of the planetary and starry orbs-of the principles of legitimate reasoning—of just conceptions of the attributes and moral government of the Supreme Being-of the genuine principles of moral action-of many other subjects interesting to a rational and immortal being, they are almost as entirely ignorant as the wandering Tartar or the untutored Indian. "Of eight hundred millions of human beings which people the globe we inhabit, there are not, perhaps, two millions whose minds are truly enlightened as they ought to be; who prosecute rational pursuits for their own sake, and from a pure love of science, independently of the knowledge requisite for their respective professions and employments; for we must exclude from the rank of rational inquirers after knowledge, all those who have acquired a smattering of learning with no other view than to gain a subsistence, or to appear fashionable and polite. And, if this rule be admitted, I am afraid that a goodly number even of lawyers, physicians, clergymen, teachers-nay, even some authors and professors in universities and academies, would be struck off from the list of lovers of science and rational inquirers after truth. Admitting this statement, it follows that there is not one individual out of four hundred of of the human race, that passes his life as a rational intelligent being, employing his faculties in those trains of thought and active exercises which are worthy of an intellectual nature. For, in so far as the intention of mankind is absorbed merely in making provision for animal subsistence and in gratifying the sensual appetites of their nature, they can be considered as little superior in dignity to the lower orders of animated existence." The late Frederick, king of Prussia, who was a correct observer of mankind, makes a still lower estimate of the actual intelligence of the human species. In a letter to D'Alembert, in 1770, he says, "Let us take any monarchy you please; let us suppose that it contains ten millions of inhabitants: from these ten millions let us discount, first, the laborers, the manufacturers, the artizans, the soldiers, and there will remain about fifty thousand persons, men and women: from these let us discount twenty-five thousand for the female sex; the rest will compose the nobility and gentry, and the respectable citizens. Of these let us examine how many will be incapable of application, how many imbecile, how many pusillanimous, how many dissipated; and from this calculation it will result, that, out of what is called a civilized nation of nearly ten millions, you will hardly find a thousand well informed persons; and, even among them, what inequality with regard to genius! If eight tenths of the nation, toiling for their subsistence, never read; if another tenth are incapable of application from frivolity, or dissipation, or imbecility,-it results that the small share of good sense of which our species is capable, can only reside in a small fraction of a nation." "Such," continues Dr. Dick, "was the estimate made by this philosophic monarch of the intelligence possessed by the nations of Europe sixty years ago; and although society has considerably advanced in intellectual acquisitions since that period, the great body of the people, in every nation, is still shrouded in the midst of folly and ignorance. "Such a picture of the intellectual state of mankind must, when seriously considered, excite a melancholy train of reflections in the breast both of the philanthropist and the man of science. That such a vast assemblage of beings furnished with powers capable of investigating the laws of nature-of determining the arrangement, the motions, and magnitudes of distant worlds-of weighing the masses of the planets-of penetrating into the distant regions of the universe-of arresting the lightning in its course-of exploring the pathless ocean and the region of the clouds, and of rendering the most stubborn elements of nature subservient to their designs. That beings capable of forming a sublime intercourse with the Creator himself, and of endless progression in knowledge and felicity, should have their minds almost wholly absorbed in eating and drinking, in childish and cruel sports and diversions, and in butchering one another, seems, at first view, a tacit reflection on the wisdom of the Creator in bestowing on our race such noble powers, and plainly indicates that the current of human intellect has widely deviated from its pristine course, and that strong and reiterated efforts are now requisite to restore it to its original channel. Every lover of science and of mankind must, therefore, feel interested in endeavoring to remove obstructions which have impeded the progress of useful knowledge, and to direct the intellectual energies of his fellow-men to the prosecution of objects worthy of the high station they hold in the scale of existence." I am really sorry, gentlemen, to be constrained to say that such is my own opinion of the present condition of the human race; and so far am I from coming to the conclusion that we have yet a truly enlightened or a truly civilized nation in the world. I must regard our own age and country as merely in the twilight of Christian and philosophical illumination, rather than as basking in the meridian splendors of true science, learning, humanity, and religion. So long as duelling, fighting, and enslaving one another to royal and lordly masters,-ecclesiastic, political, and financial,-are yet in high esteem, approved, and lauded by men professing to be the sons of civilization and Christian morality; who, that is not beguiled by a false philosophy, can regard a people so thinking, speaking, acting, as yet fully enlightened, civilized, and evangelized by the Christian religion! I have long since and often said, that probably in one, two, or three centuries more, posterity will talk of as we now talk of the children of the dark ages. Every thing around is, indeed, in progress-rapid progress. The moral conditions of society alone are stationary or retrograding. If riches, honor, science, and learning, could make the world more virtuous, pure, and happy, we would urge the prosecution of these objects. But unfortunately the history of the world, as well as the developments of the Bible,will not allow us to expect any better fruits from their labors and their results than they have already furnished. When including science and learning with riches and honor, as not tending to improve the social or moral relations of society, I must define myself. Science and learning, dissociated from Christian religion and morality, are very different from science and learning associated with them. In the latter case they are a great blessing-in the former case, rather a curse then a blessing. What was the tendency of the science, learning, and talents of a Spinoza, a Hobbes, a Voltaire, a Gibbon, a Hume, or of a Volney, less virulent but more insinuating and dangerous on that account than they. Perhaps I may be censured for associating these men of renown with science at all. Learning they had, but science they had not, say the modern enlightened majority. I will not, however, debate these nice points. I speak after the manner of men. Talents, learning, and science, falsely so called, they may have had, though they were neither Bacons nor Newtons, neither Lockes nor Stewarts, not one of them a Benjamin Franklin or a Sir Humphrey Davy. Still they had learning and influence to contaminate depraved millions, while a few good and great men can seldom raise and ennoble a few hundreds or thousands of their race. Still, to redeem one of our race, is a greater, nobler, and more divine work and aspiration than to damn a million. But I have already transcended my prescribed limits, and will only add, that, to work on the moral constitution of man, to raise, reform, and ennoble him, is, in my opinion, the most desirable, useful, honorable, and godlike employment on earth. The agriculturist, the manufacturer, the mechanic, are all useful men. I mean their calling is useful and honorable. They are so in the aggregate: they are so in the detail. Who could dispense with the hatter, the tailor, or the cordwainer? While the hatter takes the heads of men, and the cordwainer their feet under his special care and protection; and the tailor, still more benevolent, the whole body, none of these is either so indispensable or so useful to society, consequently not so honorable as the school-master. There is a true scale by which we truly appreciate men's standing in society, as well as a false one. "Act well your part-there all the honor lies," is, indeed, a good maxim from a polished poet, who smoothly says "Fortune in men has some small difference made: One flaunts in rags, one flutters in brocade; Worth makes the man, and want of it the fellow; All the rest is either leather or prunello." This being conceded, and who doubts it? we only ask, Do you not, young gentlemen, aspire to usefulness and happiness-to the luxury of doing good? Whatever, then, be your calling; whether you cultivate the soil or direct the state; whether you spend your days in the profession of science or of some useful art, you must, in all the social relations of life, give all your influence and example in favor of an enlightened understanding, a good conscience, and a pure heart. But we may advance one step farther, and say, Should any of you, attracted by a celestial magnet and guided by a light from above, ambitiously look into the distance of ages to come, far beyond the limits of earth and time, to a holier and a happier clime, panting after an object full of glory, honor, and immortality, com mensurate with the dimensions of your nature and with the grandeur, riches, and glory of the universe; then, and in that case, we say, seize with a firm and unwavering grasp the telescope of faith, and place before your mental vision the grand circles of a blissful eternity triumphing in the fulness of joy, participating in all the rapturous transports of eternal pleasure, yourself invested with unfading youth, beauty, and loveliness; and then, I doubt not, you will set about forming a class of humble though aspiring candidates for these eternal honors and rewards. If you cannot find them amongst the higher castes of fallen humanity, I know you will seek them wherever you may find them, if not in the palaces of the great and noble of this world, you will find them amongst the fallen outcasts and down-trodden of humanity, even in the sordid huts of cheerless poverty-you will stoop to conquer and ransomed men will be your prize! This is sound wisdom and unfading honor. Success in this enterprize is eternal wealth and blessedness. If, then, you have faith, courage, and a holy ambition, an ample field lies before you.— Apostles, prophets, martyrs, are your fellow-laborers. If with them you encounter the perils and endure the toils, with them you will share the reward and wear an unfading crown. But we must bid you adieu. To hear a good report of you, be assured, young gentlemen, will be to us a pleasure; and, after the toils and the trials of life are over, to meet you in that pure and happy land where none but the great and wise and good shall be admitted, will be to you and us a joy and an honor which we have no power to conceive nor langunge to express. A. C. INTERPRETATION OF THE SCRIPTURES-Nɔ. VII. THE sixth moral qualification of an interpreter of the scriptures, according to the author we have already quoted, is— "Incessant and earnest prayer for divine illumination," to which he appends the following remarks:-"While it is freely admitted that no such extraordinary teaching, as was enjoyed in the age of inspiration, can warrantably be expected in the present day, it is nevertheless undeniable that the scriptures instruct us to believe in the enlightening influences of the Holy Spirit. 1 John ii, 20, 27. This aid consists in a special, internal, and efficient operation of that divine agent, and is no less distinct from the prophetic and apostolic impulse, than it is from that mere natural assistance by which we discover common truths, and succeed in our ordinary undertakings. It is granted in answer to prayer, accompanied by the exercise of humble dependence on God, and a due use of all the ordinary means of improvement. "If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not: AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN HIM." James i. 5.. "All eminent interpreters of scripture have asserted the necessity and utility of prayer. One of the qualifications which Wickliffe considered to be indispensably requisite in him who interprets the word of God, he expresses in the following striking terms:-'He should be A MAN OF PRAYER. HE NEEDS THE INTERNAL INSTRUCTION OF THE PRIMARY TEACHER.' To the same effect is the testimony of the great Dr. Owen:-'For a man solemnly to undertake the interpretation of any portion of scripture without invocation |