habits of intemperance, as a relief from a sense of misfortune; the imprudent, or rather dishonest, money transaction, which involved him in inextricable difficulties; the secret brooding of his mind over desperate schemes of self-destruction; and, finally, the fatal combination of circumstances which concurred in hurrying him on to the murder; each of these speaks with a warning voice, which it is impossible to misunderstand. The intolerable compunctions which instantly visited his conscience, when he saw his hands stained with human blood, and the unspeakable horror with which he anticipated the eternal vengeance of Heaven, contain awful and impressive lessons to the guilty. Nor is there less importance in the instruction to be derived from the consideration of the gradual change wrought in his feelings, by the operation of religion, even though it may be presumptuous to decide whether that change was the genuine result of a well-grounded faith in Christ, or bore a more doubtful character. The confidence which he at last acquired in the security of his spiritual state, and the astonishing firmness with which, under the influence of this impression, he submitted to the awful sentence of the law, display the power of Christian

5

hopes, whether in the present instance these hopes were real or delusive.

Of what unspeakable importance, then, must it be to inspire the young mind with right principles of religion! and how awful is the responsibility of those who neglect it! and yet how seldom do we see this duty performed with becoming care! When a parent has taught his child to say, by rote, the catechisms in common use, and instructed him in some short, and to him, perhaps, unmeaning form of prayer, he flatters himself that he has performed his duty, and discharged his baptismal vows. But, alas! he is miserably mistaken. His child may be perfectly acquainted with all these things, and yet, with respect to the vital principles of Christianity, be as ignorant as he was before.-Smith in his youth was taught all this and more. In the religious education of our children, therefore, let us never suffer this truth to be far from our remembrance, that the seat of piety is in the heart, and not in the memory; and that unless we interest the affections, and call the feelings into action, it is in vain that we enlighten the understanding, or store the mind with knowledge.

Another important lesson which this affecting narrative loudly inculcates, is the necessity of

fixing the principles of piety and holiness more deeply in our own hearts. Here we see a man, who, with respect to profaneness and immorality, was not greatly distinguished from the generality of mankind, hurried, by a train of unfortunate circumstances, to the commission of a crime, at the bare mention of which human nature shudders. With this striking warning, then, before our eyes, it were surely the height of folly to remain unmoved, and glory in our innocence and security! Let us only for a single moment place ourselves in his situation, and then ask our hearts whether or not the Christian principles we profess, would have been strong enough to raise us above despondency, or to preserve the integrity of our minds? The question may be highly useful in forming an estimate of our religious attainments.-" Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall."

We attempt not, at present, to decide the question of a death-bed repentance. Smith bore many striking marks of a sincere penitent; and it would be impious to limit the mercy of God; but still it must be remembered that he was repenting at the foot of the gallows, and had no opportunity of trying the extent of his Christian graces in an intercourse with the

world. We have somewhere met with a sentiment, which the procrastinating sinner would do well to impress on his mind." In the pardon of the thief upon the cross, there is one instance given of the efficacy of a death-bed repentance, that nobody might despair; and there is but one, that nobody might presume."

JANE MORTON.

JANE MORTON was the daughter of a very graceless and wicked man, who, being led astray by bad company, had gone on, step by step, from occasional transgression to habitual sin, till at length he became utterly depraved. Her mother had been, until the time she married, in good service, and had always borne an excellent character in every place she lived. But alas! when she connected herself with a bad man, she trusted too much to her own strength. She did not learn to swear as he did, nor did she, like him, forsake the house of God; nor go into riots, nor fight, nor quarrel; but she became accustomed to these things, and by degrees lost that strong sense of religion, which can alone preserve one from the effects of bad example. Whenever her husband behaved ill to her, she now no longer retired, as she was wont to do, within the chamber of her own breast, to call up the powers of her soul, to implore from Heaven the spirit of peace and pa