American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1859-10-27


some DAVIS or impeTfectioDs-I Apk, What
are the great central and moral purposes
ofthe Word Of God? Do these commend
themSelveI 10 hcuesf jude cement, and AIR
investigation? think Il is unworthy OF
any man to he nibbling about the outskirts
Of a book whose great pslpitsting power
is for virtue. and salvation, and for ever
lasting glory, What inperliuence 10 neg
lect these great things, and yet iusti,
tute elaborate Investigations about these
external little thingsl Would you deny
the glory Of Pbid.as or The ParthenoD.
because Time had made rents or moss bad
rested upon it's roof There is an anec.
dote recorded Of great Italian painter,
which win seive to illustrate What l am
saving. He bad heen engaged in decora-
ting church with frescO paintings. He
had filed the ceiling with sublime con-
ceptions; and, smong the rest, there sat
prophet, simple, vast, sublime, as il oil
the coming future were brooding oD bis
soul. The painter had been SO wrapped
up in the conception OF the, whole ehaIac-
ter and feeling Of the prophet, that he for
got all else, Asking friend 70 witness
and criticise his work. he said. How, does
the picture strike you?' i think replied
the man. 'thst the toe on that left loot is a
little out. Of drawing. Nothing Of all the
moral quality Of the picture. nothing Of ell
the grandeur and sublimiiy OF the figure,
caught his eye, or made any Impression
upon his feelings; but slight mistake, a
little crook IN on Of the Toes, arrested his
attentionl ,,..,,..,,7. .,.s
And SO God opens in The pages Of his
Word, the history of the Diyip. admins.
tration. Sweeping bsckthrough thousand
Of years, he recounts here the experiment.
Of human want, and human weakness. snd
human suffering. and psfiisl human re-
cupersiiop. He unfolds The ccunsels o
bis will. and displays the majesty OIL re
cuperative love, and sends forth his OWL
Son, JesusC sChrist and says, Hear ye him.
/ Christ comes and walks. and teaches az
never man taught. He fills the wbol'
] world for the space Of centuries. with th'
sublimity Of his presence aud the msjesi.
Of his love. A miracle--if / may scTcali
} "a moral change follows the preaching
: Of the Gospel everywhere. Men Te re
uewed, nations are transformed; laws ar
revoIutionized; institutions are broker
} up. cemminuted, and re established ol
better foundations. The whole world i
changed; and this power comes, growinI
| brighter. down to our day. By it meI
r are changed from wickedIess to virtue
+, from state OF holiness to q holier state
:. The drunkard. the thief. and the poo
I 'Ilibidinous wretch, one by one, touched b
+. this sacred fire, are lifted into highe
: spheres Of life. Men that were grovellin
and ael6sh, and proud. are now found I
y be renewed. and sit at the feet of Jesus
; clothed in their right mind.
And now in the midst Of this in6nil
Q display-the growing display-the grow
J. ing future. a joyous Immortality, nh
i the call Of sweet celestial spirits that III
}. us to come up the gates Of beaven--in II
70 midst Of these mighty sublimities ma
); comes aud asks. DO you think The moth,
Il Of Christ was a virgin?' Why, chi
ought to have thought better. Where !,
u tuo ulOIoi SCuSop Wuhh hNo OOOOtuV VI "
J. spiritualnature OF man that is untouohe
n when Gods hand runs across the chort
i, OF deepest feeling? When the brigl
e heaven above; when the Transporting
}, glory Of the beautiful state; when all Il
'e glories which poets have dreamed Of
I, when these things are brought before Il
5, soul Of a man and God says, This isyour
y the promise is to you and your childrsl
g aud to them that are aiar off, the ms
l. does not feel the glory OF this disclosur
Ih be only feels that there is a blunder 10 Il
$, arithmetic omewherej he only feels th
ID the string with which th" medicine
,e tod up is not good stripgl l feel
u shamed OF my kind, when / find men
~ quick 10 notice what seem TO be slig
is discrepancies, SO sensitive 10 little thing
on and yet so neglectful ane SO torpid in l
W gard to those great things that ought
s? move men even in their gravesl Yes,tf
n did move them, to come orth while Chr
e7 suffered!