of giving entertainments, was the Sabbath, this did not prevent the female part of his family from attending pretty frequently on, at least, one service of public worship; and when a public collection of charitable institutions, (not missions, or such like), was taken, he was regularly in his place, and subscribed liberally, especially if he was a collector. His household servants were allowed to attend public worship every third Sabbath; and on each Sabbath evening, unless when there was company, a chapter and prayer, and sometimes a short discourse on morality, were read. Nevertheless he hated "the Saints," and trained up his family to hold them in abhorrence. Nature had conferred upon his daughter many attractions; and often had her mother exerted herself to set them off to the best advantage, when preparing her for the front box of the theatre, or the most conspicuous place at the ball. At the close of an unusually gay winter, she went, with a sad heart, on a visit to a relation, for she had heard that her friend was one of "the Saints," and expected nothing but psalm-singing and gloom. For some time she felt quite out of her element. She could not, however, but observe the happiness which reigned in the family, and the peace and order which pervaded the whole household. The loveliness of religion, as illustrated in their character, attracted her attention; she was delighted with the placidity of their temper, their self-command, and cheerfulness; she was won by their continual exertions to make herself and all around them happy; though she had no relish for their Sundayschool teaching, and distribution of tracts, and visiting of the poor, yet she could not but sympathize in the pleasure which such exercises afforded them. She began to entertain a more charitable opinion of their motives, and to think favourably of the religion which influenced them. The minister, too, on whose preaching they attended, had nothing of that repulsiveness which she expected to find; on the contrary, his manner was pleasing-his elocution graceful, and most serious—the whole external service was attractive and impressive; and there were in the devotions of his people a zeal, and energy, and satisfaction, to which she had been previously a stranger. Her prejudices were gradually dispelled; her attention was fixed by what she saw and heard; and what she saw and heard induced her to read her Bible, and pray for understanding and feeling while reading her Bible. The result was simple-she returned to her home a changed character,—the objects of her love and of her hatred, of her hope and of her fear, all changed; and not long had she been at home till her parents, with a harshness which they had never previously displayed towards her, pronounced her to be "a confirmed Saint." They expostulated, they threatened, they drew mirth and folly round her, to dispel what they called her gloom; they tried change of air and scene for banishing what they supposed to be melancholy; and when, at length, they pronounced her incorrigible, their whole manner towards her changed; and she now lives in the family almost as a thing forgotten, a disgrace, as her mother says, to her connexions, and whose funeral she would rather have attended than see her as she is now; and all this, not because she is disobedient-for never before did her parents find her so aimable-not because her disposition has undergone any change for the worse, on the contrary, mildness and sweetness of temper, aud unaffected kindness, in a remarkable manner, adorn her, and all the domestics would do any thing to please her; yet, in her father's family, she lives as an alien and an outcast, because, according to the language of the day, she is one of "the Saints." The case thus given for illustration is by no means rare. I know a number 150 WE LOOK FOR THE SAVIOUR. of similar instances, giving triumphant refutation to the doctrine so sedulously propounded by some, that few or no conversions need be expected in these 'last days,' when the Gospel is represented as being preached only as a witness against those who refuse to receive it. I remember well what the characters of these same individuals were a few years ago. How vain and giddy was that thoughtless young thing that is now so humble, so serious, yet so cheerful; and with what contempt, a few years back, did that interesting young man talk of "the Saints," whom I found yesterday reading the Bible to the poor dying widow, to whom and her helpless family he has been, for some time, the only support! What wonderful changes does the religion of the cross produce, when received by faith into the heart! What all the power of compulsion could not effect; what the whole philosophy of ancient or modern times never could accomplish, follows, in the most natural manner, from the belief of a few simple truths brought home to the heart with demonstration of the Spirit, and with power. Christian Treasury. The Scripture Character of the Divine are shut; the soul is dead. The Holy Spirit Being. THE eternal, independent, and self-existent Being; the Being whose purposes and actions spring from himself, without foreign motive or influence; he who is absolute in dominion; the most pure, most simple, and most spiritual of all essences; infinitely benevolent, beneficent, true, and holy; the cause of all being, the upholder of all things; infinitely happy, because infinitely good, and eternally self-sufficient, needing nothing that he has made; illimitable to his immensity, inconceivable in his mode of existence, and indescribable in his essence; known fully only to himself, because an infinite mind can only be comprehended by itself. In a word, a being who, from his infinite wisdom, cannot err, or be deceived; and who, from his infinite goodness, can do nothing but what is eternally just, right, and kind. Yet infidels would persuade us, that the volume which exhibits to us this sublime view of Deity, is a fiction-the work of weak or designing men! O Christians, pity them, pray for them. And while you bind the sacred record more closely than ever to your bosoms, rejoice that through grace you can say "This God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even unto death." We look for the Saviour. LOOKING for the Saviour implies, A spiritual awakening. The mind is not naturally turned to this object; the eyes must open the eyes, and bid the sinner live. Those who thus look for Christ, are "begotten again." A happy acquaintance with him. We do not look with much desire for the coming of a person whom we do not know or esteem. Hence so few think of Christ's coming. But Christians look to Christ as their "all in all." They know in whom they have believed, and hence, they ardently desire to behold him. A diligent research. We shall search the scriptures, to ascertain the nature of his coming, and the nature of the country to which he will take us. We shall love to meditate on all the important realities which await us. A serious preparation. We shall "examine ourselves whether we be in the faith," and ascertain if we have a clear evidence for heaven. We shall maintain a lively faith in the all-sufficiency of Christ. Nothing will appear so dreadful to us, as going forth to meet the bridegroom without the oil of grace in the lamp of Christian profession. An eager expectation. We have a great work that we expect him to do for us. Christ is coming to change these vile bodies -to break our chains-to enable our happy souls to spring into the full liberty of the children of God. We look with eager expectation to "the end of our faith," even the complete "salvation of our souls," at this coming of Christ. Let us always maintain this posture of mind; and "seeing that we look for such REV. JOHN VENN, A.M. ger. Presumptuous carelessness indicates dan"Who fears?" This is to be feared, that you feel no cause of fear. Such was Peter's state: 66 Though all men forsake thee, yet will not I." Venturing on the borders af danger is much akin to this. A man goes on pretty well till he ventures within the atmosphere of danger, but the atmosphere of danger infatuates him. The ship is got within the influence of the vortex, and will not obey the helm. David was sitting in this atmos phere on the house-top, and was ensnared and fell. An accession of wealth is a dangerous predicament for a man. At first he is stunned, if the accession be sudden: he is very humble and very grateful. Then he begins to speak a little louder, people think him more sensible, and soon he thinks himself so. A man is in imminent danger when, in suspected circumstances, he is disposed to equivocate; as Abraham did with Pharoah, and Isaac with Abimelech. Stupidity of conscience under chastisement an advancement to power, when a man begins to relish such power, popularity, self-indulgence, a disposition to gad about like Dinah; all these are symptoms of spiritual danger. Sanctified Affliction. 151 THE following is from a letter of John Frederic Oberlin, pastor of Waldbech, to a lady, who had suffered many bereavements. "I have before me two stones, which are in imitation of precious stones. They are both perfectly alike in colour; they are of the same water,-clear, pure, and clean: yet there is a marked difference between them, as to their lustre and brilliancy. One has a dazzling brightness, while the other is dull, so that the eye passes over it, and derives no pleasure from the sight. What can be the reason of such a difference? It is this. The one is cut but in a few facets; the other has ten times as many. These facets are produced by a very violent operation. It is requisite to cut, to smooth, and polish. Had these stones been endued with life, so as to have been capable of feel. ing what they underwent, the one which has received eighty facets would have thought itself very unhappy, and would have envied the fate of the other, which having received but eight, has undergone but a tenth part of its sufferings. Nevertheless, the operations being over, it is done for ever: the difference between the two stones always remains strongly marked That which has suffered but little is entirely eclipsed by the other, which alone is held in estimation, and attracts attention. May not this serve to explain the saying of our Saviour, whose words always bear some reference to eternity: 'Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted?. -blessed, whether we contemplate them' apart, or in comparison with those who have not passed through so many trials O that we were always able to cast ourselves into his arms, like little children,— to draw near to him like helpless lambs,— and ever to ask of him patience, resignation, an entire surrender to his will, faith, trust, and a heart felt obedience to his commands which he gives to those who are willing to be his disciples! The Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces. " Dying Hours. Rev. John Venn, A.M. THE hours of sickness and the bed of death are the times which more especially try the stability of the foundation on which the Christian's hope is built. It is then that the real character appears, that the genuine dispositions of the soul are mani 6 fest, and that the supports and consolations of Divine grace are most abundantly vouchsafed to the faithful servants of Christ. It was thus with the pious and excellent subject of these remarks. Living, as he had done, the life of the righteous, it could scarcely be doubted that he would in sickness possess his peace and comfort, and in death enjoy his blessedness and hope. Accordingly, he afforded the most animating and edifying example of the faithfulness of God to his promises, of the triumph of the gospel of Christ over all the miseries of nature, over sin and sorrow, and over the last enemy, even death itself. Mr. V. was exercised during his illness with long-continued and excruciating pain; yet amidst his severest suffering, no impatient or complaining words were heard to proceed out of his lips. His language was uniformly expressive of patience and resignation to the holy will of God; and once, in the very words of a most devout and distinguished Christian, the learned, pious, and judicious Hooker, whom in many respects he so nearly resembled, he exclaimed, "Since I owe thee a death, Lord, let it not be terrible; and then take thy own time; I submit to it! let not mine, O Lord, but let thy will be done." Thankful for the abundant blessings he enjoyed, full of consideration, tenderness, and love to all around him, he looked forward to the hour of his dissolution, not only with dismay, but with hope and joy. He declared the light affliction he was then enduring was working out for him a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; that the sting of death was taken away; that although he walked through its dark valley, he feared no evil; that the rod and staff of his heavenly Shepherd supported and comforted him; that he knew whom he believed, and was persuaded that he was able to keep that which he had committed to him against that day; that though heart and flesh were failing, God was the strength of his heart and his portion for ever. The language of praise was indeed almost constantly heard from his mouth. Though so frequently tortured with pain and exhausted with weakness, these were the strains in which he often expressed his gratitude and love to his God and Saviour: "I'll praise him while he lends me breath; And when my voice is lost in death, Praise shall employ my noblest powers. My days of praise shall ne'er be past, While life and thought and being last, Or immortality endures." After several weeks of great suffering, he finished his course in the morning of the first of July, 1813, aged fifty-four years. Wilberforce Richmond. WILBERFORCE, the son of the Rev. Leigh Richmond, two hours and a-half before his death, went to bed and laid his head upon the pillow. His father said, "So He giveth his beloved rest." Wilberforce replied, "Yes, and sweet indeed is the rest which Christ gives." He never woke from this sleep. Friendly Monitions to Parents. A Word to Mothers. EACH mother is an historian. She writes not the history of empires or of nations on paper, but she writes her own history on the imperishable mind of her child. That tablet and that history will remain indelible when time shall be no more. That history, each mother will meet again, and read with eternal joy or unutterable grief, in the farcoming ages of eternity. This thought should weigh on the mind of every mother, and render her deeply circumspect and prayerful and faithful in her solemn work of training up her children for heaven and immortality. The minds of children are very susceptible, and easily impressed. A word, a look, a frown, may engrave an impression on the mind of a child, which no lapse of time can efface or wash out. You walk along the sea-shore when the tide is out, and you form characters, or write words or names in the smooth sand which it has spread out so clear and beautiful at your feet, according as your fancy may dictate; but the returning tide shall in a few hours wash out and efface for ever all that you have written. Not so the lines and characters of truth or error which your conduct imprints on the mind of your children. There you write impressions for the everlasting good-will of your child, which neither the floods nor the storms of earth can wash out, nor death's cold fingers erase, nor the slow-moving ages of eternity obliterate. How careful, then, should each mother be of her treatment of her child! How prayerful and how serious, and how earnest to write the eternal truths of God on his mind,-those truths which shall be MORAL INFLUENCE OF THE WIFE ON THE HUSBAND. his guide and teacher when her voice shall be silent in death, and her lips no longer move in prayer in his behalf, in commending her dear child to his covenant God. Moral Influence of the Wife on the Husband. EVERY wife has it in her power to make her husband either better or worse. This result is accomplished, not merely by giving advice and instruction alone-both these have their influence, and, as means of improvement, should not be neglected; but it is by the general tone and spirit of her conversation, as manifesting the tone and disposition of the heart, that she makes the most abiding impressions. These are modifying his character daily and hourly; sometimes even when absent. It has been said of the wife of Jonathan Edwards, that by enabling him to put forth his powers unembarassed, she conferred a greater benefit upon mankind, than all the female characters that ever lived or ever will live. A similar remark might be applied to the mother of almost every great and good man. Woman's true greatness consists, so it seems to me, in rendering others useful, rather than in being directly useful herself. Or, in other words, it is less her office to be seen and known in society, than to make others seen and known and their influence felt. I might give numerous examples and illustrations of the principle I am endeavouring to sustain, both in this country and elsewhere. I might speak of the mother and wife of Washington, of the mother of Dwight, Franklin, Wilberforce, Whitfield, Timothy, and hundreds of others; for it was by the exercise of the duties, not only of the mother, but of the wife, that these illustrious characters were brought forth to the world. But I will confine myself to a single instance; and that one in which the influence upon the husband was direct. The case to which I refer is that of Sir James Mackintosh, whose fame as a jurist, a statesman and a writer, is well known, not only in Europe and America, but in India; and whose efforts in the cause of science and humanity have rarely been equalled. Few men have done more, through the progress of a long life, than he; and few have, at any rate, been more distinguished for extensive learning, large views, and liberal principles, in law, politics and philosophy, but especially in his favorite department of the law. It was he of whom Sir Walter Scott said, on a certain occasion, that he made "the most brilliant speech ever made at bar or in forum." Yet this great man, 153 if we may believe his own story, owed no small share of his greatness to the assistance and influence of his wife of this, the following extract from a letter of his to a friend, describing her character, after her decease, will most abundantly prove. The last clause includes, it will be seen, a passing tribute to another person-probably his mother-which doubles the value of the extract I have made, in exhibiting the influence ef two females in the formation of character, instead of but one: "Allow me, in justice to her memory, to tell what she was, and what I owed her. I was guided in my choice only by the blind affection of my youth. I found an intelligent companion, and a tender friend, a prudent monitress, the most faithful of wives, and a mother as tender as children ever had the misfortune to lose. I met a women, who, by the tender management of my weaknesses, gradually corrected the most pernicious of them. She became prudent from affection; and though of the most generous nature, she was taught frugality and economy by her love for me. 66 During the most critical period of my life, she preserved order in my affairs, from the care of which she relieved me. She gently reclaimed me from dissipation; she propped my weak and irresolute nature; she urged my influence to all the exertion that have been useful or creditable to me and she was perpetually at hand to admo' nish my heedlessness and improvidence" To her I owe whatever I am; to her, whatever I shall be. In her solicitude for my interest, she never for a moment forgot my feelings or my character. Even in her occasional resentments, for which I but too often gave her cause (would to God I could recall those moments!) she had no sullenness or acrimony. Her feelings were warm and impetuous; but she was placable, tender and constant. "Such was she whom I have lost: and I have lost her when her excellent natural sense was rapidly improving, after eight years of struggle and distress had bound us fast to each other, when a knowledge of her worth had refined my youthful love into friendship, before age had deprived it of much of its original ardour. I lost her, alas! (the choice of my youth and partner of my misfortunes) at a moment when I had a prospect of her sharing my better days." Who-what wife especially-can_read these paragraphs, without feeling a desire enkindled within her to be distinguished in the world, not so much in her own name, as by her influence on her husband and family, and through them on others? She thus becomes not so much the instrument of human amelioration, as the moving agent. |