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brother tried to cheer him with the hope that there was not much to fear, being afraid that if he thought so it might prove injurious to him. When he had been ill about a week, the fever seized his brother also, and for some time he was hourly expected to die. Our departed friend, however, continued to get worse, and, in spite of all that medical skill could suggest, he expired Oct. 28th, 1842. It is cheering to his surviving friends to know, that during his illness he was wonderfully supported by the Divine Being. Ă short time before he breathed his last; he cried out with considerable energy,

'The opening heavens around me shine,

With beams of sacred bliss;

While Jesus shows his heart is mine,
And whispers I am his.'

A funeral sermon was preached to improve his death, in the Friar Lane Chapel, by the Rev. J. J Owen, of Castle Donington. The discourse was founded on Isaiah Ixiv. 6. We all do fade as a leaf.' So much was he respected, that the chapel, which will seat near 1000 persons, was filled to overflowing, the gallery stairs were crowded, and hundreds went away being unable to obtain admission. The teachers of the Sabbath school have, to shew the respect they entertain for their departed brother, erected a neat tablet to his memory, bearing the following inscription: :

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Sacred to the memory of Samuel Welham Wigg, second son of the Rev. Samuel Wigg, pastor of this church. He died Oct. 28th, 1842, in the 19th year of his age. His end was peace. This tablet was erected by the Teachers of the Sabbath school as an affectionate remembrance of their highly esteemed friend and fellow-labourer.'

It is worthy of remark, as a singular circumstance, and one which we cannot account for, that about five or six months prior to his decease, our departed brother expressed his conviction to an intimate friend, that he should not live through the month of November; he also reiterated this conviction, rather more than a month prior to his death, to two other friends. He died within three days of the month of November. 'O! may I die the death of the righteous, and may my last end be like his.'

Poetry.

THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER'S CLASS.

Could every scene before me pass,
Of pageantry and might;
Yet to my soul your humble class
Affords a nobler sight:

E'en Angels from their seats in bliss,
With joy look on a sight like this.

Here young immortals learn the way
To pleasures pure and true;
And thus on every Sabbath Day,
The sacred search renew;
For richer truths they ponder o'er,
Than ancient Athens' boasted lore.

Oswestry.

See how with earnestness divine,
The Teacher warns and pleads;
While round with faith in shade & shine,
He scatters heavenly seeds,
And trusts in God ere long to see,
Fruit ripening for Eternity.

Lord of the Sabbath, deign to bless
These kind instructions given ;-
And grant each Sabbath School success,
To lead young souls to heaven :
On Teachers double grace bestow,
And guard thy lambs from every foe.
J. H.

HAIL TO THE LIGHT OF DAY!

Composed by Mrs. GILBERT, to be sung at a Meeting held at Woolwich, on April 14, in favour of the projected Teachers' and Scholars' Institute.

Hail to the light of day! that spreads

With glorious hues, the skies,
O'er vale, and wood, and ocean, sheds
Its beautiful surprise,

And round the wide world, softly treads,
To bless its million eyes.

Hail to the light of knowledge! sent
The soul from dust to raise ;
To shew thy works, Omnipotent,
The wonders of thy ways;
Man to inspire with high intent,

And crown with thought his days.

Hail to the light of truth divine!
That doth the heart illume;
Vouchsafed on misery's night to shine,

And chase from guilt its gloom;
That sun of grace whose beams benign,
Pierce through and cheer the tomb.

Hail to the light of love! that glows
Within the christian's breast,
Expands and brightens, midst the woes
That mortal life infest;

A track of radiance as he goes
To bless and to be blest.

Great source of light, of truth, of love,
From whom all blessings flow,
As done thy perfect will above,
Be done thy will below;
On this our aim, Celestial Dove,
Thy prospering aid bestow.

CALVARY.

BY MR. W. A. PALLISTER,

Formerly a Sunday Scholar, and now a very interesting Lecturer on Palestineillustrated by an admirable apparatus.—[EDIT.]

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The preacher of these sermons was a glory to human nature. We have read several of the outlines, and can see at once whose image and superscription' they bear. There is the mild sublimity of thought, combined with the hallowed feeling which characterized Mr. Hall's living effusions. Hence we value the book very highly, and can most safely recommend all persons favoured with the other productions of this extraordinary man to secure this volume. Mr. Grinfield, the compiler, was evidently a great admirer of Mr. Hall, and has here, in a manner reflecting much credit on himself, preserved fifty sermons, which were taken down during their delivery. Both the compiler and the publisher, Mr. Chilcott, have our sincere thanks.

LETTERS ON Puritanism and NONCONFORMITY. Jackson & Walford. We have long felt convinced that the Puritans were a race of men of all others the most misunderstood, and most misrepresented, that their piety served as a breakwater against the tide of infidelity which was in their day running rapidly upon the English coast, and that their writings, constituting the Lebanon of piety, will impart an unction to our divinity as long as our language lasts. This conviction has been deepened by the charming volume now before us. In a series of letters, only too short, Sir J. B. Williams has exhibited the leading features of Puritanism. The style is clear, the phraseology Saxon, and the spirit truly christian. Oh that writers, both for and against the establishment, would imbibe more of the courteous and gentlemanly bearing which this book exhibits! "The Knighted' and able author is himself of puritan descent. He has, we believe, unequalled treasures of nonconformist remains, and is altogether one of the most competent persons in this line of literature.

THE SLEEPER AROUSED. Dyer.

A beautiful and stirring appeal to professing Christians, calling them to activity in winning souls to Christ.

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Without exception this is the most appalling disclosure of vice we ever read. It is marked by the purity of its language, and is recommended by some of the excellent of the earth.

THE ADVANCEMENT OF RELIGION. By Dr. REED. Snow.

We ought to have noticed this first-rate volume earlier, but we delayed, feeling utterly incapable, in our limited space, to do justice either to it or our own readers. It consists of a series of lectures on the advancement of religion in the heart-the family-the pulpit-the church-the nation-the world. It abounds with some of the most striking thoughts, the most pathetic appeals, the most sagacious advices, the most sound suggestions, we ever saw. It appears to us to contain the substance of all the practical and heavenly wisdom for religious movements which a long and honoured ministerial course has supplied. It is the book of all others for producing a holy and permanent revival of religion. The thoughts breathe; the words burn. It makes the conscience throb. It rectifies the judgment. It fires the soul; and brings the reader more under the powers of the world to come than any other uninspired work we know. We really envy the christian who can command leisure in order to read, mark, learn, and digest the varied matters of principle and practice which Dr. Reed has here embodied. This is the book to start the church towards her millenial goal. We have marked some immortal paragraphs, which we hope soon to transfer to our own pages.

ROGERS' FUNERAL SERMON FOR MR. Lows. Whittaker.

Mr. Lowe was the founder of the first Sunday school in Wolverhampton. He was an eminent christian and a real philanthropist. His pastor has here improved his death, and given a biographical sketch of his long and useful life. We have read it with much pleasure, and can bespeak for it the cordial regards of all desirous of being the followers of those who, through faith and patience, inherit the promises.'

THE IRISH SCHOLAR. By the Rev. T. W. AVEling. Ward.

A very interesting narrative, well told, exhibiting, amid much Irish wit, the tendencies of Popery and Protestantism respectively. A crisis seems at hand in the affairs of Ireland. Its interests are likely to be forced on public attention, and this little work, so elegantly prepared, will convey to our young readers a great deal of very useful information. We recommend it cordially.

KIND WORDS FOR HIS YOUNG FRIENDS. By UNCLE WILLIAM. 18mo., cloth sewed. p.p. 108. Tract Society, London.

Christianity inculcates politeness in all the beauties of holiness, and this little work commends everything in words and actions which adorns our holy religion; and in such a manner as at once to unfold the saving doctrines of the gospel, and to engage the attention of the liveliest of children. It is rendered still more attractive by nineteen engravings.

The Portion.

JULY 9.-THE FALL OF MAN.-Gen. iii. 1-12.

NOTES.

Ver. 1. The Serpent.' Whether Satan spoke through the serpent, or whether this term is a figurative description of satan is uncertain; he may have cunningly appeared as an angel of light, 2 Cor. xi. 14. Hath God said;' this seems to be a continuation of some previous conversation; Satan did not openly impugn the ways of God, but perhaps simply asked of what use are these fruits if you are not to eat them? probably the woman was alone. Ver. 3. 'Not touch it;' this tree was prohibited as a proof of God's authority, and a test of man's obedience; the prohibition was small, and consequently the greater the sin, for most easily might the duty have been performed. Ver. 7. 'Eyes opened,' they saw their folly; 'fig leaves' are very broad in the east. Ver. 8. 'Heard a voice, &c.,' most likely this was thunder coming nearer and nearer, and now heard for the first time. When God's voice was heard and no words were spoken, we understand thunder. See Ps. xlvi. 6. Ver. 12. 'The woman, &c.,' she undoubtedly was the only one deceived by Satan, 1 Tim. ii. 14, but here Adam wickedly lays his blame on the woman, and almost on God himself for giving him a woman.

QUESTIONS.

1. Can you explain the state of Adam and Eve before this scene took place?-2. By whom were they tempted?-3. What motives may we suppose induced him to this act?-4. Wherein did Satan act with subtlety?-5. Why had God prohibited one tree?-6. Has he a right to refuse anything he pleases ?-7. How ought Eve to have treated the Tempter?-8. Was her yielding compulsory or voluntary?-9. Is any person ever obliged to sin?-10. When Sunday Scholars say they could not help sinning, what is the truth of the case?-11. What does James say in chap. i. 14?-12. How may we conquer all Satan's temptations? Matt. xxvi. 41. James iv. 7. Ep. iv. 27.-13. When Eve had taken the fruit how did she feel and act? -14. What effect has sin upon us?-15. Does Satan wish us to believe that sin is pleasant?-16. When things seem pleasant to flesh and blood, ought we to suspect danger? Prov. xxiii. 31.-17. Is it safe for us to be near scenes of temptation? Prov. iv. 14.-18. When they heard the voice of the Lord, what ought our parents to have

done? Ps. xxxii. 5.-19. How do persons now try to hide themselves from the charge of guilt?-20. Was it the voice of God or his wilful sin which made Adam afraid to meet the Lord ?-21. What will be the most awful circumstance when God comes to judge us ?-22. Can you name several ways in which the morning and evening of the day of the fall differed ?-23. How does this fall affect us? Rom. v. 12 and 19.

JULY 16.-THE FALL OF MAN: continued.-Gen. iii. 13-24.

NOTES.

Ver. 13. 'The Serpent beguiled me ;' here instead of confessing her sin Eve tries to shift the blame to Satan. Ver. 14, it will be observed that God does not ask any questions of the serpent as he does the other parties, but at once, in a highly figurative manner, expresses the deep and eternal degradation of Satan. Whether the literal serpent were at all included in the curse we seriously doubt, if it were, it was only as a type or picture of Satan himself. It shall bruise, &c.,' meaning that the seed of the woman, Christ, and all true believers, should wound Satan's cause vitally, expressed by the head; and that the seed of the serpent should wound the cause of Christ partially or curably, expressed by the heel. Many suppose the heel to refer to Christ's person, if so, the head must mean Satan's person; but this was not affected by Christ's conflict; besides, Christ's sufferings were of too deep a character to be described by wounding the heel of a person: see in support of these views, John viii. 44. 1 John iii. 8-10. Matt. iii. 7. xxiii. 33. Rom. xiv. 20. Rev. xii. 9. Ver. 18. The herb, in opposition to the fruits of the tree, he desired. Ver. 21. 'Skins,' of animals slain in sacrifice, for we cannot suppose that Adam would kill besats without a divine warrant: Gen. iv. 4. Ver. 22. Many good critics read, 'Behold the man that would become as one of us, &c.,' and maintain that it is the language of divine pity over a man, who, if he had access to the tree of life would prolong a wretched fallen existence.

QUESTIONS.

1. What is the substance of the last portion?-2. Have you thought upon it when you were tempted in the week?-3. Who is to blame for the sins you may have committed ?-4. When conscious of guilt what should we do? Ps. xxxii. 5. Hos. xiv. 2.-5. How does the Bible teach you to overcome Satan's temptations? Ep. vi. 11.—6. What do you think of Eve's answer to God in verse 13 ?—7. Can you state how good people and bad people are opposed to each other? -8. Is the cause of Christ or that of Satan finally to triumph ?-9. How are we to help on that triumph?-10. Why must Christians expect to be harassed by temptations in this life?-11. In verse 15, the first hope was held out to man, was it sought or given freely ?— 16. How did this promise of a victorious seed given to Adam, refute Satan's idea of God's unkindness?-17. As Adam and Eve were to train up their children in enmity to Satan, may we hope a divine influence accompanied the promise, producing penitence in their hearts?-18. If penitent, may we suppose the skins, in verse 21, were those of animals offered in atonement ?-19. What is there now in the world to remind us of the original curse?-20. What became of our first parents after their fall?-21. Do we know where paradise was?-22. Is there any hope of regaining an earthly paradise? -23. What service did the angels of heaven render in this scene ?— 24. How do they again become our friends?

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