no more in the fear of God; while the greater part of those who were wavering, seduced by the concourse of their heathen countrymen, again joined the multitude. One, being asked why he could not serve God, answered, "I have bought a deal of powder and shot, which I must first spend in the south, in shooting raindeer:" another said, "I must first have my fill of bears' flesh :" and a third replied, "I must have a good boat, and then I will believe." Thus "They all with one consent began to make excuse." And this is just what thousands who hear the Gospel are doing every day. They are setting aside religion for the world, and neglecting their salvation for the sake of some trivial and transient earthly good. Reader! this may be your conduct. If so, suffer the word of warning and counsel. Let nothing draw you away from the pursuit of eternal life. Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Listen to the gracious invitations of the Saviour, and yield a cheerful and grateful compliance.

All things are ready, come away,
Nor weak excuses frame!
Crowd to your places at the feast,
And bless the Founder's name.

OCT. 22. "The great day.' JUDE 6.

HERE have been many great days in the his tory of the world, but this will be the greatest of all. It will be great in its magnificent ararangements. The sovereign of the universe will descend. Myriads of glorious angels will constitute his guard of honour. He will take his seat on the great white throne. Before him shall be

gathered all flesh. It will be great in the multitude which its engagements will convene. All the tribes of men, from Adam down to the last man that shall be born of woman, will be there. There have been great assemblies before, and will be great assemblies again; but there never has been, there never shall be, any to equal this. It will be great in the transactions that will be performed. It will not be a day of mirth, or show, as many great days now are; but a day of solemn-universal-and eternal judgment. All the nations of men shall be judged according to their character and deeds. The examination will be most close and searching-the decisions final and unimpeachably just. It will be great in its unparalleled results. The immense congregation will be di. vided by the Righteous Judge into two great classes. On the right hand will be the good; on the left hand the evil. The voice of the judge will welcome the former into everlasting happiness, and consign the latter to everlasting woe. O my soul, where wilt thou appear in that" day ?"

Oh! on that day, that awful day,

When man to judgment wakes from clay,
Be thou, O Christ, my friend and stay,
When heaven and earth shall pass away.

'great

OCT. 23. "Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head." ROM. xii.

20.

SLAVE in the West Indies, who had ori. ginally come from Africa, having been brought under the influence of religious instruction, be came singularly valuable to his owner, on account

of his integrity and general conduct. After some time, his master raised him to a situation of some consequence in the management of his estate; and, on one occasion, wishing to purchase twenty additional slaves, employed him to make the selection, giving him instruction to choose those who were strong, and likely to make good workmen. The man went to the slave-market and commenced his scrutiny. He had not long surveyed the multitude offered for sale, before he fixed his eye upon an old decrepit slave, and told his master that he must be one. The poor fellow begged that he might be indulged, when the dealer remarked, that if they were about to buy twenty, he would give them that man into the bargain. The purchase was accordingly made, and the slaves were conducted to the plantation of their master; but upon none did the selecter show half the attention and care, that he did upon the poor old decrepit African. He took him to his own habitation, and laid him upon his own bed; he fed him at his own table, and gave him drink out of his own cup; when he was cold, he carried him into the sunshine, and when he was hot, he placed him under the shade of the cocoa-nut tree. Astonished at the attention which this confidential slave bestowed upon a fellow-slave, his master interrogated him upon the subject. He said, "You could not take so much interest in the old man, but for some special reason; he is a relation of yours, perhaps your father ?" "No, massa," answered the poor fellow, "he no my fader." "He is, then, an elder brother ?" "No, massa, he no my broder." "Then he is an uncle, or some other relation ?" "No, massa, he no be my kindred at all, nor even my friend." "Then," asked the mas

ter, on what account does he excite your interest ?" "He my enemy, massa," replied the slave; "he sold me to the slave-dealer; and my Bible tell me, when my enemy hunger, feed him, and when he thirst, give him drink.”"

"Midst keen reproach and cruel scorn,

In patience, Jesus stood;

His foes, ungrateful, sought his life:
He laboured for their good.

Be Christ our pattern and our guide!
His image may we bear!

O may we tread his sacred steps,
And his bright glories share!

OCT. 24. "What doth hinder me to be baptized ?"

all

ACTS viii. 36.

OME years ago there was a public baptismal service in the vale of Hundreds of spectators were assembled. The candidates were and the assembled multitude unprece young, dentedly large, moreover, the fixed and breathless attention, and deep, yet subdued emotion of all present added to the solemnity of the scene. The last candidate had been baptized, and the minister was just emerging from the water, when a man, somewhat advanced in life, was seen pushing his way through the crowd to the river's edge. Approaching the officiating minister, evidently deeply affected, and in a voice tremulous with emotion, he exclaimed, "What doth hinder me to be baptized ?"-"If thou believest with all thine heart," was the immediate reply, "thou mayest." I believe," rejoined the man, t that Jesus Christ is the Son of God,"-Being well known in the neighbourhood as a man of upright

conduct and religious principle, he was at once baptized. Ascending from the water, and turning to the assembled multitude, who had gazed with deep amazement upon the strange and unusual scene, he spoke somewhat as follows. "This is the happiest moment I have known for some time past. For more than thirty years I have felt it my duty to be baptized; but until now have trifled with my Saviour's authority, and tried to silence conscience. Many a severe struggle it has cost me; but now I am happy." He then concluded with an earnest exhortation to the bystanders, to allow no false delicacy, or unworthy motive to deter them from confessing Christ, by being publicly baptized.

Hear it, ye Christians, and rejoice:

Let this your courage raise:

What God approves, be this your choice,
And glory in his ways.

-

OCT. 25. "A forgetful hearer." JAMES i. 25.

Fa scholar," says Thomas Watson, "have his rules laid before him, and he forget them as fast as he read them, he will never learn. Aristotle calls the memory the scribe of the soul; and Bernard calls it the stomach of the soul; because it hath a retentive faculty, and turns heavenly food into blood and spirit. We have great memories in other things; we remember that which is vain. Cyrus could remember the name of every soldier in his large army; we remember injuries, but as Hierom saith, how soon do we forget the sacred truths of God! We are apt to forget three things: our faults, our friends, our instructions." Help me, O Lord, to retain in