in iniquity." Happy they, who, on making the discovery of their defiled condition, are led to seek, as this pious monarch did, the entire removal of pollution, and so recover the favour and friendship of that holy Being, who is " angry with the wicked every day." Hear with what fervency the devout psalmist prayed for this inward purity: "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy Spirit from me." We must now conclude: till we meet again, meditate upon what you have heard.

"Man has a soul of vast desires,

He burns within with restless fires:
Tossed to and fro, his passions fly
From vanity to vanity.

In vain on earth we hope to find
Some solid good to feed the mind:
We try new pleasures, but we feel

The inward thirst torment us still."

Mother. I suppose, Annie, you are prepared to hear something more concerning the subject introduced at our second evening's lecture, if I may be allowed to apply such an epithet to our familiar discussions?

Annie. You must know, my dear mother, that I have been anxiously wishing,

all the day, that the time were come, when you would teach me further particulars respecting that sin, which, as you have shewn, is found in all the human race.

Mother. The baneful effects of sin, or that moral defilement, which appears in every child of Adam, at its very birth, I have only glanced at: let us, then, spend a short time in viewing the painful topic more at large. All the misery you see, or may have heard of, in individuals, families, villages, towns, cities, nations—all the desolating wars between one country and another are so many exhibitions of the dreadful principle, SIN! "Whence come wars and fightings among you? Come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not; ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain; ye fight and war, yet ye have not." You sometimes wonder, perhaps, why powerful kingdoms seek to overcome other kingdoms, that they may get possession of

and rule over them. You, I venture to say, are not disposed to acquire wealth by these means, if you were sure to become successful.

Annie. Were I a queen, and had numerous soldiers under me, I could not consent to employ them in fighting against other nations; and especially nations that had never quarrelled with nor molested me.

Mother. I would hope, my dear, that your disposition is too peaceable to commit such violent outrages, were you raised to a station as exalted and powerful as that of Queen Victoria. But, I must tell you, that young persons, in their lesser contentions, frequently display emotions and conduct, which, did condition and circumstances afford a favourable opportunity, would produce as serious evils as those you have been deploring. What anger, for instance, have we beheld in children, when at their play; and how unjustly do they covet, and afterward as wickedly strive to secure by cruel

D

force, playthings which belong to their more harmless companions. Whenever you witness behaviour of this kind, be assured that there is the bud of tyranny—a manifestation of that sin, which has destroyed mighty cities, and murdered thousands of mankind.

Annie. I must not forget this, should I ever be inclined to wish for anything that belongs to another. And I ought to bear in mind, too, what pain it would give me, were any one to wish for something of mine, and which I was anxious to keep.

Mother. As I aim, chiefly, at your improvement, Annie, in these conversations, I shall be led, from time to time, to digress somewhat from the matter under consideration, that, by similitude, or other form of instruction, I may make the facts to bear directly upon yourself. Now let us return to the point in hand-sin, and its consequences. The offspring of sin is deathcarnal, spiritual, and eternal death. By car