صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

fluous to observe that the promised explanation was never given, nor did the patient again revert to the

Occurrence.

THE SPIRITUAL DESTITUTION

OP

UPPER CANADA.

[THE following extract of a letter, dated 12th July 1837, from the Rev. Alexander Gale, minister of Hamilton, Upper Canada, addressed to the Very Rev. Principal Macfarlan, Convener of the General Assembly's Committee on Colonial Churches, will be perused with interest. It describes our countrymen, who have settled in the province of Upper Canada, as lamentably deficient in the supply of spiritual instructors, and we trust that the appeal thus made through our pages will meet with prompt attention from the Christian public, and more especially from the unemployed preachers of our Church.]

I could not, perhaps, begin with a more appropriate statement than by informing you that, at this moment, there is, so far as I can learn, but one Missionary of our Church in the field throughout the whole of Upper Canada. During the last season only three came to us in all, and none of them reached the country before the month of September. In little more than six months two of them were ordained to fixed charges, and the remaining one has just accepted of a call from a congregation within the bounds of this presbytery. Of 1835, I cannot speak precisely as to numbers, but my conviction is, that it was equally unproductive and discouraging to us, in this respect, as 1836; and during what has passed of 1837, not a single additional preacher of our Church has appeared in Upper Canada. Of this most disheartening state of things I am much at a loss to find an adequate account. I cannot believe that the large reserve of unemployed probationers, which the Church possessed when I left Scotland, has been exhausted; and the thought is not to be entertained, that the miserable destitution in spiritual things, under which the Presbyterian population of this country are labouring, could be regarded with indifference by the Church and her preachers, or that they do not acknowledge and feel the duty of contributing to our relief. I fear I must come to the conclusion that the blame lies mainly at our own door; that we have not yet brought our case fully before you; that you are yet unacquainted, through some deficiency on our part, with the extent and urgency of our wants.

In such a communication as this, I can of course do little to supply this deficiency, even in regard to the Presbytery of Hamilton alone. The following statements may, however, enable you to form some idea of our actual condition. The Presbytery of Hamilton, consisting of ten ministers, has under its superintendence a tract of country extending about 250 miles in length, by 60 or 70 in breadth, a large portion of which is well peopled. These ministers, however, are very unequally distributed, seven out of the ten being stationed around the head of Lake Ontario, or within forty miles of it; so that, for two hundred miles and upwards, there are only three ministers. Yet in almost every township of this extensive region, individuals and families belonging to our Church are to be found scattered more or less numerously, and living, in a vast number of instances, in total destitution of Gospel ordinances, the Sabbath almost forgotten, religious instruction neglected, baptism and communion inaccessible, unless in connection with sects and teachers of the most exceptionable character in general, as to their principles and qualifications. Besides those who could only be reached by an extensive missionary system,

there is another class of cases, which, though certainly not more interesting or clamant in themselves, do yet attract attention more readily, and are more intimately known to us, I mean those in which considerable numbers of Presbyterians are settled in close neighbourhood with one another. Of these we reckon in this Presbytery alone, not fewer than sixteen or eighteen, from many of which we have had urgent and repeated applications for preaching and other ordinances, together with subscription lists, and other assurances of the disposition of the people to contribute, as far as they can, to the support of Missionaries. As Presbyteries are situated at present, their duties, in regard to such applications, are extremely distressing, obliged, as we are, season after season, to meet their earnest and reiterated entreaties and offers of support, with the painful confession that we cannot help them, that we have no Missionaries to send to them. I cannot attempt at present any thing beyond this brief and meagre statement. At the approaching meeting of Synod, a full representation of our religious destitution will doubtless be prepared for your committee; and as we have an ample pledge for the energetic discharge of its duties in your well known zeal in behalf of the Colonial Churches, I cannot allow myself to doubt that when our wants shall have been made known through you to our countrymen, and especially to the unemployed preachers of our Church, the means of our relief will be placed abundantly at your disposal.

There is one point connected with the support of Missionaries in Canada, which I am desirous to bring under your particular attention. The funds raised amongst settlers, for this purpose, have hitherto been exceedingly small, and the burden of Missionary maintenance has been principally borne at home. This, I doubt not, has operated, and is still operating powerfully in preventing a greater number from being sent to us. Now I am persuaded that it is in a great measure on account of the smallness of the number of Missionaries, their utter inadequacy to our wants, that the resources of the country have been so little available, and that if a sufficient number were at once sent into the field, their resources would be brought into action; and while the work would be effectually done, the amount of external aid required would be very little greater than is found necessary in conducting the present unsatisfactory and inefficient system. This is easily explained. While we have only one or two Missionaries in the Presbytery of Hamilton, the various stations requiring their services can only be visited twice or thrice a-year; and these rare and irregular services are comparatively ineffectual for the purpose of religious instruction and training, and evidently but little calculated to call forth and secure the united and vigorous efforts of the people for their compensation and maintenance. On the other hand, had we six Missionaries at our disposal, the Missionary ground would be divided among them, so that all the principal stations would be visited regularly once or twice a-month, and the people would feel the value of such ministrations, and contribute readily for their support. You may be inclined to ask, why does not the Presbytery of Hamilton act on these views? I answer, that the Missionaries must be on the field before the plan can be fairly tried with the people; several months would perhaps elapse before it could be brought into full operation, and besides, the smallness of our Missionary fund prevents us from undertaking the previous expenses, the same cause restrains us from incurring the risk of a failure, slight as I believe it to be. I doubt not that these statements will receive your early and favourable consideration. May the Great Head of the Church animate and prosper you in your efforts for the advancement of His cause, and the spiritual welfare of our expatriated coun trymen,

SACRED POETRY.

STANZAS.

BY DAVID VEdder,

Author of " Orcadian Sketches," &c.

In the year 1544, the plague made such ravages in the town of Dundee, that the civic authorities were under the necessity of placing those who were infected with the malady, without the gates. The amiable and enlightened George Wishart, who afterwards sealed his testimony with his blood, declared the glad tidings of salvation both to the healthy and also to the infected, from the top of the Cowgate port, an antique arch at the east end of the then town. Amidst the many improvements which have taken place recently, this venerable arch, with much good taste, has been allowed to remain.

THE pestilence had stalked abroad,
And stretched his bony hand;
While from his livid jaws exhaled
A vapour o'er the land,
Dense, as of old, the lurid cloud
That swathed Egyptia, as a shroud,

At God's supreme command;
And multitudes, in manhood's pride,
Inhaled the noxious air, and died.
And friend, alas! deserted friend,
And son from sire did flee;
For terror cut the gordian knot
That bound humanity;
And bed-rid eld, and infancy,
Alike deprived of sympathy

And succour, ceased to be;
And thousands in the lazar state
Were thrust without the city gate.
But mercy, with the turbid stream
Of judgment, mingled still;
It issued from the throne on high
A glorious limpid rill.

The Iris of the Gospel glowed

In radiance 'midst the threat'ning cloud
That lowered o'er Zion hill;

For, MARTYRED WISHART! thou wert there
To soothe the anguish of despair.

Above an antique arch he raised

His venerable head;

On either hand, the living throng,
The dying and the dead;
And to the Fount of mercy there
He poured his ardent soul in prayer,
And fervently did plead

That He, their covenanted God,

Would yet withdraw his chastening rod.

He pointed to the cross of Christ,
Whence healing virtues flow,—
Spoke of the sanctifying grace
The Spirit can bestow,-

Told of the great, the glorious plan,
Devised by heaven, that fallen man

Might shun eternal woe,—
Proclaimed aloud, that God is love,
On earth below-in heaven above!

He spoke of scenes beyond the grave,—
Of aramanthine bowers;
The sea of glass-the tree of life-
Its gorgeous fruits and flowers;
The river issuing from the throne,—
The golden harp's celestial tone,-

Thrones, potentates, and powers,
Beyond all, in that bright abode
They'd ever praise the TRIUNE God!

MISCELLANEOUS.

Rev. Mr Kicherer.-This name will remind the reader of the first Missionary to the African Hottentots. During his early residence among them, he was visited

by a man who had been sentenced at the Cape of Good Hope to death, but who had made his escape; and making great pretensions to religion, imposed on Mr K., and induced him to receive him into his house. At night, he slept in a room immediately adjoining that of the Missionary, and rose during the night with the design of murdering Mr K., and making his escape with the property on the premises, to a distant place. At the moment he was proceeding to the bed-side of this good man, Mr K. was suddenly awoke in a fit of terror, and unconsciously cried out as though he was aware of the design of this wicked man, who now became alarmed, and fled.

Rev. John Cooke of Maidenhead.-Few instances can be selected from the records of the providence of God, in which his care has been exercised in the days of thoughtless vanity over those whom he intends to bless with his favour, and to make them useful in his Church, more striking than the following event mentioned in the early life of this good man. When he was yet destitute of piety, he was left one Sabbath afternoon in his master's house alone; and wanting amusement, he thought he would take a gun, and go into a neighbouring field of oats, to fire at a large number of rooks there collected. The birds hovered over his head, and so great was their clamour, that when he had pulled the trigger of his gun, though he did not hear a report, he supposed that it had discharged its contents. He then rested it on the ground, and blew into the barrel to clear it, as he had seen his master often do, when he had discharged it. The instant he had removed his mouth from the barrel, the gun went off without injuring him.

Rev. Mr Abernethy.It is related in the preface to a volume of sermons delivered by this good man, that when young, he was diverting himself with a servant who attended upon him on the great bridge at Belfast, and that happening to cast his eye upon something at a distance, it attracted his attention. They instantly ran towards it, and the moment they were clear of the bridge, the arch on which they had been standing fell down. Had they stayed on it a few seconds longer, they must have lost their lives.

Mr Joseph Williams.-This eminently pious man, who lived at Kidderminster in the last century, records in his diary a remarkable interposition of the providence of God, in preserving his family and property from devouring flames. One of his servants one night dreamed that a neighbour's house was on fire, and through the agitation which the dream occasioned, she made a trifling degree of noise, which awoke Mrs W., who was sleeping in a room below. On awaking, she found her room filled with smoke; and when Mr Williams arose and examined the house, he found part of one of the lower rooms on fire; which, but for the singular manner in which they had been disturbed, would have speedily placed the whole family in danger; and as the house was not that year insured, have deprived the good man of nearly all he possessed.

Separate Numbers from the commencement may at all times be had to complete sets.

Published by JOHN JOHNSTONE, at the Offices of the SCOTTISH CHRISTIAN HERALD, 2, Hunter Square, Edinburgh, and 19, Glassford Street, Glasgow; JAMES NISHET & Co., HAMILTON, ADAMS & Co., and R. GROOMBRIDGE, London; W. CURRY, Junr. & Co., Dublin; and W. M'COMB, Belfast; and sold by the Booksellers and Local Agents in all the Towns and Parishes of Scotland; and in the principal Towns in England and Ireland.

Subscribers in Edinburgh, Leith, and Portobello, will have their copies delivered at their own residences regularly, by leaving their addresses with the Publisher.-Subscribers in Glasgow will, in like manner, have their copies delivered, by leaving their addresses at the Publishing Office there, 19, Glassford Street.

Subscription (payable in advance) per quarter, of twelve weeks, 1s. 6d.-per half-year, of twenty-four weeks, 3s.-per year, of fortyeight weeks, 6s.-Monthly Parts, containing four Numbers each, stitched in a printed wrapper, price Sixpence.

[blocks in formation]

ON THE COMMON PHRASE,
"THE LAWS OF NATURE."
No. II.

BY THE REV. W. M. HETHERINGTON, A.M.,

Minister of Torphichen.

PRICE 1d.

the power
of the universal mind-of God him-
self, the creator and sole ruler of the universe-
the Almighty and Omnipresent Jehovah! The
laws of nature are the laws of God, their agency
is the divine agency, nay, their perceived agency
is the perceived presence of Him" in whom we
live, and move, and have our being." "For the
invisible things of Him, from the creation of the
world, are clearly seen, being understood by the
things that are made, even his eternal power and
godhead."

We have already shown, that the expression, "a law impressed on nature," if it meant any thing, must either involve the doctrine of physical necessity, of the most stern and terrible kind, or that of Epicureanism, of the most lax and careless kind. They tell us, also, of "organic laws," by which But the truth is, though men may think they un-expression is meant those permanent modifying derstand it to have some such meaning, while and governing principles which preserve to any they would not be willing to admit it to the ex- individual thing its own identity of character. tent stated above, it has not in reality, nor can it The essential nature of these "organic laws" is have, any definite meaning at all. We have no as much beyond our reach, as is the nature of any knowledge of the manner in which mind acts upon physical law. We can no more tell by what ormatter; we do not know how our own minds act ganic law we have and retain our identity as indiupon our own bodies. But we do know, that our vidual men, notwithstanding the constant flux and own minds cannot act upon any material existence change of the particles of matter that compose our except by means of our bodies; nor upon our bodies, than we can what organic law gave and bodies themselves except by a species of present preserves its physical constitution to the sun. indwelling power, which we rather feel than un- Nor can we, by the operation of our minds, proderstand. The mind can no more move the am- duce the least organic change in our bodily strucputated limb, which it was accustomed to wield ture, though we may disturb and confuse its various at its pleasure, than it can a rude mass of granite functional operations. We cannot, by taking torn from the mountain's brow by some convul- thought, add a nail's breadth to our stature, or make sion of nature. We have no reason for supposing one hair white and another black. Whence, then, that mind, any more than matter, can act at all, the power and the permanent uniformity of operaexcept where it is present; and as a law is mere- tion of these organic laws? They are from God. ly "mind willing the exercise of its energies in What are they, so completely beyond our search some peculiar manner," it is utterly impossible to to discover, and our will to direct? They are modiimagine a modification of mind impressed upon fications of the will of God. Organic laws, then, matter, and influencing it, and yet mind itself not are but the individualized manifestations of the there. Such language, when analyzed, is found creative and preserving will of the Almighty. to be perfectly meaningless, and is allowed to pass Instead of being, as our pseudo-philosophers would current only because people are far too much in have it, the result of organic arrangements, they the habit of allowing plausible-looking nonsense are the cause of those arrangements, their ruling, to pass unchallenged, under the cover of its coun- developing, and assimilating principle, which at terfeit character, for sense. Mind is the only first gave, and still preserves, to every created moving and controlling principle; mind can act being, its peculiarity of constitution and character, only where it is present; laws are but modifications and its personal identity of existence. Even in of mind, having no existence except in minds; those clay-built tenements, then, which our souls the perceived operation of what are termed laws, inhabit, and in what we term the "organic laws," therefore, is merely the proof of the presence of which regulate our bodily structure, we are brought mind; and what are termed general, or universal into immediate contact, if our blinded minds would laws, are the manifest proofs of the presence and but perceive it, with the creative, the moving, the VOL. II.

moulding, the conserving will of the great, and wise, and gracious God, by whom we were "fearfully and wonderfully made."

Instead of prosecuting this line of investigation any farther at present, we may point out briefly, in the conclusion of this paper, the manner in which the views, we have attempted to establish, meet and refute the loose notions of a spurious philosophising spirit, unhappily too prevalent at the present day. They tell us that there are certain physical and organic laws, governing the world, and every organized being that inhabits it; that there is an adaptation absolutely perfect between the constitution of physical nature and of mankind, and that to act in conformity with these physical and organic laws will insure as much happiness as the nature of man can enjoy, while, to act in opposition to them will immediately be followed by such physical suffering as will operate as a corrective check; and that this is a more just and philosophical view of the nature and condition of man than the views usually given by theological writers. They tell us, also, in perfect consistency with these views, that nothing more is wanted for the complete reformation of man, than the knowledge of these physical and organic laws, to enable him to see that it is his interest always to act in conformity with them, and to know how to do so; while, of course, such doctrines as the fall of man, -the prevalence of sin,-disease and death, regarded as the wages of sin,-the regenerating agency of the Holy Spirit, as the only restorer of man to a state of holiness and happiness, &c., are all rejected as the mere fables of an unenlightened and unphilosophic age. Now we do think that if they would take the trouble of inquiring a little into the grounds of their own philosophy, or even into the meaning of the language they are in the habit of using, they would find themselves brought to a conclusion, very different indeed from that | fallacious one in which, at present, they think they have found rest. What do they mean by "physical and organic laws?" If they mean that they have a positive and real existence, then physical and organic laws are their gods! If they do not mean that these laws have any real and positive existence, do they mean to ascribe intelligence and power, capable of ruling all nature, animate and inanimate, with unchanging uniformity, to absolute nonentity? This would be downright atheism or downright nonsense! Or will they allow themselves, under our guidance, to be brought to the more rational conclusion, that all laws, physical and organic, are but manifestations of the power, the wisdom, and the present agency of the creative and the preserving mind and will of God, the creator and ruler of the universe? If to that conclusion they would permit us to conduct them, then we should have little more to do than to remonstrate with them on the fallacious sophistries by which they were deluding themselves and others.

If they will admit that physical and organic laws are merely modifications of the divine will

[ocr errors]

made visible by material phenomena, then there can be no doubt that the "laws of nature," and the laws of God, communicated in the truths of revelation, will concur, because both emanate from the divine mind; and an accurate knowledge of these laws would, in either case, make men ac quainted with the will of God concerning them, to a certain extent. It might be expected, also, that there would be a remarkable coincidence between these diversely promulgated laws, because both proceeded from the same divine source, and both had reference to the same creature-man. And such, indeed, there will be found to be, by those who look for it wisely, and from a right point of observation. But at present we dissent from the way in which our would-be-philosophers attempt to give precedence to the laws of nature, as of higher value, or of greater certainty, and more direct importance, than the laws of revelation. We admit it to be true, that man cannot violate any of the laws of nature without suffering an immediate punishment; and that it is very desirable that he should be acquainted with these laws, and avoid that punishment. But so long as men are unacquainted with them, as, to a great degree, even the most enlightened philosopher is, while by far the greater proportion of mankind are utterly ignorant of nearly them all, how are they to be preserved from error and suffering? "By teaching them natural science," our philosophers answer. But revelation points out a more direct and certain path, and one more concurrent with truth and wisdom. It states to us that all error is sin, that sin is opposed to the will of God in consequence of which it involves certain misery, if committed and persevered in ; and it points out to us the path of religious duty, in which, if we walk, we shall enjoy the favour of God, which is essential life, essential happiness. Our philosophers will tell us that this communicates to us no information respecting the physical and organic laws, which it is so essential for us to know and obey. No! Short-sighted and mistaken men! They are looking through the wrong end of the telescope. Have they already forgotten that all law is the will of God? and do they not perceive that all law must, therefore, have had a moral origin, and must ultimately have a moral bearing, connected with God's moral government of the universe? The violation of even a physical law, therefore, comes within the range of a moral offence, and is so essentially, if intentionally committed. The violation of an organic law is even more manifestly so. To indulge in drunkenness, for example, is a violation of an organic law, and will soon be punished with organic disease, and even death itself. But it is also a moral offence, a sin, and is directly prohi→ bited by the revealed Word of God. Now, for the present, the whole question is, whether the argument from the organic laws, or the argument from the revealed prohibition of God, be the more likely way of preventing the commission of the crime of drunkenness. Both arguments are true,

but which is the most powerful? Both spring from the same origin, the will of God; both tend to the same consequence,-God's glory in the welfare of his creature; but the one by a direct, the other by an indirect process. Nay, in truth, the argument from the organic law appeals to merely selfish motives, and therefore both possesses much less force, in not addressing the moral, that is, the governing principle of man, and is much less likely to lead to the only safe result, that is, to conformity with the will of God, not only organic, but spiritual and holy. A similar deduction might be easily made, in almost every possible violation of organic laws, showing that in every instance obedience to the revealed will of God would lead more directly, and with greater certainty, to the same result, so far as the mere physical and temporal consequences to man are concerned; while the study of the laws of nature could not but be a much less safe, expeditious, and powerful guide, even physically, and might utterly fail in reaching the moral nature of man at all, consequently might fail in producing the only truly valuable result, the moral and spiritual improvement of man.

It might also be shown that this would-bephilosophical system is, in reality, unsuited to It human nature, and utterly unphilosophical. necessarily assuines the possibility of man's becoming thoroughly acquainted with all the laws of nature, and the absolutely infinite complexities of these various possible combinations, which is manifestly absurd. Yet if he cannot acquire that thorough knowledge, he must be still exposed, in his helpless ignorance, to the caprice of unknown If this be not a condition yet implacable laws, unsuited to human nature, we cannot tell what is to insure his right conduct and happiness, his knowledge must be infinite, to be happy as a man, his wisdom must be equal to that of God! Yet he must not trace the meaning of the language he uses, lest it lead him to revelation, lest he find that the laws of nature are the laws of God; he must imagine powers and principles acting throughout the universe, yet having no actual existence of their own, much less subsisting only and essentially as attributes or modifications of the divine mind and will. And all this, although the revealed will of God would lead certainly and directly to the very result to which he vainly imagines his own impossible notions would possibly lead, if they could by any possibility be realised!

How much more magnificently simple, and profoundly philosophical, are the hallowed truths of revelation! The universe was created by God, in conformity with his own infinitely wise, gracious, and holy will. His infinite Presence pervades it throughout, displaying its attributes in the power, wisdom, and benevolence, which are its characteristics. The soul of man was at first glorified with His indwelling image, enabling him in all things to see, hear, and converse with his God. Man refused obedience to the divine law,

the holy will of God,-he sinned, and guilt, misery, and death took possession of him, and of the world, which was cursed for his sake. God again revealed his merciful laws, and his redeeming love. By acting directly in conformity with the dictates and the precepts of these, man again is inhabited by the perfect law of liberty, the love of God in Christ; and all the powers of nature, visible and invisible, temporal and spiritual, are engaged in promoting his welfare. He cannot obey the Gospel without obeying every other law of God; nay, not without Christ in him the hope of glory, not without his regenerated soul becoining the temple of the Holy Spirit,-the re-consecrated shrine of the living God! Thus, while the wisdom of the wise is the veriest folly, the Bible, the revealed will of God, can alone make the simple truly and everlastingly wise unto salvation, for, as a Christian, "all things are his, and he is Christ's, and Christ is God's."

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF

THE HON. COLONEL GARDINER. COLONEL JAMES GARDINER was born at Carriden, in

Linlithgowshire, on 10th January 1688, the memorable year of the Revolution. His father, who was proprietor of a handsome estate, after serving for many years in the army, died abroad with the British forces in Germany, soon after the battle of Hochsted, from the fatigues he endured in that campaign. His mother, besides losing her husband in this way, had also the misfortune to be deprived, in a similar manner, of her brother, Colonel Hodge, who was slain at the head of his regiment at the battle of Steenkirk in 1692, and of her eldest son, who perished three years afterwards at the siege of Namur. It is believed that the religious Instructions which the subject of this Sketch received from his mother, though they failed at first of producing any salutary effect, were never entirely lost upon him, but were afterwards of much service when he became the subject of serious impressions.

After he had received the usual branches of educa

tion at the school of Linlithgow, he began to turn his attention to the military profession, from which his mother in vain endeavoured to dissuade him, and ha ving, at an unusually early period, first served as a cadet, he obtained, when only fourteen years of age, an ensign's commission in a Scotch regiment in the Dutch service, and shortly afterwards received a similar appointment from Queen Anne. Mr Gardiner, at this time, as well as afterwards, was remarkable for his fearlessness of danger; and before he attained to the stature of a man, he had three times exposed his life to hazard in duels, besides making several narrow escapes from death while engaged in the duties of his profession.

In the battle of Ramillies, which took place when he was in his nineteenth year, a considerable number of the French having been posted to great advantage in the churchyard of Ramillies, it became an object of some importance to dispossess them of it, and Mr Gardiner and a party were intrusted with the almost desGlad of such an opportunity of perate attempt. signalizing himself, he accordingly proceeded in the enterprize; and having planted his colours on an advanced ground, was in the act of calling to his men, when he received a shot in his mouth, which, without beating out any of his teeth, or even touching the fore part of his tongue, went through his neck, and came

« السابقةمتابعة »