Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

minational names, by whom certified, and when. Instructions have been sent to the Registrar of every diocese and archdeaconry, and to the Clerk of the Peace of every county, city and borough in England and Wales, to supply the necessary information. Unless, therefore, our friends attend

to the duty of registration, our in-
fluence as a denomination will suffer
in public estimation by the other-
wise limited and fallacious return.
This, however, is unimportant con-
trasted with the motives already
mentioned.
J. F. S.
Nottingham, July 28th.

POPERY AGAINST CHRISTIANITY.

DEAR SIR,-Last Sunday after noon I was, as usual, engaged in visiting the sick in our parish workhouse. On coming to one who had been only a few days an inmate, I informed her of the object of my visit, upon which the following conversation ensued.

V. will represent myself as Visitor. R. C. will represent the party visited, who is a Roman Catholic.

V. Can you read the Scriptures? R. C. I was accustomed to read the Scriptures, and had great pleasure therein.

V. How long have you neglected reading the Scriptures?

R. Č. It is about six years.
V. Why did you cease reading the
Scriptures, seeing you had so much
pleasure in reading them?

R. C. My religion does not allow me to read them. I wish the priest would allow me to read them; but I have treasured up many portions of the New Testament in my memory, and it often affords me much pleasure in recollecting those portions.

V. You say you have treasured up much of the New Testament in your memory; I will repeat a few words of one verse, and then thank you to finish it. "I am the Way-"

R. C." And the Truth, and the Life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me."

V. One other verse in the same Gospel. "Search the—”

R. C. "Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me."

V One more and I shall be satisfied as to the faithfulness of your memory. For there is one God-" R. Č. "And one Mediator between

66

God and men, the Man Christ
Jesus."

V. Now, my dear woman, I feel very deep concern on your account, because you place yourself in direct opposition to the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ. He commands you to search the Scriptures."

66

R. C. So I should, if my religion would allow me.

V. By the admissions you have made you have declared your religion is not true, for Christ, who says, "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life," commands you to "search the Scriptures;" but you are forbidden to do so by your religion. Seeing you prefer the authority of your priest to that of Jesus Christ, allow me to remind you of another Scripture, which warns the disobedient that a Day of Judgment is coming, when Christ, the Judge, will say of some, "Those mine enemies who would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.' Further, you condemn your religion as false, which teaches you to regard the Virgin Mary as a mediator, in the face of that Scripture you repeated, "There is one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus."

After some further discourse with her on the sin of idolatry, in worshipping the Virgin Mary, I intreated her to ponder over these things (of which we had been speaking), but regret to say I left her with some Roman Catholic relatives, who had called to see her.

HENRY WEBBER. 31, Old-street, St. Luke's, Aug. 7, 1852.

SELECT OBSERVATIONS.

TRUE religion has God for its author, Christ for its basis, angels and good men for its admirers, the believer's heart for its residence, love to God and man for its evidence, the devil, bad men and sin for its enemies, and heaven for its end.

Some of heaven's best familypictures in this world are humble saints under affliction; for then they are most like the original, who was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.

Grace turns bad men into good men, and keeps good men from turning bad again.

The believer should endeavour to

HOT SUMMERS.--The great heat which has prevailed this season gives some interest to the following account of remarkably hot summers:"In 1132 the earth opened, and the rivers and springs disappeared, in Alsace. The Rhine was dried up. In 1152 the heat was so great that eggs were cooked in the sand. In 1160, at the battle of Bela, a great number of soldiers died from the heat. In 1276 and 1277, in France, an absolute failure of the crops of grass and oats occurred. In 1303 and 1304, the Seine, the Loire, the Rhine, and the Danube were passed over dry-footed. In 1393 and 1394 great numbers of animals fell dead, and the crops were scorched up. In 1440 the heat was excessive. In 1538, 1539, 1540, 1541, the rivers were almost entirely dried up. In 1556 there was a great drought over all Europe. In 1615 and 1616 the heat was overwhelming in France, Italy, and the Netherlands. In 1646 there were 58 consecutive days of excessive heat. In 1678 excessive heat. The same was the case in the first three years of the eighteenth century. In 1718 it did not rain once from the month of April to the month of October. The crops were burnt up, the rivers were dried up, and the theatres were closed by decree of the Lieutenant of Police. The thermometer marked 36 degrees Reaumur (113 of Fahrenheit). In gardens which were

remove all doubtful cases from the court of his conscience, by an appeal to the throne of grace.

The weak saint should take comfort, that Christ Jesus is a perfect master of languages; he can translate the sighs, and groans, and tears of his disconsolate ones into that language which his heavenly Father will delight in, and to which he will speedily attend.

Either God must cease to be righteous or the sinner cease from unrighteousness, else God and the sinner can never meet in heaven. H. WATTS.

July 17, 1852.

watered, fruit-trees flowered twice. In 1723 and 1724 the heat was extreme. In 1746, summer very hot and very dry, which absolutely calcined the crops. During several months no rain fell. In 1748, 1754, 1760, 1767, 1778, and 1788 the heat was excessive. In 1811, the year of the celebrated comet, the summer was very warm and the wine delicious, even at Susènes. In 1818 the theatres remained closed for nearly a month, owing to the heat. The maximum heat was 35 degrees (110.75 Fahrenheit). In 1830, while fighting was going on on the 27th, 28th, and 29th of July, the thermometer marked 36 degrees centigrade (97.75 Fahrenheit) In 1832, in the insurrection of the 5th and 6th of June, the thermometer marked 35 degrees centigrade. In 1835 the Seine was almost dried up. In 1850, in the month of June, on the second appearance of the cholera, the thermometer marked 34 degrees centigrade. The highest temperature which man can support for a certain time, varies from 40 to 45 degrees (104 to 113 of Fahrenheit). Frequent accidents, however, occur at a less elevated temperature." -Galignani's Messenger.

THE UPAS TREE OF THE ISTHMUS. -Some time since, we saw some comments in a United States paper, upon an article taken from a Demerara paper (which, we do not recollect), stating that a man named

James Linn had been found dead under a tree on the Gorgona road, and that upon examining the tree the natives pronounced it highly poisonous, producing death to any one who should sleep under it. Riding out upon the " Plains," a few miles from the city, the other day, with a friend, we had the fortune to have several of these trees pointed out to us. As far around each as its branches extended, the grass was dead, the ground almost bare, whilst all beyond it was fresh and green. Each tree seemed to form a circle around it, by the appearance presented by the dead and live grass. They were all alike in this respect, and the trees all of the same appearance and character. Occasionally, the skull of a dead mule or other animal were to be found lying either directly under the tree, or near by, indicating the effects of its deadly poison. Anxious as we felt to pro cure a branch, and bring it to this city, that its fluids might be subjected to a chemical analysis, we were deterred by the threatening appearance they presented. We have no doubt at all but that Linn came to his death in the manner described. Nor do we entertain a doubt as to the nature of the tree being as poisonous as the deadly Upas of the Nile.-Panama Herald.

A HOLY LIFE.-The beauty of a holy life constitutes the most eloquent and effective persuasive to religion which one human being can address to another. We have many ways of doing good to our fellowcreatures; but none so efficacious as leading a virtuous, upright, and wellordered life. There is an energy of moral suasion in a good man's life, passing the highest efforts of the orator's genius. The seen but silent beauty of holiness speaks more eloquently of God and duty than the tongues of men and angels. Let parents remember this. The best inheritance a parent can bequeath to a child is a virtuous example, a legacy of hallowed remembrance and associations. The beauty of holiness beaming through the life of loved relative or friend is more effectual to strengthen such as do stand in

virtue's ways, and raise up those that are bowed down, than precept, command, intreaty or warning. Christianity itself, I believe, owes by far the greater part of its moral power, not to the precepts or parables of Christ, but to his own character. The beauty of that holiness which is enshrined in the four brief biographies of the man of Nazareth has done more, and will do more, to regenerate the world and bring in an everlasting righteousness, than all the other agencies put together. It has done more to spread his religion in the world than all that has ever been preached or written on the evidences of Christianity.— Chalmers.

ON LISTENING TO EVIL REPORT.— The longer I live, the more I feel the importance of adhering to the rules which I have laid down for myself in relation to the following subjects: -1. To hear as little as possible what is to the prejudice of others. 2. To believe nothing of the kind till I am absolutely forced to it. 3. Never to drink into the spirit of one who circulates an ill report. 4. Always to moderate, as far as I can, the unkindness which is expressed toward others. 5. Always to believe that, if the other side were heard, a very different account would be given of the matter. I consider love as wealth; and as I would resist a man who should come to rob my house, so would I a man who would weaken my regard for any human being. I consider, too that persons are cast into different moulds; and that to ask myself, What should I do in that person's situation? is not a just mode of judging. I must not expect a man that is naturally cold and reserved to act as one that is naturally warm and affectionate; and I think it a great evil that people do not make more allowances for each other in this particular. I think religious people are too little attentive to these considerations. Simeon.

THE FEMALE CAPACITY.-Women, in their course of action, describe a smaller circle than men; but the perfection of a circle consists not in its dimensions, but in its correctness. There may be here and there a soaring female who looks down with dis

dain on the paltry affairs of "this dim speck called earth;" who despises order and regularity as indications of a grovelling spirit; but a sound mind judges directly contrary. The larger the capacity, the wider is the space of duties it takes in. Proportion and propriety are among the best secrets of domestic wisdom; and there is no surer test of integrity and judgment than a well-proportioned expenditure.-More.

SUGGESTIONS TO TEACHERS.-" A common mode of teaching a child the letters of the alphabet has been to point them all out in succession, until they were remembered by the child in their consecutive order. This is a slow and unsatisfactory method. The impression of each letter on the mind is erased by that which is shown next. A better way is to call the child's attention to only one or two letters at a lesson, give their sounds very distinctly, speak about their appearance, and let him look at them until he can distinguish them, and call their sounds or names. The following plan will be found to be quite original, and its results will afford the greatest satisfaction. Cut out the large letters from this book, and, putting them at a little distance off,

ask him to fetch A, or N, or W, as you may determine.

THE REFORMATION.-When I call to mind how the bright and blissful Reformation, by divine power, shook through the black and settled night of ignorance and anti-Christian tyranny, after so many dark ages, wherein the huge, overshadowing train of error had almost swept all the stars out of the firmament of the Church, methinks sovereign and reviving joy must needs rush upon the bosom of him that reads or hears, and the sweet odour of the returning gospel imbathe his soul with the fragrancy of heaven. Then was the sacred Bible sought out of the dusty corners, where profane falsehood and neglect had thrown it; the schools opened, Divine and human learning was raked out of the embers of forgotten tongues, the prince and cities came trooping apace to the newly-erected banner of salvation; the martyrs, with the unresistible might of weakness, shaking the powers of darkness and scorning the fiery rage of the old red dragon.-Milton.

The smallest hair casts a shadow; the most trifling act has its consequences, if not here, at least hereafter.

HYMN.

BY MRS. L. H. SIGOURNEY.
Ir is not meet for man, O Lord,
Who dwells in tents of clay,
To plant his hope upon the sands
That waves may wash away.

Nor twine his love round broken reeds,
Or to the thankless thorn,

Nor cast it on the frozen waste
Of falsehood and of scorn;

Nor gather gold in secret heaps,
Insatiate still for more,

To work the ruin of his heirs,
Or swell a stranger's store;

But rather, while on earth below,
His fleeting life is lent,

In whatsoever state he is,

Therewith to be content.

Place hope and love supreme on Thee,

To Thee confide his care;

And lay his treasure up in heaven,

And seek a mansion there.

CONNEXIONAL DEPARTMENT.

HOME MISSION-OPENING OF BOLTON CHAPEL.

Ir is gratifying to all who love the cause of Christ to know that our Home Mission is not merely commenced, but that we have erected our FIRST HOME MISSION CHAPEL, and are about to open it.

We wish to call the attention of the Connexion to this circumstance, for the purpose of reviving their zeal, encouraging the hearts of our people, and calling forth a Connexional demonstration. It is one of the many marks in our onward progress-a Connexional event which cannot be looked upon but with peculiar pleasure, and which, we think, augurs well for our future prosperity.

Let some interest be manifested in these services by the friends in the Connexion rallying round us. Let there be a display of Christian zeal, unity and love. We wish to make our opening services tell upon our cause here by exciting holy spiritual desires, leading poor sinners to Jesus, and thus promote the extension of his kingdom, and also by benefiting the Mission in a pecuniary point of view. If our friends will come to see us we can show them "our holy and beautiful house"-in this respect the first fruit of our Home Mission. It is worthy of the solemn purpose for which it is built the worship of Almighty God; and reflects credit upon the community by whose instrumentality it has been raised.

We wish, if it were possible, to place the chapel out of debt, that the income may be devoted to the ministry, and Bolton become self-supporting. This is the point to which we must turn our attention; for the less burden we have pressing upon us here the better for the Mission Fund, and the sooner this station becomes self-supporting. Our friends must remember, that by helping us at the opening they are doing good to the Mission Fund, and preparing our way as a community for entering upon other spheres of labour. Who can think of the towns and cities of this country in which we have no interest without feelings of regret? If we are to be known we must unfurl our banners: not wait for the people to come to us, we must go to them. It is time we took a bolder stand against sin and the various forms of error with which we are surrounded. Alas! what infidelity, what scepticism, what Sabbath-breaking, what

worldliness, what intemperance, what in-
difference to religion prevail in this land!
Enough to call down upon the people
the just judgment of God. Satan reigns
and triumphs, the hosts of hell rejoice,
"the world lies in the arms of the
wicked one!" What are we doing to
prevent this?
How deeply important
is this inquiry! The last census shows
that the population is rapidly increasing.
"Men are multiplying on the earth;"
but the Church of God has not increased
in the same proportion. There may
possibly be more of the form of godli-
ness, but the power is wanting.

The question of education is agitating the public mind, and much is being done to elevate the people, and lift them from the depths of ignorance to the heights of intelligence and virtue. We rejoice in this. But are we making as rapid advances towards Calvary, to the purity and simplicity of gospel truth? I fear

not.

The exciting question of Church government is at this moment engaging the serious attention of the religious public. Men freely discuss this subject. The result in the end will be the spread of sound scriptural enlightened views. But, alas! whilst the forms of Church government are calling forth the attention of men, what progress are we making spiritually? Are souls being converted to God?-are the ranks of Israel swelling with brave, holy and generous hearts, going forth with the daring of spiritual heroes to meet the foe? It is possible that there may be more contention for forms of Church government than for the salvation of the perishing ones. If this be so, it is substituting the lesser for the greater. Both are necessary, but the one is infinitely important. Whilst, as a community, we are satisfied with our rules, with the relation of the ministers and people in the government of our Churches, and feel we are on the rock of truth, let us remember it is not this that will convert the world, but that glorious consummation must be brought about by the spread of pure evangelical DOCTRINES taught by us. It is by the publication of those that we are to make our way among the people. It is by preaching Christ we are to become numerous and great. Here lies our strength, our future hope. The kingdom of darkness is gaining ground upon us; we are not

« AnteriorContinuar »