upon you ever after, besides which you shall find it of singular service, to keep your heart against those temptations, which the ease and other delights of a newly married state bring with them, and by which I have usually seen the minds of the most serious a good deal hurt. Nor can I only wish you to take due care respecting the duties of a married state, but that also you make now a reasonable estimate of the trials and troubles, which must or may attend you in it. Such as the sickness or death of your husband before you ; the want or loss of children, together with the possibility of their turning out ill; disappointments in worldly things, &c. &c. You know not how God may please to try you in this state; but in this as well as every other, you must make account, you shall be tried: of all which circumstances, you will likewise be put in mind, by the very words of your matrimonial vow. Such a casting up the cost, may possibly have a happy effect on your temper and conduct in all sorts of trials and troubles.

I wish you carefully to correspond with that great design of matrimony, the being a helpmate for your husband, which imports not only a helping with your husband in his labours, trials, and troubles, but also with his soul. This is a glorious aim in the married state, and shews the truest love, and has regard to the promoting his real and everlasting happiness. Let not this ever be lost sight of; watch over him in love, warn him continually and without reserve, do not think him so established, as that he shall not need greatly your watchful eye: this will endear and keep you dear to him. There should be the greatest confidence

between you, and in that view I particularly beg you will be faithful in keeping all his secrets.

I have thrown together such hints as occur. I pray God they may be any way serviceable. You know how peculiarly I am interested for you and William. That benediction which the priest shall say over you when you are married, is my earnest supplication and hope concerning you. "God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost, bless, preserve, and keep you; the Lord mercifully with his favour look upon you, and so fill you with all spiritual benediction and grace, that ye may so live together in this life, that in the world to come ye may have life everlasting. Amen." To this I can add nothing.

Your's affectionately and faithfully

in the Lord Jesus,

I have not time to say much, but do you love one another? How do you know that? Your souls I mean. Is Christ the bond of your love? Is it his image you love in one another? or is your love too much carnal? Do you watch over one the other's heart, with a loving jealousy? Are ye free, unreservedly so? What, every day, letting nothing I would have you begin well. Open your hearts every evening, I beg you will. It will be a blessing to you a thousand ways. Methinks, I should

pass?

esteem such an opportunity the greatest blessing of a married state. Well, but do you also pray for one another, aye, and do you pray with each other, yourselves alone? Have you done so often? do you delight to do so; also are ye seeking God's glory in this state, and not your own pleasure? Are ye aware of the danger ye are in from enjoyment and independency? There is nothing more dangerous than the latter, because it is so agreeable to our own will, and especially dangerous upon a change, when from being dependent we become our own masters, and that most especially when we are first become so.

I could say much more, but this is enough for once, and I am just going to church. If I mistake not, there is no one more cordially yours than

S. W.

THE close of the year 1756 presented the zealous minister of Truro, already overburdened by his various employments, with a new field of useful labour, on which he entered in his usual spirit of benevolent energy, though his physical powers were in a great degree unequal to the additional task. A body of soldiers were sent into his parish for winter quarters, and at once became the object of his pastoral solicitude. He began by addressing a sermon to them on the Sunday afternoon, which went by the name of the "soldiers' sermon," but had at first great difficulty in prevailing on them to listen to him; for though they were under orders to attend church in the morning, and were conducted to it by their officers, they used even then to turn off at the door, and as may naturally be supposed, shewed no disposition to be present in a place of worship on the after part of the day. Mr. Walker, however, was not disheartened; he set his pious members of the society to work, and by their diligent and affectionate intercourse with the soldiers, a few of them were at length prevailed on to come. Thus "helped by the dear people of his society,"

whom he called his press-gang, Mr. Walker soon enjoyed the happiness of seeing the number of attendants greatly augmented; and such was the effect of his faithful addresses, that within the short period of three weeks, no less than "a full hundred" of them went to his house, to speak to him in private on the state of their souls. In a letter to a friend, he describes "the effects as very striking," and says, 66 one or two of the whole only excepted, you would have seen their countenances changing, tears often bursting from their eyes, and confessions of their exceeding sinfulness and danger breaking from their mouths. I have scarcely heard such a thing as self-excusing from one of them; while their desire to be instructed, and uncommon thankfulness for the least pains used upon them by any of us, have been very remarkable.” These fruits were not all destined to ripen; many of them withered and fell off, but even these seemed awed into a greater degree of outward good conduct than before, and were often present at public worship. Those who gave evidence of a real change of heart, were formed into a class which was called "the soldiers' society." They had also the privilege of uniting with the members of the association at Truro, and by these means Mr. Walker considered they were "much established." They were mostly found to be ignorant of the commonest truths of Christianity, which their minister attributed to the "superficial use or entire neglect of catechising amongst the English clergy of his day;" and he observed that seven of them better informed, were six of them Scotch, and an English dissenter.

Mr. Walker's exertions in the regiment at first met