and whether they be individuals or societies, they cease to be in a wholesome state when their own things become dearer than the Church of Christ and its wide interests. It is a sad inversion of the apostolic spirit when the transference of a conspicuous proselyte from one section of the Church to another, is a source of higher exultation than the accession to the Church of the saved of some notorious sinner from an ungodly world. The one event excites rapture in heaven, Luke xv. 10, perhaps the other is too trivial to attract any notice there. Still there is a limit within which denominational zeal might be innocent and even salutary. In civil society we have often witnessed an honest rivalry between different families-a strife who should count up the largest list of worthies, and send out into the commonwealth the goodliest band of brave, or patriotic, or learned sons; and this competition occasioned no heart-burnings and no bloodshed-nothing but a higher style of family nobility. Would to God that the different clans and families in the Saviour's kingdom had the same loyalty and patriotism; and, instead of wasting their strength in mutual extermination, were striving who should send out the noblest missions and the most devoted ministers-who should produce the holiest people and the most numerous converts, who should supply the largest contribution to the commor Christianity, and achieve the greatest services for the common Saviour! To do this, the perfecting of denominational machinery, and the development of denominational resources, might be needful; but there would be no need to demolish our neighbour's implements, or abstract our neighbour's workmen. There need be no breaking into each other's fold, so long as there are so many sheep in the wilderness; and there need be no strife between the herdsmen, so long as each may dig his own well, and write over it REHOBOTH.

(To be continued.)

POPISH IMPOSITIONS.

THE HOLY AMPULLA, formerly of so much consequence in the consecration of the kings of France, was a small bottle, filled, it is said, with a miraculous balm, which never diminished, and which served to anoint Clovis. It was pretended that it was sent from heaven by a dove to St. Remigius, who died about the year 533. It was treasured in the very tomb of the ancient archbishop, in a shrine of the abbey bearing his name; and was enclosed in a silver gilt reliquary, enriched with diamonds and gems of various colors.

At the time of the French Revolution, the Ampulla was broken to pieces upon the pavement of the abbey, by the conventionary Ruhl, who had been deputed for that purpose: the shrine and relics, broken by his direction, were sent to Monnaie.

The last time the unique properties and virtues of the "Holy Ampulla" were called into requisition, was at the coronation of the unfortunate Louis XVI. which took place at Rheims, on Sunday the 11th of June, 1775 A sketch of this part of the ceremony is subjoined, extracted chiefly from the "Secret Correspondence of the Court of Louis XVI."

The king having reached the church about seven, and every one having taken his proper place, the holy Ampulla soon arrived at the principal door. It was brought from the abbey of Saint Remi by the grand prior, in a cover of cloth and gold, and mounted upon a white horse from the king's stable, covered with a housing of cloth of silver, richly embroidered, and led by the reins by two grooms of the state stable. The grand prior was under a canopy of similar materials, which was carried by four barons, called knights of the Holy Ampulla, clad in white satin, &c. &c. At the four corners of the canopy, the peers, named by the king as hostages of the holy Ampulla, were seen, each preceded by his esquire, with a standard, bearing on one side the arms of France, and on the other those of the peer himself. The hostages took a solemn oath upon

the holy Gospels, between the hands of the prior, and in presence of the officers of the abbey Bailiwick, that no injury should be done to the holy Ampulla, for the preservation of which they promised to risk, if necessary, their lives.

The archbishop of Rheims being apprized, by the master of the ceremonies, of the arrival of the holy Ampulla, went to receive it at the gate of the church. Upon placing it in his hands, the grand prior addressed these words to him:--"To you, my lord, I entrust this precious treasure, sent from heaven to the great saint Remigius, for the consecration of Clovis, and the kings his successors; but I request you, according to ancient custom, to bind yourself to restore it into my hands, after the consecration of our king Louis XVI." The archbishop took the required oath in these terms:-"I receive this holy Ampulla with reverence, and promise you, upon the oath of a prelate, to restore it into your hands at the conclusion of the ceremony of the consecration." This pronounced, the cardinal de la Roche Aymon, took the marvellous phial, returned to the choir, and deposited it upon the altar. A few minutes afterwards, he approached the king to administer the oath, called the protection outh, for all the churches, in subjection to the crown. "I promise," said the King, 10 prevent the commission of rapine and injustice of every description, by persons of all ranks. I swear to apply myself sincerely, and with all my might, to the extermination of heretics, condemned and pointed out by the church, from all countries subject to my government."

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Several other ceremonies here followed and prayers. The account thus proceeds

:

When these prayers were finished, the officiating prelate opened the holy Ampulla, and let a small quantity of oil drop from it; this he diluted with some consecrated oil, called holy cream. The king prostrated himself before the altar upon a large square of violet-colored velvet, embroidered with golden fleur-de-lis, (the old archbishop, duke of Rheims, being also prostrated on his right hand,) and remained in that lowly posture until the conclusion of the litanies, chanted by four bishops, alternately with the choir.

At the end of the litanies the archbishop of Rheims placed himself in his chair, and the king, kneeling down before him, was anointed upon the crown of the head, on the breast, between the shoulders, upon the right shoulder, on the left, on the joint of the right arm, and on that of the left arm; the prelate at the same time pronouncing certain prayers.

After the seven anointings, the archbishop of Rheims, assisted by the bishops of Laon and Beauvais, laced up, with gold laces, the openings of the king's shirt and waistcoat, and he, rising, was invested, by the great chamberlain, with the tunic, the dalmatic, and the royal mantle. These vestments represented the dresses of sub-deacon, deacon, and priest, they were of violet velvet, lined and edged with ermine, and embroidered with gold and fleur-de-lis. The king then placed himself upon his knees again before the officiating archbishop, who made the eighth unction upon the palm of the right hand, and the ninth and last upon that of the left. He next placed a ring upon the fourth finger of the right hard, as a type of unlimited power, and of the intimate union thenceforward to reign between the king and his people. R. C.

CONTROVERSIAL EVILS.

"It would not be found useless in the learned world," says Dr. Johnson, "if, in written controversies, as in oral disputations, a moderator could be selected, who might, in some degree superintend the debate, restrain all needless excursions, repress all personal reflections, and at last recapitulate the arguments on each side, and who, though he should not assume the province of deciding the

question, might, at least, exhibit it in its true state. And, perhaps, almost every reader of controversial writings, has felt a wish that something of this kind could be realized, some authority which, while permitting the most unlimited and unrestricted spirit of inquiry, should repress that spirit of" bitterness, wrath, clamour, and evil speaking," which too often manifests itself in writings of this class; and which should confine the disputants to the real question at issue. If it were possible to realise this idea, it would no doubt materially alter the character of our controversies, and render them more generally acceptable and intelligible, by divesting them of all uncharitableness, and lopping off those extraneous branches which only tend to hide the truth, and to divide the attention of the reader. It is possible that such a censorship might reduce many a ponderous folio to the size of a very portable volume, and our quarto's and octavo's to pocket editions or pamphlets; but this result would be no loss to the public, on the contrary, it would be so much clear gain. For when we purchase books, it is not simply that we may have so much reading, but so much profitable reading; we desire to purchase arguments, not words only, and all readers, I believe prefer arguments compressed into as small a space as possible, to those which like Gratiano's reasons are as "two grains of wheat hid in two bushels of chaff."

Controversies have their origin in differences of opinion, and so long as men continue to differ in opinion, they will continue to dispute; and to expect entire uniformity of opinion, is as unrational as to expect uniformity of stature, form, and complexion, in all the members of the human family. Our minds are variously constituted, our education, and the circumstances in which we are placed are different, and hence our ideas, opinions, and views are diversified. Uniformity of opinion would also appear to be contrary to the general order and method observable in the works and ways of God." One star differeth from another star in glory," one race of animated beings from another, and each individual from every other of the same race; blades of grass, grains of sand, leaves, fruit, and flowers present a pleasing and an endless variety; what right have we then to expect uniformity in the world of mind. Nor is such uniformity desirable, even if it were possible. If all men were to think alike, to possess precisely the same number and kind of ideas, and to arrive always at the same conclusions, and by the same processes of reasoning, we should be deprived of many sources of pleasure. Variety of illustration, invention, imagination, and improvement, would be checked or annihilated. In the present constitution of human nature, such a state of things is, however, impossible. "There are diversities of gifts." But if controversy, arising out of this great diversity of intellectual endowments, and the other causes to which we have referred, must exist, and if it be in some respects, desirable that it should; it is important that it should be so conducted that truth may not suffer, but be elicited and honored. That controversy should never degenerate into mere intellectual pugilism, so that the object of each party should be merely to batter his adversary, and gain the victory at all hazards, and by any means.

In what is usually termed religious controversy, that is, in disputes conducted by Christian men, with regard to the doctrines, duties, or institutions of Christianity, such evils ought especially to be avoided; it should never be so couducted as to bring religion into contempt, or to give occasion to the enemies of the cross to blaspheme and triumph. And here we may realize, in one respect at least, the moderatorship which Dr. Johnson represents as so desirable. The mode in which such disputes should be conducted, is described in our infallible rule and guide-the Word of God. The rule to which we are bound to conform in our conversation, and, therefore, also in our written disputes; writing being only another mode of communicating our ideas. What then, we enquire, are the directions which, on this subject, we find in the Word of God? "Let your communication be yea, yea; nay, nay; for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil." "Let all bitterness and wrath, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you with all malice." Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault,

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ye which are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness." "Speaking the truth in love." "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying; that it may minister grace unto the hearers." 66 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the Gospel of Christ." "Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves." And whatsoever ye do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus." "And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness, instructing those that oppose themselves." Speak not evil one of another brethren." "And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves, for charity shall cover the multitude of sins." Such are a few, and but a few, of the rules by which we are to be guided in all our communications with each other, whether verbal or written. The sum of them all is this, 66 Contend earnestly, but temperately, for the faith once delivered unto the saints." "Prove all things, hold fast that which is good." The apostle Paul, in those parts of his writings which may be regarded as controversial, may be taken as an example of both the mode and spirit in which we should contend for the faith. From the Word of God, then, it appears that we are to avoid-multiplying words unnecessarily to discard all angry, harsh, and unkind expressions-to manifest a spirit of meekness-to speak nothing but the truth-to have the edification of others ever in view-to test everything by the Gospel-to avoid a contentious and vain-glorious spirit-to make the glory of Christ our end-to eschew evil-speaking—and to maintain "The unity of the spirit in the bond of peace."

It is almost unnecessary to observe, how much the want of attention to these precepts has prejudiced the minds of many serious enquirers, and torendered religious controversies generally distasteful to those possessed of the spirit of Christ, and given birth to a desire for peace, sometimes at the expense of purity and sound doctrine. Controversialists too often enter the arena to fight their own battle, not the battle of the Lord, and like the brutal gladiators of Rome, they tear, and mangle, and destroy each other's reputation, as these did each other's bodies, while truth lies bleeding at their feet, pierced and transfixed by each of the combatants; while the multitude look on with wonder and pity, or with scorn or contempt, as they may happen to be influenced by Christianity or by infidelity. As every battle of the warrior is with, confused noise, so too often alas! are those unholy conflicts between men who should be one in Christ, and love as brethren. Alas! how often has infidelity chuckled and rejoiced over the bitter effusions of personal hate and spleen, which have disgraced the disputations of professed followers of the Lamb of God. May the past more than suffice us, thus to have wrought the will of the Gentiles."

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To contend for the religion of peace and love in the spirit of anger and uncharitableness, is never likely to answer any good purpose, or to give the world a very high opinion of our sincerity and consistency; and it is certain the truth needs no such aids, it requires not hard, angry, and bitter expressions for its defence, and never appears so truly lovely as when presented in its own native simplicity and purity. It is then " bright as the sun, fair as the moon, and terrible as an army with banners." I would not be understood as condemning the use of strong language in the defence of the truth. No! let us have the best, most forcible, and most convincing words and arguments: the cause is worthy of them! But let us never mistake harsh for strong in this connection, or substitute sound for sense. Strong language is that which will place the truth for which we contend in the clearest and strongest light possible, and this is in general the most simple we can employ. It is possible to darken counsel by words without knowledge. Let, then, the Christian champion seek out the best and keenest weapons which the harmory of truth will afford, let him wield them with all his might, and slay error wherever it is found: but remember that a man is not crowned unless he contend lawfully. "Truth is mighty and will prevail." That it may spread and grow and soon fill the whole earth, is my earnest prayer. E. W.

D

ETERNITY AND HAPPINESS OF GOD.

"God is supremely happy. Then, a thousand years with him are as one day, and one day as a thousand years.' In the enjoyment of perfect happiness, the duration of time is imperceptible. Placed, as we are, my dearest brethren, in this valley of miseries, tasting only imperfect and imbittered pleasures, it is very difficult for us to conceive the impression which felicity makes on an intelligence supremely happy. If the enjoyment of some small good makes us conceive to a certain degree, a state in which ages appear moments, the miseries inseparable from our lives presently replunge us into a state, in which moments appear ages; in which sorrows of the body, and sorrows of the mind, frequently less tolerable than those of the body, so powerfully apply our minds to each indivisible space of time spent in pain, that we think our sufferings have been long, when we have scarcely begun to suffer. But God is always happy, and always supremely happy; he always enjoys that perfect felicity, which makes a thousand years, ten thousand millions of years, vanish with an inconceivable rapidity. It would be unhappy not to enjoy this kind of felicity more than ten or twelve millions of years, because the impression which that felicity would make on the soul would be so powerful and lively, that it would render him who enjoyed it insensible to time; time would expire, and he would hardly perceive that he had enjoyed any thing, even when he had possessed happiness as long as I have supposed God would be unhappy (allow me this expression) if his felicity were not eternal. But this is one of the subjects which must intimidate a preacher through the difficulty he meets with in furnishing matter. We must have ideas beyond human. We must have terms which mankind have not yet invented. We ourselves must have participated the felicity of God; we must speak to men who also had partaken of it; and, afterwards, we must have agreed together on a new language to express each idea excited by the happiness, of which we had made so blessed an experience. Represent to yourselves a Being, or rather think, my dear hearers, on the difficulty of representing a Being, who, having in the prodigious capacity of his intelligence, all possible plans of this universe, has preferred that which appeared to him the wisest, the best, and the most conformable to the holiness of his attributes; represent a Being who has executed this plan, a Being who has created in this vast extent which our imagination fancies, in that which our whole mind, more capable still of conceiving grand objects than our imagination alone, or our senses admire; represent to yourselves a Being, who has created whatever is most capable of contributing to perfect felicity; represent a Being who loves, and who is beloved by objects worthy of his love; a Being who knows how to repress the madness of those who rebel against his empire; a Being who shares his felicity with spirits, whom he esteems, and by whom he is esteemed above all things; a Being who has the pleasure of rendering the objects of his esteem happy, and who acknowledge that all their happiness comes from him ; spirits, who continually praise the Author of their felicity, and who, casting their crowns at his feet, incessantly cry, Holy, holy, holy, Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of thy glory.' (Isa. vi. 3:) Represent to yourselves a Being who is approved by intelligences skilful in virtues, in grandeurs, in objects worthy of praise; a Being who loves only order, and who has power to maintain it; a Being who is at the summit of felicity, and who knows that he shall be so for ever. O ages! O millions of ages! O thousands of millions of ages! O duration, the longest that can be imagined by an intelligence, composed (if I may speak so) of all intelligences, how short must ye appear to so happy a Being! There is no time with him; there is no measure of time. One thousand years, ten thousand years, one quarter of an hour, one instant, is almost the same. 'A thousand years are with him as one day, and one day as a thousand years.'"

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"SAURIN."