principle of celestial origin, a precious jewel that may one day shine in the crown of Christ, when the world shall have passed away, and the records of its history shall have been rolled together as a shrivelled scroll, illegible, and effaced for ever. In other words, religious principle must, from the earliest dawn of intellect, be infused as a primary element in the formation of character. The ruinous consequences of its neglect are well illustrated by our author, in the supposed case of an individual, called, without any religious culture, to the business, the pleasure, the ills, or the prosperity of the world, as contrasted with the case of those whose principles have been formed by a religious education. Nor is family religion, in the second place, less the result of this principle, than the formation of personal character. This is also illustrated by two supposed instances, in one of which religious training has been neglected, while, in the other, it has occupied its rightful influence. In the former case, there is no family altar, around which parents and children may assemble in prayer and praise-no diligent investigation of the Word of God; but selfishness and jealousy, and fierce upbraid ings, are the characteristics of the household. In the latter," the head of the family feels his own mind brought more and more under a deep and solemn sense of the accountability and importance of his station. He is quickened continually in his work. His children reverence the instructer whom they love as a father; his words take lasting hold of their memory; they sink down, as principles of action, into their hearts; and they govern their whole life. Not merely are they hereby greatly bound to him, and better instructed in their duty, but they feel differently toward one another. The love of children for their parent, is the basis and the measure of their love for one another. And thus every repetition of the delightful exercise, and every fresh acquisition of knowledge, while it is remotely preparing for the duties of life, is insensibly, but powerfully, binding them to him, and to one another. The servants of the household participate in these benefits, while a new influence is exerted in lessening the distance between rich and poor, and mutual love and sympathy take place of envy and divided interests. Nor do the benefits of family training end here. They descend to future generations. Every member of that family group becomes the head of another in his turn. He does as his father set him an example. And the light which at first was indistinct and feeble, because alone, soon shines, by the addition of many more, until it irradiates and adorns a whole society. The

revival and extension of religion in the church, it is further shewn, are no less intimately connected with religious education. Is it inquired how? The efficacy of the instruction of the church, it is replied, depends, in a great measure, on the instruction by which it is followed up in the family. There, in the domestic circle, the lessons of the Sanctuary are distinctly brought in review before the mind-there they are impressed and recommended, with the additional emphasis of a parent's voice, and the power of a parent's tenderness; and there, especially, are they applied, by the pious master of the family, to all the members of his household. "This is the action of the church on the family: observe now the reaction of a wholesome education on the church. They who impart it are themselves improved by the exercise, and become more consistent and zealous members. The children who are the subjects of it, soon themselves become the members of the church. They bring along with them their extensive and correct knowledge, their deep. wrought principles, and their elevated piety. Under their government the church assumes another tone, and starts afresh on a new course of prosperity. The son inherits the blessing, and improves upon the acquirements, of the father. Matthew Henry was the son of Philip, the greater child of a great father. Godliness thus advances with an accelerated motion. How changed the complexion of the candidates for membership in the church since Bible classes have been instituted by our Ministers, and the Sabbath-schools have entered on their labours! And how vigorous the efforts now made for the promotion of religion, compared with what they were! Cast your eye over the newspapers of the times, and see the advertisements of churches and of school-houses prominent in their columns. It used to be thought a Herculean labour to raise one church in the midst of an overflowing population; now they are raising their humble fronts in numbers. The Synod of Ulster, within ten years, has erected more than eighty Congrega. tions. All this is the result of an advancing education in the Bible. And all we have seen is but the day of small things. Let sound principles of education be universally adopted, and faithfully carried out into practice, and the church will be borne on, till it shall become a praise in the whole earth." In the last place, the influence of education is great on national prosperity. And here we shall quote, at length, the following extract :

"The influence of education will naturally be great on the national prosperity, What can be expected of an uneducated nation? What, but that its ignorance will deprive it of all the benefits of refinement, and leave it the ready dupe of every agitator and impostor? Look at Spain, and read in its history and condition what I say. Look at the South of Ireland, and see the lesson acted before your eyes. What can be expected of a nation educated in the mere knowledge of letters, but ignorant of the Word of God? Look into the history of ancient Greece and Rome, and see their glory, and wretchedness, and overthrow. Inquire into the condition of some of the Eastern nations, in the present time, and witness their high literature joined with the most degrading superstitions. Sur. vey the character of France: a general literature, with a pervading infidelity, and a restless spirit of discontent. But what is expected of a nation soundly educated in the principles of the Bible? Read Scotland's history, and you will see how godliness is the glory of a nation. There, while, in former times, the altar was erected in every house, and the fire of domestic piety burned clear upon it, were to be found all the elements and enjoyments of national prosperity. Strong and manly sense, a cultivated under standing, deep-toned piety, holy living, and universal peace and plenty, were the characteristics of the nation. But Scotland is a changed land; the family altar has, to a great extent, been taken down; an uneducated population has been allowed to gather and thicken, without a proportionate increase in the means of christian instruction: and the consequences are to be seen in the elements of national decay, deeply, we fear, and widely sown-discontent and distress, infidelity of spirit, and ungodliness of life. How, indeed, can it be otherwise? The uncultivated field will cast forth its natural weeds, and so will the uncultivated heart of man. And, if the field is richly manured, but not sown with precious seed, its weeds will grow the more numerous and rampant; great productions, it may be, but weeds still and the human heart, enriched with the literature of the world, but not sown with the seed of life, will, indeed, exhibit some astonishing productions, but they cannot be expected to be the fruits of righteousness. On the other hand, if it is sown with the good seed of the word, we as naturally expect corresponding results. In a nation enjoying the benefits of a scriptural education, we look for

all the elements of national prosperity and greatness. Peace, industry, prudence, honesty, justice, sobriety, health, riches, honour, and power, are the fruits of the word. These are what it requires; and these, so far as it is received, are produced. All the history of nations is a proof of the connexion between these national blessings and a scriptural education. Compare nations, and kingdoms, and provin. ces, where the Bible is read, with those in which it is ne, glected: Spain and Britain, Ireland and Scotland, Munster and Пister; and declare the result of the comparison. Continue the contrast between family and family, man and man. The result will be universally the same: that godliness and the study of the Scriptures are proportioned to one another. And as it ever has been, it ever will be so, A nation's well-being is based upon its character. National godliness is the handmaid of national prosperity. Righteousness exalteth a nation; and the true principles of a nation's jurisprudence are those that were sung by the harp of David: God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us. That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations. Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. Olet the nations be glad, and sing for joy; for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. THEN shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us. God shall bless us, and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.' Ps. cxliv. 9-15.”

The text being thus expounded, the discourse concludes with an address, enforcing the special duties of parents, masters, teachers, churches, and civil governments. After the outline we have given, it does not seem necessary that we should characterise, at much length, the discourse itself. It is enough to say, that, like all the other productions of its author, it is most perspicuous in its arrangement, copi ous and scriptural in its materials, cogent in its reasonings, and searching in its application. The style is invariably plain, and the language simple; yet it is not chargeable with either barrenness or inelegance. ir,

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We conclude this notice with one general reflection. Christian education, as here exhibited, be the only basis of national prosperity, how imperatively is the church required to maintain this principle in the present agitated

and unsettled times! Britain was once, in her constitution, the very chief of Protestant nations: and on many a distant shore and lonely island of the sea, on which her banner was unfurled, was there raised a testimony to that faith, which, as long as she adhered to it, was the chiefest ornament in her escutcheon, and the brightest jewel in her crown. But Britain is a changed, and a changing kingdom. She has already loosed the cable of her safety, struck the blue flag slie once waved so proudly over land and sea, and having dropt the anchor, by her hold to which she rode gallantly over the billows of political commotion, she is almost adrift before the storm of revolution, that now sweeps the nations of the earth with ungovernable and resistless fury. Her institutions, in which, it may be, she too vainly gloried, are at the mercy of the multitude, whose will, it would appear, must either model or overturn them. Before the idol of popular opinion, most of her senators and statesmen seem constrained to bow, while many lick the very dust. Religious distinctions, once held sacred, are set at nought-in the national councils, the voice of Romanism is as much regarded as the voice of Truthand the time has come, when even the Prime Minister of the Crown is not ashamed to testify his conviction, in the face of Parliament and the nation, that the Protestant and Romish doctrines are "fundamentally the same." Schemes of education are accordingly propounded and enforced, in accommodation not to the wants of ignorant and perishing millions, but to the demands of a tyrannical and enslaving priesthood, and the continued murmurs and remonstrances of injured Protestantism are lifted up in vain. Many good men had hoped to reap the benefits of national education, without a compromise of principle, unmoved the while by the suspicion, and, sometimes, misrepresentation, to which they were, in consequence, exposed; but they begin to find, in their experience, that their hope has been delusion, and that the promises and appearances of concession, in which they trusted, were but insult and bitter mockery. Let those, then, who have been accustomed to walk by the rule of principle, unflinchingly maintain their principles, and, although involved in straits and difficulties, for a season, they must eventually prevail. Let Presbyterians, especially, remember that theirs is a church that has been long identified with education; that they were her sons who contended nobly for this cause, `in