stone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea." Again he saith, "Whosoever shall receive one such little one in my name, receiveth me." The same language-precisely which he used in reference to his apostles themselves when he sent them forth.

Are little children, then, capable of becoming truly religious, and of sustaining the Christian character? Can any one doubt it ?

And does our beloved Church, as also in other matters, so in this difficult and important case, adhere faithfully to the Scriptures? Does she, in conformity with popular impression, dare to offend one of these little ones, by putting any obstacle or hinderance in their way? Does she make the mere want of age an objection to their approaching her ordinances? There are denominations of Christians that require persons to have arrived at a certain age before they are allowed to partake of their communion. Does our Church, in any of her authorized formularies, put such a stumbling-block in the way of her children? Thank GoD-No. She only requires the guardians of her altar to look at the evidence of Christian character, not at the age of those who desire admission to full communion. Herein she has boldly taken up the example of her Lord and Master, in the very face of prevailing inclination and practice. She has entered solemn testimony to this point at the initiation of every infant member. So far from throwing obstacles in the way of children, she has inscribed a protest on her very portal, and gives it in solemn charge to sponsors at the font, "Ye are to take care that this child be brought to the bishop to be confirmed by him," i. e. publicly recognised and admitted to full communion. "Ye are to take care that this child be brought to the bishop to be confirmed by him."—At what age? Is age a consideration? No; it is designedly put out of consideration, and evidence of religious character alone is to be regarded, and that with all charity. An amount of knowledge is requisite, and, of course, the ordinary indications of a disposition to receive it, and of such qualifications of the heart as are set forth in the catechism to which reference is made: "Ye are

to take care that this child be brought to the bishop to be confirmed by him so soon as he can say the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the ten Commandments, and is sufficiently instructed in the other parts of the Church Catechism set forth for that purpose." Of course no one is compelled to her communion. But the consideration of years is set aside by naming the earliest period of suitable qualifications. Surely she suffers the little children to come unto CHRIST, and forbids them not; but willingly recognises them to be of the kingdom of heaven.

1. To parents this is a subject for very serious and solemn consideration. Have you regarded it in this light? Have you been sensible that your little children, so soon as they became subjects of intellectual culture, were then at an age to become truly and fully religious? Have you considered their childhood as the age by far the best adapted to the effectual reception of CHRIST and his salvation; by far the best time for them to become decided and confirmed Christians? You, who have had the training of children, have had, to an astonishing degree, their religious character and eternal welfare in your power. Had you done your duty, it might have failed; but it could hardly have failed but that your children, before leaving the precincts of childhood, had given substantial evidence of established Christian character. If it be otherwise with your children, will your conscience be pacified by the unavailing wish that they may take up religion of their own accord hereafter? or by the absurd pretence of leaving them at liberty to choose for themselves? You cannot leave them free. To attempt to do so is not the way to discharge yourselves of your responsibility. Your very pretence of doing so has an amazing influence on their minds; almost compels them to continue irreligious through the most important and critical period of their lives; and, in connexion with the dreadful habit of procrastination, almost binds them over to perdition. The influence of the parent over the child is of divine institution and appointment. God hath invested you with this talent, which he expects you to improve in the service of a cause, for the benefit of which the parental relation was established.

2. This subject leads us to regard the Sunday School as an institution of vast importance. In the rise, progress, and wonderful extent of this mode of religious instruction, we may plainly see a divine Providence asserting the religious interests and claims of children, and moving the Church to feed her lambs. The hand of GoD is put forth to turn the tide of a pernicious and almost universal error. Why, since the world. discovered so long ago the utility and importance of schools in every other department of instruction, why was it not seen at once, that correspondent facilities of religious edification might be derived from schools adapted to religious exercise, instruction and impression? And why were not the advantages of schools applied to religious education? It was the same error which, on other occasions, has called forth the strong and unambiguous expression of divine regard for children.

O that the Church might see the guiding hand of GOD'S providence, that feeling a sense of the responsible duty of feeding the lambs of CHRIST's flock, she might see and feel the importance of the Sunday School as it is; and might enter this field of duty and usefulness, with the zeal and determination which it so richly merits!

Let parents send their children to the Sunday School, with the desire and the expectation that they may become religious immediately. And let such a hope be distinctly understood, frequently manifested, and strongly urged by parental influence at home.

Let pastors labor assiduously in the Sunday School. Let them stand and feel not satisfied with the mere wish that this interesting portion of their charge will become religious when they grow up, but with the earnest hope and expectation of gathering immediate fruit unto eternal life; that both he that soweth, and he that reapeth, may rejoice together. If the doctrine be indeed true, that children are more likely to become pious than adults, let us labor among them with the greater hope, as we may indeed with the greater success. If children and youth comprise the larger portion of the pastor's charge, should they have the lesser portion of his care? If

there be love for the Church, must there not be special care of her youthful members? If we love CHRIST, must we not feed his lambs?

And let teachers come to the help of the LORD with hearts. warmed by that love, and encouraged by the hope which our subject inspires. Let them willingly offer themselves to this sublime work of Christian benevolence, not exclusively, nor chiefly with a view to a distant result. Let them direct their attention, and adapt their exertions to immediate success.

And let all, whether by money, or by labor, as the case may be, and especially by prayers and influence, promote an institution, so well adapted, and which seems in the providence of GOD designed to correct that awfully prevalent and deplorable error, under the dominion of which the iniquity of the fathers has been visited upon the children generation after generation; and thousands, who in childhood might have been easily gathered into the fold of CHRIST, and kept by the power of GOD, through faith unto salvation, have been educated for the service of sin, and plunged down to the gates of perdition.

YOUTH ENCOURAGED TO SEEK CHRIST.

YE hearts with youthful vigor warm,
In smiling crowds draw near;
And turn from every mortal charm,
A Saviour's voice to hear.

He, LORD of all the worlds on high,
Stoops to converse with you;
And lays his radiant glories by,
Your friendship to pursue.

"The soul that longs to see my face,
Is sure my love to gain;

And those that early seek my grace,
Shall never seek in vain."

66

DISCRIMINATING PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL.

"THE discerning of spirits,"* in its ordinary measure, is a spiritual gift yet continued to the Church. And there is no gift more important for the wise and edifying discharge of the Christian ministry. A knowledge of character-an accurate insight into the motives of Christian profession, is a most desirable attainment, and one to which is annexed a special ministerial promise.† Whatever natural acuteness may belong to this faculty, yet as a spiritual qualification, it is a part of that heavenly wisdom, of which the Christian minister needs a double portion, and which is "given liberally unto him" that

asketh.

The losing sight of the wide distinction between a credible profession and a spiritual conversion of heart, has occasioned the general and most dangerous mode of addressing all persons under the Christian character, upon the ground of their acknowledgment of a national creed, or external regulations. It is therefore most important to draw the line broadly between the Church and the world. It cannot be too strongly laid down in our ministry, that the word of God recognises but two classes among men-those that "are of GoD, and the whole world that lieth in wickedness."§ They are described by their state before GOD, as converted or unconverted-by their knowledge or ignorance of the Gospel, as spiritual or natural menby their special regard to CHRIST, as believers or unbelieversby their interest in the Spirit of GOD, "having not the Spirit of CHRIST," or "being in the Spirit"-by their habits of life, "walking after, and minding, the things of the flesh or the things of the Spirit"-by their respective rules of conduct, the course of this world or the word of God-by the masters whom they respectively obey, the servants of GoD and the servants of Satan-by the road in which they travel, the broad road or the narrow way-by the ends to which their roads are carrying them

* 1 Cor. xii. 10. + See Jer. xv. 19.

James i. 5. § 1 John v. 19.