which was doubtless written by the same Mr. Hart, which was written in a sarcastical way, without argument or reason; in which the doctrines that I, and others who agreed with me, had published, were misrepresented, and an attempt made to set them in a ridiculous light. And with a particular design, as it appeared, to disgrace me before the public, he called them Hopkintonian doctrines. This is the original of this epithet. And since that time, all who embrace the Calvinistick doctrines, which were published by President Edwards, Doctor Bellamy, Doctor West, of Stockbridge, and myself, have been called Hopkintonians, or Hopkinsians. Thus I am become the head of a denomination, who have since greatly increased, and in which thousands are included, and a large number of ministers, who, I believe, are the most sound, consistent, and thorough Calvinists; and who, in general, sustain as good a character, as to their morality, preaching, and personal religion, as any set of clergymen whatever; and who are most popular, where there appears to be most attention to religion; and who, at the same time, are most hated, opposed and spoken against, by. Arminians, Deists, and persons who appear to have no religion. And I believe, though this denomination or name originated from no such design, that it has proved an advantage to truth and true religion, as it has given opportunity, and been the occasion, of collecting those who embrace the scheme of Christianity exhibited in the forementioned publications, and rank ing them under one standard. It has excited attention, and promoted enquiry into the principles and dartines which are embraced and

RELIGIOUS NOVELS.

The peculiar duties of a spy, even though he be among Christians, often lead him into society he might otherwise wish to avoid, and call him to witness scenes from which he would gladly retire. They also compel him to censure those whom he loves, and to find fault where others may approve. This renders

It ex

his office most unwelcome. poses him to the derision and calumny of many, the opposition and hatred of some, and secures the love and friendship of none. But is he, therefore, to neglect the duties of his office? Is he to close his eyes on the faults of Christians, and suffer them to pursue their sinful course unreproved? Is he to fly from the realities of life, and decline all intercourse with human society? No, he is to act well his part, and faithfully discharge the duties of his office. He is to mingle in every society, and keep an eagle-eyed watch over the conduct of all. And every secret plan formed to frustrate the purposes of infinite benevolence: every act that tends to injure the cause of religion; every word spoken against the King of Heaven; is to be brought to light, and exposed to the just censures of an impartial world. He is to learn the number and strength of the enemies of all righteousness; to ascertain their position and manner of attack; to become acquainted with their weapons and their true colours; and then carry the information to his own ranks, the Captain of his salvation.

There are many, who fight under false colours: who use the standard of the cross, while they are the

deadly enemies of the Prince of Life. They hide their real characters, that they may not be suspected by those whom they hope to conquer. These are the pirates of the moral world, whose hands are daily imbrued in the blood of in aortal souls; who sport with the everlasting happiness of deathless beings, and inflict the never-ending pains of the second death.

Among these I rank religious orels, many of which are sailing about the world, and committing constant depredations upon the moral principles of men. They go out under false colours, professedly bound to the haven of eternal rest; while their true destination is to the fairy fields of an imaginary paradise. They are entirely unacquainted with the narrow path to heaven, and have not even a chart to direct their course through the rocks, shoals and quicksands, which lie on either side. Neither will they attempt the straight way to "glory, honour, and immortality;" but choose rather the plain sailing of a broader sea, whose waves soon bear them forward to the shoreless ocean of an undone eternity.

In plain language, I am decidedly opposed to all religious novels, and the more because they are read so much. Their title serves as a passport to any society. The best of Christians feel no conscientious scruples in reading them; and but few feel any in reading them on the holy Sabbath. Whole days, and weeks, and even months, are sent by many in perusing these religious fictions, who would be highly offended if their industry, or proper use of time were doubted. To say no more, this hardly looks like redeeming their time. And there are but few who do not read them occasionally, probably more than any other book. Their ef

fects may be seen in every community, among all classes, and in almost every individual. They are the great source of religious knowledge to many. All their views on this important subject are taken from novels, rendered sacred by their names. Like their source, however, they are often erroneous, and always human. There are scarcely any whose views of religion are not affected more or less by this kind of reading; by the imaginary sentiments of religious novels. It is this universal rage for novel reading, which renders these works peculiarly dangerous. Were they read only occasionally, and by only a few, their influence would not be generally felt. But when they are read to the exclusion of every thing else, as they are by some, their influence is most pernicious. They serve to lower the value of revealed truth, and to conform the Christian character to the world..

I am further opposed to religious novels, because they do not accomplish the object for which they are designed. They are professedly designed to present religion in its most attractive forms, that it may gain the attention of all. In this way, it is hoped to inculcate its principles, where it can be done in no other. But those, who are not pleased with the native and unadorned beauty of religion, will never be pleased with it in any form or dress. They may be delighted with the language of a religious novel, and admire the imagination or creative fancy of the novelist; but they have no love for religion. And they will read only while the truths of the latter are lost in the superior charms of the former. If they for a moment lose sight of the beauties of the author, and fix their eyes on the truth

which lies concealed under his lan guage, they become disgusted and opposed. They may therefore as well be pleased with the plan or composition of any other novel; and it would have just as much tendency to make them pleased with religion. The fact is, however, that neither has the least tendency to produce this effect. The principal object of these novels, then, is never accomplished. They never make a man love those holy principles to which he is naturally opposed. Nor do they make him acquainted with those revealed truths, which he refuses to learn from any other source. They only serve, like any other novel or romance, to waste his time, while religion is kept out of view; but the moment the obligations of this are brought to bear on himself, he throws them aside with disgust.

I am still further opposed to religious novels, because they have an unhappy effect on the minds of the irreligious, and also upon those of the truly pious. They are read with equal pleasure by both; and their effects on them are very similar. The irreligious read these as an apology for neglecting every other religious book; they imagine all that is necessary for them to know, on the subject of religion, may be found here. While they, therefore, read to gratify their unhallowed passions, or to pass away a leisure hour, they flatter themselves that they are performing a worthy act, in reading a religious book; and from such reading, they acquire all their knowledge of religion, and learn their views of virtue. The volume of revealed truth is laid aside; the true principles of religion remain unknown; and the sacred requisitions of heaven are never performed. hus they live, ignorant of all that can make them

happy, and die destitute of all tha will raise them to heaven.

But little less ruinous is their et fect on the pious; they vitiate thei taste, dissipate their thoughts, and corrupt their morals; they lead then from one step to another, until they contract a disrelish for any thing more serious, and become disgust ed with the real scenes of life. Yes the truly pious contract a habit from this species of reading, which renders the plain truths of revela tion unpleasant. This habit soor becomes so far confirmed, that the Bible is almost entirely neglected and forgotten, and every other re ligious author is viewed as dry and unprofitable. Here, then, they are left to the wild reveries of a dis ordered imagination, to guide them through this wicked and deceit ful world, up to the bright a bodes of the righteous. And though they possess the principle of re ligion, implanted in their bosoms, by the spirit of all grace, still they manifest it but little. Judging from their conduct, we are often led to doubt the reality of their at tachment to Christ. They become conformed to the world in their views, feelings and conduct; and it is hard to find any mark by which to distinguish them from the professed worldling. Th s their influence and example are lost to the cause ef Christ, or rather they are a reproach to religion, and tend to ruin.

Here is the ground of my opposition to religious novels. They are read by all classes; never accomplish their professed object; and have a pernicious influence on society. This ought to be sufficient to raise the united voice of every Christian against them, and to banish them from their society. They disappoint the fondest expectations of those who rely on them as their

From the Christian Mirror.

ON HOARDING UP TREASURES.

Mr. Editor: I once knew a prudent and thrifty woman, whose house was well supplied with furniture adapted to her station; but who annually converted most of her wool and flax into articles for future use, far beyond the necessities of her family. Some of her female friends, unable to perceive the ben efit of the immense and still accumulating store, ventured to inquire what her object could be.

Oh," said she, "I am laying them up for Hannah's children."Now it happened that Hannah, her only daughter, was neither married nor likely to be married at present; and her neighbours believed the old lady was spending her strength in vain. The remark was thought to be rather ludicrous, and soon became a kind of proverb. If any one was uncommonly anxious for his life, food and raiment, and labored hard for the exigencies of future years or generations, he was said to be "laying up for Hannah's children."

"Do not laugh at the old lady," and dismiss the subject without application. How much more rational are one half, I might say nine tenths, of the plans, and labours, and toils of nearly the whole world?Are the favourite schemes and pursuits, even of professing Christians, more worthy of rational beings, and of ransomed sinners? Do we not labour and toil for the meat that perisheth, and for the benefit of the unknown generations that may succeed us? Do we not hoard up our property, in particular, for distant and uncertain purposes, when we might immediately apply it to the most important objects? Oh, how little do we devote to the extension of the Redeemer's kingdom, and

come.

R. B.

THE DUTY OF PARENTS TO SUPERINTEND THE COURSE OF READING, PURSUED BY THEIR CHILDREN.

A taste for reading, it is of the greatest importance to cultivate in early life; since it opens channels of the best instruction, and places within the sphere of domestic employment, the most interesting materials for the occupation of hours of leisure. Never was there a period, in the ages that are past, in which so happy a selection of books for the youthful mind could have been made, as is practicable at the present day; nor was there ever a period, in which parental wisdom was so urgently required, in making a safe and beneficial selection. Not only have the elements of science and literature been presented in their most simple and most attractive form, and brought down to the level of juvenile capacity; but the same process of simplifying and embellishing has been employed to subserve the cause of dangerous error, of disguised and