The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-11-09


Synod of virgin FIRST Day
Charlestown and ats People. &c
Opening Sermon by Or. Peck-Eiec-
ton of Moderator and Clerks.
CHAKIRsrowx, JEFFERSON COUNTY, wv
November 6, 1867.
The place of meeting this fall is happily
chosen. Charlcstown is located eight
miles from Harper'S Ferry, on the railroad
from that place. to Winchester. Popula-
ton about 1900. The people are very
hosptable, and have made ample prepare
tons for the entertainment of the men,
bers Of Synod. The society OF the lhace
is very attractive. All denominations
show lively interest in the meeting, and
share in the Offices of hospitality.
In its historical associations, connected
with the great war and the causes which
led to it. Charlestown has several interest
ing souvenirs which will long be regarded
with interest OF one sort or another, ac-
cording to the feelings and views of the
observer The courthouse of Jefferson
county, in which John Brown was tried, is
mere shell. twas a commanding edifce,
but was treated with little respect by the
soldiers of the United States army during
the war. The place where the Judge was
wont to sit was q mangcr. The jail in
which this notorious character was con-
fined was destroyed by the same hands.
The courthouse is now at Shepherdstown.
The fine country around the place has
rapidly recovered from the effects OF the
war. The agricultural wealth and prospe
rity, as indicated in the appearance OF the
horses and the products OF the soil sent
into the town for sale or Shipment, I'M
presses favorably one who is familiar with
the worn fields and scanty harvcsts of our
eastern latitude.
On going to the Presbyterian church
last night we found that it had just been
beautifully frescoed and otherwise i'm
proved. 1t was well lighted, and presented
a very pleasing appearance. Though of
the average capacity OF the churches OF
YOUR city, it was full to overlooking before
the services began-a most favorable in
dication of the interest felt in the proceed
ings of the Synod by the people Of the
town.
The exercises began with an opening
piece, "Be joyful in the Lord" performed
by a good choir and q modest organ. The
Tooth Psalm was afterwards sung to the
tune of Old Hundred. The preacher,
DR.. Thomas L. Peck, moderator OF the
last Synod, was assisted by Rev. Drs
Brown, of Richmond, and Armstrong, OF
Norfolk.
The text was Hebrews. xi--30: "By
faith the walls of Jericho fell down after
they were comprised about seven days"
Faith, as the evidence Of things not
SEEN" was defined not only as referring TO
that which cannot be seen with the bodily
eve, but that which is beyond the reach of
the understanding. 1t is trust in God rs
to means issuing in results 10 which there
seemed no fitness or proportion in the
method adopted to achieve them. by
faith we understand that the worlds We're
framed by the word of God" Without
faith we cannot conceive of the mere
word of God producing worlds. But IN
this as in all similar cases where the
means are not adapted to the END we re-
ceive the fact upon the testimony OF his
declaration. The sermon was intended TO
show the application OF this doctrine TO
the efforts of Christians to promote the
gospel. 70
the preacher proceeded to show that the
measures commanded for the destruction
of the walls of Jericho were in accord
ance with the circumstances and charac-
ferlSClcS
whole scheme of His grace and the his
tory of the Church under the Jewish dis
pensation; aud that there was a similar
contrast between means and ends in the
establishment of Christianity by our Sa-
viour. Gods people were not led in the
wilderness by the labors Of seed-time and
harvest, and their water gusiled forth from
a rock they We're not prevented from
N,h.n ha,
preached it, by natural causes, bat by I'M
belief-by forgetting that His power, not
their own ability, was their defence and
support.
The miracles Of our Saviour are gene
rally supposed to have been performed i'll
order to authenticate lis divine legation
this was one end but they were primarily
designed to show the preternatural power
of the Gospel, which, when preached by
His ministers, is spiritually to give sight to
the blind, hearing to the deaf, speech to
the dumb, and lie to the dead, as he eff
fected these things physically by His word
SO that our faith in the success of our eff
forts may stand not in the wisdom of man,
but in the power of God, even though he
may be able to trace no more connection
between human agency in the matter and
the end promised than there was between
the blowing of the rams horns and the
downfall of the walls OF Jericho. The
miracles tell us that we caunot bring
man into state of justification and sane
titication by argument and coquence.
mot by might nor by power, but by my
: spirit" saith the Lord. Judas was
responsible for Satan's entering into
hl1n, aud In the cases Of demoniacal
possession recorded in the New Tesla
ment, IN which the evil shirt seemed
to seize his victim by fore, 49,.
was probably some prey;ons ain ns
which such possession was a nnn;. I' ~
or some state of mind that inv;,rd = hn,'
the restoration in such cases canno, y. ne
iected, nor the heart changed, without tho
holy Spirit. A man may obtain harvest
oy sowing and tilling, and may not recoc.
ME God in the whole process, while his
neighoor, who does recognise this power
and his dependence upon it, may do no
more. Hence the practical inlidelity that
arises from the fact that zone event }, in
the affairs Of this life "cometn TO the
righteous and to the wicked" But in the
kingdom OF God there is nothing done
Without The recognition Of this power, and
tae results are not in accordance with the