shades. And at that time meditation was gloomy, and reflection horrible. But, oh! thank Heaven

"There is a day in the list of the past,

Oh, happy day!

A day when my sins in oblivion were cast,
Oh, happy day!
Sinai's loud thunders around me did roll,
Wave after wave did break over my soul;
It was on that day my spirit was made whole.
Oh, happy day! oh, happy day!"

And since that day my tranquil soul can sit and review the past with feelings of unutterable delight. For memory's reference is a source of unspeakable pleasure and inconceivable bliss. In my reflection on the past, dear children, I have adverted to the period when it would have been horror, and thoroughly dismal. Yes, that was the time when I was labouring under a load of guilt, and a consciousness of God's frown, though only a lad about fourteen years of age; yet I knew I was a wicked, naughty boy, and deserving banishment from His presence, and the glory of His power. Yet, notwithstanding my manifold sins and accumulated guilt, I found mercy. Yes, bless the Lamb, I, the chief of young sinners, found mercy through looking to a bleeding Christ. Leaving the pleasure gardens (a fearful resort for sinners) one Sunday evening, the intelligence reached my ear that several souls were brought to God. Yes, it was said that a revival had broken out among the Primitive Methodists, and that Master So-and-so was brought to know the Lord. Well, I was determined to go and hear, more through curiosity than anything else. Don't mistake me. dear children, not to make derision (God forbid), for I cannot remember the time when I was not the subject of the strivings of God's Spirit. Well, I did go, and one of our dear ministers was preaching from this text, John iii. 3, and concluding his brilliant discourse with a warm, energetic appeal to the unconverted:

"Conscience felt, and own'd the guilt [William's],
And plunged him in despair."

Truly, dear children, I was unhappy. However, that night I did not realise the great blessing. I returned home wretched and undone; my language constantly was, "Oh, that I knew where I could find Him!" The Monday passed away, and Monday evening arriving, William was determined to go to the prayer meet

ing, which was conducted in a school-room. The room was crowded to excess, and after the meeting was commenced, and several of the praying host had engaged in prayer, the minister, in a very affectionate strain, invited those that wanted mercy to go up to the penitents' rail. Quickly William found a place there, amid weeping and burdened sinners, and friends who were directing them to the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world.

But oh dear children, strange to say, after having such a desire to be saved, when there all my good desires had fled, and apparently my heart was like a rock, no desire, no appetite, and no feeling-covered with darkness, and filled with gloom. Sinners by my side and around me were being saved, and singing in raptures of joy

"Our God is reconciled,

His pardoning voice we hear."

But William's soul was yet in bondage, guilt, darkness, and misery. Earnestly they struggled with God again; but no light, no liberty, no joy; till at length they commenced singing—

"Just as I am, without one plea,

But that thy blood was shed for me;

And that thou bidd'st me come to thee

O Lamb of God, I come!"

Well, I thought, I am not coming, but have come. And, oh as they sung it, the great influence came down ; and when coming to the last verse

"Just as I am, thy love unknown
Has broken every barrier down;
Now to be thine, and thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come!"

I believed, and every barrier at length was down, and a bleeding cross appeared in view. Then I embraced Christ by faith. The dungeon door gave way, light penetrated, chains fell off, fetters were broken, peace was imparted, salvation bestowed, pardon written, victory achieved, and joy unspeakable and full of glory realised. Hallelujah! "He drew me, and I followed on,

Charmed to confess the voice divine."

Oh! pleasing to my soul is this reflection, and what happy seasons I have felt since I first enjoyed this union. Thrice Hallelujah clothe His immortal name! His varied

excellences feast my soul with delight. Now I can say, "The Lord is my portion," and be satisfied with the meanest fare. And though, dear children, this life is compared to a voyage, and we have to endure on it contrary winds, and a rough, restless tide, yet, in reflecting on the voyage thus far, not a wave has o'erwhelmed us, not a blast shattered us, and if faithful we shall cast our anchor within the veil, and furl our sails in heaven's breeze. For we have a good hope through grace. Yes, dear children, your ministers, teachers, and parents possess it, and it has sustained them, though they have had to wade through seas of tribulation, when the black billows of sorrow have dashed; though they have had to climb high hills, carry heavy crosses, endure many fatigues, when the sky has been lowering, providence mysterious, the flower blasted, the bud nipped, and the stem broken. Then that blessed hope has lit up the lamp of consolation, and enabled them to raise their "Ebenezer." And you, my children, may possess and enjoy it; you may be acquainted with that Saviour, and brought into the enjoyment of that hope; and with hundreds of school children who are saved, you may sing in truth, "I'm on my way to glory." I am anxious that you should be saved and made happy. If a new heart be not imparted to you you must die in your sins. Remember, an unholy sinner cannot be recognised among the spirits of the just. Should you die in sin, "in hell you must lift up your eyes, being in torments," and worlds will not be able to procure you one drop of cold water to cool your parched tongues. O delay not the spiritual culture of your soul. Let your best days be devoted to the service of Christ and the pursuit of holiness. Allow me, dear children, to ask you, "Will ye also be His disciples?" Oh come, decide, and come at once; so that when life's journey is run, life's voyage sailed, life's battle fought, you may die reflecting on a well spent life, and expire amid shouts of triumph, plunge triumphantly into the last rolling wave, and be brought safely to occupy a position with the glittering ones, there to be clad in snowy vestments, to grasp harps filled with music, and to be crowned with righteousness, immortality, and everlasting life.

In those happy regions may you, with the writer, sit down to reflect on our wilderness battles fought, and our safety for ever. W. ANDREWS.

TWO BOYS WHO WERE APPLAUDED FOR DISOBEDIENCE.

IN one of my circuits there were two boys who caused a little very pleasant excitement by an act of deliberate and determined disobedience. Myself, with my superintendent, several of the local preachers, and most of the members in the circuit, approved and applauded them for the act. "What!" say you, "two travelling and several local preachers, with two or three hundred members, approved and applauded two boys for being disobedient ?" I answer, Yes!" and I will tell you the circumstances under which, and the reasons why they acted so. One of the boys was one day down on the wharf where there was a vessel being unloaded, and the mate or captain said to him, "Here, go up to

house for

of beer."

public

The Boy." I don't know where it is, sir." Man.- Any one will tell you where it is.' Boy.-"I belong to the Band of Hope, sir.' Man.-"Well, I don't want you to drink it." Boy.-"I belong to the Band of Hope, and I must not touch, taste, or handle it, sir."

The man then made some very cross and improper remarks, for he had offered to give the boy so much for fetching the beer, but the boy walked away, feeling very pleased that he had not violated his pledge.

Now I think you will say we did right in approving of the course the little fellow took, although he was disobedient. I think the manner in which the little hero carried out his temperance principles, and reproved the practice of drinking the beverage that cannot be manufactured without working on the holy Sabbath, and the general use of which desolates homes, keeps hundreds of children poor, dirty, ragged, ignorant, hungry, and indescribably wretched; that seems to be doing more evil than all the ministers of the Gospel of all denominations are doing good; that robs the church of God of thousands of members every year, and that sends tens of thousands to hell; yes, that is filling unions, prisons, and asylums with paupers, prisoners, and maniacs, and is the principal cause of the crime and misery of the land; I think all right-minded persons ought to give their cordial commendation to the act of the little fellow who nobly refused to do what was wrong, and dared to reprove a wicked practice; for it is wrong to obey man when we have to disobey God in doing so.

The other boy was one who had the misfortune to break his leg. So his friends told him he must drink some porter each day to strengthen him; to which he said, "I don't think it will strengthen me, and as I belong to the Band of Hope I should not like to break my pledge." His friends many times requested him to take a little porter, but he always urged the same objections, "It would not do me any good, and I belong to the Band of Hope." At last they thought the best way would be to tell the doctor, and request him to speak to the boy about taking it. The next time the doctor came he was told all about it. "Ah!" said he, "I'll put that all right; and away he went to the room of his little patient, and after inquiring about the broken leg, he said to the boy, "Now, you must drink a little porter every day until you get better;" to which the boy replied, "I don't like it, sir."

Doctor.-"Well, if you don't, you must take it, as it will do you good."

Boy.-"I belong to the Band of Hope, sir."

Doctor.-"Well, if you do, you must take it while you are ill, or it may be you will die.'

Boy.-"Well, sir, I would rather die than take it."

And with this the doctor left the room to inform the friends of the boy that he could not convince him it was right to drink porter. The boy did not die, but soon recovered, and at the next Band of Hope meeting held in the town he was much eulogised for the course he had taken.

Now, I ask if such invincible determination in what the boy believed to be right, is not worthy of the approval of all true philanthropists? J. HAWKINS.

OVERCOMING EVIL WITH GOOD; OR, KINDNESS CURING UNKINDNESS.

ONE day, on George returning from school he appeared very sad and almost weeping. When his father inquired of him what had happened, he said several of the boys had teased and tormented him very much, and called him ill names; and that one of the eldest scholars, in particular, had behaved very badly to him. His father encouraged him all he could; persuaded him to take no notice of them, but to attend to his own duties, and they would likely soon give over teasing him.

"But, George," says the father," has not your mother some fine apples in the house ?"