dren, when Sunday schools visited the regions of ignorance and vice, when Peace Societies, when Bible and Missionary Societies, first shed their glorious light over the darkness of this world. Having established the dates of these events, the historian will pause in his narrative and exclaim, "here was the beginning of the millennial age, here was the dawn of that day which has shone so long and so bright, whose meridian splendours yet dazzle and delight the world." Proceeding in his research, exploring the marble tombs, the historian may form a splendid catalogue of the founders, the presidents, and munificent patrons of the Societies, which are now sending instruction, light, comfort and salvation, to the most distant corners of the globe.

These children of benevolence, these men of holy renown he will honour as the great agents of God in introducing a thousand years of peace and joy, these men he will applaud as angels of charity, these he will culogize as the deliverers of mankind from sin and ruin.

Finally, how important are the periods of childhood and youth. In these periods, education is chiefly acquired, the character is then formed, the person generally becomes what he is to be forever and ever. What is sown in spring will be reaped in autumn. The impressions and passions of childhood and youth will be experienced in old age. Every thing, my young friends, is infinitely important to you. As the atmosphere in some places conveys health, in others death, so the place where you live may cause moral health, or spiritual death. The books which you read, the

sermons which you hear, may convey saving truth or fatal errour. One wicked companion may be as fatal to you, as the serpent in Paradise. One evil example may disturb your judgment, may fascinate your imagination, may inflame your passions; one alluring word, one enticing look, may, like enchantment, relax the vigour of your resolution, and plunge you down the gulf of ruin. Take heed, then, to all your ways, your labours, your amusements, your studies, your words, your thoughts;—the objects which you see, the sounds which you hear. "He that walketh

with the wise shall be wise, but a companion of fools shall be destroyed." Amen.

24

SERMON IX.

1 COR. xiii, 12.

Now I know in part.

DID mankind know how weak are their mental powers, it might subdue their pride, humble their vain glory. Were they conscious how partial and imperfect are their most liberal attainments in knowledge, it might cure their contempt of others, and often convert their bitter reproaches to pleasant strains of approbation. This knowledge of our own weakness has a powerful tendency to render the heart affectionate, the language kind, the manners gentle, the man holy. It produceth that charity which hopeth all things, believeth all things, thinketh no evil, becometh all things to all men.

Saul of Tarsus, with Stephen and Barnabas, had received his education at the celebrated school of Gamaliel, in Jerusalem. He was well acquainted with the orthodoxy of the Jews and the literature of the Greeks. He had enjoyed visions and revelations, he had been caught up to the third heaven, to Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, yet he humbly says, "I know in part." Although I have an imme

diate revelation from God, concerning his great design in the gospel, yet there are lengths and breadths, depths and heights of his design, which even revelation has not discovered. I know many facts, but the reasons and designs of divine operation I do not comprehend.'

So Job, after enumerating many known facts,-that God had garnished the heavens with stars, and hung the earth upon nothing, that he binds the waters in the clouds, and that hell is uncovered before him, says, "Lo, these are a portion of his ways." How little a portion is heard of him, how very little is understood. Nor is this difficulty confined to revelation. To understand any science requires wearisome labour. Ask the astronomer, the mathematician, or historian, They all say, "with a great price of labour we obtained our knowledge."

Religion is no more clouded with mystery than other sciences. Nor does the veil of mystery or incomprehensibility, which is spread over all things, and which renders the acquisition of knowledge, human and divine, laborious and imperfect, lessen the happiness of man. It rather gives life, energy and felicity to the mind.

To pursue, to investigate the secrets of science, is the mental food, the life and glory of the human mind. Could we at once glance an eye through all the mysteries of nature and revelation, the mind would soon become wearied and satiated with the sameness of its views, and like Alexander, weep because there were no more difficulties to conquer, no more mysteries to explore.