ཟླ

"I have no doubt," said Mrs. Roscoe, who was not at home on these subjects, "but the natives of India are as happy with their religion as we are with our's; and if the females do not meet with that respect which we meet with, you know, Madam," addressing herself to Mrs. Stevens," that they do not expect it. Therefore, as it hath pleased God to give them that religion, I think we ought not to try to take it from them. Indeed, I think there is too much attention paid to religion in our days; it was not the case in the good old gone-by times, when our fathers lived in peace." "But, Mamma," said Miss Roscoe, "would you not save a little child from being drowned, or a widow from being burnt, if it were in your power?" "Certainly, my dear." "Now," added Miss Roscoe, as this cannot be done by physical strength, we propose convincing the people, by a process of fair argumentation, that such practices are sinful and impolitic; and thus induce them, if possible, to abolish them." "Oh, that may be very proper," said Mrs. Roscoe, "but I think that we have nothing to do with it." "I must confess," said Mr. Roscoe," that I begin to differ from you; and I shall be very glad to see an Auxiliary Missionary Society established in our village. If we have a purer faith than the Heathen, and one better calculated to promote individual and relative happiness and improvement, we ought to impart it. To monopolize it to curselves, would be an act of selfishness and injustice which I cannot but condemn; and though I have hitherto, like too many around me, been guilty of this act, I will go, and sin no more.'" But," said Mrs. Roscoe, with the utmost degree of surprize, "you do not intend, I hope, to become a Missionary, and transplant us to some province of India?" "No, no, my dear," Mr. Roscoe replied, "I will not go myself, but I will give some portion of my property

to send others."

will learn to retrench superfinities, in order to exercise the grace of christian charity. They will emulate those Jewish women, who worked with their hands for the hangings of the tabernacle,' and brought bracelets, and ear-rings, and jewels of gold,' for the service of the sanctuary. They will consecrate their ornaments to the perishing Heathen; and render personal and domestic economy a fountain of spiritual blessings to unenlightened nations, and to distant ages. They will resign the gems of the East to save a soul from death, and bind round their brow a coronet of stars which shall shine for ever and

Had some shapeless figure, of hideous look, suddenly entered the room, and denounced some heavy woe on each inmate of the dwelling, Mrs. Roscoe might have been more alarmed; but she could not have appeared more surprised than when this last sentence fell from the lips of her husband. "What! Mr. Roscoe!" she said, in a more lofty tone than I had ever known her assume; " and have you so far forgotten your own dignity, as to connect yourself with Missionary Societies, which go abroad on purpose to disturb other people in the enjoyment of their religion, as we have been disturbed in the enjoyment of our's?"

It was now getting late, and the company was on the eve of retiring, when Miss Roscoe arose, took from the book-case one of Doddridge's volumes of his Exposition on the New Testament, placed it on the table, and said to Mr. Guion, " I know, Sir, that it is your custom to conclude your social visits by reading the Scriptures and prayer; and, if you will consent to do it this evening, you will greatly oblige us." "I have no objection," said Mr. Guion, "if it be perfectly agreeable." " Certainly, Sir;" Mr. Roscoe replied; "we ought not to object to prayer."

The bell was now rung, and the servants were requested to come to family prayer. We waited several minutes, during which time Mrs. Roscoe was very restless. At length they entered,-at irregular intervals of time, seating themselves on the corner of the chairs which stood nearest the door, expressing, by their looks, the utmost degree of surprise at this novel service; and occasionally, by the satirical smile which played over their countenance, indicating either their contempt, or their disposition to merriment. I wanted no one to tell me that this was the first time the family had ever knelt together at the footstool of the Divine throne; but, knowing that a great moral change had taken place in Mr. Roscoe, I felt conscious that it would not be the last; and could not refrain offering up my inaudible expressions of praise to the God of all grace, for permitting me to see that fire enkindled on this newly-erected domestic altar, which has ever since burnt with an undecaying ardour.

J. S. Hughes, Printer, 66, Paternoster-row, London.

[No. 26.

"How dull and insipid,' Miss Denham replied, 'is a religious service, when compared with a play. What a pity that our Maker requires us to be religious. I have not seen a play some time; and when I was hearing Mr. Ingleby, I really thought that I should never have courage to see another."

See page 8.

London:

THE CONSULTATION.

"What is fanatic frenzy scorned so much,
And dreaded more than a contagions touch?
I grant it dangerous, and approve your fear,
That fire is catching if you draw too near:
But sage observers oft mistake the flame,
And give true piety that odious name."

COWPER.

"HAPPILY," says a popular writer of our own country, "a religious man knows the worst he is likely to suffer. In the present established state of things he is not called, as in the first ages of Christianity, to be made a spectacle to the world, and to angels, and to men. But he must submit to be assailed by different descriptions of persons. From the first, he must be contented to have principles imputed to him, which he abhors, motives which he disdains, and ends which he deprecates. He must submit to have the energies of his well-regulated piety confounded with the follies of the fanatic, and his temperate zeal blended with the ravings of the insane. He must submit to be involved in the absurdities of the extravagant, in the duplicity of the designing, and in the mischiefs of the dangerous, to be reckoned among the disturbers of that church, which he would defend with his blood; and of that government which he is perhaps supporting in every possible direction. Every means is devised to shake his credit. From such determined assailants, no prudence can protect his character, no private integrity can defend it, no public service can rescue it.

J. S. Hughes, Printer, 66, Paternoster Row, London.

"From our more thoughtless, but less uncharitable acquaintance," the same writer remarks, we have to sustain a gentler warfare. A little reproach, a good deal of ridicule, a little suspicion of our designs, and not a little compassion for our gloomy habits of life, an implied contempt for our judgment, some friendly hints that we carry things too far, an intimation that being righteous over-much in the praetice, has a tendency, to produce derangement in the faculties. These are the petty, but daily trials of every man who is seriously in carnest; and petty indeed they are to him whose prospects are wellgrounded, and whose hope is full of immortality."

"Wonders will never cease," said Miss Denham, to her mamma, on her return home, after a morning's fashionable ramble; "I have heard something that will surprise you. I know you won't believe it, it is so unlikely, but I assure you it is true. I begin to get alarmed about myself. Our dear Mr, C. never spoke more correctly in his life, than when he said there is something of a bewitching nature in it; really, mamma, I think we ought to go away from this infected village." "Yes, I heard last evening that our worthy friend, Mr. Ryder, had the fever in his house, and I am not surprised to hear that Mr. John has fallen a victim. He was, you know, my dear, rather gay, but he had a good heart; but you need not be so much alarmed, as we live so far from them. However, it will be proper to be on our guard." "Dear mamma, you mistake me, Mr. John is very well. We have taken a most lovely walk with the Misses Stubbs's. What a talent he has at description. Oh, he was quite romantic. I think the young ladies not very accomplished. They can play well, but they have no sentiment. They are certainly elegant in their figure, but the one is too reserved; and the other rather too forward. Oh, no. I refer to Mr. Roscoe, have you not heard?" "No, my dear," said Mrs. Denham, "I have not been from home; and though I have had several calls this morning, yet, as I wanted to give out a few orders about the jellies, I left a message with John, Not at home." Then I will tell you, Mr.Roscoe is beconie as religious