LETTER FROM A. CAMPBELL. "Bethany, Va. April 16, 1850. "To all the brethren in Christ to whom these prescuts may come, greeting. "I take pleasure to introduce to your Christian confidence and regard, the bearer, our estimable and amiable brother, Edward E. Garey, lately from Jamaica. Brother Garey has not long since began to advocate and preach the original gospel and its institutions with much acceptance amongst our brethren in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. He has spent a few days with us at Bethany, and has been heard several times here with general satisfaction and delight by the brethren, and with much favor by the community in general. He is about to visit other parts of Pennsylvania and Virginia, and we therefore commend him to the brotherly affection and care of our brethren, wherever the Lord may direct his way. His piety and general demeanour have made a deep impression upon those who have cultivated his acquaintance; and we doubt not, that under the Divine blessing, and with the prayers and support of the brethren, he will promote the great cause in which we are so much interested and engaged. With my Christian salutation to all the brethren he may visit, I have the honor to be, his brother in the faith and hope of the gospel," A. C. LETTER FROM E. GAREY. "Brother Wallis,-As an accompaniment to the letters you kindly took charge of when here, I beg the privilege of inditing the following. A native of the West Indies, on the 3rd December, 1847, I left Kingston, Jamaica, and arrived at Baltimore, United States, on the 1st of January, 1848. Soon after the last mentioned date, I made my way northward, and commenced the career of a lecturer on moral and historical subjects, including, among others, "The condition and prospect of the West India Islands." The important change which took place in the British Islands in 1838, respecting the civil, social, and moral condition of the hitherto enslaved, laid a necessity on me to give prominence to the subject mentioned, which, though having but a local popularity, had a general notoriety. It was while engaged in this mission, (I trust you will permit me to say, of love) that I made acquaintance with Evangelist Lanphear, to whom, I need not inform you, I am under lasting obligation. On my understanding "the way more perfectly," I sought to obey. Immediately subsequent to my so doing, I commenced, and have since continued, in my humble way, to proclaim the 'gospel of the grace of God." Interested in the cause and people with whom I had identified myself, it was natural for me to seek (and I did) a more extensive acquaintance, to arrive at which, I visited the churches in different parts of the United States. Much as this contributed to my gratification, there remained one privilege, without the possession and enjoyment of which, all I had arrived at in one sense were imperfect. That privilege was, to see, hear, and commune with Elder Alexander Campbell. On a visit to Bethany, this consummation, sincerely desired, was realized'; and I feel happy of the opportunity afforded this present to state, that the great and good man of whom I had heard, and from whom I expected so much, was not the less ready to benefit me by his benevolence, although with but a faint use of his remarkable piercers, he must have discovered my dark face. This I state not without a purpose. It is not referred to from any impression on my part of a natural inferiority to my Anglo-Saxon brethren, but because a section of the history of the individual of whom I now write, would, consistently, lead one to expect the contrary. It is, therefore, equally a pleasure as a duty of mine, to offer this collateral refutation of the charge made and implied, in the far more notorious than popular occurrences at Glasgow. Apostolic in practice as in principle, I was first greeted with an audible and practical recognition, that "God hath made of one blood all nations, for to dwell on the earth.” After a sojourn of three weeks, during which I received every necessary attention and benevolence from Elder Campbell and lady, (rather entire household) I left, fully impressed that I had communed with a sanctified philanthropist. While at Bethany, I intimated an intention of visiting Great Britain; but being at that time divided in intention, being equally anxious to return to the West Indies, I stated nothing positively. Subsequently I deemed it proper to visit Britain, and here I am, willing to spend and be spent, for the honor of Messiah and the good of man. Should you, in godly wisdom, deem it of probable benefit to the churches, that I should visit and labor among them, I cheerfully submit myself to your better and local knowledge, desiring, wherever I am or go, to conform to the gospel rule, order, and authority that are. "At present I contemplate remaining in England until Summer. From now till then I would find my highest joy, in the proclamation of that gospel, in fellowship and hope of which, I am, your brother from the "isles of the sea," "EDWARD E. GAREY." Should Mr. Campbell come over, allow me to drop a hint in this way-that if he would visit the chief towns, and some of the populous villages on the line between England and Wales, it would be still more effectual than simply to confine his visits to England and the reformers already there. For instance, from Newport to Cardiff, from Cardiff to Swansea, from Swansea to Carmarthen; from there back to Merthyr Tidvil, then to Brecon, and from thence to Rhydden, Llanildoes, Carws, Newport, Welshpool, Oswestry, Chester, &c. By these means he would be able to spread abroad the original gospel among Englishmen and Welshmen; and his last discourse, in each place, should be on the design of baptism. This, indeed, would promote the Reformation to an unknown extent. Please pardon me in all this. A BAPTIST MINISTER. [The above is a most excellent programme for Brother Campbell. We ask no greater honor from man, than to be permitted to serve him through the entire journey.-J. W.] QUERY AND REPLY. THE KINGDOM OF THIS WORLD, AND THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST. Query-Will you, or any of your readers, reconcile the seeming difference between the two following passages of Scripture-1st, My kingdom is not of this world (John xviii. 36)— 2nd, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdom (not kingdoms) of our Lord and of his Christ (Rev. xi. 15) ?—D. L. these passages. 66 66 ANSWER. In order We have found it no easy matter to fix upon the particular difficulty referred to by D. L. in We feel persuaded, that with his theory, that God has not a kingdom in this world at present, he can find no difficulty at all in them, but is rather anxious to find one for us, or for some of our readers. to do this, however, he transposes the word kingdom," (singular) from John xviii. 36, into Rev. xi. 15, connecting it with the word kingdoms" (plural) in the text. But we have no translation, ancient or modern, which gives with a view of sustaining some theory entersuch a rendering. It has been done doubtless tained by D. L. and others. While we have never seen a translation which gives the term kingdom both in the singular and plural in the same verse, we have one that renders Rev. xi. 15 in the following words :-" And the seventh angel sounded, and loud voices were in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of this world is become he will reign for ever and ever" (G. Penn.) the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and Here the kingdom of this world" is properly placed in the singular number, because it is under the government of the god of this world. Just so the kingdom of God, which is one, is not of this world, being under His own government and control, by Jesus our Lord. that God has now a kingdom on the earth, or We have no sympathy with those who deny that Jesus, the Lord of all, is King in Zion. He is invested with all authority in heaven and upon earth, and sways the sceptre of universal supremacy. Who besides, then, is king? Advent topics, which give expression to a variety We have by us numerous articles on Second of contrary opinions. We retain them until inquiry be made as to what prophecies have, and what have not, been already fulfilled? This is an important subject. We cannot, without some proof, give currency to the statement, that Zechariah xiii. 1-6, and xiv. 1-2, have yet to be fulfilled at the second advent of our Lord. J. W. ་ ITEMS OF NEWS. WE have received accounts from various churches, which we are obliged to present in a condensed form. We learn with much pleasure, that the church in Crossgates, Fifeshire, which consisted, at the last report, of only twenty-five members, has had twenty-two added to them subsequently, with a prospect of more joining them in the good old paths of righteousness and love, marked out for the disciples by Christ and his apostles. Additions, more or less, have been recently made to the breth ren in Wigan, Bolton, Nottingham, Banbury,, London, and several places in Wales, but we cannot insert the particulars this month. FOREIGN. BROTHER A. CAMPBELL,-We have been again favored with the presence of this eminent servant of God at our State meeting. We are pleased to see him looking so well. His bodily vigor is greater than when he was in Great Britain, and his mental strength seems only to grow with his years. He has given general satisfaction in his great mental efforts at our meeting. He preached on Saturday better than two hours without the slightest faltering of the voice, or signs of uneasiness, or languor of the body. On Lord's day he excelled himself in a discourse of nearly two hours long, delivered to a very large and a very select and intelligent audience. In the afternoon he officiated at the table, and in a few perspicuous remarks fixed the minds of all present on the great sacrifice that was made for man's redemption. After which our aged and venerable Brother J. Creath, sen. delivered a most appropriate and affectionate exhortation, which melted the whole mass of the meeting into tears. It was a time of joy in the Lord, and love to all the saints. It was a foretaste of the pure and holy pleasure of the kingdom of our God above. Brother Morton then closed the meeting with an appropriate effort, and we commended each other to God. Brother C. is now gone to Indiana, and our prayers go with him for his safety and success, and that he may long live to do good. Lexington Ecclesiastic Reformer. OBITUARY. their loss; but we trust that their loss is his FAMILY CIRCLE. INNOCENCE AND VIRTUE.-Innocence and virtue, though totally different, are often mistaken for one and the same thing. Innocence is hardly to be found in this world--our specimens of it are to be seen in the lamb, the dove, and the infant-it consists of ignorance of evil. Virtue is alone attained through a knowledge of both good and evil, and a determined strife against the latter in all its forms. The innocence of this world may often go astray from very ignorance. Virtue knows both the good and evil path, but adheres firmly to the former. Virtue, then, is by far the nobler attainment of the two. THE HEART.-The little I have seen of the world, and known of the history of mankind, teaches me to look upon the errors of others in sorrow, not in anger. When I take the history of one poor heart that has sinned and suffered, and represent to myself the struggles and temptations it has passed through-the brief pulsations of joy-the feverish inquietude of hope and fear-the pressure of want-the desertion of friends-the scorn of the world that has but little charity-the desolation of the mind's sanctuary, and the threatening voices within--health gone--happiness gone-even hope, that remains longest, gone-I would fain leave the erring souls of my fellow men with him from whose hand they came. great, so intense, so engrossing all the powers of the soul, that there has been no room left for any other pleasure. Contemplation feels no hunger, nor is sensible of any thirst, but of that after knowledge. How frequent and exalted a pleasure did David find from his meditation in the divine law? All the day long it was the theme of his thoughts. The affairs of state, the government of hsi kingdom, might indeed employ, but it was only this that refreshed his mind. SANQUHAR, DEC. 19.-I have to inform you of the death of Peter Seaton, one of our THE PLEASURES OF MEDITATION. - The brethren in this place. After five weeks ill-pleasure of meditation has been sometimes so ness, he fell asleep in Jesus on the morning of the 1st December. Had he been spared a few months longer, he would have reached the allotment of human life, three score years and ten. He was baptized in the year 1807, by James Haldane, of Edinburgh, and was one of the first who formed a church in Sanquhar about the same time. He was a man of great Bible knowledge, and could repeat from memory very much of the Scriptures, more so than most men whom I have been acquainted with. During his illness he spoke of the hope of the gospel with great confidence. One evening he desired the 5th chapter of the Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians to be read to him, beginning with these words: "For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a build-refer to Mrs. De Croyft's volume, entitled "A ing of God, an house not made with hands, Place in thy Memory." This hour I sit down eternal in the heavens." Our departed brother to write you in a little world of sweet sounds. has left a widow and large family to lament The choir at the chapel are chaunting at the A SWEET PLEASURE.-We extract the following touching picture of domestic life in the Blind Asylum, from a work which we have already commended to our readers, and which none can peruse without deep interest. We organ their evening hymns-across the hall a little group with the piano and flute are turning the very atmosphere into melody-but Fanny, the poetess, is not there. Many weeks her harp and guitar have been unstrung--we fear the hand of consumption is stealing her gentle spirit away. In a room below, some twenty little blind girls are joining their silvery voices in tones sweet and pure as angels' whispers. Ah! here comes one who has strayed from their number the twentieth time to-day, clasping her little arms about my neck for a kiss. Earth has no treasure so heavenly as the love of a sinless child. Mau seldom welcomes you farther than the vestibule of his heart--but a child invites you within the fair temple, where alone the incense of unselfish love burns upon its own altar. 'Tis eveningthe moonbeams gladden all the hills-the stars are out and I se them not-once my poor eyes loved to watch those wheeling orbs, till they seemed joyous spirits bathing in the holy light of the clear upper skies. Even now they are not lost to me-fancy, with a soul-lit look, often wanders on the hills of memory, where hang daguerreotypes of all that is bright and beautiful in nature, from the lowest flower that unfolds its petals to the sunbeams, up to the cloud-capt mountain and the region of the starry sky. THE VALUE OF A RELIGIOUS PAPER. Sometime in the year 183-, far out in the wilds of the Cheorkee Nation, a solitary missionary wended his way to an obscure post office, seeking only a letter, or perchance a paper, from friends whom he had left far away. While there, said the postmaster, in a careless tone, "Parson here is a number of some kind of a religious paper-(looking at it)'Millennial Harbinger,' and as the man to whom it has been sent has left the country, if you'll pay the postage you may have it." The preacher looked at it a few moments-" Very good, I'll take it." He took it home and read it carefully, for he was a man who thought as he read, and laid it away. Regularly, month after month came the paper, and regularly did the thoughtful missionary peruse it. A year rolled away, and deeper and deeper grew the interest of the missionary. He took it out the second year, but long ere the second year closed, the missionary was a convinced man. He could no longer love the dogmas and formulas of a sect. He had tasted of the fountain of religious liberty. He must himself be free and free, indeed, he soon became. Disowning all allegiance to the party with which he had been identified, he was immersed, on confession of his faith in Jesus Christ, and thenceforward preached the primitive gospel, as delivered to the saints. His efforts, at first, were met with that peculiarly bitter opposition which usually assails the independent advocate of the truth, where truth is not yet known. But he per severed. He formed a little church on the gospel model, and gradually his labors were blessed. In a few years he moved to a neigboring State. As opportunities offered he still continued to preach, and scores, through his instrumentality, were convinced of the truth, and reverently obeyed it. Many years have since elapsed. He has preached on, more and more faithfully, till hundreds, nay, more than a thousand of his fellow-travellers to eternity has he immersed, and still the work goes on, and not a year does he preach, that the Lord does not bless his labors with more than a hundred seals, and his brethren follow his footsteps with more than thousands of blessings. Reader, think of this man, and then think of that stray leaf from the far off Bethany, that fell into his hands in the country post office, and which, by the blessing of God, was the cause of so many happy results.-Christian Magazine. It seems to have been the pleasure of our Creator to make human life a scene of irregularity, and in some aspects, of impenetrable darkness. Nothing seems to happen in what would be conceived the ordinary course of events. Our history is interspersed with remarkable coincidences, which could not have been anticipated by any powers now known to the capacity of man. If it were not so-if every thing were to happen just in such order as mortals would expect, the future would be subject to the precision of a mathematical calculation, and life in the future would be as monotonous as life in the past. But extraordinary events occur-events that defy the calculations of the most gifted: which, while they throw a veil of darkness upon future contingencies, make life an ever varying scene, and not unfrequently produce changes in the affluent or miserable condition of individuals, nations, and the world, of the wisest and most beneficial character. "Do not the histories of all ages, Of strange turns in the world's affairs ?" THERE are many persons in our acquaintance who die without obedience to the requirements of heaven, who are nevertheless amiable and piously devoted. The circumstances of their early education prevent their giving proper attention to these matters, and we are satisfied that if they had they would as readily have obeyed as we. How far intention may be taken for the deed, we know not; but in the death of such we commit them to Him who can alone weigh our intentions and actionswe commit them with awe, but not without hope. HE that is too proud to vindicate the affection and confidence, which he conceives should be given without solicitation, must meet with much, and perhaps deserved disappointment,— SCOTT. THE BIBLE THE ONLY TRUE CREED.— The Word of God must be restored to its supremacy. The inspired Scriptures must be made the exclusive rule of faith and practice, and all tradition and conjecture, and convenience and partiality, and prejudice, and worldly interest, must be made to defer to that divine authority. All else, in the guidance of religious duty, must be held as a dream or a fancy. Attempts to control mankind with bulls, and decrees of councils, and legends of saints, and traditions received from the fathers, must be met with appeals to the Bible, the law and to the testimony:" and mankind must be made to understand that if religious teachers " speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." The conviction must be wrought in the minds of the people and ministry, that to wrest or disguise its meaning, is to incur the frown of its Author. It must be made "quick and powerful" to fear, as well as inspiring to hope; and conscience must be educated by its commands.-R. W. CUSHMAN. to IT has always appeared to me a most benevolent arrangement of Providence, that in childhood and extreme age, afflictions are less keenly felt, and we are more easily amused than in the pride and vigor of life. Were sorrow to fall as acutely on the heart of the child and the grandsire as on man in his prime, their feeble constitutions would sink beneath the blow. Afflictions purify, and make him who feels them bow to the Almighty hand which inflicts them. We oftener turn to God in our grief than in our joy. The child will play thoughtlessly till he is hurt, but no sooner does he feel the pain caused by his own folly, the spite of his playmates, or acccident, than he remembers his mother, and seeks in her arms comfort and compassion.-COUNTESS OF BLESSINGTON. How time, that greatest of innovators, as the Scottish clergy call him, diminishes wonder, and palliates misconduct ! THE LORD'S DAY. "The sunshine of the Sabbath seemeth holy." I DEARLY love the Sabbath day There's something sacred in its air, To draw our truant thoughts away To rectitude and prayer. I love to see the man of God Stand humbly at the holy shrine, And teach the way that Jesus trod With influence divine. I love to hear the song of praise Roll sweetly through the holy aisle, While many a heart its peace betrays By calm, untroubled smile. I love to hear the voice of prayer Ascend, like incense, from each soul, As weights of misery and despair From guilty conscience roll. I love to see the young attend, And listen with active mind, While their young hearts with love ascend To Him who's ever kind. I love to see the infant's eye Look thoughtful from its silken lid, And meet our God to bless. "ALL THY WORKS PRAISE THEE." THE moonbeams on the billowy deep, The shell that murmurs on the sand, The stars at midnight's calm repose: These praise the power that arched the sky, And robed the earth in beauty's dye. The melody of Nature's choir, The deep-toned anthems of the sea, The day-star, herald of the dawn, As the dark shadows flit away, . From all earth's fair and lovely things, Father, Thy hand hath form'd the flower, Echoed from the heart of seraphim? |