KEFLECTIONS. 185 



they are really destructive of all that fits the 

 heart for the knowledge of God, and true pre- 

 paration for his presence hereafter. Again, 

 we have shown how constantly men have attri- 

 buted to the destroyers of certain insects, the 

 very evils caused by these little depredators to 

 which they are the antidotes. This has been 

 done in ignorance, and knowledge has shown 

 the error. Now, how constantly do we find 

 persons attributing to the very individuals who 

 are aiding by their counsels, their prayers, and 

 examples in warding off evils, the actual evils 

 themselves. All sorts of misrepresentations 

 of Christian agency, every species of oppro- 

 brious epithet, all kinds of denunciations have 

 been levelled against those whose occupation 

 is in presenting the only genuine antagonism 

 to the spread of all that would overrun and 

 destroy the best blessings of man. Blind pre- 

 judice has constantly accused such philanthro- 

 pists of causing the maladies to which, under 

 God, they are the only effectual check. Per- 

 haps some persons who have indulged in such 

 mistaken views, may learn from these observa- 

 tions to make more assiduous inquiries, and to 

 seek for hght and knowledge. "There is a 



