very mire of iniquity, who add drunkenness to thirst, and run into the grossest excesses of riot and wickedness. O! of how many could they tell you, with tears of grief streaming from their eyes, whom they once looked upon as true disciples of the Saviour-who seemed to know the ruth as it is in Jesus, to love it, and obey itwho appeared to be partakers of precious faith, ind, consequently, interested in all the blessings of salvation, and whom they willingly and joy fully received into fellowship with the Church; but who have since made complete shipwreck of faith and a good conscience, and even, it may be, thrown from them, as if in disdain, the very name of Christian. And when a minister remembers such lamentable examples of apostasy and drawing back to perdition, well may he feel inxiety, and say to his hearers: "Look to your selves, that wE LOSE NOT THOSE THINGS WHICH WE HAVE WROUGHT."

So much for a minister's fears regarding his people. O that they for whom he thus watches and trembles, were themselves impressed with a salutary dread of their danger, and made humble, and vigilant, and prayerful! "Blessed is the man that feareth always."

Biographical Sketch.

THEOPHILUS WILLIAM HOFFMAN.

NO. II.

THE valley called Kornthal is situated a few miles from Stuttgard, the capital of Wurtemberg. It is a wild country, but fertile, interspersed with woods and hills, which give variety to the scenery. The temperature is mild, the air salubrious, and those who are fond of a country residence could not choose one more agreeable.

When the Government had allowed Christians to form a free community in Kornthal, several families fixed their abode there. A church was built; and plain, but neat and convenient, dwelling-houses were erected, and of ferred to the new occupants. A small lot of ground was assigned to each, and agriculture became their principal means of subsistence. Afterwards, some manufacturing establishments were added. Kornthal now contains about 1,000 peaceable and happy inhabitants. The principal articles of the charter given them are the following:

1. In political matters, the new community is subjected to the general laws of the country. But the inhabitants of Kornthal choose their temporal and spiritual rulers—namely, their

mayor, their pastor and school-masters, as well as the subordinate officers.

2. They have the right to receive into their community persons who accept their Confession of Faith and their rules, and also to expel any for infidelity or bad conduct.

3. Instead of oaths, solemn promises are exacted.

4. The community is free to make arrangements to prevent beggary, and to promote habits of labour and industry among its members. by the regularly ordained pastor of the community.

5. All ecclesiastical duties must be performed

6. The inhabitants of Kornthal are not subjected to the control of the high consistory. They are merely under the watch of the minister of state for ecclesiastical affairs.

7. The faith of the community is the Augs clauses-the members not wishing to condemn burg Confession, except the condemnatory even the erring. Laymen are allowed to speak in religious meetings, which are not held on Sabbath morning, and in which neither baptism nor the Lord's supper is celebrated.

8. The new community is not a sect, but brethren of other confessions who believe in claims to be an apostolical Church, loving the Jesus Christ crucified, and who admit the union of the divine nature with the human nature in his person. This is the foundation of all their doctrines.

9. Baptisms, confirmations, marriages, funeral services, must be attended by the pastors, but other members can take part in the prayers, singing, &c. Mourning garments are discarded as useless, and all kinds of luxury are forbidden.

10. The discipline of the Church is conducted by the elders, in cases involving a temporary suspension from the supper. But an absolute excommunication can only be pronounced by the whole community.

I will not remark on these rules. They resemble much those of the Moravian Brethren. They may not suit large congregations. Perhaps individual liberty is too much infringed, and the central power too great. We do not like in our days that the consistorial power should interfere in our domestic and personal affairs. But without entering into this discussion, the experience of more than a quarter of a century has proved that the charter of Kornthal is excellent for the object intended by its founders.

William Hoffman displayed in the commencement an unwearied activity and great energy of character; for it is not an easy thing to organize a new establishment, even when composed of pious men. Each one bring: with him his particular opinions, old habits. and seeks to make his own views prevail ove others. Minds that are unlike must be made to agree, and a harmonious whole be consti tuted out of discordant materials. Hoffman

mighty, and shut up in the prisons of eternity." The gentleman turned pale, was silent, and some time after opened a correspondence with Hoffman on religious subjects.

A celebrated general having heard him explain the nature of a Christian's life, said to him, "You will confess at least, that a soldier cannot live thus." Sir," replied Hoffman, “I believe that in the last day the Lord will show you a general, and more than one, not less brave than yourself, who has lived as a Christian. The saints shall judge the world; there will be of every class, of every profession, those who have been faithful to the Lord." You hear him, husband," said the wife of the general with much emotion. From that mo ment the general took Hoffman into friendship, and sought occasion to converse with him on religion.

Hoffman showed also much Christian care in the education of his children. He was not one "of those who are constantly reproving and censuring. A word from him, a brief remark, a look, produced more effect than much talking. His true strength was in prayer. He often said, "My children belong to God more than to me."

It is time to come to his last moments. He reached the age of seventy years without having many infirmities; for he was temperate, regular in his habits, and always occupied. When he felt his health decline, he preserved all his serenity of soul. He wrote, spoke, acted, even to the last, and when his hand could no longer bold a pen he dictated. The thought of Kornhal and Wilhelmsdorf pursued him even in his | feverish dreams. He longed ardently to go and rest in the bosom of the Lord. If his strength seemed to return to him, he would say, "Ah! Ishall not yet go to my home." Notamurmur escaped his lips. He sang in his last days he hymus which had animated him in his maure years, and when his voice failed he pointed out by signs the hymns he wished to hear. The 29th of January 1846, he peacefully gave up ais soul to God. Three days after, though the rain fell in torrents, five or six thousand attended him to his long home. All wept around the coffin of this good man-a more touching homage than the magnificent funeral orations composed for earthly princes!

STORY OF A CHRISTIAN CONVICT. A SHORT notice of the following story appeared about six months ago in one of the provincial papers, where it might happen to be noticed by some of our readers. Having access to the facts of the case in detail, we have thought that a recital of them might prove interesting and edifying.

It is about a year since the subject of this notice called one morning on the Rev. James Hamilton, the minister of the Presbyterian

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He gave

Church, Regent Square, London. his name as John Potter, seemed to be a person accustomed to a sea-faring life, and explained the object of his visit as follows. It was necessary for him to relate his history, in order that his errand might be understood.

Of his parents he knew nothing, for he had been a foundling, received and educated by the workhouse in the town of Shrewsbury. In this place he had got but little instruction, and what he did get was entirely of a routine and formal nature. At an early age he was apprenticed to a carpenter in the same town, under whose care he remained for some years, giving complete satisfaction, well-behaved, and quite contented with his condition. He knew nothing whatever of Christ or the Gospel even intellectually, and there was none to tell him. His neighbours lived like himself, and he lived like them--as multitudes, even in Christian England, live and die-without so much as intelligently understanding that there was either a Saviour or a salvation. But God had provided some better things for him, and was to lead him to himself by a very remarkable road.

This man

When he was about seventeen years of age, there appeared one day, in his master's workshop, a journeyman printer from the north of England, who mentioned that he was out of employment, and that he was on his way to London in search of some, performing the journey in easy walking stages. was a good talker, and somewhat fascinated Potter thereby; to whose mind the idea suddenly occurred of a pilgrimage to Londou also. He did not take into consideration the prudence of such a step abstractly, nor whether he might not regret choosing so unknown an individual as his companion, nor the difference between a person without employment and one who was already provided for; but at once he resolved that he should take immediate measures to put his half-formed project in execution. After the day's work was done, he sought out the printer, opened to him his mind, and asked if he would allow him to be his companion. The man agreed, and said that he intended starting early the next morning. Potter hied home; and, having bundled up all that he had, without saying a word to any one, early in the morning effected his escape without discovery. Thus he forsook a comfortable situation and employment, for future uncertainty and present idleness.

His companion and he proceeded by stages; travelling all day, and resting all night in such towns as they came to. One evening they took up their quarters in Wolverhampton, and made an agreement to be very early astir next day, as the printer said there was a certain place he wished to reach on the following night. Potter, accordingly, was awake betimes, but had the misfortune to find that his companion had played him false at last, and was already off,

aving taken not only his own, but also his fellow-traveller's luggage, along with him. Search was in vain; and our hero had to resign all hope of recovering his effects. He was ot to be deterred from his project, however, out resolved to proceed to London as best he night.

Possessing absolutely nothing, he was forced o have recourse to casual charity, and subsisted for some days on the fruits of his begging. Vot, however, being sufficiently cautious, and aving been found asking alms in the pre incts of the town of Norwich, he was taken ip, brought before a magistrate, and sentenced o imprisonment in the jail for two months. Here he very soon took the jail fever; and, vhile dangerously ill, his conscience began to mite him somewhat, and he saw very clearly he crime, and still more the folly, of fleeing 'rom his master, and he resolved to make overures for reconciliation. Accordingly, as soon is he recovered, he penned a letter to his old schoolmaster in Shrewsbury, requesting him to indertake the office of mediator. He told him lainly all that had befallen him since he had eft, and where he then was: begged pardon, arther, of his master; and requested, that if he latter gave a favourable answer, the schoolnaster would write and let him know. The choolmaster did all that he was asked, and inding that Potter's master was perfectly willng to receive him again, he wrote to Potter, out unfortunately addressed his letter to the Post-office, Warwick. This, of course, never eached its object in the prison, who fell into state of great melancholy, believing himself o be abandoned by the whole world. On his iberation, he never thought of applying for etters at the Post-office; so he believed there was nothing for it but to proceed to the metroolis, and try his fortune there, as he had origially intended. Yet, ere doing so, it occurred o him, that he should like to see once more is native town: therefore he determined to pay it a visit in the first place, without, however, visiting or speaking to any one. Begging was his resource, as before; but by this time he had learned greater caution, and did not ask charity in the vicinities of the towns. One day, finding himself very reduced, and seeing a farm-house at a short distance from the road, he walked up to it, in order to request some food. On reaching the place he discovered the door to be locked, and no one within sight or hearing. The kitchen window was open, and he was tempted to jump in. Still there was no movement about the premises; so he picked up the only articles he could see, namely, a pair of braces and two keys which were lying on the table, and jumped out again.

He had not, however, well regained the highway, when two men ran down upon him through a field, and, seizing hold of him, demanded if he had been in that house. He acknowledged

that he had. "Well," said they, come along with us." They dragged him before a magistrate, to whom the whole matter was explained. Potter attempted no concealment, on which the magistrate told him that if he persisted in his confession, he should be obliged to commit him to prison; and, as the penalty for such a crime was death, the consequences would be very serious. He rather advised him to deny, in which case he might possibly get off. Potter, however, declared that he would stand by his story; that he was so weary of life that he would be glad to get rid of it on any terms; and he was so ashamed of himself that he no longer desired to remain in the country. He was, accordingly, ordered to be committed to prison; and, as the farm house which he had robbed was within the confines of Shropshire he found himself located as a prisoner in his native town of Shrewsbury.

There he was visited by some of his old friends; and an explanation took place between him and the schoolmaster. The blunder had been committed, however; and it was too late to retrieve. As mentioned above, the offence was at the time punishable by death; which in his case, as in most others, was commuted into transportation for life. He was sent to New South Wales, with the dreary prospect before him, of a long lifetime of slavery as he was at this time only seventeen years of age.

On the passage out, and in the colony, for some time, he saw nothing but that which was bad; and soon gave himself up to all manner of wickedness. Yet it was while at the very lowest state of degradation that he first experienced the workings of God in his soul. He had been six years in the island, and was under sentence of two years' work in irons, when, by means of the preaching of a venerable minister of Christ. whose officiatings he was forced to attend. he became troubled in spirit as to his immortal interests. He made a vow that if he were once out of that oppressed condition he would serve the Lord. Yet when, a fortnight after, his sentence was mitigated, and he was sent to the Government timber-yard at Paramatta, he forgot, and broke through all his resolutions. He was the same as ever; and in three weeks contrived and effected his escape from the pena! settlement to the town of Sydney. In so doing his success was remarkable for though such attempts are frequent, they are rarely successful. The day after reaching Sydney, he went on board a sloop of war, signed her articles as an ordinary seaman, and, in two days more, set sail undetected.

The next period of his life occupied the space of several years, during which time he sailed to most parts of the known world, in different services. One singular circumstance that happened during this part of his history took place only three months after he had left Sydney