could, and I doubt not her simple fervent prayers were heard and answered. But it had not always been thus with Ruth; in early life, to use her own expression, she was "as wild as a young colt," she knew not and loved not the Lord; and it was not till after the death of her daughter, her only child, that she became really anxious about her soul; when it pleased the Lord to bless to her a sermon from the text, Prepare to meet thy God;" the Holy Spirit applied the word, and she rested not till she had found peace in Jesus. Dear reader, have you sought and found peace in Jesus?

But Ruth's husband was yet an unconverted man, and great was the persecution and suffering she had to endure; but she bore it meekly, sustained by the grace of Him" who when he was reviled, reviled not again.' He

would not let her go to church, and when she knelt down to pray, would take her and swing her round the room; so she and a pious neighbour agreed together to pray every day for his conversion; and it pleased the Lord, (who has said, "If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything ye shall ask of my Father which is in heaven, it shall be done unto you:" and who has promised, saying, "If ye shall ask anything in My name, I will do it,") in a remarkable way to answer their earnest persevering prayers, by disposing |

him to accompany his wife to a meeting held in a private house for the religious instruction of the poor. There he heard that text spoken upon, "It is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth." God in His sovereign grace made it a word in season to his soul; and from that time he became a changed character. Dear reader! have you unconverted relatives or friends? Be encouraged by this account of poor blind Ruth to " pray always, and not to faint;" for remember, "He is faithful that promised;" and, "Nothing is too hard for the Lord." It was afterwards an interesting sight to see Ruth and her husband, arm-in-arm, winding their way to the house of God, and to see them sitting in the school-room, on a Tuesday evening, listening with fixed attention to that word which had been made the power of God unto salvation to their souls. Ruth was at times a great sufferer; but she could say with the apostle, "I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed." She longed for the time when she should be free from this body of sin and death, and to be for ever with the Lord. She used to say, she supposed the first person she should see, would be her Saviour. Happy Ruth, "to her to live was Christ, to die was gain!" E. A.

the history of that mission, I met with the following instance of consistency and devotedness to the commands of the Lord, that might well put to shame many of the more enlightened professors of the present day.

A company of the converted Indians had left the Reservation, and established themselves on White River, for a winter's hunt. It was soon rumoured abroad that there were religious Indians there, and many of the whites, led by curiosity, went to attend their meetings on Sabbath-days. Frequent attempts were made to turn them from the observance of the Christian rule of duty, especially the observance of the Sabbath-day, but without success. A company came one Sabbath, and insisted on trading. Betweenthe-logs, a leader among them, went to his saddle-bags and pulled out his Bible. He could not read one word of it; yet he was in the habit of saying it was good company, if a man could not read, to have the word of God with him, and perhaps he could get some one to read it for him. He had marked the chapter which contained the Ten Commandments. He opened it at the place, and asking one of them if he could read, handed him the book. At this the man turned pale, and did not wish to touch it, but, at the earnest request of the other, he read the Fourth Commandment.

God, but to get us poor Indians to do so too. Of this you ought to be ashamed, and never do so again. Your example to your families and friends is bad; and you will have a great deal to answer for at God's judgment if you keep on this course. Now we wish you and all your friends to know that we have learned better. When we were in the dark, we did not know one day from another; but the light of heaven shined on our path, and has shown us that it is good for our souls and bodies, and horses, and all, that we should stop one day in seven, and think, and pray, and look to our hearts, to untie them from the things of this world, for they are naturally much inclined to stick fast to this world. God saw it was best to take one day to loose them, and keep them right. this is not done, they will soon grow fast. Then nothing will do but tearing; and this is hard work. I believe God is right, and He has done it for the good of us all; and we ought to keep His good word, so that it will be well with us; for I am told that this book says, if we do not keep His commandments we shall never enter His house above. My white brothers, go home, and never go to trade again on the Sabbath.

If

You will find it better with you in this world, and in the world to come."

What a lesson! If all Christians would do thus, take this decided stand, in precept and example, should we have so much Sabbath desecration to deplore, as now everywhere meets our eye and distresses our heart?

DEAN SWIFT was once asked to preach a short charity sermon. He complied with the request. The sermon is perhaps the shortest one on record. We will quote it entire. Text: "He that hath pity upon the poor, lendeth unto the Lord." Sermon: "If you like the security, down with your money." The effect was electrical. An unusually large collection was taken up immediately afterwards.

A physician, in an American city, has for many years exhibited an unshaken faith in that declaration. He told me that he has made many experiments on it, and the Lord has fulfilled his words, "That which he hath given, will he pay him again," in every case. One of his " experiments" came under my observation.

It was a bleak and chilling day, in the winter of 1847-8. The doctor was going his rounds, and met a poor coloured boy in the street. He was nearly frozen to death. He accosted the doctor, and asked him most piteously for a little money, stating at the same time that his master, an old Quaker, had excluded him from the house, and compelled him to remain in the barn; he could stand it no longer, and desired to go home-twenty miles up the river. The doctor now had the materials for another test of the promise. "You shall not suffer if I can help you," was his cheering reply to the boy. He requested him to call at his office, and went to a neighbouring hotel, and told the landlord to keep the boy until farther

orders. Late in the evening the boy again appeared at the office, and stated that the landlord had said, "We don't keep darkies over night." The doctor immediately started out in search of new quarters; and after some difficulty, found a coloured woman, who was willing to keep the boy for a few days. In a short time the river, which had been closed with ice, was open. The doctor paid the bills, gave the boy a crown-piece, and bad him God-speed. That is what he calls lending to the Lord. Now for the payment. When he called at the house of the coloured person, to pay the bill, he accidentally met an old lady, who scrutinized him closely, and at length said, "Ain't you Dr. B-?" "Yes," was the reply; "but who are you?" "No matter about my name; I owe you a pound-note, which you have long since forgotten, and which I did not intend to pay you till I saw what you have done to that poor boy. The Lord bless you for your kindness! Next week you

shall have your money.' She came according to her promise, and offered the money; but the doctor was unwilling to take it, as he had no charge on his books. She forced it on him. He afterwards simply remarked, “My meeting that woman was not a mere accident; the Lord always fulfils his promise. I generally get my capital back with compound interest."

The Bank of Heaven is not yet insolvent. Money can be safely invested there: "Ye have the poor always with you."

YE; that is, the people to whom Jesus was speaking; and so all who are like them;-those who are anxious to hear, and to do what He said; His own disciples, who follow Him, and are pronounced blessed by Him. Christian reader, if you are one of the disciples of Jesus, you are one of the "Ye."

"Ye are the salt of the earth." This must not be taken literally; Christians are not really salt: which shows us, that Christ's words are not always to be taken literally, an important point to be remembered, when we come to explain his words, "This is my body." But Jesus means, that His disciples are like salt. How? (1.) They are like salt in its seasoning properties. Salt is chiefly used to season our food; how insipid is most food without it. It gives a pleasant taste, which pervades all of that upon which it is placed. So must Christians season the world. The world is in its nature very insipid; without anything which renders it pleasant to a taste Divinely formed. Christians must let their principles appear prominent in the world; they must let their consistent and holy character and practice run through the whole of the society in which they mix. Then these principles, and this practice, will, with the blessing of God, have an influence. It is astonishing what an effect a good example has! It is astonishing what an effect is produced by a few words spoken now and

Christians may

then in season. by their example, and by their few words of advice or reproof, do much towards spreading the Gospel amongst the hearts of men, making the world about them less worldly, less sinful, and less distasteful to God, and to those who are like Him.

Again, (2.) Christians are like salt in its preserving properties. Salt not only flavours, but what it flavours it tends also to preserve. The influence of a Christian in worldly society is calculated to affect their eternal salvation. How many a worldling, would he but listen to the affec tionate advice of a kind Christian friend, or be stirred up to emulate his example, would be snatched from a careless and thoughtless life, and have his soul saved for ever! We know not, also, how far Christians exert another kind of preserving influence upon others, in the same way in which ten or twenty righteous would have preserved Sodom and Gomorrah from destruction. We know not how far the present temporal prosperity of our own country, is owing to the number of gracious souls that are to be found within it. God grant that the number of such may be daily increasing amongst us for if they decrease, and the salt of religious influence loses its savour; if grace withers and dies away, and an empty formality only appears, wherewith shall this insipidity be salted? From whence