if we can rejoice in the cross, then let us not be fearful, but believing, and receive joy with free and thankful hearts from every well-spring of happiness our Father has opened to us, even here in the wilderness. The beautiful extract quoted in this paper show, that the doctrine of a free unearned salvation is precious to our Author, and it is the fear that others whose minds are less imbued with Scripture truth, might make use of his volume to feed a dangerous delusion, which has led-us to append this remark.

Christ is an example to us of entering into mixed society. But our imitation of him must admit of restrictions. A feeble man must avoid danger. If any one can go into society as Christ did, then let him go: let him attend marriage-feasts and Pharisees' houses.

It is a Christian's duty to maintain a kind intercourse, if practicable, with his relatives. And he must duly appreciate their state: if not religious, they cannot see and feel and taste his enjoyments: they accommodate themselves to him, and he accommodates himself to them. It is much a matter of accommodation on both sides.

Avoid disgusting such friends unnecessarily. Cultivate good sense. If your friends perceive you weak in any part of your views and conduct, they will think you weak in your religion.

Bring before your friends the extreme childishness of a sinful state. Treat worldly amusements as puerile things. People of the world are sick at heart of their very pleasures.-CECIL.

THE NARROW ESCAPE.

A FEW days ago I received a visit from three young men, nearly of the same age, pursuing the same profession in the law, and evincing those cordial and earnest marks of piety which are so remarkably beautiful in early life, when it has been blessed with a real working of the Holy Ghost. As we were conversing about the great change that has taken place in their minds, and upon conversion in general, its instrumentalities, usual symptoms and blessed consequences; one of my young friends, whose brow was strongly furrowed with a very deep scar, which I had not observed the last time I had met with him, told me how he had been the object of a particular deliverance from the hand of death; for as he was handling a loaded gun, previous to his attending a sporting party, the fatal weapon had unexpectedly discharged its contents through his brow, but in such a perpendicular direction, as to tear away his upper eye-lid without injuring his eye; and to pierce a hole in the prominent part of his skull without injuring the brain. It was indeed a narrow escape. Now at the same time, as through that unexpected event, his face was stamped with an indelible mark: the hand of the Lord stamped upon his soul an everlasting impression of awe and gratitude, and sealed it for everlasting life. Ever since that blessed call, the young barrister seriously enquired about and found his salvation, and now he openly and boldly bears testimony of his faith and heavenly adoption.

As he ended this interesting account, one of his companions stated, that he, through God's mercy, had also JANUARY, 1847.

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had a narrow escape, for which he had ever since been called to give continual thanks to his Divine preserver who had made that event beneficial to his soul. According to his account, as he one day mounted a spirited steed, he was suddenly thrown off, but his foot being entangled with the stirrup, he was dragged for a considerable distance with his head downwards upon a stony road, till providentially the stirrup broke and he was left senseless upon the ground. But He who recalled him to earthly life, had also called him to spiritual life, and now as a regenerated disciple of Christ, he wishes to glorify his Master in his heart, and before the present generation, by a candid and courageous profession of the Gospel of grace.

These two narratives were succeeded by a similar testimony to God's glory, by the third young man, who stated, that at that fatal Sabbath-breaking féte of Versailles, so celebrated in the records of rail-road accidents; he happened to be in the third carriage of that train that was crushed and burnt down, with such a considerable number of the gay and opulent, so suddenly called to appear before their heavenly judge my young friend had escaped unhurt, among many who were torn to atoms, or reduced to ashes-and since, his precious soul had escaped from the far more consuming furnace of iniquity, and had been taught to know and worship the Lord Jesus Christ.

So that these three young men could now joyfully join in singing to the Lord: "thou hast delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from falling." (Ps. cxvi.)

And they are now all three converted.—And you, my dear reader, are you also converted? But perhaps you will oppose that you have not had such reasons to

be converted; that you never were the object of such miraculous escapes.-Are you very sure that you may say so? Think on it seriously; think of the imbecility and helplessness of infancy, through which the Lord of life has so wonderfully preserved you ::-think of the many dangers to which your rashness and folly have so often exposed you in youth. Think that the average length of man's life is hardly more than thirty years in our time of exuberant civilization and luxury, and that if you have been preserved beyond that period, it is through a particular exception, and by means of many narrow escapes. Consult the anatomist, and he will disclose to your observation the minute fibre, the exquisitely delicate nerves, the fragile membranes, the admirable tenuity of the organs, and if you wonder at any thing, it will be not that so many have been early called to dislodge, but that there are yet any among the living. Providence has been called "a continual creation." It is through our stupid ingratitude and hardness of heart, that we come to think that our preservation is a thing of course. If every one were intelligent and sincere, they would also have, as my three young friends a narrow-escape narrative to tell about themselves. So that if you are not converted, dear reader, it is not that God has not given you an awful warning; it is not that you have not been the chosen object of a merciful preservation, but only because you would not be converted. Now if in this very day ye hear the voice of God, "Oh! do not harden your hearts!"

EMILIEN FROSSARD. PR.

[This contribution has been kindly sent by one of the French pastors who attended the conference of the Evangelical Alliance.]

THE IRISH PEARL.

In these well-informed days, we need scarcely remind our readers of the fortunate auspices under which Queen Anne ascended a throne, the succession to which had been forfeited by the male branch of her family ; born and educated in the country over which she was called to rule, maternally descended from one of the people, amiable in disposition, and conciliating in manners, she formed in every personal respect a favourable contrast to her distinguished predecessor, whose foreign extraction, and cold unprepossessing reserve had weakened his hold on the hearts of his subjects, and deprived him of that affection to which his great and good designs, and the wondrous deliverance he had wrought should have entitled him. Our admirable liturgy recorded the grateful feelings of the nation, in that now neglected service of thanksgiving for the fifth of November, when it sought to commemorate the day of his arrival in safety, as a fresh instance of the loving kindness of our almighty Protector, who by his means "wonderfully preserved us from the attempts of our enemies, to bereave us of our religion and our laws;" and Bishop Burnet describes him as a person raised up by a glorious and distinguishing Providence, to resist the progress of tyranny and superstition," who in the words of David may be called "the man of God's right hand, whom he made strong for himself ;' but to this exclusive purpose were King William's

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