the help of the Lord, and of your brethren? Answer, what are they, to yourself and to God! Nay, at once take hold of duty, and let your name be registered with those who stand pledged to sustain the cause of mis

sions.

2. In the cause of Temperance, churches and all Christians should firmly maintain a high and holy stand. None should stand aloof from enrolling their names and giving their influence with those who are engaged in the heaven-born work of shutting the flood gates of intemperance, and rescuing the inebriate from a drunkard's grave. How does intemperance to-day even, roll its dark and deadly waves over the land! Misery, pauperism, crimes, and death, all invariably follow in its wake. Of the one thousand five hundred convicts in Sing Sing and Auburn, it is stated that one thousand one hundred and twenty-five were intemperate. Take this as a single example, and what a tide of misery is let out upon society by the single instrumentality of the liquor business. Every good man and Christian is to oppose this work of death. And what is the right ground for the church to occupy, with its whole phalanx of membership? I answer, total abstinence from all that intoxicates. "Touch not-taste not -handle not.' Churches are not to tolerate their members in vending or drinking alcohol in whatever shape. In this day of light no Christian is excusable, who stands aloof from the Temperance cause.

3. The cause of Moral Reform should receive the hearty co-operation of the pious and good in every Christian communion. For must not the friends of piety be also the fast friends of virtue? The Divine law in respect to chastity must be strictly observed, if peace and happiness are preserved in any community. The violations of this law are threatened with the most solemn denunciations of God: For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, hath any in-. heritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God." Éph.

5:5.

Of all the evils with which a community or a na

tion can be cursed, I can scarcely conceive of a greater than the evil of licentiousness. What are its fruits? “In 1801, the single city of Paris reported 4,881 illegitimate births, 720 divorces, 8,258 deaths in poor houses, and 201 found dead in the streets! In 1803, the Prefect of Police reported to the grand judges that in this same city 12,076 common prostitutes, 1,550 kept mistresses, and 308 licensed brothels"! Such were the fruits of licentiousness in a single city forty years ago, and truth tells us it is no better now. Nay, but you say this was the capital of infidel France. True, but be not too fast; look into the cities of the Christian United States, in the light of living facts, and you will know that the fruits of licentiousness are deepening and widening among us. Think of the guilty sons, and the ruined daughters, which are annually sacrificed to this god; and of the untold sorrows and sighs of fond but disappointed and heart-broken parents and friends, occasioned by the violations of the law of chastity. O, here is an evil over which Mercy's angels might well weep! An evil which calls for the steady and faithful action of the Christian church to oppose and roll back. Let the people of God espouse heartily the work of Moral Reform; maintain a sleepless vigilance on unchastity toward all the membership in the churches; admonish and warn and instruct the unsuspecting; and by a strict adherence to the law of purity from that public opinion which shall fasten the brand of deserved infamy on the libertine. It is not only what the gospel of Christ requires, but a duty which Christians owe to the world.

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4. Since God has said, "Blessed are the peace makers," it is unquestionably the duty of professors of the gospel to espouse the cause of Peace. Jesus has said, "My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight: but now is my kingdom not from hence." The spirit of war, and the spirit of God, can no more possess the heart at the same time, than love and hatred. Think

a moment on these facts on war. Says Elihu Burritt, "From 1789 to March 4, 1843, $962,755,680 have been lavished upon preparations for war in time of peace, within little more than half a century, by this model Republic! Another fact: From January 1, 1836, to March 3, 1843, the war expenses of this Government were $153,954,881! five millions more than all the civil expenses from 1788 to 1843! Since the Reformation (!!) Great Britain has been engaged sixty-five years in the prosecution of seven wars; for which she expended, in our currency, $8,992,120,000. It has been estimated by our Missionaries, that a school of fifty heathen children, on the continent of India, would cost $150 dollars per annum. This sum, if applied to the education of the heathen, would have schooled 46,062,254 children per annum for 65 years!" So much for the expense of a small portion of the wars, in the article of dollars and cents only. But what is this to the loss of life, and the detriment of the war spirit, to the gospel of the Prince of Peace? At the single battle of Waterloo, no less than 84,000 human beings lay cold in death upon the field of battle! [I quote from memory, though confident of being correct.] In war, what multitudes of multitudes have been made widows and orphans, as well as hosts of probationers hurried uncalled and unprepared into eternity, is known to God alone! Shall not those who profess to be disciples of the PRINCE OF PEACE, rally around the standard of Peace, and lend a helping hand to the Peace cause, which is now struggling nobly to form a correct public opinion of war? It is another duty that Christians owe to a world lying in sin.

5. Anti-slavery is a Benevolent Association into which the churches of Jesus Christ ought to throw an undivided and holy influence. The law of reciprocity, before referred to, which Christ has given for the action of every Christian, should be acted on in our duty toward the slave: "All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to

them." Apply it, reversing circumstances. Were you in slavery, and your brethren enjoying freedom, would you not have them think of you? Would you not have them pray for you? Aye, more; were you, your wife, children, husband, father, mother, brother, sister, all groaning beneath the galling yoke of Southern slavery, would you not have your brethren, enjoying all the blessings of freedom and religion, VOTE for you? Pause one moment, gentle reader; God knows your heart; a sincere answer is required. As ye would, so do ye. I will not here dwell longer, nor need I. It is the solemn duty of every Christian, to pray and act for the poor slave; and never relax his efforts, until they are released by death, or the last wretched bondman cease clanking his chains and be made FREE.

6. Christians are to be the warm advocates and firm supporters of Education. All history will teach us that Education has an intimate connection with the best prosperity of pure Christianity. In the sixteenth century, one of the principal causes in preparing the way for the Great Reformation from Popery, was the revival of letters. And one of the most efficient means for extending and perpetuating it, was the efforts of Luther and his co-adjutors, for the general education of the people. Luther's great work which should make his efforts against the corrupt papacy effectual, was to give the Bible to the whole German Empire. The Holy Scriptures, locked up in the Latin language, and prohibited to the people by the pope, but now translated by the reformer into German, and put into every man's hand, prepared the way for the extensive revival of evangelical religion. Indeed what had now been the state of the Protestant religion, had not Luther, Melancthon, Calvin, and all the reformers, engaged heartily in the cause of education, and made it administer as an indispensable handmaid to religion? Or, I may ask, what would have been now the religious, as well as civil, state of our own country, but for the particular interest which from the first has been given to edu

cation in New England; and but for the unequalled facilities for education spread out all over the land, how ill prepared would be the American churches to resist the influences in our country against religion, and perform their allotted part in spreading Christianity among the nations? Missionaries in every heathen land find it an object, second only to preaching the gospel, to establish schools for educating the people. We would have every Free-will Baptist, aye, every pious man of whatever communion, be the steadfast and firm supporter of education.

Every Christian should be not only the supporter of general education, and lend his influence to promote useful learning as one of the greatest human blessings and most closely connected with the triumphs of the gospel-but the churches in all their membership ought to feel a lively interest in furnishing the needful facilities for a proper education in the gospel ministry. We speak advisedly when we say that in the Free-will Baptist denomination there has been, and still is, a sad deficiency in this respect. Many of our ministers enter upon the duties of the Sacred office, with a very limited knowledge of the Holy Scriptures; too little taught in the glorious gospel which they are to teach to others. The consequence has been that though God has given us prosperity, we have but few churches in cities and large towns, those great arteries and influential places of the nations, and many of our churches are pining for want of efficient pastors. But the evil is beginning to be remedied by the efforts of the Education Society, and the establishment of the Biblical School now in successful operation. At this School not a few of our young brethren are acquiring a knowledge of the word of God to prepare them the better for the responsible duties of the pastoral office, as well as to put them on a proper course of study during all the years of their ministry. Is not here an object worthy the prayers and friendly support of every pious and intelligent Free-will Baptist? Who can tell the good to our churches and