THE ONLY SON. trust I shall often meet with you in person, even on this side of the grave; but if not, let us often meet in prayer at the mercy-seat of God. While we occupy different places on earth, let our mutual intercessions for each other go to one place in heaven. Let the Saviour put our supplications into one censer; and be assured, my brethren, that after the dear and the much-loved scenery of this peaceful vale has disappeared from my eye, the people who live in it shall retain a warm and an ever-enduring place in my memory;-and this mortal body must be stretched on the bed of death, ere the heart which now animates it can resign its exercise of longing after you, and praying for you that you may so receive Christ Jesus, and so walk in Him, and so hold fast the things you have gotten, and so prove that the labour I have had amongst you has not been in vain, that when the sound of the last trumpet awaken us, these eyes, which are now bathed in tears, may open upon a scene of eternal blessedness, and we, my brethren, whom the providence of God has withdrawn for a little while from one another, may on that day be found side by side at the right hand of the everlasting throne.'" THE RETURN OF PRAYER. SOME years since, a lady with an only daughter removed to the interior of Her daughter and her daughter's husband were unconverted persons. This couple being unprepared to perform the whole of parental duty, the grandmother, an intelligent and devoted Christian, took upon herself the religious training of the children, who, in the course of time, amounted to nine in number. Though she never had them "baptized," yet her instructions from earliest infancy were" line upon line, and precept upon precept." Prayer, fervent, frequent, and continuous, was offered. Fasting even followed fasting, and often whole nights were devoted to supplication in behalf of her children and grandchildren. On one occasion, as her youngest grandson in one of his infant freaks lifted up both hands, the observant and anxious grandmother ejaculated, "O that these hands might be raised in defence of the gospel! " Years rolled on, but no conversions occurred in that family. Sometimes, as she drew near her end, she would say, "Must I die, and leave all my posterity out of Christ ? " Yet die she did, and left them in all their sin. Soon, however, it was manifest that she had not prayed in vain. Her daughter and two grandchildren were brought to Christ. Subsequently the whole family, with one exception, professed the faith of the gospel. The infant, also, over whom she uttered that almost prophetic prayer, with one other of the sons, is now engaged in proclaiming the gospel of Christ. From which learn.— 1. The importance of "continuing constant in prayer." This lady believed. She prayed and continued in prayer, though she saw no answer. Her prayer finally prevailed, though God for wise reasons deferred the answer till she was in glory. Even the petition that one might be engaged in the proclamation of the gospel was answered. "Let us not be weary in well-doing, for in due time we shall reap if we faint not." 2. This incident should encourage parents and others who have long prayed for the conversion of those who are dear to them. Provided the proper means are employed, and they continue believing prayer, they will prevail. But we must "walk by faith, and not by sight." Courage then, weary, fainting Christian! Pray on! wrestle with the angel. "The fervent, effectual prayer of the righteous will avail much." MEDITATIONS ON DEATH. THAT I shall die, full well I knowAll human life is short and frail; No lasting good can earth bestow--All portion here must quickly fail: In mercy, Lord, direct my ways, That I in peace may end my days. When I shall die, is all unknown Except to thy Omniscient mind; And lest with life my hopes be gone, May I from thee such favour find, That I may always be prepared For death, and for Thy great award. How I shall die, to ask were vainDeath does his work in varied forms; To some gives agonies of pain, And some sink peaceful in his arms. Just as thou wilt-if, when 'tis past, My soul be found with Thee at last. Where I shall die, I know it not, Nor where my ashes shall be laid; Only be it my happy lot With saints revived to leave the dead. Small care to me the place affordsThe earth throughout is all the Lord's. 581 But when in death I shall recline, THE ONLY SON. (From the American Messenger.) Soon after the Rev. Pliny Fisk and Rev. Levi Parsons left their mountain homes in Western Massachusetts, near the close of 1819, as the first American missionaries to Palestine, their young friend Jonas King, from the same neighbourhood, was elected professor in Amherst college, and proceeded to Paris to pursue the study of Arabic with the celebrated De Sacy. He there became familiar with an American gentleman, then at the head of one, of the first commercial houses in Paris, to whose care his correspondence was addressed. In February 1822, the lamented Parsons died, and Mr Fisk without delay addressed a letter to Mr King, requesting that he would meet him at Malta, and in the place of Parsons accompany him as a missionary to Palestine; and fearing delay by waiting the action of the American Board of Missions, he in the same enclosure requested Mr King's mercantile friend not only to second his invitation, but if possible to raise the sum of 1500 dollars, requisite for his support for three years. Mr King, on receiving the letter in the merchant's counting-room, exclaimed, “This is from my friend Fisk; I beg leave to retire to your private office and read it." Oppressed with the weight of the proposition it contained, he spent an hour in prayer for divine direction; and, hoping to gain further light as to the path of duty from the indications of Providence, sought the merchant's advice. He returned to the counting-room and asked with deep solicitude, "What shall I do?" Said his friend, "Go." "But," said he, "what will become of my aged and infirm parents in America ?" "I will be a son to them in your stead," replied his friend. "Then," said Mr King, "I go up to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there." Leaving the lad with the waggon in the road the gentleman knocked, saying as he entered, "It is a chill uncomfortable day, friends; would you be so kind as to allow a stranger to warm himself a little by your fire?" He was welcomed and seated between the aged couple, in whom he distinctly recognised the features of Jonas, and who in their turn fixed on him a scrutinizing eye. After a short pause he said deliberately "I once had a friend, who said to me, 'What shall I do?' Said I, 'Go' 'But what,' said he, 'will become of my aged and infirm parents in America?' I replied, 'I will be a son to them in your stead.' Then,' said he, I go up to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there.""" 666 Instantly the aged couple sprang to him, exclaiming, "This is Mr W" and almost overwhelmed him with their tears and caresses. burdened their hearts at the throne of mercy. "Now," said the merchant, "sit down at this desk, and write to my friends Thomas Waddington of St Remey, France, Louis Mertens of Brussels, Claude Cromlin of Amster-"Let us pray," said the father; and they undam, and John Venning of St Petersburgh : state to them the circumstances, and that you are willing to go; tell them I will give one-fifth of the 1500 dollars, and leave it to their decision whether they will join me in filling up the amount." By the return of the mails, it appeared that God had put it into the hearts of these gentlemen cheerfully to respond to the appeal by enclosing each 300 dollars, making the sum required; and Mr King lost no time in preparing for his departure. A few months previous to this, Mr King had established the monthly concert of prayer in his own hired upper chamber in Paris. At the first and second meetings only three were present; at the third, the number was increased to ten; at the fourth to thirty; and soon after his departure it rose to 300, and this concert is still continued with interest in that city. A large concourse assembled in the church of the Oratoire to listen to Mr King's farewell address, and join in commending him to the God of all grace; and he was cheered in a similar manner on his way by Christian assemblies at Lyons, Nismes, Montpelier, and Marseilles, where he embarked for Malta, whence he proceeded with Mr Fisk to Jerusalem; and he is now the wellknown persecuted, but laborious and successful, missionary at Athens. His friend the merchant from time to time wrote to the solitary parents, enclosing some tokens of regard "from their affectionate son;" the next year he returned to America; and early in the spring of 1824 he was at Northampton, about twenty-five miles from the parents, meditating a visit to their humble abode. He applied to the landlord, who furnished him a waggon, with his little son for a driver; and freighted with a bag of groceries, which extended the whole length of the waggon, they set off early in the morning; and after encountering snow-drifts and other obstacles by the way, arrived at the cottage about two P. M. Scarcely were they again seated, when the mother took from the shelf a new quarto Bible, saying, she hoped her friend would not blame her for paying ten dollars for it, out of the fifty he had sent her a few months previous. "Our old eyes," she said, "could not well read the small print of the other Bible. I told my husband I did not believe we could make any better use of the money, or should ever be the poorer for buying a Bible that we could read; and it is a great comfort to us." Their friend expressed his approbation of the purchase, admired the Bible, and, before he returned it to the shelf, slipped into it unperceived a ten dollar bill; which, she afterwards wrote him, had been found on the floor when they were reading the Bible, and which she recognised as from the hand of God, having no knowledge by what means the exact amount expended had thus come again into their hands. After a brief interchange of confidence and affection, she said to her esteemed guest, “I presume, sir, you have not dined, and must be in need of refreshment. I am very sorry we have not a cup of tea to offer you, but we have some nice ham and fresh eggs, which I will immediately prepare." Her friend remarked, "There is a bag in the waggon, containing several articles from 'your son,' and perhaps there may be tea among them." The bag, with not a little effort, was transferred from the waggon to the cottage floor and the mother addressed herself to the task of taking out its contents. Among packages of flour, rice, loaf-sugar, coffee, chocolate, raisins, and other articles, each of which she held up with new expressions of delight, as received from one she so much loved, she at length came to a package of four pounds of hyson tea, when she held it out to the father with streaming eyes, saying, "Look here, papa, Jonas is the same dear good boy that he always was; he knew we were out of tea sometimes; he don't THEOLOGICAL COMETS. Then forget his poor father and mother." opening a package of Turkey figs, "And is this also," said she, "from Jerusalem? Was there ever such a son as Jonas?" By this time all hearts were overflowing. 583 orb, sweeping across the heavens, raising the wonder and admiration of some, and the alarms of others. It seems to be a common stroke of divine policy to suffer the friends of truth to be tried, not only by some going out from them and declaring a decided apostasy, but by here and there one claiming still to be of them, and yet using the advantages of glorious and of previously acquired reputation and standing, to pull down what he is professing by improved methods to build up. It was not long before the little company were seated at a well-furnished table, refreshed by the gifts of the kind "son," mingling their sympathies, and recounting all the way in which And if such comets come occasionally across our they had been led. While thus conversing, path, it may be a consolation to know that the like the merchant affectionately asked, "Do you have appeared before. Not here to speak of others, we would simply call attention to one of the class never regret the sacrifice you have made, in who was a great source of trial to evangelical Chrisgiving up your only son to be a missionary?" tians in England in the last generation. We refer to The aged father replied-"God so loved the the distinguished Robert Robinson, the predecessor world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, of Robert Hall at Cambridge, and once the object of that whosoever believeth in him should not Hall's early admiration and imitation. He began his career as a professed Calvinist. And even after he beperish, but have everlasting life; and shall I gan to employ the force of his genius to destroy pubwithhold my only son from obeying the command of our ascended Saviour, Go ye into alllic confidence in the evangelical system, he was fain the world, and preach the gospel to every creature?"" All present were deeply affected, a tear standing in the eye even of the young driver; they again bowed in prayer: both the father and the merchant led in turn, commending the little company, the absent son, and a sin-ruined world to the God of missions. The interview was an hour bright with the beams of the Sun of righteousness amid the dark pilgrimage of life, an oasis in the desert, a season never to be forgotten by any one of the four persons who thus met for the first and the last time on earth. That young driver, as he afterwards distinctly stated, here first had his mind impressed with the sacredness of the work of foreign missions. He gave his heart to Christ, pursued a thorough course of education, went forth to the heathen, and was no other than Henry Lyman, the noble martyr who fell by the side of Munson, in 1834, among the bloody battas of Sumatra. The aged father, in his will, bequeathed to the merchant, for the purchase of a book in token of his love, the sum of five dollars, which at his death was paid to the widow for the old small-print Bible, which is still possessed as a precious memento. The widow has entered into rest; and the stranger passing a rural graveyard in South Hawley, where the scenery opens in magnificence and beauty, reads on the tombstone of the father, his reply just quoted to the question, whether he ever regretted the gift to missions of his ONLY SON. THEOLOGICAL COMETS. ASTRONOMERS have not yet solved the mystery of comets, nor ascertained the purpose which they accomplish in their erratic rounds. Nor can we tell all the purposes which God will accomplish by the "wandering stars" in the theological heavens. But we know that for some purposes he has often ordered it so, that among the luminaries set in his golden candlesticks, to give a steady and reliable light, there has been here and there a brilliant and erratic to be acknowledged as a Calvinist. His equivocal position well appears in his translation of Saurin's sermons. In opening those sermons to the English public, he performed an important service to evangelical truth; yet his preface to the translation is a long and laboured (though covert) attack upon the main principles held forth in the sermons which he had translated. Dr Gregory, in his memoir of Robert Hall, says of Robinson, that "he was a man of extensive powers, and of considerable industry and research. Fascinating as a preacher, delightful as a companion, perseveringly skilful in the insinuation of his sentiments, his influence could not but be great. From the profession of orthodox opinions, he passed by a rather rapid transition, not to Socinianism, but far beyond it -to the very borders of Infidelity. Such at least was the substance of his declaration to Dr Priestley, whom he thanked for recovering him from that awful gulf. Vain speculation was substituted for faith, knowledge, and experience. While he stood in his equivocal position, professing orthodoxy and abetting heresy, some of his favourite themes of declamation were the virtue of renouncing the popular doctrines-the mischiefs of dogmas and creeds-the Christian character of those who reject a part of the Scriptures-the innocence of error and the right of Christians to propagate itand the squaring of revelation by the conceits of human reason. Yet in this very treatise, in which he speaks as a Socinian would of these matters, he says that though he does not adopt all the sentiments of Saurin, yet he approves of his views in Then he goes general, and says, that if he had a human oracle in religion, Saurin would be the man. on to specify some unimportant points of disagreement, but says nothing of any of the cardinal doctrines, leaving the impression that he was as Calvinistic as Saurin, while he was by covert arguments labouring to demolish Calvinism. Such was the man who had to thank Priestley for keeping him from Infidelity, and whose last public act was a sermon preached in Priestley's pulpit. Though comets travel in very eccentric paths, there is yet much similarity in their phenomena. Thus when a new one comes, we are less alarmed than if we had never seen the like before. And though a present injury is occasioned, it is doubtless overruled for good. "There must also be heresies among you, that they which are approved may be "It is impossible but that offences made manifest." should come, but wo unto him by whom they come." It is a remarkable fact, that when a minister thus divides himself between truth and error, being by profession orthodox, and in his acts heterodox, the results of his labour are heterodox. So it was in Robinson's church in Cambridge. Dr Gregory says, "The congregation became so transformed and deteriorated, that among the more intelligent classes, with only two or three exceptions, he was esteemed the best Christian who was most skilled in disputation-not he who evinced most of the spirit of Christ." And when Robert Hall took charge of the people, he had a specimen of the fruits of the preaching of his predecessor. His first sermon was on the doctrine of the atonement. After the service one of his people followed him into the vestry, and said, "Mr Hall, this preaching wont do for us; it will only suit a congregation of old women;" "Do you mean my sermon, sir, or the doctrine ?" "Your doctrine." "Why is it that the doctrine is fit only for old women ? " "Because it may suit the musings of people tottering on the brink of the grave, and who are eagerly seeking comfort." Thank you, sir, for your concession. The doctrine will not suit people of any age unless it is true, and if true, it is not fitted for old women alone, but is equally important at every age." This individual, with others, soon withdrew, and formed a congregation under Socinian preaching; and like causes may ever be expected to produce like results.-Puritan. THE PRAYER-MEETING BY THE ROCK. SOME years ago, two fathers, living in a remote part of the town, agreed to meet weekly to pray, especially for the conversion of their own children, and also for the salvation of their neighbours. They met, cach with his Bible, every Sabbath morning at daylight in a retired spot, by a rock half-way between their respective houses. They began in the spring of the year, and continued the meeting for some months -spending the hour each in his closet when prevented by the weather from meeting. At the first meeting one of them was overwhelmed with emotion; he wept, and was unable for a while to speak. Soon after this meeting began, one of his daughters became interested in religion, and indulged a hope in the mercy of Christ. Presently one of his sons, who knew nothing of the meeting, falling in with the other father, says to him, "Ah, sir! you do not know how we feel." On inquiring, he was found to be in a state of deep anxiety, and soon after was led to give his heart to Christ. In the course of the summer, all the children of these two fathers, except those who were very young, yielded themselves to God. There was one son living at a distance. They had heard nothing from him, but he was remembered with deep interest in their prayers. Soon the son already mentioned determined to visit him. He found him in a state of deep anxiety on account of his sins, and soon had occasion to rejoice with him in the salvation of the gospel. But the work was not confined to these two fami lies. Before the summer elapsed a revival of religion extended from these families into the two towns near the borders of which they lived, and many in both places were added to the Church of Christ. A son of one of these fathers has since become a successful and beloved minister of the gospel; and all the younger children, as they have grown up, have united with the Church of Christ. A few months ago, the writer committed the eldest of these fathers to the grave. He had been a pillar in the Church, sound and steadfast in the faith, and always delighting in religious conversation, and especially in speaking of God's wondrous works in the advancing of his kingdom. And when death summoned him, he was ready to be offered. He left eight children, all now heads of families, and all professors of religion. And can a departing saint leave, a richer legacy to the world than a troop of sons and daughters who fear God, who will train their own households after them in the ways of holiness, and transmit a godly seed through a thousand generations? And if fathers and mothers, instead of slum-, bering it away, would devote the dawn of the Sabbath to prayer; if they would pray for their children with constancy and earnestness; if they would unite, with burdened hearts, in seasons of special prayer for them with pious neighbours, we might expect fewer of the children of the Church to grow up to strengthen Satan's kingdom, and the Church to be continually enlarged by the offspring of them that believe. LENDING TO THE LORD. DEAN SWIFT was once asked to preach a short charity sermon. He complied with the request. The sermon is perhaps the shortest one on record. We will quote it entire. Text: "He that hath pity upon the poor, lendeth unto the Lord." Sermon: "If you like the security, down with your money." The effect was electrical. An unusually large collection was taken up immediately afterwards. A physician who is not a professor of religion, in a neighbouring city, has for many years exhibited an unshaken faith in that declaration. He told me that he has made many experiments on it, and the Lord has fulfilled his words, "That which he hath given will He pay him again," in every case. One of his "experiments" came under my observation. "It was a bleak and chilling day in the winter of 1847-8. The doctor was going his rounds, and met frozen to death. He accosted the doctor, and asked a poor coloured boy in the street. He was nearly him most piteously for a little money, stating at the same time that his master, an old Quaker, had excluded him from the house, and compelled him to remain in the barn; he could stand it no longer, and desired to go home-twenty miles up the river. The doctor now had the materials for another test of the promise. You shall not suffer if I can help you, was his cheering reply to the boy. He requested him to call at his office, and went to a neighbouring hotel and told the landlord to keep the boy until farther orders. Late in the evening, the boy again had said, "We don't keep darkies over night.' The appeared at the office, and stated that the landlord doctor immediately started out in search of new quarters, and after some difficulty found a coloured woman who was willing to keep the boy for a few days. In a short time, the river, which had been closed with ice, was open. The doctor paid the bills, gave the boy a crown-piece, and bad him God-speed. That is what he calls lending to the Lord. Now for the payment. When he called at the house of the coloured person to pay the bill, he accidentally met an old lady who scrutinized him closely, and at CHRIST ALL, AND IN ALL. length said, 'Ain't you Dr B. ?'Yes,' was the reply; but who are you?' 'No matter about my name; I owe you a pound-note which you have long since forgotten, and which I did not intend to pay you till I saw what you have done to that poor boy. The Lord bless you for your kindness! Next week you shall have your money.' She came according to her promise, and offered the money, but the doctor was unwilling to take it, as he had no charge on his books. She forced it on him. He afterwards simply remarked, My meeting that woman was not a mere accident; the Lord always fulfils his promise. generally get my capital back with compound interest. I The Bank of Heaven is not yet insolvent. Money can be safely invested there. "Ye have the poor always with you." UNSTABLE PROFESSORS. WHERE is the Church that has not to mourn over such members? What minister has not had his heart saddened by their inconsistent walk? At one time they are all zeal, and at another all indifference. Their seat in the sanctuary is filled or vacant, just as the humour takes them. If there is any thing new or exciting, they may be found among the foremost; but the regular and ordinary means of grace are neither appreciated nor improved. Belonging to the stony-ground class of hearers, and having no depth, they shoot up in apparent luxuriance, but soon die out, and never bear any fruit. They have no special regard for their own minister, and are |ready to find fault with him on the most trivial occasion. At one time he does too much, and at another too little. They seem to take special pains to wound his feelings, by absenting themselves on occasions when he looks for their presence, and expects their support. They live on the outskirts of Zion, and never seem to get beyond the court of the Gentiles. For the sake of avoiding discipline, they may force themselves to be present at the communion; but they enjoy no sacred fellowship with the rest, and, it is to be feared, have no proper discernment of the true nature of the ordinance. They are extremely sensitive on the ground of personal attention. You must make much of them, visit them, nay, even flatter them, or they will be off to some other society, where they hope for more of this sort of adulation. They have no true humility. Occasionally they will slyly fall into some place of preaching, where the doctrine is any thing but true, and where even the Lord that bought them is denied. How to spend the Sabbath, is often a difficult problem with them. The church where they are bound to go, where their names are recorded, to which they have sworn sacred allegiance, is deserted, or but occasionally visited; whilst the query is, where they can be most entertained, or pass the holy time with the least sense of weariness. The preaching they most enjoy is that which least benefits their soulswhich amuses, rather than humbles them. They rove about in search of this kind of Sabbath-day entertainment. "Unstable as water," should be written opposite the names of all such professors. They are a dreadful incubus to the Church of God, 585 a grief to the truly pious-" wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness." It is no want of charity to say, that they give no evidence of conversion. Oye unstable professors! what is to become of you in the day when the crowns of glory are distributed? Will the cry," Lord, Lord," save you then? Will not the course you are pursuing plant a thorn in your dying pillow? If the character described. belongs to the reader, let the warning be taken. Go back to the church where your violated vows are recorded to the minister whose heart you have saddened—and there begin your repentance. Take your. place under the faithful preaching of the gospel; that which will penetrate rather than please; and you. may hope that if there is mercy for your backslidden or unconverted soul, there, if any where, you will be likely to experience it. CHRIST ALL, AND IN ALL. NEITHER in systematic theology, nor in religious experience, does any man make too much of Christ. Paul says he is all, and in all. He says we are complete in him. The Scriptures agree in this view. The titles they give to Christ teach as much. He is called the Saviour, Redeemer, Deliverer, Mediator, Advocate, Intercessor, Prophet, Priest, King, Cap tain, Shepherd, Governor, Prince, Ransom, Sacrifice, Physician, Friend, Brother, the Way, the Truth, the Life, the Door, the true Bread, the Wonderful, the Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father. But the Scriptures expressly say, that he" of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." To be in him, is salvaTo be like him, is to have a sure pledge of endless tion begun. To be with him, is salvation completed. bliss. It is better to suffer with him than to reign with any other. His name is as ointment poured forth. He is the bright and morning star, which arising in the soul dispels all darkness. He somevisits the poor. He is the Lord our righteousness. times shows mercy to kings, but more commonly He is all our salvation. He dispenses all blessings in all worlds. He is Head over all things to the Church. He is the Sun of righteousness, whose light keeps earth visible, else it had long been in the blackness of darkness. Every man is dead till Christ gives him life. Who Christian experience teaches the same thing. ever loved God or his law but through Christ? Who ever found a covert from the storm but in Christ? Was there ever any other door of escape to any sinner, but Christ? Did ever any man rejoice in hope of the glory of God, and perfect holiness in his fear, but as he had proper views of Christ? If so, who was it? Is he not to every Christian the chiefest among ten thousand, and altogether lovely? He is the centre of attraction to all the redeemed. He is drawing all of them unto him. The gospel is well called the gospel of Christ; for, take Christ out of it, and it is worth nothing to a sinner. No hearty part of earth, but as it is inspired by the love of song of holy praise ever ascends to God from any Christ. Without his name prayer is useless. By the death of Christ is the death of sin. We crucify our sins by his cross. Take a guilty man to the foot of Sinai. Let him hear its thunders and see its light nings, and he may turn pale and tremble, but he will have an idol even there. Take him to Calvary, and let him behold the love of Christ and the evil of sin, and soon he will be filled with revenge against |