our brethren of the dissenting bodies were to supply the preaching of the gospel and other ministrations to such as desired it, those who cared for none of these things would still remain uncared for; and that parochial superintendence, which takes into view the moral interests of the entire population, irrespective of will or indifference, of riches or poverty, would have yet to be supplied. This important principle of moral economy had been sadly lost sight of by men of the world, and neglected by the church, till of comparatively recent date. this subject, Dr. Chalmers has, doubtless, done more than any one else. He has set forth the advantages of the parochial system, as adapted even to the altered circumstances of the country, with a clearness of statement, and a force of reasoning and eloquence, which has already obtained for it the attention of legislators, and has done not a little to awaken the energies of the church herself. Her first legislative movement on the subject will be found in the following extract:- -The General Assembly called for the Overtures from the Presbytery of Paisley on the subdivision of Parishes, which was read. It was moved, seconded, and agreed to, That the Assembly approve of the object of the Overture, and appoint a Committee, with power to enquire into the extent of an evil, which they feel to be very great, and rapidly increasing, and to take such steps as may be competent for its removal.' In calling the above the first legislative movement, we do not mean that parishes were not subdivided, nor means adopted towards that end till now. But that this is the first enactment brought about by that general awakening of the church of which we have been speaking, and from which we anticipate important results. VI.-Church Accommodation. This is to be understood as comprehending both congregational and parochial ministrations. Independently of the latter, even the former is lamentably deficient in the populous districts of our country. We already mentioned the supply furnished by our dissenting brethren congregationally, and by chapels once congregationally, but now parochially. In addition to these, may be added city and town missions, which were generally supported by miscellaneous societies, the missionaries being themselves of different denominations, and of different degrees of preparatory attainment. But for several years past, the church has been adding to parochial missionaries, licentiates of her own, who are supported wholly by the church, and who act also in concert with the minister of the parish and his kirk-session. These are rapidly multiplying,-in some parishes even to the amount of four or five. Instead of beginning to form congregations in the more wealthy and religious districts, where meetings might be made up from other congregations, they are usually located in the poorest and most neglected streets and lanes. They visit from house to house, preach to meetings of the most wretched outcasts, not exceeding often a dozen, including women and children. In the train of this pioneering, efforts of no ordinary description are going forward towards raising money to build, and, in some cases also, to endow churches, to be planted in such districts as those we have just described. Movements on this subject have commenced in almost all the populous districts of Scotland, and very much in the proportion of the destitution experienced. In Paisley, for example, there are not fewer than three places of worship in progress, and a fourth is about to be raised in the vicinity; all in circumstances substantially similar to those described. In Glasgow, the splendid project of raising eighty thousand pounds, to build and endow twenty new churches, in connection with the establishment, and for similar purposes, has been taken up, with spirit; and already upwards of seventeen thou sand pounds have been subscribed. These facts will furnish some idea of the energy lately discovered in the body of the church on this subject. It also was brought before our late Assembly, and was warmly received. A standing committee was appointed to collect information and devise plans; and in the mean time, collections and contributions are to be raised over the whole church. Other means, having the same object in view, were recommended, and have since been adopted with every prospect of success. Of this subject we can speak only as of the former. It has only begun fully to engage the attention of our church, and may, on account of its extent and importance, admit of progress for many years. But even this is a ground of thankfulness.. VII.-Had it been my design to follow out a general analysis of the important measures brought under the review of our late Assembly, I should not even now cease. Our foreign, colonial, and domestic missions, and various other branches of interesting matters, would, in these circumstances, have claimed a share of our attention. There are, doubtless, also, matters which might call for censure, or, at least, regret. I at least regret that some more decisive and liberal measure had not been proposed in behalf of the offsets of our church in England, and who had petitioned. I felt deeply disappointed that our overtures-from three Synods and two Presbyteries-in favour of free ministerial communion with our brethren in Ulster, were not taken up; I regret this for the past, although I have no fear as to the after success of this measure. Yet to do justice to these and other important questions, was more than could, perhaps, be expected by one Assembly, after grappling with so many other matters of vital and domestic consequence. And we are quite satisfied, that, in proportion as the whole church becomes awakened to the latter, she will the more freely and unhesitatingly stretch forth her arms, aged but not enfeebled, to embrace in affection her children that are among strangers-and none with kindlier feelings than her eldest daughter, separated from her in early youth, yet having shared with her the afflictions of other times, and being now like herself, the subject of an awakening influence, which we believe to be of God. I fear that in writing as above, I may be thought by some to be acting the part of a special pleader; and I doubt not, that the interest which I feel in the events I have been describing, must, to a greater or less extent, affect the description given. But I can truly say, that my primary cause of rejoicing is the glory of God; and that the interest which I feel in my own church, is substantially dependant on the persuasion, that she is, under God, a fit instrument for advancing his kingdom. And I do earnestly wish and pray, as I hope all your readers do, that all the churches holding Christ as their head, may thus revive, thus reform themselves, thus become morally powerful, and thus stretch forth the hand to another and another sister church, till, like a group of artless children, they are all found hand in hand, singing the songs of redeeming love. The subject of union among christian churches, has often been speculated upon, and many a platform has been proposed. But union of form without union of sentiment, is like the ropes which bound Sampson. Parties have only to arise and shake themselves, and the most nicely balanced arrangement is as a web of gossamer. When unity of sentiment precedes, parties will naturally draw together, and the effecting of a union will require no laboured conditions or refined policy. It will be as the union of those who love each other. They will be together, because they are happy in each other's company. Now unity of sentiment is a matter of growth, and is dependant on acquaintance and freedom of intercourse. And, therefore, what we would have churches to do, is not hastily to seek a union, but the removal of whatever prevents intercourse; and the communicating freely on matters of general interest, and which concern the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. In this way, each separate church will continue to enjoy the management of its own affairs, uncontrolled by any other; and yet measures which are truly worthy of imitation will be gradually copied; these bringing about an assimilation of acting, and unity of spirit and sentiment, which will at last be clothed with the decent and comely garb of union, even in external form. And surely the period is hastening on, when the envy also of Ephraim. shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off;' when Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim. But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines towards the west; they shall spoil them of the east together.' The idea that our dissenting brethren must first clear away, as so much rubbish, all establishments, or that established churches must first extinguish dissent, is as utopian as unchristian. Let all our churches, whether established or otherwise, awaken into moral energy, engage heartily in the work of saving souls, and of cultivating practical godliness, and there will be no need of destroying each other. Whatever there is about either inconsistent with the purity of gospel truth, or the efficiency of church discipline, or the scriptural character of churh government, it will appear to the church so circumstanced, and she will do with her own hands what no other party would be permitted to do. We have often said of careless sinners,that if we could only get them made thoroughly in earnest about religion, however crude or even unsound some of their notions might be, a great end would be served; as a man thoroughly in earnest-which he can be only when taught by the Spirit of God-will not rest in any mere set of opinions. He will be led into all essential truth. And we would say the same of churches. Let them not eat out their own moral strength with the canker of envy, and detraction, and violence against other churches, but let each fully engage in the work of the Lord, and avoid causes of offence and collision with other churches; and however turbid many of the streams may for a time be, they will run themselves clear, being supplied in common from the waters of the sanctuary. All the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this-Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.' I am, dear Sir, yours truly, SCOTLAND, 1st October, 1834. A FRIEND. THE LORD'S PRAYER. "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us.” OUR debts are our sins, and accordingly the latter word is used when the prayer is repeated in Luke. They are called our debts, because they formally consist in the non-payment of the obedience which we owed to God, or as some think, because the sinner has a debt of punishment to pay to divine justice. If our debts are our offences against God, it follows that our debtors are not those who owe us money, but those who have injured us in word and deed, and from whom we might think ourselves entitled to demand satisfaction. It is unnecessary to inquire what is implied in the forgiving of our debts, as this important subject was explained in its proper place; and remission is well known to consist in our absolution from the sentence of condemnation pronounced upon us for our sins. Nor is there any occasion at present for shewing that God alone can forgive sin; and that although no mention is made of the atonement of Christ, it must be understood to be referred to, agreeably to the uniform doctrine of Scripture, that it is solely for his sake that God bestows this blessing upon us. Waiving these points as not now demanding our attention, let us consider the subjoined condition or qualification, as it seems to be, with which our Lord has connected this petition: "As we forgive our debtors," And certainly no small difficulty here presents itself to those who hold the doctrine of justification by grace without any conditions. It does not appear easy to reconcile with that doctrine, this petition as expressed in Matthew, and still more strongly in Luke: "For we also forgive every one that is indebted to us.". Various attempts have been made to point out their harmony; but some of them have not been successful. It has been said that our forgiving others is an evidence of the grace of God towards us, from which it appears, that we are not given up to our sinful affections, and his Spirit has not utterly departed from us, and that hence we may hope for new displays of his grace. It has also been said that our forgiving others must precede the sense of our own forgiveness, and that we cannot expect to experience joy and peace, if we do not exercise charity towards our brethren. But this reasoning shifts the state of the question, and supposes the person in whom this qualification is required, to have been already |