The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-03-09

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I wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and
soul and body be preserved blameless unto the
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" s'I bow
my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, x x : y that he would grant you, ac-
cording to the riches of his glory, to be
strengthened with might by his Spirit in the
inner man; that Christ may dwell in your
hearts by faith, that ye, being rooted and
grounded in love, may be able with all saints
to comprehend what is the breadth and length
and height and depth. and to know the love of
Christ which passeth knowledge" For these
blessings first his prayers go up on their behalf.
And when these are bestowed, and in the en-
| joyment of them they are sswalking in the
truth" he desires for them all outward pros
perity, that they may be enabled to do good
and honor God. Are they sick? By their
bed of pain he kneels and pours out his heart
for their restoration to health. Are they in
SORROW? He weeps with them and strives to
alleviate their sorrows, well rejoices with
them in their joy. Are they in adversely p
He is ready to seek from Gods hand deliver
ance for them from this condition. Are they
| dying? He prays for the presence of the good
Shepherd and tearfully hands tLem over to his
care. In short his wish, his prayer on their
behalf relates to ali their interests, temporal
and spiritual, of body, heart and SOUL Their
highest good in every aspect for time and
| eternity he seeks. For this he tolls, for this
he prays, in this lies his greatest joy as from
them. Such are the prayers which the faith
full Pastor constantly presents on behalf of his
children in the Lord. You will permit your
Pastor to say as the beloved Disciple, "Beloved,
1 wish above all things that ye may prosper
and be in health, even as your souls prosper.
have no greater JOY than to know that my
children walk in the truth"
But there is another class in the charge of
every faithful Pastor for whom he cannot but
feel deeply 1t is composed of those who at
Christ These enjoy the means of grace, but
remain impenitent. They hear the glad til
dings without accepting salvation. They are
| instructed, warned, invited and entreated, but
to no purpose. They respect the Pastor and
the ordinances he administers, but reject the
overtures of mercy he makes. OF this class
| some are here present to day: They have for
years attended upon the preaching of the gos-
pei here. but. alas! it seems to have been a
SAVIOR of death unto death to them. The Pas
tor has thought of them in the study, and
| tried to shape his announcements of truth so
as if possible, to reach them. He has thought
of them in the closet, and borne their names
before the throne of heavenly grace. He has
met them in the social circle or on the streets,
and before they have felt the warm grasp of
his hand, silent prayer has gone up for their
salvation. Publicly and privately he has
warned, invited, besought them to seek eternal
life By the living voice and by written note
has he sought to gain their attention to the
great interest. And he has almost trembled
lest all these efforts should come up on the
great day swift witnesses against them call
ing for deeper damnation. He regards many
of them not only as amiable, but as his per-
sonal friends; and his heart sinks within him
when he thinks Of the fearful probability that
they will finally reject his offers of salvation,
and perish in dispalr. To day again he invites,
40 taste and see that the Lord is good" "As
though God did beseech you by us, we pray
you, in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God. :"
| Again, he warns you, "except ye repent ye
shall all perish" And if ye will not hear, my
soul shall weep in secret places, and my eyes
run down with tears because of your hardness
and unbclief have warned you from God.
take you to witness this day that your blood
shall not be upon my hands, but upon your
own heads And may God have mercy.
These remarks and the occasion lead us to
infer, @ 80 ,.s.f s.s.,lsa ~.
1st. How rapidly does time pass, and our
opportunities of doing good fade away 1t
seems but as yesterday since this pastorate be-
gan and yet fifteen years have fed. Some
that were, at its commencement, but babes in
Christ have grown to maturity in the Lord
Some to whom the Pastor applied the water of
baptism in their infancy, have, by profession,
taken their fathers God as theirs. Nearly two
| score of the members of this church have
during this period, gone from earth. Some,
once among us, have gone down to graves IL
lumined by no ray of hope for the future
And some seem to have hardened by the very
means employed to bring them to Christ
How many family circles have been broken.
How many hearts have been desolated with
sorrow. How soon must these lips be silent,
these beating hearts be still in death. o; let
us do what our hands find to do with our might.
Let us improve the moments as they pass
Fulfil ye my joy-for " [ have no greater joy
than to know that my children walk in the
! truth that your Pastor may ultimately pre-
sent himself and you before the throne, say
ing, Here am 1, Lord, and. the children
whom thou hast given me-" - -
I'd. Let there be mutual forbearance and
kindness, such as should prevail between father
and children in the Lord. If you are called
| to bear with his weaknesses, he will try to bear
your occasional want of faithfulness to his
Mostar Tf he foa1e for vo,, tho affection Of n
fathers heart, he hopes from you the conf
dence, kindness and affection of children. Let
this mutual affection ripen into that which pre-
walls in glory.
Sd. Let there be mutual cooperation. If
he seeks your good, cordially receive and strive
to profit by his efforts. If he seeks the sal
vation of others-your children, neighbors,
friends-earnestly join his labors and prayers.
Let all toll, each in his place and with the
ahil;tu which God pives until the Master shall