Gospel Herald, 1861-01-26

              De-i'oted to Ch-ristianity, Moi'ality, tlie Interests of Sa'D'hath. Schools, Sooial Impi-oveiiieiit, 'I'eiapers
Edncation., and. Greiieral Ne-ws.
"BEHOLD,   I   BEJNCi   YOn   GOOD   TIDINO-.y   OP   GItEAT   JOT  ....   ON   EAKTH   PEACE,   GOOD   WILL   ^^C/VAED   MEN.'
1.1.
DAYTON, 0., SATURDAY, JAN. 2G, iSlil.
OaiGilNJAL POETRY.
WrUien for tlie GoHpel Ktral
Tlie Voice of Nature.
BY ,J. U. ERUHNE.
Hist the ''voice of Nature,"
As it whispers through t,he trees; And methinks I hear it echoed
On the solemn, midnight hree?-e. And tho' the spectral shiidosvs -     '
Are tlittiug to and fro, E'en then, the voice of Nature
Is never fraught with woe.
Thou;;h niau, in silent slumber.
Hath bid tho world good night. That voice still .-.¦heera ua onward,
Still guides our thoughts aright. How swRCtly falls the cadence
Of that voice upon our enrs, Asinlispiugs, sweet, it tells us
Of the joys of i'uture years.
As Aurora ati-tils npon u?,
'Through the portals of the dawn, That "atill small voice" of Nature
Is trembliug o'er the lawn. "Wo arise, refreshed aud happy.
To hear the magic Bivell Of Ihe gladsome voice of Nature,
Resound o'er hill and dell. ,
VVe go forth among thevalh^ys.
The mountains and the streams, To rc-giile our soula with feasting
On the beauties told in dreauis. Ilera again that soft voice greets us.
As it soars up tothe sky Prom each suow-clad hill, and fountain,
In a hymn to tho Most, High I
Sweot, untutored voioe of Nature!
Thy song is ¦ivild with glee; "VVe hear thee in the frozen rill,
And the waves of tho rolUng sea. Thou art borne to us atthe ''witching hour,'
When the world is wrapt In sleep; And naught aave heaven's guardians
Their ceaseless vigils keep.
ORlGINALiTtES.
WrUCen.for llie am;f el Herald,
The Baptism-of. John. ;
Podo-,Biipti.stS'admit that John bap¬ tized no infants; but then they contend that John's,baptism was not Christian Baptism, and therefore, nothingcan bo iprb-i^e'd froni it against Ihfant Baptism. That John  baptized rio  infants, is .|bvldent from the" fciUOwing considera- ',tions;;'    ,' ¦'" "    ;  '     ""      ¦       ';.
' lat. It ia no where in tho'Bbok said that he did.      ' '
,2d. There is] Viothin'g riaeordod from 'which it can be inferred.    ' ¦
;    'Sd.^^The design'ot his Baptisth for- ¦ bids it. 'Uiito repentance," and."for the remission of sins,'' and hence, infants could not comply with its conditions. But was John's   baptism,^ Christian "baptism'? and, wtis John's nalBsion be¬ longing to, and  part  of,' the ne'W Dis¬ pensation? Certainly, according to our jiidgmotit.   Although John's work was , peculiar to him, aiid 'of direct, divine appointment,  yet  it was to "prepare the way of the Lord," iind was, there¬ fore, a work dono for him. And does not he who goes before, and proclaims the coming ofthe  King, ,b6to,,g to  tho : King?    And are not they who fill up , the valleys, and mako the rough pla'ccs smooth, that the King's approach may be more  easy,  in  tho King's service, as much so as they who surround his person or  follow  in  hia  train?    The Saviour   preached   the   Kingdom   of Heaven;   the   Apostles  preached   tho Kingdom of Hoaven, and this was tho subject of John's preaching; hence the Saviour said, "from  tho days of John
j the Baptist until now, tho Kingilom of j Heaven is preached, and men pres,s 'into it." Aguiu: Mark coniinonoes hir^ narrative with, ''The bogitiuiug of the Gospel of Jesus Carist, the Son of God." V/h:it was tho boinnniiig of the Gospel? Why John's baptiHiit, a.-^ is evident from the 2d lo the 8th verso, inclusive of tho 1st chap, of Mark; and is not a beginning of the Gospel a part of the Gospel? Certainly. When tho Apostles decided the necessa¬ ry qualiiicationa of one to fill the place of>Jiidas ,it must be one who had 'coin- ]>anied with us all tho time thut the Jeaus wont in and out amongst us, be¬ ginning from tho Baptism of John unto that same day, that Ho was taken up from us, must ono bo ordained, to be a witness with ua, of His .Rcsarrce- tion." Acts 1: 21-22. But why must ho bo acquainted with tho Baptism ot John unles.s they considered it tho be¬ ginning of the Gospel, and tlierefore a part of it? John taught tho people ¦'that thoy should believe on .Ilim which should come aftor liiin, that is on Christ Josus." Acts li); 4. The Apostles taught the people tobeiioye on Him that had como, and both baptized into Christ. Wo cannot, tlierefore, seo why John's Baptism was not lis much Christian Baptitjin as tliat of tho Ajjoh- tles. ,ff it was not, then thi-y who wore baptized by John, must have been ro-baptif.ed, in order to receive Christian Baptism—even the Apostles themselves. But thero is no evidence of any such, thing. It is true, that some euppo.se Acts 19:1-6, contains an evidence of tho re-baptizing of John's diaciploB, and I havo heard it quoted and, urged as an. argument ou that point; but the following considerations will make this matter plain :
,l8t.' The.y could not have been bap¬ tized by J(M,in, fot- he taught his disci- ploff to expect the Holy Ghost. Math. ,3; 11,—but these : men had , not,hoard "whether there be any Holy Ghost."
2d, They could not have been bap¬ tized, by any one authorized by John for John had no authority, ,80 far as we havo any evidence, to appoint any assistants; 'his work waa peculiar, to hi-msclf and belonged to none others, , : 3d. Paul didnot,ro-baptiflo them, be- oeuse^they htid been baptized by;'John, but because they b.ad mt but by some .unauthorized person, iJind -thoroforo did not consider their- baptism valid. They were consequently baptized,, in the name of tho Lord Jesus, and re-, ceived the Holy Ghost.
John Sutton.
.-;—T, 'vmm .   ll nna 'I—«>"¦¦'¦' ^	
,    ,.    , ffrf-iitm for the Gospel.H^ald.
the lavisible Church of God.
Tho Apostle Pari I, to the Bphesian brethren, sa^rs: "For this ca^use I bow my knees urito the Father of our Lord JesiiB Christ, of whom the whole fami¬ ly in heaven' and oarth is named." Bph. 3 c, M-15 V. "And unto hun be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end, Amen.", ,21 v. Now, this 15th verso sufficiently proves to my mind that substituted sectarian names are very wrong in the sight of tho Lord, our Saviour. The Apostle says, "of whom," which signifies the family in heaven and earth wero named by the Lord Jesus Christ himself. This verse doea  not   emphatically   combine  the
Church in heaven and earth. In cii;,>]>. 1,-t vr., the Apostle says :"Thero is ono body and one spirit, even as yeute called in ono hope of your calling." JSTowtlie Apostle to the Hebrew breth¬ ren says : "Bat yo are como unto Mount Zion, and unto the idty of tho living God, tho Heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of Angels; to tho general assembly and Ohurch of the drac-iioru, which aro written in heaven, and to God, the .Judge of all, and to the spirits of just mon matla perfect."    Heb. 12 : 22-23.
As a general systemof righteousness, hy adoption, most all sects agree to; there are some few exception,^, who deny i,he operation of the Spirit upon the hearts of men; but such arc- car¬ nal, and walk as men. For by ono spirit are we fdl btiptized into one body, whicli are the general assembly congregated aronnd tho throne of God in heaven, and those have their naim-s written in the Lamb's Book of Lite; all who are born of the Spirit of tho living God. For theyaviour says, "Ye must he born tigain." Now, if we ar-^ born of the Spirit of God. we compose a pttrt of the family whieh have tlu-ir names written in heavon. and aro call¬ ed Christians, by' the ¦ Lord'Jcku-j Christ, whom God has givenautVioriry to name "the family iu heaven, and on tho earth."
Dr. Adam Clark says, "the Christi-ta nanio is the fatuily name." Butit i!^ a strange thing to ine to think thtit in¬ telligent men will accept tho authori¬ ty of Christ over ,Eis or God's Church in lioaven, and deny it on this earth; for He says, "All power in heaven and earth is given into my hands, or unto me." And as sure as Christ, is on the right hand of his Father in heaven, just so sure he haa tho authority to name the family or church. Doth in heaveU: and on the earth, ,. Now this is speaking very positive, but I cannot hel|» it. Je¬ sus Christ in,u8ti be glorified. We must be Hubmissivo to His reign and govern¬ ment. ,But the great mass of man¬ kind have polluted his ways—they have taught for doctrine the command¬ ments of men. The Apostle, to tho Co¬ rinthian brethren, says: "Now, I be¬ seech , you , brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that yo all spoa,k the Bame-thing, aud thatthere bo no divisions ttmong you, but that ye be perfectly joined, togeth¬ er in the same mind and in tho sarao judgraout.'' 1., Cor., 1 c, li) v. Ho'v can" God bo glorified through Jesus Christ, ourLo'rd, by inscribing a mul¬ titude :of sectarian, names, for his Church on earth, which cause divisions among the family, bt>th in hoaven and earth?
: Now, brother Pinkerton, I ask you, in the spirit of meekness an,d love, for your comment, in truth, on the 15th vr. of the,3d chap, of Paul's letter to the Ephesian brethren.
May God's Spirit be with us, and guide us into all truth, is my prayer. Amen,
Wm. R, Adams,
flriWeil far Ois Clospel Hmxld.
Unity of Spirit.
When we look around ua, and aee the misery, degradation and wicked¬ ness against which wo have to strug¬ gle,  wo do   not wonder that a great
nrany s'liould yield to the illusive and fascinating influences of the Evil Ono. What t.'h/istian heart does not throb with philanthropy, when he con¬ siders that a great part of mortals are in the broad roa'i to perdition ? What Cliristi.an does not tool it of vital im¬ portance tothe weal of Zion, that there should be workers iti our Master's Vineyard, who will teach by exam¬ ple, as well as precept? It is very easy, now-a days, for Christians to say, aa thoy sit in their rooms, neatly furnished, "i am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ." ,But how different w.is it with Paul, Vifheu he uttered this language, he was ia the midst of per¬ secution, surrounded by those who wore hi.istilo to tho religion of Christ; by thoso wlio watchotl every wortl, that they mijrht find some fault where¬ by th!,'.y miglit accuse him. fn the faci:! ot all this, he never flinched from duty, ft ia to this spirit, manifested by tho disttiples, tliat we O'tvo the pt'Of!]:n,',rity of the ctiu.se of our blessed Master,—our ])uro, religious liberty; and, I majf ,sa,y. our Biblo owes it.s ex- istetioe to ¦ this spirit manifested in man, by th-e wisdom of God, We won¬ der that there is no (briuitiable breast- V7ork thrown up to stay the flood of evil iidbicnco wliich courses ilirotigh the veins of society. -In many vicin¬ ities, the purifying organs become too i uipoteut from the want of the spirit, to , fiiitill thoir otlicu; and the result is, that society becomes corrupt at the heart; and, unless her impurities aro thrown off by some, active agent; the tttros spring up and ehoko out the wheat, and sin stallts forth unblush- ingly, whero unce virtue prevailed; whore Christianity fkuirishad. Her countenance is most direful. How happens this? We may go where wo please, and we will find tho Bible and considerable religionsi miscellany. Al- -; though this is of vital worth, jJiet it is an inadequate means. What we want, is, ;thoso who profess to icnow the swootB of religion, to be united: all: standing upon tho whole Bible, and all possessing the same spirit of willing- nesii that tho disciples did. What a barrier would this bo to bring against the evil ol thit; world I I doubt wlioth- er his Satanic Majesty, the .Devil, could resist its converting power; at least, very rna-ny ofhis subjects would, not. .Lot ua ail labor to this groat e,wi\ the tiaity of the Chureb; for in unity thero is strength. Banish all petty jealous¬ ies, and all selfish motives, for , they are ungodly, -and thoy aro a hindrance to prosjjerity. There are,-as it were, sign."? hungup at tho various crossinga :on the pilgrim's journey, in contradic¬ tion to each other,- telling him the way to reward, and the way to perdition. ¦By this, the pilgrim loses hia faith, and bacicalidca, thus creating distrust in ' the minds (f the unconverted. By thia a groat influenco ia brought to bear againat Christianity. Wo read that ¦ the Bible points out a road so plain, that a waj^-faring man, though he be a fool, need not err therein. Is not this sufficient for preachers to preach from? The world abounds in teachera. The great trouble is, that they are too'apt to teach theiia or other men's belief. Could they all be united, and all pro¬ claim tho word of God, aa it exists, in ita plain stylo,, what a; change would