The mountain Democrat., 1863-01-03
MGod and the sonl.n

Ject OF formal expression IN regard 10
the rebellion and the secession of the
Southern church, was continued until af.
ter We went to press last week. Finally
all amendments TO and substitutes for the
report Of the committee Of nine, were re.
jected, and their report ard resolutions
adopted, by vote Of IL clergy against Z,
and II laity against +.
The radicals were thus signally defeat
cd, and the Protestant Episcopal church
in the United States has preserved its
wonted character as a non partizan body.
The action it has taken is both patriotic
and Christian.
OF strictly vital religious intelligence,
there is none which we can publish with
half the profit that may he derived from
fhc following beautiful extract from Mar
tin Luther, entitled:
"GoD AND THE SOUL"
being a dialogue on the Lords prayer,
written by Luther in 1918, and translated
for the Lutheran & Missionary.
The Soul. Our Father who art in the
Heavens, we thy children on earth are
separated from thee in misery how i'm.
measurable is the distance between thee
| and us. How shah we ever come Home
TO thee into our Fathers house p
CODA child honOrs its father and
servant his master. Am then your faith
er: where is the honor due meg Am
your master where is the fear and rev.
erence you owe me? For my holy name
is 10y and in you blaSphemed and dis
| honored.
The First Petition Of the Soul.-Alas
o Father this is true. We confess our
guilt. But, be thou gracious Father,
and crtcr not into Judgment with US, but
grant thy grace, that we may so live to
the end that thy holy name may be hal.
lowed by us. Grant that we may think,
or speak, or do, or have, or undertake
nothing, unless for thy praise and thy
honor; that thus, above all things. thy
glory and thy name may be sought in us
and grant that we may love, fear and hon
or thee, as children love their father.
God.-lIow can my honor be sought
anil my name be halowcd in you? Are
not your hearts and all your thoughts in
c'incd to evil and dead in trcspass and in
sin! None car sing my song in Il strange
land Psalm 137. +.
Tile Hecond Petition Of tie Sou3.--
AiaS our Father! this is only too true.
We feel that VIC arc totally depraved, and
that the world, the flesh and the devil seek
to govern US, aud thus take away from us
thy honor and thy glory. We therefore
pray; help us from this misery. May
thy Kingdom come Let sin he over
come and grant thar we may become holy
and acceptable in thy sight, serving thee
in thy kingdom in newncSs Of life, in true
obedience, with al our internal and cx-
ternal powers ..... .., .. .... ..
God.-Whom I will help, him do
mike to be naught, and whom will make
alive, blessed, rich, holy or happy, bin /
must kill, reject, impoverish or destroy
But yc have forgotten my works and the
wonders that have showed vOn.' psalm
7S, A. How then shall help you .
What more can doY CTsaiah g.
Tile Third Petition Of He vI-Alas.
we regret that we neither understand nor
feel thy salutary counseIs. o Father!
grant grace and help, that we suffer thy
divine will to be done in us Yea, tho
it pain us, even SO, Lord, continue, if it
please thee to punish, to bruise, to wound
and burn US Do all. as seerneth good in
thy sight, only let thy will, not ours, be
done Defend Us, dear Father, that We
act not according to our own will and
opinion. For our will and thine are on.
posed to each other. Thine only is good,
though II seem not ours is evil, though
it glitter much.
Go4.-it has occurred often, that they
have .oved me with their mcuths. whilst
their hearts were far away from me; and
when l smotc them, in order to correct
them, they have run back and fallen away
from me in the midst of the works, as
thou readcst psalm rs. %, they have
turned back in the day of battle Some
who began well, and moved me to deal
mercifuIly with them, have turned from
me and gone back into sin and my dis
grace.
The F5urM Petition Of the .c0ul.-
Alas Father it is true. None can be
strong in his own strength And who
could deliver us out Of thy hand. Isaiah
43, l3,) unless thou didSt strengthen and
comfort usy Therefore, dear Father, so
rule US that thy will may DO perfected
within us, that We may become thN King.
dem, to the honor and praise of thy holy
name. But, dear Father, do thou strength.
en- us in all this with thy sacred word;
give US our daily bread, form within our
hearts the image Of thy dear Son Jesus
Christ, the true bread Of heaven, that we,
strengthened through him, may cheerfnlly
bear and suffer the crucifying of our flesh
and will. Yea, give us faithful ard learn
ed priests and ministers, who will teach
US not the empty husks Of vain fables, but
thy holy, precious gospel and Jesus Christ
thy dear Son.
GOd.-'lt is not meet to take the chill
dren's bread, that which is holy, and to
cast it to dogs (Matthew Z, g; Is, 26.1
Ie sin daily, and it my servants preach
to yon by day and by night, yc follow
me not, nor hear yc-mc, but dcspisc my
word.
The Fifth Petition ofthe .SoW.-Aias,
Father! have pity. and becnusc of this do
not deny us our daily bread for VIC are
heartily sorry on account of our neglect
Of thy word, and VIC pray thee to have
patience with us poor children, to forgive
us our trespasscs, and not to enter into
Judgment with us, for in thy sight shall
no man living he justified. Remember
thy promise to forgive those who forgive
their debtors; not that thereby VIC should
become worthy Of thy forgiveness, but
because thou hast truly and graciously
! promised forgiveness unto all those who
forgive them that have tFespassed against
| them Upon this promise we rely.
G0d.-very often pardon and redeem
you, and vet ye remain and continue not.
Ye arc Of little faith. Not little while