driven out of place by some social or worldly engagement, or gone through as a dry, grave duty, which we cannot feel comfortable to omit, but for which we have little taste? What of our public devotions? Do we resort to the house of God that we may worship Him, and learn His will, and obtain spiritual blessings; or do we go because others go, or from other considerations than these? Are we increasing in the knowledge and love of God; or is our attention increasingly taken up by the world, and is our love waxing cold? In the daily detail of this life's engagements, are we ever thinking, feeling, speaking, acting with a delightful perception that our Father's eye is on us, and in all things endeavouring to approve ourselves to Him? Many more questions we might ask, but we have asked enough to have our consciences disturbed by the answers which they must give, and enough to show that we need a revival, and ought without delay to seek for it in such ways as the Word of God may direct. We have here said most about the Sabbath, because we think that our present circumstances call for special attention to that subject, and because we feel that without conscientiousness on this point no hope of a revival can be entertained worthy of the name; but if we honour God in this, we may expect his blessing both in our temporal and spiritual affairs. Exceeding great and precious is the promise spoken by Isaiah in the name of Jehovah: "If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable, and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words; then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord, and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: FOR THE MOUTH OF THE LORD HATH SPOKEN IT."

who are not members of our Churches might be very much misunderstood, did we, in this Address, seem to have forgotten them. We have not forgotten you, dear friends; you are to us objects of very deep anxiety; and our attempt to revive the Churches is undertaken as much for your sake as for theirs. We would not even imply that we think you all without piety because you have not as yet entered into the communion of Christ's professed people. We have here addressed ourselves to the Churches, because these consist entirely of persons who, by their very ecclesiastical position, publicly declare that they believe themselves to be real Christians. We are able, therefore, to found our Address to them on principles which they profess to admit; and which we cannot but hope, by far the greater portion of them are really imbued with.

Your case is, in this respect, strikingly different. It is difficult for us to fix upon anything you have in common, save your non-compliance with the Saviour's dying command, "Do this in remembrance of me!" Of not a few we cannot but hope that you are not far from the kingdom of God; others of you give us but little ground of hope. During the whole period of our ministrations among you, we have not been able to perceive in you any progress in divine things. You are, apparently, just where you were many years ago-only that you have now become less susceptible of impression, and that every Sabbath we preach to you, and you give no evidence of true conversion, we feel that it is becoming less and less likely that you will be saved! There are a few who attend our ministry, either statedly or occasionally, whose case is still more distressing. They indicate in many ways, without a doubt, that they are "in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity."

AFFECTIONATE COUNSEL TO CONGREGATIONS.

among our esteemed and valued friends; and just because of the friendship that subsists between us, our grief is the deeper when we lookand unhappily look in vain-for such evidence as could convince us that you are new creatures in Christ Jesus. We would say to all of you, in respect to this Address: Read it with thoughtfulness and prayerfulness. It takes for granted nothing on the part of those to whom it is primarily addressed, but what you also must have, you are to have the approbation of Christ, and if you are to find a place on his right hand at the last day. On that day there will be no middle class between saints and lost sinners. Now the boundary which divides the one class from the other may be crossed;

if

THEN it will have become to all eternity impassable.

In conclusion, we say to all: The Lord's day is one of the chief means of grace. If it be not improved, nothing will prosper spiritually; and we might safely add, nothing will prosper long even temporally. It is a part of religion which specially has the promise of this life, as well as of the next; and where it is neglected or desecrated, the affairs of both worlds will be marked by ultimate disaster and ruin.

Beloved Friends, we commend you to God, and to the Word of his grace, which is able to sanctify you, and to fit you for the heavenly Sabbath, with all its rest, holiness, felicity, and glory. May you and we so live and so labour as that the Chief Shepherd may finally admit us to the blessed companionship of those who have washed their robes and made them white in his blood, and who are, therefore, before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple.

We are your affectionate pastors,
J. HARSANT.
W. MILNE.

J. ADAMS.
F. S. BASDEN.
J. BESLEY.

S. EASTMAN.

J. FLOOD.

J. MIRAMS.
J. STOCKBRIDGE.
H. TRIGG.

R. E. FORSAITH. A. C. WRIGHT.
T. GOUGH.

October, 1850

ON REPENTANCE. REPENTANCE towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, were the leading subjects of the Apostles' ministry. Though distinct from each other, they are inseparably connected, and are equally necessary to the attainment of Christian peace.

As for the nature of repentance, the word properly denotes an after-thought, or the soul's recollecting its own actions, with sorrow and regret for what has been morally wrong, and a sincere But we shall desire of amendment. notice more particularly the views, feelings, purposes, and conduct of one who truly repents.

1st. The penitent has enlightened views of himself and sin. Once he

perceived no evil in sin, except in some of the more flagrant vices. He saw little of the turpitude attaching to his own thoughts, and words, and deeds; much less had he any clear discovery of the innate corruption and wickedness of his heart. But now, his mind being illuminated by the Holy Spirit,

he is convinced of his exceeding sinfulness; he perceives his wide estrangement from God, and sees that all iniquity is vile, ungrateful, debasing, abominable, and highly deserving of the wrath of the Almighty.

2nd. The penitent is conscious of Before his mind peculiar feelings. became changed he was a stranger to real contrition. On some occasions indeed, he might be disturbed by the fear of consequences, especially after instances of grosser criminality. But the concern which he felt was transient as his mind was dark, so his heart also was hard, and he knew nothing of that deep-felt sorrow for sin which characterizes the enlightened

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In conclusion, let me say to you, as the apostle once cried to the crowd whom he was addressing: Repent and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord." If you comply with this inspired injunction, then peace shall be yours; happiness shall be yours; eternal life shall be yours; heaven, with all its blessedness, shall be yours; and, finally, yours shall be the white robe, the palm of victory, and the crown of righteousness that fadeth not away.

THE CHURCH AND THE WORLD. WE are in danger of distinguishing the Church from the world, by the resources it has at command, and which would be thought by some to flow from God's blessing upon it. But a warning is held out in Rev. iii. 17, "Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased in goods, and have need of nothing, and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked," &c.

In a pamphlet lately written by a distinguished evangelical clergyman of the present day, the expression is used, "The wealth of our Church;" not arrogantly, it is true, but with a desire to use it to the glory of God and the promotion of his Goɛpel; but still the expression, having been frequently used, implies somewhat of undue weight as attaching to this kind of worldly power in the Church. Its funds cannot possibly constitute any of its power, in the sense of a limb or a member. It

may be, and is, used as an instrument to maintain it, in its mere earthly

functions, and may be blessed by the Almighty, when put forth and used to his glory; but beyond this it becomes a clog, a barrier, nay, a preventive, to its real growth in spirituality. Just in proportion as it is clothed in "purple and fine linen," and fares "sumptuously every day," so is there reason to fear for its decline and decay. It is preposterous to unite that inward fasting of the mind, inculcated by all godly men, with a minute attention to luxurious details in reference to the outward man. It is ridiculous to bestow that portion of time to the beautifying of the husk, which should be spent in nourishing and ripening the fruit; to blend the deepest humility with at least a show of pride; the carelessness of the things of earth, with a carefulness for them; a scrupulous adherence to comfort, convenience, and even splendour, with a forgetfulness of the very trappings that it wears, seeking to be clothed upon from heaven, and yet desperately tenacious of its earthly robes! Such things cannot be, or rather should not be. As things which exist, however, they cannot be said to be favourable signs.

We trust that these remarks will not be thought superfluous, when we find, in the present day, the "respectability" of religion too often its chief recommendation. C. N. W.

Edinburgh, Oct. 28th, 1850.

WORTH REMEMBERING. IT is not what we earn, but what we

save, that makes us rich. It is not what we eat, but what we digest, that makes us strong. It is not what we read, but what we remember, that makes us learned. All this is very simple, but is worth remembering.

THE subject of the following brief sketch was no ordinary man. He possessed a large amount of mental and moral excellence, which we desire to lay before the Christian public, for their admiration and imitation.

William Sheppard was the son of respectable parents, Thomas and Mary Sheppard. He was born in 1785, at Bickton, in the parish of Fordingbridge. | He learnt the business of a millwright, with his father. Losing his earthly parent at an early period, he commenced on his own foundation in 1805, and ever after prosecuted his worldly engagements with great diligence and success. He was married in 1806, to Maria, daughter of Mr. John Knight, of Salisbury, by whom he had fourteen children-eleven of whom, with the widow, still survive to lament their loss. After this period he lived nearly twenty years without paying any serious regard to the concerns of religion. During this time his whole soul was absorbed with secular affairs. He was by profession a Churchman, if he could be said to have any profession at all; but, like too many more, religion was with him an empty name.

When about forty years of age, he was led, by the providence of God, to go and hear the Rev. W. Priestly, pastor of the Independent church at Fordingbridge. He was somewhat interested and impressed with what he heard. For a little while he attended the parish church and the Independent chapel alternately, carefully observing the doctrines advanced at each place. He soon made up his mind to settle down under the ministry of Mr. Priestly. From that time he never swerved: his attachment to the ministry and the place grew with his years. Light rapidly burst upon his mind, and the truth took a firm hold of his heart. He soon became a settled and established Christian. He cordially embraced the doctrines and principles of Independency, which he maintained

and warmly supported to the last. It was not long before he saw it his duty to make a public profession of his attachment to the Saviour by joining the church, and sitting down at the sacramental table. In a very few years he was chosen to the office of deacon, which office he filled, with distinguished honour to himself, and satisfaction to others, to the end of his life.

We shall now endeavour to give a brief and faithful portraiture of his general character:

As &

1. He was a man of strong intellect. -His mind was remarkably quick, shrewd, and penetrating; his insight into character almost intuitive. mechanic, he was exceedingly clever; and consequently in his business as a millwright he soon acquired a distinguished celebrity. His skill and assiduity in his occupation enabled him both to bring up a large family in a respectable manner, and to realize a considerable property.

2. He was a man of general intelligence.-Fond of books, fond of study, and possessing a tenacious memory, his mind was stored with a large amount of useful and important information. His knowledge of trade, commerce, agriculture, history, politics, religion, and various other subjects, and his ability to communicate his ideas with considerable readiness, naturally rendered his society peculiarly interesting and profitable.

3. But gratifying as these things may be, it was his character as a Christian which, most of all, we delight to contemplate.-He was a man of eminent sterling piety. His religion was of the most solid, permanent, and consistent kind. It was not like a flickering light, sometimes shining with splendour, and at others almost extinguished; but it was one fixed, steady, predominating principle. It seemed to have such firm hold of his affections, that the hurry of business or the cares of a family could not suppress it. He