"Young and immortal, your situation is full of interest and full of danger. The tints of the gay scene around, like those of a rich garden glancing to the sun; your hearts ingenuous and tender, is it surprising that even angels should contemplate your situation with anxiety, and God himself should condescend to counsel you?

"There are two paths, the one leading to eternal wo, the other to eternal joy. Around the entrance of the former, are a thousand flatterers; around the entrance of the latter, are a few ministers of Christ, and a minority composed of those who are regarded as antiquated, and, by some, as melancholy:-Oh! then, where will you spend your eternity?-My soul asks you. I see you in the crisis of your fate-my heart yearns over you :-where will your choice decide?-Do you with any satisfaction listen to advice?—In the name of the Lord I serve, let me hasten to beseech you—

"First-To examine most carefully into the question, 'Have I made my peace with GOD?' On this one object of inquiry rests your everlasting all. The precedence of polite life; the respect of talent and of wealth; the bow of fleeting admiration; these are as motes that float in the noon of day, when put in competition. Death has you in reversion; the grave will soon enfold you; mouldering in the silence of decay, your bodies soon shall sleep: and everlasting!-its concerns!-its interests!-are they not infinite? By the agony and bloody sweat of Jesus; by the cross and passion; by the precious death and burial; by the glorious resurrection and ascension, I entreat you, ask in the secret of the heart this question, Have I made my

peace with God?'

"Second:-If this be answered satisfactorily-and that it may be, may the Holy Ghost transform you; cultivate a continual communion with the Father of your spirits, through the redeeming Mediator. There are trials of your faith;

there are temptations ever active; there is a dark cloud of adversity which often lowers: the fairest hopes are fleeting, and the brightest prospects dust; the grace of your God will be an unfailing source of strength, and of joy. Possessing that, though affliction come, frequent and heavy; though temptations plead powerful and insinuating, you shall be enabled to press steadily on to the prize of the high calling, and to possess in your hearts the peace of God.

"Third:-As aids in keeping alive this communion, permit me to recommend to you, daily self-examination ; daily reading of the sacred page; constant and fixed attendance on the ministrations of the sanctuary. These, united to social converse with the truly pious, and cheerful activity in doing good-a most powerful means of grace-you may hope, will prove channels through which the sanctifying influences of the Comforter will descend, like rain on the mown grass; like showers that watereth the earth.

May the Lord have you in His holy keeping. May you be so sanctified that your minds may be always disposed to substantial improvement. May your path be that of the just. And after being guided by the counsel of Jehovah ; comforts to your parents, blessings to society, ornaments to the house of God;-may you, washed in the blood of Christ, and renewed by the adorable Spirit, rise to the unfading inheritance, where the ages of everlasting may roll over you in light.

"For myself, I ask the continuance of your prayers.

"To God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, three persons and one Jehovah, be rendered the same honour upon earth that is rendered in Heaven, and during the progress of time that there shall be throughout eternity. B. ALLEN.

"Philadelphia, January, 1823."

I also annex a similar testimony from the same class. "January 1st, 1824.

"To the Great Head of the Church, from whom descends every blessing, the Female Bible Class of Philadelphia return their grateful thanks for his preservation of the life and health of their valued friend and instructor; and beg you, dear Sir, to accept their wishes, that this may be to you a happy new-year.

"For your continued exertions in their behalf, they tender you their grateful acknowledgments, and fervently hope, that in those realms of bliss to which you so earnestly direct their attention, you will receive the rich reward of all your labour of love, and be enabled to present at the throne of the Most High, many precious souls of this class, which shall have been given you as seals of your ministry.

"The ardent zeal you manifest in the cause of the Jews, has induced them to obtain for you, a life membership in the Society for the melioration of their condition; they respectfully request your acceptance of this small tribute of their affection and respect, with their united prayers for your present and eternal happiness

CORNELIA COOPER,

For Female Bible Class."

To show the interesting manner in which the class directed his attention to particular points, and thus elicited his instruction, I give the following note, which was directed to him.

"Dear Sir-It is the wish of a great number of the members of your class, that you would be so kind as to explain to them that passage in Scripture which says, 'in my Father's house there are many mansions.'

"With sentiments of respect,

"AN OLD MEMBER."

The ladies of his Church also, by the contribution of

thirty dollars, made my brother a life-member of the American Bible Society, as appears from the certificate, dated May 9th, 1822.

Though his hours appeared so well filled with the most important concerns, he still found time to extend his fostering care to some of those precious souls he had left in a former field of labour. And his heart must have been much encouraged by the renewed testimony which he received of the happy influence of his former zeal and devotion, as well as his present labours.

One of his old parishioners wrote to him

"January 10th, 1822.

"My dear Friend's letter was joyfully received, opened, and read by me; it was very consoling."- "I trust while this heart continues to beat, it will feel a warm desire for the prosperity of yourself and family. And while this tongue can speak, it will be the business and pleasure of my life, to recount the many useful lessons which you have given me, and to endeavour to promote the growth and establishment in the grace of my God and Saviour; that Saviour which you were the instrument of leading me to, and which I delight to tell you, I consider the chiefest among ten thousand, and altogether lovely. The more I am engaged in the service of my Lord, the more beauties and loveliness I discover in the delightful employment. May the best of blessings, both temporal and spiritual, attend you, is the prayer of your sorrowful friend,

"N. N. H."

Another writes to him on the same day"Rev. Sir:-I received your affectionate letter some time since, and feel thankful to you, for the excellent and consoling advice it contained; and I hope it fitable, not only to me, but to all the family. I was very sorry to hear, my worthy and much esteemed friend, that

may be pro

you and your family had been so severely afflicted. How did you feel under the prospect of a separation from one or more of your family? Did you say to your Heavenly Father, if it be possible let this cup pass from me? or rather, were you enabled by grace to say, even so Father, if it seemeth good in thy sight? If so, how highly favoured art thou. "Your's sincerely,

Again

A. B."

"November 17th, 1822.

"Rev. Sir:-Being prevented this day, by indisposition, from attending the public means of grace, and showing to the world that I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, by commemorating his death and sufferings in the sanctuary; I thought I could spend a few moments in a profitable manner, by writing to a friend, whom I have every reason to believe has our welfare at heart.

"We frequently hear from you, in an indirect way, and always understand that you are the same indefatigable, industrious minister of the Gospel; building Churches, and are instant, in season and out of season, inviting sinners to come and take of the water of life freely. That you may be the means of bringing many to the knowledge of the truth, is my sincere prayer. I should be much gratified to hear from you when you have time to write, but cannot expect it often, as you have so much to attend to. Please present my affectionate regard to Mrs. Allen. I remain your sincere friend,

A. B."

Another individual writes to him

"March 12th.

"My esteemed and Dear Friend:-Perhaps I might find instruction and comfort from conversation with others; you were the means under God of first awakening me to a sense of the value of my soul-and to you, on those occasions, my thoughts constantly recur. M. H. S."