became now stated periods for reading the Scriptures and for prayer. Three or four officers of the regiment, and one or two others belonging to the garrison, in process of time, joined; and at these happy assemblies Captain L *** and his wife received with joy those young searchers after the truth, "and expounded unto them the of God more perfectly."

way

Of the early meetings, Mrs L *** writes thus: "The person in whom I am most interested is young Mr Hammond. His mind is so honest, his disposition so frank and open, his character so firm and decided. He is no sooner convinced of the truth than he embraces it, owns it before all the world, and resolutely acts up to it. . . . . You will be glad to hear how well our Saturday evening went off; Mr Hammond talked and asked questions with great animation: he found many references on prayer; dwelt on the freeness of our access to God, its privileges, and the happiness of receiving blessings in answer to our prayers. In the course of conversation the text was quoted, 'He that saveth a soul from death, shall hide a multitude of sins,' and the two young gentlemen seemed quite astonished when A✶✶✶ alluded to the idea of hiding sins,' meaning our own sins being passed over,' as not correct: also that 'charity covereth a multitude of sins,' did not mean that our own sins should be forgiven if we were charitable. Mr Hammond looked up with his open, noble countenance, all wonder and inquiry: 'Well, doesn't it mean that?' A * * * explained what is evidently the correct meaning, and Mr Hammond exclaimed, 'Well, to be sure, I wonder I did not see.' A ***

SATURDAY READINGS.

37

laughed, and said he had heard the text used in the other sense often enough, when he went into the mess-room to get a subscription: 'Oh, charity covers a multitude of sins; put me down five dollars!' They laughed heartily, at the recollection probably of how often they had said the same. In speaking of the 'strait' gate, it struck them for the first time, that 'strait' meant 'narrow,' not the contrary of crooked. The following Saturday, November 9th, both Mr Hammond and Mr * * * talked more, and seemed even more earnest. Mr Hammond said that one morning while out with the troops, he felt very much out of spirits. He met Captain F, whose remarkable change had made an impression on the most thoughtless, and told him he felt very miserable. Captain F * * replied, 'Oh! I am sorry you are miserable, I am always happy now!' Mr Hammond said he went, home, and thought there must be something in religion, if it could make a man always happy; I said it was indeed a great proof of its reality and power; he said, 'Yes, and when people will confess it too in conversation.' I am sure the noise they all made when they went, might have convinced any one that our serious conversation had not had a very bad effect on their spirits."

In another letter, the same writer says:—

"A little while ago, Mr Hammond told us it was quite impossible he could ever get up early in the morning. He acknowledged the value of a quiet hour before breakfast, and that he was liable to be interrupted all the rest of the day: but get up early he was certain he never could.

A ✶ ✶ ✶ said, 'When you have a motive strong enough you will find you can;' and last Saturday he told us that, for several months, he had risen at seven, cold and dark as it is. We congratulated him, and he laughed; and said, 'I assure you when I turn out at seven, I am astonished at myself.' Mr Hammond had made an engagement to go out moosehunting for a fortnight; but now he wants to get off: 'not,' he says, 'that I do not enjoy the woods; but hunting on Sunday is out of the question; and, besides, it is a long time to spend in idleness.' Neither A * * * nor * * have ever urged Mr Hammond or Mr * * * to give up anything of worldly amusement; and the subject is never mentioned, except when introduced by the young men themselves; and then A * ** tells them to give nothing up till they can see their way clearly; till they know why, and for what they are giving it up. We had a most happy evening last Saturday. I am sure no one who ever saw our little band, could ever again dare to say, that religion is a gloomy thing. Captain W * * * says, that he has now, for the first time, a faint idea of what happiness is. Mr Hammond comes in with a countenance perfectly radiant, and many a hearty laugh we have together. The other day when the ladies dined at the mess, poor Mr Hammond got sadly bullied; they happened to hear him say that he should give up smoking, and this formed the signal for attack. Many unkind and cutting things were said, and he is a person to feel it deeply; but his is a most unflinching spirit. He told A * * * afterwards, that when he went to his room he found greater comfort in prayer, than he had ever done before; and

added, that he ought to rejoice in being able to suffer anything for Christ's sake. You know I always admire firmness and manliness of character, and to find it in one so young, and united to so much gentleness and humility, is very beautiful. He is indeed a devoted young Christian, and his one desire seems that his tongue and his pen, his heart and his head, should be given to his Master's service."

CHAPTER IV.

Changed Habits.

"Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”— 2 COR. v. 17.

HERE then in Halifax, among the deadening influences of a garrison life, as at Corinth or at Ephesus in the early morning of Christianity, a little Church was forming: a brotherhood marked by one especial feature common to the Church of old-the inseparable signet of every one that is born of God, love to each other "They knew that they had passed from death unto life, because they loved the brethren ;" and of these there was one whose heart, bound up with him in Christ, was knitted to Maxy's with a love like that of David's toward Jonathan; of whom it might be truly said, "There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." Of these pleasant days that friend and brother writes:

"October 29th, 1855.

"I think it was towards the end of 1844, I recollect the day, a very, very bright one, when Colonel (then Captain) L*** told me that he and his wife had written a note to Hammond and ***, requesting them to come to his