answer no better end than that of the Pharisees compassing sea and land. There was something wanting to amuse the people. The progress of reason and learning has given the people an abhorrence of persecution, that raged between Christian and Christian ages back. The enemy could no longer feed the human mind with such brutal feeling, and finding the Lord is giving information to the world of his great and most glorious designs of the approach of his second advent,

Satan has furnished new amusement for them of a more plausible nature. This supplies an abundance of matter for the tongues of the pleaders to rouse the feelings of their hearers; it carries with it the appearance of disinterestedness and benevolence, and cannot fail of interesting many. Collectors of all descriptions are to be met with of both sexes, and great sums are raised, by which many individuals are provided for. And, in the midst of all this great good.done by man, there is no spare time to attend to the good which God has offered to do for man. If even their success really was, as it is pictured upon paper, what does it amount to? Is it not, as before said, like increasing the population of a country while the usurper reigns and the legitimate sovereign is in exile? How would persons reason on the subjects of a state acting thus? The conclusion would be, in the words of the Lord, "They will not have this man to "reign over them." But, is it not a wonder that charity does not begin at home? There would, I conceive, be no great danger of inaccuracy in saying that not above one-third of the population of this country are religiously disposed. It may be said, where is the remedy? Is there not preaching in all parts of the kingdom? Are there not new churches, chapels, and

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meeting-houses in abundance, continually rising up? Say they, like the rich man, "What lack I yet."That which they will be as unwilling to have as he was to part with his money. That union which their Lord prayed for, John, xvii. 20, 21, "Neither pray I for "thee alone, but for them also which shall believe in me through their word, that they all may be one, as "thou Father art in me, and I in thee; that they " also may be one in us-that the world may believe "thou hast sent me."-There is the remedy. It is the contradictions that are in the professing world that make mortals careless-negligent-unbelieving.-And will the Gospel, if you can plant it amongst the heathens and savages, produce better effect?-not a wit. These divisions are the beam which must be taken out of the eye before the mote can be taken out of the heathen brother's eye.-Till this union in the church which Christ prayed for is accomplished we shall never make the heathen world believe that Christ is sent to be the redeemer of it. In fact, its going forth under a pretence of giving to others what we have not got ourselves.

When Christ commanded the Gospel to be preached "in all the world and to every creature," he said "these signs shall follow them that believe."- Mark, xvi. Have the missionaries produced these signs in any they have converted? Have these signs attended the missionaries themselves? Not one.-Why is it? Because they are antichristianly divided, instead of being united, as Christ prayed. And by thus acting, while they profess love to the Saviour of Man, are in practice hating him, and saying-" We will not have "this man to reign over us.'

What must be the concluding scene?-death.—

They must be slain.-What, martyred?-Nay,-I have no such idea. But firmly believe a mortality unprecedented will take place, how near or remote is not for me to say. But this I do know,-That God's war. ning voice has been heard in this land, calling to repentance, for the day of the Lord is at hand, as distinct as man can possibly speak to man. He has invited, has reasoned, has threatened ;-how long it may be before he may strike, time must determine. But I have no commission, nor yet feel inclination to thunder anathemas against any; nor have I any idea of severity in God. I believe his mercy is over all his works. If the structure of the human mind-the state of society, or deceptive arts of Satan, prevent the creatures God has made that happiness he graciously offers them, I believe he will consign them to the silent grave. This will be a judgement, but mixed with mercy he will bring them forth again, in some humble situation, when, from their exercises, they may embrace his offers with rapture and delight. While those who can cheerfully resign themselves, and all they are, and all they have, into his divine hands, those who value existence only to be prepared for the kingdom of Christ,-who desired to promote inquiry into revelation,—and are constantly striving to draw man's dependence from man, and fixing it on the promise of Christ's sending the Holy Ghost the comforter, to lead them into a knowledge of all truth, inducing them to believe it their duty to pray, and by all means in their power, to strive for the destruction of sin, the removal of the author of it;-such, if they are des> tined to sleep, will have their works follow them, and, in a renewed stage of existence, have that usefulness which their weather-beaten tabernacle would not al

low them in the present. Indeed, the natural depravity of human nature will make a change necessary to those who approach nearest to the likeness of Christ.

-None can enter without the perfect likeness of the Lord: before we can see him as he is, we must be made like him. If this is not the Lord's plan, tell me, ye learned, how all that have ever lived, that never have had the revelation ye have been favoured with,— are to be disposed of? In this age of liberal reasoning on natural things, can any suppose that God has left unnumbered millions, in a state of ignorance, to banish them into darkness for ever? Ye that preach Christ, and send forth missionaries-you do not believe they can be placed into happiness without a knowledge of the gospel, or your pious endeavours would be a mere jest. And if the knowledge of the gospel is essential for the eternal happiness of man, what can become of the myriads that have died before your charitable work began-if all that have lived have been and still continue to be separate and distinct beings, body and soul? Again, you conceive, in the period of death, it is necessary for the mind to be composed, and as it is sometimes called, " make your peace with God"—and to be at peace with all the world. What, then, must become of those legions that are led into the field of battle, like oxen to the slaughter, there to face their fellow men that never offended them, and die in the act of killing each other? Those that are imprisoned in a little wooden world, on the water, then to have cannon-balls fired at them, and they to fire them at others, till hundreds and thousands fall into death, with distressed feelings for those they leave behind, without one moment to reflect on the change? -Are they, under the gospel of peace, found making

their exit in such a way, translated to heaven? or how are they disposed of? If heaven is only attainable by having the likeness of Christ,-can this be the way of attaining it ?—Yet, to this they are constrained.

If religion is a divine reality, and the enjoyment can only be had by the plans laid down by the different teachers of it, and every one that has inhabited the earth is a separate and distinct being, to conceive the myriads that must be consigned to the regions of war is sufficient to make a feeling mind desire to believe as the French nation some time back pretended to do, -consider death an eternal sleep! But, for the glory of God, and peace of my own mind, 1 must believe differently. If such a corrupt being as myself have feelings that revolt at such a horrible scene, I am sure a God of perfection can never suffer the creatures of which he is the father to come into such unutterable woe. I have been a child, I have been a parent, I know what filial, and parental feelings are And if I have a feeling for millions I have never known, and shudder at the thought of their writhing in hell torments, while I enjoy comfort,-can I suppose a God of mercy and love can destine the crea tures he is the parent of to it!

Yet, let me not be considered as advocating the doctrine of universal restoration. I have nothing to do with any of the doctrines of men. I believe the sabbatic period is approaching, when Christ will reign with his saints, one thousand years, on this earth, And all my aim is to be one of that happy number; and, as far as my power lies, to strive to induce all to be candidates for it. I presume not to encourage a thought that all will,-there may be some who, after all that can be done for them, will continue obdurate;