may bring forth pleasant fruits, till the time arrives for their transplantation to the paradise above. And, so far from diminishing the amount of parental duty, it but facilitates the discharge of it; rebukes supineness, and repeats in the parent's ear, as each holy day returns, the divine injunction "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might," reminding him that he has fellowlaborers in the great work of preparing his offspring for the skies, raised up by heaven to supply the lack of service over which he often weeps in bitterness of spirit.

And in this connexion it may not be impertinent to remark that the efficiency of the "Union," under God, wholly depends upon the support it derives from the ministry and the churches. At their word it lives, and at their frown it dies. Let them be zealously affected toward it, and it flourishes like the palm tree, though buffeted by all the winds of heaven let loose; let them be indifferent to its prosperity and regardless of its calls on their aid, and it droops like the uprooted flower of the garden. It is the offspring of faith, and sympathises in all the weaknesses of its parent. It is the adopted child of charity, and shares the benedictions and reproaches poured on the head of its foster-mother. It is the fair creation of Providence starting forth on its career of Godlike beneficence, amid the shoutings of attendant angels, and doomed to blight and desolation only when Satan wakes and its heaven-appointed guardians sleep. It is an infant Moses, destined by high decree to usefulness and honor, but cradled for a season in the ark of bulrushes, till a heaven-directed hand plucks it forth from danger and commits it to Zion's maternal care with the charge "take this child and nurse it for me, and I will pay thee thy wages.' Live it must-live it will, as certainly as did Israel's deliverer, unless we misinterpret the promises of revelation, and the indications of Providence relative to the day in which

"One song employs all nations; and all cry

Worthy the Lamb, for he was slain for us."

And if it live not by the instrumentality of the ministry and churches already existing, then will God raise up a holier ministry and purer churches who shall press it to their breasts, and bear it on their arms, and save it harmless from the archers that sorely grieve it; and make its bow abide in strength, and gather around it the blessings of heaven above, and of the deep beneath, blessings reaching to the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills.

My brethren, we have before us the object of restoring to purity and love a lost race, for which heaven has poured forth its riches treasures, and to secure the widest manifestation of that glory which fills the upper world with transports of joy. It is an objec before which the material universe sinks into insignificance; de fying our utmost powers of comprehension, but demanding ou

twined about its head and eyes that turn men into stones; Atheism with its hundred hands of violence, and its fifty mouths of blasphemy; vice, crime and reckless passions threatening a deluge of blood and fire-and all accumulating new power every day by the influx from the emptied alms-houses, brothels, and prisons of Europe. These enemies of God and our country are to be met and vanquished on the open field, or within their fortified entrenchments, only by spiritual weapons.

Nor are they to be foiled and overthrown by our fears or our hopes, nor by our boasting and defiances. Dangers encompass us. A dark abyss yawns at our feet. The heavens lower above us. The elements meet in conflict around us, and unless the Lord be on our side we are swallowed up quick. But safety may be found. It is announced to us in heaven's gentle whisper, "this is the way, walk ye in it." "Teach your CHILDREN and make them understand doctrine." Bid the herald of salvation, and the Sabbath School teacher go hand in hand throughout the land; their doctrine dropping as the rain, and their speech distilling as the dew, and future generations shall arise and become a wall of fire around the dwelling-place of Jehovah, and a glory in the midst of it.

I have alluded to the prospective influence going forth from us to affect the destinies of the world. Already there is scarcely a land so remote, or a clime so inhospitable, or a tribe of men so small, that our name has not reached it, and awakened a spirit of inquiry into the genius of our religious and civil institutions. Every year, as it extends our commerce, and increases our wealth, extends our fame, and nourishes a spirit in other lands, that will never rest till the blood-stained sword of despotism is everywhere broken, and dark-faced ignorance banished to the realms of its foster father-the prince of darkness. Let our population continue to swell as for the hundred years past, and our intercourse with the nations to be main tained and increased, our literature and science to keep pace with our agricultural and mechanical improvements, and not an angel's tongue can tell the amount of that influence an hundred years hence. The question is, shall it be an influence baptized in the fountain opened on Calvary; and go forth armed with the authority of the law of God, rearing the sanctuary, disseminating the word of life, planting the Sabbath school, diffusing light and love at each advancing step, and spreading abroad the glories of the millennial day over a benighted world? Or, on the other hand, shall it go. forth under the control of the spirit of unbelief, and insubordination to the laws of God and man; embroiling kingdoms in war and bloodshed; harpy-like, first tearing in pieces and then polluting and devouring whatever is noble and lovely in the privileges and joys of the great community of nations? The question awaits the calm decision of the philanthropist and the Christian.

Brethren! the work before you is nothing less than to bring your whole country into cheerful subjection to Christ, making it the glory of all lands, by converting it into a mountain of holiness, from whose summit shall descend perennial streams of richest blessing to purify the nations, till "the voice of a great multitude, as the voice of many waters and the voice of mighty thunderings, shall be heard saying, Alleluia! for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth, and the kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, are given to the people of the saints of the Most High."

EARLY CONVERSION OF CHILDREN.

"I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me."PROV. viii. 17.

THE early conversion of children is of unspeakable importance. In the view of christian parents, who are alive to the worth of the soul, the thought that their children to whom they have given birth shall live and die in their sins, and be for ever excluded from heaven is a reflection, which is unutterably painful. And in view of the promises which cluster around the period of childhood the wonder is that any christian parents can remain satisfied or indifferent for a single day till their children are converted to God. If they believe these promises of the Bible, and would come to God in humble reliance on his spirit and put his faithfulness to the test, by earnest supplication, who can tell how many christian parents would rejoice in the early conversion of their children.

The following are some of the considerations which show the importance of the early conversion of children.

1. If conversions take place early, less time will be spent in the service of the world, and, consequently, the power of the adversary will be proportionably diminished. There are two great powers striving for the ascendency in this world,-Christ and Satan, with their respective followers. The followers of Christ are those who are won from the ranks of Satan. Formerly they have been suffered to remain there till the best part of their lives have been spent in opposing the advance of holiness. Now, if they can be won over to the side of Christ ten or fifteen years earlier, so much will be subtracted from the power of the adversary.

2. But not only is the power of Satan lessened by early conversions, that of Christ's cause is to the same extent increased. Instead of giving ten or twenty years to the service of Christ, you give thirty, forty, or fifty. Thus the cause of holiness gains a double advantage. If, in war, a hundred of the enemy fall in battle while we lose nothing, we have gained an advantage. But how much greater is the acquisition if, instead of falling, they desert and come over to our side!