his providence, See chap. xi. 7, 8, 12, 14, 15, 16. Upon this principle he intimates, chap. x. 29, that Job's afflictions were the portion of a wicked man, and the heritage that God had appointed him. his pain, the anguish of his spirit, and the unkindness of his friends, Jobuttered some unwary speeches; for which ELIHU reproved him gravely and sharply; of which Job repented sorrowfully and heartily; and all which the most gracious Jehovah passed by and pardoned freely, not imputing sin to him. The Lord said to Eliphaz, "My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends; for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath; ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job." JOB extricates himself from all these difficulties, and answers all their unkind speeches, by adhering closely to the following sentiments. The providence of God dispenses outward prosperity and affliction indifferently to good and bad men; therefore no infallible judgment can be formed of any man's spiritual state, by his temporal circumstances. See chap. ix, 22, 23. In this strong hold and royal fortress, Job secures himself himself from all the at-wards his people are essential to tacks of his opponents, and confutes all their arguments, resolving to maintain this position as long as he lived, let his censorious friends say what they would against him, or the most wise and holy God do what he pleased The inference from the whole is, that correct views of the afflictive providences of God to promote our own comfort, and that of our afflicted friends; and also to show forth the praise, and enjoy the approbation of God. Establishment. IOTA. (From Duncan's Travels.) THE Baptists had 2,927 churches in 1817. (Warden.) chiefly in the Southern and Western states. with him. That he was a sinner, Religion in America, without an he readily grants; that he was a hypocrite be flatly denies that the Lord was righteous in all his dealings with him he cheerfully acknowledges; that himself was unrighteous, because he was thus afflicted, he will not admit. How perfeet soever he was, he grants that he needed the free grace of God to justify him; but he asserts strongly, that he could justify himself against all the charges of men. The speeches of Job are made up of acknowledgments of his sinfulness, and denials of insincerity; humbling himself before God, and acquitting himself before men, imploring mercy from the Lord, and complaining of the unkindness of his brethren. It cannot be denied, that in consequence of the extremity of The Methodists 2,000 congregations. In the same districts. The Congregationalists 1,200 churches. Their strength lies in New England. ThePresbyterians 900 churches. Almost confined to New York and Pensylvania. The Associate 50 churches.The Associate Reformed 100 churches. Answering to the ScotchAntiburghers and Burghers. The Dutch Lutherans 200.congregations. Chiefly in New York and New Jersey. Copy of an original Letter from the late Rev. Benjamin Francis, to the Rev. S. Davis of Clonmel, when a Youth of the Age of Twelve Years. My dear young Nephew, I take it kind that you have The Quakers about 190 con-written to me, and am glad you gregations. And there is a small number of Cameronians, Mennonists, Universalists, Moravians, Tunkers, &c. write and spell so well. Be sure, to learn the English Grammar, and always endeavour to speak and to write grammatically. Early and constant practice will render speaking, writing, and spelling correctly, easy and familiar to you, which will be very ornamental and commendable. Be determined to be a good English scholar. Read much; think You know not as yet of "Putting all these together, we shall find that there are above 8,000 churches or societies for public worship, among a population of ten millions, which is quite as large a proportion as in Scotland, where the number of more. churches and Dissenting chapels what great future advantage is about 1,400 or 1,500 for a po-learning may be to you. But pulation of two millions. And learning without virtue will only when we recollect the disadvan- do you harm; above all things, tageous situation of these ten therefore, seek the grace of God, millions of Americans, who are and the kingdom of heaven. Let dispersed over a surface six times your prayer be," Create in me a as large as Britain and Ireland, clean heart, O God." Set the we must admit that the spontaLord always before you. Watch neous zeal of the people is more over your thoughts, words, and than an adequate substitute for actions. Abominate hypocrisy, the artificial stimulus of establish- and every secret sin. Cultivate a ments. The salaries of clergy-humble, meek, placid, even, conmen in the larger congregations tented, loving, and benevolent are from 2,000 to 4,000 dollars, disposition of mind, which is (£450 to £900). They are com- both amiable and beneficial. Be monly supported by the proceeds always very obedient to your paof pew-rents and voluntary con- rents. Hate all evil, love all moral tributions, but they derive also good, and Oh! rest not without considerable emoluments from Christ in you the hope of glory. marriages, a sum of from five to twenty dollars being usualy pre-eminently pious ancestors; you sented to them on such happy occasions. Pews are generally private property, and sell surprisingly high. In country places the ministers' salary is often very low, and is sometimes raised by Penny-a-week Associations." You are the descendant of are the child of many prayers; Oh be much in secret prayer! I shall rejoice to see you a good, a happy, and a useful member both of civil and religious society. Oh my dear S-, be a son of consolation to your affectionate pHrents, an honour to your relations, and an ornament to the Christian inquiry, some have contended that prayer is the duty of all men indiscriminately; and therefore I could but conclude that it was my duty, as a master, to enjoin it upon all I have to do with, though ever so prophane, as the greatness of a man's sins could not excuse him from performing his duty. But others have boldly asserted, that it is incorrect for a To the Editor of the Baptist master, or even father, to call his DEAR SIR, Magazine. unconverted household to personal prayer, for (it has been said,) it is not the duty of all men to pray, but the distinguishing privilege of believers only. This they endeavour to establish; 1. from God's not enjoining any thing upon man of which himself does not approve, when performed; and, (say they,) God cannot approve of the prayers of wicked I beg leave, through the medium of your very useful miscellany, to inquire of some of your well informed correspondents, whether it is the duty of a master (professing religion) to enforce the duty of prayer on his ungodly servants: either those who are so (ungodly) manifestly, from habits of profanity, or those who culti-men, which is the scriptural chavate more moral habits. This inquiry, Sir, is not made in order to feed the unholy fire of speculative religion, (if it may be called religion,) but as a case of conscience. It has long dwelt on my mind as a difficulty, from which I desire to be extricated. How I came to adopt this method of obtaining the desired information was, from reading a piece on prayer, in your Magazine for May, signed GREEN.* This piece, as no doubt you will recollect, though in matter very good, yet was indiscriminate in respect to whom it was addressed. Perhaps Mr. Green will resume the subject, for we are commanded to seek the law at the priest's lips, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. Mal. ii. 7. When I have made the above Since reprinted in "Eighteen Essays on Prayer and Preaching," by the Rev. S. Green. Svo. Js; a very excellent work, which we shall soon erview. racter of all unregenerate persons without exception, moral or immoral; and the reason is, because they have not faith, without which it is impossible to please God; yea, whatsoever is not of faith is sin. Cain, they say, offered up his sacrifice, but it was not accepted, because it was without faith in the promised seed of the woman; and that Solomon says, "the sacrifices of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord:" yea, the ploughing of the wicked is sin. And if any attempt to explain who is meant by the wicked, they say, though there may be, and doubtless are, degrees in wickedness, still if the scriptures be sure the term wicked belongs to all unregenerate persons-yes, Sir, all this, and much more, they bring from the Bible to prove that it is not the duty of a converted master or parent to enjoin the performance of prayer on his ungodly servants; for to do that would be to exhort them to sin, and make them hypocrites. I have need, Sir, to apologize for intruding so much on your time, but would you, or some one of your friendly correspondents, But others have undertaken to release themselves from the opprobrium of imposing the spi-give me some information on this ritual duty of prayer on a natural man, by contending that prayer, as a natural duty, may and ought to be enjoined on men, as creatures praying to their Creator, asking for temporal things, and giving thanks for the same; which they are to do without faith in a Mediator, because they have no faith. subject, it will be a means, I have no doubt, of liberating many, who with myself being undetermined on the important point, are equally perplexed in their practice. A conscientious Reader. Pd, Dec. 16, 1823. Miscellanea. ORIGIN OF ENGLISH NEWSPAPERS. IN Miss Lucy Aikin's Memoirs of the Court of Queen Elizabeth, vol. ii. p. 234, speaking of the Spanish Armada, in 1588, she says, "The intense interest in public events excited in every class by the threatened invasion of Spain, gave rise to the introduction of one of the most important inventions of social life; that of newspapers. Previously to this period, all articles of intelligence had been circulated in manuscript; and all political remarks, which the government had found itself interested in addressing to the people, had issued from the press in the shape of pamphlets; of which many had been composed during the administration of Burleigh, either by himself, or immediately under his direction. But the peculiar convenience at such a juncture, of uniting these two objects in a periodical publication, having suggested itself to the ministry, there appeared, some time in the month of April, 1588, the first number of The English Mercury; a paper resembling the present London Gazette; since No. 50, the earliest specimen of the work VOL. XVI. now extant, is dated July 23, of the same year. This interesting relic is preserved in the British Museum." We have no doubt but this paper was published three times a week, as was the practice with the London Gazette down to a comparatively recent period. It is very surprising what an interest is now excited and kept up by means of the newspapers. Instead of one paper three times a week, we have now every day 15 different papers, whose united circulation amounts to 35,000 daily, besides 8 every other day. In addition to these, there are 28 weekly papers, &c. (beside Literary) circnlating annually 24,779,786. Of these, 18 are Sunday papers, which circulate 16,254,534, profaning the Lord'sday, and dissipating to a considerable extent, the minds of thousands. The amount of revenue from newspapers cannot be less than £412,996. We wish we could add that these were all employed in spreading moral and evangelical truth; it speaks well for the state of society in England, that, with a very few exceptions, they do not advocate the principles of infidelity, though some of them are very severe against pro H secutions for blasphemy. We apprehend, however, that these have tended greatly to check that grow ing evil which threatened to sap the foundations of social order. Our opinion rests on the well ascertained fact, that most of the publishers of those pamphlets in London, are becoming insolvent. We hope the time is fast approaching, when these vehicles of information will be employed in fulfilling the delightful prediction, "Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." GRACE ABOUNDING. "A pious and worthy episcopalian clergyman, who now fills the office of bishop for two dioceses in this country, (America) was, in early | life, a youth of dissipated and immoral character. Having an estate, and living in luxury and idleness, he gave way to a levity of disposition which prompted him to ridicule sacred things. Dining one evening with a party of gentlemen, they sat late drinking wine and smoking segars, and, with a view of promoting merriment, he sent for one of his slaves, who was a pious preacher among the Methodists, and ordered him to preach a sermon for the company. The good man hesitated to obey; but after a time of silence on his part, he began to address them. But, instead of the mirth which they anticipated, from the ignorance and simplicity of the poor man, the zeal and fervour of his discourse produced a contrary effect. Instead of raising the loud and vacant laugh, instead of prompting their impious revelry, the solemnity of the truths which he delivered, sank deeply into the hearts of some of the company, and, through the divine blessing, carried conviction to the mind of his master, who, from that time, became of a serious character, took upon him the clerical office from an apprehension of duty, and continues au ornament to his profession." Alarming Apprehensions of a Jewish Rabbi. WHEN Rabbi Johannan Ben Zachai was sick, his disciples came to visit him, and when he saw them, he began to weep. They said to him, "Rabbi, the light of Israel, the right-hand pillar, the strong hammer, wherefore dost thou weep?" He answered them, “If they were carrying me before a king of flesh and blood, who is here today, and to-morrow in the grave; who, if he were angry with me, his anger would not last for ever; if he put me in bondage, his bondage would not be everlasting; and if he condemned me to death, that death would not be eternal; whom I could sooth with words, and bribe with riches; yet even in these circumstances I should weep. But now I am going before the King of kings, the only blessed God, who liveth and endureth for ever and ever; who, if he is angry with me, his anger will last for ever; if he puts me in bondage, his bondage will be everlasting; if he condemns me to death, that death will be eternal; whom I cannot sooth with words, or bribe with riches; when further, there are before me two ways, the one to hell, the other to paradise, and I know not to which they are carrying me; should I not weep?" (Talmud, Berachoth, fol. ii. coll. 82.) Who does not long to point such a mourning Israelite to that Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world?" The Sentence of Death, passed, by Justice Park, on Thurtell. TRULY," the way of transgressors is hard:" for "destruction and misery are in their paths;" and, if their progress be not mercifully arrested, what will they do in the end thereof? Let the following passage, extracted from the public prints, be read considerately, and, though it contain but the sentence of an earthly Judge, yet it will be found to involve a righteous and an awful illustration of divine threatenings. "Mr. Justice Park having put on the black coif, addressed the prisoners as follows: |