The Lutheran visitor. (Columbia, S.C.) 1869-1904, March 31, 1871, Image 1
ONE LORD, ONE FAITH, ONE B APTI8 M"—EPHE 81A N8 IT: 5.
0 SKRIKS
COLUMBIA, S. C.. FRIDAY, MARCH ISK 1871
OLD SERIES, VOL. V.--NO. 134
“Well, Mary, it's the truth. I
dot)’! etro if I my it. I don't vut
to mast—well, I wish be would pat
it offt What don ho want of net
IM be willing to make over—well,
three millions, to found * hospital,
if he’d be satisfied end let me go on.
Yen, Td give three miIIfame to bay
off from tomorrow."
“1» lie not oar Beet Friend F
“Beet Friend F enfal the men, with
elooh heir affright, half miger. “Me
ry, yoa don’t know whet you err
talking about! Yoa know I always
hated thorn thing*. There'* no oar
in it; I can’t ere into them. In feet,
to me ready awful,”
I*orte and consolations, would be aup-
phed with the glorious jgoepel of the
blessed God; the ties of christum
brotherhood would be strengthened
—people far apart and differing
greatly in other respects, city pee*
l»le and country people, would be
drown together and feel that they
18 PTBLI8HKD j
every rRmsi
gf ' ST
RUDE & MELLHR.
we do! !>o we realty believe what
we hear in church, or it it n painted
dream !* %
“I do believe,” said my wife, ear
neatly—(she is a good woman, my
wife)—“yes, I do believe—but it is
jnst as you say—oh, dear! I feel
as if I am very worldly—I have so
many things to think of F and she
sighed.
So did 1; for | knew that I too
was very worldly,; After a pause, I
Itl "
“Suppose Christ shook! really
ootue to Now York this Christmas—
and U should begin to be snthorita
lively auuouuced that he would ho
in the eity that day I*
“I think,” said my wife, “there
would be some embarrassment on
the part of our great men, legislators
amt chief councillors in anticipation
of a personal interview. Fancy a
meeting of the ulty council to ar
range a reception fbr the I*>rd Jesus
Christ F
“Perhaps,” said I, “he would re
fuse all the offers of the rich
nnd great. Perhaps our fashionable
churches would plead for bis lire*
euce in vain. Hewoukl not be in
imiaces F
“Oh F said uiy wife, earnestly, “if
1 thought our money separated us
from him 1 would give It oil—yes, mil
—might I only see him one hour.”
She spoke from the bottom of her
heart, and for a moment her (face was
glorified.
“You will see him some day,” said
I, “and the money that we are
willing to give up fat a word fer him,
will not keep him from us.”
That evening the thoughts of the
waking hours mirrored themselves
in a dream.
1 see hied to be oot walking in the
streets of New York, aud to be cos
acinus of a strange, vague arose of
something just declared, of which all
were rqieakiug with a suppressed air
of mysterious voices.
There was a stir of lmsh, a wbi*
paring stillufets around. Groups of
mm stand at the ooruers of the
streets ami discuss an impending
something, - with suppressed voice*.
I beard one say to another, “ HemUp
cogiiug? YVbat! To-morrow? And'
others said, “Yes, to-morrow, on
Christ mas-day be wiM tie here.'*
It was night The stars were glit
teriug down with a keen sod frosty
light; the aho;* glistened in their
Christmas array, but the same
sense of hashed expectancy preva
iled everything. There aremed to
be nothing doing, and each person
looked wistfully on fats neighbor, as
if to say, “Have yon heard F
Suddenly, as I walked, au angel
tonn was with ase, gliding softly by
my side. The face was solemn, se
rene aud calm. ''Above the forehead
was a (Kile, tremulous, phosphorus
radiance of a light purer than any
on earth—a light of a quality to
different from that of the street
lamps that my celestial attendant
seemed to move ifa a sphere alone.
Yet though I felt awe, I felt a
sort of confiding love as I said,
“Tell me—is it really true ? /«
Christ cotiyagr *!
“He c ia y ” said the angel. “To
morrow he will be here.”
“What joy F l cried.
“Is it joy P safal the angel. “Ala*,
to many in this eity it is only ter
ror. Come with me.”
In a moment I seemed to be stand
ing with him in a parlor of one of
the chief palaces of New York. A
stout, florid, bald-headed man was
seated at a table covered with pa
pers which he wa* sorting over with
nervous anxiety, mattering to him
self as he did so. On s sofa lay
a sad-looking, delicate woman, her
emaciated bands clasped over a lit
tie book. The room was, in all its
appointments, a witness of bound
less wealth. Gold aud silver, and
gems and foreign furniture, and
costly pictures, and articles of virtu
—everything that money could boy
was heaped together; and yet the
man himself aeemed to have been
neither elevated nor refined by the
confluence of all these treasures. He
seemed nervons ami uneasy. He
wiped the sweat from his brow and
spoke:
“I don't know, wife, how you feel,
bnt I don’t like this news. I doo*t
understand it. It puts a stop to ev
erything I know anything about”
“Oh, John F said the woman, turn
ing towards him a face pale and fer-
yoa lay upon a dying bed, life’s lamp
expiring, and all your powers sinking
Hi to ruin—if yoa had reached such a
point unprepared, had crowded this
great work into that most unit hour,
there would bo source tho slightest
prospect that say appeal would avail.
Wo propose here to show bow the
evils exposed in former papers may
be remedied. A plan is needed that
Is practicable and simple and scrip
torsi In the present condition of
our Southern Church, so scattered
and impoverished, nnd so long under
the yoke of the* now prevailing ay a
tern, it is, perhaps, not possible to
have a common austeutation fund,
like tka Free Church of Beotlaad,
from which ail ministers shall be
supported. Buck a fond could nei
ther be raised nor effectively admiu
titered. To Rapport evangelists and
aid feeble churches is all that is ex
ported of oar Assembly’s Committee
of Basleotitiiou. But much more ip
needed to develop the life of the
church and secure the blessing of its
Head.
1. Let every Presbytery regard it
as a chief part of its work to famish
• hU|>i*ort to every wan
aaUed of God to the ministry and
devoting himself to its proper work.
This is not saying that every ordain
ed minister shall be supported. Some
are found unit for the office, and
shooU1 be allowed to demit it. Some
are disabled by sickness or age; these
should be placed upon a retired list
(as is done in the army) aad suitably
provided for. Others get their sup
port mainly or in part from secular
pursuits in which they feel it their
duty to engage. These aud other
H mi taboos greatly reduce the uom
her of ministers who have a claim
a poo the charok for their main ten
aaee. The Presbytery tries eaodi
dates, judges of their qualifications,
aad after being satisfied, ordains
them to the work of preaching the
gospel it does seem if there is an
obligation renting upon any person
«r body to support a minister, it
most rest upon that body from which,
under God, he dories* his comma*
moo. The Presbytery can not shake
off this obttgataoa; it can oot dele
gate it to a local church. Ifithaa
the ilower to commission ministers,
it most in some wmy get the means
to support them. Let this obligation
gas flaih, Strictly in Ad
n>oy, per sunuai.........
sir • •• v-.-v
SfcL—. Widow* of Muim
iTheolojcioal Student*,..
Lwrftew who faff to rem
•miration of their tuib*
,*^Sbecharged per an
name* are entered or
fc£b£k, Without the firm
^e asks ao mao tf he is ready. He
drives his dart alike through the
ready sod the reluctant soul Far
nished or uoforoiebed for the world
to come. It moat obey the dreadful
summons Reader, by all that la
iates or advektwisi
square (one inch of col
A young Scottish lady of rank,
whoso heart the Lord had touched
and opened, longed to draw others
within the circle of a Saviour’s love;
but among the gay and proud who
She cant on him a look foil of pity.
“Gan no* 1 tanks yoa see F she said.
“No, indeed you can’t Why, look
here,* he added, | Mint ing to the pa
per*, “here Is what stands for mil
Mount Tonight it’* mine, aad to
morrow it will he all so maeh waste
pafier, and then what hare I left?
Do yon think 1 can rejoice? I’d
give half; I’d give yea, the whole,
mot to have him come there ha mired
«lrt mouths
advertisement* of three «,
gds * discount of 90 net
kQusre* and upward*, 80
bAouares and upward*. 40
Lf pne-half eobinm nnd a
rot. will be deducted from
jniarie*, when more than
bats for eight word*, p
Five rent* i»< r qusr
Ute ffgy laugh, and light sad frivol
on* manner of her associates, hin
dered every effort and seemed to
hedge her way before her on every
baud. Discouraged and sad, op
pressed with the burden of the Lord,
aad knowing not bow to attain the
4eMre of her heart, she carried the
above
fev. A. R. RrDR,p.U
^ ColmmbiO, 8.
toward linn, bat he poshed it back.
“Do you are f said the angvi to
mo HoU maly, “between him aad her
there is a obkat orl* flood: •
“They have lived in one bonne with
that gull between them for years!
Bbe can not go to him $ he can not
come to her. To-morrow she will
rise to Christ as a dew drop to the
sun, nod be will call to the mountains
aad roeka to fell on him—oot brewore
thrill baton him, but been ore he
hates <' hnst.”
Again the scene was changed. Wa
stood together in a little low attic,
lighted by one small lamp—bow puor
it wan—a broken chair, a rickety ta
We, a bed in the cunier—where the
little ooes were coddling close to one
another for warmth. Poor thing*, the
air w*a ao frosty that, their breath
congealed U|*oti the bed clothe*,
as they talked* in soft baby-voire*.
“Whan Mother cornea she will faring
Its some «* upper," they said, “flat
Pm ao cold F aaid the little onUhSrr.
“Get In the middle, then," aid the
other two, “ami well warm you.
Mother promised she'd make a Are
when she came in, if that man would
pay her.” “What a bad man far ta,"
said the oldest hoy, “he never pay*
mother If be cau help tt.” *
Jnst then the floor opened mod a
pale, thin woman came la, laden
with |<arkagr«.
She laid all down ami came tu her
children** hrd, ctaaping their faaada
in a rapture. “Joy ! joy ? children.
O joy ! joy ! Christ is mating ? Tie
will be here tomorrow."
Every little bird ia the newt waa
up, slid the little arm* .1 round the
mother’* neck ; the children bettered
at once, they had heard of the
good Jesus; he had bora their
mother** only friend through many
a cold ami hungry day, and they
doubted not he was coating.
“O mother, will he take ns f He
will, won’t be F .
“Yes, yes, my Httle one*," she said
softly, Ainiling to herself; “He *hall
gather the lamba with hi* arms and
carry them in hia Iwieom.”
* Sudden I > again, as by the slide
of a magic lantern, another scene
was presented.
We stood in a louiely room, where
a woman was sitting with her bead
bowed forward upon her bands.
Alone, forsaken, slandered, she waa
In bitterness of afririt. Hard, cruel
tougue* bad s|iokeii her name with
vile assertions, and a thoughtleaa
world had believed. There had
been a 1 Nibble of accusation, a crowd
to rejoice in iniquity, and few to
pity. Bbe thought herself alone and
she spoke: “Judge me, O Lord, for
I have walked in my integrity. I
aui a monster unto many, but Thou
tut my stroug refuge."
In a moment the angel touched
her. “My slater,” he said, “he of
good cheer. Christ will be here
to-morrow*."
She start oil up with her baud*
clasped, her eye brighter, her whole
form dilated, as she seemed to look
ioto the heavens, and said with
rapture—
“Come, Lord, ami judge me, for
Thou knowest me altogether. Come,
Bon of Mary, In Thee have I trusted;
let me never be confounded. Ok I
for tbe judgment seat of Christ F
Again, I stood in a brilliant room,
foil of luxuries. Three or four fair
women were standing peaaively talk
ing with each other. Their apart
srent waa bestrewu with jewelry**
laces, silks, vets, ami every fen
ciful elegaoco of feehioa § but they
fobbed trouMfed.
It la strange that so many istefli
grut rhnstaaas peraist ia regarding
this as a proper of Simeon, now ready
to die, and asking God to release
hia from this life. Let any ooe
conjugate the vrefc let; sad be will
her custom, dosed the day with a
song of praise. Shortly after she
bad fin si bed her song, her serving-
maid entered the room in tears, and
besought her to sing again the sa
cred words, and in broken accents
told how those strains bad toadied
and melted bier heart *
“No words of entreaty,” mud she,
could ever effect my soul as those
plaintive songs to which for week* I
had listened, as ay mistress poured
out in them her love fbr the Redeem
ex, and bar faith and treat in him.”
Sleep fled that night from the eyes
of the young disciple, in the neo-
joy aad thankfulness that filled her
heart, at the diaoovery of the bless
ing God had granted upon the songs
she had song, “that talent,” she
said, “I have consecrated to God. I
will sing for him; and if through
this means I may touch souls, my
happiness shall be complete."
From this time, she devoted her
self to tbe study and expression of
sacred song; aad while she touched
with skill the various instruments ou
which she had learned to play, hex
voice of wondrous power would en
trance and thrill her hearers, it
was the ootgnshing of bar joyous
heart; the thanksgiving of a redeem
«d soul; her testimony, poured apon
careless ears, concerning the won
drons love of Him who came to save
oar race; who cares for all His crea
tores; Who gathered little children
to Hia arm*, and whose blcasings
crown with joy the saint of God,
even down to honey hairs. Many
Religious
r four successive Bum jays, the
|it note hsjd been Mfadiug
gh the church that I a tended,
hymns, the prayers, he aer-
‘ all spoke of tbe seco id com-
' Christ. To it all, as a good
huian, I had listened a riously,
mingled
aid | hops devoutly. It had
imp dream-wise, with tbe tafepiug
light df painted windows, filling in
goldm, purple and crimson ofcef suc
cessive pews, where fair forms in
fcojpn aud flowers, satihfa] and
iaefa^and the portly figures of re-
8pei|faUe citizens were to ho seen,
horijidg in responses, rising at the
pdKf, joining in the anthems aad
is rax ways signifying absent to
tiiclljonderfal truths whivli form til
tielmpct of tbe sermon.
Jpi dates, like a vjvid iriiaft of
Mil some declaration friptui the
epiailf or gospel would, fo#n ; mo
neiftipieroe the gloomy sdfefaiuity
amljf would start as if ai> faugei
fed] fimehed me, with au awttkening
fliriffj “THJC 3HGHT IS FAK SPBNT,
TBiJ/^AV IS AT HAND."
!ii j soul vibrated for a fatotm-ut
harp. Whs it in* ? The
ai#au the long niglit of tiie wcn-ld’s
•*« hat ifa yoa ■
Ins r There ia a \
yoa—it* arrival is
Hilary baywod ym
tala at what hoar i
will he made in the right direction.
% The chonbos in the bounds of
every Proabytery should 00aCri bate
UU.VDM i»N Go© ALSifnt.—-tttr
WilMam llamUtoa was doubt leas the
tee should be folly explained to the
peojde, and then let the demons go
to every church member, sod consul
or carefolly bis pecuniary condition,
and feithfoUy toll him the sum he
should give. The collection thus
Noh should be carried up to every
regular meeting of Presbytery, and
pot ioto the bands of a judicious
§£ agony audf blind ifesire, ia
■ over—m the day at bfand ? ■
afar: “Trey shill s|ac rfrs
to MAN COMI -a n» AJ VIX)VJ>
l POWER AND GREAT 'GLORY.
then these things begin come to
] 1ok Oft mod rejoice, for poor re
i m w nvjh.’’
timg! Tlie Bon* of M; 11 really
—coming into this wo Id with
attnd great glory ? Tl* ee were
Nris when 1 thought ' if it, tw
k] 1 rose up in my sohe and all
bpireh seemed glorified !! m<
iff i this really ever happen ?
Nfl* solid, common-pLii-e earth
<|! Will these skies w ei New
tfbtighteu anti flasli, j ud | will
shed faces in this eity l e watch
»|faee him coining? . |, !
^jmr minister preach d, in a
M^sermon, ami for a moment;
|b* I felt a thrill of jeaiify in
tig Bot as the well drtstsed
||pa88e*i down the faisle, my
Mr. Stock ton, Whispered
jh«t to forget the meeting of
iU Q. O.
country.
38—ly
la tbe learning
souga. Tbe sweet story of old, thus
rendered, seemed to tysaess new
power to melt the Sdreless heart
In cottages aad halls, in the draw
iug-rooms of wealth and the homes
of bumble life, she sang her iirnffi
of Jesas, while with lifted heart she
sought his blessing ou the offering;
and ere ntauy mouths had passed
away she had tbe delight of knowing
that numbers of those around her
had, through the songs she sang,
been led to taste tbe joy which she
tasted, being brought up oot of
the horrible pit and miry day, and
pleaoed upon the living Rock, and
having a new song pot in their
months.
How precious is the gift of song 1
It has told in wailing minors, or in
exultant strains, the story of man’s
deepest sorrows, and highest joys,
through all tbe ages past It has
been the bright, consummate flower
of human devotion, the highest type
of creature worship. On earth, men
weep and pray. In heaven they
only sing. And when this world of
tears and toils and conflicts shall
have passed, when preaching, and
prayer, aud exhortation, and entreaty
are over, the voice of song shall still
yet rise, joyous, rapturous, and efcer
ual, before tbe throne of glory*.
Christian, can yon sing ! Say not
then that you have uo talent Say
not that your talent is small. This
discordant world hungers for the
conoord of sweet and sacred sounds.
Music charms and allures the multi
tudes to hell. Let it charm and
win some perishing soul to heaven.
Learn to sing praises to God, and
offer up to him, not “the lame, the
halt, the Mind"—the contemptible
discord that too often disgraces his
worship, and disgusts his worshipers
—but wherever you go, and what
ever circumstances may surround
yon, be readv to speak to one an
other “in jodniR, and hymns, and
spiritual songs, sm|ing, witii grace
in yottr hearts; unto the Ixvra,**;
AND
as to bring oat tbe great eat miniate
rial strength. Whoever is jodged
omat useful in one locality should be
charms of this world;
oat of that torrent of
arm which swrapa
thought 4way j retool
appeal, aod lot that
which the uubliaded l
change should forthwith he transfer
nd to aaothsr field. Tbe power of
Methodism for good aud Jeouitma
for evil rests very maeh upon the
principle that every laborer has his
field of labor selected fer him. and
is not left to hunt it for himself.
Minister*, like all other men, are but
poor judges of thefr fltoees for any
Raid of labor, and it would be far
bettor hi moat cases to have their
ering on the bowlers of the unseen
world, piat ready ta |«eaetrate its
great mysteries, be was tieard to
niSrainr. “Thy rod and thy staff,
the) comfort me F
none can be tWKMml «f no much ha
purtanofa. item use, disturbing man’s
sinful mind as it doea, they are Not
disposed to |»reas it honestly aud
earnestly upou themselves. Because
an boocst, serious, enlightened deoi
aiou of this question may ha of ever
lasting Iwueflt to yoar soul. Because,
amid tits harry of business or whirl
of pleasure, ,yoa may at this hoar
need something to lead yoa to coo
Lruio Kri*n.KM.—Chriatiaas are
epistles to lie read. Tbe world reeds
them every day. How important that
this living gospel which walk* and
trades and stirs about in public
place* should be correctly printed!
Yet how many of these living epis
ties have been printed from battered
type, from mixed fonts, on spotted
paper, aad in dim ink. Bot after
aQ, orthodoxy is safer in the ooosa
crated heart than ia the theological
library. Evangelism is an upright,
i directors on Monday ave-
pd Mrs. Goldth waite poured
wife’s ear a charge not to
* Thursday receptions; and
sr she came oat, asked me
observed the extravagant
Mrs. Penny man.
*surd,” she said, ‘Vlfeo her
| know can not be half what
tod 1 never thiuk of sending
^ for my things—1 should
in it as morally wrong!” li
ke of the sermon, ffYka,”
wife, “what a sereion !^j So
I wonder that all New
hot drawn to hear our
Thai authority of the Presbytery over
its ministers and churches ia, when
rightly exercised, ooe of the most
powerful elements in our system ;
sod yet, as matters are managed in
our .Southern Church, it ia almost
a dead fetter. Every Presbytery
shook! employ men of suitable gifts
petto. Because, if tbe sutyect which
this question urges upon you is not
atteodi'd to, the soul ia lusL
“Why ask me this question f* Be
cause it respects interest* of yours
of mfiuite value—interests in fearful
peril, if you can not answer this quo*
tion in the affirmative. Because this
question ia suited to aroooe attention
to wfaat yon may have totally negtset-
ed. Because you may be the very
person of all living who most needs
sash an appeal; bring, pnrbapn, the
victim of a false hope, ot of fetal
error, and borne farther and farther
every day from God by the grow ing
power of sia. Ifa-* a>um it it of infinite
i, going everywhere within its
ids, cultivating tbe waste ptaeeo,
bringing the troth to bear apon
put away on the shelf for safe keep
ing i it is always alive, alert and
growing; it in oot dead Latin, bat
vital mother-tongue ia this country ;
it la not stoepfed in chan h, cadenced
in ritual, or robed at the alter, ao
much as hearted ia Uviag people and
radiated io workday duties. .
4. In addition to all this, aud as a
prominent feature in tbe proposed
plan, every Presbytery should con
tribute a per rentage of its funds to
the Assembly's Committee, that it
may be able to aid the feebler Pres
byteries and frontier regions.
The advantages of the system here
presented are many and important
The grace of benevolence would be
developed more fully in oar people j
their intelligence would be greatly
increased, as they would naturally
be inclined to inform themselves
more thoroughly of the work to
which they would give of their sub
stance; the poor for w hom Christ
died, and who so much tfoeU its imp-
VFhat can be mors powerful
fk discourse* ? My dear,
h don't forget to change
>t>al ring for a diamond one.
P The Christmas presents
1to on my mind that I was
R of them every.; now and
J ehnrvh—and that waa.ro
liev. Albert Barnes says: “No
clergyman, old or young, baa ever
folly appreciated the power of the
pres* as an auxiliary ia the main
work of his life; few, if any, have
availed themaelves of the aid of the
press in their good work as they
might have done; more have beea
too rilling to leave this important
engine, so mighty for truth or error,
in other 1 * bands.”
decision of this question. Aud espe
cially because the next bosom pierced
by the dart of death may be yoar
own.
“Bat I am in health, in the fulness
'WsTr ^ 'Kr w t • e- V-w -W
of toy strength; why pm* this mat