Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1856-04-23
Smithfeld, April 10, 1856.
For the Standard.

For the Standard.
MEssRs. EDITORS: Permit me, through the medi-
um of the Standard" to express my admiration of
an incident, of religious character, which came
under my observation, in this City, on last Sabbath;
and which not only struck me with peculiar force
but which think prominently entitled to the admit
ration of ALL in this age of religious stfe and secta
riansm. concluded last Sabbath morning that
would attend divine service at the Presbyterian
Church, and thus avail myself of the pleasure of
listening to of the eloquent sermons of that
good man and able divine, the Rev. Mr.. Atkinson.
When entered the Church, instead of MIR. Atkin.
son, the Pastor I found the Rev. Mr. Christian, of
the Methodist Episcopal Church, the worthy Prin-
cipal of the Raleigh Methodist Female Seminary, in
the pulpit had never heard Mr.. Christian preach
before, and must confess that was astonished to
find so much ministerial ability, possessed by appa
rently SO Young man. He preached from Matthew,
10th chapter, 26th verse; "What is man profited,
if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul
or what shall man give in exchange for his soul?"
After some appropriate remarks relative to the kind
feeling which should exist among christians, and
some eloquent predatory remarks, he went on in the
first place. to prove that had q soul secondly,
to speak of the powers of the soul; thirdly, the
Immortality Of the soul; and fourthly, to notice
some of the influences which result in the destruc
ton of the soul Mr. Christian treated his subject
in an eloquent and mastery manner, and was lis
tened to with profound attention by the entire
gregation. But to return to the incident which was
so pleasing to me. 1t was that Mr.. Atkinson had
requested Mr.. Christian to preach for him in his alb
sence; and that Mr. Christian complied with this
praiseworthy, magnanimous and christian request
Just think of it, Messrs. Editors Methodist
preacher, in this our peculiar age, occupying q
Presbyterian pulpit, preaching to Presbyterian
congregation and that, too, by the kind and special
request of Presbyterian Pastor! Not that the
Methodist and Presbyterian denominations are par
ticuarly hostile to each other but then such exam
If md ri mao
nanimity are so seldom witnessed nowadays,
must confess that though not q member of any
Church, was filled with reverence and admiration
for these truly good men and then, too, how inf
nitey is the tone and standard of our Holy Reli-
gion elevated and dignfed by such noble examples
of UNCONVENTIONAL friendship and sociability! How
naturalyb and irresistibly is the mind filled with
awe and alteration while contemplating the disinter-
estedness the grandeur, the holiness and sublmity
of the christian religion under such circumstances!
We see nothing earthly, nothing selfish, nothing
contracted groveng or sectarian about such reli-
gion it is high, elevated and sublime; magnani-
NOUS holy and divine; seeking not the edi6cation
of this church that at the expense Of contentious
and the downfall of other churches: but rather
aiming at the salvation of all, irrespective of de-
nominational distinctions. think that if there was
less sectaranisn and animosty among christian
denominations, the world would get on infinitely
BETTER in strictly secular point Of view; and
that this quarrelling, pickering, sectarian spirit
which exists to greater or less extent among many
of the denominations of the present day, is doing
the cause of religion much injury, will not be de-
MED by any one who has calmly and dispassionate-
ly considered the matter I think all christian de-
nominations should cultivate kind and friendly in
tercourse with each other, Illustrating to we out
siders and the world, How good and pleasant it is
for brethren to dwell together in unity :" and thus
united as it were in the great cause Of Christ, az
ssst instead of thscdrt each other in winning the
world to virtue and religion. hope the example