66 Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins, calling upon the Name of the Lord." (Acts xxii. 16, viii. 16, x. 41, xix. 5.) From these passages we see how the Name was taken in the Apostles' days, and viii. 12, points out the class of persons who use to take it. Now, if there has been no new revelation to set aside their teachings and practice, certainly there is no other way in which the Name can be obtained; and since all the blessings are attached to the Name, it is a just conclusion, one would suppose, that there is no other way of obtaining a legal title to them, than by being baptized into the Name. Thus the believer of the things of the Kingdom and Name of Jesus Christ (the Anointed One.) becomes a member of his mystical spouse, as well as a child of God by a new and heavenly birth. But we said the betrothed had to share her husband's fortunes. Let us trace her fellowship with him here. No sooner was he baptized, than the Spirit witnessed that he was the Son of God, and he was Anointed. This is her case too. (Gal. iv. 6, 1 Cor. i. 21, 22.) During her sojourning here she is, like him, the despised and rejected of men; she is the beloved of Jehovah, but hated by the world; she is subjected to the oppression of men, but like him she must uncomplainingly submit. She is to learn obedience through the things which she suffers." Remembering that he returned good for evil, praying even for his murderers, she is called upon to manifest a likeness to him in this, and inasmuch as he was "holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners," she is to "hate even the garment spotted by the flesh." It seems indeed her heavenly Father's will that she should be subjected to the same discipline as her Lord, that she may be transformed into his likeness that she may be fitted to share his honours, his kingdom and glory in the age to come. It is a delightful thought, that, during his absence, and whilst she is looking and longing for his return, he too has her in his heart-that he is directing the springs of this world's machinery with an eye to that day of joy, when, having clothed her with immortality, and presented her to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but holy and without blemish" she shall sit down with him in his throne to rule over the world in righteousness, and "to dispense blessings to all the families of the earth." "Hearken therefore, oh daughter, consider and incline thine ear, forget also thine own people, and thy (first) father's house; so shall the king greatly desire thy beauty, for he is thy Lord, and worship thou him.' "And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready." Blessed are they which shall be then called to the marriage supper of the Lamb! Derby, February, 1849. FASTING-No. II. [CONTINUED FROM PAGE 50.] "Moreover, when you fast, look not dismal as the hypocrites, who disfigure their faces, that men may observe that they fast. Indeed, I say to you, they have their reward. But yon, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not appear to men, but to your Father, and your Father, to whom, though he is unseen himself, nothing is secret, will recompense you." Matt. vi. THE first question, which our lesson suggests for consideration is, What is meant by fasting? What is the literal, obvious signification of the word-that which indicates the subject matter, and without which the duty (if fasting be a duty) is not attended to at all? If now we were writing for laymen, we might refer for an answer to this question to the intelligent clergy-to all standard English dictionaries but we write not for them: we write for the disciples of Christ, whose prayer continually is, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" We might refer to the intelligent clergy and the dietionary; but this reference would be most unsafe on many words for them on faith, repentance, baptism, for instance-on all that have been subjects of controversy. But we refer, Christians, directly to the law and the testimony-to the text and context of several passages in the living oracles, where the word fasting occurs. 1 Samuel ch. xii. it is written, "And David fasted, and went in and lay all night upon the earth. And the elders of his house arose and went to him to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them." After this-"They set bread before him, and he did eat. Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this, that thou hast done? Thou didst fast and weep for the child while it was yet alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst arise and eat bread. And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept." Now, what can be more manifest than that David's fasting here spoken of, was his not eating bread? It was not his "going in," (wherever that might be)-It was not his lying all night upon the earth-It was not his weeping: for all these are spoken of as adjuncts, and distinguished from it. Again: Esther iv. ch. "Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer. Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in : Shushan, and fast ye for me"- -How? We are informed in the very next words;—“neither eat nor drink three days, night or day I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to law and if I perish, I perish. So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him." Can any reader of this testimony-any Christian reader-persuade himself or herself to believe, that the fasting of Mordecai and the Jews with him, and of Esther and her maidens, here spoken of, consisted in any thing else, than in abstaining from food and drink?-Or, whatever else they did or refrained from doing, that it did not, and could not, properly bear the name of fasting, if they had eat and drunk during this time as much as was usual for them at other times ?-We presume not. What need, then, have we of further testimony? Is not the question answered, and the point established, that to fast" means "to abstain from food;" and "fasting," " the abstaining from food." Most certainly this was the literal obvious siguification of the word in the passages we have considered from the Old Testament in the days of David and of Esther: and that it meant the same in New Testament times, one more passage from the testimony of Matthew iv. ch. will fully establish. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. Then the tempter accosting him, said, If thou be God's Son, command that these stones become loaves. Jesus answering, said. It is written, Man lives not by bread only, but by every thing which God is pleased to appoint." "If fasting be a duty," we have said. A word or two now, under his head. In the passage last quoted, we are informed that Jesus fasted-that he connected fasting with prayer. If, now, Jesus' praying be an example for his followers; why not his fasting also? But more direct and explicit to this point-Matt. xviii. A demoniac is brought to the disciples: but they could not cure him. Why not? Jesus answers: "This kind is not dispossessed unless by prayer and fasting; plainly implying, that had they fasted as well as prayed, which was equally a duty to be done, they might have been able to cure this kind of demoniacs also. Again: ix. ch. "Then John's disciples addressing him, said, We and the Phraisees often fast; why do your disciples never fast? Jesus answered, Can the bridemen mourn while the bridegroom is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then will they fast." Mark (ii. 18, 19.) and Luke (v. 33-35.) record the same question and answer-" They will fast." In other words, it shall be their duty to fast, and they will perform it. To the same effect, the Saviour's instructions first quoted in the conclusion of our last essay, and placed at the head of this-the lesson, which we are considering: "Moreover, when you fast," &c. Why thus in troduce this subject? Why the directions which follow; "Look not dismal as the hypocrites when you fast," if fasting be not a duty? If you know these things, happy are you "if you do them." ADELPHOS. CONFORMITY TO THE WORLD. MR. EDITOR. -I have recently been thinking on the duty we owe to society at large, and, particularly, the obligations we, as Christians, are under to our children. I should like to know whether or not it is lawful for those who profess to be labouring to restore Christianity to its original purity, both in doctrine and practice, to follow what is called the fashionable amusements of the age-such as sending our children to balls and dancing schools? You know that Paul says, that "whatever we do, in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God, even the Father, by him." Now the inquiry is, Can parents who send their children to dancing schools, honestly say they do it in the name of the Lord Jesus? And can they devoutly thank God that he, in his kind providence, has blessed them with plenty of the unrighteous mammon thus to educate their sons and daughters? And farther, can they, with grace in their hearts, thank God for the graceful facility with which their children hop about the room at the sound of the violin? Again, does the divine injunction on parents to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, admit of parents encouraging their children in all the vanities and follies of the day? Or does it mean, as some of us have been in the habit of thinking, that Christian parents are bound, as far as possible, to instil the principles of Christianity into their tender minds, and restrain, as far as possible, those committed to their charge, from the vanities and follies of the world? We would like to hear your views on these things, in all plainness; for some of us do not feel pleasant under the present state of things. A Lover of Christian Behaviour. question in our brother's communicaTo which I need only add a song for THE very statement of the tion is a suitable answer to it. a Christian dance. A NEW VERSION OF AN OLD SONG, THUS says the prophet of the Turk:- But for one piece they thought it hard Thus conscience freed from ev'ry clog, You laugh. 'Tis well: The tale appli'd, While one as innocent regards A suug and friendly game at cards; Some love a concert or a race; And others shooting, and the chase: With sophistry their sauce they sweeten, THE GOSPEL. THE gospel brings such revelations of the love of God, such assurance of pardoning mercy, mercy helping grace, preserving care, unchangable loving kindness, that when it is really apprehended and believed in as the truth of God, it is life from the dead to the soul. There,' saith God, 'is the gospel of Jesus Christ, take pardons for all I have pitied you, though you have hated me! My beloved Son has atoned for those sins of yours! I am satisfied through his work when you are content to plead it!' Reader! Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved," for true faith in him, will produce true obedience to him. THE BIBLE. Ir has been alleged that the "Bible was presented to us by a barbarous and ignorant people, and was written in an age when they were yet more barbarous." Whence, then, came the only theocracy -the only unmixed theism-the only religion, may we not say on |