1838.] DOCTRINE AND PRACTICE. 197 on the plea of expense with regard to vaccination, as all the surgeons are kind enough to vaccinate them gratuitously. Extract from the Circular of the National Vaccine Establishment. "As inoculation of the small-pox is altogether unjustifiable, the Board have resolved, that if any vaccinator of this establishment shall so inoculate, his name be erased from the list." It is proper that it should be known, that persons exposing patients affected with the small-pox, and medical practitioners and others who inoculate that disease and concur in such exposure, are liable to a criminal tion for the offence 1. I am, yours, &c. prosecu A CONSTANt Reader. DOCTRINE AND PRACTICE. WE sometimes hear it said, that it is of little consequence what we believe, if our practice be but right, and that it is of far more consequence to consider what are our duties, than to disturb ourselves about differences of doctrine. We might readily admit this, if a question were put,"whether it were better to believe, or to practise; and whether it were of more consequence to think rightly, or to act rightly?" But this is not the real state of the question. The word of God, throughout, teaches us what manner of persons we ought to be,-shows us what are our duties,-declares to us what is to be the state of our minds and hearts if we would be in favour with God. And the service which the christian owes to God is very different from that which the world considers as sufficient. A christian is to give his heart to God; he is to love Him as well as to serve Him. The christian who thinks of all that God has done for him, and all his Saviour has suffered for him, knows that he owes a debt of gratitude for all 1 See the cases in Maule and Selwyn's Reports. these mercies, which is to lead him to ask "how he can show his love in return for the love which he has experienced?" The christian's rule and motive is, "we love Him, because He first loved us." We are then to love God and to serve Him; the question is not, "whether practical holiness is, or is not, better than mere belief and correct doctrine," but the question is, "how we are to attain to this holy obedience?" And the Scriptures, throughout, make a right faith, the foundation of obedience. The Apostles in their writings first lay down the right doctrine, and then show what is to be the practice of those who receive the doctrine. In fact, if we do not know the great obligations we are under, we shall not feel the debt of gratitude and love, which we owe. If we do not understand aright the nature of Christ, we shall not feel aright what He has done for us, or know how much his sacrifice has effected for us. St. John begins both his Gospel and his Epistles by showing the nature of Christ. That He was God, and that, therefore, his sacrifice was full, perfect, and sufficient. Thus the divinity of Christ makes the introduction to St. John's Gospel: and it was peculiarly needful that this should be first stated; for, without this, there would be no security to the believer that the death of Christ was of sufficient power to procure salvation for man. In the beginning of his first Epistle the Apostle shows that Christ was man as well as God; that He suffered in this his human nature. This was a doctrine which some who professed to be believers denied; but it was needful that Christ should suffer; and, that He might suffer for us, He took upon Him our nature, and, as man, suffered in our stead. Thus, it is needful for us to understand and to believe the doctrine of Christ's divinity, and of his humanity,before we see what is the extent of our obligations, our duties, or our hopes: and the same is true of the other important doctrines of the Gospel; faith is the foundation of Christian duty and practice. V. I asked Some years ago, I had a long line of strawberry plants as an edging to a kitchen garden, but they bore nothing. I fancied, as they were rather shaded by currant and gooseberry bushes, that this might be the reason of their barrenness; but then, though this might be a disadvantage, it could not account for the total absence of blossoms as well as fruit. I visited a neighbour's garden, and I found that his strawberry beds were full of fruit, though his ground appeared no better than my own. him the reason. He told me that he always took care to get his runners from good bearing plants, and that, if he saw any plants that did not bear, he was in the habit of pulling these up, and throwing them away: and he recommended me strongly to take my runners always from well bearing plants. This requires, however, a good deal of care and management: for if the plants are not marked at the time of bearing, or if the non-bearing ones are not destroyed as soon as their barrenness is perceived, it will not be easy, after the ground is covered with runners to see which belong to the good plants. The chance then, is, that you will probably get the greater number of your young sets from the barren plants, because they are likely to send out the most runners. I have got a long row of strawberry plants this year; they are last year's Good plants will bear the first year; but a large crop cannot be expected. This has hitherto been a very dry season, but still this day, (May 18th), I see that my new plants have sent out a good many runners; and I observe that those which have no blossoms on them have sent out the strongest runners, whilst those which have good blossoms have generally sent out no runners, their strength being better employed; so that if the best and finest looking, and earliest shoots were to be taken, they would all come from the plants that do not bear fruit. It would, however, be unfair to destroy all the non-bearing plants the first year, for many of them may bear the next year. I mean, however, to mark those that bear, and take my next year's runners from them; for, if runners. rain comes, they will throw out shoots like the rest, though not in such abundance. The same method should be observed in taking cuttings of gooseberries and currants; not to take the strong luxuriant shoots, which seldom bear much fruit, but the smaller branches, which are generally covered with fruit; not however the very smallest, as the tree would be so much longer in coming to a good size. V. THE HEDGE-HOG. THOU poor little English porcupine, Thou scarcely canst put out that nose of thine, The poor hedgehog! one would think he knew How unkind the world must seem to him, He's an innocent thing, living under the blame He is weak and small, and all he heeds He robs not man of rest or food, 1 The Hedge-hog is by no means worthless, but most useful, especially in destroying insects, &c. 1838.] 201 RELIGIOUS REFLECTIONS. (Selected.) WITH respect to the soul, every thing needful is clearly revealed, so that we may ask and receive, and have a fulness of joy; but, as to our bodies, there is much reason to fear that the answer of our petitions would be, in numerous cases, our inevitable destruction. How many prayers does God in mercy shut out! No man should expect mercy at the hand of God, who, having wronged his neighbour, refuses, when he has it in his power, to make restitution. Were he to weep tears of blood, both the justice and mercy of God would shut out his prayer, if he made not his neighbour amends for the injury he may have done him. Afflictions from the hand of God, and under his direction, have a wonderful tendency to humble the soul. Did men know how gracious his designs are in sending such, no murmur would ever be heard against the dispensations of Divine Providence. How can we live, how can we die comfortably, without the assurance that "our lives are hid with Christ in God," and that we shall dwell in his presence for ever? There remains" a rest for the people of God," and only for the people of God: for those alone who love, serve, reverence, and obey him, in his Son Jesus Christ, shall ever enjoy him. No man can walk either conscientiously or safely who has not "the fear of God" continually before his eyes. When this is gone, more than a guardian angel is fled. The righteous is the person, 1, Who fears God. 2, Departs from evil. 3, Walks according to the testimony of God. 4, And expects and prepares for a glorious immortality. Rabbi Eliezar said to his disciples, "Turn to God one day before you die." His disciples said, "How can a man know the day of his death?" He answered, "Therefore it is necessary that you should turn to God to-day, for possibly you may die to-morrow.” That God has promised to protect and support his ser |