quail or quake. Intimidation and proscription are to you strange words-they have no place in your vocabulary-you, you have always been permitted to worship God beneath your own vines and fig trees, none daring to make you afraid. May it ever be so. Who will say that this man's faith and faithfulness were not fully tested? And here it may be well to record the fact, that the local government, when apprized of the hazardous situation of his family, deputed an officer and some of the local police to guard his home by night. The movements of the officer and his party were, nevertheless, tardy; they were unusally late away. The shades of evening had just superseded the light of day, affording the assassins a safe footpath to the abode of innocence. The kindhearted father beheld with sorrow the consternation of his timid children. He prayed, he paced the room, he endeavoured to penetrate the darkness, so as to catch a glimpse of his protectors-he listened to every passing breeze, so as to hear even the sound of their feet, or the clang of their arms. At length a noise on the premises heralds their approach. Now the anxious father breathes freely-his heart expands-his fears about his terrified family subside, and he sallies forth to welcome his friends at his lawn gate. But, alas! how disappointed! Who, who can deliver him? The footsteps are not those of friends, but of his enemies. When within a few paces of those who thirsted for his blood, and when about a hundred yards from his house, who could have predicted his escape? One step in advance might have led to his grave. But, He who formed the tongue caused one of the party to speak audibly

to his confederates; just in time to apprize the minister of his impendding danger. He fell flat on the ground, so they saw him not, and passed on to their rendevous. He fled to his house expecting an immediate invasion, but a signalshot from the guns of his friends soon dispersed both his fears and his enemies. On another occasion many of the Romanists entered his meeting-house, armed with clubs and other weapons. Some of his deacons informed him of the fact, and besought him not to preach at that time.

"What! exclaimed the intrepid soldier of the Cross, "ask me through the fear of man to refrain from preaching the gospel! Entreat me not, I beseech you, for I would preach Christ though the wicked of all worlds were marshaled in hostile array before me." Accordingly, in the strength of God, and with a martyrs determination he did preach, and the truth preached through the agency of the Holy Spirit, slew many of those who went to slay. Hearts were melted, tears were shed, and the murderous clubs were trampled under foot! The faithless or terrified deacons, after sermon, clustered around the pulpit to congratulate their pastor. "Oh," said Carson, "the Gospel of Jesus can soften the heart even of a tiger !"

I will close this chapter with a few statements.

1- Dr, Carson feared that Romanism is once more destined to predominate, not only in Ireland, but even in England and the other Protestant nations of Europe.

2. He freely avowed his opinion that America is to be the great battle-field on which" the man of sin "is to be conquered. Land of the Puritans, art thou equal to the task and worthy of the trust?

Shouldst thou prove recreant when tested, shame, and thraldom, and death await thee.

3. He manifested great sorrow when he read or heard of the emigration of priests, and nuns, and bishops to America from Italy, France, and Ireland. Often with clenched hands and uplifted eyes, he wafted his forebodings to heaven, by exclaiming, "O Lord, they are about to take the whole world from us." And frequently he has, with a sorrowful countenance, looked upon the writer, and said, "In order to get rid of Popery we must go to heaven. For even America will not long be an asylum for us. In fact, if we go down to the antipodes, the priests, and nuns, and Jesuits are there before us." On this point I gladly insert the concurrent testimony of my learned and respected friend Dr. Dowling, who, in his "History of Romanism" says, "There can be no doubt that the Pope and his adherents have formed the deliberate design of obtaining the ascendancy in the United States. Popish priests and editors make no secret of this design, and expect its realization at no distant day."

Dr. Carson was not a prophet, but from his knowledge of Scripture and the signs of the times, he was far from agreeing with those who predict the sudden and the peaceful downfall of spiritual Babylon. Instead of believing that Popery is wasting, he thought that in every land it is waxing strong and fearful. He considered the marauding giant old enough to totter, or topple into his grave; but he believed, notwithstanding, that even in the paroxysms of death "the man of sin" will, Sampsonlike, have a violent conflict with his enemies. In fact, he thought it

neither impossible nor improbable that many of those to whom he preached, would, at no distant period, behold the relentless persecutor dealing misery and destruction throughout Christendom. Who that has heard, can ever forget the stentorian voice with which he animated those whom he warned of the approaching enemy! Its ardent tones were burdened with inculcations to faithfulness and with the most sanguine assurance of victory. those days of darkness and nights of tempest, he frequently exclaimed, Soldiers of the Cross, be strong! stand firmly, endure patiently, contend for the faith, and victory, eternal victory shall be yours!"

When arguring

Let God's people ponder this momentous subject. Let not the proclivity of truckling demagogues, nor the lethargic productions of a venal press, nor the dreamy visions which emanate from many pulpits, lull their suspicions or paralyze their efforts. This is not the fitting time to cry "Peace;" for he who often shed the blood of the martyrs, the weapons of whose warfare have always been carnal, is marshaling his bloody hosts. May God forfend the evil and postpone the day. But let those who dread no war, except "a war of words," be warned by the recent bombardment of Rome and by the masacre of the Romans. If tyranny spare not its own refractory children, how can its implacable hope to escape! Awake, ye sons and daughters of Zion! Rally around the Cross! Arise in the might of God and battle with anti-christ! mighty and it must prevail. “The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge." Let all who deprecate the thought of being compelled to see their offspring

Truth is

ness extinguished, and our common faith subverted, be diligent and prayerful. Woe, unmingled woe, shall be the inheritance of those whose apathy may force them to chant the obsequies of Protestantism May, therefore, the spirit

Advocate.

DEAR SIR:-You may perhaps have heard of a recent publication, in Scotland, of a volume containing a variety of original Notes and Correspondence, by Glas and Sandeman, and a few of their early adherents. This publication will be perused with interest by the small circle of friends for whom it is intended; although the more judicious of them will no doubt regret the insertion of a few letters, referring to matters of private discipline, which, after slumbering for a century, might, with perfect propriety have been allowed to remain undisturbed. One or two references are made throughout these documents, to that very peculiar practise, which took its rise in the Sandemanian body some thirty years after Mr. Glas seceded from the Establishment, commonly called the second Absolution-that is, the refusing to receive again into fellowship a person who has been twice put away from the Church. As the means of throwing some light on the origin of this singular rule, I now beg the insertion in your Magazine of the following extracts from a letter by John Glas, the original of which is in my possession;-only premising that

lines at the foot of the two first pages of the M S. which is the cause of the fragmentary state of the document, as well as the want of date.

"To Mr. James Cant, Surveyor of His Majesty's Customs.

V. D. B.

You'll find that old May is not yet begun, and you see that old April, after all, is like to go out with the Peacock's tail.

The question that discomposes you was occasioned by a woman in Aberbrothwick, eleven times excommunicated there as a drunkard. The church having had all the signs of repentance from time to time that they could imagine or think of when they were loosing her, besides her abstaining once for a twelvemonth, at last despaired of reclaiming her, and would meddle no more with her; because they could have no more evidences of repentance than they all along had. A member of this church, (Dundee) who was afterwards cut off as a drunkard, accused them upon this of unmercifulness, as Pharisees, in not forgiving the woman as often as she repented.

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And at the same time a doubt arose

any

amongst us if there was precedent or warrant in Scripture for loosing one twice put away, according to 1 Cor. v; or any rule whereby to judge of the second repentance, or how to distinguish it from the first repentance, which proved false, though supposed to be as manifest as the second can be. After this doubt had settled awhile on our minds, one that had been twice cut off for drinking, applied for communion. And then it became a formal question in the church, where it was found very ridiculous to say the church should go on in their ancient practise, unless the Scripture expressly forbade it ;-or that the church should at her pleasure, exercise her power of binding and loosing, except where the Scripture expressly limited her. But this could by no means be heard, as opening a door to all the religious usages of Rome and England, &c., not expressly forbid. It was next alleged that whatever difference be betwixt Matt. xviii. and I Cor. v., yet when it comes the length of cutting off, there is no difference; the one being putting away a wicked person as well as the other. There was something in

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behoved to be owned that if there was no precedent for a second loosing on 1 Cor. v., neither was there for a second loosing on Matt. xviii.; for neither is that the forgiving of a repenting brother, but the receiving of a repenting wicked person unto the brotherhood, and the loosing of a converted wicked person that has been bound. Thus the case stands with us. If this story yield you any help in judging on your question, I'll think my pains in telling it well bestowed, and am in haste lest the post leave

ine.

Yours,

(Signed)

JOHN GLAS."

With regard to the date of this letter, it must have been written after-most probably many years after Robert Sandeman's wellknown letter to his father in 1745, in which, after reminding him of his having twice apostatized from the profession, and quoting at length his confession to the church when received a second time, he adds, "Dear Father,-how happy for you, and comfortable to your sons, would it be to see an event like this happen over again."!

It is unquestionable, however, that such a practice as the perplexed and perplexing reasoning in the above letter to Mr. Cant seems to point at, was introduced into the churches, and has been in operation for nearly a hundred years. It is equally unquestionable that during that time, it has been, and still continues to be, the cause of distress to many simple-minded persons, unable to follow such a train of reasoning as the above; and who, while seeing no Scriptural authority for receiving a drunkard either eleven or twelve times into fellowship, have yet looked to many a poor backsliding sinner, in the situation of old Sandeman, and have joined with his son in saying, "How happy for you, and comfortable for us, were the exalted Prince to bring you again to the fold confessing your iniquities in the hope of mercy"!