The Lutheran visitor. (Columbia, S.C.) 1869-1904, January 31, 1873, Image 2
TIIK LUTHERAN VISITOR, GOflHBIA, S. C., JANUARY 31, 1873.
THE LUTHEA1N VISITBB.I-SwS^r"*
[wens to sit at tbs fret of a
of rare accomplishment*. The era
ploy tn cut of her life «u prinrtpullr
that of a teacher, in the vlcinitr of
State* burg, where *be «M held m
high appreciation by the cultivated
elaan resident of that section
Mr*. Morrell wa* the mother •*(
Columbia, C,
- ---A^tea-' 'wr—uni r’^sasaris.-sa; iimmKnwwiwB&s^
Friday, January 31, 1873,
‘ I Hditobs:
Rev. A. R. RUDE, D.D.. Columbia, ». C
Rkv. J. I. MILLER, A.M., Staunton, Va.
Tn essentials, unity ; in mn* essentials,
liberty f fa all Iking*, charity."
L sriciAi. sroTicxji.
Remittances must be made in Poet
Office Orders, Bank Check*, or Draft*,
if possible. If these can not be obtained,
send the money in a Rxoirrxsxn Lrr-
tv:r. All CostnuMter* are obUfr-d to
register letters when required.
Papers are sent to subscriber* until
an express order to discontinue is re
ceived, and all arrearages are paid, as
required by law. Merely returning a
number of the paper by mail, la nek suf-
fiatawl
All communications relating to sub
aenbers, should fire their names very
distinctly, and carefully indicate which
arc old and which are new subscriber*.
Not only the name of the post office,
bat also that of the eountjr and State
of each subscriber is necessary, in order
that the proper entries may be promptly
and accurate I jr made.
Marriage and obituary notices, and
other matter intended for publication,
should be written separately, and Pot in
business letters, to receive proper atten
tion.
■
Clubbing.
To Clubs of five (5) prepaid sub
scribers, sent to one address, we mail
the Visitor for #2.00 for 52 numbers.
Our Churches,
South Carolina.—A layman is
very touch encouraged. He writes:
“From what I hear and see, it really
seems to me that our church ie grow
ing in strength every day.”
Orangeburg, 8. O.—#850 have
been raised for the repairs of the
church, and the work will be com
menced at once. What a pity thia
point ' was neglected so loug. We
have, and have bad for years there,
several whole-souled sons and daugh
ters of the church of the Reforma
tion ; I patiently have they waited;
they let no man take their crown;
and now the Lord will yet make
them a people.
St. Matthew’s Pastorate, Rev.
G. A. Hough, Pastor. Every familj
but one takes the Lutheran Visitor,
and only one subscriber is in arrears.
Personal
Key. J. A. Brown, of Wytheville,
Va., informs ns that he has been
“quite sick for abont ten days* He
adds: “Thanks to a good Providence
I have measurably recovered, and I
feci that Ht is good for me that I
bare 4 been afflicted.’ Sickness al
ways makes ns better.”
The church, the community, and
many friends, among whom we are
privileged to number ourselves, would
indeed have mourned, if the Lord
had removed his faithfoi servant
We rejoice and pray: Not yet, not
yet, O Lord, the field here is white
unto the harvest, and the laborers
are not only few! bnt some are be
coming greedy of filthy lucre. « We
*scti it, we cry alond against it, and—
they persecute us.
Rev. G. W. Holland, Poutarm, 8.
C., says“The people here bars
given us a most cordial welcome.
The parsonage will not be completed
for so me weeks yet”
We are indebted to a "friend for the
accompanying notice from the Sum
ter Watchman, of Mrs. Louisa Mur
rell, lately deceased. Major J. H.
Murrell of the Charleston Courier is
an officer of SL John’s Church, a
member of the Board of Newberry
College, a worthy son of a noble
mother, and a true personal friend
of otlrs.
Demise op a Remarkable Lady.
—The Sumter Watchman, of the 8th
instant, records in tbs extract pub
lish«xl below the death of Mrs. Louiss
Murrell, the mother of Maior James
H. Murrell, of the Courier. It says:
The death of this well known, and
we might say remarkable lady, se
vers a prouiiueut link that connected
us with the important past. 8ho
died at the residence of her daugh
ter, Mrs. Mary 8. Nettles, two miles
South of Sumter, on Saturday last,
and was interred the following day
at the old family burying ground, on
the premises.
Mrs. Murrell bad reached the ad
afimceti, ago of about eighty eight
years. She was born near Staten
burg, and was the grand-daughter of
Geo. Thomas Sumter, of Revolution
ary and “Game Cock” fame and
distinction. She waa educated at
Washington City, in the midst of
that exciting epoch of our American
history in which Aaron Burr and
Alexander Hamilton figured an con
spicoously, mid then and there, probe
bly, acquired that absorbing interest
in, and remarkable familiarity with,
the politics of the country, which
marked all the alter years of her
long life.
Mrs. Murrell waa also a reader of
history, and of books generally, such
as commended themselves to her cul
tivated taste, to an extent unusual
with those of her sex. This, with
the concomitants of a strong, clear
mind, retentive memory, and natu
rally free and genial spirit, rendered
| oar esteemed friend. Major J. II.
Murrell, of the Charleston fwrw,
and the grandmother of our worthy
follow citiaeu, Joseph M Welder, of
Sumter. She died from the I mated f
ate eflhcts of paralysis | but life"*
span bad been coat na med, ami she
sank to rest as sinks the aan, when
his coarse Is run. to arias to the more
glorious light of the coming day.—
Courier of January lt/A.
Frc© the Stinlird
We are at a loss to understand
what the Lutheran Visitor means
when, in a commendatory notice of
the Proceeding* of the Free English
Conference In Missouri, it say*: "The
quotations show what the Book of
Concord, and the remarks what the
Synod of Miaaloori teaches on the
‘sixteen potato,’ bat tome of aa ash
with Luther, what does the Word of
God teach f Luther aearrhed the
Scriptures diligently, ami found the
truth which the Book of ('oaeord
confesses.” We hope the Vtaifor
does not moan to insinuate that au
other gospel should he found and
taught. What the Word of Iks!
teaches la exactly what the Lath
utemSkse nssna^mS* u^sisa*
“i»n v nnrrn cot*ifwifB.
The Standard corn plains of not lie
ing able to understand tts, ami se
freely admit that we «lo not nml*-r
stand the Standard. The Standard
•ays: “What the Word of God
teaches is exactly what the Lutheran
Church confesses." Agreed, but not
exactly what Missouri eoefreaes, ar
cording to the lorn* Kerehemhiatt ot
January tfith. The fact is, when
men have so many and such long
confession* as the Missourian* hare,
they are apt to trip. These Symbol
into, all of them without anf exrep
tiona, are always either acouuug or
els© excusing one another and every
body else.
We most own that we are afraid
of Symbolical Lutheran mu, because
the letter killeth. What has it done
for our beloved Church in Enrol*!' f
Hamburg, in Germany, is a Lath
cron city; Ua ministers most sub
scribe to the whole of the Book of
Goocoid, and what is the state of I
things there f thus of our German
exchanges has thia item : “Rev. Kit
ter has published a correct stale
mant of the cbarchly marriage*,
baptisms and eornmnnkants in the
churches in and around Hamburg.
The small number of roatmuntcaat*,
the multitude of uabuptijed efo.il
dren, the annoy Illegitimate children,
and the increase ol civil marriage*
are distressing to every friend of the
Church.”
Tht Church South
In a general view of the Lutheran
Church lu the Southern State-* there
ia much to inspire a pleasing bo|««
for the future. The reaction from
American Lutheranism began first
ia this part f the General Synod,
and the progress toward true d««
trine and coitus has hern gradual
am) unceasing The formation of
the Souther) Genevan Synod wa*
occasioned by the Con federate war,
but waa not caused by it. The cause
laid deeper, hot the failar* to attain
a more positive confessional bast*
was dn<f to deference to the pteju
dices of a minority, which held to
the movement from the mere force
of (hcautMKM. The yoang men
who are now entering its ministry
are generally orthodox. The reason
of this is found in the fact that the
older minister* were cradled ia th©
period of wild fins and their present
aland if not open opposition, uinae
quiescence rather than preference In
too maoy instances. The selection of
Rev. 8. A. Repass as Professor of
Theology in the Theological Hem in a
ry, established by the General Synod
South, gives an earnest of better
times. Thoroughly educated at the
Seminary at Philadelphia, and in
full sympathy with its theology, he
bring* to the work, not ouly quatifl
cation, but also a conviction of the
truthfulness of those fundamental
principles of theology which are the
proper heritage of the Lutheran
Church.
During all the time of erroneous
doctrine and practice there was one
Synod which did not give up the <4d
land marks, via., the Truncmwe Syn
od. It waa the leaven in the loaf.
The dose affiliation of the North
Carolina sad UohkNi Hyaods with
thia Synod show* clearly their doc
trine. Aside from the purely local
questions which influenced them to
take steps toward effecting a joint
Synod between them, there waa m
much agreement in doctrine aa to
warrant more harmonious action
than could have been sreured in ibe
General Synod Sooth.
The atarting of a paper in the
CPiliPHillJ Miff Wpfw
anting I y Lutheran, and tbs great
success with which U ia meeting, are
other hopeful signs. The peper, of
which yon have given notice In the
Lutheran, has already attained a
circulation of aorv than one thou
•and.
Again, the efforts which are being
made to secure center* of influent ©
aa locations for oar churches, is a
new departure which augurs well
for the future. Alresdy miss©) ■
have been begun in Knoxville, Ki«*u
mood. Wytheville, Charlotte, Mem
phis, Atlanta, and other plarr*.
which promtas to he saeeesnfai. The
policy of building In the suburbs of
tow** at a half-mile or mils
la taffi* to accommodate dteeaantry
*en»her*, la happily being sbsm>
d. The aifoaSaef theChwreh
fol in flee ore ou the youth «f the
rongregntieea. The atlautiau aew
I wing panl ts the theology and hie
tory or the C%ereh lends the a*em
her* to be more slsbte no
carried about by army wind of
trim*. The famishing of amre earn
mmmh mk MHNfiMfifag a iaadwhte
t hurvh pride, and con tribe ting to
i V. »|f i 1. *■*** hwfl M. a ku im.
faff u^ffiur •» ff? \ flMc’
la the atial of
• inch ie
thought to be worth the «htln to
resent to t our reader* ss ealcnlated
tn awaken aa teterual ta thia neg-
Imged port km of the Lcfihemc
tMhreh in America. Ilsur.
The above artiste m foem the Lu
— 1 UCkun lU
fflmitg *fffi ww 88*9 *dBW^
stiter ia, we do nut know, but ste
a pretty
by ihnr
tracks, auonymoii* writer* by their
atyta.
“Mew* to mlainforeasd ea regard*,
what he call*, “ia bailer© to ohtnki n
more coufoeatooel basis* lie aays
that it “waa dee to defiMouee to the
prededtee mi s minority." Not at all,
Mr. “Hew.” A majority of the %«-
ode shush were represented ta the
eooveetkm held at Ooucnrd. N. GL
WWW » VWWPWNW >■* *ew*BSpSM*'SeV| s^e WM*WW
The Virwinia drhntoa ateute hr**
ww *s sa^um^ae^sss earn suss
for the adoption of the Unaltered
t oufeadea ami wngusliied They
withdrew fiar a tin* from
with thetr ultimatum; aad it waa
adopted. The liturgy waa fought
step by step, sprinkled with “thou
afcayr-a,* parte were area atrlaheu
out, aad if it had not beta that the
nut moth of the peapoaed liturgy
would havs here left tn its original
state.
"Mem” ia also "au smeusn* of the
elder minister*. “The young men
new entering the atealatvy,* he any*,
“ere generally orthodox.” We inter
that he hiaumlf ia erne of the “geuer
ally orfhoedux young mow.* At for
the older mlaietere^ they, lu “Mew"r"
'•(hoiuu meet he a graceless set.
Only think of it—-“cradled in wild
fire^ wander they were not horn
ed up; they are amw dmbemeet
aad hypo
t tkat is the nob inference
he drawn from “JTrwV*
Lknsmare ■ “their i»re*eut |f
la aa are|ui-
la too
Aa regard# lYnfosanr Kepuse. we
bide <>ar liimiDidrd |,ra«i uu^j*
hot wMgjhfii him amt there who
preceded him, and we are really
glad that l*rnfees,>r Kepaas ha*
proved aafflriewtfy henry to find
tuvm in hi* sight “Mem” forget*
one thing however: neither North
i iitdioA nor llolstou had anything
tn do eith tl»« efeetkiu at l T rnfrm tr
ftepass.
With refe rears to the «kiae aMIte
tioa of the North Carettua nod Hot
stun Hywuds with the Tlratieesee
Hyuud, there ie much yet to be
done. Why “/fem" calls the Tea
w Mown flyout “the hmvwn «f the
kud;* we do not comprehend. It
km* emoredly never hod auythteg la
do with the kmf. It atwwya krpt
HaetfahmC < hrthqdoxy, by the way,
h» very cheap; aad faith without
wurhs la deed, lint to
“Mem,” Tennessee, etc., here work*.
Very artfully dees he mate; “Al
Wifucvjrl -e au** am 1 ji-uex famreim 8u^^^euaea fie* ftjf unanm
ff*e^wT*^^8fT8»e f^u 18p.^affiTai
villa, Rtehuaoud, Wytheville, tlwr
U»tta, Memiduv, Atlanta, and other
anfiiOLSUShs* ’W 'VfiLAm sf a I eraa^sad ■ m eiks**u-
8 ream ate 8ppPgKreu *
meneed by Tauaeosee aad the aflfo
KnbsvUie la a mleeisa of (he Miueon
tATit I fid foflfJTTjpMi ^fid 7'ij
the Vtrgiaia Byaed; Wytheville.
wf iiw 1 r*yn*m of mpotwi wfMPwwrn ▼ im w
giate ; f.!harM% wr Akfmt, w*« or
gnaiaed white the North CsroHua
riiiwHi wsu yet in cuuaectiuu *mi
the CUmeral 8i ixm! North y Memphis
ta Mhmrmrkan; Atlanta k» Miseonn
an; and as for other we
would like Mr. “Mew" to ted o* oil lie
knows about then* Borrowed fcath
ere, Mr. **Jfew.* Too want to reap
-fff likifn
We have a run pie mere attla
tores, hut we will tlAti u
a wee ur^un ^w^e*w m* w ’WumepP % re WWF
is sufficiently “kerned."
Mark 13: IxU. “Far Catea Christ*
shall shew signs snd wooden, te
seduce. If I* were possible, even the
; fffi W-
ernet.
Tn»: HTAWKuMMh-
in terret many of
-It will ho doubt
te
ex-
dtutrkcu la the Watt, that the Ba
gliah Lutheran nhmvbca must be
attended to, and no doubt not only
the already existing, dfoperecd Ka
pkaualma maddhy the G< i.rr*l ( oun giteh Lutherans la the West are te
eil of ite antes* ea alter aad palpit be attended to, hut also the young
Thfi Lutheran Vtetter's |«eof4c who will by nod bj demand
uf the UM'juiitif ue
In mtf lam Imor. The follow
lag hi the t utharan Oherrret** lea
gwagerespeetlagll:
“We were moeh gratified with the
Akron interpretation of the I*iicm
pulpit aad alter
ea it accord* with the
peeitioa takeuMy the Oeuerel Hy nod
an three tww peiate from the begta-
stag, aad areerding te which pulpit
r com iu anion
by its fmstora
*nd rwormrtltei for half a ceuiurv :
msroe * ^^euegg.aw g^smuiPm^ws wssu -- *^*r y
aad oar gisdffieeAiou ia
hy the frank (
hy Dr. Here*, that the
t-M t i•* C toffi#
vMfei |kro|M!if rmttne
mini*
English services, and who, if they
do net have them in an English
Lutheran church, are hardly able te
rental the temptation te seek such
/KirsrHKin. — llev. llertibeim*s
History of the German Hetttamauts
aad of the Lutheran Church in North
aad Booth Carolina should be found
In every Imtheran school sod pri
vate library.
New Publications.
minMtaih
^ 1
ispuMI* asm^lm*t
1 r PI ffijpwffffipffi*
Tar. BuiTnaaa P«mn*t tkrian He-
vtaur. VoL 24, No. 1. January,
1HTA Columbia, 8. C.
Conteate i L Miniteerial Ttwiniug;
_ 1 Ur. Dabney ou Imputaticm; A.
oncT tdkr* 11* Tyndall on Ibe I’hy steal Valee of
" 1 Prayer; 4. On * 4 all te the Cioapel
Ministry; 5. A Feu Observationa
ou the Foregoing Article ; fi. Crit
ical Notices.
Living Age. No. 1492.
U, 1873. Liltell & Gay,
Missouri exclusive
platform of catho
with the General
ir
Hyuad.”
That ia a dark pkvsro which a
corrrefwmdcwtwf the Lutheran )mints
of the eoudfune uf the ruuutry
churches ht xhkinsy 11saia. ^They
have, accordtat te thi* writer, ia
many inmrnmm mo knowledge of
Isithrrsa doctrine, ih» <li» iplioc. no
stlschmeut te Hi nod, aud no money
lor say benevolemt obyret, No doubt
the “country pastor" ts right in as
cribing mark of this evil to the
prevslcoee of union churches there
in termer day*—aa evil with whose
•ad effects at have also still te con
tend fa «ome place*. Rat i* It not
don My deplorable that when we
earnestly go to work to bring about
a lietter state of thing* where there
are still vemigre of that “old re
gime,* the work ie so often frastra
ted by the rea<haes* of the t onncil
to give aid aad comfort to the ua-
Lutheraa chuneat that rreiwta all
—j— igg-1
It is not at all oeitshi that the
lowaaaa will lw caught by the bait
which the General Council, at its
late meeting, threw out to them.
The Auirrkrsklaff, of the Iowa Hynod,
doca not yet ern mtofol with the
Cuauctra aereud explanation of its
very ambigueua renotutmti*. Tbo
editor of thiyiJiMtroal avy» that the
rule riudn* H dead tetter, and that
there arc aril) tea many in the loan
ci! who wfll nsr the |»rmlege allowed
ss su eaeuae for rejecting Ibe rule.
Hi* roodo*ieu ia that the whole
matter remain* ia otofs ftM«, and
that M» {srogrere whatever i« made.
Thw uiB ao doubt be a Miter con-
elusion for tbr fHcml* of the |»uor
Council, that boa been trying wo I
hard te make its C monism look like
Lot terra it ism in order to render it J
palatable to Lutheran*
Tnk Lutiicban OmiTtt.—(tea-1
era I (VundUTte low* Kirchenhtatt
think* It remarkable that the at
tendance was so suiaU. The famon*
derlarslum ia reference te Lutheran
pulpit* is not wry ant mfnrtory. Ttie
whole**}© sulbsrriptw>n te all the
.Symbolic Hooks m regunScd as a j
dead tetter in long aa liter* are no way
Litt»:ijl‘*
January
Boston.
A very iaterrsting number. We
bare read, with much satisfaction,
.Kncua Sylvia* I’isolomino, Pope
Pius XI, Tbr American Prayer-
Book, and Doga Whom I Have
Met.
Brain a udV Mlmjual World for
January. Bramards Sous, ('leave
land, U., with three pfecoa of luuaic.
Givlobkck’* Musical Inhtructt-
off, Chicago. Not quite peep;»red te
give au opinion.
———
For (hr Lathrvan Visitor.
Tht Tint Qnn ter 1873.
.Ifease* Kditars : lu all historic
mafieii of a martial character, great
honor ia aeoorded te the mat) who
fire* the Hof yum. A* follower* of
the Prince of peace, we should give
greater honors to those who are
jdrsf ia the enterprise of the church.
Iter. Paul Derrick ha* remitted to
thi* office Ida collection* for the
|N-rmaucat Endow incut Fund of Near-
bevvy College mi follow*:
Trinity $7Ad, Corinth fifi.RU, 8L
Mark's fitAo Total fili.10 Brother
llertvck ha* taken hi* station la the
Add By authority at the Synod of
South Carolina, we any to ail the
asiai*ter* and charges. Forward
into link! *
Gkorur 8. 1Ja< kkr,
Treasurer College Endowment Fund.
Kirkvtig Msaitedslidendcu.]
OriPnatica.
Tire Jd Holiday iu Advent, Iteccui-
lour the 15th. 1872, Candi theol.,
Halvor Hande wa* onlaim-d te the
ministry by the President of the
Norwegian Synod.
To make the reader letter ac-
quoin ted xruh the Rev. Mr. Hande
»nd God'* dealing* with him, a
sketch of Ids life, written by himself
and read at hi* ordination, is pub
lished in tbe MaoucJetMenJen.
Halvor Humic «na borti ia Norn
■ in l&lfi. He entered, wben 17
guuuiare lavtherun* In the pulpit. ; year* of age, s Isttin school in
tNNffinkMgUhi Rev o I . ( hrtatlatm, ted l tiff\ and
mar, formrrty a Lnltreron, is rtlitor Ibe wish te Ireeomc s minister. Af
of the Suedeuborgimi piper. Bote ««*• three yufiwT course Ire w uadis
4er Seme Khrhe He *av* (hut he «dsss-d to the University. Here he
has found aa open door at Xapnlenn, remsined two year* : bnt when he
Ohio. He <foev not find the Urr j W» "bout te begin his theofoglcal
mans aa plfofcfc as are 0w» Amcrt- stodieiL his carty, aimple faiili seciu-
cans. A Rev. F. W. Turk labors in j vd shaken, many and strong doubts
Canada with but little encourage be wa* controlled by an nr-
menu A Rev Rain*, of tbe Metlio j dent fongingntler truth, but Ire sought
truth by tire aid of reason and in the
path of philosophy. He abandoned
theology for the study of philosophy,
lu 1868 be accepted a position ns teach-
di*t t hureh ha* recently embraced
HwedruborghmiMu.
KtiirmteiA-rr —“Dr. MeGaah
has on exalted hut also a very funny 1 er, Mil sickness, brought on by study
idea of the strength of the Presby- j amt labor in his school, forced him
teriana Hiasuya, *Whi n they, (the te resign after the lapse of two years.
Presby tMriaufL) add tbe I ait hers ua, He sjrent tbe following year al home,
who in mnnjy purtions of Germany nnahte to study, and he thought sc
are one with the Reformed, am! who rioudy of abandoning study entirely,
lu every reagent are ooarer to Pres- He now through God’s mercy
bytrrianism than to Ejduropsry and found the truth, which he had sought
IndefM-mleoqg, we hsve a |*opulathwi for three year* in the ways of dark-
of M out of 197 millions of I*rotes ness, in the doctrine of mir Church
touts, or au actual plurality of the of the justification by grace alone
Pres ©slant fiorld.’ To be snre, ex through faith in Jesus Christ. He
oetly ss the man who add, he and rapidly regained hi* strength, ap
his neighbor had the largest number (died bimnclf again to th«H»logy, mid
of ©aAtfo »• ffie cuunly. In* had two passed hi* theological examination
1**4 summer. The reading of Mna-
nedstideuden indiniNl him te labor
in America, and he, after a brief
corrosjKmdeuoe with the Rev. Otte
non, received a call to Katherville, in
Iowa. •
Aa the Hi Me aros
Hfrfrtt, K sou aut ha
ma not fi
oMSf fimm* fl
9 HjT
Hptrit. It ta u bttte
houk{ li tr quires a
coed saod
ami hi* Heights»r had five hnn<lre«t.”
HkralD-^“White many <terms#
jveerretievs a*8l coaitpretpatlon* in the
East, where our Church has suffered
su many loafli a, will not ire the oe-
eeesity of English Lutheran rhnrrb-
ea, and often refuse to assist in the
eutahitehmett of such churches, and
INSTALLATION.
Rev. Halvor llalvorsou and tamily
te rare for those who only under- arrived December the I7th, at Coon-
stand Euglteh, IVof *Wah her, the t*rairie, Wt*., to take charge of the
prominent man in the German churches from which lie some time
Mfosouri SjAMwl ami the Hynodieul ago rereived a cull. Rev. Halrorson
Conference, which ia almost site was op to hi* twentieth year a
gethur SugfiUh, unites wph men of sailor. He then lieoame > student,
the sanm view* in other Hynods, M a«»d pamed all Ids examtitalions at
order, If pumihfo, to fmni*h aid M 1 the Univeroity of ChristHuiia, in
time for Ike constantly increusing Norway, with credit lie wa* or-
want* of ibe English. It i» frit In dam< «l in Norway, which he left tn
October, but had • very stonny
pa ft its gf; tbe steamer waa oompeiled
to return twice to England for re
pair*. He was installed at Coon
prairie the 4th Sunday iu Advent
The Lord is raising up laborers
for the Scandinavian*
For the Lutheran Visitor.
Mr. Editor: Unsolicited I send
you a discourse delivered to my
people. It waa prepared to meet a
state of public sentiment existing to
some extent in this community, and
I presume elsewhere. In tbe hope
Its appearance in the Luthjbrah
V mi tor may accomplish some good
for the church, it ii enclosed for
publication, subject to your discre
tion. Your*, •••
SERMON.
sraJITT.-Tb# Public Wortaip «f God.
LZASOK.—1 Gkm., chap, xvi
Txjxt.—Oh worship the Lord in the beau
ty of holiness, (or in the glorious sanc-
tasry—-Hargis.)—Psalm xevi: I.
This text, and others of like im
port that might be cited, has refer
ence to the public worship of God,
which is tbe subject of discussion.
A vast amount of ignorance c*xists,
aud many erroneous opinions or no
tions are entertained with respect to
tba true character of tbe worship of
God in the sanctuary. Our purpose
ta, if possible, to present correct
views, elicit inquiry, and direct you
aright iu the worship of Him who
dwelleth in the high and holy plncc; to
the snd, that you may do so “decent
ly and ia order, endeavoring to keep
the unity of tbe Spirit in the bond
of peaoe,” “that you may worship
the Lord in the beauty of boBneua. 1 *
lu the treatment of onr theme we
will consider,
1. The divine institution of public
worship.
1 Its nature.
3. Its purpose or design.
A It* mode or manner.
Agreeably to tbe order proposed,
i will direct your attention,
I—To the Divine Institution
op Public Worship.
It is founded upon preeept and
example
(u) Tbe positive institution of tbe
public worship of (ted under tbe
Isiw, in the temple snd tsbemacle
service, can not be questioned ; and
that the ftynagogne worship prevail
ed among the Jews, from about the
time of Kzra, is a mutter of history.
It may moreover be legitimately in
ferred from general precepts touch
ing the subject. “Gather the |»eople
together, men and women, and chil
dren, and the stranger that is within
thy gate*, that they may hear, and
that they may team, mid fear the
Lord your God, aud observe to do
all the words of this law; and that
their children which have not known
any thing may bear, and learn to
fear tbe Ixuxl your God, a* long as
ye live in the land whither ye go
over Jordan to posses it-” “Serve
the Lord with gladness, come before
his presence with singing. Enter
into his gates with tbsuksgivings,
and into his courts with praise. Be
ttiankfni onto bim, and bless his
holy name.'”' “I will therefore that
men pray every where, liftiug np
holy hands without wrath and doubt
ing. Not forsaking the assembling
of ourselves together, as the manner
of some is; but exhorting one anoth
er,” &©. It may be argued from the
command to publish the gospel,
which implies su assemblage of
hearers or worshipers—from the
fact that a number of the epistles
were direct id to churches, aud some
of them to be read iu tbe churches.
Rules were prescribed and instruc
tion given in regard to worship, such
as, “Let all things be done decently
snd iu order. Speaking to oue
another in psalms and hymns,” &c.
“Let all Ihiugs be done to edifica
tion.” As to the proper administra
tion of the Lord’s Supper, “when
they came together in the church.”
Regulations then given in regard to
praying and prophesying, &©., &e.
Under the old dispensation God
promised to meet with his worship
ers in tbe tabernacle and temple,
and under the new our blessed Lord
said, “Wherever two or three are
gathered together in my uarne, there
am I iu the midst of them ”
(4) As an authorization of public
worship we have left upon record
tbe example of Jhe Lord Jesus, who
attended in the early part of his
ministry, “as his custom was,” upon
the services of the synagogue on the
Sabbath day, “and stood op for to
read,” and preached to the people,
wheu they all “wondered at the gra
cions words which proceeded out of
bis mouth.” “Now (says tbe Evan
gelist,) about the midst of the feast
Jesus went up into the temple and
taught,”—when the Jews marvelled
at his wisdom : and “in the last day,
that great day of the feast, Jesus
stood, and cried sayiug, if any man
thirst, let him come unto me and
drink”—one of the most precions
and thrilling utterances that ever
fell upon tbe car of a world perish-
itig for the’water .of life. Again we
are informed that in the evening of
that sad day which preceded hi*
death of crucifixion, “when they bid
song aa hymn, they went out into tfo
mount of Olives.”
Again, w# have tbe e*«Mpfe itH i
practice of tbe early disciples of th«
l»rd, who have thus, as inspired me*
set the seal of their approbation t*
public worship. We are informed
that immediately upon their retnr#
from the mount of ascension tb*j
assembled in an upper room In tbs
city of Jerusalem ; men and women
and children were “engaged with o&s
accord in prayer and supplication."
Aud further that, “in those dayi
Peter stood up in the midst of tb«
disciples, tbe number being about
one hundred and twenty, and preach,
ed to them ;” and that subsequently
when the day of Pentecost was folly
come, “they were all, with oneacconi,
in one place, and that the Holy
Gboet was poured out upon them”
at the close of a protracted meetiny
of ten day* continuance—that Peter
again preached to the vast congrega
tion, gathered from all parts of the
world—that a great religions aw*t
ening took place which resulted ia
the conversion of three thousand
souls; and that “the Lord added to
tbe chnrch daily such as should be
saved.” Bat we will not needlessly
multiply authorities; the proof ii
overwhelming, and at band in the
New Testament, to all who may de
inand additional evidence on tbk
point.
f may yri add the example of tbr
ancient fatten of the church, thr
immediate sn»NN*s?iors of the apostle*.
One ot w i om (Clement of Rome,)
makes use ot' fie following signifi
cant language: “W© ought al®,
looking into the depth* of the divi*.
knowledge, to do all things in order
whatsoever tbe Lord hath cownani-
cd to be done. We ought to mate
onr oblatious, and perform onr holy
offices at their appointed scasoss; !
for these be hath commanded tote
done, not irregularly or by chance,
but at determinate times and hoon,
as be hath likewise ordained by bis
supreme wfll where, and by what
persons they shall be performed; n
that all things being done acconfisj
to his pleasure may be acceptable is
his sight/" Here evidently dirioe
authority is urged for the pubBe
worship of God. It is also founded
in the moral fitness of things, andde
m a tided by the relation which mm
sustains to his sovereign, and to hi*
fellow man as a subject of law.
‘ In ooaciosmi apoo thi- topi*, it
may appear an unnecessary expends
ture of time and labor at this late
day to argue the divine institotm
of public worship; bat it mast te
borne in mind that some who ban j
conceded the propriety of private
worship, have objected to that «f a
publif nature. Besides it is impor
tant that the people should hart
light upon this subject, so that wbex
questioned they may be able to rea
der a reason to every man that ask-
eth for their opinion and practice a
this regard.
II—The Nature of Public-
Worship.
What is it t What are its de
ments, aud it) what does it coastal
It is the act of paying divine boa j
or* to the Supreme Befog publicly
or the reverence and homage that*]
thus paid to him in religious exerts
s«v It consists in adoration, cook* j
sion, prayer, thanksgiving, tbe d*
IMMisatiou of the Word, and the ad
ministration of the sacraments, it
is a public acknowledgement
man’s obligations to God as his C«*
tor, Sovereign, and bountiful
factor; upon whom he is coutinoallj
dependant for life, and health, ool
all things. In whom he lives,
moves, and has his being. “It eta
prehends whatever is performed d»
ring the time au assembly re®*te
together iu the name of God,
for the cause of God.” Worship®
the expression of religion; a soita*
acknowledgement by the congreff
tion of the divinity of God. It®
the assemblage of all tbe eleaico®
of our befog in an act of pur*
ligion, and implies a state or ota*
tiou of sociality. Worship addr«taj
itself to God, whilst preaching si**^
of bim and to man. Treadling, it*
true, is un element of, andanaffif
tiou to worship; but it is ud i®|
equivalent or complement. It ^1
not by any means constitute worsMj
in its rounded fullness and compel
ness. Like the other partsoftajj
ship it has its place under the
but never was intended to be »•”!
stitute for it, much less design**
suffocate it. Public worship Agf 1
good degree must necessarily
audible and visible; aud we can j
well conceive of social services “
are wholly mental aud emotional*
we would be moved ourselve**
csjH’cially move others, someth*!
more is required than mere tota”l
tion and contemplation of tl*e
aud his glorious perfections,
relations to him. Utterance of
emotions aud sentiments
a part of worship, and tbereft^
is highly important iu ordor t® ■
vent distraction of thought and
ing, that a congregation should
form* and
“- 1
! j g* ievoti*®*
-
fwber
r^nd ton* 1 **’ “ n
eta or uPtfo nu
^ere is » T^'
body » » liinv
** of Gol, n>
r habitation *
“’llIIIT tbl
b ”CVpta«
liDOtU*- *-* iJ t,ia
*od an . !'
JjVUlt *«* ”' 0 ^ 1 .
if » concregat.or
5 f sit a* mute
E* to that «SM
L^-r,
I And doc* not the ’
L the sanctified
I utterance in the vo
congregation 1
As a const*fcoent
[jrregate of worship
die awful majesty tj
L an essential <l r
greatly to be
Lf the saiutA »»<! *'
Lrence of all tbeu.
& Tbe temple (
Lcred, and hia bor j
jjx; bouse of prayer
in his holy temple,'
bis presence it 1*
ghipers to stand in
sin not—to be deeplj
the gac red ness ol liij
immaculate purity
teth upon tbe thmrj
Ring in Zion.
So also the worsld
be sincere, and nj
truthful and spinr|
and formal. It uu
and approjiriate. a i
tioasand incougru-
eth npon the oatuj
bat the Lord lookeli
for all things are l-
onto the eyes of II ij
have to do. A b ;
come before him, au|
perish. God is a
that worship him
in aq>irit and in trd
ye know not whatl
ire worship. Let id
decently and in ordj
Finally. In its
a cheerful and filia
God, as ‘*Oar Fat
through Jesus Chrj
deemer aud Iu?«*rt|
Brother. “O com
the Lord, Let us uuaj
to the Rock of oai
us come before hi
thanksgiving, and
uoiso unto him
come let ns worship
let us kneel before
ker. For he is oir
the people of his
sheep of his’ hand]
nigh onto all the!
him; to all that
truth. Like as a
children, so tbe I,
that fear him au
will he withhold
walk uprightly.”
Such is public
nature, and such slj
acter of our devotii
thing to dissembh
God. He exacts o
iaward parts a
offer, as acceptable
1 at ions of iusiuee
liefore his preseuc
service, whilst the
heart are afar oft",
rations of the soul
he like the panting
hart after the wat
ds iumost depths
Ihe agonixing cry, *
rnp ? G God, acoorJ
kindness. Purge
wash me aud bi
iniquities. Create
heart, O God, an
spirit within me. '
from thy presence,
H( % Spirit from
111 e tl »e joy of tl
“phold me with ti
Gh, most men-1
t0 hay e clear aud
*orsbip, that wo J
J” 8 u l>on thine alt
“^ten oil of th
into the I
our services un
hy sight; so th:
I 4001
tb ? quickt-1
ten 8 J? lnt » and
‘ads ot thy grace.
(To be o