Jane Routledge, and the latter was very much attached to her mistress too, they got used to each other's tempers, and, on the whole, got on pretty well for a long while but at length a new trial

came.

Jane took a fancy for going, on the Sunday nights when she was out, to the little village chapel. Of course that could not long be kept a secret, for who can keep anything a secret in a village, where everybody knows everybody and everybody's business but his own? There, too, they have so little to talk about, that they often spend their time in, not only talking, but telling lies, about one another. But it was true, Jane had been to the chapel, and Mrs. Parker got to know it, and in her esteem it was a very grave offence, which could not be allowed on any account. But the "scene" needed not to have been repeated had not temper again reigned supreme. The lady was very angry and very haughty in manner when she demanded, "Jane, is it true that you have been several times to that little poking chapel ?" "Yes, ma'am," said Jane," and I like the preaching there very much. I can understand every word; but I cannot understand half that the vicar says." "Then I forbid you to go again, or you shall leave me that day month, mind that," said Mrs. Parker, and walked out of the kitchen. They each went and had a good cry, and there is no telling what would have been the result had not Mr. Parker interfered. He was not a religious man, although, to please his wife, he went to church and subscribed to the school. He, however, in his conduct, shamed many that are, or profess to be religious; he was a just man in his dealings with others and had an especial hatred to the idea that one person had any right to force his creed upon another. Finding there had been another 66 scene" he asked, "What is the matter now ?" "Why, what do you think, that girl, Jane, has been in the habit of going to that little poking chapel up the lane for weeks, and I never found it out till to-day." "Well," said Mr. Parker, "and has she not just as much right to go there as you have to go to church? Suppose you were the servant, and she the mistress, how would you like it if she were to forbid you going to church, and

compelled you to go to the 'little poking chapel' as you call it ?" To make a long story short, Mr. Parker, there and then, settled it, that so long as his servants did their duty, they should go anywhere or nowhere on Sunday to worship, just as they pleased. "But what will the vicar say?" cried the astonished wife. "I care nothing what he says," replied Mr. Parker; " may be he won't dine with me any more, or play a game at whist with me again; he can mind his own business, and I'll try and mind mine-that's what I say."

This law of the household soon became known, and not only Jane but others of the servants found their way to the "little poking chapel," as Mrs. Parker called it. There the gospel was preached and there the word of God wrought a wonderful change in Jane's heart. Old things with her passed away, and all things became new; she saw as with new eyes, and felt new desires and walked in new company. At length she sought an interview with the minister, and after several conversations on the subject, it was agreed that the should be baptized and added to the little church. And as the ordinance of believers' baptism had not been attended to in that locality for a long time, there was quite a sensation about it. Mrs. Parker, not being able to prevent it, ridiculed it. "So you are going to be dipped, Jane, and wash your sins away," said she. No, ma'am," Jane replied; "I hope Christ washed away my sins in his blood, and I am going to be baptized in obedience to his word." "But were you not christened ?" "Yes, but that is not baptism, and if it were, there is not a word about babies being either christened or baptized in the Bible." don't you think the vicar knows better than you? and he says babies ought to be christened." "The Lord Jesus Christ knows better than either the vicar or anybody else, ma'am," said Jane; "and I want to follow him." " Well, I never!" exclaimed the lady; "What next, I wonder! Here's a poor ignorant servant girl setting herself up to know better than the clergy! What next?"

66

"But

Jane was baptized one beautiful Sunday afternoon, in the little river, and received into the church in the evening. The nine-day's-wonder soon passed, and things settled down much as usual, both

D

at the Cedars and the chapel, except that Jane felt a much deeper interest in both. She felt a peculiar respect for her master, and often secretly prayed for him, in a special manner, and this because she regarded him as the indirect means of that happiness which she enjoyed in the Lord. Had he been like his wife, (Jane thought to herself,) I should either have left the chapel or my situation; indeed, in that case I must have left both, and who can tell where or what I might have been."

And with much feeling she used to sing Cowper's lines

"God moves in a mysterious way,

His wonders to perform," &c. She now controlled her temper much better, and spent many happy days in the "little poking chapel" and at the Cedars too, where me must again leave her for the present.

CHRISTIAN USEFULNESS. THE opportunities and influences of individuals will be very unequal; but all should seek to obtain the commendation conferred on Mary in the gospel. "She hath done what she could." Yet it is not always by direct effort that you will best succeed; a word fitly spoken is valuable; but, in general, it is better to see your religion than to hear it; it is better to hold forth the word of truth in your lives rather than in your language, and by your tempers rather than by your tongues; the relations in which some pious characters are found peculiarly require the observation of this distinction. Such, for instance, are professing servants. Their province of usefulness is not by teaching, and exhorting, and reproving. One of these was recently speaking to the preacher of her master and mistress, and complained,-"Nothing I say to them seems to do them any good." To whom, knowing the class of the individual, he replied, "What you say to them! but this is not the way in which you are to expect to do them good; but by early rising, by neatness, and order, and diligence; by 'not answering again; by not purloining, but showing all good fidelity;' it is thus that you are to adorn the doctrine of God your Saviour in all things.'"-Jay.

OLD JONATHAN. (To be continued.)

THE CHRISTIAN'S DAILY WALK WITH GOD.

THE spirit of devotion should be our great aim. We are, indeed, buried in sense, and cannot possibly attain or improve this spirit, but by proper means; yet these means are to be adapted and varied to character and situation.

"I MUST walk with God. In some way or other, whatever be my character or profession, I MUST acquire the holy habit of connecting everything that passes in my house and affairs, with God. If sickness or health visit my family, my eye must see and my heart must acknowledge the hand of God therein. Whether my affairs move on smoothly or ruggedly, God must be acknowledged in them. If I go out of my house or come into it, I must go out and come in as under the eye of God. If I am occupied in business all day long, I must still have the glory of God in my view. If I have any affair to transact with another, I must pray that God would be with us in that affair, lest we should blunder, and injure, and ruin each other."

This is the language of a real Christian. But, instead of such a spirit as this among the great body of persons professing themselves religious, what do we see but a driving, impetuous pursuit of the world; and, in this pursuit, not seldom -mean, low, suspicious, yea, immoral practice!-Cecil.

"He's gone!" to quit this mortal life,
And all the scenes of party strife

In Church and State below.
He now enjoys a peaceful home,
Where war of tongues can never come,
His peace to overthrow.

"He's gone!" and, if God's word be truth, He now enjoys immortal youth,—

A bright angelic form;

Which stain of sin, nor wound, nor scar,
Nor spot, nor wrinkle e'er can mar,
Nor anything deform.

"He's gone!" to join his much-loved wife, To share with her a nobler life,

Amongst the wise and good,-
The host by John in Patmos seen,
In royal garments white and clean
Washed in redeeming blood.

"He's gone!"-nor wish we his return:
Though weeping friends his absence mourn,
Their loss to him is gain.
Disease, infirmities of age,
Temptations, sin, or Satan's rage,
He'll never feel again.

"He's gone!" and we must soon go too;
We know not when, or where, or how,-
The moment may be nigh.
Dear Lord, put forth thy gracious power,
To fit us to for the solemn hour,

When we, like him, must die.

And be the period far or near,
When men of me the words shall hear,
"He's gone!" O then may I
Be found in Christ; for nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness
Can fit a man to die.

J. S. A.

[This review should have appeared last month, but as the elections were over, and other books had a prior claim, it was postponed. We are sorry the tract did not reach us earlier.]

A Baptist Minister's Appeal to the Nonconformist Churches of England, Ireland, and Scotland; or, Ten Reasons in favour of Church and State. By CHARLES WATERS BANKS, Baptist Minister of nearly forty years' standing. National Protestant Union.

"What meaneth this?" Where are we? In this world, or some other? On our heads, or our heels? Is it ebb, or flood with us? Are we going backwards or forwards? Advancing, or retrogressing? Turning the left wing of the foe, or having ours turned? Which is to conquer-priest or people? THERE LIES THE CONTEST.

A learned physician of Italy (Phavorinus), said there was nothing in the world he marvelled at but man, and at nothing in man but his mind. Had the author of these ten reasons come under his notice, the marvel might have been largely magnified; for, never, in all our days, do we remember reading any thing, from the pen of any person, with greater shame or deeper humiliation than the perusal of these pages has produced. The shameless disregard of historic facts; the bold assumptions which occupy the place of domonstrations; the semi-Gathercolean spirit evinced towards his quasi brethren, with his venerable impudence in addressing these ten reasons to "the Nonconformist churches," stamp both the tract

and the man with ineffaceable characters. Only think of a Dissenter taking up his pen on behalf of the institution from which he dissents, which denies his right to the functions of the ministry, and writes him down a schismatic / Imagine this Dissenter to be an official person; conceive of this official minister a Baptist minister, noting at the person as a minister; recognise in this

same time the italicised announcement of his being a Baptist Minister of nearly forty years' standing, and the phenomenon is perfect. Fancy John the Baptist preaching the kingdom of God, and issuing ten reasons on behalf of Judaism! or the apostles, after inveighing against Paganism addressing an epistle to the Christian churches in favour of the established religion! Fancy this, and you fancy what would not only have ruined their characters as public teachers of religion, but exposed both their persons and their acts to derision, to ridicule, and to contempt.

"the

What serious cheques the National Protestant Union may have offered this ready writer, we pretend not to know; but one would think his conscience-like dumb ass," on which Balaam the son of Bosor rode, when speaking with man's voice it forbad the madness of the prophetmust have rebuked "the man whose eyes are open," when he took up his parable to bless the Church of England, and to suggest hard things against his brethren.

When a speculative builder has erected a house on an awkward bit of ground, he is pretty sure to designate it by some