reference is made to the Bible, as the alone fountain of authority, of light and life. He determines, at length, that this neglected and despised book shall be finally examined, in order to resolve his doubts, and to enable him to judge for himself.

"By this simple process has many a carnal heart been won over to a study of the sacred Scriptures, who never, otherwise, would have troubled his thoughts about them; and, being so won, has read on, to the everlasting peace and salvation of his soul. The study thus commenced, and thus pursued, has, in innumerable instances, through the blessing of the Spirit of God resting upon it, saved a soul from death.'

"To illustrate the remark which I have made," continued our excellent moralist, "that the very titles of many of the tracts are powerfully calculated to draw, and fix the attention of the most thoughtless person, look at these which I hold in my hand. Thus are they designated:-'The death of the soul;' 'Salvation in Christ alone;' 'Without holiness no man shall see the Lord;' 'On this very moment hangs eternity;' 'The bitterness of eternal death;' Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life;' 'Why will ye die?' 'I am the Resurrection and the Life;' 'Repent and believe, and thou shalt be saved;' 'The power of Divine Grace;' The Bible the poor man's book;' 'Riches of mercy, or the Penitent Thief.'

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Pursuing this Christian and edifying course," he continued, "may the Religious Tract Society be truly said to be the pioneer of the Bible and Church Missionary Societies,their forerunner in the holy cause of converting a lost world, as was John the Baptist of our blessed Lord.

"The union of these three mighty engines of moral power," said Mr. Gracelove, "reminds me of the proud boast of Archimedes, the celebrated geometrician of ancient days,— 'that he could move, by the force of his levers, the world itself, were he but able to find a spot, near to it, whereon to

fix his machines.' What, however, the boastful and visionary philosopher could not effect in physical science, appears, in our days, to have been accomplished in moral and religious science, by the three illustrious institutions above named, which are, indeed, the glory of our age! The very world itself—in its intellect—its opinions—its tastes, affections, and convictions,— in its duty towards God and towards man,-is, at this very moment, in the act of being 'moved,' for its temporal and everlasting good, from the zenith to the antipodes, and from pole to pole, by the application of this stupendous moral power, under the guidance and blessing of the Almighty Ruler of the universe."

Here our Christian monitor paused, for a few moments; having his attention apparently drawn to one of the tracts, a portion of which he was perusing with great earnestness.

"I perceive," he resumed, “in a note appended to one of these instructive papers, that a summary of the Society's proceedings is given, and the following valuable information afforded. It appears, that the Religious Tract Society was instituted in 1799—that its annual circulation, including the issues of Foreign Societies, amounts to the enormous number of nearly twenty millions of publications: That the languages in which the Society's works are published amount to ninetysix: That the total circulation, since its commencement, amounts to the prodigious sum of between three and four hundred millions: That the new publications during the present year are upwards of one hundred and fifty: And, that the sum total of the publications, of distinct titles and composition, on the Society's catalogue, extends to upwards of three thousand.*

* In the appendix are given summaries of the proceedings of the Bible and Church Missionary Societies; as also more details respecting the Religious Tract Society.

"One of the interesting features of this noble institution is presented in the fact, that the whole amount of the subscriptions and contributions is applied to the gratuitous circulation of the Society's publications at home and abroad, without any deduction or charge whatever.

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6

"Thus, my dear children," said the conscientious parent, may each of you, in a certain sense, become a missionary, and a worker together with God;' namely, by carrying with you, wherever you may go, a parcel of these excellent little tracts, which occupy but a very small portion of your trunk or your pocket, and giving them to the peasantry as you pass along the road, or leaving them in the cottages that skirt your path. In this manner, like the sower related in St. Matt. xiii. 3-8, you may become the humble instruments of much good to your fellow-creatures around you. It is true, that some of your seed may fall upon stony places,' and some‘ among thorns,' and so wither away, and be choked; yet shall your pious labours be recompensed, by knowing that others have fallen into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, and some thirtyfold.' For God hath graciously said, 'My word that goeth forth out of my mouth shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.'*

"And recollect, my beloved children," he added, "what the Scriptures declare as your great encouragement in this and other religious works-that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.'† But remember-not your sins, but those of the sinner so converted.

"I am intimately acquainted," he proceeded, "with a pious and estimable lady, resident in Surrey, who seldom rides out ↑ James v. 20.

* Isa. lv. 11.

in her carriage without scattering from each window, as she passes any persons on the road, or perceives them approaching from the opposite direction, these little messengers of love and mercy. Equally anxious is she to redeem the flying moments, when passing along on foot; and she will frequently, in the latter case, accompany the personal offer of a tract with that 'word spoken in due season,'* the value of which is attested in the revelation of God. Such deeds of mercy are twice blessed; they bless her who gives, and them that receive, and the full extent of the blessing will only be known at the great day of the resurrection.

"But why, my dear children, should I travel so far from home, into the distant county of Surrey, to seek an example of a righteous woman; except, indeed, to offer a passing tribute to the excellence of my dear and absent friend; when you have a pattern of all that is truly good and exemplary, in word, and thought, and deed, sitting close beside you?"

Turning to his fondly-cherished wife, with a countenance beaming with affectionate tenderness, and clasping her hand within his own, Mr. Gracelove feelingly exclaimed, "Here is the bright model, my beloved children, ever present before you, on which it is my earnest desire that you should form the virtues of your own minds, and the devout aspirations of your hearts to that gracious Being who has so mercifully given you such a parent, to love and to imitate. Truly can I say, in the language of Scripture,- Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.'"+

The scene was, at once, touching and edifying. The sensibility of all-father, mother, and children—was excited by this affecting incident. Tears started to the eyes of the warmhearted Mrs. Gracelove; and though prevented by her emotions ↑ Prov. xxxi. 28.

* Prov. xv. 23.

from speaking her gratitude, and her love, to the husband of her dearest affections, yet her weeping countenance, and the close and tender pressure of the hand, too well expressed the feelings which she could not utter. If there be such a thing as what the poet calls "the luxury of grief,”—if grief in this case it could be called,—any more than the tears of angels over a repentant sinner,-dear Mrs. Gracelove experienced, at that moment, the indescribable charm it conveys.

"Come, come, my beloved ones," exclaimed, at length, the happy father and husband, exerting himself to repress the sensations which had subdued them all; "the dinner must certainly be ready by this time; and we have yet much to see, and far to go, before we again behold Derwent Cottage. I have given you, I think, a pretty good homily on the principles and virtues of the Religious Tract Society; and out of justice to the two other noble institutions, and, still more, for the sake of your own instruction, I shall take an opportunity, on some future occasion, to speak of them also. I shall be able to give you a most interesting historical sketch of the operations of the Bible and Church Missionary Societies; from which have flowed, like the fertilizing stream of the Nile, such immeasurable benefits to mankind."

The party now arose from their soft mossy couch, and repaired immediately to their rustic salle-à-manger, at the little inn of the lake. Everything was prepared, and in three minutes served up to the hungry guests; whose appetites were so sharply set, during the long interval that had elapsed since breakfast, that they were as mute over their meal as the very fish they were eating. Even the two boys, fond as they were of bantering each other on the largeness of his appetite; with jocose allusions to the capacious maw of the cormorant, the well-stored pouch of the pelican, and the huge digestive powers of the ostrich; were, on the present occasion, as silent as the unawakened echo.