slighting his favour and the blessings of which it is the source?nor whether or not the very performance of this exercise is necessarily beneficial when we enter into its spirit, and exercise the faith for which God has laid a firm foundation in his word? But I would seriously ask you, in the sight of God, or rather entreat you to ask yourselves, if you can, or how you can, reconcile your conduct with what you believe and profess? Is there no danger lest the word which Christ has spoken, the promises which he has made, the truths which you believe, should judge and condemn you at the last day?

Further suppose all the members of our churches were to make conscience of, generally, or at least as often as possible, attending prayer-meetings and week-day services, would not this present a pleasing aspect, and be an encouraging state of things? Would it not be calculated to produce and maintain a spirit of devotion and holy zeal? Would it not animate and cheer the minister, and thus fit him for his important duties? The language of Solomon will apply to prayer-meetings as well as to others: "As iron sharpeneth iron, so doth the countenance of a man his friend." And would not this attendance make a favourable impression on the men of the world, affording them a practical proof that professors really believed in the efficiency of prayer? Would it not fortify you against the absorbing, carnalizing tendency of secular pursuits and cares, and preserve that spirituality of mind which is life and peace? Does not the great danger of professors of religion arise from the tendency of their engagements and pursuits to engender a worldly spirit?-to bring and keep them too much under the influence of the things which are seen and temporal? They are, generally speaking, in little danger of gross sins, such as drunkenness, or profaneness, or injustice. Living in these would at once destroy all their hopes, and cause their expulsion from the church. Perhaps it may be said that, in ordinary circumstances, Satan does not tempt them to the commission of these, because he has no hope of success. He bends all his efforts to induce them to yield to the sin which most easily besets them, viz., immoderate attachment to secular pursuits and gains, so that the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the lusts of other things may choke the good seed of the word, and render it unfruitful; and, alas! to how how great an extent does he prevail! How scanty and how stunted the fruit which many members of churches produce! And is there not reason to fear that some most excellent persons, whom all their brethren must esteem and love, and whose entire consistency they most earnestly desire, are, unawares to themselves, satisfying their consciences by allowing themselves to feel as if they were making compensation for their neglect of Divine ordinances by the liberality of their contributions to the cause of God, and as if money could answer all things even in religion? But how plain is it that whatever respect and influence property, when freely expended in works of charity, may

secure amongst men, it is nothing in the sight of God unless respect is paid "to all his commandments." The terrible threatening uttered by Peter, "Thy money perish with thee," will apply to all who think "that the gift of God" can in any respect "be purchased with money." Liberality in the support of the cause of God is a duty; but it will not be accepted as a substitute for spirituality of mind, attention to religious ordinances, and general consistency of conduct.

Above all, would not this regular, conscientious attendance on prayer-meetings be acceptable to the God of heaven? Can we doubt this when we recollect the importance which the Scriptures attach, and the promises which they make, to prayer? O, let us beware of everything which has even the appearance of slighting his favour! We often lament, or at least profess to lament, that so little good is done, that so slight an impression is made on the men of the world by our religious societies, and by the preaching of the gospel. Now, God has assured us that he will honour those who honour him; but those who despise him shall be lightly esteemed. Were we more visibly and heartily to honour God by waiting on him in the means of grace, by making efforts and sacrifices in order to meet together to implore his blessing, might we not expect that he would more highly honour us by employing us to do good, and causing us to be more highly esteemed in the estimation of even the irreligious world? It is high time for us to seek the Lord till he arise and pour down a blessing on us.

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I would entreat deacons and the more influential members of churches to recollect that we are accountable to God for any influence with which he entrusts us in consequence of our station, or property, or mental cultivation. Each of these is a talent which we have received from him, and respecting which he has said, Occupy till I come." What, then, must be the influence which your conduct in practically despising prayer-meetings,-treating them as if they were of no importance, and as if making anything like efforts or sacrifices to attend them were out of the question, and could not be expected by either God or man,—will have, must have, on others, especially on the poorer members of the church and congregation? Must it not be chilling and discouraging? Are weekday services more necessary for the poor than for the rich? Are not the latter as much dependent on God?—do they not as much need his blessing and his influence to keep them from temptation as the former? Are they not as much indebted to him? If there is any difference, are they not more? And is it not the case, that to whom much is given, of them shall much be required?

I know the plea that will be urged, the excuses that will be made. The want of time, the urgency, and the numerous calls of business, and the extent of the concern, and the multiplicity of the affairs which you have to manage. In some cases, perhaps in not a few, it might be very proper to inquire whether there is any neces

sity for your being so much immersed in business as you are, or for making such efforts to engross it all, as far as possible, to yourselves? A woe is pronounced against "those who add house to house and field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth," Isa. v. 8. Is there no danger of imbibing the spirit that is here censured, and incurring the woe denounced against it in the pushing of business? This is a question which deserves the most serious consideration. Is all this trade or merchandise necessary to enable you to support yourself in a respectable way, or to provide for your family, or to make provision for old age, or to do good? Or, rather, are you not gratifying the love of money in some of its specious forms? Are you not hasting to be rich? O, remember the solemn declaration of the apostle Paul, (1 Tim. vi. 9,) “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil; which, while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."

But not to dwell on this-fully allowing that prompt and vigorous attention to business, and even the acquisition of moderate wealth, when God affords the opportunity of acquiring it, are commendable-allow me seriously to ask, Could you not manage all your affairs, and yet by wisely forming your plans and making a little effort, devote an hour or two in the week, generally speaking, to social religious exercises? Suppose you could obtain an order for goods, or secure a customer by the devotion of these hours, would they not be appropriated to this purpose without neglecting any other part of your business? It is impossible not to observe, that when you have invitations to parties, or to meet friends whom you value, whom you would be very loth even to appear to slight, you can at any time command an hour or two for this purpose. O that many of those whom I am addressing would but spend the half of the time throughout the year in attending religious services which they devote to parties and to pleasure! I would earnestly and affectionately, as the friend of your souls, and as desirous of promoting your spiritual welfare, entreat you to ascertain for yourselves, by examining the matter at the bar of conscience and in the sight of God, whether the true, the real cause of your absence from these meetings is not to be found in your want of interest in them, and in the feebleness of your faith in the Divine promises. Men will always, generally speaking, find time to attend those meetings into which they can enter with all their hearts, and from which they derive pleasure and profit. I hope you are not amongst those who can find time to attend concerts and other scenes of amusement, and political and temperance meetings, and yet can find none to attend the weekly social meetings of the church to which you belong. If there is a word of truth in the Bible; if all that is frequently ad

vanced respecting the worth of the soul, and the importance of eternity, and the necessity of watchfulness against the influence of the world, is not sheer delusion, the latter are unspeakably more important than the former; and things will never be in a right state in the church, and religion will never flourish till professing Christians show by their conduct that they think so; and thus prove to the world their real belief in the promise of the Saviour, that wherever two or three are met together in his name, he is there in the midst of them. Is there any such promise made to concerts and other assemblages for which prayer-meetings are neglected?

In conclusion, I would beseech you, deacons and members of Christian churches, especially those of you to whom God has committed wealth and influence, and placed in respectable situations, to give to these plain statements your serious consideration. I would entreat you, in the name of the great Head of the church, by all the promises which he has made to prayer, by the claims which he has on you, by the sacredness of his cause, by the excellence of his religion, and the desirableness that it should universally prevail, by all the regard which you owe to the souls which he has purchased with his blood, to assemble conscientiously, and, as far as may be, regularly, with the churches to which you belong, and join with them in giving the Lord "no rest till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a name and a praise in the earth," and till he render your church an abundant blessing in the vicinity where it is located, as well as to the souls of all its members.

SEND YOUR CHILDREN TO SUNDAY-SCHOOL.

PARENTS of the following classes, hear us when we propose to you that your children should be sent to the sabbath-school.

1. You that care about your own and your children's souls. We believe you are seeking out the best means of be

nefiting those under your care. We, therefore, do no more than ask you to consider whether or not it would be useful to send your children to our schools. If other circumstances are suitable, then your example might influence some of your neighbours; and by your attention to your children, in preparing them at home for the sabbath-school, you would have the satis

faction of seeing your children become a pattern to others.

II. You that care about your children, though you are not yourselves converted. We know that this is no uncommon case; even infidels have wished their children to know Christ.

Now, if you

feel that you yourselves have got no change of heart, we entreat you to send your children to sabbath-school. There, by the blessing of God, they may be led to Christ. The teacher's whole aim is to bring them to the cross of Christ, to carry them to the Shepherd who gave his life for the sheep, and to bathe them in the fountain open for sin and uncleanness. But if