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to learn what nature had done, to tell far from any one being discouraged what she might have done. Con- from this study by the numerous jectures will, no doubt, force them- collateral sciences which it includes, selves upon his mind as he proceeds; this circumstance may rather form an but he should remember that they are inducement than otherwise to the conbut conjectures after all, which may sideration of it, as a science which be overthrown in an instant by some above all others is calculated to more fortunate one, while the facts on direct the well-disposed mind to look which they are founded, however he beyond its more immediate objects, may misapply them, are indisputable to Him whose hand has made all and certain. these things, and to lead him in adIt was this disposition to theorise miration to exclaim, "O Lord, how on insufficient data, perhaps on no manifold are thy works! in wisdom data at all, which formerly brought hast thou made them all; the earth geology into disrepute with many is full of thy riches." serious and well-meaning persons, who, mistaking the abuse of it for its natural tendency, decried the sci

ADVERSITY ON THE HUMAN MIND.

ence altogether as leading to free- ON THE EFFECTS OF PROSPERITY AND thinking and infidelity; and now, when philosophers have begun to leave off making theories, and to rest satisfied with accumulating facts, they find themselves obliged, at every step, to combat objections which were only just when applied to their predecessors, in the very infancy of the science.

Nor let the reader suppose that because this science includes within its pale so many others, it is therefore necessary to acquire a thorough knowledge of the latter before he enters upon the study of the former: it would not be desirable, were it possible, for every individual to aim at a general acquaintance with them all; but geology draws them as it were after it, and renders some information on the different branches of knowledge, not only useful, but highly interesting, and is calculated to induce the study of them, when all other attractions fail, probably for the reason, that by this means we see the application of the science before we are disheartened by its difficulties, and learn the practical and experimental part before the theoretical.

I would hope, therefore, that so

Ir is a favourite topic with moralists in general, to rail at prosperity as the destroyer of all the noble qualities that adorn human nature. The readiest way of accounting for the universality of this opinion is, that most authors, being poor, are actuated by similar motives with the fox when he exclaimed against the sour grapes. Prosperity, it is granted, is so great an incentive to pride, that its possessors are very apt to forget their duty as men, and to look on all who are not so fortunate as themselves, as an inferior species of animals; but we frequently see adversity produce the same effect, though from a different cause. Excessive indigence will condense the efforts of the soul beneath the proper level, as much as the extreme of affluence will inflate them above it: and for the honour of our nature be it remembered, history abounds with instances of great and wealthy men, who have been as wise and as good as they were great and affluent; and not an assize passes without furnishing melancholy proofs of depravity of morals among the

lower classes of society.

In the enjoyment of the prospect of this rest, the Christian is happy. To expect a total emancipation from anxiety and care, in any station of life, would be illusory and vain; it would so limit our ideas to the things of this world, as to unfit us for preparation for the

The station calamities, look forward with confiof life which appears most likely to dence to those regions of happiness, make men virtuous and happy lies" where the wicked cease from troubetween the two extremes of abun- bling, and the weary are at rest." dant prosperity and indigent adversity; where the mind is at ease from all apprehensions of absolute want, and free to instigate the man to act his part justly in society; yet, where he is not endowed with such an independence, but that he knows the full weight of the lower orders of society making a due in the grand scale of being;-where world to come. The mind would be his circumstances are not so straitened estranged from the performance of its as to render him liable to be biassed by proper functions, by the idea of meetany perverse proud neighbour; nor ing with permanent happiness on this does he possess such an independence side of the grave. No station can be in point of property, as to make him so exalted, as to be wholly free from unmindful of what he owes to the crosses and disappointments; nor any meanest of his fellow-men. If such so depressed, but that a ray of coma man is long unhappy, it must be fort will sometimes break through the the fault of his own disposition. The gloom, and give the mind tranquillity affluent man, by his abundance, the and ease. Guilt alone can give dupride of family, and honours and titles rable misery in that case, all the of distinction, may gradually be lulled riches of the world are insufficient to into a lethargy that will make him silence a self-accusing conscience. heedless of his duty to society, and Hence with virtue at heart, with unworthy of the name he bears. But" if, amidst all these tempting lures to forgetfulness, he has magnanimity sufficient to preserve his virtue, great and glorious will be his career through life, his exit will be illustrious, and his memory held sacred. The needy man, if the lowliness of his station teaches him a becoming humility, while a consciousness of internal rectitude prevents his degenerating into mean servility; if, while struggling can be given for so great a faith, as with oppression, he maintains his that of believing in the existence of probity untainted, and performs his the GLORIOUS BEING OF GOD, who is invisible to human sense?" duty towards God, and in a manner suitable to the rational intellects with which he is endowed, and the divine tenets inculcated by the Saviour, though the finger of scorn be pointed at him, and the pride and insolence of others prevent his emerging from obscurity in this world, yet he may, though overwhelmed with temporal

peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ," as much happiness as can reasonably be expected on earth may be the lot of any man, in one station as well as another.

USEFUL EXERCISES.

No. VIII.

"WHAT reasons and demonstrations

THE SYRIAN CAPTAIN.

"Go wash in Jordan's limpid stream,"
Of old the holy prophet said,
"Its waves with healing virtue teem,

And health and purity they spread."

The Syrian captain vainly thought,
The streams his native land supplied
Might yield the benefit he sought,
And rival Israel's fairest tide.

Too little for his courtly gait

The simple rule Elisha gave, Nothing to suit his sumptuous state He saw in Jordan's flowing wave.

Incensed he turned his steps aside,

"And is this all?" disdainful said,"Some greater thing he might have tried, And on the place his hand have laid.

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Abana's, Pharpar's rivers flow,
With health and healing influence filled;
In them I'll bathe my limbs, and show

The powerful virtue which they yield."
His humble menials wiselier deem,
Urge him to prove the small command;
And now emerging from the stream,

In fairest health they see him stand.
The Syrian captain's case is ours ;-

We scorn to wash in Jordan's wave, And fancy our own boasted powers From woe and from disease will save.

Let us inquire in humble faith,

What waters may effectual be,
To save us from the power of death,
From sickness and from sorrow free.
Let all who hail the Gospel light,

Our greater Prophet hear, and live ;
No substituted splendid rite

Can holy absolution give.

Rivers of oil, or wine poured forth,
Shall fail to wash the soul from sin;
Rich sacrifice is nothing worth,

To heal the wound the heart within.
The Captain of our hope and faith

Obeyed the Father's will, and died;
He died an ignominious death,
Was persecuted, crucified!

His followers now His cross must bear,
Must tread the suffering path He trod;
If rough the road and full of care,
The end is safe,-it leads to God.

power,

and will you, whose indispensable
duty it is to afford all the aid in your
"stand at ease," and wilfully
forget your obligations to God and
man? Shall morality fall before the
undermining influence of repeated
and powerful temptation? Shall the
strong tide of immorality, which is
now rolling on with destructive ra-
pidity, sweep away the barriers of
virtue ? Shall truth, honesty, char-
acter, and every thing of " good re-
port" sink into the deep, wide-
spreading whirlpool of vice? Shall
licentiousness on every hand extend
its baneful effects, and you look on
with silent unconcern? Remember
inexcusable unconcern, your sin-
your
encouraging silence, will be construed
by the workers of iniquity as an ex-
pression of consent, as a token of ap-
proval. Will you, who ought to be
foremost in the rank of the guardians
of morality, look with careless eyes
on the progress of crime, and with
apathy behold the rapid strides of
immorality?
"No," say you,
"but
what can we do?" Why, you can
do a great deal: you have the power
greatly to promote the cause of moral
reform, if you will but use it.

Have you an apprentice? Then keep a strict watch over his morals; for the vicious are ever seeking as victims the virtuous. The united efforts of the base and dissipated are systematically directed to cause the virtuous to fall. You are well aware that you have an unquestionable right to require from him all he can possibly accomplish, consistent with virtuous principles, to advance your interests and happiness; but if you neglect to guard his morals, and per"Masters, give unto your servants that mit him to "run with the multitude which is just and equal, knowing that ye to do evil," you must expect to be also have a Master in heaven."-Col. iv. 1. disappointed; nor must you be surIF you ever reflect upon the state prised, if through your criminal negof society, you must acknowledge lect, he acquire habits, and become that vice of every kind abounds: confirmed in principles, which will

TO MASTERS.

H.

every

THE ORIGINAL. STATE OF MAN BRIEFLY
CONSIDERED IN RELATION TO THE DI-
VINE ATTRIBUTES OF HOLINESS, JUS-
TICE, AND GOODNESS.

THE chief end for which man was created was to serve and glorify his Creator. This was a condition of his existence, and neces

sarily resulted from the relationship which he sustained to the divine Being, who, in addition to the life which had been given, had surrounded that life with all that was capable of rendering it a happy and a blessed one. No one can question the divine right

be ruinous to himself, and injurious to you, and to all with whom he is connected. Do you require him to work on the Sabbath? O, it is a lamentable fact that, in some trades, he has more work to do on Sunday morning than on any other day of the week! Masters, if you thus command your apprentices to occupy one part of the sacred day, you may in nine cases out of ten write it down as a truth that they will employ the remainder in sinful amuse-to make laws for the government of his creament, and in increasing the black tures; for He who had made all things, had catalogue of crime. What can you ex- authority over, and a just claim upon all; pect, but that they will become disobe- and accordingly we find that when He had made man, He placed him under a law, the dient, careless, unfaithful, and dis- tenor of which was, "Do this, and thou shalt honest? for Sabbath-breaking is the live." Man's obedience to this law was to high-road to drunkenness, drunken- constitute his right and title to the blessings which he enjoyed; and his failing to obey ness to lewdness, and other the law, the ground of his forfeiture of those vice. The same also may be said in blessings, and the infliction, for aught he reference to your other servants, your then knew, of immediate death. Thus then shopmen, clerks, &c. Arise, then, that man might want no motive to invite and discharge your duty faithfully. those which sprang from love, the powerful him to obedience, there was superadded to Use your authority as a master to influence of fear-a fear of losing present persuade those committed to your blessings and incurring the divine displeacare to have nothing to do with "the sure; and farther, that he might be left works and the workers of darkness." without excuse if he failed, he was endowed with a capacity in every respect commensuTell them that their path "is the rate to the service required of him, and the way to hell, going down to the cham-end for which he was created. But that bers of death." At home and abroad, mankind are now in a condition differing in in the shop and the parlour, fearlessly many great and important particulars from that in which he existed in his primeval state, "denounce every modification of sin, is a proposition capable of the clearest and most and encourage the virtuous" to in- satisfactory demonstration; for were we to creased activity in doing good. Let take the best specimen of human nature, and erect it as the standard by which to your example, your influence, your judge of the excellency of his species, as the heart, your hand, be all energetically work of an infinitely wise and holy Being, employed in the cause of moral re-most certain is it that his creation would reform. "Curse ye Meroz," said the angel of the Lord, "curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof." What for? "Because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty."

flect but little glory to his Maker, but would rather argue an imperfection, where all is perfect, in creating a creature so far removed from righteousness and so ill adapted to answer the end for which even by the testimony of reason, it is evident, he was created. True, indeed, it is that, if man be viewed It is an awful fact that our obliga-still retains a part of his original dignity, only in the light of an intellectual being, he tions to do good are increased by the though in this sense also he has received a privileges which we enjoy; for "where sad wound by the fall of his nature. But much is given, much will be required. this is not the only light in which his chaBe not deceived" then, racter is to be judged; for he is a moral as "for God well as an intellectual being; and whilst in is not mocked: whatsoever a man the latter sense he is far removed above the soweth, that shall he also reap." brutes that perish, inasmuch as they have

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