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Indeed, when we consider the em- phecy before us, that this kingdom blem, “ a stone cut out of the which the great God will set up on mountain without hands," or, the ruins of all earthly kingdoms, “which was not in hands," one will become a universal dominion: is led to doubt how far even the “ And the stone that smote the instrumentality of man will be em- image became a great mountain, ployed in erecting the kingdom of and filled the whole earth.” Such, Christ; but this, perhaps, the then, is the grand outline of the event can alone show. Thirdly; history of the present evil world, we learn that it is to the destruc- and of the coming of Christ's kingtion of the whole fabric of human dom. The prophecies which folpower and authority that this king- low in this book of Daniel, and in dom appears. The figures, indeed, the Revelation of St. John, will be whereby this destruction is re- found, indeed, to reveal many more presented in the prophecy, de- particulars; but we are to consiscribe a destruction as complete der them not so much as adding to and entire as imagination can frame this prophecy, but as filling up to itself: “ And thou sawest till these general outlines. Let the that a stone was cut out without reader, then, reflect with wonder hands, which smote the image upon and admiration upon this prophetic his feet, which were of iron and dream : let him remark how much clay, and brake them in pieces. of the glass of time is run out ! Then was - the iron, the clay, the Let him especially consider how brass, the silver, broken to pieces distinctly, in the present circumtogether, and became like the chaff stances of the world, the voice of of the summer threshing-floor; his Redeemer is heard :-“Beand the wind carried them away, hold, I come quickly: hold that thiat no place was found for them." fast which thou hast, that no man Lastly; we gather from the pro- take thiy crown. saree buitenge

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THE YOUTH'S REMEMBRANCER, 1975

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AN ANSWER TO TIMOTHEUS's doubt but that « what has been

PAPER, ON YOUNG-MEN LEAV- said by your correspondent is wor*ING OTHER EMPLOYMENTS TOR thy of some regard and consideraTHE AINISTRY.

tion:" and I can give him full cre?.

dit s that he would rather his hand MR. EDITOR,

should perish, than that it should On reading your correspondent write a single sentence which Timotheus's paper on the Minis, should needlessly damp the ardour, try, in your number for Septem- or make sad the heart, of any ber, my mind involuntarily, ran pious youth.” Yet I cannot but over to our blessed Lord's declara- fear this will be the effect of his tion, Matt. ix. 37, 38, « The' har? communication. I must confess vest truly is plenteous, but the la, the very circumstance which apbourers are few. Pray ye,&c. ; pears to depress his spirits has the and I could not but fear thecob. directly opposite effect on my own. servations and arguments of Timo. I rejoice to hear that several of my theus would rather check than younger Christian brethren have, further the accomplishment of so “after becoming serious, left their desirable an object. No one can original callings for the ministry in

our church." Nor can I conceive church, yet God hath not rejected why such characters should not in them, but, 'on the contrary, hath general “ have considered the sub- given them many souls as their ject in its different bearings” as hire! Should any one doubt, or be thoroughly, or even more so, than disposed to overlook this assertion, many of those young men who let him turn his eyes to the miners were originally intended by their in Cornwall and Kingswood, or relations for the pastoral office: let him go to the eastern or westa indeed, the very c cum ta' ce of ern Indies, and inany proofs will parents making this choice for be seen. If, then, the occasional their sons, must naturally quiet the forsaking an original calling, and minds of such sons so set apart as going forth to spread the Gospel to maturely considering the sub- under such forbidding circumstanject in its different bearings for ces, has in so inany instances been themselves ; because their minds owned by God, why should it be become familiar with the object in doubted in the case of a pious view, as a thing that is to follow young man who leaves his original of course : hence such young men calling, prepares himself. by a are very rarely alarmed at the course of studies, and finally ob weighty and responsible post they tains ordination at the hands of are about to sustain; they doubt those who have authority in the not but that, when they have kept church to send him forth into the their terms and obtained their de. Lord's vineyard ? Why should it gree, they shall be quite compe- be doubted, I say, but that God tent to the situation! But not so will own and bless such? Timoa those whose minds have first been theus lays great stress on the ori. turned to God in righteousness ginal calling and the original de ånd true holiness at the age of signation to the ministry.--Now, eighteen, twenty, or between that with respect to the former, the and thirty years of age: these men providences of God do frequently have generally deep and experi- in after-life point out a different mental views of God, of his cause, one, even in temporal pursuits : and of themselves; and should the. and as to the latter, it evidently work of the ministry engage their goes but a short way with Him minds, they are, in my opinion, who hath the hearts of all men at very likely to estimate the importo his disposal. We know, as far as ance of the undertaking. The conduct and facts can establish the real Christian is a useful character point, that hundreds of men have in every station; and from the very been originally destined for the nature of things a great majority ministry by their friends, and were of them never will or can expect eventually sent forth to minister in to honour Christ their Redeemer his visible church, who never were in any other than a private lile, called, set apart, or sent by the and in a private station ; yet there Holy Ghost.What has been, and ever has been a number of young what is now, the consequence ? men who, after they had expe. Their labours are not blessed; the rienced the power of God them- sheep hear not their voice; Christ'. selves, were anxious to give up is not glorified; sinners are not their whole time and talents to saved by them as Christian pastors. God's service : these have accord. On the other hand, how many ingly left their original callings to who were not originally destined for preach Christ crucified; and though this work have been called to and many of them have exercised their blessed in it! called by the still labours without episcopal ordina- small voice of the Spirit of God tion, and without the pale of our ordained at the hands of bishops

CHRIST. GUARD, VOL. VI. 31

or elders, and sent forth to build rounded by many pious and learntip with great success the walls of ed brethren, all thus blessed, and Sion!

all originally set apart to the of* I cannot, therefore, see either fice; and he may not be aware of the correctness or justice of Timo- the great contrast which the countheus's comparison, which would try exhibits. It is in the country fun the case of his friends in ques. that the harvest is so extensive, and tión parallel with that of the pre- the labourers are so few in number. sumptuous Israelites, who justly It is in the country that the fields perished in acts of positive rebels are not only ripening, but decaylion and known disobedience to ing for lack of hands to attend the the word and will of God. Nor work. can I conceive what he' means by It is not men of shining talents the necessity of an outward call to which we are so much longing and accompany the inward impulse of praying for, as men of real piety the Spirit in the case of the young and talents at par. Our neighmen in question. There surely is bours are generally plain people, nothing of this either exercised or whose mental light would be dazthought of in the many instances zled by too great a display of shinof those who are originally destin- ing talents, but edified by plain ed for the ministry in our church. good sense and sound doctrine.They go to the university-com- All will agree, that the honoured plete their terms-take a degree individuals named by Timotheus get a title--and obtain ordination are striking instances of great piety at the hands of their diocesan. and talents doing more good in There is, indeed, something of the their respective stations as Laymen, form of a call among our dissent- than could have been looked for ing brethren, made on the part of had they entered the ministry; but their congregations; and if such these are very peculiar instances, be complied with, the persons so to whose standard Timotheus's lay called or requested settle with friends are no more to be expected them as their respective pastors : to come up, than his clerical ones but in our establishment there is are to square with the peculiar not, and cannot be, any thing of cases of John Bunyan and Mr. this nature.

Newton. On the whole, when I I agree with Timotheus, “ that consider the exceedingly great call though the actuating motives are a for pious active men to serve as love for souls, and a desire of ex- curates at home, and as mission tended usefulness, yet these alone, aries abroad, and the very, very without concurring circumstances, few that are to be procured; when can never justify men's entering I consider the many thousands of the ministry when they were not nominal churchmen who are living originally destined for its duties.” without God and without the No ; there must certainly be the knowledge of Christ in the world, concurring circumstances of a and the many villages and hamlets, competency of gitts, and an apt- where the people are perishing by ness to teach :- but why should it wholesale for lack of pious and be considered as absolutely neces. plain Gospel Ministers, I cannot sary that shining gifts" as well as but regret that Timotheus should graces are to be found in such throw the smallest discouragement men? they certainly are not found in the way of such of his young in many who have been origin- friends entering the vineyard as ally destined for its duties. Tic are possessed of a willing njind and motheus may possibly be situated moderate abilities. Alas for us! in one of our large cities, and sure if we are to wait till shining talents

as well as great zeal mark out pas- of the church hath in every age tors for our many destitute flocks. and nation wrought by men of dif. Give us, Mr. Editor--I again re- ferent gifts, “ that the manifesta-, peat it-give us men of genuine tion of the power might be of God piety, men of warm hearts and and not of man.” In conclusion : sound heads, and we shall rejoice I am happy in having it in my powto set them to work, although er to answer Timotheus's question, they may not be calculated to shine " Whether, in the course of my as stars of the first magnitude in experience, young men who have the sphere of a large city. “We left secular callings for the minisare not all to be Ministers,” says try, have been, as might be expectyour correspondent.--True; nored from that circumstance, pecu-' will' he ever find all his serious liarly distinguished for zeal and, young friends possessed of a mo- usefulness : and whether, all things derate competency for that high considered, their service to the office. Let it, then, be his aim to church of Christ has been greater discriminate; to encourage such as Ministers than it might have as are, and to deal plainly with been had they continued pious and such as are not, so fitted by nature active Laymen?" Yes: in four and by grace. Let him do so in instances which have fallen under compassion to the destitute state my own observation, I can, with of our village churches ; and in out a shadow of doubt, answer in this his labour of love, let him not the affirmative, although I refrain refuse a man possessed of moderate from entering into any particulars, abilities, as though such would be for obvious reasons, of no avail in the great unculti

Tirus. vated field; since the great Head

SHORT CHARACTER OF BOOKS.

Narrative of Joseph Samuel C. F. mend the publication, especially

Frey; with an Address to Chris- the Address to Christians, to the tians of all Denominations in serious attention of our readers. behalf of the Descendants of Abraham. Second Edition, Gale, Curtis, and Fenner, London. A Letter to a Baptist ; in which pp. 84.

, the scriptural Authorities, in fa. We are glad to find this inte

vour of Infant Baptism, the Anresting Narrative presented to its

tiquity and Propriety of that readers freed from the controver

Custom, are carefully investigat. :

.. sial matter with which the first edin

ed, with a Reference to the Mode

adopted by the Church of Engtion was clogged. · Mr. Frey's heart's desire and I

land. By a Clergyman: Seeley; , prayer to God appears evidently to

London. pp. 32. Price 3d." be, that Israel may be saved. The Had this Letter sooner fallen account of the writer's conversion into our hands, it should have to Christianity is related with gee been earlier noticed. We thank buine simplicity, and we recome our brother for a tract which corte

prises in a short compass the prin., be perused with advantage by cipal arguments in favour of infant young people. . baptism, laid down with much fairness of reasoning. It will be found extremely usefu where any of our A practical View of Christian Edua brethren may be called upon to

cation in its early Stages, Loncombat the opinions either of the

don : Hatchard. pp. 244. Price General or Particular Baptists.

5s.

Several of the papers, which

compose this little volume have alGrace; the Truth, and Growth, ready met the public eye in a re

and different Degrees thereof: spectable periodical work, and, we being the Sum and Substance of may add, received the sanction of Sixteen Sermons preached by public approbation. Great praise that faithful and painful Servant is due to the truly Christian au-, of Jesus Christ, Christopher thor for the pains he has taken to Love, M. A. London: W.Baynes, point out to every parent the way W. Button, Williams and Son, by, which, through the Divine T. Conder, M. Jones. pp. 219. blessing, he may be able to give

that early bias to the mind of his We consider the republication

child, which may conduce to his of volumes of sound divinity which

happiness here and hereafter. We may have become scarce, as a fa.

have long been of opinion that the vourable sign of the times in which

early part of children's religious we live. Mr. Love was a divine of

instruction is too generally nega the seventeenth century. The le

ne lected, or left to servånts: if a discourses before us are composed child

child be taught a prayer, and to in a spirit of true devotion, and

repeat Watts's Short Catechism manifestly prove that the author

and Hymns, this is usually thought felt the power of that grace con

sufficient. As parents we are decerning which he has ably written,

sirous to call the attention of our

Christian readers to this subject. Maternal Solicitude for a Daugh

To our female friends, especially, ter's best Interests. By Mrs.

we recommend the perusal of this

volume, which is written with an Taylor, of Ongar. London :

acknowledgment of human depra, Taylor and Hessey, J. Conder,

vity, and an acquaintance with the pp. 160. Price 5s.

heart, rarely to be met with. We We feel, as Christian Guardians, have reason to believe that the particularly anxious for the well- writer has himself carried his plans being of the youth of the flock; it into execution, and has found the therefore gives us very sincere happiest results from them. We pleasure. when we can with safety earnestly hope, that as many of put an interesting book into their our readers as are parents will prohands. We are thankful that Mrs. cure this excellent compendium of Taylor was, from indisposition, Christian education ; and we are obliged to give her advice in writ- persuaded, that if the principles ing. Although we do not impli- laid down by the author bę adopt, citly subscribe to every sentiment ed by them in their own families, advanced in this work, yet, upon they will be obliged to us for dithe whole, we think that it may recting their attention to the worka

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