eight years afterwards, his eldest son. Oberlin, under both afflictions, sought and found refuge in religion. On his knees, when he first heard the afflicting tidings, he approached the God of consolation, and a hope of an union in the mansions of his Father's house almost anticipated by Him, and a conviction that every visitation from him is in mercy, supported him under his trials. At a later period he lost his son Henry, an active and useful minister of the gospel; and on this, as on the former occasion, he exhibited the faith and assurance by which the people of God are enabled to "glory in tribulation." Oberlin's family, after his wife's death, was committed to the care of Louisa Schepler, a pious orphan, who had resided for eight years in his service, and who outlived her revered master. She devoted herself to his service, refused to accept of wages from him, assisted him in all his schemes of benevolence, and even was enabled to make him her almoner.

A sealed letter, in Oberlin's hand-writing, found and opened after his death, contains the strongest expressions of gratitude to this excellent person, and recommends her strongly to his children. They felt her value so highly, that they offered Louisa an equal share of his property, which she refused, asking only to be allowed to remain an inmate of the family, and permission to add the honoured name of Oberlin to her own, It need scarcely be said that both was granted; and Louisa is now a resident in the house of Oberlin's daughter, Mrs. Rauscher.

The volume from which we have made such copious extracts contains many most interesting proofs of the efficacy of religious principles among the peasants of Ban de la Roche; three women honoured by having their names specially recorded in the annals of the British and Foreign Bible Society, are conspicuous evidences that nobility of soul is not confined to any rank or station: we would willingly give such details, but our diminishing space compels us to decline the insertion; and we hasten to the last closing scene of this interesting man's life. In the latter part of his course he became so debilitated, that he was compelled to give the active part of his duties to his son-in-law, Mr. Graff, and principally employed himself in prayer for his parishioners; so sensible indeed was he of the value of intercessory prayer, that he constantly kept his church register of baptisms in his hand, and at stated hours offered supplications for each; nay, fearful of the weakness of his memory, he marked in chalk on his black door the names of such as he more especially desired to supplicate for. In 1826, his weakness increased, and in the latter part of May he was seized with convulsions, which lasted until the first of June, when he was removed to rejoin his dear wife and children, and to be with the Lord, whom he loved and served.

and held the other towards him. He clasped it in his own. The decision was made a decision which he never found cause to regret, for, notwithstanding the determination Madeleine had made not to be allied to a minister, she became truly devoted to his interests, and the most cordial attachment ever afterwards subsisted between them."-pp. 57, 58.

His funeral was attended by the whole community, and many Roman Catholic priests, dressed in their canonicals, attended the ceremony, and participated in the general grief.

It is unnecessary to remark on such a life as Oberlin's;—it is written in legible characters in the reformation of his parish, while it affords to the laborious and intelligent minister of religion the most encouraging prospects. The prevailing feature of Oberlin was devotedness. He became a pastor from choice; he deserted the higher walks of his profession because his duty led him to the obscure recesses of the mountains and valleys of the Vosges, and having once, as he supposed, seen where lay the portion of the Lord's vineyard, in which he was to labour, all the seductions of rank and opulence and comfort were ineffectual to remove him from its duties. Hence every thing connected with the advantages, whether temporal or spiritual, of the Ban became to him a personal concern. He exerted himself for it as for his own interest, and to advance in time those whom he trusted to meet in eternity, was his dearest privilege and duty. Hence his unwearied assiduity in promoting those habits of industry, frugality, and attention; hence his labouring for their merely temporal good, while around all, even the minutiae of private life, he cast the halo of religion, and endeavoured to associate the cares and struggles of time with the promise and expectations of eternity. It is in this point of view we would hold up Oberlin as a model for imitation, and it is his devotedness of heart and spirit and exertion to the cause of his Master, in attention to the interests of his flock, that has given him so high a place among the useful ministers of God. It is not that any pastor is called upon to imitate the course in which Oberlin deemed it his duty to walk, no more than to follow him in his occasional fanciful and unsound* speculations, or to believe that every parish is the Ban de la Roche; but the spirit which dictated such conduct is that which each should aim at a spirit which may show itself in the crowded avenues of a metropolis, as well as in the wild recesses of the Vosges-a spirit, without which nothing permanently or efficiently useful can be accomplished in the spiritual vineyard of the Lord-"Give thyself wholly to these things," is the admonition of an Apostle, and as there is no higher, no nobler occupation than the ministry, so there is none that calls for a more decided devotion, and none the fruits of which are certain. To him who deems his time so much his own, that he can give up a part of it to the world, or ministerial recreation. we would propose the indefatigable labours of Oberlin, or of

more

Oberlin indulged in some fanciful and unwarranted notions upon the subject of a future state, the relation between our progress in holiness here and our situation hereafter, and even entertained the hope which, unscriptural as it is, has frequently been suggested to believers, that the mercy of God may finally include the whole human race. Little as such speculations interfered with the fidelity of his preaching, we think they must have influenced his ministry, and to them is perhaps owing the want of that deep and searching spirit, whose absence we have already regretted.

Oberlin's Master, and "heavenly pattern," whose "meat and drink it was to do his father's will," and we would ask whether the example of the Son of God is not one his servant should follow; and to him who looks with fear upon the difficulties that surround him, we would ask if they exceed those that encompassed Oberlin ?-yet, by diligence, by perseverance, by affection, and devotedness he overcame them. In singleness of purpose, let them devote themselves to the Christian ministrylet them follow the Apostle's example, "faint not," nor be discouraged, but "go on with cheerfulness and alacrity, as remembering they serve the best Master in the world-one who will not only stand by and assist them, but reward them at last with righteousness."*

crown of We must not neglect mentioning that the object of the publication of the work from which we have so copiously extracted, is to support some of the institutions projected by the benevolence of Oberlin.

RELIGIOUS COMMUNICATIONS.

ERSKINE ON JUSTIFICATION.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE CHRISTIAN EXAMINER.

SIR-The more I reflect upon the doctrine of Mr. Erskine, respecting the subject of pardon, the more I am led to consider it as an unscriptural innovation. If nothing more were meant by the doctrine than the suspension of punishment, the term pardon would unquestionably be misapplied; or, if the meaning were, that God may, in consequence of the death of Christ, save whom he pleases, and as many as he thinks fit, the term "pardon" would, in that case, be equally inapplicable. But, if the doctrine of Mr. E. be, that God has pardoned the human race, in consequence of the death of Christ, it is manifest that either the position is not true, or that the same person may be both pardoned and punished on the same account. A consequence of his doctrine, so obvious, could not escape the discernment of Mr. Erskine; but his attempt to evade it seems only to establish the questionable nature of the original position. The pardon, indeed, is an independent transaction, but the enjoyment of the benefit depends upon the act of the individual. "You are pardoned," says Mr. Erskine, "whether you believe it or not, but you cannot be saved unless you believe in the pardon." The plain meaning of which must be, that a man, by his unbelief, undoes what God has done; for it is a manifest contradiction that a pardoned sinner should, while the act remains in force, be sentenced to punishment. If, then, a pardon ever existed, it must, in such a case, have been revoked, or else punishment never would or could be inflicted.

Bishop Beveridge.

But, in my humble opinion, Sir, the doctrine itself is less quéstionable than the reason assigned by Mr. Erskine for its adoption. And here I beg leave to reiterate my profession of sincere respect for Mr. Erskine, both as a writer and a Christian, and to express my hope that I have not uttered, and shall not utter a syllable inconsistent with such a feeling. I am persuaded that I do not differ from Mr. Erskine on the ground of a sinner's hope, nor on the nature and the necessity of that internal change which is indispensable in order to communion with God. On these subjects, if I wished to express myself with clearness and with force, I should probably transcribe passages from Mr. Erskine's books relating to them. I agree also with Mr. Erskine as to the real gratuitousness of that pardon which is bestowed; but I differ from him about what it is that makes it gratuitous, in the mode of its dispensation. Here Mr. Erskine and I part company, that is, if he means what his words seem to impart. "Pardon," he says, "is not gratuitous, if it depends upon the belief of the Gospel." I would say, that it is gratuitous, because it does so ; and would quote, as my authority the words of the Apostle" It is of faith, that it might be by grace,' in which passage not only is it declared that the freeness of the salvation, of which pardon is a part, is consistent with its being dependant upon faith, but that its freeness arises from this very circumstance. It is of faith, in order that it might be gratuitous. To some it may appear a matter of no importance if men are agreed as to the pardon of sin being gratuitous, whether they agree as to what makes it so. From such an opinion I am forced to dissent. Every misrepresentation of divine truth must be attended with evil, and if such misrepresentation relates to an important branch of the subject, the evil is proportionally great. In the present instance the point in debate must be regarded, if not of vital importance, at least of such importance as to make it eminently desirable that our views in relation to it should be under the guidance of scriptural authority. I may add, that it is a point not only of deep interest, but of continual recurrence. A man cannot well explain the subject of salvation, without a reference to the cause of its being free; and, on this account, it is surely most important, and, above all, to preachers, that there should be no discrepancy between the views we entertain and the truth revealed to us.

In the present instance it may easily be seen by a reference to fact, how much a man's general sentiments may be affected by the adoption of a general principle, so as to lead him to commit himself with that testimony to which he professes implicit submission. "I do not," says Mr. Erskine, "feel persuaded that any man ever receives, or received any thing in consequence of his belief of a truth, other than the natural effect of that truth on his mind."p. 101. If this be the case, what shall we make of the concluding verses of Romans, chap. iv.-"And being fully persuaded that what he had promised, he was able also to perform." The natural effect of this faith would be a comfortable state feeling as it respected the fulfilment of the promise; but the effect in the present

instance, according to the divine testimony, is of quite another nature; therefore, it was imputed to him for righteousness.", It is certainly in accordance with the view of Mr. Erskine, that faith should be considered in no other light but as the vehicle of information to the mind; but I am under a great mistake if this is the only light in which it is considered in its connection with salvation. Indeed, I feel quite assured of the contrary. "We," says the Apostle, "who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ," Here is believing on Jesus Christ in order to justification unequivocally avowed, and this is represented as the result of a comparison instituted between two opposite modes of arriving at the same end., After due deliberation, the judgment decides against "the works of the law," and in favour of the faith of Christ, as furnishing to the sinner the only satisfactory ground on which to rest his justification.

But here Mr. Erskine introduces his exception, "What is this," he says, "but substituting faith as the ground of a sinner's hope, in the place of obedience, which is called the legal system ?" This has a plausible appearance, as seeming to be more in accordance with a scheme, in which God alone is to be exalted, than if we were to represent faith as a necessary preliminary to the enjoyment of the divine favour. But the question is, whether such an objection, notwithstanding its apparent congruity with the freeness of salvation, does not really involve a principle at variance with the revealed truth of God. What is generally meant when we distinguish hetween what is gratuitous and what is not so, is, that the benefit, whatever it may be, is in the one case to be had for nothing, and › in the other to be paid for. This is the point of view in which. the freeness of the gift of God is constantly exhibited in his word. "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters," and far :· perhaps better even "he that hath no money," &c. "If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink." And again-"Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." The opposition in all these places is between price and no price; nor is there any thing like an intimation that coming and taking have the least influence in modifying the freeness of the gift. The same principles, I conceive, that lead Mr. Erskine to consider the interposition of faith as a medium of pardon objectionable, should lead him to deny the freeness of the waters to which men are invited in the above cited passages, because they are not brought to every man's door, nay, because they are not poured into his mouth. An objection might be made in the one case as well as the other, and on the same grounds. "You give us," it might be said, "the water without price. This we admit; but you require us to come for it. Now, as our time is value to us, we consider that you are only changing: the nature of the consideration, and that, all the time we are really paying for the commodity. Let us have the full enjoyment of the benefit without any act of our own, and then we will acknowledge