breeze hurries us forward with an animating rapidity. The ship's company presents one of the happier sketches of sea life. The courses are hauled up, that the helmsman may steer by a landmark on the top of the mountains overhanging Lahaina, which leaves the view of the whole deck unobstructed. The captain and officers are silently walking their respective stations, while an occasional loud laugh and exclamation from the forecastle, signify the manner in which the watch below are enjoying their partial release from duty. The rest of the crew are variously grouped-some leaning over the bows, watching the dashing of the waves, as they are furrowed by our bark, or the transient illumination of the water by a sudden movement of one of the larger inhabitants of the deep-others are lounging on the gunwales or against. the longboat, while a still greater number are mounted on their favourite station, the windlass-one of these last is playing with skill and taste on a clarionette, in which he is accompanied by three or four good voices, singing many of the more modern and fashionable songs, occasionally relieved, perhaps by way of kindly remembrance of former scenes and distant friends, by one or two verses of "Auld lang syne." This may be called a domestick scene at sea, and answers to the happy fireside at home, when the business, the duties, and the cares of the day, give place. to the indulgences of a leisure hour, and the joys of social life. I could not contemplate it, without admiring the wisdom and the goodness of God to all his creatures, in denying to none the common sources of contentment and happiness, and in so constituting man, that all the ordinary situations of life have pleasures and joys for those to whose lot they fall. But, though interesting and pleasant, it has not been, like some of the happy evenings at sea we once knew, whilst floating on the bosom of the Pacifick. No, I have no reason to believe that the Spirit of God is here-but the decks of the Thames did, at least at times, give evidence of his presence. Saturday, Aug. 14th. After breakfast on board the T yesterday morning, we once more entered our humble habitation, and met the warm embraces of our beloved Mr. and Mrs. R. Lahaina never before appeared so beautiful: nothing but necessity could induce me to exchange the fresh sea breeze and foaming surf that rolls almost into our door, for a residence near the dusty plain, and stagnant marshes and fish ponds, about the mission house at Honoruru. Notwithstanding this, Oahu is unquestionably the most fertile and most beautiful of the islands, and from the constant prevalence of the trade winds, is among the most healthy. This morning Capt. Meek politely sent on shore the packages he has been kind enough to bring from my friends in New York. They con sisted of three boxes, and a barrel containing articles of very considerable value. My friend and classmate, E. H. Johnson, has very handsomely furnished me with a set of mathematical and philosophical instruments, including a good telescope, barometer, microscope, &c. &c. with a pair of handsome globes. Many other friends have remembered us with similar kindness. They have our gratitude-but we know not how to express it. Whatever they have given in the name of a disciple, will meet a disciple's reward. As the duty of writing the publick record of the station will now devolve on me, and though I know of no immediate opportunity of sending this, I will close it with the present date. I would, however, first remark, that the state of the people in reference to spiritual things, was never more interesting than at present. The chiefs are making rapid advances in religious intelligence, and the subject of salvation is evi dently taking the highest place, in the hearts and thoughts of many of the most powerful persons in the nation. For many of these we feel a strong personal attachment-and you yourself, my dear sister, would with us love them, could you but see them as they are. Their looks of affection and gratitude to us-the starting tear, at the open and almost daily declaration, "we do love the word of God, we do love Jehovah and Jesus Christ, we do rejoice in this day of light, this time of good tidings and of salvation," &c. &c. would melt a less tender heart, would touch a less susceptible bosom than belongs to my sister. If we do not find in the scenery of the islands all the variety and beauty of an American landscape-if we most sensibly feel the loss of our friends, and with them the elegance, the refinement, and intelligence, of civilized society -if we are daily conscious of a tenderness and intensity of affection for you and for all our friends, which we cannot describe, still we are happy in our work, and would not leave it without a call in providence, clear and indubitable as that of a voice from heaven. While these are our feelings, do not lead us to suppose by your silence, that we are forgotten or unloved, but by your journal and your letters-by constant communications, refresh our hearts and cheer our spirits, both, too often, unavoidably depressed by the debilitating influence of a warm climate, and the various cares and fatigue, inseparable from our work. By doing thus, you will not only be insuring us much happiness, but you will also do the cause good, by inspiring us with fresh vigour, and giving a renewed impulse to our exertions. Such we find to be the happy influence of the communications of all our friends yet received. Yours in the tenderest and best of bonds, CHARLES SAMUEL STEWART TRANSLATION OF THE DIES IRA. On that great, that awful day, All the creatures of his hand. From the worm and from the fire; Fold me with the sheep that stand Reviews. In a religious miscellany, of not more than 48 pages, one of the most difficult and delicate duties of an editor is, to determine on the portion of space to be assigned to the several departments of his work: and he may esteem himself fortunate if, after his best endeavours, he, in this particular, avoids giving of fence-Among those who patronize his work there is a great diversity of taste, and it can scarcely be expect ed that some will not think that their taste has not been sufficiently consulted and gratified. It is in the department of reviews that the difficulty to which we here refer is the greatest of all. Authors, as well as readers in general, are likely to think themselves neglected in this department. The editor, too, may not only be restricted by the want of space, but may not be able to publish as many reviews as he would willingly do, if he either had time to prepare them himself, or could have them furnished by his correspondents. For ourselves we can say, that our whole time would not suffice to review all the works that are sent us; in such manner as we think every work ought to be reviewed, on which we deliver our opinion to the publick. We have stated this, as an apology for ourselves in the matter of reviewing. It has been with regret, and some mortification, that we have omitted altogether the notice of several publications, of which we wished to give even an ample review. The foregoing remarks seemed to be specially called for on the present occasion; because we are now going to review a single sermon, and thus to make a discrimination between it, and at least a dozen others, which perhaps, in point of composition, are equally meritorious. We have also heretofore done the same, in several instances; and in all this we may be suspected either of neglect or of great partiality. We believe, however, that any suspicion of this kind would be entirely groundless. From the causes already stated, we have, in instances not a few, found ourselves compelled to pass in silence many single sermons of sterling merit; as well as several pamphlets of the same character, treating on topicks not altogether of a religious kind. The preference we have given has commonly, if not always, been occasioned by the general interest of the discourse or pamphlet reviewed; or by the local situation of the writer; or by a desire to aid some effort in the promotion of an important design: and by such like considerations we must continue to be governed. It is seen at once from the title of this sermon, that the subject of it, however trite, is of the greatest publick interest; and although the venerable author, in replying to a request for its publication which appears on the second page, says, "it was written without the most distant view to publication," yet it will be found well deserving of the careful perusal of all into whose hands it may fall. The text of the discourse is Ezek. xx. 12. Moreover, I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them. After a short and pertinent introduction, the preacher says "Let me then at present ask your attention, whilst I attempt to revive upon your minds a sense of the important obligations which lie upon us for the sanctifying of a weekly Sabbath, for the ends for which it is instituted. "By a Sabbath, in general, we are to understand a certain time, which is set apart from other time, and is appropriated as a day of rest, for the purpose of divine worship, and which is so appropriated by divine appointment. It is to be considered as a cessation from ordinary employ, ment; a time, devoted to the duties of worship. "Now, all who are acquainted with the Old Testament scriptures, will have perceived that there were several times, which, by the authority of the Divine Legislator, were set apart for the observance of the Jewish nation; and these are called Sabbaths; because God had commanded his people to spend them in religious services, and forbidden them on such occasions to engage in any worldly business; such, for instance, were several feast days enumerated in the books of Moses, and such was the great day of expiation. These are to be regarded by us as parts of their ceremonial law, which is now abrogated by the dispensation of the gospel; but over and above these, was a weekly Sabbath, which is solemnly and emphatically impressed in the moral law, and was not designed particularly for them; but is of moral obligation to all, and under every dispensation. In confirmation of this we ask you, "I. To observe, that the law of nature, itself, which teaches us that there is a God, doth necessarily pour conviction on our minds, that such a Being is to be worshipped by all his intelligent creatures. And, if worshipped by mankind, that it is highly reasonable that some part or proportion of time should be set apart for this purpose." Little is said on this first head of discourse, and that little we must forbear to quote. The preacher's second position is thus stated "II. Reason would naturally suggest to us, that, if it be proper that God should be worshipped at all, that it is suitable and highly desirable, that some particular portion of the time which he gives us should be devoted to his service-some time in which the family of man should meet for his service." Here it is shown that reason clearly dictates that some portion of our time should be sacredly set apart to the worship of God; and that as reason might have erred, and men would have differed, in forming a judgment as to the proper portion to be appropriated to sacred use, it was wise and merciful in God to tell us what that portion was. It is then added "Now this arrangement was as early as the completion of the creation; so that, when man entered upon the first day of his first week, he was brought under the. law of the Sabbath. In this we are instructed by the divine historian. The heavens and the earth were finished and all the host of them, and on the seventh day God ended the work which he had made, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work which he had made. And God blessedt the seventh day and sanctified it, because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. Nor can it be denied, that it is most reasonable to suppose, that man, immediately after his creation, when a sense of his Maker's kindness and glory was fresh upon his mind, amidst the guiltless scenes of Paradise, would begin his life. with the adoration of his Creator; and that his Creator would call him to the re ligious observation of the first day of his existence, which was the seventh from the beginning of God's mighty work, for the same general reasons as he afterwards prescribed to the Jews a weekly Sabbath. "These rational deductions, says a learned writer,+ are confirmed by facts. It is a fact that the Patriarchs, long before the Jewish Sabbath, and all, even the most ancient heathen nations, distinguished time into weeks of seven days; which no appearance in nature could have suggested; and which therefore, must have resulted from the appointment of a weekly Sabbath. It is also a fact, that the earliest Pagan writers, particularly Homer and Hesiod, speak of the seventh day as peculiarly sacred.§. The latter styles this day the "illustrious light of the sun," and the world. sun was the Supreme God of the Pagan Homer hath this verse, 'then came the seventh day which is holy.' "It is observed by an eminent critic, that the Samaritan text, with the Greek and Syriac versions read, 'God ended his work on the sixth day."-Orton's Expos. +"Dr. Kennicot remarks, that the Hebrew word here used carries with it a double idea; first of blessing, secondly of worshipping." "Tappan." "Mr. Selden, in his Jus Nat. & Gent. Lib. 3. ch. 22, completely satisfies us, that Sunday was the first day of the week in the East from the remotest antiquity, and their Supreme Deity." that on this day the idolators worshipped "As to the Israelites, when God gave his commandment on Sinai, in the memo rable expression 'Remember,' it implies that they were previously acquainted with a Sabbath of weekly occurrence. In some respects, however, the Jewish Sabbath, on very strong grounds may be considered as a new and peculiar appointment, adapted to their particular circumstances, which, whilst it afforded them the opportunity of celebrating the creation of the world and the divine perfections therein displayed, was specially to be moreover observed by them, to celebrate their deliverance from Egypt; and on that day they were by divine direction to commemorate that event. Now, though we "There is great reason to believe, that the Sabbath of the Israelites was altered with their year at their coming forth from Egypt, and a short attention to this point may not here be improper. The case then seems to be this. At the finishing of the creation, God sanctified the seventh day. This seventh day being the first day of Adam's life, was consecrated by way of first fruits to God, and therefore Adam may reasonably be supposed to have began his computation of the days of the week with the first whole day of his existence. Thus the Sabbath became the first day of the week. But when mankind fell from the worship of the true God, they first substituted the Sun in his place, and preserving the same weekly day of worship; but devoting it to the Sun; the Sabbath was thence called Sunday. Thus the Sabbath of the Patriarchs continued to be the Sunday of the idolators till the coming up of the Israelites out of Egypt, and then, as God altered the beginning of their year, so he also changed the day of their worship from Sunday to Saturday. The first reason of which might be, that as Sunday was the day of worship among the idolaters, the Israelites would be more likely to join with them if they rested on the same day, than if they were to work on that day and serve their God upon another. But a second reason certainly was-in order to perpetuate the memory of their deliverance on that day from Egyptian slavery. For Moses, when he applies the fourth commandment to the particular case of his own people, (Deut. v. 15,) does not enforce it, as in (Exod. xx. 11,) by the consideration of God's resting on the seventh day, which was the Sabbath of the Patriarchs; but binds it upon them by saying “ Remember that thou wast a servant in Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm; therefore the Lord thy God hath commanded THEE to keep THIS VOL. IV. Ch. Adv. have reason to believe that the Jewish Sabbath was not the primitive Sabbath, but that it was made to appertain to the Jewish polity under the express command of God, "Thy children shall observe the Sabbath throughout their generations;" yet the morality of the Sabbath is not hereby destroyed, but confirmed: and the direct appointment of the seventh part of time is binding upon the world in all ages. The Jewish polity, however, being now terminated by the dispensation of the gospel, the peculiarity of this appointment ceases with it, and of course, without the need of any further direct command, the Christian Sabbath, or the first day of the week, hath attached to it all the sanctity and authority of the primitive Sabbath. It is emphatically called the Lord's Daythe day in which He, who died for our sins, rose again for our justification; whose grace we know, and the mysteries of whose love we celebrate-The day sanctioned by those inspired men, who were specially taught by Jesus Christ in all things pertaining to his kingdom, who received their commission from his hand to preach the gospel to every creature, and were specially anointed to this office, by the descent of the Holy Ghost upon them, when the day of Pentecost was fully come; which, also, was the Lord's day. Of this day, they made use, for the purpose of carrying their great commission into effect; and gave the influence of their example, acting as inspired men, for the benefit of the church in after ages; an example, followed by the primitive Christians*, without scruple, and there.. fore, under the certain conviction, that this day was, by divine authority, set apart for divine worship. "The dispensation of the gospel is a new creation, which hath broken in upon us; and the Christian Sabbath is a standing memorial, both of the creation of the world and the redemption of man. It is SABBATH DAY.'"-Vid. Kennicott's Dissert. on the Ob. of Cain and Abel, p. 184. Barnabas, in his Epistle, says, p. 56, That we joyfully celebrate the eighth day, in memory of the resurrection of our Saviour, because, it was on this day, he arose again and ascended into Heaven.' Ignatius, the martyr, in his letter to the Magnesians, would have us honour this day of the Lord, this day of the resurrection, as the first and most excellent of days. Justin Martyr, says, "That the Christians assemble together on this day, because it was the day of the creation of the world, and of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.' Ireneus, Tertullian, Origen, say the same thing."-Vid. Calmet's Dict. in verb. Sab. 2 F |