SCEPTICISM IN CONTRAST WITH

TRUE RELIGION.

We have been favoured with a copy of the following extract of a letter from one religious friend to another, giving an account of the conversion of a sceptick. We think it in every view worthy of a place in our miscellany; but we were particularly struck with the contrast which it exhibits between scepticism and true religion, as a source of present happiness. There is scarcely a more common or a more fatal de

lusion, especially among the gay and the aspiring, than that religion is cheerless and gloomy. The exact contrary is the truth. Infidelity and irreligion are, especially in adversity, heartless, cold and comfortless; while genuine piety, not only ensures that eternal future felicity which would render it eligible even at the expense of a whole life of sadness and privations, but it is, also, the present and immediate source of the most delightful peace, and consolation and joy, which the soul of man can know on earth.

Extract of a Letter. "Believing it to be the duty and privilege of a child of God, to bear VOL. VI.-Ch. Ad.

in mind the manifestations of the rich and distinguishing grace of God, as extended towards himself and his fellow sinners, I sit down, with mingled emotions of wonder, astonishment, adoration and heartfelt satisfaction, to write, as far as I can recollect, what I have heard with my own ears, and what others have told me, of the power of divine grace, and the rich mercy of my God, as displayed in the conversion of a friend of mine, whilst on his sick bed. For several months past, this friend had had his mind more or less exercised on the subject of religion. He had been reading the sacred Scriptures, with a desire to believe their truths and obey their precepts: but he found darkness, mystery and uncertainty, still rested upon his mind, in respect to this great subject. At this time, Dr. Alexander's Evidences of Christianity was put into his hands, by a Christian friend. The perusal of this book cleared up every doubt, and opened his eyes to the importance of making religion a personal concern. From that time, he sought by prayer and reading the Scriptures, the favour of God-the pardon of sin, through_the_mediation and intercession of the Lord Jesus Christ. His mind grew more and more interested on this subject, until he became much oppressed and distressed.

A sense of his guilt made him fear and dread, lest he should not find mercy and pardon at the hand of God. He expressed his fears to his Christian friends, and they pointed him to the Lord Jesus Christ, as able and willing to save every weary and heavy laden sinner. On Tuesday morning the 17th of May, (1826,) he felt his burden removed, and a peace and joy ran through his soul, to which he was before a stranger. His affections, which before had been fastened to earth, were now loosed; the sting of death was taken away; and every power and affection of the soul was at once running out, and 2 I

fixing upon God, as an object worthy of his supreme love, and highest praise. His views, desires and enjoyments, seemed at once changed; old things had passed away and all things had become new:'-He was taught to speak a language which a little while before was unknown to him; he was brought to choose for his companions a class of persons whom he once looked upon as a deluded, enthusiastic, narrow-minded people. His language on this subject was such as this-Oh! that I could express the happiness I feel; the gratitude that fills my heart, the resignation I feel to the will of God I once dreaded a sick and dying bed, death had terrors to my mind which I could never shake off; and when I thought of the separation which death would occasion between me, and my dear wife and children, my soul would recoil at the very thought I could not bear to dwell upon it. But, now I am willing to give them up.' At another time, speaking on this subject, after taking into his arms a dear infant child and returning it to its mother, he observed, I feel that I can give you, and all my children up to God, as willingly as I return this child to you as you know better what to do with it than I, and will take better care of it than I could-so the Lord knows and will take better care of you than I could.' Speaking of the enjoyments that were to be found in the service of God, he observed, If I could have known the happiness which religion afforded, I would have embraced it twenty years ago. When visited by his Christian friends, he manifested great satisfaction at seeing them; and expressed his gratitude to the Giver of all blessings, for having sent his Christian friends to see him. In a conversation which he had with me, I was much gratified. He mentioned the instruction he bad derived from reading Dr. Alexauder's Evidences of Christianity, and that it was his opinion that no

person who would read that work with an unprejudiced mind, would fail to be convinced that the Bible was a revelation from God. He spoke of the great change that had passed upon his mind with respect to the children of God, that he once was prejudiced against them, and felt an aversion to their society; but he now looked upon them in a very different light, and felt such an affection for them as he could not well describe. Being asked by a minister of the Gospel, if he thought he could do any thing towards his own salvation; he answered, No:

his dependence was upon Christ, that he was conscious he was a sin ner before God, and that every thing he did was mixed with sin Nay, that his very thoughts were sinful. At times his heart was so filled with gratitude to the Divine Being that he could only manifest it by weeping: and a consciousness of his unworthiness would make him sometimes exclaim, 'Oh! I feel thankful for this morsel of bread.? At another time, when a friend asked him about the change which had passed upon his soul; he observed, 'I am afraid of being deceived, or of deceiving others. I want to be very certain of building upon that sure foundation Christ Jesus: I feel my need of an understanding heart, to know aright the things which belong to God.' At another time, when his evidences were bright, he exclaimed, I would not give up my hope in the Lord Jesus Christ for a thousand worlds.? He would sometimes say, 'sweet is the name of Jesus;' on another occasion, when a Christian friend repeated the following verse of a hymn

Jesus can make a dying bed

Feel soft as downy pillows are, While on his breast I lean my head,

And breathe my life outsweetly there' He said, Yes, my head rests upon his bosom.'

Having presented my friend with the book of promises by Clarke; he

sent for me into his room on Mon day morning, and on approaching his bed side, he took my hand, and said, My Christian friend, I cannot tell you how thankful 1 feel that you have put into my hands this little book; I have derived much comfort and peace from these promises; I feel they are suited to my case; they come home to my heart. Indeed, I find that my views and feelings have undergone such a change that I cannot doubt but that I have experienced the new birth. What but religion could have effected this wonderful change. Until lately I have so dreaded a dying bed, a separation from my friends, that I have often wished I could be hurried out of the world without a moment's warning But, all this fear and dread has been taken away; and I feel as little concern about dying, as I do about eating; and my present feelings I would not give up for ten thousand worlds. I observed to him, that he would not be ashamed to tell all his friends what a dear Saviour he had found. He replied, No-not ashamed; I would rather glory in it; and I should like to have an opportunity of telling some of my friends what I have experienced, and to point them to religion as the only source of real enjoyment: so far from feel ing ashamed, if I were able to go into a worshipping congregation, and was endowed with the gift of a preacher, I should feel no embarrassment in exercising that gift. On Tuesday morning I had some conversation with my friend which fully satisfied my mind that his change was the effect of the illuminating, life-giving, renovating influences of the Holy Spirit upon his heart. I asked him what part of the sacred Scriptures he found most instructive; he said, the Psalms, as they expressed most fully the feelings and desires of his heart. He then called for the Bible, and read the 23d, 24th, 25th Psalms, as those which he was particularly at

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tached to. He said, the 23d breathed the desires of his heart, and that he wanted to make the language of this Psalm his own. The 24th he loved to read, because it treated of the power and glory of the Divine Being With the 25th Psalm he was very familiar. It furnished him with matter for prayer; and the fourth verse was so very descriptive of the desires. of his soul that he had repeatedly used those very words when suppli cating a throne of grace, Shew me thy ways, O Lord, teach me thy paths; for, he said, if the Lord would teach him, he knew he should find repentance and salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. He observed that the first time he read the Scriptures after he found spiritual comfort, he opened to the 624 Psalm, and it was so very descriptive of the feelings of his soul, that he could not refrain from shedding tears of joy and gratitude. The Psalm commences, Truly my soul waiteth for thee, from God cometh my salvation.' I remarked, if these Psalms had been put into his hands a year ago, they would have been as unintelligible to him as to his little son. He said, 'Yes, I needed an understanding of these things, I felt my want of that spiritual wisdom, of that teaching which God alone can impart.' Soon after he received a manifestation of God's distinguishing grace in the pardon of his sin, he said, Fill the house with praise. And it has been well filled ever since, with the high praises of God."

We are not informed whether the subject of the preceding narrative recovered from his sickness, or wher ther it terminated in death.-In either event, the change he experienced was infinitely important. We have in our hands two other communications, stating the benefit derived from Dr. Alexander's Evidences of Christianity; and we have ourselves heard from the lips of one individual a relation of the effect

produced on his mind by the reading of that little volume, quite as interesting as any other with which we have become acquainted. What seems remarkable is, that in every instance that has come to our knowledge, the conviction of the truth of the Holy Scriptures derived from that book, has not ended in barren speculation, but has apparently terminated in a sound conversion; or in exercises which might

be expected to eventuate in such a happy manner. The author, we are certain, could receive no reward of his pious labours comparable to that which a knowledge of these and such like facts will afford; and the facts ought to operate as a powerful inducement to circulate this publi cation as widely as possible. This is a "labour of love" which we earuestly recommend to our readers.

OVERTURE TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH ON THE SUBJECT OF MISSIONS.

The preliminary observations contained in the following Overture, we have wished to bring before our readers for a considerable time past. We believe them to be founded in unquestionable fact, and in scriptural truth, and as worthy, therefore, of the very serious consideration of every member of the Presbyterian church. The space which they occupy in our pages, we verily think could not be better filled than by their insertion; and as the printed pamphlet which contains these observations has been laid before the General Assembly, and given rise to animated discussions in that body, we have supposed that it might be desirable to our readers to see the whole-A few additional remarks will be subjoined to the Overture.

An Overture to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States, for an Improved Organization of the Board of Missions under the Direction of the said General Assembly.

PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS.

IT is a fact, equally notorious and lamentable, that the Presbyterian Church in the United States is not, at present, taking that inte

rest, and making those exertions, in behalf of the sacred cause of missions, which, from her wealth, her extent, and her numbers, might reasonably be expected. The remissness, indeed, of this church, in sending the gospel to the destitute, is believed to be such, as may well render her members fearful of the marked frowns of her divine and

glorified Head, who, after he had paid with his precious blood the price of her redemption and was just going to "ascend up on high," left it as his parting command to his church, "to preach the gospel to every creature."

The present inactivity of the Presbyterian Church in missionary operations is the more remark. able, and the more inexcusable, because it has succeeded to a state of things, of a far different character. The time was, when this was the most missionary church in the United States of America. From a presbytery of six ministers, or ganized in Philadelphia about the year 1704, she has extended her bounds in all directions, till they have reached to Maine and Montreal on the east and north, and to the Missouri and the Floridas on the west and south: and that this whole territory has been gained to the Presbyterian Church as the ef fect of domestick missions, may be proved, beyond a question, from authentick records.