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 FOR MISSIONARY USE. 
 
 EDITED 
 
 BY THE AUTHOK OF 
 
 ' LETTERS TO A MAN BEWILDERED AMONG 
 MANY COUNSELLORS." 
 
 VOLUME I. 
 
 NEW YORK: 
 DANIEL DANA, Jr., 381 BROADWAY. 
 
 1859.
 
 Entered acconiing to Act of Congress, in the year 1859, 
 
 By DANIEL DANA. Jr., 
 
 In Uie Clerk's Ollice of the District Court of the United States for the Soiitliern 
 
 District of New Vork. 
 
 RKNNIR, IJNOSAY ft CO., 
 
 IRKOTVPKR8 ANH El KCTH OT Y PBRB, 
 
 81, 83 & 8.1 Ckntmk Stuket, 
 NEW YORK.
 
 r..] 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 As the minister of the Church in these United States, 
 and especially in a rural district, goes in and out 
 among the people, he encounters many states of mind 
 which are more or less modified by the age and coun- 
 try in which we live. 
 
 The writer of most of the pages which follow, has 
 ventured to hope that a few familiar tracts upon the 
 topics 60 often suggested by plain people, might be 
 found useful. To this end he has stated difficulties in 
 religion, and objections to the Church, as nearly as 
 possible in the very terms which are used by those 
 who allege them; and then he has attempted to clear 
 the difficulty, and to answer the objection, not in the 
 way of a complete exposition or refutation, but by 
 such suggestions as may incline the reader to study 
 more systematic books.
 
 IV PEEFACE. 
 
 Besides this, be has interwoven several stories of in- 
 dividual and personal experience, in the hope that 
 some troubled soul may find that the path in which 
 he seems to wander is not untravelled. While pas- 
 toral and friendly confidence has not been betrayed, 
 these stories are in the main veritable histories. In 
 reading such a narrative as "Childhood's Troubles," 
 for instance, the parent is assured that it is a truthful 
 account of the anguish and horror of mind endured by 
 a child of the Church, baptized, but uninstructed in 
 the benefits thereby conferred. 
 
 Whatever may be the defects of this volume, the 
 editor points with much satisfaction to the articles con- 
 tributed by kind friends, and which are duly credited 
 in the Table of Contents. 
 
 In justice to the Rt. Rev. Fathers who have thus 
 contributed, it must be observed, that the editor has 
 not had it in his power to submit his work to their in- 
 spection ; and that he alone is answerable for the arti- 
 cles whose authorship is not expressly indicated. 
 
 " The Doubting Christian" has been heretofore pub- 
 lished ; but, being out of print, permission was ex- 
 pressly asked to insert it in this volume. Two other
 
 PKEFACE. V 
 
 articles have been printed for private use, but are now 
 published for the first time. 
 
 Should the present volumes find favor with the 
 Church, the editor proposes to continue the series ; 
 but should success not be accorded, he will not regret 
 having attempted, as best he could, to contribute 
 something towards a popular Church literature. 
 
 HuKTSViLLE, Ala., Lent, 1859.
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 Page 
 I. WHAT IS TRUTH? Br the Et. Eev. Thomas Atkin- 
 son, D.D 3 
 
 X II. THE DOUBTING CHRISTIAN ENCOURAGED. Bt the 
 
 Kt. Rev. N. H. Cobbs, D.D 35 
 
 III. WHY CAN'T OUR MINISTERS PREACH IN YOUR 
 
 PULPITS ? 59 
 
 IV. THE DOCTRINE OF THE APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION 
 
 A WHOLESOME DOCTRINE AND VERY FULL OF 
 COMFORT 87 
 
 V. OUR LORD IN SIMON'S HOUSE ; or, What the Chuech 
 
 DEMANDS FOB ADMISSION TO THE SaOBAMENTS 117 
 
 VI. THE MESSAGE TO PETER. Bt the Et, Rev. N. H. 
 
 CoBBs, D.D 155 
 
 VII. HOW THE CHURCH WAS BUILDED. By a Lady 169 
 
 Vni. DEATH-BED REPENTANCE AND THE PARISH REG- 
 ISTER. Narrative 187 
 
 X IX. THE PROCESS OF CONVEESION. Narrative 203 
 
 X. VISITATION OF PRISONERS. Narrative 225 
 
 XI. THE MEANING OF POMPS AND VANITIES. A Story 
 
 for Young People 243
 
 2[ract0 for iHiesionari} Uql 
 
 No. 1. 
 
 WHAT IS TRUTH? 
 
 BY 
 
 THE RT. REV. THOMAS ATKINSON, D.D. 
 
 BISHOP OF NOKTH OAUOLINA.
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1S59, 
 
 By DANIEL DANA, Jk., 
 
 In tlnj Clerk's OflQce of the District Court of the United States for the Southern 
 District of New York.
 
 WHAT IS TKUTII? 
 
 This question was asked of Him, who came 
 into the world specially to bear witness to the 
 Truth, and who is Himself essentially the Truth ; 
 its object, as well as its Revealer. He who pro- 
 pounded the question, was unhappy, impious 
 Pilate. 
 
 The Saviour of mankind was then experien- 
 cing the fulfilment of those prophecies which an- 
 nounced His deepest humiliation and misery. 
 Deserted and denied by His disciples, He had 
 already been di'agged before one and another 
 unjust tribunal. At the bar of Caiaphas He 
 had endured a mock trial, and been condemned 
 without evidence. But the malice of His ene- 
 mies had outstripped their power. Though they 
 could condemn, they could not execute their 
 sentence ; for " the 'Sceptre had now departed
 
 4 WHAT IS TRUTH? 
 
 from Jiidali, and the Lawgiver from between 
 his feet." 
 
 Ill tliis dilemma, tlien, the infuriated Priests 
 and Levites sacrifice the sentiments and instincts 
 which heretofore had been the most cherished, 
 and the most powerful in their bosoms; their 
 jealousy of heathen interference in their national, 
 and, especially, in their Ecclesiastical govern- 
 ment ; their abhorrence of that stern Roman 
 domination which hnmiliated, even more than it 
 oppressed them. They sacrifice even these pow- 
 erful passions to that furious and almost diabol- 
 ical hatred of the Holy Jesus which had be- 
 come the master-principle ; which had now, like 
 Aaron's rod, swallowed up, as it were, the other 
 serpents that infested their bosoms. 
 
 Urged on by this rage, they appeal, of their 
 own accord, to that Jurisdiction, which, at other 
 times, they were willing to shed theii* blood 
 rather than acknowledge ; they demand of the 
 Koman Governor the death of their prisoner. 
 Pontius Pilate thus appealed to, is greatly at a 
 loss. He knew, none better, the wickedness of 
 these men, and he, no doubt, scorned, like Gallio, 
 all these questions concerning their Law ; a Law 
 which he never heard invoked except in the in- 
 terests of sj^iritual pride, aml)ition, or malice. 
 But lu! himself was far from being immaculate,
 
 WHAT IS TRUTH? 5 
 
 and lie dreaded to provoke still further tlie 
 hostility of men whom he had hitherto repeat- 
 edly outraged, and who were already demandiug 
 at the Imperial Court his recall and disgrace. 
 
 His feelings of justice and duty point one 
 way ; his apparent interest another. What shall 
 he do? 
 
 He seeks, in the first instance, to extract from 
 our Saviour's own lips a justification of the 
 course which his interest prompts him to pur- 
 sue. But our Lord, who thoroughly reads his 
 heart, will not allow him thus to hide his base- 
 ness. Observe, in this point of view, the ques- 
 tions which Pilate asks, and the answers he re- 
 ceives. " Art thou," says he, " the king of the 
 Jews ? " If Jesus Christ now merely says, yes, 
 as in effect He had often before done; if now 
 He says, simply and absolutely, yes ; then Pilate 
 can at once condemn Him as guilty of high trea- 
 son, as the rival of Caesar. Our Saviour, with 
 admirable wisdom, replies : " My kingdom is not 
 of this world." His authority, then, is in no re- 
 spect antagonistic to that of Csesar, nor a just 
 object of jealousy to the officers of Ciesar; for 
 Ca3sar's authority is of this world. This world 
 is the oidy world for which Csesar cares ; the 
 only world in which Ca3sar believes. And our 
 Lord goes on further to explain that His king-
 
 6 WHAT IS TEUTH? 
 
 dom is a moral and spiritual one ; tliat He rules 
 by the power of Truth, and that all who are of 
 the Truth obey Him. 
 
 To this Pilate replies, "What is Truth?" 
 What does the unhappy man mean by this 
 question ? Does he ask in good faith, in an 
 humble and teachable spirit, that he may really 
 learn the doctrines of the remarkable Person 
 who then stood before him ; and, if they com- 
 mended themselves to his reason and conscience, 
 embrace them ? Alas ! unhappily for him, this 
 could not have been his meaning; for he does 
 not even wait for an answer, but immediately 
 goes out, this question unresolved. 
 
 I think it clear that he is speaking in the 
 spirit of ii-ony and derision, and his question is 
 itself a sarcasm. It is as if he had said to his 
 prisoner. Yours is indeed, by your own account of 
 it, a notable mission ! You poor man, whom tlie 
 menials buffet, whom the very abjects trample 
 on ; you have come to bear witness to the Ti'uth ! 
 What is this truth ? Who knows it ? When 
 was it ascertained ? There are opinions without 
 numljer, one, perhaps, as good and as certain as 
 another. But Truth, free, absolute Ti'uth, who 
 knows it ? What is it ? 
 
 This simple question reveals to us the man 
 who asked it. As a flasli of lightning in a dark
 
 WHAT IS TRUTH? 7 
 
 night gleams upon a man approaching us, and 
 ena1)les us in an instant to recognize his person 
 and countenance ; so these three words of Pon- 
 tius Pilate disclose to us his state of mind, and 
 character ; for three words spoken in an earnest 
 moment are worth three years of common-place 
 talk, in enabling us to know a man. In these 
 words we recognize the utterance of a troubled 
 spirit, which doubts every thing ; which sees no 
 certainty but what the senses teach. Men of 
 this sort may be found in all ages and states of 
 society ; but they are particularly abundant in 
 an age, which is, on the one hand, sensual and 
 luxurious, and on the other, inquisitive and en- 
 lightened. Such was the Augustan age in Rome ; 
 such was the 18th century in France ; such, I 
 cannot but believe, is the existing era in our own 
 country. 
 
 The state of mind characteristic of these pe- 
 riods is not natural to man, but is a disease, the 
 result of an artificial and corrupt condition of 
 Society. Faith is natural to man ; in saying 
 which, however, I do not refer to Christian 
 Faith, for that, we are expressly taught, is the 
 gift of God in a special and supernatural sense 
 (as indeed it must be supernatural, being the re- 
 cipient and correlative of a supernatural Revela- 
 tion). But I here speak of Faith, in its strictest
 
 8 WHAT IS TRUTH? 
 
 and most elementary sense, as tlie power of be- 
 lieving on testimony. This is an original faculty 
 of our nature of the highest worth and most in- 
 dispensable necessity, which may be affected and 
 influenced by reason, by prejudice, and by pas- 
 sion, but has an origin independent of them all, 
 and may work apart from other faculties, or con- 
 currently with them. I call Faith a power. 
 Many look on it as not much more than a weak- 
 ness, confounding it with credulity. But it is in 
 fact the power, by which a man is fitted for life, 
 as well as for eternity. What can a man accom- 
 plish without Faith ? Our daily life rests on 
 Faith. We go forth to our work in Faith, he- 
 lieving that we shall be permitted to perform it ; 
 believing that, in some way, we shall be reward- 
 ed for it; believing that, after it, we shall be 
 allowed rest and refreshment. We sleep in 
 Faith, confiding in our safety ; believing that no 
 robber or assassin is at hand to destroy us. We 
 eat in Faith, believing that our viands contain no 
 deadly poison, no nauseous mixture. We learn 
 by Faith. To what does History appeal but to 
 Faith ? To what Geography ? To what Lan- 
 guage? To what every thing, in short, save 
 pure Science ? Love rests on Faith. Without 
 Faith, conjugal love curdles into jealousy, or 
 blazes out into fiery wrath. Without Faith,
 
 WHAT IS TRUTH ? V 
 
 parental love withers and dies away. We live, 
 even in tliis world, in an atmosphere of Faith, 
 and as that becomes diluted, we faint; were it 
 exhausted, we 2:>ei'ish. 
 
 And while Faith is thus necessary for our 
 temporal well-being, it is more especially the 
 instrument of our spiritual life. God, Provi- 
 dence, Kedemption, Eternity, Judgment, Heaven 
 and Hell are perceived and realized only by the 
 light of Faith. It is, to use the grand expression 
 of an Apostle, " the substance of things hoped 
 for, the evidence of things not seen." 
 
 This faculty of Faith was, no doubt, like the 
 other powers and excellencies of man, perfect in 
 our state of primeval integrity and holiness, and 
 has been weakened by the Fall. Even now we 
 may observe, that it is vigorous and active in 
 proportion to the purity and innocence of him 
 who exercises it. Observe, for example, a young 
 child, in whose bosom sin still lies dormant, and 
 whose face is yet bright with the reflection of 
 Heaven ; observe him at his mother's knee. 
 With what unquestioning and absorbing Faith 
 he listens to the tale she tells him, the counsels 
 and instructions she imparts ! How does he 
 drink in nourishment from her soul, as when an 
 infant he had imbibed it from her body; and 
 how absolutely he yields himself to the impres-
 
 10 WHAT IS TRUTH? 
 
 sion whicli slie desires to make ! But alas ! as 
 he advances in life; as lie finds himself in an 
 untruthful and treacherous world ; as he detects 
 the falsehoods that are told him ; and still more, 
 as he himself becomes corrupt and capable of 
 deceiving ; he becomes likewise suspicious, skep- 
 tical, and incapable of believing. For falsehood 
 in ourselves and Faith in others, are necessary 
 and jDcrpetual antagonists. 
 
 Society is made up of individuals. It follows 
 then, as a necessary consequence, that when this 
 individual deterioration becomes general, Society 
 is corrupted, and Faith dissolves and dies out in 
 its midst. 
 
 It was not by any arbitrary, or accidental con- 
 nection, that the profligacy of French Society in 
 the early and middle parts of the 18th century, 
 was succeeded by the infidelity and Atheism, 
 which so darkened and desolated that Society in 
 the last few years of the same century. Kings, 
 Priests, and Nobles had sowed the wind, and in 
 due time, they reaped the whirlwind. The prin- 
 ciples and practices of vice were with them the 
 Dragon's teeth ; Anarchy and Atheism were the 
 armed men that sprang therefrom. 
 
 A tendency to unbelief is strengthened by 
 other influences, with which we are experiment- 
 ally very well acquainted.
 
 WirA.T IS TRUTH ? 11 
 
 Wlien Truth is the subject of continued dis- 
 putation and discussion ; when every article of 
 a people's Creed is alternately attacked and de- 
 fended ; when the tide of controversy ebbs at 
 one point, only to swell at another ; then Faith 
 wavers ; then, flitting over these angry waters, 
 like the Dove in the Deluge, she finds no resting- 
 place, and withdraws from the tumultuous scene. 
 
 It was at such a period that unhappy Pilate 
 lived. His was a vicious age, and it was, more- 
 over, a controversial age. The remains of Clas- 
 sical Antiquity which have come down to us 
 from that period, admirable as they are for ge- 
 nius, and taste, and exquisite felicity of language, 
 yet indicate a moral unsoundness scarcely to be 
 conceived by those who live under Christian in- 
 fluences. 
 
 And as to Religious Truth, all was doubt and 
 uncertainty. The speculations of some of the 
 Philosophers, if not borrowed from Asia, and 
 ultimately from Judea, were wonderful efforts of 
 the human mind ; sometimes almost like antici- 
 pations and foreshado wings of the peculiar and 
 mysterious disclosures of the Gospel. But, after 
 all, they were only speculations. These philoso- 
 phers had no standard of Truth ; no external 
 testimony, no authenticated facts on which to 
 base their reasonings. And the human mind
 
 12 WHAT IS TRUTH? 
 
 deumndB facts, proof s^ authority. It cannot rest 
 on speculations, liowever ingenious ; it cannot 
 feed on cobwebs spun out of its own substance. 
 
 A Truth wliicli is not proved, is, as to its effect 
 upon us, as a Truth which does not exist. And 
 as to Moral and Theological Truth, nothing was 
 proved in that old pagan world. What one 
 Philosopher advanced, another denied. The dis- 
 ciple always felt himself wiser than his master ; 
 and when he in his turn set himself to be a 
 teacher, his first task was to demolish the edifice 
 his predecessor had reared, in order to clear the 
 ground for his own structure. 
 
 In such a state of things, there could be no 
 deep and earnest Faith. The most essential and 
 sacred truths came, after a while, to be regarded 
 as mere theories ; ingenious perhaps, plausible, 
 beautiful, but not certain ; which their very ad- 
 vocates maintained with a peradventure. 
 
 It was under such influences, practical and 
 speculative, that Pilate was reared ; and as a 
 Soldier and a Courtier, he probably partook of 
 them to the full. When Jesus spoke of Truth ; 
 that is, of Religious Truth ; He seemed to Pilate 
 to babble. What cared Pilate for Truth ? How 
 did he know that there was any truth, except 
 such as his bodily senses attested ? He knew 
 tliat Falerniau wine liad, in its way, a sort of
 
 WHAT IS TRUTH? 13 
 
 trntli ; there was reality in it. And so with a 
 well-lilled purse ; and a retinue of slaves ; and a 
 marble palace at Rome ; and a sea-side villa on 
 the Campanian shore. And he knew very well 
 that he had a master who was cruel and sus- 
 picious to the last degree ; who, for very slight 
 cause, would consign him to the dungeon or the 
 block. 
 
 He seems to have been heartily desirous, 
 especially after his discourse with our Lord, to 
 spare the blood of that Innocent One who stood 
 before him. But, how can he safely do this ? 
 The Prisoner indeed tells him that He is a wit- 
 ness for the Truth. But, what of that ? What 
 will Truth avail him if he discharge the accused 
 person ? Will Truth calm a violent and factious 
 mob, urged on by crafty and unscrupulous hypo- 
 crites ? Will Truth satisfy a sanguinary Despot, 
 who revels in human blood like a tiger? In 
 short, is Truth of any practical value ? is it worth 
 any thing in the market ? Has it ever fed a 
 man, or clothed him, or turned the edge of an 
 executioner's axe ? In short, " What is Truth ? " 
 impatiently and scornfully asks Pontius Pilate. 
 
 And are there none who speak the same 
 language at the present day, at least in heart ? 
 Depend upon it, there are many. Our age is a 
 vicious age, if Murder, Adultery, Burglary, Bob-
 
 14 WHAT IS TIIUTH? 
 
 bery, Peculation, Fraud, Theft, aud Imposture 
 constitute vice. Our age is controversial also. 
 We generally call ourselves Christians, but we 
 dispute about the very first principles of Chris- 
 tianity ; and in all the little villages in our land, 
 not large enough, frequently, for a single vig- 
 orous congregation, tliere are usually three, four, 
 five, or six religious parties, watching eacli other, 
 contending with each other, and, not unfrequent- 
 ly, reviling each other. What is the result ? 
 Charity is cold, and Faith weak ; for how can 
 Faith 1)6 strong in tenets that are merely the 
 foot-balls of contending parties ? When religious 
 Truth is presented, not so much to be believed 
 and acted on, as to be discussed and argued for ; 
 what result is possible except that there can be 
 no deep Faith? Many persons seem to think, 
 like Pilate, that there is no such thing as Truth ; 
 or what is equivalent, that there is no means of 
 ascertaining it; for "a Truth not proved, is to 
 us as a Truth which does not exist." 
 
 There are many persons, however, who, having 
 no hope of ascertaining religious Truth, rest now 
 in the opinion that, in inquiries concerning re- 
 ligion. Truth is not important, but only a sincere 
 belief of what we profess to believe. It is 
 thouglit neither reasonable nor charitable, to 
 condemn a man for religious error, if he hold it
 
 WHAT IS TRUTH? 15 
 
 sincerely. Sincerity, in sliort, is made tlie same 
 thing with Truth. 
 
 But, are they the same thing ? Truth, with- 
 out sincerity, will, of course, avail us nothing ; 
 but of what avail will sincerity he, without 
 Truth ? If that were sufficient, how unreasona- 
 ble and unjust was it in St. Paul, to call himself 
 the chief of sinnei's, because he persecuted the 
 Church of God ! for, at the time he did this, he 
 sincerely believed he was thereby doing God 
 service. If sincerity, without Truth, will suffice, 
 what charge can be brought against Bonner, or 
 Torquemada, or Julian the Apostate, or the very 
 Scribes and Pharisees who iml^rued their hands 
 in the Saviour's blood, and reviled Him on the 
 cross ? Who can say that these men were insin- 
 cere in their detestable principles of conduct ? 
 If sincerity without Truth will suffice, what evil 
 is there in being a Turk, or a Heathen, if we 
 only bring ourselves sincerely to embrace these 
 foul superstitions? But the principle, if true, 
 oufjht to be carried further. What harm is 
 there in being a robber, or a murderer, if we 
 can only sear the conscience, and blunt the 
 moral sense enough to consider robbery and 
 murder lawful ? The French demagogue, Marat, 
 compared with whom Kobespierre was forgiving, 
 and Danton merciful, expressed, during one of
 
 IG WHAT IS TKUTH? 
 
 the paroxysms of the Great Revolution, the con- 
 viction, that the only effectual remedy for the 
 evils of the country was, to cut off the heads of 
 two hundred and sixty thousand Aristocrats. 
 He was denounced before the National Conven- 
 tion for thus instigating wholesale massacre. His 
 reply was very short and plain. '•''It is^'' said he, 
 " my opinion^ No doubt it was. He had 
 reached that point of wickedness, that, like a 
 wolf, he loved blood for its own sake. But, 
 what reply could be made to him, if sincerity be 
 the same thing with Truth ? 
 
 Such views, when pushed to their conse- 
 quences, make the worst men the best ; for it is 
 the worst men who most sincerely believe their 
 own conduct to be entirely right, because they 
 know no difference between right and wrong, 
 between good and evil. 
 
 Be assured, my friends, in order to be right — 
 in order to be safe — it is not enough to be sin- 
 cere ; it is necessary to hold the Truth sincerely. 
 There is such a thing as Truth, whatever skep- 
 tics, whatever sensualists may say to the con- 
 trary. 
 
 It has an existence independent of all that 
 men think concerning it. If we shut our eyes to 
 the sun, we do not extinguish it thereby, it still 
 shines on ; so, if we remain ignorant of the
 
 WHAT IS TIllTTn? 17 
 
 Truth, or reject it, it still subsists. Nay, if the 
 whole world agrees to deny it, it still sub- 
 sists. It is indeed immortal. Keligious Truth 
 is the transcript of the Eternal Ideas in the 
 mind of God. Error is of the earth, earthy. 
 Error is perishable. Error is like the false 
 hghts of a morass, which dance about the trav- 
 eller's path, only to lead him astray, and them- 
 selves speedily to disappear. Truth is like the 
 lisrht of the stars which shine on the mariner as 
 they shone on his Tyrian predecessor thousands 
 of years ago, to guide him on his course, and 
 conduct him in safety to the haven where he 
 would be. 
 
 Well, then, may the wise man say : " Buy the 
 truth and sell it not." Buy it at any price ; sell 
 it at no price. Buy it with toil, with obloquy, 
 with suffering, with danger. Sell it not for 
 money, nor fame, nor safety, nor popularity, 
 nor life. 
 
 Truth is the proper, the appointed food and 
 medicine for the soul. The soul of man was 
 made to receive the Truth, as his bodily eye the 
 light ; and as light is sweet to the eye, so is 
 Truth delightful to the soul. The perception ot 
 a new Truth cheers, exalts, and invigorates the 
 soul. And this is especially applicaljle to reli- 
 gious Truth. Religious Truth is that which per-
 
 18 WHAT IS TRUTH? 
 
 tains to God, to the spirit of man, to Eternity. 
 Of all Truth, this is the grandest, the noblest, 
 the most refreshing. It is this especially which 
 strengthens the powers, and moulds the charac- 
 ter, and purifies the nature. " Sanctify them 
 through Thy Truth," says our Saviour. And 
 religious error is, consequently, of all errors, the 
 most dangerous, the most debasing, the most to 
 be deplored. There is no question then so vital 
 as, How SHALL we ascertain Religious Truth ? 
 
 In pursuance of the subject, I propose, there- 
 fore, to consider the grounds and tests of reli- 
 gious Truth. 
 
 When we remember the infinite importance of 
 the question : What is Truth ? and how peculiar- 
 ly He to whom it was addressed by Pontius 
 Pilate was fitted to answer it, we cannot but 
 lament that the proud and sensual Governor did 
 not wait for a reply, but rose up and left his 
 question unresolved ; thereby cutting himself off, 
 and us likewise, from the benefits of that reply 
 which Divine Wisdom might have vouchsafed. 
 This is our first, spontaneous feeling. But when 
 we consider our Lord's discourses, we find that 
 He has not left us in entire ignorance, or even 
 in any serious doubt on this vital subject. He, 
 and His Apostles speaking by His S})irit, have, 
 on a plain and fair interpretation of their Ian-
 
 WHAT IS TRUTH? 19 
 
 guage, pointed out a method by wliicli we may 
 ascertain all religions Truth that it is indispensa- 
 ble, or even in a high degree important for us to 
 know. He has told us, in the first place, what 
 is the repository of Truth ; the fountain from 
 which its waters flow. He says to His Heavenly 
 Father: " Sanctify them through Thy Truth. Thy 
 Word is Truth." He recognizes here the func- 
 tion* of Truth to sanctify, and He points out the 
 veiy spring from which we are to draw the puri- 
 fying stream. It is the Word of God, We may 
 then be assured, that all Truth necessary for 
 man's sanctification here, and for his salvation 
 hereafter, is contained in God's Word. 
 
 And this would seem to result from the very 
 idea of a Divine Kevelation to mankind for their 
 spiritual good. Such a Revelation must be ef- 
 fectual to its end, because it comes from God, 
 and therefore it must contain all that is neces- 
 sary to salvation. And to this agrees the saying 
 of St. Paul : " All Scripture is given l^y inspira- 
 tion of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for 
 reproof, for correction, for instruction in right- 
 eousness ; that the man of God may be perfect, 
 thoroughly furnished unto all good works." 
 
 But, tliough Scripture certainly contains all 
 essential religious Truth, is it certain that they 
 who read the Scrij)tures draw therefrom this
 
 20 WHAT IS TRUTH? 
 
 saving Trutli, pure and imdefiled ? What is the 
 language of Scripture itself on this subject? 
 Willie the Inspired Writers profess to teach 
 Truth, nothing but Truth, and all necessary 
 Truth ; they yet warn us, that they may be so 
 misinterpreted, that the water of life may be so 
 tinctured by the vessel which receives it as to 
 convey poison, rather than to heal the soul. 
 " We are," say they, " a sweet savor of Christ in 
 them that are saved, and in them that perish. 
 To the one, we are the savor of death unto 
 death ; and to the other, the savor of life unto 
 life." And so again, elsewhere it is said, that 
 there are in Scripture " many things hard to be 
 understood, which they that are unlearned and 
 unstal>le, wrest to their own destruction." This 
 then is the testimony of Scripture as to its own 
 effect : that, though true and divine, and, to him 
 who rightly receives it, sanctifying and saving, 
 it is not necessarily or universally so ; but that, 
 because of the ignorance or perversity of the 
 hearer, it is sometimes a source of error, and 
 even of fatal, ruinous error. 
 
 How do we find it in point of fact ? Is this 
 warning verified by experience ? Incontestably 
 it is. 
 
 Where there are opposite interpretations of 
 Scripture, one, at least, must be wrong. Now,
 
 WHAT IS TRriTH? 21 
 
 consider the contrarieties of belief among ]-)ersons 
 who all suppose that they draw their Faith from 
 Scripture. 
 
 There is a large l)ody who understand the 
 Scriptures as teaching Transubstantiation, Pur- 
 gatory, Worship of the Saints and Adoration of 
 the Virgin Mary. Another large class of per- 
 sons, so far from seeing authority for these doc- 
 trines in Scripture, see there, as they believe, the 
 plainest and strongest condemnation of them. 
 There are those again, who infer from Scripture 
 that Jesus was but a man, and that the Holy 
 Ghost is but an influence. Others, on the con- 
 trary, are persuaded by the same Scriptures, 
 that Jesus Christ is Very Grod, and that the Holy 
 Ghost is Personally God. 
 
 Now, one party or the other in this latter con- 
 trovei*sy, for instance, does certainly mistake the 
 whole sense of Scripture ; for every doctrine of 
 Christ's religion depends upon what Christ Him- 
 self was. The entire meaning of the Gosj^el 
 then, as we receive it, rests on what we think of 
 Christ. But the sense of Revelation is the Rev- 
 elation. The book is but paper, with characters 
 inscribed on it. The words in themselves are 
 but sounds or marks. Tlie sense, the thing 
 said, is that which is revealed. When, then, two 
 men differ entirely al)out their religion, they
 
 22 WHAT IS TRUTH? 
 
 liave two different religions. If, for example, 
 Unitarians are right, Trinitarians are idolaters ; 
 if Trinitarians are riglit. Unitarians are unbe- 
 lievers. 
 
 Here, then, and in many other instances, we 
 have different classes of persons, drawing oppo- 
 site conclusions from the same Scriptural teach- 
 ings, and one side or the other necessarily fall- 
 ing into error, which must be frequently fatal 
 error. 
 
 How, then, shall we know what is Truth in 
 the interpretation of Scripture ? The Scripture 
 is, indeed, authenticated by miracles, prophecies, 
 by its own* tenor, and by its effects. Truth is 
 there ; but how shall we find it, and know that 
 we have found it? The treasure is, beyond 
 doubt, in the field, but how shall our feet be 
 guided with certainty to the precious deposite ? 
 Yet, it is all-important to find it. We must 
 draw from Scripture, Truth or Error ; and what 
 we want is Truth. Error does not feed the soul, 
 it poisons it. Error does not sanctify, it pollutes, 
 it corrupts. Error does not save, it destroys. 
 What then is Truth? How shall we ascer- 
 tain it? 
 
 There are two means which we may employ, 
 and which ought to be combined, that, if faith- 
 fully used, will, as I am persuaded, and can
 
 WHAT IS TRUTH? 23 
 
 j)rove to yon, lead us to all essential Truth, and 
 I may, perhaps, safely say, to all important 
 Christian truth. 
 
 First, then, in the interpretation of Scripture^ 
 give great lueight to that meaning wliicJi lias heen 
 iiniversally held in the Church of Christ; and^ in 
 matters essential to salvation^ in the gronndworlc 
 of the Faith^ acknoidedge and hoio to its conclu- 
 sive Authority. 
 
 For, consider how we stand in regard to it. 
 Our Saviour has promised the aids of His Spirit 
 to all who sincerely seek to know the Truth. 
 "Ask," says He, " and ye shall receive ; seek, and 
 ye shall find." And so says the Apostle: "If 
 any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God that 
 giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not ; 
 and it shall be given him." If, then, any man 
 were purely candid, thoroughly earnest, perfect- 
 ly un])iased in seeking Divine light and wisdom, 
 it would be communicated to him without any 
 taint of error. But no man is thus perfect in the 
 spirit in which he seeks wisdom. We live in an 
 atmosphere of opinion, prejudice, passion and in- 
 terest, which refracts and distorts, to a greater 
 or less extent, the rays of Divine Ti'uth shining 
 in upon the mind. No man, therefore, is right 
 in all his 025inions, that is, no man is infal- 
 lible.
 
 24 WnAT IS TKUTH? 
 
 But yet, lie wlio sincerely seeks to know the 
 Truth, and prays to be led to it, has, by the 
 promise of Christ, some ground to hope when he 
 has arrived at a conclusion, that it is a true one. 
 A certain measure of ^probability attaches to his 
 judgment, because it is his judgment. But, as 
 the promise is made to no one in particular, but 
 to every one who uses the appointed means, if 
 the result which one comes to in the use of these 
 means is probably the truth, there is, at least, a 
 double probability of the truth of that result at 
 which two arrive : perhaps more than a double 
 probability, because Truth is but one, and error 
 manifold. When, then, twenty independent in- 
 quirers, all using faithfully the means which 
 Christ has promised to bless, come to one con- 
 clusion, the probability that this is the right 
 conclusion is immensely enhanced. 
 
 How is it, then, when many millions believe 
 the same thing ? How is it, when the great 
 body of Christians are led to believe in one in- 
 terpretation of Scripture as its true meaning? 
 How is it, when they come to this conclusion in 
 different counti'ies, states of society, degrees of 
 civilization, while holding adverse opinions on 
 other sul)jects ? How is it, Avhen the dead are 
 united with the living in bearing testimony to a 
 certain interpretation of Scripture, as that to
 
 WHAT IS TRUTH? 25 
 
 which Christ by Plis Spirit has guided them ? 
 When to the present generation, we add the 
 sixty generations of the past, the thousands of 
 thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand 
 from the Apostolic age to our own day, who, 
 having labored in faith and hope, have now gone 
 to their rest in peace and joy, and who, with con- 
 siderable diversities of opinion as to many doc- 
 trines and usages, have yet agreed in the Faitli^ 
 in the principles, the foundation of Divine Truth ; 
 what can we say, but that these have obtained 
 what they sought, and that we are safe in follow- 
 ing them ? 
 
 And this, too, for another reason. This great 
 " cloud of witnesses," who all attest the same 
 essential Gospel, comprehend among them the 
 purest and holiest representatives of Christian- 
 ity ; the Martyrs, the great Saints, the men of 
 whom the world was not worthy. This is indis- 
 putable, and indeed, is undenied, that the men 
 whom all Christians delight to honor, were men 
 who believed in the ancient, generally received 
 creed of Christendom ; that they were not ec- 
 centric in their religion ; that they were not 
 innovators on the Faith. 
 
 What, then, is the spectacle we witness ? 
 That men belie^^ng a certain form of sound 
 words, holding a distinct, definite, and historical 
 
 2
 
 26 WHAT IS TRUTH ? 
 
 Faith, the Faith of all Christian ages and all 
 Christian countries ; that these men have been 
 the champions of the Cross, most holy in their 
 tempers, and most heavenly in their lives. But 
 Jesus Christ said it was the nature of His Truth 
 to sanctify. These men were sanctified. What 
 inference then is left, but that what they be- 
 lieved is the Truth ? 
 
 The great Physician tells us that His medicine 
 is to produce a certain exti'aordinary result. The 
 result is produced. What can we, if we revere 
 Him, what can we believe, but that the medicine 
 employed was that which He provided ; that the 
 doctrine which purified, was the doctrine He 
 taught ? 
 
 Surely it is incredible, it is impossible, that 
 the Saints, Confessors, and Martyrs of Christian- 
 ity were all mistaken in the very groundwork 
 of that Faith, in the strength of which they 
 lived, and in honor of which they died. 
 
 Now, this united testimony to the Truth, is 
 what we mean by the voice of the Church. 
 And, that we may see that its authority does 
 not rest merely on the principles of reason, let 
 us remember the declaration of St. Paul : that 
 " the Church of the Living God is the pillar and 
 ground of the Truth ; " sustains it, upholds it, 
 proclaims it.
 
 WHAT IS TRUTH? 27 
 
 What then shall be thought of the humility 
 and reasonableness of that man, who, on some 
 cardinal doctrine of the Gospel, opposes his indi- 
 vidual opinion, or that of some littl'e ephemeral 
 sect to which he belongs, to the testimony of the 
 general Church of God ? Why, the very act is 
 his own sentence of condemnation. It proves 
 nothing about the doctrine, but it proves much 
 as to him ; that he is that proud and haughty 
 scorner, who is self-disqualified from understand- 
 ing the Word and the ways of Christ. For it is 
 "the meek He will guide in judgment, and the 
 meek He will teach His way ; " and except we 
 become " as little children," we cannot enter His 
 kingdom. This single consideration is enough 
 to satisfy us of the utter fallacy of all new-fan- 
 gled opinions in religion ; whether we call them 
 developments, as the Romanists do ; or discover- 
 ies, as the founders of new sects proclaim their 
 notions to be. 
 
 This line of thought applies mainly to the 
 Faith / that is, to the elementary and essential 
 principles of the Gospel. Concerning these we 
 may say, they are settled by manifold testi- 
 monies of Scripture, understood in the same 
 sense by the great body of the faithful of all 
 times and countries ; and he who endeavors 
 to unsettle them, is an adversary to the
 
 2,8 WHAT IS TRUTH? 
 
 Truth as it is in Jesus, and an enemy of our 
 souls. 
 
 But, besides these great and indispensable 
 truths, there are very important doctrines of the 
 Gospel, not, perhaps, essential to our salvation, 
 but yet comforting and strengthening and puri- 
 fying when made known to us. How shall we, 
 as to these, ascertain what is Truth ? 
 
 Undoubtedly, our first duty is to use diligently 
 all the means of ascertaining the true sense of 
 Scripture, which Providence has placed in our 
 power. The God of Scripture, is the God ot 
 Providence. If, then, He gives us a book, which 
 it is oftentimes hard to understand, and at the 
 same time, provides us with means to under- 
 stand it, He surely thei'eby intimates to us that 
 we must use these means. A man who meets 
 with some difficulty in Scripture, but yet makes 
 no careful incpiiry, searches for no collateral 
 source of light, but leaps to some explanation 
 which he is then prepared to maintain to be the 
 true one ; this man, in effect, has rejected the 
 help which God offers him, and has no right to 
 believe that God has guided him to his con- 
 clusion. 
 
 God guides those only who observe the way- 
 marks He lias set up : and if the careless inquirer 
 even pray for wisdom to understand the Scri]>
 
 WHAT IS TRUTH ? 29 
 
 tures, he has no right to expect a favorable an- 
 swer to his prayers. Prayer unaccompanied by 
 the use of means is a mockery of God, not a 
 reverent worship offered Him. The husband- 
 man who prays for a harvest, while he does not 
 cultivate his fields, exhibits, not piety, but pre- 
 sumption. And he Avho seeks to know the mean- 
 ing of Scripture, and neglects to use all available 
 means which may assist him to understand it, is 
 likely to wander on in darkness : nay, his dark- 
 ness Avill be the more profound because he sup- 
 poses he has found the liglit. 
 
 So, then, when at a loss as to the meaning of 
 God's Word, it is our plain duty to compare 
 Scripture with Scrij)ture, to use, as far as we can, 
 the labors of the wise, and the learned, and the 
 pious, who have investigated the same subject, 
 A¥e must inquire whether there has been in the 
 Church a settled interpretation of a doubtful 
 passage, or a clear definition of one that is ob- 
 scure ; and if we find such, although not abso- 
 lutely bound by it, in matters not " de fide^'' not 
 fundamental truths ; yet we must always respect 
 it and allow it great weight. 
 
 Having thus informed ourselves ; having thus 
 prepared the materials for judgment; we must 
 humbly and earnestly cast ourselves upon God 
 to help us, and j^ray Him to enlighten our judg-
 
 30 WHAT IS TRUTH? 
 
 ment and guide us to the Trntli. Then may we 
 well hope that prayers offered up in the spirit of 
 docility will he graciously heard ; and that to us 
 will be fulfilled those words of encouragement: 
 " If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God 
 that giveth to all men libei-ally and upbraideth 
 not ; and it shall be given him." 
 
 Now, let me briefly sum up what I have been 
 teaching. 
 
 Ist. That all moral and religious truth impor- 
 tant to mankind and essential to our welfare, is 
 contained in Holy Scripture ; so that, in the lan- 
 guage of our Article, " Whatsoever is not read 
 therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be 
 required of any man that it should be believed 
 as an article of the Faith ; or be thought requi- 
 site or necessary to salvation." Tradition then, 
 the writings of the Fathers, the decrees of coun- 
 cils and the like, however valuable for other 
 purposes (and for some important purj^oses they 
 are very valuable), are yet, not a part of Reve- 
 lation, nor a source of Divine Ti'uth. 
 
 2dly. In the interpretation of Holy Scripture, 
 the voice of the Church, in all ages, is always 
 authoritative and sometimes conclusive. It is 
 conclusive in doctrines essential to salvation. 
 The Church of Christ as a whole cannot have 
 erred in the essentials of salvation, otherwise,
 
 WHAT IS TIUJTH? 31 
 
 the great body of believers liave perislied be- 
 cause of their Faith ; which is i)lainly incon- 
 sistent with the very purposes for which the 
 Church was given, and with Christ's promise to 
 be with it to the end of the worhl, and that the 
 gates of Hell should not prevail against it. This 
 principle is fatal to all new lights in religion, 
 especially to such as bear on essential doctrines. 
 2>dly. In understanding doctrines not essential 
 to salvation, and yet important, it is necessary to 
 use human means, together with earnest, hearty 
 prayer for Divine guidance. And yet even here, 
 a large measui'e of respect and deference is due 
 to the uniform and distinct teachings of the 
 Church. Now, the Church of Clirist has summed 
 up those doctrines which she judges essential to 
 salvation in her Creeds. These we must receive 
 at our soul's peril. There are others as to which 
 her testimony throughout the ages and through- 
 out the world is also distinct and plain, although 
 they are not placed by her on the same ground 
 of necessity with the truths of the Creed. These 
 are the lawfulness and usefulness of Infant Bap- 
 tism, and of Confirmation ; the Apostolic Suc- 
 cession in the Ministry ; the divine origin and 
 obliixation of the Eucharist and the like.
 
 tracts for iWssionarn Itee. 
 
 No. 2. 
 
 THE 
 
 DOUBTING CHRISTIAN ENCOURAGED. 
 
 BY 
 
 THE RT. REV. N. 11. COBBS, D.I). 
 
 BISnOP OF ALABAMA.
 
 Entered ftccoriling to Act of Congress, in the year 1859, 
 
 By DANIEL DANA, Jr., 
 
 In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern 
 District of New Yorlj.
 
 THE DOUBTING CHRISTIAN ENCOURAGED. 
 
 " And straightway the father of the child cried ont, 
 and said with tears, Lc/rd, Ihelieve ,' help tluni -mine 
 unljeliefr — St. Mark, ix. 24. 
 
 These words of tlie text are a part of a very 
 interesting portion of tlie New Testament, and 
 are well calculated to affect ns with the liveliest 
 sensibility. "And one of the multitude answered 
 and said. Master, I have brought unto thee my 
 son, which hath a dumb spirit ; and wheresoever 
 he taketh him, he teareth him : and he foameth 
 and gnasheth with his teeth and pineth away : 
 and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast 
 him out, and they could not. He answereth and 
 saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be 
 with you ? how long shall I suffer you ? Bring 
 him unto me. And they brought him unto 
 Him ; and when He saw him, straightway the 
 spirit tare him, and he fell on the ground, and 
 wallowed foaming. And He asked his father, 
 How long is it ago since this came unto him? 
 
 35
 
 4 THE DOUBTING CIIRISTIAlSr ENCOURAGED. 
 
 And lie said, Of a cliild. And oftentimes it liatli 
 cast him into tlie fire, and into tlie waters, to 
 destroy liim: but if Thou canst do any thing, 
 have compassion on us, and help us. And Jesus 
 said unto him. If thou canst believe, all things 
 are possible to him that believeth. And straight- 
 way the father of the child cried out, and said 
 with tears, Lord^ I believe; help 2hou mine iiii^e- 
 liefP 
 
 There is something very affecting in the words 
 of the father of the afflicted child. He was in a 
 most painful struggle between hope and fear : — 
 anxiously solicitous for relief of his poor unfor- 
 tunate child, he felt his fearful responsil)ility 
 when told that the recovery of the child de- 
 pended upon the strength of his own faith. Al- 
 though he was conscious of having faith in the 
 power of the Saviour to heal diseases in general, 
 yet there were circumstances in the case of his 
 own child which excited his fears. The disciples 
 had tried to heal his child, and had failed — and 
 it might be that the efforts of the Saviour him- 
 self would prove equally unavailing. No won- 
 der, then, that the tender heart of the father 
 sought relief in tears, and that he should utter 
 the pathetic exclamation of the text, "Lord, I 
 believe ; help Thou mine unbelief." As much as 
 to say, " Lord, I do wish to believe — I do try to 
 
 36
 
 THE DOT [rrrx<i oiiristian encoukaged. 5 
 
 believe — I tliiiik, indeed, tbiit I do believe : yet 
 I must confess that I have many doubts and 
 fears ; I am not certain that my faith is sincere ; 
 I may, after all, be deceived ; — Lord, wilt Thou 
 be pleased to have mercy on my weakness, and 
 help me to believe, and heal my poor child, not- 
 withstanding all the defects of my faith." 
 
 In these words of the father of the child we 
 see the exercise of weak and doubting believers 
 in the present day. There are multitudes ready 
 to exclaim, and even sometimes with tears, "Lord, 
 we believe ; help Thou our unbelief." 
 
 In speaking from these words of the text, we 
 will inquire into some of the causes of a weak 
 and a doul^ting fixith among believers. For it is 
 obvious that a large number of them are labor- 
 ing under a heavy burden of doubts and fears ; 
 that their spiritual prospects are often confused 
 and overclouded, and that the calmness of a set- 
 tled and prevailing peace is a stranger to their 
 bosoms. 
 
 It is true, that in many cases these doubts and 
 fears proceed from neglect of duty, from the 
 consciousness of transgressions, from worldly- 
 mind edness, and from not attending upon the 
 ordinances of the Gospel. In all such cases it is 
 right and proper that Christians should be dis- 
 tressed with doubts and fears ; it is a mercy that 
 
 37
 
 6 THE DOUBTING CHRISTIAJST ENCOURAGED. 
 
 tliey are so: tbese doubts and fears may be tlie 
 means of tlieir safety, the way by which they 
 are to he brought to self-examination, to repent- 
 ance and reformation. Sad, indeed, wouhi it be 
 for such persons to be crying peace, peace, when 
 the Scriptures and their own consciences tell 
 them "there is no peace." But yet there are 
 numbers of humble, sincere, conscientious, and 
 tender-hearted people, who are often distressed 
 with doubts and fears, and all proceeding from 
 the want of a clear view of the doctrines of the 
 Gospel. It will, therefore, be the object of the 
 present remarks, to inquire why such persons are 
 laboring under a weak and doubting fiiiith. 
 
 1. Some 2^^^'^07i-s confound faith with assur- 
 ance^ and tldiik they cannot have a saving faith 
 unless they are certain of heing converted and ac- 
 cepted. 
 
 Some persons there are, who tell you that 
 they do wish to believe, that they do try to be- 
 lieve, that they are willing to go to the Loi'd 
 Jesus Christ, and to put all their trust and con- 
 fidence in His merits and mercy. But they are 
 afraid that Christ will not receive them; they 
 feel as though it would be presumption in them 
 to claim an interest in His salvation ; that, al- 
 though they do sometimes cherish a hope in the 
 Saviour, yet they neither know the time nor the 
 
 38
 
 TUK D0U15TING ClirJSTIAN ENCOURACJKD. i 
 
 place of their conversion ; that tliey are not cer- 
 tain they have tlie witness of the Holy Sj)irit, 
 nor that God has pardoned their sins. Now, to * 
 these very common difficulties, experienced by 
 humble and serious inquirers, we would say that 
 faith is a different thing from assurance ^ from a 
 certain confidence of being converted. Persons 
 may be very confident of being converted ; may 
 think to have an assurance of the pardon of 
 their sins, and yet have no true saving faith, no 
 vital religion. Indeed, it sometimes happens 
 that those who have the most confidence and 
 assurance, have the least claims to true evangel- 
 ical faith. 
 
 Faith is a looking to Christ, is an humble 
 trusting in Christ, an acceptance of Christ ; it is 
 a belief in the word, and promise, and power of 
 Christ; it is submission to His laws; it is the 
 resting upon Christ of one's whole hope of mercy 
 and salvation ; it is the embracing of Christ, as 
 He is set forth in the Gospel, as the Way, the 
 Truth, and the Life. But all this has nothing 
 to do with a confidence that w^e are converted, 
 with an assurance that we are accepted. For 
 example, when the eunuch, after listening to the 
 preaching of Philip, inquired " if he might not be 
 baptized," or, in other words, make a profession 
 of religion, Philip answered, "If thou believest 
 
 39
 
 8 THE DOUBTIISTG CHRISTIAN ENCOURAGED. 
 
 with all tliiue heart, thou mayest ; " to which the 
 eunuch replied, "I believe that Jesus Christ is 
 the son of God ; " or, in other words, " I accept 
 the Lord Jesus Christ as the Saviour of sinners. 
 I accede to the terms of salvation, as laid down 
 in the Gospel ; and put my whole trust and con- 
 fidence in God's mercy, through Christ Jesus." 
 Whereupon Philip immediately baptized him, 
 and received him into the Church of Christ. 
 Again, when the frightened jailor asked the 
 apostles Paul and Silas, " what he must do to be 
 saved," they did not tell him he could not be 
 saved unless he was confident of being pardoned 
 and converted, that he must be certain that his 
 sins were forgiven him ; but they told him, 
 "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou 
 shalt be saved." They taught him to look to 
 Jesus, to accept Him as a Saviour, to put his 
 whole trust and confidence in His merits and 
 mercy. If the jailor would do this in sincerity, 
 the apostles knew that he would be saved : not 
 because of any confidence or assurance derived 
 from his feelings, or notions, or impressions ; but 
 because of the promise of God's mercy contained 
 in the Gospel. As to the doctrine sometimes 
 taught, that we cannot be Christians unless we 
 know the time and place of our conversion, we 
 would remark, that according to this standard of 
 
 40
 
 THE DOUBTINa CIIRISTIA^ST ENCOURAGED. 
 
 judging, we cannot know that we are alive, un- 
 less Ave can rememl)ei' tlie time and place of our 
 natui'al birth ; tliat where this evidence is wanting, 
 we are dead, and have never been born, though 
 we can eat, and drink, and move, and work, and 
 perform all the other functions and offices of life. 
 And as regards the witness of the Holy Spirit, 
 we must determine that important fact, not from 
 any glow, or excitement, or ti'ansport of feeling, 
 not from any notion, or fancy, or impression fas- 
 tening itself upon the mind, but by calmly com- 
 paring our exercises, views, feelings, hopes, de- 
 sires, and conduct, with the word of God, as 
 revealed in the Gospel. The written word of 
 the Gospel is the formal, official testimony of the 
 Holy Spirit spread upon record ; and in order 
 that we may know that we are under the guid- 
 ance and teaching of that same Spirit, we must 
 compare oui'selves, our exercises and conduct 
 with the written Word. In this way we may 
 ascertain, not from whim, or fancy, or transports, 
 but from Scripture, experience, and plain com- 
 mon sense, whether we have the Holy Spirit 
 bearing witness with our spirits that we are the 
 children of God. 
 
 2. Some persons liibor under doubts and fears 
 from misajyj^reliending the whole plan of Gospel 
 salvation. Being awakened to the knowledge 
 
 41
 
 10 THE DUUIJTING CHRISTIAN ENCOURAGED. 
 
 of the truth, seeing and feeling themselves to be 
 poor, miserable, guilty sinners, these persons are 
 afraid to go to Christ, and to trust in Him for 
 mercy. Most gladly, indeed, would they go to 
 Christ, and embrace Him as their own friend 
 and Saviour; but they dare not, tliey feel too un- 
 worthy^ tliey are not good enough. The piteous 
 cry of each one of them is, " Lord, I believe that 
 Thou art merciful, and willing to save others, 
 but I am afraid I am so wicked and vile, that 
 there is no mercy for me. My sins pi'ess heavily 
 upon me ; and peace and comfort are strangers 
 to my bosom. Others may have hope, and 
 peace, and joy, but with me all is darkness, and 
 doubt, and fear. In the words of the hymn, 
 
 ' I hear, but seem to hear in vain, 
 
 Insensible as steel ; 
 If aught is felt, 'tis only pain 
 
 To find I cannot feel.'" 
 
 Now, with these persons, the great difficulty 
 is, that they endeavor to justify themselves, and 
 to become righteous before they go to Christ. 
 They forget the great doctrine of the Gospel, 
 that " Christ came to save sinners^l'' " to seeTc and 
 to sa/ve that ivhich is lost^^'' " to call not the right- 
 eous hut sinners to repentance^^ " to invite not the 
 self-righteous^ hut the poor in spirit^ the xceary 
 and heavy laden to come ti7ito Ilim.^'' Christ has 
 
 42
 
 THE DOUBTING CHRISTIAN ENCOURAGED. 11 
 
 tlie robes of salvation ; and instead of sewing up 
 fig-leaves to make to themselves garments, they 
 must go NAKED to Christ, and be clothed of Ilim 
 in the rol)es of righteousness. They must not 
 wait to be filled, but must go hungry^ yea, starv- 
 ing^ and be fed from the bountiful stores of 
 Chrisfs tahle. They must not wait to become 
 clean, but as leprous^ i:)olliLted^ and unclean^ they 
 must go to Christ, and be washed in the purify- 
 ing hlood of the Lamh. They must not hope to 
 justify themselves by any efforts or services, but 
 the}^ must go as guilty sinners^ and be forgiven 
 all their sins ; freely^ because of the atonement 
 and intercession of the Lord Jesus Christ. 
 These persons will never go to Christ, if they 
 wait till they become fit^ wortliy^ good enough / 
 if they delay till they have repented^ enough, and 
 believed enough, and been hwnbled enough to 
 recommend them to the favor of Christ, and to 
 justify them in the sight of God ; if they hope 
 to find in themselves an}?" reasons by which they 
 may think themselves entitled to claim the 
 mercy of God. We repeat it, therefore, these 
 persons must go to Christ as sinners., poor., lost., 
 ruined sinners. They must give themselves up 
 unconditionally to God in Jesus Christ, with a 
 full consciousness of being altogether unworthy ; 
 they must place their whole trust and confidence 
 
 43
 
 12 THE DOUBTING CHRISTIAN ENCOURAGED. 
 
 in tlie rigliteousness, and merits, and mercy of 
 the Lord Jesus Christ. In this way, the painful 
 conflict in their breasts will be terminated, the 
 burden of guilt will be removed ; and as they 
 humbly repose upon the simple but sure promise 
 of God's mercy in Christ Jesus, the dark clouds 
 Avill be dispersed from their spii'itual horizon, 
 and hope, and peace, and comfort, will be felt in 
 their souls. 
 
 3. Another reason why persons labor under 
 doul)ts and fears is, because they overlook one of 
 the great ohjects of Gospel revelation^ wliich was 
 to certify us of GocVs good-will to wen. These 
 persons think they are to detei'mine whether 
 God is willing to have mercy upon them by 
 some strange unnatural feeling, by some peculiar 
 manifestation, l)y some extraordinary impression 
 upon their minds, by some special iuAvard revela- 
 tion of God's grace and pardon. They say they 
 do believe, at least they do try to believe, they 
 are willing to go to Christ as poor lost sinners, 
 they do give up and put their whole dependence 
 in the merits of the Saviour ; l)ut yet with them 
 all is darkness, and doubt, and fear. No light 
 of hope cheei's their dreary prospects, no voice 
 of mercy gi-eets their anxious ears, no evidence 
 from on hicfh has been received that their sins 
 have been forgiven, that they have been accept- 
 44
 
 THE D0U1?TI]VCt christian ENCOURAGED. 13 
 
 eel of God, and tliat Jesus Christ is tlieir indi- 
 vidual friend, tlieir present Saviour. The mourn- 
 ful cry of each one of them is this, — " Oh, that 
 I could Icnoio^ could be certain that God was 
 willing to have mercy upon me^ that Jesus Christ 
 died for me^ that my sins were noio pardoned, and 
 that I might call Jesus Christ ' my Lord and my 
 God? " Now the difficulty with these persons is 
 this, they disregard the settled testimony of 
 God's word and institutions, the plain simple 
 purpose of the Gospel revelation, and look for 
 an extraneous evidence which is vague and in- 
 definite, — an evidence which can be subjected to 
 no fixed rules of examination, ])ut which depends 
 on frames and feelings, upon impulses and fan- 
 cies ; in a word, they overlook the evidence 
 which God has established, and seek after that 
 which man imagines or invents. Now, if it is by 
 our fi-ames and feelings alone that we are to de- 
 termine God's purposes towards us, if this is the 
 only sur^evidence by which we are to determine 
 whether or not God pardons our sins, of what 
 use, of what benefit is the Gospel ? If it is yet 
 to be left to our frames and feelings, to individ- 
 ual illumination, to determine the momentous 
 question of God's willingness to save sinners, 
 then, indeed, the Gospel was given in vain, and 
 the angels of lieaven were mistaken, when, re- 
 
 45
 
 14 THE DOUBTING CHRISTIAN ENCOUEAGED. 
 
 garding the birth of the Saviour as the great, 
 conchisive, and standing evidence of God's mer- 
 ciful purposes towards men, they exclaimed, 
 " Glory to God in tlie highest, on earth peace, 
 good-will towards men." If it is to be left to 
 our feelings and impulses alone to ascertain our 
 adoption and acceptance, how are we to ascer- 
 tain these feelings, how to distinguish the true 
 from the false, the workings of the Spirit from 
 the conceits of imagination ? Or are we, without 
 consulting the written word of the Gospel, to 
 take it for granted that these im2:)ulses and feel- 
 ings are the direct witness of the Holy Spirit? 
 If so, if there is no definite standard by which 
 these feelings are to be tried, then all this boast- 
 ed assurance, derived alone from this source, is 
 but a blind leap in the dark, and is no assurance 
 at all. Brethren, the great question whether 
 God is willing to have mercy upon a sinner, is 
 too important, too momentous, to be left to any 
 frames or feelings of mortals. It was the ex- 
 press object of the Gospel revelation to certify 
 us of God's willingness to save sinners ; it was in 
 order to place that blessed truth beyond all 
 doubt and controversy, that the Lord Jesus 
 Christ lived, and taught, and suffered, and died, 
 and rose agtiin. It was for this purpose that a 
 Church, with its sacraments, was established, and 
 
 46
 
 THE DOUBTING CHRISTIAN ENCOURAGED. 15 
 
 that a living iniiiif^tiy was instituted to go abroad 
 and proclaim the glad tidings of salvation, to 
 stand before men face to face, and as they rise 
 up in successive generations, to tell them the 
 good news that God is Avilling to save sinners. 
 Wherefore, since God has given us the inspired 
 word of His Gospel, and therein made known to 
 us the revelation of His will, it is noAv our duty 
 and privilege to be guided by the Gospel as a 
 sure and infallible standard. By the Gospel we 
 are to determine whether we repent of sin, 
 whether we are willing to accept the pardoning 
 mercy of God, whether we are ready to accede 
 to the terms of salvation, and whether we have 
 " the Holy Spirit bearing witness with our spirits 
 that Ave are the children of God." In the Gos- 
 pel, God makes known His will unto men ; in the 
 Gospel the terms of salvation are plainly laid 
 down ; therein the marks and evidences of con- 
 version and adoption are cleai-ly specified, and 
 all the fruits of the Holy Spirit distinctly enu- 
 merated. It is, therefore, by the Gospel that we 
 are to test the exercises of our hearts, our frames 
 and feelings, and thus ascertain, in a clear and 
 satisfactory manner, " whether we are born of 
 the Spirit," and " are become new creatures in 
 Christ Jesus." 
 
 4. Some persons are filled loith doubts and fears 
 
 47
 
 IG THE DOUIJTING CHRISTIAN ENCOURAGED. 
 
 because of an injudicious comjiarison of tlieir 
 own religious exercises ivith the exercises of 
 others. They see others strong in the faith, 
 cheerful and happy in the enjoyment of religious 
 comforts, apparently growing in grace and in 
 the knowledge of Christ ; while they themselves 
 are weak and feelde, full of doubts and fears, 
 and groaning under a burden of sin and corrup- 
 tion. They therefore become discouraged, they 
 sink down in despondency, and oftentimes con- 
 clude that they know nothing of religion, and 
 " are aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, 
 having no hope and without God in the world." 
 Now these persons do not consider that though 
 '•'■ there is the same Spirit, there is a diversity of 
 operations ;" that some have one gift of the 
 Spirit, and some another, and that always each 
 one has something peculiar to himself They 
 should remember that all have tlieir trials and 
 difficulties, tlieir doubts and fears, their tempta- 
 tions and besetting sins, their days of darkness 
 and desertion ; and that those who now seem so 
 mucli to abound in faith and hope and comfort, 
 may ere long be weeping over the desolation of 
 their spiritual prospects, and in the bitterness of 
 their hearts may be asking " if the Lord has for- 
 gotten to be gracious, and if His mercy is clean 
 gone forever V These persons should remember, 
 
 48
 
 THE DOUBTING CHRISTIAN ENCOUEAGED. 17 
 
 that tliougli tliey find in tlieir hearts so mucli sin 
 and corruption, and think that surely none can 
 be so unworthy as they ; yet that all have to 
 complain of the plague of their hearts, and to 
 confess and bewail their infirmities and sinfulness 
 in the sight of heaven. It was the complaint 
 even of an apostle, that when " he would do 
 good, he found evil was present ;" " that though 
 he delighted in the law of God after the inward 
 man," yet he saw " another law in his members, 
 warring against the law of his mind, and bring- 
 ing him into captivity to the law of sin in his 
 members." But in this state of mind what was 
 the resource of the apostle ? to whom did he 
 look for deliverance " from this body of death ?" 
 Hear him in his own words — "I thank God, 
 through Jesus Christ our Lord." The apostle's 
 hope was in Christ Jesus, and in Him alone / he 
 rested simply v/pon tlie cross. And here too 
 must be placed the hopes of all believers ; the 
 strong as well as the weak. They must look to 
 Jesus Christ ; from first to last they must go as 
 sinners to the cross of Christ, and all their hopes 
 of acceptance with God, and of happiness in 
 heaven, must rest upon no merits nor works of 
 their own, but altogether upon God's mercy, 
 vouchsafed to sinners through the Lord Jesus 
 Christ. The great anchor-hope of the Christian 
 
 3 49
 
 18 THE DOUBTING CURISTIAN ENCOUIIAGED. 
 
 is this — " That Christ Jesus came into the world 
 to save sinnersy To this he clings through all 
 the doubts, and fears, and trials of his toilsome 
 pilgrimage ; and in his fearful struggle with his 
 last enemy, it is this that sustains his soul, and 
 giving him the victory, enables him to depart 
 with the song of triumph on his lips. 
 
 5. The great importance of the interest at staTce 
 has a natural tendency to produce^ in some per- 
 sons^ agitation^ fearfidness^ and alarm. Some 
 persons, from constitutional temperament, are 
 prone to look on the dark and unfavorable side 
 of objects ; they are predisposed to melancholy 
 forebodings, and seek morbid gratification in 
 creating and cherishing a crowd of imaginary 
 fears and evils. Now when persons of this con- 
 stitutional tendency become interested in the 
 momentous truths of religion, and when they find 
 in themselves, after all their efforts, so much sin 
 and corruption, they very naturally give way to 
 sadness and melancholy, and ask if it is possible 
 that such as they can be Christians ; they think 
 that they must be strangers to the converting 
 and sanctifying power of grace, and that it is })ut 
 the mockeiy, the j)rofanati()n of holy things, for 
 tliem to claim to be the followers of the Savioui*. 
 And even where there is no piHtuliai* constitu- 
 tional tendency to melancholy, the very magni- 
 60
 
 THE DOUBTING CHRISTIAN ENCOURAGED. 19 
 
 tude of the interests involved will cause, in many 
 persons, apprehension, anxiety, and agitation. 
 The startling question will sometimes press itself 
 into notice, " What if they should be deceived ?" 
 What if, after all their profession of religion before 
 men, they should at last become castaways from 
 the presence of God, and instead of gaining the 
 joys of heaven, should be sentenced to endure 
 the torments of hell ? Being sincerely honest in 
 their religious purposes, and utterly abhorring all 
 manner of hypocrisy, such persons often become 
 greatly distressed and alarmed, when they find in 
 themselves so many repeated and melancholy 
 proofs "that the heart is deceitful and desper- 
 ately wicked." The sad complaint of each one is 
 this : " Lord, I sometimes believe, or, rather, hope 
 that I am a sincere Christian, that I am converted 
 and become a new man in Christ Jesus. I do 
 know it is my wish, my earnest ^irayer and effort, 
 to be a sincere Christian ; and that I would not 
 willingly appear before men to be what I am not 
 in the sight of God ; but, alas ! I have a heart 
 so wicked, and I so often fall into sin and grieve 
 the Holy Spirit, that I am awfully afraid I am 
 yet a stranger to the sanctifying power of grace." 
 " Search me, O God ! and know my heart ; try 
 me and know my thoughts, and see if there be 
 any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way 
 
 61
 
 20 THE DOUBTING CHRISTIAN ENCOURAGED. 
 
 everltisting." "Create in me a clean heart, O 
 God, and renew a right spirit within me." " Cast 
 me not away from thy presence, and take not 
 thy Holy Spirit from me." 
 
 Now to such persons we would say, that those 
 who have the deepest religious feelings, are 
 sometimes most doubtful of their religious attain- 
 ments ; that where there is most grace, there is 
 commonly the most humility ; that a weak Mth 
 may be as sincere and saving as a strong one ; 
 that these doul)ts and fears are incentives to duty 
 and watchfulness, and barriers against sins and 
 temptations ; that those who have the least con- 
 fidence and make the least pretensions, are often- 
 times the most faithful in duty and the most per- 
 severing in well-doing ; and that thus it is with 
 believers in general, sometimes in hope, and 
 sometimes in fear; yet, by the grace of God, 
 constantly pressing onwai'd, through manifold 
 trials, temptations, and difficulties, and notwith- 
 standing all their discouragements, defeats, and 
 falls, successfully reaching the kingdom of 
 heaven, and ultimately gaining a crown of life. 
 It should be remembered, too, that the Chris- 
 tian's life here below is a state of warfare, and 
 that no soldier can reasonably expect always to 
 enjoy ease and comfort. Trials and hardships 
 must be encountered ; wearisome journeys, cold 
 
 52
 
 THE DOUBTING CHRISTIAN ENCOURAGED. 21 
 
 and hunger, must be his portion ; and sometimes 
 he must mingle in the fierce and deadly strife 
 and danger of battle. Let then these weak and 
 desponding believers go onward, notwithstand- 
 ing all their doubts and fears, " looking only" to 
 Jesus, the author and finisher of their faith. 
 Though the way may be rough, and the difficul- 
 ties may be great, and the prospects may be 
 dark, and their spirits may be sad, yet let them 
 liold on to the promise ; yes, let them hold on to 
 the 'promise^ and all will come right at last; the 
 hills will recede, and the way will become more 
 smooth ; the fury of the storm will be hushed, 
 the clouds will disperse, the birds will resume 
 their songs, the fields will look green and gay, 
 and the sun, which had been so long concealed, 
 01* fiiintly seen at intervals, will shine forth in 
 full-orbed glory, and sink to rest without a cloud 
 or speck to dim his disk. God is faithful to His 
 promise ; like Himself, His promise is the same, 
 " yesterday, to-day, and forever." Hear the ex- 
 hortation of the pious Prophet of Israel : " Who 
 is among you thatfeareth the Lord, that obeyeth 
 the voice of His servant, that walketh in dark- 
 ness, and hath no light; let him. tmmstiii the name 
 of the Lord^ and stay vpon his GodT And hear 
 from the same Prophet, the promise of God : 
 " Fear not, for I am with thee ; be not dismayed, 
 
 53
 
 22 THE DOUBTING CHRISTIAlSr ENCOURAGED. 
 
 for I am thy God ; I will strengthen thee ; yea, 
 I will help thee ; yea, I will uphold thee with 
 the right hand of my righteousness." 
 
 And here, in conclusion, we would remark, 
 that the best remedy for all these doubts and 
 fears, is humble prayer to God, This was the 
 resort of the father of the afflicted chihl : " Help, 
 Lord; hel]^ Thoit mine unbelief;" and prayer 
 must be our main resource under all the imper- 
 fections of our faith. We should recollect that 
 faith is the gift of God, and we should, there- 
 fore, pray to Him to bestow upon us that most 
 precious gift. We must ask for the Holy Spirit, 
 " to work in us to will and to do," to enable us 
 to believe, and to take hold of the sweet prom- 
 ises of mercy. And we have every encourage- 
 ment to pray ; for God has promised to hear 
 when we call, and to give when we ask ; and 
 especially to " give the Holy Spirit to them that 
 ask Him." Let us, then, day by day, lift up our 
 hearts to God ; let us pour out to Him the wants 
 and sorrows of our souls ; let it be our earnest 
 cry, that the Lord would help us to believe, that 
 He would give us grace and strength to rise 
 above all our fears, and to claim the Saviour as 
 our personal Friend and Redeemer. Let us " go 
 forward in the strength of the Lord, making 
 mention of His righteousness and of His only," 
 54
 
 THE DOUBTING CHRISTIAN ENCOUKAGED. 23 
 
 and we shall jSiid, to our comfort, that our 
 hearts, so long contracted by doubts and fears, 
 will be relaxed and softened ; the affections of 
 our souls will flow out and fasten themselves 
 upon the Saviour ; the painful conflict in our 
 bosoms will be terminated ; and the blessed 
 " peace of God which passeth all understand- 
 ing," will take the j^lace of guilty and accusing 
 fears. " We shall thus be strengthened with 
 might by His Spirit in the inner man ; Christ 
 will dwell in our hearts by faith ; being rooted 
 and grounded in love, we shall be able to com- 
 prehend with all saints, what is the breadth, 
 and length, and depth, and height, and to know 
 the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, 
 and to be filled with all the fulness of God." 
 
 ISTow unto Him which is able to do exceed- 
 ingly above all that we ask or think, according 
 to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be 
 gloiy in the Church, by Christ Jesus, through- 
 out all ages, world without end. — Amen. 
 
 55
 
 ©racts for ilTissionarij Mbl 
 
 No. 3. 
 
 WHY CAN'T OUK MINISTERS PREACH 
 IN YOUR PULPITS ?
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 18D9, 
 
 By DANIEL DANA, Jr., 
 
 In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern 
 District of New York.
 
 WHY CAN'T OUR MINISTERS PREACH 
 IN YOUR PULPITS ? 
 
 " I AM very willing to confess that I like many 
 tilings I have observed in your Church exceed- 
 ingly. I like your orderly ways : it pleases me 
 to see what pains you take with the little chil- 
 dren : your people are generally very quiet and 
 ^veil-behaved : and I always learn something 
 when I hear you preach. But there is one thing 
 I can't get over: it seems so uncharitable and 
 unreasonable" — and here Squire Candid turned 
 in his saddle towards his fellow-traveller, and 
 with a tone half querulous and half sorrowful, 
 added : '■'Why carUt our ministers jpreach in your 
 imlpits f " 
 
 Now, this inquiry is by no means a new one : 
 it is very natural that many should propose it, 
 and A^ery necessary that it should be plainly an- 
 swered. 
 
 The Avriter trusts, that in rejporting the con- 
 versation with which this tract commences, he 
 
 59
 
 may find readers as honest and well disposed as 
 Squire Candid. 
 
 We are going a little too fast, however. "VYho 
 was the fellow-traveller, and how did this talk 
 come about ? 
 
 The Rev. Mr. Worthy had lately taken up his 
 residence in the beautiful village of Hamner as a 
 Missionary of the Protestant Episcopal Church. 
 He found there a few persons who, in their 
 youth, had been brought up in her faith, and 
 who were now very glad to produce certain old- 
 fashioned Prayer-books, and to join in fitting up 
 a cheap frame-building to serve as a church. 
 
 The villagers were quite divided in their re- 
 ligious sentiments, for there were Congregation- 
 alists, and Methodists, and Baptists, besides indi- 
 vidual members of several other denominations. 
 Yet their services were not very regular, and 
 many a Sunday passed without public religious 
 exercises. The religious people made it a point 
 to go to hear the preacher, whatever his per- 
 suasion might be. 
 
 Mr. Worthy, on entering the community, had 
 showed an evident desire to do the people good. 
 lie visited them familiarly at their homes, was 
 careful to hurt nobody's feelings, and frequently 
 left behind him a book or a tract to which no 
 manner of exception could be taken. The towns- 
 
 60
 
 PREACH IN YOTJR PULPITS ? 5 
 
 folk tliono'lit him a very sensible, earnest preach- 
 er, and altliough "-reading prayers" seemed veiy 
 queer to them at first, when they saw how the 
 children took to it, and how pleased they were 
 when the Episcopal chapel was open, they were 
 much disclosed to think that there was good 
 in it. 
 
 Things did not always go on as smoothly as 
 they commenced. First, the Sons of Temperance 
 asked for permission to have an address delivered 
 in the chapel, as the warmest room to be found 
 in the winter-time ; and they thought it veiy 
 narrow-minded in Mr. Worthy to refuse : and 
 then there was a camp-meeting in the neighboi-- 
 hood, which Mr. Worthy did not attend or assist 
 in ; and some said he was not as zealous as he 
 might be : and last of all, somebody wanted to 
 have a " funeral preached " in the chapel by a 
 Presbyterian minister, after Mr. Worthy's read- 
 ing the Burial Service out of the Prayer-book. 
 To this arrangement, also, the minister objected. 
 As a consequence a good deal began to be said 
 about his bigotry ; many said they would never 
 attend the ministry of one who would not let 
 ministers of other denominations preach in his 
 pulpit. Even Squire Candid, a good and reli- 
 gious old gentleman, who had at fii*st been right 
 well pleased, had given the missionary some 
 
 61
 
 6 WHY can't oue iministees 
 
 cold looks, and for some months past had ab- 
 stained from going to his church. 
 
 Just no\/, however, accident had thrown the 
 two together ; they had met at a sick man's 
 house in the country, and were I'iding home to- 
 gether. The Squire had been affected by the 
 gentleness and earnestness with which the minis- 
 ter had counselled one who sorely needed com- 
 fort ; he was struck with the unaffected humility 
 of the man, and the absence of every thing like 
 arrogance in his deportment. And when, as 
 they rode along, Mr. Worthy expressed his re- 
 gret at not seeing him among his flock for a long 
 time, the old man came right out in the words 
 already recited, and asked with all sincerity, 
 " My dear sir, why can't our ministers preach in 
 your pulj^its ?" 
 
 The conversation proceeded somewhat after 
 this fashion : 
 
 " I am glad to hear you ask that question. I 
 am often pained at the thought that good people 
 think hardly of us for what is called our exclu- 
 siveness, and I wish I could oftener have an op- 
 portunity of explaining the position of the Epis- 
 copal Church. But, Squire, I cannot answer 
 your question in five minutes ; if we discuss this 
 matter at all, we must have a long talk about it. 
 Perhaps I cannot persuade you that we are right, 
 
 62
 
 PEEACH IIS^ YOUR PULPITS ? 7 
 
 but I feel very certain that I can show you we 
 are not witliout very good reasons m keeping to 
 ourselves." 
 
 The Squire. " Well, talk away. We have a 
 long ride before us, and I am always willing to 
 hear what people have to say for themselves. 
 I'm a blunt man, Parson, and I hope you won't 
 take oifence ; but nol^ody can persuade me it is 
 light for any set of people to make themselves 
 out better than others." 
 
 The Minister. " I was about to propose that 
 you should tell me why you think so hardly of 
 other ministers not being invited into our pul- 
 pits. That will clear the way for me. Your 
 chief objection, then, is, that it looks as if we 
 thought too much of ourselves." 
 
 Squire. "That is just it." 
 
 Minister. " It is the rule of charity to impute 
 to men the best motives we can. You ouirht 
 not to think this of us, if any other reasonable 
 account can be given. Squire, you have not 
 seen many Episcoj^alians ; but you do know a 
 few: you have turned over the leaves of the 
 Prayer-book a good deal. Do you really think 
 that our religion, as you have thus seen it, is 
 particularly self-righteous ? ' God, I thank thee 
 that I am not as other men' — do you think the 
 Church teaches us to talk that way ?" 
 
 63
 
 b WHY CANT OUR MIinSTEES 
 
 Squire. "ISTo, I don't say that; but if you do 
 not think yourselves better than us, why can't 
 our ministers preach in your pulpits ?" 
 
 Minister. "There was a great mistake made 
 once about this matter. What you say of us, is 
 exactly what Korah and his company said of 
 Moses and Aaron. There were men in the camp 
 just as good as the members of that family : per- 
 haps better. He complained bitterly that Moses 
 and Aaron kept the sacred offices to themselves, 
 whereas all the congregation was holy. No 
 Episcopalian, Squire, has ever been more berated 
 for his exclusiveness, — more reproached with 
 thinking too much of himself, and despising his 
 brethren, than were Moses and Aaron." 
 
 They had stoj^ped just here at a little brook, 
 and while their horses were drinking, Mr. Wor- 
 thy read the verse to which he had alluded, out 
 of his pocket-Bible : " And they gathered them- 
 selves together against Moses and against Aaron, 
 and said unto them. Ye take too much upon you, 
 seeing all the congregation are holy, every one 
 of them, and the Lord is among them : where- 
 fore then lift ye up yourselves above the congre- 
 gation of the Lord ? " 
 
 " Now you know," continued Mr. Worthy, 
 " that this man Moses was the meekest of men : 
 he felt no envy when, as in the case of Eldad 
 
 G4
 
 PREACH IN YOUE PULPITS ? 9 
 
 and Medad, the spirit of ])r()]ihecy fell on others 
 - as well as himself. He did not deserve the re- 
 proach of thinking his house better than the 
 other families of Israel, for he was but carrying 
 out God's ordinance, that no stranger which was 
 not of the house of Levi should come near to 
 offer incense. Is it not possible, now, that our 
 exclusiveness may, like that of Moses, be a mat- 
 ter of principle, and not an evidence of pride ?" 
 
 Squire. "I suppose, then, you mean to say, 
 that you can't help yourselves: you have a canon, 
 as they call it, that ties you up. If that is the 
 case, I must say it is very bad law, and you 
 ought to change it. Here comes a pious man, 
 whose preaching the Lord blesses to the conver- 
 sion of souls, and you cannot ask him to preach 
 for you. You ought to change that law." 
 
 Minister. "No, I do not mean that: I should 
 despise myself if, instead of a sound reason, I 
 were to give so jntiful an excuse. No, Squire, 
 we take our stand, like Moses, on the Word of 
 God. The law would be wiped out at once if 
 we did not all believe that it ought to stand. 
 
 " A rule is one thing, a reason is quite an- 
 other. I hope I can give you a reason. But 
 before I go any further, let me be careful to say, 
 that whether our ministers are better or worse 
 than others has nothing to do with the question. 
 
 65
 
 10 WHY canV our ministers 
 
 "If experience lias tanglit me any thing cer- 
 tainly, I do seem to know that sincerity and 
 goodness are found in all religious persuasions — 
 and while I am determined never to excuse 
 error, I hope never to withhold from anybody 
 tlie credit he deserves because he is in error. 
 
 " S(j[uire, I once knew a Unitarian whose whole 
 life was one long series of charitable and self- 
 denying deeds. I have heard my own people 
 tell how, in time of pestilence, Romanists stood 
 in the breach and faced the destroyer. I have 
 met in wild hills a Methodist preacher, whose 
 untiring zeal and simple-hearted fervor made me 
 blush for my own deficiencies. I did not love 
 Unitarianism, or Komanism, or Methodism any 
 better ; but I loved and honored the men. 
 
 " As for your ministers, if the question were 
 whether I were a holier man than they, you may 
 be sm-e I would often sit at their feet and learn. 
 Yes, I have sometimes seen an old servant who, 
 if that were the test, ought to preach to me, 
 rather than I to him." 
 
 Squire. " Of course you could not let a Unita- 
 rian or a Roman Catholic preach for you : they 
 do not hold the same doctrine. But your doc- 
 trines and the INIethodists' are almost the same : 
 does it look civil and kind for you to treat a 
 good, pious minister with no respect ?" 
 66
 
 TEEACir IlSr TOUR PULPITS? 11 
 
 Minister. "The Methodists would hardly agree 
 that our doctrine is the same. If so, why did 
 they leave us ? But, however that is, politeness 
 has nothing to do with the matter. Prayers, and 
 sacraments, and sermons were not intended to be 
 made occasions of compliment. I wonder what 
 you Avould think, were our circuit judge to make 
 a bow to some ' Philadelphia lawyei",' who hap- 
 pened to be present, and insist upon his presiding 
 over the court. We hold all these to be matters 
 of principle, not of ceremony, politeness, or kind- 
 ness." 
 
 Squh'e. "Well, then, what is your i-eason, or 
 your principle ? I believe in people carrying out 
 their principles, when they have any." 
 
 "I will answer you then, plainly. We believe 
 in the unity of the Church : that is, that accord- 
 ing to the Bible there ought to be in all the 
 world one Church, and one only. We do not 
 feel ourselves at libei'ty to encourage or favor 
 the dividing up of Christian people into many 
 sects and parties. Do you think, from your 
 reading of the Bible, that our Lord and His apos- 
 tles intended to establish many churches ?" 
 
 " I cannot say that I have ever thought much 
 about it." 
 
 " But surely you remember how earnestly the 
 Saviour prayed that His people might all be one ; 
 
 67
 
 12 
 
 and how St. Paul warned Cliristian people 
 against divisions and differences : lie says plainly 
 tliere ought to he 'no schism in the body,' and 
 tliat we ought to be ' pei-fectly joined together 
 in the saine mind, and in tlie same judgment.' 
 The Church instituted by the Saviour was one ; 
 and the Christians we read of in the Bible were 
 not members of ever so many denominations." 
 
 " I suppose that must have been the way. But 
 still it seems strange. Do you suppose that there 
 was no difference or discussion about election, 
 and other doctrines V 
 
 " I do not doubt that there was ; I may say we 
 know tliat there was. People differed, but they 
 did not divide." 
 
 " I do not understand you." 
 
 "What I mean is this. All the Christian 
 people in those days agreed to receive the Bible 
 as the word of God, and when they were bap- 
 tized, confessed their faith, either in the Apos- 
 tles' Creed, or in some simple formula which ex- 
 pressed the doctrine of Father, Son, and Holy 
 Ghost. Besides this, they submitted to the min- 
 istiy set over them by the apostles, and observed 
 the two sacraments which our Lord instituted. 
 The bond of union was a triple cord : the faith, 
 the ministry, the sacraments. A Christian, in 
 early times, would find these the same wherever 
 
 68
 
 PEEACH IlSr YOUR PULPITS ? 1 3 
 
 he went, except among heretics. The forms of 
 worship were various, and there were diffei-ences 
 in the manner of stating doctrines ; l)ut in these 
 great things all united. The Church required 
 agreement in the essentials of religion ; in mat- 
 ters not essential she allowed people to differ. 
 You remember that St. Paul and St. Peter disa- 
 greed once : or, which is more to the purpose, 
 St. Paul and St. Barnabas had a sharp contention 
 about a question of expediency. But they did 
 not, for that reason, establish two Churches. 
 They parted asunder, and pursued their labors 
 in different parts of the same Churcl>^ No, 
 Squire, there is no warrant in the Bible for more 
 than one Church." 
 
 " And do you all claim to be that same 
 Church ?" 
 
 " Yes, we do. At a very early time the faith 
 was carried to England. A Church was founded 
 there, which, like the Church of other countries, 
 received the Creed, the apostolic ministry, the 
 sacraments. The English Church has kept all 
 these, and transmitted them to us. None of 
 them have been lost. In all essential things we 
 claim to stand just where the early Christians 
 stood. These things, we say, came to us from 
 Christ : we dare not alter them. If any people 
 choose to form a society with a new creed, a new 
 
 69
 
 14 
 
 ministry, or new sacraments, we cannot consent 
 to become responsible for their doings." 
 
 "But, Mr. Worthy," proceeded the Squire, 
 " what difference does it make, so the Gospel is 
 preached, and souls are saved ? If the end is 
 gained, it does not matter much how men accom- 
 plish it. I do believe it is a great thing to have 
 different denominations. Some men seem to be 
 born Methodists, and some Presbyterians ; and 
 when they look around, each man can find a 
 Church that suits his notion." 
 
 " My dear friend, that last argument is not 
 sound. The great word of the Gos2:)el is, 'Be- 
 lieve.' God does not set before us a number of 
 different I'eligions, that we may choose one after 
 our own fancy. He tells us instead, that we 
 are blind and foolish creatures ; that we must 
 receive what He reveals, and not what we would 
 have to be true. If a man chooses a religion, he 
 is very likely to select that which is the worst 
 for him. A presumptuous man will choose a 
 presumptuous religion ; a stern man one that 
 will add to his gloom ; and so of the rest. The 
 argument proves too much : it suggests that 
 Universalism or Unitarianism may be a matter 
 of constitution and temperament. 
 
 " And it does make a difference how good is 
 done. The Church has to preach the Gospel not 
 ^0
 
 PKEACII IN YOUR PULPITS? 15 
 
 only to-day, and to-morrow, but while the world 
 stands. She has many a battle yet to fight with 
 Satan and his hosts. 
 
 " How many a battle has been lost ; how many 
 a gallant army cut to pieces, because one regi- 
 ment, eager to charge, disobeyed orders, and 
 broke the line of battle ! Only think, since you 
 were young^how the leading denominations of 
 the country have split into fragments ! Are 
 these scattered sticks as strong as when bound 
 together in a fagot ? Look at our little town ! 
 One minister could take care of all the people, 
 and one church could hold them ; but for lack of 
 unity, how weak and ill-sustained are all the 
 services of reliorion !" 
 
 They rode on in silence a little way, and the 
 Squire replied that he was not satisfied about 
 that matter. He was not a learned man, he said, 
 and it did not follow because he was silenced, 
 that he was therefore convinced. Presently he 
 advanced another difficulty. 
 
 " You say yours is an old Church : now the 
 histories say that Henry VIII. began it." 
 
 " I do not find any such thing in history. I 
 read about the Keformation in England. Every 
 history I know of tells the same story : not 
 that a new Church was made in the time of 
 Henry VIII., but that in his days, and after- 
 
 11
 
 16 WHY can't our ariNISTERS 
 
 wards, the Cliurcli of England was reform- 
 ed." 
 
 "I cannot see miicli difference. One year 
 there was a Roman Catholic Church, with Pope, 
 and Latin service.-*, — with monks, and purgatory, 
 and all that ; and another year there is a Church 
 of England with none of these things. That 
 looks very much like throwing down an old 
 Church and putting a new one in its place." 
 
 " Let me explain. A family has long lived in 
 an old house. The walls are firm, the timbers 
 sound ; but the windows are stopped up, the roof 
 leaks, the fireplaces smoke, the weather-boarding 
 is torn ofi:'. 
 
 "Now, if the man moves out of doors, and 
 pulls the house down ; if, using some part of the 
 materials, and adding much more, he goes on to 
 build, I should call that a new house. 
 
 " But suppose he begins by saying, this house 
 is my own. I will no longer pay rent to the 
 man who has claimed to be its owner and my 
 master. And then he and his children go to 
 work : they do not forsake it for another house : 
 all the family arrangements go on as usual. The 
 fire daily burns on the hearth, and not a meal is 
 interrupted : but carefully and steadily they go 
 on, day by day, restoring the house to the same 
 soundness and comfort which it once possessed. 
 72
 
 PEEACH IN YOUR PULPITS? 17 
 
 Today, a leak is mended ; to-morrow, a window- 
 that had been bricked up is thrown open ; the 
 next, some cracked plastering is torn down, so as 
 to show the old oak wainscoting which had 
 always been there. You would say the man had 
 repaired the house. 
 
 " Or, to set it in another light. The Koman 
 Catholic Church, as we call it, consists of a num- 
 ber of national churches, all agreeing to acknowl- 
 edge the supremacy of the Pope. 
 
 " Now suppose that the people of the French 
 Church should begin to see their errors and su- 
 perstitions ; that a great council should be called 
 of its rulers ; that these should say deliberately, 
 and by a solemn vote, ' The Bishop of Eome is 
 not our master, and we hereby refuse to obey his 
 authority.' And then they joroceed to examine 
 their doctrines and usages, and year by year cau- 
 tiously throw aside or alter, until at last the 
 Church is purified : and, all this time, the 
 churches continue to be opened, the same minis- 
 ters ofiiciate, and the peoj^le accept the changes 
 as they were made. You would not taunt them 
 with making a new Church. You would praise 
 them for their prudence, and their honesty in 
 reforming what they had." 
 
 "Was that the way they went to work in 
 England?" 
 
 7a
 
 18 WHY can't oue ministers 
 
 " It was. Before tlie Reformation we see tlie 
 Church very much corrupted, chiefly by addi- 
 tions to the true faith ; and in a sad state of sub- 
 jection to a foreign Bishop. Many of her chil- 
 dren had protested against these things ; but she 
 seemed too ignorant and too weak to retrieve 
 herself. And then a merciful Providence inter- 
 fered. Printing was discovered, diffusing knowl- 
 edge in a wonderful degree. And then that 
 wicked Henry, for reasons of his own, became 
 weary of the Pope's authority, and so the Church, 
 with the help of the State, was enabled to assert 
 her own indej^endence ; her right to regulate her 
 own concerns." 
 
 " And was there not a separation right off ?" 
 
 " Not a bit of it. The Church services went 
 on just as if nothing had happened ; there was 
 no shock or convulsion. Nobody knew or 
 thought that the old house was pulled down, and 
 tlie people turned into the fields." 
 
 "I thought the whole doctrine was changed, and 
 that the Boman people went off to themselves." 
 
 "It is a mistake, a great mistake, to suppose 
 that the Church was entirely reformed under 
 Henry. Wliy, at his death, the Church still 
 held to prayers and masses for the dead, the in- 
 vocation of saints, trausubstantiatiou, and com- 
 munion in one kind. 
 74
 
 PREACH IlSr TOUR PULPITS? 19 
 
 " The great point gained in Henry's time was, 
 the Church's declaration of independence. Then 
 she began cautiously and slowly to reform. 
 During the reign of Edward VI. great improve- 
 ment was made: then came Bloody Mary, and 
 every thing went backwards ; and at last, under 
 Elizabeth, the Church fairly took her stand, and 
 established her doctrines." 
 
 " When did the division take place ?" 
 
 " Not until the eleventh year of Queen Eliza- 
 beth : it was not until then that the Romanists 
 forsook the Church, and set up lival altars." 
 
 " All this is veiy new to me. I thought that 
 old Henry, when the Pope would not let liim 
 divorce his wife, rose up in anger, and made a 
 new Church, new Bishops, and new every thing." 
 
 " No, Squire, that is not the true account. But 
 I can tell you who did upset old things, and 
 make new Churches — Luther and Calvin were 
 the men. And see the difference. Their churches 
 have been constantly dividing, and departing 
 from the ancient faith, until many of them are 
 almost infidel. The Church of England still 
 stands firm and united, and has never wavered in 
 her allegiance to the Son of God." 
 
 " Tell me now," pursued Squire Candid, " do 
 you think that our preachers are doing no good ?" 
 
 "I believe they are doing much good and 
 
 15
 
 20 wiiY can't our ministers 
 
 some evil. What a mau sowetli that shall he 
 also reap : the crop must be like the seed. They 
 do bear abroad much good seed, — the doctrine of 
 a blessed Saviour who died for all: but they 
 bear another sort of seed as well. And in the 
 result I see tares and wheat springing up togeth- 
 er; Christian virtues and tempers, but mingled 
 with them much irreverence, many wrong no- 
 tions, and no little abuse of private judgment." 
 
 "Do you expect, by keeping to yourselves, 
 that in the end all the different denominations 
 will give up their peculiarities and come over to 
 you ?" 
 
 "I have no expectations about it. Results 
 are God's, duties are ours. Whether Christian 
 people are to continue in this di^dded and dis- 
 tracted state until the end of the world, or 
 whether God will reunite them in the bonds of 
 fellowship, is more than I can tell. Sometimes 
 I hope for the best. I remember a sect called 
 the Donatists, in early times, which counted its 
 bishops by hundreds, and which endured through 
 several centuries, and at last was absorbed into 
 the Church. It may be the like will happen 
 again. But, in any event, my chief concern is to 
 do my own duty : to omit nothing in my power 
 that may hinder division and that may promote 
 unity. 
 
 16
 
 PEEACn m YOUR PULPITS? 21 
 
 "But, my friend, if Christian people sliould 
 grow weary of their divisions and begin to look 
 for a platform of agreement, where can they find 
 it, except in the Church of England and in its 
 American descendant? For instance, an open 
 Bible would be the first condition. The Ejiisco- 
 pal Church says, here it is : we gave it long ago, 
 in a noble translation, to the Anglo-Saxon race : 
 she reads it as well as preaches it, and exacts of 
 her ministers a pledge to teach nothing as neces- 
 sary to salvation, except what is therein con- 
 tained. Her services are devout and spiritual ; 
 her sacraments are administered according to 
 Christ's institution. Her doors are open to all 
 persons who receive the great doctrines of re- 
 ligion as contained in the Apostles' Creed. And 
 then, since there must be some ministry or other, 
 and no one doubts that ours is regular, and since 
 it is commended by the unbroken practice and 
 custom of centuries upon centuries, if men agree 
 at all, they must agree on that. But, as I said, 
 our business is to keep the Church as Christ 
 made it ; to put no obstacle in the way of those 
 who desire to enter it ; to impose no terms save 
 those which our Lord imposed. Then, whatever 
 happens, we are not to blame." 
 
 " So, then, you unchurch all other denomina- 
 tions ?" 
 
 11
 
 22 
 
 " I do not know what you mean by that word ; 
 bnt I can tell you what the Episcopal Church 
 says about other bodies of Christians. In one 
 place she says, ' the Church of Kome has erred, 
 not only in living and ceremonies, but also in 
 matters of faith.' In another place, that 'the 
 riches and goods of Christian men are not com- 
 mon, as certain Anabaptists do falsely boast.' 
 And then one of her laws is to this effect : 
 
 " ' It is evident unto all men, diligently reading Holy 
 Scrii^ture and ancient Authors, that, from the Apostles' 
 time, there have been these Orders of Ministers in Christ's 
 Church, — Bishops, Priests, and Deacons. Which offices 
 were evermore had in such reverend Estimation, that no 
 man might presume to execute any of them, except he 
 were first called, tried, examined, and known to have such 
 qualities as are requisite for the same ; and also by public 
 Prayer, with Imj^osition of Hands, were approved and ad- 
 mitted thereunto by lawful Authority. And therefore to 
 the intent that these Orders may be continued, and rever- 
 ently used and esteemed m this Church, no man shall be 
 accounted or taken to be a lawful Bishop, Priest, or Dear 
 con, in this Church, or suffered to execute any of the said 
 Functions, except he be called, tried, examined, and ad- 
 mitted thereunto, according to the form hereafter follow- 
 ing, or hath had Episcopal Consecration or Ordination.' 
 
 "This is all she has to say about other 
 
 communions. If I understand her doctrrni^ it 
 
 amounts to this: There is an ancient order of 
 
 things established by Clirist and His apostles. 
 
 78
 
 PEEACn IN YOUE PULPITS? 23 
 
 Our own duty, and a just regard to the best in- 
 terests of religion, forbid any innovation upon 
 that old order. The Church will not counte- 
 nance any new arrangements. And as for those 
 who have made new Churches, she utters no 
 sentence against them, but leaves them to an- 
 swer for themselves to their Maker and their 
 Judge. 
 
 "But, about this question of unchurching 
 other people. You cannot ask us to concede 
 more than you claim. 
 
 "Now, you say that you have a Church. I 
 ask, what do you understand l)y a Church? 
 You will say that it is a society founded by 
 some man, or established by the joint action of 
 a number of men, for the purpose of securing 
 sympathy and mutual aid in the Christian life, 
 and for carrying the Gospel to impenitent men. 
 It has ministers or preachers, appointed accord- 
 ing to rules agreed upon. You meet statedly 
 for religious service, and have many pious people 
 in your number. 
 
 " Now, all this we freely grant. These char- 
 actei's belong to a great many bodies of Chris- 
 tians. In tliis sense you have a Church. 
 
 "•But, since you do not claim to have a Church 
 in the sense of a society founded by Christ him- 
 self, with ministers regularly, and by an unbro- 
 
 79
 
 24 
 
 ken line, descended from the apostles : a Chiircli 
 which is not a voluntary society, and which, if 
 lost from the world, men could never recon- 
 struct; of course, you cannot expect us to say 
 that in that sense you have a Church." 
 
 " Nay," answered the Squire, " men can make 
 a Church. Suppose a number of Christian peo- 
 ple cast away on a desert island : could not they 
 ordain ministers and make a Church ?" 
 
 " In your sense of the word they could. In 
 our meaning they could not. We think, that 
 without an apostolic ministry, duly transmitted, 
 there can be no Church, although there may be 
 a religious society. Did you ever hear the story 
 of Pitcairn's Island ?" 
 
 " I believe I have. It was settled by the mu- 
 tineers of an English ship, the Bounty." 
 
 " Yes ; and it is a case in point. When dis- 
 covered, many years afterwards, they were found 
 to be an orderly. Christian community. Prayers 
 were held and a sermon read every Sunday. 
 Old John Adams acted as their religious teach- 
 er ; but he never pretended to be a minister, or 
 to found a Church. They did the best they 
 could without a Church, rather than pretend to 
 that which men cannot do. And at last Provi- 
 dence sent a minister to baptize them, a bishop 
 to confirm them, and a pastor to feed them. 
 80
 
 PREACH IN TOUR TULriTS ? 25 
 
 " I say, tlien, Ave grant all you ask. We do 
 not deny tliat all of you have churches, as you 
 understand it. But you can scarce expect us to 
 mean that you are eighteen hundred years old, 
 and that you have an apostolic succession which 
 you do not believe in." 
 
 "Bat do you not think, Mr. Worthy, that 
 tliese divisions have raised the standard of reli- 
 gion when the Church was in a low state ?" 
 
 "No, I do not. Every now and then some 
 man sees that Church people are not as holy as 
 they ought to be. He thinks the fault is in the 
 machinery, and that must be mended. He gath- 
 ers a few zealous followers and founds a sect. 
 
 " Now, all these sects are noted for their zeal 
 while they are small and their members are few 
 in number. It was so with the Puritans, and 
 with the early Methodists. But as the circle 
 enlarges, and the novelty wears off, the same 
 causes begin to operate; the people become 
 lukewarm and worldly. At last a new experi- 
 ment is thought of, and a small party withdraws 
 itself to run the same career. The fact is, that 
 no organization, no laws, no mere system, can 
 sustain a Church in its saintliness. There needs 
 a spiritual life in the hearts of the people. And 
 if the Church of England was sound in doctrine, 
 but cold in spirit, the true plan was to make up 
 
 4« 81
 
 26 
 
 the fires in every chimney ; not to build a new 
 house and try to warm that." 
 
 " I am willing to admit," replied the Squire 
 to all this, " that, taking you on your own 
 grounds, you have a good deal to say for your- 
 selves. But I should hate to be in a Church 
 which would not let my sympathies flow out to- 
 wards true Christians of all names and profes- 
 sions." 
 
 "There you are mistaken, my good sir. I 
 love every truly pious man ; I claim a brother 
 in every man who shows the image of his Master. 
 Why, when you submitted so patiently to the 
 injury done you the other day by your nephew, 
 and sujffered him to tell his own tale uncontra-' 
 dieted, rather than make a difficulty (by acci- 
 dent I heard all about it), do you suppose I was 
 not proud of you and of our common principles ? 
 I love all good people, but I do not love their 
 faults. And I consider it a fault, or at least a 
 great mistake, that while they labor for their 
 Master's kingdom, they do not labor in the way 
 of His appointment. Nay, I make many ex- 
 cuses : as I look upon the divided hosts of good 
 people, I think what a responsibility rests on 
 those who led them away from the ancient 
 Church. Many of them, I would trust all of 
 them, are doing the best they know how. The 
 
 82
 
 PEEACII IT^ YOUR PULPITS? 2l 
 
 child follows the example of his parent ; men 
 hear good people say it makes no diiference 
 what Church a man belongs to ; and it is hard, 
 very hard, to make them see that the Church 
 question is one of importance. 
 
 "Judge us, then, as gently as you can. We 
 are fighting for a great principle, — the unity and 
 integrity of Christ's Holy Church ; for one 
 Church rather than the two or three hundred 
 which divide the people of these United States. 
 If you can show me good reason to believe that 
 I am wrong, that Christ approves of this state of 
 things, I am ready to give up. But if division is 
 a sin and a scandal, the reproach of religion, the 
 formidable obstacle in the way of evangelizing 
 the world, then you must not think hardly of us 
 who cleave to the old paths and cry aloud for 
 unity." 
 
 Just then they approached the village, and 
 their paths diverged. The Squire checked his 
 liorse for a moment, and responded in a kindly 
 tone : 
 
 "Well, Mr. Worthy, these are troublesome 
 questions. I am right tired sometimes of seeing 
 so much argument and controversy. I wish we 
 were all in one Church, sure enough, although I 
 cannot say that yours or mine either is the true 
 one. I suppose we must live and let live.'" 
 
 83
 
 28 WHY can't OUE jrmiSTEES, ETC. 
 
 Good-bye was said, and tlie conversation 
 ended. 
 
 And now, dear reader, whoever you may be, 
 will you not grant that the exclusiveness of the 
 Church is not caj^ricious or unkind ? 
 
 You may doubt the correctness of the princi- 
 ples we lay down, or the accuracy of the state- 
 ments we set forth. Yet, surely, it must be 
 allowed that these are not without foundation in 
 truth and fact, enough to exempt us from the 
 charge of caprice, folly, and uncharitableness. 
 At least, give us this credit, — we have made no 
 new regulations to cast disrespect upon denomina- 
 tions of modern origin. There is no recent law 
 forbidding non-Episcopal ministers to officiate in 
 the Church. In this matter the Church, before 
 the Reformation, and since that time, has always 
 uttered the same voice. At least, in the words 
 of the good old Squire, " Let us live, and let 
 live." 
 
 84
 
 S^racts for iltissiouari) tUc. 
 
 THE DOCTRINE OF THE APOSTOLIC 
 
 SUCCESSION 
 
 A WHOLESOME DOCTRINE AND VERY FULL OF COMFORT.
 
 Entered according; to Act of Congress, in the year 1859, 
 
 By DANIEL DANA, Jr., 
 
 In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern 
 District of New York.
 
 THE DOCTRINE OF APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION, 
 
 A WHOLESOME DOCTRINE, AND VERY FULL OF COMFORT. 
 
 In every well-ordered community, great and 
 small, tliere must be subordination of rank, there 
 must be some legitimate and well-recognized au- 
 tliority. The Church of Christ is no excej)tion 
 to this general statement. 
 
 In its first beginning, our Lord himself was 
 its earthly Governor. He superintended all its 
 affairs, designated its teachers, and authorized fit 
 persons to share His earthly ministry. 
 
 When He was about to ascend into heaven. 
 He left not His Church without constitution, 
 laws, and an authorized executive. He imposed 
 the two Sacraments as of perpetual obligation ; 
 He declared the terms and conditions on which 
 men might become citizens of His kingdom ; 
 and, furthermore. He invested certain persons 
 with authority to govern His Church, and pro- 
 vided for the transmission of that authority 
 
 throuc^hout all time. 
 
 87
 
 4 DOCTRKSTE OF APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION. 
 
 " He stood and said, All power is given unto 
 me in heaven and in earth." 
 
 Power had been given to the Son of man ; He 
 was now about to confer power ; not all His 
 power, but such part of it as could be intrusted 
 to sin-1)orn mortals. 
 
 His Father had sent Him ; He in turn sends 
 the apostles. He bade them go preach and bap- 
 tize. " He breathed on them and said, Receive 
 ye the Holy Ghost." He gave them power to 
 remit and to retain sins ; and He promised to be 
 with them (surely not with the eleven men, for 
 presently they all fell on sleep ; but with the 
 apostles of all ages) always, even to the end of 
 the world. 
 
 These apostles were the chief pastors of the 
 Church. Their number was enlarged by the 
 admission of Matthias, of Paul, of Barnabas, and 
 others. Themselves bishops at large over the 
 whole Church, they committed the office of 
 chief pastor, by the imposition of hands on 
 many others. When the Book of Revelation 
 was written, the seven Churches of Asia had 
 each its apostle, or angel, who was held respon- 
 sible for the whole flock committed to him. In 
 a little while the whole Church was supplied 
 with such rulers, deriving their orders from the 
 apostles, but modestly preferring to be called 
 
 88
 
 DOCTRINE OF APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION. 5 
 
 bishops, rather than to adopt the earlier title of 
 apostle or angel. 
 
 And so from apostle to angel, and angel to 
 Lishoj), and bishop to bishop, our Lord's high 
 commission has been conveyed. The ministers 
 of the Chm-ch are thus descended from the 
 apostles by an unbroken spiritual lineage. The 
 gift is not impaired by the lapse of time, and 
 the priest of God has a visible and external 
 authority to minister the Word and sacraments 
 which can come in no other way than through 
 this apostolic succession, and which is his suffi- 
 cient warrant in demanding that we receive him 
 as one set over us in the Lord. 
 
 Such is the doctrine of the apostolic succes- 
 sion. 
 
 Perchance some reader may glance over these 
 pages with impatience. He has no patience 
 with this and the like discussions. He would 
 fain study the doctrines of justification and the 
 atonement, of faith and repentance: something 
 which bears on the conversion of sinners, which 
 conduces to evangelical piety. What, he asks, 
 is the practical use of this doctrine? What 
 profit in these vexing questions about orders and 
 Church government ? 
 
 If such a reader will follow on with us, we 
 propose to accept his own view of the matter 
 
 89
 
 6 DOCTKESTE OF APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION. 
 
 and argue from it. We think it can be proven 
 that this doctrine is wholesome and full of com- 
 fort ; that it involves the best interests of reli- 
 gion, and that it cannot be rejected by any one 
 without injury and loss. 
 
 In entering upon this inquiry, let us apply 
 certain tests of doctrine to which no manner of 
 exception can be taken. We will borrow those 
 by which a good man, some fifty years ago, de- 
 sired that his book might be tried. We say, 
 then, of this doctrine, as he said of his book, 
 " Does it uniformly tend 
 
 To Humble the Sinner ? 
 To Exalt the Saviour ? 
 To Promote Holiness ? 
 If in one single instance it lose sight of any 
 of these points, let it be condemned without 
 mercy."* 
 
 And now let us. ask, 
 
 1. Does this doctrine humble the sinner? 
 
 Nothing so much humbles the sinner as the 
 thought that his reward is not of debt but of 
 grace: that his pardon and salvation are the 
 free and undeserved gifts of a God of mercy. 
 
 We could not find a victim, but God provided 
 himself a Lamb to take away our sins. 
 
 * Life of Simeon, Ainer. ed., p. 108, 
 90
 
 DOCTllINE OF APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION. 7 
 
 We have not turned and prepared ourselves 
 by our own natural strength to faith and calling 
 upon God: the first motion that way was the 
 doing of the Holy Spirit, and in every subse- 
 quent effort we have been dependent on His 
 help. 
 
 Now it humbles the sinner, deeply humbles 
 him, to consider further, that the Gospel was 
 brought to him, not sought out by him. He did 
 not make the first advances towards reconcilia- 
 tion, but, while he was at enmity with his Maker, 
 there came to him one who said, and truly said, 
 " I speak not in my own name : I am an ambas- 
 sador from God, formally commissioned to make 
 a treaty with you. It is as though God did 
 speak by my mouth. I pray you, in Christ's 
 stead, be reconciled to God." 
 
 Did it not humble Saul of Tarsus to know 
 that the Lord Jesus Christ himself appeared to 
 him in the way, spake to him in the Hebi'ew 
 tongue, and called him by his name ? Did it not 
 humble Peter to know that an angel from the 
 throne of God was sent to open his prison doors ? 
 And shall it not humble us to think, that Al- 
 mighty God, not content with uttering general 
 invitations and promises to all men, sends a spe- 
 cial messenger, an honorable messenger (" Touch 
 not mine anointed and do my jirophets no 
 
 91
 
 8 DOCTRINE OF APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION. 
 
 liarm !"), to look me in the face, to " tell tlie dis- 
 ciples AND Peter," to assure me personally and 
 individually, tliat tlie Lord is ready to take me, 
 even we, back to His favor ? 
 
 The writer remembers well an instance where- 
 in the power of this argument was fully proven. 
 
 A sick man, and surely declining to the grave, 
 was much troubled in conscience. His Bible for 
 many weeks had lain at hand, and often he asked 
 to hear its precious words ; he prayed much, and 
 seemed dee2:)ly to repent ; but still, merciful as 
 lie believed the Saviour to be, he could not be- 
 lieve that the mercy was for him ; he could not 
 be persuaded to renounce all his guilty doiibts, 
 and to cast himself into the arms of Divine com- 
 passion. 
 
 The minister had counselled much and en- 
 treated often. On one occasion, after they had 
 sat in silence for a while, the minister took up 
 the Holy Book and bade the sick man listen. 
 Slowly and deliberately he read that portion of 
 the 8tli chapter of Komans which begins at the 
 31st verse. Grand words are they for a mortal 
 to speak or hear : 
 
 " I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, 
 
 nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor 
 
 things present, nor things to come, nor height, 
 
 nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able 
 
 92
 
 DOCTKINE OF APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION. 9 
 
 to separate us from the love of God wliicli is in 
 Christ Jesns our Lord." 
 
 After a pause, he said, 
 
 " Woukl you like to be thus persuaded?" 
 
 The sick man answered Avith a mournful smile. 
 
 " And you must be thus persuaded," pursued 
 the minister. " It is a dishonor to Almighty 
 God not to believe His messas^e. 
 
 " It is time that you should come to a conclu- 
 sion. I speak now with authority, and not as 
 the scribes. I am an ambassador from God, 
 commissioned from above, and set apart to this 
 office as Aaron was to his. I am sent by divine 
 appointment to your bedside, as surely as God 
 sent Philip to the Ethiopian. You have heard 
 my message. Hepent, believe, and be baptized. 
 
 " Now, therefore, advise and see what answer 
 I shall return to Him that sent me. God de- 
 clares He is reconciled to you ; will you agree 
 to be reconciled to Him ? 
 
 "Furthermore, I am empowered not only to 
 treat, but to covenant with you. As a priest of 
 the living God, and while I act within the limits 
 of my instructions, that which I loose on earth 
 is loosed in heaven. 
 
 " You do truly repent you of your sins ; you 
 do heartily confess your ill desert ; you do de- 
 spair of safety save in Christ ; you are steadfast- 
 
 93
 
 10 DOCTKINE OF APOSTOLIC SUCCESSIOIS". 
 
 ly purposed to keep His laws. Is this your mind 
 and purpose, as God kuowetli, who reads the 
 heart ?" 
 
 " It is, it is," replied the penitent. 
 
 " It remains, then, for you to surrender your 
 doubts of God's mercy; to accept frankly His 
 proffered hand of reconciliation ; to give your- 
 self up to Him in a formal covenant. This is 
 what you must do in baptism; and while you 
 thus do, Christ for His part, through me. His un- 
 worthy but authorized representative, does pro- 
 nounce and convey to you, solemnly, formally, 
 and certainly, the assurance, Go in peace, thy 
 sins be forgiven thee !" 
 
 The next day the sick man was received into 
 the ark of Christ's Church. 
 
 " My dear friend," said he, " I thank you. I 
 seem to know more of the love of Christ that 
 passeth knowledge. Blessed Saviour ! not satis- 
 fied to bestow pardon on the sinner Avho asks it ; 
 but He sends me such a message, and such a mes- 
 senger, that I cannot doubt His mercy is for 
 me." 
 
 It is by heaping benefits upon us that God 
 crushes our pride and melts our obstinacy. The 
 penitent is humbled by the thought that, vile as 
 he is, his Father is willing to receive him back 
 to His bosom. But lo ! while he hesitates, there 
 
 94
 
 DOCTIilNE OF APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION. 11 
 
 comes a special messenger, a steward iu the 
 house, who conveys to him a personal invitation, 
 and a special promise ! 
 
 How can such condescending goodness fail to 
 deepen his humility and to excite the cry, 
 " What is man that Thou art mindful of him V 
 
 We are now to try this doctrine by another 
 test. 
 
 2. Does it exalt the Saviour ? 
 
 It may be that some mother reads this tract. 
 You have often spoken to your child of the love 
 of the Saviour. At what point did your narra- 
 tive come to an end ? 
 
 You rehearsed how the Son of God was born 
 of an humble virgin, and submitted to a life of 
 poverty and pain ; that He suffered on the cross 
 for us, bearing our sins in His own body on the 
 tree ; that He rose again for our justification, and 
 ascended into heaven ; and that from thence He 
 sent the Holy Ghost to be the comforter of His 
 people. You say how gracious and merciful was 
 He in all this ! And how thankful should we be 
 that He inspired holy men to write all these 
 things in a volume, so that a faithful record 
 might come to us. You pause, and add no more. 
 
 Listen, while a Church mother prolongs the 
 story. 
 
 "This Ls not all. Our Master did not leave 
 
 95
 
 12 DOCTEINE OF APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION. 
 
 His holy doctrine to float down to us as it might; 
 He established a Church to keep it, and convey 
 it. He made it the duty of certain men to 
 preach it to every creature under heaven. He 
 gave His apostles the right to preach and baptize 
 in His place ; and provided that they should 
 convey the same right to others ; and so there is 
 a long line of ministers, each one ordained by 
 Him that went before, until the Saviour himself 
 is reached. 
 
 " AVhen the Saviour was in the world, good 
 people were not satisfied merely to hear Him 
 preach. The penitent desired to hear Him say 
 to her, for herself, thy sins are forgiven. The 
 mother desired that He should take her little 
 child in His arms, and bless it. 
 
 " Now, see how considerate and kind the Lord 
 is ! Besides the Holy Bible, we have holy mes- 
 sengers sent to us from God, and speaking in the 
 name of Christ. When such an one took you in 
 baptism, and blessed you, it was through Jesus 
 Christ's commission. When such an one in the 
 Church stands up, and declares and pronounces 
 pardon to all who truly repent, it is by the au- 
 thority of the Lord Jesus Christ that the absolu- 
 tion is pronounced. Our Saviour came to seek 
 as well as to save ; and you must be thankful to 
 Him not only for making your peace with God, 
 96
 
 DOCTRINE OF APOSTOLIC SUCCESSIOISr. 13 
 
 but for seeking you by His minister, and adopt- 
 ing you into His family." 
 
 Say, would not such a lesson sink deep into a 
 cliild's heart, and enlarge his views of the 
 Saviour's boundless and considerate mercy ? 
 
 And when to all this is added some account of 
 the wonderful pro\adences by which the Church 
 has been sustained, and its orders perpetuated, 
 in spite of heresies and persecutions, reverence 
 and gratitude are more enhanced. Pleasant is it 
 to read the record of sweet woi'ds that were 
 spoken in olden times to men of a generation 
 past and gone; but, oh, how pleasant to hear 
 them addressed to me myself, by one who speaks 
 for Christ ! 
 
 Compare, again, the opposing doctrines on this 
 subject. 
 
 We all agree that Christ himself launched the 
 ship upon the waters, appointed its officers, and 
 laid down the course to be pursued. But pres- 
 ently we begin to differ. 
 
 Some of us are bold to say, that although the 
 ship has been tossed upon the waves, driven of 
 fierce winds, and sometimes almost ready to sink, 
 Christ has ever watched it from afar, and, in its 
 great emergencies, has come to its relief. We 
 say its timbers are all staunch, its charts are not 
 lost, its pilots are no volunteers, but officers 
 5 97
 
 14 DOCTKINE OF APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION. 
 
 cliosen of the Lord, We fear not to say to 
 drowning men, This is the Lord's own ark ; it 
 has ridden out every storm of eighteen centu- 
 ries, and shall surely reach the haven. 
 
 Dear reader, what do you "believe? That 
 ''they ran the ship aground, and the forepart 
 stuck fast and remained unmoveable, while the 
 hinder part was broken with the violence of the 
 waves ?" and that " the rest, some on boards, and 
 some on broken pieces of the ship . . . escaped 
 safe to land?" and that on this desert island 
 each little company must make up its little fire 
 of sticks, and provide its own shelter ? 
 
 Can you reconcile yourself to believe that the 
 ship in which the apostles and early Christians 
 embarked all together, has sunk like lead beneath 
 the waters, and that our hope of escape is in such 
 vessels as we can patch up out of its fragments, 
 or in some ship of Alexandria which steers on 
 our course ? 
 
 Surely it is more honorable to the Saviour to 
 believe that we have now a Church, not merely 
 like that which he established, but the very same 
 Church; and that the gift which Timothy received 
 by the laying on of the hands of Paul, did not 
 die with him, l)ut was communicated to anothei', 
 and another, and another, until it was conferred 
 by dii'ect succession on him who signs the cross 
 98
 
 DOCTRINE OF APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION. 15 
 
 on the hrow of your children, and who extends 
 to you the bread and wine, the tokens of death- 
 less love, the pledges of abiding grace. 
 
 There is still another test by which we have 
 proposed to try this docti-ine : 
 
 3. Does it peo^iote holiness ? 
 
 The sanctity of God's people depends very 
 mnch upon the zeal and fidelity of the ministers 
 who are entrusted with the care of souls. Their 
 trumpet must give no uncertain sound. They 
 must "speak, and exhort, and reprove, ivith all 
 author if I/.'''' If they assume the attitude of mere 
 disputers, and volunteer advisers, their words 
 have no more weight than those of any private 
 pei'sons ; whereas, a just realization of their of- 
 ficial character, as men of God, prophets of the 
 Most High, ambassadors for Christ, imparts to 
 their message a dignity and weight which else it 
 could not have. The minister who believes in 
 his inmost soul, "My doctrine is not mine, but 
 His that sent me ;" who views his office as a 
 solemn trust confided to him by Christ Himself, 
 has every inducement to show himself " dutiful 
 and thankful unto that Lord, who has placed him 
 in so high a dignity," and may well be " bold in 
 God to speak the Gospel of God with much con- 
 tention." 
 
 We often hear ministers who have not this 
 
 99
 
 16 DOCTRINE OF APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION. 
 
 succession (and wlio indeed believe not in it) 
 admonishing their hearers that the message is 
 from God. They rely upon an inward call of 
 the Holy Spirit, as giving them a right to speak 
 in God's behalf. 
 
 Now this inward call is something that cannot 
 be proven: we know that many have fixlsely 
 pretended to it. The minister who puts this 
 forth as his authority, requires of the people to 
 believe two things : viz., that he is sincere, and 
 that he is not mistaken. 
 
 And, again, see how insecure is his own confi- 
 dence ! To be called to an office is one thing ; 
 to be endued with it is another. How can the 
 question fail sometimes to come into his mind, 
 Have I received not only God's call, but God's 
 commission? And in those seasons of anxiety 
 and disquietude which happen to all the saints 
 of God, when they fear that they have been 
 mistaken or self-deceived, where is the warrant 
 on which to rely in appearing before sinful men 
 on God's behalf? 
 
 Now it is freely granted that no man ought to 
 undertake the ministry, or can hope to discharge 
 its sacred functions well and safely, unless he 
 trusts that " he is inwardly moved by the Holy 
 Ghost to take upon him this office and ministra- 
 tion to serve God for the promoting of His 
 
 100
 
 DOCTRINE OF APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION. l7 
 
 glory, and tlie edifying of His people ;" but 
 trusting tliat lie has been thus moved by the 
 Holy Ghost, what unsjoeakable satisfaction may 
 he find in the thought that he is duly invested 
 with Christ's authority, and holds a staff of office 
 transmitted through a long line of bishops and 
 apostles from Him who said to Peter, " Feed my 
 sheep." 
 
 As he puts on his sacred vestment, he consid- 
 ers — I am to bless the people in God's name, not 
 in mine own. He takes a little babe in his sur- 
 pliced arms, and while he feels his personal un- 
 worthiness thus to embrace Christ's little ones, he 
 reflects that this sacrament — forasmuch as I do it 
 not in my own name, but in Christ's, and do minis- 
 ter it by His commission and authority — is effect- 
 ual, and the grace of God's gift is not diminished 
 by my unworthiness. In the pulpit he may be 
 sorely troubled by the reflection, " Woe is me ! 
 for I am a man of unclean lips," and almost re- 
 pent the temerity which led him to undertake 
 so weighty a trust. But then he remembers his 
 commission, " Take thou authority to execute the 
 office of a priest." 
 
 His office is one which cannot be assumed or 
 laid aside at pleasure. No private person can 
 perform its functions. He has no choice ; neces- 
 sity is laid upon him ; woe is unto him if he 
 
 101
 
 18 DOCTKINE OF APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION. 
 
 preach not the Gospel. He remembers Christ's 
 
 promise, and, it may be, offers his silent petition 
 
 thus: 
 
 " O holy Jesus, who hast purchased to Thyself an uni- 
 versal Church, and hast promised to be with the Ministers 
 of Apostolic Succession to the end of the world ; be gra- 
 ciously pleased to bless the ministry and service of him 
 who is api^ointed to offer the sacrifices of prayer and praise 
 to Thee in this house, which is called by Thy Name. May 
 the words of his mouth and the meditation of his heart be 
 always acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, our strength and 
 our Redeemei*. Ameti.'*'' 
 
 Ah, then ! when his sinful self is forgotten, 
 and the sense of a divine commission thrills 
 through every vein, the minister rises above the 
 natural level of the man ; his message, else cold 
 and feeble, is instinct with life and warmth, and 
 the people receive it, " not as the word of men, 
 but as it is in truth, tlie word of God, which 
 effectually worketh" in tliem that believe. 
 
 So we claim that the doctrine of the apostolic 
 succession tends directly to create a just sense of 
 responsibility in the ministers of the Church ; 
 it quickens their zeal, it animates their hopes, it 
 allays their disquietude. No argument is needed 
 to prove that every thing which promotes the 
 efficiency of the clergy, promotes holiness among 
 the people. 
 
 But this is not all : leaving this view apart, 
 102
 
 DOCTRINE OF APOSTOLIC SUCCESSIOIST. 19 
 
 we claim that tlie recognition of this doctrine is 
 directly promotive of holiness in individual cases. 
 See how it fosters the Christian graces of rever- 
 ence and obedience. 
 
 It promotes reverence. The fear of God is the 
 beginning of wisdom. A child cannot love his 
 father or profit by his instructions, unless he 
 holds him in profound veneration. Even thus 
 we may search the world over, and we cannot 
 find a well-proportioned, lovely Christian charac- 
 ter, unless it is pervaded by sentiments of deep 
 and awful reverence for God and all things 
 saci'ed. 
 
 What do we often witness in worshipping as- 
 semblies ? Men walk up the aisle with their 
 hats on ; young people enter as they would go 
 into some public hall, and smile and whisper 
 away the moments before service. Only when 
 the text is announced does the business of the 
 day seem to have been begun. The minister 
 hears afterwards that " he made a right good 
 argument to-day ;" or perhaps, at the very door, 
 some critic tells him, "Brother, I do not agree 
 with you ; you did not put that matter in the 
 right point of view." 
 
 Every reader knows this picture is true : ir- 
 reverence is the sin of our age, and destroys our 
 people's susceptibility to religious impressions. 
 
 103
 
 20 DOCTKINE OF APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION. 
 
 Persons of all clenoniiiiations complain of the 
 disorder and annoyance occasioned by thought- 
 less and ill-mannered attendants. 
 
 Now, let the minister and his people accept 
 the doctrine which we urge, and the surest rem- 
 edy is provided. The clergyman himself is sol- 
 emnized by the reflection that he is about to ex- 
 ercise an office the most honorable and weighty, 
 an office conveyed to him from Christ, and 
 higher than any which man can give. Grave is 
 his demeanor, reverent his very attitude, sound 
 is his speech. In such a man you will discern 
 no levity, no trifling. Fanciful theories, private 
 opinions will not form the staple of his sermon. 
 He speaks God's Word, simply, earnestly, and 
 with the least possible mixture of human 
 error. 
 
 Where this is so the people cannot fail to 
 catch the like spirit, for reverence is contagious. 
 The Church becomes in their thought a holy 
 place, whither God's own priest summons them 
 to assemble. The prayers become as incense, or 
 as an evening sacrifice, holy offerings to God; 
 and the sermon is no discourse of a lecturer, but 
 a message from God through a chosen servant. 
 Who does not know that he would be a holier 
 man, if, when he goes to Church, he could drive 
 away all low and common thoughts, and fully 
 104
 
 DOCTRINE OF APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION. 21 
 
 realize tins is God's house wherein I stand, God's 
 aniljassador to whom I listen, God's words that 
 fall from yonder desk? 
 
 And next we mention the grace of ohedience. 
 
 Our Saviour tells us that we must " hear the 
 Church." He solemnly declared, that to reject 
 His minister is to reject Himself. A spirit of re- 
 spectful obedience to our spiritual pastors is an 
 important element in Christian character. In 
 the epistle to the Hebrews it is plainly written, 
 " Ohey them tliat have the rule over yoii^ and suh- 
 iiiit yourselves^ 
 
 Few persons are mindful of this duty. The 
 many are willing for the minister to preach to 
 them, but they deem it an intrusion, an unwar- 
 rantable liberty for him to do more than preach 
 in general terms. Let him, in private, as need 
 shall require and opportunity shall serve, exhort 
 and comfort, let him rebuke and admonish, as a 
 father doth his children, and he will mos^ likely 
 be blamed for exceeding his duty. We often 
 hear people speak lightly of being " turned out 
 of the Church :" some one man pronounced an 
 unfavorable judgment, and some other man can 
 be found to reverse it. Insubordination in the 
 Church leads to insubordination in the State and 
 in the family. The fruits of it are visible in the 
 thousands of rude, ill-mannered, ungodly chil- 
 
 5« 105
 
 9 - 
 
 DOCTRINE OF APOSTOLIC SUCCESSIOIST. 
 
 dren wlio are growing up under the very sliadow 
 of our churches. 
 
 Now, if you look to your pastor as your divine- 
 ly api^ointed guide and teacher, responsible for 
 your safety, you cannot refuse him the privilege 
 of counselling you. It will seem as natural for 
 him to say " that is not a right temper for you 
 to indulge," as for your physician to warn you 
 " that fever must not be permitted to I'un 
 on." 
 
 In those matters which he has a right to de- 
 cide, you will submit cheerfully as to just au- 
 thority ; and his mere advice will be listened to 
 with meekness and resj^ect, although he may fail 
 to convince you. 
 
 This belief, moreover, strengthens our faith^ 
 and enlarges cliarity. It forbids us to think of 
 religion as an unsettled changing thing, on wliich 
 men are forever making experiments ; or that 
 the Church which we love is confined to one 
 congregation or to one small sect. 
 
 These men, we are reminded, are the servants 
 of the most high God ; regular descendants and 
 successors of the apostolic ministry. Their office 
 is not new or self-undertaken. Their Gospel is 
 the same ancient faith once delivered to the 
 saints. You need not be driven about by every 
 wind of doctrine. This faith has stood so long, 
 
 106
 
 DOCTRINE OF APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION. 23 
 
 has been so carefully transmitted that you may 
 be sure of its truth. 
 
 And as for the Church, it is not a narrow, 
 modern, local institution ; nor is it an unreal, in- 
 visible castle in the clouds. It is one, holy, 
 catholic, and apostolic. It consists of all the 
 faithful, in all times and countries, who have ac- 
 cepted the ftiitli of God's Word, and received 
 the sacraments at the hands of Ilis lawful min- 
 isters. 
 
 This bond of fellowship as members of God's 
 one own Chui-ch tends to di'aw us more nearly 
 together ; each holy martyr becomes, as it were, 
 of kin to us, and the missionary beyond the sea, 
 and his convert from heathenism, are onr own 
 brethren. 
 
 As for those who reject this ministry, we do 
 not surrender our Christian love and sympathy 
 for them. We do not cease to admire their 
 goodness and to praise their good deeds. _ The 
 Samaritan of old was more merciful than the 
 mitred priest whose just authority he denied. 
 We find in this doctrine nothing to excite bitter- 
 ness or unkindness towards good people of every 
 name. But it causes an element of gentleness 
 and pity to mingle with our love. We are 
 sorry, not angry, that, in rejecting this great 
 doctrine, they have deprived themselves of so 
 
 107
 
 24 DOCTEE^E OF APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION. 
 
 mucli comfort, and tlieir faith of sucli sure safe- 
 guards. 
 
 We claim, tlien, that the doctrine of apostolic 
 succession is a beautiful sujiplement to that great 
 doctrine of justification by faith only. Append- 
 ed to the latter, it is wholesome and very full of 
 comfort. It humbles the sinner, it exalts the 
 Sa\aour, it promotes, holiness. 
 
 To all this it may be replied, that there is an 
 insuperable difficulty in the way of receiving 
 this doctrine. However beautiful may be the 
 theory, the fact of this succession cannot be 
 l)roven. So many links intervene between the 
 days of the apostles and our own (it is said), and 
 a large part of the Church's history is so imj^er- 
 fectly written, that we are unable to produce a 
 perfect list of bishops, each one of whom was 
 consecrated by his predecessor. How do ive hiow 
 hut that the succession may have heen J^hen ? 
 
 We will ask the reader to pause for a moment, 
 and Teaving our immediate subject out of view, 
 to estimate the exact value of this argument 
 for disbelieving any commonly received truth. 
 " How do I know but that it may have happened 
 thus and so?" 
 
 I knew a lad who had been piously nurtured, 
 and into whose mind a doubt concerning the 
 truth of the Bi])le had never insinuated itself. 
 
 108
 
 DOCTRINE OF ArOSTOLIC SUCCESSION. 25 
 
 He fell into the company of certain smart skep- 
 tics, older than himself, who took a pleasure in 
 tlisturbing his quiet faith. And so this thought 
 came into his mind. He fought and prayed 
 against it manfully. You may think him very 
 silly, but it haunted him like an evil spirit for 
 years. The thought was this : 
 
 This Bible is eighteen hundred years old ; — 
 it has been copied over and over again ; — priests 
 and monks had exclusive possession of it in the 
 dark ages ; — how do I know that it is the same 
 book? May not omissions, changes, and addi- 
 tions have been made sufficient to alter its whole 
 character ? 
 
 The thought seemed to him to be a very 
 wicked one ; and he was ashamed to tell any- 
 body of it. For several years it disturbed him 
 whenever he opened the Bible. 
 
 He was relieved of it in this wise. He came 
 to study Butler's Analogy, and found there this 
 sentence : 
 
 " There is in every case a probability, that 
 all things will continue as we experience 
 they are, in all respects, except those in 
 w^iich we have some reason to think they 
 avill be altered."* 
 
 Butler's Analogy, chap. i. § ii. 
 
 109
 
 26 DOCTRINE OF APOSTOLIC SUCCESSIOlSr. 
 
 It was oiil}^ after I'epeated reading that lie 
 took in the meaning of this sentence. This illus- 
 tration was suggested to him: 
 
 You do not find it difiicult to believe that the 
 sun has risen each morning in the east, and set 
 each evening in the west, with regularity and 
 precision, filling its round in twenty-four hours. 
 You have not a doubt of it, except on that one 
 day when Joshua bade it stand still. 
 
 Suppose some one should say that in the four 
 thousand years past, it "tnay have been otherwise. 
 You answer, the sun now rises in the east ; a 
 thousand writers say that in their days he did 
 the same. It is superfluous to imagine, in the 
 absence of all proof, that on some unknown oc- 
 casion it may have been different. We all believe 
 that the day has invariably been twenty-four 
 hours long, except on the one occasion alluded to ; 
 and there we have a reason to believe the con- 
 trary — viz., the sacred record of an exception. 
 
 By and by he found in other books this prin- 
 ciple applied to the integrity of the Holy Bible. 
 Grant that liberties may have been taken with 
 the sacred text. The infidel may imagine any 
 thing he chooses. To his mere surmise we op- 
 pose the plain, simple fact, that learned persons, 
 who have made this point their study, declare all 
 such surmises to be groundless; they say that 
 liu
 
 DOCTEINE OF APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION., 27 
 
 tliere is no reason to think that our copies of tlie 
 Bible vary essentially from those which the early 
 Christians held in their hands. 
 
 Apply the same principle to common life. 
 Yon have an ■acquaintance of many years stand- 
 ing, and otlier persons, known to you, have known 
 him from childhood. These say he is a man of 
 integrity; yon have seen him conduct himself 
 habitually and invariably as a scrupulously hon- 
 oral)le man. AVould it be right for you to dis- 
 trust him, because, forsooth, in some instance, 
 unknown to you, he may have played the rogue ? 
 We conclude, then, in any given, settled course of 
 things, it is frivolous to object, " tJds or tliat may 
 have liapjyened^'' unless there is probable reason 
 to think that tliis or that has hafpiwned. 
 
 To return to the apostolic succession. 
 
 In the early history of the Church we read 
 that the apostles ordained bishops as their suc- 
 cessoi's and set them over various churches. 
 
 Eusebius gives us the lists of succession, in 
 various cities, from the apostles down to the 
 year 305. 
 
 In his day, and until the Reformation, the law 
 and the custom of Christendom were uniform 
 and invariable. 
 
 Open the Church history at random, in every 
 age, in eveiy country, you will find the same 
 
 111
 
 ii8 DOCTRINE OF APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION. 
 
 custom prevailing, of one bishop conveying 
 orders to another. There is no trace of any op- 
 posite practice: all the canons of the ancient 
 councils imply that this was the received law and 
 custom. 
 
 Is not this evidence of uninterrupted custom 
 the most that a reasonable man can ask ? Ai'e 
 Ave to suppose, without so much as a tradition to 
 that effect, that men would, without rhyme or 
 reason, innovate on the well-established order of 
 things ? Men do not act without motives ; and 
 a bad man would have no motive to deceive in 
 this instance. If he desired the office of a bishop 
 from selfish motives, his own self-interest would 
 prompt him to avoid any flaw or error in the 
 conveyance of that dignity. 
 
 Believe the fact of an uninterrupted succes- 
 sion of bishops. It is the great fact that per- 
 vades all Church history, and there is no reason 
 at all to believe the contrary. When Christian 
 people, forsaking the appeal to facts, begin to 
 argu(} that this or that may have happened, they 
 little think how a like objection may be urged 
 with equal force against the whole Christian sys- 
 tem and revelation. 
 
 In conclusion, then, dear reader, of nothing 
 are we so incredulous as of the love of God to 
 sinnei's. We, who profess to believe in the cross 
 
 112
 
 POGTRTNE OF AT'OSTOLIC SUCCESSION. 29 
 
 of Christ, tlie utmost proof of it, do still stagger 
 tlirongh unbelief, when we are reminded of some 
 fidditional display of the Divine mercy. 
 
 You believe that God spared not His own 
 Son, but freely gave Him up for us all. Can 
 you not believe, also, that the gates of hell have 
 not prevailed against the Church, and that to us, 
 no less than to men of the olden time, Christ 
 gives apostles, prophets, and teachers, whose 
 office is divine, whose commission is from on 
 high ? 
 
 In your day of trouble, read your Bible, pray 
 to your Father in secret, call for sympathizing 
 friends to weep with you. There is comfort in 
 all these. 
 
 And then send for the Man of God, and bid 
 him speak with authority. Ask him for a word 
 from the Lord ; and you shall know for yourself 
 that God's word is most full of comfort when 
 spoken by God's own minister. 
 
 113
 
 ©racts for ilttGsionani 11gc» 
 
 No. 5. 
 
 OUR LORD IN SIMON'S HOUSE; 
 
 OR, WHAT THE CHURCH DEMANDS FOR ADMISSION TO THE 
 SACRAMENTS.
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1S59, 
 
 By DANIEL DANA, Jb., 
 
 In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Soutliem 
 
 District of New York.
 
 OUR LORD IN SIMON'S HOUSE. 
 
 " TJiis man., if he were aprojphet, would have known 
 who and what manner of woman this is that touch- 
 eth him / for she is a sinner.'''' — Luke vii. 39. 
 
 Iisr order to realize the transaction that occur- 
 red in the house of Simon the Pharisee, we have 
 need to bear in mind several peculiarities of 
 Eastern life. Thus, men wore sandals instead of 
 shoes ; these were laid aside at the door of a 
 house, and the guest was offered water to bathe 
 his feet. Moreover, it was the custom to recline 
 instead of sitting at table ; so that the feet could 
 be readily apj^roached by a servant. And yet 
 again, unguents and perfumes were in con- 
 stant ■ use, and at costly entertainments were 
 poured upon the heads and beards of the com- 
 pany. 
 
 Our Lord had accepted the somewhat churlish 
 hospitality of Simon the Pharisee. He entered, 
 but did not receive the usual welcome of a kiss, 
 or the common courtesy of water for his feet; 
 
 117
 
 4 OUR LORD IN SIJIOn's HOUSE. 
 
 and thus took liis place at tlie table an unlionored 
 guest. 
 
 But presently a timid stranger joined tlie 
 company. " Behold, a woman in the city, which 
 was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at 
 meat in the Pharisee's house, l^rought an alabas- 
 ter box of ointment, and stood at His feet behind 
 Him weeping, and began to wash His feet with 
 tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her 
 head, and kissed His feet, and anointed them with 
 ointment." 
 
 No words were spoken. Sometimes the heart 
 is so full that no words are adequate to express 
 its emotions ; and its stoiy can best be told by a 
 silent tear, or a lowly gesture. 
 
 But could any one, think you, look without 
 sympathy on this scene, and not feel pity for her 
 who so mutely and humbly expressed her peni- 
 tence and her faith ? Could any one look on, 
 and find matter for cavil, censure, scorn ? 
 
 Yes : the Pharisee saw it all with feelings of 
 contempt. This man a prophet ? If he were a 
 pro2:>het, he would have known who and what 
 manner of woman this is that toucheth him ; for 
 she is a sinner. 
 
 In his view, our Lord compromised Himself by 
 accepting the lioinage of one whom He should 
 rather spurn from Him. He was breaking down 
 
 118
 
 ouK LORD IN Simon's house. 5 
 
 tliose bari'iers between vice and virtue, which ai-e 
 necessary in every well-ordered society. He 
 suffered this woman to touch Him, and she a 
 sinner. True, she was a sinner: but one thing 
 Simon overlooked ; she was a contrite sinner. 
 And that circumstance gave character to the 
 Avhole transaction. 
 
 We ask you now, then, to note well this fact, 
 that our Lord Jesus Christ, holy and truthful as 
 He was, fell under the grave suspicion of being 
 deficient in religious strictness ; of being too ac- 
 cessible to sinful people ; of giving encourage- 
 ment to those whom He ought to frown upon and 
 repel. The case before us is not a solitary in- 
 stance ; again and again did our Lord oppose 
 certain prescriptive notions and customs, very 
 dear to the men of His day, and give occasion 
 for them to say, " this man keepeth not the law," 
 " this man receiveth sinners and eateth with 
 them." Some even called Him " a gluttonous 
 man and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and 
 sinners." 
 
 Now, bearing this well in our minds, it need 
 excite no surprise, if, at subsequent periods of 
 the world's history, those who hold our Lord's 
 doctrine, and strive to pattern after His example, 
 become exposed to like suspicion ; for in every 
 age there are certain religious conventionalities 
 
 119
 
 6 OUR LORD IN Simon's house. 
 
 wliich are apt to be made tlie touchstone of 
 vital godliness, and if we seem to regard these 
 as of minor importance, we are in danger 
 of being considered lukewarm, unevangelical, 
 having the form of godliness with none of its 
 power. 
 
 As members of the Protestant Episcopal 
 Church, we must be aware that such imputations 
 are cast upon us. The Church "is suspected of 
 making too little of heart-religion ; of receiving 
 members without the necessary qualifications; 
 or, to state the matter in popular form, it is said, 
 "Any one that chooses can join the Episcopal 
 Church." "You receive people who have not 
 professed ; who are not converted ; who are not 
 satisfied ; who are only trying to be Christians, 
 and as yet are not Christians." 
 
 We hear these things once and again, from 
 persons whom neither in charity nor in justice 
 would we class with Simon the Pharisee ; persons 
 whose good opinion we value, whose censure we 
 deprecate : perhaps they are kind enough to say 
 that in the immediate locality of the discussion, 
 the instructions of the pulpit are distinct and 
 tolerably evangelical, and the individual congre- 
 gation, at least, not entirely without evidences of 
 earnest-minded piety. But they are very sure 
 these grave faults belong to the system, although 
 
 120
 
 OUR LORD IN Simon's house. Y 
 
 under peculiar circumstances tliey may not be so 
 apparent. 
 
 We have therefore deemed it expedient to set 
 forth a plain account of the qualifications neces- 
 sary for admission to the sacraments of the 
 Church ; and because we claim no exemption for 
 ourselves, but are willing to sink or swim with 
 the Church and her teachings, let us distinctly 
 disavow any private views or opinions. You 
 hold in your hands a volume where the mind of 
 the Church is plainly set forth. For every 
 thing that is in that Prayer-book the Church is 
 responsible. You have it in your power to judge 
 whether we misrepresent her teachings in any 
 way ; and more than this — whether the practice 
 of ministers is conformed to those laws which 
 they are most solemnly pledged to carry out. 
 
 With a little inquiry, each one of you will be 
 fully competent to answer any questions which 
 may be addressed you touching this matter ; 
 and we do not fear to affirm that a careful scru- 
 tiny will enhance your reverence for the Church, 
 and satisfy you that she has patterned most 
 strictly after the example and teachings of her 
 Lord, rebuking as He rebuked, and encouraging 
 such persons as He was wont to encourage. 
 
 In speaking of the qualifications for Church- 
 membership, we must premise that we do not 
 
 6 121
 
 8 OUR LORD IN Simon's house. 
 
 include the case of those who come to the Com- 
 munion by a certain courtesy. Thus, if among 
 the communicants, one present himself who is a 
 stranger, we take it for granted that every thing 
 is riofht : otherwise we could exercise our reli- 
 gious rights only at home ; whereas, as members 
 of the Catholic Church, we carry those rights 
 with us wherever we go. But if this stranger 
 become a regular attendant at any church, the 
 minister, in order to protect himself, has the 
 right to use his discretion. According to Canon 
 XIIL, of 1853, he may demand of such person a 
 certificate from the Rector or Warden of the 
 parish he has left, that he is a communicant in 
 good standing, and is not required to administer 
 the Communion to one who fails to produce such 
 a certificate. 
 
 It is very seldom necessary to enforce this rule, 
 but it can be enforced. Should some one come 
 to sojourn among us, claiming the privileges of 
 the Church, and yet so conducting himself as to 
 bring scandal upon it, the minister has the legal 
 right to protect the Church from this evil. 
 
 We limit ourselves, then, to the case of those 
 in our own concrreGfations who desire admission 
 to Baptism, Confirmation, or Communion. 
 
 1. No man who is living in malice^ envy^ or cmy 
 open sin^ is permitted to come to the Sacraments. 
 
 122
 
 9 
 
 The language of the Church is plain and in- 
 disputable. In the Communion Service you will 
 find an exhortation to be used by the minister, 
 when he gives warning for the celebration of 
 the Holy Communion. He is made to tell the 
 people, ^^ If ye sliall 'perceive your offences to 
 he such as are not only against God hut also 
 against your neiglihors^ then ye shall reconcile 
 yourselves unto them • heing ready to mahe resti- 
 tution and satisfaction according to the uttermost 
 of your powers^ for all injuries and wrongs done 
 hy you to any other • and heing likewise ready to 
 forgive others who have offended you^ as ye loould 
 have forgiveness of your off'ences at GocVs hand : 
 for^ otherwise^ the receiving of the Holy Commun- 
 ion doth nothing else hut increase your condeni- 
 luitiony 
 
 And then follows a solemn warning : 
 
 " Therefore^ if any of you he a hlasphemer of 
 
 God^ an hinderer or slanderer of His Word, an 
 
 adulterer, or he in malice or envy, or in any other 
 
 grievous crime, repent ye of your sijsts, or else 
 
 COME NOT TO THAT HoLY TaBLE." 
 
 The Church teaches, in Art. XXIX., that all 
 such persons, " cdtliongh they do carnally and vis- 
 ihly ^j»/'€t96' tvitli their teeth (as Saint Augustine 
 saith) the Sacra/ment of the Body and Blood of 
 Christ; yet, i7i no wise, are they partahers of 
 
 123
 
 10 OUR LORD IN Simon's house. 
 
 Christy hilt ratliei\ to their condemnation^ do eat 
 and drinlc the sign or sacrament of so great a 
 tiling^ 
 
 Nor is the Cliurcli content with merely making 
 proclamation. She holds her ministers responsi- 
 ble for the character of all avIio frequent the 
 Sacrament. She gives them ample powers to 
 vindicate her j)urity, and makes it their impera- 
 tive duty so to do. 
 
 If you will turn to the very beginning of the 
 Communion Office, you will find it there written 
 as follows : 
 
 ^ If amowj those who come to he ^;a?'taA:ers of the Holy 
 Communion, the Minister shall know any to he an open 
 and notorious evil liver, or to have done any wrong to his 
 neighbors by loord or deed, so that the Congregation he 
 thereby offended ; he shall advertise him that he presume 
 not to come to the Lord's Table, until he have openly de- 
 clared himself to have truly rejyented and amended his 
 
 former evil life, that the Congregation may thereby be sat- 
 isfied ; and that he hath recompensed the parties to whom 
 he hath done wrong ; or at least declare himself to be in 
 
 full purpose so to do, as soon as he conveniently may. 
 
 ^ The sa7ne order shall the Minister use with those, betwixt 
 whom he jyerceiveth malice and hatred to reign ; not suf- 
 fering them to be partakers of the Lord^s Table, until he 
 know them to be reconciled. And if one of the parties so 
 at variance, be content to forgive from the bottom of his 
 heart all that the other Itath trespassed against him, and 
 to make amends for that tvherein he himself hath offended ; 
 124
 
 11 
 
 and the other party will not he persuaded to a' goodly 
 unity, but remain still in his frowardness and malice ; the 
 Minister in that case oiujht to admit the penitent 2^ci'Son 
 to the Holy Communion, and not him that is obstinate : 
 Provided that every Minister so repelling any, as is herein 
 specified, shall be obliged to give an account of the same to 
 the Ordinary as soon as conveniently may be. 
 
 You observe that a riglit of appeal is here given 
 to the Ordinary or Bishop, lest ministerial au- 
 thority should be controlled in its exercise by 
 any personal unkiudness. 
 
 The law is plain : no malicious or envious per- 
 son, no unclean livei", is permitted access to the 
 Holy Table, without repentance, reparation, res- 
 titution, and amendment. And this law is not a 
 dead letter, buried in some old statute-book, but 
 is printed where every man can see it ; is openly 
 and solemnly read from the chancel where all 
 must hear it; is committed absolutely to the 
 minister to be enforced. 
 
 It may be that hypocrites kneel at the altar, 
 and a Judas comes to the feast ; it may be that 
 some commune, whose hearts are full of malice 
 and whose lives are wicked and immoral. For 
 a man may hide his wickedness from his pastor's 
 knowledge, and so, industriously increase his 
 condemnation while we think to promote his 
 safety. It may be that individual ministers 
 
 125
 
 12 
 
 have not the firmness to do their duty, or the 
 boldness to claim and exercise their just rights, 
 regardless of consequences. But let these bear 
 the blame. The Church herself is guiltless : her 
 voice gives no uncertain sound. She says dis- 
 tinctly, that no matter what a man's other quali- 
 fications may be, unless he reforms his life, recon- 
 ciles himself to enemies, repairs injuries, and re- 
 stores what he has unjustly gotten, he must not, 
 he shall not, be received among her children. 
 
 2. Persons are not admitted to the sabred or- 
 dinances of religion tliouglitlessly and witltout a 
 proper examination. 
 
 It is not enough, according to the laws of the 
 Church, that the applicant for admission to her 
 privileges be simply reputable in his deportment. 
 Let us follow out this matter in order. 
 
 We will supj^ose a man of adult years desires 
 to be baptized. The first rubric in the Ofiice of 
 Adult Ba^Dtism prescribes what course is to be 
 pursued. 
 
 ^ When any such Persons as are of Hiper Years are to be 
 baptized, timely notice shall be given to the Minister ; so 
 that due care may be taken for their examination, whether 
 they be s^ifficiently instructed in the principles of the Chris- 
 tian Religion ; and that they may be exhorted to prepare 
 themselves, with prayers and fasting, for the receiving of 
 this Holy Sacrament. 
 
 ^ And if they shall be found fit, then the Godfathers and 
 126
 
 OUR LORD IN SBION's HOUSE. 13 
 
 Godmothers [the People being assembled upon the Sunday, 
 Holy Day^ ur Prayer Day appointed) shall be ready to 
 present them at the Font, immediately after the Second 
 Lesson, either at Mornlny or Evening Prayer, as the 
 Minister, in his discretion, shall think Jit. 
 ^ And standing there, the Minister shall ask; Whether any 
 of the Persons here j^resented be baptized or no ? If they 
 answer No ; then shall the Minister say thus : 
 
 So far froQi any encouragemeut being given to 
 precipitation, you observe, timely notice is re- 
 quired : the danger of haste and thoughtlessness 
 is guarded against, by requiring of the candidate 
 to pre2:)are himself with prayers and fasting ; the 
 minister is to examine him, and to proceed with 
 the baptism only if he " be found fit." 
 
 All baptized persons, whether they have re- 
 ceived that benefit in infancy or in age, are ex- 
 pected to be confirmed by the Bishop. And 
 here again we find a barrier : none can be con- 
 firmed except they be presented by their minis- 
 ter. He must pronounce them, to the best of 
 his judgment, fit to be confirmed ; and include 
 their names in a list delivered to the Bishop. 
 The law upon this matter may be found at the 
 end of the Catechism. 
 
 The Minister of every Parish shall diligently up)on Sun- 
 days and Holy Days, or on some other convenient occa- 
 sions, openly in the Church, instruct or examine so many 
 
 127
 
 14 OUR LORD IN SITWON's HOUSE. 
 
 Children of his Parish, sent unto him, as he shall think 
 convenient, in some part of this Catechism. 
 
 ^ And all Fathers, Mothers, Masters, and Mistresses shall 
 cause their Children, Servants, and Apjjrentices, who have 
 not learned their Catechism, to come to the Church at the 
 time appointed, and obediently to hear, and to be ordered 
 by the Minister, until such time as they have learned all 
 that there is here appointed for them to learn. 
 
 •([ So soon as Children are come to a comjjetent age, and can 
 say the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Command- 
 ments, and can answer to the other questions of this short 
 Catechism, they shall he brought to the Bishop. 
 
 And whensoever the Bishop shall give knowledge for 
 Children to be brought unto him for their Confirmation^ 
 the Minister of every Parish shall either bring, or send in 
 writing, ivith his hand subscribed thereunto, the Names 
 of all such Persons within his Parish, as he shall think 
 fit to be 'presented to the Bishop to be confirmed. 
 
 And again, at tlie end of tlie Confirmation Ser- 
 vice, we find it ordered thus : 
 
 ^ And there shall none be admitted to the Holy Communion, 
 until such time as he be confirmed, or be ready and de- 
 sirous to be confirmed. 
 
 These matters belong to what is called, in 
 Theology, the "Power of the Keys." Christ 
 has committed to His ministers the keys of His 
 earthly kingdom, with authority, in certain cases, 
 to open or to close its dooi's. You observe, they 
 are required to challenge every adult who asks 
 
 128
 
 ouE LORD IN" Simon's house. 15 
 
 to be baptized, and assure themselves of liis fit- 
 ness. It is, furthermore, their duty to instruct, 
 examine, and present all candidates for Confirma- 
 tion ; and, up to this point, they are held dis- 
 tinctly responsible for those whom they receive. 
 
 After this point, however, their rights are 
 abridged, and are more advisory than peremp- 
 tory. 
 
 All confirmed persons have a right to a place 
 at their Lord's Table. They cannot be excluded 
 from it arbitrarily, but only for some evident 
 fault; and, if the minister finds it necessary to 
 use such discipline, he must, within a reasonable 
 time, report such act to his superior, and be pre- 
 pared to vindicate his conduct. 
 
 We further observe : 
 
 3. The Church enjoins the great Evangelic 
 graces and tempers^ as absolutely requisite for a 
 ivortliy reception of the Sacraments. 
 
 These are, first and chiefly, Repentance and 
 Faith ; and then, as included in these or pro- 
 ceeding necessarily from them. Gratitude, Chari- 
 ty, and Holy Purpose. 
 
 The form of words to be used, whenever one 
 gives up himself to the service of Christ, is care- 
 fully prescribed, and may in no case be departed 
 from. Every man may know beforehand what 
 he is to undertake, and, afterwards, what he has 
 
 0^ 129
 
 16 ouE LORD IN" Simon's house. 
 
 undertaken. What, then, is the nature of the 
 profession made in Baptism ? 
 
 Dost thou renounce the devil and all his works, the vain pomp 
 and glory of the world, with all covetous desires of the same, and 
 the sinful desires of the flesh ; so that thou wilt not follow, nor 
 he led by them ? 
 
 Ans. / renounce them all ; and, by God^s help, will endeavor 
 not to folloio nor he led by them. 
 
 Mill. Dost thou believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith, 
 as contained in the Apostles^ Creed ? 
 
 Ans. / do. 
 
 Mill. Wilt thou he baptized in this Faith ? 
 
 Ans. That is ray desire. 
 
 Min. Wilt thou then obediently keep God''s holy will and com- 
 mandments, and walk in the same, all the days of thy life ? 
 
 Ans. I will, by God's help. 
 
 Here, you will observe, the baptized person 
 renounces the world, the flesh, and the devil ; he 
 professes his belief in the simple truths and lead- 
 ing doctrines of the Gospel ; he affirms that he 
 is acting intelligently and of his own accord ; he 
 declares his purpose to lead an obedient and 
 Christian life ; and, at the same time, owning his 
 weakness, and his dependence on spiritual help, 
 shapes his vow into the form — " By God's help, 
 I will endeavor. — I will, by God's help.') 
 
 In Confirmation, we do but renew and ratify 
 this baptismal vow ; declaring that, on mature 
 reflection, we are of the same mind ; and stand 
 130
 
 OUR LOKD iisr SEvroisr's house. 17 
 
 ready to reaffirm to tlie cliief officer of the 
 Church the promise which we had ouce made, 
 or which was made for us. 
 
 And now we are ready to ask — 
 
 Quest. What is required of those who come to the Lord's 
 Supper ? 
 
 This is the Last question in the Catechism. 
 We trust almost every little child knows the 
 answer. 
 
 Ans. To examine themselves, whether they repent them truly 
 of their former sins, steadfastly purposing to lead a neio life ; 
 have a lively faith in God's mercy, throwjh Christ, tvith a 
 thankful remembrance of his death ; and he in charity with 
 nil men. 
 
 We cannot conceive an answer clearer or more 
 comprehensive than this. See how carefully the 
 terms are chosen. They must repent — repent 
 them truly / they must have faith — and a lively 
 or living faith ; they must have Christ's death in 
 remembrance — and in thanhful remembrance. 
 
 The same teaching pervades the whole of the 
 Communion Office. The people are reminded 
 beforehand that it is a " divine and comfortable 
 thing to those who receive it worthily ;" but 
 " dangerous to those who presume to receive it 
 unworthily." The minister exhorts them to " con- 
 sider the dignity of this Holy Mystery, and the 
 great peril of the unworthy receiving thereof; 
 
 131
 
 18 
 
 and so to search and examine their own con- 
 sciences (and that not lightly, and after the man- 
 ner of dissemblers with God, but so) that they 
 may come holy and clean to such an heavenly 
 feast." 
 
 Similar lanoruaofe is used at the administration 
 of the CommunioD. 
 
 Dearly beloved in the Lord, ye ^vho mind to come to the Holy 
 Communion of the Body and Blood of our Saviour Christ, 
 must consider how St. Paul exhorteth all persons diligently to 
 try and examine; themselves, before they 2)r^sume to eat of that 
 Bread and drink of that Cup. For as the benefit is great, if 
 with a true penitent heart and lively faith we receive that holy 
 Sacrament ; so is the danger great, if we receive the same un- 
 worthily. Judge therefore yourselves, brethren, that ye be not 
 judged of the Lord ; repent ye truly for your sins past ; have 
 a lively and steadfast faith in Christ our Saviour ; amend your 
 lives, and be in perfect charity with all men : so shall ye be meet 
 partakers of those holy Mysteries. And above all things, ye 
 must give most humble and hearty thanks to God the Father, 
 the Son, and the Holy Ghost, for the redemption of the world, 
 by the death and passion of our Saviour Christ, both God and 
 man ; who did humble himself, even to the death upon the cross, 
 for us miserable sinners, who lay in darkness and the shadow 
 of death ; that he might make us the children of God, and exalt 
 us to everlasting life. 
 
 And what a service it is ! Into how lowly a 
 depth of penitence, and, presently, into what 
 holy strains of gratitude are we conducted ! 
 How impressive is it to see a congregation heark- 
 
 132
 
 19 
 
 ening, on bended knee, to tlie " comfortable 
 words" which Christ has spoken ; and then, sing- 
 ins^ the sonsr of an2:els and archano^els — but still 
 upon our knees, lest we should seem to presume 
 and to forget our nothingness. Surely, my 
 friends, tlie Church is not responsible for our re- 
 missness : she tells us our duty too plainly for 
 us to be mistaken about it ; she supplies words 
 deep enough, and large enough, and warm 
 enough for saints. Whom can we blame, save 
 ourselves, if we come unprepared, abide unim- 
 pressed, and depart uninvigorated ? 
 
 4. The Cliurcli teaches that it is very desirable 
 to possess a calm^ trmiquil^ and comfortable spirit. 
 
 She teaches us that pardon and peace do not 
 always go together. Experience and observa- 
 tion assure us, that through imperfect knowledge 
 or constitutional infirmity, many most excellent 
 persons are despondent at times, and strangers 
 to religious joy. She says: 
 
 And because it is requisite that no man should come to the 
 Holy Communion^ but ivith a full trust in God^s mercy, and 
 with a quiet conscience ; therefore, if there be any of you, who by 
 these means cannot quiet his own conscience herein, but requireth 
 further comfort or counsel, let him come to me, or to some other 
 Minister of God^s ivord, and open his grief ; that he may re- 
 ceive such Godly counsel and advice, as may tend to the quieting 
 of his conscience, and the removing of all scnqjle and doubt- 
 fulness. 
 
 133
 
 20 
 
 Here, you observe, the desirableness of a calm 
 and tranquil frame of mind is plainly asserted ; 
 the people are advised, as a means to gain quiet- 
 ness of conscience, to advise with their religious 
 guides. But this is far from being made indis- 
 pensable ; people may be very down-hearted 
 and diffident of themselves, but they are told, if 
 they truly repent, and are in love and charity, 
 and intend to lead a new life, they may draw 
 near with faith and take this holy Sacrament to 
 their comfort. 
 
 The requirements, then, which the Church 
 makes of one who would approach her solemn 
 feast, are few and plain. He must be free from 
 vice, immorality, and malice ; he must be in- 
 structed in the great doctrines of the Christian 
 religion ; he must be in the exercise of repent- 
 ance, and entertain a grateful memory of what 
 Christ has done for him ; he must be earnestly 
 purposed to do his whole duty as a Christian, 
 and come forward in humble dependence upon 
 the Holy Ghost the Comforter. To all such she 
 utters comfortable words ; and all such she re- 
 ceives as worthy partakers of this heavenly 
 feast. 
 
 Did she exact less of us she would be a de- 
 ceitful guide, saying peace, peace, when there is 
 no peace ; and did she exact more, she would 
 
 134
 
 OTJU LORD IN SBION's ITOITSE, 21 
 
 encroacli upon that liberty wliicli we have in 
 Christ, and impose on us a burden greater than 
 we can bear. If it seeni better to sum up all in 
 one comprehensive phrase, we say, that the one 
 great essential thing is a contrite spirit. The 
 Prayer-book, from one end to the other, teaches 
 the religion of the broken and the contrite heart. 
 This was the religion of the Magdalene ; this 
 was the religion of Peter, not in the hour of pre- 
 sumption when he boasted of his fidelity, but in 
 that better hour, when grieved in S2:>irit he cried, 
 "Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest 
 that I love thee." 
 
 We have seen thus far what is absolutely re- 
 quired by the Church of candidates for the ben- 
 efit of the Sacraments which she dispenses. It 
 becomes us next to mention a few things which 
 she does not require. 
 
 1. You will observe, that in all the authorities 
 which we have so freely quoted, nothing is said 
 about the history of conversion : no particular 
 tijpe or pattern of experience is -set np as heing 
 alone reliahle and safe. 
 
 In order to discern this point, we will suj:)pose 
 that a man presents himself as desirous to be- 
 come a member of the Church : we would form 
 a judgment about his religious state. Now, we 
 may, if we think proper, inquire into the history 
 
 1.35
 
 22 OUR LORD IN Simon's house. 
 
 of his religious life ; ask how he was awakened, 
 and when ; whether he was most operated on by 
 love or by fear ; we may inquire into the nature 
 of his inward conflict ; we may ask what seasons 
 of ]>eace and comfort he has had, and when and 
 where he surrendered his soul without reserve 
 to Christ : and, comparing the account thus given 
 with some standard on which we rely, we may 
 pronounce such an one truly converted, and give 
 him the right hand of fellowship. 
 
 But there is another way : while we listen with 
 much interest to a narrative, and find in its cir- 
 cumstances much to throw light on the man's 
 character, we may avoid laying much stress 
 upon it, and say, What is the result of all this ? 
 what is now, at tins mowsnt tliat loe are speah- 
 ing^ the temper of your soul towards God and 
 His law ? 
 
 You observe the difference. In admitting you 
 to the Communion, the minister may either ask 
 for a history of your religious experience, or he 
 may form his judgment upon the sentiments and 
 purposes which you avow at the time of applica- 
 tion. 
 
 The Prayer-book recognizes the latter of these 
 
 tests. The Church says, Tell me your present 
 
 mind and purpose ; and provided these meet her 
 
 demands, she is comparatively indifferent as to 
 
 irsG
 
 OUR LOKD IN SIMOJSf's HOUSE. 23 
 
 the manner in wliicli tins result was brought 
 about. Let us see what reasons there are for 
 using this test in preference to any other. 
 
 It is, then, the simplest that can be found. 
 Men differ much in their spiritual history. There 
 are some (and God grant that in another genera- 
 tion there may be many more !) who have been 
 under the influence of religious principle from 
 their earliest childhood, who remember not a 
 day spent without prayer to God, and whose 
 mature i^iety is a gradual development of the re- 
 ligion of childhood. Others, again, have spent 
 many years in utter neglect of all religious duty. 
 And of these, again, some may have been grad- 
 ually impressed, and some quite suddenly. One 
 man woke up in alarm, and discovered that he 
 was on the brink of I'uin ; while upon another, 
 better thoughts stole in so gradually, that he 
 can scarce give any account of his awakening. 
 And in their subsequent history, there are some 
 who think to identify a day or an hour which 
 seemed to be a crisis ; while others can only say 
 that the good seed has grown up, they trust, — 
 but, indeed, they know not how. 
 
 But various as our several experiences may 
 be, there is one thing in which they perfectly 
 a2:ree. I mean the result. Whether we becran 
 sooner or later ; whether our history was event- 
 
 137
 
 24 OUR LORD IN SEVION's HOUSE. 
 
 ful, 01* marked by steady progress, — one tbiug is 
 very certain : if we are indeed Christians, we 
 have come at last to an humble, trusting, loving 
 temper. This we must have; it matters little 
 how we came by it. And so the Church asks 
 this simple question : Are you now penitent for 
 sin, trusting in the divine mercy through Christ, 
 determined to lead a godly life, forgiving as you 
 hope to be forgiven ? Surely, such tests as these 
 have the merit of great simplicity. And they 
 are the safest tests, too. There can be no great- 
 er error than to rest upon an experience that has 
 grown old, something that was wrought in us 
 years, or months, or even weeks ago. Our man- 
 na should be gathered every day ; we must not 
 keep it over until it corrupts in our hands. For, 
 supposing that our religious experience comes 
 fully up to the highest standard ; that, alas ! will 
 do us no good if we have relapsed into self-con- 
 fidence and impenitence. There is one safe test 
 of our spiritual condition, and only one; it is 
 that which the Church propounds, whether we 
 are seeking in the present to follow, with all hu- 
 mility and thankfulness, the example of our mas- 
 ter, Christ. 
 
 Another argument in favor of the standard set 
 up in the Church is, that it throws upon each one 
 of you a responsibility which you ought to bear. 
 
 138
 
 OUR LORD IN" Simon's house. 25 
 
 We have said something already of the power 
 of the keys ; perhaps we seemed to speak some- 
 what bohlly touching the authority and rights of 
 the Priesthood. But there is one power which 
 we earnestly disclaim, a power which the Church 
 has nowhere conceded to us, and which none but 
 God can exercise with safety to His people. I 
 mean the power of discerning spirits, and of pro- 
 nouncing judgment on men's sincerity. 
 
 AVe must propound to you the terms of salva- 
 tion ; we must exact of you a solemn profession 
 of repentance, faith, and obedience ; we may 
 take cognizance of your deeds, and when a com- 
 municant openly violates the great principles of 
 his duty, we have no choice but to warn him that 
 he abstain from the Holy Table ; we may advise 
 and caution those whose sincerity we doubt ; but 
 this is as much power as can be intrusted to a 
 mortal. We dare not sit in judgment on your 
 hearts, or assume a place on that tribunal which 
 is God's alone. 
 
 Suppose, then, you wish to commune : you 
 come to the minister ; he demands the history of 
 your experience ; compares it, say, with his own, 
 or with some standard which he elects ; and 
 admits you or refuses you on such a showing. 
 See you not, that this is lording it over God's 
 heritage ; arrogating the omniscience of the great 
 
 139
 
 26 OUR LORD IN Simon's house. 
 
 God himself; exercising an arrogant rule over 
 the precious sheep of Christ, whom He purchased 
 with His blood ? The system of the Church ob- 
 viates all this danger; it throws the responsi- 
 bility of passing upon your sincerity, where it 
 justly belongs, — upon you yourselves. 
 
 Whenever a man professes to be a penitent 
 and a believer, our duty is plainly marked out : 
 we must bid him be careful, and examine himself 
 not lightly, nor as a dissembler with God ; and, 
 unless something appears in his conduct mani- 
 festly inconsistent with a Christian character, we 
 are bound to receive him on that profession ; we 
 dare not dispute his integrity ; and his guilt is 
 on his own head, if his lips utter what his heart 
 belies. 
 
 We deem, then, that in making a man's pres- 
 ent state and temper the test of fitness, and in 
 not requiring conformity to any particular type 
 of experience, the Church has adopted a rule 
 which is simple ; which alone is safe ; which im- 
 poses upon the candidate a responsibility that he 
 cannot avoid ; and which withholds from the 
 priest a power which even inspired men were not 
 competent to exercise. Thus, Philip baptized 
 Simon Magus, hypocrite as he was, on his own 
 profession. 
 
 2. Tlie Church does not require of cmy indi- 
 
 140
 
 OUR LOUD IN SIMOJST^S HOUSE. 27 
 
 vidiial the affirmation tliat^ at some given mo- 
 ment^ he has ex/perieyiced a strange and mysteri- 
 ous manifestation of God^s goodwill and ])ar- 
 doning mercy. 
 
 For she finds such a doctrine nowhere in the 
 Bible. That book is a revelation to us all, su- 
 perseding the necessity of a revelation to us in- 
 dividually; it assures us that God pardons all 
 those who truly repent, and uufeignedly believe 
 his Holy Gospel. And when we have, to the 
 best of our ability, complied with these condi- 
 tions, it is our duty to believe, and it is the duty 
 of God's ministers to certify us that we are for- 
 given. 
 
 Furthermore, we are to examine ourselves 
 whether we be in the faith: there can be no 
 need of any self-examination, if each one of us is 
 to be assured by God himself, through a direct 
 and immediate communication, that He accepts 
 our penitence. 
 
 The publican does not seem to have had any 
 such manifestation ; Paul was lying in darkness 
 and in tears, when Ananias bade him rise and be 
 baptized ; the trembling jailer was baptized upon 
 faith in a goodness preached to him by the 
 apostles ; in fine, God's word is yea and amen. 
 He is not a man, that He should lie ; or the son 
 of man, that He should repent. Pie has said, 
 
 141
 
 28 OUE LORD IN Simon's house. 
 
 once for all, that He will forgive His penitent 
 people ; He lias spread that promise on the pages 
 of His word; He re-affirms it at every Sacra- 
 ment; and no man has a right to demand any 
 greater assurance than is thus afforded him. 
 There is, indeed, a witness of the Spirit ; an out- 
 ward witness in the Word and Sacraments, which 
 perpetuate the promises of pardon; and an 
 inward witness too ; for the humble penitent is 
 conscious of a heavenly power which aids his 
 repentance, and sustains him in his poor efforts, 
 and draws his heart upward towards good and 
 heavenly things. Our hunger and thirst for 
 holiness, our shame in view of past sins, our long- 
 ing to please God, — all these are the inward 
 witness of the Spirit. But our own judgments 
 are not set aside, and we must believe the love 
 that God hath to us. 
 
 And when to all this we add the teachings of 
 experience, remembering that many most holy 
 people say they have had seasons of great com- 
 fort, even in trouble and sickness, but cannot 
 point to any such moment of rapture and deliv- 
 erance ; when we think how many persons have 
 claimed this testimony, while their subsequent 
 history shows that it was all a delusion ; we may 
 well be content to fall back and rely upon the 
 humbler testimony of our conscience that we are 
 
 142
 
 OUR LORD IN Simon's house. 29 
 
 trying to serve our God, and upon His oft-re- 
 peated promise not to despise those wlio sincerely 
 seek Him. 
 
 Having thus seen what the Church does re- 
 quire, and what she does not require, we are 
 now pre})ared to answer certain questions pro- 
 posed in the beginning of this discourse ; and 
 we repeat these in the very words in which they 
 have very often been propounded : 
 
 1. " Can any one that eliooses become a member 
 of tlie Church r 
 
 Our first impulse is to answer. Yea — "The 
 Spirit .-and the Bride say, Come; and whosoever 
 will, let him come." But, as we have seen, he 
 must come in faith ; come with a penitent soul ; 
 he must come away from pride and malice ; he 
 must come professing an honest purpose to serve 
 the Lord with all his heart. And, unless he 
 comes thus, the ministers are expressly forbidden 
 to minister to him the sacraments of redemption. 
 
 2. "7>(9 we receive j^eople who have not ijro- 
 fessed P 
 
 We answer, the Sacraments are the appointed 
 ordinances wherein men confess Christ, and pro- 
 fess their purpose to take up their cross and fol- 
 low Him. We receive converts, in order that 
 they may make this profession. 
 
 But of any other profession the Church knows 
 
 143
 
 30 OUR LORD IN Simon's house. 
 
 nothing. Slie desires us to profess our sorrow, 
 our gratitude, our faith, our new-born purposes ; 
 but, as for any profession of a great change that 
 has passed upon us, of holiness that we have ac- 
 quired, of steadfastness that we have gained, all 
 such professions she frowns upon and disallows. 
 She desires not of the prodigal to declare how 
 much better he is now than he was years ago, 
 but would rather hear his contrite exclamation, 
 " Father, I have sinned." 
 
 3. " Does the Church receive those who are not 
 satisfied .^" 
 
 We answer. Yes ; if their dissatisfaction is with 
 themselves and with their spiritual attainments, 
 so that they will cry mightily for help from 
 God. Oh, she loves these people who are 
 grieved and weary with the burden of their 
 sins ; and who cry, " Lord, I believe, help Thou 
 mine unbelief." But then, they must be satisfied 
 that with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him 
 is plenteous redemption ; they must be satisfied 
 that they are poor, blind, liel2:)less, and sinful; 
 satisfied to take Christ as their Saviour, and to 
 rely upon the Holy Ghost to be their Comforter. 
 
 4. " JBut does the Church require conversion ? 
 — for that is the sum of the matter." 
 
 Every thing here depends upon the meaning 
 we give that word. And, in the Scripture sense 
 
 144
 
 OUR LORD IN Simon's house. 31 
 
 of it, we affirm that slie makes it absolutely in- 
 dispensable. 
 
 If conversion is a turning away from sin to 
 holiness, from unbelief to faith ; if it is a change 
 of heart, and mind, and life ; if it be evidenced 
 by contrition, by reparation of injuries, by recon- 
 ciling enmities, by habits of devotion, temper- 
 ance, and charity ; then is its necessity the whole 
 burden of the Church's teaching. She affii-ms it 
 in every exhortation, she interweaves it in all 
 her prayers. She calls out in a voice too clear 
 for any to mistake, " Repent ye of your sins, or 
 else come not to this Holy Table." 
 
 But if, in the view of any, conversion is a 
 thing different from that repentance spoken of 
 in the Gospel ; if it means a certain form and 
 routine of experience, culminating at last in a 
 supernatural revelation of j)ardon, then we frank- 
 ly avow the Church teaches no such doctrine. 
 
 The last inquiry is — 
 
 5. Does not iJie Church receive those who are 
 hut trying to he religious^ and as yet are not re- 
 ligious f" 
 
 Keader, did anybody ever yet try to be re- 
 ligious and fail ? Has Christ forgotten that 
 promise, "Him that cometh unto me, I will in 
 no wise cast out 1" 
 
 The Church teaches that the best of us are 
 
 1 145
 
 32 OUR LOKD IN SEVIOn's HOUSE. 
 
 but trying to be religious ; for she makes us at 
 eacli Communion promise to lead a new life. 
 
 Many a one says he is trying to be religious, 
 who is doing no such thing ; for he neglects the 
 means without which he cannot become reli- 
 gious : he yields wit^ out resistance to sins which 
 effectually detain him in the kingdom of dark- 
 ness. 
 
 But every one who sincerely strives to be re- 
 ligious is already such. " The desire for grace, 
 is grace begun." We are religious from that 
 very moment when we comprehend the way of 
 life, yield up our stubborn wills, and make up 
 our minds that we will do all that God tells us, 
 as far as we can, by His grace assisting. 
 
 In this sense, then, the Church encourages all 
 those who are trying to be religious : she takes 
 them to her bosom, that she may help them in 
 an object so dear to her heart. But mark )7"ou, 
 none are trying to be religious, save those who 
 are diligent, by cultivating habits of penitence 
 and prayer ; who have determined to submit to 
 any and every sacrifice which their Lord is 
 pleased to ask. 
 
 We trust that what we have thus spoken may 
 serve to fortify you in the conviction that the 
 Church has not betrayed her solemn trust, nor 
 lowered the stern requirements of the Gospel to 
 
 146
 
 OUR LOIiD IN SUVIOn's HOUSE. 33 
 
 win the rebellious and the disaffected sinner into 
 a show and 2')retence of religion. 
 
 We trust that when those who do not under- 
 stand these matters make inquliy of you, you 
 will have that familiarity with the Prayer-book 
 which will enable you to answer all such ques- 
 tions fairly and fully. And inasmuch as we can- 
 not exj^lain matters to the many, let us live our 
 best : let us try to prove by our sobriety, our 
 gentleness, our zeal in the cause of God, our ear- 
 nest efforts to grow in grace, that we have not 
 been taught to depend on external rites, to the 
 neglect of vital godliness and earnest-minded 
 piety. 
 
 In conclusion, it is the glory of the Church to 
 follow in all particulars the pattern of our Lord. 
 We have seen how, in the days of his flesh. He 
 received the humble-minded sinner; yet, let us 
 once again rehearse a narrative so replete with 
 instruction and comfort. 
 
 " One of the Pharisees desired Him that He 
 would eat with him. And He luent into the Phar- 
 isee's house, and sat down to meat. And behold a 
 woman in the city., which was a sinner, when she 
 knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's 
 house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, and 
 stood at His feet behind Him, weeping, and began 
 to wash His feet with tears, and did ivipe them
 
 34 OUR LORD IN Simon's house. 
 
 ivitli the liairs of her head, andlcissed His feet, and 
 anointed them icitli the ointment. Noiu, ivhen the 
 Pharisee which had hidden Him saw it, he spake 
 luitliin himself saying, This man, if He were 
 a ]}rophet, woidd have known who and what man- 
 ner of luoman this is that toucheth Him y for she 
 is a sinner. And Jesus ansiuering, said unto 
 him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. 
 And he saith. Master, say on. There loas a cer- 
 tain creditor tohich had tivo debtors : the one 
 oived five hundred pence, and tlie other fifty. And 
 luhen tliey had nothing to pay, he franldy forgave 
 them both. Tell me, therefore, which of them ivill 
 love him most f Simon answered and said, I sup- 
 pose that he to whom he forgave most. And He 
 said unto him. Thou hast rightly judged. And 
 He turned to the ivoman, and said unto Simon, 
 Seest thou this luoman ? I entered i?ito thine 
 house, thou gavest me no water for my feet y but 
 she hath washed my feet ivith tears, and wiped 
 them with the hairs of her head. TJiou gavest 7ne 
 no kiss / but this ivoman since the time I came in 
 hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil 
 thou didst not anoint^ but this woman hath 
 anointed my feet loith ointment. Wherefore I say 
 unto thee, Her sins, ivhich are many, are forgiven, 
 for she loved much y hut to ivhom little is for- 
 given, the same loveth little. And He said unto 
 
 148
 
 OUR LORD IN Simon's house. 35 
 
 Aer, Thy sins are forgiven. And tliey that sat at 
 meat with Him hegan to say within themselves^ 
 Wlio is this that forgiveth sins also f And He 
 said to the woman^ Thy faith hath saved thee / go 
 in peacey 
 
 Many centuries have passed away : the Lord 
 Jesus Christ has ascended into heaven, and in- 
 trusted to others that Gospel which, for a time, 
 He ministered in person. And the men thus 
 commissioned to act for Him and in His stead, are 
 such as should " have compassion on the ignorant, 
 and on them that are out of the way, for that 
 they themselves also are compassed about with 
 infirmity." 
 
 Think, then, of some such frail mortal intrust- 
 ed with the ministry of reconciliation. He has 
 just read in the Church the story of our Lord in 
 Simon's house, and one comes to him ; perhaps a 
 woman of a troubled spirit. Her narrative is 
 interrupted by many a tear, but its sum is this : 
 she feels herself guilty and deserving to be pun- 
 ished ; the burden of her sin is very heavy ; she 
 would fain cast herself upon the mercy of God 
 in Christ, and with the Spirit's aid begin a new 
 and better life. She feels in her inmost soul her 
 unworthiness so much as to gather up the crumbs 
 under her Master's table ; and she asks, Is there 
 any mercy for me ? will you suffer me, sinner that 
 
 149
 
 36 OUR LORD IN Simon's house. 
 
 I am, to come to your feast, and iu the presence 
 of the many, to own my faults, and pay my 
 poor homage to the Saviour who came to seek 
 sinners ? 
 
 Reader, in such a case, what should that min- 
 ister of Christ rej^ly ? Shall he call for the his- 
 tory of her repentance, and coolly measure it by 
 some arbitrary standard ? Shall he ask her 
 whether she is satisfied, while every word and 
 gesture shows that she is utterly humified at the 
 inadequacy of all her feelings ? Shall he re- 
 quire of her to experience and to profess some 
 rapturous evidence of God's good-will and par- 
 doning mercy ? 
 
 Oh no ! we dare not thus presume. Discern- 
 ing these manifest tokens of a broken spirit, we 
 would fain raise such an one from the dust ; we 
 would tell her that Christ refuses none who feel 
 their nothingness, and their need of Him ; we 
 would minister to her that comfort which she so 
 sorely needs ; we would receive her to the Holy 
 Table, and say to her in the name of Him who 
 suffered the Magdalene to bedew His feet with 
 tears, " Thy faith hath saved thee ; go in peace." 
 
 Our God is a merciful God. He will not 
 hearken to the proud, the obstinate, the impeni- 
 tent. But if any one of you feels that he is 
 poor, blind, helpless, and laden with infirmity, so 
 
 160
 
 OUR LORD IN Simon's house. 37 
 
 that you have naught else to offer save a heart 
 grieved and wearied with its sins ; fear not to 
 seek your Lord, and offer Him your homage. A 
 broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt 
 not despise ! 
 
 THE PRAYER. 
 
 Almighty and everlasting God, who hatest 
 nothing that Thou hast made, and dost forgive 
 the sins of all those who are penitent; create 
 and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, 
 worthily lamenting our sins, and acknowledging 
 our wretchedness, may obtain of Thee, the God 
 of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness, 
 through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 
 
 Grant, we beseech Thee, merciful Lord, to thy 
 faithful people pardon and peace, that they may 
 be cleansed from all their sins, and serve Thee 
 with a quiet mind, through Jesus Christ our 
 Lord. Amen. 
 
 151
 
 tracts for iHissionar}) Mbl 
 
 No. 6. 
 
 THE MESSAGE TO PETER, 
 
 BT 
 
 THE RT. REV. N. H. COBBS, D.D. 
 
 BISHOP OF ALABAMA.
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1S59, 
 
 By DANIEL DANA, Jr., 
 
 In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern 
 District of New York.
 
 THE MESSAGE TO PETER. 
 
 " But go your way^ tell his disciples and Peter that 
 he goeth hefore you into Galilee / there shall ye see him 
 as he said unto you.'''' — Mark xvi. 7. 
 
 Among the interesting events connected with 
 the crucifixion and resurrection of our Blessed 
 Saviour, there is recorded the visit of the pious 
 women to the sepulchre very early on the morn- 
 ing of the third day. 
 
 When these women reached the sepulchre, 
 they looked, and saw to their surprise, that the 
 great stone at its mouth was rolled away. And 
 when they entered into the sepulchre, they saw 
 a young man, sitting on the right side, clothed 
 in a long white garment, and they were affright- 
 ed. " And he saith unto them. Be not affrighted ; 
 ye seek Jesus of Nazareth which was crucified ; 
 he is risen ; he is not here : behold the place 
 where they laid him. But go your way, tell his 
 disciples and Peter, that he goeth before you 
 
 156
 
 4 THE MESSAGE TO PETER. 
 
 into Galilee ; tliere shall ye see him, as he said 
 UDto you." 
 
 In commenting on the text, we shall take for 
 granted that the angel who appeared to the 
 women spake by authority from his Master ; and 
 shall, therefore, consider the message he deliv- 
 ered as coming from the Lord Jesus Christ him- 
 self. This is plainly intimated in the latter 
 clause of the verse — " there shall ye see him, as 
 he said unto you." 
 
 Let us inquire first. Why this special message 
 VMS sent to Peter: go, tell the disciples and 
 Peter. 
 
 Although the name of Peter is incidentally 
 mentioned, yet, we doubt not, it was introduced 
 for a substantial and merciful reason ; and that 
 a great deal was conveyed in the simple addition 
 of that one word. Peter seems to have been 
 singled out, not because he was a particular fa- 
 vorite with our Lord ; for it appears from the 
 Gospels that John was the beloved disciple : nor 
 was it because of any honor or priority intended 
 to be bestowed on him above the others ; for, in 
 that case, Peter would liave been mentioned be- 
 fore the other disciples. It would rather seem 
 that Peter's name was added as a kind of after- 
 thought on the part of the angel acting in behalf 
 of our Saviour, — a considerate and mei'ciful after- 
 
 156
 
 THE MESSAGE TO PETER. O 
 
 thonglit, suggested by liis late shameful down- 
 fall. Althougli when our Saviour was appre- 
 hended, all the disciples had basely deserted 
 Him, and cowardly fled ; yet the conduct of 
 Peter was ungrateful and wicked in an aggra- 
 vated degree, and had deserved the strongest 
 reprobation from his Lord and Master. 
 
 He had, however, been made truly sensible of 
 the turpitude of his behavior, and was now, 
 most truly, an humbled, and a penitent man. 
 All crushed as he was, under a deep sense of 
 mortification and guilt, he must doubtless have 
 felt, not only afraid, but ashamed to meet again 
 his Lord and Master. As he painfully dwelt on 
 all the humiliating circumstances of his melan- 
 choly downfall, he must have said to himself 
 again and again. How can my Lord and Master 
 ever forgive me for my late shameful conduct ! 
 How can He ever again have any confidence in 
 any promises and professions that I may here- 
 after make ! No doubt Peter's feelings of con- 
 scious guilt and shame were sometimes so pun- 
 gent and overwhelming as almost to drive him 
 to desperation. 
 
 Now, we doubt not, it was because the Saviour 
 knew such to be the state of Peter's mind, that 
 when the message was delivered, " Go your way, 
 tell the disciples that He goeth before you to 
 
 157
 
 6 THE ]tfESSAGE TO PETER. 
 
 Galilee, there shall ye see Him ;" there was add- 
 ed, by special designation, the name of Peter: 
 " Tell the disciples and Peter ;" as much as to 
 say, Be sure not to forget Peter : Be very par- 
 ticular to tell Peter to go along too. Tell him 
 that his Lord and Master heartily forgives him ; 
 that He yet loves him, and will be as glad to 
 see him as any of the other disciples. Yes, our 
 Lord knew that Peter was so much mortified 
 and crushed by a sense of his guilt, that he 
 would be ashamed to acknowledge himself a dis- 
 ciple, and that he needed to be encouraged, to 
 be inspired with confidence. Perhaps, without 
 some such merciful intimation on the part of the 
 Saviour, Peter might have gone off in despair, 
 and have become reckless, and hardened, and 
 lost. And this was the more likely, as he seems 
 to have been naturally of an ardent, impulsive, 
 and sensitive temperament. And therefore it 
 was, that our blessed Lord, with the most deli- 
 cate tenderness, caused a special message to be 
 sent to Peter. Yes, it may be, that the thought- 
 ful addition of that one word, was the means of 
 bringing Peter to the presence of his Lord, and 
 of saving that noble and gifted man from utter 
 despair and ruin. 
 
 Ah ! what mighty power is there in one word 
 of kindness judiciously uttered ! As the wise 
 
 168
 
 THE MESSAGE TO PETEE. 7 
 
 man justly observes, " A word spoken in due sea- 
 son, how good is it !" Oli ! the misery that 
 might be prevented, and the happiness that 
 might be conferred, if there were a little more 
 considerate kindness in the world ! Great, in- 
 deed, is the power of kindness to melt and sub- 
 due the stubborn heart ! It is, indeed, the 
 mighty weapon by which God is conquering a 
 rebel Avorld, and bringing back proud and stub- 
 born sinners to submission and obedience. 
 
 But we remark, in the second place, wliat an 
 affecting instance was this of delicate and consid- 
 erate tenderness on the part of our Saviow; and 
 what encouragement is herein afforded to every 
 humble penitent to hope in His mercy ^ and to 
 certify his faith through the sacraments of the 
 Church. 
 
 How different the conduct of our Saviour from 
 the spirit of the world ! The men of this world 
 would have cherished the feelings of revenge 
 and contempt for the ungrateful conduct of 
 Peter ; would have bitterly reproached him for 
 his baseness; would have scornfully repulsed 
 him ; and would have forbidden him ever again 
 to show himself in the presence of his benefac- 
 tor. But, not so with the compassionate Sa- 
 viour. Overlooking his own wrongs and inju- 
 ries. He generously thought only of Peter's good. 
 
 169
 
 8 THE ]\rESSAGE TO PETER. 
 
 Though grieved, deeply grieved, it was not be- 
 cause of the offence offered to himself, but be- 
 cause of the infirmity and sinfulness of Peter. 
 He pitied the poor, frail, unhajipy man. He 
 saw, with sadness, the dark and deep abyss 
 of shame and condemnation in which he was 
 plunged ; His bowels of compassion yearned 
 over the fallen man ; and He therefore pursued 
 him with messages of kindness, and with all the 
 winning appliances of love and tenderness. He 
 did not wait for Peter to come forward, and 
 make confession, as a condition of his being for- 
 given (this, indeed, would have been a great 
 kindness) ; but He gratuitously sent after him, 
 and gave him antecedent assurances of His par- 
 doning mercy: and in this way He graciously 
 won him back to rectitude, to usefulness, and to 
 happiness. 
 
 Ah ! how considerate and condescending was 
 this conduct of our Saviour ! What a delicate 
 regard did He thus manifest for the sensibility, 
 the wounded pride, and lacerated feelings of a 
 fallen man ! How interesting and lovely does 
 the character of the Saviour thus appear ! How 
 infinitely exalted above the narrow, selfish, un- 
 forgiving, malicious, and vindictive spirit of the 
 world ! Who, in contemplating this transcend- 
 ent and heavenlike conduct of the Saviour, as 
 
 IGO
 
 THE MESSAGE TO PETER. y 
 
 exhibited tlirongli His messenger, the angel, 
 would not exclaim witli the Centurion who wit- 
 nessed the crucifixion, " Truly this was the Son 
 of God !" Most justly might it be inferred, that 
 such spontaneous and exuberant goodness could 
 have emanated only from the abode of heaven, 
 from the bosom of the God and Father of 
 Mercies. 
 
 And here, what abundant encouragement is 
 afforded to every hurnhle penitent to go in faith to 
 tli-e Saviour of tJie tuorld^ and to certify this faith 
 in the sacraments of the Church. 
 
 When the poor sinner, being awakened by 
 the Sj^irit of God, is crushed under a sense of 
 his guilt ; when he is anxiously asking what he 
 must do to be saved, and is earnestly desirous to 
 be reconciled to his God ; when, all timid and 
 alarmed, he fears that there can be no hope of 
 mercy for such as he feels himself to be : let him 
 contemplate the kind and condescending manner 
 of the Saviour towards the offending, but peni- 
 tent, Peter, and thus take to himself encourage- 
 ment and comfort. Let him learn something of 
 the mercy and goodness of the Divine Saviour ; 
 how ready He is to hear; how tender to pity 
 and forgive ; how prompt to receive and restore 
 an humble, penitent sinner. Let this penitent 
 bear in mind that the Saviour is " touched with 
 
 161
 
 10 THE MESSAGE TO PETER. 
 
 the feeling of our infirmities ;" tliat " He knows 
 our frame and remembers that we are but dust ;" 
 that He ever stands with outstretched arms to- 
 wards a worhl of sinners, with the solemn proc- 
 lamation : " Him that cometh unto me, I will in 
 no wise cast out." Let the penitent be embold- 
 ened by the restoration of Peter, to return to 
 the Lord in faith ; to take hold of His promises 
 of mercy ; and, in the sacraments of the Church, 
 to devote himself to His service, and to seek the 
 supplies of His grace, through those divinely ap- 
 pointed channels. Let it be well remembered, 
 that all those deep convictions of sin ; all this 
 hungering and thirsting after righteousness ; all 
 this struggling against inward corru2:)tions, are the 
 messages which the Saviour sends through Plis 
 Spirit of Grace to call the penitent back to Him- 
 self, and to restore him to the paths of peace and 
 salvation. He may be well assured that the 
 Saviour having made advances, and having 
 sought him out when he was a careless, proud, 
 and haughty rebel, will not now refuse him 
 when, humble and suppliant, he asks for mercy 
 on the faith of promises and pledges made in 
 the Gospel. 
 
 Again, lohat an instructive example is her-e fur- 
 nished for our imitatian. One of the great 
 duties, earnestly enjoined by our Saviour, and 
 
 162
 
 THE MESSAGE TO PETER. 11 
 
 powerfully enforced by His example, is that of 
 forgiveness of injuries. It is indeed made one of 
 the express conditions of our salvation. In the 
 Gospel many earnest warnings are given against 
 a malicious and unforgiving spirit, — a spirit which 
 is destructive of the graces of Religion, and the 
 fruitful source of misery and suffering in the 
 world. But, alas ! how little of this forgiving 
 spirit is exhibited, even among those who call 
 themselves the followers of the meek and the 
 lowly Jesus, and who often repeat the words of 
 His prayer : " Forgive us our trespasses, as we 
 forgive those who trespass against us." With 
 what exacting tenacity do people cling to their 
 own rights ; and with what stubborn persever- 
 ance do they hold out in hatred and revenge ! 
 How eagerly do they catch at any plausible 
 arguments to soothe the pride of self, and to jus- 
 tify hatred and malice, under the name of prin- 
 ciple and conscience ! And even when people 
 do extend forgiveness, it is oftentimes reluctantly 
 extorted, and with a bad grace ; in an unkind 
 and unfeeling manner ; in a spirit of chiding and 
 reproach ; dwelling upon the errors and faults of 
 the offender ; harrowing up his feelings of shame 
 and remorse, and thus, by a rude and rough 
 hand, deepening the wound it professes to heal. 
 How often are these acts of pardoning mercy so 
 
 163
 
 12 THE MESSAGE TO PETER. 
 
 performed as to leave beliind a sting of bitter- 
 ness, instead of an abiding sense of obligation 
 and gratitude ! All ! how little is thought of 
 the wounded pride, and mortified feelings, and 
 penitential sorrows, and inward conflicts of soul, 
 experienced by those who make confession, and 
 ask for fors^iveness at our hands! How often 
 has the work of repentance and reformation been 
 marred and defeated by the harshness of those 
 who should have fostered and furthered it by 
 kindness, and gentleness, and soothing apj^liances! 
 How many persons of a sensitive, morbid tem- 
 perament have been hardened in sin, and driven 
 to desperation, for the want of a little soothing 
 and condescending sympathy! How many are 
 there, now crushed and fallen into sin, who need 
 only the look of kindness and the voice of love, 
 or some little expression of sympathy, to win 
 them back to the paths of virtue ! Ah ! how 
 seldom do we remember that a self-condemned 
 and contrite spirit is tender, is sensitive, is fastid- 
 ious, is suspicious ; that such a spirit needs gen- 
 tleness and sympathy ; that, being timid, it re- 
 quires to be encouraged, and inspired with con- 
 fidence and self-respect, and not to be repelled by 
 taunts and invectives ! As the poet expresses 
 the thought, in speaking of a broken and crushed 
 rose : 
 
 164
 
 THE MESSAGE TO PETEK, 3 3 
 
 " This elegant rose, li.itl I sliaken it less, 
 
 Miglit liave blooin'd with its owner a wiiile ; 
 And the tear that is wiped with a little address, 
 May be follow'd, jjerhaps, by a smile." 
 
 Ah ! what a want there is in the world of 
 spiritual sympathy ; of bearing one another's 
 burdens ; of compassion for the faults and infirm- 
 ities, for the wounds and diseases of the soul ! 
 We are prompt enough to feel for the sufferings 
 and to administer to the relief of the body ; but 
 who thinks or cares to bind up the wounds of a 
 broken and contrite heart, and to pour the oil of 
 consolation into an humble and penitential 
 bosom ! How seldom are those to be found who 
 would send a kind and inviting message to an of- 
 fending, though penitent Peter ! 
 
 Ah ! if we would be Christians, in deed and in 
 truth ; if we would cherish the spirit of the Lord 
 Jesus Christ, and would bring forth the fruits of 
 His Gospel ; if we would enjoy in our souls the 
 peace of God that passeth all understanding ; 
 and be qualifying ourselves for the blessed man- 
 sions of Heaven, let us be careful to put away 
 from us all the feelings of bitterness and malice, 
 of hatred and revenge. Let us cultivate the 
 spirit of forbearance, of charity, of love ; let us 
 remember our own failings, and learn to look 
 with pity and indulgence on the infirmities of 
 
 165
 
 14 THE 3IESSAGE TO PETEK. 
 
 others; let tlie law of kindness be ever in our 
 hearts, and its accents familiar to our lips ; and 
 let us he tender of the name, and the rights, and 
 the feelings of those around us. Let us not be 
 too hasty in judging, nor rashly conclude that, 
 because something is wrong, every thing must be 
 bad. Let us not only forgive those who may 
 oifend and injure us, but let us forgive heartily 
 and fully, without reservation, without reproach, 
 without dwelling on the wrongs and injuries we 
 have received, without tearing ^the wound we 
 would endeavor to heal, without crushing the 
 spiiit we would, desire to raise and restore. Such 
 is the conduct that will commend itself to the 
 judgment and conscience in the solemn hour of 
 death ; such is the conduct that will meet the 
 approbation of God, the final Judge of all the 
 earth. 
 
 PRAYER. 
 
 O Lord, who hast taught us that all our do- 
 ings without charity are nothing worth, send Thy 
 Holy Ghost, and pour into our hearts that most 
 excellent gift of charity, the very bond of peace, 
 and of all virtues, w^ithout which, whosoever 
 liveth, is counted dead before Thee. Grant this 
 for Thine Only Son, Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. 
 
 166
 
 ©tacts for iltiiisiananj Msc, 
 
 No. 7. 
 
 HOW THE CHURCH WAS BUILDED. 
 
 BY A LADY.
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1859, 
 
 By DANIEL DANA, Jr., 
 
 In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern 
 
 District of New York.
 
 "HOW THE CHURCH WAS BUILDED." 
 
 Perhaps tliere are few persons who, when 
 they hear of a church being bmlt, reahze the 
 difficulties which must be encountered, — difficul- 
 ties enough to make the stoutest heart sink, and 
 the truest courage fail, were it not for His help 
 who shall one day " suddenly come to His 
 Temple." 
 
 Let me tell you something of the building of 
 
 our church at H , and what was done for 
 
 this object by a Christian man. But you must 
 go back with me twenty years. It is a beautiful 
 country which surrounds us ; — tall old trees, 
 under whose shade the wild-flowers spring up, 
 teaching sweet lessons of the Resurrection, and 
 whose branches preach every year a sermon 
 from the text, " we all do fade as a leaf." Then 
 the hills, sloping down to the water's edge, so 
 bright in summer ; and the creek itself, flow- 
 ing with a gentle and soothing murmur over the 
 
 8 169
 
 4 " HOW THE CHUKCH WAS BUILDED. 
 
 stones ; seem all to unite in " blessing the Lord, 
 praising and magnifying Him forever." 
 
 But, in the midst of all this beauty, there is 
 something wanting ! The busy wheels of nu- 
 merous factories are in constant motion ; the 
 humble dwellings of the poor," and the mansions 
 of luxury and wealth, meet the eye on every 
 side ; but — tliere is no cliurcli to he seen. All 
 the holy teaching of the trees, and flowers, and 
 hills passes unnoticed, and every day is so quiet, 
 that when Sunday comes, it can scarcely be 
 more peaceful. " Man goeth forth to his work, 
 and to his labor, until the evening," all the week 
 long, and tlien^ on the Lord's day, forgets, by 
 offering praise and thanksgiving, to honor Him, 
 who, " very early in the morning" on the " first 
 day of the week," rose from Joseph's garden- 
 grave. 
 
 A young physician has been going in and out 
 among those working people, — visiting them in 
 their homes, and winning their affections by the 
 dying bed of some dear friend or relation. He 
 had been accustomed all his life to the Church's 
 holy services, and now he missed their strength- 
 ening influence, and his heart pitied the poor 
 who had no Gospel preached to them. 
 
 So, he began \the Avork zealously, and with a 
 good courage ; and under his influence, in course 
 170
 
 5 
 
 of time, a parish was organized, and services be- 
 gan to be held, once every Sunday, in the " old 
 school-house." But this did not satisfy him ; — 
 like David, he would " build a habitation for the 
 Lord." 
 
 You, who can go every Sunday of your lives 
 to a church, which was built years ago, and 
 without giving you any trouble, can hardly un- 
 derstand all his trials and discourasrements. A 
 doctor's life in the country is no easy one, I as- 
 sure you ; — lial)le as he is to be summoned at 
 any hour of the day or night, in storm or cold, 
 to ride, perhaps miles, to visit some sick person.. 
 Yet, with all his incessant occupation, and a con- 
 stitution enfeebled by disease and hard work, he 
 found time to consider the welfiire of the Chui'ch 
 he so dearly loved. And when deprived of the 
 services of the sanctuary, by being called (as he 
 frequently was) to labor on the Lord's day, in 
 the duties of his profession, he laid aside the pro- 
 ceeds of his work to be devoted to the service of 
 his Master. 
 
 Some of the servants of God have labored 
 faithfully without seeing the fruit of their labors ; 
 one has sown, and another reaped ; and, before 
 the first stone of the Church he had hoped to 
 see erected could be laid, he was removed to that 
 " city which hath foundations, whose builder and 
 
 171
 
 maker is God," and where " tlie Lord God 
 Almighty, and the Lamb, are the temple 
 of it." 
 
 Suddenly the Master called him ; but he was 
 found watching, and so he was calmly laid to 
 rest, while the comforting service of the Church 
 was read, and the mourning crowd felt that 
 " blessed" indeed " are the dead who die in the 
 Lord." 
 
 Let us learn a lesson from this good man's lifeir 
 Have not many of us said, " I have no time for 
 these things ; the evening is the only season I 
 can call my own ; I cannot then be expected to 
 -wovk for the Church V But let us take heed, 
 and remember that there is a '' niglit" coming, 
 " wherein no man can work." 
 
 Ah ! that was a sad period in our church's 
 history ; dark and mysterious at the time, but 
 full of deep meaning ; for we were afterwards 
 permitted to read (as in a book) the w^orkings 
 of that Mighty Providence by which " our 
 church was builded." In the midst of the deep 
 affliction which overshadowed us — and laj^, heavy 
 upon all — the goodness and mercy of our God 
 shone forth, and the instrument of His forming 
 was brought out, ready for the conflict ; and one^ 
 who before had " cared for none of these things," 
 was the man destined to bring his powerful will 
 172
 
 "how thk ciruijoii was huilued." 7 
 
 and wonderful energies to work in behalf of his 
 hitherto neglected Saviour. 
 
 So mighty is God in powei", and " excellent in 
 working !" The Hand which with a sudden 
 blow took from us " the beloved physician," 
 caused by the same stroke the " living water" to 
 flow from the heart of the awakened servant, 
 who w\as henceforth to live only to liis glory. 
 The lowly school-house is now witness to the 
 first adult baptism in the parish, and beholds 
 the high-spirited man, whose strong mind and 
 energies had heretofore been devoted to the ex- 
 tension of a large and responsible business, kneel- 
 ing like " a little child," with the water of bap- 
 tism on his brow, at its simple chancel-rail. 
 This was but the beginning; but the morning 
 had now dawned, which was to " shine more and 
 more unto the perfect day." Afterwards, in Con- 
 firmation, and the Holy Communion, he sought 
 new supplies of strength for many struggles with 
 our great adversary, in which, by God's grace, 
 he was to come off moi-e than conqueror. Like 
 the apostle Paul, the first evidence he gave of 
 his conversion was a practical indication. He 
 did not ask, "Lord, are there few that be saved ?" 
 but, "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to doV^ 
 and he entered on his new course with a perfect 
 renunciation of his own will. In a few months 
 
 173
 
 8 
 
 he is called to part Math the darling of his little 
 flock — his youngest son. But, mark the change ; 
 no "strong ci'ying and tears" are now wrung 
 from his loving and tender heart, but he says, 
 " It is the Lord, let Him do what seemeth Him 
 good ;" and he brings the beloved form to the 
 same hallowed spot, and submissively lays it 
 down, amid the holy prayers of the Church of 
 his affections. And, as he writes upon his tomb, 
 in the words of the Shunamite of old, "7i5 is 
 well^'' he feels that all things must "work to- 
 gether for good, to those who love God ;" for he 
 knew in whom he had trusted, and turned from 
 the world to unbosom his sorrow, having learned 
 from whose hand relief would come. And now 
 let us see how this " model layman" shaped his 
 course after he had renounced the world and be- 
 come henceforth a new creature. 
 
 He did not sit idly down, and think he had 
 accomplished a great deal, by making a surren- 
 der of himself to his God, but he girded on the 
 armoi', and set forth in earnest for the great 
 strife. Day by day the work went on, and he 
 spent each leisure moment in talking to his 
 neighboi's, and urging their co-operation in his 
 vast undertakings. In their houses, in the work- 
 shop, l)y the wayside, and during his many rides 
 on business, religion was his all-engi-ossiug theme, 
 174
 
 " now THE CHURCH WAS BUILUEU." 9 
 
 and lie never considered any tiling too trifling or 
 unimportant wliicli niiglit be the means of in- 
 fluencing some one for good. All those in his 
 employment came to him with their trials and 
 difficulties, ever sui-e of his ready sympathy and 
 wise counsel. Thoroughly convinced, himself, of 
 the Scriptural foundation of the Church he loved, 
 he was always prepared to " give an answei* to 
 every man, of the hope which was in him." He 
 delighted to engage in conversation with those 
 he met in his numerous walks ; and if he found 
 them living "without God in the world," he 
 would try to win them to the service of their 
 Maker. Many now living have testified to his 
 earnestness in first awakening in their minds the 
 convictions which have resulted in bringing them 
 within the fold of the Church, 
 
 But all this time, while the "spiritual house" 
 was building under his influence and example, he 
 did not forget the visible one. In his intercourse 
 with the poorer members of the parish, he repre- 
 sented to them the advantage of having a house 
 of prayer, erected to God's glory, and gained 
 their hearty interest in the work. Then, too, 
 among his friends and acquaintances, he went 
 with the same persuasive words upon his lips, 
 and never shrank from the task of asking their 
 pecuniary assistance, although he often met with 
 
 175
 
 10 " now THE CHURCH WAS BIJILDED." 
 
 repulses sufficient to dishearten a less ardent 
 spirit. Many tliouglit him " beside himself," and, 
 unable to understand his whole-hearted liberal- 
 ity, called his ideas " extravagant ;" yet he was 
 never discouraged, for he remembered that God 
 had given him all things, and therefore he would 
 not offer Him that which cost him nothing. He 
 knew 
 
 " The work was not of eartli, 
 But had its end in Heaven." 
 
 He was not one who would dwell in a " ceiled 
 house," enjoying the comforts of a happy and 
 luxurious home, while the Lord's house could 
 find no place amid the beauties of the surround- 
 ing landscape. 
 
 Time would fail me to tell of all the obstacles 
 and prejudices which this bold and remarkable 
 man was obliged to overcome, ere the place was 
 secured whereon the ark of the Lord was to find 
 a resting-place. It was a bright summer after- 
 noon when he stood with his children to see the 
 ground broken for the new church edifice; and, 
 at his request, each one removed a portion of the 
 earth, which was to open wide its bosom, and 
 enfold the substantial walls and heavy buttresses 
 of Church. 
 
 The s23ot seemed already consecrated to our 
 17C
 
 " now THE CHURCH WAS BUILDED." 1 1 
 
 Wessed Lord and Saviour, for this was the place 
 wherein prayer was to be made to Him continu- 
 ally, though sinners might blaspheme His name 
 without. 
 
 All through the autumn, and a portion of the 
 winter, the church building went on bravely, 
 and when at last (])y reason of the extreme cold) 
 the busy sound of the mason's hammer was no 
 longer heard, we could look from our chamber- 
 windows, and trace its graceful outline against 
 the red evening sky. Spring and summer came 
 again, and the work was pursued diligently for 
 another year, and the little community awaited 
 with eager interest the day when the sacred por- 
 tals should be opened for the first service in the 
 new sanctuary. 
 
 It came at last, with a cloudless sky, and 
 the forest trees (in the midst of which the 
 church stands) were arrayed in tender and 
 budding green. All nature seemed in unison 
 with our thankful and happy hearts, as crowds 
 of people began to assemble, at an early 
 hour, to join in the sacred services of the 
 day. 
 
 Many thoughts of the future filled the minds 
 of that Christian l)and of worshippers, as they 
 joined in the strains of praise and prayer which 
 now arose for the first time from those walls, 
 
 s* IVT
 
 12 
 
 whose arches shall echo, with holy ascriptions, 
 and whence 
 
 " Tlwu art the King of Glory ^ O Christ /" 
 
 shall ascend to His heavenly throne, until He 
 comes to claim His earthly kingdom. 
 
 Some thought of the little children who would 
 be brought to Jesus in holy baptism, and of 
 those who in that place would take upon them- 
 selves the vows which had been made in their 
 name ; and others thought how unnumbered 
 souls would commemorate their Saviour's love at 
 His holy table, and, after glorifying Him upon 
 earth, would sing praises in Heaven " unto Him 
 who loved them and washed them from their sins 
 in His own blood." All^ doubtless, thought that 
 it was indeed no small thing to have placed one 
 stone in that fair temple, for it was in truth no 
 unpretending building, such as might have been 
 erected with slight exertion ; its massive walls 
 showed that it was intended for ages to come. 
 The beautiful proportions of the high arched 
 roof and " recess chancel" excited universal ad- 
 miration, and some who had never been in such 
 a church before, said, that when the organ 
 pealed forth its deep tones in the opening anthem, 
 it seemed like " the music of Heaven." 
 
 Was not this a day of holy triumph for that 
 178
 
 earnest Christian, when lie witnessed the fruits 
 of his untiring exertions for the cause of his 
 Maker? " It was indeed a day of rejoicing to 
 all ; a day of happy and thankful memories, on 
 which we love to dwell, now that he who guided 
 us through all our difficulties in erecting the 
 earthly tabernacle has been promoted to a higher 
 station in the " Church Triumphant." 
 
 It was remarked to him at that time, by one 
 who knew the sti'uggles and trials through which 
 he had passed, that " now^ he would be quite at 
 a Io,s% as his work was completed ;" to wdiich he 
 replied, " Oh, no, my work has only begun ; for 
 twenty-one years of my life I have served the 
 world ; I have robbed my God of what was all 
 His due, and while I live I can never repay the 
 debt." What his hand found to do, he did it 
 with his might, and in nowise discouraged by the 
 sacrifices and trouble which the building of o?ie 
 church had cost him, the very day before it was 
 opened for Divine service he had secured the 
 ground in a neighboring village for the planting 
 of another. His heart was filled with high hopes 
 for the future gloiy and honor of his Lord, in 
 this new field, where "the harvest" truly "was 
 plenteous," but " the laborers few," for no place 
 of worship had as yet been estaVjlished, although 
 the community was large and intelligent. The 
 
 179
 
 14 " now THE CHUECH WAS BUILDED." 
 
 ctiurcli he planned was on a scale of liberality 
 exceeding his previous efforts ; a school-house 
 was at once erected, where the people were gath- 
 ered ; the young parish was thriving, and the 
 church partially built, when the decree went 
 forth for the servant to " give an account of his 
 stewardship." But reaching onwards, even the 
 last hour of his life he is anxious for the pros- 
 perity of the church, and leaves provision and 
 solemn injunctions for others to finish his work. 
 
 After the removal of its beloved and lamented 
 founder, none can know the absorbing hold it 
 took on the thoughts and interests of his be- 
 reaved friends. Its progress, its difficulties — all 
 connected with it, seemed a part of our daily life, 
 associated with j^leasant and sacred memoiies ; 
 his strong expressions of faith, his earnest dem- 
 onstration of works, thus cementing in his own 
 life and practice what God has joined together. 
 And when the church was finished, and we as- 
 sembled within its holy precincts to consecrate 
 the noble structure to tlie honor of His great 
 name, although many sorrowful pangs were min- 
 gled with our thanksgivings, as we remembered 
 the one who had "taken sweet counsel" with us 
 on earth, yet we checked our repining when we 
 thought of him among the shining company who 
 " walk about Zion," within the walls of that city 
 
 180
 
 "how the church was builded." 15 
 
 of whicli " the Lamb is the light," and which is 
 peopled with the glorified spiiits of those who, 
 having "fought the good fight of faith," are 
 henceforth " resting from their labors." So, 
 with his life, his work is at an end, and he no 
 longer needs the refreshment of God's ordi- 
 nances, and the services of the sanctuary, for he 
 has reached his Father's house, and his day of 
 toil is over. With him life and work were sy- 
 nonymous, and in deploring the sudden visitation, 
 many marvelled at the mysterious Providence 
 that took him from so great a work ere it was 
 finished. But, would it ever have been other- 
 wise ? Would he ever have ceased from his 
 labors, until his Heavenly Father saw fit to 
 translate him into that rest " which remaineth 
 for the people of God ?" The work on which 
 he had just entered called for greater faith, 
 greater hope, greater charity ; greater sacrifices 
 of time, of convenience, of means. Whenever 
 his summons had sounded it would have found 
 him doing his Master's business. He lived "unto 
 the Lord," and when He took him, he " died 
 unto the Lord," so that, "living and dying he 
 was the Lord's." While it is sufficient for us to 
 know that " He doeth all things well," faith leads 
 us to that higher spiritual life, where, with the 
 assembly of the blest, he awaits the final con- 
 
 181
 
 16 
 
 summation of glory. If the highest employment 
 of heaven is doing God's will, and our blessed 
 Saviour teaches us to pray (as our highest aim) 
 that His " will may be done on earth, as it is in 
 heaven," can we imagine a lower aim for those 
 on whom earth has now no claim, and who have 
 not yet entered heaven ? No, we feel that when 
 the blessed Lord took him from the great work 
 on which he was engaged here, He "had need 
 of him," for a higher and holier work in the 
 kingdom of the saints. Our holy Church teach- 
 es us to give thanks to Almighty God for the 
 good examples of those His servants " who have 
 departed this life in His faith and fear," and we 
 bear Him in our hearts, when we offer up our 
 prayers in the sacred places, which are fragrant 
 with his memory; for, "the righteous shall be 
 had in everlasting remembrance." 
 
 And now I have told you how, through many 
 obstacles and discouragements, " our church was 
 builded," and have given you an account of what 
 one man did. Can any one, then, say, " I have no 
 influence with others? I have no gold to offer 
 unto the Lord ? I cannot do as he did ?" But 
 have you no offering of a " free heart" to give 
 Him ? no time to devote to serving Him ? Re- 
 member, " ye are not your own, for ye are 
 ])ouglit with a price." The one of whom I have 
 
 182
 
 " HOW THE CHUllCH WAS BUILDED." 1 7 
 
 been telling yon did not content himself witli 
 giving his money to help build the church, but 
 he gave, also, his time, his talents, his loving ad- 
 vice to others ; and although the career of use- 
 fulness in which he was earnestly engaged, was 
 suddenly brought to a close, he still speaks to 
 us, in his works and in his example. The 
 churches he built, with their spires pointing 
 heavenward, tell how much may be achieved by a 
 ready and willing spirit, and suggest to us sweet 
 and consoling thoughts ; for we know that " his 
 labor was not in vain in the Lord." Crowds of 
 worshippers assemble within their walls to hear 
 the Gospel read and preached, and generations 
 yet to come, " shall rise up and call him blessed." 
 The active and enei-getic layman can do much 
 to streno^then the hands and cheer the heart of 
 his pastor ; and in his intercourse with the world, 
 in the ordinary routine of his business, has many 
 more opportunities for the exercise of a true 
 missionary spirit. It was often a matter of sur- 
 prise that one who was never " slothful in busi- 
 ness," should yet be so '' fervent in spirit ;" and 
 strangers, to whom he would address himself, in 
 regard to their spiritual concerns, have sometimes 
 remarked, " Sir, you must be a minister^ or you 
 would not be so interested in my salvation." 
 The Church mourns the loss of such faithful 
 
 183
 
 18 
 
 cliiklren, and lier ministers deplore the want of 
 sympathy and co-operation they need from her 
 members, but Ave believe, for our comfort in the 
 " day of our visitation," that our Heavenly Father 
 withdraws His obedient servants from the scenes 
 of their earthly labors, that those who remain 
 may be quickened by their example, and ani- 
 mated by a hearty desire to follow in their foot- 
 steps. Let this thought stimulate us to greater 
 earnestness in our holy cause, greater zeal, great- 
 er love, that in the exercise of our best energies 
 hei'e, we may he fitting for more exalted and 
 holy employment hereafter. 
 
 184
 
 ®^vact5 for iltisriiDitanj Jise. 
 
 5^0. S. 
 
 DEATH-BED REPENTANCE AND THE 
 PARISH REGISTER. 
 
 A NARRATIVE.
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1S59, 
 
 By DANIEL DANA, Ju., 
 
 In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern 
 District of New York.
 
 DEATH-BED REPENTANCE AND THE 
 PARISH REGISTER. 
 
 " I SHOULD be sorry to die just as I am now." 
 
 So said Mr. Austen, an ingenuous but some- 
 what tliouglitless young man, with whom Mr. 
 Worthy liad entered into conversation as they 
 met in a morning walk. 
 
 "I have never taken hold of religion as I 
 would wish to do. But I read my Bible and go 
 to church. This morning I read the story of 
 the Dying Thief." 
 
 3Ir. W. '' And what did you make of it ?" 
 
 3Ir. A. "It is very full of comfort; do you 
 not think so ?" 
 
 Mr. W. " It is for some people, but I know of 
 none for you." 
 
 3fr. A. " Does it not seem to teach that, 
 
 ' While tlie lamp liolds out to burn, 
 Tlie vilest sinner may return ?' " 
 
 Mr. W. "By no means. It teaches that the 
 
 187
 
 D K AT H-15ED REPE N TA NO E 
 
 man wlio truly repents him of his sins, and stead- 
 fastly trusts in the Lord Jesus Christ, shall be 
 saved ; and this, even when his sins have been 
 many, and his life is near its close. But there is 
 nothing in it to persuade one that the man who 
 purposely 23ostpones his religious duties until the 
 last, will have either the opj^ortunity or the 
 grace of repentance. I think I can show you a 
 vast difference between this case and yours. For 
 instance, what religious advantages had the thief 
 enjoyed?" 
 
 Mr. A. "None that we know of: probably, 
 in those evil days, he had not much to help him 
 in the way of precept or example." 
 
 Mr. W. " This is a strong point against you, 
 who are nurtured in a Christian land, and by a 
 Christian mother. But consider again, that, so 
 far as we know, he accepted the first offer of the 
 Gospel that was made to him, whereas you have 
 refused a gi'eat many offers." 
 
 Mr. A. "There is reason in what you say; 
 but, per contra, Mr. Worthy, I hope I am a 
 better man than he, and have less need of par- 
 don." 
 
 Mr. W. " It pains me to hear you urge that 
 plea. I shall not answer it, for I judge nothing 
 before the time, until the Lord come. We brand, 
 and smite, and hang the poor wretch who breaks 
 
 188
 
 AND THE PARISH REGISTER. 6 
 
 tlie commandments of the second table : ex- 
 ceedingly indignant we are at sins committed 
 against our lives, our families, our property, and 
 our honor. It will be for God to decide whether 
 these offences are more heinous than the deliber- 
 ate violation by enlightened men of the com- 
 mandments which come first — which assert the 
 claims of Almighty God. But all this apart, 
 there are ten thousand chances to one against 
 your opportunities of repentance being equal to 
 those of the thief" And Mr. Worthy proceeded 
 at greater length than we can use, to specify 
 some of these uncertainties, counting them off on 
 his finsrei-s. 
 
 " Fh'st^ The thief was distinctly admonished of 
 approaching death ; he marched right up to it 
 step by step. It is uncertain Avhether you will 
 have such warning. 
 
 " Secondly^ The thief was in full vigor of mind 
 and body. His brain was clear ; he could see, 
 hear, and talk. It is uncertain that your last 
 hours will be undisturbed by debility, drowsiness, 
 or delirium. 
 
 " Thirdly^ The thief had near at hand the 
 gentlest and wisest of teachers — even the Master 
 himself. It is uncertain that you will have any 
 teacher at all, much more a judicious and faithful 
 one. Often we ministers are troublesome ; but 
 
 189
 
 6 DEATH-BED REPENTANCE 
 
 sometimes when men desire our help, we are not 
 to be found. 
 
 " Fourtldy^ The thief had not lost his capacity 
 of repentance. It is uncertain how long you 
 may have this capacity. A man may go on 
 from one thing to another — you may thus go 
 on, until, when you come to die, there will not 
 be enough of man left in you to make a Chris- 
 tian out of. 
 
 " But^^/YZ'///, what story did you say you read 
 this morning?" 
 
 Mr. A. " The story of the Dying Thief." 
 
 Mr. W. " You say wrong. There is no such 
 story. ' He was crucified between two thieves.' 
 One repented ; not so the other. And supposing 
 you have none of the disadvantages I have 
 alluded to ; that you stand upon an equal foot- 
 ing with these thieves ; this story gives you the 
 same reason to expect that you will be lost that 
 it does to hope you will be saved. You have 
 mistaken the bearing of this narrative. It is 
 infinitely full of comfort to a contrite sinner, like 
 to the thief, in his sin and in his sorrow for it ; 
 the man who has the sin, but not the sorrow, 
 must look upon the other side of the cross ; that 
 thief is for his study, not this one." 
 
 Mr. Austen was not unwilling to confess that 
 he had judged and spoken hastily: there were 
 190
 
 AND THE PARISH REGISTER. 7 
 
 elements in this story which had escaped his at- 
 tention. As they walked on, he proceeded to 
 speak of the uncertainties of life. 
 
 " I ought to know, — indeed I do know, when I 
 am serious, — that it is very unreasonable to count 
 with certainty upon the future. Apart from 
 Scripture, our ' own poets' have ransacked nature 
 for images expressive enough to describe the 
 brevity, the illusiveness, the uncertainty of life. 
 I, if any one, should pray to be delivered from 
 sudden death." 
 
 Mr. W. " You have observed that I make very 
 frequent mention of it in preaching. But after 
 all, after all our talk, our pretty images, our 
 smart sayings, our sentimental revei'ies, how lit- 
 tle we realize the uncertainty of life ! Mr. Aus- 
 ten, let me submit a few facts to you. As we 
 have reached my study, come in and let us pro- 
 long our conversation." 
 
 Upon Mr. Worthy's table lay a large volume, 
 with several loose memoranda lying upon the 
 open page. 
 
 " This is the parish register. I have been 
 looking over the record of funerals. Here is a 
 list of all, or nearly all, who have been buried 
 with the Church service in the last few years, and 
 most of them were known to you. Would you 
 like to examine this list, and see what it says ? 
 
 191
 
 8 DEATH-BED REPENTANCE 
 
 We sliall tlius see how tlie case stands in our 
 day and in our climate." 
 
 Mr. A, " With great pleasure. Your list is a 
 long one for so small a congregation, — twelve last 
 year ; who would have thought it ? But most 
 of-these names indicate children." 
 
 Mr. W. " Yes ; I often think of Longfellow's 
 lines — 
 
 ' There is no fireside, howsoe'er defended, 
 
 But hatli one vacant chair : 
 There is no flock, however watch'd and tended, 
 But one dead lamb is tliere.' 
 
 God seems to call the little children to Him, that 
 the hearts of the parents may folio av thither. 
 But leaving out children and servants, we have 
 here the names of twenty persons ; classifying 
 them according to age, my account stands thus : 
 
 Old (over 50) 8 
 
 * Middle-aged 5 
 
 Young (from 16 to 25) 7 " 
 
 Ifr. A. " So large a proportion of young peo- 
 ple ! Yes, I knew them all. Youth seems to be 
 a poor protection." 
 
 3£r. W. "And even when we add other things. 
 See, as my finger travels down the record ; an 
 only daughter, rich, beautiful — how strange it 
 seemed to her that she must die ! A young 
 man of twenty-five ; his parents left childless ! 
 
 192
 
 AND THE PARISH REGISTER. 9 
 
 Auother young man, not quite twenty-one, the 
 stay of a widowed mother ! Another, of about 
 the same age ! Here follow the names of two 
 young girls who had just left school ! 
 
 " Death is very inexorable. Oh, what bitter 
 ffi'ief I have witnessed at the death of those 
 young people, whose earthly prospects seemed 
 so fair. We are dealing with facts now, not 
 fancies ; please note this well. 
 
 " Of adults^ over sixteen years of age^ who 
 have died in this parish^ one third were under 
 tiventy-five or thirty years.^'' 
 
 Mr. A. "It is even as you say. The old peo- 
 ple on your list scarce exceed the young men 
 and maidens." 
 
 3fr. W. "Now let us make another arrange- 
 ment. How much warning did they have ? 
 
 Death preceded by lingering sickness 8 
 
 By sickness of a week or two 4 
 
 Sudden deaths 8 
 
 In other words, two fifths had no warning of ap- 
 proaching death, and another fifth the warning 
 of but a few days." 
 
 Mr. A. "But, sir, some of these eight were sick 
 a while." 
 
 Mr. W. " That is true ; look over their names. 
 With five of them death was instantaneous ; 
 they had not time so much as to utter a cry for 
 
 9 193
 
 10 DEATH-BED REPENTANCE 
 
 help. One died by casualty ; another in her 
 sleep ; another in the street, of a sudden hem- 
 orrhage from the lungs ; two others, who seemed 
 to be in their usual health, were found dead or 
 just dying. But there are three more in the list. 
 I have added them, because consciousness forsook 
 them when they were free from all apprehension, 
 and never returned. Although they breathed 
 some days, they had no more warning of their 
 end than the other five." 
 
 Mr. A. " Yes, I i-emember. One fell down in 
 a fit, suddenly. Poor fellow, he knew nothing 
 afterwards, although he lived a week. That old 
 man was knocked down by a horse, and never 
 spoke again. And the last — what were the facts 
 in her case ?" 
 
 Mr. W. " In the midst of what seemed to be a 
 trifling illness, all at once she was seized with 
 congestion of the lungs and brain, and died in a 
 few hours. Note then this second fact. 
 
 '-'■In tJiwparisJi twofiftlis of tlie]people have died 
 without any hnowledge that death was near at 
 hand. 
 
 " But let us take another look. I said that we 
 must not count on having religious facilities 
 about us when we come to die. Just observe 
 this third fact. 
 
 ^'•One fourth of these people died away from home. 
 
 194
 
 AND THE PARISH REGISTER. 11 
 
 " Here are the names of three who died at an 
 inn or boarding-house, and of two who died on 
 the highway." 
 
 Mr. A. "These are interesting details. Can 
 you, in addition, form any estimate of the pro- 
 portion who were ready to meet God ?" 
 
 Mr. W. "It is not for man to sit in judgment 
 on his fellow-sinners. God alone can determine 
 that question. But I can tell you what their re- 
 ligious attitude and position were. Of these 
 twenty there were — 
 
 Coiniimnicants in fact, or in intention 7 
 
 Persons wlio had disused tlie communion and 
 
 who expressed themselves penitently 2 
 
 Non-communicants 10 
 
 Unknown 1 
 
 " One half died without any formal voluntary 
 sacramental confession of their faith in Christ. 
 It is sad, very sad to think of. The Lord grant 
 that their blood may not be required of me !" 
 
 3fr. A. "That record must remind you of some 
 solemn incidents." 
 
 Mr. W. " Indeed it does. I dare not tell you 
 Avhat holy, and again what awful memories it 
 awakens. Some among them looked up to me 
 and listened so meekly to my poor teachings, 
 and died so sweetly and submissively ! I must 
 not talk about them. But here is one of whom 
 I can tell. 
 
 195
 
 12 DEATH-BED REPENTANCE 
 
 "He was a musician in Barnum's travelling 
 menagerie. In the gray dawn, the wagon on 
 which he was riding upset, and he was killed in- 
 stantly: this was near our village. The show 
 went on as usual. But the next morning, Sun- 
 day, they came to ask that I would bury him, 
 and the funeral escort proceeded from the large 
 tent to the burying-ground. 
 
 " His fellow-musicians were the chief mourners : 
 they wept bitterly while standing by the open 
 grave. I reminded them that they too were 
 travellers and sojourners, and that death must 
 soon meet them on the way. 
 
 " When the words ' earth to earth, ashes to 
 ashes, dust to dust,' were uttered, the roll of the 
 muffled drum was added to the sound of the 
 falling clods. And when all was ready for the 
 grave to be filled up, they wij^ed away their 
 tears and grasped their instruments, and then, 
 burst forth a dirge so wild and solemn as melted 
 all our hearts. 
 
 " I did not know they could play so well : but 
 the music came from their very souls. The 
 fading sunlight, the subdued stillness of many 
 hundreds gathered around, and then the heavy 
 fall of the eartli, Avhich unconsciously kept time 
 with that heart-broken strain, oh ! I never can 
 forget it. I thought of Eobert Hall's famous 
 
 196
 
 AND THE PAKISII REGISTER. 13 
 
 sentences — 'If it be lawful to indulge siicli a 
 thought, what would be the funeral obsequies of 
 a lost soul ? Where shall we find the tears fit to 
 be wept at such a spectacle ? Or, could we real- 
 ize the calamity in all its extent, what tokens of 
 commiseration and concern would be deemed 
 equal to the occasion ? Would it suffice for the 
 sun to veil his light and the moon her bright- 
 ness? to cover the ocean with mourning and the 
 heavens with sackcloth ? or, were the whole fab- 
 ric of nature to become animated and vocal, 
 would it be possible for her to utter a groan too 
 deep, a cry too piercing, to express the magni- 
 tude and extent of such a catastrophe V " 
 
 Mr. Austen expressed, as might be expected, 
 his admiration of this beautiful passage; and he 
 added — 
 
 " We do too often listen to sermons about the 
 uncertainty of life as if it all were mere declama- 
 tion. I own my error : your record confirms all 
 your positions. That I should die in my youth, 
 and at a moment's warning, and with no one to 
 counsel and console me, would be by no means 
 strange. I wish, indeed, that I were ready to die." 
 
 Mr. AYorthy saw that his young visitor was 
 moved by the conversation : there was no more 
 of that flippancy in his talk which had hitherto 
 pained him. He saw that he would now bear a 
 
 107
 
 14 DEATH-BED KEPENTANCE 
 
 plain dealing, which in a different mood might 
 have offended him. He proceeded somewhat as 
 follows: 
 
 " I should be glad if, as the result of this con- 
 versation, you should determine to count less 
 certainly on the morrow, and give heed at once 
 to your safety. But I must express my surprise 
 that you seem to think of nothing except your 
 own safety: all you seem to care for, is to make 
 sure that you will not be wretched after death. 
 
 " Just consider : you are a young man still ; you 
 have a sense of honor and justice ; you are grate- 
 ful to those who do you kindness ; you have sen- 
 sibilities, and can spare a teai* to the poor musi- 
 cian who falls by the wayside. 
 
 "And what did you this morning, according to 
 your own account ? You read an awful account 
 of the mystery of guilt ; how, rather than pass it 
 by, Almighty God suffered His holy Son to ago- 
 nize and die : a story of boundless compassion 
 and mercy infinite, all offered to you ; a tale of 
 suffering, and })atience, and goodness, that ought 
 to break a man's heart. You ou<2:ht to come 
 from such a scene smiting upon your breast, 
 angry with your sins, eager to do something for 
 Him who did all for you. But no, you fastened 
 your thoughts on one incident, and tried to per- 
 suade yourself from it, tliat you niiglit with nice 
 198
 
 Ai^D THE PAKISII KEGISTER. 15 
 
 calculation sin yet more, continue to evade all 
 the claims of duty and of gratitude, and tlien 
 make all right by a few sorrowful words in life's 
 twilight. My friend, can it l)e that you cherish 
 so poor a purpose as this ? Do you let yourself 
 think of religion only as a hateful necessity, a 
 mournful alternative, to be preferred only to 
 eternal punishment?" 
 
 The young man blushed deeply at this pointed 
 Jippeal ; he stammered forth something, half con- 
 fession and half apology ; but just then they 
 were interrupted. Mr. Worthy did not regi'et 
 it, for he knew that for the present enough had 
 been said. 
 
 Reader ! these are facts which we have laid 
 before you ; the plain, unvarnisiied tale of a 
 parish register. 
 
 If you doubt whether it presents a fair state- 
 ment, call over the roll of your own departed 
 acquaintances. How many of them had fair 
 Avaruing of approaching death ? How many 
 were able to avail themselves of the warning? 
 
 Those are dangei'ous lines quoted by the 
 speaker in the beginning of this tract. Say, 
 rather, to your own heai't — 
 
 " Hasten, sinner, to return ; 
 
 Stiiy not for the morrow's sun, 
 
 Lest til}' liuiii) should cease to burn, 
 
 Ere salvation's work is done." 
 
 199
 
 STracts for iilissionarij Jlsc. 
 
 No. 9. 
 
 THE PROCESS OF CONVERSIOJf. 
 
 A NAKRATIVE.
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1859, 
 
 Bt DANIEL DANA, Jr., 
 
 In the Clerk's OflBco of the District Court of the United States for the Southern 
 District of New York.
 
 THE PKOCESS OF CONVERSION. 
 
 The conversation reported in a former tract 
 upon the subject of sudden death, was not with- 
 out its results. From that time Mr. Worthy's 
 young fi'iend was much more thoughtful ; it was 
 not many weeks before he frankly told the min- 
 ister that he now desired to be a Christian, and 
 availed himself of his counsel, and of the books 
 which from time to time were offered him. 
 
 He soon found that these communications were 
 very profitable. Sometimes difficulties which 
 had sorely puzzled him were easily cleared up ; 
 or pei'haps he learned that the wisest and best of 
 men were as much at a loss as himself, and that 
 he must turn his thoui^hts to somethinc: moi'e 
 practical. Sometimes, when with timidity and 
 difficulty he told his peculiar temptations and 
 embarrassments, he was no little comforted to 
 discover that Mr. Wortliy heard them with 
 calmness, and pointed out to liim the fact tliat 
 
 203
 
 4 THE PROCESS OF CONVERSION. 
 
 otlier men had been tried and beset just as he 
 was. 
 
 Should these lines meet the eyes of one who 
 has long been the subject of religious anxiety, 
 but who has locked up his fears, and hopes, and 
 trials in his own bosom, we would earnestly 
 entreat him to seek the man of God and open his 
 grief. It is his wisdom so to do, as much as for 
 the sick man to send for the physician, and dis- 
 close his symptoms. He little knows how much 
 he may be benefited by the advice and sympathy 
 of one whose business it is to show to wanderers 
 the way of return. 
 
 But let us hasten on, and relate a conversation 
 upon a subject of deepest interest. The young 
 man was the first speaker. 
 
 " I have been studying the Prayer-book lately 
 with a special object. I have often heard that 
 the Episcopal Church does not require of her 
 members conversion or a change of heart ; that 
 hers is a broad and easy way to heaven, which 
 all may tread who avoid gross vice, and behave 
 themselves decently. Never was there a greater 
 mistake. The religion of the heart, the worship 
 of the sj:)irit, the sort of piety which makes a 
 man take up his cross, and deny his flesh, and 
 keep himself unspotted from the world — this is 
 what I find in the Prayer-book everywhere. But 
 
 204
 
 THE PKOCESS OF CONVERSION. 5 
 
 for all this, there is one thino; I am not satisfied 
 about, and yet I hardly know how to express 
 the difficulty." 
 
 " Give me some idea of it ; perhaps I can un- 
 derstand it." 
 
 " I mean this : I do not find any clear and dis- 
 tinct account given of what I may call the Pro- 
 cess of Conversion. I would like to know how I 
 must proceed, step by step, in my effort to be a 
 Christian ; and what is the turning-point, which, 
 being passed, I may consider myself a child of 
 God. Or, to explain myself more fully, I have 
 been brought up in the midst of revivals, and 
 have been accustomed to see a regular course of 
 things. Thus, a careless man attends the meet- 
 ing, and is ' convicted.' Next, he goes forward 
 to the altar, or to the anxious-bench, to be prayed 
 for ; he remains for a while in great distress and 
 anguish, and then he experiences relief. After 
 this, the prayers are changed into thanksgivings, 
 and he is congratulated by his friends as having 
 become converted." 
 
 " I understand yon perfectly. You have seen 
 a regular course of proceeding, and a uniform 
 train of religious experiences, through which 
 every penitent is expected to pass. You do not 
 find just this thing in the teachings and practices 
 of the Church ; and perhaps it is the absence of 
 
 205
 
 6 THE PROCESS OF CONVERSION. 
 
 tliis — the fact that people are baptized and con- 
 firmed without any public declaration of a reli- 
 gious purpose beforehand, which has given rise to 
 the very prevalent notion that truly religious 
 qualifications are not required for admission into 
 the Church." 
 
 " Pray, sir, excuse my ignorance ; but is there 
 not a want of plainness in the ways and teach- 
 ings of the Church on this subject ? I am anxious 
 to learn." 
 
 "There is nothing about the Church which 
 seems to me more exactly right, and conformable 
 to Scripture, than her course in these particulars. 
 I think I can prove this. 
 
 " Sir, you are partly right and partly wrong in 
 your notions. You are right in thinking that 
 there must Ije taught a religious system / you 
 are wrong in supposing that we ought to insist 
 upon a religions fashion. Perhaps I am not very 
 happy in selecting words ; but it is plain that 
 thei'e are certain religious exercises, and duties, 
 and experiences common to all truly religious 
 ])eople. These, properly expressed, and duly 
 arranged, make up what I have called a religious 
 system, and this the Church has. Other things 
 there are, variable, accidental, peculiar to indi- 
 viduals, which have come into use through the 
 influence of distinguished men, or by tlie force of 
 
 20G
 
 THE PROCESS OF CONVEKSIOX. i 
 
 sympathy ; tliese I call religiou-9 fasliion'S^ using 
 that word iu no light or disrespectful sense — and 
 of these the Church has none, so far as concerns 
 the turning of a sinner to his God." 
 
 " I cannot say that I exactly understand your 
 last remark." 
 
 " Why, take your own account of the revival 
 system ; the going up to Ije prayed for, the 
 alternations of feeling, the visible crisis, the con- 
 gratulations, — you will find none of these laid 
 down in the Bible as things that we must do in 
 order to be saved. Take the story of the con- 
 version of St. Paul, of the Ethiopian eunuch, of 
 Lydia, of the multitude converted on the day of 
 Pentecost. You must torture those histories in 
 order to make them agree with the course of a 
 revival, in the common sense of that word. 
 
 " I say all these things are mere fashions. The 
 work of God goes on without them, and doubt- 
 less good has been done where they prevailed." 
 
 " But did you ever know of a revival where 
 these things did not prevail ?" 
 
 " Yes, of several. But one in particular I was 
 familiar with. It was in St. Paul's Church, 
 Petersburg, when Dr. Co1:>bs was rector. It be- 
 gan with a pervading and increasing seriousness ; 
 the people thronged to the church, and seemed 
 anxious to hear. The services were increased in 
 
 207
 
 8 THE PROCESS OF CONVERSIOlSr. 
 
 number to meet the demand, until it soon be- 
 came a daily service. Sermons were preached, 
 adapted to tbe wants of those whose attention 
 was awakened. So it went on for weeks ; no 
 inquiry meetings ; no extraordinary appliances ; 
 nothing but the solemn services of the Church, 
 with faithful sermons and diligent pastoral vis- 
 itino^. 
 
 "And then came the Confirmation-day. No 
 one knew what had been effected. When the 
 candidates were requested to draw near, it 
 seemed as if the whole congregation was in 
 motion. Ninety-seven persons, every one of 
 whom had held personal communication with 
 the minister, and received his permission to be 
 confirmed, drew near. In a few weeks after- 
 wards a score or more were confirmed ; and I 
 believe that in their subsequent life and con- 
 versation they have been exemplary and con- 
 sistent." 
 
 " That is indeed a very remarkable instance, 
 and shows that the mere fashion of procedure is 
 a thing by itself" - 
 
 "The world has al^ounded in these fashions. 
 Haircloth shirts, dirt, and vermin have some- 
 times been the fashion of repenting sinners. I 
 could multiply illustrations. A New England 
 gentleman told me that in his boyhood, when 
 
 208
 
 THE PROCESS OF CONVERSION. 9 
 
 remarkable religious excitements prevailed, it 
 was the fashion to become desperate ; no man 
 was deemed to be truly converted unless there 
 had been a stage in his experience when he felt 
 utterly reckless and defiant towards God. 
 
 "I think these things very injurious. They 
 turn the thoughts of men aside from the one 
 great necessity of yielding their affections and 
 submitting their wills to Christ. Passing through 
 a settled routine, they think all is well. And 
 many a true penitent vexes his spirit and wears 
 out his soul in the vain effort to feel as some one 
 else feels, and to come up to an artificial stand- 
 ard of experience." 
 
 " You must allow, however, that there is some- 
 thing very plain and easy in this process. To 
 tell you the truth, sir, it is only last week that I 
 chanced to be present when there was a call for 
 mourners. The preacher said that he had seen 
 many thousands converted at the altar: 'Come 
 up, poor sinner,' he said, ' and I promise you in 
 my Master's name, you shall find grace and sal- 
 vation.' Do you wonder, sir, that I was tempt- 
 ed to comply with his appeal ?" 
 
 " No, I do not wonder at it. But what right 
 had he to say so ? Where is his warrant for 
 ascribing such power to a human ordinance ? 
 I dare not speak so unconditionally of the holy 
 
 209
 
 10 THE PROCESS OF CONVERSION. 
 
 sacraments wliicli were instituted by our Lord 
 himself. But there is a truth in this which we 
 will talk about hereafter. We were talking 
 about relio-ious fashions." 
 
 " Excuse me, sir, but I am somewhat impatient 
 to reach the other branch of the subject. Al- 
 though the Church does not teach any arbitrary 
 process of conversion, there is, you said, a cer- 
 tain system, a natural course of feeling and 
 doing, which she enforces. Explain that to 
 me." 
 
 " I will tr}^ to do so. And we must notice 
 the fact, that the Church's first and chief solici- 
 tude is to obviate the necessity of a sudden and 
 violent conversion. She insists that this can be 
 done by careful religious nurture, with a devout 
 reliance on God's gracious aid. Must a Chris- 
 tian child, my innocent little one, for instance, of 
 necessity serve an apprenticeship to the world, 
 the flesh, and the devil, and then be recovered 
 out of it, just as if he were an unbaptized hea- 
 then ? She tolerates no such doctrine. She in- 
 sists, that being made in baptism a member of 
 Christ, the child of God, and an inheritor of the 
 kingdom, he may, by God's grace, continue in 
 that same state of salvation even unto his life's 
 end. There is no reason why a Christian child 
 should not advance steadily to Christian man- 
 
 210
 
 THE PROCESS OF CONVERSION. 11 
 
 hood, daily increasing in tlie Holy Spirit more 
 and more." 
 
 " But, sir, does not that view conflict with our 
 notions of rehgion as an intelligent and volun- 
 tary choice ? Does it not make him a mere pup- 
 pet in his sponsor's hands ?" 
 
 " Not at all. All the teachings of his child- 
 hood are an appeal to his intelligence ; all the 
 means used are desio^ned to influence his will and 
 bring it into conformity to tlie will of God. 
 What the preacher would do in a few hours, the 
 parents and sponsors do day by day and little 
 l>y little. And besides, when the child is of a 
 suitable age, Confirmation is appointed, in order 
 that he may expressly and deliberately form and 
 pronounce his religions choice." 
 
 " But is not this rather a theory than any 
 thing else ? In actual life do any children thus 
 grow up Christians ?" 
 
 " Yes, I have known not a few such. I should 
 be ashamed to expect any thing less for my own 
 children. True, many turn aside to folly. How 
 can it be otherwise when there is so little faith 
 in the reality of baptismal blessing, and no one 
 expects religious principle in a child ?" 
 
 (We must ask permission of our readers to 
 discuss this matter in its own place.) 
 
 " It is a beautiful theory," said the young man, 
 
 211
 
 12 THE PROCESS OF CONVERSIOlSr. 
 
 " and I do not oppose it ; but come now to my 
 own case. I was baptized in infancy, and have 
 come to manhood all unsanctified. I have need 
 to be converted and to become as a little child. 
 Now what course is marked out for me to 
 pursue ?" 
 
 " I think I can give you a precise answer. 
 You have neglected and, in effect, renounced 
 your baptism. The Church says you must now 
 solemnly acknowledge it and renew its vows in 
 Confirmation. You have placed yourself among 
 this world's people ; you must now join yourself 
 to your brethren who come to feed at the table 
 of the Lord." 
 
 " Oh, Mr. Worthy, I did not think you would 
 answer me thus. Surely my case needs more 
 searching remedies than ordinances and sacra- 
 ments. I am not fit for Confirmation or Com- " 
 munion." 
 
 " Just so, just so ; this is the very thing I want 
 you to see. The Church tells you that you must 
 come to the sacrament ; that it is dangerous to 
 receive it unwortliily, for it is a most holy feast. 
 Her very urgency makes you feel your unfitness, 
 and prepares you to listen to her counsels touch- 
 ing the preparation you must make. The re- 
 vival preacher the other night entreated you to 
 come to the altar, and promised you that you 
 
 212
 
 THE PROCESS OF CONVERSION. 13 
 
 should find mercy. Now I say to you, come to 
 this holy feast, and I will assure you, in the 
 name of the living God, and by His authority 
 committed to me, of pardon for all the past, and 
 grace to help you in the future ; but, provided 
 always^ that you come loith a true periitent lieart^ 
 with a living faith in Christy loitli an lionest 
 purpose to heep the law of GodP 
 
 " But, sir, I am not a converted man ; I am in 
 my sins. Oh, I wish the Church had pointed 
 out some plain course that I ought to pursue." 
 
 " She has done that very thing. After our 
 explanations I can now point you to the very 
 thing you ask ; the course and process, if you 
 will, of conversion." 
 
 Mr. Worthy then read the following passage 
 out of the exhortation preparatory to the Com- 
 •munion : 
 
 " The Avay and means thereto is : First, to examine yonr 
 lives and conversations by the rule of God's command- 
 ments : and Avhereinsoever ye shall perceive yourselves to 
 have offended, either by will, word, or deed, there to be- 
 wail your own sinfulness, and to confess yourselves to Al- 
 mighty God, with full purpose of amendment of life. And 
 if ye shall perceive your offences to be such as are not only 
 against God, but also against your neighbors ; then ye 
 shall reconcile yourselves unto them ; being ready to make 
 restitution and satisfaction, according to the uttermost of 
 your powers, for all injuries and wrongs done by you to 
 
 213
 
 14 THE PROCESS OF COlSrVERSION. 
 
 any other; and being likewise ready to forgive others who 
 have offended you, as ye would have forgiveness of your 
 offences at God's liand : for otherwise the receiving of the 
 holy Communion doth nothing else but increase your con- 
 demnation." 
 
 " Now these directions may not be as precise 
 as you would desire, but they are as precise as 
 they ought to be. Tliere is no such thing as a 
 formal routine through which you can pass and 
 come forth a true child of God. Analyze, if you 
 please, wliat is told us in these passages. The 
 Church Avould place in your hands the Bible, 
 and send you into your closet. Read in that 
 volume what you ought to be : then pause, look 
 over the past and into your heart, and see what 
 you have been. This review fills you with shame 
 and grief; for you have oftended by will, word, 
 and deed, and for your many evil deeds do wor- 
 thily deserve to be punished. 
 
 " What shall you do ? Kneel right down, and 
 with all your heart and soul confess your evil 
 deeds ; hide none of them : say with Achan, ' In- 
 deed, I have sinned against the Loi'd, and thus 
 and thus have I done.' You must bewail them, 
 too. Think how ungrateful you have been to a 
 patient and gracious Father, and how regardless 
 of that Saviour who gave Himself for you: 
 think how by these sins you have defiled and 
 
 214
 
 THE PROCESS OF CONVERSION. 15 
 
 degraded yourself, and almost lost your sonl : 
 think how you have grieved the Holy Ghost, 
 and resisted Him, ol)eying instead, the voice of 
 the world, the flesh, and the devil ; and let your 
 heari pour out itself in the publican's prayer, or 
 in such words as these : 
 
 " ' I do earnestly repent, and am heartily soriy 
 for these my misdoings ; the remembrance of 
 them is grievous unto me ; the burden of them 
 is intolerable ; have mercy upon nie, have mercy 
 upon me, most merciful Father ; for thy Son 
 our Lord Jesus Christ's sake, forgive me all that 
 is past; and grant that I may ever hereafter 
 serve and please Thee in newness of life.' 
 
 " But this is not the whole of I'epentance ; you 
 must truly resolve and promise to amend your 
 life, to cease from evil, and begin to do well. 
 Without any delay, you must at once set your- 
 self to repair any injury you have done to man, 
 to restore any thing of which you are wrongfully 
 possessed, and to reconcile yourself to all those 
 with whom you have been on unfriendly terms. 
 Is not all this plain and reasonable ?" 
 
 " Exceedingly so ; any man who really desires 
 to be religious can at least try to do this." 
 
 " You must observe, too, that in all these ef- 
 forts, you are to have a thankful I'emembrance 
 of the death of Christ, and a lively faith in His 
 
 215
 
 16 THE PROCESS OF CONVERSION. 
 
 merits and atonement. You are to plant your- 
 self, as it were, in full view of the cross, and rest 
 all your liopes of pardon upon tlie one sacrifice 
 there made for our sins. ' O Saviour of the 
 world, who, by thy cross and precious blood, 
 hast redeemed us, save us and help us, we hum- 
 bly beseech thee, O Lord !' This is the cry 
 which every penitent should utter from the 
 very depths of the soul. And, my friend, we 
 have the most al)undant warrant of the Bible 
 for saying, that whenever these things concur, 
 whenever a man searches his spirit as in God's 
 sight, truly confesses and bewails his sins with a 
 sincere desire to sin no more, and throws himself 
 upon that mercy of God which is brought to us in 
 His dear Son, he is truly converted ; he is saved 
 from wrath ; he is fit and ready to receive from 
 God's minister the assurance of sins forgiven." 
 
 " Mr. Worthy, I am almost afraid to say it ; 
 but do you know that I think I have done all 
 these things ? I have tried to recall all my 
 errors, and confessed them, and promised to 
 abandon them, if the Lord would help me. And 
 sir," — here the young man's voice choked, and he 
 hid his fiice, as he added, " last Sunday night I 
 did, as best I could, give myself up to the Saviour, 
 and resolved, that if I could not be hap]>y in 
 His fiivor I would be happy in nothing else." 
 
 216
 
 THE PROCESS OF CONVERSION. lY 
 
 " I thank God for His mercy ; the snare is 
 broken, and you are delivered. My friend, what 
 else can a poor sinner do than what you have 
 related ? Can jon not believe that your Heav- 
 enly Father heard and accepted that vow ?" 
 
 " But, sir, I do not think I have felt enough or 
 repented enough. I was calm and quiet, when 
 it seemed that if I had realized what I was 
 doing, my whole soul would have been full of 
 sorrow and trouble." 
 
 " I do not think you have repented enough, or 
 felt enough : the best of us are very cold and 
 insensible. But the question for you to con- 
 sider is, have you tridi/ and really repented ? 
 Are you sincere and honest in your professions 
 of sorrow, and in your resolutions of amend- 
 ment ?" 
 
 " I hope I am ; I think I am ; I hardly know 
 what to say. I wish I could determine the mat- 
 ter. We have not exhausted the subject of our 
 conversation : you have pointed out the course 
 and progress of the returning sinner : pray, is 
 there no crisis — no turning-point — no moment 
 when the old life ends and the new begins ?" 
 
 "Yes, there is such a moment, although the 
 penitent himself is not able to recognize it, nor 
 feels in himself any new conviction. In the coun- 
 sel of God, our sins are forgiven in that moment 
 10 217
 
 18 THE PROCESS OF CONVERSION. 
 
 when we truly say, O God, tliy will be done ! 
 In the annals of time that forgiveness is pledged 
 and made over to us when we draw near and 
 openly profess our purposes of obedience. 
 
 " I think the case of Zaccheus is very instruct- 
 ive. 'Zaccheus stood forth and said. Behold, 
 Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor, 
 and if I have taken any thing from any man by 
 false accusation, I restore him fourfold.' 
 
 " Here Avas an entire and unconditional surren- 
 der ; here was the right hand of sin mercilessly 
 and courageously cut off. And what said our 
 Lord ? ' This day is salvation come to this 
 house, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abra- 
 ham.' 
 
 " In that moment when a man, by the grace of 
 God helping him, so conquers his carnal will, 
 that he truly resolves to take up his cross and 
 follow Christ ; so that he honestly protests — 
 ' And here I offer and present unto Thee, 
 O Lord, myself, irsr soul and body, to be a rea- 
 sonable, holy, and living sacrifice unto 
 Thee' — in that moment the last obstacle to his 
 salvation is removed, and he is in the light and 
 love of God. 
 
 " And this, no matter what his feelings are ; 
 ihe struggle may have been intense ; the demon 
 may tear him as he departs, and leave him half 
 
 218
 
 THE PROCESS OF CONVERSION. 19 
 
 dead, gasping, moaning, dizzy ; I tell you, if Ids 
 self-will is conquered^ the man is savedT 
 
 " Indeed, that must be so. It is reasonable ; 
 it is scriptural ; I will not, I dare not doubt it. 
 If I can only resign my will to God, salvation in 
 that day will visit me, and I shall be a son of 
 faithful xYbraham, — of him who, at the call of 
 God, bound as a victim his son, his only son 
 Isaac. I see it now ; there can be no mistake 
 about it." 
 
 " Well, then, apply the test to your own case. 
 How stands it with you ? Are you ready now 
 to surrender yourself, soul and body, into the 
 hands of God, content to do and to suffer what He 
 ordains, without any reservation whatever ?" 
 
 " Almost, Mr. Worthy. I am willing to do 
 almost any thing." 
 
 " That will not suffice. You must leave all, and 
 follow Christ." 
 
 " I have resolved to forsake my sins ; to over- 
 come my pride, and make friends with several 
 people whom I have really hated — " 
 
 " But to keep back part of the price ?" 
 
 The young man was silent. 
 
 " What is it ?" said Mr. Worthy. 
 
 " Oh, I cannot tell you !" and he leaned upon 
 the tal>le, and hid his face. 
 
 " What is it ?" said Mr. Worthy, with a voice 
 
 219
 
 20 THE PROCESS OF CONVERSION. 
 
 almost of command ; and when there was no 
 answer, he came near, laid his hand upon his 
 slioulder, and in an altered tone, of singular gen- 
 tleness and pity, said : 
 
 " What is it, my dear friend, that you cannot 
 leave for Christ ?" 
 
 "I will tell you, then; you shall know all;" 
 and the young man proceeded with rapid and 
 almost incoherent phrase : 
 
 " I am young ; and they say I have talent. I 
 hoped to be a lawyer, and to distinguish myself; 
 and the other day it came into my head that if I 
 were a Christian I might have to enter the min- 
 istry — and I am not willing — to be everybody's 
 servant — to be sneered at, and ridiculed, as T 
 hear silly people talk even of you — " 
 
 Mr. Worthy looked with a pleasant, pitying 
 smile upon the young man, as he again buried his 
 face in his hands. 
 
 " And so that is your cross : Satan, almost cast 
 out, has thrown himself into this last fortress. 
 Come now, up with the cross, and ' get thee be- 
 hind me, Satan.' " 
 
 There was no rej^ly. 
 
 " Would you not like to have some evidence 
 of your sincerity; some sure proof that you do 
 love the Lord Jesus Christ ?" 
 
 The young man assented. 
 
 220
 
 THE J>1J<)("KSS OF COX VERSION. 21 
 
 "Well tlieii, say, Ilei-e is a cross, and I am of- 
 fended at it; my pride rebels, my selfishness 
 cries out against it. But say, O my Master, 
 Thou didst give up all for me, — heaven and 
 glory, comfort and good name : I will make this 
 sacrifice for love's sake and for Thee. Will it 
 not be pleasant to think, hereafter, that in one 
 thing at least you gave up all for Christ ?" 
 
 No word of answer, and Mr. Worthy paced 
 the room in silence. 
 
 "The controversy is now all narrowed down 
 to this one point. You must go forward or go 
 backward. God must have all or nothinuf. Are 
 you willing, if it shall seem to l)e your duty, to 
 give up all your plans, and be an humble minis- 
 ter of the Lord ?" 
 
 There was another pause ; the young man 
 raised his head, and his features woiked convul- 
 sively as he gazed into the face of his counsellor. 
 At last said he, with a calm and solemn voice — 
 
 "I am content to be a minister, if God shall 
 call me." Strange, how in after days he loved 
 that ministiy, and valued it above a crown ! 
 
 The next Sunday this young man was found 
 among those who surrounded the Holy Table. A 
 trace of suffering was on his brow, evidencing 
 the sevei'ity of the conflict out of which he had 
 come; but, as he received the consecrated em- 
 
 221
 
 22 THE PROCESS OF CONVERSION. 
 
 l)lems, there came np from Lis cnislied and bro- 
 ken heart the cry, "Lord, Thou knowest all 
 things. Thou knowest that I love Thee." 
 
 Header ! almost Christian, and not far from 
 the kingdom of God ! what is your one beset- 
 ting sin, which you are not willing to surrender ? 
 What is yrni?' one sacrifice which you cannot 
 ao^ree to make for Christ's sake ? 
 
 Make haste, brother. Take up your cross. 
 It is vain to dally about it. It is that or nothing 
 that God will have. Up with it, then ! dash 
 away the tear. Up with it, manfully ! You can 
 bear it, if you will. 
 
 222
 
 tracts for illi^riiouarij Wsc. 
 
 iSio. 10. 
 
 YISITATIO^^ OF PRISONERS, 
 
 A NARRATIVE.
 
 Entered nccordiii?; to Act of ('onirrfss, in the year 1S59, 
 
 By DANIKL DANA, .Jr., 
 
 In the Clerk's Office of the I)i>trict Court of the Unile<l States for the Southorn 
 District of New York.
 
 VISITATION OF PEISONEES. 
 
 Petee, a servant, was found guilty of murder, 
 and condemned to die for the offence. He had 
 borne an excellent character as a servant, until 
 he had fallen into hahits of intemperance. His 
 crime was committed in a drunken phrensy. 
 
 On first visiting him in his cell, I said nothing 
 to him about the crime for which he was con- 
 demned, but tried rather to gain his confidence, 
 and learn something of his character. He had 
 never " professed religion ;" had tried to " get 
 religion" twice ; was seeking it once for eighteen 
 months, but was provoked into the use of pro- 
 fane expressions, and left off praying. He knew 
 the Lord's Prayer, and repeated it to me ; did 
 not know the Creed or the Ten Commandments. 
 Add to this, that he was not at all deficient in in- 
 telligence, that he could read a little, and knew 
 something of the Scripture history, that he was 
 every way inclined to be instructed and assisted 
 
 ]()' 225
 
 4 VISITATION OF PRISONERS. 
 
 in preparation for cleatli, and a just idea may be 
 formed of the case. 
 
 The first effort was to persuade him of the ex- 
 istence of sympathy in his behalf. Holding the 
 Prayer-book forth (he had been occasionally at 
 church, and knew something of its uses), I asked 
 liim if he thought there was any thing there 
 specially intended for him. His attention was 
 called to these directions of the Church : " When 
 any person is sick, notice shall be given thereof 
 to tlie minister of the parish, who, coming into 
 the sick person's house, shall say," &c. And 
 again : " When notice is given to the minister 
 that a piisoner is confined for some great or cap- 
 ital crime, he shall visit him." The Church's 
 care for sick and sorrowful people was brought 
 out, and then the ofiice for the Visitation of Pris- 
 oners was read distinctly and slowly, and without 
 many comments. All this interested and awed 
 him. 
 
 On seeing him again, the conversation was 
 turned at once to the plan of salvation. I tried 
 to explain to him that God has sent His Son to 
 justify, and His Spirit to sanctify us ; that these 
 mercies are oftered to the very vilest. These 
 points were illustrated in various ways, and 
 it was exi)lained how and why rei)entance 
 and faith are necessary, although they are in 
 
 220
 
 VISITATION OF PRISONERS. 5 
 
 nowise an atonement for our sins. And then, 
 losing sight of other things, the talk narrowed 
 down to repentance. 
 
 He said that he did try to repent ; that he 
 had thought over every thing he had ever said 
 and done, and prayed the Lord to forgive him. 
 But his heart was not softened yet, it felt 
 " mighty hard," and he feared there w\as no fcn*- 
 giveness for him. All this was said quietly, and 
 without the freedom of communication that was 
 desired. 
 
 Subsequently, having apparently won his con- 
 fidence, a tone of greater severity was used. I 
 began to talk to him of murder. In a simple 
 way, its history was recited, from Al^el down to 
 Christ. He was reminded what a sacred thino: 
 is human life ; how God has hedged it around, 
 and counts us more profane than Uzzah, if we 
 dare lay rude hands, much more violent hands 
 upon it. The law of Moses about accidental 
 killing, the measuring from a man found dead to 
 find the nearest city, and the solemn protest of 
 the Elders that they were guiltless of that 
 blood, the provision of cities of refuge, and 
 the like, seemed to impress him forcibly. I 
 persuaded him that murder, in its most hateful 
 aspect, is the sin of profaning what God has 
 made holy, of pushing, as it were, the Almighty 
 
 227
 
 6 VISITATION OF PRISONERS. 
 
 from His throne, and attempting to be judge 
 and avenger. 
 
 Then murder was dwelt upon, in its human 
 aspect: the guilt of hurrying a fellow-creature 
 suddenly into eternity, of depriving mother, Avife, 
 children, of their stay and support, the encour- 
 agement aflPorded to evil by such an example. 
 In all this I had his undivided attention. He 
 said it made him see the truth more plainly, and 
 he thanked me on several occasions for taking 
 the pains to deal so frankly with him. And 
 then, bowing down his head despairingly, but 
 without much evidence of emotion, he added, it 
 seemed nobody " had ever done so bad" as he, 
 and he was afraid he could not l)e forgiven. 
 
 I asked him why he did not send some suit- 
 able acknowledgment to the l)ereaved family, 
 and ask their pardon. He said he had done 
 them all the harm that could be done them, and 
 words could not mend it: besides, he did not 
 see how they could forgive him. 
 
 To this it was replied, that confession was a 
 necessary part of I'epentance ; that in his case a 
 particular confession of the sin for which he was 
 condemned, and an express humbling of himself 
 before those whom he had wronged, could not 
 be dispensed with. It might seem a poor thing 
 to .S'«2/, "I have sinned against the Lord," but 
 
 228
 
 VISITATIOISr OF PRISONERS. 7 
 
 one must say it ; and wlien otliers had been in- 
 jured tliey must go furtlier, and say, "Thus and 
 thus have I done." 
 
 He said, in reply, that he was different from 
 some people ; he never did talk much ; it was 
 always hard for him to cry ; even when in pain, 
 he was not used to "speak above his breath." 
 And now he was so bowed down, it seemed not 
 worth while to say any thing. 
 
 I considered a while, and said to him pointed- 
 ly, " Peter, people thought you seemed careless 
 and hardened when the judge passed sentence 
 on you." He raised himself in a moment and 
 asked, " What did I do, sir ? did I say any thing 
 wrong, or misbehave myself to the judge ?" 
 
 "No, but you seemed like you did not care 
 about w^hat you had done, they said." 
 
 "They told me to stand up there, and I did 
 just as they told me. I was so troubled and 
 scared I didn't know any thing, and couldn't see, 
 — and the people thought I was hardened and 
 didn't care about having done so badly !" Here 
 his fortitude gave way ; he sobbed and wept con- 
 vulsively. I was not sorry to see that his emo- 
 tions were aroused, and, after some kind words, 
 assuring him that the Lord judges us truly, left 
 him alone. 
 
 On the next visit he spoke much more freely ; 
 
 229
 
 8 VISITATION OF PRISONERS. 
 
 gave me some account of his history and circum- 
 stances ; assured me that his crime was not pre- 
 meditated for a single moment, and that he was 
 horrified when he saw his victim lifeless at his 
 feet. He accused himself with much more earn- 
 estness, and said that night and day he kept 
 trying to humble himself and to find forgive- 
 ness. 
 
 It must not be supposed, that up to this point 
 the law only had been held up. The mercy of 
 God, the merits of the Saviour, the excellence 
 of faith, were often alluded to, although repent- 
 ance had been kept in the foreground. 
 
 Now, however, I dropped that theme, and 
 spoke to him of mercy ; and on several occa- 
 sions, and with many words, sought to persuade 
 him that Christ Jesus came into the world to 
 save, not good people, but sinners. The lost 
 sheep, the prodigal son, the mercy shown to 
 Peter, to Saul, to the dying thief, — these, and 
 like instances of mercy, were pressed upon him, 
 and he was urged to trust the Saviour. 
 
 I ti-ied to explain to him the nature of this 
 saving trust, and, in appearance, he grasped the 
 meaning of it. 
 
 And now he expressed the diflficulty that he 
 felt no sense of pardon ; his chain was heavy ; 
 he could not feel that he was foigiven. 
 
 230
 
 VISITATION OF PRISONERS. 9 
 
 I told liiiii tluit I hoped and prayed some 
 measure of peace and comfort miglit be given 
 him, l)ut that these did not always go with pai-- 
 don : that the dying experience of mature saints 
 would 1)0 unnatural in his case, and that I de- 
 sired chiefly for him to have this prayer in his 
 heart and on his lips, " God be merciful to me a 
 sinner !" 
 
 And now baptism, which had been often al- 
 luded to, was distinctly presented. And here 
 the reader may, perhaps, see what practical use 
 there is in the doctrine of Apostolic succession. 
 For the sake of clearness, let us distinguish the 
 several views presented to him. 
 
 1. In all important matters there ought to be 
 some conclusive ao;reement. When men bar- 
 gain, they talk and debate, it may be, a good 
 while ; at last they strike hands over their agree- 
 ment, and the matter is ended. Even so, the 
 Lord has oifered to forgive you, and told you 
 what His terms are. You have studied the mat- 
 ter, and done what you could : so far as you 
 know yourself, you are willing to give yourself 
 as a vile sinner, to be saved by grace. Now, in 
 baptism you do thus yield yourself. You say, 
 solemnly, " I have sinned against the Lord ;" and 
 the minister says, " The Lord hath also put away 
 thy sin." Thus dealt Ananias with Saul. " Now 
 
 231
 
 10 VISITATION OF PRISONERS. 
 
 why tarriest tboii ? Arise and be baptized." 
 What was Saul waitii)<2: for ? He miijlit lie in 
 darkness and tears for years instead of days, and 
 his case wouhl be no better. He had learned to 
 know himself a sinner, and Chi-ist his Savionr; 
 ^ and he must arise, and call on God, and take his 
 place among the pardoned. 
 
 2. What is it "to come to Christ?" Yon 
 would come to Christ if you knew how ; you 
 are trying to come to Him in prayer, in repent- 
 ance, in faith. But, oh ! if you could only come 
 as the sinful woman came, and lay your hands 
 upon Him ! Well, you can so come. Christ is 
 here on earth, in His Church, in the person of 
 His minister ; and it adds reality to our religious 
 acts to approach Him thus. Our Lord consider- 
 ed that we are bodies as well Jis souls ; and so 
 He provides a way in which we can approach 
 Him with the act of the mind, and of the l)ody 
 as well. 
 
 3. You want grace to help you. You feel 
 your need of the Holy S])irit ; for I am sure, 
 even in this solemn time, I am sure you find 
 many bad thoughts coming into your mind. 
 (Here Peter interrupted me to say, that some 
 good people had been telling him that every 
 thought and every breath ought to be a prayer. 
 But it did not seem possilde ; all sorts of things 
 
 2-V2
 
 VISIT ATTON OF PKISONERS. 11 
 
 would come into liis mind, and he got where he 
 could not pray any more.) 
 
 You want the Holy S})irit of God to help you. 
 Now that Spirit is given to us in many ways ; 
 but His presence is covenanted, after a special 
 sort, to the sacraments, when we rightly use 
 them. Then I explained the conversation with 
 Nicodemus, and showed him how the new birth 
 was of water and the Holy Ghost together. How 
 strange this seemed to Nicodemus ; and how 
 strange to Naaman, that washing in Jordan 
 could cure his leprosy. But, just as the Saviour 
 with clay opened the blind man's eyes, so the 
 Blessed Spirit sanctifies water, and bread, and 
 wine, and through them imparts blessing to His 
 penitent peo})le. 
 
 The difficulty, however, still i*ecurred, that he 
 had no sense of pardon — no token that the 
 mercy of the Gospel was for him, Peter. He 
 did not think it right to be baptized until he 
 had a feeling of sin forgiven. In meeting this 
 difficulty I was led to speak with some repetition : 
 
 5. Of the important place in the plan of salya- 
 tion which the Church occupies. 
 
 I reminded him how often we are enjoined in 
 the Bible to " come to Christ." This command 
 does not seem plain to many. They wish they 
 knew how to come. 
 
 233
 
 12 VISITATION OF PRISONERS. 
 
 AVhat does it mean ? Wbeu Christ was yet in ■ 
 tlie world, those whom He summoned could really 
 come. They could leave their nets and follow 
 Him ; they could come and embrace His feet, or 
 touch the hem of His garment ; and one some- 
 times wishes that he had lived in those days, and 
 enjoyed such opportunities. 
 
 But we need not wish it ; we can now come to 
 Christ as really as if He were on the earth. We 
 can come to Him, as those hoi}' people did, in 
 repentance and in prayer ; and when we do thus, 
 He is as near to us as He was to them, and hears 
 our words as distinctly as He did their cries for 
 help. Yet this is not all. Would you like to 
 come to Him with your body as well as your 
 spirit? to have Him lay His hand upon you ? to 
 hear Him say to you, for yourself, Go in peace, 
 thy sins be forgiven thee ? Well, then, you may 
 have this privilege. There are ministers who 
 stand in the place of Christ, and administer holy 
 sacraments in His name. When you come to 
 them, and say in a solemn way that you take the 
 Saviour for your mastei', it is all the same as if 
 you said it to Him in person ; and when they tell 
 you, Go in peace, it is Jesus Christ avIio speaks 
 by their mouth. For we are ambassadors for 
 Christ, and act in His stead. 
 
 A I'eady illustration here suggested itself. We 
 
 234
 
 VISITATION OF PRISONERS. 13 
 
 have talked about the importance of your asking 
 pardon of those mourners whom your act has 
 bereaved, and you ouglit not to be easy without 
 it. You are confined in this cell, and cannot get 
 to them ; and there are good reasons why they 
 should not come to this place. But you can send 
 them a message, and they can send you a mes- 
 sage. And a message of forgiveness, expressly 
 sent to you by some one whom they have asked 
 to carry it, is a very different thing from a mere 
 report of the same thing by an unauthorized 
 person. 
 
 See how the case stands. After our Lord had 
 died for us, He might have given us the Bible. 
 It would have been a great thing to have had 
 safely written in the Book that all pei'sons, with- 
 out mentioning any one in particular, may be 
 forgiven, if they will trust in Him. But this 
 did not satisfy Him. He wanted each one of us 
 to have that precious jiromise sealed to him, for 
 himself and by himself. And so he called cer- 
 tain men, whom he named apostles, and said, 
 " As my Father hath sent me, even so send I 
 you." They were to seek sinners, just as He had 
 sought them ; they were to go and pi-each the 
 good news to many persons together, as He had 
 been used to do; and then they were to bap- 
 tize — that is, to receive individual sinners, one by 
 
 235
 
 14 VISITATION OF PRISONERS. 
 
 one, and declai-e their sins foi'given. And He 
 promised to be with those messengers always, 
 even to tlie end of the world. Tlie orood news is 
 not only like something published to everybody 
 in a newspaper — it is like a letter passed from 
 hand to hand. He sent the apostles, and they 
 sent another set of men, and they another, and 
 so on from age to age ; and at last the right to 
 speak for the Saviour has travelled all the way 
 down to me, and I come right to you in this 
 prison, and tell you that the Loi'd Jesus has sent 
 me to let you know, that, wickedly as you have 
 behaved, He is willing to forgive you. Now this 
 message comes from the blessed Saviour, because 
 His ambassadors come to you in His name, and 
 speak by His authority. 
 
 You nmst not think, I added, that I am making 
 much of myself. In the court-house there may 
 be men as wise and as good as the judge, but no- 
 body except the judge has the right to pronounce 
 sentence one way or another. Just so I may be 
 the least of all the saints, but because the Lord 
 has sent me, has made me His officer, I speak to 
 you with authority, and my message to you is 
 from God. 
 
 Peter seemed to be mucli impressed with these 
 views ; but he was at a loss — he had thought 
 about all he had ever done, and prayed night 
 
 23G
 
 VISITATION OF PEISONERS. 15 
 
 and day for pardon ; he hardly knew how it was 
 with liini. The conversation tlien turned more 
 definitely on baptism. 
 
 I said to him, You know that it will not do to 
 keep on talking and thinking forever; there is a 
 proper time when we should settle questions. I 
 liave come to you, and told you on what condi- 
 tions the Lord will pardon. You tell me that 
 you do repent in dust and ashes ; you make no 
 excuse for yourself, and have no hope hut in the 
 merits of the Saviour. What comes next ? 
 Stand up on your feet to be baptized ; say to 
 God's minister, I have sinned against the Lord ; 
 and it is his duty to answer back. The Lord hath 
 also put away thy sin. You must believe that 
 He is in earnest ; that He does forgive His peni- 
 tent people, and from that faith, comfort and 
 peace will flow. 
 
 Peter next demanded whether there was not 
 danger in being baptized ; might it not make his 
 case worse ? 
 
 Yes, I said, there is a danger; a man's case 
 may be the worse for being baptized : there was 
 a man once in this very cell whom I dared not 
 baptize, and whom I earnestly advised to avoid 
 uttering expressions of trust and resignation. 
 
 Why ? asked Peter. 
 
 Because that man had no concern for his wick- 
 
 237
 
 16 VISITATION OF PRISONERS. 
 
 edness, except for the pain that followed it. He 
 did not so much as try to extend forgiveness to 
 persons who had wronged him, as he supposed. 
 The answers of the baptismal service in his 
 mouth would have been an awful falsehood. 
 And so I plainly tell you, you must be very care- 
 ful. You must pray for the Spirit of God to help 
 you to know your own mind and will. If, after 
 searching yourself with humble prayer to God, it 
 seems to you, as far as you can. make out, that 
 you are grieved and sorry for your sins, and 
 desire to have a clean heart ; that you do trust 
 in the Saviour, and desire to bear patiently this 
 sentence which God has suffered to come upon 
 you, there is no danger. But be faithful to your- 
 self, and be very careful not to profess any thing 
 which, as iav as you know, is not the honest feel- 
 ing of your heart. 
 
 He answered, that he would like to think the 
 whole subject over; and would prefer that I 
 should baptize him the next morning. He was 
 to be executed the next day, within the prison- 
 walls, and was satisfied for me to pay my last 
 visit at an early hour, rather than towards the 
 time of execution. 
 
 At the appointed hour I was again in his cell, 
 passing some brethren of his own color, who had 
 been with him. He looked well ; had slept com- 
 238
 
 VISITATION OF PllISONEKS. 17 
 
 foi'tu1)ly, more soundly than for many clays. 
 There was an air of greater composure about 
 him, and he said that he had tried to cast all his 
 burden on the Lord, and was not without hope 
 that he might find acceptance. 
 
 But how men do yearn for something distinct 
 and definite, something palpal^le to sense, to 
 strengthen the conviction of their minds ! He 
 began to tell me, that in a doze, about day, he 
 had seen a light, which stood a while and then 
 vanished. I gently drew him away from the 
 subject, and he readily spoke of other things. 
 What else was said cannot now be recalled, for 
 one thought was uppermost, — that here was one 
 whose hours were numbered, and who at mid- 
 day would pass into that solemn rest where in- 
 tercession is in vain, and where the defects of re- 
 pentance can never be supplied. He kneeled 
 down and was baptized ; the prayer for the 
 dying was said ; the Church's solemn blessing 
 was pronounced, and the sinful man was left, not 
 without a hope that his repentance was sincere. 
 
 It is not easy to minister aright to men lying 
 thus fast bound in misery and iron. We must 
 go in the fulness of the Gospel ; we must plainly 
 pronounce its sentence against sin, and earnestly 
 press the mercy it has for sinners. But more 
 than this, we must feel strong in the assurance 
 
 239
 
 18 VISITATION OF PRISONERS. 
 
 of a divine commission, awed in view of official 
 responsibility. Disi3utation, timidity, private in- 
 terpretations, suit not the exig'ency. The man 
 of God must speak " as one having authority, 
 and not as the Scribes." 
 
 240
 
 ®vact5 for illissionanj Use. 
 
 1^0. 11. 
 
 THE MEANING OF POMPS AND YANITIES. 
 
 A STORY FOR YOUNG PEOPT-E.
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1S59, 
 
 By DANIEL DANA, Jr., 
 
 In the Clerk's Ollice of the District Court of the United States for tlie Southern 
 
 District of New York.
 
 THE MEANING OF POMPS AND VANITIES. 
 
 Among the interesting congregation which, in 
 the lapse of years, gathered around Mr. Worthy, 
 we must now make mention of two sisters, differ- 
 ing in. age but a single year. The elder had 
 just passed her eighteenth year. Their friends 
 called them, playfully, Minna and Brenda, and 
 we shall so call them in this little story. It mat- 
 ters not what their form and features were ; all 
 young people are engaging whose faces wear the 
 expression of intelligence, honesty, and kind- 
 ness. 
 
 And these were interesting young girls, with 
 faults and good qualities, just like other people. 
 Minna was energetic and decided in her charac- 
 ter, Imt with a spice of temper and self-'vs'ill, 
 which gave her some trouble. Brenda was mild 
 and gentle, but deficient in fortitude of charac- 
 ter, and too easily influenced by those in whose 
 society she was thrown. Their mother had care- 
 
 24.3
 
 4 THE MEANING OF POMPS AND VANITIES. 
 
 fully attended to their early religious training ; 
 but at the time of this narrative they had just 
 returned from a distant school, where they had 
 spent two years. 
 
 The sisters were not slow in making acquaint- 
 ance at the rectory. Minna loved to romj:) with 
 the little ones, and to entice little James, by the 
 bribe of a lump of sugar, into pronouncing im- 
 possible words ; while Brenda was never so 
 haj)py as when she had the bal)y crowing and 
 lauiJfhinor in her arms. 
 
 Surely it is pleasant to see how fond people 
 are of their minister's children. Is it not be- 
 cause kindness to the little ones is an easy and 
 unembarrassing way of expressing their good- 
 will to him ? 
 
 It was towards sunset, on a beautiful morning 
 in the spring, that Mr. Worthy sat in the ve- 
 randah of the rectory with a book in his hand. 
 His eye rested occasionally on a hap})y group — 
 Minna and Brenda, amusing the children, whose 
 mother was elsewhere engaged in the mysterious 
 duties of housekeeping. Presently the nurse 
 came for the children, and the young ladies ap- 
 proached the house. 
 
 " What a tiny bit of a book," said Minna, 
 looking at the volume which Mr. Worthy laid 
 down at their apjiroach. " I thought you min- 
 
 244
 
 THE MEANING OF POMPS AND VANITIES. 5 
 
 isters read none but great books, full of learn- 
 ing." 
 
 " It is a little book," said Mr. Worthy, " but I 
 have found a great deal in it to think about. 
 See its title — Renunciation. It is by Dr. Be- 
 dell, and is intended to advise young persons 
 like yourselves." 
 
 " I suppose, then," said Minna, " it refers to 
 pomps and vanities." 
 
 " Yes, it does ; but come, sit down on the set- 
 tee, and let me talk to you a while. I hope that 
 both of you are trying to prepare yourselves for 
 Confirmation ; it is only six weeks off, you 
 know." 
 
 The girls were a little abashed at the first di- 
 rect approach to this subject, but in a moment 
 Brenda answered : 
 
 "Minna and I have talked about it, sir; but 
 it is a very serious thing, and Minna says — " 
 
 " Oh, sister, that is not fair," interrupted the 
 elder, " to tell Mr. Worthy my hasty speeches." 
 
 " Well, then, tell me yourself. Miss Minna. I 
 hope it was nothing very bad. Do tell me, what 
 is the greatest difficulty you see in your way ?" 
 
 " I did say, and I think so still, that if we are 
 confirmed we shall have to promise so much; 
 more than I dare promise. You explained to us 
 last Sunday, that in Confirmation we promise 
 
 245
 
 6 THE MEANING OF POMPS AND VANITIES. 
 
 over again, all and every thing that sponsors 
 promised for us when we were baptized. It 
 seems to me, nobody except a perfect saint could 
 undertake all that." 
 
 "Thank you, Miss Minna, for telling me just 
 what you think. We ought to be careful what 
 we promise. But, suppose we look at these 
 promises or professions one by one ; there are 
 but four of them ; the four questions and an- 
 swers in the baptismal office. What is the first 
 of them r 
 
 " Oh, I know it by heart," said Minna ; " that 
 first promise is the hard one : if I am confirmed, 
 it will be the same as saying I do renounce, over 
 again, and forever, ' the devil and all his works, 
 the vain pomp and glory of this world, with all 
 covetous desires of the same, and the sinful de- 
 sires of the flesh, so that I will not follow nor 
 be led by them.' It seems to me the same as 
 promising to be like an angel, and never to sin 
 any more." 
 
 " Sister," said Brenda, " you forget : the ques- 
 tion is as you repeat it, but the answer is, 'I 
 will endeavor, by God's help, not to follow nor 
 be led by them.' " 
 
 " Certainly," added the minister. " It is not, I 
 will notfollov); that is too much for any one to 
 undertake ; there is presumption in any such 
 
 246
 
 THE MEANING OF POMPS AND VANITIES. *? 
 
 VOW : but add these two conditions, I ivill en- 
 deavoi\ and by GotVs help^ and the case is altered. 
 What less can one pi-oniise, than that he will try^ 
 with the LorcVs help^ not to follow the ways of 
 sin ?" 
 
 Brenda observed that she had noticed that, 
 not only in the baptismal service, but in all the 
 offices of the Prayer-book ; as, in the ordination 
 of ministers, the language always is, " I will so 
 be, by the help of God," " I will so do, the Lord 
 being my hel])er." 
 
 " But, sir," continued Minna, " the first part of 
 it is positive and express ; there is no trxj about 
 it. I EENOUNCE THEM ALL : it is as much as to 
 say, I will never say or do any thing wicked as 
 long as I live ; it is as bold a promise as Peter 
 ever made." 
 
 " I think, Miss Minna, we are agreed on one 
 point : we may promise, but we must not boast ; 
 we may say I will, I have the mind or will to, do 
 thus and so, while we disclaim the power to live 
 up to our will. But we can say I renounce ; we 
 ought to say it. 
 
 " What does renounce mean ? The dictionary 
 says, to deny, to disclaim, to disavow, to repu- 
 diate. You cannot serve two masters : and when 
 about to undertake anew the service of Christ, it 
 is right and proper, first of all, to renounce all 
 
 247
 
 8 THE MEANING OF POMPS AND VANITIES. 
 
 other gods. You are making a choice : on the 
 one side is Christ, on the otiier, the world, the 
 flesh, and the devil. Of these last you say, I re- 
 nounce them all; they are not my masters; I 
 owe them no service ; I ask of them no favors : 
 know all men, by these presents, that I this day 
 take Christ for my portion, and surrender all 
 friendships and alliances inconsistent with His 
 service." 
 
 "But, sir," suggested Brenda, "ought we to 
 say I renounce, until we feel sure that we will 
 never serve them any more V 
 
 " My little friend, we are sure of nothing 
 which depends on us that has not yet happened. 
 The present time is ours, the future is with God. 
 Our business is to make this renunciation with 
 an honest and true heart, meaning what we say; 
 and then day by day we must ask the help of 
 God, to enable us to live up to that profession. 
 
 " Let us take an instance of renunciation that 
 is not so strictly religious. In 1776 our fore- 
 fathers said, in a solemn and deliberate manner, 
 We renounce the king and parliament of Great 
 Britain. They said this at the beginning, not at 
 the end of the strife : they did not fight first 
 and renounce afterwards. No, when the future 
 was dark, the event uncertain, and dangers innu- 
 merable were in the way, they took their stand. 
 
 248
 
 THE MEANING OF POMPS AND VANITIES. 9 
 
 Just SO ill the Christian hfe ; you are to fight 
 against the worhl, the flesh, and the devil ; tlie 
 struggle will end only with life itself; and the 
 Christian soldier, as he puts on his armor, cries 
 first, I do renounce. If you are truly and hon- 
 estly minded to give up these unlawful masters, 
 the word renounce is not hard to utter." 
 
 " I think I understand you," said Minna. " In 
 Baptism and Confirmation we sign our declara- 
 tion of independence ; it takes but a minute to 
 sign, and then a whole lifetime to maintain it." 
 
 " And we must renounce boldly," added Bren- 
 da ; " not because we are -stronger than our mas- 
 ters, the world, the flesh, and the devil, but be- 
 cause we believe the Lord is on our side." 
 
 " That is faith," said the minister. " It is faith 
 that makes renunciation so noble a thing. How 
 beautiful it is to see a poor, weak, sin-laden crea- 
 ture stand up before men and angels, and lifting 
 up his eyes to heaven, renounce his old masters ! 
 Where such words are rightly uttered, there is a 
 rare union of courage and humility. 
 
 " But, young ladies, before you say this, con- 
 sider well what you are renouncing. There is, 
 first of all, the devil, and all his works ; all false- 
 hood and lying ; all pride and obstinacy ; in 
 short, every thing to which the Avicked spirits 
 persuade you. You renounce, too, the sinful 
 
 11« 249
 
 10 TIIE MEANING OF POMPS AND VANITIES. 
 
 desires of the flesli ; such things as immodesty, 
 intemperance in eating and drinking, sensuality, 
 idleness, and all that we generally include under 
 the name of self-indulgence." 
 
 " I think I can go that far," said Minna. " I 
 know that I too often follow the persuasions of 
 the devil, and am led away by my love of ease ; 
 but still I desire to be delivered from them, and 
 can freely renounce them. But, sir, it is that 
 other thins: that troubles me. How can I re- 
 nounce the world and give up its pleasures V 
 
 " Not its pleasures. You need not renounce 
 them. Its pomps, and vanities, and covetous 
 desires — these are what you renounce." 
 
 " Pray, sir, tell us what these words mean." 
 
 "With much pleasure. God has placed us, 
 my young friends, in a very beautiful world ; 
 much there is for use, for beauty, and for enjoy- 
 ment. We may use, and admire, and enjoy, but 
 only within the limits of duty to our God. The 
 Christian must not be greedy of gain, nor anxious 
 for applause and admiration, nor silly and trifling. 
 Christian women must set an example of modera- 
 tion and simplicity, avoiding all extravagance 
 and ostentation. It is needless to encourage 
 them to wear rings and jewels, and plait their 
 hair. Doubtless, the Lord who gave the birds 
 such gay clothing, never intended His creatures 
 
 250
 
 THE MEAIS^HSTG OF POMPS AND VANITIES. 11 
 
 to make theins(4ves ugly ; but tlieu the apos- 
 tle says these things must not be ' their adoru- 
 ing.' The ornaments they must chiefly care 
 for are good works, the meek and quiet 
 spirit. 
 
 " And again, the world in which you liv^e cares 
 little for the laws of God ; many of its ways are 
 evil, its customs pernicious, its amusements dan- 
 gerous. You must renounce every indulgence 
 and amusement which is unbecoming in a Chris- 
 tian, which is calculated to do you injury, which 
 will hinder you from preserving halntually a 
 heavenly mind, and a holy temper." 
 
 "Mr. Worthy," said Minna, rather abruptly, 
 "just tell me one thing. Do you let your mem- 
 bers go to balls and theatres ? If I am confirm- 
 ed, must I promise to give up all my expected 
 pleasure ?" 
 
 Now, reader, we have reached the real diffi- 
 culty. These young people were looking forward 
 to a trip to New Orleans the next winter, and 
 had mingled with better thoughts not a few gay 
 dreams of amusement. 
 
 " My little friend," said the minister, " you 
 make several mistakes. For I have not any mem- 
 bers, but only a few sheep in the wilderness, 
 whom I can persuade, but not compel to walk in 
 the right way. You are to promise me nothing ; 
 
 251
 
 12 THE MEANING OF POMPS AND VANITIES. 
 
 I shall be satisfied if you promise tliat wliic 
 Christ and His Church exact." 
 
 " But must I give up cards, and the theatr*. 
 and all those amusements — fashionable amuse 
 ments, as they are called ?" 
 
 " Why do you ask me ?" 
 
 " Because I have heard your notions of worldly 
 conformity are very strict ; and you do not like 
 the people to engage in these things." 
 
 " What do you think about them yourself?" . 
 
 " Surely they cannot be wrong ; in the large 
 cities everybody indulges in them." 
 
 " I doubt that much," said Mr. Worthy. " But 
 what do you think al)out them ?" 
 
 " There is no law of the Church against them." 
 
 " Still you do not reach the main point. I 
 want to know whether you think these indul- 
 gences are suitable for a Christian ? I want to 
 know whether with a card-party, a ball, and an 
 opera-ticket in prospect, you could stand up in 
 the Church, and say, like an honest girl, I re- 
 nounce the pomps and vanities of this wicked 
 world ?" 
 
 Minna was confused, and did not answer, but 
 Brenda replied : 
 
 *' Indeed, sir, I should be afraid to do any 
 such thing. We cannot carry our cross in any 
 such company: it will not answer to renounce 
 
 252
 
 THE MEANING OF POMPS AND VANITIES. 13 
 
 'the pomps and vanities, and then persuade our- 
 selves that there are no such things." 
 
 " But why does not the Church have rules 
 al)out all these things V continued Minna. 
 
 " Because she wants you to be a woman, not a 
 child ; a free agent, not a puppet. Laws are to 
 restrain from gross crime ; but love must be its 
 own law. Obedience loses all its charms when 
 it is forced by laws and penalties. 
 
 " The Church teaches you to pray in private 
 and in public; you do not want a law to pre- 
 scribe how many hours you must spend in that 
 employment. In the same way she requires you 
 to promise that you will not follow the woild's 
 evil ; she gives ministers to advise and counsel 
 you ; but in a thousand instances you must follow 
 the dictates of a sanctified conscience. It is not 
 every thing that can be measured in feet and 
 inches. No human being is ingenious enough to 
 say exactly what amusements are harmless, and 
 what are wicked. No: your duty is honestly to 
 renounce all things evil, and then, as occasions 
 arise, to ask yourself, as in the sight of God, 
 Is this thing fairly included in my renuncia- 
 tion ?" 
 
 " And do you think all these things are so very 
 wicked V 
 
 " I do. I know no good that comes of cards, 
 
 253
 
 14 THE MEANI?fG OF PO^VrPS AND VANITIES. 
 
 balls, theatres, and the like dissipation ; the sober 
 judgment of Christian people is against them. 
 One of the bishops lately said to me. They are 
 dancing the Church to death. I have labored 
 an,d prayed to keep my people away from all 
 these things, and intend to do so while I live." 
 
 " And so," said Minna, gathering her bonnet to 
 depart, "you think me too wicked to be con- 
 firmed," 
 
 " Miss Minna, I know you to be a truthful 
 woman. Now tell me, honor bright, would you 
 respect me, were I to encoui-age you to say, 1 
 renounce the pomps and vanities of this wicked 
 world, while, at the moment, you intend to 
 plunge into the very midst of them ? Out with 
 it, now, and speak truth from the heart." 
 
 " You are light, Mr. Worthy ; and I am a sin- 
 ful, worldly-minded girl. But please do not say 
 any thing more to me now. I will think about 
 what you have said, and try to do right." 
 
 And the young ladies hastened home. During 
 the few weeks that followed, Mr. Worthy's time 
 and thoughts were largely occupied with the 
 young people. Numbers of them attended the 
 lectures given with reference to Confirmation, 
 and the two sisters were punctual in their attend- 
 ance. Neither of them seemed quite at ease, but 
 Brenda seemed to become more calm and placid, 
 
 254
 
 THE MEANING OF POJIPS AND VANITIES. 15 
 
 while Minna's disquietude evidently increased as 
 the bishop's visit drew near. 
 
 A day or two before the appointed time, the 
 younger sister sought her pastor. 
 
 " I do wish very much to be confirmed," she 
 said ; " I do desire, with the Lord's help, to do 
 what is right. I have read the little book, and 
 am willing to give up every thing that is incon- 
 sistent with a Christian profession ; that is, I 
 think I am willing : I feel so most of the time. 
 But, to tell the whole truth, sir, I am afraid I 
 love the world still too much, and I may break 
 my good resolutions." 
 
 " I am glad, Brenda, that you are willing to 
 take up the cross, and not sorry that you are 
 fearful of your steadfastness. All you can do, is 
 to cast your burden upon the Lord, and trust 
 Him to sustain you." 
 
 " Mr. Worthy, I am so easily led astray." 
 
 " I know you are. Your nature is a yielding 
 and affectionate one : it is easy to persuade you 
 both for good and for evil. This is one reason 
 why you should put yourself under the best in- 
 fluences. To know our weakness is a good step 
 towards curing it. You must try to be courage- 
 ous, Brenda ; you may pray God to strengthen 
 your purpose, and give you fortitude and deci- 
 sion. You know that Peter trembled at the 
 
 255
 
 IG THE MEANING OF PO:\rPS AND VANITIES. 
 
 word of a servant-maid, and yet became bold 
 euongli presently to preacli tlie Gospel to the 
 very men who crucified his Master. All things 
 are possible to him that believeth." 
 
 " Well, I will try to make my vow honestly, 
 and to keep it faithfully. But if I am tempted 
 into foolishness and vanity, I am afraid you will 
 think me a hypocrite." 
 
 " No, Brenda, I hope you will not fall away 
 from your resolutions, but even if you do, I shall 
 do my best to help you up again. But are you 
 sure of one thing : are you sure you do not in- 
 tend to fall ?" 
 
 " Indeed, sir, indeed, I do not. 1 iiave tliought 
 how gracious God is to me, and how patient He 
 has been with me ; and how kind He is in for- 
 bidding no pleasures except what we ourselves 
 can see are dangerous ; and I feel a pleasure in 
 thinking that I can deny myself for Him. In- 
 deed, sir, I will try to do what is right." 
 
 "That is all that I can ask you to promise. 
 May Almighty God, who has given you this 
 will, grant you also strength and power to per- 
 form the same ! But wliat of Minna ? Will not 
 she come forward too ?" 
 
 " I am very much troubled about her. I do 
 not know what to make of her. Sometimes she 
 shuts herself up for hours, and then again she is 
 
 256
 
 THE MEANING OF POMPS AND VANITIES. 17 
 
 the gayest person I ever saw. Only yesterday, 
 father said to her, Your spirits are quite boister- 
 ous, and in a moment she burst into tears and 
 ran out of the room." 
 
 Mr. Worthy mused a moment, and asked, 
 " Did she know you were coming here ?" 
 
 " Yes, sir. I asked her to come with me, and 
 she said that she could not see you. I suppose 
 I had better tell you all. She said I must tell 
 you that she was not fit to be confirmed ; and 
 when I tried to reason with her, begged me not 
 to talk to her." 
 
 " Poor creature !" said the minister, " we must 
 pray for her ; this is her hour of darkness and 
 of trial, and God only knows what the end 
 will be." 
 
 The following Sunday dawned beautifully, 
 and at an early hour the little church began to 
 fill. The morning service and Confirmation weie 
 held before breakfast, for Mr. Worthy was de- 
 sirous that at the mid-day service the candidates 
 should receive their first communion at the 
 hands of the bishop. He thought, too, that it 
 was very suitable for these vows to be breathed 
 in the fresh air of morning, when all was calm 
 and still. 
 
 At the call of the bishop the candidates came 
 forward. Brenda was among them, but Minna 
 
 257
 
 18 THE MEANING OF POMPS AND VANITIES. 
 
 remained in lier seat, witli a countenance calm 
 but impenetrable. 
 
 On Brenda's head the hands of the bishop 
 were laid first. " Defend, O Lord," he said, 
 " this Thy child with Thy heavenly grace, that 
 she may continue Thine forever, and daily in- 
 crease in Thy Holy Spirit more and more until 
 she come to Thine everlasting kingdom." 
 
 As the bishop paused, there stole into the air 
 a response from the choir; an amen, so sweet 
 and solemn, a few simple notes, and yet of so 
 perfect harmony, that Minna, who had not ex- 
 pected it, half started from her seat, and buried 
 her face in her hands. 
 
 Every thing was still and silent ; and as the 
 bishop blessed one and another, the gray-haired 
 man, and the youthful grandchild who knelt by 
 him, the mistress first and her servant last ; and 
 as in varying cadence that amen swelled and died 
 away, all hearts were moved, and many a silent 
 prayer uprose for God's blessing upon those His 
 children. 
 
 And how was it with Minna ? She shall an- 
 swer for herself, presently. I must hasten to 
 describe a scene of a few weeks' later date. 
 
 A sick cham})er, at night ! A dim taper re- 
 veals the form of one stretched in unconscious- 
 ness upon her bed, while anxious faces are all 
 
 258
 
 THE 3IEANING OF P0:MPS AND VANITIES. 19 
 
 around. It is the mother of our young friends, 
 who for days past has hung upon the brink of 
 the grave. 
 
 " Let us pray," said the minister ; and all knelt 
 reverently, while in a low, but distinct voice, the 
 prayer for the sick was said. And in a moment 
 or two Mr. Worthy shook hands silently with 
 the afflicted friends, and left the room. 
 
 But Minna followed liim, and the two passed 
 together into the sitting-room of the family. 
 
 " Mr. Worthy," said Minna, " I am almost dis- 
 tracted. My mother is dying, and I cannot pray 
 for her. Last night they sent Brenda out, and, 
 while they thought she was asleep, I found her 
 in here, praying as if. God were indeed her 
 Father, and was listenins: to her. I knelt down 
 too, but I could not, dared not say one word: 
 and just now I tried to say amen to your prayer 
 for mother, but I could not even say amen." 
 And laying her head upon the sofa-pillow, she 
 wept. 
 
 Mr. Worthy waited sympathizingly a few mo- 
 ments, and when she had recovered herself said : 
 
 "Tell me all about it." 
 
 Minna wiped her eyes, and answered : 
 
 " I will tell you. It will do me good to con- 
 fess my wickedness. I knew you w'ere right, 
 that it would be the sin of Ananias and Sap- 
 
 259
 
 20 THE MEANING OF POMPS AND VANITIES. 
 
 pliira for me to renounce the world, wliile I in- 
 tended to find my pleasure in its frivolities. 
 And oh, sir, when Brenda was confirmed, I felt 
 as Esau must have felt. When that amen came 
 out so beautifully, in my heart there was a cry 
 as wild and bitter as ever Esau's was. I felt as 
 if I longed to rush forward and say, ' Hast thou 
 but one blessing, O my Father? Bless me, even 
 me also, O my Father.' Ever since, I have felt 
 myself a reprol^ate and an outcast. Do you 
 think my mother's illness is a judgment on me ?" 
 
 " I cannot tell, Minna ; the Lord's ways are 
 high above, out of our sight ; but no doubt He 
 intends by it to do all of us good in some way 
 or other." 
 
 " But I feel almost a murderer ; a mother like 
 to die, and her own child not able to pray for her." 
 
 " But you shall pray for her ; you are weary 
 of fighting against God's Spirit and your own 
 conscience, are you not ?" 
 
 " Weary, even unto death." 
 
 "Well then, give up, Minna, give up all that 
 wilfulness, and agree to do just what Christ bids 
 you." 
 
 " I am willing to give up every thing ; I know 
 there is no ha[)piness for me unless I can have 
 peace with God ; but I am afraid it is too late." 
 
 " No, it is late, but not too late. The younger 
 
 260
 
 THE MEANING OF J'O.AIJ'S AND VANITIPJS. 2 1 
 
 son said, I will not, but uftervvards repented and 
 went. God has given yon grace to see and own 
 your fault ; He will surely accept your vows if 
 you utter them now. 
 
 " Go to your room, then, and make your sub- 
 mission ; make your vow, that come joy or woe, 
 good or evil, you will bear your cross patiently, 
 and follow in the steps of your Master ; that 
 you Avill not knowiugly keep back part of the 
 price. And then you can pray for your mother. 
 Good-night, and the Lord comfoi't you." 
 
 I cannot tell what passed in Minna's chamber 
 and in Minna's heart the next hour. She came 
 forth with a serener face, and found her sister at 
 the dooi'. They embraced each other, they 
 scarcely knew why, and Brenda whispered, "The 
 doctor says there is a change for the better." 
 
 It was but a month later, that the bishop 
 spent an evening in the town, and several per- 
 sons Avho had been hindered before, were pre- 
 sented for Confirmation. Minna knelt meekly 
 among the rest, and Brenda sung amen ; and 
 there was a fervent thanksgiving for recovery 
 from sickness. 
 
 Among the contributions in the alms-basin, 
 Mr. Worthy found one little package of larger 
 amount than usual. Upon the paper was writ- 
 ten the text, " The Lord hath chastened and cor- 
 
 261
 
 22 THE MEANING OF POMPS AND VANITIES. 
 
 rected me : but He hath not given me over unto 
 death." 
 
 Dear reader ! these pomps and vanities are a 
 great snare in the way of young Christians. 
 
 The Church, for very wise and excellent rea- 
 sons, abstains from minute definitions, and pre- 
 fers to guide her children by the influence of 
 pastoral counsels. 
 
 Be sure that you enlighten your conscience by 
 seeking the advice of judicious and saintly per- 
 sons ; of wise and discreet pastors. 
 
 Be sure that in all your amusements you main- 
 tain your Christian integrity and self-res]3ect. 
 
 Never permit yourself to be so engaged, that 
 a reference to your Christian calling would bring 
 a Ijlush of shame upon your cheek. 
 
 As for cards, innocuous bits of pasteboard, as 
 one may call them, custom has made them the 
 favorite implement of the wicked. 
 
 We need something to amuse us : sometimes 
 we need a weapon of defence. So be it then. 
 But there is room for selection. Cards are as 
 unsuited to the hands of a Christian as a slung- 
 shot is to the hands of a gentleman. 
 
 Cards are the sibyl leaves on which thousands 
 have spelled out the story of ruin.
 
 
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