"I beseech you that you be not over-scrupulous about the height of the thermometer, or the aspect of the clouds on a Sabbath morning-that you doom not the preacher to come in from a lowering and desolate sky to the more desolate scene of an empty church. I mean not to intrude upon the delica. cies of life, and I know that there are many constitutions inat will not bear an exposure to the inclemency of the storm. I leave every man's conscience to be his bodily physician. But I beg of you to be consistent patients; for that admirable doctor is never more stupid than under the sound of the church-going bell; and if the fireside of home looks inviting, and the storm beats cheerlessly against the window-above all, if the heart from within does not cry out for the courts of the Lord, it is easy, too easy, to get an invalid's exemption from one unscien tific guide, or to conjure up some lion, in the shape of a formidable snowdrift, or a pelting rain, or a smoky house-no one of which would excuse us to a client or a customer, but any one of them we can put off on our minister or our God. Still, politeness forbids me to enter the private circle and say to this and that person, You ought to be at church: as a gentleman, I leave you to judge for yourselves; but, as a minister, you must excuse me if I beg you to remember the man whose profession obliges him to go to church in all weathers; whose taste will not permit him to reward the faithful few with an old sermon, or a desultory talk inspired by empty pews; whose sense of justice obliges him to bring out the hard earnings of a week's toil, when one and another and another for whom that sermon was written, are not in their seats. I say I wish they would think of him from the good easy-chair, and by the blazing hearth of home, and cast on him the wing of their sympathy, if they cannot give him the light of their faces."

11

REV. MR. HOWE.

Ir is related of Rev. Mr. Howe, late of Hopkinton, Massachusetts, that during the period his people were discussing the subject of a new meeting-house, one day, while he was preaching, observing his congregation in rather a lethargic state, he stopped in the middle of his sermon, and, casting his eyes around, remarked they were talking about erecting a new meeting-house; but he did not know that it was worth while, as the timbers looked in pretty good condition, and he was sure the sleepers were sound.

REV. DR. LATHROP.

THE late Rev. Dr. Lathrop, of Springfield, in a sermon in tended to show how God often answers prayer in very unex pected ways, related a very striking illustration of his doctrin in the case of a negro, who had, by a contemplation of nature while in his own country, been led to conceive of the existenc of a supreme, wise, and good Being, who made and governe the world. He was accustomed to pray to him, that he mig know his character, and the manner in which he could b pleased. While in this state of mind, he was, with man others, stolen, and his faith began to waver. He was broug into a pious family in New England, where he was instruct in the knowledge of Christ, and became his devoted followe He used to admire the kindness of God, who, in this m remarkable manner, answered his prayers.

REV. DR. BEECHER.

THE following anecdote of Dr. Lyman Beecher, when a young man, is related on the authority of the Philadelphia North American. While, on the one hand, it may reprove the nior brother who may be disposed to judge "according to The outward appearance,” so, on the other, it may encourage he young and timid to aim after excellence.

When, in the early years of his life, Dr. Beecher was living Litchfield, something caused him to spend a Sunday in New Haven. He was dressed in homely simplicity, and was diffirat in conversation; so that it was no easy matter to judge f his quality. Dr. Strong was then settled over the Congre ational Church in that city, and professional usage required that he should entertain Beecher at his house, and invite him to his pulpit. He looked distrustingly upon the plain country astor, and lamented the terrible necessity. But there was no ernative but in the violation of courtesy. Beecher sat eekly in the pulpit, through the morning and afternoon, but Es not asked to take any part in the services. In the even. Dr. Strong intimated to him very coldly, that if he chose

so, he could preach for him, and was shocked by his stant acquiescence. "A man who will accept an invitation adered in such a way as this," thought Strong, "cannot ach a sermon fit for my congregation to listen to!" He as mistaken, however. Beecher had hardly less pride than es, and he felt keenly the chilling coldness of the great

, as Dr. Strong was considered. The evening came on; #church was brilliantly lighted, and thronged with the auty, fashion, and intelligence of that home of gentleness learning. Dr. Strong had offered the opening prayer, and s sitting in stern ill-humour, while the choir were singing ymn to precede the sermon. Mr. Beecher became rest

less, and his face was flushed with a sudden excitement. He turned to the Doctor, and inquired, in a low and hurried voice, if the sermon could be a few moments deferred-he had left his manuscript in his chamber. "No!" said the Doctor, with exultant but ill-natured sharpness-and grasped the Bible to select a text for himself, glad that an accident was to relieve him and his congregation from the mortifying infliction he had dreaded. He was too fast; his young brother had been stung to the heart by his manner, and recognising the words of the last line of the hymn, sprang to the desk, and ere Dr. Strong had recovered from his astonishment, announced his text for

an extemporaneous discourse. "It is the will of God!" thought the vexed and humbled pastor, and prepared himself to listen with Christian resignation. For a few moments the young preacher spoke with slight hesitation, as if, while giving his introduction, he was revolving in his mind an extended argu. ment. Soon his voice rang clear and loud, his sentences came compact and earnest, and his manner caught the glowing fervour of his thought. All was hushed but his impassioned tones; the great assembly was still as death; and leaning forward, with blended wonder and admiration, the pastor felt stealing over him from the hushed air the rebuke of his Master, for his harsh judgment and cold treatment of his young brother. In after life, he used to relate the story, and confess that he had never heard such eloquence as that of the homespun young Mr. Beecher.

AN EFFECTIVE CLERGYMAN.

A CLERGYMAN in the United States, concluding a sermon to young persons, took occasion to impress upon parents the duty

of parental faith, and illustrated its power in the following

manner :

About two-and-twenty years ago, a little circle were met around the couch of an apparently dying male infant; the man of God who led their devotions, seemed to forget the sickness of the child, in his prayer for his future usefulness. He prayed for the child, as a man, a Christian, and a minister of the word. The parents took hold of the horns of the altar, and prayed with him. The child recovered, grew towards manhood, and ran far in the ways of folly and sin. One after another of that little circle ascended to heaven; but two, at least, and one of them the mother, lived to hear him proclaim the everlasting gospel. “It is," said the preacher, "no fiction; that child, that prodigal youth, that preacher, is he who now addresses you.”

REV. DR. MERCER.

Few men could produce more effect in making a solemn appeal to the consciences of his hearers than Dr. Mercer. He once preached from the language of the apostle, "If any man love not our Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema maranatha,” when one of the most distinguished men in the country was present, and was deeply impressed with the discourse. On coming away, he said, "I could feel the very curse of God running through my bones.”

This excellent man had once spent a fortnight in a preaching tour, chiefly labouring in a district favoured with an extensive revival of religion. On his return he met his church at their regular meeting. He was aware that the church was in a very