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FRIENDLY VISITOR.

No. LXV.

FEBRUARY, 1824.

VOL. VI.

ANECDOTE OF A SOLDIER.

Mr. Cecil, in his "Short hints to a soldier," relates the following history: There was not perhaps a more wicked fellow in all the service, than a soldier I well know. But one day, while he was gone two or three miles from the troop, it rained so hard, that he was glad to take shelter in a farm-house.

Now it happened, that a good man lived there, who soon began to talk of what lay very near his heart, as you know we are all apt to do: and what should this be, but Jesus Christ the Saviour? And he talked thus:

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"A friend in need is a friend indeed; and there are times, in which every man feels the need of such a friend. But vainly do we hope to find him among men. Yet I know such a one may be found. deed, all I have made out to any purpose is, that none but Jesus Christ can do me any good. Trouble was sent to preach my need of his help; but I was a good while before I knew what to do. length, however, he, that had long called to me by his word, gave me ears to hear, and a heart to follow him. Well, weary and heavy-laden, I came for help to him, and I have found it, and all I want in it and now I cannot help telling to others, that there is no disease of the soul, but there is a certain cure for it in Jesus Christ; nor any thing which we can want, but he is as willing as he is able to give it."

It still kept raining, and the soldier was kept hearing, while several parts of Scripture were com

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pared; and he saw that the grand design of all Scripture, was to shew the Saviour to the sinner, and bring the sinner to the Saviour.

At length, the weather cleared, and the soldier went away; but not in the state of mind in which he had entered the house. He went (as he lately told me) with the farmer on the next Sunday, to hear an eminent Clergyman; and then God brought the truth home to his heart. He called at the house of a friend of his, who told me how surprised he was to hear him say, after he had sat a few minutes, "Tom, I have been a madman all my life, and am but just recovered:" and he then related what he had heard, and what he had felt.

For as a man wakes out of a dream, and recovers his right mind, after the wild fancies of the night are past, and tells the first person he meets of the disorder in which his spirits have been; so did this soldier talk to his friend. He plainly saw how dreadfully he had been fighting against God and his own soul, by a course of swearing, drunkenness, debauchery, and unbelief. He now felt what a bad example, yea, what a curse he had been to his fellow-soldiers! what an awful evil sin is, with which he had sported! and what a depth of misery he must have fallen into, had he been cut off in such a course! He also felt, he never could thank God enough for the repentance he had given him; and for the lively hope afforded him in the gracious promises to returning sinners.

He did much more. Many talk of religion, who have none; but this man proved he was converted, by a new course of life; and he proved, that when a man has a heart to serve God, he may serve him in any station. If some, from ignorance, scorned that change in him, which he had before scorned in others, no man was so ready to forgive; for he felt

that no man had so much to be forgiven. No man was more faithful to his trust, or obedient in his station; for he served his God, while he served his King. No man bore up more boldly under trials; for he knew they were all appointed of his God, and working together for his good. No man faced death with so firm a heart; for he knew that whether he stood or fell, he was secure of life everlasting, through the promise and grace of Jesus Christ. He had more courage than many, who can stand the push of a battle; for he calmly dared to confess Christ before men; and to declare upon every proper occasion, I owe all that I am, and all that I hope to be, to the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ."

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SHORT SERMON.

MARK i. 35.

"And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed."

This is spoken of our blessed Saviour. And he has left us an example that we should follow his steps. I always feel humbled and affected, when I read this part of his history. The lowly Jesus had the same feelings and wants in his human nature, as other men. He was often hungry and thirsty; and we can scarcely think that a day passed over, 'without finding him spent and weary at the close of it. He was weary in body, with his long and painful journies; he was weary in mind, with the constant taunts and gainsayings of those for whom he laboured. He knew, therefore, how to value the comfort of a night's repose, though the stones were his pillow, and the ground his bed. And yet do we find him rising up a great while before day, and

going to a solitary place there to pray. Now, as the Son of God, he had no need thus to pray to the Father for himself. The passage of Scripture, therefore, before us, should rather strike home to our hearts, as intended to excite us to go and do likewise. Yes, it seems designed to teach us, the importance of prayer, and the importance too of early rising for the due exercise of prayer. And these are the points which I wish to impress upon my readers. Perhaps most of you have much to employ you during the day, and are obliged to rise early. The labourer must go to his work: the wife must hasten to get breakfast, dress the children, and attend to the house: the servant has a busy course of duties to begin early in the morning; and all these classes of persons have little time for stated prayer during the day, though the heart may be much with God and holy things amidst the greatest bustle. Now, reader, if such be your case, how needful, however early you rise to your work, to rise a little earlier for your devotions. "Look unto Jesus." Hear him calling you, as it were, from your beds into his holy presence. He would have you hasten into your privacy, that there in communion with him, you may gather strength for the duties and the trials of the day. He would have you come early to buy oil of him, that you may not enter into a dark and slippery world with an empty lamp. I would not impose any irksome burden; though the example of Jesus may well shame us out of the ready ear we lend to the fancied claims of a weary body; but if you only make a practice of rising ten minutes earlier than your work requires, you would find the advantage of it.

And even those who have more leisure, would do well to look unto Jesus" in this respect. Who has not his daily trials as well as duties ? What