THE BEAUTIES OF PHILANTHROPY.

It is a phenomenon as well as a fact, that even sincere Christians are extremely liable to form incorrect conceptions of the attributes of the Almighty, and are consequently led into the labyrinths of error and delusion, practically as well as intellectually, (as millions of the human family unhappily are,) through the above medium. They do not recollect that the super-eminent beneficence of the Deity is exhibited to their view in the book of Creation and Revelation, in order to stimulate them to fulfil the diversified duties of the same philanthropy, in the various avocations of life. Indeed, the Christian's philanthropy should be in proportion, what the Almighty's is in perfection. I have, therefore, with a pure and disinterested desire to be useful to my fellow travellers to the grave, put down a few thoughts on this subject that they may be rendered a powerful stimulus to the performance of charitable actions, and a blessing of eternal duration to the sincere inquirer after truth, is the importunate prayer of their affectionate friend in Christ.

"When the music of the spheres began," and the machinery of the universe commenced its perpetual motion, God said, "Let us make man in our own image, after our own likeness. And God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him, male and female created he them." We must conclude, that it was in the MORAL likeness of God man was created; i. e. with a mind pure and pious, benevolent and gracious.

It is self-evident, that a good God, or even a good man, cannot approbate any thing that is evil or unlike themselves; they must hold it in utter abhorrence. The unmerciful man, therefore, is held in contempt, and his conduct execrated by that Being whose essence is mercy and whose name is love..

It appears that the primary object God has in view, in his moral government, is the felicity of his creatures; to accomplish which he uses every means which infinite sagacity can devise (consistent always with man's free agency) to enlighten their minds; as he well knows that without the knowledge of the truth no real felicity can be enjoyed. But notwithstanding all his gracious endeavours, the majority of his creatures are wilfully blind to the things which make for their present and eternal peace, in which number thousands of the professed votaries of religion may be included. How often do the slaves of bigotry not only deviate and wander through a maze of the most absurd, monstrous, and sometimes diabolical errors themselves, but compel their fellow creatures to maintain the same errors, with a warmth bordering on fury, and deciding for the rest of mankind with savage ferocity, imposing even upon the faith of posterity. This is one principal cause of the profound ignorance, gross imaginations, turbulent passions, and implacable tyranny of millions of intelligent beings, who were intended by their Creator to be the protectors and not the extirpators of their fellow worms. Thus the religion of Christ has been corrupted by a thousand illusions and superstitions, and the motives to virtue perverted, enervated, and almost annihilated. What then can be more necessary, than to disencumber religion of the ceremonies, formalities, and errors which corrupt it, and endeavour to exhibit it in its own native simplicity and primitive purity? Pure religion is neither less nor more than loving God supremely, and his rational creatures affectionately; and this religion has a natural and necessary tendency to assimilate us into the lovely likeness of our divine original. I would entreat the reader to ask his own common sense what the best of Beings could do for him more than what he has already done.

The happiness of his creatures must undoubtedly have been his primary object and end in the formation of the world: he could propose no benefit to himself, except the ineffable satisfaction of opening sources of pleasurable gratification, and dispensing his boundless benedictions to his creatures. He has declared himself in the scriptures, to be the Lord God, merciful, gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.

No part of the Bible displays more brilliantly the good will of God to man, than the glorious gospel of peace; it abounds with interesting matter, which proclaims, in an unequivocal manner, that "his love is as great as his power, and neither knows measure nor end;" He has peremptorily commanded us on pain of his eternal displeasure, to imitate him in all his imitable perfections, and above all to be merciful, as he is merciful; holy, as he is holy; perfect (in love) as he is perfect. Because perfect love casteth out all servile fear. Can we be then so unreasonably stupid as to suppose, that the good Shepherd can approbate his professional votaries, whom he has blessed and placed in his spiritual vineyard, to be the active, not indolent cultivators thereof? I say, can he approve of their idleness? Let any impartial man read St. Paul's first Epistle to the Corinthians, thirteenth chapter, on practical charity, and he will there see what kind of Christians those are, who can spend hundreds of dollars on superfluities, and yet forsooth cannot afford God a single one, by distributing it among his poor, who abound in every nation, city, town, and state; so that the parsimonious or selfish professor will have no excuse in the day of retribution.

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I conceive the reason religion is so much talked of and so little practised, is, because its nature is so little understood; pure religion takes its seat in the soul of man, and irresistibly stimulates to the most super-excellent actions, as well as super-eminent professions. I would ask, what was the means grace established for? I answer, to stimulate men to prac. tise universal philanthropy: if it does not answer this salutary purpose it is of no intrinsic value. For instance, we will suppose that two persons are convened at the august tribunal of Jehovah, when he comes to judge the sons of men ac cording to their works, and not according to their professions. We will suppose that one of these is a practical philanthropist, and the other a professional Christian; the first was always solicitous from principle to do good to his fellow creatures, and circle all men to the utmost of his power in one kind embrace. The other was a strict sectarian and a constant attendant on religious ordinances, stimulated thereto, first by servile fear, secondly by use, which is second nature, but alas! felt no solicitude for the amelioration of the distresses of his fellow-worms, no sympathy warmed his frozen

heart, no philanthropy stimulated his inactive hand for the honour of human nature, and for the relief of human wretchedness. We will suppose that the glorious Judge, seated on his great white throne, supported on the wings of cherubims, is about to deliver the exhilarating invitation, (St. Matthew, chap. xxv,) "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom, &c. For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat, thirsty, and ye gave me drink, a stranger, and ye took me in, naked, and ye clothed me, sick, and ye visited me, in prison, and ye came unto me. I would ask, which of the antecedent persons would the Judge address the above language to? I anticipate your answer. Undoubtedly the philanthropist. That man must be either a knave or a fool, who can suppose that God would tell a notorious falsehood, by applying it to the indolent, inactive professor. The address applicable to them is, Go, ye cursed, &c. Is it not truly astonishing, that many indolent, and at the same time pompous professors of religion, can read the above passage and not feel interested therein; though they live in the habitual neglect of these social virtues, can spend their substance in the foolish deco. ration of their families, without appropriating one dollar per annum to the above purposes; or visiting in that period even onco (except it is by accident) the sick, the prisoner, the fatherless, and the widow! Surely such people must be deluded by the devil, not to see the futility of their punctuality in attending the means of grace, while they neglect the mercy and morality intended to be encouraged and promoted thereby. I would not upon any account invalidate the means of grace; it is our indispensable duty to attend them with reverence; they are of infinite advantage to the sincere inquirer after truth, and will be a witness against the nominal professor through eternity; because they that know their Master's will and do it not, will be beaten with many stripes. Religion does not consist in plain clothes and a sanctified countenance, which too many assume on Sunday and relinquish on Monday. Indeed, the body has no other share in religion, than merely to discover by actions the bent of the mind, not by .. gestures; for if I see a brother in want and will not relieve him, if it is in my power so to do, how can my soul be animated with the love of God, or Christian philanthropy? It is impossible. But something more is required than merely

the external acts of relieving; I mean internal, social, and sympathetic commiseration. View the Pharisees: who gave alms more than they? who fasted and prayed more than they? who attended the outward ordinances of God more than they? and yet Christ has expressly informed us, that unless our righteousness exceeds theirs, we shall never inherit eternal life. Well might he say, many are called by my name, but few are chosen imitators of my divine philanthropy. But why need I bring forward the ancient Pharisees to prove the force of my arguments? The Mahometans themselves are as exemplary in the outward ceremonies of religion, as any people for instance, there are no less than five stated times of prayer in the twenty-four hours, all of which are fixed as indispensable, and the fervency of their prayers exceeds even their frequency. When the notification for prayer is heard, (which is generally by the tolling of a bell,) the true Mahometan, let him be where, or doing what he will, whether in his shop, on the road, in the market, or even walking through the mire, instantly falls down on his knees and worships, by repeating his periodical prayers. Even charity, that glorious doctrine I am endeavouring to vindicate, as well as inculcate, is enjoined by the Koran, under the most terrific denunciations of Divine vengeance in case of neglect ; bounds are set to religious hospitality and liberality. Hence, some good Musselmen give half their property to the poor, nay, some give all and live themselves upon alms; because poverty is no where respected so much as among the Turks. Abstinence is also particularly enjoined as a religious duty among them, especially in the month of Ramadan, during which they neither eat, drink, sleep nor converse with their wives, from sun-rise till the stars appear in the evening; and they are punished with death who break this fast. If, therefore, the formalities of religion entitle sectarians to an inheritance incorruptible, though they are destitute of the internal fruit of the spirit, surely the Mahometan will stand a better chance for heaven than the lukewarm nominal professor of Christianity; inasmuch as the apparent devotion of the one is more warm, energetic, and consistent than that of the other. It astonishes me to reflect, that any man of common sense does not at once see how preposterous it is to profess religion, and not practically feel for the miseries of the human family.

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