Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-01-08
4luiOn and dispatch
-tgE SABBATH IN NASHVILLE.

Sciigious observation-disclosures OF Dr.
Baird-Sabbath schools and Singing.
Last Sabbath was one OF The loyclie=t
that ever blessed The Rock Ciy-thcmom
ing was clear, brigla aud cloudles-, and the
sun shonc down upon ms with rays pure
and genial a. those that kissed the virgin
earth" ou the first morning of creation |
thc air was soft and transparent 8- when /
inhaled on the universal Sabbath Chat /
r.ignea iu Eden ere disobedicugC, sin and I
death entered The bowers OF our early Par /
1lisc-stirred occasionally into zephyT=. /
Eght and gentle a. those that famed the /
breezy breast of Arrarat," or blew rcdolcnt /
with fragrance Ger "Araby the bles,.' i
was such a morning and such a day a. at |
This season are rarely experienced Iu any |
country or IN any cline.
Early Ia the morning the church bells
sacred monitors swung iu belirey5 reared
on earth 10 speak with iron tongue Of
the great fuiurc-called children, youth
and teachers % Sabbath school. Sab
bath school Who Of us do not
plume our memory's wings and oit-iimes
900 voyage OF retrospecti0n pause at The
threshold Of our early Sabbath schools
What lessons We learned there, and how
much they have shaped oar cOurse and our
destiny Az, they were the iingeT-board-
pointing 90 us the Journey Of this life and
higher vet 90 the awful Eternal. We never
Forget them. Though age crumbles our
5m and our ewes grOv dim with the
Gathering mist Of time, thought goes
back 90 that changeless mirror before which
Hnr youth was fashioned, and from The
reflex of which our destiny was marked rs
iUare iu marble. Yes these Sabbath
schools work an influence on the turbulent
sea Of our after lives, ceaseless as the crested
wave that sweeps forever and forever over
the b0undless bosom of the ocean. They
are life preserYers here--sOul pTgseryers
hereafter They form the muster field Of
preparation for the great battle Of life.
~uch thoughts rs these crowded upon as
au last Sabbath, AZ we saw hundreds Of the
children and youth of Nashville, going 90
the various churches to Sabbath school.
They were an well attended. One school
especially, that at the First Cumberland
Presbyterian Church, numbers near two
hundred regular pupils.
Soon after the close Of the Sabbath
schools the church going bells called
10 the House of God. Our churches have
able ministers, and are well attended by
Christian and appreciaiive congregations.
We attended the First Cumberland Pres
terrain Church, of which DR. Baird is
pastor. The congregation Is large and
refined. DR.. Baird preached from the text
found in the second chapter and nineteenth
verse of Fphesians Now, therefore, We
are no more strangers and foreigners, but
feIlow-citizens with the saints and Of the
household of God" The discourse from
This text was able, lucid and eloquent.
The reverend speaker spoke Of the changes,
moral. physical and intellectual, OF past
wears. before arriving, which he did most
happily, at the point Of the discourse, viz:
The church, and being fellow-citizens
of the household OF God" He referred,
as illustrating the glory OF God, to the
parking rills, 10 the burning stars fixed
in the heavens, 10 the changing seasons
spring gliding into summer, summer fading
into autumn, autumn falling into winter,
and winter melting again into the lap Of
spring-the everlasting war between life
and death the very ocean and earth and
earthquakes; these were some of the exhi-
billions Of the glory Of God. Speaking
of ihe exhibitions of divine glory In the
cient geographer, who, when referring to
lhc English Islands, spoke Of them as Of
the elysian hclds-helds of bliss. Since
then how swift and mighty have been
the progress Of physical, intellectual and
moral science. When the rude galleys
of imperial Cesar landed upon the isles of
Britain, the nlettered population fell an
easy prey 10 the conquerer Now England
boosted that her drum-beat was heard all
round the globe, and that the sun never set
upon her dominions. Though she made
this boast, n one time her proud King
Caractacus was led In chains through the
streets of Rome, and az another she suppl
Gated the barbaric Gauls, even, for aid.
Who worked these changes The Church
Christianity. England had sent millions
and millions Of Bibles throughout the land,
so much moral and divine power Ameri-
ca was next referred TO as the daughter Of
England; Columbus, the pilgrim pedlar,
begging from court 10 court for aid 10 find
this far of land where, since, Christianity
and the church have Hourished He spoke
Of Christianity as projected BY the bold,
intrepid Peter, az coming triumphant
down the smoky wales Of Palestine.
and It's fostering care from the hum
bile fisherman. The earth is always
hrightning under the influence of Christi
anity, and always darkening where it does
not exist The backward fall of Egypt and
Asia, and the monuments crushed 10 dust
was not the fault, but the want Of Christi
anity. The mission Of the Church was TO
make good Of bad-Of rough material like
the crock, 20 form polished and purified mate
rial for the great temple of God. The
Church was not me8susd by congregations or
classes-she is distinct of all this TuE
CHURCH IS THE SPIRIT OF Con IN MAN.
The spirit of man Is wrong, and the spirit
of God is right The test Of membership
of the true Church is the spirit Of God. The
spirit of Christ Is when the man Is the
thurch-m8n is part Of Gods body. The
Church was always correct, il was man who
was wr0ng-man is carnal, the Church is
not No single muscle ever quiyered be-
meath the knife Of the Church-she is God.
The carbon, the diamond purified from
charcoal the gold extracted by CruCible
heat from the baser dross. The Church Isl
the spirit of God in mantle everlast-
ing and immaculate purity Of Christ
persOniiied in man. The Christian
he the Church-the new man is the
Christian--the old man the camal-
both in one-the new man whispers as dill
lie Of Gallilee, Peace be still /" the old
man, the carnal, s.irs strife and commotion /;
the old msn, the carna9 man, must die; the
new man, the Christian, the Church can
never die. The new man is peace; God,
life everlasting the old man Is a canal
agitator, The Church is always the same,
the All One. Like the moon, she was
sometimes behind n cloud, but she always
cat her way 90 light The Church is i'm
mortal; God himself is as apt % die the
inspired divinity is "a apt 10 fall. The
Church would fulfil her mission. Then,
aid he, Love everything like the Church
you see anywhere
A0er further happy elaboration, the
speaker spoke of The progress Of the Cum
herlaud Presbyterian Church, and said that
they should be careful thar such progress
should not be married by complications
with other branches Of the Church. Like
The rainbow, its influence stretched from
the southern Gulf 10 the far of North, and
no sword could cut IT, The Church had
no war ChariOts. Let all study how 10 he
like God, and make Others like God. The
discourse was listened 20 with profound 7t.
tcntou 30 the end, and well itmighi have
been for some Of the speakers conceptions
Noteworthy thebcst of he poetsand his r,a.
soning and language would have done credit
TO either Of the Judges Of the Supreme
Cour.. Or. 3. preached another sermon
SUNDAY night from the verse guccapIip,tI,,