The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-11-28
/ thorIa.iye. There Is a general impression

~
thoritative. There Is d general impression
that SDft 81 saYff s1fHts beeHeeHsftt
law and the gospel. i There sss at least TIT
underlined thought that the law Is all seYeri
| ~ and hardness, and that The gospel Is ex
act)y the opposite, as an expression OF grace
mercy, and love-that the law seeks 10 ge
possession of sonlstoi punish them, and tln
| the gospel contends agains, the law and
| seeks souls to bless aud to save them. AL
| this Is butta misceptien Of the truth. II 4
not true that the law is oil severity, but 1t |,
as truly and fully an expression of Divine
| beneficence, and Is rs really as adapted tt
secure that end as Is the gospel itself. Nor
is It true that the gospel is only an expires
sion OF mercy and love. but It Is In one view
ut least, as severe az the law. There Is nc
conflict, but perfect harmony between The
two. 49,
We desire to sho,c ho,p the Lao and Cos
pei conseat--dccclop perfect unity-eaci
establishing the other. '=s.5 To-
Nature and purpose of laT 1t Is an as
sertion Of Gods supreme authority TO the
universe. Gives Gods will. The law ol
God is in no sense an expression Of arbitrary
or capricious authority. 1t IS the very last
statement of truth in regard to moral rela,
tons. Its very last analysis Is to love God
With all the heart, mind, soul, and strength,
and thy neighbor as myself. This analysis
is given by Christ himself, and not by Moses
for the Master says, Son these two com.
mandments hang all the law and the pro.
phets." One table Of the law containing the
first four commandments is the expression Of
our duty towards God. The other table
containing the remaining six is an express
sion Of our duty 10 our neighbors. Thus
we see this last analysis given By the Son OF
God is the statement Of ultimate truth in re.
gard to moral relations. /
Some time ago he met with young man
taking shelter from rain.storm. This young
man had been converted under the ministry
of George w. Carter, and for seven years
was member of the Methodist Church, but
he said that the law requiring one to love his
ncighbor as himself was dream, Utopian in
its nature, and that he broke down under
the requirement, and abandoned his profess
sion of faith ia God. But, said he, suppose
all did so, would not complete purity and
happiness be realized throughout the orld :
He admitted that it would. Now this isjust
what the law of God demands.
The law postulateS the ultimate truth in
regard to Divine relations. The law is an
| utterance Of the moral nature Of God Him.
self! Mr.. Wesley said law was transcript
of the Divine mind. 1t is the last achieve
| ment of faith to comprehend the distant
uebuls that God is love. 1t solves the pro.
| blem Of the relation of the individual liberty
| to the public welfare. Human legislation In
all the multiplicity of its operations has ut.
| terly failed to solve this problem. 1t results.
first, in the longest possible liberty to the in.
dividual, and second, in the perfect safety OF
the public good. Perfect love dispenses all
| the difficulties and perpleXities OF life. Who
would ever think of enacting law fol
regulating mothers conduct towards her
children, knowing them to be enthrOned in
her loving heart? Her very love is itsel
the guarantee and pledge of her fidelity
Seltishness is at the root Of all the restraints
that have to be made on personal liberty. II
is the fruit of human depravity.
Love is the condition of life for all unfaler
| iutelligences. In the popular sense it Is,
This do, and thou shalt live" FURNISHES
the only condition in which spiritual life is
realiZed-the only condition Of character
in which life is realized. Wherever the law
rules and reigns, there is life. Example
! All the malignant passions bring torment,
break all the unity in mans mind and heart
1
are expressions Of inward peace and JOY. IL
is that subjective condition OF mind ano
| heart, desire and conscience, will and all hi:
moral attributes, which is 10 harmony with
all that is good and molly in the universe
| Seltishness defeats itself, aud unselashnes:
achieves the highest aspirations OF God-al
lowed seIf.love. The selfish man enjoys only
| his own acquisitions and achievements; bu
| only let man love his neighbor as himself
and he has the key that unlocks all the trea
sures of the universe of God. Some time
| ago he visited an old Christian lady sitting
| quietly in her chimney-cOrner knitting,
| and related to her some distinctions. anC
achievements won by her son, of which she
bad not heard, and transport of delight H.
Illuminated her face, and she really enjoyed
| in her heart his success more than any inter
est of her own. And would it not be Away:
and everywhere so, if we only thus loyeo
| everybody?
| His views of the heavenly state have beer
greatly modified in the last few years. HI
| once enjoyed its semi-Sensuous descriptions
| in Revelations still enjoys them. He is mo-
| Indifferent to that fountain of life that flows
| from the throne Of God; not Indifferent tc
| that beautiful city whose street is of GOLD
and whose gates are of pearl; not indiferen
| to that melody awakened by angel voices, anC
which reyerberates through the vaults Of
heaven, pouring it's rapturous music into the
ear of God himself. But thiS-this is chic
with him. "Beloved now are we the sons
of God, and it doth not yet appear what we
shall be; but we know that when He shall
| appear we shall be like Him, for we shall see
Him as Heis." To every one He would say il
is more important--far more important
,ohat ,ce are than achere zoe are. Speaking
| in the first person, he says: 81 declare to
you, as the result of my profoundest conYie.
| ton, do believe if ever getto heaven
shall own all angels, thrones, and beings
| Honor, and praise, and glory to God, who
| hath endowed me with all the infinite trea.
sures contained in love. Lovel love! love
solves the problem. I had liked to have
yentured, I shall own God himself =
No infinitesimal division there. 81 shall
own you and you shall own me-" Exam
Die: Here is man alone in the world-no
human being to whom he is particularly re-
lated. He is prosperous in business, and
makes fortune of $2,000,000. OF what
value is it? OF none whatever beyond the
range of his own wants, desires, and pur.
poses. But now let wife and children come
in to share it with him, is its value dimin-
isbed because there are more to enjoy 1t
Not at all; but the value of every dollar is
positively enhanced by the tenure of love
he only lasting possession. Banks, stocks,
and earthly securities are things far from
you, and liable to accident; but love has
ever conscious property and enjoyment.
TIE LAW is ordained to life-life supreme
in law-the very life that overfiows from
God on all His creatures in the fullness of
Divine love, is administered under the law