Her sickness in many respects was very distressing, but she uniformly exhibited patience and resignation. Death appeared solemn and awful. But at the time to which I have referred, her mind became tranquil, and with holy satisfaction she contemplated eternity. Being in great distress, pondering on her condition, inquiring why it was that she, in the morning of life, was to be prostrated in death; those cheering words of the Lord Jesus, occurred to her, "What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter;" and she was comforted. Christ and his cross from this time to her death, was her most joyful theme. She viewed him to be the essence, and the glory of heaven. Often she repeated the lines of Watts:

'Alas! and did my Saviour bleed?

And did my Sovereign die?

Would he devote that sacred head
For such a worm as I?

Was it for crimes that I had done,
He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity! grace unknown!
And love beyond degree!

But drops of grief can ne'er repay
The debt of love I owe:

Here, Lord, I give myself away;
"Tis all that I can do.'

Ten days prior to her dissolution, she spoke of Christ as "The Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world;" said that the Father was inexpressibly kind to give him for a sacrifice, and that he was equally kind, and ready to do his will and to suffer for sinners; dwelt much on the name of Jesus, and was affected to tears when she meditated upon his sufferings. Sabbath evening, she had precious views of that text, so full of comfort and instruction "This is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." Man before his fall worshipped God, but since, he knows him not; Jesus Christ is the medium through whom he is learned, and his blood, the means of remission of sin and communion with him. Thus life eternal, is to believe in Jesus and worship God in him, as he is made known in the Holy Scriptures. Monday, she asked a near relative to forgive all she had seen amiss in her; adding as a reason, she trusted God, not for any worthiness in her, but for Christ's sake, had forgiven her. She frequently expressed a desire to be entirely resigned to the divine will; to feel as if she was given to the Lord; to say from the heart, "Whom have I in heaven, but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee." Looking at her pining flesh she sighed, and said she was satisfied, knowing that such was the appointment of God, and added,

'How can I sink with such a prop

As my eternal God.'

'How can die while Jesus lives,

Who rose, and left the dead?'

The hymn entitled, "Come and welcome to Jesus Christ," occupied her thoughts much, and with peculiar emphasis she repeated, "None but Jesus can do helpless sinners good," saying, she thought that he did support her. Thursday, she sent for a near friend, and reminded her of what she addressed to her when she first experienced the grace of God; and then in view of her approaching death, asked her, what she thought she could do if she was sick and about to die, without religion? Told her, she would have to endure the same struggles and taste the same death; that she must have the same hope, or she would perish; that death did not appear terrible to her, that she desired to depart, and that she might be assured, there was a reality in religion. Friday, she prayed that her mother might be supported, and that amid all her lonely feelings she might enjoy the presence of her Saviour. Saturday afternoon, she looked upon her and repeated-" As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us." Yes, my child, replied the mother, "Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him." Yes, with a smile, rejoined she, "For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust"-does he not? She said, O I do love the Saviour, I know I do. Frequently she expressed great love to her friends; was afraid she was not sufficiently patient; inquired of her watchers if she was; and desired that God might be glorified by her death. In great distress, a few hours before she died, she compared herself to a vessel sailing rapidly, but safely; and said,

'With Christ in the vessel

I smile at the storm.'

'Did Christ, my Lord, suffer,
And shall I repine?'

And

She spoke also of the sufferings of Christ-of his agony : his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." She called to her mother, who, making no reply, she answered, I know you are praying Christ to receive my spirit. I am happy. Thus saying, she fell sweetly asleep in Jesus, at eight o'clock, on Lord's-day morning, March 1, aged 22 years. Her desire was answered. Her mother has been comforted; her death has been sanctified. Those who have been particularly acquainted with her sickness and death, have had convincing evidence of the genuineness of the Christian hope.

She was Miss Porter's death enforces two considerations. exceedingly feeble and timid; but she found strength to endure. Let Christians learn to wait upon the Lord, to praise him for grace She was much inreceived, and trust in him in the dying hour.

terested in Lord's-day schools, and was the means of establishing one, which we hope will prove a blessing. Let young Christians remember that if they do not engage in these heavenly institutions, they may never have an opportunity of being extensively useful; and let those who are already engaged, strive to double their diligence, and pray the God of the Sabbath to bless their efforts, that they also may have an abundant entrance ministered unto them into the heavenly rest, the Lord's-day of the church triumphant.

LESSONS FOR THE YOUNG.

(Translated from a work of Chancellor Niemeyer.)

No II.

WHOEVER values a religion, must esteem highly its sources and original documents. These in respect to the Christian religion are the Bible. Hence to be well acquainted with the history and the contents of the writings which it embraces must be highly interesting. Some branches of knowledge requisite for this, imply erudition, and belong more appropriately to professed theologians. But much on this subject may be understood by all well-bred and reflecting persons.

An introduction to the Scriptures may consist of a general part, and a special; the one treating of the Bible generally, its history and use; the other having reference to the particular writings of which it consists.

General Introduction to the Scriptures.

Positive religions are founded, in most instances, upon written documents. So it is with the Christian system, and thus its purity and its observance are better secured than by mere oral tradition.

The Bible consists partly of the acknowledged ancient records of Christianity; partly of a collection of Jewish religious writings, to which Christ and the apostles referred as to the earlier revelations of God.

The Bible, therefore, is not one book, but a collection of books. Those which were written before the birth of Christ, are called the Old Testament; those after his birth, the New Testament. It would be more intelligible to say, the writings of the Old Covenant and of the New, that is, of the Old arrangement concerning religion, and of the New.

The separate books were prepared at various periods; and they were extant much earlier than the collection as a whole.

There were among the Jews and Christians, other books which resembled those which we have in the Bible. But they were not equally respected; and hence they were not received into the cat alogue of public religious writings. But those which were thus received, and were regarded as rules of faith and of conduct, were called the canon, (the rule); while the less esteemed and more doubtful were called Apocrypha. Thus a book of the one kind was spoken of as canonical; of the other, as apocryphal.

In early times, the Bible, like all ancient writings, could exist only in copies transcribed, consequently it was in few hands-more a means of instruction than a book generally read.

The original languages of the Bible, are the Hebrew, the Chaldaic, and the Greek. The Old Testament was written in Hebrew, except a few chapters which were written in Chaldaic. The New Testament was written in Greek. The oldest and most remarkable version of the Old Testament, is that into Greek, which, from a fabulous account, has been called the translation of the seventy interpreters—the Septuagint. (LXX Septuaginta Interpretes.)

After the rise of Christianity, translations into all languages were multiplied. The Latin one that came at length to be called the Vulgate, is in many respects worthy of being particularly mentioned. It had long been in use; but it was first established as authoritative among the Catholics by the council of Trent, A. D. 1545-1563.

The Latin language in which the Bible could be read by the learned of various nations; the multitude of transcribers in the cloisters; and most of all, the invention of printing, have contributed to the general circulation of the Bible. The modern Bible Societies are now most vigorously prosecuting the work.

In Germany, where the first Bible was printed at Mainz, in 1462, Luther's translation has conduced more than any other, to the general reading of the Scriptures. By that work, he has conferred a lasting benefit. [The common English translation, as revised by order of King James I. was first printed, at London, in 1611.]

The Catholic church confines the personal reading of the Bible, principally to the teachers. The Protestant claims for each person the right to do this, and urges it upon his conscience as a duty. The old manuscripts of the Bible, as well as the printed editions, as might be expected, often vary from each other in particular expressions; but seldom is the sense or general scope of a passage affected at all by these variations. Here, as in all ancient writings, criticism is not only permitted, but it is necessary; and there have not been wanting learned men, who have laboriously collected and examined the facts most important to be known. Among these critics, may be mentioned Michaelis, Kennicott, De Rossi, Wetstein, Griesbach, Matthäi, and Knapp.

The superscriptions and naming of the contents, the divisions into chapters and verses, and the punctuation; all this was furnished, not by the original writers, but by comparatively modern editors. It is often erroneous, and done without due care and respect to the contents.

In judging of the contents of the sacred Scriptures, we look at their relation either to the first readers, which is local and temporary, or to the later readers, which is general.

The first object of these writings has respect to the age in which they arose. In this, much has fulfilled the purpose for which it was designed; and it belongs not to the religious knowledge that is necessary for every one, although in another respect it may be highly valuable.

What was written with special reference to the times then present, and what is of general application, furnish a treasure of important instructions on religion and morals; and the New Testament is the most eminent, and the only genuine original record of the teaching of Jesus that we possess.

The Bible has, from early times, found many opposers. Some are scoffers rather than reasonable inquirers. To most of the opposers there has been wanting a knowledge of facts. They confound the erroneous interpretation of the Bible, with the Bible itself. They repeat their old objections that have been a hundred times satisfactorily answered; and they overlook what is clear and

adapted to be universally useful, and dwell only on what is dark and difficult.

If we expect to be benefitted by the Bible as a religious book, we must not only have a general acquaintance with its contents, but also we must rightly understand what we read; we must be duly instructed concerning the facts that may illustrate difficult passages; and, especially, we must come to the reading of the Scriptures with the disposition of disciples.

That there are difficulties which have not yet been entirely removed no one can think strange, when he considers how brief the narratives often are, and how many little circumstances well known to the first readers, are unknown to us.

The historian of the nation would naturally mention many things that, to us, may in themselves seem unimportant; but to his cotemporaries they may have been important; and to us at the present day they are far from being useless, inasmuch as they are indelible marks of the distant age, and proofs of the genuineness of the books. In the preceptive parts, much has reference only to the Jewish as a national religion; and so is not intended for us.

He who reads the Bible with a desire to learn, and with a sincere and pious mind, will find it the richest fountain of instruction and comfort, and eminently conducive to the increase of genuine piety. No one can number nor utter the various blessings which, in the hand of Providence, it has been the instrument of spreading among men.

REVIEW.

Memoir of Mrs ANN H. JUDSON.

Second Edition.

Ir is gratifying to perceive the interest which intelligent and inquisitive readers are taking in the Memoir of Mrs Judson. We welcome the early appearance of a new edition of this work; a work, which, we trust, Divine Providence will employ as a means of giving a new impulse to all our missionary efforts, and a new fervency to our prayers. The more the book is known, the more it will be sought for and read. And whoever reads it, will be likely to recommend it to the perusal of his friends. But we need not expa tiate here. Our opinion of its uncommon value was expressed briefly in the number for April. The cheering intelligence which has recently been received from Burmah, will not fail to increase the desire, which is beginning to be very generally felt, to become acquainted with the remarkable history of the Mission in that Empire.

Among other notices of the Memoir of Mrs Judson, we have observed one in The Christian Examiner,' the leading periodical of those of our Pedobaptist neighbors who are generally called Unitarians. We have read it with emotions of joy and of grief. We have rejoiced that it exhibits so much of candor and frankIt says, 'We have read this volume with much interest. It exhibits a life of remarkable adventure, exposure, and sufferings, sustained, as we doubt not, by an unwavering trust in God, and by many excellent virtues. Whatever diversity of opinion

ness.

y be entertained as to the wisdom, or even the propriety of the