preconceived opinions and preindulged practices, it will only serve to abet error, and to augment delusion, and to rivet the bonds of iniquity. The Scriptures ought to be read practically. We ought to regard the Scriptures as addressed to ourselves; and to inquire into the bearing of the several parts on our particular cases. I do not plead for a blind application of the Scriptures (such as has sometimes been made) in order to ascertain character and to determine the path of duty. We contend for an intelligent application of the Scriptures; for such an application as accords with the spirit and language fairly interpreted. Those Scriptures which are "given by inspiration, are profitable not merely for doctrine, but also for reproof, and for instruction in righteousness." The promises and the threatenings of the Bible are to be applied to ourselves; not indiscriminately indeed, but wisely, accordingly as we possess, or lack, the traits of character to which they allude. Is a sample of piety or of apostacy on record? We ought, after comparing circumstances, to be stimulated by the one, and to take warning from the other. In its histories we ought to mark the footsteps of Him who "led Joseph like a flock," and let our love be enkindled, and our faith strengthened, by calling to mind, that " He is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever." Humility and prayerfulness are necessary to the profitable perusal of the Holy Scriptures. That we ought to be humble while engaged in prayer, is admitted on all hands; but all, it is to be feared, are not equally sensible of the necessity of this spirit to a profitable perusal of the Bible. In the former case we address our Maker; in the latter case, He addresses us: and if humility be seemly in that, it is surely not less so in this. The Pharisees, through the pride of their hearts, VOL. VI. Ch. Ad. misunderstood the plainest language of the Old Testament. God "will give grace to the humble, and the meek will he guide in his way." From pride of heart and of intellect, as from the fabled cave of Eolus, issue those desolating heresies which sweep over the face of Christendom. "Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy Law." Such was the petition of one who became "wiser than his teachers," by the perusal of the Scriptures; and they who would attain to the like heavenly wisdom, must seek the same heavenly influence. In fine, we must love the Bible, otherwise we shall neither read it diligently nor to profit, and can have no true love to the God of the Bible. "O how I love thy Law, it is my meditation all the day long! Thy word is sweeter to me than honey or the honey-comb! Thy word is more precious to me than thousands of gold and silver!" These verses express the feelings of the man after God's own heart," and they must express our feelings, before we can be savingly and thoroughly benefited by reading the Holy Bible. 2. Let me now call your attention to some of the advantages, resulting from the proper perusal of the Scriptures. The truths of the Bible are mainly instrumental in the renovation. and sanctification of the soul-than which no greater or more lasting benefit can be conceived. But we shall waive for the present the consideration of this principal blessing, and dwell on those of a secondary character. In a gold mine the precious metal is the chief object of search, but the diligent workman cannot fail to secure others that meet and merit his notice. The most ancient and best authenticated history extant, is in the Bible. The truest philosophy, that which gives the most rational and 2 C were very superficial; and the raillery which he heard against the Christian religion, made a stronger impression on his mind, than any reasoning of which he was master, could make in its favour. A sermon, however, on which he attended at Stuttgard, touched his conscience and excited reflection. He felt that he was a sinner, but perceiving that he was incapable of making satisfaction for his offences, he sought only to shake off his concern, by plunging into dissipation. After having been a sojourner in several large cities, he was desirous of seeing Vienna, and arrived there in the beginning of 1824. Here, new lapses into sin augmented the agitation of his soul, and made him very sensibly feel the necessity of seeking the consolations and supports of religion. Having fallen sick, he was carried to an hospital, the religious direction of which was entrusted to the Redemptorists. They entered into conversation with him, and having remarked the unsettled state of his mind, they endeavoured to fix it, by giving him to read books of Catholic piety, and by representing to him the Romish church, as the only asylum where he could find peace and salvation. They succeeded; and on the 2d of May following, a few weeks after his recovery, B*** solemnly abjured Protestantism in the church of the Redemptorists, and in the presence of a numerous assembly. They also persuaded him to renounce his 'mechanical profession, and to devote himself anew to study. He obtained board and lodging in a convent; and his imagination being greatly excited, by every thing that was passing, both in the house and the neighbourhood, he at length desired to be received into their order. Before he was admitted to commence his noviciate, they subjected him to a sort of trial, by enjoining on him to go on a pilgrimage to Maria-Zell, in Styria, three days journey from Vienna. He not only went there, but to increase his mortification, he imposed it on himself, to eat nothing but dry bread through the whole route. On his return he was admitted, and followed strictly all the observances that were prescribed to him; such as to flagellate himself three times a week; to wear upon his body a hair cloth, containing a fillet of iron, armed with sharp points; to fast entire days, &c. Although born a Protestant, he acquired such a mastery over his own mind, that he was disposed to believe and to do every thing that was required of him; conforming himself in this respect to the rule of his order, which demanded that the novitiate should be obedient in all things to his superior, even when the requirements of that superior were opposed to the dictates of the novitiate's own conscience, and appeared to him contrary to the commandments of God and of the church. His zeal gained for him the good will of the religious; and as the organization of that convent did not admit, that the education of candidates for the priesthood should be perfected there, they resolved to send him to the department of the Lower Rhine, that having finished his studies in a convent which the Redemptorists had there, he might, without further delay, be consecrated a priest. He obtained, but not without difficulty, "The journal which announced the suppression of this convent, said that it belonged to the religious, denominated Ligonists. But that is the same order as the Redemptorists. It was founded by Alphonse de Liguori, who was beatified in 1816, by Pius the Vil. The pieces relative to his beatification form five volumes in folio."-To this note, by the editor of the Archives, we add from Johnson's Dictionary-"BEATIFICATION-a term in the Romish church, distinguished from canonization. Beatification is an acknow. ledgment made by the Pope, that the person beatified is in heaven, and therefore may be reverenced as blessed: but it is not a concession of the honours due to saints, which are conferred by canonization." permission to pass by Dresden, that he might see his parents. The grief which his change of religion yet caused them, and their earnest solicitations that he would not become an ecclesiastick, could not shake him. He quitted them more confirmed than ever in his resolution; not suspecting that a few days afterwards he would renounce it. On the 25th of March, 1825, as he was going on foot from Psorzheim to Wilferdingen, a peasant accosted and entered into conversation with him. Having apprized the peasant that he was going into France, there to pursue his studies, the peasant assured him that it was at the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ, that he might better learn wisdom; and he continued from that moment to speak to him, with simplicity, but with energy and conviction, on the things of religion. Having cursorily named the pastor Henhofer, the young man, who had often heard his friends at Vienna violently oppose this man's heresies, became, on that very account, the more curious to know more about him. He therefore willingly accepted the proposal of the peasant, to accompany him to his dwelling, to read the confession of faith which Henhöfer had published. The reading of it filled him with incertitude. The principal doctrines of the Romish church are, in that little book, refuted by Holy Scripture; and B*** perceived that, without having become a Protestant, he had ceased to be a Catholick. To free himself from his doubts, he resolved to go to Graben, to consult Henhöfer himself. To him he explained his situation, and in what manner he had acted. Henhöfer at first refused to enter into his concerns; but perceiving that the young man was truly and most Some of our readers may need to be informed, that to doubt any thing which the church of Rome enjoins, is to cease to be a member in good standing with that church. earnestly desirous to know the truth, he entered into a discussion with him, and pressed him so closely with arguments, that he left him no resource but that famous axiom "so the church teaches, and we must believe the church." The reasoning which Henhöfer made use of to combat this axiom, appears to us so clear, and so original, that we think we shall do well to give it entire. "Figure to yourself, said he, Jesus Christ represented in a picture, such as the scripture shows him to us, full of love, of charity, of compassion for poor sinners. This would be not only his likeness, but also the very emblem of primitive Christianity, as the apostles received it, and as they transmitted it to the original church. A great number of passages in the gospels exhibit Jesus Christ to us, such as I have now indicated him to beMatt. ix. 12, 13, and xi. 28. Luke vii. 36. John iv. 32-34, and viii. 1-11, &c. But after some time, this likeness of the Saviour was altered, by putting in place of those lineaments of his face which expressed love, lineaments of severity; which gave Jesus Christ the appearance of a judge, indignant at men, and irritated because they had slighted the benefits of redemption. The consequences of this change were great; inasmuch as from that time repentant sinners could not know their Saviour, but as thus represented; and as seen in the midst of lightnings and thunders, such as he appeared on Mount Sinai; and they no longer dared to approach him. They felt indeed the necessity of pardon, and the conviction that salvation could be found no where but in him alone, and this caused them to search for the means of appeasing him: and not taking the Bible for their guide, but directed by their imagination only, they addressed themselves to his mother Mary, and looked to her, as being in the presence of her son, he effaced Mary and the saints; and again you saw there nothing but the likeness of Jesus Christ. By effacing the expression of severity, and putting in its place that expression of charity which the picture originally had, he showed the Saviour such as he is in fact, full of mercy and of love. Tell me now, said Henhöfer, which is the true Catholick church-Is it that which exhibits a representation of Christ, and an emblem of Christianity, according to its ancient simplicity, and which we now denominate the Evangelical church? or is it rather that which preserves a disfigured representation, and an altered emblem, and which is called the Roman Catholick church? Which is the most ancient church? Which ought we to believe that which has the original picture, or that which has the picture sur charged? attributing to her the office of an intercessor, and a mediatrix between them and him. They worshipped her; to her they erected churches and chapels; new forms of devotion were invented for her; they made pilgrimages, and recited prayers to her, on strings of beads made for this purpose; her worship became more important than that which they rendered to Christ and to his heavenly Father. It was not long, moreover, before these sinners believed that they needed a greater number of intercessors. To Mary, therefore, they joined saint Joseph, saint John of Nepomucene, saint Petronille, the eleven thousand virgins, and other saints, who they supposed were high in favour with Christ; believing that by their merits they might appease his anger, and render him propitious. The picture which at first exhibited Christ alone, was now so surcharged with the images of all these saints, that it was scarcely possible to distinguish that of the Saviour among them-And here it is, said Henhöfer, that you have the emblem of the Christianity of following ages, and the Christianity of the Romish church at the present time. For a long time, the changes that had been made occasioned no complaint, or if complaint was made, it was without any effect. At length Luther came. He considered attentively the disfigured representation; he studied the Bible to find out how the picture was originally made; and he afterwards declared boldly that as it had been daubed over and disfigured, it was necessary to cleanse it from the foul additions which had been accumulated on it. As no good answer could be made to this declaration, the ecclesiastics confined themselves to the reply-ness of that doctrine of the Catholic that what he proposed was a task that belonged to the bishops, and not to him. Luther waited; but seeing that no body put a hand to the work, he resolved to restore the picture himself Accordingly "B*** conversed a long time with Henhöfer, and after that returned to Carlsruhe, at which place Henhöfer recommended him to some pious persons. He resolved to do nothing precipitately; not to go into France as was his first intention, but to remain some time at Carlsruhe, there to employ himself in his former mechanical occupation. On Thursday of the holy week, he returned again to Graben, where he heard Henhöfer preach on the Lord's supper. That sermon gave him much new light, and one on Good Friday, on those words of St. Peter-Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sin, should live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed' (1 Pet. ii. 24) was still more useful to him. He perceived the nothing church, which relates to the expiation which we make for our own sins, and the pretended merits by which we may gain heaven; his heart, drawn toward the Lord, was deeply affected with the great love res with which Christ had loved himhim a sinner-in dying for his redemption. He attended, as often as he could, on the sermons of Henhöfer; and he was freed more and more from the darkness in which he had been enveloped. The conversations, likewise, which he had with Christian friends, contributed to strengthen his conviction of the truth. But that he might not act inconsiderately a second time, he resolved to write to an ecclesiastick at Vienna, whose influence with him had been great, and for whose character he retained a profound esteem. To him he wrote a letter which we have read, in which he laid open his doubts, and asked the advice of this ecclesiastick.That letter has remained without an answer. B*** has since returned to Dresden, to his family; and on the 15th of October, 1825, he was received anew, by the pastor Leonhardi, into the bosom of the Evangelical church, in the presence of his parents and his friends." Miscellaneous. OBSERVATIONS ON THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. LETTER VIII, Objections considered. Dear Sir,-You are already apprized that objections are made against a change from Presbyterial to Synodical representation. There may be more than I have heard or conjectured. But what improvement has ever been proposed, against which there was no objection? Nothing valuable can be accomplished, in church or state, without opposition-not only from wicked men, but from those who are good, acting under the influence of mistake, or prejudice. I have heard several objections occasionally made to the proposition advocated in my letters to yousome of them are entirely without foundation, and all of them more specious than solid. I verily believe there can be no good objection to the change-But if it should seem to others that some difficulties are connected with the proposal, it should then be seriously inquired-on which side the difficulties are the greatest, and which plan would, on the whole, best promote the interest of the church? It is necessary to mention only a few of the objections which have been made, such as-leaving some presbyteries without any representation-difficulty of making reports and transmitting collections-increase of expense and difficulty in prosecuting appeals-and cherishing a kind of aristocracy. Will you examine these in order? It is said that some presbyteries will be without any representation, and larger presbyteries may continually prevent smaller ones from having a delegate. This, it is affirmed, will leave some sections of the church perpetually without any adequate representation. This objection cannot be true in fact. The Synod is not a representative body, but the consolidation of all the presbyteries within its limits. The delegates of the Synod would be as truly the repre sentatives of the whole and every part of the consolidated Presbytery, as any delegate is now the representative of the whole and every part of a particular presbytery. This would be so in name and in fact, which is enough to set aside the objection-but this is not the only answer. There can be no difficulty in alternating the delegation among the presbyteries of the Synod. I would think a part of the annual delegation from the Synod should be so alternated, that all the |