of the abominations of the people. Thanks be to God, however, all are not such,—no ;

"All are not lost, there are, though few,

Who faith prefer, and piety to God."

Still, our church possesses some, on whom this stigma would in vain be sought; some whom, from my very soul, I love and venerate

"Men, whose hearts are warm,

Whose hands are pure, whose doctrines and whose life,

Coincident, exhibit lucid proof

That they are honest in the sacred cause.

To such I render more than mere respect,

Whose actions say that they respect themselves."

Jairus, seeing his PASTOR present, naturally concluded there could be no very great impropriety in being there himself. So he reasoned, and thus, with all the ingenuity of a sophist, endeavoured to satisfy and soothe the internal restless and unwelcome intruder on his amusements.

That all the affairs of man are under the control of a wise and benevolent superintending Providence, is what every consistent believer in revelation will readily admit, while it declares "The very hairs of your head are all numbered:" and even, intentions and pursuits which, in themselves, do not allow of either defence or pallia tion, are, as in the case of Paul's journey to Damascus, overruled, so as to subserve the Sovereign purposes of Jehovah.

Trivial as some circumstances may appear, they evidently contain and supply the germ of great and wonderful events. Frequently, in con

templating the history of nations, are we astonished while we behold what were (separately considered) positively insignificant matters, leading to the destruction of one mighty empire, and the erection of another. As in nations, so is it also in the cases of individuals. The partiality of a parent for one particular member of the family, as in the case of old Jacob towards his favourite Joseph, may, instrumentally, produce events beyond the power of human calculation. Luther's disagreement with a popish priest led to a private pique, out of which arose that reformation, the glorious effects of which we now enjoy : and thus, those things which frequently, to all appearance, are among the most trivial and minute in life, yet, by easy and natural progression, continue to advance, until the deep-laid and glorious designs of God, unfolding themselves, in all the beauty of harmonious perfection, to our admiring attention, prompt us, with the mingled emotions of rapture and amazement, to exclaim, "What hath God wrought!". "It is the Lord's doing, and marvellous in our eyes!"

The hoarse bawlings of a sometimes more than half-intoxicated clerk, and the powerful and discordant tones of an organ, in the parish church at which Jairus attended, suggested the propriety and importance of the formation of a choir of singers; and, eventually, prepared the way by which he was led to listen to the glad sound of the Gospel.

Fond of the pleasing art of singing, though with but little voice for the exercise, and less judgment, he nevertheless gladly became one of the tuneful band. Masters were obtained by the young aspirants after fame in the syren-art, from whom to receive instruction. The gamut was conquered; several psalm-tunes were learned and sung; and, on the morning of the day on which our Saviour's nativity is commemorated, "Arise, shine," in full chorus, was given to the gaping listeners. By frequent meetings for rehearsals, the infant choir became adepts in the science, and expert in the power of harmony. But such associations had, in a moral point of view, nearly proved fatal to Jairus. The gleam of truth, which had flickered before his mind with fleeble influence, had already lost much of the small power which it had previously exerted: and, consequently, the murmurs of conscience became less frequent and more faint.

It is usually found that regular bodies of singers possess more love for music than for religion; and, in many places of worship, where choirs are established, it is peculiarly painful to notice the evident indifference which is manifested

by that useful body of persons, to every part of the service, excepting only the tunes they sing, if, indeed, their attending merely to these may be regarded as any part of divine service. Not unusually is the sermon, however good it may be, entirely lost to themselves, and the atten

tion of others distracted, by their interrupting the solem proclamation of the word of God, by turning over the pages of their music-books, to select a proper tune with which to conclude the service.

There were, indeed, one or two of those with whom Jairus stood connected in those singing exercises, for whom he justly entertained a high regard, and with whom, in after years, he frequently met, to their mutual pleasure and profit: the greater number, however, of this tuneful company were totally destitute of the fear of God; even the form of godliness was discarded by them. Frequently, to avoid the penalty of a fine which was imposed both on occasional absentees from the singing-loft, and likewise on those who gave but a late attendance, they have hurried from a country alehouse, to which their afternoon's walk had led them, in a state bordering on inebrity, and, entering the temple of the Most High, have composed themselves to sleep, until the closing part of the service required their attention to the proposal of the clerk by singing to what he impiously called, "the praise and glory of God." Awful profanation! Mockery of sacred service! Nay, so far was the glory of God from forming any part in their singing engagements, that, even at their meetings for rehearsal, which were held in a large pew in the gallery of the church appropriated to their service, songs, glees, and catches were proposed to constitute a

portion of their exercises. This, however, on the part of some was objected to, as it might not be pleasing to some of the acknowledged authorities, and the motion was therefore lost.

This statement is not intended to convey an idea that similar conduct is necessarily connected with such associations: by no means. The writer knows, from personal observation, that far otherwise is, happily, the case. The principal objects intended here are to exhibit the dangerous circumstances in which Jairus had placed himself; and the consequent improbability, in merely human estimation, that such would have been the means through which his wandering mind would be led to the love and service of God; and to demonstrate, at the same time, that nothing is "too hard for the Lord." Nevertheless, that there is great danger to the best interests of young people in such meetings cannot be questioned, where, perhaps, two-thirds, or a still larger proportion, of the party, are not even seriously inclined, and where, frequently, perhaps, the principles of not a few are scarcely a degree above semi-deists.

On a particular and public occasion, an evangelical minister, whose clear views of truth and luminous method of exhibiting it had rendered him justly popular, came to preach at the parish church. The news spread through the town and neighbourhood like wild-fire among dry stubble, and dissenters of every name, and from every