and looking to the minister for help, brought to the great decision by seeing him, when she expected he would call, repeatedly pass the house, as if he had given her up, and had no hopes of her conversion. Indeed, cases like these very often occur. I remember one of thrilling interest in this college. A student, who had been religiously educated, was awakened, and lingered in great distress for some time. I saw him often. He was always glad to meet me, and conversed with uncommon intelligence and freedom. These interviews were continued, till he clearly saw just what he must do, or perish. Still he lingered, and I became satisfied that he was leaning upon me, a worm of the dust, though he probably was not conscious of it himself. One night he sent for me, in great agony of spirit, begging me to come as soon as I could, and tell him what he must do. I had seen him that very day, and told him, as I had often done before, I could say no more if I went. He did not need instruction. He knew what he ought to do, but his proud heart would not bow. He wanted something to cling to. It was clear to me that the Holy Spirit was bringing him to the point, and that human agency would rather interfere with the process, than help it forward. Instead of hastening to his room, therefore, I sent him this message: I would visit you with all my heart, my dear young friend, but I can do you no good. You are in the hands of God, and there I leave you. What he requires is perfectly reasonable. You know it is; and he never will give up his claim. You must cast yourself unconditionally upon his mercy, through Jesus Christ, or perish." This was a great disappointment, and increased the poor young man's distress exceedingly. He felt as if he was forsaken. The last prop on which he leaned had given way, and he scarcely expected to live till morning; but ere morning came, the struggle was over. He not only saw that God was on the throne, but rejoiced in it. A new song was put into his mouth, and he has long been a humble and zealous preacher of the gospel.

Be infinitely more anxious to have the work of conviction deep and thorough in the hearts of awakened sinners, and to witness the evidences of their true conversion, than to have them get hopes. The danger in most cases is,

they will too soon hope they are born again. Hardly anything is more to be dreaded than a false hope. When an individual who has been in deep distress tells you that the load is gone, and he has new views and feelings, instead of putting him down at once as a convert, remind him that there is great danger of self-deception. Exhort him to suspend his judgment till he has time to examine himself, and faithfully to apply the tests of God's holy word. If he has really been renewed by the Holy Spirit, his living without a hope for a few days or weeks will not endanger his salvation; but encouraging him to think he is a Christian upon a superficial experience may prove his eternal undoing.

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I never love to hear a minister say, in the progress of a revival, that so many have been converted already,forty, fifty, or any other definite number. "Ten were brought out last week, eight the week before, and twelve are already rejoicing this week," &c., &c. It is not given us to know the hearts of men in the most powerful revival. Multitudes hear the word with joy who are never converted. The good seed springs up, but it is in stony places." There is "no deepness of earth, and when the sun is up, it withereth." If you count all who get hopes and appear well, as the work advances, you will be sure to overrate the number. Some in whom you have much confidence will by-and-bye "fall away." At the end of three or four months after the supposed conversion of a hundred persons, you must expect to see a considerable number returning to the "beggarly elements of the world," sorely disappointing their pious friends. And is not this one reason why certain revivalists, who make the most noise in the country, are so anxious to get their converts into the church as soon as possible? Is it uncharitable to think that they want to swell the list beyond what they could any how expect to do, if they were to wait for the chaff to blow off?

You do not tell me whether the revival in L- embraces children or not. This is not unfrequently the case, and I have no doubt that many are renewed at a very tender age. But if there is any considerable number of the children of your congregation excited to make the great inquiry, "What shall we do?" I am sure that while

you rejoice to see them flocking around for advice, it will occasion you a great deal of solicitude. You will find it extremely difficult to determine how much of the interest which they manifest arises from mere sympathy, and how much from the striving of the Spirit,-how much they talk, and exhort, and pray from imitation, and how much from the impulse of religious feeling. You will often be astonished at the apparent maturity of their views and genuineness of their experience, and will probably look upon many more of them as truly converted than really are. A few months will convince you that much of what appeared so promising was "the morning cloud and the early dew." Some, however, will, it is to be hoped, give increasing evidence of a real change of heart, and the question of receiving them into the church will come up at no distant day. They may wish very much to be admitted, and their friends perhaps will urge it; but I hope you will take time and look at the question in all its bearings, before you give your consent. A great many young people in some parts of the land are now in the churches, who are quite sure they never had any religion, and who exceedingly regret that they were encouraged or allowed to make a profession at so early an age. It appears to me the cases are very rare in which children should be received under fourteen, and that it is not safe to admit many till they are still older. The true way, I cannot help thinking, is, to form them into a class of catechumens, under such a course of religious instruction as is best calculated to imbue their minds with the essential doctrines of the gospel, to make them ac quainted with the nature and evidences of true piety, and to prepare them for admission to the Lord's table, after a suitable probation. Precisely how long they should be kept in the class of catechumens I am not prepared to say. Doubtless some may be admitted into the church earlier than others, but I think there is more danger of moving too fast than too slow.

Although the probation of adults, in general, should be shorter, it seems to me that as soon as a considerable number have signified a desire to join the church, it is the duty of the pastor to meet them weekly or oftener, for a considerable length of time, for the

express purpose of explaining to them the articles of faith, the nature and obligations of the covenant, and for carefully going over the whole ground of Christian experience, that they may act with a full understanding of what they believe and promise, when they make a public profession. You will remember that, after the great revival of 1827, in your junior year, this course was adopted; and it is one which I have always felt it my duty to pursue, both before I came here and since.

But, my dear son, I have no time to enlarge, and am sure that if I had, I could not do full justice to the subject of revivals. It is a great subject. It is an exceedingly difficult subject; and I rejoice to refer you to much better instruction and advice than I can give you. President Edwards has treated it with great discrimination and ability. Next to the Bible, I recommend to you the study of his invaluable narrative of the wonderful work of God in Ame rica, a century ago. Dr. Sprague's Lectures are well worth your perusal; and the Appendix, consisting of about twenty letters from distinguished ministers of different denominations, you should not fail to have on your table for daily reference. A volume entitled, "The Great Awakening," by the Rev. Joseph Tracy, and lately published in Boston, I would likewise warmly recommend to your notice. It is a condensed compilation of great value, and every pastor in the land ought to pos sess it. That you may be greatly as sisted by such helps as you can obtain, and above all, that you may be taught of God, and made eminently wise and successful in winning souls to Christ, is the prayer of

Your affectionate Father.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FOR. MER ORTHODOX PREACHING AND LATER.

[THERE is something very remarkable about the history of this valuable Article. For some time previous to the year 1849, there were residing in one of the villages of Frank lin County, U.S., two aged Congregational clergymen of high intelligence, who, during their whole ministerial lives, had been on terms of intimate acquaintance. These venerable men of fourscore continued to regard the interests of truth and of the church with a concern scarcely less deep than when they

were in the prime of life, and spoke often one to another, in the manner of aged persons, in reference to the superiority of the former days in comparison with those which they had lingered behind their generation to see. At length, in the autumn of the year mentioned above, the eldest of these ministers, with mental powers nearly as firm as ever, was called away to his everlasting rest. Upon a small table in his room, on which he was accustomed to do his writing, the following paper was found,-it being the last, undoubtedly, on which he had employed his pen. We have no reason to suppose that it was intended for publication; unless this should be inferred from the pains taken in writing so fully out what was at first contemplated only as an answer to a friend, and from the fact that it was found to have been duly subscribed with the signature which he more commonly used in occasional contributions to the columns of religious journals. We rejoice in the opportunity of laying it before our readers, as it is specially adapted to present times.-EDITOR.]

I was lately asked by an aged clergyman, of my own years, to state the difference between the preaching of orthodox ministers fifty years ago, and that of those called orthodox now. That there is an evident difference, generally speaking, I think will not be denied by any person of discernment, whose memory extends so far back, whether he considers the modern an improvement or the reverse. This difference I shall, as requested, attempt to state.

1. The former was more doctrinal than the modern.

The natural and moral perfections of God, the total depravity of man, the necessity and nature of regeneration, repentance of sin, and cordial faith in Christ by the special operation of the Holy Ghost and electing love of God, the divinity and atonement of Christ, with other connected truths, were, in the sermons forty or fifty years ago, stated plainly, and well supported by arguments from Scripture and reason. These doctrines, in some bearing or other, made a large proportion of the preaching of thoroughly orthodox ministers then, though gospel duties were not neglected. They considered the knowledge and experience of the doctrines of primary importance, to prepare the heart sincerely to perform the duties. But such preaching has mostly disappeared for a number

of years past. Orthodox preachers preach now according to these doctrines, or taking them for granted, rather than to explain and enforce them. They dwell on duties rather than doctrines, without treating the belief of the latter as the best test of the former, or as essential to real Christian character; and usually take it for granted that all professors are Christians, without putting them under any close examination. On the same principle, they extend their charity to some other denominations decidedly opposed to these leading doctrines; seeming to forget that sound religion is first doctrinal, then experimental, then practical, and that the want of either of these parts makes void the whole. Religious experience and practice, not founded on truth believed, stand on nothing, and are of no more worth, religiously, than devotion to Juggernaut.

2. The former preachers constructed their discourses so as to have a direct bearing on the consciences and hearts of the hearers.

They did not preach merely to give information on some religious subject, but chose such topics of discourse as could easily be made to bear on the consciences and hearts of their hearers, as indeed every truth of religion may. They preached, not to exhibit ingeniously composed discourses, or mere speculative knowledge, or to move the superficial passions, but to excite their hearers to inquire, "What shall I do to be saved?" or, "How shall I get a knowledge that I am a Christian, inhabited as I am by a deceitful heart?" In places where there is an awakening, this is aimed to be, in some measure, the character of the preaching now; and it is difficult to say why it should not be so always, as to a good proportion of it, for the preacher always has before him impenitent sinners, and professors of more or less doubtful character. But this cannot be said of modern orthodox preaching generally. The sermons are so little pointedly directed to the conscience and the heart, that hearers usually go away from them as much undisturbed as they came. It is true that no preaching can awaken the conscience without being sent home by the Spirit of God; but preachers should form their discourses as discreetly and rationally as if the effect was to be expected from this cause alone. It is also more consistent to direct the preaching to the same

object to which the Spirit's aid is invoked; and he is more likely to bless that which co-operates with him than that which counteracts him, or is of a neutral tendency. Merely moral preaching is of this latter kind, as it neglects and acts against the Spirit; since all it seeks can be effected on merely natural principles, or by exciting into operation an intelligent selfishness. But the olden preachers' chief concern was to make the tree good; and if this could be done, they had little concern but that the fruit would be good. For this important object their sermons were constructed, and to it anxiously directed.

3. Those former preachers, and indeed all ancient orthodox preachers of seriousness and skill, made close application of their discourses to their hearers, according to the character marked out in the

sermon.

were

As Christ's preaching drew characters, to which the blessings pronounced were promised, and the curses threatened, so do all thorough preachers of his gospel. So did those of whom I am speaking. And they preached to the people before them, applying the discourse as they passed along, or distinctly and impressively at the close. They knew that proclaiming divine truth, without a searching application to their hearers, prejudiced in their own favour as they usually are found, was little more than beating the air. They endeavoured to make their sermons say to their hearers respectively, as Nathan to David, "Thou art the man;" without which application, the parable, ingenious as it was, would have been useless. But the case with our modern preachers too often is different. If they preach a sermon otherwise good, they leave the application pretty much to their reluctant or careless hearers, instead of forcing each one's portion into his bosom, to carry it home and through the week. So the principal object of preaching is lost. And it is rather marvellous to see young, intelligent men, coming out of the highly learned seminaries of modern times, and yet seeming not to know what the great and ultimate object of a sermon should be-to convince the conscience and improve the heart. We old men cannot but wish that the professors who instructed them in sermonizing had been more particular with them on this important point, whatever else they might have omitted. The careful reading of the practical and impressive ser

mons of Edwards, Davis, Bellamy, Emmons, Nettleton, M'Cheyne, and others similar, might be greatly useful to them in this particular, as well as in others. These men evidently thought that if the conscience or heart was not aroused, nothing was done in this high calling. Though other preachers may do something in enlightening the understanding and mending the morals, they do very little towards fulfilling Christ's last commission to his apostles and their successors, viewed with its solemn sanctions. From what is stated above we infer :

1. A reason why revivals in our orthodox societies are more seldom than formerly.

Doctrinal truths are not preached so frequently, fully, plainly, and convincingly as they were forty or fifty years ago; and these truths are not only the most awakening instructions, but are the foundation of all genuine religious experience and practice. Though God is a sovereign in his converting grace, yet he requires us to use the proper means of conviction; and without this we have no more reason to expect revivals of real religion, than we have to expect that the heathen will be converted without having the gospel sent to them. Let us not marvel at the dearth of revivals, while we withhold the best means of awakening the mind and convincing the conscience.

2. We learn why the old revivals were more pure, and the effects of them more active and enduring as to a religious life.

This, we think, will be granted as a fact, by all whose knowledge extends back far enough. Those revivals produced, generally, understanding, active, and persevering Christians. But this has been less so in later times. In some places it has been difficult, a few years after a revival, to find among the subjects of it a decisively clear, active Christian, or one with whom religion was evidently the first, great object. And many revivals we have had, seemingly very powerful and extensive at the time, which have been mostly as the morning cloud and early dew. The truths preached in the former, and the manner of preaching them, explains this difference in the results.

3. We see why doctrinal, plain, and close preaching is less objected to in times of real revival.

It is because such preaching is more

correspondent with the work of the Spirit on the minds of the hearers. Every person, almost, can then see the impropriety of having ingenious, tasty, or merely moral sermons preached. They are at once seen and felt not to co-operate with the work of the Spirit, but to counteract it. They may trim and ornament some of the branches, but, in a real revival, it is felt that the axe should be laid at the root of the tree of human depravity and enmity to God. This instrument, in the hand of the Spirit, is plain, doctrinal, close preaching. Those who disrelish it at other times feel the truth and propriety of it when operated upon in some measure by the Spirit of truth. They are then made to feel that the word of God is the sword of the Spirit, which they cannot turn aside, when judiciously wielded.

4. We see that revivals of religion should be expected to begin with the ministers of the gospel.

Doctrinal, searching preaching is usually the great instrument of them, and this is in the hands of ministers. Till they are woke up to wield it, and that with deep seriousness and prayerfulness, we have no reason to expect their hearers to be awakened to the concerns of their souls. And they may well be always awake, since weekly, at least, they see before them a large proportion of their people liable every moment to drop into perdition. Some seem always thus awake, while others are too often seen sleeping at their posts. When we see ministers thoroughly and generally awakened on this subject, we may hope the Lord is drawing near with the blessings of salvation.

5. Those who hate the leading doctrines of the Bible, or are indifferent respecting them, may well be alarmed respecting themselves.

If there is most religion where these doctrines are most clearly taught and most cordially received, there must be least, or none at all, where they are treated with opposition or indifference. That is an alarming passage which tells us about men's failing of salvation, "because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved." Let all see to it that they receive all God's revealed truths in sincere love, especially the fundamental doctrines of the divine system, which, with the blessing of God, are able to make them wise unto salvation. CLERICUS.

OPENING UP THE WORD OF GOD,

Read to a Ministerial Conference.

THE Bible was never designed to accommodate essayists with appropriate mottoes for their self-devised themes; but to be the substantial matter of a divinely appointed ministry, and the authoritative embodiment of God's revelation to a lost and ruined world.

The Bible is to be regarded as the truth, containing the divinely enunciated laws of right, as applicable to all the facts in the universe. The Bible is the divine mind in relation to man, and the plan of his redemption from the ruins of apostacy. It is a system of truths, blending harmoniously into one. It is the truth-the sum-the concrete of all truths. This may be illustrated by a perfect machine, made up of perfect parts or wheels-of wheels blending their individual perfection in the perfection of the whole; only, to make the illustration complete, we must suppose each wheel a perfect machine itself. We must consider each wheel as somehow embodying in itself the perfection of the whole. God himself is in every evangelical truth. In the vision seen by Ezekiel, the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels -in each of the wheels, giving order to their variety of motion, so as to produce the onward course of the united whole. It went and returned not.

The skill of Bible analysis, in reference to sermonizing, consists in so detaching one of these wheels from the machine of these truths from the great truth for the occasion, as to examine and exhibit its individual completeness; and, at the same time, to preserve and exhibit the perfection of its relation to the great whole of evangelical truth.

There is, perhaps, no one thing which so determines the clearness or the confusedness, the plainness or the obscurity of a sermon, as a skilful or defective analysis of the text. Indeed, in the selection of the preacher's theme from his text, sound analysis is indispensable. Nor is it less needed in the inter-treatment of his theme when selected. Its harmony with other truth or truths, must never be allowed to confound or hide its own individuality. Neither should it be allowed to clash with other truths: to mar the perfection of the great whole of truth. On the accuracy and integrity of this analysis will the force and beauty of any passage of Scripture which he may quote, depend.