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Any other supposition would place the Creator aloof from his works; would derogate from his perfections, and would give even to inanimate matter, and especially to created intelligences, an inde. pendence which we cannot conceive it possible for them to possess. If these sentiments are correct, with this view of the universe before us, what ideas must we be irresistibly led to entertain of the wisdom, the power, and the majesty of that Being, who pervades unlimited nature with his presence, who holds an infinitude of worlds in his grasp, and regulates all their VOL. I.-No. X.

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The whole creation, fixes full on me." Though we may look through every part of nature up to nature's God; nothing else, like this, will bring the Deity before us, arrayed with majesty so awful, with power so terrible, with knowledge so profound. Nor is he limited to present care and present knowledge. While he guides unnumbered worlds, and guards the happiness of universal being, he surveys, with a single glance, all his works, from an eternity past, through an infinite duration yet to come. However the first slight survey of this subject may affect the mind, he must be more stupid and sottish than the beast of the field, who is not, by continued contemplation upon it, overwhelmed and lost in its immensity.

A. W. B.

TAVERNS WITHOUT BAR-ROOMS.

In a late journey of several hundred miles in the New-England States, I met with two public houses without bar-rooms; and it gives me pleasure to say that these were the best conducted inns I met with in the journey. For neatness, comfort, and quiet, they differed in no respect from a genteel private dwelling. Liquors might be had if wanted for refreshment, but they were only brought forward when asked for, from a sideboard or a closet, and were not set out to view in many a labelled decanter, obtruding themselves upon you in the As there first room you entered. was no bar, there were of course no bar-haunters. All the guests you saw were travellers like yourself, stopping for refreshment and rest.

Bar-rooms are by no means a necessary appendage to a tavern, as these instances may show. On the contrary they are a great nuisance. How annoying to travellers, especially to ladies, to know that in one part at least, of the house in which they are to pass the night, filth and tippling are privileged, if not even revelling and profaneness. Many a lady, not to speak of her fellow-travellers of the other sex, eats her meals with a poorer stomach for the dirtiness of the bar-room, and sleeps the less lightly for the voices that she hears, "or thinks she hears," from the same apartment. Why should the house of repose-the professed "home of the stranger"-be made the haunt of dissipation.

How much bar-rooms are the source of idleness and intemperance every villager knows. The fact is proverbial. On this account they ought to be prohibited by the same legislative act which grants licences to taverns. But this is not to be expected in this age of legislative indifference to the public morals. So long as our repub lican representatives grant indulgences to theatres, and lotteries, and to various other public sins, it is not very likely they will see any harm in bar-rooms.

But cannot the evil be reached in some other way? I propose the query to our Temperance Societics. By what one measure could the American Society for the Promotion of Temperance take so large a step in the accomplishment of its object as in the doing away of barrooms-if it can be effected, as I

am confident it can be, in a good

measure.

Suppose that Society should give the influence of its public approba tion to every inn-keeper who should keep a house of the description I have commended-who should convert his bar-room into a neat parlour, or at least into a decent sitting room for his humbler guests, and for the reception of baggage, and should banish from his house the very semblance of dissipation. Houses thus patronized might be pointed out to travellers by a particular sign which should be designated by the Society. Such houses would be encouraged. Travellers would prefer them from a regard to their own comfort, if not from moral motives. The American Bible and Tract Societies might lend some attractiveness to them, by furnishing their apartments with copies of their publications. Agricultural societies, also, might give them their countenance.

If this plan is not practicable, let some other be suggested. The object can be effected: it is surely desirable that it should be, and the salutary excitement which is beginning to pervade the public mind on the subject of intemperance, is, I hope, a pledge that it will be effected.

Let the public sentiment be brought to bear upon it, and every landlord who respects himself, will soon put out of sight his disgusting show of bottles. He will be as much ashamed of allowing intemperance and other tavern vices in his house, as if it were an ordinary dwelling. VIATOR.

THEOLOGICAL COLLECTIONS.

PRECEPTS TO PREACHERS.

You know how you would feel and speak in a parlour concerning a friend who was in imminent danger of his life, and with what energetic pathos of diction and countenance you would enforce the observance of that which you really thought would be for his preservation. You could not think of playing the orator, of studying your emphasis, cadence, and gesture: you would be yourself; and the interesting nature of your subject impressing your heart, would furnish you with the most natural tone of voice, the most proper language, the most engaging features, and the most suitable and graceful gestures. What you would thus be in the parlour, be in the pulpit, and you will not fail to please, to affect, and to profit. Garrick.

PRINCIPLES WHICH SHOULD REGU

LATE OUR CHARITY.

Charity should be regulated and controlled by the discernment and sensibility of the higher principles of reason and revelation, which no Christian ought to suffer to be cried down by any, either male or female, sentimentalist. True Christian charity would go on the errand of search and discovery amongst the haunts of wretchedness, and would not suffer the flood of liberality to be shifted, or the heart to be hardened, or the piercing cry of a brother to be silenced in the agony of despair, by an alledged reason from the possibility of imposition. A real disciple of Christ will not only consent, but offer to relieve misery, holding the existence of distress, seen or unseen, a sufficient claim upon his charities. No person can be found of that strength of nerve which will enable him to withhold support

from famishing hunger, or who will not cast a pittance through the grates of a prison to such subjects of anguish. If any should attempt to do it, the seal of infamy would be set on his character, and no eloquence would be able to shield him from the vengeance of public execration.

There is a great difference betwixt the proposal for redress of present suffering, and of plans which involve a proposal for redress of future suffering. The former plan draws the rich into closer contact and connexion with the poor, thus softening their hearts, and augmenting all the feelings of tenderness; whilst the latter presents a barrier against true sensibility, and supersedes the necessity of affection. The latter applies only to the understanding, the former to the bowels of compassion and of love. The plan which proposes to provide for future distress, forces the great stream of public charity into a bottomless pit; whilst the former supplies channels which would extend through the reservoirs of private society. The entireness and efficacy of benevolence is preserved in the former case, in the latter it is changed into the slow and reluctant current of compulsion. The act of legislation alters the appearance of charity, ever living, beautiful, and glowing, into that of a dead and pale statue.

The first is coeval with the law of revelation and of the heart; the other is a deviation from nature, by which the wisdom of man encroache3 on the wisdom of God, and the torch of truth is exchanged for the firebrand of discord; nay, the very feelings and the aspirations of the heart are weakened by the entanglement of its sophistry.

The opponents of this system have the advantage of appealing to

the mere sentimentality of their hearers or readers, without candidly examining the arguments on which it rested. On our plan, charity grows as a distinct plant in every heart where it will shed its innumerable fruits and leaves amongst a half-starved population. On the opposite system, it stands a monumental body without the breath of charity. Charity must be, therefore, reinstated on the free system of nature, and the gospel, from which it has been so long torn by the regulating grasp of the hand of legislation, before it can exhibit its natural vigour and efflorescence.-Chalmers.

THE FLEETING TENURE OF HUMAN LIFE.

We flutter, as it were, a day in the sun-beam of existence; the shades of evening speedily close around, and then we mingle with the things that have been! Man drops the mask of mortality, from life's great drama. The petty distinctions of life attend him no further. The undistinguished bourne of futurity is unassailable by terrestrial splendor and pageantry. The dross of the world must yield precedence to moral worth zealously exercised in the sure and certain hope of its exceeding great reward. "Thou, O Lord, changest his countenance, and sendest him away." The summer's sun will shine in brightness on the spot where he lies low and forgotten; but its beams will give neither light nor heat to the lonely tenant of the grave. The leaves of autumn will fall, rustling and mournful on that clod-emblem how striking of his fate, who once trod with pride upon the dust which now covers him! Winter's dreary snow shall veil the neglected spot, and nourish into existence the green herb that springs from his ashes. Spring, too, shall return, but not a leaf of his sublunary

course shall germinate afresh. Oh, that we duly considered this—that we thought more of our latter end! The recollection of our mortality would abase the pride of human reason, and lead us to bow with resignation and praise to the decrees of the Almighty, and to rejoice in the ground of confidence and hope, that is laid for us in Christ Jesus." We should then aim to become Christians indeed! that is, not merely to believe in the Saviour, but to study to imitate that pattern of infinite excellence and unparalleled goodness.—Anon.

THE CHRISTIAN WATCHMAN. The faithful watchman, watches for seasons when peculiar doctrines may be best inculcated, and particular duties may be best enforced. He watches for opportunities when instruction can be most wise. ly imparted, consolation most affectionately administered, conviction most powerfully deepened, reproof most discreetly given, and sin most strongly condemned. He watches for providences, under which the minds of men, being softened, alarmed, or excited, may be most deeply impressed with truth, most easily prompted to duty, or most effectually roused to exertion. Having sworn at the altar of God, eternal war against the world, the flesh, and the devil, he watches continually, lest the secret seductions or the open assaults of these spiritual foes should distress or destroy his people. He is always in his watch-tower, and he watches in all things. No enemy can approach the camp without an alarm being sounded.

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The most faithful minister may well fear that among the people of his charge there will be found at the last day some wicked man, whom he had not faithfully warned, --some backslider, whom he had not tenderly admonished,-some

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hypocrite, whom he had not skilfully unmasked,-some contemner of God, whom he had not fearlessly withstood. Well also may he fear lest there should be found in the day of account, some ignorant soul, whom he had not plainly instructed, -some sorrowful spirit, whom he had not gently comforted,-s -some weak brother, whom he had not seasonably strengthened,-or some thoughtless wanderer, whom he had not diligently reclaimed. What, then, may be the dread, and what certainly will be the doom, of the blind, or the ignorant, or the dumb, or the greedy, or the sensual, or the slumbering watchman, who has neither warned the wicked, nor admonished the backslider, nor unmasked the hypocrite, nor withstood the infidel? Who has neither instructed the ignorant, nor comforted the sorrowful, nor strengthened the weak, nor reclaimed the wanderer? Who being a mere hireling,' and not a shepherd, cared not for the sheep, but left them to be scattered, and to perish? 'Woe to the idle shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye; his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.'-Cawood.

THE JOY OF ANGELS OVER REPENTING SINNERS.

Why is there more joy in heaven, over one sinner that repenteth, than over ninety-nine just persons that need no repentance? In the

reconciled not only the things on earth, but also the things in heav

en.

They are now sent to earth on messages of benevolence; and we are led to believe, that there are multitudes of them in the assem blies of the saints; that they are continual observers of the thoughts and actions of the human race; that they witness the effects of the gospel upon the hearts of sinners; that they notice and rejoice at the success of that process upon character, which conforms them to the image of Jesus Christ, and that they are the joyful heralds of the good news of repentance to their fellow spirits in the celestial world.

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tenth verse of this chapter the expression is somewhat different "Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy among the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth." The doctrine implied is, that the blessed spirits of heaven take a lively interest in the affairs of mankind. It is one of the blessed results of the gospel dispensation, that angels stand in a nearer relation to the church of Christ, who

The text clearly intimates, that the repentance of a sinner is a peculiar cause of joy to the angels; that it is a cause of joy superior to all others. Who can conceive the happiness of angels? Who can measure its magnitude? Their past knowledge, their exalted virtues, their celestial refinement, the infinite variety of causes of joy, all adapted to their nature and character, and corresponding with the magnificence of their capacity,these would seem to render their happiness beyond augmentation; and still there is " more joy"there is an increase even of their blessedness, when they witness the delightful effect of repentance.

They have long basked in the effulgence of the beatific vision. Their views are more extensive; they look farther into the vast prospective of eternity; their searchabilities are infinitely more exquisite, and their hearts glow with infinitely more fervor, and still their joy is increased, when they behold repentance springing up in the hearts of sinners.

We are a great deal more affected by recent than by remote causes. Now, it is probable, that all beings have a great similarity in this respect, and as repentance is a thing of recent occurrence, as it

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