and insincerity. The great point is, to be honest and industrious. Let a man be faithful to his duty, and he will find the truth, he will gather knowledge, and become a good, a knowing, a useful, and a happy man.

MURMURING.

ALL things are not evil that are unpleasant. Things that are most disagreeable to our taste, may be best for our health. Coarse food may be likeliest to prevent diseases; and laborious exercise may be necessary to our strength. So in the world around us, things that seem violent and mischievous, are often ministers of good. Rough winds, that throw down trees and unroof our dwellings, may be necessary to carry away on their hasty wings infections vapours, that would otherwise sweep us away with the plague. The lightning and the thunder relieve the air from exhalations, that might otherwise be our death. The frosts of winter, the rains of spring, as well as the soft and sunny days of summer, tend to fertilize the earth, and cover the hills with grass, the fields with corn, and the trees with fruit. It may be so with our afflictions. They are to the mind as medicine is to a diseased body; not pleasant, but very wholesome and profitable. They are to the soul as the winds and frosts and showers are to the earth; they make it fruitful in know→ ledge and true holiness. Those very storms which we complain of most, may be the very things by which we are kept from death: and those very afflictions which we regard as so severe, may be the means by which we are kept from sin and ruin.

Again, the winds and storms are under the control of God; and so are afflictions and trials. The winds cannot move, but as God directs; no more can pain and sorrow. A sparrow cannot fall to the ground without the notice of our heavenly Father, and the very hairs of our head are numbered. God observes the most trifling events of our life, and nothing can take place against his will. And God is not unkind, nor is he wanting in strength. He loves his people, and always consults their

welfare: he consults their welfare, and what he purposes he can bring to pass. If we were in a world without a God-if we were a fatherless race of beings, the sport of chance, or the victims of a blind unfeeling fate, there would be reason for murmuring; but it is not so. The world is ruled by an almighty and all-wise God, and like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him, We are therefore safe, and our interests are safe also. While we are followers of that which is good, nothing can harm us. Bad men may persecute or wrong us; devils may harrass us with temptation; and pains and bereavements may visit us in the order of Providence; but the Ruler of the universe is our Father, and all things work together for good to them that love God.

THE LITTLE PRAYING CHILD.

A LITTLE girl, six years of age, was a scholar in the Infant School in Salford, connected with the Rev. H. Stowell's church, Her mind was under the gracious influences of the Holy Spirit, and she was an illustration of the Scripture-"Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise."

TH

The father of the little child was an infidel, and despised the Holy Scriptures. The child would take him by the band, and press him to go with her to hear their minister preach, but he always refused. He returned home one evening, and inquired where his child was. The mother said-"She is in bed." go and give her one kiss," said the father; but as he approached the chamber, he heard the voice of prayer. It was his little Jane. He heard-"Do, God Almighty, lead daddy to hear Mr. Stowell preach." The artless prayer touched the feelings, but he was still unwilling to go with the child. Her perseverance at last succeeded. He went with the child, and heard a striking and an alarming sermon from Mr. Stowell. On leaving the place of worship, the penitent but now believing father said "Jane, thy God shall be my God, and thy minister shall be my minister." This man has become a true disciple. He is usefully employed as an infant schoolmaster, and has been the means of guiding several young persons to the Shepherd and Bishop of souls.-Tract Magazine, or Christian Miscellany.

Published by I. DAVIS, 22, Grosvenor-street, Stalybridge; Bancks and Co., Exchange-street; Heywood, Oldham-street, Manchester; R. Groombridge, 6, Panyer Alley, Paternoster Row, London; and may be had of all Booksellers. [CAVE and SEVER, Printers, Manchester.]

EVANGELICAL REFORMER,

AND YOUNG MAN'S GUIDE.

BY JOSEPH

BARKER.

Published every Saturday.—Price One Penny, or in Monthly Parts, price Four-pence half-penny.

No. 10.

SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 1839. VOL. III.

EXPLANATION.

It has been widely circulated that I am in favour of the New Poor Law, and some persons, supposing the report to be true, have been led to think less favourably of me on that account. Some who seem unkindly disposed towards me, have taken advantage of the rumour, and have represented me as a friend of oppression, and an enemy to the poor. Though I do not think so highly of the favour of men as to prefer it to the favour of God, -though I am not so anxious to have the good opinion of my neighbours, that I would cross my conscience, or in any particular swerve from the path of duty to procure it, I have that regard for the good opinion of my fellows, that I would not sacrifice it for any other consideration than duty. I would not give a good conscience for men's good word, but I would not part with men's good word for any thing less than a good conscience. If I can keep in favour with men and with my conscience both, Ì would do so; and never would I lose the favour of men, but to prevent the loss of that which I hold dearest of all things, the favour of God,-the approbation of my own conscience.

I therefore think it right, when calumniated, to give such explanations of my conduct, as may be needful to prevent people from thinking evil of me falsely. When people hear unfavourable rumours, it is natural for them to ask, Are they true? and it is also natural for them to desire an answer from the party whom it most concerns.

And if the slandered party can set all things right, by a few words, it would hardly seem right for him to keep

silence.

Am I, then, a friend to the New Poor Law? Do I favour oppression? Am I an enemy to the poor? 1. I am not an enemy to the poor. I love the poor, and I desire their welfare. I believe the poor are objects of the special care of the Deity, and that he who des piseth the poor, mocketh his Maker. I believe that the poor and the rich are of the same nature, that they are of · one blood," that they have " one Father," and that the Lord is the "Maker of them both." I therefore believe that he who is an enemy to the poor, is an enemy to God, and to his own brethren. I believe that he who oppresses the poor, or despises their cry when they are injured, sins grievously against God and against his own soul, and shuts himself out from mercy and salvation.

2. I not only am no enemy to the poor, but I consider it my duty to pay special attention to the interests of the poor. I am a disciple of Christ, and his religion binds me to the poor. Christ was poor. He was born of poor parents; he was born in poor times; and he was inured to the poor man's lot through the whole of his sojourn on earth. His birth-place was a stable; his cradle was a manger; and in his childhood he suffered, the hardships of a fugitive and exile. Before he entered on his labours as a public teacher, he was tried with the pangs of hunger, and while teaching and blessing his countrymen, he had not where to lay his head. His companions were from among the poor, and the chief part of his hearers were poor. He came to preach glad tidings to the poor, and the whole of his instruction was intended and adapted to cheer the poor man's heart, and to improve the poor man's lot.

The religion of Christ strikes at the root of those vices which often make men poor, and it inculcates those virtues which tend to make men rich. It therefore points out to the poor a course of life which is calculated to make them their own benefactors,-the improvers of their own lot. It forbids all those vices which lead the rich to injure the poor, and it requires them to use their

wealth and influence in promoting the happiness of the poor. The religion of Christ is adapted, as it spreads, to lessen the causes of poverty, to multiply the blessings of mankind, and diffuse through all ranks both the enjoyments of time, and the hopes of eternity.

I therefore consider myself bound by my profession as a Christian, and as a Christian minister, to be the poor man's friend and advocate. I consider myself as appointed to fill, as far as my ability goes, the place of Jesus Christ. I consider it my duty to converse with the poor, to associate with the poor, to sympathise with the poor, and both in feeling and interest to be one with the poor. I consider it my duty, as far as my ability will go, to relieve them when in want, console them when in sorrow, to visit them when in affliction, and to help and comfort them in all their trials. I consider it my duty to recommend the poor to the consideration of the rich, and to urge the rich to labour to promote their welfare. I consider myself bound to warn them against oppression and hard-heartedness, against covetousness and extravagance, and to urge on them the exercise of temperance, and justice, and liberality. I consider it my duty to remind all men in possession of riches and power, that they are the trustees of the poor, the stewards of God, appointed to be the distributors of his bounty to the needy part of his human family; and to impress it on their minds that God will hereafter deal with them, as they shall deal with their brethren.

I also consider it to be my duty to guard the poor against the evils to which they are exposed, and to point out to them the path of duty and the way of happiness. I consider it to be my duty to warn them against intemperance, dishonesty, and improvidence; and to exhort them to be peaceful, and godly, and kind. I consider myself bound to promote their improvement in knowledge and holiness, to preach to them and write for them in a style that they can understand, and as far as possible to place within their reach all the riches of truth and godliness and heaven. In short, I consider it my duty to use all I have for the benefit of the poor; to do all I can to improve their character and condition; to