means of knowing, but very shortly after his death six persons were added to the church, all of whom were the fruits of his ministry in the last year of his life; but of their conversion he knew nothing while in this lower state.

I may, perhaps, be allowed to state one fact more, and I will close. It is a fact of no extraordinary occurrence: the minister most interested in it has met with others not dissimilar, but I only mention one.

A minister, now living, was called to supply the pulpit of a friend since removed to his rest. One sabbath, during the morning and afternoon services, he suffered very greatly from depression of spirits, occasioned by reviewing the discouragements attendant on the Christian ministry. It was with considerable difficulty he could fulfil his public engagements, and he looked forward to the duties of the evening with feelings known to ministers, but an idea of which cannot be communicated to others. A prison seemed to him preferable to a pulpit, and he was ready to exclaim: "My soul chooseth strangling rather than life." He

retired from the house of God to tea. His friends would have administered relief to a mind burdened by distress, but they could not understand the nature of its malady; and ease from the burden he bore was only to be found in private.

After tea he retired from his friends, burst into a flood of tears, poured out his heart before the Lord, and in some happy degree felt composure of mind. With a heart solemnly impressed, a spirit more than usually devotional, and with an ardent desire for the salvation of sinners, he addressed a large and deeply attentive auditory. The subject was, the meeting between Jesus and those who have listened to his gospel at the last day. It was a season interesting to the preacher, and appeared little less so to his hearers.

The preacher's engagement expired, and he left the neighbourhood; years rolled along, and though he could not forget the service, he knew of no benefit which had followed it: at length he received a communication from the estimable minister who, in the meantime, had

become the pastor of the church; and this interesting letter stated the pleasing fact, that on the evening to which we have referred, a sinner had been called from transgression to holiness, and had afforded joy to the inhabitants of heaven. The letter was doubly valuable, for it came at a period when mental depression had almost led to an abandonment of the ministry.

I shall leave to my readers the task of deriving lessons of improvement from this statement of facts. I hope it will lead them to pray for the success of their pastors, to encourage them in all their labours of love, and to support that cause which needs more than human aid to extend it in the world.

81

THE YOUNG CONVERT.

The earth affords no lovelier sight
Than a religious youth.

GIBBONS.

THE apostle Paul gives a very striking representation of the change which takes place in a man when he becomes a true Christian, when he says, he "is a new creature." The change relates alike to his principles, his feelings, and his practice. It alters his character, and reverses his prospects; old things are passed away, and all things have become new. There is nothing which more clearly illustrates the divine nature, and the mighty power of the Gospel, than the change it makes in those who cordially believe it. To see a man who has been notorious for vice become as eminent for virtue, leads to the exclamation: “This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes."

The great works of Jehovah are so conspicuous that the most inveterate hater of his

government cannot always close his eyes to his agency, or withhold an acknowledgment of his power. In nothing is that agency more conspicuous than in the conversion of profligate sinners into eminent Christians. An instance of this kind I beg leave to lay before the reader.

The young man with whom the facts I am about to relate are connected, was the son of parents destitute of even the appearance of religion. They were devoted to the ways of sin, and drew all their enjoyments from its pleasures. They were concerned for the temporal interests of their children, but never thought of the welfare of the souls they possessed, which were destined to live for ever. It can, then, be a matter of no surprise that my friend grew up from childhood to youth destitute of the knowledge of his own character as a sinner, and of the duty required of him by the Being who made him. The pursuits and the pleasures of sin occupied all his attention; and if he was ever induced to turn his thoughts at all to religion, it was only to consider it as folly,