scripture just recited as an unerring guide, to offer to the readers of the Christian Advocate, two or three short essays on the duty of social worship, the subjects of which it may be well to state at

once

I. To inquire what we are to understand by social worship, or by that "assembling of ourselves together," which is mentioned in the quoted text.

II. To show that it is an important and indispensable duty incumbent on all Christians, to attend on this worship.

III. To specify those extraordinary circumstances, that will justify us in not attending on this worship. In answering to the inquiry which forms the subject of our first essay, we think it is obvious that publick worship on the Lord's day, is principally and specially to be regarded. This was one important end for which the Sabbath was originally instituted; and which, in every age, it has been happily calculated to promote. Under the Mosaick dispensation it had the name of a convocation, because the people were then specially called together, to worship the Lord Jehovab. "Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein, it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings." We find, accordingly, that, agreeably to the form of worship then appointed, special sacrifices were offered on the Sabbath. This may be seen at large in the 20th chapter of the book of Num

bers.

The high estimation in which the worship of the sanctuary was held by the people of God among the ancient Jews, and the esteem they had for the Sabbath as connected with such worship, may be learned from the abundant expressions of the Psalmist; in which he represents his highest pleasures as derived from this source, and his greatest griefs as flowing from an

exclusion from the house of God. "This is the day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad-We have blessed you out of the house of the Lord. God is the Lord which hath showed us light, bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar. Thou art my God, and I will praise thee, thou art my God, I will exalt thee. O give thanks unto the Lord! for he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever." And on the other hand, his distress and anxious desires are thus expressed-"As the hart panteth after the water brook, so panteth my soul after thee, O God! My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God; when shall I come and appear before God?" Our blessed Redeemer himself has, in this respect, set us an example. Let it be observed in the following passage, that the historian of his life is careful to state distinctly, what was the habit of our Lord-It is said-"And as his custom was, he went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read."

After the resurrection of our Saviour, the day of the week on which the Sabbath should be observed was changed, that the completion of the work of redemption-greater and more important to us than the work of creation-might be perpetually commemorated and celebrated. But the obligation to the publick worship of God on this sacred day was not relaxed, but rather increased, by this event. It should not escape observation that it was when the apostles were "assembled with one accord in one place," on the day of Pentecost, (which was the first day of the week, and the Christian Sabbath) that the miraculous and promised descent of the Holy Ghost took place, which so effectually qualified them for their work, and added three thousand converts to the Christian church. It was likewise on the first day of the week, when the disciples at Troas came together to

break bread, that Paul "preached to them, ready to depart on the morrow, and continued his speech until midnight." To the stated assemblies for publick worship on the Christian Sabbath the Apostle plainly refers, where he says to the Corinthians-Upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come." And finally, this is called "the Lord's day" in the New Testament; no doubt because it is peculiarly consecrated to the service of the Lord Jesus, of which publick worship and the preaching of the gospel are a principal part. "I was (says the Apostle John) in the Spirit on the Lord's day."

From the foregoing quotations it evidently appears, that the precept which requires us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together, has a very special reference to the publick worship of the sanctuary on the Lord's day. This worship is of high and primary importance. It has the sanction of the Divine authority; it has been remarkably attended by the Divine blessing; it has been peculiarly precious and useful to all the people of God. In one word, it is most clearly, not only God's ordinance, but an ordinance intended to be of principal use in preserving on the minds of men a sense of their duty to him, and of giving a saving effect to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Those, therefore, who wilfully neglect publick worship on the Lord's day, are chargeable with the highest and most aggravated violation of the precept, which requires us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together.

But although the service of the sanctuary on the Sabbath be the principal and stated season for social worship, it is not the only season. That days for humiliation, fasting and prayer, as well as for solemn thanksgiving for mercies received, may be lawfully set apart,

is certainly countenanced by the word of God, as well as by the practice of the church from its very origin.

Our Lord expressly declared, that after he should be taken from his disciples, they "should fast in those days;" and he gives them particular directions in what manner they should do it: And the experience of God's people has shown, that special seasons of prayer, accompanied with fasting, or with thanksgiving and praise, as the occasion has required, have been followed by remarkable blessings and answers of their requests, both of a publick and a private nature. It is therefore the duty of all to assemble themselves together for social worship on such occasions, whenever they are judiciously and seasonably appointed. If it is a duty for the ministers of the gospel to celebrate publick worship on such occasions, it is the manifest correspondent duty of their people to attend upon it. Yet there are many who seem to suppose, that on all such occasions they are at liberty to follow their own inclination, without any cause for uneasiness of conscience whether they attend or not.

But there is still a more private kind of social worship, for which we do well to assemble ourselves together. A distinguishing mark of those that were truly pious, is thus given by the prophet Malachi

"Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another." And it is added" the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him, for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name." Nay, our Lord himself seems to intend an encouragement of the smaller assemblies for social worship, in that gracious and encouraging promise

"Where two or three are met together in my name there am I in the midst of them." Meetings for religious conference, for prayer and praise, as well as for some other

exercises, have been found both pleasant and profitable, to all who have a relish for vital piety; as well as to those who have been convinced of their guilt and danger, and anxious to flee from the wrath to come. Those who wholly forsake and avoid the assembling of themselves together on such occasions, when opportunity offers and other duties permit, are certainly chargeable with acting in opposition to the spirit of the gospel, and to the examples which it exhibits. The seasons for these more private associations for worship should, indeed, be chosen with prudence, so as not to render their frequency burdensome; and they should be conducted in such a manner as not to interfere with the duties of the family or the closet.-An attendance on them should by no means be considered as of the same indispensable obligation as the worship of the Sabbath, but made to yield occasionally to some engagements of an urgent kind. But subject to these limitations and conditions, they are certainly precious means of keeping up the spirit of vital piety. Some of the readers of this essay will probably be ready to testify, that social religious exercises of a more private kind, on a particular morning or evening of the week, have afforded them some of their most precious seasons of refreshment and improvement in the divine life.

Family prayer is a species of social worship, which every Christian head of a family is so obviously bound to perform, that the families in which it is neglected are in the Bible classed with heathens, and share with them in a solemn imprecation-See Jer. x. 25.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE.

Mr. Editor-I transmit to you the following lines for publication. They were prompted by a distressing occurrence. A promising and

Hence, then, repining thoughts, and murmuring sighs;

Beneath the rod may we submissive bend:

By this sad blow a Father, kind and wise, Would teach our spirits heav'nward to ascend.

Why weep we at th' inevitable doom? Soon we shall hail the joyous, dreadful day!

When death's dark prison-house, the dreaded tomb,

To Him who conquer'd death, shall yield its prey.

Thanks to kind heaven for the celestial light

Which gilds with lucid ray death's dark domain;

That brings to view a prospect, cheering, bright

A distant world, where endless pleasures reign.

Let soothing thoughts like these assuage our grief;

And be it still our unremitting care So to improve life's passing season brief, That we the ceaseless joys of heaven may share.

Dear child! adieu! the dark, the gloomy grave

Conceals thy much lov'd image from our sight;

Thy spirit's gone to Him who being gave, To dwell,-we trust,-in everlasting

light.

There, may we meet thee-when our race is run,

Afflictions, pains, and every trial o'er; Vanquish'd each foe, our work and warfare done

Oh! may we meet in heaven, to part

no more.

The total disregard of the Sabbath by so large a portion of children and youth, and indeed by persons of all ages, in many parts of our country, is both a principal cause, and a mournful consequence, of the vice and profligacy which so awfully abound. It has been truly said, that where there is no Sabbath there is no religion; and the remark is equally applicable to individuals, to families, and to communities. Every Christian parent, therefore, should see that the day is regarded by his children, not only in their abstaining from worldly employments and from visits and parties of amusement, but in consecrating it to the acquisition of religious knowledge, to works of charity, and to exercises of devotion and piety. Some care, however, should be taken to diversify the exercises of children on the Sabbath, so as not to make them unnecessarily tedious; and with due attention this may be done. Publick worship, family worship, secret devotion, meditation, reading the scriptures, catechizing, attending on Sabbath schools and Bible classes, perusing books of piety and morality, the biography of eminent Christians, church history, and sacred poetry;-here, surely, is a variety sufficient to prevent weariness; and to a considerable part of this variety, almost every person in our land may, with suitable care and exertion, have access.

Parents should remember that every Sabbath is an important portion of time, by the right improvement of which their children, when they come to years of manhood, may be thoroughly versed in doctrinal religion, and if God add his grace, be qualified to become eminent Christians-To lose a Sabbath, therefore, is to lose much.

It is also of great importance that the young should be taught and accustomed to attend on all religious duties, from the very first, with the utmost reverence. Fa

mily worship, catechetical instruction, and even the asking of a blessing and the returning of thanks at common meals, should be so conducted, as to make children, as far as possible, feel a reverence for the Divine Majesty, in every exercise of the kind. Parents should neither treat these exercises themselves, nor suffer their children to treat them, as merely things of course and matters of form. Where this takes place, it has a most pernicious influence, in accustoming the mind to treat sacred things with irreverence. On the contrary, when children are made to realize the importance and sacredness of all religious acts and exercises, it has the happiest effect in keeping alive in their minds continually a sensibility to divine things, and a serious regard to spiritual duties.

3. If parents would bring up their children in the admonition of the Lord, they must often and tenderly remind them personally of their religious duty, and see that they attend on all the means of religious improvement.

The word admonition, in the text on which these essays are grounded, was intended to intiinate, that parents are constantly to remind their children of their duty to God. This is a very important, and a very delicate part, of a Christian parent's duty to his offspring. On the one hand, we are not, at all times indiscriminately, nor at any time in a manner abrupt, harsh and disgusting, to be charging them to take care of their souls. We are not to act toward them as if we could compel and drive them to religion. Such a conduct may do far more harm than good. On the other hand, we are not to omit the sacred duty of admonishing them frequently and faithfully, about their spiritual and eternal state. We must seek out the most proper times and seasons; we must watch for the most favourable circumstances; we must