hour. Principles at war with all social stability and order, were, perhaps, never more widely extended in civilized society: and in both the civil and religious community, the ebullitions of morbid excitement have never been more threatening in their appearance. That there is a great battle yet to be fought with these opposing powers, no reflecting mind can for a moment doubt. How violent or long continued the conflict may be, I presume not to calculate. But let no man's heart fail him on account of these approaching struggles. A little before the advent of the Messiah, it was said, I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come; and I will fill my house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts. And, in like manner, may we not hope that all the corruption in principle, and all the morbid feverishness in practice, which exhibit so revolting an aspect at the present time, may result, like many a process in the natural world, in which the animal body is renovated and strengthened by the consequences of a subdued fever; and in which the gradual and complete subsidence of feculent matter is hastened even by the violent agitation of an impure fluid? It is no new thing either for infidelity or fanaticism to furnish an antidote to its own poison, by disclosing the malignity of its virus, in the deadliness of its effects; and thus creating an extensive and permanent loathing of those moral potions which allure but to destroy. Many are "running to and fro;" but my hope is, that "knowledge will be thereby increased;" and that the present febrile state of the social body, will soon terminate, under the control of Him who is able to bring good out of evil,-in more firm and established moral health; and in more widely extended, and better

without meaning? Surely such a conclusion would be as much opposed to reason as to piety. May we not rather consider it as a precious omen, that the great work which it contemplates is happily drawing near, and will, before long, be gloriously realized?

And to me, it appears worthy of special notice, that there are so many indications that the English language, the language of those parts of the world which are most favored with Gospel light, will probably, ere long, become the prevailing language of the whole world. The extensive and rapid progress of this language on the American continent; in all the British possessions and dependencies in the Eastern world; in the continent of New Holland; in many of the Islands of the Sea; and, in short, in every part of the earth where American or British missionaries are permitted to lift up their voice for Christ, is truly one of the most striking and interesting spectacles now passing before the contemplative mind. If the time should ever again recur, when the "whole earth shall be of one language and one speech," the English, I am persuaded, is more likely to be that language than any other. And may we not consider its gradual and remarkable extension as one of the means by which the "earth is to be filled with the glory of the Lord?"

While we contemplate some of those prominent features in the aspect of the present day, which seem to portend an unexampled spread of the Gospel ;-we ought not to overlook some shades in the picture which certainly wear a very different appearance. Infidelity and heresy were, probably, never m

in circulating their virulent poison, tha

hour. Principles at war with all social stability and order, were, perhaps, never more widely extended in civilized society: and in both the civil and religious community, the ebullitions of morbid excitement have never been more threatening in their appearance. That there is a great battle yet to be fought with these opposing powers, no reflecting mind can for a moment doubt. How violent or long continued the conflict may be, I presume not to calculate. But let no man's heart fail him on account of these approaching struggles. A little before the advent of the Messiah, it was said, I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come; and I will fill my house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts. And, in like manner, may we not hope that all the corruption in principle, and all the morbid feverishness in practice, which exhibit so revolting an aspect at the present time, may result, like many a process in the natural world, in which the animal body is renovated and strengthened by the consequences of a subdued fever; and in winte gradual and complete subsi dence of felter is hastened even by the

violent agitatioimpure fluid? It is no ne

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thing either try or fanaticism to furnish at antidote to by disclosing the magnity of its viness of its effects; and thus permanent loathing the world?

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every creature: properly estimate gree in which we rsion of the world; fervent prayer we make for hastening

without meaning? Surely such a conclusion would be as much opposed to reason as to piety. May we not rather consider it as a precious omen, that the great work which it contemplates is happily drawing near, and will, before long, be gloriously realized?

And to me, it appears worthy of special notice, that there are so many indications that the English language, the language of those parts of the world. which are most favored with Gospel light, will probably, ere long, become the prevailing language of the whole world. The extensive and rapid progress of this language on the American continent; in all the British possessions and dependencies in the Eastern world; in the continent of New Holland; in many of the Islands of the Sea; and, in short, in every part of the earth where American or British missionaries are permitted to lift up their voice for Christ, is truly one of the most striking and interesting spectacles now passing before the contemplative mind. If the time should ever again recur, when the "whole earth shall be of one language and one speech," the English, I am persuaded, is more likely to be that language than any other. And may we not consider its gradual and remarkable extension as one of the means by which the "earth is to be filled with the glory of the Lord?"

While we contemplate some of those prominent features in the aspect of the present day, which seem to portend an unexampled spread of the Gospel ;-we ought not to overlook some shades in the picture which certainly wear a very different appearance. Infidelity and heresy were, probably, never more busy in circulating their virulent poison, than at the present

hour. Principles at war with all social stability and order, were, perhaps, never more widely extended in civilized society: and in both the civil and religious community, the ebullitions of morbid excitement have never been more threatening in their appearance. That there is a great battle yet to be fought with these opposing powers, no reflecting mind can for a moment doubt. How violent or long continued the conflict may be, I presume not to calculate. But let no man's heart fail him on account of these approaching struggles. A little before the advent of the Messiah, it was said, I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come; and I will fill my house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts. And, in like manner, may we not hope that all the corruption in principle, and all the morbid feverishness in practice, which exhibit so revolting an aspect at the present time, may result, like many a process in the natural world, in which the animal body is renovated and strengthened by the consequences of a subdued fever; and in which the gradual and complete subsidence of feculent matter is hastened even by the violent agitation of an impure fluid? It is no new thing either for infidelity or fanaticism to furnish an antidote to its own poison, by disclosing the malignity of its virus, in the deadliness of its effects; and thus creating an extensive and permanent loathing of those moral potions which allure but to destroy. Many are "running to and fro;" but my hope is, that "knowledge will be thereby increased; " and that the present febrile state of the social body, will soon terminate, under the control of Him who is able to bring good out of evil,-in more firm and established moral health; and in more widely extended, and better