I cannot tell, but wherever it has been my happiness to be present, it has embraced not simply missions, but all the interests of Christ's kingdom, and all the means of its advancement. Its simple prayer is, Thy kingdom come; and the communication of no species of intelligence relating to that kingdom, uor the mention of any one great subject of prayer or praise, however distinct from missions, has been considered inappropriate to the occasion. Missions it is true hold a prominent place in the exercises of the monthly concert and this is as it should be ; for they hold a prominent place in the great system of means for converting the world. But it is with some surprise I learn, that those who have not been accustomed to restrict it to missions, have mistaken its character and celebrated it amiss. One monthly concert is important. It is well that there should be one such season returning monthly to remind Christians in all lands of their common relation to the great family of Christ, and of their common duty to the millions of them that dwell in darkness. But add another, and another to it, and the peculiar sacredness of the institution is gone. I have not troubled you, Mr. Editor, with these remarks, because I have any apprehension that the observance of the new monthly concert will become universal, even among teachers themselves. Yet it may. The resolution of the "Association of Male Teachers" in Philadelphia, is seconded by the formal and imposing recommendation of the "Board of Managers of the American Sunday School Union ;" and "the first Sunday School Monthly Concert" has already been attended in several of our large cities. Finally; if my views on this subject be erroneous, I shall be sorry to have burthened your pages with them. But if they be right I shall not be alone in my regret, that a measure of so much importance as the one under consideration, should 579 have been adopted without due con- A Sabbath School Teacher. For the Christian Spectator. Written in the Album of a Lady who had I saw it in a midnight dream, When slumber's charm was o'er me :- Of noon-day stood before me ;- So fair, it seem'd some elfin band From Fairy-land had brought it; Of gossamer had wrought it: Yet thro' its sides, in every part, Their sweet perfume was stealing; As grew, like hope, the flow'ry wreath She seem'd with half a sigh to breathe- 5 The blast of death had o'er me swept, And soon above my ashes grew Before those flow'rs were faded ; I 6 dream'd that when a few brief years The scenes of childhood's dwelling-place. 7. I saw that little basket stand 1. The Decision or Religion must be All, or is Nothing. Second American Edition, enlarged. 12mo. pp. 108. Boston, 1823. 2. Profession is not Principle: or the Name of Christian is not Christianity. By the Author of "The Decision." pp. 162. 12mo. Boston, 1824. Ir is not among the least of the wonders of modern times, that every species of intellectual effort should be enlisted in the service of religion. Nay, even a great deal of worldly business seems to be shaped and modified under its influence. Men seem to lay their plans with some sort of reference to religion. There is probably no surer index of the current of fashion, than the periodi cal advertisements of " New Publications." Those enterprising men, the Booksellers, are too sharp sighted not to follow where public opin. ion leads. They have no idea of publishing such kind of books as will not be interesting, and which, of course, will not sell. And that other very useful class of persons, the Book makers, as a body, are always sufficiently dependent, to fall very readily into the popular current. When therefore, we find all sorts of publications devoted to the subject of religion, Novels, Tales, and Children's Books; Geographies, Gazetteers, and School Books; Newspapers, Magazines, and Almanacks; and the number of these continually increasing, as if laboring to meet the pressing demand; we may be sure that religion of some sort, has be come, as it ought to be, the paramount subject of interest in the community. The effect has been, as we believe, that a taste for reading is much more generally diflused, and a consequent enlargement of mind has taken place, beyond any thing that was ever known before. If knowledge is power, then there is, at this present time, a much greater amount of moral force than there ever was before, which is ready to act, with an unexampled efficiency, either to subserve, or to injure, the best interests of man. Exactly proportioned, therefore, to the amount of intelligence diffused, becomes the importance of having the public mind decidedly biassed in favor of truth. A hand mill may become disordered in its movements, without any very disastrous consequences. It is only that the man at the crank has wasted a little of his labor. But the irregular movements of the Steam Engine, spread destruction and terror far and wide. It is on this principle, that we hold it to be the duty of all who love the truth, to encourage every effort that is calculated to give a right direction to public sentiment. Whether writers are engaged in the more difficult field of doctrinal discussion, or in the pleasanter employment, of giving a practical influence to the truth, they are co-workers in the same cause, and ought always to give each other an encouraging look, and as occasion requires, a helping hand. The labours of such men as Edwards, and Bellamy, and Dwight, in clearing religious truth from vain speculations, which hindered its success, and laid it open to the objections of the captious, have prepared the way for such men as the author now before us, to enter in, and avail himself of their labors, by giving a practical exhibition of the proper tendency of the Gospel. There is no occasion of jealousy, nor any ground for one class to undervalue the efforts of the other. "If they were all one member, where were the body? Shall the ear say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body?" We respect the motive of every one who heartily engages in this cause. When such authors as this are engaged, we applaud their performance. We know not this writer's name, but we believe he has achieved a service of no inconsiderable value to the cause of Christ. And if his heart has been in his work, (and how otherwise could he do it so well?) he has won for himself a crown of reward. In the two little works before us, the author has attempted, and we think in a happy manner, to illustrate the influence of divine truth, and the process of conversion, in two classes of very amiable persons, who appear, in the eyes of superficial observers, not to need any such change as is denoted by the new birth. One class is composed of the more tender hearted, such as the matron and the youth; and the other, of the sober, reflecting, and respectable men of the world. The characters are all taken from the refined part of society, and nothing is admitted which should wound the finest feelings, or disgust the most delicate taste. Nor is their literary merit merely negative. We think them decidedly calculated to raise the tone of thought, and to refine the minds of those readers, whose previous attainments are such, as prepares them duly to appreciate their worth. And we believe that in our country, such a degree of mental cultivation is very extensively dif fused; and consequently, that these volumes are adapted for very extensive circulation and usefulness. The general object of the writer seems to be to show the false notions of the nature of piety, which are entertained by many amiable persons; and to expose the weakness of the objections which sceptical minds adduce, against experimental religion. Although there is much that is didactic, and upon some vry difficult points, yet the writer has had the address to keep up a good degree of interest. There is very little incident, and consequently the life of the pieces depends chiefly upon the air of sincerity and real earnestness which he contrives to give to his charac In regard to the writer's views of the doctrines of the gospel, and of their practical bearing, they correspond, in the main, with those which prevail in this country. He seems to have studied Edwards with some attention, and probably Bellamy, and some other of our writers. Yet we cannot but think so quick and acute a mind would find itself abundantly repaid, for a still more careful examination of such writers. There is, in some of his statements, a want of discrimination, and in some of his arguments a want of completeness, which will weaken their force. It is easy for a man who believes, to jump at a conclusion but he must not expect unbelievers and cavillers to take the leap. If he cannot make his connexion perfect, his argument is gone. We might be ourselves, disposed to controvert some of his positions, although we decisively approve his system We should be still more apt to think that in some instances he had failed, on the one hand, by attempting to explain what is inexplicable; and on the other, by not giving what appears to us to be the true explanation of questions which are within the reach of the human intellect. We refer our readers, who have access to the volumes, to page 105, of "Profession is not Principle," for apposite examples. President Edwards' theory about the origin of evil there adopted, appears to be an instance of the first, and the waving all inquiry into the nature of the Atonement on the same page, may pass for an instance of the other deficiency. To discuss these, and some other subjects, which the work has suggested, would carry us to a length not comporting with our present design. On the whole, the works are adapted to give high ideas of the purity of God's Law, and to establish an elevated standard of Christian action, while they lead the mind to look only to the Lord Jesus Christ for justification and life. We proceed to give a brief account of each book. The first in point of time is "The Decision." The principal character is a young lady of that class of persons, 66 who, though they at first revolt at the idea, that they whom they love and esteem, are not only themselves ignorant of true religion, but have educated them also in ignorance of it, are yet too honest and candid to resist truth when it is placed before them; and who cannot rest satisfied till they have examined, whether all is indeed right, both with themselves, and with those they love." The name of this young lady is Gertrude Aberley; and she, with her widowed mother, and Edward and Anna, her brother and sister, make up the characters in the first part or act. The scene is laid at Mrs. Aberley's house in London. Mrs. A. from a mistaken view of the true interest of her children, had involved them in all the gaiety and dissipation of a London winter. Their cousin Charles Ashton, had recently forsaken a very dissipated course of life, and had become wholly and ardently devoted to true religion. He not only felt and exemplified its power, in himself, but he wished and laboured, that others might know the same peace, and engage in the same cause. Gertrude was the first among his friends, who began to listen to his appeals in favour of religion, and to feel the unsatisfying nature of the worldly pleasures in which she was involved. "He gradually gained her attention; and she felt a wish to hear that kind of preaching to which he ascribed a change so unaccountable. With her mother's consent, she accompanied her aunt, Mrs. Ashton, to hear her cousin's favourite preacher. She heard; and her mind soon fully acquiesced in the truth delivered by a servant of God, whose life was holy, whose reasoning was conclusive, and whose manner bespoke the deep feeling he himself had of those truths he taught. Gertrude began to study the Scriptures, and felt that she never before had understood them The life of gaiety in which she was involved became irksome to her; but she did not immediately perceive that it was her duty to forsake it.' p. 7. But before the following winter, her mind was made up, and her reso lution became fixed, for the service of God. She had to encounter as much opposition as could be expected, in an affectionate family, absorbed in the gaieties of life, but who yet were so well informed on religious subjects, as to make the self-denial and spiritual-mindedness of a young convert a constant source of self-reproach and uneasiness. Her conversations with her mother and sister, which are detailed, are extremely faithful, judicious, and affectionate, and may well serve as a model to others in like circumstances. The first member of the family, however, who "became infected," was her brother Edward. "He had entered upon the follies and vices of young men of his age and fortune, with an eagerness that made him spurn all restraint, and cost his mother many a secret tear." How great then must have been Gertrude's surprise, when Charles came into her chamber, and opened to her the workings of a heart, sick of folly, and longing to find substantial good. After describing to her, in language that will hardly be apprehended, in its full force and meaning, but by those who have themselves experienced the same, the conflict which had been going on in his mind, he tells her he had been to hear her favourite preacher, Mr. Percy. Perhaps we cannot give a fairer example of our author's manner, than by copying the account of the sermon, with the conversation to which it gave rise, between Edward and Gertrude. "EDWARD. But, to shorten my story, when I was in a shop this forenoon, I I saw an advertisement, purporting that Mr. Percy was to preach a sermon this evening in behalf of some charitable institution. I immediately felt an inclination to hear this person, whose preaching had produced such a marvellous effect on your mind; and at a time when I was sure no one who knew me would be there. I therefore disengaged myself from a party with whom I had promised to dine, and, when the time came, wrapped myself up in a great coat, and went to the church. It was about half full when I arrived, and I seated myself in a pew where I could have an excellent view of the preacher. I confess, Gertrude, for I must tell you both my bad and good feelings, part of my intention in going was to surprise you with my knowledge of the manner and style of your favourite. When I was seated in my pew, observing the people as they crowded in, I confess, Gertrude, the scene appeared to me very unattractive, and our friend Charles Ormond's lines, which he says are prose verse, came into my thoughts most forcibly. They describe the filling of a church of that kind to the life; and his own feelings were exactly what I experienced when I saw the unlovely assemblage of poor mechanies, and fine pious ladies, and fat citizens, all showering in, jostled together. "My young eye, proud and careless, gazed abroad. O'er those who crowded there, nor lov- I shunned their erowding near, as holier I had been. And still they crowded in; some calm and slow, As they had thought on him they worshipp'd there; And some all haste, with eager anxious brow, Bustling with selfish speed to seize a share Of most commodious pew, with little care How others sped-their kindling looks the while Betraying their poor hearts, if unaware Some earlier worshipper their speed beguile, And sit where they would sit, with pleased unconscious smile." GER. That picture is drawn by an enemy, Oh that I had been with you, Edward! I should have sat joyfully by the lowest and the meanest. But do go on. EDW. Well, the people crowded in till there was no more room in the pews, and numbers stood in the passages. I began to think of coming out, it was so stifling; and an old labourer, who had drawn on his Sunday coat over all his week day filth, placed himself to stand and lean against the pew where I sat with a coarse dirty hand, holding an old greasy hat just under my nose. GER. Oh Edward! Did you not think how much the poor old man must have loved the house of God, when, after a day of labour, he was contented to stand two hours that he might be present there. EDW. Not till I had made a movement which made the old man look round. I suppose he saw disgust in my looks, for he immediately removed to a little distance, and putting his hat on the ground, stood without any support; no expression of displeasure passed over his mild but manMr. Percy at that moment appeared, and ly countenance. My heart smote me, but both my old man and I were instantly occupied. I confess, Gertrude, Mr. Percy's looks and manner are extremely prepossessing. He read prayers, during which my mind became unusually calm and happy, though I cannot say I was attending to them; hut softening thoughts, which have been strangers to my bosom of late, again ted in a great degree by the devout and visited me; and I believe they were excihappy looks of my poor despised old man, and expressed much feeling, and even elwhose face was now a little turned to me, evation, while he joined in the service. "How much fairer and purer his soul is than mine," thought I "Were we both |