error. general diffusion of the first elements of learning. | his exertions, and the spot that he has laboured to Religion is the only means of rendering this power render fertile may relapse into barrenness, because beneficial; Christianity alone can sanctify knowledge, he failed to impart to others the secret art of successand render its possession a blessing to society. If ever ful cultivation. The only method by which the great there was a period in the history of the world, when edifice of social order can be raised to that height religion was necessary to man, the present is that of perfection and symmetry which its founders deperiod. The recent discoveries of science, the pro- signed is, that every successive race of workmen found views which the geologist and the astronomer transmit their knowledge and their discoveries to their have opened to the public, render it imperatively ne- successors; who, thus becoming wise by the expericessary that some sure sort of truth should be pointed ence of their ancestors, will gain some step, and add out on which the mind may rest, and from which it some beauty every year, and complete, by the aggremay view the speculations of the philosopher, and the gate improvements of many generations, that vast dechanging theories which pass across the horizon of sign which the short span of human life is inadequate science, and chace each other as the discovery of new to accomplish. If some central school for the facts and the induction of new phenomena give rise to teachers of youth were founded on a liberal scale, and changes, which, though they may ultimately lead to diligently superintended by those of authority and truth, yet expose us for the present to the danger of influence in society, it would tend to raise the chaHow often may the mind be startled by some racter of masters and mistresses of schools, and a fresh and unexpected peep into the immense labora- supply of these much-required officers might be contory of nature, and, feeling its own littleness, shrink stantly maintained. They should not be suffered to from the grasp of such mighty calculations, and be go out upon their labours without having passed an depressed with fear lest a Being of inconceivable examination by suitable judges, and received testipower may, in the immensity of his avocations and monials as to their fitness. They should be encouthe extent of his empire, overlook the insignificant in-raged to keep up a correspondence with the central habitant of some remote spot in this little world which we call earth! What, under such a feeling of apprehension, can minister to the mind such consolation as the assurance which God, in his infinite knowledge of the wants of his creatures, has mercifully revealed; that he regards mankind as his children, and encourages them to look to him as their Father-yea, even as their Friend? What can give such sweet satisfaction to the doubting, tempest-tossed inquirer, as the intelligence that the mighty Lord of the universe has condescended to take on himself the human form-to become man's Saviour, and, by his death, to win for every child of Adam a title to immortal life? A mighty engine is put into our hands, and it is our own fault if it fail to work that moral renovation which it is endowed with powers to effect. Can we doubt that religious education is intended by the Almighty to be the means, in human hands, which he will graciously condescend to bless for the temporal and eternal welfare of the human race? Let us not rest satisfied that the anticipated benefit should remain yet future. Let not our fervent desires for the improvement of the young go down with us to the grave ungratified. Let not the soil we have sought to cultivate become fallow when we are no more, because we have taken no pains to encourage a race of labourers who may, in years to come, reap the golden harvests for which we have prepared the soil. Philosophers complain that the advancement of society has been retarded, because the discoveries of one generation have been lost to the next, and the improvements of the fathers have not been perfected by the children. Such must be the case if the methods of imparting knowledge, and of training the youthful mind, are suffered to perish with the inventor. An individual may have attained to eminence in his calling, and his instructions may have been blessed with success; but if he is a solitary labourer, his beneficial influence will end with his life-the great field of general improvement will remain little the better for board, and be required from time to time to make reports of their progress, and to notice any plans which they may have been led to adopt from a wellfounded conviction of their utility. Thus the experience of each individual would be recorded for the benefit of the whole society, and each member would be encouraged to advance, and animated in his endeavours by the certainty that every step in the good work would advance his fellows in the common path of efficiency and usefulness. School-teaching ought to be regarded as a profession, and a profession which repaid with a suitable salary those who attained to eminence in it. And it is mainly owing to our neglect in this important matter-to our habit of entrusting the care of schools to those who could find no other means of subsistence-to our carelessness in not requiring a certain degree of moral power and intellectual development in the candidates for these public situations, that the success of gratuitous education has been so equivocal, and its political expediency with some still doubtful. "How solemn is the responsibility which lies on parents and guardians to preserve from the slightest taint of levity or irreligion the minds of those "little ones," to offend whom our Lord declares will be to risk a fearful punishment! The ambition of a father will prompt him to educate his son for this world, and to spare no pains to fit him for an honourable station here. But let him consider that his son was born to fill a higher station than any this world can offer, even that of being an inheritor of heaven and a child of God. He must not forget that, as immortal beings, we are here only as scholars to learn the will of God, to prove our faith by our obedience, and, by passing through the preparatory discipline of exertion and trial, to acquire that character which will fit us for heaven. Let the mother, who is intrusted by the Almighty with the early care of such candidates for blessedness, remember the importance of the charge This was written early in 1838. The plan of central and training schools is likely to be adopted. committed to her. The earliest years of her sons' and the youthful period of her daughters' lives, are under her influence. She may be fond of pleasure, or immersed in worldly cares, and delegate to a nurse or a governess the superintendence of her family, and plead as an excuse the variety of her engagements; but let her not deceive herself in the belief that she can innocently lay aside the task of watching with tender solicitude the development of the intellectual and moral faculties of her young family; no other duty can compete with that: no attendance, even on the benevolent institutions of a parish, must be allowed to excuse the neglect of those domestic duties which none but herself can perform. The Cabinet. THE OLD TESTAMENT.-IT is not as a subject of antiquarian curiosity; it is not as the earliest record of that picturesque and characteristic style of manners for which the east is still renowned, of which the singularity arrests our attention, and the simplicity appears to denote the youth and freshness of society: it is not for their interesting pathos, or the glowing strains of their poetry, that the Christian is enjoined to give a portion of his day to the records of an earlier revelation. It is there we should trace the wrath of God made manifest against a guilty world; yet arrested, yet disarmed, yet absolutely turned into blessing by the efficacy of the foreseen atonement. It is there that we should learn to appreciate the strength of human passions, and the weakness of human virtue, displayed in the melancholy story of the most favoured race of mankind, informed though they were by an unbroken line of prophets, and chastised or supported by a long succession of wonders and miracles. It is there that we should accustom ourselves to prize, as they deserve, our own advantages in Christ Jesus, when we compare the Israelite's hope of a contingent with our confidence in a complete redemption; and his condition, through symbols and shadows, with our almost plenary admission into the mysteries of the kingdom of God.-Bishop Heber. REPENT. THIS is the main purport and end of God's messages to man in all times, by all that he hath sent, prophets, apostles, Jesus Christ and his forerunner; and still all his ministers under the gospel, have no other in effect to say, but to call man to repentance, to bring them home to God. Man is naturally turned away from God, and is still further running away and hastening to the pit, and God is calling after him, Do not destroy yourselves, I will receive and pardon you, Oh! return, why will ye die? And yet men will not hearken, but run to their ruin. This word is daily preached; and yet who almost is persuaded so much as to stop his course a little and consider what is propounded to him, much less to break off his course and return? Oh the bountifulness and graciousness of God, that thus entreats, and still entreats base worms, whom he might tread on and crush in a moment! Oh! the wretchedness and madness of man that refuses, and still refuses those gracious entreaties! You have been called to in these terms, and where are they that return? Where are hearts breaking for their iniquities, and breaking away from them, mourning after the Lord, and longing for a look of his countenance, and desiring nothing else? Oh! that some soul might now be stirred up, and set but upon thoughts of repenting,-serious real thoughts that would not die. The Lord will reach forth his hand and draw it to himself, though it find it cannot stir, yea in that very desire of returning to him, he hath presented it and touched it, and will not lose it, will not suffer it and his begun work in it to perish. -Archbishop Leighton. Poetry. GETHSEMANE. (For the Church of England Magazine.) "TWAS eve, and its tints were yet glowing On the temple's rich fretting of gold, While the waters of Kedron dark-flowing Through the vale of Jehoshaphat rolled. "Twas eve, but the day-beam was clinging To the height of Mount Olivet's brow, Though night her dark mantle was flinging, Beneath, over blossom and bough. All was hushed, save anon the deep plashing A scanty and timorous throng, On earth, though of all he was Lord, "Tis he, who in Bethlehem's manger Was hailed as some heavenly guest, When his bright star had guided the stranger As o'er the far desert he pressed. But now in Gethsemane weeping, His soul with deep agony torn, Large blood-drops those temples are steeping Which the circlet of Godhead had worn. He weeps, but not his is the sorrow, His life he hath counted but loss, "Tis not for the shame of the morrow, The mocking, the scourging, the cross. Then think on Gethsemane's garden, Oh think upon Calvary's tree, And scorn not, poor sinner, the pardon Those blood-drops have purchased for thee. T. R. M. NOLO MORTEM PECCATORIS; OR, I WOULD Sent down from heaven mankind to save; According to thy will I have ; Father, now all my will is this, Nolo mortem peccatoris. Taken for man on ev'ry side, Nolo mortem &c. Behold my birth, in what degree Into this wretched world I came, Taking man's nature vile on me With all the miseries of the same, Save only sin; and all for this, Nolo mortem &c. Here dwelt I thirty years and three, In hunger, thirst, in cold and heat, In much contempt and poverty, In wanderings and travel great, Taken for sin; and all for this, Nolo mortem &c. When thirty years and three were run, The time of suffering came indeed: Oh! Father, now behold thy Son Preparing on the cross to bleed, Behold my sighs, my doleful smart, Nolo &c. Behold the Jews most fierce and rude, Betray'd to them to do their wills; Nolo &c. Behold them also how they brought Nolo &c. Behold my head then how they crowned With sharp thorns piercing to the brain, My face, my neck in blood all drowned, My whole flesh trembling, in such pain, Surpassing pain; and all for this, Nolo &c. To bear my cross then forth they drave me, The weight of which threw me thus under, Then hard and cruel strokes they gave me, Beating me forth with shame and wonder, Which meekly I endured for this, Nolo &c. But then behold those cruel folk, One at each hand, one at each foot, To wash their sins who wrought all this, Upon the cross see how I there Hung three long hours ere life was gone, Having no stay my body to bear But those hard nails through flesh and bone Yet I c'en there declared this, Nolo &c. Who may express my cruel pains, Yet is there one pain worse than those; Oh Father, why should I say this, Nolo &c. This my most pain, this my most care Me to offend-my laws transgress, And all in hope and trust of this, Nolo &c. The wicked world, the flesh, and devil, Man will not spare to serve all three, Still trusting on, whilst working evil, To my own words, saying to me, Whate'er I do, yet Christ saith this, Nolo &c. But unto man I say again, But when in sin he still will lie, Nolo &c. Oh man, for thy love have I died, I ask no more of thee therefore, But love for love, in thy deeds tried, Forsake thy sin, and keep my love, And then to thee I do say this, Nolo mortem peccatoris. Miscellaneous. THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO ALL-You may know it is the Spirit of God by this. That Spirit it is: and they that are anointed with it, take care of the poor. The spirit of the world, and they that are anointed with it, take little keep to evangelize any such, any poor souls. But in the tidings of the gospel, they are not left out; taken in by name (we see). In sending those tidings, there is none excluded. No respect of persons with God: None of nations; to every nation, Gentile and Jew: None of conditions; to every condition, poor and rich. To them that of all others are the least likely. They are not troubled with much worldly good news: seldom (come there any posts to them with such. But the good news of the gospel reached even to the meanest. And reaching to them, it must needs be general (this news) if to them, that of all other least likely, then certainly to all. Even to the poor is (as if he had said) even to poor and all, by way of extent but no ways to engross it, or appropriate it to them only. The tidings of the gospel are as well for Lydia, the purple-seller, as for Simon the tanner; for the Areopagite, the judge at Athens, as for the gaoler at Philippos; for the elect lady, as for the widow Dorcas; for the lordtreasurer of Ethiopia, as for the beggar at the beautiful gate of the temple; for the household of Cæsar, as for the household of Stephanas; yea and (if he will) for king Agrippa too.—Bishop Andrews. IMPORTANCE OF ORDER.-Nothing is more important and conducive to holiness, than order. Man is a disorderly creature and loves to be abroad; but he must be confined and kept to rule. So vastly important is order, that the want of it in a man's family is, by the apostle, made an exclusion from the ministry. (See 1 Tim. iii.)-Christian Guardian. London: Published by JAMES BURNS, 17 Portman Street, Portman Spuare; W. EDWARDS, 12 Ave-Maria Lane, St. Paul's; and to be procured, by order, of all Booksellers in Town and Country. PRINTED BY JOSEPH ROGERSON, 24 NORFOLK STREET, STRAND, LONDON. CONFORMITY TO THE WORLD. BY THE REV. CHARLES RAWLINGS, A.B. Curate of St. Stephen's and St. Dennis, Cornwall. IT is the exhortation of an apostle to all Christians," Be not conformed to this world!" The believer in Jesus is too often reminded, by melancholy experience, that the world is the grand enemy he has to contend with in his passage to the realms of glory. He has to encounter the smiles of the world, and the frowns of the world; whilst the former would allure his steps from the narrow path of holy obedience to the commandments of his God, the latter would intimidate him into a base abandonment of his duty, and a compliance with what his conscience must condemn. PRICE 1d. his disciples, "I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil." The true magnanimity of the Christian character is discovered, not in a morbid rejection of the society of the world, but in a holy separation from the spirit of the world, its unscriptural principles and vain pursuits. In running the race that is set before us, we are to rise superior to the frowns of the world, and the still more formidable blandishments of the world: and how is the glorious triumph to be achieved? not in the might of our own resolutions, but in the power of the heaven-born principle of faith; "this is the victory (says an apostle) which overcometh the world, even our faith." The affections of the heart must be withdrawn from the world and its thousand alluring Every variety of temptation the world objects, in correspondence with the inspired adopts to embarrass the children of God, and admonition, "Love not the world, neither to defeat the purposes of grace; hence the sad the things that are in the world;" the imnecessity of the oft-repeated admonition: "Be portant reason for which is immediately asnot conformed to this world;"" love not the signed, "if any man love the world, the love world, neither the things that are in the world," of the Father is not in him." There is an "come out from among them, and be ye sepa- irreconcilable, and therefore an everlasting rate." An affectation of singularity has no- contrariety between the principle of love to thing to do with the religion of Jesus; it is God, and love to this present evil world. frequently seen to co-exist with the love of sin It is broadly asserted by St. James (ii. 4), in the heart, and the practice of sin in the life: "Whosoever will be a friend of the world, is to aim at singularity of demeanour amongst the enemy of God." No compromise is for our fellow-creatures and fellow-Christians is a single instant admissible here: we are not a proof of the yet unhumbled pride of our at liberty to pursue, we cannot pursue a hearts. Nor, again, are we called upon to middle course; there must be no divided renounce all intercourse with the world around affections; God or the world must occupy us, and bury ourselves in seclusion: this in- the throne of the heart; the love of the one volves a manifest departure from the path of cannot co-exist with the love of the other: duty-this is not to let our light so shine" No man can serve two masters, for either before men that they may see our good works, and glorify our Father who is in heaven.' It was our Saviour's intercessory prayer for VOL. VIII.NO. CCXVIII. he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon." [London: Joseph Rogerson, 24, Norfolk-street, Strand.] S Christians should always bear in mind that they are to be a distinct and separate people; it is their duty as well as privilege to shine as lights in a dark world; they should endeayour to realize in their spirit and practice the language of the apostle Peter, "Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light." One grand design of the Redeemer's death was to deliver his believing followers from this present evil world; and most certain it is "they that are Christ's have crucified," and perseveringly continue to crucify "the flesh with the affections and lusts." The very appearance of evil, the very semblance of moral contamination, is to be carefully avoided by those who are partakers of regenerating grace. Amongst other features which distinguish pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father, is this-to keep ourselves unspotted from the world. | apt to wander during the performance of sacred offices, is engaged, and our devotion invigorated. These four versicles, which we find in the most ancient liturgies, are selected from, or gathered out of, the book of psalms. And they are introduced after the confession and absolution, and before the psalms, in order to connect the foregoing penitential part of the service, to which they properly belong, with the part which now follows, which is in the strain of joyous thanksgiving. In the two former versicles we confess that the mouth closed by sin can be opened only by pardon. May it not have been in token of this, that he, who came to confer pardon by his blood, caused the tongue of the dumb speak, and to sing the praises of God? The versicles might be thus paraphrased: "O God, from whom the gift of utterance proceeds, assist us in our devotions; we are unworthy, and, of ourselves, unable, to offer unto thee any sacrifice; but thou, in thy holy word hast ordained that even babes and sucklings should perfect thy praise. Open, therefore, O Lord, our lips, which the consciousness of sin had closed, but which are now opened by the assured trust that we are forgiven for his sake whose name we have been pleading; and do thou so dispose our hearts by thy holy Spirit, that with our mouths we may worthily laud and magnify thy holy name." of using "responses" in public service, and I may I have spoken of the antiquity of this practice add under this head that there is no old liturgy, which But still I would again enforce the important does not contain such short and devout sentences as truth, that separation from the world and its these, wherein the people "answer" the minister, and, therefore, they are called by that name from the Latin vanities is not to be accomplished by our own word respondeo, to answer. It is related also by one, power, but by strength derived from Christ who was a traveller in those parts, that the American through faith in him. It is the peculiarity of Christians at this day, make these responses in their divine faith to realize eternal things, and conse- own vulgar tongue and not in a foreign language. But quently to throw into eclipse the meaner objects this primitive usage is now excluded from the Romish assemblies by their praying in an unknown tongue, of time; it is for faith to realize the presence of whereby the idea of a concord of feelings between God, and the infinite superiority of his ap- minister and people is utterly sacrificed; and it is alproving smile to the most coveted friendship most as effectually lost in all those congregations and applause of the world; faith realizes where, the worship consisting of long extempore pray"the bright recompense of the reward" trea-ers, the people cannot take any lively share in the sured up in heaven for all those who are "kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation." THE SERVICES OF THE CHURCH. "Understandest thou what thou readest ?" service. The EJACULATIONS appear to be paraphrased of that remarkable supplication Hosheann, frequently repeated in the Book of Psalms (Ps. cxviii. 25), and varying as it has been supposed but little from the acclamation Hosannah, used by the Jews in the days of our Saviour. These two versicles contain earnest entreaties for God's grace, without which we can perform no acceptable service. Their meaning is, we are wearied with the burden of our sins, we have destroyed ourselves, but in thee is our help, make haste, O Lord, to save us! With speed further us in all things necessary to our salvation; quicken and animate our devotions, and raise our hearts unto thee, while with joyful lips we speak this prayer, and glorify thy holy name. In the Royal Primers these versicles followed the Lord's Prayer, and stood thus : 66 O Lord, open thou my lips. Ans. And then shall my mouth show forth thy praise. O God, bend thyself to my help. The two EJACULATIONS are so called from the Latin "ejaculor," to shoot out; because in a short and brisk form of words, we do, as it were, send an arrow of praise from our bow. The minister, copying the psalmist, says, "praise him, O ye servants of the Lord, ye that stand in the house of the Lord" (Psalm cxxxv. 12), and the people catch the spark of devotion and make reply, "Be it so. Blessed be God's glorious name, which is exalted above all blessings and praise" (Nehem. ix. 5). THE HYMN "GLORIA PATRI." |