THE Soul of man is of infinite worth. A consideration of its duration, its capacity to enjoy happiness or endure misery, the important events connected with its existence, its destiny in the future world, which will be the eternal enjoyment of the smiles and approbation of God, and the society of angels and just men made perfect, who have come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads, or banishment from the presence of God and the glory of his power for ever, as the consequences of the improvement or misimprovement of the privileges of a probationary state, in connexion with the provision made for its deliverance from sin, and the awful danger to which it is exposed, by the incarnation. sufferings, death, resurrection, ascension, and intercession at the right hand of God, of our Lord Jesus Christ; is calculated not only to impress us with a sense of its value, but also with a view of the importance of labouring for its present and future welfare. The grand object of Christ's advent into the world, the thrusting out of men into the vineyard, with the commission, "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature," in connexion with the operation of the Holy Ghost, was the accomplishment of this great end, the salvation of the immortal soul. Where is a man, standing as a watchman on the walls of our spiritual Zion, in view of these truths, considering the depravity of the soul, the danger of men unreconciled to God, and the temptations to which those are exposed who have started in the way to heaven-that can with indifference expatiate on the sacred truths of the Gospel, without faithfully warning the unconverted to flee from the wrath to come and urging upon the professed followers of Jesus Christ the importance of faithfulness in Christian duty in order to a crown of everlasting life. As min

isters of Christ's glorious gospel, we should study, read, think, pray, and preach with an eye to the souls of our fellow men. In order to this, let their condition be properly realized, let us seriously reflect on the nature of our work, the shortness of the time allotted us for its accomplishment, the uncertainty of the period of our discharge, the responsibility connected with our station, and the awful doom that must be the portion of the unfaithful minister. Let us labour that our own souls may be imbued with the Spirit of God, and when we visit the family, and meet our fellow traveller to eternity on the road, or go to the sanctuary of the Lord, let us ever feel the force of this truth," My business is to save souls."

There is no time to seek for popular applause, no time to please the ear while the heart remains untouched; for death is near, eternity is at hand, the day of judgment is rapidly approaching, when we, with those whom we address, shall stand before Jehovah's bar, there to account for our manner of preaching, and they for their manner of hearing, and to experience the rewards of heaven or the punishments of hell. With the word of truth in our hands, the love of God in our hearts, and an eye on the soul, let us go forth without the camp, giving the trumpet a certain sound, maintaining a conscience void of offence toward God and toward man, that with stars in our crown of rejoicing we may finally stand açquitted and saved with an everlasting salvation.

SOCIAL PRAYER.

"Our Father, which art in heaven."

GOD is our Father. And what feelings of gladness fill our bosom when calling him our Father. We may be scattered up and down this world of separation, and distance the roof, and the school, and the

companions, and comforts, of early life, may have all passed away, and distinct interests and individual professions may have tended to break down the united feeling which knit our hearts together; but still there is one place where we are at home, there are periods in each day's existence, when separation, and distance, and selfishness, haste away,-it is when in our retirement we kneel and say, "Our Father, which art in heaven," There is a community of feeling among the children of one united happy family. And if the Father have distinguished himself among men; if the fatherless and widow have been relieved by his exertions and benevolence, and the blessing of those who were ready to perish came upon him; if he possessed superior mental endowments; if history, and science, and morality, and religion, were indebted to his pen, and his existence,— in the moments of relaxation it gives to them a joy, with which strangers cannot intermeddle, to talk of him as their Father, to claim a common relationship; and to remember that, notwithstanding all his intellectual greatness, he watched over their infant steps, and soothed their infant sorrows, and taught them their "first small words." But all this is only an emblem of the relationship which subsists between our Father in heaven and his children. We bow our knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. In this way we claim kindred with the people of God throughout the world. Son of God is the surname of the whole family. It is the only name known at the throne of grace. To God as our Father we with one consent, with one desire, with one language, resort, because we are brethren. And is there a more imposing sight than that which presents itself to the eye of faith, of millions with hearts going out towards one common refuge? Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son

into our hearts. We have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Father, Father. *

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We should have remarked, in addition, that this prayer is strikingly adapted to social meetings. Throughout the day the business of life must be attended to. And what a fine exhibition of infinite wisdom in the arrangements of families, and professions, and communities. It is the most finished system. Complete, yet simple; and the different parts harmonizing, so as to make up one beautiful whole. And so it happens, that whosoever is most diligent in business, and advances best his own interests and those of his family through the day, is the greatest blessing to the whole community, of which he only forms a very small part. But whose spirits are ever so elevated as to sustain them amid the difficulties of life? Who so constituted as to remain ever in solitude? Who so selfish as to raise up a barrier, which must always stand in the way of social intercourse? It cannot be. We must hold fellowship with our neighbours at one time another; and the Christian, the disciple of Jesus, in particular, could no more live without the society and prayers of fellow disciples than he could exist without the air which he breathes, or the food which he eats. Therefore God, in his wisdom and love, has provided for this desire, and he is furnished with a book, in which he marks the names of all those who cannot live without the gratification of this desire. You will see the children of the family associating together in acts of social prayer, from week to week, in the sanctuary of God, or in other places where prayer is wont to be made, when the din of business is hushed to silence, when the cares of life are passing into oblivion, and they cry out Abba, Father, our Father, which art in heaven. We ask those who despise such meetings,-Are you

or

the children of God? Did you ever pray aright? Did you ever know the import of that word, our Father, which art in heaven? We ask those who once attended, but now neglect such meetings, if they can lay their heads down upon their pillows with the same composure of mind they were wont to possess ; if they do not say, amid their increased anxieties, and duties, and profits, and honours, O that it were with us as in months past?

TO THE EDITOR OF THE REVIVALIST.

DEAR SIR,-How much I am indebted to your pages, in keeping up with some kind of interest, at least to myself, my weekly congregational prayer meetings, those thermometers of Christian love! Should the preceding extracts from my note book, be of use to any fellow-labourer in such meetings, their insertion will be a pleasure to, and may be followed by others from Φιλόπαις.

S―d, 7th June, 1837.

ST. JOHN'S CHAPEL, BEDFORD ROW.

[With an Engraving.]

THE building, a representation of which we place before our readers this month, is a well known episcopal chapel in London, dear to the hearts of many thousands of Christians of all classes. Nor can this be a matter of surprise, when we remember that its pulpit has been occupied by Cecil, the present bishop of Calcutta, and at this time, by a man not less valuable than either-the Hon. and Rev. Baptist W. Noel,-a man, who, to eminent talent, learning, and piety, adds an anxious concern to promote "The Unity of the Church," and to bring together in one holy bond all the followers of Christ. Long may he live, and eminently useful may his labours prove.