your religious attachments, and comply with customs which conscience imperiously condemns; you will sacrifice your peace without accomplishing your object. Be decided. Whilst the modesty which accompanies genuiue religion, keeps you from making an ostentatious display, do not discover an unwillingness to be regarded as a disciple of the Redeemer. Is this a disgrace? No. It is the noblest badge of distinction which you can wear. It confers honor on hoary hairs; but on you it will sit with peculiar grace. The lines of beauty may be drawn on your countenance, and the fire of genius may sparkle in your eye; but these are fading ornaments; it is union with the Savior which stamps dignity on the character, and imparts to every excellence a lustre which will shine brighter and stronger till the perfect day." pp. 63, 64.

The second series of letters, is "on the influence of religion in the formation of the moral and intellectual character." It is not to be pretended, that this subject, in all its relations, is entirely new; but its importance fully justifies every judicious attempt to enforce the consideration of it on all who entertain serious reflections concerning their eternal destiny. A correct representation of human nature, with a forcible application of the great remedy revealed in the Gospel, is always highly valuable. It is matter of joy to all friends of Christianity to observe talents like those of Mr. E. devoted to this species of purer literature, which has, within the last thirty years, reckoned several good writers.

"On the entire depravity of the heart, the whole system of redemption is founded; and the frst practical design to be accomplished, is its renovation. These facts cannot be too deeply impressed on your mind, because until they are admitted, you will neither understand the truths of the Scripture, nor feel their efficacy. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God,' is the language which Jesus Christ addressed to Nicodemus; and it is equally applicable to you. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new,' is the declaration of the Apostle-Thus saith Jehovah.' I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh; that they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances and do them.' These figurative expressions are intended to convince you of the necessity of a radical change in the moral exercise of all your mental faculties. The understanding, which is involved in 'darkness,' must be enlightened, that you may discern the evil of sin, and the adaptation of the various parts of revealed truth to your spiritual condition. The affections. which are earthly, must be refined, that they may be 'set on things above.' The will, which is prone to evil, must receive a new bias, that it may, 'seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. The inferior passions must be brought into subjection to the authority of Christ.

"Till you possess this new spirit, the peculiar glories of the gospel will lie as concealed from your eye, as the beauties of the rainbow from him who is born blind. The cold and impenetrable heart of stone must be removed, and the warm and susceptible heart of flesh must be given, before you can partake of those enraptured feelings with which the renewed man contemplates the wonders of redemption, and anticipates that state of unsullied bliss to which he is aspiring. To assume a form of religion till this its power has been felt, would be as absurd and as useless as to paint a breathless corpse and array it in the attire of the living.

"But by whom is this internal change to be effected? By the force of reasoning, the ministers of the temple may shed some rays of light on your understanding; by the power of persuasion, they may induce within you some transient de sires after the pleasant things of Zion;' but to reach the heart, to reduce the discordant passions of that moral chaos to a regalar order, to breath into your soul the breath of life, and to create you anew in Christ Jesus; requires the exertion of a supernatural agency, I will give a new heart, saith the Lord.””

pp. 75-78.

"One of the first signs will be the choice of your society. To associate with those who spend their time in trifling amusements, or in paying and receiving fashionable visits, would afford you no real enjoyment. The subjects of conversation which usually engross the attention of persons of this description, would excite your disgust rather than awaken any strong mental interest. You would feel in their company, as a stranger feels in a strange land, restless and dissatisfied, because amongst a strange people. To you the house of prayer would present more attractions than the ball-room, and to hold fellowship with those whose fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ, you would cheerfully retire from the gayest circle that the genius of fashion ever formed. "To remain neutral in the great cause which divides the affections and interests of men, and which as with a prophetic seal marks their final destiny, will appear on reflection highly criminal. From an aversion to meet the public eye, or a secret dread of becoming a cast-away,' you may for a season hesitate to make an open profession of your attachment to the Redeemer, but this hesitancy must not continue the permanent feeling of your mind. You must respect those obligations which rise out of your new state. What are they?. To identify your name, your influence, your wealth, your example, with the cause of the Redeemer; esteeming it a greater honor than to stand in visible alliance with coronets or mitres, sceptres or crowns." pp. 82-84.2

"No virtue sheds so much lustre on the character of a Christian as humility, yet perhaps no virtue is more misunderstood. The affected gravity which some Occasionally assume, and the strong expressions which they use when speaking of their defects, must excite disgust and abhorrence in a mind imbued with the pure genius of the gospel. The character of this humility, on inspection, is easily detected. It is generally supported by a spirit which is impatient of the slightest contradiction; and if you could penetrate the secret recess of its existence, you would see it writhing with anguish, when that admiration and applause are withheld on which its vitality and energy depend." pp. 86, 87.

We know there are not a few, who assume a high tone of importance, on account of alleviating occasionally the temporal wants of their fellow-men. Even these, however, are generally more ready to applaud than to lead, in this kind of charity. But if you attempt to excite their compassion for the souls which must infallibly perish, unless fed with the bread of life, they turn away with ineffable disgust. To such, should they ever chance to see our pages, we recommend the following sentences.

"But your benevolence will not be restricted to the temporal miseries of others. Many who could not hear of a beggar perishing at their door without horror, can witness a friend dying in impenitence without concern.' To avoid having her mind agitated in her expiring moments, by any reference to the necessity of repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, they will cautiously exclude the Minister of reconciliation from the dying chamber, deeming his presence an intrusion which the laws of humanity forbid. But you cannot. You regard your friend as a candidate for immortality, and believe that her future state will be decided according to her character. If in the days of health you sce her absorbed in trifles, though you may lament your inability to expel the infatuating charms, by which she is held captive, yet ou will not neglect to expose their vanity, and to direct her attention to nobler objects and pursuits. Should addiction seize her, and threaten to take her away in the midst of her days, you will not through a false delicacy, allow her to expire under a mental delusion, which will prove fatal to her eternal felicity. You will watch for her soul, as one who must give an account, that you may do it with joy and not with grief.'

"But your benevolence will require a wider range than the limited circle of mere privite friendship. Looking round on the scene of desolation which the moral world presents, you will feel anxious to join the 'holy band' who are en

deavoring to repair it. In former ages this department of Christian duty was generally occupied by the opposite sex. We were employed as the accredited agents of mercy, and the honor of dispelling the clouds of ignorance which hover over the human intellect, of implanting the incorruptible seed which liveth and abideth for ever, of saving the soul from death, was almost exclusively reserved for us. But the period is now come when the great Husbandman is calling you into his vineyard, and we are waiting to hail you as fellowworkers in the cultivation of the soil." pp. 92-94.

"I have often thought, that if an Angelic spirit could assume a human form, and mingle in some of the ordinary associations of life, with what surprise would he listen to the general subjects of conversation. Expecting on his descent, that those for whom the Prince of life expired on the cross, would be Occupied in discussing some of the grand peculiarities of that system of Redemption on which their hope of final happiness is placed, he would feel no common degree of astonishment to perceive that the whole interview was spent in conversing on the various style of dress, or some other subject equally trifling. Necessity, not choice, must compel him to remain, but if in his presence the language of indecent wit, or improper allusion, should be employed to degrade the truths of the Scripture, he would immediately retire, shedding a tear on his departure, over such consummate wickedness, and secretly adoring that longsuffering Mercy which forbears immediate punishment." pp. 114, 115.

In the 6th and 7th letters the subject of reading novels and dramatic writings is treated with considerable ability, and in continuation are some excellent reflections on modern literature in general. If we mistake not, there is a perceptible resemblance between the thoughts of Mr. East, on these subjects, and those in one of the celebrated essays of Foster. The similarity referred to is in the pages where are contrasted the very different tone of feeling produced in the mind by reading most of the classic authors, and that arising from the study of the Scriptures. Without insinuating that Mr. Ě. has made any improper use of the writings of another, it occurs to us as not improbable, that the first glance at these sentiments may have been presented to him on reading the work of the writer just mentioned.

3.

The letters in the third division are addressed to parents. On the relations subsisting between them and their children, and duties thence resulting, Mr. E. has discussed the following topics. 1. Early religious instruction. 2. The obligation to give such instruction. The encouragements which are afforded to give it. 4. On the loss of children. The freedom already indulged in our quotations will necessarily exclude a farther use of the language of our author. To copy all those passages which are recommended by their merit, would be transcribing a considerable portion of the book.

From the perusal of these pages we rise with cordial satisfaction, and the hope that the moments spent in it have not been wholly lost; with the reflection also, that the man who originated and arranged these thoughts, has taken an ample survey of the wide spreading desolation around him; that he has mourned over the ravages of sin, and felt the pangs of contrition; that the broken heart has been healed, and the accents of divine compassion, “in strains as sweet as angels use," have whispered peace' to the troubled soul. In reading such an author, we are not imbibing a deadly draught in the shape of a medicine; but have been in the company of one, who has learned the evil of a fallen nature, and tasted something of the inexpressible bit

terness of sin; of one, who seeing himself wretched, ruined, and lost, has turned his wandering eye to the garden of Gethsemane, and sought refuge at the foot of the cross;-of one who has found in the death, atonement, and intercession of the Divine Savior, a sovereign remedy for all suffering and all sorrow,

CXXVII. Third Report of the American Education Society.

(Concluded from p. 161.)

IN a quotation from the Report, which we made in our last number, it was declared to be perfectly easy for the people of this country to bear the expense of all the contemplated charitable measures. To place the truth of these declarations in a clear light, the Directors have gone into particular calculations. Though we admit the result of these calculations, we have objections to the details. But we first lay the whole process before our readers. The Report specifies the following sources of income; viz. occasional contributions, female charitable associations, minor auxiliary societies, district auxiliary societies, annual subscriptions of members, and life-membership. It then proceeds thus:

"If the foregoing sources of revenue should be deemed inadequate, or for any other reason unsatisfactory; the CHRISTIAN CHURCH is always to be regarded, as one grand, organized, permanent charitable Society. By its constitution, it is permanent; and by its character, each of its members is pledged to employ his influence and resources for the promotion of its interests. It is indeed but a late thing, that retrenchments and sacrifices for the kingdom of the Redeemer have come to be seriously regarded, as the duty of good men. But let those, who profess friendship to religion, only submit for five years, to one fiftieth part of the privations, to which some modern nations have been subjected by war; and to which any people will cheerfully submit for the preservation of civil liberty, and no second solicitation of their charities for this object would be necessary. But is it unreasonable to ask for sacrifices, from Christians, to preserve institutions, without which liberty, and life itself, are worthless?

"The members of churches in the United States, may be estimated at not less than one to twenty-two of our population, that is, four hundred thousand. Let these four hundred thousand members of churches be divided into eight classes of fifty thousand, and let them combine all the great objects of religious charity in one contribution.

"The first class then, consisting of wealthy Christians in our cities and chief towns, might give $10 each, a year,

The second class, consisting of the most affluent in our interior towns,

might give $5 a year,

The third class, consisting of those less affluent, $3 a year,

} 500,000

250,000

150,000

The fourth, consisting of respectable husbandmen, mechanics, &c. &c.} 100,000

62 a year,

The fifth and sixth class $1 a year,

The seventh class 50 cents,

The eighth class, consisting of the indigent, sick, and aged,-nothing,

100,000

25,000

$1,185,000

"Let this rate of contribution be continued only for five years, and it will produce the sum of $5,625,000. The simple interest of this sum would be $336,000; an amount probably three times greater, than all the contributions of the country hitherto, in behalf of all the great objects of the day united.

"8. Finally, as all these estimates are predicated on the supposition of a deep, and general, and constant interest in the Christian public; an interest which cannot be kept up without greater efforts on the part of active and influential Christians, and a more general prevalence of true religion, than we have hitherto witnessed; we add, as the last head of these estimates, donations and legacies of wealthy individuals, and extraordinary contributions from that portion of the community who love the prosperity of Zion. And we cannot but hope, that there is a multitude in this Christian land, who will be so deeply affected with the necessities of the church, that they will gladly do more than their part, and make up the deficiencies of others; and that many, whom the God of heaven and earth has blessed with temporal abundance, will, or their dying bed consecrate a portion of that abundance to the Redeemer's cause.* Pp. 23-25.

All the objections to the details of the above calculation, arise from what we conceive to be an unhappy classification. Wealthy Christians in our cities and chief towns" are represented as forming one eighth part of the members of charches in the United States; but they do not form an eightieth part. It will be said, that the meaning was simply to include the richest eighth part of our Christian population. Be it so; yet that meaning is not obvious, and seems not consistent with the language used to describe the second class. We might add, that all the members of churches, rich and poor, in our cities and chief towns, do not amount to 50,000; that is, unless the phrase chief town be carried much below its legitimate meaning; especially as opposed to interior town, in the description of the next class. Supposing the intention of the writer to be to include in the first class the wealthiest eighth part of the church-members, we object to it on two grounds. First, the class is too extensive, as it includes individuals worth more than a million each, while other individuals, in the lower parts of the same class, cannot be worth more than from 3,000 to 5,000 dollars each. In other words, a considerable number of individuals in this class are worth more singly, than 200 other individuals at the lowest part of the same class. But, secondly, our principal objection is to the implication, that a wealthy Christian, in a city or chief town,' may be discharged from obligation to give more than $10 a year for this object. Such an implication is confirmed by the description of the second class, as "consisting of the most affluent in our interior towns," and who have $5 a year assigned them. The fact is, that there are indi viduals among the "most affluent in our interior towns," who might easily give $5,000 a year to religious charities, and who ought not to think themselves discharged without giving at least 1,000 a year.

"There are many men in this favored land, to whom it would be a small thing to bequeath thirty, forty, or fifty thousand dollars to the Education Society. It may be useful to consider bow much might be accomplished for the advancement of Christ's kingdom by a legacy of $50,000. The income would be $5,000. This sum might be sufficient to afford constant aid to about 20 indigent youth, devoted to the Christian ministry. And these 20 youths might finish their whole education in about 10 years. Accordingly, such a fund would educate 200 ministers in a century, and 2000 ministers in a thousand years; almost as many as the whole number of competent ministers now in America. In these better days of the church, which we are taught to expect, each of these ministers would in all probability be the happy instrument of converting and saving several hundreds of immortal souls. The amount of good, which would be effected by this whole number of ministers in a thousand years, would probably be the salvation of several millions. Who can estimate this astonishing result of the legacy, when the salvation of one soul is of more consequence than the temporal interests of the whole world, from the creation to the present day! Contemplation on such a subject as this is werthy of those, whom God has blessed with opulence.”