Gospel Herald, 1859-11-19

              SPEL HE
Devoted to Cliriatiai-iity, Morality, the Interests of Sabbath Schools, Social Impi-o-iremen-t, Temperanoo, Education, and. General Ne-we.
BEHOLD,   I   BRING   TOU   GOOD   TIDINGS   OF   GBEAT   JOY  ....  ON   EARTH   PEACE,   GOOD   WlLl,   TOWARD   MEN."
VOL. 16.
DAYTON, 0.; SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1859.
NO. 28.
ORIGINAL POETRY,
Writienfor the Goepel iforoW.
Our Best Triend.
IIT 3. M. SIONB.
Our earthly friends to UB how dear,
So kind and true are they; Delight -we feel when they are near,
But sadnoaa -when away.
Away 1 ye3 often far iiro those,
Whose hearts are joined with cure;
Montha, years, and distance interpose, To cloud the passing hours,
But there's a friend in hea-ven above.
In whom if we confide, Hia presence, peace and joy and loTe,
Will never be denied.
Though earthly friends may us deceive,
And kindred prove untrue; We'll pray for those who persecute,
And pray for sinners too.
For Jeaus hath thia promise given,
"I will bo with you still; On earth, in death, and then in heaven.
Who lovo and do my will."
Above, beneath, and all around.
The light of life He'll bo; With glowing hope the heart shall bound,
Of immortulity.
Then while each otlici-'a love we share,
As we have done before; 0 let it bo our con-stant care,
To love tho Savior moro. Faksiine, Ohio.
ORIGINALITIES.
Written /or ttca Gospel Herald.
Divine Origin oi Christianity, Ko. 6.
BY  JAMBS MAPLE.
The agreement botween what tho Biblo says we arc, and what we find ourselvea to be, ia a strong evideneti of divinity. An author may enter the human heart and lay bare tho seerec worltingfi ofthe spirit. His Btatonients may meet with a reeponse iu the hu- mau breast. IIi.s picture may bo a faithful delineation of wnat I feel my¬ self to be- The voice from without may ha responded to by a voice from with¬ in- Now a volume ofthis kind might stand distiuguished from all other works by its profound and penetrating discernment of allthe lurliing plans of our moral economy—it might be so su¬ perior to every thing else of human origin upon this subject, that by this superiority alone, it might prove itself to be superhuman- A human author may recommend himself both to the confidonee and admiration of tliose who study him, by the penetration ¦and sagacity, with which ho finds hi-s way among the secret, yet, felt and con¬ scious intimacies of the human char¬ acter; but a divine autlior may exhibit this sagacity and penetration"' in a de¬ gree 60 marvellous—thore maj' be such a miimto, varied, and scrujiulous agree¬ ment between his representations of our heart, and the responses given to thom by that faculty within, which takes cogniza»eoof itsfeelings andpro- oesse-s—the voice liom without may be so accurately reflected or echoed back again, by "the voice that speaks from the deeply-seated receasoa of con¬
sciousness—as to evince a superhuman acquaintance 'with the human heart, its processes- This evidence is founded ou the harmony between what is in tho book, and what is in the chamber of our moral and spiritual economy. Now tho Eible is ^such a work as this. It enters into the secret chambers oftbo human heart and lays bare all the se¬ cret windings of tho moral and spirit¬ ual economy. There is such a minute and perfect agreement between its re¬ presentations ofthe human heart, and what wo find ourselves to bo, that thia accordance clearly deraonetrates the fact that he who constructed the Biblo had a superhuman acquaintance with all the peoiiharities and the wants and tho phases of that nature to which it constantly refers and for whose bene¬ fit it was framed. The Bible explicitly declares that all men aro sinners—that all havo sinned and come short ofthe glory of God—that thore is ro fear of God befbre their eyes. This Btatement moots with a responsive voice from -within. All men foel that thoy are sin¬ ners. No man can turn his thoughts within upon himBolf, and seriously and honestly examine his own heart with¬ out discovering the fearful ravages of sin upon his own soul. .Here tho de¬ clarations ofthe Biblo como under tho cognizance of our own minds. When the Bible speaks to us of heaven and the counsels of Jehovah, wc can only test its external evidences; but when it speakfl to us of our own iiearts—en- tors the sacred precincts of our own bosom and describes the phases and se¬ cret workings of our moral and spirit¬ ual economy; it comes directly under the cognizance of our mind, and we can test its divinity by its internal evi¬ dences. The Bible declares that man lives without God—-that there is no fear of God before his eyes. Now, we can test the truth of this affirmation. We may know whether or not there is such a thing as the fear of God before our eyes. We may know from inter¬ nal observation whether the afFootion which we bear to the things that are made hath wholly dispossessed usofthe affection which we owe to Kim who formed and upholds all things. But hero the declarations of scripture and tho still small voice that speaks in whispers from the deep receases of consciouBnoss jiorfectly harmonize.— They both testify- to the same startling fact, that all are sinners and live with¬ out God in the world. The accordance between the felt jind conscious wants of oar moral and spiritual nature, and tht! provisions that Christianity makes 1^ meet tJjose wants, is a strong evidence of its divino origin. Inthe adaptation ofthe physical organism of man to the outward universe—theper- fect accordance between the two, and theiradaptation to promote the happi¬ ness of man, we road tbe existonoe, tho wisdom and goodness of God. In the lieauty that regales tho eye, the music that charms tho ear, the food that appeases the hunger and sustains the deciiying body in health and vig¬ or, in the fitneas of all outward things to the senses and tlie conveuionoe of man, in tbeir perfect adaptation to en¬ hance hia happiness, we can safely found the conclusion that the same God who constructed our material or¬ ganism framed the outward universe. On the same principle we prove that
the God who framed the moral and wise it would be but mockery to offer spiritual economy of man is the author the prayer. He who taught us to say ofthe Bible, for there isa jwrfectadap- —"Thy kingdom come," also said, "Go, tation of all the provisions and insti- work in my vineyard." tutiouB and laws of Christianity to the Now, my hearer, thore is such athing wants of man's spiritual nature- When  as a man living for a purpose, a cause,
we look into our own souls, we behold the fearful ravages of sin, and man feels that he is a sinner in the sight of God- The solemn question arises in his mindhowcanlbesaved from sin?How can I obtain the forgivencsa of God ? This question has boon anxiously askod in all ages. Nature and reason, superstition aud philosophy havo been tasked in vain for an answer. How is this great conseions want of tho soul to bo mot ? Christianity meets and satisfies this want of the soul. It brings to the sinner the blood sealed promises of mercy and forgivenoes. It fi'ocly offers to him pardon antl Balva- tion through Christ. Again we all feel that thero is a vast disproportion between the capacity and desires ofthe soul, and the means of enjoyment by which wo aro surrounded, "fhe world cannot moot the wants and satisfy the desires of the soul. It is constantly reaching after something higher than tho objects of earth. Man never is, but always to be blessed. Earthly pos¬ sessions cannot satisfy the wants ofthe soul. The accumulation of property only enlarges tho desires ol the soul. Learning cannot satisfy the wants ofthe mind.
An increasoof knowledge, instead of satisfying the desires of tho soul, en¬ larges its powers, capacities and de¬ sires. Christianity meets the wants and satisfies the desires of the soul. It reveals an infinite and unchangeable Being of boundless perfections, on whom the mind may repose, ancl in whom it may find excellencies wide enough for its over enlarging capaci ties. It unfolds an ocean of thought, that the most capacious mind am nev er fathom—afield of knowledge, whose boundaries, the most cultivated mind can never reach—a mine of knowl¬ edge that can never be oxhansted; a trea¬ sure of gold that never can be expended —a glorious and sublime future that will more than meet the most enlarged desires ofthe most capaeio-us mind.
Again, all foel the need of divine as¬ sistance to enable thom to contend suc¬ cessfully against the evil influences hy which thoy aro surrounded, and to es¬ tablish tho kingdom of righteouancss, goodness, love, and truth in thei,r souls. All who have attempted to break off from vicious habits, and to establish now and virtuous habitudes, have felt the necessity of divine aid to aocom- plish this great work. Christianity meets this want ofthe soul, and makes ample provision to enable the chris¬ tian to carry on the great work of re¬ formation—to gain the mastery of evil and the attainment of virtue.
. IM)l       II   W   l|       »»lll 	
WrUtenfor the Gospel SemU.
Extract from a Sermon.
BT ». W. MOORE. "Thy Kingdom Gome."—No. 1,'
*   *   :ti__ .   *   *   *   And  my
friends, the text furtlier reminds us of our duty in oo-oj)erating with Christ in this great work. We must be wil¬ ling to help tbe kingdom to oome, uso our own strength in  tho work; olher-
a principle, for God. And if you live for God and heaven, you will labor for the promotion of hie kingdom. When a king wishes to conquer an enemy, he calls on hia people, his young men, hia strmig men, to go and do sorvico for him. What would you think of that man who should go to a ruler and say, "0, most worthy king, I desire to see your territory extended, your subjects multiplied; send ovor an army and con¬ quer yon wild rabble and bring them into thy domains." "Yes," says tho king, "that is just my design, and lam now beating up for volunteers, and you are the very man I want, for I delight in brave aud willing subjects."
"Ah, but I did'nt moan for you to call on me. I wish to be lefb out of tho ranks."
So thousands are asking for God's kingdom to come, but not in thoir own hearts. They wish, to be left out of the contest until the battle is over and then they would like to come in aud help enjoy the victory.
Young man, young woman, God has given you life and health, power of bo¬ dy and mind; and what az-e you doing with those p'owere. I seo you to-day young aud vigorous, strong aud ath¬ letic, ready and able for service; but whose service are you in? God has been bo good aa to give you a 6trong mind and fine physical powers, and sent you out with these fine organizations to help his kingdom to come; then you go over on Satan's side, and use those very gifta to kill God's Icingiom. What would you think of that son whom the father had furnished with a nice horse and carriage, and money to go over to Newton to do an errand for him. lie has furnished him with all tho noco-ssarios fbr his comfort and hap¬ piness while on the journey, and prom¬ isod to reward him bountifully for his time on his return. What would you say of that son, I ask, was he then to run down to New York, and barter away liis father's property to an ene¬ my, and use the money to hire a mob to come up hero and destroy his fath¬ er's house? You would say, tho ras¬ cal ought to bo bung.
Bnt God has given j^ou more than horse, or wagon or money; it is life, an immortal soul, and proKiised you eter¬ nal life, if you will but use these gifts in his service. Now have you run off and bartered them all away to Satan? And then can you ©xpett to come home at the end of life and ask God for a crown of glory? AVe a&k yon solemnly, what are you doing for God's king¬ dom? Whxisc ranks are you in'/ Here are two great armies: the kingdom of God, and kingdom 6f the Devii, Dith¬ er one or tho other must spread and become victorious. The combatjinta on one side are God, Christ, Saints, Truth, and Iloli-n-ess; on- the other, Sa¬ tan, wicked men, ctror and viw,.
See? look yonder at the army ofthe -Lord coming down ibo beautiful plain. The flic-e ofthe capuiin shinee with ra¬ diance brighter than the rays which i)eam from yondur sun; around bis head doth shine a halo of glory; he liae ah-ea- dy oorw^aereddeath and'beli.   His sol-