Their instructions are commenced ment of our Redeemer's kingdom and concluded with praise and comes within the design of the prayer, with a suitable address, Evangelical Magazine, I trust there which is frequently given by ministers and other serious friends. The time (about two hours) is employed in the following manner : — Repeating the Assembly's Catechism, with others by Brown of Haddington, Watts, &c. till they are well imprinted on the memory. -Repeating portions of Scripture lessons given them to learn at home during the week, and answering questions relative to the prominent features of those lessons. Some classes are required to search for passages of Scripture descriptive of the names, offices, and mediation of Christ, the character of believers and unbelievers, with their future rewards or punish ments. Some are likewise expected to give notes of the sermons they have heard during the day. It will be evident that such exercises will produce the most beneficial effects, and be the means of filling up a portion of the Sabbath (too frequently lost) to the greatest advantage. Children and youth just entering into the duties of life, will be thus led to consider the service of their Creator as the first of their concerns; and at the same time be preserved from those paths which have led many thousands to destruction. These schools in the north flourish under the superintendence of one or two persons who are willing to devote a portion of their time to the work, with the assistance of monitors to the different classes; and the leaders will acknowledge that they are abundantly rewarded by the success of their labours. I have only given a very imperfect and brief outline of those schools, concluding that it might be inconvenient to devote a large portion of your valuable work to this particular object. But as every object connected with the advance will always be found among your readers, persons who are willing to devote their time and talents to promote the means of religious instruction, and who will not be satisfied that our brethren in Scotland should always exceed us in their exertions. Besides, I am well persuaded, that those persons who are most likely to promote such schools, will readily understand all that is requisite; and will immediately perceive the great difference of cha racter and conduct which may be expected between persons instructed carefully in the manner abovementioned, and those who idle or profane the consecrated hours of the Sabbath. In the Paisley Report for 1814, a very clear account of the method of teaching in a Sabbath School is detailed; which I shall have great pleasure in transmitting to you, if you can afford sufficient room; and it is not very long. Now that the improved system of teaching is be come very general among youth, and that adults are successfully taught to read, it seems only wanting, that the advantages of instruction should be improved in promoting the eternal interests of mankind; and thus making the knowledge acquired by reading, subservient to the gracious declaration of Jehovah, "that the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth.” I am, &c. "Miss M. weight, nor one inch more than "SINCE the conversation which measure. took place on our way to I have often thought of you; and "As to the first,-If we expect to find perfect happiness in any terrestrial good, we shall assuredly be mistaken. "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity," may be written on every thing we enjoy beneath the sun. Whatever exchange we make in this world, it is only one wilderness for another; so that your change of condition will not exempt you from trouble. This you must expect, it will only be an exchange of trials, and those sometimes for the worse; this, however, should not dishearten you. As I told you before, so I tell you again, "He that hath God's call, need not doubt of God's help." When the way is made plain, whatever trials meet us, we find comfort in the consciousness of being in God's way. He sometimes leads by a rugged, but always by a right path. should never expect a situation without its peculiar trials. I am sure, I can say for myself, that I have been so often disappointed in this respect, that I cannot look for a situation on this side of the grave, without being assailed by some particular trials. It is, however, no small comfort to me, and it will be, so to you, to get this sentiment rivetted in the mind, that all our trials are dealt out by weight and measure by our heavenly Father's hand; and that we shall not have one grain more than We "Whether you live married or single, you will find something to molest you. The whole course of man's sublunary life does not afford him a single draught of joy, without a mixture of wormwood in the cup. That which makes the draught peculiarly nauseous is, the consideration that our trials often come from a quarter we little anticipated. Where we expect the greatest comforts, there we frequently meet with the greatest crosses. Should this be your case, do not think your lot to be singular: we have found it so before you; and doubtless, in some things, you will find it so after us. "As the head of a family, many things will occur that you are not aware of now: peculiar circumstances to pain you,peculiar tempers to perplex you, peculiar affronts to ruffle you; and these will happen sometimes from your inferiors in the house. Properly to bear these will require great grace. If you have grace to rule your own spirit, you will find a calm in the midst of all: "He that ruleth his own spirit, is better than he that taketh a city." Always think on this, study your own temper in "Good when He gives, supremely good; "As it respects man, be affectionate, kind, and lowly," For a meek and quiet spirit is, in the sight of God, of great price:" and I am sure, to you it will be great peace. Above every thing, live near to God, yea live in Him; bear every trial in him; and respect him in every thing. Thus you will pass safely through this vale of tears; and if not free from troubles, yet you shall enjoy God in them. I am sure I speak by experience, that great trials, if the Lord be in them, are better than great worldly comforts without him. To conclude on this particular: - Expect trials, prepare for them,-be submissive to the will of God in them,-and I am certain that, some day or other, you will thank him for them all. altogether, it becomes bearable, and "I am far from thinking that the matrimonial state is a hindrance in the service of God. There is no"As to the second, The new Com- thing more pleasant than two that forts which a married life will intro- are kindred souls in body and spiduce you to. Here we are as prone rit, uniting before the throne of to err as in the first case. There grace: they seem like one spirit. we expected less trials than we The godly Mr. Bolton used conmet with; and here we often ex- stantly to pray six times a day; pect more enjoyment than we really twice by himself, twice in the famifind. On our entrance into a new ly, and twice with his wife. If you state of life, we should remember wish to be happy in your state, 'go that the cup of creature-comfort is and do likewise.' It seems that this not very deep-we soon come to is the meaning of the Apostle, when the bottom of it, and unless we en- he exhorts to love and peace, that joy the Almighty in it, we soon your prayers be not hindered.' exhaust it. We must remember, Much depends on your first setting that there is no creature-comfort out. I might say more on this but what hath much mixture of subject, but I must forbear; only nauseous ingredients in it; and remember, that every thing is to us that which makes the sweets of what the Lord makes it, and no life doubly sweet, is the enjoyment more. The misery that we are exof God in them; yea, I may say, posed to in regard of comfort is, that the presence of God makes that we sink into the creature inthe bitter sweet, and the sweet stead of rising into the Creator; we trebly so. As to the matrimonial look for that in the creature which state, I am sure that there is not a is only to be found in God. May situation under heaven more com- you and I look for solid comfort fortable, when help-meets come where it is to be found! O for together in wedlock: the Lord grace to put created objects in their thought it good when man was not right place. You will find much miserable. An help-meet is full of difficulty in the course of your life meaning, to suit our dispositions, in doing this; for our depraved -to sweeten the bitterness of life, hearts will give almost any thing -to strengthen when weak, -to the place of God. Husbands, wives, comfort when sad, to nourish children, friends, possessions, will when sick,—and to help forward in soon steal in and be very idols; the but we may take this as an incontrovertible truth, That if any thing is put in competition with God, it will be torn from us, though it should be the darling idol of the heart; therefore, if we wish to ways of God. Happy will you be if you are thus favoured. It is the testimony of God, "that two are better than one." The gracious God has tempered the bitterness of life with so much sweetness, that, taken have our comforts continued, may we be enabled to keep them in their own place! enjoy God in them, and bless God for them! and, like the church in the 12th of Revelations, keep the Moon of creaturecomforts, where it ought to be, under our feet.' As it respects creaturecomforts; expect them sparingly, use them subordinately, — enjoy them thankfully, and resign them willingly, that you may, with Job, say The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord.' Ah, it is easy to advise; but I find it hard, indeed, to bless the hand of God when that hand strikes my greatest comforts dead. It requires great grace; but not more than the Lord hath given, and promised to give. May he help us to act as a people dependent on the hand of God! destroy all your peace. Be sure to make yourself always a pleasant companion to your husband, and always make home the most comfortable place that he can have; and then he will love home better than any place else. Guard against a fretful, peevish, discontented spirit. In this, many are a torment to themselves and others all then life-time. I am not sufficiently acquainted with you to know your temper, neither am I a sufficient physiognomist to read your countenance; but what I say, I am sure is needful for every one:-Beware of a fretful peevish spirit, for it will be a constant hell to you, and to every one that is near you. Let your conduct be always agreeable to your husband. If a cross word is uttered, do not magnify it, but endeavour to put the best construction on it.—I see it is in vain for me to write more. I have many things on my mind, but my time and paper will not admit of enlargement. "As to the third thing, Behold a multitude of new duties to attend to, that you are at present practically unacquainted with, in respect of your husband, your servants, and Receive, my young (if the Lord shall give you any) friend, these spontaneous remarks, your children. In respect of your and if any thing be useful to you, conduct towards your husband, be I shall be abundantly satisfied: affectionate and submissive, re- and I beg you will, in return, remembering the testimony of God, That the man is the head of the woman, as Christ is the Head of the church.' By this we are not to understand that he is a head to tyrannize: God forbid; but a head to sympathize, to love, and advise. Be always glad of a word of advice. There are two things that you are particularly to guard against;-first, member me before the throne of grace. The Lord knows I stand in need of your prayers. May the Lord keep us from every thing that is sinful; and lead us to every thing that is right!" Sir, GRATEFUL RECOLLECTION OF was Not to consider every look or word Disinterested Benevolence. as a proof of the want of affection. You may depend upon it, that the look will not be always equally pleasant, nor the words equally affectionate. Make up your mind to this; and let not a jealous mind find a place in you for a moment, or think he does not bear the same affectionate regard to you that he was used to do. If you nourish such thoughts as these, they will produce vipers in your mind, that will XXIV. To the Editor. ABOVE Seven years ago, I placed over a charge in the vicinity of London, where, like many of my brethren in the ministry, I had to pass through the furnace of affliction; which seemed on that occasion to be hotter than usual. In addition to other heavy trials, I was in perils among false brethren, I was also considerably tried in my H circumstances, and must have sunk Traditions of the Flood. If unbeunder the weight of my sufferings, lievers reject ancient tradition, &c. had not the arm of Omnipotence owing to the distance of time and sustained me. One evening, a gen- place, surely they will not have the tleman knocked at my door and hardihood of persisting in their stubleft the following note: "Mr. bornness, when proofs are brought , as a Christian Brother, I feel to their own time, and to their own much concerned for the many trou- doors. bles you have at present to bear with. I sincerely pray that our great and gracious Saviour may support, and abundantly pour out upon you his Spirit of consolation and true peace, that you may possess an holy joy within, and be enabled to shew forth much patience and forgiveness, to the praise and glory of Him who hath redeemed us. The inclosed is freely at your service, for Jesus Christ's sake."8th Feb. The inclosed was a Ten Pound Bank note!-I could never conjecture who this "Christian Brother" was; nor have I the most distant idea to this day. But after the lapse of seven years, if he is yet among the living in this transitory world, and should cast his eyes upon these lines, it will afford him pleasure to know that his aid was most seasonable; and that the grateful recollection of his modest boon will never be effaced from the memory of him who received it. I venture, Sir, to indulge a hope that the life of this truly "Christian Brother" may yet be spared to enable him to read this acknowledgment; and that this expression of gratitude, added to this unostentatious example of benevolence, may not be recorded in the pages of the Evangelical Magazine in vain. I am, &c. V. D. M The inhabitants of Otaheite account for their origin, by saying, That the Supreme God having once been angry with the Earth and its inhabitants, dragged the earth thro' the sea; but their island was broken off, and preserved from destruction. It is not improbable that these islands were first peopled from the south-east parts of Asia; that cluster which begins at the Indian Ocean lies in a south-east direction, and joins with those of Otaheite; and it is not unreasonable to suppose that one island would be peopled from another, and that there would be a similarity of manner of worship and belief. -As Asia had Shem, the son of Noah, for its lord and owner after the flood,-and as Shem had been taught the true religion, and that the Flood had been caused by despising it, it is beyond a doubt that the remembrance of the Flood would be deeply impressed upon the minds of his successors; yea, it would be the very last article of their religion which would be forgotten. In the island of Cuba, in the West Indies, the inhabitants believe that the world was once destroyed by water, by three persons;" which is evidently in allusion to the three sons of Noah. They also profess to believe, that an old man, knowing the Flood was coming, built a large ship, into which he entered, and took with him a great number of animals; and that he sent out from the ship a crow, which did not immediately return, but staid to feed upon the carcases of those which had To Scripture-testimony, fossil been drowned; though it came in remains, the exterior appearance of afterwards with a green branch in the earth, ancient traditions and in- its mouth. Here is a very re scriptions, may be added Modern markable coincidence with the MODERN TRADITIONS OF |