views of some parts, at least, of revealed truth. | Those, for example, who insist on adult baptism, make this, of course, one of the terms of their communion, they enrol no man in their society unless he assent to it. And so this is an article, whether written or unwritten is of no moment, to which every candidate for Church-membership among them must subscribe. It would clearly be idle to say that they take Scripture only for their creed; for, be their practice right or wrong, -that is not now the question-it is not bare Scripture, but their view of Scripture, which is presented and insisted on. The same may be said of all the other peculiarities which distinguish one denomination from another. It is evident, that if, in any of them, you are a candidate for office, and maintain opinions contrary to the received opinions of the body, even though you are perfectly conscientious in your belief, and appeal to Scripture in support of it, you will be excluded. And such exclusion would be really just and proper; otherwise, in the present condition of the world, no society could possibly be kept together. From these considerations, it may be, I think, assumed, that even where there are no written articles, there is the substance of them the principle, at least, is acted on. And if it be urged that, because they are not written, a perfect uniformity is not enjoined, what is this but to say that here, as in every other community in the world, there are certain opinions, or parts of opinions, which are not deemed vitally important? There is no Church, not even that of Rome, which has not, on some questions, left its people free to follow their private judgment.

Now, that law is most unsatisfactory which exists only in the breast of the judge; with every disposition to decide equitably, he will be more in danger of departing from his standard, justice, than if he has a written statute to guide him: and that Church is strangely deficient which has no plain authorised voice of her own, but which speaks only by the mouth of her individual ministers; with the purest intentions, these men will be biased by the force of circumstances, and their decisions will have a tendency to become unsettled and inconsistent. The particular principles maintained by different communities, if not enounced in distinct articles, will vary from time to time. They may be screwed up unseasonably to a higher pitch, they may be relaxed till the substance is well-nigh evaporated. And thus we have seen denominations, not fenced by these safeguards, lapse, imperceptibly it may be, but not less surely, into fearful error, till at last they have arrived at heresy, to resist which, their forefathers, whose name they re

tain, would willingly have shed their blood. By repudiating written confessions, a community places itself in a most anomalous position; for it cannot, as I have shewn, help using them just where it deems them obnoxious, as a test; while it loses their assistance where surely it would desire to have it, as a preservative.

I am very ready to acknowledge that Churches with creeds and confessions may err, and even apostatise from the faith; but such apostacy is not in consequence of, but in spite of these provisions. Their fall has been, not accelerated, but retarded by possessing them. For it is evidently more difficult for an error to become prevalent, when it must first be solemnly inserted in a code of articles, than when it can glide imperceptibly forwards, and when all it has to do is to corrupt the practice of those who bear authority. It is never pretended that the formu laries of which I speak are an absolutely effectual preservative against corruption; but they possess, I think I have sufficiently shewn, a strong tendency to counteract the advance of error, and to keep the stream of Christian doctrine, as it flows onwards through the lapse of years, clear and unpolluted. It is true that, when once introduced, error may thus, perhaps, be rendered more lasting; but it would be obviously unfair to argue from this, the abuse, against the use of creeds and articles. Every institution might be similarly attacked, and every wholesome authority abrogated. Besides, I am inclined

to ascribe to established formularies somewhat of a renovating influence. If a community without them departs from the faith, there is no trace left of its former standing, no marks or tokens, so to speak, in the trackless forest of error, by which to retrace its steps: whereas, if error is introduced into accredited confessions, still there is usually something that is valuable left (as in the example of Rome), disagreeing with the rubbish piled upon it; or even if every pure creed and article be rejected, the remembrance of them cannot be entirely obliterated: there they are on record, to be a speaking witness to the apostate how novel her preferred doctrines are, and, at least, to point her whence she has fallen. We have instances of Churches (the Syrian, in India, appears to be one) thus being kept alive, to waken at last from the slumber of ages, and rise once more to put on their "beautiful garments."

A liturgy, or daily service, is in this respect of special value. It embodies the doctrines of a creed into continual use. It bears a testimony, more prominent and hard to be silenced than any other can be, against the inroads of evil. Articles might possibly be

neglected by the many; but a liturgy is continually sounding in their ears. Besides, therefore, its employment as a means in which to worship God, it is a record of the truth to men, alike public and enduring. Let us, I would only add, carefully cherish these precious treasures, these stones gathered, as it were, from the Jordan, across which our fathers passed when escaping from the worse than Egyptian bondage of Rome, to be a memorial to the Lord for ever, an altar upon which, with joy and gladness, we may offer unto him the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. C.

MISSIONARY EXERTIONS IN UPPER CANADA.

We may,

WE intimated our purpose, a short time back, of directing our readers' attention to the "Society for converting and civilising the Indians, and propagating the Gospel among destitute settlers in Upper Canada." We think we cannot better fulfil that intention than by making some extracts from the journal of the Rev. A. Elliot, one of the travelling missionaries of the society, as published in its last report. however, premise, that this society (the object of which will be sufficiently understood from its appellation) is patronised by the lieut.-governor of the province, and under the presidency of the bishop of Quebec. Among its vice-presidents we observe the archdeacons and the chief-justice; and its operations appear to be conducted with a degree of wisdom and zeal, which promise, under God's blessing, the happiest results. But we must hasten to the promised extracts from the journal of Mr. Elliot, an indefatigable and devoted labourer, who is indeed spending and being spent in his divine Master's service. is giving an account of a missionary tour to the northern shores of Lake Huron, in the summer of 1835. "On Saturday, [June] the 27th (he says), we arrived at the Sault St. Marie, and were received by the Rev. William M Murray, who had been anxiously expecting us for some time, with great kindness. An assemblage of Indians, belonging to his congregation, saluted and welcomed us on our arrival with expressions of the greatest joy. During the short time that we remained there I had the pleasure of preaching several times to the Indians, and it is extremely gratifying to witness their orderly and decent behaviour while attending divine service. On one occasion, immediately after the sermon, three Christian couples, who had been married according to Indian usage before their conversion, stood up in the congregation, and their marriages were solemnised by the Rev. Mr. M'Murray.

He

"On Sunday, the 28th, we administered the holy communion to thirty-five persons, most of whom had been baptised and instructed by Mr. M'Murray. On that occasion he read a part of the prayers in the Chippewa tongue. Mrs. M'Murray, who speaks that language very fluently, was kind enough to interpret a part of my discourse to the Indians on the nature and design of the Lord's supper. She has taken much

pains in teaching them sacred music, and their singing is a very affecting and pleasing part of their worship. The congregation consisted of about 150 persons, and Mr. M'Murray informed me that the number of Indians receiving religious instruction from him is 216; many of them, however, are yet often necessarily absent from the mission.

"I have peculiar pleasure in being able to state, for the information of the society, that Mr. M'Murray's missionary labours have been attended with great success. In strictly examining some of the young Indians, in the presence of Captain Anderson, who is well acquainted with their language, I was happy to find that they have made rapid progress in the acquisition of scriptural knowledge, which evinces the assiduous exertions which must have been made at the mission for their instruction and improvement. Chinquacounse, the chief, made use of several expressions in a speech which he addressed to the assembled Indians at a council which I attended, that will shew more clearly than any observations which I am able to make, his acquaintance with the doctrines of the Gospel, and the duties of the Christian life.

"My friends (said he), the eye of the Great Spirit is upon us now that we are assembled together. It is the will of that Great Being that we should receive the religion which he hath made known to us in his word. For our sakes and for our salvation the Lord Jesus Christ came down from on high. The Lord is merciful, and always desirous to save us. Our sins were a heavy burden, and it was needful that he should lay down his life for us. He shed his blood to wash away our sins; without this we should be wretched here on earth. Let us consider this, and remember that, miserable beings as we are, he laid down his life for us. Now, my friends, this is what our ministers are teaching us, that we must look for the salvation of our souls to the Great God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Now, my friends, let us listen attentively to our minister, and then we shall be enabled to love one another, even as brothers and sisters love one another. My friends, we have been hearing ministers of different denominations; but let us not on that account be strangers to one another, but good friends!" Having exhorted his brethren to 'overcome the black bird, which had been singing about their ears for some time past, even as the Great God hath overcome the evil spirit,' he said, and let us pray to the Almighty God of heaven to strengthen our minds, that we may have power to do this.'"

We quote the closing paragraphs of Mr. Elliot's journal.

"I addressed them, a body of Indians from Lake Nippising, July 12, on the subject of religion, while they listened very attentively. After considerable discussion respecting Christianity and civilisation, they informed us, that should teachers be sent to their country, they would become members of the Church. A few of them, however, have already attached themselves to the Roman Catholics. It is probable that if an establishment should be formed at Lake Nippising, the Indians in the interior would resort to the mission, which might lead to their conversion and religious instruction. A young Indian from those parts repeated to Capt. Anderson a lamentable fact

which the latter has frequently stated to me, that instances have occurred of the natives of those distant solitudes being guilty of the horrid crime of killing their nearest relatives, and afterwards feasting on their lifeless remains.

“Having returned to Penetanguishine on the 13th, I had the pleasure, early on the following morning, of preaching to above 800 Indians, as they sat on the ground at the military establishment. On that occasion, I recognised many persons whom I had previously addressed in their native wilds, who repeated their assurances that they will attend to instruction, and attach themselves to the Church. The number of Indians who accepted my offer is 369, and 266 of these have expressed their determination to settle at the Manitoulin island [where Mr. E. was about to be stationed]. But there are many other Indians with whom I have had intercourse, and multitudes with whom no opportunities of communication have yet been afforded.

"The more that is seen and heard of these wretched but interesting wanderers of the wilderness, the more solicitude is felt for their speedy admission into the flock of Christ; and the thought ought not to be entertained, that any churchman, who is under the influence of the benevolent spirit of our religion, can withhold his aid in rescuing those from destruction for whom his Redeemer died.

"At a loss to account for the diversity of parties and persuasions into which the Christian world is unhappily divided, and perplexed by the various views in which religion is represented, but desirous to be partakers of the blessings which we enjoy, these simple sojourners of the rocks are calling upon us to shew them the way of salvation.' I need scarcely recommend them to the charitable consideration of the committee; and I hope that some effective plan may soon be devised for the promotion and accomplishment of the primary object of the society. the conversion and civilisation of the Indians by the agency of the Church."

We trust that this affecting appeal will be largely responded to; and we will only add a brief extract from the committee's report. "He [Mr. Elliot] expresses his apprehension, and in stronger terms than ever, lest the anxious efforts of the members of the Church to obtain her fixed ministrations, which he now repeatedly witnesses, should languish from the want of timely encouragement; and that with the present generation should expire, if not the remembrance, at least the predilection for the faith of their forefathers. In the heart of a city, with a capacious church, and a numerous society, this danger is not so sensibly perceived; but, in the woods, it assumes a painful reality, and is felt, perhaps, to be the greatest aggravation of their privations. The inhabitants, therefore, of the capital, and the more thickly peopled districts of the province, who abound in the outward means of grace, should remember, with tenderness, the spiritual destitution of the backwoodsman, and send from time to time, by the hand of zealous and faithful missionaries, to inquire after his religious welfare. Were situations exchanged for a moment, how beautiful' would they acknowledge the feet' of those to be who brought to their secluded dwelling the salvation of their Chris

LIFE OF THE HON. ROBERT BOYLE.
[Concluded from No. XIX.]

It would, of course, be impossible to follow Mr. Boyle through his researches from this period to the time of his death even to give a list of the publications which every year, nay, almost monthly, issued from the press, and upon which, chiefly, his prodigious fame as a philosopher is founded, would be impracticable. Nor would it accord with our objects. Our aim is rather to exhibit the influence which religion had upon his heart; and to shew how, in the midst of his profound investigations, the "wisdom that is from above" domineered, in his regards, above all other, and brought every study of this great man into captivity to itself. Mr. Boyle, in 1654, took up his residence at Oxford, whither the Philosophical Society had removed from the turbulence of London. At Oxford he mostly resided fourteen years, during which time he invented the air-pump, by the help of which he laid a founda. tion for a complete theory of pneumatics. But he studied theology here as well as philosophy, assisted by Dr. Pococke and Mr. Samuel Clarke, both great orientalists: he was also very intimate with Dr. Barlow, who was then head-librarian of the Bodleian Library, and afterwards Bishop of Lincoln, a man of known piety and varied learning.

On the restoration of Charles the Second he was treated with high respect by the king and his ministers, Southampton and Clarendon. The latter strongly urged him to enter into holy orders, thinking that he would cast lustre on the Church of England; but he declined the proposal, saying, that "whatever he did or wrote on the subject of religion would have greater weight in coming from a layman, since he well knew that the irreligious fortified themselves against all that the clergy could offer, by saying that it was their trade, and that they were paid for it." The admirable point in Mr. Boyle's character was, that all his efforts were directed to the promotion of "whatsoever things were lovely and of good report." His studies and his influence were directed to promoting religion and virtue. He had considerable weight with the king and his ministers, and he employed it in behalf of the society for the propagation of the Gospel in New England. His character was known and respected far and wide: as proofs of it, the Grand Duke of Tuscany requested to be permitted to correspond with him; and Charles II. nominated him, unasked, to the provostship of Eton, which was thought to be the fittest post for him in the kingdom. This, however, against the advice of all his friends, he declined, because he must forsake his present pursuits, whereby he could effectually sup

port the cause of religion; and, also, because he must take orders, to which, as we have before stated, he had an objection. He refused also to become president of the Royal Society, which his name and services had so much dignified. The highest public office he ever held was that of governor of the Corporation for the Propagation of the Gospel, and this he resigned when he found his health declining. He had been many years one of the directors of the East India Company, and was extremely useful in procuring their charter; his main inducement in doing which was the hope of prevailing with the company to exert themselves for spreading the Gospel in that extensive quarter of the world. There is a letter of his extant, which he wrote to that company, urging upon them the duty of such efforts wherever their commerce gave them an opportunity. Nor was he backward to contribute to this excellent design as a proof of it, he caused five hundred copies of the four Gospels, with the Acts of the Apostles, in the Malayan language, to be printed at Oxford in 1677, and sent abroad at his own expense. He gave a noble reward to Dr. Pococke, who, at his request, had translated "Grotius on the Truth of the Christian Religion," into Arabic; and was at the expense of the whole impression, which he took care should be distributed in the Levant. He had resolved to carry on the printing of the New Testament in Turkish; but the company thought that they ought to do this, and they only allowed him to contribute to the work, which he did largely. He gave 700l. to the edition of the Irish Bible, and took measures for its being distributed in Ireland; he contributed, also, liberally to the impression of the Welsh Bible. gave, during his life, 300l. towards the design of diffusing Christianity in America; and as soon as he heard that the East India Company were entering on the like work in the East, he sent 1007. to set an example, meaning to do much more when he should find the plan set on foot in earnest. Surely all this was to "honour the Lord with his substance:" this was not "to lay up treasure for himself, but to be rich towards God." Rich men often give liberally towards objects which are commendable, but unconnected with God's honour; others, again, cast in, of their abundance, to some cause of a religious kind; but it is from a regard to decency, and not out of a hearty interest in the merits of the cause. But, when we see a man thus systematically labouring, at a vast personal cost, to send the Scriptures of truth far and wide that man being himself profoundly versed in, and widely famed for human knowledge we cannot but decide, that he estimated far above all earthly wisdom (though he had explored its depths) the becoming "wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus."

He

In 1678 the Royal Society elected him as their president, but he declined that great honour, alleging that he was "" 'peculiarly tender in point of oaths." About this time Dr. Burnet, being engaged in compiling his History of the Reformation, Mr. Boyle gave largely towards the expense of publishing it. Dr. B. acknowledges his gift in the preface to the second volume. This, probably, was the period when he was engaged in promoting the spread of the Gospel among the American Indians, for he was at this time in correspondence with Mr. John Elliot, of New England,

whose name, as connected with missionary efforts, is well known. His letter to Mr. Elliot is an instance of his aversion to religious persecution in every shape.

After this time his health gradually declined: feeling this, he made the best use of the remainder of his days, which were now fast drawing to a close, in arranging his scattered writings. He also felt the necessity of "setting his house in order" in temporal respects; and accordingly, in the middle of the year 1689, he signed and sealed his last will. His disorder increasing, he departed this life the 30th of December, in the sixty-fifth year of his age, and was interred in the church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, on the 7th of January following.

Dr. Gilbert Burnet, bishop of Salisbury, preached his funeral sermon, from a text most apposite to the subject-Eccles. ii. 26. "For God giveth to a man that which is good in his sight, wisdom, knowledge, and joy."

He says that he was the better able to describe Mr. Boyle's character, from the many happy hours he had spent in conversation with him, in the course of twenty-nine years. The account of one so well qualified to form a just estimate of his merits, cannot but be received with interest: out of this account, therefore, we shall gather the general notice of his character, which will conclude our memoir.

Bishop Burnet gives a large account of Mr. Boyle's sincere and unaffected piety, and more especially of his zeal for the Christian religion, without having any narrow notions concerning it, or mistaking, as so many do, a bigoted heat in favour of a particular sect, for that zeal which is the ornament of a true Christian. He mentions, as a proof of this, his noble foundation for lectures in defence of the Gospel against infidels of all sorts. He had intended in his lifetime to establish this lecture, but was prevented by important reasons from doing so in his last will, however, he appropriated a liberal sum of money for a clergyman, who should, "in a few well-digested sermons, every year set forth the truth of the Christian religion in general, without descending to the subdivisions among Christians." The effects of this noble foundation have been conspicuous in the many volumes of excellent discourses which the "Boyle's Lecture" has given birth to. "His knowledge," says Burnet, "was of so vast an extent, that, if it were not for the variety of vouchers in their several sorts, I should be afraid to say all I know. He carried the study of the Hebrew very far into the Rabbinical writings, and the other oriental tongues. He had read so much of the Fathers, that he had formed a clear judgment of all the eminent ones. He had read a vast deal on the Scriptures, had gone very nicely through the various controversies in religion, and was a true master of the whole body of divinity. He read the whole compass of the mathematical sciences, and knew the abstrusest parts of geometry; but his peculiar and favourite study was chemistry. He spent neither his time nor fortune upon the vain pursuits of high promises and pretensions he always kept himself within the compass that his estate might well bear; and, as he made chemistry much the better for his dealing in it, so he never made himself either worse or the poorer for it. It was a charity to others, as well as an entertainment

to himself; for the produce of it was distributed by his sister and others, into whose hands he put it. He had possessed himself with such an amiable view of our holy religion, separated either from superstitious practices or the sourness of parties, that, as he was fully persuaded of the truth of it, and, indeed, wholly possessed with it, so he rejoiced in every discovery that nature furnished him with to illustrate it, or to take off the objections against any part of it. He always considered it as a system of truth, which ought to purify the heart and govern the life." "He had the profoundest veneration," continues Burnet, " for the great God of heaven and earth that I ever observed in any person. The very name of God was never mentioned by him without a pause and a visible stop in his discourse, in which one that knew him most particularly above twenty years (this was Sir Peter Pett), hath told me he was so exact, that he does not remember to have observed him once to fail in it. And, indeed, it appeared to those who conversed most with him on his inquiries into nature, that his main design in that (on which, as he had his own eye most constantly, so he took care to put others often in mind of it) was to raise in himself and others vaster thoughts of the greatness and glory, and of the wisdom and goodness of God."

civility, and would never assume the authority which all the world was ready to pay him. He allowed himself a great deal of decent cheerfulness; so that he had nothing of the moroseness to which philosophers think they have some right, nor of the affectations which men of an extraordinary pitch of devotion go into sometimes, without being well aware of them. He was, in a word, plainly and sincerely, in the sight of God, as well as in the view of men, a good man,' even one of a thousand.'

"I might here challenge the whole tribe of libertines to come and view the usefulness as well as the excellence of the Christian religion, in a life that was entirely dedicated to it, and see what they can object. I ought to call on all that were so happy as to know him well, and observed his temper and course of life, and charge them to sum up and lay together the many great and good things they saw in him, and from thence to remember always, to how vast a sublimity the Christian religion can raise a mind that does both thoroughly believe it, and is entirely governed by it. I might here also call up the multitudes of those who have been made both the wiser and the easier,

the better and the happier, by his means. But, that I might do all this with the more advantage, I ought to bring all at once into my memory, the many hours' conversations that, in a course of nine and twenty years, have fallen to my own share (which were very frequent and free for above half that time), that have so often both humbled and raised me, by seeing how exalted he was, and, in that feeling, made me more sensible of my own nothingness and depression, and which have always edified, and never once, nor in any one thing, have been uneasy to me. When I remember how much I saw in him, and learned, or at least might have learned from him; when I reflect on the gravity of his appearance, the elevation of his thoughts and discourses, the modesty of his temper, and the humi

rather to ceremony; and though he felt that his easiness of access, and the desire of many (all strangers, in particular) to be much with him, made great waste on his time; yet as he was severe in that, not to be denied when he was at home," (no new practice, then, it appears, though a most extensive one in our own day but bringing much guilt upon the authors of it, since they not only are the authors of the lie, but make their dependents partakers of their sin :) "so he said he knew the heart of a stranger, and how much eased his own had been while travelling, if admitted into the conversation of those he desired to see; therefore he thought his obligation to strangers was more than bare civility, it was a piece of religious charity

in him.

the best thoughts upon the worst minds; when, I say, I bring all this into my mind, as I form upon it too bright an idea to be easily received by such as did not know him, so I am very sensible that I cannot raise it equal to the thoughts of such as did. How divine and how pure must that religion be in itself which produced so long a series of great effects through the whole course of this shining life! What a thing would mankind become if we had many such! And how little need would there be of many books writ for the truth and excellency of our religion, if we had more such arguments as this one life hath produced! Such single instances have great force in them. But, when they are so very single, they lose much of their strength by this, that they are ascribed to singularity, and

"He spake of the government, even in times which he disliked, and upon occasions which he spared not to condemn, with an exactness of respect.

"He affected nothing that was solemn or supercilious. He used no methods to make multitudes run after him. It never appeared that there was any thing hid under all this appearance of goodness that was not truly so. He hid both his piety and his charity all he could. He lived in the truest methods of

tions that makes him rise above common measures. It were a monopoly for any family, or set of men, to engross to themselves the honour which arises from the memory of so great a man. It is a common not to be enclosed. It is large enough to make a whole nation, as well as the age he lived in, look big and be happy. But, above all, it gives a new strength, as well as it sets a new pattern, to all that are sincerely zealous for their religion. He was, while amongst us, indeed, 'one of a thousand,' and is now one of those