Societies in one congregation; so that forty or fifty precious souls might thus enjoy the various advantages of this work, who are now unhappily excluded. I take it for granted, that those Christians who can afford to purchase it for themselves, are too desirous of promoting the charitable purposes to which the profits are devoted, to think of recurring to this mode. I plead for the poor disciples of Christ, whom I know to be often in want of some such plans. AWFUL EFFECTS OF IMPIETY. THE wicked husband of an irreligious woman, being in formed, when at the public-house, that his wife, who had been dangerously ill, was dead, replied, " Then she is gone to Hell; and I shall soon follow her!" though perhaps with but little or no apprehension that his own departure was at hand. He was, however, soon arrested by the invincible King of Terrors. A few hours previous to his departure, he requested a friend to assist him in the arrangement of his temporal affairs; which being done, the person who had been thus engaged, said, I have something more to say to you, and I must not deceive you. You are a dying man, your past life has been exceedingly wicked, you have perhaps but a few hours to live, it therefore becomes you to meditate seriously upon Death and Eternity, and call upon God for mercy. I would advise you also to send for some person who could instruct and pray with you. Give me leave to recommend the Dissenting Minister: I have heard him preach a few times with much pleasure; and I am sure he will come if you send for him.' At which the dying man, with apparent resentment and rage, exclaimed, "Do you mean, that you have been at that meeting! I would sooner go to Hell than go there! Send for him! (meaning the person recommended) I had rather be d-d than he should come here!" Awful to relate, in a short space his soul entered upon an eternal state. W. K. BIBLICAL CRITICISM. And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their orna ments by the Mount Horeb.- Exod. xxxiii. 6. THE denunciation of divine anger was the reason why "the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments." A similar indication of fear is observable in the general practice of the Romans. A day was fixed for the trial of the accused person. In the mean time he changed his dress, laid aside every kind of ornament, let his hair and beard grow; and in this mean garb went round and solicited the favour of the people. - Adams's Roman Ant.p. 87. St. Albans. S. B. JONATHAN COPE, Dbituary. OF ASHTED, NEAR BIRMINGHAM, died August 30, 1804, aged eleven years and eight months. DURING his tender years, he appeared, in general, to have very little concern about his soul; but, like most other children, was de. lighted with trifling amusements; yet he did not associate with wick ed companions, but respected the external parts of religious worship, probably more from custom than real delight in them. At the be ginning of his illness (which conUnued about six weeks) he expressed a wish to live longer; but when he saw the medicines he took were ineffectual, he was greatly troubled; and said to his mother, "I am not so much afraid of dying as of not being fit to die." He was a good deal by himself, was very pensive, and would ask his mother many questions about the soul and its interesting concerns. He was soon convinced that he should die; and only wanted to know how he could, and whether he should, be saved. When he grew worse, his concern for his soul increased; and he would cry out vehemently, "Mercy, good Lord! mercy is all 1 crave" looking earnestly towards Heaven, and stretching out his hands, and then would seem a little at rest, as though he had some hope he should be answered; continually accusing himself, saying he was a great sinner, and never had done any good all his lifetime, but had done nothing but sin. He said to his mother, "How did God call you? and how was it he gave you a sense of pardon?" She told him. He said again," O, if I could hear the Lord call me as plainly as young Samuel, when he called him, then I should be satisfied!" Then he would say again, stretching out his withered arms, "Good Lord; save Lord, or I perish," &c.. Just before the Lord sweetly assured him of his love, his father, who partook of all his distress, said to him, The Lord wants nothing at your hands: he knows you have nothing but sin; he is well pleased with what his dear Son has done in behalf of his people; and on his account, with every soul that feels he is lost, and who wants mercy only for the sake of Jesus. Endea vour to believe he will save you; and try to rest your soul upon his sweet word, that whosoever comes to God, by Jesus, for mercy, he will not reject him; but save him to the uttermost.' He heard with great attention and pleasure; his confidence seemed to increase the Sun of Righteousness now be: ginning to rise, with healing beams upon his distressed mind, took away the fear of death and Hell; and, out of the pit of horrors, where he often found himself sinking, brought him up to see the sweet countenance of a reconciled God in Christ, and to feel the confidence of his soul set upon him as the Rock of Ages. He said, "If Adam had lived till now, and had sinned all the while, if he had cried for mercy, he might be pardoned of them all." When at times he cried out, through the violence of his pains, he almost always said, "Good Lord! good Lord!"-expressing himself with sweet becoming reverence towards him, as he would not willingly com plain. When godly people came to visit him, he seemed glad of their company; wished them to pray with him, but begged them not to pray for his life; and when parting, smiled upon them, taking them by the hand, as those his soul loved, and wished to be with for ever but when some of his relations came to see him, whom he knew feared not God, though he behaved respectfully, yet he seemed not to have the least communion with them; and looked at them as those he pitied, but could not love like those who had the image of Jesus upon them. To his father he said, "You have always been a OBITUARY. good father to me; and I have always been a wicked son to you;" who replied, I forgive you all, my dear, as though you had never in the least offended me: at which forgiving he seemed overcome; love had made his heart tender. Can't Chapel, Birmingham, preached a MRS. WILD, LATE OF READING. MRS. Wild was one of those highly favoured children that attended the public ministry and private catechetical instruction of the late excellent Mr. Jones, of St Saviour's. That good man used to set apart an hour every Saturday afternoon to catechize the children. It was under these heavenly lessons the Lord was pleased to make the On her removal to first saving impressions of the value of her soul. Reading, she regularly attended the ministry of that eminent and much-loved servant of our Lord, the Hon. and Rev. Mr. Cadogan; and adorned her profession by a life and conversation in all things becoming the gospel. After his decease, she took a decided part with the people of God at Castle Street Chapel. Still as God enabled her, like her blessed Lord and Master Jesus, doing all the good she could, both to the bodies and souls of all her fellow-creatures, she was the principal instrument, under God, in laying the plan of a benevolent institution, called, "The Infant's Friend," for the relief of poor lying-in women, of which she was chosen Secretary; and attended to the duties of that office with unwearied diligence and delight to the time of her death. As her life was useful, so was her end peaceful and happy. The text chosen for her funeral-sermon was from Isa. xli. 10, "Fear not," &c. This text had been remarkably impressed on her mind in a moment of particular distress, near four years before her death; and she was enabled to go in the strength of it till her latest breath. On Wednesday, February 22, she was a friend, "I am dying; apparently seized for death; and said to but Jesus has laid underneath me his everlasting arms;" - adding, "When I walk through "but 224 : OBITUARY. not being able to finish the verse, her friend did upon which she exclaimed, with joy, "He does comfort! he will support! I have no pain; my God is so good, I long to be with him to praise him!" She attempted to recite that hymn, "When languor and disease invade;" but failed for want of breath. When revived a little, and seeing the anxiety of friends around her, she exclaimed, her "Here you are all trying to keep me from Heaven as long as you can; but I am going (what a mercy!) to glory!" To a young friend, she spoke with much earnestness of her assurance in the pardoning love of Jesus, sweetly enforcing the privilege of knowing him, and being kept by him in his ways, re. peating her exhortation to make the greater effect; adding, " These truths have been my support in life; and now in death, you see me a monument of his loving kindness, and a witness to his truth!" She repeated, with seeming rapture, "Bold shall I stand in that great day, For who aught to my charge shall lay? O what a Fully absolv'd by Christ alone, And all my filthy garments gone!" As it is altered in Lady Hunting don's Collection, particularly dwelling on the two last lines, repeating them over again and again: "Yes, fully, fully absolved! mercy! I can now commit myself and my poor husband to a covenant. God!" Speaking one day of the kindness of a particular friend, she said, "What a pleasure it is to live and die beloved! Indeed, I fear I feel some pride in that. Self will creep in, but, O! to be kept from sin!" She lay for six days in a sweet frame, speaking continually of the love of Jesus and his salvation. At length her time of departure approached; and she said, “God is gently taking down my clay-taber nacle. I am almost dead, but in no pain!" Here her breath again failing, her friend perceiving her lips move, listened, and heard her whisper, "Shall never tempt me again;' and her spirit took its fight where the Tempter, Sin, and Death are no more! -May her use ful life and peaceful death encou RECENT DEATHS. About the beginning of February, died Dr. Hezekiah Smith, Pastor of the Baptist Church in Haverhill, and one of the Fellows of Brown University, State of Rhode Island. Some farther particulars of this eminent American minister will be given in our next. After a long and painful illness, which she sustained with much March 19, died Mrs. Marg. Hub Christian fortitude, on Tuesday, bard, member of the church of Christ assembling at Peckham, under the pastoral care of the Rev. W. B. Collyer. During her afflic tion, the words of our suffering Lord dwelt upon her lips: "Not She expired at eight o'clock in the my will, but thine, be done!"— morning, without a struggle, leav ing a good hope, and a bright example of domestic excellence, to an afflicted husband and three children. The Rev. Mr. Tanner, an aged half a century. eighty years of age, is left in des Also lately died at Margate, the REVIEW OF RELIGIOUS PUBLICATIONS. A View of Religions in Three Parts. By Hannah Adams. A New Edition, with Corrections and Additions: to which is prefixed, An Essay on Truth, by Andrew Fuller. 8vo, 9s.; 12m0, 6s. Its ob IN the Preface, by the Editors of the present edition of this work, we are informed, that it was written by the ingenious author of "A Summary iHistory of New England, from its First Settlement at Plymouth, to the Acceptance of the Federal Constitution." ject is to exhibit the multiplied speculations of the human mind on the important subject of religion, in as just and impartial a manner as possible. The Editors add, "That while they have retained the accounts of the denominations which are become extinct, they have, in respect of the living ones, availed themselves of other sources of information, when it could be done to advantage; and have been supplied, from the late Missionary undertakings, with some additional matter, with respect to Paganism and Mahometanism." In regard to the work itself, we feel no difficulty in saying that, for fulness, candour, and accuracy, it stands greatly superior to all of a similar nature with which we are acquainted. It is en riched with a very valuable Essay on Truth, by one of the Editors, the Rev. Andrew Fuller, of Kettering: in which he enquires into its nature, states its the sources of importance, unfolds error, and assigns some reasons, on the part of Providence, of its permission. Having given a general view of evangelical truth, Mr. Fuller contends for its importance, as it is by the belief of the truth that sinners are brought into a state of salvation; as truth is the model and standard of true religion in the mind; as it furnishes the motive for every exercise of true holiness; as the love which the primitive Christians bore to one another was for the truth's sake; and as it is the only solid foundation of peace and happiness. The grand sources of error in religion, Mr. Fuller represents to be these three; namely, The numbers of unconverted, or merely worldly-wise characters, who intrude themselves, or are intruded by others, into the Christian ministry;the great number of merely nominal Christians, whose taste calls for antiscriptural preaching; and the large portion of unsanctified wisdom found even in godly men. The wise Governor of the world permits the existence and prevalence of error as the mean of trying the state and temper of mens' minds, of purging the floor of the gospel church of its chalf, and for other important purposes, which the last day will more fully disclose. Our limits permit us only to add, that the friends of truth will find many original and very suitable thoughts in this Essay, happily calculated to prevent the ill effects, which the subsequent account of the variety of religious sentiments in the world might possibly produce on the weak and rash mind. "For," as Mr. Fuller justly observes, "one of the worst inferences that are drawn from the discordant doctrines which abound in the world is, that doctrine itself is of little or no account. As intolerance and bigotry (under the specious name of Zeal) distinguished former ages, so sceptical indifference (under the specious names of Candour, Moderation) distinLiberality, and This is the grand tempguishes this. tation, perhaps, of the present times. It would seem as if men must either fight for Truth with carnal weapons, or make peace with Error; either our religious principles must be cognizable by human legislators, or they are neither good nor evil, and God himself must not call us to account for them; either we must call men Masters upon earth, or deny that we have any Master, even in heaven. "It is a favourite principle with unbelievers, and with many professing Christians who verge towards them, that error not only has its seat in the mind, but that it is purely intellectual, Hence they and therefore innocent. plead against all church censures, and every degree of unfavourable opinion, on account of doctrinal sentiments, as though it were a species of persecution. But if the causes of error be principally mora', it will follow that such conclusions are as contrary to Reason as they are to Scripture. "The above remarks are far from being designed to cherish a spirit of bitterness against one another as men, or as Christians. There is a way of viewing the corruption and depravity of mankind, so as to excite bitterness and wrath, and every species of evil temper; and there is a way of viewing them, that, without approving or couFI |