"THE REDEMPTION OF THEIR SOUL IS PRECIOUS."

PSALM xlix. 8.

To redeem, is to set free a prisoner, by discharging for him his debt. How is it, then, that we are all said in the Scripture to need redemption? How are we prisoners? It is not a bodily captivity, we know, because that is a condition which comparatively few of us experience. It is a spiritual bondage. We are "bound with the chain of our sins." We are "by nature and by practice too the wretched slaves of sin," "led captive by the devil at his will." How can we be loosened from this chain? Who shall give "liberty to the captive" soul? Who shall deliver us from the snares of our spiritual adversary? Hear what the Lord saith in his blessed Word of Truth? He hath "heard the groaning of such as are in captivity." He "will deliver the children appointed unto death." "He will break their bonds in sunder, and cast away their cords from them." We are all of us "sold under sin," and utterly unable of ourselves to pay the least farthing; but we have also been "bought with a price." Not with silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, if so be we have been baptized into his death, and believe in his ransom. We are then "prisoners of hope."

"Let us look up and sing,

In hope of promised spring."

Though our enemy, the devil, is continually tempting us, and trying, as it were, to fasten on again those heavy galling chains with which we were bound; yet is the redemption of our souls so precious to God and our Saviour, that there is ever a way made to escape; and if we "will be free, we shall be free indeed." "Sin shall not have dominion over us ;" and at length we shall be entirely "delivered from the bands of those sins we have committed;" and our song shall be, "Thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory, through Jesus Christ our Lord." P. S. L.

DAY OF HUMILIATION IN IRELAND.

THE Archbishop of Armagh, Primate of Ireland, has ordered a day of prayer and humiliation to be kept, on

account of the scarcity and famine now afflicting that country. The admirable exhortation sent forth by his Grace, to be read in the churches on Sunday the 25th, will edify all our readers.

"You are requested to take notice, that, by direction of the Lord Primate, there will be Divine Service in this church, and in all the churches of the diocese of Armagh, on Friday next, the 30th inst. And I am desired to exhort you, dearly beloved, to assemble and meet together on that day, that we may make our common supplications to our heavenly Father, as a public acknowledgment, in this time of dearth and scarcity, that we despise not the chastisement which He has laid upon us, in withholding the wonted provision of food on which the poor of this country principally depend for their subsistence. We are taught in his Holy Word, that it is for the wickedness of them that dwell therein,' that 'he maketh a fruitful land barren. Our transgressions have kindled the anger of the Lord against us, and have drawn down his displeasure. It is our duty, therefore, to 'humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God';' to 'confess our manifold sins and wickedness, with an humble, lowly, penitent, and obedient heart;' to beseech Him that He would not remember our offences, nor the offences of our forefathers, neither take vengeance of our sins; but that He would graciously look upon our afflictions,' 'pitifully behold our sorrows,' mercifully forgive our sins,' and 'favourably hear our prayers;' that He would make speed to save us,' and 'make haste to help us.' And while I exhort all of you, my dear brethren, to join together in these our common supplications,' I am especially to encourage the poor and needy to draw near the throne of grace, and call upon God in the time of their trouble, who hath promised to hear their cry, and to help them. Let them come into his courts,' and pour out their hearts before Him, and 'make known their requests unto God,' that He may grant them patience under their sufferings, and a happy issue out of all their afflictions.'

6

"And such as are possessed of wealth and abundance, I exhort, not only to pray for those who are in distress, but to relieve them to the utmost of their power; to 'open their hands wide unto their brethren1; to deal their bread to the hungry, and when they see the naked to cover them; that the blessing of them that were ready to perish may come upon them3.

6

"And, that I may be pure from the blood of all men,' it is also incumbent on me to warn those who are still impenitent and hardened in heart, that they continue not to sin with a high hand. Let the calamity with which we are now visited lead them to repent, and to remember (as admonished by the Church in her Commination Service) how dreadful is 'the judgment hanging over our heads, and always ready to fall upon us. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. For, lo, the Lord is come out of His place to visit the wickedness of such as dwell upon the earth. But who may abide the day of his coming? Who shall be able to stand when He appeareth? His fan is in his hand, and He will purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the barn; but He will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire. Then shall it be too late to knock when the door shall be shut; and too late to cry for mercy when it is the time of justice.' Therefore, brethren, take we heed betime, while the day of salvation lasteth; for the night cometh, when none can work. Let us not abuse the goodness of God, who calleth us mercifully to amendment, and of his endless pity promiseth us forgiveness of that which is past, if with a perfect and true heart we return unto Him. For though our sins be as red as scarlet they shall be made as white as snow; and though they be like purple, yet they shall be made white as wool. Turn ye,' saith the Lord, from all your wickedness, and your sins shall not be your destruction.' 'Although we have sinned, yet have we an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and He is the propitiation for our sins. For He was wounded for our offences, and smitten for our wickedness. Let us, there

fore, return unto Him, who is the merciful receiver of all true penitent sinners; assuring ourselves that He is ready to receive us, and most willing to pardon us, if we come unto Him with faithful repentance; if we submit ourselves unto Him, and from henceforth walk in his ways; if we will take his easy yoke and light burden upon us, and follow Him in lowliness, patience, and charity, and be ordered by the governance of his Holy Spirit, seeking always his glory, and serving Him duly in our vocation with thanksgiving.' This, if we do, Christ will not only deliver us from the 'bitter pains of eternal death,' but will cause our light affliction, which is but for a moment,' to 'work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory' in his everlasting kingdom, unto which He vouchsafe to bring us all, for his infinite mercy. Amen."

IMMINENT PERIL OF THE "GREAT WESTERN" STEAMER. THE "Great Western" arrived at New York on the 30th ult., after having experienced a hurricane. On the 19th, a sea struck the ship, which smashed the larboard paddle-box to atoms, sprung the spring-beam, &c.; a splinter struck the captain on the head, and would have knocked him overboard, but he was caught in the nettings. On the 21st, she was again in the greatest danger, from a tornado, which burried the gunwales of the vessel in the sea. The ship leaked on her arrival in port. It is sufficient to say, that but for the remarkably good qualities of the ship, and skill and good conduct of the officers and crew, no hope of escape could have been entertained, except through miraculous interposition. And, indeed, as all who were on board freely and gratefully acknowledged, the hand of God alone saved, or could save them at the very height of the tempest; and when the hatches were battened down, the spars and boats torn away, and the water gaining on the pumps, a religious service, than which one more solemn cannot be imagined, was held in the cabin, and the Holy Communion was administered by the Rev. Mr. Balch, a minister of the episcopal Church, to more than ninety persons, who partook of the

Holy Eucharist, many of them for the first time, but all with the conviction that it would be the last, and that death was immediately before them. A holy calm, however, prevailed within the cabin, and reeling and staggering as went the tempest-tossed ship from wave to wave, there were within her bosom stedfast hearts and eyes that looked heavenwards with faith that could not be shaken.

There were several clergymen on board, of whom Dr. Beacher (eighty-seven years of age) was one, and all lent themselves to calm, to comfort, and to exhort their fellow-beings in the hour of their extremity. Happily, the storm passed away, and the good ship, broken, but not overwhelmed, reached the haven where she would be. A purse of 2001. was made up by the passengers, to be presented to the captain, officers, and crew of the "Great Western ;" and another sum of 350 dollars was subscribed to constitute the beginning of a fund for the relief of those families whose heads or supporters have perished at sea. The fund in commemoration of the great storm, and the great deliverance experienced by the passengers, is to be designated and known as "The Great Western Fund;" and trustees are named to take charge of the subscriptions and all future bequests. It was a fitting mode of displaying gratitude to God for their own deliverance; thus, in the hour of their safety, to think upon those who may be less favoured; and no doubt that there will be emulation from both sides of the Atlantic, to make this a substantial and productive fund. Copied from the Church and State Gazette for Oct. 16, 1846.

ON THE LORD'S SUPPER.

MAN is not merely the being with animal life; but that which inhabits the body-the spirit, that is the man; the body without the spirit is a corpse-lifeless clay. The mere body, which is but the shell, as it were, cannot be supported without food: in the same way the spirit cannot be supported without food. But a corpse requires no food, nor can it receive any; there must be life. In