{"1": {"fulltext": "DD0D51E1DDD", "height": "3639", "width": "2115", "jp2-path": "halfcenturysermo00port_0001.jp2"}, "2": {"fulltext": "*h\\\\^\\nii\\n^^-n^\\n^Ao^\\nV ^jm^^\\\\ ^^^rS cV^^^^ia -^m^^. ^^^s -c\\nV.0^\\nbV\\n\u00e2\u0080\u00a2^-O^\\n^p-^^\\n^0^\\nV,.*^\\nvr\\nO A?\\noK", "height": "3511", "width": "2008", "jp2-path": "halfcenturysermo00port_0002.jp2"}, "3": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3495", "width": "2033", "jp2-path": "halfcenturysermo00port_0003.jp2"}, "4": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3521", "width": "2013", "jp2-path": "halfcenturysermo00port_0004.jp2"}, "5": {"fulltext": "MR. PORTER S\\nHALF-CENTURY SERMON.\\nRYE, N.H.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 1835.", "height": "3449", "width": "2059", "jp2-path": "halfcenturysermo00port_0005.jp2"}, "6": {"fulltext": ".iMi^", "height": "3449", "width": "2039", "jp2-path": "halfcenturysermo00port_0006.jp2"}, "7": {"fulltext": "HALF CENTURY\\nSERMON,\\nIN TWO PARTS.\\nPREACHED AT RYE, N. H.\\nJanuary, 1835.\\nBr HUNTINGTOJr PORTER, A.M.\\nSENIOR PASTOR OF THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH IN THAT T0W5\\nOccasioned by tlie close of Half a Century of his\\nMinistry there.\\nPUBLISHED BT REQUEST OF THE HEARERS.\\nPORTSMOUTH:\\nPRINTED BY MILLER BREWSTER,\\n1835.\\n7^", "height": "3505", "width": "2023", "jp2-path": "halfcenturysermo00port_0007.jp2"}, "8": {"fulltext": "fAA", "height": "3449", "width": "2039", "jp2-path": "halfcenturysermo00port_0008.jp2"}, "9": {"fulltext": "SERMON.\\nIn view of my age and infirmities, I hope, my friends, for your\\nsympathy and candor, while I offer a few things for our mutual consid-\\neration and benefit.\\nI am about to address you on a very unusual occasion an occa-\\nsion that never before occurred in this town, and in but few instances\\nin any of the towns around us. The occasion is the close of half a\\ncentury since I was ordained, and have statedly and occasionally\\nlabored in the work of the ministry in this place. O, how rapidly\\nhow insensibly; and, alas! how unprofitably have fifty years rolled\\naway And yet how interesting have been many of the scenes, and\\nsolemn the dispensations of Providence, through which your aged pas-\\ntor and the people of his charge have been called to pass Notwith-\\nstanding these various events, some of which have been afflictive,\\nperilous and mortal, the speaker has been sustained by the arm of\\ndivine power and mercy, and is able to stand before you this day a\\nwitness of the sparing goodness of God.\\nAnd now, my friends, what shall I say unto you With what\\nwords and feelings shall I come to you What inspired passage shall\\nbe selected on which to address you Shall I come to you, as St.\\nPaul expresses it, with a rod or in love, and in the spirit of meek-\\nness.^ If I should come to you with a rod, would there not be found\\nsome occasion for its use some occasion for correction and reproof?\\nWould there not be found some neglects of duty, and indulgences of\\nsin, which deserve censure and chastisement But if I should come\\nto you in love, and in the spirit of meekness, it would, indeed, be more\\ncongenial to my own feelings, and, perhaps, more pleasing and accept-\\nable to you. I have, however, selected a passage of Scripture, which\\nmay be considered more personal and humbling as it respects the\\nspeaker and a consideration of which, may not be unprofitable to his\\nhearers. The passage was expressed by David the royal Psalmist,\\nwhen addressing himself to the great Jehovah. It is recorded in", "height": "3505", "width": "2023", "jp2-path": "halfcenturysermo00port_0009.jp2"}, "10": {"fulltext": "Psalms, xxxix. 5.\\nMINE AGE IS AS NOTHING BEFORE THEE.\\nThis passage, I say, isihumbling to the speaker and is so, indeed^,\\nto all present. Every one of us, the oldest as well as the youngest,\\nhas reason to say in the presence of the great Eternal, Mine age is\\nas nothing before thee. And yet this age of man, this short life, is\\nexceedingly interesting as a season of probation, and as connected with\\na future endless state of existence. It is full of concerns, full of disap-\\npointments, trials and troubles; though, through divine unmerited\\ngoodness, intermingled with many privileges and blessings. Of these\\nthings we are frequently reminded in the word of God, and in the\\ndispensations of Providence. Though these things make so little im-\\npression upon our minds, and have so little influence on our lives and\\nconversation, they are not the less real on that account, nor the less\\nsolemn and deserving serious consideration. Shortly, and how soon or\\nsuddenly we know not, we must put off these earthly houses of our\\ntabernacle, and follow our numerous friends and acquaintances, yea,\\nthe countless myriads of the human family that have gone before us,\\ndown to the silent grave, and into a solemn eternity. The sentence of\\ndeath, we know, has gone out against all mankind and there is no\\ndischarge in that war. O, with what humility should we contemplate\\nthe brevity of human life Behold, God has made our days as a\\nhand-breadth, and our age is as nothing before him.\\nToo apt are we, especially when young, to extend our views forward,\\nand calculate upon many days and years to come. There is indeed, a\\ngreat difference, apparently, between life or an age in prospect, and\\nthe same viewed in retrospect. To look forward three score years\\nand ten, or four score years, seems a great length of time; and, to\\nthose who are in the morning of life, as though it would scarcely ever\\ncome to an end. But, to those who have arrived to that period, life, in\\nreview, appears as a dream, or like a vapor that quickly passes away.\\nThe Patriarch Jacob, though he lived more than a century, was led\\nat the close of life to say, Few and evil have the days of the years\\nof my life been. And the Psalmist says with respect to human life,\\nif by reason of strength it be lengthened to four score years, it is soon\\ncut off, and we fly away. Accordingly, these days and years are\\nrepresented in Scripture to be very short, like a tale that is told and\\nare said to be swifter than a weaver s shuttle to pass away as the swift\\nships, and as the eagle that hasteth to her prey. Although human life\\nmay appear thus short, even when prolonged to three score years and", "height": "3449", "width": "2039", "jp2-path": "halfcenturysermo00port_0010.jp2"}, "11": {"fulltext": "ten, yet during that time, how numerous and important are the changes\\nthat take place. If we confine our views to the last half century, O\\nhow great and wonderful are many of the changes that have occurred,\\nnot only in the world at large, or in our own country, but even in a\\nsingle town, family, or individual.\\nTo consider the case of a single person how many interesting\\nvicissitudes are experienced through the several stages of existence\\nfrom infancy or childhood to youth, from youth to manhood, and from\\nmanhood during the remainder of life. These changes, which are\\nvarious, and some of them exceedingly interesting, may have respect\\nto health, strength, habitation, business, inward feelings, outward cir-\\ncumstances, connexions in life, and numberless events of Providence\\nboth merciful and afflictive. All which are closed up at last by the\\ngreat and solemn change which takes place in death.\\nFurther, with respect to a family. The vicissitudes are usually\\nstill more diversified and interesting in proportion to its numbers.\\nLook into almost any family around you trace its history for fifty\\nyears, if it has existed so long, and how vastly changed Often so\\nchanged, that it scarcely appears to be the same family. Indeed, it\\nis not the same. Some one, or more, or perhaps, all its members are\\ngone, and others risen up in their stead another generation a new\\nfamily At first thought we are hardly sensible of the change but,\\non a little reflection we see, we know it to be so. One after another\\nhaving passed off the stage, we at length, and it maybe in a few years,\\nmay say with respect to the heads of the family, the fathers and moth-\\ners, Where are they And, with respect to the brothers and sisters, or\\nother members of the family, Have they not either been scattered\\nabroad, or smitten by tiie stroke of death\\nFurthermore, with respect to a ^oz/;rt what interesting and solemn\\nchanges occur in the course of half a century Even in a shorter\\nperiod than this, one generation, averaging it at twenty five or thirty\\nyears, according to usual computation, passes away and another Com-\\neth upon the stage. O how little do we realise this change How\\nsolemn the thought, that the present generation, that we ourselves, our\\nfamilies, and all around us, yea, and the whole world of mankind, will\\nsoon be numbered with the dead, and such a vast multitude of immor-\\ntal souls, summoned into an invisible, untried state, and their whole\\nattention absorbed in the solemn scenes of eternity\\nIf moreover, we view the state of a country for instance, our own\\ncountry, what great events and interesting changes frequently transpire\\nparticularly, with regard to political, civil, religious, and literary con-", "height": "3505", "width": "2023", "jp2-path": "halfcenturysermo00port_0011.jp2"}, "12": {"fulltext": "cerns. What a vast change, or increase of population From about\\nthree millions, fifty years ago, these United States have risen, by\\nmultiplying, emigration and additional territory, to a great nation of\\nmore than thirteen millions of inhabitants More than two-thirds\\nof the present States, have been added to the Union, during the last\\nhalf century. And a number of them were unsettled by civilized\\ninhabitants, till after the commencement of that period, which are now\\nincreased to large and respectable states. How has the whole face of\\nthe country changed in the cultivation of the earth, in the many\\nimprovements that have been made, in the wonderful works that have\\nbeen effected by the hand of industry and ingenuity. What new and\\nimportant inventions have been discovered to facilitate the business of\\nlife; to the greater ease and expedition of travelling, and the transportation\\nof goods from one city and village to another also, by means of\\nstraightening or shortening roads, constructing railways, canals, and\\nsteamboats; likewise, by manufactories, and machineries of varions kinds,\\ntogether with many other conveniences, to facilitate the business of\\nthe mechanick, the husbandman, the mariner, and to ease the burden\\nof the laboring class of the community generally. ^View, also, a wide\\nspread country, filled or filling rapidly with civilized inhabitants, where\\nnot long since dwelt only savage beasts, or more savage men. See\\nlarge and increasing cities, pleasant and flourishing villages, with their\\nstately edifices, fine accommodations, and sacred temples erected to the\\nworship of God, which present themselves to view along the extensive\\ncoast, from one end of the continent to the other. And in the interior\\nparts of our country, behold innumerable and beautiful flourishing\\ntowns, rising in prospect to the eye of the astonished citizen or stran-\\nger, as he travels along on business, or for his health, or to visit his\\nfriends, or to improve his mind in the acquisition of useful knowledge,\\nwhich may be derived from a survey of the wonderful works of nature,\\nand the pleasing productions of human skill.\\nI mention these things not merely for gratification or embellish-\\nment of discourse; but, that our minds may be more deeply\\nimpressed with a sense of the wisdom and goodness of God, and\\nthe smiles of heaven upon the industry of our country and that\\nwe might realise more sensibly the obligations we are under of love\\nand gratitude to our heavenly Benefactor, who according to the counsel\\nof his own will, speaks concerning a nation or kingdom, to plant and to\\nbuild up, or to pull down and destroy and whose hand is to be noticed\\n3nd adored in all these things.\\nIf we in the next place take a survey oi the globe, we inhabit if we", "height": "3439", "width": "2074", "jp2-path": "halfcenturysermo00port_0012.jp2"}, "13": {"fulltext": "look around upon the nations of the earth, and contemplate the events,\\nthe changes, that have taken place within the lust half century, O\\nhow solemn, how interesting, have many of them been Tliere have\\nbeen wars and rumors of wars, civil commotions and national conflicts,\\nand the most awful carnage not only man rising against his fellow\\nman in single combat, but nation against nation, devising new and the\\nmost effectual measures to kill and destroy one another. And, alas\\nhow many individuals have been led to destroy themselves How\\noften have our ears been accosted with the unwelcome tidings of duels,\\nriots, robberies, massacres, and garments rolled in blood And these\\nthings done even among those, who are called civilized nations, chris-\\ntian people Or, if we turn our attention to heathen lands what\\ncruel and barbarous deeds are perpetrated there parents sacrificing\\ntheir children, or, children murdering their aged and helpless parents,\\nyea, wives in their superstitious frenzy, immolating themselves upon the\\nfuneral pile of their expiring companions Behold, likewise, what\\ndesolations have been made in the earth, by the pestilence that walketh\\nin darkness, and the destruction that vvasteth at noon day by earth\\nquakes in divers places by tornadoes, volcanoes, inundations and\\ndisasters by sea and land laying waste not only valuable property, but\\nalso the more precious lives of men.\\nThese calamities, to which mankind are hable, often take place\\nin this our sinful world and are ever to be viewed as the sad effects\\nof human apostacy and guilt. That these judgments are not more\\nfrequent and distressing than they are, is owing to the long suffering\\nmercy of God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. By virtue of his me-\\ndiation, sacrifice and intercession, the hand of justice is in a measure\\nstayed, a respite granted, mercy offered, and many sinful beings saved\\nfrom ruin. In consequence of what Christ has done, kind and gra-\\ncious measures are taken with the children of men ambassadors and\\npreachers ol righteousness are raised up, and sent forth, to beseech\\nsinners to turn from their evil ways and become reconciled to God\\nto bow to the sceptre of the grace and government of the Redeemer,\\nthat they may not die, but live forever.\\nWe may further notice the great change that has taken place, during\\nthe last half century, with regard to a diversity of religious opinions.\\nDifferent religious sentiments have, indeed, been embraced and held,\\nin all ages though at some periods with much less tenacity than at\\nothers. In the days of our Pilgrim fathers, the first emigrants to New-\\nEngland, much harmony in doctrine and worship, it has been said, was\\nenjoyed among them. Soon, however, there began to be some small", "height": "3505", "width": "2023", "jp2-path": "halfcenturysermo00port_0013.jp2"}, "14": {"fulltext": "diversity of sentiment in religious matters but not to such a degree,\\nbut that they could very generally and cordially meet and worship to-\\ngether and brotherly love continued for a considerable length of lime,\\nto bless them. It might then be truly said, Behold how these chris-\\ntians Jove one another How good and how pleasant it is for breth-\\nren to dwell together in unity But since that time, and particularly\\nwithin forty or fifty years, how great the change How great has\\nbeen the departure in many instances, from the inspired apostolic in-\\njunctions, which plafnly require of christians, that, if there be any\\ncomfort of love, any fellowship of the spirit, they be like minded, have\\nthe same love, be of one accordjof one mind and, because there is one\\nbody, and one spirit, even as they are called in one hope of their call-\\ning, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, they should therefore keep\\nthe unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, and love as brethren.\\nBut now when we travel in our country, in almost any direction, we\\nfind our towns, in general, divided and subdivided into religious parties,\\nand in some places, great strife and contention about church or secular\\nconcerns and consequent alienation of affection one Irom another,\\ncontrary to the nature of our holy rehgion, and the peacable laws of\\nthe Redeemer s kingdom. Whatever may be the cause of these things,\\nwhether ignorance, prejudice, or any sinister ends, the effects are very\\nunhappy with regard to many of our country towns. But we console\\nourselves with the prospect, and even assurance, according to divine\\nprophecies and promises, of a much more happy state of things here\\non earth, under the reign of the Prince of peace and love.\\nNotwithstanding the many evils to which we have now referred,\\nwe should not forget that goodness of God, which so often and so gen-\\nerally triumphs over the unworthiness and ill deserts of men. The all\\nwise ruler of the universe, we know, makes his sun to rise on the evil\\nand good, and sends down a variety of blessings both upon the\\njust and unjust. He crowns the years, in general, with his loving kind-\\nness giving rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling the hearts of\\nhis rational offspring with food and gladness. O, how astonishing it is,\\nthat his great goodness has no better effect upon the hearts and lives of\\nthe chiUlren of men leading no more of them to unfeigned repentance\\nof sin, and to sincere love, gratitude and obedience to their kind and\\ngracious Benefactor It may not be improper now to notice the many\\nbenevolent associations, that have recently been formed for the express\\npurpose of promoting the temporal and spiritual benefit of men. Half\\na century ago, httle or nothing was heard of such benevolent associa-\\nlions and christian efforts, as have since been witnessed. The great", "height": "3449", "width": "2039", "jp2-path": "halfcenturysermo00port_0014.jp2"}, "15": {"fulltext": "object of these societies a^id christian enterprises, is, to amehorate the\\ncondition of man, now rendered miserable in many respects by reason\\nof sin and, to reform and save a world lying in wickedness.\\nContemplate, particularly, Bible associations whose noble object\\nis, to send the word of life and salvation, to the needy and destitute\\nparts of our own country, and also to those foreign lands, where inhab-\\nitants are perishing for lack of the saving knowledge of God and Jesus\\nChrist, whom to know is life eternal. We rejoice to hear and know,\\nwhat these societies have done, and are still doing. They have had the\\nsacred volume translated into more than two hundred different langua-\\nges, and sent it to those, who were going on blindfold, as it were, in the\\nways of sin, delusion and death. Multitudes have already, through this\\ninstrumentality, admitted the light of Christianity, and have believed and\\nobeyed the truth. The glorious enterprise is still going forward with in-\\ncreasing encouragement and success.\\nContemplate, also, what is doing by Missionary societies.\\nTheir great enterprise, is you know, to send out laborers into\\nthe wide field of the destitute world to proclaim the glad tidings\\nof salvation to their dying fellow men and, if possible, to per-\\nsuade all to whom they preach, to embrace, love and obey the gospel.\\nA large number of these laborers, or missionaries of the cross, have\\ngone, and are going out from time to time, into the highways and\\nbedgcB of our own, and of heathen lands. By the blessing of Heav-\\nen, they have been instrumental of the conversion of many sinners, of\\nforming new churches, and of establishing bible classes, sabbath and\\nother schools. They have likewise led multitudes to cast their idols to\\nthe moles and to the bats; and, where satan s seat was, there to erect\\ntemples to the worship of the living and true God; in wiiich, religious\\nhomage is now paid to him, who made heaven and earth.\\nLook, also, to those societies, whose great and laudable object it is,\\nto find out poor and pious young men, worthy of charity, and educate\\nthem for the work of the ministry so that more laborers, and a suffi-\\ncient number, if possible, may be raised up qualified, and go forth into\\nall the world and preach the gospel to every creature to the impor-\\ntant end, that the nations now in darkness, may see a great light, and\\nno longer perish for lack of vision.\\nContemplate further, the societies piously engaged in publishing\\nand circulating religious tracts. How happy has been the fruit of\\ntheir labors! Who can calculate the full amount of good these little\\nmessengers, sent forth in all directions, and among almost all nations,\\nhave already accomplished t Have they not been instrumental of", "height": "3505", "width": "2023", "jp2-path": "halfcenturysermo00port_0015.jp2"}, "16": {"fulltext": "10\\nquickening many of the children of God to greater activity and dili-\\ngence in his service, as well as of convicting, converting, nnd savin\\nmany souls from death f\\nWe may notice also those associations of men, whose motto is,\\nPeace on earth and good will toward men. These are Peace soci-\\neties peace makers and on such our Saviour pronounces a blessing.\\nTheir noble object is to prove, that all wars are founded in something\\nwrong; that they arise from the lusts, passions, prejudices, ambition, or\\npride of the wicked hearts of men; endeavoring by addresses, pub-\\nlications, and christian example, to encourage and propagate the benev-\\nolent and peaceful principles of the religion of Jesus, the prince of\\npeace; and thus, to put an end, not only to private feuds and conten-\\ntions, but to those horrid and destructive wars, which are so often\\nwaged and cruelly prosecuted among nations.\\nSee, likewise, what is doing in this, and in other countries, to put\\nan end to Slavery. Respectable associations have been formed, who\\nhave in view the noble enterprise of abolishing all traffick in human\\nflesh, and of restoring to liberty and their just rights and privileges,\\nthose, who are now held in cruel bondage. Much has already been\\naccomplished. Great Britain has set the noble example. She has\\nabolished slavery at home, and in all her dominions. And this coun-\\ntry is not silent or inactive on this subject. Great and good men are\\nengaged in this christian enterpise. The benevolent work of emanci-\\npation is progressing and the pleasing hope is now cherished, that\\nthe time is not far distant, when an utter end will be put to manstealing,\\nslave purchasing, and slave holding, in this, and in every country\\nwhere the evil exists. Why should any be held in slavery Why\\nshould the colored man be a slave to the white man, any more than\\nthe white to the colored No just reason can be assigned. Surely,\\ntiien, the whole business of compulsory slavery is to be condemned\\nas iniquitous, and ought to be abandoned speedily and forever.\\nHow much has been achieved, also, during the last half century,\\nin the glorious cause of Temperance Almost innumerable societies\\nhave been formed in Europe and America, for the express purpose of\\nshowing by reason and argument, by facts and example, that the use\\nof ardent spirits, is not only needless in health, and in all the ordinary\\nbusiness of life, but actually injurious to soul and body,\\nand to the best interests of mankind. We have reason to rejoice, that\\non this subject, public opinion has so materially changed that so\\nmany of our first characters, members of Congress, and others in the\\nhigher stations of life, have countenanced and encouraged the tern-", "height": "3449", "width": "2039", "jp2-path": "halfcenturysermo00port_0016.jp2"}, "17": {"fulltext": "11\\nperance reform tliat a large number have abandoned the manufacture,\\ntraffick and use of intoxicating liquors that many drunkards have\\nbeen reformed, and that the progress of reform is still onward, and\\nhas progressed to such a degree, that final victory is now strongly, if\\nnot confidently expected. At the same time it is deeply to be lament-\\ned, that under the blaze of light, that has for years shone around us,\\nso many should remain blind, or will not acknowledge the deleterious\\neffects of ardent spirits. Blind did I say? Can they remain blind,\\nor ignorant Do they not know, have they not heard, that seventy-five\\nphysicians, nearly all the physicians of Boston, have publicly declared\\nit as their opinion, that ardent spirits are not only needless in heahh,\\nbut injurious, impairing health, shortening life, and bringing on prema-\\nture death? Do they not know, that the medical society of our own\\nstate, composed of some of our most eminent physicians, have publicly\\ndeclared the same opinion? and, that a large number of the faculty, in\\nthe cities of New-York, Albany, and other places, have also announced\\nthe same sentiment If any are to be found wiser than all these\\nlearned and experienced physicians, they must be wise indeed But,\\nif under such respectable testimony as has been stated, any remain\\nunconvinced, let them go to our infirmaries, to our alms houses, houses\\nof correction, our jails, state prisons, courts of justice, to judges,\\nlawyers, juries and witnesses, and they will have evidence enough.\\nWe are in fact, eye witnesses ourselves, of the direful effects of intem-\\nperance. We have seen enough. We have seen too much. We have\\nsickened at the sight and, alas are not yet recovered. The eye affects\\nthe heart, and the heart is still burdened and distressed. In fine, we\\nneed no further evidence to prove beyond all dispute, that intoxicating\\nliquors are the principal cause of the private and domestic broils, of\\npoverty, distress, crimes, condemnation and capital punishments, that\\noccur in our land. Hence, it appears high time for all to awake out\\nof the stupor that has so long been manifested by many, and to join\\nwith one accord in adopting and pursuing all proper measures, to put\\na speedy end to the whole business of distilling, traffick and use of\\npoisonous drinks.\\nBesides the several Associations already noticed, there are vari-\\nous other societies formed and in operation, whose laudable objects are,\\nto encourage and promote good morals, to suppress gambling, licen-\\ntiousness, profanity, sabbath-breaking, and other violations of divine\\nand human laws. I have thus particularly mentioned these several\\nsocieties and their various efforts, not merely as interesting transactions\\nof the last half century, but to lead our minds to consider more fully", "height": "3505", "width": "2023", "jp2-path": "halfcenturysermo00port_0017.jp2"}, "18": {"fulltext": "12\\nthe manifest bearing they have towards ameliorating the condition of\\nman, and rendering the state of individuals, families, societies, towns,,\\ncountries, and even the world, more happy! What a clear bearing\\nhave they also, upon the fulfilment of many divine prophecies and\\npromises In the Scriptures both of the Old and New Testaments,\\nwe find predictions of a far more happy state of things here on earth,\\nthan has ever yet been enjoyed when Christ by his word and spirit\\nand the prevalence of his religion, will reign a thousand years when\\nmen shall turn their instruments of war and death into the peacable\\nimplements of husbandry when they shall no more teach every man\\nhis neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, know the Lord for\\nthey shall all know him, from the least to the greatest; when the\\nmountain of the Lord s house shall be established in the top of the\\nmountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall\\nflow unto it when beasts of the fiercest and mildest nature, as the\\nwolf and the lamb, the leopard and the kid, the young lion and the\\ncalf, shall dwell and feed together, and a little child shall lead them\\nand when there shall be none to hurt or destroy in all the holy moun-\\ntain.\\nThese and many other desirable and glorious things, are plainly\\npredicted in the sacred volume. There may, it is true, be\\nmany difficulties, much opposition, sore trials, sharp conflicts with the\\npowers of darkness, and the machinations of wicked and designing\\nmen, before these things come to pass but they must and will, most\\nassuredly, be accomplished for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.\\nAll therefore, who are sincerely engaged on the Lord s side, will finally\\ntriumph. Do we not then see, that the benevolent efforts of the day\\nthat bible, tract, missionary, peace, temperance, and all other benevo-\\nlent associations in the general measures they are pursuing, and on\\nwhich heaven has so remarkably smiled, look favorably and directly^\\ntoward the accomplishment of glorious things O, happy time O,\\nglorious day when an end shall be put to the many distressing evils\\nand calamities now experienced by the human family. Hasten, O\\nLord, we beseech thee, this glorious period; this promised, happy day\\nNow my respected friends, let us all desire and earnestly pray,\\nthat we may speedily be delivered from all those great and painful\\ncalamities, which have so long afllicted our race. From war and its\\nhorrid effects, from pestilence, earthquakes, tornadoes, inundations,\\nvolcanoes, and disasters by sea and land, let us say. Good Lord deliv-\\ner us. From slavery and oppression, from misrule, civil discord and\\ncontention, from profanation of the Sabbath, profane swearing, and all", "height": "3449", "width": "2039", "jp2-path": "halfcenturysermo00port_0018.jp2"}, "19": {"fulltext": "13\\nimmoral and licentious practices, Good Lord deliver us. From sui-\\ncides, duelling, robberies, riots, massacres and murders from destruc-\\ntion by fire, by lightning, by drought and famine from all excess and\\nintemperance, and their direful and deadly effects, Good Lord, deliver\\nus. And, if it be the divine will, may we all be so happy as to see\\ngood days and good years, according to the days and years wherein wc\\nliave seen evil\\nPART SECOND.\\nPsalm xxxix, 5.\\nMINE AGE IS AS NOTHING BEFORE THEE.\\nHaving in the first part of this discourse spoken of the brevity of hu-\\nman life, and considered that the age of man, even at its longest date, is\\nas nothing before God, and nothing compared with eternity having\\nnoticed some of the many interesting scenes and events, that usually fill\\nup the life or age of man and having particulaily pointed out the great\\nchanges that are often experienced by individuals, families, towns,\\ncountries, and the world in general, in the course of half a century, all\\nwhich are closed up at last by the great and solemn change, that takes\\nplace in death I proceed now, to speak of this town in particular and\\nto notice some of those things, which have transpired since my settle-\\nment in it.\\nThis town from its first settlement received the name it now bears\\nwhich was given it, as is supposed, by reason of some of its first inhabi-\\ntants coming from a town of the same name in England. It began to\\nbe settled about the year 1C35 two centuries ago. The first settler, it\\nis said, was by the name of Berry. Others who came soon after, were\\nof the names of Seavey, Rand, and Bracket. Those who soon followed,\\nwere of the names of Wallis, Locke and Jenness; which names, except\\nthose of Bracket and of Wallis, are still retained among us and most\\nof them are numerous.\\nThis town, which was originally taken off from Portsmouth, Green-\\nland, Hampton and Newcastle, continued about ninety years destitute\\nof the settled ministry of the gospel. The people attended public\\nworship in the neighboring towns as was most convenient. The inhab-\\nitants, who at that time were but thinly scattered, and most of them in\\nlow circumstances, never began to prosper in any considerable degree as\\nto outward circumstances, until they erected a house of public worship,\\nformed a church, and had the ministry and ordinances of the gospel\\nsettled among them. The first meeting house was erected in the year\\n1725 a church was organized July 10, 1726 and the first minister\\nsettled was Rev. Nathaniel Morrill. He was ordained Sept. 14, 1726;", "height": "3505", "width": "2023", "jp2-path": "halfcenturysermo00port_0019.jp2"}, "20": {"fulltext": ".14\\nAvas a man of acknowledged abilities, of good natural and acqaired gifts.\\nHe continued in the ministry about seven years, and was then dismissed.\\nAfter Mr. Morrill s dismission, the people remained destitute seve-\\nral years but being desirous of having the gospel ministry re-settled\\namong them, they made laudable exertions to that end. Having heard\\nseveral candidates on probation, they made choice of Mr. Samuel Par-\\nsons, and invited him to settle with them in the gospel ministry.\\nHaving accepted their invitation, he was ordained Nov. 3, 1736. He\\nofficiated in the ministry till the year 1784; making nearly half a^ centu-\\nry. In the same year, Dec. 29, the present Senior Pastor of this\\nchurch was ordained as Colleague with this, his worthy and respected\\nPredecessor. The Rev. Mr. Parsons, though infirm by reason of age\\nand repeated paralytic shocks, continued to the fourth of Jan. 1789, in\\nthe seventy-eighth year of his age when, as we trust, he entered into\\nthe joy of his Lord. During his ministry two hundred and six persons were\\nadmitted into full communion with the Church, and one thousand six\\nhundred, as appears by the church record, received the ordinance of\\nbaptism.*\\nFrom the close of the year 1784 to the beginning of the present\\nyear, making half a century, one hundred and eighty-four have been\\nadmitted to the table ot the Lord, and nine hundred and four have been\\nbaptized. Thirty-six members have been dismissed, and removed from\\nthis to other churches, and a few have been received to our communion\\nby letter. The church consists, at present, of one hundred and twenty\\nmembers.\\nThe number of births, during the last half century, is estimated at\\nabout one thousand five hundred and fifty. And the deaths during the\\nsame period, not far from seven hundred. The oldest person that has\\ndied was a female by the name of Tucker. She lived to the great age;\\nof ninety-nine years and nine months.\\nThis town has lost a very considerable number of its inhabitants in\\ntimes of war, both by sea and land. In the year 1696, twenty-one\\npersons were either killed or carried away captive by the Indians and\\na number of others were killed not long after. In the Canada or French\\nWar, so called, fourteen were killed or died in the service of their coun-\\ntry. And in the Revolutionary War, or first war with Great Britain, the\\ntown experienced the loss of twenty-eight persons most of them young\\nmen, and doubtless dear to their friends. In the last war with Great-\\nBritain, about twenty were engaged in the service, in which two\\nlost their lives.\\nAccording to accounts collected, twenty-seven persons mostly stran-\\n*The children of iliosc parents who owned llieii- btiptismal covenant, though not admitted\\nto full coniiuuiiion with the church, were then baptized.", "height": "3449", "width": "2039", "jp2-path": "halfcenturysermo00port_0020.jp2"}, "21": {"fulltext": "15\\ngers, have at different time? been drowned, on or near the coast within\\ntlie limits of this town.\\nWe must acknowledge, that notwithstanding the many trials and\\nhardships of our forefathers, and the first settlers of this town, and\\nnotwithstanding the vicissitudes, afflictions and mortality, that have been\\nexperienced by their descendants from time to time, we at this day reap^\\nmany of the fruits of their toils and trials. We are, indeed, favored with\\nmany blessings and privileges, civil, religious and literary, far beyond\\nwhat they enjoyed. Laws of gratitude to God should therefore be writ-\\nten on all our hearts, and good fruits in proportion brought forth to the\\npraise and glory of his name.\\nOur attention may now be turned more particularly to the affairs of\\nthis town since my settlement and residence in it. Application having\\npreviously been made to me, I came to this town in the year 1784, and\\npreached the first sermon here on the first sabbath in August the same\\nyear. After supplying the pulpit a short time, a call to settle in the\\nministry was given me by the church, and concurred with by the con-\\ngregation and by both, the call was unanimous. Little or no opposition\\nwas made to the terms of settlement and the ordination, as before\\nmentioned, took place on the twenty-ninth day of December following.\\nAnd I now stand before you in the eightieth year of my age, while a very\\ngreat majority of my first hearers have gone down to the congregation of\\nthe dead, and their accounts sealed up to the judgment of the great day.\\nNow when I look around on this assembly, or over the town, I see only\\nhere and there one that was then grown to manhood, and but two solita-\\nry individuals, that were then members of the church. Of course a new\\nchurch, a new congregation, as it were, has come upon the stage.\\nThe population of this town, at the time of my settlement, was\\nabout eight hundred and sixty. It is now estimated at twelve hundred.\\nThis number by reason of the improvements made, and a better state of\\nhusbandry, can be as well or better supported now, than that number\\ncould then. On this account, probably, emigrations or removals from\\nthis town have been less frequent of late, than in former years. The\\ninhabitants here were formerly, and for along series of years, remarka-\\nble for their unanimity in their civil and religious concerns. For nearly\\nthirty years after my settlement among them, there was not one family\\nof any other than the congregational order or denomination. All who\\nattended public worship, met in this house. These seats, these pews,\\nthese galleries were then filled with attentive, and not altogether, as\\nhoped, with unprofitable hearers. Union and peace were then enjoyed.\\nAnd, as m.iy well be supposed, much less expense was then\\nincurred by the inhabitants than at present, in supporting the public\\ninstitutions of the gospel. O how good and how pleasant for families,", "height": "3505", "width": "2023", "jp2-path": "halfcenturysermo00port_0021.jp2"}, "22": {"fulltext": "16\\nlor parents and children, for brethren and citizens, yea a whole town,\\nto dwell together in unity\\nSince that harmonious and pleasant time, owing to some diversity\\nof religious opinions, and other circumstances, two other societies* have\\nbeen formed in this town, which meet and worship in different places.\\nWhether these divisions will be for the better, that is, for the furtherance\\nof the gospel, for the glory of God and the advancement of the Redeem-\\ner s kingdom, which consists in righteousness, peace and joy in the\\nHoly Ghost, or not, we cannot clearly foresee at present, cannot know\\nnow but we shall know hereafter. It will fully appear in the records\\nand by the light of eternity\\nWhile these divisions have been taking place, and different socie-\\nties forming, there have been, as no doubt many of you recollect, some\\nhard feelings, and sayings, some harsh expressions used towards one\\nanother, and in some instances, toward the Pastor of the church yet I\\ntrust, I have never indulged in any feelings of unholy resentment or\\nenmity, toward any individual or family. I know not, that the sun has\\ngone down upon my wrath, or that I have ever felt a spirit of enmity, or\\nwished harm to any of my fellow creatures, friends or foes, saints or\\nsinners.\\nI speak thus my friends not, I trust, from a spirit of boasting, or\\nesteeming myself better than others. I am sensible I have my sins and\\ninfirmities, an am subject to like passions with other men. In myself,\\nI see much cause for humiliation, and my sincere desire is, to be suita-\\nbly humble in view of all my sins and imperfections. Well may I think\\nand speak lowly of myself, as a sinful creature, a worm of the dust or,\\nas the Psalmist expresses it of himself, a worm and no man. I view\\nmyself but an atom in the vast creation of God Yea, I am nothing, and\\nmy age is as nothing before the great Eternal before that incomprehen-\\nsible Being who is from everlasting to everlasting who is without begin-\\nning of days or end of life and with whom one day is as a thousand\\nyears, and a thousand years as one day O, may we all now and ever\\nfear before this great God, realizing that his eye is ever upon us, and tliat\\nto him we must give an account for every word and action.\\nBut to return from this digression, if it may be so called, I proceed to\\nadd a few more observations relative to the divisions and different denom-\\ninations among us. Although there may have been at times, as before\\nobserved, some disagreeable occurrences, some improper feelings antl\\nexpressions, yet, if any in these matters have acted, as they may have\\nimagined, conscientiously, and with a view to the glory of God and the\\ninterests of religion, they will have their reward.\\nI do, however, myself, after having for more than half a century\\n*Baplisl nnd Modiodist.", "height": "3449", "width": "2039", "jp2-path": "halfcenturysermo00port_0022.jp2"}, "23": {"fulltext": "17\\nstudied the sacred scriptures and attended to the writings and sentiments\\nof some of the most eminent, learned and pious men in (his, and in other\\ncountries, view the congregational order of worship and administration of\\nchristian ordinances, more agreeable to the word of God, the only rule\\nof faith and practice, than any with which I am acquainted. God, we\\nknow, is a God of order, and not of confusion, as in all the churches.\\nHence we are exhorted in scripture to mark them which cause divis-\\nions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and\\navoid them.\\nWhether the divisions and separations that have taken place in this\\ntown, come within the meaning of the inspired passage just quoted, or\\nnot, 1 attempt not at present to decide. To his own master, every one\\nstandeth or falleth. Yet, this I say, that notwithstanding some diversity\\nof opinion, different places of worship, and different modes of adminis-\\ntering ordinances, we all profess to worship the same living and true\\nGod hold to the same head, acknowledging Jesus Christ to be head over\\nall things to the church, and the great and allsufficient Saviour of sin-\\nners. We all preach, in our different way and manner, Christ Jesus the\\nLord Christ crucified, the wisdom of God and the power of God unto\\nsalvation, to every one that believeth. And if Christ be preached, wheth-\\ner it be as the Apostle expresses it, of envy and strife, or of good will,\\nwhether it be of contention, not sincerely, or in pretence, or of love, we\\nmust and will therein rejoice, even though on some accounts it will be\\nwith trembling.\\nSince my residence in this town, though a good degree of general\\nhealth has been enjoyed, as much so perhaps on an average, as towns in\\ngeneral, yet sickness has in some seasons prevailed, and consequent mor-\\ntality been more than usual. The deaths for fifty years past have aver-\\naged about fourteen in a year. The smallest number in any one year\\nwas Jive; and the largest number, thirty-Jive. One year in particular as\\nmay be noticed, was very remarkable for the great sickness and mortality\\nin it namely, the year 1803. More than two hundred and twenty\\npersons, were seized with diseases of various kinds, so as to require the\\nadvice and assistance of a physician. Of these thirty five deceased.\\nThat solemn season, thirty two years ago, not many present, perhaps,\\ncan distinctly remember. But the mention of the sickness and mortality\\nmay lead us to consider to what we are every year liable; and to\\nrealize, that it is owing to the long suffering and mercy of our God, that\\nunder our manifold sins and neglects of duty, we are not visited with\\nmore frequent and distressing judgments than we are. O, that his long-\\nsuffering and goodness might lead us to repentance, and to newness of\\nlife When we humbly confess and forsake our sins, and faithfully dis-\\ncharge duties, serving the Lord our God in sincerity and truth, then may\\n3", "height": "3505", "width": "2023", "jp2-path": "halfcenturysermo00port_0023.jp2"}, "24": {"fulltext": "18\\nwe expect to spend our days in prosperity, and our years in sacred peace\\nand pleasure and shall be that happy people whose God is the Lord.\\nO, may the year upon which we have now entered, be a year of the\\nright hand of the Most High wherein we shall, as individuals and as a\\npeople, experience the blessings of the upper and nether springs where-\\nin God shall pour out of his spirit upon us, and his blessing upon our\\noffspring wherein his work shall be revived, and his goings and glory\\nbe seen more abundantly, than in years that are past.\\nRealizing, that it is through the merciful kindness of our Father in\\nheaven, that we have been brought to the commencement of a new year,\\nlet us look back upon the one that is past in which we have experienced\\nmany outward enjoyments, have had our civil and religious privileges\\ncontinued, and most of us, perhaps, our beloved friends and relatives\\nspared to us. For which favors, unfeigned thanks should be rendered\\nto the great Preserver of men, and the giver of every good gift. Some\\namong us, however, have been called to experience sore bereavements,\\nand to mourn the loss of near and beloved friends. We can recognise and\\nrecord thirteen deaths the last year. Those, who have been called to\\nmourning, will doubtless readily recollect their afflictions and trials, and\\nwill still feel the obligations they are under to make a wise improvement\\nof them, and seriously to regard the voice which says, Be you also\\nready. In all probability others among us, in the course of the present\\nyear, will receive the summons of death. And as we know not the day\\nor year of our decease, each one of us may say, with particular applica-\\ntion to himself. It may be me It may be me Am I ready\\nIn further noticing the affairs of this town, it may not be improper\\nto mention, that in the year 1828, the civil contract between the Senior\\nPastor of this church and people was dissolved but his pastoral relation\\nto the church still continues.\\nThe present Junior Pastor of the churfch, after supplying the pulpit\\na few months, was invited to settle here in the sacred ministry. Having\\naccepted the invitation, he was ordained as colleague Pastor of the\\nchurch, the thirteenth day of May, 1829. On him the ministerial labors\\nand duties, of course, have devolved. He has not, we trust, laboured in\\n,vaijCi among us. If he may not have seen that abundant success attend-\\ning his ministrations, in the awakening, conviction and conversion of\\nsinners, and in quickening the children of God to greater activity and\\nengagedness ic the cause of the Redeemer, for which it appears to have\\nbeen his hearts desire and prayer to God, yet, a number of you, I trust\\ncan acknowledge him as having been instrumental of promoting your\\nspiritual interests and welfare.\\nAlthough the senior Pastor has occasionally assisted in religious\\n,#xercise9 and duties, yet, consjdenng his advanced age, official labor by", "height": "3449", "width": "2054", "jp2-path": "halfcenturysermo00port_0024.jp2"}, "25": {"fulltext": "19\\nhim m future, is altogether uncertain. I would not say, my friends, that\\nthis is the last time, I shall attempt publicly to address you but, to the\\neye of reason, and according to the usual course of Providence, it can-\\nnot be very long before it may may be said by those who survive. We,\\nshall hear his voice, we shall see his face no more Your daily and\\nearnest prayers to God for me, are requested that, whether I live, I may\\nlive unto the Lord, or whether I die, I may die unto the Lord that\\nwhether, therefore, I live or die, I may be the Lord s,\\nWhat may be further offered on this occasion, will be by way of\\nadvice and exhortation. I shall direct myself to several ages and classes\\nof persons-\\nFirst, to children.\\nI write unto you, little children, lambs of the flock your parents\\nhope, your parents joy. I write unto you, because you are capable of\\nreceiving instruction and need advice because you are capable of know-\\ning tlie Father, your Creator, who has given you reason, conscience and\\nimmortal souls, and made you capable of loving, serving, glorifying, and\\nenjoying him forever because you are favored with the means of\\nknowing Jesus Christ, the Saviour of sinners, who came to seek and\\nto save them that were lost; who, while here upon earth, took little chil-\\ndren up in his arms, laid his hands upon them, and blessed them and\\nwhen some were so unreasonable as to oppose it, he was displeased, and\\nsaid, Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not for\\nof such is the kingdom of heaven. And now, little children, as you need\\na Saviour, and need his forgiveness and blessing, ought I not to tell you\\nyour duty, and exhort you to consider your necessities, and immediately\\ncome to this compassionate Saviour, who loved you and died to save you\\nalso, to repent of your sins, to seek his favour and forgiveness, to give up\\nyour hearts to him, and while you live, to love, serve, and obey him.\\nAll these things are very plain and reasonable you are capable of un-\\nderstanding them and now, while young, you have a favorable oppor-\\ntunity, and ought seriously to attend to them. It is your duty also, to\\nhonour and obey your parents, to love your brothers and sisters, to be kind\\nand affectionate to your school mates, to love and speak the truth, to read\\nand esteem the Bible, and to fear God and keep all his commandments.\\nThe means of improvement, with which you are favored; are greater than\\nwhat children formerly enjoyed much greater than what your parents\\nhad when they were young. Being, thus highly favored above what hun-\\ndreds of thousands, in our own, and especially in heathen countries, have\\nbeen, should I not then tell you, highly to prize, and diligently improve\\nthose means, these precious privileges particularly to attend the sabbath\\nschool, to study tlie sacred scriptures, that you may learn the way of life\\nand salvation by Jesus Christ.\\nDoes it not seem strange to you who come to this school, that more\\ndo not attend it a school in which the most interesting things are\\ntaught, things concerning God, Christ, and Heaven, that holy, happy\\nplace. It is observed, that many do not attend the sabbath school. I\\nknow not what reason they assign for it. Can you tell me, children,\\nwhy it is, that so many stay away It is a free school, and whosoever\\nwill, may come and enjoy its privileges. Those who do attend, attract\\nthe notice and esteem of their instructors and friends, and will probably", "height": "3505", "width": "2023", "jp2-path": "halfcenturysermo00port_0025.jp2"}, "26": {"fulltext": "20\\nsoon surpass others in knowledge and respectability. O, how pleasant\\nit is to see a lar^e number of children and youth assembled together in\\nthe holy sanctuary, to be instructed in divine and heavenly things, and\\nhave pointed out to them the only way that leads to glory, honour and\\nimmortality And that being led to walk in wisdom s ways, we may\\nhave satisfactory evidence, that they are numbered among those happy\\nchildren, of whom it is said. Of such is the kingdom of heaven.\\nSecondly, to young men.\\nI write unto you, my young friends, because you are strong have\\narrived to strength of body and of mind, and are able to discern between\\ngood and evil and because you are able by divine help, and by making\\nuse of the christian armour, to resist the wiles of the adversary, to over-\\ncome the wicked one, and to withstand the various temptations, with\\nwhich you may be assaulted. The stage of life to which you have now\\narrived, is very interesting and critical. Much is depending upon the\\ncourse you take, and the qualifications you acquire. The eyes of your\\nparents and friends, and of the more aged members of society, are now\\ndirected to you as their successors, as those who are soon to take the\\nlead in the business and concerns of life. Your fathers and elders were\\nonce young as you are now. They did not then, perhaps, realize the\\nvast importance of their time and privileges and like many who are\\nyoung, did not fully appreciate the advantages of a good education, which\\nis so nocessary to being qualified for eminent usefulness in their day and\\ngeneration. Your time now is equally precious and important as theirs\\nwas then. Your privileges are, inJeed, much greater than what they en-\\njoyed. Schools at the present day are better furnished and instructed\\nare more convenient and kept longer books are more easily procured,\\nand better adapted to the great purposes of education. And further\\nthe means of grace and religious knowledge are enjoyed to a greater\\ndegree than formerly; so that you enjoy greater facilities of acquiring\\nknowledge, both human and divine, than were experienced by your\\nfathers. Should I not then exhort and urge you, to avail yourselves of all\\nthe opportunities you have, to improve your strength and capacities, your\\ntime and talents, and the day and means of grace, for acquiring that\\nknowledge and those qualifications, which are requisite to acting your sev-\\neral parts in life, with credit to yourselves, with honor to God, and useful-\\nness to your fellow men? May I not also reason with you, and endeavour\\nto excite you to improve the many leisure hours you have, your long winter\\nevenings, and your intervals of labor in all seasons of the year, for this\\nimportant purpose. Are there not many precious hours lost in doing\\nlittle or nothing of importance spent in idle company, trifling conversa-\\ntion, and in unnecessary, and perhaps, hurtful pastimes and recreations;\\nor spent in reading books of no value, calculated rather to dissipate\\nthe mind and thoughts, than to instruct, edify, or reform Realize then,\\nmy friends, that these hours, wisely improved in reading and studies,\\nwould serve to furnish you for the enjoyment of better company to\\nrender you more agreeable to your companions, and more respectable\\nmembers of society.\\nFurthermore, when we consider the many enemies and temptations\\nwith which you are surrounded, enemies of your holiness and virtue, and\\nthe great danger you are in of being led astray from the paths of recti-\\ntude, and of falling into sin, should I not caution, counsel and warn you\\nHave not many young persons, both male and female, been overcome by\\nallurements and temptations? overcome by the wiles of the enemy, by", "height": "3449", "width": "2054", "jp2-path": "halfcenturysermo00port_0026.jp2"}, "27": {"fulltext": "21\\ndeceitful and flattering appearances and promises 1 Have not many\\nbeen ensnared by the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eye, and the pride\\nof life] bringing reproach not only upon themselves, and upon their families\\nand connexions, but upon the town and societies to which they belong, and\\nupon our holy religion 1 Say then, my young friends, Is it not needful\\nand proper Is it not a friendly part in him, whose duty it is to declare\\nthe whole counsel of God, to address you in particular, and earnestly to\\nbeseech you, to guard against the enemies of your holiness and virtue,\\nyour peace and happiness 1 affectionately urging you to watch and pray,\\nthat you enter not into temptation, that you may be strengthened with\\nall might in the inner and outward man, that you may be able to with-\\nstand in the evil day, maintaining your integrity and honour. For you\\nshould realize, that you are able by divine grace to stand, and to walk\\nuprightly yea, you can do all things necessary for your present safety,\\nand for your final victory and salvation, through Christ strengthening you;\\nthrough him, who, while here upon earth, was a pattern of every virtue,\\nand having himself suffered being tempted, is able to succour them that\\nare tempted.\\nThirdly, to fathers.\\nI write unto you, fathers, heads of families, and the leading and\\nmost influential portion of the community and, in a friendly manner\\nwould call you to consider the highly responsible stations and relations\\nin which you stand to realize how much is depending on tlie parts you\\nact, on a faithful discharge of the duties you owe to the young and rising\\ngeneration and to society; and on the example you set before your families\\nand those around you. In view of the importance of these things, does it\\nnot appear necessary and expedient, that you should be put in remem-\\nbrance of them, though ye know them and that you may be more and\\nmore established in the knowledge and practice of duty I would,\\ntherefore, fathers and mothers, speak unto you the things which become\\nsound doctrine, and exhort you, in the words of Paul the aged, to be sober,\\ngrave, temperate, sound in faith, charity, patience, showing all good\\nfidelity, maintaining good works not at any time provoking your children\\nto wrath, but bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the\\nLord also, to correct them seasonably and in measure, knowing, that as\\nfoolishness is bound up in the hearts of children, the rod of correction\\nwill drive it far from them and to be in behaviour before your families\\nat all times as becometh holiness, not neglecting the morning and even-\\ning sacrifice, nor any known duty to be teachers of good things teach-\\ning your children and households, and even commanding thfem, as did\\nAbraham the father of the faithful, to do justice and judgment, and to\\nkeep the right ways of the Lord also, to teach the young men and\\nwomen to be sober minded, to be discreet, chaste, good and obedient to\\nthe faith, that the word of God be not blasphemed. When your children\\nand young people around you, refuse to receive instruction, set at nought\\nthe counsels of wisdom, and would none of her reproofs, then is the word\\nof God despised, reproached and blasphemed. But when, in accordance\\nwith your good instruction and pious example, they walk uprightly and\\nkeep the commandments of God, then is his word honored, and you will\\nhave occasion of great joy for no greater joy have godly parents than to\\nsee and hear that their children walk in the truth. Children, you know,\\nespecially when young, are very apt to be influenced by what they notice\\nin their parents. If then your life and conversation, if your instruction\\nnnd p.\\\\ ample be good, is it not to be hoped, th?t your children will be", "height": "3505", "width": "2023", "jp2-path": "halfcenturysermo00port_0027.jp2"}, "28": {"fulltext": "22\\nfollowers of that which is good But if bad, will they not in all prob-\\nability, by your conversation and example, be corrupted and ruined?\\nAlas how many children have in this way, been destroyed O, ye,\\nwho are fathers and mothers, realize the high responsibility that rests\\nupon you, and the very important bearing your manner of life has, and\\nwill be likely to have, upon the character of your children and indeed\\nupon all the young and rising generation around you\\nIn the next place, I would address myself to the members of the\\nchurch and I shall endeavor to speak unto you, my beloved brethren and\\nfriends, as becometh the oracles of God. I have in times past written\\nunto your fathers. I have also before written to you. Permit me now\\nto add a i ew words for your consideration and quickening. Realize\\nthat the church is as a light set on a hill which cannot be hid. The\\neyes of God are upon it for good, though he often find some things in it,\\nas he did in the seven churches of Asia, amiss and therefore deserving\\nrebuke and chastening; and were exhorted to be watchful and to repent.\\nBut the eyes of the world are upon the church for evil. Many, it is be-\\nlieved, are watching for the halting of its members and ihe disposition\\nof some of its enemies is such, that they rejoice, as we have reason to\\nthink, when any are left to stumble and fall even when the blessed\\nRedeemer is wounded in the house of his friends\\nIs it not needful then, that you be circumspect and vigila.it; that\\nyou walk in wisdom toward them that are without, giving no occasion of\\noffence to any and if possible, no ground for the enemies of religion to\\nspeak reproachfully of you, or of the religion you profess. And since\\nyou are in a world surrounded by so many enemies, temptations and\\ndangers, how needful is it, also, that you put on the whole armour of\\nGod the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the girdle of truth, the\\nbreastplate of righteousness, and the sword of the spirit having your\\nfeet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace praying also with\\nall prayer and supplication in the spirit and watching thereunto with\\nall perseverance, that you may thus be strong in the Lord, and able to\\nwithstand in the evil day and having done all to stand fast in the liberty\\nwherewith Christ has made you free.\\nBeing the professed disciples and followers of Jesus Christ, be care-\\nful, dearly beloved, to exercise and exemplify the virtues and graces of\\nChristianity. Feel and manifest at all times those bowels of mercy, and\\nthat spirit of kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, forbearance, long\\nsuffering and forgiveness, toward one another, which the word of God so\\nexpressly enjoins. Above all things put on charity, which is the bond\\nof perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the\\nwhich also ye are called in one body and be ye thankful. Let the word\\nof Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom teaching and admonishing\\none another in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace\\nin your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do\\nall in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father\\nby him. And, as much is said in the inspired volume, respecting peace,\\nunity and love, among the followers of Christ, be exhorted to love as breth-\\nren to be of one accord and of one mind to avoid all strife and vain\\nglory and in lowliness of mind, to esteem others better than yourselves.\\nLet the same mind be in you, at all times, which was also in Christ Jesus,\\nand walk in his steps thus manifesting yourselves to be blameless and\\nharmless, the sons of God without rebuke, in the midst of a world lying\\nin jwlckedjiess.", "height": "3449", "width": "2054", "jp2-path": "halfcenturysermo00port_0028.jp2"}, "29": {"fulltext": "23\\nFinally, brethren, rejoice in the Lord. Rejoice cveririore. Pray\\nvvitliout ceasing, and in every thing give thanks. Prove all things, hold\\nlast that which is good, and abstain Ironi all appearance of evil. And\\nthe very God of peace sanctity yon wholly and I pray God your whole\\nspirit and soul and body be preserved blameless, unto the coming of our\\nLord Jesus Christ. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you\\nall.\\nIf there be any present, who have not publicly professed faith in Christ,\\nbut think seriously on this subject; who feel it to be their duty, and yet\\nlive in its neglect, be assured, my friends, that this neglect or delay is\\nhazardous with regaid to your spiritual and eternal interests and it im-\\nmediately concerns you to be really and professedly the friends of Christ,\\nas you would expect to be owned and accepted of him, when he shall\\ncome in the glory of his Father, with the holy angels, to judge the world\\nin righteousness. Surely he that shall come, will come, and may come\\nsuddenly. Alas if you should then be found in a state of disobedience\\nIf tliere be any careless and unconcerned, impenitent and unbeliev-\\ning, regardless of the terrible thunders of Sinai and curses of the law,\\nregardless also of the ple^-sant inviting sound of the gospel let me say\\nto you in a warning voice, A little more sleep, a little more slumber,\\na little more folding of the hands to sleep, and there is reason to feaf,\\nthat you will sleep the sleep of death, and go down to destruction But\\nloth my friends to give you up, loth that you should give yourselves up to\\nruin, I would now hold up before you the golden sceptre of mercy, that\\nis still in great compassion extended toward you, beseeching you to touch\\nit and live.\\nTo thi^ whole assembly, to all classes, aged and young, parents and\\nchildren, I would in conclusion say. Realize, my respected friends, your\\nhigh standing in the scale of beings, placed here on the earth, the most\\ndistinguised part of the visible creation, being made rational, accountable,\\nmoral agents, but little lower than the angels, and put on probation for\\nanother and never ending state of existence. Surely a high and most\\ninteresting destiny awaits you hereafter for all must enter the eternal\\nworld, must come to judgment, and be judged and rewarded according\\nto their character and works. Under the light and privileges of the\\ngospel, and that divine assistance which is freely offered, you may be-\\ncome wise unto salvation and rise to heaven or you may, by being\\nregardless of the warnings and invitations given you in the gospel, and\\ngoing on presumptuously in the ways of sin, go down to the regions of\\ndarkness, horror and desjjair. So that life and death, the blessing and\\nthe curse, heaven and hell, are now set before you, to allure on the one\\nhand, and to alarm on the other, that you may be induced to act the\\nwiser part. Is not your state, therefore, exceedingly critical and inter-\\nesting 1 And is it not very necessary and proper, that those whose duty it\\nis to watch for souls, as those that must give an account, to instruct,\\ncounsel, exhort and warn you\\nBe entreated, my friends, to consider what has been done, and is\\nstill doing for you, as sinners Abundant provision has been made in\\nChrist for your recovery from a state of sin and condemnation. God is\\nnow graciously giving you a space for repentance, and solemnly com-\\nmands you to repent. He is indulging you with the day and means of\\ngrace, and enjoins it upon you to improve them. He is trying you by\\nmercies and afflictions and makes it your plain duty in the day of\\nprosperity to be joyful and thankful, and in the day of adversity to", "height": "3505", "width": "2023", "jp2-path": "halfcenturysermo00port_0029.jp2"}, "30": {"fulltext": "24\\n-consider his hand, and learn righteonsness. He has given liis only sons\\nto be the great prophet, priest and king, of salvation. And speaks, as\\nwith a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son in whom I\\nam well pleased, hear ye him. He has appointed the holy sabbath, as\\na day of sacred rest, and serious attention to rel1*gious concerns and\\nduties and in a thundering voice from the fiery mount, commands you\\nto remember the sabbath day to keep it holy. He has instituted the\\nduties of public worship, and christian ordinances, lor your improve-\\nment, and expressly enjoins it upon you, not to forsake the assembling of\\nyourselves together as the manner of some is. He has also instituted\\nthe sacred ministry, and set watchmen upon the walls of Zion, whose\\nduty it is to cry aloud and spare not to lift their voices like a trumpet\\nand show the people their sins and transgressions and to say unto them,\\nas 1 live saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the\\nwicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live therefore, turn\\nye, turn ye, for why will ye die. Your Maker and judge has given you\\nthe moral law, as a rule of life, and the glorious gospel as a rule of faith\\nand practice and affectionately enjoins it upon you, to hear, believe\\nand obey, that your souls may live.\\nI would now urge you all. my friends, to realize that the great end\\nof the plan of redemption, of the mission of the Son of God to this our\\nearth, of the scriptures of the old and new testament, of all the means\\nand institutions of religion, and of the various condescending and\\ngracious measures that have been, and still are taken with the children of\\nmen, is, that sinners of mankind might be led to repentance, faith and\\nobedience. Holy obedience is, indeed, that which crowns the whole.\\nFor, if you attend to all the means and institutions of religion, and wait\\nupon God in all the ways of his appointment, yet, if the end should not\\nbe found in holy obedience, what would it profit? If you were to have\\nthe whole counsel of God declared to you, if the truths of the divine\\nword were preached to you every sabbath, and every day of the week,\\nand preached by the most eminent and engaged speakers and if they\\nwere to make use of the most powerful arguments to prevail with you to\\nlove and obey the truth, still, if the fruit should not be found in holy\\nobedience, what would it profit 1 Nay, if one should arise from the\\ndark regions of the dead, or come up from the bottomless pit, or should\\na messenger descend from the skies, an angel come down from heaven,\\nand preach as did Moses and the Prophets, as did Christ and his\\napostles, and the result should not be found in holy obedience to the divine\\nwill, what would it profit\\nHence you m ay justly infer, that if you would be savingly profited\\nby the preaching of the word, by the means and institutions of religion,\\nand by the various methods God is taking with you in the course of his\\nprovidence and grace, bow in obedience to his holy will. If you would\\nbe blessed in all your concerns, ternporaf and spiritual, if you would be\\nblessed in your stations and employments, in the labor of your hands, in\\nyour going out and coming in if you would be blessed in your persons\\nand familiee, and in society; if you would be blessed in life and at death,\\nand happy in the world of spirits Be you doers of the word, obedient\\nto the truth, and not the hearers only.\\nHear, in conclusion, what the Apostle James saith, Vllioso\\nlookdh into the perfect law of Uherty and cont mucth therein, he being not\\na forgetful hearer hut a doer of the loorlc, this man shall he blessed in his^\\ndeeds.^ And may I not add. Blessed forcvcrmore\\nWSi^ii", "height": "3449", "width": "2054", "jp2-path": "halfcenturysermo00port_0030.jp2"}, "31": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3505", "width": "2023", "jp2-path": "halfcenturysermo00port_0031.jp2"}, "32": {"fulltext": "W\\\\(/ %/^^V^\\n^^^-^^z V^^s^ V", "height": "3449", "width": "2054", "jp2-path": "halfcenturysermo00port_0032.jp2"}, "33": {"fulltext": "-^^0^\\n^Q-n*\\n.V", "height": "3505", "width": "2023", "jp2-path": "halfcenturysermo00port_0033.jp2"}, "34": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3674", "width": "2089", "jp2-path": "halfcenturysermo00port_0034.jp2"}}