looks in vain for consolation from the things of earth, how sweetly do the bland instructions of our first years recur to our thoughts, whispering to the troubled spirit where it shall surely find relief; and with the penitential sighs of the sinner are mingled blessings on the tender guardian of his youth, who had taught him where to apply for mercy and forgiveness. How should the conviction of this influence stimulate every mother to the performance of these sacred duties! What beauty and gracefulness do they not shed over the maternal character! and how amply are they repaid in the after virtues of the objects of their fond and anxious solicitude! But we do believe that most mothers find in this peculiarly feminine vocation their most exquisite pleasures; In these their youth And bloom of cheek, and buoyancy of heart, and to these interesting employments they cheerfully give the best hours of their lives, the full energies of their minds, and the fondest feelings of their hearts. We think we cannot better enforce these remarks than by the following extract from the work before us. "I cannot remember the time when I had not a sense of religion, and a fear of God; and I have no doubt that it is owing to my early and habitual impressions, which became interwoven in my soul, as a part of its very fabric, or constitution, that I have enjoyed such quietness and steadfastness throughout a long pilgrimage. Little do parents consider, while they are forming their infants' hearts and characters upon other principles, and teaching them to act by other motives, how difficult they render a subjection to religious motives afterward, and how they subtract from the sum of their religious enjoyment! Were all mothers like mine, how greatly would the obedience of the young christian's pilgrimage be facilitated, and its peace ensured! I love to dwell on the memory of that honoured woman. My earliest recollection of her is in the act of teaching me to pray,— when she every evening took me on her knees, and clasping my little hands, made me repeat after her my childish petitions. Methinks I still see the beautiful expression of her maternal eye, and feel the kiss, full of affection and piety, with which she closed the service. At such times, she would explain to me the purposes of prayer, and teach me to love the good Being, who gave me father and mother, and made me happy. It was her practice also, to seize the moments when my young heart was overflowing with cheerfulness and good will, to remind me of the Father above, and direct my gratitude to him. Thus his image became associated in my thoughts, with all that was gladsome and delightful; with every satisfaction and every enjoyment. It was mingled with all my remembrances of maternal fondness; and the love of God grew upon the same branch with the love of my parents. I sought to please him, I feared to offend him, I loved to speak of him, and to him, in the innocent openness of my young heart, and to regard him, in all respects, as I did my parents. Thus there was nothing of severity, or gloom, or dread, in my early religious feelings. I knew nothing of the dislike of religion, which I have seen in many others. The judicious piety of my parents, made it a delight to me and not a burden. I saw it mixing with all their thoughts and pursuits, most evidently the ingredient of life which did most to make them happy; never casting a gloom over them, never arraying them in sternness, nor driving away innocent pleasures; and thus it found its way to my heart, and (blessed be He who has supported me) has never left my heart, or ceased to be its joy and peace. I have much inconsistency to be ashamed of, and many sins to lament; but, thanks to my pious parents, and the grace of God, I have never failed to find religion a pleasure, and never withdrawn from my father's God." The only other quotation which we can give, relates to an individual whom the misjudging world around him had declared to be a stranger to religion, though his whole course was marked by an unobtrusive goodness, because he had dared conscientiously to dissent from the doctrines generally received in the country in which he dwelt. "Mr. Ellerton, of whom I spoke in the last chapter, was another 'excellent of the earth,' whom it had added to the number of the been my privilege to know. Some of the peculiarities of his religious faith, and those in pretty important particulars, were widely different, I had reason to think, from those of any other good man I had met with. He did not believe in a tri-personal Deity; and this was a sort of unbelief, which 1, like ten thousand others, looked upon with a vague sort of horror, I knew not whence nor why. For a long time, therefore, I could not believe that he was so good a christian as he seemed to be; and when it was impossible to doubt this, my next conclusion very naturally was, that Trinitarianism, though the truth, yet could not be essential to the christian, for here was a christian without it. This discovery did a great deal to set me a thinking and to enlarge my views. But its best and happiest consequence was, to confirm me in my persuasion, that the great practical and vital principles of our religion are common to all believers. From this persuasion I have never varied. Experience has every year confirmed it; and it is still one of the most comforting convictions of my heart. I look forward with the most delightful anticipation to the day, when I shall join in one communion the souls of those many good men, whom I have honoured and loved here, but from whose fellowship I have been shut out, by the miserable bars which prejudice and pride have put up amid the churches on earth. . Jotham Anderson is an old friend of the readers of the Christian Register, in which paper his adventures were first published in separate numbers. To those who have not yet seen his simple narrative, we recommend it, for the happy and liberalizing impression which we think it calculated to make on every unshackled mind. Questions for Trinitarians. From the Gospel Herald. OUR Trinitarian friends who worship in the Episcopal form, after the Church of England, in repeating their Litany, say, they supplicate the mercy of God by his holy nativity, and circumcision-by his fastings and temptations-by his agony and bloody sweat-by his precious death and burial. Please to answer-Do you really believe that God was born? Do you believe that God was circumcised? That God fasted, and was tempted? Do you believe that God was in an agony of pain, and sweat blood? Do you believe that God died, and was buried? If you believe these things, you outrage reason, and deny the Scriptures. If you do not believe them, why do you make a solemn mockery of absurdity? We make this appeal to reasonable beings. Let every rational person ponder well these things, before they shall again address the great JEHOVAH in this unjustifiable and absurd manner. Unitarian Chapel in Calcutta. THE Unitarian Society lately established in Calcutta, has made great efforts for the erection of a place of worship. About 11,000 sica rupees have been subscribed for this purpose in Calcutta; 7,000 sica rupees of this sum were subscribed in the month of September last. The estimated expense of the Chapel is from 30,000 to 40,000 sica rupees. If one half the sum can be realized in Calcutta, it is hoped that the remainder may be furnished by Unitarian Christians in England and America. Remarks on the Inspiration of the Writers of the Old and New Testaments. THE value of the Holy Scriptures is admitted by all christian professors. They are persuaded that the Bible contains an authentic account of revelations from God, commencing with Adam, continued to patriarchs and prophets, and more abundantly granted to our blessed Lord. But, among those who are thus far agreed, a question has arisen, whether the authors of the books, which compose the canon of Scripture, wrote them under the special and extraordinary direction and guidance of the Holy Spirit. According to some persons the Spirit of God dictated the identical words. which they used; others represent their inspiration as only operating to prevent them from falling into any mistake, or omitting what ought to be recorded. A third class readily admit that most, if not all of the sacred writers were inspired men, but they deny that this inspiration was extended to them as writers; alleging that no inspiration was necessary to enable them to give a correct and faithful account of what they previously knew; whether their knowledge was originally 14 |