FROM

THE

E V A N G E L I S T ,

BY WALTER SCOTT.

Go you into all the world, proclaim the good news to the whole creation:--he who be- lieveth and is immersed shall be saved; and he, who believeth not shall be condemned.
MESSIAH.
NO. 2.	CARTHAGE, FEBRUARY 2, 1834.	VOL. 3.

      The Disciples of the Ancient Gospel, in the 19th century, have before their eyes a most splendid example of God's dealings with the human family. They have seen, on the illustrious pages of Sacred History, that God spared not the Old World, but saved Noah, a preacher of righteousness; and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them with an overthrow, making them examples to those who should, afterward, live ungodly; and the deliverance of just Lot perpetually vexed with the [40] filthy conversation of the wicked; (for that just man, living among them, vexed his righteous soul, from day to day, with their unlawful deeds,)--demonstrates, with the greatest conspicuity, that the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to reserve, in ward, the unjust, to the day of judgment, to be punished.

      Beloved Brethren, there has crept into the world a principle most hostile to the benevolent government of our heavenly Father. Its strong workings can be traced in every age of civil or religious society. "It is" as observed an excellent author, "a part of all history--and all history is but a part of it." Into all the kingdoms and empires of the world, it has made its insidious and destructive incursions, and has been, or will be, the utter ruin of every nation that has fostered and nourished its baneful influence. Names have been given it, differing according to the different ideas entertained by the various nations, among whom it reigns predominant. By some it has been called, the "Glory of Victory," and has thriven and grown strong amidst the confused noise of battle, and garments rolled in blood. At other times it has taken the name of "Merchandize,"^* and consists in the oppression of the many for the aggrandizement of the few, and in the inhuman trade of slaves and souls of men. Again it has been called by the imposing and presumptuous appellation of "Religion," and has subverted thrones and dominions, principalities and powers,

      The oven and pan have often smoked, with the living flesh and blood of those, whom a few miscreants, called, "Holy Fathers," may choose to denominate heretics, and condemn to eternal fire; sometimes because the unfortunate victim happens to be rich, and when executed, his estate is confiscated for holy (or rather unholy) purposes; and at others, merely to gratify an insatiate thirst for human blood. But called by whatever name it may, by man--it has been recorded in the Archives of eternity, and called by the God of the Universe, [41] "Transgression of Law." It has overthrown Assyria, Egypt, Palestine, Greece, and all the Ancient Kingdoms of renown--has poured the blood of men, in rivers, and heaped its slain to the clouds of heaven! It has drunk in the blood of Prophets and Apostles, and Saints, and all the most excellent of the earth; and God hath sworn its utter destruction. The word of alarm has gone forth: "Come out from among them, and be ye separate; touch no unclean person and I will receive you, and ye shall be my sons and my daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." Eighteen hundred years have rolled away through the long avenue of departed years, since the approach of the reign of favour was announced, in the wilderness of Judea, along the grassy bank of Israel's princely stream. There stood that Holy Man of God, and, with his rustic garments dripping from the limpid waters of the Jordan, cried, like a messenger of the Eternal, "Reform, for the Kingdom of Heaven approaches!" The Rulers and Potentates, of the earth have proved themselves totally incompetent to the government of the Nations, in any form of civil polity whatever. All have been tried; all have failed. The God of the Universe rises in the Omnipotence of his Wisdom and goodness, in behalf of the afflicted sons and daughters of men, He sends them a King. One, whose determination it is to abolish, and extirpate, from his Kingdom, that destructive and accursed principle that the blessed God so supremely hates. The King appears, not a conqueror, a statesman, or hero, but a meek and lowly man.--The Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world. He strives not--He raises not his voice in the street--He breaks not a bruised reed; nor consumes even a torch of flax in the affairs of a nocturnal combat. Yet he will establish Truth in the earth; and his laws will be victorious. Blessed be God's most holy name! He will establish his throne in righteousness, and of the duration and increase of his Kingdom there shall be no end: the Gates of Hades shall not prevail against it!

      Seeing then, my dear Brethren, we have received a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, let have favour whereby we may worship God acceptably, with reverence and Godly fear.

      SIN has been the destruction of the Old World, which was [42] deluged by water, and perished, and the heavens and earth that now are, have been reserved in store unto a day of fire, and perdition of ungodly men. Nevertheless, we, according to his promise, look for a new heaven and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing we look for such things, be diligent, that you may be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless.

      The Gospel purposes to form us into such a mould of character, as to prepare us for the society of angels, principalities, and powers, in God's most Holy Dominion, for ever, and ever. It purposes, not merely to purify our hearts, and consciences, from the guilt and power of sin, and rescue us finally, from the punishment, that awaits all the disobedient, and abominable, at the revelation of Jesus Christ. However benevolent this might appear, when we consider the degraded condition of man, the design of the Gospel as far transcends it, as the abode of the Eternal outshines the glories of this mundane sphere. Having purified us from our sins in his own blood, he designs setting us down by the throne of our God and King, in a world of perfect blessedness and felicity, for ever! What elevated characters must those be, that shall be admitted to the court of the Eternal! What an immense weight of glory and renown will rest upon the associates of the Lord of Universe! 'Tis not a mean and worthless character, that shall stand before God's all glorious throne! My very soul is pained within me, when I see professors (I say not Christians,) speaking, and acting as if there were no promise of his coming--as if they never expected to come into the presence of Him, who made the earth, and spread out the star-spangled heavens above, like a canopy. Or do they think to bring into the presence of Him, who alone hath immortality, all their foolish cunning and lying vanities, with impunity? Christian Infidelity, a term, somewhat novel in form, has prevailed to an alarming extent, though all the different sects of Christendom,--an unbelief, or rather a disbelief of a part of God's most Holy Oracles, which they call nonessential, has given rise to that invincible blindness of mind, every where so visible in those, that receive not the love of the Truth. Unjudging are they in the commandments of God. [43] They know not--they heed not, that the King of kings demands, that tribute of respect exacted by the most servile of earthly sovereigns; namely, obedience. When I think of the similarity that disobedience bears to "Transgression of Law," my heart aches, for the fate of this generation, a part of whose religious instruction is, to trample on the precepts of Him, who, by the Eternal Spirit, sealed his instruction with his own blood!

      Yes, Reader, I have heard it remarked by one indisputably orthodox, that there were no difference between the Law of Moses, and the Gospel of Jesus, if they both equally demand literal obedience! I may not at this time, express the tremendous rush of feeling----the accumulated burden of bitterest regret, that overcame my soul; when I thought of Him, who would one day be revealed from Heaven, in flaming fire, taking vengeance of them that know not God, and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ!

      Fellow Christians, let us arise in the strength of Omnipotence, and cleanse our hands, and our garments, from the filthy abominations of this perverse generation. Let us not be conformed to its manners and customs, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds, that we may know what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Let us draw our moral principles from the Divine Oracles; for the Lord is at hand, and great will be the fall of those human establishments, that are built merely upon hearing, without doing the commandments of Him, who taught with authority!

[The Evangelist 3 (February 1834): 40-44.]

FROM

THE

E V A N G E L I S T ,

BY WALTER SCOTT.

Go you into all the world, proclaim the good news to the whole creation:--he who be- lieveth and is immersed shall be saved; and he, who believeth not shall be condemned.
MESSIAH.
NO. 4.	CARTHAGE, APRIL 7, 1834.	VOL. 3.

      By some unknown circumstance in our constitution we are naturally awed by power, we reverence wisdom, and love goodness; and as it is by these cardinal points our nature holds of all external things, hence the Great Ruler of the Universe, in the gradual development of his character, has exhibited, first his power in creation; then his wisdom in the law; and, finally, his goodness in the Gospel. But, as in creation, while we are astonished at the power of God, we loose not sight of his wisdom and goodness, so in redemption, as we adore his mercy, we are no less overwhelmed by his Divine Wisdom and by that Almighty Power by which be brought again our Lord Jesus Christ from the grave.

      Nature, Law and the Gospel, then, are the three great influences employed by God for the formation of the human character, and there can be no doubt that were we allowed to come [85] unshackled within the spheres of these influences, we should be modelled after a most divine fashion, and be clothed with veneration, wisdom and goodness. Who shall count, or delineate with pen or pencil, the beautiful, the various, the picturesque, the grand and sublime, as they embody his power in the illimitable fields of nature! Or who shall fathom the 'depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God' in the divine scheme of human redemption! The wisdom of God was wonderfully displayed in the arrangement and adaptation of all the worship paraphernalia of the Jewish Institute, and in the moral sense of justice and generosity therein inculcated: 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbour as thyself' is the all predominant sentiment in the Law; and the Gospel is nothing more ultimately as respects ourselves, but this sentiment inscribed upon the tablets of our hearts by the Holy Spirit, which is given to those who obey.

      With nature--the whole volume of nature open before us--with the law, the whole volume of the law before us--with the gospel, the whole volume of the gospel before us, 'What manner of persons ought we to be!' With these mighty moral levers shall we fail to give elevation to our characters? With these shall we 'be weak as other men?' No, beloved. With these we will be strong in the Lord. We will arise; we will 'acquit ourselves like men.' Though we have been sinners and unrighteous, the principle of the Gospel, its precious privileges, its high honours, and high destinies shall save us.----The Christian Religion sets its author, our Prince, in the most impressive attitude before us, and his groans, and tears, and agonies and death, shall arouse us. We have vowed unto the Lord in our baptism, publicly, and before the Great Congregation; we will pay our vows unto the Most High therefore, before all the people;--we will be righteous; we will be holy; we will be perfection itself. We will be perfect as our Father who is in heaven is perfect.

      It was said of our brethren of old 'see how these Christians love one another.' It shall also be said of us: we are resolved we will love one another. We are all of us come to the Mount Zion, the City of the Living God, the Heavenly Jerusalem, to an [86] innumerable company of Angels, to the General Assembly and Congregation of the first-born, to the Spirits of just men perfected, to God the Judge of all, to Jesus the Mediator of the New Institution, and to the Blood of Sprinkling, which speaketh better things than the blood of Abel; therefore, we will give heed to Him that speaketh; we will not be rebellious.

      The worldly churches have suppressed the original enunciation of the gospel; they have been and are, wholly delinquent in his ordinances and commandments; they have overlooked the christian character which is the end of the whole institute; and have substituted pranks, and gloomy ordinances for the purity, and joys of the Spirit of our God. Their very Priests are abominable; and what the Scottish Poet has said of the one, might with equal propriety be said of the other:

      In the midst of such circumstances the ancient gospel with the ancient order, and all the original honors, privileges, distinctions, enjoyments and hopes of Christianity, have burst upon us like a flood of light. Let us then, dearly beloved, walk in the light and by the elevation of our Christian character, give glory to the great Father of life, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be all praise, for ever and for ever.

[The Evangelist 3 (April 1834): 85-87.]

      Robert Richardson's "Christian Decorum" was first published in The Evangelist, Vol. 3, No. 2, February 1834; No 4, April 1834. The electronic version of this two-part essay has been produced from the College Press reprint (1980) of The Evangelist, ed. Walter Scott (Cincinnati, OH: Walter Scott, 1834), pp. 40-44, 85-87. The text has been scanned by Colvil Smith and formatted by Ernie Stefanik.

      Pagination in the electronic version has been represented by placing the page number in brackets following the last complete word on the printed page. Inconsistencies in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and typography have been retained; however, corrections have been offered for misspellings and other accidental corruptions. Emendations are as follows:

 Page       Printed Text [ Electronic Text
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 p. 41:     Archieves [ Archives
            Revelationt, [ Revelation,
 p. 85:     developement [ development
 p. 86:     unshackelled [ unshackled
            knowledge of God" [ knowledge of God'
            parapharnalia [ paraphernalia
 

      Addenda and corrigenda are earnestly solicited.

Created 6 September 2000.