attended was so deeply interested, that the next morning he sent the missionary a gold seal, wrapped in a two-pound note, and accompanied by a beautiful letter, of which the following is an extract:

"I beg your acceptance of this seal; and, with the note in which it is enveloped, I wish you to get engraved on it this device-A heart, and from the heart a flame issuing, and over the flame the word Messiah. I wish to have this done, from the conviction on my mind, that a flame of love is continually ascending from your heart to that adorable Person."

If this were a faithful picture of the missionary's heart, he must be a happy man. Alas! that the likeness should be so faint! Yet it suggested what ought to be the case, and furnished a constant memento to watchfulness and prayer.

Since that period, half of the people who were then living have been called into eternity. What a solemn thought! Perhaps the benevolent gentleman who -presented this seal is also dead; but, if he is still living, and his eye should behold this, he will recollect the circumstance, and please to accept the grateful acknowledgment of the recipient.

A burning heart, or a heart on fire with love to the adorable Redeemer, is mentioned but once in the whole Bible. The persons who were favoured with this sweet experience were the two disciples going to Emmaus." It was produced by the conversation of the condescending Saviour, and the effect arising from it was what might have been expected. It was, indeed, peculiarly delightful. Let us join the interesting travellers, and see how much instruction we can gain from their society.

On first coming up with them, we hear them "reasoning." The name of one is Cleopas, but the name of the other disciple is unknown. No doubt they witnessed the scenes of Gethsemane, where their Master was apprehended: they also saw him on Mount Calvary, nailed to the cross, and insulted by the multitude, and pierced by the soldier's spear. When Christ was apprehended in the garden, all his disciples forsook him and fled; but they soon began to collect together again. John followed his Lord to the high-priest's hall; and poor Peter could not refrain from getting as near to him as possible, though, in doing it, he fell into bad company, and Satan sifted him as wheat, and there he thrice denied his Master. Oh! we cannot tell with what an anxious and disappointed

In a time of great darkness, of spiritual conflict and depression, the enemy is peculiarly active. This is the hour and the power of darkness. All his fiery darts are levelled at the soul. It is Satan's sifting time; and a truly pious man may be so harassed by temptations, as to be ready to give up all for lost-to be hopeless-to dispute to doubt-to despair.

Perhaps all these feelings were operating, at this moment, upon the heart of Cleopas and his brother; for we next perceive they were gloomy. Joy and peace flow from believing; but gloom and unbelief are intimate companions, and they are seldom long absent from each other. What a dreadful state of mind this is! and what a still more dreadful state it leads to, if boundless mercy do not interpose! For "the fearful and unbelieving shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone." But, happily for these gioomy disciples, there is one near them who can turn their mourning into joy. Jesus himself drew near, and said unto them, "What manner of communications are these that ye have one with another, as ye walk, and are sad?" This question seems to have astonished them."Sad!" Strange if it were not so!-if thou wert merely a stranger in Jerusalem, thou couldst not have asked this question. How can we help being sad? Hast thou not heard what things are come to pass there in these days? And he said, "What things ?" "Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in word and deed before God and all the people, and how the chief-priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him; but we trusted that it had been he who should have redeemed Israel." Yes, once we had great hopes-we saw his miracles -we witnessed his devotion-we heard the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth; and we surely thought, This is the promised seed-this is the Virgin's Son-the Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace; but now he has been

crucified as a blasphemer, and all our hopes are buried in his grave. Yet, we know not how to account for it, but we cannot give up all hope respecting him. Surely he cannot be a deceiver. There is yet truth in all he said. Thus our minds are torn asunder between hope and fear, and joy and grief. "Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, who were early at the sepulchre; and, when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.” What can all this mean? This, this is the cause of our sadness.

Christ begins

Now, mark the change. by chiding them: "O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory ?" Was it not a suffering Messiah that was promised? Was he not to have been cut off, but not for himself? Is it not by his stripes that sinners must be healed? Why, you seem quite to have mistaken the matter. You fancied that you were to have a Messiah crowned with the glories of this world, and forgot that he was to be " a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief." "And, beginning at Moses, and all the prophets, he expounded unto them, in all the scriptures, the things concerning himself."

And now, now is the happy moment when the heart begins to warm. A spark is kindled; and, as he proceeds, the flame increases "Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?"

Here let us mark the advantages of being well acquainted with the Bible in early life. As soon as the verses were quoted they recollected them; as soon as their connexion was pointed out they saw it; as soon as their suitableness to describe the person, and character, and work, and sufferings of Christ was mentioned, they felt it-it burst at once upon their view, and they saw it clearly.

You who are engaged in the important and delightful work of educating youth in the principles of the Bible may take great encouragement from this. Behold here one of the advantages which will result from your pious labours. You are preparing the way for training up a noble race of holy and enlightened people: you are sowing seed which one shower of divine grace will cause to spring up, and produce a plentiful harvest: you are pre

paring materials, and the divine blessing falling upon them will be like a spark on tinder, it will set the whole in a flame. Therefore, "be stedfast and immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."

Now let us trace the effects of this burning heart on the two disciples.

1. Behold their kindness to the stranger. "Their eyes were holden, that they should not know him;" but he had touched a string in their heart which set their whole souls in motion. They felt an indescribable attachment to him, and here we see it.

The village, whither they went, was at hand. The stranger "made as though he would have gone further;" but that could not be no, no: you have made our hearts glad; you have cheered our souls by those views of divine truth which you have given us; and, though you are a stranger, yet we cannot permit you to pass this village without one mark of our grateful esteem. "Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent." We hail you as a friend and a brother.

Is not this a lovely sight? Does it not confirm what we have often heard, that the chief ingredient in the religion of the Bible is love? How many pious people have been comforted by the assurance that they loved the brethren!-for, if this be laid down as an evidence of having passed from death unto life, then they possess it. And where this is wanting, it makes the character not only defective, but suspici

ous.

Be not deceived: religion destitute of love is not the religion of Christ. If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say, "Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which they need," what doth it profit? "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." True religion is very practical; but it is not a hard service. It is not enforced by a taskmaster. No: it is the fruit of love, the sweet expression of a warm heart, if not of a heart on fire.

2. It led to an affectionate and reciprocal communication of their religious experience.

Their hearts had been burning for some time; yet they did not know what was passing in each other's breast, until their lips unfolded the secret. "Did not

our hearts burn within us while he talked with us by the way, and opened to us the scriptures ?"

This may furnish some observations on the conversation of disciples. What profitable moments might be spent while visiting a friend, if the time were occupied in a reciprocal communication of religious experience! Christ cannot be expected to draw near, and to introduce himself, and to warm your hearts, if all the talk is engrossed by worldly things. We need not wonder at the coldness, and leanness, and uselessness of multitudes, where so much of their precious time is spent about matters, if not sinful, yet of no impor

tance.

Travellers, whether by sea or land, may here discover the true way to secure a visit from the Saviour. Let your mind fix upon him. Speak for him and to him, and then you will not have to complain that he hid his face from you.

That some men do not like to speak about religion is not to be wondered at; the reason is pretty obvious; but we ought to hope and pray that they may be brought to feel it, and delight in it: for it will be dreadful indeed for them, if they die without experiencing it.

But there are others, who talk on religious subjects, who had far better be silent. When a man's words and actions do not harmonize on this point, we would rather he should talk about any other thing than religion. We can almost see a mark in his forehead, which proves that Christ is not his Master.

Þ am always afraid that religion is in a languishing state, when controverted subjects are called in to fill up the hour. A burning heart would produce something better; and where two or three burning hearts meet in the same company, we may expect the most profitable, edifying,

comforting, and animating conversation. 3. They made known the glad tidings to others.

The flame was at work; and, although it was a hidden fire at first, yet it could not long remain so it must have vent. Midnight was approaching, and it might not appear quite so safe to return to Jerusalem at that unseasonable hour: yet to wait until the morning was impossible. They had something to communicate to their brethren, which to them appeared of infinite importance: and away they go"the love of Christ constrained them." Sleep, distance, midnight, difficulties, dangers-all, all seemed as nothing to the enraptured disciples. Oh! what a mercy would it be, if there were such a heart in every one of us!-if the word of the Lord were like a fire in our bones!-if we felt a zeal for God not to be repressed nor intimidated; which would lead us to rise early and to sit up late, and to labour in season and out of season; yea, to circumnavigate the globe, in order to proclaim the love of the crucified and risen Saviour! This would be delightful indeed. Oh! if this feeling were general among Christians, then we might confidently expect that the gospel would soon be preached to every creature.

These men afterwards became preachers-and what preachers! We cannot expect equal endowments in the present day; yet it may be set down as a solemn truth, that, whatever qualifications a preacher may have, if his heart is not warm, there will be little good done by his ministry. A blunt instrument, if it be burning hot, will make a deep impression. Nothing can stand before fire.

MANY of the following remarks do not, in strictness, come within the scope of a religious publication; but their moral and useful tendency, and their connexion with the above subject, will, I have no doubt, excuse their intrusion.

I propose to show the right of persons to dispose of their own property-to mention instances of abuse of this power and to offer a few practical suggestions.

Whatever may be considered the rights of mankind, during their primeval sim

plicity, and in their wandering condition, and still their rights in barbarous nations, it is admitted, by all writers on natural law, that when mankind, by their industry, art, and labour, devised conveniences for their own use-such as habitations for shelter, and raiment for warmth and covering; and, by tillage and other means, procured regular means of subsistence; they thereby obtained the right of exclusive dominion over such property: for no man would be at the trouble of providing

such conveniences-no man would go to the ant, consider her ways, and be wise, if the next stranger were at liberty to watch the opportunity of seizing upon the product of his industry. This universal principle is well described in the laws of Menu, son of Brahmá: "Sages, who know former times, pronounce cultivated land to be the property of him who cut away the wood, or who cleared and tilled it; and the antelope, of the first hunter who mor tally wounded it." Sir W. Jones, iii. 341.

This is agreeable to the reason and sentiments of mankind, prior to all civil establishments; and the power of giving and transferring seems to follow, as a natural consequence. It has been said, I am aware, that, considering men as absolute individuals, and unconnected with civil society, their interest in property, although thus acquired, must cease upon death, and the next occupant would acquire a right to it; but such a constitution would be at variance with the natural feelings of mankind, and would lead to confusion, and be productive of endless disturbances. The law, therefore, of almost every nation (which, in this respect, is a kind of secondary law of nature), has either given the dying person a power of disposing of his property by will, or declared who shall be his successor.

It would not be convenient that a man's children or next relations should, in all events, succeed to his property. They might be undeserving characters, or his greatest enemies. Such a system would prevent him from providing for his family as its exigencies require; or for his more distant relations, or others, who might be dependent on his bounty; and it would usurp his right of exclusive control over his own property.

The law of England confirms this right of persons to dispose of their own property; and that, with certain limitations, to such persons and for such purposes as they please. If we consider the various purposes for which it is sometimes necessary to provide, we shall find that the latter course is often more important to be adopted than the former.

A direction to apply part of a son's portion in putting him to some business or profession, is in some cases far more serviceable to him, and at the same time more beneficial to society, than for such son, at the age of twenty-one, uninstructed in any business, to receive his whole pa trimony. Directions, as to the application of the portions of females to their sepa

rate use, powers of jointure, and many other provisions which could be mentioned, are sometimes indispensable.

With respect to many charitable institutions, it is absolutely necessary that their buildings should be of a substantial nature. Such as would stand during the lives of the founders only would not answer the purposes of the institutions. Hospitals and places of worship are of this description. Had Highbury College been a mere temporary building, to last only during the existence of the subscribers to its erection, it would not only have been ill-judged economy, but it would frustrate some of the purposes for which it was erected. I might mentica almshouses, and other buildings, which are similarly situated. If the intended almshouses, to commemorate the passing of the Reform Bill, stand wind and weather for the present generation only, the patriotic intention of the founders will be entirely defeated. It is not only with respect to buildings, but to endowments also, that provision should be made beyond the founders' lives. We shall be leaving to posterity a burthen, instead of a memorial of our new Magna Charta, if the intended alms-houses are erected, without any endowment being made for them. Stated or occasional contributions are not always sufficient, in amount or certainty, for the support of some charities; such, for instance, as hospitals, public schools, &c. Many institutions have not received public patronage until several years after the founders' death; and, if the founders had not provided for them in their infancy, their benefits would have ceased. Indeed, bequests upon trust have been one efficient means of handing down to us the literature, arts, and sciences of former ages. I cannot do otherwise than observe, that, if some of our religious societies were thus endowed, the interest to be applicable towards their regular expenditure, and the principal to be available as circumstances should require, it would greatly add to the stability of the societies, to the confidence of the directors, and to the societies' general usefulness.

But this right to dispose of one's own property has been abused; either from imposition on testators by others, or by testators' own caprice.

It has been abused by persons using undue influence over testators, to induce them to leave their property to themselves or their own relations; by which means they who were the proper objects of the testa

tors' bounty have been unjustly deprived of their rights. Such conduct, to obtain property, is shamefully dishonest.

Priests of false religions have also im posed upon testators, by inducing them, under the delusion of pleasing their gods, to leave their wealth to themselves, or their priesthood, or to the temples of their idols. The popish clergy, by acting in the double capacity of priest and lawyer, and by the doctrine of purgatory, were, in this respect, very successful; and monasteries became exceedingly rich, from bequests upon trust, to sing masses for ever for testators' souls.

And this right has been abused by persons who, feigning piety, have persuaded young converts, or persors of imbecile minds, to devote the whole, or an unrea sonable portion, of their property to religious purposes, in which they themselves were pecuniarily interested. This also is gross imposition.

Testators have themselves abused this right. A man knows best, himself, the circumstances of his own family, their necessities, and deserts, and the use they are likely to make of his property; and therefore it is not because the bequests in his will are apparently unequal, that he is to be considered as not exercising a sound judgment. But there are cases, where such unequal distribution proceeds from ill-will and angry feelings; and, when these are entertained, the judgment will be perverted. That these feelings are sometimes mixed up with the judgment, may be fairly inferred from the fact, that such unequal bequests, or exclusions from sharing in the testator's property, are accompanied, occasionally, by angry or insulting expressions in the will.

This power has been abused by testators, too, when they have overlooked those who obviously ought to have been the objects of their wills, for some wild, romantic, absurd, or unprofitable disposition of their property.

Testators who have acted niggardly all their lifetime, have, on their death-beds, when they themselves could enjoy their property no longer, made large and improvident dispositions for an hospital, or for alms-houses, or other charitable purThis was one of the evils intended poses. to be remedied by the statutes of mortmain. These statutes, however, affect cases not within the mischief contemplated by them; which makes it necessary, when persons leave legacies for charitable or religious purposes, and free

The consequence is, that it is the duty of a man that has property to make his will; his relations look to him for his direction as to his property. A man that is possessed of property, and dies without a will, is like a judge who hears a case, without ever giving his judgment; or a jury who try a cause, without delivering their verdict. It is true that the law has provided for cases of intestacy; but survivors ascribe intestacy to an omission of the deceased, and are by no means satisfied that such was his intention: although they accept the share allotted them by law, they often feel disappointed.

The stamp-duties on letters of administration being much higher than those on probates of wills, and the necessity, in the former case, of a bond for faithful administration, is another inducement in favour of wills. The difference in expense is sometimes so much, that it would be acceptable to many a religious society as a legacy.

I would not wish to bias a person's judgment in the disposition of his property; but it is possible that the following hints may be serviceable to some of your readers.

In the first place, it is a person's duty, if he has the means, to provide for his own family; for he who provides not for his own household, we are told, hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

Then, if his property is sufficient, they who have fair grounds of expectation from him should not be disappointed. Their expectations should be, at the least, moderately realized. I may mention, amongst this class, near relations, and other persons, who have been the objects of the testator's bounty or promise in his lifetime. Some acknowledgment should be made to the executors for their trouble, unless they are otherwise, directly or indirectly, interested in the will; it being improper to appoint persons to that office, without giving them any remuneration.