Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1869-10-12

| ton and scan it with a heart unmoved by feel
| ings that are sad ? To-day, as we face it fo
the last time, its minister, and feel the fooc
of memories coming in to the soul full anC
| strong, can We stand here glad of heart be-
cause, of those who hear, none are stranger:
to hope and to God No, friends! Here i!
the man upon whom time has written its re-
cord and life its cares, but che knoweth not. :
Right before the great future is be standing
and yet has no mark upon his brow to meet
the wanderers eye, as he passes to the gates ol
| death. And here is the man of vigor and
here is the youth, and the mother, and the
maiden, and they have each one soul uu'
saved, and are to-day exposed to the AL
mighty's wrath, Weak are we? Weak we
are. friends, and weak have we been. Some
have triumphed over US. Proof against our
weapons have you been. Assaulted at your
reason, at your hearts, at your interests you
have made manful battle, and may to-day
sing your peean over victory won. What
though We have made common cause with the
spirit of evil; what though ye have rendered
more fearful the peril which hangs around the
soul, the conflict with the truth has been
managed well, and the soldier of Jesus goes
to his post, with the confession: weak, weak !!
Will you rejoice over him? Will you cast
the same in his teeth and say-"Yes, so would
we have it 2" Friends, he bids you farewell
with no humble pride. The feeling of his
heart is grief; sorrow comes over him as he
shcathes his sword, and for you more than for
himself is he constrained to lament-"Who
hath believed our report and to whom hath
the arm of the Lord been revealed His
Judgment with the Lord and his work with
his God" he passes hence, and yet ere the
act is over and the voice silenced for this
place, it may be forever, his yearning heart
would plead again the invitation of grace, and
these dear sonls be pointed to the Lamb Of
God which taketh away the sin of the world.
Oh sinner immortal, on Calvary did God
prove to you His love, and in view of the
great sacrifice do we beseech you to be recon-
ciled to Him. Jesus invites you, invites you
to, ~. With precious freeuess does he bid
us proclaim the full salvation: "lo every
one that thirsteth Come and he that hath
no money come; yea, come and buy wine
and milk, without money and without price"
"And ifye will enquire, enquire ye: Return,
comc"-come to-day, and add other seals to
those already given us of God.
was with you" said Paul, sin tear" In fear !
WHY his spirit seemed to be far removed from
Mat, and yet he owns it-confesscs, and even
declares that he had lived in it. Brethren,
it is written Ills the cringer to his equal,
who is boldest towards his God )" and the
sentiment implied, is, that one who fears God
may know not the fear of man, and we know
it to be so. Pety, is The fear Of God, under
one definition, and they who are under this
fear, may, because of it, know little or nothing
of the fear. Not indeed the deeper tho piety,
the greater the dread-the more constant the
trembling; but the more vivid the sense of
the Creators holiness and of the deep degra-
dution Of the heart which he has deigncd to
bless. Aud so also the more pressing the
needs of those who are strangers to grace, the
clearer the PERCEPTION of ministerial response
biIity and the stronger the anxiety about its
full discharge. The idea is this Paul felt
the momentous nature of his work-his own
part in the grand scheme of life, and with
the eye of faith saw the future-the judg-
ment and all the interests beyond, and these,
as connected with the success of that gospel
which he had in charge and he was moved.
Within him mixed emotions-he was in fear
And who will condemn us if we lay claim
to a portion of this spirit OF that thing
discarded, removed from the elements of the
Apostles character-the fear of man-it be-
comes us not to speak. we believe that we
have been faithful; that we have spared
nothing deemed unworthy of a Christian, and
for the sake of no mans favor failed TO preach
ANYTHING allowed to the boldest ministry
In Pauls place we have never been. No
sursing mob has cried out, Away with him |!
away with aim 1t is not fit that he should
liye!" Against pride, prejudice, and power
we have had no call to contend. Tho prison,
the Chain, the sword, the stake-these have
never faced US, and SO to boast of courage
would be but the towards part after all. No,
friends it is not for us to claim the Apos
ties need. But to say that we have been
with you in fear is not unmdny, neither is
it wrong. Every minister ought to fear-to
fear God, to be very anxious about his work,
about the discharge of it, and about those
poor souls that hear and yet fail to do. Great
things are committed to US. We have men>
tai difficulties to meet; We have scruples OF
conscience to satisfy; we have opponents to
reiute; in q word, we are set for the defence
of the Gospel as we'll as for its proclamation,
and are to advocate it with wisdom, as we'll as
with zeal Surely, then, if an inspired man,
this same Apostle, said, "Who is sufficient for
these things 7" we, who are neither like him
nor inspired, may fear of failure. And, breth-
rem, while to day my heart is ried-tried be-
cause of the sundering of the ties which bind
souls afast, the one to the other; and find
it task to stand here, feeling that shall
know you no more as my people, and receive
no more of that grateful sympathy which is
dear to every pastors heart; yet 1 speak to
myself in alleviating spirit and say, yes, L
must go hence" but as go, and when the
great obligation is unloosed, and less responsl-
bility is ordered for me by my God, l accept
the decree and feel that it is good.
III. But here is another word was with
you, said Paul, not only in fear, but in ''much
trembling" The trembling came from the
fear, we may suppose, and SO the words are
but stronger statement of the same intent.
And what a picture does the confession pre-
sent, and how forcibly does it reveal the mo-
mentous nature of that calling, of which the
preacher is a part! Paul did tremble IN