which they had read, or been driven to read for the first time, and they have been brought to see beauties and marvels in the Book of God, which their ignorance had before hid from their eyes. Let it not be supposed that we state these facts of Daniel alone. We take these passages as samples; but in aiming at the cure of infidelity, we exhort to the study of the volume, the wonderful volume, the Bible. The man who erects a druggist's shop, need not become the inventor of much chemical process by which alkalies and affinities are formed. He may avail himself of the labours of those who have gone before him, without being called a servile copyist. Thus, if you have not twenty years to spare in searching in a given way through the holy scriptures, to compare verses, and trace Hebrew verbs, or to ask after heathen history, you may avail yourself of the labour of others. An author on geography will tell you more in an hour, than you could explore or measure for a week, should the pride of originality make you decline the assistance of others in this case. A commentator will bring before your view, within the compass of a few days, more objects throughout the dim wide field of antiquity and tradition, than you can collect yourself by years of toil. But the adversary of souls would rejoice, were you to decline the assistance of others, and labour none yourself, Case of the use of the powerful remedy.—Two professional men once formed an attachment for each other. We may designate them by the appellation of the youthful and the more aged. The younger friend had been liberally educated, and he commenced his profession thoughtless, joyous, and from the first successful. The more aged friend feared that his indifference in things of religion was based on infidelity-made inquiry, and found his conjectures were correct. At a succeeding interview, he approached his young friend, offering a volume, and an address like the following, from his heart: My friend, I believe it is your wish to do me a favour when you have it in your power. I know that you would arise from your bed at midnight, and put yourself to much inconvenience to serve me. I am about to ask of you a favour which you can confer. I have it more at heart than the value of much property, and it will cost you very little to comply with my wishes." He was answered as he had expected, with the most open declarations of readiness to act where it was in his power to benefit his friend. The older friend then continued, "The favour I ask is, that you will read this book through, soberly and faithfully, endeavouring to master the train of thought as you progress. When you are through, should much of the treatise be forgotten, or appear obscure, read it again.” The work was cheerfully undertaken, the promise given, and the book received. The volume contained (as well as remembered,) Paley's Evidences of Christi anity, and Watson's Apology. When the friends did not meet, they corresponded, and this subject was their principal discourse, either personally or by letter. The young man, after he had read the book, laid his hand casually upon another author on the same subject. He was sufficiently excited to undertake its reading. Before he finished this, he said, "I have a spirit, and I have no doubt it will be lost, or very happy forever." His more aged friend asked him to read Doddridge's Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul. He complied; and whilst reading, thought that he entered into a compact with his Redeemer which gave him great joy. He was so elated, that he has ever since (fifteen years) tried to persuade others to do the same. Cases resembling the above, are taking place wherever a similar course is pursued. Books of this kind are not much read, for reasons which will be found in the following chapter. In fifteen years more, neither of those two friends will (most likely,) be here. They both seemed to be made very happy by the occurrence named; and that enjoyment seemed to last for fifteen years. Perhaps it may add to their pleasures for more than fifteen years after they go hence. It has already been worth more than the toil expended on either side, many times told. Recapitulation of the powerful remedy.-Books on the evidences of Christianity are but little read in our nation. Some of the reasons why this is so, we would do well to enumerate. 1. Many who are inclined to unbelief, whose doubts are enough to paralize their energies in seeking conversion, are not confirmed sceptics. They do not call themselves infidels. They do not know the name of these authors, or that many of the books exist. They do not inquire, and those who never were thus annoyed themselves, suspect none of infidelity, but the bitter declaimers. 2. These books are little read, for few of them are in circulation. Inquire in an ordinary village after ten such authors, and you will not be able to find them. The minister or his elder may have one or two. These few are not much read for the following reasons. Perhaps here is a man who has prevailed on an unbeliever to read a certain volume. He finishes it and informs his Christian friends that he is more encompassed in cloud than he was before. They are disheartened, and he is not benefitted. They perhaps ask another to read the same work, hoping to see a happy result in the second. The man, perhaps, looks into the book occasionally, and lays it down, takes it up again, and thinks it hard to comprehend-thinks it does not touch the points which perplex him. He lays it down again, the world presses, his business harrasses, amusements divert; and case. after some months, they find he has not read, and they lose all hope in the case. After meeting a few similar results, they believe that Almighty power could save, but they have little confidence in means. If soldiers of the cross had a full assortment of truthful volumes, and were to make a prayerful effort, they would meet cases where unbelieving friends and neighbours could be induced to read six or eight volumes; and perhaps repeat a part of the research. In these instances they would scarcely ever find one (if ever,) who would still dispute the message of high heaven. They would meet those who would refuse, and those who would only half perform; but one case of a soul snatched from the gulph, would repay all the labour. We might here name some who have written on the evidences of Christianity, so that out of the list some six or ten may be asked after by any inquirer. From the following list, it is a matter of comparative indifference which is selected, so that enough is chosen and read until the subject is mastered. It is strangely true, that these books are not known to the church. The few that are in circulation, are scattered and invisible. Enough of them can rarely be found together to inform extensively, the mind and heart disposed to cavil. The following books are a few out of the many which are more than worth the cost of pos session. Evidences of Christianity, by Grotius. Alexander's Evidences. Faber's Difficulties of Infidelity. |