see that there will be earnest work to be done, and that earnest men will be required to do it? It will not do to leave our preparations till we have set out on our journey; we must not have our armour to seek after we have entered the fight. The young men of the present day, who will probably be the actors in that "sad and serious drama," must be well furnished for their work, ere it be too late.

And this work devolves on the churches of our land, who must be up and active, every where teaching, instructing, cultivating; assiduously "clearing the way," and forming the raw recruits into disciplined soldiers. Public opinion must be prepared and acted upon, by tongue and pen. The press must, for every single pestiferous sheet, send forth its myriad counter "Appeals ;" for every demoralising periodical, a host of elevating, purifying, christianizing, publications. The pulpit, for every prosy, verbose, lifeless, theological essay, must thunder forth a hundred powerful and heart-stirring harangues, such as shall move and melt, subdue and strengthen, instruct and edify the world. The intellectual faculties must be stimulated to their noblest exertions; and, in a word, every nerve must be strained,-every muscle knit for action, and "all that man can do," must be done for Christ and his church.

We have said that the present is an enquiring and reading age. The youth of the present day will read; no matter what it be, so long as it is type, and readable, they will devour it. See you not, brethren, in this, another characteristic of the age? Do you not perccive what gigantic strides Intellect has been making in the last few years,how the heavens beam with promise for the greatness of our nation? Mind has, in past ages, been considered the property of the few-the erratic, but brilliant sons of Genius. Now, it is acknowledged to be the patrimony of the million. Christians, what see you in this-hope for the world, or duty for yourselves? We fear too many see only the former, and are blind to the latter. It is yours, and must be yours, to seize, to temper, and to direct this vast amount of intellectual life. You must act on the minds as well as on the hearts of men. You cannot, you dare not, at your peril, cultivate merely the affections of the heart, and leave the mind to vacuity,

If you cannot, or will not, come forward, to provide intellectual pabulum for the youth connected with you-sitting in your galleries and pews, or sauntering in your streets, puffing the frivolous cigar, and wasting their little minds in the scandal of the locality-there are others, aye, a host, who are ready to supply your "lack of service," and hold to their lips tempting and perilous draughts of intoxicating indulgence, and delicious poison, the more deadly for its soul-destroying sweetness. There they are, tampering with the unsophisticated minds of youth, "sowing tares" while you sleep. There they are, linked in the arm of your unsuspecting youth, leading them to flowery paths, and feeding them on the "apples of Sodom." There they are, filching them from you, your young lifeblood, your vigorous spirits,-dashing with gall and wormwood, the brightest hopes you have cherished for them,-and robbing the church of her Knibbs and Burchells, her Careys and Yateses,-and snatching from her many a gifted spirit, and spoiling many a goodly fabric. There they are, the robbers, thieves, man-stealers, busy at their work, hard at it, indefatigable, ever at it. Brethren! will you arise, and, shouting "The sword of the Lord and of Gideon," bear down on these pirate hordes, and inake "The desolater desolate,

The tyrant overthrown,-
The harbinger of others' fate,

The suppliants for their own?"

Shall the bright spirits, the warm hearts, the generous sympathies of our ingenuous youth appeal to us in vain? Shall we not rather "move heaven and earth," to secure their well-being, and as far as in us lies, train them for God and his cause? He will approve our efforts, clear our way, make darkness light before us, and the shadow of death shall be turned into brightness; for the Lord hath spoken peace concerning Israel.

We commend the matter to the careful consideration of the readers of "The Church," in the hope that they may thereby be prepared to act out the hints that may hereafter follow, on this very important topic.

INFANT REGENERATION.

[To those who have not seen our last volume, it may be necessary to observe, that one or two letters on this interesting subject appeared in the later numbers. The Editor's concluding remarks will appear in our next.]

To the Editors of "The Church."

Dear Brethren,

Few things are more healthful in their influence, than the candid statement of their views, by men whose minds are characterized at once by sincerity and freedom. On this account, I read with interest the letter of "Another Friend of The Church," on the "Regeneration of Infants," in your No. for October, and sat down to offer one or two remarks upon it; but something occurred to interrupt me, and I did not afterwards resume the subject. Your own remarks, however, on the wrapper in the No. for November, have again directed my attention to the subject; and though I have no taste for controversy, and no wish to see the pages of "The Church" devoted to it, there will, I trust, be no impropriety in the insertion of one of one or two additional observations on a topic of so much interest.

I demur to the position, that unconscious babes are, or can be, the subjects of regeneration, because I find that regeneration is connected, in Scripture, with THE TRUTH. It seems to me as clearly taught in Scripture that the Truth is the instrument, as it is that the Spirit is the agent, by which the regeneration of the human soul is effected.

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever." "Of his own will begat he us by the word of truth." Now, the truth, it appears to me, can exert an influence on the mind only so far as it is understood and received. An unknown truth cannot affect the human mind. How, then, can the unconscious babe, in whom the intellectual and moral nature is wholly undeveloped, be regenerated by the truth?

In strict accordance with the preceding remark, I find again, that regeneration is

connected, in Scripture, with FAITH, or with the cordial reception of Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, the Saviour of the world. "As many as received him, to them gave he the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name, who are born not of blood," &c. Now, it is needless to remark, that faith necessarily implies intelligence, and that infants are, therefore, incapable of it.

Besides, I must confess, that I cannot conceive of sin on the one hand, or of religion on the other (it will not be maintained that there may be regeneration when there is or can be no religion !), apart from intelligence and volition. "Sin is the transgression of the law;" righteousness is conformity to the law, the perfect rule of right. But law necessarily supposes a responsible, and, therefore, an intelligent, agent; none other is capable of law. I know, indeed, that both sin and righteousness consist much more in the state of mind than in any outward act; but then it is surely a conscious and a voluntary state of mind. sides, the expression state of mind necessarily supposes the existence of mind, which cannot be affirmed of an infant in whom mind is not developed.

Be

I may be allowed to say, that I fully believe in the salvation of all who die in infancy; and I think I have sufficient grounds for my confidence on this subject; for, in addition to some passages of Scripture which seem to me to bear with considerable force upon the subject, I believe that all men are born under an economy of mercy, that under that gracious economy, every man is placed, personally, in a state of probation,-and that no man is condemned but for his personal violation of the divine law, or his personal rejection of the divine gospel. I thoroughly sympathize, also, with your "Other Friend," in his pleasing views of the piety of many young persons. The Gentle Shepherd has not a few lambs in his fold. I believe, however, that, in common with others whose views are more enlarged, and whose minds are more fully developed, they are regenerated and sanctified by the truth, and in no other way.

The Editors of "The Church," I am sure, will pardon me, if I say that I read

the following remark with considerable surprise:-"A thorough predestinarian,' therefore, who believes in infant salvation, will regard death in infancy as entirely equivalent to 'effectual calling;' and all who believe both infant salvation and original sin, will regard their premature death as by far the most effective means of grace up to the present period." This remark reminds me of a conversation I had, some years ago, with an aged minister, who had been hyper-Calvinistic in his views, and in common with some others of the same school, had, I believe, talked in the pulpit, of infants a span long being in hell; but at the time to which I refer, his views were far more sober. We happened to be speaking of infant salvation, when he acknowledged a considerable change in his sentiments on the subject, and said, "I place all who die in infancy amongst the church, and then I am sure they are safe." My venerable friend said this with the greatest goodwill imaginable. I could not help smiling at his benevolent simplicity, and said, "It is exceedingly kind of you, my dear Sir, to place the little innocents amongst the elect, -very kind; all tender-hearted people, I am sure, will be very much obliged to you; but will you excuse my asking you, WHY you do so? On what ground do you place all who die in infancy amongst the elect? What is your authority for doing so? My kind-hearted friend, I am sorry to say, confessed he had never thought of that. I too confess, dear sirs, that I should like to know on what ground we are to regard death in infancy as entirely equivalent to effectual calling? and should like to know on what authority we are to regard a premature death as the most effective means of grace?

Moreover, you say that "man is literally born in sin." Will you allow me to ask what we are to understand by the word "sin" in this connexion? Is it the transgression of the law? Is it a voluntary state of mind? Is it any thing involving moral agency and responsibility? Or is it something which is neither directly nor indirectly under a man's control,-something for which he is and can be no more responsible than he is for the colour of his skin? In that case, it may be a misfortune, but it cannot be a fault: it may be a dire calamity, but it is no crime. And I must confess, dear brethren, that I have serious apprehensions of the influence of these views. Men confess they are sinners, but they think they

cannot help it; when they are impressed and feel their danger, they regard themselves as objects of pity rather than of blame.

I am fearful of trespassing on your pages; yet I fear that brevity may have induced obscurity; and I should be sorry to be misunderstood. The subject is one of immense importance, and deserving the best attention which the freest and most devout minds can give it.

A FRIEND OF "THE CHURCH."

To the Editor of "The Church." Sir, I generally read the Notices to Correspondents in our Magazines, from which I sometimes derive great edification. I have just been reading over again that in the present Number, headed "Infant Regeneration;" but the latter sentence of this appears to me to be involving a very plain subject; and I am thankful, as a parent of five who were summoned in infancy, and the grandfather of several others, that I am not compelled to look to a question of "equivalent" for my comfort in respect of them. I have always felt quite satisfied with the views given in the lines written by Robinson of Cambridge, in the days when his views of the Atonement were as clear as when he wrote that hymn, "Mighty God, while angels bless thee," in relation to which you have probably heard the story, that in his later days, while preaching in a strange place, the clerk, not knowing his change of views, begged to be permitted to give out that hymn, when Robinson turned away with a tear, saying, Ah, those were happy days when I wrote that hymn." As the lines I refer to are very little known in the present day, when much which is now is not good, I will give you a copy, hoping my so doing will not be considered a reflection on the Editor, who, though he knows almost every thing, and forgets nothing, may not have these lines just at the moment present to his mind.

66

"Bold Infidelity, turn pale and die, Beneath this stone four Infants' ashes lie;

Say, are they lost or saved?

If death's by sin, they sinned, for they are here;
If heaven's by works, in heaven they can't appear:
Reason, ah, how depraved!

Revere the Bible's sacred page-the knot's untied; They died, for Adam sinned; they live, for Jesus [died."

Permit me to subscribe myself, Your constant Reader, and general Approver, Camberwell. W. B. GURNEY.

TO THE EVANGELICAL CLERGY OF THE ENGLISH STATE-CHURCH. Dear Christian Brethren,

It is reported that Government intends making over to the ministers of the Church of England, the power of using or omitting as they may see fit, certain portions of your occasional services. Now, the very publication of this intention affords, if it were needed, a new proof of the complete subjection of the said Church to the State. The concession proves the rule; what Government grants it might withhold.

The carrying out of this measure will, no doubt, afford considerable relief to your minds. But will it not, also, place you in an awkward predicament? If, as I conclude will be the case, you discontinue the use of the objectionable passages, will not this make it obvious that you have throughout disapproved of them; whilst it cannot but remain fresh in the recollection of your friends, not only that you have all along used these passages, but, in many instances, written in defence of them, and once, at least, deliberately avowed your "unfeigned assent and consent to them ?"

On the whole, then, it appears to me that your continuing in your present position, on the plea of being more useful where you are than you probably might be elsewhere, is a virtual distrust of Divine influence and interference,-conferring with flesh and blood,-doing evil that good may come, and holding out a pernicious example to your respective flocks. It is obvious that the cause of Christ languishes, and needs something to give it an impulse. Might not your fearless, unhesitating, and prompt secession from a worldly Church be that something? An occasional individual case of this kind, however creditable to the retiring party when engaged in from right motives, acts but feebly on the public mind. Your withdrawal as a body might constrain even worldly persons to say, See how these men prefer what they deem Christian simplicity and religious integrity, to anything which we can offer them.

Again believe me,

Dear Christian Brethren,

Affectionately yours,

SENEX.*

THE IMPORTANCE OF RIGHT VIEWS ON BAPTISM. AN APPEAL TO PIOUS PEDOBAPTISTS. BY FRANCIS CLOWES. pp. 12. As the writer of this tract is known to be one of the editors of this periodical, he prefers that its occasion and objects alone should be simply stated. It was written at the request of an esteemed brother, one of our village missionaries, who, having had a public controversy on the subject, found great numbers owning that he had the best of the argument, but not thinking the subject of sufficient importance to alter their practice in regard to it.

The writer's own experience, and that of all to whom he has mentioned the subject, has also been, that vast numbers think the subject too trivial to demand the trouble of investigation, and that considerable numbers believe, or suspect, we are right, but think it a "matter of little consequence,"-that,

indeed, more are hindered, by deeming right views of baptism unimportant, from becoming Baptists, than by any other cause. The object of the tract, therefore, is to impress on the minds of pædobaptists the duty of seeking and abiding by the truth on the subject, together with the widely different bearing of infant baptism and believers' baptism, on evangelical religion, and on the most important religious controversies of the day.

LECTURES TO YOUNG MEN, DELIVERED BEFORE THE YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION. London: Benj. L. Green. LECTURES ON THE SOCIAL AND PHYSICAL CONDITION OF THE PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY IN LARGE TOWNS.

When we mention that all these lectures (except the one, in the first volume, on the Natural History of Creation), were delivered by highly esteemed ministers of the

gospel, the former in London, and the latter in Glasgow, they will need no other recommendation to our readers. We commend the former especially to the serious perusal of our intelligent young men. THE HAPPY HOME; AFFECTIONATELY ASCRIBED TO THE WORKING CLASSES. London: Bogue.

A series of tracts in a neat cover, of a very high order. Our attention was first directed to them by an article in Tait's Magazine, and we found them quite equal to the recommendation given of them. They are intended to interest our intelligent operatives, and they will certainly do it. Ten numbers have appeared already. Those of our readers who feel interested in the object of "The Appeal," will be thankful to us for introducing these productions of a tract-writing genius to their notice. They are ascribed to the Rev. J. Hamilton, of the Scotch Church, Regent Park. A beautiful extract from one of them will be found amongst our Tales and Sketches. NONE BUT JESUS: OR, CHRIST ALL AND IN ALL. By JABEZ BURNS, D.D. pp. 128. London: Houlston and Stoneman.

This beautiful little volume has as its motto the very appropriate line from Milton,

"Him first, Him last, Him midst, and without end." It fully sustains the previous reputation of the author, and the expectations we formed respecting it at first sight. We commend it to our readers as a very suitable book to lend to those whose attention they wish to direct to the "Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world."

THE SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION MAGAZINE. Vol. 5. pp. 324.

THE CHILD'S Own Book, 1848. pp. 192. THE NOTES ON SCRIPTURE LESSONS, 1848.

All these periodicals are published by the Sunday School Union, and are admirably adapted to the objects they have respectively in view.

CLERICALISM CONTRASTED WITH CHRISTIANITY. BY THOMAS DUNN.

A truly startling contrast! Some will think the language often strong and satirical; let them enquire, Is it not true? "In her was found the blood of prophets and saints" will be the verdict of the day of judgment. While Ireland is proof (and Britain too) that the grand reliance of clericalism is one hundred and twenty thousand "red men, with the weapons of destruction girt about their haunches," as Carlyle terms them. But for these "red men," clericalism would at once cease to revel in tithes, and Church rates, and annuity taxes,-in fines and imprisonments. Oh, Lord, how long!

THE VOICE IN RAMA HUSHED. BY A. E. PEARCE.

Bereaved parents will read this little work with interest.

PRINCIPLES TO START WITH. A WORD TO YOUNG MEN. BY DR. WATTS. WITH INTRODUCTION BY T. BINNEY.

"Of a size for the waistcoat pocket," and well deserving to be carried there.

THE INTRINSIC EXCELLENCY OF GOD'S WORD.-The Christian preacher should speak the word of the Lord faithfully, on account of its own intrinsic excellency. This is forcibly taught us in these emphatic words, "What is the chaff to the wheat?" Compared with the wholesome and the substantial food supplied by the doctrines of revelation, the speculations of man, however beautiful, or however ingenious, are empty and unsatisfying, and leave the desires of the soul unsupplied. The word of God is the bread of life which came down from heaven, and from the period of its descent, has it communicated spiritual nou

rishment and life to all who, in every age, have tasted that the Lord is gracious; and having so fully and effectually administered its instructions and consolations to a world in ignorance and misery, what reason have we to be ashamed of any of its mysteries, or of any of its statements? It alone, pure and uncorrupted as it came from its great Author, has given light to them that sat in darkness, and that dwelt in the region of the shadow of death;-it alone, has placed within the hopes, and within the reach, of man, the life and the immortality of heaven, and has given him the means of securing all its happiness,-it alone has directed