rity were traced out. The horrors of slavery harrowed up their feelings, and they rested not till the slave-trade till domestic slavery received its death-wound, and the shout of liberty reached the shores of Africa. This was not enough. They looked into the dungeon of the criminal-they saw that the iron entered into his soul' they heard the sighing of the prisoner'-they visited the fatherless and the widow in their affliction. They were eyes to the blind and feet to the lame;' and the blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon them.' They blended the objects of their benevolence, they carried the Bible and the spelling-book with them wherever they went, and with the latter they furnished the ability to read the former. Schools also were promoted and conducted on a large scale by means of the Lancasterian system. Benevolent churchmen were again provoked to jealousy.' They were alarmed lest the majority of the nation should become dissenters. The National Schools were established, and more than a double number of children are now taught. Religious instruction, which was growing out of fashion in our Schools, is now incorporated in all, especially for the lower classes.

6. These Societies have called forth energies altogether new and unprecedented. The system of Sunday Schools has formed thousands of gratuitous teachers; the plan of mutual instruction' by means of monitors, has done the same; and there are now probably more teachers than there were scholars fifty years ago. The Auxiliaries to the different Bible and Missionary Societies have trained thousands to the work of benevolence and charity; and the employment of females, in particular, in these blessed services, has created a power in morals analogous to the steam engine in mechanics-there is no limiting its effects. Charity is be

come the daily occupation of ladies, many of whom formerly supposed they were born only to dress and dance for the amusement of the other sex. The system is spreading into India, and through the East, and must produce a revolution in Society, the effects of which cannot now be calculated.

6

I conclude with remarking the more immediate influence of these Societies upon the religious world. It must always be remembered that the best effects of the best Institu tions must depend on the Divine blessing. Paul may plant and Apollos water;' and it is unquestionably our duty to plant the rose of Sharon' in every country in the world. The waterer must follow the planter-for it is a sad mistake to think that we must sit at home, and water only with our prayers. We should imitate the ancients who 'watered with the foot,' and, by a tedious and laborious process, direct the streams of the river of life in rills of mercy through every land and clime. The first natural effect of these Institutions, therefore, is to promote activity and industry in doing good-and God is wont to bless the diligent.

How

Another effect no less certain and unequivocal is the promotion of Christian love and unity of heart. Persons embarked in the same cause-drawing in the same yokenaturally cleave together. many Christians have been delighted and astonished to find those in zealous co-operation with themselves, whom they had weakly supposed to have no zeal for God, or benevolence to man-merely because they did not know them.

The influence of these unions extends still farther. Bigots have been employed for ages in endeavouring to reduce all Christians to one standard of faith, and they foolishly supposed that prisons, racks, and flames must do this. But these Institutions all lead to

uniformity of faith-the Bible Society more especially. The grand difficulty has been hitherto to produce a standard, to which all might conscientiously subscribe. All the creeds and catechisms in Christendom have been tried in vainthe Bible Society has found that standard in the word of God.

Lastly. The wisest heads have been long employed in calculating prophetic dates, and in marking the commencement of the Millenium. The members of these Institutions have done more and better-they are anticipating-they are intro

address to those who were destitute of the grace of the Lord Jesus; and, though worn out by his former exertion, he, at considerable length, and with most intense earnestness, represented the horrors of their situation, and urged them to have recourse, ere the season of forbearance was past, to the rich and sovereign grace of the long-despised Saviour. This unlooked-for exhortation, apparently made a deep impressionand was long remembered by the more serious part of the hearers.

DAY.

SHEVA.

ANECDOTE of the late Rev. John

Brown, of Haddington. A TENDER compassion for the dangers and miseries of perishing immortals, was one of the master feelings of Mr. Brown's mind, and communicated to his public addresses an affectionate earnestness, which rendered his discourses highly interesting and impressive. It was impossible to hear him without being persuaded he was serious, and next to impossible to hear him without being in some measure serious also. As an instance of his anxiety to do good to souls, we subjoin the following little incident as not without its interest.

Towards the close of life, when his constitution was sinking under his multiplied and unintermitted labours, he preached on the Monday after the dispensation of the Lord's Supper, at Tranent, a serious and animated sermon from these words'The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you all, Amen.' After the service was concluded by prayer and praise, and he was just about to dismiss the congregation, it occurred to him that he had made no direct

SIR,

In a late Number of your Magazine, p. 499, there are two short papers on Sabbath-breaking; one written by a person who lives in the country,' and the other, it is probable, by a resident of London. Will you allow a person, rather differently circumstanced from both, to add a few words upon the same important subject. That those persons who profess no regard for the Christian religion, or who openly avow their infidelity, should violate the Lord's day, is precisely what we should expect; but when persons, who understand the scheme of salvation, as revealed to us in the Scriptures, and whose consciences appear to be in some measure under, the influence of gospel principles, di-, rectly contradict, by their practice, the express language of the Bible, respecting this holy day, we cannot but feel considerable surprise mingled with the most poignant grief.

The writer of this paper is a Commercial Traveller. He has often met with persons who seemed to possess correct views of religion, who appeared also to have a decided preference for an evangelical ministry, and whose general conduct was not marked by anything

strikingly immoral; but who nevertheless made no conscience of refraining from worldly business, such as copying orders, writing commercial letters, or balancing their cash-account on the Lord's day. They have, also, not at all hesitated to travel on the sabbath. In defence of this last mentioned practice, some persons have urged that they have found more satisfaction in the opportunity for meditation, afforded them by a solitary ride, than they would in remaining during the intervals of public worship, in a travellers' room. Should any persons who are accustomed to argue in this way peruse this paper, let me beg of them very seriously to re-consider their conduct. Are they not clearly guilty of violating an express command of God? Are we not enjoined to keep holy the sabbath-day? not only to rest from all our worldly labour ourselves, but also to allow rest to our servants, and our cattle? Besides, admitting that we may sometimes travel a stage, without neglecting public worship, we ought very seriously to consider the example we set.This is of great importance. If a person who is known to make a profession of serious religion, is observed in the breach of an express command of God, will not others be thus emboldened to be induced to transgress with greediness, and without compunction?

Again, it should ever be remembered that Christians are the light of the world, the salt of the earth, and having been called to the knowledge of the truth, they are preserved in this state of probation, partly for the purpose of forwarding the cause of religion. When, therefore, our lot is necessarily cast amongst worldly people, our duty is to study, not so much what would be most agree able to our own feelings, as what is the duty which our situation requires, let us endeavour to do good

to the souls of those who have no concern for their best interests. We cannot tell what a word of reproof, uttered in the spirit of Christian meekness, may produce by the blessing of God, nor what may be the consequence of a good example with regard to temperance, propriety of conversation, and attention to religious duties. York. W. E

We have received several papers on this important subject, and shall be glad in assisting to call the public attention to it. Last month we inserted a piece on Sunday Newspapers, and we shall now add part of a letter from another correspondent, on other notorious profanations of this sacred day.

Look at our roads; or, if you pass our inns on the sabbath, what distressing scenes present themselves. Endeavour to calculate the number of persons employed in attending the public conveyances on the sabbath. Not to mention the passengers, consider the waiters, the guards, the drivers, the porters, and ostlers, who are kept from the worship of God, and who in the midst of gospel light, are in great darkness, and who, almost deprived of the power of attending to their salvation, manifest, by their conduct and conversation, that 'for the soul to be without knowledge is not good.' When I reflect on the traffic and business transacted on the day of sacred rest, and then turn to the holy command of God-Thou shalt do no work on the sabbath-day; neither thou, nor thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor the stranger that is within thy gates,' I anticipate the execution of that vengeance on England, which was denounced and executed upon a people blessed like England with the favour of God.-'It shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God,

uniformity of faith-the Bible Society more especially. The grand difficulty has been hitherto to produce a standard, to which all might All the conscientiously subscribe. creeds and catechisms in Christendom have been tried in vainthe Bible Society has found that standard in the word of God.

Lastly. The wisest heads have been long employed in calculating prophetic dates, and in marking the commencement of the Millenium. The members of these Institutions have done more and better-they are anticipating-they are intro

address to those who were destitute of the grace of the Lord Jesus; and, though worn out by his former exertion, he, at considerable length, and with most intense earnestness, represented the horrors of their situation, and urged them to have recourse, ere the season of forbearance was past, to the rich and sovereign grace of the long-despised Saviour. This unlooked-for exhortation, apparently made a deep impressionand was long remembered by the more serious part of the hearers.

DAY.

SHEVA.

ANECDOTE of the late Rev. John

Brown, of Haddington. A TENDER compassion for the dangers and miseries of perishing immortals, was one of the master feelings of Mr. Brown's mind, and communicated to his public addresses an affectionate earnestness, which rendered his discourses highly interesting and impressive. It was impossible to hear him without being persuaded he was serious, and next to impossible to hear him without being in some measure serious also. As an instance of his anxiety to do good to souls, we subjoin the following little incident as not without its interest.

Towards the close of life, when his constitution was sinking under his multiplied and unintermitted labours, he preached on the Monday after the dispensation of the Lord's Supper, at Tranent, a serious and animated sermon from these wordsThe grace of the Lord Jesus be with you all, Amen.' After the service was concluded by prayer and praise, and he was just about to dismiss the congregation, it occurred to him that he had made no direct

SIR,

In a late Number of your Magazine, p. 499, there are two short papers on Sabbath-breaking; one written by a person who lives in the country,' and the other, it is probable, by a resident of London. Will you allow a person, rather differently circumstanced from both, to add a few words upon the same important subject. That those persons who profess no regard for the Christian religion, or who openly avow their infidelity, should violate the Lord's day, is precisely what we should expect; but when persons, who understand the scheme of salvation, as revealed to us in the Scriptures, and whose consciences appear to be in some measure under, the influence of gospel principles, di-, rectly contradict, by their practice, the express language of the Bible, respecting this holy day, we cannot but feel considerable surprise mingled with the most poignant grief.

The writer of this paper is a Commercial Traveller. He has often met with persons who seemed to possess correct views of religion, who appeared also to have a decided preference for an evangelical ministry, and whose general conduct was not marked by anything

strikingly immoral; but who nevertheless made no conscience of refraining from worldly business, such as copying orders, writing commercial letters, or balancing their cash-account on the Lord's day. They have, also, not at all hesitated to travel on the sabbath. In defence of this last mentioned practice, some persons have urged that they have found more satisfaction in the opportunity for meditation, afforded them by a solitary ride, than they would in remaining during the intervals of public worship, in a travellers' room. Should any persons who are accustomed to argue in this way peruse this paper, let me beg of them very seriously to re-consider their conduct. Are they not clearly guilty of violating an express command of God? Are we not enjoined to keep holy the sabbath-day? not only to rest from all our worldly labour ourselves, but also to allow rest to our servants, and our cattle? Besides, admitting that we may sometimes travel a stage, without neglecting public worship, we ought very seriously to consider the example we set.This is of great importance. If a person who is known to make a profession of serious religion, is observed in the breach of an express command of God, will not others be thus emboldened to be induced to transgress with greediness, and without compunction?

Again, it should ever be remembered that Christians are the light of the world, the salt of the earth, and having been called to the knowledge of the truth, they are preserved in this state of probation, partly for the purpose of forwarding the cause of religion. When, therefore, our lot is necessarily cast amongst worldly people, our duty is to study, not so much what would be most agree able to our own feelings, as what is the duty which our situation requires, let us endeavour to do good

**We have received several papers on this important subject, and shall be glad in assisting to call the public attention to it. Last month we inserted a piece on Sunday Newspapers, and we shall now add part of a letter from another correspondent, on other notorious profanations of this sacred day.

Look at our roads; or, if you pass our inns on the sabbath, what distressing scenes present themselves. Endeavour to calculate the number of persons employed in attending the public conveyances on the sabbath. Not to mention the passengers, consider the waiters, the guards, the drivers, the porters, and ostlers, who are kept from the worship of God, and who in the midst of gospel light, are in great darkness, and who, almost deprived of the power of attending to their salvation, manifest, by their conduct and conversation, that 'for the soul to be without knowledge is not good.' When I reflect on the traffic and business transacted on the day of sacred rest, and then turn to the holy command of God-Thou shalt do no work on the sabbath-day ; neither thou, nor thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor the stranger that is within thy gates,' I anticipate the execution of that vengeance on England, which was denounced and executed upon a people blessed like England with the favour of God.-' It shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God,