tion and promise, which engages that the unbelieving husband shall be won by the believing wife :

"A lady, who at the time of her marriage had been, like her husband, gay and thoughtless, and taken up only with the pleasures of the world, became by Divine grace an exemplary Christian; but her husband remained unchanged, and was a lover of sinful pleasure. When spending an evening as usual with his jovial companions at a tavern, the conversation happened to turn on the excellences and faults of their wives. He pronounced the highest encomiums on his wife, saying she was all that was excellent, only she was a Methodist; 'notwithstanding which,' said he, 'were I to take you, gentlemen, home with me at midnight, and order her to rise and get you a supper, she would do it with the utmost cheerfulness!' The company regarded this merely as a vain boast, and dared him to make the experiment by a considerable wager. The bargain was made, and about midnight the company adjourned as proposed. Being admitted, 'Where is your mistress?' said the husband to the maid-servant, who sat up for him. She is gone to bed, sir.' 'Call her up,' said he. Tell her I have brought some friends home with me, and that I desire she would prepare them a supper.' The good woman obeyed the unreasonable summons; dressed, came down, and received the company with perfect civility: told them she happened to have some chickens ready for the spit,

and that supper should be got as soon as possible. It

was accordingly served up, when she performed the honours of the table with as much cheerfulness as if she had expected them at a reasonable hour.

“After supper, the guests could not refrain from expressing their astonishment. One of them particularly, more sober than the rest, thus addressed himself to the lady: Madam,' said he, 'your civility fills me with surprise.

Our unreasonable visit is the consequence of a wager, which we have certainly lost.

As

you are a very religious person, and cannot, therefore, approve of our conduct, give me leave to ask, what can possibly induce you to behave with so much kindness to us?' 'Sir,' replied she, 'when I married, my husband and myself were both unconverted. It has pleased God to call me out of that condition. My husband continues in it. I tremble for his future state. Were he to die as he is, he must be miserable for ever I think it my duty at least to render his present existence as comfortable as possible.'

"This wise and faithful reply affected the whole company. It left a deep impression on the husband's mind. 'Do you, my dear,' said he, 'really think I should be eternally miserable? I thank you for the warning. By the grace of God I will change my conduct.' From that time he became a changed man; and his faithful wife enjoyed the reward of her fidelity and patience in the Christian fellowship of a believing husband."

In contrast to this, the following anecdote is not less pleasing:

A man once came to the Rev. Jonathan Scott of Matlock, complaining of his wife. He said she was so exceedingly ill-tempered, and so studiously tormented him in such a variety of ways, that she was the great burden of his life. Mr. Scott exhorted him to try what a redoubled affection and kindness would do. He went away much dejected, resolving, however, if possible, to follow this advice. He accordingly increased his attention; and, as an instance of his kindness, the next Saturday evening brought to his wife his whole week's wages, and, with an affectionate smile, threw them into her lap, begging her entire disposal of them. This did not succeed: she threw the wages, in a passion, accompanied with many bitter execrations, at his head.

Years elapsed, during which he sustained, as patiently as he could, this wicked and undutiful treatment, when Providence favoured him with another interview with his kind friend, Mr. Scott; but, he said, he believed he had really found out a remedy, which, if it should meet Mr. Scott's approbation, would not fail of effecting a cure; for it had been tried by a neighbour of his on a wife, who, though she had been in all respects as bad as his, was, by one application only, become one of the most obedient and affectionate creatures living. what is this excellent remedy?" said Mr. Scott. sir, it is a good horse-whipping! You hear, sir, what

"And

Why,

good effects have been produced; do you think I may venture to try it?"

Mr. Scott replied, "I read, my friend, nothing about husbands horse-whipping their wives in the Bible, but just the reverse; namely, love, which I before recommended; and I can by no means alter the word of God: but I doubt not, if you persevere, it will be attended with a happy result." This advice was accompanied with exhortations to more earnest prayer. The man, though he left Mr. Scott both with a mind and countenance very different from those with which he came, resolved to follow his direction, as his esteem for him was very great; and Providence calling Mr. Scott some time after to preach at Birmingham, his old friend, who then resided there, came into the vestry to him after he had concluded the service, and with a countenance expressive of exalted happiness, said that he should have reason to bless God through eternity for the advice he had given him; and that he had not been induced, by his weak importunities, to alter or relax it; adding, that his wife, who then stood smiling with approbation by his side, was not only become a converted woman, through a blessing on his kind attentions to her, but was one of the most affectionate and dutiful of wives.

To this we may add the following simple little incident :

"A decent countrywoman," says an English divine, came to me one market day, and begged to speak with me. She told me with an air of secrecy, that her husband behaved unkindly to her, and sought the company of other women; and that, knowing me to be a wise man, I could tell what would cure him. The remedy is simple, said I, always treat your husband with a smile. The woman thanked me, dropped a courtesy, and went away. A few months after, she came again, bringing a couple of fine fowls. She told me, with great satisfaction, that I had cured her husband; and she begged my acceptance of the fowls in return."

This was the victory of love in one of its sweetest forms, and, at the same time, one of the most pleasing examples of the reward of patience. Be not weary in well-doing, is the Divine maxim; for, in due season,

ye shall reap, if ye faint not. A simple instance of the reward of conjugal affection shows, in like manner, the force of generous self-denial. It is exceedingly simple, yet not the less fitted to instruct, and furnish us with an example for our guidance :

"The wife of a pious man told him one day, that if he did not give over running after the missionaries, a name often applied, in the neighbourhood where this event occurred, to Christian ministers of different denominations, she would certainly leave him. Finding that he continued obstinate, she, on one occasion,