You remember that at the close of our remarks on the Reformation which God effected through Luther's instrumentality, we mentioned the interested outcry of the priests, "the church is in danger:" it has been a very favourite watchword from the time of Demetrius, the Ephesian silversmith, to this day. You all recollect the account of the uproar in Ephesus. If you do not, turn at once to the nineteenth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, and read it carefully, especially from the twenty-third verse to the end of the chapter. Now what have you read? What do you think of Demetrius? You see him call together "the workmen of like occupation," and begin at once by an appeal to their anxiety for religion. Does he do so? No: he appeals to their worldly interests. "Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth." This was his grand argument. But now mark well one dark and tremendous feature of our fallen nature; look at it attentively, for we shall often be obliged to place it before your eyes-wicked men love to cover their vile designs with the cloak of religion.

Look you again at the speech of the cunning silversmith: Moreover, ye see and hear that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands." Then see how cleverly he introduces the "craft" again, just to keep up the interest and inflame the minds of his brother smiths: "So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought, but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed whom all Asia and the world worshippeth." Now let me ask you a question. What was the subject of the anxiety of Demetrius? Was it the danger of Diana, or of the "craft?" But you see at once that it would not do to cry aloud among the people: "We are in danger of losing our trade—we shall have no orders for idols-we shall all be bankrupts." This would have made little impression on any, save those of "the same craft." So they raised another shout, they pretended zeal

for a false religion, they covered their interested motives with an affected regard for the honour of the Ephesian goddess, and cried out, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians." This, then, is the great historical lesson which I wish to illustrate to you in this letter.

The monks in Luther's time tried to set people against the wholesome reforms of that great man, by using this one argument, “the church is in danger." If Luther ascended the pulpit and told his hearers that they could not be saved by buying bones or trinkets, these monks cried out directly, "the church is in danger;" if he assured them that sinners must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and that would save them, and that alone, they cried out the more, "the church is in danger. Away with such a fellow from the earth-he is turning it upside down. Burn him! burn him!" Are you not here reminded of Demetrius? We think we hear some of you say, "the craft was in danger." There was great danger that when Jesus Christ was plainly preached to the people by faithful ministers, the dealers in religious ware would find few customers. There was great danger that very few images of saints would be bought, that very few whips would be sold to mistaken enthusiasts, who thought to purchase the favour of God by inflicting stripes on their persons. Oh no, when men discover the glorious truth that "by his stripes we are healed," they seek no other means of salvation; when they see the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ-the great doctrine of his atoning righteousnessthey need no bit of brass cut into the shape of a crucifix-they want no pictures, or images, or relics. No! they exclaim, "We are determined to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified." You see the priests' craft was in danger, and they called it a church. But what is a church? We will try to explain it to you.

You have heard of the great city Rome-it was the mistress of the world—all nations were subject to it: but equal to its power was its wickedness; there was no kind of vice which was not practised there. But the gospel was preached at Rome. Read the last chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, and you will see an account of Paul's preaching in that city: the effect of his sermon was that "some believed." When Paul had left Rome, he wrote to these believers a letter, which you know is called

the "Epistle to the Romans." Turn now to the last chapter of that letter, and read the third and fifth verses: "Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus, likewise greet the church that is in their house." See also 1 Cor. xvi. 19. What was this church? Now look at the title Paul gives the members of it in the seventh verse of the first chapter-" to all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints." You see, then, what was the Roman church-a little company meeting in a private house "called out of darkness into marvellous light"-believers in Jesus Christ. Try to picture this to your mind, and when you see them all met together in Aquila's house, singing or reading God's word, or praying, or listening to a letter from Paul, say: "Now I see what a church is; it is not a stone building, nor an assemblage of ungodly men, but a company of believers in Christ Jesus.

But "the church of Rome," in Luther's days, was a very different thing. You might have searched all Rome through, and you would scarcely have found a real church. Could you have seen the scandalous lives of priests and monks, you would have said" these are not the church." Could you have turned to look on the poor ignorant idolatrous people, you would have answered in tones of grief-" alas! these are not the church." Or had there caught your eye the pomp, and pride, and wickedness of popes and cardinals, still would you have to repeat"these are not the church, for a church is a company of holy people." Then you would be well convinced, that the only true church in those days consisted of those excellent and holy men who joined with Luther to vindicate the great and blessed truths of the word of God.

But was this church-the real church-in danger? To the outward eye their danger was very great; they were 66 everywhere spoken against;" they were cursed by popes, laughed at by infidels, oppressed by kings, slandered by witty scholars who wrote against them. O, I cannot tell you what hardships the little band of believers had to encounter. If this had not been a church of God, it could not have outlived the terrible persecutions with which it was visited. In a country filled with papal adherents, and given up wholly to popish idolatry, without rank, or wealth, or station in the world, see the obscure son of a miner standing up almost alone, rebuking the corruptions of the times,

denouncing the wickedness of the great, facing councils, and declaring the truth of God before the hired servants of the "father of lies!" Who can look at the victory then gained, with its consequences reaching to this very day, without crying out, "Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness." To whatever part of the history of the church of Christ you turn, you will see it persecuted by the wicked, but protected by God! And what a glorious view of God does the history of the church give you! During eighteen hundred years you see him preside-the one unchangeable sovereign of his people: as one generation passes away and another comes, they all like succeeding waves of the sea reflect his glory: during that long space of time not one little one of his flock has been taken out of his hands, not one tittle of his word has passed away: his church, covered with the hoar of ages, still stands "beautiful for situation;" the winds and waves that have “broken the ships of Tarshish” have passed by without hurting her eternal bulwarks. "God is known in

her palaces for a refuge."

"What tho' the gates of Hell withstood,

Yet must this building rise,

'Tis thine own work, Almighty God,
And wondrous in our eyes!"

PRINCIPLE I.

66 THE CHIEF AIM OF THE SABBATH SCHOOL IS

CONVERSION."

How few of those who most loudly advocate the necessity of religious education, have just and definite views of their own meaning. If the Bible is read in unadulterated purity—if the daily tasks be opened and closed with prayer-if the histories, biographies, and doctrines of scripture are drilled into the children's minds, till they are able to answer accurately every question of an examiner-if they are taught to behave decently in the house of God, reverently covering their eyes during prayer, harmoniously uniting in the praise, and sitting without interruption to the other parts of the service-how many imagine there is nothing more to do, and that if with such

advantages children will grow up wicked, there is no hope for them. By the influence of such a system of religious traininga system of forms alone-the children, are led to believe that there is nothing else in religion but formality, and parents imagine that they are relieved from the responsibility of attending to the spiritual welfare of their children, because they send them to schools where religion is taught. Better, far better,

not to pretend to teach religion at all, than thus grossly to deceive both parents and children. For a religious education to be worth the name, it must regard the soul, and prepare the child for death and eternity. First see that the spirit is safe for ever, and then, if you please, teach the child how best and most usefully to spend the intervening time on earth. Guide him, therefore, by the aid of conscience to discern right from wrong -show him how constantly his desires are contrary to the will of the Father-convince him of the necessity of a new heart and right spirit-tell him of the love of Jesus-lead him to pray to God for pardon, a new birth, and deliverance from every temptation—induce him early to exercise self-denial for the sake of Christ, and to struggle with his own sinful inclinations. Let the teacher often seek a knowledge of the state of the child's heart by familiar conversation or simple correspondence ; and above all, let him perseveringly pray for and expect the blessing of the Great Teacher and the conversion of the child.

Surely no proof is required that children are capable of this kind of training. Every sabbath school will afford some instances (though they are much fewer in number than they might be) of children very young who have learned to love Jesus, and have proved the sincerity of their faith by a steady forsaking of evil and an eager appetite for everything good and holy. Many such have laid down peacefully on the bed of death and gently slept in Jesus, with expressions of child-like confidence in his love and merits, which the most experienced christian will be happy if he shall enjoy when his head rests on his last pillow.

I am aware it is often asserted that children are unable to exercise faith in anything they cannot see or feel that they will come to no great harm if not puzzled with these things so soon-nay, that their religious notions are much less clear and