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derived from the retention of a bad member would be worth. When he contemplated a man in connection with the church, he did not look at his influence for this year, or for this congregation alone; but he looked at his influence for life; and as it bore upon the principle which requires all church members to be holy, unblamable and unreprovable, I fancy he reasoned thus: "If he is admitted or retained in the communion, it is true he will do something fine, so far as the size of the congregation is concerned; or so far as building a meeting house, or supporting the pastor goes: and on the contrary if he is turned out, we shall lose all this, and perhaps have a great deal to suffer from his excited spleen. But, then, if he is retained, it must be at the sacrifice of what is most vital and dear to the cause of Christ; at the sacrifice of the principle of piety in the church. The consequence will be, that we shall eventually have a church full of men, professing to be christians, but really not so. Either there will be none pious, or those who are will go off and set up anew. What now shall I do? Why, I will mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which I have learned, and avoid them: because they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ."

How

Allow us to enforce it upon your minds, beloved brethren that when you receive a member into the church, or when you retain one, to ask yourselves this question: not how far it will affect our list of names; not how far it will promote some sectarian purpose; or subserve some ambitious design: but how far it will advance the cause of Christ. much of the salt of true piety; how much of the savor of godliness does he bring with him. He may have a name; he may have a family; he may have wealth; he may have influence in the world: and if to these he add piety, rejoice and be exceeding glad, that so much is sanctified to the Redeemer. But if the piety is wanting, he will be a dangerous acquisition. By how great may be his influence, if this is not for Christ-if it is against him-by so much will he prove rather a curse than a blessing. I tell you, my brethren, the apostle looked at this subject with inspired wisdom, when he said, "mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid them because they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ.

THE APOSTLES WERE MISSIONARIES.

Deplorable, indeed, was the state of the world when the apostles, in the name of the Lord Jesus, commenced their holy labors. The nations were sunk in the depths of idolatry the most gross, and of superstition the most abominable. The gods, they professed to adore, varying in power and office, and restricted to particular elements or nations, were exhibited in lights too human, too fallen, to secure from degradation and neglect the common dictates of morality. Mysteries were cherished too obscene for description. The heavenly orbs and departed heroes were worshipped with extravagant honors; and the absurd religion of pagan Rome was spread through the nations which her arm had vanquished. Religious observances, if they deserve the name, originated in the policy of States, as with the Egyp tians and Persians; or in an appetite for war, as with the Celts, the Germans, the Britons, and the Goths. If into the popular mythology a supreme deity were admitted, his character was dishonored by his committing the foulest offences, and his authority ever considered as controllable by an eternal necessity.

For removing these evils the efforts of philosophers were feeble and unavailing. If occasionally they presented sublime ideas, more frequently they offered notions too subtile for general comprehension, or too absurd to secure belief. Some doubted whether gods existed at all; others supposed the doctrine of the immortality of the soul a fable; and a third class represented it as uncertain whether vice or virtue were more favorable to the best interests of man. The philosophers themselves were corrupted; and it were as vain to expect that corruption would purify itself, as that a fountain should rise higher than its source.

But "after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it please God by the foolishness of preaching, to save them that believe." The apostles went forth without wealth, without arts, without influence. tained by divine qualifications, by the force of truth, and by the spirit of Christ, they accomplished wonders, which in

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the history of our race are without a parallel. Unassuming in their manners, plain in their attire, with the idiom of Galilee, they were sent as sheep into a forest of wolves. The prejudices of the Jew, the craft of the heathen priesthood, the policy of rulers, and the bigotry of the people, were in array against them. It is said that in the arsenal of Bremen there are twelve pieces of cannon, which are called the twelve apostles, as if to insinuate that by such means men are to be convinced. But the apostles of Christ knew nothing of weapons that are carnal. They employed such only as are mighty through God. To their hearers they could promise no earthly emoluments and honors. Contempt, persecution, confiscation, banishment, martyrdom, attended an acceptance of the gospel. Yet modest, fearless, incessantly they pursued their course, gloriously turning the world upside down, until Rome, the arbitress of the nations, bowed to the doctrine of the Cross. They preached the gospel on the very soil which had been stained by the blood of their master; entered the largest cities, disputed with the most insidious and malignant adversaries, and loved not their lives even unto the death.

Little more than a century had passed, when Justin Martyr declared, "there is not a nation, either of Greek or Barbarian, or of any other name, even of those who wander in tribes and live in tents, amongst whom prayers and thanksgivings are not offered to the Father and Creator of the universe, by the name of the crucified Jesus." Tertullian, who succeeded Justin, says: "We were but of yesterday, and we have filled your cities, islands, towns and boroughs, the camp, the senate, and the forum." This victory of holy truth was the more surprising, inasmuch as the apostles and their fellow christians were everywhere calumniated. They were represented as enemies to government. Earthquakes, pestilences, calamities of any kind, were ever charged on them, and considered as indicating the anger of the gods that such monsters as christians were permitted to live. Because they worshipped without temples, images, priests and sacrifices, they were contemplated as a class of atheists, and such as killed them imagined themselves rendering a public service.

Had Mahomet, with his followers, been called to conflict. with difficulties such as the apostles surmounted, his religion

could never have prevailed. It must have been blasted in its bud. With all the advantages which family connections, riches, assuasive manners, and courtly policy supplied him, only fourteen followers were the fruit of the first three years of his mission. The labor of seven years scarcely augmented his disciples to the number of a hundred. Perceiving no possibility of advancing his religion and reputation by the tedious process of persuasion, in the thirteenth year of his mission he declared that he had received an order from heaven to propagate the doctrines of the Koran by the terrors of the sword. To these he had recourse, and his system spread in proportion to his victories. To become Christians, was to become exposed to "deaths oft,"-to become a Mahomedan, was to avoid them.-Lat. Day Lum.

"Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father."-JOHN xx: 17.

This translation supposes the body of Christ will be more susceptible of touch in heaven, than on earth after his resurrection; or that to touch him before his ascension was improper: neither of which can be true. The word aptomai, means not only to touch, but to lay hold of, to embrace, to cling to. With such a translation, the passage is beautiful and affecting. "Do not cling to me; you will have other opportunities to embrace me; for I am not yet ascended; my brethren are anxious respecting my fate, go to them and announce that I am risen.-Ibid.

THE

BAPTIST PREACHER.

VOL. IV.

November, 1845.

NO. 11.

THE FEARS OF THE FLOCK CALMED, BY THE VOICE OF THE SHEPHERD:

A Sermon, by Rev. T. F. CURTIS, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. "Fear not little flock, it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.."-Luke xii: 32.

John the Baptist, the forerunner of our Lord, preached, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is at hand." Jesus, at the commencement of his ministry, told his disciples to proclaim, "The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you." All, therefore, were now waiting for the Messiah to establish his kingdom, and most were expecting it to be one of great splendor and temporal power. Even the mother of James and John had petitioned that her two sons might sit, one on the right hand, and the other on the left hand of Christ, "in his kingdom." How great then must have been the anxiety of the disciples, when they found no general flocking of the people to the standard of their leader? Or, if for a while a few thousands gathered round him, while he fed them with miraculous bread, they soon "dispersed, every man to his own home," until he turns, even to the twelve, and demands, "will ye also go away?"

Indeed, it was soon quite evident, that their mysterious Master, neither sought nor expected the popular suffrage; but that he avoided pomp, and eschewed every assumption of temporal dignity. "When he perceived that they would take him by force, and make him a king, he departed into a mountain, himself alone." He even exhorted to pay tribute unto Cæsar, and would not speak to a brother to divide an estate. He, who used so little temporal authority himself, could bestow but little on his followers. And if Christ were indeed to be their king, it must have mightily surprised them, that so few flocked to his standard, and acknowledged his claim. Where was the pharisee? the 26 Vol. IV.

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