pel-liberty, shedding their sacred influence upon the sinner's darkened soul. In this manner many run to and fro, and knowledge is increased; the word of the Lord has free course and is glorified; and the pleasure of the Lord prospers in the Saviour's hand.

To translate and circulate the sacred Scriptures is an important part of the pleasure of the Lord," which shall prosper in the Redeemer's hand. This is charity of the highest order. It is philanthropy to which the seal and the sanction of Heaven have been set, in the sight of almost every nation in the globe. Its unparalleled success for these fifteen years past, has silenced its foes, and procured it the general suffrage of all nations. If ever the pleasure of the Lord appeared on an undertaking, it is on this. Mahomedan, Popish and Pagan nations, have been made to see and to feel, that “ the word of God is not bound.” The Bible ought to be viewed as the birth-right of man. Like the sun in the heavens, it is destined to diffuse the light of truth, the love of God, and the fruits of righteousness, among fallen men of all latitudes and languages. The duty of Christians to concur in promoting this part of "the Lord's pleasure," is not so much enforced by direct precept, as it is deducible from the very nature and genius of revealed mercy, and the whole code of gospel principles. Phil. iv. 8, 9. ye would that others should do unto you, do ye even so unto them; for this is (the doctrine of) the law and the prophets." The benevolent feelings enkindled of late years in the bosoms of thousands to impart the sacred treasure, and the eager anxiety of tens of thousands in distant climes to possess and peruse it, alike indicate, that the pleasure of the Lord rests upon the sacred cause. Though to this day the dark places of the earth are the habitations of cruelty, yet he is sending forth his word to heal them, and to deliver them from their destructions. O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

"As

To send forth faithful labourers, to cultivate the moral deserts of the heathen world, and the waste places of the Lord's vineyard, is also a part of his pleasure which shall prosper in the Redeemer's hand. When he ascended up on high he led captivity captive, and received appropriate gifts to confer upon men, even upon the rebellious, that God the Lord might dwell among them. Even while he tabernacled below, he set the apostles and ordinary ministers of the word an admirable example of this labour of love. He went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom. And when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad as sheep having no shepherd. Then

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said he to his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he would send forth labourers into his harvest, Matt. ix. 35-38. "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature," is one of the most important mandates within the compass of the Sacred Volume; and is styled by way of emphasis, "The commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith," Rom. xvi. 26. He commanded us, says the apostle, to preach unto the people, and to testify that this is he who was ordained of God to be Judge, both of the quick and dead. Their success bare an adequate proportion to their self-denied zeal, their ardour, and indelatigable industry. The Lord gave the word; and great was the company of them that published it. Nor did they labour in vain, and spend their strength for nought. The hand of the Lord was with them; and great multitudes believed and turned to God. He made them to triumph in every city, and made manifest the savour of his knowledge by them in every place; and such was the astonishing rapidity with which the glad tidings of redemption spread, that, in the space of a few years, their sound went into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world. Now, if the pleasure of the Lord prospered in the Saviour's hand with such rapidity, and to such an extent in those days, why may we not labour and pray that it may prosper no less conspicuously in these days? The Spirit of the Lord is not straitened-his hand is not shortened-his ear is not heavy that it cannot hear the prayer of faith-nor do the bowels of his compassion cease to yearn over sinners ready to perish. During the long reign of the dark ages, the little remnant who felt for the strong delusions under which thousands were perishing, were intimidated by the tyranny and intolerance of the mother of harlots; and were almost shut up to sigh and cry in secret over the abominations that they had little hope of either curing or contracting. At the Reformation, the Papal system received a shock from which we trust it never will recover. Those who assailed the error and superstition of the Papal power, had no leisure, during the heat of the contest, to turn the artillery of truth against the still more palpable errors and gross superstition of the heathen world. It is to be feared that too many of the Protestant churches have since that period sat down satisfied with their attainments; and, while they have tacitly retained the principles of their predecessors, and have regularly prayed for the overthrow of Popery and Paganism, they have seldom thought of making a single effort to extend the boundaries of the Redeemer's kingdom beyond their immediate vicinity, far less to send the heralds of peace and the overtures of pardon to millions in heathen coun

tries ready to perish. Happily, however, the Lord has of late years stirred up the spirit of prayer, and of propagation among many Christian churches; which we trust shall not abate till the knowledge of the Lord cover the earth, as the waters cover the channels of the deep. It is now full time for the church of Christ to arise and shine-to break up the fallow-ground-and to give the Lord no rest till he arise and establish, and make Zion a praise in all the earth. The zeal of the Lord of hosts shall perform this.

To separate the genuine disciples of Christ from the world lying in wickedness; to unite them together in the faith and fellowship of the gospel, and teach them all things whatsoever he has commanded-is another important part of the pleasure of the Lord, which shall prosper in the Redeemer's hand. "This people," says he, "have I formed for myself: they shall shew forth my praise." His oracles, his ordinances, and providences, are each in their measure intended to make them meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. They are bought with a price; and bound by the principles of duty and interest to glorify God in their bodies and spirits which are his. In order to facilitate the sanctification of his subjects, and to prepare them for his heavenly kingdom and glory," he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers-for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ -till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ," Eph. iv. 11-14. Next in point of importance to that of laying the true foundation, is that of selecting the appropriate materials, and rearing the superstructure. "As a wise master-builder," says the apostle, "I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereupon; but let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones-wood, hay, stubble; every man's work shall be made manifest; (either by fiery trials in this world, or at the last judgment in the world to come), for the day will declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire: and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is," &c. 1 Cor. iii. 10. Those who in primitive times obeyed the gospel, found it to be their duty to save themselves from that untoward generation, and their privilege to continue stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine, and fellowship, in breaking of bread and in prayers. "Furthermore, we beseech and exhort you brethren, by the Lord Jesus Christ, as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.

For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus," 1 Thess. iv. 1-4.

It is a pleasing consideration to think that whatever indifference, interruption, or opposition the interest of truth and righteousness may meet with in the world, it shall prosper, or be hastened in the hands of Christ. Were this cause in the bands of any created being, however exalted in nature, however skilful and powerful in action, we might forever despair of its progress and final success. But viewing it in the hands of Him who formed the heavens and founded the earth, its certain progress, and final success, are rendered absolutely secure. Considering the power and policy, the craft and cruelty, and systematic hostility, which have been exerted against the cause of truth-had it been in the hands of any creature inferior to the Omnipotent Saviour-it could not have survived a single day. Persecution, the storming work of hell, may open her batteries, and thunder, and threaten to lay the Lord's vineyard waste; - Judaizing teachers, and mere maral declaimers, may insidiously sow the seeds of heresy among the Lord's heritage, and shake the principles of some, and overthrow the faith of others;-the imprudences of some young converts, and the untoward tempers and untender lives of others of longer standing, may induce the enemies of the cross to satirize the gospel as a cunningly devised fable, and foolishness; -the flames of contention may break out in some churches, and the fretting leprosy of discontent in others, while those who wait for their halting, exclaim, "So would we have it!"— Still, under all these appalling and perplexing circumstances, the Lord God Omnipotent reigns. The reins of administration are in the hands of the great High Priest of our profession. He is Head over all things to his body the church. All power in heaven and in earth is in his hands. The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his; and Let every one who nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. He has founded his church upon the Rock of Ages, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. He is as a wall of fire round about Zion, and the glory in the midst of her. He shall yet bless Zion; and make all the places round about his hill a blessing. Jacob shall yet blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit. The silver and the gold are his. The labour of Egypt and the merchandize of Ethiopia are at his command. The flocks of Kedar and the rams of Nabaioth are all at his service. Because of thy temple at Jerusalem kings shall bring presents unto thee. Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall stretch out her hands unto God. He will He will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Keep not back; bring my sons from far, and my

daughters from the ends of the earth. These exceeding great and precious promises are eminently calculated to rouse the indifferent, to stimulate the slothful, to fortify the faint, and excite all to contribute their part in advancing his spiritual and everlasting kingdom. The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; and his hands shall finish it; and he shall bring forth the head-stone thereof, with shoutings of Grace, grace unto it! PHILOLOGOS.

GENTLEMEN,

TO THE EDITORS OF THE CHRISTIAN HERALD.

ABOUT the period referred to in the close of my last letter,* I left home; and took up my residence in -, for the purpose of preparing myself for the exercise of that profession which I had fixed upon as the employment to which my attention should be directed through life. With the duties and the emoluments of this profession, I had associated all that was great and flattering in prospect. I had heard of difficulties which, according to the natural order of things, were connected with every situation in life; but I seriously imagined that there were none which could possibly fall in my way. Full of hope and youthful expectation, my fancy often took an extensive range; and with a simplicity, at which perhaps some of your readers will be apt to smile, I anticipated with the most heartfelt satisfaction every thing that was calculated to gratify the pride of life, and procure for me the honour and the esteem of the world. A few years of experience, however, have served to convince me, that all such happy prospects are but visionary, wherever they exist; and I am now persuaded, that it has been good for me that they were never realized.

I continued the usual time allotted for acquiring a knowledge in the various duties belonging to my profession, in a city where sin and profligacy maintain, I had almost said, an absolute sway. The various forms assumed by Satan for the purpose of deceiving the simple and unwary, are presented to the eye as well as the imagination; and if there is no power of principle in the heart to perform the part of a counterpoise to the balance, it is a thing almost unavoidable for a young man to stand clear of a tumble into some sink of vice. My Sabbaths were commonly spent in idleness, and the evenings in visiting. It afforded all of us, I dare say, an excuse, able enough to satisfy the conscience dead in sin, that we had but little leisure through the week, and that such relaxation was both harmless and desirable. I cannot say, however, that this was always the case

*See our Magazine for June last, p. 207.