to ridicule God's servants, and to boast that he was no canting hypocrite like them. Thus he passed the best years of his life. But God will not always be mocked, he is angry with the wicked who provoke him every day, and if a man will not turn, he will assuredly whet his sword, and make ready the arrow that shall destroy and cast into hell all who persist in despising the wrath of God. George Evans was about eight and twenty, when he was seized with a disorder which was from the first pronounced incurable. It was a lingering decline, and seemed sent in mercy to give him time for repentance. His minister attended him constantly, and tried all he could to bring his sins to his remembrance, but in vain. He who had so long loved to sin, could not feel the evil of it; he was given over to a reprobate mind. "I am not a sinner," was his constant exclamation, "I never committed murder, I never stole." Alas, he forgot that causeless anger is murder; that the thought of foolishness is sin, and that for one offence the law of God declares every human being cursed. When reminded of intemperance, profane swearing, and open contempt of God's own day, he would answer that he was no worse than others who pretended to more religion, and he was quite sure that God would like him all the better for his not being a hypocrite. When told, that as a sinner, he must come to Jesus Christ to be made holy by his Spirit, or there was no hope of his being saved; he replied, "that he knew quite as much as any one who came to teach him, and he did not want to hear any more about the Bible and God." As his body grew weaker, the only difference that appeared was his growing more passionate and fretful: he would curse and swear at all who came to visit him. Still crying out with dreadful oaths, that he was not a sinner, and that God should not send him to hell. These were his last words; he fell into a stupor, from which he only awoke to lift up his eyes in torment. The most profligate in the whole village, never dared to imagine otherwise; and the neighbours as they saw the coffin pass that carried him to his grave, shook their heads and thanked God that he was not their son. Now, reader, let me seriously ask you, was not this man a heathen? Of what use was the Bible to him? How was he profitted by having been born in a Christian land, by having been signed with the cross in baptism? O these will only sink him still deeper in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone. And further, let me ask you, "are you like George Evans? Perhaps you do not drink or swear, but do you not forget God? and that is quite as hateful to him as breaking any other of his commandments. Believe the word of God, that the root of every sin lies deep in your heart, however you may have lived. "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, and God fashioneth all hearts alike." That is the reason that we have all such need to be changed, and nothing but the Spirit of God can change our hearts, and make us love holiness instead of sin. "Sooner shall the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots, than we do good, who are accustomed to do evil." O then, while you have time, pray for a new heart, and a right spirit; pray for the grace of God, without which you can never go to heaven. T. P. SELECT PASSAGES. The growth of grace in the heart, may be compared to the process of polishing metals. First, you have a dark opaque substance, neither possessing nor reflecting light. Presently as the polisher plies his work, you will see here and there a spark darting out; then a strong light; till by and by it sends back a perfect image of the sun which shines upon it. So the work of grace, if begun in our hearts, must be gradually and continually going on, and it will not be completed till the image of God can be seen perfectly reflected in us. "THE THOUSANDS WASTED ON RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES."-But there are those who complain of the thousands expended annually, in forwarding the ends of religious societies. The children of this world cast their mites by tens of thousands on the altars of vice and fashion. The Theatre alone swallows up in one year more of our wealth, than all the religious societies of the Union. The gambling table, insatiable as the grave, consumes its hundreds of thousands; while the Demon of Ardent Spirits levies a yearly tribute of twenty-eight millions. The children of this world are indeed wiser than the children of light; those pour out their pleasures with a spendthrift joy, at the shrine of vice, and luxury, and fashion; but these, in the cause of. God, and of eternity, and of perishing souls, too often yield up with reluctance, even the crumbs that fall from their tables. The primitive Christians dedicated to charitable uses the tenth of their income; but a large majority of modern Christians are content to give, some the thirtieth, so e the sixtieth, and some even the hundredth part. May the day yet come, and may its dawn have arisen, even now on our dear country, when her people, so privileged and blessed and honoured by God, shall bestow, with a prodigal gratitude, on the noble institutions of Religion, Literature, and Benevolence, those thousands and tens of thousands now wasted, like showers in the desert, on crimes and vices, on follies and fashions! Hon. Thomas S. Grimke, America. one. DEATH OF A NEW ZEALAND CONVERT. May 14th, 1832.-This morning at 8 o'clock died poor Ann Waiapu, at Kerikeri, full of faith and of the Holy Ghost. She held fast her faith even unto the end. She had long made a profession of religion, and was among the first who were admitted to the ordinance of baptism at Kerikeri. Since then she has adorned her profession by a godly and consistent life. As a wife and a mother, she may be held up as an example to all the Natives. During her last illness I admitted her with her husband to a participation in the Supper of the Lord. Yesterday was the only time she has been sensible for many days. She said "O'my husband! But I have two husbands-Jesus is Poor James! poor James! I am going to my Husband, and Saviour, and Friend in heaven! Yes, to heaven above am I going. James, my other husband, calls, and I must leave you. Will you come? Yes, my other husband will lead you; and I shall be happy, and you will be happy, and we both shall be happy, happy, happy!" And then she sank into a slumber, and never afterwards was sensible. It was a very affecting scene when she was dead. The father, with his face upon one cheek of the corpse: the husband at the feet; Rangi lying all along by the side, and gently rubbing the other cheek; the girls standing around, and the boys outside all weeping bitterly. It was too much for me, and I was obliged to go away and give vent to my overpowered feelings in my own bed-room. had all come to New Zealand only to effect, with God's blessing, this one conversion-to save this one soul-it was worth all we have done, or all we ever can do. If we May 15th, 1832.-Went down to Kerikeri to bury poor Ann, All the Europeans and Natives attended the funeral. I delivered an address to the Europeans and Natives from Job xix. 26, 27. Ann's father was much affected: for my own part I was obliged to sit down twice during the service. I do hope that this day's employment will never be banished from my mind; nor from the minds of those who were present. I returned with a full heart to the Waimate after the conclusion of the service. MEDITATIONS ON SCRIPTURE. "My soul, wait thou only upon God, for my expectation is from him." Psalm lxii. 5 Here is David's refuge and help in times of trouble and distress; his confidence against the attacks of his enemies; his strong hold under persecution. It was a sure refuge to him, and if ever he was tempted to forget it, we soon find him bitterly lamenting his folly. "Wait thou still upon God," and why? because "my expectation is from him." How natural for us to wait upon those, from whom we expect any favour or assistance! And is not that sure refuge of David equally accessible to us? Nay is He not more so, since we have "a new and living way." Oh! then, the words should be mine, and every Christian's, and their influence should be shewn in our daily walk. Even the worldly and ungodly men are obliged to confess that from God alone proceed all their benefits; and thus their folly and ingratitude is manifest in refusing to wait on him, who can alone grant them their desires. But do not thou, my soul, imitate them; come and wait upon God at all times. Troubles often come upon thee, temptations often assail thee; often art thou cast down and disquieted within thee; and then, what is thy refuge? Here is the trial of thy sincerity, the test of thy faith. Is thy expectation indeed from God? does the heart as well as the head acknowledge him? If so, surely thou wilt wait upon him only; surely thou wilt cast thy care upon him, if thou feelest that he careth for thee. But if not, why is it? Because thou dost not know him, because He is to thee an object of fear-because He is a terrifying Judge—because thou knowest, that as long as thoy livest in wilful disobedience, he cannot look upon thee with pitying love, but with just displeasure. "Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways, for why will ye die?" TEMPERANCE SOCIETY. "In the society in this place, we have several men who were never sober when they could get drink, and on the Sabbath they still found means to get intoxicated; and this had been the case for many years. They were in debt, though regularly employed, and they and their families were badly clothed. Their appear ance now is much better, and their wives express themselves to have much satisfaction in the sober and regular conduct of their husbands. One of them has not only paid off some old debts, but has saved some pounds. More public attention is paid to examples such as these, than any other; but I find that those who could never be said to be regular drunkards, who only got drunk occasionally, and whose families endeavoured to hide this, and keep a decent appearance, are by far the most numerous class of society, and are more benefited by Temperance Societies than others. "Domestic comfort has been resorted in every instance where the parents of the family have joined the Society, (if they had been previously in any degree addicted to intemperance,) and both parents and children in all intances say, that the Society has been the cause of their present comfort.” ST. JOHN iv. 24. "God is a Spirit; and they that worship him, must worship him in spirit and in truth." We seek thy temple, holy Lord, On this thy own appointed day; But whilst each knee, each heart is bow'd, Which scarce the Present God conceal'd? Vain thought away; we need no sign |