The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1873-05-02

WHICH FLOWS FROM THE CONSIDERATION o
CHRISTIAN TRUTH. If We are to labor six day
of the week in the routine of lifs's tolls, wha
shall we do on the othsrT Is it the highest oi
fee of this day to give rest to our wearie
bones and muscles? Are we then to noun
again the tread-mill Of labor, noways better
nobler men than before? Nsyl If our mind
are wearied by the six-days tramp in tn
rounds Of business-they are most ftly, mos
gratefully rested by being employed upon tn
high themes of religion, for mental reeupera
ton does not come Of mental leisure alone
but from change of subject. Let the hors
be content with a life made up of toll and resi-
Let men aspire to growing intellectual life
In general, it is wonderful what an amour
of mental discipline any sensible mind ma.
acquire by devoting even a short interval dai
ly between the hours of toil-to some substan
tial study. 1t is a pity, and worse than thi
that the multitudes do not persistively seel
this intellectual elevation. There are thost
who gain great intelligence by use of scraps o
time which others waste. In particular, thu
themes of christian faith diligently pursued
are especially fitted to impart strength and so
lidity, balance and Vigor to the mind. They
are themes which treat of those principles
most necessary to our excellence and our hap
piness. They are themes which speak of Goo
and heaven, and eternal life, high themes
broad themes, great subjects. Ali true earth
ly science is subsidiary to them. And they
are discussed in the christian sanctuary every
Lords Day. They are fitted to rest and re.
fresh the mind by pleasant change from the
topics Of business. They are fitted to educate
because they employ the mind upon high and
substantial principles. Just here 1 may be
excused for quoting to you the testimony of q
distinguished writer of our own country and
time. If the words are plain, they are yet
worth considering. He is christian, and can
speak from experience He is not minister,
and can not speak from clerical bias.
From DR.. Hollands Timothy TtComb's let
ter to "Benj. franklin Jones, Mechanic, con.
corning his habitual absence from church on
Sunday"
al tell you it is good thing for man to
wash his face clean, and put on his best
clothes, and walk to the house Of God on Sun
days, whether he believes in Christianity or
not. The church is place where at least,
good morals are ineulcated, and where the
vices Of the community are denounced. You
can afford TO stand by so much of the church,
and by doing 50, say: 'Here am / and here
are mine, with stake in the welfare of socie-
ty and an interest in the good morals of So
ciafv"
"Another reason why you should 60 to
church is that you need the intellectual nour-
ishment and stimulus which you can only get
there. The greatest amount of genuine
thinking done in the world is done by preach
erB. Among these men may be found
the finest minds which the age knows,
Among these men are many who are slow
stupid, if you insist upon it-but there is
not one in one-thousand Of them who does not
know more than you do. You can learn
something of them all, while some of them
possess more brains and more available intel
lectual power than you and all your relatives
combined. l tell you that l have re-
ceiged more intellectual nourishment and
stimulus from the pulpit than from all other
sources combined" "You cannot
afford to teach your children by words or
the pulpit are unworthy Of consideration for
their safety, their respectabiity, their prosper
ity, their happiness, all depend upon the adop-
tion and practice of Christian morale. Do yOH
teach them christian morals2 Arc you care
full to sit down on the Sabbath, or a. any 9TH
er time, and instruct them in those moralities
that are essential to the right and happy issue
of their lives?"
Thus much for the quotation. The churches
of Christ are careful in general to put into
their pulpits men who are well educated, and
qualified to impart sound, healthful instruc-
ton. The older colleges Of the land were
founded by christian people to educate minis
ters. Many men in other caIlings, men Of the
highest mental and moral discipline, find ex-
quisits delight and lofty culture from the
themes discussed in christian pulpits. No
man can afford to live without the influence Of
these truths upon his mind.
%. But of cour1e the highest reason found
in US for our attendance on the worship Of
God LIES IN THE SPIRITUAL INFLUENCE WHICH
THAT WORSHIP OUGHT TO EXERT UPON Us.
"Ought" to exert 1 say. For 1 know very
well that even steady church-going may de-
generate into mere worldly habit. Possibly
q man may go to church from motives OF
worldly ostentation. Or, possibly with senti-
msnts OF sslf-sufliciency in him, and so esteem
God his debtor for paying him that degree OF
attention. know that it is possible to go to
the church without earnsstness of spirit, SO
that the preachers voice becomes a mere lul-
laby which sings the mind to sleep, or sends il
of on some wild career of revery. know
that stores and farms, ledgers and stock ac-
counts, schemes of business and pleasure may
possibly come into the church-pew with mar
vellous psrtinacity, yet with deeorum. And
when the text is once read, these profane in.
truders may, and do beckon the heart away
from elOse-fitting truth, and take it off into
regions of worldly speculation. In such cases
Of course the one grand end of the gospel and
of worship is missed. Yet even so, the man
were better there than in total neglect of Wor-
ship. For some arrow OF truth is likely to lind
the Joints OF his harness and enter into his
soul. But most certainly do not counsel any
ono to this kind OF mental demeanor in the
house of God. Let the sOul-even of the un-
believer-be in earnest search for the truth 10
know"Whst man is TO believe concerning God,
and what duty God requires Of man." Let the
heart be all alive with the prayer of Moses
and OF David. "Show me thy thy ways, o
Lord, teach me- thy paths" This spirit of earn
est inquiry will surely find its reward and its
end. A young man beginning a course OF
study, can have but faint conception Of
what that course completed shall make him.
But he may very reasonably understand that
the path will conduct him to something far
above and beyond what he is now. So he
wisely commits himself to the care of instrue.
earnest soul, sensible of spiritual needs, sensi-
bic, most of all of the need OF a deeper inter
est in spiritual knowledge and experience,
may gain the good desired HoW' By sub
mitting itself to the steady pressure Of gospel
truth. By opening mind snd heart to this
constant influence. The fruit of sincere,
earnest attendance On public worship, will az
pear in an honest eodly life, and in the
moulding OF the character into forms of vir-
tue, loveliness and peaceful hope. The
gospel is collected by Paul. Goods grace
salvation bearing 10 ALL" Cnnceiving it
this, it ought 10 be reiOiced in.
That christian people have so little of the
'joy unspeakabIe and full of glory" is owing
partly to their deep sense of unworthiness,
and partly to an imperfect realization of the
all-suiiiciency of Christ as their complete Sa-
Viour. And yet notwithstanding all his com
plants the hoReat christian will tell you that