teacher. And it is hoped that this precaution, aided by that desire which generally prevails of employing good men only, will render it unnecessary to resort to any other measure.

"The commissioners, at the same time that they feel impressed with the importance of employing teachers of the character described, cannot refrain from expressing their solicitude as to the introduction of proper books into the contemplated schools. This is a subject so intimately connected with a good education, that it merits the serious consideration of all who are concerned in the establishment and management of schools. Much good is to be derived from a judicious selection of books, calculated to enlighten the understanding not only, but to improve the heart. And as it is of incalculable consequence to guard the young and tender mind from receiving fallacious impressions, the commissioners cannot omit mentioning this subject as a part of the weighty trust reposed in them. Connected with the introduction of suitable books, the commissioners take the liberty of suggesting that some observations and advice touching the reading of the bible in the schools, might be salutary. In order to render the sacred volume productive of the greatest advantage, it should be held in a very different light from that of a common school-book. It should be regarded as a book intended for literary improvement not merely, but as inculcating great and indispensable moral truths also. With these impressions, the commissioners are induced to recommend the practice introduced into the New-York Free School, of having select chapters read at the opening of the school in the morning, and the like at the close in the afternoon. This is deemed the best mode of preserving the religious regard which is due to the sacred writings.

"The commissioners cannot conclude this report without expressing, once more, their deep sense of the momentous subject committed to them. If we regard it as connected with the cause of religion and morality merely, its aspect is awfully solemn. But the other view of it, already alluded to, is sufficient to excite the keenest solicitude in the legislative body. It is a subject, let it be repeated, intimately connected with the permanent prosperity of our political institutions. The American empire is founded on the virtue and intelligence of the people. But it were irrational to conceive that any form of government can long exist without virtue in the people. Where the largest portion of a nation is vicious, the government must cease to exist, as it loses its functions. The laws cannot be executed where every man has personal interest in screening and protecting the profligate and abandoned. When these are unrestrained by the wholesome coercion of authority, they give way to every species of excess and crime. One enormity brings on another, until the whole community becoming corrupt, bursts forth into some mighty change, or sinks at once into annihilation. "Can it be," said Washington, "that Providence has not connected the permanent felicity of a nation with its virtue? The experiment, at least, is recommended by every sentiment which ennobles human nature."

The commissioners are Mess. Jedediah Peck, John Murray, jun. Samuel Russel, Roger Skinner, and Robert Macomb.

We now come to the three remaining words of counsel in our quotation, and three which are highly worthy our attention, if we truly desire to become converted to God. "Relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow." We place these together, because, as must be evident to every attentive observer of the holy Word, they all allude to charity in act and exercise, thus to good works; works with man being either good or evil, as done from self, or done from the Lord. All works done by man before evils are put away by repentance, as sins against God, are evil, however fair the outside appearance, insomuch as they are done from man's selfhood, which is nothing but evil; therefore our Lord calls such who thus perform good works hypocritically, whited walls and painted sepulchres. All works done by man after evils are put away, are not done of man, but of the Lord in man, who now entereth into man's heart as into his own mansion; and although they are done, and cannot be otherwise performed by man than as of himself, nevertheless he believeth and acknowledgeth from the heart, that all is wholly of and from the Lord. It is necessary that man thus do good as well as believe truth, as of himself, that as VOL. I. Bb

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the Lord acts, he may re-act from him, thus that conjunction may take place between the Lord and man, so that each party to the covenant may be in the fulness of their delights. The Lord on one part becoming conjoined to man by entering into his heart and taking up his abiding mansion therein, and man on the other becoming conjoined to the Lord by love and faith into him from him, wherein consists eternal life, with all its concomitant blessedness, joys and peace.

The operations of genuine charity, consist in doing justice with judgment under the influence of the Lord the Saviour. By doing justice, means from an affection of goodness; with judgment, conjoined to truth; hence with a warm heart and an enlightened understanding; under the influence of the Lord the Saviour, because in setting the Lord always before us, we ever desire and delight in doing that which may most redound to his glory and our neighbor's good.

Further, to perform acts of charity, it is highly expedient that we have a right knowledge who is our neighbor in the supreme degree, that there we may bestow the best of our services and talents. In the supreme sense the Lord himself is our neighbor; next ranks his Church, inasmuch as his Church is his kingdom upon earth; then follows our country; then the society with whom we have thought proper to associate; lastly ourselves and those whom by blood and ties of relationship we may call ours.

When loves hold this position with man, the love of the Lord forming the head, and the love of self the feet, then man stands in the order of Heaven. Whoever becomes truly repentant and converted to God, he stands in this order, and as he cannot express his love and gratitude to the Lord otherwise than in the members which form his mystical Divine Human body, herein he lays himself out to be as useful as his best abilities permit.

In the natural sense, by the oppressed, the fatherless and the widow, are meant those who are literally so, and whoever fulfils the injunction given, from a feeling heart, does acts worthy of human praise; but this may be done where the principle of genuine charity does not inspire the breast; this may be done with those who have never repented of their evils, nor been converted to the Lord, therefore works which can find no acceptance in the sight of God.

The oppressed, the fatherless, and the widow, in a spiritual sense, relate to characters in the Church whose inward state correspond to, and are represented by those who are outwardly such in the world at large.

By the oppressed, in the spiritual point of view, we understand such as are infested by evils and falsehoods; thus who are undergoing states of temptation from Hell Our Lord represents this state in the parable of the man who journeyed from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, whilst the priests and the Levites of the day, when they saw him, passed by on the other side; the Samaritan, influenced by a principle of charity to relieve the ofpressed, came to him and bound up his wounds, pouring in wine and oil. Our Lord, at the conclusion of the parable, takes occasion to ask his disciples, whom they thought was the neighbor to him who fell among thieves; and being answered by them, the man who shewed mercy unto him, gives forth this word of Divine counsel, not only to them, but also to us, Go thou and do likewise. When the circumstances under which the charge is given are considered, it will appear to have the same meaning as the direction in our text, to relieve the oppressed.

In stats of spiritual oppression, the soul undergoing the same, has not the sight of genuine truth; he is induced to believe that all the infestations he feels within, the kindling up of his evil affections and false imaginations, are all from himself. To relieve the oppressed, therefore, is to endeavor to bring them into the light of the Divine truth; to teach that every evil and faise that passes through the mind is from Hell, and become re imputed, unless to those who willingly fall into them.

That the light of Divine truth makes free, our Lord himself teaches, saying, Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make ye free. That the allotment of evil to Hell as its originating source also makes free, is, because as man in thought and heart thus is enabled to do, the Lord delivers therefrom.

By the fatherless, in the spiritual point of view, are meant those who are in truth and not in good, still desirous of possessing it. For a father, in the spiritual sense of the word, means good.

To judge the fatherless, therefore, is to lead those who are in the knowledge of truths into good; for truths without good at the most amount to no more than faith alone: it is only religion in the head, which except it be also in the heart and life, will not be effectual to ensure our everlasting sivation. All truths lead to good, and will introduce the man into good who conscientiously leads his life according to that which he knows. In this point it becometh man to force himself, and as he practiseth truth, truth becomes elevated into his affections, where it is no longer to be

called truth, but good: thus the fatherless is judged; for truth becometh good to the man who practises and loves it, and herein he finds a father; for the Lord, as to Divine good, is the Heavenly Father. Hence, says David, A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation. The Lord is the general Father to all; but only the special Father in the spiritual point of view, to those who receive the good of Divine and Heavenly love into their affections from him.

By the widow, whom we are counselled to relieve, is meant, the contrary state to the former, namely, those who are in good but not in truth, still in the desire thereof. That this is the meaning of a widow is, because a man in the spiritual degree signifies truth, and a woman good: wherefore a woman in a widowed state means good without truth; this is the meaning in the spiritual dẹgree.

In the celestial or superior degree, a widow means truth without good, because there the husband is good and the wife truth. therefore the Lord himself is called a husband, and the Church his bride, inasmuch as he is the only good, and she is the recipient of truth from him: but in the spiritual degree, as in the present instance, by the widow is meant, those who are in good but not in truth, therefore the widow is joined in series to the fatherless.

Those who are in good and not in truth, at best can be only in good of the natural kind—in good affections which do not become of a spiritual nature, thus saving to the man of the Church, except united to truths, for truths from the WORD exalt the quality of good from natural to spiritual. Hence to plead for the widow means, to endeavor to instruct in truths those who desire it, provided they live a good life, for the union of goodness and truth in the will and understanding of man is Heaven itself; all Heaven being formed of this union. Therefore, to judge the fatherless, to endeavor to stir up those who know truths to good; to plead for the widow, to endeavor to lead those who are in good to truths, as well as relieve the oppressed, pouring in the oil and the wine, soothing the distress and anguish which the afflicted and tempted spirit experiences, is introducing souls into Heaven, by preparing them to enter upon that holy and happy state, which every inhabitant therein enjoys; hence are enumerated amongst the highest acts of charity which the faithful can be engaged in, consequently marks and characters of true and genuine conversion to the Lord. Thus the Lord, when he appeared to Paul, enjoined him, when he was con. verted, to strengthen his brethren.