bath, and all its exercises be performed within seasonable hours. To justify the appointment of such a meeting there must be a preparation particularly in the church-such a preparation as will dispose them to sustain it by their attendance, influence and prayers. Caution is necessary lest they be so frequent as to lose their influence and lead people to undervalue the divinely appointed means of grace-lest they be appointed precipitately without proper consultation, and without the full and hearty concurrence of the church in view of evident indications of God's gracious presence-lest there be more dependance by ministers, Christians and people upon these extraordinary measures to convert sinners, than upon the energies of God's spirit--and finally, lest more be done to excite animal feeling than to instruct the understanding, convince the conscience and humble the sinner at the foot of sovereign grace. 5. The errors against which it appears specially important to guard the churches at the present day, are: 1st. That the sinner's opposition to divine truth is owing to a misconception of it, and that he he need only to understand the truth in order to love it, the error being in the head and not in the heart. 2. That regeneration is the effect of moral suasion, and not of the special influence of the Holy Spirit.-In short, the error of Arminianism substantially, though somewhat in a new dress. Though there may be irregularities in practice among the churches in some sections of our country, still we are not aware that they exist within our own limits, or that they are an evil against which our churches have special reason to guard at present. ex 6. In order to secure the continuance and increase of the special operations of the Holy Spirit, and to render the influence of the gospel general and permanent, ministers must be settled and grounded in the truth-maintain a stricter discipline in the churches-walk together in love, keeping the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace-be more watchful and emplary, walking humbly with God-give themselves unto prayer under a deeper and more abiding sense of entire dependance upon the great Head of the church to receive his own words and give his work success. It is unnecessary that ministers, preach any new doctrine, or the churches adopt any new measures in order to ensure the prosperity of Zion, if ministers taking heed to themselves, but faithfully preach Christ, warning every man in all wisdom; and the church es but walk in all the ordinances and the commandments of the Lord blameless. It is important to inquire, whether the places with which tradition connects the interesting scenes of our Lord's ministry, are the identical places where those scenes occurred. It is doubtless true, that the superstition of the modern inhabitants of Palestine, has led them to reverence many external objects which are indebted for their sacredness entirely to conjecture. Their avarice has united with their superstition; and has led them, for the paltry gains which they may procure from ignorant men, to multiply imaginary relics, and to rehearse a thousand unfounded traditions. They pretend to exhibit the linen garment in which the Saviour was wrapped, the stone on which he was embalmed, the lance which pierced his side, the sponge on which the vinegar was poured, and the identical wood which composed his cross. All this is delusion. But because there is much of mere fable in their traditionary lore, shall we, with Dr. Clarke, suppose that there is little or nothing besides? There is no need of running into universal scepticism on this subject, because some have plunged into unlimited credulity. The popular opinion in Palestine, on the locality of minor objects, may be wrong; but some credence must be given to the existing traditions which respect the more important objects. On what principle of human nature could the Jews forget the site of their ancient temple, or the dwelling place of their ancient kings? How could the early Christians forget the place* where their "Lord was crucified," or the garden where he became so "exceeding sorrowful"? Besides, these scenes were commemorated in the earliest ages by monuments which defied * Dr. Clarke and Dr. Richardson deny that the present Mount Calvary is the spot of the crucifixion, (see Robinson's Calmet, Art. Calvary,) so also Jahn, (see Archaeology 336.) True, the present Calvary is within the walls of the city, whereas the Saviour was crucified without the gate ;" and there is now but little appearance of a mount or hill at the hallowed spot. Yet the probability is, that the " high place is made low" by the ravages of time and men, and that the wall of the city has been extended beyond the ancient northern boundary, rather than that the uniform tradition of 1800 years in reference to so prominent a spot, is unfounded. the oblivious influence of time, and guided the otherwise treacherous memory. When Titus Vespasian razed Jerusalem and obliterated many of its particular marks, he could not erase the general features of the city, nor disturb the relative position of its principal sites. Amid the confusion into which he threw the sacred streets, it was easy to determine where a public edifice, and above all where a noted hill or dale once was. In addition to this, A. D. 129, Ælius Adrian, that he might blot out the recollection of the sacred scenes, reared a statue of Venus in the garden of the Saviour's burial, an image of Jupiter on the place of the crucifixion, and a temple to Adonis in Bethlehem where Christ was born. The Emperor might have been unable to determine the precise spots, where the interesting events occurred; but he could scarcely fail to have discovered the vicinity of the spots; and he perpetuated their memory by the very means which he employed for burying them in oblivion. Constantine, in A. D. 326, ordered the statue of Venus to be removed, and a magnificent temple to be reared in its place. Helena, the mother of Constantine, visited Palestine in person, and supplanted the temple to Adonis by a Christian temple. She also erected edifices to her Saviour on Mount Olivet, at Nazareth, and many other consecrated grounds.* In this manner were interesting localities determined for succeeding generations with a precision, not perfect by any means, but as great as the vicissitudes of time allowed. With regard to the continued sameness of the natural scenery of Palestine, our confidence is greater than with regard to the scenes of specific historical incidents. The dilapadations of contending armies have indeed defaced the country, still its general characteristics remain unaltered. "The hills still stand round about Jerusalem, as they did in the days of David and of Solomon. The dew falls on Hermon, the cedars grow on Libanus, and Kishon, that ancient river, draws its stream from Taber, as in the times of old. The sea of Galilee still presents the same natural accompaniments, the fig-tree springs up by the the way-side, the sycamore spreads its branches, and the vines and olives still climb the sides of the mountains. The desolation which covered the cities of the plain, is not less striking at the present hour, than when Moses with an inspired pen recorded the judgement of God; the swellings of Jordarn are not less regular in their rise than when the Hebrews first approached its banks; and he, who See "M. Car. Ortlob Dissertatio de Sepulchro Christi ad Mat. 27: 60," on pages 254, 255 of Thesaurus Theologico Philologicus. Pars Secunda. goes down from Jerusalem to Jericho, still incurs the greatest hazard of falling among thieves."* Nothing can be more interesting than to visit the beloved land, "Over whose acres walked those blessed feet, Which, eighteen hundred years ago, were nailed, and especially to step on those places, where, we have probable evidence for believing, occurred the sublimest events which history ever recorded. "What my feelings were," says Chateaubriand, "upon entering the church of the Holy Sepulchre, I really cannot tell. So many reflections rushed at once upon my mind, that I was unable to dwell upon any particular idea. I continued nearly half an hour upon my knees.-I had just beheld the monuments of Greece, and my mind was still profoundly impressed with their grandeur; but how far inferior were the sentiments which they excited to those I felt at the sight of the places commemorated in the Gospel! As we ponder on the affecting history, we ought to fix our eyes upon the map of the consecrated places, and in our imaginations go along with Jesus from scene to scene, over the brook and up the mountain, into the garden, and through the bustling How solemn and how heart-thrilling to put our feet upon the footsteps of our Saviour, as he walked along the "dolorous way" from the house of Pilate to the cross, as he wandered about with downcast eye in the garden, or wound his course through the olive trees and almond trees, and running vines on the sides and summits of Olivet. It was well said of Calvary, and in one sense it may be well said of all that consecrated land; it is "the centre, the grand magnet of the Christian church; from it proceed life and salvation; to it all hearts end, all eyes are directed." streets. COLONIZATION AND EMANCIPATION. [The following is but a part of a more extended article, which we have received as a review of the Sixteenth Report of the American Colonization Society, African Repository, Colonizationist and Journal of Freedom ; and the First Annual Report of the New England Anti-Slavery Society, Abolitionist and Liberator. This will account for its appearing in the style and manner of a Review, although under the head of Communications. The *Palestine, by Rev. M. Russsl, L. L. D. page 26. + Travels in Greece, Palestine, Egypt, &c. Vol. 2, p. 22. whole article would be quite too long for insertion in our present number. We presume the author, as he desired the article might appear this month, will excuse the rare liberty we take in this instance.] For several months past we have thought it desirable to present our readers with an exhibition of the objects and proceedings of the two societies whose official Reports are placed at the head of this article, and also to express such views in relation to the whole subject of Colonization and Slavery, as its importance, and existing circumstances seem to require. We have never doubted, that if a colony, or colonies could prosper on the coast of Africa, great blessings might be conferred upon that continent, through such a channel. But the question has been, what will be the influence of attempting such an enterprize, upon the poor slave? Will not the removal of the free blacks, increase the value of his labor-cause him to be tasked more severely-raise his market value-encourage the domestic traffic-and lessen the chances of his acquiring knowledge? Will it not serve to weaken the motives which naturally urge slaves to seek, and masters to give their freedom, and thus render universal emancipation more hopeless! Several circumstances have served to render these questions the more serious. Some of the first movements towards the formation of the Colonization Society, were made in a slaveholding community. Some of the first movers were slave-holders. A majority of the first officers and managers were appointed from slave-holding states. The constitution makes no provision for the abolition of slavery. It expressly declares that the object to which the attention of the Society shall be exclusively directed is, 'to promote and execute a plan for colonizing (with their consent) the free people of color residing in our country, in Africa, or such other place as Congress shall deem most expedient. It does indeed contemplate a provision not only for those already free, but also for those who may hereafter become so.' But some who were active in forming the Society, were careful to tell the planters that the Society would not interfere with their rights'—that it was not an abolition society. Some went so far as to say that it would prove one of the greatest securities to enable the master to keep in possession his own property.* And though the expectation has been abundantly declared by those who have expressed the above sentiments, that the successful operations of the Society will tend to the voluntary emancipation of the slaves, and the first, second and third Annual Reports of the Colonization So Speech of John Randolph. |