the barbarising and destructive influence of the Brahminical superstition, is eminently cheering. When Dr. Boaz was in this country a few years ago, he announced, with the enthusiasm of a genuine philanthropist, that certain measures for the protection of the Hindoo had then been adopted. He told us, amid the plaudits of five or six thousand persons in Exeter Hall, that infanticide had been abolished -that Sutteeism had been made legal murder-that the British Government no longer placed sentries in the city of Kandy to guard the sacred tooth of Buddha-that they no longer collected the Revenues of the Temple-that they no longer paid the priests, in the Island of Ceylon. This was all very pleasing, but it was the mere inauguration of a new state of things that was thus announced by that eminent Missionary. Timid men wished to know what would be the end of such reckless innovation. They thought only of the sunken rocks upon which the vessel was destined to founder. And what has been the event? Well, the last year has been singularly fruitful of materials to re-assure the doubting, and to inflame the zeal of the most lukewarm advocates of Missionary enterprise in the East. The Friend of India, an unexceptionable witness, says:

Two years since the Government of Bengal issued a circular, calling for opinions as to the propriety of abolishing the Churruck Poojah. The opinions, we believe, were favourable to the measure. The festival, always cruel and obscene, has at last become unfashionable. Respectable natives never attend the ceremony. The upper classes denounce it as a relic of barbarism. Even among the lower orders no one swings except upon compulsion, or when stupified with opium and hemp. It was expected that an order would follow, prohibiting the practice, but for some unknown reason Government hesitated and drew back. The Government of Bombay is more courageous. It has abolished the nuisance by a simple proclamation. It is not fifty years, since experienced men believed that the abolition of Suttee would produce a revolution. It was abolished nevertheless, and India remains a British possession. The suicides at Juggurnaut speedily followed, and even Pooree held its peace. Almost the first great act of the new Legislative Council, was to remove the restriction on the re-marriage of widows. The pundits are not for that cause inculcating the sacred duty of insurrection. Koolin polygamy is already doomed, amidst the open applauses of the population. And now the Government of Bombay, in a city more Hindoo than the Shastras, sweeps away ceremony without the formality of an Act. It simply declares the Poojah, a nuisance, and public opinion supports the declaration. What is the next step to be?

But Education was the most tickle subject, a few years ago, not only in Leadenhall-street, but also in Calcutta. The rulers of the people were willing to educate the Hindoo in the works of Bacon, Locke, Newton, and even Shakspere, long before they would give any countenance to the Bible as a part of any general system of instruction. When Dr. Boaz was on a visit to this country, he boasted that within six miles of the Metropolis of British India, there were not less than six thousand persons receiving education in English literature. This was then the case within six miles of the metropolis. But now schools are rising up in the interior provinces. We learn that :— Pundit Gopal Singh, one of the Zillah visitors of indigenous schools, had succeeded in establishing in the Agra district upwards of fifty schools, attended by 1,200 girls of the most respectable families. The hope was

also expressed that the number of schools would be doubled in the course of the current year. This hope has been already far more than realized. We are informed that up to the first week of the present month, nearly 200 schools had been established, with an aggregate daily attendance of 3,800 girls. It is rather a social revolution than a local movement which Pundit Gopal Singh has inaugurated. The pupils are nearly all Hindoos, belonging, as the European officials assure us, to the more respectable classes of the native community. The teachers are all men.

Next to the extension of Ministerial Agency in India, we regard the increase of schools for the education of Hindoo youth as the most hopeful sign of the times for our Eastern Empire, and for the cause of Missions. Hitherto the Shasters of the Brahmin have been almost the only writings in the possession of the Native population of India, and they contain, not merely, all the information which the Hindoos have had recourse to, on the subject of religion, but also on history, astronomy, geography, and medicine. Now those Books

contain the most erroneous statements on these matters. As historical records, they are found most ludicrously to confound chronologies; as astronomical, to be utterly inconsistent with the laws known to regulate the motions of the heavenly bodies; as geographical, to err most egregiously as to place and distance; and as books of Medicine, to be much more adapted to kill than to cure. But the Printing Press in India is sending forth books on all these subjects. They are now easily accessible to the native population. The youth of India are being familiarized with the truths which these books contain, and in proportion as real science and truthmoral and spiritual, take hold of the native mind, will they lose their reverence for that old library of Romance in which the Hindoo intellect has revelled for more than twenty centuries. When the authority of their books, in history and science, has been destroyed, they will command but little reverence as depositories of religious knowledge.

From the diffusion of general knowledge, the true religion has nothing indeed to fear, but a false one everything. Based on falsehood and imposture, the clearing away of the mists of Ignorance must unveil its hollowness and deformity. Every other kind of truth is the auxiliary of the peculiar truths of Revealed Religion in the Crusade against the Colossal Superstition of the Hindoos. We, therefore, hail the institution of District Schools in India, as one grand means, under God, of preparing the way for the final triumph of the Cross among its teeming population. Here, Christian philanthropy, after half a century of toilsome effort, now begins to perceive the dawn of a brighter day, when the thrones of Indian Superstition shall be broken before the triumphal march of the great Redeemer :— when, as Dr. Hamilton has observed, in his admirable work on Missions, "from the Indus to the Teesta, from Comorin to Imaus, the false tutelaries shall flee away, and the true Religion shall unfold its blessings, the true Avatar of Christ's flesh, the true Metempsychosis of the Spirit's work, the true Veda of the Scripture's Inspiration!" Hail! happy day for India, and for the Eastern World.

112

ON ENTHUSIASM.

THIS term may be viewed in a good and bad sense. Enthusiasm in a bad sense, is to expect the end without the means. There is a great deal of this in the world. How many, for instance, are expecting to succeed in a temporal point of view, but who do not employ the right means. What are those qualities with which some men succeed so admirably? Certainly not those which the enthusiasts employ; for these latter are either dreamers or fools. They foolishly hope to succeed without those necessary qualities which command success. We may extend these remarks to any business, profession, or undertaking whatever, and we shall see their applicability. Can a man hope to be an eminent lawyer whose time is principally spent in clubs, or poring over novels? Can a man reasonably expect to be an eminent statesman who pays no attention to the debates or laws of the land. Or can a man hope to be an eminent and successful minister who pays no attention to correctness of speech, the doctrines of religion, or the character of his sermons? Such persons may be very enthusiastic, but will not be very successful. They will develope much of the organ of hope, but little of the spirit of wisdom. They will be like the man who professes to fish, but who neglects to bait his hook.

The taproom politicians are to a man enthusiasts, for they are expecting the Government to do for them what they will not do for themselves. They carry their enthusiasm to great lengths, for they build themselves up with the hopes of a reform which will be of little or no advantage to them. They decry slavery while they are in bonds. And the bondage is their own, which is all the more glaring.

Another class of enthusiasts are the ignorant. This class expect to be heard and respected though destitute of all true wisdom. It is too late in the day to listen to the pratings of a fool. If a man will be respected, he must respect himself. This the ignorant do not, or they would seek that knowledge which would make them respected. The enthusiasm of some ignorant people is very great, for they expect the wise to listen to them. As soon it might be expected that the nightingale would listen to the screeching of the owl.

This enthusiasm is sometimes found in the church, where some are met with who expect the end without the means, or in other words the world to be converted without suitable effort. What is prayer without effort, but enthusiasm? And what is labour without prayer, but enthusiasm too? In fact, this enthusiasm which expects the end irrespective of the means, found everywhere. Have we not all too much of it?

is

The man who hopes to get to heaven without walking in the way, is an enthusiast. The number of such is legion. How strongly our Lord endeavours to guard against this where he says, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven." Many of the believers in final perseverance have a great deal of this enthusiasm, for they expect the end without the means. We see none of this in St. Paul, that noble pattern of what a Christian should be. "I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection; lest by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." " Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." We have also every guard against this enthusiasm in God's word, "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." "Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure."

Let us now view enthusiasm in its best and noblest sense. Much that is regarded as enthusiastic in its worst sense, is only so from the fact that it is

too elevated for the criticisers, who can form no proper idea of anything which rises above their low notion of things. Everything noble and vigorous is enthusiastic to them.

Enthusiasm proper is that which is enlightened in character, and worked out with spirit. The question is, what is the rule by which projects may be judged and the promoters charged, or not charged with enthusiasm ? At present the rule seems to be success, for he who fails is sure to be pronounced an enthusiast. But the above rule is evidently not a correct one. The failure may be from the want of time to work the principle out. Or it may arise from other causes over which the enthusiast (so called) may have no control.

Enthusiasm is required for the accomplishment of any great undertaking. Without it, how puny and unsuccessful will the efforts be. It is true, enthusiasm is decried, but unnecessarily so, for nothing is more needed. Zeal without knowledge we have, but knowledge with zeal is a desideratum. How cautious many are lest they should be charged with enthusiasm. Nay, how guarded against any approach thereto. And yet it is the very thing that is needed, for it would show earnestness in what they take in hand. And here we might ask, how far any are justified in giving a cool support to what they regard as true and necessary for the well-being of man?

We see no lack of enthusiasm in Christ and his apostles, or in the great spirits that have appeared from time to time on the theatre of the world in the great departments of philosophy, science, and art. Their followers are greatly in the rear, for they would on no account be deemed enthusiastic.

What can a minister of religion do without enthusiasm? But little indeed. He may go through a round of duties, but most assuredly will do but little besides. He needs to have his spirit deeply imbued with religious influence, to have his zeal inflamed from communion with Christ, to be warmed up to a degree of holy fervour at the spiritual destitution of the people around him, to be animated above measure by that "far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory," which awaits him and all he can lead to heaven.

His zeal is to be commensurate with his work, and to the world, if not to the church, he is to be an enthusiast indeed. The minister who is not enthusiastic is scarcely worthy the position he occupies. It is surprising a minister can be otherwise. Until there is more enthusiasm manifested among the leaders of the "sacramental host of God's elect," we look in vain for a new moral world. We may see here and there an oasis in the desert, but shall be a long way off witnessing a sanctified humanity, and a universal Eden.

In a lecturer too, enthusiasm is particularly required. His province is to enlighten and influence, and to accomplish the latter, a degree of enthusiasm will be required. He, the lecturer, must be full of his subject, up to the mark in the delivery of it, bent on enforcing his views on his audience, and making them of one mind with him, and his views to prevail in the world. Less than this will not do. And if this be enthusiasm we must have it in our lecturers, or failure in a great measure will be the conscquence. Anything that is deserving of our approval and commendation is deserving of our zealous support and energetic commendation. In lecturing where point is to be enforced, it should be done in a manner that will not fail to tell. In a word, it should be done enthusiastically. The motto of every lecturer should be, "conviction and persuasion," and to this end, nothing should be omitted that would be likely to accomplish the object. All teachers of youth should have a measure of enthusiasm about them. But they ask, is there anything about teaching calculated to make any man enthusiastic? Yes, much. Is it nothing to mould the next generation, to

form habits of industry, frugality, and temperance; to assist in making the scholar, the statesman, the juror, or the man; to take one who knows nothing and teach him everything he needs to know, for that station he may be called to fill; or to put him in the way of acquiring all knowledge essential to his best interests and welfare generally? Here is room indeed for enthusiasm. As teaching is about the noblest employment, so ought it to be done in the most energetic manner. It is worthy of the highest powers of man, and of the greatest possible enthusiasm. Let every Gamaliel then think that for anything he knows, a young man who may turn out a Paul, may be sitting at his feet. Enthusiasm in the desk, the platform, and pulpit, would soon revolutionize the world. Let us not then be frightened at the bugbear of enthusiasm.

Bolton.

B. GLAZEBROOK.

HINTS ON USEFULNESS.

Be assured that things external cannot remove the evils found in the depraved heart, nor afford those supplies always needed to enable us to live before God aright. Mere human contrivance will always fall short of meeting the wants our spirit feels. Christ must be recognized as the Way, the Truth, and the Life; and only in and through Him can we obtain that which will make and keep us right. Though the above are the honest sentiments of our heart, yet we think a proper estimate of outward means is important, inasmuch as a judicious use thereof, has a tendency to bring before the mind's eye those things we should never lose sight of While in our probationary state we shall find ourselves surrounded with many adverse elements and things, calculated to dissipate the mind. A countermand is needed, and that is often found in the means of grace when attended to aright. And now as we are about to enter on another year, I feel it on my heart to beg of the members of our Society to observe a few things, which if observed one year, would secure such an amount of good, that they would be disposed to try another, and endeavour to prevail with others to do so too.

1. Let us all resolve that once a week at least, we will stay before God in secret, until we feel, even more, of the renewing power of saving grace than we did when we were first brought to know God. This will prevent us from losing our first love.

2. Let us see to it, that the fountain from whence our conversation flows, and the root from which our action grows, be pure. This is all important. 3. Let us so examine the course we pursue before it is pursued, as to be assured that the viewing of it afterwards will be, both to us and others, like the pouring forth of sweet ointment.

4. Let us view doubting God's truth as one of the greatest sins we can commit. Oh, how we insult Him when we doubt what He has said ; God's having commanded us to believe, implies that we may believe the truth suited to our circumstances, if we will, and if we do not, the fault is our own. Did He ever command his people to do that which is impossible?

5. Let us resolve so to live every day as to secure through Christ, the abiding testimony that our ways please God. O how vast the peace attendant on those who thus live; it is such as neither health, wealth, honour, nor anything earthly can afford.

6. If possible, let us read a portion of God's word on our knees every day. Those who observe this aright, will find the word to be, as a pasture green, one in which the great Shepherd will richly feed his flock. The writer heard a poor man, who had a large family, and their bread to procure, by working a cotton-mill, say, he was going for the fifth time on his knees.