The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-11-03
LOCAL MATTERS.

THIRD DISCOURSE BIFoRE THE YouHG
MEs,s CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION The United Presby-
terisH ch irch was filed abb and below on sun-
day evenir :, TO hear Nv. @. q. READ. His text
was fosnd In lst Corihthisrs, 18th chapter, 4sh
9th verses, though the discourse hal especial re.
ference to the 22i verse: "Nsy, much more those
members of the body which seem 10 be more feeble
are necessary'-hfs theme being "ths mutual de.
pc ,de7ce I'D ts sattons OF the different members Of
Christ body. and the Importance, the necessity Of
some qualities and pass, which, at the first view,
might seem insignificant q Id superfuous"
The holy men wro spake as they were moved by
the Holy Ghost, used. a. favorite illus.rati 1n
this image of the church of Christ, az bod in
which the various membe g, co ,ssitutiug q har.
monious whole and animsted by the same Split,
fulfilled the gracious purposes of the Divine Mas
ter.
The same illustration had been used by po,iti
clans; and on e tain occasion, Roman orator
bad quelled DISTURBANCES by aptly rep esenting,
through this figure, the dependence of the different
ordets In the State upon Ole another.
r The church, the body of Christ, ID "manir old
unity Inter ito ally, foa the part of God) there
are dive, ss members.
The Apostles speak Of diversities of gifts but the
same spirit, from wtch We learn that though all
are converted BY the same grace, there differ
ences Of man iestations, varied according to indi
vidral intellect ID feeling.
There are "difsrer ces of administration but the
same Lord" fro which learn that where
there are some oblig' ions resting upon all men,
The g is slch dif1erenf, in the duties devolved
Vpon individuals as to confer upon them ia their
respectiI fields OF actien marked peculiarities.
There are ''diversities of operations, but the
same God wfo worketh in alP'-this refers all the
ruits OF Christi n principle to their common
source, God, who, through the Holy Ghost, pro.
duces in each according ,,His sovereign will, va
rious effects, in various measures, by various in.
strumentslities.
ffhe manifestation of the Spirit is given to
svery man to profit witbar"-the gifts Of the Di-
x,szfT Tar, .Ia l,xs
for the good Of the whole body.
Then follows, In the Apostles description, an
enumeration OF special gifts and impartations, all
traceable to the sef same Spirit, who divideth to
every man severally as He will"
All are enriched, bat none so qualified as to
make him independent Of the rest; for these spir
tuai i.endow me nts rather promote than destroy
tual dependence.
GAS as The body, so also is C,r,st" This one idea is
worth more than all the gold and gems, the car
wing and purple, Of Soomon's temple II implies
that the Church is so Intimately united 10 Christ
y It 20 separate from it were TO separate from
Himself
passively, the Church receives of the fuIlness of
God, but actively His representative, it displays
His vital power aud glory.
Alter these and her instructive remarks, ex-
pnstory Of the text, Mr.. Read pa( sed to consider
the necessity and beauty of those uupretending
2ifts of the spirit, which make the least display.
Among these he enumerated
First HIM ty-without which there can be no
religion-true religion lays pride low-we may
dispense with other aud more noticeable qualities
aud gifts, but without humility the feet cannot be
planted upon the threshold of Christianity.
Scofdy-And accompanying humility, there
arises a coufiding apprehension of God in respect
Of His providence, his word aud his attributes.
from which comes among many other good feelings,
contentment, and tranquility under trials, disap.
pointmen'I and bereavemeuts.
Ind Thirdly, there is charity or love-which in
close connection with the passage under consider
atom, the Apostle describes gift exceeding all
others.
translation, by which the word Charity, which
commonly means AlmSgiring, came ia this place
10 be substituted for the word ne, and a course
Of satisfactory reasoning to prove that the latter
is the proper word, the preacher proceeded te
show that the quiet excellence of this gift, viz
supreme love TO God, aud proper regard for our
neighbor as Gods creature, belongs to that train
which seeming to be "m0re feeble' are "ne'
cessary."
Regeneration, indeed, consists in these humble
gifts, while it may exist without others that are
more prominent.
He, who /, humble, and trustful, and chaii able
canuot be useless, and ought not to be lightly es
teemed.
Christ, as the babe of Bethlehem, was appa
rently feeble; but what a wealth Of beauty and
power was there.
As the Jews despised the lowliness of his mis-
sion, and looked for kingdom ofpomp and glare
SO now men are OHende0 at tue lOWly quailties eS
sential to Christian character.
A man may bestow all his goods to feed the des'
titute and yet be desti ute of genuine Christian
charity, ard he who has nothing to give may have
this9
The sun which sheds his light upon palace and
cottlge, may find his rays reflected in the one by
many shining objects-while in the other they fall
upon tarnished sur aces which give beck no re-
Election. but no matter, it is the same sun which
gives light and heat to both-and the same Lord
bestows his grace upon the poor as we'll as upon
the rich-and in the former it is valuable as in
the latter.
From these considerations there was deduced an
instructive lesson as to the utility of an humble
aud private Christians daily walk and converse
ton, and rekuke of all that excitement and pub
iicity in religious matters which turns the mind
away from deep, gentle stream of christian zeal,
which is the ultimate purifier and conservator OF
the Church Of Coda stream that shall yet flow
silent, efficient and pure the crystal river, pro-
ceeding from the throne Of God and the Lamb.