abfurd and impious. Christianity, when appearing in her native fimplicity and beauty is adapted to engage the highest admiration and esteem of every one who has a juft difcernment of real excellence. How true, how pure, how holy, how peaceable, how pleafant, how fimple, how fublime, how divine fhould the chriftian religion appear? How contemptible should it render all the systems of Mahomet, of the Church of Rome, of the Deist, the Enthusiast, the Bigot, the Superftitious, and the Profane? How fhould it reform and enoble human nature? How fhould it exalt and bless the individual and fociety? How wife, and good, and great, and happy fhould it make men? How much fhould it prepare them for the duties and the pleasures of this life, and the more exalted duties and pleasures of that life which fhall never end? But how can men be fo effectually led to take this view of chriftianity, as by having their attention directed to thofe fcriptures which teftify of Jefus, and teach us the things which pertain to eternal life.

When we reflect on that purpose for which Chrift came into this world, that we might have life, and the means by which he accomplishes that purpose, even the religion which is taught in the inspired

scriptures

fcriptures of the New Teftament, In how refpectable and amiable a point of view, muft that honourable Society appear before whom I now speak, whose business it is to promote the knowledge of christianity, by opening the genuine fpring of knowledge, and by calling men off from the vain worship of God, which is according to the commandments of men, to that spiritual worship and fervice which is according to the word and will of God? They are workers together with God and Christ, to promote the life of man as a rational and moral creature. Unwilling to offend the delicacy of thofe members of the fociety who are present, or to give even just praise to those pious perfons who defire the praise of God, more than the praise of men, I fhall not mention the half of their labours of love, nor that high esteem which I entertain for a Society, so long and fo justly distinguished for their piety and beneficence, Although the members of that Society do not ftand in need of inftruction or advice from me, yet, in the place where I now ftand, and under the strong impreffions of refpect which I have long felt, for a body of men, whose pious and patriotic principles have so justly endeared them to the friends of the christian religion, and of the British constitution, I hope they will bear with

me

me for a few words: This Society was erected by a patent from the Crown, so early as the year 1709, for the purpose of propagating christian knowledge; and by a fecond patent in 1738, they were impowered to promote industry and the useful arts: The first members of this Society frequently met together in this city, and zealously exerted themselves in promoting chriftian knowledge in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland as private men, for about nine years before they were erected into a Society by a patent from the Crown: From that period, to the prefent day, they have purfued the great ends of their institution, in a manner honourable to themselves, and beneficial to their country: During this space of time, many thoufands in the Highlands and Ilands of Scotland, and alfo in the wilds of America before the unhappy difference between the mother country and the colonies, were, by their means, under a propitious providence, led from ignorance, idleness, and wretchedness, to knowledge, industry, and happinefs: By them, thoufands of the Highlanders, long marked by fouls natively great, brave, and generous, have been taught to improve and exert their faculties to their own honour and intereft, to the good of their country, and to the glory of God: By them many

many thousands of thofe our countrymen, naturally acute and active by conftitution and by climate, but more hurt in their character and circumftances by ignorance of the arts and want of the means of industry, than, perhaps, by any thing elfe, have been taught the ufeful arts, and trained to industry: The Society have of late been at the expence of translating th eholy fcrip tures into the Galic language, found from experience to be of the greatest advantage to the civil, as well as religious interests of the people.

At prefent, about feven thousand poor children are inftructed, in their different fchools, in reading, writing, arithmetic, the principles of the chriftian religion, and the useful arts.

Go on my worthy friends in that path, long trodden by you and your pious predeceffors. Did you need any motives to the performance of that duty, which is your delight, I might remind you of the example of your worthy forefathers, who with fuch zeal and effect, promoted chriftian knowledge in those parts of the kingdom, which before their day, were the habitations of cruelty. Many of them I trust are reaping the fruits of their labour of love; and having turned many

unto

unto righteousness, are fhining as the brightness of the firmament, nay, as the ftars in the kingdom of their God. I might remind you how much your generous undertaking hath been bleffed of heaven: Like the gospel itself, it appeared at first, but as a grain of mustard feed; but now, like a great tree, its branches cover the land: I might tell you of the refined pleasure which wife and good men feel on communicating know. ledge, industry, virtue, and happiness to multitudes, who without their interpofition must have been unhappy in themfelves, and burdens to fociety: Of the joy they experience, when training them up, not only for their king and their country, but for their God and the kingdom of heaven: I might tell you, that by communicating knowledge, virtue, and joy to others, they most certainly increase their own knowledge, virtue, and happiness. In this are those confirmed habits of goodness formed, which constitute the perfection of religion, and which qualify men for the employments and joys of the heavenly state: But to you these things need not be mentioned; you know them, and your conduct hath long fhown that you have felt them; while too many in the prefent age fpeak and act as if no man of rank, of intellectual

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