me in the house; and the attendance on the ordinances of worship is, in God's sight, very important. (See Heb. x. 25.) 11. Because, among the crowd of pleasure-seekers, I see that no bad weather keeps the delicate female from the ball, the party, or the con cert. 12. Because, among other pleasures, such weather will show me upon what foundation my faith is built. It will prove how much I love Christ; for true love rarely fails to keep an appointment. 13. Because I fear that my clothes might suffer, shows that I think more of them than of that beauty of holiness which God so approves. 14. Because I am Christ's soldier, signed with his cross; and he is a poor soldier who retreats to his house because of a cloud. 15. Because, though my excuses satisfy myself, they still must undergo God's scrutiny; and I must be well grounded to bear that. (See Luke xiv. 16.) 16. Because there is a special promise, where only two or three meet together in God's name, he is in the midst of them. 17. Because absence from the house of God, for reasons which would not keep me from going to buy a pencil on week days, must be discouraging to all true friends, of the church, particularly its minister. 18. Because an avoidable absence from worship is an infallible evidence of spiritual decay. Disciples first follow Christ at a distance, and then, like Peter, do not know him. known by self-denying good works, and not by the rise and fall of the thermometer. 20. Because I know not how many more Sabbaths God may still vouchsafe me; and it would be a poor preparation for my first Sabbath in heaven to have slighted my last Sabbath on earth. GOOD RESOLUTIONS. Who will strive to keep them during the year 1858, by the assistance of Divine grace? 1. I will strive constantly to keep in mind that I am not my own: "Ye are not your own: for ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's," 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20. 2. I will pray not less than twice or thrice every day this year: "Thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet; and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret," Matt. vi. 6; "Evening, morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud; and he shall hear my voice," Psa. lv. 17. 3. I will read every day a portion of God's word, for purposes of devotion and self-application: "As new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby," 1 Pet. ii. 2; “The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God," Eph. vi. 17; "Search the Scriptures," John v. 39. 4. I will endeavour constantly to watch over my thoughts, words, and actions: "Watch and pray, that ye 16. Because my faith is to be enter not into temptation," Matt. xxvi. 41; "What I say unto you, I say unto all, Watch," Mark xii. 37. 5. When I know my duty, in God's strength I will do it: "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" Acts ix. 6. 6. I will do nothing of the lawfulness of which I have doubts, unless I doubt as strongly the lawfulness of its omission: "Whatsoever is not of faith is sin," Rom. xiv. 23. 7. I will, every day this year, direct at least one thought to Gethsemane and Calvary, where Christ suffered for me; and to heaven, where he waits to receive me. (See Isa. liii.; Luke xxii., xxiii.; John xviii., xix.) "In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also," John xiv. 2, 3; " For our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ," Phil. iii. 20. 8. I will every day call to mind that this year I may die: "This year thou shalt die," Jer. xxviii. 16. 9. I will read over these resolutions at least once a week. belonged exclusively to sinners." But it is not so. Do we not read in Ezek. xxxvi. 37: "Thus saith the Lord God, I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them?" By the house of Israel—that is, by his people—by the church. You see that God requires and expects his covenanted people to inquire. It is true that saints do not make the same inquiry that sinners do. The latter ask what they must do to be saved, whereas the inquiry of Christians is, "Wilt thou not revive us again?" It is a blessed state of things when the people of God are inquiring. It is good for themselves, and it has a most benign influence on others. When the people of God inquire, presently the impenitent begin to inquire. That question," Wilt thou not revive us?" is soon followed by the other, "What must I do to be saved?" Yes, when saints become anxious, it is not long ere sin.. ners become anxious. The inquiry of three thousand on the day of Pentecost," Men and brethren, what shall we do?" was preceded by the inquiry of the one hundred and twenty, who "all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication." Generally, I suppose, that is the order; first saints inquire, and INQUIRING SAINTS. then sinners. And whenever, in I was asked the other day whether any congregation, religion does not I had had any recent meeting for flourish, one principal reason of inquirers. I replied that I had not it is, that the saints are not inquiring. -that there were few inquiring sin- They do not attend the inquiryners in the congregation; and I meeting appointed for them. The judged the reason to be, that there saints' inquiry-meeting is the prayerwere few inquiring saints. "In-meeting. In that Christians meet quiring saints! that is a new phrase. together to inquire of the Lord "to We always supposed that inquiring do it for them "-that is, to fulfil the promise about the new heart and the new spirit, of which he had been speaking. Now, when this meeting is crowded and interesting -when the inquiry among Christians is general, and earnest, and importunate the sinners' inquirymeeting usually becomes crowded and interesting. Oh, that I could make my voice to be heard by all the dear people of God in the land on this subject! I would say: You wonder and lament that sinners do not inquire; but are you inquiring? You wonder that they do not feel; but do you feel? Can you expect a heart of stone to feel, when a heart of flesh does not? You are surprised that sinners can sleep; it is because you sleep alongside of them. Do you but awake, and bestir yourselves, and look up and cry to God, and you will see how soon they will begin to be roused, and to look about them, and to ask the meaning of your solicitude. Oh, that the saints would but inquire!-W. Nevins. A CARPING SPIRIT. A criticising, carping, detracting disposition is one of the most useless and damaging that can be. It is always the offspring of depravity, and lives on it. It corrupts all it touches; it mars all beauty, and labours under the disability of enjoying or finding any good. It is a malignant emptiness, having nothing in itself, and nothing to enjoy in others. Benevolence can enrich itself in its estimation of the good of others, it can take part in all good motions; but this leanness we are noticing is alone and looks to itself for all good. It is an eye that makes no use of seeing. There is a disposition observable in some to view unfavourably everything that falls under their notice. They seek to gain confidence by always differing from others in judgment, and to depreciate what they allow to be worthy in itself by hinting at some mistake or imperfection in the performance. You are too lofty or too low in your manners; you are too frugal or too taciturn or too free in your speech; and so of the rest. Now guard against this tendency. Nothing will more conduce to your uncomfortableness than living in the neighbourhood of ill-nature, and being familiar with discontent. The disposition grows with indulgence, and is low and base in itself; and if any should be ready to pride themselves on skill and facility in the science, let them remember that the acquisition is cheap and easy; a child can deface and destroy; dulness and stupidity, which seldom lack inclination or means, can furnish ignorance, prejudice, and envy with a handle of reproach. THE LOCK. A lock was shown to Gotthold, constructed of rings, which were severally inscribed with certain letters, and could be turned round until the letters represented the name "Jesus." It was only when the rings were disposed in this manner that the lock could be opened. The invention pleased him beyond measure, and he exclaimed, "Oh! THE CHRISTIAN'S PENNY MAGAZINE. Personal Religion. NEW YEAR'S ADDRESS. THE issuing of the first Number of a New Year awakens in our bosoms more than the usual measure of solemnity which always attends that service. Divers circumstances have united of late to bring very near to us that Eternity which we are all approaching and must shortly enter. We every day see more and more the importance of living by the hour, or rather the minute, and in everything of setting the Lord always before us. The children of this world are still wiser in their generation than the children of light. The close of a year among them is always accompanied with great labour, in order to ascertain the state of their temporal affairs. This is the dictate alike of reason and experience, and in the highest degree praiseworthy, since neglect would inevitably prove fatal to the interests of commerce, and fill the world with ruin. Mercantile concerns which, from adverse circumstances, are in peril, by the adoption of timely measures may not only be saved, but restored to prosperity. Wherever danger is possible, the extent of it ought immediately to be ascertained; rather to shun than to search for it betrays something improper, or bespeaks the most culpable infatuation. Now the principle here set forth applies in the fullest extent to the concerns of the soul. Whatever be a man's spiritual state, no evil can arise from the discovery of it; while to remain in ignorance may be to sink into perdition! Even where all is right, it is a great matter to be assured of it, and correctly to |