From the Southern Evangelical Intelligencer.

THE APOSTATE'S DEATH.

About twenty years ago, Mr: P. an inhabitant of one of the middle States, closed his earthly career under circumstances the most distressing to his relatives, and still more distressing, it is to be feared, to his immortal soul. He had once professed religion, but this he had not only renounced, but also pretended to deny the fundamental articles of the Christian's creed. However well he might have lived by this affected denial, (and real apostacy,) it would not serve him on his dying bed, but added to the agonies of his painful dissolution.

Mr. P. to a handsome exterior, pos sessed highly polished manners, and was not devoid of those accomplishments which render a gentleman's company pleasing and attractive. These fine qualities, added to the natural suavity of his temper, caused him to be loved by the whole circle of his acquaintance. He wanted, however, the restraints which religion impose on society-and wanting these, he wanted every thing: for the agreeableness of his company made him a welcome guest at all parties of pleasure and fashion. It is true, his better reason told him that it required a man of sterner virtue than himself, to resist the vices to which he was constantly exposed at such places: but he had not firmness to resist the earnest solicitations of his friends, and he accordingly yielded to their entreaties, and was led a too willing captive to scenes of immorality and irreligion. It was not to be wondered at then, if Mr. P's heart became tainted with the vices of a licentious neighbourhood. Nor is it surprizing, that the ball-room, the gambling-table, and the bacchanalian throng more frequently enjoyed his attention, than those duties which were calculated to add to his temporal and spiritual welfare.

But, ere he sunk for ever in vice, it seemed as if the Lord was desirous, in a very special manner, of giving him an opportunity of withdrawing from his dissolute companions. Mr. P. had not entirely forgot the sanctuary; and once, in the height of his career in folly, was attracted to a neighbouring place of worship, on a particular occasion, when many pious preachers were to be present. Under the sound of the Gospel, conviction fastened on his mind; he saw himself a sinner, travelling the road to destruction, and was

induced to cry to the Lord for mercy. A short time after, believing he had obtained pardon, he made a solemn profession of the religion of the crossand run well for a season. Would to God that he had continued faithful to the end.

His

Pride

Soon after his publie profession, the eyes of the religious community were fixed on him as a worthy object for the ministry and he became as much courted by his pious friends as he had formerly been by his companions in folly. Perhaps it was Mr. P's misfortune to be so much noticed. mind was not able to bear it. crept in, and expelled that best of Christian graces, humility. Forgetting his Lord, and relying on his own strength, he fell. His fall was terrible, and destroyed the fond anticipations of his religious associates. His fall was awful, and for ever destroyed the happiness of his own soul.

Again Mr. P. rushed into all the extremes of folly, until at length folly became vice. He endeavoured to support himself under his double transgression, (or rather to extenuate his offence,) by assailing the fundamental articles of that religion he had so lately professed. All his former greatness seemed to forsake him, and the better qualities of his nature were entirely obscured. Instead of acting like a man of honour, and acknowledging the fault to be with himself, he vainly endeavoured to cast an odium on that system he had disgraced and dishonoured. He openly avowed-" that one moment's death bed repentance was a sufficient atonement for all sins-that he did not fear death, come when it would, if he only had time to say, Lord have mercythat religion was nothing more than enthusiasm and high-wrought feelingthat five minutes repentance was sufficient for any man-that his late religious associates were all hypocrites, "&c. With such expressions as these, he continued his sinful course, until fell disease, occasioned by his dissolute life, overtook him.

He had every opportunity to prove the truth of his theory. His disease was thought to be mortal from the commencement of the attack-and he was admonished of the danger, and the necessity of closing his earthly affairs, as a few days more would probably terminate his life. He immediately became alarmed for his eternal welfare; and his apostate theories, one after another, vanished before the light of Divine truth. He had denied his Lord and Master; He had persecuted his Christian brethren

he had slandered them-he had disgraced them. His senses never forsook him, as if it was determined in the councils of Infinite Justice that it should not be said his ravings were those of a deranged man. After his disease was considered fatal he was spared as many days as he had wished minutes for repentance-yet he found it too short. He sclicited the prayers of his despised Christian friends, which were freely offered-yet he found no comfort. Ón his first alarm, he cried for years to live and repent-as his end approached, he interceded for months-then for

weeks for days for hours-and, closed his life, by crying for a few minutes longer to make his peace with his offended God!

Thus perished Mr. P. in the prime of life, and would that we could say hope cheered the last moments of his existence-but, alas! it was far otherwise. The decrees of Providence are inscrutable to mortal ken-but should we judge by our imperfect vision, it might not be arrogance to ask, "Where rests his soul?" Oh! that infidels would profit by his painful end, and seek the

truth as it is in Jesus.

Y.

VOL. II.]

[No. 10.

occasion.

Introduction.

On a survey of the state of the Society, at the commencement of its fourteenth year, your Committee are enabled thankfully to report a steady increase of its efficiency, and a gradual extension of its operations. And they trust that the details which it is now their duty to lay before you, will afford you satisfactory evidence that your cause is of God, and that His blessing rests upon your Institution.

In proportion as the principles and objects of the Society become more extensively known and better understood, it derives additional countenance and support from Christian communities at home and abroad. And, whilst on the one hand it receives the most encouraging testimonies to the utility of its past endeavours in behalf of God's ancient people, it is stimulated to fresh exertions by new and enlarged prospects of usefulness on the other; Christians uphold its efforts, and Jews invite them.

DOMESTIC PROCEEDINGS.

Accession of Strength. Auxiliary Associations have been formed at Dorchester, Portsea, MaidenApril, 1822.

48

head, Bradfield near Reading, Stoke upon Trent, and in the Congregation of St. John's Chapel, Bedford Row. To these it gives your Committee peculiar satisfaction to be able to add the recent formation of an Auxiliary Society in the University of Cambridge. The various Associations previously established have continued to aid the Parent Society with the most effectual support, and, in some cases, with augmented contributions. The funds of the Bristol Society in particular were announced at the last Bristol Anniversary, in October 1820, to have exceeded those of the preceding year by £300.

Your Committee are here reminded once more to express the deep obligations which the Society is under to the Ladies' Associations in different parts of the kingdom. The contributions obtained through their means constitute a large proportion of the Society's annual receipts. These have, in several instances, been considerably enlarged by sums of money arising from the sale of work-the fruits of the industry and ingenuity of the members

of these Associations and their female friends.

In the Western counties, besides attending the Anniversaries of the Bristol, the Devon and Exeter, and the Plymouth Auxiliary Societies, and assisting in the formation of a Ladies' Association at Dorchester, the Rev. L. Way and one of your Secretaries had opportunities afforded them of bringing forward the cause of the Society from the pulpits of Wellington, in Somersetshire, and Blandford, in Dorsetshire.

Whilst they were at Plymouth, a respectable and candid Jew, a teacher of Hebrew there, expressed a desire to hold a friendly conversation with his converted brother, Mr. Solomon, who' accompanied them on their tour, on the subject of Christianity. A time was accordingly appointed, and in the presence of some Christian friends who were assembled, an amicable discussion took place. The Jewish teacher displayed a proper candour, and Mr. Solomon was enabled with meekness and fear, to give a reason of the hope that is in him, and to speak like a workman that needeth not to be ashamed. The discussion continued for three hours.

In the months of August and September last, the Rev. C. Simeon, accompanied by one of the Secretaries, made a tour through several of the Midland and Northern counties; in the course of which many gratifying evidences were afforded them, both in public and private, of the increasing interest with which the proceedings of the Society are regarded.

The Rev. L. Richmond kindly renewed his visit to several parts of the North of England; and proceeded into Scotland-affording your Committee an opportunity of once more testifying their grateful sense of the liberality and kindness which has uniformly been shown to the Society by their Northern friends. Mr. Richmond extended his tour into many parts of the Highlands, and into some of the islands; and was every where gladdened with the demon

strations of true Christian feeling in behalf of the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

To the zealous exertions of the Society's friends in Ireland, it has on former occasions been the pleasing duty of your Committee to advert. And to what they have before said they cannot now add more, than that the sanguine anticipations of effectual co-operation which they formed, from the revival of the cause in that island, in behalf of the Jews, have been abundantly realized by the event.

It was the privilege of two of the Society's earliest friends to witness the genuine operation of these principles, and to assist in stimulating and directing them, in a visit which they paid to the sister island in the spring of last year. After attending the Annual Meeting of the Dublin Auxiliary Society, and preaching, on the following Sunday, to crowded and liberal congregations, Mr. Way and Mr. Marsh proceeded through Monastereven, where also they preached, to Limerick. Here they attended a Public Meeting, at which the Bishop of the Diocess, in the Chair, and the Dean, Archdeacon, and Mayor, were present. Sermons were preached at two of the churches, and the Dean offered the Cathedral for the same purpose, but they had not time to avail themselves of his kindness. At Charlville, and at Fermoy, meetings were likewise held, at which a lively interest in the cause was manifest. At Cork, an immense assembly met together, and an Auxiliary Society was formed. Meetings were held also at Kilkenny and Drogheda.

After this, Mr. Marsh being under the necessity of returning to England, Mr. Way proceeded, in company with the Rev. G. Hamilton, to the West and North of Ireland. In this part of the tour, as in that of the Southern parts of the Island, the advocates of the Jewish cause experienced the kindest reception, and most liberal and distinguished patronage. At Athlone they

were most hospitably entertained by the Earl of Castlemaine. At Tuam, the Archbishop opened both his palace and Cathedral to them. At Boyle, Lord Lorton received them into his mansion, and presided at a Public Meeting. At Armagh they were kindly received by Lord Lifford, the Dean of that Cathedral. Besides the places just mentioned, they preached at Galway, at Coleraine, Antrim and Sligo, at the last of which towns, your Committee have the satisfaction of informing you that an Association, in aid of the Irish Auxiliary, has since been formed, under the most encouraging auspices. The feeling excited at Sligo in favour of the cause was truly uncommon. It pervaded all classes of society, unlike any thing I have as yet heard of. The houses at which the Rev. Mr. Bushe and Mr. Nixon remained, were continually crowded, and during the whole days they remained in Sligo, they were literally occupied from morning to night, speaking to the people concerning Judah and Jerusalem. It is with great pleasure your Committee announce that this is the twelfth new Association formed in Ireland since the revival of the cause in that country.

They cannot close this account of the services which Ireland has rendered to the cause, more suitably than by stating that while the remittance from that country last year was only £350, that received from thence this year amounts to £1000, exclusive of a Legacy of £100, bequeathed to the Society by the late Col. Lefroy, of Limerick.

Income and Expenditure.

The total amount of these was stated at page 37 of the Number for July. The following is a more detailed statement:

There are at present under the Society's care forty-one Boys and fortyeight Girls: eight Boys and six Girls have been admitted during the year: six Boys and four Girls have been placed out in service or apprenticeship. The building for the Girls' School has been completed.

In connexion with the Schools, your Committee are induced to mention the following circumstance, as stated in the Jewish Expositor:

A Jewess, the widowed mother of some children in the Schools of the Society, who has been in the habit of attending on the Sabbath at the Episcopal Jews' Chapel, was not long since afflicted with a severe illness. She was visited by the Chaplain and the Rev. Mr. Solomon, and being apparently near her end, she solemnly professed her faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the only Saviour of sinners, and earnestly requested to be baptized. After several visits and much serious examination, there appeared to be no reason to doubt her sincerity, and the ordinance of baptism was accordingly administered to her in the presence of her children. She after