Year: 1860

the prophets Mat. 36-38.


The two tables of stone upon which the ten
commandments, the first and the essential
principles OF all the divine Word, were written,
were intended to represent the same two-fold
division Of all heavenly lessons.


The mill, then, with its two stones, represents
the rational faculty when it is furnished with
these two grand truths. With these two uni
versal principles it can do, and is intended to
do the utmost service to man. Everything
that enters the mind should be submitted to
its inspection and action. Whatever is taught
in relation to God, which is inconsistent with
love to God and love to man, should be reject
ed whatever is in harmony with both should
be received. All that love would do, God will
do, for God is love; all that love would reject,
God will reject, for God is love. So in rela-
tion to man. Our duty in all things is to mea-
sure our conduct by the great law, "Whatso-
ever We would do that men should do to you,
do ye even so to them, for this is the law and
the prophets."-Mat. vi l2. If the teaching
which we hear and the lessons which we read
are in harmony with this, then will our spirit
ual mill prepare them for practice 1t will
bring them into operation on the exchange, in
the market, at home, and at work. BY this
shall we know that we have passed from death
to life, because we love the brethren.


Such is the spiritual mill, and such its ope-
ration. What wide field of use it has; and
how essential is that use To try, to sift, to
discriminate, to investigate, to adapt all that
we learn, so that fallacy and mere appearance
may be rejected, and only what is really con-
ducive to salvation and blessing be retained.
1What is the chaff to the wheat, saith the
Lord"


With this view of the important objects and
indispensable character of the millstones, seen
in their correspondence, we shall be prepared
to see in spiritual light the reason of the COM
mand in our text. 'No man shall take the
neither, or the upper mllstone to pledge; for
he taketh mans life to pledge"


OF course, in its literal application to the
Jews, this was merciful law 1t secured to
all men, however poor the means of preparing
the food essential to life and health. This was
never to be interfered with. Another law Sc
cured to the poor man corn for his present me-
cessities, and this the mill to grind it. "No
man shall take the neither or upper milestone
to pledge: for he taketh a mans life to pledge"
But of how much higher significance does this
divine law become, when we see its relation
to our spiritual life ?--when we hear the divine
announcement in this respect, that no man
should be deprived of the free use Of his rea-
son in religion, nor loa 10 Pait with either the
truth, that we should love our neighbor as
ourselves, the neither stone; or the love of the
Lord, the supremely loyeable, with all the
heart. To retain these two grand laws, and
| to use them, to compare and harmonize all we
are taught, as true, with them, this is our life
To take thing in pledge is to deprive Of its
possession, for to supply some other need for
+. time There are some curious and interesting
regulations respecting pledges in this same
chapter Some things might be pledged, as
for instance, garment. The person taking
the pledge must not go into the pledger's house
to fetch it out the owner must bring it out
The pledge must be returned before the sur
went down. These regulations have an i'm
portant spiritual relation to our inner life, ano
in these, chiefly, their divine worth consists
A mans profession of religion, his spiritua
garment, may be placed in allegiance, if he tinc
it necessary for some higher spiritual good
| He may forego for time the form to secure
the substance. This the person himself may
do externally, but his inmost affections must
be untouched. We must not go into the house
for the pledge. He must have it returned, al
least when the sun goeth down. When states
Of spiritual cold and obscurity come on, it must
be returned to him. When all is bright and
cheerful with us, vivid possession of our doc
trinal views may be spared but when tria
comes on they are indispensable.


| But when, in life, we're tempest driven,


conscience but canker,


| correspondence fixed with heayenl


IL sure noble anchor


We must have, then, in timeof obscurity,
cold. and of sorrow, all our religious conyic
tions strongly wrapt around us, and feel thu'
the succor it is diyinely intended they shoul'
give. aBlessed are they that mourn, for the.
| shall be comforted." But the millstones mus
not be parted with at any time, nor on any con
dition; it is taking mans life to pledge
The rational faculty, and its two grand essen
tiaI principles, must never DC parteu Win, no
even be placed in allegiance.


Oh / that this great truth, that we oughtnev
er to suspend never to place in allegiance, neye
10 forego the use of this grand principle ou
rational faculty, were engraven on every heart
In this sublime portion of our nature, the es
sential means Of manhood reside. He wi
never become a man who never thoughtful
dares to reason for himself who never strive
to penetrate the appearances OF things, an
see with single eye divine realities Here
the iudement-seat for each mind. Here si'
the porter of the castle of Mansoul, whose bus


ness sto challenge every conner, and to Sc


that none enter but friends of its Lord. Ho


poora being he becomes who fears to use tn


glorious capabiity, let degenerate millions al


aver. He has not the fixed instincts OF brute


and their obedience to the laws of their orde


and while he is born with dcbased affection
he does not use this grand means of rising TO
ever higher Born in spiritual slavery, II
truth alone can make us free. Without tn


we cannot free ourselves from our own pa
sions and prejudices, much less from the dom


nation of other men. Without that, we ca
not rise to the freedom of a citizen OF heFe
We are things, not men. Let then no mi
take your millstonej it is your life.