Up to this time, the period of manhood, there is every reason to be lieve that he was sober, honest, and industrious, moral in his conduct, and conscientious in the discharge of whatever presented itself in the form of duty. But he was unenlightened, untaught of God, unconverted, unsaved-nay unsuspecting that he was by nature "a child of wrath, and an heir of hell," and wholly unacquainted with the awful import of that declaration of the Son of God, " except a man be BORN AGAIN," be he who he may, or what he may, "he CANNOT see the kingdom of God." (John iii. 3.)

In his new situation, Thomas was noticed by a Mr. R——, a gentleman who had formerly been a purser in the navy, but was then in the employment of Lord M., and who invited him to go to a neighbouring village, to hear a sermon from Mr. Thomas was struck with the concern thus shown for him, and went; and in one short, happy hour, it pleased God, by the preaching of his servant, to show him the moral blindness in which he had hitherto lived, ignorant of himself and of God, and of every thing that affected his eternal condition-and to open to him the glorious plan of redemption by JESUS CHRIST, giving new views to his understanding, new attractions to his heart, and from that hour, a new direction to his whole life.

'He continued for some months, it is believed, a sincere seeker of salvation, diligently waiting on the Lord in his various ordinances, and especially in that of private prayer, assured that "the Lord is good, and ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy to all that call upon him," (Ps. Ixxx. 5.) that "whosoever shall call upon His name shall be saved." (Rom. x. 13.)

It was under a sermon, in the year 1791, at SwALWELL, near NEWCASTLE (to which place he had then removed,) that these promises were made good to him, and that he was numbered among the rejoicing heirs of salvation. No sooner was the text pronounced, "Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee," than he was filled with joy unspeakable, in the divine assurance, that his sins were pardoned, through the merits of his SAVIOUR, and his name was written in His "Book of Life." Though previously "tied and bound with the chain of his sins," God of "the pitifulness of his great mercy loosed" him, and gave him blessedly to prove that "he whom the Son makes free, is free indeed." His soul now 66 magnified the Lord," and his "spirit rejoiced in God his Saviour." To use his own simple language, "his heart was like to jump out of his body." For long after, whenever he mentioned this, his bursting heart found relief alone in a torrent of tears. Nor was it to be wondered at. It was the dawning of eternal day upon his soul. It was the first influx of that sacred bliss which was to be consummated in everlasting glory. It was the commencement of the bright visions of Faith, at times, indeed, to be shrouded and bedimmed by the intervening veil of the flesh, but which were ultimately to be matured into the pure spiritual sight of the grandeur and sublimities of HEAVEN, in all their glorious effulgence.

Thomas now ran with delight in the way of God's commands. Prayer and praise formed the very "meat and drink" of his soul; and so much so, that one of his old religious associates remarks, that, when even weary with labour, he often forgot his necessary food whilst talking of the

amazing goodness of God to him, a poor miserable sinner, and of the infinite love of CHRIST in having given himself for him, and in having "opened his eyes, and turned him from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God," and in having blessed him with "the forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith in Christ." (Acts xxvi. 18.) He now enjoyed the "communion of saints;" he felt "the forgiveness of sins ;" and looked with feelings of holy exultation to death, judgment, and "eternal life." He had now "meat to eat," which the world "knew not of;" and he knew that it was the will of God "evermore" to break to him "this bread," that he might "eat and live for ever." He now understood what it was to "feed on CHRIST in his heart, by faith, with thanksgiving," and daily to derive from him succours of spiritual strength, and health, and life.

From this time to the period of his death, all who knew him concur in testifying that his whole life was characterized by great seriousness and devotedness to God, sincerity, simplicity, and an extraordinary tenderness of spirit.

His life, however, was not to be a scene of unmixed enjoyment; on the contrary, he was at last to be found among those that have "come out of GREAT TRIBULATION." Bodily diseases, domestic trials, reduced circumstances almost to absolute want, uncertain employment, and imminent dangers, were his appointed portion; but, strong in the faith of CHRIST, and living in close communion with HIM, he came off "more than conqueror" from them all.

Oftener than once, his life was attempted by persons extremely opposed to him on account of his religious profession, and jealous because of the kind attentions that were shown him. But the safeguard of the "everlasting arms" was around him.

On one occasion, he had gone down, in his keel, to SHIELDS, when a man in a neighbouring keel, in a fit of anger, from some imagined cause, seized a boathook, and made a thrust at him. Good Thomas, partly perhaps in self defence, and partly from being stung with the injustice of such treatment, stooped to snatch up a large coal to throw at him. Immediately that passage rushed into his mind, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord." He dropped the coal, jumped down into his little cabin, got upon his knees, and though the blood was streaming from his side, prayed so loud and so long for the man who had injured him (-true spirit of his SAVIOUR-) that the captain of the ship alongside of which he was, and his wife, overheard him, and had him taken on board, and after dressing his wound, being themselves pious people, they all joined in prayer together; and Thomas was accustomed afterwards to observe, that he had never enjoyed a happier season in his whole life. He said it was to him "a heaven begun on earth."

Thomas continued to reside at SWALWELL for five or six years, during which time he married (and subsequently had nine children :) he afterwards removed to near the OUSE BURN, in the neighbourhood of NEWCASTLE, where he remained till his death.

The disease by which it pleased God to take him to himself, was for some time obscure, but at length proved to be a very painful

affection of the heart, producing dropsy, and general weakness. To the last, he was a child of sorrow and of mercy. His sufferings were great; but every alleviation that Christian sympathy could obtain for him was had; and a pledge was given that were his illness protracted, the assistance rendered should not be withdrawn.

During the early part of his illness he often said, he had "much rather die than live," if it were the will of God. He "longed to be dissolved, and be with Christ."

His anxiety for the salvation of all that came near him, led him to exhort and admonish them, and to pray for them as long as he had breath. To one he said, after expressing himself deeply grateful for some little kindnesses that had been done him, "O live to God. Be watchful. Be upon your guard. You are continually on my mind. I can never forget your kindness. I have been praying earnestly that God would spare your life 15 years. He will make you a blessing to many. But O! watch and pray! We shall meet in Heaven. I am as sure of it as I see that before me. We shall meet in glory." He prayed with great fervour for different individuals by name, and with great enlargement of mind and particularity.

Two young ladies visited him about this time. His advice to them on their leaving him (to meet no more till the morning of the resurrection) was, "Keep the world under your feet, heaven in your eye, and JESUS in your hearts."

He still testified of the all-sufficiency of divine grace to support him under the oppressive and almost overwhelming circumstances in which he was placed. His faith seemed not to waver for an instant, neither was the glorious prospect before him obscured by one intervening cloud.

On Monday evening he was breathing hard, and said "I long to be gone." In the course of the day, he had again affectionately and earnestly exhorted his family, and besought them all to give themselves to God, and prayed with them and for them. He said many of the sermons he had heard, had been brought back with power to his soul; and he had felt more than he could express.

Tuesday night he said his "sight failed." He then repeated the following verse:—

"He left his Father's throne above,

(So free, so infinite his grace!)

Emptied himself of all but love,

And bled for Adam's helpless race;
Tis MERCY all, immense and free,
For, O my God! it found out ME!"

Shortly after this he quietly "fell asleep."*

MEANS TO BE USED.

WHAT Would you say to the captain of a vessel at sea who wished to gain his port, and yet neglected or refused to spread his canvas?

*This simple history is an abstract of an interesting little tract we have just received from England, entitled "The Pious Keelman."

Would you not think him deranged? What were his sails put on board for surely not to remain rolled up on the yards, but to catch the wind, and thereby to forward the ship. But this is precisely the case with those who have the means of grace offered, and yet do not use them. As well might your Bibles be on shore as locked up in a sea-chest, or suffered to remain untouched in a locker. O my dear friends, remember that God's favours are given you to be used, and especially His Word; O catch the gracious and enlivening breezes of the Holy Spirit, who has commanded us to "seek that we may find, to knock that the door of mercy, grace, and peace, may be opened unto us," (Matt. vii. 7.) and given the promise" that they who seek shall find." (Prov. viii. 17.)-(Jer. xxix. 12, 13)-(James i. 5.)

HOW SHALL I GO TO CHURCH?

Go with that humility and teachableness of spirit that becometh miserable sinners, who have wandered from the fold of God; but are now, through the mercy and grace of your heavenly Father, desirous of returning to it.

From the Sailor's Magazine.

BARGE PREACHING.

We have been so much pleased with the piety and simplicity of the following extract, that we venture almost on an unwarrantable trespass on the friend who wrote it, as he charges his correspondent not to make it known. He will, we think, excuse us when he sees we have carefully suppressed all names of places and persons. It is one of the most distinguished honours of the seamen's cause, that it touches the hearts of good men in all ranks and stations, whatever their profession or house of worship may be, It is on this broad ground we esteem it our privilege to plead for sailors.

"Our much exercised friend, J. S. W, now feeling liberty to give notice of his intention to preach on board a barge, on the 30th of the 6th month (June) 1822, and on my mentioning thy kind offer of sending us a Bethel Flag, if we would subscribe £1, by the Committee giving us the other £1, I now have to request, as soon as possible after thy receiving this, that, as I suppose it may be packed up in a small compass, thou wilt please to send it. I will be sure and remit the sovereign by the first convenient and safe opportunity that occurs, and I do hope it will suit thee to get the flag immediately, that thus it may be raised at our first meeting, and by that means it may be there will be more interest created for the cause at large; and, if possible, please to enclose the first part of our friend G. C. Smith's Collection of Seamen's Hymns and a few Tracts, for which we will remit the money too, on thy telling us what is our debt; and here I will just satisfy thy inquiring mind of the manner in which I have circulated some of the Sailor's Magazines thou gavest me at the beginning of this month. When I was getting near home, two poor Welchmen came on the coach, and I soon found one of them to be a

serious man, so I gave him some Tracts and one of the Sailor's Magazines, after writing my name and place of abode in it, and he seemed most truly thankful for it, and said, he should much enjoy reading it.' I then found a young gentleman on the front seat who spoke very highly of the Bethel President,' Admiral Lord Gambier; and he said he should like to look at one of the Magazines. I therefore gave him one directly, at which he seemed so pleased, that he said he intended to take them in when he returned home; and I have since given one to a sick tradesman going home to his dear country, Kinsale, in Ireland; and he, poor man, said he should keep it, he hoped, as long as he lived, and give it to his children after him: so that I hope I did not make a bad use of that part of thy kind bounty— the others are most of them lent out in the town and neighbourhood to get more subscribers.”

SEA MISSIONARY.

HOWEVER necessary and useful writing letters and forwarding reports to individuals may have been, experience has convinced us that that society will do but little good that sits down comfortably at home, and writes and talks of the goodness of its objects, and the utility of its plan. To excite a suitable spirit and produce lively efforts, places must be visited, and persons be brought to feel a real interest in these things, that they may step forward and persevere in attaining that good a national institution proposes to accomplish. All the Evangelical Missionary Societies are so well convinced of this, that they now dispatch their ministers annually to every part of the kingdom, that the subject may thus be brought prominently forward, and none grow weary in well doing. The British and Foreign Seaman's Friend Society has long since had its agents actively visiting various sea ports, forming and promoting institutions for sailors; and the readers of this Magazine cannot fail to have noticed the exertions and success of the Rev. Messrs. G. C. Smith and A. Brown in this signally important work. Our recent numbers have introduced an accredited agent also of the Society in the person of Captain William Henry Angas, as a Sea Missionary. His public appointment to this sacred office has already been stated to have taken place on board the seaman's chapel at Bristol, and the commencement of his maritime career has been detailed in our work. We have followed him from London through Colchester, Wivenhoe, Harwich, Ipswich, and Boston, to Lynn Regis. We shall, in future extracts, exhibit his further progress; and invite all the friends of seamen to offer up fervent prayers for a divine blessing on his active efforts to do good among seamen.

Notices and Acknowledgments.

AN account of the Great Osage Mission, the Cataraugus Mission, and several other articles prepared for this number, are omitted for want of room. We are also obliged to defer our "CIVIL RETROSPECT."