THE REV. MR RUSSELL.

Evening Star, Issue 3572, 4 August 1874, Page 3

THE REV. MR RUSSELL.

To the Editor. This gentleman officiated to-day in the first Church, He is fresh out from Scotland. He was an ordained minister of the United Presbyterian Church, in the polished town of Banff, the capital of the central county of the thiee best educated snires in Scotland. He is a little, darkbaired, meagre-looking, full-toned, ami gentlemanly man. He enforces hid doctrine with ease, grace, and vigor, by becomu i; gesture, and appropriate expression. Hir. preaching is eminently didactic. In appearance, he much resembles Principal Caird. In devotion, his manner is sedate, plain and impressive; also free from anything bordering on cant. After ascending the pulpit, he read Paraphrase 11, beginning “0 happy is the man who hears instruction's warning voice,” &c. Then ke read the 53rd chapter of Isaiah, and the Bth chapter of the Rook of Acts, from the 26th verse to the end. Again he offered up a prayer. Thereafter the congregation sang a portion of Psalm 19, verse 7, “ God’s law is perfect, ” &c. The sermon was a didactic exposition of cts, Boh chapter, fr m 26th verse to the end of the chapter. By way of introduction, In reminded his hearers of the fact that the Ethiopia of the text was the Modern Abyssinia. He made pointed references to tl.e dawn of the fulfilment of prophecy with respect to Africa—the land of darkness, of slavery, and of death for tbonsan is of year t . He referred to the new tokens of its regeneration, eulogised Livingstone’s noble efforts, and pointed to the fact of the emancipated slaves of America returning to evangelise their native deserts. Thereafter, the preacher expatiated—

1. On th? subject of the remarkable conversion of Irs text. He was a m u of rank, authority, and social position, even Chancellor of the Ethiopian Exchtquer. Wealth and station are often roal hindrances to the salvation of tho soul. lie recounted the excellencies o f the Chancellor s disposition. He was a Jewish proaegenuine, honest, simple. His hiuni lity, meekness, condescension, and docility were ably act forth. We had a dissertafo.o on the vast differences of men’s hearts—the goed and bad soils for the reception of the gospel seed. 2-. The means of the Chancellor’s conversion formed the second branch of the discourse. .These means were the Scriptures. The modes may be various, but the means arc always the s imo. Believing in Christ is conversion ; b lieving wha*. is written concerning him by God in Scripture, Life and death are in words—God’s words ; hence their wondrous power. But, they must be understood. The task of the preacher is to give the true sense of the words. Tho duty of the hearers consists in giving the closest attention to the explanation. The doctrine must be savingly applied to ourselves ard circumstances. The Holy Ghost is the agent of conversion. This is as necessary as the means. We are to believe at once, to trust in Christ, to look without, not within ns, to the finished work of Christ, as revealed in Scripture. Believing in, lookin'* to, and coming to Christ is just crediting God s divine record. The mysterious operation of the spirit we may not comprehend, but if we act thus, the effects of His operation will be fully realised in our life and conversation.

3. Now for the manner of the Chancellor’s conversion. It was quiet—free from any alarming eircums L auces, as in the case of Saul of I arsus. The Sua of Righteousness, like the sun of nature, rose over bis heart and head peacefully and noiselessly. The manner of conversion depends on the disposition the man. The Ethiopian went home rejoicing in his deliverance from slavery and condemnation, to grace and pardon. 4, The nature of this conversion was eloquently descanted upon : («)• It was genuine, as evinced in the Chancellor’s earnestness in profession and deportment. {b). His open confession and declaration of hia adhesion to Christ; his believing with the heart and professing with the tongue, proved hia sincerity. " (c.) It was a real and a happy change and transformation of life and character. The congregation sang efficiently the first four veraas of the 20th Paraphrase, “ Oh ! ye that thirst, approach the spring,” &c. The minister again gave a beautiful prayer ; and the congregation finally sang, with pathos and art, the last two verses of the 72nd Psalm, “ Now blessed be the Lord our God,” *c. In fine, the preacher, in the Whitneldian attitude, pronounced the benediction. Happy the congregation that shall secure the services of this meritorious preacher !—I am, &c., .p. ~ J. G. S. Grant. Dunedin, August 2.

His only Crime.—Alluding to the death of a WifWi tly - tll i e * Dan Wy News’ remarks: W ith the single exception of twenty-three years ago, . when he took a few lessons on a violin, his life has boon bljimcloss Juvenile Depravity: “ Do you’go to Sabbath school, my lad . kindly asked a city missionory of a depraved httle Dubuque urchin ‘‘ Narv ” answered the innocent child, “but’l’ve got a fightm cock that can walk over anv bird in this town that wears gaffs.” y ln Sad but Sweet.—The cemetery pond is the most popular in this vicinity. Here, of a clear night, and amid the solemn memories which cluster about the spot, the amateur skater strikes on the back of his head, and swears like a pirate.— ‘ Danbury News,’