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' filE PRACTICAL CHRIS T IAN.' 59


A BRIEF I NTE/ l\' lEW.


" Well friend , I hear your priuciples of Non: ·


Resistance hav e led you to IIbandoll the bal ­lot


hox ? How is thi s ?"


l\ f r. n. " Your infilrnllltion is co rrect. I


ha ve a gr eat work to do fi ll' truth allli righto­Ollsne88,


and canuot th erefore mingle ill the


jarring elemellls of politic"'." . ,


" Why friend, if things go on nt this rat9,


whu t' shall we come to ? ' Ve shall be Wilh ­out


mle or authority. ' Vhy we must ha ve a


Presid ent."


Mr. B. " Be not alarme(!. I hop e not to


act the part of a Hluggartl. I alii Inboring in


my . hulJIhle llIan uer to e!' tablish Divine ruU;


alld fllIthority. I ! mvii CRst ' I/ IY vot e rOi' th o


Loi'd J osu" C hr ist liS my Prel! id ent. He will


rille ill wisdom and eqllity . Hence you !! e6,


I have join ed a kingdom which is " not of this


world." "


" WolI, well- tlri! llooks ratht: r llinl\ lic& 1. ,


will titlldy up on it ! t littl e." G. w; $..


CONSOJ. ATORT I. ETTER.


I doubt not J hnv e Iho liberty of a dear


fi'! llnd an d mi nislerin g hroth er, to IllY hefor e


th e read er s of th e " Pra cli cal Chrilltiu lI," th e


followin g epis tle of condolellce . ' Vonls of


sympathy nnd eOlllfort ill the hour of aflJiclio n


ar~ doubly deliI'. T he mind lingers at eac h


se ntence to cateh a new glimpse of lhe de ·


part ed- to shed a fre!' h tear ill rem embrance


ofthose who hilt yesterdlly were Wilh II S. ­Nor


mllY we, liS I conceive, selfishl y lIppro­priate


wOl'( ls fitly spoke n hy lho se who " wee p


with us wh clI we weep," to our own nse. A


lIIuhi ru. le of hearIS ar e swo llen with plIrenta)


sorrow for those who wer e, but now are not.


Such need our sympllthy Ul. ld constallt aid to


lIlitigllte th eir grief. MIlY we eve l' imitate Je­su


s, who wiped aw ay th e mourner'e tear, anll


spake peace to the troubled 8Oul. G. W', s.


Oct. 21, 1840.


M)' DellI' Brother:


' Vhen yo ur Jett er, ' cllll ­taining


th e snd nnd affl icting intelligence of


)' our herellvem cllt Rnd trying circulIlstances in


wlri ch you wns plac ed at th e tim e of the death


nnd flln eral of yo ur lillie hoy, nrrived, I was


away frolll hOllle ; alld since Illy rerum have


Irardl y had tim e to sna tc h a mOlllent to answer


)' our kind hut sorrowful leit er, !\ Iy dear


hrother, whllt slrllll.! say to you- ho w sp eak


witlrout opening nfresh )' 0111' wounds, IIlready


deep and Iltill ble ed ing? For I know such a


wound ca nnot soo n he healed- llor should it


- let it be open till OliO hns welliearnerl wh ere


God hns heell, and what Ire has done. I re­memher


littl e W endall well. He rreemed tbe


pic illra of health- full ofj oy and briglit with


jll · otlliscs. And hardly can 1 rea lize that he


tllke up his abode IDilhin them , and rul e there is transplanted to a more congenial clime..


supremely. And this is th e great work neces- where sor row never ' comes- where faith is


snry for every soul, and wh ich must be accorn- 101lt in sight. nnd hope is swallowed up in


plished in every sou) , before they can feel or fru ition, How prec ious is the Savior to U9 at


know nny thing of that joy and blessedness suc h . seasons of affliction. How qu ick th e


which they alone have who have g iven up mind reverts back to that touching inci­their


selfish and carnal propensit ies, und have dent ofhis earthly life, when he took littlechil­conse


nte d to be guided in all things by the . Men in his arms lind blessed them and said - «


D ivine Spirit within tliem. And is this not a ' of lluc h is th e kingdom of heaven.' And de -:


great and glor ious work ?""': what could be clar ed th at unl es s WPo lire ' collverted and be ­more


so ? It raises poo r, { allen man from his come as a little c hild, we can not~ n ter th e


suite ofdeath, ( in Adam,) to life and blessed- kingdom of God .' , This si ngle incident spea ks


ness in Ch rist. It transformslthe mind ofsin- volumes to my minu in favor iof his divine


ful and degrad ed IIInn into th e image of God. character: No other e ver so spoke, It was


By haviri g Chriijt'rule in nnrl reign over him, left for th e Son ofGotl alon e to a nnounce nnd


he hns had th e promise verified to h im , that illu strate so great and holy a doctrine, Faith


' the pure in heart sha ll see God .' By do ing th en , in Jesus, ope ns th e portals of heav en to


the will of God he know s God, he sees God, our departed littl e ones. It bids th e pure in


he has confi dence in God, he feels th ut God is heart behold th eir God. ' Ifye loved me ,' said


his F ather, he looks upon ull the works of Go; 1 tbe Savior to his so rrowing d isciples, when he


with : III eye beuming with pleasure. This told them he was about to go away-' ll' ye


world eve n, with which th er e is so mu ch limit loved me ye would rejoice because I sa id I go


found, he sees is good- as it sho uld he. H c to the Father.' If you could hear your saint­sees


, he hears , he f eels that God is not only ed cherubs now speak, wou ld th ey not say­above


und beneath, but within and nil around ' Ifye loved liS you would rejoic e because we


I; illl . are come to th e Father,' 0, Illy dear brother,


Here, th en , wy friends, we hav e II rel igion to he with the Father is what we all Wllllt. ­worth


~ ollleth ing-: a religion at home within It is whnt we see k- pmy for- live for lind di e


us, a reli gion we knOID to be good , for we feel for. There ill comfor t th en, in th e death of


it. \ Ve do not gu ess . nt it, or stand wailing our littl e on es- c- such as th e world ean neither


from month to 1II0n th, from year to year, won. give nor tak e awuy. It cun alone he found ill


derin g lIlId expecting so me thing to come up- J esu s.


o n li S in sOllie remarkabl e and lIIysterious Are we not tno apI , dear friend, to think our


/ lllIrlller , to make us happy ilia mom ellt , with . departed fri erul s, wh o have di ed iiI th e Lord,


out IIny efio rt of onr own to r id onrselves of ar e absent from us- aWilY lit IllI illlrnen~ e dis­tlie


evil !! within us- but we hllve lelll'lied there tan ce, where th ey ' Iose all kn owledge of us


is no religi on worth allY thing, hut th e religioll lind all interest ill us ? Is heav en th en remo~ e


Ch ri~ t Cll llle to tellcl\ us, and th at tellche~ us nnd ' not Ilea l' by? Is Ilnt God Ilear us-we


IIlllst ce llse 10 flo evil lind learn to do g ood : with u ~, nllll wh ere God is, iiHh.. cre Ilot bellven


uud thnt to . be be ' good lind do guod i~ th e - lIn. 1 our own pious friends too, who ha ve


fillllllilltion of our happiness. Bnt we · IIIUSt departed thi s life rich in lililh nnd good work'" ,


first leurn 10 do good, ulld we hllve found none and rich er still in th e blessed ( Iromises? I


sli compete nt to tench liS th e heloved SOil of 10l'e to thillk of Illy sainted ' paren tsllild chernb


God, ' who wellt about duing good.' chil, lren liS still Ileal' me- still int er ested in


L et Ill', my de a r Brelhren alld S il'tel'i', ever my high est nn, 1 . best good- still Jlnlyillg - the '


follow th is hri ght and glorions" Father, 111111 not Fllther for me- lind oh! how IIIl1l'h morc


oid y follow Hi s pr el, epts . left liS 011 paper, but wllltheit' prayer s avail, tlllm wh en on ear th. ­nhove


a ll, His hlcssed a n. 1Heav enl y S pir it, for !\ fay it not he so, my br oth er ?- nnd if so , th en


that w ill ' letillns to happiuess, to glo ry ; to · · im.- ~ t b o n g h th e cllr ly loved be . llmollg the ~ carly


mortnlity- it will lead us to God. lost , yet the los!! is a gain, 8 gaill to them and


Now nlay th e God of Peace alJll Love be . a gaill to liS. Jr is diffi cull, I know, to COII-,


with you. 1\ II\ Y you 1I11 be filled with His lIect thin l; s telllporal with things s piritlla l­flllu


esl!, IIl1d h/ lve II j oy I'll I ulld happy uleeting. time with eternity. But let 0111' s piri tlla l ~ i~ ­May


yon re tlll'n ' to YOllr hOllies, hetl cl'p. repared ion be enlarged and purified by lilith. Let us


for the e l'e nls till\ t IIw'lI it yOIl in life, 111111 hett er not ollly see hut enjoy God lind Henven lind


prcpared fill' th e greut e vents th llt IIwait )' 011 I · Angels, IInllthe Jus. t made perfect , \ V. hile ill


Itt death. Furew ell . ' . 0111' p i l ~ rilll stutc.


From yo ur brother ill Clrril't, My ( leur hr olh er, a llow 118 ", lr o have heen


SAMUEL s . BROWN. tillle lind ngai n nffiictell ill like manner to ten -


de r So u and y0 1l1' , leur llompanio n ou r warlll­es


r, le nde l'e~ t, 1II0st dlristi an spllpu thi, es, ­Bri


ght lire your hOlIes 11\ 111 rich YOUI' coruola · ·


tions in the gos pl! l-- the Lord ga \' e lind th e


Lonllralh tallen uway, Arlll elln y'; m sIIY- O


ca n yOIl sa)' from th e hellrt wi th gOllil " Id J ob


-" Blessed Ltc tire nllm e of tire Lord. nAnd


still lh rth er eRn you cOllie lip ~ o th e tru e test,


alld suy \ vith th e e,' e r hle ~ sell Jeslls our 1.0 rd


llnd l\ IRste r-" Not onr will hut th in e, 0 Fa­the


r , he don e.'" I trn st )' I> U mn)" in som6


good lIIellSlll'e. God is ind eed calling you to


great tria ls, hilt is he 1I0t lliso " i" ing yo u to en ­j


oy lIIany lIIer ciell? If hc tukes nway does he


not al", o give '? I f he se nds thu'mcsscnger of


( Ienth does he 1I0t ulso Rend the lIIessellger of


life? Be COlllfol'ted th en, m)' cienr fr iends,


1II111 com fort ' ye one an oth er in tire hopes and


promises of th e gos pel. w. H . W .


' a nd worldly c us toms, to ascertain a nd adopt


it.


~ n, l now, I heg lea ve t~ express my cord ial


acquiescence in that grand saving truth of


God, upon which you tak e your di stincti ve


stand among Christians- namely, the final res­lora/


ion and holiness and happiness of the


whole hllman race- em anating from the pllre


and perfect, ineffable, ' unchangeable, lnal iena­ble,


inex tiuguishahle, univer sal Love of th e


Divine Being- as ' the Father of the whole


famil y in heav en and earth,' who ' so lovedthe


world' of IIIen, that he gav e his beloved Son


to red eem and save them; and wh ose eternal


pu rpo se in Christ J esu s call never be relin­q


uishe d, annulled, or fail of belng accomplish ­ed;


but ( uIv ing put all thin gs into his hands,


an d ' g iven' him to be head o ver all thin gs to


the Ch urc h,' ' b e must reign until he has sub­du


ed a llthings under him .' Anti whe n , ull


things are thus subdued unto Him, then , but llOt


until / hen, shall ' the Kingdom be deliver ed up


to th e Fuihe r, th at God may be nil ill a ll.'


This glor ious revealed truth, which leav es


not a shade to dim' th e IUSU'Il of nn infinite Fa­ther's


L ove ; 110 1' a s igh th at ' a sing le so ul


sho uld he exc lude d from a Savior's d, IJillg


compassion- ex pllncl!! th e ' heul't with / I hound -:


less response of love- pure and perfe ct , fluw ­ing


from the eternal sou rce of Bein g, of Bless­edness,


o l'\ V istlo llJ anll of Power- of WhOlll,


nnd throu gh wh om hc glo ry foreVlir- Ame n.


In Christiun uflcction, yo nr8;


· TIIUS.: ) IAYLI:' i.


\


L ET T ER ~'() TilE ED t T Oll.


Ci nc inna ti, Oct. 3 , 1840.


do something rocoufer th o: blessing IIpon otli­~


rs . Strong indeed are the c h ai n~ U)' ",: lIich .


. lthe · \\' OI'ld holds men , yet they ' ca n be broken.


Truth is stronge r thanchains of bra ss. Lo ve


will d eliv er ull tlrat a re bound, It if. equnl to


tilis rnighty ' effort , It is ' omnipotent. Re­Joice


ye, who lire in se rvitude; for your re­demption


draws n igh . Great illde ed is tire


work'. The opposingenemy is rnighty , Hut


love is mightier th an wrath. God is st ronger


than ' evil. . .' n. s , ' IV.


~ Dear S ir : IIIlI ! Being a stranger t o you, I forhe~ r


to us e grea ter freedom iw th is address, BIIt


huving receiv ed th e 10th nli lllhe r ( If the Peac­:


ticul Christ ian, to \ vhi d l I lmve lately become


; l su bsc riber, thmu g~ t"' e ruedium of 0111' kind


bro ther S to ne , I t. ec · 1impe lled to offer II few


thou gh ts on YO\ l r ~ Igges t ions re sp ectin g th e


estuh li" h~ ellt (, f a Chr · istilllfCartllll uniou on


the 1' 11111 Ilf'op osed.


1 rejoice in th e iniimntiou , andso far from


deemiug ; t visionary or funurical, I consider it


in prin ciple th e only pmctl cal course that the


thorou gh 1o'llowers of Jesus C hris t can ad opt


to" let th eir light so shine before men , that see­inf


th eir' good works'-' the fruit ; of th at


ri~ hteoll sll ess which a re 1Iy J esus Christ to the


glory and pmise of Gocl'-' they / lIny glo ri f)'


their Falher ill Heave n .'


' In my view, C hr isliu1l pr illcipl es lind Chris­t


illn lUutives ure so e" se llt iully · . liffi:. rp. nt frolll,


lilly hostil e to those which have e \' e r heen IIIHI


still ure he ld lind chc r j,.' he.! . hy the hulk of


miink ind in nll ltges mi. 1 in / III c Ol II Il~ ies, that


they mi glrl he fitly represellle , l hy rlre il'lln


Bn, r cfay , whielr 1\ I~\' f" r I'un nnite ; a nd nil the


~! t~ lII l' tS t u nnmlgllnHlle 1I11; 11l will en: r be in


vllin. "


It slIl'ely wOllld no t else hu\' e lteen declared


hy Irim who ' sp ake us IJPover U1nn spnke '-' Ye


i~ an n o t ~ rvPo Gu tl a nci l\ Iiunn'lOn'- uod' lI~ ain,


" T hey lIt'e not of tire world, eVf'n liS I nm not


· .< lf thll worl. l'- ' 1 hav e c hosen yOIl Ollt of th e


\ yorld . ' Nor would it, I tlrink, ha\' e heen en-joi"


t< 1hy Di vin e ' AlIlh ol'ity-' Come ol/ t · fi · oUl


alllong them a nti he ye sepnr!' t~' -::: 81J( 1 aga in-;: ­'


iII'~;; yI nan love th e wol'ld, the lovc of the


, FatireI' is' not in hin ,.'


, .' Vlrat bllt Ihi s int ermixtnre. ofthe Clrllrclr


: lnd lh e ' Vorl. l , pr oqllced th e first Ilepartllre


" frnr~' ; he primiti ve ~, a nd i n s of lire Chriitians


"' f . l. he th ree first centuries ? Succeeding IIge!!


: \\' i t ~ ess c d ' its encronclrin g, inr~ ovating, cor­I'IIplin


g inflll en ce, until the professed Churclr


.01' ~, ill'is t had , illdee. i ' a lIam e to live, but wns


denll.'


. ',. Hn t we live in thnes of a pr olessell Refor-


I ' rlll\ tion- a nd yet~ wiler; : IIlY esse ntial prirH: ij, l. e


of ,'. tlre Gospel of lire gl'llcc " I' Gill!' is urgc, l


1I1' 0; r pr ofPossel1 C hristia ns for adoption , th e re ·


' ply is":"" yes, we n; lmi t its abstract trllth, bllt


, it c.!,. nllot he ne te,! · Oll t ill tire pr esen t stnte of


socielv . ' Ve IIIl1st wa · it lo r mor e fil\' or ahl c


Ci l'(;' I; I ; I~ tn llces :' or-' it m,\\, he in acCOrtlllllce


_. ': . ~ : i .'


with , the institur iolls of J e ~ lIs C lrrist, Ilis ex-ample,


his clrnrnc te r a nd his spirit- hut it is


' r! ot . exped ient for liS, . whilll we arc sl ll~ rollllli ­ed


by so / TIailY I~ ollfljcl. i n g . i n l ~ res ts 1II1l1 el'lnb­lished


usenges in.- til e world.' In plnin lan­.'


gunge , ' ti , e Goep~ 1 of J eslls Christ ill its !' mi.


iy, ex tell t linII spi rit is 1I0t pracli cnhl e YOR uS,


oriiJ~ ' 011 1' age. As if thllt infin ite mind , wh ich


, • • ( I .


in L. ove and Co rllpassion devised . m an ' s salv a .


I. ion, Iris red emptiOIl a nd reco very frolll si ll


'. RlIll di sobedi ell'ce, did not fill'eseo ' whnt obsta ·


: C le~ ' woll ld uri se to relal'll . or .~ ollstruct its sn c~


. .. 1


. ces!! fu l opemtiml- but was ~ uhj eet to th e


lln, n · ~,: . sh oi, t -~ ightetln ess ns his purblind c rea­iurcs.


Fill', fill' fi: ol/ l us be snt; h violent impli­ca


l i oli~ : Simillli' 10 tlJiIi wns the pl ea of ~ o llle


, c~ rt~ i n ' J e \; s ofoltl.. tilll '. l- ' Th ~ tim e is not


1:\ ;... . . . .


. collle for th e L ord ' s Hon se to he hllilt'- lIn. 1 t, , · I ."


tI) e spirit of th e sUllie so lellln rebuke see ms


eq ti ~ lIy IIppricahl ~ to m/ ln y 1lI0dern , C h ri~ t ia nll.


' Th il~ tile redeeming principle of lh e Savior > ,


ot men allli th e lIutl iorilY of th e C hristian ' s


LiJ~ d, is enfeehl ed and diminished in th eir in­f1u


~, i ~~ ; ~ n, 1 we feel no ~ urpri8e in th e inCllll­'


grll iii~~ pfjig hting jollow~ rs . lJf . the Prince of


Pc ace- Slave- holding and Slave, abetting dis ­dipl.


es of Hin~ wh ose service is perfect f reedom.


' Blit' thes c gJarillg ahe rl' 8tions ought to he scri­ousl


y' pondered hy all ' Who, are con cerne( 1 for


Chris tian COllsisten~! I. · ; aM if there is a way


of'C8C.~~ illg liie CO'lItllgion ot' worldly max im s,

Page 59 of Volume 1 from The Practical Christian 1840-1841

Ballou, Adin

1840