favour of the Rev. John MacNaughtan, Free Church minister at Paisley. Mr. Forster, in the unavoidable absence of Mr. M'Lean, preached and presided. The call was sustained, and the usual steps were afterwards taken to prosecute the translation.

THE INFANT'S GRAVE.

IN a midland parish of Scotland there is an ancient church-yard, commanding a view of a magnificent range of hills, beyond a noble river. The church-yard is rich with historic memorials. The ashes of mighty dead lie there, heroes of the olden time, who fell in the battle of their country's independence; and strangers from other lands often visit their tombs, after surveying the battle-field. But it was not to contemplate the changeful hues of the mountains, or to muse among the tombs of the warriors, that a young and highly gifted man so often lingered there; it was a small, new grave that attracted him—the grave of his first-born. She had come forth like a flower, to be cut down :

"Soft silken primrose fading timelessly." The infant was beautiful; but her beauty was not that of an infant, it was something solemn and intellectual; it might have been supposed that deep thought, and deeper feeling, had dwelt beneath that forehead and eye, and no one wondered that she became so speedily an angel.

During her brief sojourn she had an angel's mission to accomplish, to weave a mysterious bond between earthly hearts and heaven. The world had smiled too brightly upon her parents, and one of them was soon to leave it; he needed therefore to have his affections drawn upward. He had hitherto had every wish accomplished-no blight had fallen upon his happiness; and perhaps, though a child of God, and devoted to His service, he might have loved the world too well.

Standing unconsciously on the confines of eternity, he needed to have his thoughts directed more than hitherto to its mighty realities; for though "in Christ" already, perhaps there was something lacking of needful preparation for seeing His unveiled countenance, and joining in the employments of those who stand around

the throne.

And therefore it was that this little being, who had wound herself round his heart like a spell, should be snatched away; that following her in spirit he might meditate upon her new state of existence, until its scenes and its employments should become familiar to his mind.

His very dreams betrayed the habit of his soul. "I heard," he said one morning, "I heard exquisite music last night. I saw a lady, a prophetess; she was dressed in white, and sang to her harp; when I awoke, I remembered all her song, but now it is quite gone, except a line and a couplet. The line—

"But it passes ecstacy."

The couplet

"And I heard a voice of love:
O beloved, from above."

He remarked again, "It was like the message to Daniel, ‘O man, greatly beloved!'

He would expatiate with delight upon the radiance which cheers the believer in "the valley of the shadow of death," and on the joy with which heaven is filled by the presence of Christ. "That sunbright countenance!" he once exclaimed, clasping his hands and looking upward, as if the vision had burst upon his gaze, Who can tell how many of those bright revealings had been given him while lingering by the baby's grave?

But was his belief well founded, that his darling was in the bosom of Jesus? Was her spirit safe-had it passed all at once from unconscious infancy to the beatific vision of the Saviour? Did he well to picture her amazement when heaven rushed upon her sight, and she learned the story of the love of Him whose name she had never heard, and of the woe from which he had ransomed her by His own blood? Was this truth, or was it delusion? She had inherited a fallen nature had been born under the curse of a broken law; had that nature been renewed-had she escaped that curse was she truly in heaven? I think I hear a question, and I will answer it. The baby had not been baptized. If by baptism alone a child is made an inheritor of heaven, she was not there.

Her parents saw her dying, and yet no priest was called to sprinkle over her the drops of salvation. They only prayed that the blood of Christ might be sprinkled on her soul; that the arms of Christ

might be open to receive her, as his ransomed lamb, into his own bosom. And then they trusted her to the good Shepherd, and believed that she was safe. But were they not in this neglecting Christ's appointment did not he enjoin baptism?

Yes, he did enjoin it as a profession of faith in him,—an engagement to live to him, to be his. He did enjoin it as the means of admission into his visible Church on earth. But the baby needed no vows, no engagements, to be his; she was going to his bosom: she needed no admission into the Church on earth, she was just entering the Church in heaven. But is not baptism regeneration?-and without regeneration is there admittance into heaven? 66 Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Most true, for this is God's word; but it is not God's word that by baptism a man is born again. Baptism is performed by man; now, the new birth is "not of man, but of God,-not of the will of the flesh -(which it would be if dependant upon a priest or a parent's will,) but of God." John i. 13. Baptism is but the sign-a testimony to men,-"an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace." It may be performed, and yet the receiver be like Simon Magus, "in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity." It has often manifestly been preceded by regeneration, "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God;" -but before the Ethiopian eunuch was allowed to be baptized he was required to state his possession of this belief. In answer to Philip's question, he replied, "I believe" (not I will believe after I am baptized, but I do believe,) "that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." Cornelius, also, and his friends, received before baptism, not merely the ordinary gift of the Holy Ghost, but also that extraordinary influence by which they spoke with other tongues; hence the challenge :-" Can any forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?" It is, therefore, evident that sometimes there is baptism without the gift of the Spirit who regenerates, and that, again, there is often faith, a fruit of the Spirit—a fruit of regeneration,-before baptism.

From all this I conclude, that while it would be highly culpable for a believer to neglect professing his faith and being admitted into the visible Church by baptism, —and also culpable for a parent to neglect

the dedication of his living child to Christ by this ordinance,-it is by no means essential for a dying child; inasmuch as it is certain that the pledge contained in it can never be redeemed by a life of faith and service in the Church on earth; and, it is only "the outward and visible sign,' not the reality, of the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus upon the soul.

Let me not be understood as finding fault with parents who esteem it a meet thing to profess by baptism, even of a dying child, their confidence in that salvation of which it is an emblem; it is the superstitious use of this holy ordinance that I condemn, as if it were a sort of charm to unlock the gates of paradise, and without which they would be closed for ever. I do most gladly believe that all infants who die before they become accountable creatures, are among Christ's chosen ones, and the Spirit's regenerated ones;—that although

66

They die, for Adam sinn'd; They live, for Jesus died; and that the "new heart" given, but not expanded on earth, shall open in heaven beneath the full sunshine of a Redeemer's love, provision having been made in the everlasting covenant for their complete salvation.

The doctrine of election,* taken in connexion with the revealed benignity of the character of God, would of itself convince me, if there were no other arguments, that children dying in infancy are saved. Election precedes faith, precedes regeneration,—is an act of eternity. Now God is love; he willeth not that any should perish. Jesus loved little children, took them in his arms and blessed them; and can we doubt that he has redeemed all who die in infancy,-that he gave them their brief existence, not to augment the numbers of the place of woe, but to swell the ranks of those who stand around the throne, singing to Him who loved them and gave himself for them? Can we imagine that he has made their salvation dependant upon "the will" of mortal man,-upon the circumstance of their being sprinkled by the water of baptism? Oh, no; he needs not man's aid to accomplish his purposes; salvation is all his own gift; and he can redeem and regenerate an infant, as well as renew and implant faith in one who has come to years of knowledge and of will.

* Article Seventeenth of the English Church, and Chap. III. of the Scottish Confession of Faith.

An unbaptized child is in a condition very different from a Heathen. We may infer that a Heathen has not been elected to everlasting life, because he is left to follow out the bent of his fallen nature, in a life of idolatry and moral pollution. But the infant is kept from this. Guilt it has, but it is snatched away from crime. We may not say there is no latent spark of sin within it, but that spark shall never be fanned into a flame, it is at once extinguished by the finger of God.

Yes, mourner over the grave of thine infant, baptized or unbaptized, weep no more; or, at least, weep no more bitterly, hopelessly. If thou art a believer in Christ, doubt not that thou shalt ere long meet thy child, fair as an angel, amidst the great multitude of little children who stand around the throne, saying, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.' And again, as they remember that all unconsciously they were carried from earth to heaven,-from a land of sin to a land of holiness, shall they break forth into more rapturous ascriptions of "salvation unto our God who sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.' S. E. P.

CONVERSION OF ALEXANDER,

EMPEROR OF RUSSIA.*

THE life of Alexander, in his early days, was that of a man of the world. The love of pleasure was the result of those principles which he had imbibed from his birth. Yet (as he was wont to say himself), in the midst of all the enjoyments which he could so easily procure, he never found happiness. In vain did he strive to dissipate thought; the voice of conscience was louder than that of the world, and it left him no rest. The judgment of God and eternity were often present to his mind, and caused him the most poignant distress.

Convinced that the hour would at length arrive, when he must give account of his actions to the King of kings, before whom he trembled to appear, he often resolved to change his life; but his plans of reform vanished almost as soon

*We take the above from Mr. Rhind's translation of "Notice sur Alexandre, Empereur de Russie, par H. L. E., Ministre du St. Evangile," published by Guers, Geneva, in 1828.

as they were conceived. The grace of God, which can alone renew man, had not yet reached his unregenerated heart.

Having heard of the piety of Mr. Yung Stilling, Counsellor at the Court of the Grand Duke of Baden, he hoped to find, in this respected old man, the instructions that he needed to calm his conscience. He had an interview with him in 1812. But Yung, not holding clear and simple views of the Gospel, spoke to the Emperor only of the sovereignty of God, of his claims upon men, of their obligation to observe all the Divine commandments; and with this end in view, to increase their efforts to eradicate what is evil and to practise what is good. He said not a word to him about either the great and eternal salvation, which the Lord Jesus has accomplished, or of that pardon of sins which is freely granted to him that believeth. Thus, their conversation yielded no comfort to the soul of Alexander. And, indeed, how could he receive consolation? There is no true peace for man, but in the knowledge of his certain reconciliation to God.

Nevertheless, Alexander became more serious. From that time he was seen labouring to subdue his passions, to master the feeling of irritation which arose in his mind against those who opposed his wishes; to apply himself diligently to the reading of the Word of God, which he constantly carried about with him, and to endeavour scrupulously to fulfil the commandments it contained. But all his efforts were in vain; and, as Paul expresses it, he found no power in himself to do that which is good.†

*

Such was the spiritual condition of Alexander, when called to leave the capital for the celebrated campaign of 1813. A lady at the Court, who had some knowledge of his inward conflicts, sent him, at the moment of his departure from Riga, a copy of the ninety-first Psalm ("He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High," &c.), entreating him to read it frequently, and assuring him, that he would find in it the consolation he needed. The Emperor took the paper in haste, put it in his pocket, and departed. He was three days without taking off his clothes, and entirely forgot what this lady had sent. Arrived on the frontiers of his dominions,

*The Bible which he used was a translation from the Vulgate, printed at Cologne, in 1808, in 8vo.

+ Romans vii. 18.

he was called to hear the discourse of a bishop, who took for his text the thirteenth verse of this very Psalm,-"Thou shalt tread upon the lion and the adder; the young lion and dragon shalt thou trample under feet." This discourse, which was rather in the prophetic strain, fixed his attention; but his astonishment was still greater, when, in the evening, on looking over his papers, he found the copy of the same Psalm: he read it with emotion, and thought he perceived, in this circumstance, a leading of Providence to induce him to reflect more seriously on the interests of his soul.

Some time after, he heard a letter read, which Madame de Krudener had written to Mdlle. de Stourdza; he was struck with the unction with which Madame de Krudener spoke of the mercy of God made manifest in Jesus Christ for sinners. "There," said he to himself, "is a person who could explain to me what is passing in my own mind."

The campaign of 1815 commenced, Alexander, on his way to the head-quarters at Heidelberg, entered Heilbronn, Sunday, June 4. As he was approaching this city, the truths contained in Madame de Krudener's letter recurred to his recollection, and made him desirous of seeing that celebrated lady. He was not aware that she had taken up her residence in that neighbourhood for three months past. Madame de Krudener, on the other hand, wishing to have an interview with Alexander, had repaired to Heilbronn. Immediately on his arrival, she presented herself in his antechamber, and handed to Prince Volkonski a letter of introduction. The Emperor, on taking the letter, asked from whom it came. "From Madame de Krudener," replied the Prince. "From Madame de Krudener!" cried the Emperor, three times; "what a providence! Where is she? let her come in immediately."

During this first interview, Madame de K. endeavoured to call Alexander's attention to the state of his heart, showing him his condition as a sinner, the evils of his past life, and the pride that had influenced him in all his plans of reformation.

you have not yet, like the publican, cried from the bottom of your heart, God be merciful to me, a sinner!' And that is the reason you have not peace. Listen to the voice of a woman who has also been a great sinner, but who has found the pardon of all her sins at the foot of the cross of Christ."

In this strain did Madame de K. speak to her Sovereign for nearly three hours. Alexander could only utter a few broken sentences. Resting his head upon his hands, he wept abundantly. Every word that he heard was, according to the expression of Scripture, as a twoedged sword, piercing to the bottom of his soul and spirit, and judging the secret purposes of his heart.* At length Madame de Krudener, terrified at the state of distress into which her words had plunged Alexander, said to him, "Sire, I ask pardon for the tone in which I have spoken to you. Believe me, it is in the sincerity of my heart, and as in the sight of God, that I have told you those truths, that have never yet been declared to you. I have only acquitted myself of a sacred duty towards you." "Fear not," replied Alexander, "all that you have said is suited to the state of my heart; you have assisted me to discover in myself some things which I never saw before; I am thankful to God; but I want conversations of this sort often, and I entreat you not to absent yourself from me.”

The next day Alexander removed to head-quarters. Hardly had he arrived, when he wrote to Madame de K. to repair to him, informing her, that he greatly needed to converse at large upon what had for a long time occupied his thoughts. "You will find me," said he, "lodged in a little house in the suburbs of the city. I have chosen this habitation in preference to every other, because I have there found my banner, a cross, set up in the garden.'

Madame de K. replied to this invitation immediately. She set off from Heilbronn with her household on the 8th of June, and arrived at Heidelberg the next day. She took for her abode a peasant's cottage, on the left bank of the Neckar, at the foot of a hill, ten minutes' walk from the residence of Alexander. To this humble abode, Alexander, tearing himself away from his numerous avocations, used to come regularly every other day, to spend the evening and to unite in

*Heb. iv. 12.

reading the Word of God, in prayer, and in familiar conversation on the eternal truths of salvation.

These conferences, which continued all the time of his stay at Heidelberg, were far from having any political object, as some journals wished to insinuate. Assembled by a special providence round a great prince, who was seeking from us the consolations of religion to calm his conscience, we should have thought it a sin against God, and a violation of the confidence which the Emperor had reposed in us, had we spent the time in conversing on the perishing things of time and those persons of different parties, who were incessantly surrounding us, never could avail themselves of our assistance to forward any of their designs. No; when a person is impressed with the conviction, that after death comes the judgment, and that the results of that judgment are of eternal duration; when he knows that he who dies out of Christ, dies as he was born, under condemnation; it is impossible to engage him who is thus seeking the truths of the Gospel with any other subjects than those of immutable verities.

So great was the desire of Alexander to grow in the knowledge of the truth, that he was always the first to point out some parts of the sacred books that might form the subject of our conversation; and the reflections which he made shewed that he was enlightened by the Holy Spirit.

The first time that I was introduced to him, after a few minutes' conversation, in which he spoke of the evils of his past life with a deep feeling of grief, I took the liberty to put this question to him: "Sire, have you now peace with God? Are you assured of the pardon of your sins?" He was for a moment silent, as if he were interrogating himself, and fearing he might deceive himself: then, as if a veil had been lifted from before his face, he looked up towards heaven with an animated and peaceful look, and exclaimed, with a voice both firm and full of feeling, "I am happy-yes, I am happy.

Whosoever believeth on the Son hath eternal life. . . . But I stand in need of conversation on religion; I want to speak of what is passing within me, and to get counsel. I ought to be surrounded with those who may help me to walk in the path of the Christian, to raise me above that which is earthly, and to fill my heart with the things of heaven."

This conversation, of which I cannot now relate further particulars, showed me that Alexander had obtained the precious gift of faith, of that strong yet simple faith which is based upon nothing but the word of God, and which, inasmuch as it is a persuasion which God alone gives, rises above all the petty reasonings of men.

THE ASSEMBLY'S CATECHISM AND CONFESSION OF FAITH.

We have just read, and with much pleasure, the Life of the Rev. Richard Watson, the ablest man, next to the Wesleys, which the Methodist Church has given to the world. His biographer, a man of kindred spirit, in speaking of his residence at Lincoln, writes thus:—

"To him (that is, Watson) the most important arrangement connected with this period of his life, was the course of catechetical instruction which he attended under the direction of the minister who officiated in Lady Huntingdon's chapel. The catechism which was used was that of the Westminster Assembly of Divines; which, with the Confession of Faith, drawn up by the same authorities, is well known to be the standard of doctrine in the Scottish Church. Both these formularies are decidedly Calvinistic on the question of predestination and its concomitants; but they are, otherwise, among the best summaries of Christian doctrine

ever compiled. To young Watson it must have been a great advantage to be rendered familiar with this brief system of divine truth. Though the effect of this course might not immediately appear, he doubtless derived from it great benefit, when he became serious, and especially when he was called upon to instruct others in the way of salvation. Religious training is an essential part of sound education, and no mode of accomplishing this object has been found so effectual as catechising."

We commend these words to those members of our communion who speak of the standards of our Church with qualified praise, and who have yet to be convinced that catechetical instruction is a useful exercise.-Genesee Evangelist.