JUSTICE AND GRACE.

37

If all should perish, it would be by Justice; but if any are saved, it is by Grace. Justice damns men, but grace saves men. You ought to be thankful, and bless God with your dying lips, for revealing Jesus to you; but when God requires you to be happy, and makes you holy, that you may enjoy him, you do not thereby merit any thing."

Oh, Sir, he is a kind and just God.'

"Yes, he is THE JUST GOD AND SAVIOUR."

To this object of faith and love we then addressed dur prayers; while the little school, and the mistress, the mother of the dying youth, bended their knees before the God of the widow, and Father of the fatherless.

February 2d.

THE Catholic, whom I saw on the 10th of January, has experienced much relief for some time past, and I have invariably found him respectful and grateful. Now he has a relapse, is raising offensive matter from his lungs profusely, but still appears the same in mind. He united in prayer very devoutly. An Irishman I found, with a Bible at his head, and said, "Friend, you have the word of God hear you." Yes, Sir,' he replied; many persons have the best things near them, of which they make little or no use. The remainder of his observations breathed

the same spirit.

All the patients are still and attentive when I enter a room, and testify their respect for that religion of which I am a minister. Sickness seems to amalgamate all denominations, and make any teacher of religion,

-38

THE PAUPER'S WORLD.

who honours his MASTER, the object of their veneration.

My audience this evening was very full and attentive; and with all the severity which I can justify in the language of a messenger of grace to guilty men, I attempted to expose, that I might reprove the peculiar transgressions of my hearers. The depravity of man consists in his being dead in trespasses and sins to every thing which is holy, and in being alive to all manner of moral evil, so as to regulate his conduct by the course of this world, the temptations of the prince of the power of the air, and the lusts of the flesh.

But what have the paupers to do with the alluring world, from which they seem excluded? Ay, there is a world within the Almshouse, which has its principles, fashions, and evil courses; but what the paupers are deficient in the sins of high life, they more than make up by the lusts of the flesh. If the population of the city were to remain the same, and children were not born and educated in the Almshouse for the devil, I do verily believe that in ten years the number of persons dependent on this institution would be less by half than it now is. Drunkenness and lewdness are the common vices of the place; and of the paupers, which are not foreigners, much the greater portion is the offspring of the house. The evil will extend, and the miserable will procreate children of Misery, until the new establishment is completed, in which the sexes will be separated, and into which, it is to be hoped, ardent spirits will not find their way, except it be to the apothecary's shop.

With W-F- prayer was offered, and he tells me

THE STOLEN COUNTRY GIRL.

39.

that he does cheerfully resign himself into the Lord's' bands, to be disposed of by him, for time and eternity,

as he shall deem best.

February 5th.

THE young woman, S. A. E-, with whom I' conversed on the 24th and 31st days of last month,' is recovering. She appears to be very grateful to Godfor prolonging her space for repentance.

This afternoon I have, in three rooms of the Almshouse, prayed with at least thirty women of the baser sort. Among them was AW, the stolen country girl, whose history is given in my former Journal, who is still bedrid, and who has never had the use of her limbs, since I have been acquainted with her. She has been visited by her mother; but poverty, and the care of her other children, prevented her from removing her daughter. A-W— was affected at my discourse; the tears, which she could not suppress, arose in her eyes, and she said, "I have no hope from this world; I must live and die here."

And in a miserable place too,' I said: 'but have you any hope of finally entering into everlasting life? Do you pray to the Lord Jesus Christ every day, and often?'

"O yes, Sir, in my heart, as well as I know how!"

Another young woman sat on her bed, sewing, to whom I gave, some months ago, from Mr. Benjamin Allen's liberality, Doddridge's Rise and Progress. She had been thoughtful for some time, and was glad

40

A PEEVISH SINNER.

to be instructed. Poor thing! she has been unable to get off her bed for two years, and must remain in this situation, until death shall release her spirit from the wretchedly abused frame.

To one bloated and full of blotches, I directed my discourse and she attempted to cry, but could not succeed. Another conducted herself in a very different manner. She must be thirty years of age, and has many remains of beauty. From her parched lips, and extremely emaciated body, I perceived that she could not live long, and therefore, bowing my head over the staff of my umbrella, said, "My fellowsinner, you must soon die, and"- And I don't

care how soon!' she interposed, and rolling up her penetrating eyes, gave a sad sigh!

The sooner I die the better!'

"Do you think yourself prepared, by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and repentance for sin, to appear before God?"

I ha'n't studied that point.'

"Are you willing then, to be removed from this wretched place to a worse?"

This is bad enough! I've had nothing but misery

here.'

"And are likely to have nothing but misery in the world to come: for you are by nature dead in trespasses and sins. You are a child of wrath. God has afflicted you here, and if you die in your present state, you must sink down to hell, to become the companion of devils and damned men."

I have not thought much about these things.' "It is high time that you had, for you are drawing near to the grave; aud after death, it will be for ever

A COUNTRY GIRL.

41

too late to think of seeking Heaven. While in this world you must be reconciled to God, or be damned in the next. Now can you tell me how it is possible for you to be saved?"

'I an't LARN'D in these things; but I hope I sha'n't go to a worse world than this.'

Such are the persons with whom I have to deal concerning their immortal souls, in the name of HIM, who is the Saviour of sinners. Of all the disagreeable places which I have ever seen, none are to be compared with some wards in this institution; for the pollution of every kind which infects their occupants.

February 7th.

A detail of the events of this Sabbath, and particularly of this evening,, would occupy pages, if I had sufficient strength to record them. A few hints must suffice. During public worship, the woman with whom I held a discourse on the 5th instant, was attentive. On her bed sat a tall country girl, M— M-, who, five or six mouths ago, returned, voluntarily, to her mother in the country; but her mother is poor, and the girl's health is so miserable, that she is not able to earn her food. Her old disease has never been wholly eradicated; and before she went home her physician told me, that he did not think it ever could be. She soon came back, therefore, because she could not have suitable medical attendance in the country; and because our Almshouse is the grand receptacle of blasted, withered, dying