moral to their hearts. Then followed an address, which, for its pathetic eloquence, we have never heard excelled. Its influence was like magic. We saw the guilty accuser leave the room in fear of personal violence. The prisoner looked hopeful; the mother smiled again; and before its conclusion there was not an eye in court that was not moist; the speech affecting to that degree which causes tears, holding its hearers spell-bound.

The little time that was necessary to transpire before the verdict of the jury could be learned, was a period of great anxiety and suspense. But when their whispering consultation ceased, and those happy words, "NOT GUILTY," came from the foreman, they passed like a thrill of electricity from lip to lip; the austere dignity of the court was forgotten; and not a voice was there that did not join the acclamations that hailed the lad's release.

The barrister's first plea was a successful one. He was soon a favourite, and now represents his district in the councils of the nation. The lad has never ceased his grateful remembrances; and we, by the affecting scene herein attempted to be described, have often been led to think how very much greater is the criminality of the tempter than of the tempted! T. S. ARTHUR.

"MY TEACHER;"

BEING

THE HAPPY EXPERIENCE AND DEATH

OF

A SUNDAY SCHOOL GIRL.

CATHERINE P was for several years a scholar in the Abbey Sunday-school, but always appeared very dull of comprehension and of a retiring disposition. On the last Sabbath morning she attended school, I chose for our subject of reading and conversation, Isaiah lv., and asked her some important questions, to which, to my surprise, she replied, Shortly after this, I heard that she was confined to a bed of affliction;

She

and on the Lord's-day morning I visited her, and saw that she was fast hastening to eternity. I said to her, " Catherine, you have been in the Sunday-school for a long time; I hope you have not forgotten the instructions you have received there ?" She replied, "I think a great deal about them." I said, "Have you any hope of going to heaven ?” answered, "Yes." I said, "In what way do you expect to go there ?" She replied, Through Jesus Christ." I then remarked, "Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners; but he only saves those who feel themselves to be such. Do you feel yourself to be a sinner, and have you ever been enabled to go to the Lord in prayer as such ?" To this she made no reply; but listened with great attention to all the remarks which I made; but being very weak, and unable to speak much, I shortly withdrew and returned again to school. On the day following, (Monday), she expressed a strong desire to see 'me. I visited her about two o'clock in the afternoon, and asked her, why she had sent for me, and what it was she wanted to tell me? She said, "I wanted to tell you that my sins are pardoned." I said, "What makes you think so ?" She said, "Because I prayed to God." I said, Do you think, dear, that the Lord has heard your prayer?" She answered, 66 Yes." I then asked, "Do you think, my dear girl, thar we shall be saved because we deserve the mercy of God ?" She replied, "No." I said, "Have you any other hope but Christ ?" She said, "No." I then said, "You can sing with the poet

""Other refuge have I none;

Hangs my helpless soul on thee.' "

She answered, "Yes." I then spoke to her of the publican, and how he obtained mercy, and asked, "In what character he came before the Lord.-Did he come professing his own goodness ?" She answered, "No." I said, "In what manner did he come?" She replied, "Humbly." I said, "Yes, he

felt himself to be such an unworthy sinner, that he could not so much as look up, but smote upon his breast, saying, 'God be merciful to me, a sinner!' And do you think, dear, that you need mercy as much as he did?" Looking very earnestly and with much emphasis, she said, "I am sure of it." I said, "This is now a time of trouble, and the Lord says, in Psalm 1. 15, Call upon me in the day of trouble;' you know the remainder of that verse-do you not?" Her countenance brightened and beamed with delight as she answered, "Yes." I then finished the verse, "I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me," to which she listened with deep attention. She was longing to see me all the day, and frequently exclaimed, "My Teacher!" A neighbour asked her, "Do you feel yourself to be a sinner?" She said, "Yes; my teacher talked to me so sweetly, and desired me to pray; and I prayed to God, and he has pardoned my sins." Her mother said to her, "My dear, do you think that your sins are pardoned?" "I am sure of it," she replied; "I am sure I shall go to heaven; I shall soon meet my sister there;" (alluding to one who died three years before). Noticing her mother weeping, she said, "Do not fret, pray to God as I have done, and you will come to heaven too." To a neighbour she said, "Oh, Mrs. B., I have been so happey all night in prayer to God; how seet is that portion, Ho! every one tqat thirsteth.' My teacher read that chapter the last time I was at school." Her friend asked her if she should read it? She answered, "Yes; you will find it in Isaiah." The friend read the portion, to which she listened with deep attention.

On the Saturday before her death, when the first symptoms of danger appeared, a friend said to her, "I hope you are prepared for death," she replied, "I do not want to die." The friend, "But should you not like to die, and go to Jesus, having a desire to depart, and be with Christ, which is far better? She answered, "I love my mother.' But on the Monday following she smiled and said, "I told you before

that I loved my mother, but I do not mind dying now, for my sins are pardoned. It is far better,-it is far better,what is that portion?" The friend said, "Having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better, is that it, dear?" She answered, "Yes." A neighbour asked her, just before here departure, "Is Christ still precious to you?" "Oh! yes," she replied.

She continued in a peaceful and happy frame of mind, until about six in the evening, when her haopy spirit took its flight, in the seventeenth year of her age. She was interred, on the following Sunday afternoon, in the North East London Cemetery, followed by her class, and her death was improved on the evening of the same day, when the following beautiful hymn, composed by Mr. Joseph Irons, was sung:

Yes, she is gone-she is gone to be

For ever with the Eternal Three,
Her mansion is above;

Chosen, redeemed, and sanctified,
She dwells with Jesus crucified;
Absorbed in covenant love.

Her flesh and spirit war no more,
The conflict is for ever o'er,

Exchanged for endless rest;

Nor doubts, nor fears, ner sins annoy,
Wrapt up in everlasting joy,

She is with Jesus blest.

My soul art thou prepared for death?
Dost thou not live a life of faith,

In Christ's atoning blood?

Art thou in spirit born again &
Then death will be eternal gain,

And thou shalt live with God.-J. IRONS.

Bethnal Green Road.

E. W.

Oh! what happiness is there in a heart weaned from the world and undisturbed by its perplexities; what a relief it is for the child of God to get away from the sin, and lies, and turmoil, and defilements of this life, and to find repose and rest in Jesus, his Son.

"BUNYAN'S PILGRIM" IN VERSE.

BY THE LATE GEORGE BURDER.

[MR. R. ABBOTT, Baptist Minister, of Over, Cambs., has been moved to transcribe that beautiful piece of holy composition, "JOHN BUNYAN'S PILGRIM VERSIFIED," (as originally written by the eminent George Burder), expressly for CHEERING WORDS. We now commence the work, and hope to continue it each month till complete.]

MR. BURDER'S PREFACE.

THE energy of genius, unassisted by human culture, has seldom appeared to greater advantage than in the writings of John Bunyan Able critics have acknowledge that he possessed an original genius, and a poetical one also; and have said, that had he been a master of numbers, he might have composed a poem worthy of Spenser himself. His invention has been compared even to that of Homer; and the Pilgrim's Progress is composed in a style enlivened like his by a proper mixture of the dramatic and narrative. It will therefore be readily admitted, that this celebrated work is worthy of a poetic dress; and considering how much it has been admired and how well it has been adapted to that form, it is rather surprising that it has not been versified long ago. The Editor conceived that the Pilgrim in verse, would be peculiarly acceptable to young person; that it would entertain them more than in prose, and make a more durable impression on their memories. For their further improvement he subjoined Explanatory Notes, intended as a key to the Author's spiritual design, that so the work may not be considered as a novel, intended only to amuse, but as a correct representation of Christian experience, happly expressed under the idea of a Pilgrimage, or a Sacred Journey. And let every reader observe, that he must undertake this pilgrimage, (divinely prompted), if he would escape the dangers that hang over the City of Destruction, and gain admittance into the Celestial Cita; or, without a figure if he would escape from the wrath to come, and obtain eternal glory. The Editor begs leave to say, that a great number of the following lines were written many years ago, and were then thrown aside; but the little work was resumed. and finished about a year since by the particular desire of his family. He now commits it to the blessing of Him, who, for more than a cen