OF THE

CHRISTIAN REPROVED.

A good woman, in consequence of some severe affliction, wept. Her child observing it, cried out, "Mother, what is the matter; is GOD dead?" The woman felt the force of the question, and her serenity of mind instantly returned.

only the use of these things, but | THE UNREASONABLE FEAR also their title to them; and tell them," The earth is mine, and the fulness thereof. I did indeed make an original grant of these things to man; but that is lost by sin; I have restored it only for my saints; Why have you laid your fingers of prey upon that which was not yours? Why have you compelled my creatures to serve you and your lusts, which I had set at liberty from your doIt will immediately occur to minion? Give me my flax, my the reader, that the child knew wine, and my oil and wool; I will that the constant peace and hapset you naked as in the day of piness of his mother flowed from your birth, and revenge upon her habitual confidence in her you your rapine, and unjust pos-heavenly Father. When, theresession of that which was not yours."-I say, at such a time, what will men do?

Dr. Owen's Treatise on Com-
munion with God, Chap. x.
section 38. Oxford Ed. 1657.

ANECDOTES.

SECURITY of the CHRISTIAN.

fore, her peace of mind was departed, the child could impute

it to no other cause than the death of him in whom she trusted.

KRISTNO

And the English Gentlemen.

Kristno is stationed at Chittagong. Being upon very friendly terms with the English residents there, all of whom are Episco

A profane persecutor discover-palians, these gentlemen asked ed great terror during a storm of thunder and lightning which overtook him on a journey. His pious wife, who was with him, inquired the reason of his terror. He replied by asking, "Are not you afraid?" She answered, "No: it is the voice of my heavenly Father; and should a child be afraid of the voice of its father?""Surely (thought the man) these Puritans have a divine principle in them which the world seeth not: otherwise they could not have such serenity in their souls, when the rest of the world are filled with dread."-Upon this, going to Mr. Bolton, of Broughton near Kettering, he lamented the opposition which he had made to his ministry, and became a godly man ever after!

him when he intended to baptize his converts, at the same time promising to attend as spectators. The day being arrived, one of them brought with him a very handsome China bowl. Kristno asking for what purpose he had brought it, the gentleman replied, "To baptize with." "I cannot baptize in this," said Kristno. "How then?" asked the gentleman. "In the same way," answered Kristno, "in which John baptized our Lord." "Do it in your own way," said the gentleman; a river is near, we will follow you." They accordingly attended; Kristno prayed, preached, and baptized; and they returned, and fired off eleven pieces of cannon in honour of Kristno and his new way.

Juvenile Department.

AN ACCOUNT

OF A

DEAR LITTLE BOY;

IN A LETTER TO A SON.

MY DEAR HENRY,

You heard me some time since relate the history of a dear little boy, who died when he was about eight years of age. You then wished I would write it out for you: I now accede to your wishes. His father, a very respectable, benevolent, and pious gentleman, gave me the narrative. I send you a part of his account, as I had it from his own lips, except that I shall abridge it a little. W. B. was from his childhood very thoughtful. When a playmate had injured one of his fingers so much that he endured a great deal of pain, and it was at last obliged to be cut off, he never blamed his companion who inflicted the wound, but observed, "God intended I should suffer a great deal of pain, or he could have prevented it at first, or else have made me soon well."

should have thought and cared as little about God, and his will, as most other children do. He often observed, that he ought to be very thankful that God did not punish him as he deserved.

66

When narratives of real distress were related to him, he showed he felt much, by frequent inquiries after the sufferer, and by sending some of the money he obtained for learning hymns and passages of scripture. He also read and heard with very lively interest the reports relative to the state of the heathen, and the efforts which are making for their conversion. About three months before his death, alluding to a purpose his parents had entertained of going abroad, he said, "Papa, if I were likely to get well, I should wish we had gone." Why, my boy?" said his father. "Because, perhaps, I might be of some use to the poor negroes." "I fear," said his father," that though you should recover from this illness, we must not expect you ever to be capable of much active employment (being deprived of the use of both legs): you may indeed be a comfort and a blessing to those living in the house with you." But, papa," said he, we could get some black children to come into the house, and I could teach them to read, and I could tell them of Jesus Christ; for they cannot know so much of him as I do: He was acquainted with the lead- and perhaps they might tell their ing events in the history of England; fathers and mothers, as the children he had read many volumes of voy-in Ireland do," referring to a report ages and travels; and he had gained he had read of the spread of the a general knowledge of geography. gospel in that benighted country. His thirst for knowledge was great; but he was still more remarkable for the graces of God's Holy Spirit. Amidst his afflictions he was per

For four years he was much afflicted. During the latter part of his illness he was deprived of the kind attention of a beloved mother. He felt the loss very deeply, but never uttered a murmuring word; and he was often the means of comforting his father under the heavy

trial.

suaded that an easier lot would have

been appointed for him, if the Lord had not seen that all his sufferings were necessary. He said, that perhaps if he had been less afflicted, he

VOL. XII.

66

He was generally amiable; but you know, my dear Henry, that there must be something more than good temper and behaviour to bring us into a state of friendship with God. And it was not until about six months before his death, that our dear William considered there was any real change in his character.

SG

|proaching change was contemplated by him not only without dismay, but with desire. More than once, when asked whether he would rather live or die, he said, "I would rather die, and go to Jesus Christ." When once asked, Why he would prefer to die? he said, “Because then I shall never offend God again." “How do you now offend him?" "I think wicked thoughts, and the most when I am trying to pray to him."

After much suffering of body, and mental depression, it pleased God to lessen his pain, and to speak peace to his troubled mind. The little he said, conveyed the satis

About this time he read a tract, entitled, "The Power of Divine Teaching exemplified in the Life of J.W." with which he was much impressed. Reading where the child expressed his confidence that he was going to heaven, because his sins were forgiven, he said, "How happy that child must have been! I am not good enough to die!" He was told, that the child's happiness did not arise from his not having been a sinner, but from the hope that his sins were forgiven, and that this was the design of Christ's coming into the world. He said, “I do believe that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, but that does not make me happy. I am not bet-factory assurance that hope had ter than many children who do not believe it." The Bible, however, now became his constant companion; he read much of it by himself, not selecting, as he had been accustomed, the historical and narrative parts, but the Psalms, the Gospel by John, and many parts of the apostolical epistles. As his strength declined, he found his larger Bible too heavy, and he asked for a smaller, which he laid under his pillow every night, and began reading it as soon as it was light enough in the morning, sometimes long before any one else in the house was awake. He now preferred this precious book to all others; and being asked why he did so, replied, "Because I know that all it says is true." Another reason he afterwards mentioned, "the importance of its truths to a dying creature."

William was now visibly drawing near to an eternal world. His ap

revived in his bosom, and that he felt peace within. On the morning he died, he requested his father to read to him; and when asked what he should read, he only replied, "John." Part of the 17th chapter, which had been a great favourite with him, was then slowly read. In the afternoon he expressed his wish that his father should pray with him. After this, he scarcely attempted to speak, but was evidently engaged in secret aspirations to heaven, whither his happy redeemed spirit took its flight, in April, 1818, after he had lived on earth seven years and ten months.

That you, my dear Henry, may early become acquainted with the great and blessed truths of the gos, pel, and live and die under their holy influence, is the constant and fervent prayer of your affectionate father, Coseley.

Obituary.

B.H.D

MRS. ALICE SOPHIA KILPIN. serious disposition, and constantly

MRS. Kilpin was born July 24, 1795. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Adams, were then members of the late Rev: Dan Taylor's Church, Church-lane, Whitechapel. Al though naturally of an amiable and

attending the means of grace, it was not until the year 1816, when on a visit at Exeter, that she was convinced of the necessity of personal religion. She there attended the ministry of the Rev. Samuel Kilpin, which was greatly blessed to her; and being taken ill, the Lord was

pleased to sanctify the affliction to ber, and she was enabled, through grace, to resolve, that if permitted to recover, she would no longer be ashamed to own her Saviour before men, but would dedicate herself to him. The Lord graciously heard her, and raised her up again, and, when sufficiently recovered, she proposed herself to the church at Exeter, and was baptized by Mr. Kilpin on April 7, 1816. The following, which was found in her hand-writing, appears to have been written in prospect of her baptism. "Gracious and ever-blessed Lord God, grant that thy unworthy handmaid may not speak, write, or appear to others any thing more than she really is. Blessed Lord, thou alone knowest her heart, vile and deceitful above all things!

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ, my God:
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to his blood.

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small:
Love so amazing, so divine,
DEMANDS MY SOUL, MY LIFE,
ALL.'

Thy will, O Lord, be done!' Pray tell me if your feelings have been similar to my own. I have a good hope that, through the blood of Christ, I shall be saved. It is there I rest all my hopes of salvation.

I plead no merits of my own,
But trust the merits of thy Son.''
In this letter she mentions the

following very remarkable dream. "Friday night, May 3, I dreamt I was sitting in the parlour, very ill, when I suddenly felt I was dying. I said to my brother and sister, who were with me, I am dying: mind and keep me long enough above ground, till you are certain I am dead, lest I should only be in a fit, as I have a great fear of being buried alive; then I expired, which appeared like falling asleep. I thought I had been asleep about half an hour, when I awoke, and found myself in a large stone building, almost dark; it appeared to be like the entrance of some great cathedral. I thought I had arrived in the world of spirits, and that this place was called the Judgment Hall, where I was come to be Thou ever-adorable Jesus! surely thoughts and feelings as when alive, judged. And though I had the same I do love thee, or I could not thus I knew I was only a spirit. I felt feel. Thy name is music to my ears. Ifl were not in the right way, told my friends to keep me any very much distressed that I had surely I should not long to hear thee spoken of: I should not long to hear length of time above ground, knowthy word. Oh! gracious Saviour, must soon take up my abode in the ing myself that I was dead, and grant that I may not prove a hypo-regions of everlasting happiness or crite. Search my heart, and try it, misery. Though apparently by mylest when I am weighed, I should be self, I felt conscious that there was found wanting. a great number of persons very ncar, and that I was surrounded by spirits. I thought it very singular that I should be waiting by myself, as I knew there must be a great many persons going out of the world at the self. same time; and yet I was by my

MY

• Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it;
Prone to leave the God I love:
Here's my heart, Lord, take and seal it,
Seal it from thy courts above !'"

She very soon afterwards relapsed, and lay several months apparently on a death-bed. An extract from a

letter, written during that period,

will show the state of her mind.

"Exeter, June 3, 1816.

"MY DEAR BETSY,

“I am reduced to such extreme weakness, that I know not how to keep myself alive when I get up; but I trust, amidst all, I can say,

a murmuring kind of voice, mention "I heard some one very near, in my name, and the year in which I was born; begin to read my life, stating every action of it,-at the end of every year making a kind of pause, as much as to say, Another year gone, and nothing done to the glory of God. Though the voice was so low that I could scarcely