ble health. for all, his making offers of par- the effect of her ride upon her feedon to all, and his inviting, entreating and cammanding all to accept them. These provisions and invitations of the gospel as clearly and forcibly express his tender and benevolent regard to every individual of the human race, as his purposes do his regard to the general good. THE ORPHAN. en Whether it was that the first dawn of the morning was more a novelty to me than to my companions or whether they had joyed less of the repose of night, than myself, I cannot decide. But the fact is, most of them soon fell into a sleep as profound as the roughness of the road would permit, while an interesting train of thought preserved my own mind wakeful and active. Thus, said I, (as I saw the shades of night gradually giving place to the rays of the morning) thus will come the brightness of that day, when moral darkness shall be chased from our earth, and the sun of Returning a few weeks since, from a tour west of the Hudson, I took my seat at one of the principal towns in Connecticut, in the stage for Boston. It was a fine October morning. The twinkling stars righteousness arise in his glory.were yet visible in the firmament, Thus, perhaps, the enraptured though shorn of their lustre by spirit, as it emerges from the dark the advances of the grey twilight valley of the shadow of death, will which was gradually extinguishing perceive the gradual unfolding of these wakeful luminaries of the those splendours, the full view of night. The busy hum of the city which would overpower its yet was still, and the rattling of the feeble vision. stage-coach through the streets, was succeeded by a silence, as deep as it had broken, except where was heard the barking of the dog, whose slumbers have been disturbed by our passing, or the shrill voice of the cock, as he announced approaching day. Among the companions of my journey, who were summoned thus early to their seats, was a young female, clad in habiliments of deep mourning. She was conducted to the stage by two of her friends, who expressed much anxiety, about Meanwhile the sun ascended the horizon and afforded me an opportunity of viewing more distinctly my companions in the stage. My attention was turned particularly to the one I have mentioned.The rose of health had faded from her cheek and the hectic flush, which sometimes arose in its stead, afforded no relief to the apprehensions with which, her pale countenance, and feeble frame were contemplated. On arriving at our breakfast house, she was conducted to a room, where she might rest from her fatigue till we were summoned to resume our journey. The sun had advanced considerably in his course; the morning was delightful; and the whole scenery calculated to enliven and animate the feelings. I endeavoured to cheer the mind of my feeble fellow-traveller, by directing it to the interesting objects which were presented to our view. But it was in vain. She seemed uninterested, alike in the beauties of nature, and of art, and in every subject I could propose, and disposed to be silent, as far as with propriety she might. Yet her's was not the silence of a vacant mind. There was an expression of intelligence in her countenance which had survived the wastings of disease, and which gave an interest to her appearance when the glow of health had departed. Her mind was evidently upon some yet untouched subject-There was a deep thoughtfulness in her countenance, which convinced me that the memory of some severe affliction possessed her soul, and at the same time aserenity which said, that her's were not feelings of unmingled sorrow. I felt a desire to know the history of the mourning stranger, but the subject was too delicate for direct enquiry and I suppressed my curiosity. As we approached the termination of her ride, I asked her if she was going to her parents. " I have no parents" she replied, "I am an orphan." I soon per ceived that I had touched upon. the subject which occupied all her thoughts, and that on this she conversed freely. From the little sketch which she voluntarily gave me of her situation, I learned that a few months previous, her father, her mother, her brother and sister; the only members of the family older than herself, had within five weeks of each other been all laid in the grave. Her surviving sister, younger than she, had been taken into the family of the minister of the parish, to whose little flock the deceased belonged. She had resided mostly in the city, which we left in the morning, and was now returning to her guardian and friends, on account of her failing health. The stage here turned from the main road, to accommodate one of the passengers, and brought us close along by the village church-yard. The emotions of her mind were visible in her countenance, and a tear involuntarily rose in her eye, as this resting place for our mortality met her view. "There," said she, pointing to a distant part of the grave yard, where four dark marbles stood close together, " are my parents, my brother, and my sister." The emotions produced by the first prospect of these habitations of the dead, passed away with the moment, for it was attended by no new feeling. Her mind was accustomed to dwell on these subjects, and its usual serenity was where but a few months since the destroying angel had taken his desolating course, she pointed out the spot where her early youth was spent, the late dwelling of her parents--now no longer her home. soon restored. When her parents were buried she was herself dangerously sick, and without any hope that she should be happy after death. Her afflictions had been the means, in the hand of God, of weaning her affections from this world, and fixing them The stage was now at the door. on things above. She thought and A venerable looking matron, and spoke of following her departed two younger females, of interestrelatives to the world of spirits, ing appearance, came to receive with the utmost composure of her. The solicitude which they feeling. She contemplated her manifested for her health, and the waning health without anxiety, unfeigned pleasure which they exfor she hoped, though her sun of pressed, more by actions than life was prematurely setting, that words, at seeing her again with when its last ray was extinguish them, convinced me, that though ed, the light of her Redeemer's an orphan, she was not a friendcountenance would be lifted upon less one. The storm of adversiher. When she spoke of her ob- ty had indeed beaten violently upligations of gratitude to him who on her; it had swept away the had preserved her during her for- protectors, and the companions of mer sickness, when so many of her youth; and was apparently her companions were called sud- fast sweeping away the frail founddenly to give up their account* ation, on which her mortal life and had now given her a hope was resting. Yet, when I saw through his grace, that when the how meekly she bowed before the mantle of the grave was drawn blast which had withered her around her, she should rest with earthly enjoyments, and clouded her pious mother and sister in all those flattering prospects, the world of peace; her feel- which rise in bright and joyous ings were too strong for utterance. succession in the youthful mind, I She attempted to express them, could not but exclaim, "God tembut her heart was too full for pers the wind to the shorn lamb." words. The tear of gratitude rose As I pursued my journey, medin her eyes. She was silent.-- itating upon the incidents of the In a few moments we entered the morning, I was struck with the village where her guardian resid- different effect, produced by simi. ed. As we passed along the street, lar events, upon different minds. I had seen afflictions, numerous and deep as those visited upon this prepining orphan, where the subjects of them gave vent to * An epidemic prevailed in the vil lage where she resided, which swept off in a few weeks, between 30 and 40 of the inhabitants. ian reader; had you witnessed the mild, submissive manner, in which she sustained her complicated afflictions, you would have felt with me, that it was better to be a companion of those who mourn, than of those who rejoice; and, would perhaps have felt with me, that you had found in this afflicted, yet unrepining orphan, an example of christian submission and fortitude, worthy of your own imitation. XANTHUS. As your Magazine is designed to communicate religious truth, at least, your views of it, I wish that you, or your correspondents, would throw some light on the subject of the claims and assertions advanced by one denomination of their feelings in rebellious murmurings against the hand that chastened them, or repressed them in the sullen gloom of melancholy. Others I had seen, who appeared, whilst under the influence of some sore bereavement, to have their hearts softened a little, whose serious feeling all vanished with the affliction which produced it, and left them farther from God, than they were before. Others, like the subject of this little sketch, seem to view the finger of a gracious God in the sorrows of their lives, and are induced, by feeling his afflicting hand, to return to Messrs. Editors, him from whom they have revolted. But the number of these is small. To you who have felt the bereaving strokes of providence, I appeal for the truth of this remark. Have you, when some temporal object of your affections has been torn from your embrace, christians which serve to perplex, fixed your affections upon eternal and, and I fear, to mislead the things? When deprived of some minds of many. In order to bring created blessing, have you looked definitely, before you what I have more humbly and earnestly to the in view, I will propose several Creator, for support and consola questions: tion? Has no repining spirit corroded your feelings, and prevented the good which you might have derived from these events? My attention has, for years, been directed to the effect of the providence of God upon the moral character of his creatures. Yet I have found but few who appeared to feel so deeply, so sincerely, the words of the Psalmist, " It is good for me that I have been afflicted," 3. Is Episcopalian ordination as did this pious orphan. Christ- the only regular and valid ordina 1. Is salvation sure to all those who are members of the Episcopal church, and receive the sacrament from the hands of her clergy? 2. Must all those, where the gospel is preached, who are not of that church and do not receive the sacrament from the hands of what is called a regular and valid clergy, perish? tion; and are the ordination and his ministrations are invalid and ministrations of the Presbyterian nothing; and if the church to and Congregational clergy irregu- which I belong, is no church of lar and invalid, and not of the Christ, but a schismatic body, it christian priesthood? is important that I and all concerned, should know it. An essen tial service may be done to the christian community by proper answers to the questions I have proposed. In the light of truth, I, and others may see light. 4. Is the Episcopal church the only one in covenant with God, and are all other churches with out hope and without God in the world, and aliens from the christian commonwealth, and out of the covenant of promise? Have they no communion with Christ? I wish these, or such like questions, were satisfactorily answered. You may be surprised that I ask them; but the claims and assertions which I have mentioned, and the effect they have on the minds of many well meaning people, must be my apology. If my minister is not ordained, and if all Yours, &c. A member of a Congregationalist QUESTION. How can it be accounted for that many persons seem to desire. religion, who exhibit no evidence of possessing it? EXTRACTS. BROM THE CHRISTIAN SPECTATOR. It is recorded in a very ancient book, that a certain nobleman of great possessions being about to journey, called together his servants, delivered to them his goods, and said unto each, "occupy till I come." Of these servants it is observed, that by birth, they were the property of their master, but having fallen into captivity they had been bought also with a price, in addition to which, every one of them said "I love my master," and by significant tokens had engaged to serve him during life. They would hold, they said, no separate property, or be influenced to serve by mercenary motives.Their master's interest, they said should be their own, his reputation their honor, his prosperity their reward. Thus circumstanced, it would be natural to expect of these servants, great "diligence in business," great friendship among themselves, and great joy as their master's interest should prosper in their hands; and this for a season |