were the conversion of half a world, would be acceptable in Heaven, to the wilful injury of our own souls; because it is a certain evil for a presumptive goodGod can do without our services, but he cannot away with our sins. If, therefore, it is the feeling of any individual, that his mind is dissipated, his passions excited, or his after devotions deadened by these tumultuous demonstrations of piety, it must be his individual duty to stay away. But this again, is not a general question, though personally an important one, especially to young Christians.

You see, dear E., I am very carefully answering all objections, because I wish you to take up the interest of these Societies; and you will have them to encounter in your own mind, if not elsewhere. I know not which of the all good, especially to recommend to you. I love the Jewish cause, because from my heart I love the Jews. Base and degraded as they are, they are the children of God's chosen people. How does he call them his Beloved! What curses has he written against those, who even in their degradation shall despise them! They have been the most distinguished beings upon earth, and they must be so again. Their unparalleled adversity gives them but the deeper interest in our hearts. It is as if we should see the once cherished offspring of our best and dearest friend in want and misery. The miraculous past, and the mysterious future, our whole salvavation's history, associated with the name of Israel, give to them, I confess, no common interest in my feelings. And though this Society may do nothing towards converting them as a nation, it does much in rescuing their children from ignorance and misery, and bringing individuals to salvation.

But then again the Irish Societies-that interesting, wronged and neglected people, perishing in darkness at the doors of our habitations, while the light of God shines abundantly within, and we will not open them that they may see it. A Collector told me this morning that one

guinea would pay the expenses of instruction for five. children. When I consider those moments in which I, with all the indulgences of life about me, am obliged to go to my Bible for the happiness they cannot yield, and find in its balm a cure for every painful feeling, I think of the poor Irish peasant in her smoky cabin-hungry, naked, vicious-her best enjoyment, just to escape pain ---her best hope, not quite to starve. And she has no Bible! That she in her misery should want, what I in my prosperity cannot do without, is a thought that will not let me rest till I have done something to procure her one. But alas! she could not read it. Then I fancy the child who can read, taking its Bible home to the . parents who cannot; and--but I must not fancy. The truth must be, that if people feel no interest about distributing Bibles, it is because they do not know the value of a Bible-their hearts never beat with gratitude at the sight of one-they never wept for joy at what it tells. Either their hearts have never ached, or they have never tried this method to relieve them. But we, dear E., who do know, must want humanity, to say nothing of piety towards God, if we feel no warmth in this matter, nor exert ourselves to the utmost to forward these undertakings. Whether you make pincushions or buy them, collect money or pay it, I leave to your choice-but something you must do. This is by far too long a letter -but I could not abridge my first attempt at news-telling. The next shall be shorter.

Yours, &c.

MARIA.

BAKER AND SON, PRINTERS, SOUTHAMPTON,