Guiding our footsteps o'er the road
That leads to happiness and God.
Ten thousand stars at thy command,
Shall shine upheld in thy right hand;
Thy sov'reign pow'r creates the ray,
That turns our darkness into day.
Display this gracious pow'r divine;
Bid, Lord, a brighter light still shine:
And make thy servant now proclaim,
With light and life, the Saviour's name.
With thankful hearts we bless the Lord,
Who with his wonted grace has heard
His humble suppliants tell their grief,
And sent them down such quick relief.
Baptize thy servant from above,
With that celestial flame of love,
Then every heart shall feel the pow'r,
And ev'ry tongue thy grace adore.
Oh! may this glorious grace be giv❜n,
That leads to holiness and heav'n :
Then tribes of new-born souls shall sing,
The glories of our conq'ring King,

Though the hymn at once created a universal ecstacy of joy; yet, oh! what the people further felt when Mr. Brightman, in a most appropriate prayer before the sermon, addressed the Majesty of heaven, that he would bless him with all those needed graces of his most Holy -Spirit, so that he might accomplish the charge which in an unexpected providence had devolved upon him.That the love of God would fill him with love to those souls, which were now become the objects of his peculiar attention and care-and that such zeal as he had never felt before, might animate him to peculiar exertions for their eternal good. Nor were the people less struck at the appropriate text he chose on this occasion: "I determined to know nothing among you, save Jesus

Christ and him crucified." The whole of that passage having been made the subject of recent conversation between him and Mr. Lovegood, with the greatest solemnity he informed the people, that it was his full determination not to address them "with the enticing words of man's wisdom; but that with simplicity, and godly sincerity," it was his entire aim to have his conversation among them, and to dedicate himself to their good with his whole heart, and with his whole soul. To this he added, that as he was sure he was sent in answer to their many prayers, and especially to the prayers and exertions of their late minister, so he requested he might have an interest in their fervent prayers, that he might be upheld in the sacred work; especially as he felt himself so unequal to fill the station of one, who was so eminently useful, and so highly devoted to God. In short, it appeared among them all, as though Mr. Merryman was actually risen from the grave. So that it would be difficult to determine whether the excessive grief the people were called to sustain on the previous Sunday, while they were paying their last token of respect to the memory of Mr. Merryman, or the ecstacy of joy, occasioned by this unexpected event, had the more powerful effect on their minds.

At the conclusion of the sermon, Mr. Sprightly himself was seen in the singing gallery, and heard giving out the following hymn; which was sung with astonishing ecstacy and delight:

Commission'd from the Lord of hosts,
Servant of God, arise and shine;
Arise, and gird thine armour on,
And prove the strength of Jesus thine.
Go dare the dreadful powers of sin;
From conq'ring and to conquer go;

Strike with the Spirit's mighty sword,
And bring the vanquish'd monster low.
Strong in the strength of God alone,
Let Satan the first sinner feel
The energy of truth divine,
The vengeance of thy holy zeal.
As darkness flies before the sun,
And seeks a region where to dwell,
Remote from earth in worlds unknown,
Hard by the dismal gloom of Hell;
So learn to make delusion fly,
And with the beams of gospel light
Chase down the lofty pride of man
Down to the shades of endless nigat.
Nor let thy fears presume to quell
The flame that kindles in thy heart;
Strength more than equal to thy day,
The great Jehovah shall impart.

In weakness shall thy strength be found,
While unbelief shall shrink away,
As sinners burst the bands of death,
And rise to bless the gospel day.

Thus may thy faithful servant prove
The champion of the Lord most high;
Thus urge the ling'ring combat on,
The battle win, and gain the sky.

After the service was over, I will leave the reader to conjecture the joyful salutations from every quarter, that crowded in upon Mr. Brightman, when Mr. Sprightly and he returned together from the church, blessing and praising God for such an unexpected mercy, after such a calamitous event. The unhappy gloom which sat upon every countenance seemed to be banished; they now perceived that while the voice of prayer, most fervently offered up from house to house, for the preservation of the invaluable life of Mr. Merryman, was not to be

answered; yet that the Lord had in reserve for them, the continuation of the same mercy, though through another channel. They could now bless God, that while they had been benefited by the bright example which had been set before them, in the life and death of Mr. Merryman, the light of divine truth was still vouchsafed for their future good. Long live Mr. Tugwell, if the uninterrupted blessing of such a Minister is to be continued to the people of Sandover thereby; and oh! that every mitred head might feel the wisdom of filling our British Sion with such ministers as are thus "made wise to win souls to Christ;" allowing them at the same time a little more elbow-room, that they may exert their wisdom and zeal a little more extensively in their delightful work.

DIALOGUE XLVI.

BETWEEN MR. BRIGHTMAN, MR. WHIMSEY, MR. SLAPDASH, AND MR. SPRIGHTLY.

ENTHUSIASM DETECTED.

THE

HE settlement of Mr. Brightman among the inhabitants of Sandover had now fully taken place. He became an inmate at Mr. Sprightly's, where he had his board and lodging, and where he could, at the same time, hear much of the pleasing and profitable conduct of the late Mr. Merryman, to which he was inquisitively attentive; being fully determined, for the good of the people, to follow him as he followed Christ.

It seems however that, very soon afterwards, he met with a little interruption by an unexpected visit from his late Rector, Mr. Whimsey, who promised to call upon him, on his return home from a town of considerable magnitude in the north, where, as he expressed himself, a great work of God had been carrying ou, though many of them, since then, had fallen from grace. I question if Mr. Brightman would have accepted this offer, though he could scarcely have done otherwise out of civility, but for the following circumstances.

He expected a visit, just at the same time, from good old Mr. Slapdash, whose constitutional warmth was still regulated by a sound judgment and excellent disposition; and who perhaps was better calculated for such a controversy as next took place, than the more thoughtful. and judicious Mr. Lovegood.

Mr. Whimsey accordingly arrived, and visited Mr. Brightman at his lodgings. Both Mr. Brightman and