Gospel Herald, 1859-07-02

              Devoted to Clxi-j atiai^ity, Moi-alH.y, the interests of Sa'blja.tlx Scliools, Social Im-provement, Teinperfiiioe, Ecl«c;itioix, aixd Cienoral NewK.
"BEHOLD,   I   BRINQ   YOU   GOOn   TIBINGS   OF   (illEAT   JOT
.   ON   UARril   PEACE,   GOOD   -^VILL   T01VAKD   3IEN."
VOL. 16.
DAYTON, 0., SATURDAY, JULY 2,"l859T
NO. 9.
ORIGINAL POETRY.
KSPECIFDIjIj'i
Wrilli-uforthe
THE LAWN.
l)EI>IO.\'rKB   TO
BY KlflS «. V. s,:<yn:
BelishtlW spot to mo:-t!il (tyes!
(Akin, m
thinks to I'iiriuliKo,)
Wtare fruits nnd flmi'ers luiil Ril
Allure til
Whcra m Tcircver \
While l)ii
Aiuid tilt
Aiullraz.z,
(4ivc life i
siRllt, anaficent tlica
ving grass anil wliispe 00 lliis pasfiiiiK lircc/.o
is on swift mid iiiry w
IjraiiclieB flit aiul sins
lis boos, iiud liIut.minK
nd bc.xuty to tlio liourt
Goapd Jler
JUDGK   M
iige niro.
r—
ing trct^-,
ng,
bowcrS)
dd
M
Like one oncbiinted, I have trod Thy pUiiisimt walks juid vernal Kod, "WliQre Eunshine niingiad -with tlLonliadcs AiKl with the leaver luid lilOKtioms play'd In gimtlc dalUiLiieo—ever new— Iviaaiai;!; away the drops ofdttw, From ofTeacIi i'ukled tlow'rots eyes— Until in sushiui;, glad siu-j-vise Rlie woke—(i.il>on her stem reclining,) To find the .nnibijaras on licr shining.
And pl<>n>^:iiit (;hinf?s are over fuiind, Within thy !,^a.nlen—hotlft'ed around— Than VAm'^ own, methinks morf! fair, Bfican.air the serpent lurk-s not thoro; And liiiii-ish the nipple bends tlio hongh, 'Ti,s iit)t ro man forbidden now ; The hand that prunes the tendc'r Bhoot, i\[ay freely pluek the tempting fruit. Anil viny elneters ripen tliere, Almost aa bounteons, bright nnd fa'r Asthfwe thcf^pied ofInrael brought Kroui itnt the goodly land thoy sought; Aiiiij gazing, one might surely deem 'I'hat fioniewheru uear ilow'd J'Jahoars stroi\m.
Ok from my di;^tant window-seat, I've loolc'd upon thy calm retreat, And longM to lay all earcc; asiili) And through its quiet aliadowK glide, Or join the ehihiisli gronpm at play, MHiile passM their noontide holiday;— Glad, briglit-oyef-1 boys and joyous girl.^, "With wavy loekri and olust'ring curls, AudahiRiag brukly Of golden huo, Cor snowy brown and oi-bs of bluo— Awliile, from irknomc ta^k and rule. And dnty—didl rer^traints of Rchool— Let ]amc., to breathe the balmy brecKS, And revel 'ncatli tho forest treew; And as they sported In the Hhade Ey over-arehing braiudios iuad<i, I've almost dcomeit (tlic thought wiih dear] That ohurub« from a happier sphere— AH joy and innocence—had eome To make that lovely spot their home, Thou to my inner vision rose Tho fair and linaventy forms of those >Vho ti-ead the "fichlfiof living groou" Which life's bright river rolL between ; Audi hftvolong'd to east away This weary, cumbrous, garb of clay. And lly me to that beauteuna shoro, Where sin andgrlof are known no more. And, to my diatant, humble home, Such thmighlB and virfionn yel oil come, And still will hover round my way, "Wliere e'er my earth-bound fuotatoiis stray ; M'hile to my view temcmbranco hringn, The pleasant Lawn at Yellow fiprings. CniUuia Farm, Wmrcn co., 0.
ORIGINALITIES.^
Writleiifor the Clospd JIn-aU.
Heaven, what is it?
BT il. M.   THOMAS.
A. place of rest beyond the bounda- I'iesof time, the place wlieve Jesus onr Gri-eat High Pi-iept lias ft'one, to make preparation to receive ail that love and obey hitn in tliis world, a ]5lac6 where there is no sickness, pain, sorrow, nor trouble of any kind; neither parting of friends, nor death, will or ever can be known; hut where all will be peaice, love and joy, as long-as the authors of it exist. Well, that is truly a dosim- ble place surely.   We as intelligont
and reasonable beings, arc capable of discerning between joy and sorrow. ]5eace and trouble, love and hatred, and often we arc called to endure af- fUction that is sometimes almost in- su]5portablo, and at such times if wo have the evidence within ns, that a.s- sures us, that we shall one day get (dear of om- trouble, sorrOAv and afflic¬ tion, and ho admitted irio those peace¬ ful regions before described, it enables ns to bear our afflictions with jiatience and resignation to the will of Cod; we even feel ha]5]iy, and can rejoice and praise Grod in the prospect of the day when wo shall change this mortal for immortalitj' and eternal life.
Ent how shall we obtain the neces¬ sary evidence of onr aceejitancc with the great Author of our cxisteuec?   I answer, simpl3'   b^' believing the re¬ cord that God gave of his Son, or by his Son, and prove to tlie -^vorld that we do bolievo it—by a faithful  continu¬ ance in well-doing, seeking for glory, honor,  immortality  and  eternal  life. Not by obo.ying the commands of God once a month, or once a weclc; hj go¬ ing to the church or place of worship, ¦when it is convenient or tho weather is pleasant, and there sing, pray and exhort, and neglecting the weightier matters  of justice,  love,  and mercy through tlie Aveelc.    Jieligion without justice, love .and mercy, is a poor thing and not worth   tho getting; but that person that is daily in tlie practice  of justice and mercy, from a principle of love in the  heart,   has got true reli¬ gion, let liim belong where lie may; for ''What is required of thee oh! man, but to do justly, love mercj', and walk humbly with God."    Thus we can en¬ joy tlic fruits of lieaven while travel¬ ing in this vale of sorrow and tears, and the adult that does not  enjoy a fortaste of heaven in this world,  can not   expect to   enjoj^ it   after   death. Too many depend on a Icind of pious morality to entitle them to heaven, and never practice justice, love and mercy] which constitutes charity, and is the quintessence of pure and nndofilod j'o- ligion, without which no man can en- jojr heaven in this world, and will not in the world to come; for as the tree fjills so must it lie, it cannot arise per- pendicnlar and I'al! again in some other direction.    So  if we  do  not enjoy a foretaste of heaven—an earnest of our inlieritanco beyoi\d tho shores of time —while in this preparatory or proba- itonary state, wo never can enjoy it in another state of existence;  Ave would bo miserable if admitted into heaven without having onr desires and affec¬ tions placed on  lieaven while in this world,    And if onr affections are plac¬ ed  on  heaven,  will wo  hate  one for whom Christ died?   will we   deceive our  brother?   will we  disobey  God's commands?   No, never!   Hence, I con¬ clude, that all religion that is change¬ able is of little consequence.
Eeligion, Chri.stianit}^, and Charity, are so nearly allied, that I cannot sep¬ arate them.' To be in possession of either in its true sense, is to be in pos¬ session of all. Tlien, to be a cliris- tian, is to be like Christ; and in order to give ns a claim to one of those man¬ sions that Christ has gone to prepare, we must imitate his example; that is, we must practice justice, love and mercy. That man who is in the prac¬ tice'or habit of imposing a dereption
on his fellow beings, for gain, or any purpose whatever, no matter how loud his prayers, or exhortations, singing or shouting, when assembled fin- M'or- ship, is deceiving liimself; for Christ never did so. Hence the necessity of a thorough examination of our own hearts, because every'human being- must answer to God for himself^ .ac¬ cording to the ability God has given him; and while wo are examining our neighbor, and hunting up his faith, we are neglecting our own; and while we i are reporting our feelings hurt l)y oth- j ers, and grieving over their faults, we ! may have hurt their feelings, as bad j or Avorsc than ours have been. [
Then Brethren "Let us lay aside all! malice and evil speaking, and desire ; the sincere milk of the word, that -wo ! may grow thereby," every christian is the Lord's iTecman, hence they will not dictate tho course for their brctli-1 roll, but, will be willing for everyone to bo governed by tho Bible for him- ; self, as ho understands it; because, i men's minds, are as (lifferenlly con¬ structed as their faces are; they do not! understand iilike. 3-ct all christians are j willing to learn. The man that wish-: cs to dictate for his brother, and vrill [ not be reconciled, because his brother will not, or cannot see things as lie j docs, is destitute of justice, luvo and j mercy, and consequently can have Jio elaini on heaven, while cherishing that disposition, hocause justice, love, and mei-cy Avhich is religion, or '-charity, sn-ffereth long and is kind; envieth not, is not palfod up, socks not its own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil, rejoices in the truth, hears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, and never fails,'' and without it we need not dream of enjoving heaven in this world, neither in' -that" which is to come. I mean those that have free access to the Bi¬ ble; for to enjoy a fortaste of heaven in this world, we must he like Christ, and if ever we are admitted into hea¬ ven itself, where .Jusus oiu- forernnuer has entered, we must travel the same road, for he has made but one way, and that can only be found in God's holy word,—men's notions to the con- travy notwithstandiUig.
0;   til at  pi-ofossors  of  Chrifitianity would cultivate more of the spirit of love  and   unity;   the  Church  would then be like the dews of Eermon for there the Lord commanded the bless¬ ing, even life forever more.   Tlie good man's heart would then be made glad and men would love one another, and would not pa.ss a stift'cring and afflict¬ ed brother, with a cold, "howdy-do, beoanso,   perhaps   ha   might  believe something  that, thoy did not.    Ihe Lord give us all more charity. Plemant Jlill, -M-
•W'rUtm.nr Ike Gospel UenM.
Is Baptism essential to tha reception of the Holy Spirit?
in' A. .J. WAIT.
Flome are of th^n^.^^^'-^* go^P*^' order requires us to be haptized m or- derto- receive the spu'h. /'frF^-
sentthe following ''« P^f,. ^'f'" and be baptised, every <^ae of ym^rn
the. name^of, » f ^^^ fi ^l ,J4 mission of mns, ana i^% ,, the>gift of the -Holy, Gh*s«.     Acts 2. 3&\1iey-say haptism. according to
Peter, proceeds the gift of the spirit, and that those, who are baptized, are so in order fo receive it, and, of course, have it. They are great sticklers for Peter's oi-der, and urge preciseness.
We object to the above positivcness for a number of reasons :
1. The form of baptism as licro pre¬ sented, is '-in the name of Jesus Chrhst." But we arc commanded to -'baptize in tho names of the Father, and the Son, and tlie Holv Ghost." Mat. 28: 19. Paul baptized '-in tho name of the Lord Jesus," Acts, 19: 1—6, Peter, on itnother occasion "bap¬ tized in the name of the Lord." Acts 10: 48. Here A\'e have four forms of ceremony; two of which arc Peter's, showing that that apostle did not say precisely the same words on all ocea- sion.s. So Peter helps us to set one preciseness aside; to which Jesus and Paul consent.
2, ¦^¦For," in the text, it is contend, ed, means -'!"« order to." But we do not lind the (Jreek, cis, so rendered in the New Testament. Its usual raeaniiig is into. It alloAvs of other words, hut the most direct is into. Baptized unto [into] Moses, 1, Cor. 10, 2, In this case into Moses is nearer the apostle's meaning; as baptized eis into the name of Pathcr &c.; ei,% into name- of the Lord Jesus; ris, into Moses; cis, in¬ to remission of sins. This, in simple form means into iLosaie rule—into re¬ mission of sins—into gospel dispensation. As the advocates agree to set for aside and substitute '¦//)- order to," they agree with us in setting Peter's pi-ecisciiess aside—we say Peters's preciseness, he- cause c(.s is not translated "in order to" in the New Testameiit, proving that tho apostle never used this particle in tho sense of "m {irder to."
3. We object that Peter meant to hay it down as gospel order, that bap¬ tism mn^t prceoed tho gift of the spirit, because Cornelius received the sj/irit before baptism. We are aware that some say tliat this reversal of order was neocssary to convince Peter that God ^vo.s about to receive the gentiles as follow heirs, and that Jesus wrought this wonder in Peter's presence, though contrary to gospel order! y{e have a better opinion of onr God than to sujjpose that he fahified his own order, tck convert Peter. Too much supposition here, and too bad. Wh.at! God present Peter with a false order, to convince him of the time! No; nev¬ er. But we liave the fact that the Holy Ghost did actually precede bap¬ tism; and so God helps us set the pre¬ ciseness aside again.
4. We objoct to the doctrine of "i'n order to," because, it puts Cornelius's baptism all out of place. He had re¬ ceived tlie Spirit (Peter is our witness) and it is presumed, bis sins wore re¬ mitted before baptism. It any object to our presumption, tlicy must take the laboring oar, for it will devolve upon them to prove that .sinners did receive the Holy Ofhost, and so rap their pre¬ ciseness worse than does our presump¬ tion. Cornelius was a sinner or he was not, when he received the Spirit.. If baptism vni.st precede forgiveness, then we have tho fact clearly domon- stratod that, sinners have the spiHit as did tho A])0st]es. But it is absiiKd to assume that ainnors may have miraeu- lom gifts, yet Cornelius, had the gift, tlierofo.i'e, tho conolusion,is ijaresiBtiblc,.