and to water the tree of our liberty with his own blood! Would it had pleased Heaven, that he might have lived to share our prosperity as freely as he shared our dangers!"

STATE OF RELIGION IN PRUSSIA.

THE Archives du Christianisme, for October, contains a circular letter from Bishop Ritschl to the Clergy of Pomerania, which confirms what we have heard of the spirit that is beginning to pervade the -Prussian Churches. "We know nothing," says the editor of the Archives, "of the other Bishops, but we have no hesitation in saying that the views of the Bishop Ritschl are those of the Prussian government, and that his circular indicates correctly the spirit which is diffusing itself among the churches of that kingdom. In this view the paper will be read with interest, and we have therefore translated it.

[TRANSLATION.]

His majesty having appointed me a Bishop of the Evangelical Church, and Superintendent General of Pomerania, as well as Presi dent of the Consistory of this city, it is with no little emotion, my dear colleagues, that I now salute you, and pray that the mercy and peace of God our Father and of the Lord Jesus Christ may rest upon you and me. His mercy and peace alone can enable us to discharge aright our duties as ministers of the New Testament-to proclaim, as ambassadors of Christ, the plan of salvation-to preach repentance and the remission of sins-fitly to divide the word of truth-and to show ourselves faithful shepherds of the flock which Jesus Christ hath purchased with his own blood. He that desires such an office desires a good work; he that labors successfully for the salvation of souls, lays up for himself an imperishable reward-an abundant recompense for this world's goods, of which, it may be, he deprives himself.

In this age, perhaps, the very diverse opinions that are entertained on the subject of Scriptural interpretation, the variety of dogmatic systems, and the many contradictory views on Revelation and the very essence of Christianity, that prevail, render it more difficult than in former times to rise superior to doubt entirely and forever; yet a thorough knowledge of history and of the necessities of the human heart, and a constant, humble, and impartial study of the Holy Scriptures, cannot fail to produce an entire conviction of the truth of all the great fundamental and saving doctrines of our religion. For the same reason we ought not to be surprised or discouraged if the Gospel continues to be regarded by many as foolishness; if they cherish towards it a secret enmity, and treat the institutions of the church with indifference: if the simple Gospel verity is often perverted by errorists and hypocrites; if we find multitudes who will not listen to our message, or having heard it, refuse to be governed by the truths we preach. Do we not know, that in this world nothing is perfect; and that the good seed springs not up without tares? Does not the history of eighteen centuries afford us a consoling certainty that the Lord protects his church and watches over his servants? It is our duty, then, leaving these things with God, to devote ourselves to our duties-to become, by a constant and thorough study of theological science, scribes well instructed for the kingdom of God, who, of our good treasure, may bring forth things new and old-to preach the Gospel pub

licly and in its purity, as a system of divine and saving truth-to devote ourselves zealously to the well-being of the souls committed to our charge-to be earnestly and conscientiously careful that the young receive proper religious instruction-and thus to fulfil, in a manner well-pleasing to God, the duties which St. Paul has so beautifully enumerated, (1 Tim. iii. 1-7.) Let us grow daily in the knowledge of our own hearts-let us ourselves experience the sanctifying power of the Gospel-let constant and fervent prayer strengthen us in the inner man-let us continue steadfast in the faith, and, by the grace of God, we may not only hope that our labor shall not be without its fruits, even when we cannot see them, but rejoice to witness around us the most precious results.

While no faithful minister of the Gospel can be deprived of internal support and consolation, we have singular encouragement from without, in that gift of God, a monarch who cherishes a sincere reverence for the Gospel-to whom the prosperity of the church is dear -who esteems its ministers, and who provides, with paternal care, for our infirm colleagues, as well as for our widows and orphans. Before God and man, then, let us act as faithful stewards.

May God grant that the clergy of Pomerania may ever witness in me an example of this fidelity! To him do I look for wisdom, for prudence, for strength. May he inspire me and my colleagues with such mutual regard, that I may enjoy their confidence and the benefit of their prayers! May he cause our united ministry to bring forth fruit to the good of our churches and schools, and to his own honour! To him be praise and glory forever!

Stettin, 8th May, 1828.

RITSCHL

MASSACRE AT CRETE.

A Smyrna article, of December 2, states that the Turks have deluged the island of Crete with the blood of the Christians. The Mahommedans, persuaded that when their shall be no Greeks in the country, there will be no reason for separating it from the Ottoman dominion, have conceived the project of exterminating this race of people, and in two days massacred from one thousand to twelve hundred people in the city of Candia alone. Scarce a sufficient number of Christians were spared to drag the carcasses of their countrymen to the sea. That being done, the unhappy wretches who had been left were assassinated. At Sude, at Spina Longa, at Retimo, all who were not Mahommedans were put to the sword. It was said that this horrible massacre was perpetrated in consequence of a secret order of the Grand Seignor, who has formed the project of extirpating Christianity throughout his empire.

The First Anniversary Meeting of the Domestic Missionary Society of the Lutheran Church in the State of New-York, will be held in the Church at Canajoharie, Montgomery Co. on Tuesday the 5th day of May next. The officers and members of the Society, Delegates from Auxiliary Societies, and all who feel an interest in the objects of the Society are respectfully requested to attend.

G. B. MILLER, Rec. Sec'y

THIS passage is introduced in the form of a conclusion.-It refers to the preceding circumstances which are detailed in this Chapter. And to enable us fully to comprehend and justify this conclusion, it is necessary that we examine the premises whence it is derived. Our Saviour here relates the parable of the unjust steward. He supposes a rich man who had appointed an agent to transact his business. This agent is represented as having proved unfaithful to his trust. Accused of wasting the goods which had been committed to his care, he is summoned to appear before his master, who instantly calls for his accounts, and apprises him of his determination to remove him from his stewardship. This unexpected occurrence renders the situation of the steward extremely difficult and perplexing. About to be deprived of the agency he had hitherto held, and which, seemingly, constituted his only means of support, he knows not what to do. His former luxurious manner of living had enervated his bodily strength. "He was unable to dig." The principle of pride which he cherished in his prosperous days, induced him to spurn the idea of hereafter becoming an object of charity:-" to beg he was ashamed."-At last, however, he adopts an expedient to which men of desperate fortune are but too often driven. He resolves to extricate himself from his difficulty by fraudulent means. Having forfeited the confidence of his master, he determined upon defrauding him out of a portion of his revenue; and, acquiring the favor of his debtors, by misrepresenting their several accounts;-Having sent for his Lord's debtors, he said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my Lord? and he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said, Take thy bill and write fifty. Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? and he said, An hundred measures of wheat; and he said, Take thy bill and write four

score.

However fraudulent the means which are here used to accomplish a wicked and dishonorable purpose, our Saviour represents the conduct of the unjust steward as commendable in the estimation of his master; not because he had faithfully executed the duties of his trust, and rendered a just account of his stewardship-not that he merited the com

mendation of a faithful steward, who had been true to his master's interests, and dealt honestly and fairly in all his official proceedings;but because he had 'done wisely in converting present advantages into sources of future 'benefit. He is commended by his master, because, when he found that he was to be removed from his office, and deprived of its emoluments, he artfully contrived to provide for his future interests. He directed the debtors to misrepresent the true state of their several accounts, and reduce the amount of their bills that when he was removed from the station he now occupied, they might receive him into their favor, and continue to afford him the necessary means for his future support. In thus skilfully dispensing the unrighteous mammon, and effectually providing for his future interests, the unjust steward is represented as having acted consistently with the policy of the children of the world, who are deemed wiser in their generation, than the children of light. And in this instance of dexterity, he is said to have exhibited an example not to justify the dishonourable conduct oft exhibited by worldly men; but so far worthy to be imitated by professing christians, as to provide for their eternal interests, that when death shall have removed them from their earthly stewardship, they may be admitted into the celestial habitations. Having related this parable and viewed the circumstances connected with it, as affording a source of much valuable instruction, our Saviour proceeds:-"I say unto you, make to yourselves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness." Mammon is a Syriac word signifying wealth, and was probably retained by the Evangelist to add force and energy to the expression. That the term is here introduced under its original signification, and intended to express the idea of temporal riches, appears evident from the chief objects exhibited in the parable, and the effect it produced upon some of the hearers. The unjust steward is said to have accomplished his designs by means of the riches which had been committed to his trust. He endeavored to make himself friends by his manner of disposing of the property which he held in his possession. He thought to acquire the favor of his master's debtors by remitting to them a share of the several amounts they were obligated to pay him, Our Saviour, therefore, speaking in direct reference to the means which the subject of this parable adopted to acquire his ends, obviously uses the term Mammon to express temporal property and possessions. As such, the cov-, etous Pharisees seem to have understood it, who, from their known attachment to earthly treasures, resisted the instructions conveyed in this parable and impiously derided its author. This Mammon of which our Lord directs his followers to make themselves friends, is termed unrighteous; but this is by no means intended to justify a conclusion which a cursory view of this passage seems to favor; that riches are odious in the sight of God, and cannot be enjoyed without incurring the divine displeasure. We are not to infer from these

words, that temporal wealth constitutes an insuperable obstacle to religious improvement and that the man who is favored with earthly riches, must, of necessity, be excluded from the kingdom of God; for it is one of the wise maxims of Solomon, that the crown of the wise is their riches. Neither are we to suppose, that the term unrighteous, which is here applied to Mammon, implies riches acquired by dishonest and fraudulent means. It is true, that the Mammon whereof the unjust steward made himself friends, was deceitfully and unjustly obtained. He was not justifiable in disposing of his master's goods in the manner he did. But in this, his conduct does not deserve to be imitated. Nor did our Saviour, who never sanctioned a criminal and immoral act, recommend to his followers such a method of proceeding? He does not exhibit the conduct of the unjust steward as a fit example to be imitated in his fraudulent practices. He does not say that his manner of disposing of those goods, would obviate the guilt which he incurred by violating the duties of his trust, and betraying the confidence which was reposed in him. He does not wish to convey the idea in this parable that property acquired by illegal and unjust means may be justly devoted to religious and charitable purposes, for such an idea were not only inconsistent with the principles of Christian morality, but directly opposed to the divine prohibition, thou shalt not bring the hire of a harlot or the price of a dog into the house of the Lord."

It is the opinion of the best commentators on this text, that the term unrighteous, here means deceitful, and that the phrase unrighteous is used to denote false Mammon. This opinion is confirmed, not only by the common import of the original word, used in the Greek version, to qualify Mammon, but also by the circumstance of the true riches being opposed to it in a succeeding clause. But then it still remains to be determined whether the riches mentioned in the text are called false-from their known tendency to deceive the hopes and disappoint the expectations of such as put their trust therein, or whether they are so termed, because, as in the instance of the unjust steward, worldly men are accustomed to accumulate property by false means and illegal measures. In which of these senses our Saviour, wished to be understood, we do not now deem it necessary to inquire. The words as they stand recorded, are susceptible of either, and may be so interpreted as to include both. The chief design of our Saviour, in speaking this parable, obviously was to prevail on his disciples not to view the attainment of temporal property which is oft acquired at the expense of moral integrity, as their chief concern, but rather endeavor to lay up treasures in heaven, that when they die they may experience their benefit. He advises them not to place their chief dependence on the corruptible treasures of the world, of which men are so easily and suddenly deprived, but rather to expend what Providence hath committed to their trust, in acts of chari