The Lutheran visitor. (Columbia, S.C.) 1869-1904, January 31, 1873, Image 1
OKE LORD. Oil FAITH. OKI BAFTISM.”—1PHESIAKS 17:6.
j^vs. Rude & Miller. Editors.
JANUARY 31, 1873
COLUMBIA, 8. C.
initiations.
Our author, m wary wise man
who undertakes to writ* a book will
do, start* oat with on* grand ceotrml
idea, the hill orbed moon ot hi* noc
turnal researches, (for be ccrtaiuly
is in the dark), which abed* bar
pale and unsteady light orer all bto
book, except ever and aaou dark
clouds flit across his intellectual sfcjr
to render more uoeertaiu his dark
way. That grand central Idea that
has placed itself topmost and fore
most in his mind ti IVsfrrw, which
in his onward march most of aecre-
Family Worship,
•aid to he, to either case. eioellenUy
well dens.
The rrwtln of method of pas-
torsi senrlcw ate, if sot immediately
aa satisfactory, of mors permanent
valee than thorn* of the other. A
For the Lutheran Vlntor.
Family worship is an ordinance
which God has frequently blessed
to the saving of soul*. In houses
where it is conducted with life and
feeling, it baa often proved n convert
ing ordinance. A few years ago
an Englishman visited America and
spent some days with a pious friend.
He was a mao of talent and accom
plishments, bat an infidel. Four
years afterward he returned to the
same boose a Christian. They won
dered at the change, but little so*
pec ted when and where it bed origi
nated. He told them that he was
present at their family worship, an
the first evening of his former virit,
JOJSCBSR 1.
lineally a
^ above is the title of a work
itt at from the press of Lippiucott &
( 0 by Rer. Mr/,Gross, a Lutheran
ele’Tnian, of Easton, Pennsylvania,
and whieh.we purpose to review in
the ftoter
To
ed his brethren to do Christian work
toofen something tangible behind
him when he diea, or is transferred
it of our Lutheran
lioosekoUl, m iconnected with
oar bi*t«5 for tho la8t <*<*ad« of
rears has been ulore pleasing than
ihat of a general inquiry after the
old paths and a flowing disposition
,o return to and walk in them. In
vgr jossp«rtaof the Luthegin Church
rhere bas been witnessed » majestic
ap-risiug of the people, and a sub-
line return to our itch ancestral
legacy and patrimonial inheritance,
bequeathed to ns by our forefathers,
aad banded down and preserved in
dn glorious doctrioes of the Kefor
nation. The few faithful oues, who j
for years beheld with sorrow one in- j
novation after another, one depart-
ttrswceeeding another, one Lutheran
custom or doctriuc after another
diopped in order to engraft some
thing foreign and exotic, until nearly
every distinctive featuie of our
Lotheranism was lost, bailed with
profound pleasure this sublime reac
am on the part of restless spirits;
and the hope was fondly entertained
that the leaven would continue to
vurk its t way, silently but surely,
into every part of our Ziou uutil
d) should be permeated by its hap
py Mae nee. They cherished the
tope that the time fas not far dis
tant when all should see eye to eye,
when American fanaticism would be
able to shake hands with Missouri
exdusionism, when Si. Louis, and
Fort Wayne, Selinsgrove, and Get
tysburg, and Salem, and Philadel
phia should lose their distinctive
tenets .iu one, true Saktn. of peace,
aad one Philadelphia of true broth
erly love.
«Bat alas! tbe time is not yet. The
sound of battle still lingers on the
they all knelt down to prgy, th? rec
ollection of such scenes in his teth
er’s house, long years ago, rushed to
on his memory so that he did not
bear a single word. But the oc
currence made him think, sod his
thoughtfulness ended in his leaving
the howling w ilderness of infidelity,
and finding a quiet rest in tbe salva
tion wrought out by Jesus Christ.
We might enumerate many like in
stances. Many servants have been
awakened through family worship.
Children have often heard them
truths, which, when the Spirit brought
them to remembrance in after days
—perhaps in days of profligacy, sad
when ter from their father’s house—
sent home tbe prodigal. It is not
only of Zion’s solemn assemblies, but
of Jacob's humble dwellings—the
little fireside sanctuaries—that “the
Lord shall count when he writeth up
tbe people, This man was born there.”
We would ask of every Christian:
“lo your house there have been,
perhaps, several accountable beings
born into the world. Have there
been any born again F—Episcopal
Hecorder.
^nMtmSS -■ - —— 1 . ... I. Mi i t a« m mi , t , .J
or man nn. which every wee* woaiu
bring. He woo Id thus keep bis
heart la contact with the heart of the
people, and know how to preach to
them. In matters of prune impor
lanes affecting the policy of the
ehnrek, his shaping hand would be
Ml. lint ordinary religion* virtu*.
tum, and the details of coctosiasiical
hartwow. he woold transfer to his
brethren; and train them to feel
that they wore equally responsible
Ho In abort a mean thing lie
onn not sloop to n mono freed Ike
tovndao no smswt hi tho keeping of
justly bo presumed not to have ex
hausted the science, and n thorough
biblical knowledge is, therefore, by
no monos under an exclusive, or
•A# Reformers. Of the lawn of bet
menentica, the sotonce of sacred
philology, nothropology. biblical aril
idem, etc., they could ham hot vary
inadequate knowledge, indeed mere
rudimeutal conceptions, fh totter
that hrilleih, end (to flesh that prsjttrtk
nothing had ofteo, alee! more weight
with them tbsu (Ac *|mr%t that gsriel
eneik; and hence it meet be coo
ceded that, in ooneeqneoce of each a
vitiating liberalism, they lacked, to n
less or greater extent, the first reqai
sites o« a correct iatarpretatiou of
the divine oracles. Tbe Haformet*
generally were unable to push their
efforts in the attempted religious
metamorphosis further than to tbe
ekrymHs */«(#, where they untiled
down in permanent fixation; end
Aencr (to tmrions fVefetteal freed* ore
ms w naltrrrddr ms ths lusts of ths Essies
and Persians
“Nothing, l make bold to nay, so
clearly demonstrates, at least no ex
ceptional tooompetono* of tho one-
gosis of Luther, sa tbe dogma of tbe
Lord's Supper, as taught to the
Book of Concord. « . . Kcstorntiou
to its original use and true import
could be carried no farther then to
evuxubstaiiativn. Here the aotote ship
ot this branch of the Urformalioo
'came near etrauding, aad leather
cast anchor, while Home apparently
triumphed, sud it was a moostroo*
Siamese twin like connection he
tween the Vatican aad Wittenberg,
which tbe tutors only could sever.”
How true and bow noble this de
itverauco by a Lutheran is, every
intelligent Lutheran can jadge. Al
though Luther was no biblical schot
ar aud was incapable of going beyond
tbe “ebrysotto state, 1 * yet our mag
uauimous author says he, Lather,
“was, though sometimes carried
away by passion or warped by prejo
dice, not devoid of liberal sent!
menu or generous emotions.” The
difference between the two divines
will appear in the sequel.
J. IlAWKtXM.
ed contort with the church in order
to talk in meeting quite as much as
A steamboat captain was food of
rtdkmttag the deripturea, aad mak
tog tea of religion and its profes
sors. He was" a confirmed infidel.
He took special delight Jn! uttering
bis sentiments in tbe nresenoe of
mtototert of the gospel. On oaa of
his tripe there was oo board an ex
eel lent minister of Christ, who bad
ths courage to sit down aad talk
frith this skeptic.
The special subject of conversation
ww ibe impossibility of mirwdea.
The minister, after patiently hearing
him, said, “Captain, did you ever
read the New Testament F “No, I
can’t say I ever did. I've read parts
of It” “Will you promise me you
will read it all through, and then 111
discern any subject on which you
have doubts F This was said in a
kind, persuasive tone, and the cap
tats replied, “I will* Tbe minister
then went to fats trank and presented
a copy of the New Testament to the
captain, who again assured him be
would read it all through.
Thus they parted. After some
vndea no privacy of
of live bowel*. Mm
aciom. Iatbartml
iwcrful influent* a$a
He hwyn an i
ltev. Dr. John Hall, to an article
on the unreasonable things that are
sometimes expected of ministers,
says:
It is unreasonable to expect minis
ters to be always at home to reeeire
callers and always “running about
among their people,” or to expect
them to be constantly employed to
these ways, and at the same time to
bring into their pulpit things new
and old iu a state of elaborate prepa
ration. Uninspired men require to
read, write aud think, if they are to
teach continuously any body of peo
ple ; and the more teaching and of
explanation the people require, or
the more simple the topic is to be
made, tbe more study is demanded
for it An absurd idea prevails
among some unthinking persons,
that miuisters who speak, as die*
ttnguisbed from those who read, do
not need or make preparation. The
delusion is fostered by the use of
our barbarous “extempore”—that is,
as commonly used “without fore
thought” or preparation. There is
very little of such speaking—if it
exists—worth listening to; and any
speaking that does good to men,
must, as a rule, be some time pre
pared. Already America is overran
with a generation of “orators,” rhet
orical “katydids,” that tire ths bear
ers, but are never tired; but, if our
“orators* become “extempore” also,
then
“O! for*lodge in tome vast wilderness!”
It is unreasonable to expect minis
ters to work up their strength to the
popular requirement, to procure pro
fessional books, and to live as mem
bers of the professions are expected,
and by tbe common seutimeut re
quired to litre, to be hospitable and
charitable, aud all this oo the iuoome
of a mechanic.
Noun* forgives m assay stos as
mL Owr sites men luasimstwfato,
my are mmm to number Ihas ths
ho practise* toward awry
scarlet,they shall he obits a* snow.*
No am* for give* mm m often aa
(tod. II* pardeea areuaeaUy. W#
•to eufttteually, aud lie forgive* ewa
lineally He adopt i and asta npo*
tho Itofo whir fa Ur gave to another,
(tod forgiven as ate only nevea
**mne, hat net forty (muss seven; as
rtMtofi as ww indeed lias and truly
When I was to Italy, late year, I
went ap to Mount Venation. Thin,
you haow, to a fsasou* valeaute
mountain, near Naples. At the io«»
of tbe aKinatoin to asm opening,
called s orator, la the shape *f a
huge funnel This crater is nearly
half a mile wide, aad twelve er if
teen hundred foel deep. From that
great opening the mountain nmae
"pates poors oat vast strenats of
melted rocks, called Uva. These
ran down the ahiea ot the mountain
like bornmg rivers When they get
cold, they remain on the side of the
mountain as greet beds of solid rock,
lo going op the mountain, you have
to ride right over these beds of lava
rock. I aevee *aw anything that
looked so rough aad bterk sad
dreary ns that lava did all around
travel on the same boat, sod soon
sought oat the captain, whose coon
changed. After the warm greeting
and salutation, the minister inquired
about his reading tbe book. “Ah,
sir F said he, “I bad not read ter
before 1 felt 1 waa a guilty sinuer,
aad that 1 needed just such a friend
as Jeans, the Son of God. I wss
enabled to cry with tbe publican,
Ood be owreiful to me a sinner,’
aad with the blind beggar of Jeri
eho, ‘Jesus, thoo Bon of David, have
mercy oo me.' And I can now trust
to that Jeans, and love Him, whom
1 oaor despised.”
Tbe joy of tbit minister of Christ
osa better he imagined than de
scribed. The captain became a de
voted duhrtlaa, and lived long to
toll to others “what a dear Sa
viour be had found ”—Sailor's Maga
item
<alae logic as this one.
We purpose to refiew it in the
spirit of kindness and brotherly
^ regretting the stern necessity
tera on —zj
aie-half wmiiwe*
d cf p«r«iy ' rC lT’ m
dox4U>* iA
, Fr*ao»c<>,
SU.. Ne*J»
\ NT' PKAfcTO
certainly read
tiirr iti sgv of tmaveaas intvllecitiial
activity, If ate af nemsrkahle total
For tbe Lntlm* VtoiUir
The Widow Comforted.
some hollow placea to the Mark,
ugly looking lava, ta theee a small
quantity of soil had gathered; aad
from that soil some dear little flowers
were springing op, aad growing.
They would hgve looked bean Ufa)
say where; bat they looked more
beautiful there because everyth tog
around them wa* so rough aad droa
ry. X looked at those flowers with
great interest; aad I foil laelwed to
say to them, “God Mens yea, ye
dear Utile thtogsf for yea seem to
be trying all you can to aoftoa down
the rougboeee of theee lava rocks,
aad to brighten their Idack aero fay
your beauty ”
You osa hardly thtok how much
pleasanter oar path over those Area
ry rocks was made by the sight ef
those sweat flowers. Aad as t weal
oo my journey that day, I thought
to myself, “What a leeeoo then* Ut
tie flowers teach as 1 Haw many
people there are to thte world whose
Way to jaet as rough sad as dash
aad dreary as that path over the
black rtK-ka ! Aad If we aro hied to
them, sad show that we feel for
COWPXKt,
ept. 3fi.
i into effect*
There lived in a city in Germany
a widow, the mother of several
small children, whom the death of
her husband had plunged Into deep
povetty. 8be was not able to carry
on his business, and her home would
have to be sold to pay her husband 1 *
debts. She laid down oo ber bed
one night with a troubled heart.
Falling asleep, she dreamed that she
was at church, and her pastor said,
“Fear thou not; for I am thy God.
I will strengthen thee, yea, I will
uphold thee with the right band of
my righteousness.” She awoke very
much comforted, but ber troubles
awoke also, and ber tears flowed
afresh. 8be again fell asleep,dreamed
tbe same dream a second time, sod
even a third time. Tbe Sunday fol
lowing the first sound of tbe church
bells found ber in tbe house of God.
Tbe liturgical services being closed,
the pastor ascended tbe pulpit, sod
ns be always did before announcing
bis text, addressed tbe congregation
in a few opening remarks and quoted
from the Prophet Isaiah the verm,
“Fear thou not,” etc. Tbe widow
felt as if she must cry so nil can
bear, It is my vetss. Tbe Lord has
chosen it to comfort me to my sttkw
tion!
From that very hour her trouble*
were all removed. Whenever her
confidence in the Lord was shaken
she took refuge with and derived
consolation from her verse. She ob-
Gortr
21 o s^is y^n^laM s^s lisXiilly as^l
entirely us God. Man make fire
MU ^ IhiMiSliSi at mil. o,.mi .jmS* girmif ^ - —- ■— —
xjpfiMMBwajp iNwfljF ro ww* Wto IkltoJgvw
They any. “t can forgive, bat 1
lillliS' ** ikiifl Uki'Mi tcn**
.7 50P*
6 30»®
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ion Txain ^J
bia as foro^
«■>
* *;;:n $>**
1 l©vity, degrades tbe Re-
qttotes lo prove bis views
t un-Lutheran authorities,
1/ charges upon the Lnth-
rines the sin of sectism and
Buko Grunts.—A learned Orien
tol, having beeo to visit the library
of a French convent, writes thus to
his friend la Persia, concerning what
had passed $ “Father,” said I to tbe
librarian, “what are these huge vol
ante* which fill the whole side of the
library F “These,” said be, “are
the interpreters of tbe Scriptures.”
“There to a prodigious number of
thorn,” replied I; “the Scriptures
most have been very dark formerly,
and be vary dear at present Do
there remain still any doubts! Are
there any points oootested F “Are
there!” answered he with surprise,
“are there! There are almost as
many as there are lines.” “You
astonish me,” said 1; “what then
have all them authors been doing F
“Throe author*,” returned he, “never
searched the Horiptnree for what
ought to be believed, but for what
they did believe themselves. They
Passionate Christians.—Some
meu talk like angels aud pray with
fervor, aud meditate iu deep recess
es, and speak to God with loving af
fection and words of union, and ad
here to Him in silent devotion, and
when they go abroad are aa passion
ate aa ever, peevish aa a frightened
fly, vexing themselves with their
own reflection; they are cruel to
their bargains, unmerciful to their
tenants, and proud as a barbarian
prince. They are, for all their flae
words, impatient of reproof; scornful
to their neighbors, lovers of money,
supreme in their own thoughts, aud
submit to none. All their spiritual
fancy is an illusion. They aije still
uuder the power of their passions,
and their sins role them imperiously,
and carry them away infallibly.—
Jeremy Taylor. *
Right principles will by oo means
I suit wrong practices.
rh i e> too » k* 8 'ror is with tbe
ar ® of which be is a minister—
is with the Augsburg Confession,
kin IT* ex * 8tence °f which eutitles
pi l * le Proud position he occu*
jk. ** a “duister of the Gospel in
ear J >0re3t a,, d grandest church on
--it is against a doctrine, or
and constitute the pride
mart i ‘ V ° f 0UI Ckondb our ,n o»t
lie*, th 3U< * characteris
an< * 001 e Protestsnt-
^-docnine* Koi.i i.J t,. -
nfs Offi#
ber 32, ^
ts£&
*?&
“ 3 30
l- Tfton
dema thus, tell sol that duos (lud.
ifotdtea litevte with Gad la a
llittll* jl t a. g « |Ln . 4,
oHPIWVjr n * 1 tel flWHflBteiggal PHm
hini || ym nj.it'ifj |£gi tlrlulla i Imi
be • comfort to them, jmrt a* the
flower* that spring a|> to the faaitow*
tor is iitomKy the overseer of the
thsfwh; that ha to to aro that fato
who travel over it.*—Ree. Dr. .¥em-
w herein ware eootaiued the doctrines
which they ought to receive, but as
a work which might be made to au
tboriaa their own idea*.”— Tonro
For the needy ahali not always far
noTku
4