present appointed, and ably advocated the measure. He was seconded by Sir Andrew Leith Hay, and supported by Mr Rutherfurd, member for Leith, &c. Sir James Graham and the Lord Advocate made a very feeble opposition. On a vote being taken, there were found-against the motion 128; for it 101. The majority, being, to the amazement of every body, thus only twenty-seven, affords the strongest encouragement to the friends of non-sectarian education to persevere.

American Slavery.-The person we referred to in our last, as under sentence of death for aiding a female slave in effecting her escape, has had his sentence commuted for public flagellation. The following letter from the judge by whom he was sentenced, throws light on the state of criminal law and its administration in some parts of America. Britain, with all her ills, may bless God that she has no such Acts in her statute-book, and we hope no such judges on her bench; though it should be remembered, as a use of humiliation, that the obnoxious Act in question dates back to a period when the States were colonies of our own country. We may just add, that there is, we believe, no evidence of the guilty relation alleged to subsist between Brown and the woman.

"John L. Brown is a native of Fairfield district; he was tried and convicted, on very clear proof, of aiding a negro woman to run away and depart from her employer's service. The proof created a strong belief that the woman had been his kept mistress for some time. The Act under which he was convicted was passed 11th of May 1754, and is as follows:- Whereas, by the laws of this province, negroes and other slaves are deemed to be chattels personal, and are, in every respect, as much the property of their owner as any other goods and chattels are. And whereas no punishment can be inflicted by the laws now in force upon persons inveigling, stealing, or carrying away any such slaves from their lawful owners or employers, that is adequate to so great and growing an evil. And whereas, the inhabitants of this province are liable to, and receive, great prejudice and damage by such unwarrantable and pernicious practices and wicked proceedings: therefore, to prevent and punish, as much as may be, such evil, be it enacted, that from and immediately after the 24th day of June next, all and every person and persons who shall inveigle, steal, or carry away any negroes, or other slave or slaves; or shall hide, aid, or counsel any person or persons to inveigle, steal, or carry away, as aforesaid, any such slave, so as the owner or employer of any such slave or slaves shall be deprived of the use and benefit of such slave or slaves; or that shall aid any such slave in running away or departing from his master's or employer's service, shall be, and he and they is and are hereby declared to be guilty of felony, and being thereof convicted or attainted by verdict or confession, or, being indicted thereof, shall stand mute, or will not directly answer to the indictment, or will peremptorily challenge above the number twenty of the jury, shall suffer death as felons, and be excluded and debarred of the benefit of clergy." This act, it will be seen, is nearly one hundred years old, and could, therefore, have had no direction against the abolition-folly of the present day; although I have no doubt it may check such philanthropy as that of the editor of the enclosed, if he should ever venture to try his hand in stealing a negro, or aiding one to run away. How a judge can be justly styled a murderer for enforcing the law of the State whose officer he may be, is rather strange; perhaps the editor can find something in the new code of morals of which he seems to be an exponent, which may justify it. Our revolutionary sires thought precious little of the rascals who stole or aided negroes in running away; little of their blood would have been poured out to keep such from the gallows; they would sooner, much sooner, have tied the noose than cut it with their swords.

Say to the worthy editor of the enclosed that John L. Brown will not be hanged. By the recommendation of myself and my brethren of the Court of Appeal he was pardoned by the Governor, on the condition of receiving on Friday, the 26th of April next, at Winnsborough, thirty-nine lashes on his bare back. If the editor will then and there attend, I have no doubt John L. Brown will gladly accompany him to the West, where he can soothe and cherish him as one of the young and ardent men' who loved negro women and advised them to escape from slavery.

"JOHN BOLTON O'NEALL."

MURRAY AND GIBB, PRINTERS, GEORGE STREET, EDINBUrgh,

THE

UNITED SECESSION MAGAZINE,

FOR JULY, 1844.

MISCELLANEOUS COMMUNICATIONS.

THOUGHTS ON SELF-EXAMINATION.

In an hour of self-inspection, few petitions rise more readily to the Christian's lips than that contained in the following words of the Psalmist, “ Search me, O God, and know my heart ; try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." In its connexion with the context, indeed, this verse may rather be viewed as a confiding appeal to Divine Omniscience to test the sincerity of the suppliant, who had just said, "I hate them that hate thee with perfect hatred." In this aspect, the language is parallel to the words of Peter, "Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee." David felt assured that his profession did not proceed from "feigned lips," and was willing that God should pronounce judgment on its truth. Employed, however, as a prayer for divine aid in examining ourselves for the discovery and destruction of indwelling sin, the petitions quoted are appropriate and full of meaning. It is evident, besides, from the closing request, that this view is not foreign to the spirit of the Psalmist. The object of the following paragraphs is to suggest and illustrate the more obvious of those reflections regarding self-examination, which the words used as a prayer for divine assistance in the exercise are fitted to awaken.

Pursuing this design, it is first of all remarked, that our employment of this prayer implies consciousness of our incompetency to search our.... selves. The Psalmist recognized his obligation to prove his own heart; and he had not been negligent of the duty. Elsewhere we find him saying, “I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies." Nor can we doubt that he had often practised the injunction which he addresses to others: "Commune with your own heart upon your bed and be still." But, then, just the more conscientious he was in the discharge of this obligation, the more deeply would he be convinced that the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked." Indeed, it is when we begin in earnest to try our hearts, that we first emphatically learn how impossible it is for us to try them aright. The nature of a slippery object is best discovered when we

NO. VII. VOL. 1.

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attempt to grasp it; and the bow which shoots deceitfully betrays its flaw when used. So it is with the human heart. In indolent theory, it may seem no hard task to know it; we may plausibly reason, since the object of inspection is always near us within our very breasts, that surely, if we know anything well, it must be our own hearts. But experience demonstrates the vanity of such a conclusion as this. How few are there in the world who are wise in self-knowledge! Is there a subject on which mistakes are so frequent among men, as their own true character? But this, it will be said, is for want of painstaking; and the remark is just. Part of the deceitfulness which makes the heart unsearchable lies in its readiness to persuade us that search is unnecessary. But let a man be persuaded of this, and attempt the scrutiny; let him sit down to weigh his thoughts and feelings in accuSelf-love rate balance, and still, how difficult will the task be found. has so many delusive apologies; so hard is it to keep the attention vividly fixed; evil so often resembles good by veiling its own form under some plausible disguise; graces have so many counterfeits, and a man is always so willing to be led into a conclusion favourable to himself, that oftentimes attempted investigation issues in more confirmed ignorance of the character of the inquirer.

These remarks apply chiefly to self-examination in order to the decision of the question, Am I a child of God? But, beyond the settlement of this point, there lies constant occasion for heart- searching, and evidence abundant, how impossible it is to know it. The Psalmist, on whose words we are meditating, had just professed his hatred of all evil; but was aware, notwithstanding, that much carnal and unholy inclination still lurked within, for the discovery of which he cannot trust his own diligence, but brings his heart to God. So must every saint: How else can he detect the ills that yet beset him? How, for example, can he otherwise test the motives that urge him to duty, and know how much is dross, and how much pure gold? In his endeavours to do good, how hard is it to trace the boundary where self-seeking ends, and love to Christ begins? How difficult is it to distinguish be tween the dormancy of some evil principle, through the absence of temptation, and its death through conquering grace? How shall the christian warrior say, whether some present victory over sin shall not be improved by the corruption of his heart, to lull his vigilance asleep, and prepare the way for the triumph of some new temptation? In a word, and in general, it is not in vain that the Scripture saith, The heart is deceitful above all things. Its deceit has no parallel. Here is the climax of subtlety. As the serpent was among the beasts of the field which the Lord had made, so is the human heart among deceitful things. There is no fool like him who trusts it. The credulous ear that drinks in every floating rumour, will be less frequently deluded than the man who believes his own heart. And the more we employ ourselves in detecting its windings, the more unsearchable it seems. It has been frequently remarked of the Bible, that however often you read its pages, you may still discover, on every fresh perusal, some excellence unseen before. There is another book-the volume of the heart, which, in opposite qualities, seems thus unfathomable. Hence the apostle, matured, as we might say, in grace, still groaned under the

burden of corruption,-" O wretched man, who shall deliver me the body of this death?"

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A second remark is, that the prayer on which we are meditating implies confidence in God's power to search us. When the question is put by the prophet regarding the wicked heart, "Who can know it?" it is immediately added, "I the Lord search the heart." It is as if the inquiry were proposed in the way of challenge to the universe, and then the voice of God is heard in answer, demanding for himself the right and power to know what to all creation was unfathomable. Throughout the Scriptures we meet frequent expressions, claiming it in like manner as the prerogative of Godhead to search the hearts of men. conclude from this, that the Being who says, "I am he which searcheth the reins," must be divine. "Searcher of hearts" impresses us with the idea of perfect knowledge-just as "Creator of the ends of the earth" indicates the possession of supreme power. Now, it needs not be said that it is a very solemn thought, that God reads the secrets of the inmost soul. He observes all we think and feel, and sees all as it is. He is never deceived. Disguises hide nothing from his eye. And, alas! how often do services that appear fair in the sight of fellow-creatures, present to him nothing but a mass of hypocrisy or formalism. And how covered are the best with blemishes-and marred with imperfections! How fitting is it to be said to God, "Enter not into judgment with thy

servants."

But we are led here rather to view what is encouraging in this thought. There is encouragement in it. When we think of the great adversary of souls, it cheers us to remember, that powerful as is the strong man armed, too subtle and mighty for us to cope with, there is a stronger than he. So with the heart. We are no match for its deceit it will certainly baffle our unaided skill, and exhaust our vigilance, but its craft avails not against the Searcher of hearts. A defeated lust may retire into some lurking-place, and so escape our detection, while yet it lives; or may change its shape, and assault us unprepared in some new way-but God sees it still. And the comfort is, that he who says, I search the heart, says also in gracious promise, "A new heart will I give you," and "from all your filthiness and all your will I cleanse you." And "I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh."

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Here let it be farther noticed, that the prayer imparts more than simply that God would take cognizance of what is in our hearts. It is a supplication that this be discovered to ourselves. We ask God to see if there be any wicked way in us, that we may see it too. Such discoveries of what is in human hearts, God makes in a variety of modes. He makes them, for example, by his providence. In the case of the wicked, he lets themselves and others see what is within, by permitting the proper working of their native depravity. The story of Hazael furnishes an apt illustration. When the man of God wept at foresight of his cruelties, the Syrian urged him to tell the cause of his tears; and, being informed of his future deeds of blood, he answered with all the warmth, apparently, of unfeigned horror, "Is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing?" Yet, no later than on the morrow, he began his course of wickedness, by the murder of his

master, and proved how much better God knew his heart than he did himself. In like manner, dealing with his own people, God often shows them the depth of their corruptions, by suffering them to fall into temptation. This shows the saint that evils he did not suspect have their roots within him. The nitrous grain of gunpowder seems cold and uninflammable enough, till the spark alight on it. And, just as graces are tested by trials, so are sinful principles discovered. Some grievous provocation, as in the case of Moses, lets the meek man see that his lowliness was far from perfect. Some sore adversity, as in the case of Job, shows that something was yet lacking to the completion of unmurmuring patience. Thus David, also, in that part of his history which is connected with Nabal, was let see (though grace pre vented their execution) to what deeds of rash revenge his spirit could prompt him. It is the hardest form of this experimental proving, when the saint is left to fall before temptation; as, when David learned how that, left to himself, he could become an adulterer and murderer. While we seek discoveries of our own hearts, let us prayerfully watch that we disclose not what is in us by bringing forth the fruits of unrighteousness.

God searches hearts also by his word and Spirit. The Bible supplies us with tests of character, and guides us into the labyrinth of our own bosoms. And when the Spirit sends divine truth home to the conscience, it is as when the light of day breaks into a loathsome dungeon. One hour of conviction, of pangs produced by some barbed arrow from the quiver of the word, has taught men more of the desperate wickedness of their hearts, than the events of years before. It is well when the Spirit thus works. The medicine may be bitter, but it is salutary. Let us seek more of the Spirit's humbling yet happy discoveries. He is qualified to search us, for he is divine. He searcheth all things, yea the deep things of God." He is qualified to heal us, for he is the spirit of grace and might. Those whom he searches, he can also sanctify.

It may be observed, thirdly, that the prayer which we are considering implies willingness to see the worst about ourselves. Suppose application made to an intelligent and faithful earthly friend, to deal with our faults impartially, and set them without reserve before us, our request would argue some sincerity of desire to discover and amend our errors. But much more is thus implied in application to God. The most faithful earthly friend could after all look only on the outward appearance, and very imperfectly inspect even that; "but the Lord looketh on the heart," while we shrink from seeing all that is wrong in us, we are not thoroughly in earnest in presenting the prayer, "Search us, O God?" Nor is the acquisition of this willingness a light matter. It is, indeed, a rare attainment. We have a natural reluctance to see our real condition. We are disposed, rather, to take for granted that all is or will be well; or if a suspicion arise we fear to follow it, lest it be conformed to our disquietude. Our sleep is partially broken, and sounds of danger beget a vague fear, but, loving ease, we reason ourselves into hope of safety, and forget our apprehensions in a deeper sleep. Our wound is healed slightly, and we have reason to think so, but we dread the pain of a more thorough probing. And the more