should know better, say, Ministers are only entitled to a bare competence, -a mere subsistence." But why, I ask, with a degree of indignation, why, are they entitled only to a mere subsistence? Are they worse members of civil society than other men? This, surely, will not be affirmed, except by the inveterate enemies of the cross, who, like Haman, say,It is not for the king's profit to suffer them to live.' Are they worse members of religious society than all others? This, no man, in his sober senses, will dare to avow. Why then, I ask again, have they a right only to a mere subsistence? From what premises do persons who talk in this manner draw their conclusions? Not from the Mosaic Dispensation; because, under that, a suitable provision was made for the priesthood. Not from the gospel; because the Apostle argues from the provision made for the ministers of religion under the Law, to what ought to be done under the gospel. Not from the principles of common equity and justice, which, with Scripture, say, that "the" industrious" labourer is worthy of his hire." It is evident, then, that the premises from which they infer, that ministers are entitled only to a mere subsistence, exist nowhere but in gross ignorance, or in, what is worse,/ base ingratitude, and want of affection for their spiritual guides. Many congregations, when told they should be more liberal to their ministers, reply, We are a poor people!' - and well they may be, who are guilty of such flagrant injustice to their ministers. How can they expect to prosper in their temporal concerns, who make no suitable provision for their pastor and his family? Have they not too much reason to fear being cursed in their basket and in their store, while they are so wofully neglectful of their ministers? Let any one go over the whole nation, and he will find those congregations in the most flourishing circumstances, in their secular affairs, who support their ministers in a decent and comfortable manner.

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Congregations are very apt to put ministers in remembrance, that they are only the servants of the church. Be it so. Then their own account of the matter furnishes, what logicians call argumentum ad hominem. Does not every one know, that the law will oblige a master, who hires a servant into his family, to find him suitable and sufficient provision? But some may ask, What does the writer deem sufficient?' To this I return no answer. Circumstances must determine how much is necessary. But is there not, in every congregation, a person to be found of good common understanding, who knows what is required to cover the expense of a decent, but frugal mode of living? This cannot be doubted. Let him step forward, and tell the rest what ought to be done. Or, let some solid reason be assigned why a minister of the gospel should sit down to a worse dinner, or wear a worse coat, than his hearers, in moderate circumstances. I know but of one that can be assigned; and that is,-often he has it not in his power. But why has he it not in his power? Because, say many, he is en

titled only to a bare competence, a mere subsistence. A mere subsistence! Tell it not in Gath.' Is not the way in which many Protestant Dissenters treat their ministers, especially those called Orthodox, an eternal disgrace to them? Methinks, I hear some as they read, exclaiming, a Libel! a Libel! Be not alarmed; no libel, but a true statement of lamentable facts.

Should any think that I am an interested individual, — a minister, whose people do not provide for my temporal wants, they are greatly mistaken. I have neither church nor congregation; and, consequently, not the least dependence on any: but, as it is a business in which ministers themselves cannot appear with a good grace, it is high time that the Laity should take it up. Pray, what encouragement is there for young men of real religion and talents to enter into the Christian ministry, however well disposed to it, when they see so many godly ministers and their families struggling with deep poverty, and almost in a state of starvation? I hope the observation, which has often been made by persons of a mean, covetous, and avaricious mind, is become stale, and ceases to influence the minds of those who Jove the gospel; viz. That ministers should be kept humble and poor, for then they preach best.' This is just as sound reason. ing as to say, that a minister is in the best frame for the calm investigation of divine subjects, and the discharge of all ministerial, Christian, and relative duties, when his mind is tormented with painful apprehensions of being involved in debt, and of becoming a disgrace to his profession! Who can believe this?

Should any ask, What plan would the writer wish us to adopt to remedy the evil of which he complains? I know of none superior to that which has long been acted upon in the late Mr. Wesley's societies. Let him who earns but twelve or fourteen shillings per week, lay by one penny per week; and let a person of approved fidelity be chosen, into whose hands it shall be deposited, to be produced on the quarter-day. Let him who earns between twenty and thirty shillings, dedicate twopence to the support of his minister; and let people of some property contribute in proportion. Upon this plan, I am bold to say, a sum sufficient to render the minister comfortable will be raised. It needs only to be reduced to practice, to prove its propriety and atility. Some, perhaps, will say, The man who earns but twelve or fourteen shillings per week, has more need of having a penny given to him, than one to be taken from him. Granted: but the question is, Would he live one degree worse through the week, for having devoted one penny to the purpose specified? I answer, No.

I shall wait a reasonable time, to hear whether what I have written have any good effect upon the professed disciples of Christ. If it have not, they shall hear from me again through the same medium, if admissible, or the most popular newspapers in the kingdom, as I am determined to persevere till the object in view be obtained." PAILODIKAIOS.

Evangelicana.

THOUGHTS ON 2 COR. VII. 1.

Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness.

ARCHBISHOP LEIGHTON, ia a sermon on these words, says, "It is the Lord who is the Sauctifier of his people; he purges away their dross, and pours clean water upon them, according to his promises; yet deth he call us to cleanse ourselves. He puts new life into us, and causes us to act, and excites us to it, and calls it up to act in the progress of sanctification. Men are strangely incned to a perverse construction of things. Tell them that we are to act, and work, and give diligence, then they would fancy a doing in their own strength, and be their own saviours. Again: tell them that God works all our works in us, and for us, then they would take the ease of doing nothing. If they cannot have the praise of doing all, they will sit still with folded hands, and use no diligence at all: but this is the corrupt logic of the flesh; its base sophistry. The apostle reasons just contrary: "It is God that worketh in us, both to will and to do; therefore,' would a carna! heart say, We need not work, or, at least, may work very carelessly;'-but he infers, Therefore, let us work out our salvation with fear and trembling;" i. e. in the more humble obedience to Go, and dependence or him, not obstructing the influence of his grace, and, by sloth and negligence, provoking him to withdraw or abate it. Certainly, many in whom there is the truth of grace, are kept yers low in the growth of it, by their own slothfulness, sitting still, and not bestirring themselves, and exercising the proper actions of that spiritual life by which it is entertained and advanced.'

ILLUSTRATION OF JONAH IV. §.

And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah that he fainted, und wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.

THIS account of the extreme heat of the climate of Nineveh, is well lustrated in the ingenious Mr. Campbell's Travels, page 130.

It was early in the evening when the pointed turrels of the city of Mosul opened on our view, and communicated no very unpleasant sen sations to my heart. I found myself on Scripture-ground, and could not help feeling some portion of the pride of the travelier, when I reflected that I was now within sight of Ninoves, renowned in holy writ. The city is seated in a very barren sandy plain, on the banks of the river Tigris. The external view of the town is much in its favour, being encompassed with stately walls of solid stone, over which the steeples or minarets of other lofty buildings are seen with increased effect. Here I first saw caravan encamped, halting on its march from the Gulph of Persia to Armenia; and it certainly made a most noble appearance, filling the eye with a multitude of grand objects, all uniting to form one magnificent whole. But, though the outside be so beautiful, the inside is most detestable. The heat is so intense, that, in the middle of the day, there is no stirring out; and, even at night, the walls of the houses are so heated by the day's sun, as to produce a disagreeable heat to the body, at a fool or even a yard distance from them. However, I entered it with spirits, because I considered it as the last stage of the worst part of my pilgrimage; bui, alas! I was disappointed in my expectation, for the Tigris was

dried up by the intensity of the heat and an unusual long drought, and I was obliged to take the matter with a patient shrug, and accommodate my mind to a journey on hors back, which, though not so long as that I had already made, was likely to be equally dangerous; and which, therefore, demanded a full exertion of fortitude and resolution.

It was still the hot season of the year, and we were to travel through that country, over which the horrid wind I have before mentioned sweeps its consuming blasts. It is called, by the Turks, Samiel, is mentioned, by holy Job, under the name of the East Ward, and extends its ravages all the way from the extreme end of the Gulph of Cambaya up to Mosul; it carries along with it flakes of fire i ke threads silk: instantly strikes dead those that breathe it, and consumes them inwardly to ashes, the flesh soon becoming black as a coal, and dropping off the bones. Philosophers consider it as a kind of electric fire, proceeding from the sulphureous or pitrous exhalations, which are kindled by the agitation of the winds. The only possible means of escap from its fatal effects, is to fall flat on the ground, and thereby prevent the drawing it in to do this, however, it is Becessary first to see it, which is not always pracicable.

The ordinary heat of the climate is extremely dangerous to the blood and lungs, and evec to the skin, which blisters and peels from the flesh, affecting toe eyes so much, that travelers are obliged to wear a transparent covering over them, to keep off the heat,?

Ancient Pageants.

In ancient times, in this and other countries, religious plays used to be performed. Clerkenwell, in London, derives its name from the parish clerks, who used to meet there for sacred dramas. The history of Sweden records a very extraordinary incident, which took place at the presentation of the Mystery of the Passion, under King John II. in 1513.

The actor who performed the part of Longinus, the soldier, who was to pierce the Christ on the cross in the side, was so transported with the spirit of his action, that he really killed the man who personated our Lord; who, falling suddenly, and with great violence, overthrew the actress who represented the holy mother. King John, who was present at this spectacle, was so enraged against Longinus, that he leaped on the stage, and struck off his head. The spectators, who had been delighted with the too-violent actor, became infuriated against their king, fell upon him in a throng, and killed him. This anecdote, while it shews the power of dramatic exhibitions, argues little in favour of the religious use of the drama, Indeed, they must frequently have tended to render holy things ludicrous, The writer remembers to have seen in Shrewsbury, at a pageant of this kind, a man and woman personating Adam and Eve; the latter offering an apple to him from a branch of a tree, and the former giving her a box on the ear for her paius. In an ancient book, yet preserved in one of our ties, there are items of the expences incurred by those Farces, Moralities, or Mysteries, as they were called; for instance, so much for a new club for Cain,' so much for a new beard for Judas,' and a certain sum for ale for the Devil.' It is well that all these fooleries are now laid aside in Protestant countries; but something like them is stili kept up in Portugal, and other Catholic nations.

As Indian woman, from Mevising, came to one of the brethren, and told him that, as soon as she had a good heart, she would turn to the Lord Jesus. A replied he, 'you want to walk on your head! How can ou get a good heart, unless you come first to Jesus?

Missions of the United Brethren.

RESPECTING the return of Joseph and Mary to Judea, and their abode in Nazareth, there is one circumstance in particular deserving notice, which is, the very lowly state to which Jesus chose to humble himself. Of all the towns of Judea and Galilee, Nazareth was peculiarly despised, as the habitation of the dregs of the people, and as having never produced an illustrious or good personage. This accounts for Nathaniel saying to Philip, 'Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? Hence, it was as infamous among the Jews to be called a Nazarene, which signified a most worthless, infamous fellow, as among the Greeks to be called Cretians, who were always liars, evil heast, and slow bellies.

Jesus Christ chose to be brought up at Nazareth, that he might take upon himself, very early, the reproach couched under that name Pilate undoubtedly had it in view when, by way of mockery, he wrote a title, and put it on the cross, Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews,'

Claude's Posthumous Works.

JUVENILE DEPARTMENT.

ANECDOTE.

THEMISTOCLES, when a very young man, was observed, soon after the famous battle of Marathon, in which Mutianes obtained so much glory, to be much aloe, very pensive, unwilling to attend the usual entertainiments, and even to watch whole nights. Being asked, by some of his friends, what was the cause of all this, he answered, The trophies of Miltiades will not suffer me to sleep. Thus, fired with a love of glory, he became, in a few years, the first man in Greece.

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Young Christians, Faith presents to your view far greater glories than Greece could bestow on her most successful heroes. The perishing honours of Miltiades and Themistocles, are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed. Could they forego all the pleasures of youth to have their names enrolled n the records of fame, and cannot you, by the help of Almighty grace, become a good soldier of Jesus Christ, un hope of obtaining a crown of glory that shall never fade ?

"Mothers can do great things!

Ah!'

A CLERGYMAN, now fulfilling the duties of his office punctually, ardently, and faithfully, was asked, when examined by the bishop's chaplain, whether he had made divinity his study;- he replied he had not particularly" but," said he, "my mother taught me the Scriptures," said the chaplain, Mothers can do great things! The young man was examined with respect to the extent of his knowledge, was approved, ordained, and desired to preach before the bishop.

Mothers may perceive how necessary and useful are their pious instructions, and be encouraged, while their husbands are busily engaged in providing for their families the meat that perisheth, to be diligent, bringing up their offspring in the knowledge of the Scriptures, as the mother of Timothy did. This anecdote may also lead reflecting parents to consider what ought to be the education of their daughters, that they may become such mothers; for on the education of daughters, depends the future welfare not only of families, but of our country.

The excellent mother alluded to in the above anecdote, wrote as follows to another of her sons, on hearing of the birth of his eldest child: Give him an education, that his life may be useful; - teach him religion, that his death may be happy!'

FRO PATRI.