the Lord being their helper. I do not like to see such Associations dissolved, though they must necessarily include some who are not altogether moved of God in the matter; but as to sacrificing any means of defence to the supposed security enjoyed through a government of conservatives, I would just double and treble them all until I see Maynooth sent adrift, the Bible restored to the Irish Schools, and Popery steadily repulsed, even till she is glad to shelter herself in her former nooks and crannies. I confess, I look for the reverse of all this; and seeing the nation resolved to walk contrary to God, I can but expect to see Him walk contrary to us, in rage and in fury, chastising us yet seven times for our sins-our presumptuous, rebellious, daring sins against Him and against our brethren. A little time will shew what we have to depend on; still I fear the case of England is much like that of Samaria, when the Assyrian sent his mixed rabble to possess the land, but also, to frighten away the lions, dispatched a priest to instruct them nominally to confess the God of those whose late places they occupied. "They feared the LORD, and made unto themselves of the lowest of them, priests of the high places, which sacrificed for them in the houses of the high places : they feared the LORD, and served their own gods." THE CHRISTIAN LADY'S MAGAZINE. MARCH 1843. A PERPLEXITY. DURING the last four years, we have occupied the first few pages of each number with matter in which fiction was used as a means of conveying important truths. Of the kind reception given to these attempts we cannot too gratefully speak: at the same time feeling that it leaves us under a present disadvantage in one respect; for our readers may have been led to anticipate the immediate commencement of a third Tale. This expectation we are not prepared to fulfil: many serious thoughts arise, as to what is now the path of duty-the only path in which we desire to walk. We wish to please; and the word of God commands us so to do, adding, that it must be" to edification." How shall we best combine the two? How shall we both edify and gratify our numerous friends? One of the greatest desiderata felt in Christian families, is that of suitable reading for their younger MARCH, 1843. branches in the after-part of the Lord's day. Many excellent works are provided, but generally of a more sermonizing character than such parties can be expected to relish, seeing they are supposed to be twice addressed from the pulpit on that holy day. We have often been appealed to by youthful friends, even against their elder guides, to bear witness whether such or such a book of ours was not intended for Sunday reading; and when constrained to answer in the negative, we have experienced a painful sensation. This was especially excited on an occasion when a party of not less than a dozen youngsters, on being refused one of those books, by a truly Christian guide stoutly, maintained, "She would not write any thing for us not fit to be read on Sunday," and made an instant appeal on that ground. It was mortifying to be compelled to answer, "It is not a Sunday book;" and the incident has led to a train of thought, the result of which we have laid before God, and now lay it before our readers. We desire to avoid sermonizing, which belongs to higher and more competent hands: we do not even wish to produce sermonettes; and fiction is out of the present question. Will our kind friends, those especially who have young people under their charge, assist us by pointing out what, in their opinion, will be the most acceptable mode of conveying the suggestions we wish to bring forward? The superabundance, not the paucity of topics, perplexes us: at the same time we feel that it is not with our church, or with the Church of Christ generally, as in days past that an awful change has taken place in the aspect of the times, and to write as it would have been profitable to have written some fifty or a hundred years, ay, or twenty years ago, would be an inadequate answer to the demand upon us. At the same time, direct controversy would be unpalatable to many whom we wish to please while seeking to edify them; and a studious avoidance of topics now agitating the whole Christian world, would be unfair dealing with others who expect to be edified while pleased. Among the plans that have passed in review before the mental eye, we may mention, Scriptural doctrines, illustrated by Scripture Narratives ;—Historical events, placed in the light of God's word, and thereby exhibited under an aspect widely dissimilar from that which the profane historian or poet has imparted to them :-Striking incidents in Ecclesiastical history, viewed in reference to the mighty chain in which they form remarkable links:-Biographical Sketches of individual characters, in different ages of the world :-Illustrations of God's creative wisdom, providential government, and spiritual operations, drawn from the book of Nature, ever open before us :-and, last not least, Notes of the history, past, present and to come, of Israel-their eighteen centuries of dispersion; and alas! for the larger portion of that time, their dreadful persecutions in every country whither the Lord hath driven them. Other objects will occur to our readers; and we ask them, in the early part of the current month, to communicate with us on this point, that we may the better ascertain our right course. We should grieve that any threw aside our little periodical under the impression of its becoming less amusing than heretofore: but we would not sacrifice to the lovers of mere entertainment the interests of those who desire something more consistently substantial. In fact, the Christian's strong position rests not on fiction but on truth those who are labouring to overrun the land with heresies, tending to total apostacy, make use of the weapon with deadly effect. They can privily bring in, under the cover of a deception, what could not for a moment shew its face in any other garb; and with the father of lies himself to back them, they will assuredly beat us in that field. The true position of each one who stands forth as a periodical writer, in these eventful times, is that of a Watchman: and the duty of such is to be ready to answer the question that the observant Christian will more and more anxiously put. We may be permitted to continue this subject in metre. Ho! Watchman on the turret's height, -Far in the east horizon spread |