its hold, and the kingdom of Christ more firmly fixed in his heart. When confined from the public means of grace, he remarked, "I had a most blessed Sabbath; my wife read to me the prayers and service of the Church. Oh! what food for the soul! There I find a firm foundation: Jesus Christ, and his work wrought for me. Oh! what a blessed Sabbath we had in this room! I never could find any service like that of the church." A few Christian friends often met at his cottage, and joined in prayer with their sick brother.

In sweet contentment, he commended his fatherless children to the care and keeping of his God. As his body wasted, his better part gained strength. He longed to depart, and to be with Christ. Having remarked to him, that wearisome nights and days were appointed to him, he replied, "I have never had one yet; it has been the best winter I ever had: thy will, my God, be done.”

He desired to be buried at the parish church of B.; "for," he adds, "it was there that my soul received its spiritual blessings." The Lord gave him patience in all his sufferings; for he never uttered a murmur or complaint, only sometimes saying, "I want to be going." Whenever asked if he felt any fear of death, he would say, "none at all; my peace is made with God, through Christ." For the few last weeks of his pilgrimage, he assured the minister that he "had not had one cloud;" that "the light of God's countenance was never withdrawn."

Being reminded that Satan often greatly distressed the Christian in the last part of his pilgrimage, and asking whether he did not tempt him, "No," he says; "by prayer, he is driven away immediately." The Lord gave him patience in all his sufferings; for during the whole of his sickness and affliction, not one complaint was ever heard. His mind was stayed on God, and therefore he was kept in peace. He knew that his family must be left to travel through the wilderness-a part of them in helpless childhood-yet, relying on God's good providence, he believed that all was

for the best, and desired that they would not neglect the service of God, but attend the Church; where God had blessed his soul with salvation; saying, "God has promised to be a father to the fatherless, and a friend to the widow." He gradually sunk during the few last days, still repeating, "Glory be to God!" "Bless the Lord, oh, my soul!" "If I could go through Sm (the village), I would tell the people what God hath done for me. He died on the 15th of last April.

The poor widow and children are deprived of their earthly support. The cistern of clay is broken; the gourd is withered; the earthly stream is dried up; but the rock of eternal ages remains the same hidingplace and refuge amid the storms of life, and the overflowing fountain of comfort is still all-sufficient. Blessed be the Rock of our salvation for ever. Amen.

B., May 15, 1839.

S. B.

HEBREWS xiii. 16.

"To do good forget not; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."

(Concluded from page 102.)

Let me now give a few hints to persons of different stations.

You who are rich and exalted in life can do much to advance the Redeemer's kingdom. You have very much time on Sundays and other days, which you can give to visiting the poor and other good works. Some of you do give up some time to these things; but we entreat you, as you value the souls of others, give up as much time as you can, and to make it your business to do good. Visit all the poor you can; beg them to prepare for eternity, to buy Bibles, to read them every day, with earnest prayer to be taught by the Holy Spirit, to go constantly to the house of God with their children, (for preaching is God's appointed ordinance for the conversion of sinners,) to keep all the Sabbath holy, and to make their children keep it, to bring up

their children rightly, to be clean and industrious, to keep away from public houses, beer and gin shops, fairs and bad company, to send their children to a Sunday and week-day school, and to have family prayers. Speak to all with the greatest kindness and affection. Great numbers know not their awful dan ger, that they are sinners by nature and practice, that every sin deserves hell, that it can only be pardoned for Christ's sake, that he died in the stead of his people, that they must be changed and made holy by the Holy Spirit, that they can do no good thing without his help, that they can know nothing rightly except they are taught by the Holy Spirit, that Christ and the Holy Spirit are each God, and that there are three persons in one God. Strive, then, that all, both young and old, may know these truths. Try to convince them of sin, by comparing their lives with the holy law of God, and to make them see that they have been ungrateful to God for all his mercies. Tell them plainly of their danger. Set Christ plainly and affectionately before them, as the only way of salvation. Earnestly and affectionately beseech them to flee at once from the wrath to come. Speak with judgment, suitably to each case. Do not deceive any with vain hopes. I remember a person once telling a poor woman that she need not fear death, as she had never done any one any harm. Follow not such an example as this, but deal faithfully with all. Tell them of the only way of pardon through the precious blood of Christ. Hardened sinners have melted when told of his dying love. Those who speak to others, ought, of course, to know the Gospel themselves; for if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into the ditch.

A few words to the point may be better remembered, and do more good, than a long discourse. If we speak on only one or two points in each visit, and try to make those points fully understood, (repeating them, if necessary,) it may be much better than speaking on several points at a time; when there is danger, that very little will be remembered, one thing putting another

out of the mind. "Line upon line; here a little, and there a little." (Is. xxviii. 10.) If we give a little instruction at a time, we are likely to teach most in the end. In feeding young birds, we put a small piece into the bill at once; so in teaching people: their minds are like bottles with narrow necks; if we try to throw a bucket-full of water over them, very little will go in; but we can fill them drop by drop. It may be very useful to read sometimes a few verses of the Bible to those we visit, (especially if we can get a number of persons together,) to explain them in a very plain and familiar way, and to apply them. Also to pray a short prayer on what we read; or, if we do not read, on what we say. 'This will teach them how to turn what

they read and hear into prayer. Read the plainest passages, and the best suited to those present. Read to those who cannot read themselves. Those who cannot explain what they read, can read a passage of Jowett's Christian Visitor," or some similar book, and make some remarks of their own. By doing this, they will gradually gain confidence in themselves, keep up the attention of hearers better, and get into the way of explaining without a book. People are more likely to attend, and to be interested, if we speak to them, and make our own remarks, than if we read the remarks of others. Be always as plain as you can, both in words and style, that all may thoroughly understand. You cannot be too plain.

In speaking to others, let us prove what we say by Scripture, and bring forward much Scripture in our conversation, since we may hope that God will bless his own word. It may also be very useful to relate facts and anecdotes now and then. These interest, and are therefore likely to be remembered. "Lay before you (says the Rev. M. Henry) the example of the Lord Jesus. His lips dropped as a honeycomb, and fed many let ours do so too, as we are able. Wherever he was, still he was about his Father's business; and let us, though unworthy such an honour, still endeavour to be so employed. When he visited his

friends, he reproved them for what was amiss, and entertained them with edifying and instructive discourse, taking rise for it usually by an admirable yet incitable art from common occurrences! and these things are written for our learning; go thou and do likewise." Take occasion from common occurrences that arise, and from the conversation which is passing, artfully and insensibly to bring in some useful and edifying remark. "He that has the happy talent of parlour preaching (says Dr. Watts) has sometimes done more for Christ and souls in the space of a few minutes, than by the labour of many hours and days in the usual course of preaching in the pulpit."

If you sometimes meet with a cold, or even rude reception, do not be discouraged, but speak and act with the greatest mildness, for "a soft answer turneth away wrath." Something unpleasant may just have happened, and you may meet with a better reception another day.

Let us visit people on the Sabbath especially, as they are more at leisure then, and many are at home, whom we cannot easily find on other days. When tradesmen call at our houses, let us speak to them, and give them a tract. When we see any in the streets or elsewhere, breaking the Sabbath in any way, lounging about, or keeping away from the house of God, let us speak kindly to them, beg them to go to God's house, and to keep his day holy, and give them a Sabbath handbill.

When we travel by land or water, let us give tracts to the coachmen, guards, sailors, and even to the passengers, offering them in a polite way, asking them to do us the favour to take them. When a coach changes horses, let us give tracts to the men that change them, and to any standing by. Whenever the coach stops, for ever so short a time, let us get down, and give away a tract or two. When it stops for meals, let us give tracts to the servants, and, if we can, to the family of the inn, to the men in the stables, inn yard, and coach office, to the people in the houses that are near,