equally offensive in the Divine sight. They who merely sit in outward silence, pretending to present their bodies before the Lord, while their hearts are far from him, and their thoughts wandering in pursuit of earthly objects, are assembling in a dead form. John. Is this dead form as dangerous as the other?

Father. In one respect I think it is not so dangerous; it does not encourage the practice of using improperly the words of holy men, and the promises of Scripture. That which was true in the mouth of a saint, may be a falsehood in the mouth of a sinner.

James. Yes; I have often been struck with the impropriety of that practice, and I believe it not improbable, that many a well-meaning man utters more falsehoods in time of worship than all the week besides.

Father. There are some hymns of such a general character, that almost any pious man may join in them without a breach of veracity; but it does not follow that they will always suit the state of his mind.There are other hymns and psalms which describe particular states of mind, and contain the expression of particular feelings and desires, which can only be sung with truth by those who are in the same state of mind. For instance, when David says, "As the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God! My tears have been my meat day and night, while they say unto me continually, Where is thy God?" Ps. xlii. 1, 3.

Now, how many singers are there in most congregations, that can sing this psalm without departing from the truth? For those who are mourning to sing the songs of joy, and for those who are rejoicing to join the wail of sorrow, is equally inconsistent.

He

who joins a choir to sing in public, is expected to sing every thing that is selected for them; no matter how discordant his feelings may be, if his voice be harmonious, nothing more is required: and what is

worse than all, persons who have musical talents, are often induced to join the choir, while their hearts are unrenewed, and sometimes even while their moral characters are notoriously impure.

How offensive must it be to that omnipresent and holy Being, "who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity," when he looks upon this solemn mockery, this approaching with the lips, while the heart is far from him! Will he not say to such persons, as he did to the Jews formerly, "Who has required this at your hands, to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations, incense is an abomination unto me, the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting." Under the old law, he who had touched a dead body, or an unclean beast, was not allowed to come into the congregation until he was purified; much less could he participate in an act of worship; and shall they who are "living in pleasures, and who are dead while they live," take an active part in public worship, under a more spiritual dispensation? It is evident that such cannot drink of the cup that Christ drank of, nor are they baptized with his baptism, and if they partake of the outward form while they deny and reject the life and substance, do they not drink unworthily to their own condemnation?— These remarks will not apply to those sincere and pious worshipers, who are really hungering and thirsting after righteousness, for unto them there always will be a blessing. But to this class I would seriously address the inquiry, whether that worship which is offered up in the will and wisdom of man, is not calculated to keep alive that will and to nourish that wisdom by which it is performed? Now we know that our wills must be subjected to the Divine will, and we are taught that "the wisdom of man is foolishness with God," when applied to spiritual things. "The kingdom of God is within you," says Christ; and it is altogether reasonable that he should

be known, and obeyed, and worshiped, in his kingdom. If he veils his presence from us,-as he often does, then we must wait upon him. "I wait for the Lord," says the psalmist, "my soul doth waitmy soul waiteth for the Lord, more than they that watch for the morning." Ps. cxxx. 5, 6. The psalms of David, the writings of the prophets, the discourses of Jesus, and the epistles of Paul, contain a great many exhortations to wait upon the Lord, and learn of him. And John, the beloved apostle, writes to the Christians of his day, and tells them, "The anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him." 1. John ii. 27.

It is also said in many places in the scriptures, that Christ himself shall be the prophet, the leader, and the teacher of his people; for he alone is the true "shepherd and bishop of souls." Now while we have such exceeding great and precious promises, how unwise are they who "compass themselves about with sparks of their own kindling," instead of waiting in patience for the Divine influence to enable them to worship in spirit and in truth.

If Christ be the teacher of his people, they that would learn of him must sometimes learn in silence; for, if we are always thinking our own thoughts, and speaking our own words, or those of others, we cannot hear the instructions that are conveyed to the soul by the impressions of the Divine spirit.

If Christians of different denominations cannot, at present, see the propriety of giving up their stated. forms of prayer and praise, I am persuaded they would derive great advantage from appropriating a part of the time of their religious meetings to silent waiting upon God: it would give greater life and solemnity to the rest of their worship, and, indepen

dently of all other considerations, they would find it a most excellent discipline for the mind.

John. I find by experience, that when I wish to consider any thing attentively, I can do it best in silence, and it seems reasonable that our tongues should be still when we undertake to examine our hearts.*

Father. There is a very instructive fact mentioned in the history of the prophet Elijah, when he was in a cave on Mount Horeb. He was commanded to go forth and stand upon the mount before the Lord."And behold the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountain, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake: and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire, a still small voice. And it was so when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entering in of the cave. And behold there came a voice unto him and said, What doest thou here Elijah?" Thus it appears that Elijah knew that the word of the Lord (to which he had long been accustomed) was not to be heard in the noise and confusion of the outward elements, but as soon as he heard the still small voice, he wrap

* A late writer, in speaking of what is termed "the Lord's Supper," makes this remark: "In all other instances of social worship, your attention is required without ceasing, to some external process, and you pass on from one part of the service to another with little opportunity to reflect as you proceed, or to pursue the suggestions which are made, in the manner that your own peculiar condition may require. But in this, the leisure is given for thoroughly applying to your own personal state, all that has met your ear, and for pouring out freely the devotional feeling which has been excited. And if there be any thing favourable to the soul, as multitudes of devout persons have insisted, in occasions for contemplative worship in the presence of other men, then in this respect the Lord's Supper may claim a superiority over every other season of social devotion." Now, if the pauses which occur during the administration of the Supper are found to be so salutary, why may they not be introduced at other times with equal advantage?

ped his face in his mantle and listened to the Divine Monitor. We have no reason to believe, that this "word of the Lord," which came to the prophets, was conveyed in sounds to the outward ear; for God is a spirit, and the soul of man is spiritual; therefore the word by which he speaks to the soul is also spiritual.

The apostle Paul writes to the Corinthians, saying, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." 1 Cor. iii. 16, 17.

And the apostle Peter advises the Christians of his day, to "desire the sincere milk of the word, that," says he, "ye may grow thereby. If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God and precious; ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God, by Jesus Christ." 1 Peter ii. 3-6. Thus it appears that the soul of man is the temple of God, and that his church is a spiritual house, built up of living stones, of whom Jesus Christ is the "chief corner stone, elect, and precious." The temple of Solomon, with all its glory, was but a faint emblem or figure of this spiritual house, which God is preparing for himself to dwell in, and in which he manifests his glory and his power.

It is written of Solomon's temple, that "it was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer, nor axe, nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building." 1 Kings, vi. 7. How striking a figure was this of the beautiful order and holy solemnity that ought to prevail, when the living stones are brought together in the assemblies of God's people. When we approach his awful presence to worship him in spirit and in truth, we should be