pleted the version which was afterwards printed by the British and Foreign Bible Society in four quarto volumes. soldier recently converted, and owing to the death of the individual asked as usual for the watchword. who had commenced the work, he The man, absorbed in meditation, set himself to the task, and comscarcely roused from his midnight reverie, replied to the officer's challenge with the words, "The precious blood of Christ." He soon, however, recovered his self-possession, and 185. Word not in Vain. A gave the correct watchword. His highwayman once stopped John comrade, who was anxiously seeking Wesley and demanded his money pardon, stationed at the inner end or his life. Wesley, after giving of the sally-port (a passage specially him the money, said, "Let me adapted for the conveyance of speak one word to you; the time sound), heard the words, "The may come when you will regret the precious blood of Christ," myste- course of life in which you are now riously borne upon the breeze at engaged. Remember this, The the solemn midnight hour, and they blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from came to him as a voice from all sin.'" No more was said, and heaven, his load of guilt was re- they parted. Many years after, as moved, and "the peace of God" was Wesley was going out of a church granted to him. He was after- in which he had been preaching, a wards, with others of his regiment, stranger introduced himself, and drafted for service in India, and asked Wesley if he remembered proceeded to the Island of Ceylon, being waylaid at such a time. He where a long career of usefulness said he recollected it. "I was that opened before him, and where he man," said the stranger," and that became the honoured instrument single verse you quoted on that of the completion of a great and occasion was the means of a total important work. He soon acquired change in my life and habits. I an intimate knowledge of the Cin- have long since been in the practice galese language; and as a trans- of attending the house of God and lation of the Bible into that tongue of giving attention to His word, and was lying in an unfinished state, trust that I am a Christian." CONVICTION OF SIN. Job xl. 4; Psalm xxxviii. 4; Isa. vi. 5; Luke v. 8; Acts ii. 37, xvi. 30. 186. Dissolute Son.-The eldest to shun the bad example and son of a Christian minister in Wales wicked ways of their eldest brother, was a youth of wild and dissolute and advised them to act towards conduct, and thereby occasioned him with caution and forbearmuch grief to his pious parents. ance, adding that he feared they Neither the mild nor the severe would experience from him nomethods used to reclaim him had thing but sorrow and trouble. He the desired effect. At length a then dismissed them, and soon period arrived when the aged and after died. The circumstance of venerable father must die; and, his father's silence made a deeper like Jacob, he desired that his chil- impression on the mind of the erring dren should be called to his bed-side son than all the reproofs and exhorto receive his dying admonitions. tations he had before received; and, Having addressed them all, one by to use his own expression, he one, except the profligate son, in a thought at the time that his heart very affectionate and solemn man- would have burst. He was then about twenty-seven years of age; ner, he concluded by warning them and, through the Divine blessing, a great change became visible in him; he abandoned his former ways and companions, became a serious hearer of the Word, and in a short time a member of the church over which his late father had been pastor. A few years afterwards he was called to the ministry, succeeded his father in the pastoral office, and was blessed in it with eminent success until the day of his death. ye shall all likewise perish." He read the words, but the sword of the Spirit went through his soul in a moment, and he preached as one who scarce knew what he said. The hand of God laid hold upon him, and, intending to mock, he could only fear and tremble. When he descended from the table, a profound silence reigned in the company, and not one word was said concerning the wager. Thorpe instantly withdrew, and after a season of the deepest distress passed into the full light of the Gospel, and became a most successful preacher of its grace. 66 187. Ill-timed Criticism. A pious lady once left church in company with her husband, who was not a professor of religion. She was a woman of unusual vivacity, with a keen perception of the ludi189. Sailor's Mother.-A story is crous, and often playfully sarcastic. told of a gentleman in America who As they walked along toward home, was going to a seamen's meeting she began to make some amusing and in a mariners' chapel. Seeing a sharp comments on the sermon, weather-beaten sailor at the door of which a stranger, a man of very ordi- a boarding-house, puffing a cigar, nary talents and awkward manner, and with arms folded, he walked had preached that morning in the up to him and said, "Well, my absence of the pastor. After running friend, will you go with us to the on in this vein of sportive criticism meeting?" No," said the sailor for some time, surprised at the pro- bluntly. The gentleman, who from found silence of her husband, she the appearance of the man was preturned and looked up in his face. pared for a repulse, mildly replied, He was in tears! That sermon had "You look, my friend, as if you sent an arrow of conviction to his had seen hard days; have you a heart. Let the reader imagine the mother?" The sailor raised his anguish of the conscience-stricken head, looked earnestly in the gentlewife, thus arrested in the act of man's face, and made no reply. ridiculing a discourse which had The gentleman, however, continued: been the means of awakening the "Suppose your mother were here anxiety of her unconverted hus-now, what advice would she give band. you?" The tears rushed for a 188. Random Text. In the moment into the sailor's eyes; he days of Whitefield, Thorpe, one of tried in vain to conceal them; his most violent opponents, and hastily brushing them away with three others, laid a wager who could the back of his rough hand, he best imitate and ridicule White- said, with a voice almost inarfield's preaching. Each was to ticulate with emotion, "I'll go to open the Bible at random, and the meeting." preach an extempore sermon from the first verse that presented itself. Thorpe's three competitors each went through the game with impious buffoonery. Then, stepping upon the table, Thorpe exclaimed, "I shall beat you all." They gave him the Bible, and, by God's inscrutable providence, his eye fell first upon this verse, “Except ye repent, He crossed the street, entered the chapel-door, and took his seat with the assembled congregation. 190. Warning Clock.-A young gentleman was once induced by some gay acquaintances to accompany them to a ball. Arrived at the scene of dissipation, the festive company proceeded to their amusement. The music struck up, and he, among the rest, was highly delighted with the diversion. In the midst of their enjoyment the clock struck one. That striking passage of Dr. Young instantly rushed upon his mind པ་ The bell strikes one-we take no note of time, at Exeter, a man who was present had filled his pockets with stones, intending to throw them at the preacher. He heard the first prayer with patience, meaning to wait till the sermon. No sooner was the text announced, than he pulled out a stone; but God sent the sword into his heart. The stone soon fell to the ground, and after the sermon the man went up to Whitefield, confessing his intention, and saying, "Sir, I came here intending to give you a broken head, but God has given me a broken heart." The 191. Whitefield and the Scoffer. man became afterwards a devout -When Whitefield was preaching Christian. Conviction seized the youth; alarmed and terrified, he left the dissipated throng, and retired to his closet. The result was a saving change of heart. COURAGE. Chron. xix. 11; Psalm xxvii. 14, xxxi. 24; Matt. x. 28; 1 Cor. xv. 58; Ephes. vi. 13; Phil. iv. 1. a 192. Burning Ship. In the | Lord Jesus !" and immediately pro"Narrative of the Loss of the posed to read a portion of the Kent, East Indiaman," in 1825, we Scriptures to those around her; read that when that vessel was on her sister, with nearly equal comfire, several of the soldiers' wives posure and collectedness of mind, and children, who had fled for tem- selected the forty-sixth and other porary shelter into the after-cabins appropriate Psalms, which were on the upper deck, were engaged in accordingly read, with intervals of prayer and in reading the Scrip- prayer, by those ladies alternately, tures with the ladies, some of whom to the assembled females. were enabled, with wonderful self- 193. Chrysostom's Courage. possession, to offer to others those Chrysostom before the Roman Emspiritual consolations which a firm peror was a beautiful example of and intelligent trust in the Re- true Christian courage. The Emdeemer of the world appeared at peror threatened him with banishthis awful hour to impart to their ment, if he still remained own breasts. The dignified deport- Christian. Chrysostom replied, ment of two young ladies in par-"Thou canst not, for the world is ticular formed a specimen of my Father's house; thou canst not natural strength of mind, finely banish me." "But I will slay modified by Christian feeling, that failed not to attract the notice and admiration of every one who had an opportunity of witnessing it. On the melancholy announcement being made to them that all hope must be relinquished, and that death was rapidly and inevitably approaching, one of the ladies above referred to, calmly sinking down on her knees and clasping her hands together, said, "Even so, come, thee," said the Emperor. "Nay, and that thou canst not," once more said the faithful witness; "for I have a Friend in heaven, from whom thou canst not separate me. I defy thee; there is nothing thou canst do to hurt me." 194. Cowards in View of Death. -"I am in the habit," writes a seacaptain, "of reading the Scriptures to the crew. I have suffered much lately at sea, having been dismasted, and had all my boats washed away, a little to the westward of Cape Clear. I then had an opportunity of seeing who was trustworthy, and I found the most unprincipled men the most useless and the greatest cowards in this awful gale, and the Bible men altogether the reverse, most useful and courageous." 195. Duty before all.-A total eclipse of the sun was visible nearly a century ago in Connecticut. Candles were lighted in many houses; the birds were silent, and disappeared, and domestic fowls retired to roost. The people were impressed by the idea that the day of judgment was at hand. This opinion was entertained by the Legislature, at that time sitting at Hartford. The House of Representatives adjourned; the Council proposed to follow the example. Colonel Davenport objected. "The day of judgment," he said, either approaching, or it is not. If it is not, there is no cause for an adjournment; if it is, I choose to be found doing my duty. I wish, therefore, that candles may brought." for your Majesty not to persuade myself but that the order I have received must be forged; but if-which God forbid-it should be really the order of your Majesty, I have too much respect for the personal character of my sovereign to obey it." ພ 197. Injustice Denounced.-In the city of Zurich lived a person who, though an unworthy character, was a member of its Senate. During the time he was prefect over district of the canton, he had committed innumerable acts of the grossest injustice, such flagrant crimes, that all the country people reproached and cursed him; but no one dared to prosecute him, as he was related to several members of the Zurich Government, and son-inlaw to the chief magistrate of the physiognomist, having often heard city. M. Lavater, the celebrated committed against even helpless of the atrocities of the prefect, widows and orphans, and having duly examined into them, felt an irresistible desire to plead the cause of the poor and oppressed. He was aware that his supporting this frowns of the great, and occasion cause would expose him to the much anxiety to his friends; but determined to proceed. Having conceiving it to be his duty, he prepared himself by earnest prayer, and consulted an intimate friend, in which he strongly reproached he addressed a letter to the prefect, him for his detestable actions, and plainly signified his intention to bring him to public justice, should he not restore his spoils within two 196. Governor's Disobedience.-months. The time having elapsed, When Catharine of Medicis had and no restoration having been persuaded Charles IX. to massacre made, M. Lavater proceeded to all the Protestants in France, orders print a solemn indictment against were sent to the governors of the him, which he caused to be dedifferent provinces to put the livered to every member of the Huguenots to death in their respec- Zurich Government. At first he tive districts. One Catholic gov- concealed his name, but, when ernor, whose memory will ever be called upon, he came forward in dear to humanity, had the courage the most open manner, nobly to disobey the cruel mandate. avowed and fully proved the points "Sire," said he, in a letter to his of his indictment before the whole sovereign, "I have too much respect Senate, ad the satisfaction to seeh be the wicked prefect (who, conscious of his guilt, had saved himself by flight) solemnly condemned by law, his unjust property confiscated, and restoration made to oppressed poverty and innocence. was summoned to the Senate-house and ordered to go with some other persons they named to seize one Leon, a man of rank and fortune, whom they determined to put out of the way, that they might enjoy gaged in erecting a palace at Winchester, and went down with his usual attendants to that city. One of the persons employed to arrange lodgings for the party, marked out the doctor's house, which he had in The doctor, however, 198. Injustice Resisted. While right of his prebend, for the temAthens was governed by thirty Porary residence of Mrs. Eleanor tyrants, Socrates the philosopher absolutely refused her admittance, Gwynne. declaring that "a woman of ill moment in the house of a clergyrepute was not to be endured for a man;" and Mrs. Gwynne was in abode elsewhere, to her own great consequence compelled to seek an inconvenience and the indignation of those who urged the doctor to a who yet could obtain no other reply compliance in the King's name, his estate. This commission Socrates such refusal: "I will never willingly 199. Martyr's Fearlessness. Soon after the beginning of the reign of Queen Mary in England, a pursuivant was sent to bring Bishop Latimer to London, of which he had notice six hours before he arrived. But, instead of fleeing, he prepared for his journey to London; and, when the pursuivant was come, he said to him, "My friend, you are welcome. I go as willingly to London, to give an account of my faith, as ever I went to any place in the world. And I doubt not, but as the Lord made me worthy formerly to preach the Word before two excellent Princes, He will now enable me to bear witness to the truth before the third, either to her for his kingdom." No sooner, howthan the short sentence, "Not ever, was application made to for the bishopric of Bath and Wells, King Charles on behalf of another which became vacant immediately afterwards, than the King promptly replied, "Who shall have Bath and Wells but the little fellow who would not give poor Nelly a lodg ing?" Dr. Ken was in consequence appointed to the vacant see, in the commencement of 1684. the year 1645, Dr. Harris, minister 201. Swearing Soldiers.-About of Hanwell, frequently had military officers quartered at his house. party of them, unmindful of the reverence due to the holy name of God, indulged much in swearing. The doctor noticed this, and on the following Sabbath preached from these words: "Above all things, my brethren, swear not." This so enraged the soldiers, who judged the sermon was intended for them, he rode on this occasion through him if he preached on the subject that they swore they would shoot Smithfield, he remarked "that Smithfield had groaned for him a intimidated; and on the following again. He was not, however, to be long time." Sabbath he not only preached from 200. Separate from the World.-the same text, but inveighed in The circumstances attending the still stronger terms against the vice appointment of Dr. Ken as Bishop of profanity. As he was preaching, of Bath and Wells were remarkable. a soldier levelled his carbine at him, King Charles the Second was en- but he went on to the conclusion eternal comfort or discomfort." As |