countenances are changed, and they are sent away. It matters not how near and dear they are. The ties which bind us together are never too close to be parted, or too strong to be broken. Tears were never known to move the king of terrors, neither is it enough that we are compelled to surrender one, or two, or many of those we love, for tho the price is so great, we buy no favor with it, and our hold on those who remain is as slight as ever. The shadows all elude our grasp, and follow one another down the valley. We gain no confidence then, no feeling of security by turning to our contemporaries and kindred. We know that the forms, which are breathing around us, are as shortlived and fleeting as those were, which have been dust for centuries. The sensation of vanity, uncertainty, and ruin, is equally as strong, whether we muse on what has long been prostrate, or gaze on what is falling now, or will fall so soon. If every thing which comes under our notice has endured for so short a time, and in so short a time will be no more, we cannot say that we receive the least assurance by thinking on ourselves. When they, on whose fate we have been meditating, were engaged in the active scenes of life, as full of health and hope as we are now, what were we? We had no knowledge, no consciousness, no being; there was not a single thing in the wide universe which knew us. And after the same interval shall have elapsed, which now divides their days from ours, what shall we be? What they are now. When a few more friends have left, a few more hopes deceived, and a few more changes mocked us, "we shall be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb, the clods of the valley shall be sweet unto us, and every man shall follow us, as there are innumerable before us." All power will have forsaken the strongest, and the loftiest will be laid low, and every eye will be closed, and every voice hushed, and every heart will have ceased its beating. And when we have gone ourselves, even our memories will not stay behind us long. A few of the near and dear will bear our likeness in their bosoms, till they too have arrived at the end of their journey, and entered the dark dwelling of unconsciousness. In the thoughts of others we shall live only till the last sound of the bell, which informs them of our departure, has ceased to vibrate in their ears. A stone, perhaps, may tell some wanderer where we lie, when we came here, and when we went away, but even that will soon refuse to bear us record; "time's effacing fingers" will be busy on its surface, and at length will wear it smooth, and then the stone itself will sink, or crumble, and the wanderer of another age will pass, without a single call upon his sympathy, over our unheeded graves. [To be continued.] ANECDOTES. A Limitarian preacher in conversation with a clown, reprimanded him severely for not attending meeting, and finally told him that in perdition, he would have no opportunity to hear preaching. "It will not be for the want of ministers I guess," replied the clown. P. Uni. Magazine. A zealous, eloquent preacher of the Arminian principles, used the following energetic method to induce sinners to repent and serve Christ. "Come, sinners, leave the service of the devil and try religion for one year, one month, one week, or even one day, and if you are dissatisfied and want to go back to your old master again, I will be the devil's bondsman that he will accept of you.”—Intelligencer. An avaricious professor was asked, how he could exhort and pray with such fervor. He replied; "I leave my worldly disposition at the threshold of the house." True, said a neighbor, but you are careful to leave it where you can find it again when you come out,ibid. MISCELLANEOUS. "The Methodists in the United States, with their families, are supposed to amount to a million of persons-about one tenth of the whole population." A considerable body of Methodists in Kentucky, have lately separated themselves from the Episcopal Methodists, and instituted a mode of church government of their own, which nearly resembles that of Presbyterians. Chris. Philan. Belsham's translation of the Epistles of Paul.-The Rev. Thomas Belsham's Translation and Exposition of the Epistles of Paul is completed, and has issued from the press in London. Two editions of this work have been already printed, one in quarto, and the other in octavo, which is comprised in four volumes. Uni. Miscellany. The Birman Empire is said to contain 14 millions of people. The only Christian Missionary in the Empire is Rev. Mr. Judson. He pursued his undertaking with great fortitude and perseverance, but has as yet but little fruit of his labors. The Birmans, tho not so cunning, deceitful, and artful as the Hindoos in general, are very cruel and despotic. In Birman, as in Bengal, the females are not allowed to receive instruction. We are told that Mrs. Judson, (who is now on a visit to this country) proposed to buy 25 girls for the purpose of instructing them in reading, writing and useful knowledge. It is the prevailing custom of the country, when a man becomes insolvent, to sell his wife and children to pay the creditors. Mr. and Mrs. Judson wished to avail themselves of this circumstance, to bring a number of females under their personal management. The expense for 25, would be about £125. We do not know how this project may strike others, but to us it speaks much against the wisdom of any further exertions in so hopeles an undertaking. The circumstance that such a measure is mercenary, seems to us to afford the most unequivocal evidence, that the present scheme for christianizing the inhabitants of that empire is Utopian. It seems to us that nothing short of some special and extraordinary interposition of Providence, or some mighty revolution, which shall shake the strong hold of their prejudices, and bring them acquainted with European arts, manners, principles, and attainments, will open the way for any successful operations in behalf of Christianity. Christian Register. Proposals are issued for publishing in the city of New York, a literary work to be entitled the United States Quarterly Review, to be conducted by an association of literary gentlemen residing in different parts of the Union. The editors state their grand objects are to give currency to a classic taste; healthful, yet refined literature; the researches of science; valuable treatises upon political economy; recorded improvements in the mechanic arts; discriminating and impartial history; those systems of medicine in all its branches, which are the result of experience and fact, confirmed law, sound politics; and the purest principles of revealed religion. The numbers of this work will appear quarterly-at the beginning of the months of January, April, July, and October, of each year. Each number to contain 250 pages octavo. The price will be $5 per annum, payable on the delivery of the second number. Boston Patriot. "An English Monthly Journal is to be commenced at Moscow-the first attempt to print the English language in Russia. There may yet be a universal language." It is confirmed, that the Emperor Alexander had given peremptory orders for the shutting up of all the Masonic Lodges in Russia. All persons holding pub lic situations, either in the army, navy, or civil departments, are enjoined to renounce Masonry for ever, under the penalty of expulsion. This measure had excited an extraordinary sensation at St. Petersburgh, and was the subject of general conversation there. Gaz. TO CORRESPONDENTS. A few pieces we have on hand that will be attended in our next; also, one or two requests to explain one or two passages of scripture will be noticed. OBITUARY. Died at Alstead, N. H. September 24th, Mrs. Abigail Chandler, wife of Mr. Joel Chandler, in the 76th year of her age. In Whiting, on the 1st instant, Mrs. Needham, wife of Dea. Moulton Needham. She came to her end by being bled, and in the night, subsequently while at rest in her bed, took to bleeding, and before she was discovered or was aware of it herself, was so reduced that she shortly after expired. We publish the following serious and interesting lines at the request of a friend, who gave the Editor a copy for this purpose. The sentiment, however, as expressed in the 8th verse seems to border too much on what is called the doctrine of necessity, to coincide fully with our wishes.-Ed. THOUGHTS, OCCASIONED BY SEEING THE EXECUTION OF DANIEL DAVIS FARMER, AT AMHERST, JANUARY 3D, 1822-KEEPING THE EYE UPON CALVINISM.-BY J. G. 1 O! did the God, the God of love decree, future state, 2 Not only so, did he predestinate For sinful deeds which God did fore decree? |