having been tossed and dashed and shattered by the storms of ambition, and the raging madness of jealousy, and envy, wrought up by disappointment. All men have their youthful gambols, and frolics intellectual; but the good man, by committing his ways to the Lord, and honestly and soberly plying the means of true discipline to his mind, will, after many tangent-flying tendencies, fall back to his true position, obedient to the law of gravitation. Germany, though rich in learning, and overflowing with sacred criticism, has, notwithstanding, poured out a perfect flood of crackedbrained learning on the world, to poison the simple and unsuspecting, who are apt to drink large draughts at such fountains. There are some honourable exceptions, however, and as that country has produced the malady, she has, to a great extent furnished the remedy. In all cases young men are the fathers of new theories. And this should, of itself, put mankind upon their guard against receiving for sober, settled and eternal truth, the jirks and jumps of unbalanced minds. The most distinguished men of Germany, such as Ernesti, Bretschneider, Rosenmuller, and Gesenius, were each, when young, alive to novelties, hostile to old forms, and ambitious to strike out something of their own. Bretschneider once called in question the authority of the Gospel by John; but many able men instantly came to its rescue, and by their arguments he was convinced and with commendable candour he acknowledged his error, and endeavoured to counteract it. Rosenmuller adopted the idea that the three first chapters of Genesis had a mythical or fabulous, and not a literal meaning; but between the two editions of his notes, he became convinced that the common interpretation was correct, and threw the novelty away. The celebrated Gesenius, (as we learn from Dr. Robinson's last edition of the Hebrew and English Lexicon, 1843,) though early in his career he rejected the common interpretations in general, still in all his latter works, to which he came with greater stores of knowledge, and more experience, he gradually came nearer and nearer to the common modes of thought and interpretation. Such testimonials as these are more honourable than the plaudits of light headed partizans to belligerent chiefs. I am Another incident worthy of record, relates to that great biblical critic, Michaelis.-A writer in Germany by the name of M. Hassencamp wrote against his Introduction to the New Testament, and notwithstanding his opposition to him, Michaelis speaks of him afterwards in most flattering terms, and thus concludes: "This impartial notice must not be regarded as a singularity in me. displeased with no one, because he differs from me somewhat in opinion, and writes against me; nor because he discovers a remarkable passage, which I did not discover. The belligerent manner of some scholars induces me to think it necessary, thus to apologise for my favorable notices of M. Hassencamp.” We intend not to intimate that young men are to be suspected in what they teach; no, but we wish young men to mind their proper business, which is to learn, and then to teach what they have learned. It is not their province to invent new things, but to become rooted and grounded in old and established things, that their senses may "be exercised to discern both good and evil.” It is not seemly to see a man of twenty-five, just after he has made a profession, and before he can have learned the first principles of Christianity, engaged in denouncing the world of professors as all out of the way, and treatingthe critics and commentators as he does his hornbook. When I think of Shuckford, Leland, and Prideaux, I blush internally at such unfortunate coxcombery. In no department, but in the profession of religion, can such arrogant and unbecoming conduct as the above, be tolerated. Suppose a young man to enter a chemical laboratory, and before he has been there one calendar year, shall denounce the labours of Priestly, Davy and Young, as nothing better than alchymy: what would be thought of him, I ask? There are, no doubt, many things wrong in religion, but a Solomon need not be asked if this is the best way to correct them. Besides, a man always begins the wrong lesson first, who aims to learn what is wrong before he learns what is right; and certainly a man would suit the plough and the field better than the Bible and the pulpit, who aims to teach the people how many errors they have imbibed, and in how many things they have been deceived, instead of labouring to teach them the truth, which has more power to correct their errors than he has, for the simple reason that God appointed it and not him for that purpose. Some would-be-wise-folks have almost as much to say about the errors and delusions of the sects, as they have about the mercy of God, the loveliness of Christ, and the necessity of poor perishing sinners trusting in him for salvation—when it might puzzle them to tell the difference between Mount Horeb and Sinai-between Gideon and Jerubaal. In all such cases, the heart is fixed upon the wrong thing first. If the heart be first fixed on Christ, and the spirit fully imbued with the doctrine of the cross, whenever the eye is fixed on a poor wanderer from the right way, how feelingly tender will such a one be in speaking to him lest he should be driven deeper down in the road to ruin, and pushed farther off from the love of God! If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his." 66 In conclusion, may we not say, in the language of Paul, "If there be therefore, any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind." J. H. A LETTER ON A. CAMPBELL'S IMPRISONMENT. [THE following letter came to hand two days too late for our last number: but we think it too important and discriminating to be withheld from our readers.-ED.] THE Anti-slavery Society, by their secretary, thought it more expedient to immure Mr. Campbell in prison than to find any one of his brotherhood to meet him in debate before the public. I say, the Anti-slavery Society, not merely because Mr. Robertson is their secretary, but because, having on a former occasion after his assault upon him in Edinburgh called a meeting and returned thanks to Mr. Robertson for his treatment of Mr. Campbell, they have, even to this late date, by no meeting or action known to the public, condemned him, or in any way interfered with his proceedings, but still retain him as their secretary-the natural inference from which is, that the Society sanctions his proceedings in the case. Until, then, the Society removes him from office, or publicly disallow and disapprove of his proceedings, the uncommitted public will and must regard the society as sustaining this persecution against Mr. Campbell for presuming to differ from them in opinion on the question :—Is it contrary to the New Testament to allow any member of a church to hold property in man in any case whatever? or, Is the simple relation of master and bond servant, in every case, contrary to the genius and spirit of the Christian religion? This is the true issue. Mr. Campbell maintains that it is not absolutely, or in all cases, a sin worthy of excommunication, for a Christian man to hold another Christian man as his bond servant for life. He has challenged the Anti-slavery Society to discuss this question with him before the people, either orally or in writing, within a given time, by any man they may choose to represent them, one man only excepted, and they have not done it, but, instead of this, they are sustaining their secretary in defaming and prosecuting him without a single expression of their disapprobation until the moment of his departure for England. Now that this is the tyranny of anti-slavery opinionism is indisputable from what Mr. Campbell has spoken and written on the whole subject of American slavery. The facts are these:: 1. Mr. Campbell has set free from slavery every slave that in any way came into his possession. 2. He has never justified or approbated American slavery; but on the contrary has reprobated every existing form of slavery by law established, as both politically, economically, and morally wrong. 3. He had not opened his mouth upon the subject of American or any other form of slavery up to the moment of the Inquisition set up by the Anti-slavery Society, as to his opinions on the subject. Such are the facts of this case, which no man can disprove. When called on for his opinion of the moral right of man holding property in man, or of the relation of master and bond servant, he gave the opinion that, in itself, it was not morally wrong, or naturally and necessarily an evil or a wrong, because God himself had once and again, not only permitted it, as he did polygamy and war, but actually ordained and established it both amongst Patriarchs and Jews; and now allowed it to exist in the Christian church under certain moral regulations. Right or wrong in these opinions this is the head and front of his offending against the orthodoxy of the Scottish Anti-slavery Society. For these opinions he has been placarded and traduced, persecuted and imprisoned, by the secretary of the Society. He has been presented to Great Britain and Ireland as the defender and ally of man stealers-nay, as a man stealer," &c. &c., and that, in terms, by men skilled in the law, pronounced to be actionable in the highest degree. It is therefore, incontrovertibly, a clearly established case of persecution because of the affirmation of an opinion as to the meaning of the Scriptures-or on what in this relation is compatible with Christian faith and righteousness. Had Mr. Campbell come here to lecture on the subject of Anglican or American slavery, or had he in a single sentence alluded to the Anti-slavery Society or its doctrines in any of his discourses in Scotland, then indeed there might have been some excuse for calling him to an account. But this no one alledges, nor can alledge. It was therefore in the true spirit and character of the Roman Inquisition for the Anti-slavery Society to depute a committee of three persons, to call in disguise upon Mr. Campbell, and under pretence of a kind welcome to Edinburgh, stealthily seek to ferret out his opinions on the relation of master and servant, with a purpose concerted in their hearts, to prevent his being heard on the subject of his mission, provided his opinions might differ in any particular from the standard of Scottish anti-slavery orthodoxy. We can suppress the expression, though we cannot the feeling, of indignation and contempt for such conduct, and place these facts before your readers for every one to judge of as best he can. We will only add, that such being the fruits of the faith of our Scottish Anti-slavery Society of the rights of man-or their views of the true genius of human liberty, we cannot doubt, from what they have done with Mr. Campbell, what they would do, were they to carry out their principles in relation to those in America who are slaveholders, according to the letter and spirit of the statute books of certain slaveholding states. Mr. Campbell, however, entertains no vindictive feelings towards his persecutors. Having so learned Christ as to suffer without threatening, and to overcome evil with good; none would hail such repentance to restitution on the part of his persecutors, as would be accepted by the one Lawgiver and Judge, with more delight than himself. TRUTH AND JUSTICE. THE CHRISTIAN SYSTEM. AMERICAN SLAVERY. [OUR readers must not think that brother Henshall, either in Scotland or in Ireland, escaped the officious interference of anti slavery men, although no one interfered with them or their craft. The following public interference took place in Belfast, and is copied from the Banner of Ulster for Friday, September 10th, 1847.-ED.] ON Tuesday evening last, a meeting was held in the Music Hall, for the purpose of hearing the Rev. Alex. Campbell, of Virginia State, America, and President of the Bethany College there, lecture on the Christian system. Placards, announcing Mr. Campbell's lecture, had been posted on the walls of the town for some days previous, but on Monday the Anti-slavery Society of Belfast posted, at the foot of those bills, a supplementary placard, telling the inhabitants to "beware" of Mr. Campbell, as he was an advocate of slavery and man-stealing. This was enough to excite curiosity, and accordingly the Music Hall was completely filled shortly after the hour mentioned (seven o'clock) for the proceedings. Mr. Campbell, however, failed to appear; and another gentleman, Mr. Campbell's travelling coadjutor in the same cause, the Rev. J. Henshall, Richmond, Virginia, appeared in his stead. Mr. Henshall commenced by apologising for Mr. Campbell, who he said, was placed in circumstances which prevented him from attending. An action had been entered in Scotland by the Rev. James Robertson against Mr. Campbell, for libel, and he was cast in damages by the Sheriff, for which he had been arrested, and he (Mr. Henshall) had left him secure in the Bridewell, in Glasgow, until he would find bail for £200, which would be in a day or two, when he would be liberated and free to come amongst them. With respect to the pro-slavery views which it was asserted Mr. Campbell entertained, he (Mr. H.) denied that he was in favour of slavery. Slavery was an institution of the country which they, by the laws, were compelled to adopt; and inasmuch as the New Testament did not prohibit slavery, but rather regulated the conditions of master and servant, Mr. Campbell considered he could do no other than take the New Testament for his guide. The Christian system was one that could exist under all forms of government-monarchic, despotic, and republican; for the Christian was commanded to submit in all things lawful to the powers that be, and it, therefore, was not their province, as Christians, to rebel, even against a bad government, for Christianity told man not to interfere with the government unless that government prohibited him from worshipping God according to the dictates of his conscience. Mr. Campbell had shown how he felt in relation to slavery. When he married his former wife, he had several slaves with her, and his first act was to set them free, and he (Mr. Henshall) knew that he had on several occasions since purchased slaves and given them their liberty. Until, then, men showed themselves better friends to the black than Mr. Campbell, and in a more substantial way than by words and writings, they had no right to oppose him. Mr. Henshall then read the 1st chapter of Hebrews; after which he delivered a lecture on the applicability of the Divine Revelation to the temporal and eternal interests of mankind. Revelation, he said peculiarly bore on human nature's four greatest and most powerful feelings, faith, hope, love, and fear. It taught faith in the Saviour, it gave hope of happiness in another sphere of existence, it inculcated love to God and man among Christians, and to those who neither had faith in Jesus, belief in a future state, from whence the hope of immortality arises, or love towards God or man, it held out the warning and the threats of punishment. Mr. Henshall illustrated his various positions with considerable force, and much felicity of expression. Immediately after the conclusion of the lecture, The Rev. Isaac Nelson rose and said, that Mr. Campbell's absence |