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II. The happy change which this aged man experienced affords great encouragement to arged simmers to seek the same blessing.

Yes, aged friends, it affords encouragement to you not to live any longer as you have lived, but now at the eleventh hour to seek niercy. The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness; but what an awful sight is a grey-headed sinner, unprepared to die, unprepared for heaven! This was once the condition of my old friend in Russia; but he forsook his sins. He parted with his sinful companions. He cast himself upon the mercy of Christ for salvation. He delighted to retire from the world, and to pour out his heart in prayer before the Lord in this way he became happy himself, and then laboured to make all around him happy also. He had neglected sacred things when he was young, but now he determined to work for God when he became old. He knew that he had only a short time to work, and he made the best of it, and did much in a little time. Nothing seemed to move him from his purpose. When he met with dificulties, they only roused him to greater activity. "I am not disconraged, sir, he would say. "I will never give up. No! I will work for Christ to my dying day." And ought not his example to encourage you to go and do likewise? If God had mercy on him, would he not have mercy on you if you sought it? If God made him happy, would he not make you happy also if you prayed to him? If God made him useful, would he not make you useful also if you de sired it and employed God's appointed means for doing good? To be sure he would. O then come to a decision. While Jesns calls, do you answer. While Jesus invites, do you run. While Jesus offers a free pardon, stretch out your hand to receive it, and having obtained it. then sing aloud, O Lord, I will praise thee; though thou wast angry with me, yet now thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortest me. Behold, God is my salvation, I will not be afraid.

III. It presents a fine subject for contemplation to devout young tradesmen.

One morning when I met him he said to me, “I feel very anxious about the souls of my people, tell me what I can do for their souls." Think of this. Oh what would Britain soon become if all pious tradesmen felt like this

man.

What did his anxiety lead to? My tract tells you. And I hardly ever saw a man "feel deeply," but it led to good results. Matthew Henry says, "Deep impressions produce strong expressions," and we see the truth of the remark in this good old man. And if he in his old age planned and accomplished so much, how much more might you do who are now in the morning or midday of life? Try, yes try; and "whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might," copying the old man's resolution, "I will work for Christ till my dying day."

The saint and the simmer.It must be acknowledged, that if the sinners are not out of their senses, the saints are. There is madness somewhere. If Festus was not beside himself, Paul certainly was. The one party or the other is dreaming. Who is it? Paul or Festus? Reflection.I suppose one important distinction of the present world from the future, to consist in the power we have now of hiding from the truth---of selecting certain subjects of meditation, and excluding others---in short in flying from thought. Hereafter it will not be

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Then thought will overtake the fugitive from it. Au eternity of reflection is coming after this life of action. Oh God, when man, by creature, shall be laid under the arrest of his own thoughts, when thou, by the simplest action on his memory, shalt set all his sins in order before him, even as they are now in the light of thy countenance! I purposely leave the sentence incomplete.---Rev. Dr. Nevins.

"You teach," said the Emperor Trajan to Rabbi Joshuah," that your God is every where, and boast that he resides amongst your nation; I should like to see him."--" God's presence is indeed every where," replied Joshuah, but he cannot be seen; no mortal eye can behold his glory." The Emperor insisted. "Well," said Joshuah, "suppose we try to look first at one of h's ambassadors?" The Emperor consented. The Rabbi took him in the open air at noonday, and bid him look at the sun in its meridian splendour. "I cannot,

the light dazzles me," "Thou art unable," said Joshuah, "to endure the light of one of his creatures, and canst I thou expect to behold the resplendent glory of the creator? Would not such a sight annihilate yon?”

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Attempt at a Paraphrase of the xc. Fsalm, Lord! Thou wast ever our sure ahode,

Ere the first prau rejoic'd in Eden's bloom; Or ever earth was form'd, Eternal God!

Our God Thou art, our Guardian from the womb;
And yet Thou causest our proud hopes to fade,
Turding to dust the beings Thou hast made.
What in Thy sight are e'en a thousand years?
As yesterday when passed-a watch by night:
Man's transient life, like some brief dream appears,
"Tis borne along as by a torrent's might;
Like grass whose verdure greets the morning ray,
Cut down and faded with the fading day.
When Thou art angry, Lord, Thy creature dies,
For with Thy wrath life-wasting grief begins;
All our iniquities before Thee rise,

Thine eye has noted our most secret sins:
Slain by Thy wrath, we live not to be old,
Our years fly from us, as a tale is told.
Lord! by Thy teaching make us wise in time,
And satisfy us early with Thy love;
Thus shall we taste Religion's joys sublime,

Thus shall we pant the more for joys above. Best compensation for our by-gone grief, Eternal bliss for trouble that was brief.

JESUS,

E.

Written on the first page of an Album, by the Rev. R. MiGhce.
When to a sinner's hand 'tis giv'n to trace

In this unwritten book the earliest line,
What name, O Blessed Saviour, should we place
The first upon the virgin leaf but thine ?

So may the savour of that sacred name

A pledge throughout it's future pages be, That, all unsullied by less hallow'd theme,

They ne'er shall bear a trace unworthy thee! Fair are they now, like young life's promis'd days, But e'er the leaves are fill'd and number'd o'er, Oft shall the glist'ning eye recall the trace,

Of hands that write, and hearts that beat no more. Oh! then, when many a heart and hand is cold, Whose fond memento stands recorded here; May the sweet thought that in thy Book enroll'd Their names are written, chase the rising tear! But if the tear will fall, the soul will mourn, And memory hang o'er memory's sever'd ties; O, bid it to this page in peace return,

And read thy name, "The Friend that never dies.”

LONDON: Published by SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, & Co. HAMILTON, ADAMS, & Co. and R. GROOMBRIDGE; BANCKS & CO. MANCHESTER; H. PERRIS, LIVERPOOL; J. SEACOME, CHESTEL. T. THOMAS, Printer, Eastgate-street Chester,

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JOHN is a dyer, residing in the parochial district annexed to my church. Some years ago he was a reprobate of the darkest stamp; habitually drunken; blaspheming fearfully; a noted boxer; a wretched husband, and if not an open infidel, at least a covert sceptic. In consequence, his house was the image of destitution; his family were badly clothed, and worse fed; and debt and desperation still goaded him on to deeper "wretchlessness of unclean living." At last he came under the notice of a District Visitor; his wife was induced to offer her house for the purpose of a cottage lecture, and John was gradually led to pay a stealthy attention to religion. Ultimately it pleased Him "who bringeth the blind by a way that they knew not," to draw him to the House of Prayer; where, after much and intense mental anguish, he found pardon and peace; his mourning was turned into joy.

The transformation in his whole character and circumstances was as complete as it was immediate. All things became new. Decently clad, his neatly dressed wife by his side, the church never unfolded her doors but he was there; his children. were put to school, his cottage was progressively furnished; he girded himself to the task of wiping away the heavy scores which stood against him in many a tavern and shop, until the last count was obliterated, and his entire tenor of life was such as becomes the Gospel of Christ. So great a change in one who had been so notorious could not be hid. He became a wonder unto many. Some admired, others mocked, and many persecuted. His infidel associates of former days were exceeding mad against him. They left no species of molestation untried. In his dye-house more especially, he was unsparingly assailed. It was his hard lot to work amidst a band of infidels, the desperate dupes of that most silly, yet most pestilent form of infidelity, which under that lying name of "Socialism" marks the elements of Hell. There were but two exceptions amongst all his shopmates, two young men who professed godliness and were class-members amongst the Methodists, Those stood by him for a season. At last,

RECTOR OF

ST. PETER'S, CHESTER

[PRICE 3d.

however, wearied out with annoyance, and ashamed of the cross, even they betrayed their principles, abandoned the meeting-house for the atheistic assembly, and, as is usually the result of apostacy, became the most shamelessly profligate, and the most daringly profane. John was thus left alone as a sheep in the midst of wolves-yet he was not alone, for the Lord stood by him. Modest, distrustful of himself, watching unto prayer, he was strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. He sometimes reasoned, at other times entreated, but more frequently acted like his Master, and "answered not a word." His meekness under the greatest insults was the more lovely, because he had been the terror of his companions; fierce as a lion, and more than a match for the strongest of them. Though short in stature, he was so broadly built and tightly knit together, that his pugilistic powers were perfectly formidable.

On one occasion only was he thrown off his guard; and certainly the provocation was such as almost to justify his indignation. Yet so tender

was his conscience, that he afterwards bitterly bemoaned his infirmities, and came to confess it to me with many tears, before he could again approach the table of the Lord. "All my shopmates," he said, "had been badgering me the other day, and pouring all kinds of insult upon me, when at last a great big fellow, six feet high, went so far as to cast some filth into my dye-vat. I felt the old man rising in me, and said, now that is spoiling my master's property, and I'll not take it; if thou do'st it again I'll lay thee flat, and thou knowest I can do it. Presuming on my patience, he repeated the act, when I up with my fist and laid him at his length on the ground. I was carried away at the moment, but it has cost me many a tear since." Indirectly, however, this circumstance had a good effect, for it convinced his tormentors, that though grace had subdued the fierceness, it had not shorn the strength of the lion; so that they learned to restrain their outrages within certain limits.

It is but a short time ago that John was enabled completely "to set his assailants fast," as he ex

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pressed it, and to silence them at least for a season. It was in this manner he did it :-' -The scoffing "Socialists" were vaunting about the beautiful tendency of their system, and boasting of the purity and peace which would reign were their "New Moral World" set up; at the same time, cursing Christianity as the cause of all misery and crime, and as the grand obstacle in the way of their philosophical Millenium. At last the solitary Christian, "faithful amid the faithless," turned meekly but firmly upon them, and answered, "Well, I am a plain man, and I like to judge of principles by practices, and of trees by fruit. Let us look at the effects of your system. I suppose it will do on a small scale what it would do on a large. Now there is Tom and James, (pointing to the two lapsed professors,) you have tried your principles upon them, and what have you done for them? They used to be civil, sober, good-tempered, comfortably clothed, faithful husbands, and fond fathers; their houses were snugly fitted up, and they owed no one anything. What are they now? Look at them, they have not a whole coat to their backs; they cannot give one a kind word; their mouths are full of cursing and filthiness; they are drunk whenever they can get drink; their children are nearly naked, their wives almost broken hearted, their houses desolate, and they have run into debt till no one will trust them a penny. That is what your principles have done for them. Now what have mine done for me? I need not tell you what I was; you all know right well. There was not one of you that could swear so desperately, or drink so deeply; I was as restless and fierce as a wolf; my wife was half starved and often abused,

my children were in rags, and received no education; I was a pest to others and a torment to myself. What am I now? What has the grace of God made me? Go and see my children and you can judge. Go and ask my wife, and she can tell you. Go and look at my house and let that speak. Am I not happier? Am I not a better servant to my master, a better companion to you? Would I once have put up with what I have taken from you all? Do you ever hear a foul word come out of my mouth? Do you ever see me in the public house? Is there any one that has a score against me?-There is what your principles have done,Here is what mine have done-which are best ?" The appeal was irresistible. The mockers were abashed. They could not gainsay the logic of the life. "Thank God!" added the poor man, "I was not afraid to challenge their attention to my conduct. The Lord had helped me to walk with all care."

O that every Christian set in the midst of foes, may thus vindicate his principles and silence his - slanderers; overpowering them by the eloquence of example, by the irrefutable logic of the life.

SCRIPTURE PORTRAITS.

No. vi.

The First Murderer.

So dark, louring, repulsive are the features of the portrait, which now invites our contemplation, so pervaded by an air of pining discontent, rankling envy, and settled despair, that some might wish to pass on at once to other objects of a more attractive character. But they who are too prudent to reject the study of what is profitsble, because it may not be pleasing, who reflect that most important instruction may be reaped from gazing upon the unsightly portraits exhibited in the Scriptures, as well as upon those which are marked by an expression of high and holy decision in a righteous cause, of a com manding majesty which, through divine grace, could trample under foot the allurements of time, as it pressed onward to the glories of eternity, of meek sanctity, glowing devotion, winning gen tleness, or captivating loveliness, will pause and look at Cain.

A small leak, through which the oozing water is at first scarcely perceptible, may sink the vessel which, with its towering masts, sails unfurled to the breeze, and solid timbers, presents as it floats in its pride upon the bosom of the ocean, an appearance of strength and security And the first thought or feeling of envy, indulged and cherished, instead of being suppressed and stifled, may gradually acquire a force which impels the soul to the commission of deeds, in the bare thought of which it, would have one recoiled with horror and indignation..

Unhappy Cain! hadst thon, when first the envious feeling sprung up within thy bosom cast thyself before the God of all grace in ferdĘ supplication for strength to overcome it, whe pang would the heart of thy parents have ha spared, while thine own hands would have be unstained by the blood of a brother!

But that man is not likely to be a man prayer, who is a stranger to his own sinfuln and weakness. He, who is unconscious of the deeply rooted corruption of his fallen natur will, by a necessary consequence, be unconsent of his absolute dependance upon divine grace a who, in fond self complacency and fancied su rity, reposes upon his own righteousness strength, who imagines that he can appr God without reference to the only "Medit between God and man," that he may sta before him with acceptance, without faith the blood of the Lamb, is not the man, of w at the first assault of temptation, and the appearance of danger, it may be said, prayeth !"

"Behold!" said the servant of Israel's prophet, "there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea like a man's hand." But that little cloud rapidly grew and expanded; and soon "the heaven was Mack with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain." As soon as the little cloud is seen ising from the sea, though it may appear no larger than a man's hand, as soon as the first vil thought glances upon the mind, as soon as the first evil feeling agitates and darkens the heart, they, who, taught and enlightened by the Spirit of God, know themselves and know their weakness, will take the alarm. Having, by "reason of use, their senses exercised to discern both good and evil, in that hist thought, in that first feeling, they mark the approach of a foc, they hear the sound of the trumpet which gives the signal of battle, they hasten to a throne of grace, they fervently implore their God to "strengthen them with might by his Spirit in the inner man," and are thus abled to "stand in the evil day."

The power of sin in blinding the mind is not les reinarkable than its influence in hardening the heart. See this power exemplified in Cain, "And the Lord said to Cain, Where is Abel, thy brother? And he said, I know not. Am I my brother's keeper?" We may well feel surprise at the spirit of insolence which is here manifested, and disgust at the selfish principle which is dereloped; but what language can adequately describe the infatuation which led him to believe that he could impose upon Him, whose "eyes are as a flame of fire ?" Too well he knew where e had left the pale corpse of the brother, whom s hands had deprived of life. Could he imaane that the assertion, "I know not," would for moment deceive the Lord?.

"Am I my brother's keeper?" How many t in the very spirit of the selfish principle which he question indicates? Ask them to aid in the nevolent work of sending Missionaries to the ations that are "sitting in darkness and in the hadow of death:" the cold spirit of selfishness, Ee spirit of Cain, contracts the heart, and withlds the hand." For the wants and the woes of thers they have no feeling. To relieve those ts, to mitigate those woes, they will contriate no exertion.

The blood of Abel "cried" to the Lord, and voice was heard. A "fugitive and a vagand upon the earth," which was commanded not "yield" to him "her strength," Cain exclaimthat his "punishment was greater than he uld bear;" but we hear of no acknowledgment This guilt, no expression of contrition, no supication for pardon. He went out from the sence of the Lord," abandoning (for such ap

pears to be the import of this language) all profession of regard for religion, and acknowledgment of God. He sought to stifle reflection, and amuse and occupy his mind by building a city; and many imitate his conduct. They seek to drown the voice of conscience in the hurry and tumult of worldly engagements; and for a time they may succeed. The voice of conscience may sink into a death-like silence. The eyes of conscience may be closed in a death-like slumber. But ere long the slumber will pass away for ever; ere long the silence will be broken for ever. It's searching glance will penetrate the inmost recesses of the soul, and thrill every feeling with unspeakable dismay and anguish. It's awful voice will speak like the deep toned thunder, in all the severity of just accusation, in all the bitterness of well founded reproach.

It

There was a voice in the blood of Abel. called loudly and effectually for vengeance on a brother. How much sweeter the voice which cries to the Lord in the blood of Jesus! It calls for mercy upon the sinner who draws from it his every plea, and builds upon it his every hope. Well might the apostle, in enumerating the privileges of the people of God, pronounce of that blood of sprinkling to which they have come, that it "speaketh better things than that of Abel."

CHARITY.---1 Cor. xiil.

Though I an angel's harp employed,
And sang in seraph's strain;
Yet were my heart of love devoid,
My language would be vain.
Yea, could I future times foresce,
Unravelling mysteries rare;

Yet all as "sounding brass" would be,
Were love not cherished there.

Yea, though the hungry poor to feed
With all my goods I part;

Yet, did not love my actious lead,
How cold and dead my heart!

Love suffers not proud envy's cares
To ramble in the mind!

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But hopes, endures, and all things bears, Is merciful, and kind!

PASTOR.

Faith leads the way; while Hope bestows
Bright beams of comfort here!

But Love alone shall never close
Its glad and blest career!

For ever praised be that Love

Which wrought with heavenly grace,
And brought our Maker from above
To save our sinful race!

Through endless ages
we shall sing,
Reedeeming Love, Thy praise!
With Hallelujahs to our King!
In Angel's tuneful lays!

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ROSSENDALE.

"

The establishment of Christianity.

AN UNANSWERABLE ARGUMENT FOR ITS DIVINE ORIGINAL. 1I』ཐཾ, ྃ། །

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(Continued from page 123.) WILL he point to the rank-the wealth-the power of the Founder of the Christian faith? The reputed Son of a Carpenter-a Carpenter himself-So poor, that he had not where to lay his head, performing all his wearisome journeys on foot, and obliged to borrow, when making his triumphal entry into Jeruslam, the humble animal on which he rode! Such, as to external circumstances was the Founder of Christianity! A Jewish Carpenter," says Paley, overturned the religion of the world!" Surely this is strange! Surpassing strange! Admit that this Jewish Carpenter was invested with divine power that He was the Eternal Son of God-that, though in the begining He was with God, and thought it not robbery to be equal with God," yet, for the purpose of accomplishing the redemption of a ruined world, he was willing, in the manifestation of most mysterious love, to stoop to such amazing humiliation, to take on Him the form of a man, even a man of sorrows, and submit unto death, even the death of the cross-admit all this-and the mys tery, to which we have adverted-that " a Jewish Carpenter overturned the religion of the world," is at once and satisfactorily solved. Deny this-and then, on any rational principle, solve the mystery. We feel that this is a fuct, which would baffle the ingenuity of all the infidels that ever appeared upon earth. 1

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But can it be said, that though the condition, as to external circumstances, of the first Founder of Christianity cannot in the least degree account for its success, still the rank of its first apostles and preachers is sufficient to explain the perplexing phenomenon of its establishment. What! A few fishermen from the sea of Galilee! Is the solution of the problem to be found in their earthly condition? Was it by the influence which they possessed-the awe inspiring terror of their name—or the irresistible energy of their genius-by the wealth they could lavish, or the power they could wield, that the gospel achieved its triumph over Jewish prejudice, and heathen superstition. Is the victory of Christianity over the fabled deities of Greece and Rome, and the dark and depraved passions of their idolatrous inhabitants, to be attributed to the matchless eloquence, or the exalted station, or the martial prowess, of the first preachers of the gospel? Would it not be the veriest waste of words to dwell on this subject one moment longer, or to adduce a single argument, in confutation of a sentiment so absurd. Surely the most prejudiced infidel must have at least a sufficient sense of shame to compel him to acknowledge, that he cannot account for the establishment of the Christian religion by a reference to the rank of its first promulgators. But this is taking too low ground, on this point!-for it must be remembered, that not merely is it possible to explain the establishment and progress of Christianity, by its having had in its commandments, human learn

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ing or eloquence, or rank, or power enlisted on its side, (since its first preachers and patrons rose alto- en gether destitute of these,) but it must also be explained, how it could triumph, in opposition to the in most formidable array of all these combined forces, leagued together, in determined and uncompromis. ing warfare against the infant church. Remember, (I would say to the infidel,) that the Christian cause had to encounter in its infancy, the whole weight of the power of the Roman Empire, put forth in tene successive persecutions, of unparalleled severitywhen every effort, that diabolical cruelty could suggest, was tried to crush the new-born system in its cradle, and compel its votaries to renounce the re-s ligion they had embraced. Remember the garments of burning pitch-the amphitheatre of wild beastsand all the horrible tortures of the most excruciating death, by which the faith of the early Christians was assailed. And tell me, if Christianity had not been sustained by the Omnipotent arm of Godif her origin and support had not been from on high -how could she survive such a storm? How could she have triumphed in such a conflict? If she had been an imposture-must she not have been crushed beneath the chariot wheel of imperial Rome, goingay forth in all its might and majesty, to trample her beneath its feet to the dust? And thus then are we brought back, after this investigation of the various assignable causes, of an earthly character, which if they had existed, might serve to explain the esta blishment of Christianity upon earth, but not one of which can be adduced, to account for that pheno menon, we are brought back, I say, to our original proposal to the infidel. How, if he deny the truth of Christianity, and therefore that its success is to be explained on its behalf, how will he rationally account for that success!

How unanswerable the argument, and how so lemn the warning, in connection with this view of the subject, supplied by the advice of Gamaliel, as recorded in the Acts of the apostles-(v. 38, 39.) "If this counsel or this work, had been done of men, long ere this it must have come to nought— but, since it is of God, its enemies have striven in vain to overthrow it-beware therefore of opposing it, as thus you must be found in the most awful pre dicament in which a worm of the dust can be placed fighting against God." And can you for one momen doubt, or bear to contemplate, what must be the issue of such a conflict between a worm of the dal, and the Almighty God.

I press this point the more anxiously, because ! feel assured, that, as far as the external evidence for Christianity is concerned, it supplies a most con vincing-indeed an altogether unanswerable arg ment for its truth. The infidel, if he bas any can dour in his composition, must surely admit, that í he rejects the theory of the divine original of Chris tianity, and the exertion of divine power in th behalf, which is incontestably an adequate solution of the problem, "how the success of such a rel gion is to be explained," he is bound to supply son

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