tivals, when it was customary for the colleges to receive visitors for the purpose of edification, or participation in their religious observances. Thus, when the Shunamitish woman went up to visit Elisha on an extraordinary occasion, her husband inquired with some degree of surprise, "why she went to see the prophet, seeing that day was neither the sabbath nor the new moon?"-(2 Kings, iv. 23.) These observations may suffice to offer on a subject of a curious but interesting nature. Whether or not every assertion be correct, as regards their interior economy, the institutions in question seem to favour the position, that academical instruction and collegiate residence proceed on a principle which has 66 received the sanction of the Almighty, with respect to youth intended for the sacred ministry. There was nothing, however, in these institutions which favoured the peculiarities of monasticism. It does not appear," says Mr. Horne, in his Introduction to the Study of the Scriptures, vol. iv. p. 156, "that the prophets were bound by any vow of celibacy; for Samuel had children, and the Scriptures mention the wives of Isaiah and Hosea. But no women or wives seem to have been admitted into the colleges of the prophets, who maintained a very guarded intercourse with the female sex, as is evident in the conduct of Elisha towards his benevolent hostess.” J. W. M. STANZAS ON THE DEATH OF THE REV. J. OWEN. Soldier of Christ! well prov'd and tried, With inspiration's hallow'd flame Thy lips were touch'd; thy heart o'erran Well done, thou faithful to the end, Pilgrim, we may not weep for thee; Thy God hath call'd thee to thy rest. The "haven" where each saint "would be," J. S. A BRIEF MEMOIR OF THE LIFE, SICKNESS, AND WHO DIED ON TUESDAY THE THIRD OF JULY 1821, "Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?"-Zech. iii. 12. THE religion of the Son of God, in accordance with the attributes of its divine Founder, is a religion of power: the Gospel is declared to be" the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth." And, in unison with this declaration, it is asserted, that "the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin." Whenever, therefore, we have credible evidence of the exertion of this power, and of the efficacy of this blood, in the case of any repentant child of Adam, how ever degraded by sin or polluted by impurity, there is nothing in the circumstance, however astonishing in itself, that (if we believe the Bible) can justify incredulity; the cause is commensurate to the effect. The propriety of the question, "How can these things be?" is superseded. Such an instance would only afford another proof of the truth of God's word, and of the faithfulness of himself. On contemplating it, we should therefore be simply led to acknowledge, with devout adoration, that He who could, consistently with all his other perfections, pardon a David, a Manasseh, and a Saul, is still the same God, "whose property is always to have mercy and to forgive." Whether the following narrative furnish sufficient evidence to warrant a belief, that she whose name is prefixed to it was actually brought to exercise that "repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ," which the Scriptures affirm to be necessary to salvation (which, of course, with believers in divine revelation, can be the only question possibly at issue), is left to the judgment of the candid reader. It may be permitted just to add, that the memoir (such as it is) was completed by the third day after the decease of the subject of it; while the facts were fresh in the writer's recollection. The author gazed upon the lifeless corpse of S**** N***, after the present statement had been written. He had no object in the compilation, beyond the simple desire of possessing a little record of one in whose spiritual welfare he had felt deeply interested. However, having since met with the Christian Guardian, in which he perceives that similar notices find a place, and influenced moreover by the advice of a reverend friend, he begs to offer it for the acceptance of the Editor, should he deem it worthy of admission into that respectable and excellent publication. The subject of this sketch, about three years since, when at the tender age of sixteen, fell a prey to the indefatigable pursuit and seductive blandishments of one of those men who, alas! seem to make it their business to employ the wealth wherewith they have been intrusted by a good Providence, for the purpose of effecting the ruin of young and inexperienced females; their conduct in this respect resembling that of the devil, who is represented in Scripture as constantly going about "seeking whom he may devour." The consequence of this departure from the path of virtue was a gradual declension into the grossest sin, until, in the strong language of the Bible, the hapless girl" sold herself" to "work all uncleanness with greediness," and "did debase herself even unto hell." Her career of wickedness occu pied about fifteen months; when she was so far extricated from the depths of pollution and misery into which she had been plunged, as to be brought back to her parental roof; and a certain degree of outward reformation took place. Her former sensual practices were discontinued, and her evil companions renounced. But still there was no sorrow for sin, as committed against God. Her health was now so much impaired, that although her state was not alarming, yet it confined her for the most part to the house. On Friday the 25th of May 1821, the deceased burst a bloodvessel in the lungs; when the blood rushed up into the throat and mouth, and she expected instant death. In this awful situation her prayer was, "Dear Lord, spare me, if but for a few minutes! Don't cut me off in the midst of my wickedness!" She continued praying all the day that she might be spared for repentance. On the day following (Saturday) she cried bitterly. On her mother asking her "what was the matter?" she replied, "O mother, I am young in years, but old in sin. I have been a thief, mother! I have stolen from you. I have been an adulteressa fornicator! I have committed every sin but murder!" And emphatically added, “Can it be possible that such a wretch as I can ever be pardoned?” Her parent gave her the best advice she was able. The deceased then begged her mother to fetch her the Bible: the request was complied with; and she read with eagerness its sacred pages. On Sunday, while praying fervently to the Almighty for forgiveness of her sins, she was distressed by the attempts of Satan to divert her from her purpose, by bringing forcibly to her remembrance the foolish songs in which she had been accustomed to indulge. She was importunate in prayer to be delivered from this temptation. On the second Sunday after her illness, on my leaving her, she told her mother that her mind had been greatly relieved during and after my praying with her. On my seeing her a few days afterward, it appeared that the sense of sin had been mercifully removed from her mind; insomuch, that when some person called on her the day before, and, on entering the room, began abruptly to reproach her with the sins of her past life, she was not at all affected (she told me) on the occasion, either with anger toward the person, or with a sense of guilt. That was then removed. To use her own words, "Her sins did not then appear to belong to her." About this time, also, the fear of death was entirely taken away. Indeed, she said she did not wish to live. I told her, in the words of the good Matthew Henry, that " to be ready to go, and willing to stay, was the proper frame of a Christian. Whenever I visited her, she was always very desirous of my praying with her, and quite anxious to make me promise to come again on the next day. I almost uniformly found her engaged in reading the Scriptures, or Dr. Watts's Hymns. On one occasion, while I was present, she desired the Testament to be handed to her, and found the account of the woman taken in adultery. "That," she observed," is my sin; and this," she added, " is my comfort and desire," pointing to the passage, "Neither do I con demn thee: go, and sin no more." She also showed me a beautiful hymn of Watts's, which she had been reading with great pleasure: it treated, if I remember aright, of the efficacy of Christ's blood to cleanse from sin, At another time, on my calling, she was deeply engaged with the sixteenth chapter of Ezekiel, which, to my surprise, she declared she had found out herself, it having been unaccountably impressed on her mind that she should find something in that prophecy applicable to herself! In that chapter, the grievous apostacy of Israel is represented by the most impudent whoredom; but a promise of mercy is made to a penitent remnant, with whom God says he will "establish an everlasting covenant." While she frankly acknowledged, that the former part of the chapter exhibited her sin, she at the same time laid particular stress upon the "everlasting covenant into which she seemed satisfied God had brought her. Being very desirous that she should not deceive herself in a matter of such moment as repentance, and anxious to know whether it had been deep, I straitly inquired if she had acknowledged and repented of all her sins? She replied, "They had been all brought to her recollection; she had seen all of them, from her earliest childhood; and had lamented them all before God." About a week previous to her decease, she had some passing fears of death, but on the following day they were all dissipated. She told her mother that she had passed "a blessed night;" that "she did not now seem like her former self-that pain and the world were nothing to her.' 66 Among other indications of the happy change which there is reason to hope was wrought in her were the following: 1. She enjoyed, with the excep tion of the short interval just mentioned, constant peace: and not the slightest murmur was ever heard to escape her lips during all her severe and trying illness; nor did she shed a single tear on account of bodily pain, extreme as hers was. 2. She had been formerly quick and passionate: now, nothing ruffled her temper. And, even in her very weak state, contrary to her former disposition, she was studying every method of being useful to those about her. On 3. She formed the design, in the event of her being restored to health, of leaving ****, and going to reside, and associate with, some decidedly religious persons. She intended also, in that case, to wear the plainest dress; from a conviction that her former finery had proved one cause of her ruin. this subject, likewise, she was extremely earnest with a younger sister, namely, to avoid finery; and also particularly exhorted her to be obedient to her mother, a duty in which she said she herself had been sadly deficient. Again, she was very solicitous about her mother's eternal interests; and was very desirous to make me promise to come and talk to her parent thereon when she should be dead. On another occasion, quoting the third chapter of St. John's Gospel, she said to her mother, in a peculiarly emphatic manner, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." 4. About a week before her death, when distressingly exercised by bodily suffering, I inquired, as usual, the state of her mind. She replied, in broken but decided accents, "I am as happy as the day is long!" Knowing the great injury that had been done to her by one person (her seducer), I asked, "Whether she forgave every one?" She answered, with the utmost cordiality, "I forgive every one.” Another proof of this forgiving spirit is, that she sent for a neighbour, with whom she had not been on good terms, and affectionately kissed her in token of reconciliation. Thus much for the indications which lead to a hope that a saving change had been wrought on the heart of the deceased; which were so striking, that an experienced religious person, who in an early stage of her illness had conversed with her, and had formed an unfavourable opinion of her state, now declared himself satisfied, and took an affectionate leave. On the day preceding her decease, a minister of the Church of England, who had occasionally seen her, administered to her the holy Sacrament *. The actual circumstances of her dissolution are of a very pleasing character. During the whole of the day, her confidence in God was remarkably strong; and she frequently made observations which greatly pleased and much affected her attendant, who happened to be a pious woman; and they vinced her," to use the woman's own words," that the deceased was a changed person." 66 con At two o'clock in the afternoon, after having been silent about three hours, during which she was evidently engaged in earnest prayer, * This memoir has been shown to that gentleman, and he expressed his unqualified approval of it. As her end approached, she evinced great affection towards every one who was about her (they were all females), whom she requested to come and kiss her, and she saluted them in return. From five o'clock to seven (the hour at which she departed), she prayed earnestly to "her dear Saviour not to suffer her to be choked by the phlegm." And in those two hours she often extended her arms at full length, exclaiming, "Dear Saviour! sweet Jesus! reach out thy arms, and take me to heaven, if it be thy blessed will!" and prayed him to be her " shield," &c. About twenty minutes before she bade adieu to this world, she said to the attendant, "Watch! it will soon be over!" And when the eventful moment of dissolution arrived, she expired so gently, that not even a sigh was heard to escape her, as the disembodied spirit winged its flight into eterG.W. nity. April 2, 1822. ESSAYS ON THE FIFTY-THIRD CHAPTER OF ISAIAH. ESSAY IV.-JESUS BEARING OUR GRIEFS AND CARRYING OUR SORROWS. Isaiah, liii. 4.-Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet did we esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. WHEN the Prophet foretold, in the preceding verse, that Jesus should be " a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief," it might be asked, Were his sorrows on his own account, or on that of others? Did the grief with which he was so intimately acquainted arise from any sin of his own, or from the |