An apothecary being fent for, as foon as he entered the house, and heard his dreadful howlings, he inquired if he had not been bitten by a mad dog. His appearance, likewife, feemed to justify such a fufpieion, his countenance resembling that of a wild beaft more than that of

a man.

Though he had no feverish heat, yet his pulle beat above 150 in a minute. To abate the mania, a quantity of blood was taken from him, a blifter was applied, his head was fhaved, cold water was copiously poured over him, and fox-glove was administered. By these means his fury was abated; but his mental agony continued, and all the symptoms of madnefs, which his bodily ftrength thus reduced would allow, till the following Thurfday. On that day he feemed to have recovered his reafon, and to be calm in his mind. In the evening, he fent for the a pothecary and wifhed to fpeak with him by himfelf. The latter, on his coming, defired every one to leave the room, and thus addressed him. "C- have you not fomething on your mind." • Aye,' anfwered he, that is it!' He then acknowledged that, early in the month of June, he had gone to a fair in the neighbourhood, in company with a number of wicked young men ; that they drank at a public-house together till he was in a measure intoxicated; and that from thence they went into other company, where he was criminally connected with a harlot. "I have been a miferable creature," continued he, " ever fince but during the last three days and three nights, I have been in a state of defperation." He intimated to the apothecary, that he could not bear to tell this ftory to his minifter: "But," said he, " do you inform him that I fhall not die in defpair; for light has broken in upon me: I have been led to the great Sacrifice for fin, and I now hope in him for falvation."

;

From this time his mental diftrefs ceafed, his countenance became placid, and his converfation, inftead of being taken up as before, with fearful exclamations concerning devils and the wrath to come, was now confined to the dying love of Jefus ! The apothecary was of opinion, that if his frength had not been fo much exhaufted, he would now have been in a state of religious tranfport. His nervous system, however, had received fuch a fhock, that his recovery was doubtful; and it feemed certain, that if he did recover, he would fink into a state of idiocy. He furvived this interview but a few days.' Ev. Mag. 412-13. A religious observer stands at a turnpike gate on a Sunday to witness the profane crowd passing by ;-he sees a man driving very clumsily in a gig;-the inexperience of the driver provokes the following pious observations.

"What (I faid to myself) if a fingle untoward circumftance fhould happen! Should the horfe take fright, or the wheel on either fide get entangled, or the gig upfet,-in either cafe what can preferve them ? And should a morning fo fair and promifing bring on evil before night,fhould death on his pale horfe appear,-what follows?" My mind shuddered at the images I had raifed.' Ev. Mag. p. 558-59.

Mifs Louifa Cooke's rapturous State.

From this period fhe lived chiefly in retirement, either in reading the facred volume on her knees, or in pouring out her foul in prayer to God. While thus employed, fhe was not unfrequently indulged with vifits from her gracious Lord; and fometimes felt herfelf to be furrounded, as it were, by his glorious presence. After her return to Bristol, her frame of mind became fo heavenly, that the feemed often to be diffolved in the love of God her Saviour. Ev. Mag. p. 576-77.

Objection to Almanacks.

Let thofe who have been partial to fuch vain productions, only read Ifaiah xlvii. 13, and Daniel ii. 27.; and they will there fee what they are to be accounted of, and in what company they are to be found; and let them learn to defpife their equivocal and artful infinuations, which are too frequently blended with profanity: for is it not profanity in them to attempt to palm their frauds upon mankind by Scripture quotations, which they feldom fail to do, especially Judges v. 20, and Job xxxviii. 31.? neither of which teaches nor warrants any fuch practice. Had Baruch or Deborah confulted the Rars? No fuch thing. Ev. Mag. p. 600.

This energy of feeling will be found occasionally to meddle with, and disturb the ordinary occupations and amusements of Life, and to raise up little qualms of conscience, which, instead of exciting respect, border we fear somewhat too closely upon the ludicrous.

A Methodist Footman.

A gentleman's fervant, who has left a good place because he was ordered to deny his mafter when actually at home, wifhes fomething on this fubject may be introduced into this work, that persons who are in the habit of denying themselves in the above manner may be convinced of its evil. ' Ev. Mag. p. 72.

Doubts if it is right to take any Intereft for Money,

Ufury.-Sir, I beg the favour of you to infert the following cafe of confcience. I frequently find in Scripture, that Ufury is particularly condemned; and that it is reprefented as the character of a good man, that he hath not given forth upon ufury, neither hath taken any increase," Ezek. xviii. 8, &c. I wish, therefore, to know how fuch paffages are to be understood; and whether the taking of intereft for money, as is univerfally practifed among us, can be reconciled with the word and will of God? Q.' Ev. Mag. p. 74.

Dancing ill suited to a Creature on Trial for Eternity.

If dancing be a waste of time; if the precious hours devoted to it may be better employed; if it be a fpecies of trifling ill fuited to a creature on trial for eternity, and haftening towards it on the fwift wings. of time; if it be incompatible with genuine repentance, true faith in Chrift, fupreme love to God, and a state of entire devotedness to him,-then is dancing a practice utterly oppofed to the whole fpirit and temper of Chillianity, and fubverfive of the best interests of the rifing generajon. Meth. Mag. p. 127-28. Z 3

The

The Methodists consider themselves as constituting a chosen and separate people, living in a land of atheists and voluptuaries. The expressions by which they designate their own sects, are, the dear people-the elect-the people of God. The rest of mankind are carnal people—the people of this world, &c. &c. The children of Israel were not more separated, through the favour of God, from the Egyptians, than the Methodists are, in their own estimation, from the rest of mankind, We had hitherto supposed that the disciples of the Established Churches in England and Scotland had been Christians; and that, after baptism, duly performed by the appointed minister, and participation in the customary worship of these two churches, Christianity was the religion of which they were to be considered as members. We see, however, in these publications, men of twenty or thirty years of age first called to a knowledge of Christ under a sermon by the Rev. Mr Venn, or first admitted into the church of Christ under a sermon by the Rev. Mr Romaine. The apparent admission turns out to have been a mere mockery; and the pseudo-christian to have had no religion at all, till the business was really and effectually done under these sermons by Mr Venn and Mr Romaine. An awful and general departure from the Christian Faith in the Church of England.

A fecond volume of Mr Cooper's fermons is before us, ftamped with the fame broad feal of truth and excellence as the former. Amidft the awful and general departure from the faith, as once delivered to the faints in the church of England, and fealed by the blood of our Reformers, it is pleafing to obferve, that there is a remnant, according to the election of grace, who continue rifing up to teftify the gofpel of the grace of God, and to call back their fellows to the confideration of the great and leading doctrines on which the Reformation was built, and the church of England by law established. The author of these sermons, avoiding all matters of more doubtful difputation, avowedly attaches himself to the great fundamental truths; and on the two fubftantial pillars, the Jachin and Boaz of the living temple, erects his fuperitructure. 1. Juftification by faith, without works, free and full, by grace alone, through the redemption which is in Jefus Chrift, ftands at the commencement of the first volume; and on its fide rifes in the beauty of holinefs, &c. Ev. Mag. p. 79.

Mr Robinson called to the knowledge of Christ under Mr Venn's

sermon.

Mr Robinson was called in early life to the knowledge of Chrift, under a fermon at St Dunstan's, by the late Rev. Mr Venn, from Ezek. xxxvi. 25, 26; the remembrance of which greatly refreshed his foul upon his deathbed. Ev. Mag. p. 176.

Christianity introduced into the Parish of Launton, near Bicester, in the year 1807.

A very general spirit of inquiry having appeared for fome time in

the

the village of Launton, near Bicefter, fome ferious perfons were excited to communicate to them the word of life.' Ev. Mag. p. 380.

We learn in page 128, Meth. Mag. that twelve months had elapsed from the time of Mrs Cocker's joining the people of God before she obtained a clear sense of forgiveness.

A Religious Hoy sets off every week for Margate.

Religious Paffengers accommodated.-To the Editor.-Sir, It afforded me confiderable pleasure to fee upon the cover of your Magazine for the prefent month, an advertisement, announcing the eftablishment of a packet, to fail weekly, between London and Margate, during the feafon; which appears to have been fet on foot for the accommodation of religious characters; and in which "no profane conversation is to be allowed. "

To thofe among the followers of a crucified Redeemer, who are in the habit of vifiting the Isle of Thanet in the fummer, and who, for the fea air, or from other confiderations, prefer travelling by water, fuch a conveyance muft certainly be a defideratum, especially if they have experienced a mortification fimilar to that of the writer, in the courfe of the laft summer, when shut up in a cabin with a mixed multitude, who spake almost all languages but that of Canaan. Totally unconnected with the concern, and perfonally a ftranger to the worthy owner, I take the liberty of recommending this veffel to the notice of my fellow-Christians; perfuaded that they will think themfelves bound to patronize and encourage an undertaking that has the honour of the dear Redeemer for its profeffed object. It ought ever to be remembered, that every talent we poffefs, whether large or fmall, is given us in truft to be laid out for God; and I have often thought that Chriftians act inconfiftently with their high profeffion, when they omit, even in their most common and trivial expenditures, to give a decided preference to the friends of their Lord. I do not, however, anticipate any fuch ground of complaint in this inftance; but rather believe, that the religious world in general will cheerfully unite with me, while I moft cordially with fuccefs to the Princess of Wales Yacht, and pray that the may ever fail under the divine protection and bleffing!-that the humble followers of Him who fpoke the ftorm into a calm, when croffing the lake of Gennesareth, may often feel their hearts glowing with facred ardour, while in her cabins they enjoy fweet communion with their Lord, and with each other;— and that ftrangers, who may be providentially brought among them, may fee fo much of the beauty and excellency of the religion of Jefus exemplified in their conduct and conversation, that they may be conftrained to fay, "We will go with you, for we perceive that God is with you. Your God fhall be our God, and his people fhall henceforth be our chofen companions and affociates." I am, Mr Editor, your obliged friend and fifter in the gofpel, E. T.' Ev. Mag. p. 268. A religious Newspaper is announced in the Ev. M. for September.-It is said of common newspapers, That they are absorbed in temporal concerns, while the consideration of those which are eternal is postponed

Z4

poned; the business of this life has superseded the claims of im mortality; and the monarchs of the world have engrossed an attention which would have been more properly devoted to the Sa'viour of the universe.' It is then stated, that the columns of this paper (The Instructor, Price 6d.) will be supplied by pious reflections; suitable comments to improve the dispensations of Providence will be introduced; and the whole conducted with an eye to our spiritual, as well as temporal welfare. The work will contain the latest news up to four o'clock on the day of publication, together with the most recent religious occurrences. The prices of stock, and correct market-tables, will also be accurately detailed.'-Ev. Mag. September Advertisement. The Eclectic Review is also understood to be carried on upon Methodistical principles.

Nothing can evince more strongly the influence which Method ism now exercises upon common life, and the fast hold it has got of the people, than the advertisements which are circulated every month in these very singular publications. On the cover of a single number, for example, we have the following

Wanted by Mr Turner, fhoemaker, a fteady apprentice; he will have the privilege of attending the miniftry of the gospel ;—a premium expected, p. 3.-Wanted, ferious young woman, as fervant of all work, 3.-Wanted, a man of ferious character, who can fhave, 3.Wanted, a ferious woman to affift in a fhop, 3.-A young perfon in the millinery line wishes to be in a ferious family, 4.-Wants a place, a young man who has brewed in a ferious family, 4.Ditto, a young woman of evangelical principles, 4.-Wanted an active ferious fhopman, 5.-To be fold, an eligible refidence, with 60 acres of land; gofpel preached in three places within half a mile, 5.-A fingle gentleman may be accommodated with lodging in a small ferious family, 5.-To let, a genteel firft floor in an airy fituation, near the Tabernacle, 6.Wanted, a governefs, of evangelical principles and corresponding charac ter, 10.-The religious veffel, we have before spoken of, is thus advertifed, "The Princess of Wales yacht, J. Chapman, W. Bourn, master, by divine permiffion, will leave Ralph's Quay every Friday, t." &c. &c. -July, Ev. Mag.

After the specimens we have given of these people, any thing which is said of their activity can very easily be credited. The Army and Navy appear to be particular objects of their attention.

British Navy.-It is with peculiar pleafure we infert the following extract of a letter from the pious Chaplain of a Man of War, to a Gentleman at Gofport, intimating the power and grace of God manifefted towards our brave Seamen. "Off Cadiz, Nov. 26. 1806,-My dear friend, A fleet for England found us in the night, and is juft going away. I have only time to tell you that the work of God feems to prof per. Many are under convictions;-fome, I truft, are converted. I

preach