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will expand into the broad feeling of

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doing to others, as we would they should do to us," if placed in their situation. Let this be effected, and the amelioration of all, moving within its sphere, follows as a natural consequence. The benign influence of Christianity will elevate the tone of moral feeling, breathe in the enactments of legislatures, perfume alike the cottage and the mansion, and will foster, other things being equal, elegance without luxury, eminence in the professions without dissipation, and proficiency in science without scepticism.

An identity in knowledge, or in views upon every subject is, perhaps, not even desirable in this sluggish world, and certainly not to be expected, since the capacities, education, prejudices, station, and habits of men can never be the same. But inasmuch as each will be characterized by the common appellation of Christian, will "hold the same head," will be influenced by the same motives, and will cheerfully recognize their relation to "the

brotherhood;" doubtless, the period will arrive when the exercise of Christian forbearance and humility will become general; when men will "endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond. of peace;" when it will be fully exemplified that "the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost;" when the force of that memorable sentence of St. Paul, "God hath made of one blood all nations of men," will be deeply felt; when the spirit of the early Christians will be revived, so far, at least, as relates to their "oneness of heart;"6 when a manly, and rational, because scriptural religion will supplant all others; and when the frozen regions of Russia will be united to the burning sands of Africa, and the British Island to all the other vast dominions of the world, not by commerce only, but by the bond of Christian amity.

For what Christianity does now upon a small scale, in gently dropping the oil of

6 Acts iv. 32.

consolation into the wounded heart, in softening the hard bed of affliction, stimulating in adversity, balancing in prosperity, supporting in the hour of dissolution, and in finally "opening the kingdom of heaven to all believers;" she will then perform upon a large scale. Because the life, power, and continuance of religion in persons being the result of the Spirit's influence on the heart, the prevalence of it in the world must be attributed to the same cause; and indeed is the express testimony of prophecy.

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Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns and briars; yea, upon all the houses of joy in the joyous city: because the palaces shall be forsaken: the multitude of the city shall be left, the forts and towers shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks; until the Spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest. Then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain

in the fruitful field. And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever."7

Let, therefore, the rising generation, scattered over the face of the globe, be instructed in those branches of knowledge, which are suitable to their station in life, and especially in the principles of Christianity. Let the word of God be translated into the vernacular language, and be distributed among the various tribes which compose the great family of man. Let missionaries be well educated, be "mighty in the Scriptures," and be made, as far as possible, acquainted with the manners and customs, domestic, civil, and religious, of the persons to whom they are sent, and among whom they are to labour. Let knowledge be diffused by all and every means in our power. Let the facilities, arising from the recent discoveries and improvements in science, so rapidly increasing in the present day, of

7 Isa. xxxii. 13-17.

nation communicating with nation, be made to tell, as in commerce, so in making known the all-important fact, "This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."8

These will, indeed, be only as the sowing of the seed, but then the gracious influence of the Almighty Spirit, descending upon it, will cause it to spring up and produce a golden harvest, in some nations

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thirty-fold, and some sixty, and some an hundred:"9 when the divine fiat shall go forth, "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee."

5. It will finally develope individual character.

The state of man is constantly represented in the Scriptures as a state of imbecility in reference to all spiritual things. And the scheme of redemption is as

8 John xvii. 3.

9 Mark iv. 20.

1 Isa. lx. 1.

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