Gospel Herald, 1860-03-03

              GOSP
Do-voted to Christianity, Morality, the Interests of Sal>l)a,th Schools, Social Improvement, Temperance, Edncation, and General News.
BEHOLD, 'l   BRING   TOU   GtOOD   TIDINGS   OF   GEEAT   JOT
.  ON   EARTH   PEACE,   GOOD   WILL   TOWAED   MEN.
VOL. 16.
DAYTON, 0., SATURDAY, MARCH 3, 1860
NO. 42.
ORIGINAL POETRY.
Written for the Gospel Herald.
fione Minister. BY A. W. Bboi>I!Eigk;.
I started on my  mission  to preacli the Gospel
frqe, Aud show ft free aalTation to all that  wished
to see, ,    .
I did not travel o-yer the eopntry, far and wide, Bui; told to thoae around me, that Jeaus  Christ
had died.
The burden, was so heavy, long time I did refuse To tell unto my comrades the Glorious Gospel
. Qe-ws, But Jesna aaid unfo  me, my grace ia rich and
true, Therefore you need not hinder I'll bring you
conqueror through.
My preaching, brethren told me to go away from home,
No prophet waa accepted around hia native dome,
But this surely did not suit me, to leave my na¬ tive land,
So [ traveled to old Friendship and there did tnk« the stand.
And I do well remember, the tirst time  I did
.apeak, To thoae who gathered round me the Gospel for
to seek, t showed thera from  Galatioas, sixth, seven th,
they would know, The way to reap eternal life it waa as they did
sow.
1 had not pi cached four montlrs 1  think, until
my brethren said, If jou ^i^ill stay and preach for us, your hands
ahull not be tied, I told them I had not designed to take a charge
thia year But wished to have the liberty to  preach  both .    far and near.
The one I love most dear on  earth to  me she
. thus did say, '
You are as vrell prepared to preach at home as
farSiWay,, So I, determined then to preach and labor all I
could And take the oversight of them  the pious and , the good.
One thing I did of them request thatthey would
do for me, That;they would call unto  ray  aid some able
ministry, That  he mightoome occasionaly  and help me
with my charge That Jesus   might be Glorified ¦ his  kingdom
there enlarged.
I had not labored long before another call was
made, By the nearest church unto my home to coire
apd give thara aid And,otlier calls are being made, I think itis
God'a will, If I am faithful in the cause I'll be prepared  to'
fill.
Then to my preaching brethrcuone thing I wish
to say, The call to preach the Gospel don't lie so far a-
-way, But right among  our kindred and friends a-
round our, home. Is the sweetest place to l;eU them in Jesus there
is room.
ORIGINAUTIES.
-A Discourse delivered
At Miami City on the evening of Dec. 2Qth 1859 by N. a Harl.
,     . (PUBLlSHKIl JIY RBQOBST.)
"Por ot.Her foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. latOor.HTch.il. Itwas in the Gortnthiau charchthat the divisions of Chriati anity -first originated. There it was, that those who professed the christi-an religion, firatbeganto divide theniselVes into parties, and class them- seltes under humiXQ leaders. Bach party chose for its  leaders,  that man
who was its especial favorite. One party, being oharmedby theelotjuence of Paul, choose him for a leader; say¬ ing I am of Paul. Another who did not admire Paul quite so much, prefer- ed Apollos, and adopted him foralead- er; saying, I am of Apollos. Another preferred Cephas or Peter; saying, I like Peter best; Peter is the preacher for me; I am of Poter; he shall be my leader,: There were others, who, al¬ though they loved these men as breth¬ ren, estecimed them as laborers, and respected them as ministers of Christ, were not vs^illing to adopt them as their leaders; to build their hopes of heav¬ en upon them; to trust in thera for happiness and salvation. They had taken Christ for a leader, and were trusting in hira fOr salvation ; saying,! am of Christ While so many are class¬ ing themselves under human leaders; folio-wing men and their inventions, it is truly exhilerating to see aome who are following Christ: who have no leader but the Holy Son of God. The Apostle Paul very much disapproved ofthe course pursued by the Corinthi¬ an oh iirch. He labors, in this epistle, to show them,their error; to show them their carnality oftheir conduct. . For, says he, "ye aro yet carnal; for where¬ as, there are among you envying,. and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men ? For while one say¬ eth, J. am of Paul; and another I nm of Apollos; are ye not carnal? . He labors to show that these pei-sons are. Only men, men of like passions, with . them¬ selves : mini.sters through whom they had believed. He informs them that it is improper, and unsafe, to trust in these, men for salvation. -'For," said he, "One is your leader even Christ." He tells them that these men are all soryants of the same master, aijd are laboring to advance the same cause ; to accomplish the same object; that they are not divided, much less oppos¬ ed to each other; anti finally he points them to Chriataa the only true found- ation» "For c)thor foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Je¬ sus Ghrist."   iiet us consider.
1. Christ as a foundation.
Tlie term foundation, is one which is variously applied. Sometimes it is applied to that portion of a building which is lowest, and upon which the whole structijire rest^ Sometimes it signifies '..he beginning of something, and sometimes, the essential principal of any system. The term tbundation as used in the text,, is applicable to Ghrist, in all of those significations.— The church is a spiritual edifice. Peter in addresaing hi a .brethren said ; "Ye also, as lively stones," are built up a spiritual house, &o. Again Paul says, "know ye not that your body is, the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, and ye are, not your own?" (1. Oor. vi. 19.) Again in 2nd Cor. vi. 16. we read as follows : "For ye are the temple of the living God ; as God hath said, 1 will dwell in thom, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and.they shall be'my people. Now ofthis spir¬ itual building, Christ is the foundation. Again, redemption is a great dispensa¬ tion of graco and mercy, and of this dispensation, Christ is the beginning. Again, Christianity is a mighty system of truth, of which Christ is the centre, and the grand essential principle. Ob- servo.
1. Christ is the foundation of the gospel Had it not been for him, there would never have been any gospel; no glad tidings ofsalvation would ever have been proclaimed to our ruined world. He is the founder ofthe gospel. He it was who undertook the great work of our redemption, He com¬ menced the work, conaumated the scheme, and carried the glorious plan into execution. It was, probably, the pre-existent Christ who made known the first edition of the gospel to Abra¬ ham, and afterwards to the prophets; and finally, he personally introduced it into the world. Yes, he came into the world in person, introduced hia gospel, and publiahecl it abroad. He is the subject and glory of the gospel. He is the subject concerning whom the gospel records were written. The evangelists; Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John, all wrote about Christ. The gospel, like a great system, revolves aiound Christ, its great sun and center. All its light, and all its glory are de¬ rived from him. The gospel if depriv¬ ed of Christ, would possess no more light or glory than would the natural universe, if deprived of tho natural aun. Take the sun out of the solar system, and those worlds which have revolved around it for ages, and have been iliumi ned by it, will be left in total darkness. In like manner, if Chriat were to be taken out ofthe gospel, all would be dark and drear; for tlio gos¬ pel possesses no light, except what it receives from him. The doctrines of the goapel are from him. He organ¬ ized them, introduced them into the world, and taught them to the children of mon. All the blessings of the gos¬ pel are from Christ; from him we derive all the blessings of salvation,, pardon, purification, sanctification, justifica¬ tion, and eternal life. The ordinances of the gospel all bear liis name. When we are baptized, we are baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ; and when we come together around the table to commemorate Christ's suf¬ ferings and detith, by partaking of tbe symbols of his body and blood, the ordinance is called the Lord's supper. Thus the ordinances boar Christ's. name.
.2. Christ ia the foundation of the sinners acceptance with God. God will never accept of us, until we come, in. and through the all-prevailing name of Jesus, his annointed. Jesus said; "I am the door; by me if any man enter in, ho shall be saved, ami shall go in and out, and find pastirre." John, 10: 9. Again he said; I 'dm the way, the truth, and the life: No man cometh unto the Father., but by me." John, 14: 6. Again, Peter said, " This is the stone which was set at naught of you builders, 'which ia become the head of the corner. Neither ia there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven, given among men,, whereby we must bo saved." Prom.these passages it ia evident that Christ is the only way of access to the Pather; and that we can only be ac¬ cepted of God, by receiving Christ as our only hope of salvation.
3. Ghrist is the foundation ofthe be¬ liever's hope.
The believer builds all his hopes of happiness, of heaven, and of eternal life upon Christ. The christian ia be¬ gotten unto a lively hope; but it is by
the resurrection of Christ, that he is begotten. Peter said, "Blessed be the God and Pather of our Lord Josus Christ, whicb according to his abun¬ dant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrecti-.m of Jesus Chriat from the dead. (1. Pet. i. 3.) Now the believer's hopes relate to complete salvation. He hopes to be effectually saved, both in this world, and in the world to come. He hopes to be saved, in this life, from all those things which militate against his spir- ; itual progress; saved in the hour of temptation, and in the trying hour of death. He alao expects to bo aaved in eternity; saved from the second death; saved forever. His hopes relate to victory in death. He expects to ob¬ tain the victory over death, hell, and the grave. To overcome through the blood of the Lamb, and the word of his testimony. To come off conqueror, and more than conqrleror, through him that loves him. To be able to say to the monster where is thy sting, and to the grave, where is thy victory. To be able   to   say  in  the dying liour;
His hopes relate to an -entrance  into glory.   Yes the christian has a hope, that, when he is done s'Brviug and suf¬ fering here below, he will be received up into glory; into his father's   houae, where there aro many mansions, to en¬ joy the society of God, and tho Lamb, the holy aiigeJs, and the spirits of juat men made perfect, forever and ever.— His hopes relate to a resurrection from the dead.    The christian  hopea,  that, although he shall die and  be  laid  in the narrow silent tomb,   he  shall bo raiaed from the dead, in the morning; of the resurrection,  immorttU, incor-; ruptible, and glorioua;  that hia   vile body shall be changed, and made like ; unto the glorious body of Christ.    His hopes relate to an eternity   of dignity ; and bliss, in the presence of God.    In God's presence he expects to  be per¬ fectly happy.   He hopes that, in that happy place there   shall be  no more sorrow; nothing that can mar his peace, or disturb his bliss. Suoliarotliehopes entertained by the cli'ild of God. Now all those grand an.i sublime hopes rest: upon the blesae/d Saviour.    You askthe; christian^to give a reason fbr tbe hope- that is within him; ask   him why. -he hopes for all these things, and he' will imiiiediately refer you to Christ aa the foundation of his  hope..   He will telL you that he hopes for these thiinga,be- cauae Christ haa provided all these'; bleasings for him.    He hopes for sal¬ vation, because Christ Jesus came into the world to save.sinners.   He hopes for victory in death, because Christ has vanquished the king of terrors, robbed the monster of his venomed sting, and the grave of its boasted  victory..   B.e hopes for an entrance into  tho king¬ dom of glory, because Christ has gone ^ to his father's house where  there, are; many mansions, to prepare a jilaeefor us, and has promised  to  come again,; and take us unto himself,  that -where ] he is, there his servant may be also. (Concluded in No. 43.)
Bead not to contradict and confute, nor to believe and take for granted, nor to find talk and discourse; but to weigh and consider.—iorcf Bacon.