ht _historically_ in Scripture, by what we read
there of the influence which the personal character of the
Jewish monarchs had on the moral and religious state of their
subjects; it is taught _experimentally_, by the impotence, now
fully established, of the Voluntary principle; and last, and
most decisive of all, it is taught _prophetically_ in the book
of Revelation, when told that then will the kingdoms of the
earth (_Basileiai_, or governing powers) become the kingdoms of
our Lord Jesus Christ, or the Governments of the earth become
Christian Governments.

(Signed) 'THOMAS CHALMERS.'

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{1} Some of the reasonings of both the Established and Free
Church courts on this matter would be amusing were they not so
sad. 'Feed my lambs,' said our Saviour, after His resurrection,
to Peter; and again twice over, 'Feed my sheep.' Now, let us
suppose some zealous clergyman setting himself, on the strength
of the latter injunction here, to institute a new order of
preachers. As barbers frequently amuse their employers with
gossip, when divesting them of their beards or trimming their
heads, and have opportunities of addressing their fellow-men
which are not possessed by the other mechanical professions, the
zealous clergyman determines on converting them into preachers,
and sets up a Normal School, in order that they may be taught
the art of composing short sermons, which they are to deliver
when shaving their customers, and longer ones, which they are
to address to them when cutting their hair. And in course of
time the expounding barbers are sent abroad to operate on the
minds and chins of the community. 'There is no mention made of
any such order of prelectors,' says a stubborn layman, 'in my
New Testament;' 'Nor yet in mine,' says another. 'Sheer
Atheism,--Deism at the very least!' exclaims the zealous
clergyman. 'Until Christianity was fairly established in the
world, there was no such thing as shaving at all; the Jews don't
shave yet: besides, does not every decent Church member shave
before going to church? And as for the authority, how read you
the text, "Feed my sheep!'" 'Weighty argument that about the
shaving,' say the laymen; 'but really the text seems to be
stretched just a little too far. The commission is given to
Peter; but