Behold Augustus Cæsar wielding imperial power amid the forms of a dead republic. The safest place of despotism is the vacant temple of freedom-a woeful desecration, like the temple of God turned into the mart of the money changers.

Finally, I call upon all, in view of our alarming condition, to prostrate themselves before the mighty Ruler of the Universe. Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God. Be afflicted and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Let your prayer be, "Spare, oh Lord, spare thy people, and give not thy heritage to reproach.” Forget not that the sins of the nation are the sins of the individuals who compose it. Let each one, then repent of his personal sins. Let each one enquire how far he has, by his example, contributed to swell the guilt of the land, and excite the wrath of the Almighty.

We read that when Nineveh was threatened by the prophet Jonah, the king proclaimed a fast. "And he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes." And the whole city was clad in the habiliments of sorrow. Yea, the very cattle were deprived of their usual sustenance, that by their mournful lowing, they might increase the solemnity of the occasion. And, in consequence of this public and universal humiliation, the Lord spared the city. If, on this day, set apart as a season of national fasting and prayer, our honored Chief Magistrate, with his distinguished associates in the government, has cast aside the pomp and ceremonials of office, and has prostrated himself in humility before his God, and if a loud and fervent cry for mercy has ascended from a million of penitent hearts in all parts of this bleeding country, may we not humbly trust that our prayers will be heard; that our sins as

a nation shall be blotted out, that the judgments of heaven will be arrested, and that rich and abundant blessings such as God alone can bestow, will visit all our borders? Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us.'”

THE GLORY OF THE CHURCH.

Preached at Bethel Church (near Oakland College), on taking the pastoral charge of said church, April 23, 1843.

"the

"The King's daughter is all glorious within."Psalm 45:13. This language is figurative. By King's daughter" is meant the Church. And by the Church is meant-the body of all true believers of every name and country, however separated by national or ecclesiastical barriers. What, are we informed, constitutes the glory of the Church? Something which is internal. "The King's daughter is all glorious within." Now, if the glory of the universal Church be internal, the glory of every particular branch of the Church must. be internal likewise. Because, whatever is true of the whole, must be true of all the several parts. Consequently the glory of every individual Christian, as well as of every particular denomination, is internal glorythe glory of the inner man-a glory arising not from external splendor, but from internal tempers and graces. "The King's daughter is all glorious within." "The kingdom of heaven is not meat and drink, but rightousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."

Taking the text as our infallible guide, let us proceed to enquire in what consists the true glory of a particular local church or denomination of Christians.

In what does it not consist?

1. It does not necessarily consist in wealth. The possession of ample pecuniary means is not essential to the health or vigor of a particular denomination. The

moral power of a Church is often impaired instead of being increased by the influence of great temporal resources. There are two forms in which a Church may possess wealth. It may consist either in the wealth of its individual members, or in the possession of vested funds. If in the former, these results will most generally follow-a sufficiency of pecuniary means to sustain the Church is obtained without a struggle; consequently there exists no powerful cause to beget a deep sense of dependence on God. The pecuniary burdens of the Church, are, in that case, usually borne by a few. These few, because of their wealth or importance, are strongly tempted to arrogate to themselves dangerous prerogatives, to frown upon their poor brethren, and even to interfere with the pastor in the faithful discharge of his duties. Or, does the wealth of a Church consist in vested funds? Consequences still more injurious are liable to ensue. These funds give rise to a

spirit of contention. Various and contradictory are the plans proposed for their disbursement; and hypocritical and designing men often insinuate themselves into the pale of the Church, and pervert these funds from their original purposes. Facts to substantiate these remarks might be easily adduced.

But let a denomination be comparatively poor; let it experience difficulty as it respects its pecuniary concerns, and this very difficulty will prove a benefit. It will beget a sense of dependence of God. It will tend to awake up the energies of the whole Church; to bring into requisition the services of every member, and cause every individual to feel that he is called upon to bear his part of the common burden. And just in proportion to the difficulties to be encountered, and in proportion to the degree in which these difficulties are met and borne by the entire mass of the Church, will the interest

which will be awakened, and the energy and vigor which will pervade the entire denomination. For nothing tends more powerfully to cement societies or empires together, than a sense of common weakness, or an apprehension of common danger. And nothing is more calculated to beget a deep interest in any object or possession, than the labor and care which have been bestowed upon it. Comparative poverty, pecuniary difficulties, personal self-denial, often aid materially in building up a Church.

2. The glory of a Church does not consist in members. How often has a feeling of despondency insensibly pervaded a denomination and paralyzed its energies, merely from the fewness of its adherents; from a small membership-a thin audience. And, on the other hand, how frequently have very unholy feelings and sentiments been begotten, from the fact that the Church is large, its members numerous, and its stated services attract crowds of hearers. There is something exceedingly flattering to human, pride, in the face of numbers. The consciousness that our cause is popular-that we are · enrolled with the majority-that there is a large multitude who are acting in concert with us-is calculated to beget a train of feelings by no means in accordance with the humility of the Gospel. Under such circumstances, the Church is in danger of being caressed merely because it is fashionable. There is great danger, also, that excitement will be mistaken for religion, that persons may be admitted upon very slight inquiry into their qualifications, and that hypocrites and designing persons may enroll themselves among the dominant party, solely from selfish and sinister purposes; until, ere long, the Church, trusting wholly to her own strength, loses sight of her great heavenly reliance. But, on the contrary, what more clearly indicates the sincerity and ster