Christian observer

              mrrnfi^minr^ ''*-/-m;,s;;."«-*' i ,i. J-jifjiigMi
!Jlft»••-:'«^^*w»'*«^St**'*r*^'
/
NEW SERIES, NO. 108.
FOR THE
; DIFFUSION QF TRUTH AND THE SUPPORT OF THE PRINCIPLES OF TH^fpRESBYTERlAN
CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES.
F.'bARtKI EDITORS :~134C
Sottthertt Jlelfflfotts mkeavnpii.
HESTNUT Street.
PHILADELPHIA, FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 1842.
RELIGIOUS,
For the Cbristinn Observer.
IMPORTANCE OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTY.
'• ensure a community all the benefits of religion
it ought to be entirely free. 1 know that individuals may be most eminent- pious, devoted, and happy in the hopes which e religion affords, while suffering crilel perse- tion. Of this the history of tho church furnish- abundant proof.    But our present inquiry re- rds the blessings conferred by religion on the ople at large. And these, it is maintained, are thed abroad most richly, and enjoyed most fully, en the civil authorities lay no restraints what- er on the conscience.
It is not, however, my object, at this time of y, to adduce formal proofs of this truth, as ough it were doubted.    Thanks to our forefa¬ thers, it is not so.    My piirpn<ip: is rather to ex- llUiin the reason, than prove the justness of my position. And this, I think, is a work of some im¬ portance, because with many of my country- inen, I apprehend, love of religious freedom is ther the result of prejudice than conviction. That is is true, seems to follow clearly from the fact, tin numerous cases, the nature ofthe thing is together mistaken. Many understand the affair us:  (Religion is  free,   therefore   man   tnay iightfuUy reject all religion, or choose any that ^pleases him best: and one is as good as another, .provided only that the  religionist is sincere.) The sound logic, in the first case, is this:  Reli- ion is free, and therefore the civil authorities ave no right to inflict on any man punishments disabilities on account of his religious belief worship.   And as to the second, who can ubt, in many instances, the sincerity of the inatic, the enthusiast, or the sectarian 1   But rely it is not as well for the community, that en should be fanatics as true Christians. I take that men enjoy true liberty of conscience, en the church and state are completely sepa- |te, so that the civil authorities can compel no ine to pay his money for the support of reli- ':gion ; and can interfere in no way with ecclesi¬ astical  doctrine   or   discipliut; ;    and     yhon   tho
thurch itself has no power but that conferred by truth and love. Every individual, then, is bound ;^o embrace truth, and practice love, and for failing to do so, he is answerable to his Creator, inot to his fellow creatures. With these expla¬ nations, I proceed to observe—
1. Religion ought to be free, because otherwise it
ems  impossible, ivithout a continued miracle, to
eservc it from general corruption.
There are   two methods by which religious
erty is restrained.   The first is that in which
e civil government adopts a particular form
J^f religion as its own, compels every subject to
lUpport it as the religion ofthe state, and offers
1 political honors and emoluments to the mem-
ers of the established church.    Such an estab-
shment may exist either with  or without the
oleration of  other denominations.    In   either
Base, the interests of religion suffer. Let us take
Ihe most favorable.
In the first place, the civil ruler is the head of [he church ; he controls the clergy, and of course s free from a.ll ecclesiasiicai discipline, vruai, bishop dares to repel the king, or his prime min¬ uter from the communion 1 What priest would venture to subject his patron to spiritual censure, however unholy his manner of life 1 The exam¬ ple, then, of a number of great men in a nation, making laws to support the church, and claim- ngall its privileges, yet before the world setting It nought allthe precepts of piety, must operate powerfully to the injury of religion. The prac¬ tice of a clergy, cringing to their superiors, and glo.ssing"over their licentious lives, while they exert ecclesiastical authority over the common people, cannot but corrupt priests and people, and bring religion into contempt.
But, in the next place, when the state provides a permanent living for the ministers of religion, and appoints them to their places, they are, in fact,  officers of the government.    And   office- hunting exerts all ils corrupting and degrading influences among the clergy.    Men are tempted to seek, and do seek for the priest's office, not 'because they love religion, and wish to do good to their fellow men, but because they wish for a living. And when vested with their brief autho¬ rity, they strut among their interiors in tne arro- ; gance of official dignity.   Who does not see that [here is a source of deep, corruption 1 [    Again: toleration is never so complete, that Dissenters are free from oppression.    There is more religious liberty in Great Britain than in ny other country, where religion is establish¬ ed ty law.   Yet experience there has shown the necessity of organizing among the Dissenters a society for the preservation of religious liber¬ ty. The annual reports of that society show lhat there is a call for its vigilance and energy.   The established clergy are continually under strong temptations to sustain religion by authority, and war against liberty of conscience.   All this cor¬ rupts   the heart,  while il alienates the people from religion. Legal oppression has made many an unbeliever, but never a sincere convert.
Once more: where there are differences of rank in the clergy, as is almost universally the case in establishments, the higher orders in the church associate with the higher orders inthe state, and live in the same kind of princely splendor. They also mingle in the political con¬ tentions of their day ; and while clothed with the external sanctity of religion, they are in great danger of becoming, contrary to their most so¬ lemn vows, mere men ofthe world. This needs no comment, I do most cheerfully grant that to all these case.s, there arc most honorable excep¬ tions. But they are exceptions, Tlit: result of the whole is a general lowering of the standard of piety, and of ministerial holiness.
But there is another scheme for restraining liberty of conscience, far more disastrous in its effects, than that which has been noticed. It is that by which the spiritual authority is exalted, in a community, above the civil, and the rulers of a commonwealth are subjected lo the minis¬ ters of religion. The history of the dark ages of Europe affords the only example of this horri¬ ble evil, unless one should choose to bring un- djer the same class the case of Mohammed, who united both civil and religious authority in his J own person.
This tyranny admits of no toleration. Dissent and non-conformity are treason and rebellion. Oppvoss'ion enters into man's soul, and grinds him down to the dust. One is not allowed even to conceal \vUh\t\ his own bosom his disagree¬ ment with tho dogmas and rescripts of his spirit¬ ual rulers. Ho must publicly and frequently manifest his assent and consent. He must fall down and worship the image which has been set up, or be cast inlo the burning fiery fur¬ nace.
The effect of such an establishment on the minds of the clergy, is, to the last degree cor¬ rupting. They use religion aa other men use un¬ limited civil power—for their own selfish pur¬ poses. They employ the most awful truths, and the mo.st sacred things in subservience to their sensual pursuits and the designs of their unhal¬ lowed ambition. The majesty of Deity, the glo¬ ries of heaven, the foarfulness of etwoal perdi
reaching priests. The effect is just such as might be expected. The mosthardenedinfidelity in the world is to be found among clergymen who thus abuse religion. It was a Holy Father who said, " the fable of Jesus and Mary is gainful for us!" The higher and more intelligent classes of sec¬ ular men see through all this trick and chicane¬ ry of the church, and understand its object.— While it answers their purposes, they lend it their support, or they submit because it is too mighty for their strength to overthrow il. But it confirms them in unbelief. Among the common people, there is superstition, there is enthusi¬ asm, there is fanaticism, there is the most besot¬ ted bigotry, but scarcely any thing like true reli¬ gion. And when an exception does occur, piety is sadly weakened and perverted by some of its spurious forms.
For the ChrUtlan Observer.
RISE OF THE PURITANS.—No. XIII.
About the year 1606, Mr. Bradshaw published a small treatise, entitled " English Puritanism, containing the main opinions ofthe rigidestsort of those that went by that nanae in the realm of England," which Dr. Ames translated into Latin for the benefit of foreigners. As to government, this treatise says, "They hold that by God's ordi¬ nance the congregation should choose other of- ficers as assistants to the ministers in the gov¬ ernment ofthe church, who are jointly, with the ministers, the overseers of the manners and con¬ versation of all the congregation, and that these Site to be chosen out of the gravest and most discreet members, who are also of some note in the world, and able, if possible, to maintain themselves."
What was then understood by assistants, we learn from another clause, viz. " We confine all ecclesiastical jurisdiction within one congrega¬ tion, and that jurisdiction is not alonein the min¬ isters, but in the elders of the church; and their jurisdiction is merely spiritual." (Neal, vol. 1, p. 434, 437.)
Dr. Owen further remarks, (p. 478,) that the pastors and teachers are not divested of their right to rule in the church by the appointment of elders, or assistants in the church:  * Jt or uic right and duty of rule is inseparable from the of¬ fice of elders, which all bishops or gastors are."
" To the complete constitution of any partic¬ ular church, or the perfection of its organical state, it is required that there be many elders in it—at least more than one. In this proposition lies the next foundation ofthe truth which we plead for, and therefore it must be distinctly con¬ sidered. I do not determine what their number oughtto be ; nor is it determinable, as unto all the churches. For the light of nature sufficient¬ ly directs, that it is to be proportioned unto the work and end designed. Where a church is nu¬ merous, there is a necessity of increasing their number proportionable to their work. Where the churches are small, the number of elders may be so also. But that church, small or great, is not complete in its state, is defective, which hath not more elders than one—who have not so many as are sufficient for their work."
.Somp thfire are, who begin to maintain that there is no need ot any luoiu jJUt V...IJ y^dor,
bishop, or elder, in a particular church, which hath its rule in itself, other elders for rule being unnecessary. This is a novel opinion, contra¬ dictory to the sense and practice of the church in all ages. The practice of the fii-st Ghm-oh^e constituted by the apostles, which it is our duty to imitate and follow as our rule, constantly ex- presseth and declares, that many elders were appointed by them in every church. (Vol. 20, p. 480, 481.)
Again : on page 502, we find the following de¬ clarations : " Some would place the rule of the church in the civil magistrate, who is the only ruling elder, as they suppose. But the general¬ ity OF all Protestant churches throxtghotjt THE WORLD, both Lutherans and Reformed, do both in their jiidgtnent and practice, assert the necessity of the ruling elders which we plead for; and their office lies at the foundation of all their order and discipline, which they cannot forego without extreme confusion, yea, without the ruin of their churches," " There is no men- lion in Scripture, no mention in antiquity, of any church wherein there was not more elders than one ; nor doth that church answer the original pattern where it is otherwise." (P. 480, 481.)
Having but one elder in the church, is thus de¬ clared to be "a novel opinion" about the year 1680, and "contradictory to the sense and prac¬ tice of thechurch in all ages." Hence the elder¬ ship, then,\vas in full existence in the Congrega¬ tional churches in England. It will also ba re- membered tliat in AmeTrca,Tne~5yncni of Cam¬ bridge in 1680, confessed the sin of neglecting to have aYull bench of elders, and promised to be free from this and other sins ; and the eldership was in existence in Connecticut at the Synod of Saybrook in 1708.
Dr. Owen also tells us, (page 523,) that the of¬ fice of deacon, established by the apostles, was not a temporary institution, and therefore extra¬ ordinary, " but was to abide inthe church through¬ out all generations."
Such were the views of ecclesiastical organiza¬ tion and government among the Congregation¬ alists in England for a century after the ris'e of this denomination; and such was the system adopted by the Puritans of New England. There, too, they prevailed for nearly a century, as we shall show hereafter. The history of these churches will show lhat they have been the re¬ pository of sound doctrine, G. F.
VOL. XXI. NO. 4.
The following paragraph is published by the Asso¬ ciation of Friends:
Among the many obvious marks of declension from true virtue, especially to be lamented, is the disregard of the solemn duties for which the generality of Christians have set apart the first day ofthe week. Instead of employing it in as¬ sembling for the  public worship  of Almighty God, and in attention to the most weighty con¬ cerns of the immortal soul, how many are sor¬ rowfully prostituting it to purposes diametrical¬ ly opposed to these indispensable obligations, spending it in the pursuit of sensual indulgences and vain amusements, and thereby d^honoring the holy name which they profess!   How many are employed in a manner not consistent with the truly rational as well as holy purposes of that day, in unnecessarily visiting each other, in riding merely for recreation,business, and plea- sure, or in collecting and feasting together, to the great oppression of those employed in their service, and thereby depriving them ofthe priv¬ ilege of attending their several places of wor¬ ship, which is the reasonable duty of all, with¬ out distinction of color, rank, or station!  On se¬ rious reflection, we hope all will acknowledge that these things ought not to be.
I therefore4r?xw this conclusion—the Bible must be given by diviqe inspiration.
Fortlie Christian Observer.
OPENING OF THE WINDOWS OF HEAVEN.
The Lord speaks of opening the windows of heaven, to pour out a blessing upon his people. The rich promise to which we refer is recorded by Malachi, whose writings close the canon of the Old Testament Scriptures. [See chap. iii. 10.] The metaphor is peculiarly bold. It contemplates God upon his throne in Heaven, his holy habita¬ tion, looking down upon the earth, and inspect¬ ing with omniscience the offerings of his people, waiting to bestow upon them the copious effu¬ sions of his grace, as soon as they are prepared to receive them. The blessing in store is ex- haustless, infinite—and God would impart it most copiously—to make room for it, he would, as it were, "open the toindows of heaven"—and "pour you out a blessing"—^so rich and large, that there shall notbe room in the church on earth to re-
tion, the redeeming love ofthe Saviour, are all dojjraded and desecrated by aspiring and over-
For tlie Christian Observer, OBSERVANCE OF THE SABBATH. Extracts from writings of Fxiends on the Observ¬ ance ofthe feirst Day of the Week. , * George Fox, in an epistle whic!i he wjpigte in the year 1673 to Friends in Jamaica, says—"We hear that some professing truth amongst you, do not keep to your meetings as you ought to do, nor yet meet but few of you together on the first days. Truly, friends, this is an ill savor, and shows that you mind your own business more than the Lord's—and the things of this life, more than the things that appertain to the life that is without end, which should be sought for first if you desire to be blessed and to prosper.   And if you do not, you will grow loose and wither, and not have the blessing of God with you; you cannot expect it.   And therefore, you who go under the name  of the friends of God and of truth, keep diligently your meetings on the first day together, that the Lord's power may stir amongst you: for if you do not keep your meet¬ ings on the first day of each week, you are worse than the world, who prefer your own business before the   Lord's."^See folio collection of his epistles, p. 329.
In answer to a charge e.xhibited against the Society of Friends, William Penn says—"It is well known, in what country soever they live, they follow the practice of the apostles in assem¬ bling together on the first day ofthe week—they do it constantly and reverently. To say that we many times follow our usual trades on that day, is a plain untruth; the whole world knows bet- j ter, though we do not judaize ; for worship was
Once he had opened the windovKs.of heavein, in his holy displeasure, to pour out his uusoititing curse upon the inhabitants of the old world for their sins—now he would open them in mercy to pour a blessing upon his church. What a pro¬ mise!
The promise, no doubt, embraces all those spiritual influences needed to enlighten, humble, revive and strengthen the people of God for his sei'vice, and to prepare them for holy and joyful communion with Him; all the influences need¬ ed to give efficacy to his wotd, to convert the sinner, and bring multitudes, now impenitent, to the knowledge and obedience of Christ. It is a great and rich promise, including and holding in reserve eternal life.  And,
To whom is this heavenly blessing offered? It is offered—nay, it is promised, conditionally, to the church.—It is to his own professing people, that he makes the overture by his Prophet.-— An.dj, 	
What are its cQ?i3ittons? Th6y SCte Stated in connection with the promise. God required of his people one-tenth of the products of their in¬ dustry, and of their flocks and herds, to be con¬ secrated to the support of the public ordinances of religion. This was to promote his glory. His people, like many at the present day, thought, perhaps, that they could not afford to maKe suuu costly offerings every year. It made large drafts upon their income, to "honor the Lord with their substance, and the first fruits of all their in¬ crease." They, therefore, neglected the duty. They did not openly renounce Him;'yet they did not bring him the offerings required. He re¬ proves them for the omission, accuses and con¬ victs them of robbery—shows them that the curse resting upon them was the fruit of covet¬ ousness, or of their love of the world, and calls upon them to repent. "Bringye," He says, "all the tithes into the store-house, that there may be meat in my house; and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it." These are the conditions. God would have his people prove Him by their offerings to maiiiiuiu his service and -promote his glory in the world, and see if He did not bestow upon them the richest blessings that Heaven could offer, or man receive. From this brief exposi¬ tion, the reader will observe—
1st. That offerings of worldly goods, or of what¬ ever is valuable for the niaintenance of the pub¬ lic ordinances of religioti, is a scripTurat-wroi«««, of promoting the spiritual interests of a people. It is not enough that they be instant in prayer, and delight in the service. They must also feel an interest so deep and solemn in the glory of God, as promoted by the diffusion of his truth and the support of divine institutions, as to give of their substance most freely in aid of these ob¬ jects.
2d. The gospel dispensation has not destroyed the efficacy of this means of grace, by repealing the law concerning tithes.—The principle is the same. Our church leaves it, as the gospel does, to 6very member to make voluntary offerings, such as the Lord shall enable him to make, to promote his kingdom in the world.
The support of the ministry, and of the cause of Christian missions, is required by the gospel in terms as plain as the precepts of the Levilical law—" Go ye"—and " preach the gospel to every creature."—" How can they preach except they be sentl"—"Who goeth a warfare at his own charges?"
3d. The Christian reader ought to expect to hear that the Spirit is poured out upon portions ofthe church, in which the people are generally practising self-denial, in order to furnish means to sustain the caiise of missions and send the gospel to the destittittg,, Jf they. give, thus freely from love to Christ and to \\kt souls of their fel¬ low men, their offerings will be accompanied wilh prayers—which will be.as memorials before God.
4th. This means of grace should be adopted by every church and by every member of it. All should give as God hats prospered them—and the offering of the widow, who has but two mites, will not be forgotten.
5tli. Let no one suppose that the offerings in question merit the favor of God—or that they procure the divine blessing. The boon.has been purchased by a more costly sacrifice than men can offer. The offerings are valuable, as tokens of love to Chri.st, and of obedience to the great law of love which is yet to carry the gospel tp every land, and light up the hope of salvation ih the darkest portions of the earth.
! LIFE A RACE.
fFrom " Live while you Live."] Look upward and onward!   Fix your regards habitually, not on what you are, but What you should be ; not on the space you have already passed, but what remains to be run over ; not on what man may think  your excellencies, but whatyou know to be your defects; not on the nearerguide-posts only, which may seem to need but little effort to reach, but on the far-off splen. dors ofthe goal.  That splendor is the blaze of full-orbed holiness. The prize you seek is but the consummation of the process you are car¬ rying on in its pursuit. The happiness of heaven is just the holiness, wtilcb, in the very course to¬ wards heaven, weihave   been forming in us. Gaze thou on that holiness in its breadth   and length, and godlike height   Meditate long and often on the rich variety of the qualities which make up the conception for vvhich it stands. But where shall we^behold this holinesss so full, so vivid, as it is revealed to us in the face of Jesus Christ 1^ Even inspired words cannot convey to us its perfect image. ItMsonly the living, practi¬ cal manifestation of his living character.    He is the great exemplar of what human nature, quick¬ ened by the divine, can grow to; the only true and perfect flower which everhas unfolded itself out ofthe root and stalk of humanity !  The man Christ Jesus is the model of the species.  To stu¬ dy Him, is to study Truth and Life in one! To look at Him is to behold identified the Ideal and the Actual—XQ see man verily existing, breath¬ ing, speaking, and acting in that image of God m which he was first created—to see the second Adam, the Lord from heaven, restoring to Us the bright model of all human excellence, vvhich the first Adam broke into a thousand fragments.   In Him concentre all the various rays of holiness- whatever things are   true, and   dignified, atid pure, and lovely, and of good report—to form one pure white light of "mildest, though intens- est splendor."   Therefore it is by looking unto Jesus,   as our Righteousness, our Peace,  our Strength, our Model, and our Crown, that we must with patience run the race that is set before us.".^    ^^^.^ i
not  made for time, but time Penn's Works, 2d vol. p. 479.
for worship."—
CONCISE ARGUMENT FOR CHRISTIANITY.
The Bible must be the invention either of good men or angels, bad men or devils, or of God. It could not be the invention of good men or' an¬ gels, for they neither would nor could make a book, and tell lies all the time they werewritiiig it, saying, Thus saith the Lord, when it was their own invention. It could notbe the invention of bad men or devils, for they would not make a book, which commands all duty, forbids all sin, and condemns their souls to hell lo'all eternity.
,    t&E A BLESSING.
I Life can never be a blessing, unless we have sought and foitnd, and are maintaining in our daily life, a Sense of reconciliation 'with God as otir Father and our Friend. Whence can you gain this sense of reconciliation, but by looking to his Son as our Saviour and Atonementi How can you seek it without a penitent surrender of yourself into his hands to be his children? How can you maintain it from day to day, but by ex¬ ercise of faith and prayer? No other subject can be profitable to us, but as this. Reconciliation with God by, Christ, is mixed up with all. Are you looking out of yourself to things around you for enjoyment, because you cannot find it within yourself, and are not disposed to seek it within yourself? If ever you would truly enjoy the gifts of God, you must begin with God. Begin vvith penitential sorrow if you would have real peace. Incline your hearts to God's,testimonies, ana not ty esvctouaiicais.' Tuiii iiway youT eyes from beholding vanity, and make much of God's law. Seek first the kingdom of God andhis right¬ eousness, and you shall find a blessing in all, Christ came to die for your salvation.    Christ
calls fo" Knur, jrratp.fnl  £j»i*Ji-Jinrt   Invis P.hfJct
demands that your heart and life shall be devot¬ ed to his service. Christ can shed abroad in your soul the peace of God, which pa.sseth under- standing. Then, and not till then, may you truly, safely, and richly rejoice in all that you shall put your hands to, for " Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart."
LIFE A SEED-TIME FOR ETERNITY.
The diligent believer gains bright anticipations from the tendency of progressive holiness to in¬ crease to him the blessedness of that holiness. All true blessedness can be no other than the maturity of holiness; for our joy in God must grow in proportion as our love and our ability for the service of God. Amid the trials of earth, God's service is the only unmixed joy of those who love him. Try to recollect any one enjoy¬ ment which has been pure and satisfactory, and you will find that nothing deserves thi« eharac- terbut the lingering sweetness of some work of holiness, or some experience of God's presence, or'^cTmb energizing in God's cause. All other delights are as a dream. The joys of holiness only arc deep and permanent. The blessedness of self-improvement only grows'with' us as a part
~ar;»UlseiVC«r^-^*irc—»-vll    \>C   » u,to»—n-hiun XJi^rio*
opens in thcVtful only sheds abroad iri us those refreshing streams vvhich spring up to everlast¬ ing life ! O, then, the unspeakable mercy of God to give his Son to open in us that perennial fount! Let none of the clouds of earth throw gloom upon your course. Outward things may come and go with creature fickleness; but you have in yourself a joy with which no man inter- meddleth ; the pledge of constantly increasing blessednessthrough all eternity. Christ inyou now isthe assurance of glory hereafter. "Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the king¬ dom of their Father—for the path of the just is as the shining light which shineth more and more unto the perfect day."
Live while you live! the Epicure would say, And seize the pleasures of the present day. Live while you Uve! the sacred preacher cries, And give to God each moment as it flies. Lord, in my views, let both united be, I live in pleasure, when I live to Thee!
THE PRAYER MEETING.
"No! I will not read that airticle—the prayer meeting. Give me a topic of interest and impor¬ tance."     ,  •
Sayest j(bou so, reader ? If thdu art a Christian, thou hast'communion with Jesus, thou loveslthe prayer meeting. Attend then.
It was in Jerusalem. Sacred city! my heart bounds at thy memory. Blessed thou hast been, accursed thou art, praise to Jehovah, glorious thou shalt be.
The shades of the third evening, since the aw¬ ful tragedy, approach. Calvary is yet crimson¬ ed with His blood, who came from heaven.
*.* Grucify him! Crucify him!" This was the inftinaited cry, but its echoes have died away aniong the distant hills. The frenzy is over. Deep thoughts, and now fearful, occupy that multitude. What mean those strange portents? Those throes of nature? That mid-day gloom? That riven veil? And novv, that mysteriously vacated sepulchre ? The guards were all there ; sixty Romans, inured to watching. Swords were drawn and lancespoised. Each one of those six¬ ty, if he slept, slept on penalty of death. Yet the great seal is broken. The massive rock is rolled away. The body is gone. Where? How? "Ah! perhaps"—the people begin to reason—^but hush! the rulers \vill hear it. Even the steel- hearted Pharisees have some misgivings.
In a ratirtjd street lives a disciple. No chroni¬ cle of eafth transmits his name. Sufficient, that it is known in heaven. Thither resort the de¬ sponding ten. Mary had, indeed, told them that she had seen the Lord. But can they believe im¬ possibilities ? " Seen the Lord! And so have we scon him—pale, ghastly, a corpse. We have bu-
riedhim." Yet acommon wo unites thcirhearts. They mingle their tears, and bow down to pray. Oh ! what a relief to pour out our sorrows before God.
Methinks that tremulous voice is Peter's. It seems as one coming from a heart of grief. Or so subdued, and yet so earnest, is it his vvho re¬ clined upon the sacred bosom, 'when Iscariot coldly asked, "is itl?"
Remember the church prayer meeting is no novelty. It is not beneath thy notice. It ought to have thy presence. Apostles gave it theirs.
VIEW OF NAZARETH. Abu Nasir'r Ababic ScHoot.. ri'    ' . „
The following beautiful and graphic description of Nazareth, we copy from Dr. Robinson's lecent tra- vels in the East;
After breakfast I walked out alone to the top ofthe hill over Nazareth, where stands the neg¬ lected Wely of Neby Isma'il. Here, quite un¬ expected, a glorious prospect opened on the view. The air was perfectly clear and serene; and I shall never forget the impression I receiv¬ ed, as the enchanting panorama burst suddenly upon me. There lay the magnificient plain of Esdraelon, or at least all its Western part; on the left vvas seen the round top of Tabor over the intervening hills, with portions of the little Hermon and Gilboa, and the opposite mountains of Samaria, from Jenin, westward to the lower hills extending toward Carmel. Then came the long line of Carmel itself, with the convent of Elias on its Northern end, and Harfa on the shore at its foot. In the West lay the Mediterranean, gleaming in the morning sun; seen first far in the South on the left of Carmel: then interrupt¬ ed by that mountain; and again appearing on its right so as to include the whole bay of Akka, and the coast stretching far north to a point N. 10° w. Akiia. Itself -was uoi Visible, being hid¬ den by intervening hills. Below on the north vvas spread out another of the beautiful plains of Northern Palestine, called el-Buttauf; it runs from E. to W., and its waters are drained off westward through a narrower valley, to the Kishon, (el-Mukutta,) at the base of Carmel.
On the Southern border of this plain, the eye rested on a large village near the foot ofan iso¬ lated hill, vvith a ruinous ceistle on the top; this was Sefurich, the ancient Sepphoris or Diocses- urea. Beyond the plain el-Buttauf, long ridges running from east to west, rise one higher than another, until the mountain of Safed overtops them all, on vvhich, that place is seen " a city set upon a hill." Farther toward the right is a sea of hills and mountains, backed by the higher ones beyond the lake of Tiberias, and in the northest by the majestic Hermon with its icy cover.
Carmel here presented itself to great advan¬ tage ; extending far out into the sea, and dipping his feet in the waters. The highest part of the ridge is toward the south.   The southern end of the proper ridge, as here seen, bore S. 80° W., and the highest point S. 88° W. Thence it de¬ clines gradually northward, until at the bonvent, according-to Sf^Vi''i>ort, it has an elevation of uiiiy Dai Paris feet above the adjacent sea.
The same traveller estimates the highest point at 1200 feet, which seems to me relatively too high. The northern extremity bore N. 58° W. Toward the S. E., Carmel is connected with the mountains of Samaria, by the broad range of low
more southern coast from that of Esdraelon.— Here large trees of the walnut are said to be pre¬ valent. The middle point of this connecting range bore S. 64° W.
The same appearance of bushes and trees is seen on many parts of Carmel; which thus pre¬ sents a less naked aspect than the mountains of Judea.
Seating myself in the shade ofthe Wely, I re¬ mained forsome hours upon this spot, lost in the contemplation of the wide prospect; and of the events connected with the scenes around. In the village below, the Saviour of the world had passed his childhood; and although we have few particulars of his life during those early years, yet there are certain features of nature which meet our eyes now, just as they once met his,— He must often have visited the fountain near which we had pitched our tent; his feet must frequently have wandei'ed over the adjacent hills; and his eyes doubtless have gazed upon the splendid prospect from this .very spot.
Here the Prince of Peace looked down upon the great plain, where the din of battle had so often rolled, and the garments of the warrior been dyed in blood ; and he looked out, too, \np- -on—rtic^-oT=Ti,--ov««-»»j»iQh thfi swift'ships were to bear the tidings of his salvation to nations and to continents then unknown. How has the moral aspect of things been changed! Battles and bloodshed have indeed not ceased lo desolate this unhappy country, and gross darkne.ss now covers the people ; but from this region a light went forth vvhich has enlightened the world and unv^eiled new climes ; and now the rays of that light begin to be reflected back from distant isles and continents, to illuminate anew the darkened land where it first sprang up.
The day, though beautiful, vvas warm ; on the hill the air was delightful, but on returning to our tent by the valley, the heat soon became op¬ pressive—the thermometer in the shade of the trees rising after ten o'clock to 88° F- We held our devotional services in our tent, but were glad toward noon to accept ofan invitation from Abur Nasir, as he returned from the services of the Greek Church, and join him at his house.— The house had just been built, and was not yet finished. In order to lay the foundation, he had dug down.to the solid rock, as is usual through¬ out the country here, to the depth of 30 feet, and then built up arches. The workmanship was solid, but coarse; he assured us it was the best {•^oxk. the masons of Nazareth could turn out.— The want of timber in the country is much felt in truilding, and for this reason, in the south at least, most rooms are arched. The little vvhich Abu Nasir used was pine, brought, like the ce¬ dars of old, from Mount Lebanon, by way of Haifa.*
But if our kind friend was thus bettering his own external comforts, he was also engaged heart and soul, in endeavoring to improve the moral condition of the Greek-Arab community around him. While at Beirut,"he had paid great attention to the missionary schools in that place; and had become so deeply interested and im¬ pressed wilh their importance and salutary in¬ fluence, that on returning to Nazareth, he had immediately set about the establishment of simi¬ lar schools among his own people. In this he had been so far successful, that the first one es¬ tablished, which had now been for some time in operation, contained at present fifty ptipils ; and another had been recently opened with about twenty children. One main difficulty had been the total want of school books; and for these, and these alone, Abu Nasir had been dependent on the mission at Beirut.
In order to set an example to his neighbors, and lead on to better things, he had also ventur¬ ed upon the unheard-of step of sending his own youngest daughter to one of the schools; and she was the first female who for centuries had learned to read in Nazareth.   At the present
{ time she was also learning to write at home.^	
j The example was followed, though vvith hesita- I tion, and three other females vvere now number- j ed among the pupils. Abu Nasir was thus doing much good; but he met also vvith rhuch opposi¬ tion ; and being straitened for means, he was therefore very desirous the schools should be ta¬ ken up by the mission, at Beirout, and others be established in the neighboring villages. But at that time the resources f)f the missions and the society at home had become so much contract¬ ed as to admit of no extension of their opera¬ tions.
Abu Nasir and his son sat with us ; the latter a promising young man of about twenty years.— A daughter somewhat younger, came in lor a few moments; but soon retired, while the young¬ est daughter, a bright, timid child of twelve years, remained for some time.   The father was obviously proud of her acquirements at school. She repeated from memory to my companion, twelve Psalms, and portions of Watt's Catechism for children, all of course in Arabic.   The son gave us  information respecting the village of Jelbon, on Mount Gilboa, which he had himself visited.   We remained to dinner vvith Abu Na¬ sir.   'Iliere was nothing special in the enter¬ tainment, varying from the usual form  of the country, as already described, except that we had our own plates, knives and forks, and the like, from our tents; and our own servants wait¬ ed upon us.    All the rest was done by the host and his son; and the former ate alone with us.
For tlie Clii-istian Observer.
DESIGN OF THE  FAMILY ORGANIZATION.
No. n. " God setteth the Solitary in families."—Ps. iv. 18. The  Ties of the  Social  Organization,  Striking Proofs of Intelligent Design. While God might, as shown in a preceding number, havo so vTiade men that the inhabitants of this vvorld might have been separated and isolated individuals, it has pleased him to form the race in a different manner.    He has created, if this expression may be allowed, a mysterious, invisible set of lies to  unite us to others.    He has ordained that those vvho might have been se¬ parate, and who might have felt no interest in each other's weal or vfo, should be bourid toge¬ ther for important purposes in society.   What is the nature of these lies, we know not.    We can trace them only in the feelings of our own hearts, and in their effects. But in regard to their nature, we know no more than we do of the nature of the power vvhich binds the planets in their orbits, or the different portions of matter in the solid mass.   These ties are indeed to mind, what the laws of attraction and gravitation are to matter, and bind the social systems together by constant laws, as surely and as firmly as the planets are bound to their spheres. No man can tell me what sympathy is, orwhat is parental affection, or what is friendship, any more than he can tell me what is the attraction of cohesion or of gravitation. We know their existence, and can trace their de¬ sign. We can see that God, by the creation of this mysterious power, has united individuals to each other, and thus oonstuuied society, as by the at¬ traction of matter he has united worlds together and constituted systems.   I know nothing that more certainly hears ihe marks of design than the ties ofthe social organization ; noihing that more strikingly demonstrates the wisdom and goodness of the great Creator.   The plan has all the beauty ofthe argument vvhich is drawn from
the advantage that these principles are not ap¬ plied, like those lavvs,to unconscious, inert mat¬ ter, but to free, independent, ever active mind.
In this way society is constituted and kept together. In this mysterious and invisible influ¬ ence is laid the very notion of Society. And it is a device for the establishment and perpetuity of society vvhich man would not have thought of, and which man could not have originated. In these mysterious and subtle laws are laid the el¬ ements of every social organization ; and all so¬ ciety, from the family to the empire, is depend¬ ent on them. In proportion as these are kept in unison and in play, society is well balanced and happy. In proportion as they are feeble, unculti¬ vated, disordered, or disregarded, society is dis¬ organized, and man is wretched. His happiness consists in the number'and power of the.se mys¬ terious principles which bind him to others; and the welfare of a community consists in the purity, and power, and number lhat can be made to cross and re-cro.ss each.
Society is held together, after all that political economists tell us, less by its necessities, thanl)y its attachments. It is not that men are compelled lo associate, that society is formed, but it is be¬ cause they choose to do it. It is because heart beats against heart, and the warm and gushing tides of friendship andaffection prompt toil. Ne- nessity may hold men in some forms of society, as it does banditti, or piratgs, but it can never be connected vvith refinement, with purity, with de¬ voted feelings, orwith the cultivation ofthe mild and gentle virtues ofthe soul. Necessity might have been made the only law by which any so¬ ciety should have been kept together, but God, vvho delights to show his goodness, and to pro¬ mote happiness, even vvhere it did not seem indis¬ pensable, has chosen, insecuringthe social orga¬ nization, to secure also the most deeply inter¬ esting virtues and emotions of the human heart. In the place ef the law of necessity, that stern law which binds pirates and highwaymen toge¬ ther, or the cold law of interest, vvhich often ce¬ ments the artificial associations of commercial life, he has created the tie of sympathy, of friend¬ ship, of parentalaffection. These virtuous prin¬ ciples accomplish the purpose in a better man¬ ner, and secure, at the same time, nearly all the happiness of man.
Society is full of those silken chords which cross and recross each other in every direction, and which form a net work that binds alljin one. To one you are bound by the ties of natural af¬ fection ; toanother by those of contracted friend¬ ship; to the man, because he is your father, or your brother, or your son ; to that, because you have a similarity of temperament or disposition. In no case can you explain the nature of the tie vvhich binds you ; in all cases you can see that it is intended to promote the common welfare, and secure the ends ofthe organization. It is a pow¬ er most mighty that is brought in to secure the great purposes in view. It is adapted to its end. You see a man perishing with cold and hunger. God designs that you should relieve him, and this mysterious power is that by vvhich he prompts you to it. You see your helpless child thrown upon your care. God designs that the wants of that child should be provided for by your industry, and its necessities met in sick¬ ness by your care. In.stead of speaking to you from the heavens, or writing the law in the sky, he writes it in the mysterious principle on the heart He binds you to that helpless being lhat is placed in dependence on you ; and there is no toil that you will not undergo ; no fatigue that you will not experience; no hazard that you will not encounter; n^wakefulness, no anxiety, no self- denial that yoti will not overcome; nay, no death thatyou will not die, to provide for its wants, al¬ leviate its distresses or promote its enjoyment.
In all this arrangement there is proof of in¬ telligent design; and the design is apparent. When you see a child struggling in the stream,