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widow had put on mourning, and not a fingle perfon in the harbour believed the veffel fafe, or one of the crew alive, except Mr. Jones, who never ceafed his earnest interceffion ata throne of grace for him. One Sunday morning I took the liberty to afk him if he did not think it improper, if not prefumptuous, to pray for a man who, in all probability, was fafe in glory?"He'll get there foon," replied he "I make no doubt; but I cannot believe he is there yet." That forenoon, in his concluding prayer, he renewed with great fervour the ufual request for his Christian brother; and just as the congregation were coming out of the Meeting, which ftands on the brow of the hill, the veffel was efpied entering the harbour, known by the fignal the made. The joy expreffed by the pious paftor and his flock at this happy fight, can be better conceived than expreffed. When we had learned that all were safe on board, and were come into the houfe, Mr. Jones faid to me, Did not I tell you he was alive? I knew it by a fure token that never once deceived me; my foul was fo drawn out in prayer, and enjoyed fuch unufual liberty while addreffing a throne of grace in his be half, that it was impoffible for me to cease praying."

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The veffel it seems was difmafted in the ftorm, and drove into an unfrequented river in Nova Scotia, where they were long detained for want of proper hands to make a new maft; and having no communication of any kind with Halifax, they had no poffible means of informing their friends of their diftreffed fituation.

NAUTICUS.

او

ON PUBLIC DINNERS.

To the Editor of the Evangelical Magazine.

SIR,

Confident that the following Query is at leaft seasonable, I beg leave, through the medium of your Magazine, to invite an impartial difcuffion of it. With fentiments of refpect, I remain, yours,

Bonner's Hall,

Dec. 11th, 1800.

MINIMUS.

ARE and if one what RE Chriftians juftifiable, and if fo, on what grounds, in dining expensively in public, while the labouring

poor are groaning under comparative famine?

ANSWER TO THE FOREGOING QUERY.

SIR,

your

N reply to the seasonable query of your correfpondent Minimus, I fubmit to your attention the following remarks intended to juftify a decided negative. That the labouring poor are literally "groaning under comparative famine," will be admitted by all unprejudiced perfons; and can be only denied by thofe whofe "tender mercies are cruel." Nor will the liberal reft without devifing liberal things for their relief. With pleasure I avail myself in this connexion, of your fupplementary note to a paper laft Magazine, entitled, "The Economy of Charity," (an admirable paper) in which you mention Public Dinners among the items, which might have been added to the propofed favings of your correfpondent. Of the principle and extent of that charity, which is expreffed merely by the furly gift of an occafional guinea, given rather to fave appearances, than to impart the fympathetic aid of rational benevolence, I have indeed a very low opinion. If my conception. of Christian charity particularly, be not flrangely erroneous

it confifts chiefly in "forrowing with thofe who forrow," and "bearing one another's burthen." The neceflity of abridging as it refpects fuperfluities, with reference to our domestic eftablishments, is pretty well underflood. Upon what principle economy at home and profufion abroad can be reconciled, I am at a lofs to apprehend. Am I to be told, that, charity upon an extenfive fcale, is the object of all public dinners frequented by Chriftians; and that they are neceffary as means to the accomplishment of that end? Perifh then the object, whofe only attraction is conviviality, whofe fupport itself defeats the end it means to serve. Adverting to the expences incidental upon public dinners, who can for a moment hesitate to say with the difciples, influenced by a better motive indeed, "might not this have "been given to the poor?" This profufion not of grateful love, but pitilefs indulgence.

The degree of enormity attaching to fuperfluous entertainments must neceffarily be determined by the accumulation or diminution of public affliction. What then can be faid of that profufion, which, regardless of the multiplied tears and groans of the deftitute, pleads their caufe as its excufe, and adds refined infult to grofs barbarity? แ "Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Afke"lon," that the avowed difciples of Him, whofe itinerant benevolence was ever in purfuit of mifery, and folicitous to counteract it, unimpreffed by the dignity of his character, the authority of his commands, and the beauty of his example, connect publicity and fenfuality with that part of religious duty, which ought ever to be retiring and felfdenying. May the conduct of profeffing chriftians henceforth be fuch, as fhall make it extenfively apparent, that, in their perufal of the facred volume, they have met with the apoftolic injunction, "Let your moderation be known "unto all men." I make no referve for the necessity of public dinners in any view. I am far from thinking them abfolutely important to any inftitution; but I believe the profufion which has in many inftances difgraced them would itfelf have formed a fund, from which the wretched, who plead against us, might have been liberally fupplied.

Feb. 9th, 1801.

M.:

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LETTER FROM A POOR MINISTER.

REV. SIR,

To the Editor.

THE enclofed letter breathes fuch an unaffected ftrain of piety and fubmiffion to the divine will under very trying circumftances, that it much impreffes my heart; and fhould it excite gratitude in our fouls for more abundant mercies in Providence, or teach thofe who are in fimilar circumftances with the author, to caft their burdens upon the fame Almighty, and never-failing Friend, you wil not regret its infertion in your Magazine. I am fure you will be glad to hear, that a few Chriftian friends, into whofe hands the letter unexpectedly came, have generoufly difcharged the good man's debts, and fent him a few pounds, and an ample fupply of clothing for himself and family. So true is that word, "The righteous $66 cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of "all their troubles." Pfalm xxxiv. 17. Your's, PHILEMON.

LH, Nov. 26th, 1800.

Y dear and Chriftian friend, in the Lord, but to me unknown, I received your kind, loving, and welcome letter, Nov. 24. Being fo loft in wonder and furprise, that I know not how to exprefs myself, or form my letter to you as God's diftributor to the poor of his flock with all your Chrif tian helpers: the Lord the Spirit help me to indite, 'and guide my poor hand in truth.-I have an enemy stands at my back, whofe name is Mr. Pride, and asks me how I can for fhame, as a Chriftian Minifter, ftate my cafe (it being fo unknown and deplorable) to the Church or Chriftian friends abroad: but as God refifts the proud, and gives grace unto the humble, I bid him in the Lord's name, be

Having often thought of calling the attention of the public to the state of poor Evangelic Ministers in the country, whose incomes, through the distresses of their hearers, diminish, as their expences increase, we are happy to avail ourselves of this communication, which will speak more forcibly to the feelings of our reade ers than any thing we could offer.

EDITOR.

gone; for the Lord will have mercy on the afflicted, and I am perfuaded my dear friends will not fcorn me becaufe of my poverty.

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My dear Sir, had you brought in your kind letter to me; I fuppofe your breaft would have heaved, your cheeks blushed, your eyes dropped, whilft you would have exclaimed, "Alas my brother "I have a poor fick and weak wife, who has been ill for almost fourteen years of the rheu matism in the ftomach, windy cholick in her breast, dropfy in her legs, and fometimes with hysteric fits; and we have nothing to put in her mouth beside a little water; but the water of life is very refreshing. I have a daughter, my oldeft child, who has been ill almoft four years in a decline, and I am able to get very little or nothing for her; but cry to the heavenly Phyfician for help. I have a poor ragged boy turned thirteen years, and the country is fo poor, I cannot get any work for him; (even farmers pay off their fervants, provifions are so dear ;) and to put him apprentice is out of my power: I muft hope the Lord will hear my prayers in his behalf.-I have another boy, who is eighteen, at fervice in a farmer's place, but his wages are fo low, he cannot as yet do for himfelf. My income in all is only fixteen pounds per annum, (the London Exhibition, and his Majefty's royal gift included) and the people are fo poor, whom I ferve, that they can afford me little or nothing, as they are loaded with large families, and fome of them on the parish, and their children half naked; fo that I can expect but little from them, poor dear things! As for our linen, both for back and bed, to fay I have none would be falfe; but to fay you would not thank me for it, would be true, for we are exceedingly bare of that article: yet we are happy to be clothed with the clean linen, the righteoufRefs of the faints.

O moft bleffed priviledge! God make me humble and thankful!As for my bedding, my dear friend, I must beg to be excufed; but this I can fay, through divine grace, the chamber is peace, the pillow is fovereign love, the protector is God and his angels, the canopy his Almighty good. nefs and providence: but I have a bed, homely as it is, and my dear Lord was pleafed to go without one for it.-O! for more love and thanks to my dear Jefus, who procured all my favours with his precious blood!-My family, as to clothing, are but very middling, but bleffed be God for what they have.As for our yearly fare; breakfast and fupper are chiefly on a little tea, if we can get it; if not, on mint tea and bread, and a little cheefe or butter, if it cam VOL. II.

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