and Africa. One consentaneous exertion is making by the soldiers of the cross in every corner of the world. We presume it not too much to say, that more is now doing for the spread of the Gospel, than has been done at any period during the preceding fifteen hundred years. “We know, 'Jesus shall reign, wher'er the sun Does his successive journeys run :' "Therefore, we cannot but hope that the times now passing over us are indications of the great millennium. "Such being the case, it must be interesting to all, to watch events as they rise, to note them as they pass. Every Christian must delight in observing the progress of the cross in its march to universal empire. Το "Our object is to act as heralds of that cross. announce to our readers, from time to time, the state of the spiritual war. We propose, when the banner of Immanuel shall be planted amid the ruins of any new conquest-of any newly demolished temple of idolatry-to publish the glad tidings. We wish, as humble followers, to watch 'the flight of that angel who has the everlasting Gospel to preach'-to declare what new climes have listened to his voice-what new altars have bowed beneath his sway. 666 Essays to do good,' will, from time to time, appear in our pages. We shall also strive to portray the glories of the departing Christian, as we may have opportunity. Such of the flowers of Castalia as have been sprinkled from the sacred fount, we shall with pleasure present to our readers. "In the name of the Lord lift we up our banner, and commence a crusade against pride, profligacy, lukewarmness and ignorance. May the Spirit of grace accompany our progress, and make it effectual to the everlasting salvation of many. Then shall we obtain the reward, and all the reward we seek. THE EDITOR. We cannot refrain giving an extract from his New-Year's Address, as given in one of the numbers of the Magazine. May some careless soul be thus impressed. "We spend our years as a tale that is told." "Awful thought! man, whose hours are as evanescent as the sunbeam, whose years fly rapidly as the morning vapour around the mountain's brow; man, who, when once he enters eternity's unbounded vast, remains for ever unchangeably the same, happy or miserable, he spends the short time allotted for preparation, thoughtless and unconcerned. Like the cork along the stream, he glides onward to judgment's irrevocable sentence, careless and heedless, save of the straws that surround him. "The greatest phenomenon that ever presented itself to the eye of observation, is that of an immortal being, careless whether the home in which he is to be irreversibly fixed, be Heaven or Hell. Scarce bestowing a thought on futurity, even although he is assured, by authority he cannot doubt, that his fate is in his own hands. "Man, thou art this wonderful phenomenon. Miserable in the condition you now suffer, lying under the wrath of an offended God, exposed to everlasting vengeance. You seek not to escape from your wo; you strive not to ward off the impending damnation. "God, that Almighty, whom by your sins you have offended, has, in the abundance of his mercy, provided a way of escape for you: Jesus-Jehovah has come down, and bled for your salvation; the Divine Volume of inspired warning calls on you to escape to felicity, invites you to partake those bounteous benefactions which infinite fulness showers around Heaven; the dispensations of Providence warn you to prepare for the hour of retribution; still ye go, one to his farm, another to his merchandise, inattentive alike to warning or blessing. Think ye this shall be so much longer? Think ye, Omnipotence will another year delay! This day consummates a new season of grace sinned away; another term of trial, gone for ever!-Buried in the volume of the past, it returns no more to you, but a faithful registry has it rendered at Heaven's high chancery, of all your thoughts, words, and actions, during its flight; yes, witness will it against you at the tremendous bar before an assembled, a listening universe. It will tell of every sin committed, of every sermon misimproved. It will testify of all your wickedness, all your contempt of God and his word; all your neglect of his Sabbaths; all your inattention to the warnings of his Providence ;-the whole black catalogue will it bring forth against you, and conscience will be its corroborating aid." * * * * * The last "We spend our years as a tale that is told. year, where is it? A few hours since, and it was here; a few months, and we were but commencing it :—and now, it is gone for ever!!-Son of mortality! Child of dust and ashes! how hast thou improved it ?-Hast thou in it secured thy soul's salvation?-Another year of thy probation has fled; another year of the forbearance of God has ceased. How knowest thou that yet another will be allowed thee? Death, like the hurricane, sweeps along. Before him falls the strong, as well as the weak; the oak as well as the willow. Look! he is coming; already whistle his precursive blast! Being of an hour! thou shalt be swept before him, ere another year arrives-who of you, I know not, but some of you must fall, ere the present year shall have folded its weary wing. Yes, some of you shall go to the narrow home, and when the morn of another year dawns, the wind shall whistle mournfully around your grave. Come, then, prepare. Now you have an opportunity again to hear the sound of the Gospel. Again I invite you to Jesus, the friend of the repenting sinner. I point out to you God, the Father to the returning prodigal ;-I tell you once more of that renewing Spirit which gives comfort and life. Will you choose hell?-Shall procrastination, like the mildew, blast your soul's every hope? "What, though you feel an indisposition to religion, it is better to combat that indisposition now, than to drink of the lake eternal! Say not my farm, my farm, my bonds, my merchandise; no more suffer these to engross your soul's first love. Can you carry them away with you? Will they cheer you in the grave, or deliver you from perdition? Awake-awake!-Seest thou not, that the light of eternity begins to break around thee?-Hark! 'twas the groan of a departing spirit! thou mayest be next." This work he continued till November 7th, 1816, which is the date of the last number. My brother's first daughter was born on the 11th of December, 1815. On the 12th he writes to me. "Dear Thomas :-You are uncle to as fine a little girl as Virginia has produced for some time-born yesterday morning.".”—He again says, respecting her-" January 26th, 1816.—Harriet Swift was baptized yesterday by Mr. Horrel, who is called to Martinsburg." Though his peculiar situation in connexion with that destitute region, so urgently called for my brother's ordination, yet difficulty after difficulty so continually arose in his path, that it was delayed for about two years. We have already noticed one of these impediments. We, however, would present something further on the subject, as not only unfolding the nature of these difficulties, but his supports and submission under them. Mr. Wilmer again writes to him relative to one application. "ALEXANDRIA, January 8th, 1816. "Dear Sir:-I am glad to find that you bear your postponement with so Christian a spirit; and hope you will continue to prosecute your zealous endeavours to build up the waste places of Zion. Though not in orders, it is in your power to do much good, and in no way more effectually, than by illustrating your public precepts in your private temper, conversation and deportment. We ought, my friend, to be able to say in all things to our flock, 'Follow me as follow Christ.' Let us be meek and lowly in our own eyes. A jealous eye is always upon us, and will rejoice to see us departing from the Christian spirit. We carry about with us very awful interests, and we should guard them with a holy vigilance. Let us endeavour to let our light shine before men, and recommend by all our deportment, in all our actions, and all our intercourse and collisions with society, that Gospel which we profess. "I congratulate you on the birth of a daughter, and pray that she may be a blessing to yourself and Mrs. Allen. "Believe me most sincerely, your friend, "W. H. WILMER." In another letter of March 4th, Mr. Wilmer observes― "It gives me pleasure to learn, that you are still zealous in the cause of the Church. Still continue, my friend, to persevere and while you so indefatigably prosecute the duties of your calling, try to preserve that love for order, and the rules of the Church, which will give to your ministrations their highest effect. "God grant, to raise up more faithful labourers in our harvest, which now is white and inviting. "Your affectionate friend, “W. H. WILMER." In connexion with the same subject, the Rev. Mr. Hawley writes “CULPEPER, January 12th, 1816. "My Dear Friend :-It is with regret, that I am informed by your letter, that the Standing Committee have decided |