Let no one, then, pretend that prayer is useless, or neglect to pray; for prayer is of the highest moment to ourselves and others, and is a duty of imperative obligation. FAMILY RELIGION. FAMILY religion has large influence on the church of God. As are our families, so will be our churches. The level of the latter cannot rise higher than the level of the former. The seedling, strong and healthy when planted in the house of the Lord, gives the best promise of growth as the cedar, and beauty and fruitfulness as the palm-tree. If the homes of England were improved, the churches of England would be improved. The former are the quarries from which we build the church; and if the blocks from these are truly shaped and fashioned, the structure will not have so many huge, ugly projections, and yawning gaps between, to disfigure the face of its walls. If "the child is father to the man," then special care should be had that its early buddings and settings of thought should be vigorous and spiritual. Reformation is the cry that comes up from every quarter. We speak of government and its great need of reform, demanding "the right man for the right place." We speak of the army and call for reform, and frown upon incompetency and red-tapism. We speak of the church, and all clamour for the reform of its deep-seated, long-existing abuses. We speak of the ministry among ourselves and others, and seek its reformation; and many tell sad, sorrowful tales of its weakness and inefficiency. But how seldom does the subject of family reformation come up for earnest, prayerful consideration! But what sphere demands a more searching reformation? and what would tell more widely and distinctively on our fallen world? Other reformations may sprinkle the leaves of religion, but this only can nourish the root, and make our churches fat and flourishing. Lessons by the Way; or, Things to Think On. INFLUENCE OF CHARACTER. A good name is an important qualification for usefulness. The power of any man to do good depends, in an eminent degree, upon the reputation he enjoys. His character multiplies his opportunities, inspires confidence, gives weight to his counsels, and freedom, and energy, and effect to all his doings. To the man of inconsistency it will be said with scorn, Physician, heal thyself!" But he whose reputation is established for uniform integrity, possesses a winning and commanding influence, which he may turn to most profitable account in a cause of truth, benevolence, and piety. It gives us, to use the language of mechanics, a rest and a purchase in advancing every good work which nothing else can furnish. We should employ no means of obtaining a character amongst men, but the direct and honourable means of a steady and consistent deportment, the cultivation and the display, not the ostentatious, but the unobtrusive and unavoidable display, of real goodness-goodness that follows its every-day course of well-doing- "holds on the noiseless tenor of its way". neither courting observation nor shrinking from it, nor varnishing itself with a false lustre, but appearing in all its native simplicity and loveliness; not shadow, but substance; not tinsel, but bullion. Whilst all this is readily conceded, still we maintain, that to be totally unconcerned whether we be slandered or approved, whether our good be well or evil spoken of, is as immoral as it is unnatural.-Wardlaw. ORDERS OF GREATNESS. There are different orders of greatness. Among those the first rank is unquestionably due to moral greatness or magnanimity; to that sublime energy by which the soul, and smitten with the love of virtue, binds itself DEATH OF A COLPORTEUR AND HIS FRIEND BY LIGHTNING, Rev. Mr. Ray, general agent for Alabama, furnishes the following striking facts in relation to the death of Mr. Luce, recently a highly-esteemed colporteur in that state. "He had entered Oglethorpe University, and with his room-mate had been into recitation; they then went to their room and prayed together, after which, as it was raining, they started under the same umbrella, arm in arm, for breakfast. Soon the students, coming up, found them both struck dead by lightning. It had struck the umbrella, passed through the cap and down the left side of Brother Luce, and down the right side of his roommate; and when found, they were lying on their faces, their arms still locked in friendly embrace. Such a death, so sublime and touching, when I named it last Sabbath in an audience where Brother Luce was known, bathed the whole house in tears. He had borne the cross before their eyes, and no one doubts but he now has the crown." INTEMPERANCE IN BENGAL. A few moments' walk from Serampore leads you to a pagoda, the former residence of Henry Martyn. "Its vaulted roof was then so changed from its original destination, as often to re-echo the voice of prayer and the songs of praise; and Martyn triumphed and rejoiced that the place where once devils were worshipped, was now become a Christian oratory." The devil has again obtained possession of the pagoda; it is now a distillery, flooding the country with vice, disease, and death! The splendid banian tree, the circumference of which I found to be 234 paces, where Martyn was wont to spend hours in prayer and meditation, is transformed into a cooper's shop for the manufacture of gin barrels! Intemperance is an exotic vice in Bengal, and only recently introduced, but spreading with fearful rapidity. If the evil be not stayed, the hitherto sober Hindoos will become a nation of drunkards.-Dr. Macgowan. GOOD ADVICE TO READERS. If you measure the value of study by the insight you get into subjects, not by the power of saying you have read many books, you will soon perceive that no time is so badly saved, as that which is saved by getting through a book in a hurry. For if, to the time you have given, you added a little more, the subject would have been fixed on your mind, and the whole time profitably employed; whereas, upon your present arrangement, because you would not give a little more, you have lost all. Besides, this is overlooked by rapid and superficial readersthat the best way of reading books with rapidity is to acquire that habit of severe attention to what they contain, that perpetually confines the mind to the single object it has in view. When you have read enough to have acquired the habit of reading without suffering your mind to wander, and when you can bring to bear upon your subject a great share of previous knowledge, you may then read with rapidity: before that, as you have taken the wrong road, the faster you proceed the more you will be sure to err.-Sydney Smith. ABUSE OF AUTHORITY. Engage the people by their affections, convince their reason, and they will be loyal from the only principle that can make loyalty sincere, vigorous, or rational-a conviction that it is their truest interest, and that their government is for their good. Constraint is the natural parent of resistance. and a pregnant proof that reason is not on the side of those who use it. You must all remember Lucian's pleasant story-" Jupiter and a countryman were walking together, conversing with great freedom and familiarity on the subject of heaven and earth. The countryman listened with attention and acquiescence while Jupiter strove only to convince him; but happening to hint a doubt, Jupiter turned hastily round, and threatened him with his thunder. 'Ah! ah!' says the countryman, now, Jupiter, I know that you are wrong; you are always wrong when you appeal to your thunder.'"-Erskine. PRUDENCE AND GENIUS. Let a man have what sublime abilities he will, if he is above applying his understanding to find out, and his attention to pursue, any scheme of life, it is as little to be expected that he should acquire the fortune of the thriving citizen, as that the plain shop-keeper, who never applied his mind to learning, should equal him in science. There is no natural incompatibility between art or learning and prudence. Nor is the man of learning or genius, who is void of common prudence, to be considered in any other character than that of a wrong-headed pedant, or of a man of narrow and defective abilities. ENERGY OF CHARACTER. I lately happened to notice, with some surprise, an ivy which, being prevented from attaching itself to the rock beyond a certain point, had shot off into a bold elastic stem, with an air of as much independence as any branch of oak in the vicinity. So a human being thrown, whether by cruelty, justice, or accident, from all social support and kindness, if he has any vigour of spirit, and is not in the bodily debility of either childhood or age, will instantly begin to act for himself, with a resolution which will appear like a new faculty.-Foster, TO MAKE WATER COLD FOR The following is a simple mode of rendering water almost as cold as ice :-Let the jar, pitcher, or vessel used for water, be surrounded with one or more folds of coarse cotton, to be constantly wet. The evaporation of the water will carry off the heat from the inside, and reduce it to a freezing point. In India and other tropical regions, where ice cannot be procured, this is common. CARE FOR THE YOUNG. "When," asks Governor Slade, "will the statesmen of this nation-the noble intellects that move senates and give tone and direction to the popular mind-learn that the surest guarantee of our safety and prosperity is to be found in the silent infusion into the minds and hearts of the people of all parties, and especially of the children, who belong to no party, of sound knowledge and true Christian principle?" 396 The Christian Ministry. EXPOSITORY THE Puritans much excelled in exposi- It is the duty of ministers to preach the "word of God"-to preach it only. They may illustrate it, but they may not add to it, take away from it, oppose it, or neglect it. The best method of preaching it, is to set it forth, in larger or shorter measure, as occasion requires. And such exposition, perhaps too much omitted, is the more necessary in these times. Although Bibles are circulated, it is to be feared that many neglect to read them. Men flock to preaching, but it is too often with a preference for such conceits and fancies, and fantastic discourse, as amuse rather than instruct. They admire that which is sarcastic and witty, rather than that which is true; they love a diatribe on the manners of the times, more than a solemn appeal to the conscience," a quip or quirk better than the sincere milk of the word, and prefer that which "pleases the skittish fancy with facetious tales," before that message which God has sent to amend the heart. They admire more a superficial declamation than the development of the truth of the Scriptures, which tasks the power of the preacher, and demands the serious attention of the hearer; a flourish about the Gospel, instead of the Gospel itself. They choose sooner to be harangued on themes fitter for the scientific lecturer, the moralist, or cynic, the penny-a-liner and the newspaper, the mountebank and the satirist, the politician, the civilian, and the economist, functions to which Christ's ministers were not ordained, but which they too often affect, both in the pulpit and on the platform, and vagaries for which the itinerant -- PREACHING. philosopher or charlatan needs not, too inconsistently, be entitled "Reverend." And all this is by many people called "practical preaching, and preaching to the times!" The result is "itching ears." Unstable souls are beguiled. They are as children tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive. Ever learning, but never coming to the truth, they are superfi cial at best; they are not rooted and grounded in the faith. As ready to hear error as truth, and perhaps prefer it, they have no large, manly, harmonious views of doctrine, and no wholesouled piety, nor gracious, tender affections, nor enlightened conscience, nor discrimination and approbation of things that are excellent. They do not come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. Hence the need of bringing out God's own truth. Perhaps, to many, it would prove to be the " greatest novelty of the season." But it should be expounded to every generation, even as History, Geography, Grammar, Arithmetic, &c., must be taught to every succeeding age, and to every individual. Exposition, or as the foreign churches called it, "Lecturing," differs from the technical "sermon.' A sermon commonly means a discourse on a text. A lecture is an exposition of it. A sermon isolates a text, perhaps a few words of it. A lecture embraces a continuous portion of Scripture. A sermon is on some detached theme, selected according to the present convenience of the preacher. A lecture discusses God's word in its connections, and expounds it, portion by portion, as it is found, in regular course. A sermon offers an opportunity for ingenious observation; while the exposition deals more largely and prominently with the Divine teaching as it lies in the Bible, and in God's own words. Both are legitimate, as occasion serves. Nevertheless, exposition, as such, is of primary importance. It is the earliest mode of preaching, and was practised in all ages by the most faithful ministers. This was the method of Ezra and his compeers at the reinstatement of the Jews in Jerusalem. (Neh. viii. 4-8.) Our Lord exemplified it in his discourse to the two disciples on the way to Emmaus. Paul reasoned mightily out of the Scriptures. Philip thus taught the eunuch. The early fathers abounded in exposition. So did the Reformers. All these brought forth the word of God from obscurity and neglect, when it had been overlaid with the inventions of men, and disparaged by vain traditions and fabulous legends. The Scriptures present their truths, in line upon line, and in precept upon precept; and by such frequent repetition make the truth effective, and lodge it in the memory and in the heart. It is only by adopting their method, and expounding their declarations with the same measure and frequency, that the forgetful and thoughtless are at length imbued with the heavenly doctrine. And what copiousness and variety does the Bible unfold to us! None have too thoroughly studied and declared all that it says. None know too much of it. None fully comprehend it. It is exhaustless and ever new. It is adapted to all characters and circumstances; and to expound it in course, is always to secure to the preacher a text, and freshness and pertinence for his discourses. Indeed it is thus only that its fulness is brought out to view and use. We may select favourite or easy portions to dwell on. But how much is then overlooked! All the word is profitable and needed, for reproof, rebuke, correction, and instruction in righteousness. Expounding it makes us acquainted with the whole counsel of God. And the continuous exposition advances themes most pertinent to cases the preacher has not suspected, and justifies their discussion without the appearance of offensive personality. Thus, the preacher himself becomes weighty in the Scriptures and apt to teach; a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. This method is a safeguard against errorists. Truth, in its harmonies and proportions, fills the mind, and, by preoccupying, fortifies it. Error, which however new, is always old, and is fully refuted in the Scriptures—is noticed and encountered with the weapons of heavenly origin, and heavenly temper and power. The man in whom the word dwells richly in spiritual understanding, is not easily led away with the error of the wicked. Heresies of doctrine and morals have no power over him. He does not become a Formalist, a Papist, an Infidel, a Pelagian, a Fourierite, a Spiritual Rapper, or a Mormon. He adopts no ultra, one-sided, distorted views of duty. He is not a man of one idea. He is thoroughly furnished for every good work. Exposition is very entertaining. Even the reading of the word of God strangely fixes attention. Ejaculatory comment is always agreeable, and full exposition awakens and holds the attention. The mind is pleased with the evolution of doctrine and fact. A lawyer before a jury is interesting, as he comments on evidence, harmonizing it with itself, with the law, and with the case in hand. Not less so is the preacher holding forth the word of life-not in the manner of dry definition, but in illustrating, unfolding, and applying the word, with all the power of his mind, the resources of his learning, his skill in adaptation, and all the fervour of his believing heart. Thus fastened like a nail in a sure place, by the Master of assemblies, the word is not only honoured but effective. Indeed, to that end this method is indispensable. "Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth." What is the chaff to the wheat? What is man's eloquence compared with the heavenly teaching? This alone is the hammer and the fire that shivers the rock and melts it. There is no true conviction, conversion, reformation, knowledge, or impulse to duty, no comfort, no growth in grace, no SALVATION, without the saving WORD OF GOD. MINISTERIAL STUDY. BY DR. FERGUSON. IN a very masterly Charge, delivered to the Rev. Joseph Ketley, Jun., we have the following passage, which is entitled to the serious consideration of all Candidates for the Ministry as well as Junior Pastors : If ever there was a day in which the man of the pulpit should be the man of the study, it is the present. Not that this can be called a profound age. It is emphatically shallow and superficial. Still knowledge is more widely diffused. The schoolmaster is abroad with his lessons, and education is extending on every hand. The reading is light, but more varied; and, to a certain degree, the taste for the beautiful is obtaining among us. What then is needed on the part of the teachers of Christianity, is not profounder, more vigorous or more manly thought-would that this were the demand of the age!-but a more intimate acquaintance with every branch of science and of art, so as to lay all our reading and all our thinking under contribution to illustrate and enforce the sublimer truths of the Gospel. We must read for thought, and we must think that we may speak with power and effect. Not that we are to substitute our human reading for Christ's divine Gospel;-nor the soarings of genius for the teachings of inspiration ;—nor unfounded theories for supernatural discoveries ;-nor doubtful speculations for infallible certainties; nor a disputatious creed for the true sayings of God;-nor literary beauties for spiritual realities;nor higher flights of imagination for the unreached thoughts of the infinite Mind; nor a loftier style of rhetoric for the power of the Spirit. We may so refine and philosophize upon our simple and saving Christianity-we may so mystify or explain away its transcendent mysteries-we may so modify and mellow every severer statement to be found in the book of God-we may go so far away from all our standard divinity, and all our systematic theology-we may so detach ourselves from the mind and the teachings of the past-so look upon everything old, as obsolete and worthless-so isolate our spirits from every one, and from every thing, but what can feed the pride of our intellect, and flatter our self-esteem, as to insure from a sickly and a sentimental age the name for talent, charity, and charm, and yet our teaching be lifeless and powerless. We may be followed by a crowd of admiring hearers, and be fanned with the breath of a higher applause; the smile of the intellectual or of the sentimental may play around our heart, and sun our face, and yet all the while-oh! most crush ing thought!-the curse of God may be upon our ministry, and the blood of souls may be required at our hand! It is right, my dear friend, that we should seek to excel. The Christian ministry is the highest office which we can sustain in this lower world, and everything connected with that office ought to be well and efficiently done. It is but the part of wisdom to avail ourselves of every means of culture and improvement. We should make every attainable branch of knowledge our own, and by the power of a moral alchemy convert it into the gold of the sanctuary. Never did the apostolic exhortation come home with more force and application than now-"GIVE THYSELF TO READING; "-and to do this, every fragment of time must be gathered up. The toil which gains renown is both severe and persevering. It may be, that "genius is the instinct of enterprise;" but we must not forget that "the instinct of enterprise is combined with the instinct of labour." Genius may light its own fire; "but it is constantly collecting materials to keep alive the flame.... The strongest blaze soon goes out when a man always blows and never feeds it." To change the simile:-" genius easily hews out its figure from the block; but the sleepless chisel gives it life." Labour is the cost at which we purchase everything that is really worth possessing. Idleness has no claim to be fed. He that does not work should not eat. The husbandman must first labour before he partakes of the fruit. When a distinguished French artist was asked as to the cause and the secret of his success, he simply replied: "I have neglected nothing." If there be an ascent to reach, we must climb the hill; if there be a goal and a prize before us, we must run the race;-if truth lie in a well, we must let down the pitcher;-if there be some more precious ore to be obtained, we must work the shaft. Though we are no longer confined within the walls of a college, we must still pursue our studies. There must be a closer application and a profounder inquiry. A proper division of our time will enable us to do much in the form of laborious investigation and of active duty, without interfering with that rest and recreation which are so essential to health of body and effort of mind. It is nothing less than sin to fritter time |