his child. The common remark is true, that the bad man does not wish his children to follow in his steps. When the whole house trembles with toil and woe, we are often astonished at the unwillingness of parents to confide their children into strange hands. And it is indeed true, however benevolent our asylums and associations, no one can be expected to feel for a child like its mother.

Still we admit, some families are in such a moral state they must be broken up. The house is divided against itself and must fall. But this can never be the social condition of the poor so extensively as to make it necessary to establish an utter division between parents and children in the assembly of God's house.

Is it said, the parents are corrupt, and the children alone can be saved? But," they that are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick." Is it said, the children will not receive as much attention as they ought unless the sermons are adapted specially to them? We reply, that two Sunday-school sessions on the Sabbath furnish opportunity for as much religious instruction in one day as a sober mind would be likely to judge profitable. And, again, it may be doubted whether children do not, in one sense, receive too great attention, whether so much and so marked attention really does them good. Oftentimes we believe children have been made irreverent and vain by what has been supposed spiritual instruction.

And when the children return to their parents, on whom no Sabbath-day has shone, the examples set must act with the power of levers to overthrow what has been built up. Facts do indeed compel us to admit that, in many cases, even in circumstances so unfavorable, great influence is exerted on the children's minds. But, how much greater would it be were the parents simultaneously moved! We would not decide on this matter dogmatically. It may be necessary in some cases to preach to children Sunday after Sunday. But, if so, we must think the necessity only temporary. Doubtless children may be with advantage specially addressed from the pulpit at considerable intervals of time, as in some of our churches. This will doubtless be the custom in the Chapel in Pitts Street.

We are now brought to the last particular, in which we think there is danger the ministry at large (as well as other institutions) will injure its idea by neglecting the instrument of Christian truth. The danger we speak of relates mostly to the

influence exerted on children. We fear, the tendency of the methods of appeal to them in general use, is to a disproportionate education of their religious natures. There is nothing more remarkable in Christianity than the variety of address to the mind which it employs, while it preserves the complete simplicity of its purpose. It does full justice to the whole soul. It excites hope and fear, love and awe, the desire of glory, and the dread of shame. Now it exhibits the greatest tenderness of affection, and again, with a terrible severity, probes the conscience. At one time, it commiserates him who has yielded to sore temptation; at another, thunders out woe upon woe against the wilful transgressor. With the sweetness of celestial invitation, it calls God's faithful children to their reward, and, anon, consigns reprobate souls to the utter darkness and prolonged horrors of the future retribution. Now what we fear is, that there is a prevailing habit (and not in this ministry simply, but throughout our religious institutions) of appealing chiefly to the understanding and affections of children, to the neglect of the deeper principles of reverence and conscience. There is, of course, temptation to attend most to the work which can be effected with least pains. The instinctive feelings of a child blossom out as easily and naturally as any flowers in the field. And common care is sufficient to waken the intellect, placed as it is "'mid all this mighty sum of things for ever speaking." But it is no such simple work to secure that new birth, in which the spirit comes forth, in which vital bonds are woven between the human being and God, in which the full idea of rectitude is formed, in which affections are developed infinitely nobler than the instinctive, and a principle of faith nourished, which is superior to the world and all it contains. "That was not first, which is spiritual, but that which is natural, and afterwards that which is spiritual." Much has lately been said of a new philosophy in respect especially to the natures of children. No doubt, in the child's bosom are the germs of mighty power. In the infant's heart lies the energy that, for good or ill, may soon shake the whole world. Nor can we question but we ought to become as little children. in simplicity and innocence. But, that the child has more positive moral power than the man, or that the great object of the man's life and education is that he may become again a child, we do not believe. We cannot become converts to such philosophy, or to such religion. What! is the movement of

Providence backward? Do we grow up from infancy in vain, and worse than in vain? Is all this discipline of joy and sorrow, are these assaults of temptation, these strugglings of the spirit with the flesh, worthless, and worse than worthless? Shall we charge God with folly and ill success in his plans for the education of his children? It is plain, our work is to bring out in the child all its latent powers, especially the spiritual. Those best acquainted practically with this work, will best appreciate its difficulty.

As we have already said, the two principles that seem to us to have been most neglected, are those of reverence and conscience. Dr. Spurzheim was in the habit of remarking the danger in our country, especially on this first point. Doubtless the peril is increased by the character of our institutions, the youth of the nation itself, the absence of established ranks, ancient associations, a hereditary throne. The principle of reverence needs some ladder, resting on the earth, to aid its ascent into the skies. Let us, in the absence of one kind of means, make more efficient use of others. Let us present the Deity, not only in his tenderness and kindness, but also in the marks, everywhere visible in revelation and nature, of his power and greatness, and glory, and make constant use also of the histories and portraits of great and good men, dead and living. We fear also, that sufficient attention is not paid to the developement of the conscience. A great deal is said about the necessity of interesting the children, and making religion pleasant to them. But how shall we do this? By presenting only the agreeable traits of truth, and neglecting its more solemn features? Let us interest them, but rightly. Let us take care that, in endeavouring to interest them in religion, we do not, with unconscious dexterity, substitute something else in the place of the religion, and lecture all the while upon that. If we could make the Ohio roll, or Niagara foam, at our Chapel door, or hang the walls with the paintings of the best masters, or deck the pulpit with the richest flowers of the tropics, though we might thus interest the children, we ought to decline using our power. And, after all, would not the history of all education prove, that the surest way of interesting child or man is by direct and vigorous appeals to the living conscience itself? Yes. The giant in iniquity cannot be more deeply interested, as well as humbled, than by suddenly touching that tender place of sin within him, which he imagined no human skill could

reach. He who has this power of reaching the conscience, may, like the ancient mariner, stop whom he will, and make him "listen like a three years' child!"

One remark, by way of qualification, in closing this branch of the subject. We have insisted strongly, that the ministry at large should exert its main influence by using the instrument of Christian truth. And, in its capacity of a ministry of Christ, this it should be careful to do. But we would by no means shut out the individuals composing it from other means of influence, or from appearing in other capacities. We do not desire to censure, but warmly to approve, other operations than those adopted simply to exert a Christian influence. There is, for instance, a sewing school kept in each chapel, which meets every week, and in which ladies, glad to employ their leisure in good works, give free and constant aid. In the chapel in Warren Street there are also two other schools, one for young men, the second for young women, in which, during the week, instruction is given in reading, writing, and arithmetic. There are, sometimes, also lectures given to mechanics and other young men, or meetings for conversation and debate. All these means are good. As a philanthropic institution in the general sense, let the ministry at large use them. But let it not, for any thing else, neglect its own mission. Let not the commerce of other things swallow up the "one thing needful." Let not inferior designs and labors, however well attended to, be indiscriminately mingled together with the great design and labor; but let that take precedence, by a long, long interval, of all other occupation. Thus, alone, preserving the purity of its idea, will the ministry at large be able to finish its work.

A few words let us say under our last head, the hope of the ministry at large. This rests greatly of course with the established churches, whose child this ministry is. We doubt not, they will foster it as they have done, pardoning its faults, saving it from the dangers of its youth, and training it up to a manly strength and wisdom. Its hope rests also, in a measure, in the spirit of the community, which has, thus far, been so sympathetic and generous. Still let us remember, that, however aided from without, it cannot long stand without retaining its own vitality and energy. But in speaking of the hope of the ministry at large, our chief purpose was to allude to some indications of its probable spread greatly beyond its present limits. In England the same work is advancing with a vigorous growth. VOL. XXI. 3D S. VOL. III. NO. III. 45

In our commercial metropolis, New York, the idea is rooted beyond all danger of decay. And what nobler spectacle can there be, than that of the educated and refined so loving their race, that they are willing to plunge into the moral corruption of that city, and raise men from the living sepulchre of foul lusts and flaming passions! We trust the time is not far distant when such ministries will exist in other places nearer that in which the work was begun. And a clergyman lately among us from the West, expressed his belief that such an institution would meet with perfect success, and work with great power in that section of the country. That so much has been done is proof of a commencing regeneration, which, if it go on to the end, the need will no longer exist of what is called a reform in society. Let men be truly born again, and reformation will take care of itself.

One word more. A certain body of Christians has always been reproached with the epithets, negative, barren, infidel. No reply is needed to such theological censure but the existence of the ministry at large.

C. A. B.

ART. VI. 1. Biblia Sacra Vulgate Editionis. Juxta Exemplar ex Typographiâ Apostolica Vaticana, Rome 1592. Correctis corrigendis ex Indicibus correctariis Roma, &c. Edidit LEANDER VAN ESS, S. T. D. Tubingæ, 1824. 2. The New Testament, first published by the English College at Rheims in 1582, with Annotations, &c. Corrected and revised and approved of by the Most Rev. Dr. TROY, R. C. Archbishop of Dublin. Dublin and London, 1816.

3. The New Testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, translated out of the Latin Vulgate, diligently compared with the original Greek, and first published by the English College of Rheims, Anno 1582: with the original Preface, Arguments and Tables, marginal Notes and Annotations. To which are now added an Introductory Essay, and a complete topical and textual Index. New York, Leavitt; Boston, Crocker & Brewster. 1834.

THE history and character of the Vulgate are subjects of interest to us, as, by the authority of the Church of Rome,