parts of this and other countries, and I have invariably found, that where the lower classes are most degraded and untaught, there they are the idlest and most vicious: and it is well known that the great majority of those who were engaged in the late disgraceful riots and outrages were amongst the most uneducated and ignorant of the whole class, and therefore most fitted to become the tools of crafty men, who, for their own purposes, misled them. phemy and the impurity which may be propagated through the medium of noxious publications-it is clear to every candid mind that education is the best safe-guard against these evils. If we could preclude the generality from being able to read such works, we cannot preclude all: some will always be found able and willing to buy this poison; nor can we stop the ears of the rest. And by whom will such poison be most greedily drunk in? The enlightened or the ignorant? By those who are able to read and reject for themselves, or by those who are left to hear uninstructed whatever is spoken or read to them? By one who from a child has known the holy scriptures, which are able to make him wise to salvation, and has been trained to just notions of good conduct, and whose prepossessions have been secured on the right side-or by him who has been brought up without any solid principles? Is it, in short, in light or in darkness that falsehood is more casily passed off for truth? And those who are seeking, not for truth, but for arguments to confirm their prejudices, may here and there find the case of one whose knowledge has filled him with pride, or has been used for bad purposes. Now, when such instances are brought forward, the best remedy is, not to strive to check the progress of knowledge, but to diffuse it far and wide among the people. If any one is puffed up with conceit, it must surely be from his finding that he surpasses those of his own station: no one prides himself on that which is no distinction; nor does the labourer think his condition at all elevated for being as well informed as his fellow labourers. Doubtless the labouring classes will by this become nearer in acquirements to the rich; but suppose they could equal them, which they never can, if the rich only use the means they possess-still there is no reason to suppose they would be more dis-our towns, to the ale-houses and the posed to indolence or insubordination. dram-shops-to counteract the bad We must not suppose that superiority in knowledge is the only ground of respect: a person of great wealth, of high rank and station, is sure to meet with sufficient deference, even from those who do not at all suppose him superior to themselves in talents or information. If noxious publications are by teaching to read more widely spread, be it remembered that the scriptures and other useful books are spread by the same means. And let it be considered in what manner the educated of the higher classes can follow the lower classes to all their places of resortto the crowded lanes and alleys of principles that may have been inculcated? How can we follow them to such places except through the medium of the press? Vain is every attempt to secure men in encountering those trials and temptations which are our appointed lot upon the earth, if our efforts are not well employed Then with respect to the irreligious in fortifying the minds of the rising and seditious principles, the blas-generation to encounter them with success, so that unharmed they may take up the serpents that they may meet with, and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them. You have, probably, been informed that there is need on the present occasion for liberal contributions, both for carrying on and extending the institution of schools in this neighbourhood. I trust there is no one who now hears me that is indifferent on such a point: I trust there is no one of you who wishes such institutions to prosper without his having any share in contributing towards that prosperity but that every one who has any thing to give will bless his Redeemer for affording him an opportunity of aiding in that work for which he lived and died; and who graciously promised to regard what is done to the least of these his brethren as done to himself. But I cannot forbear reminding those who are the objects of this charity, the children who are and have been here educated, and their parents, that, though they cannot directly contribute more than a small share towards the expense of the establishment, its success mainly depends upon them. If the parents show themselves negligent and unthankful if they encourage their children to withdraw or absent themselves from its calls, or to neglect what they have learned-or if they present them an example at home, which is likely to undo what is done at school-they will have a dreadful account to render, not only for having hindered the salvation of their children, but also for having discouraged, by their own example, the rich from contributing to this good work, and the poor from profiting by it. On the other hand, every parent who feels himself grateful for what is done, and takes pains that his children may derive benefit from itand every child who, by his good conduct, does credit to the institution -beside the immediate advantage to himself, may consider that he is a powerful contributor to the prosperity of the schools, and to the welfare, both in this world and in the next, of those who shall be educated in it. He is giving what he has to give, the strongest encouragement to all who labour in the work, by showing them that their labour is not in vain. Those who shall have thus aided by preaching the gospel to the poor, and those who shall have grudged this aid-those who shall have listened to this gospel, and those who shall have shut their ears to it—will all meet together before the judgment seat of Christ, at the last day to receive their final doom. Consider this, I beseech you, now, (for this is the time to profit by the consideration) how, when that day shall have arrived, you will have wished to have acted here on earth. Consider what account you will have then to render of all your own advantages-how far you shall appear to have shown your gratitude for the religious instruction you have had, or might have had, by labouring to improve in religious knowledge, in striving and praying that each day and year may find you more advanced than the last, both in that knowledge, and in the application of it to your life, and by showing in every way more zeal for promoting the religious instruction of others, inviting them to it by your own line of conduct, and helping them to it by sharing the expense. Give, therefore bountifully, if you have the means, because your bounty can in no way be better applied: and if you have not such means, be content and not ashamed to give a little. GOD blesseth the widow's mite; he prizes the will, and not the ability. | beloved flock, for whom he laid down GOD loveth a cheerful giver; and the his life. "Simon, son of Jonas," Son of GOD will not forget those said he to Peter, "lovest thou me?" whose love for him is great, whether He saith unto him, "Yea, Lord; thou their wealth is great or small, and knowest that I love thee," Jesus saith who for his sake minister to his unto him, "Feed my sheep." A Sermon, DELIVERED BY THE REV. I. E. TYLER, AT ST. GILES' CHURCH BLOOMSBURY, SUNDAY MORNING, AUGUST 4, 1833. Luke, x. 41, 42.-" And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." among professed Christians, than zeal without knowledge, intemperate views of the doctrines of Christ, immoderate and excessive enthusiasm in adopting his rules of conduct. Some, indeed, have so thoroughly set common sense at defiance in the literal or perverted interpretation of what is written, that, were it not for their harmless and retiring character, they must have been suppressed by the strong arm of the civil power; but, as it is, their extravagancies in points of no essential consequence, perhaps, only excite a smile, while their decorum and their charities engage many a good heart in their defence. THE religion of Jesus is the religion of love. Unless the best feelings of our heart, our purest and holiest affections, are engaged towards him, we have not the one thing needful. If we love any one thing on earth better than him, we are not his in truth. But whether we contemplate the personal conduct and sentiments of our blessed Lord as a living teacher of morality, or the general tenor and spirit of his Gospel as the written record of his doctrines, one of the main characteristics in each, which cannot fail to impress themselves on any candid and reflecting mind, is the moderation and sound common sense which pervade the whole. Though Christianity is calculated to kindle our best and warmest feelings, and to make the heartmanists, in the unreformed church, for overflow with piety and devotion, at the same time it speaks so calmly and temperately and sensibly, that our reason is convinced of the reality of those truths which affect our heart. Nothing, on the contrary, more frequently or more strongly characterises the unwise and injudicious Again in the institution of those strong rigid orders among the Ro ages before any reformation dawned, as well as in the great majority of the monstrous tenets of that church, we see the most striking contrast between the calm and sober minded, the temperate and sensible Founder of our faith, and that great mass of Christians who perverted it and made almost the whole civilized world deny themselves practically the exercise of their reason. But then, brethren, the ill effects of the absence of temperate and well judging experience in the interpretation of the holy word of God is not confined to them-is not limited to the maintainers of any one church or any one communion. Individuals have scope for their own character to display itself in every class of believers, and the same principle often is discernible in persons irreconcilably at variance in doctrines of faith and discipline. And, even among ourselves, we have often to lament the enthusiasm with which some views are carried beyond the boundary line | of sober faith and common sense and prudence; and which, we feel assured, were the Divine Founder of our faith now on earth, he would pronounce inconsistent with that wisdom which he classed among the qualifications of a perfect disciple. The passage, brethren, in the holy Gospel of St. Luke, of which our text is one of the most distinguishing features, interesting and instructive as it is throughout, and beautiful and illustrative, of our Saviour's peculiar mode-a mode which must have struck all who have carefully read their Bible-a mode of enlisting every incident of common life in promotion of that good cause which he came down from his Father's glory to establish on this wicked world of ours-this passage has been, like many others, misunderstood and misapplied. When wisely interpreted, it reads an impressive and an important lesson; and the fruits of our enquiry into its real bearing-what it was intended by our Lord to convey, and what injudicious interpretations its genuine meaning does not countenance, will amply repay the labour of seeking for them, and ga thering them when found. But, my brethren, I am fully sensible how much larger a field for eloquence— for an address, to your feelings→→ another view of the subject, different from that which I shall take to-day, would supply. Still I invite you now to a dispassionate examination of the passage, trusting the truth, though less calculated to please the imagination, will ever be more useful to the student in Christian knowledge, as well as in the knowledge of the world; truth is the best and first of all things. The passage runs thus-" Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister bath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.” The answer is contained in our text, and is the ground of the discussion on which now, with God's blessing, we intend to enter. "Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." In this insulated passage, for so it is, our Saviour and his disciples are said to have "entered into a certain village." The name is not mentioned; but we learn, from St. John, that it was Bethany; for he describes that town as the residence of Mary and her sister Martha, when he supplies us with that affecting detail of the restoration of the life of Lazarus, their beloved brother and the beloved friend of Jesus. With Lazarus on the present occasion, we have little to do. You may remember, brethren, that on a former occasion we entered very fully into his case; we know he served GOD | ceive, all would naturally be forced with all his house; he and his sisters by the narrative itself, to compare are among the very few specified by the minds of these two sisters and to name as sharing our Lord's regard contrast them; and undoubtedly there and affection. "Now Jesus loved is much room for contrast. But it Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus." would be mere declamation, it would It was into this house that our Sa- not be sound teaching, were we to viour entered to rest and refresh him- join with many who have united in self after the fatigues of the journey. painting the character of Mary as the Martha seems to have been mistress regenerate disciple, full of saving of the house; for St. Luke tells us grace, the child of GoD, the beloved expressly it was she who received of the Lord, the inheritor of heaven; Jesus. She appears to have opened and then draw the picture of Martha her door with feelings of the kindest as an unregenerate worlding, her hospitality, and to have had her heart still hardened by the deceit whole mind absorbed by the anxiety fulness of unhallowed cares, her of entertaining her holy guest, as far ears still deaf to the sounds of Gospel as her abilities enabled her, in some truth, her eyes still looking back way corresponding with his cha- towards Egypt instead of being fixed racter. The Greek word is, scarcely onwards on Canaan. I know, brethwith sufficient strength and clearness, ren, a very striking representation rendered by her being "cumbered;" of both these, might doubtless be made; it means more, it signifies a sort of the beauty of the one might be endistraction, distress of mind, the hanced by the deformity of the other; very height of solicitude and painful and a very easy application would be occupation. Mary, on the contrary, at hand to the world at large, who took no part whatever in these hos- might be readily classed, as they ofpitable and friendly preparations. ten are classed, under these two heads, Like the disciples in the ancient separated as distinctly from their schools of learning, she sat at the feet fellow creatures as Jesus, when sitting of Jesus and heard his words. She on the judgment seat, and who alone hung upon his lips, and would allow can know and judge the hearts, will no earthly cares, no, not even when divide them, separating them into the the reception of the teacher himself classes of the sheep and the goats. was concerned, she would allow no- They may easily be divided into the thing to distract her from that occu- religious and the irreligious, the pation which engaged her whole soul. thoughtless and the serious, the reShe was assured that the blessed generate and the unregenerate, those teacher at whose feet she sat, and who serve God and those who serve who declared that his meat and drink him not; the one having their type was to do the will of his Father who in Mary, the other being equally rewas in heaven, would gladly dis- presented by Martha. pense with any improvement which her labour could add to the repast which was preparing for him, if she gave him in its stead the heart of a sincere disciple, the undivided thoughts of an humble loving Christian. Now, my brethren, here, I con But allow me, brethren, in passing, to observe that much real harm to the cause of true religion, of true Gospel faith, may be traced to this positive, I must add this presumptuous method of dealing with our fellow creatures-unhappily too much employed; I mean the method |