« How do you know?" “ Because I prayed to him to pardon my sins: and I believe he has done it.” « Do you love Christ?” “O yes! and I wish to die that I may go to him.” “How long have you felt any concern about your soul ?” “Since a month before Christmas.” “What made you think about your soul?” “Reading some hymns which a poor woman lent me." “How did you feel after reading those hymns ?” « I felt I had sinned against God; and I was afraid I should go to the bad “What did you do then?” “ Do you think that God has answered your prayer?" “Yes, for I am not afraid to die now. I feel quite sure that God has pardoned my sins, and that he will take me to heaven.” “ You would not like to go to the bad place?” “No; for the wicked one, and wicked people are there." “Do you like to offend God ?” “O no; I would not offend him on any account.” * Do you love to do what God commands you ?" “Yes, I wish to please him in every thing." In a day or two after this conversation, the master of the workhouse said to me,” I sat down by the side of poor Harriet's bed last night, and was much pleased with what she said. She told me she loved Christ, and wished to go to heaven.” She was insensible for a little time before she died; and just before she began to be so, she asked for the hymn-book, and turned down the hymn, Jesnis, my all, to heaven is gone, He whom I fix my bopes upon: and said, “when Mr. G. comes, I will repeat it to him." A few minutes after this she said, “I hear bells ringing, and I must begone." And then the Saviour whom she loved, took her from this world of sorrow into his blessed rest of heaven. * Thus, you see, that even in a workhouse children may be happy; may lead a godly life, and prepare for heaven. God is every where ; and the blessings of his Gospel are as much within the reach of a poor child in a workhouse, as of the greatest persons in the world. GROTTOS IN THE CRIMEA. In the sides of a steep rock in the Crimea are several grottos, suprosed to have been made by the first Christians, when they fled hither to escape persecu. tion. Wishing to see them, I climbed up a precipice, and entered a room four feet in height, six in length, and four in breadth, in which I found a small bed, and a few clothes hanging on the walls. Close to the door, at a small opening, sat an aged Russian, poring over a Slavonic Psalter, and seeming to find much enjoyment from that part of the divine word which he was reading. As his back was turned, he did not see me; which gave me time to remark, with wliat fervour he read the devotional strains of “the sweet singer of Israel." I let him finish his Psalm, and after saluting him, asked him,, if he under. stood what he was reading ? “Not all,” he replied ; “but much of it is plain to me.” He had heard that there was such a book as the Bible, but the Psalms were the only part he had seen.-Henderson's Researches in Russia. SHORT SERMON. “Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial, they knew not the Lord.”...1 Sam. ii. 12. · What Christian parent can read this text without concern? and what child of a Christian parent should hear this text without trembling? Eli was the High Priest of Israel. He was a good old man, though God was angry with him, for not keeping his children from wickedness. There is no doubt but Eli's two sons would be well taught in the divine law; they were priests themselves, and had the care of the ark before it was taken into the camp, when the Israelites were fighting with the Philistines. We know that old Eli was not careful enough to punish the wickedness of his sons; but how many privileges they must have had in his conversations and examples, besides being placed in the service of God, which one would think was a means of keeping them out of the way of temptation. Still they were chil. dren of Belial! Sons of Eli, as respected their bodies, but sons of the devil, as respected their souls!, My dear children, am I now speaking to any who have godly parents ? So had the sons Eli. Have you praying parents ? So no doubt had the sons of Eli. Are you kept by your parents from mixing in an ungoʻlly world, and placed as much as possible in the company of God's people? So were the sons of Eli. Have you the privilege of attending the means of grace in family and public prayer, hearing of the Scriptures, &c? So had the sons of Eli. But what were they after all ? Only sons of Belial. They knew not the Lord. They had plenty of head knowledge ; here they could not be ignorant; but their hearts were unchanged ; they knew not, and they did not love and fear the Lord, as their hea. venly Father, their best friend, their righteous Judge. Oh! how awful, that souls should be starved in the midst of plenty ; that souls should be lost for ever within reach of mercy! My dear children, let me entreat you not to rest content with outward privi. leges. Oh! pray for yourselves. Be satisfied with no sort of hearing, till you hear for yourselves; till the Spirit of God takes the word from the preacher's mouth direct to your hearts. Do not rest satisfied with merely reading your |