perimental and practical, or even the doctrinal portions of the bible, than to be searching into the mysteries of prophecy. The prospect of success too is more certain. If a man can learn only to interest and affect a popular audience, it makes but little difference with the multitude, whether his knowledge of the bible is deep or superficial. Skill in the art of interpreting prophecy, would be a poor recommendation for a clergyman, in the eyes of any congregation, if he is at the same time wanting in the other characteristics of a popular and successful preacher. What marvel then is it, that with many avocations and pressing engagements, with the natural suggestions of indolence, from which few are entirely free, and with the popular voice urging them to other fields of study, the great majority of preachers have fallen into an utter neglect of all systematic and thorough study of the prophetic portions of the word of God?

The practical, business-character of the age, undoubtedly operates as another inducement to the neglect of this study. Nothing is now deemed worthy of attention, unless it is directly and palpably useful. Unless men can see the practical bearing of a sermon, a lecture, or an essay, as they do that of a steam engine, or a rail-road, it is at once set down as mere speculation, a waste of time and talents. So because they do not at once perceive the utility, the practical benefit, to be derived from the study of the prophecies, they adopt the very comforting conclusion, that nearly one third of the sacred volume may better be passed over without investigation.

Making due allowance for the operation of the causes above hinted at, we are still disposed to maintain, that this general and almost universal neglect of the prophetic scriptures, is wrong. It indicates an unhealthy action of the public mind. It shows a disposition either to despair of understanding what God has revealed, or to undervalue and treat as worthless a great part of his word. Wrong there must be somewhere, when nine tenths of the members of our churches are as utterly ignorant of the meaning of the prophecies, as if they had never been written; when not one in a hundred of the ministers of Christ ever attempts to enlighten his people in the knowledge of these mysteries, or even to call their attention to the subject.

Why were these predictions recorded, if not to teach us? Why were they written, if not to be understood, and applied like the other portions of scripture, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness? How can the man of God be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every good work, whilst

he remains in utter darkness as to the meaning of those prophecies, which constitute so large a portion of the sacred volume. It cannot be right for any christian, especially for a public teacher of religion, to sit down contented in such ignorance, and make no efforts to clear away the darkness that surrounds him. "But what mighty benefit," it will be asked, "shall we derive from this study? Would you have us leave the work of leading sinners to repentance, in order to bewilder ourselves, and confound our hearers by discoursing on these dark mysteries?" By no means.

The duty of repentance, its nature and effects, and the great motives which enforce it, must be made prominent in the ministrations of every one, who would win souls to Christ. But surely this need not occupy the whole time of an embassador of Christ. A diligent student might at least spare a few hours, now and then, to investigate other subjects, without at all diminishing his power to set forth this cardinal doctrine. It is not always the most effectual means of leading sinners to repentance, to be constantly harping on one subject, however important. We know some quite popular preachers, (and a few years since, they were counted successful,) who have lost all their power to move the hearts of their own people, in consequence of their incessant reiteration of the same strain of exhortation. The human mind loves variety. God has wisely accommodated his revelation to the constitution which he has given us. He has provided a vast storehouse of religious instruction, from which we may draw arguments in endless variety, to enforce the great duties of the gospel. The best way of preaching, is to follow the teachings of the Holy Spirit; and present, at suitable times, and in due proportion, the whole counsel of God. The preaching of the present day, (to a great extent at least,) is almost exclusively hortatory. A few elementary doctrines are taken for granted, and made the theme of incessant exhortation. The consequence is, as might be expected, that vast multitudes of church-going people have lost their interest in the ordinary ministrations of the sanctuary; and are seeking, by a frequent change of religious teachers, and by the employment of itinerant evangelists, to relieve themselves of this dull monotony. Let the pastors of our churches take the bible (the whole bible, we mean) for their pattern, and bring out the whole system of truth, in the order and proportion and rich variety of illustration, in which God has presented it, and the result might be different. The people would go to the sanctuary with an excited curiosity, and listen with awakened attention. They would learn to think. They would study the bible, as a book full of instruction. One truth after another would be fastened on their consciences, and exert its controlling influence over their hearts. And if the declaration of the sacred scriptures is true, that men are regenerated and sanctified by the Spirit, with the word of truth, christians would make rapid advances in piety, and sinners would be converted to Christ.

On this topic, our feelings prompt us to say more than our limits permit. It is high time, that the injurious effects of the ordinary style of preaching, viz., making every sermon an oration, founded on a single verse or an isolated clause of a sentence, instead of explaining and enforcing the truths of the bible, in the connection and order in which they are presented by the Spirit of God, should be fully and fearlessly exposed. It is truly melancholy to think what a profound ignorance prevails, even among the intelligent members of our churches, respecting the meaning of large portions of the word of God. On a few favorite topics they are instructed even to weariness ; but let a bold and confident speculatist, or an ingenious advocate of heresy, assail them with his arguments, and quote to them passages from those portions of the bible, which are not ordinarily taken for " texts," and they are at once confounded. They have never heard these parts of the bible explained, nor have they ever been taught how to interpret the words of divine truth for themselves, and they are utterly disqualified for the task of "instructing those that oppose themselves." Of how many eminent christians might the Apostle complain, as he did of the Hebrews? "When for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again, which be the first principles of the oracles of God, and have become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat." Heb. v. 12. The evil can never be remedied, till ministers of the gospel shall adopt the practice of explaining the bible as a part, at least, of their regular ministrations.

But we return to the question, What practical benefits are to be derived from studying and understanding the prophecies of the scriptures? One advantage has already been presented in our preceding remarks. It is well known, that the advocates of error are in the habit of quoting largely from the prophets, to support their favorite theories. The doctrine of universal salvation is now made to rest, almost entirely, so far as the scripture argument is concerned, on such quotations. Mormonism also relies chiefly on the same misuse of prophecy,

to say nothing of Perfectionists, Shakers, and other kindred sects. Every one who would defend the truth against their insidious attacks, ought to be able to meet them on their own ground, and turn their own weapons against them.

Another benefit is the enlargement of mind, and the clear, comprehensive, and affecting view of God's government, both moral and providential, which are acquired by the study of the prophecies. In the light of prophecy we see the attributes Jehovah brought out, and combined, in uniform and harmonious action. We read the words of him who "declareth the end from the beginning." We read the history of the world, and are satisfied that all the prophecies which relate to events now past, have been exactly verified. We admire at once the wisdom that planned, the knowledge that predicted, the skill, and power, and grace, that brought such improbable, yet glorious events, into being. It confirms and settles our faith. It leads us to believe, with undoubting confidence, both the history of events that are past, and the certainty of events yet to come. It presents to our vision a sort of panoramic view of the history of our world, from the beginning to the end of time, in which we may behold the stability of God's purposes, the benevolent principles of his government, and the glorious results to which all the seeming disorder we see around us is ultimately tending. It presents a palpable demonstration of the truth, that the world is not governed by chance, nor by a blind and unknowing fate, nor by a being arbitrary, capricious, or tyrannical, but by a God, infinite in knowledge, in wisdom, in power, and in goodness.

Nothing can better illustrate the connection between the divine and human agency, than the view here presented. The prophets uniformly address men as free and accountable agents; whilst the positive and definite prediction of events, which depend for their accomplishment on a thousand human volitions, and the history of the exact and circumstantial fulfillment of those predictions, irresistibly compel the conviction, that "God worketh all things according to the counsel of his will." The moral effect produced by the habitual contemplation of these truths, thus exhibited in harmonious and living combination, cannot but be deep and salutary. In the progress of the investigation, the mind has ample leisure to think. The very slowness of the process rather increases than diminishes the impression. And whilst one scene after another rises to the view, and one judgment after another follows in the train of events, emotions of awe and admiration come over the soul, too great for utterance. We learn to look above the clouds and storms which sweep over the earth, to Him "who sitteth in the circle of the heavens;" "who maketh the clouds his chariots, and rideth on the wings of the wind;" who guides every whirlwind, and directs every storm. We feel the blessed assurance, that our interests, the interests of the church, and of the world, are all safe in his hands; and we cheerfully confide the whole to his benevolent care, and powerful protection.

Again: a right understanding of the prophetic scriptures might be made a powerful auxiliary in the effort of rousing the church to the work of the world's conversion. If the books of prophecy contain the religious history of the world, (and none who understand the subject will deny it,) then by ascertaining the epoch in which we live, the events that are past, and those which are to come, we may understand, not only what God intends to do in our day, but what duties he requires of us, in the present crisis. Thus should we feel ourselves pressed with motives to exertion which no benevolent heart could resist. If the "man of sin" is yet to be revealed, and the age of darkness and spiritual despotism is yet to come, then we must nerve our souls to patient endurance and steady resistance of oppression. But if that age is past, and the time for the angel having the everlasting gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth, is now arrived, then our duties are widely different. We must prepare for a war of aggression and of conquest, and bring all our energies to bear on the one great object of evangelizing the nations of the earth. The feeling, that arises in the benevolent heart, on the bare comparison of these two suppositions, is sufficient to illustrate our view of this subject, and to show us something of the effect which might be produced on the christian world, by a clear and full exhibition of the events yet to be expected, as they are laid down in this infallible chart of the world's chronology.

That good men in former days were in the habit of thus interpreting and applying the prophecies, is known to every reader of the bible. See Daniel ix. 2,3: "I Daniel understood by books the number of years whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. And I set myself to seek by prayer, and supplications, and fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes."

See also the intimations given by the evangelists, that the Jewish nation were generally looking for the Messiah just at