A REMARKABLE INSTANCE OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE.

99

a new supply; but he found his mind quite calm and composed, relying on a gracious God, who neither wanted power nor means to supply his wants. He went to prayer with his family, and then to rest, and slept soundly till morning. Before he was up, he heard a knock at his door, and on going to see who was there, he saw a man standing with a horse loaded, who asked if his name was Caleb. He answered in the affirmative, and the man immediately desired him to help to take down the load from the horse. Caleb asked what it was, he replied, provision. On his enquiring who sent it, the man said he believed that God had sent it, and no other answer could Caleb obtain. When he came to examine the contents, he was struck with amazement at the quantity and variety of the articles. There were bread, flour, oatmeal, butter, cheese, salt meat and fresh, neat's tongue, &c., which served them throughout the frost, and some remained to that present time. The doctor was much affected with the account, and mentioned it in all companies where he went, in hope of finding out the benevolent donor. His attempts, however, were all in vain, till he went, about two years afterwards, to visit Dr. Talbot, a noted physician, in the city of Hereford. Dr. Talbot was a man of good moral character, and of a very generous disposition, but an infidel in principle. His wife was a godly woman, and a member of the Baptist Church, at Abergavenny, but could not attend very often on account of the distance. Dr. Stennett used to go and visit her now and then, and Dr. Talbot, though a man of no religion himself, always received Dr. Stennett with great politeness; and Dr. Stennett generally stayed a night or two at his house when he went. While they were conversing very pleasantly one evening, Dr. Stennett, with a view of introducing something entertaining and profitable, spoke of the great efficacy of prayer, and instanced the case of poor Caleb. As he was relating the affair, Dr. Talbot smiled, and said, "Caleb! I shall never forget him as long as I live." "What! did you know him?" said Dr. Stennett. "I

man you mean.

had but very little knowledge of him," said Dr. Talbot, "but by your description, I know he must be the same Dr. Stennett was very anxious to hear what account Dr. Talbot had to give of him, upon which Dr. Talbot freely related the following circumstances. During the summer previous to the hard winter abovementioned, he was riding on horseback for the benefit of the air, as was his usual custom when he had a leisure hour; and he generally chose to ride among the hills, it being more pleasant, rural, and romantic. A few farmhouses were dispersed here and there, and a few little cots. As he was riding along, he observed a number of people assembled in a barn, and his curiosity led him to ride up to the barn door to learn the cause of their assembling. He found to his great surprise, that there was a man preaching to a vast number of people, and he stopped till the service was ended. He observed that the people were very attentive to what the preacher said, and one man in particular attracted his notice. He had a little Bible in his hand, and turned to every passage of Scripture the minister quoted. Dr. Talbot wondered to see how ready he was, for a man of his appearance, in turning to the places, and likewise noticed that his Bible was full of dog's-ears, that is, the corners of the leaves turned down very thick. When the service was over, he walked his horse gently along, in order to observe the people, and the poor man whom he so particularly noticed, happened to walk by his side. The doctor entered into conversation with him, asked many questions concerning the meeting and the minister, and found the poor man to be more intelligent than he could have expected. He enquired also about the man, his employment, his family, his name, which he said was Caleb. After the doctor had satisfied his curiosity, he rode off, and thought no more about Caleb till the great frost came on the following winter. He was one night in bed, but could not tell for certain whether he was asleep or awake, when he thought he heard a voice say, “Send provision to Caleb." He was a little startled at first, but concluding it to be a

JUVENILE MISSIONARY EFFORT, MACCLESFIELD.

101

dream, endeavoured to compose himself to sleep. It was not long before he imagined he heard the same words repeated, but louder and stronger. He then awoke his wife, and told her what he had heard; but she persuaded him that it could be no other than a dream, and he soon fell asleep again. The doctor's mind, however, was so much impressed that he could not sleep. He turned and tossed himself about for some time, till at last he heard the voice so powerful, saying, "Get up and send provision to Caleb," that he could resist no longer; he got up, called his man, and bade him bring the horse. He then went to his larder, and stuffed a pair of panniers as full as he possibly could with whatever he could find, and having assisted the man to load the horse, bade him take the provision to Caleb. Caleb," said the man! "What, Caleb, sir?" "I know very little of him," said the doctor, "but his name is Caleb, he is a collier, and lives among the hills; let the horse go, and you will be sure to find him." The man seemed to be under the same influence as his master, which accounts for his telling Caleb, "God sent it, I believe."

The above narrative is a striking exemplification of that sweet promise, “They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing ;" and if you deem it worthy of a place on the pages of your excellent periodical, the "School-hive," you will oblige the copyist, by inserting it thereon.

A GLEANER.

JUVENILE MISSIONARY EFFORT, MACCLES

FIELD.

ON Sunday, the 6th instant, sermons were preached, morning and evening; and a Missionary meeting was held, in the afternoon of the same day, in the school-room. The chair was occupied by Mr. Burgess, Superintendent of the school, and the meeting was addressed by the Sunday-school teachers. The addresses were characterized by simplicity, perspicuity, brevity, and fervour. The meeting, which was well attended, and judiciously presided

over, by Mr. Burgess, appeared highly interested and gratified.

I am happy to state that the proceeds of the meeting, sermons and cards, far exceeded those of last year. R. ABERCROMBIE.

PARABLES FROM DR. KRUMMACHER.
(Translated by William Walker.)

I.

THE PERSIAN, THE JEW, AND THE CHRISTIAN.

A JEW entered a temple of the Persians, and there beheld the sacred fire. He said to the priest, "How! do you worship fire?" "Not the fire," answered the priest; "it is the earthly type of the sun and his warming rays." Thereupon the Jew asked, "Do you honour the sun as your deity? Know you not that it is but a creature of the Almighty ?" "That we know," said the priest; "but sensual man requires an earthly symbol to comprehend the Highest; and is not the sun the symbol of the invisible, incomprehensible fountain of light, which supports and blesses all things ?" Then answered the Israelite, "Do your people distinguish between the picture and the original? Already they call the sun their god; and descending to a still lower symbol, they kneel before an earthly flame. You charm their mortal, but blind their spiritual eye; and whilst you hold out to them the terrestrial light, you deny them the heavenly. Thou shalt make unto thee no image nor any likeness."

"How call you then the Highest Being ?" asked the priest. The Jew replied, "We call him Jehovah Adonai; that is, the Lord, who is, who was, and who will be." "Your word is grand and glorious," said the priest; "but it is dreadful." Hereupon a Christian joined them, and said, "We call him, Abba, Father." Then the Jew and the Persian looked at each other with astonishment, and said, "Your word is the nearest and most elevated! But who gives you courage to address the Eternal One in that

manner ?"

"Who," answered the Christian, "who else but the Father himself!" Thereupon he made known unto them the Revelation of the Father in the Son, and the words of reconciliation.

And when they heard, they became converted; and they lifted up their eyes to heaven, saying, full of fervour and spirit, "Father, dear Father."

And all three joined hands, and called themselves brethren.

II.

THE LION FIGHT.

One morning the consort of a mighty Eastern Prince appeared before him, weeping. Angry and in a rage, she demanded vengeance against a criminal, one who had insulted her imperial majesty. "See," said she, "the dastard professed to bring me an ornament of diamonds, but the stones were found to be false. Already he does penance for his villany in the dark dungeon; but his life must pay for the crime; I swear it by my princely dignity. I demand that you, O king, shall condemn him to the lions."

66

"O," answered the monarch, "let us not judge in anger; for how can passion do justice? It becomes a prince of the people to be free from all revenge. Is he not the vicegerent of God, and his likeness on earth?"

"Is not God angry when he thunders?" demanded the queen. "Not so," replied the king; "he doeth good even in the tempest. Oh, my beloved, man is too apt to imagine God after his own frail image."

But the queen's wrath increased, and she said, “God also hates and punishes the wicked; and he did not place the sword in the hand of royalty for nought. I only require that justice be done. The death of the culprit is decided upon; there is no escape!" "Well, then, so be it; by tomorrow's sun.'

And behold, when the appointed hour on the morrow came, and the heralds, with trumpets and kettle-drums, proclaimed the spectacle, the queen went forth with a