Vermont telegraph. [volume], May 19, 1836, Image 1

About Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843

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,.-t. .
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'.'diisoN 6. muruay: editor and publisher.
"I AM SET FQR THE DEFENCE OF THE GOSPEL."
EPHRAIM MAXHAM, PRINTER.
.a
-
cist: v
, V0IUME VI1I
BRANDON, THURSDAY, MAY 19, 1836.
NUMBER 34.
V
RAPH
i
" TERMS of;the teleqraph.
wsetcly at $2 1 yur, prabl within four months,
r $2,19 at tha end ol tha year. , a
m. ft . . eg . j j:
,1(1 'SUOSCriDcrs pui. oi in,cMie, rcang rrtrtv - r.-v
wiUbtssntfori,7Jv ; : i . . ii
To companies, ai whstevtr distinre,. who re
eair 13 or more copies in one bundle., and paj
in adrtnee, $1,60 each. "
' Ajentl,' who procure sitd pay fqj all subscribers,
are entitled te the aevreth copy gratia.
.Ia ma'cint communication of -new subscribers
and remituntra, the Atehta will be particular in
git in the name: and retidtnees of subscribers,
and the amount to be credited to each. '
ATS -Baptist miniatftrt, in' food standing ia the
tWcUs throughout tlio tTnitfid State, are ao
ikoriztd lo act aa ageota for this pper. 3 , y A
rrv ill cofonaanicartom must be post paid ex
cept a ich ai ald to our liat of aubacribera one or '
Paperf will tot be diarontiiioed ttntil alt arrca-
axea are paid,, except at the discretion of the
publisher. ! '
i i ail . i mmmmmmmKm
none of the beauties of its kind; and Was
regarded aa. a . thing of Caught by, every
one who passed by ; but at length, being
found by one who knew ' its value, and
transplanted to a congenial soil, it put
leaves, snot out luxuriant
branches, and produced blossoms which
perfumed the air, and attracted the admir
ing traze of every one who hefore regard-
mA a eft cKvtifv - - "V -
i a. 3 uacicoo out uv .
But, in the second place, we jnnst con
raider that these children, jn order to re
ceive instruction, must leave their parents,
and their native woods, and come to town
f for weddings and for burials ; it promises have children confined within the orison
1 rA I : - j ! .i r ii , . i
iwu riju raiuieni, ana nmus tne use wajis, wno were once as promising ana
both ; it points out a faithful and an etern- 'as dear to them as your children are to
al guardian to the departing husband and ' you. When you mingle in the devotions
father; tells him with whom to leave his j of the praying circle, let their case be
fatherless children, and in whom the lamonff the many subiects resented at the
tnrone of grace ; and let them not be for
gotten by God's public witnesses, who are
widow is to trust ; and promises a father
to the former and a husband to the latter,
It teaches a man how to set his house in , often mouth in
order, and how to make his will ; it ap
points dowry for the wife, and entails
the right of the first-born ; and shows
how the younger branches shall be left.
It defends the rights of all. and reveals
I For the Telegraph.
TO EDWIN.
SCaCESTED
BY fcEADtN IN
PLACE-BOOK.
CHILD
"Fret not thytelf, thou flittering child of
pride; . NV," '
".TAat a poor villager inspire m strain;
14 r i v . r l-- f- ik.. T ...
lTAe geiUle'Mase haunt thtSyhanreign."
'"1
Yoar artIeja,lJaesjiave started tears
1 ,Thy bring to tnind the day, . .
"Whea I like thee was young in years,
And quite at bright and gay.
,r-. ; '
put those joys are turned to aadnesa,
. And those fairy scenes arc. flown,
When health and youth and gladness
Around my steps were thrown.
I since have bowed at beauty's shrine,
And felt its ma jlc thrill?
But the joy was not so enlrn as thine,
.Mf heart was aching s til L i.
.-' . '.
' I've pored, till I felt iny senses reel,
' On the 'page where learning shone,
Thea turned awa In pain to feel
" ' How little could be known.
Of men I sought a laurel crown,
.Tobindjmy fading brow;
HoVglily would I throw it down,
To be asJ blest as thou! '
But I'll dash the tear-drop from my eye,
. , A nd face the wintry blast;
. And humbly hope that you and I .
May met-t where joy ahall last.
.And, Edwin, if thy tunny hours
Shall thee to manhood bring, v
AV hen round thy head misfortune lowers,
And gnef shall point her sting '
You'll need, tha heavenly balm, my boy,
To heal the tpiritU vowid
Come seek it now 'tis holy joy
Bywhora 'tis sought 'tis found.
' AMOS. '
ITamptol M Y. f
to spend several months, during which! vengeance to every defrauder, over-reach
time there is no jnssmg back and forth, I er, and oppressor. It is the first book, the
on account of streams, which become very best book, and the oldest book in all the
deep and rapid during the lains though, world. It contains the choicest matter,
perhaps, never before a mile from home, gives the best instruction, and affords the
or a day from their parents. See the greatest pleasure and satisfaction thai ev
children of a whole village under these er was revealed. It contaips the best
circumstances setting out for Tavoy, dis-' laws and profoundest mysteries that ever
tant between 30 and 40 miles, through a were penned. It brings the best tidings,
wilderness infested "by. tigers and other and affords the best of comfort to the in
wild beasts. They have no stagecoaches quiring and disconsolate. It exhibits life
to carry them ; no wagons, carts, nor any and immortality, and shews the way to
other modes of conveyance ; they must go everlasting glory. It is a brief recital of
on foot every step of this long road ; car all that is past, and a certain prediction of
ry their own provisions and sleeping con- all that is to come. It settles all matters
veniences, as me journey requires two ' m debate, resolves all doubts, and eases
days, end must spend one night in the ' the mind and conscience of their scruples,
forest without a shelter. True,someof the It reveals the only living and true God,
parents accompanied them, but each one and shews the way to him ; and sets aside
nad to carry a load of his own. We did all other gods, and describes the vanity of
not see them when they set out, or while them, and of all that trust in them. In
travelling this long and wearisome road, j short, it is a book of laws to show right
nor did wer see them at night, when they ' and wrong; a book of wisdom, that con
laid themselves down to leep on the bare ! dermis all folly, and-makes the foolish
ground in the midst of the infested jungle, I wise; a book of truth, that detects all lies,
but we saw them when they arrived in i and confutes all errors: a book of life,
prayer lor religious as
semblies. We know, however wicked
they may have been, the power and grace
of God can change them. This power I
trust, has been displayed of late. Yes,
let me speak of it to the praise of our dear
Redeemer, for ; the encouragement of; al delight
scripture certainly seems to. say that, in
those cases where the trial was a fair one,
the "weaker vessel" was the stronger
man. Witness the case of Deborah and
Barah, Abigail and David, Manoah and
his wife, Huldah, and the "wise women of
Tekoah.
Are they, then, inferior in literary ac
complishments ? Never, where they
have equal opportunities with the men.
Witness the case of Miss Hannah More,
Miss Edgworth, and many other fair au
thoresses whose works are read, if not
with everlasting wonder, yet with perpetu-
From te Baptist Missionary1 Magazine
. : -for May.l
KAREN BOARDING SCHOOL.
' Extract from a letter of Mr Wade, cbt-
ed Tavojf. June 6, 1835; - -
The enildreu from MaU-myu and some
other Karen villages, who. at the time of
our tour among them before the rains,
proniscd to come to Tavoy, and learn to
read,' (during this ' wet season,) came the
latter part of April, in numbers which even
exceeded our highest anticipations
amounting, k males and females, to about
CO ; so that the 'school house, and hoard
ing house prcr.tred for them, are com-
purely lulu- 'uey gite? us great satis
faction both to the progress which they
make in Ifarhmg.iand theiI moral con
duct, - 1 .would venture to challenge any
suooi in America, embracing tr.e same
number of children, to exhibit a fairer
oecimcn of improvement in study, and ol
rooJbehavior.s Though riot required to
devote but : about seven hours of the day
ta atndi thev voluntarily s Den d also, most
of the hours allowed for relaxation, in ap
plication to their books. . In the evening,
at candle light, they assemble, and pass an
hour in learnings to: sing,-under the in
structioa of br. Vinton after, which an
hour, is spent in listening to a sermon, or
exposuionoiine scriptures, ana aevotionai
exercises. ". ! r" ' ' ' f - "t ,;' f 1 u
I can scarcely - contemplate 60 children
under more interesting' circumstances
than this school presents. ; In , the first
't place, they are children from the jungle,
' whose hnbits have been altogether dissim
ilar to those which study requires i chiU
.dren who have never been taught, by pre
cept or exampir, muc vt cuucauon
whose parents and ancestors, from gener
. -; . - i j .r
auon to generaucn, never learneu me.sise
of letters ; who, indeed, until the present
generation, had no written language.
These children we now see applying to
study as if they had early been taoght the
Importance of education.": resembling, in
'"ray. imintion rome beautirui nower-
n v. :
Tavoy. It was near night, and they had
endured the fatigue of a long day's walk.
They came up in Indian file, each one
having a basket slung from thVshoulders
like a knapsack, or from the head. Their
limbs were indeed weary, but their coun
tenances glowed with delight when they
sa w the missionaries whom they had some
times seen in their nitive jungle. Is there
a village in . America, whose little chil
dren would have had moral or natural
courage to attempt such a journey under
such circumstances? Could we have
expected it in children ? Is it too much
to suppose that the Divine Spirit put it into
the hearts of these little Karens to attempt
such an undertaking? And may we not
hope that the scriptures will be fulfil
led in them Out of the mouths of
babes and. sucklings thou hast perfected
praise." Some of them indeed have al
ready asked for baptism, and are under a
course of religious instruction adapted to
t a r ii
prepare tnem unaerstanuingiy to follow
Christ in that ordinance.
Mrs Wade's time is altogether takenip
in the1 school; mine in studying Karen,
and preparing or revising books in that
language, except an hour and a half or
two hours in tne afternoon, when I go
out with brs. Mason and Vinton, to d
tribute religious books io those who will
take them, and teach those who will listen.
"Messrs Wade and Vinton, ha ve-fornish-
ed a very good report of the christian con
duct and labors of Ko Chel-Thing and
Sioung Shtoa. Moung, the Karen and
Burman who visited this country in com
pany with Mr Wade. Of the former Mr
V. writes:
The influence of his visit to America
upon his countrymen has been most aalu
tary. His friends, and , particularly . his
relatives, who opposed htm in every way
possible before he left for America have
now become more strongly attached 1d
mm, tnan ever. i ney visitea mm repeat
edly while at Chummerah, and he in turn
spent about a week with them. During
this visit much interest was excited in all
that region on the subject of the Christian
religion ; and when he left, his ijnends
firoposed that he should come down and
ocate himself fof the rains on the oppo
site side of the river : ther would leave
the Burman country, and come over and
loin him in the formation of a new Chris
nan village, nor tney were an Tesoivea io
oe nnstians,; on tne .ngiisn siae. i aa
vised him to comply with the proposal
and he has accordingly built him a house.
and school-house. His wife teaches the
school,4 and he spends his 'whole time in
Drrchmff.-P"-5"- '"r"'-'': '":.
that shews the way from everlastinsr death
It is the most compendious book in all the
world ; the most authentic and the most
entertaining history that ever was pub-
jshed ; it contains the most early antiqui
ties, strange events, wonderful occurren
ces, heroic deeds, unparalleled wars. It
describes the celestial, terrestial, and infer
nal worlds ; and the origin of the angelic
myriads, human tribes and infernal le
gions. It will instruct the most accom
plished mechanic, and the profoundest ar
tist ; it will teach the best rhetorician, and
exercise every power of the most skilful
arithmetician: puzzle the wisest anato
mist, and exercise the nicest critic. It
corrects the vain philosopher, and guides
the wise astronomer ; it exposes the sub
tle sophist, and makes diviners mad. It
is a complete code of laws, a peTiect book
of divinity, an unequalled narrative ; a
book of lives, a book of travels, and a book
of voyages. It is the best covenant that
ever was agreed on, the best deed that ev
er was sealed, the best evidence that ever
was produced, the best will that ever was
made, and the best testament that ever
was signed. To understand it, is to be
wise indeed : to be ignorant of it, is to be
destitute of wisdom. It is the king's best
copy, the magistrate's best rule, the house
wife s bet guide, the servant s best di
rectory, and the voung man's best com-
w a i it
pamon. it is tne scnool-boy s spelling
book, and the learned man's masterpiece !
It contains a choice.grammar for a novice,
and a profound treatise for a sage ; it is
the ignorant man s dictionary ; and the
wise man's dictionary. It affords knowl
edge of witty inventions for the ingenious,
and dark sayings for the grave ; and it is
its own interpreter. It encourages the
wise, the warrior, the racer, the overcom-
.1 s a
er : and promises an eternal reward to tne
conqueror. And that which crowns all
is, that the Author is without partiality,
and without hypocrisy, for in him is no
variableness, nor shadow of turning. "
christians to pray, and for the comfort of
those who have friends confined there,
that the power of the Divine Spirit has
been gloriously displayed of late within
the walls of the Maine State Prison. To
witness the attention and deep solemnity
under the word preached, and to converse
with them and hear them mourn over and
confess the sinfulness of their past life,
and speak of the goodness of God and the
love of Jesus, I am led to exclaim, What
hath God .wrought! and I do feel that the
mighty power of God has effected this
revolution. I am aware, that, consider
ing their former life, we are admonished
to rejoice with trembling ; yet to doubt the
reality of some true conversions to God
among them, 1 dare not, 1 cannot.
It is now five or six weeks since the
first appearance of this blessed work, and
every week since has added some to the
nnmber of hopeful converts. About 15
or 16 profess to have hope, two or three
however 1 consider doubttul cases; quite
a number appear serious, and I cannot but
hope they are , seeking in earnest their
soul's salvation.
The prisoners are all furnished with a
Bible or Testament. There is also a
prison library of well selected moral and
religious books. They have one discourse
delivered to them on Lord's day, and a
class recites a lesson from Wilbur's Bible
Class Text Book ; other classes read, and
some commit and recite portions of scrip-
ture. l ne wnoie numoer oi convicts is
about 70.
May we fervently pray that the reli
gious interest now visible within those
walls may never abate that all may be
brought to Tejoice as new creatures in
Christ Jesus, that such as go out from time
to time may be truly refo: med, and be
come a consolation to their friends, and
useful in society ; and that such as may
yet be sentenced to that place, in seeing
what God has done, and can do, submit as
penitent sinners, to that God and Savior
who can save the chief of sinners.
Feeling for this unfortunate class, and
considering the responsible station I sus
tain in relation to them, in connection with
other ministerial duties ; I would request
the prayers of God's dear people, that I
may have wisdom and every grace to dis
charge faithfully and affectionately my
duty. Job Washburn,
Chaplain of the Maine Stale Prison.
Thomaston, April 23, 1836.
' THE J1IBLE.
The riehrs of the sacred volume are set
forth in an interesting manner in the fol
io wing extract from aa old-English wri
ter. Baptist Advocate.
c A nation Tnust be truly blessed if it
were governed by no other laws than
those of this blessed book ; it is so com
plete a system, that nothing can be added
to it, or taken 'from itj it contains every
thingneedful to be known or done; it af
fords a copy for a king, ..and a rule for a
subject ; it gjves instruction and counsel
tb'a senate ; authority' and direction for a
magistrate; k cautions a witness; requires
an Impartial verdicj of a jury, and furnish-
. t i . . t .
es me luagewitn nis scuicncc . i eeis
the husband as lord of the household, and
the wife as mistress of the table ; tells kin
From Z ion's Advocate.
Brother Wilson: I wish to make a
request through the medium of the Advo
cate, to those who believe in the efficacy
of prayer.
Among the many claims upon the chris
tian for their sympathy and prayers.
think that those, who for their crimes, are
confined within the walls of the prison
should not be forgotten. I fear they have
not been prayed lor as they should. We
have been accustomed to consider their
case almost, or quite past recovery, when
at the same time we believe as great sin
ners as any now m our prisons, have ob
tained mercy. Although many years
' have passed since the erection of the
Maine State Prison, without what is call
edjn revival of religion, yet there have been
cases of hopeful conversions; . some are
now members of churches! -who were
awakened while in prison, and have for
years given goou eviaenceOi a genum
reformation. , I have conversed with ma
ny of the convicts, who tell rnelhey haye
pious friends, either parents, companions,
or brothers and sisters. Let us make (as
much as'oossibleV the case of these 'friends
our own . jvere it my companion, child,
or brother, there confined, and though we
have long prayed for them, and still pray
for them, but as vet, we see them harden-
eq.in sin; uia weiunow inai iney
made the subjects of prayer by God's dear
children, fihbuld we not feel ffreatlv en-
T
how to rule, and her how to manage. " It j couraged, that though out counsels and
entails honor on narents. and enicins obe-j prayers were unavailing I the united, fer-
Si
dience to children: it prescribes and lim
its the sway of the "'sovereign, the rule of
the. ruler, and authority of the master j
commands the subiects to honor, and the !
i servants io ooey j and promises me Diess-
ich b I rprr.nty up in a' sand
rrea i n, 1 lor toaa years nad ie
tha score !.:r. 7 tays fa vertical sun, until, i ins: and 'protection-"of its rAuTHQB' to
alrr.crt lc?.r.ix3 an! rplcss, it displayed that walk by its rules: i-It gives directions'
vent prayer would be. heard ? r : - '
j I would earnestly and affectionately re
quest my christian friends, when m the
closet, to remember the poor prisonent
When . you see. : your.. children gather
around the family altar to offer the; morn
ing and evening sacrifice, remember some
From the Christian Secretary.
Queries Answered. Some weeks
since a correspondent sent us the three
queries, to wnich the loliowing article
copied from the Western Banner is de
signed to be a reply. As no other answer
has been sent us we insert this, with the
proviso that if any one thinks it imperfect,
et mm give us a oeuer one.
The uncouth combination of letters
forming the signature may be so transpos
ed, as to form the proper given and sir
names, of the writer. Let those who can,
spell it out.
SPIRITUAL SLAVERY.
Mr Editor, A few weeks since, as 1
was looking over the columns of the Chris
tian Secretary, a Baptist paper, published
in this city, my eye fell upon the three
following most singular and antiquated
queries :
"l. is it tne auty 01 unnsuan r emaies
to speak or pray in religious conference
and prayer meetings in presence of the
other sex ? 2. is it scriptural I 3. Does
it have a good influence upon a church
where it is practiced, and upon the impen
itent?" And as no one has answered them, I
will, if you please, do it through the me
dium of your paper.
These queries, if I understand them,
seem to be formed upon the assumption
that women are inferior to men, either in
mental endowment, literary accomplish
ments, or spiritual gifts, or all of them ;
and, therefore, their exercises cannot pos
sibly profit the stronger sex. Or else
they go upon the assumption that in reli
gious affairs they are placed under the
ban of the Almighty, and are forbidden by
him to speak, in any.and every sense of
the. wordr in the presence of their breth
ren. Let us aee if either of these assump
tions 1 be a fair one. v v? - T
Are women, then, inferior to men in
mental endowments I k' What sa ith na
ture? what saith history ? what, saith
reason ? a what aith the scripture ? . If i
there beany truth in. physiognomy and
phrenologynature saith V No J ' And
tf there be any: truth in history, history
saith No I V: And reason. certainly
would say , ' No I ? for that . which ?is al
ways esteemed the abetter half,'Vcannot
be the, trofehat.vvhich was fvriee made
by the Creator; and of cburso, (tftfttfy r-
fi&edn cannot now be inferior. And the
Neither are theyinierior in spiritual
gifts. Experience shows that they are
equally gifted and more acceptable in
their religious exercises than men. They
may not be as strong in argument, nor as
fierce in controversy, but they are far
more edifying whenever they pray and
speak in the name of the Lord. And the
simple fact that Christ did not refuse to be
born of a woman, while he did refuse to
acknowledge any earthly father, is of itself
an everlasting confutation of the doctrine
of woman's inferiority to man, except on
ly so far as it relates to her physical pow
ers, and even here it roust be acknowledg
ed that what she lacks in strength is more
than made up in beauty and otner person
al accompiisnments.
The supposition that under the gospel
dispensation, women are prohibited from
exercising their spiritual gifts, is entirely
gratuitous, and is completely set aside by
the plain declarations of the New Testa
ment. I. The author of the Acts of the Apos
tles informs us, cli. I. 14, that all the
apostles continued with one accord in
prayer and supplication with the women."
To suppose that the men prayed in pres
ence of the women, and not the women in
presence of the men, is a far fetched and
overstrained interpretation of this text.
2. The same author tells us that Peter
in explaining the circumstances of the day
of Penticost, refers to a prophecy in Joel,
where God, by the mouth of his prophet,
promises to pour out his spirit upon their
"daughters" and "hand-maidens," as
wellas upon their sons.
3. The same author tells us that ' Phil
ip, the Evangelist, had four daughters that
did prophecy ; " and as there are none of
their predictions recorded, and as St. Paul,
when speaking of prophecying says, in
effect, at least, that prophecying means
" speaking: to men to edification and ex
hortation and comfort " therefore, Phil
ip's daughters did speak in the public as
semblies.
4. The Apostle Paul says, that eve
ry woman praying or prophecying with
her head uncovered, dishouoreth her head,"
which certainly means, "in the presence
of men," if it mean any thing, for certain
ly it were no dishonor to a woman to pray
in secret, or in the presence of her own
sex, with her cap or bonnet on.
5. The same Apostle says expressly,
that "in Christ Jesus there is neither
male nor female," that is, there is no in
feriority in the woman, no superiority in
the man.
From all that has been said, then, it
appears that it s a duty, and a very rea
sonable one too, for women to ' speak and
pray in religious conterence in the pres
ence of the other sex.7' It is also 44 scrip
tural," as is shown above ; and that it
will "have a good influence upon a
church where it is practised, and upon the
impenitent " we may be sure, unless pre
vented by the other sex.
The contrary doctrine throws us back
into Jewish and Pagan times, and into the
regions of heathenism, completely. How
is it with the Indians? Their women
are slaves to the men mere beasts of bur
den. How is it among other pagans?
Their women must not eat in the presence
of men ! How is it among Mahometans ?
Their doctrine,, is that women have no
souls! How is it among modern Jews?
Their women are sent tip gallery to pray
alone, wnile the other sex, below, pretend
to bless God that he did not create them
women, while they, poor souls, thank
God that he made them as they are.
Such a doctrine is an outrage upon civ
ilization t How are our women treated
in company in the parlor, and in all oth
er places t -He that is so vulgar as not to
pay attention to the ladies is not educated
he is a barbarian he is no gentleman!
In the higher circles in the world, women
are, by common consent, made conscious
of their superiority in many things, and
shall it be said that in the house of God
only, they are inferior to the men ? Wo
be to us if this doctrine prevail. Why
do we admit them into our singing circles,
and listen,, to them with such extafic de
light if inferior to men ? Is not rousicja
mental as weliaajphysical exercise
Why are they, permitted to join ; us in
praising God when we sing Why .do
they sing in the presence of nien ? r. Is not
singing a religious exerciser laa Well as
speaking and praying? VTiy 'ac they
permittecl to teach 'us by books if we are
not' permitted to " listen to their exhorta
tions and prayers ? i Let us be consistent
as well as cautous and not put asunder
what God has joined. " '-"
: Finally,Mr - Editorifyou have any
doubt of the correctness of my doctrine,
task your.twi if it be not even .as I hare
stated. v?v. " seiocbegoo
i Hartford, Cf., April 13, 1836.
From the Christian Index. ' ? '
"THIS MINUTE."
How much may be, and is, being done
this very minute I It is, no doubt, the
first and the last with thousands: "and
wuuemuiuiua.es are, rejoicing rjecause
a man is born into the world,!' as many,
we suppose, are sobbing ( farewell " as
they take the last look at the face of the
dead. Now, just now, the km ,of Hymen
is tied between some , youth and virgin ;
and now the pair plighted to each other
for life, through weal and wo, are publish-
ed apart by divorce. Now the fond pa
rent is doting on his absent son, and si
lencing the forebodings of suspicious age
with the sanguine hope lhat his boy shall
be the stay 01 his failing nature, and snatch
his name and memory from the grave J
and now that beardless boy, tin the full
tide of festive feeling, is taking his; first
glass, ignorant and careless of the dis
grace and wretchedness he driuk3. Now
the reeling sot is blundering. into his own
door, to frighten the partner of his bosom
and the little ones the pledges of her
love. At this moment, the pert lad who
has the indulgence of his patents, lays a
light finger on the price Of his halter;
and now, the prisoner falls into his last
fitful sleep, to dream of execution and to
wake up to the horrid reality, and cause
the lottery-dealer or theactor whose tempt
ations allured him from the paths of hon
esty and industry !
This minute is the bearer of joys or
pangs to the memories of thousands, and
the birth of bliss or wo to thousands more.
Ana wnai is u 10 me f Am 1 a mere
spectator ? or am 1 subject to the possible.
nay, tne sure results ot tnis minute T Does
the stream of time cease its rolling while
I gaze on its surface and contemplate its
course and termination 7 No ; it flows
onward and bears away, disdainful of a
bribe, and without discrimination, the no
ble and the mean, the rich and the noor. .
the beautiful and ill-favored, the wise and
the fool, the infidel and saint, and heeds
no mandate but His who bade it flow, and
flow it shall, till the same voice proclaim
that time shall be no more.
This minute 1 am in the current, for
the stream has no eddies. How rapidly
have I passed in succession the numerous
points on its banks ! How soon shall I
reach" its mouth ! and then, O then Uthe
ocean the bottomless and shoreless ocean 1
Am I of materials and structure to mount
its waves and move buoyantly and safely
on its broad bosom ? or shall the gross
ness of my cerf rupt nature and habits sink
me into its deep and dark abyss, not to
drown, but to endurethe suffocation of end-
. . .
Then, what, my fellow-men, is this
minute worth Is it worth the pleasure
you desire while it passes from the indul
gence of appetite or idle curiosity f Is it
worth the money you paid for the last
show, or the sum you. extort from ;yoitr
neighbor? What is it worth ?:rVou
may barter it for a dram or a monkey
show ; but royal grandeur, at the point of
d eath, once exclaimed " a world of wealth
for an inch of time ! !"
Moral reform and missions. Said
an agent of the American Board, "The
heathen world is but one great brothel."
If so, then the work of moral reform must
precede and prepare the way for the work
of missions; or while our missionaries
are preaching the gospel, they must also"
aim to correct the corrupt state pf public
sentiment among the heathen, as to the sin
of lewdness. They can never do this in
directly. The evil is too great ever to be
overcome by indirect efforts. It must be
openly and boldly attacked as a sm against
God. But can we ask' our brethren to do
among the heathen" what we are unwilling
to do at home? JoitntArfl Public Mor
als. ' ' '
Licentiousness and theChurch In con
versation with a pious gentleman, a dis-
tinguished printer of this city, while lay-,
ing before him the plans of the American
seventh commandment Society, vhe re
marked 'that impurity of thought was not
only a sin, but the sin of the church. , That
it was the great obstacle to her sanctifica
tion and success." MUpon this point,''
says he, "will all stand; . convicted before
God.M Brethren in .the ministry, breth
ren in the churches, , is this the fact? Is
the great obstacle lo the sanctification and
success of the church to be found in the
licentiousness of those who profess tube .
born of the Spirit? Our own convictions
on this subject are in perfect accordance
with those of the gentleman above named. .
The seventh, like all the rest of the com
mandmentsrextends to the thoughts, and
intents of the heart, and whosoever Iook
eth on a woman to lust after her, hath com
mitted adultery with her already in his
heart' According to this divine inter
pretation of the law, how muSh imparity
is therein the church of Christ! Let the
consciences those .who know that this
is their easily besetting , sin, and ; who
mourn over it, making constant efforts to
suSdue it, answer,1 , If it is a'iact thaf li
centiousness in thought and feeling ig the
prominent obstacle tothe sarictificatipn
and success of the, church is it the duty,
is it the privilege of the church to pass
over this sin in silence? We say boldly.
No. " The time has come when the church
must look at this subject, and: prayerfully
' inquire, what eanJbe done. T&f stgut Of
. in
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