gospel, who examined her strictly and her apartment go perfectly on the nature of her hope &c. to clean, that it could not but strike whom she gave very satisfactory every visitor as the very reverse answers, declaring that while she of what is generally the case in the felt no alarm in the prospect of houses of the sick poor. If an death, her whole dependence for excuse might be made for an untidy acceptance with God, was founded house, it might have been urged solely on the merits, righteousness, in the case of Mrs. B. who had the and salvation of the Lord Jesus use only of one hand, and yet withChrist, who was all her salvation out any assistance persevered in her and all her desire.

cleanly habits, although, as may be It was affecting to see the supposed, not without considerable afflicted mother, with her right hand difficulty. extended on a board, attend her

ALPHA. poor sick child, and yet keep her (To be concluded in our next.)

ON THE VISITATION OF THE SICK. Our Saviour when, out of the ful exercise commiseration for their ness of his gracious heart, he went afflicted bodies. A minister's duty about doing good, paid peculiar therefore, as laid down in the visiattention to sick persons, both heal- tation service, is :ing them and forgiving their sins. 1. To turn their hearts to him Himself took our infirmities, and that smiteth them. bare our sicknesses. And when he 2. To pray for their recovery. sent forth his disciples to preach, Afflictions do not spring out of he gave them an especial charge at the ground, they are sent by God the same time to heal the sick. for wise purposes, and there is a St. James in like manner gives the “peed” for them all. It may be, following directions, Is any sick the patient has been going out of among you ? let him call for the the way; he has been neglecting elders of the church, and let them some duty, or giving way to some pray over him, anointing him with sin, through the fraud and malice oil in the pame of the Lord : and of the enemy: or he needs some the prayer of faith shall save the deeper experiences of his own corsick, and the Lord sball raise him ruptions, and of the Lord's power up: and if he have committed sins and glory. Whatever be the need, they shall be forgiven him.

the purpose is in love. What a I will not inquire why we have lost tender word of exhortation is that, the power of healing, and have ceased which speaketh unto such as unto to use the outward sign of anointing; children-" My son, despise not but I will endeavour to make the thou the chastening of the Lord, nor subject profitable to the Church of faint when thou art rebuked of him; Christ, in its present circumstances. for whom the Lord loveth, he Our church has followed the Lord's chasteneth, and scourgeth every precept and example, in making son whom he receiveth!” the visitation of the sick a promi- But the minister must be in the nent part of a minister's duty, a place of his Lord, and see that this part which has by inany, been too end is answered. He must faithmuch neglected. Now the Lord fully, yet mildly, exhort the sick by visiting his members with sick, brother or sister to call their ways ness, puts them as it were into the to remembrance, and to turn their hands of his ministers, with a feet to God's testimonies. If he charge both to use the opportunity is one who naturally cares for the for edifying their souls, and to sheep, and not a hireling, he will have watched the person in health; faith : but in cases of danger in and now perhaps he recollects child birth, we are encouraged to having seen something that ought do so by an ancient promise, “ she not to have been in his temper or shall be saved in child-birth, if they conduct; perhaps he has formerly continue in faith, and charity, and admonished him without sufficient holiness with sobriety.” Is not effect. Now then is the time to this duty of believing prayer for restore such an one in the spirit recovery too much neglected, and of meekness, to strike the iron even thought unreasonable ? and wbile it is hot and susceptible of are not sick persons suffered to die, greater impression. It is a weighty whose lives might have been saved corsideration, that “ It is required by such an application ? There in stewards, that a man be found are some remarkable instances of faithful,” so as to say, “ I am pure successful prayers for the sick, in from the blood of all men, for I the life of Baxter, whose little flock have not shunned to declare unto assembled round the sick bed for you all the counsel of God.” Not this benevolent purpose of interthat every sickness is a chastisement cession. The prayers of several for sin ; and it is possible to be too believers gathered together in the severe, like Job's comforters, under name of Christ, might indeed be this mistake. In some cases it is expected to bring down a greater rather an exercise of christian and more speedy blessing; and this graces, a trial and exhibition of would be more accordant with the faith and patience, intended to direction to call for the elders of the exhibit the glory and praise of God, church, and let them pray over him. and to try the subject of his opera- A minister would do well to assotions, as gold is tried.

ciate with him the pious members Having by divine grace endea of his flock, and thus to exercise voured to ascertain and further the them in pure and undefiled religion, purposes of God in his dealing with which is “ to visit the fatherless his afflicted child; the next impor and widows in their affliction, as tant duty of a minister wbo feels well as to keep himself unsputted for his flock is, to pray for the sick from the world.” Since we are person's recovery.

taught by God that sicknesses are “ The prayer of faith shall save sent by bim for religious purposes, the sick, and the Lord shall raise I need not say much on the folly him up,” is a promise as well as of those, who would prevent all that “ if he hath committed sins, religious communication with the they shall be forgiven him. But patient, for fear of increasing his we must ask in faith, nothing danger, or retarding his recovery wavering; all things, whatever we by the excitement produced. The ask in prayer, we must believe that contrary is rather to be looked for, we shall receive them, and we shall by removing the divine displeasure, receive them. And I think ministers and engaging divine love in bis will find by experience, that when behalf. How mistaken then are they have prayed over a sick person those who send immediately for the with a full persuasion of his reco- physician; but wait till the patient very, they have not been disap- is past all hope of recovery, and pointed, but in many cases been perhaps out of the reach of personal heard in a remarkable manner, intercourse, before they send for which has made them rejoice and the minister. As in the case of confide more in the Lord's good- Hezekiah, the prayer should preness, and mercy, and truth. In cede, or at least go along with the cases of consumption and old age, use of medicine, that both may perhaps we cannot exercise such prosper.

N.

ADVICE TO A STUDENT ON ENTERING THE UNIVERSITY.

SIR—As the season is now ap- In offering some hints with this proaching when many of our in- view, and by regard to which the genuous youth will commence or young may maintain the post of resume their residence at the Uni- fidelity, preserve the line of consisversities, I think you will at once tency, and avail themselves of the consult their benefit, and promote facilities for intellectual, with the the object of the Author, by insert- least possible risk to their spiritual ing in your next number the follow- advancement;-the Writer gladly ing chapter from Mr. Bickersteth's adopts the assumption, that his recent work, The Christian Stu- remarks are chiefly intended for, dent.'

BENEVOLUS. and addressed to Christian Students.

· The character presented to his There is a large and important mind is that of one whose convicclass of the community whose case, tion is on the side of religious perhaps, has not been sufficiently principle; but in whose case that attended to: I mean that of young principle has not yet been submitted persons, destined for the most part to the test of any peculiar trial. It to fill offices of trust in the church is assumed, that he has been brought or state, and particularly at the com- up in the nurture and admonition of mencementof, or during their under the Lord ; and from a child has graduateship in the University. known the Holy Scriptures. And

Whether we contemplate the tide now the period has arrived, when poured in every year from our removed from the vigilant eye and public schools, or the influx froin superintendence which controlled private seminaries, — the critical and guarded his minority, he is period itself of human life, or the about to be launched into a sea, consequences pending upon the where his feeble bark will be assailed issue ;-it must be acknowledged, with fiercer storms. Though a that of all classes, none presents a youth of this description cannot be stronger claim to our consideration; altogether ignorant of those diffi. none more loudly calls for that culties and temptations to which Christian counsel, which it is the Christians are more or less liable aim of the present chapter to in all places, and under all circumadminister.

stances; yet, may not some partiWhile in fairness it is conceded, cular cautions, the fruit, partly of that the University affords many experience, partly of a kind interadvantages for the acquirement of est in his welfare, be furnished, useful knowledge ; for expanding which the Christian Student may and invigorating the intellectual have always at band; to which he powers, and fixing habits of appli- may have recourse in the very cation and thinking, which, through moment of attack, life, give address, solidity, and a Religion, indeed, as a transaction tone to the character; it cannot be between God and the soul-as the denied, that in no situation is youth foundation of acquaintance and more critically placed ; in none has reconciliation-union and converse temptation a more attractive force, with the Father of Spirits, is preor is Christian principle exposed to eminently of divine, not human a severer struggle. May the young origin. Yet, since all who thembe prepared for the conflict; may selves partake of the benefit, and temptation be disarmed of its pow- possess authority and influence, are er, by an exposure of the snares of laid under a solemn obligation to the tempter !

impart to others the means of its attainment, it is deeply to be of the incompatibility of learning lamented, that in any plan, or in with piety, or the uselessness of any system of instruction, and espe- learning to the pious. cially where the education of the If to a Christian student, deeply young is conducted upon so large impressed with a sense of his obli. a scale, religion itself should ever gation to consecrate all he is and be regarded as a business rather all he has to his God and Saviour, secondary and subordinate, than it should at any time appear hard primary and principal.

to employ much time and bestow In the present enlightened day a much pains upon points indirectly, conviction of this deficiency seems if at all, in their present operation to be more and more sensibly felt; connected with religion ; let him and, while learning in general need reflect, that in every station there suffer no depreciation, to theologi- are others similarly situated, and cal study, it may be hoped, a pro- that it would be quite as unreasonminence will be assigned. Within able for a scholar in the University, the period of the Writer's recollec. upon this plea, to cast off what tion there has been a considerable belongs to the duty of his station and a progressive change for the there, as for the husbandman or better, the earnest, perhaps, of one mechanic, from the like cause, to still more marked and decisive. neglect or renounce their usual

At present, however, there is occupations. reason to apprehend, that, exclusive The cultivation of devotional of a required and stated attendance feeling depends more upon the upon external observances, the spirit in which any study is taken religious advance of the Student in up, and the manner in which it is the University, under the divine pursued, than upon the study itself, blessing, must, after all, chiefly In cultivating the habit of per. depend upon his own individual care sonal religion, let the student and culture.

SCRUPULOUSLY REGARD ALL ITS These observations will not im- MORE RETIRED DUTIER. In every properly introduce the following situation, but especially in the cautions, which the Writer doubts University, this will be indispens. not will be received in the same able. By this alone the Christian spirit of candour with which they student will be able to un-secularize are offered.

himself before the work of the day 1. CULTIVATE THE HABIT OF begins, and after it closes. Thus PERSONAL RELIGION. Far be it he will keep alive and warm in from the Author to impede or his breast the flame of devotion, interrupt a conscientious and dili, and supply the want of domestic gent attention to the usual routine instruction. of academical study. He has By daily self-examination, by known instances much to the dis. prayer and supplication with thankshonour of religion, and little for giving, by daily searching and the real benefit of its professed meditating upon the scriptures, and advocates, when the paramount by a devout recollection of pious claims of religion have been alleged absent friends, the principle of by the student, as a plea for dis spiritual life will be kept from pensing with the industrious pur languishing. . suits of merely literary objects. In cultivating personal religion, The circumstances ought to be let the student JEALOUSLY RESERVE peculiar indeed which would excuse, THE SABBATH FOR ITS APPROPRIATE and much more would justify, such AND ALL-IMPORTANT AVOCATIONS. a deviation : it is one not ill-adapted He who wishes his academical to uphold the mischievous notion career to be marked with consistent

propriety must habitually act upon proved and strengthened by exercise, the resolution, formed and renewed and those powers, in their highest in the strength of divine grace, to state of cultivation, the Christian employ all the hours of every Sun student lays under contribution, and day according to the design of that consecrates to the service of the sacred institution. With the duties sanctuary. From their religious of the Lord's day, none of his application and use, even studies ordinary pursuits or studies must unconnected with religion derive be allowed to clash. He must no a measure of sanctity. As in commore permit himself on that day to mon life, the Christian master rules pursue his secular attainments, than and the servant obeys, as the fellowother men in ordinary stations may seryants of Christ ; so it is the duty, indulge the like freedom. Never and will be the wisdom, of every let him plead for that in his own Christian student still to have an case, which in theirs he would eye to and a recollection of his instantly condemn. From this Master in heaven. That piety he remembrance and reserve of the will find to be most practical which sabbath, he may anticipate the keeps freshest upon his mind and happiest result through each suc- most habitually in his thoughts the cessive week, both as it respects sense of a prese it God, which inhis own peace of mind, and his vites him to carry every difficulty, progress in religion. Nor will his of whatever kind, to a throne of regard to the sanctity of the sab- grace, there to cast all his care, and bath want a blessing from on high, there in every thing to make known upon all his other plans and week. his requests. day employments. Let the Chris. Besides the care to cultivate a tian student have it ever imprinted devotional habit, let the student, on on his mind that God Himself is entering the University, the fountain of all wisdom, intellec. 2. OBSERVE A SPECIAL CAUTION tnal and spiritual; and that in IN THE CHOICE AND SELECTION OF Christ, the Master whom he ac- FRIENDS. The circumstances in knowledges, and at whose feet he which so great a number of young sits, are hid all the treasures of persons are collected together, in wisdom and knowledge. Let him commencing at the University, are honour God, and he shall enjoy the in this view peculiarly ensnaring: benefit of the promise, Them that Deprived of a society to which they honour me I will honour.

have been accustomed, there is a To fix and strengthen his habit mutual, and almost resistless attracof personal religion, let the student tion, by which those who now find CONDUCT HIS SECULAR STUDIES themselves bound upon the same UPON CHRISTIAN MOTIVES, AND FOR voyage, and embarking at the same A RELIGIOUS END. The law here port, are drawn into contact. Yet, is as unbending as it is universal, alas ! of this attraction how many Whatsoever ye do, do all to the are the hapless victims! Insensibly glory of God. A rule, in this they are urged along with the world's estimation impracticable, many; and the event proves not perhaps unintelligible; but to the merely injurious to their religious Christian not more imperative than progress, but fatal to their religion. pleasant. It is as much bis pri- Before he makes an equivocal vilege as his interest to acknowledge choice, let the student seriously God in all his ways, and in all he reflect how much easier it is, not to does still to tend towards Him, as form than to break an acquaintance; the centre round which he always not to yield to the violent but revolves.

momentary impulse than, having The intellectual powers are im- yielded, to retract. Among the OCT. 1829.

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