resorted thither." It appears to have been a female prayer meeting. The "brethren," therefore, of the fortieth verse, were none of Lydia's family. The same objection will not apply to women-servants ; but nothing is said of servants at all. It is not Lydia's servants; it is "her household" or family. Had Lydia left her children at home it would not have been true that her household were baptized at this meeting "by a river side." If Lydia's household consisted of hired servants only, for what reasons are we informed of their baptism in connexion with Lydia? Did the grace by which the heart of the mistress was opened, pick out from this assembly every one of her maids? And if not, were Jewish and Pagan servants baptized in unbelief when those who had hired them became converts to christianity? But, perhaps, enough has been said to convince my young readers that Lydia's household was composed of some three or four dear little boys and girls, for whose support, in all probability, their mother settled at Philippi as "a seller of purple." Were Lydia's children baptized on account of their own conversion to God? I apprehend not. Had the heart of every child been opened at the same time with the mother's, so delightful a circumstance could scarcely have been omitted. Besides, the young reader will observe, that Lydia had some difficulty in persuading Paul and Silas to partake of her hospitality; yet she pleaded not the service they had rendered her family; but "if ye have judged me to be faithful." Nor is any notice taken of Lydia's children at the farewell meeting of Paul and Silas with their converts. "And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed." Lydia was a convert to christianity; and for that reason, in my judgment, her children were baptized. The baptism of Lydia's family is recorded as a mere matter of course consequent on Lydia's conversion; "and when she was baptized, and her household." Lydia's children were taken out of a congregation and baptized apart. They were all baptized, without exception. They were baptized altogether; and not some at one time and some at another. They were baptized without delay" the same hour"" straightway." And, for aught that appears in the narrative, they were baptized alone, no other persons receiving baptism with them. Finally; from the beginning of the chapter we learn that Timothy was accounted "unclean" because "his father was a Greek," and consequently grew up without being circumcised. But "now" (1 Cor. vii. 14,) though the mother only be a christian (for "there is neither male nor female") as in the case of Lydia, the children are "holy," that is, not disqualified for religious ordinances. And infant baptism is the only ordinance by which this distinction between holy and unclean can be recognised. The young readers of the Independent Magazine have now before them some of the reasons why our missionaries, when a Jew or a Pagan is converted to christianity, baptize him “and all his;" and our ministers baptize children as additions to christian families. Will my young friends, in conclusion, allow me to remind them that as circumcised families under the Old Testament dispensation were debtors to "put off the body of the sins of the flesh," so families baptized are solemnly bound to crucify the flesh, to come out from the world and be separate, and to live a new life unto righteousness; even so Jesus was dead, buried, and raised again. Not every one that is baptized shall be saved, but "he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned." D. G. THE WISE MISER. He is called a miser who denies himself the comforts, nay, often the very necessaries of life, that he may heap up wealth which he knows he must surrender when he dies. This man thinks himself much wiser than the one who gathers what he intends to part with in a month or year, because he plans possession on probably a longer tenure; but he is but a fool to that miser who is resolved never to give up his riches, but to hoard them for enjoyment beyond the grave. This is that egregious miser who builds his avarice on these words, "it is more blessed to give than to receive;" and on these, "lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven," where they may be eternally secured on that bond: "He that giveth to the poor lendeth unto the Lord;" and look, what he layeth out, it shall be paid him again. So much for his capital. But he must have interest too, which is secured to him by this deed: "Blessed is the man who provideth for the sick and needy; the Lord shall deliver him in the time of trouble." P. ANECDOTES OF DR. PAYSON. One day he went to visit a mother who was disconsolate from the loss of a child. He said to her as follows:-"Suppose now, some one was making a beautiful crown for you to wear, and you knew it was for you, and that you were to receive it and wear it as soon as it should be done. Now if the maker of it were to come, and, in order to make the crown more beautiful and splendid, were to take some of your jewels, and put into it, should you be sorrowful and unhappy, because they were taken away for a little while, when you knew they were gone to make up your crown?" GOING TO SEE A SICK PERSON. "Suppose you were to see a little sick child lying in its mother's lap, with its faculties impaired by its sufferings, so that it was generally in a troubled sleep; but now and then it just opens its eyes a little, and gets a glimpse of its mother's face, so as to be recalled to the recollection that it is in its mother's arms; and suppose that always, at such a time, it should smile faintly with evident pleasure to find where it was;-should you doubt whether that child loved its mother, or not? On one occasion Dr. Payson invited all young persons who did not intend to seek religion. About forty came. They had a social interview, nothing about that subject, until, just as they were going to leave, he closed with a very few plain and simple remarks in the following manner:-"Suppose you should see, coming down from heaven, a very fine thread, as fine as to be almost invisible, and it should come and very gently attach itself to you. You knew, we suppose, that it came from God. Should you dare to put out your hand and brush it away?" ISAIAH, 49th CHAPTER. 1. Let heav'n and earth with rapture sing, 2. But mourning Zion long had sigh'd To think her days of gladness past; "God has forsaken me," she cried, "Forgotten me at last.” 3. Can woman banish from her heart The infant she caress'd? 4. But though in anguish and distress 5. Lo! thou art graven in his hands, And in his sight shalt ever be, And long as earth's foundation stands He'll love and succour thee. 6. Soon to thy gates from ev'ry shore Shall countless crowds with gladness flow; Thy solitude and woe. R. K. QUERY. To the Editor of the Independent Magazine. A constant reader of the Independent, and an occasional contributor, requests some of his christian friends, through the medium of its pages, to insert a few remarks explanatory of a portion of scripture, the literal meaning of which is intelligible, but not its application. The words referred to are these: "No man seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment, else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse." The request is made by a sincere inquirer after truth, and any efforts to illustrate the practical lesson our Lord designed to convey, will be duly appreciated, by February 14th, 1843. CANDIDUS. REVIEWS. The Advancement of Religion the Claim of the Times. By Andrew Reed, D.D. London: John Snow. pp. 400. This series of lectures was delivered at the close of the year 1838, and was the means, by God's blessing, of exciting that delightful revival of religion at Wycliffe Chapel, the narrative of which (now witnessed to by its permanent and happy results) has already attracted so much interest in the churches. We have not space now to analyze all the solemn and deeply important contents of this work. The chapter on "the advancement of religion in the world" strikes us as most likely to prove of the most powerful present interest. From that we shall make a few extracts. The first is for the directors of missionary societies, and for the consideration of that large number of thoughtful christians who are constrained to acknowledge the unsatisfactory condition-both in constitution and working—of those which they support. "If in existing circumstances there must be, as I deliberately think there must, separate institutions for missionary service, they must acquire additional power, by a closer connexion with the churches from which they emanate. If there is union, there must be union by explicit consent; if there is centralization, there must be representation likewise. If all the churches are to assist according |