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complishments, with a lavish expenditure, aiming only or chiefly at what is called their advancement in life; forgetful, or possibly careless, all the while, that they are made for a higher life than this, and for a purer happiness and a loftier virtue than this either gives or contemplates. Now religion, —and by religion we mean the spirit of Christ's blessed Gospel,

religion comes in to rebuke all this; so far, at least, as concerns the habit of regarding the present world as the chief sphere of man. Religion comes in, with a calm and sober remonstrance against that eager, excessive, misplaced solicitude which sees nothing before man beyond what the great arenas of human ambition can offer. She enters the domestic circle to speak, what though it be in a voice and tone of solemnity? such of right belongs to her, and well would it be for all were it better heeded, to speak to each one there, who is old enough to understand her language, of a God, omnipresent, heart-searching, heart-judging, who will require of each, in an hour of trial which none can escape, a strict account of time and talent, of opportunities and privileges, of means furnished, of duties prescribed. She comes to remind them that they have entered on an endless existence; and that the world without, great as we are apt to think it, which is perpetually striving for so large a share of human devotion and effort, is but the school in which character is to be formed for another world, before the infinite importance of which this fades into dimness. She comes to show them that home is not merely to bind them in affection to one another, but to consecrate and sanctify that affection by enlarging its embrace, by waking up their sympathies for their fellow-beings abroad, by lifting it in all its fulness and fervor to God; to nourish and strengthen qualities of heart and mind which shall make them blessings everywhere; to inspire and impart principles of thought, reasoning, and action, which shall prove the safeguards of their present virtue, and, under God, the earnest of eternal felicity. Thus would religion bring all the members of the same household to know and to feel their true, their highest responsibilities. It would lead parents to regard their children, not as a merely interesting, but as a most solemn charge, committed to them by the universal Father, to be trained up for himself and for eternity, instead of the vain honors and perishing riches of a rapidly passing world. It would lead children to see in their parents the instruments by which a heavenly Parent blesses

them, and to love them with a purer love and give them a more cheerful obedience than a relation having no higher sanctions than those of the world could rightfully claim. Into every relation beneath the domestic roof religion would breathe a new element of life, and keep the mind of each member of the family awake to a more binding and solemn responsibleness than any thing besides can suggest.

And is it not well, is it not most desirable, that it should be so? Shall we, gathered into, the dear embrace of the family, prefer to regard each other only as destined to strive and struggle together for what this life and this world can give? Or rather, shall we not open wide our hearts to welcome that angel of heaven's own love for us, which points us higher, though it be through a harder strife and a more momentous struggle, because not with outward, but with inward foes, which demands of us to aid each other to gain, not simply emolument and glory here, but eternal life,—and all this under our responsibleness, not to man's judgment, but to God, the Judge of all? How are the relations of home, how is home itself, exalted, glorified, made holy in our estimation, when the light of religion reveals it as the school of the soul, in which it is to be prepared for eternity!

But there is another result of the domestication of religion to which we intended to refer; and that is, that it makes home the sphere of a more thorough self-discipline, of a loftier, more vigorous, more complete goodness. Banish or keep out religion, religious principle, and the religious spirit from the home, and passions which in the intercourse with the world without may have heen checked or kept down by the fear of superior physical power, or the pressure of the courtesies of society, or the dread of human ridicule and contempt, will, in the comparative retirement of domestic life, riot at large. Here, confident of the indulgence of partial affection, which will overlook so much and forbear so greatly, they may give themselves reins with a lawless freedom from control, which, in its reckless career, will lay waste and desolate this fair field of the gentlest and dearest affections. Many a man, who, before his fellow-beings, in the ordinary intercourse of life, passes, perhaps, for a good husband, father, brother, when he has reëntered the sacred inclosure of home, shows himself ready to trifle with the tenderest love by his violent caprices, to check or to wither its approaches by his overbearing and exacting selfishness, - to make himself

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loathed or dreaded by those who would ever meet him with the most trustful affection, but are too sure, alas, of a repulse! What does that man need so much as to feel, though the world to which he is ever ready to do homage knows nothing of this, that there is always upon him one eye which marks all, which is never withdrawn, from which no walls or darkness can screen him, — one all-present Witness and Judge, from whom there is no escape? O, how much does he need to feel those most merciful restraints which religion would lay upon his passions, that blessed guidance she would give

them!

But if this be true in a single case, it is true universally. Home,, where it is the most attractive and admirable, where it approaches nearest to all that home should be, never does so by reason of any arbitrary appointment of the Creator. As in every other sphere of life, so there, human beings are left to make their own happiness, or discomfort, or positive misery, by the manner in which they regard and use the means with which He has furnished them. Let bad passions be smothered abroad, but let them have free vent at home, and most miserable, most repulsive, will home be made. Keep away from it the influences of religion and piety, - keep out of it all thought of God, all regard to Christ, all reference to eternity, - and hours and seasons sooner or later will come in abundance, when in vain, even in the fullest warmth of mere natural affection, will be sought that which can give the needed comfort and strength. But let religion become the fireside companion, entering and hallowing every domestic joy and trial, taking each member of the household by the hand, and binding all in her embrace, the unavoidable differences of opinion, the graver questions of conscience, the apparent clashings of duty, will all be promptly settled and harmonized. An impulse within, full of mighty energy, will be felt, helping each to master himself that he may bless others; mutual affection will render required sacrifices easy; disinterestedness and generosity will take the place of selfishness; and the love of God and of Christ, the welfare not for time, but for eternity, of those there associated most closely in life, will animate the thoughts and deeds of all.

We look upon home, and the relations of home, as providentially established for the highest and most glorious purposes. We believe that religion alone, the religion which Christ taught, reveals these purposes. We dread the effect

of those tremendous influences which, through the materializing tendencies of our age and of society, especially in our larger towns and cities, are so strongly and increasingly at work to exclude religion from home, to diminish its power by banishing its presence from domestic life, to tempt parents to forego the high priesthood to which God has consecrated them, and leave the religious culture of their children too much to other hands, to break down or leave no place for the family altar. We know no questions more important just now for the members of the religious community, so called, very seriously to consider, each for himself, than these :What is the state of our families? What is the character of our homes? Are they religious homes? Has piety, has devotion, her chosen seat there? Is the presence of religion welcome there? Is the voice of praise and prayer heard there? Is the domestic altar raised there, that around it may be gathered day by day the objects dearest to our hearts, together to acknowledge, adore, and bless our Father in heaven? Can we, do we, delight to turn away from the follies and vanities of the world, its perplexing cares and jading rivalries, its comparatively paltry, yet wearing and harassing pursuits, its disappointments, reverses, trials, and find there the serene trust, the sweet peace and calm, which the spirit of true piety breathes, wherever it rests? Do we, inmates of the same home, when we are gathered there, accustom ourselves to feel that we have made God our portion, and Christ in very 、 deed our Saviour, and heaven only our higher home? Are we there engaged as becomes the aspirants for that higher home, in our thoughts, conversation, recreations, reading, general intercourse, improving and improved, blessing and blessed? If these questions can be affirmatively answered by any who share the same home, most happy are they. But if, on the contrary, husbands and wives, parents and children, never join heart and voice in thanksgiving and petition to Him who made and blesses them, if there be in the home no higher themes of communion than those which are wholly "of the earth, earthy,"—if its members regard and treat each other only as creatures of sense, only as inhabitants of this world, only as beings of time, if they seek together no other or better bliss than what this present imperfect state can give,alas for them! Alas for parents who flatter themselves that they are doing all they are required to do for their children by having them educated for this world alone, when the

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blight of disease may already be on them, and the arrow of death already winged, and a judgment to come awaiting themselves! Alas for husbands and wives, if, in this holiest relation to which the heart can pledge itself, they are faithful only to what this world demands of them, giving each other no aid in their preparation for the world to come, nay, as sometimes seems the case, retarding, hindering each other in that great work! Alas for any for whom home has no higher charm, no holier influences, no more precious blessing, than what, without religion, without eternity, without Christ, without God, may be there! F. A. Fa leu

Joh. Marine

ART. VII-BUSHNELL'S DISCOURSES.*

THE main strength of this book is expended on the doctrines of the Trinity and the Atonement; and more in explaining what they are than in direct arguments to support them. We shall therefore confine our remarks principally to these two subjects; not by way of controversy, for that is not the spirit in which the work has been prepared, but reviewing the whole matter calmly, and with the purpose of amending whatever we may find defective in our own views or position.

But lest we should have no other opportunity to do it, we would here say, that, if in respect to the Trinity and the Atonement the work should be found not to accomplish what it proposes, there are other ways in which it may prove both interesting and useful. There is a freedom and freshness of thought, a generous enthusiasm, an exemption from every species of theological rancor, which always indicate an honest purpose and a consciousness of strength. Old theories are upset with an ease which seems more like "play" than "work." An incidental paragraph sometimes brushes away an elaborate system of philosophy, as on the human will (p. 62), and on Brown's theory of cause and effect (p. 66). Valuable suggestions are constantly meeting us, and seeds of thought are scattered profusely on every side. We think

God in Christ. Three Discourses, delivered in New Haven, Cambridge, and Andover, with a Preliminary Dissertation on Language. By HORACE BUSHNELL. Hartford: Brown & Parsons. 1849. 12mo. pp. 356.

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