the afflicted of our race. They may be understood by a figure of synecdoche for the afflicted and distressed of mankind in general; which is undoubtedly the true import of the passage. These by mere worldlings are passed over. Their object is more to court the applause of the noted, the fashionable, and the proud. They are aspiring to something beyond them, instead of turning their attention to the miseries of their fellow creatures. They heed not the language of the God of Israel : "Wash you, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes: cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek judgement, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow."

To visit the fatherless and the widow in their afflictions, is a divine requirement, and ought never to be construed contrary to that compassion that God re quires us to exercise toward the afflicted, nor inconsistent with the purity of those works which are aeceptable in the sight of heaven. Were we to interpret this passage in conformity to the various characters of men, we should find no difficulty in explaining it, so as to make many fulfil the divine requirement in a manner that never was intended, and consequently give them a title to the popular and desirable name of religion. The Pharisees visited widows' houses;

but it was to devour them. The widow and fatherless mourned beneath the frowns of their tyranny. When it was said that the Lord God hath visited his people, we find it was said in the same passage, that he hath redeemed them. When it was said "the day-spring from on high hath visited us," it was "to give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.??

The man that possesses pure and undefiled religion, sets a guard over his own conduct, as well as to regard his fellow creatures with kindness. He keeps himself unspotted from the world. In the world he is surrounded with temptations to evil. Their various allurements are calculated to steal upon the mind, and

attract the affections from virtuous principles, in such treacherous and unexpected ways, that no one can exercise too much caution in guarding against them. The pernicious practices of well meant but misguided friends; the fashionable and idle customs of the society with which we mingle in the common concerns and business of life; and the daily habits acquired through inattention; all have their bearing in opposition to keeping one's self unspotted from the world. Our Savior in a pathetic prayer to his Father concerning his disciples, says, "I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, "but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil." So foreign from pure and undefiled religion are, and have been in all ages, the practice and the love of the world, that a beloved disciple of Jesus thought proper to say, Love not the world, nor the things that are in the world. He further gives us his testimony, that if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. No person need mistake the sense in which the apostle uses the term world. It was not meant to signify the inhabitants of the world, but the fashions, customs, evil practices, and vices of the world. God has given no command for any one to hate his people. He "sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."

The religious man in keeping himself unspotted from the world, exercises a peculiar care over his mind. In proving all things, he reasons with freedom, but is careful not to deal so habitually with plausible speculations as to be ensnared by their subtle illusions. The cunning craftiness of those who lie in wait to deceive, is the more easily discerned by the constant vigilance of the truly religious, than in any other situation of life. While he professes to make the scripture his guide and rule of moral conduct, he is equally careful in his endeavors to understand it, and in his care to adhere to it. To the praise of Timothy it was spoken, that from a child he was acquainted with the holy scriptures, which were able to make him

wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

The man that thus looks to the sentiments of his heart, and keeps himself unspotted from the world, will exercise care in the language which he uses, and will see that it be in conformity to the sentiments of unspotted purity. Will the profane man plead that he means no harm? Why then does he not use that language which is harmless? If he does not mean as he says, why does he not talk as he means? Surely, O man, thy very excuse condemns thee. Thy careless oaths, thy multiplied blasphemies, are daily witnesses of thy defection and of thine alienation from pure and undefiled religion before God. Does the profane man plead habit? He does but inform us that he is an old sinner. Does he say it is a mark of greatness? He only pleads for great impropriety, folly, and wickedness. There is no real greatness in unmeaning language. And a man that uses uncommon exertions to make people believe him, will excite a jealousy that he is conscious of frequently dealing in falsehood. Drinking, gaming, horse-racing, and bets of all and various kinds, are spots of the world, and form no part of a truly religious character. They are all manifest tokens of the corruptions of the mind; and however innocent these practices may find a man, they never long accompany him, without stealing some of the best sentiments of his heart. The man that desires to possess pure religion,-that would be nurtured in principles of equality and universal love, will be careful to avoid these snares as a most deadly poison.

The man that keeps himself unspotted from the world, must exercise care in the choice of his society. His character is generally known by the company that he keeps. We may always take it for granted that the company which is the most resorted to, is of those manners, and possesses those properties, which are the most conformable to the frequenter's mind. Nor is it untimely to remark, that such company exercises the

most influence over a man, and the most easily persuades him to any new course or practice in life. To cultivate friendship with all is a divine command; but to intimately associate with the irreligious and vicious, is dangerous to one's character and love of virtue. Let the spirit of meekness and benevolence however be exercised toward all men. "Love your enemies; bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."

ILLUSTRATION OF SCRIPTURE WORDS.

To save, salvation, savior.

NO. 7.

The Greek words answering to these are owšw, σωτηρία, σωτηριον, and σωτηρ.

Zwew, (sozo,) 1. To save or deliver from evil or danger; 2. To make whole, or heal of some bodily distemper; 3. To save from sins, i. e. from the guilt (compare Luke vii. 48, with ver. 50) dominion, and eternal punishment of them.*

This word, besides being most generally translated to save, is rendered

To be made whole, Matt. ix. 21, I shall be made whole; ver. 22; Mark v. 28. 34; Luke vii. 48 ; xvii. 19; Acts iv. 9, by what means he is made whole.

To preserve, 2 Tim. iv. 18, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom; Luke xvii. 33, shall it.

preserve

Zwinpio, (soteria,) 1. A saving, preservation, safety; 2. A deliverance; 3. Spiritual and eternal salvation. Translated

Salvation, Luke i. 69. 77; xix. 9; John iv. 22;

* It may be proper here to notice that Parkhurst, the author from whom these definitions are taken, was a believer in endless misery.

Acts iv. 12; xiii. 26. 47; xvi. 17; Rom. i. 16; x. 10; xi. 11; xiii. 11; 2 Cor. i. 6; vi. 2; vii. 10. Epe. i. 13; Phil. i. 19. 28; ii. 12; 1 Thess. v. 8, 9; 2 Thess. ii. 13; 2 Tim. ii. 10 ; iii. 15; Heb. i. 14; ii. 3. 10; V. 9; vi. 9; 1 Pet. i. 5. 9, 10; 2 Pet. iii. 15; Jude 3; Rev. vii. 10; xii. 10; xix. 1.

Health, Acts xxvii. 34, for this is for your health. Deliverance, Acts vii. 25, would deliver them ; that

is, give them deliverance.

Ewrnpiov, (soterion,) salvation. This word is used in only four passages in the New Testament, and is always translated salvation.

Ewing, (soter,) a savior, deliverer, preserver. This word is used twenty-four times in the New Testament, and is always translated Savior.

The above definitions are all taken from Parkhurst's Lexicon. In the illustration of scripture words in this article, we have confined our quotations to the New Testament, which were thought to be sufficiently extensive to be satisfactory on the use of these words. This article might be much enlarged by quoting from the Old.

The reader will easily perceive by attending to the subject herein treated that salvation in seripture includes a temporal, as well as an eternal state; respects national, civil, and individual affairs, as well as those of an imperishable nature.

EXTRACT FROM THE MINUTES OF THE OHIO NORTHERN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSALISTS.

The Northern Association of Universalists met, according to the adjournment of the last year, at the School house in Shalersville, Portage County, Ohio, on Tuesday evening, Sept. 3,1822, and, after singing and prayer, chose Br. Timothy Bige Low, Moderator, and Brs. N. B. Johnson and E. Williams Clerks.

Received into fellowship the society of Aurora; also the society of Newton and Braceville, and the church and society of Austintown; likewise the society of Farmington.

Received forty-three representatives in addition to the num ber of the last year,