abhorrent to your nature; but,, on the contrary, finds a congeniality there which cannot resist mingling and joining with it: and that which you call the calm voice of your nature, is only the voice of con¡science, the unceasing restrainer and reprover of nature.")

If so, I again, ask, Where does the blame rest?

Answer.

Who created my nature?"

The blame rests with you, my beloved Howard. You allow that

God created man at first perfect. You allow, that he is now, at least, too weak to be virtuous.

You know I cannot

agree to trace evil farther with you than revelation traces it. Revelation traces its <first entrance into man, to the temptation of him who was a liar and a murderer from the beginning; and its continuance, to the taint inherent in our natures, as the descendants of the first human sinner; and to the power of

our

continued enemy and tempter, who is said to blind the eyes of the children of disobedienec. Christ has come into the world to destroy his delusions, and to deliver those who are led captive by him; and you, my dear Howard, have this deliverance offered to you, -pressed upon you. You are intreated to accept of it; God, in his word, implores your acceptance of it. • Turn ye, turn ye, why will you die? Who then, Howard, shall be to blame if you refuse? O my friend! dear to me as my own soul! stay no longer in the wretchedness of doubts and cavillings, Try to come to Jesus Christ, and to unbosom every difficulty of your soul to him. Try it once, dear Howard. When you read this, stop,-believe that He who suffered and death for you, is pre

agony

sent with you,

that he intreats you to come to him, that he still has your nature in union with his own divine nature, -that he has felt your feelings,—that

he has been tempted in all things like you, that he overcame all temptation, and is able, therefore, both to feel sympathy for you, and to enable you to Oh! venture to call him Redeemer,-Lord,-Master,-Friend! Venture to cast your soul on him, and to trust him,-to trust him with your whole salvation.'

overcome.

The ardent affection expressed for myself, in this answer of my friend's, affected me very deeply, and would have induced me to attempt any thing he wished. I therefore did attempt all he asked, but Oh! how coldly! He who

is fairer than the sons of men,' had, in my eyes, no form nor comeliness.' I still, in my heart, despised and rejected him.' I did not feel that I needed his kind of salvation. Travers discovered, in our next conversation, that this had been the case, and seemed disappointed and saddened. He had now, however,

She

some of that kind of pleasure most delightful to him, in witnessing the earnest and increasing interest with which my aunt listened to whatever he said on the subject of religion. She had soon perceived, that, as on all other subjects, so on this, Travers defended his opinions in a manner she could not answer. saw, too, that I could not convince him in argument. Indeed, when we spoke on the subject in her presence, though for a time she always began by joining with me, and differing from him, yet cool reflection generally led her to adopt his opinion. This she would frankly tell him at their next meeting; and at length his first question on seeing her generally was, Have you adopted my last strange opinion yet, my dear Mrs Talbot?" The care Travers bestowed on his people, delighted my aunt; and, from pitying his mother, she began to blame her, and that too frequently in his presence, for not being thankful to

Heaven for such dispositions in her son. With his mother Travers was not so successful. With me his patience continued unwearied. One difficulty after another, prevented my receiving religious truth, yet it gradually became the subject of all my thoughts. I was dissatisfied, too, with myself. When I compared my life with that of Travers, it seemed utterly useless. From morning to night, he appeared to have but one object in view,— the promotion and dissemination of the knowledge of that which he considered the only means of giving present and everlasting happiness to his fellow-creatures. With all my imagined benevolence of feeling, I never had attempted, farther than by giving alms, to do good to a human being. I frankly avowed this feeling of dissatisfaction to Travers, and its cause.

pleased.

He smiled, and seemed much

'You are discovering, my dear How