pired, his master giving up business, of being better he only grew worse. his father was consequently obliged to He suffered greatly from rheumatism; seek another situation for him; he was and from the many sleepless hours he recommended to place him where I passed, we might naturally suppose then lived-being at a distance to es- had frequent opportunities of reviewcape his old companions; his father ing his past life; he at last became accordingly apprenticed him to my very unhappy, and would obtain laudaemployer for the remainder of his time. | num frequently to cause him to sleep, I always found him a very pleasant which did not refresh him; yet, while and intelligent companion. He was suffering so much bodily as well as passionately fond of reading, and well- mental pain, he would not neglect buinformed on most subjects; he had a siness. He was generally liked; but great knowledge of the Scriptures, when any one displeased him, he which, instead of having a softening would curse and swear in such an influence, was rendered, by the enemy awful manner, that any one who in of souls, a means by which he should the least degree believed in a final become more hardened. He read the judgment would tremble for the conseworks and lives of infidels, which at quences. last rendered him such a confirmed infidel, that he could not bear any one to speak to him on the subject of religion. One night he had a singular dream; upon his diseased imagination the following illusion had a powerful effect: "JOSEPH THOMAS HORNER, JANUARY 25TH, 1845," away. About a week after, another warning was given: he was shaking hands with an individual rather roughly, and in so doing he burst a blood-vessel; the sight of blood so alarmed him, that he ran to the doctor, who succeeded in stopping it. On an examination of his lungs they were found to be diseased, and that he was in a consumption, which would terminate only in death. He was ordered home for a few days, to see if the change of air would do any good. He soon apparently recovered, and returned to business; but instead I well remember one evening, when we were in business rather late, Satan had such a power over him that it appeared as though nothing could stop him in his awful language; I said to him, "Where do you think you would go to if God at this moment were to strike you down?" "Where should I go to? why, I should go to hell! Well, and if I do, what will it matter? I can stand fire!" The reader will easily perceive to what an extent the power of Satan was exercised; he is thus exercising his power over myriads-Christians, do you watch and pray? Whilst in the house of God he would be apparently reading "Milton's Paradise Lost" (which he knew by heart) during the whole time of the sermon, to cause people to believe he would not listen to the words of truth. After having heard a solemn sermon, I have said to him, "How did you like the sermon ?" He would reply: "I never found any minister yet that could come home to my heart, for I am proof against them all." He continued in this awful state till Jan. 17th, 1845, when there were some revival-meetings held in connection with the Independent Chapel. The last of these was held on Friday evening, the 17th of January; and as such he, out of curiosity, thought he would go after business hours, and see what they were doing. He had just gone in, and seated himself in the only vacant place, when the minister began by saying, "I cannot close these meetings without saying a few words to the unconverted." If the minister had known the life of that young man, his remarks could not have been more appropriate. The Spirit of God accompanied them, and carried conviction and fear to his heart. Like unto the prophet of old, who said unto the king, Thou art the man!" his word, indeed, wielded by the | Spirit, proved to be as a "hammer which could break the rock in pieces." My word shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that unto which I have sent it." tree, we poured out our hearts to God in prayer for the forgiveness of our sins, and for strength to follow him henceforth through evil and good report, determining, in the strength of the Lord, that nothing on earth should prevent us. Pursuing our walk to the Downs, we were again on our knees, (heedless of the dampness of the grass,) pouring out our hearts to him who never sent an humble suppliant away. On the following Sunday he went to the seven o'clock prayer-meeting, which he continued to do till too ill. A kind friend noticed him and entered into him to go on, and never mind the world, but keep close to God, and seek the guidance of his Holy Spirit. In this way he continued to go on; he was led to see more and more his own sinfulness in the sight of God, and to wonder and admire His mercy towards such a worm of the dust. In fact, the progress of the work of grace was so very rapid that his friends concluded he must be either ripening for glory, or that he would be a bright and shining light in this dark world. After it was over, I met him; and he said, "Well, I never liked Mr. T-s before, but now I do for being so faith-conversation with him, and encouraged ful." He soon went to bed, but not to sleep, for he could not rest one moment all night; he had been deeply wounded with the arrows of conviction, which soon brought him to cry with the publican, "God be merciful to me a sinner!" which prayer was never left unanswered. All the next day he was in the same state. He had received a letter from a Christian relative, six months previous, the contents of which he suspecting to be of a serious nature, put it in his box unread. At this time he was influenced to take it out and read it; and from the perusal of which he appeared to derive some comfort. We were talking all the day about the Spirit striving with man; he felt that the Spirit was striving with him, and he could not get away from his influence. In this state of mind he continued all day, every action of his past life rushing upon him like so many waves beating upon the rocks; his agitation of mind was so great that he appeared more like a madman than a sensible being. I asked him what was the matter. "Ah," said he, 66 if you were to sin for twenty years, you could not sin as I have done; I have sinned against God, which now comes before me, and I tremble at the very thought." "This will not do," said I," to talk here; we will meet after business is over." This we agreed to. We both met and walked into the fields, conversing on the features of our past lives, what dreadful ones we had been leading; and were led to wonder that God had not cut us both down. Approaching a He was taken one night with violent pains in his side, and spitting of blooda sure sign of the return of the complaint under which he was labouring, and the certainty of its taking him off; continuing so the doctor was sent for, who ordered him to be kept very quiet. His sufferings were great; but in all this he praised God and blessed him that he did not cut him off the summer before. He would beg and entreat me to keep close to Jesus, and not mind what the world said of me, but to be firm in the strength of the Lord. The doctor perceiving that there was no likelihood of his recovery, persuaded his friends to take him home without delay, or he would likely breathe his last before he reached his home, Bristol. Before he went he wished to see the minister, whose message had been blessed to his soul; his wish was complied with, and he asked him to promise that, in the event of his death, he would preach a sermon from the words "The eleventh hour," and to endeavour to impress deeply upon the minds of Think'st thou to be conceal'd, thou little seed The trembling bud, the flower that scents the air; The evil or the good that in thy nature dwells. Think'st thou to be conceal'd, thou little thought, A secret work? Look to the hues that roll Thy lineage plain before the noon-day sun; How vain thy trust in darkness to repose, Where all things tend to judgment. So beware, Oh, erring human heart! what thoughts thou lodgest there. dozen persons, who were perishing for lack of knowledge, were brought together to hear the advice and prayers of those kind friends who were lamenting over their lost condition. Similar meet and there is abundant reason to believe THE CHRISTIAN'S GRAND 2 PET. i. 5-11. I. A valuable possession supposed: "Precious faith” saving of the heart, not merely intellectual. The gift of God imparted by the Holy Spirit in the use of means. II. An exhortation given: peace. To this end they resolved to invite a few of their poor neighbours to take tea with them, hoping thereby to have an opportunity of pointing them to Christ, the sinner's friend, and fountain of all happiness. All this, how-ings have been held in other houses, ever, wanted some arranging; nevertheless, they set to work, enlisted their husbands in the cause, and the day of meeting was soon fixed. The time came, so did the villagers, and the room was soon filled. As soon as they had finished tea, and returned thanks to Almighty God for the same, one of the deacons of the chapel walked into the room, and, taking his seat among them, began to address them in a kind and affectionate manner; pointing out the relation existing between man and wife, parents and children, masters and servants, and urging upon them to be dutiful and affectionate, thereby increasing their own happiness as well as the happiness of all around them. This was followed by short addresses from other friends, each bearing in mind the great object of the meeting. After one of the friends had been speaking of what Jesus did for his people; how they were enabled patiently to bear up under the ills of life; and how, instead of feeling angry at an insult, they are led to pity and pray for their enemies; an aged female, with trembling voice, said she could add her testimony to what had been said,-Jesus had been her friend for more than forty years, and she hoped, ere long, to be with him. She then told them, that a short time previous she was coming from the next town by railway, and being an old woman she could not get into the carriage as quick as those who were younger, when a fashionably-dressed young woman pushed disdainfully past her, and almost knocked her down. "Ah!" said the poor old woman," she little thought she was pushing by a king's daughter." Thus an evening was spent, enlivened by suitable hymns, and concluded by appropriate prayer. The whole expense of the meeting did not exceed a few shillings, which was readily subscribed by those who lamented to see their neighbours living without God and without hope in the world. By this means more than a 1. In the maintenance of right principles, even when example is wanting. 2. In the maintenance and avowal of them midst the opposition of enemies. 3. In the maintenance and avowal of them midst the coldness of professed friends. 4. In the defence of truth with spiritual weapons in a Christian spirit. 5. In resisting the wiles and attacks of spiritual enemies. 6. In striving against inward corruptions. (2.) Add knowledge, 1. Of the revealed word of God as a whole, and particularly: 2. Of the necessities of your own hearts. Man is born for both worlds. 3. Of the devices of Satan. 4. Of the requirements of the times in which you live-railroad. 5. Of the moral necessities of those amongst whom you dwell. 6. Of the method of living peaceably with all men, without defection from principle. 7. Of the scriptural plan of making the business of the world subservient to of early forming, and diligently cultivating, the habit of liberality; of beginning to give as soon as a man begins to get; and increasing the amount of his givings in proportion to the increase of his gains. One of the greatest deceptions which men are too apt to practise upon themselves is, to defer being bountiful till their means have greatly increased. This is, indeed, a striking proof of what our Lord calls "the deceitfulness of riches." There is much sound sense and Christian philosophy in the homely rhymes of George Herbert: "Yet in thy thriving still misdoubt some evil, Lest gaining gain on thee, and make thee dim To all things else. Wealth is the conjuror's devil, Whom when he thinks he hath, the devil hath him. Gold thou mayest safely touch; but if it stick Unto thy hands, it woundeth to the quick." If a young and thriving tradesman do not consecrate his increase unto the Lord, he may expect to gain nothing but "harm and loss;" base and filthy lucre, which will prove his bane and poison. His position is one full of danger; and it becomes him diligently to consider who hath said, "No man can serve two masters"-" Ye cannot serve God and Mammon." Neutrality is impossible; and he must choose, and choose speedily, whether of these two he will serve. If he does not resolve in the strength of Divine grace, vigorously to resist what may be called the tradesman's peculiar temptation, to "lay up for himself treasures upon earth," under the specious pretence of providing for his family, he will, in all probability, become, in process of time, one of the votaries of Mammon.-(Life of T. Wilson, by his Son.) CAUTION NECESSARY IN FORMING A JUDGMENT OF THE FUTURE CHARACTER OF YOUTH. SUCH cases as those of Isaac Barrow and Adam Clarke, (and there are many such,) show the folly of pronouncing even a general judgment, adverse to a youth's future prospects in respect of power, before he have completed the seventeenth year of his age; when he shall have passed under that great revolution of his nature, which advances him to the state of manhood; although, therefore, even at the twelfth or fourteenth, he should appear a dull or frivolous boy, beware of slighting him, or treating him diedainfully. Five short years hence he may heavily avenge the wrong. You know not what powers lie latent in him, ready to manifest their life and strength, like seeds which have been deeply buried, but which the revolution of the soil gives more favourable conditions for growth; for his constitution, too, will soon be turned over, as by a ploughshare driven through the whole man. I admit, it may be so as to deteriorate him-to bury plants of virtue, of modesty and meekness, of docility, of filial reverence and paternal affection, and of student-like diligence, by which he was formerly adorned; and in their place to present a crop of the foulest weeds-of arrogance and self-will; of contempt of his father, and his father's house, and his father's faith, and of all the vices which are fostered by the company of the debauched and profligate-so that the erewhile beautiful garden of boyhood shall be changed into a waste of thorns and briers. But when I admit the possibility of a consequence so deplorable, I equally warn the boy-contemner of the possibility of the consequence being directly the reverse; and that that deep-ploughing of his constitution may bring up, and give scope for flourishing, to seeds of powers of greatness, both intellectually and morally, which now lie dormant in the obstruction of the darkness and cold. And when he shall thus display himself to the admiration of the world, your position will be little to be envied, should you, on the occasion of some visit to his father's house, have treated him with contempt. And reflect that the boy is not like the infant; he feels and remembers your slight, and it cannot be inflicted on him with impunity. Let us all, then, be cautious how we treat these boys-they are a great mystery.-Anderson's Sermons, p. 254. |