the opposition and controversy in the world cannot alter facts, nor prevent the facts being manifest at last. He can be calm, because he is a witness for the Truth. In the same way, but in a sense far deeper and more sacred, the Son of Man stood calm, rooted in the Truth. There was none of the egotism of self-conscious veracity in those placid, confi lent, dignified replies. This was not the feeling,-"I hold the truth," but "I am a witness to the truth." They might spit upon Him-kill Him-crucify Him-give his ashes to the winds:-they could not alter the Truth by which He stood. Was not that his own feeling?"Heaven and earth shall pass away, but iny words shall not pass away." (To be continued.) If we have no communion with God here, surely we can expect none hereafter. A faith that does not place our conversation in heaven, -that does not warm the heart and purify also,--that does not, in short, govern our thoughts, words and deeds,-is no faith; nor will it obtain for us any spiritual blessing here or hereafter. Couper. to the Lord, who first loved, and quickened, and had mercy upon us; He will never leave nor forsake us; but will perfect all that which concerns us and he will enable us to hold out to the end, in faith, patience, and well-doing. I have had for a long season a strong persua sion, that our dear Lord has a precious people in your country; and though many may be the impediments and snares and discouragements, how do I long that there, and in every place, a pure offering" may be rendered, with as little of creaturely policy or worldly wisdom intermixed as may be. But as to the chief occasion of thy letter, I am able to give thee scarcely any information as to the Jaffray family, beyond what my book with its notes sets forth. I have from circum stances, and perhaps by Providential ordering, got into a channel which I often indulge in, to search out primitive zeal,-primitive faithfu!itness unto death,—the path of the just, of whom the world was not worthy. I do not love old things because they are old, but because they are often more intrinsic, less superficial. I delight to restore the ancient waymarks, the foundations of many generations, to hold up SELECTIONS FROM THE WRITINGS OF JOHN the scattered and obsolete testimonies to au I cient purity under every name: many of which Dear Friend, Thy letter of the 13th seems, in conjunction with my own feelings in reading it, to encourage me to salute thee in Christian freedom. It was animating in this wilderness to read such lines from one unknown, trusting that we have but one object in view, and are endeavoring to be found running the same race; though occupying possibly very different posts, according to what has seemed to be committed to each, respecting the things of the blessed gospel, and spiritual kingdom of our Lord and Whether we ever meet or write again, or Saviour. Ah! my dear friend, thou knowest are as epistles in one another's hearts in certain not what a poor thing thy correspondent is every respects and to a certain extent, may we, way, enfeebled in powers and constitution," whereto we have already attained, walk by though but forty years old,--a cripple on the same rule, and mind the same thing," and crutches these three or four years, by a disease follow the things that make for peace; and if of the knee joint, and still longer disabled by anything be further needful, I believe God. the same disorder, at times threatening ampu- will reveal even this to us, supplying all our tation, and always bearing about a most delicate needs by Jesus Christ; who is with his faithful shattered frame in other respects. O! may I followers, delighting to reveal unto them the not say in every sense, "By Thee have I been abundance of peace and truth, but in his own upholden from my birth."-" My times are in way and time, as we bow to his yoke and deny Thy hand!"-therefore while I live will I ourselves. praise the Lord, and by his help keep my heart and order my conversation; and all my bones shall say, who is like unto thee, who hast abundantly, and art yet restoring, renewing, and redeeming my life, my best life, from destruc tion. Ah! if we do but hold fast the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end, cleaving I remain sincerely thy friend, To Peter Bedford. J. B. STOKE NEWINGTON, 10th of Fourth Month, 1838. My dear Friend-I am on the eve of leaving home for Brighton, if able; for I am very poorly, "feeble, and sore broken" outwardly; though I trust alive in my spirits as ever, and 1 resigned to all that may be in store for me. The enclosed packet came to my hand; so I take this opportunity of conveying my dear love to thee, in that which changeth not-the everlasting Truth. Though unable to mingle with my friends in person, when they come together for the sake of this blessed cause, to endeavor to strengthen one another's hands in God, and to build up one another in that holy faith once and still delivered to the saints,-my poor mind is as deeply, and as strongly concerned as ever, that every part and parcel thereof, with all its genuine accompaniments and fruits in practice, may be maintained inviolate; and that nothing may be foreborne, or let fall, or slighted through our degeneracy and dimsightedness of that which our worthy ancients upheld through suffering. What has our refinement, religious or civil, done for us?—and what has an approach or a condescending affinity thereto done for us? -weakness has inevitably followed, and even the strongest and the wisest have been utterly laid waste. Some are not sufficiently warned and humbled by these things; and if they are, they should openly acknowledge their error, and forsake the very appearance of this track. I am cheerfully confident, that if those, to whom we somewhat look, as watchers, as seers, as standard-bearers, as counsellors, are removed, (and they are removing,) to their rest, or, if any of these that remain, should not keep their habitations firm and undeviating, but turn aside in any respect from the ancient testimony, that he who raised up such a people as we were at the first, will never cease to raise up others, and put forth some into the foreground -into the very seats of the unfaithful. I have seen it wonderfully in my short day,-I have read it of those that have gone before and therefore, let none ever throw away their shield, and weakly compromise the trust devolving on them. Farewell, my beloved friend; may the preserve us purely to his praise. and rapid inroads upon his delicate constitution. Our beloved friend, Daniel P. Hack, of that place, who evinced to the last the kindest and most tender solicitude and care respecting him, thus wrote at a subsequent period concerning him : "When our beloved friend came to Brighton, it was evident to his friends who had not seen him for a considerable time, that his general health was much impaired; and it soon became so much so, as to excite apprehensions in their minds, that the life and labors of this devoted servant were fast drawing to a close. His mind, however, still retained its vigor; and the precious savor which was to be felt in his company was instructive snd sweet, to those who had the privilege of sharing in it. His concern for the cause of his dear Lord and Master, which had so long showed itself in fruits of self denying dedication, continued unabated. It was evident to those who had the most frequent opportunity of observing, under the pressure of rapidly increasing bodily ailments, that the object nearest to our dear friend's heart was the spread of the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ:-even of that kingdom, which is not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost,-and which stands not in word, but in power.”—(1839) He continued to decline, and very rapidly so during the latter part of his stay at Brighton; and on the eighth of the Fifth Month, at his own urgent request, and with the approval of his physician, he was removed to Tunbridge Wells; where he survived but three days. The day after his arrival, in the course of some conversation with his kind friend, D. P. Hack, it was evident that he believed his day's work was nearly accomplished; and in the evening, on retiring to rest, his wife alone being with him, under a precious sense of the overshadowing of the Divine presence, he supplicated thus: LordO gracious Father! if it please Thee, spare us to each other a little longer, and make us more entirely devoted to Thee, and to thy precious. cause of Truth in the earth: nevertheless not our will, O Lord! but thine be done.' With love from thy affectionate friend, J. B. He left home on the 11th of Fourth Month, reached Brighton without much difficulty, and seemed revived by the change. Soon after his arrival, he consulted a physician, who gave a somewhat encouraging opinion of his state, thinking that with the returning spring his bodily strength would increase. During his residence at Brighton, he occasionally appeared to rally; and at times seemed so animated and cheerful about himself, that bis near relatives, long accustomed to the sight of his crippled condition, were little prepared to suspect that deceptive disease, consumption, (as it afterwards appeared,) was making its sure He continued to sink, but apparently without much bodily suffering. On the 10th, be repeated these passages,-"I am the light of the world;"-"That was the true light, that lighteth every man that cometh into the world;" and then remarked,' It does not say that we shall all at once know all things, but as we can bear. O! it is because they want to know all at once, not as children learn, that the light is taken away !'-And again,They say there is no revelation ;-but that which is made manifest to us as our duty, as the Lord's will, is revelation:-This is my belief,-I am sure of it.' -They slight revelation; but it shall prevail; again, and gently drew his breath, shorter and and the Spirit of the Lord shall reign over all;' shorter, till he quietly and peacefully breathed -(often repeated, with) the Truth shall pre-his last, about four o'clock in the afternoon of vail, the Truth shall reign over all.'--' None that trust in the Lord shall be confounded; but they shall be as Mount Zion, which can never be moved, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it-Praise, where it is due, and thanksgiving and melody!' At another time he said, 'You all know my desire to be preserved near the Lord,-to be strengthened and upheld by the Lord,-to be found in Him;-this is the way of peace. Again he said," Simple texts of Scripture contain a great deal: Walk before me and be thou perfect;'-beautiful language! Such texts involve much,-comprehend the whole of a religious walk,-the whole of what we are in the habit of referring to in a religious life. We must be faithful to what is made known,-to the smallest discoveries of the light of Truth. I trust we shall be animated and strengthened to go through our day's work; then we shall find mercy at the hands of the Lord. Let us then look to the Lord for strength at all times, and under all circumstances. The Lord will be your Lord, and a sure refuge and hidingplace. Cleave unto the Lord. O! cleave unto Him; love Him with all your heart" To his sister, who was seated beside his couch, he remarked, 'The quiet habitation! dear Lydia, thou looks as if thou loved the quiet habitation: O! how desirable!' with an allusion also to faithfulness and greater dedication. His difficulty of articulation was great :-he often spoke of the great thickness he felt upon him, that he could not express himself clearly: and once he was heard to say, This shackled state!' and 'ready to be offered!' The latter part of this day his voice was lifted up in a constant melody, and for many hours together, like a song of praise; during which these words were clearly distinguished, and of ten repeated; 'O Lord! dear Lord! come;' -I bless the Lord.'-' I am the Lord's forever.' The name of Jesus' was often to be heard; and the word 'Hallelujah!' was for a long time uttered. He many times said, 'Let us all be still and quiet. Let us be retired in our minds.' And again, after some little attention to his comfort, Now, shall we have the Lord with us? if not, we shall have Him by and bye;'-and again sunk into the same sweet melody. the 11th of Fifth Month, 1838; and we reverently believe, is, through redeeming love and mercy, entered into the everlasting joy of his Lord. "When we visit the abodes of poverty, of sickness and of suffering, and behold the want of nearly all these things which we esteem the comforts of life, and then in a few moments enter the dwellings of the affluent, where not only needful but many needless things are richly spread before us, it sometimes brings home to one's thoughts the deeply instructive words, 'Let your moderation be known unto all men.'" THE CHRISTIAN LAW OF RECREATION. The subject of amusements and pleasures is one that is perplexing to many Christian minds. We do not allude to those who go to either of the extremes of making pleasure the chief end of life, or of altogether avoiding it as sinful. No sound and honest mind is likely, in its aims, to go so widely from the mark. But as to the kind and amount of pleasure in which it is proper for a Christian to indulge, and to encourage others, particularly the young, to indulge, good men are often seriously in doubt. It must be confessed that we cannot make out a complete list of those pleasures which On Sixth-day, about an hour before his de- เ We are created for the service and glory of God, and for the enjoyment of Him and of His. heavenly kingdom; also for such service of other beings and such enjoyment of other things as are consistent with these. Now in contem plating any recreation or pleasure, our first duty | whole matter may be summed up in a word; is to inquire whether it will lead us to God and enjoy any pleasure in which Christ can be enHis service, or from both; and if that is notjoyed, or in consequence of which you can clear, if it seem to stand in the relation of in-serve him better.- Watchman and Reflector. difference, then to inquire whether it will prepare us in mind or body for the service of God and humanity. Nothing ought to wound an upright soul so much as falseness. But as God has not established us as correctors of the human race, and as charity ought to cover a multitude of sins, I should abstain from speaking of those of others. Because, if God had given them the grace that he has granted us, they might have been far better than we. COVENANT OF SALT. "It is a covenant of salt for ever before the Lord unto thee and to thy seed with thee."-NUMB. Xviii. 19. fidelity and friendship; hence, during the British war in India, there were bitter complaints that those who had eaten English salt had rebelled against English authority. Tamerlane, speaking of a traitor who had gone over to the enemy, but who afterwards returned to loyalty and obedience, says, "My salt, which he had eaten, filled him with remorse, till at length he fled from his new master, and threw himself on my mercy." We have a complex nature-- moral, esthetic, intellectual and physical, all created for the same end. These rank in the order here stated. The lower ought always to be subservient to the higher. This is the Divine order. We may in certain circumstances sacrifice the body for the sake of the soul, but never the soul for the sake of the body. When it is possible, all these should be kept in the most perfect state, the highest, (the moral nature.) for its own sake, or rather for its being the direct organ for embracing God, the others for their being In order to give a pledge of the inviolability subordinate parts of the mental economy, and of their engagements, the Orientals have, from instruments for the use and benefit of the first. time immemorial, been in the habit of eating The devout spirit is greatly increased in power salt together. Some think that, as with all when it is supported and aided by a strong in- sacrifices salt was offered, a covenant of salt tellect. Therefore, it is our duty to cultivate, means one confirmed by solemn sacrifice. Othas far as we may, the intellect, in order to en-ers are of opinion that it contains an allusion to large the sphere of our Christian influence. the fact that covenants were generally confirmed But we have no moral right to sacrifice our by the parties eating together, salt being a moral interests to intellectual greatness. For necessary appendage. This act of eating anotha similar reason, it is right for a good and en-er's salt has always been regarded as a token of lightened man to strengthen and preserve his physical constitution. But he should not do this to the detriment of his intellect or heart The body is to be the servant of the mind; the animal life the mere physical support of the spiritual. The mind needs recreation. It is a bow that is about to be unbent as well as bent. Recreation is often better than rest. It gives the mind more elasticity and animation, and does not interfere with rest. If it also improve the moral state, so much the better. If it have no such sensible effect, but leaves that state as it was, it may still be useful in reinvigorating the natural powers, and so contribute in the end to greater usefulness. But suppose the recreation be such as to weaken the religious affections, as to tend to worldliness; or that it tend to withdraw the mind from higher contemplations, to check the development of its energies, to stupefy it and blunt its sensibilities; its unlawfulness then becomes so plain that no earnest and sincere mind can be kept in doubt about it. We may always, if we will, apply some such test as the following: "Can I, on the whole, serve God and my fellow-men better and more effectually in consequence of taking this or that recreation?" "Will the machinery of my whole nature be thereby put in better working order for the duties of the Christian life?" If a clear and decisive answer can be given in the affirmative, we may be sure that the recreation is right and lawful; if it cannot, then it is unchristian to indulge in it. The D'Herbelat mentions the following incident of Jacob-ben-Laith, the founder of a dynasty of Persian princes, who is said to have broken into the palace of that country, and, having collected a very large booty, which he was on the point of carrying off, he found his foot kicked something, which made him stumble. He imagined it might be something of value, and, putting to his mouth, the better to distinguish what it was, soon found it was a lump of salt. Upon this he was so touched that he left all his booty, and retired without taking any part of it with him. Great was the surprise in the palace, and strict the inquiry made on the following morning, when it was found that Jacob was the guilty man. On examination he stated the whole circumstances to the prince with such apparent sincerity as to gain his favor. Having been engaged in many successful enterprises, he was raised by the prince to the highest position in the army-and on the death of his sovereign, became the absolute master of the province, from whence he afterwards spread his conquests far and wide. His regard to salt, and the principles it symbolized, laid the foun dation of his greatness.-Moravian. What comfort mayest thou have in prayer when thou canst say, "Our Father," in full assurance. What sweet thoughts wilt thou have of God. How sweet will be the promises, when thou art sure they are thine own. How lively will it make thee in the work of the Lord, and how profitable to all around thee. What vigor will it infuse into all thy graces and affections. All these sweet effects of assurance would make thy life a heaven upon earth.—Baxter. GREAT FROM LITTLE. Did a holy life consist of one or two noble deeds-some signal specimens of doing or enduring of suffering-we might account for the failure, and reckon it small dishonor to turo elm, but the bright sward which clothes its It is not in speaking of God that we can express what we feel concerning God, for this is injurious to us. Trust me, in order to speak of God, you must rest silent concerning him a long time. God wishes a silence over all that He works in us; and if we would manifest his work in us, it must be by our behaviour, gentle, humble, submissive, yet cordial and gay. NIGHT AND SLEEP. His We look on a good man's sleep, and there is back in such a conflict. But a holy life is nothing so beautiful. It is Luther who has worn out his powers in some great fight for made up of a multitude of small things. It is God; or it is Washington half deserted by his the little things of the hour, and not the great things of the age, that fill up a life like that of country when bearing its burdens, and now, Paul and John, like that of Rutherford, or forgetting all, he has fallen back into God's Brainerd, or Martin. Little words, not eloquent caring, and receiving back, from God's gentle arms, to forget also himself. There he lies unspeeches or sermons; little deeds, not miracles, fomentations, the powers that shall furnish annor battles, nor great or mighty martyrdom, other great to-morrow. Standing at the open make up the true Christian life. The little door of his chamber, and looking on his deep, constant sunbeam, not the lightning; the wat-still sleep, it is as if the eternal, ever faithful ers of Siloah," that go softly" in their meek Goodness had him now to himself! And yet mission of refreshment, not "the waters of the more touching and closer to the tenderness of river great and mighty," rushing down in torreut noise and force, are the true symbols of a drunk the cup of guilty pleasure dry, inercy is the very bad man's sleep. He has holy life. The avoidance of little evils, little tongue is weary of blasphemy. His deed of sins, little inconsistencies, little weaknesses, crime, perhaps of blood, is done, and the chaplittle follies, little indiscretions and imprudences, ter of his day is ended. Having spent the little foibles, little indulgences of self and of the flesh, little acts of indolence, or indecision, is throne, he goes remorsefully to his bed, power God gave him for good, in a violation of or slovenliness, or cowardice, little equivocations and there forgets even his remorse. But God or aberrations from high integrity, little touches does not forget him, or toss him out of the of shabbiness and meanness, little bits of covworld, but he rests encircled by the goodness etousness and penuriousness, little exhibitions of worldliness and gayety, little indifference to for to-morrow. Probably he will do just what of God, nourished by his patience, to be refitted the feelings or wishes of others, little outbreaks he has done before, but he shall have his opof temper and crossness or selfishness or vanity; portunity of good though many times forfeited; the avoidance of such little things as these go for it is a great part of God's purpose in sleep far to make up at least the negative beauty of to renew abused powers, else how many would a holy life. look on a world buried in sleep, a guilty, unnever sleep again. Therefore, who of us can grateful world, broadly sunk in evil, and do it without some deeply affecting, overwhelming sense of the goodness of God?"-Dr. Bushnell in Hours at Home. And then attention to the little duties of the day and hour, in public transactions or private dealings, or family arrangements; to the little words and tones; little benevolences, or forbearances, or tenderness; little self-denials, and self restraints, and self-forgetfulness; little plans of quict kindness and thoughtful consideration for others; to punctuality, and method, and true aim in the ordering of each daythese are the active developments of a holy life, the rich and divine mosaics of which it is composed. What makes yon green hill so beautiful? Not the outstanding peak or stately PSALM ciii. 13-18: Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust. As for man, his days are as grass, as a flower of the field so he flourisheth, for the wind passeth over it and it is gone, and the place thereof shall know it no |
