vernment upon earth; nor can they then be welcomed by Him into the mansions of his glorious and eternal rest. May all such persons seriously reflect upon that frame of mind and course of practice in which the Lord Jesus would now find them, if He should suddenly come in his glory -a mind and practice plainly opposite to that serious devotion which must characterize and predominate in all those who now love, and will at length welcome their Lord's appearing.

But it is time for me to hasten with glad tidings to every obedient believer in the Saviour's gracious name. My beloved brethren, the worldling's joys are short, and so also are your sorrows. What and if you should bear reproach for the name of Christ? happy are ye; that name will not be a reproach to you in the world above; but shall be your praise, your glory, and your song of triumph. The busy plotting of Satan, which now so unceasingly intermeddles with the Christian's peace, shall soon be confounded and for ever. His power is but for a time; and although during its continuance it causes many anxious fears, and constant prayers, and the struggle,-O how often to be repeated,-yet full release is at hand. Only let the prayer of wrestling faith still ascend to the throne of grace, let spiritual daily strength be implored and employed, let Christ's all-sufficiency be still trusted, let this present temporary world be still held cheap, and let time carry on and finish the preparation for eternity, and all shall be for ever well. All shall be well. For has not Christ engaged by covenant, sealed with his own blood, to perfect those in glory who through grace have believed in his name? Are not true believers heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ? Are they adopted into God's family on earth, and will they not be received as children in heaven? Surely they shall; and even when their mortal flesh is descending to rest in the darkness and silence of death,-at that very moment, when earthly hopes perish, and earthly prospects disappear, then do the glories of a blessed eternity shine forth in uncreated splendour on every ransomed spirit. O then let us all stand close to the work of holy preparation for our Lord's appearing; and when we

think of heaven's glories, let us join to our contemplations the stirring thought, that these glories are to be contended for; let us so run as to obtain them! Had Christ to endure hardness that He might triumph, and, as our Mediator, enter into his glory, and shall poor sinful man look for eternal glories without a struggle? Surely not: therefore "gird up the loins of your mind." Be not thoughtless and careless when Christ is beckoning you forward to your journey's end; yea, is even Himself, as it were, coming quickly, by some merciful visitation of death, to take you to Himself, that where He is, there you may be also. S. B.

to us.'

NOTES OF A TOUR IN GALWAY.

BY A LADY.

(Concluded from p. 24.)

66

"And

Two boys ran beside the carriage; one of them was quite tiny, he looked about five. I said, "Can you read, little one?" "Indeed yes, miss; I can read any part of the Bible." "Tell me one of your favourite chapters." "Well indeed, miss, the 15th of John, where Jesus compares Himself to the vine." "What is the 10th of St. John?" "Indeed it's about Jesus being the door and the Shepherd, miss. We can only come to God by Jesus the door: if we try to get to heaven any other way we are thieves and robbers, and God will not open "What is the 15th of St. Luke about?" haven't put that chapter in my memory yet." "Oh!" said the elder boy, "it is about the prodigal son." who are like the prodigal son?" "All of us, indeed, miss, when we wandered from God to the ways of sin and Satan, till we returned to the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls." "But have you returned?" "Indeed, miss, I have, blessed be his name." (This he said with great solemnity.) "What made you return?" "The Bible, miss, and the Holy Spirit." "Are you afraid of the priest?" (said a friend.) "No, miss: Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more,' &c. (Luke xii. 4, 5.) He repeated the whole passage. Can you beat the priest if he talks to you?" "Indeed can, with the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of

I

God." We were driving very fast, and he clung to the carriage, while he listened with breathless eagerness to my questions. I got hold of his well-worn Bible; he had scribbled it with texts on different heads of controversy on the fly leaves, and simple scriptural prayers. One was, "O God, give me more of Thy Holy Spirit, every day, to whom Thou hast given Thy Holy Spirit!" He had no idea I took up his Bible.

A girl in the Fakeragh school came there an ignorant Romanist; and the truths of Scripture so fastened on her heart, that one night when she went home, she refused to kneel with her parents and brother in prayer to the Virgin. Her father commanded her to obey; she replied, "Father, I can only kneel to God and Jesus: there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.' He beat her cruelly, and again commanded her to go down on her knees to the blessed Virgin; she meekly replied, "My father, if you cut me in two, I cannot." She underwent fearful cruelty, but was firm, meek, and prayerful; and it pleased God so to bless her Christian conduct, that the parents and brother all became converts. Of the latter, the Rev. Mr. D'Arcy says, "he feeds upon truth with a relish most uncommon; any new thoughts upon a text will kindle his bright beaming eye with joy unspeakable." He paid me a visit next day, and his humility and faith perfectly astonished me. "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings" how marvellously, in this dark Ireland, "hath He perfected praise!"

This boy told me he prayed earnestly and long for the Holy Spirit before he left Romanism; and, after much prayer, God seemed to show him all at once the errors of Popery, and the true light of the Gospel.

At Sellerna eighty-four were confirmed. Mr. and Mrs. Conerney are most indefatigable missionaries; they have 800 children in their schools. Mr. Conerney's conversation was most edifying; he said, "If I had only a mud cabin, without a window (which was the case till recently), I would not exchange with Queen Victoria. My work of gathering out the Lord's people is such blessed work-such comfortable work. My life

has been in danger. I have severe persecution, and many, many difficulties; but I have such comfort--Oh! it is blessed work indeed!"

During our drive home, Mr. D'Arcy told me they have now in the Clifden district, in Connemara, 3700 children and 2000 adults under sound Scriptural instruction.

Tuesday, Mr. D'Arcy drove me along Clifden Bay to the coast-guard station, where we embarked in a large boat and sailed on the wide waste of Atlantic waters, two miles out, to Turbot Island.

We saw the lighthouse on the most western point of land in Europe, and sailed on up the bay to Ballyconree; and what a garden of the Lord's planting burst upon us! The neat clean white orphan-house appeared. The children saw the vessel approaching-they recognised their benefactor-they rushed down the bank-and awoke the echoes on the hills with their cheering "caed mille failtha."

Wednesday, we spent the whole day in thoroughly examining the Orphans' Nursery, and very admirable are all the arrangements. One boy, Martin Vaughan, seemed a truly Christian boy. He told me he loves his Bible, and hopes to be a Reader. We examined the girls, and then the boys: they answered extremely well. On Friday at Oughterard we took a walk two miles, to Glan, to see the new school. We met many converts, who showed great respect to their missionary. One young man we saw, who was confirmed, said, as he left the church, "Now may God help me. I have no lodging, my father has turned me out. Another young man on way to confirmation was waylaid by his father, and forced to go back. He said, "Father, I am not ashamed of Christ crucified, in whom I believe, for He is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; and I wish openly to confess my belief to the world."

his

The Rev. C. Conolly was nearly drowned on his way to ordination. He had to cross the bay, and the men refused to row him. He offered double the fare; they refused. He offered five times the fare, still they declined; and at last he and a convert boy launched a

boat, and began to row themselves; but they soon discovered that the malicious Romanists had cut a hole to sink the boat.

In the dark popish town of Galway a school has just been opened, which an English lady has promised to support. The newly appointed schoolmaster is a very interesting person, who has been most wonderfully brought to the knowledge of the truth. He was a Romanist, living near Waterford. Mr. Ellis went to Waterford to lecture on the Popish controversy, about three years since. This man would not attend, but he was curious to know what would be said; so he persuaded two young men to go as spies, and tell him what they heard. They listened well, were intelligent, and brought him a full report. Their words seemed to fasten on his mind with such power, that he begged them to go out and buy him a Bible secretly. He read it, and read it again and again; and so wretched did it make him, and so terrified was he, lest his father should find him out, that he ran away, and wandered about for two years. During this wandering from place to place, the Holy Spirit was working mightily in his soul with a power he could not resist. He got Bibles and offered them for sale every where, and at length he came to Mr. Ellis, a deeply taught Christian, and he is now the earnest and zealous schoolmaster of the Dover ragged school, Galway.

Dublin.-The great work of the Irish Church Missions is not less remarkable here than in the West. There is a controversial meeting every Tuesday, at which the missionary, the Rev. C. M'Carthy presides. Last Tuesday 800 were present, most of them Romanists. They all join in prayer, and in hearing a short exposition, and then some controversial point is discussed. Purgatory has been the subject for several successive meetings. The inquiring Romanists argue with the missionary, and very many conversions have resulted from this class, both among the higher and lower ranks of society. On the evening we were present, the arguments were intensely interesting. There was one young Romanist so clever, so respectful to the missionary, so intelligent, and so earnest, that I