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Dear Brethren: In compliance with the request of the Association, I shall endeavor to address you on the subject of “Love.” I must speak of it in a two fold sense. First in a temporal and second in a spiritual sense. The first we discover to be the most powerful passions of the human soul and when experienced in the plentiture of its powers, embraces with despotic energy and uncontrollable dominion all the complicated and powerful faculties of the man. It is implanted in the human breast for the noblest and most beneficent purposes and when restricted to its legitimate object and restrained within due bounds by moral sentiments, may be called the great fountain of human happiness. It commences in the cradle with tender emotions of filial attachment and veneration for our parents. It animates and accompanies us through all the checkered vicissitudes of life, attaching its self to every object which can afford us enjoyment and happiness, and finally in accompanying us to the last resort of the living, it concentrates all its pure and sublime energies at the great fountain of existence–the throne of the Living God. Secondly, we shall proceed to speak something of divine love and the promise added -- “The god of love and peace be with you.” A rich promise, and may it, with all its blessings, be yours. There is ever a communion between holy practice and holy joy. The way of godliness is the way of peace. The fulfillment of the practical directions will bring richer enjoyment of the Divine presence with all those inestimable blessings that Providence ever brings. This is according to the gracious promise, “Who soever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundantly” Matt. 13-12. We have nothing without God, and where He gives one degree it is a pledge to encourage us to hope for more. Attend to the practical directions, be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace, and then shall the blessings—the god of Love and Peace shall be with you. The due exercise of grace, which in itself must be traced to sovereign and free love of God, brings more grace. The holy spirit loves to dwell in peaceful, tranquil bosoms. He is grieved and driven away when we permit angry contentions and unholy feelings to rankle in our hearts. Take heed how you quench the spirit, that holy and loving quest, that makes the body of the Christian the temple of God, from which the living waters are perpetually flowing. To whom are we to look for the blessing? The god of Love and Peace. What comfort it is, my brethren, to direct you thither. A mother when departing from her children to take a distant journey, feels it unspeakable relief to be able to leave them with a kind and tender nurse or friend. And, my brothers, it is my greatest relief of mind in writing to you to feel assured that when I shall leave you, to see you no more, the god of Peace and Love will be with you. The god of Love and Peace, what a title God is love in its essence, soul and fullness. All other love is but derived from Him. There is no love so sweet, delightful and excellent in the creation but what a ray from His beauty and glory. The love of parents to children and children to parents is very tender and endearing. The love of husbands to wives and of wives to husbands is very intimate and comforting. The love of ministers to people is a bond of which I now more than ever feel the power and strength. But all these are not little drops or streamlets. There is a full river of love proceeding from God, the Fountain Head of all love. Love is God Himself. The wonders of His love ! It has height beyond the starry sky, it has depth beyond the great deep, it has length and breadth farther that east to west, or north to south. It passes knowledge; no tongue can fully declare it, nor can any human being that knows that God spared not His own son, but delivered him up for us all, for one moment reasonably doubt His love. Peace flows from love. He is the God of Peace, also the author of Peace and Love Concord. Oh, how wonderfully has He displayed His character in the Gospel of Peace, to-wit: that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their treasures unto them, hath committed unto us the Word of reconciliation. Never then, be tempted to look upon God as one who wills your destruction as a hard master or bitter enemy. This may be the view of God, that the great enemy of your fallen nature would lead you to take, but the Gospel shows Him to you not as your enemy but as your reconciled father, who hath reconciled them to Himself by Jesus Christ. He will quiet every troubled heart. He will calm every agitated thought. He maketh the storm a calm so that the waves thereof are still. But let us more particularly ask what it is to have the God of Love and Peace with us in all situations and circumstances—ever with us in the congregations whenever we assemble together. Oh, may you be filled with divine love and peace and have the doctrine of Love and Peace continually proclaimed from the pulpit and felt in every bosom. May the riches of Love and Peace be exhibited in the brightest colors in your public baptisms and around the table of the Lord when commemorating His dying love. In all your religious meetings may the God of Love and Peace preside and abundantly manifest the sweet savor of His grace. In your families, may the same glorious Being condescend to dwell even as if I said—in each of your houses, “Peace be to this house.” So from the heart I would say, “the God of Love and Peace be all your dwellings.” Receive into your hearts also the Great Inhabitant and the very God of Peace sanctify you wholly, and I pray God that your whole spirit, soul and body may be preserved unto the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. “We live,” says the apostle, “if we stand fast in the Lord.” His word expresses my inward feeling, may the Lord hold up your goings in His path. Our past communion has been pleasant and profitable. Often our hearts have been touched, melted and comforted under the sense of God’s presence and love. The glow of devotion has warmed our bosom, together with the praises of our Redeemer, which one volume of holy joy and admiration have ascended up together to the heavenly habitation. But all that we have hitherto enjoyed is but a foretaste of our entire and more blessed communion. Soon shall we join that blessed company. Short indeed is the intervening time. But in that time, may the Lord of prayers still unite us often at the throne of Grace and at length forever sing together the praises of Him who hath loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood and made us kings and priests unto God the Father, to whom be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. JORDAN ASHLEY |