on the third he again separated the waters from the land; then he clothed the earth with plants and trees. Olympas. What did he call the dry land, when separated, and the waters when gathered together? James. He called the dry land earth, and the gathered waters seas. Olympas. What was created on the fourth day? Susan. The sun, moon, and stars. the firmament of the heaven. These luminaries were placed in Olympas. For what purpose were these so placed? William. To divide the day from the night-for signs, for seasons, for days, and for years. Olympas. Can any of you explain these signs and seasons for which so many luminaries were placed in the upper firmament, or in the heavens? Edward. You told us, when going through Genesis the first time, that signs mean tokens; and certainly they are tokens of God's care and goodness, of his wisdom and power, as exercised for us. They also make seasons for labor and for worship; and then we count on time by the motion and position of these luminaries. Olympas. What was created the fifth day? Eliza. Fish and fowl. Olympas. Whence were the fowls formed? Mary. From the waters. same element. Fish and fowl were formed from the Olympas. Were they only water fowls, or were all sorts of birds formed out of the water? Mary, All sorts of fowls that fly in the open firmament of heaven. Olympas. This, I presume, is the cause of that peculiar knowledge of the humid changes in the weather, for which all manner of winged fowls are so remarkable. Does any of you remember the remarks made about a year ago on the waters bringing forth abundantly? Thomas Dilworth. You said that the waters were infinitely prolific. of life-that so many as 30,000 animalcules were discovered in one drop. You also said that the fecundity of fish transcended any thing on the earth or in the air. A carp, you said, laid 20,000 eggs, and a codfish about 10,000,000. Thus the sea is capable of sustaining many more individuals than the earth. God blessed the fish, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas." Olympas. And whatr emained for the sixth day? Susan. On the sixth day he created all the inhabitants of the earthbeasts, cattle, reptiles-every thing that liveth and moveth upon the earth; and, last of all, man and woman. Olympas. Reuben Thom, can you name the different creative acts in order? Reuben. I will try, sir. 1st. The substance of the heavens and the earth. 2d. Light. 3d. The vast expanses, the atmosphere, and the ethereal regions. 4th. The vegetable kingdom. 5th. The luminaries of heaven. 6th. The fowl and the fish. 7th. The animal kingdom that belongs particularly to the earth. Olympas. Let me propose this matter in another form: How many distinct commands did God give in all the details of creation? Can you inform us, John? John. I find ten distinct imperatives. 1st. Let there be light. 2d. Let there be firmament. 3d. Let the waters be gathered together. 4th. Let the dry land appear. 5th. Let the earth bring forth grass. &c. 6th. Let there be luminaries in the heavens. 7th. Let the waters bring forth abundantly. 8th. Let the earth bring forth living creatures. 9th. Let us make man. 10th. Let him have dominion. Olympas, Observe especially the order of creation. It is as perfect as the creation itself. Order has respect to the nature and relations of things as regards cause, effect, mechanical force, time, place, circum. stance. The creation of the materials is naturally first. Hence the substance of the universe was first made. Out of this mass light is first formed, because of the unsuitableness of darkness to a display of wisdom, power, and goodness; and because in light, associated with heat, as expressed in the Hebrew AUR, is the vital principle of animated nature. After light, the ethereal, as essential to the separation of the various creations, as well as to life; probably itself the effect of the electric principle associated with light. Then the separation of land and water, as prerequisite to vegetable existence; then the clothing of the new formed earth with vegetable apparel; next the sun, moon, and stars to nourish those plants, and shrubs, and trees; for although they could be made without this influence, they could not live or flourish without it. Then the peopling of the waters and the air after the vegetable kingdom produced them subsistence. Finally, the earthborns, when all things were ready for their nourishment and defence. And last of all, man, for whom, as the ultimate end, all mundane things exist. John. How could light and darkness alternate so as to produce night and day three days before the sun, moon, and stars were created? Olympas, Have you never observed the Aurora Borealis, sometimes called the Northern Lights, irradiate our portion of the earth almost with the brightness of day? Now this is demonstrated to be electric light, or, if you please, primitive light; and we have only to con ceive of an increase of said light and of the rotatory motion of the earth on its axis, antecedent to the creation of the celestial luminaries. Terrestrial light. or the light of electricity, was necessarily prior to solar light, as an agent to form the expanse or firmament; the medium through which the "bright effulgence" of solar light reaches our eyes. Into this light the earth merged as it now merges into solar light be cause of its diurnal motion. But, Edward, are we to suppose that the process of creation can be fully comprehended by man? Edward. God's ways are often inscrutable, and he is said to dwell in light, to which no man can approach. Olympas. We do not, then, seek to explain the process; but we intend to show that it is as congruous to our reason as any thing we can imagine; or, in other words, that it cannot be rationally objected to: so far from it, that the more the order of creation is considered, the more philosophy-the more wisdom will be discovered in it. The creation is a grand origlnal. It had no model. It was no imitation or resemblance of antecedent existences. The archetype of the whole and of each part lay eternally in the deep recesses of the Supreme Intelligence. But we must interrogate you more particularly on the formation and primitive state of man. This, however, we must reserve for the evening lesson. A. C. CONVERSION, A REAL CHANGE. MR. and Mrs. S., of the city of V-s, were a very polite and accomplished pair. They were amongst the elite of the city, and fashionable to a scruple. Their children were ever and anon thrumming it away on the piano, and taking lessons in the dancing school. They were genteelly hypocritical; could smile without good humor; laugh without being pleased; sigh without being sad; and could be polite with.. out affection or esteem. The parents held a very honorable pew in a fifty thousand dollar church, and sabbatically listened to a superb literary performance; in which the parson, the choir, and the clerk handsomely performed their respective parts. The sermon was always delightfully short, rhetorically composed, and elegantly read. The prayer was pompously august, and admirably adapted to the chaste ears of a literary and philosophic audience. The choir were accomplished theatricals-the organ cost a thousand dollars-consequently the music was superbly sacred. The amateurs were in ecstacies during the grave sweet melodies of their devotions. But Mr. and Mrs. S. happened to hear a proclaimer of the oldfashioned gospel of Christ, who in his itinerations visited a watering place for health, to which they had resorted for pleasure. The plain, intelligent, and pathetic orator knew well how to do his Master's work. He stated the gospel facts, developed their import, urged the precepts, and stored away the promises in the minds of his hearers. Those who came for amusement waited to pray, and amongst these were found the visiters from V-s. Their hearts were pierced; their consciences awoke. They became deeply interested, and were constant attendants on the ministry of brother P. In a few evenings they made the good confession, renounced the world, the flesh, and the devil-put on Christ, and united themselves to the church of Antioch in their own city. They were found on the next Lord's day in the plain garb of the new brotherhood. Their fineries were put off when they put on Christ. Their children were immediately taken from the dancing school. They continued to perfect the science of music; but it was indeed sacred music. The Bible became the burthen of the morn and of the even, and the standing topic of the day. Hymn-singing and social rejoicings occupied the hours of frivolous gossipping; and, indeed, the house of our new convert, from being the resort of fashion and of noisy merriment, became a Bethel-a house where prayer was wont to be made and hymns to be sung. 'Surely,' said all that knew the family, there is a power in religion yet; and conversion is in truth a change of neart and a change of life. A. C. OUR NAME. "I SAID, Age should speak, and length of days should teach wisdom.”—But “I also will show my opinion." "Words are wind;" and I am truly sorry to see a "name" making such a stir among us. Cui bono? If it were necessary to single out any one appellation from the scriptures, by which alone we would call ourselves, and be called, I would choose with brother Scott the name Christian. But I have two objections to this:-First, the thing cannot be done; and, in the second place, if it could be, it is not desirable; for we have no precedent in the scriptures of truth. The ancient Christians never thus sought to appropriate to themselves any one particular name!! They used indifferently, in addressing each other, some twenty different appellations; as, "Brethren," "holy brethren," "saints;" "the sanctified in God the Father," "the faithful," "the believers." I have called you "friends," says the Saviour: "you are my friends if you do whatsoever I command you." They were "kings and priests to God”—“ a royal priesthood"—"a holy nation, a purchased people." But they received these dignified titles for a far more important purpose than the fixing of "their name" It was that they should "show forth the praises of Him who had called them from darkness into his marvellous light." Is it not, then, vastly more important that we seek to establish a right character than a right name? If we even should chance to get a mean name fastened upon us, good characters can make that name honorable' But, 'Alas! what [good name] can ennoble sots, or slaves, or cow. ards!" One of Cicero's friends advised him in his youth to have his name changed, as he thought one of his talents ought to have a more dignified name than “a bean.” Cicero replied, "I intend by my conduct to make my name, however insignificant, as honorable as that of any other man.' How contemptible did Antiochus Epiphanes render himself by selecting such a pompous title "Illustrious"!! His contemporaries said, "He ought rather to have called himself Epimanes," "a mad man." Let us not then, brethren, aim at high things" in choosing a name; let us not deceive ourselves or others by a name which we do not deserve: for, verily, the three-fourths of all the professing Christians I have ever seen, of all denominations, would be more appropriately called "Disciples of Mammon, or of Bacchus, Tobacco, than disciples of Him who was "meek and lowly," "whồ went about doing good," who was a pattern of self-denial, and "had not where to lay his head." Let us then, brethren, exert all our energies to the formation of perfect characters, and leave the name to follow, as the shadow does the substance! If we deserve a good name, we shall assuredly receive it from all just beings: and as to the rest, it is no matter what they call us; for, as has been well quoted by our brother D. A., "the world knoweth us not." But if they even give us a bad name, "who shall harm us if we be followers of that which is good." Let us so live that it may be said of us, as was said of the ancient Christians, “See how these Christians love one another;" and then they may call us, as they did them, "Christians," or "Nazarenes," or "Atheists," or what they please. But I entreat my brethren not to turn aside to contend about shadows; for such, truly, are names!! "Contend for nothing but the fruit Since writing the above I have fallen npon a number of "The. Christian," edited by W. W. Eaton, at St. John, New Brunswick. It contains an article on "Our Name." From the amiable and sentimental style this article (and indeed the whole number) is written, I should have fallen in love with brother Eaton, if I had even disapproved of all his reasonings. I must say the essay is very specious, and contains some very strong reasons why we should call ourselves "Chris |