ANECDOTE.

When King Ethelbert was at his devotions, news was brought of the Danes having landed at Essenden; but he neither omitted, nor shortened his prayers-he would hear no suit on earth, till he had made his requests in heaven; and afterwards he bravely conquered them.-Alas! how apt are many to omit or shorten a religious service, on the most trifling occasions; and to neglect their souls from their over-concern for their bodies. But the man who is wise to his spiritual and eternal interest, will be very regular in his addresses at the throne of grace; and will not suffer a trifle to interrupt his intercourse with the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation. And if the pious Christian has any great undertaking before him of a worldly nature, let him follow the good example of King Ethelbert; and engage the presence and assistance of his God, For if God be for us who can be against us?—

RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

R.

This is the time of the year when the various Religious Societies hold their Annual Meetings in London. We hope to give a fuller account of them in a future number, but we cannot withhold from our readers the pleasing intelligence which we have just received of the rapidly increasing prosperity of two of them.

The Bible Society.-Its income amounts this year to upwards of One Hundred Thousand Pounds, being above ten thousand pounds more than that of any former year. Its issue of Bibles and Testaments is also increased; and its prospects of usefulness are enlarging likewise. Even in France, the Bible Society is doing great things, leading the minds of many to think seriously on religious subjects, and to engage in other plans of benevolence and piety.

The Church Missionary Society.—The funds of this Society have advanced two thousand pounds since the former year, the receipts having amounted to thirty three Thousand Pounds. A new Mission has just been established in North

America, and most encouraging accounts are received from different quarters. The last tidings from Africa state, that at a late communion at Regent's Town, nearly 400 communicants were present; that the morning and evening prayers were attended by 6 or 700 persons; and that the Sunday congregations have so increased, as to oblige them again to enlarge the church.

Religious Tract Society.-Letter to the Secretary: "You will be glad to hear that our Tract Society prospers. We hear of many instances in which our Tracts are useful. Swearers have learnt to fear oaths-Sabbath-breakers to keep holy days-the careless to be thoughtful-and the prayerless to call on the name of Jesus. Not a few who spent their Sundays in dirt and idle habits have become constant attendants at the house of God. Indeed we have witnessed a large increase of attentive hearers, and a marked concern for the salvation of the soul; which we think chiefly owing to the distribution of your excellent Tracts. We lend them to the people in the town and neighbourhood and change them every week. We have also supplied every house in the town, except five or six; and have already lent them to seven villages around us.'

SELECT PASSAGES.

The devil is afraid of a serious, earnest prayer, and there fore if he cannot withhold us from holy duties, he will do his utmost to disturb us in them.

Alas! we pray, and hear, and live as securely, as if there were no devil at all to resist or supplant us.

The sluggard finds a lion in his way to every duty; and nothing is possible, because nothing is welcome.

When wandering thoughts come across us in our devotions, like a black cloud, we lose the sweet and cheering beams of the Sun of Righteousness, and all our comfort is gone.

You shall ever observe, the more wandering the heart, the more wearisome the duty; a divided heart can taste but partial comfort: and fulness of joy follows where the full beat of the soul goes before.

HYMN.

Hebrews iv. 15.

WHEN gathering clouds around I view,
And days are dark, and friends are few;
On Him I lean, who, not in vain,
Experienc'd ev'ry human pain.

He sees my griefs, allays my fears,
And counts and treasures up my tears.
If aught should tempt my soul to stray
From heav'nly wisdom's narrow way;
To fly the good I would pursue,
Or do the thing I would not do;
Still, He who felt temptation's pow'r,
Shall guard me in that dang'rous hour.
If wounded love my bosom swell,
Despis'd by those I priz'd too well;
He shall his pitying aid bestow,
Who felt on earth severer woe;
At once betray'd, denied, or fled,
By those who shar'd his daily bread.
When vexing thoughts within me rise,
And, sore dismay'd, my spirit dies;
Yet He who once vouchsaf'd to bear
The sick'ning anguish of despair,
Shall sweetly soothe, shall gently dry,
The throbbing heart, the streaming eye.

When mourning o'er some stone I bend,
Which covers all that was a friend;

And from his voice, his hand, his smile,
Divides me for a little while;

Thou, Saviour, mark'st the tears I shed,
For thou did'st weep o'er Laz'rus dead.

And, O! when I have safely past
Through ev'ry conflict but the last!
Still, still unchanging, watch beside
My painful bed-for thou hast died;
Then point to realms of cloudless day,
And wipe the latest tear away!

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FRIENDLY VISITOR.

No. XLVI.]

JULY, 1822.

[VOL. IV.

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Of whom may be had, in neat, stiff, printed covers, Vols. 1, 2, and 3; price one shilling and fourpence each: also the two first volumes bound together in sheep; price three shillings and fourpence.

DISTRESSES IN IRELAND.

Mr. Editor,

Allow me to address you on a subject, which I trust may not be improper for your little work. -The great distress of our fellow subjects in Ireland, calls for a general exercise of Christian benevolence-for a national offering from all ranks, of gratitude to God for their freedom from the sore evils of pestilence and famine. "But then the times at home are so hard"-true; but still we are not starving-thousands and ten thousands are not lining our roads to beg for a scanty supply to satisfy the cravings of hunger: the thefts of articles of provision are not so numerous, as to oblige the magistrate to pass over them, not merely out of compassion, but because the very gaols could not contain the number of these offenders. Our feelings are not harrowed up, by seeing the dead bodies of those who have died of want, carried to their graves without a coffin, because the sorrowing friends are unable to furnish them. These are public facts which are now happening in Ireland;

but who could be able to describe the private wretchedness that must take place in the cottages of the poor, before such things can openly appear? Who can conceive the misery of the widow, the orphan, the aged and infirm, at such a time? Children clinging round their parents, and seeking in vain, even from their affection, any supply to the cravings of hunger! While every thing that can relieve such urgent need is eagerly eaten, however injurious to health and life! Famine is one of those evils which never come alone-pestilence, in the form of some dreadful disease, always accompanies it. This scourge, though produced by want and unwholesome food, may extend its ravages far beyond the scene whence it arose, and may visit countries where plenty still abounds. But addressing, as I hope, your Christian readers, I would not dwell on an argument of prudence; though it is indeed a very strong one; for could there be a plague in Ireland, and England be safe? And would not England justly deserve such a chastisement, if she did not out of "her abundance supply their want?" But I would proceed to mention other circumstances, which increase the claim of the poor starving Irish. There are no poor laws to afford something like general relief. They are left to the exercise of private benevolence alone. And, though among many of the larger landholders great exertions are making, and they are importing articles of food to supply their own peasantry, they can do no more.-Many are not tenants to those that have both the will and the means; and many, it is to be feared, belong to those who are not on the spot to know, or relieve the distresses of their poor tenants. The demand also is so great that no private benevolence can supply it; it must be done by a willing and a general offering from England. And (blessed be God!) England is