OLIVE BRANCH.

A religious precept devoid of examples-of metaphors-of comparisons, or of features suited to give it an influence over the imagination, may be said to resemble the first outline of a painting which the hand of the artist has not yet clothed with the inspiration of colouring; such a precept fails to fix the attention, to make any available impression; it is an ethereal shadow, the arm is stretched forth to grasp it, but it has vanished. J. G. de la Flechere.

EDINBURGH:

PUBLISHED BY H. S. BAYNES.

EDINBURGH1

PRINTED BY ANDERSON & BRYCE.

TO THE

REV. JOHN BROWN, D. D.

Minister of Broughton-Place Chapel, Edinburgh,

THIS VOLUME

"

IS DEDICATED

IN ADMIRATION OF HIS LITERARY, MINISTERIAL AND

PERSONAL WORTH,

BY HIS VERY OBEDIENT SERVANT,

THE EDITOR.

PREFACE.

SIGNIFICANT emblem of all the heavenly charities of the gospel, the OLIVE BRANCH, with foliage renewed, is again presented to the Reader. True, the demon of war, although raging in kingdoms around us, where, like a destroying angel, he has wielded his iron mace, converting cherished friends into gory corses, has not been permitted to exercise his empire in our beloved