servants. While the heads of the family are thronging the gilded apartments within, their servants are at the publichouse, beguiling the time in drinking, gambling, swearing, and every species of low debauchery, to the ruin of their bodies and their souls, if not to the ultimate injury of society at large. And could we, as by magic power, transport ourselves thence to the deserted mansions of these midnight revellers, we should there no less behold the miserable effects of this system. The poor waiting-woman, afraid to go to rest lest sleep should overtake her, is probably driven to the perusal of some novel to divert her wearied spirits; or, in default of this, takes refuge below stairs with the footman, and thus becomes exposed to temptation yet more serious, and to which it is but too probable she falls a prey, adding, not unlikely, one more to the number of unhappy females who infest the streets, the wretched monuments of the frailty of one sex and the treachery of the other. And have these hapless beings who serve you, no souls? Are they in your estimation of no more importance than the beasts that whirl you from one place of folly to another? Is the due payment of their wages and the providing food for their bodies, the only obligation you hold yourselves under to them? Will no inquiry be made hereafter, as to the care you have taken of their immortal souls? Will it avail you, at the bar of your God and their God, to say, 'We never thought of those things?' Alas! no, it is because you do not think, it is because you will not think, that you go on, year after year, in a course of life so detrimental to yourselves, and so culpably negligent of the welfare of others. Oh that you would consider your ways" before it be too late, and these things are hid from your eyes!

Of the more reflecting part of my fellow-creatures I must again ask, Ought these things to be so? Can you suffer prejudice or the love of pleasure to warp your better judgment, and induce you to countenance such a perversion of all that is upright, just, and commendable? What' moderation' can be allowable with that which is in its very nature evil? If you sanction such measures but once, if you carry your families into such temptation but once, you do it once too often; nor can the unhallowed atmosphere of such scenes be breathed without leaving the effects of the deadly blast on their minds. Could a converted heathen be suddenly transported from his native shores by his spiritual instructor, from whose lips he has heard the gospel preached in almost primitive simplicity and earnestness,-could such a one, I

say, be suddenly conveyed to one of our fashionable assemblies, what would be the impression on his mind as he surveyed the motley crowd within doors, and listened to the uproar without,—the dress, manners, conversation, and employment of the assembled guests, and the clashing of carriages, the dreadful oaths and imprecations of the ser vants waiting in the streets? Viewing the scene altogether, would he not rather imagine himself in the vicinity of pandemonium, than in the streets of a Christian metropolis? And if his guide were to say to him, 'These are the professed worshippers of that holy, meek, and self-denying Jesus, whom we have preached to you! These people believe in that gospel of peace we have proclaimed to you, and whose precepts, we have told you, inculcate a life of undeviating holiness, godliness, and sobriety; these, my brethren, are professing Christians, and this is the metropolis of that country whence come your Bibles and your missionaries;' what would his reply be? Surely, that your faith and your practice widely differ. And are such inconsistencies any way reconcilable with the character of a disciple of Christ, as given by the pen of inspiration? If words be allowed their usual interpretation-if language be suffered to maintain its common acceptation, can you truly, honestly, and fairly deny that Scripture does enjoin a total renunciation of worldly pleasures, maxims, and customs, as incompatible with that watchfulness, that holiness, that spirit of prayer, so repeatedly urged on us in its sacred pages?

If these warnings against the love of the world mean any thing, they mean this. Oh then, come out from among them, and touch not the unclean thing. Cease to wear the badge of a service you professed to have renounced; sacrifice not your fair offspring on the shrine of this insatiable Moloch; let the potsherds strive with the potsherds of the earth, but do you aspire to better things, to pleasures pure and holy in their nature and durable in their existence, such as are to be found in the book of nature, the book of providence, and the book of God; make no compromise with principle, and tamper not with that which is evil. Know you not that “a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?" "Can a man take fire in his clothes and not be burned?" If you may happily be persuaded, I would earnestly and affectionately beseech you to search the scriptures," with the noble Bereans, "and see if these things are so." If "foolish talking and jesting" be forbidden,-if we are to give an account of every idle word spoken,-if " banquetings, revellings, excess of

wine, envyings, emulations, and pride," be reckoned among the things which will, equally with murder, adultery, robbery, &c. shut us out from the kingdom of God; if gold, pearls, and costly apparel be considered by the apostle as unsuitable to women professing godliness," and the constant and daily taking up of our cross, denying ourselves, and following Christ, be enjoined, how can all or any of these texts, by any sophistry, be construed into approval of or agreement with such places as the ball-room, the theatre, the opera, or the race-course, —or in any way amalgamate with the manners, the customs, and general tone of worldly society? Either Scripture is or is not your guide. It cannot be broken to suit the man of pleasure, nor softened down to accommodate the borderers on the two kingdoms, who would fain shun the cross yet wear the crown. But this may not be; we must take a whole scripture for our rule, a whole cross for our burden, and a whole Christ for our salvation. And if we would enter heaven, it must be by the

narrow way," and through the "strait gate," keeping ourselves "unspotted from the world." Nor is the Christian's path destitute of pleasures. If the flowers be less flaunting, their perfume is sweeter; if the road be more rugged, the distant prospect cheers him, and many a passing gale from the heavenly Canaan refreshes him, and makes him long to reach that shore,

Where those who hate him can molest no more.

The true Christian can say with his Master, "I have meat to eat which the world knoweth not of." His treasure is in heaven; and where his treasure is, there is his heart also. Time is too short to allow of his wasting any portion of it on trifles; and life too uncertain, and eternity too important, to suffer him to be amused with baubles. Not a single hour can he consent to pass in thoughtless folly, idleness, or intemperance, forgetful of his being and his end. "But for him to live is Christ, to die is gain.'

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THE

SCEPTICAL YOUNG OFFICER.

THE

SCEPTICAL YOUNG OFFICER.

EVERY one has remarked the mixed, and often ill-assorted company which meets in a public packet or stage coach. The conversation, with all its variety, is commonly insipid, frequently disgusting, and sometimes insufferable. There are exceptions. An opportunity now and then occurs of spending an hour in a manner not unworthy of rational beings; and the incidents of a stage-coach produce or promote salutary impressions.

A few years ago, one of the stages which ply between our two principal cities, was filled with a group which could never have been drawn together by mutual choice. In the company was a young man of social temper, affable manners, and considerable information. His accent was barely sufficient to show that the English was not his native tongue, and a very slight peculiarity in the pronunciation of the th ascertained him to be a Hollander. He had early entered into military life; had borne both a Dutch and French commission had seen real service, had travelled, was master of the English language; and evinced, by his deportment, that he was no stranger to the society of gentlemen. He had, however, a fault too common among military men, and too absurd to find an advocate among men of sense: he swore profanely and incessantly.

While the horses were changing, a gentleman who sat on the same seat with him took him by the arm, and requested the favour of his company in a short walk. When they were so far retired as not to be overheard, the former observed, " Although I have not the honour of your acquaintance, I perceive, Sir, that your habits and feelings are those of a gentleman, and that nothing can be more repugnant to your wishes than giving unnecessary pain to any of your company." He started, and replied, "Most certainly, Sir! I hope I have committed no offence of that sort."

"You will pardon me,” replied the other, "for pointing out an instance in which you have not altogether avoided it." "Sir," said he, "I shall be much your debtor for so friendly an act for, upon my honour, I cannot conjecture in what I have transgressed."

"If you, sir," continued the former, "had a very dear friend, to whom you were under unspeakable obligations,