speaking, that opportunities for it can never be wanting that there is no difficulty in it, at least outwardly and that we do not require to in terrupt even our secular employments in order to its performance. We may say to those who neglect this duty, as the servants of Naaman, who was a great man with his master the king of Syria, said to him when he was angry at the prophet for sending him to wash in Jordan, If the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldst thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? 66 care such glaring offences in the case off Uriah the Hittite. How beneficial would the adoption of Joseph's ex-v clamation be to many a young person exposed to temptation, "How, then, can I do this great wickedness and sin against God !".@>a»»?sw Ejaculatory prayer has often been of great advantage to the Christian in the performance of other religious, duties. Wandering thoughts, in the various acts of divine worship, are frequent subjects of complaint by those who, in any measure, for these things." In our closets, when our hearts are apt to be carried yaway by vain objects, or straitened in our desires and expressions, it is of great advantage to throw in a short ejaculation to the Hearer of prayer for more liveliness and enlargement in secret prayer. In this case, it has been found beneficial to make our deadness and wandering the direct and immediate subjects of our supplication. In the sanctuary, these expresses to the God of heaven, either for the servants of the Most High God who show unto men the way of salvation, or for ourselves and others who are commanded to "take heed how they hear, are very value We must now, however, notice a few, out of many, of the advantages which may be derived from the performance of this duty. We have al ready said that our carnality forms a strong reason why we should "watch unto prayer;" and it may now be added that ejaculatory prayer has a tendency to keep the mind fixed, and in a holy, spiritual frame. The truth is, that spiritual-mindedness and this kind of prayer have a reciprocal influence upon each other. Who, then, that professes to be a mem ber of Christ's body, would not wish to be more and more a present "parable as means of leading to mix faith taker of the glory to be revealed?" would not desire to be conformed to his image, who, while he continued whole nights in prayer, lived a life of constant fellowship with his heavenly Father? As connected with this, it may also be noticed that pious ejaculations form an excellent means of preventing the commission of open and flagrant iniquity. The unadvised word the sudden ebullition of passion-the sensual, and wicked, and atheistic thought, may have often been prevented by a sudden knock at the gate of heaven. Had David been "drawing near unto his God," we have reason to think that he would not have pronounced such a hasty sentence on Nabal and his household, nor been chargeable with with the hearing of the word, and thus rendering it profitable. Either in reading or hearing the Word of God, how becoming to go to Him with such a prayer as this," Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold the wondrous things of thy law !" We should suppose that there are few, if any, of our readers who have not found relief and enlargement from the exercise, under consideration when they have been at the table of the Lord. Such Scripture prayers as the following have often been presented and answered, while commemorating the Saviour's dying love, "Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south: blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits. on sick-beds and death-beds, that Quicken thou me, according to thy the short supplicatory portions of word. We would see Jesus. Lord, the Bible were very suitable and what wilt thou have me to do?" sweet." Lord! I am thine; save Some, in answer to such aspirations, thou me! God be merciful to me have had reason to say, "Or ever I a sinner! Remember me, and visit was aware, my soul made me like the me; into thy hands I commend my chariots of Ammi-nadib." How spirit." It is admonitory to those appropriate an occasion also, for this who stand around, keeping watch by exercise, is the administration of the the sick and the dying, to hear one other seal of God's covenant! With of God's patients imploring, perhaps his offspring in his arms, we might betwixt the paroxysms of severe naturally expect that the parents' trouble, patience to bear it, and heart would be pleading with Israel grace to improve it to the glory of of old, "The angel that redeemed God. 12.6 mej bless the child." The Lord grant the things signified by his own ordinance. Again, we can scarcely conceive that any person will engage at all, or at least with any success or to any advantage, in the exercises of heart-searching or devout meditation, without interlacing them with many words of prayer to the omniscient One for his grace and Spirit. All who are making any progress heavenward, know well that self-examination and meditation on the word, works, and providences of God, are highly conducive to their spiritual improve ment. They must also be aware that pious ejaculations are useful handmaidens to these two duties, which dan hardly be said to be separable. 10 It is obvious to remark, that ejaculatory prayer is very profitable, when we may have some very important, but it may be unexpected, duty to discharge. Many are the emergencies in the present life for which we are but ill prepared, if we do not carry with us a praying frame, and if we are not familiar with heart outgoings to Him who, on a throne of grace, and through the great High Priest, is every ready to attend to the calls of his children. Let it it be further noticed, that a time of trial and distress is a time when great comfort and support have been derived from those "groanings which cannot be uttered." It has often, often been said, by Christians Prayer in general, and ejaculatory prayer in particular, has not merely an elevating, expanding, and comforting influence on the mind, or only an indirect influence; but also direct effect on our condition. The first are those results which proceed from the fixing of the desires and powers of the mind upon itself, upon God, and upon the blessings which may have been the subjects of prayer. These consequences are undoubtedly very valuable; but we are not to suppose for a moment that God never directly interferes by his special influence, nor actually bestows the benefits which may have been implored. In those examples of sudden errands to the throne of grace, to which we have already referred, we find that they were all connected with the fulfilment of the promise. "Ask and it shall be given you; for every one that asketh receiveth." In short, this exercise is the instrument of direct fellowship with the Father of Spirits; and many, in all ages, have had cause to say, "Verily, God hath heard me." What an encouragement this, to "pray every where, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting." In all circumstances, we will find both direct and indirect advantages from this duty. It may be engaged in at any time, or in any place. This command is not grievous. It may not make such a fair show" as some other more common and public services. It may have more self-denial in it than some other more fashionable duties; but it gives evidence of greater love to God and godliness, for their own sakes. Indeed, if it is not the hypocrite's mouth which we have assumed-if our ejaculations are not similar to the careless and profane language of too many, even in the church of God, when the irreverent exclaim, on all occasions,-"The Lord bless usLord have mercy on us!" then we cannot but be in love with this duty, and regard it also as a sweet privilege. Thus attached to it we cannot, however, be, unless we have love to the Redeemer in our hearts. It is emphatically the fruit of love, and is more like a free-will offering than some other services. Let all examine themselves as to the bent of their minds in regard to this matter; and, if we may be allowed the expression, the heaven-bestowed naturalness of their forthgoing to Him, whose they are, and whom they are bound to serve. In order to prove the genuineness of our feelings in this case, we should consider, that, although we may be sometimes driven to it by circumstances, we will perhaps still more frequently be drawn to it by affection. Let none, however, put ejaculatory prayer in the place of the other kinds of prayer. To be plain, let none content themselves with a wish and a word when they have composed themselves to rest, to the neglect of that command of the Saviour,-"Enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly." "These things," said the same Jesus, "ought ye to have done, and not to have left the other undone." It should not be forgotten, that there are solemn, stated supplications, to which ejaculations are good handmaidens; and that it is of the hypocrite that the question is asked," Will he always call upon God?" To be seldom trafficking with heaven by secret and ejaculatory prayer, shows that the individual is either dead or in a drowsy frame. The one is an extremely dangerous state, and the other very unbecoming the Christian's character and prospects. To live in the frequent observance of ejaculatory prayer, is to breathe the pure atmosphere of heaven, and to be ready for a sudden call into the immediate presence of the Lord our God. We should, then, be frequent in our supplications in private and in public,-in the closet, in the family, and in the sanctuary,-in the lonely walk, when the very silence of nature calls us to hold fellowship with the Creator; and amongst the busy throng, when all are panting after earthly portions;-then let the soul breathe forth its longings after a higher heritage, a perfect world, where even prayer itself will be no longer needed, but where every hea ven-born wish shall be fully anticipated, and fully realized. C. M. SLAVERY IN THE ASSOCIATE REFORMED CHURCHES OF THE UNITED STATES. TO THE EDITOR OF THE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN MAGAZINE, DEAR SIR,-In the April Number of your valuable Magazine, I have met with an article which, I fear, is calculated to give a wrong impression to our sister churches in Great Britain. It professes to describe the "antislavery churches in America," and to be "written by the Rev. J. P. Miller, South Argyle, New York, in a letter to a friend." After alluding to the disposition of the United Presbyterian Church to engage in a correspondence with the Associate Reformed Church, and expressing a supposition that "the churches in Great Britain kept themselves accurately advised of the facts connected with the churches in this country on the subject of slavery," the writer proceeds to give an account of the manner in which the different Synods of the Associate Reformed Church were constituted, and the position which they sustain toward each other. Then he says, "not one of these have ever, in a judicial way, testified against slavery as a sin." This is the statement which I regret, inasmuch as it is directly contrary to the facts in the case. Since the year 1820-21, the Associate Reformed Church has been divided into the Synods of New York, the West, and the South. That of the South is entirely in the slaveholding region of our country, and has never taken any action on the subject of slavery. Like each of the others, it is distinct and independent of itself, and has, therefore, never suffered any interference on this question; but it is one of the smallest divisions of the Associate Reformed Church, and ought not, therefore, to give character in any sense to the whole body. With the Synod of the West, however, it is different. This Synod numbers nearly one hundred and fifty ministers, two theological schools, and over two hundred churches in its bounds, and is usefully engaged in the home and the foreign field. At a full meeting, in 1829, the Synod declared that it was "unanimous in the opinion, that slavery, as it exists in these United States, is a great political and moral evil, and that the religion of the Lord Jesus Christ calls for all Christians to remove it as soon as it can be done, without worse consequences to society and to the States themselves." In the following year a series of resolutions were adopted; "in framing which," says the Synod in a pastoral letter, "two objects were kept in view. The first was the condemnation of slavery, and of every person who wilfully persevered in the practice of it. The second was to spare those persons who were convinced of the immorality of slavery, and desirous to free themselves from all connexion with it; but who were, by the force of circumstances which they could not control, prevented from liberating their slaves, and instead of excluding them from the church immediately, and on the simple ground of their having slaves, to give them time to effect their emancipation." In 1832, the Synod addressed a pastoral letter to the churches, in which, after condemning slavery as a moral evil, and pledging itself to effect its removal, the Synod say :- "Against slavery, as a flagrant moral evil, the Synod does now testify. 1st, Because it deprives men of their inalienable rights. 2d, Because of its attendant cruelties. 3d, Because of its immoral tendencies. 4th, Because of the connexion of slavery with the slave-trade." This letter concludes with a solemn call upon presbyteries and sessions not to allow the resolutions of Synod, upon this subject, to lie as a dead letter, but to see them carried out throughout their bounds. In 1838, these resolutions were reissued; and in the narrative on the state of religion, sent forth in 1842, the Synod say, that, as "there is a growing sympathy in some quarters both for the master and the slave, we would remember them that are in bonds as bound with them, and we tremble for the oppressor; for the time is drawing near when God will break in pieces the oppressor, and Africa and her sons shall go free." Such has been the action of the Synod of the West on slavery. Under the operation of these enactments, all the slaveholding congregations and members in the bounds of Synod, have freed themselves from slavery or from the Synod. There were numerous churches in Kentucky, but these have all left. There are now churches in Wheeling Va., and St Louis Mo., under the care of Synod, but not one of their members is known to have any connexion with slavery. The Synod of New York, with forty ministers, and upwards of forty churches, and about 5000 communicants, has virtually pursued the same course. This is seen in her not sanctioning the dissent of her delegates for the condemnation of slavery by the Convention of Reformed Churches, in 1842—to which Mr Miller refers and by her continuing negotiations from year to year for a union, in which it is distinctly understood that a positive testimony shall be held against slavery in all of its forms. So well is this understood, that the only slaveholding congregation in our bounds has sought another ecclesiastical connexion, assigning the antislavery sentiment of Synod as one of the grounds of their departure from us. Such are the facts in this matter, and I will be thankful indeed if you will allow the United Presbyterian Magazine to lay before its readers this statement, of the faithful and effectual manner in which the Associate Reformed Church, so far as she could, has given her testimony on this subject. We are, in great part, your ecclesiastical descendants, and there is rejoicing among us, that, with you and us alike, there is a "heart's desire and prayer unto God," that his truth may be established-oppression be universally put down-and man every where be made physically and spiritually free. Yours in the ministry of the gospel, JOHN B. DALES, Philadelphia. SIRS, I beg to offer a few thoughts on the remarks of W. P., in your January Number, on Acts iii. 19, 21, in which, he says, are some things hard to be understood." The difficulties and obscurities complained of are, we believe, entirely of his own seeking; a result of his unwillingness to understand the passage in its plain unstrained meaning, lest it should confirm the millennarian theory. He therefore proposes a new translation of the passage,-not, be it observed, because any error can be found in the authorized version; but simply because the one proposed is more in accordance with what he regards "the truth of the passage." We hope, however, to show, that he has not only misapprehended the spirit of the text as a whole, but also given an unwarrantable interpretation of its several parts. 1st. We cannot admit that "the promised times of refreshing," just mean "the season of spiritual revival and tranquillity enjoyed by every believer." It is true, that we do enjoy rest and inward peace in believing; but it is equally true that the pre sent world is not our rest, for it is polluted, and that there remaineth a rest for the people of God. The form of expression used by the apostle shows, that it is to this future rest he refers, and not to the effusion of the Spirit, whose blessed influence had already begun to be experienced on the day of Pentecost. It is not said, "Repent, &c., seeing that times of refreshing are come; but repent, that your sins may be blotted out, when times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord." "Divine refreshment," says Doddridge, "would no doubt immediately mingle itself with a sense of pardon, and eternal happiness would certainly at length succeed; but the following clause seems to intimate, that Peter apprehended the conversion of the Jews, as a people, would be attended with some extraordinary scene of prosperity and joy, and open a speedy way to Christ's descent from heaven, in order to the restitution of all things." "I have the pleasure," he adds, "since I wrote this, to find that the learned Vitringa agrees with me in this interpretation." Scott also de |