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his time, the eleventh century, was one of the greatest civilizers of Europe. At that period heathenism still continued in many parts of that great territory, and near neighbours lived in constant warfare. Gregory did much to enlighten and improve the ignorant of his age.

4. Gregory sent missionaries into different countries, who not only carried the Christian doctrine wherever they went, but the Latin language, and thus they introduced literature, humanity, and religion at the same time.

5. In consequence of the regulations made by Gregory VIIth in the church, people of distant countries were united in one faith and worship. Men do not at once submit to all the influences of christian charity, but from that time more affection and piety prevailed all over Europe; warfare was less cruel, and slavery gradually diminished.

6. Europe, in the eleventh century, was one assemblage of military states. The lands were divided among proprietors who were in fact absolute sovereigns over those who cultivated the soil. These petty princes held all labouring people as their serfs, or servants, and took no pains to educate them.

7. When the emissaries of the Pope went among these rude people, the serf, as well as the baron his master, had the benefit of instruction. Both were alike taught to refrain from acts of violence, and both to praise God and to pray to him. From this authority of the Christian religion both classes became more devout, more humane, and more just. 8. In the United States, we all have the liberty to

worship God in the manner we each approve.To hinder a person from doing this, would be persecution to allow it, is toleration.

1. The principal article of the Christian faith, is a belief in Christ; whom we believe to have been sent from God, because his coming was foretold by the Prophets, and his character and actions agreed with descriptions given of him, centuries before his birth. We also believe in him, because he performed miracles, arose from the dead, and ascended into Heaven.

2. But why do we believe that the Gospels which relate the history of Christ are true? For the same reason that we believe any other recorded facts to be true. If the Gospel had been false, the history would have been contradicted when it was first written, but these facts were known to be true at that time, and have been believed by the best and wisest men, who have lived since, and who have been able to read and study the books of the New Testament.

3. A Christian writer has thus explained the reason of our faith. "We do not believe in the Gospel of St. Matthew, because we are assured by an oracle from Heaven, which has told us that this book is truly an apostle's, but on the same account that we believe that the Eneid is truly Virgil's, and the Iliad truly Homer's. For, in truth, we do not believe in Jesus Christ, but because we are persuaded that the history of him is true.

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how do we know that this history is true ?--Because eye witnesses have written it, and have suffered death to maintain the truth of their testimonies. And how are we certain, that there were eye witnesses, and that they suffered death, rather than deny what they said? By history; that is to say, by the testimony of men who have affirmed it constantly, from the time of the establishment of the christian religion, to the age in which we live.?" Le Clerc.

4. Belief in Christ, includes a belief in the doctrines which he taught, the principal of which are, that we must love God supremely, and our neighbour as ourselves; and that there is another life after this, in which the righteous will be rewarded, and the wicked punished. And we also learn from the Gospel, to hope, that, at some future time, all men will become obedient to God, and that the kingdom of Christ, that is the authority of his example and instructions, will become universal.

5. The History of Christ, the nature of his miracles, and the prospects of mankind, are briefly and beautifully displayed in the following verses, by James Montgomery.

Behold him rise from infancy to youth, The Father's Image, full of grace and truth; Tried, tempted, proved in secret, till the hour, When, girt with meekness, but arrayed in power Forth in the spirit of the Lord, at length Like the sun shining in meridian strength, He goes to preach good tidings to the poor, To heal the wounds that nature cannot cure; To bind the broken-hearted; to control

Disease and death; to raise the sinking soul;
Unbar the dungeon, set the captive free,
Proclaim the joyous year of liberty,

And from the depth of undiscovered night,
Bring life and immortality to light.

How beautious on the mountains are thy feet,
Thy form how comely, and thy voice how sweet,
Son of the Highest!-Who can tell thy Fame ?-
The Deaf shall hear it while the dumb proclaim;
Now bid the blind receive their Saviour's light,
The lame go forth, rejoicing in thy might;
Cleanse with a touch, yon kneeling leper's skin;
Cheer this pale penitent, forgive her sin;
Oh! for that mother's faith, her daughter spare,
Restore the maniac to a father's prayer;
Pity the tears those mournful sisters shed,
And be THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD!"

What scene is this?-Amidst involving gloom, The moonlight lingers on a lonely tomb; No noise disturbs the garden's hallowed bound, But the Watch walking on their midnight round: Ah! who lies here, with marred and bloodless mein, In whom no form nor comeliness is seen; His livid limbs with nails and scourges torn, His side transpierced, his temples wreathed with thorn?

'Tis He, the Man of Sorrows! He who bore
Our sins and chastisement ;-His toils are o'er ;
On earth erewhile a suffering life he led,
Here hath he found a place to lay his head;
Ranked with transgressors he resigned his breath
But with the rich, he made his bed in death.-

Sweet is the grave where angels watch and weep;
Sweet is his grave, and sanctified his sleep.
Death, as he struck that noblest victim, found
His sting was lost forever in the wound.
The grave, that holds his corse, her richest prize
Shall yield him back, victorious, to the skies.

He lives :-ye bars of steel! ye gates of brass!
Give way, and let the King of Glory pass:
He lives;-ye golden portals of the spheres!
Open, the Sun of Righteousness appears.
But ah! my spirit faints beneath the blaze,
That breaks and brightens o'er the latter days,
When every tongue his trophies shall proclaim,
And every knee shall worship at his name;
For He shall reign with undivided power,
To earth's last bounds, to nature's final hour.

THE COUNTRY OF THE JEWS.

The modern Palestine, and ancient Canaan comprehended, after the conquest, twelve divisions belonging to the tribes. After the division of the kingdom, into Israel and Judah; Judah occupied the south, and Israel, the north of the country. Phoenicia lies west of the country of Israel, on the Mediterranean; and the land of the Philistines stretching towards Egypt, lay on the same coast, west of Judea. A small part of the Israelitish territory extended to the sea. After the restoration of the Jews, and under the Romans, this

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