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Gambier Observer 1833
9-6-1833
Gambier Observer, September 06, 1833
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VOL. III. GABBIES, OHIO, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1833. NO. 52.
REV. M. T. C. WING, EDITOR. from the Mission press, and a large supply of pa provided it be consistent with his view of his own per, &c. is about to be sent out from this country government, in relation to yourself? Does not your GEORGE W. MYERS. PRINTER. for the preparation of others. The opportunities error lie in assuming that he will not protect you, of usefulness in this department have been increas HEAVEN’S JOYS PERFECT. if you do obey: which is based on a still more fa ed by the liberal donations of the American Tract tal error, that you have a right to calculate on, and ’Tis naught but bliss in that celestial seat! Society. Where God, essential coon, resides, and where even to stipulate for protection, as the condition Thron’d with the Lamb he deigns his joy prepare We are happy to learn that the political state of of obedience? Now this cannot be maintained for For those that love Him, floods of pleasure meet. Greece is highly favorable to the efforts of those a moment. How do you know, but that your suf The deep delight of that secure retreat who desire her moral and intellectual improvement. ferings, as the consequence of your fidelity to him, No uncongenial thoughts annoy; nor care, “We are delighted,” Mr. Hill remarks, in a letter Nor pain, nor grief, but bliss alone is there, may be an important point in his moral government. Pure, undisturb’d, undimm’d, divinely sweet. from which we are permitted to make an extract, Do you not prejudge the whole matter, without ei Pure as the snow that lies on Lebanon “with all that we have seen ot the new govern ther sufficient knowledge or any right to judge? Wreath upon wreath in virgin brightness pil’d; ment. Their plans for the future as developed un Again, is it not manifest, that you, and so do all Calm as yon lake, when not a breath hath blown der the head of ‘the sphere of operations for the who argue on your side, assume as a fact, what no On its clear crystal; cloudless as the mild minister of the interior,’ are really noble, and when Moonlight, o’er heav’n a robe of silver thrown; body but a prophet could know, that if all Chris Sweet as the slumbers of a sinless child.—Be. Mant. we know that this minister is George Psyllas, you tians were faithful to the Sermon on the Mount, Episcopal Recorder. may well suppose we feel as if we had lived through the result would be, that “the whole of the civiliz a dark and stormy night and begun to spy the ed and humanized world would be subjected to MISSIONARY. morning rays.” the brutal passions of a few armed banditti.” Now, Mr. Psyllas here mentioned, who has been ap whether a Christian believes, that this could be the From the Episcopal Recorder. pointed Governor of Euboea, is a warm friend of the reward of his fidelity or not, is perfectly immate GREEK MISSION. Mission, and has of his own accord addressed a let rial to the obligation of obedience. The work is Our readers will be pleased to learn that intelli ter to a gentleman in this country in which he thus God’s, and he alone has a right to dispose of all gence has been received from our Missionaries at expresses himself: its events, both great and small, both public and Athens, up to the 7th May, and that the affairs of The laborious efforts which these excellent in private. Now, we will grant your conclusion to be the Mission at that time continued in their usual dividuals have undertaken for the instruction of true, that such would be the result of obedience; encouraging state. The schools connected with our youth exceed all praise; nor are we able to and what follows? That we should be disobedient? the Mission continue to increase almost beyond express all our gratitude towards them and the phi Not so; but just the reverse, that we should be the ability of the teacheis to conduct them. In lanthropists of your country, through whose con more sternly and zealously faithful, because we January of the present year there were in the fe currence their establishments in Athens are sus cannot doubt if bonds and imprisonment, if perse male department 235 children; in May they had tained. They indeed are the only real consolations cution or torture, if ignominy and death are to be increased to 300, and judging from the past there which our many bereaved orphans and their mo our lot, God has so willed in his wisdom and good was reason to expect the number would be more thers have enjoyed since our devastating wars have ness, for our purification and perfection, and for than doubled. The intellectual and religious edu ceased.” the welfare of his church. Can a Christian doubt, cation of so many immortal beings who must here much less deny this? What is your argument but after have an important influence upon the welfare It E L I & I o U S. this; God has clearly required obedience, in this of their country, places upon our missionaries a du particular, but if I obey, I shall subject myself to ty of the highest and most encouraging character, From the Calumet. the loss of life, liberty or property, or of all of while it involves at the same time responsibilities un Extract of a Letter from T. S. Grimhe, Esq. of them? Are not life, liberty, property, his, and der which a conscientious mind would sink without Charleston S. C. to a friend. not yours? Are they not granted to you, subject divine support. Will Christians in this country re My Dear Sir:—It seems to me most strange, to his revealed will? Has he not a right to resume member both teachers and children in their prayers? how a Christian can reason as you do on the sub them at any time, and in any manner he pleases, Nor is the influence of our Missionaries confin ject of Peace. You admit that Peace principles, even under circumstances of the greatest pain and ed to the young. Our readers have learned on for as expounded by me, are the pure and obvious terror, and even degradation to yourself? You can mer occasions how much favor they have found teachings of the Gospel; and yet you lay them not deny this. Did the primitive Christians or the among all classes of society, how much gratitude aside in favor of calculations of human expedien Protestants reason as you do, when they submit for the benefits which they confer upon the nation. cy. Do Christian principles justify such a course? ted to confiscation and the jail, persecution and With these favorable dispositions on the part of Is obedience or disobedience to be determined by death, in thousands ar.d tens of thousands, rather the Greeks, we may hope, by the blessing of God, suchatest? What are we but the Children of God? than be disobedient? They followed the letter of that great good will be done by the example and Is not the Father wiser than the Child? What are the commandment against all human argument personal instructions of our missionaries. It is, we but the Subjects of God? Is not the Ruler and calculations. They trusted to a faithful God however, the opinion of those most competent to wiser than the Governed? And yet you justify because come what might, they knew that he had judge, as our readers may remember from the pub the Child and Subject in breaking the plain ex a right to obedience without any conditions or cal lications of the British and Foreign Bible Society, press command of all-wise and all-benevolent Pa culations on their part. that through the press the greatest benefit may at rent and Sovereign, on the supposition that man is But let us change the view of the matter. You present be expected to the Greeks. They “seek wiser than God, that man is better able to decide assume that, if all good men are to conform to the after knowledge,” and there is nothing to prevent what is best for himself, than God. Again you Peace Principles of the Gospel, the civilized world them from from embracing the opportunities of acknowledge the power of God, you acknowledge would be the victim of an armed banditti. Now, 1 religious instruction which the press may place in his faithfulness. He is able and willing to protect assert precisely the reverse. Let us examine your their way. There is neither anathema nor restric you against a million of men in arms. You can proofs and mine. You instance the case of the tion against the study of the Scriptures, and we not deny that, if he pleased, he could have pro Peruvians. But did the warlike Mexicans fare know well the happy effects it must produce. “ The tected Holland and Switzerland against the com any better? Did all the martial tribes of North entrance of thy word giveth light; it giveth un bined naval and military force of Napoleon and America fare any better? Besides, the Peruvians derstanding to the simple.” By means of other Alexander, of Austria, Prussia, and England. Now were heathen. They had not the promises of the judicious publications too, the public mind may if he commands obedience, what right have you Gospel of Peace. And knowing as we do, that be informed and directed. Such have been issued to doubt, if you obey, that he will protect you. God has seen fit to draw a broad line of distinc- 410 GAMBIER OBSERVER* tion between the heathen and the Christians, the be good Roman Catholics? Why not circulate religious zeal opposed the present motion, were Pagan who has not the privilege of Christian faith, far and wide the book which contains their reli sufficiently acquainted with the history of the Jews cannot expect its rewards. We cannot, then, rea gion? They need not take our translation of it. to know that the vices or imperfections which now son consistently from the case of the heathen to They have one of their own—the Douay. Let attach to the Jewish character, are not natural to the case of the Christian. Peace with the Peru them circulate that. Why do they leave the whole it: that ages and ages before Europe emerged from vian was a matter of custom or national character, business of distributing the Scriptures to the Pro barbarism—when letters and arts were unknown so far as it really prevailed. With the Christian testants? Above all, why do they oppose the op to Athens and when scarcely a hut stood upon what it must be a matter of principle, and of submission erations of Bible Societies, when they are only was afterwards the site of Rome, the now despis to the will of God. But I am not content with multiplying and diffusing copies of the book, which ed nation rose to the height of grandeur, effect this reply only. Allow me to ask for an instance contains the Roman Catholic religion ? ed extensive conquests, enjoyed flourishing manu of a Christian people who ever reposed their trust I am particularly surprised that the Roman factures and commerce, and possessed magnificent in God on Peace principles, and had reason to re Catholics are not more anxious to put into general palaces and temples, and was rendered illustrious pent it. You cannot name an instance; at least Ii circulation the two epistles of their St. Peter, the by statesmen, warriors, natural philosophers, his remember none. On the contrary, let me ask your ! first Bishop of Rome and earliest Pope. They torians and poets. What nation ever stru