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/j /a: NEW SERIES. NO. FOR THE DIFFUSION OF T_^t¥ AND TH^l5^^ A. CONVERSE, EDITOR :-!34 Chestnut Street. OF THE PRINCIPLES OF THE PRESBYIERIAN CHURc¥ IN THE UNITED STATES. Southern lELelCjjfous EeUjjraph. There is, perhaps, nothing of the kind in the composi¬ tions of living Poets, more truly beautiful than the follow. in? stanzas, which exhibit the genius of philosophy and the soul of eloquence happily united, and clothed in the simplo drapery of the lyric Muse. They are from the pen of William Pitt Palmer. We transfer them to our rolumns from the « Opal," a superb Annual for the Ho¬ lidays of 1844, published by Mr. J. C. Riker, of New York. Hospes, comesque corporis!—Emfkboii Adhiaw. Mvstkuious Powku! where is thy seated home 1 In the dark chambers of the haunted brain! Or dost thou, like a restless Naiad, roam The deep meanderings of the purple vein. Forever coursing in thy swift career Life's crimson river in its mazy round . Or art thou found Cradled within the heart's impassioned sphere, Rocked by its solemn pulses, whose quick boat, bike a weird death-watch at a dying ear, Is chronicling the moments few and fleet, Thy earthly span that bound? And what art thou, invisible And unimagined form ? Wrapped in this dark, material shroud, Liko lightning in the muffling cloud Of midnight's brooding storm! Thy presence makes me what I am; Thy being is my own ; And thongh thou quickenest every sense. Thou art to all unknown. Frail, feeble nursling of the dust, With reason's glory crowned, Man measures earth's stupendous globe, And marks its mighty bound. His search has solved the mystic tides In their alternate course; And sunward traced the viewless winds Up to their flaming source: Yea, his far ken hath read the skies With all their starry blazonries That o'er us nightly burn; Hath marked the planet's boundless ring. And fixed the certain years that bring The comet's dread return : Yet spirit! when his curious zeal To thy deep quest applies, How like to groping blindness shows The wisdom of the wise! Art thou a portion of the clay That forms thy natal twin, Typed by the mortal chrysalis Its grosser shell within ? Say, shall tho grave forever mock Faith's high and holy trust, And the worm waste thee as 'twill waste Thy fellow of the dust 1 No, though while to earthliness Bound by a brittle tie, Germ of the Universal Soul, It is not thine to die! This truth so fraught with joyousness, So grateful and sublime, Defied the grasp of sage and seer In the far olden time; Though oft with yearning zeal they sought, Nerved with the powers of mightiest thought, To force the Stygian bars That held them from thy doubtful fate, Then died with boo**—-. <iea-i*»*.o As night without her stars! Then fear not thou whose being's hope May match the cherubim's, Though this dark mass of breathing clay Awhile its glory dims; For if on earth's probative scene With thousand snares bespread, Thou in the dust Temptation's lures Unfalteringly shalt tread; True to thy better nature, true To virtue's stern behests And to that warning oracle Shrined in all human breasts; Thou'st all to hope and nought to fear From that which men call fortune here, Or chance or fate adverse. Comes it with want's imperious stress, Ingratitude or friendlessness, Or death's relentless curse : For, ever in thy lornest hour, Shall Faith still point the promised dower That waits thy blest remove. Cycles of unimagined years, Unknown alike to change or tears, Where all is peace and love. Therefore bear nobly up, my soul, Against all power of ill, And with unshrinking fortitude Thy destiny fulfil. So when thy jubilee shall come, As come it must to all, And death shall kindly bid thee pass From penance and from thrall ; Thou, like caged bird to freedom given, Thy bands of earthly durance riven, With joyous wing shalt rise, From all the foes that haunt thee here, Sin, sorrow, scorn, and doubt and fear, Up to thy native skies! "-ffftrQ^&tt-t-t---- OBSERVANCE OF THE SABBATH. ' BY REV. DR. CHALMERS. We never, in the whole course ofour recollec¬ tions, met with a Christian friend,-who bore upon his character every other evidence of the Spi¬ rit's operation, who did not remember the Sab¬ bath day, and keep it holy. We appeal to the memory of all the worthies who are lying in their graves, that, eminent as they were in eve¬ ry other grace and accomplishment of the new creature, the religiousness of their Sabbath day shone with equal lustre, amid the fine assemblage of virtues which adorned them. In every Chris¬ tian household it will be found, that the discipline of a well ordered Sabbath is never forgotten among the old lessons of a Christian education ; we appeal to every individual who now A COURTEOUS INTRODUCTION. The National Intelligencer copies the follow¬ ing paragraph from the Carlisle Herald, to in¬ troduce the Rev. William T. Sprole, Pastor elect of the First Presbyterian Church, to the good citizens of Washington: " Rev. William T. Sprole, Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of this borough, has retired from his charge, having accepted a call from the First Presbyterian Church in Washington. We shall not be accused of undue partiality, when we briefly say, that in the departure of Mr. Sprole, the pulpit of this town, adorned as'jt is by piety, genius, and learning, has lost one of its brightest ornaments, and the cause of religion here one of the most eloquent and faithful ex¬ pounders of the truth, that is to be found in the sacred office. Mr. Sprole occupied his pulpit for the last time on the past Sabbath, and the oc¬ casion brought together a dense assemblage of persons. And although it may not be proper here to speak of the relations which bound him to his congregation and to our citizens general¬ ly, no one could help observing and feeling, as he pronounced a few parting words on that oc¬ casion, that the moment was a painful one; that ties of deep and affectionate regard were being severed, and many tearful eyes and hearts swell¬ ing with emotion testified 'the sorrow which was felt at the words he spoke, that they should see his face no more.' ••We believe that we but express the universal feeling of this community, in saying that their heart-warm wishes for his welfare attend his de¬ parture." PHILADELPHIA, Fjnto NOVEMBER 17, 1843. ss VOL. XXII. NO. 46. For the Ckrlstian Observer. LEAVING- THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND. Mr. Editor,—It has been stated in some ofthe papers that the Rev. Mr. Coleman, formerly an Episcopal minister in the province of Canada, has withdrawn from that communion, and unit¬ ed wilh the Presbyterian Church. He has also stated his reasons for changing his ecclesiastical relations, of which I herewith send you a copy. Will you have the goodness to insert it in the Christian Observer, and confer a favor on many who regard the subject as one of general inter¬ est to the Christian public. X. " My reasons for withdrawing from the minis¬ try ofthe Church of England were, that Dioce¬ san Episcopacy, or Prelacy, is unscriptural, evil in its tendency, and the original cause ofthe Pa¬ pacy—that the Queen is not the head of the church—that dignity belonging to Christ alone— that the admission of the children of nominal Christians to baptism is unscriptural and evil— that the doctrine of the spiritual regeneration of infants in baptism, as set forth in the public Lit¬ urgy ofthe Church, is a figment of Eopery, and a dangerous error—that the use of sponsors in baptism is very wrong, as leading individuals to the making of vows to God they neither intend to fulfil, nor can fulfil—as causing them falsely to assert to God that they are doing for another, what they are not doing, what they never mean to do. and what thev hav« nev^r he«n ablp to rln ■ even for themselves, and as being autnonzed by no text of God's word—that the indiscriminate use of the burial service, as universally prac¬ ticed, is blasphemous—that the form of thanks¬ giving for the regeneration of the infant by the Holy Ghost, in the baptismal service, causes the minister to utter a falsehood in the face of God- that that part ofthe 21st article which asserts that General Councils may not be gathered together without the commandment and will of princes, is erroneous—and that the constant repetition of the same prayers, day after day, is deadening to devotion.'' lution we have quoted, was very inconsiderable. Lately the idea of connecting the domestic missionary effort with the establishment of Sun¬ day-schools has been revived, and seems to have been received in some quarters as quite a new suggestion. There is no doubt that if such a combination of effort is practicable, it is to a cer¬ tain extent desirable. It could not, however, in any event do away with the necessity of that class of Sunday-school missionaries, who give themselves wholly to the work, and whose labors will continue to be indispensable in vast regions ofthe West, which no missionary efforts can, at present, embrace. It may prove, (we trust it will,) that the lapse of twelve years has so alter¬ ed the position of affairs in the Great Valley, that what was impracticable then, is not only practi¬ cable, but easy and wise now; and in this hope, the Board has adopted the important measure of which notice is given in another place. It will be observed that we do not propose, as before, to give an independent commission to j those who may be disposed to labor in the Sun¬ day-school field; but that we wish to avail our¬ selves ofthe medium of the Societies or Boards by whom the missionaries are employed, to do (as far as they can) the same kind of work. This measure will more nearly accord with the views which some of these Boards entertain on the ge¬ neral subject of benevolent effort, and will, per¬ haps, obviate some ofthe difficulties experienc¬ ed under the former system. At all events, Sunday-school men have never found a better way than to try. mies, despite of its lukewarm friends it will live, and my successor will find warmer friends than unfortunately I have found. Physically and men- ally opposed to the active duties of an agency, by God a1 blessing I have had a crumb of success. m ponder what is your duty, what you have iailed to do, what you ought to do, and the im. mense work yet to be done. Do it now to make a happy life. Do it now to secure a peaceful S_? uV lt UOW that y°u ma7 l^ve a higher rel.sh for eternity. Hear the Lord Jesus. -And l say unto you, make to yourselves friends ofthe mammon of unrighteousness, that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habita- £"•_ _ *, W> Garey c*an*. Richmond, Oct; 19,1943. ^_*W-*~~— • For tlie Christian Ob»erver. REVIVAL OF AN OLD MEASURE. In the year 1830—1, a letter, of which the fol¬ lowing is a copy, was addressed and forwarded by mail, to nearly two hundred and fifty mission¬ aries, then laboring in the Valley of the Missis¬ sippi, chiefly in the employment of the Ameri¬ can Home Missionary Society and the (Presby¬ terian) General Assembly's Board: American Sunday School Union,") Philadelphia, December, 1830. 5 Rev. and Dear Sir:—Having been furnished with the following resolution of the Executive Committee of the ''American Home Missionary Society," passed on the 8th of June, 1830, and published in the "Home Missionary " for July following, viz: "The Executive Committee of the American Home Missionary Society, from the spirit mani¬ fested by their missionaries, and the result of past operations, feel warranted to engage, through them, to establish one thousand Sunday- schools in the Valley ofthe Mississippi, within two years:" And being informed that you are one of the missionaries of the above society, the Board of the American Sunday-school Union, by their committee of missions and agencies, confiding in your ability, piety, prudence, zeal, and fideli¬ ty, are permitted by the Executive Committee of the Home Missionary Society, to solicit your at¬ tention to the formation of Sunday-schools, as contemplated in the above resolution, within the field of your labors and its vicinity. To aid you in the prosecution of your work, we forward you a copy of the instructions fur¬ nished to all the missionaries appointed by this Board. These instructions you will be expected to follow, so far as they are appropriate to the object of this resolution. We refer you especially to the ninth and tenth articles, as claiming your particular attention. Respectfully yours, Frederick W. Porter, Cor. Sec. P. S. The above has been agreed upon by the American Home Missionary Society and the American Sunday School Union. Further in¬ formation and instructions may be expected in the January number of the Home Missionary." The 10th article of instructions authorized the Every Sabbath image, with ev"prvVTv*w_u'm- missionary to make a donation of a five dollar cumstance, is dear to him Helnvf.u Cir" library t0 every sch°°l which he mi^ht put into ness of thathallowed morn. Helove^o^'u" successful operation: and the books were placed bell sound which summons him to 'he w ^ as far as practicable, within his reach This do- prayer. He loves to join the chorus of devn? naU°n was t0 be made t0_ *"?, **£?4?' T^M and^ositand listen to that voic0 ^r2_.™ r3"1'^ l° the American Sunday School Union, which is lifted in the hearing of £2 or to some •**- or to none-provided there He loves the retirement of th"s dav W&S u?ly SUCh an organizat,on as afforded a rea" ■ »■---:' . .. . Qay I sonable prospect of permanency. THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL LIBRARIES IN THE VALLEY OF THE MISSISSIPPI. The American Sunday School Union have ap¬ propriated three thousand dollars of the Society's collections for the next six months, to the supply of destitute Sunday Schools in the Mississippi Valley, with libraries wholly or partly gratui¬ tous. Whenever a missionary in the service of the Home or Domestic Missionary Societies, or Boards of the Baptist, Presbyterian, Episcopal, Methodist, Congregational or other evangelical churches, shall establish a Sunday School in a destitute neighborhood, with a prospect of its permanency, and shall certify that such school is unable to raise sufficient money for the pur¬ chase of a suitable library, such school shall be entitled, upon the application of such missiona¬ ry, to a pro rata share of said appropriation.— Whatever a school can raise for itself should be remitted with the application. The application should state particularly the location of the school, the name of the superin¬ tendent, and the number of teachers and scho¬ lars in regular attendance at the date of the ap¬ plication. Also whether the school is supplied with Bibles or Testaments, and Hymn-books, whether application has been made elsewhere for aid, and what amount, (if any) is raised by the school. The application should be forwarded to the Society or Board, in whose service the applying missionary is employed, and thence transmitted to us ; and whatever donation is made, it will be sent to the Society or Board through which the application is received, to be forwarded by them to the proper destination. No application will be received under this no- 0-"3-_f any consideraDie portion 01 ui«r pul¬ iation lo be benefitted by the school are British emigrants, the application should so state. SUNDAY SCHOOL PERIODICALS. The following important resolution explains itself: At the last meeting of the Board of Managers ofthe New York Sunday School Union, it was unanimously "Resolved, That this Board heartily recommend the Sunday School Journal, pub¬ lished under the direction ofthe American Sun¬ day School Union, to all teachers and others engaged in imparting instruction in Sabbath Schools, as well calculated to encourage and di¬ rect them in their labors; and from its cheap- j ness, being accessible to all, the Board trusts that its circulation may be general amongst the conductors of our schools. And they also cor¬ dially recommend the Youth's Penny Gazette, published under the direction of the American Sunday School Union, for general circulation amongst the children of our schools." By order of the Board, M. C. Morgan, Rec. Sac, < • rrcftf.—\Q9*t'f'"" and Y-Pnr*- i-c „* *J , -""»J "luivjuuui WI1U I1UW bosom of aft ^h0,carrie^he remembrance in his bosom of a father's worth and a father's nietv if, on the com ne round nf .1* iaiu*"*r s piety, u, of necnW __? a I e seve«th day, an air ot peculiar sacredness did not spread itself over vaa :r:te ;iehdrew ^2,^ was taught to repeat his infant hymn and lisn his infant prayer , Rest assured that the ChTi¬ tian, having the love of God written in his heart and denying the Sabbath a place in ff ^ Uons, is an anomaly thatis no where to be found multitude. from the din of worldly business, and the inroads of worldly men. He loves the leisure it brings along with it; and sweet to his soul is the exer- Clse of that hallowed hour, when there is no eye to witness him but the eye of Heaven, and when, !" so)ernn audience with the Father, who seeth lm ln s,-cret, he can, on the wings of celestial ^emplation, leave all the cares, and all the _,„XMl?ns,anJall the secularities of an alienated worldbehind him.'» The amount of labor and expense which were given to the perfecting of this scheme of benevo¬ lence would scarcely be credited, if we should state it. But it proved upon trial, that the mis¬ sionaries were so much occupied with their offi¬ cial engagements, that it was entirely impracti¬ cable for them to give to this lateral labor the di¬ rect and systematic attention, which was indis¬ pensable. The number of schools reported to J the society as being established under the reso- For the Christian Observer. TO THE FRIENDS OF THE VIRGINIA TRACT SOCIETY. Expecting, in a few weeks, three, at the most, to cease my labors as General Agent, it is my duty, as a faithful steward, to render my ac¬ count. Since the 1st of September, 1842,1 have tra¬ velled 2,424 miles in the State of Virginia, with¬ out naming two trips out of the State, have preached 70 discourses in Eaptist Churches, 14 in Episcopal Churches, 14 in "Old School" Presby¬ terian Churches, 16 in "New School" Presbyte¬ rian Churches, 12 in Methodist Episcopal Church¬ es, 6 in Protestant Methodist Churches, 9 in Court Houses—in all 129 discourses. I have at¬ tended 3 Associations which I have addressed— 2 Presbyteries and 1 Episcopal Convention. I have taken lip 70 collections, and have been promised over 10 more by various ministers. Up to April last, the receipts into our Treasury, embracing a part of Rev. Mr. Bissell's and my own collections during a Society year, were $2,465 78; from April last to this time, they amount to $1,306 87. Our stock in Depository amounts to $823 23. There is due the Society about $2,000. To the American Tract Society we owe $856 57. During the past summer I have employed five colporteurs, four of whom report as follows; Mr. O. B. Lockett was engaged two months in Caroline, Stafford, and King and Queen. He sold 307 volumes in a region partially supplied before. Mr. Jacob Fream labored twenty-three days in Chesterfield, Powhatan, and Dinwiddie. He sold 229 volumes, gave away 30 volumes, and 10,000 pages of tracts. He says he could have given away many more, but found many per¬ sons in the little manufacturing towns about Pe¬ tersburg, who could not read. Mr. Wm. Bradley labored two months in Greenbrier, Montgomery and Giles. He sold 260 volumes, gave away 23 volumes, and about 2,000 pages of tracts. He met with one man who had never been in any house of worship. Mr. Azaridh F. Scott labored in Fluvanna, Al¬ bemarle and Nelson—sold485 volumes, and gave away 16 volumes. He met with considerable op¬ position from infidels. Books have been sent out on six months cre¬ dit. Tracts to the amount of 30,700 pagesliave been distributed by domestic missionaries and others. Thus, friends of an evangelical litera¬ ture, have my coadjutors and myself labored to benefit you, your children, and the destitute at home and abroad. Difficulties of no ordinary character have environed me. Opposition the most disheartening, added to an extreme pres¬ sure in the monetary affairs of the country, has well nigh palsied my efforts. Thank God, the Virginia Tract Society is alive, despite of itsene- For the Oliristlnn Observer. THE WORK OF THE LORD, AND THE MEANS AND FRUITS OF ITS REVIVAL. * O Lord, revive Ihy work," &c—Habokkuk iii. 2. The prophet Habakkuk lived and prophesied immediately before the great Chaldean invasion under Nebuchadnezzar. As a pious Israelite he saw the existing evils of his own day, and, as a prophet, he foresaw the coming ones, and in view of both he worshipped and prophesied. He seems to speak as though he saw the Chaldean ar¬ my in the distance, and heard the tramp of their cavalry. In his own graphic language—" They are terrible and dreadful. Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and fiercer than lhe evening wolves. They fly as an eagle that hast- eth to its prey. They come all for violence. They shall gather the captivity asthesand." "O Lord," (says the prophet,) "I have heard thy speech, and was afraid. O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known, in wrath remember mercy." He writes out his prayer at length. He sets it to plaintive music, and dedicates it to the children of the captivity. And doubtless it was sung in tones of sorrow—when the prophet was at rest even till God came in his powerand restored the captivity of his people. In this prayer we have these thoughts: I. The work of God. II. The revival of the work of the Lord. III. The means. IV. The fruits of a revival. I. The work of God. This language is not ge¬ neral, but special. Creation is the work of God. " Of old hast thou laid the foundations ofthe earth, and the heavens are the work of thy hand." And to some extent there is a revival of the work of God in this sense every spring season. But this is not that to which the prophet's language in the text refers. Again, the judgments of God are his work, (said to be his strange work.) To this our prophet re¬ fers. "Behold ye among the heathen, and re¬ gard and wonder marvelously, for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you, for lo! I raise up the Chal¬ deans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth ofthe land to possess the dwelling places that are not theirs." But nei¬ ther is this, the work, referred to in our text. The work of the Lord here meant, " is the work end of Sin, ana IO OTXng'Vn Tin c-ucrxuavneg I »g»*n>- ousness." " O Lord, revive thy work." This is the most general sense ofthe work ofthe Lord, the revival of which the prophet so devoutly prayed for. It was in promotion of this work that God called Abraham from Ur ofthe Chaldees, and established his covenant with him, and appoint¬ ed him the father of his covenant people, and ordained him a blessing to all the families ofthe earth. So it was in promotion of this work that he raised up Moses, and delivered his people from Egypt, and established them under Joshua in the promised land. Again.it was in promotion of this work that he raised up David, and by him recovered his chosen people from the anarchy and wickedness which had prevailed from Joshua to David's time. And when Judah fell into sin, and relapsed into heathen practices, as in the days of Manasseh, God, in righteous chas¬ tisement, sent the army of the Chaldeans, and made his people captives under a foreign yoke for seventy years, and then, in the days of Ne- hemiah and Ezra, recovered and restored them. It was all in fulfilment of hiscovenant with Abra¬ ham, and his oath unto Isaac, and which he had confirmed unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant. It was this work which brought the Son of God from heaven. And it was in performance of this work that he lived, and ministered, and died. In this work it had been also that John the Baptist labored; also the evangelists, and apostles, and disciples. To this work the fathers of the ancient church, and the martyrs, were devoted. The reformers, too, were servants of the Lord in it. Serving in this blessed work of God, such men as Baxter, and Whitefield, and others such, have gotten them¬ selves a name and a praise. This is thb work which God is performing, not only in Christen¬ dom by all his ministers and people, but also in heathen lands by his missionary friends, trans¬ lating the book of God into all languages—hold¬ ing forth the word of life to all kindreds of the earth—gathering the people—instructing the ig¬ norant—teaching the babes—preparing earth for judgment, and men for the presence of God. The Father worketh hitherto, says the meek and low¬ ly Jesus, and I work. And addressing himself to his Father in prayer for his disciples, he says, "As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I sent them into the world." And to his dis¬ ciples he says, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature, and lo! I am with you." This is the work of God—his pe¬ culiar glory. See Psalm cii. 16. When this work was undertaken, the Lord said in majesty, "As I live, the whole earth shall be full of my glory." When this work is finished, "none will have need to say unto his neighbor, know the Lord, for all shall know him, from the least to the greatest." The knowledge of the Lord shall fill the earth, as the waters fill the sea. Such is the work of God. "Lo! I come to do thy will " said the messenger ofthe everlasting co¬ venant. "In the volume of the book it is written of me; a body hast thou prepared me," &c. " To finish transgression, make an end of sin, and bring in an everlasting righteousness." This is the will and work of God which filled and form¬ ed the heart of patriarchs, and prophets, and apostles, and martyrs, and missionaries, and all. It is the work of God. It is the chief business of all who have the Spirit of Christ, and are dispos- [ posed to be co-workers with God.—I proceed to speak of what is meant. it. By the revival of the work of God. All along the history of the work of God there are lights and shadows. The life time ofthe genera¬ tion which entered Canaan under Joshua, was one of these brighter periods. The period of Da¬ vid and Solomon was, comparatively speaking, another of these. The reign of Hezekiah was of the building of the another, and the period second temple was of this nature The ministry jointly of John the Baptist, and future enlargement of the Church ■ i ___ _.__*•_ 4 I _il _i— !__«_.« ni->ivivYiiininrr with above preceding ages. And the age of the Apos ties commencing with the day of Pentecost, was eminently an age of revival. And again, the 16th century, or age ofthe re¬ formation, was of this nature. And this lastmay be considered, in some sense, as having ex¬ tended itself to thisday. And there is in promise and in prospect a great breaking forth of the light ofthe Sun of Righleousness, which is to illumi¬ nate the whole earth, called "the latter day glory." What is thus true ofthe cause of God at large, is true of it also in the several kingdoms,and coun¬ tries, and communities, and congregations where it has prevailed. In Great Britain there was a wonderful revival of religion in the time of White- field and the Wesleys. Whitefield sometimes addressed as many as twenty and thirty thousand people ata time, in the open air. And often these vast concourses of people would be seen under the strongest religious excitement. On one occa¬ sion he addressed the coal miners af Kingswood, near Bristol. They came out of their mines to hear him in their working dress,at mid day, and looking like a congregation of Africans, and it is said in his biography that before lhe close of his sermon, the trickling tears had washed a white streak down the cheeks of the auditors, which became visible to the speaker from the stand. | This wonderful work of grace extended to this country.andunderthissame Whitefield, and Ed¬ wards, and Belamy,andthe Tennants, and many other such men, it extended through the entire stretch of the Atlantic and Middle States, from Massachusetts to Georgia. And many, many were the heirs of glory born to God in that work. And very many were the ministers ofthe gospel rais¬ ed up in it whose labors blessed the country in that and the following ages. About the com¬ mencement ofthe present century, a most pow¬ erful work of God of this nature extended through the western part of thisState and Penn- sylvania.and in the statesof Tennessee-Kentucky, and Ohio, hundreds of churches were built up in this work in its several stages. The people would come many days' journey to a protract¬ ed meeting, and stay as long as their supplies would enable them. Dr. Baxter, recently of Frince Edward Seminary, travelled from Lex¬ ington, in this State, to the State of Tennessee, to see this work and its wonders, and counted six hundred common plantation wagons atone of these meetings, which had come loaded with people, and their tents and provisions. And other mighty works hath the Kingof grace done in this country in some ofthe blessed pe¬ riods of its history, and many other such he will do before the earth is full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the sea is of water. It is but four yearssince thatwe have been assured thattheLord added to the few missionary churches at the Sandwich Islands, upwards of ten thousand souls. And these islands contain in all a population less less in number than the tide water counties of this State. And tbe ministry there are not so strong in numbers as the ministry of the evange¬ lical denominations in the city of Richmond. To show you the hold the subject of religion had on the minds of that semi-barbarous people in the wonderful season referred to, let this fact speak. One of the brethren preached in the open air to an assembly of some thousands during a heavy rain,in which the clothes of preacherand people were effectually soaked with water, and yet the order of the assembly continued uninter- These seasons and scenes of revival areas-' cribed especially to the Holy Ghost. And they are set down as the peculiar characteristics of the gospel dispensation. God anciently predict¬ ed that he would bestow his Spirit without mea¬ sure in the latter day. ByJoelhesaid—"Itshall come to pass that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophecy, and your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions, and also upon my servants and upon my hand¬ maids in those days will I pour out of my Spirit, and it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call upon the name ofthe Lord shall be saved." And in like strain spake all the prophets of the gospel day. Our Saviour regarded these things as so valuable to his disciples, that he spake of his own separation from them as a blessing ra¬ ther than otherwise. "It is expedient for you that I go away, for if I go not away the comfort¬ er will not come, but if I go I will send him unto you, and when he is come, he will convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judg¬ ment." What did theTrophets and the Saviour mean by all this J What event was it which they saw would thus mark the gospel dispensation1! Let unerring Scripture answer this question. "On the morning ofthe day of Pentecost, the disciples were all, with one accord, in one place, and sud- denly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting, and there appeared clo¬ ven tongues as of fire, and it sat upon each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." All this has the appearance of miracle; and the only object it seemed as yet to serve was to attract attention, and cause the Apostles to be accredited by the multitude as divine teachers. But when, in the midst of these demonstrations, Peter rose and spoke, bringing out of the Scriptures the things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, the multitude were j pricked in their heart, and cried out and repent¬ ed, and believed the gospel, and were baptized three thousand of them. And this is set down as the fulfilment of Joel's prophecy. This is the consequence of the Saviour's return to his fa¬ ther. "I will send him (the Spirit) unto you, and when he is come he will convince the world of sin," fee. But mark, these things were to be common to the last days. "It shall come to pass in the last days," saith God, " that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh—and whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." The youth of Zion shall return to their King in numbers like the dew drops of the morning. A nation in a day is a rate of increase prophe¬ sied to the Church of Christ, under the dispen¬ sation of the Spirit.—The6e things are actually treasured up for the church, and prayer unlocks the treasury. "How much more (than an earthly parent) will your heavenly Father give his holy Spirit to them that ask him!" This leads us to the third topic announced. III. The Means of Revival.—Of these, the first is a diligent cultivation of the understanding, and of the heart through the understanding, with reference to this subject. Abraham, by communion with God, had his understanding enlightened to know that, in his seed, all families of the earth should be blessed—aud he saw the day of Christ in which this should occur. Thus he came to know lhat such was the divine plan.—Moses, in communion with God, learned certainly of this promise to Abraham, and wrote it down, and en¬ larged upon it, and was sustained by it; and others prayed with confidence for the fulfilment of the divine plan.—David studied the writings of Moses prayerfully, and others abounded in prophesyings as well as prayers concerning this '"" ~" ' And so of dying the law and each the writings of his previ¬ ous brethren* the prophets, they became imbued with the subject ofthe future glories of Zion, and encouraged to pray and prophesy with con/i- dence on the subject, and in this connection were probably giAed with farther inspiration. Thus it was with Daniel, in relation to the re¬ turn of the Jews from captivity, and the revival of the work of God which then occurred. " I, Daniel, understood from books the number of the years whereof the word ofthe Lord came to Je- remiah, the Prophet, &c, and I set my face Unt» the Lord God to seek by prayer and supplica¬ tion, with fasting, and sackcloth and ashes, and I prayed unto the Lord and made my confes¬ sion," &c. His understanding, thus informed on so interesting a subjeet, affected his heart, and brought forth prayer and supplication and fast* ing, with confession. And so, if we would see the promised wonders of the gospej-day dis- played among us, we would do well, lfke Daniel, to understand the subject prayerfully and deeply from books, the writings of holy men—inspired and uninspired. It is thus that the book of the Scriptures, and other unctuous and spiritual wri¬ tings of men of God, contribute to revivals of religion, and that spirit of prayer which brings about the great things appointed of God, of this nature. For this reason Paul exhorted Timothy to give himself to reading.—And Christians who [neglect this duty, and are behind the intelli¬ gence of the age on this great subject, the ad¬ vancement of the cause of Christ, and unac¬ quainted from books of its deep and heavenly nature, are ordinarily not so much to be depend¬ ed on in the work. They are unfurnished, and can do but little. Prayer is a prominent means ofthe revival of the work: " For this will I be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them." "O Lord, re¬ vive thy work." Great earnestness in prayer is evidently pleasing to God, and effective in pro¬ motion of this end. Daniel's prayer is an ex¬ ample to the Church in all ages.—"O, Lord, hear; O, Lord, forgive. O, Lord, hearken, and do: defer not, for thine own sake, O my God." It was such a prayer that was answered, as Daniel's was. When prayer grows earnest, it employs fasting and other expressions of great earnestness. It ia the prayer of praying people, that is heard. And the Lord remembers and knows those praying persons who drew near to him in prayer, when the day was darkest—who hung by their anchor, hope, when others seemed to let go their hold, and forsake the place of prayer. Persuasion is to be used with men, as well as* prayer to God. A praying person has a way of speaking to the hearts of both the parties, whom it is the province ofthe gospel to reconcile. He is a servant of the days-man in both respects.— A minister is the mouth of the people to God, and of God to the people. It was thus with Si¬ meon—that devout man—who was waiting for the consolation of Israel. He spake things that caused marvellings. And so it was with Anna— who served God, with fastings and prayer, night and day. She spake of the Saviour to all who looked for redemption in Jerusalem. And so it was eminently with the Apostles and all the dis¬ ciples.—And so it will be with us.—Prayer brings down a blessing, which cuts loose the tongue.; It brings down the Spirit, a cloven tongue of fire. IV. The Frttits of a Revival of the work It sets all the Church preaching the word. They that were scattered abroad, went every where preaching the word. Thc Apostles, the elders, the deacons, the people, even the women, spake to all they met of the great salvation—in a be¬ coming way, of course—but they spake. "Upon my servants and on mine hand-maids will I pour out in those days of my Spirit, and they shall prophesy."— Coznmunications and discoveries in the things of divine grace, are among the fruits of a revival.—" Your old men shall dream dreams, and young men shall see visions.?'— This does not mean, of course, additional reve¬ lation— butt scriptural communications and dis¬ coveries of gospel truth and grace. O, how far we live below our privileges. "0, Lord, revive thy work."—Conversions to. God are distinguish¬ ed among the fruits of a reyivaj. "It shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name.of the Lord, shall be saved." Humanly speaking, it is easy for sinners to be converted in a revival— The truth prevails with them as it does not at other times. They, come quickly to the light, and obtain clear and comfortable views in a short time compared with ordinary times—and they come in greater numbers.—At such a time, pre-eminently it is that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.—It seems to me that impenitent persons, who know of that solemn eternity beyond the grave, ought to take great interest in revivals of religion. And when there is such a season, they ought to improve it, as our Saviour says they did under his and John's ministry—when the kingdom of God was preached, and all men pressed into it. My fel¬ low sinners, it was in reference to these pre¬ cious seasons of the gospel day, that Isaiah ut¬ ters the moving call—"Ho, every one that thirst- eth, come ye to the waters."—And again, "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found—call ye upon him while he is near," &c. Let such a time pass by, and you may then seek to enter in and shall not be able, and may have to take up the lamentation, "the harvest is past, the sum¬ mer is ended, and I am not saved." Now Chris¬ tians are praying for you, as they may not at any other time. Now the Spirit of God is pour¬ ed upon the Church when you come to seek sali¬ vation it may not be so to the same extent at another time. Now others are coming to Christ, and you have the natural advantage of company and sympathy.—All this you may not have at another time.—Now every means of grace or¬ dained for your salvation are, humanly speak¬ ing, better adapted for your aid than it maybe at another time. Brethren, Ihis work of God is worthy of its di¬ vine Author, and so are all the characteristics of its progress. The wonderful plan originated in the counsels, of eternity. O, when the minutes of those counsels are unrolled, what wondering adorations, will move the countless congregation of the Saviour! and what loud peeling anthems will echo through the broad arch of the heaven, ly sanctuary! and how gloriously will the Son of God—King of Zion—stand forth, to be bad in reverence by all those that are round about bim. "Thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty." How rapturously the 8th chapter of Proverbs will then be studied and understood. "The Lord possessed me in thebeginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set Up from everlasting, or ever the earth was." "There are days in reserve, in Teferenee to this subject, such as eye hath not seen nor ear heard, nor hath entered into the heart of man ; days wherein the Ught of the moon shall be as tbe light of lhe sun, and the light of the,sun seven fold; days wherein the child shall die an hundred years old—when none shall have nee-d to teach his brother, saying, "know the Lord, for all shall know him ;" when Scripture shall be un¬ folded, and things revealed, which could not be | borne now. _iie ministry jimmy «-,» --.... .- r , . .*, _- ofour Saviour also, was marked in this respect | all the prophets—communing with God, and stu-1 Brethren, this wbtk, in its progress and changes-
Object Description
Title | Christian observer |
Replaces | Southern religious telegraph ; Southern Christian sentinel |
Subject | Newspapers Pennsylvania Philadelphia County Philadelphia ; Newspapers Pennsylvania Philadelphia. |
Description | A Presbyterian paper from Philadelphia, Pa., which was both anti-Catholic and against Tractarianism, also known as Puseyism, a movement started in Oxford which attempted to bring the Presbyterian faith closer to the Roman Catholic. Issues from May 14, 1840- Dec.28, 1850, though not all issues are present. |
Place of Publication | Philadelphia, Pa. |
Contributors | A. Converse |
Date | 1843-11-17 |
Location Covered | Philadelphia, Pa. ; Philadelphia County (Pa.) |
Type | text |
Digital Format | image/jp2 |
Source | Philadelphia Pa. |
Language | eng |
Rights | https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ |
Contact | For information on source and images, contact the State Library of Pennsylvania, Digital Rights Office, Forum Bldg., 607 South Dr, Harrisburg, PA 17120-0600. Phone: (717) 783-5969 |
Contributing Institution | State Library of Pennsylvania |
Sponsorship | This Digital Object is provided in a collection that is included in POWER Library: Pennsylvania Photos and Documents, which is funded by the Office of Commonwealth Libraries of Pennsylvania/Pennsylvania Department of Education. |
Description
Title | Phila-Christian_Observer11171843-0181; Christian observer |
Replaces | Southern religious telegraph ; Southern Christian sentinel |
Subject | Newspapers Pennsylvania Philadelphia County Philadelphia ; Newspapers Pennsylvania Philadelphia. |
Description | A Presbyterian paper from Philadelphia, Pa., which was both anti-Catholic and against Tractarianism, also known as Puseyism, a movement started in Oxford which attempted to bring the Presbyterian faith closer to the Roman Catholic. Issues from May 14, 1840- Dec.28, 1850, though not all issues are present. |
Place of Publication | Philadelphia, Pa. |
Contributors | A. Converse |
Location Covered | Philadelphia, Pa. ; Philadelphia County (Pa.) |
Type | text |
Digital Format | image/jp2 |
Source | Philadelphia Pa. |
Language | eng |
Rights | https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ |
Contact | For information on source and images, contact the State Library of Pennsylvania, Digital Rights Office, Forum Bldg., 607 South Dr, Harrisburg, PA 17120-0600. Phone: (717) 783-5969 |
Contributing Institution | State Library of Pennsylvania |
Sponsorship | This Digital Object is provided in a collection that is included in POWER Library: Pennsylvania Photos and Documents, which is funded by the Office of Commonwealth Libraries of Pennsylvania/Pennsylvania Department of Education. |
Full Text |
/j /a:
NEW SERIES. NO.
FOR THE DIFFUSION OF T_^t¥ AND TH^l5^^
A. CONVERSE, EDITOR :-!34 Chestnut Street.
OF THE PRINCIPLES OF THE PRESBYIERIAN CHURc¥
IN THE UNITED STATES.
Southern lELelCjjfous EeUjjraph.
There is, perhaps, nothing of the kind in the composi¬
tions of living Poets, more truly beautiful than the follow.
in? stanzas, which exhibit the genius of philosophy and
the soul of eloquence happily united, and clothed in the
simplo drapery of the lyric Muse. They are from the pen
of William Pitt Palmer. We transfer them to our
rolumns from the « Opal," a superb Annual for the Ho¬
lidays of 1844, published by Mr. J. C. Riker, of New
York.
Hospes, comesque corporis!—Emfkboii Adhiaw.
Mvstkuious Powku! where is thy seated home 1
In the dark chambers of the haunted brain!
Or dost thou, like a restless Naiad, roam
The deep meanderings of the purple vein.
Forever coursing in thy swift career
Life's crimson river in its mazy round .
Or art thou found
Cradled within the heart's impassioned sphere,
Rocked by its solemn pulses, whose quick boat,
bike a weird death-watch at a dying ear,
Is chronicling the moments few and fleet,
Thy earthly span that bound?
And what art thou, invisible
And unimagined form ?
Wrapped in this dark, material shroud,
Liko lightning in the muffling cloud
Of midnight's brooding storm!
Thy presence makes me what I am;
Thy being is my own ;
And thongh thou quickenest every sense.
Thou art to all unknown.
Frail, feeble nursling of the dust,
With reason's glory crowned,
Man measures earth's stupendous globe,
And marks its mighty bound.
His search has solved the mystic tides
In their alternate course;
And sunward traced the viewless winds
Up to their flaming source:
Yea, his far ken hath read the skies
With all their starry blazonries
That o'er us nightly burn;
Hath marked the planet's boundless ring.
And fixed the certain years that bring
The comet's dread return :
Yet spirit! when his curious zeal
To thy deep quest applies,
How like to groping blindness shows
The wisdom of the wise!
Art thou a portion of the clay
That forms thy natal twin,
Typed by the mortal chrysalis
Its grosser shell within ?
Say, shall tho grave forever mock
Faith's high and holy trust,
And the worm waste thee as 'twill waste
Thy fellow of the dust 1
No, though while to earthliness
Bound by a brittle tie,
Germ of the Universal Soul,
It is not thine to die!
This truth so fraught with joyousness,
So grateful and sublime,
Defied the grasp of sage and seer
In the far olden time;
Though oft with yearning zeal they sought,
Nerved with the powers of mightiest thought,
To force the Stygian bars
That held them from thy doubtful fate,
Then died with boo**—-. |
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