maintain the moral and religious education of those placed under their care, as the highest object to be aimed at in the development of man.

The study of the Holy Scriptures--not in any sectarian sense-is a regular branch of the educational course of the "Institute," and the teachers are well qualified to give instruction in their departments, themselves being constant and ardent students of the Bible. The course of study, in general, is very fuli and well arranged, and the text-books well selected. It possesses various advantages not found in many literary institutions, as will be seen by examination of the course of study announced.

From what we have heard, the success of the institution thus far has given general satisfaction to its patrons and the public generally, and has inspired them with great hopes for the future. We hope that the brotherhood on the whole Reserve will adopt it as their own-will give it an undivided and strong support. If the active brethren of Northern Ohio will do this, it will no longer be a question whether the "Eclectic Institute" will succeed and prosper or not; its success will be, under God's blessing, certain. brotherhood there cannot but appreciate the importance and benefits of such an institution among them. It has the highest claims upon their sympathies and cordial support, and we trust that they will not fail, to a man, to extend them to their infant institution, to make it eminently and extensively useful. C. L. LOOS.

The

THOUGHTS FOR THINKERS.

"And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever, therefore, shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven."-Matt. xviii. 2-4.

THE Scriptures must make their appeal to the human reason. It is impossible that the mind, in the free exercise of thought, can receive as true, that which the reason intuitively discerns as absurd. To compel it to do so, is to put a chain upon the conscience, and to extinguish that light which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world. This is spiritual despotism, ending in moral death. It is only in proportion to the freedom which has been given to the exercise of the human reason, that the true interpretation of the scriptures has been reached. A foolish heart is necessarily dark. A stupid veneration for authority, is to the mind as the cataract is. to the eye it cuts off the free influx of light to the reason, or passes it first through spectacles which discolor and distort it. As the unclouded sunlight is to a well organized eye, so is revelation to the

purified reason; and as vision presupposes an adaptation of the eye to light and of light to the eye, so faith, which is but mental vision, presupposes a correspondence between the word of truth and the conscience. As a man with his eyes open cannot but feel the light, so one whose reason is not utterly closed against its entrance, cannot but feel the truth. Thus it was that Paul made Felix tremble as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come." The truth met with a response in his heart, wicked as it was, and like the music-chord under the pulse of the invisible breeze, there was an inborn sympathy that made it vibrate with fear.

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The Catholic, discarding the light of reason, claims a literal interpretation of the scriptures, even where it is absurd to the reason; but here, it is evident, the influence is not that of truth, but of authority, and the benefit or blessing of the obedience or the faith, can rise no higher than its object. It may entitle the poor wretch to the approbation of his despot, but it cannot give any enjoyment of God. "This is my body," means the veritable, real body, and "this is my blood," must be understood to mean the real material blood of Christ! We must understand it to mean!-yes, and so we can understand it to mean, &c., for we can understand an absurdity; but under the free exercise of reason, can we believe it to mean what the reason, by its immediate intuition declares to be impossible, because absurd? The man who thinks, will ponder this question but a little before he will answer, with full assurance, No.

These remarks are all very practical--as practical as the faculties of the soul, concerning the action of which they are made. Let us try them on our text, "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." We must become as little children in what sense? In every sense, says the literalist. This is absurd, says the reason--I cannot receive it. Shall the scripture, therefore, be thrown away? By no means; but we will search for an interpretation that can be harmonized with the light that is in us. Though we may become fools by shutting our eyes against the light of revelation, we will not allow that revelation to be used to stultify the reason given us by its author for its comprehension and reception. If we cannot become like children in stature, in physical inability, we can resemble them in some moral qualities. "Humility," indeed, is specified by the Saviour, for he adds, "Whosoever shall humble himself as this little child," &c. Interpreted by the reason, under the suggestion of this clause, how beautiful does this comparison seem! What can be more illustraguilty man shall approach

tive of the spirit in which a fallen and SERIES IV.- -VOL. I.

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the Saviour, than the dependent and helpless suppliancy of a little child. He is not ashamed to confess his weakness, for he is conscious that he has no strength in himself, save to express his willingness and his wants; he does not scruple to surrender his will, because he feels that his parents are to him nothing but love; or to cry out for his wants, because he has realized his dependence, his absolute dependence, from his cradle. These are the elements in the character and temper of a child, to which the Saviour declares every man must be assimilated, before he can enter the kingdom of heaven. And are they not the foundation upon which all true— that is, all vital religion-rests? O, the depth of the phylosophy of Christ! The searchings of his reason how profound! But why should we marvel! Is he not the Logos embodied, and in Him are there not hidden even the deep things of God! Let me ask the reader who thinks, to ponder on this revelation, so beautifully and simply made in the illustration drawn from the character of a child, and, uncovering the depths of his own soul, to ask himself, in what spirit it is that he feels himself nearest to God, and actualizes, by faith, most fully the reign of God in his heart, and I shall not fear that he will differ from me, when I say, that, The beginning of all genuine religion in the heart, is in the feeling of absolute childlike dependence on God, with a will reconciled to His will, and harmonizing, through the light of reason, with the law of love.

W. K. P.

THE CAUSE OF REFORMATION.

THE territory over which the doctrine of the Reformation has been more or less diffused, within one quarter of a century, is unprecedented in any age known to history and to me. It is preached or read in our books, not only in all the United States of America, and in all the British provinces of North America, from St. Johns to San Francisco, and from the Oregon to the Neuces: it has also been preached or read in England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and the Isle of Man. It has crossed the Pacific to Australia and New Zealand, and visited Liberia, on the coast of Africa. At some of these points it has, indeed, touched but slightly; but even there, like a little leaven hid in a large measure of meal, it must work, as the Messiah said, until the mass be leavened.

The following notices from the July number of the British Mil

lennial Harbinger, is an index of the times and of the progress of the great cause to which we have consecrated our lives.

A. C.

We hope to forward, in the course of the current month, a box of books to Port Adelaide, Australia, containing "The Christian Baptist," ," "Campbell and Rice Debate," "Debate with Bishop Purcell," "Christian System," "Essay on Remission," Hymn-Book, &c. We trust that our brethren in that part of the world, will be preserved from those fruitless speculations which have so strong a tendency to dry up all sympathy with the cause of Christ, and with the faithful exercise of pure and undefiled Christianity.

We embrace this opportunity of informing our readers, that the Essay on the Evidences of Pardon, commencing page 318, will be printed as an eight-page tract, to be sold to the brethren as cheaply as possible. Five hundred copies will be forwarded to Australia. We solicit the churches who approve of this effort, and who may desire to aid in circulating the tract, to send in their orders immediately, while the type is standing.

THE MEETING IN LONDON.-Bro. King, writing on Monday, June 22d, concerning the above meeting, says:

I am able to announce the following: A preliminary meeting will be held on Tuesday evening, July 8th, in Providence Chapel, Elstree street, Pancras road, not far from the Euston square station, to commence at half-past six o'clock. On Wednesday morning, at nine o'clock, in Fitzroy Hall, Little Portland street, Oxford market, near Regent street, the second meeting will commence. On Thursday morning, the assembly will resume at the same time and place, adjourning at four o'clock, in order to meet the Hammersmith brethren in their hall for tea, and to bring before the public, in the evening, the principles of the Reformation. On Friday morning, Fitzroy Hall will be again open for completing any remaining business, at which place tea will be provided, and in the evening a public meeting held, which will be announced somewhat as follows:

"Great Religious Reformation.-The incompetency of existing sects to convert the people being apparent, and the necessity for an extensive reformation having been proclaimed by their high authorities-Dr. Leifchild, Rev. T. Binney, Mr. Edward Miall, and others -a public meeting will be held in Fitzroy Hall, on Friday, July 11th, when gentlemen from various parts of England and Scotland will deliver addresses explanatory of the nature of the required reformation. The above named gentlemen, and many other ministers and public men, will be invited to attend."

On Lord's day, brethren meet for worship in the morning, at Providence Chapel, St. Pancras road; at the hall, Black's road, Hammersmith; at Lark row, near Victoria Park; and at Kennington. At Providence chapel, in the afternoon and evening, a public conference will be held, the design of which is, to bring before the public

the things of the kingdom, relative to which they are so lamentably ignorant.

These are the best arrangements I am able to announce. Trusting they may prove in every respect useful, and wishing to hear from you if you have any thing to suggest,

I remain, yours in love,

DAVID KING.

[It is our intention, all things concurring, to be in London to attend the General Meetings.-J. WALLIS.]

THE TESTIMONY OF A CONVERTED CATHOLIC.

WE publish, at the request of its author, the following communication, in hope that it may reach the eyes of others, who are yet under the spiritual despotism of the Roman Hierarchy. We need only add, that the writer is well known to us, having spent a session at Bethany College since his conversion from Catholocism, and that his statements may be received with all confidence.

READ THE HARBINGER.

Brother Campbell: I would not offend you, by seeking to circulate your writings on any subject, by what is usually termed a puff; but justice, charity, pure and undefiled religion—the cause of all mankind--forbid that I should conceal my sentiments at a time when great efforts are being made in the metropolis of this Union, and elsewhere, to brand with eternal infamy the great cause which Protestantism has espoused, and to raise in this land of liberty a battalion sworn to raise the standard of Roman despotism, the most debasing of all.

A few short years ago, the Harbinger found me a wreck, wandering between Catholocism, which I had learned, (all but the mysteries,) and infidelity, in which I was becoming proficient. Without judge or jury, I felt disposed to condemn the Harbinger; and although I was neither a good Catholic nor a good Protestant, yet I would think it no cruelty to meet its authors with the chastisement due to heretics, when Protestantism was young. And I presume the Harbinger could never gain admittance into my miscellanies, but that I was invited to take a hand in a debating society, where the question next to be discussed was the subject of an article in the Harbinger. The subject I had seen on the back, without opening the book; and after some reflection as to the propriety of opening it, I read the address on war. I found nothing in it that would bear an action in