Page091

Page091

THE PRACTICAL CHRrS'rrAN. ' 91


teem them highly in love for their work"


sak e.' Prize them as the gift of God. When­eyer


the trying time · may come that shall draw' •


the line of distinction between the true and


fulse friends; may the increased affection of


th e former inspire your heart with gratitude to


God who gnve them ; and may the estrange­ment


of th e latter teach you the weakness of


an arm of'flesh. Trust then in God. He will


be not only ' lhe guille of your youth,' but the


comfort of your - age, and your portion iu eter­nlty


.


An d now, that God mny guide us both by


Hill spirit whil e we nhide in th e flesh , and ar


Inst tuke us to himself in glory, is th e pmyer of


Your broth er in C hristl F. II,


, L ET T E R S & ie · ,


G. W . B. Plymouth, Ms.; G, R. BOSlOlI, $ 1 :


J . S. Leominster, !\ ls. $ 1; C. L. Osterville, Ms.'


$ 1; A. 1\ 1. Nor th Attleboro', I\ l s.; G. W. S.


Boylston, Ms.; E. M. S. Beverly, Ms.; E. Q.


Dedhnm, Ms. $ 1; C. H. Wesim inster, $ 1; P .


1\ 1. Ph renix, N. Y. ; P. M. F ranklin , N. H . $ 1 ,


o:: 7" T he P. 1\ 1. North Village, Hamden Co.,


Ms. ~ e n lJs hack A,' B. and1\ 1. E .' i1 ptlpers / en­dorsed


o:: 7"" Not taken out oj the office. Rea ­son


Ilot known." Is this well understood?


SP IRi T OF t. ov x,


W ho can picture th e mighty and glorious


change whi ch would . take plac e in our be ­nighted


world, . did th e spirit of love fill every


heart ! O! I for th e coming of that kingdom


which is not of th is world. Love is omnipo­tent-


where it reign s s in is fini sh ed. ' Vt. y


then ne ed we wa it for th e J) lilleniwn ? Corne


it does a nd com e it will, when from the heel'l


every e vil pussion is cust out , um] noth ing but


a ve is cherished.


The following quotntion from the " Manrinl


of peace," is forcible and tru e, l\ Jay we hot,


dear reader, enjoy much of th e power of th e


spi r it of love ? Why the n che l ish th e aniago ­nistical


s pir it of IlUtred and strife?


Die'll.


In l\ 1endOn, on the 21st uh., Caleb V. AlIen,


ag'ed 513. ,-' .


lllarrled.


We ha ve ; 10t puhlished man'iages in our ps­pet


hitherto. As seme have desired it, and


we sec no obj ection , we shall her eiJ. fterpub­lish


them ns occnsio l. l may offer.


In Mendon, on the 18th ult., by Adin Bnl­lon


, C ha uncy Aldrich nnd Elvirn Holhrook,


ofl\ 1i1ford. I - , '


In Milfortlr on the. . yening, of the sall1e day,


by the snme, Lorczo ' Chapin and Maryannah


Cheeny, both of th, R. t · place.


It reqnires a n extl'Uord innry step "- and well


halllnced mind to trend th e path of rectitude


througl;' life, nnd not deviate 11' 0111 it.


n. w. s.


IBeyond all q uestion, it is th e nnalternble


constitution of lIature, that th er e is efficncy, d i­vin


e, un spellknLJle efiieae)' in love. The exh i ~


hit ion of kin IIness hns th e power to b!' ing even


th e irrational animals into suLJjection. Show


kindness to II dog, tmd he will rememher it:


he will he gmte ful ; he infallihly return love


for love. S hmv kindness to a lion, and ' you


eau lead him hy ' tile mane; you cnn th ru st


yon r head illto his 1I10lltb ; yo u can melt th e


uutamed ferocity of his heart into nn affection


stl'Ouger than Ileuth . In nil of G od's vnst ; un~


bounded creation, th ere is not a living a nd


semient being from th e IRast to th e largest, not


on e, not eveuthe olltcast ' nilll de grnd etl SCI' ­pelll,


that is inse; lsihl e to acts of Idndness. , If


love, such as ou r LJlessed SlIviour manifestelJ,


co uld he int roduced inta th e wor ld, and e xe rt


appropriate dominion, it would ( es tore a Sll\ le


of th ing s filrll10re dleering, far hrl~ hter than


th e fahulous age of gold; it woulll unnihilate


e very. sting; it would plu ck e very poi sonou8


tooth; It \' I'oultl hliilfl every' ,1I3' col'llllnt \' oi ce


' E \' en the inllnimate c remion is not insen sible


to Ihis div in e influe nce. The bud~ nnll flowe r


lIud fr llit pllt forth most aLJllllfl nntl y und beau­tifhll


y, wh er e tb e hanel of kindness is exteud"


ell. for th cil' cnhure. And if thi s blessed in ­fluence


shollld cx\ enel itself ove l' th e ea rth, a ,


mornl Gl1rden of E elen would exi st.! n e ve ry


Innll ; in steael of the Ihorn a nfi brier wouuld


spr ing np : · the fir · t rcc and , the myrtle; Tho


desert wall Id blossom and the llolitary place be


made glnl!.'


Him. Y ou wi ll lea rn much from II ca reful


perusal of th e lives of the Apostles. The be ­trayalofhis


f l aster by Judas, the denial of


Him hy P eter, and th e desertion of Him hy


the whole, may wa rn you against self- confi­deuce


s particularly when you remember that


they all had declared but n'short time pr evious


that th ey would remain firm even to death. ­While


you a void their errors, copy th eir zeal,


their ~() If: snCl:; fic e, th ei~' faithfu Iness. Hut


keep th e Mnster before them. He is nlo ne


faultless. T herefore strive to make Hi sexam­pie


, yonI' , example- His life, your Iile. This


is th e irue way of reading nnd improving th e


Scriptures. . po th is ap d you will feel and


know that Paul spoke truth, whe n he sai d to


TimothY-' AII Scr ipture given by inspiratio n


of God is p r~ fitaLJe lor do ctrin e, for reproof,


for , iustructiol'i' in righteou su ess ; that the man


ofGod may ~ e perfect , thoroughly furnished


1I1l10 1111 good' works.' II was no mean com­mendation


of ' the yOllng bish op thnt ' Ironi a


c hild ' he had known th e Holy Sc riptures.' I u


thi s resp ect; Illy brother, may you Illi another


Timothy.


A sec ond duty to wh ich I sha ll nllude , is


Prayer. This filithfillly performed is nt onc e


( lilly and plensnre . The litithful ChristillJI de­lights


to he lilllllll at the mercy seat, lie loves


commuuionwhh bis Father. \ V ould yOll en­joy


it ? Then omit not th e reg ula r disch urge


of th is du ty , It is not merely to pray on ce or


" twi cen dUYr butto ' pray wilhout ceasing.' ­Pray


when yo u open nre Su~ re d Volullle, thllt .


riis "' pir it nlliy enahle yon to under sland it. ­I'my


\\" llo'n e'ngaged in YOUI' stUdi es, lh nt )' Oll


IIIny muke ull knowledge suLJserv i" nt to th e


glory of God. l'rny in the hau l' of prosp erity,


th at you IIIny 1Iot lOI'ge t I- Iilll wllO. ga ve It. ­Pray


in tllc bom of tr ial, thut stre ng lh to ove r~


co me may he yours, In short, 11\ e very sillJa­tion


of life let YOllr praym'i1 us'celld to tllll Fu­ther


of Y~ lI r spir it. The . more you pra ct ice


th is, lhe 1I10r e pr ecious will LJe th e prh'i1egf!. ­Ahove


11 11, c llitivate th e spi rit 01 pruyer ; Ih e


~ p i ri t of entil'e de pe ndence upon God, th at


will leud yo u to do 1I0thi ng witbolll first ask ­ing


His HI~ ll (!. T he th ird d uty is • •


Self BIamillatioll.- ' 1' his dUly, not wTth­standing


ilS gl'l'ut imporlance, is prohably the


most n ~ gl ee l c. l , for il is not \' cry ngreeah le to


our fee liugil to he CO lll ) l~ m ncd . at onr ow u 1mI'.


' l'hi8 wtJ shnll onen he, iffaithful in our in ves­tigations


, Seek to know )' o ur own hearl,


with nil iis' corru ptions , if yo u won lei have i ~


IlIlrged from lh em, ' fum yo ur th ou gh ts in­ward


fj'elin ellll y. Tnrn them hackwnl'll. Oh­sen'e


wh nt is \ vrong in the pnst, tllllt you mav


he' e nahled j hy the hlessin g 01 God, to , IIIllend


in th e fn ture. Set npa rt sOllie particul ar se a­s~


n for thi s \ York. ' fhe c lose of th e , IllY will


fiJrni sh n favol'llLJle occusio n. ' Vhen th e cnres


of th e worl . l ore shill ollt , IInci you , ret irpd in


your chulllhel', arc pernsin g tile ' VOl'll of God,


uud look ing imto Him in prllyer, snrvey ea lm-'


Iy and implll'tially your cond uc t thron gh the


day. Let th e beautiful se ntiment of th e poet ·


he yours : . .


' Count that day 108t, whose low descending sun


Viewed from thy hand ./ 10 work of goodne.,. done,'


, Hefore I c lose l i'i '" lell er, let me \ uld one


thing mor e , whi ch 1 hav e heen tau ght, not


OIi ly fi'O lll th e S c riptures, hut by, ex pe rie nce,- '


It ill th is- trust not too much in man. Ex­pect


uot perfect ion even' fj'om tho se who have


] oug heen the professed di sciples of J esu s. ­Yo


u hllve ull: cndy, douLJtless, noticed the' s in8


of whi~ h cli~ rches and indi vid unls are g uilty


in upholding tho se gre llt e vils, W8I', Iu temper­ance,


Sl aver y, and th e lik e. ' 1' 0 su ch I do not


now a llude. These sins you can sec nnd


av ail\. Bnt there ar e olhel'lt who seem to he


. nil )' OU coull1 wish , lIml frum whom you ex­pect


much sympath y. Be not disc ournged i if


you r expectations arc not fulfilled Be not


CllSt down, if th ose, who appear' friendly now,


disappoint yo u" in the hour of tri al. ' You may


meet with s lwh. But on th e other hnnd yqu ,


. will fin, 1 some ~ v h o will not only r ejoice . when


you rejoice, hui we ep when yo u \ Veep. S ome,


whose high est pleas ure will he to aid you in


the hOlll' pf tr illl, point out to you in th e spirit


of love your ( ailingg, and do a ll in th eir power


lollelp yOIl on · your wny to " the promised land'


of ete r ila l rest. Such frie nd's I ha\' e had . I


can say to th em, as Paul said'to the Phrtippi.


an s, " 1 thank my God npon every remembrace


of yo n : S'uch fr iends yo u ca nnot mistake. ­'


By their works ye sh all know , them.' ' Es-among


other things, that he had been eredihly


infor me d a socie ty of them somewhere in the


country, upon bein g refused admittance into a


certain mee ring hou se, threatened to makefor­cible


elltry, He is also reported to have said


then · an d at oth er times, that Non- Resistance


CAme " up a nt of th e bcttornless pit ," & c. & c.


All thl s wns'l'hv no means agreeable to ' mnn y


of his own del~ o; niuation, an d still less so to


Non- Resisumts stric tly so culled , 1\ 11'. J ohn­so


n th er efo re took. hold of th e matter, with a


determination to remove th e unju st reproach es


cast on his brethren hy. friend White. li e


wrote II lett er reques ting . a n ex planat ion, a nd


especia lly inforumrion respecting th e S ociet y


wh o hnd threat en ed to enter a l\ Ieet iu g House


by forc e. Friend Whitll appears to ha ve co n­s


ide red thi s impertine nt, lind treated th e mnt- .


ter mill er evasively. Several letter s passed


between them, until friend \ Vhil e declar ed he


would hold no further corres pondence . Mr.


J ohnson ; th en wrote a concl uding let ter , and


put th e whole to pr ess, for th e lnformntiou of


th e pub lic. No impartial j udge will hesit ate


to pron ounce frlend " Virile pecul inrly unfortn­nat


e, nnd nwk wunl in th e wh nle affair . Mr.


J ohnson d ese rt e~ grellt credit for the pai ns urul ­perseverance


with whi ch he pr oh ed th e matt er


ill qu estion to the bottom. In n goo d s piri r,


lind with irres is tible demon strntlon, he tri­umphuutly


sustains his cause . A QUllkel' op­p


o~ ill g No n- Resistullce is a Pet e I' den)' in g his


1\ 11I"' ter! '


•


I. ETTER TO ,~ YOUNG DISCI P I. E.


l\()' YOIII! g F r ielld und Brother :


It is with


deep in terpstthllt I huv e listcn ed to th e repr e­se


ntlltio llS millie t~ me hy an oth el', of YOlll'


Slule o r Illilill , nnrl th e se rious irnpre,: sions th ut


the co nee l'lls of re liginn 111111 eterni ty hav e mlld e


npon YOll. r rpj oice th at yo nI' lI11entJon . has


l ll~ ell clllleci to Iheso So ea rly. Ther e is noth ­illg


IIffi ll '<! S Ille mor e plellsllrc thnu to sec the


)' o ll nge~ l of Ihe yo nng ' l ellicatilJg them sel ves


to lh e se n' iee OfGOl\. YOII , 1 tr llsl, have don e


. so. Yn u IlIlve heard th e " oice of yo III' Fll the r


iu hellven , A: ayillg-" l\( y son , I: ive me tlr ill e


liCii~~ r', I ~ YOi. lr~ replYlffis - 1~ i1=' ,~==--


' lle re' ~ my henrt, Lord ! talle and seal it;


Sea l it for thy c o u rt~ above.'


YOII IlI\ vll llppli ed th e lungllnl: e of th e . Su­vinr


10 YOllrselr- < gl! h oltl r slarlll at th e door


unci lln oell.' Your heurt ' llus heen ope nerl 10


receive Him. Yon have resp ollllell to th e in ·


vitlllions of lhe "' pirit-' Here all1 I. ' So filr it


is well. Hut this is only th e commence ment


of ' h e work, Yon have nnw th e rac e hefo re


yOIl to he rlln. Thl; Chris tilln warfllre is ye t


10 he fOIl /, dll. ' Let nOl him thnt girde th; on th e


Iral'lless hoast Irilllsclfns he Ihut pUlleth it ~ ff.'


Y011 , my yOllllg hrother, have jll st ,: ornmen cefl


IIrrllyill g yourse lf in th e arlllor of trll th and


righteou slless . Yo n ar e io' co II1bll t wilh ' temp­tations


witho ll! nnd corl'llptiolls wit hin.' These


lire neith er flj\ V liar sma ll. To underst und,


undllhm'e' all 10 cOllqlle r t hem, will he your


. lIlty . By und erstanding th em, I mean tha t


you shonld know th eil' power nnd their mnn­ner


of ope rlltion. ' Ve are often surrounded


hy temptation wh en we think on n; eh'es Pel' ­feClly


snfe. ' Ve often imngin e we are ncting


from love to God nnll man, when in trnth pr ide


or IImbition lies so dee ply concealecl in th e


heart Ihat ,~ e Know it not . It is necessary,


Iher efor e, for us to underslRnd wh ere the olin ·


/! er lies, th at " we mny enabled to meet nnd


overcome it. Thut you mny withstand th e


temptations IIl1\ t llIay nssail yOIl in yonI'course


you sh oul. 1 go forth to dilly with n clenr . per ­cep


! ion of th e s iulIIlion in which yon are


pla ced; and u fixe, 1determinatioll , God help­ing


you, to be faithful ' to your hi (! h und holy


calling. In order to be thus prep ar ed, th er e


are some Iluti es to be performed . P ermit me


to call your att en tion to several of th em.


, First- Study the Scripture, . Do thi s dnil) · .


Do it carefully. ReUlI not merely to ascertain


the cont ents ofahook orchapt el', hnt to nppl y


it to yo ur own case. This you can alwu ys


do . For instance, a re you realling of Ahra ·


hum? Inquire what there is in his charact er


worth y of heing co pied by yon. Have yOll


hi s faith ill God ? His' obedience ? So with


wh atever yOll study , make the same practical


applicati on to yourse · lf. E speoially, would I


hav e you slUfly the character of the Sa vior. ­Yon


. will find Him to he the perfect example.


~ ak e Ilim your · - exalilple. Seek to- be like


just received, It is, - a n able, interesting and


valuablepl'odnction. The occasion which


gave rise 10 the corresponden ce will he under­s


tood with regret by many readers oftil is shee t.


George F. White'is a Minister of th e Society


of Friends. It would uppent · that he is one of


very influ ential standing among them. It ap­peal's,


moreover, that he is on e of thut ~ n for­tunute


class, who, sluing in Geo. F ox's seat,


have resolved themselv es into Conservatives,


lind consid er it a pa rt of their high calling, to


denounce wh at th ey deem th e euruul, noisy,


s purio us philanthropy of th e day ; viz. l l ltl'll


T emperance, Abol ition am! Non - R esistan ce


movements. That mnny things have been


said and don e hy th e advocat es of these cnuses,


which mi ght hav e been belleI' said - aud don e,


hnd there been more gra~ e and wisdom in


th eir son Is, is uudoubtedly true. The sam e '


re mark will he eq ua lly j us t if applied lU th e


lan guage lind proceedings of Fox nnd his con­teillpol'llries,


as impartiul historinns have re­co


rde d th eir sayings and do ings . But wh et, h­er


all the er rors of feel ing, speec h nnd action,


w'; ich can he allege, I agai nst th e on e'or th e


other of th ese two sets of persons, arc a t h o us~ .


andthpnrt liS ahhorreut in the sight of God


., all that refin e, 1 indiffer en ce to war, slavery,& c.


wh ich is ex hibited by muny professed millis­tel'l(


ofChrist , willl; e see n in th e day of right e­ous


judgm ent. It would he well for those


who c uri1pla ce ntly reg ard themselv es as wise


nnd p rudent - us ( tf'" conservati ves, 10 rem elll­ber


th e pnrahl tJ of lhe 1; 00,1 Sn ma r ita n, IIn" l lIn­Iw


er .1ll tl lllIllSl) I\' eOl, mllny lilll es m'er, th e cnt­tillg


qllesti oll, Cl7"" ' whic h now of th estJ Ihree


WIl S lIeighhol' to. hllll lloat fell am ong lh e


thieves ?" It is lin easy lhill~ fill' lIlell IIl1rlnreci


up iii leurnill/;, wealth , and th i~ worltl' s r~ fin e­Inelll,


to sit 0 11 th eil' sofas, or st rclc h lhem­selves


0 11 clown , 0 1' rid e ill thei rl cOllclw<, or


pore ove l' th eir ~ p lel ll\ il l Iihraries, or ruve! on


tl il l l! uillti us o r popnlar literntllre, or mill gle in


tl", hall qu els of, th eir se lec t assoe illteH, a ncl


, " cer III fillHl tics, 11Il1l1 ref( lI'lllUrS, and craz )'


Indica Is. Jt is eusy e'lIong h f(, r su ch p el's~ lI s


to ll\' el'loo! l, 0 1' very s lightly not ice th e UUOIll-i


lll! linll.,- v i ~ lenl::' "'''! op pression whi.!! l..! i!.!.


\ 111: l'lIrlh ; 10 '~ 0I1tent th em sel ~' es wilh u few


respectuble works of re form, eharity, righteous­IIC<


S ; a lld to ex pe lld th e heat of th eir zeul


fi, l' lIIoral o... lel' in dcnouncillg tho se who, like


ccrt: lill men of old, " lllrn lh e wol'ld 1' I, sill e


dowlI." ' Vhen men he ~ orn e so filstidions in


their notions of rehlll tiug and ollposin g , Sill,


Ihat ull the il' syrnpath ieBflow with Ihe tide of


popnlur in iqu ities" lIl1ll all th eir 1II0rai illfligna­tioll


[ JlII'Sts forlh lIgllillSt reformel15' , real or


I ,


pUlido, th ey may kllow th llt God hus r ejected


them , RlI. 1 c hose ll an illh el' se t of instrument s


with whi ch III acco mplish his wOI · k. Ther e


I\ fe radicals, sllll'k'mad, who go on III1 · foms,


Meekillg wh llt th ey mny plIII ' ill pi eces- utter


destructives, whose \ vh ole hlls illess it is 10 find


limit ; Ihrow IIOWII, 111111 CUIlCilluul nil things .-: ­There


m'e false reformers, who for want of


ren~ oll : or of co nseiellce, of ~ omet h ing u ~ cflll


to. do, would kee p th e world un . ler n pr ocess


of ex per illle nts fur eve r. A nd th er e lire true


reformers, mauy of wh om lutVe not ye t . a ttai ll­ed


to ah so lut e pcrfection. But when we hllv e


counled off the wh ole cllta logue of th ese c hllr ­


· ~. t" le rs, 1111,1 mllde th e wor st ofnllthnt iBhad in


tllem, they nre li S hOllornLJl1l iu e very resp ect


as th eir opposites iuthe conser vnti ve catulog ue.


F ur there \ ve 1III\' e th e mad en nse r vlltivel", who


deal i l~ la r and ', feathe rs, lyn ch Inw, aud l ~ lOh­oeracy


to th e , leath , 10 sllstn'in the exi sting 0 1'- .


del' of things. \ V e hllve, too, 011 1' s ly; unprin .


. c ipled , se lfish, hypocritical co nse rva tives, who


w') rk in becrc t, uud hy pullin g a thuu sand~


wires Ullseen , Het in nllltion nil th e wor st


springs of hlllll nn dcprnvit y, to sn stain th eir


itlle res ts in pr esent illstitutions. And if we


, 0 juslice to Ihc tru~ conservatives, we sh all


find many of Ihem weak nnd err ing- fllr, very


fllr from uhso) ute perfect iou . A so und , ru­tiona


l, consci entious, tru st- worlhy cunser va­live


is. a s . hard to be fouud us u soundtrut i; l, llal


conSCientioUS, trust. worthy reformer. * A nd


when we find th e one, Wb shall find the other


iu tile same person ; for he , onl y is fit to ' b;


called a co nse r vntive, who is a fa ith ful reform­er


of whalever tends to illjllre 0111' cO'mmo n Im­lIlunity.


Tllus lIIuch by way of epis ode.


Geurge F . \ Vhite, while uddressi tlg the Rose


Istreet meeting of Friends in New York, wus


Ill u d e rsto ~ d to sa~ sundl'y hard and witha l slan­.'


derous tlungs ugalnsl th e Non -". Resi ~ lumS',. lind

Page 91 of Volume 1 from The Practical Christian 1840-1841

Ballou, Adin

1840