"Ungrateful, shall we grieve their | the idea, that gloom and mel hov'ring shades, "Which wait the revolution in our hearts? "Shall we disdain their silent, soft "Their posthumous advice, and pi- groans, "Frustrate their anguish, and destroy their death" ancholy are ill suited to persons of your age. And do you think then, my dear friend, that religion consists in gloom and melancholy? View with me, for a moment, though imperfectly drawn, the life of a Christian, and point out to me that part of it which is calculated to deprive you of cheerfulness, or render your youthful days unhappy. The true believer is reconciled to God, acquiesces in his government, and rejoices to be at his disposal. He humbly hopes through the merits of his Saviour, that his sins are pardoned, and he is relieved from a condemning conscience. He has for his father and friend the great Sovereign of the universe, whose love is infinitely more ardent, When those to whom we are tenderly attached are taken from us, when the most endearing ties are dissolved, survivors are loudly called upon to "be also ready." O Maria, do not disregard this friendly monitor. The current of ume is imperceptibly wafting you along, and soon, like your brother, you will be carried into the ocean of eternity. No-whose care infinitely more tenthing now separates you from the eternal world, but the brittle thread of life, compared with which, the spider's most attenuated web, is cord-is cable." der, than that of earthly parentsor friends.: to him he looks for the supply of his daily returning wants, knowing that the beasts of the forest are his, and the If it is ever required of us cattle upon a thousand hills. to remember our Creator, it is With a tribute of gratitude he certainly our duty to conse-receives the common blessings crate to him the morning of of life, which are to him greatlife, the vigor of youth; and to ly enhanced by the considerathis period he has given a pro- tion that they flow from a founmise, which, if we realized its tain of benevolence. Is he exvalue, we should be extremely posed to danger? An Almighty anxious to apply to ourselves, protector is near, able to deliver by attending to the condition to him from the most perilous sit-which it is annexed. "Those uation. When bereft of friends, that seek me early, shall find of property, of all which the me." Our heavenly Father not world calls blessings, he does only condescends to regard the not cry out, like Micah, "Ye have young in common with others, taken away my gods, and what but grants them peculiar en- have I more?" for his God, his couragement, by the assurance Saviour, his inheritance, stillthat if they seek his favor, they remain, and with sweet submisshall obtain it. sion he exclaims, “The Lord gave, the Lord hath taken away: blessed be the name of the Your principal objection to early piety seems to arise from Lord." View him on a bed of pain, and languishing. "The chamber where the good man meets his fate, "Is privileg'd beyond the common walk "Of virtuous life, quite in the verge of Heav'n." whom, for a number of years, had professed to be Christians, and often conversed together on the nature of faith and repentance, the duties of a holy life, and the comforts peculiar to piety. The mother was rational, while her body was sinking under a fatal disease. The son had been several months absent. On seeing him enter the room, with great emotion, she said, Mark his patience, his resignation to hisFather's will, his trust in a divine Saviour, his readiness, yea even desire to depart I am going to leave you."and be with Christ, and tell me, To which he replied, “ Madam, is this gloom, is this melancho- I trust you are supported by ly? "Great peace have they which love thy law, and nothing pause, she replied, nearly in the your past hope."-After a short shall offend them." They have following manner:-" It is a peace with God, peace with the world, and peace with them-a hope from my youth, but not great thing to die! I have had selves. They have comfort in life, joy in death, and will be unspeakably blessed through eternity. Be persuaded, my dear Maria, seriously to consider this momentous subject. Cast it not by as one which does not concern you, for in it you are most deeply interested. Do not say with Felix, "Go thy way for this time, and when I have a convenient season I will call for thee." Indulge not the idea, that after you have spent a few more years in the vain amusements of life, you will then think of religion, but "seek the Lord now, while he may be found, call upon him while he is near" and prove by your own example, the loveliness of early piety. CAROLINE. Admonition from the Death-bed. T is a great thing to die! without many seasons of darkness and doubting for myself. These led me to examine my hope, and generally ended in my comfort. I have had many seaseemed as though God so filled sons of great joy, in which it my soul with the light of his countenance, that it would be easy to die. I have had some sore afflictions, under which God did not forsake me, when flesh and heart were ready to fail.My life hath been filled with sin and imperfection, for which I ought to humble myself. Yet, all this doth not destroy my hope; I must think that it is founded on the rock of ages.— When I was first taken sick, I tried to recover those clear views by which I had been at some times transported; but, God hath denied them and I now find I must die by faith.”—On being asked what she meant by dying by faith, she said, "I firmly believe God to be powerful and that sick mother to her son, both of to save, to the uttermost, those who look to him. Although a sinner, I think I have looked to him; I love God and Christ and the gospel; I choose to be in God's hand. If God be glorified, I cannot be very unhappy; at the same time, I have no great consolation, as I used to wish I might have in the hour of death." In this state she continued until her last moments, and we lieve she slept in Jesus. though it be tried by fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls." be--This unspeakable joy is the comfort and support derived from that faith, by which Christians live; it gives them strength in discharging the duties of life, resisting temptations and departing to appear in the presence of God. P-s. The following is a plan adopted by some of Christ's flock at the southward, and with two small alterations as to the times of meeting in accommodation to the customs in this state, is here inserted for the consideration of those who pray for the propserity of Zion. Christian Reader, can you die by faith? Death is an hour to which you are daily approaching, in which you wish to have extraordinary support. Will it not be a sufficient support to die by faith? It was by faith, those eminent saints, who are mentioned in the eleventh chapter of the epistle to the Hebrews, lived, endured persecution and died. Did they need greater strength or a better support? or can we wish for more clear evidence of their happy end?—But how may we expect to die by faith? What provisional means are necessary for this happy end? Certainly, none are more necessary than to live by faith. We have no right to expect the ben- 1. efits of a faith in death, which we have not exercised in life. An habitual exercise of Christian grace and practice, makes it easy for a good man to commit himself to God, whether he be living or dying. An apostle tells us, of joy unspeakable and full of glory." This is not the rapturous transports of imagination, as some are ready to think by not attending to his whole description. It is the joy of seeing and relying on God by faith. "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold which perisheth, TH HE special object of these societies, is the offering up of united prayer to God for a blessing on the Ministry of the Gospel of Christ his Son, in that Church to which the members of them belong. But, although this is to be considered as the special object, yet it will be proper to present supplications in behalf of other Churches, and for the Church Universal. 2. The time of meeting should be in the morning, or, if more convenient to any, in the afterternoon of the Lord's Day, previously to the commencement of public worship; so that an hour or an half hour may be spent in this exercise. 3. The number of members in each society should be small; because it will be more convenient for a few to assemble, and more freedom will be enjoyed by the members who may be familiar friends. Two will be sufficient for a beginning; the Saviour's promise is, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." When any society shall have increased to eight or ten, it will be expedient to divide it; for, by this means, the number of praying persons will be increasing, in as much as each division may attract others to itself. 6. Let males and females form distinct associations. 7. Should any prefer on account of convenience, to meet on some particular evening, the societies may be composed of a larger number; but let it be remembered that as the number increases the freedom which should prevail in them is proportionably diminished, and temptations of a particular kind may begin to work. Permit us now very briefly to enforce and encourage the adoption of this plan. Every blessing bestowed on the Church of Christ, is the fruit of an absolute promise. Does God say to Zion," Arise, shine, for thy light is come?" Does he send down the effusion 4. It has been mentioned that of his Holy Spirit on a particuthe special object of these soci- lar part of his Church? Does eties is the offering up of prayer he render successful the adminto God. But it may be advisa-istration of his word and ordible and profitable to diversify nances in any individual congrethe exercise by reading a portion gation? 'Tis because he hath of sacred scripture, by conversa-promised to his Son our Savtion on religious truth, and by singing psalms and hymns. 5. Let it be agreed by the members to retire, to their chambers an hour or half an hour before divine service in the afternoon on the Sabbath, and there to meet each other at the Throne of Grace, in renewing their supplications for the same great objects, and for a blessing on the praying society to which they belong, and on all similar societies in whatever part of our country they may have been formed. Here those Christians whose circumstances will not permit them to leave their houses before the commencement of public worship, have an opportunity for acting in concert with their fellow saints. iour, That he shall see of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied. Still, however, it is our duty, in a humble manner, and with believing confidence in the faithfulness of God, to put him in remembrance of his promiscs, and plead with him to fulfil them. Between prayer and the bestowment of promised blessings, he hath wisely established a special connection; so that the Church has no reason to hope for the effusion of his Spirit, and the spread of his Gospel, unless she send up her fervent and united supplications; and, on the other hand, when her children are pressing and importunate in their addresses to the Throne of Grace, she may rejoice, for prosperity draws nigh. ORDINATION. ON the 3d Feb. Rev. GEORGE To convince us how powerful LEONARD was ordained to the is prayer, numerous instances pastoral care of the first church of its remarkable success, are in Canterbury, (Con.) Rev Elirecorded. The pious mind con-sha Atkins of Killingly made versant with the Holy Scrip- the introductory prayer; Rev. tures, will readily recollect the Nathan Perkins, D. D. of West signal efficacy of the prayers of Hartford preached a well adaptAbraham, Moses, Samuel, Da-ed and impressive, an elegant vid, Hezekiah, Elias, and a long train of other Saints; and, from the recollection of it, will become more convinced that "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." and evangelical sermon from Romans x. 15. Rev. Andrew Lee of Lisbon made the consecrating prayer, Rev. Josiah Whitney, D. D. of Brooklyn gave the charge, Rev. Erastus Learned, Westminster society, Canterbury, gave the right hand of fellowship; and Rev. Dr. Perkins made the concluding prayer. An unusually pleasant day, a numerous and attentive assembly, appropriate music and psalmody, were all circumstances that combined to heighten the agreeableness and the solemnity of the interesting occasion. If recent instances of special answers to prayer were required to prove its continued efficacy, it would be easy to produce them. In that very house which was opened in a certain town to receive a praying society, a remarkabe awakening commenced; and in the neighbouring town began, manifestly in answer to prayer, a still more glorious work of God. Indeed we may safely say that the various revivals of religion in our country, are the fruits of pray-by the Trustees of the Missiona er. THE Committee appointed ry Society of Connecticut, to send religious books to the inhabitants of the new settlements, and to receive donations of books for that purpose, return their thanks, in the name of the Trustees, and of the Society, to A FRIEND oF MISSIONS, who has generously subscribed for 50 Copies of the Connecticut Evangelical Maga Having, then, such great encouragement, accede, Christians, to this plan, and unite together in offering fervent supplications to a gracious God for a revival of religion in the Church and Congregation to which you belong. Make the experiment, and see if God will not send down a special bless-zine and Religious Intelligencer, ing. Christian reader, art thou unwilling to share in the honour and happiness of being instrumental by thy prayers, in procuring a revival of religion in the Congregation of which thou. art a member? for one year, and directed the By order of the Commmittee, |