country, a situation was obtained for him in a respectable bank in the city. Every arrangement being made, they approached the nuptial altar, and the silken knot was tied, under mutual pledges of fidelity and affection. The long expected event was announced to the peaceful inhabitants of the village by the ringing of the parish bells, and many came to give their benediction to the happy pair as they were leaving the scene of their bliss to spend the honey moon in the Isle of Wight.

man,

It was on a fine summer's evening, as they were returning from a ramble into the country, that they overtook a new married couple, who had taken lodgings near them at Ryde, when an accidental occurrence took place which led to a close, but fatal intimacy. Mr. Phillips had picked up a beautiful miniature painting in a red morocco case, and on passing the lady he recognized its owner. "I regret, Sir," he said to the gentle"that you should become a widower so soon after you became a husband." This extraordinary address, proceeding from the lips of an entire stranger, produced a momentary embarrassment; but on his presenting the picture the meaning was explained, and many expressions of thanks were given in return for it, with the following apology for his carelessness;-"Having the original, Sir, made me less careful of the copy." They sauntered into the town together, and being pressed, Mr. and Mrs. Phillips accepted an invitation to spend the remaining part of the evening with their new associates. On entering the drawing-room they found a cold collation on the table, which proved very acceptable. The cloth was soon removed, and the cards were introduced. "Now, Sir," said Mr. Owen, we will pass away the time in my favourite amusement, if it be perfectly agreeable." Mrs. Phillips declined, but her husband consented, and it was late before they returned home. He had not touched a pack of cards since his departure from London.; but now his passion for the game returned, and the greater part of the evenings which he spent in the island were devoted to its gratification. He alternately won and lost; and though prudence forbade him to stake muen money, yet when the last game was played he found himself about five guineas minus. The loss of this sum was a trifling evil; but a dormant passion was now roused up

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to active excitement; a habit was re-formed which he had determined to abandon for ever; the barrier which the most solemn vows had cast up, to obstruct his passage to a course of open profligacy, was broken down; and to this ill-fated hour may be traced the future calamities oʻ his unhappy life.

He now hastened to town, where he found Mr. and Mrs. Lea, who had taken a genteel house for them in the City Road, and made every provision for their domestic felicity which parental solicitude could supply. "Indeed, my honoured parents," said Mrs. Phillips," you have exceeded my most sanguine expectations, and I hope that our future bliss will reward you for all your kindness." "If you are happy," said her father, "that is all the reward we covet; and I have no doubt but God will bless you." Turning to his son-inlaw, he said, "You have a good wife, and I flatter myself she has a good husband; but if you wish to preserve and promote domestic happiness, you must love your home, as the sequestered spot which Providence marks out for the cultivation of conjugal bliss. Have but few associates; keep holy the Sabbath day; spend your evenings at home; and never suffer any games of hazard to be played here, as they have such a fatal tendency."

Mr. and Mrs. Lea tarried a few weeks after Mr. Phillips had entered on the duties of his office; when, having accomplished the design of their visit, they returned to their peaceful retreat in the country, where they hoped to spend their few remaining years in undisturbed quietude. But they soon found that they had been despoiled of their chief bliss. For though their love for each other still glowed with its native purity and ardour; and though their flowers blossomed, and their fruits ripened, as in former years; and though their birds sang in notes as soft and as enchanting as in the spring time season of their life; yet the object of their mutual and their fond attachment was far away, animating another dwelling with her presence, and blessing another family with her smiles, and her affection,

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"To thee do I now come, invited by the exceeding great and precious promises of thy word, and trusting for acceptance in the efficacy of the Saviour's death; laying myself at thy feet, I would say, 'God, be merciful unto me a sinner." Page 3.

London:

MISS HOLMES. ›

PART III.

"The grand difficulty in religion after all, is perseverancefidelity to the cause we have chosen-constancy and courage in our Master's service. It is comparatively easy, under the grace of God, to make resolutions; the difficulty is to keep them." Cunningham.

THE scene which opens on the imagination of the young Christian is often so beautiful and enchantingit so deeply fixes and engages his attention, and gives such strong and pleasurable excitement to his best affections, that he turns away with an eye of comparative indifference from those objects, and pursuits, with which he has been previously familiar, under a full conviction that he can never derive felicity, except from that new source which he has discovered. It is, when he is under these novel and powerful impressions, that the long neglected Bible discloses new beauties; no theme of meditation, or discussion, presents any subduing charms but Christ Jesus, and him crucified; and having felt the transition from a state of spiritual death to a newness of life, to be attended by such an exquisite susceptibility of feeling, he is in danger of anticipating too large a proportion of spiritual enjoyment; which not unfrequently becomes the occasion of deep mental depression.

During the continuance of her indisposition Miss Holmes devoted so much of her attention to the subject of religion, and felt so deeply interested in it, that her general health became impaired, and a shade of melancholy was cast over her spirit. She was forewarned of the possibility of such an effect being produced by her intense application; but the usual apology which she made to her pious mother was: "Can I take too much interest in that important subject, into which angels

desire to look? or can I ever hope to enjoy such a favourable time for its investigation as the present, when I am precluded from mingling with the cares or the amusements of the world?”

As the first impression of truth had produced such a powerful effect, she, very naturally concluded, that it would continue to operate with an undiminished force, till she had attained that state of sinless perfection, which constitutes the peculiar honour of the saints in light. The following form of self-dedication to God she drew up and signed, having vowed in the most solemn manner to observe it to the full extent of her pledge.

"Eternal and unchangeable Jehovah! thou great Creator of heaven and earth, and adorable Lord of angels and men, I desire with the deepest humiliation and abasement of soul, to fall down at this time in thine awful presence, and earnestly pray, that thou wilt impress my heart with a clear perception of thine unutterable and inconceivable glories.

"To thee do I now come, invited by the exceeding great and precious promises of thy word; and trusting for acceptance in the efficacy of the Saviour's death. Laying myself at thy feet, I would say, 'God be merciful unto me a sinner.' The irregular propensities of my depraved nature have in ten thousand aggravated instances wrought to bring forth fruit unto death. And if thou shouldst be strict to mark mine offences, I must be silent under a load of guilt, and immediately sink into destruction. But thou hast graciously called me to return to thee, though I have been a backsliding child. I come unto thee, O Lord, convinced not only of my sin, but of my folly; and while I implore mercy through the mediation of Jesus Christ, I would be no less importunate for the purifying influences of the Holy Spirit, that I may be entirely conformed to thee. Permit me to bring unto thee those powers and faculties which I have ungratefully alienated from thy service; and receive, I beseech thee, thy poor revolted creature, who is now convinced of thy right to her, and who desires nothing in the world so much as to be thine.

"I bring to thee a dark benighted mind, to be illuminated with divine knowledge. Thou hast the words of eternal life; I therefore resign my understanding to