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20 THE PRACTICAL C HR ISTIAN.


'-' And · the work of righteousness shall be


. peace; ' a lld the effect of righteousness, quiet-ness


and nssuram.: e for eVer." ,


I'PRAY WITHOUT CRAStNG,!'


This exhortation of the ' Apos tle has appeared


to muuy as 8 hard, if not impracticnhle' reo


quirement, Yet it must be admitted if- we are


daily walking with God as dear children, a


constant a~ ld prayerful spi rit will attend us.-


A soul alive to its immortal interest cannot


live prnyerless, Anrl if we are daily seeking


for a " better country," even , an heavenly, pray"


er will us' naturally be sought for by the soul, •


as food is for the body, Indeed prayer is the


nourishment of the " inner man," and imparts


strength when our earthly tahemacle is weak


and ready to perish.


But I design not now to speak of the advan­tng


es of pr ayer. They surely know but little


of God lind the sweets of religion, who do not


love th e c loset Iietter than the busy circle of


men, or any pla ce else on earth. I wish now '


d ear read er, to cnll your attention to the expo­sit


ion of an humhle servant gil: 1 of ( he words­"


P ray without ceasin g." I am s ure n, o learn­e[


l commentator could make it pluiner. Have


we not here a d emonstmtion of tile truth that


th e humblest soul may he' wise unto salvation.


\ V e ,} eed not the wisdom of man to interpret


th e BilJle. No- and ble ssed be God for this


assura nce, that with a pur « nnd humble heart


we lIlay even run and understand. - Come,


like Mary . let us " pi!" y without ceosing."


• 1/ G• . "' · . s.


" A number of ministers \; ere assemhled for


the discussion '" of diffi clLlt qu estions, llnd


amollg others it was ask ed, how the (' ommand '


to " pruy wilhout ce' : sin g " could he complied


with. Vliriou~ SIlPPOSltiOlis were sta rted , and


at len gth oile of the Ilumher was appointed to


write all ess ay upon it , to read at the next


mOllthly meeting j w! li ch being ove rl llJll rd by


a fellllli e se l'vunt, she exc lnin. ed, "' Vhat ! a


whole month wanl ed to tellrhe, mellriing of


th at tex l! It is on e of til e ensi est a lld hest


texts in the mhle," "\ Vell, well," sa i< l'Ihe


old lIIini stf'r, " Mllry, whllt cun · YIlII SIIY ahout


it. ' Let U8 Iwow ho" v you lIfHler stllll/ 1 it j can


you, pmy lIil tile time?" " 0 yes, si r." "\ Vhat!


wl l/' n yOIl II/ we so mnny Ihillgs 10 do ?"_


" ' Vhy, sir, til e mo rel Iu, ve 10 dll, ' li e more I


cnu pray." , " I!' deed; \~ ell Ma ry, do 1';' i"' iiS' I


know how it is; for most penple lhillk other- 1


wisp. r" " Well , sir," sa id th p. girl, " \ Vhe n I


~ rs l ope n my e}' es iu Ille mornillg, I pr llY­"


Lord " pen tile " yes of my uII, lerstand ing ;" "


und whil" , 11111 IIrel'si ng, I pmy Ihat I may he


c lolhe d wilh th e rohe of righteoll sn ess; alld


when I have wllsh ed me , , I as k fill" lhe wash­iug


ofrpgen el'lltioll ; alld as I hegiu work, I


pl'lly th llt Inlay, IUI\; e stren gth eq ua l to my


dny; when I hegin to killdle up ' lhe fire. I


pray that God's work mllY revive in my sou,;


lind as I swep. p out th e hou se, I pm}' that my


heart- may be d eallsell fi'om nli its impurilies;


and while pr eporing 1II111 partakillg ' of hreak.


fast~ I desire to he fed wilh the h idelt~ n manna


and th e sinee re mill, of the word: and as I am '


, hllsy with th e lillie childre, n, I look lip to God


us Illy Fllther, ! lnll pray for Ihe !' pirit ofadop­lion,


th llt I lIlay be his child, ancl s~ on all


day; every thing I do fumishes me witb a


thought for prayer." "' E nough, enough," ­,


c ried the oJd divine, " these Ihings are reveal­ed


to buhes, and often hid from th e wise and


prudent." " Go on, lUary," suid he, " pray "


\ vithout cea :; illg ;" and ns for JlS , my brethren,


let us hless th~ Lord for this~ xpositio", and


rememher th at he has said, ' T he ' me ek wtll he


guille in judgment.''' The essay, as a matter


ofcourse , WIIS not considered necessary after


this littl e event occurred."


POETRY.


For th « Practical Christian.


I NVOCATION.


o come dear Sa viour, come and d;,' ell


' Vilh thine own spirit IlIrge nnd free- '


\\' ilhill ' lly heart , 11"' 1 I ul: ly tell,


Tile joy, the pra ise l'\' ~ found in thee,


Thy name how precious 10 the soul,


1I0w sofi und sweet thy cheering voice ;


0 ; lIIay its power lily life courrol, '


Th y words of wisdom bHlily choice.


' I'hus hlest nnd gu ided while I spend


On e arth a few more ! Ieeting day. i­Lsh


all know Je sus as lO}' friend,


And tune lily voice in heavenly lays. ' , , .


Then corne, dear Savior- let thy love,


( Forever dwell within Illy breast: \


Cume, raise my languid thoughts abo\' e-


Oh give a w'llIderer prllllli" ed rest. G. W, s,


TRUST IN GOD.


" Though he slay lIle, yetwillI trU$ 1 in him."


Job xiii. IIi.


' Should pain lind sickness o'er mo) hruw \


Th eir pallid furrns of wastingw o j­Shoold


friends forsake me, and depart


Wi th 1I0ne to cheer this drooping heart;


I'd how unto thy sov ereign will,


And thoogh thou slay - me, trust thee still.


Shlluld scorn nnd hatred point the dart,


Shllo: d falsehllod reach the vital part ,


ClInlp" sed, ," y . roined hopes I ' d \' iew,


And trust in Ihee to bear lIIe throogh ;'-:'


Soppliant I'd bow before thy will,


And thaugh Ihou slay llIe, Irust thee still.


Shoold want, with all her meagre tr ain,


Scalle r my dreary path wi'lh pain- ,


lily SlIviour bent 10l; oow the stn fe,


And rose IIbove the ill. of life-


' 1' 0 that grcilt pUllem , hows Illy will,


And Ihou. gh thoo slay lIIe, trusts thee still . "


, Ycs! Falher, thoo arl good lI Ol I just ,


' f~ y word, \ Ihough olhers Colil) ~' II Irost;


Illy cha ~ ten ' d heart, with glad acclaim,


Bounds joyful at my Father's name ;


Acth ' e to do hi. gracioos will,


And Ihuugh he slay me, Iro;; l. him slill.


IS (~ OD MY FRi END ' 1


IsGod my friend? Then welcomc death;


How swee t the Ihoughl " ppellrS, '


T hat when I brealhe Illy parl ing sigh;


He ' ll calm Illy rising fears.


Is ,? od my friend? Th en welcome life,


And all its trJing car es;


lI is wisdom c h o ll~ eo all for me,


And nomhers all m}' years,


Is God my friend? Then why should r.


Dislrust his ' tender care?


He " , ill provide whcn ellrlhly friend.


Shall falsely uisappear ,


Is God my f~ i end ? Thrice welcome, then,"


, Affliclion, pllin and care,


Sweet lol, eno ofa Father ' s lo\' e ,


Which wilh his Son I share.


Is God my friend? Then ' all is mine,'


The world, a ~ d life, anrl deaih ;


E'en ~ eaven lind Christ belong to me,


And Illi lhe gospel'. wellllh ,


Is God my friend? Then sin in vnin


SI1illllu, e my feet aside,


For he is stronger than my foes,


And hc will be my goide.


! lfy guide through all the stormy paths ,


Which Chri" tian pilgrim~ trcad; '


1\ Iy life, my all, when this f; ail form


Is nun. bered with Ihe dead.


ORIGINAL MISCELLANY.


Cruelty to Brutes.


. Mr. Editor- To th e senti, " ent expresse, l in


your " stan, 1l1t'l1 of pl'llctieal christi llni iy," ( pllb­lish


ed in Ihe ( irst No. oflhis pllll er,) " We CII1l­not


Ile crll el ev en to the b ea~ I S of the ea rth," I


c he ed i d ly assellt; for I verily thillk IIlilt ofllll


the delrJolliaclIl passions tllllt IlIIlIut Ihe IIIIUlaII ,


, Ilreast, t: l" lle lty , Ihe hlltellllltril; llle of the IIpOS­tnt


e lbe , isJorerilOslllllrl Joulest. It is ihe first


POiSOIlOIlS drllg whieh S atan ventnres to illfusp.


illto lloe Clip of youthfnl illnoccnce, and it is


too often , dru uk with pleasure., "


" The spring. time of our years


I. soon dishonored and defiled in most


By budding ills, Ihat a. k a prud~ nt hand '


' 1' 0 cbeck thew, Butalas! nOPllllOODer 5hoow


If unrestrain ' d, into luxuriant growlh,


' fhan cruelty, most'dev ' l i, h of them all,"


Every parent should diligently, and in sea-son,


teach hi s chi ldren to he merciful to the


brute cre at ion. Dol'S ehristi anity tolerate' cru­e.


lty , even to abeust P Certainly not. " The


merciful 1118n is merciful to his beast." But


few, then, are merciful at the present day. ­How


often do we see the noble horse, and the


patient ox, most cruelly beatenwhen stru in­iug


every nerve, lashed at every step when ex­erring


their utmost strength! Is it right to


infl ict upnn them unnecessarystripes? No, it


is not. TllOusatHls of lise less blows ar e struck


- nl8ny'from wanton cruelty, and many from


a thoughtless hnhit, acquiredalmost impercep­Iillly


hy ' seeiug'others set the evil exnmple v- «


\ Vould that men ' would refl ect, and be cau­tious


how - they infli ct one unnecessary blow-"


eithe r from cruelty or thoughtlessn ess, on


th ese useful uu im nls, or perj ietrate an y W8n,


ton cr ue lty wh at ever up on th e brute creati on .


\ Vould, ' say, that they would reflect, and


cense from this ev il , But tllany deli ghtin


cruelty. How oft en do we see an innocent


vict im , sel ected from among 0111' useful do­mesne


fowl s, tied to a stake, n mark for spo rts­men,


th ere to s uffe r long and rei terated tor­rures,'


till , bleeding lit ~ v e ry pl! re, it finally


falls to the ground! unrl th ink yo. without " our


heavenly Father's n ~ tice'?" No., He noti ce s


its p<' lllgs, alld its inh uman tormentors are Idso


, noti ce'l. A;.: uin- how often , 110 we see 0111'


refin ed sportsmen ( even professo i'g of chris­timlTty)


among our gmves alld or charrls, wau ·


to, lIly de stroying Ihe linls of Ihe irllloce, n't hi rd s ,


- merely for pllsti'ne. \ Vllllt, sport fi, r c hris­ti


aus! what heroi sm, to shoot lIud Ihrowawlly


th pse little liarmless warblers! \ Vhen th eir


Ih'ps a re tllken , fill' fi> Oll to sus tain th e sick, or


wh ell Ihey heeOllle a nllisallcP, it may he right


10, dest ro y Ihem- hut to ' wailto llly tak e Iheir,


Ih'es filr sport, is inhulIlan. Fnrlllyself, I de ·


light to hellr th eir sweet strains- there is no


dec eit, 110 hypllc risy in their songs. They do,


iud eell, " Oil hi;. r1! Go, J'~ pmises Irear."


, Brethren , let us 1I0t Ire Cl" llel to th ese irmo­cent


creatures, or c ven III th~ heasls of th e


ea rth; Ilf nUY'deser ipt inn , fnr it is siunll . It is


sin ful 10 p" t lill'lII to any Illllleccss: u: y pain, ­au'


I I, e wllO , Io es it callu ~ t Ire II tl" lle di sciple


of the mer... iful J e: ms. I have no sy lll pa thy


fi, r snch ehristinlls, if ch ristiu! ls th ey lIIay Ire


" lIl1ecL I CIllHlot Illve t1' eil' deeds. " Illstru­lIlents


of cruelty lire ill th eir IUlhitlllilfns. ' 0


my slInl, come not thou in to tlIPir secl'et; IIl1tll


IllI! ir IIssemlrly, Illille hOllllr, he IIllt 111011 lill i­ted."


I willnvoid such IlIen, i f I C'al1llOt re ­c


laim them- I will " come Ollt thJlll nmoug


Ihem."


", w~ uld not enter on my li, t of fcienr's


(' 1' 100' graced with pnlished manners 8ndfine sellse,


Yet wnnting sens ibility,) Ihemnn


W/ l0 needlessl}' sels foot'!' pon a ~ v o r m ..


An inadvertllnl slep may crnsh the snail,


Thai erhv i. lit evening in Ihe pohlie path;


Dol he th" t hols honlll'nity, forewarn'd, ,


WiII lread a. ide; and let the reptile live. :'


, Staniford, Conti. ' • S. R. S.


Millv ille, !\' lay 91h, 1840.


Deal' Hr. Ballou :-


, •• 1


I thonk yOIl most heart-ily


for forwarclin~ for my IHirlisal, the lell er of


onr heloved BI · . Quilley" It was truly refi'esh ­iu~'


to my spirit, and encourllgill~ heyond


wlmt I cun fillli worrls to express. ' I r ~ spir it is


of Nllzareth- it is he avenly. And may we


1I0thope that th ere are scullerecl uuroad, o\' er


' OUI' lanll, many more of'lilHJ'preciou s lilith,' ­who


will offer up their prayers in our beha} f,


IIn, l ext eud 10 us Iheir sympath ies and ai< J ? ­Oh


! Ihere is a ' j'emnallt' who have not yet


howed th e kn ee to Bllal: and hlessed he God,


, the pro spect is th at th ey arc ah out to rise and


shiue forth as lhe hri ghtness oflhe Sllll. They


shall yet possess th e ea rth, alld be th e illstru ­lTJellls,


IIl1der Christ, of overcoming all wrong


111111 est ahli shiug Right. A beller day is dawn­illg


111' 011 the world. Our age is ce rtainly a


peclllillrly illle res ling olle- and 0 how inter­es


ting. Doesit not bear a ' s tronger resemhlnnee


to th at in wldch the Sa\ iol' dwelt ill Ihe flesh ,


thall allY one thnt hns preceded it filr centu ·


ri es? I ellnnot , but thinl, so j and ca nnot hut


hope and § elieve that God is nhout to reveal


IJirnselfto ' the fuilhful- to the pure in hearl,


mosl glo~ iously. ' ' Eye hath not se en ; ear hnth


uotllellrd; lI~ ither have eutered iuto, the hearl


o I'ma n, th e thi ngs tha t God hat h P!' c pa red for


them that love Him :- Illlt' th e s pi rit. in their


hearts is teaching them to hope for great things


and blessed. ' The Lord will fulfil the desires


of them thai fear him.', And what desire in


their 11I~ asts so strong as the desire to see free­doni


triumph over oppression? holiness over


sill? love over hate and selfishness? This is


the state of feli city th at prophet s predicted­th


e ' Lord's anointed' came to introduce and to


hast en wh ich he suffered and died :- and it is


th e s tate to which the sp irit in true hearts points


continually, Whnt surer pleclge could we


have that it will come? it'mmt .


The coming of Christ . draws nigh . Not


such a coming asthe Jews looked for, and as


manychristinns seem now to be look ing for


- billa spirilual coming. , The rellllblicalion


() f his pure and divine principles- of his prin­ciples


ofPeace and'Love ; is certainly II more


glorious and blessed coming than !" ny outward


one can be. Whnt could be more dtsirable


th ~ n to see hi s kin grlmri estahlished; in th e


souls of men? Nothing, surely, And, Oh !


if th ey who - have received light and truth and


lov e ar e only fhithful- c- jf th ey coine ont from


th e world and be separut e - c- if th ey show by


' their cond uct lind conversation th nt . there is


ind eed a divinegov'ermnent on earth, the clay is


not far distant wh en we s ha ll ' have more of


hea ven here than most c hr istians ar e looking '


for he reafter. ' He , tha t dwelleth in 1:, ove,


dwell eth in God, allli God in him.' ' If any


man love me,' said J esu s, ' Illy Fllther will love


him, anel w"" will c ~ rn e and tak e lip our IIborle


with him.' And wlllltllloreofheavcn isneed­ed


!- what more' can he asked for ?- whnt


llIore Clln be thought of tha n such. n henv pn ? ­DOllhtless


in th e' futu re, a'nd alwa. lJs ~ s long as


' we shlln Jlrogress in goodness, th e ! lpiritulli


worhl will op en IIpon us more gl! l rioll sl)' than


we eun e: rpeet it to in this ,1 irp.. B ri!! h tel' "


manifestation' ofom' Father will he , lisc'O\' er­ed,


beeall se we shnll be 1II00' e like him. Y el


IIII1St it not he thnt in this world Go, r, lesign s


lIIell shull , real ize his presence, and e lljoy it,


ami e nle r hea vell ?


Bill I will not dwell o n this thon ght. My '


henrt is filII, 11/." I w() lIldlhll! Ihn: l li voi ee to


speak ill trumpet. lone to ull ehrisliulI ; el" nll-


, el'S :- ne filithtitl- hp. not of the world- let


Y0 ' 11I' ligh t' shine. ' Be , pe rl;, e t, lIe of g() od


coml!, rt, he of one mill, l, Ih'e in p em~ e , lllld


Ihe Gild of pence shall he with YOIl.'


And how / TIllch, IlPlov" c1 lit · ., , I" pp. luls IIpon


oUr f; li lhlillllc~ s! \ Vlul! l I relHI Hr. Gurrisoll's


filVllra hle lIotice of otlr lilt le puper, uud tho't


of the se rv iee lIe - would rClIsouuhlv expect it


to pedill" lu, I fi~ 1t 1;' ex t: llli'rn- ' \ VhlJ is suffi­ci


eul fi'r th es e t h i n g~ ?' A", I uow, lhllt I have


Br. Quinev',; leit er hefilr e me; th ll S, lllle - feel ·


iugs ~ we ll'rny hr~ 1I8t. \ V e have ; ndeed ra ised '


our slUndunl hi gil :- the cms,; " fC hris t it is­uud


the cross of C hrist, uot liS an ato llement


merely, hut liS8n example. And will our , irac­tice'


he consis tent. Wilh it,?- will it be ' w h ~ t


muy he reasonably looked for hy those ' with­Ollt?


Shall we lay the axe of ' refim n lit the


root of corruption ? j in ollr own hearls and


every where else? ' Shall we with lireless ef ·


lort strive continually to purify the chlll'chi­so


that it may he without s pot or wrinkle, or


any such thi ng? These are qu estions which


make me fenl' thnt I sha ll be found wanting, ­But


it is not ofou rselv es that we ar e to ,1o lilly


Ihing in thi s work. O ur suffi ciency is of God,


and thns may we he en courngerl. He will


st; engthen us. Nor will I d~~ rair of fiuding


hUl1lan ai, l-, or rather divine aid, through hu­mun


il~ strumelitality. The nominal church,


as it now is, ' may. not re ce ive our ) Jrin ciples- Sa, lJings oj Rev. J~ hn NelOton.- 1f two an­ihey


may trcanhem as the Jews did wh ell ' :: els \~ p.. re sem dow, u from heave!) to ex~ cute


I . ' th e , hvme command, and on e wa s nppomted


first prolllulgat~ d by the . SavlOr ; but good , , to cond llct an empire, Illld th e oth er to sweep


ones and true Will be found m all the sects, who a street, they would feel IIf inclination to


will receive them gludly These, howev, el', chnnge employments. , . '


• will, as a general thing, be of the ' comm(; n I shou ld have Ihollght n~ owers very Idle pe~.


' I pie j but they work wIllie th py whet their


people. , For oh. how hardly , ca n they, that scythes. So , de \' otedliess to Gocl, whether it


have riches enter into the kingdom of heaven ! , mows, 01' whels Ihe seytbe, it still goes on with


This, to many is a hard say ing, hut would they the work. . ,


but remember that selfishness is hell, und love A b ~ l ristian ~ hould ncver plead, spiritually


, • . , , . , for hel1l~ lin Idler, or sloveu. If he he hut a


heaven, and th en IIlqull ' e IIlto tll, e state oft~, eJr shoe- bl ack, he shou ld Ill; the hest in th e parish.


own hearts, they would find , tillS declaratIOn My principal metho, l for defeating error and


of the Savior, in accordance with U law of her~ sy, is hy es tab lishing the truth. , One


their spiriluul being. But I hllve corne to the , proposes, to fill a ~ lI shel with tareR~ now. if. I


1 f ~' h d ' I " 1 I can fill It first wltb wheat, I trlay defy hlB at-en,


0 : my s eet an must , coso.. :' ay , t letelllpls.


Lord hft upou th e world the hght oflns c, oun · '


tellllnCp. nnd A'ive success to the cause of truth


and righteousnes. ' .


Y< lttI'll ill the gosl/ el of Peace and Love, .


' WU. B. !' ISH.

Page 20 from Volume 1 of The Practical Christian 1840-1841

Ballou, Adin

1840