The New York Herald Newspaper, April 25, 1870, Page 4

B Serupmionsly ambitions hesiated af no erme to vaih & forjune, when, they had thay as their idea of napp'aess, aud ‘often sacrilced body ana soul mm some naoriiteous way to obialn Whgt Lhey sougut for wits an unggeueyadle ardor, Yei the man wav oret ever dis Agures in hits count. ingroom. alice many years of Loi had fouad thas the muco. d sam had foally been obtained, did nob fin pines in t that fully satiated his desires or carne up vo Dts Idea of how he thouhe he Would feel Wie realization had become an ac. compusned act The more the miber gut aold of, tho greater wis riches grew, the more un- happy. fe became, antl ne ‘died the death of adog, un conrued for snd unsane;” and the ay amibitous;”? Wuen they did succeed % found shat thelr happiness was conscience an nadytng worm that 3 out by s.OW degrees, Where, esd to be Sound? How realized? Hot Lore below, where all tongs, no ve iu appearance are but wWan- band of no Solid good, Happiness, owl) mea sought for ia 80 many Ways Was Hot of te EARTY BARTITY$ y tig, whick could only be +g {a this alfe thas we could enjoy b inthe ncxt, ‘Phe chars oF vea. effect on most men at all times; ‘ly eonavit tae tmooiy docs not er case it passed into one ear to #o out ; bat In the other it was not only sw: ding tO the ear, put ib entered the soul se, it carried with ib a lesson Of Dir vine love and adoration waicu fills tne heart with ion beyond all human valua- vything i tela world as At te worldly convert, made tal ear; but Lo give that hap. asiy sought (7, tue iastramentaliiy bd such that’ te sval 1s Detterell » hupplaess. That happivess which could ouly be had in Heaven, and ise by leading a it was ite L rs ila Aposties when He appeared vr the resurrection, 1t was a peace ne soul above ail human thoughis, far us of UNG Lappiness, Where Lnere is ov ricuss, ho repiulag for woes suifered, 09 deed’ that gives @ sorrow to tne Lora bitvor memory to the mad. If Christians 80 to hove tuwt race then they would, 1adeed, pave lized t@at happiuess whick aioze could matiofy ho or.viags Of the immortal soul, which Cannot be saliaicd 2a Ms yeardings by things that are mortal, ‘ MIRINERS CHURCH. Sermon by the Rov. Beajamin F. Millard. The Maviers’ chacc, coraer of Catharine aad Madison streets, was yesterday well filed by an B@udience compose] fer the most part of laboring men and sea nen, who, judging from the devout manner tm wick they worsuipped, seemed wo feel a far deeper interest ia the salvation of their souls than do many of those who atiend our tpper-tendom churohes, Thore are to be fowad at tuls sanctuary nove of those FLORA M‘FLIMSBY SORT OF CHRISTIANS WhO attead church ior the purpose of exuibiting their finery, aud worstnp God through the mediun Of gorgeous vooudis aud magnificent dreases, but true, Cimatiauly, God-fearing people, wDo care far more for Le saivation of tueir souls than for any OuLwer, show of 1ashion or maraificence. Mr, Millard. tne pasior of tke church, took his fext from Mutrnow i, 2—“Where is He that 19 born King of tho Jowsa? for we have seen His sta> iy the east, and. ure come to worship Him.” This inquiry, sald the speaker, was made by the wise men from tae t upon entering Jerusaiem. They bad seen the star and undoubtedly believed that 8. me great detiverer Was to come from the Kast. 1b Wes beheved by many in those days that a doliverer Was to come scouer Or later, for they bad been told £0 repeaiediy by tue prophets; bus when be was to cone or Dow he Was ty come they knew not. See- fog this wivsual star in the east the Wise men thougur the ur of Whom they nad beard bad . Some men differ as to whetner ur thet Was Seen in the east. It may though this ts hardiy probaole, wont to consider @ meteor AN 141, OME but it matters lite what 1% was, since we knew that th was a igus of some kind and that at guided the wise men to the infant Jesu’, The wise men very nataia!.y thongut that they should find Jesus fa IsuieM, AS 1b Was tie largest and Most Maguiflcout city m that country; but imagine thelr surprise when they found bim in a hovel in u Hithe out-ol-the-way place Bbethichea. How diferent was his birth, bis parents and bts sur- roundings {row those of te wicked Herod who then 2 cy! it 13 in just this way tiat God eas and Beewlogly small tulage of this world to coafound the wicked, BROOKLYN CHURCHES. ¢ been a met Tor the ancieuia we! PLYMOUTH OMURCH. A Spring Morning and Spring Floweys—A Gay Floral Sunduy in ProspectStrangers in a Strange Land at Plymouth Church—Sermon ov the Development of Lite in Town. Tue vernal spring morning brougnt the multitude Yo churoh with gleesome countenances, cons quent on the imfluences of the warm breath that Steals over cur senses when spring bursts into green and awakes us from sieep—a twittering and 8 Warbling tuat make the pulses leap, Inside the church the eimolems of spring were in considera- bie profusion, ou ive platiorm, where rustic baskets and fora! stands were radiaut with nature's bright st and mosé yrace‘ul Horal offerings. Next Sunday ig, however, the FLORAL SUNDAY OF TNE CHURCH. The first Sunday in May is a day of great reunion @nd picasans memory to all the members of tne church. It is not only the Sunday wien memyers &re udinitted to the church, but around that admis- sion on tuis particular day the beauties of nature ‘and of grace ure significantly anited in memory by those who attach themselves as members for the first time to Plymouth church on this May Sunday, by the presentation of a foral bouquet to ail the new mempers, The prelimimary intimaiion of this inte- restiag service was given yesterday, when the Dames of ninety-six persons, who, on @ profession of their faith, have desired to be admitted next Sunday as members of the,cuurca, were read, . Among the great crowd present yosterday morn- ing were a number of those who have landed im such large nambers at the port. auring the last week, Their appearance inust be distinctive enough for dir, Beecaer to pick them out of the numerous audience, for iu the p ayer before the sermon he very touchiwgly prayed for the “stranger in tho strange lan,” aad commended their future to the woe grace of Him who cares Jor all man- ind. ‘The sermon was on the development of spiritual life in Man, anu was founded on the 39th verse of ‘the 10th chapter of the Gospe! of St. Matthew:—*: He that fladesa uis Iie shall jose tt; and ne that loseth his ivfe for My sake shall find 6.” The appareat paradoxical cha-acter of Christ's life and teacumy furoisned an Opportunity for a mas. terly skeich Of one of the many phages of the Itie of Christ. Mr, Beecher elucidaied the thouznt, and continued the elucidation right through the sermon, that the order of development of Man was not in the order of va:ue. The order of vaiue in the nature of man Was an inverse order to the development of bis powers. ‘There wus no animal born so low, 80 jong vefore it finus itaclf and 1s powers as man, If it Were not for the prophecy of love, tucre coud scarcely be anything conceived of. SO LITTLE ATTRACTIVE AS A BABY There was notlung on the earth so precious, not in what itis but in what It will be; but for days, for ‘weeks, for months this litte mass of noting lies in Ms mother’s arms waiting for iverty. Then followed the engineering inatincts that men called passions, that give force to the lite; them the tigger social re- lation, by Wicd an sought commerce wita nis tel- low man; ana beyond tuat came reason and imagt- nation; and last of all, and latest, the moral and Spiritual. Men iived as if this lower life was tne life that they were created to enjoy. Tney don’t quite Admit that, thougn they do to a extent aud ‘With a@ Very Sligat prosest against what they deem no ley questionings of tuese ideal influences @ud sentiments. Yet he(Mr. Beecher) firmly be- eved saat it was wiser and moro profitable for this ‘World fora man to live in harimony with these higher influences. Those influences were run to scorn in the store, in the caucus, in the Legislature, Qnd the induigeave and development of vis lower life 1g believed to ve lawiul everywiiere; and to do ‘that which is cailed “succeed” men may and wiil do anything. Now, luver that man, to succeed in any one pvsition in life, must acknowledge this higher ilie, aud tat if ne does so Le will be a better man, a better busiaess manager aud BRL POLINIWIAN; H2 COULD NOY BS WoRSB THAN is TO-PaY. ‘The truth that the sei-deniai which men make in Fieiding to tue dictates of their Ligher itfe are tn- ‘Vestments in gouduess that come pack to them by snd by with interest waa well ilustrated, and the @isen made asseruon that religiou required man to give up apy reul apd worthy plea-ure was stated to be Bigise putting oO the C.aims ot reiigivo, Amoug these Mlustrations was ove very graphwelly givea of two men who had left them a legacy cach ot lea thousand dollars, an amount of legacy whick wos JUST ENOUGH TO RUIN A MAN. ‘One spent his ten thousand in twelve month ina fay time, and the other invesied and reserved tt for iddle age, and got the good of it when it was most beneficial to him. Which of the two was the wisest send theha; piest? Men who did this must throw themselvos tnto a Feligious Ife with enthusiasm, for enthustasa is ecussary. Men delayed, reasoned, excused, palli- y hesiaied avout the right apd tne wrong and W Lear they could go to wrong and dorigui. in On @ WO tis Mr. bt eoner asKed, OAN THA SAULT Y OF CUABITY AFFORD CasUIariLY ? 2 ian Komud YO lato reagiod ase Would go tuto \ ® battle. and then a retigious Ifo necomes very Casy. Ano her ir. Beecher's tiiustrations tn tus con nection the companion pictures of THE MILLIONNAIRE AND THE OLD MAID, He described the ultimate end gad lire of the mie Nonnaire, who lived deep dowa In the basement of the mansions o! 4 vulgar aninal ic and the suo Nent life of Jeanette. the oid maid, who bad given her life to the bringing up and the care Of her ats. ters children, Walk terough the beauctfut mansion of ber life, Look how enchanting that room was which was crowned, deco- rated and adorned with love and had opening to it, with (he @oors always open, & room that wag Jicated to ail the virtues of laith, Her life was a ne, joyous, pappy iif. Wich would you ratner , the miserable, untanpy, discontented millions or Jeannette, with all her vires? Why, Je: euwe. of course, Yes, a8 long a8 you are In ints churca, but get ourside and you would rather be the other Uung, Laughter.) TUK EPYECTS OF THE WAR. One of the very bad elects, and one which, in de- fenve of God, must be trampied out, is the universal spread among mea in this country of an almost ua- Lounded amoltion avd love for money that breaks out omevery 8 de, and Which seoma to break down every rovtraint of virtue, Laws are made py men aud administered by them tn sucha way as to pub virwié to shame and to make vice triumphant. There ig @ corruption ia legislauon that 14 Ro retten that the moral sense is Completely outraged, but 19 008 sumciently shocked tO arouse the community to esonse of thea danger, This moral. sense has no power to rebound, dud the same mon wuo do this evi are sent back aeain to repeat their dirty work. Ail Uuts has been Induced very largely by this grows ug love of money (oat has come upon the people of ta'3 land more intensely than before the war. Ldo Not belleve that this will continue, The ena of this 13 uot .ar olf, and the moral sense wil be aroused ia its maiesty. . Further practical admonitions closed a discourse be Was beyond te average of the Plymouth wubp CHURCH OF OUR SAVIOUR. Sentiments of a Moxican Missionury Touch ing tho Evangelization Question—Cutting the Episcopul Service Short. There was a large congregation assembled at the modest and unpretending brick edifice of the Church of Our Saviour, corner of Cilnton and Luqueer streets, Brooklyn, yesterday morning. This church, which ts of the Protestant Episcopal persua- sion, 1s presided over by the Roy. W.M. Postlethwaite, rector, and was established in 1867, Though not strictly fashionahje yhe jembers are most respect able people asa body, ald many of them move ia the higher circles of social life, while, as o congre- gailon, they are remarkabig for their close attention to the requirements of their creed, and are © prompt in their attendance at the various services, They number between 600 and 700 adults and boast @ Sunday scuool of 400 children. THE RECTOR, who has presided over this partsn for the past three years, Is a very earnest and agreeable speaker, though by no meons flowery in his rhetoric. He 18 & young man of fine personal ap- pearance and eyideut culture, and through 13 liberal expr of sentiment on reli- gious questions Aas won for himself the warmest sentiments of regard among his parishonera, He 1s dectiealy of Low Churca procitvities, however, and this fact has Caused some Vie discussion among afew of the worsiippers, who lean toward tue iligh Cburch formula of the Horscopaiian ritual One hitue circumstance observable as AN OMISSION at the services yesterday morning was the failure of Mr, Postiethwaite to recite tue Miany which, accord. ing to tne Book of Common Prayer, should be said after Teauing, the morning services on every Sunday. ‘he reverend gentleman 4n question has excited some commeut among those who are in favor of going througa all the forms upon ail ocoasions prescrived im close accordance witu the Prayer Book. But these latter people ave 1m the minority, the rest of the flock feeling well salisied that the rector, in shortening the service by ts omission (if the laiter term be admtssible under the circumstances), 13 actaated by the pest posstbie motives for their convenience, as the Itany occupies nearly fifteen minutes m its recital, Never: reer iv ts argued, on the other hand, that the litany 18 one of tue most beautitut of the church ser- vices, inasmuch asit appeals so closely to every se! timent actuating the appeal of the suppliant veto: the thone of Divine meroy, as it recount# tho many necessities Of man for the clemency of the Creator, After the various lessons Jor the day had beea Tead and some line congre,ational singing nad been gone through with (the rector 1s an aavocate of con- gregahional stinging, believing in the utility of the choir ony 888 leader of tie people in the body of the church), the Ney. Mr. Heilly wus introduced by the pastor a8 a MEXICAN MISSIONARY, The latter gentieman bore strong evidence of recent travel m his taoned complexion, and re- jorced in a decidedly Spanish gut despite his Celtic patronymic, On taking bis position in the pulp ne read tor hia text the woras contained in ua Gospel of Mattew, sixteenth chapter, eighteenth verse; “Upon this rock 1 will banda my church.’ Having selected his text, le dwelt uo iurther upon it, but entered on on abusive TIRADE AGAINST CATROLICIEY as he projessed to have found it to exist in Mexico. He gave w brief sietch of the incidents connected with bis voyage from New York via Havana, Cuoa, for mexico, taking parucliar pains to timpress upon the minds Of his audience the benighted coudiien of the people of that humish country. Even while @ pas- senger ou board the Vessel wich brought Lim ag the bearer of the giad (dings Of Soriptural hght from Havana to Agxico he performed great good. There were two Mexicans, 8 Spanisti-American and, au iishiaan ou board, aliol waom were Koman- ists. When ho addvessed hinvself to the Irishman the latter refused to hear bim and turned tis back tohim, But tle ot listened, and with tie aid of the Bible and iracia be found ready and tearfut hstexers 1n thei. So 1¢ was with Spain and Mexico, ‘These countries were susceptiole to evangelization. Hence the necessity for ald for the missionaries in these Cathotic countries. in the city of Mexico there were now, he gaid, twenty-two Protesiant congregations, and still tue work went bravely ou. He (ihe speaser) had been revetved by these poor people with sobs aud tears Of joy as the exponent of tue Binle truths in many paris of that unfortunate country. Those Who bad the comrage Lo throw off their allegiance to the Motuer Church were por cuted gad IN DREAD OF THEIR LIVRa. ‘They had been threatened iu several stances with being stoned to death by their porsecators, Pui they were all brave Christians and could not be turned aside from the path whieh they had selected. Ja conclading his remarks, which were most incor sistout so far ag pertained to that which the (a church teaches and professes, be thanked tie lie pon: gregstion for 148 past support of his wisionary ‘work. oF Prominent among the worshippers present with thelr fumiles were:—Nossrs, Webster, Ounningban, Marvin, Bailey, Thompson, Draper, Dunne, Stafford, Vlarke and Dart, of the vestry; Mr. Kobert Bliga,’ Mr, Waketleid, Mrz. Nicholas Luaneer and daagiters, Mr, Pell and jumily, aad Mur. Dailies. PILGRIMS OF THE BRGOMLYN ACAD: Ye Collection for Three Young Men—Sermon on tho Resurrection by Rev. £. 8. ftors The congregation of the Chureh of the Pilgrima, Rey, KR. 8. Storrs, Jr, pastor, are still worshipping atthe Brooklyn Academy of Mustc, a3 thelr edifice is not yet completcd. There was a large congrega- tion prevent at the services yesterday morning. AID., Previous to commencing his discourse, the Rey, Mr. Storr called the attention of the congregation to & collection for the three young men whom the church was educating. It was necessary to carry thess young men forward in their studies, as they promised to be useful tothe Church. He also soll- cited their aid for the missionary cause, saying that books, clothing, toys or money would be acceptanic, The toys, he thought, would gladdop tie Dearis of the litte Cues in Western homes, THE RESURRECCION. ‘The reverend gentleman tuen took for his text the foliowing:—"And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and pas wae thos thein all”’—Acts tv., 88. On tie jase ri’s day, he sald, they consiaered the facts and roof of the facts of toe resurrection of tho Lord jesus from tue dead. @ proof of the fact was een ad 80 Conclusive that no one accept- jug the Gospel of the New Testament could doub: its tradh. Carist did not die of disease, but was put to death by those who had the power and the will to do it, He was not declared to be dead except by those @ho put Him to death—by the soldiers who mado the examination. They pronounced Hin to be dead, and that was accepted by tho Jews. We knew the very day and hour in which He died and was ourled in the sepulchre, where He was leit, He arose from tne dead and APPEARED FIVE TIMes on the day of the ressurreotion—to the women, to Peter, to the Aposties in the upper chamber, and to James. He also appeared totae Apostles In Gal- tee, when there were about 6v0 of His friends present, and finally, again when He was about en- tering the kingdom of heaven. Tis fact being accepted, they must accept Eis miracies performed by Him. He came a3 @ teacher among vs, and ascended from the grave to heaven, and such a Teligion and atonement from stu 19 the resurrection from the dead, Such is tae proof of the resurrection of Crist. He appeared oniy to His dtactpics and friends, aad never to ine Jews @ large. So careful ‘Was fle (nat Ho appeared only to Hia iriends IN GLOSED KOOMS; Hover in the public streets and never where the peo- pie were gathered. 113 aposties, therelore, were to be the witnesses to the fact that He had risen from the deat—witnesses to the resurrection, Overs had jaid cam to nave been witnesses, but they might as weil nave claimed io be witnesses to the assassination of Cesar or the deati of Socrates, ‘Oo man could claim to pe ao successor to hum) who did nok witness tt, It might strike them as strange that Jesus should oniy Sppear to iis discipies and friends, tor had He ap. peared in pusitc the people would aye railed around Hin, Lt was because that with the resur- rection Of Christ the diavensauoa of faith com- NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, APRIL 25 menced In the world. The dispensation was (he | faith tn an unseen Savion, founded upon the test! mony Ol tne apesties, After some furcner remarks fu regard to the great power of tatch in the uaseun God the reverend goutiomaa olosed and the congre- Gation separated, JERSIZY CITY CHURCHES. Sermon in St. Petor’s by Father Grahame— Beecher, Frothiugham and Hepworth Hundied Without GloveeThe Jackals of Heresy. At last mass in St, Petor's chuton, Jorscy City, yesterday, @ sermon was preached oy the Rev. Joan Grabamo, who took for his text, “As the Father sent me, 80 1 send yor The religion of Jesus Christ satisfies human nature, Noe aspiration of the human intellect ts lett unsatisfied, ‘The old law was a re higion of figures and signs and could never satisly the human heart because Jesus Christ was absent, In Plato's religion there was a continual confict bev ween aspiratigns of the heart and those of tho intellect, Hence we sve tite effects of if in his followers, even in Socrates. ‘The religion of Buddha, which num- bers over 400,000,000 of Chinese, is suited not to tne nacures but to the sensual appetites of its foliow- ers. ence it cannot satisfy the huiwan heart, AMa- homet suotdued miilions to tis away, and taught tho doctrine that Jesus Chriss was an apostle intertor to Himself, Here again was the grand tatiure, arising from the same cause as in the pagan sya- tem. All were wnsatisfactory, because Christ was not there, He it was who was to give life to the new religion—a lie Which 13 to last till the end of time, How was it with the apostles of Christ? Did they go forth ike Cesar or Napoleon with earthly weapons? No, they were poor, humble mon, Wish the garb of fishermen on (heir backs,gwithout any iaflucnes, as the world uses the term—without prestige—without high cou- nections, ut the momené Christ breathed upoa then and said, As the Fathor sent me so I send you,” thet power over the world was irresistpic, Jn these words we flad the mission of the ayostics, whose teachings are to be found today onty in the Catholic Church, The greatest minds of the world taught and their systems crum- bled ito ruins, The rich, the great sud the powerful bowed before these teachers, (ad they were RO sooner dead than the world began to turn tts back on their teachings. On the other hand, the poor Jews who went forth to preacu the new doctrines of Cnrist’s religion were the laugiing stock of tne great philosophers and the proud men of that age, and yet after two thousand years we find that religion spread over tae en. tive world, Like the combat between David aud Golan was this struggle of | Olirist’s apostles with paganism. The powers of the earth Were aairist tho former; they were attacked with remorseless and unreienting cruelty; they sufered and shed their piood tn thoasands; vet (uey never faliered, nover lost thole faith in u.timate victory; for Christ had promised to them, “Behoid, Tam with you all days, even to the consummation of the world.” From thelr blood aruse the tree of God's falth—a tree full of vitaiity and vigor. Tho Catholte Church 13 the only Church which hells the doctrmes taught by te aposties, That Church has been attacked by adventurers, by demagogues, by malcontents, and by the rejected of tne ford of Christ, from the hereslarchs Luter, Meiancthon and Calvin down to the jackals of heresy, Beecher, }Froth- ingoam and Mepworth. They come, but they are botsent. Their teachings can never take root In the huinan heart because taey have not the divine Diis- sion. Christ has not promised to be with them. The preacher concluded with @ scorciing invective against the propounders of tue free love doctrine and We religion of sympathy. WASHINGION CHURCHES. METROPOLITAN METHODIST CHUSCH, Boos the Bible Sanction Polygamy t-The Law of Marringe and Divorce as Inier= preted from the Old and New Testaments Discourse by Rev. Dr. Nowmnn, WASHINGTON, April 24, 1870, ‘To-day atthe Metropolitan Methodist church, of which Presideut Grant is a trustee and member, the congregation was large and highly fashionabie. Among those present were the President and Mra. Grant, Vice President Colfax, Chief Justice Vhase, Speaker Blaine ahd numerous other high offictala, Rev. Dr. Newman, pastor of the church, preached an attractive and instructive sermon on the sub- ject of polygamy, taking his text as follows:—- DOES THE VIBLY SANCTION POLYGAMY? “Wave ye not read, that he which made theat at the beztnning, made thom male aud female t’—at- thew xix, 4. Tho roverend gentleman said:—The relation of the text to the subject under consideration is ap- parent to all, Those words are a quotation from tho vook of Genesis, and in thelr origin and application te to mariage. They are the solemn announce- ment of a@ fact which bas never been ealied in question; which contains the inten- tion of the Divine Creator, and 1s here referred toim condemnation of polygamy and in approval of monogamy. ‘They are a part of our Lord’s reply to certaiu Pharisees, who had propounded the question of divorce for his deciston, At that time the Jews were divided a3 to che interpretation of the law of Moses, touciing divorce, recordedia Deuteronomy xxiy., 1—-‘When aman hath taken a wife and mar- ried her, and it come to pass that she find no favor in his eyes, because he hath found some unclean- noss in her, then let him «rite her a bill of divorce- inent, and give it to her hand and send her out of his house.’ According to that law Moses demanded of aman who should put away his wife a “bill of divorcement,” which should be for her protection. ‘Phe justification of the separation, ad stated in the law, 18 “some uncleanness in her.” Upon the mean- lug of the word ‘‘uncleanness”’ THE JEWS MELD DIFFERENT OPINIONS, Tne school of Rabbi Hillel held the opinion thot & man might dismiss his wife for the slightest oifenco—{for no offence at all if he found another woman that pleased him more. But the school of Rabbi Shammai hold that the term “uncieannesa’’ means moral delinqueacy, and assumed this to be the only lawful cause for separation. As partisans the Pharisees came tu Christ and hoped to iavoive Hain in the pending controversy. For wise reasons He decitued to accede to ther wisnes. But taking adyantage of the occasion He delivered a discourse on marriage, 1n which He afiirmed three proposi- nonst— fvat—That marriage is a divine Institation. Second—That marriage is monogamous, as indi. cated by tho facts that in the bexmutng God created but one man aud one woman; that in the marrtave union the man and the Woman became one person; that the man is to jeavo bis father and his mother and cleave to uls wife. a Tiird—Tbat marriage {8 indissoluble except for one cause. dn this reply Christ coincided with neither party on THR QUESTION OF INTERPRETATION, but did coincide with the school of Shammat, so far as their interpretation was founded in absolute rignt in inaintaining the siricter view of the marriage obilgation, Shammat may or may not be correct 12 his exposition of this particular law, but the gencral priucipie that vicre is but one justifiable cause for Conjaxal separation and second marriage is pre- euunently correct. Bus the Pharisees were not satia- fied with this answer and attempted to bring Carist and Moses into collision, They said unto Him, “Why did Moses, then, command to give a wriung of di- vorcement and to put her away?” To this tue Mas- ter made sreply, covsisting of three parts:— Fir'st—Nosea did not command, but “sufered you to put away your wives,” Second—This be aid becanse of the “hardness (wickedness) of your hearts: that is, without which You would iiave disregarded ali the rights of woraar. Thivd—"Bat from the beglaning 1¢ was not 80,” and I do here and now revoke even that indulgence and say unto vou, Whoscever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and snall marry enother, comuittteth aauivery, and whoso marrieth her which is pus away doth commit adultery.” In Considering the biblical aide of the question Of poly- gamy I suall consider two points, THE LAW AND THE PRACTIOR. Under the head of law I shali examine those Scrip- ture passages whic! '@ adduced to sanction poly. gamy. I shall then adduce ihose which condemn it. Unaer the head of practice I shall comment upon the lives aud character of those patriarchs and kings who are charged with the practice of polygamous marriage. And in this divigion of the subject 1 as- sume that there is a difference between tne law and tne practice, The iaw is oue ting and the practice ia anotuer, The practice nay favor polygamy, but tue Isw condemns it. The «itverence between Curis- Vianlty and the Church is quite stmiiar to tas, ‘The latter 13 not now and never haa veea tne periect exponent of tho former. Tha lives of many Chrise ans—of ministers, of bishops and of popes—ha' been scandalous, In the personal character, in the daily Iife, of the best of wen there are serious imper- Jechons.. Perfection belougs to heaveu—is not pre- @icable of earth. Under the dive name of Chris tianty the greatest enormities nave been committed — the wars of the Crusadcrs, the tortures of the ingule sition and the martyrdom of the best men, but Chrisuianity neither sanctioned these evils nov Is 80e r sivle for (hom. With this distiucuon stated accepted I shall now proceed to prove that God's law condemns the union in marriage of more than two persons, L—THE LAW. Which are the laws tiat seem to sanction poly- gamy? The advocates of Reet marriages quote with much confidence bxodus 2i: 7-11—"Aud HM @ man seil bis daughter to be» maid servant, she shail not go out as the men gervanta do. If sue | denen nother master who hath betrothed her to imsel(, then shuilbe let oor be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange nation te siiail nave no power, seeing Lo hata dealt deceitiully with her, And if he hath betrothed her unto his son, be shail deal with her after the manner of daugiiters. It ne take duty of marrtave he shali novdiunnisa, And i be do notthese tree wato uer, then siwil Bie go Iree Wituout money." THE SIGNIMCANT POINTS fa this passage are:-—T'Ro saw perinitted a father Who Was im utter destiiution to approniico ma daughter for a mouetary consideration: bat the 4p- | Arias was guarded oy the following coudl 103:—Tae@ period of bhe Hideuiure could BOL ex: ceed MX years; at tae expiration of that time, or sooner, as at the year of jndiice, or at the geatu of her master, ane should go ivee, and her master saouid betroch hor la marriage, eitner for inset or Lis soa, Such are tae LWo general Conditious Of the iudenwure; vUL What are the facta touching the vetroued ? LL 13 Ime portant to remeber that the Jews maue a dy C+ Hon becween betrovuaal and miarriaye, as We recog: nize the distinction be.ween envagenent and marpiage, Now vie law divecus thaiif the masier, having betrocned ber, shail change tis miud before the consumin fai Dera e Td Wiis case s4C bad Lebo coins his wile, And the law furtaer provides that M the master shail botrpta ber 4 Nis sou, aad Lf, after ‘he betrothal and vefore the marriage, tue son shall change fis oud and preier anotier aad tu her to wile, then the betrothed salt have Ler mar- riage dower, Anlif ie fats to do Uns, “hen stad she go out free without money.” Thab is wituous paying tae price of uer redemption, Tus the law ie ou the side of the woman for her protection, and dows not, directly or tadirect.y, Suuctiva poygauous marriages. Witt equal confidence TNE AVETTORS OF POLYGAMY quote Leviticus Xvull, Los—"Neltuer suglt thou take a wile to her sister, to vex her, to uiucover tier na- kedness, besides the other in her iiedme.” [bis uo accepted chuon Of in erpretation that tae scope of the [kW Wust 86 considered 14 deternuning tie sense of any portion of the jaw: and tt 18 equally binding: upon 08 Lo ascertatn the mind Of the iegisiator from the preface of tag aw. when s4cn promce is given, ‘the frst five Verses Ol this Capes are preiatory, and tn che third verso it 18 stated, “After the du.pgs @ land of Laypl, Wherein ye dwell, ye sbaii bot do; and after tuo domge of the land of Causan, whither I bring you, sat ye now a ither shad ye walk in their ocdinances,” What were their ordi- nances? Bech the sevplans and the Canaantes practisod meest, adultery, sodomy, idolsuwy aud polygamy. From versorsix to verve sey: nm Ineln- five tue law of consanguinity Is laid dowa vad te blood relationships are defied, within the liuitts of But 1a waich persons wore forbiddea to marry. verse eightecn the taw agaist polygau: “Neither shalt thou take a wise to her sist the marginal rending ts, “Thou shait not take one wife to another,” And this rencertug ts sustamed by Cooxson, Bishop Jewel, Dr. #dwards aad Dr. Dwight. cording to Dr. Edwards, the words, which we translate, “a wife to her sister,’’ are fotind in the Hebrow but eight times. In each passage they refer to Inagtmate objects, such a3 the wings of the cherubim, tenons, morticos, &c., and sianuy coupling togetnor one to another. | Tey de- note the exact likeness of one 'ofng to another, aud hore forbid, a4 the margla ¢ .pre ses it, te vaking of one wife to another ia hey wwe ume, And the Teagon assinod for tuis ROHLUITION OF A PLUK is a al, logical ene mereiful “vex her?—proye the cause 9 onsiés and dointotitota ‘th gamous marriages 13 the uy broiis and domestic of Lamech to Jacob, from Jacov to David, David to Solomon, and in snbsequeat times, the vio- lation of this divine iaw tas becn attenced by such evils. If thia 1s not the correct imterpretattun, ten we aro reduced to the neces-ity Of adimituing that sisters tas married are more likely to q! et with each otter than otter women, which ts us absurd as it ignorant. Here, then, We have the simple po: tive command given by A! vu Bh not take OL wile Lo anotiier.”? 4 Vita perhaps even gicater assurance of success omy XXL, 16, 17, has Boon quored:—it a oti ie re beloved and (igouner hated, and tiléy have hina chiluren, bob the i ed and the hated, and if tho ilrss bora son be that was hated, then i¢ shad be, when he akeih his sons to inherit that which he hath, thac he may not make the son of the beloved tirss born before the the son of the hated, which is Indeed the firat born, Jut he shal acknowledge tue sou of the uated for the first bora by giving Lin a dewbie por- tion of all that he hath, for he is the beg'nuing oi ‘413 strength, the rigit of the firse born Is bis.” ‘Lhe design of tins law 18 to secure the first bora sea VE RIGHT OF PRIXOGENI CURE, ‘Two interpretations may be given to the words “ita man bave two wives.” fie had them sinmuita- neously or in succession. Tho forier 1aterpreta- ttoy 18 probable irom custom, bus the latter moro probable from the teaor of tho Mosare law. Suppose polygamy was unknown at that the, the intorpre- tation of succession would be accepted at once, Hence it 14 not tlogical, 1b may be the true one. Bul conceding that po'ygamy dad exist, but contrary to tue teuor OL the Mosaic law, tuen the interpretation of succession Wonld sull be tie true one. Aro we not pound to tuterpret one portion of a law by the teuor of the whole law? Now, the question is, what 1s the object Of this iaw? To secure ¢o the first bora son tho rights granied nim by tae law of primogent- tare. Very weil. IS aot this law applicable to mone- gamy, or & succession of wives, which is the same tuing? All must concede that a plurality of wives 13 not essential to tne fulfilment of the law. Aman haying had one wife ond she belne dead, and he haviug another wile, and she itving, mey he not love the latier more than the former, acd netorally enough, and espectaily at her suggestion and perhaps at her demand, wish to advanve her son to the rights and possessions of the first born’ 181t not cominon in our own day for a father to show partiality for the children of a second wife, and especially when the second wile demands tb a8 only & woman cap douraad tu? Then there is novhing ilogicalin the suppvsifion what the “two wives" here mentioned were hid th succes- And this supposition 18 strengthened by tho fact that in the days of Moses divorces wero fre- quent, and this law was ‘appilcabie to successive polygamy—tbat is, when a Man Cismissed One Wiis and (oog anoviher, by both of Whom hs was the fatherof children, and loved one more than the otuer. In ether case. Whether the succession was by death or divorce, the law is logically ap, Adie Lo monogemous marriages. The passage, Wiereiore, proves nothing for poiygamy, but like Cause previ- ously eXamimed, wien correctly interpreted, con- cvemas tue stupedous ovil, Walch is & Bin against God and #crime against humanity. Next Co this passage, Deuteronowy xxv., 5-10, 18 adduced asa proof text:—"If preturea dwoil to- gether, and one of them die and have no child, the wife of the dead shail nof marry without unto a stranger; ber husband’s brother snail go in unto ner aud woke her to him to wife, and perform the duty of a husband's brother unto ner. And tt shall pe that the first born whicu she beareth shati succeed in the name of his brother waict 14 dead, that his name be nos put out in israel. And if the man like not to take bis brother's wile, then let his brother's wife go up to the gate, unto tue elders, aad say, My haa- band’s brother refuseta to raise ap anto his brotuer a name in Israel, he will nut perforin the duty of my husband’s brother, Zhen the elders of his city shall eail bim and speak umo him, aud if he stand to it and gay, I like not to take her, tien shall his broth- er’s wife come unto him, in tue preseace ot tne elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in bis face, and ehau answer and say, So shall ic be done unto thas man tiat will not wuld wp his broth- er’s houss, and his name shall be called in Israel, ‘The housé of him that hath his shoe loosed.” Tae object of this Jaw was the preservation of familics aud famiiy mneritance. But inis law DOES NOT SANCTION, UR EVEN CONNIVE AT POLGAMY, 83 will appear from the following reasons:—rhe “brethren dwell together ;’’ that is, they have not yet married, aud become heads of families, ‘Ths tact exciudes all married men from the obiiga- tiena of the Jaw, and ali the facts im the Bible touch- ing this point justiuy this inverprecation, Take the case of Samar, recorded in Genesis xxxvitl, The sons of Judah were not married, whioh ts clear from. their respective ages. Take the case of Ruch and her near klasman. He at firac consents to redeem the inuerltauce of Mahion; but when Boaz said to him, “Yhou must also buy tt of kuth, the Moabitess, the wite of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon Gta inheritance,” he declined, “Lest | mar my own inheritance.” The meaning of which ts, two families and two inheritances to care for are too much for one man, And now, if you wilt turn to Josephus’ Antiquities, book v., chap. 9, sec. 4., you will there read, as the reason for his declining, that he had a wile aiready, and children also. On such questions Josephus 18 good authority. And then tura to. Luke xx., 23, ana the question which tne Sadducees asked, “Whose wife shali sie bo??? is intensely personal, but loses all its signifi- cdnce if the sibeequent brothers had bad other ri. And you wil observe that the right of re- fasal was fecogaized in the law; aud in the case of Married men being compelled to decline, they simply drew off the shoe, wile the unmarried man who refuged not cnly drew off the shoe, but sub mitted while THE WOMAN WHOM HR HAD REJECTED spat in his face, Aud the argument is streagthened by the fact that we have no knowledge, either in gacred or profane alstury, taat Boas had been mar- tied prior to tis mariage to the beautiful Ruth, ‘This 1s one of the clearest cases in the Bible for monogamy. Bus the text most confidently relied on to susiain the legal sanctions of poiygamy is If, Samuel xit,, 8—‘Aud I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave tice Lac house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too ittie I would moreover have given uato thee such and such things.’ ‘The meaning of which 1s, God had trans- ferred the Kingdom from Saul to David. Andin Drool, it is stated that even Saui’s honsetold had. fallen into his hands. ‘The term “wives” may be unslers.ood women; for we nowhere read that Saul bad snore than one wife, whose name was Ahino- am. Rizpah was a secoad wife, or at most nis cons cubdine, ‘the women of his court are therefore meant. To give these into David’s bosoin slinpiy implies protection. “Abraham's bosom,” to whieh Lazarns was carried, was a piace of protection, Oguratively expressed. Jt doea not mean that they became ui6 wives. Bishop Patrick, in ois commen. taries, has Jusity sald that ‘Among the Jews no suvject mignt have #0 MUCH as the borse of a king, Do More than his sceptre and his crown; much less his widow, or one divorced, who was to remain widow to the day of herdeath, The wife of a king ie to be marrica to none else, for even tha king can. nov legally marry tho widow of nis predecessor, or one divorced by him.” And such ts the law to-day Ju the dointnions of the Sultan of ‘Turkey. It is AN OLD SAYING that “that which proves too much proves nothing." If the giving of Saul's wives to David 1s God's ap- Peoral of polygamy, What suail we say of God givin, avid’s Wives to Absalom? Can we way that Go poseee | approved of the rebellion and incest com- mitted by Davio’s most unnatural sont These are Specimens oi tue Scripture passages vaduced In sup port o1 polygainy, au thoxe not yet considered ave @ll a8 susceptible Of a3 easy and togical expiacunon > hima another wiie, kor food, her raiment, aud per ¢ as Nose aivcady OXamined, and wo thergiore con: ! | Mia wile; aad { 8 unease ARRAN RAMETERS TING ARATE eet eiide pnat there is not ove text tn the wible witch | deror, And the murder committed 1m defence even ranolely supports polygamons marriages. And | of polygaay. Genesis, byt oti Lamech toox Moti 08 trae, Whiea are Use SeripLure ay red unco fim two. wives, * * And Lamech sat wien conden: HY Cpen no suoject are al wy Vi bawvgay tie tiwpired writers ihoee expucit than on vbIs. And iris to be regreled ‘nut some commeutwors wuo shave not #ivea special acieation to tats sunjoct Nave nol only congsde'l Lao med, whteb on more thorougn Hrvestigatiod Woud have been denied, bus have treated iho subject With @ superticimiity uawortay lisa of jearming gud the solemn interests We voived iu Wo quesiion, For many years maay able ministers coacelod that the Bible sanetioned ana autiorized siavery; Dub there were @ iew to whom God bad given a deiver uadorstonding, and on Whose voda purer lint had shoue, whe bravely defended the scriptares. And i 18 not foo mugh to Bay Wal, ma viow OL Lhe eat Pevvluttog of poitioal and moral ideas worougl Whiek we have just passed, t Willa te next ten Years mon Will ne Qt ihe al.cwpt of any Bien LO Imberpet Lhe ele * IN THE INTERESTS OF BLAVERY. Ting ts analowous io t ouse belo eveuts of hour will force biblical so make tue voucil mainy & Spectnity pa has bitnerio been Covoyded WL ler Cookson, and Valey, and Bawards, gud Dw rf otner emineat scholars, who Dave cousis anded the Scriptures as oud faned by (he proinr lands. Bibitex! int Isa remarkabe fac acoor of the Arst Muses, lawgty pheigy by Ci s us. The tans to ton 18 progressive, Jt ed by at chi, the igst of fhe pro- r of a now dispensa- tion of re.igioas truth worship, aud by Se Pani, the the Geatied. That o CHOI S M,, 2m Taereiore da G his inthor aud hs mother,and shal y Mult be one tesa,’ entering vue warrte:t $, @ 1A0 Hanh 8 all orvor uararal Go. ons, even ments, Which a C.eave UNIO Lis ¥ shall bo one Aes.” slinple und explic + coatee all hts Live ou her, And, Waal be m obey this cyimmanud, God gave Adam bub ode wowan, ite contd have created mere @ Avd in this anion the 2 cannot be moro 4 on SS SUPFIGLENT. Tho creation was perfect. He prononaced the same to be “good.” Adam was a perfeer huwanity prior to Eve's creanon. That perrecttoa 1s revrd. duced 12 mar la the opposite physl- oul, mental ar moral characteristics man ant woman become in marriage & perfect bumantty—"ono si.” And to prove the obligation of tins duat union o one Man fod one womsa 1 ook tuese words are quoted by Maiacit tl, 14, ‘rev ye say, Wherelors? Because the Lord Ath Oe@D Witdesd Lebwoeu thee and tao wife of tay UNS Who thou nasi il [reACASCOUS¥ 5 she thy companion, aad the wife of thy coves And did nos he wake one? Yet had he the And wherefore one? Tnat he Theret. nant. Fesidud Of the spirit. might seek @ godiy seed, your spirit, gnd let none deal treu herously axamst the wie of his youth.” Herein ine Lord compiatos against the Jews tor thelr Creasmént of weir first wl'e—the wife of their youth and of thou covenant, Ab Guat tle they practis SUGCKSSIVE POLYGAMY, divoroing one wite—marrying another, The holy prophet condemus chis 2 practice a3 deceitful gu fredcigrous, ‘the coucemunttea 13 based upon tig fact Laat the pwaciice Is in opposition Lo the Inten- tionof tue Creator, as expressed in the orgiaal 1o- siitution Of marriage, In Khe ereauion of ONE man and oue Woman. ‘Lue Ccondemuation ts egtorced by the proplet’s statement, thas God having tue residue of the opirni, Le vo! a many wives tor Adain, but would not, xd, “ Wherelore one and answei 1on, that God de- ned by imowogamy to secar mand a holy pase r Words, to peovent bhat domestic Gods heartburniags, the aegiceb of 9 predominance Of (he grussec pas , Walch tnevilably flow froin pel, And in sanction of Muses aod Mul quotes these very words in Mattucw Xvib, 5 + this cause shall @ man leave fathec and mo‘her and sitail cieave to lus wite, aud thoy twam sual! be one fies), Wherefore, they are 0 imore twam, but one flosa, What, therefore, God bata joimed together tet mo Man put asmuver,”? tn these words Cirist condemns both successive ud taneous polygamy ; aad tb is remarkale as the sin hereim concer by our Lora does not consist in puting away « former wife. Mun aud WKo may separate and yes be inuocent of the “great tavsgrassion.” But the giu consists in aud “spali marry anotuer,” “Marry auo her!’ He has no right to take another; no right te have but one wate, And, folowing Jn the footsteps of nis Master, St. Paul repeats tues? words in Mphesians v., 23-31:— “So ought men to love thoi wives ag their own bodies. ite Lint loveta his wife loveta himself, For this cause shall @ maa leave bus father aud mother, and shall ve joimed unto bis wile, aud they twain sali be vae tes!” Herein aoes tue Apostie reassert what had been said of old. And DoW, ast wa ohin.y Lbesé remarsavie werds, 13 TH2 SUM? They wore recorded by Moses ia opening chap- ters of tue Bible. ‘They are pe ge and explained Maigzen! ia the las" book of the Old ‘festamens. epeatod and enforced by Ourtst iu tno iirst book of th Testament, ‘They are reasserted to entoree the game doctrine of duality in marriage by Bt. Paul, the greatest of all tne apostles. Tuus this great truth comes taundermg along we ages ad Lhe voice of God to man, Aud, as a furiuer en- forcement of this grand trath, history repeats itself. As God designed im the Gextuning to people the whole earth by tho offspring that saoald come from Alam and Eve, one tian and one Woindn, so alter the flood had sweps th jaco of inuaoitants from tae Gol prepared to re- we eight persons save m and jour womnen— Noa and hia three sons and thelr wives, God svarts tue race a under almost lixe circumstances and gives to Noan the same command aad the same biessing #3 ke did to Adam—*se fraitiul aad mulu- ply and replontsn the eats.” (Genesis ix. 1.) Toeso historic tacts are in proof tat poiygauyy is not essen- tial to rapid incresse, God knows better tian man, Ta Deuteronomy xvii. i7, polygamy 1s positively for- bidden by Mozes — Neither snail the King multiply wives to hime: i iis heart turn not away.” Moses anticipates that the Jews will dosure a King, and commands wiat he snail not do, and among the otuer inbioltions i the oue “He shall not mul- tiply wives unto himsoif.” And that he may re- member this command Moses orders that THE KING SHALL HAVE 4 Cory of the law, and shail read the same all the days of his die, And @ similar iaw 13 xiven to the pga priest in Leviticus Xt, 13:—"And he shall take a ‘Wife in her virginity.” Adal tuts law 13 carried ont by St. Paul in ois alrections to Timotay—{ timo. ty nL, 2—“A bisnop thea must be biameless, the husband of one wife.” This 13 regarded a8 a very Weak proof vext; bul I resard tt as 0.10 of the stroug- est ip the Bible. Lhe wveriers of poxany assume that @ bisiop must have one wie, aod as many more as he pleases. But the distiiction ts not be- tween an unmarried Man and & marricd ian. but between a man wich one Wife Had a man with many wives. For if the distinction is between an uninar- ried man and @ married mao—that is, W a bishop must have one wile, zolens voens—then no Unwars ried man can d2 an cider in the Church of Gog. if @ minister loses his wife he must, vuereiore, cease to be a minis'er : ‘TILL HR GETS ANOTHER, But what shalt wo do with Joun the Baptist, with St. Paul himsel, with Bishop Asbury and with Joun Wesley, who rematood uniarried many years, and it bad been better fur himt aud tie Clurch iad ne never married? Bue, it 14 sald, this passage applics: exclusively to a bisaop or to tic ministry, Bad not to the laity, This may be true. Bat Pant gives us a passage for the lalty exciusively—I. Cormthians vit 2,4—"Let every man have his owa wile, and lec every woman have her own husband.” And to make this even more deiinite aud coaclusive, ae dednes the mutual and exclusive coniroi given tv each other. “fhe wiie hath not power of her own body, but ner husband, and likewise the husvand hati net power of his own body, but the wite.” Well has Black stone, that great and learned lawyer, Bata: “Poiy- gamy is condemned by the lay of the New Testa- meat.’—Vol. 1, p. 436, 7ta euition of Cour, svo. And the census of the world, 80 far aa taken, as to the proportion of males aud iema'es, CONDEMNS POLYGAMY and vindicates the Divine law, The injunction 1s, “Let overy man have his owa wile, and let every woman have her own husband.” Now, take the census of the world, and What are ihe facus? Ac- cording to the ceusus of this country for 1350 wa have the followin, of 434,000 males; slave population, 1,603,000 maics and 1,602,000 females—an excess of 1,000 mules. ‘Take the census of 186);—W hive population, 16,039,190 voales and 3,105 lemaies—an excess of over 700,000 males; color.d population, 1,982,000 maies and 1,971,000 femaies—an excess of 11,000 mates; Indian population, 19,600 males and 17,200 fomaies— an ¢xceas of 1,709 males, Jn Great Britain there is earti, world by the the the ack—four 1 on EXCESS OF SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND FEMALES. Bat add the proportions of males aad femaies of the United States and Great Britala, representing the two great branches of the Anglo-Saxon race, aud the proportion of (he sexes 18 about equal Jn Francs there are 14,014,000 maies and 19,052,000 females. In Austria thore are 17,029,090 malos and 17,734,000 fensales. In Spain there are 7,706,000 males and 7,908,000 fewales. i In ate, thore are 12,727,000 males and 12,678,000 jemales. In Henge there are 11,871,000 raales and 12,100,000 fe an excess of 1,074,000 females in these five Here great European nations, with @ total population of about 138,000,000, Bat mow add the nuinber of soldiers in those countries, whielt are not inciuded in the civii lists, and the population 1% about equal- ized, And judging from the relative proportion of the sexea in the ludiam and negro population of this couutry, we may conclude that the sane law of equalization holds good in {ts applicauion wo the ailons of Asta ana Alrica. Aud thus nature provides for tho right of each man to one wile. But polygawy Violates thia right; for if one man takes twelve wives, then eleven wen are cheated ous of their natural rights, THR PRACTICE, Having thug sustained toe fact that God, both in revelation and in nature, condemns polygamy a3 AN OFFENCE AGAINST HBAVEN aud acrime agaist society, 1 suail now constiler the praciice of polygamy as recorded in the Btolo, Aud tn doing 80 1 shall first consider those Bibie characiers charged with the offence, aud then con. sider chose great 2nd illustrious men ol Bible times Whose holy exampid is a uving, perpotua: condeu- Bation oO: the vile practice. ‘ashe first instance of polygamy recoraed in the Bivieis in counection with Lamech. Aud Who Lameca? A desceudant of Cain, and bunzelf @ Iuie a a a en Re, unto his Wives, Adah and yo wives of for I have stai mech, hearken 4g my beet & young my pusn” he the” trae who dared WW reverse the order of God, aud deitold the resuis of his transgression3. ‘This is certamly not an auspicious beginning. Aud as we proceed tt wiil appear that divefit! culame ues attended the practice in all subseqnent ages, This is the only instance of po.ygamy recorded in eripiures during the first z,000 years alter tne jon of marriage; and we judge from ihe taat boa Laweeca and those around bigs considered Hacrime, Bab THE AVOUATES OF POLYOAMY adduce the cave of Abratiam as Lueneoing an unen. argument, Yet I do not hesituie to say that Abrahaiv Was 11 no seuse a polygamist, What are the facts? Goa fad appeared upto Abranaw, and promised Dim & NUerouk posterny. Bix yor @ promise bad not been fuhued, 8! » the Lord to A, bab threw the biawe upon ALralaM, BATIOR, wrong ve upon tues? * * * “The Lord judge between “we aad thee.” (Genesis lsio.) 1 lave dope wrong im this, aud now Pout And as @ couffruation of this View LL ord did not recognize .snmact as AbTaLaM’s BUM. The anvel Who met agar in tie wiideruess called him “the lad.” And jears afier, when Ged cou imanded Aoranam to offer isuac on Mount Mormaa, dante pin, w<C DOW Uiy eon, thine OwWy son isaac, Whoin’ Wo loves, and ,er thee myo cbe Moriah.’ (Genesi, xxi, 2) And when Loe trouniea were no lounger endurable, and sivanded that Hagur shoul be sent away, Uien for the Ursé Hig (he Lord spake to Abrabam om v3 matter, aad commanded pum to pur Hagar away, and gald anto him, ‘Wack before me aud ve thou perfect.” (ueues vit, L) Yas was Agra huun’s ouly oifepce of ine kind, and of whica he and Saran repented Ailey the deaia of sara Abradaar lived tirty-lve and varied heatiuah, oy whom he aid six $o03, At. bord im the honor and uappiness Of 2 WonOaMoNs Marriaye. ‘Thorelore, Loonsiate iat AD.ouaiad Was Dot a polycanut, But now we cume te Jaco. And wiab are Lue Lacs to his case? US MARTIAGE 'N) LEAD AND RACHEL igafact, But whatare the points of vi atioa ? Furst, be wae reared amid the sancitiies Ov mou gamy--bis latirer, isaac, bad but Oae We; scCoua, in going to the hone of his ancie, Laban, be loand biunself in a coantry Where polygamy Was practiced, and tere, when away lromy restraints of home, hse many young wien of our own day, he ylelde te 66 power of prevauing custom; Laird, be Was dece.vot Invo the practice ol polygamy; furta, he is vo tm the Biole claimed to be a re igious man wll alter his conversion at the brovk Jabbocs, after woten ne clevased is Nouse Of Idols and thencelorward ilved a sa.ntly life, Up to this ime he was anyciing bus asalot; aud if pis practice of polygamy is an ap- proval 0. the praouice sv a.so 18 His previous conducg tne upproval of lying to his Oid vind iutner and of rovbiug hig brother Esau of his birthright. ‘the lntier follows thé iormer ag a jogica! sequence. Fiita, the domestic trouoles which he ana hts family sut fered significantly indicate Goi’s disepproval of suck marriages, &xta, Judun, Leai's son, Was the cuosen rogenitor of the Messiaen, end i tite faulty val! of Macpetun Lean and not iiachel was buried with And DOW We coute to THE CASE3 OF DAVID AND SOLOMON, Wuten are # Wagons as LO pernus ine Lo Consider thei togel Hoth of the Were ceectuied Jewish kings, aud wey reckoned amouy The ad cred writers. bis a significant fact that wheu Gud called them to their high oflvial postutous they were not then guity of tie sin of eamy. and te sae 13 true ol all other euuent Bivio charavters. Toely QueaLe Was an aller act Of their lives, wien in their pride aud human fereurnons they forgor God aad turned aside trou ts Jaw. In process of tiad Solomon vedame a Wonster of liceutiousness, ab- horred of meu aud condemaed by God. To his Many Wives tne proplets ascribe his downiall, as recorded 11 First niga, XI, 1-13, aod in Nenowmal, SUL, 26. But what sugil we say of lia wrnings? Simply this—That what is ascrived to bin he wrote, and what he wrote is (rutu. ibe gift of supernatural wisdoi Was given bin i tae puriiy of his youtt, aud Was nov Witndrawn. Aud ib 1s Bo lusizuilicant fact tuat ils Writiags condema als practioas:—"Le6 thy fountain ve pleased, and rejoice wit the wife of thy your.” (kroverps, Vv. 18) “Live joyiully, with the wile whul thou lovest all the days oi the life of tay vanity.” (iceiesiastes, 1X., 9 None of tie sacred writers nave gives a mure perleo’ portraiture of tue true wife; No.0 have given suca terribie Warauigs LO ue young uguiust the wiles of the “straage wollau.” this writiugs, belag lu ace cord wita tue teuor of the divine law and in har. wony With tue wars of God and mw, are the best proof thac Wuat he wrote Was rigal, but what o8 dia Was wrong. Inteilesvually solouloa was & great success; morally he Was a stupendous fade. As to nis futher, vavid, but little plore can ba said, He was a great soldier, & Wise Kiay, @ nobie post. But as @ nnn ae Was 2 wixed Ouaraccer. In no nistorical clraracters do suck virtudd aud such viees coexist, He 13 a slant and @ siauer, au augel aud a devil, AS a monarci, aud always trae to the Jewish theocracy, he was ‘a mun afier God’s own heart;” butin lis cuaracter as 4 mau he was bot good and bad. Wuen calied to she monarchy he was worthy the Divine favor, but during bis long reign he sadly departed from the Ways of tao Locd, avd God punisied tim for bis ofences. Wnatever good ig displayod in bis character We ure to approve and init ate; whatever bad we are to despise aud saua. As the progenitor oi the siessiao be was simply & physicai instrument, aud God nowhere claims uoral berleciion Jor those ta that Liuatrioas ting, AS A WRITER OF PSALMS he was but ao intelleciual ageut, expressing the sentiments of a divine religion, aad, a mes, pours ing out his own thoughis aud feeilays. Avert Barnes bas justiy suid, “There is ana must be & palpabie diflereace between being inspired and being personaly perfect. inspiration, i its true nature, secures @ truthfal record, it does Let necessarily seer absolute sauetideaion; ine aced, inspiration has uo Mecessary connec don With sanctilicsiion; a3 1% 18 concelvavie, certainly, in accordaace with tke common belief that Galaam uttered true prophesies respect+ ing the aiessian, yet no ong, trom that fact, locie bound to maiataim that he was otlerwise than & bad man.” (Barges on the Psalins, voiuine 1, introduce tion. page Jo.) Christ is the only perfect character Whose biography 19 recorded 10 tae Bible. ALrauam, Jsaac, Jacob, David, Hezeklai, Moses, Aaron, Jaute Pever and Johu were goud, butitperfect, men, Al if the polygamy practisea by David and Sviomon iw therefore right, so also is aduitery, Murder ana ldolatry of wich they were gaiity. Butif Jacob and David aad Solomon were poly- gauists in viciation of God's law, what shall we say Of those Other great and good sible characters wae were tree from the wreat transgression? Let us caik the roll of nonor—Adam, Enoca, Nosh, Abraham, Isaac, Josepa, Moses, Aaron, ali tie great prophets gud alltne holy Apesues, They hved in a pbiyga- mous age, My they condemned tue vile customs of their age by their spotiess and godly exampie. Surejy these should outweigh tho others. And ow tis Toll of honor are to-be placed tie eminens scnolars and great religious teachers of tne Caracan church, ‘The United voice of tho Ghurch i all ages bas condemned the practice, if there 14 a disagree- ment autong emiuent conimentawra oa the Scrip. tures woether Moses attempted to regulate the evil by certaim politica! regulations, all agree that no- where in the Scripvures, whetuer in the Old iesta- meut orin the New Testament, is poiygamy sance toned, bus rather it 1s condemned by the spirit and tenor of the sacred writings. On theso two pois Patrick aud Scott @ad Ciark agree with Paley and ee and Cookson and Dwight and.Lange and others, Jucob. e AN ATTEMPT ITAS BEEN MADE to prove that in tue case of Philip, the Landgrave of Hesse, Luther and Melanchton Javored poiygamy. Bus the attempt is @ slander on those great re- formers. On one occasion the Landgrave sald to Luther, ‘From what 1 hear of you, Doctor, you teach that # woman may leave her husoand au take anosher when the Joriner 1s become too old.” “No, my lord,” revled Luther, seriously, "1 eniroas Your Higbnexs not to talk thus.” (D’Aubigne, Vole 2, page 276.) And in Kurta’s Church Hiavory, vol. 2, pages 87 and 88, this whole subject is discussed ab lengva, and w.th the same result. A man who loved his wife, us Luther loved nis beautiful Catharine Vom Bora, was incapable of loving anotuer wile at 61a saine time, or Of allowing to others a plurality of wives. And thus nature and revelation, the dictates of Treason and the voice of the Caurch, unite in cone demning @ practice which is ruinvus to domestic purity aud happiness, corrupting of the puolie Morais and subversive of the Church of God. Bouts the spiriu and tie ietter of the divine taw conde polygamy as asin, and the sucial aud Bational eve Which hava resulted thereiorm, wherever the evii bas prevailed, unerringly potut us a3 a nation to the path of duty co be pursued. The hope of the natiom aud the proaperity of tue Church depend larde} upon the punty of the family. The mutual love aa happiness of busband and wife, the education ane proper traiping of the chilidren of the Louschoid, can be best sectired by the sanctity of mono,amous _ marriage. With us, a8 elsewhere, society is THE AGGREGATION OF FAMILIES, and as are tue famties £0 will be society, The voice Of warning comes to us from tie tents of Arabi: from whe palaces of Chaidea, from the pyramids of Egy pt; is comes from beyond the ood Im every sen- tence of Lamechis speech to his horror-strickea Wives; it comes from the pasiure fieids of Padaa Arain, out of the bitter heart vurnings of Leah and Rachel; it comes frota the throne of vudea, stat With the blood of Urian and poiluied witu tue rainet viriue cf iiathsheda; it comes irom the idol altars of Moloch, on whica were comsumed the bodies of Tsrae.’s chiidyen in the vailey of Hinuon; 16 comes trom the entombed Davons of tie rmigily peo. Thus warned aad thus Instructed, our ducy to God, to the femily. to Wie Ration, to humanity, to tae charch as Chrisuans, plillautivopisis auu pater, is plain gud umperatiy HEALTH OF Tae Buitisd Peorty.—A return of the mortality rates of the United K. om, just pre- sented to Parliament in London, induces the follow- Ing inferences at its close:—“la the United Kingdom 1,000,000 of persons are every year stricken dowa by some form of zymotic disease, that 14,00) of those go stricken die speedily and that @ large nue ber ol the survivors are seriously injured in mind, body or estate, Blioduess, desfness, i:mbeciiivy. ‘uginess, pauperis, atl vo to sweil the dolefal caine logue of the resuita, cud to complete the picture tt musi be rememvered that most, if not all, ot Lie Buifering aud fuss 1s due to preventable causes. Tae great prevalonce of zymovic disuasos, or at leas! of the more faiai members oi the croup, will be stopped €9 A800 Hs PULC Opiaion Calis WpoA Individuas We 1oxego the lata: Lbecty ws PTep. gating thew’