imperiously demands caution and watchfulness and wisdom. If, at any time, we have peculiar occasion to take heed to our Saviour's direction, to watch, as well as pray; it is at such a time. I surely do not reveal any new truth, when I affirm, that under different means, revivals of religion have widely differed in their character and consequences. Whether they are very good, or very bad in their permanent effects, depends upon the means and manner and spirit with which they are conducted.

It is not my intention in these numbers, to enter into an examination of all the different schemes and methods of promoting revivals, that are adopted by different persons and denominations, at the present day. I intend to describe only two of these different methods, both of which have been used with more or less success in promoting revivals, and to show the different present and permanent effects they are adapted to produce.

My minister, in order to promote a revival of religion, resorts to the following means:

He endeavors honestly and fully and frequently to set God before his hearers, in his infinite holiness and blessedness, his universal agency and absolute sovereignty, and his eternal purpose and ultimate design in the gospel, to glorify himself and promote the greatest good of the universe, by all his creatures and all his works.

He frequently exhibits the native character and condition of man, in his total selfishness and entire dependence, his enmity and deceit, his relations and constant obligations to his Creator.

From the infinite divine perfections, he often enforces the divine law, in its precepts and penalty, as holy, just and good, and constantly binding all rational creatures to obedience by the whole weight of the divine authority.

He also proclaims "the glorious gospel of the blessed God," and points out the way of salvation by repentance towards God, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and conformity of heart to the divine law, as the conditions.

He endeavors to follow the wise advice of Dr. Bellamy to his students, never to thunder before you have lightened, nor cry fire to a blind man without telling him how to escape it.' He adopts as his maxim, "there is no fear of raising the passions of people too high by discriminating exhibitions of divine truth," but avoids raising their hopes or fears, by incorrect, partial and false exhibitions of their character, condition and duty.

He encourages no unregenerate doings, and offers no inducements to become religious, that would naturally be taken in the light of interest; but insists that so long as the heart is unrenewed, all the actions are unholy in the sight of God.

He constantly holds up the natural ability of the sinner to obey all the divine commands, and contends that there is something for the creature to do in regeneration, even to work out his own salvation with fear and trembling, while God, at the same time, is working in him to will and to do of his own good pleasure.

To prevent self-righteousness and self-dependence, he is careful to

show the entire dependence of the creature, that we are not sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves,' that 'the preparations of the heart in man and the answer of the tongue are from the Lord,' and that every sinner is in the forming hand of God, and can never get out of his hand, as long as he exists.

In order to prevent false love to God, and false hopes, he is careful to keep distinctly and constantly in view the wide distinction which runs through the bible, creation and providence, between God's will and desire respecting events simply considered, and his will and desire on the whole, the principle of which is acknowledged and felt, every time we loose a tooth, or take a bitter pill.— While keeping this distinction in view, he brings often to mind the kind and tender feelings of our heavenly Father, "who will have all men to be saved," who has "no pleasure in the death of him that dieth," and who is more willing to give the Holy Spirit to them who ask him, than any earthly parents to bestow good things upon their offspring.

He shows the guilt and folly of sin, and the excellence and beauty of holiness, and warns sinners to flee from the wrath to come, by all the motives he can draw from heaven, earth and hell. He beseeches them to be reconciled to God, because he is righteous, and to acquaint now themselves with Him and be at peace, that they may enjoy his fellowship and escape his wrath. He appeals, with the whole weight of moral obligation he can command, to their consciences, to move them to become holy. He presents the invitations of the gospel, and urges them to come to the gospel feast, and save their souls from eternal death, and secure the endless joys of heaven, by renouncing their idols and embracing the glory and interests of God as their chief good.

To prevent despair, and to encourage action, he preaches the doctrine of election-That God is not only able to save to the uttermost, but has actually determined to save some of the chief of sinners, and make them willing in the day of his power.

In addressing his church, he shows that God has connected means with ends in the moral, as well as natural world. That he will be inquired of by his people, when he truly helps them, and that he has never said to the seed of Jacob, seek ye my face in vain. He calls upon them to prepare the way of the Lord, to remove stumbling blocks out of the way, and to arise and call upon God, that we perish not. He urges the saints to action and prayerfulness, by telling them they are stewards of Christ, and servants of the living God, who is able and disposed to make all things work together for good to those who have set their hearts upon his glory-that they are permitted to be co-workers with God in saving souls, and that to them under God, is committed the promotion of his honor and glory and cause upon earth.

My minister is a very plain preacher, and takes much pains to be intelligible; and he has the pleasure of being understood by all.Whenever he speaks of God, all persons understand him to mean that infinite Being, who has made and governs all things for himself,

to secure the most perfect exercise, exhibition and gratification of his own goodness; whose glory is infinitely above the heavens; who is glorious in holiness; who is the great efficient and first cause of all things; who loves holiness and hates sin with infinitely strong emotions; and who carries in his hand the temporal and eternal destinies of the whole creation. When he speaks of man, he plainly describes a free moral agent, in a state of inconceivably interesting probation for a boundless eternity; sustaining very affecting relations, and under constant and weighty obligations always to love, obey and glorify his Creator, upon whom he is constantly dependant for every thought and action. When he speaks of saints, he is understood to mean the elect of God; vessels of mercy; called through the sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience; who have purified their souls in obeying the truth; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ. . When he describes sinners, he shows that they are haters of God, and lovers of their own selves; totally depraved; without excuse;-under condemnation, and constantly exposed to endless misery;— while their hearts are deceitful above all things, and so desperately wicked, that no ineans or moral influence will turn them to God, short of the omnipotent hand of the Spirit. When he treats of the conditions of salvation, he is understood to contend for nothing short of supreme love to God for what he is in himself; repentance towards God, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. When he speaks of divine grace, he is understood to mean favor shown to those who deserve endless misery. When he treats upon the mercy of God, be describes that sovereign mercy which sanctifies and saves one sinner, to promote the glory of God; and leaves another to perish forHe describes the justice of God, as guided by infinite wisdom; but sinking all the finally impenitent to the bottomless pit, to show the great evil of sin, and God's hatred of all transgression.— When he speaks of the benevolence of God, he describes that supreme love to holiness, and the greatest general good of the universe, which always disposes him to do that, and only that, which is wisest and best on the whole. When he treats of submission to God, he urges absolute, unconditional submission of both the body and soul into the sovereign hand of God, to be formed into just such a vessel, to be put to just such use, and to be treated in just such a manner, as God pleases. When he speaks of self-denial, he goes beyond the region of selfishness, and urges that unlimited self-denial, that would give up every temporal or eternal interest of our own to subserve the supreme good of the universe. When he treats of christian joy, he describes that joy which arises from embracing the glory of God, and the highest good of his whole kingdom. When he speaks of the responsibility of christians, he is understood to mean a strict responsibility to God for all their own actions and conduct and influence and power of doing good; but not a responsibility for the eternal or temporal destiny of any other men. When he treats upon a revival spirit, he describes that meek, retiring submission, yet ardent spirit, that chiefly aims at the glory of God, is pained by the reproach and dishonor cast upon him, sensibly feels the great

ever.

evil of sin as committed against God, and is deeply anxious that God would display his mercy and grace in the salvation of souls.-When he urges the spirit of prayer, he invites saints to draw near to God in the exercise of strong and true faith in his name, to lean upon the promises of his word, firmly believing He will fulfil all of them in their true meaning and application, at the very time, in the particular manner, and in the precise degree, that his perfect wisdom and righteousness binds him to do; and to pour out their ardent desires for the glory of God and the salvation of souls, in sweet submission to his sovereign will. When he treats of the atonement of Christ, he shows that it was made chiefly on God's account, to magnify his law and make it honorable, that Christ was set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness, that He might be just, and the justifier of all who believe in Jesus.

In short, my minister endeavors to make whatever subject he treats upon appear in a true gospel light, and to urge every duty by gospel motives only. He endeavors to preach nothing that will be either not understood, or misunderstood, nothing that will weaken or subvert any truth or duty of the gospel. He means to be a plain, discriminating and faithful preacher of the gospel, and to declare all the counsel of God, without being turned from his purpose by the fear or favor of the whole world. He insists upon it, that we should judge of the character of revivals by the means that are used to promote them, and not condemn or justify means, merely by their apparent and temporary success, or the want of it. If all the world should tell him to conceal one fundamental truth for the sake of having a revival, or to present one truth or duty in a false light, so that a different view of the character of God, or man, or of the way of salvation, would be given; he thinks he should have no right to do it. But a majority of us have become dissatisfied with his preaching and managing, and have serious thoughts of trying to effect his dismission, that we may obtain a somewhat different man whose preaching and managing I will endeavor to describe in my next numA LAYMAN.

ber.

From the N. Y. Christian Intelligencer.

INTERESTING NARRATIVE OF MRS. D.

Please to walk in, Sir, as soon as possible, said weeping fe male to the pastor of a country church, who about half after eleve" o'clock in the forenoon was riding past the house of one of his par ishioners. Pray, what is the matter? he anxiously enquired-Oh Sir, you never saw such a scene. Mrs. D. who you know has been complaining a little for a short time past, came here on a visit

a few days ago, and night before' last was taken very ill. We thought she would have died then; but yesterday she was a little better-this morning she is worse, and now she is dying. She says she shall die at 12 o'clock exactly. Perhaps not, said the clergyman, willing to administer all the consolation in his power-but how does Mrs. D know that she will die precisely at that hour? We cannot tell, was her answer, hastily entering the house absorbed in grief.

From several others who came out of the house bathed in tears, to present their mournful salutations, the minister learned previous to entering the sick chamber, that Mrs. D had been taken with a nervous affection-her limbs cold, and almost paralyzed, accompanied with many unfavorable symptoms-that early in the morning, her appearance had undergone a very great change, and that she then declared, that a knowledge of the fact that she should die precisely at 12 o'clock, had been communicated to her mind in the plainest manner that all attempts to convince her it might be a delusion had failed, that they were now waiting the expiration of the last half hour in the utmost anxiety.

A scene similar to that which presented itself on entering, has seldom been witnessed. On a bed, half supported by pillows, lay this interesting female.-There was no wildness in her eye, but it sparkled with animation, and her countenance glowed with a slight flush, which gave the appearance of health, and rendered her fair features even beautiful. The room was almost filled, but not an individual was seated. She immediately informed her pastor in a clear and distinct voice, that her appointed time had nearly come, and that it had pleased the Lord, to give her the fullest assurance, that he was about to receive her to the heavens. After stating in rapturous language that her joy was unspeakable, she proceeded in her address to her weeping friends. The language used by her was far above the style of her ordinary conversation, or what her previous education and standing in society would lead one to expect, as can well be imagined. Many of her expressions and ideas were exceedingly sublime. There was no rhapsody, but she was in rapture. Beside her was lying a hymn book, from which, in the sweetest manner, she occasionally read passages applicable to her situation and her hopes of immortality. Turning to her affectionate husband, who stood weeping near her, she enquired, as she had done several times before, how late is it now? On receiving his answer, she triumphantly exclaimed, only twenty minutes more and I shall be in Heaven-adding an expression of her unwillingness to part from him, were it not for the great glory she anticipated.

By direction of the clergyman, one of the weights was then removed from the clock, the face of which was not in her sight, and all present were privately enjoined not to answer any enquiries she might make as to the hour of the day.

The minister then suffered her to proceed, and only occasionally assented to her observations, which were extremely judicious. And wishing to ascertain her views of divine truth, under this great ex