of the saints, that edifying of the body of Christ, which is to be the theme of grateful admiration in the eternity to come. Think of our colleges as a means which God will employ for preparing himself agents in days to come-days when nobler services shall be rendered to His cause than we have ever attempted, and when lofter motives shall inspire their performance. Thus regarding them, you will feel that, in sustaining them, you are living for the future as well as for the -present-that you are setting and keeping in motion trains. of ever-augmenting influence, which, deriving their efficacy from heaven, shall hasten the completion of the kingdom of God.

Cherish the conviction, if you please, that this institution, combining with other and similar means, will raise the educational character of the Christian ministry, and thus increase its usefulness; and that, on this account, it will deserve the suffrages of all its friends. But oh! if you would prove its best friends, place it under the guidance, and at the disposal, of Him for whom are all things, and by whom all things. consist," and you will have secured for it a patronage which can bring good for it even out of evil, and make it subservient to the highest end. Place it, by earnest prayer, in the light of His countenance, and its highest prosperity is secured for ever. Link it as a humble instrumentality to the cross of Christ; and what though no royal munificence endows it, "the Highest himself shall establish it;" what though no lofty pretensions to apostolic succession are made for its sons, the Spirit himself, the Spirit of apostles and prophets, shall descend to anoint them to their office; and "God, even our own God," shall ratify and accept the work of our hands.

SERMON XIII.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION.

Prov. xxii. 6.—“Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old he will not depart from it."

THIS is a familiar text for an occasion like the present. But its very commonness implies its appropriateness; and its appropriateness implies a fulness of meaning-a fulness not yet measured, nor likely to be soon exhausted. It implies, for instance, that, from the earliest childhood, we begin to walk in some way-that there is a way in which from childhood we ought to walk-that children require to be trained to walk in this way-that they are capable of this trainingthat it is the duty of parents, and of those who are themselves walking in this way, to train them-and that, if thus trained to walk in the right way, they will never depart from it.

By childhood, here, we understand all that portion of life which precedes early manhood: and we say the text implies, first, that from early childhood we begin to walk in some way. Who shall say at how early a point of our existence our character begins to form and consolidate for eternity? I do not ask at how early a period our moral responsibility begins:―that, of course, does not commence till we are capable of distinguishing between good and evil. But the character which then becomes accountable, has, long before that, been assuming its peculiar complexion-how early the process began who shall say? Did it begin when the

parental ear was delighted with the lisping of the first word? Long before that:-for there is a language earlier than speech, and which speech can never express-the language of looks-the communion of sympathy between the world without and the world within. Did it begin the first time its untrained foot touched the earth? Long before that: by that time many a step had been taken, involving future consequences of infinite importance. Did it begin with the first smile that dimpled its cheek, and beamed in its eye? Earlier than that-so early that, in after years, its memory can never go far enough back to date its commencement. Earlier than the moment of the first maternal smile and embrace-for these only contributed to promote it. Earlier, in some sense, earlier even than the hour of birth;— for, behold, it was shapen in iniquity, and in sin was it conceived. And all the impressions which it received from that period-and probably it does receive impressions through every subsequent moment-all these are a part of the materials out of which its future character is to be formed-all these are vital seeds, some of which will be bearing their appropriate fruit ten thousand ages hence.

Oh, treat the new-born infant with respect! Hang over its helpless form with reverential awe! It is the most sacred trust which ever came into your hands. In your situation, the Son of God would take it into His hands and bless it. Ponder its vast and mysterious capabilities; and then say, would you stand with awe near the crater of Etna if you heard the subterranean thunder, and knew, by ominous signs, that an ocean of fire was then forcing its way from an unknown depth, heaving and surging on to desolate the country for leagues around? With how much profounder an awe should you contemplate that little one when you think of all the possibilities of his being. Tell me not of the fearful terrors of an active volcano-that infant breast is heaving with infinite possibilities; that pulse is throbbing for eternity. When the mountain shall have burnt out, and

its crater be filled with verdure, that child will be a seraph before the throne above, or a fiend in perdition. When the earth itself shall be burnt up, he will have only attained a loftier point of glory, or have sunk to a lower depth of suffering. Ponder the solemnity of its present position; and then say, would you look with interest on an expedition about to navigate unknown seas and to encounter unknown dangers? -that little human bark has just commenced its voyage for eternity. The ocean of being on which it has launched is boundless. One shore it has left, but will never reach another. Young as the infant traveller may be, he is already in motion-on the road some ground has been gone over. How immensely important that his first steps should be right; otherwise, every subsequent step will but take him further into error. How important that, where there are so many wrong roads, some one should point out the right

one !

II.

For, secondly, the text implies that there is a way in which, from earliest childhood, we ought to walk. There is a right and a wrong concerning everything which relates to moral character. And if, as we have seen, everything is calculated in some way to affect our character, then, from earliest childhood, everything viewed in relation to character is right or wrong. The most obtuse parents sometimes come to see this. Indulgences which they once considered perfectly harmless for their children come to be productive of the most grievous results. Things which they once laughed at in their children as trifles, they come to weep over as of fatal consequence. Painful experience convinces them, too late, that nothing relating to childhood is absolutely indifferent that everything is right or wrong-that concerning every way in which they walk it may be said, "they ought to walk in it, or they ought not."

1. Now, to speak on this part of the subject in broad and

general terms, we might say, first, that the way of knowledge, in opposition to that of ignorance, is right. For, “that the soul be without knowledge is not good;" that the eye be without light is not good; that the appetite be without food is not good; and as little is it good that the soul be without knowledge; for the soul and knowledge were made for each other, as much as light and the eye, appetite and food. Unless the two are brought together therefore, the ordination of nature is frustrated; the soul is defrauded of its right-some of its noblest powers remain undeveloped and unused, and nothing but evil can ensue. Besides, God has so placed His works before us as to excite inquiry, and tơ awaken in the young an ardent thirst for knowledge. The great design of the ancient Israelites, in erecting pillars of memorial in different spots, was to excite the curiosity of their children to inquire, "What mean ye by these stones?" that then they might receive an answer which should instruct them in the ways of the Lord. Just so, God may be said to have everywhere set up memorials of His power, and wisdom, and goodness-to have so disposed the objects of nature and the events of providence, as to excite the inquiries of the young-to have strewed their early path with such awakening mementos as should impel them to inquire, "What means this?" and thus to furnish the parent, or the instructor, with an opportunity of leading their youthful feet in the way of salutary knowledge.

2. And, next, the way of religious truth, in opposition to that of error, is right. This way leads direct to the Bible. We have remarked that in the fields of nature and providence. God has so disposed of things as to raise a spirit of inquiry in the young. And has He done so less in the field of revelation? There is no book so attractive to childhood as the Bible. God himself has designedly-I had almost said studiously-made it so. Would you not make for your children, were it in your power, a book full of interesting instruction? And has God less of parental love than you