mother; "for if we are ashamed of Christ, you know that he says he will be ashamed of us."

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Yes, mother, the Testament says so; but then, mother, why don't we have prayer in our house before we go to bed?"

This was, indeed, coming to the point, and the mother and father hung down their heads, and answered not a word-all was silence for some minutes, until the child again asked, "Mother, why don't we go to prayer all together before we go to bed?"

The parents were now confounded and self-condemned, and began to defend themselves as well as they could, by both answering their child's question with, "I can't make a pray."-" Nor I, I am sure." Still they felt that the thing ought to be done, and they also felt a wish that they had the power and courage to perform it; but this neither of them that evening possessed. The subject was, however, talked over for a quarter of an hour longer, and at length it was proposed to the child herself to make the prayer. They accordingly all knelt down, and the mother declared to me that Mary made such a suitable and affecting prayer as threw both her and her husband into a flood of tears all the while they were on their knees. From that evening to the death of the mother and the breaking up of the family, they had domestic worship performed by one or other of the parents.

The last instance I shall produce here, is one on which my mind has often reflected with much satisfaction. John B. was a sober industrious man, whose weekly labour, added to the small profits which his wife procured by selling gingerbread and sugar-plums to the children of the village, supported his family with decency for the three first years after I knew them. About that time he was attacked with the first decided symp

toms of a consumption; and from thence he continued to pass on from one stage to another of his complaint, until, after lingering for a year and a half, he at length departed, I doubt not, for a better world. At the commencement of his illness he was a stranger to every thing like real experimental religion. He kept his church, as he termed his weekly attendance there, and he worked hard and paid every body their own, and was neither a drunkard nor swearer. But, alas! with all this real decency of character, and amidst all his self-exalted virtues, he knew not God; he felt not his sins; he saw not the necessity of being born again, nor had he any of those spiritual conceptions of heaven which endear it to those whose hearts and treasures are above. It however pleased the Lord to open the eyes of his understanding, and to renew his heart, while he laid on his body the pains and maladies which were to bring it down to the grave. His gradual and important change from a child of nature to a child of grace was of a very clear and satisfactory nature, and his latter end was peace. He retained the faculties of his mind to the very last, and was attending to the reading of the Word of God, and to the prayers of those in his dying chamber, until within a very few minutes of his departure.

But the reader is not to consider the Village Pastor as the only instrument employed by the great Bishop and Shepherd of our souls in bringing on this man's soul in its way to the kingdom of heaven. No: for John B-— had a daughter whose readings and conversation and prayers were greatly blessed to his instruction and comfort. Sarah was among the senior girls of our Sunday school. She was one whose conduct never occasioned me any uneasiness; but over whom the Lord enabled me to rejoice as a striking in

stance of his blessing on the means made use of for training up children in the fear and admonition of their Maker. Ten years have now elapsed since she first attended my ministry and my school; and at the end of those years I cannot but bless the Lord for making and keeping this my scholar in a great degree what I could desire all the people of my charge to be. Sarah had good sense and penetration enough to mark the fatal strides which consumption was making on the constitution of that father whom she greatly loved; and often did she weep and say to me, "O Sir, how shall I ever bear up under the loss which I see will soon overtake me? My dear father will die. The thought almost distracts me now; and what shall I do when the time comes?"

On these occasions I endeavoured to direct her to Him whose compassionate mind considers whereof we are made; who has declared that he will not lay upon us more than he will enable us to bear; and that his strength shall be perfected in our weakness.

I repeatedly told her that I felt confident the Lord would strengthen and support her, and from time to time I encouraged her naturally timid mind to forget herself, and to endeavour to consider and benefit her parent while life was continued to him. Neither John nor his wife could read. This was a subject of great regret to him now his soul was anxiously looking forward to an eternal world. It was, therefore, his frequent practice to make his little girl, Elizabeth, read to him; but she was too young to converse on what she read. During the last half year of his life, Sarah was living at service in the village only a few score yards from her father's cottage. The people with whom she resided were very indulgent, and frequently allowed her to run home for a little while on purpose to read to and converse

with him, and occasionally to sit up for a part of the night in his sick room. It was now very evident that the Lord gave her strength according to her day. As the father grew fainter, the daughter increased in strength, in Christian resignation and fortitude, and was thus enabled to be of very great service in conversing and praying with him, as well as in reading suitable portions of the Word of God. So much refreshment did his soul gain by these affectionate and Christian labours of his child, that often when I called at his cottage, he has informed me that Sarah had previously been with him reading, praying, or conversing about the things of salvation; and scarcely ever did he mention a circumstance of this nature without lifting his eyes toward heaven, and exclaiming, "O that blessed girl of mine! how can I be thankful enough for such a child?"

He was permitted to enjoy the presence and the prayers of that child to the very close of his life; for the night on which he died, she and one of the neighbours sat up with him, and Sarah prayed by him to within the last four or five minutes of his earthly existence. She then saw him depart in peace; and had no doubt but that he died in the Lord, rested from all his labours, and was blessed for ever. As to herself, He who had taken from her an earthly father whom she tenderly loved, and whose loss she once feared would quite break her heart, was now pleased to support and strengthen her beyond all her expectations and hopes. She bore her loss as a Christian child ought to bear it; and since that time, as far as I can learn and judge, the same gracious God has kept her in the love and fear of his blessed Son Jesus Christ, in the watchful, humble, unobtrusive walk of a real disciple, and in the path of usefulness as a teacher of others where she herself was once taught.

These are a few instances in proof of what was before advanced, that in our endeavours to impart Christian instruction to children, we are doing what the Lord often blesses to the edification and comfort of their parents and elder relations. Let these and similar instances encourage us to labour, to be "steadfast and unmoveable, always endeavouring to abound in the work of the Lord, knowing that our labours will not be in vain in the Lord." But let it be borne in mind by all who thus labour and long to see the Lord prosper the work of their hands, that much of that gratification will be proportioned to the spirit in which they labour, and the motives which actuate them to begin and to continue their exertions. Sunday schools may be formed, and zealously conducted, and made to exhibit a very fascinating external appearance, and yet there may be little of pure simple single-minded Christianity at the bottom of all those labours. A party spirit and political motives may actuate, and it is to be feared often have actuated, the conductors of schools under various denominations; and vanity itself has not unfrequently spurred on some to take an active part in these institutions. True, the children may, through the mercy of God, be benefited; they may be taught to read, and to get off catechisms,

and large portions of Scripture, and at a future day these advantages may be blessed to their soul's salvation; but let not any such teachers or conductors of schools marvel, if they are not permitted to see the fruits of the Spirit following the works of the flesh. Whatever just cause there may be for any party of Christians preferring their own sect and denomination to any other, yet there is in pure Christianity a great and grand principle which rises above every other consideration on earth, as it ranks above all others in the kingdom of heaven. That principle is a simple, single desire to glorify God and to benefit the souls of men; to rescue immortal beings from a state of ignorance and enmity against God; to bring them acquainted with that salvation which Jesus Christ came on earth to procure for all who repent and believe; and thus as instruments in the Lord's hands to forward in their souls that state of knowledge, of humility, of faith, of fear and love, which makes the sinful children of Adam meet for the inheritance of the saints in light. Thus labouring we shall reap if we faint not; and though the bigots of every denomination may choose to act and to think widely different from us, yet our work will one day be owned of God.

ALIQUIS.

J. W. M.

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Almighty God."-The Fountain of all being must be also the fountain of all power. He whose "wisdom is infinite," is almighty in power. Both concur to execute all the purposes of his mercy towards the children of men. His wisdom devises the most suitable means, his power executes the counsels of his will, and his grace directs and applies what is wisest and best for his own glory, and for the salvation of his people. Our God is almighty. In approaching God, we should come with a holy confidence, that he is "able to do for us far more abundantly than we can either ask or think.' Our

God is revealed as a God almighty, "that we should have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us.' " His redeemed people know his almighty power, as he "is the God of their salvation." They can trust him, as the "Lord Jehovah," with whom " is everlasting strength." In an almighty God they can confide with a trust that cannot be shaken. In him they can repose their fullest confidence, as able to protect them" in times of trouble," and as almighty to save. An almighty God is "the anchor of the soul" of believers in Christ

Jesus; and they find it" sure and steadfast," in all difficulties sufficient to carry them through all the storms of life, and to bring them to the haven where they would be." The soul that hath an almighty God for its friend and protector, may bid adieu to fear, go forward with holy courage, and under his guidance and power gain the victory over every impediment in the way to glory." Who through thine only-begotten Son Jesus Christ."The wisdom, the power, and the mercy of God are all graciously united and gloriously displayed in the person and work of Jesus Christ. By him God made the world"- "Without him was not any thing made that was made." By his word God created the heavens and the earth. By Jesus Christ, who is "the power of God and the wisdom of God," he redeemed a guilty world when sunk in sin and misery. By Jesus Christ he wrought deliverance for his people, and freedom from the bondage of sin and death. By Jesus Christ he freely offers peace and pardon to all who are "made willing to be reconciled to God," and salvation from the curse and condemnation of sin to all that

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repent and believe the Gospel." By Jesus Christ, God accepted an atonement" for the sins of the whole world," that "he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." Every mercy, every blessing, every favour, that we receive and enjoy from God, either in nature, providence, or grace, flows to us freely through the channel of mercy opened by the precious blood of the cross. By Christ we have " access to God," and have "fellowship with the Father." In Christ, God is pleased to receive penitents to mercy. Through Christ, God pardons the sins of the ungodly. By Jesus Christ, God hath provided a way to secure to his beloved children happiness on earth, and glory