erve us from others far greater, and of longer duration.

(j) A CHAIN OF CALAMITIES. -A Christian whom God had prospered in his outward estate, and who lived in ease and plenty on his farm, suffered the world to encroach so much upon his affections, as sensibly to diminish the ardour of his piety. The disease was dangerous, and the Lord adopted severe measures for its cure. First, his wife was removed by death; but he still remained worldly-minded. Then a beloved son; but, although the remedy operated favourably, it did not effect a cure. Then his crops failed, and his cattle died; still his grasp on the world was not unloosed. Then God touched his person, and brought on him a lingering, fatal disease; the world, however, occupied still too much of his thoughts. His house finally took fire; and as he was carried out of the burning building, he exclaimed: "Blessed be God, I am cured at last." He shortly afterwards died happy in the anticipation of a heavenly inheritance.

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(k) DIVINITY TAUGHT BY AFFLICTION.-A minister was recovering of a dangerous illness, when one of his friends addressed him thus: Sir, though God seems to be bringing you up from the gates of death, yet it will be a long time before you will sufficiently retrieve your strength, and regain vigour enough of mind to preach as usual." The good man answered :"You are mistaken, my friend; for this six weeks' illness has taught me more divinity than all my past studies and all my ten years' ministry put together."

(1) EFFECT OF ILLNESS ON DR. CHANDLER.-It used to be said of Dr. Chandler, that, after an illness, he always preached in a more evangelical strain than usual. A gentleman who occasionally heard him, said to one of his constant auditors: "Pray, has not the doctor been ill lately?" "Why do you think so?" "Because the sermon was more evangelical than he usually preaches when he is in full health."

(m) GOD MEANT IT FOR GOOD.-A few years since (says a writer in the "Pastor's Journal "), I was engaged in a wholesale mercantile busieas in the city of New York; but

ill-health and other circumstances compelled me to close it and remove to the country. My young men were most of them from pious families; some were warm-hearted Christians, and all of them succeeded in finding eligible situations but one. S. was my youngest clerk; his talents were respectable; his conduct, as far as 1 could judge, was irreproachable; but my best efforts, and those of his friends, could not secure him a situation. After months spent in vain endeavours to find an opening in the business of his choice, and a year occupied on a foreign voyage without success, he returned to the country and engaged reluctantly in a mechanical business, which his father followed, near the place where I had settled. I saw him but seldom; but when I met him as his friend, I was treated with marked coldness. I was at a loss to account for it, and at length demanded an explanation; when I found the whole family considered me culpably to blame in not procuring him a situation in New York, after I had no longer occasion for his services. It was indeed a mystery even to myself, that the path to manhood chosen by S. and his friends should be so hedged up as to compel him to walk in another. S., however, continued his mechanical pursuits, and, in the providence of God, was directed to the neighbourhood of a protracted meeting. He was the child of many prayers; and had more than once lived through an awakening, unchanged, though not unaffected. He was now drawn, by an impulse he could not resist, to attend this meeting, feeling that it might be the last strivings of the Spirit. With trembling he took his place on the anxious seat, and, overwhelmed with emotion, he retired from the meeting to a field, where he gave himself away to his Saviour, and the Spirit spake peace to his soul. It was but a few days after this happy event, S. returned to our village (where his parents still reside), and the humble, meek, and gentle air which his manly countenance had assumed, in place of a haughty, discontented form, was apparent to every one. I was confined to my house by indisposition, and was delighted to welcome bim who had scarcely entered my

dwelling since his return from the city. He modestly gave me an account of the change in his feelings and happiness, in presence of some members of my family, and solicited a private interview. Ou retiring with him, he said to me, with tears in his eyes: "My mind has been sorely troubled by the recollection of some things I did in your store. I was tempted to take sundry small articles, for my own use, without your knowledge or consent, amounting, I should think, to five dollars, and I cannot rest until I have paid you for them!!" A crowd of reflections rushed into my mind. I felt overwhelmed for a moment with a sense of the goodness of God, in so counteracting all his plans as to save him from the vortex which was opening before him. He had began to rob his employer, and, as the progress in vice is rapid downward, had not a kind Providence interposed, S. would, in all probability, have become, ere this, a tenant of the state prison, and brought down the gray hairs of his parents with sorrow to the grave. I pointed out to him, as I trust, faithfully and profitably, the finger of God in his rescue, and encouraged him to persevere unto the end. It is now nearly two years since this interview, and S. has continued to give evidence of the sincerity of the change, and bids fair to become an ornament to society and a pillar in the church of Christ.

14. GRATITUDE FOR AFFLICTION. (a) GRATITUDE FOR SLAVERY. In the Southern section of the United States, an African slave, whose name was Jenny, was observed to fail in her labour, and indications of some distress were visible in her countenance. She was asked for the cause; she replied, "Jenny's heart is sick." She was sent from the field to the house, to obtain relief; but none was gained. She spent her days in silence; only saying, Jenny's heart is sick." One day she met her mistress, who was very anxious for her case, in the yard, and cried out, "O mistress, Jenny is going to die, and be lost. Who will take care of Jenny's baby when she is gone?" Such was her distress at that moment, that she sunk under its weight motionless at her mistress's feet, who had her

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taken kindly to her house, and attended with care. Thus she continued for some days, scarcely able to walk. But one day, having got a short distance into a forest, she there cried to God in her distress, and God graciously heard her mourning voice, and poured into her sick heart the balm of Gilead, which gave her immediate relief. On this occasion, when the light broke into her afflicted soul, and the pardoning love of God in Christ was seen by faith, she said, " All the trees around cry, 'Glory!' and all the angels cry, Glory!' and Jenny cry, Glory;' too." She now said, when Jenny was in her native country, she had no God, she knew no God! But in America, Jenny has learned there is a God, and that he is hers. In Africa, Jenny had no Jesus, she had no one to tell her of Jesus. But she thanks God that she was ever brought to America to hear of a Saviour. In Africa, Jenny was ignorant of sin, and the wrath of God; but in this favoured land she has been made acquainted with her sinful and dangerous state, and the way of salvation through a precious Redeemer. Now Jenny lived, and sung, and looked forward to the hope of glory, as the end of sorrows, and certain reward of all who, through faith and patience, wait for the coming of our Lord Jesus unto eternal life. Happy affliction! Blessed African!

(b) BLINDNESS A BLESSING.Mary had learned to read, and at an early age took great delight in her Bible; but before she was eighteen years old, her sight began to fail, and in a very short time she became totally blind. This, it will be thought, must have been a severe trial, at such an age, under any circumstances, but more especially to one who had always derived her chief pleasure and enjoyment from her little stock of books. Mary, however, had learned from her Bible that "God doth not affliet willingly, nor grieve the children of men ;" and she felt assured that he would, in some way or other, make this affliction tend to her eternal good.

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Many people pity me," she said one day to a lady who was talking with her, "and say, it is hard to be blind; but I do not think it at all hard. Perhaps, if I had not lost my sight, I should

15. CONVERSION OF THE AGED.

(a) THE YOUNG CONVERT AND HIS AGED MOTHER.-At a village, in the Hastings circuit (says the Wesleyan Methodist Magazine,") where the Gospel was introduced by

the Methodist preachers, a poor labouring man was induced to hear the Gospel. By the blessing of God it proved effectual to his salvation. Having felt the power of Divine grace himself, he was anxiously concerned for the spiritual

welfare of others. One of the first objects of his solicitude was his mother. She was upwards of ninety years of age; deaf, dim-sighted, and very infirm; totally in the dark as to the nature of true religion, and altogether unconcerned about her best interests. The

preaching was removed to her son's cottage, which was situated about a mile from his mother's residence: he wished to bring her under the sound of the Gospel; but her infirmities, and his poverty presented considerable difficulties. She could not walk;-he had no conveyance, and could not afford to hire one. His intense desire for her salvation, however, surmounted all hindrances. He borrowed a cart; put himself in the place of a horse; and regularly drew her to his house on the Sabbath morning, and back again to her home in the evening when the weather would permit. Being thus brought to hear the word of reconciliation, Divine light

shone into her mind; her conscience was awakened, after a slumber of ninety years; and she began to "call upon the name of the Lord." The God of all grace hearkened to her cry; lifted upon her the light of his countenance; and made her happy in the enjoyment of his salvation. It is a singular fact, that the great change wrought in her mind was the occasion of producing such a change in her appearance, that she looked several years younger than she did a few months before.

(6) CONVERTED AT FOURSCORE-The son of a wealthy gra

said he,

zier, in Rutlandshire (England), was providentially led to a place of worship, where he was deeply and savingly wards he became a frequent attendant, impressed with the love of God. Afterthough living at the distance of twenty miles. The old man, his father, just which had taken place in his son, who, then fourscore, perceived the change stances, and the signal blessings which on inquiry, told him all the circumheard. "Son," said the old man, “I had attended the preaching he had wish I could hear the man myself; do you think I can ride as far ?" "Father," "if you will go to cousin W.'s over-night, I think you could." The horses were saddled, and off went father and son on Saturday night. On Sunday they both went to church, and the Lord old man's heart; and from that day he blessed the very first discourse to the began to confess Jesus Christ as his strength and Redeemer. During two summers he attended at the same place of worship; but infirmities confining him to his bed, he requested the clergywhere he found him with tears running man to visit him at his own house, down his cheeks, whilst he spoke of the hardness of his heart, though it seemed tender as that of a little child." Mr. C.," said the minister, "how old are you?" "Little more," said he, “than two years old; for I can only reckon my life from the time I knew the Lord

Jesus; the fourscore years before were departed, full of faith and hope, and but a life of death." At eighty-four he entered into the joy of his Lord."

(c) CONVERSION OF THE AGED RARE.-In a sermon to young Philadelphia Institute, Dr. Bedell said, men, delivered at the request of the in the ministry of the Gospel, and I "I have now been nearly twenty years here publicly state to you, that I do not believe I could enumerate three persons, over fifty years of age, whom I have ever heard ask the solemn and eternally momentous question, What shall I do to be saved?'

16. REVERENCE FOR The aged.

(a) THE CHILD'S INQUIRY.A certain farmer in Connecticut, possessing a small estate, was persuaded by his only son (who was married and lived with his father), to give him a deed of the property. It was accordingly executed. Soon the father began to find himself neglected; next removed from the common table to a block in the chimney-corner, to take the morsel of food reluctantly given him. At last the unnatural son resolved one day to try to break the afflicted heart of his sire. He procured a block and began to hollow it. While at work, he was questioned by one of his own children, what he was doing: "I am making a trough for your grandfather to eat out of," was the reply. Ah," said the child, and when you are as old as grandfather, shall I have to make a trough for you to eat out of ?" The instrument he was using fell from his hand; the block was cast on the fire; the old man's forgiveness asked, and he was restored to the situation to which his age and worth entitled

him.

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(b) THE OLD WOMAN'S BLESSING. A gentleman was once passing through a village, and happened to see a poor, feeble old woman let her stick fall, and stand a moment in perplexity, not knowing whether she durst stoop to pick it up, or attempt to reach her home without it. Just by the spot where the accident happened, a group of boys were playing at marbles; some of them took no notice, others rudely marked the poor old woman's distress; but one kind-hearted lad threw down his marbles, ran to her assistance, and helped her into her house. She thanked him, and said, "God Almighty's blessing be upon you, for your kindness to a poor old woman!" The gentleman saw and heard the whole, and made inquiry after the lad, in whom he felt deeply interested. He found that he was already in the Sunday-school, and, in all probability, had there learnt the Scriptures, that inculcate reverence to the aged. From that time he had him instructed in writing and accounts at an evening-school; when old enough, he

assisted in apprenticing him, and n course of time had the satisfaction of seeing him a respectable and flourishing tradesman.

(c) THE UNKIND SON REBUKED.-There was once a man who had an only son, to whom he was very When his son grew up and got a house, kind, and gave everything that he had. father, whom he refused to support, and he was very unkind to his poor old turned out of the house. The old man covering from my bed, that I may go said to his grandson, "Go and fetch the and sit by the wayside and beg." The child burst into tears, and ran for the he said, "I am going to fetch the rug' covering. He met his father, to whom from my grandfather's bed, that he may wrap it round him and go a-begging!" Tommy went for the rug, and brought it to his father, and said to him "Pray, father, cut it in two, the half of it will be large enough for grandfather, and perhaps you may want the other half when I grow a man and turn you out struck him so forcibly, that he immediately ran to his father, and asked forgiveness, and was very kind to him till he died.

of doors." The words of the child

(d) THE RUSSIAN PRINCESS.A Russian princess of great beauty, in company with her father, and a young French marquis, visited a celebrated Swiss doctor of the eighteenth century, Michael Scuppack; when the marquis began to pass one of his jokes upon the long white beard of one of the doctor's neighbours who, was present. He offered to bet twelve louis d'ors that no lady present would dare to kiss the dirty old fellow! The Russian princess ordered her attendant to bring a plate, and deposited twelve louis d'ors, and sent it to the marquis, who was too polite to decline his stake.

The fair Russian then approached the peasant, saying, "Permit me, venerable father, to salute you after the manner of my country;" and embracing, gave him a kiss. She then presented him with the gold which was on the plate, saying, "Take this as a remembrance of me, and as a sign that the Russian girls think it their duty to honour old age."