formation, is supposed by others, to be a stain upon her character, earnestly to be denied by all her members. Before I enter upon my subject, permit me, therefore, to demonstrate the fallacy of these objections.

1. The idea that the nineteenth century must have advanced beyond the need of reformation, is too absurd to be refuted. An unconverted man is not improved by years. "Wicked men and seducers wax worse and worse." So is it with a wicked world; it improves not under the sparing mercy of God. Does not the nineteenth century present to the churches the melancholy catalogue of six hundred millions of Heathens! And if it present us also with two hundred millions of Christians, yet what a mul titude of these are heathens in every thing but the name!

2. That the Synod of Ulster has been rapidly advancing in reformation, I rejoice to admit. She has been reforming herself by separating from the contamination of the Arian and Socinian heresies. She has been reforming herself from the error of educating a learned ministry, without seeking a converted ministry. She has been reforming her eldership, by seeking men of piety, rather than men of riches; and she has been reforming her church courts, by turning them from courts of canon-law, to meetings of religious instruction. Yet I am persuaded, that the very men who have been most active in seeking to advance these reforms, are the men who will admit most readily, that more reformation is required. To examine where it is required, and to consider how it may be effected, will constitute the special subject of the following essays..

3. It is supposed to be an injury to the character of a church, to admit that it requires reformation. The members of the Church of Rome generally acted upon this principle in the days of Luther, Calvin, Knox, and Cranmer. They universally act upon it in our own days; and the members of the self-named Unitarian Associations speak and act upon the assumption, that they have already attained the very summit of reformation. In answer to this bragging folly, I have one plain remark,— as individuals, we are never ashamed to admit, that we require farther reformation-farther improvement of mind

* In your next Number, I shall exhibit the readiness of the Church of of Scotland, in her purest and best days, to confess her need of farther reformation.

and character. Now, churches are but aggregates of individuals, each of whom admits that he needs still farther reformation therefore I conclude the society, so composed, must likewise require improvement.

4. I will go farther, and affirm, that the character of the true church, in all ages, has been distinguished by the labours of reformation. In proof of this assertion, let us glance at the record of the Bible.

Noah was a reformer, when the earth was filled with wickedness. Abraham was a reformer, when he came out from an idolatrous kindred. Moses was a reformer, when he laboured among a stiffnecked and rebellious generation. In 2 Chron. xiv. 2, we have a striking example of reformation: "Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God; for he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves, and commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment." The xv. chapter presents us with farther progress in the work of reformation,-"And the Spirit of the Lord came upon Azariah, the son of Oded; and he came out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; the Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you. Now for a long season, Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law. Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak; and your work shall be rewarded. And when Asa heard these words, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land; and renewed the altar of the Lord that was before the porch of the Lord. And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart, and with all their soul. And all Judah rejoiced at the oath; for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and God gave them rest round about.' The xvii. chapter presents the progress of the reformation under Jehoshaphat," He took away the groves and the high places out of Judah," destroying those nests of idolatry. "Also in the third year of his reign he sent to his princes, to teach in the cities of Judah. And with them he sent Levites, and priests. And they taught in Judah; and had the book of the law of the Lord with

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them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah and taught the people." After a national lapse into idolatry, the xxiii. chapter presents us with another example of the work of reformation in the church of God," And Jehoiada made a covenant between him, and between all the people, and between the king, that they should be the Lord's people. Then all the people went to the house of Baal, and brake it down, and brake his altars, and his images in pieces." The xxiv. chapter presents us with the progress of the work thus happily begun; but at the death of Jehoiada, the reformer, it records the shameful and speedy return of the people to their beloved idolatry:" And they left the house of the Lord God of their fathers, and served groves and idols; and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass." The 'xxix. chapter, after a long season of irreligion and idolatry, presents us with another well sustained and successful effort at reformation. Hezekiah," in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of the Lord, and repaired them. And our fathers, said the king in his confession, have trespassed and done that which was evil in the sight of the Lord our God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their face from the habitation of the Lord, and turned their backs. Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense, nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place unto the God of Israel. Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel, that his fierce anger may turn away from us." The xxx. and xxxi. chapters detail the progress of the reformation, and the destruction of idolatry. "Thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right, and truth, before the Lord his God. And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered." The xxxiii. chapter records the rapid reburn of the nation to idolatry. And the king" set a Carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God. So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the Heathen. And the Lord spake to Manasseh and his people, but they would not hearken." The xxxiv. chapter presents us another effort of reformation: "And Josiah, in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, began to seek after the

God of David his father. And in the twelfth year, he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images. And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of the God of their fathers. And all his days they departed not from following the Lord."

But we need not proceed farther in the enumeration of the efforts of reform in all periods of the Jewish church. Were it necessary, we might add that all the prophets were reformers; that John the Baptist was a reformer. Nay, our Lord himself, with all his Apostles, were reformers. And the Apostle, Heb. ix. expressly denominates the appearing of our Saviour, "the time of reformation.".

Now, the things that have been, will be again. From one period to another, the church is liable to fall under the delusions of Satan. At one time she falls into for. mality; and has a name to live, while she is dead. At another time she falls into lukewarmness, and indifference; again into scepticism and infidelity; again she is overshadowed by the darkness of ignorance and superstition; anon she imbibes the spirit of the world, and the love of the world, which is but a mere comely form of idolatry. At other times a church has much life, as it were, in one member, but in another is completely paralysed. While, at other times, a church is so contented with herself, that she scoffs at the mention of reform; and judges herself rich and increased in good, while she is miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.

We would, so far as our efforts may serve, endeavour to preserve the Presbyterian Church of Ulster from every of these dangers.

Some of the principal subjects to which I propose to solicit attention, are as follows:-I. To point out some of the reforms necessary in the religious education of the young. 2. On the instruction of young communicants. 3. The celebration of the Lord's Supper. 4. Psalmody. 5. The use of Bibles and Psalm Books in public worship. 6. On the establishment of congregational and Presbyterial libraries. 7. Sessions of congregations. 8. Presbyterial and Synodical business. 9. Visitation Presbyteries. 10. Ministerial communion and intercourse. MELVILLE,

DEFENCE OF THE REV. JOHN BROWN.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE ORTHODOX PRESBYTERIAN. SIR,

WHILE the length of my last statement has prevented you from giving it admission, I trust the brevity of this one will entitle me to your indulgence. The matter I confess to be chiefly personal; and the issue, a concern with which the public has little to do. Yet while the character of a Minister is assailed, the interests of truth. are, in some degree, at hazard: and I therefore entreat the indulgence of the public, while I offer a few words in reply to the many assaults of my antagonist.

That the public may be made acquainted with the origin of this accusation, I beg to remark, that about three years ago, it pleased the Rev. Mr. Porter, of Newtonlima. vady, to announce and preach a series of sermons in de.. fence and recommendation of Arianism, and in condemnation of the doctrines called Evangelical or Orthodox. To these sermons a reply was deemed necessary; and I, amongst others, was called upon by the Rev. Mr. M'Laughlin, to take a part in a series of discourses, in refutation of Arian errors, and in defence of Evangelical truth. I accordingly preached upon the Deity and Offices of the Holy Spirit. During a space of nearly three years, I heard nothing of any accusation against my sermon. But at the end of that time, the Genevese Doctors, having thought fit to accuse of falsehood the charge of blasphemy which I had brought, from public documents, against the Genevese mob; Mr. Porter was pleased to add the charge of falsehood against my sermon, in order, I suppose, to make sure of my destruction, by the united force of two such deadly missiles. In this charge he has accused me of falsifying Griesbach's authority respecting 1 John v. 7, and of making a personal attack upon himself.

Both charges I have flatly denied. Mr. Porter has reiterated his charges, and produced his witnesses. I have repeated my denial, and called my hearers to my defence. Thus the matter rests at issue before the public. Let candid and Christian men, therefore, consider the following circumstances; and decide, in their wisdom, upon which side the probability or the truth appears.

I would only here beg leave to remind the public, that when I am accused of uttering in the pulpit what I solemnly deny, I am merely suffering as others have