Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1836-12-20
RELIGIOUS CHARACTER OF THE PRESENT Age
From the Pitt>6urg Christian Herald.
fConcluded]

From the Pitt>burg Christian Herald.
(Coneluded.l
when our Lord Jesus Christ came into
the world, with the design Of establishing
for himselfa kingdom of righteousness, he
had the whole range Of life at hand, to
choose from it according to his own plea.
sure, the means OF carrying his design into
effect. All resources Of power were alike
within his reach. So far as riches might
BE- held to be of avail for the end he had IN
view, they were subject to his order, without
limitation; for the "earth is the Lords, and
the fulness thereof" He could easily have
causeds.realns ofsilver and gold 10 flow into
his treasury to any extent, and iiworldiy rank
and authority, had been deemed necessary
10 the success of ms enterprise, they might
have been secured in like manner.
1.-THE weight Of fashion, or the brute
force of o1inion, organized and made for
mdabIe as it is made to work in the ordl-
nary movements of party, could have an
sxered any good purpose, 1t would have
been light matter for him, evidently, to
have for flied and strengthened his case in
this wav as far as he might have wished.
The world was ready to 60 after him, al
most at any time, if he had condescended
a. all to court its Interest, by meeting II on
lis own principles, and throwing hims'lfup-
on it for support. And one might have
imagined that all these forms Of influence
would challenge at least 4 measure of his
regard They could claim TO be consider
ed in one sense. moral in their character,
and were capable of being turned to very
important account, when rightly used, in
favor ofthe best interests of society. But
il is worthy of special notice, that our Lord
refused them al. However good they
might be in themselves, they were not the
resources on which he chose TO rely, i'll
the great work for which he came down
from Heaven. He committed his cause,
in his own person, to the simple power Of
holiness, as the grand means by which it
must 90 forward in the world. Truth
brought to bear with its own naked force
on the minds of men, especially through the
testimony and example of life sanctlfed
by its power, was the agency he selected
as most suitable to his design, and the only
one that might be expected to answer in
so vast an undertaking. Other means
might Dc of force for certain ends; but
this was looked upon as all in all, for laying
the foundations aud raising the superstruc-
ture of the church. 1t was of more &c.
count, immeasurably than money. or the
favoc of the grea:, or the great interest of u
powerful party, or the most auspiciouS sec
ular connections, or profound schemes oil
policy, however fair and honorable. Jesus
Christ waived the use Of these things, and
coafincd himself to the use Of truth, made
to shine out continually in the form Of ho..::-
ness from his own spirit and life. And We
can see, that if he had not have done so,
the glory of his character must have been
obscrred. No other method could have
been pursued by him without injury to
himself. No o:her could have been pur-
sued by him, that would not have derogated
from the honor Of his cause, and planted
heavy distractions in the way of its sue
cess.
And Jesus C.rst plainly intended that
tbs should be the great agency by which
his kingdom was to be carried onward, after
he left the earth, by his disciples. His king
dom was not TO be advanced by the sword
or by civil enactmsnts, SO must it rest ION
other forms of power than wealth, fashion,
or human policy. "Bc yc holy, as | am
holy" was a rule by which the subjects of
it must seek to extend lis authority ''ct
your ligli: so slime before men, that they
may see your good works, and elorify your
father which is in heaven" We are not
authorized to say, that the church should
not have recourse at oil to other forms Of
power to carry forward her appropriate
work. But beyond all controversy, it is
her rduty to look upon these as Of altogether
secondary account. Holiness, truth made
to live in the lives of Christians, the same
mind that was in Jesus Christ transmitted
and main aimed in the church from age to
age, is the great power ordained of God for
the accomplishment ofall the ends Of Chris
tianity. O.her agencies are important only
rs they may serve as channels for bringing
this into more extensive operation =; only us
they may be ruled and actuatedbyit in all
the service to which they are turned. This
is the soul Of the evangelical enterprise.
This is the 'one thing needfuP for securing
the triumphs Of the Gospel; that, without
which all other resources can be of no avail;
that which Of itself is sufficient infallibly
to secure every thing that is required, in
order to ultimate success. Holiness is Of
incomparabIy more account to the church,
than any array Of learning, any show of
worldly patronage, and ecclesiastical ar
rangements whatever. There is force in
it, which cannot be measured by the stand.
ard of these things, The very highest pos
chile service that any individual can render