Hide Article Text (OCR)
v a ........ .. .............ON SATURDAYS, , -••in ■: V-';:.PflJOE g? PMH JXNtfM, u.ilf IN:,-*0.rAXCE. _-. Advertliemcnt» Wlil.be insertc d, t hrec weckS,; a t the fate;of one dollar; per.jt^iinre. ond'twefiy-fivi per cent, for each,cutra imertloii.'V^ •^AUltferal, di'covint’ Wilibcnutle to'thpse;wht advertiM by tlio year.. :•••Ke\\gi6us,, 'From the’Charleston Courier.PREACH THg GOSPEL.ye Otto all thexoorU ani (reach the Goepet.V.'' '■■■’ '■ ■ ■ !;■' ;.:Oui* Saviour.Such was thlt;? last high coin-mission- of the Saviour ,oF the' world, to the elcveiiv as they Sat’ meat —j-and ts a commandment WT alibis fohuvers. while there remains one solitary individual ig;, norant of this blessed Redeemer,. He was, in his high estate, so-trasctjndently happy? that he needed nothing on earth to add to his felicity 5 but viewing the sad con dilion of man, from the trasgres sibn of disobedient parents, he left the realms of bliss, thntgiiil-ty rebels might he reconciled to a God of inflexible justice. He was truly a “ man of sorrow and acquainted with grief,” yet went about doing good; and his whole public mimstn and private tvaiks, all ended in the fulfilment of the precious duty he had charged himself with. Ilis love was so boundless, that he never permitted an opportunity to escape of benefiting mankind; he warn-ed. counseled and advised his disciples, in the most tender and persuasive manner; and his immediate Apostles {through whom his peaceful doctrines were to be promulgated throughout the world) were carefully instructed under his own eyes. At length, the cruel voice of a malicious and vindictive multitude caused the most precious of all blood to flow. Amidst this dismiil gloom, when forsaken atul denied bv those who had professed the warmest friend ship, and cruelly mocked by his enemies, vvc flncl the same heavenly serenity (but more conspicuous) which marked his former life.—-The sons of darkness, on Calvary’s bloody hill, could barely boast of a temporary triumph, while the Son of God acquired an everlasting victory If his glory was overshadowed for a \vhile, it was only to burst forth in a meridian blaze of brighter splendor. The grave could not contain its victim, for it was an Infinite* being it inclosed. He broke the bands of death, urose from his' sepulchre, left his benign commands, to “ Preach the Gospel,” and ascended to his Father.It is not- to be inferred, that our Saviour meant that all should be so gifted arid qualified publicly to preach the gospel; but al-mostevcry one can dp something towards the attainment of this desirable end;—and of the most ef-ircacious means for preaching the “glad tiding of great joy” is the \Vord of God itself. We live in an interesting, period of the reign of grace, when great exertions arc -making for disseminating this invaluable treasurethe poor are •casting in their mjtes and the rich •do hot withhold of their abundance, but many, are cheerfully pouring in their riches for the enlargement of the borders of Zion. The noble and praise worthy examples* of the great men of the-L,earth ire frequently cited, and laudably, too'; while' those in less: dignified . stations, endeavor ' to emulate them in this “labor of love,” In reciting another instance of this pious emulation, let it not be supposed that it is intend-ed to detract from others ; in this sure and certain » way. of “•preaching the gospel,” we bid all “-God speed hb ping ’there may be no'strife between die fob ibweirspfGhnsti exc^twhoshall; do the most for his glon ,the “ pro vokiugeach other to lpve unci good, works.” - v , ,It was- in,the early part of the inclement autumn of 1817, when this pity; .was visited bv a pestilence that was devastating its po piihuiou, and eutting down its victims on the right and on the left that an aged African was seen walking the streets barefooted. I had bri'orc observed him in one of the Temples of the Most High, and admired his becoming do meanour,—His head appeared to have been bleached b) at least fourscore winters, for it was or mimented with many gray hairs, that rose conspicuous above those of a darker hue, resembling the hoar Jrost on our moss covered trees. The wrinkles of age. had furrowed his face, but its placid serenity evidenced the peace within ; and, as the reverend Man of God spoke of righteousness, niercv and judgment to come, and anticipated the jvs of the other world, the half closed do. votiona! e\es of the attentive Afri. can would expand and brighten into a flame emanating from that pure fountain of light which illumined his tranquil breast. Me seemed to be a stranger and pilgrim on earth, and to be prog res sing towards the place of Eternal Rest. His whole appearance in. the Sanetuan had prejudiced one in his favor, who determined to relieve his apparent v. am ofMiocs, What was his asionislmn nt, w hen i he understood he had shoes, which he did not wish to injure ■ by wearing, but wanted to sell; them for as much as1 would pur-i chase a Bible !—Believing that his pilgrimage would soon bi over.; and that he could descend to the tomb bearcfooted, while many of i his countn men were perishing for lack of knowledge, he was anxious to put the Bible into the hands of some of them—declaring, at the same time, if it should be the means of reclaiming one soul from darkness to light, it would afford him more substantial hap piness than any thing this world could bestow;Shortly after this, indisposition prevented me from attending the Sanctuary for some weeks; and, on my again appearing there, the seat of the venerable African (in the door of the vestry opening to the church) was vacant* Think ing he had gone to some of the neighboring islands, -or the plantations on the main, as was hisyusual practice, to instruct his poor ignorant countrymen in the ways of eternal life, no particular enquiries vvere niadc respecting, him His absence.ai length appearing longer than customary, I was informed that he had closed Iris .earthly career-dying, as he lived, in the full assurance of everlasting joys beyond the grave, through the merits of his Saviour.Farewell, faithful Sambo!—1 . • - ■ - . •' ' 'Thy seat'is occupied by another, but thy . sainted form is often be-fot-e my eyes, nidiug'my devo-t.ions. when disposed to murmur at the dispensations, of an overruling Providence.' Recollecting thy piety patience aird resignation, and thy ardent zeal for the gffepel, by disseminating the Word of Truth, mav thy example be imitated,-; : Hud an; :Etnper6r 'rjietv Tof :.w hat; iiihou .Hast najfely. done,. his fume would be inscribed in letters of gold, and succeeding generations would hold him in grateful Remembrance I -Would that some abler pen-had been wielded'to canonize thy vir ties— but thou art welcome to this feeble tribute of thy w orth.Christian reader—-you think you have done much towards preaching the gospel, by your lib-, oral donations in aid of the d'lffu sion of the Bible—-reflect on Sambo’s zeal, and blush that you have not done more. Ye cast in of your abundance—lie gave all. He bad not silver or gold,but what he possessed was cheerfully reiin-cjuislicd. Should this attract the attention of any w ho have yet done: nbtlring to\vards - proiwgating'the glad: fjjdirigs of great joyr--X en treat such to begin now. Has the God of Nature ; been. lioiiiiti-fu 1. f n ;his . gifts, and blesbedy o.u. with: niuch. of this world’s trea-.-stircs? Return him n portion of his boiir.n, to assist in the great work of Preaching the Gospel, that its btmlieem rajs m:n shine iijto even corner of ihe habitable globe, and dispel the dark mists o( idolatry and paganism. Have you notbing to bestow but your tears ond your prayers?—Then, with.fervour, throw them into the spiritual treasury as a free-will of fering, and tliey w ill rise acct-p table to Him who smiled with, complacency on the widow’s mite.Frtm lie Light/ aaJ Shadow t of Sul! iit Life.CON'iUMlMTON.The moss msos ate still clustered in tln nnlt;l«!i'u) ing splendor above the porch ■ f Cnliter Cottage; Ihe bees or, wur. nnnin^ in I heir joy round ihft hive oil Us preen sward, rich iviili iis abite and .jurple clover ; Ihe turtle dotes are con., iK lt;itr Uk» roof, aiih plumopo Iniphi. piug in the sunshine ; while over nil is shed « dim and tender shadow from ihe e,npowering Sycamore, liom’aih whose shelter was built, many loitp years ape,; Ihn little, hnmblo edifice. In iis low simplicity, it might be I In* dwelling of the poor ; bat the heart feels someihinp in its quiet loveliness llwt lire-ithea of ihe spirit »f cultivated life. A finer char-aiter of tienoiy per varies iho still scclo-sion, than the hand of labor ever sited mer Iis dwelling in the gratitude of is: Sihboili hours; all around 6Petnlt;i in in. inermi; tn |he j«y, and not the necessities of (inistPoce; oud as tlie eyn dn ell-, •hi the gorgeous ornaments which son, and.air, and dew have showered in pro fudm over tlm blooming walls, the mint! cannot, hot. think of smoedelicate antt gentle spirit. retired from the world u had adorned, and enjoying :» I lie Ini. light of life the swestuess and serenity «»f nature.Such were its inmafei a few short months ago. The sound of music was heard far down the romantic banks of the Catdpr, when, in the silence of even, mg, the harp’was touched within thes* humble wulls, or lhero arose a mingled voice of. spirits hymning through the woods.' Uut the strings of the barp are now ..silent, and the young lips that sung thojo heavenly anthems are covered with the dust,The lady who iiyed. thero in -her wu; dowhood was sprung of gentle h 1 ood; and none who hod but .for o mnraeut looked on her pale counteoance, and her figure, majestic even under ilia burden of pait',^c'oold over^ again forget.
Newspaper Details
Concord Middlesex Observer
Concord, Massachusetts, US
Sat, Aug 24, 1822
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Erin F.
USA 27 Sep 2023
Other Publications Near Concord, Massachusetts
Concord Freeman
Concord Middlesex Gazette
Concord Middlesex Observer
Concord Maynard Enterprise
Concord Enterprise
