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WHAT HAVE I BEEN DOING?

no little trouble and pains to do it, and when once excited and warmed by the subject, his sarcasms, words, and blasphemies, aimed at the Bible and Religion, were such that, though jar from being particular themselves, even his friends, when inviting him to an evening or dinner party, would stipulate with him that Religion might not be brought up during the evening; and when this gentleman had once promised, he never broke his word. He went on thus for several years, enjoying excellent health, and all the pleasures that ample means can afford, when, one day, while walking in the street, he was seized with a sudden illness, and rapidly became worse. Knowing his character, not one of his friends could be found who dared to tell him the truth: namely, that the Physicians began to be anxious, and to despair of his life! His friends, for days, encouraged him to hope that, with care, the inflammation and disease would be soon overcome; and the gentleman expressed the same hope himself. But on the appearance of certain symptoms, which they knew to be fatal, one of the Doctors thought it right that he should be made aware of the truth. After his death, a gentleman who knew him gave an account of what followed. No sooner did the gentleman clearly understand that he was given up by two of the leading Physicians then in London-and that he must be prepared in a few hours to appear before God-than he seemed all of a sudden, for the first time, to realise his awful state! No sooner had the Physician left the room than he broke out into the most dreadful cries! He never again took the slightest notice of anyone in the room, he would not listen to a single word! He seemed quite unconscious of all around him-but, for several hours, until he died, almost without a pause, he kept crying out-It was the cry of a lost soul! "What have I been doing? My soul is lost! What have I done?" And similar expressions until he died!

To you, dear Reader, and, I pray God, to me also, God is our Heavenly Father-Jesus our loving Saviour. During our life,―ten, thirty, or sixty years,-God knows how long it will be, knowing what the Eternity is which lies before each of us, everything to soften our hearts, and induce us to become His, God will try. Depend upon it, it will be so, whether you like it or whether you do not. But it is wrong in any Teacher presuming to speak of Religion to neglect the fact that Almighty God is not a Being who can be mocked! He created you, me, and all we see around us, for purposes of His own glory,-(Associated, it is true, with our best happiness), -and if any think that they can put Him on one side as a Being Who may be safely treated, for years,

with aversion and contempt,-treated as a thing of nought,it will be found,-often too late,-that God is not thus to be treated in vain!

When we consider the infinite malice, the almost incomprehensible heinousness of mortal sin, which was only to be cancelled by the last drop of the blood of the Son of God, what can we think of the unparalleled insult offered to His dear Son Jesus, and that before the whole of the Angels and saints in Heaven-when a sinner puts God on one side with contempt, for the Devil, in order that he may, at whatever cost enjoy his Witticisms,-his Profaneness,-his Drunkenness,his Lusts,-his Sins? Such a one renounces the plan of Salvation, with a notorious contempt for the Divine Majesty of God, in thus banishing Him, and Christ's Holy Spirit, from his soul, and in thus introducing Satan in his place! When we consider that it is in God "we live, and breathe, and have our being," we can understand that it must indeed be, to such men as I have spoken of, a "fearful thing to fall into the hands. of the living God!"

"Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain!" "The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?"-Isaiah xxxiii. 14. "In thy filthiness is lewdness; because I have purged thee, and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more, till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee."-Ezekiel xxiv. 13.

"For the time is at hand. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still ; and he who is filthy, let him be filthy still."-(Rev. xxii. 11).

"It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."-Heb. x. 31).

CHAPTER XVII.

HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY; OR THE YOUNG GALLEY SLAVE.

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N ancient times,-and till recently, in some parts of the world, Criminals were made to work vessels called Galleys," propelled by long oars; in double tiers, or rows. Several galley slaves were chained to each huge oar, and overseers walked to and fro along a platform down the centre of the vessel, and, if any flagged in their exertions, used their heavy whips most unmercifully. Criminals sentenced to the galleys were called "Galley Slaves," and were often condemned to the galleys for life." One day the Viceroy of Naples-a sagacious man-when passing through Barcelona-went on board one of the Government Convict Galleys, where malefactors condemned for life were, as usual, chained to the heavy oars. In passing, he inquired of several what their offences had been. Hoping that there was a chance of being set at liberty, they all protested their innocence; one would not have been there but for the malice of a witness "--another said it "was owing in his case to the Judge being bribed "—all of them were honest, innocent men, all had been treated unjustly; but they certainly looked a most ferocious set for honest and innocent men! At length the Duke came to a youth whose countenance pleased him ; he had evidently incurred the dislike of the overseers, for his back bore the marks of many cruel blows from the whips. He asked, as before, what his crime had been. "My Lord! said the young man, "I cannot deny that I was justly condemned. For the fact is I stole a purse of money. To be sure we were very poor, and our family almost starving at the time; nevertheless, I did steal the purse near Tarragan." The Duke, hearing this, pretended to fly into a violent passion, and striking the youth two or three light blows on the back with his stick, called to the overseers to unchain him, saying, What! stole a purse! Oh! you rogue! you rogue! This will never do! What are you doing here in the company of all these honest and innocent men? They must not have a rogue with them! Here are your papers; get out of their company as soon as possible!" Weeping with delight, and kissing the good Duke's hands, the youth was immediately liberated, whilst the "honest and honourable men" were left to toil at the oars! Thus we see that in this case honest confession, and telling the truth, once more proved to be "the best policy."

The first, very primitive train which ran in America,-Albany to Shenectady, N.Y. (16 miles)-1831. The Engineer was John Hampson, an Englishman. Fifteen passengers made the first trip, and their names are recorded. The original picture (exact to above) is in the Connecticut Historical Society Collection, at Hartford.

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CHAPTER XVIII.

THE MIMIC.

Although a poor youth, he had still the feelings of a man." YOUNG actor, celebrated, however, for his wonderful talent in imitating to perfection the peculiarity of any person he had a few minutes' opportunity of observing, was engaged by a comic author to take off the person, manner, and peculiar delivery, of that great and good man Dr.The Doctor, when a boy, had been remarkable for his beauty, but his face had been injured, while a youth, in nobly saving the life of a little girl during a great fire in London. His side had been partly paralysed at the same time. He was to be introduced on the stage in a laughable character. The Mimic accordingly dressed himself as a country youth, and with an inimitable look of vacancy and clownishness,-which would have deceived a far keener observer than the worthy Doctor,-waited upon him for his advice for certain pretended ailments. While waiting for his turn in the waiting room, the Conversation of some poor people in the room naturally turned upon the Doctor. The comedian remarked that he "Had never seen him, but understood that he was a singularly plain-looking man." "It would be a happy thing," said one of the company, " if every good-looking person possessed half the goodness of Dr. First one, and then another, chimed in with tales of kindness done, and sickness restored, by his attention and care. One poor old man present, with white hair, told how, when his wife and children lay dangerously ill of fever, the Doctor was stepping into his carriage to attend them, when Lord-- -'s carriage drove furiously up, and one of the footmen gave a message that his Lordship desired to see Dr.- instantly.

"The

good Doctor knew," said the poor old man, with tears in his eyes," that I could not give him a fee of any kind, while his Lordship is one of the wealthiest men in London, but he instantly said, Tell his Lordship that I shall be engaged for some time, but will call upon him afterwards." I tell you, gentlemen," the poor man continued, " that my wife's life was saved by it."

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What was passing in his mind could only be guessed, for the comedian's face, trained to perfect control, never altered; but the fact was that the young man would now gladly have left with his task uncompleted. But his turn came next,