Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1866-09-12
Another Protracted Meeting.

Ton days ago, VIC chronicled on interesting
prOtracted meeting in the 'laplist Church at Lhs
place. With equal pleasure VIC now recordthe
fact that similar meetih is at present goingson
in the Methodist Church. Rev. WA. CLARKE,
pastor of the Church, than whom no member of
the Conference is laore ardently and truthfully
jealous. has gathered to his aid;the Rev. Mr.
HERMox, in charge of the Butler Circuit, and to-
gether, these earnest laborors, fuithful in the
cause of their Master, are making most praise
worthy efforts to arouse spirit of religion in our
community. In the course Of the summer now
passing away, tie Mcthodsts throughout the
State have held lprotracted meetings with the
happiest results The number of persons who
have Joined this Church in South Carolina during
the last FIVE months is enormous. On the New
berry circuit, only fortnight or three weeks
back, moro than hundred accessons were made
to tho Church under the labors of the Rcvs
Messrs. ZIMMERMAN, TRAwIcK, BOYD, and Others
And at McKENDRY's Chapel, twelve miles above
US, ono of Rev. Mr.. CLARKE's Churches, n con-
siderable number of new members were very
lately admitted.
We all know, and how well for US would it bc
if VIC could net upon that knowledge, that man
was created to servo God on earth, and enjoy an
eternity of bliss beyond the grave. This is-this
should bc-the great, and only great, object Of
life. In comparison with it, everything clsc
should sink into insignifcance. The influence,
honors, wealth and pleasure enjoyed on Garth
terminate with our earthly existence. How ne
cessary then, how allimportant, that the saliva
tion of the immortal soul be made paramount to
every other consideration.
The tenure of life is at best uncertain. To-day,
full of life apd health, tho recipient of honors,
and blessed with an abundance of this worlds
goods; to-morrow,-ayo, tomorrow,-the voice
Of death may summon the soul to the judgment,
to the bar of the great tribunal to answer for the
deeds done in the flesh. Worldly preferment will
not then avail the criminal. The wealth possess
ed and the honors reaped on earth cannot then
avert the sentence Of the unerring, the impartial
the righteous Judge. The divine advocate who
pleads for us now, will then no longer plead
nothing but the record of well-spent life can
then save us from the punishment due to sin.
How great then is the incentive to serve God
faithfully. The things of this world pass away,
but the blessed immortality beyond the grave is
imperishable, eternal. The frail bark Of life,
when wrecked upon this sea Of trouble and sor-
row, and when all schemes Of. earthly JOY and
happiness are crushed, finds refuge in the sub
stantial and soothing consultations of the religion
left US by Jesus. Let US then hearken to the
voice of God, and embrace, ere it shall be too
late, the teachings of his holy servants
If We would but serve the author of our being
with the same cheerfulnsss and avidity that we
do mammon, there would be not only more hap
piness for US in this life, but also an eternity Of
bliss in the next. The feeting and visionary
Joys OF this world are as nothing compared with
the life to come. God created us that We might
obey and serve Hin. But if we disregard His
teachings, we shall be punished. We, to whom
all light has been vouchsafed, should always keep
in view the groat object of life-the Salvation Of
our eternal souls. By the observance of the
teachings Of Christ, we will enjoy that content
ment, peace and happiness which Christ alone
can give to His children on earth. And when
the work of the faithful servant is done, and the
great battle of life is over, God will reward him
with an eternity of neyer-ending bliss for the
faith and zeal of well-spent life, and for the
| good works done in the flesh.