steadiness and consistency of feelings, which could only do you honour, in as far as they were steady and consistent; and while I thank you for the expression of your fixedness of sentiment and purpose, I beg you in return to receive my assurance, that I did not believe you would go forth upon this most glorious of warfares, only to gather shells on the sea shore, and return. On the contrary, I expected, and I feel assured, I shall find that you look upon it as a crusade, whose cross you have taken upon you, and from which you feel that there would be dishonour in retiring, while the crescents of vice are glimmering over one spot that may be made more holy. In return, my Christian Friends, let me assure you of my hope, that my silent pledge will also be redeemed. What I have done is, I trust, but the beginning of the end.' I cannot, indeed, point you to any cloudland visions to sudden emanations of virtue from the haunts of guilt, of knowledge from the abysses of ignorance, of pure and undefiled religion from the regions of spiritual darkness and desecration. But I can point you to gentler and juster hopes, which it should be your pleasure to indulge, as it will be mine to endeavour to fulfil-to hopes, which, as they lie within the bounds of possibility, may certainly be realized, and which demand I believe but time, the dismissal of all unrightful expectations, the continuance of confidence and sympathy on one side, of diligent effort and steadfast hopefulness on the other, to make them the things which you and your children will see, and of which your children's children will possibly reap the advantage.

THE POWER OF PREJUDICE.

THE Apostle Paul says "prove all things; hold fast that which is good." A much greater than Paul says, "yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right." It is strange how zealous some men are in pressing these sacred injunctions upon others, and how reluctant they are to attend to them themselves. Calvinists are perpetually sounding these commands in the ears of both Jews and Gentiles; but when Unitarians call upon them to do as they say, they are deaf to the voice of both reason and revelation, and assume an air of in. fallibility, as an apology for their stiff-necked behaviour. The substance of what most of them say, in reply to

the plainest arguments, is, "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" This mode of treating evidence would, if followed by Roman Catholics or Methodists, be deemed by Calvinists a miserable way of proving the truth of their respective systems. Who or what was John Calvin, that his dogmas should supercede the instructions of the Apostle Paul, and those of Jesus Christ, "the author and finisher of our faith?" John Calvin! he was, at one time, a Roman Catholic monk, was never inspired, and was accessory to the murder of Servetus. Does his name sound more sweetly in the ear than that of Faustus Socinus ? No. Why is it, then, that his memory and opinions are so much more popular with the multitude than those of the Polish reformer? Not from any comparison of their peculiar theories-both of which I deem wrong-but from blind admiration of the one, and deep-rooted prejudice against the other. The same observations hold good regarding the opinions of Athanasius and Arius-regarding the popular notion of the sun's motion round the earth, and the Newtonian system of the earth's round the sun.

A thousand distinct cases might be selected to prove the power of prejudice; but, lest I should fall into localities and personalities, I beg you to insert the following one, which I have selected from The Independent Messenger, of the United States of America, a periodical of extensive circulation.

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A BELIEVER IN CHRIST.

ORIGINAL ANECDOTE."

"When the venerable Murray resided and preached in Boston, a young man, from the interior of Massachusetts, went into that town to establish himself in business. On leaving the paternal mansion, the father was, above all things, very particular in charging his son to beware of that dreadful Murray and his more dreadful doctrine. Dr. Stillmau was a great favourite with the father, though it seems he was not sufficiently acquainted with him to recognise his person. On his meeting he charged the sou to attend, and in his sentiments to have implicit confidence-adding, 'go not near that Murray, on the peril of your soul's eternal destruction, for his doctrine is the snare of Satan.' When a person is prohibited in that which he sees free to others, a greater desire is generally created, by the very pro

hibition, to know what the forbidden fruit' can be. It was so with this young man. For some time he remembered and rigidly regarded the paternal injunctions; but, his curiosity increasing, he thought upon the subject, and considering himself safe, he at length ventured to hear Mr. Murray deliver a lecture. The young man was much disappointed. He had expected, according to the assurance of his father, to hear every thing bad; but nothing fell from the lips of the venerable speaker which was not, on the contrary, very good. So agreeable was his disappointment, that he renewed his attendance on Mr. Murray's meeting; till at length he became a believer in the final restoration, and joined Mr. Murray's society.

"The father, hearing of his son's alteration in his views, harnessed his horse with all possible haste, and drove, like Jehu, into town. It was on Saturday night that he arrived, and he hastened to accuse his son of infidelity, and to warn him of his eternal danger. After considerable conversation on the subject of doctrines, which had the effect to make the enraged father a little conciliatory, it was agreed, on the morning of the Sabbath, that the father should attend the son's meeting in the forenoon; and in the afternoon, the son should attend his father's. The son's meeting was Mr. Murray's; and the father's, Dr. Stillman's. Accordingly, at the proper time, they both set out for Mr. Murray's place of worship; but, as the father was a stranger in town, the son succeeded in conducting him to Dr. Stillman's meeting which the former supposed, all the while, to be Mr. Murray's. On returning from meeting, the young man inquired, Well, sir, how did you like minis

-

my

ter ?' Oh,' said the father, he was most abominable; there was not one word of truth in all he said; don't, I conjure you, go there again.'

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According to agreement, the son was to accompany the father in the afternoon. " Now,' said the old man, 'we shall have something from Stillman, by which, I pray, you may be benefitted.' The son conducting him to Mr. Murray's meeting, the father, supposing Murray to be Dr. Stillman, swallowed every word most eagerly, occasionally calling the attention of his son to the animating speaker. After their return, the old man was again interrogated. How did you like the discourse ?1 "Most excellently,' said the father. That is what I call

truth-the bread of life. If you would be wise, my son, attend where we attended this afternoon, and believe the doctrine there preached; but beware of the doctrine of Universal Restoration-it will ruin, your soul.'

"The son smiled at the prejudices of his father, saying how totally does prejudice blind us. This day, my parent, I have caught you with guile. The sermon you heard in the morning, and which you so much abominated, was not delivered, as you supposed, by that dreadful Murray, but by your idol, Stillman. He it was whom you just charged me to avoid; and he who preached this afternoon, whose doctrine you so eagerly swallowed, and so zealously extolled, was the very Mr. Murray, whom you so much despised. Henceforth, let us learn to abate the violence of our prejudices, and condemn no man in his sentiments unheard."

NOTICE OF BOOKS.

"MATERIALS FOR THINKING," or Questions and Hints respectfully submitted to the consideration of British Christians. By an Admirer of Pure and Undefiled Religion. pp. 16.

A

We have never seen, in the same compass as this little tract presents, so much material for the thinking Christian. The chief errors that prevail respecting the doctrines of the Gospel are strikingly brought before the mind in the Queries of which the book consists. question seasonably asked often awakes attention and excites inquiry; and we conceive that these "Materials for Thinking, which are merely questions, are well adapted to promote investigation in the mind of many who may peruse them.

As a sample of the contents of this book, we shall extract the following:

Why is it so often and confidently asserted, that because sin is committed against an infinite Being, its demerit must therefore be infinite ? Is it not equally logical and scriptural to argue, that because it is committed by a finite being, its demerit must therefore be finite ? Certainly, we ought not to represent that as a light and trifling matter, which is alike opposed to the will of God, and our welfare; but, why cannot we be contented to speak of it as the scriptures do? See Isaiah lix. 2; Jeremiah ii. 19; Ezekiel xviii. 4; Romans ii. 8, 9."

"Is it consistent with either scripture or reason, to represent God as having suffered and died? Can God suffer? Can that which is immortal die? If not, why do various bodies of Christians in this country give countenance and currency to such expressions as the following?

"God, who did your souls retrieve,
Died himself that you might live."

"See! the suffering God appears!"
"The immortal God hath died for me !"

"Here at thy cross, my dying God."

"God, the mighty maker, died."

"The eternal God comes down, and bleeds,

To nourish dying worms."

See Watt's and Wesley's Hymns.”

The Vital Principles of Christianity, as revealed in the Holy Scriptures, exhibited in a series of extracts from various Works of Eminence and Merit. Part 1. UNDER this title a small pamphlet has just appeared; it is dedicated to the Working Classes, and its object is to direct the attention of the public from the speculative doctrines about which the most ignorant are generally the most prone to wrangle and dispute, and lead them to dwell more on those Vital Principles' of Christianity, the benificent character of God, and the duties of holiness and charity which are required and enforced in the Gospel of his Son,

The Editor justly observes that Christianity is a practical system, and it is therefore only useful, in so far as it bears on our walk and conversation, and makes us better men, and better members of society.

The present, which is the first part of a contemplated series of pamphlets, is chiefly occupied with extracts (the Editor has not told us from what author) on the power, wisdom, and goodness of God, as they are displayed in the works of creation. We are happy to see attention drawn by any means to a consideration of Nature, as we believe that the more we examine it in even one of its departments, the more we will feel the truth of the apostle's declaration that GOD IS LOVE.