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dec, but the pronoun "who" relates to "Christ" in the verse but one preceding. See likewise John, vi. 49, 50; 1 John, ii. 22; Acts, iv. 10, 11, vii. 18. "Till another king arose, which knew not Joseph. The same dealt subtilely with our kindred." The pronoun properly relates to Joseph, but we know the charge itself applies to the king, and so refer to the remoter instead of the nearer antecedent. But we have no more reason for so doing, than in the case before us. For here also we know that Jesus himself has declared, in words recorded by John too, that his Father is the only true God. We are sure then, that John does not mean to contradict his master, and interpret his words accordingly.

It must be remarked that in the immediately preceding words, the apostle had distinguished Jesus Christ from the true God, whom he came to make known to us, and whose Son he is called, and it is doing violence to his subsequent language to apply it to Jesus. "The Son of God hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, through his Son Jesus Christ." This is the true God, or he that is true, the true one. Can we think John means to say that Jesus is the true God, whom he, being his Son, came to reveal? Should we so interpret any other writer?

The clause was understood by the Fathers of the three first centuries, as referring to God, the Father, and not to Jesus Christ, his Son. It is to be regarded, probably, as an elliptical sentence, closing in a summary manner, the course of previous remark. His observations had chiefly related to the divine testimony and promises, and to Jesus Christ as the medium through whom the know28*

VOL. I.-NO. VI.

ledge of God is communicated, and by faith in whom the promises of God are appropriated to ourselves. His mind turning on these thoughts, he naturally concludes with this reflection.

"This is the true God of whom I have spoken to you, and this the eternal life which he has given to us in his Son. Serve him only, and keep your

selves from idols."

INTEMPERANCE.

THE following statement may help to convince the most sceptical that men may, under the most unfavorable circumstances, be redeemed from the slavery of appetite, and must furnish encouragement to those who are uniting their efforts for this object.

excess.

The Mines of the Rhode Island Canal Company have for some time been under the superintendence of Mr Samuel Clowes. When this gentleman assumed the direction of the works, the men were allowed a certain quantity of spirituous liquors. The prescribed indulgence was attended there, as it must be anywhere, with occasional This excess was found to be attended with its usual accompaniments, occasional sickness, quarrelsome dispositions, domestic cruelty, want of foresight and frugality, and the numberless ills of poverty. Among forty or fifty workmen, not less than four or five were generally on the sick-list, and incapacitated from labor. The wives and children of the workmen frequently applied to the Superintendent, to protect them from the brutality and vio lence to which they were subjected.

It was moreover sufficiently manifest that the stimulus which produced these effects was not more prejudicial

to the industry, than to the peace and good order of this little community. Under these circumstances Mr Clowes determined to abolish the use of ardent spirits altogether, and has completely succeeded. The remnant of the spirit cask which survived this experiment, was actually resold to the shopkeeper from whom it was bought. Since this period there has been rarely more than one or two persons on the sick-list, and generally none. No complaints have been made of the disturbance of family peace.

The children who were before covered with rags, are now decently clad. The families of the workmen have many of them provided themselves with pigs, fowls, &c. And what is perhaps a more striking circumstance than any of these mentioned, is this, that all the workmen, as well as their families, have manifested the strongest proofs of gratitude and respect to the Superintendent. Many of them have frequently declared that if he should leave the works, go where he might, they would go with him.

But how has this reform been effected? It would be difficult to give a full idea of this. First of all the Superintendent began by setting an example of abstinence not only from ardent spirits but even from wine. His reason for the disuse of wine was, that the men would regard that as a substitute in his case, while they had none.

In the next place one or two of the most intelligent and respectable of the men were persuaded without a suspicion on the part of the others, of the moving spring, to set them an example. Favors were shown to those who denied their appetites-but without any distinct declaration that they were intended as a reward for such denial. Care was taken to set forth the evils of intemperance by

circulating occasional accounts from newspapers, &c. of remarkable instances of crime or suffering produced by that cause. Various other modes of appeal to the understanding of these men were employed. The general idea which pervaded the whole plan of reform was, that the men should be induced to adopt it not as a matter imposed upon them, but of their own free choice operating through the example of their Superintendent, and of one or two others under his immediate influence.

Thus every step in the progress of reformation rewarded the labor with which it was made, and increased the willingness to go forward.

A reform of this kind could hardly be attempted under more discouraging circumstances. The irregularities of labor to which men employed in mining are exposedtheir unseasonable hours-and their exposure to changes from warm to cold, and from wet to dry-furnish an apology for the use of ardent spirits which few laborers have.

It would be needless to state a stronger case than this to show that fatigue, hardship, and exposure of various kinds, do not require the aid of ardent spirits.

Let the same good sense, and energy be employed by those who have the charge of our manufactories and workshops, and the same beneficent results will follow. It must not be forgotten that those who lead in the way of reform, must manifest their sense of its importance by their own example.

SPIRITUAL INFLUENCE.

[From Jay's Lectures.]

"WHATEVER the people of the world may think, the religion of Christ is a reasonable service! Nothing can be more distinguishable from groundless belief, from the enthusiasm of ignorant impulses, from a mere mass of unintelligible feeling. It commences in the renewing of the mind. It is carried on through the medium of thought. Nothing can be moral that does not arise from design, and is not influenced by motive. Spiritual agencies are not like the cures of a charm, of whose efficiency no account can be given. They are not like the forced motions of a machine insensible of its workings and results. Neither are they like the operations of the physical powers in the human body; these are carried on independently of the mind and will. The digestive action, the secretion of the fluids, the circulation of the blood, go on as well, if not better, when we are asleep, as when we are awake. This, it would appear, is too much the notion some entertain of the work of the spirit. But this is the perversion of the language of Scripture. According to the sacred writers, as to religious influences, we are not only the subjects, but the instruments. What is done in us, is done by us. God is the author of every thing good; our progress is from him; but he does not carry us along in the way everlasting, but enables us to walk. He works in us, but it is to will and to do. We are not only impressed, but employed. Faith and repentance are the gifts of God, yet we believe and repent, not God."

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