distinguishing characteristics of genuine conversion, of saving faith, and vital piety. Men, women, and even little children, in so far as they can be made to partake in this public excitement, are pronounced to be hopefully pious. Those, who think differently, and stand aloof from the stir, and are not forward to join in the splendid projects and charities of doubtful success and utility,who believe that God is as really present, and that the spirit of holiness and charity is as likely to shed its hallowing and benignant influences upon the heart in their closet or their family, as at an extraordinary meeting, are distinguished by that comprehensive, genuine term, the enemy; they are stigmatized, that is, as opposed to true religion, to the great work of God, which is carrying on with power and the demonstration of the spirit by his chosen servants, meaning those only, who hold the peculiar tenets, which are assumed to be orthodox.

If the temptation be stronger to follow the multitude to do evil, it is still stronger to the well disposed to follow the multitude in doing what is deemed good and right, and by the leaders of the multitude is confidently pronounced to be exclusively so. We are not to wonder, therefore, that so many are carried away by the impulse, that has been given to the religious feeling and sympathies of the community, stimulated and directed, as they have been, to exhibit themselves in public, and for objects of a public and popular character.

There may be,-far it be from us to affirm there is not, good intention, there may be sincere piety, there may be true charity,—many, nay all, for anything that I` know, may be actuated by a principle of unfeigned love to God and man, in these public exhibitions of devotion,

of religious feeling, and of zeal for promoting the objects pointed out to them by the leaders of their party. We assume not to be judges of the motives, by which the conduct of those who profess to be seeking their Master's honor and the salvation of their brethren, as well as heir own, is influenced. We leave the discernment and estimation of motives to the Searcher of hearts, to whom alone all secrets are known. But we have a right to say, and we do say, for we have the warrant of scripture for saying it, that these public displays of zeal, of excited feeling, and interest in the social exercises of religion and in the sort of esprit du corps efforts and doings, sacrifices and beggings for the promotion of what are called religious objects, which are too often the objects of a party, are not the best evidences, and may not be evidences at all, of a truly devout spirit, a truly religious character, or christian temper. They are not, as we have said, incompatible with unfeigned piety and a truly christian character and temper; they are often, I would fain believe, found associated; but they may exist where this piety, this pure character and temper are wanting. And these may exist in their fullest strength, and beauty, and perfection, where the others are not seen; where, however, all the good effects, that come from them, are accomplished by other means, without publicity or display.

Although religion is in many very important respects a social principle, and not to be concealed in its operation and effects; yet in its origin, in its growth and nurture, in its most direct action and intense operation, it has its scat and home, its temple, its altar, its worship, its struggles, conflicts and triumphs, its joys and sorrows, its troubles and its peace, its fears and its confidence, its

life and its spirit, in the heart of the Christian; and its most important work, its most solemn and interesting of fices and concerns, belong to the immediate intercourse of the soul with its Maker; apart from the inspection of every eye, but that which seeth in secret; apart from every ear, but that which hears the desire of the humble, anu is open to the feeblest cry of the contrite,-to the faintest sigh of a broken spirit.

The religious principle is indeed social, and seeks for participation and communion in its expression of homage and praise to the common Sovereign and Benefactor of men. It is social, too, in the expression of the benevolent affections; and these affections, no doubt, are animated and strengthened by union and sympathy with others, in the various offices of charity and compassion. To meet this disposition to join with others in offices of religious homage and gratitude, Christianity has instituted, or rather recognised, the previous institution of public worship one day in seven. It has ordained two very simple rites, which are also social in their nature. It has enjoined the exercise and expression of the benevolent affections, in acts of charity, in doing good to all men, as every one has opportunity and ability; but has given no directions to Christians to join themselves to distinct associations for specific objects. "I see it," says an eloquent writer,*" everywhere inculcating an enlarged spirit of piety and philanthropy, leaving each of us to manifest this spirit, according to the monitions of his individual conscience." What every one feels it his duty to give, he is left to give to such objects as most approve

* Dr Channing.

themselves to his judgment: and the only specific injunction relating to this subject is, that we do not our alms to be seen of men ; and that in our charities and our devotions, we shun, as much as possible, publicity and display.

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Christianity, though it regards society as the great theatre upon which the social affections are to find their proper objects, their due exercise and expansion, is, nevertheless, distinguished from all the religions that have existed in the world, as in many other respects, so especially in this, that it forbids and is opposed to all parade and display; to all ostentation in the remotest degree,— in that it gives little or no countenance to that so general and most powerful principle of human conduct, the praise of men, the desire of earthly fame, "that last infirmity of noble minds," as it has been termed. Actions, in the view of our heaven-taught teacher and exemplar, that are good in themselves, i. e. beneficial in their effects and commanded by God, cease to partake of the nature of true virtue, and lose their merit in the sight of heaven, and their reward in respect to the agent, if they are performed to be seen of men, or from a blind, instinctive, gregarious principle of imitation, merely because others have been excited and compelled by some extraneous impulse, to act in a certain way. To give our money to promote the various, and some of them, at least, very questionable objects of the multiplied and multiplying religious societies and charitable associations, as they are called, of the present day, because others do;-to frequent extraordinary religious meetings because others have instituted and given them their attendance, or that we may seem or be reputed to be as charitable and religious as

those who do these things, or from a fear that we may not be so reputed if we do not, but ill becomes the disciples of a religion, which enjoins on them to have and to give a reason for their faith and practice, to judge of themselves what is right-to be persuaded in their own mind of the expediency, the fitness, and obligation of what they do or refrain from doing. There may be more of sectarian zeal and display, than conviction of duty and utility, in the origin and promotion of many of the novel institutions and enterprises of the passing age. It may justly be questioned, if many things, that are now done in public, might not be more safely and successfully achieved in privacy,if the teaching of children by strangers in Sunday schools be a wise substitute for the good old usage of parental instruction at home; *--if more real improvement in christian knowledge and piety might not be obtained from private reading and devotion at home, than from being present at a religious meeting in the evening.

Our religion, as before intimated, if we would understand and practise it, as taught and exemplified by Jesus, unlike all other religions, is to be regarded as a religion of the heart and mind, an interior principle, a spiritual empire within us. It discards all unnecessary forms, all outward pomp and circumstance. Anything external, which addresses itself to our own senses, or the senses of others, except as an expression of interior sentiment, feeling, disposition, or purpose already generated and existing in the heart and mind, it regards as empty formality, an idle, if not a sinful mockery.

* See a Discourse entitled "Signs of the Moral Age," by A. Bigelow.