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and he that had gathered little had no lack.

The Rev. Edward Jones was particularly noted for his charitable disposition. A friend once made him a present of a sum of money, that he might purchase malt to make beer for the use of his family. Returning home from the house of his friend, he happened to pass through a village where there were several poor families, some of whom were sick, and others in very needy circumstances. Hearing of their distresses, he went into their houses, in order to address some serious advice to them. But his heart was so much affected with the miseries he beheld, that he distributed among them what his friend had given him to supply his own wants. When he reached home, he told his wife what he had done. She cheerfully applauded his generosity, and at the same time acquainted him, that in his absence, God had inclined the heart of a neighboring farmer to send the very quantity of malt that his friend's money would have purchased.

Chap. ix, ver. 7.-Every man, according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give, not grudgingly, nor of necessity for God loveth a cheerful giver.

Mrs. Graham of New-York, made it a rule to appropriate a tenth part of her earnings to be expended for pious and charitable purposes; she had taken a lease of two lots of ground, in Greenwichstreet, from the Corporation of Trinity Church, with a view of building a house on them for her own accommodation: the building, however, she never commenced: by a sale which her son Mr. Bethune made of the lease in 1795, for her, she got an advance of one thousand pounds. So large a profit was new to her: "Quick, quick,” said she, “let me appropriate the tenth before my heart grows hard." What fidelity in duty! What distrust of herself! Fifty

pounds of this money she sent to Mr. Mason, in aid of the funds he was collecting for the establishment of a theological seminary.

Chap. ix, ver. 9.-As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad: he hath given to the poor : his righteousness remaineth for ever.

The late John Thornton, Esq. of Clapham, was distinguished by his great liberality: he disposed of large sums in various charitable designs, with unremitting constancy, during a long course of years. His charities were much larger than is common with wealthy persons of good reputation for beneficence, insomuch that he was almost regarded as a prodigy. He was the patron of all pious, exemplary, and laborious ministers of the Gospel; frequently educating young men whom he found to be religiously disposed, and purchasing many livings, which he gave to ministers, in order that the Gospel might be preached in those places where he supposed the people were perishing for lack of knowledge. He also dispersed a very great number of Bibles in different languages in distant countries, perhaps in all the four quarters of the globe, and with them vast quantities of religious books, calculated to alarm the conscience, and affect the heart with the importance of eternal things. He also patronized every undertaking which was suited to supply the wants, to relieve the distresses, or to increase the comfort of the human species, in whatever climate, or of whatever description, provided they properly fell within his sphere of action. Perhaps it would even be difficult to name one public or private charity of evident utility to which he was not a benefactor.-May such noble and benevolent characters be found in every age!

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Chap. x, ver. 4.-For the weapons warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.

The preaching of the late Rev. J. Scott having been made effectual to the production of a great change in a young lady, the daughter of a country gentleman, so that she could no longer join the family in their usual dissipations, and appeared to them as melancholy, or approaching to it, her father, who was a very gay man, looked upon Mr. Scott as the sole cause of what he deemed his daughter's misfortune, became exceedingly enraged at him; so much so, that he actually lay in wait, in order to shoot him. Mr. S. being providentially apprized of it, was enabled to escape the danger. The diabolical design of the gentleman being thus defeated, he sent Mr. S. a challenge. Mr. S. might have availed himself of the law, and prosecuted him, but he took another method. He waited upon him at his house, was introduced to him in his parlor, and, with his characteristic boldness and intrepidity, thus addressed him:-" Sir, I hear you have designed to shoot me,-by which you would have been guilty of murder; failing in this, you sent me a challenge: and what a coward you must be, sir, to wish to engage with a blind man, (alluding to his being short-sighted.) As you have given me the challenge, it is now my right to choose the time, the place, and the weapon; I, therefore, appoint the present moment, sir, the place where we now are, and the sword for the weapon, to which I have been most accustomed." The gentleman was evidently greatly terrified; when Mr. Scott, having attained his end, produced a pocket Bible, and exclaimed, "This is my sword, sir, the only weapon I wish to engage with."-" Never," said Mr. S. to a friend, to whom he related this anecdote, "never was a poor careless sinner so delighted with the sight of a Bible before. Mr. Scott reasoned with the gentleman on the impropriety of his conduct in treating him as he had done, for no other reason than because he had preached the everlasting Gospel. The result was, the gentleman took him by the hand, begged his pardon, expressed his sorrow for his conduct, and be came afterwards very friendly to him.

Chap. x, ver. 10.-For his letters (say they,) are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.

Mr. Herbert Palmer, an eminent divine in the seventeenth century, sometimes preached in the French congregation at Canterbury, at the request of their Eldership, being master of that language, to the great edification of his hearers. A French gentlewoman, when she saw him the first time coming into the pulpit, being startled at the smallness of his personal appearance, and the weakness of his look, cried out in the hearing of those that sat by her, "Alas! what should this child say to us?" But having heard him pray and preach with so much spiritual strength and vigor, she lifted up her hands to heaven with admiration and joy, blessing God for what she had heard.

Chap. xi, ver. 9.-And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man; for that which was lacking to me, the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.

The following anecdote shows gratitude and esteem on the one hand, and disinterestedness on the other. A missionary who had been laboring faithfully in India, had been obliged to take his passage to return to a more congenial climate. A native gentleman, who bad beenbenefited by his ministry, called upon him to express his regret at his departure, and tendered a substantial mark of his regard. The missionary replied, that when he was engaged in making known to the natives the durable riches of Christ, he had no intention whatever of receiving from them any portion of those riches which perish in the using; in one sense he was indeed poor; but, having an interest in

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the Saviour, he possessed all things. The native was not easily baffled; and an officer received a letter, desiring that he would purchase a piece of plate, and present it to the missionary when he arrived in England.

Chap. xi, ver. 26.-In perils in the sea.

Nathaniel, an assistant to the Moravian missionaries in Greenland, when engaged in the seal-fishery, being in company with another brother, who was yet inexperienced in the management of a kayak (a Greenland boat), he met a Neitsersoak, the largest kind of seal, which he killed. He then discovered his companion upon a flake of ice, endeavoring to kill another of the same species, and in danger: he, therefore, left his dead seal, kept buoyant by the bladder, and hastened to help his brother. They succeeded in killing the seal; but suddenly a strong north wind arose, and carried off both the kayaks to

sea.

They now, with terror, beheld themselves left upon a small flake of ice, far from the land, driving about in the open sea; nor could they discover any kayaks in the neighborhood. They cried aloud for help, but in vain. Meanwhile, the wind rose in strength, and carried both the kayaks, and also the piece of ice, swiftly along with the waves. Having lost sight of the kayaks, they now saw themselves without the least hope of deliverance. Nathaniel continued praying to his Saviour; and thought with great grief of the situation of his poor family, but felt a small degree of hope arising in his breast. Unexpectedly, he saw his dead seal floating toward him; and was exceedingly surprised at its approaching against the wind, till it came so near the flake of ice, that they could secure it. But how should a dead seal become the means of their deliverance? and what was now to be done? All at once, Nathaniel resolved, at a venture, to seat himself upon the dead floating seal; and by the help of his paddle, which he had happily kept in his hand when he joined his

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