LETTER TO A DEAR SISTER. R—, July 30th, 1832. I am unwilling, my dear H-, to let your sister return into S-, without conveying to you a few lines by her, to assure you that the lively interest, which I felt for your spiritual welfare when you left R-, still continues as earnest and unabated, as when " we took sweet counsel together" on the things of eternity, while you were an inmate of our humble roof. But, my dear sister, you promised me, on parting, that you would sometimes communicate to me by letter, the progress you were making in your search after heavenly things, in the course of your perusal of the several books to which you proposed to devote your attention, when you should no longer be permitted the privilege of attending the public ministry of the Word of Truth, as you had been happily enabled to do, (and as I had hoped with so much advantage and comfort to yourself,) during your last visit into Y-. Dare I ask, why that promise has not been fulfilled? Must I draw the painful conclusion from your silence, that the "good seed" of the Gospel has found in your heart only a "stony" soil; such as our Lord described, as, "hearing the word, and anon with joy receiving it, yet as not having root in itself, but during only for a while"? Am I to believe that you have not written, because you could not with sincerity tell me, that you had made any progress in the hea, venward path?—that you have been "standing idle" all this time in the Lord's vineyard?-and that your "love" for him has "waxed cold"? O! no, my dear sister, I cannot, I must not think so unfavourably of you! No, rather let me charitably "hope," though it may seem to be almost "against hope," that some small portion of the good seed, at least, has found a genial spot in your heart, prepared by the Spirit of God for its reception; and that although its growth may have been hitherto checked by the chilling blights of this ensnaring world and its sadly besetting sins, the time will come, when it shall still burst forth, with a little more watering from the gracious dews of heaven, and "bear fruit an hundred fold," to the praise and glory of God, and the salvation of your precious immortal soul. "What shall it profit a man," affectionately enquires our merciful Saviour; "what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" And what has the world to offer to you, my dear H-, to tempt you to exchange for it that "pearl of great price," which has been within your reach; nay, which (as I would fain believe) has actually been in your possession? Can you not truly say, of that portion of the world which has already been your lot, "few and evil have been the days of my pilgrimage"? Have not the disappointments, vexations, and trials, which have been sent you in mercy to wean you from the love of it, convinced you of the delusiveness of its promises, and the hollowness of its professions? And if you are looking to future years (should they be allowed you) does the prospect appear more inviting? Reflect for a moment on the greatest enjoyment the world ever gave you, or all the enjoyments together which you may have experienced from it, and ask yourself, honestly, whether they are to be compared for a moment, with the calm delight, the holy "peace and joy in believing" which you derived from religion, during the short period your heart was engaged in it, when you formed one of the "little flock" round our family altar? If, then, you have found on this short trial, that the ways of religion "are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace," be not content with only "tasting that the Lord is gracious," but "follow on to know" him more; "open your mouth wide" with prayers and supplications, and "he will fill it" abundantly, with copious streams from the fountain of "living waters." O! H-, remember, "he that putteth his hand to the plough and looketh back, is not fit for the kingdom of God." Indecision in religion is ruin to the soul! There, it may most truly be said, "the woman (or man) that deliberates is lost:" "for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, driven of the winds and tossed." He has just religion enough to unfit him for the world, without fitting him for heaven; he experiences all the misery of a perpetually accusing conscience, and yet is afraid to apply to the great Physician of souls for relief. If then, my dear sister, you should have been hitherto led, from any cause (no matter what) to have "perverted your ways" and forgotten the Lord your God; O return unto him with weeping and mourning and supplication; "return unto the Lord that he may have mercy upon you, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon:" for "the Lord is a God of mercy, blessed are all they that put their trust in him!" And let me earnestly entreat you to dwell seriously, and to meditate deeply, on the awful warning contained in the solemn declaration of the apostle Peter, as to the condition of those unhappy persons, who having once been brought to the knowledge of the truth, have thoughtlessly gone back to the sinful courses of the world: "For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning: For it had been better they had not known the way of righteousness, than after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them." O, my beloved sister, may this never be your sad case! "My heart's desire and prayer to God for you is that you may be saved!" May the Lord send forth his light and his truth abundantly upon your soul; "wash you thoroughly from your wickedness and cleanse you from your sins," in the precious blood of that spotless Lamb, "that taketh away the sins of the world!" I am writing this after midnight to send by A- tomorrow morning; but if "there is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth," how readily should every sinner be willing to deprive himself of rest, or ease, or even to sacrifice life itself, if by any means he may be instrumental in turning a fellow-sinner unto righteousness. May the blessing of God accompany these my poor feeble efforts on your behalf! With kindest love, and every heartfelt good wish for you,. my dear H-, for time and eternity, believe me ever, most truly and affectionately yours, REMARKABLE REVIVAL OF RELIGION IN THE PARISH OF TIMSBURY, NEAR BATH. (From the Record.) SIR,-In two late numbers of the Record a very imperfect account has been given of what is there called a reformalion, but which would better suit the name of a REVIVAL of true religion, in the parish of Timsbury, a few miles distant from Bath. Being personally acquainted with the whole circumstance, and having been an eye and ear witness to some of the external fruits of what truly appears to be an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, I venture to send a condensed statement of an event which may serve as a cheering ray amid this stormy period, in which we have to contemplate so much spiritual darkness and national ill. In consequence of the great increase of the beer-houses in the above parish, its anxious and painstaking Vicar became quite discouraged under the demoralized condition of a large portion of his parishioners, most of whom are employed in the collieries abounding in that neighbourhood. Swearing, drunkenness, and Sabbath-breaking, were the reigning sins, and desecrated the character of both men and women to a fearful extent. On the late solemnly impressive day of the National Fast, some of them were going to the parish church, and met one of their company, a youth of 21 years of age, but a leader amongst them in crime and hardness of heart. They asked him to accompany them to church. "What should I go to church for?" "O!" replied they, "every body goes to church to-day." "I sha'nt go to church till I'm carried there." This, as you will remember, was Wednesday, and in a few days he was carried to church. On the Friday after he was employed to blow up the root of a tree with gunpowder; and though, after having communicated fire to the fuse, he retired to an unusually long distance for wood, more than sixty feet, yet when the explosion took place a shivered splint hit him on the forehead, and in six hours he was a corpse. The effect produced in the parish has been extensively and solemnly made manifest in the entire conversion of above one hundred of some of the most dissolute and abandoned of the inhabitants. The beer-houses are forsaken, the places of worship frequented, and, though in itself not to be depended upon as a proof of repentance, the holy Sacrament sought and partaken of with much apparent seriousness and devotion. Under these circumstances it was that the Minister of the parish was anxious to draw the attention of the Christian public to what appeared in kind like the conversions which have taken place in primitive and apostolic times. It was determined, therefore, that the next district meeting of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge should be holden in his parish. This took place about three weeks ago; and such was the impression made on the crowded congregation in the church, and the overflowing meeting afterwards in the national school-room, that neither the Bishop who presided, the numerous clergy who attended, the ladies and gentlemen from the neighbourhood who were present, seemed to entertain the slightest suspicion that all was not as it appeared to be. The tone of the speeches, the tenor of the solemn and impressive sermon, and the result of some private and close questioning of some of the converts, -all seemed in harmony with one common feeling, that it was "the finger of God; that it was "the Lord's doing," and there. fore "marvellous in our eyes." Some months have now elapsed since this gracious display of Divine influence took place, and every inquiry seems more and more to confirm the belief that, excepting the case of a very few of the one hundred and thirty who professed faith in Christ and repentance for sin, and who are gone back, the parish remains exhibiting proofs of a real revival of true religion, not likely to be circumscribed by the boundaries of its local name. It is cheering to believe that prayer will be answered for the outpouring of the Spirit, and the enlargement and hastening of the Redeemer's Kingdom, when we are permitted to see that prayer is answered; and in this dark "day of rebuke and blasphemy" the people of God need refreshing from "the communion of saints," and assurance from the manifested power of a redeeming Saviour, who will not forsake those that are his. I remain, Sir, your's, &c. BARNABAS. JOHN IV. 27. "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." The Prince of Peace once dwelt awhile Amidst a favoured few; Rich in his presence and his smile, That season quickly flew. Thus in the hour that filled with grief He spake the word of sweet relief I will not leave you orphans here, He breathes into each troubled breast, And there for ever sweetly rest His Spirit and his peace. FOSTER, PRINTER, KIRKBY LONSDALE. IOTA |