While God invites, how blest the day, salem, “There is none to guide her, among all the 4. And here the illustration fails. There will be sons whom she has brought forth." And how can no other train for the finally impenitent. The negli it be otherwise? The children of the Church-those gent traveller can go to-morrow, but alas for the who should prove her bulwarks and defenders-how negligent sinner! his to-morrow may never come. often are they suffered to grow up in ignorance of Then the way of life; with little or no religious instruction at home, by example they are taught that the favour of the world is life. They know nothing of the grounds of their faith; the Bible and Catechism are not studied by them; they can give no answer to the question, "Why am I a Presbyterian?" they attend the services of the sanctuary as a mere form, and as soon as possible, either abandon it altogether, or go over to the more attractive and fashionable church of the day. CUMEA. For the Home and Foreign Record. See that man who is just too late, or the other, who was sitting quietly at his breakfast when he heard the departing signal. Neither can believe he is in fault. Oh no! his watch is right. The conductor hurried the train; the agent's watch is out of order. He feels as if there has been a conspiracy to delude and vex him. He is positively fretted; he blames everybody except himself, and he only is to blame. Good humour may be restored, as he reflects-It cannot be helped; I must just take the next train. But very great and permanent evils may result. He has learned a lesson, and will be in time to-morrow. Let us moralize on this very usual event. 1. There has been an error. His watch was wrong after all. He did not take care to set it by the true standard. Men fail of success because they adopt wrong principles. They fail to become pious people of God, because they will not consult his standard. They blame the Bible, the Church, the ministry; anything, anybody, everything, everybody, rather than self. 2. Our sincere belief that we are right will not save us. God has a certain fixed, immutable, and holy law. If we follow its teachings, we shall grow wiser and better; but if we follow our own notions, he makes no provision for our faults; we are just left to suffer. 3. There are favoured times for obtaining God's favour. When the Spirit strives and calls, and the word is sinking in our hearts, in the accepted time, and the day of salvation, we should be ready. While we are tarrying and halting, the hour may pass. We flatter ourselves that our time will answer-that we shall not be too late; and ere we are aware, the accepted hour passes away unimproved, and when we call, he will not answer. How sweet the gospel's charming sound! "Come, sinner, haste! oh haste away, While yet a pardoning God is found." A CHILD'S PRAYER. Brighter than the spring-time blushes, Were the voice and cheek so fair Like a white lamb of the meadow, Climbing through the light; Seemed she, saying, "Holy One, "I AM STRONG IN HIM." Rev. Mr. McLeod of Scotland, recently addressing the London Missionary Society, related the following anecdote, which is richly illustrative of the Christian faith, and full of beautiful and touching pathos: "The other day I was requested by a brother minister, who was unwell, to go and visit a dying child. He told me some `remarkable things of this boy, eleven years of age, who, during three years' sickness, had manifested the most patient submis sion to the will of God, with a singular enlightenment of the Spirit. I went to visit him. The child had suffered excruciating pain; for years he had not known one day's rest. I gazed with wonder st the boy. After drawing near to him, and speaking some word of sympathy, he looked at me with his blue eyes-he could not move-it was the night be fore he died—and breathed into my ear these few words: I am strong in Him.' The words were few, and uttered feebly. They were the words of a feeble child, in a poor home, where the only ornament was that of a meek and quiet, and affectionate mother; and these words seemed to lift the burden from the very heart; they seemed to make the world more beautiful than ever it was before; they brought home to my heart a great and blessed truth. May you, sir, and I, and every one else be strong in Him!'" Jewett ANNUAL STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS BY THE Fiscal Year, from April 1st, 1853, to April 1st, 1854. uting churches annually. SYNOD OF ALBANY. Pby of Londonderry. what Here 13 00 22 00 Baskenridge 40 00 11 00 Elizabethport 20 00 10 00 Elizabethtown 1st 250 00 138 53 Lamington 77 00 Liberty Corner 24 00 202 53 Mount Freedom 25 00 New Providence 50 00 New Vernon 21 00 SYNOD OF NEW YORK. Pluckemin 20 00 |