pearance of the "Hotel R," that, notwithstanding our decision, I determined to go there; and, accordingly, there we went. On our arrival, we told the waiter we must first bathe, and that on our return we would take coffee. He immediately procured a man, who conducted us to the river, and, greatly refreshed and strengthened, we returned to the hotel. While we were taking our repast, the waiter, a tall young man of nearly six feet, begged my pardon for speaking to me, but was sure he had seen me before. I looked at him closely, and then told him he laboured under a mistake. ten minutes he returned, saying, "Sir, I am certain I have seen you before, in Switzerland." We tried two hotels where he thought he had seen me, but, failing in our dates and places, I again assured him he laboured under a mistake. Before we had finished our meal, he again came forward. Sir, you must excuse me, I have, indeed, I have seen you before. I am sure you are the kind gentleman who gave me good ad'vice one Sunday in Switzerland!"

In

He enquired very respectfully for my friend from Scotland, my younger friend, and my son, who, he remarked, was not the same who was then with me. "Meet me in my room after coffee," said I, and with no little anxiety did I retire thither to hear the sequel of this story.

A gentle tap announced the arrival of my young friend.

"You told me you remembered my giving you good advice," said I," will you now tell me what that advice was ?"

"There were three things you particularly named; one was, to pray to God every night and morning; another was, to read the Scriptures whenever I had the opportunity; the third was, to leave off swearing."

"Very true; I recollect it perfectly. Well, now, tell me the result."

about the bible; but as soon as I can afford it, I will buy one; and, Sir, I am happy to say, I have entirely left off swearing, and nobody can say they ever hear me swear now."

This was, indeed, good news, and I thanked God that, in his providence, he had so wonderfully overruled my journey as to permit me to fall in again with the young waiter from B. I had several conversations with him while I remained at -9 and when I spoke to his master about him, this was his testimony :-"Sir, he is the most active, respectful, and honest waiter I ever had."

When I reached Nuremburg, I purchased a bible and sent it to him; and, since my return to England, I have received a letter from him, which, as I believe it came from his heart, gives me every reason to hope he has found the pearl of great price, and to believe that, though we may never meet again on earth, we shall by and by see each other in that land where separation will not be known.

Reader, "Cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou shalt find it after many days."Churchman's Penny Magazine.

THE OLD DEIST.

"Be instant in season, and out of season."

On a gentle hill northward of the village where I laboured in the year 18-, in a large antique house, lived an old man nearly sixty years of age. In his early days he had been the subject of religious impressions, but, led on by various motives, he shook them off, and became a Universalist. Having thus entered the highway, he soon landed in a sort of Deism. Years rolled on, and he was now threescore, and a hardened sinner; not an open breaker of the law perhaps not a mean slave of vice; but a sinner of the upper grade. He had some education, and a good deal of property, and was a fair, respectable man. He had been so long, and was apparently so settled in his unbelief, that I suppose Christians had ceased to pray for him, considering him case-hardened. In a word, he was just the last one in the community that we should naturally have thought on as a subject of grace. But, "Is anything too hard for the Almighty ?"

Passing along the street one day I met a friend, who said he had some news-he did not say good news, for the case was so incredible he could hardly believe his own senses.

Mr., "the old Deist," had been down in the village telling what God had done for his soul-and if he was not crazy he was probably converted! This was news indeed, for it was anything but a time of spiritual concern in the community; and if "God was in the place in that way, surely we knew it not." Of course no time was lost, and the next morning found me on the way to see if the strange report was true concerning "the old Deist." Knocking at the door, a low, tremulous voice bade me come in. There sat the old man beside a small table, on which lay a volume of psalms and hymns, and an old family bible. He was attending upon religious devotion! Glad was he to

see me, for a gospel minister was a rare personage at his fireside. In a few moments I begged leave to ask him the secret, the cause of all this-what had produced this mighty change. His account was somewhat as follows:

"About three months ago, I was at work one afternoon, hoeing corn in the field. My mind had been slightly called up by the recent death of a near friend, and my thoughts were involuntarily ruminating on eternal things. Just then a young man came up the road, and coming abreast of where I was at work, he got over the fence and came towards me. He was evidently a poor young man, there being little that was attractive either in dress or personal appearance. He came to where I was, and addressed a few words of religious exhortation, when he handed me a tract and went away. This to me was something new; I wondered at this unusual affair. I opened the tract, and the first words which met my eyes were, "He that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall be suddenly destroyed, and that without remedy." Then on another page was a small note pinned, containing a few words of exhortation, written in a poor penmanship, and somewhat bad spelling." Here the old man produced both the tract and the note.

"Then it was the arrow of conviction fastened in my heart. Long did I struggle, but at length my unbelief gave way. I thought I would keep it a secret, however, and not let the world know of my change of opinion; but it would not do. All day and all night did conviction torment me, like a fire shut up in my bones, and I found no relief till I went and published it abroad-then I found a little peace."

I will not enlarge by narrating further

concerning this interview; suffice it to say, I never have seen a more truly penitent soul, or one who sued more humbly for relief. Many times did I call upon him, and always did I find him in a pious, praying mood. Sometimes he would doubt; it seemed to him almost impossible that God could save so great and so aged a sinner; but faith prevailed. In a few succeeding months he died in peace with God, and went home to be another trophy of conquering grace!

But the young man who gave the tractwho was he? I answer, I cannot tell. No one knows but himself, for he was evidently a stranger in those parts. He was doubtless some pious youth, who endeavoured to do good wherever he might be. Travelling that way, God put it in his heart to give a tract to "the old Deist." Oh, how bright will that star shine in his crown of rejoicing! We see here what a blessing a single tract may be, and how much good we may possibly do, if we have for our motto, "Be instant in season, and out of season."

THE POWER OF THE WORD.

A most remarkable proof of the mighty effects that the word of God can produce was mentioned at a Bible Society Meeting, some little time since.

A gentleman went to one of our large Union-houses and asked the master of it whether he had not a ward set apart for refractory subjects? The master replied that there was such a ward. The gentleman requested that he might be permitted to go in amongst them alone, and endeavour to bring them to good order. "Impossible," replied the master, "it would be most hazardous for you to attempt any such thing. You are quite welcome to go if you like, but I only tell you that you will be running an immense risk, for I never dare go in without arms." "Oh," said the gentleman, "if that is all, I have arms in my pocket, and I am not in the least afraid." 66 Well," replied the master, "you can go; but I will give you a sign by which you can intimate to me when you wish to withdraw, which I expect will be pretty soon." So he gave him some private sign to make use of. Upon this the master opened the door of the refractory ward, shewed him in, and quickly closed it upon him. As soon as he found himself amongst them, he drew his arms out of his pocket. They consisted of a sword, yet not one of glittering steel, but it was "the

sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." Taking this in his hand, he sat down on the nearest bench he could find. He opened his Bible, and read for fifteen minutes, without making note or comment. He read nothing but the pure word of God, without making a single remark of his own. He, like David of old, when he went forth to meet the giant of Gath, had recourse to no arms but the simple though all-powerful "sword of the spirit." His hearers listened to him in perfect silence. And when he had finished, he merely said to them, "Should you like me to come to morrow, and read to you again?" They replied that they should be very much obliged to him if he would. He accordingly went the next day and did exactly the same. He went a third, and a fourth, and a fifth day, till he had been twelve times, doing exactly the same each day-merely reading a portion of Scripture for a quarter of an hour, without making an observation of his own.

When he went on the thirteenth morning, the master said, "You might have saved yourself the trouble of coming this morning, Sir, for there is not a single man left in the refractory ward. Every one has come out, and is conducting himself perfectly well amongst the other inmates of the house." And here we might pause and make a remark, but the whole story has not yet been told.

This gentleman had a wife, and she had heard that there was a refractory ward of women as well as one of men. So she went and requested permission to go in alone to them, as her husband had done amongst the

men.

"Oh," said the master, "it will not be safe for you to do so, they are such a set. The men were bad enough, but the women are far worse; they would tear your clothes off your back, I am sure, for you know, ma'am, when women are bad, they are ten times worse than men." She replied that she was not afraid, but still wished to go in amongst them. The master made no objection, and took her to the ward and let her in. She went in and sat down, and took out the same arms, and pursued exactly the same course as her husband had done. She read the Scriptures for fifteen minutes, without making a remark of her

All of them had so amended their conduct, as to render their confinement there no longer necessary.

What comment is needful on this simple and remarkable history? It speaks for itself. Had the gentleman and his wife made use of eloquent speeches, some might have said that those refractory subjects had been influenced by the enticing words of man. But no-not a word of their own did they utter. They let God alone speak, and thus proved that the "word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than a two-edged sword."

Dear reader, what effect has the word of God had upon your soul? Has it ever yet fallen as a hammer upon the heart of adamant and broken it up; or as rain upon the rock, to run off as soon as fallen, without producing any impression? If the latter, I beseech you to take up the word in good earnest, study it deeply, for your life is in jeopardy, and cry aloud to God so to engraft it in your heart by the power of his Spirit, that for his dear Son's sake it may be the means of bringing you savingly to the knowledge of him, and producing a true conversion of heart.

THE JOY OF THE LORD. Some of the particulars of this joy may be noticed:

How sweet is

1. It is the joy of rest. rest after the trials and labours of the day! How sweet will the rest of heaven be to the Christian, when life's toils "are o'er!" Delightful rest! What christian can contemplate it, even in the present world, without joy? What will its participation be in heaven? It is not the joy the traveller feels when he stops for the night to rest his weary limbs, amid the excessive toil of his journeyings, but the joy he will feel when he finds himself safe at his journey's end. Not the joy the soldier feels when he stops for a temporary rest amid the strife and labours of the battle-field, but the joy that will swell his bosom when he shall have returned from the scene of conflict, crowned with the honours of victory.

2. The joy of being at home. Who has not witnessed the joy of friends, when, after a long and painful separation they find themselves safe in the embrace of their kindred? The christian, though once a wanderer in a strange land, amid enemies and dangers, subject to weariness and faintings,

exposed to a great variety of evils, finds himself at last at home, amid the happy greetings of his father's family.

3. The joy of friendship. Christian friendship on earth, though sweet, is often mixed with sorrow. The heart is wrung with anguish, and tears of deepest grief are profusely shed by some, the painful circumstances connected with our stay below. Friends are often called to separate.

"Friend after friend departs!

Who hath not lost a friend?
There is no union here, of hearts,
That knows not here an end;
Oh, were this world our only rest,

Living or dying, none were blest."

No sundering of ties in heaven; no partings experienced there! No evils there to mar or disturb our friendship. There our union will be delightful, perpetual, and perfect. All are kindred spirits there.

How

delightful to meet with those we loved on earth. Transporting thought:

"And if our fellowship below,

In Jesus be so sweet,

What height of rapture shall we know,

When round his throne we meet."

4. The joy of beholding the fruit of our labours. The christian is promised with bearing in triumph the sheaves which he has gathered in the gospel-field to the heavenly garner. Sheaves denote the fruit of his labours. What greetings and rejoicing in heaven! How the faithful servants of Christ rejoice as their spiritual children come home! The thought of beholding the countless multitude redeemed, and saved in heaven through his sufferings and death, no doubt, constituted a part of that "joy which was set before" the Saviour, which led him to endure the cross and despise shame.-American Pulpit.

A WORD FOR SERVANTS. Many persons professing religion, who find it necessary to employ servants, both in doors and out, think that if they provide for their temporal wants, and regularly pay them their wages, they have discharged their duty. Nothing can be more unscriptural. As we should seek the present and everlasting welfare of all about us, so especially of those who are employed by us, and minister to our comfort. Nor will any believer in Jesus discharge his duty to his domestics and dependants, unless he feels that a deep responsibility rests upon him, to seek the immediate salvation of all within the reach of his influence. Every master and mistress of a family, should feel under a solemn obligation to endeavour to bring every one in their employ to Jesus, and to deepen the spirituality of those who have already believed through grace. But many are exceedingly negligent here. There are deacons of churches who never pray in their families, nor ever ask a blessing on their food; who employ both male and female servants, but who never speak to them about their souls. And it is to be feared that there are many members of churches in just the same state. How can we expect our churches to flourish? How can we expect servants to have correct

ideas of religion? How can we expect our houses to be nurseries for the church, while such a state of things exists? Preachers may preach, pastors may complain, but until we have more real religion in our members, there will not be much done.

If you

Reader, do you keep a servant? Or do you employ labourers or assistants? If so, do you realize the value of their immortal souls ? Do you feel laid under a solemn obligation to seek their salvation? Does the love of Christ constrain you to travail in birth for their souls? Or can you see them careless about their souls, neglecting the bible, and going direct to hell, without any deep feeling or concern? If you can, where is the evidence of your own interest in Christ, or union to Christ? were really one with Christ, would you not sympathise with Christ? But can you sympathise with him who wept over Jerusalem, and died for the vilest transgressors, if you have no pity, or deep concern for the salvation of those about you? It is quite time that some church officers resigned their offices, that some church members gave up their profession of religion, or changed their conduct in this particular. Their servants perish, they are guilty of moral suicide, and they are accessary to the crime. They live prayerless, but they never warn them. They neglect to read

the bible, and they never read it to them. They go not to hear the gospel, and they make no hearty effort to get them to do so. Do not, my friends, turn away from the subject and say, with some of old, "You want to bring these men's blood upon us ;" it is perhaps on you already. The blood of souls is invisible, but it stains deep, it cries loud, it demands justice; and nothing but a direct application of the blood of Christ can remove it; but if that blood is really applied to you for your pardon, it will secure your reformation. Masters and mistresses in Israel, help! Your servants, your assistants, are perishing; shall they perish without any regarding it? They are going down quick into hell; shall they sink into endless despair from your employment, exclaiming, "No one cared for my soul?" Will you consent to their damnation, without an effort to save them? If seized with cholera, or fever, or any other disease, would you shew them no pity? Could you allow them to die without attempting to save them? You know you could not. But will you let them die the second death without pity, or without any direct and energetic effort for their deliverance?

Oh, pity, pity your servants' souls! Speak a word to them occasionally about sin and its consequences; about God and his claims; about Jesus and his perfect work; about salvation and the way to obtain it. Watch for a suitable opportunity, and get them to sit by you alone, while you warn them of their danger; invite them to Jesus, and tell them of the nature, importance, and happiness of real religion. Give them the religious tract, or the attractive little volume, which sets the way of salvation clearly before them; ask them to read it, and enquire if they have done so, and if they understand it. If they cannot read, read it to them; or read to them portions of God's word, and, as you are able, shew them the meaning of what you read; for many clever servants are grossly ignorant on religious subjects. Pray for them by

name in private, and sometimes take them aside and pray with them. Always have them in to family prayer, and let them learn from your prayers, that you feel an interest in them, and have a zealous concern for their everlasting happiness. Shew them that you are anxious to do them good; that you think that the religion that is good for you is good for them; that the ministry that profits you may profit them. Give them opportunities to hear the word every Lord's-day, and, if possible, at least occasionally in the week. Bad servants are often made so by those who employ them; and irreligious servants are confirmed in their irreligion by the conduct of those who employ them. The conversation of the parlour is often carried into the kitchen, and undoes all that the preacher has done in the house of God. An influence for good or evil is immense. 'Oh, that we did but realize it as we should! Let every one look on each one whom he employs and ask, "Can I do any thing for the soul of that man, that woman? Shall that girl, that lad, perish without my using any wise, well-directed effort to prevent it? Have I been, shall I be, accessary to the everlasting perdition of any of my household ?" Solemn questions these. Let them each sink down deep into our hearts, and influence our conduct and conversation. Let every one of us watch for souls. Let each one seek to be instrumental in the conversion of those about him; and "let him know that he which converteth a sinner from the error of his way, SHALL save a soul from death, and hide a multitude of sins." Masters, mistresses, arise! Realize your responsibility. Pity your servants. Seek their conversion to God. Strive for the salvation of their souls. Be determined, that if every one in your employment perish, the soul shall enter hell in despite of your prayers, efforts, example, and sympathies. "Deliver us from blood guiltiness, O God, thou God of our salvation." JAMES SMITH.

New Park Street, London.

NINEVEH AND ITS REMAINS, WITH AN ACCOUNT OF A VISIT TO THE CHRISTIANS OF KURDISTAN, AND THE YEZIDIS OR DEVILWORSHIPFERS; AND AN ENQUIRY INTO

THE MANNERs and Arts OF THE ANCIENT ASSYRIANS. By AUSTEN HENRY LAYARD, Esq. 2 vols. 8vo. London: Murray. THE MONUMENTS OF NINEVEH ILLUSTRATED