not nature, but miracle. The first miracle was the production of matter; the second to make that matter move. Its natural state is rest; but here are unnumbered myriads of material worlds in motion, out of their natural state, in an artificial, constrained, preternatural stateThey are all God's witnesses. The stars in their courses fight against irreligion. Each of them obediently followed, is a star of Bethlehem-a guide into the divine presence. Each of them rushes through immensity as a miracle and a messenger from God to the universe, proclaiming, 'There is a God, and the hand of God is upon me;' and all of them unite-yes, this is the real music of the spheres, the chorus of creation!-all of them unite in proclaiming his eternal power and godhead. In the estimation of the Psalmist, the creation is a vast temple, and often did he summon the creatures and join them in a universal song of praise. And John heard the chorus. The noise and din of a distracted world may drown their voices here; 'But,' saith he, 'every creature which in heaven and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them heard I, saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb forever.' Thus nature, with all her myriad voices, is ever making affirmation and oath of the divine existence, and filling the universe with the echo of his praise. UNIVERSALISTS. Sixty-six Universalist Societies have suspended the regular maintenance of preaching, or have become defunct, in the New England states since 1830. Twenty-five ministers have left the Universal ministry within the last six years. Now these facts do not, in our opinion, necessarily prove that the doctrine of universal salvation has not as many adherents as formerly. They may only prove that, either from the selfishness this doctrine engenders, or from the obvious inutility of preaching it, even if true, its adherents are unwilling, or think themselves unable, to maintain the outward forms of public worship. Cross and Journal. you BROTHER, are you a husband and the head of a family? Do y daily and constantly read the scriptures and pray in your family? Do you bring up your children in the correction, instruction, and admonition of the Lord? Are you spiritually-minded, and rejoicing in hope of the glory of God? Do you often meditate, and carefully examine yourself? Have you your behaviour without covetousness, and are you intent on making your calling and election sure? If so, baptism verily profiteth you: if not, it is no better than baby sprinkling. A. C. OBITUARY. DEPARTED this life on the 28th October, at Vevay, Indiana, JOHN LATHAM, of Springfield, Illinois, aged 28 years. This truly excellent and devoted brother was so intent on knowing, doing, and teaching his Master's will, that, for the time being, he literally abandoned his beloved relatives and pleasant home, in one of the richest locations in that luxuriant state, and almost a year since came, with his sister wife and two children, to our vicinity, a land journey of 600 miles, for no other purpose than to improve himself in sacred literature and biblical studies. He had lately visited his relatives, and was returning to Bethany, when at Vevay he was taken of the prevailing epidemic, and, after a severe illness of a few days, borne with Christian patience and perfect acquiescence, he cheerfully resigned his spirit in the blessed hope of the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. A good man, and an exemplary Christian of much promise, has fallen in Israel. May the Lord be a husband to his bereaved and amiable wife, and a father to his infant children! It is our painful duty to announce the death of brother DAVID ESTEP, one of the deacons of the Alleghenny church, Pittsburg. After a short illness, he expired on Wednesday the 28th October. The particulars of his latter end we have not heard, farther than that he declared his readiness to depart and be with Christ, whom he loved above all earthly relations. PSALMODY. A. C. ESSAYS ON PSALMODY, deferred for more than a year past, shall appear in our next volume. This is a subject which, taken in its whole latitude and importance, is not duly considered by many of the Christian community. We had long desired to invite the attention of our readers to the subject. Our brother Stone's fourth essay on the Atonement was received just at the close of this number, and must lay over to the next. BEWARE OF JOHN P. HUNT! THE undersigned, Elders of the Church of Christ at Leesburg, by and with the eoncurrence of the Church, take this method of cautioning the public generally against a certain base individual, named John P. Hunt, formerly a member of this congregation, hut in consequence of immoral, dishonest conduct, the abandonment of his wife and helpless little daughters, and an extensive fraud practised on the community, has been thrown beyond the pale of Christian fellowship, and indeed almost of public charity, That he may not again impose on an unsuspecting community, or on some innocent female, we caution them to be on their guard. Said Hunt is by trade a gun-smith and black-smith, about 40 years of age, 5 feet 9 inches high, dark complexion, black eyes or dark colored, black hair, ronnd shouldered, spare features, of genteel manners, quite grave, yet fond of changes. He has lately been seen at Missouri, with abundant supplies, while his family are here in want. It has only been about two years since he imposed himself upon us. His previous life, we are informed, had been quite a rambling one. LEESBURG, Harrison county, Ky. July, 1840. JAMES A. McHATTAN, N. B Will Editors, either religious or political, please publish the above for the good of society, and to check, if possible, the career of this dangerous man? i From Blackwood's Magazine. HOME IN THE SKIES. When up to nightly skies we gaze, But could we rise to moon or sun, 'Tis vain to dream those tracts of space, One love has shaped and moved them all. This earth, with all its dust and tears, The rock, the wave, the little flower, Can man, no more than beast, aspire Not this our doom, thou God benign! We view those halls of painted air, Is he whose thoughts to thine accord. THE LOVE OF GOD. COULD I with ink the ocean fill, Were the whole world of parchment made, Was every single stick a quill," And every man a scribe by trade To write the love of God would drain the ocean dry, Nor could the scroll contain the whole, though spread from sky to sky. Anonymous. A HINT. Many Agents and Subscribers are in arrears to us from one to ten years. The consequence is, we are now in arrears to others.A word to the wise, and a hint to the honest and noble, is more than enough. A. C. ABBOTT Orrin, Reply to, Address on the Amelioration of the Social State, Acts xi. 26., Remarks on, 66 to the Baptists on Union, 66 66 extracts from-on Common School Education, Administration of Ordinances, 427 367 304 481 329 251 504 435 189 384 186 501 80 243, 289, 387, 464 425 513 197, 211 570 545 5 Deaf and Dumb Asylum, Danville, Ky., Errata, Conversion of the Jews, 66 a real change, 142, 299 Conversations at Carleton House, 9, 72, 119, 170, 202, 264, 349, 406 Co-operation Meeting, Daniel, the Four Visions of, Debate on Universalism, Definitions and Answers to Questions, Difficulties in Churches, 66 by M. Winans, 66 of a Sceptic, Dispensation, End of the present, in 1840, Donation, the first, to Bethany College, Duncan, John M., on Foreknowledge, Earthquake, Edification, Church, 442, 493, 549 Evening Hymn, - Evangelists, Duty and Means of Supporting, 384, 528 95 571 285, 415 187 180 144 Evidence, Thoughts on, 42, 89, 145, 169, 332, 385, 459, 462 Excursion, 30 Family Culture, 9, 72, 119, 170, 202, 264, 349, 406, 442, 493, 549 |