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A PASSAGE IN MY COLLEGE LIFE.

formance of christian duty. I felt that the habits of retirement from society, and silence when in it, which had resulted from my extraordinary diffidence and want of christian courage, had been confirmed by the indulgence of five years in the most formative period of life, unfitted me for an active part in the revival of religion; as well as the want of a right feeling at the time. But, thanks to the principle of obedience to rightful authority, which had been early implanted in my heart and habits, I felt too that I must do my duty as well as I could.

We commenced the studies of the term as usual. I loved them, and engaged in them with ardour; but my mind was soon directed to other duties also. It was evident that some of the pious students had returned from their winter dispersion "in the fulness of the gospel of Christ." Their hearts glowed with the fervour of devotion when they prayed, and the lovingkindness of the spirit of Christ was in their words and their looks. They spake of their desires for the salvation of the unconverted members of College, and their hopes of seeing them soon awakened from their carelessness in sin, and rejoicing with themselves in the hope of heaven: but they said, (and I knew they said truly,) that it depended much upon us who were professors of religion.

What should I do? To do nothing but attend to my studies, and live like the irreligious, I knew was wrong: to speak on religious subjects, in public or private, I was not accustomed, and trembled to attempt. The struggle was painful; but principle and God's Spirit triumphed over feeling, and urged me to do something for the salvation of my fellow-students. But where should I begin, and how?

During the previous term, I had roomed near two class-mates who were not pious, and become considerably intimate with them. I had never said any thing to them on religious subjects; and though I could not accuse myself of any thing criminal in the view of the world, in my intercourse with them, I felt that I had not done my duty towards them. On looking around for the place where I should begin to speak to my class

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mates respecting their salvation, I concluded that my first duty was, to confess my fault to these two, and speak to them like a faithful christian friend.

It was hard to start on such an errand; but I knew I ought to do it; and neglect to do what I ought, Í must not. Accordingly, the next morning after I had come to this conclusion, I threw on my cloak and went to their room. After the usual "good morning," they invited me to a seat, and one of them enquired whether I was well. "As well as usual," I replied: but the agitation of my feelings was such that my face was pale, and the other exclaimed, "You are not well, you are as pale as a cloth; something must be the matter with you." "Yes," said I, "I am sick-sick of living as I have done;" and proceeded to confess my unfaithfulness, and to talk with them, as well as I could, of the salvation of their souls. They were careless of religion, but God made my visit a blessing to them.

D.

In a few days, C. was rejoicing in the hope of the gospel. He was the first convert in our class, and one of the first in College that year. was serious and anxious, but after some efforts to bring himself into a right state, he seemed to fall into a kind of rebellious despair. He thought he had done all he could to obtain an interest in Christ, and therefore had nothing more to do for that purpose. Still he continued to be anxious for salvation, and read his Bible and prayed. In a few days I became alarmed lest he should make no further progress, and lose his soul; and accordingly told him there was no need of his being in that state-that it was wrong-and he must get out of it, or be lost. In a few hours I heard of his going to another class-mate to inquire what he must do, with the conviction that something must be done; and in a few more hours he was happy in the hope of salvation.

C. and D. were intimate friends of E. and F., who soon perceived the change in them, and began to feel that they too needed an interest in Christ; in a few weeks they also became hopefully pious. After completing their collegiate course, C. D. and E.

commenced the study of theology; | blame yourself and others would blame but E. did not live to preach the gos- you if you did not act. pel. He died while a member of a Theological Seminary, leaving to his friends a sure hope of his salvation, and to his fellow-students the example of an eminently prayerful christian. C. and D. entered upon the work of the ministry, in different parts of the country.

A SUBJECT FOR THOUGHT. IS THERE NOT A SAFER WAY? Is it wise always to require certainty upon a subject before we act with reference to it? May we not sometimes, nay often, act upon probabilities or even possibilities? Will any doubt it? No reflecting person will deny that in most important matters we are continually acting upon them, and it must be so; for certainty in thousands of cases is out of the question. The farmer, for instance, ploughs and plants, not because he is sure of a crop, but because one is probable. The season may be propitious or otherwise-he does all in hope, but without certainty. The merchant freights and sends his ship upon a foreign voyage, not because he is certain that she will return laden with riches, but to his mind, there is a probability of it, and upon that many times small probability he acts, invests his capital, perhaps the most of or all he is worth. He knows the voyage may prove disastrous, the ocean may entomb the whole, or by the violence of the winds she may be driven upon some desolate shore and all be lost; yet he acts, and none impeach his wisdom, Take another case. Your friend is sick, lying under a scorching fever, and perhaps delirious. You send for a physician, not because you are certain he can cure him; it is probable or perhaps only possible. The physician comes, tries his skill, and your friend is no better but rather worse, and now it appears quite probable he will die; yet it is not certain. He may yet be helped. You call a council of physicians, not because you are sure that they all can effect a cure, and perhaps you do not think it probable, yet there is a possibility, and upon that bare possibility you act, and you would

This is reason-is common sense. The course is adopted that appears to present the greatest safety with the least possible risk. And is it folly to apply this reasoning to the subject of religion? Ought we to stand and wait till every doubt is removed? till the thing, to our minds, is perfectly clear? Suppose you are not quite certain about the importance of religion, its absolute necessity to seWhat cure your future well-being. follows? Not that the converse is true that little or no attention is necessary; of that you are not and cannot be certain. Take the case of the atheist, the denier of the being of a God. He is not and cannot be certain that there is no God, unless he is every where present and knows every being in the universe; for if he occupies not every place, the place he occupies not may be occupied by God; and if he knows not every being in the universe, the one he knows not may be God; that is, unless he excludes God by being omniscient and omnipresent, or in other words by being God himself, he cannot be certain that there is no God.

And so of the deist. He cannot be certain that Jesus the Christ is not what the Bible represents him to be, the Son of God and the Saviour of the world, and that the Scriptures are not the word of the living God. He may query and hesitate, he may doubt and despise, he may declaim against them, reason and contend till he is dumb and blind, still he cannot disprove one single statement. There they stand like the primal rocks of creation. He may get angry and dash and shiver to atoms his slender lance against them, but still there they remain as immoveable as the Andes, demanding the credence and obedience of the world, and actually receiving the homage of millions, and they too the wisest and best of our race. After all he can do or say, the Bible may be true.

And if so, he, for despising the Bible and its author, for contemning Christianity and counting the bood of the covenant wherewith he might be sanctified an unholy thing, may be doomed to unending sorrow, to suffer

A SUBJECT FOR THOUGHT.

the anguish and despair of the blackness of darkness. And for what does he run this risk? for riches, or honours, or long life, or present felicity? Does he or can he have and enjoy these even to a greater extent than the Christian? The good book declares, and the history of the world does not contradict the declaration, but confirms it, that "godliness is profitable to all things, having promise of the life that now is," as well as "of that which is to come."

The deist has no advantage, and can have none, even in this life. Then is it wisdom to run such great hazards with no prospect of gain? Is it not the height of folly to do so? Does it not argue blindness or madness? Nor do some others, in my apprehension, who admit the Bible to be true, but deny all future punishment, shew more wisdom. They tell us it is true, with much apparent confidence, that all will be finally holy and happy-will be gathered into heaven to enjoy God's presence and celebrate his praise for ever. But of this they are not and cannot be certain. They may say, but they cannot prove, that there is no hell, where obstinate unbelievers will be punished for their unbelief and consequent rejection of the Gospel of the Son of God.

They cannot be certain that the drunkard, dying intoxicated as many do, will have an inheritance in the kingdom of God; that the duellist is shot directly into heaven; or that the suicide who hangs himself swings directly on to the throne of Christ, as he, Christ, overcame, and is set down with the Father on his throne. They cannot be certain that the infidel, who, on his dying couch, as he was expiring, exclaimed, "O the unutterable pangs of hell and damnation," went immediately or at all to the paradise of God; that the daughter, who, in her last moments, told her parents, who had opposed her seeking religion and finally dissuaded her from it, that "when her body was cold in death they might know they had a daughter in hell," went to dwell with saints in glory.

They cannot be certain of the happiness of such, for the Bible does not say such have gone to heaven or ever will go there. That all will be

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finally happy in heaven certainly is not taught in that blessed book in plain language; if it is there at all, it is very obscure, and taught only by inference, as must be confessed by the believer in the doctrine itself. And would a wise man infer it from such passages as the following? "The soul that sinneth it shall die." wicked shall be turned into hell and all the nations that forget God." "Their end is destruction." "Where the worm dieth not and the fire is not

"The

quenched." "These shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal." Would it not be difficult if you wished to teach future punishment to do it in plainer language? If these statements are plain truth, and certainly they appear to be, ought we not to be cautious how we draw opposite inferences from the same book, while not one plain opposite passage can be produced? whatever the Bible may teach, if it is God's book, it does not teach contradictions.

For

At the very best, then, it must be confessed that there may be a hell of future dreadful woe. Now let me say to the believer in no future punishment, after all your confidence and assertions there may be a hell. You cannot place it beyond doubt. Sinners may be endlessly punished for rejecting the Gospel of Christ. Your doctrine may fail you. Do you say you believe there is no future punishment? That alters not the case. There is a hell of misery or not independently of our belief. Our belief will affect us, but not that. Believing there is a hell will not kindle one, nor will denying the existence of one put it out. But believing may make us cautious, as disbelieving may make us presumptuous. Will it not be wisdom to provide against one by timely repentance and faith in Christ? Our Saviour doubtless meant something when he said to Nicodemus, "Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."

Is it then, we repeat, wisdom to neglect religion till every doubt is removed? You do not do so in worldly matters nor in anything else. Why not exercise as much common sense upon this subject as upon others? If it shall be found in the day of judg

ment that these things were commanded and are absolutely necessary to future happiness, your loss is irreparable, your doom dreadful. Will you risk your soul for-nothing? Run the hazard of eternal perdition, without a possibility of gain? Perhaps you boast of reason. Sit down then, and reason out this matter clearly. Prove there is no hell of woe-no danger. I know the common arguments are sophisms! Find one that is sound or make religion your business.

SQUEEZING A PREACHER.

From a Welsh Magazine.

"MR EDITOR,-Lately, a church, or rather the lords thereof, made a resolution that their minister must be satisfied to live upon what they should collect at the month's end, let the amount be little or much, and that they would not from that time forward, bind themselves to make up any particular sum. This resolution they commnnicated to their pastor with the solemn advice, 66 Brother, you must squeeze, the times are bad." He replied that he would think of the matter, and see how the plan was likely to answer. In a few days, he called upon the owner of his house, who was a member of his church, to pay his rent, and told him that he could not promise him any specific sum for the house from that time forth; that the times were bad, and he must squeeze, but he would pay for it as circumstances would permit. The landlord stared at him with astonishment, and replied, "Man! who lets houses in that manner-to give as much as you please for it? Did any one ever hear of such a thing? I thought to advance the rent a pound next year; you shall not have my house, I am sure, for one half-penny less." He next went to the miller, and asked for half a sack of flour. 66 'Certainly," said the miller, "but do you know that the price of flour has advanced since you purchased the last." "I was not aware of it," replied the minister "and indeed it is of no great consequence, as the order of things is changed; I am to give what I can for it. Brother, you must squeeze, the times are bad," Good or bad,"

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swered the miller, "I must have according to 50s. per sack for it; heark. en, man! who sells flour upon those terms ?" He next proceeded to the farmer, (passing by the maltster, who was a deacon, without calling,) and asked for a bushel of wheat. The farmer said he should have it, but it would cost him eight shillings and sixpence. "No, no, brother," replied the minister, "you must squeeze, for the times are bad; I will give you as much as I can at the end of the month, after seeing how much the collection will be." "What has that to do with the price of wheat?" exclaimed the farmer, "I have a great rent to pay next month, and I do not know how to bring things to bear between the wages, the tithes, and the payments." This brother kept a large farm, and paid specific wages to his labourers, except Jacko, the half-witted boy, who was at hand to fetch the cows for the women, to clean out the out-houses, &c.

The minister next called upon John, the shoemaker, who after hearing his terms for a pair of shoes, began to put the snuff into his wide nostrils, which were as black as two flues, and talk very sarcastically respecting such terms. "He would not put a patch upon his shoe under threepence." The butcher treated him in like manner, his meat was so much a pound;" and the tailor also insisted upon having a regular price for his commodities.

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On his way home, the minister went into the shop of his principal deacon, and asked him for some small articles necessary for the use of his family, such as a pound of soap, a pound of sugar, a pound of candles, two ounces of tea, and a halfpenny worth of soda, (but no tobacco.) After packing the things neatly, the grocer began to count their cost. You need not waste your time in reckoning," interrupted the minister, "I am to pay you for them as my circumstances will permit. Brother, you must squeeze, as the times are very bad with me at present, but I will give conscientiously for them what lies in my power.'

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Squeeze," said the shopkeeper, "what do you mean? give what you pleasehow much will that be ?" "I cannot say at present," replied his pastor, 66 an- but you shall know at the end of the

SHORT PARAGRAPHS FROM OLD AUTHORS.

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next month, when I see how much the maker, the butcher, the tailor, and collection will be." "That will not yourself likewise. You will not let me do for me," said the shopkeeper, "I have a pound of sugar, or an ounce of am obliged to pay a certain price for tea, out of your shop, without I pay a every article, and I have a great amount stated price for it; how then can you to make up next week.' "So, indeed," expect me to pay my way, without a exclaimed the minister, "well, I see stated salary, and that too proportionthere is no one but myself to squeeze, able to my family. Before I can agree and that I am out of the reach of bad to receive what you collect monthly times; if I was able to perform miracles for me, you and others must be willing like our Saviour with the loaves and to receive that between you in proporfishes, your plan would answer. I tion to what I may have had from each, have called upon all the members who and I will promise you to live quite sell anything for the use of man, to moderately; or if you prefer it, I am see how your plan was likely to pros- willing to live on the money which is per, but you must all have a particular wasted weekly by the members in snuff price for your goods; the owner of my and tobacco." I do not know how the house, the miller, the farmer, the shoe-matter was settled.-ELEPHANT.

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SHORT PARAGRAPHS FROM OLD AUTHORS ON
SCEPTICISM AND INFIDELITY.

NEVER had a sight of my soul, says the Emperor Aurelius, and yet I have a great value for it, because it is discoverable by its operations; and, by my constant experience of the power of God, I have a proof of his being, and a reason for my veneration.

As Atheism is in all respects hateful, so in this, that it depriveth human nature of the means to exalt itself above human frailty.-Ld. Bacon.

There never was any such thing, since the fall of man, as what some call the religion of nature, that is, a religion without a Saviour. All that mercy and goodness which God hath ever since the fall shewn to sinners, in forgiving true penitents, and rewarding pious and virtuous men, is owing to this promise, and to the accomplishment of it.-Dr. Sherlock,

Natural theology is in itself a poor, weak thing; and reason unassisted has not been able to carry the clearest philosophers very far, in their pursuits after divine matters. We have seen this in practical truths; and the reason lies stronger in such as are speculative. -Baker.

A body of ethics, proved to be the law of nature from principles of reason, and reaching all the duties of life, I think no body will say the world had, before our Saviour's time.-Locke,

In the Scriptures the ignorant may learn all requisite knowledge, and the most knowing may learn to discern their ignorance.

The men of reason, who think natural reason sufficient for all the purposes of religion, reject all revelation, and consequently all divine promises, which can be known only by revelation. -Dr. Sherlock.

God hath wisely provided, in his present administration of things, to give us instances enough of his just procedure towards the good and bad; and yet to leave us instances enough of unrewarded virtue, and prosperous wickedness, to assure us he intends an after reckoning.-Dr. Scott.

There is this great mischief always attending disputes about religion, that while our heads are so busily employed in discussing its truth, our hearts are in danger of losing its power and efficacy. Many, from a denial of the three persons, at last advance to a denial of the one God.-Dr. Trapp.

An intemperate curiosity, that rudely rushes upon a sacred mystery without any reverence to its awful retirements, has done near as much mischief to Christianity as infidelity itself.

It is not in the power of men or angels, or mathematical demonstration, to satisfy those who are resolved not

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