an immortal principle, which by purifying and elevating the individual being, sheds its influence through every portion of society." WARD'S MISCELLANY.

PEACEFUL INFLUENCE OF MISSIONS.-The REV. ROBERT MOFFAT, one of the agents of the London Missionary Society, has been instrumental in introducing a knowledge of the gospel to a number of the African tribes. His own station is the Kuruman. About 150 miles beyond, live Moshew and his people. Respecting these, Moffat relates the following incident. This little Christian band had met on a Sabbath morning with the people, in the centre of the village, to hold the early prayer-meeting before the services of the day. They were scarcely seated, when a party of marauders approached from the interior, whither they had gone for plunder, and not having succeeded to their wishes, had determined to attack this Coranna village on their return. Moshew arose, and begged the people to sit still, and trust in Jehovah, while he went to meet the marauders. To his inquiry, what they wanted, the appalling reply was, "Your cattle; and it is at your peril you raise a weapon to resist." "There are my cattle," replied the chief, and then retired, and resumed his position at the prayer-meeting. A hymn was sung, a chapter read, and then all kneeled in prayer to God, who only could save them in their distresses. The sight was too sacred and solemn to be gazed on by such a band of ruffians, they all withdrew from the spot, without touching a single article belonging to the people.

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"Before the Missionaries came," said a New Zealand chief to MR. JOHN WATERHOUSE, a Wesleyan missionary, we went to all parts of the land to kill and devour our countrymen. My hand was against every man, and every man's hand was against me. I delighted in the blood of others, and never went forth but to scatter, tear, and slay; but since I heard of Jesus Christ and his gospel, I have desired to publish peace, and have gone to different parts of the land to persuade the people to turn to God." He then appealed to the chief of another tribe, with whom he used to contend, for the truth of his assertions. Numberless anecdotes similar to the above, may be found in the missionary journals of nearly all denominations of Christians.

MISSIONARIES.

And Britain has her sons, both frank and brave,
Who noble triumphs win, but wear no glave!
Sons, who in heart as firm, in toil as free,

Have spread her glorious name from sea to sea!
Men, who have pushed their conquests wide and far,
And changed to pruning hooks the shafts of war;
Who bear no glittering arms-no banners wave-
Who strike no blow, are stricken but to save!
Yet still they conquer! and where they appear,
The painted savage breaks his poisoned spear:
A bloodless triumph follows in their train-
For those they vanquish feel no victor's chain !
They conquer! nor like other conquerors boast
A prostrate people and a plundered coast-
Nor pant to hear a nation's deafening peals,
With captive warriors at their chariot-wheels-
Nor hang, like relics, in our holiest fane,
The flags that blush with wars unhallow'd stain-
No-theirs are triumphs war can never bring!
Theirs are the poeans guardian seraphs sing!
Their noblest banner is the book of truth!
Their trophies-age, and infancy, and youth!
'Tis theirs to free-exalt-and not debase-
The painted brothers of our common race!
Nor stripe-nor tribute-nor oppressive sway
Degrade their labours, or obstruct their way!
Their watchword still-Let war and sorrow cease!
Their noblest epithet-The Men of Peace!

DR. WILLIAM BEATTIE.

The above is extracted from a poem entitled Polynesia, of which the author observes, "That it is intended to convey a concise, but vivid and faithful picture of the Missionary scheme, as it operates among the beautiful islands of the South Seas-islands on which the light of religion has now conferred a moral existence; and that, in selecting this subject, he was actuated by an oft-repeated domestic exhortation- Let each do something to recommend the noblest of all enterprises-The regeneration of Pagan nations, by the diffusion of Christian principles.' Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature.-Mark xv. 15.

Spread the tidings of salvation,

Spread them far, from shore to shore ;
Unto every heathen nation

Tell of Him the cross who bore ;

Spread the Gospel

Until darkness be no more.

Long, too long, this nation's glory
Hath on violence been built;
Sung in song, and told in story,
Are her many deeds of guilt;
Now the Gospel

Bids that blood no more be spilt.
Mighty empires we have founded,
Millions own our Sovereign's sway;
Loud let Zion's trump be sounded,
So that all may bless the day
When the Gospel

Bade the spoiler's hand to stay.
Send the pastor, and the teacher,
Build the church, the school erect;
And let every zealous preacher
All the glorious light reflect
Of the Gospel ;

So we hope, and so expect!
Scoffers by the great St. Lawrence,
Pagans by the Ganges' tide,-
Look not on them with abhorrence,
'Twas for such the Saviour died;
Spread the Gospel

Through Âustralia's regions wide. All the Christian Church may render Aid in this great work of good; Not alone by those who wander Forth, by wilderness and flood, Are the Gospel

Workers to be understood.

Each within his sphere, according

To his means, may smooth the way;
He shall meet a high rewarding
At the final reckoning day,
Who the Gospel

Precepts seeketh to obey :

What are these ?-Love one another;

Give, as ye would have it given;

Strive to save a fallen brother;
Sinners teach the way to heaven!
As the Gospel

Teaches, have we wrought and striven?

H. G. ADAMS.

PASSION, VIOLENCE, &c.

PASSION; violent commotion of the mind; anger; zeal; ardour; eagerness; love. JOHNSON.

The word passion signifies the receiving any action in a large philosophical sense; in a more limited philosophical sense, it signifies any of the affections of human nature, as love, fear, joy, sorrow; but the common people confine it only to anger. WATTS.

In the scriptures the word passion is sometimes put for the last sufferings of the Redeemer of the world.

See ACTS I. 3; 1 PETER I. 11.

Our natural and sinful infirmities are also called pasSee ACTS XIV. 15; JAMES v. 17, &c.

sions. The word PASSION, like COMPASSION, comes from the Latin verb Patior, I suffer; from this root we have also PATIENT; PATIENCE; PASSIVE; the same words with the prefix IM; PASSIONATE, DISPASSIONATE, &c. &c.

A most ridiculous singularity has crept into our language in the signification of the word passion. One would suppose by its general appropriation to the passion of anger, that this was the strongest of all passions, and that therefore it was so called by way of eminence. It is true, the effects of anger are like the rest of the passions of an active nature; but the cause of it, like that of the rest, is an impression made on the mind by some object which occasions a kind of suffering. If you were to tell a Frenchman that such a man were in a passion, he would ask, "Quel le passion, Monsieur?"" What passion, Sir?" And if you were to explain it further, he would say "Eh! vous vondriez dire qu'il est_en_colere.""Ah! you mean to say that he is angry." In consequence this common application of the word, a passionate man means an angry man; while the most awful and important fact in Christianity, the "Passion of our Saviour," is in direct opposition to such a sense.

of

See WALKER'S English Grammar. VIOLENCE; outrage; unjust force; eagerness; vehe

mence; injury; infringement.

JOHNSON.

Grieved at his heart, when looking down he saw
The whole earth filled with violence; and all flesh
Corrupting each their way.

MILTON.

Violentus is the Latin for FORCIBLE, coming, it is said from Vis, FORCE; and hence we derive our words V10LENCE; VIOLENT; VIOLATE; INVIOLATE; VIOLATION; INVIOLABLE, &c.

PASSION, in the active sense in which we commonly understand the word, very frequently leads to VIOLENCE, and this is a sufficient reason for their being placed together. In the scriptures occur many allusions to the latter mode of action, as the following examples will show. The scriptural references to PASSION, will be found more at large under the head of ANGer.

And God said unto Noah, the end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. GENESIS VI. 13.

He (our Saviour) had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. ISAIAH LIII. 9.

Thus saith the Lord; Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood. JEREMIAH XXII. 3.

John the Baptist said to the Roman soldiers-do violence to no man. LUKE III. 14.

Evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him. PSALM CXL. 11.

The passions and desires, like the two twists of a rope, mutually mix one with the other, and twine inextricably round the heart; producing good, if moderately indulged; but certain destruction, if suffered to become inordinate. BURTON.

PASSION is not an energy but a sufferance. It is-to be deprived of the possession of ourselves-the mind is overborne by the force of circumstances; yet it is no uncommon error to consider a passionate temper as the manifestation of strength, precisely because it is an annoyance. But, in truth, passion is not the less on that account, essentially weakness. The passionate man is himself

F