the United States are more with the Free and the United Presbyterian churches, a deep interest is cherished in all that pertains to Presbyterianism in Scotland. We hope hereafter to bring up the rear with some intelligence from the Established Church.

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN ENGLAND.

This body, holding the principles of the Free Church of Scotland, was instituted in 1836. It numbers about 80 churches and ministers. It has a Theological College at Exeter Hall, London. It has foreign missionary stations in China and the Island of Corfu; and raised last year about $3,500 for these purposes. The aggregate of contributions for all the schemes of the Church was $15,000. The Report on the School Scheme says "The number of day-schools connected with the Church now amounts to upwards of 50, but nothing should satisfy us short of a full equipment of schools, that is to say, a well-taught day school in connexion with every congregation."

COMMON SCHOOLS IN ENGLAND.--In Parliament Mr. W. J. Fox moved a resolution for the establishment of free schools in England and Wales for secular instruction, to be supported by local rates. Sir George Grey opposed it feebly, and Mr. Hume in its support quoted the perfect success of the Massachusetts plan of separating secular from 'religious instruction. Mr. Hope denied that it was possible to give a purely secular education. The motion was lost by a vote-139 to 41.

"In

THE CRYSTAL PALACE BEATEN.-Dr. Duff, in his speech at the anniversary meeting of the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society in London recently, thus described one of the heathen temples of India :—“ Seringham you have the hugest heathen temple that can probably be found from the North to the South Pole. It is a square, each side being a mile in length, so that it is four miles round. Talk of your Crystal Palace! Why, as a man would put a penny into his pocket, you might put your Crystal Palace into the pocket of this huge pagoda. The walls are 25 feet high, and 4 or 5 feet thick, and in the centre of each wall rises a lofty tower. Entering the first square, you come to another, with a wall as high, and four more towers. Within that square there is another, and within that again another-and you find seven squares one within another, crowded by thousands of Brahmins. The great hall for pilgrims is supported by a thousand pillars, each cut out of a single block of stone."

UNIVERSITY TESTS.-A proposition to abolish these tests is before Parliament. As a specimen of their folly, it is stated that the Established Presbytery of Aberdeen have had a special meeting to receive the signature of the new Mathematical Professor, which he is said to have affixed "with alacrity." The alacrity in this instance must have been that desperate alacrity with which one performs a deed against which his conscience revolts. For we cannot conceive how any one who has sworn to the ecclesiastical tenets of Episcopacy in regard to Church government can, but with conscience ill at ease, and shaking hand, denounce Episcopacy as a "great and intolerable grievance to this nation," and declare, by signing the tests, that "Presbyterianism is the only true form of discipline and government of Christ's Church within this kingdom."

Chings New and Old.

THE LILY-WORK AT THE TOP.

It is said that the massive and sturdy pillars which supported the arches of Solomon's temple were adorned at the top with a delicate tracery of lily-work. It was not beneath the Divine notice, in prescribing the architecture of his own temple, to attemper strength with beauty, and to qualify that which was meant for utility, with graces that also please. This is the type of God's works everywhere the true indication of the Divine taste. Grandeur and grace-utility and beauty-duty and pleasure-work and reward. The strength of the pillar is beautified by graceful lily-work at the top. The world is not all granite for support, nor all soil for sustenance: it has its flowers and its forms of beauty. Life is not all work nor struggle: the solid pillars are there indeed, but they have their ornaments. Pleasantries, lighter acts and utterances-flowers that fringe the margins of deep streams, on whose bosom floats the barges of commerce. The best form of piety is that which combines, in best proportions, these opposite but not discordant traits. We are made in the likeness of God, who enamels the face of the solid world with the landscapes of beauty and the splendor of flowers. To be all lily-work and no pillar, would be useless. The massive beams and expanding arches of the temple could not have rested securely upon the carving, however elaborate. Without the strong substratum of genuine principle, no outward adornments of character will possess either beauty or permanence. There must be the pillar to be adorned-there must be piety at the bottom, or the superstructure has no endurance. A frost-work of accomplishments, however cunningly carved, can, at best, be but a summerhouse-good for a sunny hour, but a miserable shelter from the storm.

How gently are God's dealings with us attempered by love. In the gospel, God comes down to the household, disclosing not only grave and momentous truths, but also sympathizing with our griefs, pitying our infirmities, "folding the lambs in his arms, and gently leading them that are with young." Christ is wisdom, indeed, but it is wisdom soft-voiced and genial, seeking to save, not coming to reprove. Truth, though radiant with the glory of the Highest, puts on a meek aspect, adapted to the comprehension of the ignorant, and the encou ragement of the timid. The gospel does not terrify us with rugged philosophies, perplexing mysteries, nor inaccessible heights and depths to provoke our despair. The wayfaring man, though a fool, need not err therein. There is nothing to intimidate or discourage in Christ. He neither strives nor cries, nor is his voice heard in the street; the smoking flax and the bruised reed need not fear his rough hand. And though a high priest, clothed with unimaginable honours, he is touched with the feelings of our infirmities. Thus are the pillars surmounted by the carving, and the awful concerns of law and eternity, of sacrifice and expiation, of wrath and blood, reduced to the meekness and gentleness of the gospel.

:

Suffering and discipline, too, have their aspects of beauty and desirableness. The sanctity of sorrow, the emptiness of all created things, is the divine path which all must tread who reach heaven. A sore and rugged way it is, revolting to every natural instinct and stern seems the hand that drives us through it. But who would be without sorrow? Who would forego the precious fruits which drop from the rude shakings of trouble and care? What does he know of pity, charity, humanity, who has never suffered? How can he rejoice in the light of God's countenance, who has never groped and groaned in darkness? How shall we long for heaven, till we are sick of earth? Who can enjoy repose but the weary-or prize salvation and peace, but those that have been in peril? Here, as in all God's works, the sturdy, rugged pillars are topped with the

beautiful lily-work, Light fringes the darkest cloud, and goodness and love form the soul of all things.

Christian character assumes a most attractive and impressive form, when it unites the steadfastness of principle with the gentleness of love. Good manners -kind deportment and gentle ways, are not unworthy of the Christian. There need be no undue conformity to the world in a pleasing address. It argues neither weakness of piety, nor infirmity of will, nor absence of spirituality, to bear the aspect of a gentleman. Solomon's pillars were none the less serviceable and immoveable for the light tracery that lent them beauty. Religion has its sunny side, which if the world could always see, it would think better of it. -New York Evangelist.

HUMBLE DEVOTION.

From the recesses of a lowly spirit

My humble prayer ascends, O Father hear it!
Borne on the trembling wings of fear and meekness,
Forgive its weakness.

I know, I feel how mean and unworthy,

The lowly sacrifice I pour before thee:
What can I offer thee, O Thou most holy,
But sin and folly.

Lord, in thy sight who every bosom viewest,
Cold is our warmest vows, and vain our truest,
Thoughts of a hurrying hour, our lips repeat them,
Our hearts forget them.

We see thy hand, it leads us, it supports us:
We hear thy voice, it counsels and it courts us:
And then turn away! and still thy kindness,
Forgives our blindness.

Who can resist thy gentle call, appealing
To every generous thought, and grateful feeling!
O! who can hear the accents of thy mercy,
And never love thee.

Kind Benefactor, plant within this bosom,
The seeds of holiness, and let them blossom
In fragrance, and in beauty bright and vernal,
And Spring eternal.

Then place therein those everlasting gardens,

Where angels watch, and seraphs are the wardens;

Where every flower brought safe through death's dark portal,

Becomes immortal.

BOWRING.

THE SABBATH A FRIEND.

1. To Education. Compare countries with, and without the Sabbath. Its ministrations powerfully quicken and invigorate the human intellect, while a vast amount of knowledge is communicated.

2. To Government. Where are the honoured Sabbath and depotism co-existent? It shows the nature of human rights-adapts laws to actual wants and circumstances of men-creates a conscience that sustains laws and qualifies men to make, as well as obey, laws.

3. To Health. By promoting cleanliness-by furnishing needful rest for body and mind-by promoting cheerfulness and elasticity of spirits through its

power to produce a peaceful conscience-by its subduing influence over the hateful passions of men.

4. To Good Morals. By keeping in sight the character of God-by unfolding the claims of his holy law, by creating a distaste for unlawful pleasuresby creating a public sentiment that frowns upon immorality-and, through that sentiment, causing wise and effectual laws for the suppression of vice and crime.

5. To Piety. By causing a right view of God to prevail-by constantly pouring on men's minds those great elements of piety, the divine truths of Revelation-by thus generating all right affections toward God and man-by shadowing forth and pointing men to the Sabbath of heaven, the rest that remaineth for the people of God.

Therefore the Sabbath is the Friend of the nation-the family-every man's friend, and never fails to repay true and devoted friendship for it with the most precious blessings for time and eternity.—Traveller.

PERPETUITY OF CHRISTIAN LIFE.

The tendency of the renewed nature is to be uniform and unwavering, like the truth on which it feeds and the Spirit which gives it life. The bent of the affections, too, is the immediate cause, in the hand of the Spirit, of obedience; and obedience reacts to add vigour to the affections. Perpetuity, then, is the law of Christian life; and that state of the affections at any one time, which secures the performance of the statutes, is the evidence that such a law is reigning in the soul. The apostle recognizes this law when he says, "if they had been of us, they would have continued with us."

A temporary religion, then, is a religion without a root, which derives no nourishment from the Divine Word through the heart, but is sustained, while it continues, by something which is consistent with the reigning power of sin. It may be built upon hopes, and may have the form of a conversion for the groundwork of those hopes; and may look to God with joy and thankfulness as the author of the pleasant feeling which it entertains; and may cherish some kind of sympathy toward the people of God; and besides influencing the feelings, may exert some slight power over the temper and moral character. But in a little time, when the fire has gone out which made such a blaze, and the life has left the tree which seemed so fair, the worthless nature of such religion is manifest to all men; for all men of a sound mind estimate the value of religious character by the faithful performance of the statutes; and argue, from the short-lived existence of such religion, that it was not of the true kind.-Pres. Woolsey in Nat. Preacher.

THE UNBELIEVER'S CREED.

I believe that there is no God-but that matter is God, and God is matter; and that it is no matter whether there be any God or no.

I believe also that the world was not made that the world made itself—that it will last for ever, world without end.

I believe that man is a beast-that the soul is the body, and the body is the soul, and that after death there is neither body nor soul.

I believe that there is no religion; that natural religion is the only religion, and that all religion is unnatural.

I believe not in Moses-I believe in the first philosophy-I believe not the evangelists.

I believe in Chubb, Collins, Toland, Tindal, Morgan, Mandevilles, Woolston, Hobbe, Shaftesbury. I believe in Lord Bolingbroke-I believe not in St. Paul.

I believe not in revelation-I believe in tradition-I believe in the TalmudI believe in the Koran-I believe not the Bible--I believe in Socrates-I believe in Copernicus-I believe in Sanchoniathan-I believe in Mohammed-I believe not in Christ.

Lastly, I believe in all unbelief.-Bishop Horne.

THE

PRESBYTERIAN MAGAZINE.

AUGUST, 1851.

Miscellaneous Articles.

ARE WE WALKING WITH CHRIST?

WHAT evidence have we that we are "with Christ?" The mere circumstance of our bearing the Christian name, does not prove that we are Christians in heart. Nor does the participation of Christian ordinances make it certain that we are enclosed in the bonds of the everlasting covenant. Some people say, and no doubt really think, they have always been religiously disposed. But there is danger of mistaking a constitutional sedateness, or sober temperament of mind, for a gracious heart. It seems plain, from Scripture, that, if we are really and heartily with Christ, we have been renewed in the spirit of our minds. "Old things are passed away, and all things are become new." The change designated by these and the like expressions, in holy writ, pervades the whole soul. The understanding is enlightened, the will subdued, the affections purified, and the heart softened. Can any one be the subject of such a change as this, and not be, in some measure, conscious of it? "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."

2. If we are with Christ, we have believed in him, and are relying on his merits alone for salvation. They who are with him in heart, submit to his authority, and repose entire confidence in his power, truth and faithfulness. We never yield ourselves voluntarily to the disposal and protection of any one whose veracity we suspect, or whose ability to fulfil his promises we deem questionable. Hence, a true faith in Christ includes a full belief of his gospel, and an unhesitating persuasion of his infinite merit and eternal Godhead; for no thoughtful man will resign his soul, and his immortal interests, to the care and keeping of a mere creature, who must himself be VOL. I.-No. 8.

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