The Lutheran visitor. (Columbia, S.C.) 1869-1904, October 18, 1872, Image 1
-,
* tod
■ » abort
tpoater- Irt: -
lU>4CO..
'DEALERS
148—3ni
book may
the Imn1.
►t t. s, Ar-
i-Trap.
wle, we
fill farther,
rtuce it to
is highly
H. Oirne,
no more
|*w ©Ter
4- Agent*
flidlv with
os. Owing
enabled to
mta. Send
terms, and
nee.
CO.,
^delphia.
and Retail
reaper tftil
ers that
Uiahmyct,
the corner
ts, where
nd a well
lea belong-
jis Groce-
21 lv
ronuectjng
pntJi Caro
also with
oa Char-
Railroad,
ll Anurusta
. 7 15 a ni
- ?> 05 a in
. 10 40 p m
. 2 00 p 111
. 3 50 p 111
5 80 p m
I. 7 30 a 111
|. 0 30 a ill
.It 15 am
8 15 a ni
tr2 30 p m
I 4 23 p m %
6 00pm
ihlge Di-
UP.
re 715pm
e 6 35 p m
e 5 50 p in
e 4 50 p in
e 850pm *
tin from
>n Abbe-
lysaml
.between
uesdays,
1 i smt. *
AqH.
ugusta
8,18T72.
>1 lowing
road;
lin No. 2.
18 20 p ni
3 30 a m
I 8 20 a m
| : jfvm •
Liu No. 2.
[5 50 p ni
II 05 p m
16 00 am
rer than
lnm-
r etiou to
| West-
[checked
)ER,
euderit
t**»
11872.
ffteet on
00 a in
30 p m
30 am
ao p m
50 p m
30 a ni
10 pm
45a m
.1 will
merly
days.
20 a m
5.5 a m
10 p m
55 pm
lent.
/
SP?
m HI
rfflr ^ -fu
lfil
.><
u
m T*
i-j
ki
3SSf
unr
m
ffifil ■
r:aor".i
H' •
Y0L/5.--N0. 0
m
<**
~w
i luitiju
'" n3 ^ tr ■■r-i
mmm
“ONELORHj ofe faith. W
M* tfrt
iMMpi ll —l
-- . • - Jl +*t'-
'■ 'WT' "’ T * r ** .
PtI8ir-EPHE8IANS IV: 5.
S-X.
m a.ar.i
m*
. ..
HHCOLUMJBIA, % C., mD.
OCTOBER 18. 1872.
OLD SERIES, VOL. V.-NO. 214.
jau.
if
FP—7
theetf
f prtitu
never,
known
to bo
Of this
after,
oa
regardless erf all lively geographical
divisions, or present or-fiast political
difference* of opinio*, aud thus eou-
bMitrate their enet^fos tuid re&turces
for the prontotihw' of tfje great o4>
t jeet so dear to the heart pf every
iejpyap- true Lutheran. Hi fa object we have
^endeavored fo keen constantly aud
prominently in vied-. In union there
is strength^ Oui; divisions have been
the bane, as weft as the standing
reproach of our Church’.
With these views and feelings we
hailed the formation of the General
Synod fh Sffirth America, with its
\va*
>JV*
%■ be te
v# ft **
Cppuuu-
»1U
^yubd,
pressure
action.
f ^ere-
said
i*WWFfo
ilhWK
... ... !W».»
m (#•» **■
^nwuc the subject it.
A -i*i
aden
de<i iu his oflieial
op on , . .
tiofi. sound doctrinal basis and its gen
uinely Lutheran cqlt us> a8 a0 uuspi-
^j^side^ l^v, J. K.
iwWSS>T» =. .
4 iMife upr^roaed no official ii^ts
daring ^ year more Ah^jau%wer-
mg3OB»<40k;ial cow»i|Uieatfons frpm
Rer. Dr. A. J. Foa, Ghairipau of a
W the Ev5m l
gelical b#ejfau Teuneasee Synod, in
October iajL The otqeet in vjpw
is tbe .app .pf Syaod
with the Jppiisse© anO. Nprth Car-
oiiaa Sjoo^jybea (p pi^te as a whole
With the pweral , I h^e
lootfcefatyr fyp AW
oaitkw, end earBestlA^epoiniuepd
the Awga^ ^Ctiou 8 f Synod
aesm and
gc forwani
for the
pUilimcut of »biofc.l
»eo<l tbe v tba w ^ l ^,flia
Synod
N<
I feel that erp aie oiily enjoying onr
reserved rights as specified when the
Holaton Synod muted with jthe Gen
eral Syuod.’ 7
The majority of the Committee on
the President’s Report, after direct
ing attention to the abovo recom-
ntadation of the President, recoin-
uiended the adoption of tho follow-
iog resolution :
“Resolved, 1. That we as a Synod
withdraw from tho General Synod
in North America, with the view of
iurming a joint anion with the^en-
nessee and North Carolina Synods,
and with these bodies of ultimately
beeoming an integral part of the
General Council.” (Signed,)
J. 0. Baku,
J. Clonifgek,
Suck Harman.
TT
*tSay«—-Revs A. .T Brown, J. LL
Wagner, J. tficeuor and 3. II. Tur- 1
oefj and Messrs. M. Harr, Job*
Drake and r. Mottercy
As intimated in the outset, a plain
statement of a few important facta,
together with a brief explanation,'
may be ueceaaary to present the
matter in ijbxtrtte light and prevent
misapprehension.
The question voted »i>on embrae«4
two entirety different and distinct prop
ositions : 1st. The withdrawal of tlia
Hols to ii, Synod from the General *
Synod in Jforth America; 2d. The
mdiority report.
^ e ? the subscribers, a minority of
the Committee on the ’^resident’s
Iieport, being nuabie to a^ree with
the majority in that portion of their
report pertaining to the severing of
oar connection with the General Sy n-
°ii io North America, and the union
of onr Synod in joint Synod with
the Tennessee ahd North Carolina
^Ptods, looking to a final union wi^h
the General Council, feel it to be
Wth oar privilege and duty to make
a minority report.
\o^ B **6 deeply impressed with a
' a f Dte °f the importance of our ae-
ll<m a P° u this subject. From doeu-
®®°t8 placed iu our hands and other
r '^ a ^ e sources of information, we
are aware that a very general
deep interest is felt in our ac
ton, a U( j th a t it is anticipated with
i anxiety, especially by those
tomedlately interested. We feel it
^ erefore to be a solemn duty which
e owe jo ourselves and all others
ent***^ 10 decIare fully our pres-
j,. ,' lew ® au d feelings, and fore-
all it*’ ^ clear, y as we oan, with
#, e ^Shts now before ns, onr
policy and course.
drm 6 ^gard, as we always have
C^h Uivi8ion of the Lutl
cious omen, and indulged the pleas-
ingbqpe that it would heal unhappy
divisions and soon unite harmonious
ly’ in one (general Body the entire
Southern Church. With this con-
vjctiou it^jhad our ay mpathies, and,
at what w.e regarded as an auspi-
cions time, wo HP%d with it iu
good foith, and have ever siuqc given
it our support Wo howoycr always
regarded it as top limited ,in its
actual geographical extent, aud as a
merely temporary expedient to pre
pare the w*vy gradually fqr a v more
exteutuvo and efficiput union of gou
uine Lutherans. This is cLeariy in
dicated in all the official utterances
of our Synod. Whilst we regret
to kuow that there is much
that is uu Lutheran iu doctrine
and practice in individual members
of tho General Synod of North
America, we are satisfied that it
has already accomplished much good,
aud may, by judicious management,
accomplish still more- But we are
at the same, time fully aware that a
connexion might be formed, if all
concerned could be mado^to see* the
\ ^ of duty pursue it, by
Vff™* w^ifh much more might be aceom-
* ** ipHsifld* This, body lus not only
* X^ilpd to unite tb# ; enure Lutheran
,lCh»rch in tbo South, but has lost
oqe of its prigiual -District Syuods,
so that it is now a pompaeftiveiy
ggmii and iuefflUiient body, •
Should we, according to the rec
ommendation of our retiring Presi
dent, sever our connexion with the
General Synod iu 'North America,
aud nuite iu joint Syuod with tire
North Carolina and Tennessee Syn
ods, the body thus formed would be
equally small and inefficient; for
there is no positive assurance that
the bodies would unite with us in
the General Council. From such a
anion no good, so far as we can
see, would result to our Syuod. It
would only complicate our ecclesius
tical counexions and relations, and
thus render it more difficult to take
steps which, iu our judgment, must
be for the good of Uie church. For
these and other reasons which might
be suggested, we consider the pro
posed union with the North Carolina
aud Tennessee Synods unwise and
impolitic.
Iu the General Couucil we recog
nize a Lutheran body, sound in faith
aud practice. With it, o| some or
ganization based upon similar prin
ciples, all genuine Lutherans can
safely unite, and cheerfully rally
around its standard. To immediate
uniou with this body we would in
dividually have uo objections. We
hope and pray that the time, may
not be far distant and may speedily
wsioM of tip Holaton Synod in Joint last it strikes
Synod with the North Carolina and*'
Tennessee Synods, with a view to
fiual union os a whole with the Gen
eral Council
On the former of these proposi
tions the difference of opiuion w as
mainly, if not merely, a question of
time. Some niyored im^urfiatr sepa
ration ; other^ thought it would bs
which has already treated oqr
withT&e jno^' jNt)(bund raspect. $m
well
hicfi has a
itb the.mc
as to the* 1 chinches composing
llolston ^ynod, whose wishes,
langh
them.
uutjl
ms
They go in
r b
terearw^tinjr 9^
the ttl. «K‘u101
u Lei ndl i that cojpf w|
l>erish 1
pera, go dowifl ,
{ y j
the terrible voice,
surC, and os the,
M b Mil. hi |
CIS
down, further
ktiuents hear
or, as
baud, 10U-
rith finger of
[hita sheet of
of doom:
iu this circle
lowuT Clip-
iships, go
hearing
:Uea iu
gurgle
Wrt Mg,
all
-'li
iu a*r
Wtbt*
the Ho]
*«
Lutheran
and • 1H c b* tntr y into so many,
„ ’“ s ‘ostances, wholly un-
^ >art * es > as abnormal, aud
s8$atS\ la,he,lt ^ this state of
tarniwn c WVe accordingly labored
Shoot ^ lU,< ^ Preyerfolly to bring
state nr T te Ut ftirabte a,1( l better
is-oar tain 8 s in this respect. It
-Roughly matured and firm
ibe tllat tbo K 10 ^ of God and
P«rativ , arC i 0f oor belove(l Zion im-
RutkerU ^ . tnau, i 8 that all professed
Knee,..!** ln the United States, who
Coaf**! rece ^e and subscribe our
Faith “in their true,
^ or&nal sense? should be
one General Body, utterly
73707 1• .
come, when not ouly our Syuod, but
the entire Lutheran Church in the
South may sec its way clear to unite
with this or some similar body. Such
a step would make ns a large, re
spectable, influential and efficient
body.
In view of facts stated, we recom
mend that we act very cautiously
and deliberately in this matter, and
that for the present we retain our
connexion with the General Synod
in North America, waiting for future
developments, and recommend onr
^ brethren to cancel this subject fully
Jbetween this and the next session of
our Synod, when we shall be pre
pared to act more intelligently.
A. J. Brown,
Martin Harr.
It was moved arid seconded that
tho 1st Resolution in the Majority
Report be adopted by Synod.
The discussion of this motion was
greatly protracted, extending thro’
nearly two entire days, aud was at
times very animated, though charac
terized mainly by good feelings.
The Resolution was finally adopt
ed by the following vote:
Ayes—Iievs. J. K. Hancber, J. C.
Barb, J. Cloninger and Wm. G. Wol
ford ; and Messrs. J. C. Mllly, A. J.
Neas, J. A. Williams, D. Puiroan, A.
Ottinger, J. Shelly, J. Harman, M.
Felty, J. Roller, Jno. Sencker, A. A.
Sherrets, S. Borber and W. H.
Greer.
*fy few frisUnt-os, were
ither copsutted nor expressed, and
a ted ft) do far more good iu
>ting lirotberh
ex
neit
calcula
promoting brotherly love aud se
curing harmony of action, io defer
final action till Ike uext session of
Syuod. t
The churches were not, as just in
timated, so for at least As anything
to that effect appeared in the discus-
siou, consultfi upon the subject at all.
It was cleanly uot canvassed 1>y them
generally, or to at^y considerable ex-
tent; mid of fkttweuty or tweuty-
five congregations cmboM*M in the
Uoiston Synod) only four gave any
expression of their views and wishes
In reference to it
On the latter proposition, to form
a Joint Synod with the Sfdfth Caro-
Tma and Tennessee Synods, 1 thiuk
there really wo* but little ulfforeuoc
of opinioti. If jt had *been voted
would almost certainly’ have been
lost. As the matter now stands,
odr union in the proposed Joint Syn
od, is entirely discretionary with us.
Without intending to forestall ac
tion npon this subject, I can con
ceive of no good that conk! possibly
result from the proposed Joint Syu
od. It wonld ouly tend very greatly
to complicate onr ecclesiastical rela
tions, aiul so completely fetter our
hands that we could not, as regards
uniou with tho Geueral Connell, act
without the concurrence or permis
sion of one or both the other Synods
concerned.
I will close. By the kind jicnnis-
sion of the editor, I shall have more
to say anon upon some other kindred
subjects. * A. J. Brown.
Selections.
€
of tb#tn
tin (Ter
We were
allot
ion
lvf WVI L
tejIbrWwl
re was
one wn*
as drrmk,
Storm on the Atiaatie.
“Aud 10 it came to paM that they es
caped all safe to land.”—Acts xxvii: 44.
Two weeks ago last Thursday, the
steamer ‘‘Greece,” of tho Natioual
Line, swung oat into thd river Mer
sey at Liverpool, bonnd for New
York. We had on board seven hun
dred, crew and passengers. We
came together strangers—English
men, Italians, Swedes, Norwegians,
Americans. Two fiags floated from
the mast: British aud American en-
signs. So may they ever float, and
no red hand of war ever snatch
either of them down. In the same
prayer that we put up for our own
national prosperity, we will 'send up
tho petition, “God safe the Queen F
Wo had a new vessel, or one so
thoroughly remodeled that the voy
age had arouud it all the uncertain
ties of a trial trip. The great steam
er felt its way cautiously out into
the sea. The pilot was discharged ;
and comiriitting ourselves to the care
of Him who lioldeth the winds in
His fist, we were fairly started on
our voyage of three thousand miles.
It was rough nearly all the way—
the sea with strong buffeting dis
puting our path. But one week ago
last night, at eleveu o’clock, after
the lights had been put oat, a cy
clone—a wind jnst made to tear
ships to pieces—caught us in . its
clutches. It came down so suddeuly
that we hail uot time to take in the
sails, or to fasten the hatches. You
may know that the bottom of tbe
Atlantic is strewn with tbe ghastly
work of cyclones. Oh! they are
cruel winds. They have hot breath,
as though they came from infernal
furnaces. Their merriment is the
cry of affrighted passengers. Their
play is the foundering of steamers.
And when a ship goes down, they
is peace, for tb^y
Helmsman, dead at
giueer, dead amid the
fornaccs 1 (’attain,
gangway I Fasten
cabin! Buried in the
tery of dead steamers,-
(Hty of Boston, the (
Resident, the Cm
the archangel**
the ddeks,
In doors,
T tbou (
on the seh
together might
one wing of that cycl<
only eight or nine
from home, and in I
of soon seefog oor
was no oOc on board
to hare a friend. But
if we were to hedlsap
.—- MwJf m m iwi m A
WlflBi O* »Wr'
to die. There were
Mght of the |>erif, nave
mi English man, ami he
aud the other was an Anfcricnn, and
he was a fool! Oh f wlffit a time It
was! A night to iwak«f oos’s hair
turn white. We raWie nnt of the
bertha, nml stood In- the gangway,
and looked into tbe iitffiw age, ainl
.sat In the cabin. While Hated there,
we hesn) overhead noaffifhtrrg Who
mlnate-gims. It was the’Unstring Of
the sails. We held au ’with both
hands to%eep onr p! _
ftoor Ttayed
came bark bruised and gashed. Cups
and glassre were dashed to frng
meats: pieces of the tshle getting
loose, swung across the room. It
seemed os if the hurricane took that
great ship of thousands of tons and
stood it on one end, aud said : “Shall
I sink it, or let it go this onceT
And then it came down with such
force that tbe billows trampled over
it, each mouuted of a fury. We felt 1
that everything depended on the
propelliug screw. If that stopped
for au iustant, we kuew the vessel
would fall off into the trough of tbe
sea and siuk; and so wc prayed that
of the officers, aud cried: “Do l«t
me out 1 I will help you! do let me
out! I cau not die here F Some got
down and prayed to the Virgin
Mary, saying,: “O blessed mother,
keep us! Have mercy on us t” Some-
stood with white lips aud fixed gaze,
silent in their terror. Some wrung
their bauds, and cried out: “O God,
what shall I dot what shall I doT
The ^ime came when the crew could
qo lougef stay pu the deck, aud the
jSjp the officer was: “Below J all
hand* Vfjfty Out, brave and sym-
uutil at palweftCDrX^sptala Aihlrews—whose
—
It grew’ lighter. The clouds were
hung iu purple clusters along the
sky; and, as if those purple das
tern were pressed info peA wine aud
poured out upon the every wave
turned into jcrfouou. Yomkr, firo deuce, and were never
cleft stood opposite to fire-cleft; and
here, a cloud rent and tinned with
light, seemed like a palace,. with
flames bursting frofi the windows.
The whole soeue lighted up, mitil it
upon
stairs of Art, and tbe w ave crests,
changed into jasper, and crystal,
aud amethyst, as they were tldog
was of his infinite dignity and cloth
ed with almighty power, who of ail
the sons of men gave such a pattern
of meekness and homirity as Jesus f
The poor aud) despised mmht and
W approach him with gthd eowfi
at the woman In the!
the Pharisee, at poor
ibe way side, and at tboc
with their little children f
“Seettdh not her vwa.”—Here, in
these four words, is the great distiu
seemed as if the angels of God were - guishing trait in the cbaract-sf of our
asceudiiig aud descending upou
eemer set forth,
rudi, hut for out Mkm
that we throogk j
“was
.very uarrowly with his,life,
© ryclone seemed to stand ou the
a 1 A W* viu I iu wiu *» “This [ — -—* ,
t cemo- ihiu is mine! { have captured it! before: “Thy way, 0 Hod,
commaml it! If God j sea, and thy path in the great*
»it| f will sink it here aud
y a thousand shipwrecks, 1
crown* of besv©u cast before
the throne of the great Jehovah-
I leaned over the traflail again,
aud saul, with more emotiou than
hr in the
the great waters/*
So, I thought^ ifi|i be the going
off of the storm aud Right of the
Hold
doom j ©f this vessel T | ChrisUau’s life. The darkueeypdil
^ * torni » b* 1 ‘ta teutsaud s« »>! Thp n foet
that it utignt gam additional of the rising mom will com© skip
Crash! went the life-bout on j piugupou lh© mountains,tool all the
one sUm. Crash! went the life boat, wrathful billows of the umhj’s woe
on the Other side. Tbe great booms j break into the splendor* of ©Uw^al
s> *JPVhJf? ** with the heft of'joy.
a tliuinlerbojl, pouuded the deck And so wc cam© info the luirhur
and beat the mast—the jib-boom, J The cyclone behiud us. Our friends
tifoddiug tall boom, and square sail before us. God, who is always good
hupni, with ibeir strong arms, beat j all arouud us! And if the roll of
Uk* awful march aud; the crew ami passengers had boon
jnpsic of the hurricau©. called, sci’ea hundred soaks would
qoean liecam© phot j have auswered to their names. “And
wfiolc soeue looked so it came to pass that we aM
like fire. Tlie pater drippiug from
the riggiug, there were ro|>es of fire ;
aul! there were masts of fire ; and
there was a deck of fire. A ship of
fire, sailing on a sea of fire, through
a night of fire. O my God! let 4»e
never see anything likt it again 1
Everybody prayed. A lad twelve
years of age got down ami prayed
p for Ids mother. “U I should give
op,” he said, do no^kuow what
would become of pother” Tfiei©
were men who, I tirinkahad not
thirty years, who then
got dow n ou their knees. When a
man who has neglected God for his
life feels that he has couie to his last
time, it makes a rery busy night. Ail
of our sins and short comings passed
through our minds. My own life
seemed utterly unsatisfactory. I
could ouly say: “Here, Lord, lake
me as I am. I cau uot mend mat
tens now. Ixml Jesus, thou didst
die for the chief of sinners. That's
’ luto thy bauds I commit my
th© screw, r which three times since
leaving Liverpool hail already
stopped, might not stop now.. Oh!
how auxiously we listened for the
regular thump, thump, thump of the
machinery, upon which our lives
seemed to depend. After a while
some one said: “ The screw is stopped!*
No; its sound had ouly been over
powered by the uproar of tbe tem
pest, aud wo breathed easier * again
wheu we heard the regular pulsa
tion* of the overtasked machinery,
going thump, thump, thump. At
three o’clock in the morning the
water covered tho ship from prow to
stern, ami the skylights gare way!
The deluge rushed in, aud we felt
that one or two more waves like that
mast swamp us forever. As tbe
water rolled baclc and forward in tbe
cabins, and dashed agaiust the wall,
it sprang half way up to the ceiliug.
Rushing through the skylights as it
came in with such terrific roar, there
went up from the cabin a shriek of
horror which I pray God I may
never hear again. I have dreamed
the whole scene over again, but God
has mercifully kept me from hearing
that oncjcry. Into it seemed to be
compressed the agony of expected
shipwreck. It seemed to say: “I
shall never get home again! My
children shall be orphaned, and my
wife shall be widowed! I am launch
ing now into eternity! In two- min
utes I shall meek my God!”
There were about five hundred
and fifty passengers in the steerage ;•
and as the water rushed in and
touched the furnaces, and began
violently to hiss, the poor creatures
iu the steerage imagined that the
boilers were giving way. Those pas
sengers writhed in the water aud
in the mud, some praying, some cry
iug, all terrified. They made a rush
for tho deck. An officer stood ou
deck, aud beat them back with blow
after blow. It was necessary. They
could not have stood au iustant on
the deck. Oh! flow they begged to
get out of the hold of the ship!
One woman with a child in her arms
rushed up and caught hold of one
me
self, my wife, my children at home,
the Tabernacle, the College—all the
interests of thy kingdom. It seems,
Lord, as if my work is done, and
poorly done, aud upou thy infinite
mercy I cast myself, and iu this hour
of shipwreck and darkness commit
myself and her whom 1 hold by the
hand to thee, O Lord Jesus! pray
ing that it may be a short struggle
in the water, and that at the same
iustaut we may both arrive in gloryF
Oh ! I tell you a man prays straight
to the mark when he has a cyclone
above, him, an ocean beneath him,
and eternity so close to him that
he can feel its breath on his check.
Tbe night was long. At last we
saw the dawn looking throngh the
port holes. As in the olden time, iu
the fourth watch of the night, Jesus
came walking on tbe sea, from wave-
cliff to wave-cliff; and when he puts
his foot npon a billow, though it may
be tossed up with might, it goes
down, no cried to the winds, Hush !
They knew his voice. The waves
knew his foot. They died away.
And iu the shiuing track of his feet
I read these letters on scrolls of foam
ahd fire—“The earth shall fo- filled
with the knowledge of God as the
waters fill the sea.” The ocean
calmed. Tho path of the steamer
became more and mere mild; until,
on the last morning out, the sun
threw around about ns a glory snch
as I never witnessed before. God
made a pavement of mosaic, reach
ing from horizon to horizon, for all
the splendors of earth and heaveu
to walk npon—a pavement bright
enough for the foot of a seraph—
bright enough for the wheels of the
archangel’s chariot As a parent
embraces a child, and kisses away
its grief, so, over that sea, that had
been writhing in agony in tho tem
pest, the raorniug threw its arms of
beauty and of benediction ; and the
lips of earth and heaven met As I
came on deck—it was very early,
and we were neariug the shore—I
saw. a few sails against the sky.
They seemed like the spirits of the
night walking the billows. I leaned
over the taffrail of the vessel, and
said: “Thy way, O God, is in the
sea, and thy path is in the greAt
waters.”
«>
caped safe to land.”
To that God, wfio delivered me
and my comrade*, to that
commend you. Wait not for
storm and darkness, before you fljy
to V®- Go to him wow 1 , and seek
bw» pardon. Find refuge In Ida
mercy.
And may God grant that when all
our Sabbath* oa earth are ended, we
may fi nd that, through the rich
mercy of oor Lord Jesus Christ we
all have weathered the gale.
Home at 1**4! . ‘
Softly we drift on the bright diver tide,
Home at lad!
Glory to God! All oar danger* sn- o’er;
I We stand wen re on the glorified shore.
I idbont evermore.
Christ stands as tbe map-
prourimblr exemplar. “Whan be was
revfted he reeled hot agafo, when
he suffered be threatened not,” but
iw,.„ »i.„ —* —- l: -j
With
Jsriirti£
contradiction* i
neas and uun
he stood In tbe
firm, unyielding; uncompromisiui
aud iutreglff'ltafrifllM of truth and
righteousness that ever appeared
among men. Amid ail tbe opposition
that was shown him, apd wfth all
his mOekneis, he ever maintained the
dignity, the mhfosty,* the grandeur
of bis ebaraotefc. it te a gfoat*«m»d
dmimnoting mistake to tiuak of tfee
quarrel: his life was one protracted
warfare with wicked men ami wiok-
edcr devils, with darkness, falsehood
aud sin; and most wondeifol of all,
Tie passed throngh that awTol battle
holy, harmless and XMadeffled.
pcay for the men who
at tbe
Glory to God! w© will i
Home at last!
Home at last T
-Rer. IteWitt Talmndge-
Charity.
We never feel the poverty pf hu
man language more than when pon
dering the weighty aud bnrning
words of the Apostle, where be
labors with human power to set
forth that principle which links the
hnman to the divine, and which the
English translators have expressed
by the word Charity—a word which
to most minds conveys the idea of
benevolence or generosity—liberality
in giving or magnanimity and high
ness in judging. Hence we have
the word often applied to institutions
and to acts for tbe relief of destitu
tion and suffering. Bat it is plain
that this is not what Paul is talking
about; for he declares that a man
may give ali his goods to feed the
poor, and yet be destitute of charity.
Some contend that the word would
have been lletter translated Love.
Perhaps so; but that also is too
narrow to convey a conception of the
grace or principle here set forth.
Love is a single grace; but that
which our translators have called by
this single word charity, seems to be
tbe sum of all graces. Even Faith
aud Hope are swallowed up in it, or,
rather, so blended with it that its
absence would be death to the other
two. Whatever it may be, however
we may labor to define it, we feel
that it is the Alpha and Omega of
the Christian spirit aud character. I
think the best definition w© can give
is, that it is the Spirit of Christ; for
it is writteu, “If any man hath not
the Spirit of Christ he is none of
his.”
Now let us examiue its character
istics as set forth in 1. Cor. xiii.
“ Charity suffereth long and is Wad.”
The whole life of Christ from the
manger to (he cross is but one spot
less commentary upon these words.
Where oan we find such long suf
fering and kindness as be exhibited f
“Charity enrieih notOf him only
who was holy, harmless, undefiled
and separate from sinners can this
be said with absolute truth.
“Vauntcth not itself." 1 Christ sol
emnly declares that he fCame not to
«ek Itis own glory, but the glory of
Him that sent hint. Meek and lowly
in heart, he came not to be minister
ed unto, but to minister. “I am
amougst yon (he says) as iiim .that
serreth.”
*Is not puffed up, doth not behave
mouiunt murdering him—“Father,
forgive them, they know not what
they do” I think these words had
reference to the soldiers; for of
them ouly could this
be made.. It
acting barbarously and uattiaiE him
to unnecessary torture. Bat wjiieth
er that prayw terminated* on th#m
or not, Ms words Show that he
viewed every wrong in the roost
favorable aspect;, ip other words,
that he was eminently “charitable’
in bis judgment*. *
ft* ** 'iniquity.*—H to
to «ay that this is like
Christ It is very posable end very
common to condemn and denounce
with vehemence whatever is wrong,
and yet rejoice in iniquity. Pope,
in his Universal Prayer, has one
beautiful stanza;
“Teach me to fed another’s wo:
To hide the fault I roe;
That mercy I to others show,
That mercy show to me.”
If we are not inclined to hide the
faults we see, then we do rejoice in
iniquity, however vociferously we
may denounce it. The grace of
which the Apostle is speaking, where
it is operative, tries to throw a
mantle over others’ faults or failings
so far as duty will allow; and if the
faults of others must be spoken of
it is done with pain and regret, and
all mitigations which truth will war
rant are thrown in. I have often
been pained, when the good qualities
of an absent person were spoken of,
to hear some charge needlessly
sprung upon him or her at the mo
ment. Whoever will do such a
thing has good reason to search his
own heart to see whether he has the
Spirit of Christ, this charity of which
tbe Apostle is speakiug, without
which he can be none of his.
“But rejoiceth in the truth.*— I
think the word truth here is ex
pressive of all that is true and good,
whether seen in the abstract, in in
dividual character, or in the progress
of truth and righteousness iu the
world. The opposite of this quality
is described negatively in the preced
ing clause.
“Beareth all things—This embraces
the grace of patience, of which Jesus
was the supreme exemplar.
“Beliereth all things*—The grace
thus strongly but not very specifically
portrayed is simply the opposite of
snspiciou and distrust. As Jesus
knew all things we can hardly say
that he was an exemplar of this trait
of Christian character.
“Hopcth all things—This blends
intimately with the immediate fore
going trait, and is the opposite of
despondency and discouragement
Both prompt the Christian to cheerful
and joyful obedience. Both are linked
with the great principles of Faith
and Hope. As making up elements
in the supreme grace of charity, be
lieving all things and hoping all
things have reference to other
sons rather than to ourselves.
“Endureth all things.”—Christ en
dured the contradictions of sinners,
the toils and* privations of lifo, and
the ignominy and agony of thfr cross
willingly and patiently; and when he
says, “Take up thy cross,” whether
it be a cross of active service or of
trial and affliction, he but invites us
to become like him in these things.
Thus the Spirit of Christ is finished
and made perfect in his people
through * suffering. He calls us to
endure all things, not because we
must, not because we can not resist
the omnipotence of God. but willing
ly, because it is tbe will of a loving
Father and will work for good. It
this enduring be not cheerfnl, it
not enduring at all in the sense ol
the passage.
But the subject can not be exhaust
ed ; follow on to know mailt M
per-
itse\f unseemly.*—Conscious as he ' more.—Pres. Banner,