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of those of his own nation; and but for the firm and upright conduct of Paul, the Gentiles might have been trammeled with those ritual observances which the elder of the Apostles (Peter) had declared to be a yoke that neither their fathers nor they were able to bear. The thought of having been at one time opposed to the religion of Jesus, constantly recurred to the mind of Paul, and operated as a powerful stimulus to his exertions in the furtherance of that cause of which he had now become the most able and strenuous advocate. To this one object all the energies of his powerful mind were directed to accomplish this great enterprise-to atone for the wrong that he had done, and to render himself worthy of the high reward, he thought no difficulty or danger too great to encounter, and no labour or suffering too much to endure.

Such was the man of energetic mind,

Wise, bold, enduring, and of purpose firm,
Whom Jesus to the mighty labour called,
More than Herculean!

To rouse the prostrate intellect of Man-
Teach him his worth, emancipate his mind
From priestly thraldom, and unhallowed rites,
To scorn the Idol Gods he once adored,
Their temples, and their altars to desert;
And worship ONE, the living and the true.

I

WILLIAM CATLIN.

THE PRIMROSE.

THANK GOD! though we be prone to grieve,
Small things can bring us joy;

And holy feelings planted"deep,

Though change or care may bid them sleep,

No time can e'er destroy.

Dear friend! thy thought was but to give

This pale and scented flower,

Some token of the spring to show;

Thou gavest me more than thou canst know

A charm of wondrous power!

My lips are trembling now with prɛyer,

My eyes are full of tears;

The blessed thoughts that once were mine
Come back with this small gift of thine,
Pure as in childhood's years.

Again I wander as of old,

Or watch the calm spring sky,

Though roofing boughs look down on me,
Kneeling beneath some tented tree,

When none but God is nigh.

A whisper runs along the grass,
A tremor of delight;

The tasselled hazel to and fro
Is waving round me as I go ;
And now the river, singing low,
Has flashed upon my sight.

Again I feel my heart o'erflow

With charity and love,

And know that earth is linked with heaven,
Since to her flowers is beauty given,

Like the sweet stars above.

Again my mother's whispers fall

Upon mine eager ear;

Sweet words of counsel or of praise,
Returning from those long past days
In echoes soft, yet clear.

Thank GOD, who gives to lowly things
Such sweet, resistless power!
I feel that highest, holiest thought,
To new existence may be brought
By ministry unknown, unsought,
Of one pale simple flower!

SELECTIONS.

FUTURE LIFE.-Is there any need of a stronger light on the subject of our future existence than that given to us by one of our own race, having died and risen again from His grave, and who, after His sleep, had exhibited Himself in the dark tabernacle of mankind as identically the same, with precisely the same disposition, the same friendship-bearing in His faithful memory the smallest as well as the greatest events of His earthly existence? What a clear-what a cheering light has not this kindled around

the dark gates of the tomb! It has united the two worlds; it has thrown a bridge over the dark abyss; it enables the otherwise timorous pilgrim to approach it without horror, and friends to say "good night" to each other with the same composure, on the evening of life, as on the evening of a day.-F. Reimer.

LOCAL TRADITIONS IN PALESTINE.-A less questionable source of information is found in the traditions of the peasantry, in local recollections, and in long-established usages. Here human nature comes into play, in a less perverted form than when it is under the influence of monkish credulity, or ecclesiastical selfishness. The native traditions of a country-those that spring up spontaneously on the spot to which each refers, and pass from father to son, through successive generations, as family heirlooms -may, indeed, gather moss and rubbish, as they proceed, but are generally found to have a large substratum of pure, unquestionable truth. Yet even these are, in no case, to be received without scrutiny, or in opposition to good counter evidence. We give an example:-The traditions of the country have fixed the burialplace of Moses on the summit of one of the highest mountains which lie, in a north-westerly direction, about two hours from the Dead Sea. On this spot there is certainly a tomb built, in the usual Mohammedan style. Jews and Mohammedans evidence their belief in the truth of this tradition by reverentially offering up their prayers with their faces bent towards it. Yet it is from the precise spot where the tomb is most conspicuous that a commanding view is obtained of the majestic mountains of Moab, east of Jordan, and, among them, of Nebo, "over against Jericho," where the great lawgiver died. Besides, it was not on a mountain, but "in a valley, in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor," that the Jewish legislator was interred; and the sacred record expressly adds "No man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day" (Deut. xxxii. 50; xxxiv. 6).—People's Dictionary of the Bible.

INTELLIGENCE.

PEACE MEETING AT BOSTON.

In consequence of a numerously signed memorial to the Mayor of Boston, requesting him to convene a public meeting to consider the contemplated enrolment of the militia,one of the largest and most animated meetings ever held in the ancient Guildhall, took place on Monday evening, January 26th. Mr. John Noble, town councillor, occupied the chair, and all the dissenting ministers of the town, with the exception of the Wesleyan Methodists, were either present, or signified their approbation of the purposes of the meeting. The first resolution was moved by the Rev. T. W. Mathews, General Baptist Minister, and seconded by Mr. Bailey:

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Resolved, that this meeting having observed with thankfulness the peace which has so long subsisted, both at home and abroad, feel most

unwilling to countenance any measure calculated to promote a return of the manifold evils of war.

The mover of this resolution dwelt at large upon the blessings of peace and the evils of war, and with powerful effect reviewed seriatim and exposed to merited indignation and scorn, the various pretences under which war is defended and encouraged. The second resolution, which was moved by the Rev. James Malcolm, Unitarian Minister, and seconded by the Rev. J. Taylor, New Connexion Methodist, was :

That this meeting regard with grief and surprise the announcement of an intention on the part of Government to enrol the militia, considering such a measure as oppressive, especially to the poor, and as tending to the degradation and retrogression of human society

Mr. Ma'colm, after commenting upon the false ideas that were still so prevalent in society with respect to the real nature of the war system, entered at considerable length into a proof of the propositions contained in the resolution. Whether the contemplated calling out of the militia be the best preventive of war, as some contend, he was not prepared to determine, although preparing thus for war, seemed not to him the best way of coming to an amicable settlement; but what he feared and denounced, was the engendering of a war spirit, by thus dragging people from their peaceful occupations, and giving them a taste for the more exciting duties of a military life. The speaker then showed the desperate and ruinous nature of this most delusive game, in its oppression-its expenditure of blood and treasure: in the degradation, both mental and moral, of a military life and education, and in the baneful effects of war upon the progress of civilization; and concluded by showing that if no other good effect resulted from their present meeting than the spreading abroad throughout society a more healthy tone of feeling on this subject, their labour Iwould not be in vain. The Rev. B. Farrington, Calvinistic Baptist, moved the third resolution, viz. :

That the raising of the militia is at this time peculiarly uncalled for, because of the large standing army at present existing-because of the jealousy it would provoke in other nations, and because the people of this country manifest a general aversion both from foreign war and domestic disturbance.

Thomas Small, Esq., surgeon, in seconding this motion, ridiculed, in a happy vein of satire, the system of war, and the irrational mode of settling disputes by means of the strong arm. The utmost unanimity and enthusiasm prevailed throughout the vast meeting; and although discussion or even controversy was invited by the Chairman, not a voice or a hand spoke or moved in opposition to the various resolutions. A petition to Parliament was afterwards adopted by acclamation, and numerously signed. During the progress of the meeting, Mr. Mathews read the following excellent Address to the Inhabitants of Boston in America, which was adopted by the meeting, signed by the Chairman, and will be forwarded to Boston forthwith:

ESTEEMED CITIZENS OF BOSTON IN NEW ENGLAND

We, the inhabitants of Boston in Old England, assembled at a public

meeting, convened by our Mayor, in the Town Hall, Jan. 26th, 1846, beg leave respectfully to present to you this friendly address on the subject of international peace. Two centuries ago, the inhabitants of your city, because they had received from this place the persecuted but truly venerable minister of the gospel, Mr. John Cotton, honoured our town by changing the name of their town, and adopting that of Boston. We trust that the respect then showed will always continue to be deserved; and that friendship along with commercial intercourse will for all generations be perpetuated, never to be interrupted by national jealousies, or by the horrors and crimes of war. We believe war to be an evil-a pure evil, unattended by any good in its motives, actions, and results ; an evil so tremendous, that no earthly consideration can justify it. We are convinced that war is destructive to all the interests of humanityto happiness and liberty, to commerce and wealth-to science, arts, and civilization, to learning and intelligence, to philanthropy and religion. We regard war as unreasonable; for even should it prove which party had the most strength, it would never show on which side was the most right. And we doubt not that any good which may in some cases be supposed to have resulted from fighting, could have been secured in a greater degree, more rapidly, more effectually, more widely, more permanently, and far more cheaply, by negociation.

We observe that any Government designing an attack on the rights, liberty, happiness, and commercial prosperity of any other nation, in all cases commences by assailing the rights, liberty, property, happiness, and commerce of its own people. We consider war to be condemned alike by the voice of conscience and experience; by natural and revealed religion; and to be unworthy of the nature of man, and contrary to the will of God. We, therefore, protest against our being called upon to fight, either against you or any other portion of the one family of man. We hope to see the day when it will be proved that war is as needless as it is pernicious; that it may be avoided; that the friends of reason and religion are able to awaken such a public sentiment on the subject, as will render it impossible for the proud, the selfish, and the ambitious, to turn the hand of man against his brother. Citizens of Boston, permit us to exhort you to cherish and to spread these pacific principles, till all nations shall repose amid the blessings of an universal and perpetual peace.

Signed by order of the Meeting,

JOHN NOBLE, Chairman.
BENJ. FARRINGTON, Secretary.

RONGE.

WE present our readers with the following extract from a letter addressed to the editor of a contemporary, connected with continental affairs, relating to this extraordinary man; his mind appears to be making rapid progress towards more liberal views of the religion of Jesus. We regret to say that our worst fears respecting this bold and ardent young man receive daily confirmation.

In a

letter from a clergyman, dated Offenbach, December 1st., 1846, the writer says, speaking of Rongé, "He declared before 1,500 auditors (I heard it myself) that there are

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