Poor human nature loves himself, Dear Saviour, as in days of yore, Father, forgive; thy Spirit send, M. S. L. INTELLIGENCE. LONDON. ON account of the length of our first paper, we have not room for our usual quantity of intelligence; but the following article, copied from one of the newspapers, is of a character so very pleasing that we really deem it right to preserve it in our pages. TO THE EDITOR OF THE PATRIOT. SIR,-Through your medium we beg to make a short appeal to the Christian public on a subject which to us appears to be of great and immediate importance. We trust that our brethren of all denominations are, to an increasing degree, united in spirit, and we feel highly encouraged in reflecting that so many of them have been, and for so long a period, united in monthly associations for prayer. But, as the revolutions of time are hastening us to another series of Bible, Missionary, Tract, and other Anniversaries, may we be permitted to suggest to our brethren the propriety of uniting together in some General Meeting for devotion previously to their occurrence? We propose nothing exclusive-nothing sectarian; but invite all who "love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity" to associate on equal grounds, and for one special purpose, in which all are concerned. It would surely be an edifying spectacle to see all orders and classes of the ONE CHRISTIAN CHURCH bending the knee together before the throne of the heavenly Majesty, to implore the promised blessing on their respective labours to advance the growing triumphs, and the ultimate dominion, of Christianity. While many have felt so much, and others have written so well, in accordance with those sentiments, we ask if the time is not comeif we ought not to cherish the belief that it is come— when they can be, and shall be, practically exemplified. Influenced by these considerations, we respectfully and affectionately invite the attendance of Christian friends of all denominations at a Public Meeting for Devotion, to be held at SURREY CHAPEL, on Thursday evening, the 27th of April inst., at half-past six o'clock precisely. John Clayton, jun. Ed. Steane. RECOMMENDATIONS OF BOOKS. OUR readers who can admire beautiful writing, and who wish to see the effects which all the forms of life and death produce on superior Christian minds, cannot do better than at once obtain "The Christian Correspondent: Letters, private and confidential, by eminent persons of both sexes; exemplifying the fruits of holy living, and the blessedness of holy dying. With a pre liminary Essay," by JAMES MONTGOMERY, Esq., recently published by Ball. The work is a noble monu ment to the power and tendency of true religion, shewing its infinite superiority to infidelity and mere philosophy, while it presents sound advice at many critical periods of human life. The REV. C. STOVEL has just published a valuable and energetic volume, entitled, "Pastoral Appeals on Conversion." It is divided into twelve chapters, each of which is occupied with important views of the great topic the author undertakes to discuss. The volume shews great piety, and those who know its valued author, need not be told that it indicates great originality. Equal originality and scriptural zeal are discovered in another work of our author's, entitled, "The Dread ful Requisition; or, A Treatise on the Righteousness of God in punishing the neglect of souls." The substance of it was delivered at a succession of revival meetings, and was found admirably adapted to their solemn services. A fourth volume of the excellent "Exposition of the Old and New Testament," by MATTHEW HENRY, publishing in weekly shilling numbers, by Robinson, of Ludgate Hill, has just come into our hands, and well deserves all the praise we gave to its predecessors, page 71 of this volume. To that notice we refer our friends, and ask them to rejoice with us in the increasing prevalence of a desire to understand the inspired volume. The REV. E. TEMPLE has added to his former works, a neat, instructive, and pleasing little pocket volume, the larger portion of which has been gleaned from our best writers, and the original parts are worthy of their associates. It is called," Choice Flowers from the Garden of Literature; or, Two Hundred Sacred Similes," and is sold by our publishers. 1 We have several times, of late, been struck with the piety of many of the French and Swiss pastors. We have read the lines of Oberlin and Neff, and now we have before us "Some Account of the Life of the Rev. F. A. A. Gonthier, of Nismes and Switzerland," written by his nephews, and translated from the French, and republished by the Religious Tract Society. Gonthier, it appears, was the chief instrument in the conversion of the distinguished Neff. He was eminent for piety, was strongly supported amidst great trials, and always exemplified a sweetness of spirit which will endear his name to every pious reader. Those of our readers who have perused the translation of DR. KRUMMACHER'S "Elijah the Tishbite," will thank us for directing their attention to his "Beheading of John the Baptist," translated also from the German, and published by Wertheim. The originality, imagination, and piety of this author, entitle him to more than ordinary attention, and to the study of all, especially of Christian ministers. The highly interesting little volumes, under the general designation of " MISSIONARY RECORDS," published by the Religious Tract Society, have, as they severally made their appearance, been introduced to our readers. They have added another to the series, relating to "The West Indies," and it is quite as worthy of public patronage as any of its predecessors; indeed, not a few persons will consider it the most interesting of the whole. The REV. JOHN BULMER'S "Original Hymns, intended to be sung at the public meetings and other services of Temperance Societies," a second edition of which lies before us, are worthy alike of their author and of their subject. Scriptural principles are admirably brought out and applied to this important topic. THE WISDOM OF SILENCE. THE wisdom of silence is likely to be most forcibly impressed upon us, when we feel that we have unwisely spoken; and it is one of those general heads of reflection under which we may daily add some item earned from experience, some observation harvested from facts and from failures. The conviction of its truth needs less to be pressed home upon us than the necessity of its practice. Every one allows that there are occasions on which it is wise to be silent. How few, when the occasions arrive, are examples of that which they allow ! It seems that there are two kinds of silence; the one a constitutional bias-stillness, resulting from no effort; the other, an effect of principle, the silence of motive. The latter is, of course, the Christian grace, and referred to in this question; of this it is hard to say whether its nature is active or passive; for although to be silent is in itself opposed to the action of speech, yet "to refrain the lips," "to bridle the tongue," "the tongue, which no man can tame," to "quench a fire," "to govern a world of iniquity," are figures employed by inspiration itself, in reference to this apparently negative duty. There is often the strongest mental action in the passive fact of being silent. "If any man offend not in word," says St. James, "the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. The effect of silence upon the soul itself is salutary. It is the sister of solitude and meditation VOL. VI. R |