Part 4

1. What is meant by reigning unto death and reigning unto eternal life? It means the work of Christ and the work of Adam. What was the work of Adam? What is the work of Christ? The work of Adam was the work of death. The sin of Adam brought death upon all our race. In the 17th verse of this chapter “By one man’s offence death reigned by one,” because Adam transgressed God’s command by eating the forbidden fruit, so God turned him out of the Garden of Eden. But we are of the race of Adam. He transgressed God’s will and brought sin upon us all. But some say our hearts are full of good when we are born, but, by and by, we learn the evil from the others. But we don’t believe that; we see sometimes the little baby when he begins to talk, then he tell lies; when he begins to walk then he fight with others; when he know his parents then he disobeys them; when he grow to be a man then he walks his own way, it may be “committing adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envying, murders, drunkenness, revelings.” So we know the evil is not learned from the others, we have it when we are born. By getting away from God and doing those wicked things we cause the death of both soul and body.

2. What is the work of Christ?

“In Christ shall all be made alive.” It is said, John, 5:21, “For as the Father raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them, even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.” In Adam all die, but in Christ shall all be made alive.

How can we reign unto eternal life? If we want to obtain eternal life we must come to Jesus and trust in Him. Jesus says, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” In 1st John, 2:1, “If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous.” Though we are sinners, and far from God He can bring us back. But our God hates sin, he loves us, and would save us from our sin, and bring us near to Him. “For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him might not perish but have everlasting life.” Jesus came into the world to save us. His whole life was spent in doing good, and at last he died on the cross to give his life a ransom for many, for all who will come to him and be saved. He is able to save us. We are commanded to love the Lord with all our hearts and with all our minds and with all our souls. Adam loved God with all his heart, but lost God’s love. The Lord Jesus, by his holy spirit, restores this love in our hearts, so that we do love him with all our hearts and souls, and through Christ we can do all things. Without Jesus we can do nothing. Christ gives us victory over death. In 1st Cor., 15:55, 56, 57, “O death where is thy sting! O grave where is thy victory! The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

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CHILDREN’S PAGE.

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LADY AGNES HAMILTON.

BY MISS HENRIETTA MATSON, NASHVILLE.

The teacher was passing from one to another of her pupils, taking their names. “Missie, Capitola, Viola, Colly, Prudy, Vic,” were some of the names already recorded, but here was a little mite of a girl, who gravely gave her name as Lady Agnes Hamilton. The teacher smiled, but kindly said, “Agnes, is it not?” “No, Lady Agnes,” persisted the child, in a decided manner, that accorded well with the name.

The little lady is, perhaps, seven years of age, but not larger than an ordinary child of four. Her face is of a rich olive tint, and now the scarlet mingles with the brown, as she becomes confused and excited under the teacher’s questioning. Her eyes and hair are brown, the latter with a golden tinge, falling in short, crisp curls around her neck and face. The small, sensitive mouth, with its childish bloom and sweetness, tempts the teacher to stoop down and kiss her to atone for disturbing her with doubts in regard to her title and rank.

Afterward, the teacher, becoming acquainted with the little Lady’s mother, asked if that was her real name. “Her sure nuff name, Miss,” was the reply. “Young Miss, she done names de chile. I was stayin’ dar on de ole place, after de war, da _pays_ me an’ my ole man, kase we’se free, an’ we stays wid ’em a long spell. My little gal was born dar, an’ young Miss Sue, she say she so little an frail her name should allus be Lady. We calls her Lady most times, but her sure nuff name is Lady Agnes Hamilton. Miss Sue done writ it down. Lady feel mighty bad kase de teacher reckon her name somefin else. Nary odder name Miss, an’ dats de truff.” Her right and title thus established, the teacher no longer questioned the sweet-faced little Lady, and indeed, soon came to believe that the child belonged to nature’s true nobility. She was always, in school and out, a veritable little lady. Mingling with the dusky children, who were her playmates, some of them dirty and ragged, while her own garments were always daintily neat she never manifested any conscious superiority, but was always sweet and gentle and happy, whether the rain fell or the sun shone. The secret of her wonderful sweetness and gentleness was not in that her name was Lady, nor because she was a lady, but because very soon after the school began, this little girl, only seven years old, gave her heart to Jesus, and became as truly one of his children, as though she had waited until she was twenty.

Jesus, her Saviour, was a real presence to her—a wonderful Friend, ever near to help her, and she was careful in what she said and did, because she was anxious to please Him in everything.

Often the little brown head dropped on the desk before her, and for a few moments she was very still—then, when she lifted her face, the soft eyes always sought her teacher’s face, and a loving look was exchanged. The teacher knew that little Lady had been given a victory over some temptation that had beset her childish heart. At such moments she was very beautiful, perhaps it was the beauty of Heaven shining in her small, dark face.

But she did not die because she was so good, as is sometimes said of good children. It is a blessed truth that many good children _live_ long lives of usefulness, in which they are able to do greater things for the Master, because they began to love and serve Him when they were little children. Lady Agnes Hamilton was for many years a student in one of the institutions of the South, and is now the wife of a minister of the gospel, leading a happy and useful life.

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RECEIPTS FOR. JANUARY, 1883.

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MAINE, $562.66.

Andover. Mrs. E. Poor $5.00 Bangor. Cen. Cong. Ch., _for Dakota M._ 5.50 Brewer. M. Hardy to const DANIEL S. TIBBETS, L. M. 50.00 Castine. Trin. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 5.00 Cornish. Cong. Ch. 12.41 Cumberland Mills. Warren Ch. to const. WILLIAM L. LONGLEY and ERVIN B. NEWCOMB L. Ms 76.50 Dennysville. Cong. Ch. 10.90 Falmouth. Second Cong. Ch. 7.70 Farmington. Cong. Ch. 4.75 Gardiner. Bbl. C., _for Selma, Ala._ Norridgewock. Cong. Ch. 40.00 North Yarmouth. Cong. Ch. 6.95 North Yarmouth. “Cash,” _for Selma, Ala._ 3.00 Orland. Mrs. S. T. Buck and daughters, 35; Mrs. O. B. Trott, 7 42.00 Portland. State St. Cong. Ch., 150; High St. Ch., 112.45 262.45 Portland. Brown Thurston’s Sab. Sch. Class, High St. Ch., _for Student Aid, Hampton N. & A. Inst._ 25.00 Skowhegan. Ladies’ Miss’y Soc. 3.00 South Bridgton. Mrs. J. O. K., _for John Brown Steamer_ 1.00 Union. Cong. Ch., for freight, _for Selma, Ala._ 1.50 Woolwich. Cong. Ch., 4 Bbls. C., _for Memphis, Tenn._

NEW HAMPSHIRE $562.69.

Alstead Centre. Cong. Ch. 11.67 Amherst. Cong. Ch. 13.48 Amherst. Ladies’ Soc., Box of C., _for Raleigh, N.C._ Antrim. “Friends” 26.00 Concord. South Cong. Ch. 56.00 Concord. W. H. Pitman, _for Mendi M._ 2.00 Chester. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 10.00 Dover. John Mack, _for Dakota M._ 2.00 East Alstead. Cong. Ch. 13.86 Epping. S. T. Billson, _for maps for Athens, Ala._ 10.00 Exeter. First Cong. Ch. 34.00 Farmington. Cong. Ch. 15.00 Fitzwilliam. L. Hill 10.00 Harrisville. Mrs. L. B. Richardson 10.00 Hillsborough Center. Cong. Ch. 5.00 Hollis. Cong. Ch. 9.56 Keene. First Cong. Sab. Sch., _for Student Aid, Talladega C._ 47.04 Lebanon. First Cong. Ch. 40.00 Manchester. Franklin St. Ch. 30.00 Marlborough. Ladies’ Freedmen’s Aid Soc., _for Student Aid, Talladega C._ 10.00 Mason. Ladies, _for Memorial Inst., Wilmington, N.C._ 5.00 Milford. Cong. Ch. 14.30 Nashua. Cong. Ch. 74.92 New Boston. Presb. Ch. 22.00 New Ipswich. Cong. Ch. 9.16 Northwood. Cong. Soc. 12.00 Orford. Mrs. Myra B. Pratt, 10; John Pratt, 5 15.00 Pembroke. Mrs. Mary W. Thompson 12.00 Peterborough. Ladies’ Circle, _for Freight, for Tougaloo U._ 3.20 Portsmouth. Rev. W. W. Dow 3.00 South Weare. Cong. Ch. 10.00 Stratham. Cong. Ch., 21.50, and Sab. Sch., 5 26.50

VERMONT $2,027.86

Bennington Center. Cong. Ch. 19.00 Brattleborough. Dr. C. S. Clark, _for Talladega C._ 25.00 Cabot. Mrs. S. S. H. 1.00 Chester. Cong. Sab. Sch., Penny Contributions for 1882, 52; “A Friend,” 8 60.00 Craftsbury. Ladies’ Miss’y Soc., Bbl. of C. and Bedding, _for Atlanta U._ Danville. Cong. Ch. 26.00 East Hardwick. Cong. Sab. Sch., 32.58 to const. ANCIL BABBIT BUNT L. M.; A. H. Jordan, 5; O. P., 50c.; C. M. B., 1 39.08 Enosburgh. “The Widow of Enosburgh” 2.00 Essex Center. Cong. Ch. 10.00 Essex Junction. Cong. Ch. 21.00 Hartland. Cong. Ch. 5.25 Holland. Cong. Ch., 4; Rev. J. Fraser, 4 8.00 Jericho. Second Cong. Ch. 6.22 Jeffersonville. “A Friend” 25.00 Milton. Cong. Ch. 2.36 Newbury. Hon. P. W. Ladd 5.00 North Thetford. Cong. Ch. 8.50 Pittsford. “D.” 1.00 Saint Albans. A. O. Brainerd to const. MRS. FIDELIA G. B. HATCH, L. M. 30.00 Saint Johnsbury. North Cong. Ch., $211.62; South Cong. Ch., $52.94 264.56 Sharon. Cong. Ch., $16.60; Miss S. P. F. and Mrs. A. F., $1 each 18.60 Springfield. “A Friend of Missions,” to const. AUGUSTA G. HAYWOOD L. M. 33.81 Stowe. Cong. Ch., to const. Rev. W. S. ANDERSON L. M. 48.48 West Westminster. “Mission Band” 18.00 -------- $677.86

LEGACY.

Grafton. Estate of Caroline B. Akin, by William Hastings, Ex. 1,350.00 ----------- $2,027.86

MASSACHUSETTS, $11,656,72.