The Lutheran visitor. (Columbia, S.C.) 1869-1904, September 22, 1871, Image 1
ONE LORD. ONE FAITH. ONE BAPT18M”—EPHE8IAN8 IV: 5.
COLUMBIA, S. C„ FRIDAY. SEPTEMBER 22. 1871
OLD SERIES, VOL. V.-NO. 159
ted. “I will arise un«l go to my
father," was the utterance of the new
life—the aspiration of the new na
ture. When he spoke time he was
full of doubt and uneertainty as to
the mode in which the father would
receive him. He was full of legality
—fall of taught of servitude instead
of the thought of sotiship. The new
life was there; but as yet it was eon
nectcd with numerous doubts and
fears within, and the raga of Ida for
mer condition were npon him. He
had.been acted upon by a life giving
voice, and he only needed to be email
cipated. The new nature, having
been imparted, moved toward the
source- from which it hml sprung;
but as yet its movement was cramped,
as it were, by the grave-clothes, and
its vision impeded by tin* napkin.
Now, who would think of main
taining the monstrous idea that the
prodigal ought to have continued iu
his raga—to have persisted iu bis
donbts, tears, and uncertainty f Who
would assert that for the rest of his
days Isi/arus ought to have worn his
grave-clotties ami napkin, in order to
prove that he was a living man t It
will lie said that the dither's embrace
dispelled the prodigal's fear, for how
could he fear hi the arms of |aiterual
lore ? Bat was It uot the father also
who commanded the rags to be dis
placed by “the best robe f" And
then, as to Lazarus, it may be urged
that thostvoioe that had quickened
and raised him commanded him to
be loosed and let go. Exactly so;
and is it not just the same in refer
cnee to say one who lias obtained
new life by belie\ iug iu the name of
the Son of Godf Truly so. He
slit Slid no longer wear the rags of
the ‘Lu count in’* nor the trappings
of the grave. Ills bauds ami feet
should be uubouud, so that he may
serve the Ixwd Christ and run ia the
way jfhiauouuBiitidmeiiU. lit* face,
too, should be iemoved, au that he
may gaze upon the One a hose voice
has quickcued him.
Aud be it remembered that it is
the self-same voice that quickens and
emancipate*—that give* life and lib
erty—that delivers from the dotniaiou
of death ami b ads forth in the liber
ty of life. U ia well to see this.
The life aud liberty are connected, as
oouiiug from the same source. The
life whtch tbc believer has is nut old
Adam life improved, but now Adam-
life imparted; aud the liberty in
which the believer walks is out lib
erty for the old Adam to folfll hit
horrible lusts, but liberty for Lbo new
man to walk with God and tread iu
the holy footprints *f Christ, flow
does lie get this life aud liberty f By
the word of God, received by faith,
through the power ot the Holy Ghost.
The same voice that quickened Lax
arus quickens the swoL And where
is this voice heard f “In the word
of the truth of the gospel." The
soul that believes on the name of the
Sou of God has received new life.
What life f The resurrection life of
Christ. * The simple word of the gos
pel is the seed by which this new
life is produced. And what does
this gospel, this message of glad ti
dings, declare f That Christ died and
rose again; that he put away sin bj
the sacrifice of himself; that be is
gone into heaveu; that be has, by
himself, purged our sins; that be has
met every* claim, every deauyid,
every objector; that justice is sat is
fled, conscience tranqoilized, the en
emy confounded. This gives life
and liberty—new life, divine liberty.
It carries the soul eutirel) out of the
old creation and its belongings, and
introduces it into the new crestion
and all its privileges, joys, and glo-
The death of Christ delivers
but not liberty; who hsve "conic
forth," but are uot yet “loused and
let go." There are many such
There are many in the eondiiiou of
the prodigal when he aruee from the
far country, but had not yet reached
the father's arm*. 1 ewruestly long
for their full rmauripaUou. 1 would
s flee tamale I y re amid them that the
whole work is done, the sacrifice com
looted, the ransom pant They have
uot to read another syllable ia order
to get settled peace. Christ has made
peace. God is well pleased. The
Holy Ghost bears witness. Tbe
word of God is made plain. Where,
then, is the foundation for a doubt f
The rentier may exclaim, “Alas, it is
myself!" Yes; but, my dear friend,
you have nothing to do in a matter
which has already been done for you.
The nghteousnesn of God is “to him
that worketh uot." If you had to do
aught ia order to do righteousuras.
tbeu Kota. iv. 5 would uot be true.
Remember—oh, remember and de
light in that most glorious “as4T It
will not suffer the weight of a feather
of human doings, human feelings, or
human any thing, to be thrown into
the stwlea. iu order to make Christ's
sacrifice available for fo«. Christ
has done s/i for yoar preseat, |ier
tonal, ami perfect salvation.
May the land, the Spirit, emaarj
pate precious souls fiorn the grave-
clothes iu which they are eulasgir«l.
May uiauy hear ami understand those
thrilling acornU, “Loumi: him. a*D
LKT HIM (Ml.*— If'dees*.
tuff*** T
18 PUBLISH KD j
7FRY FfUlh
It is Christ the Lord who speaks
to us, and says, as he said to his dis
ciple* so long ago, “I am with you
alway * Doubtless it was not spokeu
for them alone, but for our sake*
also.
As he spoke his disciples were
standing arouud him, and it might
have seemed strange to them, and
bard to believe it, when he was re
ceived up out of their sight; but do
you think they doubted f I fancy
they must have known Jesus too
well by that time to distrust or doubt
him again; indeed we know they did
uot, for the first thing they did, when
they no longer saw him with their
outward eyes, was to worship hitn ;
“and they worshiped him, and re
turned to Jerusalem with great joy *
“Great joy V (JonId it be so when
they bad just seen thetr Lord find
Master taken right away from them.
Nevermore would they see him on
earth, till he should come with cloud*
and great glory, to fetch his whole
church home; aud yet they were full
of “great joy.*
Ah, it was that they knew even
then what it ineaut “to walk by
faith ~ and “to live by faith * Hi*
word was euough; they trusted it,
and acted on it.
Each one could have confidently
affirmed that he had actually seen
Jesus depart; even the augels had
come and told them so; and though
he would return again, what could
make op to them for all the time he
was away f Just this: “I am with
you alway* They saw him leave
them, aud w lieu he was quite out of
sight they began to talk to him just
as they had done w hen he stood be
side them but a few minutes before.
Then, full of great joy in the realixa
tion of this simple yet misteriou*
union, they returned to Jerusalem—
to obey hint, live with him, as much
as before; even more, for the Holy
Ghost should also come and abide
with them, not as it has been so
beautifully put, “to aujtply his place
when absent, but to make him pres
ent, in a nearer and more Messed
way*
So, you see, Jesus never left them,
and that was why they were in
“great joy." Jesus never leaves any
Christian; uot one. Then how is it
that every' Christian is not likewise
foil of joy f Because they do not
believe, or only partially believe,
what the Lord has written. They
begin to look for external evidence.
“If Jesus were with me, I could not
be aa I am. I could not be doubting,
dark, giving way to temptation,
ashamed of acknowledging and serv
ing my Saviour. I should be foil of
love, joy, peace, good works; ail this
is far from me. How dare 1 say he
is with me. when my life and talk
deny it f* Yea, it may be so, and
yet all you say. or feed, or tliiak, can
never alter this ooe fact: Jesus is
sprinkled
(treiHqr you. wmu I wall* the land of
Mgypl."—Etodns ill: Uk
The children of larnrl are in the
land of bondage. God la about to
bring them out with a mighty hand.
Already be ha* visited the Egyptian*
with grievous plagues. HtiU, the)
are unwilling to 1st the peofde go.
They still rebel ajpunst the Lord of
boats, aud grind tb* fores of bis peo
pie with cruel bondage. Bat the
Lord will do a terrible thing la
Egypt, and work out a mighty deiiv
the altar m the temple, was typical
of the blood shed au the croee of
Cavalry, and carried by our great
High rrieet into the holy of holies of
^^Widowsof Mi
acribers wln> fail to nj
fflimtion of their null
iiU be charged per A
, liU ,u's un< entered (i
n hook, without the rtf
uniuu A.00
m tlie «*ul>
*t payment
nkwspai'ks decisioi
rprcHOU wlio takes aj
the post office— 1
Mpr itff-
whether ifi-
, or whether
responsible
sajeth the Ix*d: About midnight
will 1 gu out into the midst of Egypt,
and all the first barn to tbe land of
Egypt ah all dir, from the first born
of Pharub that aittoth upon his
throne, even unto the first-born of the
maid servant that ia behind the mill,
and all the first berti besets. And
there shall br a great cry throughout
all the land of Egypt, sorb ns there
was none like U nor shall be like it
any mote. But against any of tbe
children of Israel shall not a dog
move hia tongue against man or
beast; that ye nun know bow that
the Lord doth pul a difference he
tweeu the Egyptians and Israel.”
Israel was God's choeeu people,
Uf hi* free or sovereign grace, be
hia name or another 1 ?
nharrilxHl or not—is
ved God's
orders hia pi pel discon-
pay *B anfaasswea. or
ay coutiuuc to send it
i made, and collect the
whether paper ia
Bee or not. t j
have decided tint refu-
Mspers ami ]>driodu-nl*
tfac. or remoViiiK ami
If, as we couatautli bear, “iinfer
is beeveiu's first law,* why is it uot
more generally observed by those
wbo bopr to become heaven's inhabt
tautsf U the desultory, louse man
u«*r by which most men work, s gust
prr|Mtr*tiou for a reside nor in a place
where the very perfection of order
is the first, most important Ian of
government t < Infer, as opposed to
cou I usual. System, as iqqverd to
chacMk Are ee cultivating every
Christian grace when we oegfert
this f We orgnmar and systematise,
with constant iw prove men la alsnst
to parfcrlnm, every movement or
srbeme tending to ouebd advance-
ment or personal benefit. Even our
charities, when they come 1 Wore the
world, afqwur generally ia regplariy
organised benevofeat societies This
ia as Usheri Id be i far tied baa shown
uf God, the
Why, then,
trying to do
“And not many days after the
y ounger sou gathered all together,
and took his journey into a farooun
try, and there wasted his substance
with riotous living *
“That's thee, Jem !* ejaculated one
of bis comrades. “It's just like what
y ou told me of y ourself and yvnr
society. Bet what I wish Isaak in—
la there not a reason for the falters
of so many Christian lives, ia tbe
t is with tbe unconverted,
generatej the uufiWj&keticd.
e “dead”—moral jy,!l spirit
end.* j Their feet; age first
i the fetters of dtufcb; bnt
w it not. Their bands are
by tbe-baadcuftWoT death;
feel it not. Their eyes are
der be creates iu bis sflatrs, if beaeg
lects to do suck duty in Its prefer
time. He finds that neglect or poet
ponement of a fitHr for a “more eon
venieut season* censes ell kisd sties te
come at ineon veutaut times j be find*
that his work sreutnaIsles, until be
arnrerly knows where to begin hi tbe
malt itnde of dattoa before him. Does
not the Cbristisn too often find him
self ia a position something like this f
He |Hits off certain duties wkirh,
however, be folly intern!* to do tome
fed by tbe dirk napkiif of death;
hey pereeivejt not. | They are
• Tie robes </rdeath are around
—t le grave-clothes are upon
j a d suit their condition,
t then, in some way! or other,
pergous for whom I write this
p In W been acted upon by the
tty' laickeniug voice of the Son
wl- -“the Resurrection and the
’ . A verse of Scripture, a ser-
a Jeetare. a tract, a hymn, a
passing event, has
Kerry srvruth day, if not oftaner.
the greater number of sell meaning
peraous iu England thank full \ re
reive from their teachers a breed*
tfou, couched in there term*: “The
Greer of our Lord Christ, and the
Lere of God, nod the Fellowship uf
the Holy Ghost be with you." Now,
I do not know preciaely what arose
1* attached ia the English public
mind to there expressions. But
what I have to tell you positively is,
that the three thing* do actually ex
fat, and ran be known If you care to
A testimorq* to Luther, worth
reading, is qriveq by Archdeacon
Hare in there \oN*: w If we would
do justice to ihiy of the master-mind*
in history, we most compare them
with their ]»mIeceasoTS; for on© of
the surest marks of a great heaven
sent teacher is, that tbe tnrfhs which
he is commissioned to teach become
in course of time sgore aud more a
part of the intellectual patrimony of
mankind. Bnt when we come upon
the truths iti Luther, after wander
ing through the dusky twilight of
the preceding centuries, it seem*
almost like the sunbnrst of a new
revelation, or rather nR if the snn
which set when St. Paul was taken
away, had suddenly started tip again.
Verily, too, it does one good, when
one lias been walking about among
tboee who have only dim guesses as
to where they are or whither they
are going, and who bait ; and look
neglect, and next, perhaps, entire
forgetfulness ; or, if arooaed. It I* to
sorrow for lost opportunities, and to
fiud he has lost ground la his rues
for tbe immortal crown.
How mnch more diligently would
our conaciencea watch every Word
ami action, if educated by a constant,
met In* Ural |>crforiunnre if rhristiuti
duties; how much more earnest
would we be in pleading the Saviour**
cause, if our hearts were cuuaUtiUy
and regularly warmed with “hot coals
from off the altar" of prayer. How
qnickly would doubts fly bark to tb*
evil source whence they came, If, *ya-
teumtically and perseverioglj, we
studied the word of God, and wioie
that word upon the “tablets of our
hearts,* so that when Satan entered
be wonld read there only “the power
and wisdom of Godand find no
darkness of ignorance or doubt ia
which to hide, bnt rather tbe “Light
of life,* to meet which Is death to
him.
O that God, oar loving, omniscient
Father, conkl nee in every Christian
life an appointed time frequently and
regularly set (quirt for bis worship,
aud that season more zealously guar
ded than say earthly privilege,—
Preabfteria*.
*V j some
fl l© them a life-giving voice.
* founded npou their ears, it
upon their hearts, it has
rated to the depths of their be-
*%y are aroused, they know
ow - They awake, they . know
by. “The wind bloweth where
fetli; aud thou hemeththe sound
^ but ,qau uot tell whence it
-h, and whither it goeth: so is
sop that is boru of tfhe Spirit."
hi; 8.) The life is there iu all
ditj*. The new birth jhas taken
the new uatnre -has been
ttzicated. Those who tare stand-
■ho know what life is, see
movements, the straggles, the
ri ^ 8 » and workings of life; but
1 are the Mood, 1 will pure ore* you,
and the plague shall not be npon you
to doatroy you when 1 smite the land
of Egypt."
For every house, a lamb waa slain.
The blood was sprinkled. The de
straying angel pause it through the
land. All Egypt's first bore wore
ear* to possess them. Firstly, by
simply obeying the orders at the
founder of your religion, nil grace,
grarfousoeas, or beauty aud favor of
gentle life, will he given to yon in
mind and body, in work and rent
The Grace of Christ exists, and can
he had If you will. -Secondly, a* yon
know more and more of the created
world, yon will find that the true will
of it* Maker la that iU creature*
should be happy—that he has made
everything beautiful in its time, and
its place, and that Ala chiefly by the
fault of men, when they are allowed
the liberty of thwarting hia lava,
that creation groan* or travails in
pain. The lore of God exists, aud
you may see it, and live in it if yon
will. Lastly, a Spirit does actually
exist, which teaches the ant her path,
the bird her bnflding, and men, io aa
instinctive and marvelous way, what
ever tartly art* aud noble deariB are
poaaiM* to them. Without tt you
can do no good thing. To tb* grief
of H you can do many bad one*. Ia
nea.
the believer from the old Adam con
dition iu which be was far*, and his
resurrection introduce* him into tbe
new Adam condition in which he was
far* again.
Now, all this is by the word of
God—the voice of Christ—the opera
tion of the Holy Ghost. There is
no human effort, in the matter. The
dead Ixsly of Lazarus was acted
npon by tbe voice of Christ; and the
soul “dead in trespasses and sins" i*
acted upon by the voice of Christ.
Tbe one is as independent of mau os
the other. Tbe quickening power
for both soul and body is in “tbe
voice of tbe Son of God." (See John
v : 2o, comp, with verses 28, 29.)
This takes all the glory out of man's
hand, and places it wbere it ought
to be, even in the.lmud <if the Sou of
God. He must bear nil tbe glory,
forever blessed be hi* name!
Oh, how ardently I long that those
precious souls for whom I write may
fully enter iuto what I have written!
I write for quickened souls wbo are
not yet emancipated—who have life,
Jehovah, who saw the sprinkled
blood, tb*y were safe. The I xml
passed over them, and the destroyer
came not near them. That night,
they turned their hacks npou Egypt.
Tbe Lord delivered them; and they*
went out from the boose of boodage
to return no more.
Waa the sprinkled blood a token
aierelj of Israel’s temporal deliver
ere, 1 believe there; are many
is condition—many quickened,
1 k° ru —wbq know not the priv-
^bioli attach to theifi 'birth, or
onree wM the object Of the life
* been communicated to
* fo a word, they need that the
1 w hjjCh has already said, “Laza
forth," should also say,
^hitu, and let hitu go.* They
faea quickened; they’ need to be
back, and turn aside at evei$ other
step, to see a man (like Luther) tak
ing his stand on the eternal Bock,
and gazing steadfastly with unsealed
eye* on the very ‘Sun of Righteous
ness."
Israel waa a type of God’s people of
every age, gathered out of every* us
tfou, kindred and tongue, ao Israel’s
deliverance from th* boodage of Egypt
was typical of the deliverance of all
God’s iMxqde fnxn the bondage of the
world and tbe thraldom of sin. Tbs
lamb slain was typical at th* Lamb
How to Live.—Y ou have only a
day too tq>end ©u earth ; act in socli
a way that you may spend it iu
peace. Iteace is the fruit of love;
for to live in peace it is necessary to
put up with many tbiugs, 4 <
Uveimuoe. Communications were
made to his parents, which resulted
in a long lost and dearly loved child
returning to the familiar earthly*
home; and, still bettor, in hi* return
to hi* Hearenly Father.
CipaUu'.
® au example from the
al. The prodigal was
efore be was emancipa*
Prove your conversion and then
you need not*doubt your election.