consciousness of having, at an early period of life, taught him to lisp the Saviour's name-of having led him to the closet, and there prayed with him, and for him, and of having daily met him for the same purpose in the family circle, from infancy to manhood. Such reflections are surely calculated to soothe the wounded spirit; though insufficient wholly to remove that keen regret, that severe distress, which is inspired in the heart of a parent by the death of a child unacquainted with the ways of God. them a brighter, a more worthy, pattern. * I had laid down the pen, when it occurred to me, that, perhaps, this might be read by some who never pray at all. Some, who neither think of praying with their families, nor for themselves; but who still know it is their duty to do both. To such I would say, if there be one state more awful than another, it certainly is such a state as theirs; if it be possible to exist on the very verge of eternal perdition, without feeling all its horrors, they certainly are not far from it. Nothing but the brit that indescribable misery which awaits all who live at a distance from God, and who die without being reconciled to him by the all-sufficient atonement of his Son Jesus Christ. 1 In attempting to point out a few of the advantages connect-tle tie of life preserves them from ed with a constant and conscientious observance of Family Worship, I seem to have almost lost sight of the original design of this paper, which was, to induce, if possible, those who never yet have introduced this amongst the various regulations of their family, immediately to do so, and to continue for one year. Should they then find it unworthy their attention; should they then deem it a waste of time, or a useless and unedifying exercise, they can abandon it at pleasure. But, if they determine to live as heretofore, regardless of the command of God, and unconcerned for the welfare of their families; if they still neglect so important a duty, they must not expect to find that harmony subsisting in their houses, as has been described; | nor must they expect that either their children, or their servants, (should they become useful members of society, and ornaments to the Christian religion,) will have so much cause to venerate their memories, or to emulate their virtues, as if they had shewn And what is life? What, but a mere vapour! Uncertain as the passing cloud; or, like the flower which now blossoms in the sunbeams, but which, ere the morrow arrives, is cut down and withered! Let me, in taking leave, intreat those who never yet huve prayed, (if indeed there be any such characters,) to begin from this hour to pray earnestly for the pardon of their sins, through the merits of a crucified Redeemer; and they may be assured, that, as God never has despised the plea of a contrite soul, He will not neg lect them, or spurn them from his presence, however sinful. Yea, though their sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though red like crimson, they shall be as wool." Lymington, Hants. J**. R. 332 Miscellanea. PASTORINI. THE work called "Pastorini,” was written by a Roman Catholic Bishop, Dr. Walmsly, and first published in the year 1771: the fifth edition was printed in Dublin, in 1812. It is an octavo volume of 512 pages, professing to be ati Exposition of the Apocalypse. Within these few years, it has been extensively circulated in Ireland, and the minds of the inhabitants of that part of the empire, both Papists and Protestants, have been exceedingly agitated by some sentiments which it contains. Expounding the 9th Chapter of the Revelations, which he says refers to the Reformation! he remarks, that, in the 5th verse, mention is made of "five months;" and again, in the 10th verse, of another period of" five months?" and, reckoning these as so many years, instead of days, he comes to the following conclusion: "The distinction of two periods, each of 150 years, being thus stated; as the first began with th the Reformation, about the year 1525, and expired at 1675, the second will reach to 1825." After glancing at what he calls the persecutions of the Roman Catholics, be then speaks of the final triumphs of the Church of . dren, when they come in tears to " Rome over them. "When one re- through the course an object of tian ages, is [it] flects," he says," that of the three hundred years allowed to the reign consideration highly interesting to of the locusts [Protestants] there re-all Protestants, lest some such disasmain only fifty or fifty-five years to ter should be their fate? The Savis run, we cannot but wish, with an our of mankind waits with patience earnest heart, that the people re- for the return of his strayed sheep; presented by those insects, would but his obstinacy at last forces his enter into a serious consideration of hand to strike. Unhappy children that circumstance. What a happi- of the Reformation! refuse not to ness! if, during this short remaining hear the wholesome advice of the interval, some part of them, at least, prophet Isaiah: "Seek ye the Lord would submit to see their errors, and while he may be found; call upon the great mischief that has been him while he is near.' iv, 6. Hear done to the church by their revolt the voice of God speaking to Israel, against it. It is full time to lay and make the application: Return, down all animosity against their an- O virgin of Israel, return to these cient Mother, think of a reconciliathy cities.' Jer. xxxi. 21. And again, tion, and ask to be received again into her bosom. She is an indulgent parent, and her arms are always open, even to her rebellious chil Be converted, ye honse of Israel, and do penance for all your ini quitics; and iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you ^all 4 not be forgotten by the free citizens. Liberal opinions can never exist, much less flourish, in the breast of slave-holders. They may be violent republicans to those who aspire to a superiority over them, but they will ever be relentless tyrants to every one who, in any way, falls un your transgressions, by which you have transgressed, and make to yourselves a new heart, and a new spirit; and why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I desire not the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God; return ye and live.' Ezek. xviii. 30-32. But, if deaf to all admonitions, they continue hardened in their own ways, what re-der their power. They may themmains to be done but to lament this misfortune, and, in bitterness of soul, turn our eyes from the pouring out of the following vial.” selves throw off the yoke of a master, but the result will be improved to confirm to themselves more absolute sway. They may esteem liberty sweet, but they will also think it far too sweet to be tasted by those who are below them. A British' Duke has much more in him of true" republican principle, than an Ame-' rican planter. The nobleman knows experimentally, that his station in society is altogether conventional; and that, with all his ribands and his stars, the lowest of his footmen cannot be detained one hour in service beyond what he himself agrees "The vial being poured upon the throne of the beast,' it flows down from thence over his whole kingdom, the realm of the Reformation. For his kingdom became dark, and they gnawed their tongues for pain.' But, respecting the nature of this punishment, we shall be entirely silent, and leave it to be disclosed by the event. We shall only remark that, to judge from the expression of the text, the scourge seems to be severe, and we are ex-to, nor subjected to a single indigtremely sorry it should be so ill re-nity but at the peril of him who ofceived: And they blasphemed the fers it: cart-whips and brandingGod of Heaven, because of their irons form no part of the machinery pains and wounds,' or sores, and by which his household is swayed. did not penance for their works." " Pp. 214, 227, 228, 229, 232. It is only necessary to remind the reader, that the Reformation commenced in 1517, consequently the subsequent 300 years have long past away. Those must be extremely ignorant, even among the Irish Roman Catholics, who pay any regard to the ridiculous rant contained in this contemptible book. J. I. 66 Slave-holders, in short, can never, in their general character, be otherwise than detrimental to the true dignity and prosperity of any country. They cannot appreciate the value of equal laws, and, therefore, cannot be supposed capable of either making or administering them. The miserable creatures whom they hold in control, in place of strengthening the body politic," increase its weakness and its danger, in geometrical proportion to their increase in numbers. They operate also as an immense mound erected to oppose the progress of knowledge and religion. I could "TILL slavery is got rid of, its wish,' said a Virginian to me, that demoralizing influence will be every we were rid of our slaves, but, while day extending itself; nor is it easy they are slaves, our own safety reto see how the slave-holding States quires that they should be kept in can possibly expect long to escape ignorance.' The position is false, as the horrors of a negro insurrection. the fruits of the labours of MissionThe black population, it is well as- aries in the West Indies have certained, is increasing in a quicker proved; but, supposing it to be true, ratio than the white; and, in some how horrible is the idea! It is imof the States, the latter are actually possible that a nation can ever atbeginning to out-number the former.tain to true greatness, where such a The history of St. Domingo should sentiment is, to any considerable REMARKS ON SLAVERY. VOL. XVI. 2 I extent, prevalent: accidental circumstances may elevate it to a temporary degree of influence in the political world, but there is a rottenness at the heart, which will, sooner or later, be its ruin. "But, even were slavery abolished to-morrow, throughout the whole of the country, the effects of it would not disappear for generations to come. It has already produced a feeling towards the blacks, which is of too inveterate a kind to be easily or speedily removed, they would still be regarded as a degraded race, and still excluded from a reciprocation of those kind offices which form the cement of society. It must be an appalling thing, that, between a body of men so numerous as they are, and the rest of the community, there should be no connecting tie of reciprocal good-will, no probable means of thorough amalgamation." Duncan's Travels in America. QUERIES. IN the Life of the late Rev. J. Hinton, of Oxford, his biographer states, that it was his father's practice to receive persons by "written experiences." He then adds, "It would not be difficult to shew that many evils have arisen, and are continually arising, from the exist ing practices, without any equivalent advantage; and, if the churches were more keenly alive, either to the, laws of the kingdom of heaven, or to their own interest, little doubt can be entertained but it would be speedily modified. After all, it is a question worthy of consideration, whether the profession of faith ought not rather to be made before the world, and in connexion with the ordinance of baptism?" It will be well for these sentiments to be examined; for, if those churches who require persons to relate verbally their experience, are disregarding" the laws of the kingdom of heaven, and their own interest," the more speedily they alter the practice the better. I shall be much obliged if some one of our elder pastors will give an answer to the following questions: 1. What are the evils which have and do result from the general practice? 2. Is it not essential to church fellowship, that the members should have the means of forming a judg ment whether the person desiring communion be a spiritual person or not, that he may be admitted or rejected by their suffrages? 3. What scriptural, or other reasous, can be assigned for this experience of candidates for baptism and church-fellowship being transferred from the church to the world? 4. If the profession of faith be required in future, in connexion with the ordinance of baptism; how will the mixt communion Baptist churches receive Pædobaptists to fellowship? MNASON, Is it proper to encourage females to hold prayer-meetings among themselves exclusively, or ought their doing so to be cosidered fanaticism? PRISCA. Obituary and Recent Deaths. MR. GEORGE IRWIN, Late of Accrington, Lancashire., THIS individual was born and educated in circumstances very unfavourable to the existence and promotion of evangelical religion, but Sovereign Grace bestowed upon him, what, alas! in too many instances, is neither enjoyed nor de sired by the children of the kingdom. As soon as he was capable, the cir cumstances of his parents rendered it necessary for him to attend the calico print-works, in the character of a tier boy, where he had to witness examples of the worst kind; and to breathe an atmosphere more impure and deleterious in a moral and religious view than it was literally. Here impiety and vice were offered to the acceptance of hundreds of youths, in similar circumstances with my late friend, in all the disgusting forms of unbridled sensuality, profaneness, and ribaldry. It was his misfortune, also, to have been early taught to cherish unfounded prejudices against such as dissented from the Established Church, and especially against the Baptists. An occurrence, apparently accidental, was chosen by God to counteract the influence of these unfavourable circumstances, and as the means of his conversion. He be came intimately acquainted with Mr. John Sykes, now the pastor of the Baptist Church at Scarborough, then a youth, and at home with his parents; and thus he was induced to attend occasionally upon the ministry of the gospel among the Baptists. A sermon by the late Mr. Littlewood, of Rochdale, from John xx. 17, was the means of producing those convictions and affections which issued in his decided attach ment to evangelical sentiments, and in ardent piety and devotedness to God. In a few months he was bap tized, and united to the church at Accrington, of which he continued a very honourable and useful member, until he was called by death to the general assembly and church of the first born. his transgressions, when he was enabled to cherish the hope of forgiveness and salvation. To the same general causes may be attributed the almost uniform character of his religious experience. He was sel dom, if ever, the subject of very gloomy or distressing fears, or the possessor of joys bordering upon rapture and ecstacy: but he enjoy ed what is much more valuable than the latter a calm and equable flow of sacred peace, which corresponded, in a good degree, with the uniform ity and sedateness of his character, and which exemplified the truth and the meaning of that Divine promise; Whoso hearkeneth unto me, shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil. I have no means of ascertaining the precise time of my friend's 'conversion and haptism, but it was probably in his nineteenth or twentieth year. This, however, is a circum stance of no great importance, and it is referred to principally for the purpose of adverting to a trait of character in his brief history, which it would be improper to bury in to tal oblivion. It is no uncommon thing for persons, situated as he was, to enter the married state, at! what, in many parts of the kingdom, would be considered a very early age, and it appears that, about this period, he formed an attachment to My friend's mind was contempla the young person who afterwards tive, his temper mild, and his judg- became his wife, and who still surment and reasoning faculties, con- vives him. This circumstance fursidering his circumstances and edu- nished an opportunity for the dis cation, were sound and vigorous; play of the beneficial and pleasing and to these, in connexion with the influence which the principles he tone and character of the ministry had so recently embraced exerted on which he attended, and of the upon his mind and character. His sentiments which characterized bis inclination strongly impelled hìm to early religious friends, may be be married without delay; but the ascribed, under God, the almost to- circumstances of his widowed "motal absence, in his case, of that dis- ther and grandmother, with whom tressing kind of experience which he resided, required all the aid sometimes attends the early stages he could afford them by his daily of true religion. He had, it is true, labour. not only to yield himself, for the first time, to the influence of pure and undefiled religion, but to acquire the knowledge of its theory and first principles; but it was his privilege to be taught, almost simultaneously, his danger and his refuge; and he had been scarcely compelled to weep for The death of his father had taken' place during my friend's infancy, and a variety of eircumstances, previous and subsequent to that event,' had involved the family in great poverty and suffering. In short, debts, to them, heavy, and, for their means, large, had been incurred, and there |