numbers take upon themselves the ministerial office with no better views than himself. That many care little for the spiritual interests of the flock committed to their charge; and that the fleece, and not the flock, is the object of their solicitude. Let Christians of every denomination petition the Lord of the harvest to send forth labourers of a contrary description, and let those especially intrusted with the solemn office of ordination, see that they" lay hands suddenly on no man, but faithfully and wisely make choice of fit persons to serve in the sacred minsitry of the church."

CHAP. XIII.

A Question proposed and answered; it is hoped Miss Warian's History re

satisfactorily.

newed, and for the present concluded. The Progress of Error briefly stated, and the Means pointed out, by which alone it may be avoided.

HAT is fanaticism? It is a word fre

WHAT

We

quently heard, must have some meaning, yet it appears to be one of the most difficult words in the English tongue to explain. Most dictionary-writers define it to be superstition, or religious frenzy; but numbers, not satisfied with their definition, explain it for themselves, and affix it to various characters: for instance. have heard ministers of the established church, who have asserted, in strong language, that the doctrines taught in her articles, creeds, and prayers, are agreeable to Scripture, and therefore worthy the belief of their hearers, who have instituted evening lectures on Sunday and weekdays, that all classes of the community may be accommodated with opportunities for hearing the Gospel: who have ventured to inform their peo

ple, that there is no other name under heaven by which they can be saved, but the nameof Jesus Christ: that good works of any description are not the meritorious cause of acceptance with the Deity; and yet, in their own walk and conversation, have observed such an holy circumspection, that a spectator might have imagined they depended solely upon that foundation---we have heard these men called fanatics.

We have heard persons, who have differed from the established church in some of her nonessential doctrines, and particularly her mode of discipline and government, who have therefore thought it expedient to erect chapels and meeting-houses, where they conceive the public worship of God is conducted in a manner more edifying and scriptural: where they resort constantly twice or thrice on the sabbath, and sometimes on week-days; where the Bible is read, and the preacher not allowed to advance any doctrine which he cannot prove from the sacred volume. We have heard these persons called fanatics. We have heard the father of a family, who has requested his son to keep out of temptation, has pointed out to him the dangers he would incur from frequenting public places, and associating with gay companions: who has forbidden the perusal of novels to his daughter, fearing they might mislead her youthful imagi

nation, and estrange her mind from useful studies who has frequently read a chapter to his wife, children, and servants, and prayed with them every day. We have heard this man called a fanatic.

And lastly, we have heard, what appears stranger still, we have heard a venerable bishop, for whose character we refer the reader to the seventh, eighth, and ninth verses of the first chapter in Titus, denominated, an encourager of fanatics.

It may be expected, that we should now give a particular explanation of the word, agreeably to our own ideas; but we confess, that we are perfectly satisfied with the explanation already given by dictionary-makers: we believe fanaticism to be superstition and frenzy, which it is the duty of every Christian to oppose, and are only anxious to vindicate, from the unjust aspersion, such characters as those enumerated. We leave

the subject to the reader's serious consideration, only reminding them, that it is not the conduct of wisdom to misunderstand words, nor of goodness to misapply them to the disadvantage of their fellow-creatures.

Miss Warian was left in such a perilous situation, that, doubtless, some good-natured readers will be desirous to hear of her. A young lady receiving love-letters unknown to her friends, is

indeed in a perilous, and very improper situation. But she was not long so, thanks to the communicative temper of the farmer's boy, employed as the agent in the business. He could not forbear whispering the secret into the ears of a young friend, who being tempted in the like manner to convey it to his friend, who was the youngest son of Roger Trusty, it reached the ear of his father, who was much too wise and prudent to conceal it from the proper person to be informed--Mrs. Warian. The correspondence thus detected, Mr. Alldash was disappointed in his plan, which was, by degrees, to prevail on the young lady to favour him with private interviews, which he had no doubt to be able to effect. Indeed his expectations were extremely well founded; for it is reasonable to suppose, that the female who slights the advice of her parents in one instance, will do so in more; and lost to a sense of decorum in admitting a clandestine correspondence, will soon overstep its boundaries entirely.

Mr. Alldash was resolved not to lose his object if possible. He now came forward publicly, and avowed honourable intentions; gave some plausible reasons for his not doing so before; and upon the whole, the old people were well satisfied with his conduct. It was easy to prove himself a man of fortune, but it was not easy to