poverty men who, whether as fathers, husbands, neighbors or citizens, still shall make righteousness the groundwork and superstructure of their lives, women who, whether in the domestic circle or in the wider connexions of society, shall aim to fulfil all righteousness, children, whose training shall be in the ways of righteousness, all, in all situations and relations, righteous, heartily, thoroughly righteous. It is not a superficial nor an occasional excellence, which we say is demanded by the necessity of the times and by the authority of religion; but an excellence, a righteousness, — that is the word which I love to repeat, - which shall reach down to the lowest strata of character, and reach up to its loftiest pinnacles; not like the snow which dazzles us from Alpine heights, or the ore which meets us in spots as we examine the mountain's sides, but like the principle of organic matter which we find pervading every kind of soil and every species of mineral formation. It is not a partial correspondence between the human character and the Divine will, on which the interpreter of Christianity must insist, as he applies its requisitions either to himself or to others; but " as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle, 'See,' saith he, 'that thou make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount,'" so must the Christian conform his whole being, in all its principles and details, in all its habits and exercises, to the mind of God as expressed in the teaching and life of Jesus Christ. This is Christian righteousness, which handles details as well as determines principles, which makes a man's carriage right in his family as well as beyond his own doors, and his heart right beneath the Omniscient Eye as well as

before the judgment of his fellow-men. Oh let me have this righteousness, and though I be stripped of every thing else, I am rich, I am strong, I am happy. Let me have this, and I will go on through life with a consistent behavior and a tranquil mind, I will reflect from my actions the purity, and will entertain in my soul the blessedness of heaven.

It follows from what has been said, that the denomination which would plant itself upon the true ground of Christian doctrine and commandment, must make righteousness the theme of its preaching and the goal of its efforts. Has any one of the various sects into which the Church is divided done this? Is any one of the denominations which prevail in our country engaged in this work? I fear not. I apprehend that, unless there be one exception which I shall presently point out, the sect is yet to arise, which shall establish itself upon this ground, and there abide unmoved by reproach or by example. I mean not to deny that most of the Christian sects, now and in former ages, have included righteousness within the scope of their instruction. But they have not taught it as the chief thing, they have not taught it as the one thing, which like Joseph's sheaf in his dream stands upright, while all the other topics of exhortation, like the other sheaves which he beheld, stand round about and make obeisance. Ecclesiastical history, I suppose, will show that every division of the Christian Church has had some truth, some idea substantially correct, of which it has made itself the defender and propagator. I presume that it is necessary to the existence of a sect beyond the duration of the circumstances which may create a

temporary schism, that it represent some idea which belongs to the household of Christian truths. It is probable, if not certain, that in its eagerness to unfold this idea it wil do injustice to other members of this household. Still, in the competition of sects to exhibit each its favorite idea, the different points in the circle of Divine revelation will be made conspicuous to the eyes of men, and great benefit accrue to the Christian world. What I notice as most worthy of remark is, that no denomination has seized upon the grand idea of righteousness, and labored to give it the prominence which it ought to hold. Is not this true? It is easy to discover on what the principal sects by which we are surrounded lay the most stress. Is it character, personal excellence, the righteousness of which we have been discoursing? I think not. The idea which lies at the foundation of the vast fabric of the Roman Catholie communion is the visible unity of the Church. The idea which Calvinism has striven to expound and enforce is faith, or belief in certain propositions. The idea from its attachment to which the Baptist denomination within a few years has been able to secure such an increase of numbers and influence, is not the validity of a rite, but something more vital than this, to wit, the authority of the letter of Scripture. I need not multiply examples in proof of the remark, that any sect, to live and grow, must adopt some idea as the basis of its separation from the rest of the Church. Now does the history of past ages, or observation in our own times, show that the inculcation of righteousness has been the distinctive undertaking of any of the innumerable denominations of the past or the present? Let us pause upon this in

quiry, for I wish to draw from it an inference of some

moment.

The sects of Christendom may be arranged under five designations, according to the character of the ideas which they have made the special objects of attention. First in importance, because they comprise the great majority of the Christian world, are the ecclesiastical sects, with whom the idea of the Church is fundamental and essential. To this class belong the Romish and the Episcopal bodies. Strike from Romanism or from Episcopalianism the idea of an organization embracing and controlling all its members, and these forms of visible existence, covered as they are with the moss of ages and surrounded by the fondest associations, would soon fall to pieces; the ivy would not be strong enough to sustain the tree whose heart had perished. Next in the number of their adherents are the doctrinal sects, or those who exaggerate the value of opinions, making some article or system of faith the object around which each has gathered its strength, and from which it draws its vitality. Take away this faith, and nothing remains as a principle of cohesion; as we have seen in the Presbyterian denomination of this country, now sundered into two independent and hostile bodies, and as will doubtless be seen in others of what are called the Orthodox sects. Then follow those small but fervent companies of believers, who arrogate the title of spiritual, and may perhaps best be described as the meditative or introspective sects; whose watch-word is the "inner light." Such have been the Quakers and the Mystics of different periods, and here probably should the religious Transcendentalists of our own day be reckoned. Akin to these, but of a distinct order, may be ranked the devo

tional sects, or those who have insisted on a closer walk with God than prevailed around them, but who have mistaken the nature of this walk by describing it rather as a separation from the usual concerns of life than as a religious fidelity in the midst of them. Into this division, notwithstanding the obvious difference between them in some respects, would fall both the Puritans and the Methodists of English history. And, lastly, we may count those sects which have been distinguished by their anxiety to reduce the supernatural in religion to the least possible amount, and whose methods of interpreting and using the Bible indicate that the excellence of reason is the idea which has captivated their minds. Of this class we may find examples both in England and Germany, and in our own land. To some one or other of these classes, or inclining partly to one and partly to another, according to the relation which the ideas they have adopted sustain to these outlines, would an acquaintance with their origin and character enable us to distribute the several sects of Christendom. And now, in which of these do we find that regard for righteousness, as the main idea of the religious. life, on which I have insisted in this discourse? In none of them. Something else is made prominent, while this, if not overlooked, is left in the back-ground. In none of those representations which they give of the Gospel is righteousness the principal figure, which by determining the relation of the other parts of the picture secures its harmony and effect. A sect is needed, which shall un. derstand and exhibit the proper position and influence of this idea.

Before proceeding to the inference which may be found ed on this remark, I would confirm its justice by directVOL. XVI. — NO. 184.

2*