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30 ThE PRACT1 C.-\ L CIIlUSTB N:


:"" "


coMMUmCA'l'IONS.


iufirlel may noi express h is views with porfect


freedom; '


Yours ill th e Cause of God and HII ­ruuuiry,


through Cbritlt Jesu s,


who is to me all ill all,


JOSIAH A. GRIIlL}: r.


SMOOTH PREACHING.


Mnch is said in the pr esent ag e, by a certain


CIIlS~, re~ pe': ting smoolk preaching; and the


peopl e are '!. ft" n solemnly euutioned against it.


This would ali he very 1' 1' 01' 1' 1', if what they


d uriouriuute slllooih pr ellchinl!, were d esigned


to indu ce ma n to conriuue ill sin; lor t! lere


11I1\' e e ver been tho se who like s uch pr eaching,


IIIH\ wh o lire flatt ered hy it to think there is


peace fi"', thelll , when there is no peace , But


we lire incliued to think th at th er e is ' fre q uem­Iy


ve l')' lilli e rliscrhniunrion exercised upon


liti s s ll l ~ ec t. And who, · lor instance , would


hav e rhunght IllIIt th ey wh o professed 10he the


first ill til e favo r of God- the sl~ rih es aIHII, har­isees,


WOl! ld have be en llle III ~ t to follow tlm


Su vior ?- thc Illstto cnte r hi s spiritual king­d


Olll? ' They look ed IIpon dIOse who refil se, 1


10 receiv e th eir tradiliolls'lIlHI s lIlllllir to their


Iluthority, as th e gr e; t1est e nc lIJies of God alii I


I


lIIall. ' T his peopl e ' lre curse, I,' sa ill th ey,


' kno\ v illg IlOt tllll IlI\ v.' And whllt rhey con­sidcred


Ill' evid l'llce of thi s, was th eil' opposi­tioll


10 th e synngogu e wor ship, and 10 what


pllssed for orthod oxy. They thollght th em


hlilHlcd hy sill j fill' th ey 5 11 pp osed tlmt all


who I'/ ld beell trul y con verled, wonld, of


cOllrse. see ns th ~ y SIIW, Bllt th ey ' lh ell} Selve's


wer e th e ones, who wer e in the ' gllil of hitter­ness


nnd . in th e hOllds o f illiqll ity .'


The lIlulritllde, tloe coullilf" l peopl e, whom


th ey de~ l-' i s ed , wp, re pe rh llp!' in IlInllY I't: spects


vi" i olls- tiu' / i'olll he illg wllllllhey oug ht to ue


- Ihollghtless lIud illllilfer ellt rt''' I'''" tillg relig­ion


1I0t ollly, hut illclill, · , 1 to oppos" it, nlHI


10 gi\' e ' lh emsel ves up 10 fi. lly alld lIiss iplllio il.


And we will admit tlmt t l,,' y (' ould not e nll ure


',~ olw tl doctrine'- if hy ' so und , Ioctrill e, bo


me: 1I11 th e opiuiolls thlll the n pr ev llir.' d- the


opillious held I.) · lh e sl ri' ~ l esl se " I". ' Evidelll­Iy


l ~ ereJ!~ ! 1Jijnd o (. ri gi' l!.!!~ IIHJ sol ':.!! mity,


enj oinci! upon- tliem, whil'Io wa~ repulsive, BUll


Ii'orn whi" h th ey' tnrned away- solTlerimes


pr ol lllhly in ling er . BUI tloell we lire far Ii'om


beli evill g' Ihey wer e opposed 10 nil g ootlnf8l­th


at th e)' de sired 10 llellr no ins trn cliou hut


suc h as encournge d thelll 10 do evil. And R


IlIlowledge of hUlllau nlliure, will, we Ihink,


convince everyone tlllltthey wcrp, ufter nil su­perior


to those \\ rho gll\' e them over 10 rp, probll­tion.


, T heir vkes wer e different Irolll th e vices


of the religiollislS, by. whom th ey were sur­1'.


IUndcd. TIII'Y wcr e 1II0re wifa,! hionable. ­But


men ITIlly nlov e iu wh llt is calle, t( hlll fillse -'


Iy) th e hi gh er wall, s of life- be ohscrvunt of


th e renued C · US""" S of woci,: ty , nnd e vell si n­f'cre


l)' " on form 10numerous rtl Ii;.; ious ceremo­nies,


alld still have less hellcvolent, unll worse


hellrt>!, than lnlllly with whom th ey would not


think Of ll8Soc illling. Alld notnpon th e poor


lIIlll despi sed lnllitittllie of nny age or conntry


- uo t up on ":' if you pleastJ- tioe rii~ iolls multi­lud


e , lio we look with the feeling that th ey are


sinllers ahove ull olh er ". l~ rl'qli eully th ey , are


IIlllde whRt th ey nre hy. tho oppression alld av­IIri~


e und h)' pocrisy ' ofthos" high in stntion; ­hy


u , lomiueel: illg cl ergy SOlllel hues; But they


aro often re lld)' to Ii~ tellto a T eacher wllo ap­p....,,,


ch es · th elll ill lovc ; to on e who sta nrls be­for


e tllem as Ihe fj- jcnd of sillliel's. And \ VO


/( 11 klllllV th at it \ vas hy such that the Sn\' ior


WII~ lollowed. It is sll ch, I helieve, wllo will


1I0W filllow Ililll, nil sonil as they sh nlll1ee him


li S Ite' is j llfllllollow lIim hefore IIIl1ny ofthos8


will who lI~ e clliled Rallbi, Rauhi.


Alr eud y do they IIl1l11ifest lhe most readinca . , ,


to rec eive practical Chl'istinllily. But lis soon


RS th ey shall bc seen listcning wiih an xiety to


those who proclnim it, til is will be, to not a


lew otlicrs, an evidelH! fl that they love , mo~ t1


preaching. , L ight willlHl callcd darkness, and


dllrklless light- good evil, a/ lll evil good ~ And


lIow easily may th is , be shown. I j, reach, for


' inslllllcP" we will ' su ppose , a system of llivini.


Iy; alld IIrge helief ill it 1111 essent ia l to slllva ·


tion. I say thnt everyone must be made to


feel, that Gon has Kiven us a law, the pe nalt1


of viola ting which ill elernal denlh, arid that all


hll, ving sinneo, th ey lire tlluler sentence ofcan ·


demualinn. Thia I , teMlly contend is the fill!


'~ tcp 1 .1l~ sjn ne r lllUl t tllke in the " ' IIY of life..."


full y IIgr ee with you, But \~ lllJt of Iiilit ? " The


tim e i ~ coming , and 1I0W is, wh en th e Futher


mu st he worshipped iu spirit and ill trulh" ­wh


en h~ l. lJlivillfr IIll1Rt bu mad e th e test of' t rue


di scipleship- s- when . the faith that works hy


love , nnrl purifies the heart, shnll I ll~ ' deellle, l


th e tru e luilh to th e so ul thut embra ces it,


. wherher it he orthodox or hete rodox in th e


" pill ion of the Chr istlun world. Practical


Christia nity is what th e world ne eds, Pro .


fe',. l'illg , Cltris{ ian s huvetrust erl ill II dendfaith,


rillth ey have becom e dead soUIS- U'lIll1othill / l'


can breathe in to th em tl ie breath of' life, hilt I I


practi cal upp licaiion'of th e truth as ii is in Je­sus.


Oh, 1I0w that truth, which ulou e is uhle In


muk e men wise IIl1to sal vution, has beeunuu i.


luted aurl crush ed hy the va in nnd illipi ou s lit


tempts of its prolesssed di sc iple » to co n fbrm it


.10 the co ld IIllf'! ca lcu lat iug maxiur s nf worhlly


poli cy ! How I in le o fC h r i ~ t ca n he tillind ill


wh ut IIQW IJaSSPll current fOI: Christiulli! y! ­'


Vho, if th e tilCt wcre nnt sn Ii'eqll elllly rei leI"


arc d, wOllld' c ver d re ufII , thut th e CI. ristiulI


cIlUrch, as a I, od y , nckll owled gcd as its Masler


all d T'~ a clr er, Ou e wlln ca llie to hr ing " peace


on eurth nlld go~ d will to wm"- Io Ililld IIplllc


IIrok ell hearled- to pl'lJa cl' d.; l il'l'rence 10 ' b e


cllplive- IO IIl1d" ILe hell\' y hunlells- to " rell ~


eve r)' yo ke ? NOlie, slIrely, if th ey jllcl ge ~ llh e


tr ee hv ils " j'u it~ . And wllv is it rhll s ? ' '' hv.


is it tllllt pl'llfiJsse, 1 lli. scipl ; s of ; he. Pri ll ~ e ~ f


Peace- on, im wh o sllirl, " Love )' 0 11 1' ellemiell,"


sland remly 10 hu ck Ie nn th e armor- Io ta ke


th e lIlu l'k er, 01' tile swor' I;' anll rllsh tn delldly


con flic t. lh irstill g lor a hr oth er's lliond? Why


is it lllllt ! tellca th tltc , Ih'ill e light of Chrislillll


te ac/ , iug , slav e ry still fBrges Chllill'" IIno munn ­clcs


for hlllllan lim bs- still 11' 11111 pies ill th e


dll sl God ' n ; lnuge ? Why is it thnt ' h e Inve of


app tnuse, office, ~ ist in e t i on , wealth. so ofte n


! trillg s th e I'I'Il( essed fi. llowcrs ( If hill, wh n


" had 1I0t I\ h er e 10 IllY hi~ Ilen'd ;" who slIid,


' nel~ k · first lhekingd oon of Gnd i" to PI'OSII'llICl


th em~ elv e s at ll, e shrille of IlJanllnnu, IIl1d


lIlin gl e th eir otI.: erings wilh Ihe God - forgelti llg


world thllt worships th ere? II is, it InW' 1 he,


' hel'lluse th c reli gi on O i. Jl'sll~ IlIls been luad e n


doctrine mther th an n l ffe. Bll(' nnse nlCII huve


va illlY- t lt.' i3g llt ili" at fniih, ' in cf: ri;; lll JI~ c d l', or '


lite oh servRnce of ccrtain forms, ~ onld suv e


Iltelll,- when lh er o is und C/ lII he no sah'a'i oll


hill in tlul hOlllage of th e henrt un d life to


Truth I1l1d Love. This is whnt it ~ e ern s tn me


m llst he d early seen , und ileeply Ie It, hel ill'c


C h ri~ t ' s k ingdom 1: 11Il ad vlln e '~. Professing


C hrist inns mu st be ar on sed to th c solemn


t rlltlo, that they lire saved hy J esu s jnsi so fill'


liS th ey liTe imhued wi ll, hi" spiri t- j us t so far


li S Ihey nre Sllve, 1 frolll the f1 olllitii on of nnhlll­lowed


lusts allll pllssion s- from sin of eve ry


kind, throngh Ih e inflll en ce of his life 111111


tellcl, in g, ' lI! H! no f.' Hth er.


Such h ein ~ my view s, yOIl (' Rn tlnd erstnnd


wi th wh at plea sllre I pel'Used YOllr lilli e s heet.


Irs mission is a holy on e. It cO llle~ to us it!


th c s treng th of tr lllh, / lnll wilh th ~. pow el' o f


love. \ Vherever it go es , i, t mnst, I Ih ink , ex­e


rt a red eemillg in'flnen ce.


I th er efore bid yOIl a heurl)' " Gud spec, I,"


< lear hrother , iu YOllr effort s 10 :" Ivllnce th e


Redecrller's kin gdom ; uud IIr/ lYth llt t ~ cr IIIl1y


nol be ill \' Rin in the Lonl.


Yours in Chris tian F ellowship , '


WI LI . I AM P . TILDF. N.


S Olllhalllp! On, June 28th, ] 840.


Denr Brother Bailon:


T he good 1.01' 11 has


see n fit to Ihrow in my WilY oll e nnmher of the


" Practical Christian," anll I have rec eiYecllhl'O'


iI, at I ~ ast , On e Dollar's worth of holy feeliu g',


if th e things of God and heav en · conld be eSli­milled


h)' go lll nnd s ilvcr measure .' I thllnk


th e God of heaven for th e spirit it brellllws. ­May


it prov e still a, ch anll el through ' which


th e strcams of vital Godlincss shnll (' olliinu e to


flow to this drollght. parch ed world. Let it


bcar ' ullon its sw elling l: urrent those' leav es


which nre for tne healing of thi s mall- killing,


lIlan . stealing, God'/ lhhorring nutiQn.


Pl euse sen il me the buck nUlllhcl'! l, lind en­d


osed is One Dollur, fi. r a yenr. I ' think I


lIIay nhta in some suhsr. r il; ers ns 800n fiS I ge l R


sRmple to show my friend s, , I Rill ignorRnt of


yonI' viewl as a R esto rationist, " bnt ' I expect


they will mRnifilst themseh'cs through tbe I'D,


per. Reli gio ( is nllllles R,~ e Ilolhing to me. I


canllot atll'IHI me et ing of auy, k ind, where ", n


StHlgn", J uuc 25, 1840.


yet I tak e th e- lib erty, to address a few lines to


you, to express Illy grarirude to you lind yo ur


frleuds for the appeara nce flf th e Pra eticnl


Chri sriun.


P re ctre nl Christians are scarce at the present


time . ' Ve ham a gr ': 111 d eal o r' professed


Christiauiry, lind but few who dure attempt 10


put it in pruc tice,


Our men- killi ng Governm ents pr ofess to he


Christian, wh ile th ey s pe nd II great por tion of


th ei r lime' and money in d evising , ways, a nd


pro curing th e menus, for destroy ing th eir fe l ·


low men, Our di fferent secrnriuns - profess to


be Christi an s, wh ile th ey Rre , str il' illg to bu ild


themselv es lip at th e ex pe nse of th eir brother.


I fe el rejoic ed that you have hoist ed the stan d­/


1111 of CI! ristianity so high , nnd IWi'e it will be


SCCII from afar, nnll that many will flor- k 1I1l10


it. Our Savior has told us that he is'thewny,


the truth, and the ' life .' His doctrine is, that


we must hear the cross dni ly ; if: we will he IIi"


di sciples- e- w e mu st ' suffer with lIinb if we


would reign with him.'


If you or an y of YOllr Iri" n fls s hou ld cOllie


thi s wav, do C Ol~ C nml see lIIe. ,~


I - remlliu your frien; llllld hmther,


III tile bonds of Penee,


THOMAS H ASK EL L .


DI) IIr Pastor :


YOII req llf, stme to write filrrhn


Practi cal Chri ~ till n . Methi ul< s olhers ca u ed - '


ify its read er s mu ch beller th an I ellu. I es ­teem


Ihe pllper very hi ghl y, lind Ih iuk it wo r­thy


of ils ualll e, in both lell el' lind spirit. [


find in it e very Illotiv e to irllluc e u ~ 10 love nnd


serve God; a nd e noug h to deter us from sin


lind lrllnsgr ession. I cau truly' sny f feel more


and mor e th e imporllllll, e of eXICllll ing ils c ii · ­cul


ntion. Br. Ne wllllll likes it muc h, an lt


thinks oftllking' a mimh~ r nf co pies fill' di st ri ­'


[ llll ion, I "') qu etited him 10 wri te for its col ­u:


nn s. He Ihiuks he sl!/ lll ndd ress ' you soon.


I fel, 1 mor e than e ver the importunce of de­voting


myself to thecause of Christ- ofso liv­ing


thaI othe rs IllIl. V he led to g lori( 1' o ~ lr !" a ­th


er in heaven -' of using a ll prop er lu ean~ to


ind uce tho se around me to hr eak ofr Iheir sins


! Jy_ r. n~ e. l1l11uce, . u ud _ t l, llJ il · _ i u i q ui t i es hy ~ q l,:!.' i ng.


to the Lord. Tell my Chrislilln friends, lhat


llith ou gh I am nhsent from , th e; II, I ofteu tllillk


ofand 1' 1'/ 1)' fill' Ihem. My de sire is, Ilmt th ey


! IIny ruu wilh patien ce · th e ruc e set befilr'e


Ihenl, anti continua lly se ll, ue w heanties in t1mt


F aith whi cll Ihey profess. 0, Illuy we uot


set'ollr nffecli ons ' ~ pon th e world, hilt pillce


theril steudfustly 011 lhat GOII who is our Fa­Iher


and e te l'llnl Frieud . MIIY we '': lx e r~ ise


I l ll~ spirit of our deur Red eem er j . fill' withom


th at wc nre none o f his. ' Ve heli e ve in the


Resloration of a lost nud ruined \ yorld j bIll. is


thi s to be doue hy mil'llcle? Will dealh lind


lhe resurrcct ion save men from sin ? No, fill'


' salvation is a moral wo rk in the soul, which


lIIust he pl'eced ed hy fuith und rep e! ll ~ nce- R


fhilh that works hy lovc lind plll'ifi es the heurt


- and / I repentance UIllO Iifil. Let us remem­her,


we mu st seek in ord er to find- knock in


order 10 hnve th c d oor op en ed, und call upon


th e name ofthe Lord, iu order to be saved'.':"


Let us tell tho se arouud us, lhnt th ey cannot


enJoy lwen the " I easures of life wilhout heing


di scil iles of J esus; thllt in jl( h ersity nothi!' g


e lse can su sta in them j aud thnt iilthc I/ lst hour


- the hour that tri cs th e sOlll, Ihey Cllnnot do


wilhout the sola ce ofa , hOpll iu J esu s . It is


H e nlone Ihat clln ' mak e th e dyiu g b ~ d feel


soft as downy pillows lI( e.' The S criptures


are c lea r, th at we mllst labor ill onler to he ac­cepted


of God hereafter, ns , well as here, he.


cause wc are there to nppear iu Judgment for


Ihe d eeds don e in the'hody. MlIY we 01,1 so


live, that wl; ell we come to thi s jU d g~ ent, we


shall heur the w~ lcoll1e pluudit, "\ Vell'lone,


' good lind fllithful servants, ente r yc into the


joy of your Lord." Farewell.


Yours in the bOllds of the Gospel,


, E . D. DRAPER.


ltleudou, August 15, 1840.


THE PRACTICAl, CHRISTIAN:


lion? F or my pa r t I can no more conceive


of th e necess ity cf'. G od's studying to arriv e nt


just con clu sions, , than. of his having feet to


walk, 01' wuigs to fly, or food to sustain him.


And w hut does he need of a th eoretic plan or


8ygtem, other than tJlUt wh ich n~ tiJrnlly and


s po utaueously flows out from his own 1I11- per_


teet mind? If I should tell you that the an­gels


in heaven needed 1I0tebooks to sing out


of, would you not think it absurd? Or if I


should insist tha t Zera Colburn, so celebrated


8S n natural erhluuetic iun, must have learned


to solve qu esti ons wirh a slate und pen cil,


would you credit my sinceri ty ? Or ifl should


affirm , th ut J esus Christ ' learn ed divinity at


some J ewish school , would you not think ' me


trifli ng with se rious matt ers P How then can


y ou think fa voruhly of II doctrine which, like


thi s of un iver sal fbreonl inuti ou, not only


makes God th e nuthor of ein, hut impliclltes


him as finit e in wisdom- as hqving been un­der


the necessity of qualifying himself hy a


course of'sturly for tlte creation amI govern­men't


of lhe worill- lls needing an olll wa rd di­recto


ry, b) ' whieh to regu late th e / lffai rs of I he


uni verse! Di smi ss all suc h igil ollie thonghts'


of GOlI. R eject so, c h ild ish, and, witlml, so


m isclll e~ ous / I doctrine. Ch crish nobl er / 11111


s uhlillllir views ' of the GreBtl'~ ir~ t Ca use. n~ ­member


that his infini lc wisdolll is a u inlUiti\' e


attribulc, which uever was" arlll nc ver c/ ln lie


exalted by Rcqnirement . Cons ider th at if he


were BelUa lly to study RS muny millions of


nges us there a re fixed stars in lhc firm am ent,


be could not udd one iota to his nat ive, inhe­rent


wisdom. And her e I dismi tls Iliis partic­u


lar ; pr esuming tha t I s hall he well under­I<


tood IlS to wh nt I do and do nnt ueJie\' e, re ·


sp ecting the infinite wisdolll of God .


( To be continued.)


• \ E R. R. ATA .


' Ve regret the occasion whid i our cureless ·


ness ha ~ given li) r the fo llow ing corr'ections :


In No. 6, 81'. Jno. Jordun'lliett er is dut cd W/ I ­terfonl


., n shou) d huy e I, een o:: T.:' ," Wnter~


town, N. Y." III No. 7 , lR st pnge, 3d, column,


24th line / i'om the hottom, inslclId of-" This


mlfY hc trlle of many, who IlBve hy th eir ex­cesses


" & c.- itshollid reud o:: T"' ; This may he


tru e of mllny who ~ a v e tlOt by th e1r exce sses,"


& c. Eight liues uelow, th e word " concluded"


eholllil hav e heen printed " conceded." ' B.'. S.


J . M. will forgive us, nnd wc will be 1II0re


careful ill future.


LETTERS CONTINUED,


Shermall, SI. Joseph Co" Michill'an, ~


, J Ulie 10, 1840. S


Denr Brother:


Having noticed in the N! Jo­Resistanl,


No. 9, an account of the ' Pl'llctical


Christi all,' I improve the first oppor'tullity to


forwlIrd my name as II sllb scriber. If I kllew


you r terms, l. should forward hy this thc mOil­ey.


111I'esume several of Illy ueighbors will


become sullsc r ibers, whell they shall have be­come


Dcquainted with your ' pa per . If Ihe pa­per


proves what I presume it will, I shllll ex­'


crt myself for it!! circulation, fal' and wide.,...


Please scnd me the work, from No, I, and I


will forward you money immediately for it,


and for as lIIallY 8ubscrihers a! I can obtaiII."'::"


Pl'imitivc Christianity has several ' warm advo­cates


in this vicinity, through whose instru­melllality


the spirit of inqlliry has become


quite general and anxiolls. There are many


friends of Peace in this country, who will hold '


an Anniversary on the 2d July, at Lexington,


· Ia. It i" expected io be largo in Dumber, and


to continue four or five days.


Yours for the reign of Peace,


L. L. GUB. A. X,


. South Scituate, July 15th.


D~ lIr Brother : :.-


Although II ~ trnnger to vou


personlllly, I cllnnot' longer forbear to expip, ss


• the. pleasnre I have received from th e pernslll


of your lillie paper, " The Practical ehrigtian."


GIOUl! llll& er, June 20th, J~. 1It lIeems to me to be II faith filI lind correct RIl-


~ Broth er Ballol~; plication of Christ's teRching to ihe prn': tical


, , Altl loug h I have not the I duties of life. It is on this account that I vlll­_~


I:. asure ors'personal ! lCquailllanca Wilh )' ou, 116 it SO highly. In theory I do not, Rt pr eSlllll,


o:: T" Sevflrnl corn rnunica tiOils nre on hand


which we hnve desired to publish uefore now,


IIl) t which we are ohliged to defer. Our cor­I'esponllents


will ex cuse 0111' tllrd in ess'- and


, continile to ke ep our files of unpublish ed arti­,


cles full- I bat we mny alwuys be in funds for


the Christilln.

Page 30 of Volume 1 from The Practical Christian 1840-1841

Ballou, Adin

1840