written: Be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewal of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. We are neither to imitate the superstition of the Heathen, nor to be affected with their idle fears. We are not to imitate their superstition they studied the signs of heaven' for information concerning future events. It is painful to remark, how many, even in this enlightened age, are under the influence of a similar delusion. They give no heed to the unerring records of divine truth; but monthly prognosticators, star-gazers, selfconstituted and lying prophets, engage their attention, obtain their assent, and fetter their minds! O fools! when will ye understand? By such means you cannot acquire knowledge; you are deceived, and made the slaves of unreasonable and groundless apprehension. Be not dismayed at the signs of heaven, for the Heathen are dismayed at them.' By the signs of heaven,' we may understand those appearances and events which occur in the firmament; such as meteors, thunder and lightning, comets, and the like. The Heathen were much dismayed at these. They considered them, in many instances, as evil tokens, and suspended their decisions upon the aspects which these might assume. We must not imitate them. We have a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto we do well, that we take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in our hearts.' Let God be the object of your holy fear and love, and it shall be well with you. The portent you have most cause to fear is the prevalence of sin in your hearts and lives. The most alarming sign for the nation is the irreligion and profligacy which denle the land. Jesus Christ is a Refuge; he saveth from al sin, and preservetn the souls of his people from all evil. Does his fear reign in your hearts? Are you influenced by his love? Then you may sing, with one of old, God is our Refuge and Strength, a very present Help in trouble, therefore will not we fear though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea. The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our Refuge.' Is this God my God? Then I have nought to apprehend. If he launcheth his glittering spear in the keen and vivid lightning, I will adore his Majesty, and abide in peace, being assured that if it fall upon me, it shall prove the chariot of fire which conveys my soul to heaven. If the voice of his thunder resound throughout the heavens, I will be still:' a father's thunder will not hurt his child. If the sun or moon suffer eclipse, I will remember the Sun of Righteousness' divested of his glory and setting in blood, that 1, a poor benighted sinner, might enjoy the blessing of eternal light in heaven. If I sur vey the heavens adorned with stars, I will consider that their Maker is my Redeemer; their Supporter my strength; and their continuance a pledge both of his faithfuluess and of my safety. If I consider the Comet, that mysterious stranger, whose beams nightly illuminate our hemisphere, I will not be alarmed, nor expeet that, from his horrid train,' he should shake pestilence and blood.' I will in this heavenly visitant adore the wisdom and power of God. It is true, that I know not whence it came;' nor whither it goeth but all its devious course is directed by infinite wisdom; its eccentric motions are controuled by almighty power. It is the servant of my heavenly Father, and, with the other orbs of heaven, rolls its appointed course at his word, and proclaims the Majesty and the might of his eternal Godhead. In short, with Christ for my Refuge, and an holy filial fear of God in my heart, the evidence and result of interest in his dear Son, I have no just cause of distressful apprehension. On the contrary, I have every thing which can animate my hope. All things shall work together for my good while I journey through the wilderness of this world: the Lord will support me in the hour of death; and when all things come to an end, when the heavens vanish away like smoke, and the earth wayeth old like a garment; when the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood; when the stars shall be extinguished, and afl nature perish in one devouring fire, my soul shall fear no evil; I shall survive this mighty wreck, and, through my blessed Redeemer, shine as the sun in my Father's kingdom to all eternity.' This, my dear Sir, is the substance of what was spoken last Sunday evening concerning the Comet; if it is thought worthy of a place in your useful Work, or likely to be serviceable in promoting the best interests of men, you are at full liberty to use it as you may think proper. Yours, in the best bonds, Peckham, Sept. 26, 1811. H. DRAPER. THE CELEBRATION OF THE EUCHARIST - Mr. Editor, AMONG the privileges of modern times, freedom of discussion appears truly esumable. We venture, without fear, narrowly to scrutinize and sift the religious practices of any body of professing Christians. In many respects, the conduct of ou dissenting fathers merits our applause and close imitation. In others we are compelled to refuse them this tribute. It is highly commendable that ministers should, on Week and Lord's Day Evenings, make excursions for some miles from their stated places of worship into dark viliages, to preach the gospel, but I have observed, that though apparent success has attended this labour of love, yet sufficient attention has not - been displayed for a speedy formation of the new converts into a society, bound to each other by religious ties and engagements. If some with convenience can join the church under the care of the preacher, their junction may be encouraged, while the state of others may be overlooked, through the difficulty and almost impracticability of their regular attendance. What I would suggest as a remedy is, That as soon as two or three are judged fit to make a public profession, they may be encouraged to form themselves into a church to meet on the spot; and their spiritual father administer the Eucharist to them, with leave, as often as they can make it convenient, to partake of that ordinance at his own church. This practice has the following things to recommend it:- 1st, It is an apostolic practice. In the days of the apostles, believers partook of the Lord's Supper in their own respective dwellings*.2dly, It nourishes, in the disciples of Christ, a spirit of mutual prayer and watchfulness, with a pious attention to each other's most important interests, as well as marks them out as 'a people who dwell alone,' and are separated from the world. — Sdly, It directs the attention of spectators, by the most affectmg symbols, unto the central point, the life, head, and heart of all religion, Jesus Christ. Where this ordinance is not celebrated, there is wanting among Christians the uniting current, and the invigorating pulse of religion; and to the apprehension of general hearers, that quickening stimulus and that visible directing hand, which points to the food and refuge of Souls. 4th, While it gives to Christian profession a laudable publicity, it also informs the awakened sinner who are the excellent ones of the earth, and the characters to whom, under his mental burden, he must apply for instruction and relief.Lastly, It is a very likely practice, through its novelty, to excite general attention through a dark vicinage; and in the issue, under the blessing of Heaven, to enlarge the boundaries of Immanuel's kingdom. To this practice some may object: 1st, That this would be forming churches upon too small a scale. To this I would reply, That Jesus Christ has not taught us what precise number of Christians is necessary to form a church; but has promised to two or three his merciful presence, when assembled for any acts of divine worship; nor should we forget that Christ himself compares the kingdom of heaven to a grain of mustardseed in its origin. God would not have us despise the day of small things. 2dly, Another objection may be started, That such small societies are exposed to a speedy dissolution, therefore, it would be wiser to desist from forming them; but this evil has befallen very large societies, when, by their lukewarmess and sensuality, they had provoked God to withdraw his XIX. - sacred presence from them. May not God increase those small societies, and cause the day of small things to issue in a day of great things?- the little grain of mustard-seed to become a great tree? At all events, the attempt is worthy of praise. It is to be lamented, that some Christians appear so diffident and timid, as if they required a prophet to rise to assure them of success, before they engage in any plan for the advancement of the Christian Cause, especially if it wears the appearance of novelty, and is not sanctioned by numerous precedents. I am, Sir, yours, &c. Ab-g-ny. GOBINNIENSIS. Sir, PROPOSAL FOR THE RELIEF OF AGED MINISTERS. To the Editor. AMONG the many public-spirited institutions for the sup port of religion in the dissenting chnrches, it has often excited the surprize of reflecting persons, that no attempt has been made to furnish some provision for the permanent Relief of Infirm and Aged Ministers. We have seen with plea sure great exertions among the several denominations, for the proper choice and education of candidates for the ministry. The provisions for the ministers themselves during the exercise of their sacred office, considering that they are voluntary additions to the burdens imposed for the maintenance of the public religion, are, in many cases, extraordinary and highly laudable; the assistance, particularly, which is afforded to poor congregations, by the opulent members of those bodies to which they respectively belong, is the fruit of a truly Christian spirit, and perhaps unprecedented in the history of the church. Noble institutions are likewise formed, for the Relief of the Widows and Orphans of Poor Ministers, when left destitute of their former means of support; but for the minister himself, if by age and natural decay he cease from his for mer usefulness, or be laid aside at an earlier period, by any those providential strokes which we may lament, but must subinit to, no provision has hitherto been made *. The several Boards are indeed prevailed upon occasionally to grant a small gratuity to some very particular cases †; but it is surely *There is indeed one exception, but that on a very limited scale, in the excellent Institution for the Relief of Decayed Ministers, and the Widows of Ministers of the Presbyterian Denomination, in the Counties of Lancashire and Cheshire. + The late W. Fuller, Esq. left to the disposal of the Independent Fund Board. 120 per annum, to be distributed among 12 aged and superan nuated Ministers of that denomination, wholly laid aside from their work. EDITOR most desirable that measures should be taken for providing some more permanent relief; something to which the sick or infirm minister may bring forward a regular claim, and not receive as the humiliating pittance of charity. The ministers of the gospel, it may be presumed, are not in general so liable as others to many of those diseases to which the human frame is subject; such for instance, as are the consequences of irregularity and excess. From these their well-established religious principles, their desire to instruct their flocks by example as well as precept, and the lower motives of mere decorum and propriety of character (not to speak of the necessity of frugality and temperance which their limited incomes generally impose) may be expected to preserve them; - but there are others to which learned and sedentary persons are peculiarly liable; and these are also generally of a chronic nature, and very distressing in their effects: their office too of necessity leads them to be much with the sick; and in this way to be exposed, not only to contageous diseases, but also to others, the conse quences of vitiated air, and of those agitations and depressions of the spirits which are often endured in the very attempt to calm the troubled mind with the consolations of religion. When a minister, from whatever cause, begins to feel the debility of sickness or natural decay, becomes languid in his public services, and less capable of discharging his private duties; or if, by some sudden stroke, he is entirely incapacitated,-it is too well known for how short a time the most indulgent congregation remains contented. Occasional supplies are not often successful in satisfying the various tastes and humours of a mixed assembly; the older, more attached, and consider ate members may perhaps be inclined to a longer forbearance, from recollection of past character and services; but the bulk will presently grow impatient, seek out for other connections, and the congregation will thus by degrees dwindle away. If the case from the first is hopeless, and an assistant minister is procured, how soon the public attention and respect of the majority to the man who had devoted his best days to their service, sacrificed his all to their advantage, is apt to sink into carelessness and contempt, is seen in too many instances. All these inconveniences and hardships might be prevented by an Institution for the Relief and Support of Sick and Decayed Ministers. The people would not then be so liable to be scattered, and the congregation to decline, during the latter years of a minister under whom it has formerly flourished; and the minister himself would not have to experience the combined miseries of dependence, neglect, and perhaps contempt, at a time when he stands so much in need of support both in body and mind, against the natural calamities of sickness and old age. |