MEMORY AND CONSCIENCE.

THE power of memory and conscience are finely illustrated in the following paragraphs from a discourse by the Rev. Dr. Beecher :

"Connected with conscience is the office of memory. The retrospections of the mind are as rapid as the flashing of lightning. More rapid are they than the transmission of ideas by the telegraph between Washington and Baltimore, or the transmission will be, when, as such may happen, thoughts are carried in a few moments round the earth. "I knew a man who said, that in falling twenty feet, when he expected to die, the thoughts of a lifetime seemed to pass through his mind. He thought of his business-of his wife-of his children-and of that eternity to which he was going. A life seemed to pass through his mind and nothing was lost. So it will be when memory summons the acts of a life, at the last tribunal. Nothing is lost. Thoughts once impressed, but apparently lost, will come again. A life is written on our memory, as with an invisible ink. It is apparently lost to our frail sight while here. But in the judgment light it will be seen enveloped around us, and will be unrolled till every line and letter is made visible. I knew a sailor once, who said that when once in a storm on the giddy mast, while trying to furl sail, and could not, he cursed God. It passed out of his mind for twenty years, but now, in a season of excitement, he said, 'Now I remember it. I am lost!'""

LITERARY MEN IN WEDLOCK.

MILTON's first wife, whom he married from a sudden fancy, was unable to endure his literary habits; and finding her house too solitary for her volatile disposition, beat his nephews and conveyed herself away at the expiration of her honey-moon. The wife of Bishop Cooper became so jealous of his books, that she consigned the labour of many years to the flames. And the alleged reason why Lady Seville destroyed the most valuable manuscripts of Sir Henry, was, that they engrossed too much of his time.

The reason of the like fortune occurring to a literary man, Professor Cross founds in the ignorance aud vulgar-mindedness of the wife; and hence a motive for the exertions of the literati in the cause of female education. He says, " If such a wife (as Seville had) be neglected, she will imagine that the time her husband spends in his study should be devoted to her personal service; and if she is not neglected, so mortifying to an illiterate woman is the infinite and unapproachable superiority of an accomplished man, that she cannot obliterate from her mind the harrowing conviction that his attention to her, though the most tender and soothing, is the insolence of familiarity or the pride of condescension. Her inferiority, she is aware, cannot be concealed from him, and if she is neither neglected nor avoided, the most favourable construction she puts upon her conduct is, that she is pitied; and such is the misterious structure of the female heart, that, rather than be pitied, she would be despised."-Equator of the Weekly Press.

SHORT DISCOURSES.-No. VI.

"YE should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the saints." Jude, 3.

IN the introduction of our discourse we cannot do better than define the terms of which the text is composed. By "faith," it is clear, we are to understand the Gospel-the great principles of Christian belief. By "contending" is meant a firm maintenance of those principles against opposers and adulteration. By "saints" are meant the sincere and holy disciples of Jesus Christ. Now the duty specified is, that of the church" earnestly" upholding and maintaining the principles of the Gospel. This was necessary in Jude's time, (see verse 4), and it has been necessary in all ages of the world. The truth has never been long unassailed. It is the very design of Satan and crafty men to deceive, mislead, and then destroy. Let us then consider more fully, First. The duty specified.

Second. The manner of discharging it.

Third. The reasons which oblige us to regard it.

I. THE DUTY SPECIFIED.

1. Respect to the faith. That Gospel system which has respect to the faith. Now the Gospel system includes facts detailed by the evangelists. These form the very basis of the Christian structure. The life, miracles, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Truths which relate to the fall and depravity of mankind, their utter helplessness, their recovery, by the mission and death of Christ. The sanctification of the heart by the Spirit and blood of Christ. Now each of these is essential to the very vitality of the Christian religion. The commandments of the Gospel system are of two classes, moral and positive; the moral includes all our duties to God, to the church, and to the world-the practical obedience of faith. The positive includes attention, to the positive ordinances of the Gospel. Now these facts, truths, and ordinances, are evidently implied in the faith or Gospel system.

2. This faith has been committed to the saints. Heb. i. 1, 2. 1 Cor. xv. 1. Also by the teaching and epistles of the Apostles, who were inspired to teach and write infallibly, for the instruction, edification, and comfort of the first churches, and whose writings are contained in the New Testament Scriptures. In being committed to the saints is meant their being deposited to the vigilant care and guardianship of the first churches, and by them handed down to the generations following.

3. That this faith is to be contended for by us. The word " contend" is literally to agonize for it. The same word is used in reference to the Saviour's agony, or, as the racers and wrestlers agonize for the prize. Now this signifies much more than extreme care to possess the faith, or highly to esteem it. It is to be solicitous for its purity. To live and labour extensively for this. To employ all our powers, and influence, and energies in its defence; and if necessary to suffer and die for it.

II. THE MANNER OF DISCHARGING THIS DUTY.

1. That it BE the faith once delivered to the saints. Not a faith

professing to be it, but the identical faith. Not some learned man's definition or system of the faith, but the faith itself. Not our notions or opinions, but the faith. Not respecting this conjecture or that having to do with it, &c., and therefore we must have and hold, as essential to this, the very words of the faith as when delivered-the very Scriptures which contain them. To these we must appeal, and for these we must contend always. "To the law and to the testimony." Always, What saith the Scripture ?

2. The contending for the faith must be in the spirit of faith. Not in the spirit of proud and vaunting bigotry-but with enlightened candour. Not in the spirit of personal uncharitableness—but in the spirit of love to the mistaken, in compassion for them. Not in the

spirit of wrathful denunciation-but in the spirit of affectionate prayer. Not in the employment of carnal weapons, as acts of parliament and the sword of state-but clad only in the armour of righteousness. Not in anger, calumny, and wrath-but in the spirit of tenderness and love. See an example presented in the ninth verse. Yet we notice,

3. The contending for the faith must be firm and unyielding. We must conflict for it, and not be indifferent, cold, and careless. We must be earnest, ardent, devoted, and persevering. We must confess the faith, hold it fast, witness for it, buy it at any price, and never, never sell it. And this contending must respect the whole faith. There is nothing valueless or indifferent. Its author, its originator, bespeaks its value and excellence. Indifference to minor parts has ever opened the floodgates of error.

III. THE REASONS WHICH SHOULD OBLIGE US TO THIS DUTY.

1. For the faith's sake. This is the mystery of heaven, the plan of salvation, the system of eternal benevolent truth. Who would not be anxious for pure light, pure air, and pure water? This is the light of the soul, the atmosphere of the spirit, the water of life.

2. For our own sake. There is an obligation. It is a duty. It is connected with conscience, with peace of conscience, with the smiles of God, with the enjoyments of religion. We are to war for this'fight the good fight of faith." "I have kept the faith."

3. For the church's sake. Purity and prosperity connected. Love, truth, and peace. 'I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth." Be valiant for the truth. Our forefathers [and the Apostles, and Prophets, and a host of martyrs] did this for us. We are to do it for the present and next generation. Remember, too, the prosperity of the church and the salvation of the world are necessarily linked together. This is therefore united with the conquering car of our Saviour. "Ride on gloriously because of righteousness and truth."

APPLICATION.

1. Let every man test his faith. faith, once committed to the saints. call loudly for it.

See that it is the ancient, divine Let it be held fast. Our times

2. Let the faith be internal-influential in each of our souls. The main thing is the personal in-dwelling in the soul.

THE ACQUISITION OF DILIGENCE.

It is wonderful how much is done in a short space, provided we set about it properly, and give our minds wholly to it. Let any one devote himself to any art or science ever so strenuously, and he will still have leisure to make considerable progress in half-a-dozen other acquirements. Leonardo de Vinci was a mathematician, a musician, a poet, and an anatomist, besides being one of the greatest painters of his age. Michael Angelo was a prodigy of versatility of talent, a

writer of sonnets, (which Wordsworth has thought worthy of translating), and the friend of Dante. Salvator was a lutanist and a satirist. Titian was an elegant letter-writer, and a finished gentleman. Sir Joshua Reynold's discourses are more classical and polished than any of his pictures. Let a man do all he can in any one branch of study, he must either exhaust himself and doze over it, or vary his pursuit, or else lie idle. All our real labour lies in a nut-shell. The mind makes at some period or other, one Herculean effort, and the rest is mechanical. We have to climb a steep and narrow precipice at first, but after that, the way is broad and easy where we drive several accomplishments abreast. Men should have one principal pursuit, which may be both easily and advantageously diversified with lighter ones.

ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS, &c.

CHRISTIAN LIBERTY.-No. III.
[Concluded from page 187.]

SECOND. We inquire into the testimony of the Living Word. Among the earnest exhortations and solemn warnings given by the Apostles to the congregations which they had reared, there are none more striking and impressive than those which relate to the love, reverence, and obedience, which was due to faithful pastors. We may quote a few of them by way of sample. "Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. For the Scripture saith thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And the labourer is worthy of his reward."-1 Tim. v. 17. "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you."-Heb. xiii. 17. "And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake; and be at peace among yourselves."-1 Thess. v. We distinctly ascertain from these important statements that holy men who teach and bear rule in congregations have large claims on every kind of support, moral or pecuniary. Their hands must be held up in strength, and their hearts sustained in fortitude, by the fervent love, active concurrence, dutiful submission, and generous support of those who participate in the blessedness of their ministrations. It is for want of this reverent and confiding spirit that we have in many places such dwarfish and stunted, such sapless and fruitless disciples, who imagine foolishly that they may all teach and govern, though many of them are ignorant of the first principles of the Oracles of God, and at the same time equally destitute of that grasp of mind and dignity of character which marks men out for leadership.

Fifth. It is incompatible with the war spirit of the world and apostate sects.