mises of long life, riches, and honour; for all the wealth of heaven, earth, and seas are his -Matthew Henry on Proverbs iii. 20. TRUE HAPPINESS. ONE reason why God has scattered up and down several degrees of pleasure and pain, in all the things that environ and affect us, and blended them together in almost all that our thoughts and senses have to do with, is, that we, finding imperfection, dissatisfaction, and want of complete happiness in all the enjoyments which the creatures can afford u, might be led to seek it in the enjoyment of Him, with whem there is fulness of joy, and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore. -Locke. CHRISTIAN PEACE. LET me praise God for having turned end of my existence, and my assurance was full. I said, almost in tears, “Who shall separate me from the love of God? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?"-Henry Martyn. PERSONAL RELIGION THE SUPPORT OF THE CHURCH. THE most efficient support which members of the church can give to her advancement, is by their own personal religion. This is literally manifesting the tree by its fruits, and is an epistle of Christ to be read of all men. If, therefore, you really and truly desire the prosperity of the church, from whatever cause this desire may proceed, labour and strive, and pray that you imbibe the spirit of her doctrines, that you may manifest the purity of her discipline, that you may experience the efficacy of her means of grace, and by thus promoting the cause of the church, which is one and the same with the cause of true religion, promote and secure at the same time, the salvation of your soul.-Ravenscroft. VANITY. "WHAT is wanting here?" said the courtier to his sovereign, with whom he was riding amidst the acclamations and splendour of a beautiful procession, “Continuance,” replied the monarch. The Children's Gallery. HAPPY DEATH OF A LITTLE GIRL WHO LOVED JESUS. ANN was a child of much promise; and being left without a father, her mother strove the more diligently to instruct her in the things of religion, and to implant in her tender mind those first principles of piety which she hoped might bear fruit in riper years. She early learned to read, and took much pleasure in reading memoirs of picus children. The last Sabbath she spent on earth, she read an account of the death of a little girl, over and over again, several times in succession. She also committed to memory a hymn contained in the same book, beginning thus: "There is beyond the sky A heaven of joy and love, Go to that world above." was not, however, any special serious ness upon her mind until a few weeks before she was taken ill; although she always manifested a tenderness of conscience, and a fear of doing wrong. Just before she began to complain, she attended the funeral of a little girl, about her own age, in the neighbourhood, at which she was very much affected. When asked the next day by some of her schoolmates why she wept so at the funeral, she replied, "Because I think I shall be the next." And so indeed it proved; for she was the next in that village to follow her companion to the grave, and this too in a very short time. After coming home from the funeral she was overheard talking to a brother younger than herself about dying, and said to him a number of times, "H--, when God calls us, we must go." She also said to her mother at the same time, Perhaps I shall die too." Indeed her mind seemed from this time to dwell upon serious things. 66 Her disease was the croup; and, as is generally the case, she was taken very suddenly. Proper aid was immediately sought, but all in vain; so that it was soon evident that her end was nigh. After the physician had left, she calmly asked what he thought, and if he had gone because she could not live. Her mother told her that everything would be done for her that could be, and then said, "But if God should see fit to call you, Ann, do you feel willing to go?" To this she replied, without the least hesitation, or appearance of alarm, " O yes." This reply, given with an evident understanding of its import, was both unexpected and comforting. Those who know anything about the croup, know that it is a very distressing complaint. Ann, therefore, suffered much. In one of her spasms her mother said to her, "My child, you suffer a good deal, but there is One who suffered much more. Do you know who I mean?" She immediately answered, "Yes, it is Jesus." At another time, she asked her mother if she was not thankful that she was no worse. At In another of her distressing spasms, her mother said to her, "Ann, there is a place where there is no suffering, nor sighing, nor tears." She looked up, and with a smile that will never be forgotten, said, "That is heaven." another time she wanted her mother to come to her; and as she approached, the little sufferer stretched out her hand, and putting it in her mother's, said, "Ma, I love Christ more than I do you." What could comfort a parent's bleeding heart more than this? It assured her that her dear child was fast ripening for heaven, and that she would soon be with her Saviour, who said, when on earth, "Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven." When her dying struggle came on, and it was apparent that a few moments would close the scene, a prayer was offered that Jesus would go with her through the dark valley; when her mother said to her, " Ann, you are almost there, and Christ will soon receive you to himself. Do you feel afraid?" She replied distinctly, "No;" and in a few minutes more her struggles and pains were all over, and she sweetly fell asleep in Jesus. Thus died little Ann Martin, aged six years. HAPPY DEATH AMONG THE NESTORIANS. THE nephew of Deacon Tamo, a youth of seventeen, and a member of the Seminary, has sickened and died. I have often seen the power of the Gospel to sustain in a sick and dying hour; but never have I beheld richer displays of that power than in the case of this young person. His sickness was very severe, 80 much so as to deprive him of reason at times; but no murmur escaped his lips. On one occasion, he called me to his side; and after expressing himself in the most grateful terms for the little attentions he had received, he proceeded of his own accord to say: "I am very sick, I know; but I think I may recover. On one account I wish to get well, namely, that I may serve God by labouring in his vineyard." After expressing the deepest solicitude in regard to his absent parents, and the people of his native Gawar, he remarked, "But if God should not help me, what could I do? Let him throw his hand from me (that is, let me die), the sooner the better; why should I live longer to sin against my Saviour?" an heir of his grace, and in making him a partaker of promises which had been given to Abraham, to the Prophets, and to the Apostles. His humble confession of sin, his strong confidence in the efficacy of the great atoning Sacrifice, even for him, sinful as he was, his entire renuncia tion of all righteousness of his own, and all dependence upon anything save the grace of God in Christ, were deeply affecting. He ceased, and on opening his eyes, he saw us weeping. childlike faith, and his unwavering I was much overcome by his simple, confidence in his Saviour; and I thought, "Surely, here is a monument of the treasure and self-denial which have grace, worth infinitely more than all been expended by the church in the whole history of missions."-Mr. Coan. A CHILD'S FAITH. "A STRONG man will carry me over the mountains." These were almost the last words of a dear little boy, just five years and seven months old, who died a few weeks age in the city of Boston. About the middle of the night in which he died, he saw something very beautiful, which he could not very well understand. He was He then said, "I wish to die; I much delighted with the vision; and want to see my Saviour." I asked him, "Is not Christ near?" ་ Yes, he is very near to me. He is at my side. My eyes hang on him. I see the crown of thorns on his head. I see the blood flowing from his side. I see the print of the nails in his hands and feet." 46 Guergis, have you faith in him? Do you receive him as your Saviour?" "Oh, yes. My faith is strong in him " He then closed his eyes, and offered one of the most touching prayers I have ever heard. It were in vain for me to attempt to repeat it. He began by expressing a desire to die and be with Christ; but he checked himself by saying, "Not my will, but thine be done." He then proceeded, in a most humble and penitent strain, to speak of his own vileness and utter unworthiness, and to adore the sovereign and unmerited love of God in calling him to be his parents assured him that God had given him a glimpse of heaven. But they soon perceived that the vision was somewhat marred, by the appearance of mountains which he saw before him. Almost in a moment, however, after they were discovered, he exclaimed, "A strong man will carry me over the mountains!" Thus at once did the eye of faith rest upon One that is mighty to save; and thus will it ever be with those who put their trust in the Lord. He then called the family around him, and asked each one to give him a kiss. He also entreated his father and mother to "go up with him" About five minutes before he died, he called by name a young lady, who had been the constant attendant at his bed-side, and when she approached, he threw his little arms around her neck, and made a great effort to raise her up with him. The Cabinet. THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. BY GAIUS. THAT the Spirit of God directly operates on the minds of many who hear his word, but who are not "saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation," is an opinion which has been sanctioned by men of eminence for learning and piety; but after much thought on the subject, I have been led to the conclusion that such an opinion has no foundation in the inspired volume. Let us look at a few plain facts. That an impression is sometimes produced, by the labours of the pulpit, or other agency, on the minds of some persons, of whose final salvation we cannot but doubt, is a fact which few will dispute; but does Scripture anywhere teach us that these transient impressions are produced by the influence of the Spirit of God exerted on the mind? Man possesses a conscience, and the truth of God possesses power. Truth presented to the mind of man demands attention; and the sinner is not always able to lull the conscience to sleep. Perhaps an earnest and striking sermon has operated on the mind of the hearer, and like Felix, he has "trembled;" the claims of the Divine law have been forcibly illustrated, and, like Herod, he has "done many things gladly; " the loveliness and beauty connected with the Christian character have been exhibited, and, like Agrippa, he has been "almost persuaded to be a Christian; " religion has, in various ways, been pressed on the attention of a youth, until he has seemed to embrace it, and has "endured for a while," but his "goodness has been like the morning cloud or the early dew, which soon pass away." These transient impressions, surely, do not seem to have been produced by an influence immediately from heaven, or the parties would have been led further than they went. They are rather the very natural and reasonable results of the resistless claims of truth, the power of conscience, or the affectionate earnestness of the Christian parent or friend: "As many as are led by the Spirit of God, are the sons of God." These transient impressions, I think, are to be distinguished from the operations of the Holy Spirit, chiefly by their effects. Balaam and Judas were both convinced of sin, but neither of them sought forgiveness from God in the way of his appointment. If good effects of these impressions are seen at all, they are but partial, never developing the full Christian character; they do not, to any considerable extent, bring forth the fruits of holiness; and in addition to all this, they lack permanency. The Holy Spirit so powerfully applies the Word of God to the heart as to produce an entire change in its nature; and causes it to hate sin in itself, as well as in its bitter effects; his influences are never withdrawn from the believer; and he will assuredly complete the work which he begins. The opinion which too commonly prevails, savours greatly of the unscriptural notions-that the grace we have received is to be so improved that we may deserve more; and that the Holy Spirit begins a good work in convincing a man of his sins, and then leaves him to perish; thus ever involving us in a state of uncertainty as to our having been the subjects of what are called his special influences. It does not appear from Holy Writ that Divine influence has ever been exerted on the minds of any except those who have been truly led to Christ for salvation-the great office of the Holy Spirit in the work of redemption-and in whose hearts the work of grace is completed in their entire preparation for heaven. We are aware that several passages of Scripture may be, and often are, urged in opposition to this view of the subject. We may be reminded, for instance, of the awful declaration of Jehovah, "My Spirit shall not always strive with man;" and of the charge of Stephen against the Jews, "Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost; as your fathers did, so do ye." But a careful examination of these passages will show that they are not opposed to the view we have presented. A reference to the second epistle of Peter will prove that "Noah was a preacher of righteousness," and under the influence of the Spirit of Christ, he warned the inhabitants of the Old World of their danger. Their opposition to his ministry was opposition to the God who sent him, and who, in this manner, strove with them. No hint is given of his direct influence being exerted on their minds; had such been the case, that influence being holy in its nature, would have produced holy effects, and persuaded them to have embraced the truth. And that the opposition to the Spirit of Jehovah, as manifested by the Jews whom Stephen addressed, was of the same kind, is evident from the verses immediately following the one already cited: "Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One, of whom |