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id Blind Factory,
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| Railroad.
S. C., March 1,1872.
liia date, the following
run daily, Snmlny*
UP.
7 00* m
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*.tl 1/lam
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8 15»m
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5 55p m
IE AI), General 8"P}-
General Ticket Ao »• __
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Railroad.
Columbia, 8* [
June •# W71- *
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24th instant:
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0!fE LORD. ONE FAITH. ONE B A P T18 M"—E PHE8IAN8 IV: 6
KW SERIES, VOL. 4.—NO. 32
§UNMfe «•
COLUMBIA. S. C„ FRIDAY. APRIL lft. 1872.
Lutheran Visitor.
Lutheran chin ch,
at the InetaUa
W'. Do*h at
1872. bf Rer.
are the servants of the Most
I, who shew tuito the way of
—Acte xvi: 17.
tile St. Panl'.kaa engaged in
ling the gospel at Troas, in
might the apostle
“Who it
sufficient for these things V And ‘God manifested hi* potter for the
the only anawer that can lie given
is, “One. sufficiency is of God, Who
also hath- made na able ministers of
the New Testament; not of the
letter, bot of the spirit; for the letter
killeth, but the spirit giveth Ufo."
The duty of Christian ministers it
to show uuto mankind the way of
salvation, in doing which it ia ne<wa
wary that they should deUnc its na
ture. It is a spiritual salvation, and
Miitor, a vision appeared, uuto import* a deliverance from con
in the night; “there stood a
An of Macedonia, And prayed him,
r Come over into Maoedouia
help us* HA therefore do
Bined to proceed io that country,
gathering that the: Lord
esRed him to preach the gbspel
Having reached Philippi, a
city of Macedonia, he, in com-
wtth SHas, immediately entered —die eternally—unless tapernatu
ork kept on hand to
i country trade. All
|our own factory 7 in the
ie proprietor's special
List. Factory and
Ling, opposite Cannon
t City raiisfay. 1 • 0.
tt
roads.
7 40. a m
8 20 p m
8 20 a m
. ~. -* 3 40 P
teight and Aceo*‘*<" ln ~
it ruing* eseepted)-
7 00 p i"
7 00 ft!"
7 10 p >"
V r ’*> 00 a in
’■jtsfeSE JTo'mS"
Icn; Ticket Agt.
iE RAILROAD.
. * .0 00 p m
7 00 p ®
*"* ;.:.7 45 pm,
...3 «»™
4 80 am
g;g
boor *>'Jj*
oo Qrta*™*
mcd.b^p' 1 -
Jj
ing.
however*
it of a
Satan is
the begii
sometimes
jwer to hear
was so when
the man
lithe office of
*4 of all others,
the object of their mission, and
Jesus mi the resurrection,
i iroompanying their labors with
influence, so that a number
persons were eon verted, among
“ Who constrained
, apostle to abide at her house,
this dty was a young woman
fwith a of divinatiou,
brooght herrf m isters much
by soothsaying She, seeing
pasting through the
cried ooli “These meu. are
servants of the Most High God,
shew unto Ins the way of sal
and this t*bo did many days,
I at length 8t Paul, knowing that
igh the testimony was true, yet
_ from the source it did, had
tendency to lessen the authority
die apostles, as the natural in-
that they Were in league
her, and seefeg it in all its
igs, expelled the demon, which
It persecution, re
in the establish
ohUTcb.
ited as “a liar
ling," and yet he
spelled by Divine
infeony.lo the truth,
resins expelled him
bad an uucleau
it, who ci*ied but, “Let us alone ;
iat have we toj do with thee, thou
of Nazareth t Art thou come
destroy us T ! I know thee who
tloa art: the fioly One of God.’’
And so it was inf the instance before
sk Il»e words ittered by the pos
damsel w ?re true in every re-
and I propose on this occasion,
i briefly as 1 cs n—for the occasion
lands brevity—to consider Thb
>btA5t Work of Chrmtlin
[INI3TER8, and The Duty op
I08S AMONG Whom they labor.
Christian ministers
the most important,
ft) language cah adequately express
their high responsibility. The terms
by which they are designated are
partly illustrative Of this. They are
tailed laborers. Jesus said, “Tbe
harvest truly is plenteous, bot the
laborers are few; Ptay ye therefore
the Lord of the harvest that he
will ssud
harvest.” The
there is work
diligence, toil,
Uoq to ensure
laborers into bis
pre-supposestbat
be done, requiring
id constant applies-
J€ reward of labor.
Life itself is dependent upon reaping
the harvest at the proper time. They
we called watchmen. “Hon of mau,
I faaVe made thee a watchman unto
the house of Is^ttel; therefore, hear
we word at roy mouth, and give
warning from me” They are
be contitantly on the alert, looking
for danger. I Like the pickets of
attny, continually engaged, day
t * night, tn observing tbe enemy,
Aching fof his appearance, so a*
give the necessary Alarm to their
comrades, that they may not be
prised. The term indicates uu-
»ng vigilance. J
.They are stewards of the mysteries
God, and should hie folly prepared
«> onfold and explain those mysteries
!f ** r as God himself has revealed
And this implies incessant
•dy and an intimate acqnaintance
Rh the revealed Word. And they
^ aniba«8a<lors, sdnt by the King
heaveu to his reunions subjects.
^60,^ says tfto apostle, “are
'bassadors for CRrist, as though
did beseech yofi by us, we pray
>D > in Christ’s Htesri, be ye recon-
^ t0 God * TRey occupy the
>h and awfully responsible position
the represented vek of God. They
in tb e stead of Christ; in his
and by bis Appointment, to
men from dailies* to light,
from the power |of Satan unto
" bile contemplating this great
i on tbe fiaithftd performance
which hangs the eterual destiny
soato itft weal u# for Woe, wwM
tracted guilt. AU men are sinners
in the sight of God: sinners by nature,
•hapen iu iniquity, and conceived in
sin ; and all have actually sinned snd
come short of the glory of God. Now
hates, and nothing siufril can enter
into his presence; be has declared
that the soul that ainneth shall die
->
rally saved. Man can not save him
■elf, and hence it is the design of
tbe gospel to give a knowledge of
salvation by tbe remission of sins.
Peter and his coadjutors, when
brought before tbe Qsubedritu at
Jerusalem, asserted that “Jesas,
whom the Jews had crurihed, God
had exalted with his right hand to
be a Prince and a Saviour, to give
repentance uuto Israel and the remis
sion of sins.*’ And Paul, preaching
at Antioch, said, “Be it known unto
you, therefore, men and brethren,
that through this man Jesus is
preached onto you the forgiveness
of sin.*
a
They are to be saved from the
bondage of sin. Tbe sinner is in
a state of slavery—a slave to his
lusts and passions, ia hoodage to
tbe devil, “taken captive by him at
his wifr;* and the ministers of Christ
are sent to proclaim liberty to the
captives, that they may be made
free from sin, and become servants
to God. They are to be saved from
tbe moral pollution of ain “by the
washing of regeneration and tbe
renewing of the Holy Ghost." And
they are to be saved from the Anal
consequence* of sin, which is ban
ishmeut from the prescoor of God
and tbe glory of his power, into tbe
lake that burnetii with Are and
brimstone, where the smoke of their
torment aacendeth up forever and
ewer—to be saved with an ever
lasting salvation.
The source from whence this sal
ration is derived is tbe pure, dis
interested, unmerited and unpwral
leled mercy of God. **God so loved
tbe world that he uave bis only
begotteu Hon, that whosoever be
lieveth on him shonkl not perish,
but have everlasting life. For God
sent uot his Hon into the world to
coudemn tbe world, but that the
world through him might be saved.”
But above all, tbe theme of the
Christian minister should ha the Au
thor of salvatioo. Christ Jesus tba
Lord, “who, though he was rich,
yet for our sake* became poor, that
we through his poverty might be
rich.” This was the grand and all
absorbing theme of the apostle*.
Ht. Paul, in writing to the charch at
Corinth, says, “1 determined not to
know anything among you save
Jesus Christ and him crucifled.”
And to the Galatians he write*,
“God forbid that l 7 ; should glory
save in tbe cross of our Lord Jesus
Christ.”
The Christian minister should
preach Christ in bis incarnation, bis
teachiqga, his miracles, his passion,
his death, bis atonement for sin, his
resurrection and ascension to tbe
right hand of tbe Father, where, as
the Divine Mediator betweeu God
and man, he ever livetb to make
intercession for sinners.
“Havionr of men 1 heareforth be thoa my
theme.!
Redeeming love my study day Aud night."
"Other knowledge I disdain.
"Ti* all but vanity;
Christ the Lamb of God was Main,
He tasted death for me :
Me to asvc from endless wo*
The sin-stoning victim died ;
None but Jesus will I know,
And Jesus crucified."
The method by which salvation is
obtained should be clearly set forth,
“ttepentance towards God, and faith
towimls our Lord Jesus Christ.”
In the first sermon preached af
ter the ascension of tbto Saviour and
the descent of the Holy Ghost, 8k
Peter said, “Repent and be bap
tized, every one of yon, in the name
of Jesus Christ, for tbe remission of
sins.” And faith in our Lord Jesus
Christ. Faith in him as the living
Redeemer, as “the only name under
heaven givefo among men whereby
we must be saved ;* “not of vtorfcs,
lust any mas should boa*.” This
Paul to the Philippian jailor, wbea highly
mil
, Jt a A. m
I m
lllieration of his servant* from tbe
persecution which arose after the a thriving
expulsion of tbe demon: “Believe
on the Lord Jean* Christ, and thou
ahalt be saved " Not a word about
penance, or pilgrimage*, or lacera 1 uljnnet of the pastor. It
tion of the flesh ; hot “the just shall 1 he allowed to
Mve by fWtb” ! si a* super*sm
Let us notice tbe designation of tions; afford it
Christian ministers. In the text they ! aad sea that tJ
he la
»r>
bat the
He
t
are styled “servants of the Most
High God." Their commission ia
from God. The tenor of it ia, “Go sver rest
ye into all tbe world ami preach the Feed my Iambi
goapel to every creature.* And Paul ‘ The fnHhfttl
■jab* aad tn*
Let the ditto Injunct toe
with weight a;me his heart,
lambs!
•ays, “To me, who am leas than the
least of all aatnU, ia thi* grace given.
tin is that abominable thing that God that I should preach among the
Gentiles the unsearchable riche* of
Christ.” There can be no higher
authority. Hyaode and Presbyteries
may, in the dim of the eharrb,
to preach, hat to
the
of heavealy
belongs to God only
lit
Naw
Cats
for the great work in vkM
to be employed, all will he
fbtile. Hull they are bat
hating the geepel treasare ia
vessel*. They are sec to be
over God’s heritage." Tbe M
•tod to his damipiea, “Ve know
the princes of
dominion over them, aad they that
are great eaeretae saihenty open
them. Bat it shall aas be *a »a<ag
yea; bat whosoever will ha great
among yoo, let him he
and whosoever will he shlef
yoo. let him be yoar servant, k.
that
I>eep4a, with the
the
living em
—r-
were so.
tree wi* jay, and the
no the Sea of i
tats late red eats
lo give hi* life
Aad yet we bci
hard
('animal —/Vise
nsath 1—aaul at _
sad havw the toll
of anti-Christ ia i
iaa rewae not la be
bat to minitoer, and
■ Rev. ills Grow,
ntm Kwmmmm, the
of the ebareh, tor
or that w
that
knew no
rf God,
be w God "
The apt
*oo tiding
The early
them; nor one
of tbe KHorm*
M»eh hieraerbv
her *aaa tn the Gasped, as Christ
ant to ht# disciple*, all yw are breth
ren ; whether the designation be Ri
der. or Presbyter, ur Bishop, or Mia
ister. or Padre-sii are synonyms of
the same thing. The Isas
ttea Is “fjsrrsnto of the R
God, who drew Mo tie th
Nvrreat of God. well dear*
The battle fought, the rirtory wsa.
Ester thy Master'• jay
Meddmr si ( brat, w«g dees I
Praia* be thy aew »eipli y .
Aed. while »t«nml age* raa.
Rest la thy Havioar’tjey.
We notice tn the next place.
THE DUTY OP THOOR A MONO WHOM
Mretmaa labor.
■aivauoo. If R he the datjr of the
to preach, R Is equally the
no right to claim, direct inspi
are the only
the safSeieot rale of Auth and
We have aothtng to do,
of fhith, with ho man tra-
ha decretal* of Pope* aad
To the law* aad tbe Umti
ma Ohvha aad bis *|>oa
Bre if they speak not aceording to
these, It ie bees ass there to no light
in them. The eaaon of Beripture is
complete, aad its Hoeing words are
t malediction open those who shall
add to, or take therefrom. “If any
re* "hall add onto there thing*.
Gad shaR add uuto him the plague*
that are written ia this book : and if
any man shall lake away from the
to*rd« of the book of this prophecy,
Gad shall Cate* *wap his pert sat mi
the hook of life, ami oat of the holy
rity * Ho stood the Monk of Wit
tenberg -the immortal Lotber—be
fore tbe Diet of Worms, wbea be
baldly doatored, in peril of his life.
“Here I stood; I can not do other
who; Ood help me* The Bible was
tbe rock oa which be stood. The
Hilda'
«os4m» honk! bright candle of
the Lord!
Mar at r terrify! the only atat
By which th* bach of men can na\ipto
The mm mi Rfc, sad asm tbe reset of
It ie the dety of s chriaUea coa
ts re*|«ect the oflkv aad
the m mister; to
anjuatly
an Rider reomve not na
fees two or three
* To welcome him to them
I to eappfy his temporal
wants. “We h»reach \ oc brethren."
•ays 8L Paal, “to know them who
lit the Lord, and sdmoaMh you, aad
m iferti frn iifHiT tti lor# lor
their week* sates." Aad ia refrrenre
to their aapport he says, “If the
(i
“Faitb , «f
ia a
by »
11 fret ua
Care thing
thtagi
f
the
I
Their
Gad. A
m his creed; a*i
tarty a ktgMSiaa as Paal« as eleqi
la the
at bm
who had sorb
over the poamrei» of bt»
as to sthree. Ithe thr *argvaef
tbe ocean, and hold them caUanoed
by ha homing slot;erase, yet all will
be tret as snundreg braes or a tiaL
ling cymbal, unless MBOpwM by
tbe SMgblg pa war *od energy of the
Holy Hpni. Paal may plant, and
Apollo* water, hat Gad mate give
the laorease. With what frrvnr then
should they pray, “<Jh, eaad oat thy
light and thy troth.” Lit sat thy
word return unto few void.
Bat, although preaching ia ike
great bote nee* efl Ike Gospel mmu
term, aad it is written, “It
God by the leolmbaeaa of
In save them that believa," th* faith
lai minister has also to 11 ire barge the
da lisa of a paster. The divine com
mand to aaab ia, -Taka heed there
fore ante youreelvea, aad to all the
flock over wbieb tbe Holy Gboat
bath made you overseers, to feed the
church of God which be bath pur
chased with his own blood."
Who can ever forget that moot
nolemn and deeply interesting scene
which took place on tbe shore of
Tiberias, when tbe risen Havieor
made himself known to the dimipka,
and having dined, said to Peter,
“Luvest thou mef “Feed my sbeep:
Feed my iamba." Ab I tbe iambs of
tbe flock ! the children! The hope
of the church and of the world I
How aasMuously attentive should
tbe pastor be to the lambs of tbe
flock; wntahing over them, earing
for them; leeiog that they tfe fed
with the tenoare mirk of
(ban
daty ef the
mmetk by
the word uf Gad." It
riMitempt of God to
lert to hear bis am
moo eoartrey deesaod* uf
to receive aud hear the ai
of another, and a refeaai to do so is j
usually considered a toflorsl ground
for a declaration of haaUlMica. How
roach but* aa when the king of
heaven mode oread* to semi me*
nagv* of merry aad reeoacthatioa
to his rebelboas sokpesta What can
they expert from ht* ineoJted Mjpr*
ty bat “baiwebmeat from his per*
encr ami from tbe glory of bia
power."
It in dmoourtraas to tbe minister.
After be has, by carefal stady sad
frrvcat prayer, prepared himsrlf to
aridreasbts retugregaiioo, to Aod them
absent from the bouse of God is,
truly discouraging ft L laments l>
My too mock the case, (hat even' { *
profrsaiag Christian* snfler trffliug ,rt
cause* to ktep them from the sane keep tt holy
tuary. A lowering cioad, or a little “ter, u the *am
tli i eg*, thetr daty
1 onto them ia ear
“If we have sown ante
Milan! Ullage, is it a great
if wa shall reap your carnal
I* “They who preach the
i* tereeld live of the Gospel."
he soya, “It ia written in the
Mearo. Than shall ■
of the ox that
oara. Doth God care for
Ur retlh it he altogether for
ml Far ear rehes, as daobc
I
>1
bs
grikm that fells to gne ita
beamy
of par
V or having bm
mind distracted with saxioas worW
to Hakfesth day to
The authority for
as the authority for
extra beat or cold ia made the ready **• «kbor. Mlaietort gaoerally, from
excuse to pr*\eat thetr public dev a »eel togs of dsheaey. are averse to
tloaa Ho* unlike the Prelmtet, rearboring their evwigregatfow* of
• bo Mid, “I was glad when they said ibis dirty, lest they should be charged
onto me, let u» go into the bouse of *dh preaching for meney. and the
the Lord." “A day iu thy courts love of fllthy lucre. And yet ifer.
is better than a thousand." And
• ben providentially prevented from
paying his rows unto the Lord in
the presence of his people, he pa
thettemlly exrlsim*, “How amiable
are thy tabernacles, O lord of Hoots.
My soot loogvth, yea, even faiuteth
for thr courts of the Lord; my heart
aod my flesh crieth out for (ho living
God."
They should hear attastfvetr, aad
carefelly coosidrr if what is said bo
indeed the Word of tbe Lord. Coder
the prophetical dispensation there
were many (Rise prophets; tn tbe
very first age of Christianity, daring
tbe Hveo of tbe apoetleo, there were
false teachers; the world abounds
with them now, aod you need not go
beyood tbe limit* of yoar own city
to find them. We are to “try tba
spirits." And bow f By tbe word
of truth; tbe written word of God.
In the olden time it was said, “To tbe
law and to the testimony; If they
speak not according to this word,
it is liecause there is no tight in
them." Jesas said, “Heareh tbe
Scripture*; for tn them ye fhtnk ye
have eternal Hfr; and they are they
which testify of me.” Aod the Be
flfefr.
with
those
hii
ly a pastor of a church who
Id not make more money, with
i tid, ia say other empioynreat
elite* of preaching the Gospel,
a class they da not preach for
, bot berease it is written,
“Was is g* if 1 preach net th# Gos
pel." 1 have ae delicacy in speak
ing oo thi* eobjeet, for I neither ask
mention for
I speak for my brethren m tbe min
iatry wbs are anwtikng to apeak for
t ham■ erica, aad who, 1 well know,
of tbe peaa-
i members of their
Under tbe Levitieel
as-tenth of evary
aum’s income was required to be
paid for the aretetooance of the
prients, nod tbe aerriore of the sen*
tuary. Ab t if eas-lmssliteft of the
tuoome of obristiens were paid for
the seppert of the Meeeed Goepel of
oer Lord Jesas Christ, Hie house
would have an overflowing treasury,
aod we should bear bat few con
gregations complain ef thter iaa-
Witty comfortably to seppport few
to dilate oa thi* egbjeet to
my pvemml eaferese Yo^ Mg
brethren, I am glad tikaMi bfevm
But■* in
OLD SERIFS. VOL. V.-N0. 188.
i-— ji ■■•<11*11 i ■ ■■■' -
- i JLi-'J-
imat; and I am well assured that
yoa will continue to do so in the
future.
Christians should not expect too
much of or from their ministers.
They are not superhuman, or an
getie; bet oomposod of flesh and
blood like other aw; possessed of
tbe same human nature, subject to
the same frailties aod toftrmttie*;
ami of like paeafon* as others.—
When Paul and Barnabas preached
tbe Goepel at I.yetrn, tbe former
performed a miracle upon a cripple,
which excited the ponder and aston
ishatent ef tbe people, who sap posed
that tbe god* had come down to
them in the liketieosof men; “snd tbe
priest of J apt ter brought oxen and
garlands uuto the gates, and would
have done sarritk* with tbe people,
wbiek, when tbe apostles beard of,
they rent their slothes, sad ran in
among the people, crying out aod
saying, Hire, why da yw there things f
We also are men of like passions
frith yoo, and preach uuto yoo that
ye should tarn from These vanities
to the living God.” What! The
iuepired apostle* endowed with the
power of sorting miracle*, of like
passions with the heathens of Ly*
tro? Ho* much more so then their
feeble successor* of our day, and
what great allowance* should be
made for them *heti they seem to
be remire in doty, <rr sometimes
•peak unadriaabJy.
Finally, my brethren, Christians
should pray for their ministers.
Pray that God would aid them in
the great work in which they are
engaged; that lie would give suc
cess to their labors; cause his own
word to have free course and be
glorified; and that his servants
might have seals to their ministry,
and stars in their crown of rejoicing.
Tbe great apostle of tbe Gentiles
asked for the prayers of the faithful
among lx>tb his Tbeaaaloniau snd
Hebrew brethren, and tbe ministers
of Christ in every age have a right
to expect their congregation* to re
spond to tbeir request. “Praj for us,"
constantly and urgently when they
address a throne of grace.
“Prayer ard« nt open* heaven, let* down
s item
Of fdmry m thr rsot<■ rated boar
Of msa ta sofesne*- with tbe Petty."
Aod now, my Christian brethren,
I commend you and your Paator to
Gad, aad to the word of bis grace.
Aad I pray that in the great day
when God shall make up kis jewels,
you aad he amy stand aooepted be
fore tbe great white throne, washed,
purified, and sanctified by tbe Mood
of atooraeot, having on tbe robe
of ChrietM righteousness, and he be
permitted to toy, “Lord, here am I,
and whom thou bate gives me."
Few men of greater parts than
John Owen have adorud the records
of tbe Iudepeodeut churches. In
turning lately over tbe memorial of
his life, we met with tbe following
incident, deserving to be recorded
for its suggestion* to many bearers
of tbe Word, and its encouragement
to some preachers. Mr. Owen was
in a very melancholy condition of
miud. He bad been in that coudi
tion several years. It happened on
a Sabbath, in Ixmdon, he weut to
hear a celebrated preacher of his
day. Dr. Calarny. He and his cous
in waited some time in the church,
but Dr. Calarny did not come. His
cousin would have persuaded him to
go out and hear another famous
preacher. But Mr. Owen was com
fortably seated, and indisposed to take
another walk. At last a oountry
minister—a stranger to everybody—
came in. HU prayer was fervent;
be took for kis text the words,
“Why are ye fearful, O ye of little
faith." Tba very wards arrested
Owen's attention. He was constrain
ed to pray that tba dittooorsa might
help him out of his sorrowful condi
tion. In a plain and familiar way, with
arguments not new, bot now strange
ly convincing, the unknown, uncele
brated minister addressed himself
directly to Owen's particular state.
Tbe doubts and fears of the youth
were broken suddenly up. The
peace which paaseth understanding
came iu, aad never left bis heart
Tbe happy and great usefulness of
tbe great divine began with that
Important Maxim.—Suffer no
delay in breaking off a sinful custom:
a quick courageous resolution is bet
ter than a gradual deliberation. He
t would kill a Hyffrn had bettor
than live heads.
ii
**CU1
The Difficulties of Religion.
As the difficulties of locomotion
•
in a bed ridden i>erson may be over
come by learning that the house is
on fire, no tbe difficulties of salva
tion may be overcome by learning
the need of salvation. And this
method of overcoming difficultU* is
not accidental, bat expressly ordain
ed. Tbe Lord saves, not by dimin
ishing tbe difficulties, but by iucrea*
ing tbe sense of need. This plau is
to aeake tbe difficulties appear small,
by making tbe need appear great.
We see this ia tbe case of all who
•ought help or healing from him when
on earth. The nobleman, who*
child was at tbe point of death; the
paralytic, who was let down through
tbe roof; the two blind men, whom
tbe crowd discouraged, and the 8y
ropkeuician, these obtained deliver
ice. only because tbeir seuac of
need carried everything before him.
Ia the case of the yonug mau who
went away from Jeeus grieved, the
sense of need was not so great a*
the difficulties raised up. Unwise
teachers of the goapel would have
called that young men back, and
endeavored to make his way into
the kingdom a little smoother, but
Jeaus let him go.
For oue who ia more impressed with
tbe difficulties of Scripture, aud the
difficulties of Christian life, than with
his own need, there ia uo alternative
but to perish. It is iiqpossible for
oa to accept the gospel, unless we
realise that not to embrace it ia to
be lost forever. It is impossible for
oa to conquer tbe world, the flesh,
and tbe devil unless we are fully
aware that not to conquer ia to die.
Home, indeed, will argue that tbe
mind can not be swayed by fear in
its unerring progress to it* own coo
elusion, but tbe facts show the eon
trary. Those who are so much
afraid to lay bold on an Almighty'
arm. would be ready enough to catch
at a straw if they were drowning.
And the skeptics who have such
difficulty about tbe text of Scripture,
would have no difficulty about tbe
genuineness of a reprieve, if they
were under sentence of death in prison.
So the persoos who object to enter
ing the church because of the char
acter of its members, would not
hesitate to throw themselves into
the life boat, along with the vilest
wretches if the vessel was sinking.
A mau says that he has difficulties
which prevent his being a Christian;
he is not peculiar in bar in g d ifficnl ties;
we all have them. He explains that
his difficulties arise from an inability
to understand certain doctrines.
Well, it ia a matter of no practical
moment whether they arise from
this source, or from too great fond
ness for the bottle. In either case,
they are to be overcome in precisely
the same way. Tbe medicine which
causes drunkenness will cure skep
ttoka.
Home find it hard to believe that
Jeans Christ suffered the penalty of*
sin. but they who have had an ink
ling of what that penalty is. can
believe it easily enough. Tbe sense
of need thus renders every gospel
mystery plaiu.
None are skeptical or unable to
understand predeatiuatkm, or dis
gusted with tbe incooeistencie* ot
church members, or ashamed to aak
what they most do to be saved, or
too busy aud indifferent to i»ray, in
the boor of death.
Christ died that “through death Be
might destroy him that hanthe power of
death, that is the devil.” (Heh. it: 14.)
The Substitute.—In the timo of
the first Napoleon, when a draft was
made for soldiers, one man bad a
substitute put in his place. After a
time another draft was made, aod
the same man was called again, but
he said: “I am froe. I sent a sub
stitute into the army and he was
killed, bo I am as a dead man."
The case was carried to the courts of
France, and it was there decided
that the man was free. Now it
seems to me that we have a substi
tute in the person of Christ. 1 don’t
knew how it was in the laws of
Frauce, bnt this I do know: that in
the heavenly laws, when Christ
came, we were made free, for “He
was wounded for our transgressions,
he was bruised for our iniquities;
the chastisement of our peace was
npon Him, and with His stripes wo
are healed. 7 ’ * -
that
l would rather suffer a thousand
wrongs than offer one. I have
always found that to strive with a
superior, jmurlou*; vttli an cqttal.
doubtful: with an tnferfbr. sojtttfrnml
r At. aaf . -a. *
Si
icflf
V
— ..—I,. ,~mm*