all the outward privileges of that covenant. Missionary churches gathered out of heathen lands, or from any communities of adult unbelievers, must necessarily adopt the primitive distinction and discipline to which we have referred. We accordingly find it constantly recurring in the publications of the various Protestant missionary societies. And we rejoice in that holy care, which regards not the number, but the character of converts. Let the legends of the Italian Church boast of nations converted and baptized in a day; but let the churches of Christ adhere to the primitive practice of slowly and cautiously examining the character of their converts. The nominal christianity which, under the Romish missionaries, had spread over Japan and China, is extinct-the production of a night, it has withered in a night: the real christianity established amongst the Esquimaux in Greenland, the Hottentots in Africa, the savages of the South Sea Islands, and the Indian tribes of North America, has been a plant of slower growth; but in the very slowness of its growth we have the promise of permanence, and the evidence of the faithfulness of the missionaries, and the sincerity of their converts.

But while the modern churches of Christian countries necessarily differ from the primitive churches and missionary churches, in respect to the discipline of baptism, yet, in relation to the Lord's Supper, their circumstances are perfectly similar, and their discipline should be one and the same. There are churches, we know, who, holding the Lord's Supper to be a mere commemoration, consider the ordinance as open to every one that chooses to approach; and there are Ministers, we fear, who belong to churches professing better things, who yet neglect the fence of discipline, and practice of examination.

I. Permit me then to advert to some defects in the common method of examination before admission to the Lord's Supper. II. To urge reformation, and suggest some practical improvements.

I. Previous to the admission of any persons to the Lord's table, it is our law and custom to examine them respecting their knowledge, and to inquire into their character. This examination is ordinarily conducted by the Minister, and the inquiry into character and conduct, by the Minister and Elders in council. The law is good, I would that the practice were correspondent. But whilst there are Ministers and Elders who act up to the very letter of the law,

there are others who come far short in this most important duty. To such persons we would, in the spirit of humility and brotherly kindness, point out the defects of their system. I. The first ordinary defect is the infrequency of examination. There are Ministers who examine but once, or at most twice, previous to the admission of eandidates to the Lord's Supper. For those who come well instructed, this may be amply sufficient to give evidence of fitness; but to those who come in a state of comparative ignorance, it is by no means adequate for the purposes of instruction. It leaves the Minister no time to instruct, and it affords the candidate no time to learn. 2. Another defect consists in the examinations being entirely public. The Minister of a large congregation will probably, at each communion, have from twenty to forty new candi. dates for admission: in some cases we have known a larger number. Now in such a crowd of examinants, what is the state of the less instructed? They are abashed, they are confounded, they are silent. The Minister has not time to spend upon such persons, or he feels unwilling to expose their ignorance; therefore hurries over their examination as speedily as possible, and admits them to the Lord's table, for any thing that he can tell, in total ignorance of its nature, and objects, and obligations. 3. Another defect may be found in confining the examinations almost entirely to a catechism. We are advocates for the use of catechisms. A good catechism is as useful in theology as a good map is in geography. A most excellent catechism is possessed by the Presbyterian Church, Yet with all our respect for it, and it is most sincere, we cannot consider an examination upon its contents, as by any means a sufficient test of preparation for the Lord's table. 4. There are defects, there are evils, to which every faithful Minister and Elder is required to apply a remedy. We do sincerely grieve, and we do most loudly complain, that many Ministers have assumed the admission of members to communion, while the Elders are reduced to mere cyphers in the account, perhaps not even consulted, for form's sake, in a matter of such vital moment to the church. We do enter our solemn protest against the admission of candidates to communion upon the sole authority of the Minister. It is a defect, it is a grievance, it is a usurpation, wherever it exists. It may originate, indeed, from mere thoughtlessness upon the part of Ministers, or from mere negligence upon the part of Elders; but from whatever cause

it arises, it is a serious evil in the discipline of the church. 5. The remaining defects to which we shall advert, are these-either the Minister willingly admits to communion all that offer themselves for examination, or, from mere feelings of delicacy, is unwilling to reject any who have been publicly recognized as candidates, although he is convinced of their ignorance and consequent unfitness to participate in so solemn an ordinance.

II. In proposing and urging the reformation of these abuses, we shall chiefly draw our materials from the prac tice of some active, pious, and successful Ministers. 1. We would first recommend, that all the members of congre gations, from fourteen years and upwards, who have not yet joined in communion, be formed into classes, with a view first to general instruction, and a more special view to instruction for the Lord's Supper. We select fourteen, simply because we recollect a letter from the South seas giving an account of a young Heathen converted to God, and admitted to communion at that age. We recollect the impression it made upon ourselves, and the rebuke it was calculated to inflict upon many a Christian of twenty-one, as well as upon many a grey-headed father and mother, among the careless, lifeless churches. We would recommend that these classes should meet monthly, and that none should be admitted to communion, except they had attended these meetings, for at least six months. The Minister would thus be enabled to know the state of the young of his congregation. He would see reason to encourage the more instructed to approach the Lord's table, and to deter the ignorant, lest they should come unworthily. The delicacy which, in the present defective system, often admits the ignorant, not because they are considered qualified, but because they have publicly presented themselves for examination, would cease to operate, and no one would be admitted without that due portion of knowledge by which he would be enabled to discern the Lord's body. 2. While we would urge upon Ministers and people the value and importance of our Shorter Catechism, the best abridgment of Christian truth that ever was published, the best auxiliary to the Bible that a church ever possessed, we would also recommend to Ministers, to put into the hands of their examinants such books as Soame's or M'Master's Analysis of the Catechism ; or Willison's, or Oliphant's, or Thompson's Sacramental Catechism. Not that we recommend the

committing of them to memory; but rather the attentive reading of them to assist the judgment. 3. We would earnestly press upon Ministers, the importance and necessity of leading their examinants immediately to the Bible. Let the Minister hold one Bible, the examinant another. To facilitate this proceeding, let select portions of Scripture be appointed. The narrative in Matt. xxvi. and 1 Cor. xi. will include every thing connected with the Lord's Supper. Those will introduce the Passover to which they make reference, for which the Minister should refer to Exod. xii. and upon which, having explained it, he should examine his auditors. Such a portion as Isa. liii. will afford room for the exposition of the wonderful prophecies relating to Christ, and the doctrine of his great atonement. Other topics will present themselves to those we have adverted as a specimen.

In explaining the nature of the Lord's Supper, we would recommend to Ministers to begin-1. With the mere history; 2. To proceed to the doctrine of the Protestant churches; 3. To explain and refute the errors of the Church of Rome. This is a point in these days, by no means to be neglected; for the zeal and the perseverance of that apostate church should be a stimulus to the diligence, as it is a shame to the indolence and apathy of Protestants. 4. Let Ministers never neglect to give the examinations a practical reference to the religion of the heart. Let them look for conviction, conversion, faith, hope, love to Christ. Knowledge without these practical principles and spiritual fruits, is nothing. For these we should look, and long, and labour; for until they are produced in the souls of our people, they have gained nothing.

4. In pursuance of this object, we would urge upon Ministers-the propriety of meeting every candidate for communion individually in private; or at least of meeting such persons as might choose to come at one time. In this way the members of one family, or certain friends and acquaintances, might visit a Minister together. This would abridge a Minister's labour; and we know it is sometimes an irksome and laborious one; yet would it gain all the advantages of a more private conversation. For personal religion a public examination can never answer. Yet surely personal religion is the great object of an examination for the communion. Again we urge upon Ministers, that, in all cases, they would at least commence with a more private examination. The timid will be en

couraged, the ignorant will be saved from unnecessary exposure, they will be consequently less deterred from duty; and the Minister will enjoy greater freedom in seeking to convince of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment, or to conduct the doubting and the fearful to the fulness of grace and truth.

5. In all admissions to communion, let the Elders be solemnly consulted. Let them indeed take a part in governing the house of their Lord. Let all admissions be in public, so that the whole congregation may feel their interest in the common membership. Without this publicity, church membership ceases to be interesting, for it becomes not a common property and a common bond of union, but a thing dependent upon the private will of an individual, perhaps without any inquiry into knowledge, perhaps without any investigation of character, and perhaps under the solemn conviction of the want of both.

6. We close our suggestions, with recommending the plan adopted by some faithful Ministers, of meeting young communicants, after the communion, at stated periods, to encourage and watch over them in their Christian course. This we hold to be a most valuable addition to our ordinary examinations; and one, to the adopters of which we would emphatically say, "Be not weary in well doing, for in due time you shall reap, if you faint not."

MELVILLE.

NOTICE OF BOOKS.

THE HISTORY of the CHURCH, from the Creation of the World to the Commencement of the Nineteenth Century. By ALEXANDER SMITH PATTERSON, 2 vols. 8vo.

These volumes come before the public, under the sanction of seven of the Ministers of Aberdeen, the Author's native city; and with the decided recommendation of the Evangelical Magazine, and Edinburgh Christian Instructor. Other individuals, and Editors of Literary Works, have given them their meed of praise; but what we have stated will suffice to show its public character.

It is now several months since we read the book, and had purposed to bring its merits before our readers. It possesses many claims to attention. It is the work of a Student in Theology, composed when preparing for examination: and whose life fell an early sacrifice to the intensity with which he pursued his Theological studies. It is in the form of Question and Answer; and is thereby peculiarly calculated for those who examine, or are examined in Ecclesiastical History. It contains the whole history of the Old and New Testaments, as well as the general history of the Churches since the Christian era. To the Student of Church History, the books form a vade.mecum; and to Reading Societies, who wish for much information in narrow compass, and have not leisure to wade through the twelve volumes of Stackhouse and Mosheim, these two volumes exhibit the entire records of the Christian Church, with a particularity and condensation in which nothing seems omitted, and in which every thing appears to be contained,

ERRATA.-In our last Number, p. 284, line 8 from top, for "obtruse," read "obtuse ;” and in the bottom line of the same page, for "belief," read "unbelief."