on the window to let her know that he did not care; and when she went to see him an hour afterward, he was watching the people in the street as composedly as if nothing had happened. He could not run to meet her, or look up cheerfully into her sorrowful face; but he might have thrown his arms around her neck, and kissed and begged her to forgive him. No, he was not ready to do this. His proud heart was not yet softened. Oh, what was it made of that it could so long grieve that gentle mother? He could hear his little sisters' glad voices in the nursery and in the parlour, and he really wanted to join them; but, as he could not till he had shown that he was truly sorry, he preferred to stay there alone.

A plain dinner was sent to him, without any dessert, and when he had finished he rang the bell for more! Oh, then the tears came into his mother's eyes, for she feared he would never give up. She thought, What will he grow up to be, if he is so obstinate and cunning now? How her heart ached, as she thought of the temptations which would surround him as he grew older, and how she trembled as she thought of guarding him if he was so easily led astray !

He had in his hand a book full of good thoughts, which his mother hoped he would read; and, after awhile, he did become very weary staying alone, and opened the book. It was one that called up the little voice again, and made it speak louder than ever, and his little heart grew soft and began to beat very fast, and then the tears came, and wery soon he was honest little Harry again, and ready to say he was sorry and tell the truth. His mother heard him sobbing, and her heart began to beat more lightly, for she felt sure he was truly grieved for his sin.

When she went to him he said, "Oh, mother, I have been so wicked! What shall I do? I have been so wicked!"

This was a pleasant sound to his mother's ears, and she folded him to her bosom again and again, unable to utter the gratitude of her heart that he was still her noble boy. Now he told her all the truth, and begged her to forgive him, and knelt by her side to pray his own little prayer that God would forgive him too.

He was far happier than he had been for many, many hours; but he was still sad. His papa greeted him very kindly, and his Mittle sisters jumped for joy when he came

into the nursery, but he did not feel like playing, he seemed almost afraid lest he should be tempted to be naughty again. And when his mamma told him that for a whole week he could not play with the children in the street, he did not cry or get angry, but quietly yielded to what he knew was right.

How much better it was for Harry to be good, than to be naughty. I dare say, my little reader, you have often found it so too?

THE BOY WHO GOT UP TO

PRAY.

It was night. Black heavy clouds were scudding across the sky. The wind blew loud and fierce. It howled around the parsonage as if it would vent its rage on the sleepers within, and then, baffled in its attempts, it would retire into the distance with a low, ominous growl. Presently it would return with increased rage, and blow its mighty breath against the house, until it tottered on its foundations.

Under one of the gables of the parsonage, a little boy was sleeping. He was only six years old. The soft, flaxen curls fell over his fair forehead. His head rested on a plump little hand. His long eyelashes drooped over his rosy cheeks, and around his mouth played a smile, as if his dreams were peaceful and happy. His father and mother were both dead. Perhaps as ministering spirits they were watching over him, and in his dreams he may have imagined himself on his father's knee, receiving his warm caress, or pressed to the bosom of the mother who used to soothe his troubles by her words of gentleness and love. He slept quietly and soundly. The howling of the storm did not disturb him, although it was continually growling louder and fiercer.

There came a tremendous gush of wind against the gable. It creaked, snapped, and fell. The wind had triumphed. The roof crushed through the ceiling over the little sleeper, and filled the room with mortar, bricks, and broken timber. Everything in the apartment was covered with the ruins, except the bed on which was the lone orphan. An immense timber had fallen across the pillow, from which he had slipped down while sleeping.

Arthur-for by this name I shall call the child-lived with his uncle and aunt. His uncle was a minister. They loved him

very much, and did everything they could to make him good and happy. When they heard the falling of the timber, they ran affrighted to his room, but the door could not be opened, so much had been thrown against it. The gentleman immediately knocked out one of the panels, and crawled through. He seized Arthur in his arms. Before he could get out of the room, another fall from the ceiling covered the bed from which the child had just been rescued.

His aunt took him, wrapped him in a blanket, and clasping him close to her heart, carried him to her own room. Arthur was not at all alarmed for himself. He was too young to know the greatness of the danger he had escaped. When he heard the timbers falling, he feared his uncle and aunt would be killed; and when he found they were safe, his first wish was to get down from his aunt's arms, and on his knees thank God for saving his dear friends.

After doing so, in his simple words, he told her that he was so cold when his nurse undressed him, that he got into bed without saying his prayers. But he could not

go to sleep. He thought his Father in heaven would not give him his daily bread if he did not ask for it, so he got up in the dark, after the nurse had left him, and said them.

"Oh, aunty! I am so glad," he continued, "that a good spirit put it into my heart not to be afraid of the dark and cold, for if I had not said my prayers, that timber would have fallen on my head."

What a lesson this dear boy learned of the protecting care of his heavenly Father! I trust he will never lose his confidence, which, as the Bible says, has great recompense of reward. It is sweet to trust in God, to feel that his eye is ever upon us, to watch over us, and keep us from evil.

I suppose most of those who read this story about Arthur, have learned to repeat the Lord's prayer. Do you say it as a mere form, because your mother has taught you it? or do you think what you are saying? Do you believe God is really listening to you, and will answer your requests?

Arthur evidently had faith in God. He believed he would hear and answer his prayers; and God did hear his prayer, and delivered him from evil.

GOD'S TENDERNESS IN HIS DEALINGS WITH HIS PEOPLE.-How soothing in the hour of sorrow, or bereavement, or death, to have the countenance and sympathy of a tender earthly friend! My soul, there is one nearer, dearer, tenderer still,-the friend that never fails, a tender God! By how many endearing epithets does Jesus exhibit the tenderness of his affection to his people? Does a shepherd watch tenderly over his flock? "The Lord is my shepherd !" Does a father exercise fondest solicitude towards his children? "1 will be a father unto you!" Does a mother's love exceed all other earthly types of affectionate tenderness ? "As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you!" Is the apple of the eye the most susceptible part of the most delicate bodily organ?

He keeps them as the apple of his eye!" "He will not break the bruised reed!" "When the shepherd and bishop of souls" finds the sinner like the lost sheep stumbling on the dark mountains, how tenderly he deals with him! There is no look of wrath, no word of upbraiding; in silent love "He lays him on his shoulder rejoicing!" When Peter falls, He does not unnecessarily wound him. He might have repeated often and again the piercing look which brought the flood of penitential sorrow; but he gave that look only once; and if he reminds him again of his threefold denial, it is by

thrice repeating the gentlest of questions, "Lovest thou me?" The gentlest earthly parent may speak a harsh word betimes,it may be needlessly harsh,-but not so God. "He may seem, like Joseph to his brethren, to speak roughly; but all the while there is love in his heart!" The furnace will not burn more fiercely than is absolutely required. A tender God is seated by it, tempering the fury of its flames!

VANITY OF POSTHUMOUS FAME.-It is singularly mortifying to reflect how little, in a very short period, any man, however eminent may have been his reputation for wisdom, is missed in the world. For a while a blank is felt. He is the theme of public praise, and the tear of regret is shed, and the voice of lamentation is raised over his tomb. But he is no sooner out of sight than he begins to be out of mind. He is less and less spoken of. The world appears to go on without him, much as it did before. New objects of attention and admiration arise, and the old ones are gradually forgotten. Of the thousand eminent in their day, who must have lived in ancient times, how few, comparatively, are there whose very names have come down to us! And even as to those that have been saved from the wreck of time, how very circumscribed is the circle of their fame! By the great mass of human society, by the immensely larger proportion of the

The

population of the world, they have never been heard of; their names, their works, and their sayings are alike unknown. wisdom of Joseph saved the land of Egypt from impending ruin; yet soon "another king arose which knew not Joseph." Whilst the salutary effects of his counsel continued to be felt, the counsel itself and the man who had given it were forgotten, and were miserably requited; and, but for the inspired record in the Holy Scriptures, it is probable we should scarcely have heard of his name, even amongst the fables, and uncertainties, and confused and mutilated acts, of remote tradition.-Wardlaw.

THE CROSS OF CHRIST. There are those who tell us that the work of redemption will be looked upon in a future state as nothing more than one of the ephemeral acts of the Godhead! Never was assertion more gratuitous or more unfounded. Independently of the sublime mysteries of the Cross, there could have been for fallen man neither grace nor glory; neither purity nor moral perfection; neither rest nor blessedness, nor a joyous life of immortality. It is from the Cross that redemption, in all its plenitude of freedom and happiness, is derived; and from the Cross will come all the light which is to illumine the great wide field of eternity. For ever standing in this light, we shall gather up the vast designs of the Godhead in all the perfection of their character, and in all the grandeur of their results; and viewing them in all the harmony of their plan, and in all the blessedness of their end, thought will heighten into wonder, and wonder into praise, and sweet, and pure, and seraphic will be the worship of the redeemed church. Theirs will be "the new song." While being lasts, or immortality endures, we shall never lose the freshness and the interest of that one sublime, unending strain: "Thou art worthy, for thou hast redeemed us unto God."Ferguson.

SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATION.—In the sermon on the Mount, our Lord says, "Whosoever shall compel thee to go one mile, go with him twain." We can all of us easily understand the other part of this command, that when struck on one cheek, we should in humility offer the other; because, unfortunately, we know what striking is. But many must have wondered what can have given rise to the command of going a second mile with the violent man who has already compelled you to go one mile. Nobody now, in this country, is ever injured by such treatment. But we learn from coins and inscriptions, that the couriers in the service of the Roman government had the privilege of travelling through the provinces free of expense, and of calling upon the villagers to forward their carriages and baggage to the next town. Under a despotic government, this became a cruel grievance. Every Roman of high rank claimed the same privilege; the horses were unyoked from the plough to be harnessed to the rich man's carriage. It was

the most galling injustice which the provinces suffered. We have an inscription on the frontier town of Egypt and Nubia, mentioning its petition for a redress of this grievance; and a coin of Nerva's reign records its abolition in Italy. Our Lord could give no stronger exhortation to patient humility than by advising his Syrian hearers, instead of resenting the demand for one stage's "vehiculation," to go willingly a second stage.-Eclectic Review.

INTERCOURSE WITH THE WORLD.-We are obliged to an intercourse with the world in our different callings and professions, which intercourse we are not at liberty to decline on any pretensions of exalted spirituality. Do you meet with men of genius and literature, of easy address, and polite manners, who are under the influence of no nobler principle than that wisdom which is earthly and sensual? Are you susceptible of pleasing impressions from the brilliancy of their wit, and their attainments in science? Give them the praise due to their accomplishments, but be not charmed into their errors and vices. Learn not from this quarter to contemn revelation as an irrational or superstitious system, or to take those liberties in conduct which are inconsistent with the purity of the christian doctrine. Stand on your guard, lest you be prejudiced in favour of those practices which disgrace the most amiable of such characters. In your converse with them, never lose sight of religion, and the eternal obligations of moral virtue.-Crabb's Sermons, 1750.

PREACHING. Of all things, the most pitiable is when a man preaches to please himself, and when an audience listens to be pleased with the minister. And the most glorious thing below is, when the minister's preaching, and the people's hearing, lead to this conclusion: not, "How well the minister spoke to-day!" "How comfortably did we hear to-day!" but, "How glorious is that Saviour! how precious this soul! how weighty our responsibilities in the prospect of eternity, and of a judgment-seat!" We may always judge of what has been the nature of the sermon, or what has been the mood in which it was listened to, by the first remarks we hear as we retire; when people go home, criticising the words of the discourse, instead of dwelling on, and speaking of, the lines of the subject, there is something wrong in the people's hearing, or in the minister's preaching. May God grant that all that I preach, and all that my people may hear, may lead them to lift their hearts far beyond the temple, and to leave them nowhere except where our heart and our treasure should be,-beside the throne of the Lord Jesus.-Dr. Cumming.

PRAYING TO SAINTS.-Adam Clarke thus comments on the account of the rich man calling upon Abraham: "He cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me," &c. "There was a time when he might have prayed to the God of Abraham, and have found mercy; now he dares not approach that God whom in his lifetime he had neglected, and addresses a creature

who has neither the power nor authority to bless. This is the only instance in the Bible of praying to saints; and, to the confusion of the false Popish doctrine, which states it to be necessary and available, let it for ever be remembered that it was only practised by a damned soul, and then without any success."

PRAYER.-Prayer is the peace of our spirit, the stillness of our thoughts, the evenness of recollection, the seat of meditation, the rest of cares, and the calm of our tempest: prayer is the issue of a great mind of untroubled thoughts; it is the daughter of charity, and the sister of meekness.-Jeremy Taylor.

THE MONTH.

Month after month rolls on, and still the record must be of WAR. The news of bloody war abroad are indeed varied by cabinet and parliamentary war at home; yet the eyes of the country are turned chiefly, and with intensest interest, to the scenes of suffering and trial in the Crimea; and events in England, which ordinarily would seem of the utmost importance, are as nothing when compared with the great tragedy which has been going on in the East. What a winter must this have been in the tents and on the plains in front of Sebastopol. God grant that Englishmen may never be called to spend another like it!

It is matter of thankfulness that the latest news from the seat of war have been somewhat less painful than those to which we have been accustomed for some months past. We have still proofs enough of the mismanagement of those to whom the direction of affairs was entrusted, and we have still to hear heartrending accounts of the results of that mismanagement; but death appears to have become at last satisfied with the fearful harvest he has reaped, and "things are better, therefore, in the Crimea." The mismanagement has, however, come home at last to those to whose charge it has been laid in our country. The coalition ministry, once so famous, and from which so much was expected, has fallen before the just indignation of people and parliament. The ministry which has succeeded it, comprises, indeed, many of those who occupied places in the old administration; but there is another, and a more vigorous head; and the war office, in which the chief responsibility now rests, is filled by another. At the time we write, too, other changes are taking place, indicating, we trust, that Lord Palmerston intends to conduct the affairs of the nation with more of vigour, and less of bondage to old routine. It may be that the time has come, when statesmen will fling off the trammels which have so long enfeebled our government, and act as the statesmen of a free people should. If so, it will be worth while to have been brought into the crisis in which we have lately found ourselves,-worth while to have been brought, as we have been, to the brink of national ruin and disgrace.

The Congress which is to open in Vienna in a few days will be attended by

Lord John Russell as the plenipotentiary of England. We cannot help hoping something from that Congress, at which the questions between the Allies and Russia are to be once more discussed. The great call upon English christians now is for PRAYER; that He who has the hearts of all men in his hands may direct the discussions of the Conference so as to lead to peace, and that even now,-for nothing is too hard for Him,-war with its miseries and evils may be put an end to. There is some talk of a day being appointed by Government for national humiliation and prayer: we need not, however, wait for this; our God is ready to hear us now; he has power to help now: let us try him, and see whether he will not even yet listen to us, while we utter the cry, which in our circumstances is peculiarly appropriate and touching," Give peace in our time, O Lord: for there is none other that fighteth for us but only thou, O God."

HORTON COLlege, bradford.

The Rev. John Mackay, late of Horton College, being about to sail for India, he and his fellow-students met together on Wednesday evening, February 21st, to take leave of each other. The senior student, Mr. Davis occupied the chair, and began the business of the evening by presenting to Mr. Mackay, on behalf of the brethren, "Bagster's Comprehensive Bible," richly bound in morocco, on the fly-leaf of which was the following inscription:-"Presented to the Rev. John Mackay, by his fellowstudents, on the occasion of his leaving Horton College, to labour amongst the heathen in connection with the Baptist Missionary Society, as an expression of their sincere attachment to him, and of their high estimation of his character; with the earnest prayer that the God whom he serves in the Gospel of his Son, may richly endue him with his Holy Spirit, and may render his labours greatly conducive to the advancement of the Redeemer's Kingdom on the earth." In acknowledging this mark of his brethren's esteem, Mr. Mackay assured them that he should never forget the days he had spent in Horton College,days which had been among the happiest of his life, and which he should always look back upon with peculiar pleasure. He then referred to some of the reasons which had led him to become a missionary, dwelling especially upon the duty of every christian to spread the glad tidings of

salvation, and of the universal church to fulfil the great commission of her Lord, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." After several of the students had expressed their hearty sympathy with the brother who was leaving them, and their earnest wishes for his prosperity, the meeting was concluded by singing Kirke White's beautiful and touching hymn,—

"Come, christian brethren, ere we part;" and by commending Mr. Mackay to the care of Him who has been the dwelling-place of his people in all generations.

BAPTIST CHAPEL, NUPEND, GLOUCESTERSHIRE. OLD SCHOLARS' MEETING.

Every friend of Sabbath schools, while grateful to God for the success attending such efforts, must lament how much good instruction is lost by so many of our older scholars leaving school just when they most need christian advice and direction. In order as far as possible to supply such need, the teachers and friends of the above place have, for years past, held a special tea meeting, when the old scholars are invited to attend. Such a meeting was held this year on the evening of the 17th of January, when about two hundred met together, and after tea a most interesting service was held in the chapel. In reporting the state of the school, the superintendent stated it to be in a prosperous condition. Many of the young were evidently under deep religious impressions. As an encouragement, he stated that one young person dated their conversion from a former meeting of this kind. After this, several of the teachers, who were formerly scholars in the school, addressed some pointed and appropriate remarks to those present, who, though they had enjoyed a long course of Sabbath school instruction, had not yet decided for God. We cannot but hope that appeals thus coming from those who once were fellow-scholars with them will, under God's blessing, be effectual in reviving former impressions, and thus leading them to the Saviour's feet. If such an example should be thought worthy of imitation by other churches, and our Sabbath schools be thus rendered more useful, the object of this communication will be answered: and God shall have the praise.

HOPE CHAPEL, DEVONPORT.

This place of worship, erected for the Rev. Thos. Horton and friends, was opened for divine service on Tuesday, Jan. 16th, when two appropriate and powerful sermons were preached by the Rev. W. Brock, of London. The devotional portions of the services were conducted by the Rev. S. Nicholson, of Plymouth, Dr. Alliott, of the Western College, and the Rev. John Pyer, of Devonport. There was a goodly number of ministerial brethren present on the occasion. The next evening a party of about eight hundred persons took tea on the occasion at the Mechanics' Institute. The company was addressed by Peter Adams, Esq., of Plymouth, the chairman,

James R. Jeffery, Esq., of Liverpool, and the Rev. W. Brock. On the following Lord's-day, the Rev. S. Nicholson preached in the morning, and the Rev. Eliezer Jones in the evening. A communion service was held in the afternoon, at which the Rev. Dr. Alliott presided, assisted by the pastor of the church.

Obituary.

THE REV. JOSEPH SEAMAN.

On Thursday evening, February 8th, the Rev. Joseph Seaman, Baptist minister, of Waltham-le-Willows, in the county of Suffolk, died in the peace and hope of that glorious gospel which, for more than thirtythree years, he delighted to proclaim to others. Mr. Seaman was instrumental in raising the cause and forming the church at Waltham-le-Willows, over which he presided till the time of his decease. He was eminently a "man of God," of holy and unblemished character,-plain and unassuming, but faithful and affectionate. Next to love to his divine Master, his ruling passion was love to the people of his charge, and his dying prayer was, that they might remain a united people. During his life be had frequently spoken of having a fear of the article of death, but "at evening time it was light," so light that he said he could not describe the happiness he enjoyed in the prospect of heaven; and as expressive of his holy confidence, he requested that Mr. Elven, of Bury St. Edmunds, who preached at his ordination, Jan. 2nd, 1823, should also preach his funeral sermon from 2 Tim. i. 12: "I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." Never was the language of the Psalmist more appro priately applied than to our beloved, and now glorified brother. "Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace."

MR. JOHN RENNISON.

Died at North Shields, Jan. 19th, 1855, Mr. John Rennison, in the sixty-first year of his age, and upwards of thirty-four years a deacon of the Baptist church in that town. Mr. Rennison was called at an early age to know the Lord. and was baptized and united to the church at Newcastle, under the pastorate of Mr. Pengilly. A few years after he removed to North Shields, and was transferred to the membership of the church there, where he remained an honoured, very much beloved, and useful member till his death.

He was

а warm friend to every religious and benevolent object, a constant attendant on the means of grace, and one who made it his daily study to promote the peace and happiness of both pastor and people. To this it may be added with much propriety, he was held in the highest estimation by his fellow-townsmen, who, with a numerous circle of friends, unite in deploring his loss.