and gratification to his honour and , miserable, and blind! A man ma glory.

have all this religion, may be ful Hence it is, that selfish men are of it, and full of zeal to promote often in danger of mistaking a kind it; and yet have none of the spiri: of natural gratitude, which they of Christ. Is there, then, no such feel towards God, when He does thing as a divine character? Has them good, and prospers their en- Jesus Christ no character, which terprises, for a true and holy love can be apprehended, and supreme to God; whereas, it is but simply ly loved, unmingled with one con the approbation and enjoyment of sideration of self? Whence hatheir own interest, as flowing from arisen all this noise about great his Providence. Christ himself ness, amiableness, excellency of teaches, that to love those who character, even in men, which fills love us, is no very exalted excel- all books, and which has been the lence; since He assures us, that highest object of admiration, paneven sinners love sinners, and can egyrick, and delight, to men, ir feel very well disposed to requite all ages? a kindness. There is indeed, no ** Ah! it is all nothing--all to doubt, a great deal of supposed remote and abstract to hit human love to God and to Christ, which faculties. I can love nothing, bu arises from the very lowest and what does me good. I must permost unmingled selfishness. Aceive its connexion with my interman, by some means, imbibes a est, or I cannot feel any regard for persuasion, that God loves him, it.” This is selfish language; and has done him much good, and is it is sordid enough. going to do him much more: nay, The character of God is suffiche goes further, and persuades iently manifested to his rational himself, that Christ died for him, creatures, to command supreme and will save him. This is enough and universal love and admiration, to excite his love and gratitude; There is no character among the and he talks how ardently he loves heroes and patriots of history, so God, and how much devoted he is fully displayed, so prominently to the Saviour. This is but a con- evident, so easily and clearly apcise view of the religion of these prehensible. This infinitely gloselfish teachers. They in fact, rious character, is collected from have the boldness to assert, that what God has revealed of himself, the highest motive a sinner has to his nature and attributes, his provlove God and Christ, is, because idence and grace, in his works, he has received great favours from and in his word. them, and expects still greater.- A man comes and tells me, that They say, that abstract views of a neighbour of his has done him a the excellency of God's character, very great kindness, has paid for are too remote, too exalted, too far him a sum of money, and rescued removed from human conception, him from prosecution, and from to be the proper foundation of love prison. What if I should say to and admiration ; that, whatever him in reply, he has, indeed, been they may be to higher orders of very kind, and laid you under pecreatures, they are far too pure, culiar obligations: but I know that exalted, and refined, to operate as man well; in what he has done for motives on men.

you, he has only exhibited the charO wretched religion! Self-de-acter, which he is universally known ceived pretenders to godliness! 0 to possess. He has done thousands selfishness in perfection-base~ l of such acts, in the course of his

life; and thousands of people have were, or will be, interested in, and shared in his beneficence. The benefitted by them.

This man whole of his fortune is devoted to has paid a hundred dollars for me, the benefit of mankind ; and the and therefore, I love him. It canvarious resources of his mind are not be supposed, that I can be afexhausted in promoting all sorts of fected by the good he has done to improvements; in founding hospi- others; and above all, that I can tals, seminaries, and liberal and be so abstract and metaphysical, as charitable institutions. He has to run back to consider his characmade great improvements in the ter and disposition, prior to the agriculture of his whole neighbour consideration of his actions, and hood, and has done more to encour- which lie at the bottom of his conage the arts and sciences, and to duct. That would be all nonsense, promote human happiness, than any or, at best, far too refined for me. other man of his time. But, 'Hold, I like the man, because he has done says the man, that is all well me good; he has promoted my inenough; but it is nothing to me. I terest, and, therefore, I can feel feel no interest in these abstract great regard for him.' views of character. The good he What ought I to think of such a may have done to thousands, and man? I should, I confess, consider all his great and benevolent plans, him as a blind, unfeeling, selfish do not strike my feelings at all. wretch! Let them be extolled by those, who

WHELPLEY.

A WORD TO PREACHERS. are remembered for a while, they
How often shall a plain sermon,

are remembered, not for God's (when the preacher aims not to be glory, but for the praise of those seen, but rather to show his Lord) dying creatures, who made them. be blessed to the conversion, es- A poor employment this, to speak tablishment and happiness of im- and write for the breath of worms, mortal souls; while pompous ora

which is, at first, corrupt in itself, tions and laboured performances and soon vanishes into nothing. shall evaporate in sound, or pro

Serle's Hore Solitariæ. duce no spiritual good; or, if they

eigtous Kutelligence.

Revivals of Religion, and the en- revivals of Religion in six Col

couragement derived from them leges, viz. in Williams and Amto Education Societies.

herst, Mass. in Dickinson and JefDuring the last winter, there ferson, Penn. in Hamden Sidney were revivals of Religion in five and Washington, Vir. In the Col. schools, taught by beneficiaries of leges and Academies of the Middle the American Education Society. and Southern States, mentioned During the last year, there were above, there were never revivals revivals of Religion in five Acad- before; and therefore they are reemies, viz. in Hampton, N. H. in garded by Christians generally, at Philips' and Amherst, Mass. in the South, as opening a new era West Nottingham, Maryland; and upon their literary institutions. in Abbeville, s. c. During the C.

Bost. Rec. Jast eighteen months, there were

.

22

" In the different denominations, us from sin? Shall we not then f Christians in the United States, avoid sin in all its forms? He died more than four hundred congrega- for us—Can we then be unwilling ions are reported as having been to make efforts and undergo privablessed with Revivals of Religion, tions to save others:-But, alas! luring the last year. In the Pres- how little do I see around me of byterian church, ninety-eight; in the efficacy of that blood, which the Congregational, one hundred was shed on the cross I suppose and thirty-nine ; in the Baptist, at least three fourths of the inhabme hundred and seven. The num- itants of Jerusalem deny the Diber of hopeful converts, in these ! vinity of our Lord, and the atoning revivals, according to the most ac- j efficacy of his death, and I fear all, curate computation which could be or nearly all the rest, adore his made from the returns, exceeds Mother and Disciples with almost fweniy-six thousand.

as much apparent devotion as HimAnn. Rep. of Amer. Educa. Soc. self.-- We are surrounded by dan

gers,

and we tremble at every step; PALESTINE MISSION. yet the Lord our Redeemer proExtract of a letter from Rev. Mr. Fisk. tects us, and I hope, will protect American Missionary dated at Jeru

us. Trusting in Him, we will go salem, April 8th, 1823.

“ I have walked around forward. Brethren, pray for us; Zion; I have walked over Calva- and o, I entreat you, live near to ry; I have passed through the val- Christ. Meditate much on his

love, his death and mediation.ley of Hinnom ; drank of the waters of Siloam; crossed the brook! This will show you the world, with Cedron; and have been in the

its distinctions, pleasures, and

garden of Gethsemane. The next strises, in the proper light. May day after my arrival, I made

that Saviour, who died here, bled

my first visit to the tuinb of my Lord. and died for you and me, fill our I did not stop to enquire, whether hearts with his love-may we be the place pointed out as his sepul- crucified to the world, and the chre, is really such or not. If in i world to us, bearing about in our this there is any delusion, I was

body

the dying of our Lord Jesus

Christ. Your brother, &c. willing to be deceived for the mo

PLINY FISK." ment. I looked at the dome, which covered the tomb, and burst into

REVIVAL OF RELIGION. tears. I entered and kneeled by the following account of a Revival of the marble, which is supposed to

Religion, contained in a letter addresscover the spot where the body lay. ed to the Editor of the Christian Her. My tears flowed freely, and my ald, from the Pastor of the church at soul seemed moved in a way I can

Augusta, will be read with interest. not describe. I dedicated myself

He observes : anew to my Lord.-It seemed then

I embrace the present opportunias if Jesus Christ, the Son of God, ty to give you some account of the had really suffered, and risen from glorious work of God among the the dead. The period of time that people of Augusta. This work had elapsed since his death, dimin- commenced_about the middle of as it were, to a moment.

last June. For some time previThe whole seemed present and re- ous to this there had been in the al. O what sufferings ! O what church a lamentable want of the love! Dear Brethren, it was for us

ing this general declension, how- viction and conversion were deever, there were some Christians tailed. Some of the most wealthy who mourned over “ the waste pla- and influential men were among ces of Zion,” and wept in secret the first who were heard to say, for the pride and folly of those “ Come all ye that fear God, and who were perishing in their sins. I will tell you what he hath done In the course of the spring, church for

my

soul.” About one hundred conferences were appointed once a and fifty have been introduced infortnight; where each member pres- to the glorious liberty of the sons ent, both male and female, gave a of God. The aged, middle aged, brief statement of their feelings. and youth, are among the number. These meetings were, at first, at- There has been a number of very tended in the several districts in remarkable conversions. It was, the town. Here indeed, it was, at first, thought proper to give a that, by some, there was heard short history of some of them; but "the sound of a going in the tops it is, at present, deemed inexpediof the mulberry trees;" and Chris- ! ent. There has been indeed from tians began to prepare themselves the commencement antil now, diffor “ the help of the Lord against ferent operations, but the same the mighty.

Spirit. În some instances there The eighteenth of June was ap- were excitements, probably occapointed by the church for a day of sioned by particular addresses, and public humiliation, fasting and which proved but transient; but in prayer. It was surprising to see general, the work has proceeded the vast multitude which focked like the building of Solomon's temto the sanctuary. The wretched ple. The work still continues, and cold state in which the church had

we hope that another hundred and been for a number of years, and fifty will soon be added, and so on, the perishing condition of sinners, till there shall “not be room enough who were starving upon the imper- to receive the blessing.” fections of Christians, were brought 6 Blessed be the Lord God of to view, and awakened the atten- Israel, from everlasting to evertion of the ó careless in Zion.". lasting. Amen, and Amen." This day will forever be had in Yours respectfully, thankful remembrance. Some signs

BENJAMIN 1. LANE. of spiritual life appeared in the Augusta, Oneida County, N. York, church. Many a fervent prayer

December 3, 1823. was offered up, and many a tear was caught in the “ Lord’s bottle."

DECLINE OF MAHOMEDANISM. Indeed from this day, the tone of

The following important Communica

tion, says the London Baptist Magazine the place was changed. “Accord

for October, may be depended upon ing to this time it shall be said of

as authentic ; it is from the pen of a Jacob and of Israel, what hath gentleman whose rank and character God wrought?”

render bis testimony indubitable, The next week a meeting of en

66 You ask me if the Mahomedan quiry was appointed, six attended, religion is on the decline; I answer, deeply concerned to know what in Persia they can scarcely be callthey should do to be saved. The ed Mahomedans: they are Deists, number that attended these meet- if any thing, and are ready to re ings increased in about six weeks ceive the Christian faith. A few to between fifty and sixty. Other such men as Mr. Martyn would meetings were multiplied, and al- soon effect a change. You cannot most every day new cases of coa- conceive the eagerness with which

they ask for his translations of the over the second church and society New Testament. I have distribut- in Farmington, Ct. the Rev. Hared several hundreds, and could VEY BUSHNELL. Sermon by the have done so with twice the num- Rev. Dr. Perkins, of West-Hartber, if they had been sent me. At ford. The Church and society are Mecca, the resort is so much fallen happily united, and it is hoped a off, that not one in a hundred (per - blessing from the Great Head of haps if I were to say two hundred, the Church may descend and rest I might be nearer) now goes, for upon them. those that did. Indeed the revenues in consequence of this have so

SELECTED POETRY. much decreased, that in lieu of

1. By whom was David taught overflowing treasuries, the Otto- To aim the dreadful blow, man government is obliged to make When he Goliah fought large remittances for the

payment

And laid the Gentile low? of its officers and troops. Those No sword nor spear the stripling took,

But chose a pebble from the brook. pilgrims who now resort make no offerings or presents; they are sat- 2. 'Twas Israel's God and King, isfied with going. Indeed, from That arm'd him for the fight, my own observation, after a resi- Who gave him strength to sling, dence of near twenty-four years Ye feeble saints, your strength endures,

And skill to aim aright. amongst the Arabs and Persians, Because young David's God is yours. I can safely say that Islamism is fast falling to decay.”

3. Who order'd Gideon forth,

To storm th' invader's camp,
ORDINATION.

With arms of little worth,
On the 17th of December, the The trumpets made his coming known,

A pitcher and a lamp ? Rev. EBENEZER NEwHALL was or- And all the host was overthrown, dained, as Pastor of the Congregational Church and Society in 4.0, I have seen the day, Oxford, Mass. The services were

When with a single word, peculiarly solemn and interesting.

God helping me to say,

My trust is in the Lord,
Introductory Prayer by the Rev.

My soul has quell'd a thousand foes,
Mr. Pond, of Ward. Sermon, el- Fearless of all that could oppose.
oquent and appropriate, by the
Rev. Mr. Nelson, of Leicester.

5. But, unbelief, self-will,

Self-rigbteousness and pride-
INSTALLATION.

How often do they steal
On the 14th of December was

My weapons from my side?

But David's Loid and Gideon's Friend installed in the pastoral office, I will help his servant to the end.

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