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in mind by his excesses, in the midst of his days he is confined to the chamber and to the bed of sickness; where, forsaken by his former gay companions, he is left a prey to bitter remorse, and to the upbraidings of an his approaching doom;-at length death accusing concience ;-he views with horror rit is summoned before God;-he is doomed strikes the blow ;-he dies;-his guilty spito everlasting death and despair ;-he plunges into the gulf of endless perdition, and is lost for ever and ever!

sermon, which is founded on the principles of Podobaptism, he has produced a volume that reflects great credit on his understanding and his heart, It abounds with excellent advice to young persons, couched in every mode of address that is calculated to affect the human mind. Examples of the highest excellence are presented to their contemplation, and urged upon them for their imitation. The advantages of early piety are inculcated and pressed home upon them, by every motive which scripture and reason furnish; and the temptations to which the young are more especially exposed, are exhibited with faithfulness, and accompanied by warnings of the most solemn kind. We shall give a specimen of the latter, taken from the eighth sermon, the text of which is, Young men likewise exhort to be sober-minded." Having discussed his subject at considerable length, and by considerations derived from the shortness and uncertainty of life-from the account which they will have to give at the righteous tribunal of heaven—and by their eternal destiny, beseeching them to be reconciled to God, the discourse closes with presenting to their view a contrasted portrait of two opposite characters.

"I. Mark the sinful course, the miserable end, and the awful destiny of the thoughtless young sinner.

He gradually burst the barriers of a good education; he entered, with hesitating step, the haunts of folly and vice ;-he blushed and retreated a step or two ;-he advanced and grew familiar;-he became enamoured; -he adopted the manners, and echoed the conversation of his gay and witty companions; it is true the oath at firit faultered on his tongue, and his lips quivered as it passed; but he soon assumed a bolder and a firmer tone ---flattered and applauded, he advanced; he went to the haunts of dissipation ;—plunged into an extravagant mode of life;-acquired habits of indulgence, ruinous to his constitution, as well as his sub

stance;-in his extremity he is driven to adopt dishonourable means of supplying the cravings of appetite, which, the more they are indulged, the louder are their demands: and if, at, this stage of his sinful course, he is not permitted to do some deed, by which he forfeits his life to the laws of his country, and becomes the victim of an inglorious

death, it will probably be owing to the restraints of Providence. But if permitted to go on still further, he soon falls a prey to discase: at length enfeebled in body and

Do not deem this a mere fancy-picture, in which a gloomy imagination has given too much of the sombre colouring. Would to God it were! No, it is a weak attempt to luded young man. describe the actual history of many a de God grant that none of you may know its truth by experience! 2. But mark the useful course, the peaceful end, the happy destiny of the opposite character of a truly pious youth.

Whilst others are spending their youthful strength and talent in the pursuit of sinful joys, he is devoting his heart to God, and employing his time and his talents to useful purposes; he is diligent in business, and ting with the wise, and daily growing in careful to improve his mind; he is associawisdom;-he finds, as he advances, that "Wisdom's ways are ways of pleasantness, and paths of peace ;"-he finds neither time nor inclination to attend to the decoration of his person; he has no relish for the gay, the witty, the frothy conversation of the fashionable circles his pleasure consists in doing good, in devoting all his spare time to the alleviation of virtuous suffering ;-he pursues a steady, joyous course; he is a blessing to his friends, to the church, and to his country; he lives beloved and respected; and when he dies, he dies in peace, amid the sympatihes and blessings of pious friendship:-his departing soul ascends to God, associates with happy spirits, and enjoys immortal felicity!"

There is also much excellent advice to parents, interspersed throughout the volume; and, with the unhappy exception above specified, we can heartily recommend it to our readers, as a highly interesting and useful publication. Nor do we think that our friends of the Antipodobaptist persuasion, need to make the sermon to which we allude, any objection to the purchase of the book; there is no danger whatever of its doing any harm to such as are unbaptized;-all the danger lies, in its infusing erroneous notions of the high importance of that rite, into those who, without any will of their own, were made Christians by their parents!

Religious and Literary Entelligence.

NAVAL AND MILITARY BIBLE

SOCIETY.

This benevolent Institution was formed in the year 1780, and consequently has now been in existence forty years. Its object is to provide Bibles and Testaments for Sailors and Soldiers, and to encourage a wider circulation of the Holy Scriptures without note or comment, in the British Army and Navy. Its annnal expenditure appears to be from two thousand to two thousand five hundred pounds. We call the attention of our readers to it, chiefly because we learn from Major Close, who is one of its Secretaries, that its resources are in a languishing state, and that the Committee would be thankful for any assistance which might be rendered them. The following is an extract from the Report of 1821. which has recently reached our hands.

"Since the anniversary 1820, they have found it necessary to purchase no less than 8942 Bibles, and 4850 Testaments, without even then being able to keep any thing like a sufficient stock of books in a state to meet the demands upon them; these purchases, however, have furnished the means for bringing the total distribution of the Society, in Bibles and Testaments, to the number of 10,142 copies in the course of the year. But these exertions have unavoidably involved the Society in pecuniary engagements far beyond the means placed within the control of the Committee; and in submitting an abstract of the receipts and expenditure of the Society, it will be found, that although the former exceeds those of last year more than 5001. still the expenses, with the purchase of Bibles and Testaments, including those now delivering from the Xing's Printer and the Binder, will subject the Society to engagements amounting to nearly 20007., after bringing to account sums not yet paid for books sold at reduced prices; so that every exertion becomes necessary to provide for the payment of this sum, and to secure, in any measure, a supply of books that may meet the numerous and urgent demands arriving from every quarter.

And here your Committee pause :-impelled by the resistless emergency of circumstances, they have, in reliance on sup port, ventured on an expenditure beyond their existing resources: they anxiously inquire, then, have they incurred the charge of temerity? or may they look to British benevolence and liberality to approve their

zeal, and enable them to fulfil their engagements? They ventured forward with reluctance; but the stimulus of so highly interesting a cause was too powerful to be resisted, and the good effects of their labours such as to encourage every possible exertion in continuing them. The beneficial effects, indeed, of this Society are not conjectural or merely speculative; on the contrary, by a happy coincidence of fact and language, the actual fruits that have flowed from it are so valuable, and at the same time so much beyond expectation, that were they not establised on indubitable testimony, they must be denominated speculative,unreal. Amid numberless instances of the moral and religious improvement effected in the Navy and Army by the distribution of the Scriptures, and recorded in the Report of this Society, your Committee would refer especially to that of 1819, so fertile in examples of this kind, as to satisfy every mind and supersede further inquiry.

Your Report for 1820 records a dreadful mortality among the Troops in the West Indies; but what is the word which in that narrative sounds in the ear like the voice of an angel?-It is the Bible! This rises like a benignant planet upon the lurid scene, and possesses an efficacy that almost purifies the infected atmosphere.

We see our dying warriors holding by the Word of God as their ark in this general destruction; and, when their feeble hands dropped it under the stroke of death, it was eagerly seized by their companions, as the dearest object they could grasp, as a solid ground of hope and consolation. Surely facts like these will make a resistless appeal to every heart-will excite to that sympathy, patronage, and support, and stimulate to those renewed exertions, that shall place this Society, among the other valuable associations which adorn our land, on that footing of eminence and prosperity to which its utility, it must be admitted, fully entitles it. Your Committee will add no more, but simply observe that never is piety more interesting than when it shines forth from the warrior's breast: communicating its mild and heavenly nature to his warlike qualities, it borrows in return a portion of his martial manly graces, and thus presents a union perhaps the most interesting the mind can contemplate.-Cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou shalt find it after many days.”—“Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest."

66

LETTFR FROM MR. JEFFERY, OF | read it." He took me by the hand, and
THE SCILLY ISLANDS, TO THE
EDITOR.

SIR,

Since the arrival of your kind letter, with a parcel of books and tracts, I have often promised myself the pleasure of writing you a long careful letter respecting the interest of the dear Redeemer in these islands, but sickness, and constantattention to the schools, and continued labours among the Seamen, pilots,and fishermen, and their families, leave me but little time for any other engagement. Allow me, before I proceed, to correct a trifling error committed by the printer of my last letter of Jan. 30th, 1821. (See N. E. M. March 1821, p. 94, col. 2.) 66 All the people are not more that 8000." I said three thousand; the letter indeed, corrects itself, as the numbers on the several isles are printed. As before, we may begin with St. Mary's. The house of which I spoke was opened for divine service on March 25th 1821. Our pious friends, and several other persons from different parts of the island, met for prayer at seven o'clock in the morning: the congregation assembled at nine, when a plain discourse was delivered, on the nature of the kingdom of Christ. Solemn and repeated supplication was made by several persons until half past three in the afternoon, when a church was formed, and the Lord's supper was administered ;-about twenty persons surrounded the table of the Lord. May their numbers multiply, and their gifts abundantly increase! The house is still well attended; indeed it is by far too small for the comfortable accommodation of the congregation on a Sabbath evening. The Lord's day school has been useful to several families; but alas! the inhabitants of this town are in general proud, gay, opposed to the Gospel, deistical, and no people under heaven can need the Gospel more than these perishing sinners; O that it may please JEHOVAH to bless it unto their salvation ! During gales of easterly wind many seamen are in our harbours, and often a few of them have been persuaded to hear the word of life at the meeting-house; but, in general, they prefer attending divine service on their own element. About a thousand strangers are now in Scilly, and more ships are coming in with every high tide; so that at present we are full of work. Yesterday, my active friends were divided into three small companies, and some hundreds of religious tracts were distributed. In the evening, from the deck of a schooner, I preached the gospel of peace to a multitude of seamen and islanders. While sailing through St. Mary's pool yesserday, I was highly interested, especially with a circumstance which I now mention: T. Stevens, a common sailor, belonging to the schooner L-, of B. (J. Adams, master) was offered a tract. My brave fellow (said I), I hope you will

appeared to be much affected; My dear Sir (said be), this is not the first time that I have had your good advice.—Do you remember when you preached on board the cutter in this pool ?" "Yes, very well :" "I was there ;" bursting into tears, "O I shall never forget it ;—your text was, 'How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?'-this is your book, pulling a tract out of his bosom,-you gave me this after you had finished the sermon." "I hope you have not continued to neglect the great salvation ?” “No Sir; I hope I have not:-the LORD has taught me to pray, and I am persuaded that prayer will be heard when offered in the Redeemer's name.-[ have been a great sinner, but you know that there is mercy for the vilest, when they believe in JESUS, LORD help my unbelief!" Thus, Lord, thy waiting servants bless;And crown thy Gospel with success."

other places where the Gospel is preached You are are aware, that there are two on this island, besides this town, viz.-Holy Vale, and Old Town. HOLY VALE has often been watered with showers of religious tracts, which have been given to seamen after they were read by the islanders. To me and my family this has ever been a most interesting spot :-its beautiful scenery reminds us of our own country, and the villagers have ever been anxious to hear the doctrines of grace publicly explained, and character; they would be an honour to any there are a few persons of truly excellent church. This village is about two miles distant from our house in High Town. The Sabbath school has sixty-one scholars, and to every adult and child belonging to our eleven teachers. I gave one of your tracts No. 6. to be given to every family, and to schools: they are invaluable. I could wish every ship that has an individual able to read it.

OLD TOWN;-this village is still sitting in darkness and the shadow of death-the people are led captive by the devil at his will; but there are two or three even here, where Satan's seat is, that hold fast the name of Jesus.

From this hasty sketch, dear Sir, perceive that the Lord has done great things you will for us on this isle, since my last letter. A Town, and a new congregation raised from convenient house has been opened in High among its inhabitants a church has been formed; prayer and fellowship meetings continued; Sabbath schools have prospered; village worship has been regularly conducted; hundreds of tracts have been distributed, and a few of the objects of everlasting love have been converted to God. things?" we have much cause for thank"Who hath despised the day of small fulness.

The second island is Tresco:-This is a

most desirable station for an active mis- but a salutary impression produced by his sionary-it has two excellent harbours, visit, can remain here, and in the neighwhich are often in the winter filled with bourhood. The following circumstance ships from different parts of the world. Ma- appeared to me particularly fortunate. terials of the choicest kind, through the di- Mr. C. a Wesleyan Missionary, a man vine blessing on an unworthy labourer, are highly qualified for the work confided to ready at hand for forming a small church; him, and who has visited the churches of seventy-five adults and children receive in- D, and L- with great success, struction every Sabbath; prayer meetings was expected here, preceded by a good are frequent and lively. May the Lord reputation, and much liked. Whilst four think upon this poor people for good! I Pastors of this place and neighbourhood, could communicate much pleasing intelli- were either absent or indisposed, Messrs. gence from the islands called Brehar, Samp- P. and C. appeared to supply for them, son, St. Agnes, and St. Martin's, especially and have ascended in turn the principal from the latter, where I have lately met pulpits. They both insisted with so much fourteen persons in an experience meeting. strength and harmony on the fundamental On the isle of Sampson, Edward Webber has truths, that great edification resulted; been very useful; but I fear he will soon and in our brotherly conferences with leave the islands. This is to me a most pain- Mr. M. they willingly gave each other the ful circumstance, as, by his zealous efforts, right hand of fellowship. If the least apAlmighty God has, for a long time, strength-pearance of rivalry or jealousy had been ened my hands. When men are raised up in the islands to assist in the work of the gospel, it is very desirable that they should continue here. Some time since Richard

Whetter left me, and, after stopping a few months in Cornwall, he has been settled over a congregation in the north of Devon, Are not these things against me? but I must not complain.

if

You would excuse my ill-written letter, you knew how I am pressed for time :the care of the church; ten congregations; seven schools; hundreds of seamen; several sick persons; all demand my attention Remember me for good, O my God! I am, Sir,

J. T. JEFFERY. P.S. Since my last letter, seventeen men belonging to Scilly have been drowned; four fine boats lost; fifteen widows, and more than sixty orphans added to the long list of sufferers on these miserable isles. I have often been in the very jaws of death, but the sea has given me back at the command of Jehovah.-Bless the Lord, O my soul !

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM A
PASTOR IN THE SOUTH OF
FRANCE TO THE CONTINENTAL
SOCIETY..

M-, 15, Sept. 1821.
Mr. P. well employed the fifteen days
he has spent here. He preached three
times in the Consistorial Church, twice at
N- a small town three leagues off;
and once at LG, about two hours
walk. He held a small meeting at Mr.
M's, a conference with some students,
paid visits to the Professors E. and F.
visited some sick people, attended to his
correspondence, and composed an excel-
lent discourse, which edified us much,
from this text, "How shall we escape, if
we neglect so great salvation?" Nothing

seen to exist between those gentlemen, it would have had a deplorable effect; but, on the contrary, the concord between us has been perfect, and our opinions the same, that we ought mutually to rejoice at the success which the Lord vouchsafes to the one and to the other; that those, who aim at the same end, instead of raising obstacles, ought to assist each other to overcome difficulties, and not to excite or foment prejudices, nor to scandalize the weak, nor furnish matters to lovers of this world, to speak ill of the ways of truth.

The field of labour of these gentlemen is so vast, that not only themselves and their colleagues, and also those who might come from Dr. B., but a greater number could find employment, without elbowing or hindering one another. The harvest is truly great, and the labourers are few: God grant that none of that small number may give occasions of sorrow to his fellow labourers. Mr. C. does full justice to those employed by the Continental Society. He feels particular esteem for Mr. P. Those devoted to the service of Christ ought to love much those who serve him with equal zeal; this will draw down an abundaut blessing on the union of true brethren.

I think, that with God's help, a stay of some time, of a faithful Minister, in B. is much to be wished; and it is encouraging, that some faithful souls have already this business at heart. There are about 100 people, in that town, who call themselves Protestants; besides, doubtless, some Catholics who lean towards a reform. Moreover, a thing of great moment there ought not to be overlooked; and, that is, a great number of Jews, who live in the suburb called the Holy Ghost, on the North side of B-, to which it is joined by a bridge over the river A—. Two of those Jews, in the beginning of

August, came to Mr. C. to purchase a It appears to me, that the man who can Bible each, of the edition of T- Mr. lend himself to become the vender of blasC. observed to them, that the New Testa-phemous publications, must be destitute of

ment was along with it. "Well, said they, every moral principle; inasmuch as he is we shall with pleasure read it also." My paving the way for the destruction of his friend pointed out to them, that the Apo- fellow immortals. In his heart he is crypha (which was afterwards added to little better than a murderer, and totally that edition by the Bible Society of P-) | undeserving of civilized society. But when is by itself, not being considered canoni- a man who is making pretensions to Christical; adding that the Protestants with re-anity-perhaps a member of a Christian gard to the Old Testament, hold with the society-can become the agent of so vicious Jewish canon, and shewing them the de- a purpose, where can words be found to claration of St. Paul to the Romans iii. express onr grief at such conduct? The 1, 2. He observed, that this was particu- propagation of Infidelity compatible with larly agreeable to them, and prepossessed Christian philanthropy! It cannot be. them in favour of the Apostle. In taking The admirable Cowper, whose leave, they said, they would communicate formed the magic of his song," says, that all this to the Israelites of B- and that unless profession and conduct go together, doubtless several of them would be led to the man's life is a lie, and the validity of send for more Bibles. This proved to be what he professes itself is called in questhe case; for at the end of August, four tion;" and the whole tenor of the New other Jews from the same place came to Testament confirms this principle. Mr. C. to purchase Bibles, and received from him the tract entitled Deborah; and during the conversation, they listened

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with attention to what Mr. C. said to convince them of the need of a Saviour. Taking all this into consideration, Mr. M. Mr. P. and myself, have come to the following determination, that Mr. and Mrs. P. are to go immediately to B

T

In consequence of the above resolution, Mr. and Mrs. P. set off this morning for where Mr. P. will preach to-morrow, and on Monday will proceed to B- May the Lord bless the whole of this business, to his glory for his name's sake! B- is a place of im

2

portance, on the road to the Peninsula.

MR. EDITOR,

B.

We have all been surprised at the effrontery of Carlile and his minions, who

have dared to be vile in the dissemination of the worse than venomous doctrines of Atheism and Infidelity; setting at defiance the laws of God and man, and contaminating society with a degree of scepticism far worse than the deservedly-execrated philosophy of Hume; at once endeavouring to destroy the hope of man in this world, as well as in that which is to come. How far state prosecution is lawful or wise, is a question of vast importance, but totally

abstract from that to which I wish to draw the serious attention of your readers: in passing, however, I can but observe, that the prosecutions that have taken place have certainly given a popularity to the works they were instituted to condemn, and have caused an eagerness in the public mind to see the works, which probably

would otherwise have been confined to a few, had not such publicity been given to them.

66

"virtue

I abhor persecution in all its vast varieties; not for its own sake merely, but because Christianity is a system of love:

but a distinction must ever be maintained between the carnal passions of men, and the commandments of our dear Redeemer, the law-giver of his church; and if it can be proved, as I think it readily may, that the conduct alluded to is inconsistent with the laws of Christ's kingdom, it surely befrom their communion such characters, till comes the duty of churches to separate they are brought to a just sense of their iniquitous practices.

In reference to this subject, I have proposed a query which I should be happy for

you,

or some of your correspondents' to favour with a reply. "Can that man be supposed to be a fit member of a Christian society, who can with impunity publicly expose indecent and obscene prints, or vend the infidel publications of Carlile and others, which have a tendency to demoralize society?"

S

R. W. L.

Original Poetry.

THE STORM.

'Twas midnight, dreary midnight with the soul,
And the wild storm raved fearfully around;
Louder, and louder yet, the mighty roll
The appalling sound, of Sinai's thunder came;
Of wrath's invasive ocean, and the sound,
While ever and anon, in angry haste,
Burst forth the vivid and unsparing flame,
Lighting that mournful scene of general waste.
But lo! amid the boundless ruin there,

A still, small voice came whisp'ring from above;
Light dawn'd, and hope reviv'd, and stern despair
Fled from the heart won by redeeming love.
THY voice was known; the storm obeyed Thy
While Mercy smil'd, and utter'd, “Peace, be

will;

still!" Bristol, Dec. 15, 1821.

T. W, H.

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