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The necessary things of the present life, the provisions and garments of man, the light of the glorious sun, and the powers of the understanding and thought, God sheds indifferently upon the evil and the good. He feeds the lion and the lamb, and sends down his bounty on the just and the unjust. But to those only who ask will spiritual blessings be communicated. To those only who knock, and who knock in the accepted time, will the Spirit open the everlasting gates of the Gospel. We are called upon, therefore, we are above all things called upon, to be fervent and importunate with God, in our supplications for this heavenly gift. Our prayers cannot be too fervent, cannot be too importunate. God will assuredly forsake us whenever he shall see that we have finally forsaken Him; and whenever he may think fit to leave us to our own weakness and wickedness, we shall become the slaves of passion, and the enemies of all true reason, and the despisers of the Gospel; outcasts from heaven's mercy, and lost, utterly and deservedly lost, for ever.-Benson.

EXTRACTS FROM THE PUBLIC NEWSPAPERS.

A few weeks ago, a fire broke out at the King's Palace, Carlton House, which caused considerable alarm. His Majesty was obliged to remove to a remote part of the building. Sir William Knighton was one of the first on the spot, and took an active part in endeavouring with the servants, to extinguish the fire whilst in its infaney. Messengers were instantly dispatched for the engines, and shortly those of St. James's parish arrived at the Palace, and the pipes were conveyed into the inside of the house: a plentiful supply of water was obtained and the engines were speedily at work, and after considerable exertions the fire was stopped: but much damage was done. The ceiling of the room was destroyed, and several very valuable pictures were consumed. His Majesty seemed much concerned at the loss of the pictures, as they had been highly esteemed by the late venerable King. The fire is supposed to have originated in the following manner:-From the ceiling of the room, a large handsome lamp was suspended, which at the time was covered with Holland to keep it from the dust. Just under this lamp there

was a small table, and the flame of the lighted candles on this table caught the Holland bag, and caused the calamity. St. James's Chronicle.

Distilled Sea-water.-It is well known to many of our readers that, in long voyages, sailors are often exposed to severe suffering for want of fresh water. It is possible to distil sea-water, and thus to separate the water from the salt, but still something of a salt taste is apt to remain. The following extract is taken from a London Paper:

"The distillation of palatable and fresh water at sea, has been effected by P. Nicole, of Dieppe, by simply causing the steam arising from boiling sea-water in a still, to pass through a stratum of coarsely-powdered charcoal, in its way to the condenser or worm tub."

The process of distilling is easily understood. When water is made hot, part of it goes off in steam, this is the lightest part, and therefore rises first; so that, if salt water be distilled, the water rises in steam, and leaves the salt behind. Then, if this steam be again made cold, it will become water again, and this coldness is produced by letting the steam pass through a twisted tube, called a worm, which is in a tub of cold water. This tub is called the condenser, or worm tub.

Plated Candles. Every body knows what are plated candlesticks, but every body does not know what plated candles are, although they are as common as plated candlesticks; they are manufactured as follows. The maker dips the cotton and the incipient candles from time to time, until they are nearly finished, in tallow of very inferior description; and when they have almost attained their required thickness, he dips them in fine tallow, to give them a finishing coat. When burning, you will find the inside consume faster than the outside, the melted grease round the cotton resembling oil in a tallow lamp. These candles are usually sold to oil and chandlers' shops, who retail them a penny cheaper than the proper candles. Plated candles are dear at almost any price; you may discover them by their smell.-The Economist.

Thomas Smith, aged 23, a Kentish Town stage coachman,' was lately killed in a pitched battle with a person of the name of Henry Bastie.-This is a dreadful way of going out of the world! We heartily wish that a warning like this might be a check to this practice of fighting, which is now so disgracefully common, and is encouraged by the presence of many persons who we might well have supposed would have known better. London Paper.

Mr. Robert Briggs, of Bank-house, in the parish of Gosforth, has a goose which, during the season, laid forty-five eggs; and out of seventeen eggs with which she was set, she brought sixteen fine goslings. The remaining eggs wereput under different hens and ducks, and each brought forth her

share. The goslings were placed under the protection of the mother goose, and she has now under her care, not less than thirty-nine of the young brood. One of the hens which was set with four goose eggs, at the end of the month brought forth four goslings, which were taken from her, and four fresh eggs again put under her, and at the end of another month she brought forth four more, which she is now nursing with all the tenderness of a real mother.-Kendal Chronicle.

The Society formed for the prosecution of Cruelty to Animals, having voted their thanks to Mr. Martin, for his bene. volent exertions in the cause of humanity, that Gentleman has returned the following reply:

Gentlemen, I hold in the highest respect the honour which you have done me. To have contributed to the protection of the brute creation from unmerited suffering, is a reflection which can never fail to gratify the most cherished feelings of my nature. But the best effects of legislation are not attained by the mere prevention of the prohibited offence. A still higher and nobler object is gained, when the prohibitory law gives a new and improved tone to the public feeling. That my feeble efforts in the cause of humanity should have, in any degree, promoted, in your judgment, such an effect, affords me a delight most congenial to my heart.

I have the honour to be,

July 10.

Gentlemen,

Your obliged and devoted humble Servont, RICHARD MARTIN. Death from Passion.-On Thursday, the wife of Mr. Woodrow, shoemaker, of Skrine's-place, Walcot, Somerset, having quarrelled with some of her neighbours about her children, allowed her passion to become so excited, that she died from the effect of it in a very short time.

Upwards of 3540 children are educated by the different charities connected with the Established Church in Liverpool.-Liverpool Mercury.

NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS.

We have received the communication of Veritas; L.; A Constant Reader; E. W. B. ; G. K. B. ; and Cento.

We are much obliged to G. R. B. for his book, which has just arrived.

We are sorry that we could not adopt the suggestion of A Devonshire Curate, in printing the "Village Conversation on Confirmation," as a separate tract. It is, however, now published in a little book called "Village Conversations on the offices of the Church Baptism; the Catechism of Confir→ mation; Marriage; Visitation of the Sick; Burial Service; and Churching of Women."

THE

Cottager's Monthly Visitor.

SEPTEMBER, 1824.

A VILLAGE CONVERSATION ON THE MARRIAGE

SERVICE.

(From "Village Conversations on the Offices of the Church.”)

William. Do you know what the bells are ringing for this morning, Thomas? You seem to be coming from the church, so perhaps you can tell me.

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Thomas. O yes; why don't you know that Richard Simpson is married to Ann Deck ?

W. O, they are married, are they? I heard them asked out last Sunday, but I did not know when they were to be married. Well, I think they are two as steady young people as any in the parish; and I hope they will be happy.

T. I hope so too; and there seems every prospect of it. I have known Richard for several years, and he is what I call a truly well-disposed youth. He has always been regular at Church; and he seemed to take a delight in learning what was good, and in living according to it; and I think that he has chosen a wife of pretty much the same way of thinking as himself:-they both of them seem to be industrious and considerate young people; and, as far as we can judge,. I think they are both impressed with the importance of religion, and that they really both of them wish to be partakers of its blessings, and to be guided by its rules. I have had a good deal of conversation with Richard lately, NO. 45.-VOL. IV.

and he very much wished that I should attend him to Church at his wedding; and, you know, his bride is a sort of relation of mine, and I have known her for some time;-and she was glad that I should give her away.

W. O, now I understand why you should be coming from the Church.

T. Yes, I was willing to go with them, as they both wished it. And I can assure you, that I never saw a wedding better conducted in my life,-every thing was so decent and becoming: there was, in both the bride and the bridegroom, a sort of religious reverence which we do not often see on such occasions.

W. But, it is what there ought always to be, on such occasions, Thomas.

T. To be sure. The Church service tells us, that" Matrimony is an honourable estate, instituted of God," that "it is not to be taken in hand unadvisedly, lightly, or wantonly,"-but "reverently, discreetly, advisedly, and in the fear of God." Now, when we are thus reminded of the sacred nature of this engagement, and when we are going to make a solemn vow which is to be binding upon us all our lives; and when this is done, too, in the house of God,-and when we thus, with particular solemnity, call upon Him to be a witness of the sacredness of our engagement, it must shew a very wrong state of mind indeed, to be careless and trifling at such a time.

W. It must indeed. But, how often do we see people go to attend a wedding as if it were a merrymaking, and an opportunity of shewing off their fine clothes. One would not wish to see people with a sad and melancholy look on such an occasion; but there is a difference between being melancholy, and being properly thoughtful. Sometimes I have seen the bride and groom themselves behaving in a very careless and unbecoming

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