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than the heavens." No one may eat green corn till the first-fruits have been presented to him.

At my first interview, in his palace, I saw the despot in the behaviour of his servants-the manner in which they crouched (for no one might stand in his presence), and the mode of his giving them commands. Wanting something in haste, five miles off, he said to his confidential servant (spitting in his own hand), "Go, and be back before the spit is dry in my hand." These were almost the first words I heard from him.

This power may be exercised either for good or for evil. Sometimes he did exercise it for good. The third day after my introduction to him, he sent two of his messengers through the town, who, with loud voices, called together, in five minutes, an audience twice as large as is now assembled in this room, to whom he bade me preach the same words I had preached to him the day before.

The bondage in which he keeps his women is particularly severe. He retains in his palace, which is a segment of the circular town cut off by a fence, a vast number of women and girls of all ages. I have seen them brought out to sing, when they have been profusely ornamented with beads; they have not been short of five hundred. His women, to whom he is not married, whom he calls his sisters or children, are of various ranks, and not allowed to leave the palace without permission. If they go out of it on any occasion, they must not see man or boy. It would be certain death for any man to meet them on the path, if he did not turn aside when he saw them coming.

Once, about sixty of these women brought thatch, at the king's command, to my hut, when one of the king's servants happened to be about; not being able | to get out of the way, he ran into my tent, and crept into the farthest part of it: however, it so happened that they went in, and he saw them. The boys, when they came to school, sat a long way off till the women were gone, as it would have been death for them to approach. The restraint in which these poor women are kept impels them sometimes to run away: if caught, they are certain to be killed. Two were put to death for making their escape while I was in the country.

It may easily be supposed that the natives were very shy of us when we first came. They dared not come to our hut for the most common purpose, unless expressly sent by the king. Even Umthlella, the prime minister, being asked, said he could not come, because the king had not ordered him. It is a rule with the natives not to think, act, or speak, but at the king's suggestion or command. Hence, I could not, for any consideration, persuade them to grind me a handful of corn, because they were not ordered to do So. The man whom Dingaan made to bring me my milk, once came into my hut, at my desire, to attend prayer through an interpreter; but he had no sooner seated himself, than, starting up, he said he was afraid, because, though the king had sent him to bring me my milk, he had not told him to come into my hut: he then sat outside, for he was not afraid to do that. Some girls, whom Dingaan sent from the great house to grind my corn, being requested to come in to prayer, did so one morning; but the next morning, when they saw me coming to ask them, ran away, as they had been strictly commanded by their mistresses not to come in any more.

It may easily be imagined how these restrictions, which the despotism of Dingaan imposed on his people, hindered the Gospel. It was impossible for me to hold divine service at my station; and I soon found that, if I would preach to the natives, I must go to them, and not they come to me.

The principal opportunities I had for preaching the Gospel were in my road to the capital. Every Lord's day I assembled the natives at my wagons. On one particular occasion, I did this at Ekaiagunüina, a large

town near the capital, when the induna or chief, at my invitation, caused all his people, men and women, to assemble at the spot pointed out by me. The men sat on one side, the women on the other; I sat on a chair in the middle, and taught from the word of God the creation of man, the formation of woman, the institution of marriage, the fall and redemption through Christ, the resurrection to life, and other truths. One of the most interesting Sabbaths I ever spent, was the first I passed in the heart of a Zulah town. On that occasion I preached to Dingaan and his household, in the midst of his palace: he sat on a chair, his women at some distance on the ground: he listened without his attention once wavering, whilst I shewed him the manner in which God had given his word to man: that he had taught his will to the first man, who had taught it to his children, and they to their children, and so forth, till at length it was written down in a book. After this, he sent a great many teachers, who wrote down in books what they taught. Last of all, he sent his own Son Jesus Christ, who was greater than all the other teachers. What Jesus Christ spoke and did, was also written down in a book. At length all these books were made into one book, and my countrymen had received it. They had heard of him (Dingaan), and they had sent me to teach the book to him and to his people. I then told him the happy consequences of believing this book, and the dreadful consequences of rejecting it; and proceeded to give him a summary view of its contents, beginning at the fall of man. When I came to speak of hell, he interrupted me, and asked me where it was, and what sort of a place it was. At the mention of the resurrection, a smile of incredulity stole over his face; after a good many questions, he at length asked for a sign, saying, "Why don't the dead rise now, that we may see them?" In private, I often had opportunities of bringing some truths before Dingaan's attention; he generally, however, manifested a dislike to the subject of religion: if I called his attention to death, he would tell me the sun was gone down, or propose some such reason for my going home. I once read a letter from the lamented Retief, which he had written to Dingaan, containing some excellent remarks on the duties of kings, especially their duty to listen to missionaries-for Retief was a great friend to missionaries-and he advised him to ask the missionaries in his country what his duties were. Dingaan's attention was evidently awakened at the religious part of this letter; but, like Felix, he put the subject off to a more convenient season, which never came. He not unfrequently treated religion, and the very name of God, with ridicule.

The last public discourse which I delivered in his presence before his captains, of which mention is made in the report, was declared by him to be the last, because he was angry with the people of Port Natal, who had refused to sell him any more gunpowder, and with me because I had refused to lend him a bullet-mould. Sometimes I had an opportunity of teaching the natives, when I took a journey on horseback. At night, I slept in their huts, when many came to see me, to whom I spoke briefly on the first principles of religion. In the day, I used to get some one to lead my horse, and walked for the sake of freer intercourse with the people. On arriving at any town or village, I sat under a tree, outside the town; and the natives, seeing a white man, came out to me, and waited in silence till I talked to them. Of course, I made it my object to draw their attention to the great Creator, of whom they were ignorant, and led them from nature up to nature's God.

I never had occasion to call a congregation together, for as soon as I seated myself under a tree, or, if there was no tree, under a shield-house, the whole popula tion-men, women, and children—would come out to me, and wait, as usual, in silence to hear me speak: and though some were disposed to cavil, and others,

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at the name of God, would rise up and go away, the greater part of the audience, which was usually as large as is now collected, remained with me for an hour or more.

that the murderer was able to discriminate, and had no
my family in that hour of trial. I ascribe it to God
Until I knew this, how-
evil intentions against me.
ever, I could not be sure of my fate; and I record it
for the encouragement of all who may be placed in a
similar situation, that I found my only comfort in
prayer and the word of God. Calling all my family into
my hut, immediately after my eyes had beheld the
conclusion of the horrid scene (for I saw the bodies of
the farmers dragged to the hill of execution), I then
read the 91st Psalm, some part of which, with the
alteration of the word thousand for hundred, were
We then knelt down
literally applicable to my case.

to prayer; and I really felt that, in that position and in
that employment, we might be called into eternity!
The providence of God was further displayed in re-
straining me, without any particular reason, from pay-
In this case I
ing a visit of civility to Retief, as I intended doing on
the day I supposed he was to depart.
should, no doubt, have sat at his side, as I had done on
a former occasion, to see the dance; and as in the
excitement I could not have been distinguished from
a farmer, I must have inevitably shared Retief's fate.

I directed their minds to the creation, and such other truths as I thought expedient at the time. They seldom either answered or put questions, saying that they were come to hear me, and that I was to speak. They generally pleaded ignorance concerning the creation; but once, on my asking them who made the clouds which gave the rain, they answered, their "doctors." On replying that this was not the case, they said, "Thou that speakest the truth, tell us who made them?" I learned from Dingaan himself, a firm believer in witchcraft, what their ideas on that subject are. The creatures which the witch employs in his service are the wolf, tiger, wild cat, jackal, or owl. With one of these he goes, in the dead of night, to the victim of his malice, and sends the animal into the hut, while the person is asleep, to bring out a piece of his hair, or a bit of his caross, or of some thing else belonging to the bewitched person, which is deposited in the witch's own hut; the effect of this is, that sickness or death follows. The witch-doctors are At a subsequent part of the proceeding of the meetpersons who have the faculty of smelling out the witches, and doing other wonderful things. The per- ing, I may have an opportunity of again addressing you on the subject of my new mission to the Baharutse sons whom they secure are sentenced to death; and I have myself been present when information had been country; but before I sit down, I will not refrain from calling your attention to the obligation you are under given of a supposed witch, who was instantly condemned to die, without a hearing. Executions take of supporting missionary labours. My design, with place for the most trifling offences; but, perhaps, the blessing of God, (as you have already heard from oftener for alleged witchcraft than for any other crime. the report), is to go and lift up a standard for the Death is inflicted on those who possess beads, or any Gentiles, to exalt the voice and preach Christ crucified to them; and I now call upon you for your help. clothing of a particular colour, or of the same description which the king wears about his own person. You are placed, by the Providence of God, at the southernmost verge of this vast continent, in order that Having sometimes, unconsciously, offered them forbidden beads in barter, they hastily returned them, declar- you may be a light to the inhabitants in its interior ing they should be killed. I could not get the boys in who to this hour are sitting in darkness. You are my school to wear kilts till Dingaan gave them per- called upon to improve the civilisation, knowledge, and mission. The hill of execution was nearly opposite power, talents which God has committed to you, for the my hut; hence we could not help seeing the vultures evangelisation of the natives of Africa. I speak espehovering over the bodies of those newly slain. I have cially to the members of my own Church. Are your means less than those of other communities of Christsometimes been present at the trial of an induna; Dingaan was seated on a chair, the induna before him, ians in this town? Is your influence less than theirs? nearly surrounded by the chiefs and principal men of Are you behind any other body of Christians in advanthe town; a body of executioners, with huge sticks, tages? From all that I have heard, I judge the consitting behind, waiting for orders: when about to pro- trary; and, if so, this superiority in earthly matters, nounce the sentence, Dingaan has bidden me to retire; imposes on you a solemn responsibility of doing more but on my walk home, I have seen the vultures devour- than they in every good enterprise, for "to whomsoever ing the carcass of the poor wretch whom I had shortly much is given, of them shall the more be required." But perhaps you will say, "will not the work go on as before seen alive. The usual mode of execution is "suffice for to make the culprit walk to the hill, the executioners well without us?" You have heard from the chair the "Will not this," you will say, following, and, on arriving at the fatal spot, despatch income of the parent society last year was upwards of him with knobbed sticks. They then leave his body 83,000l. to be devoured by the birds by day, and the wolves by carrying on the missionary work in Africa?" I must night. When an induna is killed, all his people, by say frankly, that the missionary cause does not altothe custom of the country, share the same fate. Sig-gether stand in need of your efforts; for whether you nabani, an induna, falling under the displeasure of help it or not, it will go on. Dingaan, fled, whilst I was in the country, to Port Natal. Many of his people, who could not make their escape, were cruelly massacred, being pursued by the executioners even to the premises of the American missionary, where they were found, and were instantly hurried away to death. Notwithstanding the barbarity of Dingaan, which is to be traced not exclusively to his personal character, but chiefly to the system established in his country, he was always very civil to me, except in one instance, when he suspected I had stolen something, and sent three men to search my hut, tents, waggons, and to open every box, bag, and bundle, to liscover, if possible, the lost article. My innocence being established, he made an ample apology, and sent me a present of some cows and calves-to wash, as he said, my heart.

At length the period arrived when that dreadful massacre took place, the particulars of which have been already before the public. I refer to it only to mark the divine Providence which preserved me and

The cause is the Lord's, and he will bless it. But will it be any consolation to you to reflect, after the Gospel has triumphed, and the heathen nations are blessed with Christianity, that you did not give a helping hand to this good work, or support it with all your heart? I will remind you of a parallel case in the history of the Jews. When Mordecai had charged Esther, the queen, to go in to the king of Persia, to make supplication for the Jews, who, by a certain decree, were condemned on a particular day to universal slaughter; she having objected that whoever, whether man or woman, should come unto the king unsummoned, there was a law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king should hold out the golden sceptre; but that, as for her, she had not been called to the king these thirty days; Mordecai answered, "think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews. For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's

house shall be destroyed; and who knoweth whether | cularly to shine into his mind, so that he again resolved thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this." (Esther iv. 13, 14).

In like manner, do you make any difficulty about forwarding the missionary work among the natives of Africa? Know, that then shall certain enlargement and deliverance arise to them from others; you may not be instrumental in saving them, or delivering them from the power of darkness; but, notwithstanding, the work shall be done.

he would confess his Lord and join with a few despised followers of Christ, who met in the next village to receive instruction-still he kept putting it off and never put his design in execution. On Friday, the 5th of April, he met with a neighbouring choir of singers to sing some of Handel's chorusses; little did he think, and little did I think, that this was the last time ĺ should hear him. The last piece he played or sung was "Worthy the Lamb." On the Sabbath evening he was Let me remind you, also, of another passage, in the much affected at the following remark:- Perhaps some fifth chapter of Judges, where, in allusion to the refusal one of you, my friends, may be in eternity next Sabof help which the inhabitants of Meroz had been guilty bath, this may be the last time some of you may hear of to the armies of Jehovah, it is written, "Curse ye the Gospel; O then what effect has it had upon your Meroz, said the angel of the Lord; curse ye bitterly hearts! He thought "what effect has it had upon the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the mine?" the tears rolled down his cheeks although he help of the Lord-to the help of the Lord against the endeavoured to prevent others from seeing him. On mighty." The sin of this people was not an open the Monday evening, April 8, he met the same choir opposition to the armies of the Lord, but that they in his own village, and at parting again sung "Worthy were neutral,-they came not to the help of the Lord. the Lamb." On the Tuesday he went to his work as Jehovah now asks you for your hearty co-operation usual, when his master came up and said, "William, with him in his cause. You cannot be neutral. In will you fetch a load of turnips as you are not busy, this case neutrality is treason. Shew yourselves to be and the man to whom the work belongs is not at a true Church of Christ by your exertions in this good home." He went immediately, called upon his return cause, by the warm interest you take in it, by the at his own dwelling and told his wife to have dinner fervent desire you have for its success. It is not by ready as he should be back in a quarter of an hour. her articles or homilies alone that the Church of which He never thought that the next time he went home he we are members must shew herself true. By her should be carried in, but so it was, and laid upon his fruits she shall be known; and amongst the proofs she death bed; how true it is that in the midst of life we ought to give of her being a true, living branch of the are in death! He was unloading the turnips, when spiritual vine, one of the most essential is, that of something alarmed the horse, it moved forward, the improving her present exalted position in this place, turnips rolled from under his feet, and, although he for becoming a light to surrounding nations, and dis-only fell a short distance, yet the jerk broke his spine; pensing far and wide the blessings of Christianity, civilisation, and industry,- a consummation which every true son of the Church must heartily desire.

THE SUDDEN DEATH OF A YOUNG MAN
AGED ONLY 30.

BY A CONSTANT READER.

W. B. was born of poor but honest and industrious parents, in a small village in the county of L-, where he was always considered a moral steady young man. About seven years since he married a young woman to whom he was always attached, and with whom he lived very comfortably, wishing only for her society at the close of the day when he had finished his daily labour. But how short-sighted we are! Whilst they were thus promising themselves many years ofhappiness together, the messenger was sent to him," the Master is come and calleth for thee." If there be any thing needed to show further how necessary it is to remember our Lord's admonition, "be ye ready, for in an hour when ye think not the Son of Man cometh;" surely this may be brought forward; and may the Lord render it beneficial to careless sinners in showing them that they cannot boast of to-morrow! Up to the period of November, 1837, he had no thought of anything else excepting morality, having no idea that a change of heart was necessary, but depending upon his good works he thought he was sure of Heaven. On the Advent Sunday in that month, he heard our minister preach from Rev. i. 7, the Holy Spirit applied the word to his heart, and he went home deeply impressed with the solemn truths he had heard; conviction fastened upon his mind, and, notwithstanding, (as he told me) he tried to stifle it, he never lost it, and was compelled at last to yield himself up to the service of his God. He was a Nicodemus, afraid of man, and of the sneers of the world; he therefore kept it to himself, and durst not even mention it to his wife, although he carried about with him a heavy burden. Thus he went on about a year and a quarter; but the time was not far off when he was to tell to all around what a Saviour he had found, and to confess him before men. On Easter Sunday, 1839, it pleased God more parti

he was immediately taken to his home where his wife was looking out for him, to tell him all was ready, when seeing her husband in that state she fainted and was quite overcome with grief; a doctor was sent for directly, who was obliged to state there was no hope, -he might live a day or two but in his opinion not a week. Upon hearing of the accident I went down, and as soon as he saw me he said, “O, I wanted to see you, I am so glad you are come." I asked if he felt much pain, his answer was, "Only a little when I stir, still I fear I am a good deal hurt, but it is a judgment upon me because I durst not confess Christ before men, but if spared I will have family worship, and I hope I shall be enabled to show that I am one of his children." He then told me what I have before mentioned concerning the sermon and the struggle in his mind. I said, "do not you feel anxious about your wife and children?" "No," he replied, "I remember God has said, he will be a husband to the widow and a father to the fatherless, and I believe him that he will take care of them." I then asked him if he wished to get better. He said "the Lord knows best; if I thought I should go back again to the world I had rather die, and if I live I hope he will enable me to confess him and cleave to him, I only wish to live for the purpose of showing forth his praise; how necessary for us to be always ready, what should I do now if I had not known God before. Thank God I am not afraid to die." I replied, "yes; it was our Lord's command to watch, lest our Master should come and find us careless and sleeping: but why are you not afraid of death? and upon what do you build your hopes for salvation?" "On faith in Christ alone," he replied. I then observed "I should like to pray with you, will it not be too much for you?” “O, no," he said, "I want prayer, I love prayer, many a time have I been benefited by hearing others pray." "Then," said I, give God the glory." "I do, I do," he replied, "now pray if you please." He joined with great earnestness in the petitions, often repeating

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together for his wondrous love for ever and ever.

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for my soul; this has done me a deal of good, will you | lake of Gennesareth-his flesh wearied and come again?" I replied, "recollect, Jesus Christ is spent with toil, the labours of love, the works the best physician, I desire to open out his character of active benevolence? Alas! no: Jonah to you, and I trust you have applied to him that your soul may be saved, and that he would be mercifully could not at that hour have possessed a conpleased to heal the wound of your heart with the bal-science void of offence. At that time he was sam of his blood; look to him and he will, I trust, be flying in the face of God-disobeying his your support in death and portion through all eternity. I will see you again in a day or two if possible." word-betraying his trust, and he could not But before that period he had done with this world; have thought of him without dread. had I known he was so near his end, I would could not have dared to bend the knee to him have seen him again, as he often expressed a wish in prayer without conscience flying like a that he could talk with me once more; this I did not know until all was over, or else, however incon- scorpion in his face. The thought must have venient, I would have gone. When I wished him good haunted him whithersoever he went that he bye, and told him that if spared I hoped he would live was rebelling against his God, and the cry, to God's glory, and if he died that all would be well; "Nineveh! Nineveh! Jonah, the recreant prophet of Nineveh!" must have followed him like a death-wail across the bosom of the waters. Was it then the conflict of his inward feelings which overpowered him, and that nature sunk exhausted under the dreadful struggle? Or, was it, as there is reason to apprehend, that Jonah had succeeded in silencing the remonstrances of conscience? That the victory which many gain over it, and none so effectually as the backslider, was achieved by him; that the strivings of the Spirit were no longer felt, that God was put far away from his thoughts, so that amidst a crew of idolators he should have been known but as an atheist whom they dreaded to have amongst them in this hour of extremity-this we fear was the real cause. It must have been an extreme case that required such a remedy. The means taken to bring him back to the path of obedience, to restore his soul, to revive his first love, justify us in our darkest surmises as to the case of Jonah.

so that if we met no more here, we should praise God "Amen, Amen,” he replied. A good woman sat up with him the last night and said, "I think you are very ill, are you happy?" "O yes," he said, looking at her with a smile, "quite, quite happy." "On what are you depending for salvation?" "On Christ, I have faith in Christ, I need not fear." He soon after breathed his last, and is now, I trust, in that kingdom of bliss and happiness where the Lord is his light, and his God is his glory. His death was improved on the following Sabbath week to a large congregation, from Prov. xxvii, 1. His sudden death made a great impreseion upon those around; may God grant that every sinner may see the necessity of being ready, for the

Lord cometh as a thief in the night!

THE CALL TO JONAH.
A Sermon.

BY THE REV. DENIS KELLY, M.A., Minister of Trinity Church, St. Bride's. JONAH V. 6. "What meanest thou, O sleeper? Arise, call upon thy God."

seaman a vehicle for the most appropriate warning which can be addressed to a congregation, whether there are to be found in it the careless and ungodly, the backsliding, or the indolent.

THESE were the words of the shipmaster to Jonah, and they present to us the strange You will at once perceive, my brethren, that anomaly of the reckless seaman upbraiding it is only by way of accommodation I can with impiety the prophet of the Lord. Jonah practically improve this passage of scripture. might at that moment have stood on the Let us then, asking a blessing on the attempt, proudest elevation which a mortal being could proceed to spiritualize the remonstrance before occupy-he might have stood as the ambas-us; and make the language of the terrified sador of the God of heaven, lifting up his warning voice in the midst of the greatest city upon earth; but here we find him fallen so low-sunk into such an abyss of shame and degradation, (alas! when the Saint falls, how deep, how abject is his fall!) fallen so low that the very seamen, the hardy children of the ocean,rebuke his atheistic indifference and insensibility. Each in his hour of need, and amidst the howlings of the tempest, "cried to the god of his country;" but Jonah, the prophet -the legate-the watchman of the Lord, they found asleep! Asleep? What, was it the sleep of the guileless breast-that sleep which "God giveth to his beloved"-to them who repose under the shadow of his wings-the sleep of the believer, knowing that in life or in death he is his? Or was it the sleep of him who was Jonah's great archetype, when he slept amidst the storm and rolling waves on the

I look abroad into the world, I behold thousands rushing onward in the broad way which leadeth to destruction; religion is to them, in so far as practical purposes are concerned, a fable; eternity, judgment, heaven, hell, are sounds without almost ideas attached to them. Take an individual, and let his case stand for hundreds; follow that man, the world's votary, who is living in a state that the bible pronounces a state of wrath, on the very brink of a death which, if it overtake him as he now is, will find him unprepared to meet it. Look at that man, in the midst of these awful realities locked up in fancied security, and not a pang, not a mis

giving, not an apprehension entertained. Or, to take a still more aggravated character, take a case of one whose years must, in the course of nature (as we speak) be few, with brokendown constitution, shattered nerves; nevertheless as eager in the chase of earthly vanities as the youngest, as much intoxicated with the fumes of ambition or the cup of pleasure. Day passes after day, month after month, infirmities grow upon him; the tabernacle is beginning to be taken down; the stakes and the cords and fastenings are loosened; providential dispensations are sent; warnings that one would think might wake the dead-but you will see no change he is careless still, and unthinking as ever. Now, is Jonah the prophet, sleeping in the midst of the storm, while the gulf yawned to receive him, an inappropriate emblem of such a man? O, is it not passing strange how the mind can so forget itself? how that death which is so near can be thus put out of sight; how judgment which is so near can be thus screened off; God, the God of vengeance against the sinner be so forgotten! How is it that man can slide on in a golden dream to eternity? and whether the denunciations of the law, worse than the roar of the angry elements, are thundered in his ear, or the invitations of the gospel, "whispered in strains as sweet as angels speak," each alike ineffectual to awake him out of the spirit of deep sleep. How can the drunkard drink his cup, the sensualist indulge his guilty revels, the covetous hoard his gold, the ambitious climb the guilty steep, while the wailings of those who have finished their guilty career are almost within hearing? Can it be that "the god of this world" can thus blind and befool his vassals, make them to hug their chains and laugh at their woes? Can the fearful sentence be so awfully realized in them, "this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their hearts, and should be converted, and I should heal them.”

And can such an one be surprised that we should address him in the course of our pulpit invitations, in the language of alarm? What meanest thou, O sleeper? art thou not asleep amidst dangers more threatening than those of the fugitive prophet? The storm of divine vengeance ever rages against the sinner. Where shall thy departed spirit go if God should summon it away-and that he may do this night? Talk you of mercy? Is it the mercy and long-suffering which you have abused now-for how many years? Talk you of the compassion and power of Jesus Christ? Is it the Saviour whom

you have lived all your life in the neglect of, to whom you would appeal in judgment? Is there justice with God? Is there truth with him? Is his word unchangeable? Has God denounced woe against the obstinate and impenitent sinner, and shall he not fulfil the threatening? Has he spoken of a time when he may be called upon but he will not answer; when he may be sought, but he shall not be found? Is all this true? If so, then what will become of you, if you sleep on in that carnal slumber by which you now lie oppressed? Shall it not, must it not end in death? What meanest thou, O sleeper? Arise call upon thy God. The step must be taken-the slumber must be shaken off-you must be up and doing-it is a case of life and death-are you prepared to meet your God? If you said it, would not conscience whisper in your ear 'tis false. Arise! call upon your God. Of yourself we know you can do nothing, because your guilt can only be equalled by your weakness. But the Spirit that said to the dry bones in the valley of vision, "O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord," says to those whose spiritual conduct finds but too just a type in them, "awake thou that sleepest!" Thy power is as nought, thy resolutions of amendment are weak as a rope of sand, thy habits of sin are become a second nature. But the Spirit which has quickened thousands, who lay as dead in trespasses and sins as thou, can raise thee from the death of sin to the life of righteousness." The man with the withered hand could not restore it to health. But the Saviour bade him stretch it forth. He made the attempt at his bidding, and in endeavouring to comply he received strength sufficient. Arise and call upon God: and he may send his Spirit of grace and supplication upon thee, and this contrite movement may be the beginning of a day that will never set; the first step in a process which will be carried on throughout eternity. If now, through his grace, you are awakened from your deep sleep to a sense of your imminent peril, it is with the gracious intention of leading you to the sinner's eternal refuge, "the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world," whom to know is life eternal. But if you sleep on till the time of your probation is past (and what security have you for its prolongation?) it will be to rouse you from the intoxicating dreams you now indulge in, to the awful reality of your condition in that world "where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched."

There is another class of persons to whom the warning before us addresses itself with still more pointed application. I speak now of those who once knew the Lord, and who remember the blessedness of knowing him,

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