insurgents. Even some of the European advocates of the preservation of the Mantchou dynasty begin to give way, and allow that nothing so corrupt can be perpetuated. It is difficult to pronounce as to the future of this vast Empire. It has hitherto been its usual lot to bow down to military invaders far inferior in numbers to its own population; and unless, as in France, some commanding spirit should arise strong enough to get rid of existing evils, and force the millions into mute submission, we see no escape for them from a state of nothingness as a State, and from Atheism or gross idolatry in religion.

We now turn to Home. The first appearance of the newly appointed Bishop of London at a meeting for Church building at Islington, has given great satisfaction. His address was precisely what that of a Bishop in the heart of his Diocese should beearnest, warm-hearted, liberal, and real, in opposition to formal. It also discovered a considerable talent in public speaking. Supposing his Lordship to pursue the same course fearlessly and uniformly, he will win for himself a high and honored place in his Diocese and in the Church of God, and may rely upon a cordial and energetic support from that large number of Clergy and Laity who are intent on carrying the Gospel into all the dark places of the earth, whether at home or abroad.

The Scotch Episcopal Church Society has been labouring hard, by public meetings and by circulars, to sustain their every-day diminishing income. Supposing them to ground their applications for help on the necessities of a body of Christian men, unable conscientiously to conform to the principles and discipline of the Church of the nation in which their lot is cast, their claim would be entitled to consideration; but here are men begging for a religious body, as the only true Church of a land where Presbyterianism is established by law, and as identical in doctrine and discipline with the Church of England, which identity it is impossible to establish. They differ in constitution, inasmuch as in their synods they are at liberty-and this liberty they have used and abused-to introduce at any moment fresh changes and deviations from the Church of England. They differ also in doctrine, inasmuch as they worship the elements after consecration. They are not the Church of Scotland, and they are not the Church of England. Let them substitute the Church of England's Articles, Homilies, and Services for their own-let them make no changes which are not recognised in the Provinces of Canterbury and York-and we may then deal with them as an ecclesiastical sister in distress; whereas, now, they can scarcely be regarded as cousin-germane.

The New Year is coming in upon us with all its train of unforeseen felicities and distresses. May it bring along with it fresh influences from the Throne of compassion and power, and may all those dark clouds which seem to be mustering on the horizon of the Church be swept away.

[The Editor desires to be considered as not responsible except for the general tone and character of the Papers in the " Miscellaneous" department of this Work.]

ARE GENUINE CONVERSIONS TO GOD AS FREQUENT AND AS DECISIVE AS THEY WERE SEVENTY YEARS AGO?

THE above question is proposed, not so much with a view to its solution, as to its deep and serious consideration. We may derive benefit from the inquiry, if we cannot satisfy ourselves respecting its actual result. There is great, perhaps insuperable difficulty, in gathering up all the materials of information which would lead to a correct determination of the true state of the question. All that we can attempt is, to weigh with impartiality the favourable and unfavourable evidence in the case, without feeling ourselves compelled to pronounce dogmatically on either one side or the other.

One thing is certain. There is much in the present state of religion among us to call forth the solicitudes and the earnest exertions of God's praying people, and to urge them to cry day and night to Him who heareth prayer, for a larger measure of the Holy Spirit's influence, than many of us are conscious of receiving under the ministry of God's word, and in the House of Prayer.

It is this condition of the Church, which has suggested the inquiry proposed at the head of this Article. If any, more conversant than the writer with the actual state of religion during the close of the last century, and the earlier portion of this, would institute a careful comparison between the past and present periods of the history of Evangelical religion among us, he would confer, I believe, a great benefit upon the Church at large.

It is not sufficient to rest in any merely general view, which might easily be taken of these different periods, though that CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 230.

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general view must enter into our estimate. It is obvious to remark, that the work of the Spirit in the earlier period appears to have been generally deeper, and more effective on the minds of converts, than it is at present; and that, on the other hand, the work is now much more widely extended than it was then; or, to adopt a not uncommon figurative mode of describing this difference, that the stream was deeper, but not so broad, then. It has gained in width and lost in depth during later years.

If this be so, it is not a state of things with which a sincere disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ can be satisfied. We do not want a merely superficial piety, which spreads a thin surface of water over the land, there to stagnate, and to hinder fruitfulness. We want deep-flowing, freshening streams of living water, kept duly within its banks, yet clothing those banks with verdure, and extending themselves by thousands of sparkling rills through the length and breadth of the land. Or, to drop the metaphor, we want lively, holy, edifying Christian communities, who, keeping within the banks of a consistent religious profession and practice, shall spread a widely beneficial influence through the cities, towns, and villages in which they live. If we could produce throughout the whole land one general and universally acknowledged Evangelical creed, and then mingle the converted and unconverted together in one undistinguished mass, we should have nothing but the wasting inundation, instead of the flowing river, fresh with spiritual life and holiness.

We are not arrived, I trust, at such a state of things; the question is, "Are we drifting towards it?" Let us set up a few marks by which we may discern what course we are actually taking; and may the Lord give us a right judgment in all things, and raise up among us "men that have understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do!"

It will not, I think, be disputed, that the preaching of such men as Venn of Huddersfield, Romaine, Newton, Scott, Cecil, and some others of still earlier date, such as Walker of Truro, was attended with effects upon the minds of hearers, which is seldom, if ever, witnessed in more recent times. Their word was with power; it reached the hearts of the people; and many were the visits paid to these and other ministers of the same school, by persons convinced of sin under their discourses, and earnestly inquiring, "What must I do to be saved?"

Is it so now, at least to any considerable extent? I do not believe that God's word returns to Him void; but I think we may look in vain for that marked and convincing evidence of its power, which was then felt and acknowledged.

And does not this difference between the two cases, at the very commencement of the Christian's course, show itself all the way through, even to the close? The rousing effect produced by the earlier style of preaching was, like the mighty influence of some

great physical cause, extended along the whole subsequent line of conduct, giving a distinctness, as well as a force to Christian character, which, to say the least, is rare in the present age. Under the deep sense of the exceeding sinfulness of sin which was then produced, the mind shrank with secret dread from all the contaminating influences of the world; the Christian felt himself compelled to maintain a marked distinction between his own position and that of the irreverent and profane society by which he was surrounded. He must come out from the world and be separate, or he could not stand his ground; for there was then greater hostility to all religious profession than exists now. Society itself was less refined, the conversation of worldly men was more profane, more licentious, more directly at variance with the morality of the Decalogue. Consequently, the soul of the sincere penitent was grieved and wounded whenever he came into contact with the world; and he was constrained "to sit alone," and to mourn in secret places over the abominations, which he could neither endure nor remedy. He was thus acted upon, both from within and without, in his determination to stand aloof from a world lying in wickedness. His own deeper convictions of the evil of sin were his inward motive, the extreme ungodliness of the times was the external motive, to that more determined separation from the world which marked the earlier period of our Christian society, than that which we now witness.

Two causes are thus in operation to render the stream of personal piety more shallow than it once was; and against these it especially behoves the watchmen of our spiritual Israel to raise the warning voice, and to direct their ministerial efforts. I do not here enlarge upon the plain and obvious duty of the faithfuland simple preaching of the doctrines of the Cross. The subject is often-not too often-and even powerfully, insisted upon. And it may be here assumed, that where this central topic of Christianity is overlooked, or slightly treated, it is not to be wondered at that no genuine conversions should occur. But my object now is to show that the faithful exhibition of the Cross of Christ is not all that the circumstances of the Church require.

It is not necessary to mention names, but I think it would not be difficult to refer to preachers in London and its suburbs, who proclaim the Saviour with as much boldness, clearness, and fulness, as the most memorable of those excellent men, who laid the foundation of the Evangelical section of the Church. You may go into one of their churches and find it filled with a gay and fashionable audience, who will sit and quietly hear the most sound and faithful preaching-such preaching as would have roused the indignation of the same class of hearers fifty or sixty years ago, and have set the whole parish in a flame against the wildness and fanaticism of the preacher. How is it, I would ask, that the gay, the dissipated, the worldly-minded, can now so

calmly bear what would, a few years ago, have proved so offensive to their pride, and so outrageous to their feelings?

The truth must be acknowledged, that, from some cause or other, the offence of the Cross; so far as the preaching of it is concerned, has, in a great measure, ceased. Now we know that this cessation of hostilities is no real reconciliation, no solid peace, between the conflicting elements of nature and of grace. It is but a hollow truce. Men tolerate the Gospel, but will not renounce their sins; they will go to church, but they will not give up the theatre and the ball-room, the card party, the gaming-table, and the race-course. And what is the consequence? The minister who has preached thus faithfully, looks round upon his audience-is glad to find it so numerous, and, upon the whole, so attentive. He has preached the word, and he hopes that it will not be unfruitful. He has not shunned to declare the whole counsel of God, and it is not his fault if they refuse to receive it, and are not benefited by it. And yet, after the most powerful of his discourses, how many are there of his flock who come to him in deep distress of mind, saying, "Your appeal came home to my heart; I have been wretched ever since I heard it, and could not rest without disburdening my conscience to you, and asking you how I may escape the wrath to come ?" Such used to be the effect of faithful preaching; God grant that the same effect may speedily follow again!

But shall we attempt to explain why such effect has ceased to follow the preaching of the Gospel? Is it not because, while the world has apparently come nearer to the Church, the Church has really drawn nearer to the world? It seems as if a mutual approximation had taken place, and a mutual sacrifice had been made; but, in truth, the sacrifice has been chiefly on one side, and that the wrong side. Things which are, perhaps, not unlawful in themselves, have become a snare to the great mass of professors of religion. The world has smiled upon them, and they have too often been fascinated by its smile. Music, for instance, is not only gratifying to the ear, but may be made profitable to the heart; and sacred music may well raise the mind to glowing anticipations of the nobler harmonies of heaven. And yet, alas for the infirmity of human nature! music has too often proved the connecting link between the Church and the world. Doubtless there are many professedly Christian residents in the neighbourhood of the metropolis, who will put themselves to considerable inconvenience, and perhaps expense, to attend a concert at Exeter Hall, who would be afraid of taking cold by going on a week-day evening to hear an excellent sermon in a church close at their own doors. So much more do they value what will please their ears, than what would touch and amend their hearts! And when the world sees such conduct on the part of Christian neighbours, what other inference can they be expected to draw from it, than that