132 CARE FOR THE OUTCASTS. that we know when it will rise and set?” This seemed to arrest her mind with conviction, and on the day following she said to the same friend, "I feel there is a God,—do pray for me." This wish was of course complied with. At the same time she was told, religion was a personal thing, and affectionately led to the cross. A blessing accompanied the means used for her restoration to partial health, and she was enabled to attend the Bible class, in which she took great delight, though often, as great truths were presented to her mind, she had many struggles with the enemy of her peace. She said one day, “If I hear a more interesting address or sermon than usual, my mind is filled with those dreadful sceptical notions and infidel doubts." Her spare time was devoted to the study of the Bible, and improving others in reading and useful knowledge, and she became the nurse of the sick and the general peace-maker; and one, who died in the faith, called her "Mother!" Thus passed the time appointed for her to remain in the Institution; and when the period arrived for her to go forth into the world again, with what new views and feelings did she enter upon her new duties! Mary was placed as a domestic in a minister's family; and now the effects of her mother's faithful dealing and many prayers were seen in her daily walk. Although occupying a more humble situation than she had ever done before, and not earning half as much money as she might have done in her business of straw-bonnet making, yet she said, "It is the path of safety, and I prefer it." On the receipt of her quarter's wages, she sent her mother some money to buy coals for the winter, saying, "This will do my mother good, because she will know I have earned it honestly, and she will think, as she renews her fire, of her lost and found one! And even poor Tom, my cat, will get a stroke for my sake, and be invited to his place in the chimney corner, to get a warm from my coals!" A PRIMITIVE CHURCH. 133 Those who have tasted the pleasure of doing what is ght under difficult circumstances, can understand someing of the feeling of this reclaimed wanderer, and how ecious to the mother was this little offering! More ecious than thousands of gold and silver brought to her et as the price of guilt. Thus felt Mary's mother while e blessed and praised Him who had restored the lost eep to His fold. Mothers! instil uprightness and love of virtue early in e minds of your children, and let them see strict integrity f conduct in yourselves. They are much closer copyists han you imagine, and if they see you eat, drink, wear, or se that which you obtain in an improper way, depend pon it they will follow your example. Think of the udgment which will come ere long, and, like Mary's mother, say you will "starve," rather than take the wages f sin. Better be meanly clad and scantily fed than eceive anything improperly procured. We have yet a little more of Mary. A PRIMITIVE CHURCH.-No. IV. AN EARNEST PASTOR. We last month made our readers somewhat acquainted with the minister and people assembled for Divine worship, on the morning of the Lord's day, in our primitive church; we now propose to enlarge that acquaintance. As to the minister, he was of middle age, with a sedate, anxiouslooking countenance, and appeared to rise in the pulpit with a vivid sense of the solemn responsibility resting upon him; and, without any stretch of imagination, you might easily conceive him breathing forth the prayer-" Lord, help me, for who is sufficient for this great work?" voice was musical; he spoke clearly and distinctly. The His 134 A PRIMITIVE CHURCH. opening prayer was short, but full of deep and holy feeling ; the conviction of the mind concerning him was, that he came from the closet of communion with God to the people; and when he stood up to make known the counsel and will of God, he opened the sacred volume as if conscious he was handling a precious treasure. A profound silence reigned in the congregation, which was divided by the aisle—the men being on one side, the women on the other. It was evident that great and solemn things were revolving in the good man's mind; his eye was pensive; he turned first to one side, then to the other, without speaking; then, leaning his right arm upon the Bible, his full eye kindling with the effort, and looking steadily at the people seated on his left, he said, in a voice of the deepest pathos and tenderness—“Are you converted?" and remained motionless, steadily looking at them. The appeal was unexpected; there were deep searchings of heart, and, like the trembling in the host of Midian, it seemed to communicate from one to another. He then turned to the other side, and, with the same expression of countenance, asked the same question. We certainly felt it to be a deeply thrilling moment. Then rising, but bending gently forward, he said—" This is a solemn question; what say you?-no answer? Did I hear the reply-' you hope so?' Then you have not the full assurance of hope; you are in doubt and uncertainty; not quite sure whether you are a true follower of the meek and lowly Jesus-is it so?" Again he asked-" Did I hear another whisper-'you do not know?' What! not know whether you are among those who love and serve the Lord Christ, or among those who hate him? Not know whether you are going to heaven or hell? How can I proceed? My whole soul is moved for you!" Then looking earnestly at them, he exclaimed (and his eyes were more penetrating than his words), "Why, whilst I am speaking, for aught I know, A PRIMITIVE CHURCH. 135 e one may fall lifeless on the floor, and the next ment the precious soul be in the hands of enfuriated ils, who will drag you away to the throne of the highty, there to hear the dreadful sentence, 'Depart, cursed, into everlasting fire.' How can you bear the ught to go from a world where there is mercy to be nd, to one of utter and everlasting despair! O, I bech you, decide the doubtful point; let it be no longer a tter of uncertainty." Then standing erect, his full mpathising eye in perfect accordance with the tenderness his voice, he said-"My beloved people, I feel unable proceed; the important subject before us is all-absorb-are you saved, or are you not? Let us pause a few ments-let us look within." An awful silence ensued, oken only by the hard breathings and the sobbings of arts deeply touched. Most certainly we had never seen felt anything like it; our inmost soul was moved, and r tears flowed plentifully. After a pause of several minutes (but the note of time emed lost), the holy man arose, with heavenly sweetness his countenance, and said-" May the Lord prepare our arts to receive His Word with meekness and godly fear. Te now request your prayerful attention to that portion of od's Word which you will find in the 16th chapter of [ark's Gospel, the first clause of the 16th verse—' He at believeth and is baptized shall be saved."" After a ort, but pointed exordium, he divided his subject into iree parts. “First—Before all time; for before time was he salvation of believers determined. Secondly-In the lness of time; for at the appointed time it was accomlished. Thirdly-When time shall be no more; for it hall be consummated in eternity." Our reminiscence of he sermon must be reserved for another paper; but we would leave the solemn question for your considerationARE YOU CONVERTED?" M. B. THOUGHTS ON FEMALE SCRIPTURE ΕΤΕ. "And God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them." WHAT a glorious picture of holiness and happiness is here presented to our view! The happiness was a consequence of the holiness; the more man resembles God in the latter, the greater will be his measure of the former. In the second chapter of Genesis, we have a more particular account of the creation of our first parents. How humbling to man's pride is the thought-" I sprang from the dust!" How elevating to man's spiritual nature is the reflection-" I sprang from the breath of God!" And yet, by far the greater part of mankind care more for the body, the earthen vessel, than for the immortal spirit tabernacled within it. We wish to consider, more especially, the origin and character of our first mother, with a wish to draw from both some useful lessons. The passage in Gen. ii. 21–24, gives us the origin of Eve. Here we see that woman's position, as inferior to man, and dependent on him, is clearly implied. What a rebuke is here for those who would take her from the sweet and holy sphere of duties, in which God intended her to bless and be blessed, and place her amidst the jar and turmoil of politics and debating societies! We find no warrant for her thus stepping beyond the natural shelter provided for her, in the strong right arm, and the stronger love of man. Why was Eve created? To be a help-meet: not a ruler, not a guide; but a stay, a ready source of comfort under all circumstances. How beautifully does Adam describe the perfect union, the oneness of mind which uld exist in the married state! Why cannot we say |