EVANGELICANA.

of action. The ardour of his mind carried him through a course of exertions which it would have fatigued a contemporary biographer to record; and, at the same time, threw into each of them a vehement eloquence, at which folly and wickedness were often alarmed as by the assault of a tempest. The great cause, which was so languid a thing in the hands of many of its advocates, assumed in his administrations an unmitigable urgency.

"Many of the Christian Missionaries among the Heathens, such as Brainerd, Elliot, and Schwartz, have displayed memorable examples of this dedication of their whole being to their office, this eternal abjuration of all the quiescent feelings."

[Farther Extracts will be given in our next]

[This Department is designed to include Anecdotes, Ilints,
and other Detached Papers.]

Evangelicana.

MR. FOX.

THE author of a Pamphlet, entitled "Circumstantial Details of the Last Moments of Mr. Fox," among many interest ing particulars, relates the following conversation with that great statesman:

"A nobleman mentioning that he had formed a party of pleasure for Christmas, in which he had included Mr. Fox, added, It will be a new scene, Sir, and I think you will approve of it." "I shall indeed be in a new scene by Christmas next,' said Mr. Fox. 'My Lord, what do you think of the state of the soul after death ?'- Lord -- (confounded by the unexpected turn of the conversation) made no reply. Mr. Fox continued, "That it is immortal I am convinced. The existence of Deity is a proof that spirit exists; why not, therefore, the soul of man? And if such an essence as the soul exists, by its nature it may exist for ever. I should have believed in the immortality of the soul though Christianity had never existed; but how it acts as separated from the body, is beyond my capacity of judgment. This, however, I shall know by next Christmas."

A LAND WHERE IS NO SICKNESS.

As a gentleman, eminent for his happy mode of introducing religious conversation among young people, was one day going in the stage-coach to his country-house at Hampstead, he was accosted by a young man, who was his only companion, in the following terms: "Sickness, Sir, is a very uncomfortable thing. I have been running almost all over London to find out a physician to attend my sister, who is sick at Hampstead; but I have been so unfortunate as not to meet with him; and I am

now so fatigued, that I am compelled to take the stage." Sir,' replied the gentleman, 'sickness is a very uncomfortable thing; but I know a land in which there is no sickness.' you indeed," rejoined the young man ; "pray where is it? I have travelled all round the world, and never heard of that land

Yes,

"Do

yet." See Isa. xxxiii. 24.

.

ARCHBISHOP LEIGHTON.

ONE day happened a tremendous storm of lightning and thunder as he was going from Glasgow to Dunblane. He was descried, when at a considerable distance, by two men of bad character. They had not courage to ob him; but, wishing to fall on some method of extorting money from him, one said, "I will lie down by the way-side, as if I were dead, and you shall inform the Archbishop that I was killed by the lighting, and beg money of him to bury me." When the Archbishop arrived at the spot, the wicked wretch told him the fabricated story: -he sympathized with the survivor, gave him money, and proceeded on his journey. But, when the man returned to his companion, he found him really lifeless! Immediately he began to exclaim aloud, "Oh, Sir, he is dead! oh, Sir, he is dead!" On this the Archbishop, discovering the fraud, left the man with this important reflection :-" It is a dangerous thing to trifle with the judgments of God!"

THE PARACLETE.

A CRITICAL HINT.

It seems a little extraordinary that the same original term (Paracletos) should be translated "Advocate," when applied to the Son of God (1 John ii. 1); and "Comforter," when applied to the Holy Spirit (Joha xiv. 16). I confess, the latter rendering appears to me not quite accurate. The original term certainly means a public pleader, whose office corresponded with that of a Counsellor with us; namely, to inform and advise his client, and to defend his cause. Christ is the "Wonderful Counsellor" of his people, as well as their "Advocate with the Father." When he was about to leave his disciples, he promised to send them "another Counsellor" (so I would render it) who should "guide them into all truth;" or rather (as Bp. Lowth observes) "all THE truth," that is, of the gospel. At the same time, the blessed Spirit performs the other part of the Counsellor's office. "He maketh intercession for (or in) us with groanings which cannot be uttered." (Rom. viii. 26.) Comfort is certainly the effect of the Spirit's teaching, but expresses a small part only of his office. As a Counsellor's office is to accuse as well as defend, so the Spirit was promised to convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment."

Mr. Editor,

Obituary.

Though yours is a Magazine, and not a Newspaper, as you sometimes announce the death of eminent persons, indulge me by inserting the following reflections

ON THE DEPARTURE OF MY LATE MOST VALUABLE FRIEND, THE YEAR 1806:

LAST night, at twelve o'clock, expired a friend, of whom, take him all in all, perhaps I shall never see his like again. As I stood by and saw his last moments, 1 exclaimed, "How our blessings brighten as they take their flight!" For now came rushing upon my memory all the good qualities of the deceased, and all the advantages I derived from his company. Ah! he was a steady friend; to his latest breath he stood by me, and never ceased to do me good. I have seen many changes in the affections of men; they have been mere swallows, the birds of summer: but summer and winter, by night and by day, he was a friend indeed. Every time I lay down to rest, he gave me a parting word of advice, in case I should never see him again; and each morning, as I opened my eyes, I saw him by my bed-side, inviting me to accept his renewed aid, to live for God.

How many pleasures I have enjoyed in his company! To count them, would be to number the grains of sand which bound the ocean; - to compass the detail into this paper, Mr. Editor, would be to take up the ocean in the hollow of my hands. Two things, however, I must notice: the first is, That for three-hundred-and-sixty-five days he introduced me, more than once a day, to a closet-audience with the King of Kings; and although I must own to you that, in his Majesty's presence, I was so delighted that I forgot the departure of my friend, he never upbraided me with it, but seened better pleased with me for it all the day. The other tribute of gratitude which I must pay to the memory of my friend is, to own that two-and-fifty times in his life he proposed to me to spend the day in pleasure, to imitate the life of angels, and begin Heaven without waiting for dismission from earth. And oh

"How pleas'd and blest was I
To hear the joyful cry,

Comt let us seek our God to-day!"

To how many protitable discourses have I listened on these days, and almost reproached my friend for bringing them to a close! Shall I ever see the friend with whom I shall enjoy again such halcyon days!

But as I have a friend dearer to me even than the late deceased, whose elegy I now write with tears, this renders him especially precious to my plamtive memory, that he was ever forward to give me opportunities to serve the Lord, who bought me with his blood. He would often tell me this was all he came for; and was never better pleased than when I treated him as if he were good for nothing but to help me to work for God. Ah! how often he roused me when drowsy, and jogged my elbows when lazy in this cause! Now his lips are sealed up in sitence, and I hang over his cold corpse. I seem to hear his voice, louder than before, when he used to cry, "Awake, sluggard! was I only sent to see thee sleep?" Thus, roused by his repeated faithful warnings, I have enjoyed the felicity of at least attempting to do something for him who has done and suffered all for me. And this, to tell the truth (without fearing a frown from the angry shade of my departed friend) is the most pleasant reflection I can take, on the review of our past friendship.

"Mitions of ages hence," the dear deceased used to say, "you may be the better for my company; and according as you treat me well or ili, your very Heaven may taste of it." Who then, of all the thousand readers of your work, will not sympathize with me in the loss of such a friend, or refuse to indulge me in the eulogium which we love to pass on those whom death has torn from our embrace? - especially, as I could hint, he wasno very distant friend of theirs neither. Oh! join with me in blessing him "whose years know no end;" for the Lord gave if the Lord hath taken. Yes; I gratefnily adore him that said, "Spare him yet another year." But I am afraid your pious readers who hath hitherto sympathized with me in my irreparable loss, will now start off with horror, when I disburden my oppressed conscience, and own to you that i have been, in a great degree, the murderer of the deceased! What! murder such a friend as you have described! What a wretch! I confess the blackness of my guilt, and am too much my own accuser to palliate my crime, though, if I were disposed, I could silence the loudest voice, by saying, "He that is without this sin among you, let him east the first stone." But such recrimination ill suits the feel. ings of my heart. 'Tis true, i never with malice propense, as the lawyers speak, openly said, like some, "Let us play to kill time;" for he must be a murderer in grain, who would, in cool blood, kill so good a friend as Time. But then, if by repeated slights and injuries, we may murder a man by inches, so that he may at last die of a broken heart, I fear I am verily guilty of the blood of the deceased. Ah! how often he reproached me for my treatment of him, and told me I should repent of it when it was too late, and he was gone for ever! Surely, he possessed a prophetic spirit; for feel the truth of his words thrill through my afflicted soul. An! of how much murdered time and abused talent may one year accuse us before the bar of God! Oh! thou whose blood cleanseth from all sin, blot out this my guilt, and let this solemn returning period of time, be at least improved to renew my application to that atonement, which

"In the gospel now appears

Pardoning the guilt of num'rous years."

And since I may never have another, for this year I may die, "so teach me to number my days, as to apply my heart unto wisdom."

MRS. ANN WRAY.

MRS. Ann Wray was born at Chelmsford, Nov. 25th, 1765. At the age of thirteen she lost her father; after which she went to reside with a relation, where she enjoyed few religious advantages, but was exposed to peculiar danger.

For

several years, she spent much of the summer at Margate, Brighton, &c. enjoying the imaginary pleasures of this delusive world. During these years of youthful vanity, and surrounded with temptations, she spent her time differently from the generality of young people, who move in that gay circle. She was even now an attentive observer of the world, as appears from a journal which she kept. Her person and manners were engaging; her mind capacious and inquisitive, and her sentiments liberal.

In the year 1786, she returned to Chelmsford. Curiosity led her, occasionally, to hear the gospel at

evening lectures; by which her mind became gradually serious, and her attendance more frequent and regular. In May, 1789, she was married to Mr. G. Wray, a respect-able tradesman; and they both attended the means of grace. She had very fearful apprehensions of God's displeasure, and, for more than a year, telt her sins a burden intolerable. During the time of confinement with her first chod, when her body was very weak, and her soul almost overwhelmed within her, it pleased the Lord to visit her with au uncommon degree of gospel liberty. Out of the fuiness of her heart, she spoke with rapture to all around her. To their greatest astonishraent, sho said, "My gloom is removed. have clear views of iny interest in the merits of my dear Lord and Saviour, and of the pardoning love of my heavenly Father. The divine word is applied with power to my som, filling it with light, life, and

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