South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1880-05-14

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6nd space for them in your columns. and
That they may quicken our interest and
zeal in behalf of the nations .sthat know
not God" Very truly yours.
90. w. FINLEY.
"REv. & DEAR Srr;-I wa. ono Of
those VINO composed the congregation to
winch you preached. on the subject of
Foreign Missions. on Sunday mornir g
the End Of May. The sermon intere sted
me much and enlisted the attention of
both mind aud heart. This interest will
be readily accounted for, when it is un-
derstood that / have travelled conside.
rab!y among hoathen people. and have
also lived among them, in several differ
ent places, quite long enough TO enable
me to compare and know the very great
advantages to be derived by such people
from knowledge Of the Gospel of Christ.
have been witness to the power of that
Gospel not only to control and overcome
naturally deprayed tendencies. but to
change entirely the disposition and char.
acter Of men.
| Rejecting, after your sermon was con.
Guided, l could but remark the won der
full difference between the mere outward
life-thst which appeals to the senses
only-of the people in this land ,-with
the light from Christ constantly shin ing
upon them,-and the life of those be
nighted heather. s,
BY nature they are just like us-with
hearts that answer precisely to ours
Abilities, too, some 81 tlem have, quite
equal naturally to ours. have stoo d
with educated Typographical and Civil
Engineers of enlightened Christian ma =.
tions, and We have: gazed with wonder
upon some Of the works made for the
public benefit by heather worshippers of
the Sun. They have, too. among some
of them, many OF the kindly natural
traits which we so much admire and com
mend in our own peoples Bat beyond
thi. how dark and deptorable their state !
They are continually Impressed with u
consciousness that they have offended
their gotls-for they have mtny gods -
yet do not know ny swhnt means they
can make amends. They strive to do
this but in such ways as only adds to
the darkness of their minds and the
misery of their lives. What can they
learn from such gods as. they make to
themselves of wood. stone, clay. &C., &C.,
&c What light does the worship of
such gods throw upon tho darl<sproblems
of life and deaths What consolation in
the hours of sorrow--what hope in death
| of one 70 comfort and to bless P-and
what prospect for eternity do they pos
sess? Only the dimmest guesses.-
Compare such worshils in It's effects with
| that of the one trueand living God, not
| created nor made, whoiis Ia holy heav
en-. hearkening to all who appeal to Him
in the name of His Son and their Re .
| deemcr. That tends to rivet the spirit
ual III mAu to the things of sense ;-Mis
to elevate above and beyond the senses,
and to fill the soul with hopeful aspi-
| rations. ~,
And their Gscs show this in the APP
palling prevalence Of vice ami crime, and
in the degraded and degrading customs
under which they five.
l thoughtif those who form your con :.
gregation, favored as they are. could but
| be made to realize the ne-half of what
| know, rs positive realities, eristing noto 4,
| their sympathies would be- enlisted in
behalf of these poor heathen-yes, even
though the saving love of God did not
dwell in their. hearts, they could appre.
ciate the advantages of this blessed Cos
pei upon their outward lives and wish to
share them with the heather.
Can we do less than to seek to help
them hope the grace OF God will
dispose us to DO all we can for the sake
of enlightening these deluded idol-wor-
shippers. Very truly yours"
Mr.. HARPER The last Keyser Tri-
bune contains a long and well-written
communication, under the signature of
Il. V. N, 1--WE suppose an old friend and
former citizen OF R,muey,) in advocacy
of Railway from Keyser to the South,
looking to developement of the great
Mineral and Timber Resources or the
| Alleohanips We should be Glad To 400