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Was John 11111 ton an Arlan ?
Tis question seems to be fully answered
in the negative in the following article ta
ken from the " Christian Treasury" of 1840.
It clearly explains the difference between
his views as expressed in the " Treatise on
Christian Doctrine and his maturer opin
ions
No doubt seems to have been entertained
of the stern theology of the author of Par
adise Lost, until about the commencement
of the present century, when a manuspript
was found, containing a kind of system of
theology, in which Arian opinions respect
ing the person of Christ are distinctly
avowed, and also some very crude and ex
travagant opinions on several other subjects..
As there seems to be little doubt about the
genuineness of this work, the only ques
tion of importance relating to it is, at what
period of Milton's life was this treatise
written ? If late in his life, then it must
be admitted to contain his matured senti
ments; but if early in life, the inference
is, that he changed his opinions after ma
ture study. The probability is, that this
was a juvenile production written soon af
ter his return from Italy; for had it been
the result of his maturer studies, there, is a
strong probability that he would himself
have given it to the world; for, though it
contained opinions differing from the com
monly received doctrines, 11Iilton was not a
man to conceal his opinions, or withhold
them, through fear of public censure or
clamour. Never existed a man of more
independent mind, and one more fearless
in publishing his real opinions. If ortho
dox opinions have been clearly and boldly
avowed in his maturor writings, the infer
ence seems probable that this treatise con
tains the early speculations of an ardent
and vigorous mind, which, though written
out with care, he. would never have con
sented to publish in the more mature pe
riod of his life. This opinion is expressed
by the author of a memoir of Milton, pre
fixed to his "Prose Works," published in
1845. This writer, in speaking of the
" Treatise on Christian Doctrine," says,
"That work he would never have given to
the press himself, and which is, on every
account l less worthy of praise than any of
his other productions [and) 'was probably
composed during the first years after his
return from Italy, and is the substanoe of
familiar lectures to his pupils on theology.
He had studied the nature 'of our Saviour
before his mind attained the strength of
its maturity, as some have looked upon the
sun until for a while their sight was dark
ened. In the end he was right. In none
of his great works is there a passage from
which it can be inferred that ho was an
Arian : and in the very last of his writings
he declares, that 'the doctrine of the Trin
ity is a plain doctrine in Scripture.."'
The author. does not refer us to the place
whence this testimony is taken ; but in his
work on "the Reformation in England,"
there is a remarkable prayer of this great
man, from which the following 4 an ex
tract :
" Thou, therefore, that sittest in light
and glory unapproachable, Parent of an
gels and men ! next then, I implore omnip
otent King, Redeemer of .thd last remnant •
whose nature thou didet assume, ineffable
and everlasting love I and thou, the third
Asistanoe of Divine Infinitude, illumining
spirit, the joy and solace of created things
ono tri-personal Godhead I look upon thin
thy poor and almost expiring Church,"
—Milton's Prose Works, vol. i., page 33.
Par the Presbyterian Banner
lan a Sinner, but God Holy,
Man was created holy, and endowed with
ability to remain holy. So far as we can
learn from the•Soripture account of Adam's
temptation and fall, there was no force used
on the part of' God to compel or induce
him to sin—no BUal weakness on the part
of Adam, as to render it necessary that he
should sin. He was able to stand, and
free to fall, according to his own free will.
He had sufficient grace to enable him to
resist temptation, if he had .only used it,
and special grace would have been given to
Cm if he had asked it. He did not seek
help from God. If he had, it would have
been given him, and kept him in safety.
He did not ask counsel of God, as his
servants should always do, in doubtful and
trying circumstances, and he made a sad
mistake. His strength wag that of a cm.
ture—it was not invincible, but it was.
sufficient, and all his natural tendencies
were in favor of holiness, He knew that
what he was tempted ,to do was forbidden
by God, and if he did not believe that it
would be followed with such consequences
as God had plainly assured him, and the
Devil denied, and believed that it would
be followed by ethers which were worth the
'venture, as the Serpent asserted, there is
no reason to blame God for the foolish and
wicked choice which Adam made. The
eternal purposes of God did not interfere
with this choice, so as to compel or induce
him to sin. God would have been glorified
by his standing, if he bad stood; and if he is
inure glorified by his recovery from the fall
than he would have been if he had not
fallen, the 'Bible does not teach that God
made it necessary in any way, by with
holding anything from Adam, to which he
was justly entitled as an intelligent, respon
sible being, to the absence of which his
sin can be traced, that he should fall be
fore temptation, in order that this result
might be attained.
We might have preferred that Adam's
holiness, or outown, should not be tried;
but we cannot condemn the trial when we
are furnished with the means of over
coming it. The power of choosing or re
fusing is necessary to the rational respon
sibility, the limited independence, with
which man has been endowed. God may
justly interfere with the freedom of our
will in conferring a favor, but not in inflict
ing a curse. In the exercise of sovereign
mercy he may constrain a sinner to be holy,
but he cannot constrain a holy creature to
become unholy, or a wicked person to be
come more wicked. He may put forth, his
power in mercy to save a sinner, even
though that sinner f's at the time unwilling
to be saved. Through the further influ
ences of the grace and Spirit of God, that
sinner shall thank and praise the loving,
powetil hand that was stretched forth to
rescue him from eternal ruin. But he
cannot, by a similar exercise of his sover
eign will, necessitate, by a direct act, the
Fin of man, in order to consign him to
eternal misery, and thus display his justice
and holiness in the destruction of the sin
ner, and heighten the effect of the display
of big love in the salvation of the righteous.
rtS ttrtalt attittr
4 1 ,
VOL. XII. NO. 27.
Although these results are attained in the
providence of God, yet they are not at
tained in this way. God did not make any
of his creatures oismv to be damned. This
awful destiny is the equitable t%s.ult of
man's sinful but voluntary choice. " God
made man upright, but they have 'sought
out many inventions."
The grace of God is as able now to save
any man that avails himself of it, as it was
sufficient for Adam, if he had used. it.
And this grace is offered to all, if we shall
ask and use it; and these offers shall all
the more vindicate the holiness of God, in
our condign punishment, if we decline to
comply with them. N.
The United States Christian Commission.
WARRENTON, March 10, 1864.
W. P. Weyman, Esq., Receiver of Chris.
than Commission, Pittsburgh:
In company with Bro. Caldwell, I reach
ed Washington City, Saturday evening,
Feb. 6th. We spent the Sabbath in visit
ing Ambulance Camp ; Camp Barry, and
Soldiers' Rest—preaching, and conversing
with the men as we had opportunity. Mon
day morning we were sent to the front, and
directed to establish a station at Warren
ton. This is the capital of Fauquier Coun
ty, Va. It must have been a desirable
place to live, before the war. The location
is healthy, and the surrounding country rich
and beautiful. Some of the most aristo
cratic families of Virginia resided here.
But the place has been occupied, in turn, by
both contending armies, and been the scene
of fierce conflict, and has no longer the
appearance it once had. The troops sta
tioned here at present are mostly cavalry,
commanded by Gen. Gregg; and form-the
extreme right wing of the army. Up to
this time, but little had been done by the
Christian Commission for the e avafry in
the field. The impression prevailed that
owing to their migratory habits, but little
could be done; and as there are but few
chaplains among them, they' have been
almost entirely destitute of the means of
grace, and wickedness abounds to a fearful
extent. But these soldiers had heard of
the Christian Commission, and upon our
arrival, made us welcome. We were per
mitted by the authorities to occupy rooms
in the 'Court House. We at once com
menced an evening prayer-meeting, gather
ing into our first meeting about fifteen or
twenty . men. During the day we circulated
the printed page, and conversed with the
men as we could.
It was plain, from the first, that God's
Spirit was at work, and that we had but
little to do but to step forward and reap the
fruit. A soldier, who is now a consistent,
happy Christian, stated that he came to
our.fiht meeting, more from a spirit of cu
riosity than any thing else; but before the
meeting was over, had become so deeply
sensible of his guilt and danger,
that with
out leaving the house he sought a retired
place, and there remained on his knees
until he had found peace. It was soon ev
ident that there were many anxious souls.
The room in which we were meeting (the
Sheriff's office) could not contain the num
ber who desired to attend.' We obtained
permission to occupy the court-room. This
was soon filled to overflowing. Our meth
od is to preach a sermon each evening, and
then spend an hour in prayer and confer
ence with those who are concerned about
their salvation. This meeeting is at once
thrown open to the soldiers, who occupy
the time either in prayer, or telling how
they feel with regard to the subject of re
ligion. I will give you, from my Diary, an
example or two out of many : •
J. L., a private soldier, arose and said :
" Last night, in company with four others,.
I was in a tent until midnight, engaged in
prayer. I met that same company two
weeks ago in that tent, for a different pur
pose. I was a gambler, and a lover of every
vice, I am a child of pious parents and of
many prayers. Until I entered the army
I was what might be called a moral young
man ; but I soon gave way to camp vice.
Since I entered the service, I at one time
narrowly escaped death by the falling of
my horse. While I lay .beneath him, and
expecting every moment to be crushed to
death, I solemnly vowed to God, that if he
would rescue me, I would forsake sin and
live for him. Strange to say, no sooner
was I relieved than I began to curse and
abuse niy horse, and entirely forgot my
promise to God; and from this I learn that
no man can be scared into religion. Dur
ing the first evening I attended these meet;
ings, that whole scene came before my
mind, almost for the first time since it oc
curred. I was struck with a sense of my
ingratitude and wickedness, and that too,
not from any thing I heard said; for I
hardly heard any thing that night. I went
home praying, and. resolved as I was abeut
to lie down that I would seek Christ before
the next night. . Suddenly it occurred to
me that I might not live until morning,
and I was not fit to die, I at once resolved
that I would not sleep until I had found the
Saviour. No sooner had I made this reso
lution, than I felt the burden removed—l
felt that I could love Jesus. I can now
say that I am happy. I never knew what
happiness was, until now. Fellow-Soldiers,
come and give yourselves to Jesus."
Another case the same evening. Capt.
McG, arose and said : " Before I came into
the army, I had a hope that I had experi
enced religion; and for some time after I
came into the army, I prayed and encour
aged others to pray. But the vices of
camp-life were too many for me. I own
with sorrow to-night that I have given way
to profanity, and lived as no Christian
should live. I do not think I am a coward,
but I am afraid to die without an interest
in Christ. I am resolved to seek my Sa
viour anew, and, from this time, make it my
great aim to reach heaven. I thank God for
the Christian Commission. Fellow-soldiers,
I know from sad experience that I can do
nothing without Divine help. Will you
not pray for me? Let me ask you to unite
with me in confession of guilt, and 'in
prayer to God for his mercy." And such
a prayer I hardly ever heard. • This same
beloved brother told me, also, that he
thought every man in his CoMpany, except
one, was now either a Christian or an anx
ious inquire.
Such has been the spirit of these meet
irgs, from the beginning. For the last two
weeks the work has been much hindered
by movements of the cavalry, amd by al
most daily rumors of an attack by the ene
my. Still God is with us. New cases of
conviction and conversion occur almost
daily.
I may add, for the encouragement of
friends at home, that the case here is
PITTSBURGH, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 1864.
not peculiar: In almost every place where
the Christian Commission has pitched a
tent, or where there is a faithful and earn
est chaplain, the same results to some ex
tent are seen. God - is at work, and you
realize how easy it is to convert a soul
when God does it. Let no one, however,
suppose from what I have said, that this
great army is turning en masse• to God.
Would that it were so. Wickedness still
abounds among officers and men, to an ex
tent little realized by friends at home.
Those who =turn are but as a drop in the
bucket, compared with those who go on in
sin. But"snrely, in this wide world, there
is no more encouraging field in which for
the Christian minister to labor. God bless
the dear soldiers.
JAMES Cr. RANKIN.,
[Original.]
Vac
To the Memory of Sergeant .Tohn Douglos, Killed
'at the Battle of Lookout Mountain; Nov. 24,1863.
Rest thee, dear brother! thywarfare is done,
Thy battles are fought,ond thy, victories won ;
Thy last foe is conquered, thy spitit hath flown,
Where the rude storm of battle shall never be"
known.
Far from thy kindred, thy friends, and thy home,
They left thee to lie on the field and alone ; -
No kind mother near thee, no sister stood by,' '
No father or brother—alone thou didst die.
Close by the mountain they laid thee to rest,
The turf of a traitor's land cov'ring thy breast ;
While through the dark cedars the Southern
winds sung, -
A dirge, soft and low, o'er the grave of the
young.
There thou didst sleep till we , brought thee once
. more
To the home thou didst love in the bright days
of yore;
Where.we, sad and mourning, consigned thee to
earth,
Beside thine own friends, in the land of'thy
birth.
Now thou dost- slumber where oft we can oome
With fragrant Spring-flowers to strew o'er thy
tomb ;
And plant a young willow, whose branches shall
wave
O'er the spot where reposes the bones of the
brave.
Gone to, thy rest ! but we mourn not for thee,
We know that frdm trouble and care thou art
free ;
Too noble to shrink when thy country did call,
" . 'For her thou didst fight, till for her thou didst
fall.
Farewell, dear brother! we'll see thee no more,
Until we shall meet on that beautiful shore;
Where, free from all sorrows, we ever shall rest,
In the land of the holy, the realms of the blest.
Amiens.
For the Presbyterian Banner
What Not to Do.
Lord Thurlow said: " I divide my work
into three parts ; part I do, part does itself,
and part I leave alone." hat work will do
itself, and what to leave alone, are interest.
ing questions, when so many useful and
important objects demand our attention.
The cry from society, the Church, and
the world, is, give, give; and unless, like
the man - of our text, we consider bur pro
posed work, all will be confusion.
Let us imagine ourselves just escaped
from death, and filled with joy and grad
tilde for our prolonged existence. What
work par excellence as. done, or not done,
would occur to us first! If our peace had
not been made with God, nothing besides
would appear of the least importance; no
confusion of ideas would exist as to the
work that ought to. occupy the first hours
of our spared lives. If this had 'been
done, perhaps the neglect to make a will,
by which injustice would have accrued to
some cause 'or individual, would present
itself. When relieved from immediate
fears of 'death, the next question which
arises is this, Though I did not die yester
day, and in mercy may not to-morrow, how
can I most profitably occupy my time? We
have then'been brought to number our days
and apply our hearts unto wisdom. What
we shall leave undone, troubles us no
longer. To secure eternal life—to live for
the God-man who has, through" suffering
and humiliation, given his life for is, and
deigned us personal assurance of his love—
to do our utmost for the welfare of our
fellow-creatures are undisputed duties.
Viewed from this stand-point, not only the
-fashions of this world, but many of its cark
ing cares, appear trivial, useless, and vain.
With the "single eye" we need not be
harassed with a multitude of requisitions
upon our time. With an enlightened con
science, and the infallible Word, we cannot
err in the main. The prayer, " Lord, what
wilt thou have me to do ?" has been gra
ciously answered, and nothing remains but
to pursue our work with cheerfulness and
diligence. L.G.S.
For the Presbyterian Banner
Wayside Meditations.
- v.—THE CROWN.
God says the crown of sweat shall rest
upon. the human brow.. Man says, a
crown of gold, full of honor. and renown,
shall be his guerdon. Angels may wear
crowns, and redeemed men in heaven shall
reign as kings and conquerors there. But
here the crown of gold would not be ap
propriate, for man is not a victor ; be has
lost his greatness and his glory, and must
bear the cross and labor and toil, with the
large beads of sweat for his crown, " until
the day dawn and the shadows flee away."
" In the sweat of thy .face shalt thou eat
bread, till thou return unto the ground,"
is God's declaration, and we toil, and
sweat, and wear the owly crown, until the
work is over, when, if Well done, we may
expect to go up to the place of rest, to
wear 'the golden crown forever.
Still we are not content with the crown
of sweat. We grow weary of our lowly
estate, and long to rise above it. And this
is well if we use the proper means. If we
are willing to trust all in the hands of the
the Blesse One who has laid down his life
to purchase the golden crown for us, and
who now offers it to us,
and go on patiently
enduring the crown of sweat, calmly wait
ing the evening's close, it is well; we shall
be lifted up, and the golden crown will rest
at last upon the glorified brow, and it will
be eternally brilliant and glorious. But
let us not try to prepare the crown with
-our own bands, for it will be a mockery and
a curse. Its gold will tarnish, its apparent
brilliancy will fade, and we will find, when
perhaps too late, the utter worthlessness
of all the works of our own hands in mat
ters of the soul's salvation.
YI.:---ABEL ENTERING REAVEN.
The martyr has fallen. Death has placed
his' signet on his brow. The parents,
stricken and stunned by this, first *pave-,
meat, prepare, in the midst of blinding,.
tears, to lay him to rest beneath a bank of
flowers. But it is bet the body that" re- ,
mains--the soul has !departed. 'lt isbit'
the temple—beautiful ' and symmetrical - ,
though it was—that has fallen; the irihab:
itant is far away. And while there iS '
mourning upon earth, there is - joy in':
heaven. A new songl.had been written:for ‘
the upper sanctuary, bat its swept* words.
and thrilling melodY.' hae. never' .echbedl
from angelic lips. A , mewgolden hart) had
been strung and tuned for thefbelestial
choir, but its chords have .neierqrsinbled
beneath the fingers of Seraphim. A starry
crown, twined with the amaranthine bays
,of heaven, is by, the side of the throne, but
it, has not yet been plaped upon a glorified..,
brow. There are se4ta there, too, that
have not hitherto boo occupied, and: they'
are seats of honor and - '
But now the martyred,o;ne is going up to 5
sing that song—to trill .that harp- 7 to wear
that crown—to be the:first to occupy those
seats. It must be a .npvvera in heaven's,
l y
history.. All is •trap. 4 ~and serene,. and.. ;
the very breezes of' h ,eti o dsenr4,l6koßrd
press their murmurs. There . is " silence,
in heaven!' The so s of Angela' cease,,
their harps are at rest lir . it, new element
'is about to be intro need. to the soeiety
and worship there. !The gate of pearl
opens on willing hinge; to be eloSed no
more. The martyr, bprrie on, angels' pin
ions through the vast ftpan.se, Lasses over '
the threshhold and takes his way through
the streets of the wild.en city, conveyed
still by angels, until be' approaches the
rainbow-encircled thrane.of light and glary.
Like all who have followed him to gloty
since, and all who are animated by the
same spirit as upon earth, he " would see
Jesus." Solitary and.alone. he- takes the
golden harp that has been strung for him, '
and bows low before that, .glorious throne.
Timidly at the first, does he make the sweet
echoes of its chorda, and with a tremulous
voice does he strike, the key-note of that
wondrous song that is now swelling and
reverberating in a mighty ocean of melody
throughout the couita . of heaven. He
sings that song alanebtit as he proceeds,.
the strain is no longerfaint and tremulous.
It recounts the victory. nd the trinnaph,.
and waxes lofty and jadlant. =lt celebrates'
redeeming mercy and fedeerning love and
the refrain is most joyous and triumplant.
0 Aber! Abel ! how sweet, how. joyous,
how.thrilling thy song, compared with the
low, jarring, broken ,htte,rances that echo _
in our sad hearts upon,earth I
Ana so "The New'Sol l ig" was first sung
in heaven. It is new still, although' earth
is growing old. It will be new when
the heavens . and the earth are rolled away .
as a scroll, and wheit the " new heavens -
and the new earth" shall be " unfolded in
their eternal beauty and glory." ETA.
Nor the Presbyterian Banner
Tile Loyd- of God.
. „ . .
- -
It is far beyond ourcomprehension. We
cannot estimate the ktight nor depth, nor
length, nor breadth,` ff the -love of Christ.
" Scarcely for a righteous man ; -will one die;
yet, peradventure, for a good man, some.
would even dare to die : but God commend
eth his love toward us, in that, while we
were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
" God so loved the world, that he gave his
only begotten Son, that whosoever believed
in him should not perish, , but have ever
lasting life." God loved the race of men'
so well, though rebels against hes laws, that
he gave his only begotten and well-beloved
Son. He will pour the vials of his wrath
upon his Son for the salvation of the sinner.
Jesus will endure the agony in the garden;
the taunts of wicked men ; the groans on
calvary, and the ignominious death of the
cross, for sinful, undeserving man. This
love begets love in us. "We loved him
because be first loved us." The 'Christian
has a love for Christ which passeth under
standing. He is not ashamed to acknowl
edge Jesus, nor to bear his cross. He asks,
Lord, what wilt thou have me do ? " Love
makes his cheerful feet in swift obedience
move." Love causes the mother-to hasten
at the cry of the child; and the same im
pulse moves the Christian at the call of
Christ. 'Tie this which makes God's peo
ple " willing—free-will offerings, in, the
day of his power." The love of Christ
constrains him to leave father and mother,
and wife and children, and lands, and all
things. He does not shrink from duties,
nor refuse to bear the cross which Christ
gives him. He is not intimidated by the
frowns nor threats of the wicked, who per
secute him for his religion. • He may be
sentenced to death for his adherence to
Jesus, yet he is not affrighted. Many
thousands of the followers of Christ have
sealed their testimony with their. blood,
when they might have avoided suffering by
a recantation. He adopts God's language, -
and says, "I will never leave thee nor for
sake thee: thou art dear to me as the apple
of mine eye." He may say, as Paul, " I
count not mine own life dear." He can say,
Who can separate us from the love of God?
"Shall tribulation, or anguish, or distress,
or peril, or the sword ? Nay; we are more
than conquerors, through him that loved
us."
God's love to us will never cease, and
our love to him will be. of the same dura
tion. "Many waters cannot quench love."
" Love is stronger than death." " Love
never faileth." Faith and hope shall cease;
but love remaineth forever. Through eter
nity Christians shall. sing the song of re
deeming love. B.
For the Presbyterian Banner
Board of Publication.
MESSRS. EDITORS :--It will be recollect
ed by most of your readers, that some two
or three years ago the Synod of Northern
Indiana passed a resolution, requesting the
Board of Publication to secure from. the
Rev. William Annan the copy-right of the
fourth edition of his work, "The Difficul
ties of Arminian 'Methodism," and to issue
it in cheap form for general circulation.
A similar resolution was adopted by the
Synod of Pittsburgh. That the expecta
tions of the public in this matter have not
been realized, is not the fault of the author
of the book, nor of the Board• of Publica
tion. The attention of the Board was
called to the subject; and it appears from
the statement of the Corresponding Secre
tary, that there was but one opinion as to
the value of the book, and the desirable
ness of adding it to their Catalogue'. Mr.
Annan generously offered them the copy
right free of charge, and the stereotype
plates at less than cost. But then adiffi
culty arose. The publisher, Mr. Mediu), '
,11Annanded 4260 for his right to publish,
and. further required the Board to take, at
a high psiffle,,some 300 copies remaining on
With these demands they ceuld not
comply, as it flied rule not to Sell
apr bonks"Witilh have' not their t own im
is•4n6:,:and ;besides, should they incur so
2 heavy , an expense , at theputset, they would
nqt_he able to lower the price of the work.
Itisreatly, to be regretted that so useful
and 'necessary a work 'should not be in
halide that will give it a more extended
eireulaiion: L.N.D.
For the Presbyterian Banner
Orger_from thy )Var Department.
The following order, from the War De
partment was issuelat/the joint application
of the Secretaries.,of the .Board of Domestic
Missions, and` or the'l s resbYteiian Conimit
tee of tlEforne Misiiions. lit is intended to
pave' the ,way for the odeupation of the.
South,,en,Cto, give
. ns, with the consent of
the people, the honseS of worship we occu
pied before the war:
WAR DEPARTMENT,
: Abszsi , ans , koi644#TVettlingAt a Oision;
c,9i I • Washington, March 20,1864. tt 1
-
To tho,G,e,norals commanding, the. Military ,
;Division cif, the KiSsissippi, and the De
,, .partinents'of the Gulf, of the South, and
... of 'Virginia and North . ()aniline,' and all
Generals and officers commanding ar
. mies;. detatehments and parts, and all
officers in the service:of the United
„
States in the ahove mentioned Depart
.
ments.
:,The Board of Domestic Missions of the
Preebyterian Church, and the Presbyterian
Committee .o£. Home Missions, enjoy the
entire confidence of this, Department, and
no doubt is entertained- that all ministers
who may be Appointed by them will be en•
tirely loyal.. 'You are expected to permit
such ministers of the Gospel, bearing a
Commission, of the ."13oard of Domestic
Missidna," or of the ‘,‘ Presbyterian Com-
Mittee of Home Missions of the
Church," as may convince you that
their commissions are genuine, to exercise
the functions of their office within your
etharnand, and -to—give them all the aid,
countenance and support which may be
practicable, and in your judgment proper,
in the 'execution of their important mis
sion.
By order of the Secretary of War.
E. D.', TowsgEND t
Ass't.,Aslj't. General
MEE
The
,Blind Boy.
BY. DR. HAWKER.
-; s1 Dear Nary," said the poor blind boy,
,i , fliaelittle bird sings very long;
Say; do you see him in his joy, •
And is he pretty - as leis song?"
Wies; Edward, ye,s," keplied the maid,
I see the bird on'yonder,qee ;"
The peer boy sighed and'gently said,
"Sister, I with'l o&dld etO.
'" The flowers, you.say, are, very fair,
And bright'green leaves are on the trees,
•
And pretty birds are singing there—
How beautiful for one mho sees
" Yet I the fragrant flowers can amen,
And can feel the green leaf's shade,
' And I can hear the notes that swell
From those dear birds that God has made.
‘, So, sister, God to me is kind,
Though sight,' alus! he lies not given;
But tell me, are there any blind
Among the childien up in heaven ?"
". No, dearest Edward, there all see—
. But why ask me a thing so odd?"
" 0 Mary, He's so good to me '
I thought I'd like to look at God."
Ere long, disease his hand had laid
On that dear boy, so•meel and mild—
His widoved mother wept and prayed,
That God would: spare her sightless child
He felt the warm - tears on his face,
And said, "0, never weep for me;
I'm going to a bright, bright place,
Where Mary says, I God shall see.
Letter from Field-Agent Miller,
OFFICE CHRISTIAN COMMISSION, }
KNOXVILLE, March 9.
Joseph. Albree, Esq., Treasurer U. S.
Christian 'Corarn,ission :
DEAR. SIR :—On Tuesday March Ist, I
established a station at Loudon. Loudon
is on the liailroad to Chattanooga, (Eh T.
Si G. R. it,)-twenty-eight • miles from
Knoxville, and at the point where the rail
roa'il crosses the Tennessee River. In ad
;Egon to a room which we use as an office,
reading-room and writing-room, we have
the use of the Episcopal chlirch. I placed
Mr. Morey in charge. Every evening the
church has been crowded to its utmost ca
pacity_with men who on the battle-field are
brave, and in the house of prayer meekly
bow down to Jesus.
For some time before the station was
established, the room which was then as
signed to uslaad been used by some sort of
minstrel band, for their mongrel perform
ances. When the yoom had been assigned
to us, and fitted up for (JUT 'ivork, they
pitched tents near by, and carried on :their
perforniances in them. Two days since,
howeVer, one of the managers came in, and
said, ‘‘ You have run us out entirely.
Shows 'and prayer-meetings won't work
together, and -we are going away." He
then very kindly turned over to us all the
lumber he had, as he had no -more use for
it. This is once that the devil's chapel
did not flourish so near God's house of
prayer. Our chapel was crowded every
night, and the7ord of God was preached
to anxious listeners; while the vulgar per
formances 0n4,. so popular, were made to
empty tent-walls. Here, as 'well as there,
there is every e'neeurageruent to work, but
I call almost in vain for the workmen.
Yours in this blessed work,
J. R. MILLER, Field Agent
For the Preshyterlan Banner
A Card•
MESSRS. EDITORS :—The congregations
of Eldersridge and West Lebanon have
also, warm hearts and bounteous hands.
The latter, early in the Winter, surprised
their pastor with a delightfuj visit, and do
nation of happiest Variety, which, with
others given privately, amounted to about
seventy dollars. Also the former, quite
recently, in order to facilitate him in per
forming a temporary service in the Army
of -the Cumberland, gave him another sur
prise, in the form of forty-three dollars.
Other benefactions of late, in a private
way, add twenty-five dollars to this amount.
Also, Clarksburg, a vacant congregation,
gave him a generous donation. To each,
his cordial response is, " The Lord bless
thee and keep thee : the Lord make his face
WHOLE NO. 599
shine upon thee, and be gracious to thee :
the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee,
and give thee peace."
ALEX. DONALDSON.
Eldersridge, March 17, 1864.
A Minister Wanted,
BY REV. JOHN TODD, D.D
Thriftyvillc wants a minister. They are
looking far and near to find one; hilt they
want the "right man." Thriftyville is not
one of your old, effete, worn-out places. It
is a place grown up quickly on - Rapid
River, in 'the beautifur village of Eureka.
It is a very important place-r-standing di
rectly over the center of the earth, so that
if a hole were dug, and a stone dropped
into it, it would pass through the 'very
center of this great world. It has a grow
ing population, and boasts of " a circle of
very, intelligent people." Moreover, it
seems to be "the center of a great moral
influence," and it now wants a minister
second to none. They want to get the so
ciety out of debt, to repair the old wastes
which time has already made in rtheir half-
Auilt.sauptuaßry. to-gatiM in tike7-loung,..to,
" dra*".. a full house, and to make the con
cern every, way prosperous and respectable,
and easy to support.
Now for the qualifications desired.
They are so few and simple, that " the
right man " probably stands at your elbow.
Item He must be a man mature in intel
lect, and ripe in experience—
and yet, so young that all the young people
will rush after him.
He,must be quick, ardent, gash
ing, nervous , hi tcmperament, so that he
may kindle quick alai burn blight, prompt,
ready, and wide-awake—
and yet a man of the most consummate
prudence, whose nerves shall never be un
strung, nor out of tune.
I.tent. He
-must be a xuan of great, burn
ing zeal, so that he can startle, arouse, and
kindle, and move the congregation—
and yet so cautious, - so cool, that he is al
ways safe; calm, self-possessed, unpertur
bated.
Item, He must have the power to awaken
and arouse the church—
and yet, let them be quiet and look on while
he does. all that is done for Christ.
item. He must urge and move men, and
lead the : whole people to salvation, and get
them all into the church—
and yet, so judicious that he can make a
difference between the' Chaff and the wheat,
and let.nonc but real ecinferts into the fold.
Item. He must be strong..and original
the pulpit, and bringing none but beAten
oil there— •
and yet be at at leisure to receive any call,
any interruption, be prepared for every oc
casion, and like the town pump, never suck
ing for water, or giving out dry.
Item. He must be a workman who shall
go down deep into the mines of truth, and
quarry out its pillars, and set them up,
and make men come and wrestle around
them—
and yet, the most gifted man in light con
versation, and on all that floats in the
'every day world around him
item. He must have health, so that his
body never wearies, his nerves never
quiver—a real specimen of muscular Chris
tianity—
and yet, a hard, severe . thinker, a close
reasoner, and a most diligent student—get
ting his books from any quarter.
item. Ile must be poor in this world's
goods, to show that money is not his object,
and so that he can sympathize with the
poor, and so that be can't help feeling hum
ble and dependent--
and yet his family must be the most hos
pitable, and entertain more company, than
any other in town—his children must be
second to none iu education and training
—they must be respectably dressed—he
must give away moie, and more cheerfully,
than any man in the place—not even ex
cepting; Esquire Rich himself—and his
family must all he models, in all respects,
for the community. , •
hem. He must be a man who can be
permanent—(though vastly supelior to
Dr. Solid, of the next town, who has been
with his flock over thirty
,years 0 and his
congregation must hear the same voice,
on the same subject, several times every
week—
and yet he must come every time, as orig
inal, as fresh, as glowing as if it were done
but once a year.
item. He must be able to live in a glass
house, always acting in public, coming in
contact with all sorts of men and preju
dices, so original that all will respect and
fear him—
and yet never odd , eceentrib, morose, re
pulsive, or awing in-manners. He should
have the lofty attributes of an" angel, with
the sympathies, the gentleness, and softness
of the little child.
Pent. He must be always ready, lofty,
keyed up to do the best possible—
and yet so calm in spirit, and word, and
look, that nothing can disturb the repose.
Item. He must never preach so that the
people are not proud of him when they
have a stranger in their pew, or so that the
echo of his sermon shall not come back
when he goes abroad—
and yet, every sermon must be so beau
tiful that all the young people will admire
it, and wonder over it, and the little child
can carry it all home, and repeat it to her
urandmother.
item. His wife must be the model of all
models. She must be young and handsome,
but not indiscreet- or vain. She - must be
worthy of the admiration of all the people,
and yet think she is the humblest of all.
She must watch, and discipline, and prune,
and lead, and make her husband the em
bodiment of all excellence, but she must
never be aware of her power—lest she_be
come overbearing. She must be the model
of a lady, have a fir face and white hands,
though compelled to do all the work of her
family She must be ready to meet every
body with a smile, take her hands from the
flour at any moment, wear a checked apron,
and still be dressed like a lady. Her face
must never be otherwise than cheerful, her
head muit do its achings in secret, and phe
must 'give none occasion to'call her extrav
agant, or to call her mean She must be
able to alter the same dress four times,
turning it thrice, and fitting it to a 'smaller
child each time. She will be expected to
be the very life of the great Dorcas Society,
the most zealous member of the All-Labor
Society, the very back-bone of the Ma
ternal Association, the warm leader in the.
Female Prayer-meeting, the head and mover
in the Beading Circle, and the visitor.
general of the poor. She will be expected
to be at all the prayer-meetings, and, let
THE. PRESBYTERIAN BANNER.
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how many soever brethren be present, she
will be looked to, to set the tune for each
hymn. As she receives no salary, of course,
her qualifications are not so important,
though the above are essential !
Item. The minister must be sound in
doctrine, able to lay his hands on the naked
foundations of truth, to fortify and defend
the hill of Zion—
and yet, must. never preach the old fash
ioned doctrines. They are not spicy. They
are not taking. They will never "draw"
a full house.
* item. It is rather desirable that he
should be a pious man, and 'one who loves
his Master— -
and yet as this article, piety, has not ao—
quired great value in Thriftyville, it
would be well for him not to make that
- too obtrusive.
Such, in few words, is the man they want
for Thriftyville. - If they can light on hint
they will pay Five Hundred Dollars an
nually! and not let it run behind unrea
sonably. This is not, to be sure, half what
their clerks receive, but they think that
the-minister, if lie be , only the, right"
inan, can manage," to liye.ottit., Who
'ls ready F •
N. B.—All applicants must put an extra
postage stamp in' the letter, or it will re
ceive no attention.—Congregationalist.
" Gathered Unto his People."
What is the significance of this phrase,
met with, so frequently in the Old Testa
ment ? It does not signify burial; for we
fthd"it applied to Abraham, at his death
(See Gen. xxv 8) ; and he was interred
where none of his ancestors had ever been
interred. It was a new burial plane, "in
the cave of the geld of Machpelah, before
Mature, in the land of Canaan, which he
purchased of the sons of Heth." Of Aaron,
too, who died on Mount Hor, was the same
declaration made (See Deu. xxxii : 49, 50);
but Aaron, no more than Abraham, was
interred with his ancestors, for his body,
like that' of his brother Moses, who also was
said to be "gathered unto his people," was
buried by itself; the corpse of the one was
consigned to a lonely sepulchre on that
mountain top, and the corpse of the other
was interred "in a valley in the land of
Moab." The phrase mast necessarily have
reference to the soul after it has quit the
body—must denote the departure of it to
those mansions which are the everlasting
abode of the righteous; and is intended
therefore to teach us that the spirits of the
patriarchs were,gathered to the spirits of
the holy.
LCarn hence, that the soul is something
distinet from the body—that it survives
the body; and that the souls of the saints,
immediately after death and before the res
urrection, are received into the society of
their pious ancestors. Moreover, may we
not reasonably infer that where there is
such reunion, there is also mutual recogni
tion and communion ? When Isaac rejoined
his father in the spirit land, did not Abra
ham know him ? And did not Joehebed,
the mother of Moses and Aaron, know her
sons when she received them back to her
embrace jail° habitations of the blest !
God in nature,.
When Napoleon was returning from hie
campaign in Egypt and Syria, he was seated
one night upon the deck of the vessel under
the open canopy of the heavens, surround
ed by his captains and generals. The con
versation had taken a skeptical direction, and
most of the party had combated the doc
trine of the Divine Existence. Napoleon
sat silent and musing, apparently taking no
interest in the discussion, when suddenly
raising his hand, and pointing at
_the crys
talline firmament, crowded with its mildly
ing planets and its keen glittering stars,
he broke out, in those startling tones that
so often electrified a million of men : " Gen
tlemen, who made all that ?" The "eter
nal power and godhead" of the Creator are
impressed by " the things that are made ;"
and- these words of Napoleon to his atheis
tic captains silenced them. And the same
impression is made the world over. Go
today into the heart of Africa, or into the
center of New-Holland; select the most
imbruted pagan that can be found; take
hith out under a clear, starlit heaven, and
ask him who made all that, and the idea of
a Superior Being, superior to all his fetishes
and idols, possessing eternal power and god
head, immediately merges in his conscious
ness. The instant the missionary takes this
lustful idolater away from the circle of his
idols, and brings him face to face with- the
heavens and th earth, as Napoleon brought
his captains, the constitutional idea dawns
again, and the pagan trembles befo s re the
unseen power.—Prof Shedd.
How to Walk
In a graceful human step the heel is al
ways raised before the foot is lifted from the
ground, as if the foot were apart of a wheel
rolling forward; and the weight of the
body, supported by the muscles of the calf
ofthe leg, rests for a time on the forepart
of the foot and toes. There is then a bend
ing of the foot in a certain, degree. But
when strong wooden shoes are used, or any
shoe so stiff that it will not yield and allow
the bending of the foot, the heel is not
raised at all until the whole foot rises with
it, so that the muscles of the calf are scarce
ly used, and, in consequence, soon dwindle
in size and almost disappear. Many Eng
lish farm-servants wear heavy, stiff shoes,
and in London it is a striking thing to see
the drivers of country wagons with fine ro
bust persons in the upper part, but with
legs that are fleshless spindles, producing a
gait that is almost awkward and unmanly.
The brothers of these men, who are other
wise employed, are not so misshapen.
What a pity that, for the trifle saved, fair
nature should be thus deformed ! An ex
ample of this kind is seen in Paris. There,
as the streets have few or no side-pavements,
and the ladies have to walk almost con
stantly on tiptoe, the great action of the
muscles of the calf has given a conforma
tion of the limb and foot to match which
the Parisian belles proudly challenge all
the world—nbt aware, probably, that it is
a defect in their city to which the peculiar
ity of their form is in part owing. •
Pastoral Visiting.—An elderly clergyman,
in giving advice to a younger brother in
the ministry, with regard to visiting per ;
ishioners, said, " You must not call so often
that some member of the family will ex
claiin, There he comes again;' nor so sel
dom that they, will say, He has come at
last.',":.