shall IT be seasoned? Those who should be the salt of the earth, but have lost their savour, and no longer exert any gracious influence upon a dead and graceless world around them, are

"henceforth good for nothing." They are of no use in the world; and though God's sovereign mercy is great, yet their condition is very awful,-for whence shall they again receive grace?

FROM the pointed summit of the Righi, a mountain which rises as in a centre betwixt the valleys of Lucerne, Switz, and Zug, the prospect is as extensive as diversified, and indeed marvellous. Any traveller who has resorted to that peak, has found, if the sky was clear, that his most sanguine expectations were far below the reality, and that, indeed, the Righi view is a splendid one among the numerous panoramas of Switzerland.

"What a magnificent range of wonders!" exclaimed a gentleman who was sitting, where I was myself, on the thick turf, opposite the north part of the view. "How grand, how mighty, how adorable, is the Supreme Author of such things! Indeed, when I consider his works, where is displayed such a wisdom and such an omnipotence, I cannot admit that there are men who do not adore the Almighty, who do not admire the Supreme Being, and who would not commit themselves entirely to the care of his providence. For my part, sir, I declare to you that my deepest feeling is a boundless admiration and the most absolute adoration of that Being who has created such marvellous works, and who supports and keeps them in being; and so gorgeously attires

them with a myriad of beauties. Yes, sir, I desire to be a religious man, indeed! and cannot help feeling a sincere pity towards those who do not acknowledge, exalt, and adore, that God who shows himself so powerfully, both to their eyes and to their minds!"

Traveller. Magnificent, indeed, and really grand and imposing is that scenery; and to God, the almighty creator and preserver of it, let us ascribe praises and adoration. His power is eternal, and the works of his hands proclaim loudly that his wisdom is equal to his sovereign potency. Here, sir, we could be neither too deeply impressed nor too humbly abased. But pray, sir, are you not a painter? Did I not see you, yesterday afternoon, drawing the entrance of the forest?

Painter.-I am one, indeed, sir; and so the more do I value the beauties of nature, since I am led to contemplate both their forms and their colours. And as I told you, sir, I cannot understand a man who does not adore the Maker of that astonishing landscape.

Traveller.—And yet, sir, in that rapturous concert of so various voices, which rises from those alps, mountains, forests, lakes, valleys, and wide perspec

tives, there is not a single note, an accent addressed to the soul of a poor sinner. No, sir, we do not hear from all that immense nature, even one sound of grace. The name of Jesus, sir, is not written upon it!

Painter. What, sir, is not God, is not the Maker of that rich nature, an all-good Being? and when I adore him, humbling myself before his awful majesty, does he not receive with good will, and if it be needful, with mercy, the solemn homage of my mind? Is not my admiration, my praise, my deep adoration, the best service he requires from me, his creature? Do I not see, also, in the great Creator, my own protector and preserver?

Traveller.-Do understand me, I beg you, sir. Suppose I am in your painting-room, and there I see and contemplate with pleasure and admiration your skilful performances, your well-studied and learned compositions; andI praise, justly, your accurate lines and your fine colouring. So far I am, as you may see, in relation with you as with a man of genius and talent, and in that respect, I am decidedly better influenced than if I should pay no attention to your pictures. But, sir, all your works, be they ever SO varied and beautiful, do not even hint at your feelings towards me; and after perhaps many hours of wondering and praising, I part with you quite ignorant of my moral position with you. Are you for me a friend, or a foe? That I know

not: all your beautiful pictures have never said a word of it.So is nature, sir: in it are "clearly seen," as says an apostle, "the invisible things of God, from the creation of the world; even his eternal power and godhead;" but nowhere in it is found the revelation of God's grace in Jesus. This knowledge does not issue out of material and visible things.

....

Painter [starting with wonder].-Thanks, sir! many thanks, indeed! Never, till now, had I perceived that. And yet nothing so obvious, so positive. No! true! Nature says nothing of redemption, of eternal pardon and life! Thank you! thank you! I must really think of it. In fact, sir, I must look above, look higher than these wonders. It is awful awful, indeed. I see it now!-Providence, Nature, Supreme Being, Great God, and so many other names, are not synonymous of that name Jesus! I confess, sir, that I was altogether mistaken.

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Traveller [affectionately.Yes, dear sir, as the name of Jesus is the only name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved," and since that magnificent scenery of the works of the Almighty never could lead us to Jesus, the duty, and the safety also, of our souls, is to look above this material nature, and to contemplate in the written revelation of God what this revelation of his power does neither manifest nor teach

to men.

ITALY.

Ir is not easy to convey a correct idea of the real state of Italy at this moment. Every step taken at Rome seems to be infatuated: all tends to alienate the people from the Pontifical government; and it is generally believed that if the French troops were withdrawn, every priest in Rome would be massacred. How strange it seems that the Pope should be at liberty to call upon his subjects to build a church in London for his Italian people there, and yet that the English are not allowed to build their church in Rome, or to circulate the Scriptures, or even aid their religious liberty! And how strange it is, that while there is not a country on the continent of Europe which has not shown its abhorrence of the Jesuits, and expelled them, they are allowed to work as they please in England! The extent to which they are working is little believed amongst us. But there is not an occurrence of any moment in England, which is not well known by the Pope. The movements in our church, the condition of our parishes, the favourers of Popery, its ablest opponents—all | is exactly known at the Vatican. Nay, it is positively asserted that the Pope is regularly made acquainted with all that passes at the Queen's table.

Vigorous as are the efforts to suppress in every possible way the introduction of true light into Italy, it is a fact, that every such instance

only tends to the furtherance of the good cause. We can easily understand this; for Paul himself found that his bonds and imprisonment all forwarded, instead of hindering, the Gospel. Thus it is with the good Count and his party at Florcnce, of whom our readers have already heard.* It seemed a fatal step that they should be thrown into prison, and then banished, for reading the Scriptures together: but no, their spirit was not broken,—they rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ; and, like Paul and Silas at Philippi, they were actually singing their hymns of praise together, though covered with vermin in the filthy dungeon. And are others discouraged? Quite the contrary. I could tell you much of the blessed spirit of sympathy and love, which their persecution has brought to light,-subscriptions raised to support the families of the poor exiles: fellow-clerks resolving to do the work, gratis, of an exiled brother, until his hoped-for return. And a gentleman, just come from Florence, states his conviction that one hundred new converts will be found for every individual martyr now banished. Thus Satan always outwits himself, and the wrath of man is made to praise Him. This same gentleman has brought with him a converted Italian priest and monk, who are put under proper training for future service in the cause of the Gospel in Italy. It is

* See next page.