H́nh ảnh trang
PDF
ePub

We have already remarked that Mr. Booth had somewhat of severity in his character. Children never crowded round him, nor jumped on his knee; and even his brethren in the ministry generally approached him with a reverential mien. When he gave reproof, he meant it to be felt, and he generally succeeded in his object. The Rev. W. Shenstone, a London minister, who died a few years since, told us that soon after he entered on his pastoral duties in that city, he had occasion one morning to call on Mr. Booth, when the conversation turned on a fire which had occurred the previous night. Mr. Booth related the circumstances of the calamity as they had been told to him; the young minister ventured to correct a mistake, by saying that he was passing the spot as St. Paul's struck eleven, and that at that instant he saw the flames break out. Mr. Booth looked at him, as though both surprised and displeased, and said, "What, sir, you, a young minister, in London streets at eleven o'clock at night! Why, sir, if I were to come home between eleven and twelve o'clock, my wife and daughters would ask with wonder, 'Sir, where have you been?"" Mr. Shenstone said that the effect of the reproof had been such that during his ministry of more than thirty years he had not been from home at a late hour on more than three or four occasions, and those extraordinary ones.

It will be readily believed that this eminent minister would be very exact in his plans. He was exceedingly opposed to long services, especially on public occasions; always remarking, "When weariness begins, devotion ends." Many an ordination would be shortened an hour or more when he was present.

After a ser

To pulpit drollery Mr. Booth was a determined enemy. mon of this character, he remarked to a brother, "Were that sermon to be printed, and were I applied to for a title, I would call it "Damnation, a farce," adding, from Young:

"If angel's tremble, 'tis at such a sight:

More struck with grief or wonder who can tell?"

No feature in the character of this excellent man was more striking than his disinterestedness. At that time it was common when a Christian man made his will, to leave a legacy to his pastor. Whenever Mr. . Booth knew that this was intended to be done, he would if possible prevent it; and once, when a large sum was thus unexpectedly left to him, he called together the family and relatives of his deceased friend, and divided every penny of it among them.

May we improve by the examples of such men; may we imitate their faith and patience, and follow them as they followed Christ.

THE PASTOR'S PAGE.

MINISTERIAL PRAYER.-The spirit of prayer, my brethren will allow me to say, is an indispensable prerequisite in our hearts. Let us begin there, and we shall begin at the right point; for prayer is intimately connected with pleasure and success in all our work, and it has a special and a divinely-ordained tendency to carry us forward to such an end as we desire. As it gained battles for Israel of old, and discomfited whole armies of adversaries, so it will win souls for us, and confound, by an unseen influence, the machinations of our foes. This will fit and furnish us for every department of our multitudinous labors.

DR. G. REDFORD.

PULPIT ELOQUENCE-True eloquence is not, as some suppose, to be judged of by excitement, but rather by impression. No kind of eloquence will ever much or long, tell in the pulpit, but that which arises from feeling; but feeling is always eloquent. Little is to be done by fine words, and made-up gestures, and studied action, and start and stare theatric. What did affectation ever do? What made Whitefield? What made Spencer? Grace and nature; not grace without nature, nor nature without grace; but what can withstand the attraction of both? W. JAY.

EFFECTIVE PREACHING.-Mr. Dod, of whom an account is furnished in Clarke's "Thirty-two English Divines," published in 1677, was very evangelical, striving first to make men see their lost condition clearly, and to be convinced of it, saying, sense of misery was a good step to the remedy. And, then, largely and excellently opening the promises, and the grace of God in Christ, according to the Gospel; looking at that as the most effective preaching. "Some," says he, "labor still to keep men under terrors,and load them with threatenings, lest they should not be humbled enough; but the Gospel works true humiliation, not the law. It arises from sense of sin and misery, joined with hope of mercy. The damned have terror and sense of misery enough, but that doth not humble them."

A CONSIDERABLE MISTAKE.-A young minister, who was about to preach, was asked whether he did not wish to retire before he went into the pulpit. "No," said he, "I am charged and primed." He was primed, indeed, but not charged-when he went off it was only a flash in the pan.

[graphic]

W. JAY.

WHERE ARE YOU GOING, MOTHER?

BY THE EDITOR.*

SAY-whither are you going,

Dear mother? will you stay?

The chilly winds are blowing,
And rugged is the way.
Your feeble limbs are trembling,
Your countenance is pale,

And very much resembling

A pilgrim in death's vale.

'Tis true, my child. I'm weary,
And faintly pass along,
The way is somewhat dreary,

And seems so very long!
But O the thought-how cheering!

I'm on my journey home,

I see the light now peering,

From Father's splendid dome.

O mother, billows roaring,

Are dashing at your feet;

The deep, dark waters pouring,
I fear you cannot meet:

The King of terrors, yonder,
Is waiting for his prey;
O will you stop and ponder,
Upon these dangers, say?

*These lines were penned while mourning the departure of a dear parent, who died “ June 18, 1851, enjoying an unusual degree of the divine presence. Her faith approached almost to assurance,

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][graphic]

Monthly Record

ANNIVERSARIES.

SOUTHERN BAPTIST BIENNIAL CONVENTION.-This body assembled in the First Baptist Church, Nashville, Tenn., May 10. Rev. R. B. C. Howell, D.D., in the chair. One of the leading subjects of discussion was the expediency of forming a Southern Bible Society. It was finally decided to form one, and locate its board at Nashville. It was decided to circulate our present English version of the scriptures until a better one can be furnished. From the report of the Secretary of the Foreign Mission Board, (Rev. J. B. Taylor,) we learn that there was a

.....

Balance in the Treasury at the close of last year, of. $4,181 39
Collected since...

Total.

.21,789 01

Expended during the year..

Balance in the Treasury....

$25,960 40

$14,100 05

$11,870 35

The most of the balance, however, will be required within a short time for new missions in Africa, and the mission at Shanghai. The receipts have diminished as compared with the last year, and amount to an average of only about five cents for each Baptist in the South.

The Board has employed but three regular agents: Eli Ball, in Georgia and Alabama; W. M. Farrar in Mississippi; and Rev. Mr. Kinbrough in Tennessee. The present periodicals of the Board-the Missionary Journal, and the Commission-will be discontinued, and a new work, the "Home and Foreign Missionary Journal," will take their place. Fifty-two thousand copies of scriptures and tracts have been distributed at Canton, and twenty thousand at Shanghai.

The report of the Treasurer was then read; showing the total receipts for the two years, from 4th April, 1849, to the 4th April, 1851, to be $44,805 65; of which $21,789 01, was received during the last year.

From the report of the Secretary of the Domestic Board, (R. Holman,) we learn that fifty persons have been employed by the Board as preachers and agents. There are 125 stations supplied with preaching. During the past year 4,150 discourses were delivered at these stations. During the year 450 persons have been converted and baptized; 160 others professed religion; 15 new churches organized, 10 meeting houses completed, and nine others commenced. The receipts

For the year ending the 1st of April last, were.
Balance on hand at the close of last year....

[graphic]

Total.

Expended.

Balance on hand...

« TrướcTiếp tục »