The Columbian fountain., 1846-05-30
Rev. I. WARD, Assistant Editor.
PRICE ONE CENT.


stubborn descendants Of Israel. There i
no warrant in any part Of the Scriptures
for supposing that what God at any time
commanded his prophets, or his chosen
organs, to say cocenrning himself or his
will, was intended to be SO narrowly inter-
preted. On the contrary, there is the stron-
gest of all evidence--at least to believ-
er in the divine origin of the scriptures
that all his commands, all his promises,
and more especially those declared unto
mankind in Christ Jesus, our Lord" were
intended for all time. Indeed, he has ex-
pressly said that, though the Heavens and
the earth may pass away, his word, once
uttered, cannot pass away. He spoke for
eternity. Were this not true--if God were
not now present in his tabernacle, in his
sanctuary, in his holy temple, as in the
days of Moses and the Prophets, Of what
use would be our common supplica-
tion," if we did not regard his promise to
those who gather together in his own name
to grant their requests" Is extending to
all the countless generations that have liv-
ed and passed away since that promise was
made,
That such was the construction given to
the words Of the Prophet by the learned and
pious trainers Of the beautiful Liturgy of
the English Church, is manifest from the
conspicuous place assigned them in that
unparalleled composition. The same fact
renders it equally certain that they, who It
may be well supposed had seachsd and stu
died the Holy Book with view to the di-
gestion of this liturgy, could find nothing
in it which they could deem more appro-
pirate or better adapted to the purpose Of
rousing the attention, and impresSing the
mind with full sense of the So. nifty Of
the service about to be commenced. "Ths
Lord is in his holy temple !; let all the earth
keep silence before him - How simple
the words, yet how sublime in their very,
simplicity! How consolatory the predies-
ton, yet how awful the conclusion! The
mind that does not feel the influence, the
irresistible force of such demand upon ito
exclusive attention, must be unimprsssibls
by any form of mere words. But will such
mental apathy find excuse, in the sight Of
that Being before whose presence this 90
lemn, this imperative injunction Of universal
silence is continually, habitually violated :
1t would be uncharitable to doubt that.
in every congregation, NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
a large majority-are devoutly disposed to
profit by the occasion which every Lords
day presents, not only Of joining with
pure heart aud humble voice." in the con-
fession Of their sins, and applications for
mercy and forgiveness, but of hearing GER
tain passages of Scripture expounded, by
one whose education and studies are sup
posed,to have qualified him better than them
selves for the task. But we cannot shut
our eyes or ears to the deplorable fact that
many who attend our churches have no
such pious purpose. The Sunday, to
them, brings with il no new motive Of ac-
ton, awakens no nobler impulse, inspires
no thought Of higher aim, than any one of
the six days that precede it: except, indeed
that as it is the day on which the houses of
worship are thrown open to the multitude,
an enlarged opportunity is afforded them Of
displaying to advantage some recent change
of mode in dress or attitude, Of meeting
those who could not be seen during the oc-
cupations of the week, or of conveniently
getting rid Of a portion of that time which
idleness and vacuity of mind render insup-
portably burdensome at home.
Among this latter class Of attendants at
our churches are often to be found those
who are counted to belong to the bigh"
born, the well-bred, the fashionable, the
exclusives" of society; persons who
would shrink with indignant horror at an
imputed violation Of any OF the rules
which royern The rourtesieg of social life.