between two eternities," followed by an endless night-to some, perhaps, just at hand; for to-night-yes! to-night, God may say to you, "This night thy soul shall be required of thee!" The saint waits for his change, but the sinner has his soul "required" of him. There are three classes of persons to whom I am specially anxious to be rendered useful, by presenting the solemn Scripture, so often quoted in these pages, to their consideration. I. TO CHRISTIANS, TO INDUCE THEM TO MORE ACTIVITY AND ZEAL. "I must work while it is day," said Jesus. Christian! behold your exemplar. What! the Master work, and the servant remain idle! How inconsistent! You blush at the thought: then, as preparative to your usefulness and success, let me entreat you, 1. To secure, in the day of opportunity, a well-grounded hope of your personal salvation.-Seek not only to be safe, but to know you are safe: "Christ in you, the hope of glory." With intense earnestness plead with God, and cry, "Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation;" that this may be your rejoicing, "I know whom I have believed." See to it, that you possess clear, scriptural views of Divine truth; that your faith be genuine, your experience scriptural, and your practice holy. Thus you will become "established in the truth,"-will "grow in grace,”—will " glorify your Saviour:" and to you the approach of the night of death will be divested of its gloom; for you will be enabled to say, "I know that my Redeemer liveth," and be "made meet" to enter "the inheritance of the saints in light," where, "All o'er those wide-extended plains, Shines one eternal day; There God the sun for ever reigns, 2. Let Christians be intensely anxious to do the work of Christians.—“Ye are children of the day;" then your work should bear the light of day. This consists of a full and bright exhibition of the Christian character, in all its aspects-in all its demands-in all its high responsibilities: "let your light so shine before men." The proper work of Christians is the extension of Christianity; the adding to the "cloud of witnesses;" the diminution of the number of the sons of darkness; the accession of gems to the Redeemer's crown. It is to be imbued with holy, untiring anxiety, to rescue beings like themselves from going down to the pit; and because "the time is short," to devote every power, consecrate every talent, devise every means, employ every resource, to " save souls from death;" constantly to remember that men are always perishing-that therefore we should be always labouring; that the season for activity and usefulness is circumscribed; and that, ere long, the night will come ;-it is coming, when our tongues shall be silent-our hands motionless-and our heart pulseless: "for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.' II. Let this solemn declaration of the Saviour INDUCE PROFESSORS TO IMMEDIATE AND UNRESERVED DECISION IN RELIGION. There are those who know the way to heaven by the "hearing of the ear," and are "not far from the kingdom of God," but far enough never to reach the shores of a blissful immortality. Some are young, and suppose and act as if the day of life was long; that its evening is far, far distant; and that hoary locks, and threescore years, must come, ere the afternoon of their existence shall have passed;-but I tell them it is not so; the sun of the young often " goes down while it is yet day;" and the brightest hour of youth is clouded and shrouded by the dark night of death. Some have delayed till their sun is high in the heavens-half their day gone-and no pardon sought-no peace possessed-no heaven secured-no soul saved! The remaining portion of their life will swiftly pass away: "the night cometh." O be aroused from this fearful slumber-this soul-destroying hesitancy-this awful indecision ;-and THIS DAY-THIS HOUR-resolve to be " on the Lord's side." 66 Some have allowed their day to pass on unheeded, till nearly its close. The twilight of evening has appeared; and who does not know how rapidly night succeeds twilight? "The night cometh." And what a scene presents itself! An aged man, understanding enough of religion to dread death, but not estimating it sufficiently to seek or desire its possession. The night of the grave will soon SHUT HIM OUT FROM THE WORLD; and his unpardoned sin and unbelieving heart will SHUT HIM OUT FROM HEAVEN! AGED FRIEND! before it is too late, breathe forth this prayer to the God of your life, "So teach me to number my days, that I may apply my heart unto wisdom;" lest you, and every wavering, undecided professor, be overtaken by the night of death, and cast out into outer darkness-where there is no day to alleviate the night;-cast into darkness, with memory tracing the past misspent hours of the day of life-gone-wasted--lost for ever!! III. Let the solemn admonition of the Saviour, that "the night cometh," URGE THE SINNER TO REPENTANCE. Those who have neglected the claims of their immortal souls-resisted the monitions of their consciences-refused the invitations of mercy-and have, to this moment, lived "without God and without hope in the world"-whose unholy lives have, probably, been in direct opposition to the will of God ;— his word despised-his day dishonoured-his name profaned-his worship and his house forsaken-and the faith denied! Ah! perhaps you have associated with the sceptic and the blasphemer-who, having lived a fool, expects a fool to die. This, sinner, you may do; but one thing you cannot do-you cannot prevent the night coming! The infidel Paine tried, and he could not! Voltaire tried, and he could not! "I will not die," said one in the agonies of death, who had lived a life of folly; "I will not die :" but, ah! how vain the resistance; for in that same hour death struck his dart, and the victim was his own! Careless, thoughtless, impenitent sinner! How unwise, how unreasonable, how anomalous is your conduct! You acknowledge the necessity of active and persevering industry to supply your daily wants; you admit the propriety of making a provision for old age, and even that your bodies may be decently interred when life shall cease; yet, strange to say, evince no care for your soul-the precious soul; the most valuable part of your nature, and which must live for ever. You look forward, at times, to the closing scenes of your life with considerable anxiety, and you feel desirous of laying something up in store, to alleviate the sorrows, and meet the demands of those years, when (should your life be protracted so long) you imagine "days of darkness," and years wherein there is no pleasure," must be endured; and yet you have no dread of the eternal night-that dense, sepulchral night-unmitigated, unending, unalterable night-" where there is weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth,' "where the worm dieth not, and where the fire is not quenched." Oh! should you perish everlastingly, how will you exclaim with Saul, "I have played the fool, and erred exceedingly!" وو Mistaken being! hearken for your life! Oh! that I could awaken and persuade you to a few moments' serious reflection, and solemn consideration of your perilous state. Just think. What if some unseen being followed you on your homeward way, and whispered in your ear, "The night cometh;" and entered with you your dwelling, and on the threshold uttered, with dolecry, "The night cometh ;" and, again, at midnight, roused you, as with ful the voice of thunder, exclaiming, "The night cometh ;" and if on the morrow, when you rose-and at your morning, and mid-day, and evening meals-at your employment-at each interval of leisure-when you journeyed, and when you rested,-still, and again, and yet again, in deep and unearthly tones, assailed you with the terrific words, "The night cometh ;"-would you not feel, and tremble, and seek some means to dismiss the dreaded and unwelcome visitor to still your conscience, and secure peace of mind? Remember, then, the truth remains-the night is coming. Before it comes, be persuaded immediately to seek the God of salvation: before it is too late, bow your knees, and beseech him to give you the grace of repentance. Say to him, "Create in me, O God, a clean heart; and renew a right spirit within me." Pardon of sin for the most guilty is provided, through the Lord Jesus Christ. He died on the cross, "that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Without repentance for sin, and faith in this Saviour, you, and every sinner, must perish for ever. There is no "other name given under heaven whereby you can be saved;" but "he is able to save to the uttermost all who come to God by him." Sinner! delay not. A voice from heaven calls to you, To-day, if you will come unto me." To-day, then, determine, in the strength of Almighty grace, to seek for mercy. Today, cast yourself, as a guilty sinner, at the footstool of the throne ;-to-day, resolve you will escape eternal woe, and "flee from the wrath to come;"-today, surrender your heart to God, and be his willing subject ;-to-day, implore the Holy Spirit's aid, to teach you and guide you. Oh! do this, and you will be happy in life, in death, in eternity! Refuse these offers-despise these exhortations, and you will perish; yes, eternally perish; for "THE NIGHT COMETH !" Biblical Illustration. HOSPITALITY. THE practice of receiving strangers into one's house, and giving them suitable entertainment, may be traced back to the early origin of human society. It is not, however, confined to any age or to any country, but has been observed in all parts of the globe where circumstances have been such as to render it desirable; thus affording one, among many instances, of the readiness with which human nature, in its moral as well as in its physical properties, adapts itself to every varying condition. Hospitality is, therefore, not a peculiarly Oriental virtue. It was practised, as it still is, among the least cultivated nations. It was not less observed in the early periods of their history among the Greeks and Romans. With the Greeks, hospitality was under the immediate protection of religion. Jupiter bore a name, signifying that its rites were under his guardianship. In the "Odyssey" of Homer we are told expressly, that all guests and poor people are special objects of the care of the gods. There were, both in Greece and Italy, two kinds of hospitality, the one private, the other public. The first existed between individuals, the second was cultivated by one state towards another. Hence arose a new kind of social relation between those who had exercised and partaken of the rites of hospitality an intimate friendship ensued-a species of freemasonry, which was called into play whenever the individuals might afterwards chance to meet; and the rights, duties, and advantages of which passed from father to son, and were deservedly held in the highest estimation. But, though not peculiarly Oriental, hospitality has nowhere been more early or more fully practised than in the East. It is still honourably observed among the Arabs, especially at the present day. An Arab, on arriving at a village, dismounts at the house of some one who is known to him, saying to the master, "I am your guest." On this the host receives the traveller, and performs his duties; that is, he sets before his guest his supper, consisting of bread, milk, and gorbul; and, if he is rich and gener ous, he also takes the necessary care of his horse, or beast of burden. Should the traveller be unacquainted with any person, he alights at any house, as it may happen, fastens his horse to the same, and proceeds to smoke his pipe, until the master bids him welcome, and offers him his evening meal. In the morning the traveller pursues his journey, making no other return than "God be with you" (good b'ye). The early existence and long continuance of this amiable practice in Oriental countries, are owing to the fact of their presenting that condition of things which necessitates and calls forth hospitality. When population is thinly scattered over a great extent of country, and travelling is comparatively infrequent, inns or places of public ac commodation are not found; yet the traveller needs shelter, perhaps succour and support. Pity prompts the dweller in a house or tent to open his door to the tired wayfarer; the rather, because its master has had, and is likely again to have, need of similar kindness. The duty has its immediate pleasures and advantages: for the traveller comes full of news-false, true, wonderful; and it is by no means onerous, since visits from wayfarers are not very frequent, nor are the needful hospitalities costly. In later periods, when population had greatly increased, the establishment of inns (caravanserais) diminished, but did not by any means abolish the practice. Accordingly we find hospitality practised and held in the highest estimation at the earliest periods in which the Bible speaks of human society. Express provision for its exercise is made in the Mosaic law. In the New Testament also its observance is enjoined; though, in the period to which its books refer, the nature and extent of hospitality would be changed with the change that society had undergone. The reason assigned in the passage, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares," is not without a parallel in classical literature; for the religious feeling which in Greece was connected with the exercise of hospitality, was strengthened by the belief that the traveller might be some god in disguise. The disposition which generally prevailed in favour of the practice, was enhanced by the fear, lest those who neglected its rites should, after the example of impious men, be subjected by the Divine wrath to frightful punishments. Even the Jews, in "the latter days," laid very great stress on the obligation: the rewards of paradise, their doctors declared, were his who spontaneously exercised hospitality. From the sacred writings, as well as from heathen authors, we learn that the guest, whoever he might be, was, on his appearing, invited into the house or tent. Courtesy dictated that no improper questions should be put to him, and some days would elapse before the name of the stranger was asked, or the object in view entertained by him in the prosecution of his journey. As soon as he arrived, he was fur nished with water to wash his feet; he received a supply of needful food for himself and his beast, and enjoyed courtesy and protection from his host. The case of Sisera, decoyed and slain by Jael, was a gross infraction of the rites and duties of hospitality. On his departure the traveller was not allowed to go alone or emptyhanded. As the free practice of hospitality was held right and honourable, so the neglect of it was considered discreditable; and any interference with the comfort and protection which the host afforded was treated as a wicked outrage. Though the practice of hospitality was general, and its rites rarely violated, yet national or local enmities did not fail sometimes to interfere; and accordingly travellers avoided those places in which they had reason to expect an unfriendly reception. So, in Judges xix. 12, the "certain Levite" spoken of said, "We will not turn aside hither into the city of a stranger that is not of the children of Israel." The quarrel which arose between the Jews and Samaritans after the Babylonish captivity, destroyed the relations of hospitality between them. Regarding each other as heretics, they sacrificed every better feeling. It was only in the greatest extremity that the Jews would partake of Samaritan food; and they were accustomed, in consequence of their religious and political hatred, to avoid passing through Samaria in journeying from one extremity of the land to the other. The animosity of the Samaritans towards the Jews appears to have been somewhat less bitter; but they showed an adverse feeling towards those persons who, in going up to the annual feast at Jerusalem, had to pass through their country. At the great national festivals hospitality was liberally practised, so long as the state retained its identity. On these festive occasions no inhabitant of Jerusalem considered his house his own; every house swarmed with strangers; yet this unbounded hospitality could not find accommodation in the houses for all who stood in need of it, and a large proportion of visitors had to be content with such shelter as tents could afford. -Cyclop. Bib. Lit. Lessons by the Way; or, Things to Think On. COMMON ERRORS. CLASS A.-THE MINISTER. ERROR 1. That your minister ought never to pass the door without just calling to say, "How do you do?" 2. That every now and then the good man ought to be "dropping in" about tea-time, to "take you just as you are," without your being troubled to give him an invitation. 3. That he is sure to miss you whenever you are absent from chapel, and will be wondering what has befallen you; although, in truth, he no sooner finds himself in the pulpit, than he has something else to do. 4. That if he does miss you, it is his duty to hasten to your door on Monday morning, to inquire after his lost sheep. 5. That of course he must be among the first to know when you are ill; it being everybody's business to mention such things to him. (Mem. -There is an old saying about "everybody's business.") 6. That it is better to lie in bed for a week, sad and heavy at heart because your minister does not come and see you, than to send the length of the street to ask him to do so. CLASS B-THE MINISTER'S WIFE. Error 1. That she is to be universal secretary, superintendent, inspector, adviser, confidante, foster mother, and female bishop. 2. That, with only a shadow of maternal care, her family is to be a miracle of order, neatness, and economy. These errors certified, and found to require amendment, as witness my hand, BENEVOLUS. HEAVEN IS ETERNAL. Is it represented As a kingdom? It is a kingdom that cannot be moved. As the wrath of God? It is abiding. As the worm? It dieth not. As chains? They are everlasting. That never decays, but ascends up for ever. THE SPIRIT OF GOD. THE Spirit of God is graciously given, 1. To enlighten the mind of man, that he may see his guilt and danger in consequence of sin. 2. To prompt him to make the earnest inquiry, "What must I do to be saved ?" 3. To produce the feelings and purposes of true repentance. 4. To impart a living faith in the merits of the blessed Redeemer. 5. To inspire peace and joy into the believing soul, and the assurance of redemption through the blood of Christ. 6. To carry on the work of sanctification in the Christian, and to "guide" him "into all truth." 7. To afford divine comfort and consolation to the believer, under the trials of life; to strengthen him against all his enemies; and make him "more than conqueror" at last. Reader! have you the Spirit of God? Are you living under his influence, and following his direction ? THE BIBLE NO CHEAT. THE Scriptures are the work of bad men or devils; or, good men or God. Bad men always hate the Bible, often perse cute it, and would never have been the authors of a book enjoining such strict holiness, and laying sin under such an awful curse. Devils would never have originated a book which exposes their hateful character, and strikes such a blow at the heart of their kingdom. Good men, though the amanuenses of God, were not the authors of the Scriptures, for they profess to write by Divine inspiration; which, if they did not, they were gross impostors, and not good men. The only remaining supposition is, that God is the real Author of the Bible -Take away the Bible, and we have no certain knowledge of the creation of the world-of the introduction of sin-of the terms of pardon-of the immortality of the soul-or the character of the great God with whom we have to do. No philosopher can account for the rise, progress, and prevalence of Christianity, in opposition to every feeling of the heart, every prejudice of the mind, and every interest of the present life, without admitting that the Divine power attended its first promulgation. Truth bears inspection: the more the Bible is candidly studied, the more highly it is valued. Deists are for the most part ignorant of its contents, and immoral in their lives. Those who have not freely inquired, cannot fairly decide; and if the Scriptures reprove sin, no wonder sinners hate the Scriptures. Deism is a cheat; and so have many of its advocates found it, when a death-bed detected its folly. Christianity is increasingly precious in that trying hour; and, strange to tell, the instance is not recorded of a man who died regretting his faith in the Word of God, or warning his friends against the delusions of the Bible. If Deism is true, the Christian dies safe! If Christianity is true, the Deist dies damned! The follower of Jesus has everything to gain, and nothing to lose. The Infidel has everything to lose, and nothing to gain. Reader! Which of the two is wisest? which happiest? which best? Which would you rather have it said that you were, when you are dead? Which are you now? Biography. MEMOIR OF MARY ANN GRIFFITH. MARY ANN GRIFFITH, the subject of this me. moir, was born at Market Drayton, on the 25th of September, 1818. Her case affords another proof of the all-sustaining power of religion in seasons of deep and distressing affliction; for, with the exception of the first eight years, her entire mortal pilgrimage presented one unvarying scene of desolation and woe. It would be inappropriate to enter at full length into the various particulars of her early history. Many are the recollections now cherished by lamenting friends with fondest affection, yet to the ordinary reader such details might prove devoid of interest. We shall, therefore, relate just so much of our departed sister's story as may conduce to the public good, and serve to convince the reader that "Wisdom's ways are ways of pleasantness, and her paths, paths of peace.” When about eight years old Mary Ann was attacked with the disease which, twenty two years after, terminated her life. Her bodily strength so rapidly declined, that before the age of twelve she was compelled to use crutches; and these were her indispensable companions for ten long years. At the age of twenty-two it became impossible any longer to support her emaciated frame except in a recumbent position, consequently she took to her bed. This was in the year 1840; and from that date she never once quitted her chamber alive She was taken to her eternal rest on the 5th of July, 1848. Her bodily sufferings were frequently most agonizing; and the pain she endured was at all times far more severe than would be judged of |