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particularly upon her mind, if it were not so, I would have told you; which she frequently repeated, and evidently rejoiced in the same. The last Lord's Day of her earthly pilgrimage, her daughter returning in the morning from chapel, she requested her to read her the hymns which had been sung, when she expressed herself as being greatly refreshed by them, particularly by one of the verses, which she said just suited her case, viz.

"O Lord, a cheering look bestow,
Stretch forth thine hand to help me thro'
And draw me up to thee;
And when, through fear, I only creep,
Or dare not move a single step,
Yet thou canst come to me.

BERRIDGE.

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k "I the chief of sinners am,
But Jesus died for me."

"Yes, yes,' said she, 'I know that I am chief.' On his further observing how unspeakable a mercy it was that God had given her thus to know her own wickedness and Christ's worthiness, her helplessness and Christ's mightiness, her fitness and Christ's faithfulness to cleanse her from all sin with his own blood, her nakedness and Christ's righteousness to clothe her, her poverty and Christ's preciousness as her all in all; she again replied, I have been, and still am a very wicked sinner.' The following morning after a short conflict and strong struggle with the last enemy, her ransomed spirit took her triumphant flight towards the celestial city, and having reached the mansion promised and prepared for her, she entered the bosom of her Lord;

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"There, there to rest for evermore,
Jehovah Jesus to adore."

As a lover of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, it may be truly said of her, its doctrines were her delight, its promises her portion, its blessings her bliss, and whilst its ordinances and precepts were observed and practised by her, its consolations were abundantly administered to her according to the riches of his glory, who had made her accepted in the beloved.

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Her pastor preached her funeral sermon on Lord's-day evening, March 26, from Matt. xxv. 46, But the righteous (shall go) into life eternal.' On which occasion he noticed the following points of doctrine :

First, The distinction of character mentioned in the text.

Secondly, The decision of conduct manifested by the righteous.

Thirdly, The difference of condition made between the righteous and the wicked, and which difference shall be perpetuated eternally.

Thus, within the short space of seven months no less than eight members of the church of Christ, recently worshiping in Carmel Chapel, have been removed from sanctuary service below, to doubt not, changed earth for heaven, temple triumphs above. They have, we the rags of mortality for the robes of imings and songs, the prison for the palace, mortality, sorrow and sighing for shoutthe wilderness for paradise, the mass of corruption for the mount of incorruption, the cross for the crown, and the burdens of time for the blessings of eternity. While thus the dear Lord is removing from us, and receiving to him. self those, with whose company, and by whose conversation we were oft refreshed, and over whom he rejoiced as the work of his own hands, may he graciously raise up for himself other witnesses to wear his yoke and bear his name upon the earth. So that they that follow after as well as those that went before, may cry, Hosannah, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.' See Mark xi. 9. Peace be with all that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity and truth. Amen.

JOHN STENSON.
Chelsea, May 8, 1848.

"God says he will make the church's windows of agates; that is, of various sorts.' True ministers are instrumental windows, and they are of various sorts; so are the special revelations of the Holy Ghost. Sometimes these windows open into Christ; and sometimes into the sinnner's heart"

"What are the ingredients of the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone? The wrath of God, the sins of the people, the curses of the Bible, and the blasIs this not somephemies of all the lost. thing to be serious about? is this not something to be solemn about?" J. Wells.

THE EXTRAORDINARY POWER OF GOD

In the Conversion and Triumphant Death of Muckle Kate.

JOHN JOHNSTONE, of Edinburgh, has published a small tract, (which was originally written by T. M. Frazer, of the Free Church, Yester,) containing a most precious account of the genuine and remarkable conversion of an aged sinner. In the perusal of it, our very hearts leaped for joy, and our eyes flowed with tears of love and gratitude for such a display of the infinite grace of God as is here brought before us; and in the full persuasion that the Lord will bless it to many souls, we here make a few extracts from it:

"Not far from the manse of Lochcarron, there lived a wicked old sinner, who was supposed to have been guilty of every crime forbidden in the decalogue, except murder. Owing to her masculine dimensions, this woman was commonly known by the name of Muckle Kate.' She was an ill-looking woman, without any beauty in the sight of God or man. It is not surprising to hear that such a character never entered a church, and that every effort on the part of the minister failed in inducing her to give even an occasional attendance at the house of God."

Mr. Lauchlan was, however, employed by the Holy Ghost to pluck this brand out of the fire. Deep and dreadful convictions entered into her soul through his instrumentality, which Mr. Frazer describes as follows:

"Kate's conviction was now as extreme as her careless hardihood had once been. Her agony of mind was perfectly fearful. Among the dreary wilds Kate now spent the greater portion of her time. The solitudes of Lochcarron were heard to resound for hours together with the voice of wailing, and well did the inmates of the lone bothies amid the hills know from whose lips those cries of agony were wrung. They were uttered by the solitary mourner of the moors -the once hardened 'Muckle Kake.' She had looked on him whom she had pierced, and now she mourneth for him as one mourneth for his only son, and was in bitterness for his first-born.

"A long and fiery ordeal was appointed to the reclaimed profligate. Deep as her conviction was, it never seemed to subside; weeks, months, and even years passed away, and still the distress of the convicted sinner was as poignant and fresh as ever. Never breathed a wretch like her; there might be hope for others: but O there was none for Muckle Kate!' This was wonderful, indeed, in one whose age was between eighty and ninety at the time of her conviction: for those who know anything of human nature are aware that, of all spiritual cases, the most utterly hopeless is that of one who has grown old in sin, whose conscience has become impervious to the

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truth, and whose whole soul is unimpressible by either the gospel or the law. To awaken feelings that have been dried up by age and sin requires a miracle in the world of grace. Kate's was, indeed, a special case; she was a wonder to many'— -a wonder to her neighbours, a wonder to unbelievers, a wonder to the church, a wonder to her astonished minister, and most of all, a wonder to herself. But all has not yet been told. Are my readers prepared to hear that she wept herself stone blind? Yet this was actually the case, without exaggerating a hair's-breadth-she wept away her eyesight!

"In the third year of her anguish, Mr. Lauchlan was anxious that she should commemorate the dying love of Christ. But nothing could prevail upon her to comply. She go forward to that holy table! she, who had had her arms up to the shoulders in a Saviour's blood! Her presence would profane the blessed ordinance, and would be enough to pollute the whole congregation! Never, never would she sit down at the table; the communion was not for her!' The minister's hopes, however, were to be realized in a way that he never anticipated.

"The Sabbath had arrived, the hour of meeting drew nigh, but Kate's determination still remained unchanged. I am not acquainted with the exact spot where the Gaelic congregation assembled on that communion Sabbath; the tables were, however, spread, as is usual on such occasions, in the open air among the wild hills of Lochcarron. Did any of my readers ever witness the serving of a sacramental table at which there sat but one solitary communicant? yet such a sight was witnessed on that long-remembered day, and poor Kate and Mr. Lauchlan were the only actors in the scene.

"The tables had all been served, the elements had been removed, the minister had returned to the tent, and was about to begin the concluding address, and all were listening for the first words of the speaker, when suddenly a cry of despair was heard in a distant part of the congregation-a shriek of female agony that rose loud and clear amid the multitude, and was returned, as if in sympathy, by the surrounding hills. It was the voice of 'Muckle Kate, who now thought that all was over that the opportunity was lost, and would never more return! The congregation was amazed; hundreds started to their feet, and looked anxiously towards the spot whence the scream had proceeded. Not so the minister; Mr. Lauchlan knew that voice, and well did he understand the cause of the sufferer's distress. Without a word of inquiry he came down from the tent, stepped over among the people till he had reached

the real believer has died may unsettle the hopes of surviving mourners, and give rise to that most poignant of all sorrow-a sorrow without hope. But while I have heard of a false peace and an undue despondency, I have never yet heard of a mistaken triumph in the hour of death. I think we may

the spot; and taking Kate kindly by the hand, led her through the astonished crowd to the communion table, and seated her alone at its head. He next ordered the elements to be brought forward, and replaced upon the table; and there sat that one solitary blind being, alone in the midst of thousands-every eye of the vast multi-reckon a triumphant death well-nigh the tude turned in wonder upon the lonely communicant-she herself all unconscious of their gaze. O for the pen of Bunyan or of Boston, to trace the tumult of feelings that chased each other through that swelling, bursting breast! The secrets of that heart have never been revealed; but right confident am I, that if there be one text of Scripture which more than another embodies the uppermost emotion in her mind during that hour of intense and thrilling spiritual excitement, it must have been the sentiment of one who knew well what it was to have been humbled in the dust like Kate: This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I AM THE CHIEF.'

farewell effort in Christ's behalf, ‘TELL, TELL TO OTHERS THAT I HAVE FOUND HIM.'

most absolutely certain experimental evidence of a glorious eternity. Such was the death of Muckle Kate.' Not only was she satisfied in regard to her eternal safety, she had attained that enviable point at which assurance had become so sure that she ceased to think of self: and so wholly was she absorbed in the glory of her Redeemer, that even to herself she was nothing-Christ was all in all. The glory of Christ was her all engrossing motive. The inexpressible joy that was vouchsafed her served but to quicken her departing soul to more raptuous commendations to others of that Saviour whom she had found; and when at length the welcome summons came, and she stood upon the threshold of eternal glory, ere yet the gate had fully "The words which Mr. Lauchlan chose closed upon her ransomed spirit, the falas the subject of his address, were well-nightering tongue was heard to exclaim, as its as extraordinary as any part of the occurrence; they were the words of Moses to Pharaoh (Exod. x. 25): 'There shall not an hoof be left behind'-a manifest accommodation of the sentiment, Those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost. I regret that I cannot furnish the reader with any notes of that wonderful address, in which, however, the speaker obtained most singular liberty. But the leading idea was, that all who had been given in covenant by the Eternal Father to the Son, were as safe as if they were already in heaven, and that not one soul should be forsaken or left to perish-'No, not so much as Muckle Kate;' This extraordinary service was ever aftewards known as 'Muckle Kate's Table;' and it is said, that by that single address no fewer than two hundred souls were awakened to spiritual concern. 'Muckle Kate' herself lived about three years after her first communion, possessed of that peace which passeth all understanding, and manifesting all the marks of a close and humble walk with God.

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"Tell them that the worst of sinnersthe drunkard, the profligate, the Sabbathbreaker, the thief, the blasphemer, the liar, the scoffer, the infidel-tell them that I, a living embodiment of every sin, even I have found a Saviour's person, even I have known a Saviour's love. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save SINNERS, OF WHOM I AM CHIEF.''

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We have thus extracted the substance of this most wonderful instance of the sovereign mercy of our God. We heartily recommend the tract to our readers.

Mr. Gad Huntington.

OUR brother Watmuff having last month, in his letter, mentioned the fact of his hearing a son of the late William Huntington, has induced some of our readers to inquire where he preaches, and where he resides? The following extract from a letter recently written by him to a friend, doth well bespeak the character both of the man, and of his ministry.

Her death is described as having been peculiarly happy. The departure of the wicked is often peaceful. He may have no bands in his death:' and sympathizing friends and neighbours may buoy up the Kind Friend-Nothing can give me bereaved family with that most fatally de- greater pleasure than to hear from any lusive of all consolations, that he 'died like that Almighty God should make use of a lamb,' when the horrors of a lost eternity such a worthless instrument, for the edifihave flashed with lightning-suddenness cation of any of his church; suffice it to upon the now deceived soul. The estab- say, 'tis thirty-five years since the Lord lished christian, again, may lose his long-called me to the work of the ministry; possessed assurance in that hour of solemn change, and the gloom that broods upon his spirit may still enshroud him to the last. In regard to both these cases error may exist. The calm quiescence of the sinner may be taken as a comfortable evidence of his safety; while the cloud under which

but being buried in adversity, have been hid in obscurity; supported in trouble, directed in wisdom, led to, and by, the deep truths of God's word; being taught the deep experience of the Bible saints, have taken God's word to be my heritage for ever in the house of my pilgrimage.”

Mr. Kershaws's Protest against Certain Erroneous Doctrines; AND THE CHURCH OF CHRIST, AT OLDHAM STREET, MANCHESTER.

UNDER the head of "Christian Reviewer," | argued that a regenerated man possesses last month, we briefly noticed a sermon two natures, an old man of sin and a new preached in the Baptist Chapel, St. George's man of grace; that the old man of sin Road, Manchester, entitled, "A Protest never made any progress in the divine life, against the Doctrines that a Child of God nor ever can, consequently that he can Cannot Backslide; that the Lord does not never go back from that in which he has Chastise his Children for Sin," &c., &c., which never made any advances. It is also consermon has recently been published by tended that the new man of grace never Messrs. Groombridge, Paternoster Row; sinned, nor ever can sin, so that he likewise and has already obtained a very extensive can never go back or imbibe the least stain circulation amongst the Baptist churches or particle of sin. Now as this is said to be in England. the constitution of a christian, viz., that the old man of sin never made any advances in the divine life, so that he can never go back, and as the new man of grace cannot sin, the question is, how can the child of God backslide?

Be it distinctly understood that we stand unconnected with any particular party. We are not under the patronage, nor are we personally acquainted with Mr. Kershaw, or any of the great men who constitute what is commonly called "The Gospel Standard Ministers.". Equally as clear do we stand of the parties to whom Mr. Kershaw refers so frequently. We are neither the partizans, nor the paid servants of any of the leaders, or influential gospel ministers in this country. We write not this boastingly; nevertheless, we are thankful for the position in which the providence of God has placed us, seeing there is so much jealousy and fighting one against another among those who should "love as brethren;" walking and working together in the fear and fellowship of him whose they are, and whom they profess to serve.

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In the first creation God formed the

body of man out of the dust of the earth, and after it was formed it was an inanimate mass, cold and lifeless. The Lord God breathed into his nostrils the breath The sermon before us, is, as we have of life, and man became a living soul.' stated before, for the most part, an ex- Here we have man, a creature of God, with ceedingly valuable one, and is well calcu- a body and a living soul-an immortal lated (in the hands of the Lord) scriptur- spirit, good, upright, and perfect, as first ally to set the minds of many at rest who turned out of the hands of the great Creator. have been perplexed with the doctrine of In man's primeval state we find that he NON-BACKSLIDING. Every sound discern- had body and soul, but no old man of sin ing mind must see at once the folly of nor new man of grace. But after the fall, making a quibble about words; and we through the disobedience of our first parents, cannot think for a moment that the excite- man became subject to the old man of sin, ment arising out of what is called the doc-Which is corrupt according to the deceittrine of "NON-BACKSLIDING " is anything ful lusts' under its domineering power, more. We are thankful, therefore, for the able, scriptural, and decidedly spiritual exposition which Mr. Kershaw has given of this matter; and for the benefit of our readers, we shall here quote a portion of

the same.

In coming to enter his protest against certain erroneous doctrines the preacher

says:

and was led away captive by Satan, 'the prince of the power of the air: the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.' Thus we have a body, a soul, and an old man of sin, but in this state no new man of grace. A man becomes a new creature only when he is born again of God, aud thus made the subject of a divine nature, or a new man which, after God, is This new man of grace is holy and pure as created in righteousness and true holiness.' its divine Author, and neither is nor can be contaminated with sin.

"The first is that a child of God-that is, a good man who is born again of God, and who has been blessed with the fear of the Lord in his heart-cannot backslide. This being the constitution of a regeneNow, this is roundly, boldly, and un-rate man, the question arises, in backslidflinchingly maintained by certain persons ing, what part of this nature is it that who profess to follow the doctrines and pre- backslides? I grant at once to my oppocepts of God's holy word. In the examina- nents that it is not the old man of sin nor tion of these principles we shall have to the new man of grace. The question, then, inquire on what they conceive these opin- still occurs, What is it? I answer, IT IS ions to be founded, and how far they are THE SOUL OF THE CHRISTIAN. consistent with the truth of God. To prove that a child of God cannot backslide, it is

"When the soul and body of a good man are plunged into sin, it is under the in

fluence of the old man of sin and Satan. | in you, that you may live to his honour and 'Every man is tempted, when he is drawn glory the few days you may have to sojourn aside of his own lust and enticed.' But in this time state, and that the Lord will those who boldly maintain that the soul of land you safe in heaven, to be for ever in his a good man cannot go back, tell us at the presence, where there is 'fulness of joy and same time that to charge the soul of a pleasures for evermore?' quickened or regenerated sinner with sinning, is nothing short of blasphemy.' Beloved, we have to try this statement, and like the Bereans, we will search the Scriptures to see whether these things are so.

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Now, the soul of a good man either can or cannot sin. Let us try, therefore, both sides of the question, and show from the word of God and Christian experience that the soul of the regenerated is sometimes under the influence of the new man of grace implanted by the Spirit, and at other times under the influence of Satan and the old man of sin.

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66 When the soul is under the influence of the Spirit and grace of God, it is sure to go forward in the divine life, and in the means of grace. But when the soul of a child of God is under the influence of sin and Satan, he is sure to go back. Here is the seat and source of the Christian warfare, where the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.' And this causes a struggling within; as it is written, What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies.'

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'It is said that 'in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.' It will be admitted that David was a good man, for the Lord calls him a man after his own heart.' We will, therefore, let David speak on this matter. His soul being under the influence of the new man of grace, he longed to live to the honour and glory of God, and nothing but the Lord could satisfy his soul. Hear what he says: As the heart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee. My soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is.'

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soul followeth hard after God.' Are there not seasons, beloved, when you, like David, feel your very heart and soul going out after God in fervent breathings, hungerings, and thirstings after him whom your soul loveth? You want to know more of him as your Saviour and Redeemer; to feel your interest in his love, by having it shed abroad in your heart by the Holy Ghost that is given unto us, and in his precious atoning blood; that you may be found in the Redeemer's robe of righteousness; that you may be found bound up with him in the bundle of life, and be found his in that day when he makes up his jewels. Are not your souls at times going out after God, praying that you may be conformed to the image of his Son, that the mind that was in Christ Jesus may be

"My dear friends, our souls at such times are going forward, making advances in the divine life, under the influence and power of the Spirit, the new man of grace in the soul. But are these always the feelings of our soul? Alas! no. David, the man after God's own heart, expresses himself in very different language when his poor soul was under the temptations of Satan, and the workings of the flesh, the old man of sin. Hear what he says, 'My soul cleaveth to the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word.'

At this time both the old and

new man were at work in his soul. Under the power of the old man his soul cleaved to the dust; under the influence of the new man of grace his soul longed to feel more of the quickening power and grace of God. The indwelling and working of sin in his poor soul often made him sigh and groan, yea, and 'roar' before the Lord.

Do

66 Beloved, ye who fear God, and know the plague of your own hearts, is it not so with you? Are you not plagued with vain thoughts and worldly-mindedness? not your souls cleave to the dust, feeling yourselves so weak and helpless, that you cannot deliver yourselves, and, like the Psalmist, you feel a daily need of the quickening influence of God's grace to speed you in his ways?

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Again, David says, 'He restoreth my
soul; he leadeth me in paths of righteous-
ness, for his name's sake.' (Psalm xvii. 3.)
David's soul, like ours, when left to himself,
the evils of his own heart, and the power of
the old man of sin, wandered and strayed
from the Lord; and the thoughts and ima-
ginations of his heart were evil, foolish, and
vain. Hence he says, 'I hate vain thoughts;'
and again he says, Thou tellest my wan-
derings.' For I have gone astray like a
lost sheep; seek thy servant.'
give you a clearer, more concise, and experi-
mental explanation than does Watts in the
following lines :—

"My soul hath gone too far astray,
My feet too often slip;

Yet since I've not forgot thy ways,
Restore thy wandering sheep."

cannot

"I solemnly declare in the name and fear of the Lord, that there is not a heavenborn, and Spirit-taught soul in this congregation, but what experimentally knows these things in a greater or less degree; and those who do not are out of the secret, and know not the spiritual warfare there is in the soul of every man of God. His soul is often wandering from the Lord, so that the pen of inspired truth warrants us in positively affirming that there is such a thing as backsliding."

It is thus, from the word of God, and from the experience of the saints, that Mr. Kershaw maintains his point; and we do

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