THE CONSECRATION OF SCIENCE.-No. IV.

LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTIONS.

WE have already suggested the establishment of Parochial Libraries, as one of the practical means of consecrating Science. Let these then include not only religious and moral, but scientific and general reading, for the benefit of the several parishes and districts, under the direction and patronage of the Clergy, carefully, and as liberally as possible, supplied with books, suited to open both natural and revealed truth to the inquiring mind. The experiment has been successfully tried in many places; and facilities which are afforded by various Societies, should be embraced, in addition to the free contributions of the surplus books from the private collections of Intelligent Christians.

The only antidote to the evils of the "little learning," is to give more, A little in this age will be obtained, and the mind will appear to be intoxicated thereby, if it be not sobered by larger and purer draughts.

It is not indeed the little learning, but the great remaining ignorance, that has this inebriating effect: nor is it natural science, which makes men unbelievers, but the want of theological knowledge, and of direction how to apply their little philosophy to religion; and, still more, the absence of holy principles and habits.

The result of this state of things has been, that, for the last twenty years, the middle and lower orders of society in towns have been taught to substitute some notions of "science falsely so called" for religion. The Mechanics' Institute, from which religion was excluded by common consent, has given way to the Socialist "Hall of Science," in which Atheism is taught, and all religion scoffed at and impugned. And yet science is a good thing, nor are they scientific men who are thus deluding the masses. men of real science, whether clerical or lay, have looked on in blameable apathy; whilst this abuse of all they venerate has proceeded, sapping the very foundations of society, and threatening the evils of an Age of Science," not inferior to those which in the last century attended a boasted "Age of Reason.'

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What is to be done? We answer, that all good men must consecrate their science in a vigorous moral and intellectual crusade against false philosophy and vain deceit!

We first address the Clergy:-If they, the authorized instructors of the people, will step forward in the first instance, to establish such libraries, lecture rooms, and museums, supported as they would be by their intelligent lay neighbours, SCIENTIFIC AND LITERARY INSTITUTIONS, on a scale varying with circumstances, might soon depopulate those said "Halls of Science," and have an ultimate effect on the theatre, the tavern, and the gaming-table.

The Clergy will generally be able to base them on Christian principles; to model the constitution in such a manner as to exclude objectionable lectures, books, and discussions; and to introduce as much religious information, as may be suitable to the general design of the institutions, without necessarily intruding on the sacred office of the pulpit, and so degrading the holy subjects of revelation, by familiarity; or excluding any persons from enjoying the benefits thereof, who acknowledge the paramount Authority of the Inspired Word of God.

A Churchman would gladly base his Institution on a more precisely ecclesiastical principle; but this would be, alas! in some places to shut the door against all who are not at present attached to the Church, to reclaim whom, by these indirect means, is one of the principal objects to be kept in view: whilst by assuming the Divine Authority of the Scriptures, a common ground of Christian truth and charity will be presented; which, with the preponderance which clerical character and activity would ensure, must present a safe and unexceptionable foundation. To descend lower than this would be unworthy of a Christian man, and to set up a higher standard be an impracticable attempt in the present state of some populations. We may hope that advances would be gradually made, so that what is at first owned as a Christian, would eventually become a Church, Institution. On the other hand, to neglect such opportunities, or abandon such Institutions, is to leave them to degenerate, until they become utterly irreligious and profane.

In many parishes such Institutions are already existing; and the clerical influence will be well engaged in promoting such plans as are good, though in a negative degree, and infusing, gradually, a better and holier spirit. And it will be found, that, while all true knowledge on general subjects will be found conducive to the higher intercourse of the soul on those truths which infinitely surpass them, there will, at all events, be no ground left for the presumption that the clergy are averse to the progress of science: which never truly be asserted of the English ministry, who are necessarily educated men, and many of them the brightest ornaments of philosophy and literature. To such surely it must be a delightful as well as improving exercise to consecrate the studies of their academic course to the glory of their Divine Master: and it will doubtless purchase for them the more willing attention of their hearers on the higher and holier subjects of their ministry.

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An eminent divine now living was observed by a mechanic in a large town, whose workshop overlooked his study, to be engaged in research or prayer whenever he came to work-he rose still earlier, at five, at four o'clock, and still found him thus occupied. The workman conceived a high respect for the individual, who was at the time unknown to him; inquired who he was, and though at the time an unbeliever, determined to attend his church; as he conceived that sermons must be worth hearing, which cost so much labour; and that the man must he sincere, who devoted so much time to solitary prayer. He went-was convinced, converted, and is now a faithful member of the Church of England.

The clergyman must be prepared to take an efficient part in such institutions, if he hopes to make them work well. This is successfully accomplished in some towns and cities, and with happy results; and it may be truly affirmed, that men, who are not by talent or acquirement calculated to shine in the walks of general information, or in some particular branch of history or science, are very little fitted to operate upon the various and intelligent classes of a commercial population. The time is gone by for the mere proclaiming of divine truth; it must be maintained, defended, illustrated, and enforced by fact and argument, in very many of the posts to which the clergy are called.

But, in order to render these institutions, whether intended for the benefit of the poorer or more opulent classes, truly efficient, the present plans of EDUCATION must (as before advanced) be enlarged. The National, the Middle, and the Collegiate School must prepare youth for the Library and

the Lecture Room. In these the young divine may find ample exercise, and preparation for more formidable efforts. The principal thing inculcated must always indeed be divine wisdom; the knowledge of the doctrines and duties of Religion. This can never be dispensed with, because it is the only EDUCATION FOR ETERNITY, and they must be taught that the Church is the divinely appointed depository of sacred truth. Yet, since the present time is the period of probation for an infinite future, the visible creation is the stage of that experiment; and human language, symbols, and circumstances, have been the chosen vehicles of that Divine Wisdom. The study of the book of Nature must go hand in hand with that of Scripture; they are but the former and latter volumes of the works of the same Author; and the third volume, that of Experience, which includes that of the Church itself, will take its form from the impression which these records make on the mind, when prepared and illuminated by the inward work of the Spirit.

The scripture itself is rich in homilies on Nature's glories and wonders, as far as they were developed to Abraham, to Job, to Moses, to David, to Solomon, to Isaiah, to Daniel, and to Paul. It requires far more than all the enlargement of modern science and antiquarian research, to fill up the grand outlines of such passages as the genealogical history of the primitive nations of the earth, contained in the Book of Genesis,-the prophetical history of the Empires of the World in the Book of Daniel,-the history of the Creation related by Moses,-the prospect of its destruction predicted by St. Peter, the display of God's wisdom and omnipotence in the last chapters of the Book of Job,—and the immense mass of classical and geographical coincidences contained in the Acts of the Apostles. All these will afford abundant subjects for the Christian Theologian and Philosopher, without leading him to abandon his sacred calling, or alienating his affections from its paramount duties.

He is rather rearing up for himself an audience, who will appreciate all his learning and industry, and respond to the highest appeals of his piety and zeal. It was never reasonable, is now quite impossible, and would be deemed barbarous, to attempt to make the open doors of human knowledge inaccessible to the persevering and intelligent among the labouring classes. These entrances can no longer be the monopoly of privileged orders. Those beneath us will tread on our heels; our safety is not in kicking against them, but only in redoubling our efforts in getting further in advance. Good education will, it is hoped, soon be as prevalent as good dress; and it is not less the duty, than the interest and care, of the Clergy that it be moral and religious, and if possible solid and expansive. That this implies correspondent exertion on our part is already admitted; yea, it is so absolutely requisite, that general ignorance in us, will soon present an insuperable bar to our usefulness among an intelligent people.

Nor will it suffice that in classical knowledge we still carry the palm. The knowledge incident to common life will be demanded a thousand times, for once that a classical allusion will forward our object. But this implies a Preparation for the Ministry, of which we propose to speak in the next paper.

As knowledge must be acquired before it can be used, so it will be improved by the act of imparting. The flame, once kindled, will find fuel in all around it, and lend fire to every kindred altar, without diminution of its While dedicated to the glory of its Creator, it will ascend with "pillars of incense," grateful to God and Man.

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C. A. H.

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HEAR YE THE ROD, AND WHO HATH APPOINTED IT.

"Let the people praise Thee, O God, yea let all the people praise Thee.

"Then shall the earth bring forth her increase, and God, even our own God, shall give us his blessing."-Psalm Ïxvii. 5, 6.

WHEN we are seeking special mercies at the hand of God, how seldom do we conform to this injunction of the Psalmist. We are generally too ready to fret and repine for the object of our desire; forgetting the fearful disproportion between the blessings we already enjoy, and the paltry service we can render in return-forgetting that the divine blessing is promised in answer, not to our complaints, but to our praises. When we apply to the Lord for relief, it is most frequently with bewailing, not resignation. We rashly permit the sufferings of to-day to overwhelm and obliterate our remembrance of the numberless mercies of our past years, and insult our gracious Creator by showing an utter want of that faith which in our prosperity we professed, and with which the mercies of old could not fail to have inspired us, had we possessed any sense of gratitude to our supreme Benefactor. Instead of employing our thoughts upon the blessings we still enjoy, we act as though bereaved of all-as though the Lord, who has in His wisdom deprived us, were unable to restore us to our former prosperity. "Is the Lord's arm shortened that it cannot save? Hath God forgotten to be gracious, and will he shut up his loving kindness in displeasure? Is His mercy clean gone, and doth his promise fail for evermore! Will the Lord absent himself for ever, and will he be no more entreated? No! It is our own infirmity." This subject is indeed worthy of our most serious attention. beseech the Lord to instil into our minds thoughts good to the use of edifying, and to give us grace to conform our conduct to the rule of His holy word in future. "Be Thou our guide, or we shall wander from the paths of peace. Leave us not, neither forsake us, O God, of our salvation."

Let us

What though our every earthly comfort be destroyed-though every prospect of worldly prosperity be blighted-each tenderest alliance broken -each friend become an enemy-though we be left in this wide world without a home to shelter us-though we know not this moment whence shall come our sustenance for the next-yea, though we be exposed to every grief which has yet been known in this world of troubles

"Yet not for this

"Cease we to praise our Maker, or withdraw
"Our trust in him, our faith, our humble hope."

Did not our Saviour, "in whom was no guile neither was any sin found in him," suffer to a far greater extent? Was ever man, vile ingrate man, so void of comfort as was the incarnate God? Rejected and disowned by those who should have cherished him, "he came unto his own but his own received him not," and in the hour of his greatest anguish he was forsaken by his heavenly father. Was ever the prospect of a condemned criminal so dark as was that of the spotless Saviour, who dare not even pray for

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deliverance from his torment, knowing that "for that cause came he into the world." Was ever perjured man so deserted and betrayed by faithless friends so stung by the disguised scorpion he had cherished, as was the God of faithfulness and truth? "It was not an open enemy that did him this dishonor; for then he could have borne it. Neither was it his adversary, that did magnify himself against him; but it was even his companion, his guide, and his own familiar friend: with whom he took sweet counsel, and walked in the house of God as friends." Was ever worthless man so destitute as was the great Jehovah, "by whom and for whom are all things and for whose pleasure they are and were created?" "The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the son of man had not where to lay his head." Is there an indignity, a sorrow, an injury, which man has suffered or heard of, which was not heaped with tenfold virulence upon him, pre-eminently the man of sorrows? He was indeed acquainted with grief, to an extent which it hath not entered into the heart of man to conceive.

And why? why was our immaculate Lord doomed to endure the punishment of the pre-eminently guilty? "Hear O heavens and be astonished O earth. It was for us! "Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners." Oh it is "a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation." The sovereign of the universe became a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief for us base, perjured, traitorous subjects for whom a punishment commensurate with our guilt can scarcely be prepared! He whose name we dare not mention in conjunction with aught that is impure, endured buffeting and Scourging for us the authors of his grief! O who then shall murmur at the decrees of the supremely just Jehovah! Let us immediately and earnestly beseech our merciful Saviour to enable us henceforth to compare our condition not with our desires but with our deserts. If grace be granted us thus to proceed, never-never again, will the voice of complaint be heard. "Then will people praise the Lord, and God even our own God shall give us his blessing; God shall bless us and all the ends of the world shall fear him."

But do we shrink from the thought of self-examination? well may our hearts sink within us upon the recollection of the numberless offences which even our faithless memories have retained, but how awful is the number of perfidious deeds, which we have compelled our long-suffering Redeemer to register against us. Yet as we value the salvation of our immortal souls we must not neglect this all-important duty. It is indeed a fearful thing to meditate for a single hour upon the failings of our past lives; but the duty will be rendered delightful by the consideration that we shall thereby save ourselves from the awful scrutiny of a justly offended judge. Let us remember that our compassionate Lord, "if with hearty repentance and true faith we turn to him," will blot out our manifold sins and impute to us most miserable offenders the righteousness of the Lord Christ. "The righteousness of God, is by faith of Jesus Christ, unto all and upon all them that believe." Rom. iii. 22. "And he shall be called the Lord our righteousness."-Isaiah.

Self-examination is a most essential duty. Thereby we shall be convinced that our trials fall far short of our deeds. But unhappily there is nothing to which the miserably proud heart of man is more averse. Afflictions are expressly sent to induce us to self-humiliation and repentance consequent