to moral principle by the light of revelation, from the period of its commencement at the creation of the world, to that of its meridian splendour in the coming of the Messiah.

May my feeble endeavours be blessed to your use by the God of mercy, and to his name be the glory!

LETTER IV,

My dear Lady Elizabeth,

ALTHOUGH the ten commandments. retain their place in the church service, and though a portion of the Old Testament is still read by appointment every day, I believe there are many who think that a knowledge of Old Testament history is entirely superfluous, and that it has in reality nothing to do with Christianity. I said many who think so; but I correct myself; for the people who take

up

up such silly notions, are they who never think at all.

Let us suppose, my little friend, Lord B. as destined at a future period to fill some great employment in the state, for which a knowledge of the laws and constitution of his 'country would be essentially requisite. Would this acquirement be left to chance? Or would it be thought possible that he could attain the information necessary to qualify him for the place in question, without some trouble and research? No. Where temporal interests are at stake, no such follies are committed. He would be directed by his friends and preceptors to make himself acquainted with the history of his country from the earliest period, and taught to observe the gradual formation of its happy constitution, through ages of Gothic darkness and semi barba

rism, to its full establishment in more enlightened times. So true it is, that "the children of this world

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are wiser in their generation than "the children of light!"

We, who believe that God has called us to prepare ourselves for a higher and nobler scene, ought surely to take no less pains to obtain all.possible information upon what so nearly concerns our future welfare, than we see to be taken by those who desire to qualify themselves for situations that are temporal and transient.There can be no comparison in the interest which they are each calculated to excite. If a generous glow warms the bosom of the youthful patriot, when, as he reads the history of his country, he marks the infant form of Liberty, nursed in the bosom of reasor, and gradually attaining strength and vigour to defend the

rights of his protectress, can we with insensibility behold the progress of that light, whose beams brought freedom to an enslaved world? that light which taught us to claim, and enabled us to secure, our title to an everlasting kingdom, where no tyrant shall have dominion over us; for death and sin shall be no more!

We have seen the Almighty, he who is from eternity to eternity the same, he who is now present to you and to me; who knows our secret thoughts ere they be formed in our hearts, and witnesses all our actions; we have seen him displaying the majesty of power, and issuing from Sinai the laws which were to govern his chosen people.

Let us now proceed to take a farther view of this extraordinary interference of the Creator for the accomplishment