tian should be, to leave those with whom he associates better than he found them. Though this may not be always accomplished, yet no earnest-bearing the signature of a man, by which they minded Christian liveth to himself, or dieth to himself; for whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.-ED.]

CAN you return with me, respected reader, to the year of our Lord 1827? Can you imagine yourself seated on some lofty peak upon the sea-beat shore, the wild ocean at your feet, spreading wide, and covered over with innumerable vessels, some at hand, and some afar off, and all of them in full display to catch the living breezes as they blow? If you can, the picture will afford us no incorrect medium, through which to take a rapid retrospective view of Christianity up to the period referred to.

Do you behold that huge vessel furthermost off, and hanging heavily upon the skirts of the horizon? She is a majestic first-rate man of war-grand, gloomy, and enterprising. She boasts immense victories, and has triumphed over the kings of the earth. Even now she carries aboard a vast amount of money and necessaries in provisions, drink, furniture, apparel, ordnance, and apparatus of every kind. Her merchandize is gold and silver, and precious stones, and pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyme wood and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and brass, and iron, and marble, and cinnamon—and odors, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men? Glorying in her veneration and grandeur, she boasts an ancient launch, and views as even beneath contempt the comparatively small craft by which she is beset and condemned. She carries in men a number equal to the third part of the stars of heaven. Her course is Westward, her pilot the Pope, and her name I. N. R. Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots, and Abominations of the Earth.

That ship next to her, of still greater extent and finer mould, is of Grecian construction. She is guided in her course, which is chiefly Eastward, by men in splendid habiliments. These are the Patriarchs of Constantinople, Jerusalem, Antioch, and Alexandria. Her name, which you see upon her stern in the Greek character, is Helena, 1200.

The crowd of vessels, varying in their sizes from the largest to the smallest, and sailing chiefly towards the North, is known by the general name of the Reformation, 1522; but the numerous ships of which the fleet is composed, bear their respective names, which have been adopted as chance, or whim, or ambition, or prejudice, gave birth to them.

Do you observe, next in size and show to the splendid vessels which you have

* The series of papers, of which this forms the introductory chapter, is from the pen of Walter Scott, Ohio, U.S. and sent to us in manuscript. The articles, which are written in the conversational style, comprehend the nature and true science of the Christian religion, in their harmony with, and bearing upon, reason and the works of creation. The necessity of conversion to God, and the full development of Christian character, in order to a clear perception of what Jehovah designs to accomplish on behalf of fallen humanity, are vividly pourtrayed in these papers, and we feel no doubt that they will be read with interest by the subscribers to the Harbinger. We shall endeavour (D. V.) to publish an article in each number of the year 1852, which, with other communications in our possession, will give additional value to that volume. We hope, therefore, our friends will renew their efforts to enlarge the circulation of the Harbinger, which is really indispensable, if the views we entertain are to be put forward with such effect as to produce any impression upon the public mind.-ED.

just been looking at, one in front of the Reformation? That vessel derives its name from the famous and gigantic genius by whom she was launched and built. She is called The Lutheran.

And that one next to her, with a red flag, and sailing towards the British Isles, is styled The Episcopacy, and was built in the times of good King Harry the Eighth. The corvette by her side, and so piquant in the display of her rigging, with some keen-eyed men aboard, is named The Presbyterian, 1530. Did you ever see Calvin or Knox? That is Calvin at the helm, and that is the Scotch Apostle hard by his side. What small ship is that sailing near "The Presbyterian," with men aboard of a gloomy, stern, and resolute appearance?

Ah, Sir, that is the famous vessel among the small craft of the Reformation, and has beeu guided and guarded by men of the first mould. She is, strictly speaking, The Caledonia, 1643, and the men you inquire after are called "Covenanters." During the storm of religious persecution which raged in Scotland, the Covenanters were hunted from craig to glen throughout the Highlands. The story of their sufferings is almost incredible. Nothing can be more affecting than the measures they took to enjoy the privileges of religious worship. Watches were stationed from hill to hill men so sunburnt and worn out, that they could hardly be distinguished from the heather of the mountains - who gave a note of alarm on the approach of danger, and the Covenanters had time to disperse before the bloody swords gleamed in the retreats in which they worshipped. In the gloomy caverns and recesses made by the awful hand that fashioned Scotland's mountain scenery, these martyrs, each one mourning some dear friend who had been hunted down by the destroyers, met and heard the mysterious words of God, and sung such wild songs of devotion, that they might have been thought the chantings of the mountain spirits. As their sufferings increased, their sermons and devotional exercises approached nearer to the soulchilling trumpetings of the ancient Prophets, when they foresaw desolation coming out of the North like a whirlwind. The poet Graham describes them thus:

"But years more gloomy followed; and no more
The assembled people dared to meet, in face of day,
To worship God, or even at the dead

Of night, save when the wintry storms raved fierce,
And thunder peals compelled the men of blood
To couch within their dens; then dauntlessly
The scattered few would meet in some deep dell,
By rocks o'er-canopied, to hear the voice-
Their faithful pastor's voice. He, by the gleam
Of sheeted lightnings, oped the sacred book,
And words of comfort spake: over their souls
His soothing accents came-as to her young
The heath-fowl, when at the close of eve
She gathers in, mournful, her brood dispersed
By murderous sport, and o'er the remnant spreads
Fondly her wings: close nestling 'neath her breast,
They cherished cower amid the purple blooms."

You will excuse my delay at this point, my lady having been a Covenanter.
In company with this last craft, you perceive a crowd of others, with hulls,
and riggings, and flags, declarative of their Presbyterian origin, and bearing the
several names of "The Burgher,"
," "The Anti-Burgher," "The Puritan," "The

Cameronian," "The Berean,' "The Congregationalist," "The New School," "The Old School," "The Independent," "The Cumberland," &c.

There, too, sailing in deep waters for fear of fire, you behold "The Universal ist," ‚”“The Unitarian," "The Quaker," "The Shaker," "The Memnonite," "The Tunker," "The Socinian," "The Swedenborgian," "The Moravian," "The Mormon," and "The Jew."

And on the shore are still to be seen the sad remains of vessels, men and cargoes now no more, known by their uncouth and barbarous names, sometimes still legible upon their shattered and decaying sterns: as "The Kinpperdoling,” "The Joachimite," "The Iberian," "The Adamite," "The Albaneses," "The Amanrite," "The Anabaptist," "The Achronite," "The Bardesanite,' "The Beqhard," "The Beheminist," "The Bethlehamite," "The Beddelian," "The Barcellist," "The Bourignonist," "The Buchanite," "The Millenarian," " The Circoncellion," ," "The Concession," "The Ebronite," and the glorious "Waldenses,” and “Albigenses," &c.

In the centre of the squadron you see a ship of wonderful extent and plain rigging, full spread, well manned, and a fast sailer. If you will watch until her stern is towards us, you will perceive that she is named "The Protestant Methodist." Behind her is another, called "The Episcopal Methodist," steered by pilots who are called Bishops, against which some of the crew taking exceptions in 1827, fled to that next vessel, which is styled "The Associate Methodist." This, it is supposed by some, was a leap from impure, into water of a still less wholesome character. The original vessel was built and launched by the famous John Wesley, Morgan, and others, in 1729.

Do you see that ship styled "Baptist ?"

I see several vessels with that name upon them.

Correct. You see "The Particular Baptist," "The Regular Baptist," "The Free-will Baptist," "The Free Communion Baptist," "The Seventh-day Baptist," "The Six Principles Baptist,” and “The Emancipator Baptist." This class of ships is generally of good bottom. The crew aboard are volunteers, and of them in Americans alone, are more than 2,000,000!

What means that chasm in the side of "The Regular Baptist," with some other marks of disaster, which I see in "The Presbyterian," "The Universalist," "The Seceder," "The Infidel," " Atheist," &c.?

I shall explain. Do you see these three ships, laying near to shore, taking in "The numerous psssengers, and bearing the several names of "The Christian," Church of God," and " The Restoration?"

I do.

Well, then, in the first of them, viz. "The Christian," you see standing with his hand upon the helm, a man of patriarchal appearance, with a black coat and a broad-brimmed hat, do you not?

I do.

That, Sir, is the man who for many years has guided with unvarying hand the stately vessel which you now look at-blameless, not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, and not given to filthy lucre: he is a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men-sober, just, holy, temperate-and firm as a STONE, he holdeth fast the faithful compass in the binacle before him. After maintaining through a long series of years, the high distinction of pilot to "The Christian," he is now ready, as he has shown, to resign his post to the person to whom the Great Captain of Salvation shall see meet to give it in charge. May he die in the midst of his brethren, with the words of peace on his lips, and glory in his soul!