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fare. In the mean time, the exposed region is suffering from the combined effects of a scarcity of provisions, and the inroads and barbarities of the Indians, who have been wily enough to divide themselves into small separate bands, so that they cannot be defeated in mass, and can harrass and destroy in many places at the same time. Most deeply do we sympathize with our afflicted brethren, who have suffered from these hostile savages, and who are still exposed to their horrible cruelties. But we solemnly ask-Do we not, in this Indian war, read our sin written in its punishment? Have we not recently and most grievously oppressed, and injured, and defrauded the aboriginal inhabitants of our land? Have we not violated the solemn treaties which we had formed with some of their tribes? And what was the answer returned to General Clayton, when he asked the Senator from Indiana, whether he could account for the discontent of these very Indians? It was, that "when he was Indian agent in the west, these Indians had complained to him repeatedly of the conduct of the whites, intruding upon their lands, and ploughing up their cornfields, and that as agent he had no power to redress their grievances." And why, we ask, had he not power? Unquestionably he ought to have had it, and to exercise it too. These Indians, we are persuaded, have been driven to desperation. They cannot but know that their extirpation is likely to be, and we doubt not will be, the consequence of their making war. But their thirst for vengeance has hurried them madly to their destruction-They will perish, but many of our unhappy frontier brethren will first perish; and a heavy load of guilt will rest on our sinful land, to be punished by Him who is the avenger of the oppressed.

The pestilence by which three-quarters of our globe has been scourged for several years past, has at length invaded our continent. The dismaying East India Spasmodic Cholera, has been introduced into Quebeck and Montreal, by the numerous emigrants from Europe, who have lately arrived at those cities. To the emigrants it has, as yet, been principally, but we think not wholly confined; and never has it appeared with greater malignity than among these unhappy strangers. A few hours, sometimes not more than five or six, have sufficed for its commencement and its termination in death. It is questionable whether any case of it has yet appeared within the territorial boundaries of the United States. But it regards no boundaries, and we have reason to apprehend that, with more or less violence, it will pervade at least the cities and towns of our whole sea-board. We would be far from increasing the alarm, which is already sufficiently great. But to avoid panick, we should be apprised of approaching danger, and brace our minds to meet it with calm fortitude. In addition to all the other means which very properly are begun to be taken, with a view to diminish or avoid the coming evil, let not moral means be neglected. Let us look beyond second causes to the God who orders and governs them; and with deep humility and sincere confession of our numerous sins, let us implore his sparing mercy. While care is taken to cleanse our cities from natural filth, let not our moral pollutions be overlooked-If these were removed, the other would be less dangerous. We do hope that in every city and large town on our sea-coast, days of solemn religious observance will be recommended by the proper civil authorities of each; that in our social character as communities, we may bow ourselves before the uplifted hand of the Most High, and with united hearts and voices beseech him in the midst of deserved wrath to remember mercyto save us from what we fear, or to mitigate our sufferings-to dispose and enable us to bear our chastisement, whatever it may be, with humble and calm submission, and that it may eventually result in our lasting benefit.

Serious apprehensions, we also find, are entertained by many, that the federal union may be materially infracted, if not destroyed, by the controversy which exists on the subject of the Tariff. Into the merits of this controversy we have never entered, and never intend to enter. But as a Christian Advocate we urge the importance of eying the hand of God in all providential occurrences; and surely if there ever was a time in which the chief magistrate of our country might with propriety recommend a day of national humiliation, fasting, and prayer, such a time is the present. It has, heretofore been done by Presidents Washington, the elder Adams, and Madison-May we not hope that President Jackson will follow such high and laudable examples?

TO OUR READERS.

On the eighth of May ult. we received from the Rev. Mr. Riddle, of Winchester, Virginia, a communication of considerable length, in reply to a statement contained in the Christian Advocate of the preceding month, relative to a conversation at a dinner party, during the sessions of the General Assembly of 1831; in which it was alleged that Mr. Riddle manifested a decided hostility to the reappointment, by the Assembly of that year, of the Board of Missions of the preceding year. As it

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was utterly impracticable to insert Mr. R.'s communication in our number for May, inasmuch as his paper was received but four days before the issuing of that number, and after our pages, with the exception of a small part of the last form, had passed the press, or were in type, he chose to publish his reply to our statement in the Philadelphian. To this we make no objection; and we now are only desirous that our readers should understand that his reply was kept out of our work by necessity. We told his friend, who spoke to us on the subject, that its future insertion was "under consideration ;" and we subsequently explained to that friend what we intended by that expression. It is sufficient to say that it would have appeared in our present number, if it had not been previously published in the Philadelphian, and he had continued to request its insertion in the Advocate. The statement to which Mr. R. objects, was made on the explicit testimony of the author of the following note, with whom he must settle the question as to the facts of the case. We only remark, that when even a single credible witness positively affirms that certain things were said and were replied to by himself, his allegation is not disproved, by other credible witnesses stating that they did not hear what the first witness affirms that he heard and answered, unless it can be shown that the alleged sayings, testified to by the first witness, could not have been uttered without being heard by those who declare that they did not hear them.

"To DR. GREEN.

"Rev. and Dear Sir,-Mr. Riddle, of Winchester, Va., has attempted to make you answerable for every thing which Honesty has said concerning him. If he had said that I was responsible for every thing which you have said relative to him, he would have spoken correctly; but perhaps if he were allowed to explain, he would say that this was what he

meant.

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"When Mr. Riddle was brought into notice by being put on a committee of moderate men, as he calls his party, and as they used to be called in Scotland, he probably thought it necessary to be fierce for moderation,' to show that he deserved the attention which was paid him. To this I attributed his wanton attack upon me and my proscribed brethren, in time of peace, and in a company of friends. I have said that he censured us as exclusives, who ought to be displaced. This he has not denied. I have said that he did this openly, and with great freedom, and at considerable length. This he denies, by saying that he was 'particularly reserved on that subject,' and 'quite brief. But let it be recollected that freedom and length, reserved and brief, are relative terms; and that the difference of our representations may be owing to the difference of our circumstances. He was the assailant and the speaker; I was the accused listener.

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"In relation to facts, Mr. Riddle has called upon the persons present to testify. In this request, we unite. Mr. Borland's testimony,' as it is called in the Philadelphian, says expressly, If there was any conversation, either before dinner or at the table, about the Assembly's Board of Missions, I do not recollect a word of it.' That is, the witness does not recollect a word about the matter in dispute; although Mr. Riddle himself has testified that such a conversation occurred. Yet this is called Mr. Borland's testimony! The extraneous matter upon which both of them have put their own colouring, I have no objection to discuss, if Providence permit, on some future occasion, when I may be required to say more on this dispute. Respectfully, yours, "W. L. M'Calla.”

THE

CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE.

JULY, 1832.

Religious Communications.

LECTURES ON THE SHORTER CATECHISM OF THE WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY OF DIVINES ADDRESSED TO YOUTH.

LECTURE LXVIII.

The manner in which the word of God is to be read and heard, that it may become effectual to salvation, is to be the subject of the present lecture, and is thus stated in our Catechism-"That the word may become effectual to salvation, we must attend thereunto with diligence, preparation and prayer; receive it with faith and love; lay it up in our hearts, and practice it in our lives."

To secure the salvation of the soul, must be acknowledged to be the great concern and chief business of life, by all who profess to believe in a future state of rewards and punishments. If this be so, and if it is from the word of God alone that we can learn the way of salvation, then it is obviously not too much to say, that an attention to the word of God should be regarded as the principal object of our existence in this world, and that we ought to treat it accordingly. How few, alas! do this; and yet, in doing it, consists our giving that attention to the divine word, the revealed truth of God, which our duty demands, and the answer before us enjoins. Ch. Adv.-VOL. X.

Our Catechism teaches us, that the duty we here contemplate, is to be performed

1. With diligence; that is, says Fisher, "with a careful observing and embracing of every seasonable opportunity that may offer in providence, for reading and hearing the word of life." How easily, my young friends, do we find time and opportunities to think of what we love; to attend to that in which our hearts and affections are much interested; to pursue after and improve in that in which we find our happiness, and in which we believe our highest and best interests are deeply involved? Now, let the reading and hearing of the word of God be the thing which we thus regard, and we shall find much time to read and meditate on the Holy Scriptures, and we shall seize many an opportunity to hear the gospel preached, which we should otherwise neglect; and this too, without permitting one duty to crowd out another, or being chargeable with the neglect of any obligation, which our place or station in life imposes on us. Believe it, my dear youth, the want of diligence in reading and hearing the word of God, arises principally from the want of love to the exercise. If you could, with truth, say with the Psalmist, "Thy_testimonies are my delight 2 N

and my counsellors-The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver-O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day-How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, - sweeter than honey to my mouth! -Therefore, I love thy commandments above gold, yea, above fine gold-I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word-Mine eyes prevented the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word-I rejoice at thy word as one that findeth great spoil."-Were this, I say, the very language of your hearts, how many books of little value, to say nothing of those of pernicious tendency, would you lay aside, for the reading and studying of the bible? What a blessed familiarity would you acquire with its holy truths? How clearly would you understand, and how faithfully apply them? How readily would you forego every place and opportunity of even lawful, not to speak of unlawful amusement, if it interfered with the hearing of a sermon, a lecture on the sacred Scriptures, or any occasion of acquiring religious instruction or improvement? And be assured, if the word of God shall ever become effectual to your salvation, it will, in some good degree, produce these very effects on your hearts and practice. You will, in this manner, prove that your attention to the reading and hearing of God's word has been diligent.

2. Preparation; that is, some special preparation, for reading and hearing the word of God is necessary, if we hope to experience its salutary and saving effects. The human mind is so constituted, that it cannot readily pass from one subject to another of a different character, without some prepararation; and least of all is it reasonable to expect this, when the transition is to be made from sensible objects, to spiritual contem

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plations. We must take some time, and put forth vigorous efforts, to make our thoughts quit their hold on the world, and become concentrated on divine and invisible things; to change their employment from thinking on secular occupations and pursuits, to meditations on sacred, revealed truth; to turn their current from earth and time, to heaven and eternity. In making this preparation, "we should consider that the word has the authority of God stamped upon it; that it is Himself that speaketh to us therein; that it is his ordinance for our salvation; and will be the savour either of life or death unto us. We should "duly consider how we need instruction, or, at least to have truths brought to our remembrance, and impressed on our heart; as also that this is an ordinance that God has instituted for that purpose: And as it is instamped with his authority, so we may depend on it, that his eye will be upon us, to observe our frame of spirit under the word: And we ought to have an awful sense of his perfections, to excite in us a holy reverence, and the exercise of other graces necessary to our engaging in this duty, in a right manner."t The chief reason why the reading and hearing of the word of God produces so little effect is, that people go to it in a careless, thoughtless manner. they would endeavour to prepare for it, in the manner that has now been briefly stated, we should witness other results; its power and influence would be seen and felt, far oftener and more generally than they are, both in the conviction and conversion of sinners, and the edification and comfort of the people of God. Especially would this be the case, if to what has been recommended, there should be added

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3. Prayer. This is, indeed, essential. We are not sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God." "Without me," said the Saviour, "ye can do nothing." Let us never forget that it is God alone who can rightly dispose and effectually enable us to perform any religious duty-perform it so as to be either acceptable to him, or profitable to our own souls. If, therefore, prayer to God for his gracious aid be neglected, all other means or efforts for obtaining edification, will be likely to prove entirely fruitless. We ought to confess with humility before God our inability to hear his word in a right manner, without his special, gracious assistance; and to plead his condescending promise to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him. Devotional exercises of this kind, have a natural tendency to put us in a suitable frame of mind to read or hear divine truth with advantage, as well as to obtain those divine succours on which profitable reading and hearing must always depend. Especially when we are about to go to the publick worship of God in his sanctuary, we ought to pray that God would assist his ministers in preaching his word, so that what they deliver shall be agreeable to his mind and will; and also, that it may be carried with resistless power to the consciences and hearts, both of ourselves and of all our fellow worshippers. O that there were more fervent and effectual prayer, that divine truth might be purely and faithfully set forth, and be made the power and wisdom of God unto salvation, to those who hear it! O that the ministers of the gospel, and the teachers of sabbath schools and Bible classes, had a larger share in the fervent pleadings of God's people, for the right discharge of their sacred duties, and for his special and signal blessing on their

faithful labours! Then should we see, more conspicuously than we have yet seen, the fulfilment of the promise-"My word shall not return unto me void, but it shall açcomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."

4. In order to the word of God becoming effectual to salvation, we must receive it with faith and love. The sacred writer speaks it to the high praise of the Bereans, that "they received the word with all readiness of mind;" and the ́apostle, in writing to the Thessalonians, uses this remarkable and emphatick language "For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but (as it is in truth) the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe." In these passages of sacred writ, we have both the sanction and the illustration of the doctrine of our Catechism, in the points now before us. To receive the word with all readiness, is to open our minds freely and thankfully to the teachings of the Holy Spirit in the lively oracles, indited by his own inspiration to give to them that welcome reception into our minds, which we yield to a message of our best friend, in relation to our most important interests. We receive the word in faith, when it comes to us as being, not the word of man, but as it is in truth, the word of God, on which we place the most implicit reliance, as being a communication from that great and glorious Being whose attribute it is, that he cannot lie, and on which, therefore, we may rest whatever relates, not only to our happiness in this world, but to our eternal well-being -rest all our interests, hopes, and expectations, as on a foundation more stable than the pillars of creation; "for heaven and earth shall indeed pass away, but my words,"

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