e."--1 John 2:12, 13.
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"We are at foundation work; and you rebuke us for an unfinished temple!
Your rebuke is not undeserved in one sense: we ought to have attained to
great advancements, and to have begun long ago; but God has had patience
with us. In this beginning' there seems to be confusion to superficial
observers, and there must be 'excitement;' but this, as I said, is not
the end in view, or the means we use. It is not long since I could
reason a against 'excitement,' and thought as many do now, that in
connection With religion it is irreverent, and unbecoming.

"Oh, what a snare is this unfeeling 'propriety!' It is really a dislike
of being aroused from sleep; a fearful hugging of oneself into apathetic
security, and lying down in the arms of the Wicked One for a fatal
slumber. Oh that I could 'excite' such persons! that I could arouse
them! that by any means I could awaken these souls from the sleep of
death! I would glory in the censure and rejoice in the blame. Would that
I could reach your heart and the hearts of many of my other brethren;
that we might unite together and raise a louder call! There should be a
more excited blast, as from a trumpet, to stir the masses of those who
come duly and regularly 'to hear us every Sunday,' a louder, stronger,
and more urgent and thrilling cry, Repent! Repent! We want more fearless
plain speaking, more personal appeal. It is not refined to preach of the
grave and death, judgment and hell,--it is 'ranting:' but nevertheless
let us 'rant;' let us be faithful; let us tell the sinner that he must
die; and that he will die in his sins and perish for ever, except he
repent and be converted that his sins may be blotted out. Let us tell
him that he 'is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the
Name of the only-begotten Son of God' (John 3:18): that 'the wrath of
God abideth on him' (verse 35). Instead of arguments against
'excitement,' let us have a united cry against sin and frivolity
wherever it is. There is excitement against 'excitement' now; let there
be excitement, if you will, against indifference, and neglect of
religion."

Many of the proceedings in our parish were, I confess, more tumultuous
than I could justify, more noisy and exciting than I thought needful;
but I could not control the people. If they had been educated to ideas
of propriety and self-control, the impulse of Divine power, which really
then fil