TRACTS CIRCULATED IN A MILITARY TOWN. 233 believed. Lord, therefore, do thou, who givest power to the faint and to them that have no might, increase strength to me, who wait upon thee; renew my strength, that I may mount up with wings as an eagle, and may run and not be weary, and walk and not faint, until I come to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills, and behold thy face in glory. Spurstowe. LIGHT AFFLICTIONS. . Thou OUR light affliction worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Upon the dark colour of affliction God lays the golden colour of glory. O thou weeping saint, what a blessed change thou shalt shortly have! Thou shalt change thy pilgrimage for paradise. Thou shalt have thy wish. Are riches desirable? Thou shalt have gates of pearl. Is honour desirable? Thou shalt have white robes. Is pleasure desirable? shalt enter into the joy of thy Lord. Oh! think what it will be, to be sweetly immersed in the river of life, and bathe in the honey-streams of God's love for ever; think what the beautiful vision will be; what it will be to wear a garland made of the flowers of paradise; think what it will be to have the soul thicker set with jewels of glory, than the firmament is bespangled with stars. Oh, what a compensation will this be for all a Christian's trials! A sight of this bliss will make him forget his sufferings. One sunbeam of glory will dry up the water of his tears. T. Watson. TRACTS CIRCULATED IN A MILITARY TOWN. A CORRESPONDENT writes:-" In the course of visiting the dying, the good resulting from the perusal of narrative tracts was acknowledged by an individual a short time before death. When asked how and when he came to the clear knowledge of salvation, by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, which he then manifested, his reply to the missionary was, 'Since I was laid on this bed of sickness, and from your kindness in reading and explaining to me the word of God, and also from reading the tracts you left me from time to time, in which I found that my feelings were exactly described in the experience of others, and that they died trusting in the same Saviour on whom I am depending alone for acceptance with God.' "We beg also to request that your Committee will be pleased to bring within the notice of the Parent Society, the great need there is for an annual grant of tracts for distribution among the army here from time to time; congregated as they are in Chatham previous to being sent to various parts of the world, the necessity for such a grant is obvious, and the good which may result from a liberal distribution amongst this class of men from year to year cannot be calculated upon, but experience fully proves that much good has already resulted from the perusal of tracts by men who would not otherwise read the Bible. "When it is stated that upwards of 2,000 men have embarked from this port in the present year, destined for China, India, and New South Wales, the good likely to result, from the wide distribution of their tracts in this way, must be obvious to the Parent Society. "Your missionaries have also access to the general hospital here for invalid soldiers to whom they read, and amongst whom they also distribute tracts which are eagerly read. "There is a military prison lately opened here, and an officer in it has promised to distribute tracts amongst the soldiers." WATCHFULNESS. WATCHFULNESS is more needful for the Christian soldier than any other, because other soldiers fight with men that need sleep as well as themselves; but the Christian's grand enemy, Satan, is ever awake and walking his rounds, seeking whom he may surprise. And if Satan be always awake, it is dangerous for the Christian at any time to be spiritually asleep, that is, secure and careless. I WILL BE YOUR GOD. Gurnall. THE great promise of the new covenant is, "I will be your God," Ezek. xxxvi. 28. In this promise, God the Father engages himself to be our Father; God the Son engages to be our Saviour; and God the Holy Ghost engages to be our Comforter. Stockton. TO THE READERS OF THE TRACT MAGAZINE. 235 TO THE READERS OF THE TRACT MAGAZINE. Ir is now more than twenty-three years since the TRACT MAGAZINE was commenced. At that time it was doubted whether such a monthly periodical could be sustained in interest, or would receive public support; the experience of nearly a quarter of a century, however, has shown the necessity for such a work, and that the public were prepared to appreciate and support it. Of late years others of a similar description have been issued by private individuals and by societies: the extent of their circulation proves the importance which is attached to our cheap religious periodicals, and of their adaptation to the wants of the people. The early numbers of the TRACT MAGAZINE Contained only twelve pages: at different periods it has been enlarged and improved; and the Committee, anxious to adapt their periodicals to the growing intelligence and circumstances of the times, contemplate yet further improvements and additions. In the course of the present year, a new monthly periodical, "THE PENNY TRACT AND CHRISTIAN MISCELLANY was commenced; and the TRACT MAGAZINE, at the suggestion of friends, was issued at one halfpenny, containing sixteen pages. It has, however, been found inexpedient to have two publications, with nearly the same object; and it is now proposed, on and after the 1st of January, 1847, to issue THE PENNY TRACT MAGAZINE, AND CHRISTIAN MISCELLANY, embracing the characteristics of, and combining the PENNY TRACT and the TRACT MAGAZINE. Subscribers to either of these may continue the new publication with advantage; as when bound in a volume, it will be uniform in size and in general contents with those hitherto issued. The contents of the PENNY TRACT MAGAZINE will be of an interesting and instructive character: as, narratives, biographical and historical; doctrinal expositions and practical divinity; illustrations of Scripture; short pieces on science and natural history; interesting extracts from travellers; useful information; hints, promoting social and temporal welfare; evangelical instruction for the converted and unconverted; instances of usefulness of tracts; missionary facts and principles; selections from eminent divines; anecdotes and poetry, with notices of the proceedings of the Religious Tract Society. Each number will be embellished with a neat wood engraving, and be stitched in a coloured wrapper, like the Tract Magazine before the late alteration. The "PENNY TRACT MAGAZINE" will be suited to evangelical Christians of every denomination, and have pieces for all classes of readers. Its aim will be to promote union and love among all the disciples of the Redeemer, and the temporal and spiritual welfare of all men. The Editors of the Tract Magazine, in thus concluding that periodical, thankfully acknowledge the good providence of God which enabled them to carry it on without interruption from its commencement. More than SIX MILLIONS of the separate numbers have been issued during the twenty-three years of its publication, and evidence has not been wanting that these pages have been made useful, in various instances, to the souls of the readers. The labour will now chiefly rest with other friends, whose additional aid, with the improvements proposed in the general appearance and contents of the periodical, will, it is hoped, recommend it to the support of the friends of the Religious Tract Society and the public at large. SATURDAY EVENING. WELCOME to me the close I go, thrice welcome eve, Where thy mild lustre leads; The fields of nether earth I leave, To roam through heavenly meads. A sun might rise and sink, Another sun must rise, Ere I shall leave heaven's hither brink, Hail, lovely eventide, "Tis like that state begun, When, toil for ever laid aside, THE END. Edmeston. |