that it riots to a shocking extent in our burghs and villages, in our "clachans" and farm-steadings; as well as in our army and navy, in the most abhorrent and revolting manner and measure. Incredible, also, as it may appear to some, it can be asserted as an incontrovertible fact, that many, among the upper classes, who are known to be living in the indulgence of this infamous vice, are not only readily received into what is styled the best society, but highly respected. Frequently, too, they are caressed and idolized by high-born males and females, from neither of whom any such countenance might be expected.

Mournful as it is to make such declarations concerning non-professors, it is much more so to to add, that there are strong grounds for concluding that, among too many professors of religion, throughout the length and breadth of the land, the commission of this sin is far from being uncommon. In proof of this, we have only to point to the "moral statistics" on this subject, which are well known, but more particularly to ask, what but cases of discipline of this description form the staple of "Kirk-Session Records? In many, indeed, of these cases this sin may be said to be the product of intemperance; yet it is no less true, that it fearfully prevails altogether independently of such a secondary cause.

While

in many instances, also, the fruit of this sin cannot be concealed, in some cases, with a view to conceal it, if possible, the unnatural and horrible crime of child-murder is resorted to; but in innumerable others, the deed of darkness escapes undetected and unpunished at the hand of man; and yet, not scaithless. For, in addition to the bodily distempers which it entails, while "it petrifies all the feelings," as one from his own bitter experience has declared, it also frequently inflicts the deepest spiritual anguish.

However, even in the cases that come to light, what a flood of "weeping, lamentation, and woe," is, from this cause, ever and anon carried into hundreds and thousands of families? And from this cause, how many daughters as well as sons, who were once a mother's pride and a father's joy, become, if not a wreck and ruin, a source of the greatest sorrow and sadness? Especially, "for which things' sake," how justly even now, as the Apostle says, might "the wrath of God come on the children of disobedience?" For, were God, in his justice, to send among us the destroying angel, as he sent him among the Israelites, when Balak, the son of Beor, tempted them to commit fornication, and "there died of them four and twenty thousand in one day," what an immense slaughter would take place, not merely among

the men of the world, but among professing members of the Church? Or, were God now to Ideal with the unclean as he did with the men of Sodom and Gomorrah, whose chief sin was that of "giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh," how many might, from time to time, be also "set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire?"

In opposition, therefore, to this vice, how appropriate are the exhortations of Scripture to all professing believers, "mortify your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence;" and again, "fornication, and all uncleanness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;" as well as the cognate sins in conversation, "neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient," or becoming; and, in the spirit of these words, we may add, nor foul stories, nor filthy songs. How incumbent, also, is it upon all such to remember that "this is the will of God, even their sanctification" in this, as in other senses, and "that they abstain from fornication;" that they "flee fornication," and likewise "lay apart all filthiness, and superfluity of naughtiness," or everything like impurity in words as well as in works; that they do "not company with forni

cators" as friends, "yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, for then must they needs go out of the world;" but, that "if any man, that is called a brother" in Christ, be a fornicator, "with such an one, no, not to eat?" As a motive, likewise, to act in this way from a sense of the punishment of the sin, as well as from a sight of the evil of it, how proper is it that they bear in mind that "neither fornicators, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, shall inherit the kingdom of God;" but that along with "the abominable," all such "shall have their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone?" short, as believers are "called not to uncleanness, but unto holiness;" as they are "not their own, but bought with a price;" and as their body as well as soul is "the temple of God," instead of "defiling that temple," they must glorify God in their body and spirit, which are God's."

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Not to expatiate, then, upon so delicate and disagreeable a subject, although the men of the world "yield themselves servants to uncleanness," all who are called by the name of Christ must "not be conformed to this world" in being guilty of this vile vice in the least, any more than in the highest degree. In this, as well as

in other respects, should there be an indisputable difference between them, and the men of the world? With you, my dear readers, who profess to be Christ's, is it so in this sense? If not, it is self-evident that although you have a name in the Christian Church, you are any thing but true practical non-conformists to the world, and any thing but true Christians.