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your solicitude: you cannot do better than endeavour, by religious reading and conversation, to compensate in some degree the disadvantages under which they labour. These, however, like most other good things, are twoedged weapons, excellent if rightly used, but otherwise injurious to those who wield them. A degree of knowledge and discretion is requisite in a village society on the plan of the Bishop of Durham, which, I fear, you would not find at L, as you have not, what is of the first importance in such an institution, any one so elevated above the rest by station, acquirements, and christian experience, as permanently to take the lead, and be the minister, as it were, of the little circle. Even if you had such a person among you, the experiment of forming a little society would be considerably hazardous, unless he were also either the minister of the parish, or willing to act immediately under the auspices and directions of the minister. It is surprising how soon such societies are infected with selfconceit, ostentation, and a tatling and busy-body spirit; so that, if instituted without the guards and checks I have mentioned, they commonly end in producing much evil.

Can then nothing be done for L? Yes, my dear Madam, I hope your mother and her daughters may be of very great use to the villagers there. Read and talk to people in their own houses, and lead them to read one to another books which you leave with them, and to ask you questions respecting those parts which they may not understand; and whether they ask such questions or not, talk with them in a familiar way upon what they have been reading, in order to discover how far they have understood it. This will enable you to confirm them if they are right, or to set them right if they are wrong. Above all, impress on them the necessity of family prayer, and supply them with little forms (those in the cheap repository tracts are very good ones.) Set them the example of using them; and encourage one in the family to follow that example. Teach them that in addition to the numerous other benefits to be derived from joining as a family of christians in prayer, they will be brought by it into a right frame of mind to profit by what they CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 28.

read, and that they may expect the blessing of God upon their reading. Accustom them also seriously to put up, whenever they begin to read, a short ejaculatory prayer for that blessing; as, "O Lord, do thou prepare our hearts to profit by our reading, and give us thy blessing." This may be said by one of them in the name of the rest, as grace is said at meals. If every family, where one at least can read pretty well, would dedicate about half an hour, (this might be better than a longer time at first,) to this course, the happiest effects would be likely to follow; and if no persons were admitted to be present but the members of the family (with the exception of one or two poor neighbours unable to read,) the evils to be feared in large meetings would, I trust, be avoided, and the simplicity and humility of heart essential to true religion be preserved.

If with a view to present improvement more neighbours should be permitted to join these family circles, evils would be likely soon to creep in, which would more than counterbalance all the good to be expected, and which it would be very difficult to eradicate. If you begin in the line which I recommend, depend upon it a taste for larger meetings will soon appear. One or more neighbours, drawn by a love of novelty, or perhaps by better motives, will beg to be present. The members of the reading family, taking a confined view of things, will be apt to think, “if our reading and prayer do good to those who now attend, why may not the good be extended to a few more?" Perhaps too a little self-conceit, or love of importance, may slip in, and make them more ready to give weight to this sort of reasoning. All, therefore, who are prevailed upon to pray and read in their own families ought to be carly and earnestly put on their guard against this snare, by being made sensible of the mischief likely to arise from religious meetings, which comprize more than the members of one family, with the addition, perhaps of an illiterate neighbour or two. If once people are led by a larger assembly (as they are extremely likely to be) to think about their own gifts (as they call them), and to talk about the gifts of their neighbours, such a crop of weeds will soon spring up as great

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ly to disappoint the hopes of a spiritual harvest, even in the best members of the meeting; and in the worst, not only to choke the good seed, but fill the ground with abundance of rubbish, which would not have existed had there been no meeting at all. And if some of the latter stamp should possess some ability and some fluency of expression, and be able to make proselytes, their proselytes will stand little chance of good compared with their risk of evil. Things, in short, may come to such a pass among your neighbours, as to put you in mind of the picture drawn by our Saviour, of some in his time," Ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made ye make him two-fold more the child of hell than yourselves."

With respect to the plan of assembling considerable numbers of the villagers together for the purpose of reading a sermon to them and praying with them, I much question its eligibility. Indeed I am clearly of opinion, that it would be wiser to abstain from it; and to confine your view to the encouragement of family reading and family prayers. Among other reasons which have influenced my opinion on this point, I would observe, that a religious society for reading, soon, very naturally, proceeds to a little explanation of what is read, and by degrees to regular expounding, and so on, perhaps, to a sort of expository preaching. This is exceedingly well. and what one would greatly wish, when the persons who meet are all, or nearly all, of the same family, as in that case things will proceed on such a scale and in such a way as will be likely to benefit the parties most essentially without producing any mischief. But if the meeting is larger, the evils I mentioned in the former part of my letter will be likely to slip in, especially, if several of its members are readers and speakers, sometimes one taking the lead and sometimes another.

I have thus answered your questions, my dear Madam, to the best of my power, and shall be glad to an

swer any others which you may wish to put to me in the progress of your laudable endeavours to lead those to God among whom he has placed you. I feel, however, what a fallible guide I am in a case of this kind, and therefore wish you to look upon me as merely sending you hints and arguments for the consideration of your circle. Most heartily do I wish you success, and all that personal happiness which the bounty of him, who went about doing good, has appointed to be a branch of the signal blessings attendant on treading in his steps.

To the Editor of the Christian Observer. In reading Mosheim's Ecclesiastical History, Lobserve that he says (folio, p. 110-114,) that it does not appear to him that there are any works or epistles extant of the apostolic fathers, viz. Barnabas, Clemens of Rome, Ignatius, Polycarp, or Hermas, which can be depended upon as genuine. As Mr. Gisborne adduces their authority without hesitation, for the proof of different books of the New Testament; as Dr. Paley, with a variety of other authors, makes mention of them as indubitably authentic; I was astonished to find there should exist a doubt on the subject, and particularly from a quarter apparently of so much learning. The same author (folio 66), I observe in a note of Dr. Lardner's, does not seem to think that the fact of Pilate's sending the account of our Saviour's death and resurrection to Rome, is sufficiently established by the Apologies of Justin Martyr and Tertullian, as he says, that some writers, and particularly Ozorius, have made alterations in the original narration of Tertullian, too much adapted, not only to diminish the credibility of the allusions to this fact, but also of the whole apology.

I shall be greatly obliged to any of your correspondents, who will take the trouble of satisfying my mind on these points.

HENRICUS.

MISCELLANEOUS.

To the Editor of the Christian Observer. You have complied with my wishes, by publishing the account of my visit to Theophilus. In the persuasion that every important occurrence in the life of such a character, cannot fail to afford instruction and entertainment to many of your readers, I now send you some further anecdotes respecting him.

Let me first, however, premise, that the flattering hopes which we entertained of his recovery were not disappointed; in a few day after the dispatch of my former narrative, we had the satisfaction to see him restored to our prayers in perfect health. The news of a national victory would scarcely have diffused more joy in the little circle of his friends and admirers.

When Theophilus succeeded to the estate which he now enjoys, he found a living attached to it, in the possession of a clergyman who was beloved by his parishioners, and generally esteemed for his piety and benevolence. The opinion entertained of him did not exceed his merits, and Theophilus was delighted to discover in him, a man of polished manners and elegant conversation, learned, judicious, and intelligent, and he courted an acquaintance with him, which was soon improved into an intimacy. At this period, the religious attain ments of Theophilus were of a standard little superior to what mine were when I lately entered his house. In the course of his education at school and the university, he had gone through the usual routine of religious instruction, but the seed was sown among thorns, and the pleasures of this world," the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, had choked the word, and it had become unfruitful." He attended, indeed, the service of the church with considerable regularity, but rather for the sake of shewing an example of decent conformity than from conviction, or an anxiety to improve. An affecting occurrence which happened about six months after he had taken possession of his estate,

gave a new and profitable turn to his thoughts and views.

The wife of the rector, and mother of four children, died, after an illness of only a few days: Theophilus had too much feeling and humanity not to be deeply affected at this event, and he only waited, according to the established etiquette, until the funeral had taken place, to offer his personal condolence to his friend. Judge of his surprise, when, on the sabbath following the death of the lady, and the day after her interment, he saw the rector enter the church, with a depressed but composed countenance, and with a firm but submissive voice heard him perform his ministerial functions. The discourse which he addressed to his congregation, naturally had a reference to his own situation; it was pathetic, solemn, and impressive: one passage in it, which was committed to writing at the time, with tolerable accuracy, by a sensible parishioner, has been communicated to me, and was nearly in the following terms.

"You see me, my brethren, with the characters of grief upon my countenance; they are deeply engraven in my heart. To lose a wife, an amiable beloved wife, the tender mother and kind protector of four dear children, is no trivial sorrow; but I should be ashamed to appear before you, if, upon this trying affliction, I were to belie the doctrines which I have taught. I sorrow, but not as one without hope; I know in whom I trust, and I feel his divine support on the present occasion; it is that alone which enables me thus to address you. Had I sought for consolation in that worldly wisdom, which men call philosophy, I should not have found it; I should have sunk under the calamity which has befallen me; but the gospel teaches me that the afflictions which christians suffer here, while they are the deserved punishment of their sins, are also intended to purify their faith, and to prepare them for the enjoyment of that eternal happiness which Christ has purchased for them by his death. In all the dispensations of the Almighty, jus

tice and mercy, where there is room for mercy, are ever united; nor are any of the afflictions to which a believer in Christ is exposed, without abundant sources of consolation. Such an one knows that whom God loveth he chasteneth; and while, therefore, he considers his sufferings as the effect of his sinfulness, and humbles himself under them; he regards them also as proofs of the love of his Creator, who is thus weaning him from earthly attachments. Feeling that 'tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope,' he says in his heart, it is good for me to be afflicted, and he resigns himself to the disposal of his heavenly father, in the hope of eternal life through Christ, a hope which elevates him beyond the limits of the world and time.'

"When the christian also calls to mind the sorrows and agonies of his dying Redeemer, and whilst he contemplates, with unutterable gratitude, the stupendous display of divine love, in the atoning sacrifice of the Son of God, then is his burthen lightened, and his tongue instinctively exclaims in the language of inspiration-"The Lord gave, the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord.'

"As for myself, why should I grieve? because the dear object of my earthly affection has entered into the joy of the Lord? for such is the blessed confidence with which her faith in him has inpired me. No, my dear friends, though I am deprived of a companion in whose society I enjoyed all the happiness which this world can afford, though my children have lost a most affectionate endearing parent, yet my sorrow is well nigh absorbed in the thought of the happiness which she now enjoys. I derive support and consolation from the confidence I feel, that the Lord, in whom she trusted, has taken her to himself, and from the hope that through faith in him I shall again see her a purified saint, in the company of my ever blessed Redeemer."

This was a scene to which few persons present had ever witnessed a parallel, and for which Theophilus was wholly unprepared; his admiration was equal to his surprise; he knew the rector to possess more than a common share of sensibility, and that the warmest affection had ever subsisted between him and his wife. The

style of the discourse, the tone and manner in which it was delivered, and the unimpeached integrity of the preacher, did not suffer him to entertain a doubt respecting the sincerity of his resignation, and he felt all the force of the example, although he then was by no means qualified to appreciate the value of the principles which had inspired it.

Theophilus was too much affected by what he had seen and heard, to accost the rector after the services of the church were finished, but he visited him on the next day, and then, as well as in all his subsequent interviews, found his conversation and deportment in exact correspondence with the doctrines which he publicly taught. The weight of such an example was hardly to be resisted by any mind susceptible of piety or sensibility; and Theophilus was led by it into a train of reflection, upon the power of that religion which could support human nature under the deepest calamity; and he justly concluded, that if it were founded on substantial evidence, the consolation which it inspired was no less rational than solid. He saw clearly that the topics of condolence and resignation, suggested by philosophy, were neither sound in principle nor efficient in practice, and that the frame of mind which they were calculated to produce was a sullen rather than a rational acquiescence: whilst christianity, on the contrary, inculcated submission without extinguishing feeling, and, by the views and hopes which it inspired, satisfied the reason whilst it alleviated the distress of the afflicted. He determined, therefore, to peruse the scriptures with patient unprejudiced attention.

Theophilus, with whom I have frequently conversed on the interesting subject of the progress of his religious convictions, has confessed to me, that although he immediately discovered, in the code of revelation, a system of morality, equally pure, rational, and sublime, founded on the justest conceptions of the supreme being and the nature of man, and adapted to all people of every country and condition, it was long before he rightly understood, and cordially and practically embraced the fundamental and peculiar truths of christianity; the ruin of the world by sin, its redemption by the atonement of a

crucified Saviour, and the sanctifying influence of the Holy Spirit. The truth was, as he now acknowledges, that he depended too much upon himself, and had overlooked the necessity of prayer for the divine assistance to enlighten his understanding and purify his heart; hence it was that he perused the scriptures rather as a code of ethics than a revelation, which taught him the alienation of man from God, and the means of his reconciliation with his offended Maker and Judge.

But the pious rector, with whom he now constantly associated, pointed out his errors, and taught him to renounce all dependance upon himself for spiritual improvement, and to trust in him alone who is the author of every good and perfect gift, soliciting his aid by fervent and frequent prayer. Theophilus most readily submitted to his instruction, and being by the divine grace gradually enabled to perceive the grand display of heavenly mercy in the redemption of man, embraced with ardour the gracious invitation of an Almighty Saviour.

This worthy clergyman is now no more; he died about ten years ago, and Theophilus, who can scarcely mention his name without a tear, has since his death liberally maintained his children. They are placed under the care of a pious relation in another county; and Theophilus, who has undertaken to provide for their temporal welfare, has made a particular bequest in his will for this purpose, lest he should not himself survive to fulfil his engagement.

Theophilus having deliberately adopted the religion of Jesus, determined, in humble dependance on divine support, to act up both to the letter and spirit of it. His first endeavour was to correct himself, and to bring his mind under subjection to the gospel; and as he was sensible of the natural impetuosity of his temper, as well as of other irreligious propensities, he laboured incessantly to subdue them. The instruction of his family became an object of his early and serious attention; he was aware both of the obligation of performing this duty, and of the inhumanity of neglecting it. By degrees he extended his care to his dependants and neighbours, and his liberality, which was now under the direction of his piety, aided the influence of his exertions. His pro

gress was opposed by many obstacles, but he was not deterred by them from perseverance. The obnoxious epithet of Methodist was applied to him, and his gay friends amused themselves with impotent and profane jokes upon his conversion. He had ignorance perpetually, and malice and ingratitude frequently, to contend with; but these impediments, instead of inducing him to relax his efforts, stimulated him to redouble them, and he had the happiness, in many instances, to find them crowned with success. I shall not enlarge upon a subject which has been so amply detailed in my former narrative, and which describes Theophilus as he now is; but I have learned one anecdote of his conduct, which so strongly marks his principles and good sense, that I cannot deny myself the pleasure of relating it. There never was a period in which it was more necessary to enforce the example which it inculcates.

A short time before the death of his pious instructor, a recruiting party took up its quarters in a small town at no great distance from the residence of Theophilus. The commanding officer, a young man of family and fashion, had contrived a plan for seducing the daughter of a farmer, a tenant of Theophilus, who was ap prised of the scheme just in time to prevent the ruin of the girl. On this occasion he wrote a letter of expostulation to the officer, which the other resented as an insult, and brutally challenged him. Theophilus declined the defiance without hesitation, and addressed a second letter of remonstrance and admonition to the officer, which produced an insulting and abusive reply. The report of this transaction was circulated much to the prejudice of my friend, and, as usually happens in such cases, with many circumstances which were wholly unfounded, and which remained for a time uncontradicted; for Theophilus, satisfied with having performed his duty, was silent on what had passed, from a principle of christian forbearance to the officer who had insulted him, although he was, at the same time, fully aware of the consequences. that might attend his refusal of a challenge.

About a fortnight after this occurrence, Theophilus was present at a numerous meeting of the gentlemen

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