from the statements of many writers, we should imagine them to be almost universal. Such a conclusion would, however, be very wide from the truth and reality. The hills and mountains of the prospect around us look bright and beautiful in the sunshine, and we take little thought of the lower region, that is overspread with gloom, or chilled with fogs and mist. Even thus, we hear and read of the great extent of religious education, and of the vast improvement which it has effected over the whole population of the land. Dazzled by these splendid statements, we never reflect, how greatly ignorance and sin yet abound; nor consider how widely the declaration of God to his prophet is still verified among us, My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.-Hos. vi. 6. If we would obtain just views of the state of knowledge and holiness in this country, our application must be made, not to those who sit down in their closets to praise it with an unthinking fondness, but to those zealous, active, humble servants of Jesus Christ, whom his love constrains to labour in his cause. They will inform us, that knowledge and religion are certainly upon the increase, that the word of God has free course, and is glorified,-that the number of those who preach, and of those who profit by the unsearchable riches of Christ, is daily enlarged,-that the Church of England takes her benevolent part in bringing the young, the ignorant, and the destitute to the knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus. But they will also say, that in their visits of mercy among the poor, whether in retired villages, or in the crowded courts and alleys of large cities, there is still a greater mass of early depravity and guilt, than those who have not seen and considered it, can well imagine. They will affirm, that not only in Athens were altars dedicated to the unknown God; but that through every part of Great Britain, in this apparent noontide of the gospel-day, there is an ignorance of its salvation, and of moral duties, which all who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, and are anxious for the souls of their brethren, should endeavour to remove. If to this testimony be added the records of our courts of justice, which exhibit so many awful instances of early crime; and the reports of the society for inquiring into the causes of juvenile delinquency, it will appear that very much remains to be done, before the people of this country have made that general progress in knowledge, divine and moral, which becomes a nation professing godliness. The Church of England has long been the refuge of the faith once delivered to the saints, amidst the storms and assaults of infidelity, blasphemy, and sin; as Noah and his family were enclosed within the ark by the hand of God, and floated in security amidst the wild uproar of the surrounding deluge. On this very account, the National Church has a claim upon all its members, for the best exertions of their zeal and love, in behalf of the poor and untaught of her communion. Gratitude and responsibility demand us to have compassion on the ignorant, and on such as are out of the way. "Unto whom much is given, from them will much be required." To discuss the whole mournful subject of popular ignorance, would lead to a length of inquiry and argument, far beyond the necessary and proper limits of the present work. In the first, however, of a short series of essays, intended to animate and encourage Christians in the great duty of educating the poor, of rescuing them from the debasement and ruin of sin, and of training them for heaven, it must be proper to make a short inquiry into a few of the principal causes of that evil which we deplore, and which we would gladly assist to remove. I. The first and most formidable of these causes is evidently one by which children, in common with ourselves and all mankind, are influenced, a nature entirely corrupted and depraved. If the minds of children were as pure and untainted as that of their first father, when he came from the hand of his Maker, the task of preparing them for present duties, and for future blessedness, would be easy. If the belief that children possess naturally good hearts and dispositions, were as just as it is erroneous, they would almost as quickly receive, as we could apply, the lessons of truth and goodness. But scripture, experience, and the sentiments of the Church of England utter one united testimony in contradiction of any innate principle of rectitude and virtue; and in establishment of the mourn. ful fact, that there is none righteous, no not one.— -Rom. iii. 10. 1. If we open the bible, nothing can be more plain than its declarations, that the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither can be.-Rom. viii. 7. In the Old Testament, the Most High has twice asserted, that every human being, without exception, is corrupt, not in act only, but "in every imagination and thought of his heart." The first man born into the world, was begotten by Adam, not in the likeness of God, in which he himself had been originally created, but "in his own likeness, as a fallen corrupt creature.-Gen. v. 3. Job asks, "who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean ?" xiv.4; and again, "What is man, that he should be clean; and he that is born of a woman, that he should be righteous ?" xv. 14. Isaiah and Jeremiah speak to the same effect, Isaiah vi. 5, Jerem. xvii. 9. The wisdom of the king of Israel unites in their testimony, Eccl. ix. 3. The mourning psalmist cries, "Behold I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." Ps. li. 5. The New Testament abounds with similar assertions. Our blessed Lord says, "That which is born of the flesh, is flesh," and therefore incapable of enjoying a spiritual kingdom, John iii. 6. St. Paul cries, "I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, there dwelleth no good thing." Rom. vii. 18. He declares of himself, and of all the human race, that they are 66 by nature children of wrath," Ephes. ii. 3. and again, "I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.' Rom. vii. 23. It is, however, needless to multiply passages, which an attentive reader of his bible will easily remember, to an extent that renders all candid doubt or denial impossible. The word of God effectually proves that there is not, and that there shall not be, until time is lost in the eternal day, a single exception from the dominion of sin over the human heart; what the psalmist testifies of the wicked, is true of all the children of men, "they are estranged from the womb; they go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies." Ps. lviii. 3. 2. Indeed, if the scriptures have failed to convince us of the doctrine of original sin, an attentive observer could not have looked abroad into the world, without being persuaded that children, even in their most tender years, display the power of that evil heart of unbelief, which departs from the living God.-Heb. iii. 12. If the tempers of children be examined, some may be found more full of evil; but a child, in whose heart folly and iniquity were not bound up, has never yet been seen. If a child be in any considerable degree free from impatience and fretfulness, from selfishness and falsehood, it becomes an object of admiration. Nor, as reason and understanding are enlarged, do the young improve their faculties in seeking the things that belong to their eternal peace; but rather in pursuing the things of time and sense. It will be observed, that this corruption of nature and principle is not confined to the children of wicked and depraved parents, but extends to the most virtuous and holy; so as abundantly to make good the melancholy conclusion, "the whole world lieth in wickedness." John v. 19. that 3. The articles and services of the Church of England give their strong evidence to the same mournful fact. They assert, in language which its consistent and conscientious members cannot possibly deny, that natural man is entirely fallen from God and goodness. Öriginal sin is the fault and corruption of every man, that naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam; whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and is of his own nature inclined to evil, so that the flesh lusteth always contrary to the Spirit; and, therefore, in every person born into this world, it deserveth God's wrath and damnation."* And again, "The condition of man, after the fall of Adam, is such, that he cannot turn and prepare himself by his own natural strength and good works, to faith, and calling upon God; wherefore we have no power to do good works, pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace of God in Christ preventing us, that we may have a good will, and working with us when we have that good will." The general confession breathes the same language, and declares that "there is no health in us." The whole tenour and spirit of the liturgy acknowledges that we have no power of ourselves to help ourselves, and leads irresistably to the melancholy conclusion, "that all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Rom. iii. 22. Begin the work of instruction, therefore, as early as we may, let the lips of infancy be first taught to utter the language of religion, and show forth the praise of God, yet shall we be anticipated. There is an elder principle of sin, which may, by the Divine blessing, be counteracted, but which cannot be prevented. It is born with all; **Art. ix. † Art. x. and if the corrective be not applied, will "grow with their growth, and strengthen with their strength. Be it remembered also, that this is a state, not only of enmity towards God, but on which the Divine anger rests, and which it will punish. "It deserveth God's wrath and damnation." If that wo is to be escaped by children, and by all, they must be renewed in the spirit of their mind."-Ephes. iv. 23. Their whole dispositions must be changed from earthly and carnal, to spiritual and heavenly. "Old things must pass away, and all things must become new.”. 2 Cor. v. 17. If this entire and wondrous change be not wrought upon them, they must remain" aliens from the commonwealth of the spiritual Israel, strangers to the covenant of promise; having no hope, and without God in the world."-Ephes. ii. 12. Is this a state then, in which Christians, animated by the love of God, and the love of souls, should permit their fallen brethren to live and die? Should they allow this evil principle to remain unchecked, and to increase to a dreadful harvest and maturity of sin and death? Should they not endeavour to lead the young from enmity to love, from sin to holiness, from the sentence of death, to the hope and certainty of life and bliss? Should they not desire to show them the way to pardon and holiness, through the atoning sacrifice of God in Christ Jesus; and through the influence of that blessed Spirit, "who alone can put into the mind good desires, and enable men to bring the same to good effect?" They will certainly strive to relieve bodily wants; they will improve the minds of children; but they will especially endeavour to turn them, by divine grace, to God, and see them grow in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Such will be a Christian's aim. The holiest ambition can have no nobler exercise than its pursuit, the tenderest love no greater gratification than its success. FOR THE GOSPEL ADVOCATE. EXTRACT FROM THE MESSIAH. Translated from the original German of Klopstock. ETERNAL! how dost thou exalted then Smile pitying! as, o'er the murky lake, Then bursts the hurricane around; His wings quiver with awe undying, and e'er glare With grimmest rage Belielel thinks upon The variegated springs of heaven, that beam Like youngest seraphs' smiles. How long'd the fiend U. To make such reign around hell's blasted vales. Sad sought the king Belielel; but his soul Hell, and annihilate its haughty lord, Were his wild projects! Vengeance swelled him too! From their own ocean-seats; with such a sound Of midnight pealing awful; when sweeps by The arch-fiend heard them, wildly ravished heard ; E'er traits of mockery bears: high 'mongst them stood |