Gospel Herald, 1860-10-27

              " BEHOLD,   I   BElNQ   YOU   GOOD   TIDINOS   OP   GllEAT   JOY  ....  ON   EARTH   PEACE,   GOOD   WILL   TOWARD   MEN.'
VOL. 17.
DAYTON, O., SATURDAY, OCT. 27,1860
INO. 20,
SELECT POETRY.
From tlm ITcrahl of Gati>d Liberty,
Days of Autumn,
The melancholy days have come, The saddest ofthe year,' Chilling winds are round us sighing,
Now (he summer's rain is o'er, And the fairest flowers are d^ ing,— B'ading to be seen no more. Leaves are fulling 1 Falling by tho open door.
In the musing time of autumn,
Haste we to some loved retreat; While the ground o'er which we're passing, Eohoea to our hurrying feet. Daysof autnmn f Autumn days so sadly sweet.
Now fond mera'ry loves to linger,
On the years of long ago; Calling up the joys aud .sorrows, 'Which had power to move us so. Gone forever I Gone where we eve long shall go.
Many a sacred roccllection,
Eills our eyes with blinding tears; And wc think of all God's goodness, Better to us than our fears; We can trust Him! Trust Him through all coming years.
That all earthly joys aro fleeting,
Nature teaches us to-day; Like tht summer time retreating, So cot long will be our stay. For we're passing! Passing like the leaves away.
ORIGINALITIES.
Wi-Wlen /or the Gospel Herald.
A La-w   Argument.
"Fori was alive without tho La-w onco, but the commandment camo, sin revived and I died."    Eom. Vil: 9.
Tho word alive, in tho text, does not refer to natural life, neither docs died, refer to tho cessation of natural life; but tho words are here used to repre¬ sent'opposite states ofmiud and feel¬ ing.
Tho apostle, in this chapter, ia rela¬ ting his own experience; hence, those who seek for apostolic religion, should mark well tho moans in his case, of which ho here speaks. Verse 7. "What shall we saj" then; is tho law sin? God forbid ! Nay, 1 had not known Inst ex¬ cept tho law had said, thou shalt not covet." It is evident that Paul means the moral code, thoten commandriaetits, for ho quotes from the tenth: "Thou ehalt not covet," Paul's conversion was evidently several years after the Jewish system of worship, in or by the Ceremonial Law, was abolishod; there¬ fore, the law, which was an important agent in his conversion, was the moral code of which Christ says, "Till heav¬ en atid earth pass, one jot or tittleshall in no wise pass from the law; till all bo fulfilled," What tho apostle rac.«,ns by tho following quotations, is most cer¬ tainly truo in the case of every sinner. "1 had not known sin but by the law.^| "By the law is tho knowledge of sini Heuo we soe that one uso ofthe Law of God, in tho Christian Dispensation, is to show sinners the nature and extent of their sins. Verse 8. "But sin, ta¬ king occasion by tho commandment, Wrought  in mo all  manner of concu¬
piscence; forwiththolawsin wasdcad." The moral law is God's great mirror, into which sinners may look, and seo tho imperfections of their moral char¬ acter. James illustrates the uso ofthe Eoyal Law, by a looking-glass. Eead Chap, 11: 22; 25, The first groat work of tho Gospol minister, as lie labors for the genuine conversion of sinners, is to raise beforo them God's mirror, that they may see what sin is, and know its exceeding sinfulness. Verso 9.— "Fori was alive without the law once, but the commandment came; and sin revived, and I died." By tho word alive, the apostle designs to express bis condition before he discovered his sinful state. By tho light, of God's lavv the commandment came.(not the Ceremonial Jjaw); he saw, by the help of God's great looking-glass, his truo condition. Sin I'ovivqd. and ho adds 'I died.' The word "died," de¬ notes the change wrought by intelli¬ gent conversion. The law of God is tho instrument to convict the sinner. As ho looks into it, ho soes himself condemned in tho sight of licavon; thns the law slaj'S him, and the gospel points him to Christ as the only reme¬ dy for sin. Tho reason why some who profess religion aro not converted is, because they never were convicted; and tho reason they never were con¬ victed is, because thoy havo not scon themselves properly in God's great mirror. Popular doctrines have only acted on their sympathies and fears, producing conviction more nervous than intelligent. Such conviction does not result in a change oflife, as requir¬ ed by the Holy Scriptures; while in¬ telligent conviction, produced by the claims of God'sLaw, changes the mind, the heart, and the life. This change is illustrated in tlio text, by the change from life to dii;!''!. A man walks to¬ day in tho Biiougth of manhood, to¬ morrow ho is a corpse. What a change! Yot Inspiration has chosen it, to illus¬ trate the first great work of truo con¬ version. Verses 10: 12. "And the commandment which was ordained unto lifo, I found to bo unto death; for gin taking occasion by the command¬ ments, deceived mo, and by it, slew me, wherefore tho law is holy and the commandment holy, just and good.— Thia was the character of the Divine Law in tho year 60, and it is the samo in 1860. The apostle extols it to the vory heavens, and shows its work in conversion, twenty-nine years after tho change from the Jewish, to the Christian Dispensation; this is the strongest proof of its perpetuity.
Thus far, wo havo followed St. Paul in his experience, and havo learned from him, the character and uso ofthe law of God, in the present Dispensa¬ tion, Ho saw its excellence, its holi¬ ness, its justice and goodness, and felt its searching slaying power; and says, "I died," But 'he does not le.ive us hero. Burial follows Death. Chap. G: 3: 4. "Know you not that so many of us as wore baptised inio Josus Christ, were baptise/l into His death, that like as Christ was r.iisod u]) from the dead by the glory of the Falhcr, even so wo also shoull walk in newness of lifo.
Wo now seo that the Apostle uses death and burial to illustrate tho two great stops connected with  truo  eon-
version. Christian Baptism, or burial ill wator is designed to show first,that the candi.lato is dc.'!d;arid sceoniily, that lie believes in tho death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. "Verse 5: for if we have boon planted together in tho likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrec¬ tion. Tho words buried and planted as used in this connection, can givo no other idea of Baptism than immer¬ sion. We havo not only tho word planted, but aro taught how tho can¬ didate should bo planted; how in tho likeness of His death, by being hur¬ ried or planted in the position that Jo¬ sus was, when laid in the grave. The Apostle uses tho important events of Ulirist's first advent, to illustrate the step.i connected with conversion. First tlie crucifixion; Knowfng that our old man is crucified wilh Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, henceforth we should not servo sin. Chap, VI: V, 6. Jesus died upon a cross of wood, but where is the cross upon which the sinner must die? We know of no other than that, on whieh Paul died, as he declares in tho text, "I was alive once without tho law, but when the commandment came, sin re¬ vive and I died," In the unconverted man tho i lives and reigns, but let the divine law enter and slay 7, then there is room for Ghrist, Second, Christ's burial; Therefore, we are buried with Him by Baptism. Verso 4. Third, his resurrection. If ye then be risen with Clirist, seek those things whicli are abovo &c. Col. Ill: 1—3: see also Chap, II: 13: Here then commences the new life; Liko as Christ was raised from the dead by tho glory of the Fa¬ ther, even so wo should walk in new¬ ness oflife. Men are accountable for all tho light they havo and no moro. Thank heaven that it is possible through the mediation of Jesus Christ, formen who are in error on some points, yet livo up to all the light God sees fit to open before them, to live holy lives and rest in hope of a glorious resui'rection. But our safety is in walking in tho light whieh God in His providence brings beforo onr minds; therefore, wo should not bo so anxious to inquire what has been the faith of our Fath¬ or, as what saith tho word of God,
But Gal, III: 27; may be urged: For as many of. you as have been Bajitized into Jesus Christ, have put on Christ. It should hero bo noticed, that tho text does not say that the Galatian brethren had put on Christ by faith. Baptism being the corresponding work by which they manifested their faith in Christ. It is also assorted that Bap¬ tism is for tho roinmision of sin. Very true ; but Christ's bipod was also shed for the remission cf sin. Mat. XXVI i 28. Christ was to give knowledge /if salvation unto tho people for the re¬ mission of their sins. Luko 1: 17. It became Christ to suffer and rise again from tbe dead, the third day, that re¬ pentance and remission of sins might bo preached in his name. XXIV: 40 47. Eepentanec and Baptism aro for the reuiission of sin Act. 11: 38. FaiJ,h is for the remission of sin, and whoso¬ ever I elievoth in him, shall receive ro- mibsion of sin. How can j-ou prove, you are His disciplo unless you follow in His footsteps.
In tho investigation of tho subject of
spiritual conversion thus far, wo ecO thatit is by the di vino law rhui'i lio sinner obtains aknow!edg.3 of his ein. Ho cannot understandingly repent of his sins until ho sees them ; thoroforo, the gospel Minister, who labors for tho conversion of the sinner, is under ilio solemn obligation to hold before him, God's great mirror. His first work is to show tho character and claims of God's moral code, and in so doing, ho follows the example of His divine Master. The sinner sees tho holi¬ ness and justness of the divine law, and feels its slaying power. Ho yields to the requirements of all itsprece >ts; and ia dead. The gospel then points him to Jesus. He hears the Btory of the cross, the burial, resurrection and ascension of Jesus to tho Father's right hand, where he over lives to intercedo for poor sinners. Ho raises his head, and ventures to believe that Jesus will pity and save him ; and as he believes let him show his faith in the de.ath. bur- rial and resurrection of Jesus Christ by folloiving in his footsteps. Ho bas now put off the old man, and has put on tho now man. Tho Christian race is be¬ gun; ho now has tho faith of tho gos¬ pel. Let him obey Peters exhortation, ¦¦giving ail diligence; add to hia failh virtue, and to virtue knowledge and to knowledge toniporanco, and'totcm- poranco patience" &c.
E. M. TncMAa.
Be Not Bashful.
Ifyou dosiro to ho genteel in yonr manners, be careful to avoid loud and boisterous talking about yourself and your kinsfolk. Ifyou would accuro the good will of your young coinpnn- ions, do not give place to haughty boasting that you can do this and that thing quicker and better than they. Do not say that their family connections are poor, mean and ignorant, but that your relatives are wealthy, honorable and intelligent. Although j-ou may be favored in yonr person and circum¬ stances, you should not bo proud and treat others less fortunate with rude¬ ness and contempt. You aro young and can not claim to bo the artificer of your own fortune. Who then has made you to differ from another? Is it not your Heavenly Fathor ? Should you not be thankful to Ilim and bo humble? If you will indulge in pride and vain glory, God may, in His dis¬ pleasure, send upon yoa some sad af¬ fliction.
How beautiful and how commenda- blo for young persons cf superior abil¬ ities and of superior advantages ,15 be plain and unassuming in their habits, and rcspcctfal and tender in all their in.toroourso with others,ospeeiaJly with li'ose wo aro in the lower walks of lifo!
At tho dedication of tho State Eo- forin School in Massachusetts, Horace Mann remarked that if it should bo tho means of saving a single boy, it would repny tho ]jeoplo of tho com¬ monwealth for all thoir caro and out¬ lay. On coming out, some ono asked Mr, Mann whether ho did not over¬ do the matter a little, and if ho really meant that saving ono child would bo a sufficient remuneration, "lfit wero my boy, I should thinkit would," was tho quick reply.