網頁圖片
PDF
ePub 版

together pari passu.. Neither can be without the other, and the drgireof either is the measure of the other, and generally, of the effe cary of the prayer; though that is also a!fected by the amount of cans any brought to brar upon the end prayed and labored for. Causa'iy must accompany veneratim doctrine alreadly urged.

• But," says a truly pious Christian, " we sometimes pray for 4.0.0 beyond our power to etlere, and on which causes cannot be, and are taxe, brought to brar. For instance, I prayed earnestly for the conversion of a certain imperiteat sinner. I said not a word 40 him. I uerd no means. But he was converted, and in answer to my prayers" Agterd. “A moiber prays for her son who is far elf, and wrestles in spanit for days, but holds no communication with hım Ball, he us converted. 8), with hardened sinners sometimes in reunvals 8), in regard to praying for the sick, and their almost mi. raculrus recovery, and in cases innumerable where your plausible esposition will not apply."

First la the next chapter, I shall present a doctrine in relation to pontual influences which will show how it is that your prayers for an imprudent sinner operated as causes, to bring him to repentance. Men commune with each other spentually as well as sensibly. Man has a spiritual nature, a magnetic, immaterial nature, that is not al. ways chained down to his body, but, bursting the shackles of clay, leaps over immeasurable space, and knows neither time nor distance, but inderd and in truh a punt. The state is pre eminently a flate of prayer. And in this state, though the mother sees not her son with material eyrs, or adirea's him with her voice, zet her spirit builds communia with his spirit, and his with here. Though you are not sprak to the importent under for whom you pray, yet your spirit yrarns for his spirit, and impreses hin with that rriso sus frenog leh penuates, engrere, your man sul, which bremes the cause, au.I has coverin, thee ei ct. The organs are all ca'r'org To elenase of any faculty in one, nalurily, necessary, ex. cuire the same faculty in annes Anges in one c!reenis a!! around him with the name angry freling. So with the ring us *prt. The re!ies freinga tre ming yut246d in one, exete the same in an ther. "I have two conne an fragment and pik nie um'ar begin ile m's of (!ers, and thus the " revival" & on till the very simma; bese becomes clarged with the reign rus fluid

*** pure "I nurtumes qw to Lata lumeaux it noften erg geopriate and esperseve, sad been I found wash en gruotay &* te alat las

thrown off by so many, which spirit impresses the impenitent and £ nally converts them.

Secondly: Our world is governed throughout by cause and feat. Nothing occurs that is not caused. And this is as truc of the saof mind as of that of matter. For one, I am not atheist enough believe that the first thing ever occurred without being caused can I admit that, after the Deity has got his plan all laid right in 'n finite wisdom and for the greatest good of the greatest number, the the prayers of mortals will either change the purpose of high tle a ven,* or nullify the laws of causation as to the thing prayed for Such are not my views of God of nature. If, reader, they are your I pity you. I pray that you may see your error, and I will do my best to get my prayer answered; that is, to convince you tha: such notions show your views of God to be extremely limited az er roneous.

Intelligent reader; while this view of prayer diminishes prestat from the efficacy of prayer, it presents the character of GX zada nified light, and sustains the great arrangement of caus Les etinct in all its power, in all its universality.

It remains to add, that both verbal prayer and also panise pare find their counterpart in Phrenology; the former in the spade disposition of language to clothe thoughts and feelings in app state expressions, and of adhesiveness, which, with veneration, incu.se social prayer. On these two principles, grow both rocal prayer and that social prayer in which one is spokesman for the others Praying with and for others, intensifies the action and extends the scope of veneration, and thereby increases the pleasure and the pr fit to be derived from its exercise.

In making this allusion to the doctrine of Divine decrees, I do not wisda to be understood to advocate the existence of such decrees; nor do I w wiado to be understood as abrogating this doctrine. I simply suy let it stand untoub ed for the present.

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors]

Break away from all shadows. Regard only the substance. Exercise the religious feelings. Forms or no forms, printed prayers or vocal prayers, or no formal, outward expression of prayers at all, 50 that thy heart but communes with God. So that thy feelings 2 but softened down by prayer's subduing influences; so that the sud is bedewed with the holy, happy, soul-satisfying worship of thy Gd But, beware that these ceremonies do not leave thee the shaduale the substance.

Quite analogous to ceremonies, are creeds, articles of faith. & c. Phrenology discards them. It is like measuring out a given Lid :( food to each and all members of the human family, and then crib ling them to eat this particular dish, (perhaps dose,) and to eat no LCIS no less, nothing else. And that dish, too, all embittered and even poisoned with some ism. It is like making a bedstead, and serviet.nz those who are too short to fill it, and cutting off unfeelingly thus uto are too long till they come within its iron dimensions. It also ałniges liberty of thought. Above all things, it is odious to coerce te meh. Many a hypocrite do these creeds make; for he who is true to the faith, gets patronized, and he who is not, is not only neglected, but is pro scribed, by a silent influence to be sure, but “ by a mighty hand and a stretched out arm' notwithstanding. And modern religion gets pazi for this in her having so many tares, and so little wheat. Phrendy says, patronize men none the less, respect them none the less fero;. ion's sake. Let a man be an infidel, so that he is sincere, trrat im just as though he believed with you. Agree to disagree. P: s TIF tions for opinion's sake, are detestable. Out upon politicians for giring offices exclusively to their oun partizans. It is a direct al. pal pable interference with the elective franchise, with that pret: n., ar bubble liberty, in which we glorify ourselres. It must trin: oven politics, (scandalous, contemptible, as they are any hon, n.race with every sensible man. But, to carry this proscription Ir tu religion --to buy up religion as they buy up votes-shameful, descaliei And yet this is the nature of all creeds.

“Oh, but," say you, “ we want it as a test of their beliefWe want none with us who do not believe with us." I repeat: La limiters come and go at pleasure. Let the natural bonds of frien'shp and adhesion alone operate. Let those form themeselurs into rilieu associations whose opinions and feelings naturally, mutualis, atract each other. Let those go elsewhere whose pleasure in the assume ativa will not bind them to it. Let those come in who are attracted to it just as the literary seck the society of the literary; and so of other

249
SPIRITUALITY OF MARVELLON

95 insines of ass.xiation Phrrpolo ry advocates the Inrgest liberty. T1. s 1. rty, come sally of punon, is the glors burth richt of every huunin l.nz l'p n this literty, crer de trespass It start!e$ of fath to even for th or who subenbe thereto Thry can be rale us'' !y 28 thy are mın ite, and if thry are minute, thry divide, bo wi top, spare their outstabene, in'nre a'!

Torun of reach, or thesr a;;!-atains of Phrenolo.'y, muhit be este fat pieseirr. Dit I formar Reader, carry them out for your sul Dink in the fantament al princi, bre, and this run thein up 2.1 o it for yourself in the most beautiful, n.ost interesting ajil Call us

CILATER III.

THE SPIRITUAL,

Gal is a Swit; an 1 tbry that woruku p H-an, trat w salsip Ilm is spirit

in truth

[merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors]

܃ ܂:ܝ ܀ -;; ;'. ܙ: ܙamo } ، ܕܪܸܙ * :€ ܝܐ ܕ

สาร offel se a.,115, at the of all

any . of 21.) the la...!!!

man (natl. Pored on p 8').!.! of curo? !! * por voly ***:'n to all ho poprepe 1.3 mille even the info! He full fiereive of him any as a me. teral bein, or 11.11.:, as, Ieraillem na pe Berget on whatrvei, mieher right or wrong, of any bring, sale, tube på talentul mallet, any

« 上一頁繼續 »