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through the varied incidents of his progress. We dwell with delight on the heroic resistance he made, at the outset of his career, to the profligate sale of indulgences —his triumphant encounter with Tetzel and the Romish doctors. We hang with breathless suspense over his journey to the city of Worms, there to confront the emperor, surrounded by a multitude of princes, nobles, archbishops, bishops, and representatives from almost every kingdom in Europe, such as never, perhaps, convened before to confront them alone, single-handed and unprotected, except by a safe conduct which he knew had formerly been basely violated in the case of Huss. We hear him, with undaunted courage, replying to the entreaties of his friends not to enter the city: “Go and tell your master, that though there were as many devils in Worms as there are tiles on the roofs, I would enter it;" and when they said, "They will burn you to ashes, as they did John Huss," replying with equal firmness, “Though they should make a fire reaching from Worms to Wittemberg, and rising to the sky, I would pass through it in the name of the Lord-I would appear before them—I would enter into the mouth of that Behemoth, and confess the Lord Jesus Christ!" Finally, we rejoice to see him terminating his days in peace, after having been the instrument of imparting to unnumbered thousands the blessings of an opened Bible, a recovered Gospel, and a purified Church. But the pious reader of this wondrous history will be at no loss to discover the real secret of his success. Nothing will be more deeply impressed on his mind than the conviction, that Luther would never have become a Reformer had he not first become a Christian; that the Reformation owed its success to the operation on the hearts of men of those same truths which first convinced Luther that he was a sinner, and laid him, a trembling but hopeful penitent, at the foot of the cross.

We have said that Luther found his religion in the Bible; and it was not long before he discovered that, in every vital point, it was at variance with the system of Popery. One by one the abominations of that "mystery of iniquity” rose into view, until it glared on him in all

its monstrous proportions-the Antichrist of Scripture, the Man of Sin, and Son of Perdition. On the other hand, in direct contrast, "the Mystery of Godliness" evolved itself, and the Temple of Truth was seen standing, as the rubbish was removed from it, fresh and fair, in all its beautiful proportions, as it was at the beginning. The discovery filled him with mingled feelings of amazement and delight-similar to what, we may suppose, would be experienced by the late discovery of the ancient cities of Herculaneum, which, built in the palmy days of Rome, but buried for ages under the burning lava of Vesuvius, immediately upon removing the rubbish, presented themselves standing entire streets and houses, pillars and porticos-as they stood at the fatal hour when first entombed in their fiery sepulchre.

The Reformation, therefore, was truly what we have represented it—the resurrection of Scripture truths. If we are asked, What Scripture truths were then revived? we might answer with perfect propriety, that the whole of revealed truth, viewed as Scripture truth, was then revived; for the whole may be considered as having been buried with the Scriptures. When once the Pope had succeeded in his blasphemous attempt to substitute his authority in place of that of Holy Scripture, and had withdrawn the Word of God from the sight of men, "exalting himself above all that is called God and that is worshipped,' it mattered little, in one respect, what truths materially Scriptural were retained under the Papacy. The true foundation of faith was thus moved away; and thenceforth the faith which might be accorded to any Scriptural truth rested not on "the power of God," but on "the wisdom of man." The truth might be believed, but it was believed not on the testimony of God, but of man; and of man, too, "sitting in the temple of God," and assuming his prerogatives.

Some Protestants have gone so far, in the excess of their charity, as to maintain that, with all her corruptions, the Church of Rome retained all the cardinal truths of Christianity-such as the inspiration of Scripture, the Trinity, the divinity of the Saviour, and even the atonement of the cross; and that Popery erred rather in excess

than in defect, in requiring men to believe too much—not only to believe in what was revealed, but in more than was revealed. We might well ask, in reply to such representations, Can the blind, implicit faith of the Papist be compared with the enlightened faith of the Protestant? -can faith in the Church be put into the same category with faith in the Word of the living God? But it ought to be remembered, that the truths acknowledged by the Romish Church were all neutralized and nullified by the opposite errors with which they were associated. Of what avail was it to confess the divine authority of Scripture, while the same honour was paid to human traditions? Of what avail to acknowledge the Trinity and the divinity of the Saviour, while angels and a whole host of saints were exalted to divine honours, and the Virgin Mary extolled much higher than the Son of God? And of what avail to profess the atonement of Christ, when the merit of salvation was shared by him in common with a multiplicity of earthly and heavenly mediators, and ascribed with an equal or not higher degree of confidence to the good works of the sinner himself? Did our Lord speak the more leniently of the errors of the Scribes and Pharisees in his day, because they still professed some regard to Moses and the prophets, or retained some of the institutions of divine worship? No; he denounced the practised corruption as subversive of the professed truth: "Woe unto you, for ye have made void the law of God by your traditions." "In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." It has been the policy of Popery to retain a substratum, or rather a sprinkling, of truth, in order to give currency to its errors, and a colour to its impostures. It is to the perversion of the Gospel of Christ, indeed, that it owes its success. And well do its interested supporters know how much they have been indebted to it. "How much," said one of the Popes, after receiving a vast sum for indulgences transmitted to Rome from foreign countries, "How much are we indebted to that Galilean."

THOUGHTS FOR PARENTS AND
INSTRUCTORS.

WHAT AN INSTRUCTOR OUGHT TO BE.

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WHAT an immense amount of good might teachers become the happy instruments of effecting, were they to give themselves to their work with the earnestness and devotedness recommended in the Address to Teachers," which appeared in the Teacher's Visitor." Most refreshing it is to turn to the expression of such sentiments -to find there are those who regard the training of immortal minds as a high, an honourable, and a delightful employment; and who, instead of conceiving that an instructor of the young has little to do beyond hearing a lesson, and writing a copy, view him as the moral labourer who is to turn up the unbroken ground; to aid in the developement of the wondrous faculties with which man is endowed; to guide the inexperienced, unformed mind, and to be instrumental in imparting, not only the knowledge which is "profitable for the life that now is," but also that pure and heavenly wisdom which is to fit us for our home above. Cold indeed must be that heart, which can watch unmoved the progressive improvement of the human faculties, as day after day he sees them expand under the influence of education, himself the instrument employed to discipline the young minds around him—to train them up to usefulness and virtue.

There is no office which involves more responsibility, and which requires more varied qualifications, than that of a teacher of the young; none for which a decided bent-not to say a genius-is more requisite; and yet how many are there, who undertake the charge of the education of youth, without any previous preparation for the important work. The high and arduous duties of an instructor are unhesitatingly assumed. With all the fearlessness of ignorance, the individual enters on his office, utterly unconscious that any particular skill is requisite; without any decided intention of devoting his energies to the welfare of his pupils; sometimes without posesssing a single disposition of mind suitable to an in

structor. This may seem harsh, and we would not desire to speak harshly. We cannot, however, close our eyes to the fact, that it is too true. Those of whom we make mention may be amiable and excellent. What we contend for is, that they are wholly incompetent for the occupation they have undertaken, unqualified persons for the work of educating the young; and fervently ought we to hope that the time may come, when our dear children, high and low, rich and poor, will be placed in abler hands, and governed by warmer hearts. Other qualities are needed beside talent. There should, doubtless, be an ability to teach, for it is impossible clearly and simply to explain to others any thing with which we are ourselves unacquainted. There must also be an aptness to teach, a peculiar tact in the way of training the youthful intellect -the happy faculty of imparting to others what we know ourselves: but should there not likewise be gentleness, meekness, sympathy, and love? Yes, if our aim be, as it ought to be, not the improvement of the understanding only, but of the heart also, then must there be that intimate and kindly intercourse between the teacher and the taught, without which the confidence of the young cannot be obtaineda thorough knowledge of their real character and disposition cannot possibly be acquired. There must be that sincere, and earnest, and benevolent manner, which wins and subdues the youthful heart, and binds it with the golden cord of love-that enthusiastic affection for children which can not only bend to all that pleases and interests them, but which can take delight in doing so. The young must find in their instructor one of their dearest friends—a friend whom they can love as well as respect-a friend whose presence is a source of joy-whose society imparts a feeling of pleasure and satisfaction. And can this be accomplished, we are asked, and a proper spirit of subordination still be maintained? We answer, Yes; and we answer confidently, because we speak from experience both among the high and the low. Let the instructor remember the position which he occupies. The young will not be the first to forget the observance of that respect which is due to the individual under whose training they are placed, and

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