held to be in the beginning? Could faith do its office, in that case, while denying, despising, ignoring, or overlooking its claims? One use of his argument for the supernatural Dr. Bushnell finds in this, that it provides a place and a plea for the "positive institutions of religion," as he calls them-meaning by these, church organization, the sacraments, the Sabbath, the Bible, the office of the ministry, &c.—which are allowed to be "falling rapidly into disrespect, as if destined finally to be quite lost or sunk in oblivion." This fact itself he ascribes to the growth and pervading influence of naturalism. But may we not reverse the order, and make the loss of belief-we will not say in the positive institutions of Christianity-but in the Christian Church itself, one large cause of the reigning decay of faith in a wider view? To restore the supernatu ral to its general rights, then, nothing would be needed so much, first of all, as a resuscitation of faith in the Church. Then, also, any argument for the supernatural, any plea for the Christological in its sound and right form, to be of full force and effect in the end, must be at the same time ecclesiastical also, or, in other words, an argument for the old doctrine of the Church, as it stands enshrined in the early Creeds. Is it too much to hope, that Dr. Bushnell's earnest and active mind may yet be turned to the subject, under this profoundly interesting view?

Lancaster, Pa.

J. W. N.

ART. III. THE RELIGIOUS CHARACTER OF WASHINGTON.*

THE subject of this article is called by LORD Brougham, "the GREATEST man of our own, or any age." "It will," he adds, "be the duty of the historian and the sage, in all ages, to let no occasion pass, of commemorating this illustrious man; and until time shall be no more, will a test of the progress which our race has made in wisdom and virtue, be derived from the veneration paid to the immortal name of Washington." This ingenuous and merited tribute to distinguished worth, will ever meet a cheering response in the heart of every true American. It stands associated, in the past and memorable history of our republic, with prerogatives and blessings, unsurpassed, by any people under heaven.

In the contemplation of our present greatness and preeminent civil and religious privileges, our thoughts recur not only to Him, who is the source of all good, but to the men also by whom the foundation of this greatness was leid and through whom these privileges were conferred. We are led back to that period in our country's history, when our patriot fathers bought these blessings with their blood,-when not only vigorous youth rushed forth to meet in deadly combat the invading foe, but the aged and infirm, as if suddenly inspired with the ardor and strength of manhood, hastened to the rescue of their precious heritage from the grasp of their oppressors. Among the noble worthies of that dark and mournful period, there looms into view the form of him, to whom it will ever be our pride and love to award this praise: "First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen.”

The illustrious founder of our great republic possessed a

* For the authorities quoted in the preparation of this article, the reader is referred to Dr. Shroeder's "Maxims of Washington," 1855, and Weems' life of Washington.

character far higher, however, than it is in the power of mere human excellence to develop. It must ever be regarded as a matter of incalculable importance, and a most gracious allotment of Divine Providence, that our beloved Washington was a man who feared God and loved righteousness. He did not only present to his countrymen a singular instance of military valor and glory-of unexampled statesmanship-of unbending integrity and disinterested patriotism, but also of genuine and unaffected piety. Washington was emphatically a Christian hero, and a Christian statesman. Here lay the secret of his true great

ness.

It is well observed by one of his biographers, that "when the children, of years to come, hearing his great name reechoed from every lip, shall say to their fathers: 'what was it that raised Washington to such a height of glory,' let them be told that it was his great talents, constantly guid ed and guarded by religion."

Impressed with a due appreciation of the true character of this great and good man, the late Earl of Buchan said of him: "I recommend the constant remembrance of the moral and political maxims, conveyed to its citizens by the Father and Founder of the United States. It seems to me that such maxims and such advice ought to be engraved on every FORUM or PLACE OF COMMON ASSEMBLY among the people, and read by parents, teachers and guardians, to their children and pupils, so that true RELIGION, and VIRTUE, its inseparable attendant, may be imbibed by the rising generation to remote ages." Such are the sentiments cherished, and associated with his character by all the wise and the good, as far as his name is known; and the light and influence of his noble quali ties, will not only illuminate and bless the land he loved and served so well, but the remotest bounds of our widespread race, in the onward progress of civilization and religion.

Washington did not owe his greatness so much to any one particular trait of character of towering preeminence, as to a happy combination and adjustment of many intel

lectual and moral qualities; and which, by a most beautiful harmony of all his purposes and acts, whether in private or in public life, in the cabinet, or in the field, in peace or war; were all consecrated to the sacred cause of freedom. The remotest thought of self-aggrandizement he repelled as a demon intruder, and ever cultivated the most sincere and unaffected devotion to the prosperity of his country. At this shrine he laid, as a willing tribute, his all;—his talents-his virtues-his prayers. In every act of his life, whether in private or public, he was guided by a calm, sound, and comprehensive judgment, and sustained by an unbending integrity; and the height of his noble ambition was the true happiness of men.

This uniform and uncompromising devotion of every energy, thought and purpose, to the well-being of his race, to the last hour of his life, must be attributed to the all controlling power of the religion of Christ-that religion which breaks the iron fetters of sin, and restores man, in a measure at least, to his primeval freedom and harmony with his Maker. For the Christian religion is the power of Him in whom dwells the fulness of the Godhead bodily -of Him who is the Personal Truth and the Personal Life; the true and only refuge of the soul, enslaved by the common depravity of our fallen nature.

The religious character of Washington does not indeed appear with special prominence in the way of outward parade or show. He regarded religion or Christian piety, as the sacred treasure of the heart-a holy living principle, that should manifest itself rather in actions than in words. It clearly appears in every step of his history, that he cherished an abiding sense of his responsibilities to his Maker, and subordinated all he did to His authority, whether of a public or private character, to the extent of his sense of right. Divine revelation was the source from which his code of ethics was drawn, to control and direct his actions. Religion, not experience simply, was the lamp by which his feet were guided. Its dictates, he followed with silent modesty, just as the sun in the heavens, noiseless as the

aleeping dead. pursues his steady way, yet moves all nature, and perpetually new-creates the world, and decks the mountains and vales with living green. This, we think, is an apt similitude of the subject of our refections. Without stir or commotion, filled and animated by an influence drawn from a higher world, and a character "made luminous by a Christian faith," he did not only impress and move society by what he did, but by what he was. The grandeur and moral splendor of his character, were ever adding to his active efforts, an element of silent power, which was the real and the chief cause of their efficiency. Ile moved and led, by the awe-inspiring and commanding dignity, which appeared in his conduct and ingenuous spirit. That humility or a modest and unobtrusive reserve, was a fixed and cherished trait in his character, is attested by the whole tenor of his life. Miss Custis, who, for twenty years, was an inmate of his family, recalling in after years, the scenes of her childhood, writes: "He was a silent, thoughtful man. He spoke little generally; never of himself. I never heard him relate a single act of his life during the war."* Mr. Elkanah Watson, an experienced traveller and close observer of men and manners, observes in relation to a visit to Mt. Vernon: "Conversing for a full hour with Washington, after all the family retired, he modestly waived all allusions to the events in which he had acted so glorious and conspicuous a part."* "I know no man," observes the late Bishop White, "who so carefully guarded against discoursing of himself, or of his acts, or of anything that pertained to him; and it has occasionally occurred to me when in his company, that, if a stranger to his person were present, he would never have known from anything said by him, that he was conscious of having distinguished himself in the eye of the world." In his religious professions, he maintained a like modest reserve, exemplifying his religious belief in his actions, and in a life so gloriously devoted to the universal well-being of society.

* Irwing's Life of Washington, Vol. 4.