the perishable husks of earthly joys? If our comfort be scriptural, it will be accompanied with the renunciation of all known sin, a vigorous performance of all known duties, a dread of temptation, and an habitual desire to please God. In keeping the commandments there is great reward. But the joy and confidence, which are not materially lessened by the commission of sin, may well be suspected, to arise from a wrong source. True religious joy will lead us to watch and pray, to be humble and penitent at the feet of Jesus, to deny ourselves and take up the cross, and walk in the path of duty, however strait and narrow, however be set with difficulties and trials. All other joy is vain, is dangerous, an calculated to lull us to sleep in thoughtless security, till our Bouls sink in the flames of hell.

Many, it is to be feared, deceive their own souls, thinking themselves something, when they are nothing, imagining they are Christians, while they retain their native love of evil, and are destitute of saving grace. Many, who profess themselves the children of God, have no part nor lot in the salvation of Christ, and will hear from the lips of their Judge at the last great day, "Depart from me, I never knew you." Many have the lamp of profession; but what will that avail without the oil of di vine grace? Alas, without repentance, it will only increase their condemnation, and involve them deeper in future wretchedness. Awful indeed must be the situation of those, who, while they name the name of Christ, crucify him afresh, and put him to open shame. They open the mouths of sinners against our holy

religion, harden the hearts of the careless, grieve the children of the Most High, and are a stumbling block in the way of many. If they die strangers to the power of vital religion, what pen can describe their anguish, when they stand trembling before their Judge, and hear him speak in a voice, like thunder, “Who hath required this at your hands?" Their criminality must then appear in all its odious light, and cover them with confusion, consternation and despair. They must lie down in endless sorrow, tho once they vainly thought they were sure of heaven.

O my friend, when I think of these things, I tremble for others, I tremble for myself. We have reason to fear, that through the deceitfulness of our own hearts, we shail at last come short, and prove that we were Christians only in name. Let us see whether Christ is formed in us, the hope of glory; or whether we are not yet in our sins, walking in that broad road, which leads to perdition. If we have been deceiving ourselves, it will be far better to discover it now, than when it is too late to rectify mistakes-too late to repent, and work out our salvation. O let us with the greatest diligence attend to the one thing needful, and so number our fleeting days, as to apply our hearts to true wisdom. Soon our mortal years will be ended; and then we shall commence an eternal round of joy or wo. And in eternity we shall reap the reward of our doings on earth. We shall feel the effects of our pres ent conduct, when time has finished his appointed course, when the heavens shall be roled together as a scroll, when creation shall

lie in mighty ruins, and when one vast eternity shall be all in all. Nay, we shall be sensible of their influence, as long as our existence endures.

O then how important it is, that we should awake from sleep, and sow to the Spirit, that we may of the Spirit reap life everlasting. Now is the accepted time, and now is the day of salvation. Tomorrow we may be, where all is immutable and eternal. O could we realize these considerations as we ought, what solemnity and awe would fil! our minds; how jeal ous should we be over ourselves, how afraid of deception, how watchful against sin and Satan, how engaged in duty, how consant and ardent in prayer, how earnest to approve ourselves to the Searcher of hearts. Let us then forsake our sins, and penitently return to the Lord; for our souls are infinitely precious; time is short, and Eternity is near. May we both be made holy in heart and life, that we may glorify God on earth, and at death have an entrance ministered to us into that kingdom, which consists in righteousness, peace and eternal joy. O my friend, rest not, unless you are created anew in Christ. FANNY WOODBURY.

Letter to Mrs. S. E. D. of Beverly,

My dear Mrs. D.

Beverly, Sept. 1814.

THE present is indeed a day of darkness, of thick darkness, illumined but with a few glim mering rays of cheering light. Our national iniquities are exceedingly numerous and ag gravated, so that God in just judgment has poured out his wrath upon us, to show us that

it is an evil and bitter thing to forsake him. And if these afflictions might lead us to consider our ways, mourn with godly sorrow over our sins, and penitently return unto the Rock of our salvation, then we might hope that the Lord would spare us, defend and protect us, and favor us with his gracious smiles. But alas, our pride, ambition and vanity have arisen to a greater height; and we seem to grow more hardened under divine rebukes. Much do we need a spirit of humility, of amity and of dependence on the Almighty, and a thorough, universal reformation, that again we may enjoy those blessings we once possessed, but which we so wickedly abused and forfeited. O may the saints of the Most High seek the good of Jerusalem, and pray and labor for her prosperity, till her brightness go forth as a lamp that burneth, and her rising glory fill the earth. The glorious appearing and power of Immanuel shall destroy the man of sin, subdue every enemy of his church, and cause the ransomed to travel the road that leads to the celestial Zion, with gladness and songs of joy. The day of the millennium is not far distant. Already with eager expectations we look for its dawn; and our bosoms glow with delight, when we contemplate what glory it will bring to God, what happiness to man. The desolations, persecutions and afflictions of the church, and the miseries and sins of a wretched world, will soon come to an end. The happy saints will soon take the kingdom, and possess it forever; while the King of saints shall display the banners of his cross through this wide earth, and all the numer

ous tribes of heathen and nations of the world shall bow in homage at his feet. The church shall dry her tears, bid adieu to her sorrows, and shine in her beautiful garments, the joy of many generations. Hosannas to the name of Jesus shall fall from the mouths of babes; and every lip shall sing in cheerful strains, the praises of the King of kings. O my sister, what a glorious period is just at hand, even at the door. And amidst all these calamities and commotions, when errors come in like a flood, and temptations to apostasy are on every side, how important it is that Christians should hold fast that which they have, and be ever abound. ing in the work of the Lord. How closely should they walk with God, that they may de rive from him all those supplies of grace and strength, which they need in the discharge of their various duties. Their faith and patience

must be tried; but they will endure every trial, and in the end be more than conquerors over all their enemies. The Lord God of Israel is their inheritance, their refuge and their salvation, and all his perfections are pledged to secure their complete redemp tion and the final triumph of his cause over all the earth.

If we, my dear friend, can repose our trust in Jehovah, we need not despond, tho there be great distress and perplexities among the na. tions tho all nature be convulsed, and rent in dreadful anarchy. Amidst the most tremendous revolutions, we may rejoice, and joy in the God of our salvation. O may we be favored with holy confidence in him, that we may not hang our harps upon the willows, nor