Earlier text: SELECTIONSSERMON PREACHED TO THE SENECA INDIANS.
By R. F. Cottrell
BRETHREN AND FRIENDS:—The subject I wish to talk about is the blessed hope of the christian. What God has promised to them that love and obey him. Some christians think, as the Pagans do, that when a good man dies his spirit or soul goes right away to the spirit land where it is happy; some think that the body never will be raised to life; others, that at the end of the world the body will be raised, the judgment will take place, and all the good will go to heaven to live there forever. We do not think that men will be rewarded before they are judged. We do not believe that when men die, good men go directly to happiness, and bad men to punishment, and afterwards their bodies be raised, they be judged, and sent back—the righteous to heaven, the wicked to hell, where they before have been receiving their reward, some for hundreds, others for thousands, of years. Men will be rewarded, as Christ says in the fourteenth of Luke, at the resurrection of the just. They rest in the grave till Christ comes and raises the dead and rewards his children with eternal life. A thousand years after that the wicked will be raised and be punished with the second death. In the twentieth chapter of Revelation it is said of the righteous, that "they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power." The Bible teaching seems to be this: The Lord Jesus himself will descend from heaven, raise his sleeping saints, change the living to immortality; they will be caught up together to meet the Lord in the air, who will conduct them to those mansions in his Father's house which he has now gone to prepare; where they will reign with him a thousand years. Then, at the close of the thousand years, Christ and his saints will come down to earth again; the holy City will follow them, and be placed on a spot of earth prepared for it; the wicked who have been dead during the thousand years will be raised to life, and come up around the saints and the beloved City, and fire will come down from God out of heaven and devour them. The fire will melt and purify the earth and burn up the works that are in it, cleanse it from sin, sinners, and the curse which came upon it because man had sinned; the earth becomes new, and the righteous will dwell in it forever. The completion then of the christian's hope will be to live eternally on the earth renewed, after sinners are cut off, and sin is unknown, and have a right to the New Jerusalem and the tree of life. O glorious hope! O blessed abode! All the saints of God will inherit substance. They will live in that bright world as really as they do now in this. In Matt. v, 5, our Saviour says, Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. The meek are those who have the mild and gentle disposition of Christ. In other words, they are christians. And to them Christ promises the earth as their inheritance. This promise does not belong to this present life. The wicked have as much of the earth here, and more, than the righteous. The promise relates to the future. He does not say, the meek do inherit the earth, but they shall inherit it. It is a promise of their final reward. For according to David in the thirty-seventh Psalm, they will inherit the land and dwell therein forever. This must be fulfilled after the earth is made new. The Lord has promised that at some future time the whole earth shall be filled with his glory. Num. xiv, 21. But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord. Some tell us that this will take place in the last days of the gospel dispensation; that before Christ comes the second time, there will be a thousand years of peace and safety, when the glory of God shall fill the earth. This they call the millennium. They suppose that during the gospel age all the world will be converted, and that there will be a spiritual reign, or a reign of righteousness for a thousand years before the personal coming of Christ. Their mistake is this: They apply those prophecies which speak of a time of glory, when all the inhabitants of the earth will be righteous, to the present dispensation, whereas they should be applied to the new earth, after the wicked are all destroyed, and consequently, all the people living are righteous. Their views of the latter part of the gospel day, do not agree with Paul's description of the last days. He describes the last days as a time of great wickedness. In 2 Tim. iii, he says, This know, also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false-accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. No part of the gospel dispensation can be later than the time here described; and instead of a time of glory to close up the gospel day, it is to be a time of great wickedness. And this is to be among professors of religion, "having a form of godliness." From this description we should not expect that the church will convert the world in the last days, but that the world will come very near converting the church to itself. My friends, this state of things now exists.—Wickedness prevails to a great extent in the church. The dark sin of slavery is tolerated in the most popular churches in the United States. Church-members at the North are defiled by it, because slaveholders at the South are held in their communions. And when this time of great wickedness is seen in the church, the Apostle bids us, "From such turn away." There are certain promises made by God to Abraham and his seed, which have never been fulfilled, and never can be till Abraham is raised from the dead. These promises relate to the possession of land, and Paul applies them to the whole earth. In Rom. iv, 13, he speaks of the promise to Abraham, "that he should be the heir of the whole world." By turning to Genesis we find the promises made to Abraham. In the twelfth chapter and third verse, God says to Abraham, "In thee shall all the families13 of the earth be blessed." In chap. xiii, he says, "Lift up thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward; for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever." And again he says, in chap. xvii, 8, "I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession." But you will take notice that he did not then give him the land, he was a stranger in the land, and died without receiving it. But the promise of God is sure; therefore Abraham must rise from the dead in order to possess it. Then he can have it forever. Some think that these promises to Abraham were fulfilled to his children, when they went into the land of Canaan, four hundred years and more after he was dead. But the promise said that Abraham himself should possess it, as well as his seed. From Acts vii, 5, we learn that Abraham had no inheritance in the land during his life-time. Speaking of him it is said, Then came he out of the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Charron; and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land wherein ye now dwell, (i. e., the land of Canaan, in which the Jews dwelt in the days of the apostles.) And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on; yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child. Abraham is dead, but the land is promised to him, and the promise cannot fail: he will have it. God will raise him from the dead and give him the land. Again we read in Heb. xi, 8-10, 13, "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out not knowing whether he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. The Apostle goes on, and speaks of many of the ancients who died in faith, and in verses 39 and 40, says, "And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise. God having provided some better things for us, that they without us should not be made perfect." And what is the better things that God has provided for us Christians? That those ancient people of God should not receive the inheritance promised, and be made perfect before us, but that all those good men wait till the gospel has done its work, and prepared all the Christians for the inheritance, and then all will be raised from the dead, be made perfect in immortality, and receive the promise made to the fathers, together. For we shall presently prove that all Christians will share in the promised inheritance, as well as Abraham; the father of all the faithful. But who is the seed of Abraham? for the promise was made not only to Abraham, but to his seed. In Gal. iii, 16, we have the answer. "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, and to seeds, as of many; but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ. Then Christ is the heir to the inheritance promised to Abraham. And is he the only heir? No. All true believers in him are heirs also. Rom. viii, 16. "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ." So all Christians, whether white, red, or black, are joint heirs with Christ, in the estate promised to Abraham. Gal. iii, 29. "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. Who does not want a share in the earth made new? We must be christians indeed, and then the promise is sure to us. But we cannot have it till the dead are raised, and they will not be raised till Christ comes. You can see then why we talk so much about his coming. We love him, and we want to see him. And we want to see that glorious land—the earth restored to all its primitive beauty, and the glory of the Lord filling it, as the waters fill the sea. When Christ comes the dead will be raised, and the christian's hope cannot be obtained before that time. Paul says in 1 Cor. xv, "If the dead rise not then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished." That is, they are out of existence forever. So all the hope of the christian depends upon the coming of Christ and the resurrection of the dead. When Paul spake for himself, before Agrippa, he referred to the promise made of God to Abraham, and the other patriarchs, and showed that he expected to obtain the promise through the resurrection. Acts xxvi, 6. "And now," said he, "I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto the fathers; unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews." What! is Paul a Christian minister, hoping for that promise which God had made so long ago to their fathers? Yes, the same hope. And how does he expect to obtain it? By the resurrection of the dead. His next words are, "Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?" The Jews complained of Paul, because he preached Christ, and through him, the resurrection of the dead. He defended himself by proving that the dead must be raised in order for God to fulfill his promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, that they should have an everlasting possession in the earth. But some object that Peter [2 Pet. iii.] teaches the utter destruction of the earth. But we think he only teaches the destruction of the ungodly, and the purifying and renewing of the earth, to be the abode of the righteous. He compares its destruction by fire to its former destruction by water; and since the old world was destroyed by water, and yet the world is again inhabited, it is reasonable to conclude that when the present earth is destroyed by fire, it will only purify the earth, and out of its substance will come forth the new earth, the final abode of the saints. Peter says, "By the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water; where by the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished; but the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men." We learn from this that as the wicked were once destroyed by the flood, so, in the end, the ungodly will be destroyed by fire. Peter continues, "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also, and the works that are therein shall be burned up." It is not stated that the earth will be burned up, as some suppose, but the elements and the earth also will melt with fervent heat, and the works in it will be burned up. "Nevertheless," says Peter, "we according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." The promise to which he alludes, is recorded by the prophet Isaiah Chap. lxv, 17. "For, behold, I create new heavens, and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered nor come into mind." He then describes it as a place where there will be no more weeping, but all will be joy and gladness. He then goes on to say that they shall build houses and inhabit them, and plant vineyards and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build and another inhabit. That is, they will not pass away by death, for there will be no death there. He then says, "The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock, &c. John had a view of the same. He says, [Rev. xxi.] "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy City, New Jerusalem, coming down from God, out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new." You will take notice, he does not say he will make all new things, but all things new. That is, the present earth will be made over, or made new, and not a new one created from nothing. He says, "He that overcometh shall inherit all things;" i. e., all things he has been describing. He then speaks of the fruit of the tree of life, and the water of life, and the great City with its high walls, and its twelve gates. All these things are promised to the faithful. They will inherit that beautiful land, and dwell therein forever. Then will be fulfilled the promise of Jesus: Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Then the promised land will be given to Abraham and his seed. All the good will be joint-heirs with Christ. Then will be fulfilled the promise made to Daniel, where it is said, And the kingdom, and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, not above the heaven, nor in heaven, but under the whole heaven, i. e., over all the earth, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. The new earth will be the kingdom that God has promised, through all the scriptures, to them that love him. Are not these exceeding great and precious promises? Who would not wish to enjoy them? How much better is such a hope than the hope that many entertain of living in a land of spirits that has nothing literal and real about it. God has promised his people a real inheritance. He has described its beauty and glory in such a manner that he who believes the Word must fall in love with it. He has invited us to come and partake of the waters of life freely. Who would not be willing to obey God in order to become an heir of this kingdom? He says, Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and enter in through the gates into the city. When the wicked are all destroyed out of the earth, and the righteous only have possession of it, then will be answered the prayer which our Saviour taught us to pray: Thy kingdom come: thy will be done in earth as it is done in heaven. Will you believe in Jesus Christ, and keep his Father's commandments, that you may inherit the earth and dwell in it forever? God is no respecter of persons, but in every nation he that fears God and works righteousness is accepted of him. But we must do better than the great mass of professing Christians do. We must keep all his commandments if we would live. At another time we shall like to talk to you about the ten commandments, and show where the great multitude are in error, not keeping them all right. We must be willing to do all that God requires. We must take up the cross and follow Christ if we would be his disciples. I want to meet you in the promised kingdom; and may you learn and obey the truth, that finally you may sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the everlasting kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. "No chilling winds nor poisonous breath
Can reach that healthful shore;
Sickness and sorrow, pain and death
Are felt and feared no more."
May God grant the inheritance. Amen. TO OUR CONTRIBUTORS.
By Editor
THE many who have heretofore contributed their earnest thoughts in illustration and defense of the truth, for the benefit of the readers of the REVIEW, have our thanks. They are requested to remember that much of the interests of the paper will depend on them still. As a variety of gifts make a meeting interesting, so it is with a paper; and the spreading of this weekly table should not be left to devolve wholly on a few. Let it be covered with choice viands from all parts of the field. Incidents connected with the progress of the truth, illustrations of Bible doctrines, sketches of experience, rebukes of wrong, exhortations to holiness—in short, anything that will awaken the careless and instruct and encourage the believer, is what we want. All need not write a sermon. It is not required. It is not expected. "Be short and to the point," is a rule that still holds good. Get an idea in your head, and the Spirit of God in your heart, and somebody will be blessed, strengthened and encouraged by it. Clear and earnest arguments, great bulwarks of the truth, we trust will be duly furnished by all who are so disposed. And we hope that department of our paper devoted to "Letters," which is designed to give opportunity for a free and social interchange of thought among the brethren and sisters, wherein each may freely speak of our common hopes and prospects, will be well filled, breathing forth a spirit of love, joy, peace, and long suffering, in all its parts. Not only are those who have written invited to continue, but we hope to hear from many more who have not yet contributed to our columns—many of whom it may at last be said, They have done what they could. Bro. M. Mott writes from E. Plattsburgh, N. Y.: "I do thank the Lord that he has been so mindful of me in these last days as to reveal so much of his truth to me. He has led me in a way that I knew not of. O praise the Lord! for he is good, and still is counseling us to buy of him gold tried in the fire, that we may be rich; and white raiment that we may be clothed, that the shame of our nakedness do not appear; and anoint our eyes with eye-salve, that we15 may see. I feel thankful that the Lord has not left me, but is still knocking at the door of my heart for admittance. I desire to open the door of my heart and welcome the Saviour in, that I may sup with him and he with me." “Dear brethren and sisters, how much zeal, how much humility we need to overcome and stand with the Lamb on mount Zion! O that I may so live that I may have a final victory with the saints of God.” Could Ye not Watch One Hour?
By M. E. DEVEREUX
THESE words, though addressed to a disciple, might with propriety be addressed to the followers of Christ now. Jesus told his disciples to watch and pray lest they enter into temptation. We have the same inclination to sleep that they had, and if possible a greater necessity to watch. Now, when Satan is more than ever busy setting snares for our unwary feet, ought we not to be continually on the watch? But alas! we have been sleeping, though we knew the last sands of time had nearly run out, believed our Lord was near even at the door, had the last message of mercy to give to the world, and yet we went to sleep. Jesus looks upon us, sees our true condition, wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked, his compassionate heart yearns over us, and he as it were beseeches us to buy of him gold tried in the fire, that we may be rich; and white raiment, that we may be clothed; and to anoint our eyes with eye-salve, that we may see. And furthermore, he even condescends to stand at the door of our hearts knocking for admittance, saying that if we hear his voice, and open the door, he will come in and sup with us. What a gracious promise, the King of glory to sup with us. But lest this should not be sufficient to arouse us, he promises that those that overcome shall sit down on his throne. What greater inducement could he hold out than this? It seems as if this were enough to thrill through and through our lukewarm hearts, and cause us to make the best use of every moment that is left us to prepare for that glorious reward. He cannot give us more—yet our eyes are still heavy with sleep. Why is it? We know that his anger has been kindled against us, for he has threatened to spew us out of his mouth. This is a dangerous and deplorable state to be in. O that we could realize it more. We are being brought into a straight place; for though the Lord is long suffering and of tender mercies, and has thus far exercised patience towards us, not willing that any should perish, yet his Spirit will not always strive. How fearful the alternative, left to the evil devices of our own hearts, and sure destruction. We ought to be very thankful that this is not the case with us now, that we still feel the strivings of the Spirit, for as Paul says, "if in this life only we have hope we are of all men the most miserable." We have felt the chastening hand of the Lord: this is comforting; for by this we know that he still loves us, and desires to save us. He says, "As many as I love I rebuke and chasten." Rev. iii. 23. Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. Heb. xii. 6. Let us then, as he has counseled us, be zealous and repent, return unto the Lord with a full purpose of heart and he will return unto us, and heal our backslidings. What a work, what a great work must yet be done for us, ere we shall be ready to meet our coming Lord. It is high time for us to earnestly seek that needed preparation, humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, seek meekness and righteousness that we may be hid in the day of the Lord's fierce anger. Why is it so hard for us to get the door of our hearts open? Have they been so long closed that they have rusted on their hinges? It seems so sometimes. I, at least, must make greater exertions than I have yet done, or I shall not get the door open. We are losing much by keeping it shut, the Saviour stands ready to enter, how can we keep him out? We know not how long he will wait there for us to let him in. Let us make haste to open unto him before he withdraws himself forever, burst open the door if it be possible and receive the dear Saviour to the joy of our hearts. God grant that we may thoroughly awake, lest he come, find us sleeping, and bid us sleep on.
M. E. DEVEREUX. "Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another." Bro. Smith : I would say that I feel thankful for the precious interview that I enjoyed with the dear saints at our interesting, harmonious conference at Battle Creek. I think that its influence was well calculated to unite more firmly the hearts and efforts of the scattered saints, and gird them with renewed strength and zeal for the last work for this generation who must soon pass into the solemn scenes of the overthrow of Satan, and the triumph of the toil-worn saints. How I was reminded of the cheering promise of the saints' final gathering from the East and West, to set down in the kingdom of heaven, by the ingathering from every point of compass. How glad I was to meet dear Brn. Pierce and Byington from the East, and behold their settled purpose in this blessed truth wherein we stand. As I see them and others, as I did, with their hearts onward, fixed to the sealing work, it reminds me of Rev. vii, 2, 3, of the onward westward march of the sealing truth. Round Grove, Ills, Apr. 29th, 1857. Confession of Lukewarmness
By L. Bolton
Bro. Smith : I still believe in that sure, unerring Word which has ever been a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. I feel to forsake all for Christ, and press my way onward through every opposition to that glorious kingdom which is so soon to come. I do believe if faithful we shall soon realize the glorious things spoken of. O I desire with all my heart to give heed to the counsel of the faithful and true Witness. With shame and deep contrition of heart do I feel to confess my lukewarmness and backsliding from God; but I do thank his great name that I yet have hope in his mercy. There is a balm, a sovereign remedy for all the wounds that sin has made. O how solemnly touching is the appeal of our blessed Saviour, who by his holy Spirit is making his last call; who is knocking at the door of our hearts. I want to be zealous and repent, and turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and lay all that I have on the altar of God, that I may possess the gold tried in the fire, and the white raiment, which is the righteousness of saints. I would pray unceasingly for the eye-salve that I may be wide awake to my condition, that I may not sleep as do others, but have on the whole armor that I may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand, and above all taking the shield of faith, wherewith we shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked, that faith that works by love and purifies the heart, that faith which with humble child-like confidence takes God at his word, and gives us a clear vision of things to come. I often feel grieved that it is not in my power to assist you in this blessed cause only by my prayers. My heavenly Father knows all things. I pray God to aid you in all your arduous labors of love, and when the scenes of this world's strife are ended, you with all the redeemed may enter that peaceful rest which remains for the people of God. Portland, Me., Apr. 25th, 1857. The Little Flock in the Wilderness
By Priscilla Markilee
Bro. Smith: I embrace the present opportunity of writing a few lines to the little flock scattered abroad in this wilderness of sin, as I have been striving over two years to keep the Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus. I love to read communications every week from others of like precious faith. I thought it might be my duty therefore to give in my mite with the rest on the side of truth; for I believe that we have the truth; but many are the trials and temptations that we have to pass through, but God's holy word tells us, He that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. Many are the precious promises in God's word for the remnant. "Behold, I am with you always, even to the end." Dear brethren and sisters in the Lord, let us strive a little longer: the prize is at the end of the race; and they that run the race with patience, shall obtain it. We, in this place, have meetings on the Lord's Sabbath. A few months ago, we numbered but six that could meet, we were so scattered; but the Lord has seen fit to send Bro. Bates this way, and some have moved in here that are strong in the faith, and the way is opened so that we can all meet. Praise the Lord! for his goodness endureth forever. About two weeks since we had a visit from Bro. Holt, which was quite cheering, and my prayer is that we may all strive to be zealous in the cause of God. I was glad to hear from the Conference at Battle Creek, that such good success was experienced towards the Power Press, and hope that it will be obtained, and that much good may be done in the name of Jesus. Your sister in hope of eternal life.
PRISCILLA MARKILEE.
Waverly, Mich., Apr. 24th, 1857. "THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD: I SHALL NOT WANT."
By L. M. T. Ayres
The Lord of hosts' my portion now,
In him I will rejoice:
Though waves, and storms, my path surround,
I hear my Saviour's voice. He says, Fear not, ye trembling soul,
That stormy path I've trod;
I know its dangers, and control
Affliction's frowning rod. Fight on, you soon shall conqueror be;
Thy strength, Omnipotence,
My wisdom, goodness, mercy, see,
Thy Captain and defense. 'Tis not in earth, or hell, to harm
The temple where I dwell.
In safety stand, nor heed the alarm;
Thy wall's Immanuel. My God, my hope, my life, my all,
Set up thy kingdom here;
Let not the world's delusive calls
Divert me from thy fear. Lord, I believe; assist my faith,
Be Simon's favor, mine;
O leave me not in unbelief,
Nor let my love decline. My heart! that loathsome enemy,
Wash white in Jesus' blood;
While to the world I'm crucified,
And lose myself in God. L. M. T. AYRES.
Fulton Center, Ills. Extracts from Letters.
By Editor
Sister A. M. Preston writes from Fitz Henry, Ills.: "I feel thankful that I ever heard the sound of the Third Angel's Message. But it is only those that endure to the end that will be saved. The Lord has been very good to me since I came West. O that the Lord would send some of his children into this place to proclaim the truth. I was blessed in receiving this last message. It was what we needed to humble us and prepare us for the latter rain. Though I live alone here now, I believe in a little while if faithful I shall dwell with the saints in the new earth. I read the Review with great delight. There are so many thrilling letters from the brethren and sisters it is like a meeting to me." To pray, in a religious sense of the term, is to ask favors of God. But the term, prayer, may be considered a general one, as it is often used to signify that important part of Divine worship which consists in adoration, invocation, deprecation, confession, supplication, intercession, and thanksgiving. We adore God as an infinite and eternal Spirit, possessed of all possible perfection, as the Creator of all things, and the author and preserver of our being. We invoke his aid, without which we cannot think or speak aright. We deprecate his displeasure, because we have sinned against him. We confess our transgressions, with an humble, penitent, and believing heart, from the hope of obtaining pardon. We supplicate his mercy for ourselves, and intercede for others; and, while doing this, if we pray as we ought, we thank him for all the blessings which we have received, and do enjoy, from his munificent hand. Prayer, in this sense, may be considered as a continual sacrifice, like that of praise, to be offered to God daily, either by ourselves, in our closets, or in and with our families. It is also a part of that public sacrifice which we, with our fellow-creatures, are to offer unto God in his house—that holy place, which, in the sacred Scriptures, is called “a house of prayer for all nations.” Prayer by some seems to be regarded as the act of holding intercourse with God, as a means of grace, in the proper use of which we secure to ourselves those blessings which he has, in the covenant of his grace, promised to bestow. And so solemn and sacred an exercise has this been considered, that certain benefit is sure to be derived, whether we obtain the special object of our request immediately or not. “It is impatient,” says one, “to bear in mind the reason why God did not bless Jacob till the breaking of the day, and why our petitions are [sometimes] not granted till the last moment. In prayer the means are in these instances more valuable than the end. The spirit of prayer, and the frequent exercise of it, is a greater blessing than the attainment of any other short of heaven itself.” We should be careful, however, that we do not rest in the means, regardless of the end; for, as Mr. Watson, in his note on Luke xi, 8, 9, remarks, “The whole [parable or discourse] tends to impress us with the necessity of obtaining the fulfillment of our petitions, and thus to guard against a common and fatal evil, that of resting in prayer as an end, without regarding it as the means of obtaining the petitions we present. How many rest here! They have done a duty, that is enough; which is a fatal infatuation.” But when we speak of prayer in the light of intercession, or the continual daily sacrifice of Christians, it should be offered with clean hands and a pure heart; or, as the Apostle expresses it, when he says, “I will therefore that men [Christians] pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.” Prayer, then, in order to be pleasing to God, and profitable to ourselves, should be humble and reverential; for that which has in it the least particle of pride, or vain glory, whether it arise from a consciousness of superiority of gifts, in intellect or language, or voice or utterance, must be abhorred by Him who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity. It should also be perfectly sincere, without the least dissimulation, or hypocrisy, or any thing like an affectation of any state or frame of mind which we do not really feel, or the use of such language, or tone of voice, or gesture, as are not the true and honest index of our hearts. It should also be frequent; for a duty of this kind performed only once, especially if performed carelessly, can never prevail with God. Any thing like indifference, or coldness, should be avoided equally with boisterousness and levity. God is a holy being, and jealous of his glory; humility and lowliness of mind, self-abasement and child-like simplicity, godly sincerity and reverential awe, joined with fervency of spirit and Christian confidence, should ever mark our addresses to the throne of his heavenly grace. Prayer is unquestionably the appointed means of obtaining help in every time of need. God has commanded us to pray, and therefore prayer is a duty. At our best estate we are weak, ignorant, and dependent creatures, and as such it is fitting we should pray; prayer is therefore a reasonable service. God has promised to hear and answer prayer; nay, more, he has promised to “pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and supplication;” and there is no surer indication of an approaching revival of religion than a general prevalence of the “spirit of interceding grace.” But we must ask, as above prescribed, and in faith, nothing doubting, or it will be said of us, “Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss.” Perhaps as no time since the beginning of Christianity has there ever been a greater number of praying souls in the church than now. All good Christians pray all the world over, whatever may be their name, or denomination. Some pray especially for the awakening and conversion of sinners; some for the spread of the gospel at home and abroad; some for the downfall of antichrist and of Mohammedism; some more particularly for the Jews and for the heathen; some for universal peace, and some for the glorious millennium; some with a form, and others as the Spirit gives them utterance, or as the Spirit moves them; and yet that plain and simple prayer which Christ taught to his disciples, “Thy kingdom come,” or that registered by the Psalmist a thousand years before the coming of Christ, “God be merciful unto us, and bless us, that thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations,” has not yet been answered, even though we live in the nineteenth century of the Christian era. This is an alarming consideration, and more especially so when we consider how ready God is to hear and answer “the effectual, (inwrought,) fervent prayer of every righteous man” upon earth. There may be some difficulty in apprehending how far others can be benefited by our prayers, seeing they are free moral agents; but this difficulty can form no good argument against the practice, since it is evident that God has made it our duty to pray for all men, even for those that persecute and despitefully use us. The examples of Abraham praying for Abimelech, of Moses and Samuel for the Israelites, of Job for his friends, of Daniel for his people, of Christ for his murderers and of Stephen for those that rose up against him to put him to death, are a sufficient warrant for us, and for the whole church to continue instant in prayer—to pray without ceasing. But perhaps there are some who may read these lines who have not yet begun to pray at all, neither for themselves nor for others. Alas for these! How many blessings they have lost it is impossible to tell. O fly then to the Friend of sinners and ask for pardon, not only for all that you have done amiss, but especially for your negligence of this most important and most profitable duty. Begin to-day, lest, the “clement, mediatorial hour” pass by, never to be recalled. A LADY of wealth and piety, who had lately met with many afflictions, and was expecting more, related some of her sorrows to a poor but pious woman, whose cottage she entered. The poor Christian, taking the lady to a closet, said, “Do you see any thing?” The lady replied, “No.” She took her to another closet, and repeated the question, to which with some surprise the lady again answered, “No.” “Then, madam,” said the poor woman, “you see all I have in the world. But why should I be unhappy? I have Christ in my heart, and heaven in my eye. I have an unfailing word of promise, that bread shall be given me, and water shall be sure, while I stay a little longer in this vale of tears; and a bright crown of glory awaits me, through the merits of my Redeemer.” Blessed confidence! Reader, do you possess this cheering hope?