(3), that if some families abstain | himself and family; and, more over, that every dinner withheld from the baker's oven on a sabbath, as it reduces his profit, reduces also his temptation to violate the law that enjoins him to cease" from all manner of work, himself, and his man-servant and his maid-servant." Should your kind consideration restore your Petitioner and his brethren, to the full exercise and enjoyment of their sabhath duties and privileges, they will ever pray that you also may be made joyful in the house of prayer, and be richly satisfied with the goodness of the Lord's house, even of his (Signed) A JOURNEYMAN BAKER. HINTS from employing the baker on the sabbath, others will not, and he will therefore, nevertheless, be employed: (4), that it is the baker's voluntary act to open his oven on that day, and that if he choose to make the sacrifice of gain, and hazard the offending his customers, he is at liberty to do so. To these your petitioner begs to reply, (1), that most of the arguments here adduced will, with equal force, apply to the slave trade, and other pursuits of acknowledged impropriety; and that not one of them can stand the test of the universal law of Christian morality," Whatsoever ye would that men should holy temple. do unto you, do ye even so unto them." (2), That those families who conscientiously abstain from employing the baker, will be clear of the guilt of those who do To those who wish not to exclude not; and that it is possible they their servants, or public bakers, may influence others by their ex- from the full benefit of the ample: (3), that it is worth while fourth commandment. to attempt the lessening of an evil THOSE who sincerely wish to obwhich cannot be wholly suppressed serve the sabbath day, must not -if the number of dinners sent fail to bear in mind throughout to a baker's oven be reduced one- the Saturday, that "to-morrow is half or one third, it is possible, the rest of the holy sabbath of the that of three or four individuals Lord their God." By this proshitherto employed, one may be pective remembrance,many trifling dispensed with, and thus at least, matters will be attended to, which once in three or four sabbaths, would otherwise very unsuitably each may enjoy the privilege of burthen those sacred hours. By keeping holy the whole day: (4), those accustomed to disregard that though master bakers can little things, it will scarcely be choose whether or not they will credited, how much hurry and pursue their calling on the sab- confusion on that hallowed day bath, that option can scarcely be may be avoided, if every thing is considered as extending to jour-prepared that can be, and laid just neymen, and certainly not to ap- at hand for use. prentices; also that the sacrifice 2. It is desirable to rise on the required from the consumer, of a sabbath early; perhaps rather small gratification of the palate, earlier than on other mornings, bears a very inadequate propor- that even though there is less to tion to that required of the baker, be done, that little may be done who, if his customers insist on em- calmly and quietly, without hurry ploying him on the sabbath, and and confusion, and the mind kept he refuse to comply with their de-in a tranquil frame even during mands, hazards the support of the few necessary occupations in which the hands are engaged; that all may have leisure for private duties, and be ready to attend public services with punctuality and preparation.-N. B. It is a disgrace to a Christian family for its servant to enter the house of God after service has begun, or to leave before its concluded. 3. Where the custom of taking cold dinners can be adopted, it is unquestionably preferable. Time and attention are thereby saved, and afternoon drowsiness, a painful feeling to a pious hearer, less likely to ensue. 4. Where health or other cir. cumstances prohibit confinement to a cold dinner, many articles of home cooking may be prepared without any farther attendance than first seeing they boil before they are left, and making up the fire so as to secure their boiling for about two hours, which will generally include going and return ing from public worship. THE LOST HOUR. Weeks seal the records, that unroll'd shall be, When time shall mingle with eternity; And days laid by in time's forgotten store, Shall rise again, when time shall be no more. The last hour of day, tolling, from the distant turret of the village spire, came clamouring on the still breath of midnight, warning me to seek in slumber, the repose I needed from disquietude and toil. I looked through my window upon the luxuriant landscape below, and my heart glowed with gratitude to the great Creator who has enriched the world with so many evidences of his bounty. moon was shedding her beams on the branches of an adjacent forest, and pouring a flood of rays into the placid rivulet, so that it resembled a stream of transparent silver. The Not a star was visible; but I knew they were rolling in glory along the firmament. I lingered to survey its beauties, and fell into It is not suitable, however, in a train of thought, composed of this place, to descend into a detail deep and melancholy reflections. of particulars. Those who have I mused on the rapid progress of been long accustomed to provide time, and on the mad indifference for a family, will be at no loss as of millions who were squandering to the dishes or modes of prepar- a treasure, which, if employed in ing them, best adapted to promote accordance with the directions of the object intended; and younger the Word of God, might secure a housekeepers will do well to avail crown of glory which cannot fade themselves of the instructions of away. At length, in the midst of more experienced matrons. Let no my ruminations, sleep closed my thing be deemed trifling and unim- eyelids. But the powers of mind, portant, by which any portion of which cannot rest, sleep, or die, that sacred time can be rescued grouped a vision to my fancy, of from worldly occupations,and con- which the following is a faithful secrated to the devotional and spi- transcript :---I dreamed that I was ritual purposes for which it was still awake, pursuing the given. Let Christians estimate mournful contemplations, when, those hallowed moments, as the darting through the air, 1 permiser estimates his money, relin-ceived a figure of celestial beauquishing them to the claims of ne- ty hastening towards me. cessity only, and with a pious touched me, and bade me arise, reluctance, that will secure the and I should behold things smallest fraction from being im. hitherto concealed from man. 1 providently expended. E. C. shook off mortality, and, following same He my cherubic guide, commenced | The second hour rose, bearing the sighs of the mourner, the tear of the orphan, the cause of the outcast, and the complaints of all. The third and fourth also hastened up, bearing an equal portion of my adventurous flight. We passed with unwearied wing through immense arcades of gold and azure, sometimes giving a hasty glance at the glowing lamps by which we piloted our way, or casting a pity-witness to the selfishness, avarice, ing look to earth, beheld it as some darkling atom which strays across the sun's refulgent disk. The and hypocrisy of human nature. The fifth hour came smiling in, for he had trophies of rich value; they We saw Time harnessing fresh were the prayer of youth by the coursers to his lightning car. We dying bed of want and pain, and advanced with speed; and at length the departing blessing of age in the crystal gates of some stupen- return for kind attentions. dous temple glimmered in the sixth hour darted rapidly in, for light of morning, and I hastily in he brought the first tear of peniquired if its golden pillars were tence from a sinner's eye, and the the outposts of heaven? "No," first petition for pardon from a replied my guide, "this is the contrite spirit. But the seventh dwelling of the recording angel, came not; and though the eighth and hither come the days, and arrived with important intelligence, hours, to give in their faithful and he knew nought of his elder unvarnished evidence." As be brother. The ninth came in spake, the lustrous gate flew back, trembling with the weight of sin, and we entered where the archives anguish, and despair; though supof time were stored, to witness to ported in his distress by the holy the judgments of eternity. On pleasures of the Christian's evening a rock of adamant rested the im. hour of worship and devotion. mense volume, graven with strange The tenth and eleventh divided the and mysterious characters. A spoils of dissipation and the revelmajestic seraph was seated near, lings of folly; and the twelfth holding in his hand an immortal came in flushed with victory, he pen, and waiting to commence his had the youthful bloom of the votaunwearied task. At the far end ries of fashion-withering beneath was another gate, which opened the breath of midnight intempeon a long and shadowy archway; rance and riot. With him came the light was subdued and broken, up day, and as he stopped to and a feeble murmur occasionally glance over the barren leaf, the echoed through the dreary vault. seraph inquired why the seventh I was informed it was thence that hour lingered on his flight; day the days and hours past on, to staggered back as he cried, with await the summon of the arch. anguish and dismay, "IT IS angel's trumpet, when its resistless LUST-LOST." The piercing sound shall call the quick and sound echoed through the mighty dead to doom. As we were void, mingling with the exulting speaking, the first hour passed shouts of the spirits of the damned; slowly in; his wings were laden the pealing hallelujahs of the with the morning prayer of the distant heaven hung hymnless for devoted Christian, the impreca- a while on the golden harps, distions of the spendthrift, the etch- turbed by the discordant mur. ings of aggrandisement, and the murs, and the recording angel broken lyre of hope delayed. wrapt his golden wings about his head as he dropt a bright and un- fore, is it not incumbent upon us availing tear across his burning conscientiously to determine that cheek! when I awoke from the we will seek a higher improvement visions of fancy to reflect on the of the means and opportunities moral they suggested. Reader, with which we are yet entrusted? how many hours in the past year Let us consider whether we canare for ever lost to you? Shall not avail ourselves of the benefit hell rejoice, and heaven weep, of private devotion to more effect, while you remain heedless of the and greater extent, than heretofore. value and importance of the great How exceedingly desirable it is, and unredeemable blessing of time? for instance, that in reading, mediLook back on the past year, bid tation, and prayer, we should be memory recall its forgotten re- more enlarged, spiritual, and imcords, sift the gold of principle portunate; that our perception of and piety from the glitter of dis- the great principles of revelation play and ostentation. O sur-may be more distinct and comprerender every feeling and desire to hensive; that our attachment to the influence of the Gospel of them may be more ardent and Christ, let pure religion engage abiding; and that our confidence your affections, and then, revolving may be implicit and immovable. years will brightly weave the gar- In our efforts to attain these obments of immortality, and gem jects, it will be indispensable diliwith imperishable jewels the crown gently to watch against a hasty, of endless life. For it is piety desultory, and formal manner of alone that gives a halo to the gloom attending upon the duties of reof sorrow, light in the darkness of tirement; and equally essential to despair, at which kindles the solicit the copious and continued illustrious beacons that direct to effusion of divine influence. Every the delicious heights of eternity. thing is beautiful in its season; if we visit the closet with advantage, the family will participate in the benefit; as the personal interest we experience in the things above deepens and widens our solicitude, especially for those dear friends to whom we are nearly related, becomes earnest and affectionate. That which we have heard and seen, and handled, we shall propose, and commend, and urge; and, as we estimate the importance of success, we must be patient, circumspect, and exemplary. We are also concerned that our deter mination should embrace a more punctual, uniform, and serious attendance upon the public exercises of religion. We will endeavour to render excuses for our absence entirely unnecessary. We will accept of no invitations, and make no avoidable engagements, which Summer Hill, R. S. THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE In beginning another year, there may interfere with the hours of is obvious to his penetration. His stratagems are diverse, his efforts are unwearied, and his emissaries innumerable; yet, after all," they that be with us are more than they that be with them." "If God be for us who can be against us?" Let there be no parley with temptation, no truce with depravity, no tampering with truth, and no surrender of conscience; let us gird on the armour of righteousness, take the sword of the spirit, and be strong in the grace which is in Christ Jesus. Thus let us stand firmly, pray fervently, and wait patiently; and the Lord shall bruise Satan under our feet shortly. every sanctuary service. Our vacant seat shall not be a matter of choice to ourselves, an occasion of uneasiness to the minister of God, a cause of discouragement to our fellow-worshippers, nor a source of future affliction to our own minds. While our hope of acceptance with God rests exclusively upon the sacrifice and obedience of Jesus Christ, we would aim to maintain such a conscientious regard to his ordinances, that whenever it may be expedient for us to say, "Lord, I have loved the ha. bitation of thy house," our sincerity may be above suspicion. In the fear of God, we resolve more We would embrace the present effectually to redeem the pledge season, to excite in ourselves and which we solemnly and volun- others a more generous sympathy, tarily gave when we were ad- and a more effective compassion mitted to the fellowship of the towards those of our fellow-im. saints; and thus humbly and grate- mortals who appear, on fully acknowledge the immense hand, to be sinking beneath the obligations under which we have pressure of moral misery, and been mercifully brought by the spiritual degradation, either by ininstructions we have received, and dividual exertion, or united endeathe benefits we anticipate. As vour, or rather, by such a combiwe are now entering upon a new nation of both, as circumstances period, let it be consecrated by may suggest; let this year be sigsteady and persevering opposition nalised by a movement of holy to sin, in whatever form it may benevolence in favour of those intrude itself upon our observa. who yet remain "ignorant and tion. Let every lawful weapon, out of the way," so varied, exevery approved method of attack tended, and simultaneous, as shall and defence, and every exertion greatly surpass any previous exof skill and fortitude be vigorously ample recorded in the annals of employed in the Christian con- human instrumentality. Our obflict, and victory will no longer ligations to engage in these sercontinue doubtful. The enemy is vices" grow with our growth, potent, implacable, and deeply and strengthen with our strength;" versed in all the arts of hostility. while multiply ing facilities are con. Of all that malice can contrive, tinually offering additional inthat treachery can effect, and that ducements to pursue the glorious perseverance can accomplish, he undertaking. If, in this departis capable. No intermission of ment of benevolent effort, which watchfulness on our part escapes can only be very partially occu his notice, no diminution of resist-pied by official agency, every ance eludes his vigilance, and no pious individual were immediately vulnerable point in the whole eco- to commence active and ener nomy of our Christian tactics, but getic enterprize, in the various |