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sinners, yet the manner in which the last ceremonies of interment are performed could have no such beneficial effect upon survivors.

EARTH'S CHANGES.

STILL and silent the wheels of nature roll on from age to age, yet a constant succession of changes marks every thing earthly. Empires rise and fall; nations flourish and decay; proud cities, with their lofty walls and architectural grandeur, rise up under the handiwork of man, and then crumble into ruins, generations of men appear and disappear from the stage of mortal life, and are seen no more. Thus every thing on earth, all that is around us, is subject to change. Day succeeds the night-joy gives place to sorrow-health to sickness: man lives-anon, he dies.

All this in respect to the outward-the mortal-that which pertains to the world in which we live. Particles of matter will be changed. These living, breathing bodies must decay. Their original element is dust; to earth they are at length consigned. And this we call death! Blessed be God, the Christian never tastes of death. He is, as it were, translated to the throne of God! not in a chariot of fire; not by a visible convoy of seraphic beings; a cloud may not receive him from our sight; yet he as truly ascended as though, on cherub wings, he had cleft mid air, while we were gazing "stedfastly toward heaven." But do we in reality gaze toward heaven like the primitive disciples, who witnessed the ascent of their Master? Do we not rather look down to earth for our friend? We garland his grave, and inscribe on the tombstone, "Here lies." Need we the voice of an angel to sound in our ears the better language, 'He is not here he is risen"? You may "behold the place where they laid him"-where his mortal form doth slumber. You may weep over that silent sepulchre; but your friend is not there. He hath joined the company of the redeemed. He is associated with "the spirits of just men made perfect." Oh! weep not for him, but "weep for yourselves and your children.' He is safe, he is at home; and it is a happy home! far, far exceeding the happiest home on earth! There is no sin there-nothing but goodness; no suffering there-nothing but joy; no enemies there-all are friends; no death there-but life everlasting. The soul is immortal! Why need we fear the grave? why

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need we ear what men call death? It is but the summons for our departure to a better world. Why need we dread the thought? why need we conjure up imaginary terrors, and enrobe the hours of our exit in vestments of woe? Why need we grieve for others? Why need we mourn for ourselves? It is our Father's good pleasure to release the soul from its earthly tenement. Ought we to complain? We desire the best good for our friends, yet would withhold from them the joys of heaven. Jesus welcomes them. He says to their spirits, "Come up hither." Are we desirous they should still remain upon earth? If we are their true friends, ought we not rather to rejoice at their departure? Great indeed is our loss, but greater still is their gain. them to a holier company, to a brighter land. at their happy release from the sins and sufferings of this mortal sphere. If it were not His will that they should be taken hence, then it would be no sin to repine. But we know that he hath called them, and they have been obedient to that call. To them the words of Jesus are verified-"Where I am, there shall ye be also." O happy state! an immortal home! They are ever with the Lord."

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The soul is immortal! all else will perish. This alone shall endure for ever-for ever! Here our life is begun, but here it will not end. Life has begun-never will it cease! The body dies-we ever live. The future will be to us a continuation of the present, as the present is a continuation of the past, all to be swallowed up in eternity. In view, then, of our immortal destiny, let us ask ourselves the question, "What manner of persons ought we to be?" Let the answer be a practical one, "Let us live while we live," that our exit from this world may prove peaceful and happy, that heaven may be the home of our immortal spirits, and saints our everlasting companions.

AN HOUR WITH GOD.

As I lay on my peaceful bed, suffering much from exhausting weakness, though, by the blessing of my heavenly Father, free from acute pain, my mind was much occupied in contemplating the glorious attributes of the Almighty God; and I desire to add my feeble testimony to that of many others of his children, that eye hath not seen, neither hath ear heard, the invisible consolations with which he fully comforts and satisfies the minds of those who simply rely on Jesus.

During this hour of meditation there passed before my mind the various attributes of the Deity, whom from my infancy I have been taught to adore. What an unfathomable and glorious survey! His Power, as manifested in our creation-His Wisdom, in the providence with which he guides and provides for his creatures-His Love, in giving his Son to be the pro. pitiation for our sins-His Justice, which required the Second Person in the Godhead to become man, and, as man, live a life of humiliation and die a death of agony and shame, before a door of reconciliation could be opened by which the descendants of fallen Adam could return to their God-His Mercy, so fully manifested in his longsuffering with man, and more especially in every instance of redeeming grace-His Holiness, so clearly demonstrated in his intense hatred of sin, which demanded an expiation so costly as the blood of Christ-His Truth, Grace, Omniscience, and Omnipresence, so frequently set forth throughout the Holy Scriptures! Three favourite passages from the Old Testament seemed to be understood with renewed clearness-the concentration of all the attributes in his first name he gave to Moses, "I AM THAT I AM,” (Exodus iii. 4.)-the fuller developement of his character in his second name, revealed to the same highly favoured servant when in Mount Sinai he "passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty." (Exodus xxxiv. 6, 7.) Oh! what joy unutterable it is to know that by faith in the Redeemer this holy, just, merciful, and gracious God will be to us, what he promised to be to Abraham of old, “our shield, and our exceeding great reward." (Gen. xv. 1.)

After taking a lengthened survey of this vast ocean of sublime truth, the blessed doctrine of the Trinity, as taught by our Church, next engaged the train of thought. I was led to reflect that in this glorious Godhead were three distinct Persons, co-equal together and co-eternal. These attributes, in all their extent, depth, and beauty, are shared by Three Divine Persons in the Unity of One God; and as they concurred together in the creation of the world, as God, the Word, and the Spirit, so are they unitedly engaged in the redemption of the soul-God the Father, who is "waiting to be gracious," God the Son, "by whom we have access to the Father," and God the Holy Ghost, by whom we know the Son,

who "convinces us of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment," and who carries on his blessed work of sanctification in the mind of the believer, until the warfare is accomplished, the race is run, and justifying and sanctifying grace is completed in endless glory. And for whom are these good things prepared? Even for those who listen to the joyful sound, "Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given," JESUS his name, "for he shall save his people from their sins"-for those who listen to the gracious invitation of the Saviour, "Come unto me"-for those who listen to the Spirit and the Bride, saying, "Come, and take of the waters of life freely" -for those who accept, and with love, humility, thankfulness, and joy receive this given Saviour, and earnestly avail themselves of these loving invitations.

O my Father, do thou draw me to thyself with the cords of thine everlasting love. O my Saviour, still do thou pray to the Father that I may be kept from the evil of the world. And O thou blessed Spirit, still sanctify me through thy truth. Oh! may I be rendered meet to be an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven, where an endless eternity will not be too long for me to learn and to bless and adore the glorious attributes of the Triune Jehovah, in all their fulness, loveliness, and power. CLAUDIA.

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“How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation.”

THIS great salvation was, in measure and degree, revealed from the beginning. To Adam in that promise, "The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head"-to Abel, when he offered the Lamb on the altar, and the fire descended from heaven, and consumed-not Abel's person, but―his sacrifice. He saw that the fire of God's justice was averted from himself to the victim offered. This was consumed, destroyed; but he saw that God spared and accepted him. It was the great salvation, which in a few moments after he experienced in all its fulness in the glorious presence of Him, who, in the appointed time, laid aside his glory, and became the Altar, the Sacrifice, the Great High Priest of all who believe in this "great salvation."

S****N.

THE COLLIERS' ANNIVERSARY, AND A PÍTMAN'S SPEECH. Ox Thursday, July 24th, we held our Colliers' anniversary at B-. As we assembled at the early hour of half-past three in the morning, we found the atmosphere to be somewhat cold and damp; but the promptness with which the people came together speedily dispelled every symptom of gloom, and the spirit that evidently dictated and guided the whole of the prayers and speeches, was such as to produce the most delightful and animating effect. We assembled in the open air, and as the place of meeting was on an eminence, our songs of praise might be heard at a considerable distance. Four colliers gave out hymns and engaged in prayer, and the ministers gave addresses. It was truly humbling, and as truly pleasing, to witness the proceedings of the service. The colliers were all in their working dress, and during the time of prayer, knelt down on the cold ground, placing themselves in a semicir. cular form. We have read with peculiar interest the speeches of some of the converted natives on foreign stations; but with still greater delight did we listen to the plain, unadorned address delivered by an old collier, who has been many years converted to God, and who is a native and inhabitant of B—. He begged to be allowed to say a few words in the form of an address, which was in substance as follows:

"My dear Friends,-There is one man among you that prays for all the rest every day in the year, and that makes three hundred and sixty-five prayers presented to God on your behalf, by one man only. Now, only think of three hundred and sixty-five prayers in one year, and all for the salvation of your precious souls. Yes! it is for your salvation he always prays; and what a blessing it will be to you, should his prayers be answered, and you saved! A blessing which is indeed unspeakable, and yet you may all possess it. Now, there are three ways by which you may get this blessing: you may beg it, you may buy it, or you may steal it. You may beg it-for, did not our Lord say, 'Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you?' and if a blessing so great as the salvation of your souls may be had for begging, oh! go at once to mercy's door; 'for now is the accepted time, and this is the day of salvation.' This blessing is also to be bought, but not with your money, for it is written, 'Ho! every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye,

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