.

never sat inhaling narcotic fumes, and inflicting annoyance on company by whiffing forth cloudy curls of offensive smoke. He went from house to house not to regale himself but to do good to his people. He was eminently free from a self-seeking and vainglorious spirit, and sought not his own things but the things of others. He never stayed long in a house, or wasted time in idle talk. He was not a retailer of comica incidents. He found delight not in laughter but in praise, in prayer, in persuading men from evil to good, and in giving full proof of his ministry. But he was untainted with sanctimoniousness, and was habitually cheerful. His piety was as happy as it was unfeigned. He moved amongst our people not as a merrymaker, but as an example of believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, and in purity. In all things he showed himself a pattern of good works. In doctrine he showed uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, and sound speech that could not be condemned.

While Mr. Ridge was thus exemplary as a pastor, he was very diligent as a student. His studies were not limited to direct and special preparation for the pulpit and the platform. He made himself acquainted more or less with almost all branches of knowledge, and made respectable proficiency in several languages. He was quite familiar with that precious and delightful volume, the Greek New Testament; and he was also able to read the Hebrew Scriptures, but with much less facility than the Greek. He could read in the French language with considerable ease, was a respectable Latin scholar, and knew something of German, and a little of Italian. It was an intense gratification to him to read the Bible in these several languages, and thus to be acquainted with the various shades of meaning and the idiomatic forms given to important passages in the several versions of the divine and venerated volume. He was a great Bible reader. Besides reading the book in his family, and when occupied in the functions of his ministry, he read it throughout systematically, and as a part of his daily studies, once in each year, from the time when he was eighteen years of age. It may be better to read some portions of the Bible more frequently than others, but he perused every word of it thirty-two times in as many years. This was not always in the English tongue. In one year he read through the Hebrew Old Testament of VAN DER HOUGHT, and though the pages of the book are unsoiled, the binding shows how much it has been used. In one year he read the Bible through in French, and in another year in Latin. Few persons imagined that he was so good a linguist as he really was, for he was one of the least pretentious of men. Some scholars, like some dealers in watches, jewellery, and plate, place all their stock-in-trade in the front window for show; but Mr. Ridge had rich stores, which he was not wont to thrust ostentatiously before the public eye. In him there was no pomposity or pretence. He was too simple-hearted to be a pedant. His acquirements were more solid than showy. He earned no literary distinctions as a student, nor did he often as a preacher conduct his audience along untrodden paths of thought. He was not endowed with a peculiarly brilliant imagination. His distinctions arose chiefly from his goodness of heart. His ministry was not so calculated to exact the admiration of his hearers as it was to feed the Church of God, over which the Holy Ghost had made him an overseer, and to arouse the slumbering

consciences of the impenitent. He could be tenacious in an argument, but his talents did not qualify him to sway a commanding influence in public debate. In the Conference he was generally a silent and attentive listener. He was well fitted for the practical and plodding work of a Methodist minister, and he was so assiduous in that work that he would leave nothing undone, but would do everything well. Sometimes he was a little over-anxious, and would address himself to a task as though it were of formidable magnitude, which was not entitled to any great expenditure of strength. There was considerable elasticity in his spirit, but his powers were generally held in tension by the energy with which he prosecuted his daily work. He was at it early and late, and his studious and active mind was ever intent upon making all things subsidiary to the great object of his ministry, to testify of the gospel of the grace of God. Neither literary studies, fireside attractions, nor self-indulgent ease ever induced him to neglect circuit duties. He was at all times so well up with his work that no arrears ever crowded around him, uttering clamorous voices, or wearing admonitory frowns. Being systematic and orderly, he never had to shake off sloth in a fever of excitement, or hastily to rush into a flutter of toil. From day to day he had an even mind, and pursued one uniform course of conduct; never rising to public eminence, but being approved and beloved as a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith; he was diligent and punctual, was ever solicitous to know, not how little, but how much he could do; and was so obliging as to be ready to do a kind act for any one. And he laboured with success. No circuit ever declined in his hands. His crowns of rejoicing at the day of the Lord will be many; and one at least of our most useful ministers was converted to God through him.

(To be continued.)

ESSAYS, &c., ON THEOLOGY AND GENERAL LITERATURE.

JAPAN OPENED.

SOME politicians have said that history has nearly run its coursemeaning, not that the world's drama was about to close, but that the ages of strange and startling events had passed away—that the events of modern times were so common-place, so devoid of what imparts excitement to narrative, that the chroniclers of this period would find little worth recording; and further, that law and order had gained such a permanent ascendency, that the condition of man was stereotyped, and the future was likely to present the same monophany in human affairs. Such a view, when expressed, was not sustained by fact, and subsequent events have more clearly shown its absurdity; for changes and revolutions of the most momentous character have come crowding upon us with startling rapidity, and given a picturesque boldness and life to the scenery of this age which can be found perhaps in no preceding era, except when the greatest prodigies of Holy Scripture shook the nations of the earth. In the exploits of Napoleon the First, and of Wellington,

his conqueror; in the abolition of slavery and the emancipation of negroes in the West Indies; in the expansion of our colonies into quasi empires; in the rapid advance of the sciences which have rendered the sun himself our painter, the electric fluid our messenger, and steam our manufacturer, navigator, courier, husbandman, miller, and printer; in the origin and development of Sabbath schools, missions, Bible societies, and many other noiseless but effective organizations; and in the moral grandeur displayed in the rise and progress of Methodism, there are materials of profound interest for the historian vying, we think, with any preceding age. But we must not stop with this enumeration, for the panorama is still moving, and the events of the future are likely to exceed those of the past.

Within the last ten years, we have seen France pass through two revolutions, changing her Monarchy into a Republic, and her Republic into an Empire; we have seen, within the same period, Austria, Hungary, and Italy the scenes of strife and blood, and the pretended Vicar of God flying from his throne like a helpless refugee; and since then what scenes have passed before us!—the Legions of England, France, Sardinia, and Turkey leagued against the ambitious designs of Russia, and torrents of blood shed in the marshes of the Dobrudscha, on the heights of the Alma, on the steeps of Inkermann, and amid the embattled ruins of Sebastopol. Nor have these sanguinary events passed without leaving some moral results. The din and tumult of war have been followed by such ameliorations in human condition as speak hopefully for the future. If Russia has been humbled, she has learned the duty of abolishing Serfdom, and elevating the social and commercial condition of her people. If Turkey has drawn the sabre in defence of her empire, she has flung away the two-edged sword of Mahommedan persecution. If England has expended her treasure and her blood in defending Turkey, she has now a field of benevolent enterprise opened out to her in the once forbidden regions of European Turkey, Palestine, and Asia Minor, where she may freely do battle with error, and revive the decayed piety of churches, in those fair regions where prophets and apostles laboured, and Christianity won its first triumphs; and, as an evidence of this, a noble church is now rising in Constantinople, on land given by the Sultan for this purpose.

But what of India and China-two countries which contain full half of our world's population? How strange that, no sooner had Providence shaken and destroyed the ancient barriers to truth and human progress in the Mahommedan Empire, than the same is done for the strongholds of Heathenism! Here, again, because men hearkened not to the message of peace and mercy, they have been made to tremble under the thunders of Divine vengeance. Scarcely were our troops withdrawn from the Crimea before they were hastened with all the speed of steam to the sanguinary conflicts of India. Here Heathenism, ancient, hoary, cruel, and debasing, held its sway, entrenched within the ramparts of caste and oriental philosophy; while at a few outposts Christianity presented but a dim equivocal light, and made but a feeble, hesitating effort. But the day of vengeance arrived, and first it fell with terrible retribution on ourselves, for our connivance at idolatry, and our treacherous betrayal of the Redeemer's cause; and then it fell with ten-fold power on the avowed enemies of God, until, amid

JAPAN OPENED.

smoking ruins and slaughtered myriads, they were compelled to yield to Britain's rule. Henceforth the prestige and the power of Heathenism lie in the dust, and henceforth we hope Christianity will be asserted with no faltering voice, with no timid obsequious deference to Pagan sway, but with the clearness and fulness of a Herald's voice, asserting the rights of Immanuel with a decision and earnestness worthy of his cause. Already, indeed, the churches, aroused from their past guilty indifference, are augmenting their forces, and the battle between truth and error, the Bible and the Vedas, Christianity and Paganism, once fairly begun, we know the issue. Prophecy depicts a bright future for India. Already a province of the British Empire, it is assuredly destined to become a part of the Redeemer's kingdom.

Coincident with the shock of Paganism in India, we see the opening of China to the Gospel. Here, humanity had not only lost its dignity, but its elasticity, under the protracted night of Heathen darkness and despotic rule. Its Emperors had raised a defiant hand to heaven, and once proudly decreed that Christianity should not enter their dominions. How vain that arrogant decree! What power can resist the Word of The Omnipotent? Brazen gates and imperial edicts are flimsy obstacles before Him who hath said to his Anointed Son, "Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession." The power that will not bend must break before Him; and because the voice of truth and reason was repelled, the thundering cannon was sent to remonstrate, and a besieging army to enforce that concession which imperial arrogance had long denied. We deprecate war, and confess both its infernal origin and its baneful effects; but if men will not yield to weapons of heavenly temper truth and reason—it may be justly expected that the weapons of vengeance will be employed by a retributive Providence; and hence, in all ages, the sword, as well as the contemporary woes of pestilence and famine, have been sent to chastise the arrogant and humble the proud. While lamenting human folly and cruelty and pride, we cannot but admire and adore the wisdom of the Sovereign Ruler, who subordinates even the crimes of men to his own purposes, and makes the wrath of man to praise him, while the remainder of wrath he doth graciously restrain. China, with her chief cities as large as London, and her population equal to one-third of the whole earth, is now open to us-open to our commerce, to our intercourse and travel, and best of all, open to the Gospel. Here is another event which will form an epoch in the history of our world. Let the Sun of righteousness pour down his beams on that region of dense darkness, and the dragons of ancient night shall flee before it; let the torpid mind of the Chinese be quickened and inspired by the truths of the gospel, and it shall expand into full development, and become radiant with the beauty of holiness. Hail happy day when Confucius shall be surrendered for Christ, and Buddah and Brahm be displaced by the love and worship of the true and living God!

Scarcely had the ink of a new treaty with China had time to dry, before Japan, so long sequestered from the intercourse of nations and the influence of Christianity, was opened to our commerce and the Gospel. As so little is known of this grotesque and ancient, yet

deeply interesting people, a few remarks on their characteristics, and the singularly felicitous interview of Lord Elgin with them, may not be unacceptable.

Japan consists of three principal islands, around the shores of which lie a considerable number of smaller ones, situated in the North Pacific Ocean, near the eastern coast of China, in latitude 31° to 46°. The principal island is Niphon, which is 900 miles in length, with an average of 100 miles in breadth. The population of the several islands is variously estimated, but is probably equal to that of the British Isles. It is well known that this empire was fast closed against the Gospel, and nearly so against all European intercourse. At one period, indeed, Popery, under the agency of Portuguese missionaries, gained a footing here, but in consequence of the intrigues and insolence of those emissaries of the Papal see, they were banished from the empire, great numbers of native Christians were put to death, and Christianity was totally proscribed. For more than two hundred years has the Gospel, in every form and under every name, been rigidly excluded all admission into Japan. The Dutch alone have been permitted to carry on even a very limited commerce, being restricted to one port, and, to guard effectually against any attempt to reintroduce the Gospel into the country, every Japanese official, associated with the Dutch at the factory, was bound, twice or thrice in a year, to take a solemn oath of renunciation and hatred of the Christian religion, and even made to trample under his feet the crosses, and crucifixes, which were the symbols of Popery. A few years ago the Americans, after a most troublesome negotiation, succeeded in effecting a treaty of commerce, but under many limitations and restrictions.

We

Now, thanks be to God, the barriers to European commerce are removed, and permission is given to introduce Christianity and build churches, at least within a given locality. This has been effected without shedding one drop of blood or making any hostile demonstration. Lord Elgin having successfully completed his mission as our Plenipotentiary in China, in which he had procured freedom for commerce and freedom for the Gospel in that populous empire, repaired to Japan, where he was almost equally successful. His entrance into Jeddo, the capital city, was like a triumphal procession. are informed that the band struck up "God save the Queen" as Lord Elgin ascended the steps of the official landing place near the centre of the city, and was received and put into his chair by sundry two-sworded personages, the rest of the mission, together with some officers of the squadron, following on horseback. The crowd, which for upwards of a mile lined the streets leading to the building fixed on as the residence of the Embassy, was dense in the extreme; the procession was preceded by policemen in harlequin costume, jingling huge iron rods of office, hung with heavy clanging rings, to warn the crowd away. Ropes were stretched across the cross streets, down which masses of the people rushed, attracted by the novel sight; while every few hundred yards were gates partitioning off the different wards which were severally closed immediately on the passing of the procession, thus hopelessly barring the further progress of the crowd, who strained anxiously through the bars and envied the persons composing the rapidly-forming nucleus. During Lord Elgin's stay of eight days on