lation of any of the children of God, we would thank God and take courage, and would ascribe all the glory to that Sovereign Lord who alone giveth the increase.

Another year of our "labours of love" is now opening before us. Shall we live to labour through the year? We cannot tell-we cannot even conjecture our only desire is to be found ready-While here we wish to write as dying to dying men, We are labouring to escape from the din and bustle of the camp, to the silent and elevated top of the mountain, where farther from the world, we are nearer to God and we are anxiously listening for that word of the Spirit, "come up hither." In our meditations there we would collect materials for the instruction of our readers. We know that, by another course, we could render our work more entertaining-but, we believe, that by no other course could we render it so useful. Our leading article shall, therefore, continue to be something concerning "the Religion of the heart"-in its thoughts and intents conscience-truth-watchfulness-prayer-searching and meditating on the word of God-peace in believing communion-forgiveness of injuries patience and re signation in afflictions-delighting in God. To the discussion of these important topics we will address our humble, yet earnest efforts; while we confidently rely upon the continued co-operation of our tried friends, and the accession of new auxiliaries to the "help of the Lord."

THE IMPORTANCE OF SEEKING A REVIVAL OF RELIGION.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE ORTHODOX PRESBYTERIAN. SIR,

WHILE musing over the moral darkness that still covers many portions of this land of our nativity-dense as that which enveloped Europe in the midnight of her history; we read with unmixed satisfaction the gladdening intelligence with which you have furnished us, of American Christians and churches enjoying such a time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. The intelligence is eminently encouraging, and what Christian can examine the deeply interesting details, without feeling experimentally, that as cold water is to a thristy soul, so is good news from this far country!"

We have heard of Ministers forming the high resolve,

of preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, with more simplicity, and with more fidelity-with more pointed and searching appeals to the conscience, and judgment, and' affections, of every man-with more of that energy and earnestness, so well befitting the importance of the theme; and with more of that solemn conviction of the responsibility attached to their calling, and with deeper sense of the worth of souls, and the prospect of a coming judginent. We have heard of whole churches being favoured with the promised presence of the SPIRIT of glory, and of God. We have heard of the child in the infant school, and of the aged sinner, who has spent his three score years and ten, in one unbroken course of rebellion against the Majesty of Heaven, being heard to ask with the trembling solicitude of the Philippian jailer, what must we do to be saved? While with the humility of the publican, each prays 'God be merciful to me a sinner.'-of the eloquent orator joining with the unlettered peasant; the great officer of state joining with the humble servant, in supplicating mercy before the throne of that God who is no respecter of persons.'-of hundreds, of thousands, who have been long living without God in the world, but are now united in all the privileges of Christian fellowship, and bound to each other by ties which death will only purify and perfect! The LORD has done great things for them, whereof we are glad.'

The question should occur to our minds, as one of no ordinary magnitude-Why have they experienced so copious an effusion of the Spirit's influence from on high, while we are still dwelling in a dry and thirsty land? Why is the solemn inquiry so often proposed among them, and so seldom among us? 'What must I do to be saved?' Why are so many who were once despisers of God among them, now praying, and rejoicing, and believing disciples, while so many among us are living and dying as high toned blasphemers? The question is awfully solemn. It recommends itself to every man's conscience. It regards our interests in time, our destinies in eternity. We have, in common with them, the same reasons for prayer, and the same encouragement to pray. We have the same need of mercy to pardon, and of grace to help-we have the same throne of grace-the same great High Priest to present the same Spirit to dictate, and the same God and Father of all, to receive and answer the prayers we offer.

We have the same great and precious promises to strength. en our faith, and animate our hopes. Why then have they so much reason to rejoice all the day, while we have so much reason to lament and mourn?

God is a sovereign. In this single proposition many will find, or think they find, a satisfactory explanation of all the difference which may be easily found, between the state of religion in America, and its state among us. 'He doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, what doest thou?' This will calm all their misgivings-and having consented to hear our inquiry, and given us for a reply, "The time to favour our Zion, even the set time is not yet come;" they will draw around them the curtain of security, and retire to the enjoyment of their wonted repose! God is a Sovereign! We delight to dwell in thought upon the consolatory truth. He laid not hold on the nature of angels, but he did lay hold upon the seed of Abraham, and even in applying the existing remedy for man, we know that he has mercy, upon whom he will have mercy. But we must never confound what God may do, with what he has promised to do. The unrevealed purposes which in the exercise of his essential sovereignty, he intends to execute in this portion of his universe, are not the standard, by which we are required, as Christians, to regulate our discharge of personal or social obligations. In his revealed commandments and promises, we should recognize our duty, and our encouragement, to acknowledge and discharge these high obligations; and without stopping to examine or explain any metaphysical difficulties, which men have raised upon this subject, in remarks intended to be practical, it may suffice for our purpose, to know, that it is God's sovereign "pleasure," to be "found of them who seek him," and that in that sovereignty which he must ever possess, because it is essential to the perfection of his character, as God over all he has said to all his people, "If ye then being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father, give the Holy Spirit unto them that ask him."

Convinced then that there is no principle, no law connected with the gracious economy of mercy, which can lead to any other conclusion than this-that if churches experience no reviving influences here, "they have them not, either be

cause they ask not, or because they ask amiss;" we would with deference submit a few thoughts on this great subject to the serious attention of Christians, of all denominations. To guard against misconception, we must briefly ascertain WHAT IS MEANT BY A REVIVAL OF RELIGION. In many minds revivals of religion are fully identified with scenes of wild fanaticism and enthusiastic extravagance. For such revivals we could never plead. Their absence from all churches in our land, is a subject demanding an expression of gratitude to God; and their expulsion from all communities, if in any they are found, is a consummation deyoutly to be wished. In ascertaining the true nature of a revival, there is obviously a previous question. What do we mean by religion? We speak not of the religion of angels-of cherubim or seraphim on high-of any of those holy intelligences which have happily remained in their allegiance to heaven; nor yet of the religion of man before he lost the 'knowledge, and righteousness, and true holiness,' with which he was invested, when the morning stars sang together, and the sons of God shouted for joy, on seeing, in the newly formed creature, so many lineaments of the image of the just Creator. What is the religion of man as fallen? Is it simply an attendance in the house of prayer? No: the proud Pharisee went up to the temple to pray, and returned unjustified of God. Nor does religion consist in a mere commemoration of the death of Christ.-A man who is a rebel in his heart, may sit and eat at the table of his Sovereign; and thousands-especially when the salutary discipline, for maintaining the purity of God's house, is so fearfully and extensively disregarded, may eat the bread, and drink the wine, used as emblems in this symbolical ordinance, while they are just eating and drinking judgment to themselves. Nor does it consist in mere orthodoxy of creed, though this must be viewed as of vital importance. A man may be speculatively correct in his theological opinions, and yet be totally destitute of vital and experimental godliness! What then is religion? Religion is faith. It renounces all dependence upon the arm of flesh, it ceases from man and rests simply on him who is proclaimed to be "the LORD our righteousness." Religion is love. Love to God because of his excellence, and because of his love. Love to Christ be, cause he first loved us; and love to all his people, be

cause they bear the image of the heavenly. Religion is devotedness and zeal. It recognizes the great truth that we are 'not our own, but bought with a price; and it recognizes the sacred obligation arising from this to 'glorify God in our body, and in our spirit, which are God's.' What then is a revival in religion? The growth of these essential elements of true religion, in the hearts of believ ing men, and their production in the hearts of those who have been living without Christ. Show us a man whose faith, and love, and devotedness, and zeal, have once been weak and languishing, but are now increasing and abounding, and you shew us an instance of a revival of religion: and tell us of a church, ALL of whose members are increasing in faith, and growing in love, zealously affected in every good cause, and in reference to every work of faith, and labour of love, remaining steadfast and unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; and you tell us of an instance, in which the God of that church is producing a revival, even life for evermore.

Revivals of this kind may take place, and are not to be considered as the idle dreams of a disordered mind, nor identified with enthusiasm or fanaticism. They are glorious realities. They have taken place in other lands, and at other times; and they may take place again in this land, at this time, or at any time.

Why should it appear to us a thing incredible, that God should revive his work in the midst of the years, and in wrath remember mercy? What is the history of the church of God, during all ages, but a history of her decays and revivals?

During the auspicious reign of Hezekiah and Josiah ; during the times of Ezra and Nehemiah, general revivals took place. Under the present economy, we have had numerous instances of revivals. What was the pentecos tal visitation-the reformation in the sixteenth century-the outpouring of the missionary spirit at home, and the conversion of Heathens abroad, but extensive revivals of religion? When we speak of a revival of religion, our language implies, that there is some standard, or period, or state of things, with which we compare the existing state of religion-on what period or state of things, shall we fix as a standard? Shall we take religion as it existed among our fathers, a century, or half a century ago? No; we must take religion as embodied in the lives and