and salvation. And all who have come to the Saviour-who believe in him, love him, and follow him, are cordially invited to join his people, and to commemorate his love and death at his table. II. We press the invitation by the following weighty consider ations, First, The authority and command of our Lord.-He founded the Church, and is himself the Head. He gave the laws of church discipline (Matt. xviii. 15-18); and at the institution of the Supper, said, "Do this in rememberance of me." Paul commended certain of Macedonia, saying (2 Cor. viii. 5), "They first gave themselves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God." This, then, is the will of God, the plain command of our Lord. Why should you not be conformed to that will and obedient to that command? Second. Your own spiritual advantage.-Union with the Lord's people, and communion at his table,. are singularly fitted to promote this happy end, to awaken and increase in your hearts love to the Redeemer, hatred of sin, gratitude to God, and affection for his people. This is the true confirmation. And do you not need such spiritual help? Do you not desire it? Can you expect it in the neglect of means; or can you have any warrantable objection to the means Divinely appointed? Third, The benefit of others, and the prosperity of the Saviour's cause, loudly call upon you to join his people, and come to his table.— This would gladden the hearts of many-would strengthen the hands of your minister; and instead of being a stumbling-block in the way of others, it would be a, Christian and proper example to them, and many may be led to imitate it. III. We propose answering some of the objections usually made against taking this course. 66 "I am too young to be a member, and to take the Supper of the Lord."-Not so. If you "remember your Creator," and love the Saviour, you are the babes of his family and the lambs of his flock. You are welcomed. None may forbid you; and a great blessing it may prove to you in after years. "I am not baptized."-From the views or neglect of your parents, perhaps this was omitted in your infancy, But even now, why not honour your Lord in that ordinance, and in that way which you deem Scriptural? "I am not worthy."-And none are, in the sense of merit. Moreover, a sense of your unworthiness is a considerable recommendation. The question is: Do you feel your need of a Saviour? Are you willing to be saved by Jesus Christ?-to follow and obey him? "The weak in faith" is to be received, and "not to doubtful dispu ations." "It is such a very solemn thing." And so is prayer, and yet you would not on any account live without it. The superstitious have clothed the Lord's Supper with terrors which do not belong to it. To think of the Saviour's love, to know our interest in him, and to enjoy his presence, will divest the ordinance of terror, and render it delightful and profitable. "I fear I should disgrace the cause."-But do you not fear lest the cause of Christ should be dishonoured and injured by your present position and backwardness? May not this course recommended be the very means of preserving and strengthening you? The way of duty is the path of safety. "It would excite displeasure and opposition."-Not perhaps as you apprehend. Or if it should, what then? Are you not required to love the Saviour above all others ?-to confess him before men, and take up your cross and follow him? Consider what he endured for you, and be ashamed to shrink from his cause because of the displeasure of his enemies! "I can be saved without joining a church or participating in the Lord's Supper, and many are none the better for being members and communicants."-True; and it is possible to be saved without public worship, as in the case of the lame and the deaf; and some are none the better for it. But does that justify your neglect? Jesus says, "Do this;" will you reply, "No, I can be saved without it?" "All things are ready, come away, Nor weak excuses frame; J. M. AN ILLUSTRATION FROM TURCO-RUSSIAN AFFAIRS. THE present trouble between Russia and Turkey grew out of the claim of Russia to exercise a sort of Protectorate over the members of the Greek church in the Ottoman dominions. After various negotiations, Prince Menschikoff, the Russian minister, gave the Czar's ultimatum, which the Sultan without hesitation rejected. The Four Powers then offered their arbitration, and framed a note which it was supposed, would be acceptable to both parties as the basis of peace. The note proposed a declaration on the part of the Sultan that he would make the Greek Christians equal participators "in the advantages conceded to other Christians by conventions or special agreements." The Czar immediately accepted the Vienna note as satisfactory; but the Sultan insisted upon adding the words, "being Ottoman subjects." The Four Powers, or at least England and France, intended the note to be adverse to the ultimatum of Prince Menschikoff which virtually claimed a Russian protectorate over the Greek church in Turkey; but the Sultan saw at a glance that every thing was conceded to Russia. The negotiators of the arbitration, however, thought the Ottoman addition entirely needless and hypercritical. The Lon don Times said: "It is clear as facts can make it, that the question between the two notes [the Vienna note and the same with the Ottoman addition] is a question of words only; for the intent and spirit of the instruments, according to the views of the Conference, were the same.' It turns out, however, that the diplomatists of England and France were completely outwitted; for the Russian Emperor soon announced publicly his interpretation of the Vienna note, and claimed it as sanctioning the exorbitant demands of his own ultimatum. The English and French have at last had their eyes opened. The London Times admits its error. The Turkish addition of "being Ottoman subjects," it may be here remarked, was intended to distinguish the mass of the Greek church in Turkey from the small communities of Christians which have certain advantages of civil and religious freedom, and which enjoy almost entire independence of Turkish authority; for, being amenable by special convention to their respective embassies and not to the Porte, they are not properly "Ottoman subjects." The Times now says, "It must be obvious that the Four Powers could never have intended that several millions of Ottoman subjects, of the Greek church, should have been invested with the privilege of an appeal from Turkish authorities to the representatives of Russia." Yet this is what Russia has been contending for, all along, and what the original Vienna note really authorizes her to demand. These are the facts. Now for the illustration. These facts illustrate the HERESIES IN THE CHURCH, which creep in surreptitiously, and almost always with the plea that there is no difference between the different forms of expressing the same thing! Errorists are cunning diplomatists, like Russia and Austria, who framed the Vienna note in a way to impose upon the credulity of England, France, and Prussia. The friends of truth, on the other hand, who are quick in detecting the evasions of phraseology, are often branded with being like Turks and infidels. Forms of speech, which to the casual observer, and even to some of the learned, appear identical, may have hidden variations sufficient to justify open warfare. We have seen venerable men imposed upon by a youthful theological diplomatist. Being a candidate, known to entertain erroneous views of original sin, he was obliged to encounter a long and skilful cross-examination. Whereupon, one of the fathers, thinking it unkind to trouble the young man so much, proposed to settle the matter by a single question, viz., "Do you believe that dispositions may be themselves sinful?" 66 Certainly;" replied the young man. The answer satisfied the good minister, just as the Vienna note satisfied the English ambassador. But some of the members of Presbytery saw that the young diplomatist could answer the question as he did, without applying it to original sin. Look out for Vienna notes among errorists. * Austria was probably in the secret, and helped to hoodwink the other Powers. 66 UNCONSIDERED TRUTHS.* "My people doth not consider." THE want of consideration is as serious and as dangerous as the want of knowledge. The man who sees a precipice before him, or a deep chasm at his feet, and, in a fit of abstraction, fails to observe the difference between the empty void and the solid ground, will fall over as certainly, and be injured as severely, as if he had been wholly deprived of vision. The foolish virgins, though they knew that the cry the bridegroom cometh" might at any moment be raised, are shut out from the marriage feast as inexorably as if they had all along been in deepest ignorance of their position. Many people say they know what is right-they have been trained by religious parents -have been taught to read the Scriptures-have their book-shelves stored with excellent books, and have every Sabbath been listening to intelligent and enlightening preaching; but what though all this were true, if they will not reflect on what has been taught them? The discoveries of new truth are admired and talked of; but measured by the standard of usefulness, they who can induce their neighbours to think seriously on what they know already, will probably benefit society more than the most brilliant inventors are ever likely to do. It is a great truth, and too little considered, that the soul of man is immortal. The very nature of the soul-an active, thinking, restless, principle-its boundless capacity of progress-its feelings implanted in it by the great Creator, specially its horror of annihilation, and "this pleasing hope-this fond desire and longing after immortality;" the analogy of external creation which furnishes examples of change and improvement remarkably like that implied in the resurrection of the body-these considerations alone, if they do not absolutely shut up to the conclusion that the soul cannot die, at least shut out any contrary conclusion as a resting place for a rational mind. This doctrine, however, the word of God plainly affirms, and every professing Christian acknowledges. But is the great truth duly considered? When, for example, a child is born into the world, is it sufficiently remembered, that in that birth, an existence has begun which shall never terminate, world without endthat a stream of life has started forth, which shall run on and on into eternity? If an heir is born to some great estate, there is rejoicing among the tenants and retainers; bonfires are kindled, and the feast is spread, to show how much the event is appreciated. How little of such interest is shown, when the simple fact is heard of that one is born an heir of immortality! Is it enough thought of by parents when training their children, that they are educating for eternity? Is it not often forgotten by Sabbath teachers, when * From the United Presbyterian Magazine of Scotland. they are apt to lose patience with dull or obstinate or careless scholars, that they are striving for souls which shall never cease to be? When professing Christians are so busy from morn till night, and from Sabbath to Sabbath in the business of this world-that they cannot allow their soul an hour's rest for calm and serious spiritual reflection, do they consider that the spirit which stirs within them, and for which they are labouring so little, is a deathless principle, which will survive the wreck of ages and the crash of worlds? Surely, if the fact were earnestly pondered and practically dealt with, there would be less fretfulness about momentary troubles-less anxiety about worldly hopes-less absorption of the heart in worldly concerns; and that there is so much of these even among the professing people of God, is too plain evidence, that if, in respect to this doctrine of immortality, God's people hath known--God's people hath not considered. Another truth too seldom considered, is, that a day of righteous judgment awaits our world. There is in the human mind, an innate sense which looks to some future great transaction for clearing up and rectifying much that is obsure and wrong in the state of society. This confiding sense of justice being derived from our Creator, we conclude, that He who gave it must be a holy and righteous being. Then we see enough within us and around us, to satisfy our minds, that God is great in wisdom and power, able to execute what his holy nature demands. But with this might and this love of right together, on the part of the Sovereign ruler, there is still much iniquity permitted in the world. The groanings of the oppressed-the boasting of oppressors-the triumphs of successful cunning-the reeking dens of licentiousness, and other sights and sounds equally revolting, continue from day to day to defy the power and mock the rectitude of the great God. Shall they so continue for ever? Can we explain why Almighty justice permits them even for a day, except on the supposition that a time is coming when all will be set to right, and the balance of this world's affairs finally adjusted? But this conclusion of enlightened reason is confirmed by holy writ. God hath appointed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness; and according to this righteous judgment shall be our doom, brightening into seraphs in the presence of the Lamb, or blackening into fiends with the devil and his angels, through everlasting ages. This is the truth of God; is it considered? It is admitted into our creeds; is it admitted into our hearts and lives? There is a professing Christian tormenting himself day and night, because some one, as he thinks, has not done him justice, and ready to move heaven and earth, that justice may be done him. Could he be so plagued and worried with such cares, were he to remember that a day is comng, when all that is wrong shall be infallibly rectified? Here is one taking an unrighteous advantage of his neighbour, because the act is allowed by law, or because there is no probability of detection; could he do this wickedness if he reflected that he is one day to be confronted with his neighbour before a righteous judge who knows the |