truth in all its forms, and uses its utmost efforts to render it odious and despicable, that the mind may keep itself in utter estrangement from it. Sobriety and seriousness are laughed to scorn on every page it issues from the press. The very terms are hateful to it, as a representation of habits which frown upon its principles and reprove its practices. So far as infidelity extends, therefore, Revelation will be regarded with aversion and disgust. The heart will recoil from it as a system of falsehood, a usurper of its rights, and an enemy to its enjoyments.

A similar influence is exerted by works of the second class. Filling the imagination with images of impurity, inflaming lust, and cherishing a spirit of licentiousness, they render truth odious to the soul, and it turns from it with loathing and abhorrence. "What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness, or what communion hath light with darkness?"

Does a better spirit emanate from the pen of fiction? Does the novel, the romance, the tragedy, the comedy, cherish a disposition favorable to that truth which enlightens, purifies, and quickens the soul? On the contrary do we not find that they who habituate themselves to reading works of this character, rarely seek after those of a higher class ?-that books which inform and strengthen the mind, and more especially those which quicken the conscience and purify the heart, are regarded with prejudice, or aversion?

Such works are designed for instruction and improvement, and cannot therefore minister to the appetite and taste of those who are looking for mere amusement. The Bible and kindred works present to the lovers of fiction no startling novelties, no spirit stirring incidents, no brilliant wit, no flowing humor, to give fascination to their pages, and lead the mind captive at will. They may be resorted to by them for something to ease a troubled conscience, or fortify the mind against the influence of truth, but not from any feeling of interest, or desire of improvement. They are equally revolting to minds trained and disciplined in the school of fancy, because of the fixedness of thought and closeness of attention necessary to make them tributary to their improvement. They love to move with rail road speed, and gather their harvest of enjoyment without an effort.

Is it not so, my young friends? I appeal to your own experience, to know whether the pages of a novel give a relish for the Scriptures? Whether as your interest grows in works of fiction you do not feel an increasing prejudice against all serious reading?

3. They are unfavorable to the interests of morality. To attempt to argue this with respect to the writings of infidelity would be worse than a waste of time; for it would seem to admit that there was

some shadow of ground for the claim they arrogantly press, that they are the friends of morality. Friends of morality! Their influence upon morality is like that of Samson upon the harvests of the Philistines when he sent forth his foxes with their fire brands.

A mere glance of thought must satisfy every mind that the effect of works of licentiousness is the same. While the former aim to corrupt the streams by poisoning the fountain, the latter exert their influence immediately upon the streams.

The tendency of works of fiction to produce such results is not so easily perceived, nor so readily admitted. Their authors and advocates challenge public patronage as the friends of morality and the enemies of vice; and would have themselves constituted the chief nurses and guardians of the youthful mind. And yet the name of God is rarely introduced upon their pages, unless to frame an oath, or fill an exclamation; the Scriptures are brought forward only to point a witticism; public sentiment is recognized as the test of propriety of conduct; passion is constituted the moving power of the soul; and the approbation of conscience or the applause of the world the ultimate ends to be attained. Look at the heroes or heroines of fancy, over whom you bend with admiration and rapture; and when stripped of the attractions thrown around them by their name, their rank, their circumstances, their destiny, what are they but creatures of selfishness, slaves of passion, votaries of pleasure, proud, imperious, vain, and resentful, idolizing the world in some or other of its forms, and anxious to advance their interests, and gain a reputation among men, but thoughtless of God, and of Jesus Christ, and reckless of eternity? If they have a fair character, are alive with sensibility, exhibit patience in suffering and liberality in action, it is to gratify themselves, and secure the esteem of the world. Are these the qualities which fit men to be uniformly trusted in the various departments and relations of life? Will selfishness, the code of honor, or worldly applause, form the consistent, stable character, who will adorn the domestic and social circle, and be the upright citizen and the devoted patriot ?

True morality has its spring in God, recognizes his word as the standard of conduct, and seeks to recommend itself to the Divine approbation. Let these things combine, and they form a character to act with integrity in every department. Nothing less than this, nothing that is of mere earthly origin, can form such a character. Nothing less than this can triumph over the depravity of the heart, and elevate the soul above the reach of worldly corruption. Without this, our morality is mere counterfeit coin, imposing perhaps in the eye of the world, but in the view of God, reprobate.

Nor does it improve the moral influence of these works, that vice

is exhibited as tending to poverty, disgrace, and ruin; and virtue as leading to honor and reward. The mind soon discovers that this picture of fancy is often the reverse of fact, and becomes insensible to its power. But did it exhibit truth, it would fail to accomplish its intended purpose. Mere temporal sanctions, (and they give them no other character,) however great, struggle in vain against the dominion of sin. Hell must move itself, with its eternal horrors, and heaven unbosom its everlasting joys, ere vice becomes loathsome, and virtue triumphs in the soul. A stranger to these motives, the pen of fiction wields no power sufficient to control the selfish spirit, and dispose it to act with uniform integrity.

If any youth, who hears me, would stand before the world, "an honest man, the noblest work of God," he must draw on higher and purer sources than works of fiction, and graduate in a better school of morals than that to which the novelist or the tragedian invites him.

4. Such writings war against the spiritual interests of the soul. Infidelity and libertinism hate religion with a perfect hatred, and infuse their venom into every page they write. The inscription on their banner is, War, eternal war against the Christian's God; and the soul that imbibes their sentiments, receives the baptism of hell.

A somewhat better spirit lives in the pages of fiction, and an opposite purpose is avowed by their authors. But do they really labor in a better cause? Their influence, however slow and imperceptible in its operation, has still the same tendency, and is more to be feared and deprecated, because unsuspected and more widely diffused. Multitudes who turn away with loathing and abhorrence from the former, read the latter with avidity and delight.

Their general popularity furnishes the strongest presumptive evidence of their unfavorableness to the religious interests of mankind. This world must undergo an entire change, ere works which advocate the rights of God, and the immortal interests of man, find so general a welcome.

But examine the works themselves. Is there any thing on the pages of the novel, or the play, to inspire a reverence for God, or remind you of his providential rule? Does any among their varied personages appear, to admonish you of the native corruption of your heart, of the evil of sin, of the terrors of the Lord? Does any

finger point to Him "who died, the just for the unjust ?" Does any voice cry, "flee from the wrath to come?" Were these the strains they uttered, instead of being resorted to for amusement, they would be thrown aside in disgust.

But no! with the novelist and his associates, man is a creature of infirmity, rather than of sinfulness; his vices are offences to be

overlooked, instead of crimes to be punished. In their view, God reigns, (if he reigns at all,) to exercise mercy, not to execute judgment; future rewards are the earnings of merit, not the bestowment of grace; and punishments are warded off by reformation, not by atoning blood.

Where such sentiments are instilled into the mind continually, what is to be expected but that conscience should be at ease, and the soul repose in proud security on its own merits? The gospel comes with its denunciations and warnings, to bring to penitence and make a Saviour welcome; but they are resisted with the plea of frailty, or on the ground of merit. What can they fear, whose offences are without guilt, and whose virtues commend to approbation! Why should they sorrow in penitence, who are full of worth, or trust in a Saviour, when they feel able to justify themselves?

Such is the pernicious influence emanating from these sources. Through it the soul is entrenched in error, conscience is hushed by false pleas, a spirit of self-vindication and self-righteousness is cherished, the provisions of grace are rejected as superfluous, and Jesus Christ is superseded by the religion of nature. Men live in impenitence, in unbelief, in prayerlessness, in the love of the world, in sin, in sensuality; and yet are confident in the hope of heaven.

Where such is the training of the mind, no wonder God appeals, and the Spirit strives, and Jesus Christ entreats, and the gospel invites, without effect. Every avenue to the conscience and heart is closed up, and how shall grace find entrance? To what extent this influence operates in neutralizing the efficacy of public ordinances among ourselves, can be known only to him who is acquainted with all our ways. No doubt its power is felt to an extent that is little imagined. It not only repels truth from the soul, but it is a direct hindrance to the pursuit of salvation. It combines with other influences to impress upon the soul the fatal lesson, that it is "rich, and increased in goods, and has need of nothing." And while it continues, and is attended with such results, that which should be a garden of the Lord, will remain a barren waste.

Such, then, are the prominent evils consequent upon the reading of improper books. Evils which affect, immediately or indirectly, the salvation of the soul. It was in this light chiefly that I wished to consider the practice. In this view it comes within the province of the pulpit.

Is it not amply demonstrated that the books adverted to, breathe an atmosphere destructive to the soul? Do they not steal away those precious hours which bear salvation on their wings, and cause the soul to cease from the instruction which is good, and corrupt its morals, and war against its spiritual and eternal interests? And shall

we withhold the admonition, "Enter not into their path, go not in the way of them, avoid them, pass not by them, turn from them, and pass away?" Evil books, like evil companions, possess the magic power of assimilating to themselves all who are familiarly conversant with them. So that with respect to them, as well as the other, it may be said, “tell me what company you keep, and I will tell you what you are."

How cautious then ought you to be in the selection of books, both for yourselves and others; and how scrupulously to avoid the reading of such as have been here adverted to. Look at the native character of man, "conceived in sin, and brought forth in iniquity," "prone to evil as the sparks to fly upward." How difficult is it to effect in him any moral renovation! Variety of means adapted to this purpose by infinite wisdom and unbounded grace are in continued operation; but with all their power how little do they accomplish! Will you increase the difficulty, by cherishing influences of an opposite tendency, which will blind the mind, sear the conscience, harden the heart, and render change still more difficult? If you in this manner resist the efforts of grace, and waste the season of merciful visitation, what can you anticipate but to be given up of God to hardness of heart and to blindness of mind?

You, my young friends, are particularly exposed to danger from these sources. While a natural curiosity and propensity to skepticism interests you in the first class of works, and the workings of passion give you a relish for the second, fashion and the love of amusement incline you to the third. And never was the danger greater than at the present day. Infidelity, licentiousness and fancy are all in motion. The press teems with books of every character, and particularly of the latter class; and every art, is employed to give them circulation. The typographer, the engraver, and binder, concentrate their powers to render them attractive. Their prices are reduced to a trifle, and the temptation to possess, and of course to read, becomes almost irresistible.

Give heed, then, beloved youth, to this voice of warning. You would not expose your bodies to the pestilence or the hurricane; and will you suffer a moral tempest to sweep over the soul? Rather turn away from that which will corrupt and destroy, and diligently improve the means with which you are favored, and you may fortify yourselves against present evil, and reap the harvest of eternal good. While "Wisdom, cries, and understanding puts forth her voice, why will ye spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which satisfieth not? Eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness." Every end to be gained from such works, can be gained in a far higher degree, and