The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1868-03-13
SUNDAY READING,

Christ is, as his apostle was. He
makes heaven 'all things to all men,
that he might gain ALL TO the man
that loves true pleasure and gladness
he presents it as all joy, and to the like
ambitious man, as all glory; to the mer
chantmen it is made all things, that
they might come all thither to him.
What are allowable amuscments?
Such recreations, and such alone, as
may, in some degree, assist our facul-
ties of mind and body to perform that
great work for which they were united
and placed in this probationary world.
No amusements are allowable which
produce WEAKNESS of body OF lassitude
of mind, which lndispose us for serious
thought or feeling which keep us
cold and indliiercntre respecting wisdom
and virtue which break down the bar
riers between us and the vices and folllcs
ofthe world, or which leave behind them
a disrelish for the close inspection of our
hearts, and for devotional intercourse
with our God. e.# u,- .. tr
Let it, ever be remembered that he
who has really found the mean between
the two extremes will and must be reck-
oned enthusiastic by those who are
in the extreme of coldness. You can,
easily conceive that, when any one
stands in middle point between two
Others, who are, with respect to him
strictly equi distant, he must, from the
inevitable laws of perspective, appear
to both to be, not in the middle, but
comparatively near the opposite party.
He must therefore make up his mind to
be censured on both sides; by the en-
thusiastic, as cold; by those who are
cold, as enthusiastic. ,..-.~
That mind which is not touched with
an inward sense of the divine wisdom,
cannot estimate the true worth OF it
but when wisdom once displays its own
excellencies and glories in purified
soul, it is entertained then with the
greatest love and delight, and receives
its own image reflected back to itsell
in sweetest returns in love and praise.
Examine, when you mix with the
world, if duty calls you if it is for the
good of men and the glory of God, If it
is His work you are going to do Look
up, and you find it was so with your
Master. IfIIe manifested himself in
village of Jewry, it was to do the work
of His Father if at marriage, it was
to show His power ard to command au-
thorlty to His doctrine fiat a house of
a publican, it was to save a child of
Abraham if at Jerusalem on a feast
day, ,itwas to purge the temple.
Earth has nothing equal to the wretch
edness of her whom the Scripture terms
the '.strange," !" the" "evil woman" The
loss Of youthful innocense, the wreck OF
early hope, the abandonment of holy
principles, the words and thoughts and
deeds of shame. inward remorse rack
ing the heart, and outward disease un-
dermining the frame--these are the be-
aiming of sorro,o; but the end is not yet.
o! the sweet spirit of our blessed Sa-
viour How readily He entertains re-
turning sinner! how graciously re-
peats and dwclls upon every passage of
their conversion, exalting each little
circumstances with rare industrious
eloquence, and closing all with free
and general pardon. ''Many sins are
forgiven her, because she loved much. '
% ! the strange efficacy of perfect love !
1t instantly changes the most vicious
life into course of heroic virtue it in
stantly turns the wrath of God into
peace and JOY, and everlasting mercies.
And many sins are forgiven it, the more
it loues. HHE 4
The glory of the Lord appears in that
cloud which is upon the penitent, sad
heart. When it is drenched in tears,
the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, doth
emove on those waters, and breathes
life and salvation into them and He,
who is the JUNCTION, pours into those
wounds of the spirit, and we are never
nearer Heaven than when We are thus
PROSTATE in the lowest dust and when
our "belly cleaveth ulto the ground"
In humble penitencea then we are at
the very throne OF gzace. f48 I
The seven deadly sins of the accurs-
ed nations. Deut. vii, l. Preserve me,
o God, from the pride of the Amorite,
the envy of the Hittite, the wrath OF
the Perizzite, the gluttony of the Cir
gashite, the wantoness of the Jebusite !;
and grant me, in their stead, humility
and charity, patience and temperance,
charity and contentedness, with spir-
itual zeal. rf...
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