The Lutheran visitor. (Columbia, S.C.) 1869-1904, October 11, 1872, Image 1
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ONE LORD, ONE FAITH, ONE
XliTtWi.T^tt ' ; .tTt7T-iTTrwy,.; • -rrTMiy.Vmyi^r .rtjWn
fljfrudflltt- r_- I-TI’J 11 Un»
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jT y 1 ■. ww^pn
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HI irj;iov>
Ikii
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, .. .aailuiu
nm^ta(«p. ,ti
I an i
> perwptible.
Clarottle fi^
tenutmt and lotenT'
Itidww m
1 w f^herally prothm^
M well m
—t of
WX“4
“.sarsTsa
r^^CslE**"
Sedaby^ Counk®
"'h-Bilioos. **
VmacAi Bn.
■ ever sustained
IcDOSALD * CO,
rs AND DEALMts.
4S-3»
OKSTORE,
|ij /A Street,
I A, PA.
liv.njf nssunu-flUh
p at*uve uam*4
>r sale every tv
‘ fligioas, - Chtiri
>fcs. Auv boo|h
v or abroad, eap*.
oth old and new,
to order..
Fen to fumisliiajr
t; also, aids tu
eaeliers. The or
itendents, Tejwk
stly solicited.
ITS GIVES.
»f Snnday-Schod]
l, sent free,
Frederick.
31—om
Worship.
the Evangelical
rtk 4-merica.
|isrcs, 24mo, is v
the church ei
r
For’tfic Lufhersn tianot.
—The Churches—The River—
enlf-T}^«MfF ,,fTr ™
* t 4iM J*d» riliw-ttua **■'••'*, h
Vh hate figuto returned safely to
tWIP^Nty of Brotber-
spdnt it plena
»od we hop#* profltoble vaea
fiou among your country mete; who
^ «fc}igTated firmi South e’arofma
w-m& (to* mihe
wap dud daughters Of oh! Bouth
OaralifAiKMW so kind and*]jn**pitable
mf those- in MimssH**, ** » hoi ’ ,d
certain** delight to five *Uhin her
bounds. Mrwu' ‘TiatwwM* of- •-
hi SNiithOMiuty Hi • two Lwth^ran
cj^fChOs^Pronddcnco am* Kion), in
wttsh't'o triod toproafch the Gospel
duriBg the months of June, July and
Atftwt' and thepeopfe, Berwtn-like,
‘<to receive the wort! with all
reriiMorniodrt •■• • ■
Pwtioos to the war, those churches
bad been 1 iu-qnite a flourishing con
ilitioo? hot during the bloody strife,
they goffered ranch, auil since then
biro seosWembly declined for the
tt&atof a regular pastor to break un
to then the bread of life.
With tie assistance of several
ministers cf Mississippi Synod, we
hdd » —ho of meetings in those
twoehowhes, ftom the 27th of July
to the 6th of August, which we be
lt**, resulted in good, because all
tk members appeared to be cheered
and lerfced. Eev. J. Morgan, who
bad the supervision of tbe meetings,
will in all probability, not many days
hence, give you a • full aecou^ of
these, and other meetings of a siini-
llar character.
In every Lutheran family, with
|one or two exceptions, that we visit-
in Mississippi, we enjoyed the
»y of that agreeable and eu-
1 guest—the Lutheran Viei-
This shows that there is some
[itelhgeoce among those people, be-
all wise people entertain such
Jifst. .hi <£*
~VtH* ~ ~
1 : TT. ",;ir»vj—r
I If lie can cross the 4^ulf of Mexico
and tbo Gulf Stream without having
to take up quarters with this uau-
seous comimuiou, he may rest assured
that his course pu the Atlantic
Oceau will be calm and pleasant.
After spending several days in the
“lipHdre City” and Brooklyn, let
him go, and if lie chooses, take up
his abode in the city which boars
the above bqpntifid “€ity
of Brotherly Love*??
Truly and fratorually yours,
• / *dr ni l&m AA*R«u;
(TOLUMBIA. S. C.,'FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1L 1872.
in]*
sar-i ■'»" —u
***** <M'
a*.!;;
fifll II 7-vfo.toO ,y«bht
m -: Mila
Exhortation*
ill
Fxn tlwj Lutlieran Visitor.
The Semiaary.
, and in this
ro thi
w
2#
.A 2 75
|extra frilt-- * Of
t|n*
Is extra.
^jrations are n
orders at oac*,
ten^per cent. »
ITION.
Ab euergetic, learned, pious aud
'■who wvll dkvtrte
whole jlttoution « mid time VO Wo
e, -is needed to build up the
j oiftaste places of our Lutheran Ziou
& that part of the country. May
4 aembers of Providence aud
5m churches soon secure the ser-
riee ef such a ^mstor, is the ardent
rish and prayer of the writer.
’By going to aud returning from
* i ^JwrWd ot labor, we made a circuit
iey, $4. Ten pet t t«ir thonsaud miles—three thou-
fA Cfl APM^' a Md b - v water, aud one thousand by
pra,Columbia,SC aad. Now, if we should give a
2X—tfj ntnate description of everything we
avr, as some corresimndents do when
bey travel fifty or a hundred miles,
l^cf respectful- i W0Bld 011 aeveral columns of the
_d customei’s tha* > niter.
6ng?on tlufSr We however, only say, if any
or’streets, when- nan wishes to make a pleasant, in
articl“wo”5 tTOt “S “ d instrnctirc trip,
n, such as Gnxv*
>s, Ac.
21-1 y
Lroad.
footed, eonneetinf
on South Caro
llown; also wit*
[South on C
igusta (tail
hia and An
7 15a•
[ ...10 4<>p»
1 .. 2 OOp*
... 8 50P*
..... 5 30p»
erestmg and instructive trip, let
ho go to Cincinnat i, Ohio, and there
ake passage to Slew Orleans on one
f these fine steamers which navi-
late the Ohio aud Mississippi.
Uong the banks of the former, he
witness scenery of surpassing
ovdinws aud beauty ; especially iu
be spring, wheu die trees,' vines and
plants are puttiug forth their
t foliage aud blossoms,
ktowg the banka of tbe i latter, he
r tfl see a rich vertlure of trees, down
0 A»e water’s edge, interspersed
ef e and there with towns and fine
lantations. w .
A traveler very truthfully remarks,
J at w No person can pash down the
•wiaaippi and view the immense
^ea of uncultivated lands lying
|A//we
; ; 6 . oop
Ridge I*
Ufa
Arrive ~ 13 P?
a Leave 0 35 P®
Leave 5 50 P
Leave 4 50P*
i Leave 3 50Pj
Brn train fcW
run on Al»b«;
Wednesjlay*
Branch, betw
on
7 :10 a*
9 30 »*
11 15»*
3 so p* ^tiiwousto its banka without re
« no n * eCt B ^ °® changes whicli
• m e will produce. i
‘ lr> a eentury, or tifo at the most^
h « bonks MB
of the river will present
f >'du»aou» lines of cultivated plan-
^ tiona, similar to those on the coast,
'^lamls arcRferrich as nature cau
them, being all of alluvial for-
wtion; and tire Soil of sneb a depth
® e *^ w no danger bf its ever
(x banste(l > . When we read of
u of people, who iormerly
General ^ ■ lasted in the valley of tire Kile, and
mi>ar f. ^e capabilities of the
’^issippi valley with it, wo can
’^prebend tbe great destiny awaifc-
■® Ki deve lopment of time in*
for this abeudy far-famed re
08. W >? If- ff >4. I . •:
11 Ticket Aft
tedule
ymae
go into effer*
The Theological Seminary of the
Southern General Synod is now iu the
second week of its existence at this
place. Five students were prescut
at the opening exercises, two from
South Carol iu a, two From Virginia,
and oue from Georgia. We are daily
expecting one other from South Car
olina. We regard the opening as a
most encouraging one. Gettysburg
Theological Seminary began, we are
iuformed, with half this number,
and Cjiiou Theological Seminary
with three students. In this in
stance we need not insist upon an
observance of the old adage: “De
spise not the day of small begin
nings,” for this beginning is a most
hopeful one.
Kor do we fear that the future of the
Seminary will be less hopeful. We
confidently expect encouragiug ac
cessions at each opening session.
That the choice of locatiou was most
wise, is uow evident to all; Provi
dence pointed out the place, aud the
church was obedient to the direction.
New hopes have been excited, aud
general encouragement is felt. All
who truly have the interest of the
church at heart believe aud feel that
the opportunity is uow presented,
which, if improved, will result iu
large blessings to our Zion. In this
we * read God's approval of this en
terprise. His hand lias directed us
in this beginuing, aud hk grace has
ssssriwfpmvi
measures of prosperity for the Luth
eran Church in the South.
This much God in his providence
has done* But ichat will the church
do tcith the opportunity f If its im
provement be neglected and these
hopes be again crushed, bow very
far the result will go towards
strengthening the opinion of some,
that the Southern Church is incapable
of preserving her separate Synodical
existeuce. To be saved from the
guilt aud humiliation of such a re
sult, we must in reliauce upon God,
1. Remember the Seminary in our
prayers. No mere human depend
enco will suffice for this work. We
want au interest that manifests it
self in constant activity aud hearty
co-operation for the temporal success
of this enterprise. Bat no effort iu
this direction will be permanently
blessed of God, that is not sanctified
by prayer.
2. There mutt be an abiding interest
in the Seminary. Unless the church
recognize this as an object claiming
continual support, these encouraging
beginnings will end in disappoint
ment. Here is the point that is vital
to the success of our institution. It
has been the guilt of- our church to
rest satisfied with the actions bf
Synod concerning matters of impor
tance. There has been no special
lack of legislation in our ecolesiasti-
tical assemblies, but there has been
a sad violation of these promises
and obligations. We are hopeful of
better things for the future. We be
lieve that the church feels au inter
est in this work which will manifest
itself in increasing effort for its
prosperity. Nothing short of this
will avail. If we were asked what
we regarded as most vital to the suc
cess of the Seminary, our answer
would be: An abiding interest in it.
Acquire and cherish this, and there
will be sure to follow prayer for its
success and sanctified effort. The
Seminary will need the prayers and
money of the church, and if we are
in earnest, our gifts of both will be
according to the necessity.
S. A. Repass.
Consider but tha Scripture account
of the dearness of the relation, ns it
is expressed in Gem xv : 2, and Gen.
xxx: 1; by our joy qrheu we have
them, as Christ expresses It, John
xvi : t 2I; theltigh valne Ret on them,
Gen. xlii: 38: the sympathy with
TO PARENTS. '
l beseech ynu that are pareuts to
reflect what au important duty lies
on yon; and that I may effectually
impress it, consider,
1, How near the relation Is b©
tween you to your children, and
therefore Uow much you are con
eerned in their happiuess or misery.
1. Your disobedi
resisting of God’s An
dren obey your $
Eph. vl: 1 There
to tUtem Is
rttf. "*Chi
In thb Lord.’
the command;
VOL. V.—NG. 213
. *«?■■ •> y / ? » 11♦/ : t ....
them in all their troubles, Mark ix:
22; and by >piu\ sorrow at parting,
Gen. xxxvii: 35. Now shall all this
be to no ptirtx**© t itor to what pur-
your rebellion, thereQjf*, runs higher
than you think. It i# not man only,
but God, thaf ybd dlfobey ; and for
~ will punish
rut*** rfill
yon,or you
correction;
cotoplaiu to
deal with
iu
your disobedience
yob. It may he their
not suffer them to eoi
are grow u beyond t
all they can do is
Oodj and jf so, Ho
you more severely tl
do.
2. Your sin Is
Tffifoning with the public duties,
dndlnf, ih too many cases, with
them too- .* r
order to have a flourishing stats'
of piety in the church, each individual
member must look first aqd
at home—at hit own head} r How
stand matters there Y WMlt about
these secret exercises of t^e soul
Yith God, which thro world and the
church
other intermeddleth not! Ay, Lw
the matter ia to be decided, and m
by noisy declamation and rapturous
faith and moral earnestness, its puna-
social manners, iu higher ideas and
babiu of daty, loyalty aod rdigiou
It cbuifcd the empire. Bov t By
means of moral and religions truths.
Wliat peculiar} intellectual or scien
tific truths did the apostles »m1
early missionaries carry with them
when they went out into the world
> - m m m ***« iC
Intermeddleth notj Ay, fam lew. '
1» to be d*<**d, nod not TMnk vhtt > world Bt. P»ol bad
said to, him,
of young heathens and infidels, aud
brtdsol
T
so will your acoonnt l>d|0sb. O bet
ter, if a wicked child* thou hid*
Christianity the Strongest Yores in Mod
ern Clrilixstion.
bwn the offspring of sttvsgt* rn-J MomHty has accomplished less
dians, nay, of beasts, than of such 1 than mind, revelation less than sd
parents. Bo many otonsels diso jence, Christianity less than mental
that
3. It is usual with Gorfto retaliate j tual truths before they can be of
b- ^ J 1 any force, A
poos do wo desire them, rejoice in beyed, hopes and prayi frustrated, coltore. Bnt we maintain
them when we have them, value | will turn to sad aggravations. (moral troths ranst become intellec
them so highly, symi^this© with ** “ * ' *“ ~ ^ 1
them so umderly, aud gi-ieve for men’s disobedience to their pareuU
their death so excessively, if, iu the in kiudj commonly onr of n chil-
meautime, uo care be taken what!dren shall yay us home for it I
shall become of them to eternity ! have read Iu a grave srithor of a
2. Consider Uow God has charged wicked wretch that dragged his fo-
’you with their souls as well as their ther along the bouse. The father
bodies; and this appears directly I begged him not to draw him bevoud
moral law unknown,
nnfolt by a man, has no civilizing
effort upon him. Moral laws may
hare been always the same, eternal
indeed, and yet the knowledge of
them has been progressive. Plato
know leas of them than Pdbl; Seneca
'Jpkl upon )'ou 1 l)eut vi: G, ..— such a place; for, said be, I dragged I leas than Prof. Way land. And in
“And tbeso wards which l command ! my father uo further. Oh! the sad, ! proportion to tbe personal knowledge
thee this day shall be in thine heart,
and thou ehalt teach them diligently
unto thy childreu, aud shall talk of
them when thou fittest in tlune
house, and wheu thou palkest by
but just retributions of God !
f »*>d conviction of them, civilization
tr Train.
I -- -----I
1-V-- *
\nd Aceom
7 00 «
7tfL
"1.6 40 n *1
laud
[iec-FttH
rket Agt
Jb* «toadiiig two or three days
ut ,“ Crescent CitJ|r,» let him em-
w .® T York on one of the
Ceu ^ steahiships plyiug bc-
40 « *
30 P*
40 P*
ilTL^ 080 tW ° mi g bt J’ cities. He
1 ifr htp .® ar . e to enjoy this voyage of
hundred miles, especially
** 8t J* e of Rving, provided,
hatiwl 1,6 can evft de that pleasnre-
i ”*** duster, sea-sickness.
Lutuer’Is Prayer.—In the last
will and testament of this eminent
reformer occurs the following re
markable passage: “Lord God,
thank thee for that thou hast been
R*
pleased to make a poor and indigent
man upon earth. I have neither
house nor land nor money to leave
behind me. Thou hast given me
wife and childreu, whom I uow re
store to thee. Lord, nourish, teach
the way, aud whim thou host dow n,
ami wheu thou rises! up. Aud Uhh*
shalt bind them for a sign upon
thine baud, aud they shall be as
frouUets between thine eye* Aud
thou shalt write them upon the putts
of thy house, aud ou thy gate.” Aud
Eph. vi; 4.—“And y© parents pro
voke not your children So wrath, but
bring them up iu the nurture aud
admouitiou of the Lord.” Aud by
precepts laid oil them to obey you,
as Eph. vi: l.-r“Cbiidreii, obey your
parents in the Lord, for this is right.
Honor thy father and mother (w
, Amt mm—»*—ii -‘“r'^ve,
aud tkat thou mayest livo long on
tho earth," which as plainly imply
your duty as the duty of children is
expressed.
3. What shall comfort you at part
ing with your childreu, if through
your neglect they die iu a Cbristless
condition. Oh! this is the cutting
consideration. My childreu iu hull,
and I did nothing to preveut it; I
1 J helped him thither! Duty discharged
is the ouly root of comfort iu that
day.
4. if you neglect to instruct your
childreu in the way of holiness, will
the devil neglect to iustruct them in
the ways of wickedness f Nay, ver
ily, if you will not teach them to
pray, be will teach them to oursc,
swear and lie. If ground bo uncul
tivated weeds will spring.
5. If the seasou of their youth be
neglected, hpw little probability is
there of any good fruit afterwards!
That is tho moulding ago. “Train
up a child in the way he should go,
aud wheu he is old be will not de
part from it.” I'rov. xxii: 6. Uow
ew are converted in old age! A
twig is brought to auy form, but
grown trees will not bow.
0. You are iustrumeutal causes of
their spiritual misery, and that by
generation and imitation; they lie
spiritually dead of the plague which
you brought home among them.
“Behold I was shapen in iuiquity,
aud in sin did my mother conceive
md 1’s. li: 5»
7. There are none in the world so
likely, as you, to be instruments of
their eternal good. You have pecu
liar advantages, as the interest you
hare in their affections, your oppor
tunities to instil tbe knowledge of
Christ into their opening minds and
tyearts, being daily with them, (Dent.
i*i t 7), and your knowledge of their
tempers, etc. If, therefore, yon neg
lect who shall help them 1
8. The consideration of the great
day should move your feelings of
pity for them. O, remember that
text, <4 I saw the dead, small and
great, stand before God.” What
sad thing will it be to see your dear
children at Christ’s left hand! O
friends, do yopr utmost to prevent
this misery! “Knowing the terrors
of the Lord, we persuade men.”
Cor. v : 11.—FUikel.
And I beseech yoa iu whose hearts | advanoed
grace hath been planted through the ' As philosophers—not simply as
blessing of a pious education to ad- Christians—we look back along the
mire God’s goodness to you in this rough ways civilization has traveled,
iih* uUt <> i... i « * > . >
providence. Oh ! a hat a happy lot
has God cast for yon! How few
children are partakers of your mer
cies ! ,
See that you bouor such parents;
the tie is double u)»o4, you so to da
Be you the joy of their hearts aud
comfort of their lives, i(. living; if
not, yet still remember the mercy
while you live aud tread in their
pious paths, that you aud they may
both rejoice together iu the great
dAy, aud bless God for etepk other to
all eternity.—WUr '
n selected from the writings of
that cmiuent servant of Christ, John
Flavel, name so dear to our aged
fathers and mothers while they were
toiling to make her march, subdn
ing the depravities of nations, soften
ing their barbarities modifying their
hearts, dispelling their ignorance,
loosing their bonus, leading them op
to higher levels, patient with them
in their relapses, and kindling ia
them hopes of a better and happier
condition; and we see one feet, one
truth, one force, very potent, very
powerfol, acting unto all other laws
am! forces, and that is Christianity.
It has shaped human lives according
feet that the strong have sheltered
the weak, the powerful hwv* aided
the feeble and the oppressed. Chris
tianity and her Bible introduced this
element into social and dvil life. If
ty.” aha gave it all it* meaning,
word “krve,* wae eo mated
heatha* vine that a ft
wiit*M. The term
did not inelade tha
A Roman poet called himself “ftu-
mao,”but was not uu -—a* U
the glory of Athens that she reared a
was cast in ah empire which aspired
to mdte all nations under its militaiy
sway. There was do uniform civili
zation; no unity in the various
religious of the provinces. The Brah
min, tbe Nile-worshiper and the
Druid differed from the Roman. The
higher modes of civil life had worn
out for lack of enduring warp and
woof. Creeds, manners, philoso
phies, heroism, honor and social
virtues were perishing. When Cai-
igula declared himself a god, he
proved himself worse than a man,
and when the mouster was worshiped,
the people confessed their amazing
degradation. Palaces were oft«fcl rF
.I* 16 *? le i odt,r o{ ^ | th f orphan house and’ the chanty
no-
Jrtnod on ehffltng ground, and phi
w«akneM, and aim*! Hag u .
take. It was left for Christ to raise
‘fea altar to jtf* to every (Mufeifs
heart” He had compassion on (he
araltitaiast Write iter ohrintu..
church came hramdfeia benevolence.
8he was the Lord’s spouse—tbe al
a# tbe human rate,
diowiag God’s lobe aad doing His
work in the wotfch She fed her
poor children, bound np the wounds
of her enemies, went among her foes
when they were dyiog of pestilence,
and reared the hospital, the asylum,
rich was the curse of the poore-k school. These are some of her
took from crime its dishonor, aud | blest monamenta.
ever known upon earth,
national governments by silent or
resistless revolution, established in
stitutions of learning and benevo-
on earth ; whose pious and evangeli- j fence, and aimed at the rrgeoeratfou
cal pages they so much prized, and j of the entire human race. It has
which have proved a source of so not always been kept free from er-
rich blessing to the church. , f could tor. It has been perverted and
not while transcribing from him re-' made subject to variety. Decline,
sist the thought that the spirit of* decay, and revival have marked its
that holy roan and those pious pa- history. And yet through it God
rents who loved Hated—as they pro
uouneed it—So well, are now together
and preserve theui, as thou hast me.’’
TO CHILDREN.
And I beseech you that are chil
dren, especially you that have de
scended from religious parents, to
obey their counsels, aud walk in the
steps of their pious examples. To
press
tions
this, I offer these considQra-
in heaven holding many a sweet con
versation on the “Divine Conduct,
or the Mystery of rrovideuce,** “The
Fouutaiu of Life,” “Tbe Lamb slain
from the foundation of the world.”
I could not but be struck with tbe
appropriateness of his exhortatioos
to our own day, although dating
back almost two hundred years.
The church baa, we think, most un
happily fallen u|>on au age ip *hich
Family and the Parent are well nigh
ignored and lost sight of. True, you
will now and then hear a word ou
tbe importance of parents assisting
the Sabbath school, but then it Is in
cidentally and regarded as rather
subordinate. Tho .tendency of tho
constantly flowing chrrent is to drift
overy thing from the fhmily to tho
public. Family instruction, family
worship, family discipline and family
example may all, it is thought, be
very safely transferred frqm the pa
rents and the family to tbe Sabbath
school, and Sabbath school teachers,
and to the sanctuary and the pastor.
Let ns get the religion of the church
as high as we can, and the religion
of the family will take care of itself,
is the doctrine. Now, directly the
opposite of this is roy sentiment.
Let us get the religion of the family
as high as we can, and that just
because, “ You never can yet the reli
gion of the congregation higher .than
that of the family. 1 * What the closet
is to family religion, family religion
is to the church. The family may
have a name to live, where there is
no entering into the closet and pray
ing to the Father in secret on the
part of its members; tint there can
be no living, growing piety. And
just so, there may bo an imposing
profession and some spasmodic exhi
bitions of love to God aud zeal for
his glory in public—as often we see—
where there is no family religion;
but it is all in name and appearance.
It does not reach the h4art. It does
not transform the life, TbW is in
deed a heavy charge—-one fot which
the writer does not expdet the praise
of many of this generation! * No,
but he must be fafthftil. He sees
the evil and deplores it. Tt Is begin-
uing at the wrong end of the matter
Las been with man/darTying nations
in his arms. No theories about tem
perature, diet, blood, and seeoery
will account for tbe conversion of
the Roman empire, the ehristianiza
tion of tbe wild invading nations of
Europe, or the great Reformation of
the sixteenth century. The influence
of Constantine and Augustine. Boni
face and Anselm, Dante and Milton,
did not follow isothermal lines.
Chemistry and biology did not pro
duce Charlemagne, nor Alfred the
Great, not Gustavus Vasa, nor Wil
liam the Silent, not Ooligny, nor
Cromwell—men who were thinking
out something more tremendously
solemn than physical science; men
who were working destinies for na
tions, and whose names mark eras
and advances in civilization. They
represent people who shook off op
pressions and stepped forth into
lkrger liberty.
Modern civilization is something
more than a condition, in which the
people are generally comfortable, all
prosperous, and some wealthy; living
It good houses, selling their products
in active markets, traveling by rail,
talking by telegraph, conning tbe
daily paper at breakfast, indulging
is works of taste and art, and evinc
ing their cnlture by reading the theo
rists of the day to know how oysters
contribute to Iliads, oatmeal culmin
ates in Waverlies, and man has
ttoilted himself out of the slmions
tj-pe of existence. All this must be
very civilizing, but civil life at pres-
etit among ns is not altogether de
fined by herds of cattle, not thresh
ittg machines, not printing-presses;
not even by colleges and monster
evening lectures, art-unions and
Cooper institutes. Into it entcT al
the mental and moral forces. Its
sources and safeguards are churches
as well as courthouses; Christian
houses, as truly as public schools;
holy rows, as well as honest votes.
For about three hundred years
Christianity did nfft directly affect
civil society, nor the state, nor polit
ick government. Yet its adherents
were growing into a powerful society.
They were first to affect the civil
condition of the Roman empire by
hanging into it this renewed class
‘ le, this fltghuic body with Its
from law iu force. About three-
fourths of this people were wretched
slaves, dedaukted by famine, by
suffering and by the combats of the
circua. Tbe beat lands were becom
ing a desert—the finest cities reeked
with abominations. The very reli
gion of paganism was a source of im
morality. Vices were attributed to
the gods and practiced by their ro
taries.
The lofty ideas of a future^Jife,
which still gleam in the teachings of
Socrates and Plato, scarcely lent a
glimmer to the dying philosophies of
he stoics, epicureans and academ
icians. Faith went down ia tbs
flood of
“Let ns rat and drink,
we die.”
Literature was degenerate, im-
betil, frivolous. Ybe Augustan age
■ gone—that of Nero was gross.
The huaaa intellect was, drivelling
among moan tains of the past Its
productive force was lost No con
templative thinker had the ibental
grasp of Paul, or the eagle eye of
John. Into that dark pagaa world
went men with a gospel that had
power to renew and civilise all who
received it Moral and religious
truths saved all that was worth
saving in tbe Roman empire.
This was one great movement
Christianity won another incalculable
victory when she met tbe barbarous
tribes that were sweeping down
from the breeding-grounds' of the
north to lay waste the European por
tion of tbe empire and converted
them. She saved their intellect She
gave them law, Rterature, religion,
and at length a science. She gave
them the forces which have wrought
most mightily in the advancement of
modem civilization. A third vast
movement produced the great awak
ening which we call the Reforma
tion, whose results are still manifest
in all onr culture.
If we trace more minutely the
working of these religious sources we
shall see that Christianity created a
people and taught the people the
proper relation between man and
man, parents aad children, wife and
husband, employer and laborer, roes
and race. Chrysostom said: “Through
the vista of history we see slavery
aad the pagan theory of two races
(Ml before the word of Jesos—all
men are the children df God.
time came when the Church even
sold her communion plate to redeem
slaves and captives. Woman was
raised from heathen degradation.
The word home began to have a
meaning. There wa* a fhmily. The
meanest sufferer was a brother.
Christianity removed great evils,
such as infanticide and the gladiato
rial combats. She gathered np and
carried on whatever was truest and
best in tbe old pagan civilisation.
In her system was the true conserva
tion of forces. She conserved law,
literature and art She promoted
the industrial pursuits. She pre
pared the way for scienoe. She gave
birth to a sounder philoeopy than
the world had ever discovered.
Civil life would be almost power
less for good without charity, in its
broadest sense. The moral progress
of society is not due to the feet that,
in the struggle for life, the strong
have suppressed the weak, or elbow
ed them out of existence, but to tife
This spirit was heroic. It made
men and women of courage aad self-
sacrifice. Heroism is an important
•lament in civilization. Without it
there wifi be no genuine patriotism;
the love of country will be mere
selfishness. “No man for himself,
every man for ail,” ia the ideal of
Christian society. It oomas from
that gospel wnich tells us that Christ
pleased not himaeU; but laid down
his life for ns all, and we should lay
down our lives for the brethren
With these facts before us—and
this is bat a small part of history—
may we not claim for
the chief place among tha
the feopeL 4*4 Hero ties
your work. To this you devote
yourselves; for it you make prepara
tion, and in it you are to expend
your energies. It ia to help the
jeopte, to whom you may preach
Christ, to become holier Christians,
and thus become better citiseas, aad
ive indeed as citizens of tho heaven
ly kingdom. And our gospal com
prehends all social, civil and refining
forces, for it tells “whatsoever things
are true, honest, just, pure, lovely,
of good report; if there beany virtue,
and if there he any praise, think on
these things.” It tells us that godli
ness is profitable, both in the fife
that now is and that which is to
come.
Bow God
A poor Christian woman in Buck
inghamshire—I believe near Berk-
hamstead—das bereaved ofber hus
band after a long illness, and left
unprovided for, the only thfog of
value being a large chest of tools.
The husband had only just been
buried, when a neighbor, bearing no
good character, called on f the widow,
and presented a bill for work done
altogether beyond the widow’s ppwer
to pay. The wort, which had been
done m the husband^ lifetime, was
paid for by him, and the bill receipt
ed, of which the widow had a dis
tinct reeoflection. It availed not
for her to assert the foot The pay
moot of the bill was pressed again,
and longing eyes cast at the chest
of tools. In great distress the widow
retired np stairs to pray, for all effort
tb find the receipted bill was in vafo.
While engaged in prayer, a butterfly
flew in at the open window down
stairs. The widowfelfttie child chased
it until ft flew behind the chest of
(Mia. Jost then the mother came
in. and the child begged her to
remove the box, that'he might get
the butterfly. The neighbor offered
at onoe to do so; and wWfe he was
removing it from the- wall, a piece
of paper fell down behind, which the
widow, taking up, found to be the
lost bill, receipted as she had said.
She was overcome with praise and
gratitude to God, who
her prayer by mean* of the butter
fly; find even her enemy himself
discovered the missing bill.—Tie
VkriMn. * ’ ; m X
•* Keep your ©onscience tender—ten
der as the eye that closes Its lids
against an atom of dust, or as that
sensitive plant which I have
shftnk and shut its leaves, not merely
at the Me'touch of a finger, but at
the breath of tbe mouth.
Closely Bound