Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1839-06-26

His holy word. 1t requires diligent study o.
the Bible, and the exercise of devotion, to enable
us to engage in the numerous and diversified duties
OF life. No person can enjoy the spirit of ,piety
while he lives in neglect of the private duties OF
religion. neglect of these duties destroys our
confidence IN God, and exposes us TO every tempt
alton that falls in way. Hence the injunction
OF the Scriptures: "Keep thy heart with all dill
gence, for out of it are the issues of life."
We are engaged in contest with powerful foes,
the most dangerous of which are, the corruptions
OF our own hearts. Our own strength is weakness,
but our sufieiency is of God. 1t becomes us,
therefore, to seek Divine aid by unceasing prayer,
and to put on the whole armor of God, that we
may be able to fight the good fight of faith and lay
hold on eternal life
we fear there are many who make profession
OF religion without counting the cost They seem
to imagine they have nothing to do but sit down
at the banqueto gospel privileges. They act only
as they are acted upon by the impulse of the mo-
ment, without any settled principle. If they have
certain kind of feeling, they can run we'll; but
without something to excite them of more than
common interest, they seem to think they are
wholly excused. Such Inconsistency has hurtful
tendency, and manifests sad deficiency in vital
Fpiety. Our principles Of action should be drawn
from the word of God-nor should we ever confer
with flesh and blood. We should never forget that
the church is made up of ipdiUiduats-that we are
one of these Northumberland if one member suffers
by neglect of duty the whole body suffers as the
consequence,-and moreover, that as the church
is the body of Christ if we neglect duty we
bring wound upon the precious Savior Let us
remember we have publicly renounced SIM and
given our pledge to obey Ged and glorify his name
that the eyes of the world are upon us-that they
have the right to expect us to deny ungodiness and
worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously and
godly in the world-that God requires us to be holy
and without blame before him-that the cause of
Christ demands of us, as individuals, that we
should let our slight SO shine that others seeing
our good works. might be led to embrace Christ
and engage in the same precious cause.
So many the objects that require our atten-
ton, and which appear of the utmost Importance
and such is the proneness of the natural heart to
evil that in great danger of neglecting per-
sonal piety. constant attention to every private
duty is essential to our spiritual prosperity. Nor
can have reason to expect that the church of
Christ will be instrumental in converting the world
to God until she exhibits in her members that holi-
ness which the gospel requires. We view this
subject to be of vital importance. And now we
beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God that
you present your bodies living sacrifice holy
and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable
service. Come out from the world, and maintain
a close and constant walk with God. Let the spir-
it of pety dwell in your hearts, and its holy prn-
cples regulate all your intercourse in the church
and in the world. Let holiness be your aim in
every department of life. 1t is necessary for your
own enjoyment, that you should maintain personal
religion. 1t is necessary to the union and spirtu-
atty and efficiency of the church, that all the
| members should be ardently pious and devoted
christians. 1t is indispensable to our usefulness
IN the cause of Christ in our efforts to extend the
kingdom of our Divine Redeemer and save souls
from death. We in tempting world, and
earth and sin will continue to annoy us. and Il
possible lead away from God and prevent our
comfort and usefulness; and il becomes us to
watch, and pray, and labor, that we may gain the
victory over every corrupt propensity and desire
and that we may be able to keep our bodies under
and bring them into subsection TO thelaw of Christ
that we may possess that mind which was also
in Christ Jesus, and bear the fruits of the split
(which are love, joy, peace long suffering, patience
meekness, temperance, virtue, knowledge, brother
lykindness, charity, and those of kindred nature
while we put away lying, theft, PRIDE malice, envy
strife, >covetousness, and every kindred sin: tina
our lives may correspond with the high and hol,
profession we have made before God, angels AM
men. Then will God delight to dwell in tn
midst of Zion, by his Holy Spirit. Then will hi
glory risesupon her and she will arise and shin
in her primitive beauty and splendor. Then ma
she expect that her stakes will be strengthened an
her cords heightened; that she shall break forth
the right hand and on the left; and that throug
her fundamentally the wilderness will rejoice an
I the solitary place be glad.