Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1858-10-01


the church. Bearing in our hands the Word
of Life, the lamp Of divine truth, we are to go
/ into ihe dark places Of the earth, proclaia,ing
| every where the grace Of God, urging all men to
! put their enmity to death, to seek in Jerusalem
refuge from Gods wrath, aud iua in our King,
/ the Lord of righteousness. pardon, peace. and
eternal life.
| ''Arise aud shine is tho voice FROM heaven.
$50 ye into all the world aud preach the Cos
| pei to every creature," is the commission Of
| Christ to his church. An We arc not to lay
down the weapons of our spiritual war
fare, we arc not TO give up our exertions in be-
half Of the church and a perishing world, We
are nof to give rest to our covenant keeping
God till ho establish, and t Il he make Jerusa-
lem a prsise in ali the earth. Then shall The
| prophecy ind its complete fulilmco'; s'Vio-
leuee shall no more be heard iu thy land, vast
ing nor dcstru.tion Within thy borders, but
thou shalt cal, thy walls Salvation and thy
gates Praise
The conversion of the world We have said is
Gods work. lie is the efficient author, we are
the instruments he employs for the accomplish
ment Of this esd. The greatest Of :astrumcn
tal,ics is the preaching of the word, which is
th5 wisdom and the power Of God unto the sal
walton Of al Who believe. But all christian
men are to lator for the extanticu of Ghrist's
/ kingdom. The olscurest member of Christ's
church, as vel as lie who serves at tie altar,
has work to perform.
Influence IS iaseparabiy connected With
mn's existence, and we are individually re-
sponsible fer the right axeltion Of this iniu
cnee. The fathers in the church, men Of mn
ture minds, of eminent wisdom, md higtl-.oned
piety, are expected and required 10 make their
talents subservieat to the interests of religion
They, too, who are in the dew Of their youth,
are to cousocrate their warm affections, their
glowing zeal, aud their expanding intelleets to
the service Of God. Nehemiah was bat twen-
ty years of age when he rebuilt the walls of
Jerusalem, and even then, a 'sgreater aud more
honorable man" than Xenophou, or Demosthe-
mes, or Plato, who were in that age the bright
ornaments of Greece. Youth, under divine
direction, with the diuiue blessing, may ae-
| complish great things for Christ. Assocla-
tious of christian young men in this land of
ours, and in the old world, have contributed
much to tho advancement of Christ's kingdom.
They have excrted an influence for good upon
the communities in which they were located,
which shall be felt 10 tie ends of the earth and
and through all time Like the families en-
gagged in the rebuilding OF the walls of Jcrp-
salem, who worked opposite their own doors,
they have given their special attention to their
immediate neighborhoods, and have sought the
| good of young men with whom they were
| brought in immediate contact. They entered
upon the work in the fear Of the Lord, and
| their labor has not been iu vain
Young mcu have been brought under the in
flenco of the gospel, have been converted to
! God, aud have gone forth into the dusty arena
of life, clad in garments of holiness, and BEAR
| ing aloft the banners of King Emmanuel The
names of not few could be given who through
this instrumentality have been led into the way
of life, and are now proclaiming the glorious
gospel In our own country, or in lands beyond
! the seas.
A few christian men in this community, com
prisiug ministers and laymen, the young and
! those of nlaturer years, ''actuated by desire
to promote evangelical religion among young
men residing in, or visiting Bedford and its vi
cinity," have formed themselves into an Asso-
cation having for its object, as expressed in
their constitution, s'the Improvement Of the
spiritual, mental, and social condition. of the
class just named. The duties of the members
of the Association are thus set forth: ssThey
shall seek out young men taking up their resi-
dence in this town and its vicinity, and endeay-
or to bring them under moral and religious in
huences; By aiding them in the selection of
suitable boardihg-places and employment; by
introducing them to the members and privi
! eges OF this Associations by securing their at
/ tendance at some place of worship on the Sab
bath; and by every means in their power, sur
rounding them with christian influences. -
| Here is an important sphere of usefulness, and
one that should by all means be occupied
| True, it is limited, yet even here great good
may be accomplished. Young men may be
gathered into the spiritual Jerusalem, God may
be glorifed, and we may secure to ourselves
the blessedness pnd reward of those who hav-
ing turned many to righteousness, shall shine
as the stars forever and ever.
10 this Book of Nehemiah we are told that
when Sanballat, the Horonite, and certain 9th
| ers, heard of the work which Nehemiah aud
the Jews were about to undertake, they, being
the enemies Of the Jews and the God of Israel,
brought against them the false accusation Of
rebellion against the King of Persia. ssWhat
is this thing that ye do Will sc rebel against
the King 2"
| 1t ia not to be wondered al if an institution
having in view the glory of God, and the spIr-
| itual Improvement of men, should meet oppo-
! sition from those who are themselves destitute
of every principle of godliness. Even those
who are the friends of truth and righteousness
may misapprehend the character aud object of
/ a Young Mems Christian Association, and
| withhold from it their influence and support.
The latter may tell US that s'God works by the
church alone-that it is impossible to effect
any real and permanent good by an association
outside Of the church. Mere human iustrumeu-