plicity and aptitude of illustration, plainness, copiousness and facility of expression, with affectionate earnestness and fervour in the delivery. By the distinct arrangement, the memory of the hearer was assisted, while the ease of expression rendered the subject intelligible even to the unlearned ; and the earnestness of manner arrested the attention and interested the feelings of all.

'The discretion which Mr. Breay exercised in the choice of his subjects, no less than in his manner of treating them, was remarkable; at a period in the history of the church, characterised by dissensions, even among the professed disciples of Christ, he avoided all points of doubtful disputation; and while he excluded subjects of controversy, as such, from his sermons, he most effectually combated error by preaching the truth in simplicity and godly sincerity, determining to know nothing among his people, save Jesus Christ and him crucified."

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Upon subjects connected with the Christian life, its conflicts, dangers, and enjoyments, he spoke with the wisdom and knowledge which were furnished by close observation, and with the feeling arising from deep experience. His appeals to the conscience were remarkably close and searching, and these he never failed to make in every discourse which he delivered. Many can testify that the truth preached by his lips came to them not in word only, but in power."

This brief notice might be extended, by referring to Mr. Breay's pastoral visits among the families of his flock, and the direction, countenance, and assistance which he gave in the establishment of family worship; by recollections of the cheerful, yet striking admonitions given incidentally to individuals; by records of his condescending kindness to the humblest,

and faithful rebukes to the more exalted; of his zeal for God, and love to man; but these will be suggested, more or less, by the memory of all who had the privilege of his acquaintance.

While, however, Mr. Breay was thus abundant in labours, he was deeply impressed with a sense of his own deficiencies; and, in his zeal for the glory of that Master whom he loved and served, was led rather to contemplate with humiliation what was left undone, than to congratulate himself upon that which was accomplished. As his whole dependence in all he attempted was upon divine assistance, which he sought for in earnest prayer, so the praise of all which was effected was rendered to the God of all grace in abundant thanksgivings.

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Mr. Breay's public ministrations were continued with unceasing devotedness till Sunday, November 25, the seventh anniversary of his undertaking the charge of his much-loved flock: on that occasion he preached two appropriate sermons; one in the morning, on the duty of ministers, from the text, Who is sufficient for these things;" and that in the evening, on the duty of the people, "Take heed how ye hear." Although he had been so ill during the preceding week, as to be unable to make his usual preparations, the peculiar solemnity of the services will not readily be forgotten: they were felt to be more than usually impressive, and the evening sermon appeared almost ominous to his hearers, that he would not be much longer spared to them. On the following day he appeared better, and said, you see I am always better for preaching;' but in the evening his illness returned with increased force, and on Tuesday morning his disorder was pronounced scarlet fever. Within ten days, on the morning of the 5th of December, he entered into

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SIR-In these our days, it seems especially desirable to remove any misunderstanding that may prevent an unity of object and exertion among the friends of religion and order, and thereby give the enemy an advantage over them. It appears to me that your correspondent Sylvester writes under a misapprehension of this kind, in your No. for January, when he supposes that what is called 'secular education,’ as distinguished from that which is based on religion, is objected to by religious and benevolent persons, as being evil in itself, and not as considered with respect to those who are to be the subjects of it. No one, I conceive, imagines that any kind of knowledge will make a man or woman worse, as a moral being, than they would be without it. But it may be so unsuited to the state of life in which the man

or

woman has been placed by Providence, as to be at least useless, and if much time has been employed in its acquirement, to the exclusion of what is requisite in that state of life, still more if it has led to the foundation of tastes that cannnot be gratified, it will be positively injurious both to the happiness and usefulness of the individual. It is upon this ground, I apprehend, that many of the best friends of the poor are doubtful of the advantage to them of a mere secular education, and follow in the stream with some fear and trembling. It is surely the plain common-sense plan to educate children for that station in life to which in all probability they are destined, and not for one to which a few of their number may possibly attain ; and while no benevolent person will desire to keep down those whose abilities may enable them to rise in the scale of society, neither will a wise philanthropist wish to encourage in the mass of

common minds that restless aspiring aim at something higher, which, without the check of religion, must both impair the happiness of the individual, and render society a scene of general struggle.

There is another consideration which weighs with practical people, who know by experience the difficulty of imparting that degree of knowledge which all allow to be necessary; and are therefore afraid, not that the poor will learn too much, but that by attempting what cannot be accomplished during the short period allotted for their education, they will lose the opportunity of acquiring what is really useful, for the sake of a mere smattering of science, falsely so called,' because slight and imperfect. To read well, requires much practice, and considering the many interruptions to which they are liable, it is often as much as the children of the lowest class can attain to, before the early age when they must go to work. A little writing and cyphering is all that the time will allow to be added, of mere secular instruction; not that something more, such as the elements of geography, or a general notion of history, would not be beneficial to them, but that they cannot acquire it within the allotted period. Shall we sacrifice the simple scriptural instruction now usually imparted, together with reading, for the sake of a few lists of names learnt by rote? for this would be, generally speaking, the amount of information gained.

I will not lengthen out my letter by entering upon the question whether secular education' tends to make men contented in their stations, attached to the institutions of their country, and subject to the higher powers, or the contrary. It is obvious, however, if we look to experience rather than

most

to theory, that the men 'given to change' among the leaders of the political world are not deficient in human learning and acquirement. On the contrary,

they are men" wise in their generation;" and it is from them especially that the present schemes for 'educating the people' proceed. The well-known quality of the tree may surely excuse some forebodings as to the salubrious nature of the fruit. But thus much at least is clear, that the good or evil effect of secular knowledge must depend upon many circumstances, on the situation of the individual, on his disposition, and above all, on his principles. If these are based on religion, the religion of the Bible, it may be hoped any increase of knowledge will be a blessing; if not, daily observation among those classes who are called the educated,' will abundantly prove the inefficacy of mere

human science or learning to render men happy, useful, or respectable. Let us not therefore surrender the only opportunity we have of imbuing the minds of the young with that knowledge which alone can make them wise unto salvation, by giving them into the hands of those whose views extend but to this world's business and profit. Let the religious friends of the poor unite in requiring that religion shall be practically acknowledged as the basis of national education, and the voice of truth will prevail. But if through our divisions we fail, let us not sanction a false principle by our adherence, but each in our own sphere endeavour to spread the knowledge, first of that which is 'needful,' then of that which is useful, and we shall at least have the comfort of knowing that what we are promoting is certain, immutable, eternal, good.

A. W.

As it is incumbent on every minister to be always, about his Master's business, so is he bound to urge upon others, whether saints or sinners, the great duty of devoting themselves entirely to the service of God. To the sinner he is to state explicitly the obligation to keep God's law; and inasmuch as he has broken that, to exercise repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; and then he is to show him by an appeal to reason, and scripture, and his own conscience, that he is utterly inexcusable for neglecting these duties a single moment. He is to inculcate upon the Christian the obligation of living not to himself, but to him who died for him and rose again; to show him that a slothful Christian is a solecism; and that it is only in proportion as he glorifies God in body and spirit,

that he has a right to reckon himself among the number of Christ's followers. Let the minister urge those whom he addresses to rise up to the highest pitch of effort, and to consecrate every faculty to the service of a redeeming God, and he will do nothing more than Saint Paul did; he will be only publishing that great law of discipleship which has been established by the Master himself.

But the doctrine of dependance -absolute dependance, must also be inculcated; and upon the church and the world alike. The sinner must be distinctly told that the new nature is the effect of an influence from on high; that there is no possibility of his being saved, except by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost;" and he must be urged, with a full conviction of his

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helplessness, to cast himself at once upon the mercy of God in Jesus Christ. The saint must be charged to prosecute his internal conflict, and to reach after the things that are before, not in his own strength but in the strength of Christ; and in all that he does for the salvation of his fellow-men, and the promotion of his Redeemer's cause, he must be taught not to expect success, except as the Holy Ghost co-operates with him to give effect to his labours. Does God say to thee, Stretch forth that withered hand?' But how shall I stretch it forth when it hangs paralyzed and motionless?' Make the effort; and in the act of doing so, thou shalt have strength from him who gave the command to enable thee to obey it.

There are those who attempt to divorce the doctrine of human activity and human dependance from each other; but in doing so, what wretched work do they make of our glorious gospel! The doctrine of activity apart from dependance leads to the grossest self

righteousness; the doctrine of dependance apart from activity, becomes downright fatalism. The minister who tells me that my salvation depends entirely upon my own efforts, and that it is at any moment within my own power, leaves me with a good apology for putting off the whole concern till the last week or the last hour of my probation; and more than that, when I do begin to exert myself, I shall inevitably do it with the spirit of self-confidence, and therefore shall do it to no purpose. The minister who tells me that my salvation depends on divine grace in such a sense as to preclude the necessity of my own efforts, puts me to sleep on a downy pillow, and feeds me in my slumbers with the fatalist's dream. God forbid, brethren, that you or I should be left thus to defeat the design of the gospel! the gospel! Let us urge obligation and urge dependance with all our powers; but as we value the great end of our ministry, let us take beed that we never urge the one at the expense of the other.

SPRAGUE.

THE experience of men, as well as the scriptures of God, convince us that the heart of man is "deceitful above all things;" from this cause therefore, very many of those who call themselves Christians are unable to see that they have hearts "desperately wicked" and too often, alas, walk" in a vain shadow;" deceiving themselves daily as to their real state before God. Now it cannot be said that all do so willingly and designedly, for though many say, "tush, God careth not for it," and so harden themselves in a sinful unbelief; yet there are others, who through thoughtlessness, carelessness, indo

lence, or some such thing, suffer themselves to think of themselves "above that which they ought to think;" or be spoiled unwittingly of the choicest fruits of holiness. How many a child of Satan is deluding himself into the hope that he is a child of God! how many, like Simon Magus, are in the gall of bitterness, when they believe that their lot is among the righteous. On the other hand, some who are rooted in Christ, are frequently found to have no "confidence towards God," and others whose zeal for God is "known and read of all men," are, from want of calmly examining their ways, also