HYMN. [In church, Jan. 6, 1861. The sermon is upon the text, "Lo, I come to do thy will, O God!"] Now, with the newly opening year, Here in our holiest holy place, What barren husks do we not eat! And so, as at a Master's call, As children in a Father's home, ONE OF THE LAITY. IN THE SHADOW OF THE CROSS. To suffer for others, or enjoyment for ourself, which of these two is the greater, the more enduring? I ask myself this question, because of an ocean of sin and suffering on every hand, because of daily temptation, and because of the cross of Christ. The determination towards suffer ing for others, or happiness for self, requires some plan and system: it can never be wholly spasmodic or accidental. And we see in ourselves and others every day how thoroughly the latter becomes a plan of life, and how often it fails. As a principle of action, it can be neither great nor enduring; but, when we study the nature of suffering,of that quality which was created from the very heart'sblood of our Saviour's sacrifice for the sins of the world, we can understand how such a grief should belong alone to an elevated love, and prove the seed and vital principle of an enduring happiness. If we look deeply into sin, and the many forms of distress all about us, we find that, to reach a cure, we can do nothing without giving the love which alone is born of suffering; and how can such a love spring up in the heart, unless through a profound knowledge of the divine gift of love to us in Jesus, of love to us, for whom he gave himself? Unless our human hearts bleed, as did his divinest nature, for those steeped in the sin of ignorance, of oppression, for the outcast and the enslaved, how can we have courage to reach them, raise them, and bless them? And there are temptations to neglect duties which are more personal, our duties to those whom we love; and how often does love itself become selfish, and work bitter harm! We may love one, and without injury to one's self, who may, nevertheless, be injured incurably by it: through peculiar circumstances, our influence may be the very worst. And how hard it is to see this! how our self-love hides or glosses over the terrible fact! How can we say, "My love will hurt him: I must withdraw all outward manifestation of it"? Not till we rise so high as to suffer for his injury shall we be able to make this great sacrifice, which will at last expand and grow into a Christ-like love. And as the sublime form of our Lord smiles on us, through all these earthly claims and sympathies, with ineffable love and joy, may we not dare to believe that the sacred shadow of his cross has fallen upon us? and may we not hope to be strengthened and enlightened as his instruments of wide-spread good, and at last, perhaps, expect to know what happiness, that deserves to be such, really is? DEAR SIR,I find, in your "Monthly Journal" of February, President Hill's account of his early experiences in seeking a seat at a Boston Unitarian church. Having already been interested, on a similar account, in behalf of those abroad, it may be well to state the arrangements I found there. One Sunday in London, our friend Mr. Channing was to preach at a church remote from us. The name as well as the person were widely attractive; and we were glad to answer several invitations to hear him, at the small expense of a very long walk. Using, however, no names at the door, we were at once recalled from the floor of the church by the terrified attendant, who would not compromise himself by promising us better success anywhere. Unusually fatigued, we paused, before ascending to the galleries, quite long enough for our position to be thoroughly understood by many of the congregation. All were far too nice to overstep that English gaucherie, which, once broken down, yields to such generous liberty. To the gallery, then, despite our mute appeal, we perforce ascended, and became comparatively comfortable in an empty pew. Just before the opening of the services, a lady entered, alone, the further extremity of the long pew in which we occupied two seats. She maintained a moment's uneasy silence; then gently addressed us: 66 Really, I believe this is not a public seat." "Can you tell us, madam, where we may sit?" I hinted here. "We have already been turned from the floor." "Possibly, near the organ?" she questioned rather than replied, with a glance at a long array of empty benches. On the bare forms in front of the organ, and facing the clergyman, we had certainly no cause of regret, save the nervous sensation of intrusion; which, however unreasonable, it is often difficult entirely to control. Some weeks later, during a conversation with Lady a chance allusion to my own Unitarianism produced an instant declaration of hers. I found, to my mortification, that it had been possible for me to form a strong attachment, without a single expression to evince a faith so unusual in London. Her ladyship spoke with great warmth; and said, that, among her friends, she was quite alone in this belief. She added, that her husband had kindly taken her from a great distance expressly to hear Mr. Channing. They were unable to gain admittance; and, to her most heavy disappointment, were obliged to drive from the door. Perhaps you will allow me to pursue the subject with a respectful inquiry. Are the minor virtues so inefficient in our pilgrimage, that Christian flocks so widely scattered appear to be ignorant of their plainest requisitions? How may we be led to the large deductions which might be drawn from the "cup of cold water"? And surely, in these cases, the clergy themselves are partly responsible for the customs of the church, where every door should be open to him who, hearing, will come, or to him who cometh that he may hear. I know to whom I address myself, and am confident of the kind construction which will be used in my behalf. K. M. INTELLIGENCE. MR. BENJAMIN H. BAILEY was ordained as pastor of the Society in Dedham, Mass., on Thursday, March 14. The introductory prayer was offered by Rev. J. H. Morison, D.D., of Milton; Rev T. B. Forbush, of Northborough, read selections from the Scriptures; the sermon was preached by Rev. Convers Francis, D.D., of Cambridge; Rev. Alvan Lamson, D.D., the former pastor, offered the ordaining prayer; Rev. Joseph Allen, D.D., of Northborough, gave the charge; Rev. John D. Wells, of Quincy, the right hand of fellowship; Rev. George E. Ellis, D.D., of Charlestown, the address to the people; and the concluding prayer was offered by Rev. Calvin S. Locke, of West Dedham. MR. HENRY STONE, a graduate of the Cambridge Divinity School in the class of 1860, was ordained as pastor of the Society in Fond-du-Lac, Wis., on Tuesday, Feb. 26. A full account of the services on this occasion will be found in the letter of our correspondent "Milwaukee," on another page. REV. THOMAS DAWES, having resigned his office as pastor of the Hawes-Place Society, South Boston, closes his labors on the last Sunday in March. |