Earlier text: DISCUSSION ON THE SABBATH QUESTIONPride and Its Dangers to the Church
By A Friend to Zion
“Only by pride cometh contention,” is the expression of Solomon. This is a subject that is seldom treated upon, and the reason is obvious; mortals are so subject to its spirit, they are unwilling to have the truth told them. He feels like one who said, “I hate that prophet, for he prophesies evil concerning me and not good.” It is to be feared that too many of the professed servants of Christ shrink from reproving, lest they should offend. The temptation of the enemy is, “These are my good, rich friends; if I reprove them for their luxury and pride, I shall lose their friendship.” The rich are the very characters that the servants of God ought to reprove, rebuke, and exhort to set an example of self-denial. Those that have the materials to gratify the pride of life should set the example for the poor; this would be learning of Christ; he was rich, but for our sake became poor. He set an example of deprivation. Suffer me, though unworthy, to entreat my fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters, in Christ, whom God has given wealth, to lay aside superfluities, and pride, that baneful root that is so troublesome in the garden of Christ. The nature of this root is such, that if it is broken off in one place, it will sprout in another. It requires a diligent, watchful care, lest this root hinders the plant of grace growing. Much is said of temperance. I am pleased with it; but I want to have it extended as far as the apostle recommended it: Be thou temperate in all things. I find a deficiency in myself; I see it in others in every denomination. It is pride that produces contention among different orders. If pride was slain, contention would cease. The question may be asked, How shall this great oak be cut down? Let every one that wishes to see more primitive religion flourish strike a blow at it, both by precept and example. Use the gospel ax. Lay it at the root, and it must fall. Let us bring the question home to ourselves, Do we not cultivate this root of bitterness more than the seed of grace? Do we not make more exertion, daily, to gratify the pride of life and superfluities thereof, than we do in striving to inform ourselves of truths of the gospel? If we spend a little more time in searching the Scriptures, that will inform us of this evil root. Pride is that evil that God hates. Jeremiah says, Give ear; be not proud; for the Lord has spoken. He said if they would not hear, his soul should weep in secret places for their pride. Now, since pride is that which God hates and led the prophet to weep, does it not become us, the professed followers of Christ, to suppress this growing evil? Let us commence anew to clip the thrifty branches. We are not to be discouraged if we do not succeed in slaying this enemy in one week, or one month. Let us be laying aside every weight, and perhaps we are already convinced that pride is the heaviest weight that we carry, and impedes our Christian race the most of any weight, the greatest part of trouble that people complain of. If we trace the stream to the fountain, we shall find it originates from pride. It was this evil that first produced contention between David and Saul. It was said, Saul has slain his thousands and David his tens of thousands. Saul thought there was not so much honor conferred on him as was on David. Now to all the professed disciples of Christ, whom I love in the truth: If you desire peace of mind, and a good hope that dispels doubts and fears, crucify pride. If you desire to feel that sweet communion with Jesus that you enjoyed when you first espoused the cause of Christ, crucify pride; for what communion has light with darkness? Christ is light; pride is a trait of darkness. While that spirit is nourished, there is no sweet union with Jesus; a cold heart, weak faith, disregard for the Scriptures, is the fruit; family and closet prayer becomes a burden. By neglecting duty, the mind becomes unfruitful. Pride comes in, and says, You can’t pray as well as you did once, you better not pray at all. The young convert has got more grace than you have. Here pride prevents mortals doing their duty. Pride displays itself in various ways; sometimes good gifts prove a snare. The enemy tells the child of God, You have spoken well, and prayed and preached the best. Now pride in this channel is more dangerous than the former, for it is a wound that is not so easily discovered, therefore, it is more dangerous. It is very evident that if the child of God grows proud of the gift that Heaven has bestowed, God will send leanness into the soul. The prayer of my heart is, that those that have a small gift may not be ashamed of it, and those that have a great one may not be proud of it. A great gift without great grace proves a stumbling-block to the world. They say such ones talk well, but they don’t live well; they are as proud and love the world as well as I do. If these lines should be read by those that love the world better than the cross, it will be an unpleasant message. I have written the feelings of my mind so plain, perhaps it may not be so well pleasing to some; however, I think all difficulty on this subject will vanish when the soul is filled with the good, humble spirit. My prayer to God is that some one with a deeper mind and better heart may be constrained by the Spirit of God to continue this subject. We need line upon line, and precept upon precept, on this subject. It cannot fail of hitting every one that reads or writes it. I consider that a subject that will reprove every class of people, high and low, rich and poor, ought to be often dwelt upon in order to show its heinous nature. Should one soul resolve to overcome the pride of life, I shall be amply compensated for my time. One thing I have learned in my short pilgrimage, that every one that feeds pride starves the soul, produces disappointments, discontent, anxiety, and tribulations of various kinds; and those that crucify pride, enjoy peace of mind, and a bright prospect of that rest that remains for the people of God. They can submit to the changing scenes of a checkered life with a cheerful resignation. This is the advantage we may derive in crucifying pride.—Christian Palladium. God's Commandments Serve Our Real Happiness
God’s commandments are not an arbitrary display of power. He prohibits nothing because he has the power to prohibit, but because the thing forbidden is destructive to our real happiness and best good. Prayer Pierces Heaven Through Christ's Intercession
WHEN the arrow of a saint’s prayer is put into the bow of Christ’s intercession, it pierceth the very heavens. THE dark wilds of chaos had given place to light and life, uncouth, and inorganic matter had assumed forms of beauty and glory, and man, the crowning glory of the new-risen world, had received the complacent benediction of his Heavenly Father, and with a companion, whose graces drew forth from his bosom the perfection of virtuous love, was placed in happy Eden; when a proclamation from God announced the Sabbath’s dawn, and blessed the seventh day as one of holy rest. God himself then rested, for the energies of that power which had evolved the matter of the universe from nonentity and fashioned it to the forms which Infinite Wisdom had devised were now relieved. Omnipotence had rest, for the new creation was ended, and its beaming beauty showed with what perfection the work was finished. Well might the Almighty bless and sanctify the day which witnessed so glorious a consummation, and well might the sacred Law-giver refer us to this Sabbath of the Lord to enforce the divine requirement expressed in the decalogue. For, to contemplate the scenes of that day, is sufficient to endear the Sabbath to every pious heart. It was a day when Infinite Power and holy created intelligences stood still to witness the harmonious operation of a new-created universe, when the sight of a world that had not been marred by sin drew forth effusions of adoration and praise from the heart of man and angels to its great Creator. Yes, the calmness of that blissful morning was rendered heavenly by sweet-toned, celestial music, ushering in its dawn. Celestial voices to its burnished air whispered of peace and shouted songs of praise. “The morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.” Our first parents, in Eden’s Elysian bowers, spent the day in sacred rest. Prayer had not yet been known, for want had not been begotten by transgression, yet a spirit of adoration filled their bosoms, and when the day was passed, it was their privilege to record one Sabbath which man had kept holy unto the Lord.—The Garland. Being Filled with the Spirit
To be filled with the Spirit is to have all the resources of Heaven at our command. Brother, Go Fight for Jesus
BROTHER, go fight for Jesus—haste;
No precious time hast thou to waste,
For life is fleeting fast;
The battle must be fought and won,
Ere the day of life be done,
For night will come at last. It is not safe for us to always have our own way. If we do, we become obstinate and self-willed, and incapable of bearing contradiction. When we get into such a state, we are all well-nigh incurable. For what is really a very great vice, we then esteem a great virtue. Our self-will wears, in our own eyes, the guise of zeal for God. Submission to the judgment of others, as spiritual as ourselves, even where no principle is involved, and where the peace and welfare of a whole society may be at stake, looks to us like compromising; and so we dare not yield. To pause, because of the consequences that are almost certain to result from our rash actions, has, in our eyes, the appearance of distrusting God. No one is always right. The judgment of the very best is liable to be swayed by ignorance or prejudice. Here we know only in part. Our understanding is imperfect, and our knowledge limited. We should not, then, in matters where others are as much interested as ourselves, always insist upon having our way. We should learn to yield fully and gracefully. The divine rule is, submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. This does not mean that everybody must submit to us. The submission is to be mutual. We, ourselves, must sometimes yield. The earth attracts the moon, but the moon at the same time attracts the earth just as much in proportion to its size. This is the cause of tides. So we must make toward others as well as require them to make toward us. The back-bone supports the body. It is not rigid and inflexible, but is full of joints. If it would not bend, it could not keep straight. A loss of flexibility produces deformity. A symmetrical Christian can keep straight alone and do his duty even when others do not concur in his opinion. Peter did not leave the church because the advice of James was followed.—Earnest Christian. Departing and Being with Christ.
WHEN will all men come to agree respecting the state of the dead? When will the question whether the dead are alive, conscious, active and intelligent, or whether they rest in the grave in unconsciousness and inactivity, cease to be a vexed question? When shall it be decided whether the shout of triumph which the ransomed are to raise, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” is the celebration of a real victory, or only an unnecessary and useless transaction, as it must be if the grave holds not the real man, but only the shell, the mortal body, which is generally considered an incumbrance and a clog? Never will this question be decided till man shall be willing to follow the Scriptures, instead of trying to compel the Scriptures to follow them. Never, while they put the figurative for the literal, and the literal for the figurative, mistake sound for sense, and rest on the possible construction of an isolated text, instead of, and in opposition to, the general tenor of the teaching of the inspired writers. Paul has told us often enough, and it would seem explicitly enough, when the Christian goes to be with his Lord. It is at the redemption of the body. Rom. 8:23. It is in the day of the Lord Jesus. 1 Cor. 5:5. It is at the last trump. 1 Cor. 15:51–55. It is when we are clothed upon with our house from Heaven. 2 Cor. 5:4. It is when Christ our life shall appear. Col. 3:4. It is when the Lord descends from Heaven with a shout, and the dead are raised. 1 Thess. 4:16, 17. It is at the coming of the Lord. 2 Thess. 2:1. It is to be at “that day,” an expression by which Paul frequently designates the day of Christ’s appearing. 2 Tim. 4:7, 8. Yet Paul in one instance, without stopping to explain, uses the expression, “to depart and to be with Christ;” whereupon his words are seized by religious teachers as unanswerable evidence that at death the spirit enters at once into the presence of its Redeemer. The passage is found in Phil. 1:21–24, and reads as follows:— “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart and to be with Christ; which is far better. Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.” Willing to go with our friends as far as we can in their interpretation of any passage, we raise no issue here on the word depart. Paul probably means by it the same as in 2 Tim. 4:6, where he says, “The time of my departure is at hand,” referring to his approaching death. Then Paul, immediately on dying, was to be with Christ. Not so fast. The very point intended to be proved has, in such a conclusion, to be assumed. Paul had in view two conditions: this present state, and the future state. Between these two he was in a strait. The cause of God on earth, the interests of the church, stirring to its very depths his large and sympathetic heart, drew him here; his own desires drew him to the future state of victory and rest. And so evenly balanced were the influences drawing him in either direction, that he hardly knew upon which course he would decide, were it left to him as a matter of choice. Nevertheless, he said that it was more needful for the church that he remain here, to give them still the benefit of his counsel and his labors. The state or condition to which he looked forward was one which he greatly desired. About four years before he wrote these words to the Philippians, he had written to the Corinthians, telling them what he did desire, and what he did not desire, in reference to the future. Said he, “Not that we would be unclothed.” 2 Cor. 5:4. By being unclothed, he meant the state of death, from the cessation of mortal life to the resurrection. This he did not desire; but he immediately adds what he did desire, namely, to be “clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life;” and when this is done, all that is mortal of us is made immortal, the dead are raised, and the body is redeemed. Rom. 8:23; 1 Cor. 15:52, 53. In writing to the Corinthians he thus stated that the object of his desire was to be clothed upon, and have mortality swallowed up of life; to the Philippians he stated that the object of his desire was to be with Christ. These expressions, then, mean the same thing. Therefore, in Phil. 1:23, Paul passes over the state of death, the unclothed state, just as he had done to the Corinthians; for he would not tell the Corinthians that he did not desire a certain state, and four years after write to the Philippians that he did desire it. Paul did not thus contradict himself. But this intermediate state is the disputed territory in this controversy; the condition of the dead therein is the very point in question; and on this the text before us is entirely silent. This is the vulnerable point in the popular argument on this text. It is assumed that the being with Christ takes place immediately on the departure. But, while the text asserts nothing of this kind, multitudes of other texts affirm that the point when we gain immortality and the presence of Christ, is a point in the future beyond the resurrection. And, unless some necessary connection can be shown between the departing and the being with Christ, and the hosts of texts which make our entrance into Christ’s presence a future event can be harmonized therewith, any attempt to prove consciousness in death from this text is an utter failure. Landis seems to feel the weakness of his side in this respect, and spends the strength of his argument, pp. 224–229, in trying to make the inference appear necessary that the being with Christ must be immediate on the departure. He would have us think it utterly absurd and nonsensical to suppose a moment to elapse between the two events. Let us then see if there is anything in Paul’s language which contradicts the idea that a period of utter unconsciousness, of greater or less length, intervenes between death and our entrance into the future life. In the first place, if the unconsciousness is absolute, as we suppose, the space passed over in the individual’s experience is an utter blank. There is not the least perception, with such person, of the lapse of a moment of time. When consciousness returns, the line of thought is taken up at the very point where it ceased, without the consciousness of a moment’s interruption. This fact is often proved by actual experience. Persons have been known to become utterly unconscious by a fracture of the skull, and a portion of it being depressed upon the brain, suspending its action. Perhaps when the accident happened they were in the act of issuing an order, or giving directions to those about them. They have lain unconscious for months, and then been relieved by a surgical operation; and when the brain began again to act, and consciousness returned, they have immediately spoken and completed the sentence they were in the act of uttering when they were struck down, months before. This shows that to these persons there was no consciousness of any time intervening, more than what passes between the words of a sentence which we are speaking. It was all the same to them as if they had at once completed the sentence they commenced to utter, instead of having weeks and months of unconsciousness thrown in between the words of which that sentence was composed. So with the dead. They are not aware of the lapse of a moment of time between their death and the resurrection. A wink of the eye shuts out for an instant the sight of all objects, but it is so instantaneous that we do not perceive any interruption of the rays of vision. Six thousand years in the grave to a dead man is no more than a wink of the eye to the living. To them, consciousness, our only means of measuring time, is gone; and it will seem to them when they awake that absolutely none has elapsed. When Abel awakes from the dead, it will seem to him, until his attention is attracted by the new scenes of immortality to which he will be raised, that he is rising up from the murderous blows of Cain, under which he had seemingly just fallen. And to Stephen, who died beholding the exaltation of Christ in Heaven, it will be the same as if he had without a moment’s interruption entered into his glorious presence. And when Paul himself shall be raised, it will seem to him that the stroke of the executioner was his translation to glory. Such being the indisputable evidence of facts upon this point, we ask how a person, understanding this matter, would speak of the future life, if he expected to obtain it in the kingdom of God? Would he speak of passing long ages in the grave before he reached it? He might if he designed to state, for any one’s instruction, the actual facts in the case; but if he was speaking simply of his own experience, it would not be proper for him to mention the intervening time, because he would not be conscious of any such time, and it would not seem to him on awaking to life again that any such period had elapsed. Accordingly Bishop Law lays down this general principle on this question:— “The Scriptures, in speaking of the connection between our present and future being, do not take into the account our intermediate state in death; no more than we in describing the course of any man’s actions, take into account the time he sleeps. Therefore, the Scriptures (to be consistent with themselves) must affirm an immediate connection between death and the Judgment. Heb. 9:27; 2 Cor. 5:6, 8.” “Because the time between death and the resurrection is not to be reckoned, therefore the apostle might speak thus, though the soul has no sense of anything after death.” “The apostle, considering his own situation, would naturally connect the end of this life with the commencement of another and a better, as he would have no perception of any interval between them. That the apostle had no view short of the coming of Christ to Judgment, is evident from the phrase he makes use of, namely, being with Christ, which can only take place at his second coming. For Christ himself has said that he would come again, and that he would take his disciples to himself, which clearly implies that they were not to be with him before that time.” So in harmony with this reference to our Lord’s teaching is the language used by Paul in 1 Thess. 4:16, 17, that we here refer to it again: “For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” As Christ taught that the time when his people were to be with him again was at his second coming, so Paul here teaches. We call attention to the word, so, in the last sentence of the quotation. So, means in this way, in this manner, by this means. “So,” in this manner, by this means, “shall we ever be with the Lord.” When Paul, as he does here, describes without any limitations, the way and means by which we go to be with the Lord, he precludes every other means. He the same as says there is no other means by which we can be with the Lord; and if there is any other means of gaining this end, this language is not true. If we go to be with the Lord, by means of our immortal spirit when we die, we do not go to be with him by means of the visible coming of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, and the change of the living, and Paul’s language is a stupendous falsehood. There is no possible way of avoiding this conclusion except by claiming that the descent of the Lord from Heaven, the great shout, the voice of the archangel, the sounding of the great trump of God, the resurrection of the dead, and the change of the living, all take place when a person dies—a position too absurd to be seriously refuted, and almost too ridiculous to be even stated. Shall we then take the position that Paul taught the Philippians that a person went by his immortal spirit immediately at death to be with the Lord, when he had plainly told the Thessalonians that this was to be brought about in altogether a different manner, and by altogether different means? No one who would have venerated that holy apostle when alive, or who has any decent regard for his memory now that he is dead, will accuse him of so acting. Why, then, does he say that he has a desire to depart, that is, to die? Because he well understood that his life of suffering, of toil, and trial here, was to terminate by death; and if the church could spare him, he would gladly have it come, not only to release him from his almost unbearable burdens, but because he knew further that all the intervening space between his death and the return of his Lord would seem to him to be instantly annihilated, and the glories of the eternal world, through his resurrection from the dead, would instantly open upon his view. It is objected again that Paul was very foolish to express such a desire if he was not to be with his Lord till the resurrection; for, in that case, he would be with him no sooner if he died than he would if he did not die. Those who make this objection, either cannot have fully considered this subject, or they utterly fail to comprehend it. They have no difficulty in seeing how Paul would be with Christ sooner by dying, provided his spirit, when he died, immediately entered into his presence; but they cannot see how it would be so when the time between his death and the coming of Christ is to him an utter blank, and then without the consciousness, on his part, that a single instant has elapsed, he is ushered into the presence of his Redeemer. Remember that Paul’s consciousness was his only means of measuring time; and if he had died just as he wrote these words to the Philippians, it would have been to him an entrance into Christ’s presence just as much sooner as what time elapsed between the penning of that sentence and the day of his death. None can fail to see this point, if they will consider it in the light of the fact we have here tried so fully to set forth, that the dead have no perceptions of passing time. In the light of the foregoing reasoning, let us read and paraphrase this famous passage to the Philippians:— “For to me to live is for the furtherance of the cause of Christ, and for me to die is still gain to that cause (because ‘Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or death,’ verse 20). But if I live in the flesh, this, the furtherance of Christ’s cause, is the fruit of my labor; but what course I should take were it left for me to decide, I know not; for I am in a strait betwixt two: I know that the church still needs my labors, but I have a desire to end my mortal pilgrimage, and be the next instant, so far as my experience goes (for the dead perceive no passing of time), in the presence of my Lord. Consulting my own feelings, this I should esteem far better; but I know that it is more needful for you that I abide still in a condition to labor on for your good in this mortal state.” Who can say, bearing in mind the language Paul frequently uses in his other epistles, that this is not a just paraphrase of his language here. The only objection against it is, that, so rendered, it does not support the conscious-state dogma. But it makes a harmony in all that Paul has taught on the subject; and is it not far more desirable to maintain the harmony of the sacred writings, than to try to make them defend a dogma which involves them in a fatal contradiction? How to Visit.
By Dudley Marvin Canright
VISITING from house to house, and talking with people privately, is an important part of every minister’s duty. This cannot be neglected without neglecting the most effective part of his ministry, without losing his strongest hold upon the people. In the family, by the fireside, and in social conversation, is where the minister can get the nearest to the hearts of the people. Here he sees them as they are, and learns their peculiarities and their especial needs. He sees just where they are weak, and where they need help. On their part, the people learn to love their minister more, and have a stronger attachment for him through these social visits. Paul visited from house to house and taught the people. Yet, like all other privileges, this may be terribly misused. I am inclined to think that our duty in this important item is more poorly done than in any other. How easy for us to go into a family and spend hours in idle chitchat about the weather, the neighbors, and other idle conversation, which really amounts to nothing at all. Such time is worse than lost. It is not only not improved; but a bad example is set to the family. If the minister can spend his time so, if he can indulge in such conversation, so can they; and thus liberty is taken to sin. The minister should direct and control the conversation. This he can do easily and without injuring anybody’s feelings. Let him follow the example of Christ. How frequently we have it recorded of him, where some one asks him a simple question, relating to worldly affairs, where by his answer he turns the conversation directly upon sacred and religious things. He seized it as an opportunity to teach them some important lesson. That is the reason why people were ever listening to him. His conversation was always instructive. So it should be with us. We ought to be able to teach the people,157 not only in the pulpit, but in all our private conversation. How much time is lost by neglecting this sacred duty. We should preach, not only while in the desk, but at all times, and everywhere we go. To do this, we must watch every opportunity to turn the conversation in the proper channel. Generally, the people are anxious to have us do this; indeed, they expect it, and are disappointed if we do not do it. Of course this could be carried to extremes, so that the minister’s call would be simply a nuisance. But we need not do that. Let us study the character and circumstances of the family or persons with whom we are visiting; and then always give such a turn to the conversation as will benefit them. God will hold us responsible if we do not; and we shall lose our best opportunity to do good. How unlike Christ for a minister to spend several hours, perhaps a day or two, with a family, without saying anything about religion till the last parting word. He waits till the team is hitched up, his overcoat on, his satchel in his hand, and then perhaps as he reaches out his hand to bid them good-bye, he offers them a few words of spiritual advice. Is that the way Christ did? May the Lord help us to think of these things and improve every opportunity, both in season and out of season, to help the people in saving their souls. Sympathy: Its Proper and Improper Application
By Jos. Clarke
No quality of mind is more to be admired than sympathy, if rightly applied; and none more to be detested than this, when misapplied. If you see a person in a suffering condition, you may sympathize with him and relieve him, if consistent, but if inconsistent, you cannot honorably sympathize with his case, or relieve him. Thus the idler, or spendthrift, or drunkard, who, finally, ends his career in disgrace, may have your pity; but your sympathy you withhold. The murderer or thief, who lies awaiting his trial, you would be ashamed to assist with your sympathy, for you would thus be a partaker of his sins, and you would so be regarded. This being the case, in the common affairs of life, you must see that one must be chary of sympathy toward offenders, not only against civil law, but you must be careful lest you sympathize with offenders against moral law. The man who leaves the preacher’s stand to dally with harlots, or immodest women, is already beyond your sympathy; and if he would attempt to obtain it, you would disdain to comfort him. When an offender against the laws of decency finds fault with the court which awards him his penalty, and at the same time admits his guilt, and then shifts his ground and protests his innocence, and attempts to get your sympathy on these grounds, he only increases his guilt. Or he who denies his guilt, then admits and voluntarily confesses his guilt, and afterward protests his innocence, so stultifies himself as to forfeit even your respect. The principle of mercy must not be overstrained. We cannot sympathize with Satan in rebellion, nor can we go beyond reason in sympathy with offenders. To great sinners confessing their guilt, you may offer your sympathy; but when they shift their ground and plead innocence, you abandon their society. Had the prodigal son so proceeded, he would never have won the heart of his father, nor would he have worn the best robe, nor have partaken of the feast prepared. Let offenders beware of obtaining sympathizers, for in so doing, they not only greatly injure others, but they are in danger of rendering their own cases hopeless. You have no doubt noticed that in the church there are two classes of offenders, who, when dealt with, go away, one finding fault and endeavoring to get sympathy; the other leaving in sorrow and silence. The first of these classes seldom return to the fold, the last seldom fail to return. People, when they do wrong, often feel as if they were thought more guilty than they deserve. They do not consider that their offences generally give cause for such conclusions; and if our cotemporaries infer more than is proved, we cannot be surprised. Straight forward confessions are the only confessions the Bible indorses; and a mixing up of confession with protestations of innocence, so does violence to common sense that the common mind revolts at the thought. A denial of the crime we have repeatedly confessed, and which is proved against us, is an act so near idiocy or insanity that we only wish to think of something else as a relief to the pain we have within at so great an inconsistency. A good conscience, preserved inviolate, is a priceless treasure not to be parted with. It is beyond price inestimable; and a mind capable of right decision on all the points which present themselves, in ecclesiastical affairs must have a good conscience as a basis of action, a conscience enlightened by the word of God and quickened by the influences of the Holy Spirit. Never do we need divine discernment more than when we hear of offenses against the church, the manner of their execution and the discipline of the same, especially if the accused sets up a defense. But the course of parties accused and condemned on such occasions is of the greatest importance to themselves, as I have shown, and those who listen to the representations of the offending party are usually to blame for even giving an ear for one moment to the disaffected. Beware of false sympathy. This caused Satan’s fall and brought death into the world, and all our woe. Jos. Clarke.