righteous spirit, by fancying they are suffering for the cause of religion, when in fact they are only suffering the natural consequences of their own misconduct, and are bringing shame and reproach upon the holy religion which they profess, by the indulgence of their unsanctified and perverse tempers. The ambassadors of David did not look upon it as so desirable a matter to encounter the reproach and ridicule of opposing the customs of the society in which they lived. A powerful monarch as he was, might easily have protected them from the unpleasant consequences of such ridicule, especially since they became subject to it by exposing themselves in his service; or if they had then learned the customs of refined christian nations, in modern times, they might have defended themselves from the ridicule to which their peculiar appearance exposed them, by challenging to single combat those who should take notice of it; and thus wash away their reproach among men, in the blood of their friends But they chose not to oppose themselves thus to the customs of their country, they sent notice of their situation to their master and king; and he, so far from disapproving of their modesty, bade them remain in seclusion until they could appear again in publick without doing violence to the habits and feelings of society. Let all those who pride themselves in their eccentricities, or who study to depart from or disregard the innocent customs of the world, learn in like manner to "tarry at Jericho until their beards be grown."

2. We may learn from the precept of David in this instance, the impolicy, not to say the danger, of unnecessarily interfering with, or encroaching upon, customs which have been long established; even where those customs are in themselves of little importance. The growth of the beard, although it was regarded by the Jews in the time of David as a mark of wisdom and respectability, was in itself a matter of no moment; as is sufficiently shown by the customs of our own age. And had this powerful prince, thought proper to change the customs of his people in a circumstance so immaterial, he had only to appoint the individuals, who had been thus insulted by his enemies to high honour, and the fashion would doubtless have been readily followed by all about them; until what had been intended as a reproach would have become a mark of distinction. But the wisdom and good sense, which peculiarly mark his character, deterred him from interfering wantonly with a custom, which though unimportant, was innocent. He chose rather to suffer the inconvenience of a temporary loss of the services of his ambassadors, who, from the office they had just filled were doubtless among his most distinguished men, and at a time when he was preparing for active war, than to set an example to his people of causeless innovation and love of change. There are many among us who might learn wisdom from this example of David. This is peculiarly an age of improvement; an age rather in which the rage for improvement prevails to such an extent that we are in danger of forgetting that innovation and change do not necessarily imply improvement. In this country especially we have improved, and improved, until we are almost ready to contend with the whole world, and compel them to adopt our improvements. The

present age is so enlightened that every thing that is old must of course be changed and improved. We have fallen in love with civil commotions and revolutions, because governments which have endured for centuries must be susceptible of improvement, and we would see them violently overturned by the ignorant and most worthless of their subjects that they may be improved. Even the doctrines and the discipline of our holy religion must be changed and improved, to fit it to the state of so enlightened and learned an age. As if the stream should become more pure, the farther it flows from its chrystal fountain. I do not by any means deny that there are occasions in which change becomes improvement. I speak here of that restlessness which fancies improvement in every innovation upon what has been long established, and which would overturn all that is settled in governments or religion, or in the good order of society, and think the change an improvement. To such rash innovation I would address the language of David, "Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown."

3. We may learn from this transaction, the duty of checking the indulgence of angry passions, even under the greatest provocations. It is unhappily the custom of modern, and even christian nations, in time of war to excite and influence as much as possible the passions of the people against each other, in order to induce them to enter more heartily into the contest. And there are those who, even in a time of peace, seem to take delight in stirring up jealousies and strife among the inhabitants of rival nations, as if they were afraid they would not sufficiently hate each other in time of war. We are hardly accounted lovers of our own country, unless we are willing to join in vilifying others. Such was not the example set by the pious David to his people. Who could so effectually have stirred up the indignation of his subjects, and influenced their hatred against his enemies, as those who had been themselves exposed to their insults? Yet he did not send them about among his people to excite their minds to such a hatred, in order to prepare them for the warfare; but bade them remain in retirement. We must have wars and fightings anong us; and although it is true that they proceed from the lusts of men, yet it is equally so that war is sometimes necessary and justifiable. In such a case, how desirable would it be that the contest should be conducted in a manner and spirit consistent with the avowed principles of a christian people. How much would such a temper diminish the horrours, (at best sufficiently dreadful) of this last appeal of

nations.

We may also apply this lesson of forbearance under injuries to the collisions which arise in the more private and ordinary intercourse of society. I speak not here of duelling, for that is a practice so entirely in opposition to every precept of our religion, that I cannot conceive that any christian can for a moment excuse it under any circumstances. But there are occurrences which not a little try the tempers of those who never entertain the thought of setting at defiance the most solemn laws, human and divine. In an evil and corrupt world, contentions will sometimes be excited; and it is too much the practice, even among christians, for a man to regard the injury he may

have received, as an excuse for indulging "bitterness and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking" against his opponent. But let the christian "tarry at Jericho;" let him pause and reflect, that the injury or the insult which he believes he has received, may not have been real, or it may not have been intended, and will speedily be repaired. At all events, if it becomes necessary for him to seek redress, let him do it with moderation, in the spirit of meekness and forbearance, and not as if in the gratification of an angry, resentful temper.

4. These words, taken by themselves, teach a useful lesson, especially to the young, to beware of pressing too confidently into the offices and duties which properly belong to their seniors and superiors. In every rank and department in life, boys are impatient to be thought men, and young men are eager to anticipate the employments and the responsibilities of their riper years. The apprentice looks forward to the period which shall release him from his obligations to his master, with a feverish anxiety to be himself a man; and it is not uncommon to see him purchase a premature freedom from these obligations, or seize upon it by a criminal elopement,—as if to be a youth, and to perform the duties of youth, were to be a slave. The student in medicine is often anxious to put in practice the elements of wisdom, which a few months study have taught him, and he complains of the restraints which the prudence of his superiors in the profession and their respect for human life, have placed upon his premature zeal, as a tyrannical imposition proceeding perhaps from their jealousy of his merits or their apprehensions of his successful rivalry. The law student sees the same oppression in the rules which require him to go through a prescribed course of study, before he can be admit ted to the privileges of the profession. Even in the sacred offices of our holy religion, we find young men impatient to assume the tremendous responsibilities of a station, in which if they fail of their duty, the blood of those committed to their charge will be required at their hands. Is it so easy a thing to the frail children of fallen man, to "be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves;" is it so light a thing to be answerable, in some sense, for the eternal welfare of hundreds of immortal beings, that young men would rush into so holy, so awful an office, with less preparation than is required of the candidates for any of the professions or employments which relate only to the concerns of this life? Yet they even charge with unworthy motives those who would check their mad presumption. They are jealous perhaps of the brilliancy of their talents; or peradventure feel an apprehension that the soundness of their doctrine, or the pungency of their preaching, will mock the unscriptural views or the unprofitable precepts of those who have long taught the ways of the Lord;--or that the ardour of their young zeal will reproach their coldness and indifference to the prosperity of the Church of God, and the salvation of men. Thus men become wiser than their teachers, before they have scarcely passed the period of pupilage. Nay they become estranged from the guardians and guides of their earlier years, the counsellors and friends of their opening youth, because the counsels of their

riper years do not aid the aspiring schemes of their premature ambition.

Is it then true, that men become indifferent to the well being of society, as soon as they become fixed in their several employments? That as their interest in the reputation and prosperity of their professions increases, their regard for the character and standing of those who are to fill them, diminishes? Is it true that those who bave laboured in the vineyard of the Lord "through evil report and good report," who have borne the heat and burden of the day, who have for years been day and night praying "the Lord of the harvest to send forth labourers into his harvest," is it true, that such men can forget all their labours and their prayers, and their responsibility to their Divine Master, and lose all their desire for the prosperity of the Church, and their love for the souls of men, in the silly fear that some beardless boy, some half-educated youth, will outdo their labours, or eclipse their usefulness? No; fallen and degraded as our race is, these are not the men to be governed by motives so unholy. And those who, to sooth the mortification of a premature and disappointed ambition, feed their vanity at the expense of the wisdom and virtue of their superiors, may surely be exhorted to "tarry at Jericho until their beards be grown."

Yet let them not wait in idleness. Let them not waste their youth in indolent inactivity, nor worse than waste it in a frivolous pursuit of the gayeties and pleasures of a vain world. Think you that the officers of king David loitered away the period of their retirement in indolence or amusements? No, I doubt not, they busily prepared themselves for the approaching warfare; they made ready their arms, and burnished their armour, and diligently exercised themselves in feats of manly strength. In like manner it becomes us, and especially does it become those who are, or who intend to be, ministers of Jesus Christ, to "put on the whole armour of God." It is not the symbol of manhood upon the chin, nay, nor the gray hairs of old age, that can confer wisdom and knowledge. It is the hand only of the diligent that maketh rich, in the stores of mental wealth, as well as in the riches of the world. Young men in other professions are compelled to diligence in the early part of their professional lives, by the necessity of great exertion, to lay the foundation of their prosperity Their progress in business is gradual, and in some measure proportioned to their continued diligence. But with the young clergyman it is different. When he obtains his parish, his reward (so far as his reward relates to the things of this life) is permanently fixed, and is no longer measured by the extent of his own labours. Not having therefore the stimulus of necessity to excite him, he is in danger of yielding to that proneness to indolence which forms one of the strongest features of the human character. At the same time he is liable to be led astray by the attention always paid to what is new, and to mistake the allowances at first made by an indulgent audience to the well-meant efforts of a young preacher, as commendations to the merit of his performanThus he is tempted to neglect that laborious study, without 35 GOSPEL ADVOCATE, VOL. IV.

ces.

which he can never be properly fitted for the high duties of his holy office; for undeserved praise of a vain man always encourages him in idleness, while the well-earned approbation bestowed on a modest and industrious man as surely stimulates him to greater activity. "You cannot long lade water out of a tub, without reaching the bottom," was the saying of an uneducated, but a modest and pious clergyman of my acquaintance; and he showed his sense of the justness and importance of his maxim, by refusing to assume the pastoral office. He had strong natural powers; and these, enforced by great worth of character, and earnestness of purpose, enabled him to preach a few sermons with no small ability and effect. But he was too old

to begin to study, and too conscious of his limited knowledge to suffer himself to be placed in a situation where he should soon be reduced to the necessity of only repeating what he had already said, while it would be constantly diluted and weakened by every repetition. The minister who goes on writing sermons with but little or no diligent study, soon gets to feeding his people neither with milk, nor with strong meat, but with chaff.

FROM THE CHRISTIAN JOURNAL.

An Address, delivered at the laying of the Corner Stone of St. Mary's Church, New York, on Tuesday the 15th of June, 1824. By BENJAMIN T. ONDERDONK, A. M. an Assistant Minister of Trinity Church, New York, and Professor of the Nature, Ministry, and Polity of the Church, in the General Theological Seminary of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States.-Published at the request of the Wardens and Vestry of St. Mary's Church, and of the Clergy present at its delivery.

THE Occasion which has drawn us together at this time, is one of very interesting importance. It is to witness the ceremony of laying the corner stone of an edifice, to be consecrated to that service of Almighty God which consists in the due administration of the sacraments, ordinances, and institutions of his holy church. The usage of solemnizing such an event, is agreeable to both the dictates of sound reason, and the sensibilities of true piety. A church may be considered as a centre, whence the blessings of religion, in reference to both time and eternity, are to be diffused through a portion of the community. Year after year, and age after age, we may hope that this spot will be hallowed to the true service of that God who delights to honour the people who honour him, and who, for ten righteous men therein, would have arrested the execution of his just purpose against the wicked cities of the plain ;* and to the dissemination of those principles which are the most effectual in forming faithful magistrates, good citizens, and virtuous members of society, adorning every social and

* Genesis xviii. 32.