and is not ashamed to tell them. They are his own reasons, too; not borrowed, as yours are, not derived from the say-so of ministers and doctors of divinity ever so pious, and learned, and wise. They are reasons which he sees, understands, and feels in his heart. But, one question let me put to you—“ What if the Bible, after all your disbelief of it, should turn out to be true?"

I.-But it cannot be true. I do not believe it ever will turn out to be true. Paine, and Hume, and many others, say that it is nothing but a book of fables and falsehoods, fit only for women, and children, and priests, and that's my opinion, and it is an opinion gaining ground in the world.

C.-Hear me, I say. What if, after all, the Bible should prove to be true! what will then become of you, and Paine, and Hume, and Voltaire, and all the rest of the Infidels? Look at the fearfulness of the truths of the Bible, in their bearings upon you, and them, and all other men who reject the book. If, when you die, your soul awakes in that now disbelieved eternity, and in the presence of that God of whom the Bible teaches, you will be compelled to believe things at which you now endeavor to laugh and scoff. You will find yourself in the solemn and awful presence of the God you have denied, and whose book you have called a collection of falsehoods-will find that you are going to "stand before the judgment seat of Christ"--that there is a heaven which you are unfit to enter, as being an enemy to him who built it, and a hell, from consignment to which there will, for you, be no escape. You will then find that you have gone too far for the possibility of a reconciliation with God, whom you have offended-that you cannot step back into this life, and upon the ground of probation and hope, try again for your destiny. You, and the men who have deceived you, and those whom you have deceived, and among whom you have indulged yourself in railing at religion, and the Bible, and the God of the Bible, will be serious then. The terror of finding yourself in the presence and within the power of a holy and just God, will have put an eternal finish to your scepticism, and you will "believe and tremble" for ever. You may talk of the strength of the numbers believing as you do, that the Bible is not true. Hear what the God of the book itself says, "Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not go unpunished;" and look, too, at the fact, that the unbelief of God is especially declared to be the peculiarly damning sin of the soul, and hell the portion which a righteous God has especially appointed for "unbelievers." And once more hear me, while I point you to the wording of the Bible: "Repent, therefore, of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee." And hearken to the merciful invitations which even an infidel, yet in this world of hope, may, if he will, accept: that believeth on the Son of God hath everlasting life." "Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved.”—Bible Society Record.

"He

In all this, strong as it is, there is more conceded to the Infidel than he can rightfully, logically, or grammatically claim. No man that understands the English language, can rationally say that he knows the Bible to be false, or that he believes any of its facts to be a lie. His only feasible defence is that he opines that it is false, and that, too, because of the peculiar texture or color of his mind. A man, it is possible after denth, and merely possible, could then say, I know the Christian religion is false. But the Devil himself would then tell him that he is a liar; because knowledge is experience, and, in the world to come, he will experience that it is as true as he lives.

No more can any living man believe the Bible to be a fiction or a fraud, because he has not one solitary proof, or witness, or deposition, from any living or dead man-from God, angel, man, demon, or the Devil—that it is a lie, or a cunningly devised fable. This is the undeniable fact-the true state of the case of every Infidel on earth. Teach these ignorant, conceited philosophists, the meaning of English words, as used by educated Englishmen, and they can only fully lisp, I am of opinion that the Bible is not true, or a revelation from God. But men of

sense never dogmatically affirm that they are certain of any thing which they merely opine. Opinion always ceases when faith or knowledge exists. A man cannot be in two states of mind at one and the same insfant; if he opines or doubts, he neither believes nor disbelieves, he neither knows nor can know, he neither affirms nor denies, in that state of the case. I own that, while all solid lexicography sustains me in this view, there are a few loose talkers, and definers of terms, that neither understand what they say, nor whereof they affirm. But no man of sense will lean upon such broken reeds.

A. C.

THE JERUSALEM MISSION

[As every communication from Jerusalem must be interesting to our readers, we intend giving them regularly from the Christian Age or A. Campbell's Harbinger, as they come to hand.-J. W.]

MOUNT OLIVET, September 8, 1853.

DEAR BROTHER BURNET,-After the enjoyment of several weeks' quiet and security, the order just received by the pasha from the sultan, requiring him to send to Constantinople all the troops from the city and every part of his pashalic, has excited no little apprehension-not only among the Christian and Jewish portion of the community, but with the Turks also-lest the Fellahin, or still worse, the Bedouin, should take advantage of the defenceless state of the city, and sack it. One of the most influential sheiks of the harem sent us a kind and urgent admonition this morning, that it was now very unsafe to remain outside the walls, and that we had better return immediately to the city; but, judging from the number of patients we treat there every other day, it would be very hazardous for us to return in our present debilitated condition, and I am, therefore, strongly inclined to trust even to Arab professions of friendship rather than return at present.

You have doubtless observed (but not shedding the same brilliant light that it does in an.Syrian sky) the blazing comet which for some nights past has been sweeping its long tail low in our western horizon-but, strange to say, exciting no apprehension even among the ignorant superstitious Arabs; for they declare that a comet always betokens either peace or war, and either alternative would be preferable to the present lawless and unsettled state of affairs.

We have had much intercourse of late with the best class of Mohammedan society, and are pleased to find them much more accessible and less bigoted than we had supposed. In the harems of the Pacha, Bashkatib, and Cadi, (which two last named officers rank as Secretary of State and Chief Justice,) we have found both sexes very affable, courteous, liberal, and even refined. Some of these young lords, however, seem to glory in being so much influenced by Frank principles and practices, as openly to declare their liberal indulgence in brandy dramming! Still, in justice to Moslem sobriety, I must say that the only persons that I have ever seen at all intoxicated in Jerusalem, were those who wore the Christian name!

Within a short space of time I have been constrained to reject two inquirers —if I may thus designate them, as even such applicants are generally styled— the one a Jew just arrived from Europe, the other a Jewess long resident here; yet, neither" an Israelite indeed." The former calculated on entering upon a course of religious instruction of several years' continuance, during which time he expected to be clothed, fed, and buckshished, as well as taught a profession, and two modern languages! His modest proposal was of course rejected. And on being told what true Christianity is, he discovered that he was in the wrong pew, and forthwith went away; and finding, at a certain proselyting institution just such a Christian curriculum, entered at once upon the race. The timeserving Jewess was acting under such worldly considerations, unblushingly avowed and pertinaciously defended, that little more could be done than to give her some mere elementary instruction and rather pungent admonition addressed to her ill-adjusted conscience. Such a thing as becoming a Christian without

valuable pecuniary considerations, occurs but seldom, it is to be feared, in this desecrated place. The mind of the person to whom I think I alluded in my last, as interested in the search after truth and righteousness, is fully made up; and he is willing and waiting to render immediate obedience, but is disposed to defer his baptism a short time, in the hope that his wife will soon be prepared to come out of Babylon along with him.

We could but conclude, the other day, that an important crisis in the affairs of the mission was at hand, but it is now probably postponed for some time. A Musselman, whom we have known for about two years as a very honest and respectable Fellah, readily received Christian instruction, (very unlike Moslem generality,) and on learning the requirements of the gospel, determined to abjure Islamism and put on Christ in baptism; but on ascertaining that his friends would probably kill him, he concluded that he had better defer entire obedience a while, especially as he thinks his wife will soon be willing also to embrace Christianity. He seems to be perfectly honest in his motives and intentions, nor would it require any urging to induce him to make an immediate profession of Christianity, despite impending death; but after prayerful and anxious consideration, I have concluded that my course should be rather a passive one, at least so far, as urging immediate practical obedience—yet by no means such as to discourage it, be the consequences what they may. Though it is much to be feared that, in the present exasperated state of the Moslem mind toward Christianity, the consequences would not only be fatal to him, but would probably compel us to suspend operations for some time. How much do we need that wisdom that cometh cometh from above, and is profitable to direct! Pray for me, my dear brother, that I may have the wisdom of the serpent and the harmlessness of the dove, duly attempered; and especially that I may have the boldness to make known the mystery of the gospel as I ought to declare it.

Six lay-missionaries of the "Evangelical Prussian Church" have just arrived here, I understand, and entered upon their studies and labors preparatory to their destined settlement in Abyssinia. I had hoped that by this time the word of the Lord would have sounded out from you in various other quarters of the globe, beside this interesting spot. Has the Board no other mission in contemplation?

Regarding it as a manifestation of interest in the mission, on the part of a person to whom I am entirely unknown, I was much pleased to receive, a few days ago, several bottles of "Ayer's Cherry Pectoral" from its celebrated discoverer-together with a no less acceptable present, an almanac for the current year.

We are greatly behind the times-taking no secular paper, and depending for all foreign news upon three or four religious papers, a few numbers only of which visit us; and these few only at long, irregular, and uncertain intervals. It would be quite a curiosity to see the Christian Age again. The complaints of tardiness, uncertainty, and exaction in Eastern postal matters, wax louder and louder. I have to regret that when a private opportunity of sending papers to the United States lately occurred, those that I proposed sending you, (concerning topographical matters for the elucidation of the Bible and Josephus), were found, on overhauling them, to be in too confused a state to impose them on you without re-writing; but I trust I shall soon have an opportunity of sending them in better fix.

Nothing special to communicate about a location for the proposed asylum. The times are entirely too squally to take any measures in relation to such matters at present.

In much haste, with love and esteem, great and unfeigned, your's in the Lord, J. T. BARCLAY.

PIETY AND MENTAL GROWTH.--An hour of solitude, passed in sincere and earnest prayer, or the conflict with, and the conquest over, a single passion or "subtle bosom sin," will teach us more of thought, will more effectually waken the faculty and habit of reflection, than a year's study.

NOTES OF LECTURES

DELIVERED BY A. CAMPBELL.

NO. XXXVII.-ANALYSIS OF THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER OF ACTS.

We have now before us a second edi- | the Bible. The word of God spoken of tion of the introduction of Christianity in the first verse of this chapter, has a among the Gentiles. Since this circum-technical meaning. The phrase," the stance occupies so large a space in so word of the Lord came to," (ainos) small a book, it should occupy a cor- means a word, an oracle, came to him; responding portion of our attention. but, as used in this passage, it means We cannot appreciate the advantage of the word, the gospel. In Christianity, a single sunny day, much less this great they who receive the word, are they subject-we bear it so often, that we do who believe it. This was not the case not feel its full power. If it had tran- under the former dispensation. In the spired yesterday, it would have filled phrase, "the Gentiles received the our minds with wonder and astonish- word," you perceive the word was not ment. With what amazement must this only tendered to them, but they behave struck a Jew? Just suppose a lieved and obeyed it. You can here see nation fenced in by the strong arm of its true meaning. Omnipotence for fifteen hundred years, and taught during this long period, that all the rest of the world were given over to their idolatrous practices; and then, all of a sudden, when they least expected it, see these nations taken into favor and placed on a footing with God's favorite people, and you can imagine something of the feelings of a Jew, when he heard that the Gentiles were received into the church. When we see the care taken of the Jews, and all the rest of the nations thrown out like wandering comets, apparently subject to no law, even we are unprepared for this result. But it has pleased God to devise a scheme that is broad enough to encircle the whole race of mankind. Judaism was unfitted for this it had too narrow a base it was built upon the flesh of one man.

The Greeks, with all their philosophy -and the Romans, with all their learning and science had not an angel to call upon them for fifteen hundred years, until one called at the house of Cornelius. The gospel had been, spreading among the Jews for seven years, but had not gone to a single Gentile. I wonder not, then, that the Jews were panic stricken and startled at Peter going in unto uncircumcised men, taking them into his bosom, calling them brethren, and even baptizing them into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In the eyes of a Jew, this must have appeared unpardonable, for they called Peter to an account for this course of conduct.

Peter's conduct gave rise to a controversy. The parties were all the rest of the apostles and brethren in Judea on the one side, and Peter and the six Jewish brethren who accompanied him on the other. When they made their charge against him, viz. “Thou wentest in unto uncircumcised men, and didst eat with them," he rehearsed to them the whole affair in order, as it took place. A trance is a suspension of the physical powers, so that a man has no control of himself. I presume there was in this sheet a collection of all the animals the law of Moses prohibited. The strangest part of this vision was, that this sheet and animals came down from heaven, and were taken up there again.

--

This Gentile (Cornelius) said that he had seen an angel who told him to send to Joppa, for there he would find a man who would tell him what he must do to be saved - tell him words whereby he and all his might be saved. Wonderful and precious words these--words which were to give eternal life to the Gentile world. "But while I was speaking to them," says Peter," the Spirit fell on them as it did on us at the beginning; then remembered I the words of the Lord, ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost." This one speech of Peter settled the whole controversy. multitude then held their peace; they had not an objection to urge, but glorified God. How did they glorify God? We might as well attempt to adorn the sun, as attempt to glorify God by any thing we can do. The 18th verse con

The

I have a remark to make here on the propriety of a correct nomenclature intains the proper definition of this phrase

-they glorified God by saying," Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life. To glorify God, in the evangelical sense of the word, is to ascribe to God his own attributes and works. We have an illustration of this in the death of Herod. The people ascribed to him the attributes of God, for which he had an ignominious death. Deus facit per alterum per se. We praise the sculptor, painter, and orator, for their productions, but it is God who gives them the talents we admire, just as He gives us rain and sunshine. In these cases we glorify men instead of God. But at the close of Peter's speech early Christians did not glorify Peter for his speech, or for what he had done; but they glorified God, saying, "Then hath God also," &c. This word also expresses volumes · it expresses what

God did on Pentecost.

To grant repentance unto life, means -a repentance which terminates in life. A man who has forfeited his life may repent truly, but it avails him nothing

in the present life. But if a reprieve were granted him on the condition of his repentance, this would be a repentance unto life, and would be similar to the one spoken of here.

Christians were so called first in Antioch of Syria, not Antioch of Pisidia. The phrase, "hand of the Lord," means his power. Grace is not seen by the naked eye, as you might be led to think from reading its 23rd verse, but its effects are. There has been a discussion as to whether God or the people gave the name, Christians, to the disciples of Christ. The circumstances all go to prove that it was given by the people. It was customary among the Greeks to call a sect of philosophers, &c. by the name of their leader, as Epicureans, and the rest. You can notice by the 28th verse, that the reign of Claudius Cæsar had not commenced at this time. We intend to make use of this fact in fixing our chronology in the subsequent part of this book.

LETTER TO BROTHER A. CAMPBELL. DEAR BROTHER CAMPBELL, The destiny of man on earth is singularhis work is definite, but his position often changes. At least it has been so with your humble servant, and to a great extent, with yourself also. In one sense you have been fixed; in another, rolling. In all our changes, however, and although we have crossed oceans and continents, we have never exceeded the bounds of the Anglo-Saxon race. You and I were originally from the ancient home, and longest tarrying point of the race. the British Isles. We received the bone and sinew

the complete development of our animal man on that side of the water, which, if it stands acclimation well, is apt to take deep root in this soil and stand the storms and tempests of life. About the same period in life we crossed the water, and though I am eighteen years your junior, I have been over a quarter of a century in these United States.

In Baltimore, Maryland, I lived seven years, and thus marked the Saxon at the head of the Chesapeake; and then passed over into Virginia, to mix with the descendants of the ancient cavaliers. With them I tarried nearly fif

teen years, and had nearly determined -as I had spent some of my prime days among them, watching the interests of Zion-that my gray hairs and tottering steps should be spent among them. Providence ordered differently, and I submitted. To see the Saxon in his Western home, hardened by the Alleghanies, and emboldened by his lofty forests and majestic rivers, I passed over to Kentucky. Here, on the north of the Kentucky river, in the loveliest of all the plains, I took up my abode at Lexington.

The result of my experience as to this race is, that, wherever you see them, Bible in hand - on Thames or Strand-in Caledonia or Hibernia-on the Hudson or the Patapsco on the Potomac or the James- - on the Kentucky or Missouri-you find them the same law-loving and law-abiding race. The world now presents the singular spectacle of this race, as busy as bees in a hive, mixing itself up in the politics and the economies of all races, castes, and languages. Without pre-concert on their part, the English and the Americans are at work at every point of the compass, and the world over. In all the vast plains of China and among