WEALTH-that you are like the rainbow's bright ray,
Unsubstantial as clouds, and more fleeting than they :
RANK-let your name be as high as it may,

That the mandate "be dust," even you must obey:
POWER-what things are your life and your sway,
Which a breath can destroy and a murmur betray!
HAPPINESS-know that you shine like the light
Of the wandering gleam that misleads us at night:
PLEASURE-though painted all lovely and bright,
That your visits are fatal, and rapid your flight:
FRIENDSHIP-though dear to the sense and the sight,
That thou art but a flower which the wintry winds blight:
LOVE that thy name, if we read it aright,

Is passion, more fearful because of its might :
HOPE-'tis in you their attractions unite,
But you lure us to leave us when most you invite.

On the Duty of Prayer.

L. A. H.

THE duty of addressing ourselves by prayer and thanksgiving to the all-powerful Creator and Ruler of the universe, is so strongly and so frequently enforced both by the precepts and example of Jesus Christ and the apostles, as I should apprehend could leave no reasonable doubt on the minds of Christians as to the propriety of the practice.

With respect to the advantages to be derived from a right performance of this duty, they are certainly great and obvious. We are frail and imperfect creatures, surrounded by temptations, and constantly liable to have our affections engrossed by present objects. And certainly nothing can more effectually counteract this tendency, than the frequent habit of addressing ourselves with reverence and devotion to a Being of infinite perfection and holiness: a Being whom we believe to be constantly present with us, taking cognizance of all our actions, and who will at some future period place us in situations where we shall be happy or miserable, according to the habits we have contracted and the dispositions that have been formed in us during our abode in the present life.

The daily habit of addressing ourselves to a Being who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, of supplicating the pardon of our offences, and of praying that we may not be led into temptation, cannot fail to operate as a

powerful inducement to avoid committing those offences and running into those temptations which we are constantly praying against. And by frequently petitioning with seriousness and fervour for the attainment and increase of every Christian virtue, we cannot but be strongly reminded of the obligation to add to our prayers the most diligent and unremitted exertions.

It has been objected by some to the duty of prayer, that it cannot possibly be of any use, because the decrees of the Almighty being fixed and immutable, no prayers of ours can either reverse or alter them. But surely no person will deny that the state of our own minds may be so materially changed by an habitual, sincere and conscientious performance of this duty, as to render it expedient for us to be -put in possession of many blessings, which otherwise would. have been highly improper, and perhaps prejudicial. If the end is appointed, so are the means. And we may safely venture to appeal to the experience of every person who has made the trial, with respect to the good effects of a serious and regular performance of this duty in promoting right dispositions of mind, both towards our Creator, and towards our fellow-creatures.

Nor indeed in the nature of things can it be otherwise. The Being whom we are taught to worship is likewise one whom we can love and honour. Not like the fictitious deities of the Heathens of old, delighting in human sufferings, and feasting on human sacrifices, nor yet like the God of some modern, Christians, arrayed in frowns of vengeance, punishing with the utmost rigour even a mistaken opinion, though it should be the result of a sincere, upright and impartial inquiry after truth: never remitting even the slightest offence of his frail and erring creatures without an infinite satisfaction to his offended justice and dooming by far the greatest part of them to eternal and inconceivable torments, in consequence of a transgression cominitted many ages before they were in existence.

::

Far different is the Being whom we are accustomed to worship and adore. By the Scriptures we are taught to consider him as a God of infinite goodness as well as of infinite power; the kind and benignant parent of all his creatures: "The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth: keeping mercy for thousands; forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin. We are taught to consider him as that holy and

righteous Being whom it is our highest happiness and per fection to love and to imitate, as well as to reverence and fear; a Being to whom we can look up with filial affection and confidence for the supply of every real good; on whom alone we can depend for support and assistance in seasons of difficulty and distress; and who will most assuredly in the end make all things work together for good, to those who are obedient and resigned to his will. For the privilege of addressing this Almighty Parent by prayer and thanksgiving, we can never be sufficiently grateful. How careful, then, ought we to be not to neglect so important a means of improving and perfecting our nature, and of rendering us more and more resembling the Being whom we adore!

The very general neglect and disuse of family devotion, even among persons who in some respects seem disposed to seriousness, is a circumstance which cannot be too deeply lamented. A serious and regular performance of this duty, must certainly be a powerful means of training up children and servants in a sense of their duty to their Creator, of their dependence upon him, and of the obligations they owe him, and must in some degree operate as a check upon the thoughtlessness and profligacy so prevalent among servants, who have had the misfortune to receive little or no religious instruction, and which has long been a subject of severe and universal lamentation. A great degree of responsibility attaches to the heads of families with respect to those persons, whether children or servants, who are under their care. And severe and awful will be the account they must have to render, if having been placed in such situations, they feel not the obligation to embrace every fit opportunity of sowing the seeds of instruction in the ductile minds of youth, of promoting, by every means in their power, their improvement in knowledge and in goodness; of opening their minds to religious impressions; and especially of calling them together at stated seasons, to offer up their united devotions to the Creator of the universe, their Father and their God.

It is in vain for any person to pretend that he has not leisure for the exercise of family devotion. A few minutes with serious and devout attention, would be productive of highly beneficial effects. And I believe we may safely venture to affirm, that there is scarcely a person living, who does not every day spend more time in doing nothing,

.

than would be requisite to be employed in the exercise of this duty. At the same time he would probably find himself amply recompensed for his time and labour in the improved dispositions and conduct of those about him. By endeavouring to form their young minds to habits of seriousness and piety, he would be laying the foundation for their future good conduct through life. They would become in all respects more valuable members of society, and would be prepared for discharging the duties of all the various relations of life with greater fidelity and zeal. The pure and holy and devotional sentiments which have been infused into their bosoms, they would endeavour to disseminate among their companions and friends. The good principles which they have imbibed, they would transmit to their posterity, and thus become the honoured instruments, in the hand of Providence, of diffusing great and permanent blessings among mankind; of abolishing the gloomy reign of ignorance, profligacy and vice; and of promoting the knowledge and the practice of the pure religion of Jesus, as far as their influence should extend.

Letters from the Rev. R. Wright, to the Unitarians in the North-east District.

LETTER IX.

Trowbridge, December 1, 1826.

MY CHRISTIAN BRETHREN,

I SHALL Conclude this series of letters with a few remarks on church discipline. About this subject there has been much controversy, and Christians have gone to great extremes; some adopting such rigid plans as have been subversive of the liberty of the gospel, and others regarding all church discipline as incompatible with liberal principles and proceedings. Of late, controversies on this subject have been less frequent and more moderate; and it may be hoped that we are arrived at a period when the subject may be discussed with Christian temper, and without any interruption of peace and union, and when such discipline as will be useful may be adopted without any infraction of Christian liberty. Still it cannot be denied, that too much of the lordly spirit of former ages, remains among many professors of the gospel; and that church discipline is in many instances made a yoke of bondage, too grievous for those who understand the liberal princi

ples of pure and primitive Christianity to bear: this, however, is not the case among Unitarians; it is to be feared that they have, in some instances, gone to the opposite extreme, and neglected the discipline which is necessary: they should, however, remember that the abuse of a thing is no disproof of its use when properly applied. It is not, perhaps, to be expected that an entire uniformity upon this subject should exist among us, nor is this necessary; if more union is to be effected, it must be in consistency with a diversity of opinion and proceedings, not by the sacrifice of liberty, but by the increase and extension of charity if every thing practicable to preserve order and promote improvement be done, this is all we ought to desire.

1. It is important to understand and keep steadily in view what is meant by discipline. Discipline does not imply, dominion for no church has a right to exercise dominion over its members. The object of dicipline is edification. Edification cannot be promoted by coercion, and all coercion in religion is incompatible with Christian liberty. Christian discipline has nothing in it of authoritative proceedings, for Christ hath not delegated his authority to his followers. As it relates to individuals, it consists in giving them suitable instruction, admonition and reproof; and, that this may not be neglected, it is desirable that every church should choose and appoint suitable persons to do it. As it relates to the church or assembly, it consists in the preservation of order and regularity, and in the conducting of their affairs with that decorum and propriety which may best promote the ends of Christian society. Opinions, however erroneous they may be deemed, are proper subjects of discipline only so far as the word is used merely to express instruction. Improper conduct alone calls for admonition, and sin for reproof and censure. To attempt to dictate to others how they shall understand and practise the positive commands of Christ, and make our judgment a rule of action to them, is no legitimate part of church discipline; for it is an assumption of dominion over conscience, which Christ hath prohibited. What consists in imposing on others that which is contrary to their judgment and consciences, is not Christian discipline, but antichristian tyranny.

2. The supposition that Jesus Christ and his apostles established a regular plan of church discipline, extending to all