Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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? *?-? ?--rir r^Mtg< '? ? i' POETRY. "WE MUST PART." charles spragve e>q. 1 knew that wc must part ?day aftei day, j T saw tho drcnd Distrov^r win his wav ; That hollow cough first ra;.g the fata! knell, .As on my oar its prophet, warning fell; Fecbloand slow thy oncehgh' footsep grow, Thy wasting check put on xVrh's pallid hue, Thy thin, hot hand to mine more weakly clung, ITich sweet 'G >od ri ght' irli fainter f-oni tiiy tongue; I l.-nan> wn rrmsf nirt !10 POWOf could ? " - i save Thy quiet goodness from an early grave Those eyes so dull, th<yigh kind each glance thev ca?t, Looking" a sister's fondness to t!>e last; Thy lips so pale, that gently pressed my cheek, Thy voice?alas ! thou couldst tut try to speak ; Ali told thy doom, I f? It it at my heart, The shaft had struck?I knew that \vc must part. And we have parted, Mary?thou art gone! (tone in thy innocence, meek suffering one. Thy weary spirit breatned itself to sleep ?So peacefully, it seemed a sin to weep, In those fond watchers who around thee stord, And felt even then, that God, even then, was good. Like stars that struggle through the clouds of n'ght, Thine eyes one moment caught a glorious light, As if to tftcc, in that dread hour* 'twere given To know on eartli what faith believes of IJeaven; Then like tired breezes didst thou sink tc rest, Nor one, one pang, the awful change con fessed. Death stole in softness o'er that lov'd face, And touched each feature with a new-bom grace ; On cheek and brow unearthly beauty lay, And told that life's poor cares had passed away. In my last hour be Heaven so kind to me, I ask no more than this?to die like thee. But we have parted, Mary?thou art dead ! On its last resting place I laid ?hy head Then bv the cotRn-side Knelt down ar.d took A brother's farewell kiss and farewell look ; Those marble lips no kindred kiss'eturned; From those veiled orbs no glance responsive uuiuvuf Ah ! then I felt that thou hadst past away, That the sweet face 1 gazed on was but clay; And then came Memory with her busy throng Of tender images, forgotten long, Years hurried back, and as they swiftly rolled, I sawv thee, as in days of old ; Sad and more sad each sacred feclirggrew. Manhood was moved, and sorrow claimec her due ; Thick, thick and fast the burning tear drops started, I turned away?and felt that wo had parted n it not forever in the silent tomb, Where thou art laid, thy kindred shall find room; .1 little aiKILt > f,im elinrl rnorc rtf nsin. .*1 III Ut' H II1IV) a iwn P|4?'| V jvuiw w? And, one by one, we'll rotne to thee again ; The kind old Father shell seek out the place, And rest with thee, the youngest of his race ; The dear, dear Mother, bent with age ant grief, Shall lay her head by thine, in sweet relief Sister and Brother, and that faithful Friend True fiom the first, and tender to the end. All, in His good time, who placed us here, To live, to love, to die .and disappear, Shall come and tn-ike their quiet bed with thee, Beneath the shadow of that spreading tree ; With thee to sleep, through death's long dreamless night, With thee rise up, and bless the morning light. REVIVALS. Extract from a letter ly Dr. Alexandci fuil'shedjeilh spragiies Lecturers on Re vicalt of Rclgion. But it lias often occurred to mo?and . have heard the same sentiment from some of the must judicious and pious men that . have known?that there must be a state o tlie church preferable to these temporary excitements, which are too often follow ed bj a deplorable stale of declension, and dls. graceful apathy and inactivity. Why no aim at having a continuous lively state o piety ; and an unceasing progress in lh< conversion of the impendent, without these dreadful seasons of deadness and indifier. ence ? Why may we not hope for such i\ state of increasing prosperity in the church, that revivals shall he no longer needed : 01 if you prefer the expression, when there shall be a perpetual revival 1 Richard Baxter's chngregation seems for many years to hove approximated to what is here sup. posed; and perhaps that of John Brown of liadJington, and Dr. Romaine of London. And in this country, I have known a very few congregations in whi :h a lively state of pie:v was kept up from year to year. We cannot, however, limit the IIoi.v One, nor prescribe modes of operation for the Spirit of God. His dispensations are inscrirablo, and it is our ditty to submit to his wisdom and his will; and to go on steadily in the performance of our ov* n duly. JI He, the Sovere gn, choos s to water l is church by occasional showers, rattier than with the dew of his grace; and this more at one period, and in one comment. Hi in at ether limes and places, wo shcul! I'jo ee and be grateful fur the rich e.Tusions of his Spirit in any form and manner; r.nd should endeavor to avail ourselves of these precious seasons,!? rthc convrrs'on of sin^ ners, and the c.: f; -urion of the body of Chris'. In the ? >? '...aid the cold and barren w n'or reg": . jeeeds the genial and growingscru^. rrg and summer : , -111 , /. lW? r> r .IK"' "y. I'O " ' .. V tnde i 1 the spiritual world. One thing \vc arc taught, that believers stand in need of seasons of severe trial, that they may be penned, ns the precious nvtals are purged from their iross in the heated furnace.? Caul s lys, "For there must be heresies ! among you, that they which arc approved I 5 ay le mace manifest." Da. rAYSox's ministry. I Letter from Dr. Payson to a minister of the Gospel who had sent him a narrative of ! an extensive revival of religion which had prevailed within the limits of the Albany ! Presbytery; from Spragues Lectures. Portland. May 29,1824. i Dmar Ukother, j I have just received die "Narrative, &cf 1 which you were so hind as to send ints i ?r?/l f. ,r I return vnu mat)V thanks.? I ,,,iu - J j It was indeed highly acceptable, and I wish I ;t was i i my power to wri;e something which : wi)u'd b; equally arcep'able to you. But ! 1 am just recovering f.oni a long and severe illness, and am stiil too feeble to make much use of a pen ; and were I in usual heal h I could write nothing which would be of any service to you. I will, however, in compliance wi It your request, s ate a few facts reinti\c to my ministry. I have bem connected wi.h this society about thirteen years. We have had no general revival, but there has been some rei gious attention during the whole period of my ministry. The smallest number which has been added to the church in any i one year, is eighteen ; the largest, eighty, j four; annual average, about forty. I es! tubhshrd inquiring (or, as they are called ir i the Narrative, anxious) meetings soon af. | tor I came here, and have continued thenI without interruption, (except on nccotmi of ill health for a few weeks,) unto the pres? ent time. We conduct them precisely a; 1 hey are conducted with you, and l:av< 1 j found them exceedingly useful. The num ! berof inquirers lias often been small, bu I j we have always had some, and the num. ber has increased or diminished, os tlx , church has been more or less engaged ir prayer. We have found no means so mud blessed to keep religion alive n the ehurcl | as fusing and prayer. Ever since my set ! dement, the church has sot apart one day ' j quarterly for this purpose. On these occa I sions our first great object is to obtain jus ; I views of our sins. With this view, tlx 1 seven 1 h<Mnrr< with whom we are conncc , 0 j I 'd are mentioned; the duties we owe t( ; each are pointed out, and the inquiry, '?hov | J f ir have you performed these duties durin: ' | the last three months," is pressed upon the ! consciences of all present. Every oilie i means which we can devise to set our sin; j fuliy b Tore us and to excise deep repentance | s also employed. Then, as the Jewisl j high priest was dir ;c:ed to lay Itis hand 01 i the head of the scape goat, and confess ovci i: all the iniquities of the children of Israel | so we a t' in|?f, in the exercise of faith, tc ; I bring all our sins to Christ, and conlest I them as at the foo* of the cross pleading | that pardon may be granted and sealed tc i us afresh for his sake. We then proccc , j to a solemn renewal of our covenant will i G<xl, after which, in a number of prayers | we plead far a!i the blessings of the cove. . i nanf. Days thus spent have been exceedugly profitable. But my weakness forbids me* to say more. Indeed, I have writtcr thus far rather to show my readiness to com ply v. i h your request, than with a hope tha any thing whicii I can write will be profit. . able. I rejoice in nod's goodie ss to you and should my life be spared shail like tc , hear from you orten. , That God may continue to bless yout 1-ibors, and make you far more faithful lhar 1 I have been, is the prayer of Your friend and brother. ; EDWARD PAYSON. r BE PATIENT OF THE SCRIPTURES. Let us beseech Ilim that 'through pai ! titmce and comfort of the Scriptures we mahave hope." (Rom. xv. 4.) For utiles i fliorr. tw. r?nn Itn nn rnmfnrt I ?"V I V. V'/ iv? f ? IVI V V. ?< WW v WV....W > ? r If a medicine is to do us good, we must tak< it. If we read the Bible in the spirit of pa tience, it will bring to us a knowledge o O O [ ourselves. It describes and lays bare eve > rv evil propensity, every weakness, even [ wandering, to which the heart of man i: j liable. It comes home to our business ant . to our bosoms. It put? its finger on flu r dark spot within us, and plainly and loudlj utters in the ears of every one those dread t ful words, "Thou ar; the man." As yoi j"! love truth, as you prizo the welfare of you i | souls, do not shrink from that toucli, howev ?! er painful: do not shut your cars a gains i those warning words, however harsh. B< 11 patient of Scripture truths. Place your. I self honestly, after prayer to God, in the I! light of those passages of the Bible, whicl .! fall the most piercingly on your besetting , j sin. Look yourselves narrowly by thu , light: it will scatter any fogs which may be covering the hollows of your conscience. ! and uili loud you from the darkness ofcontented ignorance into the pure and marvellous brightness of God. itegin with paI doner of God's holy word, and you will as: fU'Ctliy get in time to the comfort of it. Jlarc. OUIi (MCLV HKLP. Let us only be persuaded that our strength at the best is but weakness; jet us I L i brought to feel that we are laboring un. dor a sickness which none save God can bra!, tint we are threatened by dangers, which lie alone can ward olf, that 1I'*> and [ none else, can deliver us trom the burthen ! of our sorrow; let us be made to ncknowl' c!gri these trutlis, and the Scriptures will become a well-spring of delight to us. For I they, and they alone, show our Maker to j us in ilia character in which we shall then I fee! tint we want him. We shall no Ion. ger ask with the confident lawyer, or with i the self-satisfi *d young man, ''What shall I i do to inherit eternal life V (Luke.v. 25.) A much more painful question b. ,\sts from . nn^ h!ee^:i<? ? 'v*r"s"r and w?* 1 cry out wi !j the jailor of Philippi, "What ; must 1 cJo to be saved f' (Acts xvi. 30.) > ! The Bible, and the Bible alone, gives an | answer to tins question. Tor it Speaks no j I of God alone, nor of man alone, but of God ! and man at once,?ol God reconciled to j man. for the sake awl merits of bis son: i' I speaks of the very thing which in our heavi. ; ! ness we long to hear of. Whatever may , j be the wounds we are suffering Irom, it has j j a balm and a medicine to haul rhem. As ' the good .Samaritan poured oil arid wine in* ! | to tlu wounds of the bleeding and fainting | ; Jew, so do the Scriptures apply a like rme. 1 ; dy to our ivouedcd hear:s. even the blood i of the Son of God, which answers to the , wine, and the anr.f uncing and sustaining in | ffuencc of the Holy Spirit, which acts the i part of the sweet and healing oil. In a wor?i, the Bible sets before us the divine I Emanuel, God with us, who is no: ashamed i to call us brethren,?who places himself a: i ! It-mil !il?r? rt v:i 11or-f pan'nip. tr? r!w?r-r I WUI li UUf HUV ? ?* ? <V ,v VMWW. ; and lead us on to victory,?and who. having j himself endured temptation, knows its clan. I ger arid its power, and is iheretore ready I to succour us in the hour of trial, if we will ; only call to him for help.? lb'ul. whitfield. ; | Tiio following description of WiiiificlJ's . preaching is extracted from a work polish ed in Boston, entitled," The Itobcls." ,1 There was nothing in the appearance of , t this extraordinary man which would lead | i you to suppose that a Felix would tremble j before him.?" He was something about ! the middle stature, well proportioned and ! remarkaqle for a native gracefulness of manner. Ilis compUxion was very fair, his features regular, and his dark blue eyes small and lively. In recovering from the mcalcs, he had contracted a squint with t! one of thorn, but this peculiarly ra'hcr .j rendered tiie expression of his countenance > j mote remarkable than in anv degree lessen?, ed the effect of its uncommon sweetness. | ?lis voice excelled both in melody and com j pass ; and in its fine modulations were hap. . I pi y accompanied by diat grace of action ?! winch he possessed in an eminent degree, j! and which lias been said to be the chief , j requisite in an orator." To have seen him ,; when he first commenceed, one would have .! thought him any tiling than enthusiastic and j; lowing :g but as l?c proceeded, his heart . | warmed with his subject, nnd his manner t became impetuous and animated, til! forget. ?j ful of every thing around him he seemed to . i kneel at the throne of Johovnh, and be} 1 scccli in agony for his fellow-beings. t, j After lie hud finished his prayer, he r j knelt a lo g time in profound silence, nnd ' | so powerfully had it affected the most heartr less ot his audience, that a stillness like that s j of the tomb pervaded the whole lious^. 3 i D'-fo-e he commenced his sermon, long, j I darkening clouds crowded the bright sunny 1! sky of the morning ; nnd swept their dull r i shadows over the building, in fearful augury t of t'?o stoim. ,| His text was, " Strive to cpVt in at the 5' straight gain, for many I say unto you shall r! seek to enter in. and shall not he nhb\" JI " See that enblem of human life," said j j he, as he pomled to a shadow that was fitting , j across the floor. " It passed for a moment, | and concealed the brightness of heaven ', from o tr view?but it is "one. And where will ye be, my hearers, wdien your lives have , passed away like that dark cloud ? Oh, j j my dear friends, I see thousands silting at! tentive, with their eyes fixed on the poor t' unworthy preacher. In a few days wc ; shall meet at the judgment scat of Christ, j We shall form a part of that vast assembly ' | which will gather before his throne, .and j every eye will behold the Judge. With a r! voice whose call you must obey and answer, ] i he will inquire whether on earth you strove ! to enter in at the straight gate?whether ' you were supremely devoted to God? ; whether your hearts were absorbed in him. I I-I?? I nmo / ?!(! u>l<nn T fliinl* hnw j luy UiUUvi I UIIO tui^ HIIWII M. .-w i many of you shall then seek to enter in .; and 6hall not able. Oh, what plea can 1 you make before the Jndge of the whole " i car.h ? Can you say it has been your s! whole endeavor to mortify tlic flesh with its 'j a(T ctions and lus's ; that your mind has ' ] boon one long effort to do the wi:l of Cod ? J.j No ! you must answer. I made myself easy J in the world by flattering myself that all * would end well: but 1 have deceived my [; soul nnd nm losf. " You, O false and hollow Christians, of ^; what avail will it be that you have done * I many tilings?that you have read much m ' j the sacred word?that you have made long j prayers?that you have attended religious | duties, and appeared holy in the eyes of men? What will all this be, if instead of ' loving liim supremely, you have been sups: posing you should exalt yourself to heaven ' j by acts really pulhilod and unholy ? \; 11 And you, rich ma?, wherefore do you ' j hoard your silver ? Wherefore count the J; price you have received for him whom ? j you every day crucify in your love of gain ? k "Why, that wlien you are too poor to buy a dron of cold water, vour holnvoi! ?r o m:iv f " I! ' / " |""" "*v " J be rolled to hull in his chariot pillowed and j cushioned about him." I lis eye gradually lighted up ns lie pro1 cecded, till towards the close it seemed to ; sparkle with celestial fire. , " 0!i, sinner!" he exclaimed, " by nil , your hopes of happiness, I beseech you to l rencnt.?Let not the wrath of God he ! awakened. Let not the fires of eternity be j kindled against you. Sec there !" said he, , pointing to the lightning which played on j the corner of the pnlpit, Tis a gl ance from tlie angry eye of Jehovah ! lJurl? !'con| tinucd he, raising his finger in a listening ! attitude, as the distant thunder prow lnnder , C | i and louder, and broke in a tremendous j [ crash over the building,44 It was the voice ! ; of the Ahnighty, as he passed in his anger." As the sound died away, lie covered his , i fare with his hands, and knelt beside his 1 I pulpi4. apparently lost in inward and intense ' i prayer. The s orm passed rapidly by, and ! j l he sun bursting forth iti i:is might threw : j across lite heavens a magnificent arch of ! i peace. Rising, and pointing to tlic beaud.1 ful object, lie exclaimed, * hook upon th<? rain' ow ape praise boo mat made *. N erv beautiful it is in th*? brightness thereof. It ] fc compasseth the heavens uhout with glory, s( and trie hands of the Most High have ben-! e< dec! it." |T BREVITY IN SOCIAL AND PUBLIC RELIGIOUS 4 EXERCISES. I jjj I; was Mr. Wiiitfild we believe, who ' tl said of one of his brethren who was prolix ! tc in the conference-room, that ho prayed him ri into a good frame, and then pray eel him out vi of it. The f jclings the celebrated Melho- g ; dial preacher experienced where probably ai 1 not peculiar to himself in their character.? o Thousands of Christians at the present dav ! r< can undoubtedly attest to similar ones. ! C [ Now, conference and prayer-meetings, is as well as our more public meetings, should u ! be conducted in tho manner best calculated o ; to diffuse the benign spirit of reiicion t! i through the community. I'o this end we j l consider it important, that the adJrcsscs! o J and prayers should be short. People may'c I reason as they choose in fivor of a ca-! tl , pricious cxtcntion, to be regul ited only by v the feeling of the individual performing the b : exercise. But so long as human nature is ii constiiuted as it is at present, if will be wea! ried by being confined to listen to the dis- j r j course of those who hold out no hope of j n speedily making a period to their work, j n The Saviour on the memorable night of s his betrayal, graciously excused the drotv-: a sinoss of his disciples, who were worn down ' p i with fatigue and watching, by saying that the' c ! spirit was willing, though the flesh was ! tl j weak; by which we would it; imato that their: c j rpgard for him would have banished sleep j at so eventful an hour, had not wearied na.! j i ture impressively demanded repose. It i: would be well for those who are ready to ' p cast censure on any who evince fatigue in ! n religious services, however protracted, to, p consider the example of our Lord, and to y ! remember that no miracles will be wrought c ] j.? . i /? iu suspena tne icnuencies 01 nature. g Brevity, in these exercises, is also calcu. | ( j lated to pr duce an agreeable variety, by t] | giving a greater opportunity for different in. tl I dividunls *o speak. It is usually the sign of s ! a good sprit present at a. meeting. We a i bave lately observed this trait in revivals.? n j l>'*ep.toned devotional feeling is not full of v ! wards; but rather concise, if not abrupt.? (j j And we believe a recurrence to llii3 obser- n . vation will testify the Christian reader that d the flame of piety has been oflenor kindled a j in his breast by llie remarks or ptayers of d those wtio endeavor to comprehend much a l in few words, and to make a prompt con. y '| elusion, than hv the efforts of those who are / j noted for prolixity. o 'n'.e authority of scripture example is so 1 d j directly in favor of brevity, that it would bo! j | needless to multiply instances. It has been j < I said that the longest prayer in the Bible? j t ; that of Solomon at the dedication of the j i temple?may be easily pronounced in ten 11 ! minutes, without baste. And let it be re., j \ i membcred that ttiis was an occrsion of the i I 1 most sublime importance; a time, when, if j e i ever, a long prayer would bave been suit- j f ! able. To repeat the Lord's prayer delih- t i eratelv does not require more than two it ! minutes; and many of the pnyers in scrp-I1 I turc would not occupy a minute each. We j | i would by no means assume that these in-1 1 | stances are to be absolute rules to Christians ! , | at the present day; Lut we think they show 11 ; in favor of the general pract'ce of making; t ! religious exercises short. We are persua- ' \ dud that a judicious attention to this subjectj 1 might add greatly to the enjoyment of Chris-j ( j lian intercourse, and tend to promote the J ( ; interests of the Zion of God. ! ( Christian Watchman. ! | I t From the Sunday-School Journal. ! i ! In lately passing the study of an esteem- i 1 ed clergyman,?no matter where,?I ob. t j served painted en the door, in large let- i v tcrs,? * | c EE SnoRT? ! s TIME IS PRECIOUS. I 1 believe the good Cotton Mather had a 3 i similar device to snve himself from the cn- 3 crouchments of visiters, but I had never j seen it imitated before, and ns the glaring i inscription first met my eye, there seemed j ! to be something impolite and inhospitable; j in thus meeting n man at your very door j J with an unceremonious request to stay no! , longer than couM be helped; M not wiin nn I intimation that the time given to the inter, j view would be was od. f But when 1 recovered from the surprise, j and began to reflect upon the subject, and, I above all, when I came to apply it to my own case, and try it by the golden rule, J became convinced that, when all things were considered, there was nothing in such ; a hint, whether given orally or by perma-1 nent advertisement, that ought to be offensive to any one. Here, thought J. is a I man, whose time is no: his own. He is i the servant of Christ and his church. He ; has no more right to waste on hour of his | short stewardship, than the npprcntice has to idle away the time which belongs lo his ! employer. lie has work to do; work that ; must be done; work that must be done ! quickly nnd well. Every lost hour throws j his work back; every interrupiion costs him ; not only the minutes it absorbs, but all j those that arc lost in taking up and recom. j mencing his work where he h ft otf. An ; (hour's diversion from a du y fairly rc?un,i | may involve the loss of a day's work, and j oven destroy flic wont entirely as to ns ori-; I ginnl design. And such work as his, if; | marred, or rctai Jed, or postponed, or abac- j 1 doned, is not the loss of dollars, but of the i i1 pace, the comfort, (may T not say?) of the! ! salvation of souls. I This reflection was quite enough to ex* j oust; the rudeness I had been disposed [to si imagine in- the motto. But I could not tl help pursuing the thoughts that it excited, s; The minister is bound to serve his people a: in the Lord. In an important sense, his time is theirs, and they have given him no w sinecure. They throng to the church, and : di expect to sec him there; not only to lead | s< their devotions, but to instruct and benefit j ni them by his expositions of the trutii in i hi a!! the variety of it<? treasures, and of iheir r own necessities. They are no: satisfied; fit .? !fj r^?M'ti::"r?pv t.-f "no 'henv; 'mr/;.- 1 di >r diversity of topics, and each one expects thn jmcthing'for his own case. Nor are they er i jriten'cJ with one pasture in a week, the 'iirec or more such *c vices, at least, are eve ?gardcd as indispensable in that space.? unci ,nd then, too, ii he docs no1 visit them all Th I their dwellings'?it he does not attend on the icir sick and their dead?if l.e is not of- hill in at the Sunday,school?if lie is not da\ jady to patronize by his presence and pec oice, every little circle of benevolent en- haj agement which springs up in his parish, the nd to give his "speech," or his "prayer," to < r the reading of the "report," at the annt- foil crsary of the society, in which A, B, or ; I is specially interested?if, thought I, he ; see ; not all this, with many ct-ccteras, what! to I -ill his people say, liut that he is indolent, j r too lbnd of his books, < r indifferent to i it is leir interests ? j i A'.i,yes! I concluded, as I entered my ; to I wn house, these ministers ought to be very j not areful of their time. Ilow cautious should by ley be of suff ring interruptions, and how j - ise were Dr. Mather and Dr. , in hm oldly throwing the responsibility of such 1 yot ltcrruptions on the visiters ! , mi{ Hardly had I hung up my hat, beforo I | use cmembered that 1 had invited a couple of; ny mercantile friends to spend the after-! yot loon with me, and before 1 had taken my j sol1 eat by the fire, conscience had commenced ' short but pungent discourse, or rather a ; for ersonal application of my own mental dis. pet ourse, as it hod flown ex tempore, from gid lie text J have mentioned. It was to this she ffrct: I ? You have l! ought, Mr. Layman, very it n ustly and truly of the importance of a min- dar stcr's time, and you have assented very we iromp'ly to the claims that are made upon ! < 1! Iiis liouts and nil his strength. And j yoi ray, produce me the argument tliat exempts ! Co ourself, a Christian professor, a member s par if the church, from the same obligation to ! ,runrJ your time from the waster? Does j do" jod ask more of one man, or of one class, in i han of another? Is it of the ministry only Ju< bat all the mind, all the heart, all the j for rcngtli, are asked? Or is there so little i clo i) be clone by lay-men in comparison with j 1 ninis'ers, that they may indulge themselves | foe rith more rccrea'ion ? In how few hours, j los icsidcs those which must bo given to the j bo< lecessary attention lo business, can you j ag' espatch your daily duties to your children ! Stc nd household; your poor and sick depsn- ! ing en's; your Sunday-school families; your | "it pprenliees, clerks, and fellows in busiuess; i ed< our religious and benevolent meetings?? j mc Vnd when these claims arc met^what ex-1 sid neratcs you from a share of tr.o labour: thr lemanded by the Wretched condition of the j ha (opulation around you, and in the suburbs ; yo )f your town : the multitudes who never wi inter a church, or open a bible, or lead a bu rac*: whose ragged, untaught children fill , an - I t I I I - lie lanes; in whose neignuoui noon none veekly meeting of pnyer and simple ex- 1 tin lortntion is known; whose wants ar;est no ' tin far but those of the ofTicial "overseers of the | da >oor;" who arc not taught or encouraged I lie n the virtues of industry and temperance.! da ill they are apprenticed to the tread-mil! or gu he workhouse; who, in a word, might ex- j co iress the cause of their continued misery, \ (hi jy the exclamation, none care for our souls, j th< And here are you, of.cr deciding so much , ho o your satisfaction that a minister has no se ime to waste or lose, preparing to given j gii vhole afternoon to mere external hospitality. | o? ifou invite these men, not because tfiey are J all )f the poor, the l ime, or tlie blind, but Ik\. { rauscthey are your customers. You will . we mtcrtain them at your table, and give them ! lie jours of your time, and had it not been for ; wji lie accidental rousing of your conscience, j the vould never have imagined that you, too, j his nay be defrauding God and his church, j wl mil your fellow men, of much of the 'ime thi vhich is so justly theirs, according to your :n(' jwn vows, .s ?f you were hired for their it. ;ervice. Awake, then, to your duty: be in1 irmpst? I*? consistent: and on vour parlour, | w< our table, your carriage, your bed, set up I be our sign? j gn BR snORT? | lie TIME IS PRECIOUS f p' O. ' J | on THE BEGINNING OP SIN. j ?" James Stevens and Thomas Wilson were :. e tousins, and as tfiey hud beeu schoolfellows j u | or many years, and spent the greater part [ (jQ )f their time together, they were much at. j jas ached to each other, though they were of j jj^( :ery different dispositions. Stevens had ' )een steady from a schooLboy : his parents j vere poor, but they brought up their son to ; j|ear God, well knowing that, " the fear of he Lord is better than riches." ** In the louse of the riglitcous is much treasure, eoi )ut in the revenues of the wicked is trouble." M? iVilson was very thoughtless, and did not ovi ike to be restrained in his pleasures. He (toi vas hard to be convinced, and liked to have j ti0i lis own way at all times. When at scltool I gai le got many a task for going beyond the j hoi 1 ? ?1 ? -J nliitnt*. Iliinlr i nn. jounuary oi me piay gruunu m?uja mi...*- . uin rig that he could return before the 6chooL i hnj ?ell would ring. When lie became a j rat oung man, lie indulged in many things j clr lint were wrong, persuading himself tlmt j wh rifling errors were of no consequence, and j prr hat he could leave ofTa bad habit any time ; is j Wouldst thou from evil ways be freed, j npj Frotn sin's contagion spotless be, nei Look at first upon the little 6eed, And then upon the spreading tree. ?0 " The smallest sin within thy heart, l',C 1 f unrest rained by grace divine, Will widely spread through every part, j And all thy faculties entwine." Stevens saw with concern that his cou- j n was going farther and farther, from j ic right way ; yet in spite of all he could ' iy, Wilson would spend an hour or tiro ; n evening with his friends at the tavern. ! " Let every man look to himselir lie 1 ould soy ;" if others get ttpsy, J never j befi rink mora than does me goo/. Why i Ha )rna of mv neighbours are tirhre every | = ghf, and half the day too y'while I go( Jt a time or two in a *ho!o rteck." ^ Things went on in tluVway for some nefnnd Wilson was SfjjBoni see nation.' \ <\(r t,.)r{*c htvise. ?* on*1 Hmv | / t Stevens and Wilson walked out togetbto the high hills, a few miN s from where y lived ; for Stevens was anxious to take \ry opportunity of talking with his cousin* I persuading him to amend his ways, at part of the country was delightful; and y soon mounted to the top of the highest in the neighbourhood. It was a fine \ and, as they stood to admire tho pros. :t, the thought struck Stevens that, per >s he m'glit maxe an impression upon mind of Ins cousin, by persuading him :ome to the edge of the precipice. The owing dialogue then began : Stevens. Come Wilson, I want you Id the.valley under this mountain; come [he edge for a moment. Wihon, Why don't you seehowsteep i ; I will not venture any farther. S. Where can be the danger of coming the edge for a minute, if we take care to slip ? Come. And he pulled him v the arm. c IV. If you like to go yourself) go, for I re not taken leave of my senses. Don't j sec that it's hollow underneath, and jht let us down in a moment ? What's the I of putting ourselves in such danger ? S. Never mind the danger ? Don't j think we are able to take care of ourires ? IV. Why I never bearJ you so mad be. c: I would rather lose all the fine prosits in tiicwoild. I am sometimes taken !dy in the head, and even if the ground >ul J not give way, I might fall; however, vould not trust myself, nt any rate. Is tot madness to venture where there is / i .1 lger 01 supping, wnen we Know tnar, it do si p, it will be death to us ? - * S. Well and what if we should slip ? Do i think we should go to the bottom?? uld wc not save ourselves, even if we fell t of the way down ? IF. I would not full a single footgep ivn that precipice for all the golden eagles the world. What can you be thinking of? >t roll a stone down, and if it stops bee it gets to the bottom, I will venture so to the edge. S.evens pushed a lar?c stone with bis >t, and it rolled furiously down. They t si^ht of it for some time, until it ran indmg along the valley; and stopped ii'nst a heap of stones in the bottom.? fvens pointed to the s'one, and then tuitk, ^ to his friend, "You are right," said he ; is a dangerous thing to venture to the je of a precipice; and O, Wilson! reunber that you arc daily going to the e of a tremendous precipice: look at it stone and think not to save yourself If way if you should slip. Return ere u go too far, or, iniud my words, a day !l come when you will heartily repent; t your repentance will be too late. Often d often havel urged you to beware of the ginn'^gs of 6in, but you have despised 5 counsel of y our friend. You neglect 1 means of grace and break the Sabbath* y. You go more frequently to the pubhouse, than formerly; you aro not so tiful to your parents ; you uSo bad lan. age ; you avoid mo, and go with evil mpany ; and where is all this to end ink ? At the top of the precipice, or at 2 bottom ? Remember the stone yonder, w it rol'ed down fas'er when once it was [ going. A gain, I say, beware of the be. inings of sin ! Trust no longer your rn heart; for the heart is deceitful above tilings, and desperately wicked. In spite of this remonstrance, Wilson >nt from bad to worse, and it was not till had lost the little character he had, and is plunged into the dreary prison for tft, that he looked back with bitterness on i past life. If any one had told Wilson, ten he first began to frequent the tavern, at he would at last be taken up for steaL j, ho would not have believed a word of Now all that Stevens had said came 6 his min i, lis would have given the arid to retrace Ins steps ; he would have en thankful to have been the poorest begir at the top of the precipice down which 1 had fallen ; hut no! he had, as it were, unged headlong to destruction, for in a Ic time ho was transported for life bey. d the sen. And all who despise the bemings of sin may look forward to a simi end ; far, though 44 to the Lord our God longeth mercies and forgivenesses," yet he face of the Lord i.1 against them that evil." These shall go away into everKllf lliA rlffllf PHIIQ tnfn vug r-*_"r "b ? eternal.? Youth s Friend, % WttGS. demo under the shadow of thy wings.? Psalm xvii. 8. " Wings" s-gnify protection?the tender rc which God has over his people. In itt. xxiii. 37, our blessed Lord weeps nr fho wicked city of Jerusalem, doomed destruction for rejecting his great salva* n, and says, " How often would I have thcred thy children togetlicr, even as a i gatbereth her chickens uuder her wings, d ye would not." fa tlie motto, and perps in other places in the psalms, there is her an allussion io the wings of tlie Firubini shadowing over the mercy-seat,, icb woe the deligbful emblems of the jfection'of grace over God's Israel. It it the Divine mercy.seat wh'ch we now iroach, t. rough Jesus, that the poor sin* must seek safety from the punishment ; to his sins, and then in the shadow of d's wings shall he rejoice. He will be subject of his constant love and his care. Other refuge have I none, /ii intra mv knlnlnoo onnl nn fliivt ' *?( *?? * MIJ IIVI|#?VUW WVUI vu ?MW ? Leave, ah ! leave lee not alone! Still support and comfort me! All my trust on thee is stay'd ; Ail my help from thee I bring: Cover my defenceless head With the shadow of thy wing. "aiili, hke gold, must be tried in the fire i>re it can be safely depended on.? rt Corn Meal. supply of fresh ground corn mea', coc-. . stanflv un liand^and for sale by J>. mallov. j-ril I8i!>. MS. 23 1$