which agitated the whole Christian world, and became the fatal and bloody origin of ecclesiastical power. The oppression of the Christians was changed into power-their poverty was converted into wealth and thus the second hour of probation had commenced with them. In Rome, the civil was succeeded by the ecclesiastical power. In that city they were for once accustomed to govern; and the Roman Bishops perhaps, in the end, actually believed that they were ordained as judges over the Christian (Catholic) Church. The more darkness entered into the Church, the less did they perceive her decline. As soon as the Pope was considered as the vicegerent of Christ, he could do as he pleased. Thus he interdicted the priests to marry,thus he changed the Lord's Supper into a showy sacrificial rite, and instituted sinful priests as powerful mediators, whose prayers could rescue the soul from purgatory and introduce it into heaven. My kingdom is not of this world, said Christ—but these mighty ones ruled over the Church, shook thrones, placed upon their heads a triple crown, and styled themselves servants of the servants of God, (servi servorum Domini.) These Popes were they who preached the cross and seduced princes and people to the crusades for the space of 200 years;— these were they who suffered the respect shown to images to be perverted into the worshipping of them, and who smothered true piety and devotion, by the beadroll, called rosary;-these were they who invented indulgences, and looked quietly on, while Christians were erecting funeral piles, on which they burned their brethren;-these were they- -But why recount again all the wrongs, which the Church has done to itself, and which probably was necessary, that the minds of men might be aroused from their lethargy, and Christian liberty might obtain a lasting victory. Wickliffe in Oxford, and Huss in Prague, appeared like two morning stars on the horizon of truth-but the Sun rose in Germany!— Was it of any avail, that the one was anathematised and the other burned as an heretic? No, the Bible is more powerful than its enemies. Martin Luther, with the Bible in his hand, came forward from his cell, and how general, how joyful were the acclamations of his brave countrymen: But not the Elector of Saxony nor the Landgrave of Hesse were the chief protectors and promoters of the work. It was God himself, and a great and solemn hour had sounded in the Dome of Christendom. One day's journey more, and we are at the end of the pilgrimage. But why do ye seperate, ye Protestants? Have you not all received a sure word of prophecy? Has not the morning star of faith been shining into the hearts of each of you?-But they already approach each other again-they already join together again-and how friendly is the welcome-how Brotherly the embrace! Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all!-But those others, are they not also our brethren? Are they not likewise Christians? Certainly they are-for they are like us, baptized in the name of Christ, and they travel as we do to the cross on the mount of transfiguration; but, alas, they have taken unnecessarily a circuitous course, and have found bad guides in the Jesuits, who, by their casuistry, led them to the massacre of St. Bartholomew's day. But they also approach nearer unto uss-the light begins to shine brighter and brighter in their hearts. O come, beloved brethren! One Gospel unites us-why should we be longer seperated! O let there be one fold and one shepherd in unity, harmony and brotherly love! Thus the end of the pilgrimage will appear, and seperation itself leads us to union! And now, my brethren, what does this subject teach us? That Christ is the head of His Church, and protects and guards her against every danger and corruption. It also teaches us, that all who profess the name of the Lord, of whatever denomination they may be, shall dwell together in peace and brotherly love, and unite in promoting His cause and kingdom. It teaches us, that we shall not strive and contend about matters of faith; but that every one search for himself in the Scriptures, in which he will find the way to eternal life. It finally teaches us, that as it has been in the Christian Church, so it also is in the life of every single Christian; that as there darkness interrupted the light, and discord and contention disturbed Christian peace, and love and unity of spirit, so also in the life of man. The Christian has also to strive and to contend against the world and the flesh-in his life likewise seasons occur, in which he seems to be lost and driven far from the right way, which leads to life eternal. Then the Christian also stops and hesitates, and looks back on the way he has travelled. But he recovers himself-he beholds the crown of glory, waiting for him-he knows that the Lord does not forsake him—that faith, hope and charity accompany him, and that through darkness and woe he shall arrrive at light and felicity. Travel on then, ye pilgrims and servants of the Lord! Linger not, nor loiter on the road, but love and hope, and strive and believe-then will you come to the end of your pilgrimage, where you shall see all doubts vanish away, where all tears will be dried up, where anguish shall cease, where there is joy evermore. Amen. From the Philadelphia Recorder. MORAVIAN MISSIONS. No body of Christians, in proportion to their numbers and means, have ever made such persevering and successful exertions for the spread of the gospel as the United Erethren. Always resisting the papal usurpations, the history of their Church has been written in the blood of a long catalogue of martyrs. In the very midst of their fiery trials they published several editions of the Bible in the vulgar tonge. It was in their flight from their native Moravia, during a persecution which harrassed them from the commencement of the last eentury, that they settled in Germany, and began within a few years to send out Missionaries to the most inhospitable regions, and to the most savage and degraded tribes of the known world. They have been effectual to the conversion of the Greenlanders. They are laboring among the Esquimaux, the North-American Indians, the negro slaves in the Japan Íslands and in Dutch Guinea, and the Hottentots. Their success may chiefly be ascribed, under the blessing of God, to the simplicity and constancy with which they exhibited the cross of Christ as the power of God and the wisdom of God. The extent of this success has been great. They now employ about two hundred labourers, and number in their congregations upwards of 40,000 converts.The annual expenditures of their missions, beyond what the establishments furnish_to their own support, is about £10,000. It is highly honorable to British Christians generally to state, what we believe to be the fact, that of these $44,000 more than one half were contributed by persons not belonging to the Church of the United Brethren. We have the pleasure of adding to our list of Auxiliary Societies, "The Missionary Society of St. James' Church, New-York," formed Dec. 9, 1828. Rev. F. C. Schaffer, President; Edmund C. Littlewood, Secretary; Dr. Benjamin Ogden, Treasurer; Alderman P. W. Engs, Roger Williams, Joseph R. Knowlton, John Aims, Peter Aims, and Christian Smack, Executive Committee. THE Treasurer of the Domestic Missionary Society of the Lutheran Church in the State of New-York, acknowledges the receipt of the following sums and subscriptions, from Nov. 3, 1828, to Feb. 2, 1829. Sharon-John C. Moller, annual subscriber, Stone-Arabia-Young Men's Missionary Society, Johnstown-Michael More, annual subscriber, Subscriptions to Education Fund. $2.00 5 83 2.00 $30 00 20 00 10 00 10 00 5 00 5 00 10 00 5 00 10 00 H. F. COX, Treasurer. CHRIST is a term which our translators have derived from the Greek language, and signifies the Anointed. This name which so frequently occurs in the Holy Scriptures was given to our Saviour, in reference to the custom of anointing, which prevailed under the law. Under the law, it was customary to anoint with oil, various objects which were separated for sacred purposes. Jacob poured oil on the top of the Pillar which he erected at Bethel; and in this consisted the ceremony of its consecration to the Lord. Moses anointed the Tabernacle, and the vessels of the Ministry, and by these means dedicated them to the service of God. The Jews anointed their Kings. Samuel anointed Saul to be King over Israel, and when Saul was rejected, David was anointed as his successor to the Throne. They anointed their Priests. Aaron and his successors in office, were anointed to be an everlasting Priesthood, throughout their generations. They anointed their Prophets. Elias was commanded by the Lord to go and ancint Elisha, to be a Prophet in his stead. When, therefore, Jesus is called Christ, we are thereby to understand that he hath been set apart by the Unction of the Holy Spirit to become a Prophet, Priest and King. er: Jesus Christ was anointed to the office of a Prophet. This is confirmed by his own declaration. To the Synagogue at Nazareth where, after having quoted these words from Isaiah, "The spirit of the Lord Lord is upon me, because, he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he testified, this day is the Scripture fulfilled in your ears." He was designed for the sacred office before ever he was born, for, previous to his birth, the promise was communicated to his moth"The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee." Like most of his predecessors under the law, he did not publicly enter upon the duties of his Ministry, till he began to be thirty years of age. Then he was solemnly invested with the office and authority of a divine teacher; for then the spirit of God descended, in a visible form, upon him, and a voice was heard from Heaven, saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Through the whole course of his earthly Ministry, he hath sustained the character and reputation of a Prophet.-"For no man hath seen God at any time, save the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom," and perfectly conversant with the secrets "of the Father, he hath revealed him." He hath communicated to his disciples whatever is necessary for them to know. He hath revealed the will of God, and exhibited all the duties which He requirs of His intelligent creatures. He hath taught the most perfect system of religion that was ever known, and displayed an authority in enforcing his religious precepts such as was never before witnessed. He spake as man never spake. His preaching was attended with a power which could break the stoutest heart and subdue the most stubborn spirit.He proved the efficacy of his religious doctrines by their practical influence. He confirmed the precepts which He delivered, by His own example. He sustained an unblemished character. He preserved a spotless reputation. He kept Himself holy and undefiled from the world. He did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth. To seal the authority of His gospel, He submitted to a painful and ignominious death. The spirit of the Lord was was indeed upon Him.— He clothed the naked-He fed the hungry-He visited the sick, consoled the mourners, and raised the dead. He gave satisfactory evidence that He was a teacher sent from God. The works which He did were a sufficient proof that the Father had sent Him. He performed Miracles. He predicted future events-confirmed the authority and perpetuated the influence of His religion. Jesus Christ therefore was a Prophet-but He was also a Priest-not after the order of Aaron, whose Priesthood has terminated, but after the order of Melchisedick, whose Priesthood is forever. In this capacity, He offered Himself as an expiatory sacrifice for our sins. He hath given Himself as an offering and a sacrifice to God.His body was broken, and His blood shed upon the cross for the remission of our sins. And after He had laid down His life as a propitiatory sacrifice for sin, He ascended into Heaven, and now appears in the presence of God, as our advocate with the Father. Having delivered us from the punishment of our offences, "he sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on High. Having humbled Himself and became obedient unto the death of the cross, God bath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every other name.”. In this exalted and glorified state, He still continues to perform the functions of our High Priest. He still cherishes a compassionate regard for the infirmities and imperfections of our nature. He still inintercedes for us and pleads our cause; and he pleads effectually.The Father hath loyed him before the foundation of the world, and they for whom He intercedes, shall be admitted into His presence and behold His glory. "He hath received power over all flesh, and He is able to save to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, for He ever liveth to make intercession for them." Nothing can deprive His followers of the benefits of His intercession. His efforts to save them shall never cease; -He continueth forever;-He hath an unchangeable Priesthood;-He was consecrated with an oath. The |