to repudiate those views, and do contain broadly and characteristically the great truths which are found in the Lutheran and Calvinistic-in the Dutch and American churches. We feel assured that there is no general hostility whatever to our doctrinal teaching; and that with reference to our peculiarities, episcopal, liturgical, or otherwise, if we will not force them as a sine qua non upon others, if we will cease to denounce and unchurch and unchristianize other denominations, we may be left in all brotherly affection and concord to hold those additional views which we believe to be justified by proper inference from, if not by direct precept in, the written Word.

We cannot hesitate to believe that if, in Christian liberality, we allow a general scheme of secular education to take effect, accompanied by such a measure of religious instruction as might well be agreed on by the leading sections of the Protestant Church, the general influence of our clergy both as Christians and as gentlemen, and men of benevolence, activity, and large family connexion, would maintain our communion in at least as much acceptance and popularity as she is now possessed of; in fact, would challenge for her, as a matter of desert, that pre-eminence which she now seems to owe rather to a partial prescriptive right. "The liberal deviseth liberal things, and by liberal things shall he stand."

There are few things more melancholy in the history of the Christian Church, than the miserable irritation of the temper in defining and discussing the minor differences of men about religious truth. It may imply sincerity, though not that always; but, at all events, it indicates a miserable want of heart towards that grand teaching of vital truths which fell from the lips of our Lord and his apostles. Fill the mind with the reality of millions-hundreds of millions-lying almost hopeless in a state of moral death; occupy it with the few ample truths which constitute the essential power of a practical sanctification to the sinner; and then, however definitely to some minds minor points may come forth, and stand out in all the distinction of an

unmisty atmosphere, the great absorbing question with such a mind would be, not how shall I enforce my peculiarities, but how shall this unnumbered multitude, both at home and abroad, be brought within the reach of this saving truth? There would be a holy jealousy of creating stumbling blocks. There would be a solemn and honest effort to get loose from the shackling influence of that which was special and peculiar, and to go forth to the great work of teaching Gospel truth to the whole youthful portion of the home population, and to the whole heathen world. There would be the growing conviction that such a liberal effort toward union would go far to convince, is really necessary to convince, the gainsayer and the infidel, and to interest them and unite them cordially in this great work.

We believe that the legislators of the land, and the moral leaders of the land, in their several localities, are much more prepared for this great move than many are aware of. We believe that the jealousies of some Christian ministers, in different denominations, is at this moment the great hindrance to the move. Respect for pastoral authority represses the active effort for the blessing both among Churchmen and Dissenters. There is a deferential unwillingness to run counter to the strongly expressed prejudices of former years. But the tide of popular opinion will ultimately bear it down, and hasten on the crisis of a grand national effort for proper instruction. There is an absolute right in the child to a complete education, both secular and religious, as far as the great essential principles of religion go. This must be conceded sooner or later. The sooner the better. As long as it is withheld there is sin. The sin lies especially on those whose excessive attention to peculiarities impedes this cordial union for such a purpose. Let men look at the question on their knees before God, on the verge of the grave, and as on the verge of the grave of millions going speedily into eternity, and they will not easily consent to be the impediment to national education, because their subordinate peculiarities are not made the subject of special patronage. We shall resume the topic on a future occasion,

THERE are many practices amongst Christians which are supposed to be Scriptural, or derived from God's command, which, upon examination, are found to be destitute of any such origin or authority. Of late many ceremonial observances have been forced upon public attention as necessary parts of duty, which when looked into, cannot be proved binding upon the disciples of Christ from any law given by him or the Apostles; the Mosaic Economy is, therefore, resorted to in order to find the validity of such and such institutions. Were we Jews, this might be a correct way of viewing particular forms, but as we are not of that people, another method should be adopted.

The moral law is always the same whether under antediluvian, patriarchal, Mosaic, or Christian dispensations; but peculiar or national ordinances belonging either to the customs of Eastern antiquity, or to the religious usages of the Israelites, passed away when Christ made all things new, and established a spiritual in place of a sensuous worship.

Perhaps the most general but least Scripturally understood form which has prevailed in the Christian Church, is that of Fasting; this mode of appeasing or deprecating the wrath of offended Deity, has been universal amongst heathens and false worshippers of every creed and name, whilst it has also obtained favour with the devout of purest faith and doctrine. In apostolical times, there is no precedent for it, except at the departure of missionaries, and ordination of ministers, (Acts xiii. 3. xiv. 23.) and in the Reformed Churches the practice has fallen into desuetude.*

In antediluvian and patriarchal times such a custom as fasting was apparently unknown; religious worship and reverence, sacrifice and humiliation, were taught and expected

*The two holy men who, in these later times, have fasted oft, are Brainard and Martyn; but their constant melancholy, their ill health, and their early deaths, do not commend their example in this respect to others.

by the Creator from his creatures from the earliest era of man's existence, (Gen. iv. 4.) but fasting was never observed, even upon the most important occasions.

Hospitality was always shown, and thus "angels were entertained unawares," not upon herbs and water, but upon fatted calves and cakes fresh made for the unexpected guests. (Gen. xviii. 6, 7. xix. 3. Judges xiii. 15.)

The Hebrews, whether in bondage or in Goshen, partook of the "fleshpots of Egypt;" and when they sojourned in the wilderness, under a visibly manifested theocracy, they never fasted.

During the forty years of the Exodus, the Israelites were generally unoccupied; and being entirely without the cares and avocations of mankind, they had the more leisure to devote to asceticism or fasting, if such services had been acceptable to their Divine guide.

"They toiled not, neither did they spin," for as "their clothes waxed not old," none other were made, for none other were required. (Deut. viii 4. xxix. 5.) No one was incapacitated by sickness, for "there was not one feeble person amongst their tribes." (Ex. xxiii. 25. Ps. cv. 37.) There was no cattle in the field, and no herd in the stall, to demand their attention; but when they wanted flesh, quails came in abundance, till they loathed such food.

A people who had neither home nor country, had no land to cultivate. (Numb. xi. 4. vi. 13.) Manna was given for daily sustenance, and "man did eat angels' food;" yet these millions of persons who had no labour to fill up their time, and no hindrance to prevent every possible religious ordinance from being fully observed to any extent, never held fasts.

Whilst the Hebrews were in the desert, the curse was in great measure removed from them, for they did not eat "their bread in sorrow," nor by "the sweat of their brow," but the whole nation was in a state of leisure and rest unknown to any other either before or since.

When there were neither patriotic, agricultural, nor domestic duties to perform; when the genial climate would render fasting an easy service, and where there were no obstructions to its extreme and regular observance, there is not a single intimation given from the Lord that he commanded, wished, or expected a fast. If the Almighty had intended that men should fast "twice in the week," the miraculous manna which fell every morning (but the Sabbath), would have been twice withheld, and the people must have kept those fasts, as, in their unprovided and isolated position, the disobedient could not have supplied themselves with food.

On the most sublime occasion ever presented to mortals, when “God descended upon the Mount," and

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so terrible was the sight that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake,' the people were ordered to sanctify themselves by washing, but no fast was announced or held.

The Israelites were God's peculiar people, whose sojourn in the wilderness has always been regarded as a type of Christian warfare, and yet where all things seemed to combine in an especial manner for the most perfect opportunity of public and private fasting in undisturbed routine, whether as acts of humiliation, or of preparation for entering upon the promised land, the thing is never alluded to, and instead of such an appointment being made for that or any future time, a miraculous supply of food was given daily "for every man according to his eating;" and so far from Fasts being named, fixed, or intended for that precisely governed people, numerous Feasts were settled in perpetuity for national performance for ever; thus, there were the Sabbaths of the Seventh day; the Sabbath of the Seventh year (Lev. xxv. 8); Feast of the Passover; Feast of Trumpets; Feast of Harvest; Feast of Pentecost; Feast of Tabernacles, &c. (Ex. xxiii. Lev. xxiii.) The Sabbatical year of rest was not devoted to fasting, for it is specifically stated, (Ex. xxiii. 11.) "the Lord is to lie still that the poor of thy people may eat, and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat. In like

manner, thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and thy oliveyard." So that the year of repose was not to be observed with the wretchedness of fasting, but to be kept with the gladness caused by wine, the beauty which arose from oil, and the strength given by bread. (Judges ix. 8-13. Ps. civ. 15.)

God promised to the Hebrews that which was literally fulfilled: (Deut. viii.) that he "would lead them to a land of brooks and fountains, a land of wheat and barley, a land of olives and honey, a land where thou shalt eat bread without scarceness;" all which certainly implied, that not only the necessaries, but the luxuries of life would be abundantly supplied. There was a caution appended, that when "they had eaten and were full, they forget not God." Yet in the midst of all this profusion, not a single fast is established; but, on the contrary, a never-ceasing round of feasts were appointed, of which all the people were expected to partake.

When Aaron and his sons were sanctified to the Lord, they were washed ere the holy garments were put upon them; but instead of fasting being made the preparation for their solemn office and duties, an ablution with water was ordered; and when all the ceremonies were ended, they ate flesh and bread. (Lev. viii.) Whenever atonement was made by the blood of sacrifices, there was no fasting, even when it was for priests and people; but when the administering priests were forbidden "wine and strong drink," they were commanded to eat meat. (Lev. vii. Ex. xxix. 32.)

Although fasting is not mentioned, it might be supposed that Joshua (vii. 6.) fasted when he "rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until the eventide;" but so far from this being acceptable service to the Lord, he and the elders were rebuked by God, saying, "Joshua, get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? Up, sanctify the people."

To sanctify was to cleanse from ceremonial pollution by washing, which in the East was never done in a time of fasting-(see Lightfoot)

and whilst washing with water was perpetually commanded in the Jewish law, fasting was never mentioned. (Lev. xi. 15. xvii. 15, 16. xix. 9.) Was not the continual observance of washing meant to prevent fasting, as the two were always deemed incompatible?

Judges xx. 26. is the first time fasting is noticed in the Scriptures. This was an occasion of great public calamity; but the fast was no more commanded by God than was the general weeping. Each might be the natural result of deep affliction; and the former is a less sure sign of remorse and sorrow than the latter.

The next instance on record is when Samuel called the people to put away their sin in worshipping Baalim and Ashtaroth, "they drew water, and poured it out, and fasted." (1 Sam. vii. 6.) Whenever Moses and the prophets announced any new statutes or ordinances, they were invariably given as from the Lord, and not as originating in their own ecclesiastical or political arrangements; thus each divine command or observance was introduced by such a phrase as, thus saith the Lord," or "God spake and said;" but in this and all other similar cases no such declaration was ever made, with the single exception in Joel's prophecies, which was uttered when such a judgment was sent to the Holy Land as never before had been inflicted, nor should be again, (ii. 2.) and therefore the command given at that time can be no rule of action for Christians in ordinary life.

The fast Joel writes of was held during a grievous famine, when "the locust, the palmer worm, the canker worm, and the catterpiller had devastated all Judah and Israel, (Joel i. 4. Amos iv. 9.) and "when the meat was cut off before their eyes." In this season of affliction, "Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning." (Joel ii. 12.) Lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar lie all night in sackcloth." (Joel i. 13.) The whole of this was in strict accordance with oriental customs, which remain the same till

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this day, but none of the outward demonstrations peculiar to Eastern nations, are asked by Christianity, for its professors are no more required by Christ and his apostles to fast or pour out water, than are "the ministers of God" expected to howl and lie all night in sackcloth.

If one part of a command must be observed, what right is there to refuse the other parts which were esteemed of equal importance and necessity? But if the Jewish custom of fasting must be followed because it was perpetually practised by that nation in times of trouble, why is the more unseemly and fatiguing howling to be omitted, or the inconvenient dress not to be worn, or the better garment to be left untorn?

Again, if the manners and customs of the Jews must be appended to Christian duty, where is the line to be drawn-will mere abstinence from food suffice, when that is but a small portion of the ancient usage?

During seventy years, the Jews held fasts in commemoration of four great national calamities, and Zechariah was consulted as to whether they should be continued (vii. 4, 5.) "Then came the word of the Lord of hosts, unto me, saying, Speak unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, when ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, even to me?" Instead of this lengthened series of voluntary and self-appointed fasts being noticed with approbation or still further desired, Zechariah said, "Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother; and oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, nor the poor, let none of you imagine mischief in your hearts." But the prophet adds,-"They refused to hearken." So much easier is it to fast, and howl, and pour out water, than to "do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God."

In the time of Jeremiah, the great day of atonement was called the fasting day. (Jer. xxxvi. 6.) Fasts were then become common, but were observed without any positive or expressed