True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1857-01-14
he Individual Christian.

man loses himself ~ the mass, the
Christian is but a part of the church,
moving with il, and swayed byii, as il
he had no independent life Of his own,
no special duties devolving upon him
whicIlhe alone can discharge. In self
cnnsecraIion 10 God. the man must moi
withhold his personal influence, the power
ofexsmple and precept within the circle
in which he particularly moves, and to
which especially he may lmpart light ant
life. Thisspower cannot be transferred
to another,--it lives and acts in the man
himself, goes with him in all hispathway,
aud abides with him wherever he piG.
es his tent Il is as the shadow--ac.
companying the man if he walks in the
light, and lost only when he puts himself
into the shade. In the family. in the
world. in the church, his light shines be-
cause there is really light within him. He
himself is city, set on bill, that can,
not be hid. His personal influence
strengthens the body Of Christ, for he is
mol indebted to the record Of the church
membership for all his Christian char
acier. but living epissle, know and read
Of all men the helper OF his brethren in
every good word and work. the Joy and
crown Of his pastor, and ever polished as
ajewel, for the diadem Of Him on whose
head are many crowns
He is not always babe, to be dandled
and fed, but by the daily exercise Of
Christian grace and labor, grows into the
stature and strength of manhood, and
brings his helping arm and sustaining hand
10 bear the burdens of the household.
He is known Of hmself-not merely as
one Of the mass. Though but stone in
tire temple, he is a lively stone, ills his
place in The wall, and helps perfect The
beauty and symmetry Of the whole bull
ding. s 9a
One star differeh from another star in
glory, buteach star shines by itself and
radiates its own reflected beam. So
Christians may differ in talents and sphere
ofinhuence, but each must kindle his
own taper in the sun, and enlighten his
own circle. The beauty Of the frmament
lies in its myriad stars, all ranged in their
own consultations, and all catching from
one central sun the illumining beam,
How fat less Of beauty and glory would
there be, we're the rays of the stars SO
blended and intermingled, as to present
only radiant light, while the countless
gems, that now bestud The sky, were all
hidden. We should lose the old familiar
lights, Orion, Arcturus and the pleiades,
an6 have only, as before the arch of the
tirmament was framed, the glare of light,
but no glimpse of the glorious worlds
that gave it birth. Is il not so in the
church q? Are not the names of Paul,
John, aud manv others in the olden time
of Martyr and Payson, and men of kim
dred spirit in later days, dear and precious
rs the names of individual men, standing
out on the records of the church--glor-
ious stars in the frmanent Of God--not
lost, nor blended in the mass-'but each
shining with clear. distinct light, re1ec-
ting the beauty Of God and the Lamb
10 many, are there not bright, particular
stars Of humber name 1.-THE devoted pas
tor who led them to Jesus-the praying
father-the faithful Christian triend-- =
whose light, 10 their eye, is not lost in
the commingling rays Of the multitude Of
stars, but draws eye and heart to them
as orbs Of peculiar glory! Must not
every Christian so shine as TO be star in
the frmanent lending his beam even if it
be fain. and feeble yet distinct from all
olh@s, to make up the glory, which, from
athousand points, reflect the light of the
crossl gs 4tr -
d.lt is abtaatifui scenelhst meets the eyo
Of the traveller, who, at evenlide, passes
1he crest Of 1.-THE hill, which ove,looks the
quietvillage in the valley below. There,
dimiy seen amid the gathering shadows,
afe, scattered the cottages and houses,
which are the homes of the households
tlTe lights are1apidly kindling from win
dow 70 window they gleam and sparkle
from a hundred points like The stars oI
early evening, each diffuslng light and
cheerfulness around its own hearthstone.
ii is a constellation Of household lamps,
each distinct iand shining to give light es.
ieciaily within its own sphere. So lei
each Christians light shine. Amid The
darkness, let each habitation, where a
disciple dwells. be Goshen, its taper
never extinct, its fire ever burning
wherever The Christian comes. let there
be light, the light Of Christian influence
and example. In the household, by the
wise counsel Of fathers lips, by the
holy breathings Of a mothers prayer, by
the reyerential devotion of flial love
and by the gweet sympathies of frater
nal affection. let each honor God, ant
bless the earthly home. II a mans re-
ligion does not gid with heavens owr
radiance each path of home, and wall il
about with love and praise, surely it !!
in vain, for there, il anywhere, will The
Christian esbe as clusters of fruit OF
Ihe,bOugh yielding grateful food 10 tn,
pilgrim onhis way. and maturing in tn,
sunlight Of the home Of the earth 70
the sweeler!
From his household the Christian goei
ant into tie world, and there, by in egrit,
10 business,by sincerity in word, by re
membtaucelof God amid all earthly pur
suits, and by a spirit Of charity under al
pfosocations, let each show that lie ha
beer witAJesus; and is not Of the world
Then in the sanctuary, and nj the ehurcl