vine promise, that the glorious period would at once be ushered in. Will God thus bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? No, as soon as the churches awake to their duty, as soon as Zion thus travails, she will bring forth her children-" a nation shall be born at once." Isa. lxvi. 8, 9.

Blessed era, when Satan's kingdom shall be overthrown ; when a world, dead in sin, shall be raised to spiritual life, and joys everlasting; when all nations shall glorify the Saviour and exalt the name of Jehovah? O Christians, fly to the work ;-do it with your might;-the motives to it are infinite;-now is the accepted time. The Heathen are before you ;-their present miseries and their impending ruin call upon you to hasten to them the word of life -your Redeemer bids you go and pluck them as brands from the burning :-to-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

;

0 ye blood-bought churches of Christ, let the cry among you be, "Whom shall we send, and who will go for us as our messengers to the heathen?" And O, ye pious youth, in Christ's strength, let the echo among you be, "Here are we, send us." Most happy, most blessed will be the individual, the church, the nation, who shall be earliest, longest, and most faithful in this glorious work. And may the God of all grace mercifully bestow this greatest of all blessings upon America, her churches, and her youth. AMEN.

THE above is the joint production of the Rev. GORDON HALL, and the Rev. SAMUEL NEWELL, late American Missionaries at Bombay, India. The Rev. Mr. Newell was removed from his earthly labours and entered into rest, May 30, 1821. The Rev. Mr. Hall, after having just addressed to the American churches another circular, breathing the same spirit as the above, departed this life on the 20th March, 1826.

1 found him standing by the side of the forge.-See page 3.

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IN

HUMBLE LIFE.

On the Sabbath, January 9, 18-, as I was proceeding in the services of the day, my attention was attracted by a wretched object seated in the nave of the church. There was an air of devout seriousness about him, under all the disadvantages of tattered garments and squalid appearance, which afforded a favourable pre-sentiment to my mind. When the service was over, the stranger disappeared.

Conceiving that he was a poor passing beggar, who had been allured within the precincts of God's temple by the fire in the stove, I made no inquiry about him. To my astonishment, however, on the following Sabbath the same object presented himself, and took his station, as before, near the stove. He seemed to be a man decrepit with age his head resting upon his bosom, which was partly exposed, betokened considerable infirmity. Under a coarse and dirty sackcloth frock, was to be seen a soldier's coat patched in various places, which was strangely contrasted with the cleanliness of his shirt. His whole appearance was that of the lowest degree of poverty. The same devout attention to the services of the day, which I had remarked on the previous Sabbath, inspired in me a hope, that he was a spiritual, though humble worshipper of that common Father, a disciple of that common Saviour, at whose footstool we were prostrating ourselves in united adoration.

man was.

When the service was concluded, I inquired who the old "Sir," replied my informer, "he is a person who works at the blacksmith's shop; he is a remarkable man, and carries about with him a Bible, which he constantly reads."

A secret pleasure stole through my heart at this delightful intelligence; and I could not but feel gratified at the prospect of seeing a man, who under such appearances of inisery, made the word of God his companion and guide.

Having taken an early opportunity in the course of the week to pay him a visit, I found him standing by the side of the forge, putting some links of iron wire together, to form a chain to suspend scissors. The impressions of wretchedness excited by his first appearance, were now greatly heightened by the soot, which, from the nature of his occupation, had necessarily gathered round his person. After a few general observations, I went to Mr. H. S. the master of the shop, and from him learned some particulars of the poor man's history. He informed me, that on Tuesday the 4th of January, in the severely cold weather which then prevailed, this destitute object came to his shop, almost exhausted with cold and fatigue. In his passage through the neighbouring village of P, he had been inhumanly pelted with snow-balls by a party of boys, and might probably have perished, but for the humanity of some respectable inhabitants of the place, who rescued him from their hands.-Having reached Mr. S.'s shop, he requested permission to erect, in a shed which adjoined the shop, his little apparatus, consisting of a slight table, with a box containing his tools. The benevolent master of the premises very kindly desired him to come in, and stationed him near the forge, where he might pursue his work with advantage by the side of the fire. In the evening, when the workmen were about to retire, Mr. S. asked him where he intended to lodge that night. The old man inquired if there were any ox-stall or stable near at hand, which he might be permitted to occupy. His kind benefactor offered his stable. Accordingly the poor creature, with his box and table upon his back, accompanied Mr. S. home, where, as comfortable a bed as fresh straw and shelter from the inclemency of the weather could afford, was made up. One of Mr. S.'s children afterwards carried him some warm cider, which he accepted with reluctance, expressing his fears lest he should be depriving some part of the family of it.

Early the next morning Mr. S. went into the stable, and asked the poor stranger how he was. He replied, "I am very happy." Having risen from his straw bed, and dressed himself, (for he always took off his clothes at night and wrapped himself in a blanket which had been given

him by the Dowager Countess of C,) he soon joined his hospitable friend, and resumed his post by the side of the forge. This station Mr. S. humanely allowed him to retain as long as he needed it, and, to his honour be it spoken, he contracted so great a regard for the good man as to be unable to speak of him, even at this time, without emotion. I have heard him declare, that he never learn ed so complete a lesson of humility, contentment, and gratitude, as from the conduct of this man. Little did he think at this time, how soon his lonely guest was to become an inhabitant of that blissful world where there is neither sighing nor sorrow, "where the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest." Little did he think that so soon that unsightly and despised body should be gathered to its dust, to be fashioned ere long "like unto Christ's glorious body," a fit casket for the inestimable jewel of a soul cleansed in the blood of the Redeemer from all earthly impurities, and made "meet for the inheritance of the saints in light." What a lesson this on the duty of prompt and cheerful attention to the wants of the stranger and the destitute! What a comment on the gracious declaration of our Saviour," Inasmuch as ye did it unto the least of these my brethren, ye did it unto me."

The poor creature's days and nights continued to be passed much in the manner above described; with the exception, that he had exchanged the stable, at night, for the shop, which was warmer, and in which Mr. S. permitted him to remain, as soon as he was satisfied respecting his principles. He daily pursued with exemplary diligence his humble employment of making chains and skewers, although, as I afterwards learned, he was unable, even with success in disposing of his wares, to earn more than sixpence or sevenpence a day. A cup of tea in the morning, for which he paid twopence, and some bread, or cold potatoes, if any remained from his dinner the preceding day, formed his morning's repast. At dinner he had some hot potatoes, or bread and cheese, with occasionally half a pint of beer. If at any time solicited to take some additional refreshment, he would decline it, saying, "I am thankful for the kindness-but it would be intemperate."