Page037

Page037

,


THE- PllACTICAL CHRISTIAN.


VOL. I.


Dewoted to ' J.' rt, tb and ltighteousness.


l\ JENDON, l\] ASS., SEPTEMBER 15, 1840'


\


No. 10.


THE PRACTICAL CHRISTIAN


Is published twice ever)' calendar month- at


One Dollar per nll" um, l," pble always in advance


- no cred it beyond No, 2 . of c~ h volum e. Per­i1on~


responsible for six copi es receive the seventh


crati.. Nu subscription' received for less than one


year.


R~ gular Contributors' to the ' \ Vorlt,- ADIN


BALLOU, ( Editor aud I'ubli , hing Agent ;) nAVrD


R , ' LAAISON, G EORGE ' iV. STACY, n . UUEL S,


WHITNEY, ' WILLIAM H, FISH, SAAIUEL J . .


IIIAY.


All letters, remittances and communications to


1> e ..." 1 ( post I,:.' id) 10Adin n ul/ Oil, lUtMon, Mas•.


EXPOSITION OP, FAITH.


. S ECT ION ,3.


God iR the erentor, upholder, nnd controller of


the universe ; he is the fountnin of nil life,


• intelligence, holiness 111111 hnppiness ; lie is


the FIRST CAUSE of, all that takes place, ex-c


el't sin. '


4' The Lord, he is the God j the Lord, he is the


God." 1. Killgs, 19: 39.


Tlinl Got! is all which is decillred in Ihese


' il l'nnsell of Illy secolld arlicle of faith, follows


nntllrnlly allli nece~ sarily from the truth of the


ellIlISI'S nlrendy cOllsid el'ed in the two imflJe­'


tlint ely precelling S ecliolls. l\ lany of the pas ­~


ugell qlloted in those Sectiolls lire eqllally per­tillent


10 the present points. I shnllllllli a f~ w


~ thers, llntl thell confine Inysolf to th e e xposi.


, ..


lion ofa ,,: illl( le I'nl'lit: ulnr- the only < lIle de-


. illlnding Ilpecilll eluc idlllion ill this purt of th e


< Jrticlcl.


God is the I~ reator, npholder, ." 1111 controllel'


~ I the enlire ullinm< e: " In th e he" inningGod


crentell Ihe hea\' ens : Indthe enrllt." (; en. I: 1.


" Tltlls i he I,,:, avens 111111 ea rth were fin jslte.' I,


and nil the host of thelll." Ih .2: I. " Behold ,


the hem'en, lind the heaven n( hellvens is


, II' e Lord's llay Gnll; the earth also, wilh ItII


tl"" ein." D,' rl!. 10: 14. "' I'hou, ev en thon, nrl


nl'll lllOn'J: tholl hust made the helIven ( Ie


henvens, with alt their host, the elIrlh ntlll all


things Ihnt are therein, the seas allliall , hllt is


, tl" ' rein , IIIII I Ihol1 I'I'l: sen'e" t them HII." Neh.


9: 6. , " By the wn" l of Ihe Lonl were lhe


hea\' ells nnlll e; noduli the 1II0sr o ~ them hy


the hrell'lh of his 1lI0llth . He gathereth the


w'nll: rs of the Ilea together as 1111 heap: he 11Iy­elh


Ul' the ( Ie) lth in storehnllses. . L et nil the


~ llrth fi~ ar lhe Lord; let all Ih e inhahitants of


tl, e worl, 1 stllllli in awe of hilll ; fi'r hI' Apllkfl


8nll il was'rlone ; he COfllflllllldellnn, 1 it stood '


fil~ I." Psal. 33.: 6- 9; " The enrth is the Lo'rd'~ alld th e fililness ll... reof; Ihe worl. I, and th ey


that , Iw elliherein." Ih. 24: I. " The kingdom


is the Lo. nl'~, and he is ' he Go\' e.: nor IlInong


t111~ nations." Ih. 22: 28. " 111 whose hnlld is


the soul 01 every Ihilll;' thin g, and Ihe hl'euth


of all II, lIlllkinll." Joh, 1:. 1: , ID. " If, he sel his


h enrt nl'''" flinn, if he ! lnrher unto hilllself hi~


spirit 111111 his hr enth; nil flesh shull perish In­gether,


and man shall inrn IIgain , IInto dust."


11,. 34: 14. " 0 Ihon that lu'arl'st prayer, IInto


thee !' hall nil flesh eOllle ; .... lhon art . th e


confirlenee of all the ends of the earth, al,, 1 of


them that nre nfar off upon the sell; who hy


thy stren~ th lIenest filst lh e mOllnlnin~, girded


with power'; who stillest the noise of the seH~,


~ 11111 the noise of their WAve"" Hlld thfJ til 1\ 111 It of.


t, he I'eople. They ~ Iso thnt owell in the


Ullermost parrs ure IIfmid of thy tokens; ' holl


OIl1kest the ourgoings 01 tho Illortling lind eve'


ning to rejoice. ' ThOll visitest the enrth lind


wllterl'st il j UI1l! greRtly enrkhest it wilh the


river of GoII, which is filII ofwuter j .. ~ ' tho ll


crownest th e y ellr with lhy ~ oodlle.. s, Hnll t! I)'


Jmths drul' fntllesll." PIlIII. 65: 2, ' 1 5 - 9 , ' I II.


" The Lorrl is II , greut G ; l, l, IIntlll grent king


ahove all gOlls. In his hll1l1l are the deep


places of the earth; Ihe strenglh of the hills is


his also. , The sen is Ilis, lind he l} lHrle it : alltl


his hands li"' netl the dry lund." Ih . 95: ~ l- 5 :


" Thlls saith God the I. ord, he that · createo the


hellvens an, 1 stretched them 0111: he lhat


lll, rflnrl forth the ellrth, 1II111rhnt which comelh


0111 of it; he thaI giveth I,,~ a ! h ". 111'; the peo­pill


lIpon it, llfl( l spirit to themtllllt walk there­


· ill." Is . 43: 5. " Fol' thlls sllith the LOl'd that


createrl the henvens, God himsdf thHt fi, rlllfJd


the earth and mnde it j he hath estnblished it;


he crented it not iu vaill j he forrulld it to be


• iuhahited ; I amthe Lord, und th ere is non e


else." Ih. 45, 18. " Have we 1I0t nil one Fu­therF


Aalh 1101 one God crented us?,, ' lUll I.


2: 10. "", vhom [ he refore ye ign~ l'Illltly wor­ship,


him declnre . I 111110 you, God that lII11ih:


the world and all thiugs th erein, se einK that


he is Lord of heaveu aml earth, dwelleth nor


ill temples nuule with luuuls j .. .. he giv elh


to HII life and breath 1If111 1111 things; and hnth


made ofone blood all nations of men ; for to


dwell 011 all the faceof the eurth : aud 1III til


determined the times before uppointed, n ml


tile hounds of their hnhitatiou ; that th ey


should seek the Lord, if hnply they might feel


nfter him unci find him, though he he not fi'r


l


from every nne of'us ; for in him we live, lind


move, and 1; lIve 0111' be~ ng." Acts 17: 24~ 28.


" t'or of him, alldthruugh him, and to him lire


ull things ; 10 whom he glory for ev er, nru en."


Rom. ll: 36. " Tholl urI wonhy, 0 Lord i to


re(' eil'e glory and hon or nlld power j fiJI' th oJl


hast crent, cd 1111 things, r lld fiJl' lh y I'lell ~ urc


they nrll nlld were crellted." R ev. 4: U.


These p" ssng(~ s of Scripture, lIig etlll'r wilh


those heretofore quoted ill teslimollY ol'the Ili­vtll


e perfi , ctiolls, not only suffice li, r Ihe SlIp ­port'of


the e1allse first ill order, lIf1d which was


reil eratell jJlst helore commencillg my ' I" otu - .


dOllS, hlltlliso fiJI' the two wl ; ieh I ha\' e a5SO­cillt


cd with il. Few will he lli~ posetl to Celll­lrm'ert


lhese posilions, esp ecilll/ y lltier achllit ­tillg


th ose whidl hllve alrclllly heell eSlllhlish­\


lei. Slil/ ' ti~ w e l' will care Iti follow lIIe , thl'oJlgh


a fOl'/ llal sllllfmelll of viewlllllld opillions, l'en­son


illgs all< la rgllll ltHlt~, cOllctll'llillg th em. I


\\: ill tlwl'efi're aSSlllile us grantell- I hnt God is


the neator, IIphold" r, ulld ,~ olltl'OlIel' of ! he


IInh'erse; lhut IlC is Ihe fillintnin of ull life, ill­lelligenee,


hulilless lllld happiness; :' nrl lhllt


he is lhe First Clluse of ull thillgs. Bill fmlll


this last I Im\' e ~ x e l' p tl'd sill; ; h erehy dellY­in


g lhnl God is the CAUSE or AUTIIOR of sill. ­Ow


tlri! l'~ poilll it is IIecessary'lllllt- I shoii Itl ­elearl)'


amI eXl'lieirly present Illy views.


It seellls to Irnve , heen tllk'm for !( l'IIlIled hy


mRny thHI ill this CRse1here' is no ulte'l'IIative­tllllt


God mU8t h," the First Cause . of s in- the


author ofsin. · A part of Ihose wllo tall, e this


1' 01' gl'llllted, .10 I! O with Ihe IItmost relllelalll:'"


ill meretheory, whilst ill practice Ih ey not oilly


explaill it uway , hilt hahitllally uctlln the 1' 011 ­trllry


presullIption. Thes i, Ilre good nJlm


whose headl! lire carried I" Yay by sl'eeie" s


rellsoliings; lIgainsr Ihe instinclh'e I'evo hi llgll of


nil lInsophi" ticlltell h<: lIrl. Others, prcclil'p os" II


hy inorul currtll" tioll 10 filld a stl'ellgth elli ll~


pillster for Sill, seize on thi~ con elll ~ ioll us th ,,; r


grelltest consolat ion. , ' l'III~ y l'xnlt at tllll S" CIII ­ing


neeessity whic'h has dri\' ell hellt'l' men


thllil themselves to adopl it in theory, and bOllst


of their own greater (: ollsisle'lIcy ill Ihe pl'm: ti ­cal


illllstl': ltioll of the rloctl'ill~. They I't." joil'e


to helie\' e tlllIt of whate" cr sins Ih ey hav e


c'ollllllinell, unll whatever viees tlll~ y are now


daily imlulging. God is th e Greut Cuuse nnll


AlIlhor- thatlle hll~ fiJl'elmlnined nll- Illllllhllt


lhey are only conlrillllting in lIis 1I1' 1) oinl eti


wny, as hlocks n. o\, ed on thl' grent checker­board


hy all nnseen, omnipolent harlll" to fnlfi I


Ihe ( jesigus of the infinite l\ JeelllInieilln : . Bu eh


men lire irhplllient of moral restraint. Th.. y


eXI:.. edingly dislike ull reproof, lIl1udmonilion


1111 interference wi th tlleir lIeeustolllel! sintill


IllIhits . It rlilllllrhs tilem to henr dose ullIl


fi. ithlill preaclling, Ilntl even to know thnt ,


Ihose nrollllli. th em lire eurneslly ellll envoring


to relorm . Tiley feci piquell 111l\ t other s , nllll


espe(' iully tlleir 1II0re imllletliate uSSO'daleS,


should manifest any alnrm on nC;' ount of sin,


0' 1' any extraorclinnry . Iesire to eRect n ge. nuine


reformation. This irritation of tll eir minds


' a rises ' from the ~ ecret twinges of consl'ience


witllin their I)()~ ollls; wh ich, in spite of all


their uffeeted self complacelll'y, nllw nnrlthlJII


1t, lIsthem they nre " in th e gnll of hillernl'sll


aud in the honds of ihiqnily." ThllY thns rlis­('


over, wl'Rt i1l1leed Ih ey' sludionsly ' nllcmpt ltJ


conceal, a ( Ieep intel'lllli cOII, viclion tllat nfter


all, they themseh'es,' not God, are Ihe relll nn­Ihurs


of their s ills - nnd Ihat it i8 thcir own


fUll It, thai they 00 not immerlhllely , r epenl. ­Bill


their will having heromll (' orrnpt, they '


rUlih 00 in their guilty cours~ s, gladly lllind~


fblding themselv es with th e notion thnt God is


tile Cnuse unrl Author of'nll their condllel. ­Ifn


mnn could succeed completely in suffocnt­'


jng his conscience, he might with this dread­fill


doctrlne easily become a Ilrngoll of crime


unrl cruelty 1I1110ng' mankind, But God hns


so ord er ed things, that very,' few of ull those


who would gilldly sh elt er themselves under


suc h n presurnption, cun wholly ohliterate from


. t lleir milO/ Is tile original con sciousn ess thnt


IlIey il. ' lIlslllv es ani!!, nrc churgeahle with the


uuthorship of th eir sins.


J will now suluuit a few refl ections, design­.:


r1 fin th e benefit of those whose hends, riuher


than their he art s, are uffect ed unfavorably hy


fillse reasonings on thi s subjecr,


W lllIt is s in ? It is th e transgression of


Gotl's law. Any net 01' vnliriou of u fm c mor­IIlllge


lll, cou trury to God's law, is It s in. A


1111111 Itllty s in by couunission or I, y o/ lli~ sioll. ­He


UHl)' !' ill in III I ontwnnl aet, or nl elllnlly


witltill hilllseif. Bllt ~ in is never illlpllwd


where there is no IlIw; nor wh ere (; vhich is


, ' irluu lly Ihe snme Illillg) lhe IIgent is necessa­l'il~'


igllol'llnt of' tile I: HV. Wllere 1.0 Inw hus


been !( il'e n, 01' wh ere th e nutl1r ill sullj ect of


I" w, witllout allY filtllt of his own, is entire ly


ign ol" " lt ol'tlle IIIW, th el'e i. no Sill, in '! l e strict


Ulorn] sense oflhe lerm. The aelion s . ulltl vo­lil


ions IIl11y he t: ontrllry to tile good Ill' their


Hlhjects, co nlrury llJeterilul Right in tll eil' nllt­n


ra l tcntle lwy , I," t clo I; Ot inv olve con, lenlllll­'


tioll. Bcellll se sill pr esupposes in tile sillll cr


~ l knowletlge of th e luw wh ,," he Ilitl ' lIis


Wroll g , or lit lellst nil opportunity to I, nowof


the existelll: e of the law,' nlld wllich lie mu st


lIavt : uhosed, not 10 hllv e tlli~ knowle! lge. ­Now,


' here lore, it is e~ ae n t i a l to tire PI'OI "' 1' iden


of sin, tlrnl he wlro ' collllnit~ it shoitld ,10 so ill


th e lilce of known oh ligatioll to the eOlltmry,


The n ' lll silllt er kllo\\' s wlre'l lie is t.: mpted to


its c, tIIllllli s; ionj Ilinl God hilS ti'l'hid. llm it ; ' Illtl


eo n; lIlils il llgllillst - t lte - relllnnstn lllCl'll of his


sens" of dlu~" Tire guilt rhen lies in tile will,


tll ! l j'uling inl enliun of the milltl, nnt in lh e


mere ollrwnl'll net, · wlli t\ 1I is < JIlly the IlIlIniles­tion


of th e sinful will witllin. The cr elltnre


knowing whllt wus ri/ olhl, IUl\' inga spnse ofdn­Iy


In: llIalillg hinl to . tlo right, and knowilll;' , dso


tlm'l hi; Creat ' lr hns tin'bidd en hilfl 10 lin th e


sinfidacI, ne\' erth ele ss prefers to ,! isohey God.


! lis 1It~ ~ rt, his will, his int enlion, is wrong.


Well; Inlflllsl, ,, tI o:: T" ' ls 1,101 God th e rre ·


ntor of a II intelligelll hcings?" Yes. :" ),. it


not he who creut etl and hrollghlllpon th e th e­Illre


of lifi~ thi s \' ery III~ ing \ vllO sill s? " Y es,


" lllIs not Go< 1 give n this heill g all his powers,


lill: ulties, ntlValllages , ilJstnllllt: rils and , oppor,


lllnities ?" Y es. " l1 as he not giv en hilll a


nnllll'l l liahle 10 .'(' r, niHI ( llaeed him wi thin th e


rl'aeh oftollll'lIItion?" ) gra. lJt il. " Alltl tloes


not GOI) contillue to pr esene him in lilll


slre, ngth, even while eOllllllilling his sins ?" ­I


· gl'llnt it. " How th en , granting all Ihi s, < In


yOIl eseape lh e eonelu~ ion, lhat' God is the


First Calise mill AIII hor of sill?" Lei lIIe ask


a lew qlleslions, Ilndtherehy expillin my self. ­Is


th e ereatinn of illl elligent heings s in? No.


h th e IIlere exi Slence of those int elligent he · ,


ing s ! in 1 No. 1s the gifl, . or the nctnal pos­sess


ion of all thcir power;;;, filclliti es, 11I11' 1In­tllge


~, instl'lllflcnts, Imd opportnnities, sin ? ­No.


Is their liahilily to err, sill '! No. ' Is


temptation sin? , No. May not ';, 11 th ese ex­iST,


wilhont s ill ? Yes. . JlJust not alilhese ex­ist,


ill ord er to holiness nlltl happiness? Yes.


' rhem mnst he inlelligl: nt heings en, lowed


wilh 1111 lh ese powers, liwlIhies, ' l1l~'~ ntages, in­~


trllinents allli 0l'portullities j or ' ce r la inly


there cOllld lie no holiness HIllI hUlipiness. ­AlIlIlnst


lid III it this. ' Well, IlilIsl · not tl;~ s'; be­ings


he liahl e to err, Iiahle tu-< Io wrong liS well


118 to do right? Wlrllt sort of 1lI0ral Ilgents


wonlrl thn~ e he who could only " et olle WRy­who


(' ould tlo exaqt', y whnt' W~ IS cOllllllallllcd,


hnt (' Oliltl by no I' 0~ sihility do olherwise? ­Alltl


lh eu, whlltneed of a 1: lw for lIeings whose


very nlltnre render.. l) it illlpossihi tl tlml th ey '


!' lwlIld ever err? WOltld tllCre ho any need


ofn law tilrhirldin g fish to cOllie lip on Ih e llry


Illnd , or c/ tlli e 10 fj, ed Ilncl dwell ill the hUlIom


nflhe seu? SlIl' ely 1101. So if intelligent lie­ings


hud nOllle~ u oonstiltlled in a nature lillule


ttl err, th ey would ' have needed no law. ­)\


1oreovel' th ey must have fur ' eve r remained


ns ignornnl of moral rectitude 01' holiness, as


th e fish, th e fOIVI ~, nnel the creeping things of


th e ea rth. God could no more have made a


free m~ rIIlllgent without his linbility to error


111111 sin, than he could IJlI~ e rnnrle two adjacent


mountuin s without II vnlj ey between tIH; IlI. ­It


is a natural impossibility. It is essential to


th e very ideu o f n heillg subject to moral law,


thnt he should he c a pa h l ~ of doing good and


e vil, right unrl wrong . No beillg can be a


ruorul ugent without thi s. Bur SIl)' S tire hear­e


r. " Gt'll". ting thi s; yon have admitted that God


plac es hi" moral c renu rres in the midst of


tenuuurion P" Yes , Bill is tempnuion sin?


No. All th e temptation s ill th e world .10 not


muouut ; 0 one s ill. I tis y ield ing to ternptu­rion,


ngninst the sense ofduty, knowing it to


he Wrollg, thllt cOllsrilllles s in . " But il' God


1IIIII ' n ot expose d his cr eatures to templntion,


would th ey have e ye r s inne d ?" No. Neilher


wonld th ey hllv e eve r heen I'Mpallle of on e ho-


' Iy Iwt. Of wlll; t us e wonld Ih: e 1II01' 1l1ugen­('


y hllve heeu to int elligent heings, if Ihe ir Mil­ker


hud placed mlll ' k ept th em where it WIlS


illlpossi i, le Ih ey sho n ld e \' e r ex ercise it? 01'


what lise won III will gs beto hirds, iflhey had


heen n llllle only 10 lIIove on t! leir feet? Ho'"


can oll e IIIllk" n choice, wh ere ' is th ere is no di­versity"":'


only on e 8111' 1 10 c11 01l~ e? How could


l'ree 11101' 111 agellls hllve fi'm: I)' ehosen :.: oud­holiness,


if Ih e opposi te ! lad fi, re ver beell kepI


f'rnm tb eir contp. lllplatioll and knowll, dge? ­1\


11< 1 prav tell me whllt sort of virtn e is thllt


whicll n ~ ver wa s preferred 10 Ihe opposit~. ­Bolilwss


consists in th e pr eferetwe of right t, o


' wrong- in r esi slillg tcmptation fill' the suke of


righI- in nsing n power ri~ Jd, whieh lIIight


lIt th e sallie tim e have heen used amiss. The


fi, c t is, le n ll' talion is n ec" s~ Jry 10 tlltltriaJlllld


Iliseipline of fr ee IIgenl ly Ilwl er a 11101' 111 gov­el'lIlIlCIII.


l) lllh go Illgellaer, 1I1111 - 1here co n ld


he nei ' her Inorill govt:' l'IIllIellt, fi'ee ag ency, nor


telilprat illll, exeept in this vel'y eonne(' lion


wilh ea(: h olher. Now , l! len - let 11111 ask-;


u: r]) lIp. s G IIII fim : e I, is c rclltnres to Sill ? ­No.


\ ])",: s ! Ie make the templations which IIct


npon ' hem slil ll~ ri or to th eir power of resi st­an


ce? No. Ifhe did, ' sin wonld cea se to he


sii . ; fiJI' tllllt is no sill whie! l a lIIan ellllnot


avoid. Bill he gil' es holh st re n! lth and motive


10 ellahle his e re a tnrc" to re~ ist telllptalion. ­Do


l'S lIut he forhid men to sill? Yes. Does


he' eHr excire 111I, m to sill? No. Dil es hft


1I0t eonstantly ellj oin on rhem the IJuli es of


ri ghteollsn ess? Yes. Doe; he not 1II0ve


t! lelll hy hi s s pi ri t 10 a right lise of th eir pow­e


rs ? Yes. And dQes he not maintain a se­ries


of opeIJlli 6' n ~ all tlirecl ed agninst sin ? ­IIc;


, Ioes. ! low in th e IIl1llle of reason, th en,


can he he I! le eallse Ililll Ulllllllr of sin:'- tho


elltls e lind IlIllhol' of what he e te rn nlly ti, ruids;


ha tes, Opl'l ; SeS, lIud lIims to do IIwny. He can­1I0t


he. - BUI llllYS 0111', " he permits s ill." ' S o


lie do es, hnt o uly. t ill lle Clln llestroy it, willlOnt


deslroying li'ee IIgeney- the very hllsisolu) or­nl


d Hl rncte l' IItlll enjoyme nl. " Theu sinllrises


li'om th e nllln i'lIl irupossihilily of ' c: rellting fi­lIile


free morllingents witllout lhe lialtility to


el'l'- i. e . fi'om tile nilIIIrn I illJl' 0ssilti~ ity of


prodllr: in~ in s tlt: 1I free mornlngents II II'ue ho­lin


ess nndllllpl'iupss, withollt plncing them in


cirelllllstlln ec s fi'eely to choolle Right in pref­e


rence to ' Vrong." YES. Atlti on thi9


grol\ llt\ ] fellrll'ssly , Ileny thut Goo is the first


cuuse or nmhor of s in.


GOOD ADVlCE.- Let everyone read it! ­Never


heli ev e, IIIl1ch · less I'ropll/!, lIle, l'ln evil re­pol'l


ofyonr tll'ij!' hhOl' wilhout ! l'Ollll evidence


of its Jrllth. Ne\' el'lislcn 10 Inl infillllonsslory


haJlllerl to ynu hy n mun wllo is n known elle­my


of thIJ pnrson, rlelillllillg his ' lIeighhors, or


wh o is WOIII to sow < liseonl IIlnollg 111111 exdte


rlis!' nl'ltun c: es ill soei.. IV. Nev er illter nn evil


rlll'lt yni. kllllW or sllspl~ el of nnolhlJr, tiU yOIl


hnve tnk" n an opportllnity to expns! ll illte with


him. NeVilI' spcnk e vil of onoth" r while you


lire IInder Ihe ol'l ' rlltion of envy ItIIt! mult'vo ~


len<: e, hnt wll illi ll yo nI' spiriTlfare (' ool ed , Iown


11 11lt yon lIIay jlllice \\' h ellwr 10 nll l'r or SIlP­press


tlln IlInll er. Never ex pr ess Ihe e\' iI whidi


you wOllld sny of yonI' neighhor in terms too


strong, 01' ill InllguHgA whi(' h woult! convey


811 e: lllggerated id eillu hili condueL

Page 37 of Volume 1 from The Practical Christian 1840-1841

Ballou, Adin

1840