_A Short Discourse by Elder Daniel Garber._
_Sunday, August 7._
TEXT.--For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.--John 1:17.
By the law spoken of in the text we are to understand the Decalogue, or Ten Commandments, as they are usually called. We are not to understand that this law is not truth. Far from it. It is truth so sacred and holy in G.o.d"s sight that he directed Moses to construct an ark or small chest out of pure gold and place therein the two stone tablets on which the law was engraved by the finger of G.o.d, and keep them there forever.
Jesus the Lord honored it. He fulfilled it, not only in the letter, but in the spirit. His outward life was so righteous that none could convict him of sin. "He was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners:" not _separate_ in the sense of not eating and drinking with them, of not a.s.sociating and conversing with them; but separate in the sense that he was not, like them, a transgressor of the law of G.o.d.
The Lord"s heart and hand were together in all he did. His thoughts and his words were one. His looks, and all the expressions of his face, were but images of the love within. His denunciations against Pharisaical hypocrisy, cloaked under the guise of outward rect.i.tude, were like an avalanche of snow and ice, unlocked by the rays of the Sun of Righteousness.
Jesus said: "It is easier for heaven and earth to pa.s.s away than for one t.i.ttle of the law to fail." A t.i.ttle is a very small point in a letter. Many Hebrew letters have dots or t.i.ttles. A change in the t.i.ttles of the letters that compose a word changes the meaning of the word. But Jesus says not a t.i.ttle shall pa.s.s from the law. It will to eternity mean just what it means now, and will continue to be the bond of union with saints and angels forever in heaven. It is all love.
Love is the alpha and the omega of the law; for the law is of G.o.d, and "G.o.d is love."
Some people call MERCY G.o.d"s _darling_ attribute. They clothe her in a white robe down to the feet; they fill her eyes with the milk of human kindness and her mouth with the tender words of forgiveness. But JUSTICE is a very different personification in their eye. He is not only masculine as to gender, but all his looks and ways have an air of _condemnation_ in them. He is a dark-faced, frowning judge, forever watching with keenest eye not only the outward life of every man, but his mind and heart within; and is always ready to pa.s.s judgment against every one guilty of the slightest transgression and disobedience.
Such conceptions may not be sinful; but they are very far from agreeing with the revelations G.o.d has made of himself to men. In these he discloses himself as "a G.o.d merciful and gracious; abundant in goodness and truth; keeping mercy for thousands; slow to anger; ready to pardon; and of great kindness." (Nehemiah 9:17.) He is just, it is true. But what is justice? I answer that justice, in its highest and divinest sense, _is equal good and equal right_ to all. And does not this imply love? I do unhesitatingly declare that there is quite as much love in the administrations of justice as there is in the bestowments of mercy.
In _justice_, however, the love appears in one light; and in _mercy_ or _grace_ the love appears in another. G.o.d"s love for the holy angels and the spirits of just men made perfect is unmixed love, or the love of complacency. This manifestation of his love is JUSTICE in its highest and purest sense. G.o.d"s love for sinners who have transgressed his law, and who, on this account, are "miserable and wretched, and poor, and blind, and naked," is mixed love. It is mixed with pity, and is what is called the love of compa.s.sion. This manifestation of his love is GRACE in its highest and purest sense. This is just what our Lord Jesus Christ brought with him. If all the race of mankind had continued righteous, as man was when first brought into being, the word GRACE would never have had a place in heaven"s vocabulary. But since man has fallen, fallen into sin, into death both corporeal and spiritual, into sickness and sorrow, into labor for his bread, into hunger and thirst, and anxieties and cares, G.o.d has ever pitied him.
Instead of our Lord"s saying, "G.o.d so loved the world," he might have said, "G.o.d so PITIED the world."
In reading the New Testament now you need not wonder why the word GRACE is so often met with. It means just what Jesus has brought into the world--_love for sinners_. "He came not to condemn the world, but to save the world." But notice, he brought not only _love_ but _truth_ with it, and _truth_ is neither more nor less than the forms or manifestations of true love. Let me ill.u.s.trate this. You love your brother. But he does not know it until you manifest your love by the thousand ways that are open for this in your a.s.sociations and dealings with him. Every manifestation of this love is a _truth_ by which you prove that you do love him.
How does our Lord prove that he loves sinners? By the TRUTH that manifests or shows it. In the first place he went about doing good, in the way of healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, cleansing the lepers, making the lame to walk, the deaf to hear, and the dead to come to life. In the next place he showed his love by the meekness and patience with which he bore the scoffs and sneers, and persecutions of the opposing Jews. In the next place, by the promises of eternal life and salvation which he gave to the very worst of sinners, on the easy terms that they repent of their sins, by turning to G.o.d and living a life of faithful obedience to his Word. In the next place,--and all the other proofs culminate in this,--by dying upon the cross, by which he atoned for the sins of the whole world. In this, his last temptation, he conquered sin, death and h.e.l.l; and as a mighty Conqueror he has become the Captain of our salvation and the Author of eternal life to all them that obey him.
But light will not enter the eye that is closed; neither will the words of grace and truth enter the heart unless there be a will to take them in. Some here present, I feel sure, have taken the words in, and ye rejoice in hope of the glory of G.o.d. Yours is the joy that no man taketh from you. Yours is an unfailing treasure in the heavens.
Yours to sing:
"Should earth against my soul engage, And fiery darts be hurled; Now I can smile at Satan"s rage And face a frowning world.
"Let cares, like a wild deluge, come, And storms of sorrow fall, So I but safely reach my home, My G.o.d, my heaven, my all.
"There shall I bathe my weary soul In seas of heavenly rest; And not a wave of trouble roll Across my peaceful breast."
But I am sad to think how many there are who have never yet "tasted that the Lord is gracious." May I not induce some to look to him to-day? There _is life in a look_ when it springs from love and is followed by obedience. "Look unto me, saith the Lord, and be ye saved, all ye ends of the earth." Sinner, thou art one of these ends.
Look and live.
BAPTISMAL SCENE AT BENJAMIN BOWMAN"S, SUNDAY, AUGUST 29.
Peter Driver and wife, and Benjamin Byerly were baptized to-day.
Whilst it is our delight and joy to see even the vilest and the lowest come into the church through the divinely appointed way, still it is an additional pleasure, especially in the view of helpfulness to the cause, when such excellent and true-hearted people as those above named cast in their lot with us.
These dear people will draw their children into the church where they are, and many of the grandchildren will follow their steps. Thus will they sow the seeds of a good life by the power of example, and others will reap the harvest. These, in turn, will sow again for others, until, after awhile, all will realize the truth of our Lord"s words: "He that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together."
LOVE FEAST AT BEAVER CREEK MEETINGHOUSE, SAt.u.r.dAY, SEPTEMBER 24.
Preparatory services began at two P.M. Second Corinthians 5 was read.
There was much good speaking. One brother"s remarks on the ninth verse deeply interested me. They were in substance as follows: TEXT.--"_Wherefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well-pleasing unto him._"
No better aim can ever have place in the breast of man or angel. But how natural it is for us to aim to please ourselves and others! There is no wrong in trying to please others, when that aim does not conflict with what pleases G.o.d. But for any one, especially a minister of the Gospel, to make it his chief aim to please others, that he may become popular and be highly esteemed of men, is an abomination to G.o.d.
Whether we are as humble and self-denying in all things as we should be, is a subject for self-examination, not only on the part of our lay brethren, but as well on the part of us who are ministers of the Word.
Self-love is self-worship. "_Thou shalt worship the Lord thy G.o.d, and him only shalt thou serve_," is as true to-day as when it was hurled against the devil from the lips of Jesus Christ. Worship is love; and love unites us to the Lord, as the branch is united with the vine which is its life. Man has no spiritual life in himself other than what comes from the Lord.
A man"s home life is his _real_ life. In the presence of his family, when no stranger"s eye or ear is nigh, he is out and out himself, and he then and there appears in his real character. But when absent, either among his brethren or strangers, he aims to put the best foot foremost and leave a favorable impression. I do not say that this is true of every one; but I _do_ say, and say it from the depth of my soul"s deepest affection, that the apostle"s resolution should be true in the heart of every brother and sister: "We make it our aim, whether at home or abroad, _to be well-pleasing unto G.o.d_."
BAPTISMAL SCENE AT THE LINVILLE"S CREEK MEETINGHOUSE, SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9.
John Zigler and wife, Celestine Whitmore and wife, and David Haller were baptized to-day.
I rejoice that these good people have cast in their lot with us; and hope that they will prove to be a blessing and an ornament in the church. Brother David Haller is a very sensible and active man, with a young family, and he can do much for the good cause. Brother Celestine Whitmore will exert a good influence on Lost River. And Brother John Zigler will show to the world how an active business may be carried on in a G.o.dly way. "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ, did put on Christ."
History tells us that Xenophon, in his famous retreat from Cunaxa, wore a wolfskin about his shoulders and breast. This was becoming to him as the general of an army of Greeks trained to slaughter, and bent on cutting his way through all opposition with the sword. It might also have been a suitable covering for each soldier in his army; since the uniform of an army is thought to signify, in some measure, the spirit by which the soldiers are incited to action.
The uniform of the soldier in the army of the Lord should, therefore, signify the spirit and mind that is in him. If the spirit is that of nonconformity to the world, so should the dress or uniform be. If the spirit is that of meekness, humility, kindness, goodness, purity, peace and love, the dress of both s.e.xes, each in its appropriate form, should correspond to these affections of the heart.
THURSDAY, October 20. Brother Kline and Daniel Garber started to
THE GLADES.
The Diary does not say where THE GLADES are, but, from the churches and Brethren visited, it is inferred that they lie in the southern part of western Pennsylvania.
Among the places named at which they attended meetings may be mentioned Abraham Beachley"s; Myers"s schoolhouse; William Miller"s; Brother Blaugh"s; Berben; Brother Moser"s; Dr. Krone"s; Jacob Myers"s and Bearkles. At the last-named place a council meeting was held at which brethren Cover and Fahrney were established in the second degree of the ministry. "They both," so the Diary says, "have a good report from those that are without, as well as from those that are within."
On their homeward way our two brethren had night meeting at Abbey Arnold"s in Hampshire County, Virginia. The last chapter of Revelation was read. Brother Kline says: "Toward the close of my discourse I gave a farewell invitation to sinners to come and take of the "Water of Life freely." After meeting one man came to me and said that he was tired of drinking of the bitter waters of sin and thirsted for the sweet "Water of Life." I told him that our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life as revealed in his Word, is the Water of Life, that _our loving acceptance of the truth of his Word as a matter of faith, and our living a life of obedience to G.o.d in conformity with that truth_ is drinking the Water of Life. It then becomes eternal life to our souls. I tried to encourage him to drink in this way; but I do not know what he may do."
DEPARTED MINISTERS.
Some things may appear in this book that are of little interest to the general reader. In this respect, however, it may not differ from many other books. The reader should kindly bear in mind that nearly all of the ministers and other Brethren whose names appear, in the fore part of the work especially, are known on earth no more, save as they live in the memory of those whom they have left behind.
In the list of deceased ministers are to be seen the names of Peter Nead, Abraham Flory, Daniel Garber, Daniel Miller, Martain Miller, George Hoke, Benjamin Bowman, Jacob Wyne, John Wyne, Daniel Thomas, John Harshberger, and a host of others. The records of these n.o.ble ministers of the Word are on high. No earthly monuments have ever been reared in honor of their achievements; and they need none. The good they have done by leaving the world and the church better off than they found them has won for them a crown of glory in heaven as imperishable as the throne of the eternal. The reader should remember that a sort of filial love for these men still lingers in the memory of many, who, in their younger days were personally acquainted with them. They heard them preach; and they looked up to them as children to parents. A lock of hair from a loved one long since pa.s.sed away, is a little thing,--a _very_ little thing in the eye of a stranger,--but in the eye of a loving friend it is above price. So some things in this work, apparently trivial to the general reader, may be highly prized by others. I will give, for an example, the following statement:
MONDAY, November 21. Peter Nead and Benjamin Bowman go with me to Harrisonburg, and obtain license of the County Court of Rockingham County, Virginia, to perform the ceremony of marriage.
This statement, taken from the Diary, may seem of no consequence to some; they may feel, as their eyes glance over it, that it is of no interest to them; when at the same time, to others it will be an incident they will never forget. Many can now say that one or the other of these ministers performed the ceremony when their father and mother were married. One or the other of these names stands upon the "Marriage Record" in many an old Family Bible. Even the grandchildren will find interest in things like these; and to learn more about these, and many other great and good men who have lived and died in the church of the Brethren, will not only interest the mind, but improve the heart.
A MAGNIFICENT DISPLAY OF THE AURORA BOREALIS.
THURSDAY, January 26. This night, says the Diary, a very wonderful display of the Aurora borealis was witnessed. The sky was all over a bright red, with white streaks streaming up from the north. The sight was wonderfully grand. As to the cause of this sublimely beautiful phenomenon various opinions have been held, and various theories launched upon the waves of scientific thought; but none, as yet, to my knowledge, have covered the ground of a satisfactory solution. Let the cause be what it may, there seems to be no good reason for fearing any harm to the earth or its inhabitants from its occasional appearance.
I have since learned, however, that many people were frightened at the sight, and feared that the last day was at hand. One sister in particular, not far from here, wrung her hands screaming almost spasmodically, fearing in her soul that the next thing would be the sound of "the last trumpet."