I shall find no difficulty in persuading CHAMBRAY, the present Vicar, to exchange it for Dunham, which is worth more than twice as much.' In this way he became Vicar of Madeley, with which he was so perfectly satisfied, that he never afterwards sought any other honour or preferment." (pp. 31, 32.)

MR. FLETCHER'S zeal and assiduity in promoting the spiritual good of his Parishioners.

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"A poor collier, now living in Madeley, and upwards of eighty years of age, relates that in the former part of his life he was exceedingly profligate, and that Mr. FLETCHER frequently sought opportunities to warn him of his danger. For,' added the poor man, he used always to run after such wicked fellows as I was, whenever he saw us, in order that he might talk with us, and warn us.' Being, however, aware of his pious Vicar's intentions, this collier was accustomed as soon as he saw him, to run home with all speed, and close the door before Mr. FLETCHER could reach it: and thus, for many months together, he escaped his deserved reproofs. The holy man, however, still persevering in his attempts, on one occasion outran this determined sinner, and obtained possession of his house before him. The poor man, awed by the presence of his Minister, and softened by the persuasive kindness of his manners, was greatly affected, and received those religious impressions which soon ended in a thorough change of his character.

"Another of his parishioners, who is still living, relates the following characteristic circumstance:-When a young man, he was married by Mr. FLETCHER, who said to him as soon as the service was concluded, and he was about to make the accustomed entry, Well, WILLIAM, you have had your name entered into our register once before this.' 'Yes, Sir, at my baptism.' 'And now, your name will be entered a second time :-you have no doubt thought much about your present step, and made proper preparations for it in a great many different ways.' 'Yes, Sir." Recollect, however, that a third entry of your name,—the register of your burial, will sooner or later take place. Think, then, about death; and make preparation for that also, lest it overtake you as a thief in the night.' This person also is now walking in the ways of the Lord; and states, that he often adverts to this and other things which this holy man found frequent occasion to say to him." (pp. 50, 51.)

ON THE DUTY OF SELF-DEnial.

It appears indispensable to a up his cross and deny himself. portance, that in the neglect of it, VOEL VI.

disciple of Christ, that he take This duty is of so much imno one can claim, on scriptural 33

ground, to be a follower of the Saviour. It is possible, however, for us to make crosses of our own, and then we have no confidence or encouragement to look to the Lord for grace and strength to bear them. Should a person engage, voluntarily, in business, to enter into co-partnership, or form an alliance in marriage, involving peculiar difficulties, bringing upon himself severe and weighty crosses, he has in such cases no right to complain, if he has to bear his burdens alone. He has gone out of the order of God, and has become unequally yoked together with unbelievers.

When I look into the Bible I find frequent mention made of fasting, as well as of prayer. And although there appears no positive command to fast, yet I think that we must conclude fasting to be a duty, if we attach any authority to the sayings of our Lord, and to the examples of his followers. Our Lord to be sure reproved the hypocricy of the Jews in their fastings, but not their fasting; When ye fast be not as the hypocrites are. The disciples fasted and prayed. St. Paul was in fastings often.

The primitive Christians, and I may say the primitive Methodists, fasted twice a week, beside having special and solemn fasts on special and solemn occasions. Fasting is an act of self-denial, a cross that we must take up, if we would make a progress in the divine life, if we would have deep and lively communion with God. I hear but little said on the subject either from the pulpit or from the press; so that I was brought to fear that it was a duty greatly neglected among the professors of religion, and to hope that a few words might stir up their pure minds to the remembrance of the duty of fasting as well as prayer.

I wish to speak on this subject with modesty, and under a deep sense of my own duty. Fasting, I think, may be said to consist, in abstinence from food, as far as health and circumstances will admit; and that this abstinence be conscientiously and strictly observed one day in a week; that on this day, there be an humble confession of our sins to God, with contrition and sorrow of heart, an earnest deprecation of God's displeasure, and humble supplication that he would avert his judgments; an intercession for spiritual and temporal blessings upon ourselves and upon others.

Where family circumstances will admit, let the time that is usually employed in preparing and in partaking of food, be devoted to prayer, self-examination, and other religious duties. And could a number of praying people assemble, and spend the time which they ordinarily spend at dinner, in praying for holiness of heart, for the prosperity of Zion, and for the success of the gospel, I should think that it would be an act of self-denial, a sacrifice most acceptable and well-pleasing to Almighty God.

Fasting is a natural expression of our sorrow. We have been ungrateful for the mercies which we have received from the hand

of our God. We have turned the blessings which God hath conferred on us into occasions of offence and rebellion against the giver; and it highly becomes us to express our sorrow on the account. When we look abroad into the world, and see the spread and unhappy influence of error and sin, can we but mourn and afflict our souls by religious and solemn fasting? Fasting is a help to devotional exercises. It tends to refine the moral sense, to show us the emptiness of the world, and to quicken the soul to meditation and prayer. In taking up this cross, in this very act of self-denial, we feel our own weakness and dependence, think on death and judgment, are brought to view the importance of religion as almost a natural consequence.

The flesh lusteth against the spirit. The body is to be kept in subjection, or the animal will run off with the man. Reason and religion should maintain its umpire in the soul. How is this great work to be accomplished but by fasting or abstinence?

Fasting may be rendered subservient to charity or alms-giving; what of expense is saved to us by fasting, should be given to the poor, and they should be the special objects of our attention and care on such occasions. The great end, however, to be kept in view, is humiliation for, and abstinence from sin.

I am of the opinion, that the church, and individual members of the church, labour under very serious and great evils and affliction, which might be removed by fasting joined with prayer. Our Lord once said, "this kind goeth not out but by fasting and prayer."

We may lament the state of things, we may give and receive counsel, we may form plans, we may carry them into execution; we may preach and pray, but all does not effect a radical cure. Now it is more than probable to me that in fasting and prayer, we should find the remedy,—the evil spirit would go out.

In many places where the gospel is preached, and has been preached for years, and prayer has been wont to be made, the people were fruitless in good works, and no one bud of grace appeared, a general listlessness and indifference to religion prevailed, almost every means had been resorted to, in order to awaken the drowsy powers of stupid careless sinners, but to little purpose; yet, how soon has the face of things been changed, when the people of God took up the cross and joined fasting with prayer! It has been known, that at the very time when the people of God formed the resolution to set apart a certain day in the week for solemn fasting and prayer, that the evil spirit has fled, the work of God has revived, souls have been blessed, sinners have been awakened, and believers have felt the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit.

Fasting is an important means of grace. The ministers of religion should enforce the duty both by precept and example. It

will be a cross, but the cross must be taken up, self must be denied, sacrifices must be made, and sacrifices that cost us something, if we would be the children of the Highest.

We

e may possess property, and give much to support the Bible and Missionary cause; we may have eloquence, and be able to vindicate the cause of religion to advantage; but all this will not supercede, the necessity of fasting and prayer, of self-denial and bearing the cross. If we suffer with Christ, we shall also reign with him; if we deny him, he will also deny us. I think that we are in much danger from the spirit of ease and self-indulgence, which the religion of the day seems to favour, and we are in danger of neglecting personal holiness, while we are attending to the popular voice raised in favour of charitable and religious institutions...

If we would be holy, if we would be humble, simple-hearted followers of Christ, we must yet be crucified with Christ, we must have that religion, by which we become crucified to the world, and the world to us. We must fast and pray. We must take up this cross to the flesh.

S.

Remarks upon the early settlements of the Western Country, with some account of its soil, climate, and productions.

(Continued from page 226.)

The

THE state of Illinois is almost surrounded by water. Wabash on the east, the Ohio bounding it on the south, the Mississippi on the west, and the lakes on the north. The country has the appearance of once having been the bottom of a great lake; and the breaking through of the rivers Ohio and Mississippi, of vast chains of rocks and elevated lands, and also ridges seem to favour this opinion. Be this as it may, this country, except that bordering on the Mississippi above and near the mouth of the Missouri, is too far removed west to be affected by cold winds, which from the influence of the lakes annoy the Western states generally; but the state of Missouri and of Illinois, near the Missouri, appear to be nearly as seriously affected by the winds which descend from the mountains down that river, and discharge their influence upon the larger water courses which they are inclined to follow; and then they become elevated and pass at a considerable height over the country, (as though it were a valley) striking upon the high lands of Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee. The consequence is, that when the wind is. west or north-west, we seldom have two cloudy days together; the sky is unusually clear and bright, resembling very much, I am, told, that of Italy. At such seasons the moonlight nights are exceedingly clear and bright.

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The winds being elevated by the mountains and high lands of the Missouri, I presume, that hence we may account for the Mayduke cherries flourishing in like manner with those in the same latitude of Virginia, screened as they are by the mountains there, from the north and north-western blasts. Yet in every other part of the Western Country, they have failed after thirty or forty years trial. The Missouri winds, I am told, has the same effect upon them as the lake winds have. This tree, I am informed, is the standing criterion of climate, in the United States. The apples and pears do well, and the Portugal peach grows here from a recent trial to very great perfection. The vine also flourishes, and the wild grapes are very fine.

The soil varies but little from east to west of the state. It is composed, first, of a deep black or greyish mould, formed, I suppose, of burnt or decomposed vegetable matter, from eighteen inches to five and six feet on an average. This mould, except in a few sand bottomed prairies, is formed on a strata of yellow clay, of from eighteen to twenty feet deep. Under this yellow clay we come to another strata of blue clay, and sometimes stone coal. Finally, nearly all the best lands, after passing through the clay, we find to be situated upon a soft sand stone. The thin white oak lands are founded on ridges, and situated on a strata of blue slate stone. This is unquestionably the greatest body of rich earth in the known world. It is supposed that a thousand years cultivation will not materially reduce this soil. The French settlers in their negligent manner of cultivating lands, have been working upon it on the Mississippi and Wabash for more than a hundred years, and the soil remains just the same.

The following are the remarks of a medical gentleman, made on presenting me with a singular substance found in digging wells. "I present you with some specimens of a substance found from the surface of the earth to the distance of fifteen or twenty feet or more below in digging wells in this country. This substance I suppose to be sulphate of lime, Gypsum, or in other words, Plaster of Paris.' Be this as it may, it is worthy of remark, that on a bank of earth taken up in digging wells here, and where this substance abounds, grass, weeds, and, I believe, other vegetables, grow as luxuriantly as in almost any other place. This substance exists in small bodies of from an inch to a quarter of an inch in diameter, very rough, sometimes branching and of various lengths." "The conclusions I draw from these facts are, that the land here will be always highly productive, and that a thousand years from now, when the face of the land may be much worn, still vegetation will go on as kindly as at this time, the source of fertilization here being inexhaustible. Dec. 18th, 1822."

The production of the soil is great, and varies according to the manner of cultivating it; and the season has produced from 50,