with few exceptions, and present an unbroken phalanx of co-laborers in this good cause; and with swords unsheathed, and banners flying, are manfully battling against King Alcohol and all his legions.

It is equally due to a host of private members of the different Churches, to say, that they, too, have courageously and heartily enlisted in the cause, and are its practical and consistent friends.

Would that there were no exceptions. But, "Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph," that in this day of information and light upon the subject, there should be any professed Christians, and especially, any who minister at the altar, in holy things, who still withhold their influence and example-nay, who even oppose this glorious reformation. What do the advocates of Temperance propose to do, that they should encounter the opposition of such persons? Let us enquire.

They propose to save to the nation annually, a sum of money much greater than the whole amount of revenue needed to support our National and State Governments.

They propose to repair and paint the dilapidated and ruined tenements, now inhabited by the drunkard, and to improve and fertilize his barren and neglected fields, thus relieving the distress of his family and giving an agreeable change to the general face and appearance of the country.

They propose to dry up the fountains of tears, and to pour consolation into the wounded spirits, of the wives and children of the inebriates.

They propose to feed, clothe, and educate thousands and tens of thousands, of the children of want and infamy.

They propose to remove the proximate or remote cause of a multitude of diseases to which man is subject, and thus prevent numerous cases of suffering and death: and to banish entirely and forever from the world, and to make obsolete in the vocabulary of Medicine, the very name of that most fearful and terrific disease, delirium-tremens.

They propose to put an end to three-fourths of the daring crimes that now abound in society, and blacken the records of our state trials, and which supply tenants for our Jails and Penitentiaries, and furnish employment for the hangman.

They propose to avert the point of the fatal dagger from the bosom, and dash the poisoned chalice from the lips of the unfortunate suicide, whose ruined fortunes and blasted reputation, brought on by intoxication, cause him, in a fit of desperation, to resort to this, as a supposed relief from his woes.

They propose to save from an untimely death, the thirty thousand drunkards, who in our country alone, annually, fall victims to intemperance. And finally,

They propose to save these wretched beings from eternal death from the "weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth" of the

DAMNED.

If the prnciples of the Temperance advocates are carried ou, and total abistinence from all intoxicating drinks, shall universally prevail, who will venture to deny that all of these results will follow? And we here sole mnly propound the question, WHO WILL ESPOUSE THEM?

We call upon every patriot and philanthropist; we call upon the more aged and influential members of society; we call upon the young men upon whom rest the hopes of the country and the Church; we call upon parents, as they value and desire the temporal and eternal welfare of their children; to lend to this cause their hearty support, both by precept and example.

Again, we call upon the fair mothers and daughters of this large assembly, as they desire to escape the hissings and fangs of the serpent Intemperance, in a drunken husband or besotted child, to give the influence of their names and zealous efforts, as we would fain hope they have already done, that of their example.

And lastly, in more solemn appeals, and louder tones, would we invoke the disciples of our Lord and Saviour, of every name, to espouse this cause. We beseech you in the name of your children, and children's children, yea, of unborn millions. We beseech you in the name of your aggrieved brethren, whose counsels you have disregarded, and whose hearts you have wounded. And finally, we beseech-we implore you, in the name of the blessed Jesus, who died for you, to withhold no longer, your hearty co-operation in the cause of Temperance.

A few closing remarks upon the success and final reward o the steadfast and abounding Christian, and we have done. "There fore my beloved brethren be ye steadfast, unmovable, alway abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know tha your labor is not in vain in the Lord."

The Apostle uses no hypothetical language on this subject. "Ye know that your labor is not in vain." Be encouraged then, brethren, and labor abundantly for God, and be assured that success will crown your efforts. As Ministers, you shall not be without "seals to your ministry and souls for your hire," and as private members of the Church, you shall all find the work of the Lord prospering in your hands. Having faithfully discharged the several duties of your station, you shall have a quiet conscience and a peaceful death. Angels will convey your emancipated spirits to the realms of bliss-kindred spirits will welcome you to your eternal home, and your Redeemer, as he places upon your brow "the crown of life," will say to you, "Well done thou good and faithful servant: thou has been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." AMEN.

THE

BAPTIST PREACHER.

VOL. IIL

December, 1844.

NO. 12.

The mediatorial reign of Christ, an all-sufficient encouragement for the Church to attempt the conversion of the world;

A Sermon, preached by REV. CORNELIUS TYREE, before the Western Virginia Baptist Association, Aug. 28, 1844, and published by the request of that body.

"And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen." MATT. XXVIII: 18-20.

These verses contain the great commission of Christ. The circumstances under which it was given, were peculiar and deeply interesting. The great work of human salvation had just been finished. The prophecies had been fulfilled, the atonement made, death abolished, hell conquered, earth redeemed and heaven purchased. The risen Saviour had been for forty days lingering amid his sorrowing disciples, comforting their hearts, enlightening their minds and strengthening their faith. The time had now come for him to leave them. He was about to ascend to heaven and take possession of that glory he had with the Father, "before the world was." Under these circumstances he blessed them, and dismissed them to the great work of converting the world.

This commission contains the statement of a glorious fact; a great command; and a precious promise. The glorious fact is, that Jesus Christ has all power in all worlds: the great command is, that the Church is to convey the Gospel to the world: and the precious promise is, that Jesus Christ is with his Church, in this great work to the end of time. This fact, this command and this promise, constitute "the Gospel of the blessed God," and form that great moral scheme by which the Church is to convert the world. Hence these words are a kind of summing up of all Christ did to save man: the essence of the new dispensation; an epitome of the whole of God's revelation to man.

Vol. 3.-29.

In

these words, all the light of the Gospel dispensation is brought to a focal blaze. This commission is the watch-word of the ministry, the law of the Church, and the hope of the world.

Before announcing the theme of this discourse, I wish to premise some two or three remarks:

First. This commission was given to the Church as such.-It was not given merely to the first Apostles, nor to the ministry in subsequent ages, but to all the redeemed on earth. The position that the propagation of the Gospel should be confined entirely to the ministry, is as unscriptural as it is irrational and mischievous. "To confine the propagation of the Gospel," says Alexander Carson, "to office conveyed by a certain succession, is an artifice of satan to spike the cannon of truth on the Gospel batteries." However important it is that the Church should have regularly ordained elders or bishops, it is certainly the duty of every Christian, in an enlarged sense, to preach the Gospel according to his abilities and opportunities. In this sense there should be no private Christians. Jesus Christ has ordained that every Christian, from the most talented minister down to the most obscure female, should take a part in carrying out this great

commission.

Secondly. That all the aid upon which the Church are to rely in their efforts to convert the world, has been put into the hands of Jesus Christ, as mediator.-After the resurrection he became the official guardian, head, and representative of his Church; "He then became head over all things to the Church." The Father then made over to him, the kingdom of nature, of providence and of grace. All the blessings of the New Covenant, were then taken out of the hands of the pure Godhead and put into the hands of Jesus Christ for distribution. Every agency in the universe, from the highest arch-angel, down to the smallest insect; from the mightiest globe to the most minute particle of dust; together with the Holy Spirit himself, has been committed to Christ for the completion of the world's redemption.

Thirdly. The promise with which this commission closes, extends to the Church in all ages.-There is no propriety in limiting this promise to the Apostolic age. It is literally and in the most unqualified sense true, that Jesus Christ is with his Church till time ends. But for his mediatorial presence, the gates of hell would have long since prevailed against the Church.

We are now prepared to bring before you the proposition that we wish to illustrate and establish. It is this, THE MEDIATORIAL REIGN OF CHRIST, FURNISHES TO THE CHURCH, AN ALLSUFFICIENT ENCOURAGEMENT TO ATTEMPT THE CONVERSION

OF THE WORLD. The truth taught in these verses, is, that the mediatorial government of Christ secures and guarantees to us success in our attempt to evangelize the world. In this day of

religious effort; when there are so many benevolent societies that are local and somewhat worldly in their organization and operations, there is danger of losing sight of the great source from whence comes all our help.

This text, like many others, has by many been cut into two distinct parts. Some in their efforts to do good, neither admit nor realize their dependance on divine influence. They disconnect the command of the commission from its preface, and read, "Go ye and convert the world." There are others who would release themselves from the obligation to convert the world. They disconnect the preface of this commission from its com mand, and read, "All power is given unto Jesus Christ in heaven and in earth." therefore "stand still and see the salvation of God." One class hang their hopes of the world's conversion on human instrumentality and the other on Divine efficiency. Now either of these theories is downright presumption. Disunite the first and second parts of this commission, and act on that disunion, and you unhook from the eternal throne, that chain of influences that hangs earth on heaven, and let down the inhabitants of this globe, in one great congregation into hell. Dissever the command of this commission from its preface, and you strike out the link that connects human instrumentality with Divine efficiency and leave us nothing to expect, but disappointment and defeat. No, "What God has joined together let no man put asunder." Let us guard against two fatal extremes. On the one hand, let us never overlook the means in relying on Christ; nor on the other hand, overlook Christ in using the means. In the great work of human salvation, Christ, revealed truth, and Christian agency, are all concerned. There are different senses in which the conversion of the soul is ascribed to each one of them. These three great agencies however are not to change places. Christ will never do for the Church, what he has ordained the Church is to do for herself. Nor can Christians take the place of revealed truth, or revealed truth the place of Christ, without marring heaven's plan. Having stated our proposition, we proceed and remark,

I. THAT THERE ARE TO THE EYE OF REASON VERY MANY AND VERY GREAT DIFFICULTIES IN THE WAY OF THE WORLD'S

CONVERSION. The word "teach" here means to disciple or make Christians. Hence the import of the command, is that the Church by teaching and baptism, and teaching after baptism, is to convert the world. This implies that the world is unconverted, or that there are many great difficulties in the way of carrying out this commission. Let us mention some of them.

1 The first we mention is moral death.-Ascend the mount of vision, and to the spiritual eye, the moral world is one great valley of dry bones. It is true the world is alive, active, physi cally and intellectually; but morally, all is still loathsome and