are conscious that they have done to other matters of science? It certainly affords a presumption in favor of Christianity, that those men who have been most famous in the world for the cultivation of their intellectual pow ers, and are acknowledged on all sides to have carried the im glance; but which requires nice and accurate management, with assiduous labor and cultivation, to make it a useful and safe guide to us, in avoiding error, and arriving at truth. It is not, like the senses of the body, perfect at once; but, like a diamond in its natural state, it is put rough into our hands to pol-provement of them to the greatish and improve by art and care. So much is this the case, that the improvement of our reason is taught by rule, and learnt as a science. Nothing more than the application of this remark is needful to confound our common infidels. Do they talk of their | reason not suffering them to embrace Christianity? Let us ask them, whether they have made a right use of reason in determining the question. Have they practised all the rules which logicians lay down for the government of the understanding in its enquiries after truth? Have they cautiously guarded, in particular, against the influence of the passions in this business; and that more especially, because here more than any where, it may be expected to prevail unless great care be taken? Have they turned the subject on all sides, and considered it in all its parts; not satisfying themselves with a hasty, irregular and partial examination? These questions could not fail to silence them, if they had either sense or modesty. The general run of infidels are no logicians, and of those who are, how few, speaking honestly, will say, that they have as seriously, cautiously, and impartially applied the laws of sound reasoning to the exam1. of this subject, as they est height, have been sincere believers, and warm defenders of this religion. ON SIN, AS AN OFFENCE AGAINST GOD. How little perception is there, even in the Christian world, of the evil of Sin, as it is a transgression of God's law! The authority of God is little contemplated. If a man's conscience reprove him for some vicious act, it is because of the irregu larity and turpitude he sees in it, or on account of the injury which it may do to society; but that which is the grand aggravation of the crime-its being done against the will and authority of God, and therefore an act of rebellion-is little tho't of, and little affects the conscience. That this is really the case appears from hence, that many of those people who pass for good moral characters in the world, commonly regulate their conduct by considerations of moral fitness or unfitness, which are wholly independent of the divine command or prohibition. What merely stands on God's authority they see little evil in, and have no great scruple about doing or not doing. Their own ease or humour, the least possible present convenience or advantage, determines their con duct, and becomes a law to them, in preference to the bare mo tive of obeying or disobeying | true indexes to the state of the mind, because good actions may proceed from bad principles.With other men's principles in God. Hence, to most persons, Adam's sin seems a trifle, because committed only against a positive command; and the neg-deed, we have comparatively lect of religious ordinances, or little to do. While their ac How great then is the folly of those who judge of themselves only by their outward conduct! Preach against drunkenness, or other overt acts of sin, and every one who, from whatever cause, can acquit himself of the practice condemned, presently concludes in favor of his general character. In like manner, when specific duties and virtues are inculcated, if, so far as con the breach of the Sabbath, for tions are good, and society susthe same reason, gives little un-tains no injury, from a charitaeasiness to their consciences. ble though erroneous judgment In the presence of temptation of them, little inconvenience can they are not restrained by result; but in our own case, a Joseph's consideration, "How mistake is fatal. shall I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" And in their repentance-if they ever do repent of any thing they have done they are far from the sentiment and feeling of David, "Against Thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight." David had sinned against man as well as God; but the thought of his sin as an act of daring impiety and rebellion against God, swallow-cerns the outward matter and ed up, at the moment, every other consideration. His crime was thus seen in its highest aggravation, and painted to his mind in colors so black and hideous, as to conceal the lighter shades of the sad picture, and prevent, so to speak, his perceiving them. ON THE CONDUCT, AS AN INDEX WHEN we exhort men to examine themselves by their conduct, it is only as that is an index to the state of the heart.The state and disposition of the heart determines the character, and being visible to God, is that by which his judgment of us is formed. We can judge of others only by external appearances, but of ourselves our judgment should be,, as much as possible, guided by that of God. External actions are not always form of them, the man think ful to the smell-perhaps, also | count of the views and the orto the taste, but it is not unfre-ganization of our Society; which quently found, that the same in the main, continues unaltered fruit which looks well, on being to this day, except what incut up, turns out to be corrupted provements have been suggestand bad within. Just so it is ed by experience, or the cirwith moral fruit. Examine it cumstances of the times. As a skilfully-see whether it be specimen of our communicasound within-employ the pro- tions, which circulate in manuper means for ascertaining script only, we subjoin those of whether it be really as good as the nineteenth year of the Socieit appears to be; and if it abidety; and in case you should the trial, we allow, that, being good, it demonstrates the tree to be good also. think it worth your while, we would order those of the preceding eighteen years to be copied likewise; which, however, would be attened with considerable expense. We should When our Lord says, " By their fruits ye shall know them," he cannot surely be supposed to intend the mere outward ap-have been glad to send you, at pearance, any more than a naturalist would, who was applying the same rule to the productions of the orchard or the garden. A fruit corrupt within, and beautiful without, is the emblem of a hypocrite. least, two copies of our publications; but those of 1793 and 94 are quite out of print; nor is it in our power to produce a second edition, as the complicated calamities of war, murrain and scarcity, have rendered the contributions of our poor friends rather less than what they used Letter from the Basil Society to be; whilst the expenses of You OU had the goodness, dear brethren, to request a list being sent you of the towns and provinces through which our Society extends; as also a plan of our proceedings; and from one to three copies of our Periodical Publications from the beginning of our activity as a body. We are happy to gratify this wish, as far as in our power ; and, in return for your very acceptable present of the Evangelical Magazine, send you a complete copy of our Extracts and Collections, printed from 1783 to 1798. To the first volume printing have risen, and, in general, our Society has to meet greater wants. The nature of our plan is best to be learnt from our publications. Here we beg leave to draw just a few outlines, beginning with our leading views : 1. The basis of our agreement is our obligation to edify one another in our most holy faith, according to the unerring word of God and the gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; in whose footsteps to tread, and to encourage one another in the blessed practice of walking after him faithfully, is our duty and desire. Nor will we suffer ourselves to be divert you will find some pamphletsed from this purpose by any obstitched, containing a full ac- jections whatever, raised by the or the votaries of infidelity, as millions, and, God be praised! we ourselves have experienced the efficacy of that faith, which is the victory over sin, the world, Satan and hell, and which alone is able to form men of God, ready to serve him in this world, and fit to meet him in the next. To preserve this faith of our ancestors, which alone can make us good, holy, and happy in life and death, shall be our final aim. adherents of the new philosophy | done, in this respect, since the beginning of the last century, we cannot help admiring the hand of the Lord in those phenomina in which you, dearest brethren of England, have borne so considerable a share, considering them as the dawning of the approaching kingdom of God, and comforting ourselves with these things, as with sweet and powerful cordials against the benumbing influence of the spirit of our awful times. To take an active and praying share in all Missionary exertions, is our sacred delight; and, we trust, the seed, which is now sprinkled with our tears, will rise in an harvest of everlasting joy, though we should not witness its maturity in this world. 2. We wish, agreeably to our duty, to direct the attention of Christendom to the signs of our times, which are so very extraordinary, whether we consider them with a view to the church of Christ, or in reference to the kingdoms of this world. We will comfort, advise and strengthen one another, in order to hold fast the patience and faith of the saints, lest when the Lord cometh, we be found in the number of the foolish virgins. 3. In a particular manner we will make it our concern, to strengthen the ties of brotherly love between ourselves, by means of mutual communication and participation in temporals and spirituals, lest the adversary should disturb our bond of union. At the same time, be it far from us to overlook the good that is to be perceived in any other Christian denomination; but more especially in those lesser flocks of grace that aim at being children of God in reality. 4. We consider it as a principal concern of ours to co-operate, as much as we are enabled to do towards realizing the hope of Zion, viz. the conversion of the Gentiles: and whilst we rejoice at all that has been VOL. V. No. 5. 5. As there is always, but more especially in our day, an enormous mass of misery in the world, under which believers, no less than unbelievers, groan, (the latter, of whom we ought still to love as our neighbors, i. e. our ownselves) so we consider ourselves bound to alleviate the same to the utmost of our power, lightening the burden of our fellow-captives in this world, seeing we too are in the same state of imprisonment. 6. The dispersing of religious tracts, by means of a printing-office at Nurenberg, is also amongst our views; but we are sorry to state, that, through the scantiness of our means, this method has not been so productive of fruit as otherwise it might have been. 7. We finally think it our duty to stand ready as servants of the Lord, to improve every intimation of his will he may be pleased to give us; and, we trust, Ꮓ members, and a secretary, direct the whole concern. The secretary receives all the letters, accounts, and materials for our publications. Twice a month we meet, when the session always lasts three hours; during which extracts of letters are read, queries discussed, and all that refers in any wise to the welfare of our Society, or the accomplishment of our views, is settled. Every session is opened and concluded with prayer; and we can say in truth, that we never separate without having enjoyed a blessing for our hearts, or received a piece of information highly interesting for the kingdom of God. Occurrences of consequence often occasion an extraordinary meeting of the committee. Every member has his own department assigned to him; those among us that belong to the clergy, care for that part of our affairs which requires learning and Theologi we are willing to become any thing for the honor of his name. How far we have been successful in obtaining a part of what we have stated to be our views, the Lord alone is able to decide.If we look upon our own performance, we are forced to cry out, “Lord be merciful to us unprofitable servants!" But whenever we contemplate what the Lord has done for us, in the course of twenty years, we have great reason to exult in his mercles, and to ascribe honor to his name. He has not only protected and preserved us, but increased and blessed us abundantly. Since the beginning of the revolution, now ten years ago, and still more since the beginning of the war, eight years ago, our Society as a body, and many individuals belonging to the same, came frequently into great distress and danger. Last year, but especially this year, our centre, the town of Basil, has been threatened with decal knowledge; whilst the rest, struction: however, hitherto the chiefly merchants, manage the Lord has helped us; nor will be external concerns. The secrelay any burden on cur shoul-tary's business is to carry on the ders, but what he will enable us to bear: therefore, praising him for the past, and trusting for the rest, We surrender ourselves wholly up to him. You, dear brethren, will join us in supplicating his compassion, as long as this time of trouble shall continue to affect us; nor at any time refuse us an interest in your prayers. We now beg leave to submit to your inspection a list of the places where we have formed conections. The main Lody of our Society resides in Switzerland and Germany, and, as has been mentioned, Basil constitutes our centre, whence a committee of seven correspondence, and to prepare manuscripts for the press, or to forward our publications according to direction; but so that he constantly acts under the control of the members of the committee. Of these we beg leave to name one; namely, our venerable friend Henry Brenner, a person eighty years old, and who for upwards of forty years has consecrated his time and his property to the service of our adorable Lord; who keeps an open purse and house for all real children of God; and still continues to promote the interests of our Society, as well as the welfare of his fellow-creatures at |