of the miracles should be lessened by examination is distinctly condemned in the words of Abraham to the rich man, who said of his surviving brethren, desiring that an additional miracle should be wrought for their conviction, "If one went unto them from the dead, they would repent;" and Abraham replied, "They have Moses and the Prophets; if they hear them not, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead."

Nor should it be forgotten that if we refuse to examine with attention the character of an event before placing it in the rank of a miracle, if we rely solely upon appearances, we run the risk of being deceived, of regarding an ordinary circumstance as a divine prodigy, and of thus attributing to God false marvels unworthy of his nature.

If a narrative in the Scriptures contains some unusual features, the explanation of which is at first sight difficult, some points of detail, which prove how often truth is different from probability, must we hasten to conclude that a miracle has been performed, and add a new marvel to the annals of religion? If Jacob endeavours, in conformity with the prejudice which has prevailed in other and subsequent ages, to multiply his flocks more rapidly than Laban-if Sampson finds a swarm of bees in the skeleton of a lion-if Absalom, carried by his mule beneath a tree, is caught by the hair, and thus dies, ought we, because such narratives are extraordinary, to regard them as miraculous! We hesitate not to say that this absence of reflection-this blind faith-this fear of believing too little and examining too much-is an insult to religion, to the divine origin of the sacred writings, to the glory of the true miracles which they do narrate—an error which, in despoiling the Bible of its simplicity, weakens instead of confirming faith. We go still further, and we conviction that a serious study of the miracles of the Scriptures will not have the effect of decreasing their number. He must know little of the Bible who thinks the contrary. The marvels which it relates are, with few exceptions, so clear and striking-God shows himself in them so near to us, that it is vain to deny their miraculous character, and the unbelief which boldly exclaims, "it is false," is obliged to acknowledge that "if it be true, it is divine."

Vow our

Let the reader review in imagination the Life of Moses and the miracles of Christ and his apostles, and ask himself on what pretence he can refuse to admit the miraculous character which they exhibit. The boldest attempts of Rationalism to explain them in a natural sense have merely confirmed the important truth, that what Revelation proclaims as divine, cannot be reduced to the simple proportions of humanity.

This last remark points to that which constitutes in our eyes an irresistible proof of the truth of the miracles of Scripture, and that

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is, the impossibility of separating them, or tearing them away from the Gospel history. They do not exist in the form of detached fragments, they are not placed apart in distinct chapters, they are on the other hand so united, commingled, and engrained with the rest of the narrative, so bound up with all that accompanies them, with all that follows them, that to remove them is to discard all, as a tissue disappears when the woof is destroyed. This proof, at once religious, historic, and literary, is unquestionably the most forcible reply, perhaps the only reply that can be made to the objections of the unbeliever. Miracles are in the Gospels-they cannot be separated from them— they are bound to Revelation by an indissoluble chain, and in the narrative of Christ's mission, his cradle, his cross, his tomb, and his eternal throne, stand and fall together.

SELECTED POETRY.

THE VOICES AT THE THRONE.
A little child-

A little meek-faced quiet, village child,

Sat singing, by her cottage door at eve,

A low, sweet, Sabbath song. No human ear
Caught the faint melody-no human eye

Beheld the upturned aspect, or the smile

That wreathed her innocent lips the while they breathed
The oft-repeated burden of the hymn-

"Praise God! praise God!"

A seraph by the throne

In the full glory stood. With eager hand

He smote the golden harpstrings, till a flood

Of harmony on the celestial air

Welled forth, unceasing. Then, with a great voice,

He sang the "Holy, holy, evermore,

Lord God Almighty!" and the eternal courts
Thrilled with the rapture, and the hierarchies,
Angel, and rapt archangel throbbed and burned
With vehement adoration. Higher yet
Rose the majestic anthem without pause-
Higher, with rich magnificence of sound,
To its full strength; and still the infinite heavens
Rang with the "Holy, holy, evermore!"
Till trembling from excess of awe and love,
Each sceptred spirit sank before the throne,
With a mute hallelujah. But, even then,
While the ecstatic song was at its height,
Stole in an alien voice-a voice that seemed

To float, float upward from some world afar-
A meek and child-like voice, faint, but how sweet!
That blended with the seraph's rushing strain,
Even as a fountain's music, with the roll

Of the reverberate thunder. Loving smiles
Lit up the beauty of each angel's face

At that new utterance. Smiles of joy that grew
More joyous yet, as ever and anon

Was heard the simple burden of the hymn

"Praise God! praise God!" And when the seraph's song
Had reached its close, and o'er the golden lyre

Silence hung brooding-when the eternal courts
Rung but with echoes of his chant sublime;

Still, through the abysmal space, that wandering voice
Came floating upward from its world afar-

Still murmured sweet on the celestial air,
"Praise God! praise God!”

CONGREGATIONAL PSALMODY.

To the Editor of "The Irish Unitarian Magazine and Bible Christian.” SIR,-Since you published in the first number of your new series, a few general observations, drawing public attention to the subject of "Congregational Psalmody," and some of the causes which have retarded its improvement, I have met with a music-book, published by Gall and Son, of Edinburgh, with which I think it is desirable that every congregation, and every individual who takes any interest in psalmody, should be acquainted. It is entitled "British Psalmody;" and contains 437 tunes, in 47 varieties of metre-all harmonized for four voices embracing the standard Psalmody of England and Scotland-and of course many of the tunes we have most been accustomed to in Ulster. This 8vo volume is neatly and accurately printed, and elegantly bound; extending to 272 pages for the very moderate price of 48. For convenience, in the cultivation of singing, the publisher has divided it into two parts-the "Psalm Tune-Book," and the "Hymn Tune-Book,"-each for 2s. and has also made a farther subdivision of each of these into four parts, at from 3d. to 4d. each. Thus, the first step to the improvement of Congregational Psalmody and popular music, is effected by the publication of cheap tune-books of standard music; and I may not only indulge the hope, but express a certainty, that this most important subject will receive the advocacy and support which it so well merits, both from the pulpit and the press, and the musical reproach of our churches, may soon cease to be a by-word.

Before bringing the book thus into notice, I consulted others of superior musical taste and judgment, who concur generally, that there is much, both in the melodies and harmonies, to please every variety of taste, and make it a general favourite.

I cannot refrain from making a short extract from the admirably written preface, a copy of which should be in every church pew.

"It is difficult to say which is the greater abuse of music-the slovenly heartless singing of an assembly of professing worshippers, uneducated in music-or the genteel silence of a fashionable audience, which deputes to some hired organist or choir, the performance of the solemn and sacred duty of worshipping God. Have not our churches been guilty of both? We must confess that we have not given to God the best of our music-nor has the investigation of its simple sublimities been undertaken with a view to His glory. We must also plead guilty to the charge, that the education of the people in the art of singing, has not occupied that share of the attention of our churches to which it is entitled: the best of this gift of God has been employed in the service of the world-the worst has been reckoned good enough for Him."

Hoping that this short notice may induce many to ask themselves, how they are performing their part in the music of the sanctuary? and that it may draw forth advocates competent to do justice to the subject, I remain, yours,

PHILHARMONICUS.

INTELLIGENCE.

PROPOSAL FOR A NEW LIBRARY, OF
THREE HUNDRED VOLUMES, THE
CHEAPEST COLLECTION OF WORKS
EVER PUBLISHED.

My desire is to spread knowledge and
righteousness throughout the earth,
and thus promote the present and eter-
nal welfare of my fellow-men. I would
have all men to understand, not only
the great truths and duties of religion,
but everything else calculated to pro-
mote their comfort and their welfare.
I am especially desirous that the
young should have a large stock of
useful knowledge, that they may be
guided right, and be brought into the
way of usefulness and happiness, from
their earlier years. I wish to see man-
kind at large, both male and female,
raised to their proper level, and form-
ing one vast society of wise, and good,
and happy souls.

But if men are to have knowledge, they must read: and if they are to read, they must have books. And they must have books of their own

too. It is not enough for them to have access to public libraries; they must have libraries in their own houses. Public libraries have their use, but nothing will supply the place of private libraries. If the great and glorious end at which we aim is to be accomplished, there must be a library in every house, and every man must be his own librarian. People must have access to books at all seasons; they must have a choice of books at hand; they must have the opportunity of looking into this, or of reading a few pages of that, or of going through with the other, just as their wants or inclinations may lead them. Public libraries are good things for those who have got the habit of reading, but not for those who have the habit yet to form. They are good for those who wish to consult scarce books, and they will come in well as supplements to private libraries; but they will never do alone. People must have libraries of their own, if they are to feel that interest in books and reading, and to make that proficiency in knowledge,