but hath undone himself; so that I may justly write this motto upon bis bag, "This is the price of blood." Shall I then treasure up the price of blood? No; Christ has instructed me, as a steward; therefore, what I have and need not, Christ shall have in his members, that need and have not. So the transitory creatures, when they shall slide away, shall not carry me with them; but when I shall pass away, I shall carry them with me. A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO HEADS OF FAMILIES; OR, THE BLESSING OF FAMILY WORSHIP. "In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand; for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that." ECCLESIASTES Xi. 6. Extract from a Letter to the Author. I must tell you of a circumstance of a deeply affecting and interesting nature, which has taken place in our household. The Lord has seen fit to take from us, by a short and sharp illness, of only a fortnight, a young woman who had lived more than six years with us. When she first entered our service, she was so thoroughly worldly in heart, that she repented of having engaged herself to us, and has often said since, "I thought my first Sunday at ------ was spent in a prison." But the Lord had purposes of love towards her, which were in due time manifested, and He was pleased to bless the word spoken daily in the family and at church, and the influence of those with whom she was associated; and though the change was slow and gradual, we have every reason to believe that she became a truly humble, simple-minded follower of the Lamb. It was however during the last year of her life, that the change became so apparent, and that we had reason to mark her advance in divine knowledge, attention at church, at prayers, desire for instruction, and growing consistency in temper and deportment. During the first week of her illness, her head was in too much pain to allow us to converse with her: a verse or two of Scripture was all she could bear. Then typhus fever, which affected the brain, succeeded so rapidly, that, had not "all been settled," as she herself expressed it, there would have been little or no opportunity for serious thought or power to think. But in her short seasons of reason, we found her in a most satisfactory state-humble-peaceful-fearless. And for several hours, especially two days before her death, it really seemed as if the Spirit were feeding her in a most remarkable way with the manna of the word; for though unable to suggest a thought, or to answer a question which required reflection, she uttered text after text, so applicable to her own state, and so evidently filling her soul with joy and peace, that it was indeed a privilege to be with her, as we all were, for hours, till she sunk into complete unconsciousness. "O! what love: (she would say) He hath loved me with everlasting love-me-the sinner beyond others. I had destroyed myself, but in Him is my help. My joy is so great. I shall very soon be with Him." It was said to her, “Dear --you will indeed soon be with Jesus." "Yes-and I shall never want to leave him any more, shall I?" Then, after lying still for a moment, she said, "He's quite a Saviour to me now." "Seek, and yeshall find—that's quite true-I have found it so." A young fellow servant, then lately come into our family, was an object of great interest to She watched her like a mother, and spoke earnestly to her about her soul. In her delirium, this girl seemed always before her mind. "P, it won't do to go half way, you must You must be a Christian altogether. Christ will have all, or nothing." And during the interval of reason I have mentioned, she said nearly the same words to her. go all the way. Her death made a sad blank in our little family, though we feel it a great honour to have nurtured one for the heavenly inheritance. And we are deeply anxious that whoever may fill the place of her who is departed, may not come to us in vain, but may in like manner find it a nursery for heaven. While some who have entered our family have, we fear, left it unimpressed-unchanged-and perhaps under the hardening influence of unfelt truth, it has been a cheering encouragement to us to be assured, as in the instance of this dear young woman, that the word of God is the same imperishable seed as ever, and to persevere in giving the instruction of that word, even though no present encouragement may be vouchsafed. None could appear less interested, even for a long time than But the seed, daily and plentifully sown, at last sprang up, and brought forth the blessed fruits which alone can prove that the heart is influenced by divine teaching. READING THE BIBLE. Some years ago a good missionary satisfied a poor Roman Ca-. tholic that it was his duty, notwithstanding the menaces of his priest and his Church, to read for himself the word of eternal life. The poor Irishman had been reading the word of the blessed God, and had been tempted to give it up for fear of the consequences which such a proceeding was represented to be likely to entail upon him. The missionary sat down by his side one day, and said "Now, sure your priest must be all wrong in this matter. Here is an Epistle of Paul the apostle. If he were to come in and find you reading it, would you not say, 'Indeed I am glad you are come just at this time when I am reading your letter?' And here is an Epistle of St. Peter. If he were to come to see you while you were reading it, would you not say the same thing. But if Father Maguire called upon you, you would put up the book and hide it in your breast. Does not this prove that to read the word of God is according to the doctrines of the apostles, and that only apostates from the truth, like Father Maguire, would prevent you from reading God's word?" THE YOUNG SWEARER REBUKed. A clergyman sailing up the Hudson river in a sloop, some forty years since, was pained by the profaneness of a young man. Seeking a favourable opportunity, he told him he had wounded his feelings by speaking against his best Friend-the Saviour. The young man shewed no relentings, and at one of the landings left the boat. The clergyman was pained, and feared that his labours were in vain. Seven years after, as this clergyman went to the General Assembly at Philadelphia, a young clergyman accosted him, saying he thought he remembered his countenance, and asked him if he was not on board a sloop on the Hudson river seven years before, with a profane young man. At length the circumstances were called to mind. "I," said he, "am that young man. I left the sloop, I thought I had injured both you and your Saviour. I was led to him for mercy, and I felt that I must preach his love to others. I am now in the ministry, and have come as representative to this Assembly." After UNCERTAINTY OF LIFE. BY BISHOP HEBER. Beneath our feet and o'er our head Death rides on every passing breeze, Our eyes have seen the rosy light Our eyes have seen the steps of age Turn, mortal, turn! thy danger know- Turn, Christian, turn! thy soul apply The bones that underneath thee lic ISAIAH ii. 22. "Cease ye from man." I read a word in the Holy Book, I read the same word, in the busy crowd; It spoke to my heart, it spoke aloud, And its voice was, "Cease from man." I had brothers, that wound around my heart, And the sentence which bade my brothers depart, I still in a sister's love could rejoice; I walked with her hand in hand; But death came by, and with a mournful voice, I turned to a friend, and thought I had found But the voice came fraught with affliction's sound, i sought out the cot of the wretched poor; But ingratitude met me at every door, And it warned me to "Cease from man." And now I would come, my Saviour, to thee, To the bosom of Jesus, my Lord, I would flee, C. B. TOO LATE. Too late-too late! How heavily that phrase The trusting heart he fondly toiled to win; Too late too late! That direful sound portends END OF VOL. XXVI. A. FOSTER, PRINTER, KIRKBY LONSDALE. |