The Lutheran visitor. (Columbia, S.C.) 1869-1904, February 01, 1871, Image 1
ONE LORD, ON<E FXlTH, ONE B APTT8M”—EPHESIAN8 IV: 5
COLUMBIA. S.C.,"WEONi:SDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1871
OLD SERIR
Again r' “Tbe time is coining, and
NOW ns, when the (lend shall hear
tb« voice of the Bon of God; and
thev that hear ahull Uve.” Thut this
does uot refer to the death and the
resurrection of the body, is evident
from the elapse, “Now Is,” aud from
the‘ fact that in the context iu»-
mediately followlug ttyil doctrine la
tanght, and is introduced as a matter
more “marvelous” to au unbelieving
generation than the “dead hearing
the voice of the Son of God, aud
living.” Certainly jthese dead who
would “hear aud live,” are “the
dead" in the same sense as those
who, though dead, could “bury their
dead.”
And here is a good place to cor
rect a popular, though narrow aud
consequently misguiding statement
in Theology. It is often said that
the penalty: “In the day that tbo*
cutest thereof, thou siialt surely die,”
was not executed u|H»n Adaui in the
day that he transgressed ; that a
a respite >$us given him iu onUr to
pappose another way of life tor his
acceptance. But then- is no neces
sity for such a glossing of the text.
The necessity felt by any for so do-
ing arises from a * narrow aud uii
scriptural conceptiou of what death
iu the human family is—from a car
nal and fleshly view of death
hiuu The carnally minded do in
dead think of him. The ooneeieuct
be has placed in them, Ms govern,
ment over (ham, and hit wrath re
vealed against them, compel them to
recognise bis exiotonc#. But this
licMiisge of their thooghta is relar
taut. They do uot “like to retain
Ood iu their knowledge.” Thsp with
aud strive to forgot, him. In order
that they mny aot feel “tronbled at
his prescuoe.” Tlmy “iove tlie dark-
4mss rather than the light, because
Ihetr deed* are evil” But commit
nion with (tad implicit a desire, a
pleasure ami a delight. It is true
the spiritual iniaddi are, by their
thought* of God, reminded of their
own worthl*‘>«n. Bat with them
this is endurable. Ttjey see the way
in which tlxpr worthlessness will he
removed, lienee tbe more they feel
oppressed by it. the mote ready are
they to fly to God, who slnae can
give them the much needed relief.
They are aot afraid to think of him.
For “being justified by faith, they
have peace with God.” And since
they look to him alone for the be-
atowmeut of every good and perfect
gift, tbeir “meditation of him la
sweet.” And “sweet unto their taste
are all his wards of truth.” “And
this ia eternal life, that they might
know Thee the only true God, sad
><Jesus Christ, whom Tbon hast amt.”
•Standing in aticii a relatiou to God,
they know nothing of “Ilia wrath
ami curse"—the wwtoal ingredient
iu the cup of death, of which all the
oamally siiudod drink
towards them is not thst of law
givn and Judge, !wit thst of s
passionate. meerifnl Father.
But, then, there are
i cries of this
{dace them f
form, they cutne alike u|mhi
upon the righteous
wicked. But
of the death
life, or you aro dead and sinking ta
the depths of eternal fleuth. Pause,
then, ('ousbler, Enquire at \our
self whut yon are, where you are,
and whither you arc tending.
manifested outwardly; that while
she sims to sustain herself she is te
seek enlargement, and strive for tbe
conversion of the world. 8be exists
not only for herself, but for God,
and ia a senna for the roar ; not
only for her owu locality, but for
the world. Bhs is to labor for the
world ; ami in doing this site is to
cultivate diligently the boon- field.
Bhe may not say, as is too much
the fashion, u Mj country as a (mrt
of the world.”
To quote again Aram D’Aubtgne:
“There are two movement* in the
church ; oae is effected inwardly,
and Us otped-is iu preservation ;
the other ia efleoted outwardly, sod
the otyert aimed at It its propn
gatiou. There is thus a do* triual
church sod s missiotiary church.
These two movements ought upM-r
to be nr taunted, aud whenever qbey
are disunited, it In because the spir
it of tuan, and uot the spirit of God
prevails.” Tims *|**ks this great
writer. Iu his view, and this is the
true Bible doctrine-—the churvb
should be lwith doctrinal and au*
stooary. Mhr should love the word
of God herself, and give the word
toothers, sad no weakness or pov
erty should exempt her from mis
sumary effort tuid miasioaary <sn
inbnuoos seeorditig to her ability.
It is the ^ mission of (he won! < i
God tn bring her Up to her duty
iu this regard. And never will she
shiae with millennial lustre until she
stands u|mju high doctrinal aud mis
skiasry grwuwl. “Thst church,” mud
ooe, who spent nearly a quarter of
a century as a mhsdousiy iu the
Handsk-h Island* sad laid the Amt
foundations there, “thst rharch wk<me
organization is uot adapted to the
work miaston* at home nod abroad,
ha* evidently nut the right organiza
tion , for the Bar four deigned Ms
church to preach tibt ^gospel to every
crcstutc to he, in a word, both doc
trinal and misriimary ; and to raise
the church up |n. flgfe «Madard,ys, if
part the mimaou of the w ord of God.
And this mission it will accomplish.
The time wifi corse wbeiCtln* tbareh
will love sound durtnue and oliuuud
in good works; and when she will
be a well indoctrinated tuad active
missionary Iwaiy, regular ami sys
tematic in her* effort* aud contribu
tions, ami e*»nw-**t and importunate
and persevering iu her praters. The
Lord hasten it in his titue!
**l» that from Z*w iw« isishl «4u»«
Ttih heavfwly tight this truth dlvim-;
Till th> •kh iibi\< ; «< dwll U
tlwt ow rr* at t« ntydr. Loud, for (her.*
(rkrisfics l*1eUufcmctt .
MtSflt**
tstovltsrvi
,Y WE IAN
BY
•owing and Reaping.
"By that kwrrth diver «Ju»?l not he
•rimM with silver; tun hr that level!*
sboadsur^ rrifo inrmu*-: this Is shui
vsnHy. —-EerlssistM v : n.
•'These Is thst wwtteretfc. and ret h»-
rcriiasth ; and these ia that t rthforldri h
more than ia meet, hat it tewdeth te
poverty. The liberal ami! ahaB be huhU
fat i ami lu- that waUueth shall lie
watered ak*> himselfProv. ii: 34,23.
The above Scriptures have bei-o
deeply impressed upon the mind, in
connection with certain facts which
have recently count to our knowl
edge. We are not at liberty to give
particular*; but the reader may
take oar wont for'the accuracy of
forts which go to prove the truth
ot the passage* aliore quoted. They
are fort* of the most humbling char
acter, mid full of instruction. In
addition to the declaration of the
misatisfying nature of money, there
la in one case sock special confirms
tion of tbe Scripture, “lie heapetk
up rMicw, and knoweth not who shall
gather them.” (Pa. xxxlx: 6.) In
the other case, there was coupled
with the greatest possible penurious
ness—lending itself to actions of the
most {mltnr and pitiable character—
systematic lying, pilfering, and do
ceptinn. How such • course could
have been srt persereriugly ]>cndsted
in is fieffcctly utarreloiiN. Tbe com
liroinise of others' characters was a
matter of no moment, as long as
anything (even to tbe most trivial
substances) could be obtained there
by. The habit had evidently be
come. as it were, a sreund nature;
and yet this poor wretched woman—
the creature of all thi* baseness—
livrd tu npwnrd* of ninety >ears
of age, having nccumuLted between
£19,utW am! £30,000. But n-tribn
tion cams at last: the fear of death
came npon her; she fled in dismay
fawn the bowse where an aged rela
tion of fnfldel views had died. Bbe
sent kn a Iligh Oinrrli clergyman,
and. as a sort of bribe, prevailed npoa
him tn accept £.*> as u present for
hi* service*: but, alas! alas 1 what
coaid all such efforts arulIT Her
eaar was a pitiable one indeed, and
(bight well Irad others to beware
of trifling with nonatsenee, and per
mtbig s course, the issue of which
(If God, of fib great mercy, prevent
not) must iw agonising and destruc
tive iude**!. We had some little
knowledge, a few years, of one of tbe
parties whose death, as we have
stated, caused the aged one of whom
wc have spoken such alanu. Utile,
however, did we imagine that his
so railed principles were of such nn
rrnarrij«tnral character. fTls wife,
we are informed, drank into the
same sceptical ideas, and mode her
boast that her hnsband was sol
n/mid to die! Hard by dwelt u
third person of the same stamp; but
some little irregularity IwfalHttg a
large ferry boat in which, on one
occasion, he liapiwned to be seated,
his terror was intense, lest he should
be drowned. It was little more
than a eausl be had to cross, but
the veriest apfiearance of accident
seemed to shake the so-called prin
ciples of this poor gray headed old
sinner to tltetr very foundation.
Header, God, in mercy, vouchsafe
us grace that we may give hoed
unto Hts word. “Be not deceived;
God is not tms’ked: for whatsover
a man aoweth. that he shall also
reap. For Ik* that soweth to his
fle»h. shall of the flesh reap corrup
tion ; but he that soweth to the
Hpirit, shall of the Spirit reap life
svcrlasting. And let ns not be
weary iu wett doing:, for in due
season we shall reap, ^if we faint
not.”—Alai, vi: 7-9.— Epiueopalian.
flow ample onr means and oppor
tunities of doing good in the world!
Is knowledge power f TeaObera, text
books, schools abound. May prop
erty be osefol f Many avocations
are open to as, in which we may
provide a livelihood, and have much
to Kpare for others in need. Has
example a good and happy influence T
There ia grace to help as to adorn
a good profiresiou before many wit-
itesNca. Will the prayer of faith
o|*cu the* windows of heaven, and
call down plenteous rains of spiritu
al blessings f All are welcome to
the throne of graee, and are assured
that if they ask it shall be given
them. AJ1 may not, indeed, have
the genius and learning of q Calvin,
ami be able to a nte rich volumes
for the instruction of future genera
tions. Not many have the eloquence
uf a Wbitefleld, and be competent to
carry with them listening multitude*,
sw aying their emotions as the whirl-
w ind does the forest Few may pos
sewy. the wealth of a Peabody, or
have wherewith to provide schools
aud education for communities and
tw vvt- ^ .... .y ■*
states; and only a George Muller
may, simply bowed Itefore tbe Hearer
of prayer, secure ample resources for
conducting extensive institutions of
charity.
Hut are not the rivolets and
.-dream* useful, in common with the
great rivtiw, in refreshing the earth ?
What these may tack in quantity,
way they not make up in number f
Or the ten thousand stare of the
night—do they not, as well as the
moon, give beauty to the sky, and
Tight tbe traveller on his way f Ge
nius, learning, wealth, eloquence, and
Mich gifts and acquirements, conse
crated to religion, may be as neeee
nary as tbe MisstssijH, the Amazon,
the Nile, in order that the knowledge
of the Lord may cover the whole
earth as the waters fill tbe sea. Bat
the comparatively little efforts and
influences of the masses of Christen
dom will be useful, too. They are
the rivulets and streams that ait* to
be an important part in refreshing a
wilderness world, and making the
desert blossom as the rose. They
are the star* that jewel the Ay of a
benighted earth, and serve to guide
its weary pilgrims heavenward. All,
then, may, and should be, useful.
Tbe hnmhiest disciple may speak a
word for Jeans. Tbe poorest may
cast a mite into tbe treasury of the
Lord. Tl^e weakest in faith may
plead with a power that will remove
mountain* oat of the gospel's way.
My brother, you may, if you will,
do much good in the world as you
are passing through ft. You may
put honor npon God, bless society,
and work out your own salratiou.
Iu the great day of a coming judg
ment, a benediction will be . pro
nounced by the 8ou of man upon
many in such terms as these: “Come,
ye blessed of my Father, inherit the
kingdom.Inasmuch as ye have
done it inito one of the least of these,
ye have done it unto m«u* By a
diligent use of means and opportuni
ties, *ith which you are so amply,
supplied, yon may make that happi
ness yours. Will you not I—Chris
tion Worker.
hJ.Btrktly in A (Brass*
r aninun . .1 jg.flO
■muth*..... j1AI
WmowH of ! tn intern.
peal Student t Jt.OO
rx who fail to truth at
on of their nhscript
t charged pc* annum 1X0
sub
mont
without
vohimu) I
75
..... up
tements of tlur c a«|nare* Snd
[iM-ouut of 30 per cvnt.i
*nd npwards, 80 iter i-^ut,,
p and upward , 40 per efut,.
alf column an i upward*. ;>()
be deducted f *m ths uiovs
br eight word#, payal
Five ccat* i>er quarter.
a former age. It was thought there
C«mtd tw no tiuliHi without uniformity ;
• hence the general preval—ee of per
sedition—those who n»uld m»t con
form moat la* eaterottustesl, for every
man’s lieltef and prsotive mu*t <a|uare
with the cutaMiaberi rule, or be Imru
! e«l. Tliu* aay* IVAnbigtte : •'To at.
^ faiti the unity of Bwttxerlattd by
1 unity of faith wa* (he ol»jert of the
1 Carichcre; Iml tbfy forgot that, by
deajriug to form a unity, it i* broken
to piece*, and that freedom 1* the
hearing < ntdy uiediutn in contrary efe
| ment* rtut U divn-!ml, uml s *u!u
eois- taiy uuioa e»J.ih!t*l>«-d. While lUxitc
aim* at unity by snath* mss, impri*
all the mis * outwent, and the *tale, christiaa
lifo"—when* shall we . trntli dcniatuLs unily tlurough li!*vty,
As to their ontwanl »nd let n» not feat that liberty, ex-
all—! |Mn<lni|{ cacti iiHiirWfnality t»juu<l
a* u|nhi the 1 mmsiire, will |»crwb>ee by thi* me^u*
wince they are a |»art »n Itifluite nm!tip!»r|t^. While we
which reign- over the urge every atiml to afb*« It Itself to
dtmally inimleft, what are they to thJ w«-n1 of G»sl, we gri »• it up to a
the spiritually mtudhd ? Are they 1 jiuser qtpillr »f rv*t«ri’Mtxts *1*\erg
Mfe f or are itbey death? These ing oplnkm* to a nhrfmi»?oe uuit)\”
quest ions the in*pired |teumen have ffdtv 1* (M true «U*trtue of Christian
not hvertooked. A foil-elucidation nulon—unity through Hlwrty—every
Of them would require » roltimo.! tuiisl atuiching itself to the word of
There I* now tqmce to rivr only God, with liberty to think sim! act
what should lie the table of con for itself, every onr claiming ti»e
touts to such a volume. To both . right to Mlow the word of God at
the “tnrnaH rtuil tbe “spirituar Hie W understand** li, am! yielding tA
form in whleh the “tniscrfe* of this **there the -ame |m\ilc«e. On this
life” come, is tbe same. What they f prineipw then* will of itwnr Hr dif
really are to cither depends, not ferent religion* dotiommsthms, Imt
npou their form, but U|mui the design i curt* will pursue Iu own * sr. unmo
Jtnd the upplieatiosi .»f tin m. To UsMed by others, mi nil wifi live In
carnally minded they are designed to |»enre. However dcdralfle mrli a
constitnte a part of the penalty : *Mn f thing tnsy I*, tbe Christian world hi
the day thou eatest thereof, th’»a 1 not At present pre|»nred fv a mneli
shalt surely die;* and they nrv ■ closer external «ni«n» than now ex-
apphed to them by the Sovereign t ist* ; nor will the ehnvrh ever be nil
Judge to satisfy divine jnst ice. But cm ben* "ret tinder one organisation,
srteh they can not tie to the sjnrit- ♦ A union ia form Is of aa mine so
unity minded. For Christ h;w fatty j Umg ss there nre liitimnma in feet.
Iinnkwt
If, in
pronouncing the sentence, (ok! bad
said: “lu the sweat of thy face them
shalt eat bryad until thou di*%” the
implication would have been that in
tl^> penalty threatened he hod used
the term til that restricted sense.
But he said, only s “Until then ro-
turu to the ground”—-until them reach
a certain stage in the death which is
upon thee. It is an iuadrert* nee
that makes tbe phrase: “Until thon
return unto the grouud,” a parallel
of the other: “Thou shalt surely die.”
Heme wc conclude that Adam did
die in the selfsame dav he trous-
gretwed. And when the Scriptures
speak of a death yet to overtake
those who art* “dead iu trafami
and aiuR,” the itnpliestioo is not that
they are not already dead, but that
a' higher degree—a “aorer puuiali-
inent” yet awnits them. Tbw is pre
cisely the conditioii of those who are
carnal or j)cshly minded. They are
dead “Death rcigna” over tlnmi.
Under the pressure of his yoke they
are descending iuto deeprW,and sorer
Mmdigc. Aud their minding the
things of the flesh, is the true, sad
index t«> their real condition.
As carnal luindedttcoH is death.; so
.spiritual luiudednesM is life. Nof on-
t ly does it tend to life, hut it springs
from life. Those who manifest it
shall not only live, hut are already
alive. As death comprehends far
, more than the se(sirath»u of soul
and lowly ; so, ni.s«>, life comprehend*
]for more than the uuion of these. It
begius in our present existence; it
makes an adyarur when onr souls
aud (todies are siq»arated ; and it
will reach its lqst and perfect stage
in their re-miiim. Unless we thus
NT * . V * ■
view the life spoken of in the Herije
turns, we shall utterly fail to profit
by the teaching of uiauy texts; they
will prove to us no lietter than the
ciinntiigly devised (aides of ancient,
heathen oracles—siweptilde of <sm-
tradictqiy meanings.
Now what is the Scripture festi
mony about life f
“He that lielievetli on the Sou
hath everlasting life.. . He that heur-
eth my word, and lielievetli on Him
that sqnt me, hath eVerlastlpg life,
and shall not come unto condemn a-
rton, bur w passed from death unto
life... Verily, verily, I say unto you,
he that lielievetli on ine hath ever
lasting life... Whosoever eateth my
flesh* and drfnketh my blood hath
eternal life.. . Reckon yourselves to
be indeed dead unto sin, but afire
nnto God through Jesus Christ our
Lord...Yield yourselves unto God,
as those that are a lire from the
dead.” It Is a very Important doc
trine that believers in the present
world, before tfift separation of soul
ajnl body, hare eternal life. Once
they were “dead in trespasses and
aids,” but they have been “quickened
together with Christ.” Once they
lay with, and by all created eyes
undistinguished from, all the dead,
dry btmes of the valley; hut they
were caused to hear the voice of the
Bon of God and live. *
The first motions of this life of
which the spiritually-minded become
conacioua, is tbe restoration of their
•smsdly-miiiJhMl is death ;
itnalhr-niinded 1* Hf*» Snd
viii: I. |
tbe second heswl l pro-
int oat tin* &cc«ts*rj
between curod or fleoldy
i and death: and also
een spiritual uiindedn^s
To make pnj
gress, k is
f again, to il nstrate the
term*. Ik-nth is aome-
in a very restricted, ahd
pry oomprebi naive sense.
St restricted, ft means the
|of soul and JlHidy. But
dd contend tlx it it l»as no
ijug, he wonMj sthltiiy t|l»e
For all the spiritually-
past geiwralions, except
L Elijah, havl thus ditd.
eting death in this seuae,
'represented the feelings
l'when he saul:
I u
Hal and awfnl t? iii« to file7*
S he ticnnially n inded who
iiug here to enjoy, ^ thi*
deed tin* “kin* of terrors.”
>!«• as it often a q>ears, ir is
! Revive of man s cotulition
rendered s< miserable
death would be ehpsipn
n life. Tlioiu iikIs db so
B erea seek it. But if
on, with all i 1 s “anguish
it ml vexation of spirit,”
tompany tlm whteli ije
i e, and tliH f cterdaBy
io that o' ery rising
r ridief wo ild in* uijfl-
u by tin* ti ought thht
red and (hit without
m where, 1 O, w iefe
a term half so W^ll
[iress the ierribletieSs
ion as dAuthl Tie
* felt si! tljis.. Ueniie
tuisen term| to express,
eparation i *f stiul innl
* all the e ils. bodily
to whieli man Invs
>xious On ;u*c nnt ofUh.
preheusive hi nse, death
cribed thus: “To hUVe
ftdon with Cod, to 1 lie
truth and cm «e, and (jo
fall the miset es of thjs
i o soul ami
» peet wi
nfmanki
4«0ppi
7.06 pm
f 10 ft m
It M sod that God ••n-UM-mlwn-l
Noah.” fowly, Gui ae\wr forg**t«(
Yei there are time** when lie may be
sold •invisll.v to n*HH*»l* r. hkiirv
to one’s self ilie horror* of tbe del*
U|(r. The fbuoteiiM* of the great deep
braking up; the bursting clouds
pounug their hareata upon the doom
ed earth; the onuaequeiit gloom mid
loodrarms a* the ark. borne gmdu
ally up flaw the highest |mint tq
which some deepainng * retch might
flee for safety, woe driven ben* and
then* o|mni a vast waste of water—
floating over the grave of * sinful
world. No light through the neir
cling clouds: no \ ok« of succor from
beavcm; only the ceoeeiere downfall
of the pitiless tain—truly there was
need of I'aatU subluue ae the petri
an-L’ft, calmly to BM**t thi* hiding 6f
tbe uov ctiuut God.
But he “remembered Noah and
ao will he reHiember ns. In qur sad
desi days, under onr hen\ teat bar
dens, w hen life teetus al » stamlstill
because of tbe im|ienetrable gloom
of non* trials, and night nan uot die
cover one ray ot' delivering light,
faith should graft]» the aftMunuice
that tbe Eternal Haler uever t»rgets,
and in his own time will ap]iear for
onr help. Aa Fuller has expressed
it, “God's ways fetch an aatoniahing
com pooshot never an extensive
as to lest o us out at tbe bonnds of
His remsmtminco.—Am. Horn, i
nnder Ifix
ho liable i
% to frnl
Ixkiy, sinfl *
ever.”
a rigfii
SttiitiiresJ
»tagea ot i
togredients
posidoh. ]
*bige, is aft
Iwqioratlon
i the ]>ain« * f hell for-,
. flttuQ is im ispen<Mr
1 umlerstamlir g of the
lit presents fue diffi neht
(feath, or t'lti different
i^hieh enter ii«o its eouS
|Sf who 1ms advanced env
Neatly dead as s he wrtio
'the last. Ife who tms
Ae first ingrolient
♦ nrig out dn* bitter
i4 last, unless jraised 'ttb
'if of God from his estate
'death. Now et us sde
has reacln
tafthri ? of
certainty
Burr tiiy Dour.—I feel all that
I know aud all that I teach will do
nothing for tny soul if l spend my
time, a* some people do, in business
or company. My soul starves to
death in the beat company, and God
is often lost Iu prayers and ordi
nances. “Eater into thy closet,”
said ho, and “abut thy door.” Some,
words iu Scripture are very’ ciupbati
cal. “8bat thy door” means much t
it means, shat out, not only non
sense, bat business; not only the
company abroad, bat the company
at home ; It means let thy poor soul
have a littia rent aud refreshment,
and God have .opportunity to speak
to thee In a still, small voice, or he
lost communion with God. And it
i* just here that the contrast be
tweew them and the carnally-minded,
and indeed between their present
and tbeir former selves, becomes
most striking. Communion with
God consists in proper thoughts of
him and in proper feelings towards