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fellow-men, for taking away life, which all the power of art cannot restore. Gold was their temptation, no malice had they to their victim. In the cool calculation of enjoying 38,000 dollars, they embrued their hands in their brother's blood, because he stood between them and this treasure. Dreadful admonition to the living to beware of the love of wealth! It grows with age, and hurries even the most circumspect into crimes which frequently imbitter their after life. These men had every prospect of carrying into effect their dark device without detection. At open sea, and on the way to Brazil, the deed was done; but the omniscient God, in his providence, led them fast to detection, to trial, condemnation, and death. In July last they shed their captain's blood, and to-day the command of Heaven was obeyed: "Whosoever sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed."

Appalling is it to witness the death of a criminal; it strikes home to the heart, that we likewise are guilty before God. Justice has followed up the crime of these criminals even unto death, and were it not for him who was crucified on Calvary, little better would be our lot,-it is that atoning blood which cleanseth from all sin. At the crucifixion of Jesus there would be the assembled multitude, the guard of soldiers, the chief rulers, the graves dug, and the executioners; but he was innocent, led as a lamb to the slaughter and even wounded by re

vilings at this awful crisis of his sufferings. Unheard of cruelty! he suffered the ignominious death of the cross, and even saved one that there might be hope to the vilest criminal, and but one, that none might presume. May the effects of that decease which was accomplished at Jerusalem be communicated to us, and may his grace enable us to purify ourselves as he is pure.

LETTER XXV.

Awake the song that gave to earth
Salvation in Emmanuel's birth;
Angelic tongues the strain began,-
'Twas, Peace on earth, good-will to man.
Celestial Peace, and is it ours

To strike the harp on Salem's towers,
To welcome back the dove that brings
The balm of healing in her wings?

N. DEERING.

Edinburgh, 17th April, 1822.

THE praise of our lips is all we can render to the God that made us; and what is that but a breath, which our withholding cannot detract, nor our giving add to the perfection of Deity? But small as this tribute is, few are found of a willing mind to return the homage. How gracious is it in Jehovah to listen to the praises of the sons of a day !His dwelling is in light inaccessible; his throne is prepared in the heavens, surrounded with seraphs, who return him the melody of praise. What can avail the praise of feeble mortals, whose voices ascend not beyond the precincts of their dwellings!

but even with this God hath declared himself well pleased for the sake of the Son of his love. Surely every heart that is touched by his love cannot withhold its praise. Sweet is praise, sweet to the heart that gives it; for by it the blessing descends from the Author of praise; it is the offspring of grateful feeling and love, and when it comes from the contrite heart, God is represented as listening with delight. And is it so? Can Deity be so much interested in the welfare of men, and they so backward to return him praise? This is indeed an astonishment that throws our nature into the darkest shades! The dog licks the hand that feeds it, and protects the . property of its master; and shall man not acknowledge that Being who breathed him into life, and protects him with a father's care, and loves him with more than a father's love? He hath given his Son to die for us, and shall we not praise him ? May our hearts be touched with the melody of praise. On a review of life we find many inducements to praise: How often has his hand protected us from impending danger! How often has his grace revived the feeble spark of love in our souls that were ready to perish! And how often has he turned our calamity into a blessing, and our wandering footsteps in the paths of peace! O praise him! Let our hearts praise him for all his goodness: Mercy and truth have met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other.'

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The royal Psalmist in Judah's land rejoiced in singing the praises of Jehovah; he touched the sweetest notes of melody, and left a legacy to the children of Zion in his golden hymns of praise. These prophetic psalms cheered the Israelite in adversity, and they sweeten even sorrow to the followers of Jesus; powerful is their sway over the hearts of his disciples. Why can the songs of a distant land cheer the Scotsman, and make his heart to rejoice even on his heath-covered mountains? Is it not an evidence that Jehovah, who inspired the heart of David to sing his praise, still blesses the soul that delights in Zion's songs ?

That these psalms, composed by a people insulated by their laws from the world, and holding in contempt other nations, should prophesy that the few scattered leaves on Judah's mountains should swell to volumes, covering the whole earth, that their Messiah should have the heathen for his heritage, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession, and that they should in our day be found in every land, is a living witness to us that they were inspired by the Spirit of Jehovah, whose praise is sung by the Otaheitean as well as the Jew,-by the Hindoo as well as the Briton,-by the wandering Tartar and frigid Greenlander as well as the American,-by all nations, tribes, and languages.

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