Mingling Our Righteousness.
THERE is an anecdote of Bishop Butler, the celebrated author of "The Analogy," which should be extensively known, as it is calculated to impress a great Scriptural truth upon the hearts of thousands, as effectually as his analogy has forced conviction of the truths of revelation upon the understanding. Bishop Butler never married, and the large income annexed to an English bishopric, was wholly expended in charities to the church and to the poor. These charities were so extensive, that it was said he expected to purchase heaven by his benevolence. His daily habits were so self-denying as to shame the self-indulgence of many of the poor. His death was preceded by a long illness, during which his mind became deeply depressed, and his whole soul weighed down by a sense of his guilt before God. One of his own chaplains, in endeavoring to administer consolation to his troubled spirit, referred to his extensive charities as undoubtedly acceptable to God. The bishop immediately replied, "I am but a steward of the Almighty; all is his, entrusted to me to promote his glory, and the good of mankind; how can I know that I have not abused this trust to purposes of self-gratification? I look back upon all these things, and they fill my soul with terror by the feeling of responsibility they awaken." Another chaplain spoke to him of "The Analogy," and of the many infidels it had reclaimed from deadly errors. He replied again, "I began the Analogy with a view to the glory of God; but as I proceeded with the work, visions of the fame it might bring mingled themselves up with the views I had of promoting the glory of God, and all was polluted and rendered sinful; the book may be a blessing to others, but it weighs like lead upon my own soul." The chaplain replied, "Admit, my lord, all you say to be true, that your very alms have partaken of sin—that the Analogy would condemn you for mingling your own glory with that which should have been given solely to God; yet why all this anxiety and alarm? Jesus has said, 'Whosoever cometh unto me shall in no wise be cast out, and in that promise you should find peace.'" The bishop immediately raised himself in his bed, and exclaimed, "How wonderful, that as often as I have traced every line of the Bible, the full force of that passage has never struck me before. Whosoever includes all—all may come—shall in no wise be cast out, gives the assurance that no amount of sin, no depth of guilt of which men can be guilty, shall prevent God from receiving and accepting them, if they come to him through Christ; his blood has atoned for all sin, and his righteousness will hide the iniquities of all who accept his offers of mercy." He lived many weeks after, and preached to all who approached him the free and full salvation of the gospel, as it is condensed in this blessed passage. Resting upon, and repeating this passage, he died in holy triumph. In the course of a long ministry we have found nothing more useful than this anecdote, where the awakened sinner was disposed to mingle his own righteousness with that of Christ. While he does this all will be darkness and despair. When he comes simply to Jesus, all will be hope and peace.—Am. Mes.