however to us his movements may be mysteriously slow? Against all appearances to the contrary, and notwithstanding all the plausible reasonings of the adversaries of truth, the Christian is privileged, "in hope, to believe against hope," as the father of the faithful did, that" the times of the restitution of all things," which God hath purposed, will surely come to pass at the period before appointed. If faith wavers at this point, it would be far more consistent to give up the whole testimony of Scripture. Why believe in the present waiting position of the Lord Jesus Christ, at the right hand of God, and yet refuse or fear to believe that result, in expectancy of which he is seated there, according to the oath and covenant of the Eternal Father? The same document, stamped throughout with the same attestation of divinity, affirms both the one and the other. Infidelity, which rejects the whole testimony of Revelation concerning Jesus Christ, and which affirms that there is no living Lord Jesus at the right hand of the majesty on high, and that there never will be any other consummation of earth's cycles, than that which the living forces of nature and man's agency can accomplish, is more consistent than the partial faith, that believes the first and yet staggers at the last. This crowning consummation is indispensable to make the whole testimony complete, and to take away the otherwise inexplicable mystery which hangs over God's purposes and proceedings towards our race. Such faith as this, not only greatly honors God, who has made this revelation and is pledged to verify it in his future providence, and glorify himself thereby, but it is eminently adapted to develope our own characters and qualify us for our duties. Christian faith, when fully matured, and when it becomes the habit and all-encircling atmosphere of the soul, rather rejoices to exercise itself simply on Divine testimony, away from outward auxiliaries, as one has beautifully remarked, in illustrating a kindred subject, even as the ivy, accustomed to lean for support on some exterior and more substantial object, when it finds none such, or outtops them in its growth, towers in its trust, straight towards heaven. Such faith, in reference to this part of Divine testimony, without aid from sense or surrounding scenes, will most speedily perfect the sanctification and most thoroughly subserve the usefulness of the soul in which it dwells.

Once more every Christian should endeavor, earnestly and practically, to carry out the convictions of his mind and persuasions of his heart, in reference to this period, by corresponding efforts. He is privileged, not only to "look for," but also, to "hasten the coming of the day of God." Whatever special and miraculous agencies God may have reserved to himself, towards the winding up of the great scheme, beyond all question, he has chosen instrumentalities which are to be employed by his children at present. The present and constant duty and privilege of every child of Light is, to the whole extent of his ability and influence, and by his whole expenditure of effort and means, in the use of whatever talents have been committed io his stewardship, to strive to rectify the evils, perversions and pollutions, occasioned by sin, and which manifest the still unbroken supremacy of the God of this world. Every Christian is bound to do all he can, in his sphere, to have all things restored, just as if on his exertions alone, the ultimatum was dependent. He must, as far as lieth in him, enlighten human ignorance, correct human error, strive to eradicate bigotry, superstition and persecution from the earth; he must do his part to have science sanctified to God's service, art made subservient to religion, society cured of its evils, and government in church and state and in their mutual interactions, brought into accordancy with God's will and the eternal principles developed in his word.

Believing that the ideal traced in God's word, as the counterpart of the original purpose and archetypal idea, existing eternally in the Divine mind, is ultimately and certainly to be actualized, and actualized on the earth; and that "for this intent he created all things by Jesus Christ," and has heretofore continued them in being, every one who has been brought into "the fellowship of this mystery," should make it his great business and ambition in life, to actualize and exemplify this restitution, first of all, in his own character, and then, as far as his influence goes, in all the departments and relations of human life, in all lands, throughout the world. In his own personal character, in his family, in the sphere of his influence, the village, city, country or continent he can mould, the age he can elevate or refine, he should be striving perpetually and by every energy of his soul, to bring

all to approximate as nearly as possible to "the times of restitu-
tion." Whether he has devoted himself to science, or is ena-
moured of art; called to study the social system, linked with
the civil institutions of the land or age, or directly devoted to the
service of God and truth in the work of the ministry; every one
has a work to do, in co-operation with the great God and glorious
Mediator, in which he may be animated by the loftiest motives,
blessed with the purest happiness, and assured of the most com-
plete success: he may be a worker-together with God, in bring-
ing to pass "the times of the restitution of all things, which he
has spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets which have
been since the world began."
PITTSBURGH, Pa.

D. H. R.

ART. XXIX.-REVERENCE IN WORSHIP.

REVERENCE rests on two feelings as its ground-work-love and fear; and is the result of a well-balanced and living union of these two feelings. Love, to exalt in the mind the object of worship, and to draw sweetly towards it. Fear, to hold the spirit at a respectful distance in courteous obeisance. These two feelings are essential to reverence. Love without fear becomes disrespectfully familiar; fear without love becomes cold, formal and slavish. Love and fear united and blended in just proportion, suspend the worshipping spirit at a proper distance from the object of worship, in affectionate and yet respectful adoration. In this way the spirit is bound to the object of worship by a cord of love, and yet made to stand at bay by that feeling which esteems the object of worship superior to itself, without which no worship is possible. To use a figure derived from a wellknown law in nature, Love is a centripetal and Fear a centrifu

i

gal force, which unite in holding the spirit in its true orbit, and cause it to move in silent and majestic harmony around God, its centre. The same idea is also beautifully exhibited in the position of prayer customary among the ancients, in their approach to God. The worshipper stood, with his hands stretched out towards heaven, as if for help, but at the same time, with the palms away from himself, as though he would ward off the help for which he was imploring. What a significant attitude!

That love and fear, in their Scripture sense, have such a connection, and are capable of such an union as has now been predicated of them, is evident, from the fact that they are used as convertible terms. To fear God, is to love him; and to love him, is to fear him. Love, in Scripture, is always understood to include a filial fear; and fear, if approved, always includes a filial love.

As reverence requires two feelings in us, so it also requires that we should contemplate God as the object of worship, under two general aspects-his Majesty and Goodness. We must be sensible of his majesty, in order that we may exalt him in our minds; we must at the same time, be sensible of his goodness, lest we be driven back from him in despair. An apprehension of his majesty alone, creates awe; an apprehension of his goodness alone, creates presumption. While we recognize him on the one hand, as sitting on the circle of the heavens, holding the universe in balance, we must recognize him, at the same time, noving among the lilies of the field, to clothe them in colors of beauty, among the birds of the air, giving them food, and in the habitations of men, giving them their daily bread. In short, Sinai and the Cross, the Judge and the Father, must both be before us, in order to educe feelings of true reverence.

The wicked cannot, hence, be truly reverent. The feeling of filial love love being wanting, then fear is transformed into a slavish awe. They can only think of God as a judge, standing over against them with stern majesty. Hence, how often do we hear Him called, in the language of carnal wisdom,* Jove, Great

The names applied to God, at the commencement or close of our National and State Messages, are very significant when carefully observed in connection with the sources whence they emanate.

VOL. I.-NO. V.

28*

First Cause, Sovereign Ruler, and many more such names are constantly applied to him. It is only from the lips of true faith that, first, "GOD THE FATHER," and then "ALMIGHTY, MAKER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH," flows naturally and sweetly. The wicked, however polite and refined, fear God, under whatever form his existence is conceived of by them; under the influence of this fear, they are either driven away from God, or induced to withstand him in secret and presumptuous opposition; but never, until fear and love are wedded in gracious union, is reverence possible.

Without reverence, all worship must be radically defective. This must be evident from what has now been said; but will appear still more clearly when we carefully consider how, and how many, other frames of heart are connected with it or dependent upon it.

Without reverence, God cannot be steadily kept before the mind as an object supremely worthy of worship. As a feeling of reverence subsides, sɔ fast does God sink into such an one as the professed worshipper himself. Then, of course, what the idea of worship involves-namely, that the object of worship should be exalted in the mind-is entirely wanting. When the Psalmist would incite us to worship, he first introduces God to us in his high and holy majesty:-"The Lord reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved. The Lord is great in Zion; and he is high above all people." After this representation of the object of worship, he exhorts: "Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his footstool;" giving at the same time, a reason, to incite our love: "for he is holy." The reader's observations will have been abundantly sufficient to confirm the fact, that low ideas of God are always connected with a worship correspondingly low, presumptuous, and irreverent.

This is not all. Where reverence is wanting, there is not only on the one hand, a low conception of God as the object of worship, but necessarily, also, too high an idea of himself in the mind of the worshipper. These two go together; as God sinks, man rises. Only high thoughts of God, will give us low and humble thoughts of ourselves. When Job heard of God by the hearing