a

Like ap

fects of christianity in all christ- there now, in pagan lands, any ian nations. By its transforming systematic efforts for the alleviainfluence, it enlightens the dark, tion of human misery. But in and reforms the wicked portions christian nations humane instituof the earth, and raises them to a tions are established for the reparticipation of the blessings of a lief and support of the friendless civilized community. Such, as orphan, the disconsolate widow, we have seen, have already been the sick and needy stranger. The its effects, and such will still be rights of man are better underits effects wherever it is carried, stood, and better systems of govfor it has either a direct or an in- eroment are adopted. Comfort direct influence over all our in- and happiness are more generally stitutions, charitable, social and and equally diffused. Who then civil. Wherever the hand of can doubt, that the gospel is to be charity has been most efficient, it the grand instrument of civilizhas been under the influence of ing the uncivilized parts of the the gospel, which teaches us to world? Wherever it is sent, it do good unto all men as we have produces, upon the social and civil opportunity." Wherever social interests of the community, the happiness has been enjoyed in most salutary effects. its purity, it has been under the overflowing river, which every influence of the gospel, which in- where enriches and fertilizes its culcates all the relative duties of banks, the gospel has every where the social state. Wherever civil carried along with it an unfailing liberty has been established and stream of mercy to civilize, to preserved, it has been the effectenoble, to bless the human family. of the gospel which teaches the 3. Humanity and philosophy equal origin and rights of men. as well as christian principle teach Indeed the gospel may justly be that it is the duty of all to be libconsidered the indirect source of eral in the missionary cause. almost all temporal comforts.-- If such be

the consequences Would we only compare the pre- of the successful introduction sent condition of christian and of the religion of the bible, pagan nations, this truth would (and none who will open their appear obvious. By this com- eyes upon events

transparison we should find, that to piring in the world can doubt,) the influence of the gospel is to then hard must be the heart, be attributed the existence of or- and cruel the hand that refuses to phan houses, hospitals, and asy- be warm and liberal in the suplums for the relief and comfort of port of those means which are the distressed and afflicted. Be- used to send the gospel to the desfore the introduction of Christ. titute. Every genuine friend of ianity there were not, nor are liberty, civilization and human

DOW

ensure

ity must be the friend of mis- his family. He had no objection to sions.

the seriousness of Thomas, por the A system wbich has produced levity of John, so that they attendsuch good effects upon

the commu- ed diligently to their business. nity, and whose very principles Every Sunday both the boys

its salutary influence went home to their respective throughout all ages, should be sent friends, and spent the day as they to all people. Those who

had been accustomed. Thomas

profess to regard the temporal comfort went to church with his uncle, and improvement of their fellow- attended very seriously to the men, should shew the sincerity of minister, and when they returned their profession by aiding the mis- he read the scriptures and other sionary cause, which while its great religious books. On the other design is to save souls, becomes band, John generally spent the the most powerful instrument of Sunday mornings in rambling acivilization and happiness in this bout the fields; sometimes maylife.

W.

ing, or birds-nesting, blackberry. ing, or fishing, as opportunity served: and his afternoons and and evenings were commonly spent in indolence and sport, or in foolish talking and jesting in his father's

family. John Smart and Thomas Stea.

As they both served in their dy were fellow apprentices to a

master's shop, and he was much respectable tradesman in a con- absent, they had many opportunisiderable country town. Thom

ties for conversation, and the difas was a serious, intelligent and ferent manner in which, they amiable youth, wbo bad been re

spent the Sabbath was often the ligiously educated under a pious subject John was proud to reuncle. John had more vivacity late his exploits and adventures ; and quickness both of wit and and Thomas, to whom they were temper, and was too much dis- always disagreeable, seldom failed posed to be what is called un

to reprove or to admonish bim.lucky, but which is, in fact, wick. These reproofs, though adminised; he had seen nothing at his tered with temper and affection, father's house (who was a weal- would sometimes pierce his mind thy farmer) but a jovial and mer- like a dagger; but the wounds

were not deep, and therefore soon Their master was a worthy man closed, and were forgotten; and in his dealings, and sometimes not upfrequently the stroke was went to church ; but did not con- warded off by a kind of levity, cérn himself about the religion of which steels the mind against con

THE TWO APPRENTICES.

ry life.

viction, and renders it insensible would as soon believe that, as to its own best interests.

somethings you do. On one occasion, however, J. How so? Sure I don't be. their conversation became more lieve too much. serious, and its effects more im- T. I mean you believe things portant. On the preceding Sun- much more absurd than I do, afday, John had been at home as ter all your ridicule. usual, and was highly entertained

J. What things? by a strolling player, who had 7. What do you think of the gained admission to his father's Bible ? table, and greatly diverted them J. That it is a gross imposition with jesting upon the Bible ; turn- on mankind : the contrivance of ing many of its histories into ridi. knaves and hypocrites. cule, and particularly that of the T. What does it teach? prophet Jonah, who, by the mi- J. You best know that. raculous

power
of God, was pre-

T. Does teach wickedness or served three days alive in the goodness ? belly of a whale. This profane

J. Oh, it teaches many good ridicule John mistook for wit, as things, to be sure. young people are apt to do, and T. Does it teacb any evil ones ? thought it would furnish bim with J. Not that I know of. excellent weapons to attack Thom- T. Did you ever know any peras, and overturn his principles.— son made wicked by reading and Monday came, and John soon studying the Bible ? found an opportunity to

J. No. But did you ever know mence his assault, which he did as of any made better by it ? follows:

T. Yes, surely. Farmer NewJohn. Well, Thomas what was man used to 'swear, and lie, and the parson's text yesterday? Was cheat his neighbor; but now he it about Jonah and his whale ?

prays, and reads, and loves his Thomas. No, John: his text Bible ; every body admires the was, 6 Good is the word of the alteration. So Ralph the wagLord which he hath spoken.”- goner used to get drunk, and What think you of it?

quarrel, and beat his wife, and J. Think! Why, I wonder at starve his children ; but now he your believing such stories as is one of the best of husbands and your Bible contains to be the of fathers, and a very sober, good word of God. If, instead of the

I could tell you of many whale swallowing Jonah, it had other instances. Can you deny been said Jonah swallowed the them? whale, you'd believe it?

J. I have heard such things ; T. It is time enough to say so but what have they to do with the when I do.

Yet, I confess, I subject we are talking of?

com

man.

T. I'll tell you John. You say ter a little recollection, he prothe Bible was written by bad men, ceeded. knaves and hypocrites; now, then, J. Truly, Thomas, I did not you believe that knaves and hypo- think you could have preached crites conspired to write a book so; but tell me now, how is it full of good things, and calculated you ascribe such wonderful effects to make men good and honest. and influence to the Bible ? I have

J. Suppose I allow them to be read some of the morals of Senegood men ?

ca and Plutarch, and other hea. T. Then you must allow the then philosophers; now, are not Bible to be good and true; or else these books as good as the Bible, you believe that good men united without its strange, unaccountable to cheat the world in matters of stories ? the greatest importance. But this T. Dear John, did you ever is not all. In rejecting christiani- know any body reformed by them ? ty you must suppose, that twelve What good effect have they bad plain country men, the greatest on you ? part of whom were fishers, under- J. Truly not much, I believe ; took to cheat the world with a but how is that? new religion; not to obtain wealth, T. I will tell you, John : it is or honor, or ease, or power; but the most strange of all these hatred and persecution, disgrace strange stories, as you call them, and contempt, poverty and stripes, that does the business: I mean imprisonment and death ; that that of the birth, life, sufferings these men travelled over a great and death, resurrection and ascenpart of Asia, and of Europe, and sion of the Son of God. in spite of the wisdom of philoso- J. How so? phers, the influence of priests, T. In many respects the heaand the power of princes, made then taught the same inoral duties innumerable converts, hundreds as the Bible, though not so clearand thousands of whom gave up ly, nor so perfectly; but they want. every thing, even life itself, with ed the motives to virtue which joy and satisfaction, to preserve a the Bible alone can furbish. good conscience and the favor of J. Explain yourself, Thomas. God; and yet, all the while were T. You know master has got knaves, and bypocrites, and impos- two watches; one goes, the other tors. Now tell me, John, is not does not; now, what is the reathis as bad as Jonah swallowing son ? Have they not both the the whale ?

same wheels ? John was

a little confounded J. Aye; but the main spring is with these questions, for he did broken in one of them. not expect the tables to be turn- T. You are right, John; and ed upon him thus. However, af- this is the case here. It is the

love of God which is the main he, 6 love the Bible, study, and respring of virtue and morality, and vere, and practice it; then will that is revealed only in the Bible. you live happy, and die joyfully, Here we learn, that God loved as I do.” the world so as to give his Son Here a pause ensued. A tear for them; that Jesus Christ loved stole down the cheek, of Thomas, sinners so as to die for them : and and another started in the eye of so we learn to love him because John. As soon as he could re. he first loved us. Nor is this all. cover himself, Thomas said, " I The heathen had a faint hope in- wish you would go with me to deed of a better world hereafter ; hear our minister on Sunday next." but it was all conjecture and un- John made no objection, and it certainty. Now, by the gospel, was soon agreed. Little passed st life and immortality are brought in the week, only John was much to light;" and we know, that 6 the more serious than common. Sun. sufferings of this life are not wor- day came, and John went. He had thy to be compared with the glory seldom been at church, and the which hereafter shall be reveal- scene was almost new to him. ed."

The congregation was large and John was all attention to this attentive; the minister animated discourse, and forgot his infidel and solemn. John was all eye and raillery. Thomas saw he had ear. The preacher named for gained ground, and wished to push his text, “ How shall we escape his advantage farther. My dear if we neglect so great salvation ??? John, said he, do you ever think He described the danger of the of these things? You know that sinner: John trembled. He openyou must die : is it not very de- ed the salvation of the gospel : he sirable to die happy ?

wept and hid his face.

After serJ. Truly; but is that possible ? vice, John went home to his fa. How can there be happiness in ther's house; but it was with an death ?

arrow in his heart. His father T. wish you had seen my fa- thought him unwell, but he could ther die. I was very young, but not tell what ailed him. After I never shall forget his departing dinner, the usual jests and sports words.

began : he tried to smile, to please J. What were they?

and pacify his friends ; but he triT. Oh, I never shall forgeted in vain. He was like a woundthem! “ Thomas,” said he, tak- ed bird that chirps and flutters, ing me by the hand, while we all but can neither fly nor sing. He stood weeping around his bed, the returned sooner than common to cold sweat of death was upon him, his master's, in order to meet with yet joy and happiness glistened in Thomas, and unbosom his mind to his countenance Thomas," said him. Thomas had a sympathiz

a