The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-08-02
THE NEW COMnANDmENT.


In the seventeenth century, the minis
ter Of . retired parish in the Vale Of An'
worth, 90 the shores Of Galloway, Scot
land, was the celebrated Samuel Rnther.
tord-tbe great religious oracle OF the
Oovensnters aud their adhersnts. 1t was,
30 alEleaders Of bis letters will remember,
the spot which he most loved on earth
the very swallows and BparTows which
found their nest In the church OF AnWorth
were, when far away, the objects oil his
GffeCtiunate envy. lie hills and valleys
were Witnesses Of his ardent devotion
when liVipg-they still retain his memory
with unshaken fidelity, II Ia one Of the
traditions cherished On the spot, that on
q certain Saturday evening, at one Of these
family gatherings, whenCs, in the Ian.
gua9e Of the great Scottish poet, "Uld
SCotia's glory springs" when Ruther.
ford was Catechlzthg his children
and servants, q stranger knocked At the
door Of tue manss, like the young English
traveller In the romance which has gwen
fresh life to LhoEe hilla in our own day,
aud begged shelter Tor the night. The
minister kindly received him, but asked
him to take his place among The family
and assist at their religious exercises. Ii
30 CHANGED that the question in the cate,
Chism which came 10 the strangers turn,
WAS that which AXIS how many command.
ments are there, and no answered eleven.
"Eleven!" exclaimed Rutherford, ~ an
surprised that n person oil YOU eye and
appearance should not know netter.
What can you meanY" The stranger an'
swered: "a new commandment | give
unto You, that ye love one Rnother M |
have loved you, that ye also love one
another. By this shall oil men know that
ye are my disciples, II ye love one
another" Rutherford was much Impress.
ed by the snswer, and retired to resi-.
The next morning he Toge, according to
his wont, 10 mediate upon the services Ol
the day. The old mauEe ut Anworth
stood -its place la still pointed out in the
corner Of u green tield-under the hillside,
and themes d long, winding, wooded walk,
still called RutherioTd's Walk, leads to
the parish church. Through this glen he
was passing, and rs he threaded his way
through the thiCket ho heard among the
trees the voice Of the stranger at his morn.
ing devOtions. The elevation OF the sen
timenls aud Cf-ths expressions Of the
strangers prayer convinced Rutherford
that he could be no Common msa. He
pcCosted him, and then the traveller con.
t.sBed to him that he was no other than
the great divine aud scholar, Archbishop
Usher, the prinAte Of the Church Of Ire.
land-one OF the best and most learned
men OF his age, who well ful.
filled the new commandment in the love
which he won aud which he bore TO others
-one OF the few links OF Christian char.
~ between the fierce COntending parties
OF that age; devoted to King Charles |. In
his lifetime, and honored 10 bis grave by
the Protector Cromwell. He II WAS who,
attracted by Rntheriord's fame, had thus
come in disguise to see him In the privacy
Of his own home. The stern OoveDanter
gave welcome to the stranger prelste; side
by side they pursued their way rlong
Rutherlord'A Walk to the little church,. Of
which the ruins still rPmsin and in that
small Presbyterian sanctuary, from Ruth.
eriord's rustic pulpit the Archbishop
preached to the people oil Anworth from
the words which startled his host the
evening beiore-''A new commandment
give unto you, that ye love n another as
l have loved you that ye also love one
anDihar."