THE

JOHN and Thomas. — were fellow apprentices to a respectable tradesman in a country town. Thomas was a serious, intelligent, and amiable youth, who had been religiously educated under a pious uncle. John had more vivacity and quickness both of wit and temper, and was too much disposed to be, what is called unlucky, but which is, in fact, wicked: he had seen nothing at his father's house (who was a wealthy farmer) but a jovial and merry life.

Their master was a worthy and honest man, and sometimes went to church; but did not concern himself about the religion of his family. He had no objection to the seriousness of Thomas, nor the levity of John, if they but attended diligently to their business.

Every Sabbath, both the boys went home to their respective friends, and spent the day as they had been accustomed. Thomas went to church with his uncle; attended very seriously to the minister; and when they returned he read the Scriptures and other religious books. On the other hand, John generally spent the Sabbath mornings in rambling about the fields-sometimes maying, or birdsnesting, blackberrying, or fishing, as opportunity served; and his afternoons and evenings were commonly spent in indolence and sport, or in foolish talking and jesting in his father's family.

As they both served in their master's shop, and he was much absent, they had many opportunities for conversation; and the different manner in which they spent the Sabbath was often the subject. John was proud to relate his exploits and adventures; and Thomas, to whom they were always disagreeable, seldom failed to reprove or to admonish him. These reproofs, though administered with temper and affection, would sometimes pierce his mind like a dagger; but the wounds were not deep, and therefore soca closed, and were forgotten; and not unfrequently the stroke was warded off by a kind of levity, which sceels the mind against conviction, and renders it insensible to its own best interests.

On one occasion, however, their conversation became more serious, and its effects more important. On the preceding Sabbath, John had been at home, as usual, and was highly entertained by a strolling player, who had gained admission to his father's table, and greatly diverted them with jesting upon the Bible. This profane ridicule John mistook for wit, as young people are too apt to do, and thought it would furnish him with excellent weapons to attack Thomas, and overturn his principles. Monday came, and John soon found an opportunity to commence his assault, which he did as follows:

John Well, Thomas, what was the parson's text yesterday?

Thomas. John, his text was, "Good is the word of the Lord which he hath spoken." What think you of it? J. Think! why, I wonder at your believing such stories as your Bible contains, to be the word of God. T. Why, what do you think of the Bible?

J. That it is a gross imposition on mankind: the contrivance of knaves and hyprocrites.

T. What does it teach?

J. You best know that.

T. Does it teach wickedness or goodness?

J. Oh, it teaches many good things, to be sure.
T. Does it teach any evil ones?

J. Not that I know of.

T. Did you ever know any person made wicked by reading and studying the Bible?

J. No. But did you ever know any made better by it? T. Yes, surely. Farmer Newman used to swear, and lie, and cheat his neighbours; but now he prays, and reads and loves his Bible; every body admires the alteration. So Ralph, the wagoner, used to get drunk, and quarrel, and beat his wife, and starve his children; but now he is one of the best of husbands and of fathers, and a very sober, good man. I could tell you of many other instances. Can you deny them ?

J. I have heard such things; but what have they to do with the subject we were talking of?

T. I'll tell you, John. You say the Bible was written by bad men, knaves, and hypocrites. Now, then, you be lieve that knaves and hypocrites conspired to write a bort.

full of good things, and calculated to make men good and honest.

J. Suppose I allow them to be good men?

T. Then you must allow the Bible to be good and true; or else you believe that good men unite to cheat the world in matters of the greatest importance. But this is not all. In rejecting Christianity, you must suppose that twelve plain countrymen, the greatest part of whom were fishers, undertook to cheat the world with a new religion; not to obtain wealth, or honour, or ease, or power; but hatred and persecution, disgrace and contempt, poverty and stripes, imprisonment and death: that these men travelled over a great part of Asia and of Europe, and in spite of the wisdom of philosophers, the influence of priests, and the power of princes, made innumerable converts, hundreds and thousands of whom gave up every thing, even life itself, with joy and satisfaction, to preserve a good conscience and the favour of God; and yet all the while were knaves, and hypocrites, and impostors. Now tell me, John, is not this most absurd?

John was a little confounded with these questions, for he did not expect the tables to be turned upon him thus. However, after a little recollection, he proceeded :

J. Truly, Thomas, I did not think you could have preached so; but tell me now, how it is you ascribe such wonderful effects and influence to the Bible? I have read ⚫ some of the morals of Seneca and Plutarch, and other heathen philosophers: now, are not these books as good as the Bible, without its strange, unaccountable stories?

T. Dear John, did you ever know any body reformed by them? What good effect have they had on you? J. Truly not much, I believe; but how is that?

T. I will tell you, John: it is the most strange of all these strange stories, as you call them, that does the business; I mean that of the birth, life, sufferings, and death, resurrection and ascension of the Son of God.

J. How so?"

T. In many respects the heathen taught the same moral duties as the Bible, though not so clearly, nor so perfectly; but they wanted the motives to virtue which the Bible alone can furnish.

J. Explain yourself, Thomas.

T. You know master has two watches; one goes, the other does not; now, what is the reason? Have they not both the same wheels?

It

J. Ay; but the main spring is broken in one of them. T. You are right, John; and this is the case here. is the love of God which is the main-spring of virtue and morality, and that is revealed only in the Bible. Here we learn, that God so loved the world as to give his Son for them; that Jesus Christ loved sinners so as to die for them; and so we learn to love him, because he first loved us. Nor is this all. The heathen had a faint hope, indeed, of a better world hereafter; but it was all conjecture and uncertainty. Now, by the Gospel, "life and immortality are brought to light;" and we know that "the sufferings of this life are not worthy to be compared with the glory which hereafter shall be revealed."

John was all attention to his discourse, and forgot his infidel raillery. Thomas saw he had gained ground, and wished to push his advantage further.

T. My dear John, do you ever think of these things? You know that you must die-is it not very desirable to die happy?

J. Truly; but is that possible? How can there be happiness in death?

T. I wish you had seen my father die. I was very young, but I shall never forget his departing words. J. What were they?

T. Oh, I shall never forget them. "Thomas," said he, taking me by the hand, while I stood weeping by his bedside, the cold sweat of death was upon him, yet joy and happiness glistened in his countenance-" Thomas," said he, "love the Bible, study, and revere, and practise it; then you will live happy, and die joyfully, as I do." Here a pause ensued. A tear stole down the cheek of Thomas, and another started in the eye of John. As soon as he could recover himself, Thomas said, "I wish you would go with me to hear our minister on Sunday next." John made no objection, and it was soon agreed. Little passed in the week, only John was much more serious than common. The Sabbath came, and John went. He had seldom been at church, and the scene was almost new to him. The congregation was large and attentive;

the minister animated and solemn. John was all eye and ear. The preacher named his text, "How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?" He described the danger of the sinner-John trembled. He opened the salvation of the Gospel-he wept and hid his face. After service, John went home to his father's house; but it was with an arrow in his heart. His father thought him unwell, but he could not tell what ailed him. After dinner, the usual jests and sports began; he tried to smile, to please and pacify his friends; but he tried in vain. He was like a wounded bird, that chirps and flutters, but can neither fly nor sing. He returned sooner than common to his master's in order to meet with Thomas, and unbosom his mind to him. Thomas had a sympathizing heart, and while he rejoiced in the conviction of his companion, endeavoured to soothe his troubled soul. John could now jest with religion no more. The infidel prejudices he had acquired at home, vanished, like the vapours before the rising sun. He could now no more question the character of Christ, because he felt his need of him. He could no more despise the Scriptures, because they were his daily food. In short, he became an eminent instance of converting grace. Through the remaining period of their apprenticeship, they took sweet counsel together, and walked to the house of God in company.

TO CHILDREN AND YOUTH.

MY YOUNG FRIENDS,

Suffer me to address you, as one having your best interests, and your eternal welfare and happiness at heart; suffer me to address you, as one departing from this world, to those who must shortly follow. And while I entreat you, as you value your soul, to give me a serious hearing, may the Holy Spirit incline you first to fall upon your knees, beseeching God to enlighten your dark understanding, and imploring his aid in the perusal of the following lines.

"Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth." Eccles. xii. 1. What is meant by those words? Surely there must be something in them, which as yet you have