Vol. VI, No. 3.2,--Whole No. 301.
Nottvg,
The Gospel Echo.
Pound in - a Pew In the Church of Kirithaen, Kirk
cudbright, written in a female hand.
TRUE raiiii, producing love to- God man, .
Say, Echo, is not this the Gospel plan ?
Echo—The Gospel plan
Must I my faith in Jesus constant show,
By doing good to all, =both friend and foe ?
Echo—Both friend and foe!
When men.conspire to hate and treat me ill,
Must I return them „good, and love them still?
Echo—Love them still I
they my -failing eauselessly reveal,
Must their faults as carefully conceal ?
Echo—As carefully conceal I
But if my name and character they tear,
And cruel malide too, too plain appear;
And when I Form* and affliction know,
They smilo and add-unto my woe,
Say, Echo, say; in such peculiar case,
Must I continue 'still to love and bless
• Echo—Still to love and bless!
Why, Echo, how Is this ? thou'rt.sure a dove.
Thy voice will leave me nothing else but love
Echo—Nothing else but love I
Amen! with all my heart, then be it, so ;
And now to practice I'll directly go,l
Echo—Directly go
This path be mine, aud.let who will reject,
My gracious God rue surely will protect !
Echo—Surely will protect!
Henceforth on Him I'll cast my every care
And friends and foes, embrace them all in prayer!
Echo—Embrace them all in prayer
THE OPPOSITES.
"NOT forsaking the assembling of your
selves together, as the manner of some is,
but exhorting 0110 another, and so much the
more, as ye see the day approaching."
[Paul.
I believe. I'll stay at home toAay, as it is
rainy, and I don't like to go and spend my
time listening to Brother W. for he can't
preach much anyhow.—[Fair Weather Lazi
ness.
"Pray without ceasing, and in•everything
give thanks, , for this is the will of God in
Christ Jesus concerning you."—[Paul.
I can't find time to.pray, and then I have
so many things to attend to, and my mind is
so taken up with Ow busineia. of the day,
that I am not prepared to. pray.—[Worldly
mindedness.
See that none render evil for evil unto
any man, but ever follow that which is good,
both among yourselves and 'toward all men."
y neighbor has done ini) so much evil,
and has soted so badly that I will - not stand
it any longer; I'll make 'him know that I
have rights as other men, and I'll make him
respect them.—[Reveuge.
"Strive to enter in_ at the strait gate."—
Christ.
All will be made holy and happy, and
there is no danger.—presimption.
" Contend earnestly for the faith once de
livered to the saints."---PUde..
Don't lireach doctrinal• sermons, or you
will offend some people.—[Faint-heartedness.
"Withdraw from every brother that walks
disorderly, and have - no fellowship with the
unfruitful works of darkness, bta rather re
prove them:. Paul.
we: withdraw 'from 'Brother 8., he will
do us all the injury he can, and, I think, we
had better let, him alone.--[Trimmer..
" Seek first the kingdom of God and His
righteousness."- • 4ohrist. • ' •
As soon as you get settled in life it will be
easy for you to serve God, but you cannot
well do it before.—Patan.
" They that preach the gospel should live
of the, gospel."—[Paul.
I think that they should preach for noth
ing, or at least should follow some other bu
siness for their living.—[Covetousness.
" Oh come, let us.worship and bow down
let us kneel. before the Lord our Maker."—
[Psalmist. •
I am so glad, it has become fashionable to
sit during prayer. It .is such a saving 'of
silk and broadcloth:--[Fashionable Christian.
A TRAIT OF OMARACTER, ESTIMABLE
RIM TOO RAM
The late Mrs. Mid'Utley wife of the well I
known missiena7ltev; 44kiepli Mullens wrote,
as follows respecting her - Whet' :A: F.
Lacroix,also a missionary in dalcutta.
" My dear father's respect. for women was
too strikingly developed to be passed by
without notice. It WM a feeling of chivalry
which would have made him, had he lived in
the Middle. Ages, a veritable knight, a true
champion of the Weak ,and the oppressed.
Oonsequently,he was a great. favourite with
ladies ; not that he was in the habit of pay
ing them empty compliments; for those his
soul abhorred) hitt because' or that feininine
element in his Character I have already men
tioned) that gentle- kindness which agreed
well with his finely moulded form, his ele
gant manner, and his almost, - --reneh polite
ness. It was with these courtesies, too, as
with the pleasures derivablafrom his -conver
sation—none shared in them so largely as kis
wife and daughters. I can recallinstances
of his thoughtfulness for the latter as they
grew into womates,estate, that might appear
ludicrous to natures_east in, a different mould.
He would often go across a whole room , full
of neglectful
. gentlemen to give his own
daughter a footstool. On one occasion when
a letter had been arbtiously expected from
an absent member of the Emily, and when
at length it arrived from -Oairo *addressed to
my youngest sister,'who was then away on a
visit, my father sent it up to her at Chinsurah,
with the seal unbroken, thus keeping, us all
in suspense -for twenty-Am hours longer.
That was an evil, but not so- great an evil, in
his opinion, as would have been to breach of
'politeness involved in opening ii - letter ad
dressed, to another."
EVER . Y great eonversion v ii as a sea-mark,
to guide others into a safe harbor.
SUGGESTIONS OF WAR. "
MEN acting together. in large bodies are
apt to display virtues of which the individual
commonly is incapable. Thus, in some
of the customs of war, we see the exercise of
qualities that seem above what might be ex
pected from the present condition of human
nature. It is strange that transactions; in
which men inflict the greatest evils upon
each other, in the authorized and systematic
destruction of life and property, should be
the theatre on which are displayed the most
shining examples of magnanimity and virtue.
It is owing, perhaps, to the circumstance
that war, touching, as it does, the weightiest,
of all questions, immediate life and death,
strips the mind 'of lightness and hypocrisy,
invests the actions of men with an unusual
degree of seriousness, and leaires no place for
the lower forms of selfishness and the studied
pradtices of malice; or it is' because, where
`ever men are excited to a full exertion of
themselves, and effect the strongest combina
tion of their power, there also many spark
ling elements of good must necessarily show
themselves, even when the object aimed at
is unquestionably a bad one. But whatever
the cause may be, it is certain that' military
operations have been, especially in heathen
ages and nations, the stage upon Which the -
morality and all the better- impulses of man
kind have chiefly played their part, and at
the present time. there is no departmentof
life in which mere human nature appears in.
a more attractive light than in some - of the
usages of war. •
We mention an example. It is seen in
what so often occurs in all civilized warfare,
when an army hiving suffered defeat, the
survivors, though reduced to bitter extremity-
theinaelves, are yet mindful of their more
unhappy countrymen left ripen the field, and
intent upon obtaining, perhapsfrom an inso
lent,
conqueror, the, clear but melancholy
privilege of laying them In the grave. As
we - read the story of their discomfiture, and
see them overwhelmed with shaine and grief,
their strength broken, their 'country's trust
in them and their own fond hopes of victory
diaappointed, we 'expect nothing from them
but that, 'become lost to every nobler feeling,
they will consult their safety - by a speedy
flight, or, at least, that, stung by their dis
grace,-theyi will not brook to ask any favor
from the conqueror ; and we are surprised`to
find menin the gloomy hour when all is lost,
as if forgetfnl of themselves and the claims
of Wounded pride, sueing for' liberty to re
turn to the scene, of their disaiter, from which
their eyes would rather turn away, to testify.
their respect to their fellow men, and per
form the last duty to their fallen compa-.
nions.
The lesson , is plain and affecting. In the
moment of our deepest fall, when we sink
under accumulated misfortunes, we must still
-open-"our eara to the call - of humaiirkr,:aiM
confess ourselves debtors to mankind. How--
ever low we may be cast down, and, however
keen our disappointment and grief may be,
there are offices of kindness to others which
it is still our duty, and still in our power, to
discharge. Thus, from the field of slaughter
and the honest example Of, the soldier ',we
learn this lesson,—better learned, indeed,
from the word of God,—that no man liveth
unto himself; that we owe More to the hap
piness of our neighbor, even to the decencies
that belong to his , lifeless clay, than to our
own pride, and' that the last drop in the cup
of our existence is sacred by a rite of nature
to the repose and honor of a fellow man.
And this, too, we learn, in .connection with
the subject of these remarks, that whatever
is an enemy to sloth, and presents objects
adequate to command the attention and wake
into activity the, powers of man, is friendly
to the display of the better qualities of the
heart. This has been the only redeeming
feature of warfare from the beginning, which,
notwithstanding the evils essential to so -de
structive a system; has made its surface
bright .with the liveliest gems of historic vir
tue ;
_for when, in the_ more imperfect condi ! .
tions of society, motives were wanting,to
give healthy action to" mind and body, this
stupendous form of activity interposed, af-,
fording grand and salutary play to the ener
gies. of our race.'
And now we may rejoice that virtue no
longer needs this dangerous ally., It is no
longer necessary for that heavenly vine to
cling for support to so bad a tree. We, as
ohristians;have " a good fight:" to maintain,
one,that merits and slemandw the enlistnient
of all,, our strength and all uur anit
thus combines all the advan'tages, that be-.
long to a healthy and sublime activity, whilst
there is nothing in the associations to coun-;
teract these advantages, but, on the contrary;
everything to sanction and: enlianewithina ;
are 'nuti , as in the. other case,-
aicidentat illitantagesi but' parr, of Avilatem
itself intrinsically holy;pute in its aimss-And
motives, and infinitely worthy and adeq_uate
in its- objects and rewards—the service of
Christ, the fever of God, the kingdom of
heaven. . S. P. H.
—Banner of the Covenant •
TRUE COURAGE,
ALL men admire true Courage. The weak
and irresolute admire it.from a sense of their
own deciencies, and the strong and brave
front sympathy. It is'the highest attribute
of true manhood, and wins respect for', its
possessor, even if he has nothing else to - re-
Commend him; It makes him 'a protector of
the weak and defenceless, a support to the
feeble and wavering, a leader and guide to
the' imid and , disponding; It is commended
in ; the word of. God, and nowhere more no
bly illustratedjthan in the examples of, holy
It is peculiarly a soldier's virtue. With
it a multitude' of other deficiencies can be
overlooked. Without it no other excellenoes
can make a good soldier. Your enlisting in
the army proves that lou have courage. It
is worth while to inquire whether • you have
the right kind. No good thing is without its
counterfeit.
It is not true courage to fear nothing:
None , but an idiot knows no fear. God should
be feared. Sin should be feared. Besides
these, nothing else..
Reckleis disregard of life does . not prove
courage. A man may risk his life from very
'cowardice. The duelist frequently - risks his
life and his peace of mind; because heis so
NO ,2.
PHILApELPITIA, TIWI
great, a coward that he dare not face ridicule.
Your risking yonr life does not prove that
you have true courage. Not only tlie act,
but the motive must be considered.
Yon have enlisted - in the army of your
coUntry.' You have by so doing put your
life in danger. You prefer the chance of
life and death, to the certainty of disgrace
unless rebellion is crushed. But your worst,
enemies are your sins. They make 'a slave
of you. They will injure your body and
they will ruin your soul. They will not
stop even with your life. They will pursue
you with torment throughout eternity. You
cannot get rid of tbetn without a terrible-battle.
Sin - is the enemy of the World. Christ has
an army in the field against it You are cal
led upon to enlist. You know that you must
perish Unless you have courage to desert the
Unholy cause of sin, and take up arms against
it. Are you not, a, coward if you dare not
resist the power that has made yona slave ?
Toil Cannot be free you are ready:to
risk the - encounter. Dare you attempt to con=
quer your bad habits, your profanity, your - ,
gambling, your Sabbatlubreaking, your 10 - ve
of intoxicating drinks or the poisoned weed ?
Dare you fight out to - the bitter end the con
test which you must go through, or be a slave
to these for - ever? gave you the patience
to continue the battle,,months and yearg, un
der discouragements, against *temptations,
With bad examples, around you, and none to
sympathize wich you except your God? If
SO, you have the true spirit, which .man
honors and the Lord approves.
Dare you face ridicule ? Dare you do
right in all *circumstances and-: on all oeca
sions ? Are-you never-afraid to pray in your
tent, to read your Bible, to be known as one
who loves prayer? Are you never turned
-back from a good deed by the fear
,of being
laughed at ? Can you break away from
wicked conapanions, and endtire to be the butt
of their ridicule'?' 'Could you submit to . be
despised,by all your comrades,-if -'you knew
that you were right and they wrong ! Can
you own Christ among ungodly companions ?
Dare you "stand up for among sea;
fers and infidels ? Dare you be true to the
teachings of your pious father or yeur saint
NI mother amid all the temptations and evil
influences of the camp.? If so, th.ank God
for it. You have the genuine courage, stub
born as steel. But if not, you are cowardly
at heart. God knows and man knows- it
God's kingdom Will come, but you- will have
no honorable part in it. Fa. preeent -ease.
you forfeit eternal renown.
P y cowardly
keeping back from His work, you lose the
immortal laurels of heaven.
Have you the courage to bear with pati
ence the trials, the privations, and hardshjpi
of the camp ? Are you cheerful - when mat-,
ters looked discouraging, prompt when others
are dispirited and indolent, calm under pro
vocation quiet when others are chafing over
unavoidable eients, firm . : when others are
wavering ? Are you trusted by your officers,
yene - conlialteith:.l, Man who~vilt even
do wrong, a man who will always be: found
doing his very, best at all times ? Are you
living So that a comrade -would trust you
with his own life'? Then you. are acting a
briVe part The".camp needs such courage
as Much as .the battle-field. Oh that you
might be a valiant soldier of Jesus, and en
list all your comradeS under his lag.
But you cannot be a truly brave`-man with
out Christ. He was himself the very person
ification of courage. He knows your wants.
If your hearts fails . you, go to him fof reso
lution. If :your conscience condemns you , as
a cowardly. deserter of his cause,
go- to, him
at once and make your _peace with him. Live
his life from day'to day, pa:tient in, duty, un
shaken in fidelity, unwavering in danger, and
you shall in no wise lose your_reward. Your
name may not shine on the' pages of history,
but it will make resplendent a page Of the
book of life. " Watch ye, stand fast in the
faith, quit you like men, be strong."—.Pre-
Id*, Tracts. - -
SPECIMENS OF BUNTAN'S.PREACHING
Banyan'' remarkable conversion,,taken in
connection with his humble origin and occu
pation,. drew, no doubt,. public attention; to
his preaching.
.But it is a mistake to sup
pose that these were the principal ''attrac
tions.. The power to interest all classes—
fin- the high; as well as the low, flecked - to
hear him—lay in his strong common sense,
his vivid fancy, and his unquestioned sincer
ity. His piety, planted in the very depths
of his soul, welled up like an:overflowing
fountain :whenever he discoursed on themes
divine. There-was, also, terrible point and
directness, in hiS appeals. " Those, says his
hiograiiher, "who have:read Bunyan's ser-
Mons, knoW well. how he ciildpartimilarize.
Therb is a personality, as well as point, 'in
his iMprovements, which makeS individuals
starOysitletetittufthe-WOf the veaderl
ahnost expect the strim of the4peal to take
a new turn from some Pentecostal outcry."
Aid here permit me to introduce a single
specimen illustrative of the point and lively
vigorof his preaching. : ' It : is 'from his:ser
mon to. "Jerusalem sinners;" Peteria;offer
ing salvation ,freely ,to those who, in Biin
yan'497i, strong language,.." had their - hands
up.tO the elheWs in his gesusl hearts
" Repent, every one-of You,. for the rends
si,on of Sins." Unable to -credit at once'the
sincerity of `this offer, -the first cries out;
"But I*as one Ofthose that plotted to take
away his life. - May I' be , saved ?" Peter—,
"Every one of you." "But : /," says another,
"was one of those that bore false witness a
gainst him: Is there grace fer -me?" , Peter
—" 'or every one of, you." " But," says a
" I was one of them: that cried out,
'Crucify him, crucifyhim.' What will be
come - of me, think you ?" Peter—" I 'am to
preach reiniision of sins to every one of yen."
" But,l was one of them," exclaimaafogrth,
"thatdid spit facethat mocked; hist
when, in anguish, he..hung:'bleeding on the
tree...- Is there roomfor,tne,?" Peter—" For
- every one of you." But this is not all. These
Jerusalem sinners must have this offer again
and again. Every one of them must be of
fered grace over and over What a pitch of
grace-is'thisi:Christ - was minded to amaze
the world::
" Reasons for this offer,. Ist. Because the
biggest sinners have most need of mercy. 2d.
Because, when they receive such mercy, it
redourkds most to the fame of Chrisi;. 3d.
Becauie athers,'hearing, will be encouraged
the more to come to Him for life. 4th. Be
cause Shovdpg mercy to the worst first, Christ
Most- iteakmis the kingdom of Satan. sth.
Because the biggektitnAersovismi - convisteek
are usually the bedilgaps.inthe Cliimh.., 6th:
Because such, when converted, are - apt to
love Christ most. Zt'h. Because by : that
means the impenitenf will be left without-ex- 1
cuse at the day OfjuPginent." . '
Such is an ottli4e - of a - great - sermon,
whose bold and buil:4g words rang like
God's -trumpet throigh the -asseml?ly . and,
made the sinners of at day feel that whilst
those of Jerusalem - —4nt itiore:hardened than'
themselves—had fileoer of--mercy, -they- too
were required to repent and accept' the great
salvation.- . K, ,- -
One more extract, r it is ," The fruitless
professor." " Come Death, smite me, this
barren fig . tree ! Attlbis, Death comes into
the chamber with grim leeks, and hell follow- .
ing him to the bedaidt -Both stare this fruit
less-professor in thence, yoa,he,gin to lay
hands uporrhimonOttiitingrthina with head
ache, heartache she. 7 , . ~ ,l ,treatlslainting,-
quitlnis, trem rir
biir- 7, ^ --. . , ?stePpagt,4o . 4itati4
cheat, and almost ii.o 4 "e „symptoms of one
past -recovery , ; the: ‘ 'pier, . (hell) ~ easting
sparks of fire into Ilk mind and conscience.
Now he begins to ern. Ord, spareine ! "Nay, ,
saith God, you haveaeen aprevodation to
me these three , yeal . V - *Take'him, Death !
Oh good Lord, sail -"the sinner, spare me
this one time, and 1 , 401 do better. But will
you promise to amend? Yes, indeed, Lord,
and vow it too. 'W.tsaith rod, Death, let
this professor alone - Ile hath..
vowed to amend his ays, and vows are sal- ,
emn things. It-mar elte will he afraid to
break his vows.—Ak '.now God lays down
the axe. At this, thi'poOr creature is very
thankful, and calls of others - to thank. God.'
After describing a stilkid ihterview,tin,equal
ly dr - al - natio and po**til style, the prefesior
having :proved, false t6ihis .. ..lkow's, He comes to
him, -with axe in hand, 'for Ake last time.
"God's fury cometlTliip in his face. , Re,
sweareth in his 1T
,!, ~.„, iat they shall not en
ter into his rest.---z.‘ ',it down! why cum
bereth it'the ground-i": . ' . • • : - .
These extracts ma :give some idea of the
power which the great allegorist - exerted in
the pulpit. The imagination, ho*evek,imust
supply the intense fervor, the expression - of
face and gesture,_ andf„ the farivrintonations
of the voice. There . qciin be no doubt that
Butiyamwas as elequent in the pulpit as he
was - attractive .with Ale pen'; and that' his.
Pilgrim was but au jipOpisonation of himself ;-,
that the epic beauty I,f his hero was but .a
just reflection of the real„mail-clad Soldier of
the cross, passing thrOligh sufferings to glory.
- , --.N. Y. Observer. - • ' '
THE GOgrgriiiiiN. PRISON.
THE word of God ia-uothoUnd,,Says Pau'
the prisoner. The,.; nisters of Chicago,
t m
deeply impressed by csickness and morta
lity among the prisoners- of . war . in Camp,
Douglas resolve to , a- 414 . sereiCe 4 in the
&Sp •thilleff tdE't 'l, ,%M P,- and, ' - f ilreir .
some difficulty in, Securing the use •of the
church, which in the first confusion of the
arrival of such &croyidof prisoners; had been
occupied by a company, services :have been
held daily at 2P. M. The attendance is
from one to t*n.hundred. The men listen,
with deep attention. . iTo-day Dr. Pratt con
ducted the services, and explained the nature
of faith in a familiar. .and very impressive
manner.. Rev. Mr. Cummings, of Ohio, ex
pounded the parable of the two debtors. The
singing is,wretched in the extreme, and. one
is glad so few sing. The Christians among
them have a aornmittic on worship; but they
are not, very. active ; for_ on exploring the
quarters of a - Misiissippi 'regiment, I found
the had never heard that ::daily„ preaching
had been going on for their benefit for a fort,
night. They generally dem:lied pleased with
they invitation ut many said they were so
restless 'in mind b .
about their., families, that
they could not attend; to preaching, nor in
deed sit still throug i . errnon. All eagerly_
accepted tracts:and ' l ers. The IriSh regi
ment received me in their barracks with the
cordial hospitality and native' politeness - of
the'Emerald isle, andinllaceepted tracts save
one ; who apologiied, " An' 'share its me`ayes
that's-sore with Taydirt! - for want of betther
employment"-
. , Onapproaohing the- hodpital buildings; I
heard a group-of men cursing very, boister
grisly, and drawing near,- I. sew a disorderly
pile of coffins. with, their ends to the door,
and the wagon booming up, which soon after
conveyed them to the silent tomb. I endea
vored to obtain a moment's decent attention
to a word . of Wirth)** but - ,was interrupted
with an - inquiry if I Was:an:abolitionist, and
a proposal, to discuss politics. - The :seal:idea.
lous heartlessness of - k secession- Snrgeons,
which compelled,. Dr. Miner to report them
to General Ilalleck, IS 0n1y....0f a piece with
this sullen cerelesSeess, even and -defiance of
the ordinary degenci " X intern - lent.
'Thelitieialn 4 0 ' hospitals, about four
hundred; are by far t . A mosthopeful hearers
of the - Gospel. Man of them are -very ill,
and conscious of their danger. I was direct
ed to several who hti,d. , -earnestly wished to
see a minister. ;One ; poor man could scarcely
allow me to:leave, and sent for me n -again. to
explain to him the way of salvation. " But ifl should, die to-night," . said he, "whit
Would - become `of me,;for I have been a very
rowdy character 1" - '2 , ik. man - had died - beside
hiruthe nightbeforeilind in= the corner' an-
Other'was then-dying; and making the-ward
resound with his prayerszfor -mercy. :As; he
knew not how,to praY,,lrepeated.the 51st
Psalm. " Oh," said, he, "'that is what I
want.. " I wish that, prayer was written
down, that I could read it over." I told him
it _was written down already for, his use, and
that if there was a'Bible in the hospital; he
would find it in - the Oar-Psalm. On inquir
ing, however, theri ioasinot a Bible in that
hospital, where_4n, lay dying ; nor so-far
eel - couldind;l.inii,' f the others. Copies
na l
t ofthe NestamentwitliT alms - have since b,cen
supplied by.the.Chipago Bible Society,to the
hospitals. The American. Reform Tract So
ciety, of Cincinnati, sent,,me. a large package
age of tracts. I reserved' those entitled
The, Sinner's Friend for the hospitals, and
as. soon as a young Man replied to an inquiry
as' to- the character of the 'books,. "These are
sinners! books,." nipay.-8, hand was-stretched
out for them; an& Many alcordiali q Thank
you ; friend," and sometears, attested the
suitableness. of the, gift. r They that : belvhole
have nuneed of a piisician, but they that
;are sick. ,Pray far tie sick prisoners and
soldiers in Camp Bo glas—five or six die
every day. R. P.
—Banner' of the Covenant - ' -
intE PRUCIPA OUNNINGIWIL
A REMINISCENCE.
AliouT eight or nine years Ago, on a sum
insr Sabbath afternoon, between services, a
young man rambled through the inviting
pathways of the Glasgow Necropolis. Thii
panorama of tombstones forms an instructive
and pleasant page in a day's devotions. A
tall, largely-built gentleman; very plainly
dressed; came across. the' wanderer!s path.
" Can you tell me where 'Motherwell's tomb
is situated ?" he asked, .as they met. The
youth was startled. Ile had taken a peculiar
interest in that tombs ba i lie had never met
with such an inquiry, nor had he even noticed
anything peculiar, in the demeanor of those
wham he had s'een,comenpon the, monument
by,chatice., llesmiled with a little self--coat-'
placency, and said to himself,"Here is some
farmer who his been reading ' , Jeanie Morri
,son,ll.arl.'hai...come n0w.40, pay his humble
t0'...113.e !sweet singer's JnOmeti"..7= - .
o:iersought - the ,spot together, their conyer
sation was .about the poet., but the ;young
man *aslumbled as he listene4 to the ex
climati ens of his coMPaniOn," when be pointed
to the' bust of the Icelvinside bard. The'
stranger stood; hat in - hand; evidently loSt
in deep meditation, but anon-breaking forth
in enthusiastic eulogy. The youth thought
hiicompanion a:mystery. Here, as in every
thing about which they conversed, he found
one who, could always tell him, ,something he
had never before heard, and this in so kindly
and undogmatic a style, that he was fain to
linger. near, the stranger a little longer. The
two went over part.of the c,emeterytogether.
They wanted - to agree in goingto the same
chnrch ;
,and the merits of the various preach
ers accessible - were rather freely discusSed—
a-theme whiChr-the-stranger seemed inclined
to allOw his young friend to indulge onte his
full bent. Sectarianism was disclaimed ea
gerly by both. The one gave preference to
the Free, and the other to the,United Pres
!bgerian Church. The younger proposed a
visit, to Norman McLeod ;and to the Barony
Church Close by - they bent their stePs. The,
sermon was a very able one, and at the close
the birly- stranger was marl; in his expres
sions of admiration to his companion. TheSe
two had become friends ; and they passed the
;rest of the day tggether. After:exhausting,
the, local knowledge of his.guide, the stranger
heaan to, speak of-personal matters. He in
quired after
-the -views of his companion—
what profession, what part of the world ?- The
:press—anyWhere. !Then it, was thatthe sym
pathies of the simple-Mindek,godlY man wexe
drawn out:
,'" Young man," he " I can
give you counsel that will serve you. I look•
.to my own experience, and hell you , to per
:severe. Whatever peculiar study ,engages
:you, be constant in your. efferts:to excel in
it. It does not so much depend on abilities,
this battle of rife; it is gained by persever
ance. 1,, am no*.heginiting to consider myself
latat - in 'any
branch of study I might yet Benefit my fellow'
men, I. would master it." They had con
versed-of the acquisition` oflanguage. He
added:-" Now, as to language, you are
young. No language shonld be, toe hard for
you. Xour, might master warty. Cultivate
courage in looking at them. They are at
your feet. 'For my part—andTl speak from
my heart, and without egotism—l speak
from nay labors and 'experience—there . is
only: one known language I would not take
in hand—Chinese. lam too old now to
think of that. But if you will promise to
persevere with Hebrew, Greek, or Latin,
count ; upon my assistance. If you continue
the study of continental languagei I can
serve you by devoting time to your 4ssist
mice .should you come to Edinburgh."
a way that—even though the youth did not
know his position, not even his name—con
vinced him, as his enthusiasm kindled,> that
his companion's words were-well weighed,
and worth treasuring, he, then offercd;to fur,
-flier the ends the young 'Man. might aim at,
by any means in his power. •
These friends of a day parted as if they
had. been school-fellows. ",Goed bye. 'Re - -
member i Cunningham. &bd bless you!
Willi am Cunningham, Reverend Will am Cun
ningham,
_I charge you to mine' and see me,
With a cordial shakenf-the hand they parted.
Their - footsteps - have:since-Item in different
parts of God's earth. The pupil was not
worthy of 'his Master..;,But the lesson was
not altogether thrown away. They never
met- again, though many, a time,
amid the
perplexities and troubles_ of life, has the stu
dent reeatled the great Principal's Siniple,
kindly; manly Wordy of wisdom, and recalled
them ever to find coMfort and heartening in
them; and ,still the very badily presence of
the man Seems near; like a guardian - friend,
and' in' tinies - of dirknees the: nebleSorni rises
up like '"a sheltering , powcr.4-EdinhurvA Wit-,
nesik Alt
PAVIA "A - MAli IN:4:311111ST."-
"YE seek a proof of- Christ- speakirig , in
3113.e,10m,y8 _the Apostiqr, 2 , Corinth. -3:
Prove your own selves:-; knew ye not that
Jesus Christ is in you unless ye be unproved
_
—reprobates? :'•
This style of speech isnet employed in the
Old. Testament It can be traced to• the in
fluence of , no Jewish sehools-or sects; Neither
among Pharisees nor'Sadducees, nor Essenes,
is there 'to found, -anything like it. It is
as utterly unknown to.any Rabbinical as to
any classical usage. ,
.What, then, is , its fair
meaning?.
have
it not.be ';that ,modern
times we have fallen below it, have treated
it too - mach as a. mere figure, or if it lie a
figure, have suffered our rationalizing`glasses
to warp us away from that most inward . and:
, vital significancei which alone could have.de
manded and made universal so strange a
metaphor ? We venture to .say that this is
now the great question of the Church, Until
this matter of interpretation is-sett:led, our
'other polemics are comparatively of little ,
importance. Let it be, once thus Settled
real and not merely rhetorical acCordance
with primitive , and manyother eo
loginal discords Might be -resolved 'that now
seem .utterly unmanageable. .
It was ...certainly 'something more than a
figure to the Writer who .Eiô eiteniiively. em
ploys it. The P.aulirke ;language and the
Pauline doctrine - seemwholly built upon it,
too, grows out'all. the Apostle's personal"'ex
perienae. He talks like a man who would
seem 'to have, in some Measure, lost his old
personal identity. There -is still the contin
uity of memory and consciousness; the old
°Adam is indeed wal remembered,Sut along
=liel
with all this there is a new humanity, as real
and as vital. as they first. After his conver
sion he is no longer Saul of Tarsu.s,'but " a
man in Christ." "I know a-man in Christ,"
he says—so it should be rendered, and not I
knew--"I know a man in Christ who was
caught up to the third heaven : " "Of such
an one will .1 glory, but of myself (my old.
self) I will not glory." How few are the
verses we cane read continuously in the
writings of this fervid christian without find
; ing something to remind us of :this idea ?
Whatever may be the matter or doetrine
treated of, how soon does it come round to
that loved name so constantly identified with
his new personal being, - Christ Jesus or in
his own soft Syriac Vernacular, Yesu Alleskiho,
so oft in, its occurrence beyond what is to be
found in any other parts of the Bible! Place
the Pauline epistles where we may, they
I might be detected, without other proof, by
•
the. very, sight of thiaword striking' the eye
tWorirt:Page; , an4 rn g almosteryfryer,se, -
r Nye are authorized to judge by:the force
and frequency, and tenderness with which
he employs it, Christ was in Paul as really
and truly as he ever walked by the sea of
or talked with his disciples in the
flesh; as really and truly as he personally
died on, the cross, and rose again from the
dead. •
We study Christ in Paul, may we venture
to say it ? The writer would speak with
caution here, and yet the opinion may be
advanced, that we learn more of Christ, of
the mind` andheart of Christ, as he is mani
fested in - this noble Apostle, than in the re
cords of the evangelists themselves. He comes
nearer to us, we see him more distinctly, we
converse with him ,more intimately, he. is
more tender, - more human, as thus • seen in
-the Christ-bearing " disciple, than in his
outward' words and acts as recorded in the
Gospel - narrations. By such language we
do not underrate , those precious portions of
the Scripture. 'Christ is near to us, very
near to us , as he appears in his life on earth •
he still nearer to us—may we venture to
say it V—as he is risen in the church.. As God
the Father comes to us in Christ, so-may
we not venture reverently- to say ?—Christ
comes nigh to us, in his, holy people, is the
souls of true Christians, and, above all, as
he is so brightlymanifested in the words and
ants of him who labored more than all, and
who, whilst - rejoicing' in. the =new life, was
ever willing to give his earthly life for the
Lord Jesus:—Divin e Human in the Scrip
tures. -
THE ORIGIN or SALVATION
IT is the rich mercy of God, This is the
origin of the Gospel method. God acts in
mercy, in, rich mercy, when he saves sinners
like us. It is not in justice, though not con
trary to it. It is not goo4eis merely. It
is goodness of a new and peculiar kind 11.. Ur
dirrethre' tote:0186'11f good=will those
who have not merited- good-will.- And the
mercy, the rich mercy which saves us, is -the
exeraise of God's good-will toward-those who
have merited anger and punishment, This
,peculiar to. the Gospel system and °pers. , -
tions. There is nothing like it anywhere
else. When I, go out among the works of
God, and, witness a thousand operations'which
diffuse happiness over his fair and, bright
creation, I see testimonies enough that God
is
,good. I find no contrivance •or operation
designed wholly, and -working wholly to pro
duce unhappiness. True, I find hearts bleed,
ing, and know the sensibilities which make
them bleed were planted in them by God.
gilt I know, too, that the same sensibilities
are needful as qualifications for felicity ; and
that a heart which, in such a world as this,
could not be sad,' could not be happy. More-
over, I find proofs enough within me and
without me, that there is such a thing as the
joy of grief—something like many recollee
tions.oLthe.past,, a&sweetes they re Mourn
fat to the soul. 'Arid especially I find in-the
clustering, though qualified' felicities of the
world, that its Maker has done much to make
it happy. I find *direct proofs of this. All
the utilities of the vegetable world, for ex
ample, could have been compassed by God if
no Divine pencil had touched, with rich and
sweet coloring, the blossoms of the spring
time. Those hues- of beauty which do- so
much to' please the eye are not needful for
fruits or timber. " God could have, caused
both without them.- In such things ;in the
thousand tasteful adorning& of his universe:;
in.the felicities of the wild-bird that carols
on`the wing ; in the felicities of the beast
Upon his sunny hills; of the inhabitants of
the sea whe Sport from its azure surfape down
to =the' depths;Of the oceart's bed ; we find in
disputable testimonies Of the goodness of the
Deity. These testimonies (I am not going to.
undervalue them) may be token's of 'mercy. I
meanthey may be hints flung out to man to
make ,the Friquiry; whether in God'their. author.
there may not hi - goOKas Which sh,4l,t - each
t 6 the sinfully,' unworthy: But nothing an
swers this inquiry, The earth, the heavens,
are silent. In all the universe there is not
the least item of proof that the 'goodness -of
God Will-ever -save the guilty. - This good
ness—and it is rich mercy—is revealed solely
in the Gospel. Salvation on this account
becomes a.very different thing tome. I see
in. it- the rich, mercy 01-God. I see God,
its author, operating in a new field" and on
new principles, 'in such a way ad he ope
rates' nowhere - else ; for I see the atonement
of the Divine Redeemer, and the special ope
rationa
_of :the Holy Ghost. This attaches
me to salvation by a new tie, an unequaled
demonstration`of God's love for me. It gives
me a new lesson about the Deity. It demon
strates to me, what, all God's goodness, to
creatures on earth and to angels in heaven
Could not demonstrate. For it shows me that
the Divine goodness operates to reach those
deserving of punishment and anger. Mercy,
rich mercy is the origin °Cray salvation. No
thing else could originate it. God never did
anything else like it. God acts here as he
acts nowhere else.;.and I feel myself bound
to him by -a loftier principle than any which
binds an archangel in heaven, If sin, is the
greatest evil, salvation is the greatest of all
God's,wonderfulachievements. For memercy
eimiates: for me sinner, a wanderer from
God, whore. justice not only, but all God's
other Ooisiness Would properly have left to
the eternal-'wages of sin—rich mercy inter
venes,,and originates the salvation of God.
—.Dr Spencer.
'Feaey is like fire, a good servant .but a bad
GENESEE EV.ffGELLST.;-=Thole No. 829
'TARE PONS, IN. RELIGION,
-The friends-of a man sick with the palsy
desired to bring him to Jesus that he might
be cured. At first they were unable to do
it, because of the crowd by which our Lord
was surrounded. What, then, did they do ?
"They went upon the housetop, and let him
down through the• tiling, with his couch, into
the midst before Jesus." At once their ob
ject was gained. Our Lord's attention was
drawn to their sick friend, and he was healed.
By pains,, and labor, and perseverance, his
friends succeeded in obtaining for him the
mighty blessing, of a complete cure.
The importance of pains and diligence is a
truth that meets our eyes on every side. In
every calling, and vocation, and trade, we
4110 that labor is one great secret of success.
It is not `by luck or accident that men pros
per, but by hard working. Fortunes are not
mad iithout trouble and-attention i by bank
-6-s and merchants- Practiee is not secured
without diligence and study by lawyers and
physicians. - The principle is one with which
the children of this' world are perfectly fa
miliar. It is one of their favoiite maxims,
that there are " no gains without pains."
Let us thoroughly understand that pains
and diligence are just as essential to the
well-being and prosperity of our souls as of
our bodies. In all our endeavors to draw
near to God, in all our approaches to Christ,
there ought to be the same determined ear
nestness whiCh was shown by this sick man's
friends. We must allow' no difficulties to
check us, and no obstacle to keep us back
from anything which is really for our spirit
ual good. Specially must we bear this in
mind in the matter of regularly reading the
Bible, hearing the' Gospel, keeping the Sab
bath holy, and private prayer. On all these
points we must beware of laziness and an ex
cuse-making spirit.- Necessity must be the
mother of invention. If we cannot find means
of keeping up these habits in one way, we
must in another. But we must settle in our
minds that. the thing shall be- done.
health of our soul is at stake. Let the crowd
of difficulties be what it may, we must get
through it. If the children of this world
take so much pains about a corruptible crown,
we ought to take far more pains about one
that is incorruptible.
Why is it that 63 many people take no
pains in religion? Hew is it that they can
never find time for praying, Bible reading,
and hearing the Gospel ? What is the secret
of their continual string of excuses for. neg
lecting means of grace ? How is it that the
very same men - who are full of zeal about
money, business, pleasure,: or politics, will
take no trouble about their souls ? The an
swer to these questions is short and simple.
These men are not in earnest about salva
tion.: They have no sense of spiritual dis
ease. They have no consciousness of re-
Aiiirinea!Spiritualghysician. They do not
Tea that their - Sotds' hfc, in danger of dying --
eternally. They see no use in taking trouble
about religion. In darkness like this thou
,sands live and die. Happy, indeed, are they
who have found out their pekil, and count all
things lOss if they - may only win Christ, and
be found in hiin
TEARLESS EYES.
Cc GOD shall wipe away all tears from their
eyes. Ihe expression is one of exquisite
tenderness and beauty. The poet Burns said
that he could never read this without being
affected to weeping. Of all the negative de
scriptions of heaven, there is no one perhaps
that would be better adapted to produce con
solation than this. This is a world of weep
ing—a vale of tears. Who is there of the
human family that has not shed a tear ?
Who that has not wept over the grave of a
friend, over - his own Aoss4 and cares, over
his diadlipoititmonts, ove'i the - treatment he
has received' from others, over his sins, over
the follies; vices, and woes of his fellow-men?
And what a- .change it would make in our
world, if it could be said that henceforward
not another tear would be shed, not a head
would ever be bowed again in grief T. Yet
this is to be the condition of heaven. In that
world there is to be no pain, no disappoint
ment, no bereavement. No -friend is to lie in
dreadful agony on a sick-bed ;no grave is to
be opened to receive a parent, a wife a child;
no gloomy prospect of death is to draw tears
ofsorrow from the eyes. To that blessed
world, when our, eyes run down with tears, we
are permitted to look,forward ; and the pros
pect of such a world should contribute to wipe
away our tears here,—for all our sorrows
will soon be over. Amidst the trials of the
present life, when-friends leave us, when sick
ness comes, when our hopes are blasted, when
calumnies and reproaches come upon us,
when—standing on the verge of the grave,
and looking down into the cold tomb—the
eyes pour,forth floods of tears, it is; a blessed
privilege to be permitted to look forward to
that, brighter scene in heaven, where not a
pang shall ever be felt, and not a tear shall
ever be shed.
" Jerusalem I my happy home I
When shall I come to thee?
W hen shall my sorrows have an end 7. -
Thy joys when shall I see ?
0 happy harbour of the saints I
0 sweet and pleasant soil !
,In thee no sorrow may be found,
No grief, no care, no toil I
We that are here in-banishment
Continually do moan;
We sigh and sob, we weep• and wail,
Perpetually we groan.
Our sweet is with bitter gall,
Our pleasure is but pain;
Our joys scarce last thejooking on,
Our sorrows still remain.
•
Jerusalem, my happy home I
Would God I were in 'thee I
Would God my woes - weie at, an end,
' Thy joys that I might see.":
—(Barnes's Notes on tha Revelation.)
PARDON is God's family`blessing, and the
peculiar mercy of his: choicest 'darlings ; he
hands out other things to wicked men, but
he deals out this only to.his children.
It is impossible a gracious heart can read
a pail:me with dry eyes it is the least it
thinks it can do
'
as it were like Mary Mag
dalene, to . wash. Christ'sJeet with its tears,
when it hath wadied itself with b.is' blood.