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not a binding in ignorance, but a giving of wisdom; not a gloominess, but an arraying of us all in the sunshine of loving hearts: not ascetical, but social; free; invitingly setting us in the ways of Providence: not morose, but a breathing of love-kindling, quickening, comforting, exalting: giving for subsistence the word of God.

I urge you, only, further, enjoy the hilarious holiday of which this day is the cause, or to which this day gives rise, in the commemoration of the birth of him who has glowingly shown you of the ways of God: his goodness, truth and love. Be ye recipients of innocent pleasures: the ways of religion, true religion-of the Gospel-are pleasantness; and all its paths are peace. Oh, develop your souls learn ye of God; know ye him; serve him: by your lives worship him in your rejoicings, in warm greetings, by social converse, in your families, in your daily walks, by all which ye do, worship ye God!

RELIGION THE SOLE EDUCATOR TO

THE TRUE POSITION OF MAN.*

MY DEAR FELLOW CHRISTIANS,

On Christmas Day, I endeavoured, though cursorily, to give you a general idea, or to strengthen you in the conception, of God, as revealed to all people in the Gospel. Beautifully was it enunciated as good tidings of great joy. It was religion; or a kindling of a knowledge of God in man, Fully in Jesus was it shewn, for by him was it lived: his life was a religious observance. No gloom was shed forth from him; he incited the warm affections of his hearers the chords of unison, of a neglected nature, were touched in the multitude; they vibrated in their love, and there was, in consequence, the spectacle, of women, of mothers, clustering around him with their

* I deem it well to say, that the preceding and present discourse were written under pressure of painful regret, at an advocacy, at which I had been present, that a Sunday School should not attend the religious services of the congregation to which it belonged: that the time would be better spent in school; that religion was not needed; and that the wiser course would be for churches and chapels to be closed. I will add, that I never knew such objectors to religion, raise up schools, and make many sacrifices in labours in the cause of education. They are generally talkers, rather than workers to educate others. I have seen it depend on the practically religious, and not on the repudiators of religion, or of its institutions that are based on the seeking of the good of man.

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children, and beseeching him, that he would put his hands on them, and bless them; and he took them up in his arms-oh! with what a fondling emotion !— and, in their innocence; pronounced them as the angels before God. No wonder that women should be attached to Jesus in his teaching; that the common people heard him gladly: humanity's truthfulness was wrought into activity; and they were a living, multitudinous, and compact witness, that what he taught was truth.

In this sense I continue the words of the text, on which was constructed my discourse on Christmas Day, for the ground-work of my present dissertation also; which would have been delivered to you on the following morning, Sunday, except for a sudden indisposition of health, which rendered impossible the preparation for your pulpit which I had designed. I now take up my object, resuming those words, they being, the 18th, 19th and 21st verses of the 4th chapter of the history of the Gospel, by Luke-Jesus, in them, in commencement of his teaching, proclaiming:-"The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

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This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.'

I sufficiently, I presume, on Christmas Day, expatiated on the manner of the opening of the teaching of Jesus, in the synagogue of his native city, Nazareth. I could have wished that all, who now hear me, had

been on Christmas Day present; but though they were not, I must continue my subject, more particularly as concerns my object this morning. Yet, in brief, I sought then to shew, what was the nature of the effect to be wrought by the publication of the Gospel; that the Gospel is a promulgation of the principle of religion, a making known of truth from God; and that the indwelling fountain, or the reservoir-the spirit, of this principle, is in man; that he is a religious being: indeed, that, if he lives truthfully, his life is religion.

So beautifully did Jesus exemplify this,-in all that he did, so intelligibly was seen the source of his power, that the response to him was, from humanity's asseverations, "no man can do the works that thou doest, except God be with him." But in what conduct was manifested this affinity with God? Beautifully, and warmly,-as the sun's rays and the spring's verdure cheer the heart of every living creature,in all that Jesus did, a bountiful Providence was shewn; that God, in His love, is the Father of mankind; that the affections of the human heart are given by Him: that he has not bestowed the sweetnesses of childhood, of youth, the strength of manhood, with their virtuous, aspiring, intellectual incentives, for nought; but that He has given them for use, not to be circumscribed or annihilated, but, perfected in their power. I shewed, somewhat, that, in the proportion as mankind has conceived truthfully of God, so has the advance of mankind been; that, with the knowledge, the virtue, the happiness, of society, the permanence of nations has been

achieved. Read history with this idea on your minds, and for yourselves judge, whether I am not right in the inference. The position is this,—that only so far as individuals, and hence nations, have conceived of, and believed in, one only Almighty cause and Providence, has their progress been secure, and continued a light and incentive to all future generations. Especially is this elucidated since the first publishing of the Gospel. To me it is the most peculiarly instructive theme on which I can dwell. Since the teaching of Jesus, I can trace a progress in nations, dissimilar to any which there was before; and which is lasting in its kind; in its superiority, ever subsequently bestowing blessing. My meaning is not, that immediately that individuals and nations make the profession of being disciples of Christ, that in their conduct they are Christian: no; I believe that not one human being yet comes up to the stature of his virtue. But all are approaching to it; and, in their various degrees, individuals and nations are imbibing and conceiving of the Gospel. The conduct of us all, whether we make acknowledgment or not, is leavened, and is being leavened, by its principle. Society, in which we live, is impregnated with its constituents, and in the mass partakes largely of its action; and yet this portion of which I speak, so eminently blessing us, is, but as the germ of the fulness of its blessing which shall be. It is alienating men from evil, for it is bringing them from ignorance; and take this position, which you will find, I believe, a certain criterion, to your deep consideration,-they who set most at nought, or make light of, religion,

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