and

I now return you my most sincere and hearty thanks. I acknow-
ledge I rather wearied for your last. Not that at any time I would
mean to hurry you, or ask an account of your silence. Far from
that I shall always be exceeding glad to hear from you when
your writing will not be in the least inconvenient. Your apology,
for which there was no need, was too satisfactory. We need trials;
and, thanks to Christ, we get them. Happy they who are ready to
encounter the last enemy, and having done all to stand. All must
die; most die fools; but there are a few who die wise indeed.
Blessed death, to die in Him who is life itself! How glad was I to
hear that your father-in-law lived and died in the Lord! Dear in
God's sight was that saint's death, and well might he say, Thy ser-
vant, Lord, I am, and will be to eternity. I have some faint thoughts
what Mrs. Newton would feel upon the death of her dear father;
I really feel much for her. It may seem enthusiastic; but it is true,
that I am as much concerned in Mrs. Newton's welfare as that of
my nearest relations. Though it might be your loss, it was his
exceeding gain; the day of his death being better than the day of
even his second birth. You tell me he was in extreme pain; but
the very moment that death executed the commission pain for ever
ceased, and pining sickness never touches more. He would be
delightfully surprised to find himself out of the arms of his mourning
daughter in the embraces of a set of kind and beneficent spirits, ap-
pointed to convoy him to the heavenly mansions! Luke tells us,
that the beggar died, and was carried by angels into Abraham's
bosom; and this honour have all the saints. What unknown plea-
sures would he taste in conversing with the natives of the better
country! What information would they give him of the manners,
the privileges, the glories, and especially of the King of the country
he was going to! You justly observe that his death is not properly
a subject for mourning. We are indeed apt to mourn at the death of
even our religious friends, though undoubtedly we ought to rejoice.
that they have made such a happy change. They are safe in the
harbour, while we are tossing on a rough and stormy sea; they are
in the land of long and everlasting joy, while we are wandering in the
weary vale of tears; they are perfectly holy and happy, while we
are in perpetual danger from corruption within and from number-
less snares and temptations without. It is Christ's will they should
be in heaven, and why should we be against it? He wants them

with him to behold his glory; intensely to search into the vast extent of it, to admire and praise, to rejoice and glory in it.

We need not then sorrow as those who have no hope, but let us follow them who, through faith and patience, are possessing the promise. If we have grace in the bud, it will at length be blown into the full blossom of glory, and we shall soon join the large assembly of saints above, who have it for their unwearied employ to contemplate the fair Immanuel.

After all, to me, at least, death is an awful subject. Often, very often, do I shudder at the thoughts of launching into the world of spirits.

My worthy Sir, let me frequently have a share in your prayers; and when praying for me it will always be a suitable petition (it is a very comprehensive one) that the Lord would make me willing and ready to die. I must stop, and not weary you.

I am quite happy, if the hints I sent you about the Secession were in the least satisfactory. Your letter was so long in coming, that I was afraid you might consider that what I wrote was someway reflecting on Episcopacy, and so heartily despise writing. I was conscious that nothing of that kind was meant, and that simply a few facts were noticed. Pardon the ungenerous surmise, which arose merely from a fear of offending you. I might have known your spirit better. I can, with the utmost safety assure you, “that I like you every way as well as though you were an Antiburgher, like myself." I am very much obliged to you for the sketch of your sentiments, and earnestly beg your Commentary (as you call it) on every thing I write you, and as much new text as possible. Could you possibly think that any thing you write would offend me ? Perhaps I would be the last person living whom you could offend, especially when writing to myself. Much more need have I to "entreat you to bear with my weakness, and pass by it, if I have written any thing which should displease you."

Sir, rather pity me, that I promised another sheet upon the Seceders. I may weary you; and it is not so easy as might be thought to write about real religion in this country. It is easy telling you what profession there is, but it is not so easy to discern the practice and reality. A stranger would be apt to suspect me of prejudice, were I to express my sentiments about real religion in the established church. There are many good men in it, at which I

greatly rejoice yet I cannot help saying, that the number of faithful, diligent, evangelical ministers, and of holy, tender, humble Christians, comparatively is but small, very small.

Our clergy

There are near one hundred ministers in the Antiburgher Synod. I cannot tell the precise number of Burgher ministers, but they are considerably fewer. Our congregations, upon an average, may be reckoned at four or five hundred examinable persons. They generally consist of the lower or middling sort of people. men are, for the most part, maintained as decently as those of the established church. Each Synod has one appointed to teach divinity; so that our students attend the universities only for the languages and philosophy. We attend our professor the same number of years as they do at the universities, and are enjoined the same exercises, only we allot the Saturdays for prayer and conferencea thing known at no university. Those days we never think lost. Our present professor is a man of a most amiable character. He has a vast deal of solid sense, and speaks of things the most difficult in divinity with the same ease and simplicity as if it were of some common story. He has a most amazing acquaintance with the Bible, and is very religious. There is the greatest difference imaginable between his lectures and those delivered at Glasgow or Edinburgh. I know them all.

In the establishment any person may prosecute studies who pleases. He is taken no notice of by the clergy till he offers himself to some Presbytery for license. With us the case is otherwise. If a young man means to attend the college, he must acquaint the Presbytery under whose inspection he is; the Presbytery then examines his knowledge, as to learning and religion, and encourages or not accordingly. And, after a regular course at the university, when about to study, he has to undergo a second examination before a committee of Synod. The most learned are generally members of this committee; for we have learned men. At this examination they are peculiarly strict as to real religion, and particularly as to the motives inducing them to study divinity. They are examined in the same manner a third time before license, and a fourth before ordination. Well do I mind the time when I looked upon this strictness as nothing but whim, bigotry, and Pharisaic precision, &c.; but I have altered my mind. I now see the beauty and vast utility of it, and am convinced that all, in a human way,

depends upon our licentiates, and therefore the Synod cannot be too strict. These may seem small things, but perhaps it is in a great measure owing to them that—

One thing among us is very comfortable; for, from the one side of the kingdom to the other, our ministers preach all as with one voice. As to doctrine, they are entirely the same. Religious people in the establishment have to pass this and that parish, and to go some three or four, before they can be sure of food for their souls. Among the Seceders there is no need for this. One minister may be weaker than another, both in grace and gifts, but even the weakest aims at being evangelical, and the most are truly so.

As to their manners, (language and delivery I mean,) some have more of the unaffected simplicity of the old Scotch Presbyterian, while others affect more of the fashionable and polite air, though it does not always succeed with them. I have often observed these less attentive to the matter of their sermon; and their manner leads the more ignorant to admire the man rather than the sentiment. Hence, sometimes the silliest preachers are the most popular at first, though in a course of years a man is generally esteemed according to his real merit. The amiable and godly Mr. Hervey has, to be sure very innocently, hurt a great many preachers here. They will attempt (and a needless, hard task it is) to imitate his poetic prose, and they only get some high-sounding vocables ill enough joined.

Reading sermons is very frequent in the establishment, but never has appeared in the Secession. In the Kirk indeed it prevails most among the fashionable, careless Arminians. It is a practice universally hated by all serious people here.

MR. WM. BARLASS TO THE REV. JOHN NEWTON.

Rev. and dear Sir,

I WISH I could tell you, weeping, about the low state of religion in the Secession. There is great ground of lamentation. We have been highly favoured. We have the Gospel in great plenty and purity. But we have brought forth wild grapes. There has been a long time of outward peace and quiet, and we are in general fallen into much insensibility. Deadness, wordly-mindedness, unthank

fulness, and want of Christian love are diseases, alas! too prevalent among us. Love to God is not properly evidenced by delighting in his word and ordinances. Yet the Lord has not forgotten to be gracious. Christians at times have reason to say, that as they have heard, so their eyes have seen it, and their hearts felt it in the city of our God. There is no congregation among us, wherever I was acquainted, or as far as I can learn it from others, in which there are not some who give evidence of being born from above. The good Shepherd is daily bringing some into his sheepfold, and feeding those whom he has already brought in, though, not in such numbers or in so remarkable a manner as he sometimes does. And who are we, that we should despise the day of small things? In every congregation there are a good number of praying societies. In some places our ministers will not baptize a man's child, unless he brings a line-testimonial from the society whereof he is a member. This obliges them to commence members, and attend. This, however, is not the case in all congegrations. A society seldom consists of more than six, and seldom more than twelve, members. They meet once a week, and continue generally near three hours. Two or three questions on practical religion are discussed, and two or three members pray. This duty is sometimes peculiarly owned of God; members talk; Christ draws near, and opens up the Scriptures; their hearts begin to burn; and, when warm, they pour them out to Christ.

The communion is celebrated in some of our congregations twice, and in some but once, a year. This, perhaps, is seldom enough; but the loss is quite made up another way. Our people have frequent opportunities of joining in the neighbouring congregations; so that a person in health, if he has a desire, has, at least, an opportunity of joining six times a year. Persons, indeed, in the highlands are an exception. In every congregation a fast is observed the week before dispensing the sacrament. Always two, and sometimes three, sermons are preached the preparation Saturday, and two on Monday. This has long been the custom in Scotland. No sensible person among us will insist that these are indispensably, necessary; but as few real Christians but will allow that they are highly beneficial, we have great crowds attending on these occasions; and though, "what went ye out for to see," would be a hard question to many of us, yet a number will always come hungering