also that he shall plant the tabernacles of his palaces between the seas, in the glorious holy mountain of the visible church. Then the prudent shall hold their peace, because it is an evil time; and when these shall hold their peace, bread for the soul cannot possibly come into the house of the Lord: so there shall be a famine indeed, in the midst of the Lord's land; "not a famine of bread nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord."

Wishing you prosperity in your valuable periodical,
I remain, dear Sir, unworthily yours,

Ripley, Hants, Feb. 1, 1841.

W. C. P.

DEAR SIR,

To the Editor of the Gospel Magazine.

Allow me to request a few thoughts from you, or one of your correspondents instructed in the mysteries of the kingdom, upon the question, "What is the lowest evidence of saving grace?"

Hoping that you may be able to drop a few hints that may prove as good words and comfortable words" of encouragement to those who are continually writing bitter things against themselves, fearing that their spot is not the spot of God's children, and that they have neither part nor lot in the matter; because of the corruptions they feel working within, the deadness of their souls, the hardness of their hearts, and the unfruitfulness of their lives; but yet are desiring to know him whom to know is life eternal, and are watching at wisdom's gates, and waiting at the posts of her doors, if so be there may be hope. These characters doubtless comprise a large portion of the church militant in the present day; and does not the command remain of him who despises not the day of small things-"Feed my lambs." This injunction has not been forgotten in the pieces which have lately appeared in your Magazine. May you be enabled to go on writing both to babes, young men, and fathers in Christ, giving to each a portion of meat in due season; and may each part of the family, through the blessing of Jehovah the Spirit, be enabled to eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared, and thereby prove that the joy of the Lord is their strength.

Yours affectionately,

Wolverhampton.

A SUBSCRIBER.

OUR PORTRAIT-THE REV. GEORGE STRATON.

WHAT a blessed bond of union is that which springs up in the heart when first we discover a brother in the Lord-a fellow heir of the grace of life—a companion in tribulation; one treading the same thorny maze, climbing the same rugged steep, traversing the same waste howling wilderness; subject to the same fears, encouraged by the same hopes, looking to the same guide, and with the same happy home in view; a fellow soldier engaged in the same conflict, fighting

under the same banner, and with the same conquest in view; a fellow mariner embarked upon the same voyage, sailing under the same Captain, with the same port in view. Brethren, do you know anything of the feeling of which we speak? If so, we tell you you have had a taste of heaven-a little sip of the brook by the way-a drop of that river the streams whereof make glad the city of God. When this graceunion is felt and enjoyed, where are dissension, differences of opinion, and enmity? They disappear, they hide their diminished heads; and the new man of grace in two brethren of the household of faith, meet, shake hands, and enjoy a little refreshing conversation as they travel towards home. Oh, blessed! blessed meeting; oh joyful hopes which then take possession of their hearts, that they shall one day meet in their Father's house above, to see Jesus their Elder Brother, Friend, and Portion; to sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and to dwell in the company of the blessed through an endless eternity!

Brethren, forgive us if we betray a little zeal; for this month we introduce to our readers the likeness of one to whom we have felt a peculiar attachment on account of his being the first that saluted us in the name of the Lord, as editor of this work. His epistle came to hand at a moment when we were sunk very low in our feelings, and regretting that we had ever put our hands to the work. His letter warmed our hearts, encouraged our souls, and called into exercise a union which we believe will last as long as eternity itself shall endure. We have no knowledge of him in the flesh; whether our portrait therefore is a correct one or not, we are unable to say; but pointing to his discourse inserted in the present number, we pray that many, and if the Lord will, all of our readers, may discover in him the features of a brother, and salute him as such in the Lord.

REVIEW S.

Dreams and Dreaming, Philosophically and Scripturally considered; illustrated by several remarkable Instances, all well authenticated. By Mrs. BLAIR, Authoress of "The Child's Best Lesson Book ;" and an Introductory Essay by the Rev. SAMUEL BLAIR, Author of "Conversations on Mind and Matter," &c. London: R. Groombridge, Panyer Alley; Simpkin, Marshall, and Co., Stationers' Court.

PROBABLY there is no subject of more universal interest than that of dreams, and yet upon few, if any, does there exist a greater diversity of opinion. The conclusion to which our own minds have been brought, both by observation and experience, is this, that while the generality

of dreams are caused by the "multitude of business," or by the physical derangement of the system, there are those which are specially sent of God for the effecting of his purposes; these may be divided into two classes, cautionary and encouraging. By the former, a series of painful consequences are brought before the mind, resulting from such a line of procedure which the Almighty graciously causes to act as a beacon or safeguard; by the latter, the individual has a certain attainment or issue brought before his mind, which, it may be, is in direct opposition to all human probabilities: and yet this visionary prospect, as some may term it, is made, under God, the means of leading the mind to pursue a course which ultimately terminates in the accomplishment of its desire. The subject, we admit, is a very delicate one, and needs to be treated on with great caution; but to deny, as some persons do, the good or evil tendency of dreams indiscriminately, is to cavil with a great portion of Scripture, and to contradict the testimony of good and gracious men in all ages.

The little volume before us embodies a great variety of interesting facts. The introductory essay is written with ability of a superior order, uniting with it a very just and proper view of the subject under consideration. Speaking of the work, the authoress, in her preface,

says,

Till within the last three years, when the subject on which it treats was mentioned in conversation, the writer generally stated to this effect—" That from Scripture and other authorities, which could not be disputed, there was reason to believe that some dreams are prophetic, but could not add personal experience." But now she is constrained to believe and confess, that God makes use of dreams for the comforting of his tried people, in addition to the application of Scripture to the mind, the public administration of the Word, and the sympathy of Christian friends; and all by the same Spirit. God works, who shall hinder?" And let him be praised for any manifestation of his regard, who "doeth all things after the counsel of his own will." It then became an interesting study, and notice was taken of every line which was met with on the subject in the course of reading.

"When

After collecting a number of instances, and concluding that others might have a pleasure in perusing what she had arranged; and wishing, above all, that God might be glorified, she determined on offering it to the public, trusting that it may be approved of by the Spirit of Truth.

We find the work interspersed with many such remarks as the following:

Can any other than the Omniscient, or those commissioned by him, reveal subsequent events? They may talk of strong mental emotions and natural coincidence; but he who runs may read divine interference in the following intimation, and some others before mentioned, well authenticated :-A clergyman had gone to Edinburgh from his house, a short distance in the country, and was sleeping at an inn, when he dreamt of seeing a fire, and one of his children in the midst of it. He awoke with the impression, and instantly left town, on his return home. When he arrived within sight of his house, he found it on fire; and got there in time to save one of his children, who, in the alarm and confusion, had been left in a situation of danger. It is with

dreams, as with many other of the proceedings of God; he acts as a Sovereign, without giving any account why some things are revealed, while others, which may appear to us equally important, are left involved in mystery.

"But his eternal love is sure

To all the saints, and shall endure;
From age to age his truth shall reign,
Nor children's children hope in vain."

With the exception of a little defect in the arrangement, and the occasional introduction of that hackneyed phrase "pious," this little volume fully meets our approbation. Upon the whole, we cannot but recommend it as a book deserving an extensive circulation, and worthy a place in every library.

A Tribute of Respect to the Departed. A Sermon occasioned by the Decease of the Rev. Watts Wilkinson, B.A., Preached at Woodbridge Chapel, Clerkenwell. By the Rev. RICHARD LUCKIN. London E. Palmer and Son, Paternoster Row; and Ebenezer Irons, Red Cross Street.

:

MR. LUCKIN takes his text from Col. i. 28, 29, "Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily." Having commented upon the four following general divisions-the subject matter of the apostles' ministry-the manner in which they preached-the end they had in view-and the apostles' labour for the accomplishment of it; showing with how much propriety the leading particulars applied to our late venerable friend, he closes his discourse with an account of the termination of his prolonged and useful life. We cheerfully recommend the discourse.

The Ordination of the Rev. Thomas Bayfield to the Pastoral Office over the Independent Church assembling in Union Chapel, Chelsea. October 29th, 1840.

THIS is an enlarged account of the proceedings which took place at the Ordination of the Rev. Thomas Bayfield, recently published in the GOSPEL MAGAZINE. We have read it with considerable pleasure; and, believing Mr. Bayfield to have given the most satisfactory testimony of his call to the ministry, we recommend the book to the perusal of our readers, and wish him success in the work whereunto he is called.

ORIGINAL POETRY.

RUTH;

A POEM ADDRESSED TO A LOVER OF THE LORD JESUS IN DEEP AFFLICTION.