the inhabitants of the rock, the wandering bushmen, sing for joy and shout from the tops of their mountains; it touches the heart of the philanthropist, and the prisons are visited, the depressed are raised, the neglected are remembered, the wounds of the broken-hearted are bound up, the vicious are reclaimed, and the prodigal son is restored. It touches the heart of the missionary, and he goes forth, forsaking country, friends and ease, to preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.

Washington at the Communion.

WHILE the American army, under the command of Washington, lay encamped in the environs of Morristown, N. J., it occurred that the service of the communion (there observed semi-annually only) was to be administered in the Presbyterian Church of that village. On a morning of the previous week, the General after his accustomed inspection of the camp, visited the house of the Rev. Dr. Jones, then pastor of that church, and after the usual preliminaries, thus accosted him: "Doctor, I understand that the Lord's supper is to be celebrated with you next Sunday; I would learn if it accords with the canons of your church to admit communicants of another denomination?" The Doctor rejoined, "Most certainly. ours is not the Presbyterian table, General, but the Lord's table; and we hence give the Lord's invitation to all his followers of whatever name." The General replied, "I am glad of it; that is as it ought to be; but as I was not quite sure of the fact, I thought I would ascertain it from yourself, as I propose to join with you on that occasion. Though a member of the Church of England, I have no exclusive partialities." The Doctor re-assured him of a cordial welcome, and the General was found seated with the communicants the next Sabbath.

15

Sabbath Morning.

WHO has not felt the tranquilizing influence of the Sabbath morn? Nature seems to sympathize with the moral associations of the scene. On other days, her voice is almost drowned amid the air and bustle of the world; but when the wheels of mammon's car are arrested, and their thunder is not heard, then comes forth her soothing language, which falls on the heart like Æolian music, to subdue its passions, and to awaken its finer sensibilities. The voice of nature is the voice of God. He who speaks in the sanctuary of redemption by the blood of Jesus, speaks from the hush and fragrance of the morning, of the vast and varied gifts of his providence. To commune with nature and with God, we must imitate David, and awake early.

The resurrection of Jesus took place before the dawn. Ere the sun was up, one of his faithful followers repaired to the sepulchre. She went in the morning twilight to look upon the tomb of Jesus. She found it unsealed and empty, and wondered what had become of her Lord. As she wept, a voice addressed her, at first in a stranger's accent-lest, under the excitement, a too sudden revelation might overpower her mind-then that voice was changed, and the well remembered tones told her that it was indeed her risen Master. Did Mary find her Redeemer at early dawn; and shall we presume to expect his presence if we doze away in guilty slumbers, that portion of sacred time? No; let us rather fly to the sepulchre, and see amid the shadows of the morning, the breaking beams of the sun of righteousness. Let us gather the spiritual manna before the sun is up, and feed upon it, ere we refresh ourselves on the food that perisheth. Few would complain of dull Sabbaths or wandering thoughts, or tedious services, were they to secure, for the purpose of private devotion, the morning of the Sabbath. A Sacred impulse would be obtained, which, like a favoring gale, would waft the soul onward to its rest.

Until you value and improve the Sabbath morning, you need not expect to experience the full advantages of that blessed day. If on other days, you can awake early to serve the world, and on the Lord's day, you take the

liberty to indulge the flesh, be assured the Sabbath will not ordinarily prove to you a delight, nor will it close upon you with edification and peace.

Benefit of observing the Sabbath.

ONE day, in the very early stages of my childhood, my father gave me a little ball covered with leather, such as boys usually play with. Saturday morning, while playing with it at school, it was accidentally thrown over the fence and lost. We searched for it a long time in vain. The loss to me was about as severe as it would be for a man to part with half his fortune. I went home and unbosomed my grief to my mother. She endeavored to console me, but with what effect I cannot now remember. The next day was the Sabbath. I passed the day with more than ordinary propriety. My customary Sabbath hymn was perfectly committed. Seated in my little chair by the fire, I passed a quiet and happy day in reading and the various duties appropriate to holy time. My conduct was such as to draw expressions of approbation from my parents, as with a peaceful heart I bade them good night, to retire to rest. The next day, as usual, I went to school. The lost ball occupied my mind as I walked along. Upon climbing over the fence into the field, where I had so long and so fruitlessly searched on the preceding Saturday, almost the first object upon which my eye fell was the ball, partially concealed by a stone. Child as I was, my joy was very great. At noon I ran hastily home to inform my mother, knowing that she would rejoice with me over my recovered treasure. After sympathising with me in my childish happiness, she remarked that Sir Matthew Hale had said that he never passed the Sabbath well, without being prospered the succeeding week. "You remember, my son," she continued, "that you were a good boy yesterday. This shows you, that if you would be happy and prosperous, you must remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy." Whether this remark be unexceptionably true, it is not in place now to inquire. That it generally is true, but few will doubt. But the remark, in the

connexion in which it was made, produced an impression upon my mind, that will never be effaced. All the other events of that early period have long since perished from my memory; but this remains fresh and prominent. Often has it led me to the scrupulous observance of the Sabbath; even to the present day, I can distinctly perceive its influence.

The first awakened in a Revival.

In a church with which the writer was acquainted, destitute at the time of a pastor, but not without some members, who walked with God, the following fact occurred:-A young lady in making a visit to one of her acquaintance, took an unfrequented path through a deeply shaded grove, and as the day was very warm, after pursuing her walk some distance up a somewhat steep acclivity, she stopped to rest herself on a beautiful mossy bank. While seated there, the tones of a human voice very unexpectedly broke upon her ear. On turning her eye the way from whence they came, she saw Deacon M- on horseback, making his way up the same hill. The thought occurred to her that she would retire from the sight of the road, let him pass, and remain undiscovered. This she did. As the Deacon approached leisurely on his horse, she was wondering what could be his object in being so busily engaged in talking to himself, as she could distinctly discover that no fellow mortal accompanied him. As he drew nearer, and she could hear his voice more plainly, she ascertained that he was engaged in prayer. The only sentence that left a distinct impression on her mind was, " O Lord, have mercy on the dear youth in this place." He passed on praying, till the sounds, which came from his lips, died away on her ear. But an impression was made upon her heart, as it may be hoped, which will never die away, but prepare her to mingle in the symphonies of the redeemed in ascribing salvation to God and the Lamb. A new discovery respecting christians was at this instant made to her. "Is this the manner," she reflected with herself, "in which they live, and pass on their way about the

town? Do they thus pray for the youth? How unlike to a christian have I lived? I have never prayed in this manner, I have seldom thought of the souls of others, and cared but very little for my own. While others pray for me, I live without prayer for myself."

Her sins, particularly her neglect of prayer to Him who is everywhere, now became a distressing burden to her. Soon, we have reason to hope, there was joy among the angels of God over her as a penitent, and over many others in the town. She was the first awakened in a revival.

Cardus and William-or, Religion the best Thing for this World.

Of late, my friend Lang, a good deal has been said about Miss Wright and the Temple of Reason. I think the plain, simple, but true history of myself and William affords as good a practical comment on the effects of infidel principles, as any thing that I have ever met with. I you think it is worth publishing, it is at your service. In a short time it will be forty winters since I first landed in New York; I was then in my twentieth year, without a face that I knew, or a friend to counsel or direct. On the first Sabbath morning after we landed, three young men of our passengers called and inquired where I was going to-day. I said, to church; they answered, we have been near ten weeks confined to the ship, let us now walk out and see the country; our health requires exercise, and we can go to church another day. I said. as long as I can remember, I had gone to church with my father every Sabbath of my life, and when we parted his last words were "Remember the Sabbath day."

They went to the country; I went to church; they spent a few shillings of their wages; I put two one penny corporation bills in the plate. Some of them were good mechanics, and got from eight to ten dollars per week; my branch was poor, and it was only by close application I earned five dollars per week. They continued going into the country, found loose company, spent most of their week's wages, came home half drunk, sometimes