The time may come when a special regard to the holy institutions of the Lord, and the scriptural names of sacred things, will subject the people of God to the sneers of the world, and of nominal Christians, as it did our ancestors; and the reproachful name of Puritan may be revived and applied to some of the descendants of the ancient and persecuted Puritans. And if it should apply and mark the revival of pure religion, it will be matter of joy to every disciple of Christ.

And while I am on the subject of unscriptural innovation, as a subscriber to your work, you must permit me, Mr. Spectator, to observe that you do not in all respects, come up to the standard of scriptural purity with which you began your labours. In almost every number I see, the Right Rev. -the holy order of Priests--the holy order of Deacons. The Freewill Baptists, and Socinians have crept in. And to crown the whole, the ordinations of the apostles of the old serpent are placed in the same list with the ordinations of the ministers of Jesus Christ!

SILAS.

EXTRACT FROM THE JOURNAL OF A

MISSIONARY IN VIRGINIA.

FROM Winchester I proceeded on the great western road, former ly known as Braddock's road, having been the rout of a division of that unfortunate General's army, crossing the waters that flow into the Potomac, and the broken ridges of Mountains between the North Mountains and the Allegany range. As I passed along, I witnessed what all missionaries witness, and with feelings which none but a missionary can know--a destitute country,-neglect of religious institutions,-attentive audiences,--hopeful appearances, good impres

sions, and entreaties to return and preach again. It is hardly possible for a New-Englander to realize the advantages, both public and private, which accompany the stated, faithful preaching of the gospel, until he is removed to places, where, with equal civil privileges, and natural advantages, the gospel of Christ is not enjoyed in its weekly administrations.

The scenery of the mountains is most congenial to a contemplative mind. Unaccustomed for months to the sight of mountains, the feelings excited during this route were new and indescribable. While beholding the firm foundation of the everlasting hills against whose base the foaming river raged, and around whose summit the tempest gathers, and the first roll of the thunder is heard, how pleasingly did the mind revert to Mount Zion, which is unworn by the lapse of time, and unshaken by the storms of ages. And the winding river, at once the ornament, and convenience of the country, seen from an eminence, brings forcibly to mind, There is a river whose streams make glad the city of our God. And passing beneath the projecting precipice in the narrow, and dusky road, it is easy to feel the force of the entreaty" Rocks fall on us and hide us." From such scenes, the missionary may go, with animated feelings, to preach the gospel of him whose works of grace transcend all the beauty of the interesting, and all the sublimity and grandeur of the suprising works of nature.

I found, what I suppose other missionaries have not unfrequently found, instruction from sources and in places little expected. The united voice of religion and of nature in its simplicity. may preach more powerfully to the heart, than learning, or religion in the admired dress of fancy and imagination.-Hearing of L-, an old Presbyterian, I determined to go and preach at his

house. Early in the morning I left the house of Mr. S-, on the great road, and began winding among the C-hills. It was the most wild and rugged country I had ever seen. The road lonely, presenting no human residence for some miles. Indeed it seemed to me, there could be no residence here, except for the beasts of the forest; though I soon discovered that the number of inhabitants in the rocks was not small. As I was passing along a narrow winding path, approaching the destined spot, I met an old man bent almost double, whose grey locks almost touched the pommel of his saddle, of prominent features, his dress and riding equipments all of another age, patched and mended to suit the exigences of this: I knew him from description to be L. "Who are you?" exclaimed he with a penetrating look, raising himself a little, as I accosted him. A Presbyterian Missionary--"welcome! welcome!" said he with a smile, "I will go home again--come on--we will send for our neighbors and you shall preach to-night." What?-in the night--and among such mountains? "Oh! we are used to them, and it is long since we have had preaching, long since missionaries were here. L. and G. and H. used to come; but we are wasting away once there was a little handful of Presbyterians here, but we are wasting by death; and the young ones-we have few that come into the fold.” As I followed him along the narrow path, suddenly I found myself on the brink of a precipice, and at once a landscape, presenting the good and the beautiful, burst upon my sight. I paused involuntarily to contemplate. The C-, a considerable stream, in its winding course, lay before me. It had burst its way through rugged mountains directly opposite the precipice on which I stood, and bending in the shape of VOL. I.-No. IX.

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a horse-shoe, enclosed a beautiful flat of no great extent, chequered with orchards, fields, and dwellings. The course of the stream was directed by a rugged lofty precipice, on a part of which I stood. The mountains and precipices on one side of the winding stream, and the beautiful flat on the other, presented a striking contrast of the grand and the beautiful. "That is my house," said the old man, pointing to the one that stood at the point of the bend. We wound our way down the precipice, dangerous to my apprehension, but very safe from its familiarity to the old man. "This is a missionary," said the old man as we entered the door. "Go, son, and tell the neighbors, and bid them tell theirs there is preaching here to-night." From the respect paid the old man by the gathering congregation, he appeared like their patriarch. And perhaps he might be called one. For," said he, "I often get them together on Sunday, and read a sermon from Watts, and pray with them. After sermon, the congregation retired, wishing to hear preaching again. In conversation during the evening, the old man appealed to his own experience, in confirmation of some passages of Scripture. "When under distress of mind before I made my peace with God, I was long in darkness and sorrow I prayedI read--but I seemed worse and worse. At length I read, "the wicked are like the troubled sea whose waters cast up mire and dirt." Oh! thought I,this is my case! I shut up my Bible and thought I would read no more. I walked out and looked at those great rocks, for I livedhere when a boy--Oh! thought I, that they would fall on me and hide me from the presence of God. Then the passage struck my mind like an arrow, "though I make my bed in hell thou art there." I was almost distracted. I went and

got my Bible again, and opened, and my eyes fell on the words, "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts."Oh! my wicked thoughts oppressed me--but that blessed word let, and then, Let him return, and those blessed words, abundantly pardon --that was what I wanted, abundance of pardon. My heart broke as I tried once more to pray, and 1 found that pardon."

When I adverted to the grace of God-" Oh! yes," said he, "his grace." And then his countenance brightened still more--every feature spoke. "His grace is sufficient for me. You see this crooked body--sickness has bent it down--but his grace has made it tolerable. Many a wave of trouble has gone over me--but his grace has borne me up. My children”looking round on those who were present--" one is far away--and one lives no more"--here he paused and dropped a tear--"he was a good

boy--I never liked that war-but when the draft was made they took my boy to go to Norfolk--I prayed for my child-when he went away we all wept. I knew he was a good boy and had courage-I gave him my best rifle-he could shoot well-go my child said I—I never liked the war--but the enemy has come your country calls you to defend her your grandfather had to defend her long ago against the Indians--go, and if you come to battle, fight well--dont run. They tell me he was a good boy in camp -but he died soon with the camp fever. He could not withstand that raw country air: it was not like the mountains. Poor boymy heart ached when they told me" --and he added while the tears ran down his cheek and his voice trembled" it aches now-but God's grace is my only balm--and in a little time I hope to be where he will wipe away all tears."

WATTS ON THE OFFICE OF DEACONS.

"WE shall consider four things, [respecting the office of deacons,] viz. The business of it; the reason of its institution; the duration of it; and the ordinary method of investing a person with it.

First. The business of a deacon is expressed very briefly in Acts vi. 2. "To serve tables," or to manage affairs that relate to the provision for the table of the poor, to which are added in the general construction of the words, the table of the ministers, and the table of the church at the Lord's supper.

The poor oftentimes make a considerable part in Christian churches. In the beginning, the poor

received the gospel. And thus it is still, "not many rich, not many noble, are called, but God hath chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom." 1 Cor. i. 26, 28. and James ii. 5. Now as it is the duty of the rest of the church, and especially of the rich, to communicate toward the supply of the wants of their poo! brethren, so it is the proper busi ness of the deacons to receive and to distribute these supplies; and no doubt but it is their duty to excite and exhort those whom they see negligent, and to urge them to the performance of these works of love and piety.

The table, or outward support of the ministers ought to be provided

by the church also. 1 Cor. ix from the 4th to the 14th verse. "The Lord hath ordained, that they that preach the gospel should live of the gospel." And it seems very convenient, that one or more persons should be deputed to see this performed, that so the ministers may not be too much exposed to a solicitude about outward things, nor their cares too much laid out upon the necessaries of the life of their bodies, while they should rather be devoted, or entirely given up to the word of God and prayer for the service of souls.

Besides, if the ministers of the church were forced to expect and receive the several portions of their maintenance from the several persons of the church, their own collection of it would take up too much of their time, would expose them to the censure of covetousness and greediness, would too much impose upon their modesty, or would make their maintenance fall short.

And I might add also their subsistence, which is but an act of justice due from the church, would look too much like mere charity, and appear too precarious and dependent; and their obligations to particular private persons, would too much expose them to the temptation of partiality, in the exercises of their ministrations, and in their pastoral care. Whereas this is forbidden to ministers, 1 Tim. v. 21. "Do nothing by partiality." We might be more afraid to reprove some that were rich and kind, and more negligent in comforting and instructing others that were poor, and could give but little. But when the minister receives his support from the church in general, by the hand of the deacons, as officers of the church, then he is much more secured from these temptations. And no doubt it is the duty of the deacons to see to it, that each member of the church performs his part toward the support

of the ministry; for it hardly seems decent for the minister himself to urge this duty on the people.

The table of the church at the Lord's supper, is maintained by the contributions of the church. The bread and wine must be bought at the public expense, but particularly provided for by the deacons, who in short are stewards of all the temporal affairs that relate to the church, even as the bishops and elders are of the spiritual; and both under our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the great pastor of pastors, and churches, and the feeder of his own poor, and provides all things for all.

I might add to these, that the business of a deacon seems also to extend to some care of the place of public worship, and all the necessaries that belong to the outward service of the Lord, such as tables, seats, vessels for bread and wine, and for water in baptism, &c. For though these things are not particularly expressed among the businesses of a deacon, yet they will never be performed, unless some one or more persons be deputed for this service; and who can be more proper persons than those, who, by divine institution, are intrusted with the contributions of the church. Yet in most of these affairs it is necessary to advise with the pastor, and with the whole church, and in every important matter to take their direction; for the deacons are but stewards, and not proprietors or possessors of the church's treasure, nor are they lords of the temporal things relating to the church.

Secondly. The reason of their institution, which is to assist the ministers or elders of the church in the care of all those things, which if devolved entirely upon the elders, would hinder them from their proper business, viz. "the word and prayer." The apostles, who were the elders and rulers of the church