and ceremonious vifits, were gene- | fhall come in like a flood, the fpirit

rally difcontinued; and the ballroom fo far unoccupied, that the mufician feared his craft was in danger, and his hopes of gain were gone. And in thofe days, the word of the Lord, both read and preached, was precious. In fome houfes, where the bible was kept heretofore useless in the book-cafe it might now be seen, lying in the moft convenient places, for frequent ufe. To many it appeared a new book, whenever they opened it they always found fomething new in it, fomething they had never leen, or never attended to before; and preaching appeared new to many; yea, the old fermons they had heard before, were new, and they were ready to imagine they never heard fuch excellent fermons before.

Although much time was spent in religious exercises, fuch as reading, attending lectures, and other religious meetings, yet in fuch a manner did those who were ferious œconomise and redeem time that it was believed by unbiaffed and candid obfervers, that worldly bufinefs did not fuffer by means of the religious attention.

A good number of families who had always lived without calling upon God either morning or evening, are now devout worshippers.

of the Lord fhall fet up a standard against him; but for this he will be enquired of by the house of Ifrael. And with what freedom and importunity may God's fpiritual Ifrael addrefs the throne of grace for fo rich a bleffing! Thus faith the holy one of Ifrael and his maker, "afk of me concerning my fons, and concerning the work of my hands, command ye 'me." Nor did he ever fay to the feed of Jacob, "seek ye me ' in vain."

IN my early life, I was witness

to an extraordinary inftance of clear views and triumphing joy and hope in a dying perfon. I was then fo young that I cannot diftinctly recollect the defcriptions which he gave of his faith and hopes, but remember the deep im

To fee or hear of fuch revivals of religion and times of reformation, muft refresh and gladden the hearts of all the godly; and ex-preffions they made on my own cite the children of Zion, while mind; and I was thereby led to they rejoice in their king, and in reflect much on the evidence in fathe profperity of his kingdom, to vor of truth and religion which pray without ceafing, that he would may be collected from the views, haften the time, even the fet time the hopes and the fears of those for the accomplishment of all thofe who feel their near approach to the glorious things fpoken of in proph- eternal world. This determined ecy, concerning the enlargement, me, at the commencement of my peace, profperity and glory of miniftry, to note in my diary, exChristianity. When the enemytraordinary inftances of conviction,

fear, or joy which I fhould ob- | a fimilar fituation, they would not ferve in the clofe of life. The re- fail to tremble for their own ftate. fult has been fomewhat different Under these impreffions, and with from the fanguine opinions of my a love for the fouls of men, I shall youth; for I was then ready to occafionally felect from the notes conclude that men's eternal ftate I have preferved, and communimight always be determined from cate an account of fundry pertheir apprehenfions on the known fons whofe ftate of mind, in approach of death. Since that the profpect of death, deeply imtime, I have seen a few inftances preffed me, and from which I colof most hardened ftupidity, and lected much evidence for the realifouls departing without any fenfe ty of truths, which are doubted of fin, guilt and an approaching by fome in this day of fcepticism. judgment; but these were perfons who had either been notorious for crimes, or who, governed by a detestable avarice, had maintained fome vifible decency of conduct, that under this difguife they might make the unwary their prey. I have alfo feen a few, for whom I had a charitable hope, departing in dark-rious people of his own charge, nefs. Many have I feen clofe their time of trial either in a ftate of delirium, or stupified by difeafe and medicine, fo as to have little knowledge of what paffed between the first attack of pain and their appearance at the bar of God. Such inftances as these are a folemn warning not to poftpone our preparation for another world to the time of ficknefs and death.

The first inftance which I fhall relate was my laft interview with an aged and dying Christian Minif ter. This good man had paffed a long life in a faithful discharge of the duties of his miniftry. Wherever known he was loved and refpected; and among the fe

and the neighboring churches, he was almoft venerated. His converfation was exemplary; his heart affectionate and pious; his preaching was on the great doctrines of the gofpel-the wisdom and holinefs of God in the redemption of finners-the excellency and fufficiency of a crucified Jefus-and the nature and ncceffity of Chrif tian holiness.

By particular request, I repeated a vifit to this good man near the clofe of his life. On entering his room he faid, "I have fent for you, to tell you how great a finner may truft and even rejoice in the fovereign mercy of God, and alfo to charge you to be a faithful minifter of Chrift." Afterwards, as he found ftrength and opportunity,

But altho there may be many fuch cafes, in which the fcene of death presents nothing but ftupidity or diftraction; I yet believe that the ftate of men's minds at that hour is often fuch as affords a folemn and weighty argument for the reality and importance of religion and divine truth. Then the appetites are cooled-then the world and all its pleasures and in-he faid nearly the following things. terests appear in their true light ;then the mind folemnly paufes and confiders, and confideration is moft favorable to rational and fincere conviction. If many, who beold fuch scenes with ftupidity, did but feel that they must foon be in

"You behold in me one of the greateft of finners; and if divine fovereignty had not prevented, according to my abilities to do evil, I fhould have been the very greateft. God placed me under the restraints of his providence, and↓

the importance of your work. You will have many temptations, but never ceafe praying to God to difcover them, and to ftrengthen you. Let not the fear of man entice you to difguife the truth; for many have been caught in that fnare. You will be faithful to declare the whole truth no longer

fometimes hope of his grace, in my early youth. But how unworthy have I been! How little have I done for the glory of God! What a stupid heart I have had ! I wonder how I have been able to hope with fo many imperfections and fins as have been crouded into my life; but still I feel myself ftrangely drawn to trust and rejoice in freemer-than you fear God more than man, cy. I am more than ever amazed at free grace! I mustalfo love that juftice which condemns me. Eternity will be fhort enough to praife the juftice and the free grace which are now my only fupport.-Oh, how deficient I have been in my minif-hour as this, you will find no extry, and how feebly I have preffed truth on the hearts and confciences of finners! Now I can only pray for them, and at times God hath given me a precious freedom in this duty."

On hearing thefe expreffions of unworthinefs, from one who had been fo faithful in his ministry, and fuch an example of picty, I was confounded. My fhort experience in the ministerial life, and in Chrif tian knowledge, did not enable me to give an anfwer; nor had I then a juft conception what a deep fenfe of fin and unworthinefs is found in those who excel moft in true godlinefs. He then added, "But my principal defire was to charge you to be faithful to God and to the fouls of men. I am going, but you may yet live many years; and you cannot conceive, until a profpect of death affits you, how folemn an account minifters of the gospel will have to give, of the people of their charge. If a world of earthly things were committed to your charge, it would comparatively be nothing but it is fouls-immortal fouls, which must be happy or miferable forever. If you can conceive the worth of one foul, it will help you to feel,

and can trust in him to protect you against thofe who will be your enemies for the truth's fake. Forget yourself in doing God's fer. vice. Look on me and remember what it will be to die. In fuch an

cufe for a want of faithfulness; nor can you die in peace without fome degree of your master's prefence. Preach the doctrines of grace in fuch a manner as to show the nature and neceffity of holiness. Thofe precious doctrines which I have feebly taught are now my only fupport. A Saviour of infinite holinefs is truly worth having, for he hath merit; he can cleanse his people, and it will be blessedness enough to behold and serve him."

After feveral ftops, through pain and weaknefs, he added; "The people with whom I have lived lie heavy on my heart. Some of them I hope to meet in that glory, which I cannot but hope God will give to me, the most undeferving of all finners; but too many of them have oppofed those peculiar doctrines of the gospel which I now find by experience are the only ground of hope for a dying finner. Oh, how I am pained at my heart for these people! I charge you, my young brother, when you may occafionally be with them, to carry this my dying teftimony to their ears, and affure them, that those who do not believe in the Lord Jefus Chrift, and live in all holy converfation and godli

nefs, cannot be faved. But all ftrength fails me." In a fhort time after, this faithful fervant of Christ was received to the reward of his labors.

This fcene deeply impreffed my mind with a fenfe, how folemn the appearance of a Chriftan minifter must be before the tribunal of his Lord and Mafter, and what it will be to answer for fouls. To every minifter of religion the Lord fays, "Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the houfe of Ifrael. When I fay unto the wicked, thou fbalt furely die; and thou giveft him not warning, nor fpeakeft to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to fave bis life; the fame wicked man fball die in his iniquity but his blood will I require at thine band." To every Christian minifter a difpenfation of the gofpel of Jefus Chrift is committed.

I have made this communica

ure in the information, that you are in fome degree awakened to the importance of the falvation of immortal fouls. Angels defire It ought to be the joy of a fallen to look into the glorious mystery. fible of its excellence? A happy world; but alas! how few are fenfew fee and feel its importance, and rejoice that the power, and glory of God are manifested, and that the incarnation of Deity, will their praife, throughout a neverbe the joy of all holy beings, and

tion, hoping that it may be ferioufly read, and that all to whom it appertains may enter into a frefhending and ever-bleffed eternity.

and folemn enquiry into their faithfulness to Chrift and the fouls of

men.

Such ought to enquire, with much prayer, Whether they preach the gofpel with all plain nefs and power, as it was taught by Chrift and his Apoftles? Whether, unbiaffed by prejudice and the fear of men, they declare the whole counfel of God? Whether they denounce the terrors of the law to

Religion is a divine principle, influencing the whole moral conduct; its fimple and determinate fenfe is love to God, and good

will to mankind. This is the fum

of all religion; without it, vain Church, vain are the ceremonials were the oblations of the Jewish

of Christians!

ment of reverence and of gratiThe love of God is that fentitude which ought to arife in every mind, when reflecting on one Suimediate author of all good, and the preme beneficent power, who is the foundation of all perfection. Love

all ungodly ones, and apply the gofpel encouragements only on thofe ftrict terms of renovation by the grace of God, faith, repen tance, and a holy life to which all the promises are limited? Wheth-ly is early piety, and precious are er they have been willing to spend and be spent in the fervice of the church? Whether they have recommended religion by their example, while they exhorted Chriftians to godliness and a pure life,

the promifes annexed to it. Your heavenly Father can make the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice; he can irradiate ev ery scene, and cheer you with a fenfe of his ever-bleffed prefence i

he can brighten the funfhine of profperity, and perfume with fweet incenfe the facrifices made to virtue.

Report of the Trustees of the Mif
fionary Society of Connecticut.
(Continued from p. 36.)

TH

HE Trustees congratulate the Society on the flourishing fituation of their funds and the increafing liberality with which the people of the ftate contribute to the fupport of miffions. From the lift of the contributions in the fevral parishes in the ftate on the firft fabbath of May last, herewith tranfmitted, the Society will obferve that they amount to a very confiderable fum more than in any preceding year. This is a moft pleafing circumftance as it shows that the people of the state are dif pofed to aid the Miffionary Society, in their exertions to advance the caufe of truth and piety. It is alfo a curcumftance which should call forth emotions of gratitude to that God, who has the hearts of all men at his difpofal, and from whose fpirit it proceeds that any are led to exercife pity and compaffion to wards their fuffering fellow-men, and to contribute of their earthly fubftance to the relief of those less favored than themselves.

You wish to know, my dear young friend, if religion is not a melancholy fervice? Afk thofe who love their God, if they would exchange even the tears of repentance for all the noify mirth of fools? Afk them, when they approach his prefence with fweet and humble confidence, and are fenfible of near and intimate communion with him, if a world would not be bought too dear, if they fhould barter their joys for all it holds in eftimation? What are the feelings of a repenting finner, when viewing the love of God to a fallen world? Exactly fuited to every wifh of an enlightened foul is an offered Saviour. It wants nothing elfe. Upon the blessed terms of the gofpel it defires to receive him; and chiefly because the glory is all his ewn; and, as it fecures the honor of the divine government; and humbles the creature, fweetly bends his ftubborn will, and brings every power and faculty of the foul into fubmiffion to that will, on which kangs the bleffednefs of the univerfe. How fafe, how fecure is that happy foul, which renouncing Every dependence on itfelf, on its own miferable attainments, can reft on the perfect, immaculate rightcoufnefs of God himself? For De-will be feen that within the past year ity became incarnate, and as the finner's fubftitute performed every jot and tittle of the law, and even rendered it more honorable. There fore when confcience accufes, when that law denounces its curfes, the finner may plead what Jefus has done and fuffered on earth, and what he is now doing in heaven; and may reft on that bleffed foundation, a foundation fecure as the perfections of an ever-living God. MATILDA.

From the Treasurer's account of receipts and expenditures fince the publication of the narrative laft winter, together with the statement fubjoined to the narrative, it

feveral donations have been made to the Society, that a confiderable fum has been contributed in the new fettlements and paid to the Miffionaries, and that the permanent fund is increafing, having a mounted to upwards of 1200 dollars. To this fund a large addition is expected to be made within a few months from the profits of the Connecticut Evangelical Magazine, the Trustees having been informed by the Editors of faid Mag