sabbath schools and bible classes. Let him encourage among them every
means of intellectual as well as spiritual elevation; and how
astonishing will be the change wrought, even in the course of one year.
Instead of being objects of pity, shame, and aversion; many of them
become pillars of light, and exert a purifying influence upon others. Is
not this elevation worth more than all the necessary expense, even
leaving out of the account all the eternal results? Let, then, another
and another degraded portion be selected, and in like manner be
regenerated and ennobled. Especially let no one who feeds at the table
of our common Lord, and lives from week to week on the provisions of his
house, refuse, promptly and vigorously to co-operate in the work of
mercy, while a soul is perishing in ignorance and sin!

In the mean time, let our civil fathers look well to the execution of
laws, which themselves have made, for the suppression of
sabbath-breaking and immorality. And let them inquire seriously, Whether
all our children and youth may not be brought under the influence of
instructors of good character, and other moral restraints, a
thousand-fold more efficacious, for preventing crime, than statutes, and
prisons, and chains.

Our hearts rejoice to see new blocks of buildings going up to decorate
our city. But what is that to the present and eternal elevation of
these thousand minds? Should we not then exult in the privilege of
lifting all the degraded portions of our city, and of our land, into
intellectual and moral grandeur? What object of ambition could there be,
equal to that of thus creating an empire of righteousness--a world of
intellect? Such monuments of glory shall remain, when earthly
governments shall be no more, and the earth itself shall have passed
away.

Never, methinks, was the language of God more distinct, than at the
present crisis. To the rich he is manifestly saying, "Bring ye all the
tithes into the store-house, that there may be meat in my house, and
prove me now herewith, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and
pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive
it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes; and all nations shall
call you blessed." To the ministers of religion, and to all his chosen,
he is manifestly saying, "O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee
up into the high mountain: O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift
up thy voice with stren