And

of a more extended nature of its divine origin. in order to do this, it is only necessary to compare the state of the Heathen World with the state of those countries in which Christianity is professed.

There are crimes commonly practised in all Heathen countries, which are not tolerated in any country professing Christianity. For example, in China, which is usually considered one of the most civilised and polished of Heathen countries, it is a common practice for parents, who do not wish to bring up a numerous family, to smother their children when they are infants. So common is this practice, that in the great city of Pekin, carts are sent round every morning to gather up the bodies of infants that may have been smothered and thrown out into the streets during the night, that they may be taken away and buried. In some districts of India, as well as in all the Islands of the Pacific Ocean, it is a common thing to murder female children in their infancy, because the people think it more difficult to provide for them than for boys. In some districts of India also, it is the practice when a man of any rank dies, that his widow is burned to death along with his corpse. In general, throughout the whole Heathen world, women are oppressed and degraded, merely because men, being stronger, have it in their power to oppress and degrade them. Whereas, in Christian countries, women are treated with respect; in most of them it is considered a mark of politeness and propriety of conduct for men to yield the precedence to the women, and to consult their comfort in preference to their own, because women are weaker, and cannot maintain equal rights by force. This then is another evidence of the great

blessing, and consequently of the divine origin of Christianity.

War is at all times, and under all circumstances, horrible, letting loose the passions of men, and exciting them to deeds of blood and rapine, which, in a time of peace, many would shudder to think of; yet, it is interesting to see that although Christianity has not yet put an end to war, even in professingly Christian countries, it has greatly mitigated its horrors. In the wars of the heathen no mercy is shown to the conquered. When an enemy's army passes through a country, it carries fire, and devastation, and murder every where in its track. When towns are taken by force there is usually a general massacre of the inhabitants, young and old, male and female, with the exception, perhaps, of some that may be spared to be kept or sold for slaves. In the wars of the South Sea Islands, when a battle is won, it is the constant practice of the victors to send a detachment to murder the wives and children of the vanquished, and, in such cases, those miserable persons are treated with the most relentless barbarity. It would sicken any humane heart even to read the recitals of the manner in which such persons are treated.

But these barbarities are, to a great extent at least, banished from warfare among those who profess to be Christians. Most European soldiers would consider themselves degraded by the imputation of making war on women and children; and it is the universal maxim, that, as far as it is possible, these are to be spared. A Christian soldier considers it rather his duty to protect females and children and old men from violence. There is no such thing now as murdering thousands

prisoners in cold blood, and the soldiers ornamenting themselves with their bones, as was practised by the ancestors of almost all European nations.

And this fact can be traced directly to the influence of Christianity. Our own forefathers in these islands were as guilty of such atrocities as any nation on the face of the earth. It is not a great many centuries since human sacrifices were offered up to the heathen idols that were worshipped in many parts of Europe, and the deeds of cruelty and treachery that were perpetrated in their wars have scarcely been outdone among the savages of the South Sea Islands. But, on the introduction of Christianity, a striking change took place; orders of knighthood were established, usually having some connexion with religion, for the protection of the weak and the helpless, and these orders of knighthood contributed much to the ameliorating of the horrors of European warfare.

But the most remarkable fact is, that although Christianity has produced so great an effect in softening and refining the manners of European nations, yet comparatively few act under its genuine influence. A great many act from ideas of honour, propriety, humanity, a juster view of the means of securing their own happiness. It is the general light that has been diffused by the introduction of Christianity on the whole subject of duty that has produced the effect. It has been the example, and the advice of the comparatively few who really do feel the power of Christianity, and act upon it, recommending itself to the judgment and consciences of the others that has so far reformed the state of society; and from what has been done by the

very imperfect reception which Christianity has hitherto met with in the hearts of men, we may learn what effect it will produce when it shall be universally understood and obeyed. We can see at a glance, that if any city or country were brought under the full influence of Christianity, there would at once be an end of all lying, theft, drunkenness, adultery, violence, and all uncleanness of all cruelty and carelessness in parents, disobedience in children, contention, evil-speaking, malignity of every description, and that that city or country would be at once in perfect peace and harmony,-every man living in security, none seeking to injure him or to make him afraid.

Can, therefore, there be any stronger evidence of a religion having come from the all-wise God that made us, than its fitness for producing such effects? If but your clock or watch went out of order, and you received such instructions as enabled you to put it perfectly into order again, you would admit that the instructions came from a person who thoroughly understood the mechanism of clocks or watches. So when we find instructions

that, so far as they have been acted upon, have corrected the disorders of society, and which we can see clearly if they were fully and strictly adhered to, would perfectly cure these disorders, and reduce the whole world to peace, and comfort, and joy; should we not also admit, that such a religion must be from the God that made us, and who thoroughly understands the nature of the souls that he has made?

Or, to recur to the comparison of giving sight to the blind, what should we think of a medicine or a mode of

treatment that would not merely give to one man his sight who had been born blind, but who should give sight to a whole nation of blind men, nay, and impart the faculty of seeing not only to them, but to their children after them? Just such a medicine has Christianity been to Europe. It has not indeed fully restored Europeans to the use of their moral sight, because they do not thoroughly apply it; but it has enabled them to see the way of duty so much more clearly than their forefathers did, or than the heathen around them do, that it may truly be said of them, that whereas their forefathers were, and their heathen neighbours are in darkness, with respect to duty, they can see their way with tolerable clearness.

LESSON III.

CHANGE PRODUCED BY CHRISTIANITY ON ITS

INTRODUCTION.

We have in a former Lesson contrasted those nations in which Christianity is known, and to a certain extent believed and obeyed, with heathen nations, and we have seen that, with all the faults that exist among nations professing Christianity, (and they are many and great,) such nations are in a condition greatly better than the heathen, and that even the little of Christianity that is practised among them, has had a powerful and extensive effect in banishing great crimes and introducing a higher standard of morals.

But Christianity had a beginning; it arose at a certain definite period in the history of the world, and that,