was about to attend him to the north, was taken ill of a fever a hundred miles from Columbus, After waiting three days, it was found that Dr. Pride could not proceed, and he subsequently returned to Mayhew. This must have been a severe disappointment to both. A stranger was hired; and the weary languishing travel ler proceeded on his way to Brainerd, where he arrived sooner than could have been expected, considering bis weakness, and the difficulties of the journey. On the 25th of May he was carried, in the arms of the missionaries, from his vehicle to the mission house. Soon after his arrival, it was observed to him, (we quote from the missionary journal,) that he had got almost through the wilderness." He replied: "This may be true in more respects than one. God is very gracious. He has sustained me, as it were by miracle thus far, and granted me one great desire of my soul, in bringing me to Brainerd; and if it be agreeable to his holy purposes, that I should leave my poor remains here, his will be done." He said farther, "I had rather leave my poor remains here than at any other place." were to choose, he had rather go, and be with Jesus, than dwell in the flesh. He did not regret engaging in the missionary cause; but rejoiced that he had been ena bled to do something toward this great object." After an affectionate lamentation, the journal of the 7th records the afflicting event, which had been anticipated."This morning, about 7 o'clock, be east his eyes towards heaven; and, smiling, resigned his spirit to God. Without the least apparent pain, or struggle, he fell asleep in the arms of Jesus." Two days afterwards the last offices of kinduess were performed; a procession followed the corpse to the grave; and Mr. Hoyt preached a funeral sermon from Psalm cxii, 6. The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. Thus departed from this life a distinguished servant of the Lord Jesus, who had lived for many years with his eye intent on heaven, and who brought down blessings on his fellow men, by his disiaterested services and his fervent prayers: highly honoured in the circumstances of his death;-on missionary ground bearing his last testimony to the glory of the mis sionary cause; surrounded by his brethren engaged in this divine employment. and by a church gathered from pagans of the wilderness under his own superinter dence; the hymns of converted Chero On the following Sabbath, "the members of the church, and some of the congregation, were introduced to him, at his request; and being raised in his bed, he addressed them in a few words. His address, though short, was peculiarly feeling and interesting." He afterwards request-kees vibrating in his ear, as a prelude to ed that the children might come in. "He the song of Moses and the Lamb. took each by the hand as they passed the bed. Having all passed round in procession, they stood and sung a hymn. He was affected to tears, most of the time. After the hymn, he addressed them in a most affectionate manner, which, in turn, melted them to tears." His complaints became more alarming almost daily; and, on the 2d of June, he desired that a letter might be written to his wife, of which he dictated a part, giving a brief notice of his journey from Mayhew to Brainerd; requesting Mr. Hoyt to write, as he thought proper, with respect to the probable issue of the sickness. On the 5th the journal says: "Our dear friend is fast going to the eternal world. In the morning we gave up all hopes of his recovery. For short intervals during the day, he has been in a state of mental derangement; but, even in this state, his mind was employed on the great subject of building churches, and extending the dear Redeemer's kingdom. 6. During the day he bas been insen. sible to pain; and, to appearance, spent much of his time in prayer. He said, if he Who that contemplates the preceding character, and especially who that was intimately acquainted with the original, does not see the exalting and purifying tendency of the cause of missions? What other cause is so grand in its extent, so beneficent in its design, so sure in its issue. so glorious in its triumphs? Compared with the mighty interests of the kingdom of Christ, the concerns of earthly monarchies are small and trifling. It is indeed wonderful, that feeble men, with their sins and imperfections, should be employed in a work, which might well occupy the powers of seraphs and archangels Since, however, it has pleased God to make some of our race the instruments of his mercy to others, we might well conclude that a faithful discharge of such an office would conduce to the highest elevation of the human character. So indeed we find it. The names of Brainerd, Swartz, Buchanan, Martyn, stand as me morials of illustrious virtue. With these, and such as these, the name of WORCES TER will be inscribed, as an examplê m future generations Answers to Correspondents necessarily deferred. THE CHRISTIAN SPECTATOR. No. IX.] SEPTEMBER, 1821. Religious Communications. For the Christian Spectator. Mrs. Sprague seems to have moved in a circle which was privileged above the common walks of her sex. We know not that there was any one trait in her character so strongly marked that we might fix on it and say, that in this she surpassed all others. It was the combined excellence of a well proportioned character, rather than the attractive splendour of any one particular attribute which rendered her worthy of a lasting memorial. She possessed a maturity of genius and virtue, and an elevation of mind, in its early developement, which might almost have been taken for the testimony of God that her time on the earth was to be short. We believe her to have been one of those examples of unconscious but superior excellence, which Providence frequently raises up to shew to the world how much of intellectual and moral improvement may be attained within a short period of our probationary state. Charlotte was the second daughter of the late General Eaton, and was born at Brimfield, Mass. October 24, 1797. In her earlier years, her native vivacity and versatility of mind gave her a keen relish for the world, and this was heightened and cherished by the condition of her birth and family. Her father was, at this time, rising in the brilliancy of his splendid career, and spared no expense in the education of his children. His little daughter moved among the gay. She Vol. 3.-No. IX. 57 [VOL. III. was caressed and flattered. The bewitching snares of the world were spread in her path; and her ambition, yet unsanctified, was set on distinction in external accomplishments. Until the age of fourteen or fifteen years, scarcely a cloud was seen to settle on her temporal prospects. But now it was time for a deceitful world to begin to shew its treachery. A sad reverse was experienced in the circumstances of her family; and soon it pleased God, in his good providence, that she should follow two beloved brothers, her father, and a darling sister, in quick succession, to the grave. Hitherto she had felt the attractions of the world, but now she saw the fashion of it passing away. The bright star of hope which had glittered on the ocean of life, was now buried in its surges, and earth had lost its charms. She met these afflictions with a high degree of fortitude. Yet still they weighed heavily upon her spirits because she had no better portion than these earthly friendships. One thing was needful; and her mind, brought down to the dark valley by these chastenings of the Lord, was prepared to feel its destitution. It was not, however, till the year 1815, when she was residing at Hartford, during a season of special revival of religion in that place, that she became deeply impressed with a sense of her sinfulness, and that by nature she was a child of wrath. With this impression still abiding and increasing, she soon after, returned to Monson, at that time the place of her mother's residence. There too it was a season of heart searching. The Spirit of God was there. The arrows of conviction were fastened deep in her soul, and with a heart bruised and broken, she betook her self to the mercy seat of Jehovah. The Saviour smiled upon her, and spake peace to her troubled spirit. She became a new creature. "Her tongue broke out in unknown strains, And sung surprising grace." At first, however, the kingdom of Heaven within her, was only a grain of mustard seed. The evidence of her acceptance with God was so indistinct that she trembled much while she sweetly hoped. She feared deception. She searched the Scriptures, examined her own heart, and communed with God. By these means, as her knowledge of Christian experience increased, her faith and hope became firmer and stronger. Indeed her path was as the shining light which shineth more and more unto the perfect day. In the summer of 1816, at the age of seventeen years, she made a public profession of the religion of Jesus. From this time, especially, she began to put on the whole armour of God; and though she was sanctified but in part, and had frequent occasion to mourn over the imperfection that still cleaved to her, yet there appeared a happy consistency between her general character, and her christian profession and hopes. She was a diligent reader of the Scriptures, and of the best Theological writings, and previous to her marriage to the Rev. Mr. Sprague, in the autumn of 1820, she became a proficient in the modern sciences of Chemistry, Botany, and Mineralogy. Her literary taste was also highly cultivated and improved by various reading. Her introduction by marriage to a station of peculiar responsibility, seemed to awaken into action all her religious feelings. She entered upon her course of life with high hopes indeed, but her ambition was chastened and restrained by the power of religion. The importance of the station which she was now called to occupy, seemed to lie with singular weight upon her mind. She commited her way unto the Lord and his grace was her support. Her husband found in her all that he could desire in a companion for life, while his people rejoiced with him, and respected and loved the friend of his choice. That delicate sense of propriety for which she was distinguished, her affectionate hospitality and kindness, the remarkable union of gentleness and firmness in her whole character, her singular prudence, the constancy of all her feelings, and the increasing ardour of her religious affections, could not fail to secure the strongest attachment of the Society with which she was connected. She was an help meet for him who was to break to that people the bread of life. There was every thing which the most happy connection with an affectionate people could present, to encourage them with the hope of extended usefulness and happiness in the world. But alas, it was only a painted vision. That God who had fixed the measure of their days, by a mysterious stroke, put his hand upon this frail child of mortality, and the grass withered; the flower fell. She suddenly expired amid the tears and prayers of a beloved people, in the embraces of a weeping, widowed mother, and under the parting, prayerful sigh of a bereaved companion, whom she lov ed as her own soul, leaving an infant child to the protection of the orphan's God. Oh, my soul, what a heart-rending scene of separation was that! In that moment, what a wide field of promise was overspread with the shadow of death! Yet the Saviour was there with his everlasting arms of mercy. He suppressed every murmur. He granted her uncommon patience in her last painful sufferings, and sustained her by his grace in the dying hour. She trusted in the Lord as her portion forever. He, as a friend that sticketh closer than a brother, seemed to stand over her bed of death, saying, "Sleep, O beloved! I am the Resurrection and the Life; he that believeth on me, though he were dead, yet shall he live." Mourner! Read this divine promise, full of immortali ty, as it is; and then wipe away all tears from your eyes. It was better for her to depart. Be silent and open not your mouth because God hath done it. B. N. For the Christian Spectator. Upon the term, Carnal Mind. A correct exposition of the Bible is preeminently important. In that book are contained those laws by which we are required to regulate our hearts and actions, and that system of doctrine and evangelical experience, by which the penalties of the violated law may be averted, and a blessed immortality secured. It is an infelicity attendant upon preaching the doctrines of the Bible, that our hearers are apt to regard them as matters of our own opinion, and not as the declarations of the living God. To remedy an evil of this kind, if it has existed, we have felt it important, instead of setting forth a doctrine to be proved, to assume, sometimes, the office of commentator, and by a fair exposition of terms, to bring the Bible to speak for itself on the great points of primary concern. It will be the object of the present dissertation to explain the phrase, "carnal mind.” It is obvious that by the carnal mind more is intended than the animal appetites, or the indulgence of them. These appetites, cannot properly be called mind, or be clothed with moral qualities, denominated enmity against God, or be denied the possibility of subjection to the law. Nor can this be true of the mere gratification of these appetites, for this may by self denial, be brought within the limits of the revealed rules of temperance. Nor are we to understand by the rarnal mind, merely those lusts of the heart which terminate on animal gratification as their object. These are styled the lust of concupiscence in which the Gentiles walked, which are to be subdued by the mortification of our members. These lusts of the heart are indeed lusts of the flesh from their relation to animal indulgence, but they are also denominated lusts of the flesh, as being the specific exercises of a general principle of depravity, which is called the flesh. That there is a more general principle of depravity called the carnal mind, is certain from the fact that those evil exercises of the heart which have no relation to animalism, are described as the effects of this general principle denominated the flesh. Now the works of the flesh are manifest idolatry, hatred, variance, emulations, seditions, heresies, envyings. These are evils of the heart which may exist independently of the animal appetites, and yet are called the works of the flesh, from which it is perfectly manifest that flesh is a term which characterises an evil heart, independent of its alliance with body, as well as in connexion with it. The phrase carnal mind is a comprehensive term employed to express the whole moral nature of man, as he is antecedently to the renewing influence of the Spirit of God. The following considerations establish the correctness of this exposition. 1. The carnal mind, is a phrase of synonymous import with a heart at enmity with God. The carnal mind is enmity against God; of course a heart at enmity with God is the carnal mind. They are convertible terms. But we know that a heart at enmity against God is the comprehensive principle of moral evil in man, which it is the object of the atonement, of the preaching of the gospel, and of the work of the Spirit to remove by reconciliation, and which is subdued partially by regeneration, progressively by sanctification, and entirely by that act of the Holy Spirit which is denominated glorification. A heart at enmity with God then, being a generic term, used to express the entire principle of evil in the heart, and the carnal mind being this very enmity of heart against God, is unanswerably a generic term comprehending the entire evil of man's nature. 2. The carnal mind is opposed to the Law of God. The moral law iucludes in its requirements all moral excellence of which the heart of man is capable. But the carnal mind, is a temper of heart in all respects opposed to this law, and is in its very nature so contradictory to the exercises required by the law, that it "cannot be subject to it," can by no modification, and by no change of circumstances, be made obedience, even in the lowest degree. As the law then, comprehends in its requirements all moral excellence of which the heart is capable, that temper of heart denominated the carnal mind, which is not and cannot be subject to the law, must be the comprehensive principle of moral evil in man, or the heart of man as it exists antecedently to its subjugation to the law of God by the Spirit. 3. The flesh is a generic term used to denote that depravity of heart which renders regeneration indispensable. Our Saviour had said to Nicodemus, "Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." The ruler understood him to mean a natural birth. Jesus reproves him for his ignorance, and reminds him that he speaks of a moral change, accomplished by the Spirit; and alle-ges as the ground of its necessity, That which is born of the flesh is flesh." By flesh, in the first part of the sentence, I understand man as depraved by the fall, and by flesh in the last part, man as descended from a depraved ancestry. Man is denominated flesh in reference to his depravity; Gen. vi. 3. "My Spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh;" his being literally flesh could afford no reason for fixing a limit to the strivings of the Spirit, while his depravity, called flesh, which resists and grieves the Spirit, furnishes an appropriate reason. The Jews also placed great reliance for salvation upon their descent from Abraham. Our Saviour, cuts off this vain confidence, by teaching that it is the depraved nature of man, and not that acquired by grace which descends. That Abraham, of course, in whom they trusted, transmitted depravity and not holiness to his descendants; "That which is born of the flesh is flesh. Marvel not that I said unto you, ye must be born again." Flesh then means a depraved nature in the ancestor, and a depraved nature in the descendant, and is put for the whole moral nature of man before regeneration. 4. The flesh is spoken of as the comprehensive principle of all moral evil in man, either as existing in his heart, or mauifested in his conduct.-The works of the flesh are, “adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkeness, revellings and such like." By the phrase such like, it appears that the preceding extended catalogue of the sins of heart and life are given as specimens, and are put for the whole of human depravity; all the above crimes, and all evil beside in man, proceed from the flesh. That flest is a generic term expressing the depraved nature of man, is still further evident from the consideration, that in the verses immediately following those just quoted, the Spirit is described as the efficient cause of all goodness in man,or of his holy nature, and the fruits of his operation are contrasted with the works of the flesh. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, i. e. while all the evil of man's nature is included in the term flesh, all the moral, excellence is a fruit of regeneration by the Spirit. |