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lar, and used to teach writing and arithmetic. He was fond of his learning, and a regular reader of his Bible. This habit continued with him as a sort of instinct, for he constantly amused himself with turning over the leaves of his Bible or hymn book, though he could not tell a letter. He kept up a sort of muttering, and would say incoherent words of a hymn or Psalm, though hardly to be understood. At the age of 65, he was taken ill. His sister had taken the charge of him, and had the same to do for him as for an infant. In his illness she used to ask him, "How

are you now, Johnny, my lad?" His answer was always, "better"-never more than a word at a time. Two hours before his death, she put the same question to him, when he answered, "heaven," and never spoke more. Now, sir, I have thought this simple tale might illustrate something of that sweet Scripture which points to the glad tidings of a Saviour's love reaching the heart and gladdening the soul of the untaught "wayfaring" man that cannot reason upon this record, but, mysteriously taught, "shall not err therein."

LETTERS TO THE WIFE OF A YOUNG CLERGYMAN.

NO. I.

My DEAR YOUNG FRIEND,-As you are now, I trust, quietly settled in your own home, (so far as any tent in the wilderness may be so called,) I shall endeavour to assure you of my affectionate interest in your welfare, and in your work, by a few friendly hints drawn from observation and experience. May the blessed Spirit of God enable me to write in such strict accordance with his word, that he may bless it to your own spiritual good, and the eternal welfare of your precious charge.

It is not improbable that you have never thought yourself and your own conduct so deeply involved in the ordination vows of your husband as I may imply when I ask if you have seriously and prayerfully read one part of the ordination service as your family directory? The one to which I allude is the following solemn interrogation proposed by the Bishop to the candidates for the priest's office: "Will you be diligent to frame and fashion your own selves and your families according to the doctrine of Christ, and to make both yourselves and them, as much as in you lieth, wholesome examples and patterns to the flock of Christ?" The reply to which was, "I will, the Lord being

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my helper." Do you not feel that this admirable epitome of Christian principle and domestic management was framed for you, and that in God's sight you are responsible for the fulfilment of the engagement? Believing, as I do, that you desire to be actively engaged in the Lord's work, I shall endeavour to point out the various channels of usefulness which you will meet with in your daily employments. Perhaps the most simple division will be personal, domestic, and parochial. Take heed to thyself," is no less needful for us than for those who have the more public ministrations to perform. May we not say that our spirituality and consistency in a great measure affect their influence? How needful then is it that these should be maintained by a mind richly furnished with the Word of God, by affections fully set on things above, by that spirit of watchfulness against our great enemy, and of simple dependance upon our great Advocate which can alone secure our perseverance in our work. Considerable portions of God's word should form a part of our daily reading. Our own spiritual state and progress should be first considered; and this will be most effectually done by me

ditating upon that word, and turning it into prayer as we proceed, by which process we seem to carry out our own petition that we may "inwardly digest" the truths of the Gospel. Such is the peculiarity of the Bible, that we are constantly meeting with something suitable to our wants and circumstances, even if we read it regularly through; and I have sometimes thought that we derive more benefit from this plan than by referring to portions which we think suitable. We thereby omit no passages, and are often led to many better fitted to our case than we should otherwise find. For instance, we generally search for our duty in the line of our inclination, but the Spirit, by the Word regularly read, lands us in a very opposite direction.

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By a diligent use of the marginal references, you will generally find the best explanation of difficult passages. Comparing spiritual things with spiritual," is the divinely appointed means of enlightening the understanding; and this mode of study seems fully to coincide with the Apostle's meaning, when he "for says, what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of man, which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the spirit of God." (1 Cor. ii. 11.) Although this is generally true, still the commentaries of those men-men of Godwhose lives have been spent in his service, are truly valuable to us. As Mr. Bridges well observes, 66 many of them comprise the labours of men who had a far deeper insight into the word of God, than those who despise them are generally likely to attain.” Eastern manners and customs are unknown to many without their aid. An intelligent as well as a spiritual knowledge of God's word is also ex

pected in our sphere, for although we do not expect that deference to be paid to us which is implied in the passage- "the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth," (Malachi ii. 7.) became "he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts," still there is a general expectation amongst our people, and especially the lower classes, that we can answer many of their little difficulties, and ought we not to be prepared for it? Infidelity is always ready to represent our ignorance, as the support of its baneful course. The analogy of faith is a most valuable weapon of defence against the errors of the day, and those which arise from the peculiar tendencies of various minds. Such commentaries as good Mr. Scott's may be most useful to us, as they seem to keep "the whole system of Scripture truth revolving before us." A sound, well-written paraphrase you will often find a great help to you, and it is perhaps the best substitute for reading the Scriptures in the original. I shall only now add a sincere prayer, that the word of God may daily become more and more your own support, guide, and stimulant, and then you will doubtless fulfil your solemn duty by "framing and fashioning yourself and your family according to the doctrine of Christ."

"Here are my choicest treasures hid,
Here my best comfort lies,
Here my desires are satisfied,
And hence my hopes arise."

With every Christian wish for an abundant blessing upon yourself and your new sphere, believe me,

Your attached friend,

Bristol, May 28th, 1845.

Poetry.

PROTESTANT MINSTRELSY.-No. VI.

THE PENITENT.

(For the Christian Guardian.)

Thomas Bilney, one of the early martyrs of the Reformation, at the commencement of his course, in anguish of mind wasted both health and purse in masses, fasting, watching, and the purchase of indulgences; but found no peace, till, meeting with a Latin Testament, he opened upon the text, "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.'

THE brow hath lost its sunshine, the eye hath lost its joy-
How hath been crushed within him the spirit of the boy!
How suddenly hath darkened the gladness of the child,
That once shone forth like morning, as rosy-faced and mild!

Yon is the fleshly vesture, that stern confessors wore,
With fasts and dreary vigils, in twilight days of yore;
Their images are with us-men kneel before them yet—
The works of some old limner in hallowed places set.

You see the ring of glory, faint o'er the bended head,
When, like the blood of martyrs, day through the aisle is shed;
Purple and burning ruby, in many a mystic stain,
Bringing to mind the tortures earth would not know again.

With torture he is wasted, yet on his forehead glows
Never the ring of glory binding their pallid brows!

The earth hath perish'd from him, her thousand lights have died,
And yet no heavenly cresset is burning at his side.

Hath he not knelt at midnight, clasping the sculptured rood?
Hath not the sackcloth fretted beneath his folded hood?

Hath he not worn the pavement at the stone feet of saints?
And yet he pines with hunger, and yet his spirit faints.

The veil of flesh is rending, and yet he cannot see
Light in the far-off heaven, where light must surely be:
The saints from straiten'd niches no kindly answer give;
It is his fear to perish, his weariness to live.

Their name, in sooth, is legion-the saints of stone and wood,
That on the holy threshold darkening the door have stood;
Their pale, unheeding faces have never smiled on him,
Only their ghastly shadows have made his pathway dim.

The crucifix at midnight seems ever in his thought—
A cold and graven image, with wondrous cunning wrought;
He sees the crown of sorrow, the wounded hands and side,
He cannot see the Saviour who once in Jewry died.

He thirsts for living waters, he faints for living bread-
How, with the graven symbol, can such an one be fed?
The earth beneath is iron, the heavens above are brass-
When will the dew of comfort fall on the withered grass?

Look up, O broken-hearted!—the Prince of Peace is nigh—
No more to graven symbols lift up thy bitter cry!
Look on the blazon'd parchment, bright with the words of life,
A balm is in the letters-oh, hush the inward strife!

Read in the broad black letter the true and faithful Word,
Forget thine ancient nurture, and call upon thy Lord—
The Lord who dwelt among us, bowed with unuttered grief,
Stooping to death for sinners-the foulest and the chief.

Hear with the soul within thee-gaze with the heart within,
And thou wilt never bow thee, at other hands to win
The succour that thou needest-thou wilt not so forget
The olive brake by Kedron, the heavy crimson sweat.

When he has looked upon thee, thou wilt not turn away
Before his holiest creature thine utter need to say;

Will he not stoop to hearken, who, through the fisher's door,
Went often with the lowly in wondrous days of yore?

Will he not stoop to hearken, who, on the mountain-sward,
Brake the few loaves of barley, and spread the poor man's board?
Will he not stoop to hearken, who took the little child
In his own arms of mercy, and on its meekness smiled?

Will he not stoop to hearken, yea, stoop from God's right hand,
Who heaped with shining fishes the Galilean strand?
Will he not stoop to hearken? Who saith that he will not?
Where is the meanest bondman, whose cry hath been forgot?

Do we not know the answer that oftentimes hath come
Unheard, unseen by others, a sunbeam to our home?
We asked nor saint nor angel, we asked our only Lord—
We knocked, and we were answered, according to his word.

Ελενη.

Review of Books.

THE CONTINENTAL ECHO, AND PROTESTANT WITNESS.Royal 8vo. pp. 30. price 4d.

We cannot but turn our attention to the Continent with increasing interest. While Popery is on the advance in our own dear country, there are the strongest symptoms abroad of its extensive decay. The progress of Protestantism in France is very encouraging, and the movement in Germany most re

markable. But we look to the Continent with mingled feelings. What can we in England expect if, regardless of our long enjoyed and superior privileges, we succour and cherish the apostacy, while our neighbours are strenuously endeavouring to shake off the Papal yoke! What can we anti

cipate but a transfer of the candlestick from ourselves to nations more disposed to appreciate it. With such feelings we cannot but be thankful for the best channels of religious communication with the Continent, and "The Continental Echo," commenced in January, and published monthly, is exactly what we want. We cannot too strongly recommend this periodical to our readers. It is admirably conducted, in good legible type, and is in every point of view one of the most valuable periodicals of the day. We subjoin some specimens :-The first is from a paper in the last number, entitled "The Duty of Protestants at the present crisis.'

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"The present condition of the world at large imperatively demands an united movement of Evangelical Protestants. Religion is everywhere pressing itself on men's attention. While the government of France is vainly endeavouring to crush prelatical rebellion, and to curb Jesuitical ambition, the humble colporteur and the faithful evangelist distribute the bread of life to eager thousands. A private letter, which will be found among our Intelligence,' speaks of nearly forty communes in the south of France, which have shaken off the yoke of superstition, and hear the word of God with gladness. Germany, insulted by a second Tetzel, beholds a modern Luther spring into being, and raise the banner of the Reformation in the very camp of Rome. Austria has proclaimed her aversion to the movement by forbidding to the Reformers the title of the "German Catholic Church;" it is rumoured that she meditates an open attack, and we know not how soon we may hear of an attempt to crush the infant church. Can we regard one of our missions as secure after what has occurred at Tahiti? Can we forget the last Encyclical Letter of the Pope? Assuredly this is not the moment when Britain should relax her hold of Protestant principles. No, let those of her sons who feel how much they owe to the Bible, proclaim to their fellow-countrymen, and to the world

at large, that it only is the conservative element of British prosperity, and of all that is valuable in modern civilization. Why was England the birth-place of inductive philosophy and modern science? Why can we point to free institutions, the printingpress, and an empire on which the sun never sets, while Rome boasts of priests, pictures, and carnivals ? We owe the difference not to ourselves, but to the Bible. But for the Bible, "all had been otherwise;" and if we neglect or despise this invaluable blessing, all will be otherwise."

The following account of the origin of Jesuitism, from p. 132, cannot fail to be interesting to our readers :

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“In a castle in Biscay, a young man of ancient family receives, at the commencement of the sixteenth century, the military education of the Spanish nobility; whilst handling the sword, he accidentally reads the 'Amadis ;" this is his whole learning. He becomes page to Ferdinand, and then captain to a company; he is handsome, brave, worldly, and above all, greedy of fame and battles. At the siege of Pampeluna by the French, he withdraws to the citadel; he defends it at all hazards, courageously. In the breach a Biscayan breaks his right leg; he is carried on a litter into the adjacent castle, that of his father. After a grievous operation, heroically supported, he inquires, for his amusement, for his books of chivalry. There are no books to be found in the plundered old castle but the lives of Christ and the saints. He reads them, and his heart, his mind, and his genius kindle with a sudden revelation. In a few seconds, this young man passes from the transports of human love to the fire of divine zeal; the page is now an ascetic, a hermit, a flagellant: such is the commencement of the career of Ignatius de Loyola.

What is the first thought that springs up with this man of action? The project of a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Reading the fervent lives of the holy fathers, he sketches and rudely paints the landscapes and

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