compensate for all the weariness of our journey towards His presence! One gracious look from Him, recognising us as faithful and beloved-His own beloved, we shall feel as infinitely overbalancing all that we could ever endure for His sake. And His wonderful love we shall enjoy during "ages after ages, without end.' Let us live continually amidst glowing anticipations of our future bliss. And let us show to the world that the Christian's hopes are satisfying, and animating, and purifying. With most placid satisfaction we may pursue our way to glory; regardless of the unsubstantial objects pursued by the worldling, assured that we shall soon possess unalienably, riches, dominion, and felicity, all divine. And these hopes may well animate us to most energetic devotedness to Jesus. Shall we, ere long, receive ineffable bliss, through the selfsacrificing love of our God and Saviour? And, believing this, can we regard any service too much to render Him, in return for His infinite loving-kindness? No! Could our activity and our zeal for His glory as far exceed those of the mighty angels, as our obligations to divine love transcend theirs; still our devotion would seem unutterably feeble, compared with the grace of Christ towards us. And how purifying are the hopes of the Gospel! Contemplating the divine holiness, and expecting soon to be encircled by its purest radiance; every modification of sinfulness appears inexpressibly hateful. Let us view all present scenes, and all present engagements, in reference to what we hope to be throughout eternity. Whatever estimate others may entertain of desirable society, let us desire only such society as shall promote our holiness our preparation for the pure and exalted society of heaven. Whatever objects of pursuit may be aimed at by others, let us seek only such results as we may contemplate with complacency under the light of our Saviour's glories: continually remembering that, in a very little while, every thing now visible shall disappear from before us; and that, far off from every thing gloomy, and distressing, and unholy, "we shall ever be with the Lord." From the height of lofty anticipations, to which this subject leads us, let us look down, with deep compassion, on the condition of those around us, who remain ignorant of the grace of Jesus. Faithfully and tenderly let us show them their melancholy state of destitution, and let us warn them of their dreadful danger, while they continue without an interest in the Saviour. Let us press on them the astonishingly gracious invitations of Christ, beseeching every lost wanderer to come to Him, and be blessed. Let us exbibit to them the hideous enormity of the guilt and the madness, involved in despising all the love, all the wonderful mercy of the Lord Jesus: telling them that, as the followers of Christ shall be exalted to a sublimity of bliss and of glory inconceivably illustrious, for evermore; so those who obey not His Gospel, shall be plunged, for eter. nity, into an abyss of degradation and of wretchedness, horrid beyond thought, "where the worm dieth not, and the fire shall never be quenched." Ah! how tremendously dreadful to be "punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord." ALEXANDER STRONACH. A WALK THROUGH IRELAND, BY A PROTESTANT CHRISTIAN LADY. Glengariffe. I took another day's ramble up to the head of the glen, a distance of nearly three miles, and never was a glen to me like this. From the top of a rock sometimes a shout burst upon my ear, then some wild mountain girl would cross my path, then a peasant or two, with braided straw saddles and baskets across the wo-begone donkey, with a salute of "God save ye kindly, lady"-then some way-worn old woman, with a rope about her forehead, supporting a ponderous sack of potatoes or turf upon her back, would greet me-till, meeting a path leading from the main road, I followed it, and seeing a broken cart, supposed that human beings must be among these rocks, and, upon my left, I saw an aperture into what I thought might be a cave or mountain den, and, approaching, found a pig nestled in some straw, and a voice from within called out "May-be ye'd like to come in and take a hait by the fire." Had this invitation proceeded from a sepulchre, it couid not have been much more surprising-and not half so un natural for the abode of the dead as the living. I stooped down and walked over the obstinate pig-stumbled in, and here saw patient misery in somewhat a new habiliment. Against a huge rock-for there was no chimney-were there a few little twigs of wood. Three sisters, the eldest seventeen, the second twelve, and the third two, all nestled in straw, for there were not stools enough for each; and neither bed nor table encumbered the room. "Where do you sleep?" I asked. "Poor folks must do as they can, ma'am-we lie here," pointing to a pile of straw on the left. The little child now asked for a potato. "I have none for you." Not a particle of food did this destitute abode contain; and, giving the child a couple of hard biscuits, she gnawed them greedily; for the first time, probably, having had a piece of bread in her life. "How do you live?" "As we can ma'am." I then spoke of Jesus Christ. "I don't understand ye." "Do you not know who I mean by Jesus Christ?" She could not comprehend me, and the second sister said "We don't go to church or chapel ma'am." I enquired how long they had lived there? "One year, ma'am.' They had no father, and the mother had gone from home, begging, I supposed. I knew not what to say to them, nor what to do for them; they were perishing for "lack of knowledge," and the beasts of the desert had more comfortable dwellings than they. This day finished my tour in the glen, and it had been the most peculiar of any I had in Ireland. I had learned to a demonstration, that man, left to instinct alone, will not make himself as comfortable as the beasts of the field, or birds of the air-they will construct their habitations and nests when wanted, with perfect system and even with mechanical taste-while man, with no stimulus to activity but barely the food that sustains him, will lie down in stupid content, in the most filthy, disorderly habitation, and even make a merit of doing so. Here were literally exemplified the words of Job, when he said of the poor-" They em "For braced the rock for a shelter." want and famine they were desolate." "To dwell in the clefts of the valleys, in caves of the earth, and in the rocksamong the bushes they prayed, under the nettles they were gathered together." Often have I seen the poor famished women gathering nettles to boil, because they had no other food; and here I would add, if any one thinks that man has anything to boast, since the fall, let him explore the mountains, the glens. the caves, and even the towns of Ireland; and, lest he should find a loophole for his pride, let him go to the places where the Bible is known, and if the grace of God has not changed the heart, he will find the same degradation in morals as in those places where it has not been read. CHRISTIAN POVERTY AND To be "just before we are generous" is a most obvious duty; but it may, perhaps, admit of question, whether the plea of poverty is not as often used by those, who are well able to give, as by those who have nothing at all. The really poor will often give their penny or two, when it is nearly all their living; while the rich will sometimes excuse themselves on the ground of poverty, though, in reality, their only poverty is in their souls. What a contrast between such, and those of whom the apostle says, that, "in a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty, abounded unto the riches of their liberality:" 2 Cor. viii. 3. Such persons are, in truth, too rich; they would probably give twice as much, if they lost half their wealth. What a blessing, on the other hand, is it to have a heart to give as God has prospered us! What spiritual joy and peace, what blessing and advantage, is a generous mind heir to! "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom: " Luke vi. 38. My God shall supply all your need, according to his riches in glory, by Jesus Christ." Phil. iv. 19. M m POETRY. LINES TO A FRIEND IN LONDON; ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF HER BIRTHDAY. Another visit's over ; Another six weeks gone; My time at Hoxton ended, My London labours done. Travels and voyage past, And I in peace once more, By kindest mercies sped, Have reached dear Erin's shore. Still I must not forget The country of my birth; For happy England is The loveliest land on earth. Although this Emerald Isle Shines bright in beauteous green, And nature's sweetest charms Invest each smiling scene; Yet darkest clouds of error Hang o'er the human mind; And Erin's misled children Are to salvation blind; While Britain has the Bible, And hears the word of love Proclaiming grace and pardon From Him who reigns above. O Britain! prize thy mercies! And pray that Erin's midnight That the bright day-spring, dawning, And on her dark horizon Alas, too!-Erin now Is. scourg'd by Providence ; And He, whose hand was wont So freely to dispense The bounties of his goodness O'er all her fruitful plains, In just and awful judgment, This kindness now restrains. Displeas'd at wilful darkness, And vex'd by deeds of blood, Behold! his hand has tainted The poor man's daily food. Potato-crops no longer His craving wants sustain ; Nor has he means to buy The more nutritious grain. And you, dear friend of Erin, And friend of him, who sends To Christ, the best of friends, Another birth-day's gone! Thro' all our journey guard us, Your heav'nward course pursuing, And reach your home at length. With Christ," the sinner's friend." When birth-days here are number'd 44. Manor Street, Dublin. W. H. C. REVIEW. Miscellaneous Works of the Rev. Robert Hall. London: H. G. BOHN, York Street, Covent Garden. AMONG the many excellent volumes included in Bohn's "Standard Library," this certainly bears the palm. Nearly six hundred closely printed pages of Robert Hall for three shil lings and sixpence! Not only are the pages his, but they are filled with his choicest works; including his Christianity and Freedom, Apology for the Press, Modern Infidelity, Reflections on War, Advantages of Knowledge, Death of the Princess Charlotte, and Reviews. Prefixed to them, are MISSIONARY LABOURS, and The subjoined letter may be considered as giving an average outline of the labours, diffi culties, and success of most of our brethren located in the country towns of Ireland; and we publish it as a sample of many similar details. Aug. 6th, 1846. "MY DEAR SIR, "Having now arrived at the end of another quarter, I cheerfully send you an account of the labours in which I have been engaged, since I last reported to you, and do so with a grateful heart, that I have been preserved, up to the present time, and have been favoured with many opportunities to seek the good of my fellow men. I am happy in being able to inform you that the congregation in the town is continuing pretty good, and that the attendance is becoming more steady than it has hitherto been. On Sabbath mornings, our congregations are better than they formerly were, and I take this to be a token for good, as our services are precisely at the same time that worship is held in the parish church, and, when I see persons leaving the church service and coming to a dissenting place of worship, I am led to entertain the thought that their minds are not so much prejudiced in favour of established systems and prescribed forms, that they cannot bear to come near a place in which the unostentatious worship of Dissenters is carried on. But there is another class, and one which I would rather see more frequently, who sometimes come and listen to the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and it is composed of those who do not go to any place of worship, but who spend their Sabbaths either in idleness or amusement. I am very glad to see some of these people occasionally coming to our chapel, taking their seat, and attentively listening to the tidings of redeeming love. I sincerely trust that some portion of God's word, or some statement that may fall from the preacher's lips may find its way to their hearts, and lead them to seek, in the atone his Life by Gregory, and the celebrated Observations on his Character and Writings, by John Foster, who has lately joined his departed friend. It would be late in the day, and, with the Life and Essay before us, it would be superfluous to enter into an elaborate eulogy of Robert Hall, who stood at the very summit of pulpit fame; but whom we estimate still more highly as a model of correctness and polish in composition. It was in the press that his great strength lay; and in this collection of his best works the greatness of that strength is advantageously displayed. geneRAL INTELLIGENCE. ment of Jesus the salvation of their immortal souls. I am sorry that our Roman Catholic neighbours have entirely discontinued coming among us. I believe they have been influenced by their priests, who are greatly afraid that any of their deluded and blinded followers should have an opportunity of hearing anything contrary to the dogmas of their Church. I am aware that, though they are hindered from presenting themselves in a public manner in a Protestant place of worship, some of them are still in the habit of coming to the door of our chapel, and continue there quitely listening to the truths of the Gospel which are made known to the congregation. Oh! that Erin's sons would arise, and, breaking asunder the chains of Rome, by which they are held in cruel bondage, would, in obedience to the exhortations of the spirit of God, "prove all things, and hold fast that which is good." Surely, then would the reign of darkness cease, and the first dawn of Gospel day visit our beloved land, and ere long the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness rest upon the face of our country, dispelling ignorance, superstition, and sin. My Sabbath evening congregation remains much the same as when I last reported. Though there are some persons who, hitherto, kept at a distance from us, now come occasionally, yet the assistance which they have given in increasing our number has been counterbalanced by the falling off of others, who have given way to a strong worldly influence which has been exerted upon them. And, indeed, I might safely say that my progress, both in the town and at my out-stations, has been greatly retarded by strong opposition from more quarters than one. My plan, however, is to work, and not to fight, down such things as these, and, in my short experience, I have generally found it to succeed much better. The week evening services in our chapel are very thinly attended, but this circumstance may be accounted for by the fact that the present is a season in which the generality of the people are very busily engaged in one way or another. "My out-station at T is continuing pretty good, and rather encouraging. As I spend a good deal of time previous to holding my meeting, visiting among the people in the neighbourhood, and conversing with them upon subjects connected with the word of God, I, by this means, succeed in inducing people, who have never thought of going to any place where the Gospel is preached, to come out and hear things which make for the soul's everlasting well-being. To give you an idea of the effect, that conversing with persons in the humble spheres of life, and answering such questions as they may propose, has upon their mind, I may mention an instance, which, as I was one day visiting in this neighbourhood, came under my own observation. I called upon a family who were remarkable for their carelessness about divine things, and found an old man and woman in the house. After some time, I commenced talking to them about the state of man, his being exposed, while in his natural state, to everlasting misery, and told them about Jesus, who came to seek and to save that which was lost. I continued my conversation a considerable time, but what I said seemed to have little effect upon their mind. At length, as I was speaking about the necessity of our exercising a simple and living faith upon the Saviour of the world, the old man, taking advantage of a pause which I made, said to me, 'might I venture to ask your reverence a question?' 'Surely' said I, and I shall feel happy in an swering any questions connected with Scriptural subjects which you may propose.' 'Well then,' said he, 'I have been often thinking of that passage in the New Testament in which Melchizedek is spoken of as being without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life, and I have asked many a person con-. cerning it, but have never got satisfacto rily explained.' I told him that Melchizedek was spoken of in the passage as sustaining the office of a Priest, that, as such, he was a type of Christ, that, in his priestly character he was without father, his father not having been in the priest's office, that he was without descent, on account of none of his family continuing, as in the case of the Levitical priesthood, after him in the same office, and that he was without end of days because his priesthood did not descend down to the days of Christ, and terminate at his death. Having thus explained the passage to him, he told me that his mind was satisfied regarding its meaning, now; and, afterwards, I easily led him to converse with me upon more practical subjects. He was so pleased, that, although he has not for many years past, gone to hear the Gospel preached by a minister of any denomination, he came out on that evening to hear me, and when I have been in the neighbourhood, he has continued to do so since, "I may now give you an account of, what I consider good, that has been done by means of the services here. One evening that I preached in this neighbourhood, there was a young man, a Roman Catholic, induced to come in. Without being aware that any person of that persuasion was listening to me, I was led, in the course of my sermon, to advert to the necessity of every person exercising his own mind upon subjects connected with the interests of his own soul, dwelt upon the fact that the Scriptures clearly defined the way of salvation, and insisted upon each of my hearers examining the word of God, that they might know the truth, and experience the freedom which it brings. After the service, this young man, accompanied by another, came to me, and proposed that, as the night was dark, they should see me safely home. On the way, I spoke to them about the subject of my discourse, and, perceiving that the one who was the Roman Catholic was willing to converse upon the subject, and, desirous to gain information, I said some things which I conceive might prove useful, and promised to give him a New Testament, that he might search its pages, and learn the truths which are contained therein. However, before I had an opportunity of seeing him again, and of fulfilling the promise which I had made, he had purchased a Bible and was reading it attentively. He has since left this part of the country, and has gone elsewhere accompanied with my earnest prayer, that the spirit of God may enlighten his mind, that he may be able to understand the glorious truths which the volume of inspiration makes known, and find that Saviour who can set him free from Satan and from Rome. My station at Z-, is not seeming to do well with me; and I am almost afraid that I shall not be able to work it up. As, however, it is all up-hill work that I have to perform, I will struggle with it a little longer, "I trust that the seed of God's word which I have scattered abroad during the past quarter has not, in every instance, fallen upon barren ground, but that it has made its way to some souls, which have been prepared for its reception by the Spirit of God, and, having been watered by the dews of divine grace, that it has taken root in many s heart, and may it continue to spring up and soon bring forth fruit to the praise and glory of God our Saviour. H.M. T. Mr. W. G., Sec. of the Home Miss. As. |