The Lutheran visitor. (Columbia, S.C.) 1869-1904, March 28, 1873, Image 1
Rude & Killer, Editors.
OK E LORD, OK E FAITH. OKE BAPTISM."—-IF HE SI AKS 17:6.
Y. MARCH 28, 1873
COLUMBIA. 8. CL. FBI
Selections.
Otoriat! Wuald that each pastor
•ad (MMor, freshly rod wed with the
■fdrit of power Mid of lore end of a
MMMd mumI. Might begin the prepar
for th« Lutheran Visitor
S^rof tor J. B. 0i«
5UMBKK IX.
**1^ beoMoe iiiui, fit whom are *i)
mhI hy whom art aU ikitg%
in hrtugiug mmijt mm lo fiery, U
ggdfee the ciphuu of their mIyaHmI
iwrtvl aaleflM * J—■»*
MffPpPPIWi . MpppnPMa^p B* aaoi *»w^ i hao^ < up wnmrewi
lag, m4 la the spirit Mid power of
the Mighty «iktemee* prophet, echo
after oomiug so near
jEJJio bia last chapters that
# rer* reviewed that the very at
became pleasant, uow de
[ *,**011 pages of his l>ook to
laoer, miamable, aonaeipical ar-
***_? |bat Or «wb«0 o/ hiood of
Urbridden iu both the Ohl
**. l^tainents, and therefore
,h« aarfeor «M»W not require us to
tfpk bis blood in the Eucharistic
Mtr \ if there is any *rgutueut
kail Ibis, we freely confess that we
wvf hilad to see it, except that our
iinibor pats the Saviour’s biood, by
w-w *be world was redeemed, on a
nation under heaven, proclaiming the
glad story of the BadeMMhhfv.
totlh the ftpirit bora, oommaedtag An ordinary man may he § Bible
w<wd, “Prepare ye the way af the reader, and a blessing talowly and
laird, wake Me paths straight !*— looefy homes ; by wealth a good man
M’wtara (%riatiam Adromto. can visit a hundred homer el name,
Fwitoiad Power of Xarahama day he UvSt* ltawfl»i«i'h
not expand the thought.
Yoe have often been reminded,
gentlemen merchants, that there err
perils in bonlnens, Ohoenatiou, if
not expenenre, has taoght yoe that
they are trely greet. Statistics show
(If my memory serve* mo), that only
•boot tve per rent, of merrh—ti
sanosed beyond a oompeteocy. in
deed, to command recces* amid ad
the dangers that euoompaM trade,
drill sods e rare combination of the
highest ifealtUss that constitute a
sum. link is written on every in-
vote* and every entry. Storms, mid
dm as they ere sevens, threaten
every (waavrasl l«n|tu Few live
eat the sea. At Oueago and Bos-
ton, in the land glare of those fierce
glory of God and the good of man
can soy mortal achieve than through
the wine and faithful nee of wealth f
—/Vow Aidreu of Dr. Alexander
with the feeling o4 ear infirmities*
“lo the days ef his Rash he effbred
mi urmvrrs aim! MunlkslluM with
strung crying mmI tears ante Him
that waa able to nave him from
the I bins’* which he sail*red i **mI
IWlM U< InWS a . .W M ..... Cl t. J. iHIkili
or*og mas ssnue jwrieci, ae nrcame
the author of eternal •altatiua unto
them that whey him.** How trfeeand
It unur duMM thic reidslkM of (iml
bring my Savtomr to me! I want a
mss-.^maam mhs ■ mwv#v%.± M g* fl as ms I^sh mh #* a It ku,
ssaeeaa^^s v v p aasnow * . v « n aww- se ^** f
to save} man, to heew my • sou. to
sympathtae oith mo la my sorrow,
to Iteoa how to aoocue. ftnrb a Ha
The religion of Christ while fulfill
ing the promise of blessedness to It*
possessor in the present life, assure*
him of a far higher state of blessed
ness in the life beyond.
It Is s life of faith in which he is
called to walk. It is by faith that
the Holy Spirit shows him things to
oome. It is as a Son ef God, ami
an heir with Christ to a heavenly in
heritance, that, in view of the diaso
lotion of the earthly tabernacle, God
given to him the earnest of the Spirit,
or the assured hope of immortal
glory in the reaurrectioe with Christ,
when lie shall oome to gather his
people, and they shall be like him,
and shall see him in bis glorified ha
Oar author then reviews flic sixth
of Mo. He says, “Willi direct!
ftfaeoce to the doctrine oflthe real j
juwsitr* "The words are figurative
aodtovea spiritual import,” which
v« inhere, “but do not imply super
tanas] and incomprehensible myste-
rw. a* Luther and othersj taught.”
This vs deny and contend! that the
Mtisgof Christ’s flesh is, oil all mys
teries, the most supernatural and iu-
ooafMhensible. To belietiie iu the
itomce of Christ, and live by his
grace, is supernatural—it to not ac
cording to the fixed laws of nature,
itiiBot uatoral at all, andmo natu
ralist can comprehend it | (nit in
thus believing Christ\s doctrine, and
thus living by grace, are we in
Christ, and Christ in us, and the part
his flesh has to do iu all this, so that
it can be said we eat his fash, is a
greater Bfyfctery still.
But, as Lutherans of high author
ity inform ns that this clyapter in
Mo has no reference to the Lord’s
Sapper, and can in no way affect it,
1 pass it over.
His next chapter is head|d, “The
<tocJrine of the real presence iu the
Lord’s Supper must be Jfotever re
tained; for the Book of Coticord, of
vluch it forms a part, is required to
be subscribed.”
We reply that we expects
llow touching that sympathy at
the grave of Iaimim! Hr “loved
ti»<kB .... I Ilf# llltlf t
ru*.” Coming fnm* bryontl J«>«d*n
to the weeping staterw, be «aw sod
felt ss we alt have arm and felt—
but immeoaurahty mure rieatty aud
heavily Iu his cjmt —thr agnuy af
bereavement nod the weight of hu
man wee. Ha use the deeply lee
erated hearts of the atMrra, lialeneil
te the sobbing ery of aagntah, the
wall of the friends who wept with
them, half suppremed In htw yrv*
once, and hia own hnnHMB bUMlfl an*
Need into sympathy with their*, nod
grief brought the tenia In hia eyes,
author uses it. Thing* may tie “pal
pable to the most ordinary Intel Net*
when that intellect baa l\
garland and perflnm
How many pray «
a#t«Hr < (,^i |
without rereivtnjr-"
petltlwna and. tint.
prrumg te rwwive tl
taught;
but will our author say that the
larger portion oI Revetataoo ta only
“matter for learned speculation, or
{didoaophic disquisition f Ihd God
give it for thief Is not mil Heriptnrw
given by inspiration of God, and t*
it not profitable for doctrine, foe cor
The Bible ta
buMtir** life Atrottf teinoLstJonjiL
sew ssssim *'.w*iu weeag^ n^s^uuw ae nuw^uiwsir nasm^
faecinattng as the song of the syren
to the “commercial travellers” of
old, eocompuas, nod sometMuea caj>
tivate, atmuuitA There la sack a
thing ak driving tmmoeaa until boat
news drives us—of owning money
God’s paternal love to na, iu adopt
ing us as tons and daughters, in
dodos an heirship with Christ in his
kingdom. “If children, then heirs;
hairs of God and joint heirs with
Christ; if to be (hat we sailer with
him, that we may be aiao glorified
anted
rectioo, lor reproof f
not given, as be oonteoda, simply to
tell a man how he own believe is
Jeans.
may “poMism a habit” (ef driak, for
instance, aalil, by and by, the habit
It i* as much hia duty to
honor Jesus, to glorify him, to de
fend the iaitii, to give an auaper ta
every 'one that aaketh a reason of
the hope that w iu na Fan I aajra to
the Hebrews; “For now when ye
ought to be teachers, ye have need
that one teach you, which be the
first principles of the oracle* of God.’
“He gave some teacbeas.” “Gw and
teach all nations" Hi. lVter aaya
that Pant in all bis epistles spoke of
aud that ia
qaaifttsd wy«g grief,* wept with fbe
weeping mourner*! Of the mighty
oppressSon weighing wpun feds heart;
of the deep, pure fwuataia of syrmpa
thy. gushing forth In tanrs, wa caa
only attempt to eonueivu. Hnrh waa
hta etperienew of grief In that boar,
that wa may caHty halieva (be aug
arc sons, God bath seat forth the
Spirit of his Son into your hearts,
crying, Abba, Father." Gal. iv; 6.
“Far he which anointed us, ia God,
who bath alao sealed us, and given
the earnest of the Spirit in oar
hearts.” 2 Cor. 1: 21, 22.
Aud this fling by the Holy Spirit
until the redemption of the pur
chased possession, and this earner*
or assurance which God gives to the
Christian of something better and
more abundant hereafter, shall ani
mate him in the Christian conflict,
and call forth expressions of grati
tude tor all those tokens of God’s
love. They are but the “first fruits
of the Spirit," and yet they may be
regarded as the pledge of an abun
dast and glorious harvest in the fu
ture.
Have we then the hope of aooahip
and heirship as God’s children by
adoption f Oh, let us never forget
that this relationship includes eter
ual peace, and glory with our blessed
Lord iu bis ootniug kingdom, and
that it involves the duty of Christian
watehfulnees. and fidelity in atl that
ba calls us to do for oar growth iu
holiness, and for the promotion of
Christian unity and peace on earth.
The hope that is set before ns as
children o* God, who have been
born again of the incorruptible seed
of truth is productive of holiness.
“For every man that hath this hope
in him purifieth himself, even'as he
[God] ia pure." 1 John ill : 3.
While therefore waiting for the
coming of our Lord, and for the re
demption of the body from the grave,
and seeking for the needed aid of the
Holy Spirit, let us purify ourselves
from the defilements of the flesh and
spirit, so that being justified aud
sanctified, we may be glorified with
him at his appearing, and Ms king
dom. 2 Tim. iv: 1.—America* Met
rewort to “Riags j" or “ooreera”—4a
.Vsrth wwrisra, or gold, or grain.
There are nabs hare that assy be
nothin* leas than eternal ia their ia-
MW! risk of making “gohl a God,
the ledger a Bible, and the exchange
a church," aa Burke declaims. It
the Lord and salvation
them are ‘'some things bard to be
understood, which they that are an
learned and unatabl* wrest, a* also
the other Scriptures, ante their owi
destruction." Those bard things
must have been essential, or else
bow could they wrest them t*» their :
oven destruction f
Our author is too rapid ia drawing
his conclusion*, for l think I have
shown most demonstrably, that svea
he, who can criticise Luther, ami
the Reformer*, and the dead Ian
guagea, and creeds, baa btaMwt! most
awfully wrested the Scripture*, but
not, 1 hope, to bis own destruction.
lie closes tbis chapter by saying:
“1 think that I have demonstrated
that the Bible, not man or human
dictation, ia tbe only authority in
faith and Christian life.’
He demonstrated it by ridiculing
commentator*, expositor* sad erred*;
but, after all, no man In any Prot
estant church denies the flirt, ex
pressly mentioned in all Church
constitutions, that the Bible Is “the
only rule or faith aad practice f no
Protestant would take from hia Bi
ble; and Lutheran*, perhaps, do
their part in assisting Bible societies,
of which he makes particular boast.
! He certainly “fighteUi as one that
l baatetb tbe air." J. Hawke**.
tattoo of oyMpolby. They have Urea
sweat wpoa the throw# of thw sal
terse, midst the glorias of heaves
aad the snugs of aagvls, but la all
that time never has a mwuraev by
the grave of the heart’s treasure,
cried out of its agony, “II Lewd
Christ, pity sad help mu! (I land
Christ, have mercy upon me !* that
Bethany, aad Martha, aad Mary,
and Lmaaroa, a»4 his own ssase of
sorrow aud hitter tears, have afl
passed before him , sad lew ha*,
“Im lla mrjBurr fait .frual*
to retain
the doctrine of a real presence, and
that the Chnrch will retain it for
M«r, not because the Book of Con
■wi contains it, but because the
Hole teaches it. I, and thousauds
others, hold the doctrine, who
■ever have subscribed the; Book of
Concord. Aiul to abolish and de-
**«>y forever the Book of Concord,
*oakl not iu the least affect the doe-
tnae. A large part of the Bpiscopal
Cfeoreh, and a largo part of the
bulieraa Church in this country,
reject the Book of Concord, be-
iieve doctrine. Mr. Gross him-
say* fie believes in a presence,
^ there can be none but a real ooe,
^ he despises the Book ofl Con-
Brware l
“Caaturn is the law and rule of
speaking," says Horace. “Custom”
rtuMrtlmrr broom** “the law aad
rata* of trad*. “BpeculaUons,” ia
this harried aga, may somehow lose
the mmrial tatter ami beaome "pecula
linos* and frauds. Sordid selfish
aero may sit enthroned ta the soul,
aad the claims of God and humanity
he utterly excluded.
of draws
thing worth aU else besides. Each
owe of you Is acquiring K. day by
day- It to I tar only real property
any maw baa, that be shall for ever
have. Neither drifts, nor derita, nor
daalh ; wo, nor (Ml kmottf shall take
it away! It to the ooly abiding pos-
rewwioo It to not the soul Hasty—
God claims that aa hit. It ia ckmmc
lor. Yoar character, good or bad,
determiaaa your value in the uui
rerwr. bare aad hereafter. If it is
good, though a pauper oo earth yoa
alisU he a priaow in heaven. If it is
bad, thoagh a very kiug on earth
you shall be a beggar ia eternity.
“Nwr tore, ear hate thy life.
Hal whet them lirewt, live wall "
A ataa may parch as* wealth, geu
ftrely forgive and
mtoa, will fie whw
“Father forgive tl
fro "fo they ka*
It to foitly deductbto from thw Word
of God. It makea my aatrews bright
•r Lo know th*L ho toll tha m mo It
make* tha eras* a glory fee few*
that h* bore it to «av» a»# Aram tto
wrath of God
“Why to it," aak*d a brother, “that
use^a *aaa Mb iiwioto** sussf^o
** w taught in the Augsburg Cou-
fefooa, and if Mr. Gross, or any one
can not believe it, and his eon-
8t ‘mc« ia troubled about it, he ought
to knot a church that teaches no
^ tenoe * fc h at church will not
J f0Qa( l among the orthodox de-
^aiawtious iu tl»e United .States.
ft** next chapter has this singular
“riding, “By subscription to sn «»-
^able creed, progress iu religious
toowledge is stayed, and violence
d °n« t* conscience.”
^katdoes he mean by “uualtera
e creed F He can’t mean the
J u Ssburg Confession ; for some of
w Party did alter that one night,
the Definite Platform came
^ ! «bt in the morning, lived that
ta<1 ‘Itad- This fact proves two
lu &«, first, that creeds can be al-
re fi, and secondly, that they are
eternal—both pleasant facts—to
dwwbt ba Antes away. Back *oul
rikaflli bare tha Holy Spirit'* fraah
to gratify merely omr daaire for tire
twxurto* of rkferew—If wa pray for
tire liven af oar daar amaa. arerely
KKSrONSIHLLITY OP PAHEM*.—
Plato, *eing a child do mifohicf in
the streets, went frrto and corrected
his yather for it. Tbe father which
does not correct bis child when he
does amiss, to justly corrected for his
faults; and it to the oaUertt of God’s
judicial proceed mg*, a* he visits tha
iniquities of the children upon the
fathers who countenance wed indulge
them. Jacob was accountable to La
ban for the whole flock ; not n ahrep
or a lauib was lost, or torn, but It
wes required at bis haudw. Gen. xxxi
; 30- Thus must family governor* be
accounuhie to God for every lamb
ill the field, every child in tire family,
for every servant in the bouse. God
will one day cry aloud in thine ears,
Husband, father, master, wife, glv*
an account of thy fetberahip, give
an account of tby mastership f This
made Joshua undertake for bin boose
as well us for himself. Joe. xxiv ; )&
Aud this mode David careful of hto
for a vtaA vigorous
brought forth ftoUa
useful like the baggage of an army,
bet yet an impediment to its march”
toward the beevenly home. But do
philippic against wealth! Far from
It! I
When Christian Giltort lay on bis
death bed, at Leipmo, ia great agony,
he said to ooe beside him, “I can not
ooderetaod much now. Only tot we
bear yon pronounce the name of the
Redeemer; tbe very mention ef Him
never fade to inspire me with fresh
courage and joy." In the paroxysms
of pain he wae thus inspired with
courage to bear up, for he knew
Christ as a sufferer, suffering and
dying for mea, yet patient and nn
complaining. Those who are called
to visit the suffering believer may
thus apeak the name of Jesna, and
soothe and strengthen by a single
weed, where longer discourse to tire
semes if »<* impossible.
It to not money, but the “tare of
money" that to “the rook of all evil."
Money to might—power almost aa-
prehuman “Gold can not purchase
heaven, bat it oaa pare the way to
it* Ubiquity to impossible to man,
ways, that we may gently toad "nth
ihiqnitoaa. Aa ordinary man can
food aad shelter an orphan or two.
A wealthy man can feed and clothe
aad shelter ta a marble palace home
dhraya
Will WN
a* Stephen Girard, a Philadelphia
merchant, to dotag to-night. Aa or
dinary mao caa ait by the bedside
we week te save,
through woflhrtog ?
house as well os bis heart—“I will bliir# *Hh thee b*i
walk within my house with a perfect If. thee, I am prepared to
of wealth can give $300,000 to-
heart.” I’w. ci : A