sistance of friends on whom they can rely with perfect confidence of a medical man, who can have no wish but to render them a service, and of a minister of religion, to pour the balm of spiritual consolation into their wounded spirits without money and without price. At death they can resign their offspring to the charge of the Society in the full confidence of their well being-which single eirenmstance disarms the grim messenger of more than half his terrors. And the purity of their life having fitted them for the enjoyment of God, they can resign their spirits into the hands of the merciful Father of spirits; and their bodies being consigned to the dust among the abodes of their brethren, their graves are so many memorials of their virtues."

"Any person may join the Society; and the mode of doing so is equally simple with all the other regulations. They have no religious test. The eandidate intimates his intention, and is received on trial, one month, during which he lives at the tavern. If he is then satisfied, and chooses to conform to their principles of morality, he is forthwith admitted as a member, and entitled to all the privileges of the Society. If he is rich, he deposites all his property in the common stock-if he is poor, he has no lack, all his wants are supplied out of that stock."

We have now given the principal facts recorded by Mr. Mellish respecting the Harmonist Society. Within a few

years this people sold their property in Pennsylvania and removed still farther to the westward, and settled, if we mistake not, in Indiana. If the account of them by Mr. Mellish, and by others who have visited them, be correct, they are justly entitled to a very high rank among the many denominations of Christians. Perhaps there is not one in our country which has higher claims to the character of disciples of the Prince of peace. As becomes his followers they are decided in their principles against war, and disposed to live in peace, not only among themselves but with all men Yet, like their Lord and Master, they were traduced and persecuted in their own country.

Let Christians of other denominations who adopt a human creed as a test of character, compare themselves and the people of their respective sects with the Harmonist Society, and then ask themselves, whether the Harmonists do not suc ceed better without such a test than others do with one; and whether there can be any better test of character than the moral precepts of the gospel. After all the contentions among Christians and all the censures which they have pass. ed on one another, it is not Lutheranism, nor Calvinism, nor Arminianism, nor any other ism of human manufacture, which constitutes a person a follower of Christ; but it is' keeping the commandments of God delivered by him.

WHEN We consider the vast extent of the christian morality, and compare it with the inadequate conceptions of duty which many christians entertain, it may well be thought surprising that men should have discovered so much more solicitude to erect standards of faith than standards of practice. The utmost care has been taken to preserve uniformity of doctrine and speculation. Men have guarded the articles of their faith by every possible barier; and have considered the church in danger when their formularies have been departed from, or their absolute perfection doubted or denied ; but seem never to have thought it equally necessary to vindicate a system of duties. Diversity of sentiment on the subject of practice has been thought a less dangerous heresy than on that of opinion. A church or synod cannot be shown in ecclesiastical history that has established a creed of morals. And though no man who undertakes to col lect the opinions of different Christians on this subject of christian purity and require ment, but will discover that their notions are extremely im perfect and erroneous; yet this does not appear to have excited any alarm. The defenders of the faith do not here rush together to support the cause of truth; and there is comparatively little anxiety lest the law which Jesus delivered should be invalidated by any unhallowed freedom of inquiry.

Yet are there not some duties of a Christian of which they appear to have no adequate sense? Are there not others which seem to have been set aside by common consent as im practicable or unnecessary P Whence this strange inconsistency then in our religious zeal ? Is it because a standard of duty is not worth erecting? Is it be cause the intentions of scripture are more plain upon this subject than on articles of faith? Or is it because the love of domination is more flattered by subjecting other men to the rule of our speculations, than by taking care that they do not mistake their duty ?

Whatever answer may be given to these questions, no one who makes the scriptures his study need be more surprised or concerned at the variety of doctrines which men have attempted to draw from them, than at the imperfect notions which still exist on the subject of duty. The cause is to be sought, not in the obscurity of our Saviour's precepts, for in general their spirit cannot be mistaken; but it is to be sought in our ignorance of ourselves, in our slavish subjection to custom and fashion, in our evil hearts and thoughtless lives, and. above all, in the great reluctance which every man feels to suffer the standard of duty to be raised much higher than the point to which he has himself attained.

B.

Ir comes within the scope of your design, I believe, to insert in your work biographies of literary, scientific, and pious persons. And, in my opinion, no instruction is comparable with that of teaching lessons of virtue and piety by example. In aid of your praise-worthy plan I have abridged the life of a distinguished physician, written by Dr. Johnson, and who died in the last century.

Dr. Herman Boerhaave was born 1668, at Voorhout, near Leyden. His father was minister of Voorhout, and a learned ,man. His mother was a tradesman's daughter, and had obtain ed a knowledge of physic not common in female students.

Boerhaave was always designed by his father for the ministry. At the age of eleven, he had made great proficiency in grammatical learning and the elements of languages. To recreate his mind and strengthen his constitution, he employed himself in agriculture, which he continued through life, to the benefit of his mind and body. His studies were interrupted at the age of 12 by a malignant uleer, upon his left thigh, which for near five years afflicted him severely, and defeated the art of his physicians. Then it was his own pain taught him to compassionate others, and incited him to attempt the discovery of other methods more certain than those used for him. At the age of 14 he lost his father. At this early age he was vietorious in every contest for prizes Vol. VI.-No. 1.

For the Christian Disciple. at his school. His father left him but little property, but with a resolution equal to his abilities, and an unshaken spirit he determined to supply by diligence, the want of fortune. At the university his genius and in dustry met with patronage and applause. Young Boerhaave made great advances in all the sciences; he studied mathematises for pleasure and from a conviction of their necessity; but regulated his studies with a view to divinity. At the age of 22, having uncommon repu tation for piety and erudition, he took his degree in philosophy. He read the scriptures in their original languages, and was struck with veneration of the purity of the doctrine of the early writers and the holiness of their lives. Having exhausted his fortune in the pursuit of his studies and having an uncommon knowledge of the mathematics, he read lectures in those sciences, for a support.

He read

His propension to the study of physic induced him to devote considerable time to medical writers, although he intended it only for diversion. the ancient physicians through all the Greek and Latin writers; he engaged in the practice of chymistry and botany with great eagerness. He intended, after taking the degree of doctor in physic, which he obtained at the age of 25, to carry into ef feet his pious design of undertaking the ministry. But a malicious report having been industriously spread of his be

3

ing an Atheist, he thought it neither necessary nor prudent to struggle with the torrent of popular prejudice, and determined to devote himself to a profession which must claim the second place among those which are of the greatest benefit to mankind.

Boerhaave began to visit patients, but without much encour agement. His time was wholly taken up in visiting the sick, studying, making chymical experiments, teaching mathemat. ics, and reading the scriptures. At the age of 33 he was elected to a professorship of physic in the university, and read lectures with great applause. He redueed the science of chymistry to certain principles. He continued advaneing in reputation at home and abroad, and foreign societies elected him to memberships. He had the gout so severely that he was confined to his bed five months, and he declared, that when he lay whole days and nights without sleep, he found no method so diverting as meditations upon his studies--reviewing those stores of knowledge which he had reposited in his memory. His patience was founded on religion, not vanity, not on vain reasonings, but on confidence in God.

So far was this great master from presumptive confidence in his abilities, that, in his examinations of the sick, he was remarkably eirenmstantial; and he well knew that life is not to be sacrificed, either to an affectation of quick discernment, or of crowded practice, but may be required, if trifled away, at the hand of the physician.

In his last illness, which was to the last degree lingering and painful, his firmness did not forsake him. He neither intermitted the necessary cares of life, nor forgot the proper preparations for death. He said his long sickness had afforded him opportunities of contemplating the wonderful and inexplicable union of soul and body ; that his soul was always master of itself, and always resigned to the pleasure of its Maker. He lamented any impatience under suffering, saying, he that loves God, ought to think nothing desirable but what is most pleasing to the Supreme Goodness. As death approached he was more cheerful under his torments. He died in the 70th year of his age.

of

Thus died Boerhaave, a man formed by nature for great designs, and guided by religion in the exertion of his abilities. He was of a robust and athletic constitution of body, so hardened by early severities and wholsome fatigues, that he was insensible to inclemencies weather. He was cheerful, forbearing and forgiving, and was an admirable example of temperance, fortitude, humility and devotion. His piety and a religious sense of his dependence on God, was the basis of all his virtues, and the principle of his whole conduct. He ascribed nothing to himself, did not conceive he could subdue passion or withstand temptation by his own power; but attributed every good thought, and every laudable action, to the Father of Goodness. He avowed that he had attained to a mastery over a resentful temper

by daily prayer and meditation. Throughout his life the first hour, after rising in the morning, he retired to private prayer and meditation, and told his friends it gave him spirit and vigour in the business of the day. He therefore commended it as the best rule of life, for nothing, he knew, could support the soul but a confidence in God, nor can a steady and rational magnanimity flow from any other source than a consciousness of the divine favour.

The excellence of the christian religion was the frequent

subject of his conversation. He asserted on all occasions the divine authority and sacred effieacy of the holy scriptures, and maintained that they alone taught the way of salvation, and that they only could give peace of mind. Such were the sentiments of Boerhaave. May his example extend its influence to his admirers and followers! May those who study his writings imitate his life! And those who endeavour after his knowlS. A

edge aspire to his piety!

No. I.

The Family Bible. "SHALL We send off our new family bible with the other furniture ?" said Mr. Olney to his wife, when they were packing up several household articles, which their reduced circumstances compelled them to dispose of at public auction. Mrs. Olney started with some alarm at the question-her cheek reddened her eye moistened-and she looked at her husband with that expression of mingled doubt and confidence, which we feel when a friend whom we love lets fall a careless yet cutting remark. "Did I not know, Mr. Olney," she replied, "that however gay and elastic your spirits usually are, you never are in the habit of jesting on serious subjects, I should suspect you now, not only of triAling with my feelings, but also of really sporting with sacred things.' "I repeat the ques

For the Christian Disciple. tion, then, my dear," said he, "and assure you that I am in earnest. Nothing but the distress of our circumstances could compel me to suggest the proposal." Mrs. Olney said nothing, but taking a small pair of golden pendants from her ears, which were set with brilliant pearl, and had adorned her better days, she went to her husband, smiled, and put her only remaining jewels into his hand. She then carried away in triumph the bible, which she placed, after kissing it, with something like an air of affection, into a trunk, among a few indispensable articles which she was about to reserve.

Their course of life henceforward became changed from what it formerly bad been. They experienced a total reverse. There were some friends, it is true, who were, if possible, drawn still closer to them by this new bond of adversity.