which filled the whole universe with intelligence and beauty. He, and He only, stirred this infinite deep into activity, and awoke in it those delicate and inconceivably swift pulsations, which now circulate ever, from dewdrop to dewdrop, and from star to star, uniting the most distant worlds to each other, and conveying, to myriad eyes, a clear knowledge of this mighty universe. It was He, who filled the sun and all the stars with their unborrowed light, and enriched them with their mysterious and unexplained power to awaken these abysses of ether, that might else have slumbered on for ever, and condemned the whole creation to everlasting darkness. It was He who gave every other substance its power, to refract and vary those pulses of light, and to transmit them, in new forms; to bear witness of the power which has changed them, and links every part of God's works, by a perpetual change of influence, with all the rest. The laws of reflection are His ordinance, by which the height of heaven is mirrored continually on the deep ocean, and every rivulet sparkles with light, and embosoms in its delicate waves all the beauty of this green and lovely earth, as it hastens to lose itself in the sea, like time in eternity. The laws of refraction are His also; the source of all the rich glory of sunset-skies, and the beautiful tints of the bow of promise, which make the ruby and the diamond sparkle with life, and by means of the telescope and microscope, have opened to the eye of science ten thousand wonders in every leaf and insect of our earth, as well as through the remotest depths of space, in the starry firmament. The laws of colour are equally appointed and ordained by His Divine wisdom. Without these, all creation would be one dreary blank, and vision be almost an useless gift. But now

every object starts into new life, and receives a character of its own. Distinctions in these waves of ether, so minute that science can only just discover them, and measure their length, are turned, by this benevolent and wise ordinance, into an inexhaustible source of instruction and delight to all the intelligent creatures of God. The beauty of every flower, the glancing play of light on every leaflet in the forest, the rich and glowing colours that glance from every drop of morning dew, when traced to their hidden fountain, resolve themselves into that mysterious voice of Divine power and wisdom, which commanded the light to shine out of darkness, and gave laws to that subtle ether which have never since been repealed.

But, amidst all the wonders of optical science, it is, perhaps, in the structure of the human eye that the treasures of knowledge, hidden in our blessed Lord, may be seen most clearly. "He that formed the eye, shall not He see?" If every part of our frame is fearfully and wonderfully made, our wonder and fear may well be redoubled, when we meditate on this gift of Divine love. Here the whole universe is made to concentrate in one point, and compelled to minister, through all its various regions, to the wants and desires of the immortal spirit. Curiously wrought and fashioned in the lower parts of the earth, this noble organ appears from the first in finished perfection, beyond the laborious mimicry of science, a means of communion with distant worlds, and with the innumerable emotions and delicate shades of thought and feeling, that play in perpetual change on the countenances of our fellow

men.

He who in these latter days could use the spittle and the clay to restore sight to him who was born blind, and recover, either by slow degrees, as at Beth

saida, or by one act of sudden power, as at the pool of Siloam, the precious gift which had been previously withheld, is the same Lord who formed the ether, and gave it perpetual laws, obeyed from age to age, by every pulse of light, that travels continually, with unwearied rapidity, from star to star and from system to system, throughout the wide universe. "The light dwelleth with Him :" He is the fountain from whence its sacred streams issued at the first, and from Him they derive strength to renew their cheering influence, and convey the messages of His power and love to all His creatures and servants here below. O that our hearts were truly awake to the wonders that are within us and around us!

We could not, then, catch one sparkle of light from the morning dew, or mark the petal of one modest primrose or lowly violet, or behold our own countenance reflected in the mirrors of luxurious art, without a thrill of reverence and wonder. We should raise our thoughts at once to that holy and heavenly Lawgiver, who taught the day-spring in the beginning to know its place, and commanded the light to shine out of darkness; who formed the eye, and knows all its secret powers; who created the universe, with all its mysterious laws; and is still the same, yesterday, to-day, and for ever, the Word and Wisdom of the Father, the true fountain alike of natural and spiritual light to all the creatures of God!

THE CONVERSION OF AN INFIDEL.

THE following interesting account of the conversion of an infidel, is transcribed, by permission, from the journal of a lady, whose time is much occupied in visiting the

poor in one of the villages in the neighbourhood of the metropolis, and whose labours have in many instances been owned by her Master. We introduce it to our readers, in hopes it may cheer some who may be labouring wearily in an apparently hopeless soil. The family in question was first introduced to their kind Teacher, by the interest she took in Hannah, their little grand-daughter, a sweet child whose heart the Lord seemed to open as gently as that of Lydia, to receive the truth, and whose earnest desire it was then to see her grand-parents enjoy the same blessing.

'Pray, Ma'am,' said the child, with evident effort in the presence of her school-fellows, call upon my grandmother, and read to her.' I smiled assent, but doubted how the desired visit might be accomplished. According to agreement, I called on Mrs. B., and saw in a moment my presence was not desired. Hannah looked timidly at me, offered me a chair, and while I addressed her grandmother, produced the Bible, a book which was regularly dusted but never opened. My little scholar having thus performed her part, I lost no time in opening the sacred volume at 2 Tim. iii. 16, also 2 Peter i. 21; then without waiting for assent or opposition, I proceeded to turn to the sixth of John, and read to the

fourteenth verse. 'That is pretty reading,' said Mrs. B., 'if it is all true.'-'Why should we doubt the truth of it,' I replied. 'It is so wonderful,' was the answer. -And was not the recovery of your child's health equally astonishing; medicine was unavailing, no man could afford any assistance, all hope of recovery was gone, and you were well nigh in despair.'-'I remember the mercy,' said the fond parent, regarding her child with affection, 'I shall not forget it any more,' then turning towards myself she said, 'perhaps you will call another day, when you are at leisure.' 'Most willingly,' I replied, the more frequently you hear God's word, the greater will be your desire for it.' As I closed the Bible, Hannah rose to lay it on the shelf from whence she had taken it, and with one of her sweetest smiles said, 'Thank you, Ma'am !' Thus did this little girl, like the captive maid, 2 Kings v., employ her one talent, and become in the dawn of life, a little labourer in the Lord's vineyard. Let no little child despair of being useful; for even a cup of cold water given in the name of Christ, shall not lose its reward. Hannah was henceforward on the watch to apprise me when her grandmother was at leisure, and after many successive visits, it was agreed, that I should add her to the list of my weekly pensioners, and gradually I enjoyed the privilege of perceiving, that the entrance of the word brought light into her soul. Hidden sins were discovered; past transgressions weighed heavily on her mind, those faults which she had formerly considered trifling now rose frightfully before her, and she needed consolation from on high, a sense of pardoning love through the atoning blood of Christ. She struggled through this conflicting period, until the bright and morning star rose upon her horizon, and ushered in the