Practical Christianity. A treatise specially designed for young men

Front matter

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Chapter I. What Is It To Be A Christian?

The College Student. — Conversation in a Boat. — Eleonora: a poor Sinner. — The Battle of Life. — No Cross, no Crown. — Penance. — The Cross of Self-denial. — The Prayer-meeting. — Christianity invites to Conflict, not Repose. — The Alarm at Lexington. — The Crusades. — Sublimity of the Christian Conflict Page 13

Chapter II. Why Should I Become A Christian?

The Siberian Exile. — The Emigrant. — Departure for the Spirit -land. — The Testimony of Patriarchs. — Of Apostles.— Death of Sir Walter Scott.— Of Daniel Webster.— Of Talleyrand. — Remarkable Testimony of Napoleon. — The young Christian. — The mature Christian. — The dying Christian. — The Pilgrims. — An angelic Embassy. 34

Chapter III. How Shall I Become A Christian?

Moral Courage. — Soldiers of the Cross. — Family Prayer. — The Sea-captain. — Heroism of young Ladies. — Remark of John Randolph. — Success the Reward of Labor. — Entire Consecration to Duty makes Duty pleasant. — Nature of the religious Life. — Seek the best Religion. — Frankness and Sincerity. — William Wirt.— William Wilberforce 56

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CHAPTEE IV.

WHAT ARE THE DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN?

The glad Tidings. — The doomed Man pardoned. — Lonis XVI. and Malesherbes. — Evidence that One is a Christian. — How is a Change of Heart effected? — God's Love. — How it operates. — The Ship-carpenter. — The Battle of Life. — The domestic Waterloo. — Constitutional Temperaments. — Keligion as a Source and Cause of Happiness. — Its beneficent Influence Page 76

Chapter V. The Adaptation Of Christianity To The Wants Of The World

The Forms and Spirit which Religion assumes. — Comprehensiveness of the Christian Scheme. — The Grandeur of Christianity. — The two Efforts for the Overthrow of Christianity. — Persecution. — Corruption. — The Papacy. — The Duchess at Versailles. — Socrates ; his Religion ; his Pupils. — Humboldt. — The Christian Sailor-boy. — True Nobility 98

Chapter VI. The Ennobling Influence Of Christianity

The Christian Nobleman. — Great Diversities of human Condition. — Companionship with God. — The two Farmers. — Burns's Cotter's Saturday Night. — The Elevation which Consciousness of Possession gives. — Uncle Tom. — The Inheritance of the Christian. — Visions at Death. — Janeway. — The Martyr Stephen. — The true Spirit of Religion. — Importance of Doctrines; of Forms. — The Guilt of corrupting Christianity 120

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Chapter VII. The Evidences Of Christianity

Various and discordant Systems of Religion. — The Inward Witness. — Altamont. — Dr. Payson. — Inefficiency of Argument. — Experimental Testimony. — The Hunger of the Soul. — Legend of Pontius Pilate. — Sublime Revelations of Christianity. — External Evidences unavailable for most Christians. — Nature of the experimental Evidence. — The most convincing Argument. — Hume. — Voltaire. — Byron. —Death-bed of Henry Clay ..Page 138

Chapter VIII. The Resurrection

Revelation confirmed by the Analogies of Nature. — The Chrysalis. — Vegetation. — Views of the Ancients. — The Scene of Resurrection. — Beautiful Conception of Parnell. — The intermediate State. — Changes through which immortal Spirits may pass. — Union of Soul and Body in the future World. — Scriptural Announcement of Judgment. — The final Conflagration. — The new Earth to emerge from the Ruins. — Teachings of Geology, Chemistry, and Astronomy. — Phenomena of the Stars , 164:

Chapter IX. The Celestial Body

The Soul to occupy a Body in the future World. — Shadowy Conceptions. — Imperfection not essential to Materialism. — The celestial Body not a new Creation, but a Resurrection. — Change in the Bodies of the Living. — Philosophical Objections. — Greatness of the Change at the Resurrection. — Beauty of the human Frame. — Celestial Journeying. — Magnitude of the Universe. — Employments in Heaven.— Cheering Views 185

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Chapter X. Heavenly Recognition

The Cravings of the Soul.— Adam in Eden. — Poetic Description. — The new Eden. — The Nature of Heaven's Enjoyments. — Peculiarity of the Divine Existence. — Heaven as a City. — Heaven a Scene of rural Beauty. — The Discoveries of modern Astronomy. — Jupiter. — The Sun. — Star -clusters. — Immensity of God's Works. — Philosophical Testimony. — Scripture Testimony Page 205

Chapter XI. The Reasonableness Of Christianity

The Doctrines of Christianity. — Evidence of their Reasonableness. — The Duties Christianity enjoins. — The Measures Christianity adopts. — The Christian Ministry. — The Church. — Ordinances of Christianity. — The Sabbath. — Baptism. — The Lord's Supper. — The Effects of Christianity. — Death of the Unbeliever. — Testimony of ancient Greeks. — The two Death-bed Scenes 222

Chapter XII. The Voice Of Prophecy

External Evidences of Christianity. — Edom in its Power. — Prophetic Denunciations. — Utter Desolation. — Testimony of Yolney. — Burckhardt and Seetzen. — Grandeur of the Ruins. — Petra. — Testimony of Laborde. — The Traveler Stephens. — Sublimity of Solitude and Decay. — Scenes in Ancient Petra. — Appeal to the Reader 244

Chapter XIII. Old Testament Christians

The Babylonish Invasion. — The Captives. — Daniel. — The first Trial. — The Dream of Nebuchadnezzar. — Moral

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Courage of Daniel. — Belshazzar's Eevel. — Daniel's Heroism. — Character of Daniel. — Noah. — Age of the World at his Birth. — His Trials. — His wonderful Firmness. — State of the World. — The Deluge. — New Temptations. — Noah's Fall. — Lessons taught. — Veracity of the Bible. — Probation. — Future Judgment Page 263