CHAPTER XXIX.

WHILE Lefevre was benevolently endeavouring to benefit others, the Divine Benevolence was preparing for him, the highest reward he could receive. On his third visit to the widow and her daughter, he met with them a person on a similar errand to his own, and for whom he soon cherished the purest esteem.

The individual referred to was a Missionary, and of the most admirable character. All would have allowed, that he was intelligent, discreet, upright, and zealous; but no one would have thought of discriminating him by either of these qualities. It was evident, that the most predominant feature of his character was-Love. "The love of Christ dwelt richly in his heart;" and gave its mild radiance to the expression of his countenance. Those who saw

him, thought, spontaneously, of that" disciple whom Jesus loved;" and were impressed with the conviction, that no vocation could become such a man, but that of a minister of mercy.

This principle of divine love had given him an elevation of mind truly sublime. It had nearly absorbed the sense of his own existence, in that of the object beloved : his motto was "not I, but Christ liveth in me."-It was evident that it had enabled him to sacrifice his country and his friends already; and that it had determined him to still higher sacrifices, should they be de manded. It had so familiarized his mind to spiritual realities, that he would often speak of the inhabitants and things of the eternal world, as we do of the members of our family, and the common objects of sight. It had given a greatness and simplicity to his views and pursuits, that raised him superior to those conflicting impulses of the passions, which interrupt and retard the progress of lower charac ters. Few objects that engage men in general, had any attractions for him. In his

thoughts there was no room for the baubles of wealth or fame; in his heart there were no dark recesses where envy, vanity, and bigotry might live and brood; he could not contract his tongue to utter the shibboleth of a party. His favorite appellation for his Maker, was "My Father;" and his only name for man, was "My Brother." He wept over the sorrows of man, as the sorrows of a brother, drew a veil over the frailties of man, as the frailties of a brother; rejoiced in the happiness of man, as the happiness of a brother: and, though he could not suffer sin on him unreproved, he could not administer reproof with bitter reproach and malignant severity-for, was not the offender his brother? and was not he himself a sinner?

He was indeed a genuine philanthropist. His was not that grovelling sympathy which regards only the temporal interests of humanity; it was that christian compassion which is concerned for the total welfare of man.

He was not the subject of that effervescence of feeling, which passes off in affected sentiment, and a few pretty

sentences; he was the possessor of that living principle, which is the parent of action, persevering and self-denying. His love of man flowed from his love of God; the only real source of disinterested benevolence.

Such a person was what Lefevre wanted. He had found some with whom he could converse on common topics, and others whom he could materially benefit; but he had not found an individual with whom his spirit could mix in all the confidence of christian friendship. He soon discovered the respect and affection, which the Missionary's excellent character had inspired; and enjoyed a return, the most sincere and cordial imaginable. If Lefevre admired the high attainments of his friend, his friend was deeply interested in his past history; and did not fail to observe, in his account of himself, how skilfully an invisible hand had been employing his trials, to correct the frailties of his character, and establish its excellencies. Indeed, a few interviews were sufficient to uni e them in the bonds of closest brotherhood; and all their suc

cessive communion only strengthened ties which they had thought nothing could make stronger.

This intimacy with the Missionary led to an introduction to his connexions. Love begets love; and it will readily be supposed, that a man of such a spirit as our Missionary, had not laboured altogether in vain. Difficult as the progress of religion is any where, and attended as it was with peculiar difficulties in Montreal, he had succeeded in collecting a little flock from the wilderness, and in training it tenderly for a future state. It consisted of about a hundred adults, and as many children. Amongst these he dwelt as a father and friend, and had diffused through the circle a wonderful degree of his own heavenly temper. Hedged in from the world by neglect and scorn; and, if noticed, noticed merely as the mark of persecution, they only loved each other the more fervently. A single eye, a simple faith, a warm heart, and a helping hand were theirs; and, if like the primitive saints they had not all things common, they seemed to think what they possessed