and subjects both in heaven and earth, who delight to own Him Lord and King, to the glory of God the Father. Jesus has a kingdom, but it is not of this world. It consists "not of meat and drink, but of righteousness, joy, and peace in the Holy Spirit"-principles which are not to be found among the kingdoms of this world. The kingdom of Jesus is within a kingdom, and the Apostle John, one of the pillars in this kingdom, said, “I, John, who also am your brother and confpanion in tribulation, and IN the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ," &c. (Rev. i. 9.) Here John the Apostle informs us that Jesus is a king, and that he has a kingdom, of which he was one of its subjects in connection with the seven churches, and all other churches which should be introduced into a participation of the same blessings. The Apostle Paul, when writing to the saints and faithful brethren who were in Christ Jesus at Colosse, expresses himself in the following manner: "Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his | dear Son" (Col. i. 12-13.) Surely no one can be so presumptuous, unwise, and foolish, as to rob Jesus of his kingly glory and authority, and at the same time put in a claim of discipleship with him! Your's truly, Pitgair, December 5, 1851. HOUSEHOLD PRAYER. J. F. I HAVE read with much interest the remarks on "Household Prayer," on p. 316, 489, and 521; and beg leave to express myself on this subject. I do not teach or exhort my children, who are not in the kingdom, to pray; nor to join with me in prayer, because I find neither precept nor example for so doing in the Christian Scriptures. Faith, Repentance, and Immersion are the means appointed by our Lord, "for the remission of sins"-the reception of the gift of pardon. When these are complied with—but not till then-we are authorized to draw near to God with a true heart-a heart sprinkled from an evil conscience, and a body which has been washed with pure water. (See the last paragraph under Regeneration," Harbinger, 1851, page 66 519.) The child who is old enough to pray, is old enough to be immersed, and to "show forth the Lord's death." The child who is in a state to do the one, should not be debarred from the others; but encouraged to observe them. In the Christian system, immersion as clearly stands before prayer as before the fellowship and the breaking of the loaf. Equally clear is it that faith precedes repentance, and that the two last mentioned precede immersion. Prayer is the duty, but not the first duty, of every one. It is sinful to live in the neglect of it; but not less so to offer it in a state of disobedience. "All truly religious parents teach their children to pray," says one of your correspondents; and truly so. Equally true is it that most religious parents teach their children to pray, while neglecting prior duties. "We are convinced," says the Baptist Record, (Oct. 1, 1848,) "that a vast amount of dislike to divine worship has been planted in the minds of children, by their forced attendance thereon." The question at issue is of immense interest and importance; and will, I trust, elicit the sentiments of many brethren, and excite all young readers to a serious, candid, and thorough investigation of it. W. D. H. Buckingham, Nov. 29, 1851. REMARKS BY THE EDITOR. We know not with whom the following remarks originated--probably with some Christian father, whilst consulting the various testimonies of the Bible but they are of long "Those heads of standing in our memory. families professing Christianity, who solemnly read the Scriptures every day with their children and servants, will do well: those who read and pray, do better; but those who read, sing, and pray, do best of all. ought to eat their food with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God for all his mer cies." Christians hold after him, and they will keep the way | This, too, before his connection with Christi(commandments and institutions) of the Lord, anity; yet such was his fear of God, and such to do justice and judgment, that the Lord may his conviction of the truth concerning Messiah, bring upon Abraham that which he hath after hearing the words of Peter, that he was spoken of him." Joshua, the saviour of Israel, baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. We said to his brethren, "Choose you this day cannot now pursue the inquiry further.-J. W. whom you will serve, &c.; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." In the INTERPRETATION OF ISAIAH XI. 6-9. Psalms of David, young men and maidens, old men and children, are commanded to praise the Lord for his wonderful works to the children of men. It is recorded of Timothy, that from a child he had known the Holy Scriptures, which were able to make him wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Christian disciples are exhorted to bring up their children in the instruction and admonition of the Lord; and can they do this without reading, singing, and praying with them, and for them, every day if circumstances permit? This should be the rule, and the omission of its observance the exception. "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." Whatever course the parents adopt, the children as a general rule will tread in the same steps. Children may be very early taught the various relationships they sustain in the scale of being. The creation of man-his present state and future destiny—what sin is, and its consequences as regards man and the world-and what the Heavenly Father, in his love and pity, hath accomplished to secure complete deliverance from the power and dominion of sin, in this world and that which is to come all these ideas may be implanted in the minds of the young. "I love them that love me," said God, " and those that seek me early shall find me;" and the declaration is as true now as when first uttered. If children are not early associated with that which is good-mental, moral, and physical good what can be expected from them? The responsibility rests with the parent, and God has furnished the Christian disciple with every necessary appliance for a proper discharge of this obligation, the persevering and faithful use of which will assuredly secure the contemplated result. WHETHER the well known rule of interpretation given in this month's Harbinger by A. Rees, be in accordance with this age of progress or not, his acin Paradise and in the ark certainly quaintance with the history of animals is. With all due deference, however, to Mr. Rees, we inquire for testimony to believe that "the wolf did literally dwell with the lamb, and the leopard did lie down with the kid, in their paradisaical state?" From Gen. ii. 19, we living creature; and in chapter viii. 7, learn, that Adam gave names to every We we find one of them is called a raven. commands Noah to take unto him of -for it adds, "And it shall be for food for thee and for them." We think that Mr. R. would do well to reconsider his first rule, before he avoids a figurative interpretation: for, if the lion's teeth apply with equal force to a literal inare to be changed, does not the same terpretation? What wonder at a lion eating straw, when its teeth will eat no other food? But the Prophet gives the reason why the lion, &c. "shall not hurt nor destroy, in all God's Holy Mountain"-"For the earth shall be the waters cover the sea." We supfull of the knowledge of the Lord, as pose that Mr. Rees cannot give one instance of a literal lion being changed by such means. The impossibility of affecting any of the animal creation by the knowledge of the Lord, is one reaBut it would seem that some desire a passon why we give a preference to a sage of Scripture as authority for parents pray-under consideration, and have yet to figurative interpretation of the passage ing with their children previous to their baptism. See Acts xxi. 5, xxvii. 35. Cornelius feared God with all his house, and his prayers and alms ascended as a memorial before God. learn what connection a literal inter- P. B. QUERY AND REPLY. How can we reconcile the following passages:—In Matthew viii. 11-12, Jesus states, "That many shall come from the East and the West, and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven; but the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." And in chapter xiii. 38, declaring the parable of the tares of the field, he says, The good are the children of the kingdom," &c.; and verse 43, "They are to shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father." Now, as the good seed are the children of the kingdom, how can we reconcile their being cast out into outer darkness, &c. with their shining as the sun in the kingdom of their Father? Au answer will oblige, Newburgh, December, 1851. to say, 66 D. This In Matthew viii. 5-11, and Luke vii. 1-10, it is recorded, that when Jesus was returned to Capernaum, a Roman centurion sent some elders of the Jews, and afterwards accompanied several of his friends, to enlist the sympathy and aid of the Redeemer in behalf of one of his servants, who was sick of the palsy, and greatly afflicted with pain. This centurion was a Gentile, and not identified with the kingdom of God set up by Moses. As a commander in the army of Cæsar, he appears to have entertained correct views respecting the authority which he exercised over the men placed under him. He only had "Go or come, do this or that," and he was immediately obeyed. officer, then, having heard of the fame of Jesus-probably from the fact recorded in John vi. 46-54-seems to have possessed great confidence in the invisible power which accompanied his word, as well as in his omnipresence and omniscience as a prophet sent from God to the children of Israel. 66 Speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed," was his implicit declaration and belief. The Jews, who were the children of that kingdom, exhibited no such confidence in the Saviour. "He had not found so great faith, not in Israel." From this instance of belief in his divine mission on the part of the Roman centurion, Messiah predicted, "That they shall come from the East and from the West, from the North and from the South, and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven, while the children (of this Mosaic kingdom) shall be cast out" (Luke xiv. 29.) We are requested to reconcile this with Mat. xiii. 38, 43. In apostles, Jesus said, "The field is the speaking of the kingdom set up by the world: the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the tares are the children of the wicked one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil: the harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers are the angels. As, therefore, the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be at the end of the world. The Son of Man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them that do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." Then shall the righteous who have lived upon the earth, shine forth as the sun in the "kingdom of their Father." The harmony of the passages must be apparent. ITEMS OF NEWS. DECEMBER 8, 1851.-Dear Brother— CASTLEWELLAN, (DOWN, IRELAND,) Having come to reside in this place in February last, I became acquainted with two excellent persons, Mr. William Bigham and his wife; he is a respectable farmer, and was an elder in a for some time been convinced of the Presbyterian congregation. They had unscripturalness of infant sprinkling, as substituted in the place of believers' baptism; and on Lord's day, June 1st, Lord Jesus, and "buried with him in they were immersed in the name of the been added by immersion; one a marbaptism." Since then two others have ried, and the other a young man. Thus our number is six. We meet every first day of the week at Brother Bigham's, to attend to the Apostles' doctrine, the fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer; and our hope is, that the saved may be greatly increased. J. LYND. We condense the following particulars from Brother Campbell's Harbinger for October last, which announces an addition of 328 to the churches reported during the last month. KENTUCKY.-Brother James Henshall, writing from Lexington in August, reports that 55 additions were made to the cause in that place, after a series of meetings which commenced in January, and continued for more or less than a month.-The same brother reports visits to Richmond, Old Union, Macedonia, Millersburg, Carlisle, Bethlehem, and North Middleton, additions being made to the several churches. and from then till his last hour, gave the church pleasure by his connection with it. About 2 years since he received to wife Sister Mary Melling, who some time previously had declared her faith in Christ by obedience to his commands (having listened to our proclamation of the original gospel,) and who now sorrows, but not as one without hope, being conscious that it is our privilege to ask "O! when will death This mouldering, old partition-wall throw down ? Give beings, one in nature, one abode ?” Brother Little never attempted the public edification of the church, but at the same time was one to whom the church was every thing, and who has expressed his wish that he could have been able to give utterance to the feelMISSOURI.—Brother T. M. Allen, writing confidently say, that as an every day ings of his heart. One thing we may from Ellerslie, Boon county, under date August Christian he has left us an example, 19, says, "Yesterday, a ten days' meeting closed at Friendship, with 31 additions; 29 and we shall do well to follow in his heard, believed, and were baptized, and 2 were steps. His life being an even manireclaimed." The same writer reports a meet-festation of Christian love and virtue, ing of three days at Two Mile Prarie, when 6 his end was peace-death was the porpersons confessed the Lord, and were baptized. tal to immortality, and joy and confiINDIANA.-Brother J. Snyder, of New Hope, dence his consoling portion. Columbus, reports 33 additions to that church. ARKANSAS.-Brother Whitfield, of Camden, reports 31 additions made to the churches in Ouachita, Hempstead, and Pike counties, through the labors of Brethren Wade. WISCONSIN.-Brother L. P. Correll, of Hazel Green, Grant county, states that 75 additions have been made to the church in that county in the course of the last seven or eight months' personal labors. An addition of 65 was made to the church at Niles, Trumbull county, Ohio. OBITUARY. "Waken'd by their summons from the sky, Fell asleep in Jesus, November, 1851, Brother James Little, of London, aged 29, having passed through, during previous months, the stages usual to consumption. Brother Little was immersed into the kingdom about 12 years since, by the brethren of Dumfries, his father being then and now a beloved member of the church at that place. About 8 years back he removed to this city, (London,) DAVID KING. FAMILY CIRCLE. THE JORDAN.-We extract the following from an interesting little work, entitled Pencillings in Palestine, by the Rev. John Anderson, Minister of the Free Church of Scotland:-' "Instead of Jericho, it was our wish to pass the night on the banks of the Jordan, about five miles off; but our guides, either really afraid or pretending to be afraid of the Bedouins, pitched our tents before we came up, and refused to proceed. We had no cause, except the annoyance of sleeping at Riha, to regret the delay. Next morning was bright and beautiful, and bounding with eager hearts over the plain, we reached the Jordan a little after the rising of the sun. Right over against us rose Nebo, Peor, Pisgah, the mountains of Moab. A few miles below, to our right, lay the Dead Sea, and now the Jordan, 'rolling rapidly,' was at our feet. Next to Jerusalem, perhaps, the Jordan excites in the traveller the deepest longing to see it, and the most devout gratitude when standing on its banks, he at last beholds it. The place where we stood is supposed to have been the spot where the Israelites crossed it, and when, to make a way through its waters, 'Jordan was driven back.' The memorable scenes that took place on its banks and in its neighbourhood--the fall of Jericho, the siege of Ai, the translation of Elijah, the smiting of the waters with his mantle, the cure of Naaman, the preaching of John, the baptism of Christ, when the heavens were opened and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, 'Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased'-these and other scenes which have rendered the Jordan famous to all ages rushed upon our minds, in which we saw them, as it were, again transacted. From childhood we have been taught to regard the Jordan as an emblem of death, and as I stood upon its banks, witnessing and listening to the rush of its waters, a voice seemed to say within me, 'If thou hast run with the footmen and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they have wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?' The Jordan rises at the foot of Hermon, and after flowing about 130 miles falls into the Dead Sea. Its breadth where we stood might be about twenty yards. Its water, owing, perhaps, to the fall of rain, was white and apparently muddy. It flowed, as it generally does, deep between its banks and with great rapidity. Its banks were covered with willows, and the wild beasts, it is said, make their refuge in its thickets. Riding slowly along its banks we reached, in about an hour, the Dead Sea; and after riding for some time along its melancholy shores, and gazing with solemn thoughts on its sad but still beautiful waters, we crossed Adummin, or the Mountain of Blood -the scene of the parable of the Good Samaritan-and returned to Jerusalem. Like an arrow from the quiver, To the sad and lone Dead Sea Through the dark green foliage stealing, All the deeds of sacred story, All its marvels great and true, All that gives the Jordan glory, Rush upon his raptured view! Nature! here thy laws were altered, Jordan's bed became a track; Man at God's command has faltered, Willing rolled the Jordan back. Like a wall, its wondrous waters Shining rise, and solid stand, Israel, 'till thy sons and daughters Safely reach the Promised Land. Pilgrim's garb aside now laying, Let thy garments shining flow, Shed upon the sacred tree, Blood of cleansing, blood most holy, Wash away my sins in thee. THE GOOD. (Selected by D. K. London.) The night hath its stars, The day hath its gloom; By the slimiest waters Some blossoms will bloom. There is ever a mingling Of evil and good; But men cry, "It is naught!" On the wide spreading banian, To the open soul The winds in the grove, The rain on the casement, Are voices of love; The sowing-the flowering The ripening-the deathBut the changes of vesture, While God is beneath. |