holy brotherhood of which Christ is the Head? are we one with him, and he with us? In religion, as in other things, we may unite ourselves with a favourite sect or party; but this is not the love of Christ, of his Gospel, or his church. We must love him because he has first loved us; to know the benefits of which we

must have felt our need of him as a Saviour, have repaired to him in faith and humility for pardon and acceptance with God, and by his grace have resolved, his Holy Spirit strengthening us, to devote ourselves to his service, and to be his faithful soldiers and servants as long as we live.

DEATH BED OF FOUR INFIDELS.

Tothe Editorofthe Christian Observer.

It has occurred to me, in my ministerial labours, to attend the deathbeds of four persons who had professed to disbelieve the truths of the Christian revelation. They were members of an infidel club in my parish, and all died within about three years. As the account may be useful to some who, in the folly of their hearts, ridicule the truths of Christianity, and may also lead some of my respected clerical brethren to consider the best manner of acting under similar circumstances, I will simply state the facts, leaving it to my readers to draw their own conclusions from them. May the Spirit of God bless what I am writing, to promote the glory of his name, and the spiritual welfare of those who shall peruse the

were to be turned into ridicule: but this was, however, insufficient to deter the party from their profane designs; for another copy was soon procured in its place, and one of the members appointed preacher to the club. His business was to select such portions of Scripture as were most likely, by being perverted, to excite the mirth of his audience. How long this had been carried on before I came to the parish, I know not, nor to what extent it proceeded; for I was not aware of its existence till after the death of the first individual to whom I have alluded.

I had resided in the parish about a year and a half, when hearing that one of my parishioners, a tradesman, was taken ill, I called on him. The sick, and as it proved the dying, man, was the very person who had acted as chief orator to the club. Not knowing his character, or the life which he had been leading, I addressed him generally on the necessity of vital religion, and of an entire dedication of the heart to God; dwelling on the comforts which religion holds out to those whose faith rests on Christ. Sup`posing me to be fully aware of his conduct, he received what I said as an allusion to his own state of mind, and with great clearness and talent, for he was a very clever man, described his state, and acknowledged his sins, yet expressed no hopes of pardon through the atonement of Christ. He was aware of his

danger, yet he saw no way of salvation. Often by his shrewdness and wit he had raised a laugh against religion; but he now deeply felt the want of that consolation which faith in Christ can alone bestow. He wept profusely, earnestly expressing his resolutions of amendment should it please God to raise him from his bed. He never did rise, nor did I see him again; for whenever I called afterwards, which I did two or three times, I was constantly told that he was too ill to see me. Whether he was really senseless, or whether his friends did not wish me to see him, I do not know.

The second person was of a very different character; a man of little natural talent, but of so nervous a habit, and such ungoverned tempers, that at times he seemed almost deranged. Such was the general opinion of his character, that when I was told of his sickness, a friend who was present, on hearing my determination to visit him, urged me to consider the matter, as I should certainly be insulted. "I know his violence," said he; "particularly when the necessity of religious restraint is enforced." My friend, seeing I had determined to go, offered to accompany me, but I declined his offer; and was much surprised, on entering the sick room, to find myself received with the utmost civility, and after a few minutes thanked for my visit. The patient was in a highly excited state, almost approaching to madness. He entered into conversation with me freely, and appeared to be endeavouring to atone for his former sins, by studying the word of God with great diligence in his last hours. He did not seem to have attained to the most distant idea of salvation through Christ. He was completely without hope. I had to begin from the very foundation, and his mind was too much weakened to comprehend clearly what he read. One morning I found him reading a book which had been

lent him by a neighbour. Being anxious to guard him against error, I requested to see it. It proved to be either Serle's Christian Remembrancer, or Doddridge's Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul (I do not perfectly recollect which); but I took it into my hands, and pointing out the general scheme of salvation as contained in it, called his attention to those subjects on which I thought he had displayed the greatest ignorance; encouraged him to persevere in prayer; and added, that though he had slighted the call till the eleventh hour, he must strive to work for one hour, at least, in the Lord's vineyard. He seemed strongly impressed; and the next day, when I alluded to the conversation, he took out the book to shew me how many pages he had read since I had seen him: for he did not seem as yet at all to un, derstand the nature of a Christian's hope. On another occasion, when I had endeavoured to shew the love of God in having spared him, and not taken him out of the world in the midst of his profaneness, his mind seemed to be softened by former recollections; and he called to his memory the time when he regularly attended church with his family. "Those were happy days, sir," said he. I alluded to his neglect of public worship of late years: "Yes," he replied; "I first had a dispute about a seat; I then neglected church. Sometimes on a fine day I walked to a church in the country; but latterly, from evil company and indifference, I have never attended any place of worship." I have no doubt that his mind was at times deranged; but I believe this arose, in a great measure, from his being without the supports of religion. His sickness continued, and he at last felt himself sinking into the grave. For some weeks I had not been able to persuade him that he was in danger. After he had taken entirely to his bed, I was one day sitting by him, and speaking of the love of

God in the redemption of man, and that he would "in no wise cast out" those who came to him in Christ. I referred to various pas sages of Scripture in illustration of what I had said. He turned on me with an eye inflamed at once by madness or fever, and by horror at the approach of death; confessed his sins in the sight of God, and called on me to save his soul. I told him salvation was from Christ alone, and that I could not save him. "Yes," said he, half raising himself out of bed, and throwing his arm on my shoulder; "but you can guide me." I told him, that must be done by the Spirit of God alone; but that I would kneel down and pray for that Spirit. He seemed to pray fervently. I saw him for a few days; but he gradually wandered more and more in conversation, and his mind and body at last giving way together, he sank and died.

The third was of another disposition of mind; a low depraved man, given up entirely to self-indulgence. At the death of the first person above mentioned, he attended the funeral, and on the following Sunday appeared at church. I forget entirely the subject of the sermon, but remember that in the midst of it he cried out, "That is I," and disturbed the congregation. Iturned to the spot, but all was again silence. He however repeated the exclamation two or three times, and was with difficulty kept quiet by the neighbours. I suspected at the time, and I believe now, that he was partly intoxicated. The circumstance, however, had altogether a good effect in raising in the parish a strong feeling of disgust against the club. I took an opportunity of speaking to him, but apparently made no impression. He went on in his former sottishness, and died in a state of senseless stupidity. I visited him several times, but only once found him in a fit state for religious conversation, I then recalled to his mind our

former interview, and his total neglect of my advice. He acknowledged the truth of my observations, promised an entire change if he recovered, then relapsed into his former insensibility, and expired.

The fourth was a man of strong reasoning powers, self-willed, passionate, of profligate habits, and generally unpopular. His idea was, that he knew every thing, and was wiser than any other person in the affairs of this world as well as those of eternity. He argued, I understand, with great acuteness. I found him ill one day when I was visiting a sick child, and fancying that he was himself in great danger from the symptoms I perceived, I addressed a few words to him also. He had, I believe, felt my attention to his son, and wished not to appear angry with me, but rose up, walked across the room, and seemed displeased while I repeated the leading doctrines of the Christian faith, and said that I hoped when he approached death, he would feel the comforts of religion. He was civil, but endeavoured to turn the conversation, by saying, "I am ill certainly, sir; but I shall not die yet." I did not press the subject any further at that time; but urged him to read part of Law's Serious Call, marking the chapter on the vanity of all human pursuits. I conceived the reasoning would suit his state of mind, and perhaps lead him to further inquiry. But it was to no purpose; he would not read, and avoided me afterwards. He became worse, and after a sickness of a few days died. I saw him only once during his illness, and that was after he had ceased to articulate; but I have no reason to suppose that he shewed any contrition. I am happy, however, to say that his death has decidedly raised the attention of his family to religious subjects.

I have now given some account of the deaths of four persons, who during their lives professed not to believe in Christ. When visiting them

as their clergyman, even though I knew their principles, I never addressed them as professed unbelievers; but as vicious men, who had reason to dread the day of judgment, and at once called their minds to the great truths of Christianity, especially justification through the merits of Christ, and sanctification by the Spirit of God. How far I was right in so doing, is a matter on which I shall give no opinion.

With regard to the individuals, one thing I think is evident, that they died without the comforts of Christian faith; for, however anxious we may be in either of these cases, to draw a veil over their character, and to hope that their repentance was sincere, their pardon secured through the Saviour, and their souls, by Divine grace, fitted for heaven, one thing is evident, they did not here enjoy the consolations of Christ held out in the Gospel.

I will offer only one observation more. The unbelief of these persons arose, I fully believe, from immorality. And every person who indulges in any sin whatever, whether of temper or the senses, takes one step towards infidelity, and if he continues in it, deprives himself of the consolations held out in the Gospel to believers. Our confidence in Christ by faith will generally be proportionate to our Christian obedience, as this is the evidence that we are led by the Spirit of God. Let us then lay aside every weight, and the sin which easily besets us, and with patience run the race which is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith.

A CLERGYMAN.

ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF REPORTS

OF SOCIETIES.

Tothe Editorofthe Christian Observer.

My excellent wife addressed you,

last month, respecting the use of her name by the worthy secretary of one of our local societies; I wish you would also inform him, that the Reports of charitable institutions should in general be documents, not dissertations. I subscribe a trifle to a society which I highly approve, while some of its Reports I almost equally disapprove, because they are mixed up with matters of conjecture, of doubtful disputation, and of uncalled for controversy. I forbear specifying the particular instance to which I allude; and would only lay down this general rule, that a Report is the document of the business of a society, and not a medium for a secretary or committee-man to set forth his private opinions, speculations, or party animosities.

How much spiritual benefit by the blessing of God might be produced, were more attention paid to the manner in which the Reports of societies are written, and the speeches at societies spoken!

A. B. C.

THE APOCRYPHAL LESSONS.

Tothe Editorofthe Christian Observer.

HOLDING a clerical appointment, by which it becomes my duty to read " publicly before the congregation," the admirable service of our church on certain week-days, as well as Sundays, I have for the last few weeks been burdened in spirit in reading the Apocryphal Lessons, which occur at this season of the year. Many of these chapters are indeed excellent, as our church justly says, "for example of life, and instruction of manners;" but then the falsehoods, the absurdities, the heresies of others! Is it not a serious burden to be constrained to read the worse than nonsense about Tobit, and Susannah and the Elders, and Bel and the Dragon, and Judith and Holofernes, to a Christian auditory assembled for Divine

worship, not a few of whom possibly mistake this trash for the word of God? These Apocryphal Lessons are one of the-let me say, in my admiration of our beloved church-few spots on her disk; that is, as settled by her founders, and apart from the grievous laxity of her modern discipline; but spots they are, and they ought to be obliterated, that her excellence may shine the more brightly.

I have seen the subject mentioned again and again in your pages; and so palpable is the case, that not one of your correspondents has ventered to come forth with the shadow of an apology for reading in the present age, whatever a doubtful " expediency" might have required in that of our Reformers, these often silly and sometimes detestable legends-nay, worse than silly or detestable, because blasphemously professing to be a revelation from God, while they are but the inventions of men. Will none of our bishops, none of our clergy, none of our laymen, interfere in this work of expurgation? Think of the conscious shame I lately felt while reading (but I will not specify the chapter), to see, sitting very demurely in a corner, a highly respectable and pious Dissenting minister; who, though "a Dissenter upon principle," speaks upon the whole very candidly of our church, and I had hoped might be somewhat won over by our truly beautiful and affecting Liturgy-but this spoilt all. I saw him a few days after I said nothing on the subject; neither did he; but I perceived that our thoughts were silently wandering towards it.

Till of late years the great body of the friends of the church were, like the members of the Bible Society, abettors of the Apocrypha, either through ignorance or thoughtlessness but the late controversy has enlightened the humblest peasant among us on the subject, and a fearful responsibility will now lie CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 335.

:

I TOOK the liberty of suggesting, in your Number for March, p. 173, the desirableness of procuring the repeal of so much of the Toleration Act of 1812 as renders it unlawful for twenty persons in a committee, or at a meeting of a charitable society, to read even the Lord's Prayer, or a Collect, without a breach of the law, and exposing themselves to degrading penalties. The subject has become of still greater importance since I wrote, in consequence of the practice of late so generally and properly adopted, of commencing the business of the day with solemn prayer, which however renders every person present subject to the penalties of the law at the suit of any mercenary informer. The occurrence which I anticipated, has at length nearly arrived; for at a meeting lately held at Norwich, for forming an Auxiliary to the Reformation Society, Mr. Sergeant Firth, who strongly opposed the formation of the society, commenced with warning the chairman that it was at his personal peril he permitted a prayer to be offered up; for though he himself (Mr. Firth) would not interpose his authority on the occasion as a magistrate, which he might do, yet he expressed his unhesitating conviction that the proceeding was unlawful. And so I think it was: but morally and religiously it was right; and I should not know whether to pity most, the heart or the head of the man who would inflict the penalties of the law to prevent it. But still law is law; and it may be urged by many persons, that in such a case a Christian ought not to violate it. But be this as it may, it is earnestly to 4 S