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Multitudes of our countrymen have been debtors to his kindness; and bear grateful testimony to his frequent and courteous hospitalities; to the invariable friendliness, which marked his manners; and to the yet greater kindness of faithful remembrances and good wishes, with which he ceased not to follow them to their native country, and along their progress in life. Some of our most lamented friends and brethren, now gathered with him in their graves-of whom were Buckminster,Carey, and Thacher-with others happily yet surviving-experienced largely of his friendship. Their days of weakness and pain, their drooping spirits and fading temporal hopes, at a distance from their homes, though in the land of their fathers, were cheered by his sympathies and effectual care. The friends of these, our departed brethren, cherish with sacred recollection, the tenderness and disinterestedness of his services, both to the living and the dead. And God himself will not forget those works of love, which were shown towards his name, in that they were ministered to his saints.'

We leave to others to settle the claims of Mr Belsham to intellectual eminence, and to a permanent rank with the philosophers or theologians of his day. To us it is a more grateful task—and it is but the offering of personal gratitude-to recal his private virtues. They were the virtues of a true lover of God and goodness; of a faithful servant of Jesus Christ; of an hearty friend to human happiness, who labored by a useful and exemplary life to advance it.

F. P.

RELIGIOUS STATE AND PROSPECTS OF FRANCE.'

UNDER this head the Monthly Repository (English) contains some observations of an interesting nature, if we can rely on their accuracy. They are given as the ' result of a recent visit to Paris, which, though short, enabled the writer to ascertain the mind and feeling of various portions of the population of that metropolis.' The writer quotes a remark of Napoleon, that the 'revolution, in spite of all its horrors, had nevertheless been the cause of the regeneration of morals in France,' and observes that a change for the better has undoubtedly taken place.

On the subject of religion he expresses himself as follows. The complaints of the prevalence of infidelity in France were at one time thought in England to be a mere political manœuvre; but it appears by the event that they were scarcely overcharged. A generation has grown up without religion. The churches are thinly attended, and chiefly by women and children. Nothing is more common in society than a joke upon the rites of the church. It is said, however, that a large proportion of intelligent men, who are masters of families, and approaching to middle age, are wearied with skepticism, and for the sake especially of their children are strongly dissatisfied with the state of religious destitution in which they find themselves. They cannot return to the dogmas and practices of the Roman Catholic Church; they abhor the domination of the priesthood; and at the same time they see

nothing alluring or satisfactory in Protestantism, as it is professed in France. Some of these have lately turned their attention to Unitarianism, with which they have become acquainted through the medium of English and American publications, and are disposed to try the experiment of translations and abridgements of some of these in their own language. Others meditate further schemes,and contemplate the establishment of a sect of Catholic Unitarians. It is a fact, at once curious and encouraging, that many individuals and several knots of persons have indulged these designs and hopes without concert, and even without a suspicion of each other's wishes. The schemes referred to may in some cases have been suggested, and in others may have been strengthened, by political feelings and speculations; but it will appear, as the writer believes, whenever the attempt of religious reformation shall be seriously made in France, that many of the best minds of that country are swayed in their desire of a rational religion by a pure regard to truth, and to the moral welfare of their fellow-creatures. It may be added, that the larger portion of the press is favorable to a new and further religious reformation, and that the Charter is interpreted as providing toleration for any form of Christian faith and worship. The Revue Protestante, which ably and spiritedly disputed the dogmas of Calvin, is dropped, though not from any failure of subscribers. A report is abroad that this work is speedily to be revived under a new and bolder title, and to be devoted to the illustration and defence of Unitarianism.'

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Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever. Heb. xiii, 8.

THE name of Jesus Christ is often used in scripture to signify his doctrine. He is, therefore, said to be and to do many things, which are not true of him personally, but only of his doctrine.

This is not a peculiar or unusual mode of speaking. The name of Moses is often used by the sacred writers in the same manner, signifying not the man himself, but his doctrine. Thus, in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus; 'If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead.' Again, in the speech of James before the council at Jerusalem; 'For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath-day.' Paul also says; 'But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.' Again, his enemies are

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said in another place to have charged him with teaching the Jews 'to forsake Moses.' It will not be denied, that in these and similar passages, what is asserted of Moses is not true of him personally, but only of his doctrine, or his writings, or the religion generally, of which he was the acknowledged founder and lawgiver.

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Applying the same principle of interpretation we find no difficulty in understanding such passages as the following, in which the name of our Saviour is introduced. It is said of the early Christians in the Acts of the Apostles; and daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ; that is, the christian doctrine. Paul also writes to the Romans; And if Christ,' that is, the christian doctrine or the christian spirit, 'be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the spirit is life because of righteousness.' Again, he writes to the Corinthians; 'Now he which stablishes us with you in Christ,' that is, in the christian doctrine, and hath anointed us, is God.' Once more, he writes to the Ephesians'; 'But ye have not so learned Christ,' that is, the christian doctrine. Respectable commentators of all denominations agree, that in these and similar passages the name of our Lord does not stand for his person, but his doctrine; that the assertions are not true of Christ himself, but of the christian doctrine, the christian religion.

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We see, then, that it is consistent with the usage of the sacred writers to represent our Saviour as being and doing many things, which are not true of him per

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