and good policy, if they would now and then look upon another text, which has equally the authority of Heaven, and which seems to be no less appropriate: "He that is not against us is for us."

Among the recent movements on behalf of temperance, we give the first place to the decided action, which the United Church has taken with regard to the sale of intoxicating liquors on the Lord's-day. It is undeniable, that persons in full communion with our church were in the habit of carrying on the traffic in strong drink, with as much freedom on the Sabbath as on any other day of the week. It was pursued, without apparent consciousness of a violation of the Divine commandment, on the part of those who were engaged in it; and they were not interfered with by their spiritual overseers, for their acting in this manner. It would do no good now to inquire, on which side lay the greater blame. Both parties were wrong; and we can only say, in relation to the past-the times of this ignorance God winked at ; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent. In the Synod of 1851 an overture was adopted, to the effect," That it is the law of this church, that all ordinary traffic be suspended during the whole of the Lord'sday, and especially traffic in strong drink; and to adopt such measures as may secure the universal acknowledgment and observance of this scriptural and most salutary law." Sessions were also "instructed to give faithful attention to their duty in carrying into effect the object contemplated." It was high time for the church to interfere, and to utter a loud and solemn warning on this species of Sabbath desecration. Most inconsistent and prepos terous had been her former conduct. If a baker had thrown open his shop on the Lord's-day for the sale of bread,—a flesher for the sale of butchermeat, a grocer for the sale of tea and sugar, he would at once have been remonstrated with as a daring violator of the fourth commandment; and, unless he confessed his guilt, and closed his shop, he would have been severed from the church as a worthless branch. And yet a member of the church might keep open his house for the sale of intoxicating liquors on the day of sacred rest, and still be allowed to retain his standing among the brethren! There are, no doubt, exceptional cases, such as refreshment for travellers, and for those, it is argued, provision should be made; but, are there no exceptional cases with regard to bread, to butcher-meat, to tea and sugar? and are these ever adduced as a reason why the shops of bakers, and fleshers, and grocers, should be thrown open on that day, the honouring of which God has marked with a special blessing? The matter will not bear a moment's investigation; and we earnestly trust, that all the sessions in our churches are carrying out the law of the Synod, in an honest and faithful spirit. It is the duty of sessions to deal affectionately, yet firmly, with all persons engaged in this Sabbath traffic, and to inform them, that unless it be abandoned, there is no resource, but to withdraw their names from the communion roll of the church.

If we are to judge of the operation of this law, from its effects in the locality where we are writing, it has produced considerable changes. A good number of publicans, when remonstrated with, at once expressed their willingness to abide by the Synodical decision. Others refused compliance, and are no longer in connection with the United Church, although some of them still worship under the same roof as before. It has been said, that the traffic may still be carried on, notwithstanding these promises. It may be so, but if done in secret, the sessions are not responsible; though surmises of this kind should teach them the propriety of endeavouring to ascertain, how far these obligations are observed. It has been said, that no good is

done, when the expelled parties are received with open arms in other denominations. The traffic is carried on as briskly as ever. We do not coincide in this opinion. Let us act up to the standard of what we believe to be duty, without waiting for the co-operation of other denominations. Our conduct is a protest against a gigantic evil, for which neither reason nor revelation furnish an apology. Probably, we are adopting the most direct course of forcing the attention of other churches to this crying iniquity, and of stimulating them to a holy action. A pious minister in another denomination cannot but feel humbled and distressed, when receiving into christian fellowship, one who he knows was expelled from a sister church, on account of his Sabbath desecration. And whatever other effects may flow from it, this at least is unquestionable, that we are cleansing our own sanctuary and delivering our own souls.

The civil authorities have been of considerable service in checking this tide of Sabbath desecration. There was a time when, in London, all the public houses, all the beer shops, all the gin shops, were thrown open, early on the morning of the Lord's-day. The scenes of drunkenness, debauchery, and riot which were then witnessed, on a Sabbath morning, baffle all description. An enactment was passed, forbidding the sale of intoxicating liquors, till one P.M. From twelve o'clock on Saturday night to one o'clock on Sabbath, no public house of any description was to be open. For thirteen hours there was a cessation of the traffic in intoxicating liquors. And what was the consequence? This simple enactment had the rapidity and power of a magical charm. All observers have borne witness to the wonderful change which took place immediately. The horrid scenes of drunken debauchery disappeared. The police had rest from their exhausting toils. The police magistrates found their work amazingly alleviated upon Monday morning. The streets of London have been peaceful ever since on a Sabbath morning, and you may wander through London, the earlier part of the Lord's-day, without being pained at the sights and sounds, which are seen and heard in the low districts of Edinburgh and Glasgow.

The magistrates of Glasgow and Edinburgh have, of late, discovered a simple means of doing much good, by the mode in which they grant licenses to the publicans. Glasgow has here taken the lead. "About three years ago," says an intelligent friend, who has kindly supplied us with the information, "the attention of the magistrates was called specially to the excessive number of publicans in the city and suburbs, and to the alarming amount of Sabbath selling which prevailed, and that in the most open and unblushing manner, at other hours than during public worship. The magistrates set themselves, at that period, and have continued since, steadily but determinedly, to check that evil by every legitimate means in their power; and I am happy to say, they have succeeded to a considerable extent. They act on the principle that, in all cases, wherever one conviction is recorded in our police court books against a publican for contravention either of the Police or Public-house Statutes, coupled with Sabbath selling during any part of the day, they refuse to renew the license. This they find has lessened that evil exceedingly, and has been productive of much outward order and decency on the Sabbath. Those who still venture to sell, and they are comparatively few, do it very quietly and out of sight." Such is the testimony of our informant, who has the best opportunities for forming a careful and deliberate opinion.

In Edinburgh the same plan has been adopted. The keepers of public houses were addressed by the magistrates in something like these words,-"We do

If

not insist upon your closing your houses during the whole of Sabbath, as an indispensable condition of obtaining a license, but though we do not make this imperative, we strongly recommend you to do so; our wish, so far as we can accomplish it, is to confine the trade to respectable persons. You may keep your house open on the Sabbath, if you please, but remember the consequences. you are ever found guilty of violating any of the police acts, or any of the public house regulations, we shall take into account this other fact, that in opposition to our strong recommendation, you keep your house open on the Lord's-day. These two things will be considered sufficient proof that your house is not respectable, and we shall not renew your license.' No more was said, no other condition was laid down, and the result was, that next Sabbath some hundreds of houses were closed which had been open on the previous Sabbath. These facts speak for themselves, and they show how much external influences can operate in restraining the monstrous evil under which our country groans. These facts encourage benevolent and patriotic men to appeal to magistrates and justices of the peace in all parts of Scotland, to act upon the same principle in the granting of licenses. We believe there is no small number of publicans who would most cheerfully adopt this recommendation of the magistrates, because they long for a quiet Sabbath for themselves and their families, though they do not like to close their houses, while those of their neighbours are open. We do not see why an experiment which has proved so successful in Edinburgh and in Glasgow, should not be carried out through the whole of Scotland. And, in our opinion, there are more facilities for insuring its success in the rural districts and in smaller towns than in our populous cities.

We have sometimes heard it argued, that you cannot put down Sabbath intemperance by a compulsory, or even by a semi-compulsory closing of public houses on this day. It is said, that men who are fond of drink will have it, whatever difficulties are placed in their way. They will take bottles of whisky home with them on Saturday evening; or they will get them by back-doors and underhand means. It is said, that closing public houses, which are under police regulations, will only send people to houses which are not licensed, and where spirits can be got, without any limitation as to hours. It is said, that it is not so bad for a person to drink in a public house as at his own fireside, where the pollution is in danger of extending to his wife and children. And hence it is contended by some excellent persons, that the salutary effects of this legislation may be more apparent than real, and that you are only throwing the evil into another and perhaps into a worse channel. Now, it is proper to look at both sides of the question, and be ready to listen to evidence from all quarters. But after mature consideration, we cannot attach much importance to these objections. Of course, every one is aware that a drunkard will go through fire and water to obtain the intoxicating draught; but, bad as we are, drunkards form but a small fraction of society. True, you cannot make a drunkard sober by compulsion, but even a drunkard is not always maddened with the craving for strong drink. And is no good effected by throwing temptations out of his way? He might go home to his family peaceful and sober, if his burning thirst was not excited by the sight of an open door and of the glaring gas. But the question of temptation has most weight with those who have no desire for intoxicating liquors, and who would feel it no deprivation, though every public house were closed upon the Lord's-day. But the door stands invitingly open. The idea of entering in and spending an hour before they part for the evening, is suggested by some one. It is accepted,

perhaps with more or less reluctance on the part of one or two. But they enter the place of entertainment, and, even though they should not drink to excess, it is a bad termination to the exercises of the holy Sabbath; and the first step being thus taken in the downward course, who can tell what may be the ultimate issues! We think, therefore, that a united effort should be made by all right-thinking men, and that they should present memorials to the magistrates and justices of the peace throughout Scotland, calling their attention to these and similar facts and reasonings, and urging them to act upon the same principles with the magistrates of Glasgow and Edinburgh. We believe that many of those who have the power of licensing public houses are ignorant of the great evils which result to the community from public houses being open on the Lord's-day, and that they need some instruction to qualify them to discharge this branch of their duty aright. And it is neither wise nor honourable, to throw the whole burden of remon→ strance with the civil authorities upon members of Total Abstinence Societies. It is the duty and the interest of all good men to remove temptations to every form of evil; and it may be, that an appeal from persons who are not themselves total abstainers, would have more weight with the civic functionaries, than if they held what some call extreme opinions. The let-alone system has been long enough tried; and the opponents of innovation may content themselves with the thought, that things can scarcely be worse than they are.

M.

THE STOPPING OF THE JORDAN FOR THE PASSAGE OF THE ISRAELITES.

THE Common opinion seems to be, that the Jordan was stopped, and that by a miracle, in the neighbourhood of Jericho, where the Israelites passed it; but for this we have nothing that deserves to be called proof. All our authentic information on the subject is contained in Josh. iii. 16, and in rendering that passage, our translators have given us a marginal explanation, in place of the obvious meaning of the text. The latter not only intimates that the river was stopped, far above the place where it was passed, but states expressly that it was, at, by, or before, the city Adam, which was beside Zaretan. The city Adam is nowhere else mentioned in the Scriptures under that name, and its precise site has never been ascertained; but it was beside Zaretan; and Zaretan, or Zarthan, as it is also written, was near to Bethshan (1 Kings iv. 12), and not far from Succoth (vii. 46). Bethshan, or Scythopolis, as it is called, both in the Septuagint and Josephus, is repeatedly mentioned, both in sacred and profane history, as a place of importance; and though much decayed, it is partially inhabited to the present day, and no doubt is entertained about its locality. It stands on the road from Jerusalem to Damascus, about two miles to the west of the Jordan, and between five and six in a direct line from the foot of the sea of Galilee. It was in this neighbourhood, if we prefer the text to the Rabbinical interpretation of it, that the river was stopped, whether by physical or supernatural agency.

It would be well to determine this point if it can be done, as it would show us more clearly what precise instruction the passage contains. A taste for the marvellous, which is very common, makes its possessor prefer the miraculous to the natural, but excepting for the purpose of attesting a Divine commission, or a message from Heaven, to which a proper miracle is, upon the whole, best adapted, an event accomplished by natural agency is the most instructive generally. Now that the rule of faith has been completed, and fully confirmed by signs and wonders, we have no warrant to expect a miracle, under any circumstance however urgent, and besides convincing us of the truth of the Scriptures, the miracles formerly wrought in eonfirmation of them can do us very little good. It is not so with respect to events, in the accomplishment of which secondary agents have

been employed, in many of which the power, the wisdom, and the goodness of God have been very strikingly manifested. They are all intended to show to the people of God, not only what he can do, but what he will do for them when there is a proper occasion for it. In missing a miracle from the sacred narrative, when closely inspected, we may, therefore, find something better in its place.

It is clear, from Psal. cxiv., that the district was convulsed by a terrible earthquake at the very time that the Jordan was stopped; and as earthquakes have stopped much larger rivers than the Jordan, by throwing barriers across their channels, it is much more probable that it was stopped in this way, than by a direct interposition of the Divine power. Miracles are seldom, or perhaps never performed, when known physical agents would do as well, and the event would answer the same purpose. The Mississippi was stopped by means of an earthquake in 1811, and the Indus in 1819, until the force of the current opened a passage through the barrier in both instances. The Jordan might be more easily stopped than either of them. The upper Ghor, or valley of the Jordan, is a deep and narrow ravine, formed between precipitous banks, which rise, at an average, about five hundred feet above the level of the stream; and there are different places in which materials enough may be projected from them into the intervening space to stop the river for a considerable time.

term.

Had the Jordan been so completely dammed up, as to have prevented its flow for the term required, it could hardly have swept away the embankment so completely, as to leave no vestige of it remaining; and on being broken through, some at least of the weightier ruins would not be carried far down the ravine. And if no part of the barrier or its ruins be now discoverable near to the place pointed out in the Scriptures, it will be a strong presumption that no material barrier ever existed; and that the event was miraculous, in the proper sense of the I commenced the perusal of Lynch's narrative, under the firm impression that the remains of an embankment would be found; and it is possible that my expectation has contributed less or more to my success; but I flatter myself with the idea, that I have discovered the object of which I was in search. The bridge of Mejamia, a Saracenic structure, on the road from Jerusalem to Damascus, already mentioned, and nearly two miles from Bethshan, connects the opposite banks of the Ghor, where they approach within a short distance of one another, and its abutments stand on what may be supposed to be the remains of an embankment. There are two tiers of arches in the bridge, the one over the other, for the purpose of raising it more nearly to the level of the banks, which are here about 300 feet high. In the lower tier there are only three arches, and two of these are dry, even when the river is swollen, as when Lynch was upon it. The ground on which these abutments stand rises so high as to force the whole body of the river through the third, adjoining the western bank. The banks bear evidences of having been convulsed by an earthquake, and vast masses of rock have been projected from them into the bottom of the ravine, and render the navigation of the river almost impracticable, even by such boats as Lynch had with him. At a short distance below the bridge, the river is divided into two branches, by the formation of a small island in the centre, probably consisting of the ruins of the embankment. The western branch is broad and shallow, and much obstructed by rocks, which render it altogether unnavigable; the other, which is narrow, on issuing from the arch, turns directly eastward, and is precipitated over a perpendicular fall of eight or ten feet, into a boiling eddy, at the foot of a high and frowning cliff, which turns the current toward the west, to meet the wider branch at the lower end of the island.

All this is in strict accordance with the supposition, that the river was stopped by an embankment, through which it ultimately forced a passage, without cutting its way down to the foundation. The opening has been made near the western bank, and the removed materials have been deposited immediately behind the gap, and in a line with the current, leaving the space behind that part of the embankment which remained unfilled up, as I have known to happen in the breaking of a dam.

When we consider, then, that the river was stopped at this place, according to the Scriptures, and that the district was shaken at the time by a great earth