inquiries of the woman, we learnt that she read the Bible to him, and he seemed to like it; and she read prayers to him, which he repeated after her; but more she could not say. Oh how many,

like this poor old man, are contented with the form of godliness and are destitute of the power thereof! My friend left a tract for her to read to him, entitled The Sinner's Rest,' which he also did at the several cottages on our way homewards.

The poor old man was the subject of our conversation. On what a fearful precipice was he slumbering! Yet alas! thousands are lulled, as they think in security in the same fatal repose. They know nothing of the application of Christ's blood and righteousness, for pardon, and justification before God; and the Spirit's sanctifying power is a language totally un

known and unfelt. The language of the soul that has "fled for refuge,' to Christ-that has been " accepted in the beloved,"-that has been washed in the blood of Jesus-that has been sanctified by the Spirit's influence the language, I say, of that soul, cannot be misunderstood: for "out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh ;" and joys to speak of its great and glorious privileges.

And thus in sweet communion, the happy communion of hearts united to each other in Christ, did we pass the remainder of our walk homewards; parting with the heavenly hope, the blissful confidence, that whatever separation the good providence of God may make upon earth, we shall meet at his right hand, "with joy unspeakable and full of glory.'

Few things are more common or more grievous than a spirit of inconstancy in professors of religion. It is not, indeed, at all surprising that man, surrounded by scenes and circumstances which are continually changing, and seeing mutability stamped upon every thing he meets, should admit into his temporal concerns much of that fickleness which is the attribute of the world in which he lives. But it is, we think, both strange and sad that he should carry amid the sacred mysteries of religion the same fondness for change, and that while affecting to have become altogether a new creature he should still remain the same irresolute and unstable being as before. And yet often do we find the man who has openly declared himself the servant of God and the disciple of his Son, and who tells us that the rule of his life is the will of Him APRIL 1838.

C.

"with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning;" and that his horizon is bounded only by the everlasting hills, forsaking gradually the belief which he once seemed strenuously to hold, and permitting the religious theory which he had been long engaged in rearing, to crumble, fragment by fragment, away. It is lamentable that this should be a case of such frequent occurrence, and it shews how weak is man's boasted intellect, when left to its own unassisted powers, that it can thus dare to use the hallowed realities of eternity as the playthings of a versatile fancy.

If we do not find stability in religion, we shall never find it at all. The reasonings of philosophy and the discoveries of science leave us in uncertainty, and all the wisdom of this world can only teach us that we know nothing. The

possessions and wealth which today we call our own, may to-morrow be claimed by another; our very life hangs by a thread; and miserable man, if he have placed not his trust in God, is left to struggle amid the fluctuations of a fickle world, without the hope of ever reaching a resting-place. For the true believer, however, a refuge has been provided he has found repose and safety at the foot of the cross; and has been enabled to gain and keep a standing on the rock of eternity, where he can listen without apprehension to the tempest that may howl at its base. The fascinations of specious heresies or the seductions of false teachers have no effect upon him; he has been led beside the still waters, he has been made to lie down in green pastures, and he has no inclination to roam in quest of clearer streams or a richer soil.

But the inconstant professor is the victim of an unsatisfied and wayward mind; to his love of novelty he sacrifices his spirituality and his usefulness, and he wanders without compunction from preacher to preacher and from

sect to sect.

And this fatal spirit, often spreads its insidious influences where it is not openly developed. The man still attends his accustomed place of worship, but the fervour with which he once joined in the services of the sanctuary is gone. He may, indeed, still appear to be listening attentively to the preacher, but it is only that he may be able to entangle him in his talk;' his eyes may seem to be still fixed reverently on the altar, but they are only engaged in criticising its workmanship. He may not cast off his ancient professions; he may die apparently in the bosom of the church, but of his spiritual condition no favourable idea can be formed; and though he may have preserved his outward consistency, we are left

in doubt whether he has saved his soul.

We will offer a few brief observations on the cause of this fatal malady; and in so doing we shall at the same time be pointing out the cure. The cause then, we think, is an overweening confidence in our own strength, an utter forgetfulness of the paralysis which the understanding has suffered from original corruption, a proud reliance on human reason, and a neglect in seeking the influence of the Holy Spirit, without which it is impossible that a correct and consistent spiritual character can be formed. Intellect, and genius, and industry, have ever proved unable of themselves to guide the inquirer in the narrow path of true wisdom, and are of little avail in preventing the deviation or the fall. Small aid is to be derived from the calm inquiry, the unprejudiced discussion, and the philosophic candour of which we hear so much in the present age. There must be some outward influence brought to bear upon our understanding and our affections; a wind from heaven must fill the sails, or we shall make no progress; there must be 'a leading from above, a something given,'* to point out to us the way to heaven, and to assist us in the difficult ascent. word, our minds must be enlightened, and our spirits renewed by the Spirit of God, before we can appreciate or practise the gospel of Jesus Christ. We must not dig in the gold mines of truth with tools of our own making, or we shall not only injure, but fail in extracting the precious ore. We must not attempt to collect the waters of wisdom in vessels of our own construction, or the sacred stream will be scattered and lost. It is from the want of submitting with child-like docility to the teachings of the Holy Ghost, that

*Wordsworth.

In a

And

all the heresies have arisen which have distracted the church. we shall never attain to any degree of spiritual knowledge or holy practice, -never be enabled to subdue the flesh, and hold constant communion with heaven, till we have received God as our first and only teacher, and are content to receive all our attainments in spirituality as supplies from his hand. And though the consciousness of our intellectual weakness may be mortifying to the man of learning, it ought to bring much consolation to the humble and unlettered follower of Jesus. The latter feels that if heaven could be won only by proud exertions in the field of science, it would never be his. He is conscious that if its mysteries could be mastered only by literary researches and intellectual acumen, he must for ever remain ignorant of their meaning. But he is cheered by the conviction that this is not the case; he knows that to him the voice of God speaks as plainly as to his better educated brother; the message of invitation written over the portal of heaven has been rendered legible to him: he possesses all necessary knowledge, for he has studied at the

feet of Jesus; he needs not the tongue of the learned, for he has been taught by the Spirit to discern even the deep things of God. He may at times find difficulties in Holy Scripture, and he may weep much that he is unable to open the Book of God; but he does not weep in vain: for the "Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David has prevailed to open the book," and he at length reveals to the humble believer the mysteries which he thirsted to know. Would that this spirit of humility were spread far and wide! Would that all who profess the name of Christ were willing to cast all their science at the foot of the Cross, and to think that wisdom the most useful which teaches us of Jesus, that eloquence the most captivating which sets forth his glory, and that poetry the sweetest which sings of his praise ! "For thou, O God, art the fountain of all wisdom; without thee our very knowledge is but foolishness; but to know thee is to be perfectly wise." Absque te enim sapere est desipere, te nôsse vero est perfecté scire." M. N.

*

* S. Aug. Med. 5.

SIR-A Correspondent in your last number calls upon his Clerical Brethren to consider the evils resulting from Evening Services, and states that in consequence of such evils he has, after ten years experience, closed his church on the Sunday evening.

I have frequently heard similar charges against these services; but so far as my observation extends, they rest on very slight grounds. Evening Services, like every thing else, are liable to be abused; they are doubtless sometimes attended by persons who might be better

employed at home; and it is quite possible that base and designing individuals may have endeavoured to pervert them to their own abominable purposes; but such cases I conceive are extremely rare. Not many are so shameless and abandoned as to venture upon holy ground in order that they may become the seducers of others; and many who have gone into the sanctuary from doubtful, or even improper motives, have there been met with by the message of divine grace, and turned from Satan unto God. The Sunday evening walk

is much more dangerous than the Evening Service. The idle gossip of the servants' hall or the kitchen is much more likely to open the door to evil than the public services of religion; and I can scarcely think that much is to be expected from the Family Religion of those masters and mistresses whose servants are in any great danger of falling into the snares of which your correspondent speaks.

In fact it is this neglect of Family Religion which is the grand evil. It was this which led so many wise and pious ministers of former days to introduce additional services into their churches. The most zealous and useful of our pastors have uniformly maintained that attendance on two services in the day are as much as is advisable; that the leisure hours of the Lord's Day, and especially the evening hours, cannot be better employed than in reading the Scriptures, and the writings of pious and holy men; instructing and catechizing children and servants; in reviewing the sermons which have been heard, in diligent self-examination, meditation, family, and private devotion. But then experience proves that there are very many cases where persons cannot attend divine service in the morning or the afternoon, and where they can attend at night. There are others where persons are unable or indisposed to improve the Sunday evening in a proper manner. There are many who are willing to go to the house of God, but whose time would be sadly wasted and frittered away at home; and it sometimes happens that a person who has no heart to religion, who would object to scriptural reading and prayer at home, will yet keep home, while several at least of the family go to public worship.

I am not sure whether it can justly be said that evening lectures have been copied from the

Dissenters. I think I can remember when in some very populous towns there was no evening service either at church or meeting; and I almost think the former was first opened for an evening service. But the idea was no sooner suggested than it was widely adopted; and I remember at least twenty years ago,a number of very eminent ministers who had conducted evening services for twenty or thirty, or more years, united in attesting their value and importance.

I would fain hope that the evils of which your correspondent complains are local. I have no idea that his observation on dissenting places can generally apply. My experience indeed of dissent will not allow me to speak with any confidence, but certainly as far as my observation extends, I cannot agree to his positions.

Allow me, however to ask whether much of the alleged evil might not be obviated by a little prudent caution and attention; and whether the ministers of religion might not occasionally impress upon their hearers a more vigilant superintendance than is usually exercised. The evils suggested must either arise in going or returning from the house of God; or while the parties are there. Now surely those who have any real love for the souls of their children and servants might very easily preclude almost all opportunity. If a parent or a master says to children or servants' Go to church,' but exercises no other superintendance, mischief may very possibly ensue. A thoughtless boy, or a giddy girl, may thus fall into the way of evil companions; may loiter in the streets instead of going to church ; may go in late; sit in some obscure corner; indulge in much foolish or sinful conversation while there, and leave as soon as he knows who reads or preaches; talk nonsense all the way home, and loiter till the last moment the

master allows; and thus the most fatal consequences may eventually ensue; but this is not the fault of the evening service. The same

neglect and inattention of the parent, or the master, would lead to similar mischiefs if the church door were closed, and the pulpit unoccupied. But suppose instead of saying Go to church,' the parent or master said, we will go to church. All may not be able to go. Some children are too young. Somebody must stay at home to take care of them. But all this is easily arranged. The husband and wife may not be always able to go together. One may choose to stay at home and prevent the intrusion of improper visitors while the other goes to church; and where such is the case some regular plan should be adopted that all parties may know beforehand who is to go and who is to stay. Every one knows what time the service begins; how long they will be walking to church; at what hour it is necessary to have tea in the parlour, that the servants may have their tea, and be ready at the appointed time, and all go together. Instead then of the young people coming in when the prayers are begun, and the master and mistress at the second lesson, and the servants dropping in just as the hymn is singing before the sermon; the whole party arrive and take their places in due time. There is no saying, I wonder where Mary gets to, or in what place Jane contrives to sit, or whether Susan is gossiping with that worthless fellow, William. But we are all here; all together-all in our proper, our accustomed place. We may therefore wait upon God without distraction. We shall not disturb other people by coming in late. There are no heartburnings because strangers have been put into our empty seats, supposing we should not come ; and now let us devoutly worship

God, reverently hear his word, joyfully praise his name, and when the service is over we return; the parents and children following in due order, and the servants closing up the rear. There is a period of silence as the the congregation

The

moves on in the street. spaces open a little wider, and we can talk without being overheard. Perhaps Susan and William may have some conversation which is not very profitable; but it must be short; ten minutes or a quarter of an hour brings us all home; we have kept out of the way of any very serious danger, we may improve what we have heard; and if we do not profit, it is our own fault.

I am aware that this hasty sketch assumes some points which are often overlooked. It implies that the heads of the family are prudent and managing, if not pious persons. That habits of foresight and order are cultivated. That they are desirous of keeping their children and servants out of mischief, and that therefore they use the means. Now I cannot but feel that if W. D. instead of giving up his Evening Service had endeavoured to impress more fully upon his people the duty and practicability of using such precautions as are here suggested, he would have adopted a more excellent way.

But it may be said we cannot bring our servants into order. They are thoughtless, they put off getting things ready, or themselves ready and we have always to wait for them. The answer is, either change your servants or train them better. If they have no foresight, you must use more. A little mild reasoning and pointing out the inconvenience and the displeasure to which all are subjected, will do much to remedy the evil. But if you are too indolent to think for them, you must either incur the expence and the discredit of frequent changes, or all will go wrong. But