THE EDITOR AT PALMYRA.
On Saturday morning, the 26th, Mr. Magruder drove us over to Palmyra, in Fluvanna county, about 20 miles from Charlottesville. The day was fine, and the scenery for three or four miles beautiful. The view from the mountain road leading to Monticello, the former residence of Mr. Jefferson, President of the United States, cannot be surpassed. There are sublimer, grander landscapes, but none more beautiful than that which comprehends Mr. Rive’s Elizabethan villa, the University, Charlottesville, the fertile vales of red earth adjacent, and the blue mountains in the distance. But this enchanting scene, diversified with knolls of verdant woods of oak and white-flowering dogwood, was soon exchanged for miles of poor forest road deeply cut up by wagons, and in a wet season almost impassable. Along the dreary route, fit emblem of life’s monotony, we threaded our way to Fluvanna Courthouse with scarcely more than an opening or two to show that we were still in the confines of the habitable. At last Palmyra, a great name for a little place, without a single date-bearing palm to enlighten the antiquarian respecting the fitness of its name, but to us Palmyra the desired, with its Areopagus overlooking the surrounding hills, and the deep-delled channel of the Rivanna, opened upon our view at noonday, the time of our appointment. A few minutes more and we were standing in the vestibule of the caravansera of the Fluvanna city of palm-trees, viewing the cheering prospect of exhausted fields, an open court house, but none to enter in! This was riding twenty miles for something! The fact was, that owing to the ill-regulated and dilatory mail system, our appointment had been eight days in reaching the distance we had accomplished in four hours and a half. It had arrived only the day before us, so that our coming was scarcely known. A bad beginning, it is said, makes a good ending. This was our hope. It was certain that the end could not be more discouraging; so in this there was consolation. We adjourned to the Courthouse and tolled the bell, as much as to say, “Ye citizens of Palmyra, who are disposed to leave your merchandize and handicrafts, come ye to your Areopagus, and we will speak to you concerning the kingdom of God!” But the bell sounded in vain for that time, save that one or two came, with whom we consulted, and concluded to open our case that night at eight o’clock.
After supper we visited the Courthouse again. This time we had the pleasure of addressing quite a respectable audience. We showed them that religion was a matter of testimony and reason; and exactly adapted to the necessities of mankind. A faith that would not stand the test of reason was the credulity of superstition. The Bible religion was rational, and propagated by reason; for the apostles reasoned with their contemporaries out of Moses and the prophets. If men speak according to these they speak according to truth, and in harmony with the New Testament. What they say ought to be tried by these writings; for if they speak not according to the Law and the Testimony it is because there is no light in them. It was by the Bible we wished our doctrine to be tested; for it was the rule by which we tested all others, and rejected them because they were found not to be in harmony with the word.
Mankind’s necessities were intellectual, moral, and physical; for they were ignorant, defiled, and corruptible. Religion was God’s remedy for these lesions of humanity. It enlightened the intellect, purified the heart, and in the application of the divine power to the body conferred upon it incorruptibility and life. There was a time when religion was not, and time will be when the Lamb of God shall have taken away the sin of the world, that religion will be no more. But mankind’s necessities are not individual only, they are social and national also. Society in its widest sense is sick, heart-sick, “from the sole of the foot even unto the head is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores.” Religion proposes to heal these—to regenerate the world, and to bless all nations in the Seed of Abraham. The gospel, which is good news to nations, glad tidings of great joy to all people, to society as well as to individuals, proclaims the medium of this blessedness to mankind; and in proclaiming this, announces the purpose of Jehovah in terrestrial creation, and providential supervision. It proclaims to us “the secret of his will which he hath purposed in himself: that in the economy of the fullness of the times he would reduce under one head (anakephalaiosasthai) all things unto Christ, both the things in the heavens, and the things in the earth under him. —Ephesians 1: 10. Who then need be in ignorance of the reason of things as they exist? The Lord Almighty did not form the nations, and set the bounds of their habitations for the behoof of the thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers, which now possess the rule over them. They are the mere accidents of providence—provisional governments for the time being—until He shall appear in power and great glory on account of whom (dia auton) and for whom (eis auton) they were created. —Colossians 1: 16. His purpose, then, is, to aggregate all kingdoms, empires, and republics; and all nations, languages, and people, into one vast dominion under the Lord Jesus as the IMPERIAL PONTIFF of the world. To do this he must bruise the Head of the Serpent-power—machatz rosh al-eretz ravbah, he shall bruise the head over a great land—Psalm 110: 6—and subdue the nations under his feet. —Psalm 47: 2-3. “O let the nations be glad, and sing for joy; for he shall judge the people (Israel) righteously, and govern the nations upon earth.”—Psalm 67: 4. The power of the oppressor will then be broken; and his enemies will lick the dust. In his days will the righteous flourish; and in him will the needy find a friend. All kings shall fall before him; all nations shall serve him, and call him blessed. Happy will the generation be that shall rejoice in these events. A just code and a righteous government, the administration of Jesus and the Saints, will heal the nations and cause peace and good will to become the rule of society on earth. A divine socialism will then obtain, characterized by a liberty and fraternity in wisdom, knowledge, and the truth. The refuges of lies which now abuse the world will all be swept away; and “the knowledge of the glory of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea.” What men cannot accomplish, even their own social regeneration, the Lord will have gloriously performed; and in perfecting his work will have wrought out for himself a great name through out all the earth.
But of what individual interest to us is this prospective blessedness of the Age to Come? Before it shall supervene, death may have laid us low, and corruption have carried us down to the shades of the pit. What interest, then, shall we have in all that obtains among the living? This question brings home the great salvation of the Age to Come to every one of us; for the future goodness of God invites us to repentance, on the ground that he hath appointed a day of one thousand years, a season and a time, in the which he will rule the world in righteousness by Jesus Christ, whereof he hath given assurance to all men in raising him from the dead. —Daniel 7: 12; Acts 17: 30-31; Romans 2: 4. He calls you also to this kingdom and glory—1 Thessalonians 2: 12, and invites you to share with Jesus in his joy. —Matthew 25: 23. He invites you on condition of believing what he promises concerning the Kingdom and the Age to Come, and concerning the name of Jesus; and of becoming the subjects of repentance and righteousness through him. He offers to make you heirs of all things terrestrial; joint-heirs with the future monarch of the world. He proposes to exalt you to an equality with the angels—Luke 20: 36; to make you rulers over the nations—Revelation 2: 26-27; 5: 10, and to give you glory, and honor, and life eternal. —Romans 2: 7. But you must become righteous men and women, heirs of the righteousness which is by faith—Hebrews 11: 7, perfecting your faith by your works, after the example of Abraham, “the Friend of God.” This is indispensable; for the Kingdom to which you are now called is a righteous government, and needs to be administered by righteous and incorruptible men. It is to make you familiar with these things that we now present ourselves before you. We do not seek to proselyte you to a theory on a sect; but to show you the way of the Lord, that you may become obedient to the faith, and heirs of the Kingdom of God. “Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth into life, and few there be that find it;” you need not therefore expect a multitude to cheer you on. Faith, hope, self-denial, patience, and perseverance, are the lines that fall to those who walk not by sight, but by faith in the promises of God. The road is tedious and uninviting; but in the kingdom to which it leads, there are honor and glory, riches and life forever more. These are what we come to set before you; therefore while we remain here “lend us your ears” that ye may understand, believe, and do.
The morrow was the Lord’s Day. In the morning and at night, we “expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the Law of Moses and the Prophets”—Acts 28: 23, for about four hours and a half altogether. In the afternoon we went to hear the Rev. Mr. Gregory, Methodist Circuit-rider, who resides at the caravansara of the village, and preaches at the meeting-house behind the Areopagus periodically. It is a comfortable brick “church,” and better adapted for the convenient accommodation of the public than the Courthouse. We were informed that it was built by public subscription with the express understanding that it was to be free for all sorts of preachers, whether “orthodox,” or otherwise; but that after it was erected the Methodists some how or other got the control of it, and shut the doors against the public, and would not permit them to enter it although they built it, unless they came to listen to preachers of their own sect. This is the rule; an exception to it, however, occurred recently in the case of Mr. Magruder. But when his doctrine was found not to square with Mr. Gregory’s, he was excluded, and had to take his stand in the Courthouse. Thus the exception established the rule. Such policy as this, however, is short-sighted, and defeats itself. Shutting the doors in the face of the public only proves that the door-keepers are possessed of a bad spirit, a spirit which is both doubtful and timid, and seeks to sustain itself by the argument of force instead of the force of argument. We would advise the public to subscribe for no meeting houses unless their freedom is legally secured. Let sects build as many houses as they can pay for with their own funds; but when the public build let them do it for their own accommodation to hear all that come to them; and not for the advantage of a few self-styled “orthodox divines,” who—
“Grind divinity of other days
Down into modern use; transform old print
To zigzag manuscript, and cheat the eyes
Of gallery critics by a thousand arts.”
Cowper.
We also heard, that a certain citizen subscribed to the building, but when he found that its freedom was sacrificed to sectarianism he refused to pay. The covenant had not been fulfilled with him as one of the subscribing public, therefore he argued that he was bound neither by law nor honor, to pay. We understand that he died without paying, but that his executor was actually sued for the amount by the exclusionists! This is a pretty sort of christianity. It is high time, we think, that some other doctrine and morality should be submitted to the favor of Palmyra and the region round about. The exclusion of Mr. Magruder has stirred up a spirit of inquiry, which we hope will not be laid. It has been the cause of our visit to this place, which has only fanned the flame. We left it burning with increasing warmth, to the no little restlessness of some, who, if they escape not, will be roasted in their own fires before the time.
Although he disclaimed it, Mr. Gregory evidently preached a sermon for Mr. Magruder’s especial edification, or correction; with whom on more than one previous occasion he had played at single-stick. His knuckles had manifestly not recovered the raps they had received, but still aching he chafed and sought relief in continuing the pastime at a man of straw. His text was “Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” This with him was proof of the immortality of the soul, although the text expressly affirms that it is destructible in Gehenna. The man of straw he created for the exhibition of his prowess in demolishing him with some whistling and vivid strokes upon his hands, was the assumption that the heretics attach but one meaning to the word “soul” wherever it occurs! This he said was “life”—“fear not them who are not able to kill the life.” It did not sound so unenglish there; therefore he sprung back to the creation and gathered up the words of Moses, which he travestied in saying, “the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life: and man became a living life.” Here he thought he had the man of straw by the throat. He shook him, thrust him, thwacked him, until his straw became fine dust, and so blinded him that he could not see no more. The windmill was in ruins before his redoubted lance, and the miller gone. What more remained to be done than to preach the funeral of the slain! The rich man and Lazarus, the Devil and his angels, fire and brimstone, became the fertile themes for declamation on so solemn an occasion! According to Mr. Gregory’s exhibition, “Hell and Damnation” would seem to be the gospel of salvation to bring men to repentance. He seems to like fire better than water: and is we understand quite a fire-eater in his way. We were certainly much obliged to him for the labor of the afternoon, though it failed to profit us. It was doubtless well-meant. We were indeed much amused; for the oration was a perfect divertissement, a kind of episode into the fancy regions of the “spirit world.” We take the will for the deed; and wish him all the peace of mind and consolation derivable from the conviction of the truth of the doctrine he admires. For ourselves, we prefer a more excellent way.
At night we spoke on eternal life in connection with the Kingdom of God; and without alluding to Mr. Gregory, took up the several passages he had descanted on in the afternoon, and presented them in harmony with the gospel of the kingdom as we had defined it. When we had concluded Mr. Gregory arose, and wished to put some questions purely for the sake of information, and from a desire to know the truth. We readily consented. We answered four or five; but perceiving what he was at, felt no disposition to stand there to be catechised till midnight, that he might accomplish his ends. Mr. Magruder was requested by one of the audience to propose that as Mr. Gregory was so anxious for the promotion of the truth, the things should be formally debated there on Monday night. But Mr. G. had no relish for such a proposal as this. He wanted to ask questions then and there, and was willing to stay till midnight for the purpose. But we cut the matter short by telling him that it was not his anxiety for the truth or information, but a desire to draw off the attention of the people, and to neutralize the effect produced upon their minds by what we had delivered, that made him so pertinacious for questioning. From his afternoon’s discourse we knew he regarded us as heretics, and incapable of imparting information to him on religious topics. We did not feel disposed, therefore, to afford him facilities to carry out his policy. It was then nearly half past ten, and if he was so anxious as he pretended, we would meet him as proposed by Mr. Magruder. We had already spoken two hours and a half, had shown the erroneousness of all the texts he had produced in his discourse, and had answered all the questions he had put, which we thought was quite enough for one sitting. When he and the people had digested, that we had more for them on the same subjects. But at present we should forbear. Upon this the audience took the hint, and rising to go paid no more attention to Mr. Gregory, who finding he had lost their ear, made a last effort to save his craft by vociferating, “You can’t answer the questions! You can’t answer the questions!” By which we suppose he meant the questions he intended to put.
The ending was a good one. The truth had been proclaimed and vindicated. “Divinity of other days” is in an agony, and at its wit’s end to hold its own. Many and earnest were the invitations we received to visit them again. We shall do so if we can. In the meantime let those who wish to understand the truth take the Herald, and promote its circulation in their vicinity. Let them read the scriptures diligently, and avail themselves of its assistance. They will come to understand us better when we speak. Our visit to Palmyra was an interesting one, and nothing would afford us greater pleasure than to meet the people at their Courthouses on similar occasions, with a Mr. Gregory at each to make the truth conspicuous by the dark and dismal background he is able to depict. On Monday morning we returned to Charlottesville, and on the morrow took the cars for Richmond, where we arrived at the usual hour. On the 7th instant we depart for Lunenburg, whence we shall not return till after the 21st. we expect to be in Louisa in June; in King William, King and Queen, and Essex, in July, but at present we cannot fix the time.
