affecting not to perceive them, un- | judgment and the eternal world. The converfation was long-it was interefting. This interefting. Perditus found that he had completely laid himfelf open to a man, on whom he had thought himself to be ludicrously playing. He was fometimes confounded and afhamed; fometimes for a moment angry; fometimes alarm to change the ferious difcourfe into merriment. He was told, that unless there was a reformation from reflecting on religion and its inftitutions, there must be a total dif continuance of thofe focial interviews to which they had been accuftomed. The refult was that Perditus engaged to call the next day at the Clergyman's houfe and fix his refolutions. He called as he had engaged. He acknowledged that he had not treated the Clergyman with the refpect of politenefs, promifed to refrain in his prefence from any future infinuations againft religion, and defired him to vifit his houfe as a friend and a gentleman; but at the fame time avowed his utter difbelief of til he had obtained a thorough acquaintance with his heart. This being thoroughly obtained, the Clergyman requefted Perditus to fpend with him a day in the folitary fields, with which he complied. When removed from all other eyes and in the folitude of a grove, the Clergyman acquainted Perdi-ed; and did at fome times attempt tus with the object he had in view, which was to converfe freely with him on the things of God, of religion and eternity. Perditus, little fufpecting any thing of this kind, was for a few moments angry, but foon became calm and agreed to hear. The Clergyman then ftated the manner of their acquaintance, and acknowledged perfect civility of treatment, in every refpect, except the fneers which he had often thrown out against the truths, duties, inftitutions, minifters and profeffors of religion. That he had always feen and felt these things, though Perditus had fuppofed him ignorant and unfeel ing under the most bitter reflections. That he had often affected this want of difcernment out of tender-religion, of the word of God, andnefs to the feelings of the wife of the fincerity of Chriftian profeffors Perditus, who was often prefent in general. On this being fo freely at their converfations. She be- owned, the minifter again begged lieved in the reality of religion, him to review, for that poffibly he although fhe was not pious. Per- might yet obtain a conviction of ditus had ridiculed the Clergyman, the truth. in his own profane circle, as being a man who could not refent; but was now confounded to find that his motives were tenderness to the feelings of his own family. The Clergyman now proceeded to ftate before him, in the most folemn and affectionate manner, the great truths of religion; its natural and revealed evidence; his own character, neglects, impiety, and ingratitude to the Lord of all his bounties; and enforced thefe truths by the folemnities of death, To which he refolutely replied, "I wish your company as a man, but I charge you never to fpeak to me again on the fubject of religion-yca more never to pray for me, unless I fpecially afk you," and thus they parted. 6 It was not long after this before Perditus was fmitten with a deep decline, and all fpectators faw marks of approaching death on his vifage. He flruggled, but in vaih, for a fpecdy confinement enfued. The Clergyman deliberating on the cafe, concluded to conduct as will be related. on not pray that God would forgive my fins." But you have always He called often as a neighbour, denied that you were a finner-I converfed of his complaints, and have prayed for you as a finner in endeavored by every means to af my clofet, but if you spoke true, fuage the pains of his body and you could not fincerely join with confole the afflicted family; but me in praying for you as a finner; never faid any thing of religion. I fhall however gladly now do it if Thefe vifits were daily made, but you feel yourfelf to be fuch. He without any thing of a very ferious affented that he did; but faid that nature. On a certain day, the he did not fee the need of a SaClergyman had barely returned viour, for if God was difpofed to home, before a meffenger followed forgive he might do it without. to recal him. He returned, when He was told that a Chriftian minPerditus told him. "You kind-ifter could not pray God to forly vifit me, but fay nothing of re- give finners in any other way than ligion, why is this?" The anfwer through the Saviour, whom he was, you have forbidden me ever had appointed. And was left in to fpeak to you on fuch fubjects, a state of great agitation. In fubI wait but your permiffion and re- fequent vifits he strongly urged for ligion fhall in future be the fubject prayer that God would forgive his of our difcourfe. To which he fins without a mediator, but as this replied, "converfe with me on the could not be granted he feemed religion of nature, but not for a few days to determine that Christianity." The direction was he would throw away all fenfe of followed, and the religion of na-his finfulness. his finfulness. ture was for feveral days the fubject of difcourfe, without a word faid of Jefus Chrift or the peculiar doctrines of the Gofpel. Perditus ftill denied that he or any other men were finners. After a fhort feafon Perditus enquired, why do you not offer to pray with me, as you do with others who are fick. The former anfwer was given, you have forbid me, and I cannot do it until you make the request. I wish it, faid Perditus. For what fhall Į pray, for any thing more, than that you may recover? To which he replied, that is the great thing at prefent. Prayer was feveral times made according to his direction, and confined to the matter of his recovery. After feveral paffing days, Perditus faid, "Why do you not pray with me as you do with other people?" The minifter anfwered, in what refpects do I differ? He answered you do However, as the certainty of death was becoming more apparent, the struggle in his mind grew more terrible, and an accufing confcience denied him all peace. Two days before his death he urgently fent for the minifter, and requested prayer that God would forgive him for the fake of Jefus Chrift. He faid that he faw God's difpleafure against him to be fo great, that none but a Saviour of infinite power could deliver him from the ruin into which he was falling, and he now repeated the name of Chrift with as much urgency as he had before blafphemed him. At the time he was brought to this confeffion a number of his infidel companions were listening to his dying words. They confeffed him to be in the full exercife of reafon, and until now had triumphed in their looks, expecting that his death would be an evidence for infidelity. But when they heard him fupplicating for mercy in the name of Chrift, the confufion of feveral was beyond defcription, and they quickly difperfed from the fcene of diftrefs. He confeffed to the minifter that the manner he had taken of leaving all to his own confcience, and neither converfing or praying further than his own particular requeft, had awfully alarmed him, and it feemed to be continually founded in his ears, my blood muft and will be required at my own hands. Until the time of becoming infenfible he heared eagerly, but had no alleviations of diftrefs. Thus he died and went to his long home, a monument of the folly of rejecting the gofpel of Chrift. What multitudes live in carelefsnefs and difbelief and dic in fear! They will not hear until it be too late. The pride of their hearts and their love of fin makes them reject even the gofpel of grace, and they fall under the awful denunciation, "Because I have called, and ye refused; I have ftretched out my hand and no man regarded; but ye have fet at nought all my counfels and would none of my reproof. I alfo will laugh at your calamity and mock when your fear cometh; when your fear cometh as defolation and your deftruction as a whirlwind. Then fhall they call upon me but I will not anfwer; they fhall feek me early but they fhall not find me." ANECDOTES. A SCEPTIC once converfing with a plain, honeft Chriftian and thinking to filence him by banter and knotty queftions, afked him, "What his God was?" He anfwered, “A Spirit ?" Then he enquired of him, "How large he was?" He replied, "So large as to fill immenfity, and fo fmall as to dwell in the humble and contrite heart." CARDINAL Hosius, who, under Pope Pius IV. prefided at that infamous council of Trent, in which all the abominable errors and fuperftitions of the papal church were confirmed, when death approached, feems to have dreaded a dependence on his own righteoufnefs, although he had before pleaded for it. In his last will are these words, "I approach the throne of thy grace, O father of mercies and of all confolation, to the end that I may obtain mercy, and find grace in thy fight! I am not worthy that thou fhouldest behold me with the eyes of thy majefty; but, as it is moft worthy, that for the fake of his death and paffion thou shouldest not only look upon me but crown me alfo; it is therefore that I come unto thee, moft dear Father, and that without any merits but thofe ineftimable ones of thy fon Jefus Christ, my Lord and my Redeemer. I bring thee the merit of that death, wherein alone I place all my hope and my confidence that is my righteoufnefs, my fatisfaction, my redemption, and my propitiation. The death of the Lord is my merit." THE laft hours of the unhappy Voltaire afford a lively comment on the wretched condition in which infidelity leaves its deluded advocates, as to the ftate of their own fouls. Though he had for a long courfe of years, employed both genius and learning, in the impious effort of erecting a fortrefs on the foundation of Atheism, which should be tenable against the artillery of a guilty confcience, and A remarkable Converfion. THE Lord' has various means bring about his own gracious purposes, and fometimes condefcends to make use of incidents, apparently trifling, to accomplish his most important defigns. The truth of this remark may be exemPhy-plified in the following fact: BOER HAVE, the celebrated fician, through life, confecrated the first hour after he rose in the morning to meditation and prayer; declaring that from thence he derived vigor and aptitude for bufinefs; together with equanimity under provocation and a perfect conqueft over his irafcible paffions. A young gentleman of high connections and great refpectability, was induced by gay acquaintance to accompany them to a place of amufement. Arrived at the fcene of diffipation, the feftive company proceeded to their amusement. In the midst of their enjoyment, as though a messenger had been fent immediately from heaven, the clock ftruck one. That ftriking paffage of Dr. Young's inftantly rufh'd upon his mind: "The bell ftrikes one-we take no note of time But from its lofs-to give it then a tongue It is the fignal that demands dispatch. How much is to be done? My hopes and fears Start up alarm'd, and o'er life's nar row verge ANAmerican philofopher, who profeffedly acknowledges the divine authenticity of the books of Mofes, yet to fupport a favorite hypothefis, afcribes all the miracles which he has recorded to the mere agency of fecond caufes, lately, on a paffage from New-Haven to New-York-while fpouting on his Is wife in man. As if an angel spoke, favorite theme, was mildly accof-It is the knell of my departed hours. I feel the folemn found; if heard aright ted by a lady;—" Sir, if your Where are they? With the years bereafoning be juft, how do you ac- yond the flood. count for the bufh that Mofes faw, which burned with fire ?"-The philofopher, confident of his ability, quickly replied "That, madam, was a phenomenon confiftent with the principles of philofophy. Mofes was then on the fide of a mountain. Subterraneous fires often break out on the fides of mountains; and fuch was the fire in the bufh, which Mofes faw."-The lady fuperior to the fophiftry of the philofopher, fweetly replied "But fir, fubterraneous fires confume. The fire which Mofes faw confumed not the bufh; for Mofes faid, I will now turn afide, and fee this great fight, why the bufh is not burnt." The paffengers-oh leave thefe deluding phanhouted the Lady's victory. toms of an hour, and employ the Look down on what? a fathomless abyfs, A dread eternity." Conviction feized the youth, and alarmed and terrified he inftantly left the diffipated throng, and retired to his closet. The refult was a faving change, and he is now a Chriftian indeed, in whom is no guile. Reader, art thou an admirer of the fashionable follies of the age? Remember they lead to the chambers of eternal death. Leave then feeking for thofe realities-unfading pleafures and eternal joys! Religious Intelligence, uncertain moments left thee, in | particular nature has been received from Europe refpecting the Socie ty. The following sketches contain all the information the Editors have to communicate. The Directors notwithstanding the dif couraging circumftances of the capture of the Duff and the partial failure of the Miffion to Otaheite, ftil continue to make every exertion in their power to promote the important defign for which the Society was inftituted. A number of Miffionaries failed laft fpring for the Islands in the South Sea, with a view of joining the brethren already there or of establishing themfelves in other places. In March laft two Miffionaries left England for Canada in confequence of applications from a number of inhabitants of Quebec and Montreal. The Directors have a young man now learning the Arabic language, with an exprefs view of going on a miflion to the interior part of Africa. Late difpatches from Doct. Vanderkemp and his affociates at the Cape of Good Hope, offer a profpect which is very flattering. And from recent communications from a Miffionary who went to the Eaft Indies, it appears probable that before this time he has fixed upon a favorable fpot for the commencement of his Miffionary labors. N Friday the 8th of Auguft, Mr. David Bacon left Hartford with a view of vifiting the Indian tribes bordering on Lake Erie, according to a refolve of the Trustees of the Miffionary Society of Connecticut, noticed in our Magazine for July. Previous to his departure he was examined by the Committee of Miffions, who highly approving of him as qualified for fuch a miffion, unanimoufly appointed him to that service and by prayer, commended him to the divine bleffing. It is expected he will obtain a guide and interpreter at New-Stockbridge or fomewhere in that neighborhood, and then proceed on to the fouth weft part of Lake Erie and vifit the Indian tribes in that quarter. It is prefumed that he will have the prayers of all good people for a bleffing on his labors ! About the fame time Mr. Robert Porter and Mr. Jofiah B. Andrews, entered on a Miffion to the New Settlements; the former to the western and northern parts of Vermont, and the latter to the fettlements on the rivers Delaware and Sufquehannah, in the ftate of Pennfylvania and the adjacent fet-rimental piety. Many focieties tlements in the state of New-York. London Miffionary Society. IN our first number we gave a general hiftory of the proceedings of the Miffionary Society of London to the commencement of the present year. No late intelligence of a very Great exertions are making in various parts of England and Scotland, and alfo in Holland, to promote evangelical truths and expe and affociations are formed with a view of inftructing the children of the poor in religious knowledge and of diffeminating a variety of religious tracts; and indeed the people of God in those countries were never more engaged to promote a knowledge and love of the truth, than at prefent. |