wherein thou trustedst, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?" 2. Mat. xi., 11; "Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women, there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is LEAST in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." 3. Prov. xxvi. 4, 5; "Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit." 4. Can we have too much religion? for Solomon tells us not to be "righteous overmuch." 5. Is it possible to obtain a good memory ? If so, what are some of the means to be used in cultivating it? ELISHUA. 1. In verses 1-4, Jeremiah talks with God of his judgments. He had been subject to persecution for righteousness' sake. God answers his servant's complaint in the passage mentioned by our Correspondent, "If thou hast run, &c., thus intimating that the prophet might expect greater sufferings than those he had hitherto endured. He had been running only with footmen, but a severer trial of strength awaited him, he must run with horses; his course had been over a "land of peace," or a land presenting few obstructions, but it would be ere long through" the swellings of Jordan." Young Christians must not ex THE RESTING PLACE. Tell me, ye winged winds, Do ye not know some spot Where mortals weep no more? Some lone and pleasant dell, Where, free from toil and pain, The loud wind softened to a whisper low, Tell me, thou mighty deep, Whose billows round me play, Where weary man may find Where sorrow never lives, And friendship never dies? The loud wave rolling in perpetual flow, pect freedom from temptation and persecution, but they may expect grace to endure, and grace to conquer. 2. Our Lord had been describing John as a prophet, as even more than a prophet," because to him, as the forerunner of Messiah, the prophets had borne witness. Among men, therefore, divinely appointed to teach their brethren, John was the greatest. He had the nearest view of Messiah, and opportunity for personal intercourse with him. Yet was the least among the apostles, who were called to be teachers in the kingdom" of grace, and to whom brighter manifestations of gospel glory would yet be vouchsafed, greater than he. 3. Folly must be answered according to wisdom; but wisdom sometimes takes the fool's weapon, and condemns him out of his own mouth. Dr. Conquest renders the fifth verse, "Answer a fool as he deserveth, lest he be wise in his own conceit." 4. We cannot have too much real religion, but it is possible unnecessarily to court persecution, or to endanger health and life in the pursuit of what is esteemed to be righteous. For example, a word intemperately spoken, even in a good cause, under the influence of a zeal not according to knowledge, may do more harm than good; but a word fitly spoken, is like apples of gold in baskets of silver. 5. A bad memory is often another name for a good memory unexercised. Poetry. Stopped for a while, and sighed to answer-"No!" And thou, serenest moon, Hast thou not seen some spot, Where miserable man Might find a happier lot? Behind a cloud the moon withdrew in woe, And a voice sweet, but sad, responded-" No!" Tell me, my secret soul, Oh! tell me, hope and faith, Is there no resting place From sorrow, sin, and death; Is there no happy spot, Where mortals may be blessed, Where grief may find a balm, And weariness a rest? Faith, hope, and love-best boons to mortals given, Waved their bright wings, and whispered" Yes! in heaven!" Ascribed to Charles Mackay. Reviews. The Working Classes of Great Britain. (Prize Essay.) By S. G. GREEN, A. B. London: John Snow, Paternoster-row. the chief of which are under the following heads: Employers and Employed,-The School,-The Church,-The Press,-and Hints to the Working Classes. We have read this essay with much satis- Mr. Green is a strong advocate for the faction. The subject-matter is of the utmost voluntary principle, not merely in religion, importance. Great Britain, above every but in education; and this spirit of indecountry in the world, is indebted to its pendence runs through the whole of his working classes for its greatness and prosperity. They form among us the basis of the social pyramid. If they are left in a state of destitution or ignorance, the whole of society must necessarily suffer. Wise and prudent men have always viewed this subject with the thoughtfulness which it demands. They have observed of late a growing alienation between the industrious and the middle classes, and have striven, both by precept and example, to remove suspicion on the one hand, and hauteur on the other. By a gentleman who felt interested for the welfare of society, and especially the happiness of the working millions, the prize which our essayist has obtained, was offered. Forty-eight essays were transmitted in competition, and although many of them were excellent, that before us was regarded by the adjudicators as the most elaborate and complete. Those who decided on the merits of the essay, did not pledge themselves to all the sentiments and opinions of the author. Indeed, the subject is so extensive, the means for the elevation and improvement of the masses are so multitudinous, and the interests of the working classes are so complicated, that one mind can scarcely be capable of fully embracing it. The social condition of mankind must be improved by the advancing civilization of the age in the aggregate, rather than by the isolated efforts of individuals or mere classes of men. Efforts such as the present, however, are not without their use. They suggest, if they do not fully explain, the means of advancement, and lend their aid to the great work of social progress. We do not know that the writer aims at originality in his scheme for the amelioration of the condition of the working classes. Most of the plans which he suggests have already been before the public, though with regard to some of them, we are free to confess that they are put in a more striking light than we have ever previously seen them. The essay is divided into nine chapters, VOL. VIII.-NO. LXXXV. essay. We would recommend to the attention of our readers a consideration of the writer's views contained in the chapter entitled "The Church." It is bold and startling, and includes ideas more in conformity with primitive times, than with the sensitive and refined Christianity which characterizes the present age. We quote the following as a specimen upon the pecuniary exigencies of the church: "The pecuniary exigencies of the church, together with the multiplication of societies, managed, of course, by their subscribers— to do the church's own work, have greatly contributed to bring about this state of things. It is altogether deplorable. Far better that the church were content to be poor than for it to make haste to be rich in the way we so often see. If there is one thing more than another asserted by the voluntary principle, it is that every gift to the cause of God should be willing. And if there is any meaning at all in the Saviour's command, "Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth," it is that neither the riches nor the munificence of any among his disciples should be blazoned abroad, or suffered to exalt them above the rest. How different often is the fact! The poor man who attends a place of worship without subscribing is treated only as half welcome, and thrust away into the free seats. He may be an unbeliever, a reprobate,—no matter; if he is to sit in a pew we must have his money; if he will not pay, he may stay there on a form without a back, in the draught of the door, or anywhere. Now it is a certain duty of the Christian church to proclaim the good tidings without money and without price. Taking nothing of the Gentiles." Words cannot be clearer. The giving of money for the dissemination of the gospel is enjoined as a Christian duty, and solely on Christian grounds. Truly, if even an unbeliever chooses to become "a cheerful giver," there can be no objection to accept his donation. But he should never be urged. No difference ought to be made in his treatment by the Church or its officers if he cannot, or even will not, contribute. The seats in our C The Working Classes London: John Snow, We have read this facic. The sumpe importance. workone has wit stility and at a fabu'sed fable, tinued an deed, point n it seem, phed. But e only been erverted or > the purity tended with he argument to prove that e and divine. confirmed by ficial results. med the bar>, shown itself all vice and advocate of lito test a tree by its results, this of the question and his apostles ot have been imexerted by their 3, through all subat they could have s nor fanatics. The , the only conclusion consistently with the that Christ was, as he teacher sent from God, s of truth and life." ressions. By W. CLARKSON, in Snow, 35, Paternoster- row. rable little book for one who in of soul cries, "O that it were with months past!" EVANGELIST" seeks to thy mind," sorrowing disciple, ugs that are past,' le bids thee to recall the days and urs of time gone by, and to lay hold of the story involved in them. Put forth thy powers of recollection; bring back what has vanished; give vividness to what has become an faint; and place the past obscure in the its light of present consciousness. Come and n all think again what thou once thoughtest, and tration feel again what thou once didst feel! Recall tagnant thine own hidden experience-thy past feelance for ings, and convictions, and sentiments, and luctuations hopes, and desires-concerning the glorious amid which objects of the spiritual world." and religion Thy past impressions of sinfulness and gether without guilt, of sentiment and feeling with respect believing that a to the people of God, the world, and those I have survived so things which are unseen and eternal, of the wood, as we observe claims of Christ on thy devotedness, and enthat period it joyment from the means of grace, are set Infidelity tested by Fact. A series of papers, reprinted from "The Church." By S. MANNING. London: Simpkin, Marshall, and Co.; Arthur Hall and Co.; B. L. Green. Leeds: John Heaton, 7, Briggate. place of worship should be free to all.* All A church which, professing the voluntary should meet an equal welcome. Subscrip- principle, thus distrusts and belies it, in tions should be invited only as an expression which the man who can bring nothing but of Christian principle. The indecorous himself is unwelcome, or in which rank and mendicancy which characterizes some reli- riches have the pre-eminence, will most gious anniversaries should be utterly done surely be despised of man, and unblest of away. The scoffer should no longer have to God." say that, "Rem, quocunque modo, rem," Upon the whole, this essay merits serious might be the motto of our institutions. consideration, and will repay an attentive The result need not be feared. Subscription perusal. The appendix, which supplies stalists might fall off. Ministers might become tistical information of great value, will be poorer. But even this I doubt. The highly esteemed. church would realize a new responsibility, and meet it in a new spirit. Christian men would deny themselves far more than they now ever think of doing for the cause of truth and holiness. Having ceased to claim Christian liberality from those who did not serve Christ-grapes from thorns, and figs from thistles!-they would feel their own obligation to abound in all good works of charity. No longer would some fragment from hoarded thousands arrogate to itself the title of the "widow's mite." Still were such anticipations disappointed, were the church's treasury impoverished, did its rescources for a time diminish to a tithe, the loss would be its gain. For it would have given a confirmation, the power of which would be felt by the most unbelieving, to its own noble profession; "We seek not yours, but you." We heartily wish that this little book could be put into the hands of every British youth. It will furnish to the enquiring mind many a valuable and unanswerable argument for the divine origin of the religion of Christ. Our readers will see, from the following "summary," what are the contents of the valuable papers composing it. "The system of facts and doctrines, known as Christianity, claims to be at once true and divine. The object of the foregoing series of papers has been to bring these claims to a historical test,-to enquire whether the acknowledged facts of secular history confute or confirm these pretensions. "No doubt it is a right and a becoming thing, a Christian privilege and duty, for the church to support its pastor. But, mark, it "We found that the age when Chrisis the business of the church, not of the con- tianity came into existence was one, with gregation. And if it cannot be done, where the events and characteristics of which we is the degradation on either side, if the are perfectly familiar; and which was, beminister of the gospel follows the example yond all parallel, unfavourable to the rise, of the first preachers, and toils with his own and still more to the success of such a hands for sustenance? The apostle Paul, in system, being an age of all but universal the very chaptert in which he so clearly infidelity. Still more unfavourable to its establishes his right to claim support from success were the circumstances of its Author the church he fostered, declares that he and Hero,-a Jew, who had suffered capital forbore to urge that right, lest possibly his punishment, in the form reserved only for motives might be misunderstood, and re- the felon and the slave. Whilst the fact, mained uncomplainingly labouring to minis- that the persons who first asserted that this ter to his own necessities. Far better that Jewish malefactor came to establish the churches and societies should be poor, far kingdom of heaven upon earth, belonged to better that pastors should gain subsistence the same despised nation, would seem to by daily toil, than that unhallowed means of render the success of their project morally any kind whatever should be employed to impossible. Yet, in the course of a very constrain the contributions of the unwilling. few years, they had, by the use of moral Whether or not there should be pews, architecturally speaking, seems a matter of convenience. The principle against which I contend, in fraternity for once with those pew denouncers, the Tractarians (though not with them alone,) is that of exclusion and separation in the house of God. Virtual exclusion there might be, even though the seats were constructed on the open plan; real freedom of access, though doors were placed. I care little for appearances in the matter, though it must be confessed that pews are in general unsightly enough. † Cor. ix. It might be added, that the visits of our greatest preachers should no longer be employed as a means of raising money. If PAUL were among us, what competition there would be for his services to preach collecting sermons! What is his own principle? "That there be no gatherings when I come." I cannot pursue the topic, but most earnestly commend a tract by the Rev. C. Gilbert, of Islington, entitled "The Weekly Offering." |