DIFFERENT

APPLICATION OF TALENTS.

ΑΝ N elderly man, with whom I have been acquainted some time, and

whom I believe to be a sober honest man, whose attention had always been applied to music, being one day at my house, and hearing a little neice eight years of age, repeat the Epistle to Titus by heart, very eagerly asked," Can one buy that book in town?"- !!!

LYNN.

W. H.

A HINT TO MASTERS.

WHEN I lived at Whapload-Drove, I went to a shop in the village just after a heavy shower; an old man who was labourer to an eminent farmer in that neighbourhood, had almost got served with goods as I went in; the shopkeeper observed to me, it had been a soaker. I asked him if he could discern between soak and sock ?”. "Nay, (said the old man) if ye begin to talk about Scripture, I'll away;" / and immediately went out.

I have reason to believe this old man's master to be a man of the best imorals; but oh! what defect of religious attention was discoverable, seeing the old man had boarded and lodged in his house many years! W.H.

QUESTION

ON GOD'S REPENTING.

SIR,

SHOULD be glad if you or any other friend would give some thoughts how we are to understand those passages of Scripture which speak of God as repenting, &c. seeing he is unchangeable. In attending to the same, you will oblige,

BRIGHTON.

Yours, &c.

S. FRANCIS.

Let them be merry, grave, or mourn,
All creatures must to death return,
But thou wilt send thy spirit's wind,
And life renewed all shall find.

XVI.

Thou wilt earth's faces 'gain restore,
Never to be destroyed more;

In thee shall all thy works abide,
And thou, my God, be glorify'd.
Thou, Lord, wilt in thy works rejoice,
For earth shall hear thy mighty voice;
Her mountains smoke and melt away,
Whilst thy fierce light'nings blaze bright day.

XVII.

Whilst I exist, the song I'll raise,
The joyful song of grateful praise,
Still mingling it with rev'rence low,
Whilst I thy pow'r and goodness show.
Praise to my God, who on this earth
Will give creation a new birth;
But now, my soul, Jehovah bless,
With grateful songs his praise confess.

THOUGHTS

Which occurred to a Husband, while his Wife was in great Agony

IN LABOUR.

LORD! 1 pray thee, send salvation down,
Hear now the earnest pleas from hearts distrest,

And graciously make good thy promises,

For in thy faithfulness is all our hope.

Oh! how sad are th' effects of baleful sin!
Thousands of years have roll'd their course along,
Since 'twas decreed 'gainst Eve, whose sin we feel,
"Thy sorrow I will greatly multiply,

And in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children;"
And millions still prove all thy truth stands firm,
By groans from agonies beyond expression,
While quivering hope itself is scarce alive.

This day-e'en now-my panting heart,
With sorrow fraught, and yearning sympathy,
Weighs heavy down. A chill o'erspreads my frame;
Thought crowds on thought tumultuous, each one

More anxious than the other. Wife! children!

Oh! my torn heart! look up again to him

Whose word stands sure, whose gracious word has said,
She shall be sav'd in the hour of childbirth,
If she is found in faith and charity,
And holiness with sobriety."

To thee, great God, I lift my anxious pray'r;
O hear me for my much-lov'd suffering wife,
Now feeling pains and sorrows multiplied,
By thee decreed when first her sex transgress'd.
"Twas God decreed-and all HIS ways are right,
For wisdom infinite can never err.

'Tis just that punishment should follow sin,
And just and holy is his rev'rend name.
But mercy is a partner in the throne,
Made known to man by Christ his only son.
The Father's heart's compassionate and kind;
His ear is open to his people's cry;

The pray'r of faith is prevalent with God;
For Christ himself's the faithful advocate;
Who in his body on th' accursed tree,
Bore all the curse, and sanctified their grief,
And is become their righteousness and strength.
Not for our merits, Lord! but his dear sake,
Hear now our pray'r, and send salvation down.
Give strength; for now th' important hour is come.
Shorten the time of suffering, and grant
That beam from heav'n-that exquisite delight,
A perfect child-to bless the mother's heart.

Then shall our praise, heartfelt, ascend to thee,
Thou God of truth! while lowly down we bend
In humble grateful joy, before the throne.