dissatisfaction among his fellow teachers and professors, to say, that he stood in the very front of the diligent and acceptable laymen, whose privilege it then was to be co-workers with Christ, as well as faithful helpers of their pastor. Among the converts were several that found employment in the same shop with William. Some were his fellow apprentices. There is good reason to believe, that his exemplary deportment and Christian faithfulness to them, had no small agency in this blessed result.

The time was now approaching, when this devoted youth would complete his apprenticeship. His friends entertained high expectations of his success in the world; while those who most valued active piety and zeal for God, saw in him a future ornament and pillar of the church. But the ways of Providence often contradict the wisdom of our calculations. William had enjoyed only one week after completing his minority, before he exhibited symptoms of a fatal disease. For some time hopes were entertained of his recovery; but no means availed to eradicate his complaint, which, after a short time, settled down in a fatal consumption. The grief occasioned among his family and nearest friends, on this unexpected change in his prospects, cannot be easily described. He alone of all remained perfectly calm and cheerful. He had not been slow to understand the nature of his disease; nor did he take any pains to conceal from himself or others the probable result. It seemed but his one desire to improve the time which yet remained to him for doing good unto all. His heart was still in his beloved Sabbath School. To that he resorted every Sabbath while he had strength, and long after his emaciated form and hollow voice excited the most serious apprehensions for the consequence of his efforts.

"There is one thing," said he to his friends," that must be done. I feel as if I could not die in peace without seeing the room back of the lecture room fitted up for the accommodation of the infant Sabbath School." He set immediately about the work; and in a few days the consent of the trustees was obtained, the materials pur

chased, and staging erected according to his wish. It was truly affecting to see the interest with which he watched its completion. Still it remained to perfect the organization of the Infant School. And though unable to set up more than a small portion of the time, he undertook to make out for it a more regular and perfect catalogue of the names. The number was large, but he contrived to husband his strength, so that with much labour and exhaustion he accomplished his design. The catalogue was finished. He said, as he gave it to his sister, "I have now done my last work."

I have stated that William was calm and cheerful in prospect of his death. His religion had from the first partaken largely of the benevolent spirit of doing good. Accordingly, he maintained a walk singularly consistent with his holy profession; and while he was often heard to condemn his unfaithfulness, never appeared to lose, in any considerable degree, his zeal for Christ, nor to fall into painful doubts respecting his spiritual state. His course was steadily onward in the way of life. When I made my first inquiries respecting his hope of heaven, in view of his probable decease, he replied, "I feel that I am a great sinner, and destitute of all merits in myself, but he is faithful that has promised; and I think

I know in whom I have believed.'" He conversed freely with his friends on the subject of his dissolution. No one heard him express any complaint, or let fall a murmuring word. He evidently had no fears of dying. When his last hours arrived, all was peace; so that it can be said of him that he fell asleep in Jesus, and has left the impression on every mind, that where Jesus now is, there is his servant also.

Such is a brief narrative of the Christian course of him whose memory is associated in the mind of many with the prosperity of one of the largest Sabbath Schools in our land. It may serve to illustrate the manner in which humble individuals, without pecuniary means, or other considerable resources, without even the advantages of experience, can render themselves extensively useful to the church and the world. It will fully explain the reason

INDEPENDENCE IN JUDGING OF RELIGION.

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[Furnished by a Clergyman.] "I should be glad," said an anxious and pious mother to me," if you would have a conversation with my son on the subject of religion." Why so?" I inquired. "Because," she replied, "he appears to be getting into a strange and dangerous way. He has always, till now, preserved the character of an industrious, amiable, and moral young man. He has enjoyed good opportunity for learning, and is fond of reading; but of late he has taken to attending infidel meetings, is becoming full of new notions, and very positive in them. Were some one to converse with him, who knows more than himself, it might possibly do him good. His aunt and I have done what we could, but we seem to have little or no influence with him." Such a request from a mother, seemed to claim my immediate attention. I mentioned the time when I would meet her son, and have, if agreeable to him, the conversation she proposed. The hour arrived, and I was enabled to fulfil my appointment. A short time after my arrival at the house of the good woman, her son came in, with a book in his hand, which he had just procured from a public library. He did not seem in any way averse to the interview. The conversation commenced with the character of the history he had procured, and led, not unnaturally, to some remarks on the value of real, practical knowledge above fiction. Something was also added, respecting the comparative importance of the information afforded us in the sacred volume. At this point, however, the young man evidently began to demur. He was asked whether he had ever read the Bible through, or even so much of it as the New Testament. He answered frankly, that he had not. Where," I inquired, "do you attend church on the Sabbath?" The reply was no less frank, that he went to no religious

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the meetings he had named were such as became the Sabbath, or accordedwell with the subjects which were sometimes attempted to be discussed. He replied, that he wished always to understand both sides of a question before he made up his mind; that, while he did not profess himself an infidel, he had his doubts, and would not take any thing upon trust. It seems then," I observed, "that your plan is, to follow up these meetings till you have satisfied yourself respecting the claims of Christianity to be of God, and, after that, to act in accordance with your decisions. But, what if, in the mean time, your course should be arrested by death?" "I don't know," he answered," how that could be helped. It is impossible to believe without evidence; and I must be allowed to judge for myself. True," it was replied, 66 you must have evidence that the Scriptures are the word of God, before you receive them in that character. My objection to your course is, that it will not, probably, introduce you to the evidence in question. You acknowledge that you have never read so much as the New Testament through in your life. Now, it seems to me, that instead of acting the part of true independence, and judging for yourself in this case, you are actually giving up your judgment to be determined by these debaters; many of whom, let me tell you, must be poorly qualified for their employment. What would you think, for example, of the judge, who should go to his tribunal without having consulted, or even read the law on which his decisions were to rest, under the impression, that it would be quite sufficient to know what the counsel had to say on both sides? Would this course be safe for him? Would he act with an independence becoming his station ?" The bearing of these questions was evidently seen and felt. My young friend acknowledged, that he had never before taken this view of the subject. I accordingly resumed. "My desire is," said I, that you should be more truly independent, and judge more for