New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-08-06

meets OF Tepose. DIR. johnson once SAID lst ne iru
| the who made the Christian mlaistry sineclre'
| If ara rot deceived my work has been my joy. ana
nv Joy when it has been most severe. did no.
| enter il for its honor for its wealth; | sought
ruial charge but God sent me among the wealthy Ana
| the boupeous did not enter it secular calling
| bur because if know myself, Low Il. The Gospel
| of the blessed God wac the voice that charmed me
| amid the busy parsus Of the world. 1t came - me
n the night sir, and waited on the MONDAY breeze
and actusted my purpose by superior power AM the
same kind power has chained me 10 the service. If
know myself, my aim has been single; IT hes been to
fulfill the ministry hBve received of the Lord Jesus;
| nor am sensible that my personal convenience, or
| that of my family, have ever nterfered with my duty
| 10 this Pc ple. was early thrown among ministers
Of great requirements, and | saw az glance that
had every thing to do if became able minister Of
the New Testament. Whatever my temptations to al
tract attention ard excite my audience 10y beautiful
tsbleau Of words, led to the importance of
practical and sensible citation of Gods truth IL
is not one truth only that viii show the fai counsel OF
God and what men do not know they cannot behave
and cannot practice That petv and those fruits can
not be depended upon that don't arise from love OF
Gods truth Let the fire Of truth be withdrawn, and
though by Its own momentum the sacred machinery
may move awhile yet it il sure to stop. Those who
complain of doctrinal preaching are strangers ~
practical preaching When call to mind
the writings of such men as Taylor, Baxter,
DoddIidge, and others, and when ! recall
the preaching of Dwight, Netteton, Mason and
Alexander my convictions are strengthened that tait
ministry is the richest IN his fs which is the richest
from the service Of ecclesiastical despotisn TO
recognition of the rights and responsibilities of private
Judgment and personal character; from popular ignor
ance to the instruction of the from Indifference
and nacton to spiritual life and faith from dominant
wckedness dominant pety; from the greed of selfish
ness to omen. handed bounty; from gospel din ard
compreheIded by few, to gospel spread among all
nations from the greatest darkness to mleniai light
of eory glorious scenes about TO open upon the
| world and happy are they who are permitted to take
| part In them. But TO what extent nv, ministry ia
chargeable with praise other wise will ere long be
decided by Him who will judge the quick and the
| dead. In this review OF my work among you, my
| own mird liz seitsted with questions which cannot
trife with Yet while they I'LL me with solictute,
that in which has obseured the light and glory and
| the gospel; and humby implore Gods mercy for
| these acts. deeply sensible that in my public
service | have been greatly wanting in the spirit of
| my divine Master. Not uufrsquently, ia my social
| intercourse with you when l ought to have carried
| the bottle of myrrh in my bosom, have offered you
| things which were not of God, but of men. | have
| but the one refuge OF man:
| But simply to thy cross cling"
NY obligations to the God of Grace abun liant. he
cared for in my childhood, and gave good and
watchful training. lie cared for me in my youth 90
that preserved from much youthful wckednsss.
| He gave conscience, pride OF character and q
love Of knowledge which restrained from outbreak
ing and gross Gins. He cared for me in my academic
career; ga me faithful and religious teachers He
| raised up friends when L most needed them;
checked me in my mpusiveness AID ia my depression
| He cbeered me; when | had wandered away from
| Him. far abroad from His fold He brought me back,
put me into the sacred ministry, aud made me pastor
over this beloved flock In my day of middle life aud
in my old age, He cared for me- and kept my foot fom
falling and my soul from death. When first came
among you thought il doubtful If should remain for
a single year; but having obtained the help of God
have remained until to-day, and lie has gwen me the
j confidence ard love OF united people When desc
a,ing calsmity upon me, and the light of heaven
was shut out He lifted the vail from these sghtles
| eyebas and whereas, i was once blind now see
And last, though not least He has given me seals Of
my ministry which trust will be the ground of my re-
ioicing in the day of Lord Jesus Christ All these
tokens of this, and your kindness, have made me an
| impression my mind which IT Will be difficult to
erase. i am looking forward. desire to make
good use Of NY LAST days among you, for know they
mutt be few. bless God thai do lot feel bound to
| the world as my Would that my aspirations for
another and better habitaon were nyigorated in the
same proportion IS the decisions OF earth vanish. L
had thought had taken leave of the old church and
the old session rooms, and that delightful study OF the
pastor, so tranquil, away from the noise and uproar,
| 80 delightfully."- EMPOWERED and go hOnored of God,
and SO attractive to me, who occupied Is but We cannot
forget them-we revisit them TO day grateful memory
dweils upon them, and recalls them afresh; sweet
thoughts and sweet Visions mingled sometimes with
cad depression but often relieved with cheering
! visions. We look back upon the scenes for the
greater pant Of taese fifty years that have been en-
poyed here not but the grace of God that was with
me- There were showers came upon us, sometimes,
drop by drop and sometimes like the river that makes
III glory of the City of God We look back upon
these scenes with the enthusiasm with which the old
warrior surveys the field Of battle and thinks of bat
| ties tonight ard victories Battles indeed, We're
fought and victories won in the cause of truth aud
| righteousness by mghtier than human arm.
| Orr locality is changed, but the promise is not
! changed When we effected this change looked upon
il as the last work Of mine earth; yet, strange 10
say, at the advanced age Of three and fifteen
wears nv work il Lot done, sDd permitted TO
| this beautiful edifce completed and full to over
flowing; and not few asking the way TO Zion with
their faces thitherward. OF all the ministers of the
Gospel in this land not has greater reason for
thankfulIeis to the Lord God of the Holy Prophets,
than the who add eeses you o-dAy. The nearer
approach to The time of my departure the stronger am
attached to the people of my charge. can truly say,
with the Apostle John, have greater JOY than to
zee my children walk in the truth, and that my seet
that has been planted here be dilgent in doing tho
work Of tie Lord. My earnest prayer for this dear
flock bas been that God would give them pastors of his
own choosing. The great Shepherd, my beloved
brethren, registers every motive Of your heart and
| mind, marks every footsep take, hears every
| prayer offer, and every sermon we preach. We
have out of self, and study to preach for God
| then let us put away eef and be absorbed in the
glorious Gospel rise above the wicked love of praise
preach for eternity, and the Father of Light will
supply the words, that may rejoice III the glory OF
| Christ Jesus But mnst coee. The h4lf-cen ury is
gonegone like the small star that has been twinkng
| in the curtain of the nigbt-gone ike the soft
| fine cadence Of distant minsrelsy as 1t vanlshes
in air. gone ike the word inst spoken, for good evil,
never be recalled; gone like the clouds that dsap'
pear after they have exhausted their treasure upon
earth gone like the leaves of Autumn which the wind
| has swept away gone like the phantom which in
prospect had the sembance of vitality but which IN the
retrospect has melted away and gomez gone as yesier
| day has gone. Why do say they are gomez Nothing
is gone. whose influence remains, with man or woman
The Sabbaths the prayers the praises, th sweek the
months the years that TO TO have vanished one
by ON. in the mysterious past live still in Gods uni