The Fragment Basket. A GLORIOUS THING. As John Foster approached the close of life, and felt his strength gradually stealing away, he remarked on his increasing weakness, and added, "But I can pray, and that is a glorious thing." Truly, a glorious thing; more glorious than an atheist or pantheist can ever pretend to. To look up to an omnipotent Father, to speak to him, to love him; to stretch upward as a babe from the cradle, that he may lift his child in his everlasting arms to the resting-place of his own bosom,this is the portion of the dying Christian. FAITH AND ITS REWARD. Dr. Judson was at his station six years before he baptized a single convert. After three of these years had elapsed, he was asked in view of his little apparent progress, what evidence he had of ultimate success. "As much," he replied, 66 as there is a God who will fulfil all his promises." This faith had not grasped a shadow. Thirty-one years have elapsed since this first baptism, and now seventy churches, averaging one hundred members each, are presented to view. THE HIGHER JOY. We are told that the angelic choir chanted a morning psalm, when the heavens and earth, at the fiat of the Almighty, sprang from the deep. Oh, I am sure that the morning stars sing together, and all the sons of God begin to shout, yes, that a morning psalm resounds mid heaven's arches, when a poor sinner, through the new birth, becomes a child of God, a citizen of the heavenly Jerusalem.-Tholuck. THE FINAL JUDGMENT. "We must all appear," or, as now it is generally admitted the words, with slight variation, should be rendered, we must all be manifested before the judgment-seat of Christ," -a far more searching thought. If we were to employ a homely expres""turned inside out," sion, and say, it would, I believe, exactly express the intention of St. Paul: all that is inward now, and thus hidden, becoming outward then; every mask stripped off; every disguise torn away; what every and any man's work has been, that day declaring it; and not according to its outward varnish, but its inward substance. -Trench. PRIDE OF DRESS. I NEVER se a person proud of his fine dress but I think, "Well, he has only cast-off clothes, after all: he has the jacket of the lamb, and the old great-coat of the sheep; from head to foot he is dressed in what the trees or the animals have used before him. His shoes are made of hides, his stockings are made of the cotton shrub, his shirt of the flax plant, his handkerchief is spun by the caterpillar, and his gloves are the waistcoat of Angora." BE SOCIAL. When I am assailed with heavy tribulations, I rush out among my pigs, rather than remain alone by myself. The human heart is like a mill-stone in a mill: when you put wheat under it, it turns and bruises the wheat to flour; if you put no wheat under it, it still grinds on; but then it is itself it grinds, and wears away.-Luther. BE SHORT. How much is comprehended in those monosyllables! They give the greatest satisfaction in argument, in conversation, in writing, in visiting, in almost everything. They exclude things which too many words and much dalliance would imperil with failure. They redeem time-that all-comprehending and all-meaning something we call our own, on the right and saving use of which depend the wonders of good we may do and the treasures we may lay up for the long needs of eternity. All our losses and perils here spring from the disuse and abuse of time. "WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH THAT VOICE IN ETERNITY?" A minister, while attending church in a strange city, was struck with the surpassing sweetness of the voice of a young lady who sat near him. Being afterwards introduced to her, he inquired whether she loved the Saviour. She replied, "I am afraid not.” "Then, my dear young friend," said the minister, 66 what will you do with that voice in eternity? Shall it be spent in uttering the wailings of the lost for ever?" The solemn question sent conviction to her heart, and she rested not till she found peace in believing in Jesus, till prepared joy fully to sing the song of redeeming love with the saints on earth, and to join in the new song with the redeemed around the throne on high. CHRISTIAN WARFARE. The Christian who comes through the war of earth "with sword unhacked and helmet all unbruised," has been in traitorous alliance with the enemy. PATRICK HENRY'S WILL. I have now disposed of all my property for my family; there is one thing more I wish I could give them, and that is the Christian religion. If they had this, and I had not given them one shilling, they would be rich; and if they have not that, and I had given them all the world, they would be poor. RELIGION. It will cost something to be religious; it will cost more to be not so. Poetry. "I AM DEBTOR." WHEN this passing world is done, When has sunk yon glaring sun, When we stand with Christ in glory, Looking o'er life's finish'd story, Then, Lord, shall I fully know,Not till then,-how much I owe. When I hear the wicked call On the rocks and hills to fall, When I see them start and shrink On the fiery deluge brink, Then, Lord, shall I fully know,Not till then,-how much I owe. When I stand before the throne, Dress'd in beauty not my own, When I see Thee as Thou art, Love Thee with unsinning heart, Then, Lord, shall I fully know,Not till then,-how much I owe. When the praise of heaven I hear, Loud as thunders to the ear, Loud as many waters' noise, Sweet as harp's melodious voice, Then, Lord, shall I fully know,Not till then,-how much I owe. Een on earth, as through a glass Darkly, let Thy glory pass; Make forgiveness feel so sweet, Make Thy Spirit's help so meet; E'en on earth, Lord, make me know Teach me, Lord, on earth to show, THOUGHT AND DEED. FULL many a light thought man may cherish, Full many an idle deed may do ; Yet not a deed or thought shall perish, Not one but he shall bless or rue. When by the wind the tree is shaken, There's not a bough or leaf can fall, But of its falling heed is taken By One that sees and governs all. The tree may fall and be forgotten, And buried in the earth remain; Yet from its juices rank and rotten Springs vegetating life again. The world is with creation teeming, In other shapes and forms arise.. And not a work but hath its issue With blessing or with evil fraught. And thou may'st seem to leave behind thee All memory of the sinful past; Yet, oh, be sure thy sin shall find thee, And thou shalt know its fruits at last. Monthly Observations. No event of moment as affecting religion has occurred during the month, except the events of India and China. The Rebellion in the former is not yet subdued, but the means employed to that end are generally prosperous, and the complete re-establishment of authority, peace, and order, seems not distant. There can be no doubt that the power of the East India Company will be transferred to the Crown, and there is reason to hope that the result will be highly beneficial. The War in China is probably near a close, if it has not already terminated. The Commissioner Yeh, who has been the main cause of all the misunderstanding, is now a prisoner, and it has been discovered that he has been acting most unfairly both by the English and by his own Government. It is found that he had not even transferred the former treaty to his Imperial Master, who is consequently left in ignorance of the relations of the two countries. The effect of this unfaithfulness, however, promises to be attended with important results. The Commanders have gone straight to Pekin, and demanded an interview with the Emperor himself. There is reason, therefore, to expect that everything will be placed on a right footing. Upon the whole, the probability is, that the cause of Missions will be greatly promoted, both in China and India, by events which humanity must deplore; and that thus the wrath of man will be made to praise his Creator. Dr. Livingstone has resigned his connexion with the London Missionary Society, and become one of Her Majesty's Consuls on the East Coast of Africa. Having become the head of an Exploring Expedion, he is just setting out in a small steamer appropriated to that service. Should Providence favour the enterprise, there is a strong probability that a mighty impulse will be given to the cause of Gospel Evangelization in Africa. The effect of the change of Government at home on religion, should it continue in power, will not be favourable. There will be an end to those Episcopal appointments which of late years have gladdened the hearts of godly men both in and out of the Established Church. Late events in France have been unfavourable both to liberty and to piety; but it would seem probable that they will hasten the course of reaction. There are limits even to despotism; and these transgressed, nations awake and burst their fetters. Personal Religion. REVIVAL OF RELIGION. THE Great Source of all being has established an intimate and indissoluble connexion between cause and effect, means and ends; and this connexion is clearly discoverable in the moral as in the natural world. In all cases where means are necessary to produce a result, there are three things to be considered: first, the agent who exerts the power; second, the means to be employed; and, third, the object to be accomplished. If we consider the agent or means separately, both are powerless; neither of them alone will accomplish the object. To illustrate :-I wish to move a certain body by means of a lever. I have not sufficient strength to accomplish this object without the aid of this mechanical power. Now, it is very evident that the lever of itself has no efficiency, and I, as the agent, could accomplish nothing without it; but let the lever be put in the hand of the agent, and the power of both applied to the body, and it moves. Let us apply this reasoning to the question before us, and we shall find it equally conclusive. God has revealed in his word a gracious purpose of saving men from perdition. This glorious object was embraced in the great plan of redemption. It was anticipated by holy prophets, who looked forward with glowing rapture to its accomplishment. The Son of God became incarnate for the suffering of death, that he might, by the blood of the everlasting covenant, throw wide open a door of mercy, and put in successful operation that system of means requisite to this blessed object. A revival of religion is synonymous with the salvation of sinners, and the re-building of Christ's kingdom. The question now returns, What means are to be employed in promoting a revival? To this important inquiry I would answer :— 1st. Preaching the Gospel. This is one and not the least essential means employed in carrying forward the great work of saving souls. Says the apostle: "It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.' The word of God is the sword of the Spirit, by which his enemies are slain. The truth must be spread out before the mind, and made to bear upon the conscience, or but little, if anything, will be accomplished. Yet this alone, presented never so clearly, and enforced never so affectionately, will not convert the soul: without the Spirit's influence, it will be but a dead letter, a body without a soul. Hence the necessity of 2nd. Earnest, humble, believing prayer.-"Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord." The Holy Spirit is given in answer to prayer. I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them." Let the heralds of the cross study their sermons on their knees before God; let the church sigh and cry for the abominations of the land, and hold up the feeble hands of her ministers, and we shall see God's work revived in our midst. Praying ministers have, in all ages, been most successful in preaching the word; and praying churches have been most signally blessed. The disciples of the blessed Jesus, on the day of Pentecost, were with one accord in one place, praying until the Holy Spirit was given: this prepared the way for Peter's sermon, which resulted in the conversion of thousands. 3rd. Frequent visiting from house to house, if wisely and religiously conducted, may, and probably will, contribute much to the promotion of revivals.-Family conversation, or fire-side preaching, is generally best calculated to make lasting impressions on the mind. It is here that we can make critical inquiries, and close personal application of the truth; here objections may be answered, difficulties explained, and obstacles removed. To be successful, our visits should be short, and strictly of a religious character. 4th. Prayer and conference-meetings, if well attended, and properly conducted, are among the necessary and effective means of promoting a religious revival.-" Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together," says the apostle. Thus we may "stir up each other's pure minds by way of remembrance," and excite to greater faithfulness in the service of God. No church can expect to enjoy prosperity if the prayer-meeting is neglected. GREAT RELIGIOUS AWAKENING. THE state of the American churches at the present moment is interesting beyond anything known to the present generation. There has been a remarkable outpouring of the Holy Spirit in all parts of the Union. Every denomination seems to partake in the showers of blessing. |