asking what the church would do if the poor of the neighbourhood should flock to worship in such a magnificent house of prayer, the reply was, "We should gladly turn out of our pews to make room for the poorest— no one comes here who is not immediately invited to a seat." Such appears to be the brotherly and sisterly feeling which runs through the various Methodist Churches of Sheffield, and yet the worship of God is to a very great extent neglected by the very class of people whom we are so desirous to benefit-the poor. Let the same spirit of sympathy be imbibed by all the churches of the land, and we may yet hope that a favourable impression, hitherto unknown, will yet be produced on the minds of many of the class called "the masses."

The writer could say much of the public services and love-feast which he attended, but he hastens to the conclusion of a happy day, when he had to hurry away for service in the street. It appeared that sufficient arrangements had not been made for these special open-air services. On going to Moorhead at eight o'clock we paced backwards and forwards for about half-an-hour, when another brother came up, very weary, and to use his own words, " quite worn out "—indeed, so much so that, zealous and untired as he usually is, he suggested that the effort should be abandoned. The writer was not to be discouraged thus, and replying "never" immediately commenced a service, throughout the entire of which the best possible attention was paid to three of the brethren. Our duty had been done, and it may be that an after day will reveal results -duty is ours, results are God's.

The public meeting in Carver Street Chapel was among the best the Association has ever held. The brethren were heartily met by a crowd of friends at the tea-tables, and between the tea and public service another open-air meeting was held, which was sufficiently interesting to incite the inquiry," What meaneth this?"

John Dyson, Esq., the Chairman at the public meeting, was heartily in sympathy with the objects the Local Preachers have in view, and the echo of his words as applied to Wesley seem even now to be ringing, "It came to this crisis: souls must be saved, and saved by hundreds. The vital power of the Gospel must win its way, and orderly or disorderly, regular or irregular, in consecrated ground or out of doors, the work must be done, and the work of God carried on."

At the ordinance of the Lord's Supper held at Norfolk Street Chapel, the writer was deeply interested to observe that the mother of one little boy left him in the pew. To leave him thus passed by appeared very questionable. He was of the age of nine years. He had been heartily singing:

"When from the dust of death I rise,
To claim my mansion in the skies,
Even then, this shall be all my plea,
Jesus hath lived, hath died for me."

Again at the conclusion of the service he joined apparently very sincerely in the words:

"O happy day that fixed my choice
On thee, my Saviour and my God!
Well may this glowing heart rejoice,
And tell its raptures all abroad.

High heaven that heard the solemn vow,
That vow renewed shall daily hear,

Till in life's latest hour I bow,

And bless in death a bond so dear."

We felt constrained to ask him if it was really so that he loved the Saviour, and was converted, when the reply in the affirmative was very prompt. It is so often complained of our children that they become lost to the Church, and at the same time do we not unconsciously foster such separation? When will parents, and the Church of Jesus Christ also, rightly understand the words, "Suffer little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven."

In the business meetings, matters at first went on very slowly. At noon, on Tuesday, being in one of the anterooms, we overheard one brother complaining that he had lost three days of precious time. Had this brother possessed a little more patience he might have stayed on and been satisfied. The work remained to be done, and after three o'clock on Tuesday the brethren began in earnest with the remaining proposed alterations of rules. About a dozen of these proposals were moved, fairly spoken to, voted upon, and settled in the most business-like manner possible, and the usual votes of thanks having been passed with acclamation, the friends separated, and the writer found his way to his kind host's, where members of the meeting were waiting to hear the final result. On being asked how the business proceeded we said, "You have seen the picture of a boy swinging on a gate, 'Happy as a King?'" when the host said, "Is that you ?" We replied, "Yes, the business is all finished, and I hope satisfactorily so."

men.

Before leaving for home next morning we arose early and went into the town for a walk. The first persons we happened to meet were policeTo one of these we mentioned our surprise that on walking about on Saturday evening, and also all Sunday, we had not remembered to have noticed a policeman anywhere. This young man replied, "We are better than we used to be--not so much crime." We asked him if he could tell me the cause; but that was a matter which he appeared not to have considered. Provided such a statement is a correct one, the reason or causes would be an interesting study, and as far as possible the causes of so pleasurable a change should be increasingly cultivated.

In the railway carriage on the return journey there was a striking contrast: an innocent infant, six weeks old, and an aged, dejected-looking woman, clothed in the habiliments of crime, her cloak bearing the marks

of the broad arrow, and her hands in chains. The young woman, who with a policeman had this criminal in charge, appeared to be deeply interested in the hymn of Christian brotherhood which the writer presented to her, and his thought of the forlorn creature dressed in her prison or convict garb, whose long life appeared to have been worse than a blank was-" This also is a sister." N. Y.

SPIRITUAL SLOTH.

BY GEORGE SIMS.

SLOTH! What is it? The answer is, "Laziness, sluggishness, idleness." Now, there is nothing in religion that is consistent with idleness. It is true, there are many Christians who-if we may judge from their practice-seem to think otherwise. Not that they are indolent in the ordinary sense of the word; for many such are among the most active and diligent in the business of this world. But their sluggishness is manifested in regard to moral and spiritual interests. They take no active part in the ordinary operations of the Church, or in those great philanthropic enterprises by which the Church seeks to retain her own spiritual life and to impart it to others. As the Temple was built up with distinct or individual stones, so the Church of God is made up of individual members; and whatever duty is obligatory on the body as a whole, must be binding in its proper ratio on each individual. There is no room for idleness; each has his appointed sphere which no one else can fill. The great question which each one should ask is, "Lord, what wouldest Thou have me to do ? "

The great design of the Church has ever been to bless and to save the world. The accomplishment of this design necessarily implies activity and zeal. The idea of a slumbering Church is as absurd as would be that of a slumbering army on the battle-field. Even in Old Testament times the mission of the Church was apparent. True, it did not act directly on the mass of mankind. It might be then said, "The time is not yet." Its duty was to keep pure the sacred oracles, and to prepare the world for the fuller dispensation of the Gospel. It was not then a missionary Church: its duty was not so much aggressive as conservative and preparatory. It was more like a receiving than a distributing reservoir.

casts.

But with the advent of the Saviour, the mission of the Church was enlarged. It began to act directly on the people; to gather in the outHence greater gifts were bestowed on the Christian community; gifts commensurate with its duties. The Holy Spirit was given in richer plenitude as the element of new and spiritual life. Instead of simply receiving the water of life, and exercising care to retain it in

purity, the Church began the great work of its distribution. In God's purpose were included all lands, all nations, all peoples, of whatever clime or complexion, or language or habits. There was an invitation for every one; so that herein the exhortation of the prophet becomes the invitation of the Gospel: "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters." Hence the Saviour, before leaving His disciples, gave them the broad commission to "go into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature." Surely, in a work so great as this, there must be something for every Christian to do. At any rate, there is nothing in this view of duty which can lull to slumber, or lead to sloth, but everything to rouse to action.

We must also remember that our own spiritual safety and prosperity depend on our fulfilling our part of the mission of the Church. If we cease to labour, we become weak, and less able than formerly to do our work; just as the mechanic, by long abstinence from the use of tools, becomes less able to handle them. The work goes hard. Hence the great danger of sloth. We may assert, as a wholesome truth, that the best way to keep our piety from declension, and our souls from falling, is by trying to save others. The effort put forth to accomplish this will be sure to benefit ourselves. "He that watereth shall be watered also himself."

"In doing and bearing the will of our Lord,
We still are preparing to meet our reward."

Perhaps one cause of spiritual sloth may be found in the fact that many fail to apprehend their duty. It may be they have never been rightly taught; and they need rousing to their responsibilities. How many there are who enter the Church imagining that they have nothing to do but to go through a certain routine, and save themselves; others being altogether forgotten. While some never work at all, there are others who work only at certain times. Is it too much to say of spasmodic piety, that it is spurious piety? Such are stimulated to great activity by the influences of a great revival, or by the urgent solicitation of others. But duty presses upon all, and at all times. We need to labour on with the regularity and persistency of a planet in its orbit, putting forth continued efforts for the salvation of others, until the infirmities of advancing years impede our progress, or we cease at once to work and live."

66

The approaches of slothfulness are often unsuspected, because sloth is a vice that gradually enters and assumes control of the heart. But its presence may be readily known by any who will subject themselves to self-examination. It is sometimes indicated by an indifference to the religious welfare of the Church; and this, in time, is often manifested by an habitual neglect of public services, of prayer, or of partaking of the Lord's Supper; although He has said, "Do this in remembrance of Me," -or by a readiness to find excuses for such omissions.

We make no apology for introducing a statement of President Edwards,

viz., “Another thing that a great deal has been said against, is having so frequent religious meetings, and spending so much time in religion. But yet this objection has been in general groundless. Though worldly business must be done, and persons ought not to neglect the business of their particular callings, yet it is to the honour of God, that a people should be so much in outward acts of religion, as to carry in it a visible, public appearance, of great engagedness of mind in it, as the main business of life; and especially is it fit, that at such an extraordinary time, when God appears unusually present with a people, in wonderful works of power and mercy, that they should spend more time than usual in religious exercises, to put honour upon that God, who is then extraordinarily present, and to seek His face, as it was with the Christian Church at Jerusalem on occasion of that extraordinary pouring out of the Spirit soon after Christ's ascension (Acts ii. 46). And so it was at Ephesus, at a time of great outpouring of the Spirit there; the Christians attended public religious exercises every day for two years together (Acts xix. 8-10). The great complaint that is made against so much time being spent in religion, cannot be in general from a real concern that God may be honoured, and His will done, and the best good of men promoted; as is manifest from this, that now there is much more earnest and zealous outcry made against this extraordinary religion, than was before against so much time spent in tavern haunting, vain company keeping, night walking, and other things which wasted both time and substance, to the injury of our moral virtue."

In addition to this, there is an indifference to the religious welfare of the unconverted. They are permitted to go to ruin unreproved, and apparently uncared for. At the same time, when in the congregation of God's people, we say—

"Enlarge, inflame, and fill my heart

With boundless charity divine !

So shall I all my strength exert,

And love them with a zeal like Thine;

And lead them to Thy open side,

The sheep for whom their Shepherd died."

In short, where there is spiritual sloth, spiritual thought is gradually banished, until the mind is permeated with worldliness. The proprieties of external life may still be observed; the pretence of piety may still be maintained; the routine of ceremonies may still be followed; but the inward piety which draws the soul out in sweet communion with God is dormant, or actually dead. There is "spiritual sloth." For such there can be no real Christian joy. for religion, and often find refuge in forms, and

They lose their relish sometimes get entirely

out of the Church. It becomes every Christian to guard his heart jealously, lest this deadening influence should come upon him. There is no