inform myself. After the prayers were concluded, and the psalm before sermon was singing, the cause was explained by the appearance of a stranger ascending the pulpit steps, and attracting all eyes towards him. I, for my own part, felt disappointed that it was not our own appointed shepherd, whose plain and wholesome doctrine always sends me home with some refreshment to my soul. However, I settled myself to hear, praying for an obedient ear, and knowing that the word, to be profitable, must be mixed with faith in them that hear it-' She paused —but begging her to proceed, she continued—

· Dare I say what I thought, and. what I judged? Shall I incur the sin of wanting charity if I speak the real sentiments of my heart? Suffice it to say, it was not Christ crucified, but the Rev. Mr. Dalland who was evidently set before our eyes-his words, which were many and high-sounding, occasionally needing explanation for the unlearned by original meanings in the original language, with a pompous display of oriental figures, a theatrical air, measured power, quick succession of tones from the pathetic to the martial, which together with the shew of the little bible, presented a picture, shall I say, of the sounding brass, hollow, noisy, and presumptuous! The multitude gazed with ignorant admiration of what sounded so fine, but which being an uncertain sound too manifestly urged none to prepare himself for the battle. You saw on every side the appearance of heated, excited feelings, and eyes flashing applause, whilst the preacher, attentive to the influence, and aware of the admiration, was animated by the zeal for self, to expatiate on his subject with increasing ardour.'

Though justly shocked at such a profanation of the pulpit, I could not help a smile as I said, ' It seems at least the preacher has obtained his purpose, for he has indelibly impressed himself upon your recollection.'

' But,' she exclaimed,' where is the love, where is the charity! he cannot be mediator between God and man! he cannot receive the many and heavy laden, and give rest unto their souls: he cannot give peace to the wounded conscience, and heal the broken heart!—No,' she indignantly said, 'he would “ break the bruised reed and quench the smoking flax."

'It is a melancholy reflection,' I answered,—' and perhaps in so large a church, there would be near two thousand souls congregated to hear-What? The sounds of emptiness. But what did you do the

preacher needed your charity.'

She started, and laying her hand on my arm, said,

Ah, faithful friend! he did.

But I bore him none, I am ashamed to confess. I was engrossed with angry indignation at the impertinent intrusion of such an empty thing into the pulpit, and forgot his necessity, as well as the pity and compassion due for the souls who had come under his preaching, but were sent empty away.'

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Let us consider such a one with the feeling of charity; and we who know where is the fountain of all love and grace, endeavour to present him there in our intercession, as one who greatly needs the divine compassions, that his own soul may be converted, and the awful responsibility of his charge to instruct sinners may be answered, by showing them the way of salvation.'

Mrs. Reynolds remained silent some time; at

last she said, 'how easy it is, under the idea of zeal to judge others, and forget to judge one's self! But now then I will tell you what will be more pleasing to our feelings,—the different things I witnessed and experienced in the evening. There was a well filled church, but the crowd was gone, the pulpit was filled by our own pastor, who out of the fullness of his 66 heart, set before" us, "all the words of this life," with earnestness persuading men "Be ye reconciled to God," on the great foundation that "God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself;" more earnest to confirm the word by the support of scripture reference, than by human eloquence. No cunningly-devised artifice, but speaking the words of soberness and truth, showed us our wretchedness without Christ, but in him the fulness of grace, and the everlasting covenant of salvation: labouring to remove all false dependences on an arm of flesh, and to fix our thoughts singly, and simply, and solidly on Christ the Rock.'

I could not help saying, truly, the earthen vessel must first be filled with the heavenly grace, before it can impart a supply to those who require the refreshings from the stream.'

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Well, now,' Mrs. Reynolds said, 'I found all this bear upon the subject of our meditation. I considered that in one of the senses of the scripture, angels is applied to messengers or ambassadors of the word, that the ministers of the seven churches are styled angels; and that they are symbolized by the seven stars, in the right hand of him who standeth in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. Where then on earth could we look with more propriety of expectation for the tongues of angels, than amongst such

as stand forth as preachers of the word of God? And most assuredly if charity be not in them, they can be but sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal.'

This brought to my mind St. Jude's characteristic of some he was enumerating who were spots in their feasts of charity, and asked my friend, if she did not recollect that he calls them wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever?'

'Yes' she answered, and it recalls another thought to my mind, which originated on reading that determined judgment of St. Paul, “ Though we, or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed;" and the occasion of this awfully stern sentence is on account of some that troubled them, and would pervert the gospel of Christ: and thus we see how even an angel must be put to proof. "To the law and to the testimony, if a man speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in him." And this strong language made me reflect much on the affecting possibility of one who had preached the truth, becoming misguided, and perverting the gospel; and that even an angel, or spirit of fire, commissioned from heaven, was still but a finite being, and liable to be charged with folly by him who is eternal Wisdom. Then my reflections pressed on to the fallen angels, and how they could assume the appearance of an angel of light, and how much it was possible for them to present a perverted view of the gospel, which was open to them to read, as well as to us. We know their intelligence on this subject, by the many things they spoke and did in the time of Christ.'

D

'We may,' I said,' be thankful to the Lord for two things, as a sure protection on this point;--that the angels are elect angels, appointed and preserved a living shining light, a flame of heavenly fire inextinguishable; and that the word of God, the law, and the testimony, abideth for ever! The gospel of God is the "everlasting gospel."'

'True; but then we cannot forget the important moment, when Satan, the chief of the devils or fallen angels, tempted our great Surety and second Adam, our living Head, by this very means, by perverting the word. And perhaps we may say, in all the various religious perversions this is the operating cause. The heresies, the untrue doctrines, the fancies of imagination, the delusion of the senses and understanding, are engendered and fostered by perverting the word of truth; and we see therefore, how indispensably necessary it is, in reading, or hearing, or writing the word, to be attentive to the whole combinations of every passage of holy writ, with its bearing upon the context; to accustom the mind to a minute observation of the word, that we may be individually guarded from straying, and prepared for the detection of false quotations or glosses.'

I heartily assented to these remarks, and said, ' I observe, that this is a busy and a favourite device of Satan in the present day; and the subtle spirit of evil, ever on the watch to seize the advantage of the passing fashion, or the popular pursuit, turns his attempts to meet the circumstances by which the mind is engrossed. Thus the love of languages, and the extraordinary progress made in literature and sciences, afford an ample field for his hostilities against the truth and the souls of men: for when