between the sexes, but among the persons of each sex separate from the other. There is positive evidence of it, however, in "the Apostolical Constitutions:" which are falsely so called, but held to be descriptive of practices of very early times. They say (lib. ii. cap. 57) "Let the men apart, and the women apart, salute one another with a kiss in the Lord:" and, again, (lib. viii. cap. 11) "Let the Clergy salute the Bishop, the laymen the laymen, and the women the wo

men."

Independently on this testimony, there is the circumstance, that the sexes were placed on the opposite sides of the Church. This custom is referred to, by many of the fathers. Now it appears from the constitutions, that the ceremony in question took place, at a very interesting period of the administration of the Eucharist immediately before the general prayer. It would be too absurd to imagine, that the order of the assembly was disarranged, with a view to the transaction.*

It would be easy to show, that the Scriptures refer to existing customs, without intending to render them perpetually binding on the Church-as in the instance of its being disreputable in a man to wear long hair, while it was the dictate of decency in a woman. Sarah is commended for calling Abraham "Lord:" but what would be thought of a woman of the present day, of no extraordinary standing in society, who should accost her husband with the title of My Lord! when it denotes either hereditary rank, or dignity of office? The prac tice in question was taken into the Christian Church, from the Jewish

* It is here believed, that the only passage of ecclesiastical antiquity countenancing what is denied, is one cited from Tertullian, which supposes the interchange of Christian civility to pass be

tween the sexes. The constitutions are

so much better a test of general practice, that there is no accounting for what Tertullian may have known it to be in Carthage, except on the supposition, that the latter might have been a mistaken imitation of the original precedent, especially, as it had its origin in the East.

Synagogue; and was thus the continuing of an expression of brotherly love, to which the people had been accustomed. There can be no rea son in this for its restoration, after ages of discontinuance.

If any Church should absurdly adopt the long discontinued practicea Church is here spoken of, and not a single congregation, in whom it would be not only absurd, but, in the Episcopal Church at least, disorderlythey should adhere to the spirit of the institution, as above described. But more absurd, beyond comparison, is the pretended imitation here designed to be reprobated—the taking of occa sion in private circles, and in more private interviews, to season spiritual instruction with what is pretended to be the Kiss of Charity spoken of in the aforesaid passages of Scripture: concerning which pretended imitation the opinion is here avowed, that a single act of it ought to be sufficient with a husband or a father, to forbid the access of the liquorish-mouthed instructor to his wife or to his daughter.

The objections occurring to the practice are as follow.

1st. A minister of the Gospel may bring himself into a state of tempta tion, without being aware of his dan ger. Opportunities may often occur, of religious conversation with some interesting female: and such occasions may become more and more attractive, apparently from a desire to convey instruction, but in reality from the sensual seasoning of it. Protestants are accustomed to lay great stress on the dangers attached to the auricular confession of the Church of Rome. We do not deny, that it is occasionally of benefit to society-as in the return of plundered property: but we say, that besides there being no scriptural authority for the prac tice, the benefit of it is more than counterbalanced by the resulting evils; the most conspicuous of which, are criminal connexions of the sexes. The matter here in question points to the same evil, without the allegation of attendant benefit. However untenable the ground of auricular con

fession, it is held to be authoritative by many a sincere man. In the event of his fall, there is not the aggravation of his having gone out of his way in quest of temptation; it having met him in his official character. In the other case, there is more to answer for in this respect.

2dly. The former objection contemplated a clergyman's exposing of himself to sin, unwarily. But if he carry sinful propensity along with him, in his intercourses with the other sex; nothing can be a more convenient cover, than the familiarities here faulted. He is enabled to make his approaches, while there is a concealment of his design. If he should succeed, there is a sacrifice of female virtue, which might not have happened, if the first step towards it had been understood. On the other hand, if the assailed female should be indignant at the earliest appearances of an attack on her honour, the sanctimonious deceiver finds an easy retreat, in the pretence of her having misunderstood his spiritual affection for a carnal one.

3dly. Under a systematic allowance of the practice, a modest woman may find herself much at a loss; as to the reception of familiarities, which thus mix ghostly counsel with the gratification of the flesh. The undue freedoms of the man of the world, may be repelled by her with indignation; while she may hesitate, as to the manifesting of resentment against them in the other form; lest she should be making an injurious charge against a holy man, who is labouring for the salvation of her soul. Not only so, even when his sensuality is unquestionable, she may be afraid to expose him to the world; lest her character should be torn to pieces, by those who have so far committed themselves in the belief of his saintship, that their own consistency is implicated in its support. She may reckon on her being considered as an apostate; and it will be well, if her virtue should come off without a stain.

4thly. One of the most essential requisites for the parochial usefulness

of a clergyman, is his being received with confidence by the families within his cure. It is therefore not sufficient to abstain from evil, but the appearance of it is to be avoided. A husband, or a father, may be over-jealous of his rights. If so, what good object can there be, to counterbalance the estrangement which may be the result of his apprehensions? But it is hereheld, that there would be no weakness on his part, in not being indifferent to opportunities sought and seized, of holding religious conversation with his wife or with his daughter in his absence. It would be a misapprehending of this to suppose, that a clergyman, happening to engage in conversation on a religious subject, is to suspend it, until he can call in witnesses to the dialogue. What is here explicitly condemned, is, designed secrecy. Especially as the subject respects man and wife, it is difficult to conceive of a case, in which the former may not be present, at any counsel to be given to the latter. Or at most, if she should imagine such a necessity, the retired intercourse should continue no longer, than to give an opportunity of her being convinced of her error. And she should be required to submit to instruction to this effect.

5thly. In every line of life, there is a certain decorum established by habit, perhaps not essential to virtue, yet designed to be an outwork for its defence; the disregard of which gives an opening for suspicions, which might otherwise be uncharitable. This especially applies to suspicions of a crime, which, when committed, is seldom capable of direct proof. When a woman, in a respectable grade of life, has been inattentive to established decorum, and has consequently fallen under an accusation, which her conscience testifies to be erroneous, let her be satisfied with its testimony; and having improperly shown her disregard of what the world may think or say, let her be consistent, and not complain of its censoriousness or of its malice. The case is the same with a clergyman. When accused of what cannot be proved either by direct evi

dence, or by circumstances affording strong presumption, he may show the face of innocency to the charge, and deny it with the expectation of being believed. But when he has broken through any barrier of female reserve, and has taken liberties which would reasonably be offensive in other men, expecting to cover them by the sanctity of his profession; even if no licentious design have been entertained by him, he has no cause to complain of its being apprehended. That even the disregard of appearances must be criminal, is undeniable; unless on the principle, that the success of his ministry, and the performance of his ordination vows, have no dependence on the respectability of his character.

6thly. The weight of the preceding considerations, is immensely increased by the prevalence of a species of devotion, consisting rather in the temporary excitement of animal sensibility, than in the habitual possession of holy and virtuous dispositions; the result of which is, that what has been mistaken for divine love, renders the mind the easier accessible to that which is sensual.

The distinction between those two species of devotion, would be interpreted by some as evidence of the possession of no more of godliness, than the formality of it. The only resource, is an appeal to Scripture and to observation. There can be no religion in the conduct, without corresponding piety in the heart. But it should be such a piety, as that which shines in the devotions of the lively oracles of God-especially in the prayer appointed for daily use; and not such as inspires the rhapsodies, resolvable into what is here known by the name of animal sensibility.

The distinction might be traced in various ways, indifferent to religious exercises or affections: for instance, in subjects of joy and in those of grief, exciting very lively sensibilities, when we have no interest in them, and even when we know the causes of what we feel to be the oreatures of fiction. Not only so, the late experiments in chemistry have

brought into action gazes, which pro duce the same effects on the bodily organs, without the presentment of any images to the mind.

Now it is contended, that what is here considered as a counterfeit species of devotion, is not merely resolvable into passion, but prepares for the excitement of it in another form. For instance; if we were to know of any man, that his devotions in his own house are so vehement, as to cause his bellowings to be heard throughout a neighbourhood; it is here maintained, not merely that he might fall into carnal indulgences, but that he would be the more in danger of them, in consequence of the preceding noise of his devotion.

There is a well known Poem of Dryden, in which he has shown his knowledge of the human character. It is where the powers of musick is displayed, in its exciting of Alexander, of Macedon, to reduce to ashes the fine city of Persepolis. The musician is described, as agitating the mind of the hero by passions very different from that which was the object-the passion of revenge. brought to a state of sufficient susceptibility; then it is, that there are introduced the ghosts of Grecian warriors, pointing to the hostile towers. The event is, that he who, just before, had wept for the fate of the great and good Darius, becomes an infuriate madman; and the city is made a sa crifice to his vengeance.

When he is

In analogy with this, are the sensi bilities of the natural man, when they become mixed with those of religion. But it may be asked-Can such an effect originate in such a cause, by a necessary or by a legitimate operation? By no means. The effect will not take place, so long as a man continues in the fear of God, and in the exercise of prayer and watchfulness. But when he has opened his heart to the illusions of spiritual pride; or when he has become ambitious to be known as the leader of a religious party; or when he has seated himself in the censor's chair, and begun to establish a character for himself, by the undervaluing of the characters of others;

or, above all, when he has brought himself to the accomplishing of any of these things, by misrepresentation and malicious charges; in every thing of the sort, there is the danger of its being to him what the sop was to Judas. He may still be liable to the animal sensibilities alluded to: which may be matter of habit; like the artificial agitations which, in some countries, are the hired accompanyments of funerals. But as for a frame of mind, which may be laid open in an act of adoration before the Father of Spirits, and brought within the sphere of the merciful disclosures of the Gospel; all this will have been eaten up by the canker-worm of self-righteousness: a vice of the mind, against which he will continue his railing, with an application of it to better men than himself; who, while they know that they are but unprofitable servants, are yet aware, that they will reap according to what they shall have sown.

An elderly lay gentleman of high standing in society, of good moral character, and, as was supposed, not a stranger to the influence of religion, remarked to the writer of this in his youth, that enthusiasm was a predisposing cause of illicit commerce between the sexes. Subsequent observation verified the opinion. Every misdirection of the religious principle, is unfavourable to morals. perstition has always shown its ingenuity, in commuting for the sins of the soul by the mortifications of the body, No less of enthusiasm than of superstition, we well know, that it has of ten directed the hand of the assassin. But among the foul deeds of the former, is that imputed to it by the respectable gentleman alluded to.

Su

Why should the writer hesitate to record an incident, which came under his notice in his boyhood? When he was about the age of twelve years, he happened to be present at a conversation, induced by the visit of a female from a place of residence somewhat distant, to the family in which the conversation occurred. The ground of her visit, was a distant relationship; and the professed object,

3

was discourse on religious subjects. She was treated with respect by the family; and to the writer of this, she seemed to be an angel dropped from heaven. A few years afterwards, it became known, that not finding devotion sufficiently ardent in the Church of England, in which she had been born and educated, she had joined another religious communion, thought by her to be of a more sublimated cast of character. It was not long afterwards, that there arose a vehement dispute in the congregation to which she had attached herself; and among the disclosures which took place, it appeared against her, that she had been detected with one of the brotherhood, in a species of familiarity, reprobated by all people of a respectable standing in society. It seemed to the present writer, at the time, like the fall of Lucifer. But succeeding observation of the world, removed the error.

On recollection of the discourse, there were retraced passages of it, afterwards perceived to be indicative of the affecting of the reputation of extraordinary sanctity, and the assuming of pretensions like those of an apostleship. These are very different from the profession exacted by the spirit of Christianity.

It would be easy to enforce the purpose of the foregoing details, by the relation of more recent incidents. And as those have been brought to light by accidental circumstancesvery often rivalship or resentment; the inference would be fair-how many similar. incidents will be concealed, until the day which shall make all things manifest!

To prevent the misunderstanding of the object of the preceding remarks, it is here declared, that they have no bearing on any customary civilities in society, taking place before witnesses, not liable to the interpretation of especial attachment, and not blended with the concerns of religion. It is impossible fairly to confound such civilities, with any practice which may reconnend sensual gratification by the cover of apparent spirituality; thus illustrating

the scriptural saying, of "the transforming of Satan into an angel of light." W. W.

POSTSCRIPT.

Very soon after the committing of the preceding sentiments to paper, there came to hand a pamphlet, recently published, entitled-"God's Revenge against Adultery." It recites two awful cases of that crime; and its unhappy consequences, as well to the innocent relatives of the guilty parties, as to themselves. From the unreserved mention of names, and thus the implied appeals to the testimony of living persons, it is probable that the outlines of the narratives are true, although evidently filled up by the imagination of the publisher. There are many exceptionable passages; and especially, there is an important error in the title, as applied to the temporal dispensations of God. But the latter of the narratives records circumstances, which are a striking illustration of a principle sustained in the essay. An accomplished young man, in violation of his marriage vow, practices various arts to render himself agreeable to a beautiful and amiable young lady. The modesty of her mind either does not permit her to understand his advances, or disposes her to repel them. At a subsequent period, under the preaching of a minister who dwelt much on the terrors of the law, she became a subject of religious distress, so as almost to despair of her salvation. But under the preaching of another mi nister, who delighted in the display of the consolations of the Gospel, she received comfort; and in the ecstacy of her joy, embraced various members of the family, exclaiming-"I am converted, I am happy." Antecedently to this, the gentleman refer red to had become a convert: probably, under similar apprehensions of the work of grace. The young lady, after disclosing her feelings to her family, was impatient to do the same to the said gentleman, now a professor of religion, and a frequent and unsuspected visitant in her father's house. What was the consequence? It was

that in a very short time, the family were rendered miserable, by the evi dences of the pressure of some extra.. ordinary grief on her mind; the cause of which became at last visible, in the increase of her person, indicating it to have been the victim of seduction.

How deplorable is a delusion, which prepares for such an issue; when there would otherwise be a defence against it in maiden modesty, even without the profession of religion,

It would be easy to detail similar anecdotes, resting on credible testimony within the sphere of personal intercourse: but tenderness to the persons concerned, and to those con nected with them, imposes reserve.

Not only animal love, but strong liquor may combine with religious conviction, to produce what the agent imagines to be the fervour of devotion.

An instance of this occurred not many years ago-as other instances have at different times to the present writer. There came to him a man, professing to bewail his sinfulness; and especially apprehensive, that he had committed the sin against the Holy Ghost. From his appearance and gestures, there arose the suspicion-not the certainty-that he was intoxicated. At any rate, his sensibilities were so excessive, as rendered much conversation with him unprofitable. He was therefore requested to retire for the present; and to call again, when he could better command his feelings: and this was done, with the intention of ascertaining his character from a religious man; to whom he was supposed, from his place of residence, to be known. Information was obtained from the contemplated source: by which it appeared, that the man in question was in habits of intemperance; and that when under the effects of it, he was apt to apply to the informant, in precisely the same form as that above described.

NATURE.

W. W.

THE manner in which man resembles his Maker, is thus described by an anceint Bramin: "Figure to your