Daniel Alexander Payne

“ Not merely to dress finely in broadcloths, silks, satins, jewelry, nor to dance to the sound of the tambourine and fiddle; but to learn them how to live and how to die—to train them for great usefulness on earth—to prepare them for greater glory in heaven. ”

“ Honesty is the only policy of godliness. Colored men, write this sentiment upon your hearts, engrave it in your memory. Let all your thoughts, words, actions, be controlled by this principle, it is always safe to be honest, as it is always safe to be godly. One has said, that “An honest man is the noblest work of God.” ”

“ To legislate so as to make the masses see and feel that the laws are just, wise, beneficial, demand more than human learning or skill in government. To determine the sense and just application of these laws as Judges—to execute them faithfully and impartially as a Chief Magistrate, O how much of the spirit of God is needful! ”

“ As certain as the American Congress has ransomed you, so certain, yea, more certainly has Jesus redeemed you from the guilt and power of sin by his own precious blood.
As you are now free in body, so now seek to be free in soul and spirit, from sin and Satan. The noblest freeman is he whom Christ makes free. ”

“ Let the education of your children penetrate the heart.—That education which forgets, or purposely omits, the culture of the heart, is better adapted to devilism than manhood. But the education which reaches the heart, moulds it, humbles it before the Cross, is rather the work of the homestead than the common school or the college. ”

“ The women make the men; therefore the women should be greater than the men, in order that they be the mothers of great men. I mean good men, for none are great who are not good.
But this requires the transforming grace of God; requires that our mothers be women of strong faith and fervent daily prayers; requires that they live beneath the wings of the Cherubim—at [9] the foot of the Cross—loving the God-man “whose favor is life, and whose loving kindness is better than life.” ”

“ To make prayers, intercessions, supplications, thanksgivings for national authorities you now clearly see is a command from heaven. Obey it, and you shall be blessed—always do it, and you shall be made a blessing to others. Whom God has blessed no man can curse. If God has blessed this nation, neither internal foes, nor foreign enemies can crush it. ”

“ But as He blessed the chosen seed, by the ministry of men and angels, so in our case, the angels of mercy, justice and liberty, hovering over the towering Capitol, inspired the heads and hearts of the noble men who have plead the cause of the poor, the needy and enslaved, in the Senate and House of Representatives.
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For the oppressed and enslaved of all peoples, God has raised up, and will continue to raise up, his Moses and Aaron. Sometimes the hand of the Lord is so signally displayed that Moses and Aaron are not recognized. Seldom do they recognize themselves. ”

“ But foremost of all the duties which he enjoined upon the Ephesian ministry and laity were those of making “Supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks for all men.” For men in general, embracing the whole family of Adam, in all their varieties as nations, tribes, communities, peoples.
This is God-like, because the Eternal loves all, and manifests the infinity of his nature, by his universal care for all mankind. In this, He also demonstrates His universal Fatherhood, and thereby establishes the brotherhood of man. ”

“ Shun no work that will bring you an honest penny. ’Tis honorable to labor with our own hands. God works, and shall man be greater than God? Fools only think labor dishonorable. Wise men feel themselves honored in following the example of God, whose works adorn and bless both heaven and earth. ”

“ Tertullian in his Apology is more particular: “We pray for all the Emperors, that God may grant them long life, a secure government, a prosperous family, vigorous troops, a faithful senate, an obedient people; that the whole world may be in peace; and that God may grant both to Cæsar; and to every man, the accomplishment of their just desires.” ”

“ We invite you to our homesteads, in order that we may aid you as well by the power of good examples as by the beauty of holy precept, in raising up intelligent, virtuous, pious, happy families. We invite you to our social circles, in order that you may have none of those inducements which grow out of a mere love of society, to frequent the gambling hells, and groggeries, which gradually lead their votaries to infamy and the pit that is bottomless. ”

“ But whence comes the honest man? Does he not spring out of the godly? Most assuredly. For no man is truly honest, uniformly honest, and universally honest, but he who is godly. Therefore be godly, and you will be honest in all things, at all times, in all places.
3d. The third motive for this heavenly duty, this intercession in behalf of the Government is, that “It is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour.” Whatever God accepts and pronounces good, must be good: good in itself; good in its effects, always good; good for man, because ordained of God. ”

“ We invite you to our Churches, because we desire you to be religious; to be more than religious; we urge you to be godly. We entreat you to never be content until you are emancipated from sin, from sin without, and from sin within you. ”

“ Keep your children in the schools, even if you have to eat less, drink less and wear coarser raiments; though you eat but two meals a day, purchase but one change of garment during the year, and relinquish all the luxuries of which we are so fond, but which are as injurious to health and long life as they are pleasing to the taste. ”

“ To pray to God, is to adore Him for His glorious perfection, to confess our sins to Him, and to beseech Him for mercy and pardon. To intercede with God is to entreat Him by the fervent, effectual prayer of faith, to be reconciled to offending man. ”

“ Ever since the first stone in the foundations of the Universe was laid by God’s own hand till now, he has been working, and will continue working through endless ages. Follow his glorious example. Work, work, work, for an honest penny ”

“ These motives are enforced upon our considerations by the glorious example of the Lord Jesus Christ, [A] who is the Mediator between God and Man, who ever liveth to make intercession for his foes as well as his friends, and with whom there is no respect of persons. Black men, red men, white men, are all alike before Him, and rise or fall, live or die as they please or offend Him. ”

“ Now, then, although weak, few, despised and persecuted, we can aid all these departments of government by our daily supplications, prayers and intercessions.
In doing this service, we can accomplish what we could not if we were leading the van of battle; for conquering armies are preceded and succeeded by anguish, misery and death, but our service brings down nothing but blessings upon all. ”

“ Work for money; work every day, work diligently, and save your money when you get it.
Be obliging and faithful to your employers, and you will be sure to keep your places. Never be above your business.—Many a man has ruined himself and his family by this foolish pride. ”

“ Let us pray that, as some of them are, so all may become, soldiers of the Cross; so that such as are doomed to fall in the fight, may rise from their gory beds to obtain a crown of life; [13] and those who may return to the peaceful pursuits of civil life, may be wiser and better men. ”

“ He could not tell what had happened, but he felt that something had taken place, for God had heard their prayers. What was it? Why the next news they heard was: ‘Queen Mary is dead!’”
But the motives for all this work of mercy, faith, and love as furnished by the text are as weighty as they are numerous.
1st. “That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life.” Peace and quietude are some of the conditions of happiness. Dr. Adam Bluche says: “If the State be not in safety, the individual cannot be secure; self preservation, therefore, should lead men to pray for the government under which they live. ”

“ How important, then, that the mothers be right-minded; that our young women, of whom our mothers come, be brought up with a high sense of personal character—be taught to prefer virtue to gold, and death itself rather than a violated chastity. ”

“ Let us not forget the brave men who constitute it—who have left their comfortable homes, beloved families, fond parents, affectionate sisters and brothers, for the hardships, dangers and painful deaths of the battle field. ”

“ That value lies in its adaptedness to promote the ends of Christian enlightenment; to purchase the best medical aid and other comforts in the days of affliction; to administer to the wants of old age, and to enable us to assist in making mankind wiser and better. ”

“ Such mothers will carefully train their children, as Moses was trained by his mother, preserving him pure from the vices of a Court and the baneful examples of lordly superiors: or, like Susanna Wesley, will educate their sons, as she did John and Charles, in the atmosphere of such spiritual excellence, and with such a moral power, as will make them ministering angels of good to man and glory to God Most High.
Lastly—Let us advise you respecting money. Some people value it too much, others too little. Of these extremes take the medium; for money has its proper value. ”

“ Rebellions and insurrections seldom terminate even in political good—and even where the government is radically bad, revolutions [14] are most precarious and hazardous. They who wish such commotions would not be quiet under the most mild and benevolent government.” This is true of communities and nations, as well as of individuals. We all desire it, and therefore it is our duty to labor for it by every instrument which Infinite wisdom has ordained and man can employ. And lo! how excellent the instruments! Prayers, supplications, intercessions—thanksgiving. ”

“ Such mothers will care for the heart education of their children, and will consequently lay continuous siege to the Throne of God in behalf of their sons and daughters, even as the Syrophœnician mother importuned the compassionate Jesus in behalf of her afflicted daughter, or as Queen Esther did Ahasuerus in behalf of her menaced kinsmen. ”

“ A few years ago an intelligent minister said that the colored people of the District of Columbia spent ten thousand dollars a year for tobacco.—What a sum for poison! Better take that money to build churches and school houses ”