Of what infinite value is time! 'Tis the space given for repentance, or to fill up the measure of iniquities ;-'tis the prelude, the fore. runner of heaven or hell, and yet, how short, how uncertain its dug ration! Time has no tardy pace, admits of no delay, Is it then certain that yesterday, as well as to-day, was bestowed in order to give us opportunity to redeem our neglect of the past, by the improvement of the present ? This truth no one will deny; it has been allowed by the wise and good of all ages and nations. Surely then the irrecoverable departure of yesterday must fill even the vain and thoughtless with alarm; must urge them to seize upon the present hour, lest it should escape also:-Alas, No!-Such a one will readily confess that past duties were not fulfilled, and that those before him are not more complete; nor is he ignorant that today will be quickly added to his neglected calendar. Does any one reproach him with folly for this delay, no one is more ready to acknowledge the culpability of it; but, when urged to immediate reformation-"Such and such an engagement," he cries, "prevents me today, but to-morrow, mark, to-morrow! I will begin in earnest and repair my negligence." To-morrow shines upon him, and claims the performance of his promise; but new pursuits and allurements arise with it, and fresh excuses are framed; continued negligence again deplored; and promises of speedy amendment again given, binding as the former, and which will be as easily broken, when by the hasty strides of time to-morrow is transformed into yesterday. Such is the conduct of numbers in every affair of importance throughout life: 'tis thus they trifle with time, till it is no longer their's; and to-morrow, so often depended upon, rises no more for them! If with the Emperor Titus (who called himself to an account every night for the actions of the past day; and, as often as he found he had slipped any one day without doing good, he entered upon his diary this memorial," Perdidi diem,") we could only lament the loss of a day, how sweet would be the reflection, and how heartfelt the delight! But, prone as we are by nature to do that which is forbidden, and to omit doing that which we are commanded, in taking a retrospective view of the last twelve months, we shall find that a large portion of our time has been occupied in pursuits more culpable than total idleDess. Every fool, (observes Lord Chesterfield,) who slatterns away his whole time in nothings, has some trite observation at hand, to prove both its value and its fleetness; and though they pretend to feel the necessity of employing it well, they squander it away without considering that its loss is irrecoverable." This remark is too just to be considered as a libel upon society; but to censure imperfections without pointing out a remedy, is as unavailing, as it would be for a physician to describe all the minute symptoms of a disease without recommending a proper mode of cure. * 1 2 * Dr. Young's sublime description of time was never surpassed, and can scarcely be equalled in any language :— -We take no note of time, But from its loss. To give it then a tongue, Is wise in man,-As if au angel spoke, I feel the solemn sound! He then proceeds to tell us that the stroke of the clock is "the knell of our departed hours," and warns us not to waste them! Time is every man's moral estate, and happy is he, who has early learned not to squander his patrimony! A just and correct knowledge of the importance of time should be looked upon as the greatest marks of a sound head. A man who suffers moments to glide away imperceptibly, unemployed, except in listless, indolent inactivity, or in trifling and irrational amusements, fails in the great duty he owes himself and his fellow-creatures; he fails in the duty he owes himself, for he neglects to strengthen the virtuous principles of his character by proper exercise, without which they become corrupted and inert; and he fails in the duty he owes to his fellow-creatures, because no man should live for himself alone; action is his sphere: he should do something towards the general stock, or else he is to be regarded as an intruder upon the labours of his brethren : Man, like the generous vine, supported lives, The strength he takes, is from the strength he gives. The retrospect of the past year may fill the reflecting mind with anxiety and regret; but while there is life there is hope, and though the year be as yesterday, and cannot be recalled, the one on which we have just entered, holds out renewed opportunites and advantages. 'Tis true the same temptations may again assail you, heretofore but too successful. Be, therefore, more vigilant; you have, or ought to have, increased experience to detect the foe, and more resolution to withstand the assault. Avoid the errors of the past, and remember that the present hour is all that you can call your own; make the best use of it while it is so; and rely, without fear, on that Power which will reward your sincere though feeble exertions. The departure of another year, and the arrival of a new one, have induced me to send the above piece to the Magazine; and I hope it will be the mean of exciting diligence in all who read it, to make their calling and election sure. O how speedily will the consummation of all things commence! For yet a very little while and the commissioned archangel lifts up his hand to Heaven, and swears by the Almighty Name, THAT TIME SHALL BE NO LONGER. The abused opportunities will never return, and new opportunities will never more be offered. Then should negligent mortals wish ever so passionately for a few hours, a few m ments only, to be thrown back from the opening eternity, thousands of worlds would not be able to procure the grant. Let me just remind the righteous that they now have "A twelvemonth less to struggle with the world, A twelvemonth nearer on the road to Heaven." "Whatsoever thine hand findeth to do, do it with ALL THY MIGHT,” is a thought I would recommend to the reader as well as myself, as a motto for the new year 1818. HENRY BASDEN. DEAR SIR, To the Editor. OBITUARY. York, Dec. 6, 1817. I HAVE the painful task to communicate to you the unpleasant information of the death of our highly esteemed brother, JONATHAN PARKIN. He left this world for a better on Friday morning, the 29th uit. at Malton, in the 55th year of his age, and 34th of his itinerancy. His beloved wite departed this life about five months ago, after a long illness; during which he was deeply affected, and strictly attentive to her in all her weaknesses; so much so, that many of his frieuds suspect, that the fatigue of his body, with the distress of his mind, contributed greatly to the affliction that ended his mortal life. This illness cominenced about six weeks before his death, through a cold, attended with a slight fever; under which he continued to perform his regular work, until a blood-vessel breaking, and the discharge becoming alarming, he was persuaded by his medical attendant to rest a few weeks. This, however, did not give the relief expected, for frequent relapses followed soon after, and cut off all hope of his recovery. The disease produced excessive langour; so that, for several days before his death, he conid not speak so as to be heard, with out the greatest attention: but his mind was perfectly composed and tranquil. It may be said, with perfect truth and propriety, of our departed brother, that he was a humble and holy man, quite content to be "little and unknown, Priz'd and lov'd by God alone." In Malton he was universally respected by all who knew him; and those who were the most acquainted with him say, they never knew so holy a man; one who, in every thing, in every place, and at all times, was so entirely the Christian. Multitudes of all sects in the town attended his funeral, and the sermon preached on the occasion, in the chapel, in the evening. His children have met with an irreparable loss, and they feel it. May they find their consolation in the protection and presence of him, who is the Father of the fatherless. THEOPHILUS LESSEY. By a letter to Mr. BLANSHARD from Mr. ELLIDGE, dated Ely, Dec. 10, it appears that Mr. WILTON, the Superintendant of that circuit, also is no more. He died on Tuesday morning, the 9th. His affliction continued about nine weeks, during which time, Mr. E. says, "he was very happy in his mind, and that it was delightful and affecting to hear him declare the goodness of God to his soul, his entire dependance on the atonement, and the abuudant consolation which he received through faith in Jesus. That morning, about three o'clock, he had a very severe attack, which the doctor thought was occasioned by an abscess formed in his stomach. This burst, and nature being unable to clear the discharge fron. his breast, he expired about II o'clock. [We are sorry that duty calls us to lay another mournful letter before our readers, announcing the death of another of our Missionaries in the West Indies.] Extract of a letter from Mr. RUTLEDGE, to Mr. BENSON, dated Bahamas, New Providence, Sept. 24, 1817. THE painful task falls to me to inform yourself and the Committee of the melancholy event of brother Joseph Ward's death; which took place on the 21st inst. after an illness of some days. From the third day till the ninth, his doctors thought him getting better, as did also his friends and his nurses; but on Sunday the twenty-first, an awful and alarming change took place, which soon hurried the spirit of our dear brother into eternity. He died, however, in the most happy state of mind, triumphing over death and the grave; praying, praising, and preaching Jesus to the very last. The third day of his sickness, I asked him the state of his mind: he answered, seemingly much affected, "I have a good, a strong hope through grace." I said, fixed within the vail, for the storms may "My brother, have your anchor well soon rise very high." He answered, with an impressive voice, "They may, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever."- Though there is at present a destructive fever prevailing in Providence, by which many strong and into eternity: yet our brother's death was formerlyhealthy persons have beenhurried not occasioned by it, but by his too great exertions in the heat of the season. two chapels in town had to undergo repairs, in the doing of which brother Ward would not be prevailed upon to forbear his exertions till the whole work was finished. The consequence was, that three days after he was seized with a fever, and a pain in his breast, which in a little time removed him from this valley Our of tears to the paradise of God. I think he was one of the most diligent labourers and bestPreachers thateverthe Committee sent to the West Indies. His mental capacity was great: he had made some progress in the Latin and Greek languages, and had the Lord seen good to have spared him to have returned home, the Connection would have had in him a preacher possessed of qualifications far above the middle rate. His gift in prayer was great, exceeded by that of few in the Methodist Conference.-There will be considerable difficulty in supplying his place till we receive a Missionary from home; as brother Turton cannot visit any of the out places on the Harbour Island Circuit; and, as there is neither Church of England nor Presbyterian minister officiating now in Providence, the town cannot properly be left with less than two preachers. Mr. Hepworth, the Church minister, is very sickly, and, through a long fever, rendered unable to preach; and, indeed, it is said he must move from the Island for some time, in order to recover his health.-The Scotch minister, Dr. Macfarlane, died of the fever before he had been three months in the Island. He was a good preacher; a man strictly on the side of piety. The public, and indeed the Methodists, have suffered a great loss by the death of this faithful minister. Judge, dear Sir, what an awful visitation the churches have had in this town; in less than six months there has died Dr. John Stevens of the Church of England, Dr. Hugh Macfarlane of the Church of Scotland, and from our church our much esteemed and laborious brother J. Ward. His funeral was the largest ever seen in Providence. Our black people deserve to be mentioned with honour, for their great attention and faithful services to our brother in his sickness, their decent appearance at his funeral, their heartfelt sorrow, expressed in floods of tears, which drew the attention of all present. Our white members and friends also shewed the greatest attention and respect. The public here never witnessed such a sight as this funeral afforded them. P. S. October the 11th. Brother William Wilson has caught the fever, and lies ill in my house, where he was taken a few days after his return from Harbour Island. May God spare his life! The times are awful. MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE. From the LEADERS and STEWARDS of the Society in Gibraltar, to the MISSIONARY COMMITTEE. Gibraltar, Aug. 25, 1817. REV. AND DEAR BRETHREN, SINCE the arrival of our worthy and well-beloved brother and pastor, the Rev. Thomas Davis, God has been carrying on a good work among us. This has been mostly among the military. Of the Royal Artillery and 67th Regt. many have been awakened, and many brought to a sense of salvation through Christ. The greater part of these have left this place to return to their native land, and to all appearance are determined to give themselves entirely to God. Some of the Royal Artillery still remain with us, and continue to evidence the change which has taken place in them, by a holy life. There are also some few among the Royal Sappers and Miners, and Staff corps, who appear to have a good work begun in them, and to love the truth. But the most particular work of God is among the men of the 26th regt.; numbers of whom have been wrought upon, and many have joined the society. Some, indeed, have drawn back, but numbers still remain with us, and walk worthy of their Christian calling. Mr. Davis pays the greatest attention to them, visits them in their camp, has interested himself greatly in procuring them a place to meet in, and has appointed Mr. Thomas Davis to visit them also weekly, when convenient, so that they have preaching frequently. As to the stated inhabitants of the place, there is not that work among them which we would wish to see. We believe, however, that God is at work among them also, as many of them have been awakened, and some have jomed the society, and are endeavouring to live according to the gospel. The number in society is 102, of whom 35 are inhabitants, and 67 of the military. So that, you see, your Christian exertions have been crowned with some success, even in this wicked and abandoned place. We are happy to inform you, that besides those in society, our chapel is attended by a number of respectable persons, who, we hope, will ultimately profit by the word. Our wor thy brother, the Rev. Mr. D. is highly respected by all who have any knowledge of him in this place, and especially by the different members of the society, for the truly missionary spirit by which he s actuated. We would wish him to remain with us two years longer, as we behere it would be for the good of the cause of God; but though he would have no objections himself to stay, if he saw his way clear, yet, in consequence of his partner's constitution not being equal to the heat of the climate, we are under the disagreeable necessity of giving up all expectations of this nature. It is with pleasure we have also to inform you, that our temporal affairs are in & prosperous state; and we humbly hope, by God's blessing, we shall be enabled gradually to reduce our very heavy debt on the chapel. We are, Rev. and dear Brethren, THOMAS DAVIS, MICH. CAULFIELD, JOHN B. HERBERT, SOUTH AFRICA. Leaders. Stewards. From Mr. BARNABAS SHAW, Missionary As I am sure your heart rejoices in the trath. in the spread of the truth, and in the effects produced by the truth, I doubt not but the following extracts will be ac ceptable to you. Jan. 26. While giving out the first hymn before our evening service, one of the men in the house suddenly fell upon the ground: on inquiring of my Interpreter whether the man was sick, he answered, that the man (he believed) was not siek, but convinced of sin. On asking the Hottentot what was the reason of his falling from his place upon the earth, he said it was by reason of his On hearing the name of Jesus, (said he,) I was so affected respecting my tuation, that in a short time I became as one drunk; I then fell to the ground, being no longer able to keep my seat. This has caused me to think more deeply that passage of Scripture found in 1 Cor. xiv. 24, 25, "If all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all; and thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face, he will worship God, and report that God is among you of a truth." Feb. 9. While preaching from the "Fountain opened for sin and uncleanness," the people were exceedingly attentive and much affected. One of the young Hottentots said, after service, that she now believed that Yesop (Jesus,) had more love for Zondaars, (sinners,) then it was possible for a mother to have for her son or daughter. O how powerful is the Gospel when attended by a Divine unction! How cheering to my soul to hear the people speak of the work of the Lord in their hearts. 19. We put our oxen to the yoke, and begun our work of haling stones for the Chapel. All being in readiness for our beginning to build, I preached from Zech. vi. 15, "And they that are afar off, shall come and build in the temple of the Lord, and ye shall know that the Lord of Hosts hath sent me unto you. And this shall come to pass if ye will diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God." 20. I am much tried with some of the people, who will not work; and with others who will work for half an hour, and then lie down to sleep. On reproving them, they said they were willing to work, if they had food to eat; but they had nothing wherewith to support themselves. (Many of the poor Hottentots have nothing to eat but the roots that they dig out of the ground, or what others give them. The length of time that they subsist without food, when not working, is truly astonishing.) 21. I called for the Chief, or Captain of the Kraal. When I asked him if it were really his desire that a Chapel should be erected, and wherefore he did not come out amongst the people, and call them to the work? he answered that many of the people would not obey him, should he call for them;--that others wore poor, and had nothing to eat;-that, for himself, he had nothing to give them, till the little wheat that he had should be thrashed. But if my corn were thrashed, (said the Captain,) I would willingly give food to the people who come to work at the Kirk; it is my desire that a Chapel should be built, where the word of God may be preached, and my soul learn to know the truth. I then called for all the people to come together, in order to adopt soine methed |