Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1878-01-30
Ben. Franklln's Idea,

| |
and published IN tho Southern Mtrar
Messenger Philadelphia, which
sound doctrine, aud will be as fresh {
our readers as anything we eau Ia
beiolc them -
PniLApRLrHIA, JUNE Cru, 1865,
DEAR sIai-l received your kin,
letter OF the End inst, and am glad Il
hear that you increase in strength
hope you will continue mcnding un
I'll you recover your former health an,
firmness, Let me know whether yoI
continue tho cold bath, the effect /
has. As to the Kindness you spoke OF
! wish 1t could have been of moro rea
service to you, that you would Away
be ready to serve any other person
that may need your assistance, and SC
let good offices go round, for, mankino
arc all of u family. For my own part
when am employed in serving others
| do not look upon myself as confer,
ing iayors, but as paying debts. In
my travels, and since my settlement,
| have received much kindness from
men, to whom ! shall never have an
opportunity Of making the least direct
return, and numberlcss mercies from
God, who is infinitely above beng
benefited by our services. For these
kindnesscs from mea, can therefore
only show my gratitude to God, by a
readiness tc. help his ether children
and my brethren for do not think
that thanks end compliments, though
repeated weekly, can discharge our
real obligations to each other and
much less to our Creator.
"lou Will see in this my notion of
good works that do not expect to
merit heaven by them. by heaven,
we understand state ofhappiness, in.
finite in degree, and eternal in dura-
ton we can do nothing to deserve
such a reward. lie, that, for giving a
draught OF water to thirsty person,
should expect to be paid with great
plantation, would bo modest in his de.
mands, compared with those who
think they deserve heaven for the lit.
tie good they do on earth. Even the
mixed imperfect pleasures, we enjoy in
this world, are rather from Gods
goodness than our merit, how much
more so the happiness Of heaven p
For my part, | have not the Ivanity to
hink | deserve it, the folly to expect
I, or the ambition to desire it; but
content myself in submitting to the
disposal of that God. who made me,
Who has hitherto preserved and blessed
ne, and in whose fatherly goodness, /
nay well confde, that he never will
make me miserable, and that the afflic.
ion | may at any time suffer, may
end 10 my benefit.
"The faith you mentioned has
oubtless its use in the world. l do
OF desire to see it diminished, nor
'ould desire to see it lessened it any
IAN but wish it were more produc-
we Of good works than / have seen s
mean real good works, works of
f kindness, charity, mercy, and pub
c spirit, no holiday keeping, sermon
earring, or reading, performing church v
ceremonies, or making long prayers, V
lied with fatterles and compliments, Il
espised even by wise men, and much '
IS capable OF pleasing the Deity. a
"The worship of God is duty, the a
arning and reading may be useful (; v
1t if man rest in hearing and pray II
g, las too many do,) it is as is the f'
ee value itself on being watered, and r'
ltting forth leaves, though it never u
oduced any fruit. q
"Our Good Master thought less of y,
ese outward appearances than many d.
his modern disciples. He preferred p,
e doers of his word to the hearers W
e son that seemingly refused to obey tn
J father, and yet performed his COM pl
andments, to him that protessed bis kl
adiness, but neglected his work.
le heretical, but charitable, and orth.
OK priest and sanctified Levite, and so
'se who gave food to TIE hungry, ">
nix to the thirsty, and raiment to an
, naked, entertainment to the stran- Gu
r, who never heard Of his name, he 20
,lares, shall, in the last day, be ac- I'm
,ted, when those who cry Lord E,
I'd who value themselves on their
tn though great enough to perform
racles, but have neglected good ha
rks, shall be neglected. He pro. bin
sed that, he came not to call the the