Weak Points.

No. II.

As I advance in the consideration of the subject which has headed a former, and now heads this present, paper, its difficulties become more apparent. Those who are accustomed occasionally to write upon any topic, will understand well the perplexity which is frequently experienced in selecting the best out of many plans of treatment, which the mind suggests to itself. I have been a long time deciding, how I could best present to the reader the delicate matter about which I have to write. These papers will be of a thoroughly practical character; at least I want them to be so.

The next fact to which I wish to direct attention is the existence of what, for want of a better term, may be called Mental Weak Points. It is not my intention to enquire as to whether they are hereditary, or simply the results of circumstances. All that is needed for our present purpose is to note this fact,—that there is in society a number of people who possess certain mental characteristics so strongly developed, that they really may be regarded as having "Mental Weak Points." Let us take first, "The dogmatic Weak Point." This may be termed a peculiar mental tendency to stick to anything, without any proper ground for such adhesiveness. And who has not seen, and does not see in daily life, many minds with this striking peculiarity? There are some people who have got within their mental grasp certain views, which they have evidently resolved never to relinquish, notwithstanding that they have long ago been obliged to give up the arguments which led to their adoption. When you get into conversation with them, and touch upon their pet theories, you are strongly reminded of the English bull dog. Throw cold water upon him. Seize him by the tail, and pull bard. Beat him with a stout stick. Pat, coax, and persuade him, but it is all in vain. With teeth firmly clenched, he refuses to relinquish his hold. So is it with your man of dogmatic weak point. Do all this, (argumentatively of course,) and the result is frequently a suppressed growl, with an emphatic reply. He has said it, and he budgeth not. You may talk until doomsday, but he "has made up his mind." Young Sprout informs me that this stubborn proclivity is seen most amongst old people. I question the young fellow's statement. Be that as it may, it is astonishing how frequently it may be seen in many of our public meetings, both among the young and old. How it makes the head give a stupid and incredulous shake at close, correct, consecutive, and most powerful reasoning. How it retards business, and sometimes keeps even Church-meetings in perpetual hot water. I have seen so much of it, that I confess to a growing feeling of warmth, though I am writing this by occasional halts on a country road, on a clear, sharp, and severe frosty day. Is there any cure for that intense dogmatism with which many of our fellow-creatures are afflicted?

H

Now let us have no misunderstanding here. This dogmatic mental" Weak Point" must not be confounded with that firmness and strength of mind, which springs from conviction, the result of careful and deliberate examination. Nor with that resoluteness that distinguishes a brave and true man clinging to that which is right. As I intend to sit down and see if any of this mental frailty has been exhibited by myself, so I would have all my readers to do likewise, and if they find they have been sticking to a thing, (I really cannot find any better language at present to express my meaning,) simply because they have said it, or that they are holding views because they like them, or that they have a strong inclination to battle a point for the sake of showing fight, they may rest assured, there is danger, and if any of us discover this, let us battle with this obstinacy, before it grow into a confirmed "Dogmatic Weak Point."

In striking contrast to the peculiarity just described, is the soft and yielding weak point. It is found in those "free and easy" people, whose minds are of such a plastic description, that everything which comes in contact with them, leaves an impression, which, however, is as readily effaced. They are frequently easy and good natured folk, who have no opinion of their own-who never make an effort to maintain the ground which they have gained, but readily yield to the first assailant. Their general mental constructiveness reveals the existence of this "Weak Point." They are sometimes blamed for erractic conduct, which is not the result of hypocrisy or insincerity, but traceable to the manner in which they are operated on by plausi. ble arguments and plausible people.

Now, who does not know how largely this class is sprinkled among the human race? Who has not watched the influence of this large oscillating mass, as it has been swayed to and fro by powers that it knew not of? In politics these people have been alternately Tories, Whigs, Liberals, and Radicals. In religion, it would occupy volumes to set forth the many creeds which they have from time to time adopted. In matters of Church Government this mental" Weak Point" has tossed them about from sect to sect, and here I am tempted, for the purpose of shewing its influence upon them, to enter a little more into the detail of their history in this respect. Once they were Episcopalians. They became (they have never yet told us clearly how their conversion was brought about) rabid Dissenters, and though still among Non-conforming brethren, their views have passed and are no doubt still passing through many wonderful changes. You sometimes hear them apologizing for the position which they at present occupy. Some of them are ministers, and they are flattered, pleased, honoured (so they tell us), if a worthy clergymen of the Church of England condescends to sit same platform with themselves. In the speech which they have carefully prepared for the occasion, they do not fail to look this upon very natural and Christian-like conduct of their brother in Christ, as an amazing act of condescension. To take a decided stand against the union of Church and State-to maintain the equal rights of Dissenters to worship God, unmolested and in their own way, is

upon

the

now, to their minds, a breach of Christian charity, a proof of dangerous fanaticism or something worse. They prefer the death-like quietude of an atmosphere surcharged with noxious vapours and disease, to the reeling and blazing sky of a purifying storm, notwithstanding the fact, that such a storm is essential to the flow of healthy life and vigour. I have before me now the speech of a Wesleyan minister, which brings out this "Weak Point," but which, of course, is much too long for insertion here. An extract will show the soft place to which I refer. The speech was made at Preston some time ago. "We," said the speaker, referring to the Wesleyans, " occupy rather a difficult position. We consider ourselves the friends of all, and the enemies of none; but, like my worthy friend, Mr. —, if I am called upon to take the side I approve of from principle, I should certainly stand to the uttermost for the maintenance of the Church and State. I quite agree, and have had the same conviction for years (?), with the principle with which the worthy vicar set out to-night, namely, the Dissenters cannot prove from the word of God that there is anything wrong in the principle of Church and State." I have given enough of this speech to illustrate clearly my meaning, which the reader will perceive without any comment of my own; and I am sure the reverend gentleman, if he enjoys the privilege of reading our Magazine, will recognise it as the one reported in several of the newspapers at the time. This, I admit, is a very strong case; for the careful reader will have already seen that the speaker is so strongly affected with this "Weak Point," as to imagine that the whole Methodist community to which he belonged exhibited the same characteristic.

In the Methodist family (and I refer more particularly to them, because my readers will probably be able to bring my statements to the test of their own observation), this "Weak Point" has played a sorry part. How many who, in the first instance, joined the "Old Body," have come out with every agitation, but have always gone back. They came out with the last Reformers, but they are now nearly all back to "the old ship" again, where, let us hope, for their own sakes, and that of others, they will rest. But, alas! the probability is the next outbreak will throw them off their feet once more, with the old determination never to return until a better state of things prevails.

It is sometimes amusing to see how the man of soft and yielding "Weak Point" is puzzled and perplexed, if called on to express a decided opinion in the form of a vote. If he cannot decently "not vote at all," he will, probably, go in with the views of the last best speaker, and support the side which he has advocated. I have often seen this kind of thing in our Leaders' and Quarterly Meetings, and I should not be surprised if it is occasionally to be met with even in Conferences and Annual Assemblies.

Let us distinguish between this "Weak Point," and that healthy tone of mind, which yields to the force of argument, and the power of truth. Many who are evidently tainted with this frailty, imagine that they are but exercising the humility and receptivity of mind

essential to progress in knowledge. In a vast number of such cases, it is nothing of the sort, but merely the operation of the old failing which has characterised them since they were playing at marbles in the school-yard. It is astonishing how unconsciously a failing of this kind will grow with our growth, and strengthen with our strength. It is rarely discovered, much less acknowledged, even to ourselves, and it is no wonder that it is found in many of us so strongly developed.

At this stage of my progress, I wheeled my chair round to the fire, and gazed into its bright-looking face, as we often do, as if we expect to see there what we want to be at. I began to think that many of us, who take up this Magazine, month after month, are members of the United Methodist Free Churches; I thought we had good reason to love and uphold our particular form of Church government, and that it must have suffered much from the flabbiness of many of our views upon Church matters. I resolved to sit down and carefully see if I were entirely free from this "Weak Point," and I determined to guard, watch, and pray against the character to which the Apostle James refers in that striking declaration, "A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways,"-to seek continually for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, who alone can lead us unto all truth, and enable us "to hold fast that which is good;" and I finally resolved to close the many lessons which the consideration of this subject was suggesting to my mind, for presentation to the reader, by respectfully requesting each and every one to finish with a careful self-examination, and a fresh application to the true source of all that is firm and stable.

South Shields.

Five Minutes with Old Divines.

JOHN DOWNHAM, B.D.

A. P.

THIS excellent divine was the son of Dr. William Downham, Bishop of Chester, and brother to Dr. George Downham, Bishop of Londonderry, in Ireland. He was born in the city of Chester, educated in Christ's College, Cambridge, and afterwards became a laborious and useful preacher in London. He was the first who delivered and afterwards promoted the famous lecture at Bartholomew's Church, behind the Exchange. In the year 1640, he united with his Puritan brethren, the ministers of the city, in presenting their petition to the Privy Council, against Laud's cruel book of Canons; in 1643, he was appointed one of the licensers of the press; and in 1644, he was chosen one of the London ministers to examine and ordain public preachers. He was a venerable and celebrated divine, and he died at a very great age, about the close of the above year. Fuller, who has classed him among the learned writers of Christ's College, Cambridge, styles him "a grave divine," and says, "He is memorable to posterity for bis excellent work entitled 'The Christian Warfare."" Wood denominates him, "a learned and laborious writer."

THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD HINDRANCES IN THE WAY TO

HEAVEN.

As the Reubenites, having taken a liking to the country, which was first conquered because it was commodious for feeding their cattle, though it were far from the temple where they might have fed their souls, and therefore to enjoy it, renounced all interest in the land of Promise; thus do the worldly Reubenites of our times. They set their hearts and affections on the earth and earthly vanities, because they are at hand and fit to feed their sensual and brutish appetites, preferring it before the heavenly Canaan, the temple of God's holiness, where their souls might be satisfied with those ravishing joys and transcendant pleasures which are at God's right hand for evermore.-Christian Warfare.

A CHEAP RELIGION IS THE WORLDLING'S BEST RELIGION.

A merchant being about to buy a parcel of wines, doth taste them, and thereupon approves them, wisheth them stowed in his own cellar; yet when he understands the price he must give for them, leaves them unbought, and goes his way. Such were those hypocrites, Luke viii. 13, and such are many amongst us at this day. A glorious Christ they would have by all means; but a crucified Christ is not their turn. Hearing what excellent things are prepared for God's faithful ones, they are much taken with the task and relish of them; but when they understand of the price that is set upon them, that they must deny themselves, and their worldly lusts, forsake the world, and the vanities thereof, mortify the flesh, they leave them as being too dear and would rather be without them, than come to so high a price.-16.

A WORLDLY MINDED MAN SPEAKETH OF NOTHING BUT WORLDLY THINGS.

When a clock within is disordered, and the wheels out of frame, the hammer and bell must needs give an uncertain sound; so when our hearts are inwardly disordered and corrupted with worldliness, and profaneness, our speech outwardly accordeth with them. The door-keeper said unto Peter, "Thou art surely a Galilean, thy speech betrayeth thee;" and whosoever he be that hath his mind taken up and chiefly delighted with the world's music, hath his tongue also tuned to the same key, and taketh his joy and comfort in speaking of nothing else but the world and worldly things; if the world be in his heart, it will break out at the lips. A worldlyminded man speaketh of nothing but worldly things.-Ib.

THE NOT-RETURNING THANKS TO GOD FOR GRACE RECEIVED IS THE READY WAY TO BE GRACELESS.

Rivers receiving their fulness from the ocean, pay their tribute by returning their streams into it again, which homage if they should deny to yield, their swelling waters would bear down their own