abated energy. Every week did the pastor, who had laboured faithfully and zealously to impress their spiritual concerns on his flock, return at the bead of 260 of his people, to labour with his hands; the spirit of emulation spread, numbers of fresh workmen flocked in every succeeding day-contributions, raised through his influence in Strasbourg, and other places, poured in to enable him to pay the workmen, and defray all other expenses. Walls were raised, the course of torrents directed into new channels; and in short, incredible exertions were made, which at length were amply rewarded, and the practical wisdom of the undertaking displayed, in the safe, easy, and regular communication, opened by means of the new road and the new bridge between the five hitherto separated villages. (To be concluded in our next.) and, like all other bad men who endeavour to induce others to commit crime, he knew of an agent which would effectually assist him to prevail upon W. to do the fatal deed. That agent was ardent spirits, the universal stimulus to crime. He accordingly gave it to him, not in such quantities as completely to intoxicate hin, but moderately, only enough to destroy what littie conscience he had, and yet leave him, in a considerable degree, the possession of his faculties. After he had drank the rum, he went and lay down to sleep in the skirts of a wood, where they expected to commit the murder. In a little wuile, another man, who had been employed to assist in this work, came and woke him up, and said to him, if we mean to do any thing, we had better do it now.' W. accordingly rose, and they went together. When they came to their victim, Jack shot at him, and then his accomplice took the gun and beat him over the head till he was THE INFLUENCE OF RELIGION EXHIBITED dead. THE following remarks by Mr Abbott, in reference to "The prisons of our country may be considered as hospitals, moral hospitals; where those whose disease has become so violent and malignant that it is no longer safe to allow thein to go at large in society, are shut up, so that they can injure no one, at least for a time. It has been, and it is now, the practice, in many countries, to shut up these miserable victims together, and leave them to theinselves. Of course they grew worse and worse. The practice is as absurd as it would be to send a hundred patients in all the stages of fever, consumption, and plague, into one great crowded hospital together, with no physician, no medicine, and no attendants but turnkeys, and there to leave them; each one, by the unobstructed intercommunication, conveying his own peculiar infection to all the rest; the whole exposed to every cause that can aggravate disease, and thus forming one living mass of pestilence and corruption. Such bave been a great many prisons, and those who entered them came out far worse than when they went in. "Some philanthropists formed, some years ago, the plan of visiting these prisons, and carrying the Bible there, believing that its moral power would be great enough to cure even those desperate cases of disease. And it has succeeded. A vast number of the most abandoned men have been entirely reformed by it. I do not mean that they have pretended to be reformed while in the prison, but have been proved to have been reformned by their good conduct after having been restored to society, when the time of their imprisonment had expired." The following interesting narrative affords ample illustration of the truth of these remarks. 66 rant. "Two persons were hung for this crime, and W. the Bible-I-n. there are in it?' "Two,' the prisoner would reply, after examin ing it. 66 6 If Yes,' answers the teacher. The first letter is called i; the second, n. These letters are very common in the Bible, and in all reading. See if you can find another n, anywhere on this page.' "The prisoner then would look very attentively along the lines until he found the letter required. he made a mistake, and found an m or an r instead, the teacher would explain the difference, and call his attention more fully to the true form of the n. He would also explain the difference between the capital and small i, and shew his pupil that be must expect to find the small i, generally. He would then leave him, asking him to find as many of these letters as he could before the teacher should come again. "The next lesson would be the next word—the ; and thus the pupil would go on slowly, spelling his way until he had learned to read for himself. The attempt was proposed to W., and he commenced it, and, although considerably advanced in life, he made no little progress in his work. He soon was able to read well, and as the truths of the word of God came hon e to his mind, they produced their usual effects there. They led him to see his sins, and to feel them, and they led him to come to the Saviour for pardon. whole character was changed; but I must allow him to describe this change in his own words. His "These words were taken down by the same gentleman whom I have mentioned before. He visited tim in prison, and, after first conversing with him in regard to the crime for which he had been committed, asked him, "There lived in one of the middle States, some years ago, a man whom I shall call W. I suppress his real name. His character was bad, and he lived with another man, whose character was worse than his own. "Ilis employer having some quarrel with another man, wanted W to kill him. He endeavoured, for five or six months, to induce him to do it, but he did not succeed. W., however, shewed a degree of indecision about it, which encouraged his wicked employer to per-pear to you?' severe. A good man would have refused an application like that, in such a manner, that it never would have been renewed. “The employer, however, understood Lis character, "W., how do this and all your other sins now ap Very great,' said he, but this does not appear so great as all my other sins against God, cursing and swearing, and getting drunk. When I first began to reflect in my cell, I saw my sins so great, that I felt I could not be forgiven. I was sitting down one day at my work in the prison, and the chaplain came along and asked me my crime. I told him. “'That,' said he, is one of the greatest crimes; but then you may remember David's sin, and he was forgiven. Let your crime be as great as it will, pray to God, and put your trust in him, and you shall find rest to your soul.' He told me also, that if I could not read, he would visit me in my cell, and put me in the way. I stall ever love him while God gives me breath; I shall love the chaplain, for he put me in the way to save my soul. He persuaded me to go to God, and try to find mercy, and yet, master, I had a doubt in my heart, my sins were so heavy, whether I should be forgiven. The chaplain soon left me, and I went into my cell, and poured out my heart to God, to have mercy on me. But the more I prayed, the more miserable I grew. Heavier and heavier were my sins. "The next day Mr B. came along, and I asked him to read a chapter to me. As God would have it, he turned to the 55th chapter of Isaiah. It said, Every ote that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that ith no money, come ye, buy wine and milk without price.' He read along to where the prophet says, 'Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For any thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.' "I found this gave me great encouragement to go on to pray, to see if I could find relief from all my troubles, the load of sin that was on my heart. "A night or two after that the chaplain came to my cell, and asked me how I felt. I told him my sins were greater than I could bear, so guilty, so heavy. Ile asked me if I thought praying would make my sins any less; I gave him no answer. He soon left me, and I went again to prayer. I was almost fit to expire. In all my sorrows I had not a right sorrow. My sorrow was because I had sinned against man. "The Sunday following, just after I had carried my dinner into my cell, I put my dinner down, and I went to prayer. I rose, and just as 1 rose from my prayer, the chaplain was at the door. We are all guilty creatures,' he said to ine, ' and we cannot be saved, except God, for Christ's sake, will save us. If we pray and go to God, we must go in the name of Jesus Christ; if we expect to be saved, we must be saved through the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ.' Then I picked up encouragement. 6 "The sins which you have committed,' he went on, are against your fellow-creatures, but they are much Lore against God.' Now, I never knew before that they were against God. When the chaplain left me, I went to prayer again. I could eat nothing that day. I did not eat a mouthful. "* I recollected at that time that a minister had told me, whenever I had a chapter read, to have the 51st Psalm. I could not see any body to get to read it, and How to find it I did not know; and the Sunday follow ing, before the keeper unlocked the door, I rose up and went to prayer, and I prayed, O Lord, thou knowest I am ignorant, brought up in ignorance. Thou knowest my bringing up. Nothing is too hard for thee to do. May it please thee, O Lord, to shew me that chapter, that I may read it with understanding.' I rose from prayer, and went to my Bible, and took it up. I began the first psalm, and turned over and counted every psalin, and it appeared to me that God was with me, and I counted right to the 51st psalm. I could read a little, and I began to spell H1-a-v-e m-e-r-c-y, &c. I looked over the psalm, and spelt it, and read it, and then put the Bible down, and fell upon my knees, and prayed. 'Have mercy upon me, O God: according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquities, and cleanse me from my sins; for my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight; that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and clear when thou judgest.' "When I came to the words, Deliver me from blood-guiltiness,' I was struck dumb. I could not say any more at that time. I fell upon my knees, and prayed to God to have mercy upon me for Christ's sake. But I only grew more and more miserable. The load of my sins was heavier and heavier. "All that I had ever done came plain and open in my sight, and I was led to see that I must perish; there was no help for me; all my sin was upon my own head.' 66 Such is the miserable criminal's account of the suffering to which he was brought, by the sense of guilt which the Bible was the means of fastening upon his soul. lle continued in this state for some time, until at last, as he himself describes it, one day when he was praying in his cell, his burden of guilt was removed. He felt that he might hope for pardon through Jesus Christ. The relief which this feeling brought over his mind seems to have been almost indescribable. Every thing wore a new aspect; even the gloomy prison seemed a cheerful and happy place. His expressions of joy would appear almost extravagant to any person, not sufficiently acquainted with the human mind to understand how the whole aspect of external objects will be controlled by the emotions which reign in the heart. W. concluded his narration in these words. "And ever since that, master, this place, where I have been confined, has been to me more like a palace than a prison; every thing goes agreeable. I find I have a deceitful heart, but Jesus tells me, if I lack knowledge, he will always lend, if I cast my care on Jesus, and not forget to pray. It is my prayer morning and evening that I may hold out. If I die here, let me die, Lord, in thine arms. I have great reason to bless this institution, and every stone in it.' Now, although it is not very common to obtain, in writing, aceounts of changes of character among couvicts, so full and minute as this, yet the cases themselves are common; so common, that where a prison is regulated in such a manner that the prisoners are not exposed to evil influence from each other, and the Bible has the opportunity to try its power, the whole aspect of the prison is changed.” To shew still further the power of religious instruction over the minds of even the worthless inmates of a prison, we may select from the same writer, an account of a SABBATH SCHOOL in the prison at Charlestown, Massachusetts. "When we came up to the iron door in the front of the building, we found several gentlemen who had come over from Boston to act as teachers in the Sabbath school, waiting there for admission. "When all the prisoners had gone into the chapel, the outer door was opened by a keeper, and we all passed in; the heavy door was swung-to behind us, and its strong bolt secured, We turned from the entry into that end of the building which was used as a chapel. There was an aisle passing up the centre, on each side of which were seats half filled with the convicts. The chaplain stood in a pulpit at the further end, and on each side of him were the teachers, gentlemen from Boston, who had come to assist these unhappy men to read and to understand the word of God. "The congregation presented a singular and striking appearance. Had it not been for their dress, I might have forgotten that I was in a prison. But they were all dressed in coarse clothes of two colours, one side of the body being red, and the other of some different hue. This is the uniform of crime. The object of it is, I suppose, not to mortify them with a perpetual badge of disgrace, but to expose any one who should by any means escape, to immediate detection by the inhabitants of the country around. "Is it possible, thought I, as I looked over this most interesting assembly, that all these men have come voluntarily this morning to read and study the word of God? Yes, that was the fact. This exercise was entirely voluntary, and out of two or three hundred who had been condemned for crime, about one-half were accustomed to come voluntarily on Sabbath morning to study the book which proclaims from heaven free forgiveness of every sin. Не "The chaplain opened the school with prayer. then explained to the teachers, that the plan to be pursued was simply to hear the prisoners read the Bible, and explain its contents to them. He desired them to confine their conversation strictly to the business in hand, and requested the prisoners not to ask, and the teachers not to answer, any questions relating to other subjects. He then distributed the teachers around the room, giving each one a small class. Three convicts fell to my charge. "I opened the New Testament, and let them read in rotation; and more apparently humble and docile students of the Bible I never saw. They read slowly and with hesitation, and I thought at first with a little embarrassment; this, however, soon passed away, and it was most interesting to watch the eager expression upon their countenances as the various truths, which were such glad tidings to them, came to view. We read the parables of the one sheep and the one piece of money, which was lost, Luke xv., and it seemed as if the whole chapter was written expressly for prisoners. "One of these convicts, after expressing a strong interest in these parables, said that the Bible appeared like a very different book to him now from what it did in former times. "What caused you to disbelieve it formerly? Was it the influence of bad company?' 66 6 Why, sir, to be frank, it was ignorance. I had not studied it. I had read a little here and there, but not attentively, or with a right spirit.' "What led you to change your views of it?' "I did not change my views until I came to this institution. I had some days of solitary confinement when I first came, with no book but the Bible; and when I first began to reflect, I recollected that a Christian family, whom I once lived with, seemed to enjoy more real and substantial happiness than any other persons I ever saw; and this led me to think there might possibly be something in religion. So I thought I would examine the Bible in earnest, and I found it a very different book from what I had supposed. I took a very strong interest in it, and at last a minister preached a sermon here from the text, What shall I do to inherit eternal life?' and that, I hope, led me to the Saviour. I hope and trust that I have really given my heart to God.' "I told him that what he said gave me great pleasure, and that I hoped he would persevere in Christian duty, and find the Bible a source of happiness to him as long as he should live. "When I first came to this institution,' he replied, 'I thought it was rather a hard case to be shut up here so long. My time is, however, almost out. In a few weeks I shall go away, but if I have really been led to see and forsake my sins, I shall never have any reason to regret coming here.' "The chaplain about this time gave notice that it was time for the services to be closed, and I could not converse with my other scholars much. One of them told me, however, that he had been brought up by pious parents, and had read the Bible when he was a child; It was, however,' said he, only to please my parents. gave no heed to it. I have found it, since I came to this institution, a very different book.' I "I afterwards learned that there was as much reason, as under the circumstances there could be, to hope that all three of these criminals had really repented of sin, and found peace with God, and that they would return to society to be useful and happy while they live, and admitted to heaven when they die. "Such cases as these, too, are becoming very numerous in prisons where the convicts are separated from each other, and exposed to the influence of the word of God. Since this plan has been adopted, in this very prison the results have been most decisive. The number of prisoners, and especially of recommitments, is very much reduced; and the whole number of convicts, which was formerly 375, has been reduced, under the operation of this system, to 225, and is now constantly reducing." DISCOURSE.' BY THE REV. DAVID STRONG, "But the path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is as darkness."-PROV. iv. 18, and first clause of 19th verse. WE cannot help being struck, in the perusal of the Sacred Writings, with their happy adaptation to the faculties and understandings of the plainest men. Profound arguments can be followed and comprehended by very few; abstract and didactic statements become dry and uninteresting; but when the instruction which it is the purpose of a teacher to convey, is enclosed in a parable, illustrated by a comparison, or associated with some pleasing or familiar idea, the impression is instantly and pleasingly made upon that delightful faculty which marches as a discoverer in advance of the judgment-we mean the imagination. This plan accordingly prevails through a large proportion of the inspired volume; and our blessed Lord himself, who knew well what was in man, has sanctioned the method, by his own almost invariable practice. An instance of this mode of imparting the lessons of heavenly wisdom, occurs in the beautiful image made use of by the wise man in our text. What contemplation in the moral world more interesting than the steady, heavenward course of the righteous man? and what more glorious object could be selected in the natural creation, to suggest a vivid picture of this progress, than the advancing brilliancy of the morning's light? About the meaning of the expression," the path of the just," we can entertain no doubt. Were there any unfallen men in this world, we should at once apply the description to them; but being aware, on the best authority, that there are none of such a character, we turn | it is a death in trespasses and sins. He will obto those who are justified, and progressively sanctain clearer views of the subtle and disguised tified, through a union with the Saviour, and we workings of corruption-he will be more thofind it beautifully emblematical of their history. roughly satisfied of the desperate alienation of the What a warmth of fresh and delightful feeling human heart from God-he will acquiesce more does it awaken in the mind, when we think of the completely in that description of our helpless early dawn, as its first streaks tinge the eastern estate, which avers, that there is "in us no good horizon-then of the grey light deepening into the thing," that "how to perform that which is good we rosy glow that intimates the sun's approach- find not," and that we are, in consequence, children then of the full radiance of the blazing orb of day and heirs of wrath. He will, accordingly, be con-then of his triumphant march up the steep as- ducted to a more profound view of the value and cent of heaven-and then of the full splendour of importance of that work which was finished at his beams as he attains the majesty of noon! If Calvary, to a more unreserved renunciation of it is essential to a similitude that it should dignify every claim to divine favour, on the ground of his the subject which it is used to elucidate, the light own good works, and to a more heartfelt convicof heaven which the Creator commanded into be- tion, that he must be justified by faith alone. He ing, is surely the most perfect image which we will discern more unequivocally as his experience can conceive, to represent the light of spiritual advances, the necessity of that thorough change life. The renewed man is found of God in a of heart which the Scriptures call "being renewed" condition of moral darkness; but as the knowledge and "born again," and in the accomplishment of of saving truth gradually manifests itself in its re- which, the Holy Spirit is the agent. The Christgenerating power, his graces deepen in intensity, ian knowledge of these vital points goes on, we and increase in strength, till others see his good say, perpetually augmenting towards the brightworks, and till he is in some degree meet for the ness of that perfect day, when, every shadow of inheritance of the saints in light. doubt and ignorance dispelled, his faith shall be turned into vision, and he shall see the Highest as face to face. Sadly does the life of the unregenerate contrast with this bright career: for, "the way of the wicked is as darkness." Ignorant of the true light, without its guidance, devoid of its consolations, without experience, without hope, the cheerless bewildered soul must pass into the blackness of darkness for ever. In addressing you for a little upon this topic, we shall endeavour to point out some of the marks of the Christian's progress towards the perfection of heaven; and then contrast this progress with "the way of the wicked." The first mark which we shall specify of the Christian's progress towards heavenly perfection is, that his knowledge is gradually increasing. He can know no more, some may reply, than the truths which are stated in the Revealed Word; and what beyond these does he require to learn? We answer that he must advance in the knowledge of those objects with which he has already been made acquainted-in his perception of the loveliness of the divine character-in a subjective acquaintance with himself, with his own condition in consequence of sin, with his weaknesses and wants; and farther, in his perception of the full and perfect adaptation of the Gospel remedy to every symptom of his case. We allude to a very ancient distinction that has been noticed, between the increase of knowledge extensively, and its increase intensively; "which latter is equivalent to a profound and growing feeling ;" and thus does a Christian come to discover, as has been pointedly remarked, that " he who gives himself up to all righteousness, is guided into all truth." It must be very evident, that the more a heaven-taught man devotes himself to serious meditation, sitting like a coroner upon a soul which is naturally dead, the more witnesses will present themselves to attest the real cause of its condition, namely, that The second mark of the Christian's progress, which we shall specify, is that his humility is deepening. The unawakened transgressor goes on from day to day, thinking that he is doing no particular harm, and that if he has his faults, he must just try to get the better of them. But the knowledge of his unworthiness, which we lately spoke of, prostrates him who is enlightened, in the dust and ashes of self-abasement; while the inability experienced in bygone days, to do what heaven requires, creates an utter distrust of his own resolutions for the future. When our first parents were in a condition of innocence, the tempter got admission to their minds, and led them into a direful act of disobedience; and how much more is he to be dreaded by those to whose propensities evil is congenial? Noah, who had so wonderfully witnessed the power and consequences of moral degeneracy-Moses the meek, who had conversed with Jehovah-and Aaron, who witnessed his terrors and his goodness in the wilderness, yet fell into sin. So did David, the inspired singer of Israel, and Solomon, the wisest among men, and Judas, who was the treasurer amidst our Lord's disciples, and Peter, who was so eminent a pastor over the flock of the good Shepherd. When he who is wise unto salvation finds his own proneness to offend in accordance with the infirmities so signally manifested in the history of the Church, he says, how much more does it become me to put no confidence in the flesh, but to look up to Him who alone is able to keep me from falling! As the genius who has arrived at the highest proficiency in any art or science, finds it hardest to please himself with his own work, and sees best the inferiority of his attainments to the standard of perfection, so the saint who entertains served, and to place their candle under a bushel. What is there so little apt to be mistaken as the beams of day? Meteors that flash across the sky, and for a moment dazzle our sight, may perplex the traveller in the darkness of night; but as to the clear and progressive light of the sun there can be no misconception. There ought to be as little possibility of doubt about a good man's way, of what sort it is. He must be seen to leave ini the loftiest views of the holy character of God, will form the most lowly and shrinking estimate of his own strength and performances. His conscience becoming always more easily offended, his consciousness of offences will be more frequently awakened. The thought of his liability to do that which is so bad in its nature, and so horrible in its effects, will bring him often to sit at the foot of the cross in the sackcloth of humility, and will often cause the smile of celestial hope and confi-quity behind him-to be regulated in his choice dence to beam through tears. There is an indescribable beauty that invests this grace of humility when beheld even by the eye of ordinary observation; and what a pearl of price must it appear to him who said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God." and his wishes by the will of his Saviour-to be eager to follow whithersoever the Spirit will guide hin-to be a pattern to others, shaming the vicious, and stimulating the well disposed-to exhibit the character of Heaven in its purity and majesty, and to resemble that blessed worthy, whose short but glorious memorial was this, "that he pleased God." Christ, who left us such a pattern, was the true light which lighteth every man : and that light must each one reflect from his character and history, who shall melt away at last into the brightness of the perfect day. It is a fourth mark of the Christian's progress, that his affection for the things of time is diminishing. Where the treasure is, there will the heart be also. As any body rises above the ground, up into the regions of space, that which philosophers call the attraction of gravitation affects it less and less; and if it could be elevated sufficiently, the earth would at length lose its power over it altogether, and it would be drawn away towards some other planet. This explains, in the way of illustration, the process which takes place with respect to the human soul. Through the operation of grace, its affections are progressively exalted towards Him who reigns above. It sours higher and higher on the wings of faith and love It is a third mark of the Christian's progress, that his desire and alacrity to do the will of God are becoming more ardent. This is the result of all that he knows of the Sovereign of the Universe, since He delights in righteousness. This is the natural result of the unreserved admission of Gospel truth into the mind, since those who believe in God must be careful to maintain good works. There is none other way of proving that we are the subjects of the divine government. There is none other mode of shewing that we are truly walking in the path of the just, or righteous, than by abounding in the deeds of righteousness. The creed of Antinomians is a refuge of lies, and their practice is a demonstration that they are on the broad way that leadeth to destruction. The Bible tells us of the motives to action-it furnishes us with maxims and rules of conduct-it points out to each of us the duties of his sphere-it directs our contemplation to that spotless model, the High Priest of our profession-and it shews us that human virtue, though it "has nothing to do in furnishing us with a claim to the reward of heaven, yet in the character fitting us for it, is all in all." This information which we possess respecting the will of our Father who is above, is the spring and the directory of the Christian's behaviour. That the Lord hath commanded it, is his reason for obedience; that the Lord loveth the ways of uprightness, is enough to draw his steps into the paths of the upright. God can, unquestionably, look upon our hearts, though we were incapable of performing a single act in his service. Superior orders of intelligence may discern the sentiments of our bosoms, since there is joy in heaven over a sinner that repenteth; but from the expression used in the text, that the path There is a sort of sentimental poetry, which of the just shineth more and more, we gather, that some people appear to mistake for the genuine their fellow-men must be able to observe and to exaltation of the spirit above a debasing devotadmire it. It is only the wicked that cometh notedness to perishable pleasures: but such effusions to the light, lest his deeds should be made known are the mere expressions of disappointment, disChristians are to be epistles of Jesus, known of content, or a morbid, vain fancy-they are based all men they are, without ostentation, to let their upon no enlightened views of that which constilight shine before men; and the blessedness istutes the real worthlessness of this world, and on thus to be theirs, of leading many to righteous- no fixed and rational preference of those possesness. The best men require to be admonished to sions which never grow stale. Many men, from be far more decided in their profession than they the want of a cheerful submission to their Father's are; for they are prone to be backward and re-will, are dissatisfied with their present condition, the attractive power, which formerly chained it to the world, loses by degrees its influence-and when at length its sanctification is complete, it shall regard Him, who is its portion, as the chief among ten thousand, and altogether lovely. It is a most unfavourable symptom of a man's religion, when he finds his heart strongly set on temporal gratifications, and greatly satisfied by them. Far be from us the thought of lightly esteeming the comforts given by a gracious Providence; but it behoves us to remember, that the things lent to us here are merely temporary means, preparatory to an everlasting end; and these things, unhappily, Satan converts into instruments, whereby to turn our affections, and effect our destruction. |