because the discipline does not give them the power; but some do it, and all can do it, and if this is not the image of the beast, it is the mark of the beast. I have given you a small sketch, and must leave it unfinished.

I am yours, in the bonds of a peaceful gospel.

TIMOTHY DEWEY.

ON THE MINISTRY.

How shall one person know and be able to determine and judge, whether it be the duty of another to preach or not?

There are but three evidences by which he may be able to judge and determine concerning him on that subject. 1st. Divine evidence in his own soul. 2. By the fruits of his labor. 3d. The witness of his word with power.

How shall one know whether it be his own duty to preach or not? Says one, leave it to your brethren to determine. But if they have not the proper evidence by which to judge, they are incapable of forming a correct judgment; of course may err, to his great injury; therefore, should there be further investigation beyond those who are imcompetent to be judges.

Search the scriptures!

The scriptures do not say whether he, as an individual, shall go or stay.

If God wills the thing and requires it at his hand, there is no counselling against the Lord. And if it be not his duty, no man nor any body of men, have a right to tell or command him to go. There is no rational evidence that wicked men are called of the Lord to preach. Those who feel the call enjoined upon them, by obeying the divine convictions in their soul, they feel quietness and peace, and joy in God, by walking in that way. But the rcjection of duty brings pain and woe.

As there are various gifts in the Christian church, and yet all by the same spirit, how shall a person know and determine what place and sphere is his? Answer: He must get the spirit of his station, and then he will feel the witness, and have the testimony that he pleases God. The opening of providence corresponds with the calls of the Spirit, when and where to go.

But some people who are too much bigotted to a mode of their own, had rather good would not be done at all, if it does not come in their own way, agreeably to their preconceived notion of the thing, if we may judge of their conduct in opposing the instruments which it pleases God to use, as means to accomplish it. But the words of Gamaliel, Acts v, 35, are appropos to such as forbid others, because they follow not with them.

A CRY FROM THE WILDERNESS.

"The Lord (Jehovah) of Shem;" Japheth shall dwell in the tents of Shem.

Abraham, the cotemporary and descendent of Shem, was called to quit his father's house, and to live in tents, with his family and descendants, until they went down into Egypt.

This call, which he obeyed by faith, came upon him while uncircumcised, hence a heathen.

To him was the promise, seed, the singular, Christ, in whom the families of the earth were to be blessed.

This exercise of faith by obedience was "counted," "account ed "reconed," and "imputed to him for righteousuess," and be was justified in and by this exercise of faith and obedience.

The faith of Abraham shall "heir the world," the re-action of the soul on God, a kind of miraculous virtue, Christ revealed within, the hope of glory.

After 198 years in Egypt, they were called to the tents of Shem, being his descendants; and in the wilderness were they to encamp in this form, to leave a hollow oblong square in their centre, for the Ark of God, which contained the stone seals of the covenant; hence was called the Ark of the Covenant, which being made of wood, was overlaid with gold.

This ark was kept within veils or curtains, which were suspended within the tabernacle, which was within a tent.

The three families of Levi, one on the north, one on the south, one on the west, but Moses and Aaron and the priests of the second order on the east, in the rear of the tribe of Judah.

Thus was the Tabernacle to be guarded on their march in the order of cantonment, three tribes east, three on the north, and three on the south, and three on the west, encircling the Levites as above, while in the wilderness in tents.

After their arrival at Canaan, they were called like Abraham to quit the house, and annually to hold a camp meeting, then called the feast of tabernacles, which was to last seven days, or a week, by Divine appointment.

Over the Ark was a plate of pure gold, called the "mercy seat," on the ends of which where cherubs with spread wings, and their faces inward, or towards each other, emblems of some of the order of the heavenly host, beings of the other world.

On the mercy seat, betwixt those cherubs, was a luminous glory emanating, probably in the form or shape of a man, and was called the "Lord of Hosts, which dwelleth betwixt the cherubims."

In times of exigency people might assemble at the door of the tabernacle, and make enquiry, and that divine glory would give directions by vocal sound, speaking like the voice of a man.

None were to enter the door of the tabernacle but the priests, and none might go within the veils, the sanctum sanctorum, or holy of holies, but the high Priest alone, once a year, and not without blood.

The SHINING face of Moses, when he came down from the mount, and the shining raiment of Jesus, when Moses and Elijah appeared to him, and the light which Saul of Tarsus saw, which was greater than the light of the meridian sun, with many similar passages, as Holy Ghost, like cloven tongues of fire, &c. Supernatural influences and glory and power, elucidate the manifestations of God in different ages and to different people.

A power supernatural attended the ark of the covenant.

Hence none were to see but the High Priest, he alone took down the veils and covered the holy things.

Then the Priests of the second order took down the tabernacle and tent, after which the Levites were to shoulder and march on.

When they stopped, the Priests of the second order would rear up the tabernacle and tent, then the High Priest would go in and suspend the veils in a proper attitude.

The sons of Eli brought the ark to the camp out of the holy of holies, without divine permission. It was taken, and they were slain, with 30,000 others; a retribution of justice. "The glory is departed, for the ark of God is taken," cried the old man, and died as a consequence, and the daughter-in-law also. What an awful time in the Hebrew land! See book Samuel.

The ark was put into an idol temple, and the idol fell down, and the head and hands came off. Also, the people were smote with such afflictions as they viewed as supernatural, and they sent the ark to a city of a second lord, where there was a similar visitation on them; hence it was sent to a third city, and the people cried out, and were determined to send off the ark!

Two milch cows, with a new cart (calves shut up at home) took the road up into the land of Israel, contrary to the very principles and law of nature.

The Israelites, in attempting to open the ark, more than 50,000. fell dead on the spot. What mighty power still attended the ark.

The ark was not carried back to the tabernacle of Moses, but put in a private house, until the time of David, when he attempted to carry it on a cart, to bring it to Jerusalem to a tent, which he had prepared for it; but Uzzah, upon touching it, dropped dead. This MM

shows the power of the Lord of hosts, still there present, which was not to be trifled with.

The ark was then left in the house of Obededom; here blessing rested from that power.

The Hebrews had departed from first principles, the order of God, which was to bring and carry the ark on the shoulders of Levites, not on a cart; hence, when David had recourse to the proper order, the ark and all the things went well, and the proper worship of God was restored in "due form," in a social point of view; and the heart of David was glad, and he leaped for joy, and said, "my cup runneth over."

The "BooK OF THE LAW" which Moses wrote and delivered to the Priest, to be "kept in the SIDE of the ARK," was to be taken out by the High Priest, every seventh year, the sabbattical year, or year of release; when it was to be read to the people at the "Camp Meeting," or "Feast of Tabernacles," while in booths and tents convened. This book was delivered with the instruction by Moses just before he died.

Now if the book of the law was kept in the side of the ark, (i. e. a kind of pocket made for it,) and such a mighty power attended the ark, how would it be possible to obtain a transcript copy?

I can see no possible way, but by special permission from the original author, God!

The pentateuch, or five books of Moses, now in use among the. Jews, is near seventy feet in length, and about two feet in breadth, written on parchment, attached to rollers at the ends, to roll and unroll, to prevent friction. Thus a copy has and may be preserved from a thousand to 1500 years.

It appears that David took a copy by transcribing; the only copy taken before the return of the Jews from Babylon.

Abiathar, who escaped the massacre in the time of Saul, became David's high priest, and had the care of the ARK and "Book of the Law" in David's tent at Jerusalem.

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Moses told the people, when they should set a king over them, be should not be a stranger, but one of their own brethren, and "HR should write to himself a copy of the law."

David was the first God fearing king they had, and he is called the sweet psalmist of Israel."

The matter contained in the Psalms, show, how that he was well acquainted with the law of Moses, and the history of creation down, and exhibits his familiarity with that blessed book.

This shows the purity of the book; as none can be mutilated by the fangling of man, for none were copied anterior or subsequent to David's time, before the return from the captivity of Babylon. A superintending providence.