Review and Herald, Vol. 26, No. 10.
"All Is Vanity." Eccl. i, 2Page 1
Earlier text: "All Is Vanity." Eccl. i, 2The Ministry. No. 4.
By James White
WITH Seventh-day Adventists there is a great want of ministers. New fields of labor are open, but no laborers to fill them. And many of our churches suffer for want of faithful ministerial help. These churches are faithful to the system of benevolence adopted by our people, still, perhaps, do not have the labors of an efficient minister more than a Sabbath and first-day in three months. Our present system of sustaining the ministry would humbly support twice the number of preachers now in the field. Besides this, there are brethren who would hand out their hundreds to sustain missionaries in new fields, if the faithful men were to be found to send. There are several reasons for this want of gospel laborers among our people, some of which we will here mention: 1. The work of teaching and defending unpopular truth is great. It requires intelligence, piety, experience, patience, and great fortitude of mind. To preach the fables of our time, and drift upon the broad stream of popular opinion, is comparatively an easy task. But to boldly preach unpopular Bible truth, and meet, in an honorable and Christian manner, all that naturally results from such a course, is quite another thing. Many among us have attempted the latter, and have failed from want of sound experience, or want of piety, or want of moral courage, or from all these wants combined. Some of these would have succeeded, and made able ministers, if they had seen the magnitude and sacredness of the work, and had entered upon it, having counted the cost, and had moved forward in the work, cautiously, and in the fear of God. 2. Among those who have embraced the opinions of Seventh-day Adventists, a greater proportion of those who had before been ministers, have proved reckless, and unworthy of the confidence of our people, than any other class. 3. Our people are anxious to have the truth proclaimed, and in their zeal, urge men into the field before they have sufficient experience. These men make a few efforts to bring people to the truth, and, perhaps, make some mistakes, get discouraged, and give up the work. But if they could have been left with the Lord, he would in his own good time, have led them to the work, prepared to stand the fiery ordeal of entering upon the preaching of unpopular truth. 4. Some of our young ministers are ruined by flattery. From our publications they rapidly learn our positions, and soon are able, with a little practice, to deliver quite clear and forcible discourses. The people, instead of praising God, the author of harmonious truth, and instead of prizing the labors of the pioneers of the cause who have written out these great truths, praise to their very faces these striplings, who only repeat the thoughts of others. No young minister can stand against flattery, unless he cherishes in his bosom a settled hatred of any thing of the kind. The most disastrous errors of Seventh-day Adventists has been ruining young preachers with flattery, and at the same time cherishing a spirit of fault-finding, and neglecting the old hands in the cause, who have been true every time, while suffering in the infancy of the cause nearly everything but death. There are those who hold themselves ever in readiness to complain of those in whom they have reason to have confidence, and at the same time are ready to lavish their expressions of confidence, and their means upon comparative strangers, who have never been proved. 5. The practice of our people in some States of placing men, who have not been proved, in responsible positions, and opening to them the treasury for their full support. Some very humble and good men may not be injured by such a course, while most disheartening experience has proved that many are certain to be ruined by it. These are a few of the reasons why there is so great a want of ministers among Seventh-day Adventists. Ministerial experience, like the experience of all Christians, is understood only as it is entered upon. The unconverted man forms very erroneous opinions of the Christian life. So he who enters the ministry may have as mistaken views of the work of the ministry. For the church to take such an one, destitute of experience in the labors and trials of a preacher's life, up into their arms, as if he were a proved and accredited minister of the gospel, and give him influence and support, as if he were such, is simply depriving him of the privilege of being led by the hand of the Lord through that fiery ordeal which Infinite Wisdom sees necessary to prove and prepare him to endure, and finally share the full confidence of the church. If God calls a man to preach, the call will be attended with impressions, solemn, deep, and abiding. Support will not be the first thing with him, but how he can discharge the fearful responsibilities being rolled upon him. And he will not throw himself into the gospel market, with the bantering offer, "I will preach for you, if you will give me support." If God has called him, his arms are about him still, and you need not fear lest he become discouraged because he cannot, at once, have free access to the treasury of the church. Is he in pressing want? Then let him work with his hands, as Paul did, and preach what time he can spare. God, who works so great a miracle as to call a fallen mortal, and by his Spirit and grace qualify him to bear the responsibilities of the ministry, can, if he pleases so to do, move on the hearts of certain ones in a miraculous manner to supply his wants. In short, we say, Let God lead with his own hand, those whom he calls to the ministry, through the fiery ordeal he has chosen, to prove them, establish them, and fit them, worthy of the confidence and support of the church. Depend upon it, none but God can do this work. Then meddle not with his work, lest you mar it. And while this progresses, the church standing in the light, will not be ignorant of it, but will speak and act with tender care. We solemnly protest against novices and busy-bodies gathering around every young man, and talking to him about preaching, as though it were a matter of about the same importance as feeding the ducks. Stand back, friends, and keep your unworthy hands off from this holy work of God. This being in such a hurry to have men enter the ministry, with the full approval of the church, may be illustrated by the hasty folly of the lad, who, on observing that the hatching chickens had already got their bills in sight, supposed he could render efficient aid by pulling the shells quite off from them. But imagine his pain in witnessing the death of the unnaturally-hatched brood. The sad history of not a few men among us, who have undertaken the work of preaching, is: first, they were taken out of the hands of Him who was fitting them through crosses and trials for the work; second, in point of support and influence given them, they were treated as if fully proved; and third, they spiritually died casting an additional shade of discouragement upon the cause. Seventh-day Adventists need laborers in the gospel field, and are willing to give them a good support. They should do all in their power, that they can safely do, to encourage the work of the ministry. The harvest is truly great, but the laborers are few. And while our people pray the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers into the field of harvest, they are ready to sustain such laborers. But it is no longer duty for them to liberally sustain ministers while being proved, when about three out of four prove unworthy of their confidence. We would here make a few suggestions relative to the proper course to be pursued toward those who offer themselves for the ministry:— 1. Men of good standing in the church to which they belong, and of good report in community, and who bear marks of intellectual strength, may safely receive license to improve their gift in teaching the people the truths of God's word. 2. In no case, however, should they receive with the license encouragement of support till they prove, first, that they are called of God, and, second, that they are faithful to the trust committed to them. 3. When they have given good proofs that the ministry will be a success with them, then let them be ordained to the work, and if they are in want, let them be recompensed for the efficient service they have been to the cause according to the judgment of the Conference to which they belong. But it may be urged that there are very poor men who should commence preaching at once, who must be supported if they do. God knows all concerning their poverty, and will take care of that for those whom he calls under such circumstances. It is very evident that he does not require his church to sustain untried men. We would again suggest that such labor with their hands, as did the noble Paul, and preach what they can, and trust Providence to fully open the way before them. But these men urge that they cannot work and preach; that they cannot preach at all, unless they are entirely freed from labor and care. Not so with Paul. He was a tent-maker, and had sufficient breadth of intellect to make a good seam upon the canvass, and at the same time arrange his sermons, so rich and deep in thought, his epistles being samples. But if these men really cannot preach, while their hands and minds have more or less to do with the things of this life, they are certainly too narrow patterns for the ministry, to meet all forms of opposition, and wiles of the Devil, in these times of peril. The "woe is me if I preach not the gospel," rests upon these men exceedingly light. Once the proper course for our people to pursue toward those entering the ministry, was somewhat an experiment. But not so now. The experience of fifteen years has demonstrated the above suggestions, in the main at least, to be correct. Our really efficient ministers came to the work trusting in God. The hardships they have endured, the poverty they have felt, and the trials they have borne, have made them efficient, and faithful to the field. While those among us who have come to the work of the ministry, leaning upon a good support, since order and organization has put an end to our greatest discouragements as a people, lack efficiency, lack a love for the suffering part of the religion of Jesus, and are easily tossed to and fro. It is said of the Son of God, Heb. ii, 10, "For it became him for whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through suffering." Chap. v, 8, 9. "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation, unto all them that obey him." Chap. ii, 18. "For in that he himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted." If this be said of the Chief Shepherd, how much more necessary in the under shepherds. If he could drink of the cup of suffering that he might be a "merciful and faithful high priest," how eagerly should the unconsecrated minister press the bitter cup to his defiled lips, that he, through suffering, may become a faithful and tender shepherd to feed, and care for the flock. Happy would it be for some young ministers, and far better for the flock of God, if they would cast from their hand the whip with which they think to rule and drive the poor sheep, and seize the cup of suffering, which alone can perfect them. Does the Master say, My sheep see my whip, and they fly before me? No! never! Hear him: "My sheep hear my voice, and they follow me." We would call especial attention to the remarks of Eld. D. T. Bourdeau, upon the work entitled, How to Live. He stands at a point—his whole being now aroused to the value of health, and the simple means by which it may be preserved—where he can view this great question in the true light. This work is in six distinct parts, or numbers, each one devoted to a distinct branch of the great subject. Every family should have it. Every young man, and every young woman, should have it, and not only read, but study it. Price of the six pamphlets in neat paper covers, $1.00. Bound in muslin, in one neat volume of 400 pages, postpaid, $1,25. Redeeming the Time.
By J. N. Andrews
“Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.” Col. iv, 5. This language implies that the time spent with those who walk according to the spirit of this world, is liable to be wasted and lost. It also implies that it may be redeemed, i. e., that it need not, and should not be spent in vain. Those who pray with the Psalmist, “So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom,” [Ps. xc, 12], will appreciate the importance of this exhortation of the apostle. Those who number their days in this manner, will have ever present before their minds, the fact that at the longest, their time is short, and even this may not all be theirs. They will consider that great work which true wisdom sets before mankind, viz., the service of the Redeemer, and the preparation for the judgment, and as they appreciate its true character, will feel that they have no time to lose if they would have the Judge say to them in the last day, “well done good and FAITHFUL servant.” We are necessarily brought into connection, to a considerable extent, with those who are not the servants of Christ. Many of our relatives and personal friends are of this class. The necessary business transactions of this life, also make it unavoidable that we should, to a greater or less extent spend our time in the company of the men of this world. Providential events also bring this about in many ways. We must conclude, therefore, that the people of God are to a certain extent, not only under the necessity of mingling with the men of this world, but that the Lord, whose wise providence controls all things, has a direct design that they should do this. “Ye are the light of the world,” says Christ. “A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.” Matt. v, 14–16. The people of God, are therefore to be the means of good to those with whom they mingle. They are to recommend the holy religion which they profess not only by speaking of its merits to those who come in contact with them, but by doing those things which it enjoins. This is the way that our light will so shine that others may see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven. The people of God are, in his providence, scattered every where through the world for the very purpose that they may be the means of good to those who know not God. They are not therefore to hide away from all society, and to mingle only with those who are in the way to eternal life. Yet it must be confessed that in this very thing there is great danger. Unless we “walk in wisdom toward them that are without,” our time spent in their society will be wasted, perhaps worse than wasted. 1. We must watch unto prayer while in the society of those who have none of that spirit. The less in those around us the more need of it in ourselves. 2. We must so conduct ourselves that we may not disgust our fellow-men with oddities, with rash zeal, or with a spirit of fanatical intolerance. “He that winneth souls is wise.” 3. Our transactions must be such as will bear examination in the day of judgment. We cannot in a single act overreach our fellow-men without endangering our own souls and theirs also. For they will discern the first departure from right in ourselves, whatever may be the wickedness of their own conduct, and if they see a lack of integrity in us, they will charge it to our religion, and then blaspheme God on our account. 4. We should aim to do good to all our unconverted associates. Remember that they are in the way to perdition. The responsibility of lighting their path that they may see where they are going, is laid on us, what an awful responsibility it is. To mingle with others so that we can do them good, we must ourselves be deeply imbued with the Holy Spirit. The time we spend with our fellow-men may be redeemed from waste, and may be made profitable to our own souls and the means of salvation in some cases to them. That we may then walk in wisdom toward them that are without, let us heed the next verse: “Let your speech be always with grace seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”
J. N. ANDREWS. How to Live.
By D. T. Bourdeau
BRO. WHITE: I have recently read the six pamphlets on "Health; or How to Live," with care and special interest, and have come to the conclusion that they constitute one of our most valuable works, and that the preachers and people should have them and take special pains to circulate them. In fact, it looks to me as though we cannot be said to be faithful to our trust, and to the great principles of health, that we as a people profess to appreciate, and yet be indifferent in circulating a work which so clearly and faithfully sets forth our views on the subject of health. This work, like all other valuable works, is not to be measured by its size, but by the weight, clearness, genuineness and comprehensiveness of its thoughts and principles. I know of no work of its size that contains so many valuable ideas on the subject of health. As an eclectic work, it may be considered as the pith, marrow and essence of many valuable works on health. While it may serve as an introduction to those works from which its rich extracts are taken, its nature is such, that it meets most of the wants of those who are not able to buy more costly works on health. It is emphatically the work for the times; the work that we need to meet our present wants. It is so plain that the common people can understand the leading truths it purports to teach, and yet the truly learned will not fail to be interested and benefited in perusing it. The articles of the compiler alone, which constitute an important part of this work, are worth more than the cost of the book. Especially are those portions of them that show what we should do on our part to be in a condition for the Lord to work for us in a miraculous manner (if it can be for his glory), worthy of the especial attention of every believer of present truth. If this work is what we understand it to be, it seems to us that no Sabbath-keeper should consider his library complete without it. It will bear reading and re-reading. It would require a comprehensive mind and a prodigious memory, to understand this work in all its bearings, and retain all its ideas, by reading it once; yet there are doubtless many who would be satisfied by reading such a work over once. Perhaps they are so anxious to get hold of something new, that they hardly ever stop long enough to get hold of anything as they should. This is sometimes seen in questioning those individuals on the very points they have read. All is new to them, and they can hardly answer a question that you will put to them. Perhaps their books are on the shelf, or they have given them away as though they were fully acquainted with all their contents. A wise person will stick to good books as he does to tried friends. He has tried them and is fond of their society. The more he reads them, the more beauty and truth he sees in them. The more he sees their real value, the more he loves them. Every family should possess at least one copy of this excellent work as a reference book; and many should not be satisfied unless they keep one or more copies on hand, to hand out to those who need it. We should not excuse ourselves by saying that we have not money or time to spend in this direction. Health is worth more than money, and it has often happened that those who would take no time to care for their health, have had to take time for sickness, and spend means for their recovery. If it is duty for us to attend to health, we can attend to health; for no duty is made incumbent upon us that we cannot perform. Brethren, I am not recommending poisonous drugs and patent medicines, and am not afraid to stake my reputation on what I have said. The merits of this work will bear me out in my assertions. You who have read it with care, are ready to bear witness to the truth of my statements. Let those who have not, read it; test the matter by reading it. Are you sick? you will find instructions in this work on how to regain your health. Are you well? this work will furnish you with instructions on how to keep well. And as you enjoy the benefits of this work, remember the suffering and those who are liable to be sick, and seek to impart to them the blessings you so highly appreciate; and thus the health reform will go on, and you will have the assurance that you are laboring for the welfare of others, as well as for your own individual interest. Our Thoughts.
By Jos. Clarke
It will not do to allow our thoughts liberty unrestrained. As upon the farm the owner cares to confine his flocks and herds by walls and fences so the thoughts which throng the mind should be looked to. Some should be carefully excluded, others as carefully kept in place. The dangers arising from a disordered and unrestrained mind, are never fully realized, except by the godly. Maxims of prudence restrain partially, men of the world, whom self-preservation prompts to hold some sort of control over the mind; but those enlightened from above, have a clearer light, and a purer test and motive. To those who are endeavoring to overcome in the present struggle with the powers of darkness under the last call of mercy which we hear, this subject assumes grave importance, because of the extraordinary efforts made by the arch-destroyer to overthrow every one who would essay to keep the commandments of God. As the prophecy clearly foretells, he is to make war in the last days. Surely, he has always been making war with the people of God; what, then, can this mean, but that he is to be emphatically hostile to God's people in the last days? Is this a war of carnal weapons? Surely not; for God's people would not meet him on such a battle ground. What, then, shall it be? Certainly it must be a series of attempts to overthrow the godly, by artifice and deceit, and deep-laid plots. To accomplish this, he follows up the man he would destroy, with all strong delusions, and petty suggestions of annoyance, little questions of strife, and larger ones of jealousy and envy, thus weakening and dividing the "host" of saints who worship in purity. To carry out his plans, no means are left unemployed. He follows, in person or by his subordinates, the farmer into his field, and the mechanic into his work-shop, and the minister into his study; and with each one he plies his every art to mislead and deceive. Wherever the weakest point may be, there he works with terrible effect, and often with success. But at those times when God's people assemble together, Satan makes his heaviest and most powerful attacks. If it is at Battle Creek, and he can point the worshiper to some seeming inconsistency and keep his eye on this; if he can point to some time in the past, when Bro. White protested against his house being made a common stepping-place for hundreds of people, who make traveling cheap by putting up with those who reside most nearly on their line of march, when any new enterprise is to be undertaken; Satan is ready to take advantage of all these. One good 1844 Adventist farmer came all the way to the Conference at Battle Creek, May last, to hear the loud cry. He was wonderfully disappointed. Another good brother is going to put up at the tavern or hotel, when he goes to Battle Creek; and he will surely make a flutter when he does that. Another thinks that Michigan brethren feel to look with contempt upon Ohio, or Minnesota, or some other State. Another, has godly jealousy against certain gold or silver ornaments, which flourish on some person whom he mistakes for a professor. Another gets a pout about something Bro. White states, as his view of things:—and so it is; there is nothing too improbable, nothing too ridiculous, nothing too frivolous, to urge as a pretext to divide the people of God. HE that prays out of custom, says Jeremy Taylor, or gives alms for praise, or effects to be counted religious, is but a Pharisee in his devotion, and a beggar in his alms, and a hypocrite in his fast. Bread Cast Upon the Waters.
By N. Orcutt
"Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand." Eccl. xi, 1, 6. We have the same idea in the admonition of our great High Priest, to "let our light shine." As we believe we have the truth, we should avail ourselves of every proper opportunity to present it to others. This we may do in various ways, by precept, presenting the chain of truth link by link, always in harmony with itself and with the word of God which is truth; by example, that others may see our good works, the most effectual preaching, which cannot be gainsayed; or by presenting a paper or tract in which is embodied some precious truth, thus aiding others in their efforts to "prove all things." Time is short. Jesus is soon coming. Soon the sowing time will be over. Soon the opportunity to cast bread upon the waters gone. Dear brethren and sisters, we, who have the truth, now, while its enemies are putting forth every exertion, should not stand all the day idle. We should be doing all that lies in our power to spread the truth, improving every opportunity to let our light shine; without stopping to reason upon the effect which will follow. The Lord will take care of that if we obey. Has he not promised, that if we cast our bread upon the waters, we shall find it? And can we not trust him and take him at his word? Has he ever failed to fulfill his promises? Oh then let us not distrust him now. We, in our short-sightedness, cannot tell when it will be returned unto us; neither whether seed sown in the morning or at evening will prosper, or whether both shall be alike good. But we may believe that "He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." Then "let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." I would take this opportunity to acknowledge my obligations to W. E. Landon, of Plainville, Conn., for bread cast upon the waters,—some copies of the Review sent me a year ago, which were a help to me, and for which I feel truly grateful. The Church Dying of the Refinements.
By R. V. Lawrence
This age, with the Church, and especially the Methodist Church, is an age of refinement. It has passed through one of converting and sanctifying grace, but it has now reached the era of refinement. And, (I would write so plainly as to be understood,) the Church IS NOW DYING OF THE REFINEMENTS. Not however of genuine refinement—that does not kill. Sins refined and kept in the church are doing the mischief. You may, if you will look, see this sort of refinement in the ministry. It would hardly do for ministers to aspire to the pride of position and circumstantial pomp of government officials, and persons of high places in worldly honor. This would be too gross a departure from the example of the meek and lowly Jesus and his humble disciples. But this sin is refined. Under the name of refinement of manners, many, oh, how many of our preachers put on such a pompous and formal address in saluting those they meet, that the common people, who generally hear the gospel gladly, are forced away from them, while the upstart, petroleum aristocrats gather about them as if they were angels just down from the skies. How very few of our ministers have that honorable title among the masses—"he is the poor man's preacher." This kind of refinement is withering up the influence of the ministry now—it has already transformed large numbers of the ministers of Republican America into parlor fops, to the very great delight of as many sentimental boarding-school misses. This refinement has also secured a place in the language of the pulpit. To call the people together on the Sabbath and preach to them in Latin or Greek, all acknowledge would be a sin. But this sin is refined and kept in the pulpit. Professedly the preaching is done in the language of the people, but what with uncommon, high-sounding words, long sentences, and involved, interlaced sort of sentences, not more I think than one-fourth of the people get the meaning, and in the case of many whom I have heard, there is no meaning to be caught, for the words after going round and round, and round, run off into some different idea from that with which they started, and so the whole is spoiled. And yet this is refinement. After a man has been talking in this stilted way for an hour, you will see the special advocates and devotees of refinement drawing together, and lauding the preacher's "enunciation," "profundity," "refinement of language," etc., when common sense is sick, and the multitudes go away unfed. This is one of the refinements of which the church is now dying. A preacher not long since said, "It would not do for ministers to preach in these days in the style of Wesley, as given to us in his published sermons." It wouldn't? Indeed! It wouldn't do the Devil's work so well—it wouldn't put people to sleep so soon. But would it not be refreshing to the churches if our preachers would go forth in his spirit and with his simplicity of style, telling the story of the cross? It would be like a north-west wind after a July drouth. Under its influence the vineyard of the Lord would be green again. A company of young men, none of them Christians, were conversing one evening. The subject matter was the excellence of a Baptist minister who had lately died. "Oh," said one, "I did like to hear him preach, he spoke in such plain language; we could always understand him." There is many an empty seat in the churches that would be filled if it were not for the unintelligible refinement of pulpit language. Look up in the choir in many a church and you see the quartette, screaming opera tunes, refined by having hymn-books in their hands, and so sanctified to sing the praise of God, though they may sing in the theatre, or opera all the week, and have hearts that have never had the slightest touch of the grace of God. Yet this is refinement. The pew is also a refinement in the Methodist Church. It would not be agreeable for our wealthy, upper-crust Christians, to have plainly dressed, hard-working people, to sit by them in the churches; nor would it do to make public proclamation that the poor might stay away, especially when it is said in the Bible that in the house of God, "the rich and poor meet together;" such proclamation would be sinful; but the pew does it. The poor cannot rent, they will not allow their poverty to be advertised every Sunday by taking the poor seats; thus the church gets rid of them altogether. The pew is a refined winnowing machine, and it does its work well, as the hundreds of select congregations testify. Are our pewed Methodist churches crowded? Did you ever hear of such a thing? Methodism once had the masses, but the refining process has so thinned our congregations that we can hardly make that claim now. In the matter of dress we also have a sin refined in the church. The pagan world—the female part of it—had a simple way of dressing. Rings in the nose and ears, on the toes, ankles, wrists, and fingers; feathers, wild, unrefined eagle feathers in the hair; a very poor article of paint on the face, and many other crude decorations on the person. Of course this was wrong, vain, unchristian. Our Methodist ladies have refined very much on the aforesaid style. Rings in the noses are not tolerated; but the ears bear those of very refined workmanship, while the wrists and fingers are loaded with bracelets and rings far superior to any worn by the prettiest squaw of the most bloody Indian Chief. The common feathers of the Indian head-dress, are not tolerated by our Methodist belles: that would be sinful, but they have fine plumes and top-nots, and wings on the head (to help them cut the pigeon-wing perhaps) and all so refined! As to paint for the face, our women have a very superior article to that used by the heathen. They had naught but clay or ochre, but our modern, Christian cosmetic preparations are very refined. Then as to dress, we have in the church, and at the communion rails, the costliest silks, satins, laces, embroideries, diamonds, pearls, and gold and silver ornaments, though they may be unpaid for, or though to pay for them the treasury of the Lord is robbed. The female portion of the Methodist Church now carries in foolish superfluities of dress and adornment, enough to feed a large part of the poor of the land, to build homes for widows and orphans, to send the gospel to those who are now perishing for lack of knowledge, and to provide decent clothing for hundreds of poor in our own towns and villages, who fain would go to the house of God but for their rags, and because no one searches them out to encourage them to attend the house of prayer. And yet this I believe goes for refinement. The Scripture given by Paul, "I will that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shame-facedness and sobriety, not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array"—the most of our Methodist ladies laugh at, and many of our Doctors of Divinity set aside as of no account. Notable Doctors of Divinity! when they can doctor the divinity given through St. Paul! But these are days of refinement. You see many sins in the church now, that our modern Christians are refining into graces. In addition to this there is in the church now, a refined stoicism that shuts off all expression of religious emotion or peace or joy. If the Lord blesses you, or blesses a dear friend in the house of God, or if you hear a truth from the sacred desk that79 you approbate, you must give no sign thereof—no tear, no hearty "Amen," no expression of praise to God; that would be vulgar—show a want of refinement. Mrs. Exquisite, whose father was a rumseller, or rag-picker, but is herself a very fine lady, would become very nervous—may be would have to go out, and might give up her pew if you manifest any emotion. The stillness of death must reign, in these refined days, in the house of God, broken only by the refined tones of the minister, and the operatic quartette in the gallery. If you should be in Wall street when the news comes of the fall of Richmond, or the surrender of Lee, you might shout and sing "Praise God" with a bounding heart, and the papers would herald it all over the land, as a very proper thing, but if in the house of God you should in a suppressed tone say "Amen," or "Praise God," you would be marked by the would-be aristocrats who are creeping into our church as "vulgar," "not refined," "very common kind of people." And that what little responding may be necessary in a refined church may be done "decently and in order," we are soon to have a ritual for the pews, so that the silver-tongued Methodists may intone the Amens at the right time. All this is false refinement, the refinement of which the church is dying. But there is a refinement that I hope to see shedding its graces all through the church. There is One who sits upon the human heart as a "refiner of silver" and purifies the same from all unholy passions; throws the grace of perfect love over all the actions of the life; and creates in the soul a relish for things pure, and heavenly—in short, adorning the whole body, spirit, and soul with the "beauty of holiness." The etiquette of this refinement is as graceful as love, as sincere as honesty. It softens the manners of the uneducated and lends attraction to the educated that they never found in the schools. A heart cleansed by the blood of Jesus, and refined in the fires of the Holy Ghost, is in a state of the very highest order of refinement. This is a genuine refinement. What if one has education, and according to the judgment of the world polished manners, but a sinful heart, is this refinement? It is what passes for it. I know such a man, one who praises much of his refinement in the church, and can find but very little good society in the church—poor man! and yet a dozen times a day if he is provoked that many times, he will get angry, every feature of his face being disfigured with his unholy flame. And this is refinement! refinement when the heart is the seat of such a low passion as anger! I have almost blushed with shame, to hear a Methodist lady, in bad grammar, and with a sentimental whine, speak of refinement—refinement in the church, and then in a little while see her fling her head haughtily at some fancied insult, showing a heart full of the same pride that made the Devil too filthy to remain in Heaven. Are you not, dear Earnest Christian, sick of this style of refinement? Have you not seen very common pine wood so nicely veneered as to look like mahogany? or so nicely gilded as to look like gold? So we have in the Methodist church at this time, some very showy furniture, that looks like mahogany, or gold, of the most refined pattern, but much of it is very common wood, thinly veneered or gilded with the accomplishments, while the heart is yet full of infirmities that are counted vulgar in Heaven. Dear reader, let us possess ourselves of genuine refinement, which is Christian holiness, then we will be fit for the society of the good on earth, and the angels in glory. PRECIOUS is thy name, sweet Jesus,
Sweeter than an angel's dream,
More melodious than the music
Swelling from a seraph's hymn.
Precious is thy love that brought thee
From thy Father's throne above,
To redeem a world in ruins,
Bid its heavy curse remove. Precious art thou, blessed Jesus,
Precious to my sin-sick soul;
Precious, O thou great Physician,
Who hast cured and made me whole.
Precious is thy grace that softly—
Softer than a zephyr's sigh—
Whispered to my troubled spirit,
Peace, be still, poor soul, 'tis I! Precious is thy great compassion,
That, when I was doomed to die,
Justly doomed for sins committed,
Made thee look with pitying eye
On my lost, undone condition.
Precious is thy pardoning blood,
Blotting out my sins unnumbered,
Making me an heir of God. When the heart, with anguish riven,
Has not utterance for a sigh,
And no tear relieving issues
From the mourner's vacant eye,
Mourning for some fondly-loved one;
When each minute's creeping tread
Through the weary nights of watching
Seems to echo, "Dead—dead—dead!" Then, if through the gloomy shadows,
But thy sacred form arise,
All thy face compassion beaming,
Pity flowing from thine eyes,
Weeping, as for Mary's brother,
Friend divine, thine unfeigned tears,
Precious then thy loving presence
To the burdened soul appears. Were each star that gleams in heaven,
Sun and moon and planets gold;
Were upon the shores of ocean,
All the grains of sand untold,
Changed each to a pearl most precious,
And their number multiplied,
Till to estimate the treasure
Man's or angel's skill defied; Still one word by Jesus spoken,
From Gethsemane one sigh,
One drop from that cruel spear-wound,
One glance from thy loving eye,
One smile from those lips celestial,
One tear trickling down thy cross,
One throb of thy heaving bosom,
Would make these but seem as dross.