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near and happy in him.'-What good do you think that baptism or the Lord's Supper could do you, without a heart to love the Saviour? None. There would be no joy to my soul in them.'-Could you have this joy and peace of which you have told me, if you did not as far as you know strive to serve God in all things? 'No; I could not. Though unable to do any thing with my hands to help the family and to labour for God, it is my sincere desire daily to have my heart much in prayer for them, and for the salvation of their souls; and because God lets me live, I believe he wishes me to be devoted in spirit to this.'. Do you think you love God and souls as much as you ought? No: I try to love, but do not feel so much as I ought.'-When do you expect to have perfect love to God and souls ? At first she answered, Never; thinking that I meant while in the body. Afterwards she said, 'When I get to heaven.'

unwilling or afraid to die? No.'-Have you always felt, if it were God's will, that it would be a privilege to die, and you would be glad to have the hour come? 'Yes; I have. This fall, when I was very sick for two days and nights, and felt that God only could make me better or take me away, I thought, if it were his will, how glad I should be to be sure that I was dying, that I might be with God.' A year ago last spring you were baptized and received into the church; can you tell me any thing of your feelings at that time about the ordinances? After I understood their design, that Christ had commanded them, and why he had done it, I had a very strong desire to be baptized and to receive the sacrament; nor is there any thing in this world that I have felt to be so great a privilege. When I was baptized and promised solemnly to be for God, I really felt in my heart every word, and that I was now all the Lord's, and no more for myself or for any other. I was happier than I can express, in the privilege of being there with the love of God in my heart; and when receiving the bread and wine, I felt that I could not be thankful enough to God for bringing me to his table once. I thought I should come there no more; but that the next time I should be at God's table in heaven.'-You see that it has not been as you thought. You have communed several times have those always been precious seasons to your soul? Yes, every one of them.'-Have they been as precious as the first one? Yes, as I have heard more of the Saviour, and have learnt more of his love from the Bible, I have felt each time, if possible, more and more

"I have written the above partly as taken from the woman through an interpreter, and partly as having fallen under my own observation. I have scrupulously avoided any thing like a more favourable colouring than facts would justify. In respect to uninterrupted peace and spirituality of mind, the case of this woman is unlike any other which I ever knew. She is indeed a privileged child of God ripening fast for glory: sick or well, in pain or at ease, she always meets us with a placid, and most commonly with a smiling, countenance. She is afflicted with consumptive complaints, has expectorated blood continually, and we have expected that before this she would have been at rest."

VIEW OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS.

A TREATY of peace has been concluded between Russia and Turkey, on terms dictated by the former, and not a little humiliating to the latter. Turkey is to pay a large pecuniary indemnification; the free navigation of the Bosphorus and Dardanelles is mutually guaranteed to all nations at peace with the contracting powers; Russian subjects are to be permitted to reside and traffic whereever they please in the Ottoman empire, under the exclusive jurisdiction and police of their own consuls; Turkey agrees to make an arrangement with England, France, and Russia, respecting the Greeks; and Russia is to occupy the Turkish territory till the indemnity has been discharged. The opinion of our own government respecting these stipulations has not transpired; but there is nothing in them which calls for our hostile interference; and no

modern statesman, we presume, would think it necessary to go to war in defence of the once-favourite theory of "the balance of power," unless in case of actual aggression. Whatever may be the course of justice or policy between Turkey and Russia, or the immediate commercial or political interests of these nations, we cannot but regard the weakening of the Ottoman sway in Europe as a public blessing; and we would trust, that the way will, before long, be open for the influx of European civilization, and the blessings of Christianity, into that bigoted and barbarous Mohammedan empire. It is an unprecedented circumstance, and one for which we feel truly thankful to God, that amidst all the recent confusions of Turkey, and the exasperation of the people against the Russians, the persons and property of Christians resident in Turkey, have been

free from molestation. This of itself, however accounted for, indicates an adproach to new habits, which may lead to the most important results.

We have no important domestic intelligence to announce. The trade of the manufacturing districts seems to be improving; but much distress still continues among the workmen, who, in many instances, are tumultuously combining to keep up the rate of their wages. The riots and bloodshed which have occasionally taken place, are often attributed to the repeal of the laws against combination; but they are rather the result of former habits antecedent to that repeal. The workmen were formerly goaded to combine illegally in their own defence, their masters being protected by law; their notions respecting the rights of property

being wholly sophisticated by injudicious legal interference, as well as by the poor laws, which give the poor man the power of dipping his hand into his neighbour's purse, not as a matter of Christian charity, but of legal right. The matter of combinations will soon balance itself, if left alone, only affording protection to the industrious workman, and preventing his being ill-treated by his conspiring brethren.

A remarkable correspondence has commenced between Lord Mount Cashel and the Bishop of Ferns, in consequence of the extraordinary meeting lately held on the state of our National Church Establishment. We have not been indifferent to this momentous subject; but it is matter too high for a sentence or paragraph, and we shall have ample occasion for returning to it.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

H. G. ;

A COUNTRY CLERGYMAN; T. H. K.; VIATOR HELVETICUS; H. W.; B. B. ;
L. G.; A, MOTHER; H. B.; J. H. R.; A. R. Y.; GERMANY; THEOGNIS; M. P. ;
T. B.; are under consideration.

We regret that "AN OLD FELLOW-COLLEGIAN of Mr. Butt's" should have been pained at any remarks in our Article on the newly-discovered Apocryphal Book of Enoch; but it appeared to us that Mr. Butt's opinion respecting the inspiration of that palpable forgery, was not only unfounded but dangerous, and we are not aware that we have transgressed the limits of fair and charitable criticism in our remarks upon the subject: we have certainly said nothing more strong than what the "Fellow-Collegian" himself states, that " Mr. Butt is often run away with by his imagination," which "interferes with the exercise of cool judgment," and gives birth to " fanciful and injudicious opinions and interpretations." If our correspondent will shew where our argument respecting the Apocryphal nature of the Book of Enoch is unsound, we will weigh his remarks with care, and report to him the result of our re-examination.

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We cannot see why Scorus should be so angry with our correspondent X. Y. (p. 495) for saying that Sir Walter Scott uttered falsehoods, when by his own confession he did utter falsehoods. This declaration Scotus terms "unpardonable sacrilege (is then the author of Waverley a god?) against the "colossus of literature," who has not only done so much honour to Scotland, but gained for himself " an illustrious immorality;" having written, says Scotus, "no line which dying he would wish to blot "what? not his travesties of Scripture, and his caricatures of true piety in the person of some faithful servant of Christ, of whom, notwithstanding all the cant put into his lips, and the wrong deeds invented as his actions, "the world was not worthy." But it was only on the subject of truth that X. Y. touched; and does Scotus, by the "disgust " he expresses at the true charge uttered against his illustrious fellow-countryman, wish to verify Dr. Johnson's illiberal remark," that a Scotchman must be a sturdy moralist indeed who does not love Scotland better than the truth?"

Why will Mr. Bugg force us to reply further to his communications than by the general inclusion of his initials, which he recognized in several of our Numbers, in our Answers to Correspondents? The reason we did not prolong the discussion on Geology was, that we thought the arguments of our correspondents on both sides were fairly before our readers; besides which, Mr. Bugg's remarks had deviated from simple argument into criminations, which we saw no benefit in admitting into our pages. Our correspondents, in first alluding to his book, were entirely on the defensive; they stated that they had no intention of advocating any system of geology; their only wish being to shield such writers as Mr. Faber, Dr. Buckland, and Bishop Bird Sumner, from the grievous charges urged against them by Mr. Bugg, as perverters of Scripture, and abettors of infidelity. Mr. Bugg's replies have appeared at great length in our pages; and if our readers wish for his arguments in still fuller detail, they may find them in his work, entitled " Scriptural Geology." Our respected correspondent complains, in his letter before us, that the Quarterly Reviewers have charged him with “incompetence" and "ignorance;" whereas his work, he says, " is a work which all the learned, wise, and scientific men of the age cannot answer, containing a scheme consistent in all its parts, philosophical in all

its operations, &c. &c." all the other geological theories being "absurd, inconsistent, unphilosophical, and impracticable ;" and he considers, that as Christian observers, we ought to entertain the same estimate of his volumes. But the Quarterly Reviewers are not alone; for all the scientific journals hold the same language, plainly stating, that the reason they do not answer Mr. Bugg's book, is, that there is nothing in it to answer; nothing really tangible and solid. If we had reviewed it, we could only have said in brief, that the modern geologists may be, and probably are, wrong that the science is but in its infancy; but that Mr. Bugg's book is more unsatisfactory still and if we have not said this before, and only say it now, when Mr. Bugg obliges us to express our opinion, it was because we perceived in the writer a man anxious to support the truth of Divine revelation, and deserving that honour for his motives which we could not conscientiously give to his scientific speculations. We do not often quote the Christian Remembrancer as our authority; but we should be at a loss to exhibit a more correct view of the work in question, than the following which appeared in the last Number of that periodical:-" It must not be imagined that because geology improperly pursued, or hastily taken up, has given occasion to sceptical notions, that consequently every geologist is necessarily a sceptic; but this appears to have been the idea of Mr. Bugg, who in his Scriptural Geology has laid about him, right and left, as if he were the avenger of Scripture, and cared not what he said about geologists, so that he vindicated the sacred writings from what he imagines to be affronts offered to them. Perfectly misunderstanding the value, as well as the errors of geology, he has confounded right with wrong, and wrong with right, and has increased the confusion which he doubtless intended to clear up. His labours, therefore, though praiseworthy in purpose, are useless in execution. Had he written less obstinately, he would have written more effectively."

SUPPLEMENT TO RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.

In addition to various interesting details of village and other local Bible-Society proceedings in our own country, we find an affecting account of the sufferings and constancy of the converted Jews in Turkey. We rejoice to learn that there are thirteen Jewish Christians in Cæsarea, who are likely to announce the Gospel, and kindle a zeal for the conversion of the Jews in distant parts, and in the endeared scenes of some of the early Apostolical labours.

ANTI-SLAVERY SOCIETY.

The Reporter details the speeches at the late Dublin and Cork Auti-Slavery meetings. It is a new feature in the history of Ireland to see such men as Mr. O'Connell, and Mr. Burnett, the well known zealous Presbyterian minister at Cork, meeting on the same platform, for the same object, and with mutual expressions of good will and co-operation in this work of humanity and Christian duty. We have before alluded to the circumstance, and exhorted our readers not to allow party-feelings, either in politics or religion, to interrupt their harmonious efforts in this common cause, which furnishes neutral ground for all who are not willing abettors of cruelty, injustice, and irreligion. The friends of the Anti-Slavery Society view this absence of party-spirit in Ireland, on a question where party has no concern, in so auspicious a light, that in a very interesting pamphlet just published by the society, entitled," The Death Warrant of Negro Slavery," they enumerate it as one among several causes which induce them to hope, that the extinction of slavery is very near at hand. Their other concurrent reasons will be found in that pamphlet, to which we shall probably again allude, having only space at present to recommend it to the perusal of our readers. The general sentiments of the Edinburgh and Westminster Reviews (of extracts from which the pamphlet chiefly consists), we need not say, are not to our taste; but on this question at least, they are right; and their arguments are as weighty as their talents are great, though we may not admire every weapon they may employ in defending even a good cause.

But even the Quarterly Reviewers, as our readers have seen, have turned their backs upon their West-Indian clients.

LONDON HIBERNIAN SOCIETY.

Our readers will perceive, in reading the Society's paper appended to this Number, that great exertions are needed by the friends of the institution to promote its objects at the present moment. We refer to the paper for the details; and earnestly hope they will not plead in vain.

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ESSAY ON SUPERSTITION.

(Continued from p. 596.)

BEFORE I proceed to the con

clusions I would draw from a consideration of this whole subject, it will be useful shortly to review the ground already travelled over, and to point out the successive steps of our progress.

We have seen that the cause of true religion always suffers in proportion as it is associated with any system of irrational belief. This proposition is shewn by reason; and it is confirmed by experience: witness the examples of the RomanCatholic worshipper, the Mohammedan, Hindoo, and the NorthAmerican devotee; all shewing, that man is superstitious in proportion as he deviates from revealed religion; and hence arises a very strong presumption, that superstition is opposed, in its nature and essence, to the genius of Christianity.

Real religion always gains by inquiry, since it is based on truth; and the more the belief of it is founded on knowledge, the firmer and broader will be its basis; the more secure its elevation; the greater the protection afforded to those who seek a shelter from the influence of sin, and the perplexities of the world's contumely; the more mature, the more highly and delicately flavoured, will be its fruits: while the blight of superstition withers every spiritual manifestation, CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 335.

and renders religion the subject of morbid action; the object of fear, aversion, and disgust, rather than of the highest hopes, the most permanent satisfaction, and the purest delight.

The honour of God is vindicated, and the decrees of his moral government are justified, by referring to their true cause various circumstances which have often been ascribed to supernatural influence; and in consequence of which, the human mind has been enthralled by superstition; unjust and injurious views of the Almighty Governor have been produced; and man has been left at the sport of his passions, rather than restored to the guidance of rational motive and principle.

By so doing, we do not rest in second causes,-forgetting the First Great Cause, and referring every thing to physical agency;-but we claim its proper influence for that material medium, through which mental operations can alone be manifested; and upon which, since sin entered into the world, and death by sin, this influence of the Fall has been mainly exerted.

The essential character of superstition consists in a belief of the existence of some supernatural power, superadded or opposed to the providence of God, that God, who is infinite in wisdom, and mercy, and love, and who requires the submission of the heart and understanding to his revealed will; 4 P

while the influence of superstition subjugates the reason, obscures the perception of what is holy, and just, and true; perverts the understanding; and sets aside the volition and responsible agency of man.

Superstition may be referred to the following causes; namely, False and irrational views on the subject of the agency of a Divine power: Ignorance of the phenomena of nature; and still more so, of the providential government of God:

Fear, from whatever cause arising:
Coincidence:

Fraud and hypocrisy :
Influence of the imagination, and
of external circumstances oper-
ating upon it: and,-
The agency of brainular action,
and irritation.

Most of the causes which have been mentioned tend to produce this latter state, and to occasion considerable excitement of the brain, terminating in irritation. And since. this organ is under the controul of early habit and association, every disturbance of the brainular function may overturn the balance of healthy action in every department of mental manifestation; while the latter effect will be proportioned to the intensity and continuance of the former cause.

This disturbance of organ and function may be primary and immediate; or it may be secondary and sympathetic; but in either case, a peculiar irritation of the brain will be set up, in consequence of which, that organ will have escaped the controul of the presiding mind, and will continue to act on without its guidance and direction.

That the brain is thus liable to irritation from various physical causes, is proved from its material properties; from its peculiar adaptation to its functions in different individuals, and in varying states of the same individual; of health or disease, energy or feebleness, activity or indolence; from its requiring

a due supply of pure and healthy blood; and by the completeness of its functions, or its different degrees of imperfection, accordingly as that supply may have been only just sufficient, or redundant, or defective; and still further, as it may or may not have undergone its purifying change in the lungs; from the fact of its suffering as an organ of mind in all the reflex irritations of all the organs of the body, stomach, skin, lungs, &c.&c.; from the unwonted irritability of convalescents; from the varying effect of certain articles of food, according to the prevailing temperament; and from the influence of too much or too little sleep, and differing accordingly as the one or the other state of too much or too little blood may have prevailed.

A precisely similar effect may be produced by mental emotion; thus proving that the brain may be similarly acted upon from within and without, from the body and the mind.

This material organ, thus extensively connected, and thus variously liable to irritation, is the only organ for mental manifestation; not, indeed, that brain itself reasons, remembers, imagines, distinguishes, or associates: but that it is the only medium through which we become conscious of these mental operations; wanting which, we should know nothing of their existence: when defective, they also would be incomplete; and when irritated, they would become perverted.

Intense thought excites brainular action, and requires a large supply of blood, in order to keep up that excitement; therefore its more important intellectual functions cannot be carried on perfectly, except by supposing the perfect integrity of the sanguiferous system,-dependent as it is upon the functions of digestion, assimilation, nutrition, and various other processes, which, if interrupted, produce uneasiness in their respective organs, and consequent sympathetic irritation of the brain.

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