Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1881-09-14
The New Commandment.

III the seventeenth Ccntnry, the minister
of n retired parish in the Vale Of Anworih,
on the shores Of Galloway, scotland. was
! the celebrated Samurl Ruthcrford-thr
/ great religious oracle of the Covrnanters
! and their adhcrenis. II was, rs all readers
OF his letters will remember. the spot which
hc most loved on carth-ihc very swallows
and SPARROW. which fourd their nests IN the
! church Of Anwurth were, vixen far away,
the objects of his aitcctinuatr envy Its
hills and valleys were witnesses of his ar
dent devotion when liviug-thry retain
his memory With mistaken fidelity. II j.
oHr of tie traditions cherished on The spot
that "n certain saturday rv,uiug, a; "ur
of those family gatherings, whence, IN thu
language of the great scottish poet, "Old
Scotia'~ glory springs" Whom Rutherford
was ratrrhizing has cAi!"IeH and ,,.f, wants.
u stranger kuoch,d at the door of the
man-r, like the l"uug English Traveller IN
the romance which has given fresh life to
those hills in unr own day, and begged
shelter for the night. The minister kindly
received him. but asked him to take his
place among the family aud assist
AZ their religious exercises. II 50 CHANGED
that the question III the caterhism which
came To the strangers turn was that which
asks how many commandments are there,
aid he answered eleven. Eleven" rx-
claimed Rutherford; Il am surprised that
person of Your age and appearance
should not know better. What cnn Suu
meant The stranger answered: "A new
commandment | Civ" unto you, that We
love one another ~ | have lowed yoH, that
We also love one another. By this shall all
men know that ye are my disciples, if We
love one another" Rutherford WAS much
impressed by the answer, aud retired to
rest.
Tho next morning h. rose. according to
his wont, to mediate npon the services Of
the day. The old manse Of Anworih stood
its place is still pointed ont in the cor.
ner of u green field und'r the hillside. and
thence IA long, winding, wooded walk. still
called Rutherford'- Walk. leads TO the
parish church. Through this glen he was
passing and, ~ he threaded his way through
the thicket, he heard among the trees
the voice Of the stanger at his morning de-
votions. The elevation of the sentiments
and Of the expressions of the strangers
prayer convinced Rutherford thar lie could
be no common man. He accosied him.
and then the traveller confessed To him
that he was no other than the great divine
| and scholar, Archbishop Usher, the pri-
mate Of tue Church Of Irrland-one Of the
best and most learned men of his age, who
we'll fulfilled the new commandment in the
love which he won and whcb he bore to
others-one Of the few links Of Christian
charity between the fierce coutending par
ties Of that age; devoted to King Charles |.
in his lifetime, and honorcd in hrs grave by
the Protector Cromwell. He it WAS who,
attracted by RHtherford's fame, had thus
come in dirgui-e to see him in the privacy
Of his own home. The stern Covenanter
gave welcome to the stranger prelat-; side
by side they pursued their way along
Rntherfori's Walk 10 the little church, Of
which the rims still remain; and in that
small Presbyterian sanctuary, fom Ruth
erford's rustic pnipit, the Archbishop
preached to the people Of Anwerth from
the words which startled bis bosr>on the
evening b. fore: "A new commandment I
| have loved you; that ye also should love
! one another. "-De~s ssssk