:

which there are no omissions.- plagies that are written in this They are only improved transla- book : And if any man shall take tions made from the same original away from the words of the book copies as those which you' have. of this prophecy, God shall take Here is one made by John, the away his part out of the book of Itinerant, a famous pilgrim, which life, and out of the holy city, and is in high esteem among his fol- froin the things which are written lowers. He made this translation in this book." on purpose to avoid some of those So they left the man, and went gloomy doctrines which your cop- on their way. ies teach, which are so dishonor. abl, to the Lord of the way, and so discouraging to many pilgrims. And where he cocid not wholly THE SAILOR'S DAUGHTER. avoid them by altering the trans- A sailor was asked what induc. lation, he has explained them a- ed him first to attend to religion, way by his notes. At least, be and gave for answer the following prevailed upon to take one of narrative. I came from my last these. It is much more agreea- voyage before Christmas, and ble to many pilgrims than those journeyed home.

, Being late you have. And, indeed, those when I arrived, I had not the ofyou have, can never be of much portunity of seeing my eldest girl, use, for you can never understand about six years of

age,

until the them.

following day. At dinner time, Th. I have not yet discovered when we hard sat down, I began, any doctrines in my book wbich (beast-like,) to cat what was beappear to me dishonorable to the fore me ; but glancing my eye Lord of the way, nor otherwise towards this girl, of whom I was than comforting and encouraging doatingly fond, 1 observed her to to the true pilgrim. I say again, look at me with astonishment.--lam disposed to have nothing to After a moment's pause, she askdo with these pretended improved ed me in a solemn and serious versions. Come, brother, let us mapner, 'Father, do you never ask be going: Goodwill said to me, a blessing before eating? Her 56 take heed that no man deceive mother observed me to look hard you." I think it safest not to at her, and hold my koiie and listen to this stranger. He bid fork motionless ; (it was not anger me, moreover, lo 66 search the

- it was

a rush of conviction , scriptures."

which struck me like lightning ;) So saying he opened his book, apprehending some reproof from and read towards the close of it; me, and wishing to pass it by in a 51f any man shall add onto these trillion way, she said, “ Do you things, God shall add unto him the say grace Nanny.” My eyes were still rivited upon the child have no means of religious infor I felt conscious I had never in- straction. Sea-Missionaries should structed her to pray, nor even to be employed to labor in all seaset an example by praying with ports. my family when at home. The There are, on and about the child seeing me wait for her to river Thames, in London, about begin, put her hands together, and 120,000 persons connected with lifting up her eyes to heaven, vessels and the sea ; most of breathed the sweetest prayer I whom have, since 1817, been ever heard. This is too much for brought under the sound of the me: the knise and fork dropped gospel by the labors of the Socifrom my hands, and I gave vent eties.

I to my feelings in tears."

Here a A Religious Tract Society, suppause ensued. He appeared much ported by various denominations affected. On recovering himself of Christians, has been establishhe continued, " I inquired who ed within the past year at Calcuíhad thus instructed the child. -- ta in India, with encouraging The mother informed me, the prospects of success. good people at the Mariners' A letter has been received by Church next door, and the child a genileman in Boston from the never would go to bed, nor rise in Rev. J. J. Carruthers, employed the morning, without kneeling in the Crimea by the Scottish Misdown to pray for herself and her sionary Society. The letter is dear father and mother. Ah!-- dated August 7, 1824, and is acthought I, and I never prayed for companied by a journal written in myself or my chil Iren. The Lord 1823. The journal gives an having awakened me to a sense of count of the first Cristian conmy danger through the instrumen- vert from among the Mahometans tality of a dear child, I am in the Crimea. At the latest truly happy in the thought that date, Sept. 7, 1823, there were Jesus Christ came into the world several inquirers, some of whom to save poor sinners, of whom I

were very serious and attentive. am chief.”

Mr. Erasmus H. Simon, a converted Jew, bas published a circu. lar stating his reasons for declining to reside on the farm at West

ac

now

THI

CHRISTIAN MAGAZINE.

VOL. II.

SEPTEMBER 1825.

No. 9.

sin.

។

SERMON.
of bis intellectual powers.

Were John, xvi, 8.- And when he is the constant agency of God withcome, he will reprove the world of drawn, darkness and death, would

close the light of the universe. That man is a free agent, is a How this divine operation is conself evident proposition, an intui- sistent with human choice and tive truth. I am nut more cer. human exertion, I do not know, tain, that I exist, than that I will, how God constantly acts on the that I act, and that I choose, ac- mind, and yet leaves man free cording to my pleasure. But and active, I do not know.' Still I while man is free, he is influenced do know, that the facts are not by a divine power. While he the less certain.

The Holy Spirchooses, and acts according to his it, saith the Savior, will reprove choice, he is dependent on God or rather convince* the world of for every thought. While he sin that they are guilty, and ex. works out his own salvation him- posed to the anger of God. This self, God works in him to will and is his work. From the text and to do. While exerting the most other passages, it is evident, that astonishing powers of mind, he is conviction of sin is one office of

The maxime only more effectually moved by the Holy Spirit. an unseen power.

of natural religion and the exerMan acts and God acts, in the cise of reason may teach a man

The same same operation of body and mind that he has sinned. In the most sublime flights of ge- reasoning powers, which satisfy nius and science, when man pum

him respecting other facts, may bers the stars, and weighs the instruct him here. But this suplanets, he is borne on the strong perficial, indefinite impression of wing of divine power. “By the

* See the translations of Thompson inspiration of the Alinighty," man

evil will not effectually excite him cometh by hearing." But to proto believe in the Savior, and lead ceed. Of what sins does the spira life of humility and repentance. it of God convince men ? A man who has enjoyed a life of 1. He convinces them of the perpetual health and gaiety of sinfulness of their immoral actions. spirits, may believe that he is a Tho' all men allow, that immoral frail, mortal, dying creature ; but actions are wrong, and perhaps his convictions are slight, he will have some slight impressions, that rarely submit to the cautious kab- they are themselves guilly; yet its of bis neighbor, who is pining if gospel truth be not impressed under painful chronic disorders, on the conscience, if the Holy and tortured with all the fears of Spirit have not reproved or coba valetudinarian so great is the vinced the mind, its sense of guilt difference between the acknowl. is inconstant, indefinite, and superedgements of reason, and the con- ficial. Tho' the man has tramvictions of conscience, between pled on the laws of society: tho? hunan teaching, and that of the he has broken the law of God; gospel, enforced by the Holy tho' he has injured his neighbor, Spirit. Reason leaves the mind violated his promise, betrayed quiet and secure ; the Spirit of the confidence of his friend, and God awakens the conscience to a disturbed the peace of the comdeep sense of its sin, and guilt, and munity, he often feels, but little danger. The mao sees bis sin remorse, little self reproach, litto be rebellion against God, an ile sense of guilt, or shame. Notodious and abominable work, withstanding his violations of law idolatry of self, putting self in the human and divine, he ofien conplace of God.

He discovers his gratulates bimself for his virtues, dan ger ; a dreadful sound is in his boasts of his goodness, and thanks ears ; Sinai thunders; his sentence God that he is so much more reis death ; in the anguish of his ligious than his neighbors. spirit he cries, 6 Wbat shall I

But when the Spirit of God do ?”

comes, when the Spirit reproves But I ought to be more partic. or convinces him of sin, he perular in enforcing the doctrine, ceives that his guilt is great, b: ld,

. that it is the office of the Holy and daring. He is ashamed and Spirit to convince men of their confounded; the plague of bis wickedness.

heart, the sins of his lite, are an This he does, pot by a miracle, overflowing fountain of moral not by a new revelation, not by poison. The streams have poldreams or visions; but by the luted the neighborhood; bis expreaching of the gospel. This ample is abroad; he has encouris the great engine of conviction aged others in their wickedness ; and even of conversion 6 Faith he has grieved and a flicted oth

C no

ers better than himself; he has his confidence ; but the Spirit of made dangerous impressions, God has come and convinced him which he cannot efface, inflicted that these services rested on wounds in society, which he can- proper basis that they were excited not heal, done a damage, which by no religious motives, that they he cannot repair. His iniquities were heartless, cold and dead. are as a pestilence, walking in He had been moral ; but this was darkness. He is ready to ex. constitutional indifference, or the clim, “ I perish ; father, I have habit of education, or the slavish sinped.”

fear of punishment. He had II. The Holy Spirit convinces been, apparently, religious ; but the conscience of the guilt of this was to be seen of men, or to those actions which are apparent- purchase heaven at the price of: ly moral and good.

bis prayers and sacrifices. The With all his sins, the man had, fear of God was not before bis probably, done many things ap- eyes, nor the love of God in his parently, right and good ; the heart, lo coming to the place of worst man performs a multitude public worship, his heart was not of such actions. He had been in the duties, contemplated. True; industrious. He had not beep an he brought his body; but bis angel of discord, a nuisance in so. heart was not here. So he might ciety, the sharae of his family; he have sent his coat or cloak; but had not biasphemed bis God, nor would this have made his garslandered his friend. Temperate ments religious, or given thein a and sober, he had read his bible, claim to the divine favor ? In all and come to the house of God. these plausible services, he was In all these things, did he mani. governed by his own inierest, his fest any spiritual life, any love to reputation, or his safety. The God, any holy aspirations for the Spirit of God comes and convinces divine favor, any contrition of him of this truth. He, there. heart for sin ? He came to the fore, renounces his confidence house of God, and so did the use in his own righteousness, his oful animal, which drew him in pinion of his own goodness, bis his carriage. But as neither of flattering expectation of future them had any pious motives, any reward. As he had no regard for faith in Christ, any principle of God, he has no claim to his favor. obedience, any regard to the glo. He labored, not for God, but bimry of God, any holy desires for selt, and has received his reward. sanctifying mercy, they have no Instead of pride, he seels remorse claim to the divine blessing; no instead of self complacency, he title to the smallest reward.- is smitten with terror; instead of The morality and religion of the delusive hope, bis heart is sinkman had been his pride, his hope, ing in despair. He is confounded