Origin of Mr. Scott's Commentary."

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In one word, religious principle is at the foundation of all true excellence in the profession of medicine. It furnishes the physician with the purest motives for the regulation of his conduct; it affords his patients the best pledge that he will be faithful in the discharge of his duties; it produces that calmness and equanimity, which is necessary to enable him to submit with cheerfulness to those various privations to which he is hourly exposed; it occasions resignation and serenity under every trial; and, as he opproaches the termination of his labours, it buoys him on the wings of faith and hope, and opens to his delighted prospect all the rewards and enjoyments of the heavenly world.

ORIGIN OF MR. SCOTT'S COMMENTARY:

In a Letter from the Rev. J. B. Pewtress to the Rev. Moses Fisher, of Liverpool.

MY DEAR SIR,In answer to your request respecting the circumstance which led the late Rev. Mr. Scott to undertake his Notes and Comments on the Holy Scriptures, the following may be depended upon as strictly correct. Being in the habit of visiting an old acquaintance, who was concerned in various publications, he one day asked me if I knew, and could recommend him to, some popular minister, who might be induced to undertake a work of that kind, it being his intention to embark in such a concern. I answered that I did not. On my taking leave of him, he pressed me to take it into consideration; but, not altogether approving the motive, I gave it no further thought at that time.

On visiting the same person about a month afterwards, and giving him the same answer as before, he replied, "I know you are acquainted with many evangelical ministers of different denominations, and you certainly could recommend me to one at least among them all;" and he pressed me to the further consideration of it; but still I felt no inclination to take any thought concerning it. It was some weeks before I called again, when the same subject was brought forward, and it was in the course of conversation with him that Mr. Scott came into my mind, whose name I mentioned, adding, that I did not know one who might answer his purpose better, if so well. His reply was, "He is the man. But how can I get access to him? will you allow me to make use of your name?" I answered, "Yes; but do not think it will be of any service to you. I certainly have been acquainted with Mr. Scott some years, and I have a very high opinion of him; but I have no expectation that he will comply with your request." He went, however, to him, and told him his errand. Mr. Scott expressed his astonishment at such an application, saying, that he could not think of it, for that he was altogether incompetent to such an undertaking, and wished to know who recommended him. The answer was, "Mr. Pewtress." "I know Mr. Pewtress very well," replied he; "but what does he know of my ability to write Notes on the Bible ?" and upon his returning the same answer as VOL. IX.

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before, the publisher left him. Not many weeks after, he renewed his application, which (as Mr. Scott afterwards said) caused him to think there was something extraordinary in it; and although he was of the same mind as before, he would, nevertheless, in order to satisfy him, make the attempt on some chapter of the Bible, which he did, and, having found great pleasure therein, entered into an engagement to prosecute the work. I am, my dear sir, yours most cordially, J. B. PEWTRESS.

Brighton, June 26, 1822.

MISSIONARY FRUIT TREES.*

ALTHOUGH the fruits of warmer latitudes may be of superior flavour to any which our gardens and orchards produce, still there is much reason for adopting the common opinion that for constant use we should be better satisfied with our own than with the fruits of a tropical clime. It is probable that no one species of "fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind," exhibits so many varieties in colour and flavour as our well known apple. Who can gaze on their beauteous hues, partly concealed under a covering of green, or inhale the fragrance which they send forth when deposited for a season in the storehouse, or regale his taste with those which are selected for the desert, without blessing the great Creator, by whom not only the stars were placed in the firmament, but who also caused to grow "every tree which is pleasant to the sight and good for food?"— And while we are thus receiving with gratitude the bounties of providence which are still left to us from the ruins of Paradise, shall we not also remember with more thankful emotions that a way of access is opened to that loveliest tree in Eden-the tree of life? Nor should we forget that "the leaves of the tree were intended for the healing of the nations," but cheerfully consecrate a portion of the fruits which perish, to aid in conveying the fruits of immortality to the dying heathen. For this purpose, might it not be well if some particular trees in every orchard and garden were permanently set apart as Missionary Fruit Trees? And now also, that the season of the year suitable for transplanting trees is at hand, shall not the children of each family be encouraged to transfer from the nursery to vacant places in the fields and gardens those germs, whose fruit in future years shall under their direction be appropriated to Missionary purposes?

Let no parent fear to multiply or strengthen too far the bonds by which we are attached to the cause of benevolence. That Missionary fruit tree, just springing from the earth, will, it is feared, have ofttimes opened its blossoms to the vernal sun, before we shall have occasion to say, forbear! to him that casts into the treasury of the Lord. By every pleasing association then, let us endeavour to im

This article is copied from an interesting work entitled "THE PILGRIM;" published monthly, in New Haven, Conn. which merits a better patronage than. we believe, it has.

press the wants of the heathen on the minds of the young. And surely none can be more so, than those which are furnished by trees and gardens. -Years of vicissitude had passed away when Alonzo was permitted to revisit the scenes of his childhood. A thousand objects brought fresh to his remembrance companions and joys that were departed, but not one of them spoke such a language to his soul as that tree under whose branches the fowls of the air might lodge, and which, when a seedling, he had delighted to surround with the mimic inclosure.

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ANECDOTE.

A CERTAIN learned and wealthy Clergyman of the Establishment, a short time ago, met a poor man who resided in his parish, and inquired the cause of his not being more frequently at Church? The man replied, that he had lately attended at the Meeting, and when asked why he left the Church, and gave his sanction to illiterate and enthusiastic preachers, he stated that he could edify more at the Meeting. Edify more!" exclaimed the Rector, warmly, "nonsense, you may edify at the Church if you will." 'Perhaps so, Sir," said the man, "but as religion is a personal thing, and as I think I get most good to my soul at Meeting, I conceive I am bound to go there; besides which, you know, Sir, the laws of my country allow me to go there," "No such thing," replied the Rector, "I say you ought to go to Church, you will get most good there, or if you do not it is not your fault, your Minister will have to answer for that; it will make no difference to you if you do your duty in going there whether you profit or not." Indeed, Sir," said the man, "I fear that may not be exactly the case, for I read that if the blind lead the blind, they BOTH shall fall into the ditch.”

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GRACE.

"The love of grace in another, is a good proof of the life of grace in ourselves."-MEAD.

From the London Home Missionary Magazine.
AUTUMN.

IN nature's page the godly mind
May ever sound instruction find,
For all the works of God impart
Important lessons to the heart.

Now teeming Autumn's fruits appear
To crown the labours of the year,
And now to Him our thanks are due
Who adds to seedtime, harvest too.
But while His goodness crowns the year,
The fruitful tree demands a tear,
And silently its clusters tell

The test by which our father fell.

And warns it not that we should be
As Christains, like a fruitful tree?
How much the man his heart deceives
Who does but bear profession's leaves.

The fruitful tree a thought supplies
Of that fair tree that never dies;
THE TREE OF LIFE for food or shade,
Which heals the wounds that sin has made.

We praise our God for Autumn's store,
Our native sin our souls deplore,
Our fruitlessness with pain we feel,
Our wounds we bring to Christ to heal.
I. C.

Entelligence.

IRELAND.-THE FAMINE-SUNDAY SCHOOLS.

TO THE eye of the Christian, the philanthropist, and the politician, Ireland presents an awful picture. Of this wretched country it may be said, “ He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the water springs into dry ground; a fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein." Misery is predominant in almost every scene, and actual starvation appears at only the distance of a single step from thousands! The misery, famine, pestilence, and death under which Ireland has groaned for the last six months, has excited the sympathies of their British neighbours, and also the compassion of some of our own countrymen, and they have afforded her some relief; yet multitudes have died of hunger, or the consequent diseases, and multitudes more are enduring all the horrors of disease and prospective famine, though it is said they bear it with a degree of patience that would excite astonishment in a foreigner. Amongst the various expedients to which they have resorted to support life, we observe some have sought present relief by digging up (as early as July) their potatoes, when they were not larger than walnuts, and required the product of as much land for one meal, as would afford a fortnight's supply in a few weeks afterward. This plan, wherever resorted to, would inevitably cause another famine. The teachers of their schools go out to inquire for the absent scholars, and find they are gone for the only meal they have for the day, or at home so weak and sickly for the want of food, that they cannot attend; or they are sick with the fever; or are gone with their parents to beg. The schoolmasters and readers of the Baptist Irish Society are represented to be in the greatest distress. "Their state is truly deplorable-relief or death is inevitable." They are treated as the offscouring of the earth by the majority, and by others are told they are not objects of charity.

But amidst all this temporal distress, the condition of Ireland is by far more deplorable in a moral point of view. The ignorance and superstition which so generally prevails among the lower orders open an avenue to spiritual death, as wide and as certain as famine does to temporal death; and if the latter calamity ought, as doubtless it had, to excite the sympathies of those who have bread to eat, and make them willing to impart of their abundance to feed the hungry and clothe the naked, the former ought surely to excite a deeper and more lasting inte rest in their behalf, and arouse to greater exertions in sending them the bread of life, that they may eat thereof and not die!

Sir Henry Sidney, in a letter from Ireland, addressed to Queen Elizabeth, in the sixteenth century, suggested the plan of employing the natives of the Highlands of Scotland as ministers among the native Irish. "For the remote places," says he, “where the Englishe tongue is not understood, it is most necessarie that soche be chosen as can speake Irishe. I do wishe, (but this is most humbly under your highness's correction,) that you would write to the regente of Scotlande, where, as I learn, there are many of the reformede churches, that are of this language; and though, for awhile, your majestie were at some charge, it were well bestow. ede, for in a short time thousands would be gained to Christ, that nowe are lost, or left at woorst." Though this suggestion was made more than three hundred

Ireland. The Famine-Sunday Schools.

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years ago, it was left, we believe, for the "Baptist Irish Society" to be the first to avail themselves of the important, and rational, and pious recommendation of Sir Henry The Rev. Mr. M'Kaag, a native of the Highlands, having received a suitable education at Bradford Academy, is most usefully employed in preaching in the county of Mayo (Connaught) in native Irish.

This society, instituted about eight years ago, have done great good both by their day schools and their readers of the Irish Scriptures. The number of schools now amount to 90, with 7,000 children, and the number of readers is twenty-six, some of whom are wholly employed in reading the Scriptures, and the others on the Sabbath only.

The "Irish Society for Education in the Irish language," was established in Dublin, in 1816, and has now 47 stationary schools containing 2,078 scholars, of whom 888 are adults; beside these, six masters, on the circulatory system, inspect and control ten schools each Sunday schools have been formed in the neighbourhood of each station where a fixed master is placed, to be under his care, and to be superintended by his daily scholars: by this means it is expected that between 60 and 100 new schools may be formed in the course of the year ensuing. There has also been something done towards forming schools in some of the jails. An important addition is making to the stock of Irish books by the publication of the Scriptures in the Irish character: the books of Genesis and Exodus are published.

In the year 1809, the "Hibernian Sunday School Society" was formed in Dublin, but a few years afterward its designation was changed to that of the "Sunday School Society for Ireland." The number of schools assisted by this society during the last year was 1,558, having 156,255 scholars reported in attendance, being an increase over the former year of 205 schools, and 20,255 scholars. Of the 1,558 schools, 163, containing 11,407 scholars, have been merged in other schools, or have been discontinued from untoward circumstances. The issues from the Depository, either gratuitously or at reduced prices, have been, in the past year, 1,092 Bibles, 17,574 Testaments, 46,842 Spelling Books, 15,209 Alphabets, and 3,449 Cards for adults. The receipts during the same pe. riod were $15,791, and the expenditures somewhat less.

The last annual report, from which this statement is drawn, is a document of great importance, and evidences a great degree of zeal on the part of the managers. We think a few extracts will not be uninteresting to our readers.

AMIDST the gloom which the state of Ireland for the last six months is well calculated to spread over the minds of all who are interested in her welfare or character-amidst the progress which a lawless and disaffected spirit has made in some populous districts of this country. producing, as its natural effect, acts of outrage and of blood, it is the cousoling and gratifying duty of your Committee to report the extension and prosperity of the cause committed to their care, which in its operation is calculated to unite the different orders of society in a band of mutual love and mutual improvement; and which carries in its train the blessings of individual happiness, of social order and domestic peace, founded, not on the varying and shifting basis of worldly interest or political expediency, but on the imperishable and ennobling principles of Christian truth, treasured up in the tenacious memories of youth, addressed to their consciences, and in many in