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sure by scriptural evidence, an aspect of still greater hor. ror settled on his countenance; and, after a pause of a minute, he replied, "If those scriptures are true, eternity will be more dreadful to me than the loss of being. I will not believe them; yet, how dreadful the idea of sinking into eternal thoughtless night!" This struggle of feeling lasted but a few minutes before this miserable man opened his eyes in an eternity to him most dreadful!

Such are the dying comforts of impiety and infidelity. Thus, at last, will the excuses and pleas of irreligion torment those who adopt them in their lives to quiet an accusing conscience, and resist the warnings of the Holy Spirit, who strives with men. This is a fearful example of that blindness into which many are left judicially to fall, through 'grieving the Spirit of grace.

To this striking narrative, we beg leave to add the following impressive passage from a sermon, on 2 Pet. ii. 11, delivered by the Rev. Mr. Mason, of New York, when in London, and communicated by a friend who heard it:

66.......

But there are men who set up for wise men; they have discovered the imposture, they have found out the cheat; they wish to unshackle you; they would release you from your thraldom. From your thraldom! What, from a thraldom of a hope of the everlasting kingdom? Do you wish to be released from such thraldom? God have mercy on you if you do! Have they aught to give in compromise? Can they tell us what awaits beyond that grave? No; if they think at all, it is darkness, un. certainty, and dread conjecture. The laugh of a fool is a miserable exchange for an eternal hope. Why, cruel VOL. I. *20

philosopher, would you take away the joy of my heart? Why would you remit me to the melancholy thought of no paternal Providence, no redeeming love? Enjoy your guilt alone; breathe out your complaints to the woods, and to the rocks; curse not me with your discoveries, nor kill me with your truths. Oh, comfortless heaven! Oh, melancholy earth! Oh, gloomy world! Oh, wretched nature! Without the prospect of an entrance into the Master's kingdom. How loud the winds howl! How loud the waves roar! How cruel the storm! Tossed hither and thither by the tempest, directed by no pilot, but where Lethe flows, where the black river of oblivion rolls! Oh! No, no, no; not upon such terms. Keep your discoveries; we won't give up our hope of an entrance into the kingdom;' and we will press closer to our hearts the precious volume which reveals it to us. This is the anchor of our souls."

THE YOUNG CONVERT'S PRAYER

My youth, my youth, O Lord, secure

From ev'ry lurking foe;

Teach me to flee each tempting lure,

That seeks my overthrow.

For oh, what floods of lust and pride
Unite their subtle force

To court and draw my heart aside;
But thou canst stay their course.

Direct my inexperienc'd feet,

That they shall stray no more;
Thou know'st their proneness to repeat
The steps they've trod before:

Lord, send thy Spirit from above,
To shed his rays benign,

That I decidedly may prove
Myself a child of thine!

O then I'll let my neighbors see
That Jesus is my friend;
My Savior and my refuge he,
On whom my hopes depend.

While some may sing of beauty's eharnis,
And some of pleasure vain,

And some of wealth, and some of arms,
I'll sing a nobler strain.

I'll sing the glories of thy grace,
The meltings of thy love;
And mine affections will I place

On thee and thine above.

Yea, earth shall sink beneath my feet,

If thou but speak the word;

And my quick ardent pulse shall beat

But to exalt my Lord.

ON THE DOMESTIC HAPPINESS OF A CHRISTIAN COUPLE.

How blest the pair whom Christian love unites!

Joy smiles upon their days, and crowns their nights;

In peace their happy moments glide away,

Till both are welcom❜d to eternal day.

SUPPORT TO APPARENTLY UNSUCCESSFUL

MINISTERS.

THE late Rev. Mr. W..........., of M......, a little before his death, was complaining to the trustees of the chapel, that

he had not been made the instrument of calling one soul to the knowledge of the truth for the last eight years of his ministry. He preached but two sermons after this, before the Lord called him to himself; and soon after his death, between twenty and thirty persons proposed themselves as church members, who had been called by grace, under Mr.W.'s two last sermons. Let not min. isters think their work is done, while they can preach another sermon, or speak another word.

THE STOLEN LAMB.

Not long since, a man possessing an uncommon degree of piety, was, with his wife and several children, reduced to the lowest ebb of poverty, almost to a state of starvation. Through the influence of the enemy of sculs, together with the constant solicitations of his numerous family, almost famishing for food, he was tempted onc night, to take a lamb out of the flock of a respectable farmer in his neighborhood. The lamb was brought home, killed, and part of it immediately dressed and brought upon the table; but when the poor tempted soul was about to ask a blessing upon it, conscience did its office, and smote him; he looked at his hungry family, and said, "How can I ask my God to bless that provision which I have feloniously taken from my neighbor? I will not partake of it, neither shall you; I will go and return the whole as it is, confessing my sin." He did so, and obtained the farmer's pardon; and a gracious and faithful God, in his kind Providence, supplied him and his family that day and ever afterwards.

CONVERSATION IN A STAGE COACH.

A. Is it your opinion, sir, that all men will be damned who do not believe in the Bible?

B. That all will be damned who hear and yet do not believe the Bible, I have no doubt, because the Bible expressly asserts it; and I believe the Bible to be a revelation from the God of heaven.

A. Do you believe Mahometans and heathens will be damned?

B. The Bible asserts, that there is no other name given under heaven among men, by which we can be saved, than Jesus. These once had the knowledge of God, as we are informed, but they did not like to retain it, and corrupted it; for which reason, God gave them up to a reprobate mind; and they increased in wickedness. But depend on it, sir, the punishment of heathens in eternity, will be little in comparison of your's and mine, if we perish. Hell shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon, than for the inhabitants of Capernaum, said Jesus the Judge of all, who had seen his miracles and heard his instructions, yet believed not his divinity and mission. A. If you had lived in Turkey, would not you have believed Mahomet?

B. Very probably I should; but I adore the sovereign goodness of God for appointing my lot in this land. A. I think there is just as good evidence for the mission of Mahomet as for Christ's!

B. Did you ever read his Alcoran?

A. No..

*Romans i. 28.

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