strong One, and was enabled to maintain her consistency.

A trial of another kind now tested the faith of poor Emma. She was thrown out of employment by the failure of trade, and she and her mother were for many weeks almost destitute of the necessaries of life; but trust and confidence in God's providential care, and the strong conviction that her spiritual good was to be promoted, rendered her contented and happy.

At this time she entered Mr. James's class of inquirers; she intelligently listened to his addresses. Her views respecting herself as a sinner, of the way of justification, the progressive nature of sanctification, the efficiency of the atonement of Christ, were increasingly clear; and the simplicity with which she stated her own experience in religion, and her constant watchful care to glorify God in all her conduct, left no doubt on the minds of those who knew her best, that she was "pressing toward the mark for the prize of her high calling." Her regularity in the house of God; her fixed attention to the sermons; the habit she formed of self-application ;-all excited the firmest hope as to her future character; and the following testimony to the strength of her religious principle at this time, seemed to divest her teacher's mind of the apprehension of instability:-A young man of great respectability, but not living under the influence of religion, made her an offer of marriage, which she firmly refused. She had known him for some years, and now he was earning large wages, and could maintain her in comfort. Emma was suffering much from poverty; and upon being asked, whether the young man would accompany her to chapel, and, if so, whether she should not consider the advantage of prosperity, she replied: "Do you think, now that I am just becoming happy, and just setting out on a new life, I could give up all for forty shillings per week?-and do you think just going to chapel will do? No, I never can have any one but a decided Christian."

Emma had been nine months in the class when indisposition frequently interrupted the attendance of her teacher; and it was not till three months had elapsed, that she was able entirely to resume all the duties of the Sabbath, and during this time she had little opportunity of conversing with one who had still largely shared her thoughts. In September, 1838, Emma was twice absent from her accustomed place; on her return she said illness had detained her: but a gloom shaded her brow, and a weight of care rested on her usually happy countenance. She was reminded of the anniversary of her entering the class, when she gratefully acknowledged the instruction she had received; expressed a fear lest she should be as "the barren fig-tree," and, at the same time, the hope that she might persevere to the end. She then told her teacher that she had another offer of marriage; that the young man seemed somewhat interested in religion; but she was not sure that she was right in encouraging his attentions. Cautions and counsels were given to her, and she was recommended to act in the same decided manner as she had done in the former case.

The following Sabbath she was again absent from class; and then the first misgiving crossed her teacher's mind that all was not right. Early in the week she called at her mo

ther's house, when, to her grief and astonishment, she found that Emma was married the day before to the young man of whom she had last spoken.

The scene now changes, and we look at Emma in the character of a wife. For some time she was far from happy; reserve and gloom succeeded to previous openness and simplicity; proving that she had not followed the dictates of conscience in an affair so full of mo

mentous consequences. She found no religious sympathy in her new connection; and instead of rising up in the strength of faith and prayer firmly to resist temptation, and steadfastly to maintain an independence of character, she felt that she had swerved from the direct path of duty, and no longer pleaded the promise of Divine help, and her piety withered under the blighting effect of worldly influence. She forsook the house of God; she neglected her Bible; and soon, amidst the claims of a young family, she found a ready excuse. God's words of encouragement and invitation to his backsliding people were read to her about this time, when she touchingly remarked, "How often I wish I could feel as I did when Mr. James preached from those words, Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by,' &c." She deplored her state, but there was no effort to regain that which she had lost; she knew that duty and privilege were closely connected,—she had neglected the one, and could not realise the other.

In 1845 Emma attended the general meeting of the Bible-class with evident pleasure. She was cheerful and happy as a wife; she was industrious and cleanly, and gave herself entirely to domestic pursuits. Soon after this she was with difficulty persuaded to keep a beer-shop; but at length she became reconciled to it, as it enabled her, she said, "to add something to her husband's wages for the support of their family." A second meeting of the Bible-class was assembled, January 17th, in the present year. Emma was invited. She was now the mother of four little girls, of whom she took tender care; she rarely left the house; but she showed, by her willing early attendance, the readiness with which she conversed with her former teacher, and the cheerful recognition of her old companions, that her interest was not entirely lost in those with whom she was used to "take sweet counsel, and go to the house of God." She listened with fixed attention to the earnest, affectionate, and solemn appeals made by Mr. James to the varieties of character before him; and often inquired of a Christian friend sitting near her during the service, "To which class do I belong?" When the party separated, she said, "it was like old times." who had been her companion in the evening returned home with her, and they continued long in conversation upon the subject of the address they had heard. Emma seemed to be much impressed by the service, spoke with some concern of her present habits, and her duty to her children; but expressed no definite plan or purpose for the future.

She

The next morning she arose in her accustomed health; she again spoke of the meeting, and promised her children that they should all go with her to see her late teacher; she dis charged her domestic duties as usual; and about noon, in the act of crossing her kitchen, she fell senseless on the floor in a fit of apoplexy.

Medical aid was immediately called; but she continued unconscious for a few hours, and then entered eternity.

The thoughts and feelings that arose in Emma's mind subsequently to the meeting are unknown; the anxiety which would, perhaps, penetrate the veil that hides the unseen world, is wisely checked by the silence and mystery which surrounds this sad sequel to her story. The hope had long been cherished that the wanderer might live to show the riches of Divine grace in leading her back to the fold of the good Shepherd; but God has removed her from our sight; we must bow with submission to his sovereign will, and seek to learn the lessons so solemn and impressive a dispensation of his providence is designed to teach.

Alas, poor Emma! We drop a tear upon thy grave. We rejoice in the recollection of thy virtues as a faithful and devoted wife, a fond and attentive mother, and-would God we could add-as a decided Christian! Those who saw thee in the scene of thy daily occupation would see much to admire, and would find no fault in thee. Oh, that the same solicitude about thy soul's eternal welfare had attended thee to the last, which was manifested when thou wast in the class of thy teacher at Carr's-lane Chapel! Many are the lessons thy early and sudden death teaches us.

First, We are reminded of the uncertainty of life. Here was a person only one-and-thirty years of age, cut off in a single hour, and hurried from time into eternity prepared or unprepared. No opportunity given for one farewell to her husband, or one embrace of her children; and what is of still more solemn interest, no room left for one prayer to God, nor one thought of that eternal world into which the disembodied spirit passed so abruptly. What a surprise to that soul to find the scenes of time so unexpectedly and so quickly displaced by the awful realities of eternity! And precisely the same thing might happen to any one whose eye shall glance over these pages. Any future moment-the very next-may be your last! Are you prepared to exchange worlds? Do you live always ready? Are you, by repentance towards God, faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and a holy life, prepared for the summons ?-and no other preparation will serve you. If not, delay not. There is not a moment to be lost. The tea meeting and the dying scene may, in your case, be separated by only a few hours, as these were!

Secondly, We learn the necessity of decision of character in religion, and how far a person may go and yet not have

What

experienced the great change. impressions may be made and effaced— what convictions may be lodged and extinguished-what hopes may be raised only to be disappointed! How promising was Emma while in the school-how deep was her concern-how clear seemed her apprehensions of Divine truth-how fixed her purpose, and how firm her resolve,-yea, how tender her conscience, and how willing was she, at its dictation, to sacrifice temporal good! And even afterwards, how much of general excellence entered into the formation of her character; and yet she was only-ALMOST A CHRISTIAN. There was One who searchest the heart, and who said, "Thou lackest one thing yet." What was wanting? The great change which our Lord calls being born again. The heart was not regenerated; the great work of conversion had not been really effected. There could have been no entire surrender of the soul to God by faith in the blood and righteousness of his dear Son.

None are more in danger of deceiving themselves as regards their personal religion, than they who are placed under such culture as Emma received. The solicitude of their kind and generous teachers awakens by sympathy something like a corresponding concern in their own hearts. Their feelings are moved, while at the same time considerable pains are taken to inform the judgment; and hence they may imagine, that an entire internal renovation has taken place, when only an external reformation has been effected. Let the young persons who are enjoying this rich advantage, take great care not to rest satisfied with anything short of a real, inward, and permanent change of heart. They may be very estimable in every relation of life as poor Emma was, and much respected, yet, at the same time, be destitute of that one thing needful, a new

ᎻᎬᎪᎡᎢ.

Thirdly, We learn of how much importance it is, that young persons under religious concern, should form no engagement in marriage with any who are not, in this spiritual matter, like-minded with themselves. This led Emma back into the world. She married a respectable and deserving young man; but he made no profession of religion. It is a little remarkable, that at one period of her history she refused an offer on this very ground, and with noble purpose resolved not to pass from penury to comfort, if by so doing she acted opposite to her judg

In

ment and conscience; yet afterwards she was induced to do this very thing which at one time she refused. While the mind is anxious about salvation, an engagement of this nature, though with a religious companion, is a perilous thing, and is likely to draw off the mind from spiritual matters; but especially where there is no decided piety in the individual who solicits the acquaintance. Emma went to a comfortable home, and to a kind husband, but in that home the religion taught in the Bible-class was not professed. that home she gave to her husband satisfaction as a faithful wife and a devoted mother; but she walked not with God. And is not this but one out of innumerable cases of the same kind. Of how many have we to say, "Ye did run well, what did hinder you?"-and the answer, if faithfully given, must be, "A matrimonial engagement with a companion destitute of spiritual religion." Let young people then beware; and let the sorrowful history of this paper lead them to determine not to form a connection with any one who is not truly and decidedly pious. J. A. JAMES.

Birmingham, Feb., 1850.

EMERSON.

MR. EMERSON, of the United States, has just published seven Lectures, entitled, "Representative Men." The following are a few bricks of the building:

GREAT GENIUSES.

Great geniuses have the shortest biographies. Their cousins can tell you nothing about them. They lived in their writing, and their house and street life was trivial and common-place. If you would know their tastes and complexions, the most admiring of their readers most resembles them. Plato especially has no external biography. If he had lover, wife, or children, we hear nothing of them. He ground them all into paint. As a good chimney burns its smoke, so a philosopher converts the value of all his fortunes into his intellectual performances.

SWEDENBORG.

His writings would be a sufficient library to a lonely and athletic student; and the "Economy of the Animal Kingdom" is one of those books which, by the sustained dignity of thinking, is an honour to the human race. He has studied spars and metals to some purpose. His varied and solid knowledge makes his style lustrous with points and shooting spicula of thought, and resembling one of those winter mornings when the air sparkles with crystals. The grandeur of the topics makes the grandeur of the style. He was apt for cosmology, because of that native perception of identity which made mere size of no account to him. In the atom of magnetic iron, he saw the quality which would generate the spiral motion of sun and planet.

OUR CHEQUERED LIFE.

Every fact is related on one side to sensation, and on the other to morals. The game of thought is, on the appearance of one of these two sides, to find the other: given the upper to find the under side. Nothing so thin but has these two faces; and when the observer has seen the obverse, he turns it over to see the reverse. Life is a pitching of this penny-heads or tails. We never tire of the game, because there is still a slight shudder of astonishment at the exhibition of the other face, at the contrast of the two faces. A man is flushed with success, and bethinks himself what this good luck signifies. He drives his bargain in the street, but it occurs that he also is bought and sold. He sees the beauty of a human face, and searches the cause of that beauty, which must be more beautiful. He builds his fortunes, maintains the laws, cherishes his children; but he asks himself, why? and whereto? This head and this tail are called, in the language of philosophy, Infinite and Finite; Relative and Absolute; Apparent and Real; and many fine names beside.

TONGUES IN TREES, SERMONS IN STONES, ETC.

I find a provision in the constitution of the world for the writer or secretary, who is to report the doings of the miraculous spirit of life that everywhere throbs and works. His office is a reception of the facts into the mind, and then a selection of the eminent and characteristic experiences.

Nature will be reported. All things are engaged in writing their history. The planet, the pebble goes attended by its shadow. The rolling rock leaves its scratches on the mountain: ; the river its channel in the soil; the animal its bones in the stratum; the fern and leaf its modest epitaph in the coal. The falling drop makes its sculpture in the sand or the stone. Not a foot steps into the snow, or along the ground, but prints in characters more or less lasting a map of its march. Every act of the man inscribes itself in the memories of his fellows, and in his own manners and face. The air is full of sounds, the sky of tokens, the ground is all memoranda and signatures, and every object covered over with hints, which speak to the intelligent.

AN AMERICAN VIEW OF EUROPE.

I described Bonaparte as a representative of the popular external life and aims of the nineteenth century. Its other half, its poet, is Goethe, a man quite domesticated in the century, breathing its air, enjoying its fruits; impossible at any earlier time; and taking away, by his colossal parts, the reproach of weakness, which, but for him, would lie on the intellectual works of the period. He appears at a time when a general culture has spread itself, and has smoothed down all sharp individual traits; when, in the absence of heroic characters, a social comfort and co-operation have come in. There is no poet, but scores of poetic writers; no Columbus, but hundreds of post-captains with transit telescope, barometer, and concentrated soup and pemmican; no Demosthenes, no Chatham, but any number of clever parliamentary and forensic debaters; no prophet or saint, but colleges of divinity; no learned man, but learned societies, a cheap press, reading-rooms, and book-clubs, without number. There was

never such a miscellany of facts. The world extends itself like American trade. We conceive Greek or Roman life, or life in the Middle Ages, to be a simple and comprehensive affair; but modern life to respect a multitude of things which is distracting.

Goethe was the philosopher of this multiplicity; hundred-handed, Argus-eyed, able and happy to cope with this rolling miscellany of facts and sciences, and, by his own versatility, to dispose of them with ease. A manly mind, unembarrassed by the variety of coats of convention with which life had got encrusted, easily able by his subtlety to pierce these, and to draw his strength from nature, with which he lived in full communion.

0

Amount of the Rate claimed 9 3 0 For the last thirty years Messrs. Ashby and Son have been the victims of this Ecclesiastical impost, but hitherto the officers have had the good taste to avoid personal inconvenience to the parties, and have always gone to the factory and there helped themselves to casks and sacks of cement; in the present case they have entered the residence of the junior partner, and stripped his best room of its best furniture, leaving a perfect wreck behind; and these things are done to support what is called "the Parish Church!"

THE SHETLAND ISLES.

Progress of the Gospel and Congregationalism in Shetland during the last Fifty Years.

SHETLAND comprises a cluster of islands and rocks, which form the north-east division of the British kingdom, and is about forty-five miles from the Orkneys; and, though lying at a considerable distance from us, yet the inhabitants, being allied to us by the affinities of country, laws, and language, have a special claim on our sympathetic regards.

It is now fifty years since Messrs. J. A. Haldane and William Innes first visited the Shetland Isles on a preaching tour. The state of the people at that period, as far as regarded religion, was very deplorable. The whole islands, containing a population of about 26,000, were divided into thirty parishes, placed under the care of twelve ministers; each of whom had, on an average, more than 2000 souls under his superintendence, and that in a country where the people were scattered over the face of a rugged and swampy surface, destitute of roads, and intersected with steep hills and long arms of the sea; and where, during the winter months, the people are involved in fogs, and darkness, and storms. In such circumstances, it is evident that the body of the people could not attend with anything like regularity on parish instruction, even though that instruction had been of the right sort. The kind of religious teaching then given to these islanders may be inferred from the fact, that of the twelve ministers only two or three preached the Gospel of Christ; the rest" consented not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness." Their hearers were directed to build their hopes on foundations which the Scriptures declare to be false, and the Saviour was completely kept from their view; consequently they were extremely ignorant even of the first principles of the Christian religion, particularly in the small islands. In these the inhabitants were found little better informed about Divine things than are the heathen. How could it be otherwise. In one island the minister preached but once in the year; in another there was a sermon only every third sabbath during summer, and in the winter none at all; others of them were equally destitute. But though there had been preaching every Lord's day, and the doctrine taught according to the truth, yet such are the distances from the parish churches, such the badness of the roads, and such the roughness of the arms of the sea to be crossed, that the people could not attend. As is ordinarily the case, the seldomer at church the more indifferent do people become; so that the Gospel taken to a Shetlander's door, was the only thing likely to arouse him to consideration. Besides, at the specified period the deficiency of the means of education in many of the Shetland parishes was such, that numbers of the people, both parents and children, were unable to read. The Bible, of

course, was to them a sealed book. Is it any wonder, in these circumstances, that the population was ignorant, superstitious, and worldly?

There were no Dissenters then in Shetland; the people knew no party of religionists except that of the kirk of Scotland; but now Congregationalists, Baptists, Wesleyan Methodists, and Free Kirkmen, are all to be found there. When the two Congregational brethren, Haldane and Innes, arrived in Lerwick, and began to preach in the streets, they were men wondered at; their character, their motives, and their object were suspected, misunderstood, and misrepresented. Itinerant preaching being a new thing, it was deemed irregular and degrading. The doctrine taught by them was also a novelty; however, the simplicity, affection, faithfulness, and earnestness with which the Gospel was preached by the two strangers, soon astonished the people and secured their attention. Large audiences assembled; a spirit of inquiry was excited on religious subjects; and many became concerned about their souls.

After the two brethren had preached for some time in and about Lerwick, those who had formerly known anything of vital godliness (and there were a few such, particularly in Lerwick,) began to see the difference between the doctrine taught by the strangers, and that which they had been accustomed to hear from their own ministers. This induced them to search the Scriptures. The result was, that three of the elders resigned their office, and left the Established Church; and shortly afterwards three other individuals followed their example. These six men were noted for their piety and sincerity; but they seceded from the Establishment, not only in consequence of the unsound doctrine which they heard there, but also because discipline was neglected in its communion, and be. cause partiality was shown to the rich in cases where anything like discipline was attempted.

Messrs. Haldane and Innes, after itinerating for six weeks in the Shetland Isles, where their labours were much blessed, returned to Edinburgh, and reported to the brethren there what they had seen, and heard, and felt. Mr. Tulloch was then sent as a Missionary, and preached with much acceptance. One day, while preaching near Lerwick, he was seized and hurried on board a war-ship to become a common sailor; but he was soon liberated through the influence of an individual of note in that quarter, who was aware of the unlawfulness of the impressment. Mr. Tulloch was a native of Shetland; and though he enjoyed but slender advantages in the way of preparation for the ministry, yet his active and diligent labours were blessed of God to many of his countrymen. After labour

ing in the Gospel for some years, the want of adequate support for himself and family obliged him to betake himself to a secular employment, which greatly cramped his exertions, and marred his usefulness. He is still alive; and, though the grasshopper is a burden, he continues occasionally to preach the Gospel to his countrymen.

In the year 1806, Messrs. Reid and Nicol were sent as Missionaries to the Shetland Isles. On their arrival at Lerwick they began their labours in the streets and in the lanes of the town; some of the people mocking and others weeping. Occasionally they met with the brethren who had left the Establishment, and ex

horted them to cleave unto the Lord. By and by they went on a tour to the country parishes, and in these they preached the Word. Mr. Nicol was called back to Scotland; but feeling a great interest in the Shetlands, he returned to them for a time, and itinerated. In the mysterious arrangements of Providence, he once more embarked at Lerwick and sailed for Leith; but never having since been heard of, it is supposed that the vessel in which he was sunk in the mighty deep, when all on board perished.

Two years after Mr. Reid's arrival in Shetland, he formed a church at Lerwick, which soon increased from sixteen to 140 members. About the time of its formation reproach and scorn were endured by the disciples to a considerable extent, especially by the three who first left the kirk. Plans were devised to deprive them of the means of supporting their families. It was designed to drive Sievwright, the only baker in the place, from the country, by bringing another from Scotland to be exclusively supported. Paterson, a blacksmith, and Sinclair, a joiner, it was intended to injure by depriving them of employment. However, a person of influence in the town, though no friend to Dissenters, when applied to for his sanction of the plan, was stirred up by Providence to expostulate against the inhumanity and unreasonableness of ruining honest men, and depriving them of the means of supporting their families. Thus was this cruel and wicked measure prevented taking effect. By patient continuance in welldoing, the brethren were in due time enabled to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men, and to rise to considerable respect in the estimation of the public; verifying the truth of that Scripture, "When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh his enemies to be at peace with him."

When Mr. Reid went among the isles, James Paterson, one of the three brethren, was accustomed to speak to the people at Lerwick on the Lord's day. Though a plain mechanic, and an unlettered man, yet his Biblical and experimental knowledge, his native shrewdness, his Christian consistency, his weight of character, and powers of communication were such as to com. mand the respect of all classes of the commu. nity. He was generally listened to, not only with patience, but with pleasure and profit.

Next to Lerwick, the parish of Walls enjoyed more of Mr. Reid's labours than any other place in Shetland. The first time he preached there was on a Sabbath. His text was: "How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?" He spoke with great earnestness and deep feeling, and every sentence seemed designed to reach the conscience. From that day a few persons in the parish began to be in earnest about salvation; and amidst great opposition, separated themselves from the people, met in a dark damp room for prayer and reading the word of God, and found the Lord to be with them of a truth. By and by a church was formed at Walls. When Mr. Reid was not with it, his place was supplied by one of the members of the churcha man well acquainted with his Bible, and able to speak from the Scriptures with great readiness. His labours were not only acceptable to his brethren, but they were highly appreciated by others, and were much blessed of God for the salvation of men. When he could not be present with the church, the brethren never failed