discovered to Jairus-a-MILLER! In a courteous manner he informed Jairus that he was at the place for which he had asked; and enquired whether he was now acquainted with his way. Jairus answered in the affirmative, and heartily thanked him for his guidance. The miller turned his horse's head, wished him a good night, and instantly galloped off to his mill.

While Jairus was wandering in the lanes, Mr. Y and his friends were, with much anxiety, expecting and waiting for him. A full hour beyond the utmost time which, had he not missed his way, would have been requisite to perform his journey had now elapsed, and still he did not appear. At length, they concluded, from the inclemency of the evening, that he had been induced to continue at B- ; and, hence, Mr. Y- , taking leave of his friends, hasted towards home.

Amidst this state of things, Jairus arrived at the place where he expected to meet his friend. All was silent. The inhabitants of the village had retired to rest. It now appeared certain he must perform the whole of his journey alone : and, therefore, adjusting a little his hat and coat, and tying a dry silk handkerchief round his neck, he set forward, commending himself into his hands who is ever present

"In the wide waste, as in the city full."

Without meeting with any thing further worthy

of notice, he arrived at home about midnight, thankful for his preservation, and happy he was counted worthy to suffer, even fatigue of body, for the name of JESUS.

CHAPTER VII.

"Honour, and might, and thanks, and praise,

I render to my pardoning God;

Extol the riches of thy grace,

And spread thy saving name abroad,

That only name, to sinners given,

Which lifts poor dying worms to heaven."

Wesley.

THE doctrine of a superintending Providence, whether carried on by the agency of angels, or by other subordinate and inferior beings, appears so very obvious to unprejudiced and reflecting minds, that, if it had not been revealed in the Scriptures, we must have admitted it to a certain extent. Those who presume to deny the doctrine do so, not so much from want of proof, nor, indeed, it is to be feared, even of conviction of its truth, as because of its ultimate and, perhaps, inseparable connexion with the fact of the immortality of the soul: and hence, probably, it is that our modern Sadducees maintain "there is neither angel nor spirit."

To admit the supernatural existence and agency of some invisible cause, is equally to ad

mit a state distinct and separate from this in which we now exist, and by which our actual knowledge is bounded: and to do this would, certainly, go far to explode their own irrational notion of annihilation; for which, indeed, they fondly hope, but which is not, therefore, the less unfounded and absurd. But where the flight of human reason fails to assist our enquiries on this point, Revelation condescends to our aid; and, in the most plain and positive manner, demonstrates the fact and power of a superintending Providence ;-affirming, "He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways; they shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone:" and, "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation ?"

But, while many admit the truth of a general Providence, as directing and managing the affairs of the world at large, they strenuously object to the belief that this supervision and influence minutely regards particular and individual causes and characters. The objection, however, must appear equally superficial and absurd to those who believe that "the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord;" and, "the very hairs of your head are all numbered." And, indeed, as to admit the truth of any general statement of facts, is to admit the truth of all those particulars which that statement necessarily involves; so, to assent