men, to lift up the command, and set it before them.

Let us do so, and if we are only blessed to make one sinner think, it will be well; and we shall grow in a watchful spirit over our own lips, that we offend not with our tongue.

We spent a few hours in a very profitable investigation of the full bearings of the commandment; and with the precious Guide in our hands, the Word of God, each employed ourselves in drawing out the various passages which could elucidate this subject, and impart a clear and defined idea of taking God's holy Name in vain; during which we did not sit as judges of others only, but oftentimes were compelled to judge our ownselves, and by so doing, were led to petition we might not "be judged of the Lord," but enabled so to "sanctify the Lord God in our heart," as to "hallow" His Name at all times.

In the midst of this engagement, a lady was announced, who was a near relation, and we hastened to receive her.

I esteem myself uncommonly fortunate, she said, that I meet you both together, for I have some particular business to communicate, in which you are both

:

concerned it is quite a providence-it will save so much trouble-I'm thankful to God-really it is a very lucky cir

cumstance.

My friend passed a most expressive glance towards me: I cast down my eyelids, for I feared to offend too quickly: but certainly, just at that moment, this speech appeared the most extraordinary jargon, and did not seem to fit in with our Bible language.

My dear cousin, said my friend, before we proceed to the business which engages you, would you allow me to ask you one question?

She looked surprised, and said, Yes, certainly; you will ask nothing wrong. Will you take it in good part, and forgive me if I offend?

What in God's name can you ask, that you need to use this precaution?

There is the very thing, he quickly replied: Tell me then if you worship God?

Strange man! are you turning Methodist, and wanting me to become one too?

No, no; I only wish we should both worship God.

Upon my word, cousin, I fear you

are growing crazy; I do not understand

you.

Well then, I will be plain, for love and for conscience sake. You talk to us in a strain, which implies, that though you call yourself a Christian, you hear and take that Name in vain, for you mix heathenish allusions to fortune, fuck, &c. &c., and put Providence upon the same standard, as all being equally overruling in bringing about this happy meeting. Now, knowing that you, as well as myself, must often pray to God, Hallowed be thy Name, I think it is contrary to this spirit to use that Name, and God's providence, with an unholy freedom, and with a list of heathen deities.

My dear cousin, you are too serious; these are only common modes of expression, and mean nothing.

It might be very well that heathenish terms meant nothing; but I hope you will not vindicate the other expressions, of God and His Providence, as meaning nothing; for how strange a breach would it be of the commandment, not to take that Name in vain !-for, in that case, you spake what you did not think: you did not mean it was providential that we met; you did not mean that you

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were thankful to God; and thus you have offended, and will not be held guiltless! And, perhaps, you did not mean any thing else that you said, and you have no business at all to communicate! Well, really you astonish me. Must we be so prim and exact, and discard all the usual expressions of the world?

Yes, we must. You have no right to ascribe any thing to fortune, nor to make any assertion upon your word.

You would not surely say there was any harm in my word; I am accustomed to speak truth.

Very likely, but if you are, there is no occasion to say more than Yea, yea, Nay, nay, and whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. And your word is fallible there is but one infallible word, which is Yea and AMEN.

She was a good-tempered woman, and without resentment said, Well, I cannot answer you, and I see you are too grave to be joked with. But, turning to me, she said, Tell me, Henry, do you not think he is carrying things too far?

No, Fanny, I am quite of his mind, and I should like to bring you into our way of thinking.-As, however, you are anxious on the affair you came about,

(for I believe you did mean that,) let us know the matter, and when we have attended to you, we will open out the more serious engagement we have in the Name of the Lord.

No, no, she said, I can at present defer my business; and as I really do not like to be in the wrong, I will listen now to all you will say.

So encouraged, I briefly related the impression we had upon our minds, and presented to her some written memorandums I had put down in the margin of my Bible for the rule of my own observations. Now tell me, Fanny, if, in your usual speech and conduct, you have not wholly lost sight of the power of the third commandment, and are habitually taking the Lord's name in vain? I know it is a fault of yours continually to interlard your conversation with ejaculatory appeals to God, which, as you too justly say, mean nothing, but which, for this very vanity, lay a load of guilt upon your head and tongue.

She coloured extremely, a watery fullness suffused her eye,—and, laying her hand on my shoulder, I own it, she said; I am convicted-it is very light and sinful: help me to correct it: I will not