GENESEE EVANGELIST.—WhoIe No. 739. •"AT THE LAST” “Man path forth unto• his work, and, to bis labor, until the evening."—Peat. civ. 28. Tfi« otream is calmest when It nears the tide, . AncLflowsra araswCetest at-lhe eventide, And birds moat musical at close of day, And saints divinest when thoj pass away. Morning Is lovelier, but a hollerobarm Lies folded dose in Evening'S robeof balM; - Andweary man must ever love halt best, For Morning.calls to toil, bat Eight brings rest., She copies from Heaven,. and.qnher-winggdothbsar A holy fragranoe, like the breath of prayer; footsteps of Migels follow ita hir twace, . Xo shut the weary eyes of day ln peace. All things are hushed before her, as she throws O’.ereanhandskyherinantleof repose) Thero U a oalm, « bCitaty; ftttd T », power, j ’■ ' That Morning knows ndt, In the Evening hour; “Until the evening” we mast weep and ttfil, 1 ' Plow life’s: stern.furrowa, idig the weedy soil, Tread with sad feet our rough and thorny Way, , And bear the heat and burden of the day. Oh! when our sun is Betting) may we glide, Like summer evening,'down the golden tide, And leave behthMsj As we pass, away, Sweet, starry twilight round our sleeping day. Edinburgh. M; For the American. Presbyterian. “Id FANIM." Messrs. Editors:—l see from your paper of June 14th, that some unknown person, under, the signature of “ H.” has ootnpletely. demolished the poor weight of ai u oritio,” who dared to try his critical acumen, on Heh. i. 10. Served him right. Having: used him up, he consigned him to the grave—buried him, alas, beneath the pre-Adamio, or some other rooks. . ; ! But if that had been all that he had done consigned one poor “ oritio ” to a roqky burial— thou I might have held my peaoe. Gianta are dangerous men when they.beoome excited; hence, as might havebeen feared, he has buried Paul as. deeply as he has the poor “ critic." Utidesignedly, I hope, but h? has let all his “LePanim” rocks fly at Paul. Was it not cruel to consign Paul to “a stone-bound sepulchre?” It whs no. riiatter what became of the “critic.” Such a sepulchre was as good as he deserves; but he should have shown Paul some mercy. Was he hot riwate that every blow he aimed At the “oritio”’fbllon the back of Paul? While reading such an article, who can keep down such theugMsAs theS#: What! was not Paul inspired? Was David inspired arid Paul not ? Did Paul under stand the Hebrew language? Was he not Hebrew oritio enough td understand.the various meanings attached to I( jpariira” and the sense in which it is used* in Fa. AH. 28 ? Was be not moved by the Holy Ghost when he wrote the epistle to the He brews?- * It is true that “ panim ” has, as H. Informs us, more meanings than those he has given tm. He lias given us the truth, but not the whole truth. In one of these meanitigjS' the Psalmist uses the word in Pa, oil. 26.' I presume that even JEL will not contend that he usee it in itr primary signifi cation in that verse. I will not now stop to in quire whether a modern Professor ex-cathedra , is' more competent to translate the words “le panim" than seventy lbatniod Hebrews., I know that there is a great deal lof light in this nineteenth century which the; translators of the Septuagiut and Paul did tiot enjoy. They never had the exalted pri vilege of. sitting ,under the instructions of Prof. S. or prof, nor were they enlightened by theological importations from Germany. Hence, acoordiog.to Prof. S. they translated the Bible too literally. They really seem to have believed that God meant what he said. Sad evidence of their want of, intellectual and Germanic culture. But admitting all these disabilities, it must be admitted by every one, that either the translation of that verse, made by the seventy is correct, or it is not. If it is correctj then thetranslation. “ Kat ’Arohas’’ expresses the mindof the Spirit, and Paul by quoting that translation expresses the mind of the Spirit. But if that translation is notjpjject, then “Kat ’Arohas" does not express the mind of the. Spirit, and Paul’s quotation of .it in Heb. i. 10, docs not express the mind of the Spirit,: that is, it is pot inspired. If a part of the fistle to the Hebrews is not inspired, l am afraid, ' all the rest. If a part is not inspired,, who is tell us what is inspired and what is not? If a art of this one epistle is not inspired, way we not justly suspect Paul’s other epistles? Query. Might it not he profitable to employ to give us an expurgated or corrected edition of writings of Paul? Qn account of his great new lore, by a careful reference to the He of the Old Testament, he could tell us , Paul’s quotations from the Old Testament correct, and when they are not; How lamen le it is that Paid was not a good Hebrew Jar. It would have saved our brother a great of trouble- itt^aCsrrtihltlipsj for if he does, it may not only involve il, but many other 1 sacred writers in tbesame dire catastrophe? Let him be c'arpfnTlest te dangerous-“ie panim" may involve the.en-; - sacred volume in the same fearful sepulchre, beg of him to be careful how he throws down dcs. : Hut pardon me. My patience is tired with thfe •erties which critic* take with God’s word. ™ tinkering of the holy Volume only tends to. >w the imperfeotiou of < the hand which has le it. It also forms arguments for men, whose irts want to disbelieve the feWe. 1 I jreiitnre assertion; if We had fewer H’s we would have er infidels. . B. For the American Presbyterian. A THOUGHT BY THE WAY. Not long-since, while waiting for, the cars, I .noticed in the ladies' room,, a very interesting group—a youthful mother with a little babe— evideptly he? first child. , i little one was clothed in* the. richest em broidered' robes, which showed what a wealth of carp, and love lavished upon/it, filainy .gatfilleS 5 around, and greeted the mother, add stud sweet things to baby, Which wore sweet too, to mother. The lookers on smiled, and thought, how happy! , . -t : A daye since, I met again, in the someplace, the same cbjopany. Their names were' unknown, but, their fatilfi Were remembered: All were there saye the little'orie. I needed.not to ask, “Where il thp'baby !*’' , l^th#aiothePird^p^6hrtrifig' , ind' sad face, said: d Baby is in her grave.” I needed no Words to tell me the story of Watchings, of hopd' against hope, and of the dreadful' struggle, 5 ere they could let the darling go. TkiieW this sbhs and hfeart-breaks, aS they witched the last expiring breath, add knew that their little bird had'flbWh with the death angel to heaven: arid I could hear them almost murmur; as theyexclaimed: riVer any sorrow equal to this?" Thei I saw the little cherub form, as it had been an angel’s; laid among flowers, as’pttre arid sweet 5 as they. Then, then, it was taken away, and laid deep in the cold, dark 5 earth, away from the yearn ing hearts that adored it. ■* But; while my Father thtis grieved them, I knew that still his name is Love, and that “ He doeth all things well.” My heart went out iri pity to the mother, and I longed to put my-arms about her neck, arid say: “ lam sorry .for you." I noticed her watch a sweet child at play,- then her eyes dropped, and I knew her heart was say* ing: “ Oh, if my here!” 1 May you not doubt your ! Fathers love, bereft mourning one, but know that He* loried you too well, to allbw you 5 to : give to that sweet'child-gift; your. ,: heart. The-little one is an-angel now: God sanctify to thee this lesson, and by it, lead thee to live for heaven. Then, ere long, thou too shalt be an angel- “And with the angels stand, • : A crown upon th'yfotehead, \ A harp within my hand.” E. C. P. BRIBERY IN HIGH STATION. The shameless corruption becoming so common n public life, portends a.speedy'overthrow, of our political system, unless it can be checked by an elevationof moral sentiment in the entire Comxnu-, nity, Even those Who have, railed most against clerical meddling with politics. Will be ready fo implore their influence iri' eradicating this fatal vice. The Examiner gives a good sketch of the boldness of Bishop Latimer, in. rebuking this sin: With; kin-l-flgfood .fafirfan* hnrtnnty ■■frkn ywwl ‘Bk.- "shop, in three when preaching before his youthful sOwreign, Edward VI., de nounced the judges who loved gifts and took bribes. He cited, what .seems to have been with him a favorite incident, the story of the Persian ruler, 4 Cambyses, who, having convicted one of his aw dispensers of being the recipient of such bri bery, ordered: his, being flayed alive, and com manded that the skin of the offender should he stretched on the judgment-seat, there to remain under all future -occupants of the place, that coming judges might be reminded at what cost they would themselves cherish an itching palm. Describing , the culprit as a “ briber, a gift-taker, a gratifier of rich men/’ the faithful preacher who was to be so heroic a martyr, exclaimed, in a burst of indignant uprightness, “ Surely, it was a goodly sign,, a goodly monument, the sign of the judge’s skin. I pray 5 God we may once see the sign of the skin in England!” And again, in the last sermon which this stem chaplain delivered in the same august presence, “ in the Court of Westminster,” Latimer took oc casion to shame, some, judicial offender in this fashion: * f*He that took the silver basihand ewer for a jribe, thinketh that it will never come out; but : be may now know tbat I know it; and I know it not alone, theje be more beside me that know it. I can never believe that he that is a briber shall be a good justice. It will never be yiierry .in Eng land till we have the skins of ittch.” Three centuries have Bince rolled by. The Bench of Britain baa been long free from the im putation of similar corruption. But perchance its modern exemption, from such suspicions even, may in part be traced to the quaint fearlessness of the pulpit, when, filled by worthies so earnest and dauntless as good llugh Latimer. THE GEEmAhS’ OE CINCINNATI. A writer.in..one f of our German Reformed Ex changes .(the Messenger we think,) thus describes the condition of the Evangelical and infidel Ger mans of that city^ Yesterday I had the pleasure of ministering to these : sdvferai The two large; ■ German churches,, capable of seating: 700 persons,,each, were full with deyout worshippers. Such siog ••ingT storms or holy melody sent up-from- grateful hearts. Both- churches lead their praise by sweet toned organs,* an instrument which, has become a necessary auxiliary to the German’s devotion, which stimulates and directs his song. The rei mark has often been made that the Germans are the most religious nation in, the world. With all their mischievous infidelities,' this is not without truth.. There is a genial unction in the services of a pious German congregation which one seldom finds elsewhere. But while grace abounds among: the Evangelical Germans here,-.iniquity does much ■ more abound among a large, proportion of others, While the former, with their hymn books in hand, wended their way to church yesterday, pleasure-loving crowds streamed ! through the Btreets to their beer-gardens and Sunday concerts. Jewsand. Rationalists had their stores open, and liquor retailers enjoyed a large patropage, • They have a Sunday law here, but the police are. de terred from enforcing it by bribes; 1 If yesterday was ,a fair specimen of ,a Cincinnati Lord’s .day, it promises soon to outvie Paris ( and Geneva in Sab bath desecration. Among such a derisive God-dbfying populace it requires a great; deal of fixedness-Of principle and firmness of purpose td be a faithful And pro fessing follower of J esus Christ- The pious. Ger-, mans are made the butt of ridicule, and are perse icuted in every conceivable way by their country men. It is amazing to what a length hatred to Jesus Christand his cause wilt carry; these Ger man infidels. It devours their, famous Vater landsiLiebo, once the German’s rjnling. passion, and the rallying cry to crush a common foe, to vanquish whom Protestant, and Catholic would join strong hands and brave ; hearts. Now this demon Of doubt and'hate has taken: possession of vast hojrdes, >and f filled their; ranks, with fends and, .fierce wrqnglings. AU .thigopposition, hpweyer, seems, to be a gracious discipline, to. those ofa more godly and cvaogOlical sort. • It stimulates their energies and drives them nearer to their Almighty Baviour. There is a subdued plaintive PHILADELPHIA, TiilM; ACLII2, 1860, pathcS ih> thei? prayers which has the odot of a piety purged in the fttrtiace of trial. God bless and! preserve these* shining lights- in the midst' of a crooked and perverse generation. MONEY REFUNDED—GOOD EXAMPLE. . Missus.: EDiTOB.s:^-Ampng, ! fihe-reoeiptsinto , the: treasury of the .Philadelphia Education So , ciety, as-published iti your list issUe, there occurs ■ an, item of three hundred dollars, from P. G. R. formerly a student, under the care of the, Society., As receipts; of this ; character seldom transpire, a few remarks on the present: may not be; inap propriate. The student in question was enabled , to finish his studies so as to be licensed to preach, , but owing to’the*failure. of heallKhe .was not able /to en^er decidedly into the fulhworteof• fhe try. Ferilin'gthat'the-assistance'formerlyreridered' him might be usefully expended on! other young , candidates s for the ministry; more, favored With , health than he had: been,' he •generously’ returned • . the, money he, had received, with interest,* although r the, rules of - the Society did!,not strictly require this in, his case., Doubtless a delicate'sense of Christian integrity influenced his conduct in the . premises. „• It; is a, different thing when a candidate; for the ministry,, in-;the enjoyment of health, abandons his purpose for reasons within his control. In' such a case, it is' expected that a high sense of honor, to say nothing of moral ihotiesfy, will dis pose the retiring candidate to refund the money , expended by the church on his* education* when he declines to devote himself to the work, for which he was professedly receiving assistance. July 7, 1860. : ', B. INFLUENCE OF EGYPTIAN ARCHAEOLOGY ON BIBLE STUDIES. The, illustration ; of details of Biblical history which the Egyptian monuments afford, is a subject of great importance, from its bearing upon the accuracy of the Bible. It has been very much neglected, in consequence of the extravagant ex pectations of many, who, in the early days- of Egyptian archaeology, looked for an exact account ;of Israel in Egypt from the monuments. They . never perceived, what is clear enough, though few are willing to admit it, that we have no consecu tive chain of historical monuments stretching through many centuries. In the remotest past there is the group of tombs around the greatest ' pyramids of, Memphis, which tell us,' in their sculptures and inscriptions, of the life of the Egyptians of that time, about four thousand years ago. This group may extend over two centuries. Then there is a great blank, with here and there a doubtful and shifting stepping-stone in a dark .stream of historical oblivion, until we reach the monuments of the Twelfth Dynasty, lasting for about' a century and a half, from Abraham’s time. ■ Then .there, is another great, chasm, still more obscure than the earlier one, and we come to'the . Eighteenth Dynasty, beginning about 1500 B. c. .The second and more dense time of'darkness is Egypt by-a foreign race, the Shepherds, and the. piueity of its monuments confirms the statement of Manetho, the native historian, that this was a period of‘terrible intestine war. From the Eighteenth Dynasty the evidence is niofe connect ed, although often a hundred years of more is nearly a blank in, the history. From this it follows that if the Israelites were in Egypt in any of the times as to. which we know nothing from the Egyptian monuments, we could expect no distinct account of their sojourn and exodus. If we take the ordinary reckoning in the margin of our Bibles —Usher’s Chronology—the sojourn would mainly, fall before the Eighteenth Dynasty, and the exo dus early in that dynasty. It' we take the reckon ing of Hales, which many are disposed to consider/ the best Bible ehronology, both sojourn and exo dus would fall in the time before.this dynasty.: /In either ease we eonld scarcely expect any refenince to the Israelites. Bat setting this aside,.although Joseph’s administration might have been recorded, the disasters of the exodus would have foundno place in the annals of a nation that was. especially averse to chronicling defeat. The kind of illustra tion we have, a right, to expect does/not- relate to the main facts of the history, but to such matters as the details of manners; . . / In these matters the accuracy'of the Bible is strikingly shown. The Greek writers, some of whom, and.especially Herodotus, were not inaccu rate observers, have been cited to set right the Biblical account. In every case the monuments have proved that the sacred historian' was correct, and: the profane historian: in' error. The most interesting illustrations; are, however, those* which show, a. perfect knowledge of the country. These are quite as frequent in the Prophets as in the Pentateuch. Thus we read in Exodus, that when the Israelites saw Pharaoh In pursuit of'them “ they; said unto Moses, Because [there were] mo graves in Egypt, hast tbpu taken us away to die in the wilderness ?” (xiv. 11.) The prophet Hosea declared of the fugitives of Ephraim, “ Egypt shall gather them up,.Memphis shall bury them." (ix. 6.) Egypt is, above-all countries, 1 a land of ancient tombs., The;roeky ridge that shuts in the plain and valley is honeycombed tin. its.face with sepulchral: grottos; in the edge of. the desert axe countless mummy-pits; on its surface are many built tombs. Scarcely a day’s journey passes but the voyaget up the Nile sees' some of-tlvese'; first/ ' the great- chains of the Pyramids'; . then,* when, the mountain approaches, the entrances of grottos along its face,, sometimes a field of sepulchres. Numerous .as . are the modern tombs, they are. insignificant ‘ by the side of 'their*truly innumera ble!, predecessors. But of-all the ancient sites, Memphis has the greatest necropolis. For about ' fifteen miles this. city, of the dead extends along the edge of the Great Desert, marked from afar by the pyramids rising regally above the smaller monuments. Wherever excavations have been made, it seems as though there had been an econo my of space, for there is frequently ,but a narrow , passage between tb,e lines of tombs,. -No other . graveyard in. Egypt rivals this. Therefore the prophet spoke of it instead of Thebes, the seat of empire, or any other great town better known in Palestine. Amos again uses . the inundation of the Nile, “ the flood of Egypt,” aspsymbal of. the destruction that was r coining upon his ..land and people. (viii. 8; ix. 5.) I have nevCr seen anything that so completely brought before me the idea of a destroying;flood'as the inundation , of the Nile. The river bursts, through its banks, and . covers the whole valley; in the midst rushes a broad turbid stream agitated by. the strong north wind blowing against*its ; current; on either side landmarks areharried away,- and the Villages stand like islands, connected, byidykes;. which' the water ' threatens to break. Until custom has- used one . to the scene, it is a terrible realization of the ca lamities of a iood. * I .have dwelt upon these less-'' ‘ known topics in preference to* the 1 histories of Joseph 1 and Moses which have been siftore,carefully, studied. Yet both these will gaiii a. fresh interest .with those who will read them with the Egyptian monuments for illustration. There they may see the irivefetitdre of a Joseph 1 ' Wth-his badges of office, the robe of' 1 fine - linen, and I 'collar of gold; .'there they may. see.the 1 corns, carefully istoredin! •; graparies, as,though Jor. the years of famine. Such , boats ps the papyrus-ark ofiMpsps are there shown, and there .are forego' bripkmakers under; tiard taskmisfersi,“ The whole series bf senlpfnfes is ah unintended commentary upon, and au impartial witness to the truth of the Bible history. Perhaps; the most important ( use of Egyptian atehroology in reference to the Bible is the manner in which it’illustrates the fulfilment of prophecy. Here, : again, I know that many, wearjed r by the rash and presumptuous interpretations Of prophecy which have of late years abounded,' wijf object to the very discussion of the subject., - j Jt if they acknowledge the truth of the Bible, the j must be prepared to give a reverent considerat on to th'e prophecies it cbnfiiihs. j The belief in?t il inspira- of. thesfe prophecies is a of arbeliefi.m.the truth ofttbejßible, trbere;is;no middle epurse—a prophecy must either be autho ritative or an imposture. , . I think! that h'ere we have witnesseSbnough to •justify our maihMining j th'ose ritles bf* mtefpreta tionwhich a. long series of great, divines;has upheld;; ’ Let Egypt, sjupply a fresh jtfejfc, Egypt of whjch each site .been well and of which.the post-biblical hifftory presjjniX'iew gaps. the r ferjr much struck'b^ 5 the"fitter fuiir ofr'some' towns",; and the.long continuance of ■*>th'efs,'when all the advantages of, position and anfeibbt impor tance ,have been in favor of. the former,| ;I, have. unriddled this difficulty by. the proplyMeit relating to thein. E6r ,: instance, it is ! said li|l«mphis;' “Nopb shall be waste' and ivithout an inhabitant”, (Jer. xlvi. 19.;): and, f Thus saith the Lord God, I will also destroy thp idols; and I .will'cause [their] images to cease out of Noph.” (Ezek., v xxx. .13.) Except Sais," Mi aphis; 'the greatesfhi’ty of'Egypt, is : alone Sed'By ? the ruins of ■ temples. The remains are v b'terly insig nificant, although the tombs .are grea an d exten sive enough to show ,the size., and w ialth of, the city.. So, too, of Thebes it is propl fesied, “No shall he rent, asunder,” (Ezek.’xxx. 5 16;) which may merely refer to the distresses oi Hfs people; but when we stand amid its ruins,- tor; »by; a great earthquake, of which Eusebius, has p eserved the record, ws, incline to. the literal- in erpretation. Nowhere else in Egypt has the solid masonry of the temples been' thug destroyed. SWI more dis tinct are the-prophecies of ’the : dryingfpf-the Bed Sea; which; has taken place- since the latest date to which perverted ingenuity .hasSeavored .to. bring down the prophetic waitings. shall utterly destroy the tongue of fi sea.” (isaiah xi. 15.) “The 'Witter 'i shall fail from the sea." (Isaiah -six. 5.) In t ie + last two thousand years the head of the Gulf if Suez has retired some twenty miles. Who can|ook at that dried-up bed and doubt “ the sure gard of pro phecy?” So is the failure of the Mle foretold (Isaiah xix. 5,) and, apparently, also .the destruc tion of its seven streams (xixi 15,) though the latter passage may mean-, not that tW Egyptian river should be smitten in “ the seven streams,” but that “ the river,” that is Euphrates, should be smitten “ into seven streams.” ' ,l| any chse, the Nile in the Delta has so failed, tllat now the only navigable branches are the twthe fisheries, and the consequent ruin of the main branches of Egyp tian industry.’ (Isaiah, xix.) ' Notless femarkable is the exact fulfilment of these predictions. ■ The papyrus is unknown in Egypt,, the,, rpeds are no longer a feature of, its, vegetafioh, English' cotton • is sold in its streets in the place of its bribe famous fine linen, and its; fisheries ean iscareClj suppprt the political history, the -one prophecy There shall be no more a prince of the lWn4, of Egypt” (Bzek. XXX, 13,) lias been literally fulfilled in the stranger rule that has been the curse of the country since the second Persian conquest, more;than two thousand years ago. . f ~ . DECLAMATORY AND ARTIFICIAL V STYLE IN‘PREACHING. (1/f The dteelathatory: ' This'consists-in run ning through a loud and rapid course under tjjO impulse of mere volubility, without aim-- yng at any: definite impression; dealing in , gene rals, in glowing words unnaturally selected and combined because undictated by, feeling; with much earnestness, but /without any real warmth or the power of exciting.it in others. Where ignorance and hardiness, combine, it dashes forward, . sticking at no difficulties and feeling none. Sometimes it rises up into a counterfeit passion at firsthand blusters through a whole dis course with one monotonous and unmeaning voci feration. Now this is as powerless as it is disgust ing. Never, in writing or speaking, .'affect, a warmth that you do not feel. Keep down till your subject forces ypu up, and then you-will rise naturally and earryyour hearers with you.. Take care not to rise so early that you cannot sustain.yourself to the end:. ItVis easy to get higher, but difficult and dangerous to descend. 1 Sometimes the declamatory swells into the: turgid, and even in this form attempts to move the pas sions:. But' here it utterly fails; If ever there is need of simplicity, it is when you attempt, the. pa thetic. , , , ,-v There is another species of preaching of a far more popular cast, which I think may be ranked under this head. I mean that which, in thd view of the, fashionable-world, entitles the preacher to the highest rank among,pulpit orators; that which is full of warm and elegant declamation .or fanci ful descriptions—of tasteful addresses or beautiful pictures; which tabes divine truth for.its text and its heeds, but ins|m»t!y leaves it out among! human relations and, events for, its sparkr ling, or , its spiendid , illustrations.‘it ever awakens the passions, (as sometimes it power " folly does,) it is the natural passions only., It de lights Worldly men, because it pleases,their faney without-.paining .their conscience, -and sur round the preacher with glory, but do any good. God Almighty preßeryeutSreSurcbes from preachers like these! . . i . ; . . There is a wide difference between the elo quence of words-.and the eloquence of thought. One soothes and delights and, leaves you unim pressed; .the dthor opens the universe to your view, overwhelms you with a sight of. God and Christ .and heaven and hell, transports apy part of the universe the speaker pleases,, sets you down at the judgment-seat, brings you back' to tremble, over your dying children and your own sins, and controls your conscience and passions at his will. Every stroke reaches, the, heart. \ To know who are the best preachers on the whole, look at the effects. Compare, the 'state, of religion in France during the splendid reign of Louis XlVunder those eloquent .Massillon, Bossiiet, arid Bourdald.ue, withjjtbe stiiie pf religion in England at the same period udder the.warjn and faithful preaching of llowp, Bates, Baxter,' Flavel, Owen, Calamy, and Tillotsou. r; (2.) The artificial. This consists in a style and manner befitting, not an address to a popular assembly, but an essay read from A book. The sentences arc constructed and put together in ’a cool and studied'ihanncr, with too much delibera tion for warmth and' too touch labut'Jbtfvivaeity or ease. The subject is treated in.-au abstract way, 3B though one was. discussing it in' his study; and not addressing it to in audience, and of course is apt to be delivered in .a reading tone. Gene 'rally ,t!ie *movement is much' slower'tbaii ' the minds of the hearers, by ineahs of a minute, spe cification of circumstances which their imagina tion might better have supplied. As it js irupos sible in this way to awaken an v other powers of the mind, this preaching inpst be' considered as addressed solely to the: understanding. There are occasions,, (perhaps .the present ‘ may be. one,) on . which a oalm dispu&iriri of a subject is the most proper manner of treating,itWßut wbat l object to is 4to-'applii&fibh- i io' : iiil : d^Spitf , su.bsebiB' f 'dfi a studied and abstract maunei*. This, to those who are doomed to endure it, must be soporific and in Reginald Stuart Poole.* tolerable.. It, may in, some measure supply the place of books, but can never answer the pur pose intended by the appointment of'the living preacher; The style is-not that of nature nor of: the Bible. It isan artificial one introduced by an abuse of: the ; practice; of writing, sermons. The natural manner in which, man addresses man is that which prevails in conversation and in the more animated forms of speech without writing. Notes should- be only: auxiliary to that mode iof Speaking which would be. employed, without; them.. They .only help our. infirmity, but ought not to in troduce* a' new manner. A good way to guard against this injurious influencc of notes, is to ex temporize in all your sermons out of season.- This will give a natural air both to the style and. deli-, very of; your written; discourses,'.while your habit, of writing, will impart move .accuracy to your ex temporaneous efforts. „ , In this very abstraction lies' much'of- the : dif ference >between uninteresting, and-impressive preachers. The former .treat,.of moral,qualities, the latter, of persons,: and ippint; every .man’s eye ,to himself., They'say.to the wicked: This morn ing you went ihtd;'the world without going to your closet of. youf family hltari This is an important matter;^?'it is good to place the Christian* or the sinner before: you, and -talk; to him.as Cicero.did to Catiline; . . . , ■; There are few things'more insupportable .than when you- enter the house of - God to worship or io 'hear':sdteethiDg ;; to quicken 1 your spirit,; to be - obliged- to listen to' a cold, essay ; and it becomes,. the; more intolerablethe greater the pains that appear to have, been taken, to give it this form, for this looks liie going out of the way to torment you. Such a style generally betrays a great want of originality. Men not overcharged with:that subtle property, called genius, and still less gifted .with, taste, labor hard to express com mon things in an uncommon way, to twist their mother tongue into stiff and stately forms; and to be “correctly dull;”. If they would take half the pains to cultivate the language of nature which they do to spoil their style, they might be impress ive preachers; These seme men are perhaps in teresting in conversation, where they have not tortured their thoughts into inverted shapes, and broken-them to- a new order of march. This is hot-the order- ih ! which they think themselves; it is not the order, in whieh the multitude think; it is not the order in-.which any one thinks; and therefore it cannot affect a popular assembly, and is not adapted to the pulpit. It may serve as a vehicle of instruction, but can never interest the affections. This artificial style was born and brought upin colleges, and is the effect, of too exclusive a use of the pen. It is the rightful property of book-worms. It never found its way into : the drawing-room among men accustomed to conversation more than to writing. It never showed itself in the forum or the senate. The best cure for it is to take one’s self to the labors of a pastor, particularly to extemporaneous preaching, and especially in revi vals of religion. HINTS TO SABBATH-SCHOOL TEACHERS. “Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernar cle, to stir you up, by putting' you ; in remembrance.*’—- [2 Pet. i. 13.] . . ■ ; I. Knotv the relation in which yon, as Sab bath-school teachers, stand, to God, and to the children in your classes. Look upon the children as, being .placed,under ypur care arid influence for a time, not mefelylTy their' parents at Lome, or by the superintendent in the school, but by the ,All-wise Disposer of every event, so that you may feel your responsibility to Him in all yon say and do. Recognising the relation in which yon stand to the children as their teacher, and to God as His servant, in His sight and presence, about to engage in His work, then proceed— 11. To train up the children in the way they 1 should; go, by word and example as you have opportunity. To glorify God in so doing, is the end yon -must steadily and always keep in view : and in doing so— (1.) You need to know the way in which you should train up the children to go, and be your selves walking in it. Are you desirous of having the ebildren brought to Christ, and their minds enlightened in the knowledge of themselves and of Him? Then be ye found in Christ, and walking as children of the light. Will you bring Christ’s words to the children, and tell them that He is the way, and the truth, and the life, and that whosoever bometh unto Him, He will in no wise east out? Well, see to it that you yourselves do know these solemn truths you now intend to teach. Have you found re conciliation with God in and through Christ? Have yon found Him to be spiritual life to your own souls, naturally dead in trespasses and in sins? .Have you been united to Christ, andure you; living, in communion with Him ? . These solemn questions must be answered by your own consciences to Him who searcheth the heart; who knows what is in man, and cannot be de ceived. Your thoughts and feelings are open to the inspection of-God, but your words and actions are all the grounds that others can have, for thinking that these, things are so. Your word we already have. , You have professed your faith in Christ. You have declared, before , God and man; that ye are jChrist’s, and that Christ is yours. Yon have become members of Christ’s church on earth, and have declared y our readiness and willingness—yea, your determine-, tion to go forth in the Lord’s strength," to do •the Lord’s work. Your word of profession should be expressive of your conversion to Christ, and .the fact of your being in Christ, and abiding in Him, is the surest guarantee that you will faithfully.djseharge.,the duties of, Sab bath-school teachers. Andthe faithful dis charge' of these, and •bther Christian duties.de volving npon yon, will be the strongest evidenc©' to the world that youare what you profess to, be. (2.) You.need also to know the means to.be used for, accomplishing the end you have in view as Sabbath-school teachers. T-his Is due preparation. Here ’let me remark, that you ought’to give good heed to the particular les son of the day. Some people imagine .that they have so .mnch: theology tha| they cpn just turn to, any passage of - the Bible at any time and teach children, It "is a great mistake. Preparation is needed in order to tfeach child ren as w’bll as adults. It may not be necessary to search into the deep' mysteries of revealed trnth for the purpose of.bringing them before the minds of the children. But whilst strong meat must be prepared for men, the sincere milk of the Word’ must be drawn out for the children. And think not that you will be able to bring forward-the simple truths of the gospel in a, simple manner, yrith suitable illustration, so as, to arrest andjkeep, up the attention of the children for any length, of time, without due preparation. ’ I mean by due preparation, (1.) An under standing of the termsiimade; use :of in the.lesson; ~(2.,). An understanding, .of the,:doctrines .con tained in the lesson; (3.) The selection of familiar illustration of those doctrines; and (4.) ‘ The capability of communicating to the children the ideas'you would have them receive. Without a clear understanding of the meaning of the terms. you will not be able’ to show the children that the doctrine is expressed in those terms. If yon know, not the true doctrine, how can you expect the food yon give the children to be to their spiritual nourishment? Without suitable illustrations, unholy children will refuse s the .dpctrine. 4 The rfljked truth will, be, to their unsanctified hearts to a sick stomach. But without ability to communicate your idehs to the children, what will avail all yonr teach ing? You may speak, and the children may hear, but if you cannot, get them to understand, you will be like those that beat the air, ex hausting yourselves, but leaving little impression on the hearts and minds of the children. Make use, then, of your dictionaries, geo graphies, histories, encyclopaedias,: &c., in order to get the . true meaning of the words as they in the lesson. Be often in ybur closets, with your Bibles, at a throne of grace, that ye may khow the doctrine. The preparation of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue,- is from; the Lord. Be often in the homes of the children, that you may learn the amount and kind of knowledge they possess, and the kind-of influence Which bears upon them, that yon may be more able to bring forward illus trations of the truth, which shall be familiar and interesting to them. And embrace, I beseech you, all the opportunities withiu-your reach, for ' better qualifying you for communicating;know ledge to the children. You will derive much aid from attending a teachers’ , meeting, when ;;such a meeti.ng is cohvemently held for the piir :pose of prayerful deliberation* upon the truths taught in the lesson. In proportion as you at tend such meetings regularly, and take an ac tive part in all the proceedings, so will yon ■ really profit by them, lii all such meetings yon will find a blessing in contribnting your mite of .knowledge to the 'common fnnd, as well as in receiving thence.' It is more blessed to give than.to receive. Strive to learn, and strive to let others know, and in so doing,you will lose nothing, and gain much, . 111. You should give good heed to your manner of dbing things in presence of the children. Let your manner of life be always in accordance with the,doctrines you teach. The children will be greatly influenced by your man ner of coming to school, your manner of teach ing, and your manner of’discipline. (1.) With regard' to your manner of coming to :school, I shall only mention the duty of punctuality. I hope it is one that you all feel to be of great importance, and one which you will daily practise. Without punctuality there will be little good order in your classes. With out rigid punctuality on ypwn part, yon cannot expect, nor will: there be, rigid punctuality on the part of the children, and want of punctuality on their part is the highway .to disorder in the class. With grace and strength from on high, be prepared to come. Always bear in mind that your own presence in the class is vastly preferable to that of a substitute, and, therefore, make a strenuous effort, though at the cost of some self-denial, that your respective classes may be taught regularly by yourselves. At the appointed time be at your posts. Recog nise yourselves there as the servants of God, and the work, before yon as His. Then, what ever thy band findeth to do, do -it with thy might, and leave the result to God, (2.) With regard to yonr manner of teach ing, as opportunity presents itself, take ad vantage of model lessons. Yon will find, how ever, that Jesus himself is the best model teacher. Study His system—-the kind of illustrations He uses, and His method of using them. See, for example, how He educes the meaning of the term neighbor, by bringing* before. His pupil’s mind the neighborly conduct of the good Sa . maritan. Strive not only to be able to teach, : but apt to teach. •_ ' (3.) With regard to discipline, too, where do well to follow the example that God sets in His mode of dealing with; you as.i-sinners, to. lead you to repentance. He maketh yon ex perience His goodness, and His goodness lead eth thee to repentance. You may often be perplexed by a naughty child, but despise not the, riches of .goodness, forbearance, and- long suffering in dealing with him. If'he does ill, show your abhorrence of the ill, but do not let him feel the influence of an angry master.' Do him good. If he offend again,-exercise forbear ance. If he continue to. vex you by ill-doing, continue yon to suffer long and unweariedly in well-doing. But mark you, not every kind of goodness will lead to repentance. The goodness of the idol, that lets the idolater live in sin, and at the same time retain his hope of;escaping future punishment, may lead the sinner to ruin, but not to repentance. The goodness of the priest, who offers to pardon the guilty on certain conditions, may lead the sinner to do penance, but not to repentance. The goodness of an over-indulgent mother, who, having found; her darling guilty, with threatenings sentences him accordingly, and, at the same time, permits him to escape, may lead the naughty one, with impnnity, to re peat the offence, but it will not lead him ta re- : pent; It is the goodness of God that leadeth to repentance—a strict marking of iniquity;— never passing it by—always manifesting the same abhorrence of it-—bating the abominable thing always, yet always ioving the sinner—-for bearing, suffering long, and still doing good marking and punishing .the sinner’s ; sin, and making the sinner see and feel His wondrous love. Such goodness melts the sinner’s heart —-leads him to repentance. So heap eoals of fire upon the naughty children’s heads. Mark, detest,' abhor; and check the evil, as>it begins to manifest itself in naughtiness.; Let tshe children feel that you Jove thpm, while you hate their sin. Be firm, yet kind. Abhor the evil done, and love the evil-doer. Let the naughty child ex perience such goodness, and it, if anything on your part ,wilbdoit; will lead him to repentance. In conclusion, do not think that your path, as Sabbath-school teachers, will be bestrewed with roses and fragrant flowers alone. You will find the * thorns and briers' of bitter disappointment •there. But be not discouraged, although results {may not be.aecording.toyonr antidpations. Be instant in season and out L of Season. In the ’ rn’orhlhg sowthy seed, and'W the evening With hold not thy hand. Enter into thy closet. Me ditate, and pray to thy Father who seeth in secret; -There get understanding and wisdom from above. Go thence to your classes. . Teach —train.; Return unto the Lord, and pour out your heart’s desire unto him. Consult Him in everything. Leave your case in His hands. Give thanks, and take courage. “ That nian, who, bearing precious seed, In going forth doth mourn, He, doubtless, bringing back his sheaves, Rejoicing shall return.” G. G. For in Human Nature.—An estimable lady, a personal and beloved friend of mine, said to me, when urged‘to forgive an injury, “It is notin hu man nature toforgive injuries as goadingas these.” ‘iYou are right, my friend,” I replied; “it is not in human nature, but it is in the grace of Jesus Christ. He has charged us, ‘ Love your enemies; bless them tbat’cufse you; do good to them that Eatelyou; and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you ; that ye may be: the .children of,your father whioh is in heaven.' ” ' Site lady bad a long struggle' with herself, but, through the grace of Christ, she overcame. Sh'e forgave from the heart, and was a happier woman; and a,most exemplary Christian ever after. These .are high Christian;virtues.. They are not imagi nable,; nor are-they beyond Christian attainment. STATISTICS OF THE UNITED PKESBYTE EIAN CHUfiCH. 1860. 1859. Synods, : 5 : 4 Presbyteries, 43 42 . pastors,. 334 ‘ ! 3M WitboutCKUrge;:,,.' 113 102 ; Total- Ministers,..a..:447 , ,408 ■ Licentiates, 51 50 Congregations;.. 674 634 Families 26,337 25,174 Communicants 58,781 55,547 VOL IV.—NO. 46.—Whole No. 211. What is-the greatest heresy of all? What doc trine, what ordinance, what conduct is it connected with? What say you, Christian reader? Among all the. errors in doctrine and practice, that you know of among professed Christians, what is the worset, what the most dangerous, the moßt inju rious? For-whatever is the greatest heresy, the most pernicious and dangerous, ought to be avoided with the most earnest and scrupulous care. The late eminent man of God, Rev. J. W. Alexander, D.D., wrote to his friend: “The greatest heresy is want of love; Oh! for a cycle of peace. Oh! for a breathing spell from these unnatural contentions ! I feel as if I could join any, who would, humbly unite in direct and kind efforts to save sinners and relieve human misery. Cannot a poor believer go along in his pilgrimage heavenward, without being always on militaiy;duty ? At the judgment, I heartily believe: that some heresies-of heart and temper will be charged as worsettlian heavy-doctrinal errors. I hold* not only that the tenets are true, but that theyare'very important. But Ise'e how easy it is to ‘ hold the .truth ;in rancor andhate, which is the grand error of depraved human nature,” Those are words that deserve thought, words that come from the' heart of eminent worth and of eminent piety. Our pulpits and onr presses teem and- bristle with exposures of the heresies of the bead, while this greatest of heresies, the .-heresy of the heart, is left to grow on, to spread, to extend, to be tbe fruitful parent of all other heresies, the source of countless trouble.’ Reader, will yon read over again the extract above quoted, and consider whether it be true, and if true, what lesson- should: it teach you? “ He. that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God: for God-is love.” When D'e Tocqneville was here, he asked to see a Sabbath-sehool. He was struck' with seeing, a : Bible in. the bands of almost every child. “Is this common ? ” said he to his friend. “ What a. mighty ' influence it must have upon the nation.” Think of the unnumbered Sabbath-school pupils in all : Christian lands, each with a book in their hands. More striking still is the thought of all -Christians in all lands, sitting each in their private, room, every morning before they go into the world, to read this one book. What must the book be .to furnish the minds and hearts of spiritual people with exbaustless supplies of thought and emotion ? Not;so Shakspeare; nor:even Banyan; copying, so closely from the Bible, can fill, such a place. “Do not read Bnnyan to me any more,” said a distinguished missionary lady, near her end, to her husband; “Buhyan tires me; but I ean hear you read the Bible without fatigue.” Why has net Josephus’;. History of the Jews equal power with this book in .narrating the very same things? Because inspiration ,has flowed into the very thoughts and language of the Bible. You cannot define it any'more than you can anatomize' a smile. A quotation, by a public speaker, of Bible language,' has power with his audience which is beyond explanation, except from its snpernatu ralness. God, knowing that this book was to be tbe only source of spiritual food and . life, Would not have left it a fallible guide, ’ He who, hanging the earth on nqtbing,;endowed the North with the mysterious •power of magnetism to guide the mariner,-has not left the soul without a sure source of information to guide to heaven. But did a naan have inspiration in saying some of these very common things ? Certainly—to say them, just then, and just so, as a part of the great whole,. See that' rope on the top of the cross, in Rubens’picture. Was Rubens’genius requisite to paint that.rope ? Could not a common painter have made it? No, Rubens conceived the idea; an ordinary man might not have done so. You might criticise little things. in any painting, or statue, and fritter the whole away. The principles of criticism whicK some thus apply to tbe Bible, if taken into the Athenaeum Gallery, would, cause a man to-be despised.' Two years ago, a prize was offered by an English gentleman, for the best essay on the cause of the decline of the Society of ■ Friends. Of the essays presented, there-were two, which the umpires re commended should be put on an equal footing as to compensation. One of these, by Mr. J. Kown tree, views the question from a practical, the other; by Mr. Thomas Hancock, from an ecclesiastical 'stand-point. From the two.we will take some of the more prominent points. First, as to the facts: “In 1690, after forty years of incessant persecution, it could point to an organized body of sixty or seventy thousand: ad herent's in Great Britain and Eeland, to flourish ing congregations in other parts of Europe, and to more than one great colony it had founded in the Western World.” Soon comes a change. “The -Society of Friends attained its numerical meridian in this island about the year 1680, and in the next one hundred and twenty years its decline was con tinuous, reducing its numbers by the year 1800 to one-half of what they had been at their highest point. During the present century, this decline has advanced still further, and there are now not more than twenty-six thousand persons in Great Britain-and Ireland professing with Friends. Within the last one hundred and eighty years, the population.of the United Kingdom has trebled, but the Society of Friends has diminished nearly twb thirds.” In America the decline has been proportionate. Then as to the cause of this, with the help,of the. writers above named, we will mention the fol lowing: ' j - „ T; "Wdhi of addikislrg.— The-pnblie-preaching is, in the main, uncultivated and.unedifying. As education progresses and theological literature be comes more widely opened,, this want of, trailing among “ public” Friends becomes more conspicu ous. Nor can it be helped. No “ hireling ” sup port can be received for ministers, therefore, there Can be no class set apart for the eaie of souls and religious- instruction. From this two con sequences : , ■ , . ■, A (1.) Depreciation of Reason. —First impres sions are held to be divine impulses, thoqgh often crude and ignorant. Hence Hicksitism, Free Quakerism and Higher Lawism, so far as the latter concerns “ Progressive Friends.” \ (2.) , Lowering of the Written• Wvrd.-~fi is thought to be carnal- to consider what the text, as judged by the laws of ‘criticism, really means. Then the literal meaning is made to bend to what are considered the indications of the spirit. 11. Cutting Away.---No society turns out so much. One “female Friend” goes because she buys a piano; another because she attends a con cert. In time of war, all the young men wb6 go to a .militia training are read out in a mass. “ Mar rying, out of meeting” is punished in the same way,- “ 'VViiihm a considerable proportion of the present century, the Society of Friends in England has disowned nearly one-third of all its members who have married, a total of not less than four thousand persons.” •• 111. Cramping.— Nowhere is there so expul sive a compression. The rubrics of the tailor and the milliner are inexorable. “If you do not wear this coat or this hat, you must go.” So it is with many other matters of mere taste.' Now, rubrics have been called the hoops to the barrel, but here we, have a series of hoops which squeeze the bar rel so tjght that its contents are all forced cut. Hence it is, that with the acknowledged piety and purity of the Society of Friends in England; the deaths exceed births by two thousand-' four hundred since 1810. THE GREATEST HERESY. THE INSPIRATION OF THE BIBLE. BECLINE OF QUAKERISM; Dr. Hefiemiah Adams. Episcopal Recorder.