Page images
PDF
EPUB

It will be the habitual endeavor of the Editor, in this work, to present such Sermons, on all important subjects of Gospel doctrine and practice, as may tend to honor the great Redeemer and save immortal souls. We have been cheered with constant assurances of its usefulness, and if those who read and appreciate, will make it known to others, and encourage its circulation among conscientious paying subscribers, its influence may widen and extend so long as the Gospel is preached.

We respectfully solicit this encouragement to a work which, scattered as it is throughout the United States, is very far from having been to the proprietor a source of pecuniary gain. May not those who receive this, obtain, on an average, one new Subscriber each, and thus increase the number of the reading community?

April, 1836.

From the Boston Recorder.

"PREACHER TO MANY NATIONS.

"The NATIONAL PREACHER, which has been published for nine years in New-York, besides being widely circulated in our own country, and to some extent in England, is also read with interest in China, in India, in South America, and in the far distant isles of the Pacific. The following extract of a letter from a Missionary at the Sandwich Islands shows in what light the work is regarded on the other side of the globe:

"This plan of calling forth the varied talents and united energies of cotemporaneous preachers, and bringing their happiest efforts before millions of our fellow-men, even while the authors, warmed by their own exertions, are still on their knees, imploring a blessing on the truths they have sent forth, appears admirably adapted to promote the strength and harmony of the churches, to facilitate their highest attainments in knowledge and piety, to excite them to that course of benevolent action which the present state of the world demands, and to supply, to some extent, the spiritual wants of multitudes who are not favored, statedly, with the pulpit and pastoral labors of any minister of Christ. The National Preacher deserves the confidence of the world. May this high-commissioned messenger of Christ be received with thankfulness and joy by tens of millions of our race. May the Divine Author of all the valuable gifts in the church copiously shed down the graces of his Spirit upon the contributors to this evangelical publication, that their writings may be worthy of the enlightened age in which we live, and such as hundreds of millions may be edified to read, when the pens of the writers are exchanged for harps of gold."

WANTED,

A number of individuals, acquainted with men and manners, and of responsible character, to extend the circulation of this work. To such, very generous terms would be afforded on application to the Editor.

12

THE AMERICAN

NATIONAL PREACHER.

OR

ORIGINAL SERMONS-MONTHLY.

EDITED BY REV. AUSTIN DICKINSON.

Office at the Bookstore of JOHN S. TAYLOR, 151 Nassau-street, New-York.

CONTENTS OF No. 120.-MAY, 1836.

Two SERMONS:-"Perdition Dreadful," by Rev. W. T. HAMILTON and "The Example of Christ in Self-denial;" by Rev. I. TRACY.

TO THOSE IN ARREARS.

Circumstances demand of those concerned a speedy settlement of their accounts at this office. Individuals in arrears, disposed to "do justly," may, by prompt attention to this call, prevent such publication of their names, and such additional cost, as the process of collecting at a distance, by law, will otherwise render necessary. All who desire the work discontinued to them, are expected to signify such wish to the Editor or Publisher, through the Postmaster, or otherwise, on making settlement at the close of the volume. Individuals disposed to pay, at once, on the receipt of this, for as long a period in advance as they have been delinquent, may have a deduction of the additional "fifty cents a year," now due agreeably to the established Terms.

Those who have been punctual in payment, and especially those who have kindly given time and attention for promoting the circulation of the work in their respective neighborhoods, will please to accept the Editor's very grateful acknowledgements.

NEW YORK:

PUBLISHED BY JOHN S. TAYLOR, THEOLOGICAL AND SUNDAY SCHOOL BOOKSELLER, Brick Church Chapel, 151 Nassau-street.

West & Trow Prs.

POSTAGE-One Cent and a half, not over 100 miles.
Two Cents and a half, any distance over 100 miles.

1. The monthly numbers usually contain two Sermons.

II. Price One Dollar, in advance, annually; One Dollar and Twenty-five Cents, if payment is delayed six months; or One Dollar and Fifty Cents annually, if payment is delayed twelve months. Seven copies for Five Dollars in advance.

III. Such as do not pay up arrearages, and give the Editor notice of a desire to discontinue taking the work, are responsible for payment while it is sent, and on commencing a new volume are responsible for its twelve numbers. New Subscribers may commence with any number they choose, on advancing payment for a year.

Postmasters are authorized to receive and forward payments to the Editor, at his risk, (as well as names of new subscribers ;) to them receipts will be returned, to be shown to subscribers. No mode of conveyance is found more safe than the mail.

Correspondents will be careful in naming the individuals to whom credit is to be given, and the Post Office and State to which the work is to be sent. Letters of business may be directed, post-paid, to

JOHN S. TAYLOR,

151 Nassau-street, New-York.

CONTRIBUTORS.

UPWARDS of fifty Clergymen, of five Christian denominations, and belong. ing to sixteen different States, most of whom are well known to the public as authors, have allowed the Editor to expect from them Sermons for this work ; among whom are the following:

Rev. Dr. Richards, Professor in the Theological Seminary at Auburn; Rev. Dr. Proudfit, Salem; Rev. Drs. Tucker and Beman, Troy; Rev. Dr. Sprague, Albany; Rev. Drs. Milnor, Mathews, Spring, Woodbridge, and De Witt, New-York City; Rev. Drs. Alexander and Miller, Professors in Princeton Theological_Seminary; Rev. Professor M'Clelland, Rutgers College, New-Jersey; Rev. Drs. Green, M'Dowell, and Cuyler, Philadelphia; Rev. Dr. Bishop, President of Miami University, Ohio; Rev. Dr. Fitch, Professor of Divinity, Yale College; Rev. Asahel Nettleton, Killingworth, Conn.; Rev. Dr. Wayland, President of Brown University; Right Rev. Bp. Griswold, Salem, Mass.; Rev. Dr. Griffin, President of Williams College; Rev. Dr. Humphrey, President of Amherst College, Mass.; Rev. Dr. Beecher, President of Lane Seminary, Cincinnati; Rev. Professors Woods, Stuart, Skinner, and Emerson, of Andover Theological Seminary; Rev. Dr. Fisk, President of the Wesleyan University, Middletown, Ct.; Rev. Daniel A. Clark, Bennington, Vt.; Rev. Dr. Bates, President of Middlebury College; Rev. Dr. Matthews, Hanover Theological Seminary, Indiana; Rev. Dr. Baxter, Union Theological Seminary, Va.; Rev. Dr. Tyler, Portland, Me.; Rev. Dr. Lord, President of Dartmouth College; Rev. Dr. Church, Pelham, N. H.; Rev. Dr. Leland, Charleston, S. C.; Rev. Dr. Coffin, Greenville, Tennessee; Rev. Professor Halsey, Western Theological Seminary; Rev. Drs. Perkins and Hawes, Hartford, Conn.; Rev. President Wheeler, Vermont University; Rev. Prof. Howe, Columbia, S. C.; Rev. Dr. Chapin, President of Columbian College, D. C.

[blocks in formation]

BY REV. WILLIAM T. HAMILTON, MOBILE, ALABAMA.

PERDITION DREADFUL.

PSLAM XXVI. 9. Gather not my soul with sinners.

THE sacred Scriptures make known to us not only the certainty of a future state, not only that it will be a state of final retribution to the good and the evil respectively, but also, that at death we enter forthwith on these rewards. In the New Testament, this point is placed beyond the reach of doubt; for, to the dying thief our Lord declared, "This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise; and Paul says, "I desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better." And in another place, we read of those who now "through faith and patience inherit the promises." Neither was this great truth kept hid from the Old Testament church, as is plain from the translation of Enoch and of Elijah, without seeing death; and from the phraseology some. times employed by the sacred penmen of the Old Testament, when recording the death of good men. Thus it is said, "Abraham gave up the ghost and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people." This gathering to his people cannot refer to the interment of his body, for the account of his burial is given as a quite distinct thing, in the next verse. Besides, his body was not gathered to his people; for all his relatives were interred some hundreds of miles distant from the cave of Machpela, where Abraham's body was deposited; some of them in Chaldea, and some in Mesopotamia. In like manner, Aaron is said to have been gathered to his people at his death, although he was buried on Mount Hor, in the wilderness, far away from all his kindred. Moses, too, whose grave no man ever saw, is still said to have been gathered to his people. The idea seems, therefore, to be, that at death their souls joined the society of the redeemed in heaven, whither all, who like them, are of the people of God, are conveyed on their release from the body. The Old Testament phrase, gathered to his people, must, therefore, be regarded as equivalent to the New Testament expression, "carried by angels into Abraham's bosom;" or, "to join the general assembly and church of the first born;" or, "to depart and to be with Christ."

[blocks in formation]

This interpretation appears the more probable, from the manner in which the Old Testament writers speak of the wicked at their death. Thus we read, Job 27: 19, "The rich man shall lie down, but he shall not be gathered.” And in view of the obduracy of the Jews, Isaiah writes, "Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord." From all which it is apparent, that, to saints in the Jewish church it was made known, that at death, each one, approved of God, should join the society of the blessed; while from that privilege the wicked should be debarred.

The passage before us, moreover, intimates that at their death, the wicked will be associated together. "Gather not my soul with sinners." This prayer expresses the utmost earnestness of desire for separation from the wicked, and for exemption from their portion after death. Why, then, is fellowship with the wicked after death, so greatly to be deprecated? It is so, 1. Because they will constitute a community exclusively evil, in which not one holy, or virtuous, or good being will be found. The designation applicable to them all, without exception, is sinners.

In one vast assemblage will be convened all the wicked, all the abominaable, and the vile, that have ever lived upon the face of the earth.

To the truly pious mind, association, even for a short time, with the abandoned and the wicked, is productive of exquisite pain, in hearing their blasphemies, witnessing their violence, their clamor, and their excesses. Nay, to any person of common sensibility, it must be a very painful necessity that compels a temporary companionship with the grossly wicked, giving way to their vicious propensities, their boisterous passions, and their debasing appe. tites. What individual here, but would feel it to be one of the severest of punishments to be compelled to pass a month in no society, night or day, other than that of the inmates of a penitentiary;-to hear their blasphemies and their ribaldry, their filthy witticisms, malicious raillery, and empty and polluted conversation to witness continually their low cunning, and to endure their loathsome familiarity! What, then, must it be to pass a life in society so degraded, so heart-sickening! But, in the worst community to be met with on earth, there is still some good. Even in the most vicious fraternity of villains, there will be some more generous, or less hardened than the rest; some still retaining a spark of original nobleness of nature, a latent energy of conscience, restraining them from the last steps in enormity, and operating as a check upon their more reckless associates. And, in all ordinary cases, we know that the good and the evil are commingled throughout society; in consequence of which, a silent, but powerful influence is every where operating to restrain the wicked from innumerable excesses into which they would otherwise rush. Who has not seen this illustrated in festive company? At first, every thing gives promise of decorum, propriety, and rational gratification. The conversation is animated, perhaps, but intelligent and chaste, and every pleasure moderate. But when they, in whose presence effrontery is modest, and vice wears the mask, are observed to retire, reserve is gradually thrown aside, and mirth, and clamor, and revelry, rise higher, and yet higher, till, in one brief hour, all traces of decency and sobriety are buried in riot. Now this is but a miniature picture of the world. Remove the good wholly

« PreviousContinue »