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النشر الإلكتروني

A SERIOUS QUESTION.

A NUMBER of intimate friends being at dinner together on the Lord's day, one of the company, in order to prevent impertinent discourse, said, It is a question whether we shall all go to heaven or not? This plain hint occasioned a general seriousness and self examination. One thought, if any of this company go to hell, it must be myself; and so thought another, and another. Even the servants who waited at table, were affected in the same manner. In short, it was afterwards found that this one sentence proved, by the special blessing of God, instrumental to their conversion. What an encouragement is this to the Christian, to give a serious turn to his conversation when in company.

RELIGION AND INFIDELITY CONTRASTED.

THE Rev. F. T. was so dead to the world, that he knew no good in it; but did much good with it. Having had, in his old age, a fainting fit, and the means used to restore him having been successful, he said, "Why did you not let a poor old man go quietly away?"

Mr........., physician to the Duke of Orleans, having been sent for to attend Voltaire, in his illness at Paris, the deistical philosopher said to him, "Sir, I desire you will save my life. I will give you half my fortune if you will lengthen out my days only six months; if not I shall go to the devil."

Men may live fools; but fools they cannot die.

AWFUL DEATH.

WHILE the Rey. Mr. P***** was playing at cards in the house of a lady of his acquaintance, he was seized with a violent pain in his stomach, a complaint to which he was occasionally subject. He sent home for a medicine which he had found beneficial at other times; and having taken it, said he was better, and sat down at the card table to pursue his diversions. But he soon dropped from his chair; and before he could be carried to his house, which was but a little way distant, he was a corpse!

The wicked shall be driven away in his wickedness; but the righteous hath hope in his death. To be hurried from the amusements of a card table, to the bar of a righteous God, how different from the case of the righteous, who hath triumphant hope in his death; anticipating the moment of dissolution with abundant pleasure, and ending his mortal race in the full and happy enjoyment of that truly grand exultation of the Christian conqueror, O death! Where is thy sting? O grave! Where is thy victory?

CONTRASTED JOYS....A REAL FACT.

THE REV. Mr. James Harvey was once riding in a stage coach with a gay young lady who expatiated, in a very lively manner, upon the pleasures of the theatre. Indeed said she, I enjoy much happiness before I go, in anticipation; and when I am there, my pleasure is indiscribable; and the recollection of the scene affords me much happiness the following day.

Mr. H. replied, and is that all the happiness, madam, the threatre affords you? Is there not one joy beside?”.

Have you forgotten the happiness it will afford you in the hour of death? The youth, struck with the scene of eternity which opened to her imagination, was brought under genuine conviction of sin, and the vanity of fugitive amusements, and to participate in the solid pleasures of religion. The following hymn is predicated upon the above anecdote:

How great my pleasures at the play!
(A lady once was heard to say)
Amusement surely all divine!

Be such amusements always mine.
First. There's the joy I always know,
Before the hour arrives to go;

And when I'm there......but who can say,
What are my raptures at the play!
Besides, the recollected joy,

Next day, affords me sweet employ.
That may be true, (a friend reply'd)
But, is there not one joy beside?
You have not mentioned..... tell me why,
The joys of plays when call'd to die.
Perhaps a thunderbolt from heav'n
Might then have less confusion giv'n.
The gay young lady felt the smart,
Conviction seiz'd her wounded heart.
No more she boasts her former joys,
Religion now her thoughts employs;
False pleasures can no more amuse,
Superior bliss she now pursues.

O happy change! she says, and tells you why,
Religion's joys will last when call d.... to die.

THE ROSE OF SHARON.
CANT. ii. 1.

IN Sharon's lovely rose

Immortal beauties shine;

Its sweet, refreshing fragrance shows

Its origin divine.

How blooming 'tis, and fair;

O may my happy breast

This lovely rose for ever wear,
And be supremely blest.

SENTENTIOUS SELECTIONS.

We are commonly most careless where we should be

most careful.

When the flail of affliction is upon me, let me not be the chaff that flies in thy face; but the corn that lies at thy feet.

To an afflicted believer. First, remember that you are not under the law, but under grace; and therefore your state is good.

Secondly. That you are upon earth, and not in heaven; therefore, your happiness must be incomplete.

He who is unwilling to die when he must, and he who desires to die when he must not, are alike cowards.

Worldly riches and honor can never fully content the mind. The way to contentment is not by raising the estate higher, but by bringing the heart lower, and having God for a portion..

A DOER OF THE WORD.

A POOR Woman in the country went to hear a sermon, wherein, among other evil practices, the use of dishonest

weights and measures was exposed. With this discourse, she was much affected. The next day, when the minister, according to his custom, went among his hearers, and called upon the woman, he took occasion to ask her what she recollected of his sermon? The poor woman complained much of her bad memory, and said that she had forgotten almost all that he had delivered. "But one thing," said she, "I remembered. I remembered to burn my bushel." * A doer of the word cannot be a forgetful hearer.

SERIOUS CONSIDERATION.

I KNOW that I must die; but what preparation have I made for it? O! my soul, what evidences hast thou for heaven! I must die; but am I now dead to sin? I must appear before God in judgment; but, what account can I give of my life? Those who are pardoned through faith in Christ, and sanctified by the Holy Ghost, will be eternally happy: but is this my case? Am I pardoned? Have I repented? Have I forsaken sin? And do I delight in God, and in his service, and carefully shun all evil company, and evil words and actions? Lord, have mercy upon me! Make me holy, and fit me for thy presence!

A DREAM.

I AM well acquainted with a minister, now living, who, for some time after his entrance upon the sacred ministry, was frequently harassed with fears that he should not be able to proceed in the work. Often, on a Lord's day evening, he would think within himself, "Now, I am quite exhausted; I have said all I can say. How shall I

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