it regards a true exposition of the natural tendency and real character of sectarianism. For what is it that has "happened"? Simply that the Old School has brought forth a young-one, or a new-one, which she herself, now that it has become able to shift for itself, has driven off and publicly denounced as illegitimate! No wonder she would like to have her misadventure forgotten and to go on again "as if nothing had happened." But is her character reformed? Are better things taught in her "school"? Has she got a better Master? Has not Presbyterianism been guilty of this very thing several times before? And is it not rather the great family-failing of Sectarianism by the mother's side? Have the religious world any security that it will not 'happen' again? Or is it possible for her now to be presented "as a chaste virgin to Christ"? For my part, I think it well to keep these things in mind by way of a caution against any undue confidence in the impeccable purity of Sectarianism in general and Presbyterianism in particular.

Our correspondent, however, goes on to speak of the Baptists and their divisions; for they, like the others, as every one knows, are notorious for this offence, than which there could be no better proof of their common lineage. He says, "The Baptists are very numerous. In New England and the Middle States they are intelligent and mostly orthodox-I mean, holding evangelical doctrines. At the South and West it is otherwise. Under the name of Campbellites they make religion consist in two things-a simple belief in the truth of the Bible, and baptism by immersion. This easy way of getting to heaven captivates multitudes of the common people in sections of country where the 'true light' shines but dimly."-Now what I wish to know is, Are you acquainted with these people? For my part, I have travelled considerably in the South and West, and I profess I have not discovered any religious community holding the absurd doctrines above stated; neither have I heard of a single individual "getting to heaven" in "this easy way." I know not how difficult it may he for our correspondent to 'get to heaven,' neither would I wish to throw an obstacle in the way of any one really disposed to go to heaven; but I must boldly affirm that I do not believe any one can get to heaven upon such principles, or that any single individual in any church in the South or West is so unintelligent and so much in the dark as to entertain such a notion. If you, however, brother Campbell, know of such a people, and it is possible you may, as they seem to be name sakes of yours, would it not be well to devise some way to let them have a little of the "true light." Perhaps our correspond ent himself, if he were moved in the right place, would take pity upon

the unintelligent population of these benighted regions of the South and West. One thing, however, I think ought meanwhile to be done; and that is, to advise the Editor of the London Examiner that it is not altogether unlikely that it will appear upon a further inquiry that this eastern correspondent, dwelling in the very land of "notions," has played off a religious hoax upon him; and that the people of whom he has written have just about as much real and incarnate existence, as the vespertilio-homines or man-bats, of whom so edifying an account was some time since given in some lunar speculations by one of these wise men in the east country.

In the conclusion of his communication our correspondent presents us with a revelation no less apocryphal. He says, "I have thus far merely alluded to the revivals of religion in 1840. It has been ascertained that more than four hundred congregations enjoyed 'times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord.' In a great many of them, particularly in our cities and large towns, the work was very powerful; and I believe that in general there was much less animal excitement than in some preceding years. It has been estimated by some that not far from 50,000 have been added to the churches as the fruits of the Spirit' in these revivals."-Here we are informed that 50,000 converts as "fruits of the Spirit" were added to the churches. But upon referring to Paul's enumeration of the "fruits of the Spirit;" as given in Gal. 22, 23., I do not find "converts." The "fruit of the Spirit," says he, "is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith," i. e. faithfulness or fidelity (as rendered by Macknight.) Of what kind were these 50,000 fruits? They were Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, Congregationalists, and what not.Does the Spirit produce such fruit as this?-The Spirit of Him who prayed that 'all might be one,' does it bring forth the fruit of division and partyism? Or is there any one in the South and West so unintelligent and so much 'in the dark' as to imagine that Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, &c. are love, joy, or peace-figuratively or literally, incarnately or spiritually, physically or metaphysically? Nay, are we not by a little help from what we are wont to regard as "true light," rather obliged to conclude that such are "works of the flesh"? For what saith the scripture-"The works of the flesh are *** hatred, variance, emulation, wrath, strife, seditions, SECTS." Alas for the light of the lights that illuminate the East, if this be the brightness of its rays, the splendor of its scintillations!

Seriously, however, and to conclude these rambling thoughts, what a pity it is that men professing the Christian religion should so deceive themselves and others! Nevertheless, God is not mocked. 'He

that sows to the flesh shall reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.' He who possesses the Spirit of Christ belongs to Christ, and will, under the blessed influence of this Spirit and the teaching of his Master, bring forth better fruit than either partyism, prejudice, or misrepresentation.

R. R.

FAMILY CULTURE.

CONVERSATIONS AT THE CARLTON HOUSE.-No. XXII. GENESIS XX. & XXI,

Olympas. ABRAHAM, we learn from this section of ancient history, went south after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Why, think you, Edward?

Edward. I presume he was desirous of getting out of sight of the Heaven-stricken city: for it would seem that Abraham's residence was but a short distance from the plains of the Jordan.

Olympas. It is not improbable.

James. To Gerar,

Whither went he, James?

Olympas. What people, Reuben, inhabited Gerar?

Reuben. Philistines. This Gerar being a city of the Rocky Arabia, and having a Palestine king, it is likely the inhabitants were chiefly Philistines.

Thomas. It seems that Abraham was still as timid as before he had the vision of angels. He fears for his life, and repeats the former equivocation, saying, "Sarah is my sister."

Olympas. Sarah's great beauty, it appears, was a great trouble to Abraham in that age of polygamy. What sort of character, William, was the king of Gerar?

William. Abimelech, king of the city of Gerar, was a very just and righteous man: for he could lay his hand upon his heart and say, "In the integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands have I done this?"

Edward. And the Lord attests his character by saying, "Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart."

Olympas. It would then appear that Abimelech's intention of making Sarah a second wife was, in that age, quite honorable. It seems not to have impaired his character with God or man. Yet to prevent the completion of his designs, a special affliction had befallen him.

Eliza. Was it not cowardice that occasioned this equivocation1 Olympas. It would, indeed, be a very natural inference. It seems

that Abraham and Sarah had made a covenant before this time that they were to pass off each other in all strange cities as brother and sister, It certainly, however, had its origin in a conviction and anticipation of detriment or danger to Abraham's person. But was it not the truth, Eliza?

Eliza. Yes, Abraham explained the matter to Abimelech as though it were perfectly true and correct "She is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother." Still it was only a part of the truth; and, according to Mrs. Opie's volume on lying, being calcula ted to suppress a part of the truth, and to make a false impression, it constituted a sinful equivocation.

Olympas. So Abimelech seems to have regarded it. He said to Abraham, "There have been done deeds to me that ought not to be done." Yet when we hear Abraham again, we cannot but sympathize with his weakness-"Because," says he, "I thought that the fear of God is not in this place, and they will slay me for my wife's sake." "And yet, indeed," adds he, "she is my sister," &c. Now as this seems to have satisfied Abimelech, it ought to satisfy us; yet I would not have you think that Abraham acted in this matter as he ought to have done, believing in God as he did. I would also have you notice the peculiar acceptation of the word prophet as intimated by the Lord on this occasion. Read verse 7th, Susan.

Susan. "Now, therefore, restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live."

Olympus. What seems to be the meaning of the word prophet here? Thomas. You formerly taught us that the primary acceptation of the original word was to pray, intercede, or speak to God for men; and that in process of time it meant to speak out by impulse, extemporaneously; and ultimately it meant to foretell-because those who conversed most with God could best interpret his will to men.

Olympas. True; and this being the first time the word prophet is found in the sacred writings, we may expect its primitive meaning to be more apparent here than afterwards. But is it not worthy of notice that God in a vision prompts Abimelech to engage Abraham to pray for him, and to use the argument-Abraham is a man of prayer-a prophet-one who intercedes with God? This admirably suits his character, as appears from his importunity for Sodom and Gomorrah. It is a hard thing for God to deny the prayer of such a man as Abra ham. Had Abraham, Eliza, formed a just opinion of the inhabitants of Gerar?

Eliza. Very far from it, as the sequel shows; for not only king Abimelech was a good man, but he so represents his nation; saying, "Wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?"

Olympus. Good men sometimes think the elect are very few. Elijah thought on one occasion that he was left alone. And here Abraham said, "Surely the fear of God is not in this place." Yet here was a righteous nation, and there were seven thousand men who had not bowed the knee to Baal. How did Abimelech requite and reprove Abraham and Sarah, Reuben?

Reuben. He gave him a thousand shekels to buy a veil for Sarah: so I heard you once interpret these words.

Olympas. Not exactly, my son; yet that is substantially the mean. ing. The Hebrew hoo is itself ambiguous, and may be rendered he or it. The Chaldee, it is agreed, favors the translation by it instead of he. And then the whole passage might read as follows: speaking somewhat sarcastically, Abimelech said to Sarah, 'Behold I have given thy brother (Abraham) a thousand shekels. Behold it is for thee a veil of the eyes, for thee and thy attendants, that all may know that thou art married.' Thus was she reproved. I have sometimes illustrated another passage of doubtful interpretation by this one: 1 Cor. xi. 10. "For this cause ought the wife to have a veil [power] upon her head”_ —a token of her husband's authority. But of this in its own place. Thus, however, did Abimelech reprove Sarah and Abraham.

Thomas. But there is some difficulty here. Sarah was now ninety years old, and how could Abimelech desire to have her for a wife?

Olympas. Sarah was in her youth one of the most beautiful women in the world; and even yet, for her years, she seems to have been a very interesting female. Abimelech, moreover, may have sought an alliance with Abraham, who was a very great prince, and very rich; and regarding her as his sister, and an excellent and amiable lady, it was perfectly in good taste with the spirit of that age, that he should have sought such a wife, especially as he must have heard of Abraham's conquest of the allied kings. But you have not told us how Abraham reciprocated these reproofs and tokens of respect from the king of Gerar.

Reuben. He prayed to the Lord for the king and the queen, and al the royal household; and the Lord hearkened to his prayer, and removed the affliction superinduced by this unfortunate affair.

Olympas. You have now arrived at a very instructive incident in the Abrahamic family, and before we attempt an examination of this 21st chapter we must have it read a second time.

The chapter being read, and the incidents of Isaac's birth and cir cumcision being noted, the historian hastens to the rivalry that arose between Hagar and Sarah. Having in a late conversation anticipated