The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-07-18

man like job may be upright before men, the same
job will ask, 'How can man be just alh cdr And
such question of earthly wisdom and uprightness
do ask in their secret souls otener than to earthly
panons they may TO be possessed by such thoughts
II unbecoming in the Christian pastor to violate conf
dence by repeating IN public what uttered In hours OF
private converse and at of serious and solemn
conviction in the chamber of affection Matthew,
Mark, and Luke may not speak of Ncodemus coming
To Christ while he yet lives The religious convictions of
men should not be made public when they themselves
would not make them public. But John, after the
man of station has passed from earth, may repeat
for the good of Others what the world not
Yes may imagine Christ teaching a unver-
sal lesson when he pictures the unrepentant
rich man in the parable wishing in the world Of spirits
that his brothers may know his spirits condition,
and by his example be led to penence before God he
righteous and the wise in the hands of God and
knoweth either love hatred by all that is before
them No mortal may know how the spirit of our de-
parted friend appeared before Him that searcheh the
heart He does not allow us to decide whether love
hatred towards him rules the soul of any of fellow
men for acts cannot be analysed always
that men may be certain to the real motive prompting
other That secret is His till the judgment day
But oil the uniform conduct OF all may judge and
of the private religious acknowledgment of men, far
they instructive to Others the Christian pastor may
and should speak.
is often remarked by the aged among public men,
that faith in practical Christianity is much general
in day than ii in their youth Never, perhaps
as in our land where the inherent vital and the
essential divine excellence of the religion of Christ has
truth and 10 support has there been such
convincing evidence of its divine origin and its only saving
influence, furnished to the minds Of Any ntel-
gent, observing of day who has spark of love
for his country and his race, must that practically
the religion Of Christ genuinely believed and practically
embraced is the only hope OF our people, and OF hui
manity even for salvation from the evils which
destroy nations and men in this life No man, there
fore, can be wise and not carefully and
anxiously examine into the nature of the religion of
Christ and the testimonials it brings that it is the
power of God unto salvation for Such investi-
cation minds like that of Mr.. Marcy do makeand that
too, in comparatively early life Many may neglect
defer this examination, and therefore be unsettled
any other subject about which they have not time dis
position to satisfy themselves but truly wise do
make this subject important than any all others
to us as individuals and nation, practical study So
Mr. Marcy had DONE He had learned the true nature of
the Evidence of the divine origin of Christianity that 1t
not TO be sought in metaphysical comprehension of
ALL of any one of its essential doctrines,
have essential knowledge of the doctrines of
chemistry, physiology of any other science whose
practical applications in human life, however he conf
IDENTIFY trusts The practical power of Christianity traced
in all its history observed by himself when child in his
own parents, and in his manhood far and wide
among the people of his land, and among every peo
pie where the Christian preacher has gone in this 'o
Of Ged in Christianity he did believe from his very soul
Hence he always sincere well wisher to the
of every Christian effort When, for instance,
of special religious interest manifest in the church,
and youth embracing and publicly protesting the
hope of the Gospel he would go out of his way to take
the pastor by the hand and to ask in his familiar way
WELL how is the good work progressing r. Sometimes
in payfuness he would remark that 't seemed that
ligon was in the first ages of Christianity for women
and children and servants not for old strong heads -
but then almost Immediately he would relapse into
rous thoughtfuness, and admit that this the
and weakness OF men in prominent public station that
they could not be honest in their religious conyc
tons for fear of the charge of hypocrisy He clearly
the true evidence of the divine power and excellence of
the religion of Christ and he honestly ayowcd his
yiction
Again, to the nature of the religion of Christ, prac
cally regarded, more firm in his convictions
and open in his avowals than Mr. Marcy. He believed
the Old Testament and the New Testament TO be the
Book of God and that its teachings, not any
sonng, were to be man. guide; and he avowcd hinssh
therefore, to be allied with those who hold this view ape
cally to the outward and in uncssen
ordinances of Chriss church because he regarded their
view the only consistent with strict adherence to the
principle stated. On these two fundamental ideas Of
spiritual Christianity also that needs spirit
implanted by Gods spirit and that this work is consist
entity wrought by the sovereign of all spiritual beings
man being forgiven for the past and redeemed for the
future only because Of Chriss mission and sacrifice
earthon these two fundamental ideas he spoke clearly
and distinctly Especially this the whcn the
death of his son, in whom many of his and Of
mothers hopes were bound up, he addressed both by
word and by letter the whom he chose to speak of
his pastor
Here suggested another popularity hedeceased and
of minds like his His heart in his family and there
his greatness and his social virtues shone In him
seen that peculiar homage paid to Christian worth by so
many who constrained to their religious
views from the trial of the public eye Religious worth
he priced more than anything earthly. He would not
himself publicly profess religion of which he feared that
he might be unworthy, and in protesting which he knew
that he would be called hypocrcal but he chose,
many like him, companion for life of devoted and
dent pety; and, like many others with such spirit,
he chose to have his closest earthly communion. He
would absent himself often from the sanctuary not be-
he did not desire to be there but because
often by the reaction Of cessation from business he
knew he should be marked, and, perhaps, deemed too lit
tie deerenta in the solemn services of the House of God
But in his library the rich old English divnes
and as, the week day Shakespeare and Bacon which
latter was found lying open his breast in death,
were his chosen companions the Sabbath he
muned with such spirits South and Barrow and Robert
Hall and the sublime Milton and the fervent Hervey
Among Others the works of the rich Scripture student
Jeremy Taylor were his favorites and his parting gifts
sent to his pastor fine old English editions of lay
lors "Holy Living and Holy Dying The last words
addressed to him as shortly before leaving Washington
he met him in his late Office Characteristic Coming
to take him by the hand-alas for the last time lin
tone slightly playful but deeply sad, he exclaimed
'Well, am nothing now not pastor of
church, The earnest urging, the practical living of
life of love to God and love man. beginning in repent
towards God and faith in Jesus Christ whether heard
from the pulpit in the spirit Of those in his
family, among his acquaintance who professed the
gion of Christ he ceased TO express his minds
and his hearts deep for May it not be hoped
that in the days of secusion preceding his death his life
long convictions ripened into personal embracing of
this, the Gospels only hope
Death has taken the great statesman the genial friend
away How Suddenly, and from the ofties earthly pin
nacle he has fallen Let the lessons of duty which