By his divinity he contrived the plan of salvation: he is therefore its Author. He became man, obeyed, suffered, and died to obtain salvation: he is therefore its Author. He bestows salvation on all who obey him; on all who hear his calls of mercy, and come to him.

Dear child, flee to Him, accept his invitations of love, receive Him, and He will be the AUTHOR of your salvation, and give you at death a place beside Him on his throne.

THE BIBLE.

REMARKABLE EFFECT OF THE ELOQUENCE OF THE LATE REV. J. ROGERS, OF DEDHAM, ESSEX.

I HAVE read the following remarkable narrative in a sermon of the learned and pious, the Rev. John Howe's. The sermon is on the Principles of the Oracles of God. He says, "It was related to me by the Rev. Thos. Godwin, when he was president of Magdalen College, Oxford. He told me, that being himself, in the time of his youth, a student at Cambridge, and having heard much of Mr. Rogers, of Dedham, in Essex, he purposely took a journey from Cambridge to Dedham, to hear him preach on his lecture day; the lecture then so strangely thronged and frequented, that to those who came not very early, there was no possibility of getting room in that very spacious church. Mr. Rogers, as he told me, at the time he heard him, was preaching on the subject of discourse, which hath been for some time the subject of mine-the Scriptures. And in that sermon he falls upon an expostulation with the people on their neglect of the Bible. He personates God to the people, telling them, 'Well, I have so long trusted you with my Bible! You have slighted it. It lies in such and such houses, all covered with dust and cobwebs; you care not to look into it. Do you use my Bible so? You shall have my Bible no longer.' And he takes the Bible from his cushion, and seems as if he were going away with it, and carrying it from them; but immediately turns again, and personating the people to God, falls on his knees, cries, and pleads most earnestly; Lord, whatsoever thou doest to us, take not thy Bible from us; kill our children, burn our houses, destroy our goods, only spare us thy Bible! only take not away thy Bible !'

"Then he personates God again to the people: Say you so? Well, I will try you a little longer, and here is my Bible for you, and I will see how you use it; whether you will love it more; whether you will value it more; whether you will observe it more; whether you will practise it more, and live more according to it.'

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By these means, (as the Doctor told me,) he put all the con

gregation into so strange a posture, that he never saw any congregation in his life. The place was a mere Bochim, the people generally deluged, as it were, with their own tears!

"He told me, that he himself, when he got out, and was to take horse again to be gone, was fain to hang a quarter of an hour upon the neck of his horse weeping, before he had power to mount, so strange an impression was there on him, and generally upon the people, on having been thus expostulated with for the neglect of the Bible !"

MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE.

TORNADO.

WHAT is a Tornado? It is a dreadful storm of wind, more peculiar to countries in warm climates. The following is an account of a dreadful storm of wind and rain, which visited Mangaia, a section of the Hervey group of islands, in the far distant Pacific Ocean. In Mangaia, the preaching of the Gospel, and schools, have been crowned with the most encouraging success. The following description is given of a tempest which visited that island on February 10th, and which was renewed at intervals, with destructive violence, until March 17th, 1846, by the Rev. George Gill:

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"At four o'clock on Tuesday morning, March 17th, we were disturbed from sleep by the bursting open of all our windows with great violence. The wind was roaring like thunder, and the sea was furiously dashing its waves upon the reef. The whole village was alarmed, and in great confusion. In the darkness of the hour, the foam of the billows and the waves gave us light. How dreadful was our suspense and anxiety in waiting for the dawn. As dawn appeared, the wind and sea increased in violence, and every thing seemed to be doomed to destruction. The stones from the beach, carried by the wind like hail, fell upon us, and broke our windows, and the whole house itself was rocking. Mrs. Gill and our dear babe hurried outside, and for more than an hour were supported by natives surrounding them, as it was impossible to stand without help, or to seek a shelter, in consequence of the violence of the wind. There we stood in dreadful anxiety, drenched to the skin, and watching the falling of houses and trees, and the rolling of the sea. Who can describe the anxiety of that hour! Our dwelling-house was roofless, and the gable ends had fallen. The house in which we kept our stores was also shivered and rocking, and almost roofless. The rain again fell in torrents; we were without shelter, and trembling with cold. The natives gathered round us for counsel and comfort, but I was unable to speak, either to direct or console. Just at this time there was an awful shriek! It rent the air, and

seemed to be louder and higher than the roar of winds and waves. The natives observed that the wind had changed, and had assumed the character of a whirlwind. Every part of the village was caught by its violence, and the tallest trees, with more than fifty houses, fell in a moment. Still all was not done. The winds again roared, and the waters thundered; trees, as they were broken, were tossed in the air, and were seen turning rapidly, like wheels. I had left the tree near to which I was standing, to take my position near to another, whence I could command a longer view of the village. I observed the sea again rushing upon the shore, and with it came a stronger gust than we had yet felt. The very land seemed to shake. Seven large houses fell, with the school-houses and the old chapel, which was more than 120 feet long and 36 feet wide. I was blown down and bruised by the gust; but, recovering, I seized a young tree to support myself, and looking around me upon the beach, I could see no house standing. I looked towards the new chapel on the top of the hill, and greatly rejoiced to see it standing, although I perceived the roof much injured. But another moment, and another gust-and it was not! The building rocked-then it was lifted up-and I saw it fall! Alas, alas! my heart was just broken. This hurricane extended around the whole island. The two inland stations are desolated; the chapels, the schools, and the dwellings of the natives, all levelled to the ground." Mercy was mingled with judgment; not one life was lost!

REVIEW.

Rhymes worth Remembering. For the Young. By the Author of "Important Truths in Simple Verse."

THIS little work is admirably suited to the tender and youthful mind. It is a moral and spiritual nosegay, beaming with beauty, and exhaling the most refreshing fragrance. It is attracting, animating, and instructive; recommending itself by the piety which it breathes, and the poetical originality and affectionate simplicity which it displays. May the Holy Spirit crown the work with his blessing!

WISE SAYING.

FEAR OF GOD.-" What we are afraid to do before man, we should be afraid to think before God." Jer. xvii. 19.-Dr. Sibs.

SERMON XII.

DANGER OF DESPISING GOD'S WORD.

"Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed."—Prov. xiii. 13.

GOD has three books. He speaks in each. All these three contain his word. God's word is in the book of Creation. Psal. xix. 4. His words in that book "have gone to the end of the world." God's word is in the book of Providence. He speaks to us in the events of his providence; in the comforts or afflictions which his providence sends, he speaks. He says, "I am merciful, and I am sovereign." God's word is especially in the book of Revelation. That is the Bible, which was as really made by God, as the sun, the moon, and the stars. God's word is by way of eminence in this book. He speaks more clearly, more plainly, more personally, and more powerfully, than in the other two books. This book is in a most remarkable sense GOD'S WORD. It is his word to us, to you, to me. If we hear it, love it, believe it, we shall be saved; but if we hate it, reject it, despise it, we shall be destroyed. Dear children, this word must not be trifled with. To die despising it, it is impossible that heaven can be obtained. To die despising it, the miseries of hell cannot be escaped. They cannot! For God himself, who gives us this word, says, (and his word stands more sure than the everlasting mountains,) "Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed."

Who are they who despise God's word? Mark the answer to this question. Prayerless children, disobedient children, lying children, swearing children, idle children, thieving children, Sabbath-breaking children, and Christ-rejecting children; these are children who despise God's word; and if they die as they live, they shall be destroyed; they must perish, they cannot escape! "Lord Jesus, have mercy upon them, and change their hearts, and save their souls!"

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By the assistance of the Holy Spirit, we will consider SEVEN WORDS of God, and show that they who despise them shall be destroyed.

I. God's commanding word.-It is in the Ten Commandments God gives his commanding word. These commands are holy, just, and kind. He who commands you, dear children, to obey, promises grace to enable you to obey. Oh, how kind! They are the commands of a Father, of a King, of a God. They come from love; but they come also from authority as well as love. They are given by the love of a Father; they are given by the authority of a King. Observe this! Is it dangerous to despise the commanding word of an earthly king? How dangerous it must be to despise the commanding word of the King of kings! How dangerous it must be to despise the commanding word of the GREAT GOD, who made heaven, earth, and hell! I beseech you, think of this! Think not that you can posssibly escape, if you live and die despising God's commanding word. You cannot; it is impossible. Do not deceive yourselves with false hopes! He may punish you here; but if not, he will punish you in hell. Fearful, dreadful thought! Eph. v. 6, "The wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience.”

II. God's warning word.-How does God warn young sinners? He tells them the danger of a life of sin. He warns them of the evil and danger of sinful company. He tells them that a 66 companion of fools shall be destroyed," Prov. xiii. 20. He warns them of the evil and danger of profane swearing. He tells them, Exod. xx. 7, that he " will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.” In Rev. xxi. 8, he warns them of the evil and danger of lying. There he says, that "all liars shall have their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone." God warns them against despising Christ and his salvation. He tells them, Heb. ii. 3, that they cannot escape, if they neglect so great salvation." My young friends, how

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