and poet Aratus, who lived 280 years before the christian era, and who is referred to by the apostle Paul, in his memorable speech on Mars Hill, inasmuch as he, in a poem, recognizes the Divine Being: "In God we live, and move, and have being; as certain also of your poets have said, 'For we are also his offspring,' Acts xvii. 28. How reprehensible, therefore, are we, if we begin and close the different divisions of our time without a proper recognition of the "Cause of all causes." But my design is not merely to solicit attention to so obvious a duty as thanksgiving in general, for it is alike the dictate of nature and the injunction of revelation, but to call upon christians to take a review of recent times, with a particular regard to the uncommon events by which they have been chequered. If we confine our retrospects entirely to our own personal and private experience, we should undoubtedly be furnished with abundant matter for unfeigned praise; and it behoves us never to lose sight of our individual responsibility for the mercies we receive, the privileges we enjoy, and the improvement of every talent entrusted to our

care.

There is a persuasion felt, that many who read this paper will feel disposed to re-echo the confession of Jeremiah and Paul: "The mercies of the Lord have been new every morning and evening, and his faithfulness great: having obtained help of God, we continue unto this day. We have had joyous moments, perhaps, with which a stranger could not intermeddle." For these expressions of Divine goodness, therefore, of a personal nature alone, we have cause to be very grateful, and to "praise the name of the Lord." There is a considerable part of every person's history which none but he and his God are acquainted with; and consequently there is none, except that person, who can so fitly present "the praises of his mouth,” as the prescribed oblation for favours received"from above."

Let us not, however, consider ourselves only as solitary beings, insulated from the rest of the world, but as members of an immense community, appointed to share, one with another, the ills and enjoyments of life: let us remember that we originally sprung from one common stock-the same degenerate ancestors who entailed upon their posterity the guilt of their disobedience, the forfeiture of life, and all its concomitant blessings. Now, that which in some years we have been accustomed to account a common and inconsiderable boon; yea, which we have little thought of, as if we were able to lengthen or shorten our days at pleasure, has been a special favour in more recent times; life has been more precarious than usual; that is, according to human conjecture, apart from the secret determination of the Most High. "There is," unquestionably, "an appointed time to man upon the earth;" but there are

periods, nevertheless, when the connexion of soul and body seems to hang on contingencies more than at other times.

The epidemics, called the cholera and the influenza, have made inroads in every direction. Like the angel of the Lord, they have passed through the length and breadth of our land-of our world; but we have not been smitten with a death wound; ought we not then to call upon our souls to bless the name of the Lord? When danger threatened us, we flocked to his temples to deprecate the wrath of the Almighty; and now that the storm is overpassed, shall we forget the arm that shielded us?

In the records of our Saviour's life, the evangelist Luke gives us an interesting account (chap. xvii.) of ten lepers whom He healed as he passed through Galilee and Samaria towards Jerusalem. This historical account affords a striking illustration of the conduct of multitudes of professed christians at the present day. The Lord has screened many, and cured many; but out of the thousands thus favoured by the Great Physician, how few have returned to give Him thanks" with a loud voice!" the proportion is probably less than one to ten. From various sources of information, we learn that some societies, some places, some individuals testified their gratitude for Divine interference. We even acknowledge that one Sabbath-as the most convenient day, not trespassing on business time-was appointed as a day of thanksgiving for national mercy! but still may it not be reproachfully asked, "Where are the ten thousands ?" Except these two or three, none have returned to my sanctuary to present their thank-offerings. Reader! Have you devoutly erected an Ebenezer? The influenza has succeeded the cholera; and that, unless rightly considered, may be followed by another plague. Let us therefore, now, while it is called to-day, seek the Lord, praise him for past mercies, and show our sense of dependance on him by repentance and reformation-not in our own strength, but looking unto Jesus, and imploring the influences of God the Holy Spirit. R. W. H.

A DYING CRIMINAL,

ON the preceding Monday, April 26, 17—, I attended the execution of three men, at Warwick; one was a coiner, the other two were housebreakers. One circumstance affected me very deeply. All the three were on ladders, then the mode of execution, with the ropes about their necks, about to be turned off, when the coiner, endeavouring to fortify his mind in this awful situation, uttered words to this purpose, which I distinctly heard, being at a short distance: "I never killed any body, I never hurt any

"I

body; I hope the Lord will have mercy upon me." This poor creature seemed to die exactly in the spirit of the Pharisee, thank God I am not as other men are, or as this publican;" for I thought he alluded to the two thieves suffering with him, who had robbed the Bull inn, I think, in Birmingham. I was so deeply affected, that I could scarcely refrain from crying out to the man, "Do not trust to your own righteousness, look to Christ." It has often occured to me, as one of the most glaring instances of a self-righteous spirit that I ever knew.

MISCELLANIES.

ADVERSITY interposes to prevent our passing on from lesser sins to greater; and sometimes to secure us against listening at all to the seductions of the way of death.

The scriptures distinctly teach, that death is a part of the curse which sin has brought upon us; and that this curse must prove overwhelming, both here and hereafter, unless means be discovered, foreign from ourselves, that may lead to the remission of our

sins.

Of that narrow way in which the christian soldier is maintaining his warfare, we have to affirm, that, in addition to its being the only way that can possibly lead to the true ends of human existence, it is the only one in which there is the certainty of success. VAUGHAN.

HUNTING.

A MINISTER was travelling on the top of a coach, when a young gentleman got upon the same seat, who was not long there before he began descanting on the pleasures of hunting. Among the pleasures mentioned, one which very much astonished all his fellow passengers, was, sometimes jumping on horseback into ponds, at other times being thrown into a quagmire, up to the chin in water. "And," exclaimed the minister, unable to contain himself, "is this the way to happiness? Do you call this pleasure? if you do, I pity you; for I feel grateful I have discovered another way to happiness and bliss than the one you have mentioned." The young sportsman expressed a wish to know a better way, and begged he would show him. "I have," answered the minister, "a map in my pocket which will describe the way, and the only way to true bliss." Having raised his curiosity, and the passengers appearing as anxious as this pleasure-loving youth, he brought out a small pocket Testament, and, pointing to these words, "I am the way, the truth, and the life," and put this invaluable book into his hands. He read it, but said nothing. Just at this moment the coach stopped to change horses, and the youth made the best of his way to another part of the coach, as he was unwilling to continue this conversation.

SERIOUS REFLECTIONS, ON THE FRAILTY AND BREVITY OF HUMAN LIFE.

Founded chiefly on some parts of the 90th psalm.

HOW frail is our life! how uncertain and vain!
So fitly compar'd to the grass and the flower;
Which spring up and flourish,—then wither again,
Exposed to destruction each day and each hour.
Like them, we may flourish thro' life's fleeting day,
But, alas! that short season will quickly be o'er;
Then death's rapid torrent shall sweep us away,

And the place that now knows us shall know us no more.

Diseases and dangers encompass us here,

And nothing from death can security give: The young and the healthy have reason to fear, No less than the oldest or weakest that live.

Our life on so brittle a thread does depend,

That we never can reckon one moment our own;
And though, before long, we are sure it must end,
The time and the manner are wholly unknown.
The years of man's life are but three-score-and-ten;
How few of us even to that age attain!

And those who exceed it, find all their strength, then,
Is nothing but labour, and sorrow, and pain.

Our time is but short, if we live to be old:
Compar'd with eternity,-what does it seem?
We spend all our years as a tale that is told,
And when we look back, it appears like a dream.

So fleeting is time, its duration so short;

Yet all its importance, what words can disclose!
For time is allowed us,-O soul rousing thought!-
That we may for the day of decision prepare.

And shall we continue so thoughtlessly gay,
Regardless of danger, refusing to think;
Unmindful that time is fast flying away,
And trifling on awful Eternity's brink?

Forbid it, O Lord, since life is so short,

Henceforth may we make it our daily concern,
This time of probation to spend as we ought;
Because, when once gone, it will never return.

So teach us, we pray thee, to number our days,
That we unto wisdom our hearts may apply;
Thus live, while we live, to thy glory and praise,
And die in thy favour, whenever we die.

J. B.

Extracts of Correspondence.

FOREIGN-EAST INDIES.

From the Rev. W. Howell, of Cuddapah.

IT is pleasing to witness the heathen visiting the mission every day, to be supplied with tracts, from their having seen them with others in their villages. These tracts are evidently read, and are the subject of conversation among them; and some have observed to me, that idolatry must fall as knowledge spreads over the country. The farmer and weaver, brought to your notice last year, as having renounced idolatry by the reading of your tracts, are, I am glad to say, steadily maintaining their character. The weaver lately visited me, with the intention of inviting me to his village. On conversing with him, he gave me a pretty correct account of his knowledge of salvation through Jesus Christ, which he has acquired from the tracts in his possession. They have lately erected a cottage, in which they meet with others of the village, for the purpose of reading these tracts. "The History of Joseph" very much admired among them, and they have expressed a wish to see the concluding part of it.

From Ceylon.

THIS month, June, 1832, we had the first public meeting of our Tract Society. It was held in the Wolfendhal Dutch church. Mr. Justice Rough took the chair, and his kindness and liberality made a most pleasing impression on all our minds. At the commencement of the meeting, the society was deeply indebted to the Church and Mission presses, for printing tracts. But, before the congregation left the place, a number of subscriptions and donations were promised, nearly sufficient to recover us from our embarrassments. More tracts have been

printed and circulated within about the last twelve months than has taken place since the commencement of the society. While this is a pleasing fact, it has brought us into some little difficulty. But, since God has appeared for us, we derive encouragement to persevere in our labours to advance his glory.

HOPE you will pardon the liberty I take, in again soliciting your valuable society for another donation of tracts. I have only to plead as an apology, that the last sent are widely and extensively circulated. Many of them have been distributed on Gosport Beach, and on the Common Hard, Portsea, where the gospel is preached, in the open air, to hundreds of fishermen, watermen, porters, and barrowmen, every Tuesday and Friday evenings. Not a few have been distributed on board the colliers and merchant ships in the harbour, and also on board the ships of war. The guard-houses I have constantly visited;