NOT AFRAID TO DIE! Poetry. Truro, July 14, 1846. MR. EDITOR,-On last week à sad catastrophe occurred in the neighbour hood of this place, exciting most solemn feelings in the public mind. Two ponderous thunder-clouds seemed to meet conically with their points as a spout on the region of a mine where 500 men were employed in raising lead, to the surface; two hundred were then at work beneath the ground. The clouds disengaged their mighty waters on the spot until the surface around was covered in some places five feet deep. The mighty torrent found its way down the shafts of the mine, which carried with it much of the softened strata. The poor fellows beneath sought their escape, and 161 accomplished it: some ascended the ladder, some were hoisted up by the kibble or bucket, some were drawn up by a chain. One poor fellow came up, and nearly at the top the persons above saluted him, "You're near the top, my dear fellow; hold fast, and you are safe." It overcame him, and he fell back to rise no more! One poor fellow was drawn up by his finger hooked in the link of the chain and his whole body suspended: he was seen with silent solemnity, but was saved much exhausted. Others ascended in unconscious haste. Thirtynine poor fellows, lost their lives. I saw one of the saved, who said, "I know not how I escaped; I recollect well the way I took, but I know nothing more." He said, "I believe it was a judgment on the place, the iniquity was so great!" One fine young man, truly pious, but weaker than the rest, ascended from one place to another, but said to his brother, "You go on, and save yourself -I can go no further." He shook hands with the last man that ascended, and bid him good bye. He was surrounded with a group of men, and, being truly pious, addressed them : "You are not prepared; you have no time to lose; let us pray ;" and, as the others ascended, they heard him pray, and then sing his halleluiah of praise! He had been a class-leader and localpreacher amongst the Methodists, and is stated to have been a fine example of consistent piety. On this fact the following lines were written:— WM. MOORE. DAY of darkness! day of trembling! No more hope of e'er assembling Without the din of arms That shakes the skies, None crowd the conflict scene With anxious gaze; Yet 'tis a triumph gained And foes withstood, Newport Pagnell, June 15, 1846. R. The Children's Gallery. MEMOIR OF WILLIAM GREEN FIELD. THIS extraordinary scholar, "Superintendent of the editorial department of the British and Foreign Bible Society," was one of the most learned men of his time, and yet he died before he was quite thirty-two years of age. But much of his astonishing degree of improvement and the formation of his character was gained by him in a class of Sunday-school teachers in London. disputations, as he did, also, with other Jews; and being pressed with objections to the English version of the Old Testament, he offered to give up his opinions, if, on being thoroughly taught the Hebrew, he should find their objections true. The learned Jew took him at his word, and the diligent pupil soon surpassed his teacher, solidly refuting his arguments; yet the rabbi cherished a high respect for his talents and admirable temper, while he displayed an intimate acquaintance with the Bible. Young Greenfield was encouraged by his spiritual father, Dr. Waugh, to consult him in all his difficulties; and he paid weekly visits to that venerable man of God, especially for instruction in the gospel of Christ, so that at the age of sixteen he engaged as teacher in the Fitzroy sabbath-school, and was admitted to the fellowship of the church. In that sabbath-school he found suitable companions and a sanctifying influence on his heart. In his study of the Hebrew he compiled a complete lexicon, and then applied himself to the Chal Mr. Greenfield was born in London, April 1, 1799. His father was a native of Scotland, a pious man, and a member of the Presbyterian church under the pastorate of Dr. Waugh ; but dying at sea, as he was a mariner, his mother took him, at three years of age, to her relations in her native Roxburghshire. At the age of ten Divine Providence brought them back to London; and residing with two maternal uncles, who, desiring to read the word of God in the original language, began to learn Hebrew, he was excited to follow their good example. With them he made some encouraging progress in that lan-dee and some other cognate dialects. guage. In 1812 Dr. Waugh obtained for the youth a situation as apprentice to a bookbinder esteemed for his Christian character; and it was so, that in the house of his master's workshop there dwelt a Jew, who was a reader of the law in a synagogue at Westmin-which he effected with astonishing faster. He was in the habit of urging among the workpeople his objections against the advent of Jesus Christ as the Messiah and the prophecies regarding him, and so against Christianity. With this man young Greenfield held His hours of study were, however, only before and after his working time, which was from six in the morning to eight at night in the summer, and from seven to nine in the winter. His next object was to attain the Greek and Latin, cility; and added French and some other European languages to his stores, overcoming difficulties in a manner truly astonishing. After his apprenticeship, Mr. Greenfield pursued his studies more exten sively, until 1824, when Mr. Bagster, the eminent biblical publisher in London, ascertaining his extraordinary talents and learning, prevailed on him to relinquish his trade. Amongst his ' numerous works for that gentleman was the "Comprehensive Bible," a work of prodigious labour and research, exhibiting at once his varied and profound erudition. It was completed in December, 1826, and excited the greatest public commendation. Mr. Greenfield completed, also for Mr. Bagster, a new translation, esteemed far superior to every other, of the New Testament into the Hebrew. Polyglot Grammar of thirty languages when seized by that fatal malady, the brain fever, which terminated his valuable life. This disease, if not occa sioned, was aggravated by the malicious slanders of envious men jealous of his | fame: they were propagated against some of the notes to the Comprehensive Bible, as inclining to neology, with a view to injure the Bible Society. Mr. Greenfield's piety was decided and sincere: as an instance of this, it might be stated that he never sat down to the translation of the New Testament into the Hebrew, his last great work, without first imploring the assistance of that Holy Spirit by whose inspiration the sacred volume was first written. "Upon the death of Dr. Waugh, he attended the ministry of the Rev. Thomas Wood, of Jewinstreet chapel. He had proposed to unite himself to the Congregational church, under the pastorate of Mr. Wood, but his illness prevented." This lamentable event commenced on Saturday, Oct. 22, 1832. He was able to attend the house of God on the Lord's day morning; but he became worse, and on Friday his pastor saw him, when his mind was composed and happy, and he expressed his hope and confidence in Jesus Christ as his Redeemer. On the following day Mr. Wood saw him again, when he said, "But after six years literary connection with Mr. Bagster, as an editor of various biblical works, and more particularly various editions of the Scripture, the attention of the Committee of the Bible Society was directed towards him, they having resolved to appoint an officer as 'Superintendent of the translating and editing department of the Society. The inquiries of the committee elicited the facts, that he was the author of the preface and notes to 'Bagster's Comprehensive Bible;' and that, besides being the editor of that work, he revised for the press or edited the Syriac New Testament, the Polyglot New Testament, in Greek, Latin, English, and Portuguese; and that he read, for a second edition, the Hebrew Bible, the Septuagint, and the Vulgate." Since I have been here, I have learned Added to these proofs of his attainments as a linguist, it was found that he possessed the knowledge of several other European and Asiatic languages; that his moral and religious character was exemplary; and that in the transaction of business he was skilful, diligent, and polite. The committee, therefore, March 22, 1830, secured his services as editor, with a salary of 300l. per annum." Mr. Greenfield's labours within the first year, as reported by the Bible Society's committee, were most astonishing, including editorial examination or revision of more than twenty languages or versions of the Scriptures. Besides which he had large correspondence arising out of his office; and he issued from the press his Hebrew New Testament. He also had in preparation a more of the depravity of my heart than I knew before; but, blessed be God, I have also the inward witnessing of the Spirit, that I feel myself to be a pardoned sinner, through the blood of Jesus Christ. For worlds I would not have been without this illness. I have had most delightful intercourse with my heavenly Father. I have enjoyed that nearness of access which prevents me doubting my interest in the precious blood of a crucified Redeemer, and I am ready and willing, if the Lord's will, to depart and be with Christ." Thus this holy labourer in the cause of God departed to his eternal rest, Nov. 5, 1832, sincerely lamented as a scholar, a gentleman, and a Christian, by all who knew him, especially the Committee of the Bible Society! WELL. THE DYING SCHOLAR'S FARE- days before his death. "I should like," he said, "to send a message by you to my schoolfellows, but I am so weak, and my memory is so bad, that I cannot say much now; but if you will call on Friday, I will try to write a letter to them." On Friday I called and found him much weaker, but the letter was ready, and it was as follows: SIR,-As the "FRIEND OF THE PEOPLE" obtains a wide circulation in our sabbath-schools, I send you the following letter for insertion if you deem it worthy of notice, trusting its perusal may be blessed to all the young who may read it. The deceased youth I knew well-lovely was his character, amiable his conduct, whether in the school or out of it. There was about him a seriousness which marked him out from the majority of boys of the same age, and convinced me that in his heart the good work was begun. He had a mind peculiarly active and a heart full of tenderness. Upon what he heard from the pulpit and in the school he thought, and God blessed the truth to him. At the public recitations on the Lord's day his answers were always ready, and these were to the point, evincing a tolerable acquaintance with the word of God and with the doctrines of Christianity. During his illness I visited him often. I saw that his youthful frame was rapidly sinking under consumption; I therefore talked freely to him about death, judgment, and eternity. My work was easy and delightful. I found that he was daily preparing for his change, and that he anticipated it with unspeakable joy. The plan of salvation was clearly understood by him, and upon its simplicity and its adaptation to lost sinners he loved to dwell. He had a good hope through grace, and clear and scriptural were his reasons for that hope; his words were, "I am not afraid to die, because Jesus has received me. Death has no sting for me, Jesus has taken it away; thanks be unto God who giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ." On asking him his reason for believing that Jesus had received him, he replied, "I think Jesus has received me, because I have peace with God, my mind is happy, and I love Jesus." The memorials of my interviews with this pious little boy are indeed precious, and would, I am persuaded, delight many of your readers. The substance of the whole is embodied in the following letter, which he addressed, through me, to the children in our school a few "My fellow-scholars,-I now take my pen in my trembling hand to address these few words to you, for I am afraid I shall never be able to meet you in school again. Death is fast approaching me; but I am not cast down, for I put my trust in that Saviour who has done so much for me. O what a blessed Saviour! He died for us all; he will save all-you as well as I-if you seek him. Do seek him, my fellowscholars, before it is too late. I sought him young, and found him. He will not leave me, nor forsake me. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.' My fellowscholars, let me beg of you to obey your kind minister, and treat him with the greatest kindness, for he is very kind to you; and your kind teachers obey. O listen to their instructions, and it will be well with you. I hope God will reward the kind teachers of our school for the instruction I have received from them. Farewell, my fellow-scholars; and may you be enabled to say with me in the hour of death, O Lord, thy will be done.' So no more from your afflicted schoolfellow, "J. E." On the following sabbath morning, May 17, this letter was read in the school; on the evening of the same day this lovely youth fell asleep in Jesus, aged fourteen. May this brief account speak to the hearts of the children and youth in our schools! Seek ye also the Lord while he may be found. Seek him early. Seek him now. Let our sabbathschool teachers go on with spirit in their hallowed work. My beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." THE THREE SONS. BY J. MAULTRIE. I HAVE a son, a little son, a boy just five years old, With eyes of thoughtful earnestness, and mind of gentle mould: That my child is grave and wise of heart beyond his childish years. And yet his sweetest comeliness is his sweet and serious air : I know his heart is kind and fond, I know he loveth me; But loveth yet his mother more, with grateful fervency. But that which others most admire is the thought which fills his mind, With thoughts about this world of ours, and thoughts about the next. And strange, and sweet, and solemn then, are the words which he will say A holier and a wiser man I trust that he will be; And when I look into his eyes, and stroke his thoughtful brow, I dare not think what I should feel were I to lose him now. I have a son, a second son, a simple child of three, I'll not declare how bright and fair his little features be- Will sing his little song of love when left to sport alone. I have a son, a third sweet son, his age I cannot tell, |