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have been admitted, and they ex- the divine Author of their religion, pect to found a third very soon in They gravely tell us, that know. another part of the city.

ledge is apt to turn the heads of Trusting to your patience in the lower sort from their labour, reading this letter,

and that the only use they make of I remain, Sir,

their learning is to be wicked with Your very obedient servant, more refinement; that every body

cannot be richi; and those whom Providence has placed in the infe- ,

rior stations of life, must content ON CHARITY AT CHRISTMAS. themselves with their lot, and do [From an old Oxford Magazine.]

their duty in it: for their own Ir is the good-natured observa- part, they think they have a right tion of Mr. Addison, that the ce- to spend their own fortunes in lebration of the festival of Christ whatever way pleases them best, mas was appointed for the severest so they do no wrong to any one ; season of the year, to the end that and really things are so dear, and the charitable dispositions of minds genteel life so very expensive, that inspired by the recollection of that they have very little to spare for joyful event, should find frequent oc- charity. casions for manifesting themselves Hard as it is to condemn the. by acts of benevolence and bro- posterity of those who are now betherly kindness to the poor. When come poor, to ignorance of science the exceeding great love of our and literature through all succes Master and Saviour, in disrobing sive ages; to consider them as a himself of his majesty, and clo- class of men destined for ever to thing himself with humility, even do the drudgery of the wealthy, with our flesh, that he might be- and earn for themselves a wretched come an example of godly life to pittance, by administering to their all men, and a propitiation for their wants and extravagance; to deny. transgressions, is contemplated, it to them through all generations surely must strike the hearts of the probable means of raising those on whom his providence has themselves to a more comfortable bestowed abundavce of the good or affluent condition; hard, too, things of this world, and placed as it is to hear this cruel sentence them in stations where the pages pronounced by those who were of knowledge lie open before once themselves, or their imme. them ; that it is their duty, as fol- diate predecessors, perhaps of that lowers of such a Master, to shield wretched class, and owe their prefrom want and misery the bodies, sent grandeur to a general or par-. and to dispel ignorance and vice ticular charitable education ; yet. from the minds of those of their granting all this, can such a degree . fellow.creatures whose wretched of instruction, at least as is confined circumstapces expose them to such to the great duties of our religion, be calamities; that they should imi. justly withheld from the lowest or. tate in some degree the goodness der of men by the disciples of that of their bountiful Creator, and do Master who gave it as the evidence to their distressed brethren as he of the divinity of his mission, that has done to them. But such is the to the poor the Gospel was preachdeplorable selfishness of the times, ed? How dare any who hope for that the indolent and pharisaical salvation through the merits of professors of Christianity have in- Christ, censure his conduct in tavented many wretched salvos for king upon him the form of a serreconciling their want of bowels vant, associating not with the great for the poor with the precepts of of this world, but with the ignoble,

and choosing his companions and the unsuccessful side, and not look Apostles from among fishermen · up to Him who is the great Auand artificers, by thus excluding thor and Disposer of all events? the lower class of men, and even Shall the children of the lucky rethose whose time and labour are förmatists tell the starving heirs of continually employed in their ser- the rich abbot, the nonjuring bivice, from all the means of reli- shop, or the lay papistical bigot, gious instruction, and impiously What we possess is our own? Shall supposing that “ the Scriptures the rich Oliverian tell the ruined were not written for their learn- cavalier on whose estate he riots, ing?" .,' .

What I have is my own ? Can the The misfortune is, that people of successful revolutionist look upon fashion are taught to imagine them- the supplicating Jacobite, and not selves a distinct race of beings from feel to whose providence it is that the rest of mankind, and that the he owes his rank and possessions? degrees of rank to be found in the Had the issue of a battle been dif:: keralds' office are lines drawn by ferent from what it was, had a the Maker of all men, and real single life been taken, had a coundistinctions of nature; they never'' sellor advised a contrary measure consider that all men are the off at a certain moment, the Roman spring of the same parents, are all Catholic might now have been the by nature equal, and that all dis-' established religion in England, tinctions are political, and the se- and an absolute monarchy our converal stations in life only offices, stitution of government; or if at although some of them may be he- another time the like events had reditary, or continue in the same fallen out otherwise than they did, families for many generations; and Presbyterianism might have been that the revenues they draw from the mode of worship, and a repubthem are not given in perpetuity, lic the form of government. 2 nor have they been granted with In either case, how many of our qut account. Let those who think present great ones would have been' all they possess is their own, look reduced to poverty! and how many back upon the line of their ances- that are now begging their bread tors, and compare it with the pe- would have been basking on their digree of the miserable being who spoils ! See where the descendsweeps the dirt from the door, and ants of the O'Neils, the O'Connors, perhaps they will find that they who were once princes, the postehave only exchanged conditions; rity of the Saxon kings in the time that the time once was when their of the heptarchy, and of other faown progenitors earned their mise. mous and powerful men, are now rable food by the meanest occupa- rotting in prisons for debts necestions, and the ancestors of that sity compelled them to contract, wretch enjoyed the good things of or perishing for want upon the life.

dunghills in St. Giles's. In the . How many families have been same places might we have seen undone in this country by religious the children of those who owe their persecutions, by civil wars, and wealth and greatness to the success other public calamities! And how of the Reformation, the Restoramany others owe their present hap- tion, or the Revolution, had those py circumstances to the same events been differently disposed by event! And shall the descendants the Almighty. Can any of these, of those who embraced the fortu- then, look up to Heaven and say, nate party call their acquisitions What I have is my own ?--And if their own, when they see the mise. they cannot say so who derive their rable condition of those who took fortunes from a long train of an

testors, surely those who have and worn to the bone for want of drawn it from prosperous returns bread, their languid eyes sunk deep in trade, from the plunder of an into their heads, and dimmed, as it enemy's camp, or the gainful con- were, with the shadows of death; tracts of a successful war, will not hear the cries of their starving chilpretend to a better title? Who, dren, re-echoed by the groans of indeed, in any station or condition their wretched parents, enfeebled of life, can lay their hands upon by distempers to an impossibility their hearts and say it?-For are of affording help, or cut off from not the casualties of deaths, mar their labour, and shut up in a noi. riages, favour of friends, and all some prison by the cruelty, or, other means by which fortunes are perhaps, distresses of a creditor; acquired, equally the dispensations and then ask yourselves if these bę of Providence?

your brethren? joint heirs with Come down, then, ye great and you of Christ's kingdom ? and wealthy, from the thrones your self- whether you cannot and ought not ish pride has erected for you ; and to do something to rejoice their whilst you are professing thankful hearts, and make them keep the ness for the benefits of Christ's feast of his coming with gladness? coming, make it, by your bounty, a something to reconcile to them joyful anniversary to your wretch- the unequal distributions of Proed brethren, who are, equally with vidence, to give yourselves a title you, objects of his care and love, to what you possess, and to show, but whose sufferings in this life that, while you profess gratitude chill their hearts, and shut out the for your Saviour's birth, you do warm feelings of gratitude for their not deny him by your actions, nor deliverance from eternal misery. refuse to direct your lives after his Look into their gloomy and loath- blessed example? some abodes ; see their faces, pale,

T. L.

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REFLECTIONS UPON DEATH., once gay, healthy, and jovial youth;

his laughter and heedlessness are When we consider that death now turned into bitterness and anmust happen to all men, we should guish of soul; he is fearful to re. suppose that it would be the desire, flect upon his past life; whether 'the grand object of all, to prepare he looks back upon time past, or for that awful hour when the soul forward to eternity, horror and remust be disunited from the body. proach of conscience take possesDeath is no respecter of persons; sion of him, and what he formerly he visits the palaces of kings as loved and delighted in, now hara well as the cottages of peasants; rows up the very blood within his the strongest gate gives way, the veins, which causes a deadly chill massy bars of iron fall to pieces, at to seize his mortal frame ;-the his approach; the stoutest heart pains increase he cries, O fool fails, when he appears by distant that I have been! signs ; at the sight of him horror Death stalks abroad throughout possesses the worldling's soul; the earth with rapid strides, and sadness, in conjunction with de- with his pestilential breath blasts spair, rages in the breast of the the hopes of the ambitious, si

Curist. GUARD. VOL. VI.

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lences the complaints of the dis- notes, make heaven-resound with contented, and fulfils the desire of the song of Worthy is the Lamb the Christian. To some he is the who hath bought us with his blood. joyful messenger to convey them To others death bids depart and to endless felicity, to dwell with meet an offended God: the sin. the spirits of just men made per- ner, racked with pain, endeavours fect, to view their Lord and Sa- to resist the call; death advances, viour, to join with angels and arch- and, when about to draw the bow angels, and all the company of and let the arrow fly, the sinner heaven, in singing hallelujahs, giv- cries, O for another year! The ing thanks to God and the Lamb, king of terrors, with a sullen look, ascribing honour, power, and do- despises the sinner's prayer. Anominion, to Him that sitteth upon ther month-a week-a day-an the throne, for ever and ever; and hour! Death draws the bow, the casting their crowns before him, arrow fies, it pierces, and 'tis fatal! cry out with holy joy, Not unto the sinner gasps—he groans-he us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto dies! The soul ascends to God thy name be ail the glory, for by descends to hell, and, O what thee, and in thee, and through misery!-for ever! thee, have we come hither; and

CLERICUS, then, with louder strains and higher

THE YOUTH'S REMEMBRANCER,

SORT REFLECTIONS ON THE here, and the punishment of them 2. GOSPELS.-INTENDED FOR THE hereafter !

BENEFIT OF JUVENILE READ-
ERS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, On Chapter the Second.

How amazing must be the love On the First Chapter of St. of Christ to sinners, to humble . Matthew.

himsele

himself as he did, and to suffer. so I read in this chapter that our much for their salvation! He left Saviour.Jesus Christ, the Son of the glories and happiness of hea'God, was born into this world a ven, to come into this wicked and helpless infant!. How wonderful miserable world; and soon after must his nature be, which was both he was born, his life was in danger, * Human and divine! But the design and he was obliged for safety to for which he was born is the chief leave his native country: yet, glory of his character : he came though he seemed a poor perseto « save his people from” the cuted infant, he was worshipped as power and punishment of “ their the eternal Son of God, and acsins.” May I never rest satisfied knowledged as the divine King of till I know more of my Saviour, Israel and the Saviour of the and the way of salvation ; and as world! But what do I think of the Bible alone can inform me, him? I call him my Saviour, but may I love to read it, and to have do I really depend on him for sal. • it explained ; may I find my great. vation ? Have I considered what a

est happiness in the holy religion dreadful thing it is to sin against of Christ, and be one of those who God? and am I conscious how are called “his people," and be great a sinner I am, and how im. saved from the power of my sins possible it is for me ever to deserve

forgiveness? and on this account do I do, let me be thankful to God I love Jesus Christ, who " came that I have begun so young to into the world to save sinners," know, and love, and serve him, and pray to God to forgive me for and desire above all things to know his sake? And do I not only love and love him more, and serve him him and trust in hiin as my Sa- better. But if as yet I care no viour, but also desire to obey all thing about these things, O let me his commands as my King and daily and earnestly pray to God to Governor-to learn of him as my make them from this time my chief heavenly Instructor-to copy after concern, remembering that nos him as my perfect pattern and ex. thing but religion can make me ample, and to grow more and more good and happy in this world, or like hiin in humility, in goodness, bring me to heaven when I die.. in purity, in gentleness, and in

LAICUS, every other Christian virtue? If

MISSIONARY DEPARTMENT,

AND
RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE PUBLIC MEETING AT reproach me with forgetfulness of their BIRMINGHAM, OCTOBER 19, 1914, for character; and they would especially point TIIE PURPOSE OF FORMING AN ASSOCI. me to the exertions which they hare so reATION, AUXILIARY TO THE CHURCUI cently made in the cause of charity, and MISSIONARY SOCIETY FOR AFRICA AND they would tell me that they had not heard, THE EAST :

on Sunday, my eloquent fellow-labourers The Richt Hon. Lord Calthorne in the in vain : but I come to confirm what these Chair.

my Rev. Friends have declared; and to

show by facts peculiarly within my know. The business of the day was introduced ledge, that the Church Missionary Society .by a short, but appropriate and impressive is worthy of their liberality. address from the noble Chairman ; after “Nor do I come, my Lord, to prove to wbich the objects, the constitution, and my townsmen that African slarery is a deproceedings of the Church Missionary So gradation to us as men, as Britans, and as ciety were detailed, as follows, by the Rev. Christians : you have nobly declared that Josiais Pratt, Secretary to the Institution; to the legislature of your country your.“ My Lord, though I bave been frę selves; and you will have the immortal hoquently called to plead the cause of the So- nour of being aipong the foremost to prociety which I have now the honour to re- test against the revival of that iniquitous present, yet I never pleaded it before under trade; but I come to show you that å decircumstances which so peculiarly affect my testation of that trade must lead you to mind. All the recollections of my boyhood foster and cherish that Society which alone and my youth endear this town and its in- is labouring to repay the enormous wrongs habitants to my heart. I can never enter indicted on the western coast of Africa wita that place which still numbers among its in- the blessings of the Gospel. habitants, and ranks high in its estimation, " Nor do I come, my Lord, to solicit the the guides and the friends of my younger . suffrages of my towasmen in favour of tbe years, but I feel a new life given to the emancipation of six' hundred millions of tenderest associations.

human beings from debasing superstitious, . “ And when, my Lord, after having nor to tell them that sixty or seventy milçeased to reside in my native place for nearly lions of these men bare especial claims on 20 years, and baring been called, during their justice as fellow-subjects; for all this, that period, to associate with the noble, the and in very energetic terms, you have already wise, and the good, in promoting the king declared: but I come to show that we are dom of our Lord among the heathen, I actually availing ourselves of that liberty of come among my early friends to plead that , access to India, which has been granted to cause, can I entertain a doubt in wbat man- your earnest prayers, and that, therefore, per it will be received ?

in mere consistency, you must cordially "I do not urge my, townsmen to be libe- support our efforts, 's Pal and generous; if I did, they would justly ." In India, the opening of that region. t

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