Him crucified," with the fullest confidence that the means will accomplish the end designed.

SECOND DIVISION OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.

The Book of Conversions.

While the myriads of the honest sons and daughters of earth, old as well as young, in every age from the apostles to the present, would have freely given worlds, had they possessed them, for the plain and infallible treatise on the subject of becoming Christians, owing to the great confusion that has prevailed in reading the Scriptures, few, comparatively, have found it. Such a work, however, God has graciously given to the world, through his Son. This, in our version, is called

"THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES.”

The apostles acting under the commission of our Saviour, preached the Gospel as the Spirit gave them "utterance;" when the people heard with understanding, they turned to God, and by submitting to Jesus Christ in the act of baptism, were constituted heirs

of God and joint heirs with our Lord Jesus Christ. It was the province of Luke, the physician, to attend the apostles' administrations of the Gospel, assisting in every needful work, and when aliens became obedient to the faith, he, with the utmost care and impartiality, recorded the facts connected with the conversions, and gave a volume to the world completely adapted to the exigencies of the whole race.

It would be proper, furthermore, to suggest, that this book, also throws much light upon the planting of churches, the appointment of officers, and their general growth in grace and the knowledge of the truth. A few brief details, will not only make the main point plain, but leave its truth beyond dispute.

In the first chapter, Luke rehearses the prominent facts in the ministry of John the Baptist; the ascension of our Lord from Mt. Olivet; the assemblage of the hundred and twenty at Jerusalem, in expectation of the Holy Spirit, and the appointment of Matthias to the place from which Judas, by transgression, fell.

The second chapter opens with the descent of the Holy Spirit in the day of Pentecost, upon the waiting disciples; the astonished condition of the multitude,their scoffs and wild conjectures in regard to its import; the preaching of the first sermon by Peter, in obedience to the new commission; its convincing and quickening influence on them that heard their cry,

"What shall we do?" the answer of the inspired Peter,—"Repent and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins;" their gladly receiving the word, and being baptized; their continuance in the apostles' teaching; in the breaking of bread in prayers, and fellowship after their submission; and, finally, the establishment of the Church and the additions of the saved to it. Unless the student of the Christian religion, should master this chapter, there is little hope of success in the balance of the book. The details relate chiefly to the introduction of a new era in the moral and intellectual world. The Holy Spirit which was to guide. the embassadors of the recently crowned

King, was sent down. Peter, to whom the keys for opening the kingdom and new order of worship, stood up in the name of his Master, to give the laws which were to go forth out of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem," and all the conditions of redemption were new. Through

him the people heard the voice of Jehovahwere cut to the heart,-convinced by the words of the spirit in their hearts, he commanded them, first, to renounce their evil ways, and be baptized by Christ's authority, in order to the enjoyment of the proffered pardon. They that gladly heard, were obedient, and they thus placed themselves under the administration of the Prince of Peace.

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The third chapter is little more than a repetition of the second. The lame man was healed; the people again assembled; Peter preached the Gospel tidings; commanded them to "Repent and be converted, that, their sins might be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord." "And the number of men that believed, was about five thou

sand." The fourth chapter is but the conclusion of the third, with the additional item that, "The multitude of them that believed, were of one heart and one soul," (iv, 32).

In the fifth chapter, is recorded the apostasy of Ananias with his wife Sapphira, and the terrible judgment of the Lord for their disobedience. Still it is said: "Believers were added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women."

We have also in this chapter the beginning of persecutions against the disciples of the meek and lowly Jesus. The sixth chapter introduces the subject of the division of labor among the servants of God, in the appointment of seven deacons to supply the wants of the needy. "The word of God," steadily, "increased, the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem, and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith."

In the seventh, we have the address and death of Stephen, the first martyr for Christ.

In the eighth, we have a history of Philip's preaching in Samaria, and "When they believed Philip preaching the things