and benignant Father of his creatures, and that "God is love,” even love itself, who has ways and resources for reclaiming his erring offspring, boundless as himself, and varied as his beautiful works, which are numerous as the atoms in the sun-beam, and countless as the grains of sand with which he sprinkles the sea shore.

On the other hand now, as it respects Unitarianism, which is so opposed to this gloomy system of Calvin, and which kindly assures us of the free, unfettered love of God as a father, concerning this, I say, the people at large, but especially those of my own country, are constantly taught to fly from it, and to regard it only as a deadly heresy, scarce any, if at all, better than mere Deisma heresy which it is dangerous to make any free inquiry into, or even to approach, besides to be a believer in. And if a Calvinist has the courage to inquire for himself into this system, so as to have any tolerable understanding of it; still he is afraid it may be too good to be true: he has an awful suspicion that God may not prove to be so kind and merciful a being as it represents; he is suspicious it may be only a delusion of the devil like that by which Eve was tempted to eat the forbidden fruit. He therefore considers it safer to adhere to his old system, and to live under a constant dread of God, as if he were an austere and hard master, while at the same time, he can neither help nor forgive himself for allowing such hard thoughts of his Maker to be every now and then irresistibly brewing in his mind. This I believe and know full well to be the true state of mind of many a sincere and honest Calvinist. To be sure, the giddy multitude do not trouble themselves about such matters; if they only get their usual stimulus, their weekly allowance of this miserable sour milk of Geneva, away they go, and think no more of it but alas! God knows it is far otherwise with many an honest, conscientious, enquiring mind, who could willingly give up every world's good, and count all but as dross for the calm and blessed assurance of the free unfettered love of his Maker. And now let any one think whether it can be genuine, unalloyed Christianity of the New Testament that produces such fruit; that tends to harrow even the good man's soul with such a spirit of bondage, and unworthy, slavish dread of his Maker, instead of inspiring him with the free and heaven-born "spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father!" It was this very spirit of bondage that Christ came to free and redeem his people from, coming as a true messenger with good tidings of great joy from his heavenly Father, to assure them and all mankind of his paternal love, calling all that

are weary and heavy laden to come to him with the assurance that they shall find rest to their souls, and bidding them be of good cheer, to take his yoke upon them which is easy, and his burden which is light, to be anxious about nothing, and dread nothing but sin. When, oh! when, will mankind love to be free as Christ would have them! Oh, my countrymen, think for yourselves. "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." Ye that have felt the scourge of spiritual slavery, and have had your feet hurt in its iron fetters, see yourselves bound no more, but come ye out as prissoners of hope out of your dreary prison-house, and be free as the Son would make you. Ye mountain sons of liberty, sons of Wallace and Bruce, stand up once more for righteous freedom. Stand fast in the glorious liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free, and be no longer entangled with the yoke of bondage. Eat 110 more the sour grapes of Geneva; the bitter fruit imported from the slave-bound shores of Africa; but return to the sweels of Emmanuel's land, and taste the sincere milk of Canaan, and her living spring of gospel truth, promulgated on the shores of Galilee, by the "man approved of God." Read his beautiful parable of the prodigal son (Luke xv.), and be assured from the lips of your Lord and Saviour, that God is indeed a Father who loves you, and loves all his offspring, and can you refuse to love him in return? And can there be a purer gospel, a stronger or sweeter cord to draw you to him, than the blessed assurance of his free, unbought, unbounded, everlasting love? Your's in Christ, and one of your number.

A SCOTCHMAN.

BRIEF ACCOUNT OF WILLIAM FOX,

A SUNDAY SCHOLAR.

WILLIAM FOX was born at Trowbridge, in the autumn of 1821. His father, after several years of military service, had both his legs shot off in battle; in consequence of which, being discharged But although from the army, he came to reside in his native town.

thus disabled for active life, he diligently employed himself in the religious instruction of his household; bringing up his children in the fear of God, and leading them by his own example in the ways of righteousness and peace. It is not, therefore, surprising, that under the teaching of such a father [aided by the advice of his

mother] a degree of seriousness should be produced on William's mind, and that he should be distinguished for great sweetness of temper and an affectionate disposition. At an early age he was sent to the Sunday School, connected with the congregation of which his father was a member; and there, under the divine blessing, he was not only taught to read, but also seriously to feel the value and importance of the word of truth. He loved the house of God and the Sunday School; and showed by his uniform, regular attendance and good behaviour, that his heart was there. For some time his parents resided more than a mile from the town, but whoever else was absent, William Fox was not found wanting. At home he was dutiful to his parents, and industrious in his habits; and at school much attached to his teachers and attentive to his lessons; indeed, every way his conduct was such as to make him a comfort and a credit both to the family and the school to which he belonged. He seemed to possess an understanding beyond his years: was very fond of reading the scriptures and singing hymns: was regular in his morning and evening prayers, and would frequently question his father upon subjects of religion. For the last twelve months of his life he was sent to the British School on week days, and was much beloved by the master and scholars on account of his amiable disposition, and his rapid progress in all that he learned. And the knowledge he gained he delighted to communicate to others; of which he gave a striking instance in his re gularly visiting of his own accord a poor aged and much afflicted woman to read to her that word of truth which she could not read herself. When in health his books were his delight; and when sickness came upon him they were constantly by his side.

His father had a garden, in a field at some distance from his house, but not being able to work in it on account of the loss of his legs, William generally accompanied him thither and laboured hard, wishing (as he said) to be as useful as possible to his disabled parent. On one of those occasions, they were suddenly overtaken by a violent storm of rain, accompanied with thunder and lightning, and having no place of shelter near, they were much exposed to it. As the thunder loudly pealed over their heads, and the lightning flashed around them, his father said, "Willy, are you not afraid?" "No, father," he replied, "we read in the Bible that thunder is the voice of the Lord, and if it is His voice, what should make us afraid? If God keeps us we are as safe here, though wet and uncomfortable, as at home or in any other place."

And what he said he seemed to feel; for his young heart was deeply impressed with a practical sense of the omniscience and omnipresence of God. As an instance of his devotional feelings, it may be mentioned that one sabbath morning after his father had, as usual, read the scriptures, and engaged in prayer with the family, William proposed that they should connect with their social worship the singing of a hymn. "I have been looking out a very beautiful one (said he) for us to sing before going to school; and if agreeable, I will read it." The hymn was given out, the family sang it, and at its conclusion the children ran off to school with light and cheerful hearts

The parents of this dear boy had often looked forward with joyful expectation to the time when he should be grown up, and set. tled in the world, and prove the solace and comfort of their declining years. But God had otherwise appointed. He had always been a weakly child from his birth: in the autumn of 1832, symptoms of consumption appeared, and notwithstanding every effort was used to stop its progress, the power of medicine failed; and poor William was carried by his schoolfellows to an early grave. The illness which terminated in his death, lasted about thirteen weeks, four of which he was confined to his bed; and during this period I had frequent opportunities of seeing and conversing with him on the state of his mind in the prospect of eternity. I think I shall never forget one occasion when I sat by his bed side, he stretched out his little wasted arm, and thin white hand, to clasp my own, and earnestly thanked me for coming to see him.

"I want you, sir," said he, "to pray with me, and read to me, and afterwards to explain to me, what faith is." I did so, in as simple a manner as I could; on which he said, "thank you, sir, thank you; I have read a great deal about faith in my testament, and I was afraid I did not understand the word aright." When at length it was evident that he could not recover, I one day said to him, "Willy, do you think when you die you will go to heaven?" "Yes, sir," said he, "I hope and believe I shall; for although I am a sinner, Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and he will not think me too young to be saved; for he said, suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven." I had much conversation with him at different times of a similar kind, and equally satisfactory. Being at length so much reduced that he could neither sit up in his bed, nor read his bible any more, he desired his father and mother and

others to read it to him; particularly delighting in different parts of St. John's first epistle. On one occasion, after praying with him, his father asked him if he was afraid to die? "O no, father, no," said he, "but still, if it was God's will to raise me up, and give me health, and let me go to school again, I should like to live a little longer." Calling to see him one day, a short time before his departure, I solemnly commended him to God in prayer. His parents were in the room; and giving them an earnest look, he said, "I feel that my time here will not be long, and there is one thing I wish before I die: It is, that I may be wrapped up in a blanket, and carried to the school; for I wish once more to look upon my schoolfellows and say, farewell." His mother, anxious to gratify him, took him out of bed, and carried him in her arms to the school. After this he sunk rapidly. He took leave of his friends, and distributed his books and some little toys as remembrances among his young companions. "There is one book," said he, “which I have highly prized,—it is the one given me by the teachers in the Sunday School, as a reward for giving out the hymns at the last anniversary sermon, and who now so proper to have that as my dear father! And there is one thing more," he added, "the little race-horse toy which I have kept safe so long, I wish that given to Mr. M. for his little boy: it may serve to remind him of me when I am gone." Observing his father weeping at the foot of the bed, he comforted him as well as he was able, saying, "Dear father, dont cry; but come, put your hand under my head." His father did so; after which he appeared to be much easier than before. For some time before he died he lay very still, and it was thought that all was over, but on a sudden he raised his right hand, clasped that of his father,-gently pressed it,-fixed his eyes on him, and expired.

He died January 1st, 1833, aged eleven years, and three months. As a mark of regard, his funeral was attended by a procession of many of his schoolfellows, headed by the master of the British School, and the superintendent of the Sunday School.

SAMUEL MARTIN.

NOTES OF THE MONTH.

THE EDUCATION QUESTION.-The government measure of education, for England, still continues to be the theme of discussion, for the time being, both in parliament, and among the several reli