The Lutheran visitor. (Columbia, S.C.) 1869-1904, January 18, 1871, Image 1
OJTE LORD, ONE FAITH, ONE BAPTISM”
EPHE8IAN8 IV: 5.
COLUMBIA, S. C., WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 1871
SERIES
OLD SERIES, VOL. V.-NO. 124.
saved without Christ. You never
can be adjudged to hove a good
moral character without the imputed
righteousness of Christ. Tli© only
Bible ground of acceptance with
God as righteous in his sight, is
the imputed righteousness of Christ
received by faith. You must believe
unto righteousness. “With the heart
mau believeth unto righteousness.”
Have you got faith in Christ f—that
faith which receives and rests upon
him alone for salvatiou t If you
have, why, then, you* have the great
essential thing—yon have eternal life
npw in yon, ami are perfectly secure
of all other things necessary to its
fall development and faturc fruition.
“He that believeth ahull be saved.”
But bow do you know that yon have
faith 1 Are jest like *Bunyan’s man,
“my heart tells me so”! But our
heart often tells lies. “The heart is
deceitful above all things.” Even
the testimony of onr own conscious
ness, in this matter, need to be-back
©d by strong collateral testimony.
Our faith must be shown by our
works. “Faith without works is
dead, being alone.”
Here I may remark, it Is a fact
worthy of note that all those things
which verify our faith, go also to
complete our character—to make us
a perfect inan in Christ Jesus, Some
times, even the Christian may lack
some of those things. Indeed, it is
possible for a true Christian to lack
most of those things which complete
Christian character.
ns ail example of the sympathy of
which we speak; “Rivers of waters
run down mine eyes, because they
keep uot thy law.” Have yon got
this sympathy with Christ, with his
cause, with righteousness f Or is
it So that you can see these woful
defections—see Christ dishonored,
da religion slanderously carries
lured by the practice of those who
profess it—amt fed uo sorrow. CtiU
you look upou the mortal sickness
of your bruthreu, and fed uo solic
itude. W hen you see Uie “leprosy
iu sight deciier than the skin,* and
ness to mao—your life a pet-petu.-d
hymn of praise to your Father in
bearvti.
an inspired apostle and a learned
man,’yet be needed help—help to
preach as be “ought to preach.”
To the Tbcsaulonisjns, he writes:
"Brethren, pray for; ns, that the
Word of the Lord may have free
the steps of tbeir departure; from
faith to unbelief.. The road did not
lie through Bible study or inward
communing with God, but ran, as
might be anticipated, over quite an
other track.
We have bad personal friends who
gradually drifted from their moorings
into the ocean of skepticism. But in
every case the drilling was preceded
by a decay of piety and neglect of
God’s word. They gave the temper
uu advantage by forsaking the closet
and losing the strength that springs
from a daily experience of the divine
life iu the ul. They had no suffi
cient defence against his severe as
saults, and wen- driven from a safe
anchorage.
As the experience of conversion
opens Mind eyes and gives an to
night into God’s word which delivers
from skepticism, so the continued
experience of tiiq Christian life ren
ders one impregnable to unbelief.
If the heart leans to God as the
needle to the pole, the head will And
no trouble iu his Word. Keep the
In-art right, in a devout spiritual
frame, and one will be proof against
tlu< assault* of unbelief. The soul
will cry with Peter, “Lord, to whom
Khali we go f Thou hast the words of
eternal life.” —Christian Era.
Kadi family should take a religious
p4|*r Amt, ami a political paper
afterwards, if aide.
J3^UBLI8HKI>
ery wednes,
&ude%mille;
Ilat observation
tekcUcA ns that the reverse is the
case. The jK>litical is A rat, second,
and sometimes third—three political
It is just ss much the duty of
the members of tbs church to help
their minister to preseh, as tt hi,
perchance, bis to preach. The read
er may exsiaim. “Well! well f this
is a new doctrine to me. I know
that it is the duty of each mem
her, aa far as they may be able,
to help support their minister; (ml
helping him to (ireaeii is going be
yood anything I bad thought of.
I had thought V we paid our mfti
later Just shat we promised him,
that we had done all that was our
duty to do far him, and that H
was his duty to do mli the preach*
tug. 1 suppoar, though, that the
writer dons not moan to help the
learned, the aide, and the gifted,
but ths opposite class. I don’t see
bow it would be possible far u*
to help our mi sister preach; and
be does not need it, if we could.
All acknowledge him to be an able
divine and a thorough scholar. He
does sot need help to ; reach."
reshape another one asyw, “Well,
1 wish wa could help our minister
prearh. I think be needs help; his
l*vurhtng is so dull aud lifeless.
The church grows eold under it.
and siunetw seem to be hardened.
O, yea, 1 wish we could help him
to have more animation and lift-
in his preaching. We believe him
to be a good man. nod one that
desires to do good ; but, then, I
dou’t sew bow we ran help lnm to
premh; the idea looks very altsurd
to me." Perhaps it does, my broth
er, but I rejoice that you think your
minister needs help, and that you
have sm-h a ready will to help, if
J OO f-QUid. As absurd as the idea
may seem to he to you, aevertbe
less, \oa ran help .roar minbter
to preach ; and when I tell you
how, 1 shall expert you to do it.
It is dcm«- ia two way s ; but it
is equally your duty to help in both
ways. The first, by giving your
minister an ample support, so that
his mind aboil he freed faun worldly
canr* aud anxieties; ami it will also
make him ftvl that you appreciate
his labors. Then be will not feel
•-ramped, but will feel fare ami easy
among you ; it will be a stimulus
to bis seal ami energy ; it will in
spire that degree of adf mqtect and
self eonAdeuce. which is essential to
Kiicoeas in all important umlertak
mgs. A poor, stinted salary, which
is sure to be attended with curres-
|M»mltng iodiffereoer, will dry np the
spirit of any preacher. He feels
that bis labors are not appreciated;
that be has lint little sympathy
from his church; he is crumped in
his fading*; be is defected aud dis-
hearteued; be earnestly desires to
build up Uh- church and win souls
to Christ;- he prays aud labors to
rise above the influence of these
things, which weighs bis spirits
down; but. alas! the ascent is too
steep tuid rugged for the strength
of humanity. At times he ascends
a little; but inevitably lie is soon
east down again. Ah, poor man,
he needs freedom. There is a bur
den upon him ; be is bowed under
it, s burden placed upon him by
the pewnriousuess ami cold selfish
ness of his flock, for whom he is
expending bis time, his talents, ami
his very life. Sow, btvtbren, open
your hearts and your hands, and
take off this weight, and aee if year
minister doesn’t preach like a* new
man, and you will then know, as-
that yon have helped him
pdfieni lit the family, and uo religious
pdper to give sutMtautiiil (bod to the
mind.
J n feeding our families at ths
le, we do not feed them on trsali,
unwholesome food, which muses the
body to degenerate and become
w^ukly, sickly, deathly I But we
faid them on suitstantisl food, to
give the greatest «tcgree of health
auil strength. Shall we nut give
■■i. equal amount of cars to the
liefdfh and vigor of the intellect
anil morals!
Visit a family and jou will soon
dep-nume its training; content*
deli fund from un reasonable and
w-ieked men” To the Romans, be
writes: “Now, t.besesch you, breth j
reu, for the Isird Jesus Christ’s sake,
and for the love of the Bpirit, that
y® strive together with me in your
prayers to God for me.” Now, tf
tbe prayers of chrisUfitis could help
l*aul preach, aud if .their prayer*
were necessary to enable him to
|irem-h efficiently, as be ought to
{•reach; aud if, through their pray-]
era, the Word of the I xml might j
havs ft*e cxiurac and be glorified,
amt Paul and his <wmpauiou* be]
saved from “uuraaaoaabls and wick
ed men,” aud men not having the
natural gifts of Paul, uped the pray-;
era of Christian* much more; “that
utterance may bo givdu unto them,*
that they also may oped their tuoatiin
baldly, to make known tbe mystery
of the gospelthen lt^ip your min
inter to preach . “as ;l*e ought to,
preai-h,” by your supiitiostiou* and
prayer*. And if your minister is
dull, or becomes doll and lifeless, |
and umtiu-resting in Ids preaching,
thru, metnlien of the] church, try ,
to take blame n)k>n yourselves, and
down upou your km*** at once, ami
with earnest, fervent (supplications {
iVinows of Minis
ieal Student*—
i Who fail to remi
u of their sulwc
Charged l*‘ r ftU1
« iflpf* entered on
without tin* first
um 8.10
the buti
payment
< sovkrtisiku
(i jc hirh of coin
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nt» of three *qi «re* and
Hit of JO per i eiit., off
upwards, 80 p -r cent.,
I upwards. 40 \ er oenti.
niiimn ami npi Aids, ,V>
t-dticted fiosi t le akov^
L more than fi re line A,
pit words, pt»; able is
»nd communication* to
t. R. RUDE.
boots costing om dollar each I
This is bat a very small price far
totsjbstusl food.
J*L They have a freahmre which
does not alwsy a attack to books. The
religious journal cornea every week,
new and fresh. We begin to look
for It towards tbe time of iu ap
pro.wii • ith a ken flfri irfacffiii
appetite. We read it daring the
wee| two or three times perhaps, la
Kp.ire time which sonld otherwise
b»v«J bet'ii thrown sway; whether hi
the *beat of summer resting, or
depth of winter warming by the
rosy firs, time Is actually saved
anil knowledge hi {KNiitively gained.
The amount of reading matter thus
eoushmed in the onunte of n year hy
tbe !harde*t woikiug mas, would
astonish him if prewtitrd fo him in
book form on New Year’s day, if he
•boned, be toM that this was added
to his daily labor. . 1 oner bought
Maripiley’s History of England hound
in oi|e volume. An obi Indy said.
In • MftonkftmMfrt, “Wb« n wHl yon
When, after the weary voyage
th:it I first Biade across the ocean,
sick and loathsome, I arose one
morning and went upon the deck,
holding on, crawling, thinking I was
but a worm, I smelt in the air some
strange smell. Sfal I said to the
captain, “what is that odor T” “It
is the laud breeze off Ireland.” I
*meit the turf, I smelt the leaves,
and all my sickness departed from
me; my eyes, grew bright, my non
n* o was gone. The thought of the
nearness of the loud came to me.
Aud when, afar oft, I saw the dim
line of land, joy came and gave me
le-alth, and from that moment, I hod
neither sickn- new trouble; I was
coming nearer to tbe land.
Oh! is there not for you, old man,
an«l for yon, wearied mother, a land
breeze blowing off from heaven,
Matting to yott some of its sweet
ness t Behold, the garden of the
lord is not far away. I know from
the air. Behold the joy of home.
I b* I not hear the children’s shout t
The air is fall of music to our silent
thought. Oh, bow full of music
when our journey is almost done,
and we stand upon the bound and
precinct of that blessed land! Hold
on to your faith. Believe more firm
ly. Take hold by prayer and by
faith. Away with troubles and buf
feting*. Be happy; you are saved.
Iu a few hours, visions of God and
all the realities of the eternal world
shall be yonrs, and yon shall be
saved with an everlasting salva
balling tbe couduct of others who
they are—going
Or, perhaps it
would be bettor to say, that they
possess so small a measure of many
of those things which complete Chris
tian character, that they are almost
inappreciable, aud can scarcely be
said to give character at all; nor can
they give any good qnd solid gronnd
of hope that they have a saving faith.
In regard, therefore, to some oac or
other of these things, we may be
lacking either in part or in whole.
“Giving all diligence, add to your
faith, virtueand tp virtue, knowl
edge; and to knowledge-, ti*n»|a-r-
ance; and to temperance, patience ;
ami to patience, godliness; and to
godliness, brotherly kindness; and
to brotherly kindness, charity,” &c.
What have you got, then, of the
things that belong to Christian char
acter T
III. Have you got a manly degree
of self-denial f
are quite aa good
away track to ancient times sod
rooting amongst the rubbish of a past
age, aud turning up everything ugly
they uan find, and gloating over it,
as a treasure, and holdiug it up to
blacken the character, anti wouud
the feelings, aud imirair the influence
of ttnr\ icing friends or followers, of
some mau that God has long ago
received into glory—I can not but
wonder, . in there a Christianity
fie supplied rar their
si certainly important
i©w what {hew lack.
dWhat lack IJ yet F
to alL Every wise
|t daily, andl daily
pyerned by tie dis
ci it will lead ihim.
fa you got! ; I can
flat you lack] . until
you have god The
riis the wants ] tf yonr
The man wrhc asked
bad no reference to
gibus—to honstis, and
nju, and herds, and
of servants, oi| great
and. silver, o« high
t dr ‘ large attaiumen ts
is&oui, or any; pther
1 donsideratiousi which
Sensuality, and dwarf
iure. He wan ed to
Blight gain “< terual
oes my moral latme
is,: view of the| case,
j«jl got, that i| any
tfe? elevation of your
I 4tbat procarefl eter-
s|yon for itt. Have
off inoral char: cter !
fjljgood thing. S It is
off can not ent< r into
it3bmt a goo<14—nay,
sc 1, moral chalacter.
w brjcetii abomiilation,
\)Ut\¥ a lie shall ever
' pnt it will ii>t do
mural character.
and West,
&U Night
.u!te- ^
9) dluWWH
Unbelief 1
not tell y
I know v
question c
moral oat!
this quest
worldly p<
lands, an<
great retii
store of
Uitgb Mdh r. iu his early manhood,
wa* on avowed unbelicMcr. II* felt
a kind of pride in caliiqg himself a
skeptic, lie said that Home of the
cardinal doctrine* of tin) Bible were
odious to the reason w Lrh God hod
given him, and ought to be n^cctcd.
Au inutionul religion wa* on insult
to tin* lleity it profe*ap«l| to worship.
Iu later years hi* faith
without doubt or reserve
it; and the very doctrj
thought irrational, lie foil
harmony with God** uut|
ture aud providence.
lie took great delight
up the profound teaihiug
If any man will
com© after m©, let him deny, him
self,” says Christ, fkdf-denial was
on© of the distinctive features of
tli© Saviour. “Though he was rich,
for our sakee he became poor.” Self
denial is oue of the most distinctive
features of true Christianity. That
christiauity which gives np nothing
which the flesh loves—is not willing
to forego the dance, the games of
chance, the pleasures of the theatre,
or the gratification of those tastes,
ap|»etites ami lusts which the dealt
claims as its liberty ; that will not
put the worst construction upou
every word and act of tbooe it (lore
not like. This ia the greatest of
the three great distinctive Chris
tian graces—“There remaineth these
three, faith, hope and charity; but
the greatest of these is charity.”
Have you a manly measure, 1 menu
tin- measure that the perfect man in
Christ has, of this grace! When
you think or talk about those who
differ from you, do you think bitterly
—think of all that is wrong and
ugly, and ignore all that is good hi
them ! When you talk about them,
or write about them, is yoar tongue,
aud pen, “full of sharp aud bitter
words! Underneath the tongue ol
the wicked Uiere lies the isiisou of
the asp;” but Christ’s Christianity,
|H-rforatea the bladder that holds
that imhmoA, and expels it. Is*t us
measure ourselves hy the standard
of Christ’s christiauity, and then
ask ourselves, “what lack I vet r
We might enlarge; hut |ierhapa we
have spun this thread long enough.
Let us look at the Christianity we
actually have iu the light of Bible
Christianity, and we will find we
lark many things—and lack them
to an extent that impairs terribly
the powpr of our religion to hire*
and cheer us. When we would read
in onr “roll” to assure us of sol-
vatiou, these sad defects will be
of flLdtiig fit her rcKgvnmi paper,
and 1 look*, daring the year.
3d. Its moral effort. A short time
ago at little piece was hearted—-The
first downward step,” showing tbe
effertiof father stopping his religious
paper> This ia fat lowed, said the
wrttef. hy failing to attend church
regularly, by neglecting the prayer
meeting, by omitting family worship,
by ceasing to earn fur the religious
in worldly w
of those carnal
minister td our
onr moral nai
know how‘ he
lift*.” m t (1
lack ! In| tli
what hard] y<
way tends to
moral natire 1
nal life, or fit
j ob got J gc
That is a 1 vet
iu holdiug
i of Geolo
gy, and show ing that they confirmed
the doctrine* of the Bible]
In reviewing this part of his life,
end supplanting his own experience
by a wide observation of m©u, lie
drew the inference that unbelief
tqiriug* not from the heart. He had
rejected Bitde troths l*ecnuse they
rtv]uiie<l almolute submission to a
sovereign, and he wished to he iude-
|M-ml<-ut. He longtsl to be his own
Saviour, instead of nccejUing one
provided. His heart was opposed to
God's will, and tbe authority of di
vine teaching was irksome. When
bis heart yielded, and God’s will
beoume his law of lift*, the Bibk- was
fall of light, and its teachings met all
the wauts of Ills renewed nature.
His observation of men continued
the lesson of his own eirperience.
He found unbelievers almost uni
fannly ignorant of the Bitde and its
teachings, cavilling at truths they
did uot umlerstand. They did not
read the Scriptures. They did not
search for spiritual troth. They had
uo inward sympathy with God’s
moral government, bat wished to
follow their own impulses unchecked
by a divine law.
Human nature is ever impeating
the bosons of history, and the same
fact noted by Hugh Miller is evident
to-day Hi England and the United
States. The skeptical writers of the
age, men of fine gifts and 'generous
culture, hare a most superficial
knoVledge of the Bible, ami singular
misapprehensions of its great doc
trines. Any Sablvath school scholar
may detect the blunders of Ben an in
stating New Testament farts, and
diseriminatiug members of a Bible
olass will see that l>r. Holmes’ state
ments of evangelical doctrines are
always caricatures. Theodore tafeer
and Francis Newman have given
autobiographic*, detailing minutely
Christ’s sake; that doles out it*
charity and its tax to the kingdom
grudgingly, and with dismal winn
ings about my poverty, my fainily
wants, my losses, the hard times,
&c.,—is, to say the very least of it,
vary defective—don’t look much like
Christ’s Christianity, Can yon, do
you habitually (lefty yourself for
( Irristiauity is essentially aggres
sive, aud the business of Christ’s
followers is, not » much to save it,
us to scatter abroad tbe leaves of its
tree of life, so as to be instrumental
in saving the world by it Judaism
was a testimony, but the gospel is
leaven. We my see this in its very
geograghical distribution. So we find
it at Jerusalem, just before the dis
pcnHon of Israel; then among the
restless Greeks, with their colonies
everywhere, and commercial trans
actions everywhere; and a philo
sophical influence over all realms of
thought; and then iu Rome, the
heart of tbe Old World. Then Brit
ain and America—the centres of
commerce—have become the chief
depositaries of this saving light, just
because it was not to be preserved
merely, but always be diffused. Are
we then rising to the level of our
opportunity ! Let us remember the
so-called “dark ages,” the Abbot
Columbia, the mfonk Augustine, and
the thousands who rushed from the
Irish cells and w£ttled huts on looc-
ly isles; or the Romish priests, and
knights, and scholars of the fifteenth
century who followed Xavier to tbe
East, or Nobrea to Paraguay: aud
as we think of the zeal, and courage,
mid sacrifice, and faith, and love of
souls, and love of our Lord, if these
were children of darkness, are we
walking like children of the light T
It is worthy a little serious considera
tion whether our “clear views,” and
committee*, and collections present,
after a!!, so grand a spectacle or do
so great a work as tbe brave and
solemn enthusiasm of those great
hearted men. L
eternal Hfl
more—a u
“Nothing t|
or loveth oi
enter Henri
r " trust Ij
however g<
to h*, as a
nai life. <
tt* teorh ,
for
every one
nil things
kook of the
•ii: 10.) ]
have you r
may be wa
Lord’s ap|M>inting. Dream uot, in
your o*n short-sighted wisdom, that,
had you occupied some other or
more prominent position; bad your
talents' been greater, or worldly in
flui-mc more extensive, you might
have (fforifled your God iu a way
which U at preseat denied to yo«.
He can be served in tbe lowliest as
well os in tbe most exalted stations.
As tbe tiniest or smallest star in the
world of nature reflects His glory
as well as tbe giant mountain or
blazing sun, so doe* he graciously
own ami recognize the humblest
effort of lowly love, no less than
tbe uiudt lavish gifts which splendid
au redly
to preach. When a church gives
their minister a competent rapport,
they are vary sure to give him other
tokens of lore aud kind regards,
which will strengthen his hands
for his work.
The u«U way, and, 1 would ray,
the greatest way, of helping your
minister to preach, is by )*rarer*
sod supplications. Yes, help him
to preach hy your prayers. Paul,
wxhortiug the Ephesian Christians
to put 00 the whole armor of God,
as the brat, and that which com
plated ths panoply, says: “Pray
ing always with all prayer rad sup
plication ia the Spirit, and watch
ing thereunto with all perseverance
and supplication far all sainta; sod
for me, that utterance may be grant,
ed onto me, that I may open my
mouth boldly, to malm known the
mystery of the
I am an ambassador ia boods;
that therein 1 may span* boldly
will be grieved. When he sees the
erase of Christ prospering—many
being converted and added to the
church, aud those that are in the
church prayerful, aud zealous, and
self-denying; sees them growing in
grace, liecoming daily more pious
and devoted
°ot a sool-Lde:
yoa are inflated
>00 have si p<
tad better revi
flight of the I
'“ORHDandmentH
-talt love the
tby heart,
afi< l strengtl
ith the notioi
tet morality
your evident
t and second
f the law, “
>rd thy God
j soul, and
arid thy neighl
virtue,” &c. God our Maker, “re
new us in the whole man after thine
own image.”
and holy; sees the
church making headway against
“the works of the devil,” putting
down superstition, and error, -and
prejudice, and bringing men into
“the obedience of faith”—he is glad,
wiflra h® w ‘ e8 brotherly love con
tinuing, and cementing, aud beauti
fying the church, he blesses God for
it. When, on the other hand, be
sees “the gates of Zion mourning,
and her ways languishing because
few come to her feests”—when he
sees ignorance, and superstition, and
error, and prejudice, and prayerloss-
ucrh, and worldly-minded ness, and
The Hecret of Happiue**,
A negro
in Virginia, who was reniarknbl* for
hi* good sense and his knowledge of
tbe SHsential truths of Christianity,
and especially for his freedom of all
gloomy fear* in regard to bis eternal
state, was one* addressed in this
wise? “You seem to be always com
fortable in the hope of tbe gospel.
I wish y<m could jell me bow yrail
manage it, to keep so steadily in this
biassed frame of mind.” “Why, mas
sa,” he replied, “Ijmt fall fat om the
promises, and I pray right ap f an
answer that would do honor to tbe
head and heart of a philosopher, and
that contains it it the true secret of
earthly happiness.’
"WIP; aud iM the light ot
“Cntked *m every one I
'wifemeth not in all things wrl
111 lh e book Of tlal law.” Have
God as mq< h, as unceasi
** the first-great command requt
ave Y°o loved yc nr neighbor,
j!°° r nei ghlH)r, tliff poor, dying
,eil » as mueh ab; the second
mand require* %f \ And have
riwnptied by tbat| dyc’ done for
** jour neigldwnuaii that ia wr
n book of thd law f This
just in ttie position he has see
to aasifn yoa. “Let story
Iff—'■IT
says the apostle, “wherein he is cali
ed, therein abide with Ood.” How
ever limited your sphere, you may
becocne a centre of holy influence* to
Christ and
1 can not
David affords