peace with God," as you call it, in your own way, and at any time you think proper. The conversion of a sinner is very different from what you think. And another thing, Mary, God may take you away suddenly, before you have made up your mind when you will "make your peace" with him. You know people do die suddenly, and die in their sins too and Christ has said of those who die in this manner, "Whither I go," (that is, to heaven,) "ye cannot come." You remember Susan Jones, who died after two days' illness: I heard that she died very unhappy. While she was ill, she was frequently crying out, "O that I had sought the Lord while I was in health! but now it is too late." I was told that she appeared to die without hope. So that you see religion is not of such little consequence as you think.

Mary. Well, I can't make myself religious, I suppose.

Cook. No, Mary; the change of the heart is the work of God, by the means of his Holy Spirit. But if you believe what the Bible says, that, "except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God;" that is, unless we are so much changed in our feelings and views of ourselves and of God, we cannot expect to reach heaven: if, I was going to say, you do believe this, you must know that it is only God can "make you religious;" but if you believe that you cannot enter heaven without this change, and you would but look into the Bible, you would find that "God giveth his Holy Spirit to them that ask him." So that if you did but feel how important it is to become a Christian, and would pray to God to teach you, you would not be long before the Lord would create this great change in you. He is waiting and willing to be gracious, and loves to hear and answer the prayer of the sinner who repents.

Mary. I'm sure I should never know so much as you do, Cook: there is too much in religion for me to learn.

Cook. The best thing for you would have been to have remained in this house, and to have asked the Lord to bless to you the instructions which master and mistress are so

kind as to give us. I am sorry on this account, that you are going to leave. I hoped you would have found some good from what you have heard here. I am very much afraid that at Mr. Egerton's you will learn to care even less about religion than you do now. I don't mean to say that you will see anything that is bad there; but you know that it is not a pious family: so that, as you won't have the privileges you have here, you are very likely to mix up with the gaiety and carelessness of those around you. It is not an easy thing, even for a Christian, to serve God in a family where religion is not made the chief concern; and it is not very likely that any one who does not care about religion is likely to seek the Lord, while

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surrounded with the pleasures of the world.

Mary. Well, Cook, I'm very much obliged to you for the good advice you have given me, and begin to think that, perhaps it would have been better if I had stayed here; but, however, what's done can't be undone. I must go now. I shall often think of you when I'm gone.

Cook. I shall not cease to pray, Mary, that the Lord may open your mind, and reveal to you, by His gracious Spirit, all the truths I have been talking to you about. And when you are gone, do try to think of these things. -Servant's Magazine.

ADDRESS TO SERVANTS.

OUR blessed Lord speaks expressly to you, when he says, "Be not eye-servants, as men-pleasers." That is, doing before the face of your master or mistress what you know would please them, but when they are absent, and God alone is witness of your actions, you do that which you would not do before their faces. You doubtless have read of Gehazi, who was wont to do Elisha's bidding faithfully, but when he coveted the Syrian's gold, he thought his master would never have any knowledge of his deed; but it was revealed to Elisha, and with Naaman's riches he had to endure, an undesired property, a loathsome disease. I felt induced to make a few remarks to you especially, who are intrusted with the care of infants, from seeing lately, with grief, the manner in which a company of nurses executed the trust reposed in them by their unsuspecting employers. While walking out with the children, they were employing their time in quarrelling among themselves, and using language improper under any circumstances, but more particularly in the hearing of children, whose ears are ever open to catch the conversation of others. Now, my dear friends, is it a small thing for you to be put in trust of little immortals? They will learn your language, whether good or evil; and your conduct now, will have an impression on their growing years. You will have to stand one day at the bar of Him who has witnessed each act of your life on earth. O, then, live now as unto the Lord, and not to yourself. Let not your wages be your only concern, but the present and future happiness of the lambs of Immanuel's flock.

When you take an infant in your arms, think of its great value in the Saviour's eyes, when he poured out his life-blood on the tree to save it from the flames of hell. If you wish to meet a smiling Judge at the last day, take care to secure his favour now; and remember that without the renewing grace of the Holy Spirit, you cannot live honourably in the eyes of either your earthly

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or heavenly Master. Seek a new nature, and God will bestow it upon you; for he "waits to be gracious."

And, in conclusion, my dear friends, take courage; rest in Jesus: and if your employers are ungodly persons, you may win

them to Christ by your consistent conduct. The joys of heaven will recompense you, and their anticipation will sweeten the trials of your earthly lot. That these words may prove of service to the readers, is the earnest prayer of the writer. N. S.

LETTERS FROM THE REV. JOHN WESLEY, TO MR. THOS. WRIDE. AT the Conference of 1785, the number in society stood 53,839, including 1,408 on the Missionary stations. Permission was granted to build twenty-five chapels. Kingswood collection amounted to £649. 16s. 9d.; the Preachers' Fund to £471. 12s. 1d.; and the Yearly Collection to £899. 14s. 4d. A letter was addressed by Mr. Wesley, "To Dr. Coke, Mr. Asbury, and the Brethren in North America," giving an account of "the state of the Societies," in that quarter of the globe, and appointing the two brethren thus named as 66 'joint Superintendents over the brethren in North America, and also Richard Whatcoat and Thomas Vasey, to act as Elders." In this letter there are several nice points touched; and, though Mr. Wesley had prepared a "Liturgy" for the Preachers in America, yet he evidently was taking some strides from diocesan Episcopacy, as opposed to the system which he was compelled to establish. The Preachers who had been one year on trial were allowed to subscribe to the Preachers' Fund. Mr. Wesley declared that no power which he ever enjoyed was given up by the "Declarative Deed;" and the Preachers signed a document, declaring that they desired Mr. Wesley, at the last Bristol Conference, without a dissentient voice, to draw up a deed which should give a legal specification of the phrase, "The Conference of the people called Methodists;" that the mode of doing it was left entirely to his judgment and discretion; and that they approved of the substance and design of the deed, which was thus executed and enrolled by him. The quarterly fasts were pressed upon the people. It was deemed improper to sell books on the Lord's day, to talk of worldly things, to employ a hair-dresser on the Sabbath, to send children to a dancingschool, and for persons who kept boardingschools, to admit a dancing-master into them.

We give the following:

"London, Nov. 8th, 1785. "DEAR JAMES,-I suppose James Byron is now in the Circuit, as he set out from Thirsk on the 3d instant. He is [an] amiable young man; at present full of faith and love. possible, guard him from those that will be inclined to love him too well. Then he will

If

be as useful a fellow-labourer as you can desire. And set him a pattern in all things. "I am, dear Tommy,

"Your affectionate friend and brother,
"J. WESLEY.

"To Mr. Thos. Wride,

"at the Preaching-house, in Norwich."

"James Byron," being the person present in Mr Wesley's mind, and respecting whom he was about to write, he commenced with his Christian name instead of that of Mr. Wride; and not having, in all probability, read the letter over after having written it, he permitted it to pass as it here stands. This was the first year of Mr. Byron's itinerancy; at least, so it appears, from the chronological list of Preachers, published by Mr. Myles; but as he was coming from the Thirsk Circuit, he must either have travelled in it a little previously to the Conference, or, after having spent a few weeks in it, on the event of his Conferential appointment, been removed to Norwich at the request of Mr. Wesley, either as an additional Preacher, or in the place of one of the Preachers whose name stands on the Minutes, and whose names unitedly were, Thomas Wride, T. Jones, and J. M.Kersey.

"DEAR TOMMY,

"London, Nov. 17th, 1785.

"DEAL plainly, and yet tenderly, with James Byron, and he will be a very useful labourer. But none can be a Methodist Preacher, unless he is both able and willing to preach in the morning; which is the most healthy exercise in the world. I desire that none of our Preachers would sing oftener than twice at one service. We need nothing to fill up our hour.

"In every place where there is a sufficient number of believers, do all you can to prevail upon them to meet in band. Be mild; be serious; and you will conquer all things. "I am, dear Tommy, "Your affectionate friend and brother, "J. WESLEY.

"To Mr. Thos. Wride, "at the Preaching-house, in Norwich." Again:

"DEAR TOMMY,

"London, Dec. 14th, 1785.

"HAVE patience with the young men, and

they will mend upon your hands. But remember! soft and fair goes far. For twenty years and upwards, we had good morning congregations at Norwich; but they might begin at six till Lady-day. I desire brother Byron to try what he can do: better days will come.

“I pray, let that doggerel hymn be no more sung in our chapel. If they do not soon come to their senses at Norwich, I will remove you to Colchester.

"I am, dear Tommy, "Your affectionate friend and brother, "J. WESLEY.

"Be mild! Be serious!

"To Mr. Thos. Wride,

"at the Preaching-house, in Norwich."

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The third letter furnishes a specimen of Mr. Wesley's high-church prejudice giving way, in stooping to the use of the term "chapel" as applied to one of his own "preaching-houses." We have a good deal of his own mode of proceeding in the sentiment, "Soft and fair goes far." And we have here, too, something like a key to the 'doggerel verses" in a preceding letter, respecting the use of which we were in some measure puzzled: the "hymn," so called. seems to have been a composition sung by the leaders of the choir, without the consent of the Preacher, and to put a stop to which, Mr. Wride appears to have sought the authority of Mr. Wesley.-Weekly Paper.

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SONNET AND ACROSTIC

ON THE LATE REV. SAMUEL BRADBURN. "He was a man, take him for all in all, we shall not look upon his like again."-Shakspeare. So wondrous were thy talents, O my Sire,

A nd so eccentric all thy acts, that they May well despair who would thy mind portray,

Unveil the cause of that mysterious fire Enshrined within thy noble breast, whose rays,

Like lurid lightning, flash'd in sudden blaze,

B right, withering, in the momentary glare:
Relapsing instantly to mildest light,
A nd eager passion's ruin to repair!

Did human voice e'er urge the soul to flight

Beyond the snares of sin, to CHRIST, like thine,

U nrivall'd eloquence, all but divine!

Recalling strains that died with thee, were vain;

"Never, O never, shall we see thy like again!" Marske.

SOPHIA COOKE ROGERS.

ON THE WISDOM AND GOODNESS OF GOD.

"All thy works do praise thee." JEHOVAH'S skill and goodness too,

Around, beneath us, are display'd; The green below, above the blue,

And crimson sunset in the shade.

The bud, the blossom, and the flowers,
The rich fruit pending, on the trees;
Yon silvery lake, descending showers,
As well the merry humming-bees;

BALM OF GILEAD.

REFERENCE is supposed to be made to this important gum in the following passages of holy writ:-Gen. xxxvii. 25; xliii. 11; Jer. viii. 22; xlvi. 11; li. 8; Ezek. xxvii. 17. It is curious, that the tree producing the precious balsam, or balm of Gilead, is not a native of the country where we have the first accounts of its being gathered in sufficient quantity to become an article of commerce. It has nowhere been found wild, except on the African coast of the Red Sea, as far as Babelmandel. Its produce is named as an article of merchandise, in the book of Genesis, without any observation whatever; but it is probable that the plants which Josephus says the Queen of Sheba presented to Solomon may have stocked the gardens of

Jericho, between twenty and thirty miles from those of Gilead, and in a climate and soil more favourable. We may conclude (says Lady Calcott) from the care taken of these gardens, from the constant opinion that one of them, at least, was planted by Solomon, and from the knowledge possessed by the Greeks and Romans that they were the peculiar property of the Kings of Judah, how precious the balm was. Jeremiah instructs us in its healing properties, when lamenting the miseries of Israel. "Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there?" And again, he mourns the woes of Egypt and Babylon, because they are such as the balm even of Gilead cannot cure.

The road by which the balsam reached Greece and Rome is pointed out by Ezekiel,

who says that Israel and Judah supplied the markets of Tyre with it, and the merchants frequenting Tyre carried it, of course, further west. So highly prized was this balsam, that, during the war of Titus against the Jews, two fierce contests took place for the balsam-orchards of Jericho, the last of which was to prevent the Jews from destroying the trees, that the trade might not fall into the enemy's hands.

The gardens were taken

formal possession of as public property; an imperial guard was appointed to watch over them; and the Emperors increased their size, and endeavoured to propagate the plants. This care has, however, been unavailing : not a root nor a branch of the balsam-tree is now to be found in all Palestine. Twice was the curiosity of the Roman people gratified by the sight of a balsam-tree exhibited in triumph in their streets. The first time was when Pompey returned from his conquests in the East, and Judea first became a Roman province: and the last time was, after a lapse of one hundred and forty-four years, when the spoils of the temple of Jerusalem were borne in triumph through the imperial city; and, as a sign of the subjugation of the whole country, the precious balm-tree was one of the objects exhibited with pride by Vespasian.

Centuries have passed by since the very names of balsam of Judea, and balm of

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Gilead, have been forgotten. The substance, however, is still eagerly sought for in Egypt and the East, under the name of balm of Mecca. It appears to have been one of the great objects of Hasselquist's oriental travels to procure some unadulterated balsam of Mecca. This he was enabled to do at Cairo; but he complains much of the fraudulent mixtures in its stead. He never obtained a sight of the plant. Bruce was more fortunate. He saw it in some valleys of Arabia. The most considerable grove, or garden, of balsam-trees, is in a recess in the mountains between Mecca and Medina, near a place where Mohammed fought one of his severest battles. He, sensible of the advantage of possessing the precious grove, at once took possession of it, and asserted, even in the face of his companions, that the trees had sprung from the blood of such of the Koreish as had died there. The bark is smooth, shining, and of a whitish grey colour, with brown blotches. The leaves are of a white green, and grow in threes and fives. The flower is insignificant, and generally grows three together, though it is rare to find more than two berries near each other. greatest quantity of the balsam flows from the wounded bark. The twigs, after boiling, are sent to Venice, when they enter into that heterogeneous compound, Venice treacle.

The

MEMOIR OF MR. JOHN MILNER.

(Concluded from page 55.)

On one of these occasions the Clergyman came to John when he was delivering his message, and pulled him off the chair on which he stood. He also hailed poor John down the street, holding him fast by the collar of his coat, threatening him with a place in the stocks. John occasionally interposed a word or two, and said, "Sir, are you not ashamed to use a poor old man so ill?” But no notice was taken of these more gentle remonstrances; and something having caught the attention of the Clergyman, John espied his opportunity, and, putting his mouth almost close to the Clergyman's ear, cried in a voice like thunder, "Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead." This operated like the electric stroke of a torpedo; and the Clergyman loosed hold of his victim, and let him depart in peace. After any persecution of this sort he used to console himself by saying, he hoped that the warning he had given would sink in the conscience.

At another village this good man took his stand on the outside of the church-wall, and commenced singing a hymn as the people

After some

were coming out of church. time the Clergyman, who was a Magistrate, ordered the Constable to go and pull the Preacher down, take him out of the parish, and dismiss him, with the injunction not to return. John went very quietly with the Constable to the parish boundary, where he was not so passive in receiving his dismissal, and, being by far the stronger man of the two, he laid hold upon the Constable, held him fast, knelt down on the highway, and prayed for him, for the Clergyman, and the poor sinners in the parish. He then went home in peace. But if in this summary way it was thought a troublesome man was to be got rid of, the parties little knew the temper of the individual they had to deal with; for the next Sabbath John was at his post again, and a very similar scene was gone through. The Constable was seized by John, held fast on the highway, and compelled to hear his prayer a second time. Opposition always

added a fresh stimulus to John Milner's zeal. He considered his work a battle for the Lord of hosts, and therefore would never be the first to quit the field. On the third Sabbath afternoon, John was under the churchyard-wall, trying to blow the ram's