favorable to union. The word of God is already,-it ever has been, their only authoritative Confession and Directory. They are ready to turn, with all the churches, to the great position with which they all set out at the Reformation, that The Bible, the Bible alone is the religion of Protestants. They are not only free to commune with Christians of every name at the table of the Lord, which is a small thing, comparatively; but they are ready to co-operate with them, with good faith and heartily, in any benevolent work. Of this spirit in them, nearly every truly liberal and unsectarian institution in this country is their witness. The American Bible, Tract, Education, Temperance, Prison Discipline, and other kindred institutions, in which it has been aimed to secure the co-operation of all denominations, were originated solely, or mainly by them, and have been eminently sustained by their counsels, labors, and contributions. They have their partialities, doubtless, for their own faith and order; they believe them to be founded on the Bible: yet they set up no exclusive pretentions of being the only legitimate church. They have not, to my knowledge, in their numerous colleges and seminaries, a single professorship whose duty it is to inculcate their particular scheme of polity; it is little discussed in their pulpits, or even in their books: and so little pains is taken to cherish sectarian partialities in their members, so little are their children nursed up in the narrow faith of distinctives and exclusives, and jure divino pretensions, and so little are they in fact

attached to the body by mere sectarian feeling, that, of all people, Congregationalists, when deprived of the privilege of worshiping with those of their own communion, most easily attach themselves to others.*

I would not, in these remarks, in the least discredit the liberality of other denominations. There is much in them all-and much, I would hope, in the spirit of the age, that is liberal and catholic. Nor is it pretended that Congregationalists have not their share of human imperfection, or that they are in no degree sectarian; yet, I would fain believe, that of them it may be said, if of any, they have little of the narrowness of sect. The salvation of man is their object, their field the world, and their "pale" the kingdom of Christ.

This accounts for the fact that almost every marriage which takes place between a Congregationalist and one of another persuasion, occasions the removal of the former into the religious communion of the latter; the Congregationalist being detained by no bigoted attachment to a name, and giving way to the conscientious sectarian scruples in which the other has been educated. This accounts, too, for the facility with which too many of their members are proselyted from them.

CHAPTER XIII.

CONCLUSION.

THE theme of this concluding chapter, is suggested by the title of the Volume-"THE PRACTICAL CHURCH MEMBER."

The practical man, in any department of life, is the man who, under the guidance of a sound judgment, applies himself with efficiency to the objects before him. His wisdom is a common sense wisdom, in distinction from visionary theory, and an effective wisdom, in distinction from inactive contemplation and unproductive emotion. The practical Christian, then, is the Christian who applies himself with good sense and efficiency to the business of religion.

Jesus himself was a perfect example of practical religion. His was not a religion of pious emotions merely, beginning and terminating in himself; but it was also a religion of judicious and effective beneficence. Much less was he carried away by that blind impulsive zeal which pays no regard to men and things as they are. He was at once holy, active, and discreet. He taught his disciples to be the same. When he sent them forth on the great business of propagating his gospel, he put discretion and inoffensiveness together, along with

fidelity and boldness, into the instructions which were to guide them in their work. "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents and harmless as doves."

Every Christian ought to be,—but not every one is,—a practical disciple. The gospel requires such. If we consider the great objects it has to accomplish by means of its disciples, that the world is to be converted,-its wickedness overcome, its blindness instructed, its lusts subdued, its sentiments, manners, and condition, universally changed,-we shall perceive that the utmost wisdom and the utmost energy are requisite for so arduous a work. We shall perceive that a religion which is merely contemplative and devout, or merely inoffensive and guileless, however amiable; much more, a religion which is nowhere visible, nowhere felt, but within church walls,-whose solemnity, or whose fervor begins and ends with the exercises of the worshiping assembly; most of all, a religion extravagant, fanatical, and reckless, is not a religion which can answer the ends of the gospel.

The character of the age, too, eminently requires that our religion should be of the practical kind which we are considering. It is an age of great activity and excitement of great enterprises and great conflicts. Discussions, projects, measures, inharmonious and endless, require the decision and action of every serious man.

It may not, therefore, be unprofitable, nor foreign from the general design of this volume, to conclude with a brief view of some of those qualities which the gospel requires, always, in its professors, and more especially in an age like this. What are the qualities of the "practical church member?"

1. Personal holiness. This lies at the foundation. Without eminent holiness we cannot effect much for the cause of Christ. For it is obvious that we can neither exemplify nor propagate religion any farther than we ourselves possess it. The lamp that lacks oil, and is not trimmed, will shine but dimly; nor will our zeal be warmer than our love; or, at least, however fervid it may be, it will be no better than our knowledge, and no holier than our motives. Devoted piety alone is effective piety.

2. Prayer. Among the habits to be maintained, this is the leading one. Its influence pervades the life, and is essential to every duty. If the Christian "lack wisdom," or lack faith, or fervor, or boldness, or any. grace, his proper resource is prayer. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights." In proportion as we live in intimate communion with God, walking in the light of his countenance, and asking wisdom of him, our perceptions will be simple, clear, unbiased by the world, and wise; our faith vivid; our hope animated; our zeal constant; and our example convincing and persua