bosom of many an infidel to an examination of the sacred truths of Christianity, and to persuade the thoughtless and profligate, that, unless they abandon their dangerous course they will be doomed to inextricable destruction."

But it may be interesting to lay before your readers the last communication of this kind friend attendant upon the prisoner, when he was about to be executed. It was in a letter to one of the ministers then with him in the prison.

"St. Saviour's, Oct. 3, 1829.

"9 o'clock in the morning. "Sir,-The deep, the Christian interest, which I feel for our departing brother induces me to write you a short note. Tell him that I pray that the strength which is imparted from on high may not fail him in his last hour, and that the sufferings of the Saviour may inspire him with religious courage to bear his sufferings. Tell him also, that since we are not to meet again on earth, he departs with my blessing and my prayers; and that, I trust, we shall meet again where every tear shall be dried from every eye. The sixteenth chapter of St. John is most particularly adapted to his awful situation. The thirtythird verse is a glorious precept and example for him: These things have I spoken to you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but, be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.'

"I am, sir, your's truly,

He saw his heavenly Father waiting to be merciful to him. He had scarcely time to offer up his supplications, when he found, that before he called God had answered, and while he was yet speaking He had heard. There was one circumstance connected with the visit of this day which is, in itself, striking. The last trial was to take place on the morrow. He had, I apprehend, at the instigation and under the direction of his legal adviser, prepared a paper, which was to be read to the jury. There was still, therefore, a possibility of his escape from the punishment of death. This latter circumstance became a subject of conversation, and an earnest hope was expressed on the part of his visitor, that, if he was set at liberty, he would be supported by Divine grace, and that he would be enabled to live to the glory of God. His answer to this observation clearly shewed how well he understood the power of the grace of God, and how entirely his heart was stayed upon that as his only support in every emergency of his life, whether he were to escape from prison, or be led to the scaffold. He observed, "Sir, the man that is fit to die, is fit to live. I have known what it is to have a heart as hard as a diamond; but I now feel I have a heart of flesh." His persuasion was thus very clearly expressed, that the same power which had changed his heart from stone to flesh, could and would keep him on his way; and that, depending upon Divine grace, he need not fear whether life or death were presented to him. In this calm and recumbent posture of mind, he seemed continually to rest. All his hope, all his confidence was grounded on his Saviour. He had come to the full experience of the Psalmist; "It is good for me to draw near to God."

A hymn of Cowper's which had been given to him, seemed very much to have arrested his attention this day. It is known to most of

It is said, that during his trial, his calmness was remarkable. His lips apparently were employed in prayer, and this he afterwards confessed was the case. He prayed for himself, that he might be strengthened to go through his trial, and also for his judges and his jury. There was no effrontery in his look; but, on the contrary, the appearance of deep humiliation. For four hours, during which time his, trial lasted, he never lifted his eyes from the ground. On his return from the trial, he had to encounter the indignation of the populace against his crime. On the former occasion, a woman had cried "Ah, le scelerat!" which had a good deal affected him. This time he addressed the people from the prison gates, and when they observed that he was half dead from fatigue, he said, amongst other things, "I have a strength within me ye know not. This supports me. Weep not for me, weep for yourselves."

During the following days of his life, he received continual visits from a variety of persons. Many ministers and others very kindly came, desiring to impart to him some spiritual gift. He received all gladly; but more especially those whom he could feel from their conversation, came to him in the fulness of Christian love. His discernment on this point was a striking evidence of the clear views of doctrine which he had attained. He perceived, and felt the statements of those whose religious system led them to combine merit with Divine grace in the work of salvation, and who looked to any conditions on the part of man but what God gives him the grace to fulfil. With a sense of gratitude for the instruments made use of in enlightening his mind (and Mr. Durell mentions this circumstance with a somewhat incautious, and certainly too partial zeal), Jolin appeared remarkably independent of any outward help. He was by no means like a man who hung upon another's teaching.

He was so obviously taught by the Spirit of God and the testimony of his word, that man's help, although most serviceable as well as agreeable to him, did not seem to be the strength on which he at all depended. It was on this account that he was perhaps able to bear the multifarious instruction which he received. The dean, in kindness no doubt to Jolin, and at the same time to the clergy, had, as Mr. Durell reports, wished the beneficed clergy to visit him, each one day in turn. The effect of this system of visiting, although not apparently carried through, appears in Mr. Durell's account; and Jolin must have been living under a better dependance than man's instruction, or he would not have been ble to bear it, and get out of it so clear as he did. He always spoke of the salvation procured for him as a free unmerited gift of God, and he dwelt upon the peculiar manifestation of God's grace to himself, inasmuch as he had twice saved him from shipwreck when he was in an entirely unprepared state to meet death, and now he had been brought to that prison that he might learn the way of salvation. His expressions of the sense of his own unworthiness were very clear and strong. He told one of his friends that he had nothing to offer to God, but his heart; that all his repentance, all his resolutions, all his short conflict with the carnal heart could never expiate his sin. On another occasion, he said that he was not worthy to pick up the crumbs under his Master's table; and on another, that Christ was his only hope; that he had paid his ransom, and that he would receive him into glory. With another class of visitors, those of his family and friends, he was equally decided in declaring what great things God had done for his soul, and what necessity there was that they should turn and repent if they would be saved. Indeed, a discourse of this kind had made some of them think

him insane. He had told some of his relations who had come to him two nights before his execution, that he was formerly unclean and unholy; that they were so at that moment. He therefore entreated them to apply to Him who had cast out the unclean devils into the swine, to cleanse their souls. On all occasions, when he could, he manifested the same desire to instruct others. Twice on the scaffold he addressed the people, and this address he premeditated and spoke of before he approached it. He exhibited the deepest sense of gratitude to all about him. Mr. Durell informs us, that in his last interview with Mr. Hammond, his counsel, Jolin sat up in his bed, and clasping both his hands together, said most earnestly, "Mr. Hammond, I thank you, over and over again, for the pains you have taken for me. I regret that I have nothing to give to reward you as you deserve." To his gaoler too he constantly expressed his thanks; and those who were often going in, and out can testify to all the kindness and humanity of Mr. Babot and of his whole family, during this season of distress. Alone, Jolin was employed in studying his Bible, or in prayer. "As we approached the passage," says Mr. Durell, "we could hear the loud ejaculations of the prisoner's prayers." The gaoler observed, that he always found him thus employed when he was left alone in the cell. Indeed, the concurrence of testimony as to his conversion is very remarkable. The acting lieutenant-governor, the dean, the mayor, a leading medical man who came to inquire into his insanity, clergymen, dissenting ministers, his advocate, his relations, his attendants, all appear to have come away from the prison with a common conviction, that the power of God had been at work in producing the wonderful change which they witnessed.

On the day previous to his execution, the event occurred which I

have just alluded to. His relations, not understanding the nature of the change which had taken place in him, and, judging from reports of blows which he had received and other circumstances, endeavoured to appeal to the plea of insanity; and they brought a very eminent medical practitioner to examine into his state. But this was mercifully ordered: for, whilst on the one hand it was clearly ascertained that Jolin was in no state of derangement, or delusion, or enthusiastic fervour; on the other, the clearest and most satisfactory evidence was given of his real state of mind. After this, the Dean of Jersey kindly attended to administer the sacrament to him. Before he received the holy communion, he underwent an examination; and to the dean, and three other clergymen, he gave, in answer to their questions, a reason of the hope that was in him. He explained with such clearness the object and the nature of his faith, testified so deep a sense of his own unworthiness, and shewed so good a feeling towards all his fellowcreatures, that they had not, any of them, a doubt of his fitness to partake of the feast prepared for the penitent sinner. This examination, which was peculiarly imposing to Jolin, looking, as most of the poor people of that island do, with deep veneration to the high office which the dean holds, was remarkably cal. culated to detect any thing which might be suspicious in his views, or in his real state. Throughout this day, Mr. Hall reports, Jolin was longing to depart, and to be with Christ, saying, Christ, saying, "The hours pass slowly." It was remarked that he must wait God's time; that he had yet work for him to do in his vineyard. And God worked indeed mightily in him; so that he exhorted all who came, to love the Lord Jesus, and to continue no longer in sin. He said he thought it would be better for him to die on the scaffold, than quietly in his cell (as the report was that he had done),

as he would thereby glorify God by his patience, and be an example to all of the effect of indulgence in sin.

Mr. Durell has given an interesting account of his last visit to Jolin on the evening of this day. He chose a very valuable portion of Scripture to read to him. It was Luke xxiii., the account of our Saviour's crucifixion. During the reading, Jolin's sensibility was greatly excited, and his half-broken sobs were heard. Mr. Durell, thinking it proper to check this state of mind, pointed out the sufferings of Christ as a matter of holy joy, and threatened to lay down the book, and read no more, if Jolin continued to feel so much. Mr. Durell wished to avoid any thing which might discompose Jolin, and therefore carefully omitted making any comment on the most afflicting part of our Saviour's sufferings. He, on the other hand, sought to comfort him by an application of the promise, that they who sow in tears, shall reap in joy;" and by the prospect of paradise held out to the penitent thief. He adds, in conclusion, "In the course of my profession I have seen many individuals on the brink of the grave; but never before did I witness such coolness, and such self-command,-a scene so holy, so edifying, so sublime. Had he been in the full bloom of human prosperity, and with the prospect of adding half a century longer to his existence, he could not have been more collected. I was myself almost falling into a delusion contrary to the evidence of my own senses. I could not believe that one so near his end could retain so much courage, or such contempt of ignominy and death. I could not believe that one so gentle, and now so well instructed in religious duties, could have been ever capable of committing a crime for which he deserved to die,-that he could have been a murderer."

On the night previous to his execution, the kind relation who had

first visited him in the prison, and brought him the first message of salvation, in bringing him the New Testament, and Mr. Gallachin, an excellent minister of the church sat up with him. They sang a hymn, and in the imperfection of the service he was led to say, "To-morrow I shall join in very different singing from this." At half past one in the morning, the prisoner, Mr. Durell reports from unquestionable authority, fell into a kind of dozing stupor for an hour, but did not sleep. During that time he was heard repeating the fifty-first Psalm without missing a word. Mr. Gallachin also heard him, during that period, say repeatedly, "Glory to the Lamb! glory to our Lord Jesus Christ!" And when he awoke, he said that he had seen glorious things in a dream. He also said, as they judged, in his sleep, "There is now, therefore, no condemnation for them that are in Christ Jesus." Jesus." At waking he requested that a hymn might be sung to him. The next morning Mr. Hall went to him at half past six o'clock. When he entered his cell, Jolin said, "Oh, Mr. Hall, I am so glad to see you; I am so happy. I have slept four hours, and the rest of the night we have spent in such delightful conversation. I feel so strong, but I will wait patiently the Lord's time." The day before, I have observed, he thought the hours passed slowly, he was so anxious to depart and to be with Christ. Mr. Hall took occasion to warn him, that he had still a work to do. He must not only glorify his Saviour by his conduct, and by his patient resignation, but he must again speak a word of warning to those about him. And he assured him that he might be able to do more for the praise and honour of his Master in his death upon the scaffold, by bearing testimony to his own exceeding wickedness, and to the unsearchable mercy and love of Christ, than if he had died in a more private manner. To this he assented,