appointed at 3 o'clock this afternoon, about seven, the sweetness, meekness, and love, that were to be felt in their minds, though to appearance mighty men! Great has been the sympathy and love that I have felt for this class of people, and I should not wonder if they are numbered among the first fruits of a precious visitation, approaching towards this favoured island. The Lord in his love hasten it!" J. Evans, R. Rutter, and S. Cresson, unite with me in love to thee. Thine to them was encouraging. Please offer mine to our friends J. Pemberton, M. Cresson, dear K. Howell, and others in thy freedom. I note thy brotherly hint about "nooks and corners," and hope to profit by it, but dear Henry, thou knowest we old folks cannot see as in the days of youth, and therefore it is a comfort that there is a lively prospect of a succession among the dear youth. This is indeed rejoicing to my poor mind. May they be kept down to the immortal Root in themselves, and preserved as fruit bearing branches in the heavenly vine, is my prayer for them. Report says our dear S. Emlen is coming to New York and Newport. He will be gladly received there, but if he is long about it we may miss his company. Our love to him. And now, feeling the renewal of that love which in earlier life was our encouragement, and desiring it may now, towards the evening of our day, become our song of rejoicing, I therein conclude, and remain thy sincerely obliged friend and sister in the truth, R. JONES. (To be continued.) Account of HANNAH BROWN, an Elder, late of Great Ayton, in Yorkshire, England, who died 1st mo. 17, 1818, aged 78 years. There are not a few to whom the blessed testimony might be borne, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, they have had their conversation among men, of whose quiet and practically Christian course there is but little to be spoken out of their I have felt, though absent in body, as I ought own circle, when they are gone. It might be well to do in spirit, on hearing of the departure of our if we felt more deeply than we do, how considerfriend and brother, James Cresson. We had a able a portion of the means provided for the edifisweet opportunity together the second day before cation of the Church, consists in the practical I left home, wherein my persuasion was settled lessons of the life, given by its least conspicuous that with him all would be well; and yet his re- members. They leave a grateful and attractive moval will be a loss to society, as is that of dear savour behind them, in their own circles, but we Joseph Delaplaine, to New York. Thy account believe that this has sometimes been lessened by of West Town school is very acceptable. I lately the attempt to force the character unduly on the wrote to C. Hartshorne, and hope that she, with public attention. We trust this may not be the others there, will not faint nor grow weary. If case in the present instance, believing that there thou writes to her or dear Rebecca Archer, please, are some lessons of general instruction to be with my love, tell them so. I have since received found in the little sketch of our departed friend, a letter from dear T. Scattergood, dated Dover, which we are about to give. Second month 13th. He does not know his wife's situation; says nothing about returning; desires his love to H. Drinker and his, and M. Sandwith. He mentions a memorable opportunity he has had at Foulkestone, where were several goodly soldiers, concerning whom he makes this remark: "Oh, Hannah Brown was the daughter of the late Nicholas Richardson, of Ayton, a friend well known fifty years ago, as a merchant of great probity, much attached to, and faithfully upholding, the Christian testimonies of our religious Society. He had three daughters, who were brought up with great care, and their early training seemed to be blessed in no common degree. They were all exemplary in their youth, having been favoured with the touches of Divine grace upon their hearts, and led measurably, by yielding thereto, to love and fear their heavenly Father. They appear to have been exemplary alike in the discharge of their filial duties, and in their conjugal and maternal relations. Hannah was the youngest daughter, and was married in the year 1800 to William Brown, of Thirsk. For some time, their prospects in life were those of prosperity and outward comfort; but, in a few years, the clouds spread over them, and she was called to the trial of her faith under circumstances of pecuniary adversity. In the former condition, though thoughtful of, and kind to the poor, she was ever marked by personal industry, by great simplicity in all things, and by a careful avoidance of needless expenditure. It is believed, that, when the change in her husband's circumstances took place, she had no ground of selfreproach—it is certain she was not reproached by others and she immediately came down to her altered circumstances without a murmur, acting the part of a servant as well as mistress in her family; mainly concerned, that, by their failure, any one should lose his rightful due, or any shade should be cast upon their christian profession. She was then the mother of five children, the objects of her anxious solicitude. Soon after this painful occurrence, they removed to Ayton, taking a small farm for their support, and had, for many years, an arduous struggle to maintain their family. In the requisite efforts, the wife took an important part, both mentally and bodily, doing all she could to save expenditure or the labour of others. Her early principles, her industrious habits, and her natural decision of character, were here strikingly exemplified, and materially contributed to the degree of success, small as it was, which attended their exertions during the twenty years in which they were engaged on the farm. Her christian walk, throughout this long period, as it respected the training of her children, and her endeavours to provide things honest in the sight of all men, were truly exemplary. She might be spoken of in the words of Solomon-"The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her; she will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. She seeketh wool and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. Her children rise up and call her blessed." In the year 1831, she had a legacy left her by a relation, which, (her children being able to support themselves,) she thought afforded a competency for the maintenance of her husband and herself; and they retired from the arduous labours of the farm, to a small house in the village of Ayton. This change had become the more desirable from the decreased bodily powers of her husband, who survived only about three years. The "competency" on which this couple retired, did not exceed £45 a year. The industrious habits, however, of our friend being unabated, she made a little addition to her income, by knitting; and it might occasionally be further enhanced by a few other means. These items, however, it is certain, did not very considerably increase her income. Yet out of it she could be hospitable, spreading her table occasionally, and having a spare bed, for her friends. She could be charitable too: administering to the wants of the poor around her, and ever ready to sympathise with them under their trials. She was a subscriber to the Bible and Peace Societies; to the National Stock; to Ackworth School; and was ready, on special occasions, as for instance, for the poor Irish, or the building of a school-house, with her one, two, or three pounds, as her free-will offering to the several objects. Thus, no inconsiderable portion of her means was expended in the luxury of doing good; and yet, such was her economy, and her strict regularity and punctuality in all things, and so little did she expend upon herself, that she was able to lay by a few hundred pounds for unforeseen calls, or for her surviving children. The last seventeen years of her life may be said to have been passed in ease and comfort, checkered, however, by those domestic and other incidents to which humanity is exposed. She was concerned for the welfare of the Church, and endeavoured to discharge the duty of one of its overseers faithfully. The Bible was to her, in all the vicissitudes of her life, the Book of books. She greatly loved the privilege of meeting with her friends for religious worship, and thought it a favour that she was so near to the meeting-house that, in her advanced age, she could attend regularly. She had the comfort during the last few years of her life, of the care of one of her affectionate daughters. Thus passed the quiet evening of her days. Her life was her testimony; and her end, in the humble trust of redeeming love and mercy, was peace.-Annual Monitor. MISSION TO THE LONDON THIEVES. The following curious and interesting account of the labours of a Scotchman, named Walker, was copied originally from Hogg's Weekly Instructor. Perhaps few men deserve so much of the sympathy and encouragement of their Christian brethren as those missionaries who condescend to men of the most wretched estate-who, full of a charity and sympathy which are rare in this cold world, go about amidst the most pestilential airs, and to the gloomiest homes, to point the sunken eyes of the thief and outcast, to purer air and brighter homes above. Few can estimate the harrowing scenes which hourly pain the homemissionary's heart; and few can ever know the discouragements that meet him in his progress, danger. The intrepid soldier of the cross saw at once that unless he acted boldly and openly, his usefulness was gone as well as his life menaced. He accordingly went to the band-accused them of their plot-explained the circumstances of the publication-appealed to their experience of his past connection with them-and so regained their confidence by his frankness, that every design against his life was foregone, and these very murderers are his warmest friends. Even so do love and truth quicken those who are dead in trespasses and sins. as he toils on in the service of his Heavenly Mas-, good missionary's home and revealed to him his ter; and perhaps as few can realize that glorious fulness of faith which sustains him in his Master's work. Perhaps there is not in the world a man better qualified to discharge the home-apostleship than is Mr. A. Walker, whom we have called the "Lion of Westminister" at York, and the "Lamb of Westminister" in London. He is more than a lion in strength of purpose and moral courage; he is a lamb in the gentleness of his soul and in the humility of his nature. For ten years he has been almost daily in the foulest and most demoralized purlieus of Westminster, entering freely and without fear where single policemen dare not venture alone, and preaching and doing good to brigands and robbers, who receive him with pleasure and listen to him with respect. Whilst lately in London, we collected several facts relating to this remarkable man and his services, and we had determined to lay them before our readers, but still we always shrank, from a feeling of delicacy towards the good missionary, from intruding on his modest path, and interfering with a course so nice and perilous as his. The proceedings of a thieves' meeting, published in the "City Mission Magazine," for Nov. 1848, has relieved us now, however, of all sense of responsibility in our doing so, and we can with peace open up to our readers a glimpse of the path in which Mr. Walker daily treads. He has the confidence and esteem of the veriest outcasts of the world; and, let the world sneer at the declaration if it will, he declares, and we believe him, that there are many virtues living side by side in the same souls with the sins which society sternly and inexorably punishes, and religion with pity condemns. We have often heard the adage bandied from mouth to mouth, "there is honour among thieves," and the fact is substantiated by Mr. Walker's experience. On one occasion, a friend expressed much anxiety to accompany the missionary on one of his visits to a band, whom he had promised to meet in a secret place on a Sabbath afternoon. "I shall take you to the outside of the building, but I cannot take it upon me to admit you to our meeting, unless I obtain permission," said the missionary, yielding to his persuasion at last. The permission of the captain was asked and obtained, and the friend was allowed to join the meeting. After prayer was over, his friend whispered in Mr. Walker's ear that his handkerchief was gone. The captain being informed of the fact, immediately commanded it to be restored, at the same time indignantly saying to the thief who had taken it, “You are no longer a member of our band, we shall have no dishonourable fellow with us." "Ah," said he to the missionary, who one day had referred to his anxiety for juvenile_instruction, "although I am a thief myself, I do not wish others to be so. I am not so with my will. The law made me so. My first imprisonment was a false one. I was innocent of the crime imputed to me, nevertheless I was punished and ruined. When I came from prison I was an outcast from society. Nobody would employ a 'jail bird,' and I was therefore forced to become what the blind law had made me appear to be, and what the world believed me to be." Although driven from the paths of virtue, and peace, and honesty, many of these thieves retain In the earlier part of his career, Mr. Walker a high sense of the dignity of probity, and often had related to a friend his experience of the wil-bear something like an honourable testimony to derness of woe to which he went in faith to sow an honest life. One notorious thief in Westminthe good seed, and this friend being much struck ster gives one pound a year to a ragged school, with what he had heard, published a particular and on more than one occasion he has led chilaccount of the haunts and habits of the Westmin-dren to its door and pointed their way towards it. ster thieves. It must be recollected that these thieves are not totally illiterate, and that they have a special interest in watching public events. They subscribe for newspapers, and otherwise take a lynx-eyed cognizance of men and movements. The paragraph of Mr. W.'s injudicious friend met the eye of the leader of one of the Westminster gangs, and it was sworn in conclave, that, as the missionary had betrayed their confidence, he should be pushed into the Thames some dark night. Providence, however, prevented the consummation of this plot. The chief of the murderers revealed their purpose to a female associate, and she, remembering who it was that brought her medicine and cordials when she was lying at the point of death, and who it was that always spoke to her so gently of Christ's love for sinners who forsook their sins, and who exhorted her and prayed with and for her, rose in the nighttime, and pale and trembling, repaired to the This is not a singular case in the missionary's experience, and happily he has been the means of reclaiming one at least to peace and respectability, whom the law had punished in mistake, but unmistakeably thrown into the vortex of crime. One young man who robbed, not because he loved to do so, but because the honest would not give him honourable employment after a false im prisonment, was led back to the path of virtue by, cede to those who make this unfavourable suggesthis minister of love, and now occupies a respectable position in society. The life of the missionary in the homes and haunts of the vile, is a life of active charity, and such a one as prepares him for the apostolic measure of this cardinal Christian virtue. Mr. Walker has been somewhat censured by fastidious friends for his exertions to reclaim the weakest and the most pitiable portion of all those who have been seduced from the path of rectitude. Many poor unfortunates have been led back to the ways of pleasantness by this hero of philanthropy, and are now the favoured occupants of happy homes. The secret of Mr. Walker's success in teaching these our poor brothers and sisters of humanity, is love. He went first amongst them and befriended them, and, having gained their confidence, he lifted up the veil that divided them from the Redeemer's kingdom-preached repentance, and pointed to the glorious heavens, through the merits of the crucified Saviour. "I would rather consent to die than divulge to the law officers anything that has been revealed in confidence to me by these people," says the good missionary; "I am the servant of Him whose ministry is love, and who reserves to himself vengeance.' For ten years has Mr. Walker lived amongst these people, condemning their practices, pointing out the evil of their ways, describing the peace and glory of virtue and religion, and never in one single instance suffering an expression palliating their ways of life to cross his lips; and yet the very thieves breathe his name in love. The poor and lowly scatter blessings perfumed with the incense of prayer upon his path, and the desponding and sorrowing sigh, and "wish that they were only as sure of heaven as he." VITAL FAITH. There is probably no reading, which gives more pain to the truly benevolent and Christian mind, than that which has relation to religious controversy; the humiliating story of the alienations, the mutual attacks, and persecutions of religious sects. Many, to whom a candid judgment cannot well refuse the attributes of sincerity and piety, have regarded each other with a degree of distrust and jealousy, which it would be difficult to explain, consistently with the principles and claims of religion. If this state of things had ended in distrust, it would have been more tolerable; but it proceeds oftentimes from distrust to hatred, from want of sympathy to positive and aggressive alienation, and does not terminate till it leads its victim to the rack, the prison, and the place of execution. We are aware that the state of things to which we have alluded, has sometimes been ascribed to the Christian religion; and we are willing to con tion, that a man who is entirely destitute of religion, cannot be expected to contend for religion. To him it is a matter of great indifference, whether the cause of Christ rises or falls, whether crror is prostrated, or is triumphant. But place religion in the heart, and though it be but the beginning of religion, the "grain of mustard seed," it is a necessary result, that his indifference will be changed into watchfulness and solicitude. The person, who is the subject of Christian grace, though in a small degree, knows the difference between religion and irreligion: between a regard to God's glory, and neglect of it, and between the important results to which they respectively give rise. To be indifferent, therefore, is impossible. But it does not follow, that because he ceases to be indifferent, he must therefore be distrustful, passionate, and cruel. We entirely discard the inference, that these things are the result of religion. It is true, they are incidentally connected with religion, but are not its results; strictly and truly, they are the results of that still remaining in the heart, which is not religion. They are the results of those parts of man's nature, which religion has not yet been able to overcome; so that the difficulty is not with his religion, but with the small degree of it; and accordingly we proceed to say, that the spirit of controversy will cease, in proportion as holiness advances; not because there will be less love for the truth, but because there will be more faith in God. The man of a small degree of faith, loves the church undoubtedly, and the interests of the church; but he fears it will one day fall under the attacks of its adversaries. The man of strong faith loves the church, but he believes that the church is safe, because God is its protector. The man of little faith loves the truth, but he is jealous, and pained at every variation from it. The man of strong faith loves the truth equally well, but having confidence in the power of the truth to make its own cause good, he has less anxiety, whilst he has equal affliction. The man of little faith is a fearful, and to some extent, a selfish man; and these mental trials naturally react upon and exaggerate his distrust of others. The man of strong faith, is necessarily courageous and generous; and has every disposition, therefore, to give even his enemies what is justly their due. The man of little faith, not being able to see far, resorts to what is visible and tangible, to human instrumentality, mingled up, as it generally is, with human passion. The man of strong faith relies with confidence upon what is unseen; and conscientiously regrets all movements, all instrumentality, which has not God for its author. The results are obvious. History has declared them. On the one hand, we see distrust, jealousy, evil surmises, evil speaking, persecution, imprisonment, and death. The earth has been covered with Christian blood, shed by the hands of professing Christians, simply because they have not by right, embodies a falsehood; it is not, strictly speaking, a natural falsehood; it is not a falsehood in mathematics, but it is a falsehood in life. It has that in it, which is inconsistent with the nature and order of things; and therefore, having the element of death in itself, it communicates disease and death to every thing it touches. There can be no greater or more injudicious error, than to suppose that the truth requires or desires to be sustained by a false spirit. Love the truth, maintain the truth, propagate it, but not at the expense of truth itself; not at the expense of the best and truest elements of man's nature; not at the expense of honour, of Christianity, and of everlasting life. The truth has power; but it is the truth, when sustained and anointed by a true spirit, which has the highest power to overcome all its enemies. It is the truth, thus anointed and thus supported, which shall harmonize every discordant interest, which shall bring to the true standard every erring intellect, which shall demolish every idol temple, and make every hill and valley vocal with the Saviour's name. been such Christians as they should have been, and benevolently, is done falsely. Any thing and but were men of little faith. It was not because every thing in human action, which is not promptthey had religion, but because they had noted by the principle of love, and is not regulated enough religion; not because they had faith, but because they wanted more faith. On the other hand, strong faith, by a natural and unalterable law, gives vigour to strong love; that love, which, in the language of the Apostle, "suffereth long, and is kind, envieth not, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." Such faith, resulting in such love, does not give rise to contention, but terminates it. It hushes the voice of suspicion and unkindness; it breaks the chain of the prisoner, and quenches the fire of the stake. The time has arrived, in God's providence, when good men, in the increase of their faith, begin to see the propriety of imitating the example of the Saviour, and of sitting down, in the spirit of benevolence and sympathy, even with the "publican and sinner," not on the ground of a common character, but on the ground of a common humanity; not because the sin is not hateful, but because the sinner is an object worthy to be saved. The experiment has been tried, of making Christians, by separating Christianity from humanity, by means of argu- The principles which are involved in these ment embittered with contempt, by denunciation, remarks, apply to other forms of distrust and conby fines, by imprisonment, and by torture; it has tention. All jealousy, all contention, all strife, been tried by those who were oftentimes very sin- both of individuals and nations will cease, whencere undoubtedly but it has failed, as it ought ever and wherever men have full faith in God. to fail, and as it always will fail. A new era, "It is better to trust in the Lord," says the characterized by a higher confidence in God, has Psalmist, "than to put confidence in man. It is opened upon the world; it is incipient, but it better to trust in the Lord, than to put confidence has come. We see but the first glimmer of the in princes. The Lord is on my side; I will not dawn; but it is rapidly increasing to noon-day fear what man can do unto me." "When nations effulgence. The unbeliever and the Christian have faith, that is to say, when the just mass of can live under the shield of the same civil consti- the people which compose nations, have faith, tution, can recognise in each other the rights of such faith as the Gospel of God contemplates, conscience, can walk in the same road, can labour but which has been as yet realized only in part, in the same field, can sit at the same table, and then wars will cease. "Vengeance is mine; I can sympathize and aid in their common trials will repay, saith the Lord." The nation that has and duties; and we cannot hesitate for a moment so much faith in God, as to proclaim itself goto say, that the spirit of forbearance and love, verned by the principle of justice, of forbearance, which is beginning to characterize the present forgiveness, and good will, and which in accordage of the world, will present in behalf of Chris-ance with this announcement, shall cease to place tianity its most triumphant argument, and will win more extensive and more glorious trophies to the cross of Christ, than have honoured any previous period. We would not have it understood, as we suppose it cannot be understood, that we regard it unimportant to maintain and defend the truth. Far from it; the doctrine of faith does not require this. Belief can never rest upon negatives; it always implies something believed in; and it is no discredit to any man, or any body of men, to assert candidly and frankly what it is which they believe. It is their duty to do it. But what we mean to say is, that the truth itself regrets all defence and supports, which are not made in a true spirit; it does not need, and cannot accept any such aid. Every thing which is not done deliberately, justly, its chief confidence in battlements and armies, will find itself stronger, in the panoply of peace, than other nations are in the munitions of war. It will be surrounded by a wall, not made of iron or brass, but stronger than either; which swords cannot pierce, and balls cannot batter down; the mighty rampart of a world's admiration and affection. More than all, it will be surrounded by that invisible and protecting arm, mighty, though unseen, which always follows in the line of God's promises. "Therefore, if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink. Bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father, which is in heaven.”— Upham's "Life of Faith." |