had now for fifteen years endeavoured to inculcate upon the heathen the great fundamental truths, which the firmament declares, and which the stars show forth, the existence and attributes of God: and the principles of right and wrong which we are apt to think and talk of as inherent, and the grand elementary doctrines of revelation which are in consonance with these truths of natural religion, such as the history of the creationthe fall of man-the obligation of the moral law-the necessity of a Redeemer-an account of the miracles he wrought, and a general outline of redemption. The dull and stupid savage could not apprehend, and remained totally untouched by these rational and systematic instructions; and what a priori would appear not only the most eligible, but almost the only mode of enlightening the understanding and enlivening the heart, fell as powerless on the deaf ears and the obtuse faculties of the Greenlanders, as they do on the more acute and better trained reasoning powers of a majority of the civilized Britons: or they furnished matter for as profane ridicule, and as brilliant and pointed witticism, as the most polished intellects of modern philosophers could produce.-Nor is it unworthy of remark, that sarcasms which have been retailed and retailed as poignant jeux de esprit, by the literati of Europe, could be met and matched by the ludicrous jests of untutored Greenlanders, not less then in expression, and perhaps more pointedly wrong; for the free man of the foreign regions was untrammeled by the fear of a priesthood, or the danger of a prosecution. General truths and general principles had done nothing for the heathen; the only case in which their missionaries could calculate upon permanent effect, had been produced by an exhibition of the death of Christ:by a history of, and an appeal to, that most wonderful and inexpressible instance of the love of God in giving his Son for our sins, and in the voluntary death of the Creator of our world, Jehovah Jesus, (one with the Father,) in our nature to save the rebel heirs of eternal misery from the consequences of their own and their fathers' guilt. We found,' say they, alluding to their attempts to reason the heathens into a belief of the truth from general principles, that though, with a very good meaning, our practice mostly made use of, proved to be not only fruitless towards the true conversion of the heathen, but frequently a hindrance and a hurt.' On the other hand, the Gospel, concerning the Creator becoming man to redeem his fellow human creatures, in purchasing and winning them with his own blood, his sufferings and dying in their stead, flew and kindled like a fire from the Lord; it enlightened the ignorant understanding, and softened the obdurate heart of the savage, illuminated his dark spirit, and carried the energy of life to his dead soul. Experience taught them; and from this period they determined, with more simplicity, to know nothing among the heathen but Jesus Christ, and him crucified; and from this period may be dated the commencement of the great work of christianizing Greenland; the Spirit of God bearing witness with power to the simple relation and earnest application of the incarnation and meritorious sufferings and death of the Lord. The missionaries were likewise strengthened in this mode of instruction by two of their brethren from Germany, who in this year paid them a visit; and some of Count Linzendorf's hymns and other writings, in which he declared, that the necessity of the death of Jesus Christ gave him a key to the whole doctrines of salvation, the happy effects of which he had felt in his own heart, and seen in those of his dear brethren and fellow-labourers.' And ever since he said, the propitiatory offering of Jesus has been our proper, our public, our sole subject-our universal antidote against all evil in doctrine and practice." THE BURNING BUSH; or Simple Stories, illustrative of God's providential care of his Church.—Edinburgh, 1831, p. p. 180. AT this season, when affection and friendship make their annual interchanges of kind tokens of remembrance, when successful candidates for school-honours are receiving the rewards of their diligence, and when gladdened parents are greeting the return of their children to the domestic circle, by presenting them with some pledge of their tender regard, we have known many, both old and youngteachers as well as scholars-parents as well as children, sadly perplexed amid the bewildering multiplicity of offerings, annuals, reward-books, &c. &c. in choosing a volume that would appropriately convey their wishes, suit the circumstances of the parties interested, and at the same time, be productive of some permanent benefit, beyond the gratification of the passing hour. Now, presuming that many of our readers may be in this predicament, we purpose aiding them in making a choice. We have, in our eye, however, only one class. We leave it to other periodicals to direct the gay, the volatile, the thoughtless, how they may decide among the rival claims of the countless gaudy, but ephemeral and profitless productions, that pass under the name of "Annuals," that are so pleasing to the eye, but that truly "perish in the using." Our object is, to point out to a totally different class what, in our opinion, would form a very appropriate present, under the following circumstances, in which-parents as we are-we trust many of our readers may be. If there be any Christian parent tenderly alive to the dearest interest of his children-who, while he is anxious to encourage them in their studies and to quicken their diligence in the acquisition of that knowledge which is, under God, to qualify them for their station in life, is no less anxious to furnish them with sound religious principles, and to guard them against pernicious errors-who, knowing the difficulty of fixing the youthful mind on subjects of direct religious instruction, and withal disinclined to pamper the mental appetite with works of fiction, though in a religious dress, is, at the same time, most desirous of conveying important information in a pleasing and attractive form-and who, under these feelings, wishes to confer on his sprightly and promising boy, that has just mastered the ordinary reading-book, and is diving into the mysteries of grammar, some suitable present at this season of gifts-one, that may both amuse and instruct— awaken curiosity, and stimulate inquiry on subjects connected with religion, and with the past and present state of the church-in such a case as we have here supposed, we know not a little volume, of recent production, that will be found to answer these various purposes so well, as the one before us. It is, in fact, a history of the Christian church adapted to children-comprised in a series of brief narratives, each taken from a distinct period in the history-written with great perspicuity, and in a truly evangelical spirit-full of important instruction and of deep interest-well calculated to exhibit to the youthful mind the unscriptural character of Popery, and to point out its mischievous dogmas, without the asperity of controversy and admirably fitted to furnish the memory with a series of facts, that will serve as landmarks to guide the future inquirer through the, otherwise, intricate mazes and uninviting details of ecclesiastical history. It is significantly styled "THE BURNING BUSH," an idea originally derived from Exodus iii. and subsequently from the crest and motto of the Scottish Church in olden times, which consisted of the figure of a bush in flames, surrounded with these appropriate words in Latin," nevertheless it was not consumed." This idea is thus beautifully embodied by the lamented Pollok in his well known poem, The Course of Time :". "The church, the holy spouse of God, long stood On Midian's mountain scen, burned unconsumed." To enable our readers to form an idea of the varied contents of this excellent little work, we subjoin the titles of the eleven stories of which it consists "I.-The Christians of Rome. II.-Ignatious, Bishop of Antioch; and Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna. III.-Vivia Perpetua, the Martyr of Carthage. IV.-Cyprian and Cyril. V.-The Paulicians-History of Constantine. VI.-The Albigenses-History of Peter Waldo. VII.The Albigenses continued-History of Earl Raymond. VIII.-History of Wickliffe, John Huss, and Jerome of Prague. IX.-History of LutherProgress of the Reformation. X.-The United Brethren-History of the Church in England and Scotland after the Reformation. XI.-Christian Missions to Asia, Africa, and America." As a specimen of its style and spirit, we give the following reflections with which the author concludes the story of the youthful martyr, Cyril, and which convey a lesson that, in the present aspect of the times, we fear, may be but too applicable to our children, if not to ourselves : "I was going, dear children, to ask, do you imitate the example of Cyril? But you would probably say, how is that possible? We cannot do as Cyril did, we cannot die for our religion, we are not persecuted and commanded to deny Christ. Be thankful that you are not; but suppose that a persecution might arise, and think, have you that faith which enabled the Christian martyrs to stand firm, and confess their Lord in torment and suffering? Oh, you will say, they were men, they were old steadfast Christians, who had served their Lord so many years, they could not surely think of forsaking Him at the last, in order to purchase a few more years of a troubled life. But look at Cyril, and see what a child can do for the testimony of Jesus.' It is very natural you should shrink from the thought of being placed in such circumstances as he was; and sorry should I be to hear you boasting, like Peter, that though all men should deny the Saviour, yet would not you—that neither prison nor death should terrify you from your religion, your faith, your hope. I do not want to know whether you should stand firm in such a time of trial for I am sure, if you belong to the church of Christ, he himself would give you strength to stand steadfast in his cause. But, I must ask you, do you never, in these times of Christian peace, deny your Saviour, and feel ashamed of his religion? Oh! think, how often have you feared being thought by your companions one that was righteous overmuch ;' how often have you endeavoured to conform your manners and conversation to those of the young people among whom you happened to be, lest they should ridicule your preciseness, or call you saint, or methodist, or some such name? Ah! I fear there are few who could not plead guilty to these charges. How many a child has told me, when asked why he or she was not at the Sabbath-school, that some foolish companions laughed at such a manner of spending part of the Lord's day, that they were invited to spend it with a party of friends, and were ashamed of refusing. Now, what saith the Seriptures? Whoso is ashamed of me and of my words,' saith Christ, of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father, with the holy angels.' I will not say any more: if any of you have been guilty of thus denying your Lord and Saviour, I hope you will be induced, from the lovely example of Cyril, to pray for grace to do so no more; and, if there be any among you who cannot remember ever having done so, I trust you will shudder at the idea of claiming any merit therefrom, but give all the glory to Him to whom it is due. Feel like the disciple walking on the water, that it is your Saviour's hand that supports you, and that if his support were withdrawn, you would sink as low as the most miserable apostate ever yet sunk from Christ, from faith, and hope." ERRATA No. XXVI. page 67, line first, for "lest" read "that." Page 69, for "conceive? read "perceive." No. XXVII. page 84, eleventh line from bottom, dele "and" THE ORTHODOX PRESBYTERIAN. No. XXVIII. JANUARY, 1832. VOL. III. THE NEW YEAR-1832. TIME is a drama of three acts-the past, the present, and the future; and the earth a vast theatre, in which we are commingled, as spectators and actors in the successive scenes. Wisdom consists in viewing the drama as a whole, and taking an equal interest in all its parts-folly consists in viewing its parts as separate, and confining our attention to one. Some, for example, are so foolish, that they live entirely among the past, and, like the owl and the bat, take up their dwelling amidst the ruins of other ages. Some, as the sensualist, live only for the enjoyments of the present hour; and if ever they spend a thought on the future, it is only that "to-morrow will be as to-day, and much more abundant ;" or, "let us eat, drink, and be merry, for to-morrow we die;" while others disregard the knowledge of the past, and rob themselves of all enjoyment of the present-spending their skill upon ominous calculations of the dark and unknown future; tossed like a vessel upon the troubled waters, amidst the perplexities of doubt, the forebodings of fear, the vanity of unhallowed wishes, and the disappointments of earthly hopes. True wisdom, on the contrary, takes an equal interest in the past, the present, and the future. For the sake of time past, the Christian studies the Scriptures, as the only authentic record of God and his providence; for the sake of the time present, he studies the Scriptures, in which alone he can discover the rule of duty and the secret of spiritual enjoyment; and for the sake of time future, he studies the Scriptures, because in them alone he finds the words of eternal life in the testimony of our Lord and Saviour. The Chris. tian spectator takes a survey of all the parts of the successive scenery; for his sympathies and his interests are equally connected with the past, the present, and the future. But while it becomes the Christian to extend his views till his eye takes in the wide circuit of eternity, it is wise, K |