rors, the unhallowed tempers, and immoralities of men, as the evidence of piety may be made by their doctrinal belief, christian experience, and good deeds.

It may be difficult by twilight to ascertain the precise boundaries between two kingdoms, on either side of which, the inhabitants dress, and speak, and conduct very much alike; yet long before we reach the heart of either empire, it may become certain that we have passed the line, and are in another kingdom. In like manner, after credible evidence of piety has ceased, a region of twilight and doubt remains to be passed over, before the possibility of piety shall cease, and the certainty of being in Satan's kingdom be manifest; yet such progress may be made into the territories of darkness and sin, as shall render it certain that the most distant possible boundaries of the kingdom of light are passed over. On the confines of this dark territory, Catholicism, having pursued the fugitives from God, as far as she is authorized to go, stops; not to hurl damnation after them, and not in absolute despair, that none who wander will return to her embrace, but to send after them her monitory voice, and to weep over them, even when hope is succeeded by despair.

T. S.

For the Christian Spectator.
Remarks on Gal. iii. 20.

Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.

It appears from the context that the apostle was refuting the doctrines of those teachers, who urged on the Galatian christians, the observance of Jewish rites, as necessary to salvation.

Accordingly, he first argues, that, as Abraham was justified by faith, so all who have like faith, are his children in the most important sense of that expression, that is, resemble him VOL. 2-No. III. 17

in moral character, and are entitled to similar blessings, verses 6-9; but that his natural descendants, on the contrary, being under the law, are subjected to its curse, verses 10-14. The children of Abraham, according to the flesh, and his children by faith, may therefore be considered as two different seeds.

The apostle then urges, that the promises, which were made to Abraham, and to his seed, were not made to both of these seeds, (which would have been a necessary inference, had the plural number, seeds, been used,) but to one of them only, the spiritual seed, that is, Christ, or the christian church. I say to Christ, or the christian church, for, as the promises could not strictly be made to Christ personally, who was rather the purchaser of them for others, we must necessarily suppose his name to be put figuratively, for christians. Israel, by a similar figure, denotes the descendants of Israel. No violence is done then to the word xpires, so far as the usage of language is concerned. That such is its meaning in this place, is clearly shewn from a subsequent verse, where those who are of Christ, i. e. christians, are affirmed to be the seed of Abraham, which shall inherit the promises, verses 15, 16.

The apostle next proceeds to show, that, as the law was posterior to the covenant of promise, confirmed of God in Christ, of course it cannot disannul the promise. The object of the law he explains by saying, " It was added because of transgressions, until the seed, i. e. the one spiritual seed, should come, to whom the promise was made; being ordained by angels, in the hand of a mediator," that is, Moses, whom God made mediator between himself and the Jews; verses 18, 19. He then comes, in the verse under consideration, to the natural conclusion, that this mediator of the law, Moses, is not the mediator of the one seed, i. e. of the spiritual seed. That such is the meaning of the elliptical phrase & de MEDITUS ives aux Tiv, will appear probable, if

we examine the passage, together with the context, in the original. The sense and connexion demand, that the ellipsis after vos be supplied by σ Mares; and the article before in, determines the mediator to be the same with the person mentioned in the preceding verse, viz. Moses.

Having taken away all hopes of obtaining salvation from the law, not only by shewing that it cannot give the promised spiritual inherit ance, but also, that the commission of Moses, as law-giver, was limited to the coming of the spiritual seed, and did not extend any further in its operations, the way was prepared, to shew that God was not thus limited. This he has done in the other clause of the verse, de Deos is eCTiv. From the nature of the sentence, 9 is to be supplied after is, and we may render the phrase thus: But God is one God, i. e. the common God of all nations, whether Jews or Gentiles.' This rendering is supported by a similar use of the phrase in other places, The same apostle, when reasoning on the same subject, Rom. iii. 30, has thus explained it: It is, says he, is Feos, one God, who shall justify the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision through faith.

Such an explanation of the verse being admitted, the apostle's chain of reasoning continues unbroken, and his arguments are conclusive against the doctrines of judaizing teachers.

I will endeavor to comprise my views of the paragraph in a paraphrase.

No one can be justified by the law, because all, by sinning, have fallen under its curse. The law of Moses, moreover, did not respect the spiri tual seed of Abraham. The promise was made to this seed long before the law was given, of course they are not obligated by the special ordinances of the Jewish laws. The promises made to Abraham, were not made by the law, nor to his natural secd as such, but to one seed, i. e. to Christ, and through him to christians. If it be asked, why then was the law introduced? I answer, To restrain from transgressions; and it was divulged by angels, through the medium of Moses, Moses acting as internuncius, or mediator. Now this mediator of the law was not the mediator of the one seed, the law not pertaining to this one seed; but God is one God, the Deus communis of Jews and Gentiles, and his promise extends equally to both. S.

Observations on Lower Canada.

(Continued from page 81.) The public buildings in Montreal, vary in their appearance,some of them being antique and plain, while others are built in a more modern style, and are in a few instances elegant. The Court House and Jail, which are situated in Notre Dame street, are built of hewn stone, and are handsome specimens of architecture. In front of these buildings, is a yard of considerable size, which is handsomely enclosed, while in the rear is a public square of several acres, called the Parade.

This ground is formed by art, and exhibits a level, as perfect as the surface of a lake. Here the troops of his Majesty are drilled twice a day. They perform their movements with great exactness, and appear to be well skilled in the use of the musket. The bands of music attached to the regiments stationed here, are much inferiour to many of those in our large cities. There is a grand parade every Sabbath, about two hours before sunset, when the inhabitants who are desirous of passing an idle hour, and who are in the habit of disregarding that holy day, resort hither to witness

the evolutions of the troops. The house where the Governour resides, while at Montreal, stands near the Court House. The building is very plain, and inferiour to many of the private buildings in the city.

The building which usually attracts the attention of strangers, is the French Cathedral, a stone edifice, erected in the year 1725. It is about one hundred and thirty feet in length, by ninety in breadth and forty in height. A stone tower rises to the height of one hundred feet, on which rests a steeple of one hundred and twenty. On the top of the spire is a large iron crucifix, indicating to a stranger approaching the city the sect to which it belongs. The exterior of this edifice is plain, and of no distinct kind of architecture. The interior is splendid, approaching magnificence. The form of the interior is a square, at one end of which is a semi-elliptical room of about fifty feet in length by thirty in breadth. On the east and west sides of the interior are twelve boxes, where the Roman Catholic Priests attached to this institution officiating as confessors, hear the sins of the people, and having received their fee, grant them absolution. The slips which fill the body of the church are intended for the common worshippers. These slips are plain, not painted, and exhibit a strong contrast to the splendour of the altar, the ceiling and the embroidered chairs occupied by the priests. The gallery has a railing-an open work of iron, every alternate bar covered with a rich gilding. On the right as you approach the altar, is elevated to the height of twenty feet, a statue of the Saviour of mankind, extended on a cross,his side marked with the wounds of the spear. From above the door, to the elliptical ceiling, runs an arch, enriched with a number of gilded ornaments. Several paintings, exhibiting representations of the miracles of our Saviour or the virtues of some one of their tutelar saints are placed in this arch. These paintings are enclosed in gilded frames and are handsomely executed. The semi-elliptical part of

the church, which includes the altar, is elevated two feet above the floor of the building in front of which is a handsome railing. The ceiling above is adorned with a great number of gilded ornaments of different magnitudes, placed at various distances, and bearing a strong resemblance to the heavens on a winter's evening.Around the sides of this ellipsis are a great number of Corinthian pilasters the tops of which, together with the carved drapery hanging in beautiful folds above them, are covered with gold. In front of the altar are four fluted columns, the fluting of which is of a beautiful skycolour, while the projections are covered with a dense gilding. The blue and the gold blend with each other as the eye rests upon them in an exquisite manner.These columns support an elliptical curve, attached to which are four twisted beams, on which rests the Crown of Glory. The curve, the beams and the crown, are adorned with a rich carving and are covered with a gilding so thick, as to appear like solid gold. Under this crown is the altar enriched with ornament and the gold and silver vessels upon and around it, while behind it upon a pedestal, is placed a full length statue of the Virgin Mary. This image is composed of Alabaster, and represents a young female of about eighteen years of age, of a fine person and pleasing countenance. Behind her head is a radiation, which formed by rays of light passing through some invisible medium, is changed into a colour resembling the soft orange lustre of the clouds, in an evening sky. Several specimens of embroidery, executed by the nuns, are placed in various parts of the church, adding much to the richness of the interior.

This building is owned by a company of French Priests, consisting of from twenty to thirty. They are supposed to be immensely rich, independently of the gold and silver vessels attached to their Cathedral.Their income arises from several sources, which having existed for near two centuries, affords them at this

time a revenue equal to that of royalty.*

Soon after the island was inhabited, they procured most of it into their own hands. A large part of the islaud, and no small part of the city, they own at this time; while that which was sold, was disposed of on the condition, that every time it exchanged masters, the purchaser or the seller should pay them eight per cent. for the privilege of disposing of it. This right, (as I was informed by a gentleman who had long resided in Montreal,) they exercise at the present time. The inhabitants often, however, make a compromise with them, by offering them a certain percentage and no more, which if they refuse to accept, they decline making the purchase. The Priests often accept of a part of this per cent. in preference to losing the whole. The absolution fee, which is received from twelve to twenty times a year, varies in proportion to the wealth of the individual whose sins are forgiven. This, though not the greatest source of their wealth, would amount, even if they were all "widow's mites," to a large sum in the course of a year; but when swelled by the numerous guineas paid by the rich, greatly increase their revenue.

These sources of wealth, it would be rationally supposed, would satisfy beings whose only professed object was to exhibit to the world a pattern worthy of imitation; still this is far from satisfying them. Having long since learned the ignorance and superstition of their flock, they have persuaded these deluded beings, that whoever will make a donation to the church during his life, or at his death will leave them a large legacy, will find his departed soul ushered into the regions of immortal day, through the efficacy of their prayers. This induces every Catholic of fortune to

* I was informed, that immediately after the declaration of the last war, (the funds of the Canadian government being nearly exhausted,) they came forward and loaned several millions sterling.

make his will in early life, in which he takes care to remember the church; after which he goes on indulging himself in his pleasures, without any fear from the thunders of the church, or the still more awful thunders of his God. The Priests have convinced the lower classes, that after death the soul goes immediately to Purgatory, where it remains until removed through the medium of their prayers. When it reaches this place of depart. ed spirits, it falls into a deep sleep, from which nothing but the bells of the Cathedral can awaken him.

There are four of these bells in the tower of this building, which are rung at an expense of twenty-five dollars each. As it is doubtful whether a single bell will produce this desirable effect, they impress upon the minds of their hearers, the importance of having them all rung, which they assert has never failed awakening the departed soul. Every inhabitant, therefore, who can collect from his industry the sum of one hundred dollars, at his death bequeaths it to the Cathedral to which he belongs. As soon as it is discovered that a legacy has fallen to them, the bells of this edifice peal their notes for about an hour, when, concluding that he is fully awake, they commence their prayers to the holy Virgin, which, in a few minutes, according to their representations, prove efficacious in elevating the soul to the regions of eternal bliss. The revenue resulting from these several causes, enables them to aid in the erection of churches in different parts of the province, where the inhabitants are unable to incur the expense without their assistance.— The influence of these priests is not confined to the Canadians, or to the lower classes of society, but extends equally to the French, who are many of them wealthy. Their commands are as binding upon these men, as the oracles of Apollo were upon the an