222 Affecting account of a pious child. I asked, what made her now think she did not love him? She said her heart was wicked, and she was afraid she did not know how to love him as she ought to do. I could not belp comforting the sweet child; and told her if she only loved him as well as she could, he would love her, and when she grew older, she would love him better; but if she did not live to grow up, he would take her to his own bosom. She seemed quite animated with the thought of going to heaven, and said; aunt Sarah, do you think shall know my Saviour? I told her yes, for he would take her into his arms. She then said, if I get to heaven before any of our family, they will not all be strangers to me there, for 1.shall know my dear grandpapa, and aunt Lydia, and aunt D. After this she often spoke confidently of going to that happy place; and I noticed, whenever she said any thing of Jesus, she would say, my Saviour. Still she often lamented she could not be so good as she wished. I think told you, that twice during the winter, she, of her own mind, wrote down some resolutions and brought them to me to keep for her; but she came one day with tears in her eyes, and said her wicked heart would not let her keep them. She always went to meeting with me, and I have often been astonished at her conversation as we walked along. She frequently said, she hoped to hear every word, for it might be her last Sabbath; and often remarked, she did not know she should ever see the light of another day. Besides her morning and evening form of prayer, this endearing child has, for more than a year, been in the habit of retiring by herself for secret devotion. If ever I went into the chamber and found her on her bended knees, she never was the least disturbed; neither looked up to see who it was.: A day or two be fore I left her. she asked me if I should like to hear her. I don't know how it was, but much as I longed to hear her, I left it entirely with her; and by so doing deprived myself of the last opportunity of hearing her pious supplications to her heavenly Parent. I did not leave the room, however; and the length of time she was engaged surprised me. i thought it must have been 15 minutes. When done, I asked what she prayed for. Never shall I forget the solemnity of her voice, and countenance, when she looked upon me and said, that I might be made perfect in holiness. This affected me so much, I could say no more. Dear child, little did I think this prayer was so soon to be answered." This interesting child had reached but her 7th year. 1040 DRUNKENNESS.-The following concise satire on this most detestable and common vice is extracted from the European Magazine, for November, 1816. Drunkenness expels reason, drowns the memory, distempers the body, diminishes strength, inflames the blood, causes internal, external, and incurable wounds; is a clog to the senses, a devil to the soul, a thief to the purse, the beggar's companion, a wife's wo, children's sorrow, the picture of a beast, and self murderer, who drinks to others good health, and robs himself of his own. Anecdotes. Poetry. Prejudice against allowing Servants to read the Bible. 223 A gentleman who had subscribed a guinea a year to one of the Southwark Societies, and whose servants had also become members of it, intimated to Mr. D. that he could no longer give his support to such Societies. On being asked the reason, he replied, that they had ruined his servants :-he had one of the best women servants in the world; but on a late occasion, when he wished to be denied to a person who called, and bid her say he was not at home, she told him she could not say so. Why so, said he? "I have read my Bible," she replied, " and cannot tell a lie." Mr. D. however on conversing with his friend, who was a man of sense, soon convinced him that he was wrong in supposing that the Bible had ruined his servant It was far more probable, said he, that she who was taught to tell lies for him, would soon learn to tell lies to him. This friend, instead of withdrawing his subscription, immediately doubled it." Profanity seasonably reproved. It is said that the late Rev. John Brown of Haddington, when passing the Firth of Forth, between Leith and Kinghorn, had for a fellow passenger one who appeared to be a Highland Nobleman. Mr. B. observed with much grief that he frequently took the name of God in vain; but suspecting that to reprove him in the presence of the other passengers might tend only to irritate him, he forbore saying any thing till he reached the opposite shore. After landing. Mr. B. observed the Nobleman walking alone; when he stepped up to him, and said, "Sir, I was sorry to hear you swearing while on our passage." You know it is written, "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain." On this the Nobleman lifting his hat and bowing to Mr. B. made the following reply: "Sir, I return you thanks for the reproof you have now given me, and shall endeavour to attend to it in future: but," added he, "had you said this to me while in the boat, I believe I should have run you through with my sword." 1040 Lines written on a blank leaf of "Rippon's Hymns," presented in 1806 to a thoughtless Friend, since become pious. Shall songs of earth the soul beguile, Which strike the ear and die; Whose highest triumph is a smile, Or luxury, a sigh? Whose subject is some passing tale, Songs that will grow with growing Time, And on the harp in heaven's high clime 224 Poetry. Oh! that the Lord of power and light From the American Baptist Magazine. BEHOLD the Missionary of the Lord! The undaunted champion of Jehovah's word! -See the red banner of the Cross unfurl'd, Truth smiling lifts her bright unsullied wings, O Missionary, friend of God, I see A pledge of truth's immortal reign in thee. The heathen world shall bow, the wretched live, The soften'd savage healing grace receive; Fell superstition quit her iron car, And mercy all her golden gates unbar. Truth's conquering rays shall falsehood's shades dispel, And break idolatry's malignant spell; And Pagan temples, now defil'd with blood, Shall be devoted to the living God. THE CHRISTIAN HERALD. VOL. III.] Saturday, July 5, 1817. BIBLE SOCIETY OF PHILADELPHIA. [No. 15. From the Ninth Report of the Bible Society of Philadelphia it appears, that there have been issued by that Institution during the past year, 1850 Bibles, and 3500 New Testaments, for gratuitous distribution; and that 9017 Bibles and New Testaments from their small stereotype plates, and 1250 New Testaments from their octavo plates, have been sold to different Societies and Associations. These make the aggregate number of Bibles and New Testaments published by the Society since its institution to be 76,850. Great benefit has resulted from the establishment of Bible Associations in that city and its suburbs. They have been highly useful, not only in distributing the sacred oracles to many destitute families, but have also added considerably to the funds of the parent institution. A donation of one thousand dollars was during the year received by the Society, from the executors of the late Robert Montgomery, Esq. and one of five hundred dollars from the Female Bible Society of Philadelphia. Their octavo plates for the Old Testament have recently arrived from England. The Managers contemplate in the course of the present year to send agents through the State, to ascertain the want of Bibles, and to form Auxiliary County Societies. The Report notices the National Institution in the following words:: "Shortly after the last Report, intelligence was received of the establishment of the American Bible Society. While the Managers believe that, under present circumstances, this Society will be most useful by continuing to act agreeably to their original design, they feel disposed most cordially to wish success to the American Bible Society, as well as to other similar institutions, and devoutly pray, that it may become as powerful an instrument in disseminating the Holy Scriptures as the founders of it contemplate." ALBANY BIBLE SOCIETY. Extract from the 6th Annual Report, February 7, 1817. The last year will ever be distinguished in the history of the charitable efforts of the age. We have seen the American Bible Society established, with an unanimity only equalled by the unrivalled wisdom of its Constitution, and the liberal spirit of its provisions. This grand Institution, embracing Christians of every denomination, is calculated to concentrate the charities and direct the energies of the western world. Its constitution is so balanced, that every sectarian spirit is withered by its operation, and party is lest in the perfection of its character, and the immensity of its ob P 226 6th Report of Albany Bible Society. jects. The Albany Bible Society, represented in the convention which established this best and most useful Institution in our land, has increased its own importance, and will facilitate its operations, by having become a constituent member of the Great Bible Household. American Christians will now act in concert. They will form one grand body of union, strength, and firmness. Local Bible Societies were but stars in the great moral hemisphere, and though shining, still showed it was night;-they are now collected into a sun producing day, and its light will visit and cheer the darkest corners of the earth. The multiplication of Bible Societies in this state since the formation of this Society, has circumscribed the limits of our fields of labour. Notwithstanding, we have distributed the past year 769 Bibles, and 110 New Testaments. A part of these were sent to Detroit, to be distributed under the direction of Mr. Monteith. We have heard from him that they were much needed, and that they had been thankfully received and usefully disposed of. He has secured to the army in that place the privilege of reading this precious word, and at the same time effectually prevented the soldiers from selling or destroying it. He has been assisted by some of our distinguished officers on that station. Since our Bibles were received, a society has been formed at Detroit, and it is believed that that destitute and important section of our country will now be fully supplied. Several copies have also been sent to Essex County, and have been judiciously distributed through a very destitute region. The Treasurer's account is subjoined. His disbursements the last year amounted to $1388 25. He has now on hand $413 25; and 220 small and 48 large Bibles, and 239 Testaments. NEW HAMPSHIRE BIBLE SOCIETY. Extract from the Fifth Report. In fulfilling the trust which has been committed to your executive officers, they have purchased, during the last year, 800 Bibles and 1000 Testaments. The whole number purchased for the Society since its commencement in 1812, amounts to 4700 Bibles, and 1500 Testaments, making a total of 6200 copies. Your Board have also appropriated, the last year, the sum of $400 for supplying some of our brethren with the Scriptures, in the south-western region of the United States. The above sum has been transmitted to Mr. Ralston, the Treasurer of the Philadelphia Bible Society, and invested in Bibles of their stereotype impression; of which one half were forwarded to the Louisiana Bible Society, and the other half to the Connecticut Reserve Bible Society. From the late Reports of the above-named Bible Societies, we are happy to learn that the Bibles forwarded to them by Mr. Ralston as a donation from this Society, were duly received. Your donation to the Connecticut Reserve Bible Society is thus noticed in their last Report: "This seasonable and generous donation |