HEADS OF FAMILIES!-Is the Altar of God erected in your houses? There is no Pagan but keeps a wooden, or some other idol in his house. There is no Mahometan but spreads his tiger's or leopard's skin, or some other cushion, before his door; and at sun-rise, and noonon-day, and sun-set, pays his devotion to a God unknown and a false prophet. And can it be, that you wear the Christian name, and have no worship in your family? Delay it no longer-break through this long neglect at once, for if all the families in our country become what yours has been, she will soon be destroyed like Nineveh, and Babylon, and Jerusalem of old.

SABBATH BREAKERS! For the love of God, and for the love of your own souls, and for the love of your country, leave your bed, rise from your fire-side, cast your newspaper at the back of the fire, and come to the house of God.

PARENTS!--Remember Eli, whose sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not. Do all that is possible and right to deter your children from that which is evil, and bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

YOUNG PEOPLE!-Do you wish to live long and to see good days? Remember that "righteousness exalteth a nation." If, when but young, you give yourselves up to vice-to swearing-bad company-playing in the streets and fields, or roaming about on the Lord's-day-what will you be when you become men and women ? If you do these things in a green tree, what will be done in the dry. O leave the beguiling ways of sin-throng the Sunday School, and the house of God-love and obey your parentsturn from sin and turn to God. Jesus Christ is a most merciful, gracious, and almighty Saviour; but if you despise him and his ways, you will bring his wrath upon your country and upon your sonls.

ARE YOU RICH ?-Be kind and bountiful to the poor: hide not your face from your own flesh. You are stewards and not proprietors of that which you possess-and it will soon be said to you, "give an account of thy stewardship."

ARE YOU POOR?-Whence does your poverty arise? Is it from sickness or adversity? and not from extravagance or vice. Look to God for help; he has all hearts in his hands-murmur not against him-do not entertain hard and grievous thoughts of your richer neighbours-do not listen to the counsel of evil and designing men -use all lawful means for your relief, and make known your dis tress to an almighty Friend, for he will hear and help you.

MASTERS,-Give unto your servants that which is just and equal, and forget not that ye have a master in heaven. SERVANTS and work-people, be faithful, diligent, and conscientious, and God will bless the labour of your hands.

Let us all cultivate brotherly love and humbleness of mindLet us put to silence and to shame all who would disturb the peace of the country, and who wish to throw society into confusion, only that they may scramble amongst the spoil. Let us obey the laws. Let us thank God that he hath put it into the hearts of those in authority, to call us to prayer and humiliation before him. Let us second so wise, so reasonable, and so devout a proposition with all our hearts. Let us hope well for our country. We have now begun to pray-now we may hope to amend, and that in exact proportion to the sincerity of our national humiliation.

CHRISTIANS!-You have long been convinced that the cause of our national afflictions is sin-and that the only remedy is sincere repentance. Be much in prayer for a general and abundant outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon our favoured land! You will thank God for this proposition to pray.-You will reverence your rulers for it. You will never join in the profane raillery of disaffected men, who affect to think scorn of any proposition of a religious kind if it is made by any but themselves.

CHRISTIANS, exert yourselves. REGARD THIS NATIONAL ACT

AS A NATIONAL WARNING OF THE MOST SOLEMN KIND.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.-Amen. Yours affectionately,

Bierley, Jan. 5, 1831.

SELECT PASSAGE.

G. 8. BULL.

I am afraid men dying in their sins, do not firmly believe that they shall have any resurrection. But let sinners know, 'tis not the grave can hold them when the day of assize comes, and the judge calls the prisoners to the bar. The grave was never intended to be a sanctuary to defend sinners from the hand of justice, but a close prison to secure them against the day of trial, that they may be forth coming. Then shall they be digged out of their burrows and dragged out of their holes, to answer their contempt of Christ and his grace.

ARTHUR FOSTER, PRINTER, KIRKBY LONSDALE.

FRIENDLY VISITOR.

No. CXLXIII.]

JUNE, 1831.

[VOL. XIII.

CONVERSATIONS OF OLD WILLIAM T-, OF S-, NEAR HALIFAX, DURING HIS LAST ILLNESS.

William T- had lived as a humble and consistent Christian for many years, though little known even by those who would have valued him most; but "his life was hid with Christ in God;" and as the time drew near that he should die, an increased experience of the exceeding riches of divine grace was granted to him, with new and enlarged powers of utterance, to make them known for the benefit of those around him.

In the middle of November, 1830, his end appeared to be drawing very near; and it was very difficult to understand what he said, except a few broken sentences or single words, enough to shew that where his treasure was, there was his heart also. They were such as these, "Christ-precious-believe-grace-more faith-lovea poor sinner--my Saviour-a joyful thing to know Christ -heaven is mine, but so unworthy--it is mine by faith now-Christ gained it for poor lost sinners--I am one—I keep coming to him-I shall soon go to him-can't tell how soon-the time is his-he's a faithful God-he's all true-he has nought disappointed me he will not—he cannot--you know he has said so." After this, his strength revived for a time; and he was enabled more fully to bear his testimony to the power of real religion in his soul; of which the following expressions uttered at different seasons are among the proofs: "I say 'tis a grand thing to be a child of God-it's more to be desired than thousands of gold and silver, that's all to me now." Speaking of the past, he added; "the more I've asked of God, the more I've always had-the more I've sought, the more I've always found; and it mun be so; for 't is n't said, 'ask, and ye may have; seek, and ye may find;' but, ask, and ye shall have; seek, and ye shall find: so it mun be; I've only to believe." At another time;

"I'm

a poor worm, but Christ has looked on me and saved me-I would love him more than I do-a worm he called his servant Jacob; so I mun be worse than a worm, a needy sinner--that's me!" He was asked, "what have you to say in looking back on the past, William ?" He replied; "aye, I've found the ways of God ways of pleasantness and joy, such as nought can be found away from him." At another time, "sure the unsearchable riches of Christ must mean the promises of God; you know they are all yea and Amen, all true in Christ Jesus; I know they've been riches to me, riches in all my poverty. At another time, "I feel sometimes how I love every body; and it is a very comfortable feeling-I can't think of any body that I've an unkind thought of-that's wonderful-it wasn't always so-I hope it is because I love Christ, who loved the whole world-aye, I only wish the whole world loved him back again." Another day; "well, I say grace is a glorious thing-once it was nought to me, and Christ was nought to me-now it is my allit's my whole desire--we've only to ask for grace-'tis paid for, for us--it's all free to us-sure it's a gain way of getting it only by asking and believing-but you know it is so-it mun be so." ." The next day his sufferings were great in various ways; but the same grace of which he had been speaking was practically evinced by the meekness and patience with which he endured them; and when asked, "how are you to-day, William ?" he replied; 66 aye, I'm just as God wishes me to be, and that's best for me. Christ is just to me all that I can want-he's always fulfilling his promise-I've never ought to do, but to tell him my wants, and he gives me all-he gives me himself. It is hard work to flesh and blood to be heaving so for breath, but I hope God will give me patience till the end. I know he will, for he says he will succour those who are tempted; and he's not a man that he should lie, nor the son of man that he should repent. He'll sure make a way to escape, that we may be able to bear it while its upon us, and he'll one day make me a way to escape from this poor body, and that will be the most blessed thing." Another day speaking of the value of the Bible to him now,

he added; "Ilig me here, and remember his word, and that's a blessed thing that I can do so-there's here a precept and there a precept; and here's a promise and there's a promise—all working one along with the other, and all for one end-our everlasting life-God is faithful-he can't give up his word-I'm nought only weakness in myself, I'm nought but weakness, but I can feel that God is carrying on his own work in my heart, though I'm not always alike to myself; yet he'll perform his work-it always has been so it is so-it mun be so." And in alluding to his many past omissions, and his increasing sense of his own sinfulness, when he examined his heart by God's holy law, he said; "I do desire to be made low and contrite-we mun not be always at top of the tree, God will have us down to lig beneath it, and to gather bitter herbs from off the ground." Again, "God has different ways of dealing with his people-some he brings into his kingdom all by terrors, and others he brings in all by love." It was asked, "and how was it with you, William ?” "Oh! it was all by love."

On January 12th, there was again every appearance of death in him, especially during the night: and when it was enquired next morning," how did you feel last night when you thought yourself just going?" he replied, "well, ma'am, I had the sweet hope to say, 6 come, Lord Jesus;' but it did not please him so to do; and you know it mun be his time, it mun be; but he gives me such liberty and comfort while he keeps me waiting for him, that I cannot be discontent:" (and then, as if addressing himself to the Saviour in ejaculation, he went on without a pause, and putting his hands in the posture of prayer) "how is it, Lord, that thou shouldst do so; for I've been an unfaithful, unprofitable servant to thee ?" It was said to him, "he doth not deal with us after our sins, nor reward us after our iniquities; for if he should mark our iniquities, who can stand?" Old William continued; "but there is mercy with Jesus the Saviour, that he may be feared." Prayer was then offered for him; and when concluded, he said; "glory be to God, prayer is a sacrifice well pleasing and acceptable to him;