excepting by Minna; true, the latter was too polite not to render her residence at her father's agreeable, although, at the same time, she tried to associate with her as seldom as she possibly could; according to her, Alice was not converted, and she wished to be in the company of none but converted persons. There was a weekly public prayer meeting held in the neighbourhood, under the ministration of the Rev. Mr. at which Minna pleaded hard to be permitted to attend. Unknown to her father, she had gone once with a Calvinistic acquaintance; but he had peremptorily forbidden her to do so again, adding, "that at present he must use a parent's privilege in judging for her; when she was older, and her judgment more matured, she would then be better competent to decide for herself." "I am nearly fifteen," returned she, not at all pleased with the firm manner in which her father spoke, "and my mind is completely made up already." "And where did you learn your present opinions, my love?" resumed Mr. Mornton, not seeming to regard the cloud which passed over her brow.

Minna. "From the Bible; besides, everybody thinks in the same way."

Henry. "You must have read it, then, to very little purpose; and if you propose following the multitude, you had better turn Roman Catholic at once."

;

His sister disdained a reply, and turning to her father, asked, what possible objections he could have to Mr. adding, "I am sure, papa, if you heard him preach, you must like him; besides, he is so sincere, so pious,—all allow him to be a good man."

Charles (smiling). "If I remember, my dear cousin, you said, last night, that there was not a single good person in the world."

Minna. "I meant, excepting the converted; but tell me, papa, is not Mr. extremely sincere."

Mr. M. "His sincerity, my dear, I cannot question; his unwearied, indefatigable exertions in the promotion of what he believes to be truth, all must respect; and his earnest anxiety for the salvation of souls, is worthy alike the man and the Christian. Yet, notwithstanding, I conceive him to be in egregious error; and with that impression, I could not, with satisfaction to my own mind, sit under his ministry." Q

Henry. "We shall hear Minna advocating the doctrine of the Trinity next, I fancy.

Minna. "No, Henry; I don't think I could believe exactly that; but there is a great deal in Unitarianism to condemn; and if you knew how the Rosemores spoke against it, and they were converted."

Alice." But are they infallible?"

Minna. "I know that the true light has been poured in upon them; and that I cannot see the whole of you in such a precarious condition, without at least trying to pluck you as firebrands out of the burning. Believe me, you lay too much stress upon your own righteousness, and lean too little upon Christ's; oh, if you heard how powerfully Mr. dilated upon this subject, you would never again listen to moral essays which disgrace our pulpits." Henry. "We glory in the doctrines of Unitarianism; and you may travel over the whole globe, before you will find better men or better Christians than our own exemplary pastor Mr. of G——, or Mr. of D, and whom you yourself used to hold up as standards of human excellence."

-, or Mr.

Minna. "They may be very well in their way, but I will pronounce them to be in an unconverted state.

Alice. "In what manner did the Rosemores pass the day, generally? they would do much good to their fellowcreatures?"

Minna. "Harriet spent a great portion of her time in working for, and visiting, the poor; she looked less to faith than practice; but then she was not possessed of the Spirit, like the others."

Charles. "And did they not prosecute these labours of love?"

Minna. "Very seldom, for they frequented all the public and private religious meetings; and I remember one cold winter evening, although Mrs. Rosemore had a severe sore throat, and her youngest boy was confined to bed with measles, she went to church notwithstanding; but then she was sound in the faith.

Alice (with surprise). "Oh! how could she leave her child in such a state-where was her Christianity there? Had she forgotten these words, I will have mercy and not sacrifice.""

Minna. "We must discard every earthly affection, where it interferes with our duty to God; and bearing in mind that expression of our Saviour's, whoso loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me,' must be content to leave all and follow him."

Charles. "When Jesus uttered that important saying, he intended it to convey a meaning widely different from the one which you would put upon it; and if you will have patience with me for a little, Minna, I shall explain it, I think, to your satisfaction."

Minna (impatiently). "No, I had rather not have your explanations; and indeed, Charles, it is exceedingly sinful in you, who are yet in an unconverted state, to presume being a minister of the Gospel, and to hold yourself up as a teacher of others."

"Really, Minna," exclaimed her brother, rising from his chair in a burst of indignation, "you have become perfectly insufferable; go and lay to heart the five first verses of the seventh chapter of St. Matthew, and see how far they correspond with your sentiments and conduct."

"Bear with her, Henry," said Charles mildly; "recollect she is much younger than either of us. I have no doubt" (affectionately taking her hand) "but that our dear Minna will come to see her errors in time."-Hers was a nature that did with kindness rather than severity; she looked up into her cousin's face, and when his kind and earnest gaze met her own, revealing so powerfully all that was passing in his mind, a tear which she could not conceal stole down her cheek.

"I would not willingly hurt any of your feelings," she at length observed, "but if I could only get you all to look less unto yourselves and more unto Christ, relying entirely upon his merits-believing that as he has done all for you, and that as your salvation is already completed, you can do nothing for yourselves, but have merely to believe I am certain you would feel far happier."

Charles. "We do not rely upon human merit for salvation; we rest wholly upon the Saviour, because the Father has given him unto us; but we do aver, that more is required than a formal assent of the understanding to any set of opinions, and, that that faith which is not evi

denced by a life and conversation becoming the Gospel, is a barren and unfruitful principle."

Mr. M. (turning to his daughter). "Are you happier now than you were two years ago, Minna? Lay your hand upon your heart, and impartially ask yourself, if your peace is greater at this moment than it was in those blissful days when contemplating the Almighty as a merciful Father in heaven, whom you considered it your highest duty as well as brightest principle to love and adore with all your young heart, and mind, and strength; when you looked to Jesus as the mercy-seat of the Almighty's goodness, striving to follow in his steps as the way, the truth, and the life; when you strove to prove your faith practical, by ever doing to others as you would wish that others should do unto you, and, by the strength of heaven, improved yourself in every good word and work-remembering that you must give an account at the judgment-seat of Christ? Are you happier now than you were then?"

The young enthusiast could not help internally acknowledging that she was at least more light-hearted at that period; but she tried to persuade herself it had been a false peace she then enjoyed, and told her father so; adding, "Indeed, papa, the most of your belief is entirely a delusion of the Devil."- Henry laughed, and Mr. Mornton gravely bade her drop the subject for the present; reminding her, that love to man is the best criterion of devotion to our Maker. It was perfectly evident to all her friends, that Minna had been completely "led away by those erroneous doctrines which inculcate faith as the only means of salvation, and preaching and praying, the whole business of a believer's life." Her mind had become a perfect chaos of doubts and inconsistencies; instead of candidly reviewing the Sacred Volume, where in almost every page she could not fail to see that faith and works can never be separated, she dwelt only on those passages which appeared to favour her own peculiar opinions, and believed that every text must be read literally. Hence, she considered it no sin, in opposition to the wishes of her father, to attend those places of worship in which the "true light," according to her, really prevailed; because the Saviour has said, "whosoever loveth

father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me;" and as the Apostle tells us to pray without ceasing, she fancied it incumbent on her to engage in that duty the greater part of the day. Mr. Mornton found that he had an extremely difficult part to perform; and as he deemed his child far too young to judge for herself on a subject so vitally important as religion, he was resolved to exercise the authority of a parent in judging for her, and, how painful soever to his feelings, strictly to prohibit her frequenting those churches where she would merely hear discourses which, without enlightening her understanding, would but tend to strengthen her present sentiments, and blight any piety which might yet remain; when she grew older and her judgment more matured, he would attempt neither to fetter her mind nor actions; and such was the liberal tone of his, that even now he did not object to her sometimes perusing the best Trinitarian authors, provided they did not treat of controversy, and occasionally accompanying her himself, to listen to those ministers of the Establishment who were really pious, and might be safely termed rational.

All this seemed exceedingly hard to Minna, and a thousand times she asked herself, whether or not she ought to brave her father's displeasure, and boldly stand forward for what she conceived to be truth, or patiently wait the period when youth and inexperience could no more be held up as arguments against her. No entreaties, however, could prevail on her to join in general conversation, nor engage in any amusement, no matter how innocent it might have been. All music, excepting sacred, she reprobated as sinful; and the harp and piano, formerly her delight, and whose sweet sounds had made many a home evening delightful, were now altogether discarded. Drawing and fancy-work were likewise given up, as a sinful waste of time; and, in fact, the whole of Minna's pleasure seemed to consist in shutting herself up as much as possible in her own apartment, in converting the ignorant poor, and walking with Ellinor Vincent, a young Calvinist, with whom she had latterly formed an acquaintance.