Pagina-afbeeldingen
PDF
ePub

UNIVERSI

CALIFORN

INTRODUCTION.

ISRAEL KNIGHT opened his Bible at Ezekiel 48: 35, reading,

"And the name of the city from that day shall be, The Lord is there."

Closing the book, he reflected. At length he said, "O! that I might find the city with that name!"

This figure was not marked upon his mind at the bidding of the ideal pencil of a new impulse; it was there as is the print of palms upon stone. Nature, which is one of the names of God, had graven it. It is natural for every soul, soon or late, to utter this aspiration. Whether the accidents are sublime, or trifling, or terribly adverse, the immortal sometimes looks upward. He yearns for the repose which is absolute.

Israel Knight had come to this recognition. The figure before him was beautiful; but more than this, the fact, that- Somewhere, there is a church, a peculiar people whose name is rightly, "The Lord is there." Being a youth who lacked a little of his majority, he addressed to his guardian the following:

"RESPECTED SIR:

"I hope I am a Christian. As I have had but little experience, and have examined few books except those used in my classes, I am undecided what Church I had better select, with which to connect myself.

"Please advise me upon this important subject, and oblige Yours obediently,

He received this reply:

"MY DEAR YOUNG FRIEND:

ISRAEL KNIGHT."

"I hope you are a true disciple of Christ. He that doeth His will shall know of the doctrine. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and your neighbor as yourself, and you will find the truth.

"An old man like myself sees through different spectacles from those used by young eyes. God is good. He gives wisdom to all who seek it with a humble mind. Therefore, look for yourself; but my advice is- look on all sides before you

cleave to any.

[ocr errors]

"Be cautious about starting to make your jar, lest, like the one you found in Horace, as the wheel goes round, it turns out an insignificant pitcher.

Yours truly,

EPHRAIM STEARNS."

Our inquirer was now as much in obscurity as before, only it was clear that a work was before him, which no one else could do. "Shall I have recourse

to a religious cyclopædia?" he asked himself. Then he thought of the words " books as affected, are as men," and concluded to adopt the most inartificial course for the present. Knowing that business was soon to call him to a distant part of the State, he determined to keep the special object in recollection.

THE WAY TO THE CITY.

"This (my way) is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left."

THE SECTARY.

"When he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool."

ECCL. 10: 3.

"And yet I show unto you a more excellent way. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal."

PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS.

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]

ISRAEL read the New Testament with interest. He thought he had great advantage in being able to study the sacred words in the unadulterated Greek. Besides the Greek Testament which he used in college, he owned one, in which had been written by his father's hand copious marginal notes in Latin and English. This copy was old enough to have on its title page: "Londini, Excudebat A. Lemington: Impensis J. F. & C. Lemington. MDCLVI."

By the time he had arrived at the village of his temporary destination, he had examined into the third chapter of the Gospel by Matthew. It will be seen. that he travelled leisurely over the ground. At the eleventh verse of this chapter he stopped short, for here was a note in the paternal handwriting: "In water, upon repentance. Or, according to the paraphrase of Grotius, 'upon that profession of repentance which you make.'" In his English version, he found this verse to read, "I, indeed, baptize you with water unto repentance.”

It was now Sunday morning. Having arrived at the hotel late on the previous evening, he was at breakfast when the church-bell of the village began to

« VorigeDoorgaan »