tion, and salvation is produced by right customs and institutions; and they should ever do what in them lies to reform the one, and to improve the other.

In all endeavors to ameliorate the condition of society, by reforming and improving customs and institutions, men should guard against an impracticable spirit.

To such a spirit, those warmly engaged in such endeavors are quite liable. They have their views of what ought to be, and are very liable to insist on that, and to refuse to do anything, or cooperate in doing anything, short of that. We should not forget the truth contained in the familiar and homely maxim, that "half a loaf is better than no bread;" nor the truth, illustrated by all history, that reforms and improvements always come by degrees. They can be produced, in communities and nations, only by union and cooperation among those who desire them. Those who desire them have quite various views, both as to doctrines and measures. And if each insists on reducing to practice his own doctrines, and on adopting his own favorite measures, those or nothing; if each insists that all must come to his plans; there can be no cooperation, and nothing, or very little, can be done. Let each, indeed, unfold his own views of truth, duty, and policy. Thus the real truth will be elicited, understood and impressed. But we should not be impracticable. We should be willing to cooperate with others, so far as they do agree with us.

can not unite to aim high, then we should unite to aim lower. If we can not unite to do an important thing at once, but can unite to do it by degrees, the latter is the course of wisdom and duty. It is better unitedly to aim at a good but partial result, and accomplish it, than to have separate aims, though some of them be higher and better, and accomplish nothing. It is better to carry a few letters in the alphabet of wise and useful reformation, by union and coöperation, than to fail of carrying even one, by insisting each ou a different letter, though some should aim at the higher letters. It is certainly better to unite in saying A to day, and B to-morrow, and C next day, and so on, till by degrees the whole alphabet is carried, than to insist on saying the whole at once, and to aid in nothing short of that, when that, owing to the diverse views and plans of well disposed men, is for the present, utterly impracticable. If we can not do what we would, we should do what we can. If we can not accomplish what, in our view, is first best, we should do what is second best, or third best, rather than do nothing.

Owing to the imperfection of human nature and human character, we frequently see manifestations of this impracticable spirit among those who are earnest and zealous for reforms and improvements in customs and institutions. We should guard against

this on the one hand; while, on the other hand, we should cultivate an earnest and zealous spirit in behalf of human welfare.

And yet, in this connection, it ought to be said, that it is better to be impracticable zealots in reform than those who are indisposed to do anything except to cling to things just as they are. For the former answer the good purpose of rousing the community to a sense of the existence of great evils, and to the necessity of reforming them; and though unfit to be leaders, and to plan measures, they often awaken and call in others, of less impulse and more wisdom, who at length take the helm; whereas the latter answer no purpose in such matters, except the poor purpose of an indiscriminate aud blind holding back.

Once, when our Savior was on earth, as he was passing along, many of his disciples, there in the open way, began to praise God with a loud voice. Whereupon some among the multitude, thinking, probably, that the disciples, in their zeal, were very indecorous and "ultra," spoke to Jesus, and said unto him, "Master, rebuke thy disciples." And he answered and said unto them, "I tell you, that if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out." So it may well be said with regard to those who are called with some justice, impracticable zealots and ultraists in reform; if these should hold their peace, others who account themselves wiser, very likely would sleep, and sleep on, over human wrong and degradation and misery till the very stones would cry out. Still, though it would not be well for them to hold their peace, it would be well if they would temper their zeal with discretion, and cultivate that practicable spirit which would unite their strength with that of others.

Another thought is worth expressing. They who are disposed or engaged to ameliorate the condition of their fellow men by reforming and improving customs and institutions, should not war upon each other, but should treat one another with conciliation and charity.

A man of observation is tempted to conclude that Christians and philanthropists are peculiarly prone to quarrel. It is certainly true that they have in all ages spent in contending with each other, and that not without acrimony and a very uncourteous nomenclature, too much of that strength which should have been expended on their benevolent and pious objects. There is a reason for this on the one hand in human weakness and imperfection, and on the other hand in the intense interest which Christians and philanthropists feel in the plans to which they are devoted; an interest, which, in their weakness, renders them intolerant of differences and obstacles.

This disposition has been especially manifest in the movements of good men with regard to an institution which all good men

deplore the institution of slavery. The true friends of the op pressed African race have been very much divided into parties, blind almost to each other's merits; and have expended more strength in warring with each other than upon the objects which they all have desired to accomplish. The result of such disagreement and contentions has, according to natural laws, been unhappy. Much strength has been wasted, much labor lost, many alienations produced. Many have been placed in false po sitions, and have been led to believe that many, who are really good, are enemies of all goodness. On which side there has been most fault it is difficult and unnecessary to say. On the one hand, many a generous, noble man has been made a fanatic by calling him a fanatic; and, by a cold, unsympathizing and bitter opposition to his well meant and at first not very unwise efforts for a good object, and by covering him with odium and suspicion, has been almost driven to employ all the energies of his burning soul in the course of a moral Ishmaelite. And on the other hand, many a true friend of the African race has been almost driven by a want of sympathy with the difficulties of his position, or by unjust imputations and indiscriminate abuse, into a position of antagonism to every plan for their emancipation, and almost every plan for ameliorating their hard condition. Many a man has been made pro-slavery by calling him pro-slavery. We may hope that a wiser day has dawned with regard to this intensely interesting subject. It may be hoped that good men will henceforth be more united in their feelings and acts respecting it, remembering that few have been sufficiently free from blame to cast stones at others.

But not only on this subject, which has been introduced here chiefly for illustration, but on all subjects that relate to social reform and improvement, it is wise to act upon the rule not to contend, certainly not with any harshness, with any man who has in the main a right spirit, and is aiming at a good result. He should be permitted to work. He should not be abused for his errors or mistakes. He should not be put down. The action of the right spirit within him, and the sympathy of others so far as they can agree with him, together with wise counsel kindly given, will correct his errors far sooner than opposition. On this plan far the most will be accomplished both for God and man. Reformers and philanthropists should never spend their strength and aggravate their differences, and sour their spirits, and leave their great work to stand still, by contending with each other. Each one should do his own good rather than employ himself in hunting and proclaiming his brother's heresy or error.

Moreover in the work of ameliorating the condition of men by reformation and improvement in practices and institutions, while

our chief reliance is to be placed upon the Christian church, there are agencies outside of the church which should be valued and sought and enlisted. In all measures which have for their object the good of the race, the church of Christ should be foremost, since he was, and since such measures spring from the principles which he taught, especially from the principle of human brotherhood. And when the church is not foremost in wise measures for promoting human welfare, then its apostasy will be proved. For by its fruits it is known.

But that is a very narrow idea, which sometimes issues from the pulpit, that the church alone is to he engaged, or relied on, in works of reformation and improvement. Aid is to be sought and employed, in whatever quarter it can be obtained. In social reforms and improvements much may be done by appealing to the sense of justice, to the generous impulses, to the humane feelings, and to the interests, of men who are without piety. How much has been done for example in the temperauce reformation by men outside of the church. And how can that enterprise triumph in any community, if the aid of those without the church is not accepted and sought? In any outward reformation or improvement, we should accept aid, real aid, from whatever motive it is given. If a man, for instance, will practice on the principle of opposing in himself and others the use and sale of intoxicating drinks, his aid is to be accepted, even if he gives it from a selfish motive, for example from parsimony. That is better than to sell or to drink a pernicious beverage. And so with regard to all social evils we should get aid in reforming them wherever we can find it.

It is one of the encouraging signs of these days, that the ideas and principles of Christianity have a wide influence outside of the church. Christianity affects men far beyond the limits of those who are truly Christian in heart. The effect of the gospel is such as in a measure to imbue the mind of the whole community with its views of justice and benevolence. "Even infidelity," it has been shrewdly said, "has become in these days almost hopefully pious." The public opinion and the spirit of the age have been so far affected by Christianity as to require that men who would be respected must have at least an outward regard to the welfare of society and of the race. May it be so, it will be so, more and more. And God forbid that the church should act on the narrow plan of monopolizing the work of doing good. She should seek to engage as many as she can in the various works of philanthropy and plans for the relief and improvement of the race, from whatever motive they act; if with a good motive, very well; if from a bad motive, better that than to do nothing, or to do evil, from a bad motive. Paul went farther than this, and applied this principle to the work of preach

ing the gospel. "Some indeed," says he, "preach Christ even of envy and strife and some also of good will. The one preach Christ of contention, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: but the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel. What then? notwithstanding every way whether in pretence or in truth, Christ is preached; and therein do I rejoice, yea and will rejoice."

ART. III.-GOBAT'S

ABYSSINIA.

Journal of three Years Residence in Abyssinia. By Rev. SAMUEL GOBAT, now Bishop of Jerusalem. Preceded by an Introduction, geographical and historical, on Abyssinia. Translated from the French, by Rev. SERENO D. CLARK. Accompanied with a biographical sketch of Bishop Gobat, by ROBERT BAIRD, D.D. New York: Published by M. W. Dodd. 1850.

THIS work makes us acquainted with a missionary who by his talents, humility, piety and devotedness, has drawn from Dr. Baird the testimonial, "We do not believe that Henry Martyn was a more remarkable man." One of our oldest missionaries in Syria, while on a visit to this country recently, publicly expressed his esteem for Gobat in language not less emphatic. In bringing to our notice the character and labors of such a man, this journal is the more interesting, because it exhibits an aspect of Episcopacy the very opposite of that pitiful exhibition of hierarchical meanness and arrogance, by which Bishop Southgate so long held the Episcopal church pilloried before the abhorrent gaze of Christendom. Here is no inkling of prelatical assumption, no fawning on the dignitaries of a corrupt church, no wheedling recommendations of the missionary's own church to his degraded hearers by the likeness of its government and ritual to theirs; but the uncompromising rebuke of those priests and dignitaries for their dependence on forms, the faithful preaching of faith in Christ and repentance from dead works as the essentials of piety, the manly teachings of a true embassador of Christ that all of every church who are born of the Spirit, and only they, are the elect of the one spiritual and universal church. In these days of prelatical pruriency, and tape and muslin Laud-worship, it is refreshing to find such a heart throbbing beneath a bishop's lawn, and to know that the Church of England has honored the Episcopal office by giving it to such a man, and assigning to it so truly an apostolical work. And as the history of different evangelical denominations shows in each such gems of piety, we re