davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1883-03-21
Probation Now.

Immediate, total, and affectionate self
surrender of the soul to God is demanded
of all responsible human beings every in
slant by conscience, which is the voice of
God. Postponement of obedience is dis
obedience. All delay of SURF ender to
God is rebellion against God The d.
vine summons is ihcessant, and refusal to
obey it is nothing less than incessant re-
bellion. Thousands and millions of times
in single week, or, it may be, in sin
gle day, the divine voice within the soul
whispers, Thou oughtest, and the soul
answers, " l will not" Choices are as
multitudinous and as instantaneous as
thought; but the thoughts Of single
day no man can number, and yet con
science Judges every choice, and all the
secrets of the thoughts of the heart. A
continuous evil predominant choice i'm
plies a continuous series OF subsidiary
evil choices and so the evil choices Of
an evil man succeed each other with the
rapidity of thought 1t is the repetition
Of actions that makes them habitual
Repetition is the hammer which FORCES
the chains of habit, and our own free
choices WELD the hammer. The supreme
word Of reason, therefore, speaking in the
name of practical wisdom, is No1O. The
supreme word of conscience, speaking in
the name of Eternal Right, is WoaU. The
supreme word of the scientific school and
of the Scriptural school in theology is
Today The supreme word of the siren
school Of every form of false liberalism is
Tomorrow, more convenient season, or
possibly, the intermediate state. Inces-
SAINT repetition OF rebellious resolves in
response to incessant solicitations from
the divine voice of conscience must ulti-
mately, under natural law, fix character
in the sense Of making its moral state
permanent
1t is, however, my special Office here
to insist on the relations Of religious truth
to natural law; and therefore, / empha-
size the fact that he who is necessarily
saying, 81 will not, while the divine
voice says, Thou oughtest, is fixing his
character under those mighty natural
laws by which habit propagates itself,
and by which SHINING against light blinds
us to the very illumination needed to
rectify our condition Hold unAinching-
ly to the first truths, the fundamental
primary religious verities, that similarity
of feeling with God is necessary to peace
in His presence, and that the longer we
live in dissimiIarity Of feeling with Him,
the longer we are likely to do so.-JoS.
Cook.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1883-03-21

earth, as well as through His death, that
He obtained eternal redemption for us. y
One of the ordinances of the old Jewish
law, which appears to have been specially
intended by God to pre6gure Christ's re-
lation to us, as our Redeemer, was the
redemption of lost estate by the next
of kin. So to redeem us, our Lord Jesus
took not on Him the nature of angels,
but the seed Of Abraham" He was
made like unto us, yet with the nature
of God behind and underneath the human
to give sufficient value to His oblation.
Near of kin to us None other can come
so near to each one of us, as He, in the
many -sidedness of His complete hu-
mainly. His love and sympathy can
reach to us as individuals, for they are
grated upon infnitude, and are at once,
human and divine. IRIS.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1883-03-21
Our High Priest.

Christ is within the vail as our High
Priest.
The Office of the High Priest was three
fold.
l. To present the people before God
free of judgment.
This is the work of Jesus now. He is
there to present us, as it is written,
" faultless before the presence of His
glory with exceeding joy" Jude "a.
2. To intercede.
Not for aliens, but for the common
wealth of Israel So Jesus intercedes
not for the world, but the household of
faith, the Sons of God, the divine family
intercedes for us not as rebels, but as
children who sometimes err through the
weakness of the flesh. He says unto the
Father, they are thy children: 1 come
to plead for them as such forgive them,
for when l died, died to cancel all their
guilt and make them thine
Thus, God looks on them through the
intercession, as Father and not as a
Judge.
3. To advocate claims.
1t was through the priest that Israel
presented their worship to the Lord and
sought his blessing. So, through Jesus
Christ must ascend our prayers and our
worship. Through him, up there within
the vail, must we present our hearts de-
SIRE He says, ono man cometh unto the
Father but by me-
But more, he does not wait for us to
ask He knows our wants and advocates
them even before we know or can express
IT, L. II
faith, and did not know it, but the Lord
knew and prayed for him that his faith
might not fail. So with us; blessings
come to us and we wonder. We need not
up there within the vail is one who loves
us, who has walked through all the way
of trial in which we go, knows our needs;
feels for us; can e, IN yet drop the sym
pathizing tear, and in the power of his
redemption-merit, eivocates our cause,
and sees that angel-messengers come
freighted from celestial heights, to help
and bless us. When the High Priest
entered within the vail, the people waited
outside for his return then having con-
fessed the sin upon the head of the live
goat, the animal was led away into the
wilderness to die. Then all the people
in silence faced about and waited till the
man should come back the second time,
without the sin offering. Jesus, our
High Priest, has been led forth to the
land not inhabited. To the land of
death and darkness. But he has risen
within the vail, and we wait for him to
come forth the second time, not as sin
bearer, but as our resurrection and our
lifo WharafOra - &C. Nur;4Eap
$50 Christ was once 7fered TO bear
many and
look Tor him shall be abp,-.4 =,
time without sin, unto salvation Heb
TX: %.
Let us therefore learn that our place of
tOorShip is within the vail. Our aOaIk out
side the camp, bearing his reproach.
Rev. l. ". HaLdemaan.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1883-03-21
IF I Had Known.

Not long since we met lady whose
sad face told the story of great mental
suffering. Entering into conversation
with her, we found her bowed down
beneath the weight of sorrow from
which there seemed to be no relief. She
said;
1.-The Lord has laid his hand heavily
upon me. He has taken from me the
light of my eyes and the staff of my old
age"
And then, in few words, she told Of
the death Of son, promising lad, after
an illness Of only a few hours, and con-
Guided by saying
ooh, if l had only known he might
die, how differently / would have trained
him He received no religious education.
| have been so absorbed in gaining the
meat that perisheth that I have neglect
ed the more important eternal things.
Oh, if l had only known T.
This experience speaks for itself. We
need add but word of warning to all
who have in their hands the training and
welfare of young, immortal souls. Oh,
see to it, dear friends, that your children
are early taught the way Of life through
Jesus, the only Saviour. Seek first the
riches of that kingdom above for yourself
and them, and God will provide for the
meaner things of this earthly life.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1883-03-21
For the Central Presbyterian.
Our Redeemer.

A redeemer is one who buys again,
and the name conveys the idea of the
ownership, restoration, rescue Of the re-
deemed. 1t implies a former claim, a
bondage and doom, a winning back
again. The history of man in his rela-
tions to Cod discloses just these facts
Made and kept in being, moment by mo-
ment, by the power of God, he rightfully
belonged to Him to whom he owed
everything; but yielding to the entice
ments of the prince of evil, he became the
prey Of sin and death and hell. The
curse of the broken law held him in fet-
tiers. But who is this that cometh from
Edom with dyed garments from Bozrah
this that is glorious in His apparel,
travelling in the greatness of His
strength l that speak in righteousness,
mighty to save" lisa. xiii: ~ Jesus
Christ, the Goldman cane into the
world, and paid what was due to the
law to the uttermost farthing He met
and conquered the adversary of souls,
and babe sin and death and hell unloose
their hold. He brought in His hand a
ransom of infinite value, and bought
back His own again with His blood.
Inc LIE OF the desh IS IN tne DloOd ana
have given it to you upon the altar to
make an atonement for your souls had
been Gods reiterated lesson Of old to
His people. The blood then is valuable,
because it signifies life laid down, and
is the uttermost expression Of a sacrifice
for others. Bought and bought with
blood let us write the thought on our
Utmost hearts, till those red drops that
show the intensity Of Christ's love be-
came unto us baptism Of conservation.
To conceive rightly of our redemption,
we should remember that ere the life
could be laid down, it had to be assumed
for US. It was not as though our Lord
Jesus had the price all ready to be paid,
drawn out Of treasury Of untold abund-
ance. He had to earn it, to work it out
through all the stages of humanity from
babyhood to manhood, ere He could offer
to justice a perfect life in the nature
which had sinned And in doing this,
He held out to the law, double offering;
His righteousness as well as His suffer
ing, that thus not only should He die in
stead of us. but we should live through
His life. 1t was through His life on
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1883-03-21
Living in Hope.

What hope? The hope Of perfect re-
semblance to Christ in heaven But let
us remember that this is awarded only
to such as delight in spiritual things here.
" Every man that hath this hope in him
purifeth himself even as he is pure"
This is the day Of his appearing. He
invites us to look unto him. Obeying
him, we become like him in as real a
sense as are the glorifed in his immedi-
ate presence. We are now the sons Of
God, " though the future completeness Of
moral conformity battles our power Of
conception Still, the resemblance be-
gins here and from glory to glory,
even as by the Spirit Of the Lord, we
advance in likeness TO him.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1883-03-21
A Song in the Night.

Lying awake in the night towards
morning my mind became occupied
with proposed financial scheme of much
practical impol lance to me. | turned
first on this side and then on that, re-
volving at the same time the scheme and
placing it in different lights ANNOYED
and perplexed, anxious and discouraged,
it seemed as if there was no way of de-
termining the matter, or of arriving at a
conclusion concerning it, nor could it be
driven from the mind. | had about de-
cided to get up and endeavor to figure
out the problem upon paper, when l
heard the sound of rich, sweet voices
singing. Stopping to listen, found that
the tune was one with which | was only
partially familiar, and yet in which was
able easily to Join. The theme was that
blessed one OF the heavenly rest into
which our forerunner has entered, and
which is to be the home of all those who
are in Him. Sweet was the melody,
precious and metrical were the words,
yet cannot now recall them accurately,
and it was with much comfort and salts
faction that l found myself taking part
in the song Presently the voice ceased,
and from the atmosphere of praise and
prayer l found myself recurring to the
subject, which occupied my thoughts be-
tore the interrupt'on-but without anxi-
ETY., and undisturbed. The dream, if
such it was, had brought comfort, had
shown me portion of an inheritance
which cannot fade, of a peace which can
know no disturbance, and the song in the
night had indeed been time of refresh
ing. How many are the ways in which
our covenant God strengthens and sup
ports His people, and how confidently
may we look up to Him and be satisfied
Episcopal Recorder.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1883-03-21

OUR STANDING.-If there is no vail
between the Father and the Son in
glory, how can there be any between the
Father and those who are IN the Son
AS He is, go are they. His righteous
ness is their priestly vesture. He is the
Holiness unto the Lord" inscribed upon
their frontlet. His promises are the
golden bells that vibrate about their gar
ments as they enter in unto God. Blessed
are they who know their privilege in
Him. Thrice blessed they who faithfully
use it; daily "puttimg on the royal ap-
pareI and standing IN the inner court of
the R1ng's house" assured of the out
stretched sceptre and the gracious
promise, "What is thy petition and it
shall be granted thee and what is thy
request? it shall be performed" "A. j.
Gordon.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1883-03-21
CHOICE LITERATURE for March has been u,

CHOICE LITERATURE for March has been %
ceived. Contents
Gsmbetta, by a French follower, also By
German The Art Of Rosetti The House Of
Lords; Mexico, and her Railroads Charity n
the Early Church Thomas Carlyle; A Woua-
tain Tulip A Lesson in Democracy Poets ari
Nightingales The Hill Tribes of Burmah Faust
as a Puppet Hero.
Terms 81 per year. The twelve numbers IF
year will contain not less than 900 pages,
and should that number be reached ID less than
year, subscriptions at 81 will be considered as
terminated. Address John B. Alden, publisbe-,
Is Vesey street, New York.
THE NORTH AMERICAN REVIEW for April
Contents
Divorce A Canadian View Of Annexatior
National Aid to Public Schools The Dangerous
Glasses Race Education The Water Supply Of
Cities Ethical Systems Street Begging Crit
cism and Christianity.
Published at No. 80 Lafayette Place, New
York
THE ATLANTIC MoHTH1Y for April. Contents
Daisy Miller Pillow Smr OH NJ Authors Mod
ern Fiction A Poet; New Parishioner: Loves
Opportunity; An Early Humauist: Heredity;
The Bacon-Shakespeare Craze Bird-SOngs Ur-
loved Stage BuiIoons; Recent Biographies
Law and Lawyers in Literature Memorials Of
Rossetti A Frenchman in the United States n
1901 OdIIyle ana Emerson lue negro Race m
America The Contributors Club.
Boston HoughtoD, Mifln Co.
CIRCULARS or INFORMATION or THE BUREAU
OF EDUCATION. No. 6-l8S2. Technical In
struction in France Washington Government
Printing Office.
THE SOUTHERN PuLrr for March is an in
teresting number. Published by Jackson & Lat
ferty, Richmond Va
LIrrELLs LIv1Ee AGE for the week ending
March eth
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1883-03-21

logic, and moral philosophy, has more
direct relation to the gospel ministry
than to either of the other professions.
And yet furthermore, our candidates for
the ministry have for the most part, been
all their lives under preparatory train
ing for tin pious homes, in the Sab
bath School, in the sanctuary, and in the
study of the Scriptures. If two years of
professional study will suffice for the
young lawyer, they would seem to be
enough for licentiate. After these gen.
eral observations, venture to offer for
the consideration of the brethren who
have had seminary experience, and whose
Judgments worth much more than mine,
three suggestions
/. That the attendance each gear at
the seminary be extended from eight
months to ten months of actual study.
The session for the current year at
Union opened September 9th, and will
close the first Wednesday of May. This
gives for the three years course twenty
four months of study and twelve months
of intermission. The substitution pro-
posed would give twenty months study
and two months intermission. A slight
gain would result also from the less loss
of time at the beginning and closing of
the session, while an important lessening
of expense would be secured by the saw
ing OF the travelling expenses of one in.
PERMISSION.
This suggestion as to change in the
length of the session is not original here.
A committee made a report few years
ago, to the Synod of Virginia, upon this
subject, but, 1 think, that for want of
time no action was taken.
g. Might there not be some abatement
of the time allotted to some subjects of
the course?
Every teacher feels that his pupils
have not mastered the course he teaches.
No candidate issues from the seminary
completely furnished in Theology, Exege-
sis, Polemics, or Ecclesiastical History,
and much less for practical pastoral work.
But let it be borne in mind that not three
nor four nor five years of teaching, with
out practice, will make finished work
man in any profession, or any important
calling in life. The candidate has done
we'll if he has made himself competent to
proceed alone, aided by the helps to be
found in books, and able to appropriate
the benefits of his individual experience.
Let the course of study thus provided for,
be required with Presbyterial excep-
tions) for licensure.
8. In order to meet the demands of
those who have the means, time, and turn
Of mind to seek further special advance
ment, let there be annexed post -gradu-
ate year, which, however, shall not give
any, even titular distinction to those who
take it. From these specialists might
come our professors, polemics, and editors.
That objections may be urged against
this scheme, am aware. 1t is not for
me to attempt to meet them by anticipa-
ton
These suggestions are made with diff
dence, in order, if it may be to direct
more competent minds to the subject.
Might it not be advisable for each
Presbytery to raise committee to report
upon seminary instruction at its fall
meeting, with view to synodical action?
S. l.. @.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1883-03-21
Walking with Christ.

An American minister was once a
guest In the house of the great and good
Bengel. He had an intense curiosity to
see and know more of the secret life of
that godly man whose simple and sanity
his great learning. One night, after he
had taken leave of his host, he fingered
in his chamber (Which anjoined Ben
gel's) with the door ajar, that he might
hear, if possible, the last words of his
evening devotions. His desire was graft
fed for in little while the good man
put aside his papers and books, and
closing his Bible, knelt down and uttered
this simple prayer: Lord Jesus, things
are still Just the same between us :" and
then retired for the night. Beautiful fell
lowshipl The child-lke saint walked so
closely and constantly with his Lord that
neither business nor conversation could
interrupt his communion, and life was all
one service and devotion. CAS- We have
received the Lord Jesus, so walk We in
him This is the true Christian life
implicit, inseparable from Christ. Abide
in me, in you" Without me We can
do nothing" So close He Graves to
come. There is no place in life He is
not willing to talk with us, except the
forbidden ground of sin. 1t is not only
in the closet and the sanctuary that we
find Him, but everywhere He says "I
will be little sanctuary" to the trusting
and obedient soul. Into the business of
life He will come with His peace, His
wisdom, and His overruling providence,
directing, blessing and browning with sue
cess the enterprise which recognizes Him.
How do you ever get through your
work." said friend to a gentleman who
was proprietor of several large enter
prises involving millions, and employing
hundreds of men. "I will tell you
frankly" he replied, because you are
Christian and can understand me. Il
never could get through without Christ
l regard myself simply as managing this
business for Him, the true proprietor. l
take to Him, therefore, all the embarrass-
ments and perplexities, and He carries the
burdens and receives the returns, while l
am His steward and servant"
This is conservation, this is rest, and
this is the efficient life. Such piety is as
practical as it is devout. Such spirits
Carry music in their heart,
Through crowded streets and wrangling mart
Plying their daily task with busy feet,
Because their secret souls holy strain repeat.
Like the good Bengel, things are just
the same" with them as they were in the
prayer meeting and at the communion
table. True soldiers, they are always
honoring their Lord
And when the time comes, things are
lust tra some" still There is no excite
preparation
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1883-03-21
Recent Publications.

Our prompt acknowledgment every week Of
the books sent to us we consider as ordinarily
sufficient compensation for the same We re-
serve to ourselves the privilege of giving more
or less extended notice of the same which is for
the benefit of our readers. 1t would be impos-
sible for us to examine all the books sent to us.
and especially the innumerable little volumes
written for children.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1883-03-21

some one SAID to dying workman.
Why, man." he replied, i've been
walking in the light of His presence for
twenty-five years.
Rowland Hill often used to repeat
these lines, and, we believe, he died re-
peating them, for thing were still Just
the same" between him and his Saviour ;
And when I'm to die,
Receive me, I'll cry,
For Jesus has loved me- cannot tell why;
But this | can find,
We, too, are so joined
That he'd not be in glory and leave me behind.
Exchange
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1883-03-21

The religious newspaper is becoming
more and more necessity. In former
days it was the practice of pastors to tell
r. a 'ar 'ple wb~t was going on in ~
enlain t.
~ "a ne SIS, the egu-
work alike Of their own denomlna,
and all the rest All or nearly all the
information they received came il this
way. AS life became more complex and
work more extended this became impos-
sible, and the religious newspaper started
up to do what the pastor once did but
could do no longer. The consequence ia,
the preacher always in referring them to
such matters, takes it for granted that
the people know about them. He as
sumes that each family has paper
United Presbyterian.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1883-03-21

FLoTsAM AND JETsAM. A Yachtsman's Expe-
riences at Sea and Ashore BIZ Thomas Glib
son Bowles, Master Mariner No. 81 of the
Standard Library. Price % cents. N. York :
Funk Wagnalls, publishers, 10 and II Deg
Street
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1883-03-21

We warn you to shun evil communi-
cations. Have no fellowship with any
man or woman who does not help you
into closer relationship with Jesus Christ.
No matter how tender the tie, as you
value your peace here and your reward
there, walk apart from every one in
whose daily association you do not grow
stronger to do the right and shun the
wrong, and serve the Christ whose name
you wear-SeLected.