evil of sin, and of the snares of the world! O that each of us paid proper attention to his pious counsel! I read in his countenance the deep concern he feels lest his advice should be lost, and our precious souls undone ! I view his exemplary conduct to win our affections to the ways of God, and to endear the precious word of truth to us, which is the stimulus and rule of his practice.

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What gratitude is due-what love should we show-and what obedience should we render to such a parent and friend!—and how does my heart pity those parents, whose affectionate care and anxious solicitude are neglected, or treated with disrespect! How do I pity those children living in heathen countries and elsewhere, who have no such concern exercised by their parents, no such admonitions, no such example shown, and whose lasting welfare is neglected and forgotten! Their parents, living without God in the world, either totally neglect their charge, or, if they correct their children, it is not from any concern for their best interest, but to gratify their own revengeful temper, which is irritated by something done or said by the child, to which, perhaps, he was encouraged by their example; and which probably, would have given them pleasure at another time, and have excited ex-, pressions of applanse. Perhaps, all the family is in gross darkness! The house, the word, and ordinances of God are neglected -no prayer used-no knowledge of the state they are in, or of the way of salvation. O, what a wretched scene! O what obligations am under to my pious parents, who care for my soul, and who discover their concern in so many endearing forms!-How thankful am I that Managers and teachers of Sunday Schools are increasing in their concern and zeal for the welfare and happiness of numbers of those wretched objects, who are otherwise in a hopeless state! and are searching them out from their cells of mental darkness-their scenes of helpless misery, to teach them to read the word of life, and to feed them with knowledge and understanding! Go on and prosper, ye devoted servants of the Lord! Take the charge of the souls of those spiritual orphans, and bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord! They cannot recompense you ; but you shall be recompensed at the resurrection of the just!

From the Christian Monitor.

VIEW OF THE STATE OF RELIGION

In the Churches under the care of the Synod of Virginia. CHRISTIAN BRETHREN-After a free conversation upon the state of religion, we are happy in being able to congratulate the churches under our care, upon the general prosperity of our charge. At the same time, we would earnestly desire to render our devout acknowledgments to the great Head of the Church, from whom the blessing is derived, and to whom the praise is due.

We have to lament, indeed, that some of our congregations appear to have grown remiss and negligent in their attendance upon the ministry of the word; and we would solemnly exhort all such

to be zealous and repent, lest the anger of the Lord should rest upon themselves and their descendants to the latest generations.

On the other hand, we have been consoled and refreshed by the intelligence, that in many of our congregations there is a siJent and gradual progress in the things of religion. The number of praying people is increasing-family worship is observed-the children are catechised-the walk and conversation of members are in some good measure such as become those who profess godliness-attempts are making to establish Bible Classes and Sunday Schools-societies are forming for the support of missionaries and candidates for the Gospel ministry-and the general interests of religion are pursued with increasing diligence and zeal. Such is peculiarly the case in the congregations of Norfolk, Petersburg, Winchester, Leesburg, Fredericksburg, and Richmond.

In some other of our churches also, the state of things is still more encouraging. In that of Winchester an unusual degree of religious excitement has prevailed for some time past, and many have been added to the church, of such we trust whose names are in the book of life. In that of Leesburg too, there is reason to hope that the Lord has heard the cry of his people, and is visiting them in mercy. Several have already been anxiously awakened to a sense of their sinfulness, and led to seek salvation through the righteousness of Christ. A deep and solemn attention to the means of grace is still prevailing, and many are anxiously inquiring what they shall do to be saved.

We are further gratified to learn, that several new churches have been erected within our bounds, and that the number of those who attend upon their service is generally increasing. We are also particularly pleased to hear, that there is a fair prospect of organizing a new congregation in the county of Princess Anne, under circumstances that promise to advance the interests of religion in that section of the state.

In addition to these interesting notices, we are most happy to observe that the Theological Seminary under our care continues to enjoy the blessings of Heaven. The contributions to its funds for the year past, have been unusually liberal; and the number of its students is constantly growing. At the same time, associations of pious females and others are forming around us, still further to enlarge its resources and extend its usefulness. But above all, it affords us the highest satisfaction to find that candidates for the Gospel ministry are becoming more numerous than at any former period, and that our churches may soon enjoy the benefit of their labours.

Notwithstanding these flattering prospects, however, we have but too much reason to apprehend that many parts of our state are almost destitute of the means of grace. There is indeed a woful famine of the word of the Lord in many corners of our charge, and the cry of souls perishing for lack of knowledge is in our ears.

In several counties within our bounds the glad tidings of the Gospel are seldom heard, and the privileges of public worship, with the countless blessings that attend it, but rarely enjoyed. In the mean time, our population is rapidly increasing around us, and no adequate means of instruction are provided to meet the wants of the rising generation.

It is a consolation indeed, that in the midst of these discouragements there are some hopes of relief, and the means of procuring it are perhaps within our reach. In many of these places now overspread with moral darkness, the inhabitants are beginning to feel their way for the light of the Gospel, and may we not hope that the day-star is rising in their hearts? "Send us missionaries, let us hear the word," are sounds which come to us from a thousand tongues. And shall we then remain insensible under these afflicting appeals to our hearts, as men and Christians? Shall we turn a deaf ear to the cries of our own kinsmen according to the flesh? Shall we see them suffering and bleeding in the way, and pass by on the other side? Or shall we not rather regard their entreaties as the calls of Providence to redouble our exertions for the salvation of perishing souls?

We would therefore affectionately and solemnly call upon the members of our charge, ministers, elders, and brethren, to renew their diligence and zeal in the great work which God has confided to our care, the work of promoting the prosperity of his church, and cause, in our land. Let us come forward with united hearts and hands, with all the means that we possess, to provide missionaries, to diffuse religious knowledge throughout the community, and to extend the means of grace and the blessings of the Gospel in all the various modes which love and duty can suggest. At the same time, let us be careful to purify our own hearts by faith, that we may be better instruments for the work before us. And above all, let us be instant and fervent in prayer to Him from whom cometh all our help, that he may send more labourers into his harvest, and that the land of our charge, with the whole earth, may soon become as a watered garden, and as a field which the Lord hath blessed.

Signed by order of the Synod,

JOHN H. RICE, Moderator.

Fredericksburg, Oct. 30, 1816.

We have the satisfaction to announce, that the Board of Managers of the American Society for evangelizing the Jews, have appointed Mr. J. S. C. Frey to deliver Lectures statedly to the Jews in their behalf; and that Mr. Frey has consented to deliver one every Lord's day evening, in the North Dutch Church in William-street, the use of which the Consistory have kindly granted for that benevolent purpose.

The collections to be then and there taken up are to be for the use of the above named Society,

CHRISTIAN HERALD.

VOL. II.

Saturday, January 18, 1817. [No. 17.

[In our last Number we gave the account of the origin and formation of the AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR EVANGELIZING THE JEWS, ordered to be published. We now insert the Address of the Society to the public.]

ADDRESS.

WHETHER We contemplate, dear Brethren, the general signs of the times in which we live, or the particular providences which have recently occurred in this city, and which have marked the case before us, does it not appear that we are called to do something in favour of the Jews?

That we are not destitute of encouragement, nay, that we are in duty bound to make the attempt, will, we think, appear from various and important considerations.

The restoration of that people to the Lord is positively contemplated and predicted in numerous prophecies.

Encouraged by this circumstance, the Church of God has never ceased, either before or since the destruction of Jerusalem, to offer prayer for them, and that to an extent which has not yet been, but will most assuredly be answered They are also certainly included in the general commission, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature.'

It is also believed, that there is nothing in their political, moral, or religious character at the present day, which presents a more formidable barrier to the spread of the Gospel among them, than when it was first propagated among them by the disciples of the Lord. Although to effect their conversion we have not the Spirit of God in his supernatural and miraculous works, yet we have him in the word of his grace, which is the power of God unto salvation, and in those Almighty operations of his providence upon the minds of men, by which he still conquers and subdues the most untractable and unyielding. Their civil relation to the inhabitants of this country is supposed to be favourable to the object we have in view; so far from being treated amongst us with insult and injury, as in other lands, they have enjoyed equal privileges with their fellow citizens: This circumstance ought to soften, and probably has softened, their prejudices against the Christians of these United States.

VOL. II.-No. 17.

R

Although we recognize with pleasure that the Jews have suffered no immediate or direct persecution at our hands, yet we may not, and dare not assert, that they have never suffered at the hands of our forefathers. For this, so far as we have it in our power, we owe them reparation.

But is it not a fact, brethren, that the Jews have strong claims upon us on the score of gratitude? Were not the oracles of the living God in the first instance committed to that people? Have they not been the honoured instruments of preserving and handing down to us Gentiles those precious and uncontaminated records? To whom pertained "the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises," but to that people? Is it not true that of them were the fathers, and of them as concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Rom. 9. 4. 5. Is not that nation rendered illustrious above all others, by that single circumstance of the descent from them according to the flesh, of Messiah, that great Prince; that Almighty conqueror; that eternal Saviour? And who were the first Heralds of the glorious Gospel of the blessed God to the perishing nations? Who were Peter, and James, and John, and Paul, with their noble minded associates? Were they not Jews? These were the men who fully calculating upon the loss of all that is deemed valuable on earth, took their lives in their hands, and impelled by resistless love and zeal for their master's honour, and the souls of men, broke in upon that horrid darkness which overshadowed the nations.

But for their efforts, their intrepidity, their tears, and groans, and blood, we might, humanly speaking, have been to this day, worshipping with horrid rites the gods of our idolatrous ancestors, As, then, the blessings of the Gospel we enjoy are of incalculable worth, we owe an unextinguishable debt of gratitude to the Jews, from whose hands we have received them. But there is another plea which must be offered on this subject, of no less weight than the former. It is the strong plea of humanity.

"If there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, this plea will not, and cannot be unavailing. How many millions of that people are scattered at this day among the nations of the world? The dreadful imprecation His blood be on us and on our children," Matt. 27, has been heard and answered. In some instances they are either wholly or partially deprived of their own Scriptures, and in others incredibly ignorant of their contents. We may fairly presume that with the New Testament, which is founded upon and indissolubly connected with the Old, the great body of that people are almost wholly unacquainted. Infidelity in their own Scriptures is said to abound among them to an alarming extent, and is connected of course with corresponding laxness of morals. Though arr aigned and condemned before the bar