Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

What do you mean?" asked I. "Why, Sir, I stole this spade from there some time ago; but since I heard you preach, God has changed my heart, and I can no longer keep it; and I am going to return it from whence I took it." By this time we had arrived at the farm. He went on the premises, and left the spade. On his return he burst into tears, and said, "Now I am easy: now I am easy." I joined him in tears, and, as soon as I could speak, said, "This is well pleasing to God. Over this there will be joy among the angels in heaven." I then left him, rejoicing that God had made me the instrument of turning a wicked man from an evil act he had committed.

AN AWFUL APPEAL TO DRAM-DRINKERS!

TO ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, AND IRELAND.

AN inquest was held last night by Mr. Payne, at the sign of the White Hart, Moor-street, Cripplegate, on the body of R. Williams, a tailor, aged fifty. The daughter of the deceased, crying bitterly, deposed that her father had taken to drinking, and had endeavoured to hang himself the day before, when she cut him down, and he swore fearfully at her. The barmaid said the deceased was well known to her; that he came to the public-house as early as seven o'clock in the morning, and was found drowned in a butt of water in the yard in the course of the day.-Morning Herald, 31st Aug. 1833.

A drunken man and his wife, when intoxicated, took it into their maudlin heads on Sunday to destroy themselves. The man threw himself out of the three-story window of their apartment in Little Dove-hill, Edinburgh, and was taken up senseless; the woman followed, and was taken to the Royal Infirmary, having escaped with a fractured leg. They were most probably fighting at the time.-Scottish Guardian.

Monday morning, a stout, able man, about forty, was brought into Meath hospital. He was drunk at the fair on Sunday, and with great difficulty reached his residence in New-street, where he fell down in a state of insensibility whilst alone, and was immediately attacked by a pig, which literally ate off his whole face; having commenced with the nose, it carried away all its cartilaginous and soft parts, then both the cheeks, the lips and chin, as also a part of the right ear, tearing away all the muscles and skin, and leaving nothing behind but the gums and teeth. His left hand, too, has been considerably mutilated. We have seen many frightful objects, the results of accidents and disease; but the case above detailed is by far the most frightful we ever witnessed.-Dublin Journal.

Extracts of Correspondence.

FOREIGN.

From the Speeches delivered at the Anniversary of the Nagercoil and Palamcottah Native Tract Society.

[ocr errors]

INDIA.-J. Palmer rose, and moved that the report be adopted and printed, and spoke as follows:-" Before the so-. ciety was established, darkness covered this land, and gross darkness the people. With few exceptions, none sought the salvation of their souls. But the tracts circulated have been the means of removing the gross darkness from the minds of many of our youths; from some who have grown up to the years of maturity; and from a few who are in the decline of life. Some of these are appointed to read the scriptures to their neighbours, to instruct the youth of both sexes, and to render other assistance in the mission; and are thus made instruments of good, not only to themselves, but to others. Some of the women connected with my congregation, though incapable of reading, have committed to memory the substance of many of our tracts, and go from house to house to teach others what they have thus learned. One of them, on a certain day, as she was going on this errand, met with a sorcerer, who, she was aware, had come for the purpose of deceiving the people. She looked stedfastly at him, and said, "Tell me the truth; are you not come hither for the sake of gain, to deceive these people, and thus to ruin their souls and your own?' At which he was very angry, and threatened to destroy her by his incantations if she attempted again to address him in such language. To which she answered, that it was out of his power to injure her by his charms; for the God in whom she believed was mighty to save. Again he abused and threatened her, but was unable to intimidate her. Many of the heathen, who witnessed the courage of this christian woman, who dared to defy the power of the magician, are beginning to despise these men, who for ages have been such a curse to the country.”

Michael, one of the deputation from Palamcottah, rose, and after seconding the motion, observed, "The tracts published by this society have produced many advantages. In the congregation over which I am placed, a few women, that are far advanced in years, are diligently studying the scriptures, which show unto them and others the way of salvation; and a few young women, to their praise, are also diligently employed in this way; and though at times reviled by others, are not moved from their purpose, as it has no other effect upon them but to make them more diligent and more constant in seeking help from God in prayer. It is worthy of

notice, that a poor widow, unable to read, from time to time procures some of our tracts, and employs whom she can to teach the substance of them to her; and in this way is benefiting herself and others at the same time. Tracts are not only an advantage to many of our people, but also to Roman catholics, some of whom are beginning to see that their priests do not teach them the gospel, which they have a desire to learn; and to learn it they are determined, though they should offend the priests by doing so; for they are aware that without understanding the gospel they cannot know and believe on Jesus Christ."

Christian rose, and moved the second resolution, "That the members of this institution gratefully acknowledge the goodness of God, in enabling them to carry on the objects of this society, and for not suffering any obstacles to retard its operations during the year." He observed, "As the books that have been published by this society have found their way among rich and poor, and are read and heard by persons of all ranks, the darkness of idolatry is beginning to be dispersed, and the light of the knowledge of God to shine forth. Our books may be fitly compared to the rays of the luminary that enlightens our world, which in the morning are faint; but as he rises they expand and fill the world with glory. So, our books at the commencement were few; they made but a glimmering light in the midst of so much darkness; but with the increase of the society has been the increase of the true 'light that is to enlighten every man that cometh into the world.' Who can say, then, that the circulation of tracts has been of no benefit, and that our labour is in vain? If a torch is given to him who walks in darkness, would any one be so hardy as to say it would be useless to him? To turn the feet of one that has wandered out of the way, into the right path again, will be lauded by all; to give food to a man that is suffering from hunger is the only way to relieve him. Of how much more importance, my friends, is it to enlighten the minds of those who sit in darkness; to put them in the way of peace who had wandered from it; and to give to the hungry the bread of life! And how is this to be effected? The answer is, 'By the operation of this and similar institutions. Let each one, then, exert himself according to his ability, remembering that no one will lose his reward. It is said in the scriptures of truth, 'He that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly, and that soweth bountifully shall also reap bountifully."

DOMESTIC.

From a Clergyman in Gloucestershire.

IT gives me much pleasure to inform you that in two instances

I have reason to hope that the Divine blessing has accompanied the circulation of the publications of the Religious Tract Society in this place. There was in the Annual Report for 1832 an account of two persons, who were living in a sinful manner, who were reclaimed by means of the Society. I cut out the leaf which contained the account, and conveyed it into the hands of a man who was living with a person to whom he was not married, and had a family of seven children by her. A short time afterwards I sent the tract published by your Society on the seventh commandment. Soon afterwards I learned that the parties had been married. Two of the children to whom the tracts were given have been sent to the Sunday school. The other case was that of a young man who was living with a female to whom he was not married, the father having refused his consent. After some conversation with the father, I gave him the tract before mentioned on the seventh commandment, with a request that he would give it to his son. He promised to do so, and I have reason to hope he did. Some time after I learned that the young woman had returned to her friends, and continues with them.

From a Lady in the West of England.

THE Committee having expressed a wish to be made acquainted with any proofs of the utility of their publications, I am induced to give them an extract from a letter lately received by me from the wife of the rector of, in this county:

"We have had within the last week a pleasing testimonial of the usefulness of tracts. About a dozen of those which you had given me I put into the hands of two of my Sunday school teachers to lend to the children, and to read themselves. Two of these tracts seem to have been especially blest to these young girls, 'Thoughts on Eternity,' and 'The Worth of the Soul.' They are two cousins, of about nineteen, of simple manners, and regular and correct deportment, yet through mercy they have been brought to feel that still one thing is needful.' These are circumstances that call for joy and thankfulness."

I have also within the last fortnight had another delightful proof of the efficacy of these "messengers of mercy" when sent forth in dependence on the Lord, in the case of the widow of a poor publican, who fell into a vat of boiling beer, and was killed. I sent her Cecil's "Friendly Visit to the House of Mourning;" and I have every reason to hope and to believe it has had a most salutary influence on her. She has since expressed her thankfulness for the tract, and has become a regular attendant on the means of grace, both on Lord's days and at weekly prayer-meetings. To God be all the glory.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][graphic][merged small]

NO sooner is Christ come out of the water of baptism, than he enters into the fire of temptation. No sooner is the Holy Spirit descended on his head in the form or manner of a dove, than he is led by the Spirit to be tempted. No sooner does God say, "This is my Son," than Satan says, "If thou be the Son of God." It is not in the power either of the gift or seals of grace to deliver us from the assaults of Satan: they may have the force to repel evil suggestions; they have none to prevent them: yea, the more we are engaged unto God by our public vows and his pledges of favour, so much more busy and violent is the rage of that evil one to encounter us. We are no sooner stepped forth into the field of God, than he labours to wrest our weapons out of our hands, or to turn them against us.

APRIL, 1834.

E

« AnteriorContinuar »