Bte §?wlwlaiBi New Series, Vol. VI, ISTo. 5. Strictly in Advance $2-50, Otherwise $3. I Postage 20cts, to be paid where delivered, j fwmratt igralnilraait. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1869. DOES OFR DISCIPLESHIP COST FS ANYTHING 1 While religion is not purchasable by self denying service or sacrifice as a meritorious cause, sacrifice is inseparably connected with religion, as an essential condition. It has nearer place .to the gospel than a prefix. Contest, however close, does not name it. It issues out of religion—is its product and fruitage. The very conditions of spiritual life, if they be truly met, will com pel a daily crucifixion. To bring the sluggard soul to activity ; to break the idolatrous spirit away from its idols; to quell and overmaster and put away the lusts of the natural heart that are so clamorous for indulgence; to wage warfare with all that is evil; to oppose the prevailing ten dencies to sin in the individual life and in the life of the world; to stand as a witness for Je sus, a living epistle, that men may read every day with no danger of false guidance, bringing no reproach upon the dear Lord and no harm to his precious cause; to have the life of God in the soul a reality, a power, a vital force, antag onizing all worldliness and selfishness and earthli ness, and pushing us out to all Christian activi ties; to do all Christ-like,work in a Christ-like spirit and with Christ-like fidelity and constancy in this utterly Christ liko world; surely this is an impossibility without sacrifice. And there can be no real spiritual life where this is not sought to be done. • Self-denial is the essential law of the gospel. “ Take up thy cross daily,” is Christ’s command to every believer. “ Deny thyself" arches the very entrance gate to the narrow way of Life. It is written in letters of living light all along and on either side that narrow way, clear up to the gates of the new Jerusalem and city of God.- Our Gospel, with all its freedom and with all its joy, promising rest to the weary and beauty for ashes and gladness for bitterness, is nevertheless a cross-signed, yoke-bearing, burden-imposing gospel. It is the gospel of the crucifixion. And the crucifixion is not only at Calvary’s cross. It is in human hearts and lives —the crucifixion of sin and self—the crucifixion of pride and lust— the sacrificing to God at a cost. “ Whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after me, can not be my disciple." It becomes us to inquire whether we have not measurably lost sight of this great gospel condi tion. Does our Christian disoipleship cost us anything? Do we know anything of “daily’? cross-bearing for our dear Lord's sake? What does the Church think about this ? ' What do indulgence-loving, ease-consulting, world-con forming, pleasure-taking Christians think about it ? Let us be specific, and not lose the force of the truth in generalities. Apply this law of self-denial to Christian be nevolence. By what rule do we commonly decide the measure of our liberality ? How many are there in the Church, continuing to give up to the point of giving at a cost —until giving compels the denial of some cherished gratification ? It may, indeed, pinch some souls to give at all: the least of their contributions to the Lord’s treas ury being doled out in beggarly pittances from plethoric pockets with great reluctance. Here is self-denial, indeed, resulting from the violent wrench that conscience sometimes gives to covet ousness ; but it is hardly the cross-bearing enjoin ed of Jesus. And even where we see tbe “cheer ful giver,” is it common to find him going up tbe scale of Christian beneficence and adding to the sum of his contribution until he says, “ If I give that, I shall feel it; but I will not offer what costs me nothing ” ? Some of God’s poor do it. Their untrumpeted mites, given of want, most sweetly exemplify this spirit of Gospel self-de nial. But if the Church at large did it, what a grand impetus Christian evangelism would have in this country and the world! Again; apply this law of self-denial to Chris tian work. There is such work —needed work— that waits to be done —that must be done, or men must die. Work with a cross in it. Work that shall sweat the brow, and tii< the muscle, and go against natural inclination, and breast the cur rent of easy desire and brave a shower of a rainy Sabbath, and confront with God’s truth the im penitent and the unsaved, and make our altars and our closets wrestling places and scenes of sore conflict, instead of places of lame and lazy and effortless petition. We can work when we have a natural taste for the work. But what if it be self-denying work, to do which will cost some tiling, and jostle us out of our accustomed paths of self-indulgence, and send us to God for help? We can pray, when to pray is simply to go through with the phraseology of prayer. That, is at no cost. But the men that have moved God, have been at some , expense of.time and effort and struggle and strong crying and tears. Is our praying after this sort ? Worldly work has self-denial enough; should it have so monopoly of it ? Is not the Church of the living God, of all places, where it should be most manifest ? And here, if we be truly pos sessed with the Spirit of the Master, ought ,we not to be led to cheerful sacrifice ? Religion is love, And God is love. And he that dwelleth in love, dwellebh in God, and- -God in him. And love’s diVinest ; office- is: to -suffer. And the divinest expression of all this was when our suffering Saviour, took up his cross, saying: “ Lo, I come : I delight to do thy will, O my God.’’ Can we stand blessed and. folded about in that suffering love of His, and yet' know nothing of self-denial for Him ? Can we expect' all the benefits of his cross, and yet carry no cross? Ah, we should be ashamed pf forever seeking ont smooth paths, and forever avoiding Tough places in all that relates to work for God. Burdens should be uplifted - under love’s, glad inspir ation. Crosses should be upborne and carried, because somehow it was the way the Master trod. The spirit of self-denial should have its- spring in tbe love of the soul for Jesus and in the hun ger of the soul to be like Him. Standing-be neath the cross and looking up into : the face of the Man of Sorrows, it should be in 'our hearts to say, “ All for Thee, 0 Lord ! Qh my Josus, attfor Thee!” V \ 11. J. APOSTOLIC BENEDICTION In reply to an article written by us on the above subject, and .published in the Ameri can Presbyterian, December 17, 1868, we have received a letter from,a Western brother, who signs himself W. M. S. This brother, dif fers from us in three very important particulars. Pirst, He is not a D. D. f and is grieved to think we have such an appendage. Second, He i-i Pastor in Vergenries,. 111., *,and we in North Broad street, Philadelphia; and. thirdly—He does not believe in the Apostolic Benediction, and we do. As to the 'first two of those distinctions, they are irrelevant to the subject, and we therefore dismiss them, with this single remark that we care as little for titles'and positions, probably, as our brother; and while he congratulates himself on his freedom from such burdens and responsi bilities, he ought to treat compassionately those upon whom they have been thrust unsought. A D. D., or an LL. D., may at some time", be .im posed upon him, and then, unless he has' the power or the courage of good Mr. Barnes, he may be forced to carry the tail, even if he does not wiggle it. Yery likely he would wiggle it some. But-now to the main subject—the Benedic tion. Let us briefly consider these questions : What is the nature and design of the Benedic tion ? What should be its form ? Who ■ may use it ? How should it be given and received ? 1. In considering its nature and design we must also inquire into its history. It was a com mon thing for the Patriarchs to pronounce a solemn blessing upon their children, especially when they were dying. Melchisedec pronounced a blessing upon Abraham. This he did in his official capacity. This blessing was regarded, by Paul as important, and perhaps, we may infer from his words—Heb. 7 : 7, “And without all contradiction the less is blessed of tbe greater”— that it was a customary thing for the Priest in that day to pronounce an official blessing. In the Levitieal times we find tbe High Priest Aaron, and his sons, were comrhanded to pro nounce this blessing upon the people : “The Lord bless thee, and keep thee ! The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be..gracious unto thee! The Lord lift up his countenance Upon thee, and give thee peace !” Numbers 6 : 24- 26. And then, by way of explanation it is added; “ And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them.” Just when this ceremony was performed we do not know, but we perceive it is like that pronounced by the Patriarchs and Melchisedec, a blessing and not a mere prayer. It is argued by some that there is in this blessing a recognition of the doctrine of the Trinity—that the three parts of this Levi tical blessing may be ' considered as referring to the blessing of Jehovah the Father as the Great Protector, of Jehovah the Son as the author and source of mercy and love, of Jehovah the Spirit from whom emanates peace. We next notice the direction given by Christ to his disciples when they entered a' house— They were to say, “ Peace be to this house”— And He himself when He appeared among the discipleß after His resurrection said : “ Peace be unto you.” PHILADELPHIA, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1869. . Then come the Pauline benediction and salu tations. The one in 2 Cor. 13: 14 is the fullest in form, and is usually called “ the Apostolic Benediction,” “The Grace, of tlie Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the‘communion of the Holy. Ghost be with you ail-,” Carefully look at all these from Abraham to Paul, and you will notice these characteristics: They are not prayers, but blessings—^ The person speakingmay include himself, as dpJjbtlesp, Aaron' did, when he pronounced the Benediction the congregation of Israel." * Bnt he’stishclsdn the .place of God." He" speaks as "one haying a.holy authority and commission.,. Solemnly he puts the divine name upon those whom he addresses, and blesses, them, in the name of the Lord.,. , , Now do you ask . whfence we derive our au-‘ thority for closing our Sanctuary service with' what, is'called* the Benediction ? We reply, we" cannot tell. The."'."ijible does noji make it necessary. There is iio positive law about this .matter given upon the sa'crea page, by which we and the Church in all tiines are to he governed. Yet if is an old custom. For aught’ we know tb the contrary it. comes down to us from the Apos tles. In inany'churches in the commencement of divine service, there is a salutation given, as there is a blessing at the close. In some, the benediction’ js "pronounced at the close" of the order for public prayer. This is the'ease in the liturgies of 1 the Greek, Roman arid English Ser vice. In our age it is regarded as the proper mode of dismissing a religious assembly, and hence, by all' deriorhinations of Christians it is. so used, arid, when, a miriister of Christ is present, he is usually invited" to conclude a religious exerciseand 1 oftentimes pne which is,‘secular in its,nature; with the Benediction. • 11. What should be the form of the Benedic tion ? Very many are presented in the Bible, to soirie of which we have alluded. If these are "used, let them be quoted correctly. We do not like to have,hymns arid other hupVai' composi tions mangled, How much worse is it "to'distort or endeavor to improve upon the word of'God? The late Dr. Bethun'e, who was justly regarded by all who knew him, as a person of rare good taste, was always pleased 1 when' he heard the be nediction pronounced correctly, "arid frequently gave utterance to his commendation. But we do not consider it necessary'tb employ the language of Scripture. At our second service we often use this form: 1 “The blessing of the Triune God, the’Father, the Son, and the' Holy Spirit, be with you all! Amen !” But we db not say “ may the blessing, &0.,” or substitute * ms” for “h/ou,” simply because we do not think that would be a benediction, but a prayer. Are We 1 right or wrong?' We' stand open to convic tion. Undoubtedly any brother may, if he choose, conclude the service of the Sanctuary, as we heard one lately do, with the formula “ Glory be to the Father, the Son, arid the Holy Ghost.” We do not suppose in so doing he violated any ecclesiastical law. Blit was it the benediction whioh he pronouncedpjr simply a doxology? 111. Who may pronounce the Benediction ? We think only tbe ordained minister, and in this we find many agree with"us. Our form of gov ernment makes a distinction between the licen tiate or candidate, -and ,tbe bishop ,or minister. Tbe former cannot administer .the sacraments. He is only permitted to couie before the people on trial, as a probationer. See chapter XIV. So in the Episcopal Church. The Deacon is not in vested with full ministerial , power.. He cannot administer the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, although, as we think very inconsistently, he is permitted to administer the Sacrament of. Bap tism. And you will notice in the Book of Com mon Prayer, the morning and evening service, each, ends with the Apostolic Benediction in the form of a .prayer, the word “us” being substi tuted for ‘.‘you,” because these prayers may be read by tbe Deacon : —whereas the Communion Service which can only be performed by a priest or one invested with full ministerial authority, concludes with a benediction proper, or a bless ing pronounced upon the people. Unquestionably any father may pronounce a blessing upon bis child, any friend upon a friend. But in the sanctuary the minister is the one clothed with authority. This is evident from the language of our Saviour addressed to the early preachers. See John 20 :23. We differ from our Episcopal brethren who regard the pastor as a priest. We do not think, in the sacerdotal office, he is the successor of Aaron or Melchise dec. Christ now is the High Priest, and has made the great atotieihect, and as intercessors all Christians are denominated priests unto God. But we do think our Lord has appointed minis ters in the New Testament Church, and that they have some especial authority. There is a tendency now a days to break down all the old walls. May. we not be too progressive in this direction ? While flying from one extreme, may we not plunge'ihto the other? We believe in all Christians, working, praying and. preaching. But we are not prepared to close up our theological seminaries, demolish our" pulpits, and transform every Christian into a ininister, or every ordained minister.back again into a layman. IV.. Bfow should the blessing be given and! re ceived? . Unquestionably" with great reverence and "solemnity. The minister should feel he stands in the .place of Grid, and deliberately and tenderly should .pronounce the. blessing, in what ever form eb'oosps to put it, upon the people. They should regard it as a most important part of the service. There should be no lifting of' , j .- • i : C 3 hats, and adjusting of coats, and impatient pre parations made for leaving the house of God dufin'g this'exercise. The' assembly'should. bow their heads, and with 1 holy’awe, yet with holy jojr, feceive' the benediction of the - Triune God homing to them ■ from His servant. ’ Well is it said: As much Us the ministration of righteous ness exceeds' in glory the 'ministration