How prevalent is prayer! and how faithful is the prayer-hearing God!

How persevering is the spirit of real supplication? It waits on the Lord, and pleads-and yields-and submits-and wrestles, until it prevails.

How far from dictating to God is the humble, submissive prayer of faith!

American Pastor's Journal.

PRACTICAL BENEVOLENCE

We find in the Rutland Herald the following statement of the sums bequeathed by the late Mr. Burr, to the cause of learning and Christian philanthropy:

American Board of Foreign Missions,

$17,000

$96,000
devoted to

The aggre-
Mr. Burr's

We are not aware that so large a sum has ever been similar purposes by any other individual in our country. gate may be considered as a grand legacy to mankind. estate is estimated, it is said, at $150,000. He was a bachelor, and his relatives all far from being poor. He therefore felt himself at liberty to gratify, so far as he was able, the desires of his heart for the well-being of his fellow men. To his home-the town of Manchester he has left $15,000; for the promotion of religion and learning in our State, $20,000 more; and to two Colleges in adjoining States, $2,000-all however in such a way as will tend to promote one great cause; while a much greater amount ($59,000) goes to Societies that are more immediately engaged in scattering their blessings throughout our country and the world.

Any words of praise would be unbecoming-would seem like profanation. We can only bless God, who, we trust, put these things into the heart of our benefactor, and express the hope that his gifts

may be expended in the same spirit of considerate and expansive benevolence, which seems to have actuated the donor.

Vermont Chronicle.

PUBLIC SPIRIT.

ONE OF THE CLAIMS OF SOCIETY UPON YOUNG MEN IS PUBLIC SPIRIT.—Every young man should come forward in life with a determination to do all the good he can, and to leave the world better for his having lived in it. He should consider that he was not made for himself alone; but for society, for mankind, and for God. He should feel that he is a constituent, responsible member of the great family of man; and while he should pay particular attention to the wants and the welfare of those with whom he is immediately connected, he should accustom himself to send his thoughts abroad, over the wide field of practical benevolence, and early learn to feel and act for the good of his species,

I say early, because if you do not begin in the morning of life, to cherish a public spirit-a spirit of active, enterprizing benevolence, you will probably never possess much of it. This is a virtue that rarely springs up late in life.-If it grow and flourish at all, it must be planted in youth, and be nourished by the warm sunshine and rain of the spring season of life. He, who cares only for himself in youth, will be a very niggard in manhood, and a wretched miser in old age.

And consider what a poor, miserable kind of existence it is, to live only to one's self. It is indeed but half living. "Selfishness has been well termed a starveling vice. It is its own curse. He who does no good, gets none." He who cares not for others, will soon find that others will not care for him. As he lives to himself, so he will die to himself, and no body will miss him, or be sorry that he is gone.

Guard against this temper, my friends, as most unworthy in itself, and destructive of all respectability and usefulness. Cultivate a spirit of enlarged benevolence, a generous, self-denying public spirit, which shall cause you to feel and take an interest in whatever affects the happiness, or conduces to the improvement of your fellow men. Especially is this a duty incumbent on you at the present day. It is a day of action-of action in the cause of God and human happiness. The young men of this generation are called to a great work. God is fast preparing the way for this world's emancipation from the thraldom and misery under which it has been groaning for six thousand years; and to those who are now coming upon the stage

he has extended the high privilege and honor of bearing a part in effecting this glorious work. See to it then, that you forfeit not the honor, by acting on the principle of a narrow and contracted selfish, ness. Cherish that noble, that disinterested, that rare patriotism, which will make you prefer the public interest to your own;-your country's prosperity and glory to your own honor and emolument. It is in this spirit alone, that you can prove yourselves the worthy descendants of the pilgrims, or preserve those precious institutions and privileges, which you inherit from their labors and prayers.-No one trait in their character was more marked than their public spirit. They labored, not for themselves, but for mankind; not for time, but for eternity. It was this that led them to forsake their own green fields for those inhospitable shores. It was this that induced them to lay broad and deep the foundation of those civil, literary and religious institutions, which are the glory and defence of our land. While, then, you have the honor of descending from those illustrious men, distinguished alike for their love of God, aspire to tread in their steps and imitate their virtues-living not for the present moment, but for all future time and for eternity.

THE STRANGER AND HIS FRIEND.

BY JAMES MONTGOMERY, ESQ.

A poor way-faring man of grief,
Hath often crossed me on my way;
Who sued so humbly for relief,

That I could never answer nay;
I had not power to ask his name,
Whither he went or whence he came;
Yet there was something in his eye,
That won my love-I know not why.
Once when my scanty meal was spread,
He entered, not a word he spake,
Just perishing for want of bread;

I gave him all; he blessed it, brake,
And ate, but gave me part again;
Mine was an angel's portion then;
And while I fed with eager haste,
The crust was manna to my taste.

I spied him where a fountain burst

Clean from the rock; his strength was gone

Hawes

The heedless water mock'd his thirst,

He heard it, saw it hurrying on; I ran and raised the sufferer up, Thrice from the stream he drained my cup Dipt, and return'd it, running o'er; I drank and never thirsted more.

"Twas night-the floods were out, it blew A wintry hurricane aloof;

I heard his voice abroad, and flew
To bid him welcome to my roof;

I warmed, I clothed, I cheered my guest,
I laid him on my couch to rest;

Then made the earth my bed, and seemed
In Eden's garden while I dreamed.

Stript, wounded, beaten nigh to death,
I found him by the highway side;
I roused his pulse, brought back his breath,
Revived his spirit, and supplied

Wine, oil, refreshment;-he was healed;
I had myself a wound concealed,
But from that hour forgot the smart,
And peace bound up my broken heart.

In prison I saw him next-condemned
To meet a traitor's doom at morn;
The tide of lying tongues I stemmed,
And honored him 'midst shame and scora.

My friendship's utmost zeal to try,

He asked if I for him would die;

The flesh was weak, my blood run chill,

But free the spirit cried, "I will.”

Then in a moment, to my view,

The stranger darted from disguise;

The tokens in his hands I knew;

My Saviour stood before mine eyes. He spake and my poor name he named"Of me thou hast not been ashamed; "Those deeds shall thy memorial be; "Fear not; thou didst them unto me." Sheffield, Eng. Dec. 1826.

arnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints."

No. 6.

JUNE, 1828.

VOL. II.

THE PLAIN AND OBVIOUS MEANING.

In the September Number of the Magazine for 1827, we gave our readers the maxim which ought to govern our opinions upon all subjects. It was this. Believe facts upon their separate proofs, altho' you may not be able to see how they agree with with other things, known or believed to be true. This great principle of common sense, as we then said, has governed our researches in the works of nature since the days of Bacon and Newton. Indeed, no one how dares to depart from it. It is the polar star which guides the mind in safety over the wide field of philosophical investigation.-—— The Bible is a book of facts; and admitting it to be the word of Tod, our first inquiry shall be-How shall we know the mind of God? Or in other words, what shall we consider revealed facts? In answer to these questions, we have said that, the mind of God, or the revealed fact, is found in the plain and obvious meaning of the language employed by the sacred writers. By the plain and obvious meaning we do not understand the literal import of a word or text. The literal import is the sense of a word or text disconnected from its proper place. The plain and obvious meaning is that possessed when the word or text is read in its natural connection. This rule for the interpretation of the language of God, is just that which we adopt to arrive at the meaning of the words of our fellow men. Our maxim then, assumes the following shape: When we possess the plain and obvious meaning of the Scriptures in support of a fact, it is to be believed, although we may not see how it agrees with another fact, known or believed to be true.

The propriety of adopting this maxim is clear to every unprejudiced mind. Because, in the first place, if God has declared a fact, we must believe it, for that very reason, however it may disappoint our previous views-secondly, the plain and obvious meaning is the only meaning which the vast majority of mankind can ever find in the word of God. If then it is not the true meaning, the greatest numVos, IL 21