%. ^^J IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (M^-3) ^/. /. < y V #? ^ A y s.^ 1.0 I.! 1.25 .f'ltt IIM |||||m U 11.6 Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 iV 4 ^ ^^ :\ \ ^\. 4>\ WrS 'ri'' m ^ ^ V^ #? ^ M ^ 'f CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques Technical and Bibliographic Notas/Notas techniques et bibiiographiques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographic^lly unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked beiow. f~~] Coloured covers/ biJ Couvartura de couleur I I Covers damaged/ Couverture endommagie Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restauric nt/ou pellicul^e Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture ■ 10 faithfulness or unfaithfulness may prove a blessing or a curse,— and as pledged, as in many instan- ces we are by the most sacred of all engagements, to live " not unto ourselves, but unto him who loved us and gave himself for us." I scruple not, therefore, to assert— and shall purposely put the assertion in the plainest terms— that the very highest degree of mental culture that is con- sistent with present duty, should be sought for by the Christian. The better informed* he is, the better for himself,— for his family,— for his friends,— for the church,— and for the world. The larger his amount of knowledge, and the greater his aptitude in employing and applying it, the more are his personal resources multipiied, and his means of usefulness extended. He is so much the more qualified for fulfilling the objects of his high vocation, for glorifying Christ, and instrumentally promoting the present and eternal welfare of mankind. The day is past, or rather the night is past, when learning was dreaded and denounced as something in itself unhallowed, and almost, if not wholly, incompatible with high spiritual at- tainments. The more of real learning the Chris- tian possesses, the less likely is he to indulge that vanity and self conceit which, in former times, did much to prejudice the minds of un- learned but devout believers, against pursuits 11 which seemed, in their tendency, so hostile to the humility, which the gospel of the grace of God at once inculcates and inspires. These good men were not aware that those who vaunted so much their intellectual attainments, were in- debted entirely to the ignorance of others, for the toleration given to their childish boastings ; that they were, in truth, mere sciolists in litera- ture, and that their self-satisfaction and their contempt of others, were the surest proofs of their having scarcely moved beyond the shores and shallows of the sea of knowledge. Half a century ago, it was the fashion for such men to denounce Christianity as unfriendly to the cultivation and developement of the human faculties; and having ventured on such an assumption, they were not slow to draw the obvious inference, that, as in all other religions, so in this, ignorance was the mother of devotion. It was a gross libel on our holy faith ; and yet, some countenance was given to it by the conduct of some good but injudicious men, who represented the learning of these op- posers of the truth, as unfitting them for its re- ception. The preventive was their ignorance. They knew too little of science and philosophy to be able to appreciate the evidence by which our holy religion is supported : — they took advantage of the ignorance of others, to bolster up their own pretensions to superior acuteness and ability, and 4 12 were overjoyed when, by any quibble, they could confound or stagger the simple minded disciple of the Cross. By similar artifices, even in the present day, in the humblest walks of life, there are found those who, having just enough of infor- mation to inflate their vanity, and set the deluded multitude a-gazing, — are retailing, at second hand, the wasted and worn-out infidel objections of the eighteenth century. The movement how- ever, comes too late. Learning has renounced the service of infidelity, a service she never yield- ed, but by constraint and force. She has now become the free and willing handmaid of reli- gion; and now, none can venture, without an obvious dp -eliction of all principle, and contra- diction of a thousand facts, to doubt that the very highest mental cultivation may be combined with the meekness, gentleness, and unfeigned humility, of Christian discipleship, — with that faith which overcomes the world, and that love which is the fulfilling of the law. We entertain no apprehension then, my young friends, that your mental culture, if properly conducted, will prove injurious to your spiritual interests. I qualify, you will observe, this sen- timent ; I say this mental culture, if properlj^ conducted^ cannot be injurious ; but must, on the other hand, prove eminently serviceable both to yourselves and others : and I now proceed, there- 13 fore, with all possible plainness and succinctness, to state, what in my humble judgment, appears essential both as to means, and methods, and motives toward securing such degrees of mental culture, as may by the Divine blessing, furnish much real enjoyment and benefit to yourselves, and fit you for usefully occupying the sphere, in which providence has already placed or may hereafter place you. There are four nsears of mental self culture, to which I shall successively solicit your attention. The first of these is Reading, And here I take it for granted, that the Book of God will ever occupy the Jirst place in your attention and esteem. Should it be otherwise, each step you take, in the course of self-improve- ment, must be taken in a wrong direction. In every plan of study, the enlightened Christian will secure, and set apart, and sacredly devote a portion of each day, to the perusal of the Holy Scriptures. In what order their different parts should be read, is amatterof opinion ; and I mere- ly give it as my opinion, that so far as the New Testament is concerned, no advantage is to bo gained by departing, in the course of reading, from the present order of its component books j and that, with one or two exceptions, the same B 14 order will be beneficially followed in the perusal of the Old Testament ; provided, that in both cases, the marpr'^nal references be carefully con- sulted and compared. This latter exercise, if properly engaged in, will require both time and thought ; but on what can these be so properly — on what ought they to be so pleasurably ex- pended, as in searching the Scriptures in which we have eternal life ? The quantity of the sacred volume which may at any time be read, is no test of advancement in religious knowlerige. To understand a little is infinitely better than to read much j and the diligent comparison of a single verse, with its kindred and corresponding passages, will rapidly extend your acquaintance with the letter of God*s word ; whilst the very process will tend greatly to imbue you with its hallowed spirit. However limited then may be the time, which the neces- sary avocations of life enable you to devote to the exercise of reading, let me most earnestly entreat you to give a due portion of it, to the devout study of the Word of God. It is "the light unto your feet, and the lamp unto your path." It furnishes the food by which the soul is nour- ished and sustained. It prescribes principles for your practical adoption, and presents exam- ples for your imitation ; it is fraught with con- solation which you will often need amidst the 15 cares and anxieties of life, and it opens up prospects, in the contemplation of which, you will learn increasingly to estimate at their pro- per value, the short-lived vanities of the scene through which you are passing, on your way to immortality. Other books may be advantageous, the Bible is necessary. Others may aid you, but this is essential ; and if it could be said of any of you, that whilst aiming at the culture of your minds, you neglected the study of the Word of God, we could not hesitate for a moment, in pre- dicting the fatal issue. " What a man soweth that shall he also reap." The good seed of the word, alone can bear the fruits of immortality— and whatever, apart from this, may be the pro- ducts of intellectual labour, these cannot, at best, be of any avail to their possessor, beyond the fleeting hours of temporal existence. But, inde- pendently of this,— the highest consideration that should prevent the Christian from ever giving a secondary place in his plans of study to the Word of God, and much more from neglecting it ;— I am bold to say that no better means could be found to promote what is most generally under- stood by "mental culture," than the habitual and systematic study of the Word of God. You may occasionally have met with instances of per- sons, who having been converted in advanced life, have acquired an almost instantaneous enlarge- 16 I f lif « i \-ir rli ment of understanding and maturity of judgment on general iubjects, most strikingly contrasted with their previous ignorance and imbecility. A close familiarity with the Word of God, has been in every such instance the unquestionable means of producing the result. An examination of the Biography of the church of Christ, and of our own mother country, will show that the most vigorous minds,— minds that have moulded and fashioned other minds, and left to posterity the most mature and mellow fruits of mental culture, acquired their power of com- manding, comprehensive, far-reaching and firm- ly-grasping thought, in the school, not of Pagan classics or philosophers, but of inspired Prophets and Apostles. Here, Milton*s muse was taught to soar to regions unvisited before, and to sing in strains surpassing far the loftiest and loveliest ef Pagan song. Here, Newton was morally trained for devoutly tracing the wonders of creation I and Locke, for discoursing on the "Conduct of the understanding." Here, with whatever mixture of earthliness their better principles might be alloyed, did the best British patriots of the seventeenth century, learn to dis- tinguish betwixt the rights of C«sar and of God, and thus to xay a broad foundation for the ex- tending liberties of their country and the world. To their profound acquaintance with the Word 17 of God, and the assimilation of their minds to the mind of the Spirit, do we owe those gigantic monuments of theological learning, which our Puritan Fathers have bequeathed to us. We could not conceive a better omen for the church of Christ, and for mankind at large, than that the Christian youth of our country, should give them- selves to the diligent and persevering study of the Holy Scriptures. In addition to the ines- timable spiritual advantages which this would infallibly secure, they would insensibly acquire such accurate and extensive views of truth, — of human nature,— of the Divine government, as all other books combined would fail to furnish. Such an exercise would give a tone of healthfulness and vigour to their sentiments, and render them, in a great degrae, independent of the ever pre- carious judgment of fallible men, as to the right application of religious principle. It would be their most effectual safeguard against such crude, chaotic systems of theological belief, as have been recently promulgated from one of the most an- cient English seats of learning, and would equally secure the youthful mind, so easily susceptible of impression from another source, against con- founding faith with feeling, and the liveliness of natural emotion, with the inherent power of enlightened conviction, and calm but firm devo- tedness to God. «Jfl ':! M 18 Last, but not least, in the list of advantages to be so certainly derived from the careful study of the Word of God, would be its re-active influence on the Christian Pulpit. Christian ministers, bound as they are to " watch for souls, as they that must give account," d^re not take too much for granted, as to the acquain- tance of their hearers with the Word of God Ihey know too well that this acquaintance, is m many instances, very superficial and imperfect; and are, therefore, compelled to speak, as to those "who have need of milk, and not of strong meat." i hey are constrained, by solicitude for the souls ot such, to bear, from the more enlightened and advanced, the unmerited imputation of weakness and imbecility, because they act on the convic tion, that there are those among their hearers, who -need to be taught what be the first prin- ciples of the oracles of God." But this state of things is much to be lamented, ihe pastor of a Christian church would gladly leave the first principles of the oracles of God and I' go on unto perfection," if his people would go with him ;-and occasionally he may be found far m advance of his flock in the effort to lead them onward j when he is forced to feel, that if he proceeds, he must be contented with very few companions, and that the approbation and spi- ritual benefit of these, must be purchased at the I f ?i 19 fearful expense of impoverishing the souls of others. There is no remedy for this great evil, but in the more general study of the Word of God. This will soon act as a mighty lever on the min- istrations of the pulpit. The ministers of Christ will feel emboldened to proclaim the whole coun- sel of God. They will be able to address their hearers generally, without flattery — in other circumstances most criminal and destructive — in the language of Paul, "We speak as unto wise men, judge ye what we say." They will be relieved from the painful conviction, that many take for granted whatever they may choose to affirm or deny j and will have the high satis- faction of knowing, that their hearers are in- clined and qualified to " search the Scriptures daily," so that their faith may not stand in the " wisdom of men, but in the power of God." Be it your's my young friends, to realize these most reasonable expectations. Resolve to be- come "mighty in the Scriptures." "Let the word of Christ dwell richly in you in all wisdom." Let your memories be richly stored with the let- ter of divine truth. Let your judgment be daily exercised in "comparing spiritual things with spiritual." Let your affections be daily stimulat- ed and revived, by the contemplation of what is heavenly and divine. You will thus become . I'' ii.; 20 " ^'^« "nto salvation --and in addition to this you w,Il be undergoing a cental and moXin t-asy in itselr, and uspfnl in ;*„ t . c -i . uHeiui in Its applicatinn A foundataon „iU thus be laid for a Z and^tint superstructure of valuable and advanZorac you, you will be led, as by intuition, by the uS reasonmg readiness of holy prineiple and eelin"' e:TfTur f ^''- -1-~ 'o the - r ainlvll Kf";'""'' ""'' *" '^S"'! "-em as ot proving how smeerely, and how ardently, you des.re to honour him. Such fruits of n,enta Ll. tare He wiU not refuse to accept at the hands of and wb»P ' r ^ ^""'""^'y '^tnowledged; and, whatever be the course of self-improvemen you may be induced to follow, you wiU ha™ th' unspeakable satisfarfinn „f i • "" liahf ^f ""',,^'"'*"^''on of knowing that the S fL? <=°""'^"''"- chines upon your path that you are proceeding under the ir ? L.I and direction of principles he has himse'f i.,.? cated and precepts he has himself e„,o i^ed fnd!,„r ^T ""^' ^'"" ""y- ""•' unwavering and unhesitating confidence, expect his blessing -^F^=j»srY" PfW^' i-*-a?^'"'^(f«^%^SP«Vf'i!|v-4«|Wiiy!»*4 ■ 21 Long as I have dwelt oti the subject of Bit). lical study, I must not overlook the importance of your always having, in addition to the Holy Scriptures, some standard religious work beside you, for regular and systematic reading. I would seriously and earnestly dissuade you from having at any time, more than one such work in hand. Your minister will of all others, be your best guide as to your choice of such books, and the order in which they should be read ; and having obtained his advice, you should conscientiously follow it. It may be difficult, at first, to resist and overcome that habit of desultory religious reading, which may have unhappily been formed, but perseverance will induce the opposite habit, and a very brief experience will convince you that it is incomparably the better of the two. I am unwilling to say any thing in reference to the periodical religious literature of the day, that might seem to detract from its general ex- cellence and utility ; but faithfulness on the present occasion, compels me to confess, that much time is often spent on Religious Magazines, that would be far more profitably devoted to the perusal of some work of established reputation. It is seldom that a writer in a magazine can satisfactorily discuss any branch of religious truth, in the brief compass of a single Essay j and a series of Essays running through a correspond- c \r\- M 1 i >m {-ft f.i 11 22 ing succession of months, must, in the nature of things, fail of bringing the whole subject clearly and fully before the reader's mind. If it be a subject in which he is interested, let him ask for some able volume, in which it is discussed ; and lei him give this the decided preference to those broken and dispersec' fragments, which must generally fail of giving satisfaction to an intel- ligent enquirer. Few, besides, take up a Reli- gioua Magazine without at least cursorily peru- sing all that it contains; and it may contain many things, of which ignorance would be no real loss, and on some of which better and fuller information might be obtained elsewhere, without t\e risk of sacrificing much valuable time, and inducing much .nental dissipation, by turning over the leaves, and glancing over the pages of a heterogeneous collection. You will find inter- vals sufficiently long and numeious, in the course of every month, to glean all that is interesting or valuable in such publications, and without ever allowing them to interfere with your stated and consecrated hours of self-improvement. On these valuable seasons, the reading of Newspapers ought never, for a moment, to en- croach. Whatever is important in their contents can be ascertained by a very cursory inspection ; and when you have made yourself acquainted with the leading topics of public interest or utility, 23 I trust you will have sufficient moral couiiage, to lay the paper aside, and have recourse to something more instructive, and, to a Christian mind, far more interesting than the ever recur- ring accounts of accident and crime which they invariably contain. As time is so essential to mental culture, and so large a portion of your time is necessarily consumed by the duties of your worldly calling, you will not, I am sure, deem any remark imper- tinent, that bears on the proper economy of your remaining hours. Yoii will, at once, acquit me of any design or desire to underrate the impor- tance of the daily, weekly, or monthly produc- tions of the press, whilst I thus earnestly recom- mend you to exclude them all from that portion of each returning day, which you are able and inclined to devote to the work of mental culture. Some resolution will be required lujre ; — but the force of Christian principle, and the sense of Christian responsibility, and the desire of Chris- tian usefulness, will supply the requisite incen- tive ; and ycu will not long pursue a course requiring at the outset some measure of self- denial, without realizing an amount of pleasure and of profit, which will far more than compenate for the effort. I go on to observe that, — next to some stand- ard theoloffical work which vou should alwavs uii'i: m have beside you until le you until its information is exhaus^Pr? directlv ' ' '" '""^'"■'' """''^ ^''"''h bear will S,v fi" rl "r' '""^'"""'' P"™i'^. yo" '-hn c'al^'Ji 7^ ^;l7 'o -hat is strictly and imortaJ.T ^.P"'^''"'"'' yo" will feel the whr^t "^'^'"^ ""^°''™'y «"<» carefully, i"ttis:u3ir%f"r''°"^'''^'«>- the fi-osDel .L , ' " discreditable to disqualified e £;"'•'" ''^ P™'^""^^ -« for the TutTAl ^ 'Snorance or inattention, dence J r /u *" ''"''°" '" '^Wch the provi clence of God has placed them; „or ean ant ttr'th r", ""=""^'^'^"' -"■ '™th an" "' "on to the account of true religion Tr„„ religion, which is ever a m»ff„, I . ^ the Lord " and " li, ° ! business, serving 'ho glory'of God."" "^ ""''' '" "» '^'I '! ■ ' " " '■•'''■«'°"^ '•"'y f"'- the Christian to aim '23 at excellence in all things. It is his shame, if he willingly suffers another, from the mere im- pulse of worldly interest and honour, to take more pains to master his profession, and secure proficiency in all its details, than he does, whose conscience is professedly under the influence of religious truth, and who avowedly regards the glory of God, as involved in his consistency. No credit ought ever to be given to those, who would justify their negligence in the acquirement of professional knowledge, or in the practical details of professional business, by dwelling on the insignificance of such matters, as compared with higher and enduring interests. In a few instan- ces, this is probably the effect of mental weak- ness J in most instances, it is a mere pretext,-, an opiate administered to an uneasy conscience, a sinister effort at self-exculpation from what is, nevertheless, felt to be grossly criminal. Have we a single instance of such remissness in secular affairs, in the word of God ? in the Old Testa- ment, or in the New ? Can a solitary scriptural example of piety be adduced, in combination with indolence, and sloth, and supine indifference to the duties of any worldly avocation ? I trust it will be your earnest desire and en, deavour, to qualify yourself for the creditable occupation of the sphere, in which you may be appointed providentially to move. Resolve to W'l \ ] •in I: I 'Ml! :l : i m ^'6 emulate the bright example of that Hebrew youth whose bitterest enemies, though he had the com- mand of one hundred and twenty provinces, could "find nothing against him, except concerning the law of his God." Prove to the conviction ot all around you, that though freed by the grace ot God from the feverish thirst of worldly gain, you are too much concerned for the honour of the gospel, to neglect the means of " providing for things honest in the sight of all men," and that you have come to the actual business of life, witha mmd fully competent to undertake and pro- secute It, and are in no respect inferior, as to information and acquired ability, to those who practically discard the controlling power of holy principle and feeling. I cannot believe that such a mmd can be long in contact with others, without making them conscious of its presence. There will be extorted from the lips, even of the ungodly, the unwilling concession, that the force of Christian principle, and the fervour of spiritual affections, do not unfit their possessor for the hon- ourable and exemplary discharge of secular and civil obligation. The world will be disabused of a prejudice against spiritual religion, on the ground of its alleged hostility to the demands of domestic and social duty j and on vou will devolve the distinguished honour of putting be- yond all doubt, the possibility of ahlv and sue- 27 cessfully prosecuting your respective branches of worldly business, without betraying that ig- norance of your business, which, in every in- stance, is dishonourable; and without any of those compromises, which, however winked at and palliated by nom?nal professors, are criminal in the sight of God, afflictive to the truly pious, and furnish the ready-made apology to the frivo- lous and profane, for disregarding principles, which fail to bind the consciences of those, who seem most tenaciously to hold them. Next to your religious and professional stud- ies, I would place those which relate to that par- ticular walk of Christian usefulness, which, at the bidding of an enlightened and sanctified bene- volence, you have deliberately chosen. I take it for granted that you have mada such a choice, and that you entertain too just conceptions of Christian duty and of Christian privilege, to be able or inclined to "look on your own things" without "looking on the things of others." I frankly confess, that taking the New Testament as the standard of judgment, I cannot help look- ing with suspicion on the personal piety, espe- cially of the youthful professor, who is not in some way, however humble, endeavouring to do good to others. Many, however, have been the partial, and even complete failures of the truly benevolent ; ti 28 arising from the want of mental culture, u^ith an especial view to their chosen or allotted pro- vince ; and I cannot help thinking that the practical observance of a few important princi- ples, would inconceivably augment the energy and efficiency, of all that in the form of Christian agency is now at work amongst us. It were easy to point, were it at all proper, to individual instances m which these principles have been most fully exemplified, and in which the result has invariably been a proportionably increased amount of practical efficiency. It may be suffi- cient, just to look at such principles, in their relation to one department of benevolent exer- tion with which many of you are abundantly and happily familiar, that namely of Sabbath School Instruction. It is easy to conceive of two individuals, with equal purity of motive, and an equally ardent desire to do good, engaging, from week to week, m this important exercise. The one, however does not conceive that any thing in the shape of personal preparation is requisite towards com- municatmg, through the medium of question- books, hymn-books, and easy passages of scrip, ture the elements of religious truth to the minds of the children committed to his care. Accord- ingly. he meets his class, and spends the allotted hour in hearing their recitations, or in repeatino- 29 himself, some portions of holy writ, and endea- vouring to impress them with a just sense of its meaning and importance. But his utmost efforts fail to secure the fixed attention of the children. The vacant stare, the restless movement, the languor and listlessness of his youthful charge distress and grieve him : no sensible advance is made by them in religious knowledge,— and although principle and conscience will not per- mit him to resign his office, the duties of it become, by their obvious unproductiveness, in- creasingly irksome and distasteful. Let us mark the different course adopted by his colleague. He sets out on the principle, as applicable to the spiritual husbandry as to the natural, that the seed, to be productive, must be suited to the soil. He studies the laws of mind. He reads attentively the most approved works on general and religious education within his reach. He commits to writing, the results of his reading and observation. On the eve of each returning Sabbath, he endeavours to make him- self thoroughly master of the subject, which he is to bring before the children j carefully collects such similes and figures, as may tend most clearly to illustrate, or most powerfully to enforce it,— mentally surveys the different characters, cir- cumstances, abilities, and relative advancement, of his pupils,— and prepares as far as possible, so for each of them, his due proportion of spiritual provision. He is especially anxious to guard against all hard words and such complex Jbrms of speech, as will prevent the children from un- derstanding, or wishing to understand his mean- ing. Thus thoroughly furnished for his work, he proceeds to the place of convocation ; — and as from Sabbath to Sabbath he prosecutes his sacred work, his beloved pupUs hang with delight upon his lips. They "hear him gladly," be- cause he speaks to their understandings, interests their feelings, and employs words and phrases which they know, and demonstrates, in a manner which even a little child can discover and appre- ciate, that he ''studies to show himself approved unto God, — a workman that needeth not to be ashamed." Any other department of Christian usefulness admits of, and demands the practical application of the same general principle. There must be mental preparation, and this, in kind and degree, must be suited to the objects at which the Chris- tian aims, and the talents of which he is pos- sessed. The greatest benefactors of their speeds have been such— not only by yielding to the impulses of self-denying generosity, and practi- cally pursuing with steadiness and simplicity of principle and motive, the end at which they aim ; but by deliberate fore-thought, by careful 31 observation, by reading the published records of the labours and successes and failures of those who have preceded them in the same walks of usefulness ;— thus bringing the results of former experience, the experience of others as well as their owfi, to supply what may he de- fective, or correct what is wrong, or give a fresh impulse to what is right, in their own plans and methods of procedure. Can it be doubted that the adoption of the simple principle, thatnothmg in the form of Christian beneficence can be well performed without suitable mental preparation, or in other words, corresponding mental culture, would render the moral resources of Christians, and of the church of Christ, a thousand times more extensive and efficient than they ever yet have been. My young friends, you are in cir- cumstances which enable you to verify this re- presentation. Let me exhort you, first of all, to choose deliberately and prayerfully, that depart- ment of benevolent exertion which seems on the whole, best suited to your circumstances, your talents, and your taste. This done, resolve to read with equal deliberation and prayerfulness, whatever, in the shape of argument or fact, may assist you in the choice of measures and of means, and I am much mistaken, if such a process docs not speedily bring an abundant and satisfactory reward. You will have your reward m your 32 conscious freedom from those irksome perplexi- ties, which would otherwise beset your path. You will escape those morbid fears and appre- hensions which paralyze the moral power, and enervate the moral courage of many a Christian philanthropist. In one word, you will thus acquire an enlightened firmness and fixedness of purpose, which will bend all circumstances to its own design, and bring your benevolent desires and efforts to a successful and triumphant issue. Our hopes of the prevalence of scriptural views on all subjects connected with the consti- tution of the church, and the diffusion of the ri'ospcl, depend, in a great measure, on your devout attention to these subjects ; and any ( nurse of mental culture which you may adopt, will be decidedly defective, that will not enable you to give forth, whenever required, a prompt and well-principled decision, on the great reli- gious questions of the age. I must now draw this, by far the largest division of my subject, to a close, by observing, that if after giving all due attention to Biblical, theological, professional, and philanthropic stu- dies, you still can spare some time, it may be very usefully occupied in the perusal of other works, which do not come under anv of these lioads. The liistorv of vour mother countrv and of 33 successive age. ^ " °^ <"'<='' aboSin'rrr' ,?°"°' ""' Pro-n-inently -":^rrs;itrrerrLr^^^ strains of the a,„iable Cowper I'f ■"!""! vivid compositions of the de'::^^ X pi ^of''^Trv™''"i'-^'' --^ "-" ^"^ pdinos, ot 1 he Course of Time " In the department of BiograpAj, our a-re is a^.undantly prolific, and, as in other department OtVt "'?•'■'"' 'l™P-^«vely Imanded Of ^./,^,«„. biographies, we have now a rich vanety, and some of them are models of gld wntmg as well as precious memorials of depart ed excellence. On the whole, I think thaT he choice and succession of such works will be ben ! J.% left to the direction of some judicL: wo?ks tf "f ^'""''"'''' «"'' --h-like Z ' " "'"'' ^' '^''^ '» 'hose for whom h s remarks ,,ro espociall, designed. Should )ou comply with those imperfect, though affoo- 34 tionate counsels, you will not only have no time, you will have no taste, for a class of books which pamper the fancy while they starve the under- standing, substitute passion for principle, give a false colouring to fact, clothe vice with the stolen ornaments of virtue, unfit the mind for calm enquiry and sober contemplation, and are felt to be unfit companions for those who are studying to " walk so as to please God." No- thing can be more preposterous in principle, and more incompatible with fact, than that novel reading can in any degree contribute to the cul- ture of the mind ; — an idea which comes under the same category with the once vaunted apho- rism of the profligate and vicious, that "the theatre is the school of virtue." Next to Reading, as a means of Mental Cul- ture, is — Rejiection. I have already incidentally noticed the impor- tance of thoughtfulness, in reference to the pe- rusal of the books which may come successively before you. The mere mechanical act of reading cannot, in any case, secure aught of real or last- ing benefit; and there is scarcely more than mechanicism in the manner in which works of standard value and acknowledged usefulness, are 3S --- befoL thcte cZf "Z"^* "-- '•" '•-"'i^^od, and at W,h If f """ <'''='?"'■• ''^ .'"'h the conviction and tho /° """ " ^'"'^'J' '» ""good book." B„t ,f.. I "'■'"'''" ""« it 'J;« is not the way to read k ", ^u"'' *""*' "fthe author has not h„ ' ""'' ""> desiifn » h-ty 'li'posai f^ht 'rorrr,"''^"^"' 'y - «' "^e intended to enlilh «? ;1 ''""''''"^ ^heso ^'i-nulato the mind!" tI,"'^"™'.""?'-^-, and «nly to meet the eve un,l ^^i "'■''. '"*''"'''"' "«' -"■•''^ and sentene'/tut ''"""'"'' »'eet the understandi^iTin I "'T"'' "x^^"- to f principle, and .en .W t T ''™"''' '■»"» fact. Itisfarfrombeh.Ts^ffl'"'' "'"'"'''"'S. ^nd t 'e meaning of the Sfr .„?"', '" "'"'''-"'"d of its correctness, to coi7eTih' r^ '" ^■"'^^'^ of previous inquirv tn K ""' "^u't truth, and to de cL 1 ^ " *° ""^ *-' of dence and credit to bl ien T'"'" "' ^«"«- and its representations.^ You j;f T""'"^' understand this remark a, h ' "^ 'bourse, whatever to the wZf : gH'"' ^^^ "'^^^"- to be simply enguirers. I„fi°t /f^' ""^ are orr:-and the information ''"'" '=''"°ot veyedby the penTrn "'"■"'"'"' ^on- -ceived'withre viTr"'""-^ and finite creatures tlth" ' " ^^''"^ Only Wise God. V; ;r T'' "' "=« ^" m regard to Biblical 36 knowledge however, no definite and satistactory and useful attainments can be made, without reflection. The Bible, in form as in sub^ance, is adapted to the constitution of the human mind, and requires continually the exercise of one or other, and soir^ times of all its faculties. If principles are here inculcated, it is that these may take hold of the understanding, the con- science, and the heart, and so mould the charac- ter, and regulate the conduct. If precepts are enjoined, it is that they may, by thoughtful and mature consideration, secure the practical avoid- ance of forbidden evils, and the cheerful per- formance of commanded duties. If facts are here recorded, it is that they may be treasured up in the memory, as furnishing such illustra- tions of truth or error,— of excellence or evil, as may aid the judgment in any case of practical difficulty, and, by the force of example, deter from what is wrong, and constrain to what is right. None of these important objects can be secured without reflection :— and without this, therefore, the Word of God, though intrinsically and rela- tively " more precious than gold, yea than much fine gold," will be practically useless. Alas I in how many instances is it really so ! How often is it lamentably obvious, that the truths of the Bible, though known, acknowledged, and rests. 37 «ven verbailv ^'l exert slhTr''^^' ""^^o ^o little (I. , distinguish "7 r'"* '"""ence a ! "^'"' 'he Sacred p!'" *"'' ^s e^e „eZ. ^^"^ ^^ Ted I'agc. •' "ever rested on , ^'"'"s the advice of P , ""« o" these thwl^""' '» Timoti ^„ ..„^,. "■^^ i^ve a specif I' "T«<^ '^'iou/.h, a? '■^tion for i!^^^'"' ."'^'"n? on the needft^ "' plies this n,?"^ '*'"""•; yet ;! , f^'f*- '" reflection arp «„ ' eontinuon, „„. extended »„ i • „ "ecessary (■„ „„ ^' ^nd w , ' ""d wflaent;»i '^ *" accuratn ^Jd of God. """' "^quaintance with th Sh:r^"'ha:^rj^oiesor:^ ^''•iom buiJds,.Cto n, ""''"•'■^'^ -^ith which PWeess of reading ! '^ "'" *" '"tervais in u trace th» ^'"ngr. to recal the „„ ' " '^e o'-e tne current nC ji, eourse, an,! -''' ««e:ri7;Tivofs?s:c 38 To such a written record of opinion, I attach very great importance, and will just state, without attempting to illustrate, a few of its advantages. It will secure a fixedness of attention in the pe- rusal of any volume, sir.ce without this you would be consciously unqualified to pronounce upon its merits. By recording your judgment of its merits, with the reasons you assign for it, you will bring all the leading topics of the volume deliberately under your review, thereby fixing the whole more firmly in your memory, and deepening proporf ;nably the impression it has made. This record will furnish the best index, not only io your course of reading, but to your advancement in the different branches of study, as also in your powers of discrimination and description. You may, after the lapse of months or years, find reason to change many of your opinions, as to the intrinsic worth or relative value of different books :— and the record of these altered views, as compared with the former, will furnish you with a valuable opportunity of diciplining your own mind into the willing tole- ration of those views of others, which may still differ from your own. Such a record, you will observe, differs from what is generally understood by a religious journal :—aiud yet there are reli- gious journals, and of the very best kind, which contain the writers' views of books, as well as S9 their refle r •"^ called rP'^^'W^combinl; f'' "'' «» narrative of ^"''' ">»' if made / "'"^' ^ P"-rved"i(7 - "f" ->«S and""'? ^ ^erve L :; ^"'' '*m an?!? ""^ '"' ">« -'o ii:: '■"""■''■'.v.-to :^:°:;"'"-'>; ««, spirif nf 7 ^'^ exertion a f gratitude, °"g^^ I mention-^ "«.«'l:'r:'"«'-'«„,„. I 40 the parties ;— and it is equally unquestionable, that if that improvement be not secured, mutual injury must be the result of intercourse. Were it nothing more in this latter case, but the loss of time, and the distraction and dissipation of the mind— this would be injury enough ; but they who judge of actions and omissions, of thoughts and words, in their relation to the character, condition, and everlasting destiny of man, will not and cannot think lightly of suc- cessive hours spent, it may be repeatedly, perhaps habitually, in thoughtless and frivolous remarks on the incidents of the day—the puerilities of fashion— the little occurrences of domestic life —the state, as it may happen, of the nation, the market, or the weather. If these be the products of companionship— the fruits of social inter- course,— better far that such intercourse were entirely suspended : for what but spiritual and moral injury, can follow such a waste of time ?— of time which might be so much more worthily, and withal, so much more profitably devoted to one of those useful companions which every library can furnish, or to some word or deed of Christian benevolence, which may cheer the sad spirit of an afflicted fellow creature, and direct some poor wanderer, in the way to heaven. Mutual intercourse there must be ; but this intercourse may be turned to good account. If 41 of those am *'" ">« frequent . '" """ ^e «clMat;o7 ^^'' ^o"'- '^mW TP'"''<"'«J"P "^- -^To';: ?'^"- vCe : rr^r '" 3'ou know t„ I, society of ;„j: • , " you of other?. ".""^'^ P«fer th2 ^"'^' «"'- >^«« are not litei^ , ^"^ '""ch advanf. :;«« 'hat .aife'et Vth ;"'"" "'^ -^ S' ^Jy-" must have Cel! """"' "'"«« I« wlf » -extended observatU, f, '^ ">-« ^^^^ "" ibe exercise „f_ "'' " ^'"'•y fc. remarks 42 PrayeVy viewed in relation to the same important subject — the Culture of the Mind. My first remark here, has reference to a prac- tical error which, to be avoided, must be distinctly mentioned. It is that of supposing, or acting as though it were supposed, that there is any thing affecting the intellectual or spiritual im'- provement of the Christian, which may not be made the subject of prayer to God. There can be no doubt, indeed, on any enlightened mind, as to the importance of this exercise in connec- tion with the study of the Holy Scriptures. There is a felt appropriateness in the act of im- ploring divine direction and assistance in the sincere attempt to understand the Word, and to learn the will of God ;— and spiritually barren must that mind ever remain— even though the seed of the Word be plentifully scattered^'on its surface— on which the dews of heavenly influ- ence do not descend to fertilize the soil. But may not, ought not prayer, to precede, accompany, and follow the perusal of other books besides the Bible ? This would be a startling proposal to some readers ; but I am now speak - inrr, remember, of those classes of books which have been already recommended to your use :— and why should not the guidance and benediction t t a] th wl pei km pan Diei: be g fresi St, ever racter of m which know t '•al affa pfosecui 4.3 """"'he, your!: "^ ''■^ fflHteriaJ . r' '" -»« t th/ "'■"'' '-W'e can r'"^' '"'" '^at ""> P-usaT:7 /•"■-» i-bu1 n tr^'r ■"'- and utilit,, f *°'"<' work of i, ^'"^'^''ding to '^'""^ou are^» ' '"'''' '» eaJt?'"-^ '"''able. ^novvJedo-e f^^ "^^ every fr^.L ^^^^ ^our »««al feeulL td '""^ ''^«^"' act ;• !^ *" ""«'• aPP'icaWe to '1^' "-^^^ remarks h '■aeter an,! ■ ""^^ of a //, , ' ''"»'- »f »Ppl.cai' "■'"^'■'^''^ tendency :''^^''"'l ^ha. "iich W J! '" *'"'^« otbeTl "'^y admit "ess, can it 5^ 44 wrong, nay, is it not most obviously consistent with right reason, to ask that he would enable us to distinguish truth from error in any human production we may desire to peruse — and enable MS, from the materials thus providentially placed within our reach, to form a correct judgment of the course we should pursue ? In the perusal of any volume that bears on the particular walk of Christian usefulness, which we have chosen, there is a mo^t obvious propriety in such an exercise, — and every Christian must feel it to be an exalted privilege, to look up to Him from whom cometh that ** wisdom which is profitable to direct ;" and beseech him to be our supreme, controlling counsellor and guide. Nor can I discover any thing that does not most com- pletely harmonize with Christian duty and Chris- tian feeling, in the habit of converting the impressions produced and the emotions awaken- ed, by the annals of history — the records of biography — and the strains of sacred poetry, into the utterances, or, by all but God, unheard ejaculations of fervent and eflPectual prayer. I must not detain you by an extended appli- cation of the same principle, to the other means of mental culture, namely, solitary reflection, and social conversation. The application can "easily be made ; and if with these as well as with every branch of religious, professional, benevolent 45 ^nd general study, the spirit of humble and earnest prayer be systematically and habitually combined.-who can doubt that the culture of the mind may be rapidly and surely promoted. Every favourable influence is thus secured. 1 he showers of heavenly blessing descend upon the mind. The seeds of truth and righteousness imbedded there, become instinct with vegetative virtue, and the soil once barren-or covered only with thorns and briers, now blooms with the verdure of useful vegetation, or bears upon its bosom the ripe fruits of an abundant harvest. May such, mv dear young friends, be the result of your endeavours to secure the culture of vour minds j-and, that it may be so, may you ever be enabled and v.clined to repair to the source and fountain-head of all wisdom and knowledge ! In every path of busmess and benevolence, may you walk with God -, and may you ever be disposed to bring your acquirements, whatever they be in degree or kind, and offer them to Him to be sanctified by his grace, and made subservient to his glory !