them be trained to this work. As in nature God uses means adapted to ends, so in grace. And doing this, God, even our God, will bless us, and prosper the work of our hands. The discussion was sustained by Messrs. Hall, Saunders, Pearse, Denby, Price, Russell, and the Chairman. temptible to deserve a reply. Finding | formed of listening without intelligence. their ground of objection untenable, A minister has said, Adult hearers do some propose a compromise, and recom- not, in general, apprehend the plan and mend that certain seats, in a good part, method of a discourse:' and he recombe appropriated for the children's use; mends teachers to preach to the children, that one of the sermons should be preach- that they may obtain the habit, and aced to children; that once a month the quire the power, of concentrated thought. scholars should have the privilege of If asked as to what order of services is going; and that all the teachers should recommended, we reply-let it be simple, sit with the children, and lecture them intelligent, and spread over one hour, for their inattention. In advocating the comprising-1, Prayer, repeating the more general and universal adoption of words; 2, Singing; 3, Reading the separate services for children, as best Scriptures, the children reading alteradapted, under the blessing of God, to nate verses; 4, Chanting; 5, Prayer; instruct, enlighten, and save their souls, 6, Singing; 7, Address; 8, Prayer we may express a doubt whether, even 9, Conclusion. It may be asked, who now, we do not attach too great a rever-shall sustain these services? I reply, ence for 'holy places,' instead of regard-teachers; and, if not to our hand, let ing every place as holy, sacred, and consecrated, where God is pleased to reveal himself, and bless the souls of men. We conceive that the heart cannot be suitably and permanently affected by what the mind does not apprehend and understand. No doubt circumstances either aid or interfere in receiving impressions. For the heart to be impressed the mind must be interested. Christ did never say, 'children must become as adults,' but he did say the contrary. When Jesus would bless the little ones, he would not have them at a distance, but near to him, knowing their dispositions and tastes. The characteristics of Christ's teaching were such as we should copy: he taught faithfully, lovingly, simply, and beautifully. Children cannot eat angels' food; and that instruction which has been prepared for the strong man is not adapted to the babe. A distinguished writer asks, Should there not be a graduation of the spiritual nutriment offered to infants compared with men, analagous to the variety in bodily food?' Dr. Whately writes in a similar strain, and in reference to the leaving unexplained of collects and texts, 'painful associations are formed,' adding, to frame and introduce a service suitably composed would be not a trifling improvement. In the chapel the habit is OUR readers may remember that in the review in our September number, page 564, of Mr. Taylor's work, "CALIFORNIA LIFE ILLUSTRATED," an extract was inserted shewing the marvellous size which fruits and other vegetable productions there attained. We met with another illustration of this the other day in the Daily News, and which may interest our readers. "According to the Picton Standard, a tree has recently been cut down in California, the circumference of which was 90 feet, and its height 325 feet. The bark was in some places 4 feet thick. The tree contained 250,000 feet of timber. Its age was 3,100 years. The wood was sound and solid." Want of space, in our last number, prevented any reference to the progress of the CIVIL WAR IN AMERICA; and, indeed, there was then no information to be given that would have been interesting to our readers. policy. His statements appear to have been received with general satisfaction. We pass by his reference to the complaints of the Confederates for our acknowledging a blockade of 3,000 miles of coast, but quote his observations relative to granting belligerent rights :"I put it to you, whether, with five millions of freemen declaring themselves in States and collectively an independent State, we could pass it over as a petty rebellion. Our admirals asked whether the ships they met bearing the Confederate flag should be treated as pirates. If we had treated them as pirates we should have been taking part in the contest." Some events have now, however, occurred which deserve a place in our record. The determination of the British Government to maintain a strict neutrality in this horrible conflict, has, very naturally, displeased both parties, and the complaints made afford pretty strong evidence that there has not been any departure from the course marked out by the Government, and in which they are supported by the great body of the nation. The Southern Government are very angry because the existence of the Confederate States as an independent body is not officially recognized, and have shewn their displeasure not only by angry articles in their newspapers, but also by the withdrawal from England His Lordship then dealt with Mr. of Mr. Mason, who was sent here with Sumner's horror of rebellion. “But then the hope of obtaining that recognition. it was said the Confederate States were The Northern Government have made rebels against the Union. Perhaps we use of The Honourable Charles Sumner, are not so nice as we ought to be on the Chairman of the Committee of the that subject. But I recollect we reSenate on Foreign Affairs, who delivered belled against Charles I., against James a long oration at the Cooper Institute, II., and that the people of New England, New York, on the evening of Tuesday, not content with these, rebelled against September 9th, on the "Foreign rela- George III. I do not say now whether tions of the United States." The sum all these were justifiable or wrong. I total of his complaint is, that Great do not say whether the rebellion of the Britain has determined to be neutral in Southern States is a justifiable insurrecthis contest, and to carry out the prin- tion-whether it is a great fact or a ciple of neutrality with impartiality. great crime--but I state the mere fact He complains that the "Rebels" can pur- that a rebellion is not in itself a crime chase ships and munitions of war in this of so deep a dye as to cause us to recountry, considering, apparently, that nounce our relations with people guilty his own government should alone possess of rebellion. I have been reading lately, that privilege. We heard, at an early if not the whole at least the greater part stage of the war, of the agents from of a long speech by Mr. Sumner, in New both parties being at the same time in York, and I cannot but wonder that this different rooms of the same manufactory man-the offspring of three, as we are in London, each engaged in making of two, rebellions-should be speaking contracts for the purchase of arms. Our like the Czar of Russia, or Louis XIV., own Minister for Foreign Affairs seems of the dreadful guilt of the crime of to have thought it fair that he should rebellion." have an opportunity of vindicating the We are glad to find that our opinions, course pursued by his Government, and, as to the course which should have been accordingly, Earl Russell, who has been pursued by the Federal Government, residing in Perthshire, availed himself have the sanction of an American statesof an opportunity of a meeting at Blair-man of eminence. gowrie, on September 24th, to touch "John Quincy Adams, in the year on all the important points of our Foreign | 1839, prefigured the true policy of the North in the circumstances which have on the part of its occupants to yield, while the immense force by which it is assailed seems inadequate to compel its surrender. since arisen. He measured the gulf which climate, slavery, and antagonistic commercial interests would place between North and South, and deprecated Another battle, and of two days' conthe sword as the arbiter of the differ- tinuance, has taken place near Chattaence. "The link of union between those nooga, in Tennessee. The Federals, States,' he said, is not in the right, | under General Rosecrans, had been but in the heart. If the day should pursuing a course of almost unintercome-may heaven avert it-when the rupted success, but have been brought affections of the people in these States to a stand by the Confederate General shall be alienated from each other, when Bragg. The see-saw principle on which the fraternal feeling shall give way to the war has hitherto proceeded still precold indifference, or collision of interests vails. The last great conflict was at shall fester into hatred, the bonds of Gettysburg, in Pensylvania, where the political association will not long hold to- Federals prevailed, but have never been gether parties no longer attracted by the able to follow up their advantage. Now magnetism of conciliated interests and it was the turn of the Confederates to be friendly sympathies, far better will it be the conquerors, but the victory appears for the people of the dis-united States to to do nothing towards terminating the part in friendship from each other, than strife. General Rosecrans has retired to be held together by restraint. Then to Chattanooga, where he has fortified will be the time for reverting to the himself, and hopes to be able to mainprecedents which occurred at the forma- tain his position until reinforcements can tion of the adoption of the constitution reach him. to form again a more perfect union by dissolving that which could no longer bind, and to leave the separate parts to be united by the law-political gravitation to the centre." The French are quietly consolidating their power in Mexico. The Archduke Maximilian, of Austria, appears willing to accept the Empire offered him, and will of course be supported by the power which bestows it upon him. They have taken possession of Matamoras, a town near the mouth of the Rio Grande del Norte, which forms the boundary between Mexico and Texas, and through which supplies reach the Southern States. No doubt this is a trade the French will encourage, much to the annoyance of the Federal Government. There has been no material change in the position of the two great armies in Virginia which are watching each other, but neither of which feels itself strong enough to advance. The siege of Charlestown has now continued more than two months, and there appears no disposition The INCREASE OF THE REVENUE of the country should excite devout and grateful feelings in every heart. In spite of the considerable reductions in the Income Tax and Tea Duties, there was a net increase of income on the year ending September 30th, of more than £800,000. Such a result is truly marvellous in the face of the difficulties arising from the interruption to the Cotton manufacture. The abundant harvest with which it has also pleased God to bless us, enables us to look forward with hope to the coming winter, though not unmingled with anxiety for our fellow subjects in Lancashire. cellor, and who has been able, until a ADAPTATION OF THE BIBLE. From "The Rock." THE Bible is marvellously fitted to the needs and capacities of the bulk of men. It is a repository of truth in which such minds as those of Lord Bacon, Sir Isaac Newton, Jeremy Taylor, and Sir Matthew Hale, monumental men, standing it may be centuries apart and conspicuous among many millions,-have found inexhaustible treasures. But the common walks of life are thickly set with the weary and heavy-laden, the sick and suffering, the tempted and the fallen. To such this blessed volume opens a perennial fountain of hope and joy and peace. It supplies strength and courage for the conflicts of life. It points the tired pilgrim to his rest at home. It is emphatically the poor man's blessing. It has been beautifully said that the empire of religious faith is not in cities or courts, nor in the strife and bustle of worldly enterprise. "She passes by the gates of the proud, and enters a gracious and welcome guest into the dwellings of the humble and poor." She finds ready adherents among those whom we may suppose the shepherds on the plains of Bethlehem. To represent Christ is the desire of the simple heart. His truth answers its mysterious questions, solves its perplexities, and gives meaning to its sublimest aspirations. It is recognised and embraced, because it meets the holiest desires of the soul. The angel's song is no longer heard, and the star which guided the wise men has faded from the sky. But the divinely communicated instincts which led the shepherds and sages to give heed to heavenly manifestations, still remain; and instead of the vanished star in that far distance, through all the dark experiences of intervening ages, shines the ever-increasing light of the gospel of Christ. The Scriptures, even without any living preacher, are able to make men wise unto salvation. In a history of the missionary work in Madagascar, we are informed that when the missionaries were all driven from the island, the native converts were without any religious teacher, but relied for spiritual guidance on scraps of the Bible carried in their memories, or about their persons. They dared not appear as Christians, but by the silent power of the leaven of truth, already diffused, their number was increased tenfold in a few years. A still more striking illustration of the same principle is furnished in the history of the mutineers of the ship "Bounty." It is worthy of remark that the Bible is so portable a volume: rich as it is in history, literature, geography, poetry, narrative, and theology, it is small enough for a Sunday school child to wrap up in his tidy handkerchief, or for the labourer to take with him into the fields or the workshop. The Statutes of England are said to occupy sixty folio volumes, and the various decisions of courts upon them ten or twenty times that number of volumes; but in this convenient pocket manual we have a code of perfect laws, applicable to every possible contingency of human relation and condition, and at the same time there accompanies us an interpreter and judge, who, if its aid is honestly invoked, will unerringly decide every doubtful case. Notwithstanding the variety of subjects of which the Bible treats, the different characters, conditions, and habits of the authors or compilers of its several books, and the ages which intervened between the dates of their composition or publication, there has never been detected any important deviation from one straight line of doctrinal and preceptive truth. All its parts are consistent, all its teachings uniform, its requirements neither relaxed nor modified. Can a volume be produced to match it in these respects, or in any one of them? The Bible might almost be compared to a high mountain, around the base and on the sides of which cities have been founded and decayed, and states have sprung up and dissolved, leaving behind them deserted ruins, or peoples made up of numberless compositions of the conquerors and conquered of many generations, who may be very valiant, chivalrous, and well governed, but are not living representatives, as a whole, of the original population. It might be very well for the information of modern nations, who live at too remote a distance from the mountain to be able to approach it, that there should exist local literature of various kinds, in prose and verse, in which the existence and exact position of that prominent feature in the near landscape had been frequently attested. But assuredly, no proof of the grandeur of the scene, of the stupendous effects of volcanic agency, of the awe inspired by the veil which hides the summit from view, no description of the extent of ground it covers and the probable depths to which so great a mass must strike down its organic influence, can ever be so telling as the silent testimony which the mountain itself must afford the spectator. No man who has once seen it will deny that it is older than all the cities which were built upon it, than all the generations whose bones are mingling with its dust. It will be too much for human nature to deny, after a view of it, that it was made when the rest of the world was made, and that whoever created the earth formed that mountain; so it is with the Bible. The storm which shakes the oak only loosens the earth around its roots, and its violence enables the tree to strike them deeper in the soil. So it is that Scripture |