ing, that they may get more entirely into a holy channel. Our memories need renewing; for alas! how prone they are to let slip the things alone worth remembering, and to treasure up vanity and folly! Our repentance needs renewing, that we may feel more contrition for our sins. Our faith needs renewing; that we may more simply live on Jesus, feeding on him as our all in all; and may also realize things unseen. Our hope needs renewing; that being strong within us, we may long for heaven, and purify ourselves, as the God of heaven, whom we hope to live with, is pure. Our strength needs renewing; that we may bear up under our burdens, and hold on our way. While our zeal needs renewing; that we may not leave our first love, and be lukewarm. It sinks our spirits to think how much - there is to do in us; and how much more might have been done, if we had made better use of our advantages. But, my fellow Christians, let us not despair. Let us "forget the things that are behind, and press forward to those which are before."

And

He

oh! how much are we encouraged to seek for and expect a renewal of the inward man! It can only be carried forward by that same Spirit, which at first created the soul anew. And the Saviour is seated on his throne of grace, waiting to give the Holy Spirit. Let us then bring our empty lamps to him, that he may fill them with the oil of his grace. He will not upbraid us. He will not fail us. is long-suffering and full of kindness. Our lamp may be nearly out; but "the smoking flax he will not quench." He will kindle the dying spark, and our light shall shine brighter before men. Oh! let us daily wait upon Christ, for the daily renewing of the soul; and thus going from strength to strength and from grace to grace, we shall long to escape out of this vile body, and hasten into the pure element of heaven.

CHRISTIAN PURPOSES.

NO. I.

Published in the year 1611.

The covetous man is like a Christmas box. Whatever is put into it, nothing can be taken out of it, until it be broken. He soaketh up the waters like a spunge, and 'till death do come, and squeeze him with his iron grasp, he will not yield one drop. His hand is sound and nimble to receive; but when he should use it to relieve the wants of the distressed, it lieth withered in his bosom, and can by no possible means be stretched out. He weareth himself out in labour for that which does him no real good. He knoweth no God, but his gold. His restless purchase of it is his rest; and with religious admiration do his thoughts adore it. He thinks it sacrilege to lessen the heap; but the time will come, when he shall go as naked out of the world, as ever he came into it; and then those angels in which he gloried here, shall be so many devils to torment him there.

Whereas, he that dealeth his bread to the hungry, and bringeth the poor to his house, his light shall break forth as the morning, and his health shall spring forth speedily; his righteousness shall go before him, the glory of the Lord shall be his rereward. He shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters fail not. (Is. 58.) I will therefore cast my bread upon the waters; and according to that portion which the Lord hath lent me, be always ready to relieve the needy.

STRIKING ANECDOTE.

The late Mr. S. (of the firm of Sand C-) who invented the art of modelling busts, invited Mr. D. to pass the evening with him. When tea was over, Mr. S. took him into the gallery, to shew him the models. Mr. D. being much struck with one of Mr. W., inquired if it was an original. He was told that it was; and Mr. S. gave the following curious account of the bust in question :

66 had

long tried to prevail upon Mr. W. to let me take his bust, but all in vain. At length I said to him, Mr. W. we all know how little you regard money, unless for the good you can do with it. If you will allow me to take a cast of your face, I will give you ten guineas. I will detain you only eight minutes; and if I keep you longer, I will give you a guinea for each minute beyond the time.-Mr. W. consented. The cast was taken within the time; and the ten guineas were paid. 'Well, (said Mr. W.,) I never earned ten guineas so easily in all my life. Now then, what shall I do with it?' He had a friend with him, and they agreed to sally forth for the purpose of spending the money. They had not gone far, before they observed a woman and three children standing before the door of a house, weeping bitterly. On going in, they found a man valuing their furniture, which the landlord was about to distrain for eighteen shillings. Mr. W. learnt upon inquiring, that the poor man bore a good character; but owing to sickness, was a quarter's rent behind. He thought that a guinea would make them very comfortable; and having given them that sum, he proceeded.

"His next visit was to Newgate; where he inquired of the turnkey, whether they had any great objects of distress. The man replied, 'walk in, and you may see plenty of them.' At this period, the Act had not passed, which obliged the creditor, after a certain time, to allow the debtor so much a day: and debtors were chiefly supported by a charity box fixed over the door. In the first cell which they entered, they observed a wretched being eagerly devouring the rind of a turnip! Upon inquiring into his case, Mr. W. gave him a guinea. The poor man was quite overcome by such unlooked-for kindness; and after thanking him, said, 'Sir, if you consider mine a case of distress, you will see distress indeed in a cell overhead.' Mr. W. went, and found a pallid, worn-out form, with scarcely any clothing, sitting with his eyes fixed on an object at the further end of the room. Upon following the direction of his eye, Mr. W. saw a lovely babe sunk in the arms of death; and close to it, on a pallet of straw, lay the body of an interesting looking female, whose spirit had just fled into the eternal world! The man seemed unconscious of Mr. W's entrance, and kept his hollow eyes rivetted to the spot. Reason appeared to flutter, and the unhappy man was unable to answer the questions which were put to him. Mr. W. sent for a doctor, and disposed of the remaining eight guineas in effecting his In about six weeks, the man was so much better as to afford the following account of himself:-'I was engaged

cure.

for many years as a merchant; and was rising in the world, when the ship in which all my property was embarked, foundered at sea. And not having ensured the cargo, I became a ruined man. On calling my creditors together, they were so far satisfied with my conduct, that they agreed, not only to sign my release, but to assist me with money again to establish myself in trade. There was, however, one of my creditors, a lawyer, to whom I owed £260. Though I had done him much service, and indeed had been the means of raising him in the world, he was resolved to have his own way; and by standing out against me, thwarted the kind wishes of the other creditors. By him I was cast into prison; for my spirit would not allow me to appeal any further to my friends. The faithful partner of my days followed me to this noisome dungeon; and exerted her different accomplishments to procuring my support, and soothing my sorrows. By drawing and working, she was able for some time to relieve my wants; but as her lying-in approached, the spring of our resources failed. We parted with all that we had, even to our bedclothes; and I was compelled to endure the agony of seeing my wife want, without being able to help her. She could not bear up under her load of sufferings, too heavy for a delicate frame like hers; and I had the anguish of seeing her sink before my eyes, and follow her new-born infant into eternity.'

"Mr. W. examined into the statement he had given; and upon calling together the creditors, they fully confirmed many of the facts, and readily came forward to set him up in business again. Mr. W. found the lawyer as hard and unfeeling as ever; and claiming the interest of the money, as well as principal. The other creditors, feeling the hardship of the case, nobly agreed to meet the lawyer's demand. One subscribed £50, and others different sums; 'till Mr. W. was able to pay off the debt, and to see the poor man in a comfortable way of business. The blessing of God so remarkably rested on his exertions, that in six years he paid his creditors twenty shillings in the pound; and in six more, retired from trade with a handsome subsistence. Having derived the best of blessings from his acquaintance with Mr. W., even the knowledge of a crucified Redeemer, there was one desire which above all engaged his mind. Being anxious to lessen for others those distresses, the very dregs of which he had himself so deeply drank, he founded a society for the relief of small debtors; and incredible as the fact may seem, the lawyer was the very first person to share the benefits of the institution!"

RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

SIBERIA. Public Baptism of a Persian Priest. A short time since, a Persian Priest, a follower of Mahomet, and a teacher of languages to the Missionaries, became deeply convinced of his danger as a sinner, and was at length brought to depend entirely on our Lord Jesus Christ. Greeks, Turks, Persians and Frenchmen, Britons, Germans and Armenians, witnessed the solemn scene of his baptism. The service was performed by the Missionaries, in English, Turkish and Persian, so that all understood some part or other of the service.

Before his baptism, Mirza Mahomed Ali (for that was his name) gave a statement of his faith and hope in God. The following is a translation:

"When the most High God of his boundless mercy gave me the tidings of the Gospel, I read and saw that it spake of a Saviour, whom God most High had made a propitiation for his sinful servants. I next reflected on my own sinful actions, which I committed in times past. I saw myself a sinner, and what an enemy to God sin must be. In myself I had no hope of life, or salvation from the wrath of God. I then compared the Gospel with other sacred books, namely, the Psalms, the Law and the Prophets; and saw that in sense they quite agreed with each other respecting the Saviour; nor could I find any difference between them. After this, I was drowning in a multitude of thoughts, but at all times, I earnestly intreated God most High to shew me that way, in which alone the salvation of the soul is to be found; and that he would perfect his will concerning his servant. And after some days, in a remarkable manner, my heart and soul, and my whole frame, gave me testimony, that the blood of Christ has become a propitiation for all my sins; and if I should at this time die, I have nothing to fear.

"To the praise of God, from that time to this, my belief is, that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God; that his blood was shed for the sake of sinners; and that except the holy books above mentioned, there is no oracle from God. My faith increases daily; and my hope is, that it will continue to increase.'

SELECT PASSAGE.

It is not liberty that the Papists want, let them pretend what they may, but power and supremacy. They are like the axe which would ask no more than a handle; but having got that, cut down the whole wood.Rev. T. Scott.