Level; forming a line of coast fifteen or sixteen miles in length, and extending, I suppose, from four to five miles inland. This large district afforded rich pasturage to the many oxen, and flocks of sheep, which dotted its surface as far as the eye could distinguish, giving life to the scene, and adding much to its interest. Several churches, with clusters of dwellings near, scattered about within view, forming retired and peaceful little villages, far away from the evil influences of populous cities-drew out pleasurable thoughts, speaking as they did of the great privileges which as a Christian nation we possess, in having a house of God, and a truly evangelical, and beautifully comprehensive, and spiritual form of Divine worship appointed for the use of the inhabitants of every village and hamlet. When from an eminence we see those many remembrancers of the "house of God, not made with hands, eternal in the heavens,” which are almost everywhere in view, crowning the hills, or secluded in the valleys, their spires rising from amidst the foliage of the trees by which they are embosomed; or with ivy mantled walls, standing out in bold relief from the village, surrounded by the mortal remains of many generations, what sobering feelings does the sight produce! And can we fail to think of the great influence for good which the services within these venerable edifices are constantly exerting upon all the various classes of society! And how much greater would that amount of influence for good be, were the whole of those who minister within their sacred walls really "moved by the Holy Ghost," really "constrained by the love of Christ" to devote the talents which they possess, with untiring energy, to extend the delightful knowledge of the " only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he

has sent"!

When in viewing an extensive landscape we behold a goodly number of these holy structures, we think of the intelligent worship offered within them by sincere and devout followers of the Lamb; of the grateful expressions of dependence for the present and future, and gratitude for the past, which are poured into God's ever present and attentive ear from within their walls, and

almost fancy that we hear those truly beautiful and inspiriting words wafted past us with the breeze in sweetly swelling music, and softly, and solemnly reverberating from hill to hill

"We praise thee, O God, we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.

Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Sabaoth;

Heaven and earth are full of the majesty of thy glory.

The holy Church throughout all the world doth acknowledge thee, The Father of an infinite majesty ;

Thine honourable, true, and only Son;

Also the Holy Ghost, the Comforter.

Thou art the King of glory, O Christ.

Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father.

When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death,

Thou didst open the kingdom of heaven to all believers.

Thou sittest at the right hand of God, in the glory of the Father. We therefore pray thee, help thy servants,

Whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood.

Make them to be numbered with thy saints,

In glory everlasting."

Beautiful hymn! sublime morning song of the church! How delightful to think that these fervent aspirations have ascended from earth to heaven daily for ages; yes, and still continue to ascend from the melodious hearts of sincere worshippers, from within ten thousand of those sacred fabrics on every holy Sabbath-day in our own beloved and highly blest land: and still more delightful is it to think that those soul-moving sounds are wafted by the winds of nearly every clime under heaven: that our revered church, under the guidance of her divine head, deeply rooting herself, and steadily and largely expanding in her hallowed influences among the people of the heathen nations of the earth, is putting into their hearts the sentiments, and into their mouths the words of this holy song: and now to the far off inhabitants of our fallen world, to the once cannibal New Zealander, the American Indian, the besotted Hindoo, the hitherto excluded Chinese, and to Africa's sable son, we give the right hand of Christian fellowship, and esteem them as beloved brethren, and fellow-members of our national church; and sing together, in our varied languages, the same beautifully scriptural and highly devotional strains. But there are painful, as well as pleasing thoughts, con

nected with this subject. Do not convictions of our trifling and coldness, and of wandering thoughts in the house of God, and of great imperfections in his holy service, irresistibly force themselves upon us also? and do not the many, many times which we have sat under the affectionate and faithful preaching of his Gospel with carelessness and indifference, rise vividly to our recollection? Let such thoughts deeply humble us individually before God, and lead us fervently to sigh, "God, be merciful to me a sinner:" "O Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon me." And, yet, my dear young friends, let the unspeakably precious privileges of being permitted to "draw nigh to God" in appropriate prayer, and in heartfelt praise-of enjoying spiritual communion with the Father of spirits"—and of realizing the delightful feeling that we are one with Christ, and Christ with us," which all of us may enjoy, and which some of us have many times richly experienced within these sacred walls, fill our hearts with sincere gratitude. And let the consideration lead us to determine that we will earnestly pray, and energetically endeavour, by every means, that the same soul-saving privileges may be extended to every "nation, and kindred, and people, and tongue."

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Heavy clouds, fringed with purest white, were now sailing over the face of the blue sky, casting a temporary and partial shadow on the beautiful scene as they wandered along; reminding one of the chequered path of life, the brightness of prosperity, and the gloom of adversity, which diversify the road by which we are travelling home to God, and also of those spiritual fluctuations which we unhappily experience. While these things occupied me, many were the pleasing thoughts which arose in my mind, and many and very striking were the evidences of beautiful design, and almighty power, of infinite wisdom, skill, and goodness, which forced themselves upon my attention, and claimed my praise. Ah Lord God! behold thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretchedout arm; and there is nothing too hard for thee, who art wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working."

Merthyr Tydvil was the place of my destination. After meeting a gentleman in the neighbourhood of Cardiff, and arranging business with him, and being much pleased with his straightforward manner of acting, I found myself just in time for the mid-day train to that place. The run up to Merthyr, by the Taffvale railway, is extremely pleasant, and full of interest. Nature and busy art are seen hand in hand; art seems determined upon making the most advantage of its acquaintance with nature. To the meditative mind, much pleasure is afforded; while being borne along at an agreeable rate, objects appear to the traveller, and are not lost to sight until sufficient time elapses for them to produce an impression.

The pleasantly situated village-I should say city of Llandaff, its ancient cathedral, Llandaff Court, &c. are among the first objects of consequence which attract attention. Here, we are told, "a church was founded immediately after the introduction of Christianity into Britain; the bishopric had its origin in the fifth century, and the names of the bishops of Llandaff have been preserved from that time down to the ninth century." Attention may now be kept constantly on the stretch. Here we pass large tin works, the light grey smoke and vapour from which contrast prettily with the dark green foliage of the trees. Now we cross the Taff on a wooden bridge, of stable architecture; now we are passing rapidly along the margin of the river, and round the end of a lofty hill, which has been cut away to admit of passing; now we follow for the most part the windings of the stream, some of which are very abrupt, sufficiently so to produce a feeling of fear lest the train should run out of its circuitous bounds. Here we have a pretty view of the stream purling livelily among the stones, forming the wide, flat bed of the river; now we view it expanded into a placid miniature lake, gliding smoothly in its quiet course, and reflecting from its polished surface the surrounding scenery; now we see it gushing majestically over a weir, and foaming away in playful eddies. Now we stop at the second station, Pentyrch. Here the high-crowned, broad-brimmed hats of the women passengers who are waiting for the train-tied

on with strings of broad black ribbon, and other parts of their singular dress, make known to us that we are in Wales, and are somewhat amusing to strangers. Again we are making progress. There, on the brow of the cliff are the remains of a castle: yonder, high up "from noise and tumult far," the hill side is speckled with white-washed cots, thrown into, one would almost suppose, inaccessible situations. Now we see several woodmen pursuing their calling; some are felling, others are busily engaged in making hurdles, others in sawing the young timber into short lengths, many piles of which are accumulated for the purpose of making charcoal, to be used in the refining of iron, for the manufacture of tinned plates. There bending to the breeze, are several trees, from the trunks and main branches of which the bark has been stripped, and yet the sprays are almost covered with exuberant foliage. How like the afflicted Christian! his outward circumstances adverse, stripped of earthly prosperity, the present cheerless, the prospect gloomy and threatening. Does he then flag in his heavenly profession? does he fail to manifest the beautiful consistency spoken of by the psalmist: "His heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord ?" does he hang down his head in hopeless sorrow? No! on the contrary, it is a time when his soul flourishes, when the roots of his wellgrounded confidence strike deeper into the faithfulness and promises of his Almighty Father. It is a time when he does especially grow in grace," and bears the precious and peaceable fruits of righteousness to the glory of God. He knows full well that it is the hand of an affectionate Father which is chastising him, and the light affliction, which is but for a moment, "works out for him a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." "The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree:" "Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit." Now we arrive in view of the splendid tin works of

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