which it is eminently desirable that at this period they should cherish-accepting an assurance, that every hint suggested is deeply felt by the writer, who must candidly disclaim that authority to speak which is given by days and a maltitude of years; but who solicits their attention on the plea of similarity of feeling and anticipation, and with a desire that the present dispensations may promote the sanctity, the devotedness, and the spirituality of the younger members of Christ's church.

The appearances of present events loudly call for decision of character and of conduct in the young. "Choose ye this day whom ye will serve," is reiterated by almost every occurrence. The powers of darkness, as if conscious that the period of their exertion is drawing to a close, seem to put forth redoubled energy; every thing indicates an approaching crisis; disease, which in the language of an accurate observer of its symptoms, "begins where other maladies end, and levels the death-blow at once," is silently stealing upon us, and without indulging unwarrantable apprehension, we cannot but regard its spread as possible; for personal security, therefore, now, without delay, decision of character, an unreserved surrender of the heart to God, is necessary; and for the honour of his cause, and the defence of his truth, decision of conduct, in an open avowal of attachment to his service, and a strict and uncompromising adherence to the dictates of the law and the testimony, is now our peculiar privilege and our imperative duty. In times of peril and fearful anticipation, we must gather round Him, who is at once our Leader and our defence; here is the noblest occupation for the energies and the enterprise of youth; and here we possess an assurance, that the cause with which we identify ourselves shall triumph, even amidst the confusion of nations and the destruction of all that is sublime and beautiful on earth.

The aspect of the affairs both of the church and the world should excite, particularly in the minds of the young, a spirit of earnest supplication. If those who have reached the meridian or the decline of life feel incited to stand between the "porch and the altar and weep,” it surely demands from those, over the morning of whose day such clouds gather, a spirit of earnest and united prayer.

Would it be an unhallowed or impracticable union, were a portion of the Chris

tian youth of Britain, who mourn because of the sins and the afflictions of their country, to devote, at least for a season, an hour on every Saturday evening to intercession on its behalf? Might not a hope be reasonably indulged that the tender mercy which yearned over Ephraim of old, might even now declare, "I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger; I will not destroy Britain ;" and if the cloud should burst, might we not expect that the bow of mercy would rest upon it ?

The young ought also to be stimulated to holy zeal in the cause of God; not that spurious fervour, the offspring of ignorance and inexperience, which consumes itself in profitless research, or wastes.its strength in the investigation and zealous reception of every new and plausible theory which intrudes itself into the circles of professors of Christianity; but that holy zeal, enkindled at the heavenly altar, kept alive and fed by a sense of grateful constraining love to the Redeemer, and compassionate diffusive love to fellow-sinners, which will enliven and pervade every department of Christian exertion. Oh! it is this holy, this animating principle which we want, to give efficiency to the moral machinery that at present is employed in the Christian world. If with hearts renewed and sanctified by grace, and warmed with this principle of zeal and love, we did but enter upon our Sabbath-school engagements, our tract distributions, our visits to the sick, the ignorant, and the poor, should we so often have to lament, that the amount of success and benefit is so small? But our own hearts and feelings must be engaged; it must be an object of visible and predominant interest with ourselves, if we would, by the blessing of God, reach the hearts of others.

Beloved young friends, we earnestly appeal to you-where is this holy zeal so appropriate as in those who in these times are just entering on a course of action, and who have themselves been early called by the grace of God? We appeal to the tenderest sympathies of your nature. Possessed yourselves of an everlasting habitation, the security of which seems only enhanced in value by the turmoil of earth, does not an ardent and unquenchable desire arise within you, that those around you may enjoy its security? Now, let us hear the voice of the Lord, and arise to humble, self-denying, and untiring exertion. Let us go forth, and the Lord our God be with us!

And if the eye of any individuals should glance on these lines, who have not yet determined on which side they shall enlist, whether on that of the Prince of Light or the powers of darkness, they will be wise to remember, that whatever may be the bearing of present events, a

period is approaching when the throne of the Redeemer shall be universally established upon the earth; and all who have opposed other claims to his dominion, must either humbly bow beneath his sceptre, or be crushed beneath the ruins of their own idol. ASPIRATE.

WHAT has been the cause of this felicity? who have been the favoured individuals that have produced it? You may well ask that question; for some are so poor, and some are so disconsolate, and others are so bowed down and afflicted, since the day they became widows, that it almost seems like a miracle to hear them sing for joy. And yet the Trustees of the Evangelical Magazine have good authority for saying it, and they publish it to the world, that the profits of their Magazine have produced all this and more.

Perhaps it is not generally known that the profits of this Magazine are devoted chiefly to the support of the widows of godly ministers of various denominations. Hence, in the list of persons who are aided by its funds, we see the names of Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Independents, and Methodists. It is true, the sum which they receive is small, far too small. Two shillings a week is a good deal to a person who has nothing, yet it is almost painful to put it into the hands of one who has lived in comfort-who has conducted herself as one of the excellent of the earthwho has been the succourer and helpmeet of one of Christ's devoted servants-who has been, and still is, a mother in Israel! But if it is possible, with so small a sum, to make a widow's heart sing for joy, then surely something should be done to make more widows joyful, by multiplying the number of beneficiaries; or else make those who do already sing, to sing a great deal more, by enlarging the benefaction.

The writer belongs to one of the smallest Protestant congregations in Christendom, yet they take forty numbers of this periodical. What is the price of it? Why it does not cost a farthing a day. This is not a great sum. How many are there in our congregations who could part with a farthing and not feel it? Besides, the money is not given in charity. It is for

value received. It is the cheapest publication extant. The book is full of information. Many are now in heaven whose thoughts were first directed thither by means of the Evangelical Magazine. One of the most delightful Christians_now living was thus led to the Saviour. It not only makes widows' hearts to sing for joy, but the hearts of many others are made glad by it; and it does appear most desirable to increase its circulation. How can it be done? Who can lay down a plan which should prove effectual? Who can give us an idea which shall at once strike every mind, and increase the number of the Evangelical Magazine to forty thousand in the year 1832? I thought just now that I had the idea, but it is gone. Perhaps some of my more favoured fellow-servants will catch it, and have it immediately printed. Query: Are there a thousand congregations in Britain that take this Magazine? Then something

like this would do it :-Let

100 congregations take 100 copies 10,000

I believe that every good minister of Jesus Christ would be thankful if he could make the widow's heart to sing for joy. And I do not know a private Christian who would not bless God for honouring him as the instrument of so good a work. Well, then, beloved, here it is. The instrument is at hand. Take it, and use it manfully. "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor

wisdom, in the grave whither thou goest." Eccles. ix. 10.

N. B. If this plan should succeed, it is the earnest hope of the writer that the trustees will give more than two shillings a week to many of the honoured and excellent, but bereaved widows, who now receive assistance. R. K.

We may just add to the excellent and interesting statement of our valuable friend and correspondent, Mr. Knill, of St. Petersburgh, that the Trustees of the Magazine have never, up to the present moment, rejected the application of one widow, whose circumstances and character placed her within the rules of distribution. The period has now arrived, however, when, from the great increase of the widows of evangelical ministers, they will be under the painful necessity of declining to augment the list of those amiable and devoted persons who look to them for succour in their time of need. Will it not,

then, be a most acceptable service to the Master, to fall in with the suggestion of his devoted servant on a far distant shore? If, instead of 18 or 20,000, the circulation of the Magazine could be raised to 40,000, the Trustees, who now distribute seven or eight hundred pounds per annum, among the widows of pious ministers, might be able, at least, to lay out the sum of £2,000, in augmenting the comforts and relieving the distresses of the same interesting and deserving class of society. It is matter of great joy to the Trustees that they are under no apprehension of being unable to continue their present distributions; but, with Mr. Knill, they long to be able to extend the sphere of their beneficence, by placing on their books the names

of at least ONE HUNDRED MORE WIDOWS.

It

is for the pastors of churches, in town and country, to determine that this shall be done; and before the present year shall have closed the sale of this Magazine will double its present number.-THE EDITOR.

MR. EDITOR,

THE writer of this note belongs to a little congregationso small, that you would scarcely think of calling it a congregation. If you were to see it, you would smile and say, "That is not a congregation-it is a handful!" And yet it is stated in the Report of the London Missionary Society, that we send to that Society more than all the congregations of East Devon, including the ancient and "always faithful"* city of Exeter.

In reading this, it did not strike me that my friends do too much, and I hope I shall never think so; but it struck me that our Devonshire friends do too little. They say they are not their own, but Christ's; and, as a proof of it, they give to the London Missionary Society £120. They say, they are bought with a price, and therefore bound to glorify their purchaser in their bodies and their spirits, which are his; and as a proof of it, they give a penny where they could give a pound. They say, that the cause of Christ ought to be considered by every Christian as his own cause, and should be as dear to him as his heart's blood; and as a proof of it, the country Squire will devote a round sum of £1 per annum, that is, rather more than a halfpenny, but

"Semper fidem" is the inscription on the city arms

not quite three-farthings a day! Surely this is trifling with God, and with missions. But why mention Devon, it may be enquired? I do not know, except it be that I love Devonshire and Devonshire people above all others, and therefore could wish them to eclipse every other part of the world in their zeal for the Redeemer.

In looking over the Report, I frequently find the same cold-handed charity, and in some places worse. The whole county of Bedford does not furnish £100. This is much to be lamented, not so much for the money as for the state of mind which it discovers. If their hearts were burning, the state of the funds would be very different. Matthew Henry says, "Deep impressions produce strong expressions." Yes, indeed they do, and particularly in every thing concerning the Lord Jesus. Archbishop Leighton remarks, "You must not judge of a man's gifts by the size of his estate, but by the size of his heart;" and it is only in this way that we can account for the fact, that men who earn their bread by the sweat of their brow, frequently devote more to the cause of God than their rich neighbours. This difference arises from the size of their hearts. I hope every one of my readers will pray for a great heart, and soon have their prayers answered. Amen.

A DEVONSHIRE MAN.

ing the Lord. They were brought into this happy state through the conversation and example of Miss King. I furnished them with books for a lending library, and I have since heard that they have preaching and a Sunday-school.

Wrafton.-There has been a Sundayschool at this place for thirteen years, and great good has been done in it. The zealous young people who conduct it have often been cheered by visible proofs that God is with them, yet they stand in need of the assistance of their fellow. Christians. I have subscribed twenty shillings a-year to this school for some years past, and in a joint letter which the young people lately wrote to me they say, "The main-spring of our support is in a foreign land."

N.B. These places are all marked on a large map of England, except Loveacott, which is in the parish of Frunington, near Barnstaple river.

I afterwards wrote the following note to a lady who is the keeper of the wardrobe of her Imperial Highness, the Grand Duchess Helen :

"Dear Friend, I hope you will not forget the interesting case which I mentioned to you respecting the eleven Sunday-schools in as many different villages in our native land. If you would plead the cause with your benevolent friends, I think, surely, you could get twenty-five roubles from your own palace, and twentyfive from dear Mrs. Kazasshy and her friends (in the Emperor's palace). If I could obtain this it would enable me, with what I have already, to give £1 to each school for books, and one Bible to each school to be given to that scholar who shall repeat the 3rd and 4th chapters of St. John best, after a given time, appointed by the teachers. Thus we should be setting almost all the children in eleven villages learning these two precious chapters. Please to think of this, and implore help and success from the Lord, your Redeemer.

May 13, 1831."

This note providentially fell into the hands of her imperial majesty the empress, who condescended to read it, and having read it, her imperial majesty was pleased to express herself much pleased with the plan, and said, "I should like to give something to this object," and sent me a donation of 100 roubles. Never before, since the world began, had an empress done anything for Sunday-schools; but we hope the day is very near when

all crowned heads will be nursing-fathers and nursing-mothers of these institutions. The work must begin somewhere, and I think it a peculiar honour that it began in the way above-mentioned. This very gratifying increase to my funds enabled me to purchase, in addition to the schoolbooks, twenty-two Bibles and forty-four Testaments; that is, two Bibles and four Testaments to each school. On the cover of the Bibles to be inscribed, "The Gift of her Imperial Majesty the Empress of Russia." On the cover of the Testaments to be inscribed, "The Gift of an English Lady at the Court of Russia."

REFLECTIONS.

1. Where a man is actively employed in endeavouring to do good, he will meet with many things quite unexpectedly, which concur to strengthen his hands and encourage his heart-things which he would never have seen nor heard of if he had not been so engaged.

2. A man who attempts nothing will see no interpositions of Providence in his favour, will have nothing to record, nothing to excite his gratitude, nothing to stimulate to action. Indolence is a worm at the root, a canker which mars the beauty and renders fruitless every thing into which it enters.

3. The man who wishes to be useful must make up his mind to meet with many crosses, and difficulties, and disappointments, and insults, and things not pleasing to flesh and blood; but if these things are met in a proper spirit they will not cool his ardour nor hinder his usefulness; yea, rather, they will inflame his zeal, awaken his compassion, stimulate him to greater activity, and render him a more efficient workman. Faith sees no impossibilities. It esteems iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood. The arrow cannot make it flee; sling-stones are turned by it into dust; darts are counted as stubble; it laugheth at the shaking of a spear. The soldier who has had no conflicts cannot tell of his victories: the sailor who has never been in a storm has scarcely seen "the wonders of the Lord in the deep." It is the exercised Christian, the man who has passed through hard training, who will sing loudest both of judgment and of mercy; and knowing the faithfulness of God, and the love of God, and the power of God, he will press forward nothing doubting.

4. Few persons have the means of doing much`alone, but a man with very