FRIENDS' Central Dry Goods Store. Preparatory to occupying our NEW STORE at the South-west corner of Seventh and Silks, Dress Goods, Cloths, at greatly reduced prices, in order to reduce our stock before removing. We have just received a few lots of very superior SILK GAUSE, for CAPS, to which we call the attention of Friends. Also one lot of SEAL-SKIN SHAWLS which are very desirable. Directors, Orders from the country promptly attended to. Samuel R. Shipley, Richard Cadbury, 1114 STOKES & WOOD, 702 Arch St., Philada. Joshua H. Morris, Richard Wood, T. Wistar Brown, Chas. F. Coffin, Richmond, Ind. Insurance effected upon all the approved plans at the lowest cost. No risks on doubtful or unsound lives taken. Funds invested in first-class securities. Economy practised in all the branches of the business. The advantages are equal to those of any Company in the United States. Organized to extend the benefits of Life Insurance among the members of the Society of Friends. CENERAL AGENTS. NEW JERSEY, OHIO AND INDIANA, NEW ENGLAND, G. C. Hoag, Boston, Mass. Reuben Wilson FRIENDS' INTELLIGENCER. "TAKE FAST HOLD OF INSTRUCTION; LET HER NOT GO; KEEP HER; FOR SHE IS THY LIFE." Loving Words from Life. COMMUNICATIONS MUST BE ADDRESSED AND PAYMENTS MADE TO Letter from Keshub Chunder Sen, of the Theistic Church EMMOR COMLY, AGENT, At Publication Office, No. 144 North Seventh Street. TERMS: PAYABLE IN ADVANCE. The Paper is issued every Seventh-day, at Three Dollars REMITTANCES by mail must be in Checks, Drafts, or P. O. MONEY ORDERS; the latter preferred. MONEY sent by mail will be at the risk of the person so sending. The Postage on this Paper, paid in advance at the office where it is received, in any part of the U. S., is 20 cts. a year. AGENTS.-Joseph S. Cohu, New York. Henry Haydock, Brooklyn, N. Y. Wm. H. Churchman, Indianapolis, Ind. LOVING WORDS FROM LIFE. in India An Inquiry. "How Old art thou?". Scraps from Unpublished Letters. OBITUARY....... Shall the Sword Devour Forever?. An Israelite Pleading for Sunday. 705 707 707 708 710 710 712 hate us; and pray for those who treat us with spite and persecution. O, friends! which of us can say that we keep this law? And yet, if we keep it not, we are not giving the true evidence that we are the children of God. Would it not be well if we more frequently applied this test-"as thyself"-in our daily dealings with our neighbors? Which of us would say an unkind thing concerning ourselves? And yet how many unkind remarks are constantly escaping our lips in reference to others! Would we willingly say anything of ourselves which would in any measure tend to lower us in the estimation of those around? And yet do we not often make slighting and disparaging remarks about our neighbors! If we would honestly apply this test-"as thyself"-before allowing ourselves to give utterance to the rising thought, how much condemnation should we not save ourselves! How many a neighbor would be spared the sting of wounding words-words which we can never recall, however long we may live to regret them! "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Dear Christian Friends,-The importance of the above words has lately come before my mind with great power, and I have been led to inquire whether, as Christians, we sufficiently estimate their force. They are several times quoted by our Savionr as being more binding on his followers than they were under the old law. He amplifies and enlarges upon them, showing how the term "neighbor" was no longer to be restricted to a man's friends, but, in the true character of Divine love, was to be extended to those whom we might even consider our enemies. The apostle Paul refers to it as the very fulfilling of the whole law. Now, dear friends, let us try to ascertain what this "loving our neighbor as ourselves" really means. I am convinced that, if we could only carry it out in the spirit in which Christ intended, we, as Christians, should have a power for good in the world, which as yet we know nothing of. We are apt to forget the fulness and strict- "As thyself." How does David, drinking ness of Christ's law, which in spirit far ex- into the true spirit of a future dispensation, ceeded the old law. For whereas comments describe the perfect man? As one who upon the old law taught only the importance" taketh not up a reproach against his neighof doing good to those who loved us, and bor." Which of us would take up any rewere kind to us, the Saviour in his Sermon proach against ourselves, and go about with on the Mount tells us that in order to be the it, and spread it wherever we went? Not children of his Father we must bless them one of us-the thought is too monstrous. who curse us; we must do good to those who And yet how we catch up a reproach against another, and talk about it, and make much | many a one away. May God save us from of it, as if it gave us pleasure instead of that having the blood of such souls upon our conreal pain which it would give if we loved our sciences! neighbor as ourselves. I remember being much struck with the meaning of this passage some years ago when a circumstance presented it to me in a light in which I had not before seen it. A Christian had got into a quarrel with one of his neighbors, and in the heat of passion had allowed himself to say many things which, as a Christian, he never ought to have said. At length God led him to see that in giving way to unkind speaking he was failing in love to his neighbor, and with the straightforward manliness which a true Christian will always exhibit, he expressed his regret that, unlike the perfect man of the Psalmist, he had "taken up a reproach against his neighbor." The practical application given to this passage came to me with great force, and has often since checked the inclination to repeat, or take up" some thing to another's detriment. 66 My dear friends, whilst we live in this present world it must needs be, alas! that offences come. But now I would earnestly say to each one-If thou hast by some device of Satan become offended by or with thy neighbor; if thou art not feeling true, earnest love for him; or if thou thinkest that he has despitefully used thee, then remember our dear Saviour's precept, and PRAY FOR HIM. Pray; pray on till thy heart is so filled with the love of God towards him, that thou art ready for any sacrifice for him; nay, if needs be, that thou wouldst give up thy very life, if that would save his soul. This Christ-like love alone is worthy the name of love; all other or lesser form of love has still self clinging to it. If we are the true followers of Christ, our only anxiety will be to do good to others. In relation to our neighbors, the question will But let us consider Christ's law yet a little not be whether we can derive gratification further. I have known Christians who from intercourse with them, but can we do seemed to think that if a man ceased to be them any good? Can we love them for God, classed amongst their friends they were at and by the exercise of patient love and influliberty to say all the evil they could of him ence win them to Christ? There may be a without any breach of Christ's law of neigh-great deal in them which is objectionable to borly love in so doing. But O, dear friends, us; but if we are Christians, we shall look look again at the Sermon on the Mount, and beyond this and see that which they may be say if that be Christ's teaching. Shall we come. This is how Christ has looked on us. say that because we no longer call a man by He saw what his love might develop within the name of friend, we are therefore no us, and has not his long-suffering and patience longer called to the exercise of love towards towards us been infinite? And shall not we, him? God forbid! Is not love the only re- who have had so much forgiven, love much? demptive power in the world; and, as the Christ has borne with our waywardness and author of Ecce Deus so beautifully puts it, shortcomings, and shall not we have forbearDoes not love mean the cross, sacrifice, even ance one towards another? We know not death itself if need be? Christ loved us in the secret struggle, the earnest wish there the full meaning of all that, and shall not we may have been to do right, even when outlove one another? Did Christ love us and wardly we only see the wrong. And perhaps die for us because we loved him? Nay, but many a time, when the poor weak human rather we only love him because he first loved heart has just been about to choose the good us. O, if we had this love of God in our and trample under foot the evil inclination, hearts, we should not "bite and devour" one our want of patience, or our hasty unkind another! If the love of self were extinguished word, has been the means of turning that within us, our only desire would be to win struggling heart back to the evil. O, awful souls to Christ; and we should never expect responsibility! How shall we account for to do that by talking against them, however the souls which we might have helped and much we might think they deserved our cen- yet have hindered. Think you that we Do you think this winning souls to ever regret having spoken too many kind Christ means only by preaching, or house-to- words? ever regret having loved our neighbor house visitation? I tell you we are winning too much? When the day comes that we souls every day and hour of our lives; or else can never speak to them again, shall we then we are driving souls away. Take care, my regret the loving, kindly, helpful, sympathiz Christian friends, in deepest love I urge you ing words we may have ever said to them? to take care, that you are not unthinkingly Will not our sorrow rather be, that we ever doing this latter. Remember no amount of spoke an unkind or unloving word? When fault finding, no amount of evil speaking, death comes, will it be a happy reflection to however true we thought it was, EVER YET know that some want of love on our part has WON A SOUL TO CHRIST. But it has driven added to the sorrow even of one of the least sure. shall of God's children? Has it, may be, caused sin in some tossed and struggling fellowcreature's soul?-sin which but for our unkindness had been stifled ere it saw the light! Dear Christian readers-for these words are addressed to those who profess to follow Christ-I entreat you to pause and think before you again allow yourselves in one unkind word or action towards any human being. Think what the ultimate result may be. Again, I beseech you to remember that love is the only redemptive power in the world. And if your sacrificing, self denying, constant, patient love may but help in the salvation of one human soul, thus far are you brought into ONENESS with the Great Sacrifice. Can this perfect law of love be carried out by us? In one only way will it be possible-we must be crucified with Christ. Then, and then only, when self is dead within us, can the full resurrection of Christ within us take place; and it is only the Christ in us who can love our neighbor as ourselves. Yield up self then to die upon the cross; an agonizing death, but to be followed by a glorious resurrection. Let us never rest as Christians till with us to live is to love, more true in the spiritual life than in our natural life, where this great truth is typified. If we feel, as I hope we many of us do, that heretofore we have come short of this perfect law of liberty, let us begin prayerfully afresh our Christian course in this respect. If we have said anything unkind, or harsh, or evil of our neighbor-let the provocation be whatever it may-let us with the noble manliness of a God-like Christianity go to him, and express our sorrow. Let us tell him that God has shown us more of what it is to love, and that from henceforth, God helping us, we mean to love him and all mankind as Christ did. And thus going forth armed with this mighty power of love, we shall spread our Redeemer's cause more than if we could preach with the tongue of men and angels, for our daily lives will be, in deed as in word, an exhibition of his great law--"Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." "Now I LAY ME DOWN TO SLEEP."There is a profitable lesson in the fact related below, as well as a simple beauty that must touch every heart: It is related of the venerable Dr. Nott, after his intellect had become obscured by age, that he would frequently repeat this prayer at family worship. How had it floated, all along the way of life, down to the childhood of his old age, to become again the supplication of his soul? This held its place in memory when almost all beside had died out. For Friends' Intelligencer. ARE WE AWAKE? It hath seemed to me, for some time, that the following language might well be addressed to ourselves. Are we awake? are we vigilant? or are we sleepy sentinels on the watchtower of Zion? These queries have been presented to my mind in connection with our condition as a religious Society. Oh! saith my soul, that we might one and all feel bound in spirit to answer these interrogations. First, as to our own individual experience; then as to our integrity in our capacity of brethren, discharging the duties devolving on us; bearing one another's burdens, encouraging the weak, rejoicing with those who rejoice, mourning with those who mourn, and endeavoring to draw near unto all in that sympathy which begets love, casts out fear, and tends to that blessed unity of spirit which seals us as the followers of Him who was meek and lowly. Oh let us in all sincerity ask ourselves. the question, do we try reverently to follow Him and tread as He did, the path indicated, though it lead us to the cross? Mount Holly, Twelfth month 27th, 1868.. HUGH SIDWELL. The decease of Hugh Sidwell, of Winchester, Va., which is mentioned under the obituary head, seems to require some further notice on account of his having been extensively known in our Society and greatly beloved. He was born in Frederick County, Va., the 15th of Second month, 1794, and educated in membership with Friends. For many years past he has occupied the station of an elder of Hopewell Monthly Meeting, and has been one of its most examplary and useful members, always ready to extend a helping hand and an encouraging word to the weary traveller. When Friends' meeting-house at Winchester was destroyed by the soldiers, the religious meetings of our Society in that place, during the war, were held at his house, which was also, generally, the home of Friends travelling on a religious account. He was universally known in his neighborhood as the friend and helper of the poor, and was especially serviceable during the war, in visiting the hospitals, providing suitable food for the sick soldiers, making crutches for those who were disabled, and affording comfort to all of every class who were in distress. During his last illness, which continued but five days, the sympathy of his fellow-citizens was manifested by many anxious inquiries. He had always been interested in the society of the young, and upon being told that some At another time he remarked that he had, doubtless, often erred in judgment, but he felt that his aim had been to do right, and he saw nothing discouraging before him. "I wish it understood," he said, "that I love everybody." In the departure of this dear friend we feel that our religious Society has lost one of its most useful members, and the community one of its best citizens. Twelfth month 29th, 1868. S. M. J. From an Appendix to the "Proceedings of First Annual Meeting of the Free Religious Association" held in Boston in Fifth month last. LETTER FROM KESHUB CHUNDER SEN, THE THEISTIC CHURCH IN INDIA. OF THE BRAHMO SOMAJ OF INDIA, 21st February, 1868. little boys had inquired for him, he said: "It great religious reformer of India, whose name is pleasant to be remembered by the young as is probably known to you, established a well as the old. I love to have the good will church in Calcutta, for the worship of the of little boys." His sufferings were severe, Supreme Being, under the name of the but he evinced by his calmness and resigna-"Brahmo* Somaj," or the Assembly of the tion, that his trust was placed on the arm of worshippers of God. His direct object in Divine power. One of his family remarking founding this chuch was to persuade his to him, it was a comfort to see him so calm, countrymen to forsake idolatry and become he said, "Oh! I have nothing of myself, but monotheists; and the more successfully to acfaith in a merciful Lord and Saviour." complish this object, he made the Vedas, the earliest scriptures of the Hindus, the basis of all his teachings. In other words, he professed simply to effect a revival of the Unitarian faith and worship of ancient Hinduism. But he had also a higher and more compre hensive object. He invited "all sorts and descriptions of people without distinction," to unite in the worship of their common Father, the Supreme God of all nations; and to this end he proved by appeals to the texts of the Bible and Koran, as he did in the case of Hinduism, that Christianity and Mohammedanism were both essentially monotheistic. He accordingly directed that the service to be held in his church should always be of such a catholic character as to "strengthen the bonds of union between men of all relig ious persuasions and creeds." Practically, however, the Brahmo Somaj became simply a Hindu Unitarian church, and the latter object was altogether lost sight of. The congregation slowly increased in number, till the Somaj fell into the hands of my respected friend and coadjutor, Babu Debendro Nath Tagore, who gave it a new life, and immensely extended its operations. He converted this body of mere worshippers into an association of believers, by binding them to a few articles of belief, and to a covenant enjoining moral purity of life. He also started a religious journal, appointed teachers and published several doctrinal and devotional treatises; and he succeeded in the course of a few years in enrolling hundreds of followers, and helping the formation of several branch Somajes in different parts of Bengal, on the model of that founded by Rajah Ram Mohun Roy. All this time, however, the Vedas were regarded as the sole foundation of faith, and the members of the Brahmo Somaj were known as Vedantists. It was not till about twenty years ago that the Vedas ceased to be viewed in the light of infallible scriptures, and made room for a more catholic and unexceptionable basis of faith, viz.: God's revelation in nature and the religious instincts of man. The Brahmo Somaj since became a purely Theistic church, and now stands precisely in the same relation to its old creed as the "Free Religious Associa Brother-Gladly do I accept your kind and affectionate greeting, and the sentiments of true love and sympathy contained in your welcome message of the 24th of October last. I forget the great distance between us, and feel that our hearts are near each other, bound in the ties of spiritual fellowship. Your brotherly call has found a response in the hearts of thousands in this part of the world, and cordially do we join our hands with yours, as children of the same Father, to cooperate in the blessed work of advancing the cause of true religion. How consoling, how encouraging to us is the thought that the great movement of religious reformation, which we have humbly carried on in India for more than a quarter of a century, has met the sympathy and support of an associated body of our brethren on the other side of the globe, and that India and America, the East and the West, are to sing henceforth with united hearts, and in one harmonious and swelling chorus, the glory of the Supreme Creator! In compliance with your request, I beg to give below, for the information of the "Free Religious Association," a brief sketch of the gradual development of our church, its aims and achievements. Thirty-eight years ago, when English education had just opened the minds of some of my countrymen to the errors of Hindu idolatry, the late Rajah Ram Mohun Roy, the Worshipper of (Brahma) God. * † Assembly. |