The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1832-02-14

We have read with much interest series
Of essays in that excellent paper the Stamford
Sentinel, which have from time to time ap-
peared under the signaturs Of "a lay preach.
err" There is so much true christian benevo
lence displayed in these writings, that we wish
they could be more generally read, and have
frequently thought Of transfefing them to our
columns. In those dsys of denunciation
when men are prescribed for questioning the
proprioty Of certain clerical movcmenss--
when to follow the msxims of christianity in
their purity, and to exercise spirit of uniyer-
sal philanthropy, 10 to drag down the malevo.
lence and persecution Of those who attend
prolraeted meetings, who claim to be exclu.
sively pious and for q pretense set up long
prayers, we are pleased 10 meet such writer
% the clay preach" Sentiments, such as he
has advanced, never had their origin in
four days meeting they como from higher
and better source; the writer 10 imbued with
q spirit, which many, who hold to those meet.
ings, would do well to strive to obtain.
Let them read, and answer.
Hartford Times.
"1Hersfors all tksxgs wkatsoever ye .oould
that men should do to yox; DO ye evsn 90 to
them for this = Ms laso and The Prophets."
Matt. vii. IL.
IN my lsss discourse I enquired into the
origin Of the term Christian, and considered
II merely 40 christian name let us now con-
slider what qualifications are required BY
Scripture TO warrant us in applying this ex-
aIted name 10 ourselves.
Mere names, II will be admitted, are empty
sounds and oflittle consequence yet, il must
be owned there are names Of honor and sig.
ni6csncy and, when they are attended with
the things signi6ed by them, they ore Of great
and sacred importance. Such is the christian
name = name about eighteen hundred years
old. And now when the name is almost lost
in ignorance, error, vice, hypocrisy, and for.
mality, It may be worth our attention to con.
slider the original import ofthat sacred name,
IS proper expedient to recover both the
name and the thing.
TO be christian. in the popular and
fashionable sense, is no difficult or excel
lent thing. It's merely to be baptized,
TO attend upon public worship regularly
on the Lords day, to meet with the mem
bers of the church at the lecture room at
five O'Clock, at nine o'clock and between
public services, to make long prayers for
sinners, to be punctual in attendance on
all the protracfed meetings within days
ride of our habitations, to spend every
night at some assemblage for religious
inquiry or for prayer ; in o word, to a.
bandon all the secular avocations of the
week, and show to the worLd, that as for
we and ours, we are detsrsnined to serve
the Lord. To be christian in this sense
Is no high character; and il this be the
whole of christianity, it is very little mat
ter whether tho world be christianized or
not. But is this 20 be Christian in the
original and proper sense of the word 7
In the sense i was applied to the Disci-
pies at Antioch No, no (; ] trust not
true religion, true christianity is some
thing of a very different and SUPERIOR
kind. II was for other and more exalted
acts that the name christian was applied
to the Disciples FIRST at Antioch. To be
a christian indeed, is the highest chsrac-
ter and dignity ofwhieh human nature is
capable: il is the most excellent thing
hat ever adorned our world il is thing
hat Heaven itself bsholds with approba-l
ion and delight. To Be christian is to-
,e like Chnist, from whom the name 10
AIKEN Il i 20 10 n fdllower and imitator
II him to be possessed OF his spirit and
emper. and to live % he lived in the
is to have those just, exalted,
md divios notions AZ God and divine
hinks, and that jnst nsd fnIl view of our
iuty 70 man. which iAssughs in the text
we have selected for our connideystion |: