withdrawn from the press of cares and of outward objects, that he can feel the sensibilities and hold the convictions of religion; in affliction and sickness alone can he be a believer. When a writer starts with an assumption like this, it is of but little consequence where he leaves off, or to what conclusion he arrives. Yet there is an equal absurdity and untruth in the conclusion which the writer before us arrives at, wholly independent of the error which vitiated his reasoning in its first step. He confounds miracles with wonders, and will admit no distinction between the act of the Saviour in raising the dead to life and the power of Zerah Colburn to solve arithmetical problems. We believe however that the writer has boldly, as well as skilfully and forcibly, stated the only alternative which is to be adopted if the principle laid down by Mr. Norton is denied. He calls upon the original mover of this controversy to answer his arguments, he charges him with having endangered the faith of Christians, and of adopting a principle which if consistently followed out will result in Atheism. We hope that Mr. Norton will favour our community with a thorough exposition of his own opinions.

G. E. E.

INSTRUCTIONS OF TRAVEL.

THE following article is the substance of a sermon delivered by the writer to his own people, after his return from a journey of some weeks through the Western country.

The few weeks I have spent away from you have been full of incident, and I trust, instruction. Phases of life and the world have passed before me to which my eyes would have ever been sealed, had I remained in the quiet of my own study and the ordinary routine of parochial duty. Men have appeared before me in their true character, and I have studied that character, as I could not have done under other circumstances. I have sat in converse with such as in the class of society in which they are wont to mingle at home submit to the 'conventional restraints of that society, because they would otherwise lose caste, but who unknown in the great world have lain aside their outward garb, and acted out themselves. I have seen the sterling

worth of integrity and the weakness of a superficial morality. And in all this I have read a valuable lesson. Books have been denied me, and the luxury and profit of retirement and meditation, but I have gleaned from these open volumes much crude and valuable matter to sift and refine to classify and arrange in the laboratory of study, and by which from time to time I hope to be able to come before you with greater consciousness of strength in the weapons of our holy warfare against the man of sin.

And what, you may ask, is the result of my investigations? What are the views of human nature these opportunities have caused me to embrace? Are they favourable to humanity, and do they savour of hope and promise? Or do they falsify the generous and hopeful tones of the blessed word of life? Do they fortify, or weaken the expectations of the philanthropist and Christian? Unhesitatingly I can answer, that what I have seen but confirms the belief I have ever cherished, and which has been my chief support in the unsuccessfulness of my past labours, that "the little leaven shall yet leaven the whole lump." My faith in the omnipotence of Christianity and its final and glorious triumph has received new strength and sustenance. Not that I have found the world better than I expected-not that I have seen less selfishness, and cupidity, and licentiousness, and cruelty, and wrong, and bigotry, and crime, than I had looked for, for at almost every step of my progress have I encountered the manifestations of depravity; but that at every step I have also been delighted to find the prevalence of a better and redeeming spirit in the very heart of society.

Had I been disposed to look only on the darker shades of the living panorama which has been passing before my eyes, surely my faith had received no quickening impulses, my heart no softening and generous influences. I had returned soured, disheartened, disgusted with my profession, shattered in my faith, chilled in my affections, a manhater and a God-doubter. But if the more beautiful touches of the spirit's pencil on the living picture have given peace and hope to my soul, so, truly can I say, that the dark defilements which the man of sin hath spread over that picture have but fired me with a steadier and more zealous purpose to devote the powers which God hath lent me, in aid of the purpose of that mission which called the Son of God from the bosom of his Father to save a benighted and depraved race

from darkness deeper than that of the grave, and misery more awful than the whole woe of life. There is much to do.

Little, very little

number of those

of the great lump is leavened;-very small is the who seem fully to appreciate the purposes of this life and the mission of grace; but surely if there would have been reason not utterly to despair in times of old, had there been found ten righteous persons in the devoted city for which the patriarch wrestled with the angel of God, we, while we mourn the depravity and darkness that exist, should not forget the army of those whose counsels are with heaven, and whose names are written there.

And the number of that army is by no means so insignificant as the doubting and scoffing think and declare. I confess, that hopeful as I have ever been, I am but the more so for what I have but just now learned. I am tired-I have ever been, I am more so now-of the voice of querulousness and despondency. I have little pity, and even less patience, for that class of persons who see nothing in life but its darker and most painful passages, and who are ever croaking their almost blasphemous disbelief in the power, the saving power, of the Gospel. Surely this is not cooperation with him whose faith never wavered, and whose success was as great as his faith. And if in that darkest epoch of the world he and his disciples doubted not, but laboured on in hope, then well may we, to whom such results have been unfolded-such a glorious light has come.

It needeth not that a man should have supernatural communications, to look into the future and see some of the great secrets which now lie there, waiting but for the voice of time to become fractions of the past. Every man who carefully has read the past, and who calmly and fearlessly looks on the present, and who withal has looked somewhat into the philosophy of life, is in fact a seer, and can read future results as plainly as the astronomer can calculate the phases of the stars. And with such an one, the lights and shadows of life which are constantly passing before us no more affect his faith, than do the clouds and lightning trouble the other in regard to his final conclusions. For such an one, I think there is nothing to alarm his fears. The world is in a state of progress,-man is moving onward,-great principles in government and religion, as in science and letters, are obtaining, slowly, but surely, and society is, on the whole, every day improving. Commotion there doubtless is, and enough to shake-not to shatter-the foundations of order and morality. Counter currents,

tempestuous storms, sudden outbursts of malignant moral gases-all these conspire to produce commotion in the inward, as like causes in the outward, world. But, though they may fill his heart with sadness, on account of the sin and sorrow they produce, yet they no more disturb his faith in great first principles and their certain and successful-nay, desirable-results, than does the dashing, on the rocky shore, of the angry surge make him tremble for the security of the pillars of the universe; for the latter is as likely to go beyond its allotted bound, as the former to set aside the immutable counsels of God in respect to the ultimate triumph of his moral government among his sons and daughters in the earth. And for one I must say, that what I have seen but confirms my trust in Providence, and makes me the more desirous to do what I can to diffuse life-giving views of the overruling Power, who through all convulsions and revolutions guards the ark of our salvation from destruction or final injury.

Nor by any means are these views calculated to lull us to inactive peace. Comforting they are and encouraging to the Christian, but in no way do they countenance respite from our labour, or even repose for an hour. We are not to despond, for the work is begun; but we are not to expect rest, for the work is but begun. A few are saved, but the many need salvation.

A great moral drama is at this moment being enacted in the world, and its scene is here-in our blessed land. To the Christian philanthropist, in it is involved whatever is of value to human life and human progress. Nations, worlds, angels are anxious spectators. All cannot see through the plot and thus count on a successful issue, but he who reads the providence of God aright, however the present act may conclude, will never doubt but that He who from the beginning sees the end will well and truly perform the work he has so truly begun.

But in this scene we are all actors, and on its conclusion our acting is to have an important bearing-at least important to ourselves. And this have I learned from the recent observations I have been enabled to make :

First, from the right acting in this world; that we have much to encourage and strengthen hope. More are they who are on the Lord's side than they who are on the side of sin;-not in numerical strength, it may be; but in moral power and might; inasmuch as knowledge is stronger than ignorance, and virtue more invincible than sin. And this moral force, as it seems to me, is increasing every day more and

more. I see it in wholesome laws well administered, despite the occasional violences which go unpunished. I see it in the spread of knowledge, despite the stupid and cherished ignorance of many. I see it in the prevalence of moral sentiment, despite the startling instances of bad faith and ruined integrity and base depravity, which have filled every press and ear to sickening. Nay, in the very execration on those guilty heads do I behold the signs of that true life, which so many seem to think has utterly died out of our midst. I behold it in the working of those moral engines among us, which the good and great have set in motion for the mitigation of woe and the carrying on of mercy's work below. I see it in the countless institutions springing up in our midst every day, from which the lights of science and philosophy go forth to bless the little world to which they are a radiating centre. I see it in churches and rites and forms of our blessed religion. And more than all, as I have already said, do I see it in the Sun of righteousness, in whose beams, which fill the earth, are life and peace and joy. And by all this am I encouraged to hope for the best, and "to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free."

And secondly, I have learned from the wrong acting in this drama, that we have much to do,-nay, that we have no excuse for inactivity or listlessness. Much, alas! how much is wrong; and sadly doth it check the march of light and life, sadly doth it delay the consummation of the Gospel so devoutly to be wished. This should be a warn ing to us, that we be not found with the opposer and the scorner, for if on us 66 that stone shall fall, it will grind us to powder." It should be an inducement to us, to be more diligent and faithful, that so, when our acting in this present scene is over, we may be found ready to share in the conquests of the Son of man, when he shall return bringing his saints and angels with him.

A. D. J.