than any delineations of a spiritual nature would be, shall we hesitate to apply the same method to the child's understanding? Will a being who can as yet scarcely perceive the preeminence of truth over falsehood, receive any very captivating impression of God by being told of his moral perfections? But it may be said, Our first teaching is of his care. We would ask if even this may not be premature, so long as the very young child can conceive of no other agency in its supplies, than that of its earthly parents? We do indeed forget, in this matter, that our children are progressive beings; that the knowledge we wish to give them must be communicated by little and little; that its gradual developement must be nicely adjusted to their opening faculties; that their imagination is first to be addressed, their affections next; and that the conscience and understanding are objects of later culture.

One of the first opportunities that a parent has, to communicate the idea of God to her child, is suggested by the child itself. Among its earliest delights are flowers. It reaches with avidity towards a blossom, and when possessed, tears it in pieces with what seems to us senseless folly; and we wonder, that, desiring it so much, it values it so little. But the child is wiser in his generation than we, and takes his enjoyment of the flower in the only way it can yield him pleasure. By and by he holds it in his hand for a long time, or sticks it in his shoes, or frolics about, wearing it as an enviable decoration. But soon a new capacity begins to dawn, and he says, Who made this flower? It is well if in our answer we can confine ourselves to the suggestion of wisdom intimated by the question, and when again he demands, Who is God? refrain from such a description of his works as shall overawe the little mind of the being that is now to receive its first impression. How natural to say-He made the sun and moon and the sky, the earth and everything you can see! And yet how injudicious! since at no age is the idea of inconceivable power unattended by dread. No; let the rose content us; it is enough. You may satisfy his curiosity to know how he made it, without being able to satisfy your own. Tell him that God made him; and he made the rose to give him pleasure. That he made it grow out of the ground; for God can do such things, though men and women cannot. Show him the beautiful color of the blossom, and tell him that no man could paint it so; but that God puts all these colors in the air, and that there he makes them shine on

the leaves and flowers, just as he thinks it best for their beauty, giving to some flowers one color and to others another. Tell him, too, that he gives the flowers their different odors, just as he gives them their colors, and does it all to please us. The material world furnishes the child with his first wonders, and furnishes you with ample materials for giving him pleasing impressions of its Maker. Aim at nothing further until this is done. It will prove the best foundation of filial love. And though it seem to you but a glimpse of his least magnificent attribute, and conveyed in language all unworthy of the subject, yet you may recollect that it is all the child can comprehend, and that it is a ray of that light, however feeble, which shall shine more and more unto the perfect day.

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Then the duties of Christianity, how are they to be inculcated? This field in early life is very narrow. One or two precepts are all we can profitably apply to young children; and perhaps we need state no other as an example, than that they should do to others as they would that others should do to them.'-This, and others like it, they can be taught to understand and practise as soon as they begin to associate with other children. But this and other principles of action should be given them, not as matters of propriety, or of choice, but with authority, as admitting of no appeal. As they emerge from childhood, they will become fit subjects of that perfect law' under whose influence their character is to acquire its true value. And here occurs the grand mistake, which has always prevailed, of making this law spiritless and uninspiring, and thus unattractive to the youthful disposition. And is the genius of the christian law such as of necessity makes it unwelcome to the natural ardor of the youthful spirit? Is the character of its great teacher really destitute of those inspiring traits, which always recommend themselves to their quick and soaring imaginations? We think in both these cases we shall find that the fault lies neither in the subject nor in the being to be affected by it, but that they naturally possess a much happier adaptation to each other, than is generally imagined. We think the subject capable of assuming a very inspiring character to the apprehensions of youth.

The rules of christian duty should be imparted to children in strict connexion with the character of Jesus Christ. But nothing has suffered more than this very character, from mean and unworthy representations. Children are told that he was meek and lowly, and this is about the extent of

their notion concerning him. That it should not be very captivating, is not strange; for if they have any definite idea of these qualities, it is probably derived from some good old woman of their acquaintance, who suffers uncomplainingly, and who, though justly entitled to the praise of emulating her Saviour's spirit, is not the illustration best calculated to recommend him to their imitation or their respect. Let them but see him standing forth among men, his brow clothed with the mild majesty of the Prince of Peace, awfully unapproachable to the proud and hypocritical Pharisee from the open manliness and conscious purity which made him feel how awful goodness is,-yet saying to the sincere and timid, 'Come unto me, for I am meek and lowly in heart,' and we venture to say that the picture and sentiment together, will awaken a chord of pure and ardent feeling, if struck before the heart has become unstrung by perverted teaching. Let them see him invested with all power from God, and left to use it at his own pleasure. He can take the sovereignty of the world to himself. He can sway a universal sceptre over the nations. He can make kings bow, and princes yield him service, and exalt himself above the stars of God.' But behold! all the forms of human suffering are before him; the sick-and he can say to disease, Depart! the blind to the sightless ball he can unveil the visible world; the afflicted-his word can raise the dead, and cause the widow's heart to sing for joy; the deaf-his voice can reach the ear which never heard a sound; the lame-he can bid him walk; the lunatic-he can say to the distracted elements of his brain, Peace, be still! He sees the bondage of cruel despotism blinding men's minds, and immortal souls brought ununder the slavery of degrading error; he can open to them the light of heavenly truth. He sees the poor without a beam of mercy to cheer their adversity, with no hope but the grave;— he can tell them of a better country, even a heavenly. He can prove to them, and to all, that the grave shall give up the dead; for he has power to lay down his own life, and he has power to take it again. His choice is made. He enters on his work. He faints not, neither is weary. He scorns to waste an effort to provide for his own comfort. Though he has not where to lay his head, it matters not-he can make thousands of pillows happy, which have been long wet with unavailing tears, and this is rest to him!

Who will say that this representation is not for the spirit of

youth? It will waken an enthusiasm equal at least to any glow which ever followed the actions of the heroes of this world; and it will no longer seem to them a spiritless employment 'to go about doing good.' And then, where will you point them to a picture of the moral sublime, which shall kindle a warmer admiration than his example-the living letter of his instruction? 'Resist not evil.' No rule of his has been thought more abject than this. But let them see him at the close of his labors, when the crisis of his fate approached, contemplating that fate with mortal agony, as combining the most dreadful bodily torture with every wound to the spirit which an ignominious death ever inflicted,—yet, because he saw in it the consummation of his usefulness to mankind, going forth to meet it with a calm self-possession, unshaken by the prophetic view of all that awaited him; standing before an iniquitous judgment seat with the noble bearing which on another occasion had cast the rough soldiers at his feet, and in the face of mockery and insult thinking of no injury but that which those deluded and miserable beings were bringing on themselves;-and will an uncorrupted youth blush to be found imitating such an example as this? No-the principle thus carried out by him, will seem to him as it is exalted, ennobling! But it must be taught before he has learned a different lesson from the world. And with such a view of the real greatness of our Saviour's character, how will he be likely to study the thousand incidents of his life, every one of which goes to aid this glorious impression! His last interview with his disciples before he suffered, what sort of feeling will it be likely to awaken in the heart of a generous youth? Not that sickly sensibility which overflows at the detail of disappointed love or ambition. It will be a deep-toned and healthful sympathy, so full of admiration of the disinterested fortitude displayed, that, were it not for the touching tenderness of his manner to his friends, the starting tear would be of high and gratified emotion, rather than of sorrow. And are these indeed the emotions of which the opening heart of youth shall be ashamed? We shall search the world in vain for a subject half so inspiring. Let the young come to the contemplation of this sublime character free from unworthy prepossessions and mean prejudices, and it will be their delight.

It is manifest that the religious teaching of our children needs only to be subjected to a rational consideration, to become easy

and efficient. And it is time to give it a chance to act on the human character, and accomplish the work whereunto it was sent. Must it be the very last subject to be delivered from the errors of former ages? Certain it is, that, until it is rightly inculcated in childhood and youth, it will never have its true influence on individuals or society. Alas! where is the heart that is subject to the pervading light of Christianity? It does but touch the mountain tops, and glance an occasional doubtful beam upon the vallies. Many are the deep ravines which never felt its cheering warmth, many the deep forests which lift an impervious barrier to its rays, and great the extent of fallow ground not yet laid open to its quickening influence.

ART. III.-A Memoir of the Rev. Edward Payson, D. D. late Pastor of the Second Church in Portland. Portland, Shirley & Hyde, 1830. 12mo. pp. 444.

MANY of our readers must have seen, and all probably have heard of a little book, very popular among our Calvinistic brethren, entitled Scott's Force of Truth. It professes to record the workings of the author's mind on the subject of christian theology, and the motives which induced him to renounce the speculative notions of his early life, which he calls Socinian, for the rigorous tenets of another stamp, distinguished, by a curious misnomer, as the Doctrines of Grace. The work is plausibly drawn up; and the writer's impressions are cited as proofs of the truth and excellence of Calvinism.

From the confessions of Scott, nevertheless, it is apparent that, prior to his asserted conversion, he was careless of all religion. He saw the power of religious principle manifested in the life and conversation of his friend, Mr Newton; and, struck with the guilt of his own unfaithfulness in the contrast, both as a Christian and a minister, he opened his heart to the solemn counsels of so impressive a teacher, and received implicitly, along with his practical charges, his scheme of doctrinal divinity. Enthusiastic by temperament, his mind was a fit soil to nourish the growth of prejudice. He espoused with zeal the views of the evangelic' party of the church; and his studies and efforts were subsequently applied both to fortify in his own bosom the faith he had chosen, and to recommend and press it on the souls

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VOL. VIII.-N. S. VOL. III. NO. III.

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