been spoken under this last head: The one, that whatsoever love, whatsoever offices of love, whatsoever spiritual or temporal assistance, I claim from him whose heart is right, as my heart is with his; the same I am ready, by the grace of God, according to my measure, to give him: The other, that I have not made this claim in behalf of myself only, but of all whose heart is right towards God and man, that we may all love one another, as Christ hath loved us.

If then we take this word in the strictest sense, a man of a catholic spirit, is one who, in the manner above mentioned, gives his hand to all whose hearts are right with his heart: one who knows how to value and praise God, for all the advantages he enjoys, with regard to the knowledge of the things of God, the true, scriptural manner of worshipping him, and, above all, his union with a congregation fearing God, and working righteousness: one who, retaining these blessings with the strictest care, keeping them as the apple of his eye, at the same time loves-as friends, as brethren in the Lord, as members of Christ and children of God, as joint partakers now of the present kingdom of God, and fellow-heirs of his eternal kingdom,—all of whatever opinion, or worship or congregation who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ; who love God and man; who rejoicing to please, and fearing to offend God, are careful to abstain from evil, and zealous of good works. He is the man of a truly catholic spirit, who bears all these continually upon his heart; who, having an unspeakable tenderness for their persons, and longing for their welfare, does not cease to commend them to God in prayer, as well as to plead their cause before men; who speaks comfortably to them, and labors by all his words to strengthen their hands in God. He assists them to the uttermost of his power in all things, spiritual and temporal. He is ready to "spend and be spent for them," yea, to lay down his life for their sake.

Thou, oh man of God, think on these things! If thou art already in this way, go on. If thou hast heretofore mistook the path, bless God who has brought thee back! And now run the race which is set before thee, in the royal way of universal love. Take heed, lest thou be either wavering in thy judgment, or straitened in thy bowels; but keep an even pace rooted in the faith once delivered to the saints, and grounded in love, in true catholic love, till thou art swallowed up in love for ever and ever.

Christian Work.

LEARN TO BE WORKING CHRISTIANS. "Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." It is very striking to see the usefulness of many Christians. Are there none of you who know what it is to be selfish in your Christianity? You have seen a selfish child go into a secret place to enjoy some delicious morsel, undisturbed by his com panions. So it is with some Christians. They feed upon Christ and forgiveness, but it is alone and all and all for themselves. Are there not some of you who can enjoy being a Christian, while your dearest friend is not, and yet will not speak of him? See, here you have got work to do. When Christ found you, he said: "Go, work in my vineyard!" What were you hired for, if it is not to spread salvation? What blessed for? O, my Christian friends, how little you live as though you were the servants of Christ! How much idle time and idle talk you have! This is not like a good servant. How many things you have to do for yourself! Christ and his people! This is not like a servant.-Mc Cheyne•

How few for

WORTHY OF IMITATION.-Rev. C. W. Ketchum, of Toledo, Ohio, writes to the Western Advocate: "Robert Hunter, a member of my charge, is an example of devotion to duty worthy of note. Five years since he and his wife began a mission Sabbath School in the Fifth Ward of Toledo, with nine scholars, and now it numbers over one hundred scholars, and during all that time Mr. Hunter has not missed a single Sabbath. And having served the school exactly five years, he has been drafted into the service of his adopted country (being formerly from England) and when his friends offered him a substitute, he refused to accept the offer, regarding the call of the Government as the voice of God. May God preserve him, and return him to his family and his school."

YOUNG MENS CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATIONS.

PETER BAYNE, author of "The Christian Life, Social and Individual," who succeeded Hugh Miller in the Edinburgh Witness thus speaks of these outgrowths of the Christian idea :

At the first broad glance-looking to the objects aimed at by these associations, and the means used to attain themwe can extend to them our hearty and unqualified approbation. Their object is to unite young men for mutual encouragement and improvement in Christian conduct and character --to link them together in the bonds of Christian intercourse -to bring their energies to be effectively in fields of Christian enterprize. While preserving the essential truths of Christianity, as held by the Protestant churches, they endeavor to organize a union penetrating the walls of denominational difference, and cemented by the sympathies of the Christian character. Their watch-word within is "love" rather than creed;" their maxim in endeavoring to extend the boundaries of the Christian kingdom is "practice" rather than "argument." They would establish a Christian free-masonry over Great Britain, America, and the Continent, in virtue of which Christian society and fellowship might be accessible to every member in every part of the civilized world. Can any doubt that this is a valuable, a great idea?

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There is a Christian character as distinctive as the Christian creed. Every man who has got beyond the shallowness of infidelity and the pretexts of indifference, can perceive beneath all the differences of Protestant creeds, a substantial unity, running like a system of unchanging rocks, beneath the undulating valleys, clothed here with the garden, and there with the forest, which mark denominational divergence. It is an invigorating and happy exercise to contemplate this substantial unity of the one Christian creed on which variety of gift and grace can flourish, but from which heresy is at once cut off. But it may be still more delightful and to the full as profitable, to contemplate the unity of Christian character in the variety of individual peculiarities. Here, perhaps more than elsewhere, it is to this day literally and unmistakably true, that Christians are known by their loving one another. The eyes that draw light from the same Saviour turn almost instinctively in love on each other. There is a certain habit of subordinating the things of time to the things of eternity, a certain reverence for God, a certain humility essentially distinguished from every form of natural or philosophical virtue, by which the Christian comes know his fellow. So warmly do the sympathies of two thus meeting unite-so perfectly akin do their ideas appear-that it creates surprise more than any other feeling when it is found that on some minor points there is a difference.

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Young Men's Christian Associations, particularly as represented by the Associations in America, aim at bringing this Christian character universally into consciousness and connection. They are thus to some extent akin in their objects to the Evangelical Alliance, but they bring more into prominence the social element. Perhaps the most important of all their practical methods is that in accordance with which they

secure to every man coming from the country to the town intellectual recreation and Christian companionship. All who have any acquaintance with young men, their dangers and temptations, will appreciate the importance of this. We have spoken already of the self-confidence of young men, combined as it is, with a remarkable deference for what may be termed the public opinion of their own body. A youth who comes from the country to the town is prepared for a scene which will cast his past life into the shade. He expects to meet with young men, abler and more brilliant than himself. Unless his character is very marked, he is sure to take the hue of the society of young men in which he is placed. A single evening among clever, knowing, conceited young men of dissipated habits, may be his ruin, while, if his entrance upon town life is sig nalized by his becoming acquainted with a circle of young men whose Christianity is genuine and fervent, but who possess an intellectual culture which is to him new and astonishing, the effect can hardly fail to be the deepening of his Christianity, and the healthy expansion of his whole character. We are disposed to consider this establishment of what we have called a universal Christian free-masonry, the most important of all the objects of Young Men's Christian Associations. Fellowship meetings, interesting lectures, libraries and reading rooms-all which are embraced in the working of these associations-may be regarded as the mechanism for carrying out this central idea.”

Mr. Bayne next speaks of the valuable aid rendered by the district mission and Sabbath School work, to which we hope to refer at some future time, and then adds:

"Young Men's Christian Associations need not be discouraged. They have already, beyond all question, done much good. In America their organization has been most fully carried out, and the effects they have produced are most potent. But our own Associations of London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and other towns, have had hitherto a vigorous existence, and give promise of much greater things for the future. The courses

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of lectures which have been delivered in connection with these Associations must have done much good, and have brought a few contributions to British literature, which the country will not soon let die. These societies offer to ministers of the Gospel the most effectual co-operation in precisely the most difficult and the most critical part of their work. They endeavor to combine Christianity with scientific and literary culture in a way specially required by the yonug. They hold out the hand of Christian brotherhood to young men at the very time when their turning to the right hand or to the left, determines, in ninety-nine times out of a hundred, the whole development of character-the moral health or the moral destruction. We look upon them

as one of the most hopeful effects, as they are in part producing causes, of that gradual leavening of the national mind with religious principle which has already given the present century a different aspect as compared with the last, and which may yet have great works to accomplish."

THE YOUNG MEN'S

CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF
DETROIT,

Organized last fall, was inaugurated in the happiest manner, on November 29, 1864, at Merrill Hall, over one thousand persons being in attendance.

After prayer by Rev. Gro. W. PRIME, (Old School Presbyterian), the President, JAMES W. FARRELL, Esq., delivered the opening address.

Interesting speeches were made by Rev. BENJ. H. PADDOCK, (Episcopalian); Rev. JOHN H. Griffith, (Baptist); Rev. WM. HOGARTH, D. D., (Presbyterian); Rev. J. M. BUCKLEY, (Methodist); Rev. JOHN MATTHEWS, (Baptist.)

The addresses were characterized by earnestness, Christian feeling and determination to give the young men of Detroit hearty co-operation in their work of love.

Many Christian souls were gladdened at seing Episcopalian, Baptist, Presbyterian and Methodist ministers on the same platform, all working together as a band of brothers. "Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!"

We were particularly pleased to hear the Rev. Mr. PADDOCK. Some Episcopalians had felt disposed to throw cold water on the enterprise, and we feared that their support might be withdrawn. A pleasing instance of Christian charity was evinced in the speeches of those who followed the Episcopal brother. Although his speech was direct and to the point, yet it had an aspect which was open to sharp criticism, but instead of this being met and frowned down, all that was admirable in the Reverend gentleman's remarks was very warmly approved and endorsed. We learn that one Episcopal rector refuses to accept honorary membership in the Society. We have others of the Dudley Tyng stamp, who do not speak of the Episcopal denomination as "THE Church" and from all of these, assistance in Christian love may be expected.

The Society has fitted up and furnished with excellent taste two large rooms in the Merrill Block; and with liber

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