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ently in very great distress of mind. I asked him if he was willing to see a minister or some other Christian friend: he at first refused; but has since consented.'

I, of course, took an early opportunity to visit him, and found his condition even worse than had been represented. It presented a wan, ghastly countenance, a sunken eye, a hollow voice, as from the tomb, an expression of intolerable anxiety upon his countenance, every thing indicating extreme wretchedness and an opening grave. He was at first disinclined to converse; he seemed to be completely reserved, and no efforts could draw him forth. I addressed a few words to him, such as I thought best calculated to lead his thonghts to the Saviour, and with his permission offered a short prayer. On retiring, I asked him if he would like to have me call again. He assented.

Soon after I renewed the visit. He was lying in bed, and had just recovered from a severe paroxysm of coughing. After a short time, he beckoned me to him, and with a low voice said he should like to see me alone for a few moments. The nurse and lady of the house, who were present, left the room. When we were alone, he fixed his eyes upon me in silence. There seemed to be a conflict in his mind, whether to speak or refrain. At length his struggling spirit burst its enclosure, and he began to tell something of his history.

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He was now in his twenty-sixth year. For nearly five years he had been, as be supposed, a confirmed infidel. He had become an alien from his parents, they did not even know where he was, nor was he willing that they should. He felt that he had ruined himself. He saw clearI where the work of ruin commenced; it was in his resisting his early convictions of truth and duty. His father was not a godly man; but his mother was pious, and he had no doubt she had wept rivers of tears over him.

After a gust of emotion, which for a moment suspended his utterance, he proceeded:-It was not infidelity that ruined him; the procuring cause of his ruin lay farther back. He was virtually ruined before he became an avowed infidel. It was his resisting the admonitions of God and the striving of his Spirit, that made him an infidel; but bis infidelity had served to plunge him into more open and desperate iniquities. Since he had embraced infidelity, he had committed vices at which his earlier youth would have shuddered: fraud, gambling, drunkenness, seduction; he had led others into the same vices.

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'But these,' continued he, are only the warts and excrescences of my ruined character; the ruin itself lies deep in the soul, and the misery with which it is overtaken here is only premonitory of the everlasting misery which awaits it beyond the grave. For several years I have tried to disbelieve the Bible. I have succeeded. I have been a confirmed infidel. More than that-I have been an atheist; I used to hear it said that no man could be really an atheist; but I know to the contrary. I have been an atheist. I have perfectly and fatally succeeded in being given over to a strong delusion, to believe a lie that I might be damned, because I obeyed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. But I am no longer an atheist, I am convinced that there is a God. I feel, I know, that I am an accountable being, and that a righteous judgment awaits me in eternity.'

After a moment's rest, his countenance gathering more intensity of expression, he added, with increased energy, 'But the most terrible thing to reflect on is, that I have not only ruined myself, but have been the cause of leading others to ruin. Oh, I am sure that the everlasting execration of ruined souls must follow me into eternity. Oh that I had never been born, or had sunk in death upon my mother's arms!'

I here endeavoured to cast oil upon the rising waves of emotion, and to calm his tempestuous spirit, by reminding him of the great mercy and forgiveness there is in God. 'No,' replied he, 'not for me: I cannot be forgiven, and I

cannot repent. My day of grace is all over. But I feel greatly relieved since I have told you my story. I am glad you came, Sir. Wretched as I am, this is the best moment I have seen for a long time. I have hitherto kept all this to myself, it has been as a fire shut up in my breast. I have not known one hour of peace since I left the paths of virtue; and for two or three years I have been perfectly wretched. I have often been upon the point of committing suicide.'

After a few words intended to direct his mind to the source of hope, I left him, promising to see him again the next morning, if he should survive till then. He did survive the morning came; but it was no morning to him. The sweet rays of the rising sun shot no kindling gleam of hope into his dark and troubled soul. I had hoped, I had almost expected, to find it otherwise.

I have somewhat doubted in regard to the expediency of relating his expressions the next morning, but as I have undertaken to report the facts as they were, I do not know that I should do right to withhold a part of them; espe cially as he not only permitted but requested me to admonish all others by his example, if peradventure he might serve as a beacon to warn them off from the vortex into which he had been drawn. He had no longer any wish to conceal any thing; he seemed rather to wish to proclaim his wretchedness to the world. He was dead to hope, and alive to despair. With recollections of his past life, an awakened conscience, eternity full in view but a step before him, and every gleam of hope excluded,-Oh! it was indeed a painful illustration of the inspired truth, that 'some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment.'

The following conversation took place on the occasion now referred to:

"How do you do, my friend, this morning?"
"As miserable as sin and wrath can make me!"

This he said with an emphasis, which surprised and startled me.

"And did you obtain no rest last night ?"

"Not a moment's rest, my soul has been in perfect misery."

"But you are excited; your body is diseased, and your mind is weak and morbid. You ought to endeavour to compose yourself to rest, to become calm, and to look to that source of forgiveness and mercy which is still open to you, if you repent and believe.”

"No, no, it is impossible! I cannot compose myself, I cannot be calm. My body is well enough, but my soul has been in hell all night! I have denied that there is a hell: I have scoffed at it; I have induced others to do the same, and now God is convincing me of my error. Oh, I know now that there is a hell; I feel it in my own spirit. I am glad that you have come to see me, that I may tell you how miserable I am. This is the only relief I can get. You are the first person to whom I have ventured to make known my misery. I have for a long time kept it to myself; but I can no longer conceal it."

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"It is well for you to acknowledge your sins. But you should confess them to God, as well as to your fellow-men. He has said, Acknowledge thy transgressions;' and moreover, He that confesseth and forsaketh his sins, shall find mercy.

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"No, no, I cannot approach God-I cannot meet himI cannot! Oh that the same grave which will soon bury my body, could bury my soul with it. Oh that I might be annihilated! This is what I have long hoped for and expected! but this hope has failed me. I never before realized the meaning of that Scripture, When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish.' All my expectations have perished. I have been for some time reviewing my past life, and during the last night, that passage kept passing like a burning arrow through my spirit, Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days

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of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.' Yes, I have walked in the way of my heart, and in the sight of my eyes; and now God is bringing me into judgment. arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit. You can pray for me: but it is of no use. You are very kind; the family here are very kind; I thank you all; but you cannot save me. My soul is damned!--the seal of reprobation is already upon me!"

These last were precisely his words; and they were uttered with a pathos, a sort of calm, fixed, significant earnestness, which almost overcame us. I can never forget his expression, when he fixed his dark, restless, glassy eyes upon us, and uttered these last words. Perceiving it in vain to say any thing more to him while in that state, we withdrew, that he might, if possible, be composed to rest.

The next day I called again to see him, and found him dying. His power of utterance had almost failed. I took hold of his hand, and told him it would afford us great relief to know that he left the world reconciled to God, and trusting in the Saviour's grace. His only reply was, and they were the last words I heard him utter, If the grave would bury my soul with my body, I should consider it my best friend; that would be immeasurably better for me than my present condition, or anything I have a right to expect. After again commending him in a short prayer to the mercy of God, I was obliged to leave him. In about an hour afterward he died.

"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."

So many complaints are now justly made of bad servants that at this time when the question of National Education is naturally engrossing people's minds, it would be well to consider what may be the causes for this entire failure of that part of our domestic comfort, which depends upon those who serve us.

It need not be urged that early education is needful to fit the lower classes for serving those whom it has pleased God to place above them-it is a fact, known and admitted, and seldom called in question, but by an occasional doubt from some grey-headed housekeeper, who remembers having had a dutiful, attached, and faithful household; of whom, perhaps, only one half could pretend to read, and probably hardly one could lay claim to the act of writing; but when education has for many years been considered necessary for all classes, and when the increase and expansion of it is almost daily discussed, it is incumbent upon us, as a thinking people, to consider well what sort of education is best fitted to make our poorer brethren "learn and labour truly to get their own living, and to do their duty in that state of life to which it shall please God to call them."

Now every child learns this in the Catechism, but of the thousands of children that learn to say this off by heart (we ought rather to say by rote) how few, how very few, if any ever consider that this passage has any reference to their future lives; nay more, how very few heads of schools urge this as a point of the deepest importance, or add any thing to the common A, B, C, instruction which can further this desirable end, of their labouring in the path to which, by the good Providence of God, they are called.

Let us consider the general routine of a National or a Charity School education. The children meet at nine in the morning, and remain in school till twelve-in some cases till one; they return to the school at two, and remain till four or five in the afternoon. Here are five or six hours of daily teaching, and this is perhaps continued from four to six or eight years; from thirty to forty hours

of instruction is thus given every week to children of all ages. Does not this seem time sufficient to teach them every thing of elementary knowledge that can be necessary for their advancement in life? But after all this labour of so many hours teaching, what have the children learnt? Few leave school with more knowledge than a confused and imperfect idea of the blessed truths of the Bible. Most, we hope, with the power of reading the Scriptures, but very few, we repeat, with the saving knowledge that they are to be the rule of their future lives, when they are no longer their hourly study; and some few with a little notion of writing and arithmetic. The writing on the slate being no proof that the child knows how to wield a pen, and this with the first rudiments of sewing completes the usual school education. Is this sufficient to enable children to learn and labour truly to get their own living, after a sacrifice of the best hours of the best years of their lives? going to school while their parents are toiling through the mid-day to procure food and cloathing for the children, who can render them no return for their selfdenial in dispensing with the help which they might expect from their offspring in their daily labour. For what return are girls capable of making to hardworking parents by the superficial learning thus acquired. Instead of coming home to the parental roof, grateful for the sacrifice made by the parents, willing to take their share in the daily home tasks, and able to further the education of the younger children, they are generally self-sufficient, utterly ignorant of all that can contribute to domestic comfort, and idle and discontented till they can be placed with dress-makers, or go to service, for which how unfit they are any mistress who has taken a servant from a school will, we believe, willingly testify.

The conclusion then to which we are come is, that time is wasted in the generality of schools; and those persons who have been in the habit of visiting schools must have observed the idle listless air that frequently pervades the higher classes in the schools. While the first class children are diligently running over their early lessons, those who are older, and should be setting an example of increasing industry, will often be found with vacant unemployed looks, gazing idly around them; thus impressing the observer with the conviction that the learning assigned is too little for the time allowed. That the mind is not exercised, as the power of it is increasing. No general statement of this sort can be made; no two schools may be alike in the manner, quality, or quantity of their teaching. But if a general statement could be made halfyearly, we will say, of the progress of the children in most schools, it would, we fear, be found very unequal to the time employed. And this, we believe, to be one of the causes of the idle dawdling** habits which characterise the the young servants of the present day.

In hazarding these observations, no imputation is intended to be cast upon individual masters or mistresses of

In the higher classes the same time is actually found advisable and sufficient for the attainment of this and much more, or how could we see so many girls of 10, 12, or 14, who, besides professing the common School-room acquire. ments of Grammar, History, Geography, Sciences, &c. can write and speak two or three languages besides their own-play, sing, draw, and have all the needlework accomplishments of this age of Lamb's Wool, and large needles! We are not advocating the system of multifarion teaching in accomplishments, far from it--but we only wish to prove that if in the higher walks of life this same number of hours and years is made available to forward children in so many branches of what is deemed fashionable education, that in the same space of time, the children of a lower order might learn much more than they usually do now, to forward them in life.

+"Sign your name," said a clergyman to a girl who brought money to a Savings Bank, Please Sir I can't.' Why, you learnt to write at school." Oh yes Sir, but that was on a slate-I never wrote with a Writing Pen. This is only one instance out of hundreds to the same effect.

Our remarks apply principally to female servants.

** We think dawdling most aptly expresses the utter disregard of time and method which is the distinguishing feature of the bad servants' now so generally complained of-which complaints have given rise to these remarks.

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schools, but as time is our great treasure in this world, and schools should certainly teach the right use of this treasure, if the present mode of teaching is deficient in this respect, it becomes necessary to enquire into the cause of the deficiency.

The Lancaster and Bell systems were primarily intended to save time, to give more instruction in a shorter space of time than had before been accomplished, in this they have succeeded, and will most probably keep their ground in all large schools. But when they have done their work, and children have in three or four years learnt to read and write as well as perhaps formerly they did in six or seven years, then if the children remain at school the deficiency becomes apparent. No advance in knowledge-in expanded intellect-in habits of future usefulness is made; and the very parents, ignorant themselves, who at first were thankful to send their children to school, now find fault with the master or mistress and take them away, because "they are learning nothing."

This is no fanciful description-it is a reality of every day occurrence; and the worst part comes now, these ignorant children, who have just learning enough to make them vain, and not sufficient to make them wise or useful, are then turned out into the world to become servants. Every mother entreating at the doors of the surrounding gentry a place for her Mary or Jane, who wants to be a lady's maid or a cook. Ask if she will be a kitchen maid or under housemaid. Oh! she has had too much "schooling" for that. And if for the sake of having a character from a respectable family the young lady renounces her high pretensions, and condescends to accept a secondary situation, at the end of a year when she has doubled her wages by the destruction which ignorance and carelessness occasions, at the time when she might begin to make amends, she must leave 'to better herself.' There is no ill-nature or exaggeration in this picture Most mistresses, in the middle ranks of society, would testify to its truth, and regret that it is now next to impossible to have a household where the servants shall be obedient as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, to the Lord and not to men. Ephes. 6.

And now the question naturally suggests itself, "What is to be done?" We answer, "Try to make the schools seminaries of useful learning."

After the children are grounded in the saving truths of the blessed gospel, shew them how the knowledge of those truths is to bring forth fruit. Make small households in your schools; let the admittance into these be the reward of former good conduct of the pupils. Class from six to twelve according to the means or local circumstances of the School into the various grades of serving in private families-cooks, housemaids, laundresses, &c. and have all the work of this juvenile household performed under the controul of the manager of the School, by these youthful candidates for service; sufficient time will still be left for daily school room instruction; and then the children will begin to learn to serve and to love--to minister and to obey in the things of this world. Industry, kindness, gentleness, self-denial must then be taught---must be practised; and thus by this early performance of the duties of this station, by bringing the knowledge of christian precepts which they have just learnt into active exercise, while the instruction is still going on. We may at least hope that in many cases, if not in all, the rising generation will be more guided by christian principle in the fulfilment of those duties to which they are called---will serve and obey according to the precepts of our Universal Great Master with more faith and more love."

It may be objected that the expenditure necessary to support a household of this sort would be great. We believe that it would be slight indeed as compared with the good resulting; and indeed that after a short trial, and of Course at first a small outlay, the plans may be so formed, as to make the work

We believe there are schools where this experiment is now trying--where excellent persons, from the purest christian motives, are appropriating part of their wealth to the desirable end of improving the working classes, particularly the class of female servants; and we do not scruple to assert that these endeavours, with the blessing of God, must ultimately be attended with the most beneficial effects; but for the benefit to be more extensive, the plan must be more universally adopted; and we would earnestly call upon all those, whom God has blessed with "talents," and who have the welfare of their fellow creatures at heart, to consider what they can do to further this end. All can do something---all have some talents committed to their keeping-there is some money-some time-some instruction, &c. we can all spare, and which would be well bestowed in trying to make our poorer brethren, christian members of society. In this way, every parish in Great Britain might have schools where the education was suited to the condition-where the knowledge of the Bible was the foundation on which to raise the superstructure of a happy and industrious population, who would not be left to their own guidance till they had truly been taught on the principles of the Gospel, how to learn and labour truly to get their own living, and to do their duty in that state of life to which it shall please God to call them."

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It is pleasant to think how a minister, who with his wife and every working member of his family, has laboured to instil into his school children the saving truths of the gospel---how their often unheeded labours of love might be rewarded by seeing the principles they had been diligently teaching brought into active exercise, by this simple extension of the co-operation of the wealthier and less engaged inhabitants of the parish; and it is pleasure to think what blessed changes might take place in the habits and morals of those who are first our domestics, and then the wives of the present, and mothers of the future generations; by a steady course of training, combining religious feeling with daily duty, and by teaching them how to become holy and happy by the performance of their duty to their God, and their duty to their neighbours. Oh! that these desirable lessons were more taught and better learnt in every class of society!

We know that the evil of our fallen nature will ever, in this world, be working against the good, and that we must not expect unmingled benefit from any thing, however pure in intention, or practice. But we know who works with

of the pupils pay for these extra expences. For instance, the girls are taught to wash and iron well, when they are competent to undertake it. Washing could be taken in to the extent the School has accommodation for it. So also, with needle-work, in this dress.making and dress-loving age, a clever girl at her needle would soon earn enough to pay for herself: and in the case of those who are intending for cooks or housemaids, whose silent advances in the knowledge of their arts, might not be so profitable to the establishment, a small premium might be asked from those who sought for well-trained servants, and who did not, by subscription or otherwise, contribute to the support of the School.

The Protestant Irish Gentry seem far to outstrip us in this very valuable teaching. We have heard instruction given on Sundays, between Morning and Evening Services, that for comprehensive knowledge-for the right union of faith and works-of combined religion and moral duty, would have done honour to any minister however eminent-and this from a Lady who devoted several hours every day to the School at P. She had a class of grown girls. Most of them had left School, and were in service, and to these she was expounding the Epistles. When we heard her she was teaching her class the saving truths which are in the 6th Gal. She took 3 verses each Sunday, and with a Bible in her hand, each girl having one also, she grounded them in the knowledge of Christ crucified for us-taught them clearly to distinguish between the works of the flesh and the spirit-shewed them how Christ considered Himselfone with His Church, &c. &c. fastened it all upon their minds by enquiring from them the various scripture passages to prove all this, and exhorted them to take heed to the things they were learning, telling them that though what she was doing seemed a good work, yet if her heart was not bent upon giving glory to God, and if they were not receiving His word with a desire to become better by it, it might all be abomination in the sight of God!

In this School the value of industrious home habits, and of the housewifery of time was considered of so much importance, that in order for the children to assist their parents, they were not allowed to come to the School till 10, and were sent away again at 3, bringing their dinner with them. This is a plan worthy of imitation.

us while we are striving to do His will, and to bring glory to His name; and He who shewed His love to children when on earth, will assuredly bless the efforts of those who earnestly seek to teach them how to fulfil His will here, and in dependance on His merits to become hereafter inheritors of His kingdom in heaven.

Metrical Paraphrase of the Lord's Prayer,
From the German of Mahlmann.

Thou dost Thy columns around thee raise,
And hast founded on rock Thine House of Praise!
Where'er Faith's childlike glance may turn
Thee Lord and Father, it doth discern.
T'hine infinite, sovereign, Godlike might,
Hath clothed in crimson the morning light,
And numbered the thousand stars of night;
And to thee cries every living heart
"Our Father who in Heaven art."

And lovingly Thine eye drinks in
What Thy nod of Omnipotence bade begin:—
Thou biddest blessings like dew descend
And glorious lights o'er the heavens extend;
Lord God the bosom which Thee knoweth
Aside-all care-all sorrow-thoweth
And joyous lips Thee as Father claim-
"O ever hallowed be Thy name !"

Thou who eternal love has shewn,
Whose depths of grace are to man unknown,
How glorious is Thy shining throne ;
For there Peace waves her greenest palm,
There joy uplifts her loftiest Psalm.
In Jubilee notes of Freedom's own.
Father, 'neath Thy unclouded Dome
All share alike one happy home-

Ah! when to us shall "Thy kingdom come?"
Come Spirit of love-from that presence bright!
Deign on this suffering earth to alight-
Come! shed o'er its surface such heavenly flowers,
That our God may dwell in its radiant bowers.
All wise-All powerful-Thou but spoke

And into being Creation woke!
Around Thy footseps a veil is shed
And secret the path, by which all are led.
We only know Thou art ever near

To those thou art guiding Thy name to fear
Then, "on earth may Thy will be done
As it is in heaven "-Mightiest one!
Gild with Thy sunbeams each ripening ear,
Bid gleaming fruit on each bough appear!
The herds are grazing in valleys still,
The clusters are purpling each vine-clad hill;
Praise and thanksgiving o'er all is spread—
"Give us this day our daily bread."

Thou who surrounded by happy saints
Regardest those whom sin yet taints,

O make us ever thine!

Thou know'st us weak, Thou know'st us frail—
We know Thy grace can never fail,

No bounds hath Love Divine.

Through that love, may we be shriven
Whilst here ordain'd to live
And oh! "be they as sons forgiven
Who brethren can forgive!"

Lord! our strength and confidence!
Mighty conqueror! go not hence.-

The free glance soars, the free thoughts climb,
Over the narrow bounds of 'l'ime,
Over the grave and death uphorne,
We hope, we hope for the glowing morn!
How we sigh for some glorious station,

Some blest mission Thy sight within!—

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"Where Christian principles preside in the heart, they will, doubtless, extend their influence (amongst their other effects) to the choice of amusements, and lead to the selec tion of such only as are innocent in their nature, and to the following of these, only in such a degree as accords with their purpose-the refreshment of body and mind, for renewed exertion in the graver duties of life. When tried by the Christian's rule, the Word of God, I cannot but conclude, that amusements, which, from the circumstances almost necessarily attendant upon them, are made the occasions of sin to many, must be resolutely rejected. We know by uuhappy experience, that the effect of such amusements as bring a multitude of persons together of almost every description and character, is, that many are ensnared into the transgressions of the Divine Law. It is but too fearfully manifest that drunkenness and sensuality abound at these resorts, and that they lead to more of suchlike, and even darker sins.-The staking also, on uncertain chances a portion of that money which God has given for the reasonable purposes of man, and for the employ ment of which he will require an account, is made by many an accompaniment of these resorts as a thing of course; the car too, is often assailed by the language of cursing and profaneness.-The effects upon many, are weeks, and, it may be, years of sensual sloth and idleness; upon others, embarrassment and ruin in wordly circum. stances, loss of character, a sinful course of life, either now entered upon, or more deeply plunged into at these places. In most, the effect is a restless void and dissipation of mind and thought, which unfit rather than invigor ate the faculties for a return to more serious duties, Ought Christians, then, or rather can Christians, who have a presiding regard to God's will, who look upon His favour as the highest of all blessings, and the salvation of an immortal soul as the first of all objects to be aimed at; can the Christian who should be thus minded, find his amusement in scenes, where others are ruining all that is valuable to them, in time, and fitting themselves for misery, in eternity? Is not such a thought enough to turn all mirth at these resorts, into heaviness, and to keep all far from them, who weigh, or ought to weigh amusements and every other act, in the balance of the Sanctuary, that they might not sanction these evils by their presence, and by so sanctioning, it may be, 'make themselves partakers in other men's sins.'-1 Tim. v. 22.

"Many a woful narrative could, no doubt, be told, by the living, of the effects of attendance at these resorts.-And could we lift up the curtain which now separates eternity from our mortal eye, it needs no force upon the imagination to conceive that we should behold multitudes who would bid us learn wisdom and repeutance from their example, who would call again and again on every careless ear, with a piercing cry, in the words of inspiration, "Enter not into the path of the wicked and go not into the way of evil men, avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it and pass away, for they sleep not except they have done mischief, and their sleep is taken a way except they cause some to fall, for the cat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence." Prov. iv. 14--17.— These are the words of the Holy Spirit delivered by the wise monarch of Israel. They are repeated often in the ministrations of the Church.---They are placed before us in our Bibles, that we may ponder them in our hearts. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear them, and obey them."---Rev. R. Yarker.

PRINTED BY T. THOMAS, EASTGATE STREET ROW, CHESTER.

EDITED BY THE

REV. CHARLES B. TAYLER, M.A.

No. XII.]

"The light shineth in darkness."
JOHN i. 5.

DECEMBER, 1839.

FAMILY WORSHIP.

"IT is sanctified by the word of God and by prayer!" This is the case then with every thing which occurs in a Christian's life. His labours and his refreshments; his joys and his sorrows; his trials and his comforts all pass through this sanctifying process, and come to him changed in their nature, divested of all that was injurious, and of all that seemed to be unholy in them by the combined influence of the word of God and of Prayer. “Every creature of God," says the apostle, "is good." Good in its intention, as made for our use; good in its nature, as being capable of contributing to our welfare; good in its employment and application, if used for the purpose for which it is created, if used in confor mity to that light of truth, which is drawn from the word of God, when read and meditated on with prayer.

But if we are told that in this way every creature of God is good, if every thing that he has formed, every gift that he has given is calculated, nay, intended to do good to those who receive it properly: If the word of God and prayer are the means by which the intended good is to be derived, and the contingent incidental evil to be averted; if the blessed power of these means is to render that which is good very good, and to draw much that is beneficial from that, which, if left to itself might have been hurtful; then can we doubt that Home, the centre in which all these things meet, and to which, to the completion of which, they all manifestly tend; can we doubt, that Home must need this sanctifying process, and can neither realise our Maker's purpose, nor answer our fond expectations, unless sanctified by the word of God and by prayer.

No one who allows himself to think upon the subject, can fail of coming to this conclusion; nor can we doubt that this application was in the Apostle's mind, when arguing against the trifling distinctions with which the peace of the Church was disturbed, and the inferences which were drawn from the Jewish Law, he laid down this general rule as the principle of Christian liberty, and stated boldly and explicitly in defiance of some who asserted the contrary, and in support of some who hesi tated in asserting it, that " every creature of God was good, and nothing to be refused, if received with thanksgiving, for it is sanctified by the word of God and by prayer."

If all the creatures of God then are good, how much more good must be that home which unites them all; which brings into one point the various bounties which the mercy of God bestows; where the ordinary supplies of food and raiment necessary for the body are combined with those charities which knit soul to soul, and are blended with those affections which add to the things enjoyed the reality of enjoyment. Where husband and wife,

RECTOR OF
ST. PETER'S, CHESTER.

[PRICE 3d.

parent and child, meet together to minister to each other's comfort, or to add to each other's happiness; where man finds a shelter from the rough atmosphere of the world, and feels all his sensibilities respected, as well as all his wants relieved; where he knows that he may lay aside the caution that is necessary in other places, because he has no enmity to guard against; where he may unbosom himself without fear that his confidence will be mistaken or betrayed, and lighten all his cares by sharing them with those who will feel them as himself.

Surely we do not err in saying; that if all the creatures of God, if all those things which he has created and made for our use are good, this which presents them all, not scattered or dispersed as they are generally met with, but united and combined, knit together by that Charity which is the bond of peace; must be exceeding good; and of all the blessings for which man ought to be thankful, which he ought to cherish with diligence, and protect from injury with care, the greatest is that of home.

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But even this blessing, we are compelled by the analogy which we are tracing, to infer, is capable of abuse, or may disappoint our expectation. It is good, as every creature of God is good, in God's intention, and in its possible application. But God's creatures are abused. creature is made subject to vanity, and we are daily compelled to see on every side the bounty of God turned to man's hurt; and the things which should have been for his health, made an occasion of falling. Home offers no exception to the general rule. Its peculiar blessings are neglected and trodden under foot by some, and are abused by others to their own destruction. Some men are ignorant of that which is really good for man, from desires and tastes which are incompatible with home, which must find their gratification out of home, and who pursue the indulgence of these at the sacrifice of all that home can offer. In these cases, domestic peace, family affection, the mutual love of the different members of the household, offer no attractions to the base and sensual mind; and man follows his selfish propensities to the ruin of his happiness at home. Others preserved from this snare, forget that there is danger in places where it is not expected; forget that selfishness may be indulged at home in secret, as much as it is indulged abroad; and fall into a snare where they thought themselves secure. At home their feelings are protected from wanton injury, they are respected, and encouraged. Order produces peace; and love which covers a multitude of of sin, blinds us to the defects and failings of those whom we are attached to. Some causes of offence are obviated by this means. Peace is prolonged; and when there is no contradiction or resistance, we are apt to imagine that all is right, to mistake the con

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