Gospel Herald, 1859-06-25

              GOSPEL HERALD.
Devoted to Cliristianity, Mora,lity, the interests of SabTDath. Scliools, Social IinproveirLen.t, Temperance, Edixcation, and General NeAws.
"BEHOLD,   I   BEING   TOU   GOOD   TIDINGS   OP   GREAT   JOT
ON   EAETH   PEACE,   GOOD   AVILL   TOWARD   MEN."
VOL. 16.
DAYTON, 0., SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 1859.
NO. 8.
ORIGINAL POETRY.
Written for tlie Gospel Herald.
The Overthrow of Nineveh-
Tlic sun arose iii splendor, and -^-ith hia orient lock* Illumed the face of Nature, on Horcbs mountain waited", TUe gentle dows of Ileruion were seen at early dawn. While D^ature smiled serenely, and all around, was calm.
Tho village spires and windows of spendid Nineveh, Were blazing in the morning by Sol's refijfeont ray ; The scenery too was tranquil and calm as silver lake. When not a breeze was sighing to niaire Its water shake. The king ,vas clothed with scarlet, and costly linen line. Arrayed with rings and jewels, while rubies brightly shine; A royal diadem his wicked tcrapJes liorc, AVhilc thousands tell before hiB, his favor to secure. The people of tho city began4heir morning song. The music sounded B,vcet|y, the halls of pleasure rung: No mortal thought of sqrrow, or of a galhoring storm That lowered around tteir city, to mow their glory down.
But soon wo see a Jonah, sent by Almighty God, Proclaiming their destruction by hia avenging rod ; ,Iust forty days from this time, your destiny j-ou'U know. The God ot Judgment thunders your awful overthrow. A'our lofty domes and ediflccs that tcver to yonder sky, Aud solid fortresses which human powers defy. Shall tumble into ruins, iu forty days sliaU fall. Unless you do repent and now for mercy cull. Here pause, my muse, one moment; what sound is that I
hear ? Is it tho voice of music, most charming to my car ? Ah! 'tis the cry of inoiiruinK—thepeople in despair Arc hnnihled now in ashes and sackclotli made of hair. The veico of six score thousands is heard in fervent prayer, Bewailing their condition, and crying, hoaven spare ; Their prayers wci-o most effectual, they reach Jehovah's
And moved him AVith compassion—he spared them forty
ORIGINALITIES.
Wri/li:n for the Gospel Herald.
Our Book Friends.
NUMUEll II.
We rank Tlioma.s Do Qtiincy among tlio most interesting, if not the most valuable of our boolt friends; for aa^c doubt Avliether in the Avritings of any other author of the same class, there can be found so much accurate learn¬ ing, on so great a variety of subjects, presented in so pleashig a style. That opium hue, Avhich in "his earlier pro¬ ductions sometimes almost betokens delirium, is in a great degree absent from his later and more scholastic AA^ritings. In these Ave see tho same keen intellect, and the same profound scholarship, but no longer the abnor¬ mally stimulated imagination.
Of his twenty-one volumes Avhich have been published in this country, tAvo are chieffly upon theological sub¬ jects. For our present consideration Ave have selected his essay on the character and history of Judas Iscariot, aa presenting some views probably new to most of the readers of the "Herald,"
Tho idea is not altogether original with our author, but in a great meas¬ ure borrowed by him from the Ger¬ mans, that Judas has received great injustice at the hands of those, who have been Avont to consider him an in¬ tentional traitor to the cause of Christ. Judas is represented by these new in¬ terpreters as earnestly Avishing for the advancement of Christ's kingdom; but like all the rest of the Jews, (not ex¬ cepting his fellow-disciples,) he ex¬ pected tho coming Messiah to be a, temporal sovereign, who should "re¬ store the kingdom of Israel" and free their land from foreign bondage.
Judas had seen enough of.the poAver and glory of Christ to convince him, that he was the expected Messiah. His ardent temperament hoAvever, could not brook tho delay whicli seem¬ ed to attend the movements of Jesus. He believed that the luxuryrof spirit¬ ual communion with the father Avas preventing Christ from devoting him¬ self vigorously to his earthly mission. If only a great crisis could arise, some¬ thing Avhich should compel the Mes¬ siah to shake off his apparent apathy, and assume that jiosition at the head of the Jewish people, for which Jeho¬ vah had destined him,—then the apos¬ tle thought, w^ould the reserved and latent po\?er of Christ be called forth, and tho SAvord once draAvii avo aid nev- i3r be sheathed until Jerusalem Avas fi-ee from the pollution of the Gen¬ tiles.
Surely a wild and fimtastic dream, yet not altogether without reason, considering tho expectations of this dreamer and of his Avhole kindred na¬ tion of dreamers. It presupposes in Judas, an assumption that ho kncAV better than Christ the cemdition of the JcAvish people, and the iit moment for action; but that he should have such self-confidence is not so A^ery strange, A\rhen we consider how dcA^oidof AA^oiid- ly Aviselom the career of Clirist must have seemed to tlioso who compre¬ hended not in any degree, the true se¬ cret of his mission.
But is this hypothesis consistent with the scripture narrative? Its siip- portors claim that it is eminently so. The conduct of Judas Avhen he learns that Christ ig actually in thii hands of his enemies, is such, thoy say, as Ave should expect to find it on the sup¬ position, that he had looked for a dif¬ ferent result. His remorse, his return¬ ing of the money, and his suicide, aro not consistent Avith the hardened and deliberate guilt Avhich tbe AVorkl has hitherto charged upon him, but Avould naturally folloAV the Avofiilly fatal mis¬ take, Avhich our theory supposses him to have made. Thinking to advance Christ's kingdom by compelling him to make an open stand against his enemies, he noAV found, Avhen it was too late, that his hopes had been base¬ less, and he hael unintentionally be¬ trayed hitman blood. Here surely is a more adeepiate cause for the conduct ascribed to him.
This theory has, at least, tho merit of being charitable, and, if it is not unreasonable, our former prejudices should not stand in the Avay of its re¬ ception. Let us search all things and hold fiist to that whieh is good.
PlIIIO,
'     ¦>   II ¦  I   m      	
Written for the Gospel Herald.
Beligion and Eeason.
BY R. M. THOMAS,
Eeligion is an affection of the hu¬ man mind, and when properly defined, and Avell understood, is a deeply devo¬ tional sentiment of aAve, veneration and love, for that inscrutable being, who created the universe in His wis- dom,'supports it in His almightypow- er, and regulates the machinery of na¬ ture in beneficence and love to his creatures.
Cosidered merely in relation to his vital - and animated functions, man seems to occupy the highest point in
tlie scale of animated nature; but not¬ withstanding this distinguished eleva¬ tion Avith some exceptions to the gene¬ ral principles of existence, and these of a strong decided character, ho seems in many I'espects to be allied to the in¬ ferior order of creation. Man is tlie only .inimal in creation, who can raise his contemplation to -the Deity, and experience a sublime sentiment of awe and A'eneration, for the author of his existence; the only animal in creation capable of experiencing a strong soli¬ citude for a kiiOAvledge of his own ori¬ gin, or Avho can direct his A'ieAvs anel anticipations to a futtu-e existence be- yonei tho boundaries of time; and in order to this, his beneficent creator has endowed him Avith reason,—reason teaches man merely to hope for im¬ mortal existence anel happiness, Avhilst pure religion, supported by feith in the redeemer and by the faithful prac¬ tice of his precepts, assures him of both future existence and future hap¬ piness. There is this further differ¬ ence, hoAvcA-er, betAveen Eeason and Eeligion, and I think it a A'ery plain one. Eeason cannot influence man's feeble hopes of immortality and future happiness, Avith sufficient motiA'es for the practice of piety and A'irtue, Avhilst Eeligion urges him to the performance of his duties to his God, to himself, and to his neighbor, by the certaintj^ of fu- ttiTC roAvards and punishments. These are the reasons why pure and genuine Ohistians, (I do not mean biggots, hypocrites, or fanatics,) are better ci- cizens, better liiisbnncls, anel better parents, than most other men. Rea¬ son may teach tho existence of a great first cause, but it is utterly incompe¬ tent to disclosing his moral attributes of justice, love anel mercy. Tho jire- ce])ts of Eeligion aro plain and easy of comprehension, they can bo under¬ stood and practiced by all ranks and grades of men. Eeason on the other hand, in attempting an explanation of tho attributes of God, or tho duties of man to that God, or his fellow crea¬ tures, is eternally operating on imagi¬ nary principles, and making hairs- breath distinctions Avhich have no ex¬ istence, but in the sound of words Avithout meaning. Pure and vital re¬ ligion, not that b.iscd on biggoted and sectarian prejudices, or on childish distinctions respecting rites and cere¬ monies, is infinitely superior to reason, in securing to man all the moral on. joyments of this life, and insuring him of thoso blessings whicli Eeason only hopes for in futurity. By pure and undefiled Eeligion, I do not mean fear, which is the religion of cowardice; or superstition, which is the religion of fools; or hypocrioy, which is the reli gioii of knaves; or fanaticism, Avhich is the religion of mad men. I mean that pure and elevated sentiment of divine love and aelmiration for the Deity, which leads us to faith in the great Eedeemer of fallen and degraded man; and to the practice of benevolence, vir¬ tue, toleration and charity, for our fel¬ low beings. This divine and ennobling sentiment Avhon experienced iu all its purity, banishes all the base, sordid, selfish, and ignoble passion frona the human bosom; and elevates man, as it were, to a communion with his, inaker God, and is a consequence of obedi¬ ence to the commandments of .God; a favor granted to those who obey from
the heart that form of doctrine, be- lioA'ing that Clod is, and that he is a rcAvardor of all that diligently seek him. ^ I cannot conceive how genuine Eeligion can bo connected with terror and depressing apprehensions of futur- ty, (unless perverted by misconcep¬ tions of the attributes of God.) Has not man assurances of an exemption from all tho evils and calamities of this life, if he bo a faithful and true Chris¬ tian, in a more ole\'ated and perfect state of being, when his corruption ill put on incorruption, and Axdien this mortal shall put on imniortahty. Are not tho doctrines of true Christi¬ anity ossentiallj' connected Avith Avhat Ave call a good conscience, and Avhich nothing earthly can give, or take aAvay? The Christian religion AA^as never intended by the Almighty as a source of griofj mortification or suffer- _; it is a pure emenation of divine love and mercy toAvards erring man, and was surely intended by divine Avisdom as an unfailing source of joy, consolation, and happiness, both here md hereafter, to tho human race.
 :»     I   ¦   I      m 	
Written for tlw Gospel Herald.
What Should Interest Me as a Student?
MUMBEE II.
I as a student, am intorestcel to know what relation I sustain to tho past. As much as I appreciate the present, I should not forget the past, we are bound to it by an inseparable chain. Tho past has had its great men Avith great minds. Thoy have labored antl avo reap the fruits of their toil. Every age has had its work to perform, and without its accomplish¬ ment a link would bo lost from the great chain of human progress.
I should profit hy their Adrttics, and be Avarned by their imperfections. The past is not dead but still lives. The faithfulness of Abraham, tho meekness of Mosos, the patience of Job, tho counsels of Socrates, the in- tcgritj^ of Eegultis, and the christian boldness of Paul and Luther, are in- fliiencing millions to-day. The Jeal¬ ousy of Cain, the ambition of Alexan¬ der, and the tyranny of Nero, aro also manifested in our age. A large com¬ ponent part of our being is formed of the past.
It little becomes me to murmur against the past. First, it will do no good. Second, would I liaA^e done any better, if I had lived in the time of those who have survived me? Third, am I doing more for myself than they have done for me? These are ques¬ tions which I must answer in tho af¬ firmative, before I can justly con sure tho past. A true principle is enunci¬ ated, and the world's experience de¬ monstrates, that "the iniquities of tho fathers are visited upon their children to the third and fourth generation." And upon the same principle the vir¬ tues of the good do folloAV them.
Then the past still lives in a physi¬ cal point 01 vicAV. We derive our physical constitution from our ances¬ tors. . Our mental and moral faculties are transmitted to its through them. We receive onr earliest impressions, from our mother and the family circle. As we aelvanco in life we are brought in contact Avith other influcBces.^^ted not the least of these are the witings of those Avho have lived in all ages of the