" He is travelling to eternity, but has no light to direct his way. The dim rays which nature throws across his path, rather confuse than aid him; nor does he perceive the invisible and spiritual realities in which he is interested, till the shadows of evening flee away, and the morning of immortality arises. Are we called upon for proof of this? We solicit the attention of our readers to the following observations: Reason admits promptly that there is a God, and that he ought to be adored. The earth and the Heavens exhibit abundant proofs that they are the workmanship of some invisible hand. But the infinite perfections of this invisible being, and the nature of the worship he requires, are subjects not to be learnt in the school of natural philosophy. In the temples of the heathen, the Deity was represented by images of beasts, of filthy reptiles, and of more disgusting men; their altars were covered with the blood of human victims, and sensuality the most base and degrading, was blended with their holiest rites. The wretched mothers of Carthage deemed it honourable to burn their offspring, in order to appease the anger of the gods of their country. Nor does the history of our own times afford us better examples amongst those nations who are left to the light of nature. The inhabitants of Otaheite, the Cannibals of New Zealand, and the remorseless savages of America, exhibit striking proofs of the necessity of a divine revelation. It is acknowledged that some individuals amongst the heathen obtained tolerable ideas of the Deity, and were better acquainted with morals than the rest of their countrymen. They were not, however, ind bted to reason and the light of nature only for those ideas, but to the traditional lights of revelation. It is well known that many of their most eminent lawgivers and philosophers travelled into other countries, and gathered up the fragments of truth which they found in various parts of the world. From Egypt, Chaldea, and Palestine they transplanted into their own country many primary truths of revealed religion. Unbiassed reason will admit that the Deity must insist on some satisfaction for sin. Every reflecting Heathen must be convinced that a wise governor will not be influenced in his administration by unwise and indiscriminate pity. The universal welfare of his subjects, his own sense of equity, and the honour of his government, demand the punishment of the guilty. The universal custom of the Heathen, in offering sacrifices to placate their imaginary deities, proves that this conviction is planted deep in the human mind. But reason could never discover the truc nature of sin, its infinite malignity, or that satisfaction which a just God would require as the term of a sinner's acceptance. If it be said that reason is sufficient to teach us that a good God stands ready to forgive sinners on their hearty repentance, we ask, If it be consistent with reason that the Supreme Governor should exercise his goodness at the expence of all his other per THE INSUFFICIENCY OF NATURAL RELIGION. 67 fections? or, If reason could ever have determined that it was proper for God to accept of repentance as a satisfaction for an offence, to the heinousness of which it is infinitely disproportionate? If we acknowledge all the discoveries which the Heathens are supposed to have made, what has Infidelity gained? The noblest surmises of Anaxagoras, of Socrates, or of Cicero, were but surmises and conjectures, destitute of that authority and evidence which could bring them home to the consciences and the lives of men. That the Heathens had no clear principles on which to found their systems of philosophy, Mr. Wollaston himself confesses; and that their sentiments on the most important points were wavering and doubtful, the whole world acknowledges. There is not one spiritual truth which they could explain or prove; which shews the small degree of knowledge they possessed on such subjects, could not be gained merely by the operations of their reason. The religions of the world were as various and opposite as the nations who professed them; and what was esteemed sacred in one country, was reckoned impious in another. Nor is there a tolerable system of natural religion to be collected out of any or all of their writings or examples; therefore no universal and clear principles of religious truth could subsist in the minds of unenlightened men. It may add some degree of weight to what has been said, that the antients seem to have been sensible, that reason alone was not sufficient to enforce doctrines and laws upon mankind without a divine revelation. Lord Bolinglyoke himself acknowledges, that "The most celebrated philosophiers and lawgivers did enforce their doctrines and laws by a divine authority, and call in a higher principle to the assistance of philosophy and bare reason." He mentions the most eminent of them, who in founding religious observances and national constitutions, ascribed to their laws a divine sanction. Britons! we call upon you by every principle of gratitude, of interest, of reason, and of religion, to acknowledge and improve the advantages with which you are indulged. Surely, "your lines have fallen in pleasant places; you have a goodly heritage. Beware of such of your countrymen as would substitute in your affections the pretended systems of nature for the word of God. They are your worst enemies; they would deprive you of every powerful incentive to virtue; they would rob you of all those tender and endearing relations in which no small portion of your present happiness consists; they would destroy your firm hopes of immortality, and despoil you of all those mild and silent virtues which are the ornaments of your nature, and which an experi meatal acquaintance with the doctrines of Jesus alone can teach. And while you are careful to make a personal improvement of your advantages, we beseech, you to remember those nations who are destitute of the light of life. Once your own country was the seat of horrid Paganism. Human sacrifices stained her murderous altars; and her sons, lawless and savage, broke thro' every bond of humanity, of chastity, and of justice. Some kind stranger heard of your condition; his heart was moved with pity, and his hand liberally distributed the bread of Heaven. We only solicit you to do for others what was done for you. Let it no longer be said, that " Britons possessed the bread of life in abundance; but they differed to send their crumbs to the perishing Heathen." "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave, whither thou goest!" Homerton. J. B. THE SCHOOL-BOY AND HIS FATHER. Mr. Editor, A FRAGMENT. While spending a few days at Christmas with a pious and respectable Friend, a Schoolmaster called with his half-yearly account, for the education of my friend's son, George. Having received the amount, and withdrawn, the contents of the bill gave rise to a' conversation between the father and son; which, if you think worthy of notice, is at your service. NEMO. (The father looks for some time over the various items of the bill, then turns to his son) Fath r. Mr. George, you ought to be a very good boy, and make great progress in your learning. Here (shewing him the bill) I have paid all this for your board and education the last half-year. How long have you been at school? George. Three years and a half, Sir. F. Then I have already paid seven times as much as this!What a sum ! Geo. Why, Sir, you must be very rich. F. I think I ought to be rich, to be able to support such an expensive boy. Thn this is but a part of the business. What did you cost before you went to school! — and now there is your clothing besides. What a deal more will you cost before you are settled in life! I can't apprentice you without a considerable premium. I must support you all the time; and then set you up in business. Geo. But, Sir, I don't cost you so much as Maria. I don't learn music, nor dancing. What a sum you paid for her piano forte and books! No; nor do my clothes cost so much in the winter She has a muff, tippet, and umbrella; and, in the summer, a parasol: but I have none. Nor do you pay so much for me as for James. Ile learned Latin and Greck, because he THE SCHOOL-BOY AND HIS FATHER. 69 was to be a Doctor: he has boots and shoes; and I have only shoes: and you know, Sir, you paid twelve shillings this morning to the shoe-black, for cleaning his boots and shoes the last quarter; because, while he walks the hospital, you wished him to appear genteel: and, besides all this, - F. Prithee, boy, stop: you quite frighten me. what I must do with you all! I don't know Geo. I am sure you must be very rich!-for all this is to take care of our bodies only; but the chapter Maria read at familyprayer this morning, said, "What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" and as that soul is worth so much, what must you pay for our souls? F. Ah! my dear boy, your souls cost a vast price indeed! Jesus Christ purchased the souls of his people with his own most precious blood; and that is an incalculable price. You have learned Arithmetic, George; but if you practise it all your life, you will not be able to calculate the value of that price which he paid for our souls! Geo. And did not Jesus Christ purchase our bodies too? F. Yes, certainly. Our minister spoke upon that subject some time ago, from this text, "Ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body and spirit, which are his." "Our bodies," he said, "were bought as well as our souls; and that is the reason why we should glorify God with them." Geo. I remember it was at Midsummer vacation. But will my schoolmaster make any abatement in his charge, because Jesus Christ paid to redeem our bodies? F. Silly boy! How can you suppose that? Geo. And why should not the minister be paid for taking care of our souls? I think he is a very good man. F. My dear child, I do pay him very handsomely. I am glad that you respect him, for he is a deserving gentleman. You know I have the best seat at chapel, and pay five guineas a year; which is as much as any family gives. You know the seat will hold only your mother, myself, and you four children. Geo. Why, Sir, that is only 17s. 3d. a year for each of our souls; which is not so much as you pay the shoe-black for cleaning brother James's boots; and yet he takes a great deal of pains to preach to us: and I shall never forget, when my poor sister Sophia was ill, how often he came and talked with her, and prayed and when she died, how he wept! and spoke so kindly to us all when he buried her! F He did so, George; but he had a hat-band and gloves. Geo. Yes, Sir; and you gave both the servants mourning, which was more still. And do you give no more than this yearly for us all? F. Yes, child, there are collections; and I never pass the plate without giving. Geo. Yes: I remember, Mamma told me never to go by with out giving; because, if other people observed we did not give, they would not; and besides, she said, it was very good to be charitable, and to get a habit of doing good; for then we should feel as uneasy if we did not give, as before if we did give. F. I hope our minister is comfortable: he never complains. Geo. I think I should, if I were he. I hope, Sir, you will not make me a minister, except I am to be paid better than he is; for you don't give him so much as Maria's music-master, who has a guinea a quarter to teach her how to move her fingers, or even James's shoe-black. I fear that people don't think their souls are worth much, seeing they pay so much for the care of their bodies, and so little for the care of their souls! " ON THE NECESSITY OF ESTABLISHING GRAMMAR-SCHOOLS FOR THE CHILDREN OF DISSENTERS. Ix unwearied and successful efforts to spread the gospel, none have been more eminently distinguished than British Christians. Their labours, liberality, and zeal, especially for the last ten years, have been abundant; and their energies still continue to encrease with exertion. The faithful followers of Jesus, of all denominations, are united and active in the great work. Party spirit has happily abated; and the zeal, the time, and the talent, which were formerly too often employed in idle or intemperate controversy, have at length been directed to their right object. In the present highly favoured ara, difference of opinion in less important things produces the effects it was intended to produce: men thereby find themselves enabled, with much greater effect, "to provoke one another to love and to good works." The many institutions that have been wisely formed, and vigorously supported, tell the surrounding nations, that the love of Jesus has not yet waxed cold in our fiourishing churches: and the divine sanction that has been already given to these to us, "Go forward." Among other plans the furtherance of real religion,. pecial attention. In a institutions, says nation where literature is so diligently culted, and where it is so often prostituted to the basest purposes, surely be friends of the truth as it is in Jesus, ought not to neglet it. The literary advantages that may be obtained in our universities, we wish not to depreciate; but, allowing these advantages to be great and desirable, the members of the establishment alone are admissible; and seriqus parents, were there no other obstacle in the way, are prevented, by a, regard to the best interests of their sons, from placing them where a neglect of |