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THE SKYLARK.

I.

How sweet is the song of the Lark as she springs
To welcome the morning with joy on her wings;
The higher she rises the sweeter she sings,
And she sings when we hear her no more.

II.

When clouds and thick mists veil the sun from our sight,
She has mounted above them, and sings in his light;
There, far from the scenes that disturb or affright,
She loves her gay music to pour.

III.

'Tis thus with the Christian-he sees from afar
The day-spring appearing, the bright morning star;
He quits this dark valley of sorrow and care,
For the land whence the radiance is given.

IV.

He sings on his way from this cloud-cover'd spot,
The higher he rises, the sweeter his note,
When we hear it no longer, the song ceases not,
But it blends with the chorus of Heaven.

THOUGHTS ON THE CIVILIZING INFLUENCE OF CHRISTIANITY.

HE beneficial effects of Christianity upon the civilization of the world, shew themselves,

First, in the general influence exercised by that Divine religion upon the world at large; which influence is to be traced in the gradual melioration of the laws, institutions, customs, and manners of mankind; and Secondly, in its more particular influence upon newly converted nations; together with its spiritual operation upon the hearts of its sincere professors.

With respect to the first of these heads, it should be considered, that Christianity acts upon the political institutions, and social usages of nations, in a secondary and indirect manner. It can affect them only by means of its influence upon private character, and upon the minds of individuals; and it may be very widely diffused, before its effects attract the notice of historians, or cause themselves to be felt otherwise than in the retired and silent course of domestic life.

And if its operation could be traced no farther, what benevolent man would need to be urged to bring within the sphere of its divine consolations, and immortal hopes, those millions of his suffering fellow-creatures, who, from their obscurity, and supposed insignificance, escape the notice of history.

The beneficial effects of Christianity upon the civilization of the world, may, however, be abundantly discerned in the public annals of mankind.

It has greatly mitigated the horrors of war, and utterly abolished the cruelties which were formerly inflicted upon captives.

It has rendered governments, even those which are despotic, practically more mild and paternal.

It has made laws less sanguinary; and by casting reproach upon polygamy as well as by other means, it has materially improved the condition of the female sex.

It has put an end to the exposure of infants; and by raising the general tone of humanity, it has suppressed those gladiatorial shows which, formerly, cost Europe annually, some thousands of lives; and

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which, cruel and bloody as they were, even women were once eager to witness.

In addition to what may be called the negative benefits of Christianity, it has produced, in all countries in which it is professed, various and numerous institutions for the relief of sickness and poverty.

Hospitals are pre-eminently CHRISTIAN ESTABLISHMENTS; the whole of pagan antiquity does not afford a single instance of any such institution.

Of the influence of Christianity in diminishing the horrors antiently attendant upon war, St. Augustin has preserved a remarkable example in his account of the conduct of the Christian Goths under Alaric, on occasion of the sacking of Rome. He compares the demeanor of these Christian warriors, barbarians though they were, with that of the heathen soldiers who fought at Troy, Syracuse, and Tarentum; and asserts, that no example can be produced of a town taken by storm, in the capture of which moderation equal to theirs was exhibited.t

It is, however, needless to offer further proof of the notorious fact, that the conduct of war has really been much meliorated, by the introduction and diffusion of Christianity among the nations of the earth; and the other benefits, which have been enumerated as the consequences of that Divine religion, are equally indisputable.

Still it is possible, that persons who admit the general tendency of Christianity to amend the condition of mankind, may yet much under-rate the actual effects of Missionary labours in improving the customs and usages of Heathen nations.

This, indeed, is an error, into which none will fall who understand the real nature of Christianity, and who duly consider the effects naturally to be expected from its promulgation among a people to whom it is new.

* Vide Augustin, De Civitate Dei.

+Even Gibbon, unwilling as he is to relate any thing which reflects credit upon Christianity, is constrained to allow, that "Alaric, when he forced his entrance into the vanquished city, discovered some regard for the laws of humanity and religion." He records, that the victorious Goth "encouraged his troops boldly to seize the rewards of valour, but exhorted them at the same time to spare the lives of the unresisting citizens, and to respect the churches of the Apostles, as holy and inviolable Sanctuaries ;" and he admits, though not without a sneer, that, "amidst the horrors of a nocturnal tumult, several of the Christian Goths displayed the fervour of a recent conversion," and that some instances of their uncommon piety and moderation are related; nay, even that " 'some rare and extraordinary examples of barbarian virtue, have been deservedly applauded."

Vide Decline and Fall, Chapter 31.

In estimating those effects, the principal stress is to be laid, not upon any specific precepts, or particular texts of scripture, but upon the GREAT PRINCIPLES of Christianity, and the general, and acknowledged TENDENCY of the doctrines of the New Testament.

Now the great principle, the distinguishing feature of the religion of Christ, is, undoubtedly, "faith, which worketh by love."*

The faith of the gospel is no inert, or unproductive principle, but the root and source of all practical holiness. An evangelical belief in the atoning sacrifice of the Redeemer, is the strongest possible incentive to that universal charity, which is emphatically called "the fulfilling of the law;" for the Christian believer, cannot but see in every man, not only a fellow creature, but a "brother," "for whom Christ died."

For a full description of the Christian grace of "charity, the very bond of perfectness," we must refer to the writings of the same Apostle, who is the great champion of the doctrine of justification by faith.

After declaring, that the most splendid gifts, without charity, are worthless; and intimating, that a man may "bestow all his goods to feed the poor," and, nevertheless be devoid of it, the apostle proceeds† to give such a description of this first of graces, as makes it clear, that he had in view, that Christian love, which is "the fruit of the spirit "in the regenerate heart.

It is unnecessary to quote a passage so well known; but it may be proper to observe, that wherever this Christian grace exists, it possesses in a greater or less degree, the properties which St. Paul, in the description alluded to, ascribes to it. It may be vigorous or weak, and the effects which it produces will differ in proportion to its vigour or its weakness; but the difference will be of DEGREE, not of of KIND. The scriptures declare, and the united testimony of those who have had the best means of forming a judgment upon the subject, confirms their declaration, that the two prominent characteristics of idolatry, are cruelty, and impurity.

Let us then suppose the holy affection, of which we have been speaking, to be, even in its lowest degree, universally, or generally prevalent as it would be, in proportion to the universal, or general diffusion of that genuine and vital evangelical faith from which it springs, and of which it is the never failing fruit, and it is evident,

* Galatians, v. 6.

+1 Corinthians. xiii, 4-7.

that these vices must disappear from among men. scribed by St. Paul, would ensure among those who highest degree of moral civilization.

Charity, as depossessed it the

It is not too much to assert, that the truest refinement of manners, as well as the most perfect and universal benevolence, would, of necessity pervade a community of which every member was influenced by this powerful principle.

It is, however, useless to describe the features which would distinguish a state of society, which has, at present, no existence. That “FAITH, which worketh by LOVE," is, as yet, far from universal, even among nations nominally converted to the religion of Christ; and it would, therefore, be unreasonable to expect, that its effects among those nations should be universally perceptible. If it can be shewn that Christianity, wherever it is either received as a national religion, or professed by a large portion of the members of any community, does exercise an obviously beneficial influence upon the laws, customs, and manners, of that community, such an argument will be sufficient to recommend to Christians, the duty of endeavouring to diffuse, among the nations who now walk in darkness, the light of the glorious gospel of Christ.

That the religion of Christ has exercised and continues to exercise this happy influence, wherever missionaries, by their self-denying labours, have been enabled to collect a Christian congregation, is proved by all the accredited accounts which we possess of the different missions, established among the heathen.

It must be borne in mind, that we are now speaking, not of the regenerating and transforming influence of genuine and vital Christianity when received into the heart, but of its general SOCIAL and CIVIL effects, wherever it is extensively professed.

The whole of human intercourse is improved and softened by the charity which it inculcates. Gross vices become infamous, and the neglect of the more important social obligations becomes disreputable. Husbands and wives, parents and children, masters and servants, learn their respective duties, and subject themselves to reproach and censure, if they notoriously fail in the performance of them. An equitable spirit is infused into civil government. Rulers, learn to govern with justice, and subjects to obey with cheerfulness; and civilization, being founded upon the only secure and permanent principles, steadily ad

vances.

Such are the social and civil benefits which invariably attend the

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