ledge of the Saviour, I prevailed | and what a beautiful prayer she on him to narrate some portion did but pray! I never heard of his history. He said: ". 'Oh, anything like it; and I never sir, I have reason to bless God felt in such a way before. The that ever my little Hannah went tears ran down my cheeks. to the Primitive Methodist Sab- sobbed aloud. She prayed, I bath-school. I used to be a 'God bless my poor wicked fa ther!' I said Amen. And oh, the good Lord heard our prayers, for He forgave my sins, and made me happy! And I am happy yet, and on my way to my dear child ever went to your school, and that my own daughter became my spiritual mother." drunken, swearing, fighting, dreadful sinner; but one Sunday my little girl, six years of age, came to me when she got home from school, and said to me, 'Father, shall I read a chap-heaven. Thank the Lord that ter to you?' As I could not read myself, and had no particular engagement just then, I said she might. She then turned to the Gospel according to St. John, and read about the sufferings and death of Jesus. I never heard anything like it before. It quite upset me. She then said, 'Father, shall I pray for you?' The dear child's words went like a dagger to my heart, and I could not refuse. She knelt by my side, and I went down on my knees too, I had good reason to believe all the tinker said was true; and I have often thought of him and his little Hannah since, and wished all the little Hannahs, and other children who go to Sabbath-schools, would imitate the tinker's child, and seek the salvation of their fathers and mothers, if they are still unconverted. Poetry. "GLADLY GLADLY meeting, kindly greeting, Gladly meeting, kindly greeting, MEETING." EDITOR. Gladly meeting, kindly greeting. While the throne we're all addressing Gladly meeting, kindly greeting, Youths' Department. A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE BEAUTIFUL TOWN OF LEAMINGTON. LEAMINGTON is situated in Warwickshire, and is near the centre of England. It took its name from the river Leam, on which it is built. It is a town of modern date. The discovery of the mineral waters, of which there are seven wells or springs, has caused it to become very attractive. Invalids and retired families from almost all parts of the Kingdom, have visited it and located there, till the population has increased to about 20,000. Its air is very salubrious; its streets and walks are broad and healthful. It is considered one of the cleanest and prettiest towns in England. It has places of worship as follows; six churches or chapels of ease, belonging to the Establishment, two Congregational chapels, two Baptists, one Wesleyan, one Primitive Methodist, one Roman Catholic, one Lady Huntingdon's, and several rooms where religious service is conducted. There are several beautiful public gardens. It is about two miles from the old-fashioned town of Warwick, with its magnificent castle, four and a half from Kenilworth, where are found the ruins of another ancient castle, twelve from Stratford-on-Avon, the birth-place of the immortal Shakespere, England's great poet, and twenty from Banbury, noted for its superior cakes. Leamington was missioned by the Primitive Methodists some twenty years ago; for some time they preached in cottages and rooms, and of course they formed a small society, but the way was not opened for them to build a chapel till the year 1851. At that time a suitable site, with the buildings thereon, were procured, and a chapel was erected, of which the accompanying engraving gives a good representation. Within its hallowed walls, sinners have been saved, and children taught the way to heaven. That many more precious souls may be led to embrace the mercy of God in Christ Jesus within its holy precincts is the prayer of G. WALLIS. THE LIFE, LABOURS, AND TRAVELS OF THE APOSTLE PAUL. WE enter now on the study of a great life, and one which is worthy of our devout and earnest attention. In New Testament history Paul holds a most important position, and his writings form no mean portion of the New Testament Scriptures. His conversion is, perhaps, the most wonderful on record. His call to the apostleship is distinct from that of any other apostle; his pre-conversion career was one of cruel and intolerant zeal for Pharisaism; his life after his conversion was one of most remarkable labour and suffering for the cause of Jesus. As a missionary, for courage, energy, and success, he has never been equalled. Bold and fearless in the midst of danger, he never shrank from his noble toil, but pursued it to the end with unabated energy and zeal. In prospect of famine, imprisonment, or death, his spirit never quailed, and when his end drew near, and the crown of martyrdom was before him, he rejoicingly bounded to embrace it, declaring, "For I am ready to be offered." As a preacher, he was bold, pointed, argumentative, and eloquent. As a pastor, he had the tenderest concern for all the churches of his care, and he is a model of ministerial patience, faithfulness, and love for all who serve in that capacity. As an author, he was searching, acute, philosophical, chaste, devout, and grand, and has left us the best insight into Christian doctrine, the clearest system of Divine truth, and the grandest descriptions of the mysteries of our holy religion, that were ever penned. It may be well to state, that certain scholars and divines have taught that Paul preached the Gospel on the shores of our happy isle. Some modern authors contend for this with great plausibility and zeal. Whether the evidence is conclusive or no, is another question. However, whether he did or not visit our island, he is our apostle still. Was he not "the apostle of the Gentiles ?" and are not we of that class? Surely, then, he is our apostle. Yet he was a Jew. Nevertheless, at the command of Jesus, he accepted the apostleship of the Gentiles, and gave himself and his mighty energies to this truly great and dangerous work. To what suffering, toil, and fiendish hatred it exposed him, we shall have occasion to remark as we proceed; yet the apostle ever clung to this as his especial work, and as the apostle of the Gentiles" magnified his office." Wherever he went he sought to bring the Gentiles into the blessed fold of Christ; and both by voice and pen, on every fitting occasion, he vindicated their claim to the utmost blessings of the Christian dispensation, and that against a multitude of malignant and threatening adversaries. Let us now proceed to consider the life, labours, and travels of this wonderful and venerable man. He was born at Tarsus, a city of Cilicia, which was a province of the Roman empire, situated in the south-eastern part of Asia Minor. Tarsus was the capital city, and a city of great importance. Its repute ran so high that it became the rival of Athens and Alexandria. In learning, refinement, and philosophy, it was nearly, if not quite, the equal of those proud cities. It is stated to have been a Roman colony, and also that its citizens enjoyed the privileges of the freedom of the empire. It is of importance to note this, as it may help us to understand some passages in our apostle's history. We believe it was on account of his connection with Tarsus, that Paul could say before Claudius Lysias, "But I was free born;" and we all know that it is of Tarsus he writes, when he describes himself as a citizen of no mean city." 66 The date of the apostle's birth it is impossible to ascertain with any degree of certainty. I think the most probable opinion is that it occurred about the fifth year after the birth of our Lord. It is very probable that Paul's parents were persons in respectable circumstances in life, else would they not have been able to give their son so liberal an education as he received. It is all but certain that he was well acquainted with the three leading languages of antiquity-Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. This was of immense importance to him in after life, and greatly facilitated his Christian labours. The foundation of his education was undoubtedly laid at Tarsus, in its schools of philosophy and learning, and here most likely he learnt the trade spoken of in Scripture as tent making. The fact of his learning this trade would not argue poverty or even necessity for labour, for this reason-there was a maxim among the Jews, that the father who neglected to teach his son some useful occupation was as bad as though he taught him to steal; and, accordingly, the practice was for every Jewish youth to learn some trade. Tent making is a common and popular branch of business in those countries where those light and portable edifices are in constant requisition. The education, however, of Paul was not completed at Tarsus. It is to be remembered that he was a Jew, and that "he was brought up after the manner of the straitest sect." He was, therefore, trained in all the ceremonialisms, prejudices, and traditions of a Jew. The law of Moses,as interpreted by the Pharisees, became his standard of right; and we may suppose him to have prided himself on his birth, genealogy, and descent, and may judge him to have been in the earlier period of his history a proud, conceited, and clever young Jew. As such let us suppose him coming up to Jerusalem to have his education com |