all surprised to see a new branch arise protesting against the potency of tea, and the exciting nature of coffee, and pledging themselves to the use of milk and water only!

We are quite at a loss to understand these no doubt well-meaning people; for, although so great an outcry is made against the use of strong drinks, little or nothing is said against strong eating, which we think ought not to have been passed by, the Temperance Society to which we belong teaching us "to be temperate in all things," not making up for self-denial in one thing by indulgence in another. We should, therefore, recommend to these primitively inclined persons"The simple root, the slice of wheaten bread,

The cup of water, and the clear cool head."

We would not for a moment have our readers consider us as defending, in the least degree, the improper use of, or indulgence in, any of the good things of this life by which we are surrounded; and the great difference between the use and the abuse of anything must be evident to every person of common understanding; we therefore find ourselves puzzled to know why such things are bestowed, unless to be thankfully received. The best reason we have heard advanced by our aqueous friends, is, the effect their conduct has upon others; that their total abstinence acts as a great check to undue indulgence in others. This may be the case; and, if really true, their selfdenial is most praiseworthy. We are very much afraid this is not the case, and that many of these worthy people deceive themselves in this matter, believing intemperance to be stopped, because they do not happen to see it; but we believe that nothing less than implanting just principles can stay the growth of so great an evil, and we do not think that tee-totalism is one of these just principles. Great is the boasting of many, of the enormous victories obtained, by the influence of a single individual, in the sister kingdom, over the drinking propensities of his countrymen. We have been told of distilleries which have been ruined by the dozen, and numberless coffee-houses, rising out of their ruins, thriving exceedingly. We hope this success may be lasting; but it is rarely the case that sudden and unexpected triumphs produce durable effects; and when the leader of such an instantaneous movement is withdrawn, things most commonly settle down into their old channels. And when thousands of persons will take the pledge, as it is called, but of one man, appearing to believe the vow made in his presence more binding than if taken before another, we have little faith in such doings, and cannot help thinking the bulk of the proselytes to be under the influence of excitement and superstition. In America and in Ireland the greatest triumphs of tee-totalism have been achieved; and this is not at all to be wondered at, when we consider the condition of these two countries-the former boasting itself in its independence, both civil and religious, at the same time ground down by public-i.e., democratic-opinion; and the latter, with little or no independence of thought or opinion, having surrendered both to the keeping of the Romish priesthood. Thus do extremes meet;

and the same effect is produced upon people so widely different. But, as Churchmen, we particularly object to those demonstrations; they come without the slightest authority. A few individuals form themselves into a self-constituted committee, and immediately commence their work of conversion. We cannot pin our faith to the conclusions of such a body. We have a far surer guide; we turn to the pages of holy Scripture, and there learn in what temperance consists; or, if we find anything therein hard to be understood, we turn to the homilies of our Church, or refer to one of her appointed ministers, and the difficulty is soon cleared up.

To the law and to the testimony, what says the Bible?" Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things." (1 Cor. ix. 5). Very different from the one-sided total abstinence, of which we have been speaking. The same apostle, in addressing the Galatians (chap. vi. 23), describes temperance as one of the fruits of the spirit-meaning of course as above, the moderate use of all the good creatures of God. Writing to the Ephesians, in enumerating the duties of a Christian's life, he charges them (chap v. 18) -"And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the spirit." He says nothing about totally abstaining, but strictly charges them against excess, which is sinful. Again, in the epistle to Titus, describing the character of a bishop, he says-he must be "not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre"where if, not given to wine, means that not any wine should be taken, it applies in like manner to money, which is quite contrary to the commonly received opinion, and also contrary to common sense. To enumerate all the passages in Scripture in which temperance is commanded would be a useless task-the whole Scripture abounds with them; and it is an essential part of ministerial duty to reason upon "righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come;" and what we wish our readers to observe is, that temperance is a positive command of God; but total abstinence is an invention of man.

The first mention of wine in the Old Testament gives us an account of its abuse (see Gen. ix); and although abused, we do not find it prohibited-its proper use may be seen in many passages. In that most ancient and very beautiful fable (Judges ix), in which the trees are described as choosing a king-the vine said unto them, "Should I leave my wine which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?" In the 104th Psalm, we find among many blessings-" And wine that maketh glad the heart of man." Other instances might be quoted, but we take St. Paul's advice, in which he says (1 Tim. v. 23), “Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities;" which, though it appears as a digression, coming rather abruptly between two weighty texts, still the Apostle would not have given the advice to his "own son in the faith," had he not considered Timothy's abstemiousness was hurtful to his bodily health, and rendered him less useful as a preacher of righteousness. And what shall we say of the "beginning of miracles" related by the beloved disciples? How many things are taught in that one

gracious act! One thing may especially be noticed-the great difference between the first miracle wrought by Moses, and the first miracle wrought by our Lord. The former turned water into blood; but our blessed Saviour turns water into wine. Herein may be seen the severity of the law and the blessings of the Gospel; and here, then, we may behold our Lord's own approval of Temperance, for although he provided abundantly, and by a miracle, for the wedding guests, it does not in the least degree invalidate his caution, that our hearts be not at any time overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness (see Luke xxi, 34).

We have one more remark to make. Some persons have lately assumed the name of Rechabites (the account given of this family may be read in the 35th chapter of Jeremiah). How highly their obedience in observing the words of Jonadab, their father, was approved of by the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, may be seen in the last verse of that chapter-" Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me for ever." But were the children of Israel commanded to do likewise? In spirit they were, i.e., the obedience of the Rechabites to the commandments of their father was contrasted with the disobedience of Israel to the commandments of the Lord; and being found wanting, they were judged accordingly. So easy is it to lose the spirit while we cling to the letter. One word in conclusion: the Pharisaical spirit of thinking ourselves better than others, encouraged by choosing some self-imposed restraint or mortification, is as prevalent now as ever, and should be strictly guarded against. It is not by abstaining from any particular meat or drink, that we shall be accounted righteous; but by humbly obeying the commands of the Gospel, and not setting up a righteousness of our own, for "not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man, but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man."

RAMBLES IN THE EAST.*

MR. C. R. BAYNES, of the Madras Service, has just published a work, which contains much matter, of an important and interesting character, relative to the Cape of Good Hope, Ceylon, Bombay, Cairo, and Athens. It is written in a simple, fluent, and agreeable style, winning the reader by its artist-like descriptions of scenery, and vivid portraiture of men and manners. The author is evidently one who has dived deep into the classics, and brought up from the depths of learning many a pearl of price, which he bounteously, but not ostentatiously, weaves into the harmonious braidings of his literary composition. We read the whole work at one sitting, and could have wished there had existed a second volume-no mean compliment in this age of copyism and common-place. Speaking of the "Waggon Maker's Valley," at the Cape, Mr. Baynes thus graphi

"Notes and Reflections during a Ramble in the East," &c. By C. R. Baynes, Esq., of the Madras Service. London: Longman,

cally describes it. How redolent of atmosphere and soul-stirring is the picture!-

"It is indeed a lovely spot, realizing a poet's dream deliciously blended in one sheltered nook are all those luxuries and ornaments of nature which the imagination delights in attributing to Paradise. The grassy velvet slope, the steeper wood-clad hill, the lofty overhanging rock, the bubbling stream of chrystal water, the waving corn, the golden orange, the bursting fig, the clustering grape, the flower-enamelled ground, the fragrant air, the clear blue sky, all combine to enrapture and tranquillise the heart, to beget thoughts pure and heavenly as the scene. His soul must be much defiled by earth who can gaze on it without feeling, or without improvement; without longing to cast off the corporal infirmities which clog the immortal part of man, and in such a spot to rest for ever, with no other employment than to thank the Giver, and to praise the Creator. Such flights as these, however, are not long sustained by our present faculties; we soon return to earth when we quit what has for the moment lifted us above it."

A description of the Moravian Mission Station, at Genadendal, or the "Vale of Grace," about one hundred miles from Cape Town, is given with an earnest philanthropic feeling for the welfare of his species eminently complimentary to the head and heart of the writer. A portion of so interesting a history we here transcribe :

"The Church of the Moravian, United, or Bohemian Brethren, occupies our interesting page in ecclesiastical history. Its spirit may be said to have been borne amid the flames which, on the sixth day of July, 1415, consumed John Huss. His followers, incited by revenge, and exasperated by persecution, flew to arms, and for eighteen years carried on a war, in which the actions of both parties were alike disgraceful to themselves, to Christianity, and humanity. “The Hussites were divided among themselves in Calixtines-so called from their regarding the non-administration of the eucharistic chalice to the laity, as the main ground of difference with Romeand the Taborites, so called from a mountain on which they fixed their encampment, and to which they gave the name of Tabor. The Taborites, more extravagant in their views, demanded concessions involving the destruction of the Church of Rome, which it was therefore impossible for her to make. The Calixtines were reconciled to the Church in 1433, by the wisdom of the Council of Basil granting their chief demand. Nothing could satisfy the Taborites; who, however, took this occasion for remodelling and regulating their ritual and creed, bringing them into the more rational form which is still preserved among them, though they are no longer known by the same name, that being exchanged about 1627 for the less mystical appellation of the United Brethren.'

"The distinguishing feature of this sect has, at least of late years, been a desire to spread a knowledge of Christianity, and their entire energies seem concentrated on this sole object. In spreading religion, they of course diffuse their own form of it, though I must say, they appear singularly free from acrimonious bigotry-the "odium theologicum."

"Of the peculiar tenets of the Moravian Brethren I do not wish, nor am I qualified to speak: the question of their orthodoxy, or otherwise, I leave to more learned heads: I desire only to speak or think of them as what they appeared to be-sincere professors, and zealous practisers of the greatest of the glorious triad-charity;' from charity alone can proceed their self-devoted conduct. Ambition, ease, pleasure, riches-those grand prime movers-seem to have no influence among them; an ardent desire to teach the truth appears the only motive of these disinterested men; and I cannot help observing that their plan of proceeding, their method of instructing and converting, strikes me as more rational, and a fitter adaptation of a means to an end, than that pursued by the missionaries of our own country. Dr. Holbeck, the bishop, upon the introduction which I brought him, received me most hospitably.......Genadendal is their chief station in Southern Africa, although they have seven others. The ground of the village belongs to the mission, and it is their custom to grant allotments to Hottentots on certain conditions, the principal of which is, that they shall submit themselves to the municipal regulations enacted for the government of the little community, and send their children to school. These regulations are framed by a council composed of thirty of their own number, whose province it is to make laws for the general good, and also to enforce them. One of their enactments my previous knowledge of the Hottentot character caused me to be much surprised at: That no spirituous liquor be brought into the village, and that if any be found there, it will be publicly destroyed, and the introducer for a second offence expelled the community:' the bishop assured me that drunkenness was unknown. ، The Hottentots (he said) are easily led, and easily misled.' To this feature of their character may be attributed a proneness to adopt in excess all the imported vices of Europe: and on this the missionaries found their whole system of dealing with them, in order to their improvement: far easier with them than with the natives of India is the work of conversion."

The following is too important to omit :

“ The Hottentot has no religion-nothing to unlearn; no prejudice to overcome; no considerations of a worldly nature interfere between his perceptions of the truth and the avowal of his faith; to lead him to the truth is the sole task of his instructors, and their manner of doing so is certainly most judicious. The two conditions of admissions are, I have said, submission to the laws, and the attendance of their children at the schools: the one, a necessary measure of policy; the other, an arrangement which people of no religion cannot possibly object, and yet a most powerful auxiliary to the end in view. Complying with these stipulations, the father might, if he pleased, remain in his ignorance; but this is found to rarely, I believe I may say never, be the case. He is to be led to seek instruction; and, by an affecting and beautiful system, the child is made the guide of the parent. Upwards of five hundred children, at the time I visited Genadendal, were imbibing in its schools truths suited to their various ages and capacities; I say truths, because not merely the truths