The God of Israel was jealous, revengeful, ter

He was fond of perfume,

burning incense, even

rible, and a God of war. ornaments, ceremonies, of bloody sacrifices. He commanded his people to destroy those who forsook him, or who did not obey his commandments; even those who kindled fire on the sabbath day. Neither brother, sister, son, daughter, husband, wife nor friend, was to be spared, if he served another god. He who knew an infidel, was forbidden to pity, conceal or save him; on the contrary, it was his duty to stone nim. (Exod. xxxv. Deuteronomy xiii.)

The God of Christians, on the contrary, is love, oenevolence and charity. He is the father of the whole of mankind, and wishes for universal happiness. He freely pardons, provided the sinner repent. He gives the same laws to all, makes no exception, and pays no attention to the appearance of persons; he judges, punishes, or rewards every one after his actions. He is a Spirit that cannot be confined to temples, and is to be adored in spirit and in truth. (John iv. Rom. ii. 1 John iv. Matt. vi. &c.)

The Jews were obliged to be faithful only to those of their own race; they were permitted to take usury from foreigners, and to hate them. David praised God in saying, "Do I not hate those who hate thee? I hate them with perfect hatred." (Ps. cxxxviii) They were ordered to

form a separate nation, and prohibited from intermarrying with other people. Their food was prescribed; many things were interdicted and declared impure. Polygamy was lawful. Solomon had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines. The husband was allowed to put away his wife; it was sufficient to write her a bill of divorcement, &c. &c.

How superior and more noble are the principles of Christianity: they prohibit anger, hatred and revenge, and order us not to return evil for evil; they command forgiveness of every offence seven times in a day, and seventy times seven, if asked for; to love our enemies; to bless them that curse us, and to do good to them that hate us. They interdict all selfish passions, and declare our neighbor every one who does the will of God. CHRIST asked to drink of a woman of Samaria, whilst the Jews had no dealings with that nation. He associated with Jews and Gentiles, ate with publicans and sinners, and declared those only who do the will of his heavenly Father, to be his mother, sister or brother.

No food is an abomination to Christians. CHRIST said, "Not that which enters into the mouth defiles a man ;" and St. PAUL declares to the Romans, "I know and am persuaded by the Lord JESUS, that there is nothing unclean in itself." CHRIST permitted only one wife, and

in this respect re-established the law as it was from the beginning of the creation. (Mark x. 6.)

Before the Christian dispensation, empires were founded by the sword, and by the most cruel and frightful destruction of the vanquished.

CHRIST declared, that he came, not to destroy men's lives, but to save them; that he who exalts himself shall be abased. He made no distinction among persons, and considered love and peace as the aim of all commandments. He only proposed the doctrine of his heavenly Father for the acceptance of mankind, and did not enforce it by the sword. He directed his disciples only to shake off the dust of their feet, in departing out of that house or city where they had not been courteously received, or where their words had not been attended to.

The superiority of the Christian principles above the Jewish law is evident. St. PAUL said to the Hebrews (iii.), that "CHRIST is more worthy than MOSES ;" and (vii. 20.) "by so much was CHRIST made a surety of a BETTER Testament;" and, (viii. 7.) "if the first Covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been found for the second." True Christianity really improves the moral and religious character of a Jew.

In regard to morality, it is indeed impossible to establish better principles than have been pointed out in the New Testament. But since these rules, unexampled in ancient legislation, have been established, the followers of Christiani ty have often fallen back to many of the contempt. ible doctrines of the heathen. Many points of im portance have been neglected, and trifles adhered to. Pretended Christians, for instance, have disputed, whether it be permitted or not, to eat meat on certain days, in the same manner as Mahome dans dispute, whether coffee be or be not prohib ited in the Koran. Notwithstanding these abuses, however, it is certain, that the precepts of moral and religious conduct have improved by degrees; and that many selfish and absurd opinions will be rectified, as soon as human nature shall be better understood. True Christianity will gain, by every step which is made in the knowledge of

man.

Let us now see whether Education is advanced as much as may be desirable. Unfortunately we find, that notwithstanding the sublime principles of Christian morality, and the numerous master pieces of arts and sciences, it is a lamentable truth, that hitherto education has succeeded less than the friends of humanity wish for. Indeed, if we examine its influence on the improvement of mankind, a thousand years is like a day that is past. Who has not seen children of the most pious and

exemplary parents indulge in scepticism, and plunge themselves into profanity and vice? And who has not observed that licentiousness often prevails in the most enlightened and refined classes of society? Who has not observed very limited talents appear in the offspring of men of the greatest genius? Now the inferences to be drawn from such facts are, that either the education has not been adapted to the natural dispositions of those individuals, or that every one is not capable of receiving the full effect of a good education; and as man, in general, hitherto has little improved by education, we must conclude that either he is less perfectible than we may wish for, or that the true means of improvement have not been employed. The latter cause seems to me the most prob able, and it may be principally accounted for by our ignorance of the nature of man. Plants and animals succeed only, if treated according to their natural qualities, and the education of man will not and cannot succeed, without adapting it to his nature.

Some philosophers have endeavored to degrade man to a level with the brute ; while others have fancied that he has nothing whatever in common with the animal kingdom. By some the faculties of man are considered as the result of external impressions, and accidental circumstances; while others believe that the existence of each person, and all the phenomena of that existence, are the effects of predestination.