separate. Poverty is often both honorable and comfortable; but indigence can only be pitiable, and is usually contemptible. Poverty is not only the natural lot of many in a well constituted society, but is necessary in order that a society may be well constituted. Indigence on the contrary is seldom the natural lot of any, but is commonly the state into which intemperance and want of prudent foresight push poverty; the punishment which the moral government of God inflicts in this world upon thoughtlessness and guilty extravagance."*

Why may we not with joyful hope look forward, to a state of far greater and far more diffused happiness and prosperity than the present, in reserve for our children's children, if not for ourselves or our immediate offspring? Why may we not even indulge a confident belief that they will find themselves in a community where depraved and reckless indigence will be unknown, or where if observed it will be regarded as a crime against society, and where neither suffering nor disgrace, nor any idea of unworthy inferiority will be attached to poverty-a community in which a man will be called poor, not because he is destitute of the means of a comfortable subsistence-not because rare and far distant opportunities are afforded him of relaxation

*Bishop Sumner's Records of the Creation.

from severe toil for the purpose of bodily health, rational enjoyment or mental cultivation-not because he is deprived of the means of giving to his offspring every advantage for education which the development of their faculties may render desirablebut poor simply by contrast with his neighbor who has been endued with firmer health, or a more active and enterprising mind, or who has enjoyed more favorable opportunities for the exercise of his powers, or because these blessings have been be-stowed upon his parents, and he has justly inherited the fruits of their successful labors, or because God by the inscrutable workings of his providence and for reasons wise and benevolent, though not obvious to the limited sight of man, has cast down one and lifted up another. For after all we must acknowledge that it is he, the author of our being and the ruler of our destinies, that permits or produces the variety of condition, as well intellectually and physically as in outward circumstances, that exists amongst men. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill, that he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people.*

Both riches and honor come of thee and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand, is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great and to give strength unto all.†

* Psalm cxiii. 7.

I. Chron. xxix. 12.

The power of God then acknowledged, we rely upon his goodness, justice and benevolence, to bring to pass in his own time, and by his own wise ordinances, the desirable changes in the social state to which we have just alluded. But are we led astray by a vain delusion, when we anticipate such results? Is imagination suggesting some idle dream of perfectibility which shall never be realized in the waking existence of man? We believe not. We may express our assurance in the words of the Psalmist when he says, the needy shall not always be forgotten; the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever.* We find ample encouragement also for our anticipations in such descriptions as that of the evangelical prophet when foretelling the universal peace, prosperity and happiness, that shall be realized upon the earth during the progress of the reign of King Messiah. With righteousness shall he judge the poor and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.† And the effect of this equitable and merciful administration of the laws by the rulers of the earth under the spiritual influence of the Prince of Peace, will be as represented

*Psalm ix. 18.

† Isaiah xi. 4. and 5.

in the bold figurative language of prophecy, that the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. And they shall not hurt nor destroy in all the holy mountain of the Lord; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.†

In such a state of society there will be heard no repining of the poor at the better success of the rich— no secret and corroding envyings will be pent up in their breasts-no outbreaking of mad and unprincipled efforts to reduce all to their own condition; and at the same time, there will be no glorying in the distinction that wealth confers, no hoarding it up for selfish gratification; but all the members of society feeling that its laws and regulations have been just, and have given to each, as far as was practicable, equal opportunities of success, they will know that their respective conditions have been influenced by the providence of God; and the tendency of this conviction will be to render the poor man patient and contented, the rich humble, charitable and public spirited.

But here it may be demanded if such a change as this can be effected in the existing relations between the rich and the poor, and if we may reasonably

* Isaiah xi. 4.

+ Isaiah xi. 9.

look for it as resulting from the progress of christian knowledge and virtue, why may not a still greater improvement be effected, why may not all inequalities amongst men as to outward condition be removed, and as we are all the offspring of one common parent, why may we not hope that the human race will in process of time be prepared for an equal distribution of wealth, and that this consummation, so devoutly wished for by many, will be actually realized at the auspicious opening of some millenial age ? Why? Because we believe that constituted as the world is, such a modification of the social relations would not be practicable, nor if practicable would it conduce to the virtue and happiness of men as individuals, or to the progress of society at large. Moreover, as far as we can infer the designs of the Creator from the moral and physical capacities he has given to man, and from the theatre on which they are to be exercised, such was never his intention. If it be farther demanded, why in forming the world and its inhabitants, did he expose them to such pitiable and unequal conditions, and make it necessary to their happiness and improvement that they should appear to be treated by their common Father with such striking partiality? To this objection we shall be ready to reply, when