help; whilst the other old woman, who is naturally timid, and very weak in faith, (yet I trust it will be found that she is a real believer,) replied, in answer to the questions I put to her on the subject; "why, m'am, when I heard the thunder I thought it was very solemn, and yet I thought I felt happy, because I recollected that I had heard it read out of the Bible, that thunder is the voice of the Lord; and so I thought it was God calling upon us to come to him, and to give up our whole hearts to him, and it seemed pleasant to me to hear his blessed voice, as I thought he must be near me, and so I went to prayer." Another poor woman left her house (though it was in the night) in an agony, wringing her hands, and crying out in the bitterness of her soul, "what shall I do? what shall I do?" One stout-hearted old man laughed at the fears of those around him, boasting that he did not feel a bit afraid; whilst some few there were, I trust, in this little village, who could look up with joy in the midst of this solemn scene, knowing whom they had believed, even Jesus Christ, the Judge of quick and dead, who if he did not that night come with great glory to judge the world, will soon come to gather together his little flock, that they may ever be with him in heaven. Yes, such could indeed look up with joy, for they know that their redemption from all sin and sorrow is at hand. And now, dear friends, that the storm is past, let me beg you not to forget your past feelings; remember your fears, your resolutions to serve the Lord better, if he would give you a little longer time here. O! seek for grace to give up your whole hearts to him now: watch against all sin in thought, in word, in way: strive to enter into the kingdom of heaven: think of the worth of your soul, of th willingness of Christ to save all who are made willing to come to him. Time is short! yes, very short indeed! Soon may you be in eternity; and then all will be lost, unless you have fled to Christ for refuge, and then you must live a long, long, long eternity in endless woe, in everlasting misery. But come, dear men, women, children, dear fellow-sinners, come to Christ now, and all will yet be well, and that for ever! O! Lord, I beseech thee to constrain them all to come to thee that they may be saved. Amen, Amen. L. R. C. PIETY AMONG THE POOR. One of the earliest Free Subscribers to St. Clement Dane's Association lately died. He was an aged black man, supposed to be ninety years old, and by trade a shoe-black. He was first known to us by his name being set down, at our Annual Meeting, for a free subscription of one shilling a-week: this was considered too much to receive from a person in his circumstances; and a Member of the Committee visited him, to converse with him on the subject. It was found he could not read, and was paying one shilling a-week for a person to read to him: the Bible with a few other religious works, formed his library. This poor man conceived, in the charity of his heart, that all who were asked to give or lend were bound to do so and he reduced this truly benevolent maxim to habitual practice; for he would bring to his miserable home his more iniserable fellow-countrymen, and give them bed and board free of expense. Such hospitality is not less praiseworthy that it occurred in a sphere so humble and obscure. Before he became convinced of the value of his soul, he used to pursue his calling on the Sabbath; but, when his views were changed on divine things, the Sabbath was preserved inviolate, at the risk of losing his employment. A Member of the Committee visited the black circle assembled at the funeral of this poor African; and the fervent devotion of one of them, who led the company in their address at the throne of grace, was truly affecting. One lady in another District, engaged in collecting, relates the following anecdote, as shewing the benefit of Bible Associations; and hoping to induce others to come forward in the sacred cause of benevolence and salvation to perishing sinners. "After being fatigued in visiting many houses, I had nearly given up the work, when I entered (by the merest chance, as the worldling would say, but surely directed thither by an ever-watchful Providence) a miserable garret, where, I was told, a poor woman had been long confined. My first inquiry was, of course, if she had a Bible; and being answered in the affirmative, I next asked if its consolations sustained her in her trials. This was an almost hopeless query; for, among the mass of human beings whom I had that day met with, scarcely one seemed at all impressed with the use of a Bible. But what a refreshment was it to the weary spirit, to hear the reply! 'What should I have done without the word? I have esteemed it more than my necessary food; for it testifies of Jesus.' To be brief: on subsequent visits I have found this young woman a real believer-living the life of faith in the midst of suffering of the most intense kind--enduring privations of every sort; with a husband out of work, and children crying for bread. Humanly speaking, in this Christian city this disciple of Christ might literally have sunk into an early tomb for want, had it not been for this visit. Much of deepest interest might be added, but I forbear; and conclude, by beseeching all those who have half an hour in a week to spare, to arise to the work of the Lord. THE CHRISTIAN'S CONFIDENCE. "I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. When thou, my God, art near, What can I have to fear, Thy word and truth my stedfast light and life; Alike I'll both disown, Let good or ill betide, With thee, my constant guide, For peace, and joy, and bliss Shall surely wait on him, who trusts in thee. MINIMUS. CHRISTIAN CONVERSE. How great is the pleasure, how sweet the delight, Their lips speak the language their hearts best approve; The souls that have tasted the grace of the Lord, His praises will heartily join to record; Their hope and their glory in his precious blood, Which has washed out their sins, though a numberless flood. Unite then, believers, his praise to proclaim; Let your lives and your converse give praise to his name; THE CHRISTIAN'S CONQUEROR. Who is the Conqueror, mighty to save? The innocent Lamb, who his precious life gave; Ye believers! then follow the path he pursued; MINIMES. And conquering and to conquer" is the right of the Son. MINIMUS. ARTHUR FOSTER, PRINTER, KIRKBY LONSDALE. FRIENDLY VISITOR. No. CLI.] APRIL, 1831. [VOL. XIII. JOHN JORDAN. REV. SIR, -If a short account of a poor man who died lately in Carlisle, should be deemed worthy of a place in the Friendly Visitor, I shall be glad to see inserted there a few recollections of John Jordan. Of his early life I know nothing, save that he was a papist, very poor and very sickly. At Glasgow he married a Protestant woman. And as at that time it was not of much consequence to him what religion he was of, he left his Roman Catholic Chapel, and when he went to any place of worship, went with his wife to the Episcopal Chapel. But the only change was difference of place. His body was in a Protestant instead of a Popish Chapel; his spirit as dead in the one place as the other. About four years ago he removed to Carlisle; and there in the same complying temper, accompanied his wife to the established church. Here, however, it pleased God to open his eyes to those great truths of Scripture, he had hitherto heard in profound ignorance. He learnt to know experimentally both himself as a sinner, and Jesus Christ as a Saviour. My acquaintance with him commenced with one of those severe fits of sickness, to which his feeble body was subject. It was the time when the important change was making. I found him humble, teachable, very desirous to know the truth, and very quick to apprehend it. To his former creed he had never been very greatly attached; but he now saw how delusive it was, and expressed much thankfulness that he had been brought to the truth. From that time to the day of his death, his course was steady and consistent. His attendance at the house of God, when his health permitted, was constant; his behaviour devout, his attention to the word fixed. Though he laboured under the double pressure of poverty and sickness, I never heard from him the language of complaint, often heard that of thankfulness. The life of the pious poor is simple, their concerns are in little room, and they E often excel in the art of casting all their cares upon God. In this divine lesson Jordan excelled. He never betrayed any thing like anxiety. One day he was complaining to me that he was troubled with distracting thoughts in prayer. I asked him if they arose from fears respecting the supply of his wants: and never shall I forget the animation which beamed in his pale countenance when he answered, "O no, Sir, no; never more than between to-day and to-morrow." In his last illness though his legs and thighs were swollen, and though he breathed with great difficulty, he was patient and cheerful; the Bible was his companion and his comfort. The 103 Psalm greatly refreshed him; and he was distinct in ascribing all his hope of salvation to the atonement of Christ. I beheld him then an edifying spectacle, outwardly afflicted, inwardly happy: as sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing. Seeing him lie in seemingly so sad a condition, I asked him if he felt any sadness of heart? "No, none”— but peace?"Yes peace"-and sometimes joy? "Yes, sometimes joy." This was not very long before he entered into the joy of his Lord a joy which will to eternity know no interruption from pain or sin, for there the inhabitant shall no more say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity. I am, &c. X. THE TWENTY-FIRST ANNUAL ADDRESS OF THE MINISTER OF IVER TO HIS PARISHIONERS. MY DEAR FRIENDS,-We hear much about REFORM in the present day; indeed we hardly hear of any thing else: Reform in the Parliament, Reform in the Law, Reform in the Church. One would almost think, that these Reforms were to banish distress and suffering of every kind from the country. That there are defects in these several parts of our system, is not only possible and probable, but even certain; inasmuch as nothing that is human, is, or can be, perfect. And, doubtless, where there are defects, they should be corrected; where there are abuses, they should be done away. But it is downright delusion to suppose, that if any, or all, of these Reforms were carried into effect, money would be in much greater |