Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1836-10-25


frpdIthe same charge.
IN is the spiritual gropth Of the Church,
which, in her special circumstances at thus
time, should receive the most earnest SOIL
cituae Of her members. We are well
built up, in many respects, as visible bo-
DIV. We need to be more built up ga
spiritual house, holy priesthood. TO offer
up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by
Jesus Christ" "God, who is rich in mer-
CIV, for his great love wherewith he loved
U.S." hath greatly quickened the spiritual
character of our Church. Her walls are
much more composed of "lively stones"
She has become in much greater degree
ga habitation of God through the Spirit"
But is there no cause to apprehend a dead
euing effect upon our further progress in
spiritual attainment from the peculiar Cir
cums,ances IN which we are placed!
When SO many causes are operating TO
show the evil of low estimate of the value
of fixed, well defined and palpabIe system
of external appointments in the Church
when attention 10 this nelccted subject Is so
fast reviving, and We all feel that much Of
our immunity from the evil alluded 10 is at
tribuable, under God, 10 the tirmneSS with
which our communion has held on to such
a system; is there no danger of our being
led to concentrate too much thought and in
terest on these things that are seen and
temporal, TO paralysng neglect Of things
unseen and eternal!'
When all around there is so much to
turn our thoughts upon the great value OF
the institutions we have inherited from the
wisdom, pe.v, moderation and steadfastneSs
of our parent Church; is there no danger
of our contracting a selt-complacency, a
pride of ofprvilcge, degree Of satisfaction
with what we attained, which will as much
prevent that spirit of thankfulness, humility
and PRAYER, with which VIC should always
look to God for more grace, as it will pro-
mote Just that spirit Of pharlsalc and
offensive superciiousness with which we
ought never 10 look upon fellow Chris
tian?
While the name ofrcvival Of relgi ion is
so grievousy perverted, and efforts topro-
mote what is called bv it, have brought the
purity, sobemcss, and vitality of genuine
piety into such dSrepute by the ntcmper-
ance of their zeal, the fanatcsm OF their
measures, the insipidity of their professed
fruits, and the ruinous evil of their more
permanent consequences; while under the
name of seeking the reviving influences of
the Holy Spirit. there is such boasttul de-
pcndence upon machinery ofman's contrl-
vance, and in the preaching that vaunts a
special faithfulness with the impcnltcnt and
the self.deceived, and special zeal Tor
more fervent piety, the plalnest common
sense perccives 50 vast a departure from
all that is consistent in the truth, and lovely
in the simplicity ofthe gospel; when under
the name Of fruits ot'thc Spirit, rs proceed
ing from certain special devices and IN
struments, we behold such presumption,
such spiritual pride, such evil-speakIng,
such contempt of all rule and authority,
such "wrath, sfriteS, seditionS, heresies, is
there no danger that these things will affect
the mind of our Church more powerfully to-
wards certain direction than they ought
that Satan will ltake advantage Of the dire
abuse of noble object and holy duty, to
mafe US inscnsibly confound the good
perverted, with the evil to which it is per-
verted, and cause such disgust with the re-
vival offanaticism, under the name Of reIl-
g:on, that we shall become less jealous for
Il genuine and general revival Of religion,
in place of fanalicism! Is there no dam
ger that we shall be moved by these evils
to lay such stress upon sobriety, that dull.
ness will ensue, and TO feel such dread OF
Incorporate efforts that VIC snail decline IN
Jealous efforts-that while we are for I'd
to love more and more the "old ways" we
shall not seek as we ought, for our whole CON-
munion, a new heart and a right spirit, nor
set ourselves with earnestness, proportion
ed to the present abuse of the precious in
fluences of the Spirit, to seek by more ZEAL
Gus and faithful preaching-by more fer
vent and importunate praying, that the
mighty power of the Holy Ghost may
come on the Church ola truth, vindlcatlng
the honor of religion by the excellence of
His fruits, and every where raising up wit
nesses of the truth VINO "by well doing
NAV put to silence the ignorance of foolish
men,
When, in addition to all these consldera.
tions, we remember the spirit of slumber
which, in the opinion ofrehectng minds, Is
fast spreading over the Christian communl-
tv of this country that intense covetous-
ness of worldly gain which has taken such
possession Of the business part Of the popu-
iation, "leadng captivity captive" that
rapid increase Of worldly-minded indul-
gence in the pomps and vanities of the
world-in "the lust of the eyes and the