Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

c • M e » m- * - - ■ ■’W- - ■ . Check* jrj5 n £f' * n 'i fe ",J®**- Col. j-gagbrri, )VAJL SuSS* 55 ^^*. JSS&&Z& 2? u0 ™< 21-ly WORSHIP. of the J AfcrtA Ln Ivefte ’cfanrl*'elJSIf [•old, and in this way wnie to the church. ’ . $1 Oit | 1 2o [.j ”*” i eo a so 1 „ 3 75 t extra gilt.. 3 00 1 5 00 [eents extra! • • • . , _ „ —_ iU>» Itheir orders at once v * Of tern per cent, is KrUTIOjr. ? a \ ****»«!«<*. gilt nrkeA $4. Ten per ksellem Columbia, 8 C [ 24 ~ tf CUBED. ;al Cure Truss. Pads impa rt •ms. o«t effective Truw» cure and relief of This Truss has re of the most eminent Itry, who do not it to those afflicted fing superior to all that will retain tlx lty, and the Wearer he as using a rented' ea safe and effectual this we guarantee all who may come abdominal belts for of the womb, and as |back and abdominal kneecaps and stock »im> nicer* and weak [for ladies, gents ami ire of stooping of the chest expander. the most supenoi kt, easily adjusted and Vents for all physical ire of the spine, bow it’s Celebrated Artiti- tll's Patent Kubl>n bcock’s Silver Uterine \iulsworth's Stem Per il with a competent I promptly attended to. S. MARSH, VY. Baltimore St., Baltimore, Mil. —tf . ; ~ n r - - roads. f I Railroad. rain Hchednlr. s excepted, connecting r.iins on South Chto- md down ; also with I and South on Chat - id Augusta Railroail, lolumbia and Augusta TP. 7 45 a m 9 85 a m ....11 13 pm 2 45 p m 4 90 pm 6 10pm >WN. 6 30 a iu 8 30 a m 10 15 a m 8 15a m 1 30 p m 3 30 p hi 5 10 p ni Bine Ridge Di- fio*. UP. |45 a m Arrive 750pm 25 a m Leave 715pm 110am Leave •80pm 10 a m Leave 5 30 p m 00 a m Leave 4 30 p m trains ran on Branch r », Wednesday* «'« Branch. ibbeville at-1020 a m jkeSwnry — 130pn‘ lD, General Supt. rntral Ticket Agt 7 00 p.H* ...7 00am "" 7 10 p n» 00 am asTorroetly nd Saturday/ De-Pre«dent. Eet Agt. impany, May 17,1872. ight Passenger - 6 50 p m 6 40am mday, May 1»* ee-President. ket Agt. fe ,f; * ’ ,t ; < — rr- — *r M;w SftUES, YOL. 4.—NO. 42. "ONE LORD, ONE FAITH, ONE BAPTI8M”-EPHE8IAN8 IV: COLUMBIA, 8.C, FRIDAY, JUNK 28. 1872. OLD SERIKS, VOL. V.-N0. 198. Relig ious. The Grade of God. a horrid ami dismal dark overclouded our whole world m n'i first ta wfogresaio#, more than if tl 0 sail, moon and had forevci bccu obliterated, |F trapped up i 1 the blackness of neas> in wbie 1 wo should forever ve perished, h nl not the grace God appeared is a shining sun to the gloon ! And Hlmll we i*e this grace in vain, and, like of prey, ly from the light this glorious s u, and betake oflr- ves to our hell sh dens f Are wo creatures of darkness, that we choose darkness rather than tf This gnre is the greatest g that God ever lies towed on sin cursed world. God has given nations gold mines, precious , but thanks lie given to us the may say, “Israel ety alone. The shall be upon a d wine; also his down dew. Hap- Isruel; who is like pie, saved by the Jiord, the Shield of thy help, and ike sword of th r excellency.” The grace of God is good cheer, j| fc b not rect ived in vain. There jfe a rich trea mre in the Gospel, pirist in the C ospel is the greatest tf ail mercies, rod's last great gift the world, t Is the ship of Zion for Imtutusel's land. It is raakiug re dy to sail. Oh come enter whil there is room. “The and thi bfide say come, and him that h areth say come, and whosoever wil, let hint come and of a ilvatiou freely. IIo very one tlu t thirsteth, come ye 0 foe waters, and he that hath no uoney ; come e, buy and eat Yea, spices, Him, he So w< dwell in of Ji M of corn jjeavdis shall art thou, into thee! O sne, buy w looey and oto me all eaty laden. iue and ’ I ’ ithout e phut 4 Family Prayer. The Kev. J< »hn beii g ai by ipelled to et and cold, ither to take friendly with < the family ie him coi 1, aiul *1 with 1 I milk without price. * Come labor and are will give you Kyland, of North n a journey, was iolent storm, and e sheBer in the ret inn he cabe to. The people of ie house wo aid fain have showed iin into the 1 iirfor, but, being very he begged permission a seat by the fireside rith the fauii y. The good old man cheerful, and well uteftaining anecdotes, r d}d their ntmost to fortable j they sup|>eil (seemed mutually ach other. At length, the ho ir of rest approached, stranger appeared uneasy, and cd up eve ry tjme a door opened, if expectiig the appearance of ug esieutial to liis coinfort, host in onaed him that his her was »repared. “Bot,” said “you ha\( not had your family u . lad my family togeth- for wha, pmi>ose f I don’t * what you mean,” said the “T > reaif the Scriptures, to pray w tl^ them,” replied the ; “surel ’ you do not retire to in the omission of so necessary doty r T ie landlord confessed he had u< ver thought of doiug a thing. “Then, sir,” said Mr. M i must leg you to order my immediately.” The landlord family ei treated him to stay, ng t,ha; the storm was as t as wlen he first came in. % be so,” 1 eplied Mr. IL, “but I rather brave the storm than re to slejDp in a house where is no prater. Who can tell what 0 befall us 1 efore morning T No, > I dare not stay.” The landlord said hi should have no ob- to “call his family together,” f be should 1 iot know what to do bey cam e. Mr. R., then pro to conduct family worship, called for { Bible, but no such ^id be produced. However, wa ® enablei) to Supply tbe defl- »as he always carried a small 5 in his podket. He read a i>or- °f 8criptu e, and prayed with fervor a id solemnity. When rose from hi 1 knees almost every Yidtial pre lent was bathed in re, and the i iqniry was awakened *> v cnd heaots, “Sir, what must do to be sivedr Much ioter- 8 and pi ifitable conversation The r ext morning Mr. R. c<uidnctei family worship, and from t ie laudloril a prom *®»t, howtv er feebly performed, it shoakl not in ftiture lie omitted. This day was indeed tbe lieginuing of days to that family ; moat, if not all of them, henceforth became do cided and devout foUowor* of the Lord Jesus Christ.— The EpiMcnp* torn. A Rule that Would Hot Work. We find the tollowing practical illustration of supporting a pastor iu a receut number of the Rflifums Herald : # Several years ago, iu the State of Georgia, au excellent brother, who had been for some “exercising his gifts," was called to a pastorate of the church to which he lie Ion god, and when' for years they had acted upon the old idea of uet stipulating what salary the pastor should have, but leaviug each member to give what he felt like giving—the aggre gate amount beiug always very small. This excellent brother, who, by the way, is said to be oue of the best preachers in Georgia, told the church frankly, that if he accepted their call he should give up his plantation and devote his whole time to their service, and that he should ex}>ect 1 them uot only to stipulate what salary he should receive, but also 1 to pay it promptly. This met with considerable disfavor ; but they were anxious to secure the service of so excellent a preacher, and the church dually fixed upon a definite salary, and put the deacons to work to raise it. One brother still rrftised to put down his name for any given sum, auil not wishing the }Miitor to feel hurt at this, went to him and said: “I intend to give you something, but I am opposed, on principle, to subscribing any definite sum. I may not be able to pay much; 1 may fail in my crop, and may not be aide to pay anything. But 1 will give what l feel in my heart at the end of the year to be right.” The pastor pleasantly dismissed the subject, and presently asked the good brother if be would not like to run liis plantation for him next year, saying that he wanted to give his whole time to the wprk of the imuiit- try, anil wished get mmie reliable man to farm for him. The face of the good brother brightened as he replied, “That would suit me exactly—I want a place, and yours is one of the best I know.” “Very well,” replied the pastor; “I will vacate the first of next month, and you can just move down.” “But, upon what term* T What will you give me V “Oh! we will settle that at the close of the year—I am not willing to make a definite promise now.” “But tliut will not suit me. 1 have a family de|iendeiit ii|M>n me, and I must know definitely beforehand what I am to get.” “Well I I supjiose that would lie more agreeable to you; but I can make no definite promise—I can not tell now what I can pay yon—the crop may turn ont badly, or the price may lie so low I can not |»ay yon anything ; but you just move down, and if yon will work faith- fullj-, I will give you at the end of the year whatever I may feel to he just. 7 * The excellent brother lost all pa tience and replied to this: “You must have a very j»o«r opinion of my judgment if you think I will farm for you on any such terms. Did you ever know a man to be fool enough to make a contract with such conditions as you propose T” “NoF replied the pastor, “I never did; but you wanted ine to be fool enough to make a contract to serve the church on just those terms. 1 * The brother was fairly caught, and at once hurried off auil put his name 011 the subscription to the pas tor’s salary for a good sum. We art' glad to say that the faith ful, honest stand takcti by that pas tor has brought forth its legitimate fruits, and he has been ever siuce well supported. Would that church es and pastors generally could learn the proper lesson from this incident. Meditation.—It is uot hasty reading, but seriously meditatiug upon holy anil heavenly truths, that makes them prove sweet and profi table to the soul. It is uot tbe bee’s touching 011 the Rowers that gathers honey, but her abiding for a time upon them, and drawing out the sweet It is not be that reads most, but he that meditates most on divine truth, that will prove the choicest, wisest, stongest Christian. —Bishop Hall. Too Busy to Speak to Btoaors. A few evemug* summv, at a re ligious meeting, a brother who is burdened with the cares of a largo business, remarked that he bad uot labored as he should for the vou ver sion of soul*—that he found himself too busy to speak to simmers. Iu the sense his wools ouuveyed he might lie takeu as the represen tative of a large class. There are multitudes of well meaning Chris tians, who really desire to see men converted and brought to Christ, who are so cugroseed with the 'cares of their business that they do uot take time to put forth any persoual exertion for their sahaLon. l’er haps they tiud in theiasclves bot little inclination to iwrforiu a duty for which tbe constant strain of business unfits them. Tbe mtud, fixed mcessauily np«m worldly cares, is often brought with difficulty to take unembarrassed hold ou spirit ual subject*, aud oouversatiou with persous oouueruiug the vrUan of their souls, instead of being easy ami effective, is stnuued, void, aud almost of necessity fruitless. The thought is an apftailing oue that we are too busy to speak to stiiuent, too busy to make aa eflurt to save souls that are going rapidly to rum. The world, the carve oi the prrseut, the things that must |s*rtsh iu our very hands, claim our cate aud absorb out latrresi, while to save the priceless and imperishable we are too busy to afford the tiam. Wo concern ourselves about the cargo of the sinking vessel, while the precious freight of huiuau souls we have uot time to save. We strive to save the merchandise I tom (he dames oi the burning building, »kite from the windows above uscoiue the wild shrtrks of tin- perishing whom we have uot lime to rescue. We are too much absorbed with the worldly, too busy to speak with Atuuers concerning their eternal sal valiou. Deal reader, is there iu your ex iwricuce anything to oonvwpuud with tins! Have you fouud your self so busy with your farm, your shop, your merchandise, the cares of your family, tbe obligation* of your profession, ss to leave you no time or duqiustliou to speak to meu t oiwvruiug their souls t Or is there laid at your door the guilt of an equally reprehensible nut—that of simple sluggishness. ludiSerruce will no less thoroughly unfit you to labor in the work of saving men than too great alMorptiuu in worldly cares. Personal effort, experience abun ilautly demount rates, is among the most effectual methods of bringing sinners to the cross. Tl»c disciple Andrew having been in tbe company of Jesus, and Irnviug heard his gracious words, at once lie thought himself of his brother riunon, after ward* Peter. InstsutJy he went to “llml" him, and then, “be brought bint to Jesus.” Tbe next dsy Philip was added to the company of the disciples, and immediately he sought out Nathaniel, with the announce incut that they had found the Mrs siab. And tbits are thousand* add cd each year to tbe boats of the believers through the medium of direct |N‘rsonal effort. Aud the time to put forth these efforts mtist somehow tie found, or many of the men and women whom* elbows touch our own in the daily intercourse of the world will go down to death. May God Iwth deliver ns from nnr bard liondage to l m si ness ami world ly cares, aod infuse into our hearts a fervent enthusiasm and insatiable anxiety to win souls to Christ ami eternal life. ^ «► The Minifter * Character There In no profession, no effbrt. In which character Is so absolutely essential to succees, as the Christian ministry. Men will retain a tippling lawyer, if he have power to awe juries, running the risk of finding him tipsy 011 the court day. The physician, whose skill in tbe healing art has made him famous, may be profane ami licentious, and yet re tain his jiatronagr. The rakish ar tist, if genius moves his brash or chisel, finds ready and remuaetwlive sale for bis master pieces ; while the statesman or politician, rather—alas for onr timea—fear* the falling of his majorities less, because of bia party. Xot so with the Gospel min ister. His purity of character is an indispensable coefficient of his sue cess. This ia because Christianity is not a science, only a system of religious truth. It is this, bat it ia 1 r—— more. It Is a safe, a divine, trrnns ioruing power. It ia effectually preached when ito truths are ex emplified in the life of the iweacber, as well as inculcated by his tongue. He preaches In vain *bo can not point to his moral rectitude, his own saintly character, as a 'specimen of tbe transfiguring |»ownr of the Goa pel—Her. Daniel Steeie. The Body a Temple. What uu incentive to holiness, to purity of life and coudoct, Iks in the fact that the body of a saint is the temple of God—a truer, uohler temple than that which Hotomoo dedicated by his i»rayer. Jesus 000 serrated by his |*rrseace! la popish cathedral, where the light streamed through }>auiU*1 windows, and the orgau |along lofty aisles, and candles gleamed 00 gulden cu|js aud silver crosses, ami incense floated iu fragrant clouds, we ka\ • seeu the blutded worshi|ier uncover his head, drop reverently ou his knees, «p»d raise his awe struck eye ou the im pueiug spectacle; we have seen bua kiss the marble floor, and knew that sooner would be Ie smitten dead upou that flour than be guilty of tlrflluig it. Hour dues this devotee rebuke us! we wonder at hi* supontiUuu; how may be wonder at our |irofauity! ('aa we look ou the lowly veneration be ei|«vaeee for an edifice which has been erected by some dead man's genius which holds but some image of a drifted virgin, or bones uf a canouised saint, which tints shall oue day east to the ground sod bury iu thr dust—-m we, I say, look ou that, aud if sensible to rebuke, not feel rrfwovrd by the qurUde f lu bow much more respect, in how much holier veoeraliotg should we hold this body ! The shrine of uu mortality, and a temple dedicated to the Mon of God, it Is eonsecratod by the presence of the Spirit—» living teuiple, over w hose js»n b the eye uf piety trad* what the finger of la spiraiion has written: “If any man defile the temple of God, bun shall God destroy ; !<»r ibe tempi* of God is holy, which tem|4e ye are."—i>r. (i mtkrie. m «» » Otviag. The duty of giviug money to |uo mote the laird's c:ium- Is generally admitted. And vet this duty is very imperfectly jw-rfomied hy most professing Christians. Tbe question naturally ariars to tin* mind of every thought fill rlu*ri|4r—Hmtr should / jfire? Koch one who properly considers tbe question will decide : 1. I ought to give as “4lod hath pmspere»P—that la, in prr>|iorlioti to the mean* |»larcd in my hands. The widow with her two mites is not relieved from the ol(ligation, and the rich arc called u|ioti to give accord ing to their abundance. 2. 1 should give lilienilly—not in stinted measure. X I ought to give cheerfully —not grudgingly. 4. My gift* should lie the result of principle—not of men* whim, or under tbe influence uf exciting ap peals. I should inform myself in respect to |»roper otyects, and pur pose in my heart to give. 5. 1 ought to give frequently. This is God*s plan : “<>n th* first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in store os God hath prospered * Why Should / Hire t 1. It is God's will. He has coni mandril it, just as He has command ed rr|ientanfe, faith and baptism. 2. Itecanac God Is always giving to me. X God has at tar bed large promises to giving. 1 most uot forget thin. 4. Giving will be promotive of my own happiness. 5. The subject* of necessity ore numerous. A. The opportunity of giting will soon pass away. 7. These gifts will be remembered in the judgment How uuspeakahly desirable ia C'hlist’s approval. X Have I not been remiss in times past Y 0. Gratitude for the un*|*eakable gift of God’s dear Boo ought to move me. If we were suddenly asked to give a proof of the goodness of God to us, I think I should eay that it la most manifeted In tbe exqoiait dif frrvnce he hae made betweeo the souls of women and men, an aa to create the possibility of the most charming companionship that tbe mind of man cum imagine The Yalta ef the Sabbath Not many years ago, a contractor la America went far to the West with hie men and teams to make a turnpike rood. At first he jiaid no regard to the Babbath, but oou- tinned hie work as on other day*. He soon found, however, that the ordinance* of nature, no leas than the law of find, were again«t him. Ilia laborer* became sickly; his teams grew poor and feeble ; and he was felly convinced that more was lost than gained by Sabbath labor. When gold waf first discovered iu California, tbe miner* worked for a time without any weekly cewatiou; but they found that they were dig ging graves aa well as gold; and having lost their reckoning of the Subbath, they actually made a day of rest fur tbetnsrlvra. When the engine* of an extensive steaui packet company in the south of England wen* getting constantly damaged, the mischief was soon re |iairrd by giving the men what the bounty of their Creator bad given them long Itefore—the rest of each seventh day. A distinguished merchant in A user ica ooce aaki, “I should have been dead or a maniac lung ago, had it not !«ecu for the Hsbboth." This was saul in the hearing of other*; and oue of them told of a merchant who used to boast that he found Habit*tit the best day for ylaunuig voyages, but who was then in a lunatic asylum. “ibul Habkstk ! tb*x- 1 kail ikr puuv ataa'a day ; Os othrr «Uj» thr sum of loll i» doom'd To es* hi* jnjrtms bn ad. kmrhr; thr luwuui Hath mbs! sad bwuit mis'* (tom thr w iiile*'* cold And Mimsarr heat by nriatibortux tier 01 hedgr - Hat no thi* day, rmtmMmi'd la hi* btsnr, Hr aharr* thr frwaal ami with thnar hr lovost W Uh Umar he fovea, hr aksrr* I hr heart- frit joy Of iruiaf thauk* l<> flud." *0 mms dfo »» 'lOmm A Parable 1 bckl in my hand a little dry tree —an infant hemlock. Had it lived a century , it might have towered np above all the forest,and held up it* head iu majesty. But it grew ou a sort of a bog, aud a muskrat, dig ging his bold under it, bit off its roots, and it was deoil. It was frill of limit* and knots and gnorls, aud 1 felt curious to know how it hop 1*011x1 that it was so. “I’ouc fellow ! if you had all these limbs and kuots to support, I don't wonder you died.” “And with my roots, which were ray mouth* with which to feed, all cot off, too!” “Yes, but where do all these ugly liftibs come from f” said I. “Just when* all ugly things come from,” said be. “I am pretty much like you meu! Find out where my liuib* (imim* from, and you will find where all human sins come from.” “I’ll take you at your word, sir." Ho 1 took out my knife and peeled off all the liark. But the limbs and tbe knots were all left. “You must go dee|M* tlisu that, sir.” « So I tiegau to split and take off layer of wood after layer. But all the knots were there. ••Deeper still," said the dry stick. Then I split it all down to tbe heart, taking it all off and separs ting it. The heart was laid bare; it looktxl like a small rod, about six led long, ami perhaps on inch through at tbe large end. Ah ! and 1 was now surprised to see that every limb and knot and guarl start ed im ike heart! Every one was there, and every one grew out of the heart. Tbe germ or tbe starting point of each one was tbe very oen ter of tbe heart. Huppose I bad found the little tree alive in the forest, and had said to myself, “Now this is a straight, beautiful little tree, and I want to make it perfect, without any limbs or knots.” And suppose I hod tried to rub off these limbs with a silk handkerchief. Would it be smooth ! Huppose I bod cut off each limb as it grew out Would that have duoe it Y No. These limbs did not come from the bark or tbe w ood of the tree, but from the heart! 1 see bow it is. , Tbs tees must have a sew heart or it will arud out those uu sightly things. Juat as it ia with aa, as long as we have slnfol hearts, oar actions will be sinftd, sod our prayer shook! be like that of land’s, “Croats within me a class heart, O God!” “Lot Him Alone." The time may come when the aw ful words psss from the lips of the righteous Judge, “Ephraim is joined to his idols, let him alone,” and providence will let the man alone; and tbe Word of God will let the man alone; and his owu conscience will let the man alone; and the Spirit of all grace will let the man alone. It i* not for as to usurp the prerogative of the Omniscient. It is not for us to affirm of any one, let his character and conduct be wbat it may, that be has reached or passed the mysterious point be yond which that comes true. It is uot for aujr one to pas* aud: sen tence upon himself. But let all of us stand upon our guard, and reflect that if for months and years we have beou growing colder, deader, more mdiffrieut to spiritual things, to the unseen sod eternal realities; if conscience has beeu gradually losing her hold aud weakening in her (lower; if we can listen now un moved to wbat once would have impnsuwxl and affected us; if we court and dally with temptations that once we would have shunned; if sins are lightly committed which once we would hare shrnnk from; by these, sod such like marks, it is sptmrent that our day of grace has been declining, tbe shadows of its evening have been lengthening out, ami Fhat, if do change occur, if this course of thing* go ou long, ere the suu of our natural existence go dow n, the sun of oar spiritual day may have art, never to rise again. lather* * God T Hew eloquently docs Chateaubri and reply to this inquiry : There is a God ! Tbe herb of tbe valley , the cedar* of the mountains, bless Him; the insect sports in his beams; the elephant salntos him with the rising orb of day; the bird sings him in the foliage; the thun der proclaims him in the heaven*; the ocean declares his immensity; man alone bos said, “There is no God r Unite is thought at tbe same instant the most beautiful ob jects in nature; . suppose that you see at once all the hours of the day and all the seasons of the year; a morning of spriog sad a morning of autumn ; a night bespangled with star* and a night covered with clouds; meadows enameled with flowers, and forests hoary with snow; fields gilded by tints of autumn; then alone you will have a just coo- oefKion of the universe. While yoa are gazing upou that Min which is plunging under the vault of tbe west, another observer admires him emerging from the gilded gates of the east. By wbat inconceivable magic does that aged star which is sinking fatigued and burning in the shade of evening, re appear at the some instant, fresh and humid with the rosy dew* of morning Y At every instant of the day tbe glorions orb is nt once rising, resplendent nt noonday, and setting in the west; or rather onr senses deceive us,- and there is, jiroperly speaking, no east, west, or south, iu the world. Every thing reduce* itself to a single point, from whence the king of day sends forth at once, a triple light in one substance. The bright splendor is fterhaps that which nature can pre sent that is most beautiful, for while it gives us an idea of the perpetual magnificence and resistless power of God, it exhibits at the same time a shining image of Hie glorions Trinitv. l*i iKtATOKY.—This doctrine of a spiritual purification by purgatory- does uot take into acoouut the real euonnity of sin as the voluntary transgression, by an intelligent being, of the known will of God; but pro ceeds upon the old Pagan philosophy that sin is a physical contamination resideut in tbe fiesh, which may be exterminated like a cancer by the knife and fire. Besides, if purgato ry is a necessary prelude to heaven for sinful souls, why pray that men should be delivered from it Y More over, this notion of a purgatorial Iiurification changes the whole basis of salvation under the gospel, from grace through Christ to desert through obedience rendered and peualiy endured. When a soul emerges from this purgatory into beavsu, how uau it (muse Christ for a purification which it has wrought out through its owu sufferings Y”— Ikr. J. P. Thompson. The Oolde* Key.—Being every day with prayer. It is the Golden Key that unlocks heaven to |iour down blessings on you. Cob a Church-Member Withdraw Y The q neat ion is sometimes asked us w hether any snch thing os tbe withdrawal of a church member, who is dissatisfied with bis iiositikm, should be recognized; has commit ted no disciplinaple offence; and does not desire dismission to a sister church Y It is self-evident that such a church member is in a state of sin. He has either fallen into some doctrinal error which prevent* him from heartily living the life be had covenanted to live; or he has lapsed into some (holt which has chilled hi* npirit, and indisposed him to the core and fellowship of the church. For the oue cause or the other, be is false to his covenant to walk with the church as au active member in all good and loving fideli ty. And the peculiarity of the rase is, that the church has no power to release him from his obligation to be a holy and nseful co-worker with them ; since he covenanted not with them, but with the Lord. No act of the body can release him from the obligation which he assumed. No vote of theirs can make it right tor him to be s different man from bis solemn agreement If they were to. dismiss him to another church they would only transfer bis duty; if they cut him off for cause, they are only takiug the method which God a;v pointed to bring him back to his allegiance. There can then be no such thing as the withdrawal of a Christian from the church of Christ; and if a man desiring to withdraw is clearly not a Christian, it becomes the duty of his fellow-professors to endeavor to make him such, and failing in that, to take the method which Christ hims^f has pointed out for dealing with unworthy mem bers.—JETx. Imagery of Christ- We should have expected that our Lord, iu coming to oar world, would have employed images the most re mote from nature and human life; that he would have given to meu a revelation from heaven—something extraordinary- and altogether un known to Hie earth. But in his teaching we find the things of God represented by the simplest things of nature, and by the ordinary oc currences of life. “Consider the lilies, how they grow “Behold the fowls, how the are fed,” were the words with which he began bis ministry, drawing attention in them to tbe common things that ever since the creation were uttering their unheeded lessons to the world, showing to us that it is not a revela tion that we need, but eyes to see— that the revelation is everywhere around ns, if we would only care to look at and understood it. lu the imraldc of the lily and the fowls, . tbe seed and tree, the vine and the fishes, he disclosed to us the great fact which we are constantly forget ting, that nature has a spiritual as well as a material side, that she exists not only for the natural uses of the body, but also for the sns tenance of the life of the soul. This higher ministry explains all tin* beauty* and wonder of the world, which would otherwise be super finous and extravagant. As the servant of common household wants, giving ns bread to eat anff water to drink, and raiment to pat on, and air to breathe, and soil to stand and’ build upon, nature might have been clothed with homely russet garment* girded for toil; but, as the priestess of heaven, ministering in the holy place, appealing to tbe higher facul ties of man, she is clothed like Aarou with temple vestments, and Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like her. Her ultimate purposes arc grander than her ordinary uses. Her forms ore evanescent, but her ministry is everlasting. Her grass withereth and her flower fadeth, but the Word of the Lord that speaketh through her endure th forever.—Rev. Hugh Macmillan. Fiyb Minutes in Heaven.—Me Cbeyne tells a little boy who for years suffered great pain. When asked by his minister whether he did not feel like murmuring under the heavy- hand of God, be replied, “Oh! sir, five minutes in heaven will re|»ay me for it all.” We were reiniuded of this by a boy’s speaking of his trials and hardships. To a good, honest boy, one must “end 11155 had noss as a good soldier.” But will not five minutes in heaven with those saved through your example, each one a star in your crown ol rejoicing, repay you for a life of toil in his servieeY