will lead our minds to a knowledge of the glory of his nature; his wisdom, power and goodness, his incomprehensible greatness, universal supremacy, and his unremitted and irresistible agency. One important use of genuine science, is to enable us to perceive the immediate operation of Divine power, in all the changes presented to our view in the material universe. It is agreeable to the most enlightened philosophy, that matter, however modified or combined, is essentially inert; and consequently that all its changes are produced by the immediate agency of mind. Mind alone is essentially active, and capable of originating and continuing motion. The laws of naThe laws of nature, or the laws of motion, which some ignorantly mistake for efficient causes, denote either general facts, or different modes of Divine operation. Philosophical inquirers have generally discovered a disposition to exclude God from the government of the world, both intellectual and material; and to account for the various changes which take place, independently of his universal and immediate interposition. Men will rather speak absurdly, and without any rational meaning, than ascribe the events and changes which we witness, to the Almighty Creator and Governor of the world. They are disposed rather to ascribe them to nature, to the laws of nature, to the natural tendency of things; words which have no distinct and Intelligible meaning; unless they are employed to signify that order of events which God has established, and which he carries into effect by his incessant operation. This conduct is both irrational and impious. It assimilates the general style of philosophical systems to Epicurean atheism and absurdity. It invests nature, and the laws of nature, with the attributes of Deity, and the government of the world, to the exclusion of the VOL. V-Ch. Adv. almighty and intelligent Author of all things. It deprives God of the glory due to him for his wonderful works of creation and providence; and tends to lead away our minds from the contemplation of his perfections and universal agency. (To be continued.) TRAVELS IN EUROPE FOR HEALTH IN (Continued from p. 13.) London, Aug. 26th, 1820. My dear Friend,-That I may not entirely disappoint your reasonable curiosity, I must try to say something of my short sojourn in this vast metropolis, which I expect to leave in a few days. I have had a busy time since I came here. Anxious to make the most of my brief stay in the place, I have been from morning till night, going from place to place, taking a hasty look at the multiplicity of objects which crowd upon the stranger's attention; and the result is, a perfect chaos in my mind. By the time I am a few months out of London, it will be to me like a dream, that ever I have been in it. And in truth my very curiosity has become jaded; so that I cease to look with half the interest I did at first, or that a stranger would who had just arrived in full health, and with time on hand to allow him to go leisurely to work, without making "a toil of a pleasure." I mentioned in my last, that the day which brought me here, was one of exquisite enjoyment. The idea of being in Old England, and on the road to London, combining with the fineness of the weather, the beauty and fertility of the country on the whole route, could hardly fail to produce an excitement in the mind, of a very high grade. But our animal system is so constructed, that high excitement kept I up for any great length of time, will subside into satiety and relaxation, often followed with depression; at least so it is with me, and so I found it on this occasion. In the stage tavern, deserted of all my travelling associates, I spent a solitary evening, on the night of my arrival, amidst a bustle of strange company, who cared nothing for me. The next morning, I had a silent breakfast, at a small table in the eating room, by myself. A common breakfast-table, for the whole company, as often prevails in the United States, is not known here. High-flyers take their breakfasts in their chambers. The common eating-room is crowded with tables of all dimensions, from the small round stand for an individual, to the oblong board sufficient to accommodate a dozen. So that he who comes alone, feeds alone; and every party keeps by itself. Whatever benefit may attend this arrangement, it operates badly on the solitary stranger, by excluding him from the opportunity of a sociable meal-the best of all opportunities for "scraping" an acquaintance with fellow strangers. Thus situated, with a mind jaded by the travel and excitement of the preceding day, and ruminating on home, I have seldom felt more solitary than on the first morning in London. No doubt, my depression was not a little increased, by the anticipated distress incident to a very shy mortal, compelled to beg, by introductory letters, the kind offices of strangers. It was with no small reluctance I ventured, under the direction of a guide, to sally into the crowded streets, in quest of the Rev. Dr. Waugh. It was a little day's journey to his house. Happily I found him at home, and was soon set perfectly at ease, by the Christian brotherly kindness of his reception. Through his kindness I have been again provided with a home for a few days, in the family of one of his parishioners, in a central part of the city. Two things cannot fail to fill a stranger, on his first coming into London, with amazement: the immensity of its size, and the vastness of its business. In point of size, Paris dwindles into littleness on a comparison. To pass through London, is a journey of no small extent. From a walk on the top of Meux's brewery, a very high building, situated on an elevated part, I had a view over the greatest part of the city; which in some directions appeared to extend as far as I could see, even to the verge of the horizon. Mr. S, a gentleman with whom I had become a little acquainted in Baltimore, when he was there some years ago, and the only individual I have met with abroad whom I have ever seen in my own country, was good enough to devote a day to rambling with me over the town. After an early breakfast, we left his house with an understanding that it would be out of the question to think of returning to dinner; and accordingly at the distance, by his estimation, of about three miles from his house, we dined at an eating-house. The man in business in London, must submit to immense drudgery in out-door transactions, from the distance of places, or be subject to heavy taxation in the hire of hackney coaches. The number of these vehicles in Paris surprised me; but verily they are not to be compared to those of London for multitude. To see the shipping, the warehouses, the custom-house, the exchange, &c. &c. cannot fail to excite an amazing idea of the amount of business transacted in this city. The leading idea impressed on my mind relative to Paris is, that it is a place of pleasure; but London is emphatically a place of business. Nothing, however, produced in my mind so much astonishment, at the vast scale on which business is transacted here, as the Bank of England. A mercantile friend conducted me through it. The space of ground which the building occupies, the number and size of the rooms, but above all, the multitude of clerks and persons in its employ -estimated at about two thousand -sink every thing of the kind which I have seen elsewhere, into insignificance. One large room, connected with the building, is appropriated to stockjobbing transactions. And here a scene presented itself, on which I looked with as much astonishment, as on any thing I have seen in London. It was crowded with people on their feet, seeming to be in incessant motion, and every one vociferating as loud as he was able. The hubbub was most astounding, and a perfect Babel of confusion. Persons without business were not allowed to go farther than the door. Here I looked on, perfectly incapable of discovering what the wild uproar could mean. The explanation given by my friend was to this amount. That there were so many calling out the names of persons they wished to find in the house, or the kind of stock in which they wished to traffick, &c. that those in conversation were compelled to speak in the loudest tones, in order to hear each other. The churches, and the state of church affairs, you will readily suppose, has made a principal object of my attention. Yet on this subject I have gathered but little worth putting on paper. To a republican and a Presbyterian, ac customed to the equality of rights and privileges existing among the different religious denominations in the United States, it is not a little grating, to see the proud superiority of the churches of the establishment, over the chapels, as the houses of worship belonging to dissenters are called. The churches are generally large majestick build ings, many of them ornamented with vast steeples, bells, and clocks; while the chapels are comparatively quite small, humble erections, with little ornament, either in their interior or exterior. Very few of the dissenting churches, which have come under my notice, are to be compared in point of size and ornament, to many of the churches in Philadelphia and New York. The immense pile of building called St. Paul's Cathedral, of which you have often heard, is scarcely to be regarded as a place of worship. More than three-fourths of its vast interior is completely vacant, except the pictures and monuments with which it is ornamented. One small section, enclosed with an iron railing, and furnished with pews, is appropriated to Divine service. I was present one forenoon, when a high dignitary of the church read the church service to a few attendants. In parade and formality, it appeared very nearly to correspond with the Popish mass I have so often witnessed in France. To me, the whole exhibition was more like any thing else than devotion. At the invitation of Dr. Waugh, who is the chairman, I attended a meeting of the Board of Managers of the London Missionary Society, and heard the examination of three young men, who offered themselves to be received as missionaries, to go wheresoever the Board may choose to send them. I need not tell you the gratification I felt, at being introduced to some of the leading men of a society, whose formation is an era in the church; almost equal in importance to any thing that has taken place, since the days of the apostles-the reformation from Popery excepted. My heart hailed the magnanimous men, who divesting themselves of sectarian prejudices, and forbearing one another in love on the subject of minor differences, met in common council, and united their means and their energies, to send the gospel into all landssealing their attachment to each other as brethren, and their devotedness to the common cause, by participating at the same communion table, in the memorials of their crucified Redeemer. Already the fruits of their co-operation are such as correspond to such an auspicious commencement. We have reason to say," what hath God wrought" by their means-And what hath God wrought by their agency, not only in heathen lands, but by the awakening impulse given to the slumbering church of God, in other places throughout the world. This society have formed a missionary museum, consisting of the various items of curiosity, which the missionaries have been able to send home from the countries they have visited. Already the collection fills two rooms, and promises in the course of some time to become very interesting. One article lately received, cannot be viewed, I think, without awakening much feeling. It is a collection of Otaheitean gods. You have already been informed, that these late idolaters, since their conversion, have packed up their gods, and sent them in a chest to London, as a present to the Missionary Society. There are a great many of them, arranged on the shelves of the museum. And truly they are an exhibition worth looking at. Westminster Abbey has shown me nothing that has produced in my mind so much excitement. They are of different sizes, made of wood, and painted. Some of them are ornamented with feathers, &c. Their figure is a combination of the human with the brutal shape, in a way to give effect to all that is ugly and frightful in appearance. Surely they are fit to represent the hatefulness of devils, and correspond well with the shocking rites of devil worship. Who that has a heart to feel, can refrain from re joicing that the mercy of God has rescued a portion of the human race from the horrors of such an idolatry! And who that has a mite to bestow, would grudge to give it for a purpose so noble. In or out of the establishment, I do not learn that there is among the clergy of London any man, at this time, of very superior celebrity. Among the evangelical corps, the Rev. Daniel Wilson, of the Episcopal church, has been mentioned as one of the most prominent. For the time, I have heard tain, and most of it has been good as much preaching as I could obwhat I have frequently heard in preaching; but nothing superior to my own country. The Rev. Dr. Waugh, to whose kind attentions I am much indebted, is a man without show; but unless I am much mistaken, of great worth. He is an old Scotchman, who has long ministered to a congregation of his countrymen, belonging to the Burgher seceders. Under his ministrations, the congregation has greatly prospered; and it would have been strange had it been otherwise, considering his talents, his piety, and peculiarly conciliating man ners. His large muscular person, mild countenance, and gray locks, give him a very venerable appearance; while his sprightly, playful humour, renders his conversation men, he has a strong predilection very attractive. Like most Scotchattachment to the church of the for his country, with a sufficient secession, to which he belongs-yet much relaxed from the rigid ideas of Christian communion, which have characterized that church, both in Europe and America. A few evenings ago, I attended in the church of Mr. Burder, to hear this venerable printed discourses, under the title Independent, whose of "Village Sermons," have been so popular in our country. I found in his place Dr. Waugh, who had no scruple to conform to the usage (Continued from page 15.) A Communion Season in the North of Ireland. The sacrament of the Supper is observed twice in the year, spring and fall. The time is generally announced from the pulpit some weeks before. The arrival of communion week is farther noticed by a sermon peculiar to the occasion, preached on the Sabbath which immediately precedes it; and from that time until the middle of the week which succeeds it, even a stranger may know by the look and words and gestures of the people, that something of a deep and solemn interest occupies their attention. On the Thursday before the communion a holy fast is observed; when it is expected that the congregation, laying aside all secular employment, will come up to the house of the Lord, where a sermon, appropriate to the occasion, is preached by the pastor. After sermon and a deep and searching exhortation, the pastor informs the congregation of the names of those brethren whom he expects to assist him on the approach ing occasion; as well as of the times and parts in which they are to act. Saturday is the day of immediate preparation; when a sermon, by one of the invited brethren, is preached to the congregation; and after the close of the services, the pastor of the church, descending from the pulpit to the clerk's desk, distributes to the members of the church tokens of admission to the table of the Lord; and without a token, no person would presume on the coming day to approach the sacred board. This, you will perceive, is done to prevent imposture, lest any profane person, or one unsound in doctrine, should come presumptuously to the holy ordinance. This day may be called the preparation of the Sabbath; and hence every thing is done necessary to make the Sabbath literally a holy day of rest: and when the Sabbath sun arises, he shines on a people still and solemn-the deep feelings of the heart are depicted on their calm and contemplative countenances-and save the voice of prayer and praise, the whole neighbourhood looks something like a land over which the sirocco blast had just passed. But this is of short duration; for at an early hour, every field and pathway and road, leading to the holy temple, is literally thronged-the whole neighbourhood seems to turn out with one consent-every cottage pours forth its inhabitants for miles around; and they stream along to the church of God from every direction, like lines from the circumference of a circle to its centre, in which they all meet and mingle. Nor is this confined to any one, particular denomination; for apparently forgetting their distinctive in their generic appellation, all ranks and sects press forward to the church, in which the Holy Supper is to be celebrated. The first thing which arrests the attention of a stranger is a table, placed at the gate which admits into the church enclosure, covered with a white cloth, on which is placed a large pewter plate, attended by an elder, to receive the collection. On this plate every one deposites what his pocket or his inclination permits. If the day is pleasant, it generally happens that the church cannot con |