home, take a hearty glass of whiskey, and get Madge (his wife) to sing a song, and all will be well!" In obedience to this advice, Bryan and Madge went to the dance; but he had not been long there before he started up, saying to his wife, "Madge, come away! I am worse and worse. On his return home, however, he took the rest of the advice: drank the whiskey, and heard the song; but to no purpose. In the morning, far from being relieved, his distress was greatly increased, and Madge advised him to go once more to the priest. He went the next morning, and told his reverence that he was no better, for God was "still looking at him," and was "angrier and angrier." He was then ordered to go to Lough-Derg, and heavy penances were prescribed-so many crossings, genuflections, stations, walking on his bare knees, &c. Having accomplished this task, he returned, and told the priest that he was no better. "Then," said the priest, "you may go to the devil, for I can do no more for you; but mind, you must never go near the Methodists again." "Oh," said Bryan, "there is no danger of that; they have done enough upon me already."

19

Notwithstanding this resolution, being some time after drawn by his employment near to the preaching-house, during the time of Divine service, he ventured to the door to listen to the singing, then heard the prayer, in which he thought there could be no harm, and lastly ventured in. The preacher, knowing nothing of the case of Bryan, was led to describe the state of awakened sinners, and the advice sometimes given to such, to relieve them from their distress. Bryan, having by this time got near the pulpit, exclaimed, "That is just what he said to me; and there and then, before the congregation, he detailed the whole of what had passed between him and the priest. The preacher told him that he could never be happy until he was converted, and obtained the forgiveness of his sins; adding, "Kneel down, and we will pray for you." The whole congregation then fell upon their knees, calling upon God to have mercy upon the penitent. After some time, he leaped up, clapped his hands, and said, "I have got it! I have got it! I know he is not angry with me now! Oh! sir, will you come and convert Madge?" The preacher replied that he would go and talk with her next morning; but Bryan could with difficulty wait so long. As soon as he got home he exclaimed, "O Madge, sure I am converted! God is not angry with me now." "Bryan, dear," said his wife, "who converted you?" "Oh," said he, "it was the preacher." "Would he convert me,” said she, I am as bad as you ?" "He would convert all the world!" said Bryan. The preacher visited Madge, and explained to her the plan of salvation by Jesus Christ; and she also was soon brought to enjoy the power and comfort of religion. Bryan could not rest now without telling the priest. He was advised not to go, but go he would; and in the face of the congregation, in his own way, told the priest of the happiness of his soul. The priest ridiculed him, and threatened him with excommunication; to which Bryan replied, "You may save yourself the trouble; you could do nothing for me in my distress, and I will never come near you more."

"for

Bryan and Madge suffered much from their bigoted neighbours; but they held on their way, and are long since lodged in the paradise of God. They brought up their children, also, in the fear of the Lord; and one son became a respectable local preacher among the Methodists.

CRUELTY DISARMED BY MEEKNESS.

A POOR but pious woman, who had been much persecuted by an ungodly husband for her attachment to the Saviour and his gospel, after hearing the minister, whom she attended, preach a lecture on that precious promise, Deut. xxxiii. 25, "Thy shoes shall be iron and brass, and as thy days, so shall thy strength be," returned home to her habitation with renewed strength imparted. As soon as she entered the house, her husband, who had just come from the ale-house, first began to abuse her, and then, by a blow on her face, struck her to the ground. The good woman, who had learned of her blessed Lord, not to render evil for evil, rose, and said to her husband, "You have struck me on the one cheek, and, as Christ hath commanded me, I turn the other to you; if you have the heart to do it, smite that also, and I will cheerfully bear it for His sake who has this night promised to give me strength for my day of trial." Instead of repeating the blow, the man's heart was struck with a conviction that there must be something far above what nature could teach in that religion which enabled his wife to bear such usage with such a spirit. That determined him to go with her to hear her minister. The Lord met with him,—and the minister by whom this is related, added, that at that time he was one of the most lively and devoted men in his congregation. Here the declaration was proved, that "the wrath of man shall praise the Lord, and the remainder of it he will restrain."

THE PRAYING MOTHER.

In a sea-port town in New England, lived a pious mother, who had six daughters. At the age of sixty, she had been for many years the subject of disease, which confined her to her house, and almost to her room. To a Christian friend she remarked, "I have not for these many years known what it is to go to the house of God in company with his people, and to take sweet counsel with them. But I have another source of grief greater than this; one that weighs down my spirits day and night, while disease and pain bear my body towards the grave. I have six daughters; two are married and live near me, and four are with me; but not one of them is pious. I am alone. I have no one for a Christian companion. Oh! that even one of them were pious, that I might walk alone no longer!" Such was her language. She was evidently a woman of a sorrowful spirit, beseeching the Lord with much entreaty. Soon after this, a revival of religion commenced in the neighbourhood, of which her four single daughters were among the first subjects. A fifth was soon added to the number, but the other, the eldest was unmoved. "Mother," said one of the converts, "let us all unite in observing a day of fasting and prayer for our unawakened sister" The agreement was made-the day was observed. Of this, the subject of their prayers had no knowledge; but on the same day, while engaged in her domestic concerns at home, her mind was solemnly arrested; and she was soon after added to the Christian sisterhood. The praying mother lived a few years to enjoy their Christian society. They surrounded her dying bed, received her last blessing, commended her spirit to God, and followed the faith and patience of that mother who was first removed to inherit the promises.

PETER REPROVED.

"O thou of little faith," &c.-Matthew xiv. 31.

DARK was the night, the wind blew high,

The boisterous billows toss'd amain,
When, finding that his Lord was nigh,
Peter essayed to walk the main.

Beneath his feet the buoyant sea
An adamantine surface wore,
And by its God's supreme decree

Th' Apostle's step in safety bore.

But ah! faith's pure and holy beam
Grew dim! his heart was sore afraid,
And sinking 'midst the ingulfing stream,
Th' affrighted Christian cried for aid.

That aid was nigh! a Saviour's arm

From whelming danger snatched him out, Reproving thus his vain alarm,

66

Ah, faithless! wherefore didst thou doubt ?"

Lord give us, give us, Peter's love,

A faith, superior faith, impart;

But oh! in mercy, far remove

The timid and the doubting heart.

So, though a thousand trials rise,

Though hope seems lost in danger's night,

Our souls shall every fear despise,

Our faith shall triumph in thy might.

SABBATH MORNING.

SWEET morn! on which the Saviour rose,
On which he triumph'd o'er his foes,
Burst through the tomb, and came to bless,
His waiting friends with words of peace.

Sweet morn! when longing Christians meet
To worship at the Saviour's feet,
To hear his messages of grace,
And view the beauties of his face.

Sweet day of rest! from worldly cares,
From wandering thoughts and gloomy fears,

O may our spirits rise to God,

And feel the power of pard'ning blood!

How blessed are the men that see

NOTICES OF BOOKS.

THE ANGELS OF GOD: their Nature, Character, Ranks, and Ministerial Services, as exhibited in the Holy Scriptures. By the REV. THOMAS TIMPSON, Minister of Union Chapel, Lewisham. Author of the "Companion to the Bible," "Key to the Bible," "Church History through all Ages," &c. &c. London: John Snow, Paternoster Row. To those who regard the ANGELS OF GOD as our appointed guardians on earth, and as destined to be our companions and fellow-worshippers in heaven, this will prove a very interesting volume. So much is said in Scripture of the "ministry of angels," that we wonder it is not more frequently alluded to by those who profess to explain "the whole counsel of God;" not that this mysterious doctrine is essential to salvation, but it is highly desirable that those who have leisure for study should endeavour to learn the entire will of God, as explained in his holy word. The author has been deeply impressed with the importance of his subject, and has succeeded in making his readers sympathize with him. He dwells at length on the Importance of the doctrine regarding Angels-The Perversion of this Doctrine,-The Existence, Nature, Rank, Titles, Intellectual and Moral Powers,-Stations and Numbers of Angels. He speaks of the rank and character of Cherubim and Seraphim,-The Creation and the Creator of Angels,-The Fall, Power, and Malice of evil Spirits, and the Confirmation of the Elect Angels. He then speaks of Messiah as the "Angel Jehovah," so often mentioned in the Old Testament, of the Prophetic Missions of Angels, and of the Cherubim guarding the Tree of Life. The Author then treats of the appearances of these good spirits to Hagar, Abraham, Lot, and all the other Old Testament characters, to whom they were sent on messages of mercy or wrath. He then speaks of the angelic prophecies to Elizabeth and Mary concerning the birth of John and our Saviour, and of the various instances in which angels ministered to Christ, or appeared to his disciples, as recorded in the New Testament. The volume closes with four chapters on "Angels as ministers of Christ to saints," and as their " Companions in glory."

This is by no means an original work, except in its arrangement. The Biblical student will find it almost entirely composed of well-arranged extracts from the best theological writers, with references from the works quoted. Of this we don't complain, as we think it more honourable to borrow sentences, than to steal ideas. But we do complain that there is a great deal of extraneous matter in the book. It contains an almost complete biography of each person who is spoken of as having received an angelic visit; and thus a good sized octavo volume is produced. When will authors learn that their fame and their usefulness do not depend on the size but on the quality of their works?

[Other works have been received, but in consequence of the unavoidable absence of the Editor, notices of them are postponed till next month.]

OBITUARY.

MR. THOMAS DAWSON WAS born in Lincolnshire, on the 29th of December, 1794. He had not the advan-tage of being brought up under the influence of religion. Neither his parents nor the minister of the parish were savingly acquainted with God; consequently he grew up in ignorance and neglect of salvation. When about eleven years of age, he was induced to attend a Baptist Chapel, where the word of God was made the means of deeply impressing his thoughtless mind, and the Holy Spirit powerfully

strove with him. These impressions, however, resulted in no saving change. When quite a youth, only sixteen, he entered the army in the third light dragoons, and was engaged in the sanguinary conflicts of the Peninsular wars. Since his conversion to God, he has frequently referred to the mercy of the Almighty in preserving him from destruction amidst the dreadful scenes of carnage and blood which he was called to witness. Many a time has he seen the murderous fire mow down the ranks of brave men around him, and cover