Oh no! there is sufficient room in the heart of a public speaker, full as it may seem to be of heavenly and holy things, for earthly infirmities to dwell there. There is danger of an eloquent man being too sensibly alive to the approbation of his fellow mortals; he may have too keen an appetite for human praise; and there is a danger of the assembled multitude forgetting that the object of their meeting is to praise God rather than man. These are dangers that speakers and hearers would do well to avoid; but on this point I will not be severe, for I love to honour good men for their works' sake, and often find myself thumping the floor with my cane by way of commendation, when I might be better employed in putting up a prayer that both speakers and hearers might be blessed of the Most High.

It sometimes occurs, that in meetings of a more serious character than ordinary, when high and holy things are entered into, and when the mind ought to be more serious than at other times it sometimes happens, I say, that the speaker makes a droll remark, very droll, but sadly out of place; so that, instead of the spirit of the hearer being absorbed with sacred reverence for the Most High, it is dancing with light-hearted gaiety and turbulent mirth. This is not as it should be. I have, before now,

met with some

thing of this kind in a place of Divine worship, when the preacher, and a Christian-hearted, godly, deeply-impressed preacher too, in a moment of infirmity, has scattered abroad the solemn thoughts that he had for an hour been labouring to produce, by one unexpected, ill-timed, comical observation. The preacher has smiled, the hearers have laughed, and Old Humphrey among them, though he has reflected upon it afterwards with regret and shame.

Nor must it be denied that public speakers, especially such as are young, now and then shoot above the heads, rather than at the hearts of the people they address, and use such lengthy words, and such high-flown illustrations, that a plain man wonders what they are after, and in what it will all end. I once heard a worthy young minister address a country congregation from the words, " And they all with one consent began to make excuse," Luke xiv. 18. One would not have thought that these plain words of Scripture could be made plainer, but the minister seemed to think differently; for he told us that "with one consent" meant "unanimously." Now, if the plain countrymen present could not comprehend the words of Scripture, it was not very likely they could comprehend the explanation of the preacher. The great object in addressing an

assembly is to inform the understanding, to convince the judgment, and to affect the heart; but sometimes this is forgotten.

With all these disadvantages, public meetings are of great value; and often have my feelings been warmed within me while some zealous servant of the Redeemer, with a heart full of love, and a tongue touched with holy fire, has declared the mighty acts of the King of kings, and Lord of lords.

Oh, it does one good to see and to hear great and good men, devote their time and their talents to God's glory and man's benefit; and if we feel a little humbled that we are not able to do as much as they do, we feel, at the same time, anxious to do more than we have done. Men's hearts are, in such seasons, just like the wood laid ready on the altar for a burnt sacrifice, and the hallowed zeal of the Christian-hearted speaker kindles the holy flame.

It is a pleasant thing to read the record, printed on paper, or written with the pen of a ready writer, of what is going forward in the Christian world; but how much more delightful is it to listen to the account poured forth by one bringing good tidings from a foreign land, whose eye sparkles with joy, whose heart runs over with gratitude to the Father of mercies, and whose

tongue richly abounds with words fitly spoken; such as are, in Scripture language, likened to "apples of gold in pictures of silver!"

There are hundreds, yea, thousands, who return home from public meetings far more interested than they were before, in the spread of religion, and the increase of works of mercy; and though worldly cares or worldly pleasures may afterwards assail them, yet are they, on the whole, more friendly to the Christian cause, and more abounding in deeds of charity.

Old Humphrey would not, willingly, say illnatured things; but he verily believes, that if it were not for public meetings, one half of the supporters of religious and benevolent institutions would go to sleep with the Bible in their hands. He judges by his own heart, which, in sacred and charitable things, is often more like a lump of ice than a ball of fire. Let us, then, as far as we can, secure the advantages of public meetings, by encouraging in our own hearts, humility, zeal, and Christian affection; and avoid their evils by waging war with vanity, selfishness, and a worldly spirit.

.

ON VISITORS.

SOME time ago I gave an account of an unexpected visit paid by me, and I think that I made it plainly appear that my worthy hostess in some respects was in fault, not in want of friendly feeling, but only a deficiency in those attentions that add to the comfort of a visitor. Perhaps the observations that I made about the matter bore rather hard on the good lady, and I am led to believe that this may have been the case, because I have heard that several worthy ladies have alluded to the circumstances. They seem to think that Old Humphrey might either have given notice of his visit, or, at least, have provided himself with a nightcap; and that, in neglecting to do both the one and the other, he brought the punishment down on his own head.

A respected friend of mine, some time ago, slept at the habitation of an acquaintance. And going up stairs to bed, he heard the mistress of the house calling after him, "Old Humphrey ! Old Humphrey! you will find a night cap on the pillow." The good lady would have it that