106 CONTROVERSY. 169. CONTROVERSY. When Greek meets Greek, then comes the tug of war. Em. Just definitions, like just descriptions, either prevent or put an end to disputes. Beecher. The opinion, that controversy is of no use, because disputants seldom convince each other, is derived from a very limited view of the subject. It is nearer the truth to say, that no great advance has ever been made in science, religion, or politics, without controversy. And certain it is, that no era of powerful theological discussion has ever passed away, without an abiding effect in favor of truth. The discussions of Augustine, of Luther, and of Calvin, are felt to this day; and the controversial writings of Edwards have been to error, what the mounds and dykes of Holland have been to the sea. Religious contention is Satan's harvest. Ed. Not always. When Paul and Stephen contended with errorists, (Ac. 6: 9, 10, and 9: 29, and 19: 8-10,) religious controversy was Satan's blast, instead of harvest. Persons of a perverse heart, however, are prone to lose their reason when they engage in controversy. A man is always in a hurry to defend his weak side. Ed. Defend truth, by the truth, and truth will embrace you as an ally. Ib. Persons opposed to all religious controversy, are the ones whose religion will not bear the examination of thorough, searching controversy. A controversialist who stings his adversary, adds to his energy and venom. To confute an opponent is not always to convince him, even if he be fair-minded. He may have convictions deeper than his arguments, and the latter not duly investigated. Scott. Those who will have the last words in dispute, seldom have truth on their side. Controversy with a man without principles, is like pulling hair with a man who is bald. [See 242, 305.] 170. CONTROVERSY, RELIGIOUS. Em. Religious disputes may be of great service to the cause of truth. Our Saviour, who declined all other controversies, frequently disputed upon religious subjects. Paul encountered CONTROVERSIES, CONVERSATION. 107 the Athenian philosophers, and refuted their subtle objections against Christianity, by fair reasoning. And it appears from the history of the Church, that the pen of controversy has been successfully employed, from age to age, in defending and propagating the pure doctrines of the Gospel. D'Alembert, the celebrated infidel, speaking of the Protestant Reformation, says: The new doctrines of the reformers, defended on one side and attacked on the other with that ardor which the cause of God, well or ill understood, is alone able to inspire, equally obliged their defenders and their opponents to acquire instruction. Emulation, animated by this powerful motive, increased all kinds of knowledge; and light, raised from amidst error and dissension, was cast upon all objects, even such as appeared most foreign to those in dispute. Ed. Private piques, hatred, envy, etc., the hinge of many theological controversies, which excite wonder only because this fact is unseen. 171. CONTROVERSIES SOMETIMES UNPROFITABLE. Foolish controversies are among Satan's devices, to prevent practical godliness, by making us puzzle our heads, when we should be inspecting our hearts. To shoot at crows is powder thrown away. Em. You can never throw a man down who stands upon nothing. Ed. It is in vain to contend with persons minus in first principles. Ib. Those controversies are always contemptible, and commonly unprofitable, though vastly the most common, where both parties claim the truth, and truth disclaims both. 172. CONVERSATION. Lavater. The freer you feel yourself in the presence of another, the more free is he. Who is free, makes free. Ed. As a servant is the most active when laboring for himself, so conversation is usually the most brisk when the subject is autobiography. Common conversation is the best mirror of the heart. 108 CONVERSION, CONVICTION. He who converses with nobody, knows nothing. Lord Bacon. Reading makes a full man; conversation, a ready man; and writing, an exact man. Clarendon. Counsel and conversation is a second education, that improves all the virtue and corrects all the vice of the former, and of nature itself. Temple. The first ingredient in conversation is truth; the next, good sense; the third, good humor; and the fourth, wit. By reading, we enrich the mind; by conversation, polish it. Evil communications corrupt good manners. Nature's gifts begin a man, education enlarges, conversation finishes him. - Conversation is of great moment; manners, humors, nay opinions are hereby insensibly communicated. Em. Words are the medium of all that social intercourse which unites the interests and promotes the happiness of all the human race. But in order to derive any real benefit from common conversation, men must honestly speak the truth one to another. 173. CONVERSION. Giving the heart and life to God is the hardest, easiest thing in the world. It is like a secret in arithmetic, exceedingly hard till discovered; and then so easy, that we are amazed that we did not understand it before. Secker. It is a greater favor to be converted, than to be created; yea, it were better for us to have no being, than not to have a new being. Ed. Conversion A duty, indispensable, to be performed; an event of Providence, to be prayed for; and a change to be effected by believers with the use of means; but what makes it the enigma of revealed religion, is the nature of the change. [See 793.] 174. CONVICTION. Em. It is one of the last things of which sinners are convinced, that all the struggles and strivings of the carnal mind are utterly in vain, and that while in the flesh they cannot COPIOUSNESS, COUNTENANCE. 109 please God, and appease his wrath. But of this the Spirit of God convinces them before he changes their hearts. No man ever truly believed, who was not first made sensible of unbelief. Ed. Conviction used to be a convincement of deserving the second death, accompanied by the death of all false grounds of hope. So Paul died, being slain by the law. So the Pentecost converts were pricked in the heart, and died. But conviction now extensively means a convincement that we wish to escape future punishment, accompanied by a hope that we are in the way to heaven. 175. COPIOUSNESS. A young clergyman having preached for Dr. Emmons, solicited remarks. The Doctor asked him if he ever expected to preach again; and on being answered in the affirmative, the Doctor added, "I wonder where you'll go to find a subject, for you have preached about everything to-day." Ed. The best theme for copiousness is autobiography, if we may judge from late popular speakers. 176. COUNTENANCE. Milton. Your thoughts close, and your countenance loose, will go safely over the world. you Chesterfield. A cheerful, easy, open countenance will make fools think you a good-natured man, and make designing men think you an undesigning one. Isaiah. The show of their countenance doth witness against them. Sh. Ed. There's no art To find the mind's construction in the face. Countenance-Nature's mirror of the mind within, which reveals more of our secrets to critical observers than we are apt to believe. 16. The flushing of the blood in the face, is a Divinely established method of daguerreotyping passion and guilt. Ib. The Daguerreotype Artist. He catches a perfect glimpse of our present countenance, and stereotypes it for posterity, in 110 COUNTERACTION COURAGE. spite of the changes which time is annually producing, or the spoliation which death may at any time effect in the original. 177. COUNTERACTION. Ed. That is a kind and wonder-working Providence which sometimes counteracts the tendency of vice, and makes it punish and cure itself. Ib. Over-action frequently occasions counteraction; as Haman's cruelty; and excessive eating, drinking, and labor. Ib. Men and devils act, but God counteracts, and makes both the actions and counteractions fulfil his purposes. 178. COUNTERFEITS, COUNTERFEITING. There are no counterfeits of what is worthless. Ed. Counterfeit money is a bad thing, counterfeit character is worse; but counterfeit religion is of all things the most abominable and dangerous. 179. COURAGE. When Chrysostom had offended the Empress Eudoxia, and received from her a threatening message, he answered, Go tell her I fear nothing but sin. What is the courage of a soldier? Brawny muscles, inflexible will. What is Christian courage? Trusting in God, in the midst of dangers. Macbeth. I dare do all that may become a man ; Who dares do more, is none. Em. It requires great courage and self-denial to stand up for God, and speak on his behalf, in maintaining the great and precious truths which he has revealed in his Word, and which are every day and everywhere spoken against. R. M. T. Hunter, (M. C.) It requires far more courage to resist the war-cry, than to yield before it. It requires more moral firmness, and greater qualities of mind, to withstand the first outbursts of popular fury, and calmly to appeal to the sober second thought of a reflecting people, than to be the hero of an hundred battle-fields. Ed. Dare to do your whole duty. This makes the true hero. It is a noble courage to know how to yield. [See 82, 809.] |