to worship a deity, to fear its displeasure, or to pray for its protection. I will not enter into any discussion of your principles, though you seem to desire it. At present I shall only give you my opinion, that, though your reasonings are subtle, and may prevail with some readers, you will not succeed so as to change the general sentiments of mankind on that subject, and the consequence of printing this piece will be, a great deal of odium drawn upon yourself, mischief to you, and no benefit to others. He that spits against the wind spits in his own face. But were you to succeed, do you imagine any good will be done by it? You yourself may find it easy to live a virtuous life without the assistance afforded by religion; you have a clear perception of the advantages of virtue, and the disadvantages of vice, and possess a strength of resolution sufficient to enable you to resist common temptations. But think how great a portion of mankind consists of weak and ignorant men and women, and of inexperienced, inconsiderate youth of both sexes, who have need of the motives of religion to restrain them from vice, to support their virtue, and retain them in the practice of it till it becomes habitual, which is the great point for its security. And perhaps you are indebted to her originally, that is, to your religious education, for the habits of virtue upon which you now justly value yourself. You might easily display your excellent talents of reasoning upon a less hazardous subject, and thereby obtain a rank with our most distinguished authors. For among us it is not necessary, as among the Hottentots, that a youth, to be raised into the company of men, should prove his manhood by beating his mother. I would advise you, therefore, not to attempt unchaining the tiger, but to burn this piece before it is seen by any other person, whereby you will save yourself a great deal of mortification from the enemies it may raise against you, and perhaps a good deal of regret

SELF-EXAMINATION,

BY A VILLAGE PASTOR.

To a Young Convert. SELF-EXAMINATION respects both feeling and conduct. A difficulty occurs in ascertaining whether the former is according to the spirit, and the latter correspondent with the precepts of the Bible. I am persuaded that you are already impressed with the importance of the duty, and are resolved that it shall occupy a prominent place in the daily exercises of the closet.

But methinks I hear you inquire, in what way you are to proceed; how you are to know that you pursue the duty to advantage; and whether you are not, after all, liable to deception? I have already forewarned you of difficulties which will appear formidable, and which, at the very threshold of your Christian course, will be thrown in your way, to arrest your progress, and frighten you from the discharge of duty. But be not discouraged or intimidated. Repeated efforts in prayer to God will enable you to resist the opposition; and that which at first appeared fraught with difficulties, will be found, after a few incipient discouragements, easy and delight

ful.

Satan will exert his utmost power to hinder you from this all-important duty. He knows how much your hopes, and your advancement in holiness, depend upon the faithful discharge of it. Having, in so many other cases, succeeded in hindering its performance, he will hope in yours to succeed. May the grace of God enable you to disappoint him. May you persevere, even amid discouragements, until the duty shall

become to you a most precious privilege.

When you enter upon this work you will first look upward to heaven, in a few short petitions, that God would grant you His Holy Spirit; that He would fix your attention on the immediate duty before you; that He would keep you from a superficial investigation; and enable you to deal closely and thoroughly with your heart.

We are very liable, in our retirement, to wandering thoughts; and I doubt not, that hours have been wasted in the closet in a vain attempt to fix the mind, while it eluded the effort, and sported itself in fanciful and foolish visions.

It is important, therefore, that we at once counteract this desultory state of mind, by fervent prayer to God. We should then, in a measure, anticipate Satan, who is always most busy with the children of God when they are the nearest to duty, and are about to receive some great spiritual benefit.

Our self-examination, I have already said, respects our state of feelings, and our external conduct. Has the former partaken of the spirit of Christ? Has the latter corresponded with His precepts? It is no very difficult matter for a conscientious and reflecting individual to retrace the occurrences of a single day. But, if the business be deferred for weeks and months, his sins will be multiplied and forgotten, amid the fluctuating scenes of life. Conscious that there has been much, in both heart and life, to condemn, but forgetting the particulars, he is obliged to repent in the gross.

But he who daily calls himself to an account will, after a few trials, find the employment both easy and edifying. He will ask, With what feelings did I awake?

Did my

gratitude for nocturnal repose and protection rise with the rising light to Him who is the watchman of Israel, and who never slumbereth

nor sleepeth? Or was I, like the brute, indifferent to the kindness of my heavenly Guardian? Did I arise with the breath of praise on my lips, and the spirit of devotion in my heart? Or were my thoughts scattered and desultory? In my morning devotions, can I say that I enjoyed a near access to God, so that I communed with Him, even, as it were, from the mercy-seat? Did I wrestle? Did I agonize? Was this my spirit, or were my prayers formal and forced? Was my frame of mind sluggish and cold? Were my petitions hurried and insincere? really desire the blessings I sought; or did I only mention them as a necessary part of prayer? Had I a deep sense of my unworthiness, and a full conviction of the necessity of my Mediator's blood and merits? In my petitions, was my soul drawn forth in solicitude for others; or did I confine them to myself?

Did I

Having left my closet, did I watch unto prayer? I besought God to keep me from sin; but has my conduct, this day, been in unison with my prayers? I prayed for sanctification; but have I detected and suppressed the first risings of secret iniquity? I entreated God for more light and knowledge; but have I meditated on His works, and studied His word? I deprecated my easily besetting sin; but have I endeavoured to avoid it? I prayed for Zion, and for the salvation of the impenitent; but have I spoken a word of warning or exhortation to any person this day? Have I watched the leadings of Providence? Have I advanced in the knowledge of God? Have I made any new discoveries of His glory? Have I learned more of the machinations of Satan; or seen deeper into the deceitfulness of my own heart?

These are a few general questions, which may serve as a guide to one who wishes an outline of daily selfexamination.

THERE is scarcely a missionary field more evidently blessed than that of the General Baptist Mission in Orissa, embracing the celebrated temple of Juggernath. Native converts have the last year produced three valuable books which the mission are printing-all the more attractive for being in poetry, like almost all the Hindoo books.

"I have just returned," says Rev. Mr. Bulkley,an excellent and devoted missionary," from the great festival of Juggernath at Pooree. The attendance of pilgrims has been large, at least three-fourths of the people being women, many of them widows, and the mortality has been fearfully great. Alas, how are their sorrows multiplied that hasten after another god! It was heart-rending to witness the dying and the dead lying in the streets of Pooree, and by the way-side on our journey. One of the first sights which morning light disclosed on my journey from Cuttack to Pooree, was the vultures gathering around the carcass of one of the poor, wretched pilgrims to Juggernath. Alas! such affecting scenes are common. The wretched votaries of Juggernath are deniedI will not say a grave, for the Hindoos, with few exceptions, burn, not bury, their dead-but the cherished rites of Hindooism are unregarded.

They die unpitied and unwept, and are left to be devoured by dogs and vultures. Nor let us ever forget that, dying idolators, they pass to an undone eternity; for the wicked shall be turned into hell, with all the nations that forget God.""

PAY FOR THE PITCHERS. DR. ADAM CLARKE was preaching to a large congregation in Ireland, and after dwelling in glowing terms upon the freeness of the Gospel, and telling them that the water of life could be had "without money and without price," at the conclusion of the sermon a person announced that a collection would be made to support the Gospel in foreign parts. This announcement disconcerted the worthy doctor, who afterwards related the circumstance to the lady of the house where he was staying. "Very true, doctor," replied the hostess, "the water of life is free, 'without money and without price,' but they must pay for pitchers to carry it in." The conclusion of the anecdote was followed by cheerful smiles and a clapping of hands, and the children showed that they understood its import by the readiness with which they contributed to the collection.

ETERNAL and unchangeable Jehovah! thou great Creator of heaven and earth, and adorable Lord of angels and men! I desire, with the deepest humiliation and abasement of soul, to fall down at this time in thine awful presence, and earnestly

pray that thou wilt penetrate my very heart with a suitable sense of thine unutterable and inconceivable glories.

Trembling_may_justly take hold upon me, when I, a sinful worm, presume to lift up my head to thee,

presume to appear in thy majestic presence, on such an occasion as this. Who am I, O Lord God, or what is my house? What is my nature or descent, my character and desert, that I should speak of this, and desire that I may be one party in a covenant, where thou, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords, art the other! I blush, and am confounded, even to mention it before thee. But, O Lord, great as is thy majesty, so also is thy mercy. If thou wilt hold converse with any of thy creatures, thy superlatively exalted nature must stoop, must stoop infinitely low. And I know, that in and through Jesus, the Son of thy love, thou condescendest to visit sinful mortals, and to allow their approach to thee, and their covenant-intercourse with thee. Nay, I know that the scheme and plan is thine own, and that thou hast graciously sent to propose it to us; as Rone untaught by thee would have been able to form it, or inclined to embrace it, even when actually proposed.

To thee, therefore, do I now come, invited by the name of thy Son, and trusting in His righteousness and grace. Laying myself at thy feet, with shame and confusion of face, and smiting upon my breast, I say with the humble publican, "God be merciful to me a sinner!" I acknowledge, O Lord, that I have been a great transgressor. My sins bave reached unto heaven, and mine iniquities are lifted up unto the skies! The irregular propensities of my corrupted and degenerate nature bave, in ten thousand aggravated instances, wrought to bring forth fruit unto death. And if thou shouldst be strict to mark mine offences, I must be silent under a load of guilt, and immediately sink into destruction. But thou hast graciously called me to return unto thee, though I have been a wandering sheep, a prodigal son, a backsliding child. Behold, therefore, O Lord, I come unto thee. I come, convinced not only of my sin, but of my folly. I come, from my very

heart ashamed of myself, and with an acknowledgment, in the sincerity and humility of my soul, that I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly. I am confounded myself at the remembrance of these things; but be thou merciful to my unrighteousness, and do not remember against me my sins and transgressions! Permit me, O Lord, to bring back unto thee those powers and faculties which I have ungratefully and sacrilegiously alienated from thy service; and, receive, I beseech thee, thy poor revolted creature, who is now convinced of thy right to him, and desires nothing in the whole world so much as to be thine!

Blessed God! it is with the utmost solemnity that I make this surrender of myself unto thee. Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, I vouch the Lord this day to be my God; and I avouch and declare myself this day, to be one of His covenant children and people. Hear, O thou God of heaven, and record it in the book of thy remembrance, that henceforth I am thine, entirely thine. I would not merely consecrate unto thee some of my powers, or some of my possessions; or give thee a certain proportion of my services, or all I am capable of for a limited time; but I would be wholly thine, and thine for ever. From this day do I solemnly renounce all the former lords which have had dominion over me, every sin and every lust; and bid, in thy name, eternal defiance to the powers of hell, which have most unjustly usurped the empire over my soul, and to all the corruptions which their fatal temptations have introduced into it. The whole frame of my nature, all the faculties of my mind, and all the members of my body would I present before thee this day, as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, which I know to be my most reasonable service. To thee I consecrate all my worldly possessions: in thy service I desire to spend all the remainder of my time upon earth, and beg thou

an

as

wouldst instruct and influence me, so that, whether my abode here be longer or shorter, every year and month, every day and hour, may be used in such a manner shall most effectually promote thine honour, and subserve the schemes of thy wise and gracious providence. And I earnestly pray, that whatever influence thou givest me over others, in any of the superior relations of life in which I may stand, or in consequence of any peculiar regard which may be paid to me, thou wouldst give me strength and courage to exert myself to the utmost for thy glory; resolving not only that I will myself do it, but that all others, so far as I can rationally and properly influence them, shall serve the Lord. In this course, O blessed God, would I steadily persevere to the very end of my life; earnestly praying, that every future day of it may supply the deficiencies, and correct the irregularities of the former; and that I may by divine grace be enabled, not only to hold on in that happy way, but daily to grow more active in it!

Nor do I only consecrate all that I am, and have, to thy service; but I also most humbly resign, and submit to thine holy and sovereign will, myself, and all that I can call mine.

leave, O Lord, to thy management and direction, all I possess, and all I wish; and set every enjoyment and every interest before thee, to be disposed of as thou pleasest. Continue or remove what thou hast given me; bestow or refuse what I imagine I want, as thou, Lord, shalt see good. And though I dare not say, I will never repine; yet I hope I may venture to say, that I will labour, not only to submit, but to acquiesce; not only to bear what thou dost in thy most afflictive dispensation, but to consent to it, and to praise thee for it; contentedly resolving, in all that thou appointest for me, my will unto thine, and looking on myself as nothing, and on thee, O God, as the great eternal All, whose word ought to determine everything, and whose government

ought to be the joy of the whole rational creation.

Use me, O Lord, I beseech thee, as the instrument of thy glory; and honour me so far, as either by doing or suffering what thou shalt appoint, to bring some revenue of praise to thee, and of benefit to the world in which I dwell! And may it please thee from this day forward, to number me among thy peculiar people, that I may no more be a stranger and foreigner, but a fellow-citizen with the saints, and of the household of God! Receive, O heavenly Father, thy returning prodigal! Wash me in the blood of thy dear Son; clothe me with His perfect righteousness: and sanctify me throughout by the power of thy Spirit! Destroy, I beseech thee, more and more the power of sin in mine heart! Transform me more into thine own image, and fashion me to the resemblance of Jesus, whom henceforth I would acknowledge as my teacher and sacrifice, my intercessor and my Lord! Communicate to me, I beseech thee, all needful influences of thy purifying, thy cheering, and thy comforting Spirit! And lift up that light of countenance upon me, which will put the sublimest joy and gladness into my soul.

Dispose my affairs, O God, in a manner which may be most subservient to thy glory and my own truest happiness; and when I have done and borne thy will upon earth, call me from hence at what time, and in what manner thou pleasest: only grant, that in my dying moments, and in the near prospects of eternity, I may remember these my engagements to thee, and may employ my latest breath in thy service! And do thou, Lord, when thou seest the agonies of dissolving nature upon me, remember this covenant too, even though I should then be incapable of recollecting it. Look down, O my heavenly Father, with a pitying eye, upon thy languishing, thy dying child; place thine everlasting arms underneath me for my support; put strength and confidence into my departing spirit;