The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1870-03-16

green pastures, the most fragrant flowers,
the sweetest forests and the fairest prospects.
Equally false is the view which assigns to
election, predestination and moral inability
any effects that tend to impair Christian
watchfulness, earnest prayer and energetic
labor, or to couAteract sympathy among be-
levers. In the following passage, as in
many others, our noted exponent of these
doctrines gives all the prominence to hu-
man effort that any can desire; and as II
esteeming himself babe in Christ, takes
the hand of every feeble disciple with the
tenderest overtures of loving heart, and
becomes the brother of our souls in the daily
struggles of the Christian life which are
common to us all. He condescends to men
of low estate, as being himself in the body,
and groaning and crawling under the burden
of those temptations which aflict the weak
est believer. His words are perfectly adapt
ed to encourage the most difident of all the
true children of God. He says:
SSSince nc man in tnis' terrestrial and cor
poreal prison has strength sufficient to press
forward in his course with due degree of
alacrity, and the majority are oppressed with
such great debility, that they stagger and
halt, and even creep on the ground, and so
make very inconsiderable advances-let us
every one proceed according to our small
ability, and prosecute the journey we have
begun. No man will be so unhappy, but
that he may every day make &me progress,
however small. Therefore, let US not cease
to strive, that we may be incessantly ad-
vaucing in the way of the Lord; nor let us
despair on account of the smallness of our
success; for however our success may not
correspond to our wishes, yet our labor is
not lost when this day surpasses the preced-
ing one provided that with sincere simplici-
ty we keep our end in view, and press for
ward to the good, not practising self adula-
ton, nor indulging our own evil propensi-
ties, but perpetually exciting our endeavors
after new degrees of amelioration. Thus
we shall arrive at perfection of goodness,
which, indeed, We seek and pursue as long
as we live, and shall then attain, when, di-
vested of all corporeal infrmity, we shall be
admitted by God into complete communion
with Him."
For Christian consolation let US lay our
foundation in the depths of Christian doc
trine. 1t is to be feared that many of the
books so freely written, and SO eagerly
sought as the daily companions of modern
believers, and as their aids to devotion are
too superficial to make strong saints, 'nour-
ished up in the words of faith and of good
doctrine" They are too much mere ''milk
for babes rhapsody, platitudes, and prom
ises displayed more by pretty letters and
colored printed ink than by their connection
with knowledge and duty. The sincere milk
OF Lu6 NUTu, MulCu 10 tu0 pSoU 1OOo Iva 'iAN
youngest as we'll as for them of full age, is
drawn out by that deep study, earnest
prayer, and close converse with our own
hearts which characterizes the old divines of
prosecuted age, and the steady healthy
hearers who fed upon their discOurses which
are now too seldom read. We are passing
through trials which ought, it would seem,
to drive Christians deeper after the hid trea-
sure of soul satisfying experience. Shall
we require yet severer chastiSement before
we seek the old paths, and more earnestly
contend for the faith once delivered to the
saints. and more cordially delight ourselves
in the God revealed in the Scriptures?
A COUNTRY PASTOR.