170 COUNTING THE COST. it, they were to be disinherited, and banished from the house. His wife was included with the children; she had been, and so had her eldest daughter, which put him in a rage. The daughter continued to go to the prayermeeting, and soon found peace in believing in Jesus. When an opportunity was given for those who had a hope in Christ to make it known, she meekly rose, and spoke of the great change in her heart, and her humble hope of salvation through a crucified Saviour. There were those standing at the window outside who immediately went and told the father of this young lady of the profession she had made. When she went home that night, she met her father standing in the doorway, with a heavy quarto Bible in his arms. "Maria" said he, "I have been told that you publicly professed to-night that you have got religion; is it so ?" "Father," said the girl, "I love you, and I think I love the Saviour too." He opened his Bible at a blank leaf, and pointing with his finger, he said, "Maria, whose name is that ?" "It is my name, sir." "Did I not tell you that I would disinherit you if you got religion"? " "Yes, sir." "Well, I must do it; you cannot come into my house." And, tearing the leaf out of the Bible, "Thus," said he, “do I blot out your name from among my children. You can go." She went to the house of a pious lady in the neighbourhood, and heard no more from her father for three weeks. One morning she saw her father's carriage driving up to the door; she ran out, and said to the driver, "What is the matter, James ?" "Your father is very ill, and thinks he is going to die, and he is afraid he shall go to hell for his wickedness, and for the grievous wrong he has done you in disinheriting you and turning you from his house; he wants you to jump into the carriage and come THE GOSPEL AMONGST FRENCH CANADIANS. 171 home as quickly as possible." She found her father very ill on going home, but she soon saw that he was only sinsick. She talked with him, she prayed with him, she endeavoured to lead him to Christ. In three days the father, mother, two brothers, and a sister, were all rejoicing in hope, making up the whole family-all made heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ to the heavenly inheritHow faithful is God to those who put their trust ance. in him! TO-DAY. Ir is a sad infatuation that leads an immortal soul, to whom the Gospel brings the command, "Son, go work to-day in my vineyard," to neglect in youth the things which belong to his eternal peace. With many the day passeth and the night suddenly cometh when no man can work, and no preparation to meet God is made. Under such circumstances how solemn the words, "But now they are hidden from thine eyes"-the term of probation is over, the opportunity for redemption gone for ever. To-day is stricken down in death the strong young man, the beautiful young woman, that yesterday was in full health. And so it occurs constantly. Reader, to-day is "thy day!" O know the things that belong to thy peace. To-day you are offered salvation. To-morrow it may be too late! THE GOSPEL AMONGST THE FRENCH CANADIANS. NEARLY seventy miles south of the city of Chicago, in America, is a settlement of French Canadians, centreing 172 THE GOSPEL AMONGST FRENCH CANADIANS. around a village called St. Anne. The settlement contains about five hundred families, most of whom, with their pastor, the Rev. Charles Chiniquy, have within the last five years thrown off the shackles of Romanism, and begun to read and love the Bible. The country in which they live is very fertile and beautiful, and ordinarily very productive. For three years past, however, frost and drought, and other things, have so nearly cut off their crops that they have suffered much from hunger, and have been kept from starving to death only by the charities of Christians in other places. Notwithstanding all their poverty and trials, these poor French people have held fast to the Gospel. They come many miles and in great numbers to church. On week day evenings from three to six hundred, and on the Sabbath from nine to twelve hundred of them attend public worship. On Sabbath afternoons as many as eight hundred of them often gather in one great Sabbath School, in which many children teach their parents to read the Bible. Indeed, one of the most interesting and promising features of this new reformation is the number of bright children and youths who have learned to love the Saviour, and wish to make him known to others. Many of them have patiently borne cruel beatings and persecutions from their Romish parents and friends, rather than give up reading their Testaments and attending the house of God. In order that this wonderful work may go on, and the people receive the training that will make them useful and intelligent Christians, it is necessary that a larger, better place of worship should be provided. The house in which they now meet is very uncomfortable, and will hardly seat half of those who wish to hear the word of God. The people are too poor to do anything themselves, THE GRAND INQUIRY. 173 except labour upon the building for their daily bread and clothing. The new church cannot then be built unless others will furnish the means. The last general assembly referred the subject of providing the necessary places of worship for these interesting people to the Board of Church Extension. After anxiously considering the matter, the board see no way to build the church at St. Anne, unless the children, and especially the Sabbath School children, will furnish the means, It is proposed to erect a plain stone church, sixty feet broad and one hundred and ten feet long, that will seat twelve hundred persons. Such a place will cost about £2,500, and it is proposed that the children in America, will raise the money. And no doubt they will do it. It is only a few years since they gave more than £7,000 to purchase a missionary ship, The Morning Star, to carry the Gospel to the heathen islanders in the Pacific Ocean, "What do ye more than others ?" THE GRAND INQUIRY. WHEN the Judge shall ascend his throne in the air, and all the sons and daughters of Adam are brought before him, the grand inquiry will be, "What have you done with all the time of life in yonder world? You spent thirty or forty years there, or perhaps seventy or eighty, and I gave you this time, with a thousand opportunities and means of grace and salvation: what have you done with them all? How many Sabbaths did I afford you? How many sermons have you heard? How many seasons did I give you for prayer and retirement, and converse with God and your own souls ? Did you 174 THE JUVENILE REPORTER. improve time well? Did you pray? Did you converse with your soul and with God? Or did you suffer time to slide away in a thousand impertinences, and neglect the one thing necessary ?"-Isaac Watts. CHIPS. A MULE, laden with salt, and an ass, laden with wool, went over a brook together. By chance the mule's back became wetted; the salt melted, and his burden became lighter. After they had passed, the mule told his good fortune to the ass, who, thinking to speed as well, wetted his pack at the next water, but his load became the heavier, and he broke down under it. The study of literature nourishes youth, entertains old age, adorns prosperity, is delightful at home, unobtrusive abroad, deserts us not by day nor by night, in journeying nor in retirement.-Cicero. If you would know the value of a guinea, try to borrow one of a stranger.-Hunter. Each has his fault, we readily allow; To this decree our dearest friend must bow; One's too careless, another's too correct, THE JUVENILE REPORTER. "THE harvest is past, the summer is ended,"-and the Reporter never, in all his life, knew a summer that got so many kicks, and cuffs, and hard names, as this one. No |