Lutheran Magazine.||to labor in our western vacant congregations and destitute settlements.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1830.

Hartwick Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the State of New York. This Synod was established for the convenience of our western es at Stone-Arabia and Palatine.churches in this state, and is intend-The Rev. JOHN EISENLORD, Jun. is ed to embrace in its connexion, all located as pastor, in the Evangelical the ministers and congregations west Lutheran Church at Minden, Montof Hudson river. By a reference to gomery county; and the Rev. Doct. the proceedings of the convention, HAZELIUS, formerly Principal which we have published in this Hartwick Seminary, was recently number, it will be perceived, that inaugurated as German Professor of this Synod was organized, with great Oriental Literature, in the Theolo¬ unanimity. There was but one dis-gical Seminary at Gettysburgh.

Ecclesiastical Notices.-The Rev. CHARLES A. SMITH has taken charge of the Evangelical Lutheran Church

senting voice among the lay representatives. Only three ministers voted against the new Synod, and one

of

Apology. The domestic afflictions

of these has since united himself with of the resident editor, have preventit. We sincerely hope that this im-ed him from attending to the editoportant measure, which we deem so rial department as usual.

TIME OF CONVERSION.

66

essential to the future success and prosperity of our church in this state, may be approved by all who feel an The following article is taken from an old interest in her welfare. The new book, especially for this country, published Synod is based on the orthodox prin- in Boston in 1720, and entitled a Guide ciples which are professed and incul-for the doubting, and a cordial for the faintcated by the great body of Luther-ing saint." The author was Benjamin Wadsworth, a Calvinistic divine of the congregaans in the United States. It has tional church in Boston, and afterwards preadopted the constitution recommend-sident of Harvard College. [Gospel Mesed by the General Synod, and we senger. trust, that with the divine blessing, it will become an efficient auxiliary, in the work of spreading the evangelical principles of our venerable church through the United States.

Some christians are greatly disquido not know the particular time of eted and discouraged, because they their conversion. Possibly, the christian will say, "So far as I know my own heart, I hate the ways of sin; I desire firmly to rely on Christ alone for salvation, and to lead a holy life, Missionary-At the last meeting yet I fear all is not right and sound of the Board of Directors, the Rev. at bottom; I doubt I was never truly converted. For conversion is a very THOMAS KILMER was appointed a missionary of the “Domestic Mis- great change; it is a person's coming out of the kingdom of satan into the sionary Society of the Lutheran kingdom of Christ; 'tis a changing Church in the State of New-York ;' ;"of masters; a turning from sin to

the means of grace, and been kept from scandalous sins. They have had convictions, doubts, fears, and hopes from their childhood. Nor can they say, whether parental instruc

God; a rising from death to life; 'tis indeed, a great change, and who can experience this change, but that he must needs know the time of it? Nay, I can discourse with, or hear of some, who can tell the time of their||tion, reading God's word, or hearing conversion. They can say, that such it preached, was, firstly, instrumental a particular text, or such a particular of saving good to their souls. "So sermon, or such a remarkable provi- is the kingdom of God, as a man dence, was peculiarly instrumental of should cast seed into the ground, and their conversion; but as for my part, should sleep, and rise night and day, I know nothing of the particular time and his seed should spring and grow of my turning from sin to God, and, up, he knoweth not how." therefore, I doubt I was never truly Thirdly, if thou art converted, thou converted." Now, to this case, I shalt go safe to heaven, though thou would say, first that there are but knowest not the time of thy conversome, and, probably, but few sin- sion. If thou dost heartily hate and cere christians that can tell the par-loathe all thy sins, dost heartily trust ticular time of their conversion.-in Christ for pardon and salvation, Some can tell it, but probably there heartily desiring and endeavoring to are but few that can. Paul could be truly holy, then thou art certainly tell the very day when he was con- converted, though thou dost know the verted; it was on such a day, when he was going to Damascus to persecute the saints. But we do not know that Peter, or James, or John, knew the particular day of their conversion. There are many whom we charitably hope are truly pious, who know nothing of the particular time of their Mr. Baxter, in his book upon infant baptism, says, "for my own part, I aver it from my heart, that I neither know the day nor the year when I began to be sincere. I was once, he continues, in a meeting of very many christians, most eminent for zeal and holiness of most in the land, of whom divers were ministers, and some at this day as famous, and as much followed as any I know in England, and it was there desired, that every one should give in the manner of his conversion that it might be observed what was God's ordinary way; and there was but one that I remember of them all, that could conjecture at the time of their first conversion.

new birth.

Secondly, 'tis commonly tho't that these ordinarily know least of the particular time of their conversion, who have been best furnished with

particular time when. These things are the fruits, and so the proofs of converting grace. If they are in thee thou mayest take comfort, rejoice, and be thankful. In many persons, God often times begins and carries on the work of grace insensibly, so that they come to good growth and maturity, before they know that they are alive. How our eyes were opened we know not, only one thing we know, whereas we were blind, now we see.

REMINISCENCE.

In the memorable attack made by the British squadron upon the almost defenceless village of Stonington, in the month of September, 1814, a number of their barges, in attempting to effect a landing on the east side of the peninsula, were promptly repulsed by the militia. A few of them were sunk, and one drifted on | shore, full of the wounded and dying.

Among the persons severely wounded, was a young midshipman of prepossessing appearance, and tho' medical aid and kind attentions were immediately afforded, it was found

From the Journal of Health.

THE INDULGENCE OF GRIEF.

renity. The indulgence of grief is made a merit of by many, who, when misfortunes occur, obstinately refuse all consolation, till the mind, oppressed with melancholy, sinks under its weight. Such conduct is not only destructive to health, but inconsistent with reason, religion and common sense. "There are," says South,

what may be called the ceremonies of sorrow: the pomp and ostentation of effeminate grief, which speak not so much the greatness of the misery as the smallness of the mind." To persevere

In obstinate condolement, is a course
of impious stubbornness, unmanly grief.
It shows a will most incorrect to Heaven,
A heart unfortified, a mind impatient;
An understanding simple and unschooled.

impossible to preserve his life., Hel died, and was interred with the honors of war, in the village grave- It is not in the power of every one yard. In the latter part of the sum- to prevent the calamities of life—but mer subsequent to the termination of it evinces true magnanimity to bear hostilities, an elderly gentleman, evi-up under them with fortitude and sedently a foreigner, drove up to the public house in the village, and after a few allusions to the attack and defence, inquired of the landlord if any British officer who was killed at the time, was buried in the neighborhood. The landlord answered in the affirmative, and related the particulars of the capture, death and burial of the midshipman. He was asked by the stranger if he would accompany him and point out the spot where the remains lay; which was immediately complied with. The gentleman then desired to be left alone, and did not return to his lodgings until late at night. In the morning he rose early, and again repaired to the grave yard, where he remained four or five hours. After Change of ideas is as necessary to his return he took breakfast, settled health as change of posture. When his bill, and was about departing, the mind dwells long upon one sub-when the landlord, whose feelings ject-especially if it be of a disagreeas well as curiosity, were greatly able and depressing nature, it injures excited, ventured to intrude upon all the functions of the body. Hence his reserve, by asking if the deceas- the prolonged indulgence of grief ed midshipman were a relative. He spoils the digestion, and destroys the replied in a faltering accent, that he appetite. The spirits become habiwas that it was his only son; and tually depressed-the body emaciathat as soon as he could convenient-ted, and the fluids deprived of their ly leave England after a renewal of appropriate supply of nutriment from intercourse between the two coun- without, are greatly vitiated. Thus, tries, he had engaged his passage, many a constitution has been serifor the sole purpose of viewing the ously injured by a family misfortune, spot where the relics of all that bound or any occurrence giving rise to exhim to earth lay entombed. That cessive grief. It is, indeed, utterly he had now poured out his grief over impossible that any person of a dehis grave, and put an end to the ago-jected mind, should enjoy healthnizing uncertainty which haunted his Life may, it is true, be dragged on mind respecting his death and burial, for years. But whoever would live he should go back comparatively to good old age, and vigorous withal, soothed, with the entire satisfaction must be good humored and cheerful. that his son had not fallen into the This, however, is not at all times in hands of barbarians, but had died our power-yet our temper of mind surrounded by hearts that could en- as well as our actions, depends greatter into the feelings of a parent, pre-ly upon ourselves. We can neither maturely bereft of his only child. associate with cheerful or melancholy

The Parsee, the Jew, and the Christian.

167

companions-mingle in the offices | too many persons, when overwhelmand amusements of life-or sit stilled with grief betake themselves to and brood over our calamities as we the intoxicating bowl. This is makchoose. These and many similar ing the cure worse than the disease, things, are certainly within our pow- and seldom fails to end in the ruin of er-and from these the mind very fortune, character, happiness and concommonly takes its complexion. stitution.

CHRISTIAN.

held the sacred fire: What, said he to the A Jew entered a Parsee temple, and bepriest, do ye worship the fire? Not the fire, answered the priest; it is to us an emblem of the sun, and of his genial heat. Do ye the Jew. Know ye not this luminary also, then worship the sun for your God? asked is but a work of that Almighty Creator?

The Israelite thereupon rejoined: Do your people, then, distinguish the type from the original ? their God, and descending, even from this They call the sun to a baser object, they kneel before an earthly flame! Ye amuse the outward, but blind the inward eye, and while ye hold to them ly light! Thou shalt not make unto thee the earthly, ye draw from them the heavenany image or likeness.

The variety of scenes which present themselves to our senses, were certainly designed to prevent our at- THE PARSEE, THE JEW AND THE tention from being too constantly fix-A beautiful extract. ed upon one single object. Nature. By Dr. F. A. Krummacher. abounds with variety, and the mind, unless chained down by habit, delights in the contemplation of new objects. Examine them for some time-when the mind begins to recoil, shift the scene. By these means a constant succession of new ideas We know it, replied the priest; but the may be kept up, till what are disa- uncultivated man requires a sensible sign in greeable disappear. order to form a conception of the Most High. Thus, travelAnd is not the sun, the incomprehensible ling-occasional excursions into the source of light, an image of that invisible country-the study of any art or sci-Being, who blesses and preserves all things? ence-reading or writing on such subjects as deeply engage the attention, will expel grief sooner than the most sprightly amusements. We have already repeatedly said, that the body cannot enjoy health unless it be exercised neither can the mind: indolence nourishes grief. When the mind has nothing else to think of but calamities, it is no wonder that it dwells upon them. Few persons are hurt by grief, if they pursue their business or their active duties. with attention. When, therefore, misfortunes happen, instead of abstracting ourselves from the world, or from business, we ought to engage in it with more than ordinary attention to discharge with double diligence the duties of our station, and to mingle with friends of a social and cheerful disposition. Innocent ments are by no means to be neglected; these, by leading the mind to the minute contemplation of agreea- He that speaks well of others, and gives ble objects, help to dispel the gloom them faithful counsel, shall reap the benefit which misfortunes shed over it. thereof himself; and they that speak ill of They cause time to seem less tedious, others falsely, or deceive them, shall themand have many other beneficial ef-selves suffer the injury which they design to fects. But it is to be lamented that do to their neighbors.-[Bishop Patrick.

amuse

How then do you designate the Supreme Being? asked the Parsee.

We call him Jehovah Adonia, that is, the Lord who is, who was, and who will be, answered the Jew.

Your appellation is grand and sublime, said the Parsee, but it is awful too!

A Christian then drew nigh and said-We call him FATHER!

The Pagan and the Jew looked at each other, and said--Here is at once an image and reality; it is a word of the heart, said

they.

Therefore they raised their eyes to heaven, and said with reverence and love-OUR FATHER! And they took each other by the hand, and all three called one another, brothers.