mily. I have two sons ministers, I hope faithful and useful; the other (I have only three) is educating, I trust, with right views for the same blessed work; my daughter, (my only one) has I trust chosen the good part; I hope you will help me to bless the Lord for this. If

any thing form a difficulty in your mind, or you wish to ask me any question, write without reserve; I shall gladly hear from you, and answer you. I remain, very sin cerely, your faithful friend and servant, THOMAS SCOTT.

THIS is a subject of common, very common declamation. Men of all ranks and all professions agree in decrying the world and condemn ing its faults; and yet the severest judges and loudest declaimers upon this topic, are usually found to contribute as large a share to the aggregate of evil, as most of their neighbours."Bad times!" says the mechanic, who spends a large portion of his earnings in intoxicating liquors." Bad times!" repeats the tradesman, who employs every artifice to over-reach his customer and defraud his creditor. "Bad times!" cries the justice, who sends a hungry boy to prison for stealing a cabbage or a turnip, and yet overlooks sabbath-breaking, the very root and fountain head of every description of immorality. The real nature of bad times, the prolific sources of the badness, are concealed from the observation of most men, by a predilection for some forms of evil, which they either defend as innocent, or find to be profitable. Every one attaches his own meaning to the evil of the times. Every one is for applying an antidote to that part of the evil which touches himself. Thus kings and princes complain of the evil of the world, because it is not so subject to their power, nor so obsequious to their will, as in the times of their predecessors. Judges and magistrates complain of

the evil of the world, chiefly because they find, among the idle and the ignorant, an increase in those vices which disturb society, and render property insecure. Another class complains of the evil of the world, because trade is not so lucrative, credit not so secure, and riches not SO soon amassed as in former times. Others, again, complain of human nature at large, because their ambitious purposes have been thwarted, their hopes nipt in the bud, or because their hasty and imprudent friendships have proved treacherous.

Observe how every man you meet is ready, at the slightest hint, to recount to you a whole catalogue of evils; but then they all lie on the surface, and belong to the individual's own interests or feelings. He views the evil only as it has come home to himself, in the form of distress, or privation, or disappointment; he takes no general view of the evil; he inquires not after the causes; he pursues it not in its chief and most momentous reference. sons are very unjust and ill-qualified judges; they seem wholly incompetent to form an abstract or comprehensive view of the real evil that is working in human nature; for, in general, they are the last to recommend or apply any adequate remedy, even in a single case, and, in many instances, they decry and

Now such per

with a wider and more penetrating vision than themselves. They are like those who should talk of the roar of the ocean, when they had heard only the ripple of its wave upon the shore; or those who speak of its depth when their soundings are taken only in their own little creek or bay. The world is evil, exceedingly evil, more so than those who proclaim its evil ever imagined. There is, too, a virulence in the evil, which their eye cannot detect; there is a depth in it which they cannot fathom. The evils of which they most complain, fall far short of the whole, or even of a just estimate and specimen. Who thinks of viewing the evil in reference to the great Author and Governor of the whole? The world may be as bad as it pleases, and become as much worse; but if it does not affect them, they are insensible and blind. Their concern extends only to their own interest and pleasure; they will do nothing to apply a remedy, but when they are sufferers. Thus you will see all men are anxious to make the world better; but then,

selves; few are anxious to make it better for the sake of him that created it, and who preserves all in it. How exceedingly hateful and displeasing to God, must those be who can perceive the evil that annoys themselves, but pass over the more threatening aspects, and count the most aggravated forms of evil too trivial and unimportant for their notice. Forgetfulness of God is the chief, the greatest, the most virulent of all the evils under which the world is suffering. This is the source of all the rest; correct this, and the others will disappear. God is not forgotten in heaven, and he cannot be forgotten in hell. It is on earth only, that this great evil is to be found; possibly there is not another place in the universe, not another spot within infinite space, where rational beings forget their Creator, or think it a delight to affect an oblivion of his omnipresence. Certain it is, that all our misery, and all the vices of which we complain, and which so deeply afflict our race, begin in forgetfulness of God.

EAGLET.

To the Editors.-It is well known that Ministers are frequently changing their residence and field of labour; and such occurrences are undoubtedly very important, but sometimes followed by very painful consequences. On the removal of Ministers, I have taken the liberty of sending the following Queries for insertion in your useful Magazine, hoping that some of your worthy and learned correspondents will furnish their sentiments in reply; by which they will undoubtedly perform an important service to the churches of Jesus Christ, and will, I am persuaded, greatly oblige those of

your readers, who wish" all things to be done decently and in order."

1. When Ministers change the scene of their labours, will the New Testament justify Protestant Dissenters in requiring their testimonial, signed by neighbouring Ministers where they have lived, as indispensably necessary to their public sanction of such Ministers?

2. If this be answered in the affirmative, what advantages might be expected from Dissenters requiring such testimonial, as cessary to the admission of such Ministers into their pulpits?

B. B.

"Tis true, too true, the pensive song
Has done this smiling world no wrong;
Midst fairest scenes th' enlightened eye
Reads the inscription "Vanity."
And is there, is there yet to come,
This life once past, a rest, a home,
Where all is " true," and "calm," and
"bright,"

Is there a land of pure delight?"
And hast thou, my Redeemer, given
A hope, a promise of that heaven?

I thank thee, love thee, fain would bring
Some rich, some worthy offering;
What shall I render? say, oh, say,
Such mercy how shall I repay?
Alas! I nought possess; thy hand
Snatched from the flame a burning
brand,

Worthless, as guilty, bade me be
An heir of immortality;

And gave, all freely gave, a heart
To choose and prize that better part ;
Here then, I bring thee, 'tis thy own,
That heart, not now, as once, a stone;
Though still a hard unfeeling thing,
That heart, my all, to thee I bring.
Take it, O take it, let it be
Enchained immovably to thee.
Then to thy praise my life I'll spend,
And press toward the expected end;
Receive with joy thy gifts below,
But still look upward as I go,
With patient, meek, subdued desire,
Still to my Father's house aspire,
Then hail the hour life's last and best,
That bears my spirit to her rest.

R. C.

Ecclesia Decus et Tutamen. The Extension, Security, and Moral Influence of the United Church of England and Ireland, augmented by a revision of its Economy, Discipline, and Ritual, and by its alliance with other branches of the British Reformation, on the basis of Mutual Aid and Concession. By the Rev. John Riland, M. A., Curate of Yoxall, Staffordshire. 12mo. 6s. Hamilton, Adams, and Co.

WE have read Mr. Riland's volume with mingled feelings. We have felt gratified with the full and satisfactory statement which he has given of our strong objections to many evils existing in the endowed church; we have been pleased with his boldness in discharging what must have proved a painful duty; in drawing the attention of the public to serious defects in the present constitution of the Church of England; and while we rather regretted his omission of our chief ground of separation from his communion,

we

were glad to meet with a writer on the subject of Church Reform, who seeks to promote it on religious grounds; and by the union of the truly pious, to add to the dignity and security of the establishment.

The writer has fairly and manfully stated his own convictions on a subject of great moment to himself, and to many of his brethren-the necessity of reform. In doing this, he gives a full statement of his opinions respecting the Creeds, Liturgy, Articles and Homilies of the Church of England; together, with some specimens of the working of that ecclesiastical system, which some 'ignorantly worship." He points out some of the dangers to which his church is exposed, from a

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worldly and sectarian spirit; and he proposes many plans, by which he thinks the evils may be remedied, and the objections of Christians of other denominations so far removed, that without any compromise of principle, they may join the national church, and thus assist in adorning and protecting it.

The

There is much that we approve of in the volume before us. candour of the writer; the respectful manner in which he speaks of other denominations; the enlightened views which he entertains respecting the doctrines of our

66

common salvation;" and the strong desire which he exhibits to purify his own communion; claim from us a candid examination of his views; a respectful attention to his plans of reform, and a Christian, yet firm statement of our reasons, for concluding that they are impracticable. It is our wish also, to show the respectable author, and others who may think with him, that even if the alterations he proposes could be effected, the union which he describes and desires could not take place. That great good would result to his church, if his remedies were applied, we believe, but that the concessions he names, could ever justify Congregational Dissenters, in joining a church which continued united to the state, we think impossible. We can go as far as Mr. R. in friendly feeling, and in good wishes for a greater union among Christians, in promoting the interests of truth and righteousness. We can justly appreciate the writer's motives, esteem him as a brother in Christ, and desire that many such men 3 B