Mr. Jay had manifestly deep sympathies with the poor. ant picture does he draw of a Christian peasant! What a pleas "Take a peasant or a mechanic in a village, sober, moral, religious; his wishes bounded by the simplicity of rural life-his sleep sweet-his meals, though plain, sauced by appetite-his hands sufficient for him-his labour limited and free from distracting cares-his little garden yielding him the useful vegetable -and the Sunday flower, the sabbath a day of pleasing change, and rest, and refreshment of spirit-the going to the house of God in company-and the bible now more amply read, though not forgotten during the week-take such an one, and his condition as to enjoyment will not shrink from a comparison with the state of thousands, who never look down upon him, but with contempt, or pity, or indifference.' Village life, however, was superior in his youth, to what it now is. Those who, during mowing and reaping seasons, went forth to labour, carried their bottles into the field with them, and were generally supplied at meals with cold or warm meat and vegetables. Now, bread and water, with few exceptions, is all the provision, all the support, all the comfort, thousands of men, women, and children, have amid the burning sunshine and exhausting labour of a summer's day. I was lately walking in time of harvest with an intelligent and humane farmer, among a number of hardworking peasents, who said to me, 'You see these thin meagre figures, with patched and ragged clothing.-they have been toiling here from this early dawn, to this scorching noon, and have had perhaps, little more than a can of water and a crust of bread; and will toil on till evening calls them to a similar repast at home, and sleep, to their only rest. "Oh, sir,' said he, nothing surprises me so much, as the honesty, and quiet submission, and unresistingness of these sufferers; and we cannot reach and change their state.' Let not ambition mock their useful toil, The concluding part of his autobiography we shall endeavour to give in our next. Our Open Page. NATURE, SCIENCE, AND THE BIBLE. (Concluded from p. 384.) He The next thing I shall notice is what Mr. Barker says about barbarism. says "the adoption and enforcement of this principal has restored barbarism in some lands; it has perpetuated it in others, and it universally adopted, would make barbarism in its darkest and most horrid forms universal and eternal." Statements like this ought never to be made without being accompanied either with proof or illustration. We regard it as one of great boldness, extravagance, and falsehood. We regard it as absolutely false in all respects considered, and to all intents and purposes. It is opposed to all the knowledge we have of history, ancient and modern, home and foreign. No one, however, can swallow it as a truth, unless infidels can. We know of no country on our globe in which barbarism has either been introduced, restored, or perpetuated, in consequence of the reception of the Bible, and the firm belief that it is of Divine origin. And we state it as a great truth which we are persuaded none can disprove, that if the Bible were to be universally believed and adopted, and its Christianity were to be the governing principle of every clime, of every community, and of every heart, instead of "barbarism in its darkest and most horrid forms becoming universal and eternal," it would for ever be unknown in our world, for it would be banished eternally from among men. Civilisation, refinement, and intelligence; spiritual and physical freedom, intellectual dignity, and true excellence; the noblest aspirations, the most refined pleasures, and the most rational and solid enjoyment; the most noble and worthy sentiments, the purest morality, the most excellent principles, and the most honourable deportment; and disinterested the most unbounded goodness; friendly and affectionate feeling and intercourse, union and happiness, national, individual, social, and domestic, would extend and prevail throughout the length and breadth of the land. Christianity has totally abolished barbarism wherever it has been received in its purity, and has had predominent sway. Such was the effect of its benign influence in ancient Rome when first introduced there. Such are the effects it has produced in every part of Africa, Tahiti, the islands in the Southern Ocean, in India, and in every other place, where it has been embraced, and permitted to have its due and native influence. Equally absurd and false is what Mr. Barker says about the stars and about nature. The stars would speak to him, meaning the Christian, but he dare not hear.' 'Nature would unfold to him her wonders, but he must not listen or attend to them.' Joseph should not have made such a statement, for how could he be ignorant of the fact, that, in every point of view, it is contradictory to truth, and offensive to common sense? Such an assertion may be applauded by infidels who are not sufficiently thoughtful and discerning, but its absurdity and falsehood will soon appear under the searching eye of the intelligent Christian. No man can so consistently and delightfully examine, study, and admire, the beauties, the wonders, 'the sublimities, the harmonies, the excellences, and the immense varieties of nature, as the Christian. No man has so many strong and powerful motives to pursue the investigations of science in all its departments, and to acquire a thorough and extensive knowledge of its truths and wonderful discoveries, as the Christian. The studies and investigations relating to nature and science, when combined with right affections, good principles, and holy dispositions, have a tendency to educate the mind- -to fit and prepare it for the employments, the contemplations, and enjoyments of a future and immortal state of being. How very imprudent, therefore, must it be for any infidel to affirm that Christians must not, or dare not, listen to the discoveries, the wonders and teachings of nature and science, for fear they should meet with something not in accordance with, or condemned by the 'book,' for every intelligent and consistent Christian is, and ever will be, a true lover of nature, and of science too. Nor is it true, as many infidels try to persuade themselves, and would have all the world to believe, that the Bible is at variance with nature and science, or that they contradict and condemn what the Bible teaches and inculcates. There is a pleasing harmony between them, and each will be best understood, explained, and appropriated, when investigated and considered, in relation to, and in connexion with the other. "Geology, when in its infancy, was eagerly brought forward by a few sceptical and superficial minds, to serve the cause of infidelity. A few pretended facts, of an insulated nature, were triumphantly exhibited, as insuperable objections to the truth of the Mosaic history and chronology, But later and more accurate researches have completely disproved the allegations of such sceptical philosophers, and were they now alive, they would feel ashamed of their ignorance, and of the fallacious statements by which they attempted to impose on the credulity of mankind." As Geology advances in its investigations, along with its kindred sciences, the facts which it is daily disclosing appear more and more corroborative of the description given in the Bible of the original tormation and arrangement of our globe, and of the universal deluge." Any one of our infidel friends are at liberty to refute these statements, if they can; and if any one make the attempt, we will endeavour to examine his objections and arguments with calmness and fairness, to dispose of them with candour, and to treat the infidel himself with kindness. It will serve no good purpose for us to behave towards the infidel. himself with any degree of bitterness or rashness. His system has no charms, attractions, or excellences connected with it; and whether true or false, it is not calculated to do him much good. But the Christian has the advantage every way for, if Christianity be false, he is no worse for being a Christian; for Christianity is well fitted to make him a sober, honest, diligent, benevolent, worthy, and honourable man, and consequently a good member of civil, social, and domestic society; and therefore, if there be an enjoyment to be realized, the Christian is very likely to find it, even if his theory be a false one; but if Christianity be true-if its origin is Divine, and not human, if God is its Author and not man-Then the infidel's principles and condition are deplorable indeed; whilst the Christian's lot is most noble, most enviable, and most desirable, for his religion is profitable to him for all things in this life, and when the period. arrives which will terminate his earthly career, the same religion will conduct him to an eternity of blessedness in the heavenly world-to the place where there is fullness of joy, and pleasures for evermore.' Surely the Christian religion ought to recommend itself to every rational and intelligent person, for it is certainly the best and the greatest friend to our race of all the systems which have occupied the attention of man. I will now add a few quotations illustrative of some of the foregoing statements from the writings of the greatest men which either Europe or America can prode. "It is the Christian religion which, in spite of the extent of empire and the influence of climate, has hindered despotism from being established in Ethiopia, and has carried into Africa the manners of Europe. Wherever Christianity has been received, it has completely abolished the absurd system of polytheism and Pagan idol atryll ah, wit the cruel and obscene rights with which they were accompanied; and, in their place, has instituted a system of doctrine and practice not only pure and rational, but level to the comprehension of the lowest class of society." Multitudes of different climes, "who were formerly under the influence of the most cruel superstitions and idolatries, who adored the most despicable idols, who sacrificed on their altars, multitudes of human victims, and were plunged in all the vices and vile abominations which can debase the character of man, we now behold transformed into civilized and Christian societies, their minds enlightened in the knowledge of the true God, their tempers moulded into the spirit of the religion of Jesus, their savage practices abolished, industry, peace, and moral order spreading their benign influence on all around, and multitudes rejoicing in the prospect of a blessed immortality. Where barrenness and desolation formerly prevailed, and where only a few savage huts appeared, beautiful villages are now arising, furnished with all the comforts and accommodation of civilized life. Where Pagan alters lately stood, and human victims were cruelly butchered, spacious temples are now erected for the worship of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and seminaries for the literary and religious instruction of the young. Where sanguinary battles were fought, amidst the furious yells of savage combatants who cruelly massacred every prisoner of war, the voice of rejoicing and of thanksgiving is now heard ascending to Heaven from the peaceable habitations of the righteous; all which effects have been produced by the powerful and benign agency of the Gospel of peace." "When Christianity made its way through the Roman empire, it abolished the unnatural practice of polygamy and concubinage, reduced the number of divorces, and mitigated the rigour of servitude, which, among the Romans was severe and cruel, masters being often so inhuman as to remove aged, sick, or infirm persons who were slaves into an island in the Tiber, where they suffered them to perish without pity or assistance. Polished and polite as the Romans have been generally considered, they indulged in the most barbarous entertainments. They delighted to behold men combating with wild beasts, and with one another: and we are informed by respectable historians, that the fights of gladiators sometimes deprived Europe of 20,000 lives in the month. Neither the humanity of Titus, nor the wisdom and virtue of Trajan, could abolish these barbarous spectacles, till the gentle and humane spirit of the Gospel put a final period to such savage practices, and they can never again be resumed in any nation where its light is diffused, and its authority acknowledged. It humanized the barbarous hordes that overturned the Roman empire, and softened their ferocious tempers, as soon as they embraced its principles and yielded to its influence. It civilised and raised from moral and intellectual degradation our forefathers the Ancient Britons, who were classed among the rudest of barbarians till the time when they were converted to the religion of Jesus." Gee Cross. 1 remain, A COMPARISON. The celebrated Robert Hall was once asked his opinion of Paine's attack on the Bible. He replied, "I think it as ineffably weak and ludicrous as it would be for a mouse to attempt to nibble off the wing of an archangel." WORDS AND DEEDS. "If our professions are adverse to our real opinions, they are hypocritica Actions are not always the test of truth, but they are the test of our real opinzons, and of the character of our professions." "Those who profess to believe in the Christian religion, but whose real opinion (as shewn in their lives) is that it is a useless thing to be religious are hypocrites. Those who profess to believe Christianity to be from God, and yet do nothing for the promotion of it among their fellow-men, are acting unworthily.' NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS. The real names and addresses of correspondents required, though not for publication. The Editor does not undertake to return rejected communications. Our correspondents in different places will do us service by giving us prompt informa tion of what goes on in their localities. Communications and works for review to be addressed to the Editor, 50, Grainger Street, Newcastle-on-Tyne, either direct, or through the publishers. London: HOULSTON & STONEMAN, 65, Paternoster Row. AND ALL BOOKSELLERS. Hunter & Co., Printers, Grainger Street, Newcastle-on-Tyne. EDITED BY THE REV. J. H. RUTHERFORD. TO BE STILL DECLARING WHAT WE KNOW NOT, BY WHAT WE KNOW, STILL CLOSING UP TRUTH TO TRUTH AS WE FIND IT, (FOR ALL HER BODY IS HOMOGENEAL AND PROPORTIONAL) THIS IS THE GOLDEN RULE IN THEOLOGY AS WELL AS IN ARITHMETIC, AND MAKES UP THE BEST HARMONY IN A CHURCH: NOT THE FORCED UNION OF COLD, AND NEUTRAL, AND INWARDLY DIVIDED MINDS. Milton. VOL. II. LONDON: HOULSTON AND STONEMAN, 65, PATERNOSTER Row; AND ALL BOOKSELLERS. 1855. |