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from some necessary cause. In his last attendance at the Clothworkers' Company, of which at his death, and for several preceding years, he was father, he gave a dona tion of 101. to make a gift from that company to various poor freemen amount to a sovereign each. The last meal which he took from under his own roof was at the Rectory House, where he had spent many social religious hours with the late incumbent, from which he did not now feel himself estranged, as his successor was the son of his old revered friend; respecting whom, in common with the whole surviving family, he spake in his com posed moments with terms of affectionate regard. The last time he entered the house of prayer was at St. Bartholomew's, on the Epiphany, a Tuesday morning lecture, which he regularly attended, from the high respect he entertained for the very worthy lecturer. In returning home, accompanied by his nearest female relative, as he approached the parochial school-house, he said, "I am going in here." This was his last visit of mercy to this institution, to the interest of which he had been many years devoted, not only as treasurer, but in every way that appeared to him likely to advance its welfare. Mr. K. had ordered a dinner for the children, and he availed himself of this opportunity to address them, which it was observed he did with more than usual propriety. His attention was attracted for the time, though his mind returned to its former wanderings as soon as he left the house. On the following evening he attended a committee meeting of the Deaf and Dumb Asylum; and this was the last time he left his habitation. Had he selected for himself his last exertions, they would not have been very dissimilar from what they actually were. Happy they who are found thus doing when their Lord sends OCT. 1824.

his summons to give in their account!

This venerable man had marked tokens of respect paid him. at his funeral. The treasurer, committee, and children of the parochial charity school, with a very large congregation, attended on the occasion.

The general character of Mr. K. was nearly thus drawn by the respected rector who preached his funeral sermon.

"A crown of righteousness, there is every reason humbly to hope, has been put upon our departed brother. He was a servant of God, and the desire of his heart was to approve himself to his Judge. He had the fear of God before his eyes, and lived as under his inspection, frequently turning his thoughts to his departure from this world. If I were called upon to name any distinguishing characteristic of our departed friend, I should probably say, it was his kind feeling for those who were in distressed circumstances of life. That feeling with him was ever alive, and it only needed the sight of misery or poverty to call it forth into action. Nor did it with him evaporate in a mere sensation, nor in expressions of pity and condolence; his hand and his heart were equally open to the tale of woe.' Perhaps few persons with a moderate income exercised benevolence on so large and general a scale; scale that might justly put to blush those who have their tens and hundreds of thousands.

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"The Lord's blessing produced and cherished in him diligent exertions. He was fervent in spirit serving the Lord, at the same time that he was not slothful in business. He was also earnest in his wishes and zealous in his endeavours to promote the spiritual good of his friends and connexions. Often has he pointed out to them the path to life eternal, and pressed upon them the performance of those duties

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which he felt himself to be of the last importance. Many who listened to his words with carelessness, and thought little of them at the time, will probably recollect his kind warnings, and his warm feelings towards them, now that the heart that dictated them and the tongue that uttered them are mouldering in the silent tomb. Many have spoken more eloquently, many with more tempered judgement-but he spoke honestly, and the words of truth; and those who did not agree with him in opinion, rarely felt displeasure at the well-meant advice of an aged and respectable friend, who himself followed that line of conduct which he pointed out to others.

"It is a most gratifying and pleasing spectacle, to see an aged Christian, having attained so many years beyond the age usually alotted to man, to see him persevering to the last in the pious path that leads to life eternal; he sought the Lord în his youth, and in his old age he did not decline from him. May the young attend to the example! He sought to hear the word of God when it was preached from the pulpit, and he sought it from his Bible. He asked the divine assistance to enable him to practise 'what he heard and read; and thus, by the grace of God, was preserved from those evils to which the neglect of these means might have exposed him. Such was his conduct

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in youth; nor was it opposite to this in old age. It pleased the Almighty, in his inscrutable wisdom, to allow his latter days to be darkened by a cloud of bodily weakness and mental debility. But nothing is to be decided from the way in which men leave the world. Different ends are allotted to the children of God. Some are graciously favoured with the support of the Lord in their last hours, and are thereby enabled to feel and express the hope that is in them, and bear their dying testimony to the value of the religion of Jesus. From others that support is for a season withdrawn; but we are assured that such darkness endures but for the brief season of departing life; and that those who have died in the Lord shall find it succeeded by the light that shineth unto the perfect day-that cloudless eternal day where disquietude shall be exchanged for rest; sickness and sorrow, for health and joy; fear and doubting, for the certainty of bliss supreme. God grant that we may all be excited to dedicate ourselves to his service, by laying out plans and executing them for the glory of his name and the benefit of our fellow-creatures! In one word, let us strive and pray that we may so live in the fear of God, that whether we die sooner or later, we may come to the grave "like as a shock of corn cometh in, in his season."

TO MY ELDEST BOY,

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G. K.

THEN FIVE YEARS OLD; FROM POEMS BY A CLERGYMAN.

My boy! I mark a lustre bright,

That kindles in thine eye,

And now, anon, the liquid light

Of heaven-born ecstacy.

My child, it is the spark divine, Lights up that little face of thine. O never quench that blessed light, Infus'd by God above,

To lead thee on thy path aright,
A token of his love;

To be the beacon to thy soul,
To light it to its destined goal.

Then ever shun the sinner's ways,
That lead to death and shame;

Love thy Creator all thy days,

And venerate his name;

Scorn the low things of time and sense,
Aud trust in his good providence.

And bend to him thine infant knee,
And he will bend thy will,

In his own arms encompass thee,
And shield from every ill;

And bear thy soul, when thou shalt die,

To his own paradise on high.

SIGNS OF THE TIMES.

WHO can look back upon the wonderful events that have rapidly succeeded each other since the beginning of this century, and not perceive that the last days are approaching, and that some of the great prophecies are becoming in a way to be fulfilled?

Till very near the close of the last century, the only great religious societies and public institutions in the metropolis were, the venerable societies for promoting Christian Knowledge, and for propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts, the Naval and Military Bible Society, and that for relieving small Debtors, with perhaps two or three others. About this time, however, Mr. Lancaster introduced the Borough Road school, being the first school in these dominions upon the system of mutual instruction, and which then seemed to be generally approved of. The abolition of the African slave trade too had then been just set on foot through the humane exertions of Mr. Wilberforce and others.

No sooner, however, did the present century commence, than the Church Missionary and the British and Foreign Bible Societies were formed, and were rapidly succeeded by the Merchant Seaman's Bible Societies, the London and other Missionary Societies, that for dispersing Prayer Books and the Homilies of our church, and for spreading Christianity among the Jews, the African Institution, National School, Hibernian, Church Building, Anti-Slavery, Prison Discipline, and other philanthropic Societies. And besides these metropolitan institutions, the Lancastrian and National Schools have been disseminated all over the kingdom, throughout which likewise the societies for promoting Christian Knowledge, the

British and Foreign Bible, Church Missionary, Jews, and other societies, have been extended by means of district, branch, and auxiliary societies, and ladies associations.

It was therefore justly noticed in the Preface to a periodical publication for the year 1821, that "in their earlier numbers at the beginning of the century, it was difficult to collect sufficient religious intelligence of an interesting nature to fill up a few brief pages; whereas, with the overwhelming materials of this description which now accumulated around them, their utmost efforts were required to abridge and condense them, so as to furnish even a passing sketch of the progress of morals, education, religion, and general improvement in various parts of the world."

And not only have these new institutions arisen and met with increasing support, but the old societies for promoting Christian Knowledge and propagating the Gospel have been roused from the torpid state they had fallen into, and become as active as the new societies; so that from the operation of the whole, a most wonderful spread of Christianity is taking place; the ameliorating doctrines of which have penetrated the most distant parts of the habitable world.

Since the beginning of this century too, a set of impressive doctrinal and practical preachers have so greatly increased, that hardly any city or large provincial town is without one or two of them; and evening lectures, which till within these last twenty years were mostly confined to the Dissenters and Methodists chapels, and to a few churches in the metropolis, and two or three of our larger cities on a Sunday evening, are now preached on other evenings of the week, and in general are very well at

tended, though mostly by the middling, lower, and the trading

classes.

An inquiry may here naturally be made into the cause of this amazing progress in religion and philanthropy in so few years; which must undoubtedly primarily be attributed to an extraordinary effusion of the Holy Spirit in promoting, in these last days, the fulfilment of the prophecies relating to the future spread of the Gospel, and conversion of the Heathen and Jews. As, however, the will of the Deity is usually effected by human means or second causes, perhaps much of the extraordinary exertion that has so lately been made may be considered as the effects of competition. For the clergy of the national church, noticing the great progress of the system of mutual instruction of Mr. Lancaster, were induced to bring forward Dr. Bell, who at Madras had been pursuing the same kind of instruction; and to use every effort to bring a similar system, adapted to the tenets of the Church of England, into as full operation as that of Mr. Lancaster. In like manner, the activity of the British and Foreign Bible and Church Missionary Societies have roused the old ones, for promoting Christian Knowledge and for propagating the Gospel, from the torpid state they had fallen into, and have been the means of their becoming equally zealous and active in their concerns; and the picty, industry, and exemplary conduct of the evangelical clergy have stimulated those contradistinguished as the high church, or orthodox clergy, to exert themselves and find employmeat in the week days in taking their turns in superintending the national schools, and have also induced many of them to adopt a more scriptural and impressive manner of preaching than had before been the case.

The order, too, of the progress of these several institutions de

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to be noticed; as, first, the schools of mutual instruction, with also adult schools, were set on foot, and afterwards disseminated through the kingdom; as to little purpose would Bibles, &c. have been gratuitously or cheaply circulated and distributed, if the poor after all could not read them. Next followed the several Bible Societies, with their branches and associations, likewise disseminated throughout the kingdom; and the renewed activity of the old society, and also that for the cheap dispersion of the Prayer Book and Homilies, mostly supported by the church members of the Bible Society; to supply the want therein of circulating the Prayer Book with the Bible, as in the Bartlett's buildings Society. "But how shall they hear without a preacher?” About the same time, then, with these, commenced the Church Missionary and many other missionary societies; all of which soon came into full activity, and without in the least injuring or interfering with one another. And from the same spirit of piety and benevolence now brought into action, and doubtless in some degree promoted by the examples and impressive manner of preaching of the more serious clergy, arose the several other religious and philanthropic institutions before mentioned, for the Conversion of the Jews, the Abolition of Slavery, the Prison Discipline, Religious Tract, Guardian, Philanthropic, Hibernian, and other societies; of which a full account is given in the Annual Charity Almanac, published by Murray; together with the various means used for the spread of religion amongst the seamen in our harbours, docks, &c.

Neither should it be omitted to mention here, as a work of the nineteenth century, the great improvement likely to be made in the imorals and habits of the lower classes by the introduction and

wonderful increase of Provident ledge and practice conformable to it; but the rising generation may hope to witness some of these happy results, and the wonderful advantages of the Christian religion, when brought into its natural operation, by the improved conduct of those who "profess and call themselves Christians;" especially as it may reasonably be expected, that the exertions so happily begun and set on foot in this century will, by the blessing of God, and through the influence of his Holy Spirit, be continued, with increased and accumulating exertion, throughout the remainder of the same; and afterwards, till Christianity shall become the universal religion of the world, and wars and fightings shall be no more; till at length the times predicted by the prophet shall arrive, when "the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them;" when

Banks throughout the kingdom; by which much of their gainings that had before been spent at the alehouse, or uselessly squandered away, and sometimes lost for want of a place of security to deposit them in, are now safely laid up for them, with allowance of interest for the same at 4 per cent.; and habits of economy and saving are promoted. Nor should we, in conclusion, omit to make honorable mention of the activity and great exertions of the ladies throughout these dominions in promoting the objects of the Bible, Missionary, Jews, and other societies, by forming themselves into associations, and becoming collectors of weekly or monthly small subscriptions, &c. amongst the poor, and thereby giving them an interest in these great concerns, and by also giving up much of their time in superintending the National, Lancastrian, and Sunday Schools. But what language can duly appreciate the exertions of those benevolent ladies in the metropolis, who have not only made the attempt, but succeeded in effecting a great reformation amongst the convicts of Newgate; a place that till then it was thought to be scarcely safe for a virtuous female to enter. That this example may be a means of stimulating many other ladies to follow their example in occasionally visiting the other prisons, not only of the metropolis but of other large and provincial towns, must be devoutly wished by every true Christian and real patriot.

As to the consequences of all these stupendous exertions, in the first quarter of the nineteenth century, the elders of this generation can only please themselves with the idea and expectation of the future amelioration of the human species, and a gradual spread of religious know

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they shall beat their swords into plough-shares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. But they shall sit, every man under his vine and under his fig-tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it."

Chichester.

SEPTUAGEN ARIUS.

We are not quite certain whether our venerable correspondent has noticed the various Societies in the exact order of their formation; but when full allowance for any trifling defects of this nature is made, his communication presents a cheering view of the rapid progress of the Redeemer's kingdom. We see the first dawn of that day, when the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth as the waters the sea.

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