524

her behalf. Having delivered her parting advice to the members of the family respectively, and told them not to mourn for her, she bade them farewell, turned herself in the bed, and expired without a struggle. Her end was peace.

4

REFLECTIONS.

1. Death is the common lot of all. It is appointed unto men once to die. Heb. 9.27.

2. Every one has his set time to die. Job says of man, "his days are determined, the number of his months is with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass." Ch 14, v 5. And again,

verse 14, "All the days of my appointed time will I wait &c."

3. Death is a blessing to the people of God. To die is gain to them. It is better to depart and be with Christ. Phil. 1: 21, 23. Rev. 14: 13.

4. The three foregoing propositions are so many reasons why we should be reconciled to the death of our friends. They had no power in the day of death to retain the spirit. Their set time had come. And especially if we may entertain the hope that those whom loved on earth have exchanged a world of sin and sorrow for a state of perfect blessedness, in the enjoyment of God. Should we not be comforted by the consideration that our loss has been their gain?

we

5. Reader, if all are mortal, thou must die. Earth is not thy final home. A solemn change awaits thee. And if thy time is set, each day brings thee nearer to that time, and bids thee, be ready. "Bles sed are those servants whom the Lord, when he cometh, shall find watching," J. M. G.

EDITORIAL NOTICES:

The Convention of Reformed Churches.---The time is approaching when a meeting of this body is to be held in Philadelphia. It is hoped that something decisive will be done. As we have already remarked more than once, the points of difference between the churches concerned is of little or no practical importance. What then hinders union? Why indeed nothing: if all would consent to waive some lesser matters satisfied that agreement in the Confession and Catechisms. Form of Church Government, and Directories for wor

Christian union and communion. If this cannot be done, then it will be a matter of some difficulty to state a vexed question in such terms, that all can sincerely say they believe it, or at least have no insuperable objections to it.---Perhaps the greatest difficulty now res lates to what, in language rather undefined, is called covenanting. For our own part, we could cordially unite with our brethren of the other churches, and let them keep, each their peculiar views on this subject. But while we could cheerfully exercise this forbearance (not greater forbearance however than in our apprehension each of the churches has to exercise towards many of its own members) we are not prepared to have the peculiar views of any of them imposed on us as a term of communion. That is quite another affair. No christian can give his solemn assent to matters of doubtful disputation even for the sake of union.

We hope the time is near at hand when all the churches concerned will see their way clear to unite on the ground above stated, or at least essentially on that ground; passing by those questions which in times past, derived a factitious importance from local or temporary causes. If the time has not yet arrived, then we must wait till all shall have farther time to try what success they can have in getting people to believe that things which do not affect the christian's faith or hope or duty are of sufficient importance to keep kindred churches apart.

It may here be added, that we have received an anonymous communication berating us severely for a few sentences which we recently published on the subject of christian union. We are sorry that conscience or something else, made the writer apply our remarks as he did. Among other compliments which he pays us, he hints a suspicion that we are "hostile to all creeds and confessions." Now such an accusation is enough to alarm us. Could he expect us to publish it?

O'Connell---Repeal---The Pope.---The cause of Repeal has recently encountered a new obstacle in a letter from the Pope to Archbishop Crolly Primate of Ireland, charging him to admonish all ecclesiastics, especially those of Episcopal rank, to abstain from taking part in political meetings or dinners, and studiously to avoid what may tend even lightly to excite or agitate the flock committed to them. O'Connel at once pronounced this to be not “a canonical document." This drew a letter from the Archbishop in which he expresses his surprize

and sorrow that O Connel should make such an assertion. Forthwith O'Connel retracts, and declares that if his private opinion were otherwise, he would at once bow to the authority from which the document emanated.

Though we have no high opinion of O'Connel, we cannot but sympathize with him. To be thus overruled and thwarted by an old man at Rome, is too bad..-' There are two different stories as to the origin of this Papal document. One, that the British Government induced the Pope to write the letter by proposing to establish the Catholic religion in Ireland, the Crown to have the nomination of the Bishops. The other, that the British Government threatened the Pope that they would excite his Italian subjects against him, if he did not interpose his authority to check the Repeal agitation.

was

Be the truth as it may, the Pope's letter is said to have excited great indignation among the Catholic leaders of the Repeal Association. The Pope's right to interfere in the temporal affairs of Ireland boldly denied. Well; some good may come of it. The Catholic Priests have so often denied, for political purposes, that the Pope has any temporal deminion beyond his own Italian States, that the Catholic láity may begin to believe them, and act accordingly.

The Psalms of David in metre: Being a new metrical and literal version of the Book of Psalms. By Rev. John Reynold's. Rossville, O., J. M. Christy, Printer, 1844.

Those who have laid aside the use of the inspired Psalms in the praises of God, and adopted in their stead, an "imitation," and what they call "spiritual songs" of human composition frequently say that their quarrel is not with the Book of Psalms, but with that antiqua ted version commonly called Rouse's version. Assuming this to be their only objection, intelligent men who used no other songs in divine praise, than those contained in the Bible, have sometimes expressed the opinion that the man who should furnish a new version equally close to the original, but better adapted to modern taste, and to the present state of the English language, would perform a valuable service to the Church of God. The publication of Mr. Reynolds is to be regarded as an attempt to furnish a Psalm Book in which all can unite, who really have no objection to that precious portion of the word of God called "The Book of Psalms." How far he has succeeded remains to be seen.

For ourselves we are satisfied with the version which we have but we would not contend for a mere version, if the introduction of another equally faithful would induce any who have discontinued the appropriate use of the inspired Psalms, to retrace their steps. Again and again, our writers who have advocated the use of an inspired Psalmody, have said, that they did not contend for the exclusive use of any particular version:---that the only reason why they adhered to the use of Rouse's version was because there was no better in exis tence--and that they held no principles which would hinder them to embrace another version equally faithful, should such an one be produced.

Granting as we do, that Mr. Reynolds poetry is not of the very highest order, we are still of opinion that it is as good as is to be expected if the poet confines himself closely to his copy: that is, the poetry is as good as is to be expected if the poet studies to give a true literal version. To produce poetry which will please by its jingle, or by an easy, elegant flow of words, the poet must be at liberty to give loose reins to his fancy: This the faithful translator cannot do.

Mr. R. has furnished no common metre version of any of the Psalms, as it is no part of his design to supersede the version used in those churches which continue to praise God in the songs which he has furnished. Indeed, no one who has been in the habit of using it, and who can appreciate its substantial merits, would desire to see it superseded. It is, and long has been, precious to the pious. Even those who contend for the liberty of praising God in words of man's inditing, often betake themselves to it for consolation, in seasons of affliction.

In a note appened to the work, Mr. R. informs his readers, that his design "in publishing the work at present is, that the public, and particularly, the ministers and elders of the church, may have an opportunity of examining it. It is not supposed that it will be used' in family or public worship before it receives the sanction of church judicatories," Whether it will ever receive this sanction, or whether it will share the fate of many of its predecessors, we do not pretend but we do say, that in our judgment, the labor which the au thor has bestowed upon it, as well as its general merits, entitle it to respectful consideration,

to say;

Whatever may be its fate, the publication is likely to have one good effect. Many will be induced to compare it with the prose and metre version, and thus increase their acquaintance with the Book of Psalms,

Two Roman Catholic Institutions have lately been chartered by the Legislature of Indiana. The "brothers of St. Joseph" lay missiona. ries of the Pope have opened an Academy at Dubuque Iowa; and the "sisters of charity of the blessed Virgin," another at Davenport in the same territory. The Romanists have 32 Churches in Wisconsin, and are now building another at Southport on Lake Michigan, designed to be "the handsomest building in the territory" They have lately purchased a handsome site for a Theological Seminary about half a mile east of Lane Seminary, near Cincinnati, andare preparing to erect extensive buildings. They are making efforts to exclude the Bible from schools in the city of New Orleans.

Sir Moses Montefiore has presented the Jews at Jerusalem with two presses and the necessary facilities for printing Jewish Tracts. The office is now supplied with twenty-two workmen.

The Prussian Government have addressed to the German Diet, a demand to suppress gaming establishments in every town in Germany.

Two of the most public signs in the city of Washington are Grogshop signs, and lottery-office signs. As the most of the States have passed laws against the vending of lottery-tickets, it is strange Congress does not pass some law to prohibit the sale of them in the Dis

trict.

There is said to be a Protestant population of about 4,000,000 in France. This is a considerable number, yet it is small compared with the vast majority who support the Romish superstition and tyranny.

Ecclesiastical. Rev. J. F. McLaren of Geneva N. Y. has accepted a call from the congregation of Hagerstown Md.

We are informed by letter that the pastoral relation between Rev. Alexander Blaikie and his congregation in Livingston county N. Y. 'has been dissolved by mutual consent.

The General Associate Reformed Synod of the West is to meet at Chillicothe O. on the 4th Wednesday of May next. It is hoped that Presbyteries will be careful to send up complete statistical tables. For some years this has been too much neglected. There will then be an opportunity to make remittances in payment of the Christian Intelligencer, from all parts of the Church.

*The Trustees of the St. Louis Church acknowledge the receipt of $100,00 from M. & R. H. Sweeney of Wheeling Va. and also of $4 from the congregation of New Zion Ia. (a balance.)