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structing the ignorant, while "the land had rest forty years." Let this teach her sex in general that no extraordinary honour which may fall to their share should place them above their duties, be those duties what they may. If the direction of an army did not unfit Deborah for her ordinary office of judgment, surely no mental superiority, no advancement of fortune should render any woman indifferent to those domestic or relative duties which devolve upon her. Let her fulfil them as her part of the arrangement, made by the Father of all, for the general benefit of His creatures; not despising them on the one hand, yet not, on the other, bounding all her powers and faculties to the narrow circle of household affairs. Let her cultivate her mind, improve her talents, and interest herself for the welfare of those around her, of her country, of the world at large; let her be a rational being, not a slave to trifles,-man's intellectual companion, not his drudge, nor his plaything,—a benefit and ornament to human nature, not its poor, pitiable, weak side.

Above all, let her do these things "as unto the Lord, and not unto men," feeling herself a member of the great Christian family; placed indeed, as a punishment, under the yoke of subjection, but capable of as high attainment, both of soul and spirit, as the rest of the community. Then we shall see her what she ought to be,—an ornament to society, and a blessing to the world.

X. Q..

INVITATION TO UNITED PRAYER,

FOR THE OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, ON WEDNESDAY, 1ST OF JANUARY, 1840, BEING THE FIRST DAY OF THE NEW YEAR.

DEARLY BELOVED IN THE LORD,

AGAIN that season approaches in which guided, as I trust, by Him from whom "all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed," I have for these past three years invited the sincere followers of our blessed Saviour, to unite in a general concert for prayer for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. I would, therefore, again renew the invitation FOR A SIMILAR CONCERT TO BE HELD ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE NEW YEAR; which will be on WEDNESDAY, 1st JANUARY, 1840.

Whilst each revolving year has presented some special reasons for this devotional union, we are now encouraged to persevere, as the dawn of the New Year appears to approach with some of those delightful streaks which inspire a hope that "the bright and morning star may be near at hand. For answers have lately been vouchsafed to these former devotional unions which give promise that the day is hastening on when the Lord will fulfil his gracious word-"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, and see if I will not open the windows of heaven,

and pour you out such a blessing that there shall not be room to receive it."

The happy events to which I refer are-First, the delightful intelligence transmitted by the bishop of Calcutta, that the inhabitants of fifty-five villages in Northern India have simultaneously renounced idolatry. No less than a thousand of these converted heathens having been actually baptized; whilst double that number have declared themselves desirous to follow their example. And this as soon as they are properly instructed and prepared for that holy sacrament.

Surely we may say "of these tidings from a far country," ,"" the Lord hath done great things for them. The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad."

The second event to which I refer, is the remarkable power of the Holy Spirit accompanying the outward means of grace which has lately taken place in different parts of Scotland, and more particularly at Kilsyth. There according to the testimony of eye-witnesses, whose reports have been examined and fully accredited by sober-minded and experienced ministers, it appears, that persons of almost all ages and of different habits and dispositions, some among them open transgressors, have been brought to that godly sorrow for sin, which leads to repentance not to be repented of; and this followed by that lively faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, which has manifested itself by a conversation becoming the gospel.

These are cheering facts. They are facts, however, which should only stimulate us to greater earnestness in prayer. For, along with these favorable

signs, the new year approaches too much "as a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains." Let the following appearances, too visible, alas! to every discerning eye, suffice to show this:-First, the increasing open avowal of infidelity. There was a time, when such sentiments were limited to the writings of self-called philosophers. These days are past: and now we see large bodies of men glorying in their unbelief, publicly assembling together, to worship a god of their own. Not satisfied with making the press teem with their blasphemies, like the frogs in Egypt, entering the royal palace. There, in the presence of our Queen and her assembled nobles, declaring it to be their purpose, vain as the imagination is, to create a new moral world, or a state of society in which all reverence to the Lord Jehovah and to his well-beloved Son, our only Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, shall be entirely laid aside. These infidels have spread themselves through many of our largest towns. They have their paid missionaries, their regularly constituted officers, and their periodical blasphemous publications.

Along with these and other advocates of infidelity, although of a different school, we have the adherents of the church of Rome in full activity. Their laymen forming themselves into a Catholic Institute;' their bishops charging their clergy to exhort their flocks to pray for the conversion of Protestant England; and both spending large sums in the building of chapels, colleges, nunneries, and other religious houses. No longer disguising their intentions, but boasting of their success, and exerting all their influence to bring the unwary under their dominion.

Whilst the kingdom of our Lord is thus openly assailed, many nominal Protestants are slumbering, and are thus affording opportunity to the enemy, whilst they are sleeping, to sow his tares. So that, although we are assured that He who is "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS," will finally triumph over every foe, if the Lord does not effectually awaken us from our slumbers, we know not the evils to which his church may be exposed. Whilst these lowering clouds appear, our own national sins, and the present state of Christendom generally, lead the observer of the times to fear that the predicted days of judgment upon the Gentiles may be approaching -that the numerous abominations of Christendom, which might cause the righteous "to sigh and to cry," are but symptomatic: prognostics of that period when "men shall be lovers of their ownselves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy." Or forerunners of that day when, as the Prophet Daniel predicts, "the wicked shall do wickedly, and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand." These dark shades overspreading the dawn of the new year should make us consider these streaks of loving-kindness and tender mercy to which I have referred at the commencement of the invitation, as warnings from the Most High, or as calls to "redeem the time;" to avail ourselves of the present moment -to profit by the showers of blessing now bestowed -to entreat the Lord to pour upon all who believe in His name "the Spirit of grace and of supplication." That before these days of vengeance arrive, many may be led, in answer to their earnest cries, to flee from the wrath to come, and take shelter under His

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