true answer to your question-am I of the number of the wicked?

Judge yourselves, that ye be not judged, and come into condemnation with the wicked. Now is the day of repentance-the season for regeneration-the Word and the Spirit are now in your reach-God thus far bears with you, and concedes to your desire of life in this world. But the term is becoming every moment shorter. Your days are numbered and your months are with him, who also seeth your sin, and layeth up your transgression.

Will you consent to remain in the class of the wicked till you be "driven away" in your wickedness? Will you venture to-day to refuse your Maker once more, and practically defy his power or mock his forbearance? There is but one way for poor wicked sinners to change their character and become righteous in the sight of God, and that is by sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. Whenever we tender you the invitations of the Gospel, and say that God is waiting to be gracious, we imply that the Spirit is ready to apply his influences to those who will not resist and quench his emotions. Have your consciences been affected now? Do you condemn yourselves as wicked ?-then has the Holy Ghost been here the word which you hear is able to save your souls. Have you received it in faith, or do you cherish doubting minds? If you believe the Scriptures, then go and take them for your guides, and determine to know nothing but Jesus Christ, and him crucified-till you also shall be crucified to the world, and the world crucified unto you— till, redeemed from the guilt, and defilement, and danger of sin, you shall have your fruit unto holiness, the pledge of everlasting life.

If you hesitate, then, contemplate your doom: you are wicked-you are despisers of God, and resisters of his Spirit: look before you—your portion is in hell, and God will drive you away. How soon I cannot tell. He does not always afford the warning which, even here, we have supposed. Often in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, his messenger sweeps along like a whirlwind, and hurls the victims of folly and sin into an eternal world, without a moment for reflection. Hearers, lay it to heart, and think of your end now. "Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little."

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OBITUARY.

MRS. BLACK, wife of Mr. Henry Black, of Belfast, died on Monday, 22d July, 1833, leaving a name behind her that will long be tenderly cherished by all who knew her. She was a happy Christian, and had long been so. For many years she walked in the light of the Lord's countenance, enjoying comfortable evidence of her acceptance with him, and delighting to do his will. Nor did a long, wasting sickness interrupt her enjoyment of God. She bore it with meekness of patience. She could speak of her death with as much composure as though she were about to make a short and easy journey to some more blessed land. The reasons of this continued enjoyment of religion were various, and deserve the attention of all who would attain to the same. A clear ap

prehension of the finished work of Jesus Christ lay at the foundation of it all. She was enlightened to see its completeness, she trusted exclusively and unreservedly upon it, and thus was she enabled to " rejoice in the Lord." Without this apprehension no sinner can or ought to have peace; but with it all ought to be happy. It was in her youth she was so taught of God, and this contributes not a little to the higher enjoyments of religion. Many sinful prejudices and customs are thus avoided, which, so far as they prevail, never fail to produce unhappiness: the mind is thus formed into the habit of religious contemplation, which is a never-failing source of satisfaction; and the life becomes so moulded in the ways of godliness, that whatever blessedness it confers, becomes the enduring portion. All this was the happiness of Mrs. Black, for she had given her heart early to God, and chose him for her portion. She had besides a peculiar trait of character, which greatly contributed to her enjoyment-the most ardent and untiring activity in the service of God. Her whole conversation was about religion. In her there was an exemplification of our Lord's maxim, "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." No matter who was the person or what the company, she had a word to say for Christ. She may be said to have thought in words, and appeared to know nothing of those difficulties and delicacies by which so many feel themselves to be restrained. In this she had her reward; for all the faithfulness with which she treated others, only reflected so much satisfaction and happiness upon herself. In labours she was abundant. She visited the sick-she fed the

hungry-she clothed the naked. In the capacity of a distributor of tracts she had become familiar with a large number of the poor. With these she delighted to have intercourse, and she was their best pastor. She is remembered by them with affectionate tenderness, as a faithful friend and counsellor. Nor was her labour in vain-not to them, for there are many imperishable proofs of her usefulness, in the reformation of character and the conversion of sinners; not to herself, for she enjoyed the fulfilment of the promise, "he that watereth others, shall himself be watered." These were the secrets of Mrs. Black's happiness in religion-a clear apprehension of the truth as it is in Jesus, an early and a hearty surrender of herself to him, an ardent zeal that counted nothing too much to bear or to do for Christ, and a devoted useful life. last illness her heavenly Father dealt tenderly with her. Her weakness was extreme, but her suffering was not great. Up to her last hour she was sustained and comforted. The ha

In her

bitual frame of her mind was unmurmuring acquiescence in the will of God-ready to live or die, as he might be pleased to appoint. The last summons came sooner than her friends or perhaps she herself expected. But it came not too soon-her peace was made with God, she had taken her lamp and oil, and was ready to meet the bridegroom. She died in peace, leaving an impression on the minds of those who witnessed it, that if this be death, it is an easy entrance into glory. Truly she fell asleep in Jesus. The beholder could not but say, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law; but thanks be unto God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." Nor can we but add, as we reflect upon her whole history, "be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that labour is not in vain in the Lord." "Blessed are your the dead that die in the Lord, they rest from their labours, and their works do follow them."

TRIBUTE

To the Memory of the Rev. Alexander M'Leod, D. D., by S. N. Rowan, D. D. "THIS eloquent tribute to departed piety and worth was pronounced in the Presbyterian Church, in Canal street, on the evening of March 10. We say but little in expressing our opinion that but few compositions in the English language, will equal this manly eulogy in purity and force of style, and that simplicity so nearly allied to sublimity. It was fitting that a lofty intellect like Dr. M'Leod's, should have found a kindred mind to do him honour, after the envious grave had concealed him personally

from the churches, in the midst of which, he had long been a burning and shining light.

"We have taken the liberty to make some extracts, chiefly biographical.

"In his person, he was one of the noblest works of God in human form. His truly noble countenance was an indication of the beauty, the taste, and the strength of his still nobler mind. His erect and stately tread indicated that firmness and decision of character which was not to be tampered with for base and unworthy purposes: and seems to have been ordered by Providence to point him out to all who approached his presence, as a man inaccessible to the influence of flattery, of frowns, or of corruption. "This noble specimen of God's creative power first saw the light at St. Kilda, in the Isle of Mull; one of the group which lie scattered over the western part of the Highlands of Scotland, on the 12th day of June, 1774. His father was the Rev. Neil M'Leod, who was nearly related to the Dunvegan family, the chief of the clan. His mother was Margaret M'Lean, daughter of the Rev. Mr. Archibald M'Lean, who was the immediate predecessor of his son-in-law, Mr. Neil M'Leod, in the pastoral charge of his two parishes. To this gentleman the celebrated Dr. Samuel Johnson was introduced during his tour in the Hebrides, by his relative, Sir Allan M'Lean, and although Johnson cherished strong prejudices against Scotchmen and Presbyterians, he, in the published account of his tour, bears the following testimony to his merits: "We were entertained,' said he, by Mr. M'Leod, a minister that lives upon the coast, whose elegance of conversation and strength of judgment would make him conspicuous in places of greater celebrity.'

"In that region of mountain, and rock, and flood-with Loch Leven in front of his father's house-the mountain of Ben-more in the rear, and the cataract of Essan-Dugh on the east, did Alexander, his youngest son but one, spend the years of his childhood. There, to use his own language, while yet a boy, fatigued with play, and melting under the summer sun, I have contemplated the snow on the top of Ben-more, and imagined myself cooled and refreshed.''

"Nor was this merely the scene of his boyish gambols; it was also the scene of his early piety. He was only five years of age when his father died; but thus early, his sensibilities were strong, and his mind acute and thoughtful; and when his father's decease was announced to his weeping family, the little boy was upon his knees in prayer. He was the

:

child of many prayers; was devoted to the ministry of the Gospel from his birth and himself informed me, on his death bed, that he never lost sight of this as his darling and delightful object from his sixth year, notwithstanding the numerous and strange vicissitudes of his life.

"To that high honour he ultimately attained: so that in his family we have a succession of Gospel ministers to "the fourth generation" of those whom we hope love God and keep his commandments :-his grandfather, McLean; his own father, Niel McLeod; his distinguished self; and his first born in the midst of us. May the mantle of the ascended father prophet, descend in ample folds and studded with riches and various intellectual and moral gems, on his beloved son!

"We know little of his youthful days, before he left Scotland for America, save that from the time he began to walk until he arrived at maturity, he was scarcely three months at a time without having been confined by disease, or accidental injuries to which his activity and

enterprise exposed him; and yet he had not completed his sixth year, before he could repeat his Latin Grammar.'

"He received in Scotland the rudiments of an education for the Gospel ministry in the established church-of the General Assembly of which the venerated predecessors of his family were ministers and members: but having emigrated to America in 1792, and in the eighteenth year of his age, he, in consequence of hearing a sermon from the Rev. Mr. M'Kinney at Princetown, in the state of New York, determined to embrace the principles of the covenanted reformation. He accordingly pursued his studies with a view to the ministry in the Reformed Presbyterian Church-finished his collegiate education at Union College, Schenectady; and was in one of the first classes graduated at that highly and deservedly popular literary institution.

"He was licensed to preach the Gospel of our Saviour at Coldenham, near Newburgh, by the Reformed Presbytery, the first organized in this country; together with Dr. Black of Pittsburgh, and Dr. Wylie of Philadelphia, in June, 1799. He was, with the other gentlemen, ordained in 1800, and pastoral charges were assigned them by the Presbytery.

"In the same year, 1800, Mr. M'Leod received a call from the congregation of Coldenham, to become their pastor; and among the signatures to it, there were the names of those who held slaves.

"This fact was urged by him as a motive for rejecting the call; and was the occasion of his publishing a sermon against "negro slavery.' The principles of that sermon were carried out in his support of the Colonization Society to the close of his life.

It

"The plan of that Society we believe originated with himself. was handed to the late venerated Dr. Finley by Dr. M'Leod, in his study; approved by Finley, and taken on to Washington, where M'Leod followed it, and made an eloquent address in support of its principles. The work of emancipation, thus begun, has progressed until there are prosperous and unshackled colonies in Liberia; and we hope will progress, until the universe of man shall be as free as the air in which we breathe; and there shall not be a spot on earth, where its inhabitants will be compelled to say we are slaves!

"As early as 1801, Mr. M'Leod became the pastor of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Chambers Street, New York. He was their first pastor. He found them a little flock; but by the blessing of God upon his pious and talented agency, they increased into a multitude. To this growing congregation, he broke spiritual bread for thirty-two years, " with knowledge and understanding.". At the commencement of his ministry among them he had no ecclesiastical or clerical sympathies. He was an isolated being-he stood alone. But singly and unaided, except by the Head of the Church, he worked his way to confidence-to popular favour -to extensive usefulness. The men with whom he had to compete in doing good were of considerable eminence. The mere mention of their names will convey the idea of their importance: the exemplary and pious Rodgers and Livingston; the sound theological ministers, Knypers and M'Knight; the eloquent and lucid expositors of Scripture, Linn and Mason; and the amiable and persuasive Abeel and Miller. He was able, however, to bear the contrast, and was hailed by one and all as an able coadjutor in waving the banner of redeeming love over the guilty enslaved inhabitants of this metropolis."

Dr. Rowan thus describes Dr. M'Leod's remarkable manner:

"There was something about his manner of delivery, peculiar to him