According to the custom of the parish where he lived, and in the affairs of which he took the lead, a poor boy was placed in his service as a parish apprentice. This youth, as he grew up, became very active, and useful to his master; who, at length, promoted him to the situation of a bailiff, and entrusted to him the management of a large estate, in the midst of which was situated a small village, on the seacoast, with quays, floating dock, dock-yard, &c., &c.

This village, with its appurtenances, might be justly called the master's hobby, on which no expense was spared to render it every way convenient for its increasing trade, both in imports and exports. Mr. Oak (the name by which the servant is now to be distinguished) having gained the full confidence of Mr. Cherry, was, at length, married to a favourite female servant, who had long been employed as lady's maid in the family. About the year 1804, when Napoleon Buonaparte created great alarm in this country, by his threatened invasion, Mr. Cherry took a very active part in raising a corps of Yeomanry Cavalry; and in this corps he thought it would be desirable to establish Mr. Oak as an officer. Mr. Oak, however, wanted the necessary qualification in point of property; and Mr. Cherry immediately exerted his ingenuity to discover some method of obviating this difficulty. The expedient which he adopted was that of drawing up a deed, in which he professed to give his servant an interest for life in the estate of which he was the overseer. This deed, being designed expressly for this sole purpose, and that end being answered, was soon entirely forgotten. It happened, some years after, that Mr. Cherry found he had good reason for withdrawing his confidence from Mr. Oak, and was, accordingly, about to remove him from his situation; but he had struck his roots so deep that this was found to be impossible. He now brought to light the long-forgotten and uncancelled deed, which gave him a legal interest, for life, in the whole property. By this circumstance, the remainder of Mr. Cherry's life was embittered with harassing, vexatious, and expensive proceedings in law; and, though he proved in court a debt of £60,000 against Mr. Oak, he never could free him

self from those toils of the law in which he was entangled by his ci-devant parish apprentice,—once his confidant, but now his inveterate foe,-till, in comparative poverty, his grey hairs were brought down with sorrow to the grave.

Caroline. Thank you, Sir, for your interesting tale: it bears a striking resemblance to my picture. I think scarcely any one but yourself could have put his hand so readily upon such a moral fac-simile.

Mr. T.-I love to see young people alive to what is passing around them, both in the natural and moral world. The blessed Redeemer has taught us how to derive instruction from almost every object that surrounds us, by observing the resemblance between natural and spiritual things. The earth, the air, the corn, the vine and its branches, are all employed by him to give us clear and distinct ideas of the divine operations on the human mind, and of the benefits resulting from true religion. I hope the example of Mr. Oak will teach you to guard against the slightest encroachment on the rights of others, lest you should be tempted to establish yourselves on another's ruin: and let the case of Mr. Cherry teach you to sanction no transaction that is not in the strictest accordance with the laws of God and man.

This grave admonition produced a pause, which was again broken by

Caroline. I think the whole story, including the moral, will make a capital tale. I am sure there are many worse tales in print.

Mr. T.-I perceive that Caroline has caught the cacoethes scribendi; and therefore she had better copy the whole for the Editor of the Youth's Instructer, and enclose with it her pencil sketch of the tree, that she may, at least, say with the boy who blew the bellows of the organ, did it."

"We

DOROTHY AND CAROLINE.

LETTERS TO A YOUNG CHRISTIAN.

LETTER XII.

THE duty of self-examination, like that of prayer, is both stated and occasional. The conscientious Christian, should not suffer a single day to pass, without an investigation of his moral character. At the close of the day, and when about to commit the keeping of his soul to Him "who never slumbereth nor sleepeth," he should take a deliberate and serious retrospect of the past. His conduct, and the motives which prompted it, should pass under investigation.

I cannot, my young friend, too strongly recommend to you this practice. The most eminent saints have been distinguished for it; and I must press upon you a similar course, if you would aim at an elevated standard of piety.

There is less difficulty attending this diurnal investigation, than many professors imagine. Were long intervals to occur between the periods of self-examination, we should, indeed, experience much inconvenience and perplexity in performing the duty. We should then resemble the unskilful and heedless merchant, who, yielding to habitual negligence and hurry, defers posting his books, until he is overwhelmed with their intricacy and magnitude. But let the duty be daily and thoroughly performed, and we rise to the standard of the skilful and prudent merchant, who duly records every item of business; who never closes his counting-house, until his balancesheet is made up; and who, by a single reference, can tell the true state of his accounts.

You will find yourself aided in this work by a secret journal or diary, which must be excluded from the inspection of all, but God and yourself.

If you are in the habit of thus daily inquiring into your motives and conduct, you will find it an excellent preparation for approaching the throne of grace. You will perceive so many failures in duty, and such frequent commission of sin, that your soul must necessarily be humbled

advances in knowledge and holiness, and thus discover a source of encouragement, or a stimulus to greater diligence. Your conscience will be rendered tender and faithful; and you will thus be on the alert, that you be not tempted, or drawn aside from your duty. You will walk softly amid the thorny path, nor feel the bleeding wounds which are inflicted on so many careless and worldly-minded professors.

Besides this daily process which I am recommending, there is one special season of self-examination, which you should by no means omit. The Apostle enjoins on every Christian, to examine himself before he partakes of the Lord's supper. "Let a man examine himself; and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup." This is indispensable to a profitable attendance on this interesting and significant ordinance. If you are in the habit of daily self-examination, you will find the observance of this special season by no means difficult or laborious. You will have acquired, by your daily introspection, so much self-knowledge, such a tact, if I may be allowed the expression, at seizing upon evidence, and analyzing feelings and motives, that, instead of proving an unwelcome task, it will constitute a satisfactory, comforting, and delightful duty.

Be assured, my young friend, that, if ever you arrive at an elevated standard of piety, you will attribute it, as much to a strict and persevering self-examination, as to any other means, which it is, under God, your privilege to use. It is through a neglect of this, that Christianity makes, in most of us, such a dwarfish appearance. It is for the want of this, that hypocrisy vaunts itself in the habiliments of piety. It is for the want of this, that doubts, and fears, and disquietude, and backslidings, are so prevalent. I entreat you, therefore, as you value your peace and your improvement, to persevere in the faithful discharge of this duty. You will be abundantly rewarded. Faith will walk arm in arm with the promises; hope, instead of a flickering light, will become a steady radiation from an unclouded sun; love will grow to a flame, that "many waters cannot

knowledge, will hold on, until death, its vigorous and untiring career.

I say not, that you will at once arrive at this lofty elevation. Ah, no; you may have many a thorny path to tread, many a rugged way to traverse, many a difficult hill to climb. Nights of weeping, and days of darkness and of tempest, may intervene. But God will interpose in your behalf he will "temper the wind to the shorn lamb."

Recollect, for your encouragement, that the farther you proceed, the easier and the more delightful will be the passage. As it approximates heaven, it partakes of celestial beauty. Like the fine, free avenue to a noble metropolis, the proximity of this road to the heavenly Jerusalem, opens wider, and becomes clearer, and almost admits the eager eye to catch the spires of glory, as they glitter in the light of heaven. Take up your cross, and march forward. While you may encounter difficulties, you may also partake of many pleasures; pleasures which are as much superior to the sickly joys of earth, as the river of life is purer than the green waters of an offensive and stagnant pool.

"The hill of Zion yields

A thousand sacred sweets,

Before we reach the heavenly fields,

Or walk the golden streets."

To me, it has ever appeared strange, that when so much depends on the duty of self-examination, it should be so generally neglected.

We do not thus act in our temporal affairs. If the claim to an estate be attended with any degree of doubt or embarrassment, we spare no pains to give it a thorough investigation. If the body be disordered, we are alive to every symptom, and we watch every new aspect of the disease. But in respect to the soul, we are at little pains to substantiate its hope, by actual examination. We live along, as if the matter were settled; as if we had a guarantee for our heavenly inheritance; when, in fact, all is doubt and embarrassment; when, perhaps, we may have only 66 a name

to live, whilst we are dead."