dependant only on herself, did not heaping up condemnation, hardening shake her from her purpose. IMMEDIATE SUBMISSION. K. ap his heart, and becoming less and less likely to turn from his evil ways. One evening I met him at a prayer-meet[Furnished by a Clergyman.] ing, at the close of which he was found in a corner of the room; and on being Having read an account entitled "a case of conversion," in the Pastor's solemnly addressed, he became affected to tears. I told him, it was high Journal for May last, it occurred to me that a statement of a case somewhat time he had ended the course he was His tears and groaning similar, which fell under my own obser- pursuing. vation, might not be unacceptable to were accomplishing nothing; they did the readers of the 'Home Missionary.' not propitiate God in the least, but O. was the child of parents eminent-only showed the intensity of his strugly pious, and though moving in the gles against the Spirit of God. The humbler walks of life, eliciting the only thing that could avail him, was respect and confidence of the children submission to the authority of God; of God who knew them. Often did to be saved in his way, and to be I requested they wet their couch with tears, when governed by his laws. him to withdraw with me to another crying to heaven for mercy on their parently incorrigible son. No visible room. There, amid the silence that tendencies to conversion cheered their reigned around, I pressed his mind with efforts. All seemed discourging. He such topics as these, the supreme loved to go in the way of sinners, and right of God to him-his heart-his to sit in the seat of the scorner. When- services; the long protracted rejection of God's mercy, of which he had ever subjected for a few reluctant moments, to the conversation of religious been guilty-the unparalleled kindpersons, he generally showed his dis-ness of God in sparing him, and satisfaction by sitting in sullen silence, striving with him by the influences of and would afterwards give vent to his his Spirit, down to that same hourfeelings, by some profane expression. the suitableness of the Christian atoneBut though the sinner may professment, and the readiness of Christ to and feel a sort of impious bravery in wash away his sins. The crisis which resisting the gentle influences of the was then forming in his soul's history, gospel, his feeble powers quail before as heaven or hell probably depended on the terrors of the Almighty. O. found that evening's decision. I told him he himself a poor and impotent worm, in MUST surrender to Christ;-if he reconflict with the power of the Eternal, fused, he must do it at the hazard of and his soul died within him. His his soul's loss. I then told him the sins came around him like unquiet parting moment had come-I must spectres, and haunted him day and leave him, and go to my home; but benight. He knew he was a guilty fore I could leave, he must bow with rebel against God, but yet he could me, and surrender himself to the Lord not make up his mind to bow his will Jesus. He did so; we kneeled down in submission. O, with what a despe-together, and there, under the pressure rate grasp does the sinner cling to his weapons of rebellion! Even when he sees himself in peril most extreme, how loth to yield! it was thus with O. For weeks he remained in deep distress; he came to the meetings of the anxious, he visited his pastor, he sought counsel of any who would pity and pray with him; in short, he did every thing but what he should have done first, viz. give his heart to his Creator. I saw that he was making no progress in the path of life, but rather was of truth, I trust, yielded himself a living sacrifice to God-and cast his poor sinking soul into the arms of Christ. The act was so completely donehe had bowed himself so entirely to the sovereign control of God, that he could not mistake the new situation, in which he found himself. At once, he became conscious of a relation to his Maker and Redeemer, which he had never felt before. "His tongue broke out in unknown strains, And sung surprising grace." A few weeks since, she was confined to the bed of sickness, from which she was not removed till carried to the narrow house, prepared for all living. More than ever was I convinced, The person of whom we are speaking, that whatever be the mode of the Holy appeared to pass through the whole Spirit's operations, he often signally occasion, without any impression being blesses the concentration of truth-by made on her mind. She did not even which I mean, the bringing together shed a tear. of powerful bible motives, and accumulating their united weight upon the understanding and conscience of the sinner. I verily believe, that one reason why much excellent preaching is ineffectual, is, that the sinner is pressed by it only on one side at a time, while on the other side he contrives to escape its influence. Thus, by taking the several motives of the gospel, in detail, his power of resistance overcomes them all. But when all are crowded upon him at once, and he is made to feel their present obligation, it often occurs, that his arm waxes feeble-the weapon falls his heart yields, and he accepts mercy on God's own terms. J. C. DANGER OF DELAY. About two weeks before her death, one evening the friends were called in to see her die. I was sent for in haste to pray for her. This was the first time I had visited her. On feeling her pulse, and talking a few words to her, I found it was a false alarm. I prayed with her, told her something of the love of Jesus, and in what way a poor sinner may come to him to find pardon. After talking some time, I asked her, what prevented her from giving her heart to the Saviour, and trusting in him for salvation. She replied, that she tried to do so, but there was something in her way. When asked what it was, she could not tell. I told her whatever difficulty was in her way, whether hardness of heart, a sense of unworthiness, &c., she ought to pray earnestly to God, to remove it out of the way. I frequently visited her afterwards, talked to her, and repeated hymns, but she uniformly complained, that there was something in her way, to prevent her from coming to Christ. Two days before she died, which was the last time I saw her, I asked her if she enjoyed any comfort in prayer? She gave me no satisfactory answer. As I was absent when she died, I havé understood, she gave no evidence of a change in the state of her mind. [Furnished by a Clergyman.] The subject of the following narrative had a pious mother, who manifested a deep solicitude for the eternal welfare of her daughter. She had an opportunity, too, of attending from time to time, on the faithful preaching of the gospel, by ministers of different denominations. At different times, she was seen to be deeply affected at the place of worship, particularly at a four days' meeting held in the village where she lived, summer before last. On one of the days of this gospel feast, after the faithful preaching of the word, and the pressing exhortations of the ministers of Christ, the inquirers were invited to a seat pointed out to them. Now, reader, it is not our province She came forward among others, with to say any thing about the present streaming eyes, and asked an interest state of the subject of this narrative; in the prayers of God's people. On let facts speak for themselves. But the next day, she was seen with the remember, that God has said, "to-day, thoughtless and careless on the outside if ye will hear his voice." He tells us of the assembly-to all appearance her in his word, and by his providence, impressions had passed away as the morning cloud. Another four days' meeting was held in this place last summer. It was a time of rejoicing to God's people, and a time of deep concern to many careless sinners; some of whom, we trust, from this time, commenced their lives anew. that there is a time, when the Holy Spirit knocks at the heart, an acceptable time, when mercy may be sought and found; but all who neglect this golden season, will have to take up the mournful lamentation, the harvest is past, the summer ended, and we are not saved.-A Missionary in Ohio. DEATH WITHOUT HOPE. Perhaps the imagination of man can scarcely conceive a greater incongruity than is daily exhibited by most of our race in respect to death. Men admit, without hesitation, that death is inevitable, that it may come at any moment, and that its consequences are of the most important character. And yet nine out of ten of those who make this admission, live as unprepared for death as if they could avoid or postpone it, and as if no fearful destiny lay beyond the grave. "All men think all men mortal but themselves." Christian truth. Here, then, he lay, all encompassed with horror. Behind, was the wreck of hopes and resolutions, covering all the stream of the past. Before him, the dark curtain of eternity hid all from his view, except as it occasionally seemed to lift itself up, and disclose terrific scenes in waiting for his soul. With the conviction that he must die, there seemed to come a kind of desperate abandoning of himself to his doom. There was no disposition to any effort for salvation. Even the sound of prayer, which was offered at his side, and the instruction that was given him, he appeared to regard as intrusions-as if he would have said, could he have spoken out," hast thou come to torment me before the time?" All efforts to benefit this dying soul proved fruitless. While he acknow Your readers, Mr. Editor, will think this a very trite and common-place strain of remark. But to my mind, (coming, as I have just now done, from the death-bed of an unprepared sinner,) the conduct of men in putting off pre-ledged the truth and importance of paration for a dying hour, seems the every thing that was said, he turned most outrageous presumption of which away from the last offer of salvation, they are capable. What, to jeopard a as he had turned away from every prewhole eternity for a thoughtless hour vious offer. of this poor life! To throw away the As I left his couch, and the gazing possible (not to say the certain) enjoy-relatives, who were half persuaded not ments of Heaven, for the brief and un- to imitate his procrastination, I exclaimsatisfying tenure of this world's plea ed to myself," O, that they were wise; sures for a day! To risk the agonies of O, that they were wise!" hell, and brave the terrors of Jehovah's justice, and all for the pitiful reward of this uncertain and transient life! Can they be less than inspiration pronounces them to be-fools-who thus throw away their souls! I have just been standing by the death-bed of one who was departing without hope. No fond expectation of recovery soothed his pains, and beguiled the tedious hours of languishing. That "flattering unction" he could not apply to his smarting conscience: he knew he must now die. Nor could he procure a temporary solace by resorting to unbelief. In the few intervals of his pain, when his mind could act connectedly, and he could be brought to look at the subject, there was an awful clearness in his convictions of Were I to see a building in flames, and a poor infatuated mortal enter it, and sit down to eat, and drink, and repose, I should deem him presumptous, if not mad. Should I see a heedless adventurer, in a boat on the Niagara river, and suffering himself to be floated on towards the fearful cataract, without plying an oar, or even crying for help, I should not fail to regard him as bereft of reason, or at least desirous of death. But O, where shall we find a name for the conduct of him who suspends the interests of a certain eternity on the possible continuance of an uncertain life! who risks the endurance of a death-bed without hope, and a hell without end, in order that he may be at ease a little longer in his business, in his pleasures, and in his sins. VOL. IV. Go,............PREACH the GOSPEL............ Mark xvi. 15. SELECTION OF RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE ADAPTED TO THE MONTHLY CONCERT OF PRAYER. BOMBAY.-On a recent Monthly Concert, the Missionaries in Bombay remark: "these seasons of prayer are peculiarly dear to us, and the associations produced in our minds, and the spirit we are imbued with on these occasions, animate and encourage us in our Missionary labours. How can it be otherwise, when we feel assured that our prayers ascend up before God, mingled with the fervent aspirations of ten thousand hearts, in various parts of the world, for the same great object, the salvation of the heathen world? Though the seed we sow may long lie beneath the rubbish of superstition, still we have no fears of its being lost, so long as it is watered with the prayers of Christians. Success is certain, and it will come in proportion to the strength of our faith in prayer. It is to be feared that the great body of Christians have not yet attained to that faith in the promises of God respecting the universal reign of Christ on earth, to which it is their privilege to attain, and to which they must attain before this reign will be established. The generality of Christians are looking forward to future ages, for the accomplishment of the precious promise. After all they do and say respecting the success of the gospel among the heathen, they do not expect the heathen will be given to Christ for his possession till they have sunk to their graves; and of course they offer no prayer of faith for the immediate accomplishment of these glorious purposes of God." The following facts from the Journal of Mr. Stone, speak encouragingly respecting the silent but salutary progress of Christian sentiments among the Brahma: "A brahmin inquirer said to me to-day, that there were many Hindoos who believed the Christian religion to be true, but owing to fear of their caste, dared not to profess it publicly; and that, were it not for their castes, multitudes would come into the Christian religion. I have no doubt of this. If there were no greater obstacles in the way of the heathen here changing their religion, than there are in those pagan countries where no caste exists, multitudes would ask for baptism, and perhaps by attending more constantly on the means of grace, might be really converted. No person residing in a Christian country can form any idea of the sacrifices a Hindoo must make, if he would become a disciple of Christ, and make a public profession of his faith in him. Yet through the grace of God many, even in pagan India, have made such a profession; and we doubt not that the number of those who, through the same grace, shall make a similar confession before their countrymen, will be increased every year till the chain of caste is broken, and all the millions of India brought into the liberty of the gospel. The day has already come, when, instead of tens, hundreds are converted annually; and the day is rapidly advancing, when, instead of hundreds, thousands, and instead of thousands, millions, will be, from year to year, brought into the church of Christ in India. Yea, the day is not far distant when the paganism of India shall be known only on the page of history." CEYLON.-The following is an extract of a letter from the Rev. Mr. Lambrick, Church Missionary at Cotta, in Ceylon, concerning a woman who had formerly been a patient of Dr. Scudder: "About a fortnight ago, a Tamul man VOL. IV. 11 came to me and said he wished to become a Christain, and wanted employment. I replied that I had no employment for him, but would willingly instruct him, if that was his object. He then added, that his wife, also, wished to become a Christian, and that he would bring her with him, and both would put themselves under instruction. All this appeared so much like a native scheme, that I hardly thought to see him again. But two or three days afterwards he came with his wife, whom he had brought in a dooly, she being evidently ill. It soon appeared that it was she who was principally desirous of Christian instruction, and they agreed to take lodgings in the village, and remain here at their own charges, to learn more of the way of salvation by a crucified Saviour. She appeared for several days, to grow worse in body and stronger and stronger in mind. I have never seen among the natives so much of Christian simplicity, at the same time that she had a thoughtful and intelligent mind. She had a clear knowledge of the way of salvation. Christ was her whole dependence. If you ask what is there in this incident so peculiarly encouraging to me, I must further inform you that she was once a patient of yours, brought by her husband from Trincomalee, some six or seven years ago, when you performed a successful operation on her cheek, the scar of which still remains. She talks much of the urgency with which Mrs. Scudder entreated her to take refuge in Christ, and mentions a promise she made to do so. She has never, she says, forgotten that promise, and she blesses the Lord that he has enabled her to fulfil it." Thus it is found true, in heathen, as in Christian lands; "Though seed lie buried long in dust, It sha'nt deceive our hope; PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL AMONG THE BECHUANAS, SOUTH AFRICA, from an Address of Rev. Mr. Moffat, Missionary at Lattakoo. He first speaks of their state before the introduction of the Gospel. "It must be recollected that the Buchuanas are altogether ignorant of a future state. They have no idea of any existence beyond the present. They suppose that all the pleasures, enjoyments, and honours of this world, terminate in annihilation. When the spirit leaves the body they suppose that it has ceased to exist; and, if a plebeian, the body is dragged away, and left a prey to beasts; and, if that of one more honorable, the body is committed to the grave, with many unmeaning ceremonies, while the females chant a dirge, deploring the eternal loss, and then return from the grave without one pleasing hope of immortality. "The consequence of such deplorable ignorance is, that they participate in every species of sin, and think as little of plunging their spear into their neighbor's bosom, as of killing a dog. A traveller among them, like a bird of passage, may be led to form a favourable opinion of their humanity, their fidelity, and good sense: but far different will be the judgment of those who have half the acquaintance with the native tribes which the missionaries possess. There you will see man tyrannizing over the females-the weaker vessels doomed to bear infirmities and afflictions of which their husbands are comparatively ignorant. There you will see the men reclining under the shade of a spreading tree, while the females are most of the year employed preparing the ground, sowing the grain, and gathering in the harvest. There you may see a mother of twins, without compunction, allow one to be strangled, when it has but just entered the world. "In fulfilling the ministry committed to us, our faith was tried; and often have we hung our harps on the willows, and mourned over the condition of thousands who were saying to us, "Away, away," and threatening to drive us back with the spear and with fire. One wave of affliction followed another; one cloud darker than another hung over our prospects, while we were exposed to the mockery and rage of a lawless and independent people. Full oft have my worthy brother functionaries and myself prayed together for faith to main |