by the sacred rite of baptism to the service of the Lord in whom he believed, and afterwards, with heartfelt emotion, he received the holy communion of the body and blood of Christ.

We will now leave Nathan, who took the baptismal name of Christopher, and inquire how the real murderer was discovered.

While Nathan lay in prison, the murderer of Eleazer lived under a feigned name, as a partner in the inn kept by his father-in-law at P., and none suspected that the lively young host was a criminal. Sometimes persons who frequented the house spoke of the murder, and some incidental words which excited suspicion, escaped from the lips of the assassin; yet no one had the slightest idea of charging him with the crime. One day, two travellers turned into the inn, and in the presence of a Member of the Senate of the town of P. discussed the circumstances of the murder, the imprisonment of Nathan, and the suspicion which was attached to the son of the innkeeper at M., who had disappeared on the same night. At this moment the subject of their conversation entered the room, and waited on some other guests. One of the strangers said, in a joking tone of voice, but loudly and distinctly, "Our worthy young host exactly answers the description of the young man on whom the suspicion of the murder rests." At

these words he turned deadly pale, trembled, and was about to speak, but faltered! All this was carefully noticed by the observant magistrate. He soon withdrew, and informed his colleagues of what had passed. They resolved to watch the young man unobserved, till the evening, and then to put him under arrest. This was accordingly done.

Not so quickly, however, did the accused confess

his crime. For a long time every attempt to call forth the truth was in vain. In the course of his examination, however, he entangled himself more and more by his innumerable contradictions. Eleazer's ring, of which he had robbed him on the fatal night, and which he thoughtlessly wore, was taken from him, and tended to increase the just suspicion which was entertained against him. But the now awakened conscience of the not yet wholly hardened criminal, troubled him far more than the presence of his human judges. Despair and horrible anguish were depicted on his countenance; his look was restless and disturbed; his high spirit was broken.

One of the magistrates said plainly to his face, "Villain! dost thou venture to set at defiance the Omniscient and the Holy One, whose eyes are as a flame of fire? Thou art standing on the brink of a fearful abyss! Examine thyself, and confess the truth to thy God!"

Greatly agitated, and trembling in every limb, he cried out, "Yes, I am the man ! All his refuges of lies were now broken down, and he confessed all, not only the circumstances of the murder, but the wicked action by which he had endeavoured to shift his guilt upon the innocent Nathan. His sentence was, that he should be eight times whipped in the public market-place, and suffer six years' imprisonment in the fortress at C., with hard labour.

Christopher attended the examination of the young man with the deepest sympathy; and when he heard the sentence, his heart was far from suggesting the malicious idea,-" This man, who sought to ruin me, now receives his just doom, and even less than he deserves." He, on the contrary,

felt the sincerest compassion for the unhappy man, who had suffered himself to be so deluded and infatuated by sin. One wish above all others filled the heart of Christopher,-it was, the salvation of the soul of that man who had been made the unwitting instrument of leading him to attain the greatest bliss and the highest goodthe knowledge of God, and peace with Him through our Lord Jesus Christ. This was not cherished as a mere idle wish in the breast of Christopher; but he steadfastly resolved to try all that in him lay to further the eternal welfare of this unhappy man, and induce him to seek reconciliation with his offended God. He requested permission of the Governor of the fortress to live there for six years, in order that he might be near the prisoner, and have daily communication with him. His petition was granted. Christopher hired an apartment in the fortress; visited his enemy, whom, however, he regarded as his benefactor; procured for him better fare than was generally allowed to the prisoners, and took every opportunity of leading him to God. Long time had he to wait before he saw any fruit of his labour of Christian love. The object of his solicitude became ill. Christopher_tended him with the utmost assiduity. He cared not only for the body; the recovery of the deeply-diseased soul was his chief concern. He instructed him in the word of God, of which he was grievously ignorant; he represented to him the holiness and the justice of God; he prayed for him and with him, for his everlasting salvation. He told him that penitence did not consist in self-inflicted penances; that no man by his own good resolutions, or his own works, could merit salvation; that God

required a broken and a contrite heart, and that man should accept of the mercy offered to him in the Gospel. He set before him the unspeakable compassion of the Saviour, who casts out none who come to him weary and heavy laden, yea, who even pardons them freely. The blessing of God accompanied the testimony which flowed from Christopher's believing, affectionate breast. The stony heart gradually melted, the prodigal began to weep, and at length to pray, and to supplicate earnestly for mercy and grace. He fell on his knees with his benefactor, and with a broken and a contrite heart, confessed before God the sins of his youth, all his follies, his transgressions, and his crimes. The Lord heard the supplications of this penitent, and gave him peace, even the peace which he himself had purchased by his own precious blood-shedding on the cross. The countenance of the pardoned sinner testified of the entire change of his heart; his whole demeanour was altered; his quiet, diligent, and tractable conduct showed the genuineness and sincerity of his conversion. This favourable

change was observed not only by his fellowprisoners, but it also attracted the notice of the Governor of the fortress, who became much attached to the prisoner, and did all that lay in his power to lighten his miserable condition.

At the expiration of the term of his confinement, Christopher took his friend to his own lodging, where they spent a few months together in retirement, in order that they might strengthen and fortify themselves by the study of the Holy Scriptures, before they again entered into a world abounding with temptations. After they had publicly testified their faith, and sealed their

friendship, by partaking together of the Lord's Supper, Christopher brought his friend's wife to him, accompanied by his only son, to whom she had given birth at the time of the trial.....

It was not long before this devoted and selfdenying young Israelite became seriously ill; but he was resigned, and full of peace and comfort. While lying on his sick bed he was frequently heard to pronounce the name of his friend, and to pray earnestly that the Lord would keep him steadfast in the faith, and grant that he might let his light shine before men, and especially before the members of his own family, whom he had so deeply wounded; yea, that the Lord would even make him the blessed instrument of bringing them also to a knowledge of his salvation.

Filled with gratitude to God who had brought him out of darkness into his marvellous light, and had "crowned him with loving-kindness and tender mercies," Christopher exclaimed with his dying breath, "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation." (Luke xi. 29, 30.)

And now he beholds face to face the Saviour whom he loved, in whom he believed with all his heart, and whom he followed faithfully to the end. His faith had not been put to shame, neither was his prayer for his friend unanswered. He who once was an alien from God, and was a stranger to the covenant of promise, now walked consistently in "the narrow way which leadeth unto life; not only his wife, but both her parents, were brought by his example, to see the mysterious power of the Gospel, and experienced its saving influence in their own hearts. They too, though not open transgressors of the law of