this faith be only an assurance or persuasion that I am pardoned and justified; then it will necessarily follow, that I must believe I am pardoned and justified, that I may be pardoned and justified: that is, I must believe I am pardoned and justified before I either am or can be; which is to believe a lie. This will necessarily follow upon limiting faith to assurance. Faith, therefore, is not assurance; but this doth sometimes crown and reward a strong, vigorous, and heroic faith the spirit of God breaking in upon the soul with an evidencing light, and scattering all that darkness, and those fears and doubts which before beclouded it.

"As for assurance," (he adds, in summing up the question,) "I look upon that, not as a distinct part of faith, but a high and exalted degree and measure of it; not vouchsafed to all, scarce to any at all times, but only to some few, through the special witness of the Holy Spirit with their spirits."-BOETHOS.

THE THIEF OF TIME.

THE late Edward Irving has observed, with his characteristic boldness, that "procrastination is the kidnapper of souls, and the recruiting officer of hell!" This is strong language, but is it not true? Look at the case of the unhappy E- "Oh! I am dying, I am dying!" she exclaimed, as a friend entered her chamber. "And are you afraid to die?" inquired her friend, as she approached the bed and took the hand which rested on the pillow. "Afraid to die!" she feebly ejaculated, in an indignant tone; "why should I be afraid to die? Oh, you think I have been very wicked, I see you do; but you think wrong; I have never, to my knowledge, done any harm; no one can say any thing against my character.” She was proceeding in this way, when delirium ensued. In this state she remained for several days, during which time her dissolution was hourly expected; but, to the inexpressible joy of friends, reason again resumed its seat. The opportunity was eagerly embraced to set before her the insufficiency of human merit, the absolute necessity of repentance, and the need of a Redeemer, but in vain; her heart was "hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." The affections that for near eighty years

had been set on earthly, were not to be raised to heavenly things. By replying, "I shall soon be better; cease to torment me; when I find there is no likelihood of my recovering, I will attend to you," she attempted to silence the admonitions of Christian solicitude. When I find that there is no likelihood of my recovering, I will attend to you! Fatal infatuation! it was then too late; with screams of agony, and expressions too horrible to be repeated, she wretchedly expired!

THE LOVE OF GOD.

A VERY holy man once said, "Were the highest heavens my pulpit, and all the hosts of the redeemed, together with Adam's family, my audience, and eternity my day, redeeming love should be my text and sermon." "Love never faileth."

LOSS AND GAIN.

I REMEMBER, says the Rev. George Burder, reading of a woman whose house was on fire. She was very active in removing her goods, but forgot her child, who was sleeping in the cradle. At length she remembered the babe, and ran with earnest desire to save it. But it was now too late! The flames forbade her entrance. Judge of her agony of mind, when she exclaimed, “Oh, my child, my child. I have saved my goods, but lost my child!" Just so it will be with many a poor sinner, who was, all his life "careful and troubled about many things," while the "one thing needful" was forgotten. What will it then avail for a man to say, "I got a good place, or a good trade, but lost my soul! I got a large fortune, but lost my soul! I got many friends, but God is my enemy! I lived in pleasure, but now pain is my everlasting portion! I clothed my body gayly, but my soul is naked before God !”

Make it a point of conscience, to do something regularly and systematically for the establishment and extension of the gospel both at home and abroad. Every one as God hath prospered him." See the 9th ch. of 1st and 2d Epis. Corin.

66

MONTHLY RECORD.

MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE.

MISSIONARY UNION

The financial year of the American Baptist Missionary Union will close March 31. Twenty-four thousand dollars must be raised during the months of February and March, or the Society will not be able to meet its liabilities. In January, only $5506 80 were received. Great exertions should be made by every friend of missions, that the requisite amount may be received.

GREECE.

Rev. Mr. Buel, a missionary, has been tried at Athens, for violating the laws, by giving religious instruction to children without permission, and acquitted, though there was abundant evidence that he had instructed children and adults. This is an encouraging circumstance.

ITEMS.
ITALY.

Laymen have been entirely excluded from the Cabinet at Rome, and a vigorous censorship of the press established. the bishops reserving to themselves alone the right of exercising that censorship on moral and religious works. The "beast" is beginning to show himself.

Austria has 70 000 troops in Italy at the present time.

POLAND.

There are in Prussian Poland fifteen congregations who have renounced the Roman Catholic faith, and joined the party of Czerski.

PRUSSIA.

Rationalism is exerting a most alarming influence throughout Prussia, so that but very few evangelical clergymen can be found.

TURKEY.

The Sultan has granted full and perfect toleration to Protestant Christians of all denominations. By a royal decree, published at Constantinople, they are to have all the privileges enjoyed by Roman Catholics, Greeks, and Armenians.

REVIVALS.

In West Philadelphia a revival is in progress. There are frequent baptisms.— Camden, N. J., 30 hopeful conversions recently. Owego, N. Y., 180 baptized since the commencement of the revival. In several Baptist churches of this city revivals are going on Considerable additions, by baptism, have been made to the Stanton. street church, Norfolk-street, Cannon-street, Sixth-street, and Shiloh. There is also an interesting state of religious feeling at Hoboken.—First Baptist church, in Troy, N. Y., more than 50 have obtained hopes. Rutledge, Tenn., 100 hopeful conversions in the town and vicinity. Revivals are reported in several of the Baptist churches of Philadelphia, Boston, Baltimore, Albany, Buffalo, and Hartford, as well as NewYork. South Ten-Mile, Pa., 18 recently baptized. Farmington, Me., 20 hopefully converted. Mt. Salem, Lincoln Co. Ky., 25 baptized. There are revivals in Wethersfield, Rocky Hill, Berlin, Meriden, Bristol, and New Britain, Ct. In the latter place 30 have been hopefully converted. Groton, Ct, 11 baptized.

MINISTERIAL CHANGES.

Rev. J. M. Chick, of Bennington, N. H., has become pastor of the Bap. church in Peterboro', N. H.

Rev. Mr. Jacobs has become pastor of the Bap. church, in North Yarmouth, Me. Rev. C. W. Redding, of North Yarmouth, Me., has become pastor of the Baptist church at Beverly Farms, Mass.

Newburyport, Mass., Feb. 9.

B. Manly, Jr., Tuscaloosa, Ala., Jan. 30. | Danbury, Ct.

LITERARY NOTICES.

Baptisms of the New Testament. By Joseph Belcher, D. D. Philadelphia: American Baptist Publication Society.

This is a valuable work, by an able writer. It is eminently scriptural, and consequently of the right kind to suit Baptists. The plain, unvarnished declarations of the Bible are enough to establish our views in reference to baptism. This is a book on baptism without a word of controversy. The comments and deductions of the author are judicious, practical, and evangelical. We commend it to the attention of Sabbath Schools, families, and all of those who love the Bible and its doctrines. It is beautifully bound, with a gilt back.

The second edition of the "Baptist Almanac," Catechisms for Children," "Family Worship," by Rev. A. D. Gillette, "Judson's Letter on Costly Attire," "Terms of Communion," by Dr. Cone, new edition, "Close Communion," "Pengilly," and other tracts, have been received from the same Society. All valuable The Society is doing an immense amount of good by their tracts, books, and colporteurs. Rev. T. S. Malcom, is the corresponding secretary.

Personal Recollections of Charlotte Elizabeth, accompanied by a Memoir. By L. H. J. Tonna. New York: M. W. Dodd, pp. 359, 18mo.

We have before referred to a smaller work, entitled "Life of Charlotte Elizabeth."This contains the substance of that, and a large amount of reading in addition, on a great variety of interesting topics, in a series of letters. This distinguished writer describes real, and not imaginary events. It has become alarmingly customary for some of our best writers to spread before their readers, fictitious and love stories. Even religious persons will do it, or, at least, write religious novels, which, we feel compelled to say, are ruinous in their tendency on the young. The reading of religious tales almost always leads to the perusal of novels of a more doubtful character. It is high time for the religious press to come out against such things. We shall refer to this matter again. The work before us is worthy of the perusal of every one.

Prescott's Conquest of Mexico. 3 vols., octavo. Texian Expedition against Mier. By Gen. F. J. Green, pp. 487, 8vo.

Here are four valuable books, published by the Harpers. (82 Cliff-street, N. Y.) Prescott's work presents a copious and remarkably interesting history of Mexico, and the other

210