RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE. MASSACHUSETTS SOCIETY FOR THE A society with this designation has been recently established. Its object is "to suppress the too free use of ardent spirits, and its kindred vices, profaneness and gaming, and to encourage and promote temperance and general morality." With a view to this object, "the society recommend the institution of auxiliary societies in the different parts of the commonwealth." "No person is eligible as a member, who is not of a fair moral reputation, nor shall any one be admitted as a member, unless nominated in open meeting and approved by the votes of SUPPRESSION OF two thirds of the members present at the time. Any person, thus nominated and approved, may become a member by subscribing the constitution, or an nouncing his acceptance of his election and paying two dollars for the use of the society. All clergymen in the commonwealth are considered as members, on their giving notice of their desire of becoming such, or subscribing the constitution; and they are exempted from the payment of two dollars, as above provided respecting other members." NOTICE. ON Thursday, the 27th of May, inst. a sermon will be delivered in Brattle street church, at eleven o'clock, A.M. before the Convention of Congregational ministers, by the Rev. JOHN T. KIRKLAND, D. D. L L. D. President of Harvard University. After sermon there will be a contribution for the relief of the poor widows of Congregational ministers. Among the multiplicity of objects, which are continually soliciting the aid of the charitable, this, it is hoped, will not be deemed of inferior moment. Owing to the small salaries of clergymen, particularly in country towns, many of their widows are left in circumstances peculiarly indigent. It is true, that they sometimes have connexions, who afford them all necessary aid; and some of them have the happiness to live in parishes, where they find friends, who act the same benev. olent part. But it too commonly happens, that, at the death of a minister, the care of the society to provide for his family entirely ceases. To afford assistance to widows, under such cir cumstances, is well worthy the attention of the christian public, and of our Capital in particular, long renowned for deeds of munificence, the best evidences of "religion pure and undefiled." That the liberally disposed may be stow their charities without fear of misapplication, it may be well to inform them, that every widow, who receives any portion of the contribu tion, is put on the list by express vote of the Convention; that twenty one were on this list the last year; and that whatever is contributed on the day of Convention, unless otherwise appropriated by the donors, goes to the immediate relief of these objects of charity. Candidates for the Ministry in Boston and its vicinity. Rev. Mr. Leonard, Boston. Mr. John L. Abbot, do. Mr. John White, do. Mr. Isaac Hard, Charlestown. Mr. Francis Parkman, Boston. Mr. Charles Eliot, do. Mr. Joseph Field, jun. do. Mr. Thomas B Ginnett, Cambridge. Mr. Lemuel Capen, Dorchester. Several articles of Religious Intelligence, prepared for this number, are omitted for want of room. No. 2. THE CHRISTIAN DISCIPLE. JUNE, 1813. VOL. I. THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS TO LOVE A TRUE christian, is one who cordially and practically acknowledges the Lord Jesus as his Lord and Master. Without cordial obedience, the most correct opinions, and the most solemn professions will entitle us to nothing better than a name to live, while we are dead. Could we speak with the tongues of men or even of angels, if we have not charity, or christian love, we are no better than sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. "Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up; doth not behave itself unseemly; seeketh not her own; is not easily provoked; thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." Such is the nature of that love, without which we are nothing; and the want of which can never be supplied by the greatest share of mental endowments, or the highest claims to orthodox opinions. On the contrary, if we possess this love, no defect of knowledge, no error of sentiment, can "separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." As without love we are nothing, so with it, all things are ours, for "we are Christ's and Christ is God's." In his affectionate discourse to his disciples, the evening before his crucifixion, our Saviour, in the most particular and impressive manner, urged his disciples to "love one another." We may conceive, that it was indeed of special importance, that the apostles should love one another. Their success, as the apostles of Christ, greatly depended on this. It was highly important, also, as it respected their own comfort in this world, and their happiness in the world to come. The same love, one to another, is important for all the ministers of the gospel, and for all the professed friends of Christ, in every age of the world. We may, therefore, attend to the language of Christ to his disciples, with application to ourselves. "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you; continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love." "This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.".. These things I command you, that ye love one another."-"By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." Such were the dying counsels and commands of our Saviour to his disciples. May we not hence safely infer, that love, one to another, is of vast importance to his followers? As we cannot, at this time, illustrate all we have quoted, let us fix our attention on one particular: "This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you." It behoves us here to observe, that love one to another is not merely recommended, as a matter of prudence, but solemnly commanded, as an indispensable duty. Not only so, the love of Christ to his disciples is made the standard of their love to each other that ye love one another, as I have loved you. The love of Christ to his disciples was sincere, impartial, tender, faithful, fervent, forbearing, and forgiving. Such should be the love of christians one to another. All these qualities of the love of Christ are worthy of illustration. One of them, howev er, will at this time be more particularly considered: His love to his disciples was of a forbearing nature. Had there been no imperfection in them, there would have been no opportunity for him to display towards them the spirit of forbearance. But they were imperfect creatures, they were bewildered by their prejudices and entertained some very erroneous opinions. By misinterpreting the prophecies, and probably by traditions received from their fathers, the Jews expected, that their Messiah would be a glorious temporal Prince; that he would literally sit on the throne of David, and reign as king of the Jews; that he would deliver them from their subjection to the Romans, and exalt the nation to independence, happiness, and glory. During the time of our Saviour's ministry, such were the expectations, both of the believing and the unbelieving Jews. does not appear, that the believing and unbelieving Jews were divided in sentiment respecting the object of the Messiah's mission, or the nature of his kingdom; but they were divided on the question, whether JESUS were the promised Messiah. postles themselves appear to have entertained the same opinions respecting the object of the coming of the Messiah, which were entertained by the Jews in general, until sometime after the resurrection of their Lord from the dead. It The a Under the influence of these errors, they "disputed among themselves, which should be the greatest;" that is, which should be prime minister of state, under the reign of the Messiah. With the same false opinions the mother of Zebedee's children requested of Jesus, that one of her sons might sit on his right hand and the other on his left, in his kingdom. In this request James and John concurred. With the same views the two disciples, on their way to Emmaus, after the resurrection, said to Jesus, not knowing who he was, "We trusted that it had been he who should have redeemed Israel." In his last interview with his disciples after his resurrection, they put this question "Wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" Their hopes, that he would deliver the Jews from the power of the Romans, were confounded, or suspended, by the event of his death; but they were revived on seeing him alive after his resurrection. Hence they were led to interrogate "Wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" Such were the errors of the apostles; and thus did they continue in error under the ministry of the Son of God. They believed in him as God's Prophet, as God's Ambassador, as God's Messiah, as God's Son; as such they loved him, honored him, trusted in him, hearkened to his instructions, and obeyed his commands. This love, faith, and obedience, secured to them the character of disciples, notwithstanding the enormous errors they entertained: Errors so great, that if any professed christians should advance them, at this day, their sentiments would probably be denominated "damnable heresies," and the persons professing them, would be treated as infidels. However sincere they might be in their profession, however pious, benevolent, and exemplary in their walk, yea, however much they might display the meek and lowly temper of Jesus, they would be rejected, we fear, by multitudes, as the enemies of Christ. Yet such, in fact, were the errors of the apostles of Jesus, until the very moment he was taken up into heaven, "and a cloud received him out of their sight." Nor was he unacquainted with their erroneous opinions. How then did he treat these disciples, while they were so blinded by their prepossessions, and in such a degree under the dominion of error? Did he cast them off, exclude them from his fellowship, and brand them with infamy? Or did he exercise towards them a sincere, tender, and forbearing love? Let his evangelists answer these questions. One of them relates that on a certain time Jesus asked his disciples-"What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? But they held their peace; for by the way they had disputed, which should be the greatest. And he sat down and called the twelve, and said to them-If any man desire to be first, the same shall be servant of all. And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: And when he had taken him into his arms, he said unto themwhosoever shall receive one of such children in my name receiveth me; and whosoever receiveth me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me." Thus with a mixture of kindness and faithfulness, he instructed them to be humble, and reproved them for their ambition. On another occasion James and John presented their request, that they might have the two highest offices, in his power to bestow. The words after "but" -it shall be given to them, in the common translation, are not in the original; and they change the sense of the passage. Christ did not deny his having a right to give these places to those for whom they were prepared by his Father. "Jesus said unto them, ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They said unto him, we are able. And he said unto them, ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give, but for whom it is prepared of my Father." The other disciples, on hearing this request, "were moved with indignation against the two brethren." This indignation of the ten probably arose from something in themselves of the very ambition which had been manifested by James and John in presenting their request. A contention was thus likely to arise among the disciples from unjustifiable desires of preferment, and from mistakes about the nature of Christ's kingdom. Our Saviour then interposed, "called them to him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great, exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." Thus, again, he taught them to be humble, and to suppress all desires of dominion one over another. These admonitory instructions, probably, put an end for that time to the dispute between his disciples; and we should suppose, that he very clearly distinguished between the nature of his kingdom, and the kingdoms of this world; but it does not appear, that his disciples fully apprehended his meaning, or gave up their expectations of a secular kingdom. Yet Jesus continued his fellowship with them, as his friends and disciples; and continued to instruct and to employ them. Having loved his own, he loved them to the end of his ministry. The very evening before his death, he ate the passover with them as his disciples, instituted for their observance the memorial of his death, and condescended to wash their feet, as an example of the humility and kindness which they were to exercise one towards another. At the same time, he said unto them, "Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done anto |