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BIOGRAPHY.

"Will

horn for his Master, and warn sinners to "flee from the wrath to come." When the Constable was again ordered to pull him down, he remonstrated, and told his tale of being held fast, &c. Why then," said the Clergyman, "go and bring him to me." Well pleased with the change, the Constable, whose conscience seemed to have been touched a little, took John to the house of the Rector. There sat his Reverence, when in entered the Constable with his prisoner. Whatever was the anger of the Judge, the man in custody was as calm as a summer's evening. "I tell you," said the Clergyman, "you shall not preach here; we want no such people as you; and I order you to quit this village, and never to return." your Reverence please to hear me?" said John. Permission was granted, and he proceeded: “Sir, I lived till I was near forty years of age, one of the most ignorant and wicked men in all the country. I never went either to church or chapel; hardly knew whether I had a soul or not, or whether there were either God or devil, heaven or hell; but by hearing the preaching of the Methodists I was convinced that I was a sinner, converted to God, and made a new man. O Sir! religion has made me so happy, I want everybody to be like me. I don't come here to oppose you, Sir; but simply because I thought there might be some poor ungodly men in this place who are as ignorant, wicked, and unhappy as I was, and that they might believe what an old man could tell them about the goodness of God in sending Christ into the world to save them; and how happy religion would make them."

The

John spoke the simple language of his heart. And it was not in vain. Clergyman was considerably moved: he dismissed John, therefore, with kind words, and told him he might go and do all the good he could.

Bent upon new and untried paths, John was rather eccentric in his movements, and therefore went for several successive years to Doncaster races, to warn the ungodly sinners who assembled there. His friends remonstrated with him on the impropriety of this step, as one in which he was not likely to do any good; but he considered it his duty, and no consideration could induce him to deviate from it. The Magistrates several times gave orders for his apprehension, and lodged him for a few days in prison. At first they were disposed to be severe; but on learning his character, they became more lenient. Indeed when he was first taken up, under the pretence of creating a riot, by collecting a crowd around him, and was examined in the court-house, one of the Magistrates threatened him that if he came there any more to preach, they would send him to the Wakefield house of correction. "Gentlemen," replied John, "I am seventy years old, and if I should lie in Wakefield jail seventy years, they would

have an end; but if any of you gentlemen on
the bench get to the wrong place, you will
never get out again." He then knelt down
to pray for them.
"We'll have none of your
prayer here," said a Magistrate. "Gentle-
men," was the reply, "if you do not pray,
you will be lost."

When taken down the street in Doncaster to prison, it was generally with holy triumph on John's part. He told the Magistrates, "Gentlemen, you permit rogues, bad people, ballad-singers, and evil men to cry lists of the running horses, and all sorts of gamblers to come, and take no notice of them; but won't bear one old man to tell you the truth." "However," said he to the writer," the last time I was in prison, one of the Magistrates came and ordered me a very good bed, and I had plenty to eat and drink; and the jailer was very kind to me."

On inquiring what made the Magistrates so angry with him as to put him in prison, he replied, "The High-street in Doncaster on a Sunday afternoon is like a fair, and all the blacklegs, gamblers, and gentlemen from every part of the country are out with their cards and betting-books, and you hear them saying, three to one on such a horse; and five to one; two to one, &c. So I cried at the top of my voice, (and it was an awfully loud one,) A thousand to one! a thousand to one! a thousand to one! you Sabbathbreakers and gamblers, &c., are all on the highway to hell-fire.'" And this he kept repeating; and then quoted other pointed passages of Scripture.

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The fruit of this good man's labours will be known in that day when the Lord will reward every man according to his work.

The latter days of John's life were eminently peaceful and happy. He was only ill a week before his death. When his old master Mr. Clarke asked him, if he felt the love of God in his heart, he replied, "Yes; and it does not visit me as a transient guest, but has abided here in my heart many a year." He then exclaimed, "I have fought the good fight of faith, and am going to receive a crown of glory! Yes! I know I am." He died July 25th, 1824, aged seventy-nine years and eleven months.

On the Sabbath after his death, Mr. Samuel Clarke, in whose employ he had been engaged so many years, preached his funeral sermon in the open air to a very large congregation. His text was, "The memory of the just is blessed." Mr. Clarke said, in the course of his sermon, that he thanked God he ever knew John Milner; and that during the last thirty years of his life he had never seen him in any temper or frame of mind but he wished to be in the same when he came to die.

Such was the life and death of this humble and devoted cottager. His reputation for deep piety was established; and his character was respected among all classes throughout

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AT this time I was invited to meet Mr. Coleridge with a zealous Unitarian Minister. It was natural to conclude that such uncongenial, and, at the same time, such inflammable materials, would soon ignite. The subject of Unitarianism having been introduced soon after dinner, the Minister avowed his sentiments, in language that was construed into a challenge, when Mr. Coleridge advanced at once to the charge, by saying, "Sir, you give up so much, that the little you retain of Christianity is not worth keeping." We looked in vain for a reply. After a manifest internal conflict, the Unitarian Minister very prudently allowed the gauntlet to remain undisturbed. Wine he thought more pleasant than controversy.

Shortly after this occurrence, Mr. Coleridge supped with the writer, when his well-known conversational talents were eminently displayed; so that what Pope affirmed of Bolingbroke, that "his usual conversation, taken down verbatim, from its coherence and accuracy, would have borne printing without correction," was fully, and perhaps more justly, applicable to Mr. C.

He said he had recently had a long conversation with a Unitarian Minister, who declared that he could discover nothing in the New Testament which in the least favoured the divinity of Christ, to which Mr. C. replied that it appeared to him impossible for any man to read the New Testament, with the common exercise of an unbiassed understanding, without being convinced of the divinity of Christ, from the testimony almost of every page.

He said it was evident that different persons might look at the same object with very opposite feelings. For instance, if Sir Isaac Newton looked at the planet Jupiter, he would view him with his revolving moons, and would be led to the contemplation of his being inhabited, which thought would open a boundless field to his imagination: whilst another person, standing perhaps at the side of the great philosopher, would look at Jupiter with the same set of feelings that he would at a silver sixpence. So some persons were wilfully blind, and did not seek for that

change, that preparation of the heart and understanding, which would enable them to see clearly the Gospel truth.

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He said that Socinians believed no more than St. Paul did before his conversion for the Pharisees believed in the Supreme Being, and a future state of rewards and punishments. St. Paul thought he ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. The saints he shut up in prison, having received authority from the High-Priest; and when they were put to death, he gave his voice against them. But after his conversion, writing to the Romans, he says, "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ; for it is the power of Ged unto salvation to every one that believeth: to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."

He then referred to the dreadful state of the literati in London, as it respected religion, and of their having laughed at him, and believed him to be in jest, when he professed his belief in the Bible.

Having introduced Mr. Davy to Mr. C. some years before, I inquired for him with some anxiety, and expressed a hope that he was not tinctured with the prevailing scepticism since his removal from Bristol to London. Mr. C. assured me that he was not: that his heart and understanding were not the soil for infidelity.

In the corroboration of this remark, an occurrence might be cited, from the Life of Sir Humphrey, by his brother, Dr. Davy. Sir Humphrey, in his excursion to Ireland, at the house of Dr. Richardson, met a large party at dinner, amongst whom were the Bishop of Raphoe, and another Clergyman. A gentleman, one of the company, in his zeal for infidelity, began an attack on Christianity, (no very gentlemanlike conduct,) not doubting but that Sir H. Davy, as a philosopher, participated in his principles; and he probably anticipated, with so powerful an auxiliary, an easy triumph over the cloth. With great confidence he began his flippant sarcasms at religion, and was heard out by his audience, and by none with more attention than Sir Humphrey. At the conclusion of his harangue, Sir H. Davy, instead of lending his aid, entered on a comprehensive defence of Christianity, "in so fine a tone of elo

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THE EAGLE AND CAT. THE circumstance represented in our woodcut at the head of this article, is the following:

One of those eagles with which the more northern parts of Scotland abound, was observed by the artist who made a sketch of the transaction, and also by some hay-makers in an adjoining field, to alight in his downward course, in the vicinity of a neighbouring farmyard, and in a few moments, the king of the birds was again beheld ascending, having made captive a fine but unlucky cat, and was in the act of conveying poor Grimalkin to his eyry. The suddenness of the capture, and her

present unusually perilous situation, rendered poor puss for some time a passive prisoner. This, however, did not continue long. The eagle appeared, to the spectators, to betray symptoms of uneasiness; for puss had extricated herself from the claws of the victor, and was now the aggressor, and seizing the bird by the throat, inflicted some deadly wounds on the neck and head of the eagle, which caused it rapidly to descend to the earth, lifeless.

Pussey was uninjured, and, after looking round, and giving herself a shake or two, returned to her former haunts.

POPERY.

THE ASCENT OF THE HOLY STAIRCASE AT ROME.

I NEVER in my life saw anything at once so ridiculous and so unpleasant as this sight:

ridiculous in the absurd incidents inseparable from it, and unpleasant in its senseless and unmeaning degradation. There are two steps to begin with, and then a rather broad

TABLE-TALK.

landing. The more rigid climbers went along this landing on their knees as well as up the stairs; and the figures they cut in their shuffling progress over the level surface no description can paint. Then, to see them watch their opportunity from the porch, and cut in where there was a place next the wall! And to see one man with an umbrella (brought on purpose, for it was a fine day) hoisting himself, unlawfully, from stair to stair! There were such odd differences in the speed of different people, too. Some got on as though they were doing a match against time: others stopped to say a prayer on every step. This man touched every stair with his forehead, and kissed it: that man scratched his head all the way. The boys got on brilliantly, and were up and down again before an old lady had accomplished her half-dozen stairs. But most of the penitents came down very sprightly and fresh, as having done a real, good, substantial deed, which it would take a great deal of sin to counterbalance; and the old gentleman in the watch-box was down upon them with his canister while they were in this humour, I promise you.-Pictures from Italy.

THE POPISH PRIEST OF REDDITCH AND THE WESLEYAN METHODISTS:

OR, POPISH LOGIC IN THE 19TH CENTURY.

A CURIOUS DOCUMENT.

THE accompanying paper on Popery was written by the Roman Catholic Priest in this place, and given to two Wesleyan Methodists, to whom he sent to explain something which he had understood they objected to in one of the Popish cate

93

chetical books. I thought it descriptive of the gross ignorance of the Papacy, and therefore copied it from the manuscript of the Priest. SPECTATOR.

Redditch, Dec. 15th, 1847.

I MUST save my soul, gain heaven; religion teaches me how.

That religion for me that will make my salvation secure; in other words, the safest religion for me.

Catholic religion is the safest: compare it with any other, and see quickly that it is

So.

1. It is the oldest; this looks well. It is the strictest; the thing for me. It has all that any other religion has of good, and something more.

This is what I want. Let a Methodist or Protestant become Catholic, he will add something. Let a Catholic become Methodist, he will have to take away something.

The Catholics are more numerous far away than any other; there must be something good in the religion.

2. It is the safest; thus,

(1.) Confession safer than no confession, even if it do no good.

(2.) Communion safer than no communion; if our Saviour be not present, no harm done.

(3.) Praying to saints safer than not praying, even if it do no good.

(4.) Praying for (?) dead may do good, can't do harm; therefore safer to pray than not. (5.) Fasting is safer than not fasting.

On every point the Catholic is on the safe side; therefore I ought to be a Catholic; therefore I will be a Catholic; for I will save my soul. (!!!)

SOMNAMBULISM.

TABLE-TALK.

ALTOGETHER, the most interesting case of somnambulism on record is that of a young Ecclesiastic, the narrative of which, from the immediate communication of an Archbishop of Bourdeaux, is given under the head of "Somnambulism" in the French Encyclopadia. This young Ecclesiastic, when the Archbishop was at the same seminary, used to rise every night, and write out either sermons or pieces of music. To study his condition the Archbishop betook himself several nights to the chamber of the young man, where he made the following observations:The young man used to rise, to take paper, and to write. Before he wrote music, he would take a stick and rule the lines with it. He wrote the notes, together with the words corresponding with them, with perfect cor

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rectness. Or, when he had written the words too wide, he altered them. The notes that were to be black he filled in after he had completed the whole. After finishing the sermon, he read it aloud from beginning to end. If any passage displeased him, he erased it, and wrote the amended passage correctly over the other: on one occasion he had to substitute the word adorable for divine; but he did not omit to alter the preceding "ce" into "cet," by adding the letter "t" with exact precision to the word first written. To ascertain whether he used his eyes, the Archbishop interposed a sheet of pasteboard between the writing and his face. He took not the least notice, but went on writing as before. The limitation of his perceptions to what he was thinking about was very curious. A bit of aniseed-cake that he had sought for he ate approvingly; but when, on another

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occasion, a piece of the same cake was put in his mouth, he spat it out without observation. The following instance of the dependence of his perceptions upon, or rather their subordination to, his preconceived ideas is truly wonderful. It is to be observed that he always knew when his pen had ink in it. Likewise, if they adroitly changed his papers, when he was writing, he knew it, if the sheet substituted was of a different size from the former, and he appeared embarrassed in that

case.

But if the fresh sheet of paper, which was substituted for that written on, was exactly of the same size with the former, he appeared not to be aware of the change. And he would continue to read off his composition from the blank sheet of paper as fluently as when the manuscript itself lay before him; nay, more, he would continue his corrections and introduce the amended passage, writing it upon exactly the place on the blank sheet which it would have occupied on the written page.Blackwood's Magazine.

JOHN O'GROAT'S HOUSE.

JOHN O'GROAT's house, a memorable place in the parish of Cannisbay, in this county, perhaps owes its fame less to the circumstance of its local situation at the northern extremity of the island, than to an event which inculcates a useful lesson of morality. In the reign of James IV. of Scotland, three brothers, Malcolm, Gavin, and John O'Groat, (supposed to have been originally from Holland,) arrived in Caithness with a letter from that Prince, recommending them to the countenance and protection of his loving subjects in Caithness. These brothers bought some land near Duncansby head, and in a short time, by the increase of their families, eight different proprietors of the name of Groat possessed these lands in equal divisions. These eight

families lived peaceably and comfortably for a number of years, establishing an annual meeting to celebrate the anniversary of the arrival of their ancestors on the coast. In the course of the festivity on one of these occasions, a question arose respecting the right of taking the door, the head of the table, and such points of precedency, each contending for the seniority and chieftainship, which increased to such a degree as would probably have proved fatal in its consequences, had not John O'Groat, who appears to have acquired great knowledge of mankind, interfered. He expatiated on the comfort they had hitherto enjoyed owing to the harmony which existed among them; he assured them that as soon as they appeared to quarrel amongst themselves, their neighbours, who had till then treated them with respect, would fall upon them and expel them the country; he, therefore, conjured them by the ties of blood and mutual safety to return quietly to their several homes, and pledged himself that he would satisfy them on all points of precedency, and prevent the possibility of such disputes in future at their anniversary meetings. They all acquiesced, and departed in peace. In due time John O'Groat, to fulfil his engagement, built a room distinct from all other houses, in an octagonal figure, with eight doors, and placed a table of oak of the same shape in the middle. The next meeting took place: he desired each of them to enter by his own door, and to sit at the head of the table, he himself occupying the last. By this ingenious contrivance the harmony and good humour of the company were restored. The building was then named John O'Groat's House; and, though nothing remains but the foundation of the building, the place still retains the name, and deserves to be remembered for the good intention and sound judgment which gave it origin.—Caithness Chronicle.

REMARKABLE DAYS.

DEATH OF WESLEY.-MARCH 2d. MONDAY, Feb. 28th, 1791, his weakness increased. He slept most of the day, and spoke but little; yet that little testified how much his whole heart was taken up in the care of the societies, the glory of God, and the promotion of the things pertaining to that kingdom to which he was hastening. Once he said, in a low but distinct manner, "There is no way into the holiest, but by the blood of Jesus." He afterwards inquired what the words were from which he had preached a little before at Hampstead. Being told they were these, "Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich;" he replied, "That is the foundation,

the only foundation: there is no other." This day Dr. Whitehead desired he might be asked, if he would have any other Physician called in to attend him; but this he absolutely refused. It is remarkable that he suffered very little pain, never complaining of any during his illness, but once of a pain in his left breast. This was a restless night. Tuesday morning he sang two verses of a hymn: then, lying still, as if to recover strength, he called for pen and ink; but when they were brought, he could not write. A person said, "Let me write for you, Sir. Tell me what you would say." He replied, "Nothing, but that God is with us." In the forenoon he said, "I will get up." While they were preparing his clothes, he broke out, in a manner which, considering his

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