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THE CROSS.

Believer, contemplate the cross of Christ: his cross is thy crown; his death thy life; his sufferings thine exemption from endless woe; his bloody sweat thy consolation, when the icy damp of death is felt upon thy dying frame; his burial in the grave thy passage to glory; his fall thy rise; his ignominious death thy meritorious life; he died unto sin once that thou mightest live with God for ever; he was crucified between two thieves, that thou mightest be surrounded with angels, and the glory of the eternal Jehovah; he exclaimed! "it is finished!" on the cross, that thou mightest sing, "hallelujah!" upon the throne.

R. L.

JOHN FOX THE MARTYROLOGIST, ON THE POWER OF THE RELIGIOUS PRESS.

"Hereby tongues are known, knowledge groweth, judgment increaseth, books are dispersed, the Scripture is seen, the doctors be read, stories be opened, times compared, truth discerned, falsehood detected and with finger pointed, and all through the benefit of printing. Wherefore I suppose that either the pope must abolish printing or seek a new world to reign over, or else, as this world standeth, printing doubtless will abolish him. But the pope and all his college of cardinals, must this understand, that through the light of printing, the world beginneth now to have eyes to see and heads to judge. He cannot walk so invisibly in a net, but he will be spied. And although, through might, he stopped the mouth of John Huss before, and of Jerome, that they might not preach, thinking to make his kingdom sure; yet instead of John Huss and others, God hath opened the press to preach, whose voice the pope is never able to stop with all the power of his triple crown. By this printing, as by gift of tongues, and as by the singu lar organ of the Holy Spirit, the doctrine of the Gospel soundeth to all nations and countries under heaven; and what God revealed unto one man is dispersed to many, and what is known to one nation is opened to all.'

SCRIPTURE READERS IN IRELAND.

The readers of the Friendly Visitor have been for some time acquainted with a society for the diffusion of Scriptural Truth in Ireland, which has for several years been labouring without much notoriety, but with interesting effect and success in that country. I mean the Scripture Reader Society; and in that

painfully interesting land, where light and darkness, truth and error, seem struggling for the mastery, with a vigour almost unknown since the days of the reformation, the system which this society adopts, of dispersing through the country humble, pious men, who in the garb and with the manners of the peasantry, shall go about from house to house, reading and talking with individuals and families from the word of God, seems truly wise and suitable, as well as to possess another and perhaps no small recommendation, namely, that it is cheap. This is certainly the opinion of the clergy and others actively engaged in the good work in Ireland, as their correspondence in the society's last publication shews. For it will be remembered, that the readers do not itinerate or preach, but go about quietly among the people in a limited district, under the entire management of a superintendent, generally the clergyman of the parish.

Many interesting facts might be added in proof of this, from the readers' journal; many of whom appear to be eminently qualified, by the grace of God, for their work, as well as blessed in it. Perhaps a short detail of the last reader appointed by the society, with a few extracts from his journal, if inserted in the Visitor might be useful.

In the south of Ireland, there are some districts hardly known at all out of the Island, and indeed but little in it. They are, however, in many respects interesting-to the lover of the picturesque and wild in scenery, as well as to him who pursues a higher object. The mighty swell of the Atlantic, which, with one unbroken wave from the coast of Newfoundland, has been for ages rolling against our western boundary, has formed several great bays, running perhaps twenty miles inland, and separated from each other by large and lofty promontories. To one of the latter I now allude; it is wild, rocky and romantic in its scenery of sea and mountain; and amidst its general barrenness and roughness, has many fertile spots which are all thickly inhabited by a very poor, yet contented peasantry; every bit that will grow any thing better than heath, is laid under contribution for the potatoe, while along the shore, the numerous hamlets are much supported by a means of subsistence, at onc euncertain, and yet, never failing, sea-fishing. The great majority are Roman Catholics, though a more than usual number of poor Protestants are scattered through them; in two large adjoining parishes there are, I believe, two thousand of the latter.

In the remoter part of this district, one of the readers is now employed: he is a young man, a native mountaineer, within a few years brought out of Popery, by the blessing of God, on the perusal of a Testament given to him by the curate of the parish, a minister of piety and energy. He is naturally highly intelligent, and very affectionate and ardent in his disposition.

When the light of truth shone into his mind, he became most desirous to spread it, and first he talked and read with his neighbours during the intervals of labour, and then was employed by the curate as an occasional Reader and Sunday School Teacher. A friend, who at this time was in the neighbourhood, rambling on a summer's day among the hills, many of which command beautiful views of the sea, as it stretches in the distance into the ocean, or is broken more near by a variety of islands and rocky headlands, met coming down a mountain pass, rather a wild looking lad, leading a rough pony, with a back load of turf. Appearing intelligent, she spoke to him, and her sur. prise and pleasure were equal, when she found that he seemed to know all parts of the Bible, as well as to have clear views of divine truth. This was D- who was shortly after sent up to Dublin for examination, and has since been labouring as a Reader in his native district. On Sundays he is superintendent, and almost Teacher of a Sabbath School among the hills, about six miles from the church, of which the curate says in a letter to the society, "one third of the pupils are adults, who have lately learned to read; some of them are converts to the Protestant faith, and give proofs of a sound conversion to God. I have set this young man over this school, and under his care it has increased from 40 to 70. As he resides with his mother in the midst of a large hamlet, above six miles from my residence, he is a great blessing to that place; almost every night, and sometimes till after midnight, he reads and explains the Scriptures to his neighbours, and as the people flock in from surrounding houses, he sometimes has a party of 60 persons of both creeds; this arises from the anxiety of the people to hear the word of God, and not from any wish on his part to transgress the rule which forbids preaching. I am not aware of his being hindered in his duty. One night indeed, some idle persons collected round the house where he was reading, and used threatening language. And it is a delightful circumstance to record, that the master of the house, a Roman Catholic, knelt down, and prayed for those outside, who were endeavouring to interrupt their devout exercise, and the people soon after ceased their clamour."

A few extracts, perhaps, from this Reader's daily Journal, may be interesting, as showing the nature of the work in which he is engaged, as well as his qualifications for it.

September 9th, 1832-"visited A- eight in family, Roman Catholics, read Romans fifth chapter, spoke on justification through faith. I told them there is no other way to save the sinner, but by the blood of Jesus, which cleanseth us from all sin. He said he thinks there are venial and mortal sins. I told him not to think so any longer: hear the Scripture account of sin-all unrighteousness is sin, sin is the transgression of the law, tribulation and anguish upon the soul of every man

that doeth unrighteousness-he that breaketh one commandment is guilty of all. So, my dear friends, there is no sin venial; but for the smallest sin we will be damned, if not washed in the blood of Jesus. As a small leek would drown a ship as well as a whole plank out of her, unless it be repaired; so will we perish, unless we are healed by faith in the merits of Jesus. My dear friend, Jesus counted no sin venial. I asked him, does he think he is a sinner: he said at the rate I spoke he was a great sinner. I told him they were not my words, but the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, who would be his judge at the last day. If ye die in your sins, where I am, ye never can come, says Christ. Look to Jesus while it is day, for the night cometh: pray to God to open your eyes to know the truth, lest you open them in hell, like the rich man, where you will never hear the voice of Christ inviting the weary and heavy laden to come to him for pardon. How awful was it for the man who had not on the wedding garment, he was cast into outer darkness; that means, he had not the garment of the righteousness of Christ, and was not washed in his blood: therefore, look to Jesus while he may be found; that is, while we have life. He told me he found great benefit in what I read, and he came with me, talking to me about his soul."

September 30th-visited J. F. and family, protestants; read Romans the iii. chapter, and spoke on justification by the grace of God. He said he did not like to hear some of those doctrines in his house. I told him to take the Bible and explain justification to me; he said he would not. Now, my friend, said I, the Scripture declares man to be dead in trespasses and sins, and I am sure that a dead man cannot rise of his own accord and walk; as man was first made, he was a dead carcase, until God blew into his nostrils the breath of life; so is man now in his natural state, dead in sin, averse to any good, and prone to evil; until the Spirit of God is poured upon him by the grace of God, and awakes him from the sleepy lethargy of sin. Was it you, my dear friend, that begun your salvation work? no; for the apostle says, "he that began a good work in you, will perform it.' If we never sinned, we may be justified by the law; but all have sinned, and by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin: we are justified as ungodly; righteousness being imputed to us without works; not of works, lest any man should boast. Now you may boast if it be your own; no, my dear friend, if it be of grace, then it is no more works, otherwise grace is no more grace; so it is all of grace from top to bottom. But do not mistake me, I do not put away good works, for we are ordained to them, and by them we shew to men and to ourselves, that we are the elect of God; but they are the fruit and effect of the converting grace of God: "without me ye can do nothing," says Christ. My dear

friends, the reason why you believe not this holy doctrine, because you lean too much to your own understanding; so I address you in the words of the Holy Ghost; "trust in the Lord with all thy heart, and lean not to thine own understanding:" say with David, "not unto us, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory:" and with Paul, "oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out." May God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, shine into our hearts, that we may know him, whom to know is eternal life.

September 15th. Visited Ellen C. her mother and sister, Roman Catholics, (this young woman has lately become a Protestant and endures much persecution,) read Isaiah lxvi. and Luke vi. spoke of the happiness of bearing reproach for Christ; she told me that her mother, brother, and sister are blaming her; I told her that he shall appear to her joy and eternal felicity, and to their shame and everlasting confusion; they said if she would go to mass they would let her go to the Sunday school: she said she would never go to mass. If you like to be saved, said I, you will never go there, for there is no sal. vation in their doctrines, leaving the sure foundation of the word of God. Fear not them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do, but fear him which is able to destroy both body and soul. All that live godly must suffer persecution; for the disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his Lord; and he took on him the form of a servant, and became obedient to the death of the cross, that we might live; in patience, possess your soul; "greater is he that is for you, than they that are against you.' So, my dear friend, persevere; "he that endureth to the end, the same shall be sav ed; the sufferings of this present life are not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed. In all your afflictions he was afflicted; cast all your care upon him, for he careth for you. My dear friend, he was with the Hebrews in the furnace of fire, and he will be with you in all your trials. She said, that she thinks it worse for them than for herself, and bid me come again.

It is delightful thus to mark the teaching of the Spirit of God, guiding the believer into all truth, and enabling an humble peasant, without the aid of perhaps any other book than his Bible, to testify thus clearly and powerfully the truth as it is in Jesus. The unlearned believer who draws his doctrines simply from God's word, without ever perhaps hearing of the con→ troversies, the schemes which divide the Christian world, comes directly to that simple truth, that the Christian philosopher after much doubt and difficulty is at length brought to. May we thus ever receive the truth doctrinal or practical, direct from the plain meaning of the Bible, without ever thinking how this

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