On reaching the Farm-House, we found that still | the afflicted saint was lingering; but it was just on the verge of glory. Resigned, without uneoncernedness; cheerful, without affectation; weaned from the world, without being unconscious of the strong ties of a husband, an infant family, and many domestic and relative enjoyments, she was sinking to the tomb with unperceived decay. One thing, and only one thing, at this time disturbed the serenity of her mind, the unavoidable departure of that beloved sister, whom imperative duties forced away. Gladly would she have retained her by her side to have received her last breath. But meek submission to the divine will sustained her under the privation; and an assurance of his presence, 8 who has said to his people, Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world,' restored the prevailing tranquillity of her soul.

tained by the contemplation of them, but shall eagerly press on till I reach the throne of the Lamb that was slain, and, falling down at his feet, give him all the praise and honour of my salvation.' In this manner did she, through her declining days, evidence her saving acquaintance with God, not only as her Maker, but also as her Redeemer, 'who giveth songs in the night.'

The last time I enjoyed the privilege of seeing this excellent woman, was in the evening of one of the longest days of that summer of which she just saw the close. After a wet and lowering day, the weather cleared up, and the descending sun was pouring the full stream of his light through the chamber window, and on the bed of Mrs B Our brief conversation was of the most affecting cast. All was peace within. The outward frame scarcely retained its immortal tenant, who It is comparatively easy for them, whose affections was ready to depart. At her request I read the last were never kindled into fervent love, and never ar- nine verses of the seventh chapter of that sublime book dently fixed on any earthly connections, coolly to con- which terminates the volume of inspiration. She listtemplate the disruption of every temporal relationship; ened with all the lively attention of one who was albut for one who enjoys the warmest and tenderest re-ready familiar with the picture, and who was daily exgard of many hearts, and who is reciprocally suscep- pecting to see the original. Nor would she allow me tible of the strongest affection, to descend into the grave to leave her without first bending at her side in prayer. zunattended by any of the beloved companions of life, When I rose from my knees, the sun's last ray fell upand alone to enter the unseen world, is truly appalling on her countenance, which already seemed to shine with to feeble nature. The spectacle of an emaciated female, light sent down from above. She grasped my hand in the prime of her days, with every temporal consider- with a strength which I deemed her incapable of exertation to make life desirable, not only without dismay, ing. Calmly and firmly she said, We shall again see nor merely with that acquiescence which protracted each other before the throne.' sorrow may produce, or that weariness of acute suffering which makes some eager to escape into the narrow house, as a refuge from misery, but, with a cheerful and longing soul, contemplating the approach of death, not as an inevitable evil, but as the door of admission to every good, was to me a scene of greater glory than the warrior risking life on the field of battle. In her chamber and situation, every external circumstance had a direct tendency to augment the native horrors of the grave, and to clothe, in the most direful garb, the king of terrors. She was advancing towards them with a DOUBTLESS, nothing is more indispensable to the exist slow and measured pace, which gave her time to view ence and advancement of true religion in the soul of any and dwell upon every object that could alarm and de- individual, than secret prayer. It is impossible to conpress her mind. But in the field, where the soldier ceive of that man as a Christian who lives in the neglect seeks a blood-stained laurel to wither on his haughty of this duty, and who has never felt any thing of its brow, or on his untimely grave, all the pomp and cir- spirit. Nothing is so essential as an evidence of our becumstance of glorious war,' as it is termed, conspire to lieving in the Lord Jesus Christ. This he himself ingive a false colouring and a delusive form to man's last timated when he appeared to Ananias, for the purpose enemy. It is forgotten, that the costly monument, of sending him as the messenger of heavenly consolation which a grateful country may raise over its defenders, to Saul of Tarsus, hitherto the most active and furious hides but a grave; and that the plaudits of admiring of the opponents of the Gospel, henceforth to be "the crowds reach not, or, if they reach, avail not at the chiefest of the apostles.' "Behold he prayeth." In throne of God. In most cases, the valour of the war-assigning this as a satisfactory reason for believing that rior is but a species of mental inebriation, which urges him into the thickest of the fight, without fear, because without reflection.

2

About this time a gentleman, whose religious sentiments were very different from Mrs B's, being at the farm, went up to see her. On leaving her chamber and joining her husband, he wept, and said, Mr BI am now persuaded, that if any thing can support in a dying hour, it is the religion of your wife.'

I

The elevated and blissful character of her thoughts cannot be better illustrated than by the reply she made to her sister, who, coming into her room early one morning, inquired how she had passed the night. have passed it,' she said, 'without sleep, but not without comfort. My mind has been engaged in dwelling upon one thought, which was suggested by the hymn you kindly read before you quitted my side last night. The thought was, that when my liberated soul enters the heavenly world, although at the very entrance, and #through all the distance I may have to pass, I shall be surrounded by ten thousand objects of unutterable glory and attraction, I shall not for a moment be de

1

I had no opportunity of revisiting G Farm until its amiable and pious mistress had been some months in heaven. The short remainder of her earthly pilgrimage was of the same tenor with that part which I have described, and which, till the end of my own sojourn upon earth, will afford me the sweetest and most sacred recollections.

ON SOCIAL PRAYER.

the persecutor had become a convert to the faith he had previously been seeking to destroy, the Great Head of the Church evidently mentions it as implying every thing else requisite to constitute a living member of his glorious body, "a brother beloved" to all his faithful disciples.

pose,

But, and this is what I here wish particularly to insist upon, if communion with God in retirement be of the first importance for the existence and progress of personal holiness, it is perhaps not less true that social and public prayer, at seasons specially set apart for this purcongregations and the Church generally as such. Much is equally necessary in order to the prosperity of has been said and written of late on revivals of religion. Many prayers are offered up, both in public and private, that the Lord would revive his work in the midst of ourselves. The subject ought to be deeply interesting to every Christian. Without, however, entering at length

*The above is extracted from a very interesting work, entitled, "Original Memorials; or Brief Sketches of Real Characters." By a Clergyman of the Church of England. Hatchard & Son, London, 1822.-It may be relied upon as an authentic narrative.

into a consideration of the subject of revivals, it may be ing their entire concurrence in the plans adopted by observed, that one feature by which every genuine revival their increased liberality. If prayer be set aside, their has been characterised, is the meeting together for re-expatriated brethren in the Colonies may remain as des. ligious fellowship. Though the circumstance of con- titute as ever, so far as regards the saving efficacy of gregations and companies assembling together to unite the word and the bread of life. What Christian need in prayer may not of itself constitute sufficient evidence to be told, that, without the Spirit of God, all will be for concluding that religion is flourishing among them, in vain, in so far as the salvation of souls is concerned. the converse of this will probably be admitted by every And how can we expect his presence and power, if we impartial man, who has turned his attention to the mat- will not, both individually and as congregations, imter, that where such meetings are neglected and dis-plore the God of all grace to pour out his Holy Spirit? regarded, there is good ground to fear the absence or decline of vital godliness. "I know thy works, that thou hast a name, that thou livest and art dead,' said the faithful and true witness to the Church of Sardis; and again to the Church of Laodicea, "I would thou wert cold or hot." Can it be doubted, that to many of our congregations similar rebukes would be addressed, were they to hear the voice of Him who has declared, "all the Churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and trieth the hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works."

"

If these observations be correct, surely it ought to become the subject of serious and prayerful examination with our spiritual overseers how far it may be attributable to them, that there is still such a sadly prevalent absence of social prayer. They know well that among professors the prediction is lamentably verified, that "the love of many shall wax cold." Why is it that the very appearance and conduct of not a few when in the house of prayer, even on the Sabbath day, clearly evince their ignorance of what prayer is? Why is it that faithful pastors have so much occasion to mourn over the little inter-community in holy affection, of fellow-Christians, who from Sabbath to Sabbath assemble" in one place," and sit down together when commemorating the Redeemer's love? May it not be, in part at least, because they are not encouraged to join in special supplication and Christian fellowship, in the way referred to?

Every minister of the Gospel, imbued with the spirit of his Master, will pray and labour for the improvement and growth in grace of his flock. Should it not also be his incessant aim to be able at least to say unto them with the apostle, "I kept back nothing that was profitable to you?' Does he think that his omitting or refusing to seek to unite his congregation in the fellowship of saints, at other times besides the Sabbath, will be more pleasing to the Great Shepherd of the sheep, than if he were to foster the practice of such exercises? Perhaps some are deterred by the irregularities with which such meetings have sometimes been connected. That these irregularities should induce any religious mind to disapprove of what has been sanctioned by apostolic warrant appears strange indeed.† It would be an altogether needless occupation of time to enter into an argument to prove that such abuses are far from warranting the watchinen of Zion, whose zeal is tempered by Christian knowledge and prudence, in their neglect to cultivate assemblies for social prayer among their people. Never, perhaps, was there a louder call for them than at present. Let us but view the Church in the aspect she is now happily assuming with regard to missionary efforts, and the means of grace to the destitute, both at home and in distant lands. Little will it avail, that the General Assembly has of late encouraged various important objects, and has this year taken up a fourth great scheme, and that she earnestly commends it to the warm support of Presbyteries and Churches. It will be of small consequence, that a sympathising people are manifest

Those who desire information on Revivals may be referred to President Edward's Treatise on the Revival in New England, to Dr Sprague's Lectures on Revivals, and to an excellent work on Revivals in the British Churches, from which several extracts have appeared in the SCOTTISH CHRISTIAN HERALD,

† Acts xii. 12.

The influence of congregational prayer meetings would not be limited to the members of the Church. Its salutary power would be felt by the population generally, by even the most ungodly of them. Who can estimate what a blessing to the country at large even one faithful band of believers, united in holy Church fellowship, assem bling statedly for this special object, might prove? Who can tell the judgments their prayers might avert from the land, the evils that might be remedied in con sequence of them, the good that might be promoted? How much more, then, might these results be expect ed, if our congregations generally were wont thus to glorify God? We might then look for the "two grand blessings marking out a genuine revival," in a degree which our unbelief prevents us from realising. “One of these, it need scarcely be observed, is the conversiot of sinners. The other, and a most important one, is the quickening of believers to a higher and a holier standard of faith and practice."

CHRISTIAN TREASURY.

Adoption.-Adoption is a blessing extending from everlasting to everlasting, a decree which cannot be revoked. Many of the children of God are indeed very perverse and ungrateful, but all this their Father knew before he adopted them; hence he chastens those whom he loves, and scourges every son whom he re ceives, but never abandons them. Satan shall never have to say of a sinner in torments,- This is a wretch turned out of the family of God!" No, the Father will not cut off an heir of glory from his inheritance, not suffer his most rebellious children to ruin themselves. John x. 28, 29. This security arises from the nature and antiquity of adoption, as an act of the divine mind, which is distinct from the reception of the spirit of adoption into the sinner's heart. The whole family of God were adopted in Christ, when he was chosen a their covenant head, and then God the Father con sidered them his own children, registered their names on high as such, and prepared a kingdom for them before the foundation of the world. Hence their recep tion of the Spirit of adoption is said to be owing to this eternal relation; "Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your heart." Gal. iv.

6.

The Spirit of adoption is the witness, not the case of our being the children of God, and surely, my dear friend, you will derive unspeakable comfort from view of the subject, if you feel but one spark of filia! affection to God glowing in your soul; and conte with it the sweet thought, that it is your Father's love shed abroad in your heart by the Holy Ghost, you w then come to the delightful conclusion, that the Father has from all eternity adopted you into his family, has, in the fulness of time, made it known to you by causing you to receive the adoption of sons. If further evidence were necessary for your decision respecting your interest in this high privilege, I might remind you of the family likeness, which is genuine spirituality; the family distinction, which is separation from the world; and the family diet, which is the bread of Efe sent down from heaven. May I not appeal to your heart, that you sigh for an increase of spirituality; that you are not happy in any company except that of the saints; and that nothing can satisfy the cravings of your

"thorn in the flesh;" but the Lord has shown him the
sufficiency of his grace, and employed this trial to
"humble and prove him, and to do him good at the
latter end," so that the things which seemed most
against him, have most effectually promoted his highest
interest. Qr he has found his prayers answered, by
feeling his mind wonderfully reconciled to a denial,
from a conviction "that he knew not what he asked;"
or by a calm serenity in waiting the Lord's time for
those things which he had impertinently desired. The
causes of this perturbation and anxiety remain, after his
prayers have been presented before God; but the soli-
citude itself has given place to a divine"
peace which
passeth all understanding;" for "he called on the Lord
and was strengthened with strength in his soul." In
short, we can scarcely produce an instance, in which
he poured out his heart with earnestness and impor-
sought, or was not, after a time, satisfied with the de-
nial. In many cases, his intercessions for those around
him have been graciously answered; in others, we may
still retain hope; and in all, we may be assured that
they will return into his own bosom.-SCOTT.

Prevailing Ungodliness.—Atheism is a characteristic of our day. On the sentiments, manners, pursuits, amusements, and dealings of the great body of mankind there is written in broad characters,-" Without God in the world! "CECIL.

soul but living upon Jesus? Be assured, that those sensations exist no where but in the heart of a child of God, yet many in whom they are found, cannot claim their sonship through the power of unbelief; nor can any thing but the nighty operation of the Holy Spirit remove the spirit of bondage, and teach the soul to cry Abba, Father. I never heard of a child capable of saying, "Father" as soon as born, nevertheless it is almost the first thing a child is taught to say; this is the plan of the Lord's teaching, "When ye pray, say, Our Father," and when the spirit of adoption is fully received, the child of God looks up to Jehovah and exclaims, "doubtless thou art my Father," he looks into the Bible, and regards it as his Father's letter; he hears the Gospel preached, and receives it as a message from his Father; he goes into his closet to tell his Father his wants, and gain access to his Father's heart; and looking forward to heaven, he exclaims, "It is my Fa-tunity, and yet failed of obtaining the blessing which he ther's habitation, and shall be my eternal home."-IRONS. Liberality. To dispense our wealth liberally, is the best way to preserve it, and to continue masters thereof; what we give is not thrown away but saved from danger; while we detain it at home (as it seems to us) it really is abroad, and at adventures; it is out at sea, sailing perilously in storms, near rocks and shelves, amongst pirates; nor can it ever be safe, till it is brought into this port, or insured this way; when we have bestowed it on the poor, then we have lodged it in unquestionable safety; in a place where no rapine, no deceit, no mishap, no corruption can ever by any means come at it. All our doors and bars, all our forces and guards, all the circumspection and vigilancy we can use, are no defence or security at all in comparison to this disposal thereof the poor man's stomach is a granary for our corn, which never can be exhausted; the poor man's back is a wardrobe for our clothes, which never can be pillaged; the poor man's pocket is a bank for our money, which never can disappoint or deceive us; all the rich traders in the world may decay and break, but the poor man can never fail except God himself turn bankrupt; for what we give to the poor, we deliver and intrust in his hands, out of which no force can wring it, no craft can filch; it is laid up in heaven, whither no thief can clinb; where no moth or rust doth abide. In despite of all the fortune, of all the might, of all the malice in the world, the liberal man will ever be rich; for God's providence is is estate; God's wisdom and power are his defence; God's love and favour are his reward; God's word is his assurance, who hath said it, that "he which giveth to the poor, shall not lack;" no vicissitude of things therefore can surprise, or find him unfurnished; no disaster can impoverish him, no adversity can overwhelm him; he hath a certain reserve against all times and occasions: he that "deviseth liberal things, by liberal things shall he stand," saith the prophet.

JARROW'S SERMONS.

Holy Revenge. Do you not owe the old serpent a grudge? Live holy, then; for that grieves him to the heart.-WATTS.

Answer to Prayer.-The Scripture abounds with examples of the efficacy of prayer. Except in the case of miraculous interpositions, the same is still experienced, and the more any man has made the trial, the fuller will be his assent to this truth. The Christian, who has been frequent, fervent, and particular in his supplications for a length of time, has doubtless found, that many of his petitions, defective and defiled as he knows them to be, have been manifestly answered, both in his own temporal and spiritual concerns, and in behalf of others; often beyond his expectations, and contrary to apparent probability. Some requests have been granted, not exactly in this meaning, but in a more desirable way. He has prayed for the removal of the

Coming to Christ. If you persist in the diligent use of means, you will not long use them in vain. But what is infinitely more to the purpose, you have the oath of him who cannot lie, on which to ground your confidence. You have nothing to do but to ask for faith; to come as the leper did to our Saviour while on earth, and throw yourself at his feet, with, 66 Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean;" and rest assured that he will put forth his hands and say, "I will, be thou clean.' He is still as able and willing to grant every request of this nature, as he was while on earth. If you really feel yourself a sinner, and that you have no power to save yourself, and are willing to accept of him as a Saviour, he is ready to receive you. He will not be a half Saviour. He will do all or nothing. If you mean to come to him, you must come as a helpless sinner. Not as the Pharisee, with a list of virtuous deeds performed; but as the publican, with "God be merciful to me a sinner."-PAYSON.

Self-Knowledge.-O what a change it would make in the world, if men were brought to the knowledge of and live in mirth and pleasure! How many would la themselves! How many would weep, that now laugh, ment their sin and misery, that now are pharisaically confident of their integrity! How many would seek to faithful ministers for advice, and inquire what they should do to be saved, that now deride them, and scorn their counsel, and cannot bear their plain reproof, or come not near them! How many would ask directions for the cure of their unbelief, and pride, and sensuality, that now take little notice of any such sins within them! How many would cry day and night for mercy, and beg importunately for the life of their immortal souls, that now take up with a few words of course, instead of serious, fervent prayer! Do but once know yourselves aright, know what you are, and what you have done, and what is your danger; and then be prayerless and careless if you can; then but trifle out your time, and make a jest of holy diligence, and put God off with lifeless words and compliments if you can. Men' could not think so lightly and contemptuously of Christ, so unworthily and falsely of a holy life, so delightfully of sin, so carelessly of duty, so fearlessly of hell, so senselessly and atheistically of God, and so disregardfully of heaven as they now do, if they did but thoroughly know themselves.-BAXTER.

where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?"

BY THE REV. WILLIAM NICOLSON, It might almost seem superfluous and unnecesMinister of Ferry-Port- On-Craig, Fifeshire. sary to make the certainty of death the subject of THERE is a language inscribed upon the remem- any formal discussion, for we never meet with any brance of the just, and there is a voice proceed- one who either disbelieves or denies the fact, that ing forth from the tombs of the departed, which all men must die. We meet with infidels who speak of matters deeply interesting, and which deny the truth of divine revelation: we meet with have sometimes extorted a tear from the most formalists who, in practice, deny the power of godobdurate-hearted of the sons of men. Nor is liness; we meet with scoffers, who despise reliit from the remembrance of the just alone that gion; but we never meet with any who dare to lessons of deep and solemn interest may be learn- deny the mortality of man. Let it be remarked, ed. If there be something pleasing and profitably however, that it is the business of the teacher of interesting in meditating upon the godly lives of religion, not merely to prove the truth of docthe saints of other days, and in connecting the trines which may be positively denied and controrecollection of their piety with the delightful verted among men, but also to illustrate and enthought of their now happy and glorious condi- force what is already admitted, and to call up to tion, there is also something peculiarly affecting the remembrance, and exhibit to the contemplain thinking of those who have wasted in wicked- tion, those truths, the importance, the propriety, ness their day of grace, and have gone down to and the obligation of which are not disputed. For the grave under the gloomy cloud of spiritual example, we frequently remind the believer of the darkness. To associate their lives in our recol- sufficiency of the atonement, not because he does lections, with the doom denounced against the not already believe that doctrine, but because it workers of iniquity, is an exercise well calculated is profitable to keep alive a sense of its importto inspire the mind with a solemn dread of the ance upon his mind, and thereby to animate his judgments of God, and to deter us from the com- hopes and encourage his obedience. We frequentmission of any known sin. Let the thoughtlessly speak to Christians of the hatefulness of sin, and the irreligious among men consider how short and of the beauty and excellence of holiness, not a time they shall remain on the earth, and how because they do not already fully believe in the awful a thing it will be "to fall into the hands of hatefulness of the one and the excellence of the the living God." Let them look back through other, but because it is necessary and profitable the vista of past generations, and while they muse thus to encourage their self-denial, and to quicken upon the history of the holy men of old, who in their desires after personal holiness. In like mantheir day walked with God, whose ashes have long ner, we make the mortality of man the subject of been reposing in the undisturbed silence of the our address to saints and to sinners, not because grave, and whose remembrance is still held dear this mortality is denied either by the one or by in the Church of Christ; let them also think of the other, but because the subject is calculated to those who despised offered mercy, and are now improve the heart, and to wean the affections from reaping the reward of iniquity. By such reflec- worldly objects. It is for this very purpose that tions, let them be reminded that all, of every the prophet Zechariah, whose words we have algrade and of every character, must pass the Jor-ready quoted, reminds his countrymen, of the gedan of death. Look to the countless armies of the faithful since the world began, as well as to the multitudes who have disregarded the authority of the Most High, and tell, if you can, where they have gone. Their places have long ceased to acknowledge them,-they have all in their turn disappeared from the earth. "Your fathers,

nerations of old, who had gone the way of all the earth. Nor is there any truth concerning which the belief of mankind amounts to a more absolute conviction than this, that it is appointed for all men once to die. However anxiously men might wish that it were otherwise, the certainty of the fact is so manifest, that unbelief concerning it is