Christian observer

              J
NEW SERIES, NO. 111.
FOR THE DIFFUSION OF TRUTH AND THE SUPPORT OF THE PRINCIPLES OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES.
Sotttftern aEleltfifoiis ^elcflrarph.
A. CONVERSE, | fditorS F. BARTLETT, 5^^^^^^^^
•134 Chestnut Street.
PHILADELPHIA, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1842.
VOL. XXI. NO. 7.
RELIGIOUS.
For the Cliri.lian Observer.
THE FAMILY ORGANIZATION.—NO.
V.
m
Moral Discipline one of the Designs of the Fa7nily Organization; a Striking Proof of God's Be¬ nevolence.
4. A fourth design of the family organization is to bring the immortal mind early under the precepts of law. In other words, wholesome and just government is contemplated and requir¬ ed, and the design of this is to bring the mind to early submission to the wholesome" restraints which may fit it for all its valued being.
In illustrating this position, we may make the following observations;
(1.) The Sacred Scriptures clearly contem¬ plate it as one part of the design. Hence the numerous commands, especially in the Book of Proverbs, to make use of the parental authority to discipline and subdue the child. "Train up a child in the way in which he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." Prov. xxii. 6. " Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight to thy soul." Prov. x.xix. 17. "He that spareth the rod, hateth his son." xiii. 24. " Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying." xix. 18. " Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction shall drive far from him." xxii. 15. "Withhold not correction from the child, for if thou beatest him with the rod he shall not die." xxiii. 13. "The rod and re¬ proof give wisdom; but a child left to himself, bringeth his mother to shaine." xxix. 15.
(2.) The subjugation of the soul to the whole¬ some restraints of law as it comes into this world, and enters on its course, is not only a duty in- ;culcated in the Bible, but is  one that is every 'here felt to be demanded by the circumstances ofthe case.    All minds need discipline, and are to be brought under the control of law.    There is not any where, even among pure spirits, any that are not to be brought under the operation of laws adapted to their nature and capacities. There has not been a  spirit  created,  even among the highest and purest angels of heaven, that is not brought under the operation of law, and bound in obedience to the one suprerne  and infinite mind.   And if this discipline and subjection is needful in heaven, how much more is it needful on earth! how much more that there should be some curtailing power, some intellect of supe¬ rior wisdom that shall bring the mind into sub¬ jection to law!   It is to be remembered, that the mind, as it is created and placed on earth, ccm- imeuces a career which can never terminate.   It is to be remembered that it is surrounded by cir¬ cumstances that constitute strong temptations to lead it astray.    And it is to be remembered, ac¬ count for it as wc maj'-, that it has a strong and universal tendency to insubordination, to wild and impetuous passions, to pride and self-will, and envy and strife, and fancied independence. No man, probably, to whom  God has entrusted the task of controlling and training the intellect and the heart of childhood,  eyer doubted the doctrine of depravity, or the early tendency to sin.    It does not, of coiu'se, comport with my present design to state the causes of this prone¬ ness to evil.    I state the fact only, and appeal to universal observation in proof of it, and on the ground of that urge tho necessity that minds that are coming into existence should be brought un¬ der the wholesome operation of law.    If left to itself, it will be ruined.    This all observation de- ;monstrates.   Men every where so feci and sec the necessity of discipline, that there wre laws of some sort in all families, and every where mind as it comes into the world meets with checks, and restraints, and usages designed to oppose its waywardness, and to control its evil propensi¬ ties, and to fit it for tho scenes in which it is to be engaged.
(3.) My particular object is to show that the family organization is designed for this, and is a plan admirably adapted by the great Author of all things for this end.    It combines so many ad¬ vantages for this, and has so  many marks  of plan, as to show that it is under the control of a Being of infinite wisdom and beneficence.    On the supposition that this was an object which God contemplated to secure, what more wise arrange¬ ment can be conceived than that which he has established in the familyl   The statement of a few circumstances may give us just ideas ofthe wisdom ofthe arrangement—may show that there was a. plan in it, and lead us to correct apprehen¬ sions of this plan,    (a)  One   of the advantages which the family organization furnishes for this, arises from the relation which is sustained by the parent to his child.    Who is this parent 1    He is not a stranger.   He is not one who has usurped authority.    He is not one to whom simple arbi¬ trary power is committed, without any check or balance.    He is not one who feels no interest in the governed.    He is a being who is bound by most tender ties already to the mind that is to be subjected to his government.   He is a being in whose heart is created, before one act of govern¬ ment is performed,the deepest interest in the wel¬ fare ofthe mind that is subjected to his control —who has at the same time with the conferring of the power, the promptings of nature to do all, and to suffer all that can in any way advance the welfare ofthe mind that is committed to him. He who is to exercise the authority is already a friend of the tenderest kind; and there is a se¬ curity laid in the very demand of his nature that he will do nothing contrary to the characteris- tics of the most tender friendship,   {h)   Again : .He to whom this new government is committed as no interest 'm the abuse of power and autho¬ rity.    In most instances when power is confer¬ red, there is a temptation  to abuse it.    Rulers of men, especially the rulers of the feeble and lefenceless, are  usually under strong induce¬ ments to abuse their power to the oppression and injury of those under their control.    If there is roperty, it is levied upon ; or, if there is mere 'rphysical strength, it is often made use of forthe promotion of the grandeur or military fame of those in power.    But nothing of this nature can occur in your family.    The infant mind that is ntrusted to you, has no property, has no influ- ince, has no power that you can wield to your lenefit, and tohis injury.    Your interest is iden- ified with his. There is nothing in your suprem- y in your family to gratify^he mere lust of '^vcr. Though the father is, or may be the most absolute of monarchs; though his will is  law; though every mind placed beneath his jurisdic¬ tion is required by even  divine authority to be subject to hun; and thoufih he has the most ample means to enforce his authoritv, yet it is absolute power, which, in one instance, is secured from abuse and in the bare cxceise of which there is nothing to gratify the  mere lust of dominion, (c)   Yet all power is dangerou.s.    God saw that no power was to be moreabsobuc than that ofa father. He saw that the mind that, was to bo sub¬ ject to the parent had   no  means   of defence. The little empire over which his sceptre was to be swayed could not resist him—nor could ihcy organize  in successful rebellion.    He saw that this power was to be exercised in the privacy of the [from [cog
[nterpose if the father was atyrant—it would not )e easy to prevent the abuse ofthe power, or to
bring an offender in this instance to justice. God knew that the power waste be exercised ev¬ ery day, and that, the father might be a man of passion, and easily excited, and a being to whom it was not safe to entrust such arbitrary power, without some suitable check and guard. In the father's own bosom, therefore, he resolved to place the check and balance. He determined to secure the rights ofthe child by placing in the heart of the father a security that this extraordi¬ nary power should not be abused. When the child is unable to defend itself, and when there is no visible protector, God designed that the strong parental attachment should be his pro¬ tector, and constitute the check and balance of power. Hence the parental attachment—the strongest feeling which man knows—and hence no father becomes a tyrant and abuses his abso¬ lute power without trampling down the tender¬ est feelings of his heart—without overcoming the most mighty principles of liis nature, and without making himself a monster.
Herein see the simple plans and the consum¬ mate wisdom  of God in a government that is reared up under his own hand, and that most re¬ sembles his own.   You can find it in none ofthe constitutions tbPt are framed by man; nor has any framer of constitutions, any Solon, or Ly- curgus, or Numa, the  ability to frame such a check against the abuse of power as this.   You can have no such security that the man who in¬ herits a crown from a royal ancestry, orthe man who wades to a throne through seas of blood, or even the man whom you place in the seat of power by delegated authority, will not abuse it. There are, there can be no such ties created by man constituting security in an empire over the weak and the defenceless, as have been formed by God in thefamily relation.  The lust of power —that mightiest principle which reigns in the hu¬ man bosom, and riots in the weaknesses and on the property of man, disregards right, and seeks only ascendancy.   It is in the family only on earth where there is an invisible, but effectual security against this abuse.    It is in the attach¬ ment which the monarch of the little kingdom feels for his subjpcts, the father for his children, that this security is lodged. And in this it approx¬ imates the government of God—the  only gov¬ ernment where there is absolute and uncontrol¬ lable power—where that power is exercised eve¬ ry moment—where  all is at the disposal of the sovereign—and yet where the attachment to the subject is so strong, and the love of right has such an ascendancy that mercy is never dear, and power never abused. For on earth, notwith¬ standing the strong ties which bind a father to his children, and the security which is laid there for their rights, such is depraved human nature, that these barriers are sometimes broken over, and even the father becomes a tyrant.    In God only, and in his government, this never occurs.
For tlie Christian Observer.
THE CONFLICT FOR RELIGIOUS LIBERTY IN 1646-'50.^No, xvi.
After the establishment of Presbyterianism, the first Provincial Assembly was held in Lon¬ don in 1647. The Assembly testify against the " error of Toleration, patronizing all other er¬ rors, heresies, and blasphemies whatsoever, un¬ der the grossly abused name of liberty of con¬ science." They complain that men should have liberty to worship God in that way and manner as shall appear to them most agreeable to the word of God, and no man be punished or dis¬ countenanced by authority for the same. (Neal, vol. li, p. 436.) " We detest," say the Assem¬ bly, "the fore-mentioned Toleration, accounting it unlawful and pernicious."
While the Presbyterians were urging the sup¬ pression of all sectaries, Cromwell took the king's person and carried hiin to the army, and moved towards London, saying, that, "now he he had got the king in his power, he had the Par¬ liament in his pocket." The Parliament were alarmed, and requested Cromwell to advance no nearer to the city. The officers answered, that they intended no alteration of the civil govern¬ ment, nor the destruction of Presbyterian go¬ vernment; but were appi-oaching in order to " obtaining ease of tender consciences, and that every peaceable subject might have liberty and encouragement." The Presbyterians in Parlia¬ ment were in favor of raising an army to oppose Cromwell. Twelve members were impeached and ejected from Parliament.—When the army arrived in London, proposals were made to abol¬ ish the Episcopal lorms of worship ; that the taking ofthe covenant should not be enforced upon any—that the king be requested to consent to the establishment of Presbyterianism for three years; that no person be liable to any penalty for non-conformity, but have liberty to worship God according to the dictates of their own con¬ sciences, provided they did nothing to disturb the peace of the kingdom ; and it was also pro¬ vided that this Toleration should not extend to Papists.—All non-conformists, however, were required to hold the doctrines of the 39 Articles ofthe Church of England. The Commons voted that this indulgence should not tolerate the book of Common Prayer; but the army were for a general indulgence.
The Presbyterians still insisted on the estab¬ lishment of Presbyterial government, covenant uniformity, and extirpation of all sectaries. But the king would not consent to the establishment of Presbyterianism, and this offended the Parlia¬ ment. The Parliament would not fully estab¬ lish liberty of conscience, and this offended the army, and led them to resolve never to sheathe the sword till they had obtained it.—Such was the struggle to obtain liberty of conscience.— (Neal, vol. ii- p. 450, 460.)
In 1646, the Presbyterians attempted to make their system the established religion. About the same time, the power to ordain was conferred on them by the Parliament. The Parliament was, in truth, under their control at this period. That system substituted one spiritual tyranny, and one system of coercion, for another. " The Directory for worship was enforced by fines and penalties: the use of the Common Prayer in churches, in families, and even in the closet, was forbidden. To the Independents, Tolera¬ tion was denied. Covenant Uniformity, and the Divine right of Presbytery, were the cry of the dominant parly. (Toulmin, p. 268.)
Immediately after the army withdrew from London, the Presbyterians attempted to enforce Presbyterianism, and sought to restore the king. After the execution of the king, the Scots pro¬ claimed Charles II. king, provided he would re¬ nounce popery and prelacy, and take the so¬ lemn league and covenant;" and in June, 1649, the king arrived in Scotland. Scotland prepared to invade England. Cromwell marched the army immediately into Scotland, and met and defeat¬ ed the Scots under General Lesley, at Dunbar. This defeat prostrated the power of the Scots over the English Parliament, which, in Septem¬ ber following, repealed all laws imposing any penalty, or punishment, or imprisonment, on re- ligious or peaceable people, well affected to the CoiTimonwealth ; and all persons, not having a
selling goods, or haunting of taverns; against swearing and blasphemy. (Neal, vol. ii, p. 570.) It does not appear that the Independents— amidst all these commotions—made any attempt to encroach upon the liberty of others in matters of religion. Even when the power was in their hands, they manifested no disposition lo do it.— Hence the assertion has been correctly made, that "it is the distinguished glory of the Inde¬ pendents to have first recommended a principle so noble as religious liberty to the esteem of the world. Were Britain to erect a statue of gold to the memory of the first patrons of the sentiment, she would but imperfectly discharge the debt she owes lo those who have been the source of her wealth, her .strength, and her glory." (Bogue & Bonnet, vol. i, p. 180.) G. F.
PREACHING TWO HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
Extract from a Discourse by Hugh Binning, Professor of Moral Philosophy at Glasgow, in 1653.
If any come to Christ, or pretend to come on any other grounds than his own unworthiness and the freeness of the gospel, comes not right. If the most virtuous comes not in among un¬ godly sinners, and walks not upon the ground of his own extreme necessity and Christ's suffi¬ ciency, he cannot come to Jesus Christ. There is a conceit among the people, which if it were not so common as it is, I would not mention it, isso ridiculous: How can I come to Christ so unclean and so guilty, nothing but condemna¬ tion in me ! If I were such and such, I would come to him. Alas! there can nothing be ima¬ gined more absurd, or contrary even to sense and reason. If thou wert such and such, as thou fanciest a desire to be, thou wouldst not come to Christ, thou wouldst not need him : that which thou pretendest as a reason why thou shouldst not come, is the great reason pressed in the gospel, why thou shouldst come. What mad¬ ness is hisT I am so unclean, I will not come in the fountain to wash. Wherefore was the foun¬ tain opened, but for sin and uncleannessl and the more uncleanness the more need; and Ihe more need the more reason to come. Necessity is a great errand, and our errand is a sufficient warrant. I am pursued by the law, I have con¬ demnation within me, and nothing but condem¬ nation. Well, then come to Jesus Christ, Jesu.s, the city of refuge, where no condemnation is. Wherefore was the city appointed, but for this endl
Though it be true, no man comes to a Saviour till he be convinced of sin and misery, yet no man should seek convictions as a warrant to come to Christ for salvation. He that is in ear¬ nest about this question, how shall I be saved 1 should not spend the time in reflecting on, and examination of himself, till he find something in himself, but from discovered sin and misery, pass straightway over to the grace and mercy of Christ, without any intervening search of some¬ thing in himself to warrant him to come. There should lie nothing before the eye ofthe soul but sin and misery, and absolute necessity, compar¬ ed with superabounding grace, and righteous¬ ness in Christ. And thus it singly (Revolves it¬ self over upon Christ, and receives him as offered freely, without money-and without price. I know it is not possible that a soul can receive Christ, till there be some preparatory convincing work ofthe law to discover sin and misery. But I hold, that to look to any such preparation, and fetch an encouragement or motive therefrom, to believe in Christ is really to give him a price for his free waters and wine: it is to mix in to¬ gether Christ, and the law, in the point of our ac¬ ceptation ; and for souls to go about to seek pre¬ parations, for a time resolving, not at all to con¬ sider the promises of the gospel till they had found them, and satisfaction in them, is nothing else but to go about to establish their own right¬ eousness, being ignorant of-the righteousness of Christ.
reasonable excuse, were required, on every man's own tent or dwelling, far removed Lord's day, to go to some place of public wor- n public scrutiny, and beyond almost the ship," either of prayer, preaching, or expound- nizance ofthe laws.   It would be difficult to (ing the Scriptures.   Severe laws were enacted
againsi all immoralities, and fines imposed on those who profaned the Sabbath by  travelling,
[From the Vermont Chronicle.] VISIT TO DINDEGAL.
This is a missionary station of the A. B. C. F, M. in the northern part of the Madura district— and a most promising field for missionary labor. The town contains about 7,000 inhabitants, and the district 228,000; 50,000 or 60,000 of whom are so near as to be easily visited from this station.
On the morning of the Sabbath after my arri¬ val, I attended the usual family service in the house of Mr, Lawrence. The preacher was a young man educated in the Seminary at Battico- la, Ceylon ; the audience, about 125 in number, consisted of the pupils of the boarding-schools, male and female ; some of the teachers and scho¬ lars of the day-schools; a few Roman Catho¬ lics, &c. Some of them came four miles to meeting. The men and boys sat on mats, facing the preacher, who kept up their attention and in¬ terest by occasional .questions, sometimes ad¬ dressed to particular individuals, and sometimes put generally for any one to answer who might think himself able. The females sat partly be¬ hind the preacher and the mission families. It was long since I had attended a Sabbath service, conducted in the simple but edifying manner to which I had been accustomed before leaving my own country; and the singing of Christian hymns in tunes familiar to my ear, and associated in my mind with scenes of deep religious interest in my native land; the attentive and serious read¬ ing of the Word of God ; the prayers offered in tones denoting humble reverence and devotion; the sermon by a converted heathen, and ad¬ dressed tp his still heathen countrymen; these and other circumstances, which I cannot men-1 tion now, made the service, though in a foreign tongue, a deeply interesting and affecting one.
The next morning, I went with Mr. Dwight to see his boarding-school. It was commenced five years before, and contained forty-five pu¬ pils. Seven of them had been admitted to Chris¬ tian communion a few weeks before; and some others were regarded as giving evidence of pi¬ ety, and had expressed a desire to enjoy the same privilege.—Mr. L. remarked that it was "a feast to hear some of these young converts pray." The school occupies several small rooms on one side of the yard in which Mr. D's. house stands; one for study, one for eating, an¬ other for study, &c. They remain here on the missionary's premises, and under his dailysu- ! pervislon and instruction. They witness his man¬ ner of life, and feel the influence of Christian ex-1 ample, as well as precept; and are not allowed to associate with the heathen around Ihem, nor even to visit their relatives, except once or twice a year. They are, therefore, under very favor¬ able circumstances for receiving religious im¬ pressions; and I think there is more probabiiity of their conversion, than there is of the conver¬ sion of young men in our best schools in Ame¬ rica.
After looking at their rooms, seeing their dress, examining some very creditable speci¬ mens of their penmanship, &c., I asked Mr. D. what was the expense of supporting them.— " About two rupees a month," W£is the reply. Two rupees, or less than one dollar a month ! Is it possible !! Yes, friend ofthe heathen, for less than one dollar a month you may support a youth in this school; and, by so doing, you will bring | him from \he darkness of ignorance to the light of knowledge; you will probably raise him up [ from poverty and degradation to the enjoyment
of competence and respectability; you will bring him out from the corrupting influences of a heathen home and pagan society, and place him under that of gospel truth and pious ex¬ ample ; you will bring him from almost cer¬ tainly pursuing the broad road to ruin, to the gate ofthe way of life; and if, in answer to your prayers, he be persuaded to enter lhat gate, you save him from "weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth" forever, and raise him up to shine as an angel of light, and be clothed with immortal gljory; and more, even, you may make him, it may be, a messenger of mercy, and a meansof salvation to hundreds, or thou¬ sands, of his countrymen. Oh, what an object to be accomplished for one dollar a month!
"But," said I to Mr. D., "do you think that two rupees t month supports them sufficiently wellV " Yes," he replied, " comfortably well: I have sometimes thought they ought to have a little more clothing, but they are very glad to attend the school and dress as they do." Their only clothing was a single piece of cotton cloth three or four yards long. This forms what is considered a decent dress; but to be respectably dressed, as students, they should have a cover¬ ing for the head, body, and feet. But these youth are glad to attend the missionary school, though they have not a hat for their heads, nor a coat for their backs, nor shoes for their feet; and there are many others, who would gladly attend in the same way, if they could be received.
Is there not here an opportunity to do much good at a very small expense 7 Think of the blessings of an education in such a school, and of the good it may qualify them lo do among their perishing countrymen ; and then consider whether you cannot, and will not, do more to enable the missionaries to receive and educate them. Cannot your family contrive to support a youth in this or some other missionaiy board¬ ing schooll How happy for the members ofa family, as they assemble around their well-spread table, and at the family altar, to reflect that, by the practice of a little self-denial, they are ena¬ bling a heathen youth to enjoy, in some good degree, the blessings of that religion, which makes our homes so happy, and preparing hirn to communicate the same rich blessings to his perishing countrymen. Shall not your family enjoy this happiness 1 I. T.
DR. WRIGHTS JOURNAL IN PERSIA.
Notions of Government among the Persians.—Severity of Punishments.—Use of Intoxicating Drinks.
The following extracts, which give the reader a glimpse at the state of society among the Mohamme¬ dans at Ooroomiah, in Persia, are copied from the last number of the Missionary Herald.
May \st, 1841. No question is oftener asked by the many Persians, who call upon us, than " What kind of a king have you in America]" When told that we have no king, in the sense in which they understand the term, they are fill¬ ed with wonder, and cannot comprehend how a nation can exist for a day without a shah. When assured lhat such is the case, and that our chief magistrate has not the lives of the people at his command like Mohammed shah, they look at
each    other   and seem   to  think.    Poor people,
without a king; y.ou are orphans in the world !
7. Last night two khans, one of them brother ofthe beglerbeg, got intoxicated, and were guil¬ ty of riotous conduct in the streets. To-day the prince has called them before him, and in the presence of his brother, malek MansoorMeerza, and a few others, and ordered them to be basti¬ nadoed. Being khans, so much respect was shown them, lhat carpels were spread on which they lay, when their feet wets fastened to the wood to be beaten. After a few blows were in¬ flicted upon the feet of the principal khan, the prince's brother ran forward, and threw himself upon him, and begged that that might be suffi¬ cient, saying lhat the humiliation of being pros¬ trated for the bastinado, was a sufficient punish¬ ment for a khan of such rank. He was forgiven, and the matter ended.
Although the use of wine is unlawful among Mussulmans, it is drank to great excess by a large number ofthe first men in the cily. Withscarce- ly an exception, it is used wilh the greatest free¬ dom by the immense retinue of attendants and servants around malek Kasem Meerza. The prince himself was formerly a slave to the intox¬ icating cup, but has reformed. The moolahs preach against the use of wine, and pronounce a thousand terrible denunciations against all who transgress the laws of Mohammed, bul their words are npt listened to. In the East, as is oft¬ en the case in the West, the voice of prudence and of religion is not heard, but men continue to be the slaves of their passions.
30. With kasha, (priest) Abraham, I went yes¬ terday to Ardishai to attend services in the church. After the services were closed at Ar¬ dishai, I went to hold services at Alkai, a vil¬ lage aboul two miles from the former. The at¬ tendance at both places was good, and the priest's heart seemed greatly interested in the work of making known the unsearchable riches of Christ. He preached with earnestness and ap¬ parent affection. As the priest understands a good deal of our language, I addressed the con¬ gregation through him as interpreter. They lis¬ tened with apparent interest, increased perhaps somewhat by the novelty of hearing a new lan¬ guage.
July 6. The lime of harvest has commenced in this province. The plain of Ooroomiah yields a most abundant supply of wheat, barley, and other kinds of grain. As we were returning yes¬ terday from attending Mr. and Mrs. Perkins a short distance on their way to America, we saw a multitude of reapers in the fields, and women gleaning after them, reminding us of the Scrip¬ ture, where it said of Ruth, " She went, and came and gleaned in the field after the reap¬ ers."—Ruth ii. 3.
7. Yesterday two Koords, known as men of the basest sort,were found guilty of lheft,andwere tak¬ en prisoners. To-day the prince-governor order¬ ed them to be divided in halves, and the parts to be hung up at four of the city gates. The order was immediately executed ; and, as we rode out ofthe city this evening, the melancholy specta¬ cle was presented al the gate where we usually go into the country, and where most of the Koords from the mountains enter the city.
To-day, while with the prince, six very re¬ spectable looking Mussulmans were brought be¬ fore him, under charge of riotous conduct in a mosque, and of insulting a moolah. After a few minutes spent in making inquiries about them, the feradges were ordered to bastinado them in the presence ofthe prince. Several large bun¬ dles of sticks were brought, such as il would be thought cruel to beat oxen wilh in America, and the men, one by one, were roughly thrown upon the stone pavement in the yard, their feet close¬ ly bound to a stick, held horizontally a little raised from the ground by two men, and then three or four other men plied the sticks wilh great violence. The heavy blows falling upon the naked feet of the poor fellows, they gave vent to their sufferings in heart-piercing cries. When they had been thoroughly beaten, the prince ordered them to be released; but they could scarcely stand on their feet, and were supported as they went from the presence of the prince by such as had sympathy for them.
It is wiser to prevent a quarrel beforehand, than to revenge it afterwards. It is much bet¬ ter to reprove, than to be angry in secret.
 ^	
APPEAL FOR HELP FROM SYRIA.
Extracts from the General Letter of the missionaries, (pub¬ lished in the Missionary Herald,) dated Beyroot, 7th of October, 1841.
Urgent Need of Larger Pecuniary Allowances.
Having learned the amount approprialod by the Committee for their mission for the ensuing year, and finding it far below what the extent of their operations and the openings all around them call for, the brethren say, that, to bring their expenditures within the limits prescribed, they must spend nothing on their mission seminary, nothing on the press, nothingr on the three preparatory schools, take away 200 dollars from com¬ mon schools, 200 dollars from what was devoted to female education, and 225 dollars from t!ie salaries of native assistants, and retire from the station at Beth¬ lehem. The missionaries then proceed—
We write wilh much anxiety, to ask. Shall this be done ? We beg an answer to this question from home. Pray, throw not upon us the responsibi¬ lity. We have already, since our embarrass¬ ment commenced, spent many, many days of consultation, and suffered from anxiety more than we can express, in turning over our esti¬ mates in every possible way, to find an escape from the pinching necessities lhat have so long tied our hands—but all to no purpose. Unless our means are increased, we cannot go forward, we cannot hold the ground we are ob. Shall we go backward 1 disband our seminary, shut up our press, scatter the children from our schools, send the little girls we have adopted backlo their ignorant, superstitious, brutish mothers, and dis¬ miss our native helpers 1 Pray tell us. Shall this
be done?
We need hardly add, lhat our operations among the Druzes,proposcd in our communica tions of June last, and not included in the above calculations, must also be stopped, unless an ex¬ tra appropriation be made for them.
We know that this communication will give you pain, if you have not the means of returning a favorable answer. Think, then, what must be our feelings in view of the necessity that has obliged us to write il. But this necessity there was no evading. We have stood up against il as long as we can. Unless help comes we must now yield, and sit down with our hands lied, and our hopes blasted. We ask again, dear breth¬ ren. Shall this be done ?
Ofthe openings, especially among the Druzes, to take advantage of which the additional grant of money so importunely asked for above, is wanted, the follow¬ ing brief statement from Mr. W. M. Thomson, dated 7th October, will give some information:
We have largely increased the number of our friends and personal anquainlances. We have commenced the education of some of the most promising lads in the Druze nation, and the pa¬ rents are very anxious lhat we should continue it. We have established four new schools, and received numerous applications lo open schools, which we have not the funds to undertake. Only two days ago four teachers applied for permis¬ sion to commence schools, to only one of which we could give any encouragement. This morn¬ ing I had a long visit from one ofthe emeers of the Ras-el-an family, who urged me to begin our seminary at B. Shamone this winter. Although a married man, he is extremely anxious to stu¬ dy himself.
Let il nol be forgotten, that all these requests have been, made, and this eagerness has been manifested by an ignorant people, threatened constantly with a destructive civil war, and that they have persevered through every discourage¬ ment. If I am not greatly mistaken, we have a great work yet to do for the Druzes.
RUINS OF HUMANITY.
Of all the ruins on which the eye of man can gaze, or on which his memory can dwell, none are more painfully sublime than the ruins of hu¬ manity ;—and what are theyf Nol the deep furrow which time ploughs on its cheeks, or the silvery whiteness with which years cover the head ; not the curved spine, which bows the face to the earth as if it looked for a grave lo rest in: for the wrinkled cheek, and the bleached head, and the stooping frame are the appropriate ac¬ companiments of age, and as beautiful in the system of life as winter with its leafless trees and frozen streams in the system of the sea¬ sons;—bul the ruins of humanity are seen in wrinkles which time has not made, in a frame trembling wilh anxiety, shaken by sorrow, hum¬ bled by sin, withered by despair,—when the beauty of youth is gone, and the beauty of age has not supplied its place. 'Tis as melancholy as snow in harvest.
A FAMILY INCIDENT.
The Rev. Dr. Cook, the distinguished pastor of the Presbyterian Church, in Belfast, Ireland, in a public address, in answer to the notoriously false assertion of O'Connell, that the Protestants in Ireland were never persecuted, after referring to several scenes of suffer- ieg, in disproof of the assertion of O'Connell, thus al¬ luded to his own family history: "I come to the pe¬ riod of the ill-fated James II. I suppose I address some of the descendants of those driven under the walls of Derry. I know that there is, at least, the de¬ scendant of one man who was conspicuous in that event. For myself, I have no name to be honored, or recorded; but an ancestor of mine was driven from the county of Down at the point of the bayonet, and fled to Derry. All his family were murdered, save one lit¬ tle boy. His father carried him with him ; and when he arrived at Derry, he had no cover for his child, but placed him beside him at the embrasures of the wall beside the guns. It pleased God to protect the little boy, and here am I, the humble individual who ad¬ dresses you, the descendant of that boy."
[^Protestant.
WITHHOLDING THE GOSPEL FROM MEN! Every moment during which we continue to withhold the gospel from men, we are withhold¬ ing from God his highest glory, we are conceal¬ ing from them a scheme of mercy from which he is expected lo derive his highest revenue of praise for ever. The knowledge of the arts, the discoveries of science, the treasures of philoso¬ phy, all these might be kept from them with comparative impunity; bul lhat we should hold back from them knowledge sent from heaven, if it be in our powerto imparl il, oughtto cover us with shame as it does with guilt. To conceal from them the power of God lo create, or to up¬ hold, or destroy that which he has created, would be highly dishonoring his name ; but vo¬ luntarily lo keep back from a world perishing, " the power of God unto salvation"—to hide from the dark world, nol only his glory, but the very "brightness of his glory,"—to conceal from a world filled with the mosl revolting and hideous images of the Deity, the " express image of his person," is, in effect, to put a slight upon an ob¬ ject in which his highest honor is embarked. To have seen the cross of Christ, and yet to allow the world to offer ils human and animal sacri¬ fices, as if he had not "died once for all"—to hold his gospel in our hands, and yet to allow a thousand impostors and demons to publish their Shastersand Koransin its stead, is not merely to
dishonor infinite majesty, but to inflict a wound on the very heart of infinite love.—Dr. Harris.
THE ABILITY OF THE CHURCHES
To sustain ihe Work of Missions in Ur.evangelizcd Nations.
The following is a copy of the paper presented by Dr. Armstrong to the late meeting of the A. B. C. F. M., on the ability of the patrons of the Board to meet the growing wants of the missions :
When we look at the progressive character of the work in which the Board is engaged, and the necessity for increasing funds, in proportion to its progress, a question arises as to the ability of the patrons of the Board to meet these growing demands, and the means by which adequate con¬ tributions may be obtained.
The churches that regard this Board as their agency for the missionary work contain more than 300,000 communicants.    About one half of them are in New England.    Nine-tenths of the remainder are in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, and the Western States north ofthe Ohio river.   The resources of the Board are mainly drawn from  that part of our country which is most remarkable for enterprise, indus¬ try, and economy ; for great and varied natural resources, and the rapid increase of its popula¬ tion and development; for general education, and the blessings of a preached gospel and an educated ministry.    Throughout this wide field, the supporters of the Board form a part of the population not surpassedby any other, equally numerous, in activity, energy, intelligence, and piety.    If their contributions already approach¬ ed the limits of their present ability, we might rationally hope for such an increase of their numbers and resources, from year to year, as would be adequate to meet the growing wants of the missions.
But present contributions can scarcely be re¬ garded as approaching the limit of present abi¬ lity.    The donations to the Board during the last financial year, exclusive of legacies and contri¬ butions from foreign countries, were abool $240,- 000.    This is an average of seventy cents per annum, to each of the 300,000 church membei's, lo whom the Board looks for support.   Of this amount, not less than ^5,000, one-sixth of the whole, was given by a comparatively small num¬ ber of persons, in  sums varying from $50 to $1,000.    The general average of individual con¬ tributions was not, therefore, more than sixty cents.    Of the remaining $175,000, not less than $40,000,  almost one-fourth  of the  whole, was given al the monthly concert of prayer, by not more than one-sixth of tbe church members.— Most of these, in addition to what they gave at the monthly concert, contributed their full pro¬ portion to the annual collection in their church¬ es.   Thus it appears, on the supposition that all the members of churches connected with the Board bore a part iu the work, lhat the general average of contribution was less than fifty cents lo each communicant for tbe j^ear.
How easily might that ajmount be increased fourfold, or even tenfold, by economy and self- denial! Then it would hardlj-^ approximate to the amount expended by the community, a few years since, for intoxicating drinks, now admit¬ ted to be both useless and pernicious. It would be far less than is annually squandered in our large cities for amusements that serve no other purpose than lo while away an idle hour, and yield a momentary gratification. There are among the patroas of the Board individual churches, whose contributions have averaged from five to eight dollars annually, for each member, for some years past, without any gr-cat self-denial, or any interference wilh the claims of any other objects.
Careful investigation has evinced, that the whole amount given to the Board is, in fact, con¬ tributed by about one half of the members of churches professing to co-operate with it. The proportion of members actually contributing, and the average contribution of each member, vary much in different parts of the country.— They are largest in the atate of Massachusetts— where, according to the best estimate that can be made, a little more than two-thirds of all the members of churches connected with the Board made contributions last year.
The average amount of their donations was about $1 10 lo each communicant, or $1 66 to each communicant actually contributing. A like contribution from all the communicants in the churches, connected with the Board, would give an annual income of $.500,000. In that case, legacies and donations from non-communicants would swell the amount to ^00,000, twice the sum requisite to sustain the missions on their present scale.
Yet the churches of Massachusetts are not op¬ pressed or exhausted by what they are now do¬ ing for this cause. None of the patrons of the Board respond more cheerfully lo ils appeals for an increase of funds. No where do other bene¬ volent objects receive a more liberal support.
One of the auxiliaries of the Board in Massa¬ chusetts publishes annually a full and accurate statement of all contributions  to its treasury.— The returns, thus made, present some interesl- ingfacts. The auxiliary embraces sixteen church¬ es, which reported lo the General Associati?5n, in 1841, 2,490 members.   It is made up chiefly ofa rural and agricultural population.   There is no city or large  town within its limits.    All  the churches have male and female foreign mission¬ ary associations.    The plan of contributing by dividing each parish into districts, and appoint¬ ing collectors of both sexes for each district is universal.   The amount collected by this auxili¬ ary, through the associations in 1341, was $2,- 626,22.    The   report  shows  that contributions were made by 2,724 persons, exceeding by 234 the whole number of co-nmunicants.    But, as contributions were made by many who were not communicants, (in one parish there were 89 ju¬ venile  contributors,) it is certain that all the church members did not contribute.    By infor¬ mation derived from other sources, il is known that the proportion of church members, who do not contribute in that part of the country,  is   ' about one-fifth.    A careful analysis of the list of contributions shows, that, of the whole number of contributors,   one-eighth paid less than 25 cents each per annum, a little more than one- fourth paid 25 cents, le.ss than one-fourth paid .50 cents, less than one-fifth paid $1, one in fifteen paid $2.   More than nine-tenths of all the con¬ tributors gave one dollar or less, in sums varying from six cents to one dollar.   If all the actual contributors of this Society, who gave one dol¬ lar or less, gave only twice as much, the collec¬ tion would be $4,500 instead of $2,600.   How easily might that be done ! ^
Yet the whole collection, m this auxiliary last year, including the Monthly Concert, was $3,288, making a general average on the whole number of church members of $1 32. A like average on the number of churches co-operating with the Board, would have increased the receipts to $400,000.
Here is a body of country churches, made up mainly of plain farmers and mechanics, with no peculiar facilities for the acquisition of property, and not more wealthy than the same class of per¬ sons throughout the land. Their rate of contri¬ bution last year, had it been universal, would nearly have doubled the receipts of the Board .