and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another." Now, from these statements, we conceive ourselves warranted to infer, that the means of attaining, in some way, to the knowledge of the great truths of natural religion, have certainly been placed within reach of the heathen world. In what way, however, we do not pretend to determine. For aught that we can prove to the contrary, it may be, to some extent at least, by the exercise of unassisted reason, or through the instru mentality of ancient traditions, or even by means of some communicated fragments of revealed truth. But whether it be by these, or by any other means, is not a question which we take upon ourselves to decide. For it is, we think, a matter of little consequence what the means are, or how they operate, or in what way they become accessible to the great majority of mankind, provided only they are capable of bringing them to a right understanding of their own position as religious and accountable beings. And such, we conceive, is the point which may, on scriptural grounds, be maintained in regard to the heathen world in general. At the same time, it does not necessarily follow, that the means to which they have access, are, in all cases, productive of their legitimate results; or, in other words, that they so operate on their consciences, as to lead them invariably to the choice of that which is good, and the renunciation of that which is evil. It is, on the contrary, an undeniable fact, that there are multitudes amongst them, who are not only living in direct opposition to the law of nature, but who are even involved in the grossest ignorance respecting the first principles of religion. Such a fact, however, is not to be accounted for by supposing that the means of attaining both to clearer views and to holier conduct have been placed absolutely beyond their reach. It is rather the result of their own carelessness and depravity, in running counter to the dictates of their own consciences, and recklessly neglecting the very means which, as reasonable beings, they were bound to have improved to the utmost of their power. And therefore, we conclude, that they are chargeable with guilt, and obnoxious to condemnation, just as truly, though not certainly to the same extent, as the men who, though encompassed with all the privileges of a Christian land, are nevertheless walking on in darkness and in vice, going astray after vanity and lies, and altogether alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them. In illustration of these remarks, we make the following extract from the Memoirs of the Rev. David Brainerd, relative to the religious opinions of the Indian tribes amongst whom he laboured: "I have taken much pains," he says, "to inquire of my Christian people, whether, before their acquaintance with Christianity, they imagined there was a plurality of great invisible powers, or whether they supposed but one such being, and worshipped him in a variety of forms and shapes; but I cannot learn anything of them so as to be fully satisfied upon the point. Their notions in that state were so prodigiously dark and confused, that they seemed not to know what they thought themselves! But so far as I can learn, they had a notion of a plurality of invisible deities, and paid some kind of homage to them promiscuously, under a great variety of forms and shapes. It is certain that those who yet remain pagans pay some kind of superstitious reverence to beasts, birds, fishes, and even | reptiles; that is, some to one kind of animal, and some to another. They do not indeed suppose a divine power essential to, or inhering in, these creatures, but that some invisible beings, not distinguished from each other by certain names, but only notionally, communicate to these animals a great power, either one or other of them, just as it happens, or perhaps sometimes all of them, and so make these creatures the immediate authors of good to certain persons. Hence such an animal becomes sacred to the persons to whom he is supposed to be the immediate author of good, and through him they must worship the invisible powers, though, to others, he is no more than another creature. Another animal, perhaps, is looked upon to be the immediate author of good to another person, and, consequently, he must worship the invisible powers in that animal. ties. "After the strictest inquiry respecting their notions of the Deity, I find that in ancient times, before the coming of the white people, some supposed that there were four invisible powers, who presided over the four corners of the earth. Others imagined the sun to be the only deity, and that all things were made by him; others, at the same time, having a confused notion of a certain body or fountain of deity, somewhat like the anima mundi, so frequently mentioned by the more learned ancient heathens, diffusing itself to various animals, and even to inanimate things, making them the immediate authors of good to certain persons, as was before observed, with respect to various supposed deiBut after the coming of the white people, they seemed to suppose there were three deities, and three only, because they saw people of three different kinds of complexion, viz., English, negroes, and themselves. them, that it was not the same God made them who "It is a notion pretty generally prevailing among made us, but that they were made after the white people; which further shews, that they imagine a plurality of divine powers. And I fancy they suppose their god gained some special skill by seeing the white people made, and so made them better; for it is certain they look upon themselves, and their methods of living, which they say their god expressly prescribed for them, as greatly preferable to the white people, and their methods. Hence they will frequently sit and laugh at them, as being good for nothing else but to fatigue themselves with hard labour, while they enjoy the satisfaction of stretching themselves on the ground, and sleeping as much as they please; and have no other trouble but now and then to chase the deer, which is often attended with pleasure rather than pain. Hence, also, many of them look upon it as disgraceful for them to become Christians, as it would be esteemed among Christians for any to become pagans. But though they suppose our religion will do well enough for us, because prescribed by our God, yet it is noways proper for them, because they are not of the same make and original. they did not incline to hearken to Christianity. This they have sometimes offered as a reason why They seem to have some confused notion about a future state of existence, and many of them imagine that the shadow, or what survives the body, will at death go southward, and in an unknown but curious place, will enjoy some kind of happiness, such as hunting, feasting, dancing, and the like. And what they suppose will contribute much to their happiness in that state is, that they shall never be weary of those entertainments. It seems by this notion of their going southward to obtain happiness, as if they had their course into these parts of the world from some very cold climate, and found, the further they went southward the more comfortable they were; and thence concluded that perfect felicity was to be found further towards the same point. They appear to entertain some faint and glimmering notion about rewards and punishments, or at least happiness and misery in a future state, that is, some that I have conversed with, though others seem to We make no attempt to trace out the path by which these heathen tribes were guided to the religious notions which they entertained. The fact, however, is unquestionable, that in one way or other they were made acquainted with the leading principles of natural religion. They knew enough, for example, of a God, of a future state, of the distinction between right and wrong, of the separation of the righteous from the wicked, and of a good world beyond the grave, as needed only to be faithfully observed, to become, as it were, a law unto themselves," bringing them under the weight of solemn obligations, and inferring their responsibility at the bar of God. 66 But accountable as we must admit them to be for all that they knew, or were capable of knowing, we are far indeed from affirming that their responsibility was felt by themselves in such a way as was suited to their circumstances, or conducive to the best interests of their souls. The reverse of this was the case, if not uni Those who lie, steal, quarrel with their neigh-versally, at least with the great majority of them. In bours, are unkind to their friends, and especially to aged parents, and, in a word, such as are a plague to mankind.' These were his bad folks,' but not a word was said about their neglect of divine worship, and their badness in that respect. "They have indeed some kind of religious worship, are frequently offering sacrifices to some supposed invisible powers, and are very ready to impute their calamities, in the present world, to the neglect of these sacrifices, but there is no appearance of reverence or devotion in the homage they pay them; and what they do of this nature, seems to be done only to appease the supposed anger of their deities, to engage them to be placable to themselves, and do them no hurt, or, at most, only to invite these powers to succeed them in those enterprises they are engaged in, respecting the present life. In offering these sacrifices they seem to have no reference to a future state, but only to present comfort; and this is the account my interpreter always gives me of this matter. They sacrifice,' says he, that they may have success in hunting and other affairs, and that sickness and other calamities may not befal them, which they fear in the present world, in case of neglect; but they do not suppose God will ever punish them in the coming world, for neglecting to sacrifice.' Indeed they seem to imagine that those whom they call bad folks' are excluded from the company of good people in that state, not so much because God remembers and is determined to punish them for sin of any kind, either immediately against himself or their neighbour, as because they would be a plague' to society, and would render others unhappy if admitted to dwell with them. So that they are excluded rather of necessity, than by the act of a righteous judge. "The Indians also give much heed to dreams, because they suppose the invisible powers give them directions at such times about certain affairs, and inform them what animal they would choose to be worshipped in. They are likewise much attached to the traditions and fabulous notions of their fathers, who have informed them of divers miracles that were anciently wrought among the Indians, which they firmly believe, and thence look upon their ancestors to have been the best of men. "To these superstitious notions and traditions, and this kind of ridiculous worship, the Indians are extremely attached; and the prejudice they have imbibed in favour of these things, renders them not a little averse to the doctrines of Christianity. Hence some of them have told me when I have endeavoured to instruct them, that their fathers had taught them already, and that they did not want to learn now point of fact, we find them still attached to the most degrading superstitions, subject to the influence of the strongest delusions, and removed to an immeasurable distance from the holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. And thus, though we cannot resist the conviction that the means placed at their disposal were ample enough to establish their responsibility, and in the case of their neglect to bring them in as guilty before God, yet we see at the same time, in the depravity that still reigned with unrivalled supremacy in their hearts, an argument altogether irresistible, in demonstration of the urgent and indispensable necessity for the mightiest of all the engines which have ever borne with effect on the otherwise impregnable corruptions of our fallen nature-even that Gospel which is the wisdom of God, and the power of God unto salvation, unto every one that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile. CHRISTIAN TREASURY. He went about doing good.-This is the pattern for every Christian. He is a counterfeit one who does not strive to imitate it. The strength, the alacrity, the joy of the soul is connected with this imitation. Religious people are heavy, and moping, and cast down, principally because they are idle and selfish. The active benevolent spirit of watching for opportunities to do essential service to our fellow-creatures, they often feel no more than the profane. What then avail doctrines believed to no good purpose? Usefulness is the very excellency of life. No man, in the real Church of Christ, liveth unto himself. Every true Christian is a tree of righteousness, whose fruits are good and profitable unto men. He is glad to help and to comfort others. He is diligent and industrious. He speaks to edification; dwells in peace, and gentleness, and love. He reproves what is wrong by an excellent example, and recommends, by his own practice, what is pleasing to God.-VENN. The opinions of the World.-The opinions of the world, as to virtue and vice, are not only ruinously false, but they are as changeable as they are false. What, in one age of the world, would have branded a man with infamy as long as he breathed, becomes not only pardonable, but reputable in another. The customs of the world, and the fashionable crimes of society, are shifting from age to age. For one instance out of a hundred. some time ago, there existed a nation where theft was honoured, as a proof of skill and dexterity; while, in that very same nation, drunkenness and immodestyintemperance of any kind-would have ruined a man's reputation for ever. Now look at the change! In our days, the one is stigmatized with punishment and dishonour, while men often boast of their achievements in the other. How is a man to be guided by this childish and despicable world, that has not yet learned, in six thousand years, to guide and regulate itself; that calls a thing virtue at one time, and vice at another; that call evils good, and good evil; that puts bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter? Let him put it aside from him with contempt, and let him "remember his Creator." He will not shift and change with times and seasons. The fashions and opinions of the world may turn round and round with the world itself; but the law of God stands unchanged and unchangeable as the God that endureth for ever and ever: they have perished, and shall perish; but He hath remained and shall still remain; the fashions and opinions of the world shall all" wax old as doth a garment, and he shall fold them up, and they shall be changed; but he is the same, and his years shall not fail."- Wolfe's Remains. HEBREW IDYLS. BY PROFESSOR TENNANT. No. IV. REUEL, THE SEER; FOUNDED ON THE 20TH CHAPTER OF 2D CHRONICLES. SCENE-Engedi, and its Neighbourhood, on the Western GLADNESS at eve fill'd Maon's plains; Was changed for Warriors' clanging noise: And quiver charged with arrows strong; Engedi's people, from repose Amid the crowd that filed by night From Maon to Engedi's height, Reuel, the shepherd-seer, (bereft Of sight, but bless'd with better gift!) Had left his peaceful cot, that stood Embower'd mid Maon's myrtle wood, And by his sons, was, up the steep, Led to Engedi's deserts deep: As up he clomb the weary road, And tottering, trembling, onward trod, "Bear me," he cries, "my children dear! To Ziph's high cliff, that riseth near; So shall your journey short'ned be, For these your little ones and me; And better thence ye shall descry The rout of Israel's enemy!" His children dear, at these commands, The sun had o'er the sea of Lot They set their sire, the seer, upon The sun had now, some steps more high, "I see, (his first-born at his side High held, with glory, and with boast, Helm, mail, and sword that shine like fire: All these I see with bristly show Of war, prepar'd to find a foe, And cast forth Judah from the land, The gift of his Jehovah's hand: Great is that host; their boasting great; And loud-clash'd shield, and brandish'd spear, He thus, and straight the father said: Down from on high in chastisement, Are tost like waves when tempests blow; They hurl! they smite! they stab! they fall! O God of Israel! here we see Thy hand, and thank and worship thee!" "Look northward now, my son, and tell What thou discern'st in Jeruel." "I see, alongst the brook afar, 66 Down, down Engedi's winding way They charge; one moment lasts the fight, His remnant down the vallies flee! He spoke, and for a while the sound From Ziph's rude tops was echo'd round, Glory, O glory, great and high, 66 To Him who gives the victory!" They look'd along Engedi's vale, Their joyous friends possessed the dale; Again they turned their steps to go Adown the steep cliff, winding slow; Again the blind and aged seer, Uplifted by his children dear, Downward was borne, in joyous mood, Home to his vine-twined cot that stood Embowered in Maon's fragrant wood. The rising sun had seen their tears Fast flowing amid flight and fears; The moon that rose on Moab's plain, Saw all their sorrows wip'd again; Again before the cot appear'd Fresh altar, of green turf up-rear'd, Whereon thank-offering rich consumés, Saluting heaven with savoury fumes; Again the sound of pipe and song Rose from each happy hamlet-throng; Whilst underneath the plane-tree's shade The dance's tangled sports were play'd, And Maon's maids in joy's attire, Spread to the moon their jocund choir, Aye singing, "glory, great and high, To Him who gave the victory!" The youths responding to the song, Hymn'd loud their blooming ranks along, Glory, O glory, great and high, To Him who gave the victory!" Whilst aged parents sat apart, MISCELLANEOUS. A Preacher and Hearer." THERE was some years ago," says Dr Krummacher of Elberfield, in his work entitled, "Elijah the Tishbite," "there was not far from this place, a very gifted preacher, who, for several years, preached with great earnestness and success the doctrine of the cross; but who, on that very account, was violently opposed. One of his opponents, a well informed person, who had for a long time absented himself from the church, thought, one Sabbath morning, that he would go and hear the gloomy man once more, to see whether his preaching might be more tolerable to him than it had been heretofore. He went, and that morning the preacher was speaking conscience, 66 of the narrow way, which he did not make either narrower or broader than the Word of God describes it. "A new creature in Christ, or eternal condemnation," was the theme of his discourse; and he spoke with power and not as a mere learned reasoner. During the sermon, the question forced itself upon this hearer's How is it with myself? Does this man declare the real truth? If he does, what must inevitably follow from it ?" This thought took such a hold upon him, that he could not get rid of it, amidst any of his engagements and amusements. But it became from day to day more and more troublesome, more and more penetrating, and threatened to embitter every joy of his life; so that at last he thought he would go to the preacher himself, and ask him, upon his conscience, if he were convinced of the truth of that which he had lately preached. He fulfilled his intention, and went to the preacher. Sir," said he to him, with great earnestness, "I was one of your hearers, when you spoke, a short time since, of the only way of salvation. I confess to you, that you have disturbed my peace of mind, and I cannot refrain from asking you solemnly, before God, and upon your conscience, if you can prove what you asserted, or whether it was an unfounded alarm." The preacher, not a little surprised at this address, replied, with convincing certainty, that he had spoken the Word of God, and consequently infallible truth. What, then, is to become of us?' replied the visitor. His last word, us, startled the preacher, but he rallied his thoughts, and began to explain the plan of salvation to the inquirer, and to exhort him to repent and believe. But the latter, as though he heard not one syllable of what the preacher said, interrupted him in the midst of it, and repeated, with increasing emotion, the anxious exclamation, "If it be truth, Sir, I beseech you what are we to do?" Terrified, the preacher staggers back. "We," thinks he, "what means this we?" and, endeavouring to stifle his inward uneasiness and embarrassment, he resumed his exhortation and advice. Tears came into the eyes of the visitor; he smote his hands together, like one in despair, and exclaimed, in an accent which might have moved a heart of stone, Sir, if it be truth, we are undone." The preacher stood pale, trembling, and speechless. Then, overwhelmed with astonishment, with downcast eyes and convulsive sobbings, he exclaimed, Friend, down on your knees, let us cry for mercy." They knelt down and prayed, and shortly afterwards the visitor took his leave. The preacher shut himself up in his closet. Next Sabbath word was sent that the minister was unwell, and could not appear. The same thing happened the Sabbath following. On the third Sabbath the preacher made his appearance before his congregation, worn with his inward conflict, and pale, but his eyes beaming with joy, and commenced his discourse with the surprising and affecting declaration, that he had now, for the first time, passed through the strait gate. You will ask what had occurred to him in his chamber, during the interval which had elapsed? "A storm passed over him, but the Lord was not in the 66 storm; an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. Then came a still small voice, on which the man enveloped his face in his mantle, and from that time knew what was the Gospel, and what was grace." A Sabbath Scholar.-The Rev. Dr Morrison, who has been so eminently useful in his missionary labours at Canton, in China, particularly in the translation of the Sacred Volume into the Chinese language, was once a scholar in the High Bridge Sunday School, Newcastle-on-Tyne; and, in a letter to the minister of that congregation, a very few years ago, he referred, with deep feeling, to his standing up in the gallery to be by Sunday school children, when they devote their catechised. How much good may be done in the world hearts entirely to the service of God! And who can tell how great a matter a little fire may kindle? great benefits produced by means of Sunday schools will never be fully known till the last great day shall reveal them. Then shall be fully seen the blessed results of the instructions and the prayers of the pious teacher. The How ought this delightful consideration to encourage those who now devote their time and energies to promote the welfare of the young; and with what fervour should Sabbath scholars pray that they be "made meet for the inheritance of the saints in light!" Sabbath School Teachers.-The Rev. Richard Knill, wrote from St. Petersburgh, in 1819, as follows:-As an individual, I feel particularly indebted to such institutions, and to the glory of God I record it, that all the blessings which have been given to others, through my instrumentality, may be traced up to a Sunday school. It was my privilege to be a teacher in a Sunday school at Bideford; hearing a sermon preached in behalf of the institution led me first to think of being a missionary; most of my fellow-students at Axminster had been Sunday school teachers; and out of twenty missionaries, who were my colleagues at Gosport, three-fourths of them had been engaged in the same way. The reasoning of an African Boy.-Mr Read, a missionary in South Africa, when writing to the directors of the London Missionary Society, in the year 1815, gives a very pleasing account of a conversation he had then recently held with a poor boy, whose heart had been impressed by the grace of God. He asked the boy if he knew himself to be a sinner; and the boy asked him in return, if he knew any one who was not. The missionary then asked who could save him? The reply was, "Christ." He was asked, what Christ had done to save sinners? He replied, that he died upon the cross. Mr Read inquired, if he believed Jesus Christ would save him? He said, "Yes." 66 'Why do you believe it?' "I feel it," said he; "and not only so, but I consider that after he died, and has sent his servants, the missionaries, from such a far country to publish salvation, it would be very strange if, after all, he should reject a sinner." Separate Numbers from the commencement may at all times be had. Volume I., elegantly bound in embossed cloth, Price 78, or in Two Parts, Price 85. Published by JOHN JOHNSTONE, at the Offices of the ScOTTISH CHRISTIAN HERALD, 2, Hunter Square, Edinburgh, and 19, Glassford Street, Glasgow; J. NISBET & CO., HAMILTON, ADAMS & Co., and R. GROOMBRIDGE, London; W. CURRY, Junior, & Co., Dublin; and W. M'COMB, Belfast; and sold by the Booksellers and Local Agents in all the Towns and Parishes of Scotland; and in the principal Towns in England and Ireland. 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