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mise to God. I said, 'When the pressure of my business is past, I will devote my whole attention to a preparation for eternity.'

"No sooner had I fixed my mind on this course than my anxieties left me,—the strivings of the Spirit ceased in my bosom, and ceased for ever! When sickness warned me of approaching death, I sought to fix my feelings on this subject; but it was in vain. There was a gloom and terror drawn around religion, at which my soul shuddered. I felt that I was forsaken of God; but it did not move me. I had no love to God, no repentance for sin, nor wish to forsake it. I felt nothing but the sullen gloom of despair : I knew I was in the hands of a justly offended God, from whom I expected no mercy, and could ask none. With these feelings I am now about to enter the eternal world. To you, my children, I can only say, 'Profit by my example,-quench not the Spirit,-seek religion now, if you would avoid a miserable eternity,-put not off the concerns of your soul till The sentence died upon his

lips; his strength, which had been all summoned to make this last effort, suddenly failed; he fell back upon his bed, and, with a groan that seemed to speak the pains of another world, the immortal spirit took its flight from that body which it had inhabited nearly fourscore years, to receive according to that it had done.

This little narrative I had from a grandson of the old man, who stood by his dying bed. He was a Minister of the Gospel, and dated his first permanent conviction of his sin and exposure to eternal ruin, from that awful scene. The descendants of the old man were numerous, many of whom became pious: several were first awakened by his dying charge.

Three years before his death, there was a revival of religion in the place where he resided, and the son with whom he lived was a subject of its influence. He had made the most violent opposition to his son's religious feelings; and never, whilst able to move about the house, did he remain in the room during family prayer; nor, till his dying hour, was a prayer offered in his hearing at his request.

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BRIEF ASTRONOMICAL NOTICES,

FOR SEPTEMBER, 1830.

THE SUN rises on the 1st at thirteen minutes past five, and sets at forty-seven minutes after six: on the 15th he rises at forty minutes past five, and sets at twenty minutes after six. The Sun enters the equinoctial sign Libra on the 23d, at fifty-one minutes past one in the afternoon, at which time the autumn quarter begins.. The MOON is full on the 2d at thirty-eight minutes past ten at night she rises on the 5th at a quarter past eight, and on the 8th at ten, at night. The Moon enters on her last quarter on the 9th, and rises on the 10th at half past eleven. The Moon changes on the 17th at twenty-eight minutes after two in the morning; and enters on her first quarter at eight minutes before seven in the morning: she sets on the 30th at a quarter past three in the morning.

MERCURY is invisible to the naked eye.

VENUS is an interesting object every clear morning, and may be easily distinguished from the rest of the stars, in consequence of her splendid appearance.

MARS is in opposition with the Sun on the 19th, and being near the Earth appears very large by his ruddy aspect he is easily known from Jupiter: he appears in the south-east about nine o'clock at night.

JUPITER is due south on the 7th at half past seven, and on the 25th at half past six, in the evening.

SATURN is seen in the mornings in the neighbourhood of Venus. On the 13th these two planets appear very near each other.

On the 2d day, in the evening, the Moon is totally eclipsed, which is an interesting phenomenon, and happens under favourable circumstances.

Beginning of the eclipse, at Greenwich, }

apparent time, in the evening

Beginning of total darkness..

Middle of the eclipse

End of total darkness.

End of the eclipse

Hours.

Minutes.

8

50

9

10

11

12

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But when the' eclipse is total, still the Moon
Not disappears, but with a doubtful gleam
Which trembling superstition fondly thought
Image of blood, the atmosphere of Earth
Reflects the solar light, and on the Moon
Casts the reflection of a sullied red.

MILTON.

On the 17th the Sun is eclipsed; but as the eclipse takes place.

very early in the morning, it is invisible.

Greenwich.

W. ROGERSON.

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JUVENILE OBITUARY.

DIED, at Liverpool, February 13th, 1829, Jude Cain.

From

a child he was of a disposition serious and thoughtful far beyond his years. He was dutiful and affectionate towards his parents, and at a very early age evinced a great love for religious exercises. About four years before his death, his parents removed their residence to the neighbourhood of Liverpool. Anxious that their children should partake of the benefits of moral and religious instruction, they sought to place them in one of the charity-schools of the town; at the child's own particular wish, that in JordanStreet was selected; and he was gratified by being admitted a pupil towards the close of the year 1825, being then about nine years of age. On his admission he was placed in one of the lower classes; but such were his assiduity, and the punctuality of his attendance, that he advanced in learning, so as, in a short time, to take his place in the Testament class. The weekly addresses to the children seemed greatly to interest and affect him. After one of these, delivered soon after he entered the school, he endeavoured, on his return home, to relate to his parents the substance of what he had heard, and observed, "We had preaching at our school, father; and I was much affected. The happy deaths of good children were mentioned," &c. From this time his parents remarked that he made it his constant practice, on returning home from school, immediately to retire up stairs, and pray to his heavenly Father who seeth in secret; and this he continued ever after to do, so long as his health permitted. During the period of about three years, in which he attended the school, he had been, on several occasions, confined at home by a disorder to which he was subject, the scrofula. The schoolmaster visited him in his illness, and observed that he was much exercised in mind with convictions of his guilt and sinfulness. On the Wednesday before the opening of Stanhope-Street chapel, being present at the address delivered to the children in the school, he was much affected, and, on returning home, told his parents, he had been so blessed with a sense of the divine mercy, as with difficulty to refrain from shouting aloud and praising God. Being asked what blessing he alluded to, he said that the Lord had pardoned his sins, for his Saviour Christ's sake. After this conversation he retired as usual to pray; in which exercise he remained engaged about an hour; and on coming down thanked his parents for all their love and kindness to him. His disorder continuing to increase, he was now able to attend the school only occasionally; but such was his attachment to it, that he was always present, so long as he could possibly crawl thither.

His parents relate, that, when confined at home, he would often assemble his little brothers and sisters for singing and prayer; in which little exercises he usually took the lead. Frequently would he address them with much earnestness, pointing out the evil of

sin, and the necessity of loving their Saviour. Sometimes he would try to compose, on his father's slate, verses descriptive of his feelings, and of thankfulness to his heavenly Father. To the Hymns for Children, lately introduced into the schools, he was uncommonly attached, constantly reading them when his strength permitted; and when unable to do so, requesting his parents to read to him. On one occasion he informed his mother that he had been praying much for his brothers and sisters; and having requested that they might be called together, he, in a very solemn and affecting manner, addressed them on the necessity of conversion. His exhortation seemed to produce a deep impression on their minds. For his eldest brother Richard he always felt peculiar affection and solicitude. Once addressing him, he said, "Richard, I have often prayed for you when you did not see me. Are you fit to die?" His brother, much affected, replied, "No; what must I do ?" "Go on your knees and pray for hours, till the Lord have mercy on you: this I have often done." Richard wept, and expressed resolutions of amendment; and there is reason to hope that he has benefited by the solemn advice of his deceased brother.

His respect for the Sabbath was a conspicuous trait in his character. Among many instances of this which might be given, may be mentioned the following. Observing his beloved mother engaged, one Sunday morning, in sweeping away some dirt from the door, he called to her, and said, with his wonted mildness and sweetness, "O mother! do excuse me for saying to you, Do not do so any more! Do promise me you will not!" The poor mother burst into tears, and, to satisfy her child, gave him the promise he asked.

His conscientiousness appeared even in the most trifling matters. He often warned his brothers, when setting out for school, always to keep the foot-path, and on no account to deviate from it by stepping into the field, through which their way to school lay; saying, that that would be a trespass for which they should have to answer to God. Often would his father, at his request, read aloud the rules of the school, that his brothers, as he said, might know their duty, especially that of being present at school in time; adding, "I, for my part, always received the greatest blessing on beginning the business of the day with singing and prayer in the school, and never lost it all the day after."

During his illness, which at length confined him entirely to his bed, he was visited by several of his acquaintance, who were much impressed with his edifying conversation. One of these, an aged woman, was so affected by his advice and exhortations as to be constrained to acknowledge herself to be a miserable sinner, and anxiously to inquire what she must do to be saved. To another neighbour, having asked him how he was, he replied, "I am happy. I am going to glory." She said, "I hope you will recover." "No," said he, "I shall not. I am going home." On her commiserating his afflicted state, he said, "It is all well. I have not one pain too many."

Some time previous to this, having been admitted into a meeting for Christian communion, he gave so artless and affecting an account of his conversion to God as to draw tears from those who were present; and there is reason to believe, that two females, who then heard him, were, through the divine blessing on his simple recital, powerfully convinced of sin; and their subsequent deportment has served to show the depth and genuineness of the impressions then made.

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His sufferings were at times very great. Whenever his pain relaxed, he would raise his feeble voice in thanks to God. Once, when suffering very acutely, he was asked, "Do you now feel patient?" He replied, "O yes; when my pain is at the worst, I pray to my Saviour Jesus Christ, and he supports me." The nearer he approached the termination of his sufferings, the more did his spiritual consolations abound, and the more earnest and fervent were his aspirations after God. He would sometimes say, "I cannot be satisfied unless I am singing, or praying, or thinking of goodness." Being asked, on another occasion, how he felt ; he said, "Happy;" and that he knew he should not recover, but feared not death. He then, although in a state of great weakness, prayed aloud for nearly ten minutes, and ended by saying, "Is it not good to live in the fear of God! Blessed be his name for what he has done for me, in pardoning me, an unworthy child!” When his mother read to him some of his favourite hymns, he would frequently, and with much animation, ejaculate, “Glory be to God! How happy I feel!" Once, when alone with his mother, whom, next to his God, he loved the most, he said to her, very solemnly and sweetly, "Mother, I know you love me : would you like to see me die ?" Observing her to be much affected, he endeavoured to console her, saying, "I shall only go home a little before you; and I will be your angel. Once, when you were very ill, prayed the Lord to spare you, and take me; and now my prayer is going to be answered. Do not, then, be afraid to see me die."

A little before he died, he expressed an earnest wish to see his brother Richard, who was then from home. Richard was accordingly sent for; and on seeing his suffering brother, he was much affected. Jude addressed him for some time, in a solemn and affectionate manner, on the evil of sin, especially that of uttering bad words, and exhorted him to the duty of prayer, wishing, as he said, that Richard might supply his (Jude's) place to his parents. One of his last acts was, to bequeath to his parents, and to his brothers and sisters, his little stock of books. These consisted of his Testament, Hymn-Book, and a number of small reward-books, tracts, &c., which had been presented to him at the school for good conduct. All these had been very carefully packed up, and preserved in a neat box, the gift of a lady. After distributing his smaller books, the greater portion of which fell to the lot of Richard, he said, 66 My Testament I leave to my brother Peter. Peter, if you will read it seriously, the Lord will open your mind,

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