The Ohio Democrat. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1840-1900, 1842-12-01

"Phadelpha, June the 6th,i 1865.
DEAR slR:-I rerelved your kind letter of the I'd
inst, and am glad to hear that you increase in strength.
hope you will continue mending until you
your former health and frmness. Let me know wheh
or you continue the cold bath, and what effect has.
As to the kindness you spoke Of wish 1t could have
been Of more real service to you that you would al
ways be ready TO any other person that may need
your assistance; and so let good Offices 60 roundor
mankind are all ofa family. For my own part when
1 am employed in serving others, do not look upon
mysefas cOnferrng avorS but as paying debts In my
travels and since my settlement have received much
kindness from men to whom shall never have an o p
portunitv olmakng the least direct RETURN and num-
berless mercies from God who IS infinitely above be-
ing benefited by services. For these kndnessess
from men, can therefore, only show my gratitude to
God, by readiness 10 help his other children and my
brethern; for do not think that thanks and Compli-
menta, though repeated weekly can discharge our real
obligations to each other, much less to our Creator
'You will see in this my notion of good works. that
do not expect to merit Heaven by them. BY Heaven,
understand state of happiness, infinite in degree.
and eternal in duration; do nothing 10 deserve
such reward. He that, for giving daught of water
to thirsty person. should expect to be paid with
great plantation would bo modest in his demands, com
pared with those who think they deserve Heaven for
the little good they do on earth. Even the mixed I'M
perfect pleasures we enjoy In this world, are rather
from God goodness than our merit. How much more
SO the happiness ofHeavenl For my part have not
the vanity to think deserve it, the folly to expect it, or
the ambition to desire it; but content myselfn submit
ting 10 the disposal of that God who made me, who
has hitherto preserved and blessed me, and in whose
latherly goodness Ii may we'll confde that he never
will make me miserable, and that the afHction may at
any time suffer may tend to my beLeft.
"The faith you mention has doubtless its use in The
world. do not desire to see it diminished, nor would
desire to see tlessened in any man. Butt wish it
were more productive of good works than have seen;
mean real good works-woks of kindness, charity,
mercy, and public spir, no holyday Keeping sermon
hearing, or reading performing church ceremonies or
making long prayers filled with batteries and compi-
ments, despised even by wise men, and much less ca
pabe of pleasing the Deity.
The worship of God duty the learning and rea.
ding may be useful but ifman rest in hearing & pray
ing, Jas too many do it is as fthe tree value itself on
being watsSd, and putting forth leaves, though never
produced any fruit.
''Our Good master thought Bs1 Of these outward ap.
pearances tnan many of his modern disciples lie pre-
Eerred the doers Of his word to the hearers The son
that seemingly refused to obey his father aud yet ebey
ed his commandments to him that poessed his re-; d.
ness, but neglected his work The herecal, charta.
ble but orthodox priest and sancted Leve and those
who gave food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty ant
raiment to the naked, en- terainment to the stranger
who never heard Of his naue, declares shall in the las
day. be accepted when those who cry Lordl Lordl wht
value themselves on their faith, though great enough tt
perform miracles hut have neglected good works, shal
be neglected. He pofessed lhathe not to call til
righteous but sinners to repentance; which implied hi
modest opinion that there were some, in his time,
good that they needed noIhear even for improvement
but now>a.days we have scarcely little parson wh
does not think it the duty ofevery within his eac
to sit under his petty ministraon, and that whoevt
oms this, offends God wish to such more huulil
and to you health and frmness. Being your friend an
servant