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other quarters of the globe. In protestantism alone is there light, and love, and liberty, for man. It goes forth with the gospel open, and in every man's "own tongue, wherein he was born," it speaks to the world of a gracious God, an omnipotent Saviour, and a free salvation. Who does not ardently pray that it may speed on its way with angel paces, every obstacle to its advancement and success being removed?

And yet what is the fact-the lamentable fact-as regards the position of protestantism in Europe? With trifling exceptions here and there, there has been no progress since the sixteenth century. Take the map and divide with a line those states which are under papal power, from those which have embraced the protestant faith; and you will find that it is almost the same as might have been drawn three centuries ago. Germany, England and Scotland, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, on the one side; and Italy, Austria, France, Spain, Portugal, &c., on the other! There has been a change in small portions, but nothing particularly worthy of notice. And yet during the whole of this period science has been advancing, and light has been pouring into the minds of Europe! Is it not worth while to inquire into the cause of this stationary position of reformed religion?

By way of approximating towards a solution of this important and deeply interesting problem, we propose to notice what we conceive to be the evils left untouched by the reformation-evils that were perpetuated along with the reformation, and which, in so far as they operated, hindered the work from advancing thoroughly even amongst protestants themselves, and impaired its success amongst those from whom they had separated. We propose to discuss this subject in a calm and charitable spirit. Three brief papers will be sufficient for our purpose.

RELIGIOUS CONSISTENCY.

Consistency in character has been said to be " "what grace is to action"-that which makes it lovely and attractive, as well as influential. If this be true of conduct in general, it is still more so when applied to religious character. The christian law

of conduct is, "be not conformed to this world." Understanding by "this world" those who choose the world for their portion, and make its maxims, fashions, and approval, their end and aim; we conclude that religious professors depart from consistency when their tastes, habits, and feelings accord with the worldly; leading to a preference for their society and to a participation in their enjoyments. Well would it be for religion if modern professors retained a little more of that sober singularity, by which such characters were formerly distinguished. For though exposed by it to the scorner's derisive epithet of "saint," it was no bad preservative from inconsistency; and often constituted a profession both dignified and adorned.

The widely extended and genial influence of christianity, it is allowed, has been potent for good on the surface of society. But professors are perhaps too ready to indulge in congratulations on a uniform exterior merely, too much it may be feared the result of inconsistent compliances, rather than of genuine piety. For if religion consists in humility, integrity, brotherly love, and a noble contempt of the world, where is it? It is at least not more visible in our public assemblies, or private intercourse, than it was in days gone by.

Religious consistency requires that the professors "yea" should be "yea," and his "nay, nay;" exhibiting a transparency of character the effect of christian principle, raised far above the tricking and trimming of expediency-the use of unfelt expressions of regard adopted to attain an object-the language of compliment or flattery seeking only to please the arts of cajolery aiming to deceive-and all acted though unuttered falsehood, which is "an abomination in the sight of the Lord." Religious consistency implies watchfulness against seeming as well as actual deviation from truth-tending to produce entire reliance upon what is said, by making the word equivalent to the bond, and the promise the firmest security for the performance. It is widely opposed to that apparent indifference about truth, by which perhaps, more than by its flagrant violation, the times are distinguished. It demands from the christian that high-toned integrity which "having sworn to its own hurt changeth not."

M.

THE BLIND GIRL'S DISCOVERY.

The following anecdote is related of a blind girl, who had received a copy of the gospel of St. Mark, in raised type. "This interesting person is extremely poor, and quite blind. She has to support herself by her labour, which consists of all kinds of work; and in addition to this, she is obliged to cultivate a little piece of ground, from which she procures a few vegetables. Her hands and fingers are, of course, much more callous than those of most blind persons. When she heard that the society had published a gospel for the blind, she was very desirous of obtaining it. Her pastor procured her a copy, with an accompanying alphabet. She is very intelligent and adroit, and notwithstanding the difficulty in her fingers, she began with eagerness to learn the characters. To the surprise of her friend, within a few days she could decipher alone a page of the gospel, but this was far from satisfying her ardent spirit. She was now discouraged at the slowness of her progress. One day she thought, if she could but remove the hard skin from her fingers, the touch would become more delicate. She took a penknife and skinned the ends of her fingers. What was not now her regret? The pain became exquisite, and the touch was not improved. On the contrary, a skin was formed more obdurate than the first, which rendered it impossible for the poor girl to continue her attempt. After many vain efforts, she fell into despair. In one of these moments, she seized the volume, and with sobs and tears held it to her mouth to embrace it for the last time, saying, 'Farewell! farewell! good word of my heavenly Father! support of my soul! I must part from thee!'

"Oh, surprise! the lips, more delicate than the fingers, have discovered the form of the letters. She reflected. She could no longer doubt. Her soul was filled with joy and gratitude unspeakable. It was night. She went to bed, but not to sleep; the whole night she employed in passing and repassing the pages across her lips, and everywhere and every time, she could not only distinguish the letters, but phrases and sentences. She has since committed the whole gospel to memory."

55

HALLAM ON TOLERATION.

Tolerance in religion, it is well known, so unanimously admitted (at least verbally) even by theologians in the present century, was seldom considered as practicable, much less as a matter of right, during the period of the Reformation. The difference in this respect between the Catholics and Protestants was only in degree, and in degree there was much less difference than we are apt to believe. Persecution is the deadly original sin of the reformed churches; that which cools every honest man's zeal for their cause, in proportion as his reading becomes more extensive. The Lutheran princes and cities in Germany constantly refused to tolerate the use of the mass as an idolatrous service; and this name of idolatry, though adopted in retaliation for that of heresy, answered the same end as the other, of exciting aniinosity and uncharitableness. The Roman worship was equally proscribed in England. Many persons were sent to prison for hearing mass, and similar offences. The Princess Mary supplicated in vain to have the exercise of her own religion at home; and Charles V several times interceded in her behalf; but though Cranmer and Ridley, as well as the council, would have consented to this indulgence, the young king, whose education had unhappily infused a good deal of bigotry into his mind, could not be prevailed upon to connive at such idolatry. Yet in one memorable instance he had shown a milder spirit, struggling against Cranmer to save a fanatical woman from the punishment of heresy. This is a stain upon Cranmer's memory, which nothing but his own death could have lightened. In men hardly escaped from a similar peril, in men who had nothing to plead but the right of private judgment, in men who had defied the prescriptive authority of past ages and of established power, the crime of persecution assumes a far deeper hue, and is capable of far less extenuation than in a Roman inquisitor. Thus the death of Servetus has weighed down the name and memory of Calvin. And though Cranmer was incapable of the rancorous malignity of the Genevese lawgiver, yet I regret to say that there is a peculiar circumstance of aggravation in his pursuing to death this woman, Joan Boucher, and a Dutchman that had been convicted of Arianism. It is said that he had been accessary in

the preceding reign to the condemnation of Lambert, and perhaps some others, for opinions concerning the Lord's Supper, which he had himself afterwards embraced. Such an evidence of the fallibility of human judgment, such an example that persecutions for heresy, how conscientiously soever managed, are liable to end in shedding the bood of those who maintain truth, should have taught him, above all men, a scrupulous repugnance to carry into effect those sanguinary laws. Compared with these executions for heresy, the imprisonment and deprivation of Gardiner and Bonner, appear but measures of ordinary severity towards political adversaries under the pretext of religion; yet are they wholly unjustifiable, particularly in the former instance; and if the subsequent retaliation of those bad men was beyond all proportion excessive, we should remember that such is the natural consequence of tyrannical aggressions.

INJUSTICE OUT-REASONED; OR THE JAMAICA MAGISTRATE AND THE AFRICAN.

"The following dialogue took place between a magistrate and a tradesman (an African by birth) before the abolition of slavery, the latter being summoned before the magistrate for holding a prayer-meeting in his house.

"Magistrate. So you have got a church in your yard, I understand, Mr. G.

"Tradesman.-Me a chutch, massa-no.

"M.-O yes, you have.

“T.—Please massa, what massa mean, sar?

"M.-Mean! why, that you are in the habit of preaching in a church that you have lately built in your yard (a class-house), and that you are in the habit of preaching there; is it not so?

"T.-Me preach, massa? Me poor ignorance man; me no able fe preach; me no able to speak much less-me quite be glad if me could preach.

"M.—I am quite sure that you preach or do something of the sort there.

"T.—No, massa; me pray sometime in me house, dat is all. “ M.—Well, what do you call that but preaching and holding a church in your house? That is what I mean, to be sure.

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