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tians could not sit down in a state of carnal ease, and merely. speculate on the love of God, as is the case with dry barren hy-. pocrites; but they arose that same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together; and they warmed their hearts also, by rapturously exclaiming, "The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simou!" O may this celestial fire, by which Christ warms the hearts of his disciples, spread far beyond the British shores, and finally bring about that glorious period, "when the knowledge of the Lord shall overspread the earth as the waters cover the sea!" Reader, has the Lord warmed thy heart? Go thou and imitate the conduct of these disciples, by attempting to warm the hearts of thy desponding brethren.

Haslemere."

G. W.

A HINT TO THE FAIR SEX.

I will that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array, but (which becometh women_profess, ing godliness) with good works.

Mr. Editor,

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PAUL.

BEING Conversant with various editions of the Bible, and finding that the printers (as well those employed by our own Universities as those of Scotland) are fallible men; and that, in consequence of this circumstance, omissions and errors are not unfrequently to be met with, I have been led to doubt whether the passage above cited, which stands very conspicuous in all the copies of the New Testament which have come under my inspection, may not in some others have been accidentally omitted; for I cannot otherwise see any consistency in the conduct of many of my sex, who, while they profess attachment to the doctrines contained in that sacred volume, can yet comply with certain fashions which are manifestly opposite to one of its plainest precepts.

I acknowledge, Mr. Editor, that I am not among the number of those who conceive it necessary to hang out a sign of my religion, by adopting a studied singularity of dress. I blame not those worthy females who, from conscientious motives, do this; but I am sure they will agree with me, that it is of much more importance to have Religion seated in the heart, than to wear the semblance of it upon the head. Acting upon this persuasion, I do not scruple to practise a moderate conformity to the fashions, so far as decency permits; but the moment I conceive the strict boundaries of this invaluable feminine virtue to be infringed, I an constrained to stop, I cannot, I dare not advance another. step; for I am firmly of opinion that no argument, nor train of

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arguments, derived from fashion, convenience, or any other source whatever, can furnish the smallest excuse for a voluntary and deliberate deviation from the dictates of that lovely principle of modesty which nature (or we would rather say, the God of Nature) has implanted in the female bosom, at once to augment and to guard every other amiable accomplishment.

Such being my views, Mr. Editor, I confess that I do not often meet a party of young persons of my own sex, without experiencing, on the behalf of some of them, something of that shamefacedness spoken of by the apostle in that text. I am astonished, as well as concerned, that women who think themselves authorized to look down upon that unhappy part of the fair creation whom vice has branded with infamy, with pity, perhaps with contempt, should yet choose to approach so near to a level with them, that the one is not, by external appearances, easily distinguishable from the other. If this paper should happen to fall under the notice of any of these votaries of fashion, who pretend no higher claim to the Christian name than merely that they were born in a land where it is customary to be baptized into it, it is probable that they will consider the opinion of St. Paul as too antiquated to be consulted in the present day. To such I would venture to suggest an argument which may, perhaps, have greater weight; namely, that I am convinced, from what I have heard from the lips of the other sex (who, however civility may fetter their tongues in the company of those who dress in the way referred to, speak their sentiments freely before those who do not) that, whatever may be the taste of the libertine and rake, there is not a man whose good opinion is worth obtaining or preserving, who is not disgusted at the appearance of a lady attired in the height of the present mode.

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But I wish the evil went no farther. If we are shocked at the practices alluded to in the giddy and dissipated, how much more are we grieved and wounded when we see those whom we consider as sisters in the gospel, and fellow-heirs of the grace of Christ, giving, by their own appearance, but too much countenance to the custom we complain of. Perhaps, many of these may be thoughtlessly led into the error, conceiving that there can be no harm in doing as others do. But, O my sister, suffer me to ask you, Does not the sacred book we profess to take as the rule of our conduct, prohibit us from following a multitude to do evil? To you we are persuaded a word will suffice; - on your minds we are sure the injunction of the Most High, by the mouth of his Apostle, which stands at the head of this paper (and which, if you have not before noticed, you may find by turning to 1 Tim. ii. 9, 10.) will have its due influence. We do not call upon you to discard all the decent ornaments of dress, for we well know that these are spoken of in many parts of the inspired

writings without reproach, and in some even with approbation, But we do call upon you to come out from the world, and to be separate, whenever its customs or maxims run counter to the precepts of Him, whose we are, and whom it is at once our duty and our highest privilege to serve. We do call upon you to dare to be singularly pious; and to set your faces like a flint against every fashion, however general, which is inconsistent with the plain, simple, and unchangeable morality of the gos pel. MODESTIA,

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You have attended with great condescension to the complaints of Pew-Openers and others, and, therefore, I hope you will listen with patience while I relate to you the strange manner in which I am sometimes affected in a place of worship. I know not exactly by what specific term to characterise my disorder, nor can I think of any thing in the whole Materia Medica that is likely to reach my case. It is a species of nausea in my stomach but the existing causes are not irregularity of living, nor unwholesome food; nor am I seized with it anywhere but at church or chapel. The symptoms usually attack me after the preacher has been a few minutes in the pulpit, though I have known them excited by his manner of ascending the pulpit

stairs.

I will state to you the peculiarities which I conceive to be the real causes of my affliction, for it is not one minister in fifty that so distresses me. A pulpit-fop, arrayed in all the insignia of affectation, disorders me more than any thing. 1 never shall forget how I felt when, on lifting up my eyes to the sacred desk, in a place where a genteel auditory were assembled, I beheld an exact representation of a Bond-Street Beau, with a fashionable brush upon his head, and an enormous broach in the bosom of his shirt, of which the wearer seemed not a little vain. Thus equipped, he rose with self-complacent dignity, and placed himself in the most bewitching attitude. This, Mr. Editor, was too much for my poor stomach. However, I continued to keep my place, and heard rather impatiently, what the gentlemen, I dare say, thought a very elegant discourse, of about twenty-five minutes. There was nothing in the matter of the sermon, Mr. Editor, to which I could object. It was the same gospel which Peter delivered when three thousand were pricked to the heart; but it had none of Peter's plainness, nothing of his fervour, nothing of his cutting energy and faithfulness; and, if a wound had been given to the conscience of a wretched sinner, none in the assembly, to all appearance, would have been more

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alarmed than the preacher. I felt a little recovered just as we were about to retire; but all the symptoms of my disorder returned when this clerical beau gave us the blessing; when, with outstretched hands (in the attitude of a bishop at confirmation) he made a gradual semicircular motion with his hands, gracefully bowed, and sat down. I thought of Him who spake as never man spake; I thought of Paul, I thought of Peter, and I was sick at heart.

The pulpit-actor is another character from whom I have greatly suffered; and I hope never to meet him again. I can assure you, Mr. Editor, I have seen stage-tricks in the pulpit that would have been hissed at the theatre as over-done. A youth of this theatrical cast was the other Sabbath relating to his auditory the story of Altamont, from Dr. Young: he acted the dying man with such effect, that every body pitied him; and when he seemed to sink under the weight of a thousand mountains, the ladies were alarmed. It completely overcame me; but not exactly in the way the orator intended: he was in a feigned agony, mine was real. I saw the pulpit degraded, and felt that my understanding was insulted.

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The last character I shall introduce, which has produced in my stomach all the effect of an emetic, is the pulpit ape. You and I, Mr. Editor, know a preacher who is in earnest in the sacred cause, who detests affectation, and who has cultivated with great success the eloquence of the pulpit. When he stands up, we forget the man, the subject is every thing: he touches every chord of the human heart. His celebrity has produced an host of imitators. The other day a little meagre-looking man in appearance (the reverse of the minister to whom I allude) ascended the pulpit. I was just before him he began to speak; and before he had uttered five sentences, my disorder became violent. In voice and gesture he resembled Mr.

nothing else.

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Perhaps, Mr. Editor, were you to insert in your Magazine this statement of my disorder, and its existing causes, it might be of benefit to those whom it may concern; and let them not think that I am a puritanical old-fashioned sort of a fellow. I wish to see a minister a gentleman, not a fop. I think pulpit-oratory of considerable importance; but I think it very remote from the attitude and gesture of a player. A minister is to speak, not to act; and if the great motives of love to God, and love to souls animate him, he will forget himself. Every man should cultivate his own manner; and his principal business in the study of oratory is to avoid faults. The end of preaching should be always kept in view, and when this is the case, a sensible man will seldom err in his manner of preaching, so as to prevent effect. I am afraid the sources of foppery, trickery, and mimicry in the pulpit, are selfishness and pride. I am, Sir, yours, &c.

THE PRESENT MOMENT IMPROVED.

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WHEN Pyrrhus, king of Epirus, was making great preparations for his intended expedition into Italy, Cincas, the philosopher, took a favourable opportunity of addressing him thus: "The Romans, Sir," said he, "are reported to be a warlike and victorious people; but if God permit us to overcome them, what use shall we make of the victory ?" Thou askest,' said Pyrrhus, 'a thing that is self-evident: The Romans once conquered,no city will resist us; we shall then be masters of all Italy.' Cineas added, “And having subdued Italy, what shall we do next?" Pyrrhus, not yet aware of his intention, replied, "Sicily next stretches out her arms to receive us." That is very probable," said Cineas; "but will the possession of Sicily put an end to the war?" God grant us success in that,' answered Pyrrhus, and we shall make these only the forerunners of greater things; for then Lybia and Carthage will soon be ours: and these conquests being completed, none of our enemies can offer any further resistance.' Very true," added Cineas, "for then we may easily regain Macedon, and make an absolute conquest of Greece; and when all these are in our possession, what shall we do then?" Pyrrhus, smiling, answered, Why then, my dear friend, we will live at our ease, drink all day long, and amuse ourselves with cheerful conversation." When Cineas had brought Pyrrhus to this point, he said, "Well, Sir, and why may we not do all this now, and without the labour and hazard of enterprizes so laborious and uncertain ?”

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The greater part of mankind is as unwilling to take the advice of the philosopher as Pyrrhus was, who ardently engaged in these ambitious pursuits, and at last perished in them.

"Of man's miraculous mistakes this bears

The palm: "That all men are about to live,"
For ever on the brink of being born!"

There is a wonderful propensity in man to engage in vain pursuits; to live in a constant bustle; and to expect in the future success of his projects the satisfaction he might at once enjoy. "Men have a secret instinct," says the famous Pascal, " prompting them to seek employment or recreation; which proceeds from no other cause but the sense of their inward pain, and neverceasing torment. They have another secret instinct, a relique of their primitive nature, which assures them that the sum of their happiness consists in ease and repose; and upon these two oppo site instincts, they form one confused design, lurking in the secret recesses of their soul, which engages them to prosecute the latter by the intervention of the former, and constantly to persuade themselves, that the satisfaction they have hitherto wanted will infallibly attend them, if, by surmounting certain difficulties, which they now look in the face, they may open a passage to peace and tranquillity.

XV...

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