.u-
ther has his pantile! nnlv in Tp«Lj
Th this is the secret of : fflh A pMrevi]
TTfs fhitb, Rhe the r,«>d fn Mil be
trusted, wns a “fhxt set fortresA" fou-
stssl and impregnable. In trif own
language, h«* “could believe away” dtf
Acfllrtes which neither his reason nmr
energy was able to remm c. I.nfherbi
faith accomplished fb«* ltefl*rmnfion,
i*r self—*1 ways
grave, and *1
wavs appeiUing ta Wbst ta highest
and ihwptst in maiv—must he made
8* pleasant, snd Wghf, and 'IfA
feet be attention n* Hie comedy ok
(he farVe; bud be tricked but with
many of tfetk alhircmetits of the the
atre, Iwfore the people, espcciaffy In
etriaas wiN niipmsehitts gates nr If*
ten to its ex|»o*Mbtiot»a.
M UwiH.be mucti botisr to oHin
«|HMb Um> MlWMitkmt.of tie n
ill* wnridiv, than gain tt by
trioiowa arts and the
of the |wl|4t. A small oo
wen'
in the work
God placed
this move-
Alled the
agents in the
work, their im ividnallty was
> identified wit i it as to be
While they la! »red with nn
t to restore to the church
ony, awl i -eve, as Paul,
of Christ, II ring and act-
jh the |x>w< r of his w ill,
and f nbRc lives are
by stro ig individual
ies. Tlieiti bovhmsl al
manifests a mar ;ed difference
of wh^rtal eonstitntioi i, an<F is an
of their fntur history.
e*ri imt life was
those distn bfng riremn-
and rough exigences wh»ch
. . Luther for Bis high mis
sion.: iAlthongb distiraeyiished from
ehih^bod for remarkable breadth
h of mind, ind enjoying
Itronage of the luiost distin-
scholars of Riirope, yet his
peacefhl, anf untroubled
He fonud in pitcrarpr pur-
is highest enjoyments, and
rapidly au«i atemliiy to
as one born tjp fame. ^Uie
seems wnluMit any of
irises that obonkt with the
not his lemming, or that of bis co 1 espcui wetghty
laborers. By this he wrestled with, instruct am, is inrtndel.v mure useful
and Rk^ Jacob, overcame 1. ' In to ('hrist’a causa apd Um prosimeta
Lutheris simple trust snd strong don of society , (!»*» 8 uiyb vf inuy uUnra.
fldetioe are reflected the certainty aUraclad py a cnowtU «U<» Iwsng
and rightconsncKx of th.- cause of itching ear* sad ga away with |be
the Reformation. They were the id.* that the guapal and raligioa
snre earnests of the fa tore toinplete are not very arrioas or grave can
triumph, a grand epiphany in j>rr «**raa after all la* no* let ll be
son si form of the bennty nml might imagined tbat ndigioti has not Ms
of the truth, for which lie rumrndiNl. legitiimite mtumibum even from ait.
In that Arst positive ad of Hie pe
formati.mi there is manifested a he
roism of character ami as almost
boMaess «>f fWitb. which
eminently great
reformer. At
t was atmest
bore himself as
witness to the
r the number
i enemies. la
•id deeper the
Reformat am tu
ehameter snd
fth new powtw.
SthHl Was (Ml
tmi (\ihaeg his
med thst .fay
danger to the
• codAriitHtion
snd estaldhdi
im mart si mu
th. .* ‘ • • >1*
i «sitting la
le oft«-a walked
positions nrase
tste, he WnoM
safoas ta cum
ssenshaut. The
fvrest.mmg (tt*
Bat
all ba atihardinafed an,
the gravity
teas of the solemn hi
a hick (bey are aaan
im we hear a pn|«itar
minister eejoMbg that his place of
* i,. • • a>,
r'Www** * 18*1
gai iJUorali —I - a«k«> arat Wo* usaII — W s
ll fwfifiT'fi. ffff hfft“ p*v'ltt ^*^11 ff
aae la Hkelr to he ms. le of the I mild
fog. *• The sealing (hr mpieHIctal tut
cJteaw-nt la reNgioas srnriees 1* he
eoanag aot only a peril, but a dta
grace to telighm. like the great
estotfoshments m dry gstods that are
ile\ asrtag the -msfler tradesmen, a
few great chartstaaB In nrHgien. with
the^shl «>f a few greet master*, are
becoming the only \w4re« the people
flock to hear, while leim»e.|, serious,
snd instructive pteasbi rs. wIk> wffl
not stoop to vulgar arts, are neglect
ed aad forsaken. It is a shocking
imftearhm of the levity of the imbUr
i mind. Tf can wot, we trwst. con
tinne. If it dors, H will take a eetr
tary hi recover frna the inparr one
geaetstbai of polpR mowafsbawkl
have daae to the rhnrrh. snd to
the re\ toww sad faith of the gne
did
r, the |Mfwa^ pel.— /dte.sf flHttos.
le I lef.maarhm
tath-s found hik j
sadewt. Tliew
g>- *•»*! prsswp* j
letanehthou of
«*m so WwleH-
*r the safety of
s4ing thraagh
ther, ap to IVon
Il»e sup.
family Religion.
in
and ael^originating,
the product, of external
noeo. a *
on the contrary, was era-
adrereity. The stmuu of
was troubled at ita fonn-
inatead of tbe undisturbed
Ifcle flow that charaeteriaed
the course of Melanchthon, there
agitation that gave evkienor
commotion whieh his influ-
d introduce ; Among the
religtona elemcfits of that
Both his apirituai aud phys-
rere marked by throes that
him for the oonfliatH of tbe
- — .was lifted from laotuw-
be toiHitude by inward straggles
from W$|iph be was delivered clothed
with new power,' Beared in tbe
besom -of the Rotniah Church, be
the lighf of the truth while
with the think darkness
Hoped everythiug. He was
of the apostasy of the Pa-
atill held ou to the same
se of the small measure
that yet attached to the
Wreck. Tbe general igno-
irreligiou that prevailed
rgy aud laity aroused him
fatal security into which
fallen, and impelled him
slf against the. existing
and vice. r Haying
knowledge of positive
as revealed in the doe-
loly Scripture, and hav
hioem
been) regenerated and eauctifled
through
fotered
to tbe
Khowfa
been
*i«8iou
froia.it.
e power of the *ame t he
n the work of restoring
rch her smothered Rfe.
e pit from which he bad
he regarded his life
be to deliver others
ui contrasts that he had
andatrori
w Rb «iu l
»ortl
aettvi^y in the work of
In bother’s life had.
the power of truth
A uouoeiouH eomniunion.
°re the mirror o| Chid’s
revealed his misery and
bnrg and lM^|>sie interims, nml the
Conference at ffegensburg (1.V41),
rtrr witoesses of the Vrath of this
(‘riticism. Tn ndtneraim books and
opiniona given by him in moment*
of danger, he made comwssions to
hi* enemy which l.nthcr, hiany re
former*, and Arndt, under the rir
enmsfanee*, wonid hake regarded
us sacrifices of the truth rtseir.
Lnther, on the other hand, saw
cle«riy and acted prompfly. In tbe
cause of the Refortmttion and that
of Romanism he beheld BeHal ami
Christ Possessing an insight into
the word of God, rienr and profound,
be distinguished withont injustice
between the true ami the false, the
real and apparent In noth iug I*
Lather so great as in his ixmitive
ness. With him fattli was knowl
edge, not mere opinion. Aud an less
he Is acknowledged to have pos
sessed an uncommon power in the
Scriptures, both to umleratAud and
to interpret, than logienl oonsisteucy
requires that he 1m* regarded as a
fanatic or pretender j for how other
wise can be n*(x>twd!ed that devotion
to the letter and spirit of tbe word,
that imaitivenem in his public and
private Ufa, and above all the won
derful harmony that exist* in the
entire doctrinal system of distinctive
Lutheranism? Wh*t God spoke,
Lather believed^ and that God hod
s|>okeii distinctly and authoritatively
in Hia W«r<l, be held to N 4 true
from the necessities that existed for
a Revelation. Therefore, lie was
positive, determined and nncoifi-
promising in his course. As Oort’s
ambassador he dared not sacrifice
His truth. Love for the truth waa
the animating canse of hia active
opposition to Roma, aud ah errorints
. ing Christmas Urails of foaulias—to
Rvi ihetasrlrex, to their fomtHes. and to
in lria own history add-, ['—the very pulsation that auisifooted
■ I
Urn • high life of uuioii that dialed
between him ami Christ. < W’hat
degeneracy has much of modem
Christianity itmlhrgone When p devo
tion to iruth-^a refmiai to barter
away for a false peace—ia flippantly
A (WtupMMhat wUhe* th** editor
t.» write xomethhig. wtiirh rind I mm e
hcs.ri of fainilira to five heed to
their dwft«-« : (wnetWitf. whi«4i
prawnne faintly religion—and
etolly to urge w|»Mn them the duty
of fonriM- praver. WV have attempt
ed to do this, time and tigshi, lajt
ate fear with very partial
Hut M*-U.i.-h Wo«Id lh«t we cmiM
Strang (HMitive fq4tiiow« on thix xuhfeet on every
He oer.-r <*p**u brad of a iamilv within the cirruH
r fM*srr, Lot Ids of nor rimdnlion. Attempting It
ptmre U*.l loin HgiMn. we .-an hat go m ; er arguments
.1 anger..** ro* s lu*^e Mtaieri in no.- Asm is* other;
linr snd public .unt to repeat is diafuMefal to our-
wi»ft 'Iiriwo-d self, ..nd may la* n tom vim: ♦*> oor
tv wa« hm prop^ readers. But to rat toft the wishes
Me with n fbiry of owr , -enrvrapmidetit, ami really
w. • A* * arbob toqiing that good may eonte of it. we
lo Lusher ; bat will re^wat here the sntndanee of nn
*a woating in argument for thi« doty which
O'ogth of iiaf. made unrai yearn afoar, hi which w*
mH forth the Ami aciwnfog to ]>rnfaww
p.iwer ot Id8
lied what
e#*ot hy tbd tbe ehurrh, from the neglect of this
rattier wna tbo onportant dotyl •
he way f Me- TU# hme to theomeh.w. we hold,
d 1 wantitied is. ia of that Siiriafoi tioti which o*n- Miust
Ind magnttiide, faH. who to cameo>o« of dtoehurging
attcy. The ghv. every itotv that the chnirh tvaehea,
toftinihed apiai aud of taking op frofy cross, that
offerw itself In th.- rl.ristiftn life; of
tlist restraint upm. their I. uijs-ra.
wimla himI conduct, a Inch a solemn
daily aci at morahtp and cwnarr-union
to G«mI in tbe ptwmv of their fatoi-
lies, ueuesrartl) iaipumw; of a price
less oppetiwuity of dmchargiiig a
pHtwnmuul duty, aa tin* reiigwua
teachers of ibetr offapring ; of tlta*
firm trttfo hi God and hia super
iotcmlitig rrovitU nee «Umh ans.-.
troui the knowledge tlmi tbe ■ flairs
4 the preaent jgf (he famil> Ua:« hee« eoaiaaitted,
labfial pro fas- h> U»e imrvuta and ofoidara togitb-
ot the t4»|Hua »*c, t«» Iran at whom i* ia mink »*aa-
xsati.Mial heuil knowledge him in all tby wa>» and
>uiihc (uye and be nJiall direct ihi |»at»i*; w and of
wlitoh muMt to* that direct o .mmunion with C hrist
half toughing w hich a«vrg pood man rt^ojv, nbea
‘'the «o-enl)ed Ever “two or these sit swt* ip Mfo
seem to iudF iw«me, though only Abuse of hia own
iouH, nnsph ed, UouraholtL To the Mpiritnai tnau,
the ham of apirituai power, mdsenra
atnl .-ajo> ineiit to ao great, that U
may he safely argued, that ha, who
does not attend to Shis duly, how
ever exemplary otherwise, ia not,
Niger U> have .ton not to, a spiritaal-miudod, grow-
a _ ion. Tim |mo n«g elu totton. ilia im pa tosa tony be
pie must Im tempted wlsli nqtto'wwl dll good—hia moral life
aud fretted cake, if we would draw fax teal for hia church
to the taMe of the* Lord ! ,but be fad* a* a (mini that
1
J
1
i
t
her by tempo.
» aorfaee wan*.
*. > laitbetfa hfe
D |*haai«s; lie-
ten A*, aud bril
rs was iwgNtri e
ri. a. U.
lauhiag
M-eaient .if P«*»
CtM Of Hu I fthI V
m|mms with an
—the breml of
uimaUan offer
lurch ami the
uturiei coot in-
> starving pro*
m.. -mc ; ; -■ r;■ a, i i r,
him aa a cowardly, and. Tty const*
qtience, a weak f warfiltig, Joylefifl,
dwarfed profe«aor of That
be ran not etteuiportoe a prayer,
will not answer ttH* accusation, if
either In* has detff tiled to do so,
(if, haring re|M*ated?^ trfed and fttjf
fo|; ^»v hesRates to get a book and
Trad prayer* dbon he can not frame
them for him sell. The foot fa his,
because he lora* one of the most efll
flNit mafins of growth fa grace, aud
one of the moat potent safeguard*
again* overthrow by (einptatiofl.
The hpift to his family i* quite aa
great. Alt k fn Too* fa also A toes to
them. Ai a fathers oecp poverty
1s felt h>' hi* children fn tbe abaenee
Of the many advantages that hi*
faring wealthy would bring to them,
ra ufl thto pro erty of Mm ia personal
natiafaetfon. rrriraintog power, trust
ta Gart, cMnwintthm with him and
growth iu grace, necessitate* that
Ms religious tomefarthuiA to them
should be very meagre. He can not
exemplify tbe higher Christian life
hef.Mr them, because He does not
fore tt; and they hare, therefore,
tool the most available Christian
inst metkmi fsMMtlrie ; which, how
ever. heVould hnpart by bia example,
were he what be ought to be.
They k*r, too, that sense of de
pendence imi God, and that ctmalairt
presentation to the. mind of hia
rhrtmx upon them, which would be
enforced and infixed by tbe morning
and evening worship, and which
would, necessarily, go far toward
making the tfemglit of God and doty
and eternal things a mental habit
wtth them, powerfully conservative
npou their moral character, disponl
lion and conduct. In many families,
remote from Hnnda> school and aw
rial and pobHc worship, where there
to no family prayer, it may he raid
of tbe younger children especially.
MM to not in afl their thoughts.’’
In this case their !<>aa to that well-
ntgli ofobrtotianity itself: nml they
grow op ignorant almost ns the
heathen. Ifailv worship to the
reel ire of this miaous
They Id* si mo that, apirituai direr
thin snd hies..fog which Gnl always
vonehrafes to the fomities that ml
al*oii him to Htnerrif y. They farther
lose that rousts tit exhitHtion of re
ligiou, as *Hhe (itineipnl thing,*
whieh makes their earn entrance on
a roligiouM life comparatively c
They lose, tan. the advantage o
’thone op)»ortaqit(es offered try the
daily vvadhig of the Heriptnrea, and
by the special petitions of the father
who stndics tbe cirrumstaoces of the
family and of the wants of eaeii
memlwr. of receiving the diiwctlon
comfort wad encouragement which
results Bran » wise use of this
means of grace. At every point
they tone fir more than the timid
hem) of a family ran gain by shrink
ing fomn n huts,* whieh to Rght-
ened. in n little time, by a faithful
IftTfonnsnce of dnty.
Then* to loan, to* to Abe chnrch
It iu tarn, lose* whatever is hist by
tbe brad of a family in its member
•hip, whom* life falls below the
rttsnd.wvl of aealoss diaciplewbip, am
by family, whose religions framings
to so defective as to involve them
in the tosses shove s)>eeiflcd. Any
neglect of doty whtob Implies that
its men hers ale not spiritual minded
and that its families go not rained in
lelighMi, involves tons to the ehurrh.
it tones, also, its working power.
Men who wffl no* pray and seknowl
edge Christ to their own families
will scarce Ho so etoewto re. and they
are apt to be dumb disciple*.—
Hence, there to want of lenders in
prayer in the social meeting. The
love-feast and dam meeting are
often almost aa silent as Quaker
gathering*. Tbs rising generation
ia sarh families are ao poorly in
structed, and havweo little familiar
toy with rshgvona troth and duties,
that they come tote the church, if at
aR, ignorant of the flrat facta and
principle* of nstigkm, aud have then
lo undergo a tong tuition before
they become establihaed and naefol
working ckririiMoa. They oaa not,
lira kmg tuue, foei prepared to do
Sunday ashool or other Work far the
ahureb. Aud all thto involve* the
eburoh to (Boat tons of efficiency, to
its great work of bringing the world
to Christ. Her efforts are treble,
bar success partial her progress
retarded j nod mock of the evil may
be traoed to a defective christisoilr,
of whieh the neglect of family prayer
and of family rchfiou—and tbs two
go together—ia at otice tbe most
influential cauae, and thf proof. .
(Was statements of foets we
rth out aerior*
They ran not be
We believe that no owe completely. Here are
-rmr—T
who baa the “Spirit of adoptiot^
wi!| tty to eoiitirovcrt them. Oon-
•cience wiD convict him. as loser
under some one or all of the propoai
Uous. slated. However he excuses
ktnmif from the duty, ha can bat
acknowledge there would be loss to
the church iff# toa bonds of families
should neglect the duty aa be does.
And yet, if he can excuse himself,
why may uot oil do mo? Who has
given him a special axemptiou ?
Who has given to him permtosiou,
more than to others, to bring all
this toes to his own sonl, to hi*
family aud to the church of Chriirt,
beratiie he it too cowardly or too
little religious to discharge a plain
duty ?
To leave doubters without excuse,
we may say that there to proof tluti
family worship accord* with the
Divine order of religious life. The
family was before tin* church. The
imtriaroha set ua their altars where
they pitched their tents, aud wor
shipped at them with their families.
Joshua declared that though all
Israel should turn to other gods,
yet he and hfa family would sm-ve
the Ixjrd—worship him by prayef
and aacriioo, to the original. Our
family at least should have a infest
and prayer and sacrifice for the true
God, if all ethers forsook Him.,.. The
family of Jesse were gathered from
abroad to a yearly sacrifice at the
home altar. David returned from
n public service “to blesw hi* house.'’
which imports prayer, praise, and
official beurdktiou. The itaasover
wns a family institution, at which
the bend of the family iireatded;
and our Lord at tbe “Last Bupper"
filled the office at a master of the
family, where he blessed the fea*t
sod offered prayer. The Scripture,
“Poor out thy fhry upon the heathen,
and u|»oo the Jnmiliet which call uot
on thy name," wns probably in-
tended to class with tbe beatheu
those Jewish families who performed
fadolatrons family worship in their
"chamber* of imagery,” a* tbe heath
eu did, before theit . "lares’’ aud
‘‘pens!**.’’ It would seem that
family worship was so understood
by both Jews aud brat hens that
there was no used of specific in
junctions respecting it. “The fa
ther or nisster.” any* Mr. Watson,
“who believed, was baptised, aud
all hi* 'house;' tbe first religion*
societies were chiefly domestic—s
‘church ia a house'—and the an
tiquity of domestic religious service*
among ebristfans leave* - it uuques
iiousbie, tiiat wbes tbe number of
chriitiaaa m iucreasfd as to require
a separate assembly in some con
bmvi room or church, the domestic
worship was not siqierorded."
We have suggested above that he
who ran os# pwiHly extemporise
prayer, should nevertheless call hi*
family together and rend one. Bet
ter that than nothing; collect the
family and read the Scripture* nod
repeat the Lord’s I’rayer hi concert,
ttH tbe heart to fall and the tongue
to unloosed. If the father will not
lend, then, with hia permission, let
the christfon wife aud mother set the
example. She can do much toward
setting up the family altar—aud let
im uot rest till the flume of a pure
christiau love shall is* burning ou
such altars in every Christian house
hold iu all thto land.—Southern Chrit
(min .Kdvocait.
Prayer Concerning the Holy Spirit
'Tut me sol awaf from diy pruwuoe;
and take not tby Holy Spirit from me.”—
Psalm* 11.11.
You will perceive that a soul which
can really pray* thus has life, true
spiritual life, still struggling within.
An ungodly man does not ask that
he may abide in nearness to God;
rather would he. say, “Whither Khali
I flee from thy presence T He does
not seek for God’s Spirit; he to quite
content that the evfl spirit should rule
him, and that the spirit of this world
should be predominant in him. Bat
here to Hfe, struggling, panting, crush
ed, painful life, but Rfe for a?i that;
the higher spiritual life which sighs
for God. I have seen in the corner
of tbe garden a little fire covered up
with many damp autumn leaves; I
have watched its feeble smoke, and
known thereby that ihe fire still lived
and was fighting with the damp
which almost smothered H; so here
these desires and sighs and Ones are
i so much smoke, indicating tbe
diviue fire within. “Cant me not
away from thy presence,” shows a
sou! that loves Goffs presence; “take
not thy Holy Spirit from me,” re
veals a heart that desires to be under
the dominion of that Spirit yet mqre
of life,
though they may
distinct and doleful aa hollow groans
far underground, sack as have been
heard from men boiled alive; voices
from the sepulchre, choked and ghost
ly, bat telling of life in the charnel
bouse, grappling with death, sod cry
ing out, “O wretched man that I am!
Who shall deliver me T
Let us look at these words a little
closely, since I have shown you bow
applicable they are to ua, and Tiow
they indicate spiritual life. I think
alien David used them be may have
looked back to hia mind to that por
tion of sacred history with which
he was conversant He remembered
when Adam and Eve, having rebel
led tigainst their Maker, were driven
out from God’s presence, when the
cherubim with flaming sword blocked
the gate of Eden’s blighted garden.
“My God,” he seems to say, “I too
have offended. Tby presence is my
paradise, my Eden; all else to wil
derness to me—banco, thorn-bearing
wilderness. O drive me not out, east
tne not away from tby presence. Let
me but know thou loved me and I
shall lie in Eden. Let me but know
that 1 am still thy child, thy favored
one. And T wfll Had in that sweet as
surance my paradise, my alL
be a courtier in thy palace, or i
door-keeper in* thy house, and I
be content; but from tliy^ presi
banish me nof, else dost thou wither
all my joys.” Did he think of Cato,.
too, and was his mind so distressed
that he was half afraid lest he should
become like the marked man who
went out from the presence of the
Ixml to be a wanderer and a vaga-
lx>nd. and find henceforth no rest for
the safe of his foot t Did he feel that
if he were exiled from God’s presence
he would be just as wretched as
the accused Cain himself Y Did the
thought of that first man slayer put
an emphasis into tbe prayer, “Cast
sae not away from thy presence F
Do you think he recollected Pharaoh,
too. in that memorable night when
the Hood that imaged the presence
of Jehovah came down between Is
rael and Egy pt, and the dark side of
it was towards Pharaoh f for God
iudignautly turned his back upon the
haughty king, while his face shone
lovingly upon hto chosen bat afflicted
jH-ople. Did he mean by our text to
say, “Lord, turn not thy back on me.
Pause not such trouble and confusion
in my soul as ensued in Egypt’s hosts
when the night of thy wrath fell on
it. O cast me not away from thy
presence V Is it possible that the
penitent monarch, while penning thto
Psalm, thought of Bam sou too, aud
therefore uttered the latter part of
the verse, “Take not thy Holy 8pirit
irom me f” Did he remember the
strong man who could tear a lion as
though it were a kid when the Spirit
of the Lord came upon him, or smite
the Philistines hip and thigh till he
piled them up in heaps when God
was with him, but who, when hto
locks hod been shorn, and the Spirit
was gone, was iguonuniously bound,
and with blinded eyes was made to
do a mill horse’s work! Did he
think of the hero of Gaza and say,
“My God, take not thy Holy Spirit
from tie. Leave me not to be the
sport of mine enemies; cast me net.
off as one whom then canal no longer
employ for high and honorable ser
vice. Take not thy Holy Spirit from
met* Or to it not very likely that
if be thought of ail these, yet hto eye
was peculiarly fixed upon one be
tween whom and himself there had
been a very close relation, I mean
Saul, his predecessor on the throne f
That man had been chosen to rule
God’s people Israel, but he proved
rebelTioas, and he was east away .
from God’s presence, so that God
would not hear him to the hoar of
distress. Ko U rim and Thummim
would give him a divine response,
no prophet would regard him, no
priest could present for him accepta
ble sacrifice; he was cast away from
God * presence, and the Spirit was
finally gone from him. Even that
ordinary measure of the Spirit which
hfe had once enjoyed was gone. Sahl
was once among the prophets, but
we find him by-and-by among the
witches. Saul had lost all prudence
in the council-chamber, all success to
tbe battle-field. The voice of him by
whom kings reign had gone forth
against him, and broken hto sceptre.
“Because thou bast rejected the word
of the Lord, he hath also rejected
thee from being king.” All this
David remembered with a shudder,
and hto heart said to him, “What,
dl the sou of Jesse be like the sou
of Kish I Shall tbo second anointed
of Samuel be like the first, of whom
the Lord said, ‘It repeateth me that
I have set up Saul to be king f ” He* .
became overwhelmed with dreadful
apprehensions, and turned to the •
Lord with a bitter cry, “Ob, can it
be, my God, shall I also be oast away
from thy presence, (ffid thy Spirit
taken from met” He bows hjmself
in agoniziog prayer with this as his
jH-tition, “Cast me not away from
thy pi wo nee; and take not thy Holy
Spirit from me.”—(7. B. Spurgeon.
i