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viction, and renders it insensible would as soon believe that, as somethings you do.

to its own best interests.

On one occasion, however, their conversation became more serious, and its effects more important. On the preceding Sunday, John had been at home as usual, and was highly entertained by a strolling player, who had gained admission to his father's table, and greatly diverted them with jesting upon the Bible; turning many of its histories into ridicule, and particularly that of the prophet Jonah, who, by the miraculous power of God, was preserved three days alive in the belly of a whale. This profane ridicule John mistook for wit, as young people are apt to do, and thought it would furnish him with excellent weapons to attack Thomas, and overturn his principles.— Monday came, and John soon found an opportunity to commence his assault, which he did as follows:

John. Well, Thomas what was the parson's text yesterday? Was it about Jonah and his whale ?

Thomas. No, John: his text was, "Good is the word of the Lord which he hath spoken.". What think you of it?

J. Think! Why, I wonder at your believing such stories as your Bible contains to be the word of God. If, instead of the whale swallowing Jonah, it had been said Jonah swallowed the whale, you'd believe it?

T. It is time enough to say so when I do. Yet, I confess, I

J. How so? Sure I don't be. lieve too much.

T. I mean you believe things much more absurd than I do, after all your ridicule. J. What things?

7. What do you think of the Bible?

J. That it is a gross imposition on mankind: the contrivance of knaves and hypocrites.

T. What does it teach? J. You best know that. T. Does it teach wickedness or goodness?

J. Oh, it teaches many good things, to be sure.

T. Does it teach any evil ones?
J. Not that I know of.

T. Did you ever know any person made wicked by reading and studying the Bible?

J. No. But did you ever know of any made better by it?

T. Yes, surely. Farmer Newman used to swear, and lie, and cheat his neighbor; but now he prays, and reads, and loves his Bible; every body admires the alteration. So Ralph the waggoner used to get drunk, and quarrel, and beat his wife, and starve his children; but now he is one of the best of husbands and of fathers, and a very sober, good man. I could tell you of many other instances. Can you deny them?

J. I have heard such things; but what have they to do with the subject we are talking of?

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, you believe that knaves and hypocrites conspired to write a book full of good things, and calculated to make men good and honest.

J. Suppose I allow them to be good men?

T. Then you must allow the Bible to be good and true; or else you believe that good men united to cheat the world in matters of the greatest importance. But this is not all. In rejecting christianity you must suppose, that twelve plain countrymen, the greatest part of whom were fishers, undertook to cheat the world with a new religion; not to obtain wealth, or honor, or ease, or power; but hatred and persecution, disgrace and contempt, poverty and stripes, imprisonment and death; that these men travelled over a great part of Asia, and of Europe, and in spite of the wisdom of philosophers, the influence of priests, and the power of princes, made innumerable converts, hundreds and thousands of whom gave up every thing, even life itself, with joy and satisfaction, to preserve a good conscience and the favor of God; and yet, all the while were knaves, and bypocrites, and impostors. Now tell me, John, is not this as bad as Jonah swallowing the whale ?

John was a little confounded with these questions, for he did not expect the tables to be turned upon him thus. However, af

J. Truly, Thomas, I did not think you could have preached so; but tell me now, how is it you ascribe such wonderful effects and influence to the Bible? I have read some of the morals of Seneca and Plutarch, and other heathen philosophers; now, are not these books as good as the Bible, without its strange, unaccountable stories?

T. Dear John, did you ever know any body reformed by them? What good effect have they had on you?

J. Truly not much, I believe; but how is that?

T. I will tell you, John: it is the most strange of all these strange stories, as you call them, that does the business: I mean that of the birth, life, sufferings and death, resurrection and ascension of the Son of God.

J. How so?

T. In many respects the heathen taught the same moral duties as the Bible, though not so clearly, nor so perfectly; but they wanted the motives to virtue which the Bible alone can furnish.

J. Explain yourself, Thomas.

T. You know master has got two watches; one goes, the other does not; now, what is the reason? Have they not both the same wheels?

J. Aye; but the main spring is broken in one of them.

T. You are right, John; and this is the case here. It is the

love of God which is the main spring of virtue and morality, and that is revealed only in the Bible. Here we learn, that God loved the world so as to give his Son for them; that Jesus Christ loved sinners so as to die for them and so we learn to love him because he first loved us. Nor is this all. The heathen had a faint hope indeed of a better world hereafter; but it was all conjecture and uncertainty. Now, by the gospel, "life and immortality are brought to light;" and we know, that " the sufferings of this life are not worthy to be compared with the glory which hereafter shall be revealed."

John was all attention to this discourse, and forgot his infidel raillery. Thomas saw he had gained ground, and wished to push his advantage farther. My dear John, said he, do you ever think of these things? You know that you must die is it not very desirable to die happy?

J. Truly; but is that possible? How can there be happiness in death?

T. I wish you had seen my father die. I was very young, but I never shall forget his departing words.

J. What were they?

he, "love the Bible, study, and revere, and practice it; then will you live happy, and die joyfully, as I do."

A tear

Sun

Here a pause ensued. stole down the cheek of Thomas, and another started in the eye of John. As soon as he could recover himself, Thomas said, “I wish you would go with me to hear our minister on Sunday next." John made no objection, and it was soon agreed. Little passed in the week, only John was much more serious than common. day came, and John went. He had seldom been at church, and the scene was almost new to him.The congregation was large and attentive; the minister animated and solemn. John was all eye and ear. The preacher named for his text, "How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?" He described the danger of the sinner: John trembled. He opened the salvation of the gospel: he wept and hid his face. After service, John went home to his father's house; but it was with an arrow in his heart. His father thought him unwell, but he could not tell what ailed him. After dinner, the usual jests and sports began he tried to smile, to please and pacify his friends; but he tried in vain. He was like a wounded bird that chirps and flutters, but can neither fly nor sing. He returned sooner than common to his master's, in order to meet with Thomas, and unbosom his mind to

T. Oh, I never shall forget them! Thomas," said he, taking me by the hand, while we all stood weeping around his bed, the cold sweat of death was upon him, yet joy and happiness glistened in his countenance-"Thomas," said him. Thomas had a sympathiz.

ing heart, and while he rejoiced have two arms, the one faith, the other love, with which I would embrace him, and carry him with me; and his presence would make hell itself a heaven.

in the conviction of his companion, endeavored to soothe his troubled soul. John could jest with religion now no more. The infidel prejudices he had acquired at home, vanished like the vapours before the rising sun. He could no more question the character of Christ, because he loved him he could no more despise the scriptures, because they were his daily food. In short, he became an eminent instance of converting grace. Through the remaining period of their apprenticeship, they took sweet counsel together, and walked to the house of God in company. PARVALUS. N. Y. Miss. Mag.

:

ANECDOTE.

A gentleman passing by a poor,

POETRY.

For the Christian Magazine.
Christ had his sorrows. When he shed
His tears, O Palestine! for thee-
When all but weeping females fled,
In his dark hour of agony.
Christ had his sorrows-so must thou,
If thou wilt tread the path he trod—
O then, like him, submissive bow,

And love the sov'reignty of God!
Christ had his joys-but they were not

The joys the son of pleasure boastsOh, no! 'twas when his spirit sought

Thy will, thy glory, God of Hosts! Christ had his joys-and so hath he,

Who feels His spirit in his heart; Who yields, O God! his all to thee, And loves thy name, for what thou art!

trace,

In the long train of coming years,
The chosen children of his grace,

The full reward of all his tears. These are his friends-and these are thine,

If thou to him hast bowed the knee; And where these ransom'd millions shine,

miserable beggar, wished him good Christ had his friends-his eye could day. "Sir," said the poor man, "I never had a bad one in my life." "No," said the gentleman, "why you have scarcely any clothes to cover you, and are obliged to beg. What do you say when we have frost and snow, and you have nothing to eat?" If it be fair weather," replied the beggar, "I bless God for it; and whatever God does, I bless him for it; so that I never had a bad day in my life." "But why" continued the gentleman," are you so well contented with God's doings? What ligion. would you say, if God would send you to hell?" "If he should, I

Shall thy eternal mansion be! N.

We neglected in our last to give credit to the Worcester Yeoman, for the communication on Revivals of Re

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TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Arora's liberal communication is re

ceived.

THE

CHRISTIAN MAGAZINE.

VOL. II.

JUNE, 1825.

No. 6.

CHRISTIANITY ITS OWN WITNESS.

Man, from his infancy, is so fa miliar with the operations of nature around him, that some just idea of the relation of effects to their causes early, becomes a principle interwoven in the mind. He not only discovers a propensity to trace up both natural and moral phenomena to some antecedent events, which, from their connexion, might seem to be the real causes; he also possesses an almost perfect sagacity to discern the fitness of things, which, like an intellectual conscience, promptly decides on the credibility of these claims. There is something at once so simple and sublime in the true system of physical nature, as secures to its newly discovered principles the swiftest verdict both of reason and emotion. And the human mind not only recognizes with joy the light of truth, but feels a mysterious disquietude in the embrace of error. Every one, therefore, in his inquiries into natural science, is

sensibly urged forward by these principles of his nature, as far as finite power and opposing prejudices will admit, towards a discovery of the hidden springs whose energy is the omnipotence of God.

The progress of astronomical researches furnishes an ample illustration of this remark. Though theories of the planetary motions have existed ever since the days of Egypt's wakeful shepherds, yet the restless mind of man was never satisfied; but reason, while she lingered in the successive mazes of Tycho and Ptolemy, still sought some other light--she knew not why, till Copernicus enthroned the sun and Newton pointed to the power which curbs the spheres. And there is something in those principles, so simple in itself-so like the counsels of the universal cause, that a sin gle glance at them conveys to the understanding the heavenly expression of truth. Reason feels that she has reached the bounda ry of this field of being, and even curiosity can ask no more below.

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