testimony of those whose studies helped them to know most truly, both friends and foes, "even our enemies themselves being judges,"-its character as inspired being guaranteed to us by all these witnesses, and still more by the attesting of Apostles, themselves inspired, and highest of all, by the sanctions of the Great Teacher whom the voice from Heaven above the baptismal wave, and the voice in the Mount from the excellent glory, alike summon our spirits reverently to hear and humbly to obey.

And above this holy treasury of truth a superintending Providence seems to have kept guard. Age after age, as copies have been made and multiplied, men have not been inspired to transcribe its pages any more than they are now to print them. Imperfection mingles with our best doings, and "to err is human." Yet whilst the frailties of man's work have been permitted to appear in connexion with the perpetual transmitting of these records, no error has ever been suffered to enter into them that could affect a single attribute of the character of God, or a single foundation of the hopes of man. Men of various principles,

and men of no principles at all, have handled that volume and written copies of it, oftentimes without understanding its character and its glory,-men of ignorance and men of prejudice have been concerned in its perpetuation; and yet there it is today, the same-identically the same in every important point-as when it came fresh from the lips or the finger of the Eternal.

"I thank my God," exclaims a scholar who toiled through a life-time in searching into manuscripts, and examining differences, and discovering errors, "I thank my God that I am thus assured of the immoveable ground of my faith, and that I am able to walk without one misgiving over all that sacred field which God has given me to explore. Let the illiterate and plain reader of the Bible take comfort to himself when he learns that the Word he is accustomed to read is, in everything that is important, the very same that men the most learned and the most diligent have obtained after the severest study of the longest life."

"Let all the forms that men devise

Assault my faith with treacherous art,
I'll call them vanity and lies,

And bind this Bible to my heart."

A WORD IN SEASON.

BY THE REV. J. WILLIAMS.

"Well, Miss C." said I to a young female at the close of a watch-meeting, "I wish you a very happy new year, and a very happy new heart." There was nothing very remarkable in this expression of good will; but it was a word in season. Miss C. now began to think about this happy new heart. Hitherto she had lived a gay and godless life. For years she had attended the Parish Church, and but recently had come to our place of worship. Her attention was now fixed, she could not free herself from thinking about this "new heart;" and though, according to her own confession, she strove long against the operations of divine influence, repeatedly impressed by the discourses she heard, and still refusing to yield herself to God, yet a few months ago, she was led cheerfully to consecrate herself to the Lord, and in the spirit of entire submissiveness to the au

thority of Jesus, to adopt the language of the poet as her own,

"Welcome, welcome dear Redeemer,
Welcome to this heart of mine;
Lord, I make a full surrender,
Every power and thought be thine;

Thine entirely,

Through eternal ages thine!"

And on the first Sabbath in November last, I had the privilege of baptizing her, with two other of our Sabbath School Teachers. May she, and all who put on the Lord Jesus, live to honour the religion they profess!

The above incident leads us to admire the ways of God. The few words which first arrested the attention of Miss C., according to human calculation, were not likely to issue in the conversion of a sinner. "But my ways are not your ways, saith the Lord." A word fitly spoken, though appearing to be foolishness in the eyes of man, is often "like a fire, and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces." The follow

ing pleasing incident beautifully illustrates this sentiment. One day as Felix Neff was walking in the city of Lausanne, he saw at a distance a man whom he took for one of his friends. He ran up behind him, tapped, him on his shoulder before looking in his face, and asked him, "What is the state of your soul, my friend ?" The stranger turned; Neff perceived his error, apologized, and went away. About three or four years afterwards a person came to Neff and accosted him, saying, he was indebted to him for his inestimable kindness. Neff did not recognize the man, and begged he would explain. The stranger replied, "Have you forgotten an unknown person, whose shoulder you touched in the street in Lausanne, asking him, 'How do you find your soul?' It was I. Your question led me to serious reflection, and now I find it is well with my soul." This proves what apparently small means may be blessed of God for the conversion of sinners, and how many opportunities for doing good we are continually letting slip, and which thus pass irrecoverably beyond our reach. One of the questions which every christian should propose to himself in setting out upon a journey is, "What opportunities shall I have to do good?" and one of the points on which he should examine himself on his return is, "What opportunities have I lost ?"

This

Let us further remind the reader, that the little incident with which we set out, affords us great encouragement to make efforts for the salvation of others! Nearly three years had passed away, ere we knew that the good wish expressed at the watchmeeting, had lodged in the heart, and was the first of a series of events to bring about the conversion of a sinner! Let us learn from this to labour in faith, to sow the seed in confident expectation of a harvest. Is a complaining age. "No good is being done," is the almost universal lamentation, -a lamentation too frequently uttered by persons who never seek to do good! It is well for us to bear in mind, that though we do not see much good being done, appearances may deceive us, a good work may be going on, and grace, like the leaven in the meal, may be silently yet powerfully working in many hearts, and by and bye "he that goeth forth weeping bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again rejoicing, bearing his sheaves with him." Let us not attach too much importance to numbers

professing religion!

It is not a safe crite

rion by which to judge of the state of our churches, or the success of our efforts. True, it is delightful to see the fruit of our labour, much to be desired and sought, that there should be "the outward visible sign" of an extensive "inward spiritual change among our neighbours and the members of our congregations! But yet it is quite certain that there may be a considerable accession of numbers to a church, and yet no real addition of strength to "the body of Christ." Alas, how many are introduced to our churches, who afterwards give very feeble evidence that they have the root of the matter in them; and of multitudes who, within a very short period, have been added to one and another of our churches, the bulk of them have turned back to perdition. I make these remarks to shew that we must not estimate the amount of good accomplished, by the numbers who are baptized and join our respective communities. We conceive it possible, that there may be but few babtisms, and yet a good work may be going on in the congregation; and there may be many baptisms, and little or no prosperity in the church! One thing perhaps which has induced the present apparent low state of things in our churches, is the unbounded anxiety which everywhere has obtained to swell the numbers of our church members, -while there has not been a proportionate anxiety to add to our churches only those who have received the grace of God in truth, who have really been converted to God?

It may be true that our churches are in a low state, that any very large amount of good is not being accomplished; but we are not quite sure that we see the full extent of the success of our efforts. We can hardly reconcile our minds to the idea that all the christian endeavours of our day, and in our country, are without any good results, -that the faithful ministry of the truth, that all the efforts of Sabbath School Teachers, Village Preachers, Tract-distributors, &c. are comparatively fruitless. We conceive there is much in the spirit of the age that is prejudicial to the development of the christian life,-much that is hardening the soil, and preventing the seed from springing up so soon, and with such fruitfulness as we could desire. But the seed is sown, we hope, to a much wider extent than we have supposed; it is cast "into

good ground," is vegetating, and though only here and there, now and then, we observe a shooting blade, yet may we not confidently anticipate that by and bye, contrary to all our fears, God will raise a harvest great and glorious? We have to see to it, that as christians we labour faithfully, one planting, another watering, all at work "according to our several ability,"-labouring together with God,-making our efforts in the spirit of christian devotedness, "full of faith," and in ever-abiding dependance upon Him from whom all blessings flow,not forgetful of our obligation to sustain every effort by the purity of a christian character. What then can stay the increase, prevent success, or hinder the conversion of sinners?

"Let those that sow in sadness, wait

Till the fair harvest come;

They shall confess their sheaves are great,
And shout the blessings home.
"Though seed lie buried long in dust,
It shan't deceive our hope;

The precious grain cau ne'er be lost,

For grace insures the crop."

And now a word to the unconverted reader! Could we wish for you a richer gift than a happy new heart? Dear reader, you need a new heart. The unconverted heart is a bad, a wicked, a deceitful heart, a carnal heart that is at enmity against God, and a heart that, if you retain it, will keep you out from heaven, and for ever from God.

You must have a new heart! The old one cannot be repaired ! "The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores" (Is. 1. 5, 6). "Old things must pass away, behold all things must become new." "You must be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and must put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness" (Eph. iv. 23, 24). You cannot be happy unless you have a new heart. "There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked." You may deceive yourselves, and cry, peace, peace, when there is no peace. Your peace is like the calmness of the treacherous ocean that forebodes the approaching hurricane. It is like the stillness of the hushed elements which portends the coming storm or destructive earthquake. Your misery is like a pent-up fire, which, when

it obtains egress, will burn with terrifie fury. The storm will come, the deadly malady of sin will be felt, and when sickness, death, and eternity shall come upon you, as true as God hath said it, there will be no peace for you. Dwell, in serious thoughtfulness, on our Lord's words to Nicodemus: "Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of heaven." Be sure you cannot. Solemn thought! if you die as you now are, you will surely perish! If you pass into eternity with your unconverted heart, you can never see God! And in eternity no change can pass upon you! Then he that is unclean must be unclean still, and once lost you are for ever lost. Remember, your life-time is to you the day of salvation; and while life lasts there is hope; you may return to God and live; nothing stands between you and salvation now, but your own guilty unbelief, and it is your own fault if you perish. But know, your present privileged condition will end, and when the present life is past, the future will be eternally a fixed state. Dear reader, have you remained till now without a happy new heart? Will you yet retain the old, hard, sinful, godless heart? No, you say, I purpose a change, as sure I am that it is needful; but you calculate on a change some years hence, or wait for & more convenient season! What infatuation! postponing happiness! putting off the joys of religion to a future period! and all this, amidst a dread possibility that death may even now be at the door. "Boast not thyself of to-morrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth." It is not going beyond the range of probabilities, when we say, that some who will read this paper, will be numbered with the dead before the present year is closed. Reader, you may! Oh, prepare to meet your God. Without a new heart, you cannot be prepared, and that new heart cannot be secured but by believing in our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 John v. 1.) Oh, reader, hesitate not to believe and live! Walsall.

THE FIRST FRUITS.

A FRAGMENT FOR RAGGED SCHOOL TRACHERS.

The first summer's instruction had closed -dark December had arrived, with its cold nipping frosts, which told powerfully on the half-naked bodies and unshod feet of the children. Their ankles and feet were very

often chapped and bleeding; yet, suffering as they did, nothing would keep them from the school. Why? Because the teacher was kind, and the hand of kindness was held out by all who met them there.

Our hearts were often grieved to witness them shivering in the cold, and especially as we could render them no assistance, for it was with great difficulty that sufficient funds were raised to carry on the school. We have seen many of the children taken ill and die, through exposure to the inclemency of the weather. Poor James S-! We shall never forget his death-bed scene. Cold settled on his lungs, which ended in rapid consumption. When we first visited him, he was lying in the corner of a cheerless room, on a pallet of dirty straw. The mother provided a chair, the only one in the room, and it was broken. A large deal box stood in the middle of the floor, which served as a table. The mother was both dirty and ragged. James said he was dying, and that he was going to Jesus. He requested us to read the Bible to him, that he might learn more about the Saviour. The next day that we visited the little sufferer, we found him much worse. He had a brother and sister, for whose welfare he shewed much anxiety. He first said to his brother, "You must pray for a new heart;" and told his sister to go to school, where she would learn about Christ and the way to heaven. Then, fixing his glazed eyes upon his father and mother-for they were both in the room, looking on their dying boy for the last time-poor James said, with a faltering voice, "Oh, mother, will you give up drinking, and go to chapel, and pray for a new heart? I want to meet you in heaven; do, mother!" The mother's heart was full-tears ran down her squalid cheeks. We had often made the same request to her, but our words fell upon her ears like rain-drops on the adamantine rock. But the voice that now spoke broke open the well-springs of her heart: like a voice from the grave, it came from the lips of her own boy, which were soon to be closed in death. The accusations of a guilty conscience added force to the request of the dying child, for she knew that his disease was the effect of her own neglect, through intemperate habits; and that, through his short and sharp existence, from her he had experienced more of a parent's negligence than a mother's care.

When he had a little recovered-for he

was very feeble, and could scarcely articulate -he told his father he would soon leave him, but he was going to his heavenly Father. Looking wistfully at him, he continued, "Will you give up swearing and bad words, father, and read the Bible, and go to a place of worship, and pray to God to give you a new heart, and I shall meet you in heaven ?" The father could not answer the child, but stood wiping away the tears with the sleeve of his tattered flannel jacket; but the mother answered for him, and, kissing the child, she said, "He will, James; yes, he will."

Poor little James knew that Mary, in the next room, who had been his school companion, was very ill of the same complaint. He requested his mother to carry him to see her, for the last time. On seeing the little girl, whom he kissed with much tenderness, he said that Jesus loved her, and then bade her farewell.

He was brought back, and laid on his pallet of straw, but his work was not yet done. He had a grandmother, who had treated him kindly when in health, but was not then present to hear, from his own lips, his dying counsel, but we were requested to convey to her the following message: "Tell grandmother to give up buying things on Sunday, and read the big Testament you gave her, and go to chapel."

We closed this affecting scene by offering up prayer to God in behalf of the little sufferer. In one short hour afterwards, the Saviour took home to himself this, the first ripe fruit gathered from our labours in the old stable.-Ragged School Union Magazine.

AN INTERESTING DEATH BED.

BY THE REV. BAPTIST W. NOEL, M.A.

Not long since, a protestant lady, in the south of France, supposing herself to be near death, was seized with deadly terror. It was in vain that her husband sought to console her. They had lived a thoughtless life, and she could not bear to stand before the judgment-seat of God. "Then let us send for the minister," said her husband. "What use is it ?" replied the sick person; "I know what he will say; it avails nothing." However, the minister was sent for. Being a young rationalist, who had often opposed evangelical doctrine, he endeavoured, when he had reached the chamber of sickness, to console her by the memory of her domestic virtues, and by assurance of the boundless

mercy of God. But his efforts were utterly in vain; all his fine speeches could not silence a reproachful conscience. She felt that the justice of God was in terrible array against her ungodliness, and the very mission of Christ convinced her of unpardonable ingratitude to the Redeemer. The minister was perplexed; all his stores of common-place, heartless palliatives to mental anguish were exhausted; and she wildly told him that she was wretched and undone. What could he say more? At that moment it flashed upon his mind that the evangelical doctrine which he had so often opposed, would silence all her fears; it was precisely what her agonized mind was asking for; it would be to her like water in the scorched desert. He knew the doctrines of justification by grace through faith well, for he had often maligned it; he was familiar with the texts cited by evangelical ministers, for he had employed his powers of criticism to refute their evangelical meaning. If he could, but speak to her as an evangelical minister, he could hush that awful tempest which he could scarcely bear to witness. But how could he say what he did not believe? How calm even that

"As

agony by a lie? At least he could read those passages supposed to contain evangelical doctrine-there could be nothing wrong in that. Baffled and perplexed, he directed her to the word of God for consolation; and read to her such passages as these: "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." "He that believeth in the Son hath everlasting life." many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believed in his name." "Therefore, we conclude a man is justified by faith, without the deeds of the law." "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." "There is, therefore, now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus." No more was wanted; it was light to her perplexed path, -it was life to the dying,--it was instant cure for despair; and she welcomed the gospel as the flower in the desert welcomes the rain; held fast the consolation, and died rejoicing in the faith ;-a signal instance of the adaptation of the gospel to our moral wants.

MORAL INABILITY.

To the Editor of "The Church," and author of the Note on Moral Inability.

Dear Sir,

To the supposed objection which I have stated in the closing part of my remarks on Natural and Moral Ability and Inability, inserted in the last number of "The Church," you have attached a footnote of your own, to which you seem to expect me to make some reply. You say, I " appear to you to ask this question (the question of the supposed objector) in one sense, and to answer it in another." I think this is entirely your own misapprehension, and that I have done no such thing. I have supposed the objector to admit the possession of power, in the sense in which I have explained it, and to be attempting to excuse himself because he wants the will

to come to Christ, and to deem his excuse valid, instead of its being this very state of mind that renders him more guilty and retains him in condemnation; and I consider my answer to be quite relevant to the character of the objection. In reference to the question you say, "Whoever asks it means, If I am born by no fault of mine unable to be inclined to or to will what is good, how am I accountable for not willing what I was born without power to will ?"" Is it, then, "a fault" in any one to be born? This probably you did not intend, though it so reads; and we will let it pass as merely an error of punctuation. But is it not strange language to put into the lips of any one, and for an Editor and Theologian to employ-"Unable to be inclined?" You surely did not consider this to be correct when you penned it. What do you mean by this curious phrase? Are sinners really unable to

unable,