united in one universal brotherhood; when peace shall make her dwelling
among them, and good-will fill every heart; when the reward of the
husbandman’s toil--the yellow fields of waving grain--shall no more be
trampled beneath the hoof of the war-horse, nor his hard-won earnings
wrung from his hand, to keep in repair the machinery of war--when men
shall no more study the art of destroying each other, but shall beat
their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks;
let those who long for, and labour to introduce this happy era, see in
the Sabbath the oil which is to still the waves of human strife--in
its memorials, its influences, its exercises, the links of that chain
of love, which is yet to bind heart to heart, from one end of the earth
to the other, and encircle the whole with an unbroken and everlasting
bond of union.
When men meet together on the first day of the week, to break bread, to
surround the table of their Lord, to pass from hand to hand the cup of
blessing, to hear the words and study the character of Him who, when
he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, threatened not,
but committed himself to Him who judgeth righteously; when they, as the
children of that God who is by his love manifested in the gift of his
well-beloved Son, subduing the enmity of his enemies and reconciling
them to himself, meet thus together on the first day of the week, not
to hear the voice of a human orator, nor to attend to the words of a
fallible instructor, but to gather around the Scriptures of truth, the
word of the living and true God, to learn his will, that with willing
and ready feet, they may run in the way of his commandments; when they
study his character, as he there reveals himself, that their moral
nature may become assimilated to his, that they may be like their
Father in heaven, who maketh his sun to shine upon the evil and the
good; what must be the result? Who will hesitate to say, were working
men all to meet weekly, thus to keep the Lord’s-day as appointed by
Himself, that soon the oppressor would cease out of the land; that
intemperance, ignorance, vice of all kinds, with all the poverty,
disease, and wretchedness, inseparably connected with them, would be
for ever banished; and peace, descending from the skies, whither sin
had caused her to take her flight, again dwell with redeemed man?
And ever as we approach nearer and nearer to such a use of the weekly
rest; and ever as the circle widens of those who feel it not their
duty only, but their dearest, choicest privilege, thus to spend and
enjoy this day--do we approach more nearly to the long-predicted age of
millennial glory, to the dawn of the great Sabbath of the world, that
Sabbath of rest from sin and suffering, strife and oppression, when the
Lord himself shall judge the nations in righteousness, when the lofty
looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of man shall be
brought low, and the Lord alone be exalted.
The Lord’s-day can never be trifled with but at our peril. Like every
appointment of our benevolent Creator, it was instituted for the
benefit of his creatures, wisely adapted to fulfil its purpose; and he
who sells its privileges for gain, or barters them for pleasure, makes
a poor bargain indeed. Selfishness--narrow, ungenerous, short-sighted
selfishness--generally outwits itself; and this is especially the case
with employers, who, regardless of the comfort, health, or morality of
the employed, engage them in labour on this day, and thereby deprive
them of its benefits. The interests of employers are inseparably
connected with the well-being of the employed. The labour of a healthy,
steady, honest, intelligent workman, is of double value to that of him
who cannot be depended upon, whose moral principles are unsound, or his
habits irregular; whose mind is uncultivated, or his body debilitated
by disease. And those who engage men in labour or business upon the
first day of the week, may blame themselves, if, in a few years, they
find it difficult to have their work well performed, and discover that
their property is far from being secure.
The Sabbath has, with beautiful propriety, been called, “the poor man’s
day;” and it seems, indeed, peculiarly adapted to confer important
advantages upon him: not one of these, however, is obtained at the
expense of the employers. Its blessings are suited to all classes,
but the working-classes more especially require its provisions for
their happiness. If the servant, after a week of labour, enjoys a day
of rest, and appears in the meeting of the disciples of Jesus, clean,
comfortably dressed, and respectable as his master, it is, that, fresh
and vigorous, he may with hearty good-will enter upon the labours
of another week. A feeling of self-respect, and a sense of moral
obligation, raise him above eye-service, or anything like slight,
sluggish, or improper performance of labour; a feeling which, though it
cannot stoop to cringing servility, would sooner brook disrespect than
show it to another, whether employer or fellow-servant; and a sense of
moral obligation, which makes him faithful in whatever he is entrusted
with, enables him to understand and claim his own rights, and induces
him without reserve, to give to all others their due.
The Sabbath interferes with the interests of none but those who live by
the ignorance, superstition, vice, and degradation of mankind; those
who have their wealth from Babylon the great, who traffic in “slaves
and souls of men.”
Let all, then, of every class and station, examine this subject; the
more it is viewed in the light of truth, the more its importance will
appear. He who is desirous of the well-being of his fellow-men, ought
not, and cannot consistently, pass it lightly by; and even he whose
contracted mind looks only at his personal interest, may not safely
slight it.
[Illustration: FINIS]
THE
Christian Union and Religious Memorial.
EDITED BY
REV. ROBERT BAIRD, D. D.
PUBLISHED MONTHLY,
AT TWO DOLLARS PER ANNUM, IN ADVANCE.
THIS magazine is devoted to the cause of Christian Union among all
Evangelical denominations, and its great object will be to make the
Church below more like the Church above, by the infusion of that spirit
of Christian love and brotherly kindness which should distinguish all
the members of _Christ’s_ body, whatever name they bear on earth. It
will contain essays on Christian union and collateral subjects, by some
of the best writers at home and abroad.
Another essential feature of our work will be a monthly memorial
or resumé of the progress of religion in all lands. We shall pay
particular attention to missionary operations throughout the world, and
keep our readers acquainted with the progress of religion in foreign
countries by the various missionaries there employed.
Our foreign correspondence will be extensive and various, and our
readers will thus be kept informed of the changes and progress of
events in Europe.
Although we shall keep clear of discussions on doctrinal points, we
shall feel at full liberty to animadvert freely on whatever we may
deem errors in practice, wherever they may exist. At the same time, we
shall advocate, with all our powers, every true Christian reform which
shall tend to improve and elevate mankind.
Our work has already received the highest commendations, and our
arrangements will enable us to make considerable improvements the
coming year.
SAMUEL HUESTON,
139 Nassau street.
[Illustration]
RECOMMENDATIONS.
The _Christian Union and Religious Memorial_, edited by DR. BAIRD,
is a rich repository of valuable matter, statistical and historical,
bearing upon the interests of religion in all parts of the world.--_N.
Y. Observer._
It breathes the spirit of Christianity, and contains notices of the
progress of Christ’s kingdom among the different branches of the
Church. Conducted by DR. BAIRD and his able associates, it cannot fail
to do great good. Its view of foreign Churches is peculiarly valuable,
from the Dr.’s long residence in Europe.--_Lutheran Observer._
Under the supervision of the Rev. DR. BAIRD, the Christian Union is
becoming a highly valuable publication, and will, no doubt, obtain an
extensive circulation. The principles of Christian Union, as advocated
by the editor, are such as all evangelical denominations may unite in,
without sacrificing any peculiar principles of their own.--_Christian
Secretary._
It is a precious monthly, published by S. Hueston, 139 Nassau street,
New York.--_Christian Intelligencer._
We deem the Union an important auxiliary in spreading a knowledge of
the condition and prospects of religious denominations--a knowledge,
which, we are sorry to say, is not as extensively cultivated as it
should be, either by the ministry or the private members of the
church.--_S. W. Baptist Chronicle._
Every bishop, minister, elder, deacon and class-leader should have
this valuable monthly. Christians of every name must unite against the
works of darkness, banish _for ever_ their little sectarianisms, or
the world cannot be saved.--_Golden Rule._
The statistical information furnished by this publication, and
its notices in a comprehensive view and permanent form, of the
manifestations and progress of the Church of Christ in all lands,
render it valuable and worthy of patronage.--_Southern Christian
Advocate._
The missionary and statistical information upon its pages must render
it of great value as a book of reference, while its essays and
discussions combine much to interest and instruct the serious mind.
Its catholic spirit entitles it to the confidence of Christians of
every name.--REV. B. T. WELCH, _Pastor of the Pearl St. Baptist
church, Albany, N. Y._
Each number of the work contains 64 closely printed royal octavo pages,
and will form a yearly volume of 768 pages.
HEAVEN’S ANTIDOTE
TO THE
CURSE OF LABOR:
_Or the Temporal Advantages of the Sabbath to the Working Classes_.
BY JOHN ALLAN QUINTON.
With a Prefatory Notice by Rev. Stephen H. Tyng, D.D.
This beautiful Essay on the Sabbath, from the pen of a journeyman
printer, of Ipswich, England, received the first prize which was
offered by Mr. Henderson, of Glasgow, for essays on that subject by
working men. The fact that it was selected for the first prize, out
of 1045 compositions, must be sufficient proof of its merit. The
American edition contains a very interesting preface by Dr. Tyng. It is
illustrated, neatly bound in cloth, and is sold for 37¹⁄₂ cents.
NOTICES OF THE PRESS.
“It is a manly, direct, and most conclusive presentation of the
temporal benefits of observing the Sabbath, which we should suppose no
one could peruse without a definite impression. It should especially
reach laboring men--its strong sense and clear logic are finely suited
to make an impression upon the popular mind.”--_New York Evangelist._
“The work should be scattered broadcast over the land.”--_Protestant
Churchman._
“The treatise considers the advantages of the Sabbath under the heads
of Physical, Mercantile, Intellectual, Domestic, Moral, and Religious.
The author does not write theoretically, but from personal experience;
and no working man can read his essay without feeling that the Sabbath
is one of the greatest temporal blessings. We trust that the volume
will have a wide circulation among all classes in our own country; for
all need its salutary counsels. It is written in a very attractive
style, and neatly printed.”--_Independent._
“This is a strong, clear, and admirable essay on the Temporal
Advantages of the Sabbath, considered in relation to the working
classes.”--_Courier and Enquirer._
JUST PUBLISHED BY
S. HUESTON, 138 NASSAU-ST., NEW YORK.
DOWLING’S CONFERENCE HYMNS.
A NEW COLLECTION OF HYMNS,
DESIGNED ESPECIALLY FOR USE IN
Conference and Prayer Meetings,
AND FAMILY WORSHIP.
BY J. DOWLING, D.D.
THE design of the present compilation is, in the first place, to add
to the life and spirituality of the Conference and the Prayer Meeting;
and, secondly, to be an acceptable pocket companion to the Christian,
in the family or in the closet.
From most of the Conference hymn books which the editor has examined,
a large number of devotional pieces, cherished in the memory and
the hearts of the fathers and mothers in our American Zion, have
been excluded; probably because the poetry was not regarded as of a
sufficiently high order of excellence. The opinion of the present
editor is, that sacred songs, embodying scriptural sentiments and
genuine religious experience--when not objectionable on the score of
vulgarity or grammatical inaccuracy--should not be discarded because
they fail to stand the test of a rigid poetical censorship.
To mention a few of the favorite pieces omitted in some recent
collections, many Christians will at once recognize the following,
associated as some of them are with their sweetest seasons of
holy religious enjoyment:--“_Sweet land of rest, for thee I
sigh_”--“_Whither goest thou, pilgrim stranger_”--“_The Lord into his
garden comes_”--“_Farewell, dear friends, I must be gone_”--“_Amen,
amen, my soul replies_”--“_Come, my brethren, let us try_”--“_Vain,
delusive world, adieu_”--“_O come, my loving neighbors, will you go
to glory with me_”--“_Let thy kingdom, blessed Saviour_”--“_There
is a land of pleasure_”--“_O tell me no more of this world’s vain
store_”--“_To-day, if you will hear his voice_”--“_Beside the gospel
pool_”--“The Good Old Way,” commencing, “_Lift up your heads,
Immanuel’s friends_”--“The Harvest Home,” commencing, “_This is the
field, the world below_”--“The Bower of Prayer”--“The Saints’ Sweet
Home”--and Newton’s pious and expressive pieces--“The Beggar’s Prayer,”
commencing, “_Encouraged by thy word, of mercy to the poor_”--The
“Dying Thief,” commencing, “_Sovereign grace hath power alone_”--and,
“The Lord will provide,” commencing, “_Though troubles assail and
dangers affright_.”
One great motive in the present work was to restore, for the use of the
Editor’s own congregation and of such others as desire them, the above,
and a number of similar devotional and familiar “Sacred Songs,” omitted
in some recent Conference hymn books.
▶ Copies for examination furnished gratis to post-paid
applications--_unbound_ copies sent by mail.
Published by EDWARD H. FLETCHER,
_141 Nassau Street, N. Y._
CHEAP CASH BOOK STORE.
EDWARD H. FLETCHER,
No. 141 Nassau street,
NEW YORK.
Has constantly on hand, at wholesale and retail, a general assortment
of _Theological, Classical, Miscellaneous, School and Blank Books and
Stationery_.
A complete Depository of SABBATH SCHOOL BOOKS.
Booksellers, Traders, Teachers, Schools, Academies and Individuals
supplied, wholesale and retail, on the most liberal terms.
Religious books of every variety which are to be found in the market,
may be obtained here at the _very lowest prices_.
SECOND-HAND BOOKS.
Valuable Standard Theological and other Books from private libraries
will be sold at a fraction of the price of new.
MARRIAGE CERTIFICATES.
A new and beautiful article, with a silver border, samples of which
will be sent gratis to post-paid applications.
Published by
EDWARD H. FLETCHER,
_No. 141 Nassau street_.
NOTICE.
THE copartnership heretofore existing between the Subscribers, under
the firm of LEWIS COLBY & COMPANY, is this day dissolved by mutual
consent. All accounts will be settled by Lewis Colby, who is authorized
to use the name of the firm in liquidation.
LEWIS COLBY.
EDWARD H. FLETCHER.
_New York, September 5th, 1848._
CIRCULAR.
The subscriber respectfully announces to his friends and the public
that he has opened a store at 141 Nassau street, where he will continue
the same line of the BOOKSELLING and PUBLISHING business which has been
pursued by the late firm.
Having been _regularly bred_ to the business, added to which is his
experience in the late concern _from its commencement_, he feels
confident that he can offer to his patrons advantageous terms.
The primary object of this establishment will be the publication and
sale of Religious Books.
A large assortment of Sabbath School Books will be kept, and to this
department much attention will be paid. If Sabbath Schools, wishing to
replenish their libraries, or to purchase new ones, will forward their
funds, and a list of such books as they already have, their orders will
receive prompt attention, and the selection will be carefully made.
Also will be kept, School and Blank Books, and Stationery of every
variety--Sermon Paper, Marriage Certificates, &c.
FOREIGN BOOKS imported, for a small commission.
▶ A liberal discount will be made to Booksellers, Ministers, and
Teachers.
EDWARD H. FLETCHER.
_New York, September 23d, 1848._
THE
BAPTIST SABBATH SCHOOL
HYMN BOOK.
A NEW edition of this work, which was compiled by Rev. JOSEPH A. WARNE,
has just been issued. It contains five hundred hymns, in fair type, and
is well printed.
_Extract from the Preface._
“The denomination for whose use this volume is prepared, is one of
the most numerous in the land; and one which therefore may claim, as
justly as any other, to have a volume of hymns for use in its Sabbath
Schools, all of which shall be such as may be employed without doing
violence to its denominational peculiarities, or covertly undermining
its foundations; and if there is such a collection in existence, the
compiler has not been so fortunate as to meet with it.
“Sabbath Schools have, of late years (and long may it continue to be
so), been favored with the special grace of the Spirit of God; and
great numbers, from their classes, have been led to profess publicly
their attachment to the Redeemer. It need not be said that a volume
of Hymns, compiled on the principle of merging all denominational
peculiarities, _could not admit_ into its pages hymns on the subject
of baptism. But need Baptist schools be thus restricted? Surely not:
and though our books of hymns used in public worship contain those
adapted to this ordinance, they are yet generally both quite limited
in their number and quite deficient in allusion to the early age
of those candidates who are from the Sabbath School, and who often
constitute a majority of the whole number. This volume contains
several hymns on this subject, not found in books in common use in
this vicinity, in New England, or, it is believed, in the South or
West generally.”
▶ Copies for examination furnished gratis to post-paid applications.
EDWARD H. FLETCHER,
Publisher,
141 NASSAU ST., N. YORK.
Transcriber’s Notes:
Page 129: “age of milennial glory” changed to “age of millennial glory”