hating iniquity; let him be seen, "making all things for himself, yea, even the wicked for the day of evil;" let him be held forth to view, as the Sovereign Potter, forming whom he will into vessels of mercy, to the praise of the glory of his grace, and equally forming whom he will into vessels of wrath, to the praise of the glory of his justice; let him be seen, determining to show his wrath and make his power known" in punishing sin, as well as determining to show his mercy in the salvation of some; let these things be solemnly and earnestly pressed upon the audience, and there will be feeling. Saints will feel; and sinners too will feel, in view of these things. So deep solemnity, and so earnest attention, I have never witnessed, under the exhibition of any other subjects, as has usually attended the exhibition of these. Let Christ be exhibited, as having the same feelings with the Father, delighting in justice as really as in mercy; and rejoicing in spirit and saying, "I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes; even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight." Let the law of God be exhibited, which binds the sinner to love this holy and righteous Sovereign, and denounces eternal death as the just penalty for the slightest failure, and which requires every one to " accept the punishment of his iniquity," and say amen to the penalty which it denounces upon him; let it be seen that the law reaches to the heart, and condemns selfishness in every form; let it be seen, that all those religious affections and performances which have self for their object, are transgressions of the law, and that, for this reason, "the ploughing of the wicked is sin, and the prayer of the wicked is abomination;" let it be understood, that the pray. ers, and cries, and tears, and resolutions, and promises, and efforts, which sinners make, and all the steps they take in order to get converted, before actual submission to God, are nothing but sin; and let them be warned against all such things so done, ana be pressed with the duty of instant submission to the penalty of the law, and a cordial reconciliation to the justice and sovereignty of God; let this be earnestly and solemnly done, and there is some hope that they may be brought under conviction. Let them see, that God has a right to save or destroy them as he pleases; that nothing which they do, and nothing which christians do, lays God under the least obligation to save them; that he has made no promises to save them; and that there is nothing in the whole book of God which affords any ground for any one yet in his sins to believe that he shall be saved; let him see that he is in the hands of God and cannot get out of his hands, and that it is altogether uncertain, as yet what God means to do with him; and when all his sins appear in array before him, and the enmity of his heart against God is strongly felt, and he is pressed in his conscience to the performance of that duty to which his whole heart is opposed; then he will be likely to see that he is in an evil case, and that there is no hope for him, unless God shall be pleased, not for his sake, but for his own name's sake, to stretch out his almighty arm, and subdue the enmity of his heart. In this situation, I have seen some among you, as I trust, brought, by the new creating energy of the Holy Spirit, to let go their hold upon their own interest, to consent to the penalty of the law in their own case, and to be filled with admiring views of the holiness and justice and adorable sovereignty of the glorious God. nature of experimental religion should be clearly exhibited at such a time, and be carefully distinguished from all counterfeits; that christians may see what is wrong in themselves, and repent it, and not exalt themselves in their own eyes for that which God abhors; and that those who are awakened may not be deceived with a false hope. The true nature of prayer should be shown, and its duty urged, the prayer of faith in God and not faith in ourselves, that prayer which expresses more confidence in the wisdom and goodness of our Heavenly Father, than in our own, and leaves our requests before him, to be granted or denied, as he shall see best. The office work of the Holy Spirit should be shown, in making men holy, as consisting not merely in persuasion, by the exhibition of motives, but in giving efficacy to those motives by his new creating energy, by the same exertion of almighty power which raised Christ from the dead, And this should be done, that christisns may feel their dependence upon him, and realize that they are "his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works;" and that sinners may feel, that, though they are able to do what God requires, and are justly condemned for not being willing, yet, there is no hope that they ever will be willing, unless God makes them willing in the day of his power. False religion should be exposed, in all those forms of it by which saints and sinners are usually deceived, and to accomplish which Satan transforms himself into an angel of light. And both christians and sinners should be stripped of every excuse and driven from every refuge of lies, that they may be effectually humbled, and brought to repent and turn to God. In short, I would have all the exercises of such a character, that the whole tendency of the meeting should be, to present truth to the mind, and press it upon the conscience; to strengthen the hands of the faithful minister, to increase his influence, and the influence, of the church, in their efforts to mantain the ascendency of evangelical sentiments, and to stay the progress of error and irreligion; and thus to promote the glory of God, the peace of the church and the salvation of men. SHORT SENTENCES-Do more good than long speeches-we can remember the one, while we can scarcely find time to read the other. One is like a guide post, distinctly pointing out our way; the other like a general map, in which we are puzzled, after a long search, to find where we are. Neither Solomon nor Solon, Napoleon nor Franklin, made long speeches. 66 CLERICAL DOMINATION. A Circulur appeared in the Boston Recorder, under date of August 26th, 1831, addressed to the "Congregational and Presbyterian Churches in the United States," signed by Z. L. BARSTOW, one appointed by the General Association of New Hampshire to signify the regular standing of ministers and licentiates in their connexion." In this communication, which "the several papers in the United States were requested to publish," it was stated, that "the Rev. EZEKIEL RICH, a member of the Monadnock Association, was not in a proper condition to be received as a minister of the gospel, on account of certain injurious reports, which the Association had appointed a Committee to investigate." This "Committee" sign their names to a Postscript, in which they say, they "fully agree with the Rev. Mr. Barstow, in the opinion, that the churches ought not to fellowship him (Rev. Mr. Rich,) till his conduct is cleared up." The above appeared to us, at the time, as a novel, hasty, oppressive, and ridiculous transaction;—novel, as we had never heard of an Association, that had undertaken to silence a minister before he was tried ;-hasty, as it put a veto upon their brother's ministrations, before the "reports" in circulation had even been examined;-oppressive, as it tended in a high degree to impeach the character of Rev. Mr. Rich, before being heard in his own defence, and to excite prejudices against him in the minds of the christian public, which it might cost him, however innocent, much labor and time to remove ;-and lastly, ridiculous, as this Rev. Mr. Barstow assumes the archi-episcopal power of suspending a minister, when he had been appointed merely "to signify the regular standing of ministers ;" and while he has the brotherly-kindness to admit the impropriety of "judging his case without a fair hearing," he authoritatively "enjoins it upon the churches, not to receive him," till after the "contemplated examination"!! We do not think it strange, that the General Association of New Hampshire, at their next meeting, should drop Mr. Barstow (as we are told they did,) from his office of "signifying the regular standing of ministers." But we did think it strange, that for so many months, the public should hear nothing from the Committee "to take measures for investigating reports against Rev. Ezekiel Rich," nor from the Monadnock Association; nor does it much diminish our wonder, to be informed, that no "examination" has been instituted, that Mr. Rich has not beeu heard, and that the Association have taken no order on the subject! It gives us pleasure to state, that we have seen a certificate of the good ministerial standing of Rev. Mr. Rich, signed by "one of the General Association of New Hampshire appointed to signify the regular standing of ministers, dated since the current year commenced; and also the testimonials of several very respectable ministers (to which may be added our own,) to Rev. Mr. Rich's piety, pulpit talents, and regular standing in the Christian Ministry. MARTYRDOM OF POLYCARP. Marcus Antoninus, at the age of twelve years, embraced the rigid system of the stoical philosophy, which he also endeavored to inculcate on the minds of his subjects. He even condescended to read lectures of philosophy to the Roman people, in a manner, says Gibbon, who eulogizes his character, more public than was consistent with the modesty of a sage, or the dignity of an emperor. Under his reign commenced what is generally accounted the fourth persecution of the Christians. It is not improbable that he had beheld with an anxious eye the lenity which had been shown them by his predecessors, and that the occasional interruptions that had been given them were at least with his connivance. Certain it is, that no sooner had he attained to the full exercise of power, than he completely discarded the tolerant principles of Antonius Pius, and threw open once more all the flood gates of persecution. The churches of Asia appear to have suffered dreadfully at this period. Polycarp was pastor of the church in Smyrna, an office which he had held for more than eighty years, and which he had filled up with honor to himself, to the edification of his Christian brethren, and the glory of his Divine Master. It only remained for him now to seal his testimony with his blood. The eminence of his station marked him out as the victim of popular fury. The cry of the multitude against Polycarp was, "This is the doctor of Asia, the father of the Christians, the subverter of our Gods, who teaches many that they must not perform the sacred rights, nor worship any of our deities. Away with these atheists." The philosophy of the emperor could not teach him that this pretended atheism was a real virtue, which deserved to be encouraged and propagated among mankind. Here reason and philosophy failed him, and his blind attachment to the gods of his country caused him to shed much blood, and to become the destroyer of the saints of the living God. The friends of Polycarp, anxious for his safety, prevailed on him to withdraw himself from public view, and retire to a neigh boring village, which he did, continuing with a few of his brethren, day and night, in prayer to God for the tranquility of all the churches. The most diligent search was in the mean time made for him, without effect. But when his enemies proceeded to put some of his brethren to the torture, with the view of compelling them to betray him, he could no longer be prevailed on to remain concealed. "The will of the Lord be done!" was his pious ejaculation. On uttering which, he made a voluntary surrender of himself to his persecutors, saluted them with a cheerful countenance, and invited them to refresh themselves at his table, only soliciting from them on his own behalf one hour for prayer. They granted his request, and his devotions were prolonged to double the period, with such sweetness and savor that all who heard him were struck with admiration, several of the soldiers repenting that they were employed against so venerable an old man. His prayer being ended, they set him on an ass, and conveyed him towards the city, being met on the road by Herod the Irenarch, (a kind of justice of the peace,) and his father Nicetes, who were chief agents in this persecution. Many efforts were tried to shake his constancy, and induce him to abjure his profession. At one time he was threatened by the proconsul with the fury of wild beasts. "Call for them," said Polycarp, "It does not become us to turn from good to evil." "Seeing you make so light of wild beasts," rejoined the magistrate, "I will tame you with the more horrible punishment of fire." But Polycarp bravely replied, "You threaten me with a fire that is quickly extinguished, but are ignorant of the eternal fire of God's judgment reserved for the wicked in the other world. But why do you delay? Order what punishment you please." Thus finding him impenetrable both to the arts of seduction and the dread of punishment, the fire was commanded to be lighted, and the body of this venerable father burnt to ashes, in the year 166.-Jones' Church History. POETRY. From the Religious Intelligencer. There is a pathos in the following beautiful lines, which must touch the heart of those who can feel for other's woes. We hope those to whom it is addressed will regard the supplication-"PRAY FOR US." LETTER FROM A CHEROKEE CHILD TO THE CHILDREN OF THE We had a teacher, and his voice was kind |