going on at the present time? That the powers of the mind are enlarged and enlarging, is evident from the fact, and it is an every-day remark, that young children acquire knowledge more readily now than was formerly the case, and have keener perceptions than their parents enjoyed at similar periods of their life to which may be added the following testimony extracted from the evidence of Captain Maconochie, given before the Select Committee of the House of Lords appointed to inquire into the execution of the criminal law, especially respecting juvenile offenders and transportation, 1847:

"It has been a question whether the standard of education has risen or not in the criminal class of late years. Now I had two classes of prisoners with me in Norfolk Island, one of men who had been, for the most part, from ten to twelve years out in the colonies; another who had not been above three or four. The standard of education was only in a slight degree higher among the new prisoners than among the old, but the degree of educability was prodigiously improved. Men even who know nothing, take to education much more readily of late than they did, showing that the criminal mind is opening, as it were."

This influx of light, be it remembered, imparts only a power; for it is an effect produced by the unobscured light of that sun whose rays are poured equally on the evil and on the good, and which, as it does not invade the liberty of its subject, the power it confers may be wielded for the basest or for the most benevolent of ends. Now, do we not see this exemplified, at the present extraordinary era, in the evident spread of infidelity? For France appears to offer no evidence of improvement in this respect, while her intellectual neighbour, styled par excellence, Protestant, must now, if truth be consulted, relinquish all claim to this honourable distinction, and submit to be denominated Infidel Germany. In the United States of America, too, it appears that the various sections of the professing Christian Church, with three exceptions, are decreasing; these exceptions are Romanists, Unitarians, and New Church Christians; and as the increase of these, taken together, does not approach to the amount of the increase of the population, it is obvious that infidelity is adding to its numbers there on a similar gigantic scale to that in which the nation itself expands. The evidence from the penal colonies leads to the same unhappy conclusion. In the Journal of the Statistical Society of London, for March, 1845, the following statements are made by the late Superintendent of Norfolk Island:

"The degree of education among the newly arrived prisoners is higher than among the old ones. When they read or write at all, they

do both better than the others. Their minds are also generally more active and educable; they covet a better class of books, and more readily acquire general, though superficial information from them. On the other hand, I am sorry to add that these same prisoners who are thus distinguished among us for superior education and educability, are not less remarkable for indifference to their religious duties and careless reception of religious instruction. In both particulars it is curious to see that they not unfrequently give offence even to the older hands. Whatever the cause, the older prisoners, without being the better men for it, are peculiarly accessible to religious exhortation and impression, and show much respect to religious addresses. They thus come readily to church; they listen with extreme attention to any sermons in the least suited to them, and they are frequently deeply moved by one bearing on their individual circumstances. But as a class, the newly arrived prisoners exhibit appearances almost the reverse of these. They come unwillingly to church; they not unfrequently misconduct themselves when there. I have had occasion to sentence many to sit for different periods on the front benches, immediately in my own view; and several even have been brought before me by their better-minded companions, for arguing that religion was a hoax, supported by the better classes in order to controul the lower."-Pages 38—9.

Other evidence might be adduced in proof of the assertion that infidelity is advancing with rapidly-appalling speed and withering step, and that the direful evil attendant in her train is, THE PREVALENCE OF How is the progress of the evil to be checked-the plague to

CRIME.

be stayed?

One of the acts of the Committee, from whose report we have already quoted, was that of circulating a list comprising twenty-seven questions, addressed to the judges and other great law officers and eminent men, who, by their learning, position, and experience, were well qualified to give valuable information and weighty opinions on the subject of the Committee's investigations. It is, however, with the last only of these questions that we here have to do, and to this there are thirty-four replies; from these we select five, in the sentiments of which all the rest concur. The following is the question:

"How far may we hope that good education, including therein infant training, as well as sound religious and moral instruction, will by its preventive effect lessen considerably the prevalence of crime?"

Baron Alderson." I have no difficulty in answering this. Our best hopes rest upon a good and religious course of education for the people-an education which shall mainly be directed to the teaching

them their duties to God and man, rather than merely giving them information. I do not undervalue the latter-I only think it of immeasurably less value than the former."

Lord Moncreiff." Certainly the best chance of preventing crime of every kind is to be found in a good education, including infant training, and the instruction of the early youth in sound religious and moral knowledge."

Mr. Justice Crampton." The Bible is the great instrument for the moralization as well as the salvation of men, and I have no doubt that a sound education upon Bible principles, including therein infant training, will, by its preventive effect, lessen very considerably the prevalence of crime. And I am equally of opinion that mere literary or moral teaching can never produce that beneficial result.'

Mr. Justice Jackson." I am deeply persuaded that good education, including infant training, as well as sound religious and moral instruction, will afford, under the blessing of Almighty God, the best security for the diminution and prevention of crime; and I think, making adequate and judicious arrangements for this object, would be to confer one of the greatest blessings upon our country."

Chief Justice Wilde.-"I have the strongest assurance that good education, including infant training, as well as sound religious and moral instruction, will, by its preventive effect, lessen considerably the prevalence of crime."

A condensation of the whole will give, as may be seen from the above specimens, the following postulate :-That education, combining religious and moral instruction drawn from the Bible, will afford the best security for the diminution and prevention of crime; and the making adequate and judicious arrangements for this object, is to confer one of the greatest blessings on our country.

It appears evident, then,-1st. That preparation is necessary before a New Dispensation can be received. 2nd. That preparation, of an hitherto unknown quality and extent, has commenced by the opening of the mind, and the consequent excitement of a thirst for the acquisition of knowledge, and the endowment of a larger and increasing capacity for its reception. 3rd. That the only efficient means for making this diffused desire for knowledge, and increased capacity for its reception, available for good, is that of training the juvenile mind in the love of God and of man by truth, founded on, and drawn directly from, the Word of God.

Now, who are competent to render the required tuition except those who are possessed of the heavenly doctrines of the New

Jerusalem? And on them, consequently, devolves the responsibility arising from neglect of, or attention to, this duty-from doing nothing or coöperating in that good work which, if done well, “will confer one of the greatest blessings on our country." Will you who have the light, and, like the eagle, rejoice in its beams, will you selfishly refuse to emulate its source, the sun, which imparts of his effulgence to all? But you cannot individually assemble, the rising generation arend you, and lead them thus to drink of the living waters; but you can, each in his sphere and according to his means, assist those institutions which, acting (it may be, as yet, but imperceptibly) on the masses, are unquestionably coöperating with the Divine Providence in PREPARING THE WAY FOR THE DESCENT, in fullness, of the New Dispensation.

Let us, then, my brethren, zealously support our schools, in the fall confidence that not a child can receive instruction therein but he will carry with him into the world those remains—those impressions and principles of goodness and of truth which, if not extinguished by a life of determined evil, must inevitably come forth and act upon that local circle of which every individual becomes a centre, and which will also prepare him for the citizenship of the Holy City of the New Jerusalem while he abides in this world, and will continue him a member of its blessed community hereafter in heaven for ever.

A. E.

"IN YOUR PATIENCE POSSESS YE YOUR SOULS."

(LUKE xxi. 19.)

PATIENCE is often named in Scripture as one of the essential virtues and graces of the Christian life. We are to bring forth fruit with patience. (Luke viii. 15.) Tribulation, says the Apostle, worketh patience. (Rom. v. 3.) He prays that we may be strengthened with all might to all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness. (Col. i. 11.) We are to follow after love, patience, meekness,. &c. (1 Tim. vi. 11.) It is by patience that the promises are inherited. (Heb. v. 12.) We are to run with patience the race set before us. (Heb. xii. 1.) The trying of our faith worketh patience. (James i. 3.) The Lord knoweth our patience. (Rev. ii. 2.) And if we keep the word of his patience, he will keep us from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world. (Rev. iii. 10.)

Patience is that endurance and fortitude, and that constancy and firmness to principle, which marks the Christian life, as one of its

distinguished and prominent features.

In our merely natural state we are prone to vacillation, wavering, and indecision, and we often "halt between two opinions," whether we will serve the Lord or Baal, God or Mammon. Patience is the ground on which the internal man stands against the excitements and assaults of the external. If this ground be wanting, the internal man cannot stand in the hour of temptation; the enemy-infernal spirits-in the gate will conquer, and the external will triumph. Our spiritual progress may be ascertained and measured by our patience. If we possess this heavenly attainment, shall enjoy a spirit of resignation to the dispensations of Providence which will diffuse serenity and peace throughout the mind, "such as the world can neither give nor take away." Thus patience is the guardian of faith: "to possess our souls in patience," is, consequently, to protect and preserve the life of faith when assaulted by temptations from evils and falses. (A. E. 813.) For the life of faith is denoted in Scripture by the term soul, anima, or breath, which, as being the life of the lungs, corresponds to the intellectual life of the mind, which is properly faith; and the term heart, which we are to keep with all diligence, corresponds to the life of love, or charity, which is properly the life of the will. Thus patience is the cherisher of heavenly love, as well as the guardian of faith. Our patience becomes manifest if, when reviled, we revile not again,-when persecuted and slandered, we pray for the persecutor,when cursed, we bless, &c. In this manner spiritual life is preserved, the internal man increases in strength, and patience is the panoply, or the armour of God, by which we are protected in the hour of temptation. Thus patience is the preserver of heavenly peace, and the teacher of humility. "Impatience," says Swedenborg, "is a corporeal affection," (A. C. 3827.) and, of course, is peculiar to the natural man; whereas patience, properly regarded, is a spiritual affection, and is peculiar to the internal or spiritual man, and is one of the heavenly fruits of the spirit. It restrains and governs the cupidities of the external mind, strengthens the nobler motives and resolutions, sweetens the temper, stifles resentment and anger, subdues pride, extinguishes envy, bridles the tongue, and refrains the hands from even the appearance of violence. Patience produces harmony and concord in families and societies, makes us humble in prosperity, cheerful in adversity, resigned in sickness and in the infirmities of age, and sheds a cheering ray through the dark chamber of sorrow. The Lord's divine patience was signified by these words in Isaiah-"He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and, as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth."