Personal Religion.

PRAY, LOVE, AND WORK.

A TRACT FOR THE TIMES.

Addressed to Christian Women Everywhere.

THIS year has opened upon us with much that is stirring and encouraging. The general disposition to flock to all devotional meetings, and the readiness of the poor especially to receive with gratitude all efforts for their spiritual good, are indications as marked as the general openings for the Gospel throughout the world. The religious awakening in America, Ireland, and Sweden, with here and there the earnests of similar revivals in our own land, are so many calls to self-examination, prayer, and action.

Dear friends, are not the faith, the love, the zeal of the new converts, so far in advance of what we ourselves experience, that we have been ready to wish we could go to Ireland, too, if possibly we might there be re-converted? But the same blessed Spirit is as accessible here as there; and unconfined to place, waits only to bless those who entreat His influence. "If ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?" Let us be much in prayer, and pray till our prayer is granted. And let us be found not only praying, but watching, waiting; that when the long-sought blessing comes, it may not pass us by: lest, if unprepared and unbelieving, our fate be like that of him to whom it was said, "Thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof." But we believe better things, though we thus speak. The yearning of our hearts after those blessed influences which have been vouchsafed elsewhere, is surely a token for good. God stirs us up to pray for what He designs to give.

But should we not inquire whether there is any remaining element in our religious atmosphere unfavourable to the spiritual influence which we so desire?

It is not now our object to speak of covetousness and ambition, worldliness and pride, and the long list of evils which have extended their baneful influence even over the professing church. We refer to one which it comes peculiarly within woman's depart

ment to rectify. It is the want of love. Is there no censoriousness in our families, no proneness to misunderstand and take offence in our social circles, no alienation of heart among our various churches? If so, should it not be our earnest prayer that all who love our Lord may be drawn together in earnest affection, and in cordial co-operation; and that we may all be enabled to use such influence as we possess in furthering and perpetuating their unity?

Publicly, we cannot do this; but privately and noiselessly, by the influence of persuasive affection over fathers and husbands, brothers and sons, it is alike our province and our privilege to soften down asperities, to explain away causes of dissatisfaction, to pour oil on the troubled waters of discord, to bring together parties who have been estranged, and to divert attention and energy into profitable channels.

There was a time in the history of the middle ages, when Europe had been rent and impoverished by a desolating and perplexing contest. Kings and statesmen tried in vain to reconcile contending claims, when three noble-minded women, by their wise and gentle intervention, achieved what was subsequently designated "The Ladies' Peace." Let it be our prayer, dear friends, that in a nobler cause, and with a nobler aim, we may be enabled to exert ourselves with equal wisdom, and with like success.

Knowing, as we so well do, how little hope there is of finding any perfect church on earth, and how much there is behind the scenes in all our religious communities requiring to be rectified; and, above all, how much there is wanting in our own characters and hearts, would it not be well to suggest to those dearest to us, that the easiest way to accomplish a general reform is for us all to begin with ourselves, or, in the phraseology of our homely national proverbs, "to sweep our own doors," and "clean our own windows?" Can we not urge them, for this year at least, to leave to secular men the task of maintaining secular controversies?while we, in our respective spheres-whether it be the cellar or the drawing-room, the school or the congregation-attend to the voice which seems to say to each one of us, "Go thou and preach the kingdom of God."

Each period of great religious revival is observed to have been characterised by the re-assertion of some distinguishing Gospel truth, as:-In Luther's time it was that of justification by faith; and in Whitefield's and Wesley's, that of sanctification by the

prove

Spirit; so Dr. McIlvaine considers that in these days it will to be the unity of the church. God grant it may be so! Let us. endeavour—humbly, gently, perseveringly, to promote such a state of feeling as shall find all hearts prepared for the advent of the blessed Spirit of love and grace. Let us be unchecked by the cold looks or discouraging words that may meet us, and by the apparent, and, it may be, repeated failure of our efforts. Let us try to realize our gracious Lord and Master ever at our side, and do and say as He would have us do.

There is surely one duty which admits of no question—" A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another as I have loved you." Other things may be matters of opinion, argument, judgment, expediency; but this comes in the shape of a commandment-the " new commandment," which the speaker, the time, the circumstances, combined to render, if possible, more binding than all previous injunctions, and its breach more aggravated and inexcusable. God keep us all from incurring such guilt in the year which has so auspiciously dawned upon us.

The third point upon which a few suggestions may be offered regards "work." We might do more, much more, for religious societies. We know little of self-denial as yet, and when the spirit of Christian benevolence and self-sacrifice is poured out upon us, we shall wonder that we could have been content with our present standard. Combination is the order of the day, and it is well; for in union is strength. But is there not a danger lest we should attempt to delegate our individual responsibilities to others--lest we should work too much by proxy? Are we not answerable for influence unemployed, opportunities lost, words unspoken, and talents hid? Is it nothing to us that those to whom we speak every day, perhaps many times a day, may die without hearing from our lips one word of Jesus and His love?

Let us leave the things which are behind, and press forward to those which are before. Let us pray and labour individually to bring each member of our household, and family, and friendly circles, to Christ. Let us tell them of His love and mercy; and let us tell them also, as the new converts do, what we have ourselves experienced of His forgiving mercy, and providential interposition and grace. We shall find our own hearts warmed as we talk to them of the love and faithfulness of our Redeemer, and as * More particularly for recent united schemes for the Benefit of Young Female Servants, City Missions, Female Missions, and Bible Women.

we recall the way by which the Lord our God has led us thus far in the wilderness.

We are longing, it may be, O how intensely for a blessing to descend this year upon our precious children. Are we doing our part? Is there some brief season in the early morning or the quiet evening, apart from family prayer, when we give them some short and pointed lesson from Bible story? when in simple, earnest language, we pray with as well as for them, and bring them to Him who still says, "Suffer the little children to come unto me." Have we set apart some evening hour, once or twice a week, when children are at rest and the work of the day is done, to call our servants to some retired room, and read and pray with them? Are there servants who have left us, over whom we still retain an influence, and to whom we speak or write, as the case may be? Have we children at school to whom we write, earnestly and faithfully, and whose longing after absent parents gives weight to our loving counsels? There are brothers and sisters, relatives, dependants, and friends:-ah! it is not easy to say where our responsibility terminates! Are our lips sealed? Let us pray till Jesus makes the dumb to speak, and till the abundance of a full heart can be restrained no longer.

There are other things which may be done by individual Christians, with less painful effort and yet greater result. The early closing movement sets a multitude of young people at liberty at the early hour of seven; and when, aimless and friendless, they pour out into the streets on a winter's evening, what but evil can result? Are there not many Christian women who, instead of spending their evenings in working and reading alone, could gather some of these wanderers under their wing? And if many would thus take the oversight of a few, how great and blessed might be the result.

And as it regards the youths similarly situated, many would gladly and gratefully be taught what they do not know, or aided in intellectual improvement, and would be more accessible to the gentle influence of Christian women than to any other.

Shall I venture to speak of the poor men who, in thousands, leave the iron yards, or dock yards, or glass-houses, of our busy. city at dark, and resort to public houses because they have no other shelter or pursuit? Many are intelligent and vigorous thinkers, as capable of appreciating kindness, and of repaying effort, as those other "English hearts and hands," whose annals