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trace these facts without a sensation of gratitude to God. Connected with these societies, other benevolent schemes were set on foot. The Evangelical Magazine,† the Youths' Magazine, and numerous other useful publications continually emanating from the public press, are all, under God, to be ascribed to the spirit excited by these societies.

The various colleges and academies for the education of candidates for the ministry also claim our notice. Exclusive of our admirable universities in Dublin, Cambridge, Oxford, and in Scotland, the institutions at Homerton, Highbury, Axminster, Newport Pagnell, Rotherham, Hackney, Airedale, Blackburn, and Hoxton, have been rendered great blessings to the church of God. During the last thirty years what additions have been made to the truly pious ministers of the Church of England!‡ May the number be increased, and may the greatest strife among Churchmen and Dissenters be, which shall discover most of the spirit of Christ, and which shall be more zealous in advancing the interests of pure and undefiled religion!

The signs of the times are at present encouraging. An earnest and almost universal desire seems to prevail, that God would pour down upon his ministers and people the blessed influences of his Holy Spirit. Special meetings for prayer have in some places been held for this object, and a day of fasting and prayer has been fixed, to beseech God to fulfil his promise, that times of refreshing may come from his presence, that his Church may be like a well-watered garden, that the desert may rejoice and blossom like the rose.

WHAT HATH GOD WROUGHT! How kindly and graciously has He dealt with us through the past year.-Supplied our returning wants; directed our various steps; continued our

The author is aware that the Evangelical Magazine, first published in 1793, is to be considered as exciting the public feeling in favor of missions.

The writer is sincere in expressing his delight at this circumstance, when he contrasts the present scene with that which he surveyed in his youthful days, when Romaine, and Foster, and Newton, and a few more, bore the burden and heat of the day.

numerous mercies; raised our dejected spirits; and, in regard to some, turned them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God!

"O'tis a lovely thing for youth

To walk betimes in wisdom's way."

Such are eminently favored and highly honored of the King of kings they rank with the Samuels, and Obadiahs, and Josiahs, and Timothys; names that adorn the exalted pages of Scripture, and which shall be held in everlasting remembrance.

I beseech every reader, and especially every juvenile reader, of the Youths' Magazine, to examine his past life; to ask this question-Whose am I, and whither am I going? Have I entered upon the new year with a new heart, or am I yet in my sins? For me, God has wrought much in the blessings of His Providence; has He wrought much for me in the way of Grace? Examine, my beloved friends, the actual state of your souls, and lose not a moment in earnestly seeking an interest in that great salvation which the Son of God died to procure.

We are passing rapidly towards eternity, and if we are among the number of the ransomed of the Lord, we shall eventually enjoy an eternity of bliss. What praises will then employ our lips? What pleasures will then satisfy the soul! Such fulness of joy, such rest from labour, such relief from care, such freedom from sin and sorrow, will inspire the glorified spirit with constant excitements to praise and adoration, and rapturous hallelujahs will accompany the excla mation, "WHAT HATH GOD WROUGHT!"

Wakefield.

R. C.

THE POOR LUNATIC; OR, CAUSES ANd effects. We have almost reached the anniversary of a day which is associated in my mind with many agreeable recollections. It was in the latter end of last January, that myself and a friend travelled by stage to the metropolis. The softness of the air, the brightness of the sunshine, and the verdant appearance of the country, so unusual at that season of the year, disposed

our minds to peculiar cheerfulness. Old winter had laid aside his rigour, and adorned his features with a pleasant smile, while nature seemed to rejoice in playful freedom, scarce conscious that she was still under the dominion of the tyrant. My friend's conversation was particularly interesting, and it was not without regret that I found the hours increasing which we had spent on our journey, and the miles diminishing which would bring us to its end. Pleasant are those seasons which are spent in affectionate and profitable intercourse; and happy are we, if, like the earth which we inhabit, our daily motion forms no hindrance to our progress around Him, who is the Sun of righteousness, the only light and life-giving centre of our otherwise dark and barren spirits. It was my privilege to be travelling with one who, whatever present path he might be called to pursue, made it his first object to keep advancing in the way everlasting, and his second, to encourage and animate others in the same blessed road: and are not these the objects which, if borne steadily in view, would tend to sweeten the journey of life; to create in the soul that degree of holy indifference, which might prevent it from being ensnared by worldly prosperity, or overwhelmed by worldly adversity? Thankful for passing refreshments, because we need them; undisturbed by temporary inconveniences, because they will soon be over, our thoughts would be permanently fixed on that home to which we are hastening; while confessing ourselves strangers and pilgrims upon earth, our conduct would declare plainly that we seek a country; that it is our first desire to be fitted for a place within our Father's house, and to be made acceptable and lovely in his eyes. The language of the hymn would express the feelings of our hearts :

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Strangers and pilgrims here below,

This world we know is not our place;
But hasten thro' this scene of woe,

And restless to behold thy face,

Swift to our heav'nly country move,

Our everlasting home above."

But to return from this digression. We had arrived at the end of our journey, and were selecting our various packages, when my attention was arrested by an altercation between the coachman and one of the outside passengers.

"It is a shame," exclaimed the latter, "from the prince to the man who earns his living by daily labor, no one in this land has any idea of the equal rights of man. What! am I to have nothing but this little pitiful parcel, and must that burly mass of gentility, who has just loaded his laced lacquey with a huge cloak-bag, lay claim to this portmanteau also? I tell you, I have only the suit on my back, and little more than cash enough to pay my coach-hire; does it not stand to reason then that I want the contents of this trunk much more than he can do, with all his coats, and cloaks, and purse of shining sovereigns, from which he ought to have paid at least the fare of two ordinary-sized men? Here I stand, and from this place I will not move till I receive something more than this beggarly bundle."

The coachman seemed acquainted with the person who was speaking to him, and answered very mildly, "You have got all you set out with, my good Sir; perhaps another time it may be your turn to have the largest share of the luggage."

"I never wished to have the largest share, and no one shall accuse me of it," he replied, raising his stick with a menacing gesture; when a person beside him observed

"It is no use to press the point now. You must wait a little longer before people will clearly enter into your views." So saying, he took him by the arm, and the stranger, apparently subdued much more by his eye than his arguments, walked quietly away with him.

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Poor creature!" exclaimed my friend, "he is evidently insane, and I should think his mind must have been previously exercised on the dangerous subjects of equality and false liberty."

I assented; and when I retired to my room for the night, this little incident having taken strong possession of my mind, led to a train of reflections which I hope may not prove altogether unprofitable, should the readers of the Youths' Magazine be disposed to pursue them with me.

We concluded, and I doubt not, justly; I said to myself, that our fellow traveller was labouring under mental delusion, because he expected to receive as much as his companions at the unloading of the vehicle, though he had placed nothing

there when it was laden; yet, tried by this rule, I fear my own conduct might often be found as inconsistent with reason. How frequently have I expected effects for which I have indolently failed to supply the cause, and looked for a harvest whose seed I have never sown; and if I mistake not, vast numbers of persons fall into a similar error. With a view, therefore, to restore my own mind and that of others from this fallacious impression, I will instance a few cases among many, in which it is often discoverable.

First, then, how common is it to see a number of young persons set out in the same vehicle of instruction, and while some are carefully arranging their various deposits, others come quite empty-handed. Now, though these deposits are not like the parcels on a stage, unalterable in their name and nature, yet the passengers on separating will receive in exact proportion to what they themselves have furnished. For instance, does a youth set out on his journey with a store of docility and diligence? he may confidently expect at its close a large share of improvement and knowledge; and should any of his hea strong or indolent companions complain that the portion they have obtained is so scanty as to be scarcely worth having, we will appeal to our readers, whether such a complaint would be more consistent with reason than the one we have just heard from the poor lunatic.

Social intercourse is another pleasant conveyance in which we frequently seat ourselves; and here also when we part, how many regard with envy and dissatisfaction the portion of esteem and affection which their happier companions carry away with them; yet, would they only enquire into the cause, they would find it was simply the result of the uprightness and consistency, the gentleness and kindness, which they brought with them.

Again, daily events are continually bearing us on in our appointed way; and who has not heard the discontented exclaim, "I do not know how it is that others seem to possess so much more happiness than I; they prosper more, and have more enjoyment of their comforts, and their very trials sit less heavily upon them; while they move calmly on, looking smiling and cheerful,. my wishes are crossed and my temper

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