which belonged to him; his kingdom was deferred, but he, in marked terms, alluded to those scriptures which spoke of that kingdom and the glory thereto belonging. Jesus was crucified with the "title of his accusation set over his head" "Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the Jews;" there then was a public statement of his claim; there, in the last place in which the world ever saw him, he had written over him that which he was of right, and which in due time he will be manifested to be. He rose from the dead; but it was not to take his kingdom at once. He was shewn not openly, but to witnesses chosen before of God; and in their presence he ascended into heaven. Now he is waiting there, waiting till all the present dealings of God in grace shall have come to an end; waiting until God shall send "the rod of his strength out of Zion, saying, Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies :" then will he assume his earthly dominion, and thus will be accomplished all those many promises, to which I have referred; and it will be seen that God is faithful to every word which he hath spoken. The blessing of the earth waits for this coming day;-the blessing of the nations at large cannot be till then,---the blessing of Israel in their own land, will not be before this; thus has God joined together in one point his many spheres of blessing:—and, further, it is not till then-not till Jesus comes forth, that the church will receive its blessing in being with the Lord, meeting him as he cometh, and reigning with him as the sharer in his glory. It is quite true that the present state of the earth, the nations and Israel, is very different from that in which the church is; for the church knows, through the Spirit, the preciousness of the blood of Christ, and thus possesses forgiveness; whereas Israel is unforgiven, and feels the hand of God to be against them;—the nations are still pursuing the things of the world as the willing slaves of Satan ;-and the earth is still under the curse, groaning and travailing in pain together until now. All these need deliverance and righteous rule; and the Church has to long for the possession of that joy and glory which is hers, as the sharer of the throne of Christ her Lord. I do not now rest upon the destroying judgments, wide and fearful in their character, which precede the setting up of the throne of David, that on which I rest is the resulting blessing: I do not dwell on the darkness of the intervening night, but upon the cloudless morning which follows, and the blessing in which those of Israel and of the nations who are spared will be set under the dominion of Christ. How wondrous is the contrast to all that now exists! The world's history has been, and is, one course of misrule; the church is now grievously blended with the world, and every faithful servant of Christ has the consciousness that the Lord is dishonoured not only in the world which was made by him, but in his church likewise. Israel is scattered, bearing the curse of God instead of enjoying the promised blessings :-one thing ends this confusion;-Christ will come, the church will meet him and be like unto him ; Israel will be blessed in his reign over them in their own land;—and the spared of the nations will be blessed under his righteous rule. Well then may every child of God who understands his Father's mind, and hears the word, "Surely I come quickly,"-respond "Amen, even so, come, Lord Jesus !" MISCELLANEOUS. To the Editor of the Inquirer. DEAR SIR,-The accompanying is the translation of a little French tract, published by Guers, Geneva, 1828, entitled "Notice sur Alexandre, Empereur de Russie, par H. L. E., Ministre du Saint Evangile ;" and has this motto, "Le cœur du roi est en la main de l'Eternel" (Prov. xxi. 1). The work has interested me in connection with a state of heart and mind which existed in George 1II, somewhat similar to what it shows to have been the exercise of Alexander's soul and conscience before God. I have felt also that among the nobility and higher class of all countries in Europe in the present day, and especially in England, there is much very similar, which ought to be a subject of special prayer to those in whom the Lord has raised up the desire of seeing his saints emancipated from the bondage of the world and its ignorance. The poor souls of the wealthy and noble who are converted in this country, (or who at least show so much of conscience in exercise resulting from their knowledge of God's grace in Christ, as to justify our supposing them converted), are crippled, and fettered, and kept in bondage by want of light as to those truths "which affect the walk of the saved while in the world:" for, as you are aware, the church, so called, counts conversion to be every thing, and overlooks entirely the care of the flock as such. It had occurred to me at first merely to make extracts from the tract; but as it is short, I have given the whole, and I feel convinced that those who are in the habit of reading your work will need no comment upon the strange inconsistency between the conduct of Alexander as a Christian, and the evidence of his Christianity. It seems most strange that those who have, in per A BRIEF MEMOIR OF ALEXANDER, EMPEROR OF RUSSIA. [It was not at all the intention of the author to publish this memoir; he wrote it simply for himself; but several of his friends having led him to think that it was his duty to pay this tribute to the memory of Alexander, he has yielded to their wishes.] "We must,' says the author of the Provincial News, in his political review of 1825, 'pay this tribute to the character of the Emperor Alexander. No one could have made a more moderate use of unlimited power; and though philosophy may justly have withdrawn its applauses from this prince, who deserted to the ranks of its opponents, it is also just to acknowledge, that he used with admirable prudence a boundless power, which most kings do not fail to abuse. This is real magnanimity.' "If Alexander has shown himself more the man of peace, than the conqueror; if the nobleness of his feelings was displayed in an almost constant denial of all private interest for the sake of the happiness of Europe, it is because his mind was imbued with principles superior to those of philosophy; the doctrines of Christianity were precious to him; he cherished and he held them as the invariable rule of his actions. A proof of this will appear in the traits of character which I am about to mention, sufficient to satisfy all who, free from the spirit of party, are willing to form their judgment upon facts. "The life of Alexander, in his early days, was that of a man of the world. The love of pleasure was the result of those principles which he had imbibed from his birth, Yet (as he was wont to say himself), in the midst of all the enjoyments which he could so easily procure, he never found happiness. In vain did he strive to dissipate thought; the voice of conscience was louder than that of the world, and it left him no rest. The judgment of God and eternity were often present to his mind, and caused him the most poignant distress. "Convinced that the hour would at length arrive, when he must give account of his actions to the King of kings, before whom he trembled to appear, he often resolved to change his life; but his plans of reform vanished almost as soon as they were conceived. The grace of God, which can alone renew man, had not yet reached his unregenerated heart. "Having heard of the piety of Mr, Yung Stilling, counsellor at the court of the Grand Duke of Baden, he hoped to find, in this respected old man, the instructions that he needed to calm his conscience. He had an interview with him in 1812. But Yung, not holding clear and simple views of the gospel, spoke to the Emperor only of the Sovereignty of God, of his claims upon men, of their obligation to observe all the divine commandments; and with this end in view, to increase their efforts to eradicate what is evil and to practise what is good. He said not a word to him about either the great and eternal salvation, which the Lord Jesus has accomplished, or of that pardon of sins which is freely granted to him that believeth. their conversation yielded no comfort to the soul of Alexander. And, in VOL. III Thus, deed, how could he receive consolation? There is no true peace for man, but in the knowledge of his certain reconciliation to God. "Nevertheless, Alexander became more serious. From that time he was seen labouring to subdue his passions, to master the feeling of irritation which arose in his mind against those who opposed his wishes; to apply himself diligently to the reading of the Word of God, which he constantly carried about with him,* and to endeavour scrupulously to fulfil the commandments it contained. But all his efforts were in vain; and, as Paul expresses it, he found no power in himself to do that which is good.† "Such was the spiritual condition of Alexander, when called to leave the capital for the celebrated campaign of 1813. A lady at the court, who had some knowledge of his inward conflicts, sent him, at the moment of his departure from Riga, a copy of the 91st Psalm (He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High, &c."), entreating him to read it frequently, and assuring him, that he would find in it the consolation he needed. The Emperor took the paper in haste, put it in his pocket and departed. He was three days without taking off his clothes, and entirely forgot what this lady had sent. Arrived on the frontiers of his dominions, he was called to hear the discourse of a bishop, who took for his text the 13th verse of this very Psalm,- Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder; the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.' This discourse, which was rather in the prophetic strain, fixed his attention; but his astonishment was still greater, when, in the evening, on looking over his papers, he found the copy of the same Psalm: *The Bible which he used, was a translation from the Vulgate, printed at Cologne, in 1808, in 8vo. + Romans vii. 18. 3 H he read it with emotion, and thought he perceived, in this circumstance, a leading of Providence to induce him to reflect more seriously on the interests of his soul. "Some time after, he heard a letter read, which Madame de Krudener had written to Mlle. de Stourdza; he was struck with the unction with which Madam de Krudener spoke of the mercy of God made manifest in Jesus Christ for sinners. 'There,' said he to himself, 'is a person who could explain to me what is passing in my own mind.' "The campaign of 1815 commenced. Alexander, on his way to the headquarters at Heidelberg, entered Heilbronn, Sunday, June 4. As he was approaching this city, the truths contained in Madame de Krudener's letter recurred to his recollection, and made him desirous of seeing that celebrated lady. He was not aware that she had taken up her residence in that neighbourhood for three months past. Madam de Krudener, on the other hand, wishing to have an interview with Alexander, had repaired to Heilbronn. Immediately on his arrival, she presented herself in his antichamber, and handed to Prince Volkonski a letter of introduction. The Emperor, on taking the letter, asked from whom it came. From Madame de Krudener,' replied the Prince. • From Madam de Krudener!' cried the Emperor three times; 'what a providence! where is she? let her come in immediately.' "During this first interview, Madame de K. endeavoured to call Alexander's attention to the state of his heart, showing him his condition as a sinner, the evils of his past life, and the pride that had influenced him in all his plans of reformation. "No, Sire,' said she, with earnestness, You have not yet approached the God-man, as a criminal coming to ask for grace; you have not yet received grace from Him, who alone has power on earth to forgive sins; you are still in your sins; you are not yet humbled before Jesus; you have not yet, like the publican, cried from the bottom of your heart, God be merciful to me a sinner! And that is the reason you have not peace. Listen to the voice of a woman who has also been a great sinner, but who has found the pardon of all her sins at the foot of the cross of Christ.' "In this strain did Madame de K. speak to her sovereign for nearly three hours. Alexander could only utter a few broken sentences. Resting his head upon his hands, he wept abundantly. Every word that he heard was, according to the expression of Scripture, as a two-edged sword, piercing to the bottom of his soul and spirit, and judging the secret purposes of his heart.* At length Madame de Krudener, terrified at the state of distress into which her words had plunged Alexander, said to him, Sire, I ask pardon for the tone in which I have spoken to you. Believe me, it is in the sincerity of my heart, and as in the sight of God, that I have told you those truths, that have never yet been declared to you. I have only acquitted myself of a sacred duty towards you.' Fear not,' replied Alexander, ‘all that you have said is suited to the state of my heart; you have assisted me to discover in myself some things which I never saw before; I am thankful to God; but I want conversations of this sort often, and I entreat you not to absent yourself from me.' "The next day Alexander removed to head-quarters. Hardly had he arrived, when he wrote to Madame de K. to repair to him, informing her, that he greatly needed to converse at large upon what had for a long time occupied his thoughts. You will find me,' said he, lodged in a little house in the suburbs of the city. I have chosen this habitation in preference to every other, because I have *Heb. iv. 12. there found my banner, a cross, set up in the garden. "Madame de K. replied to this invitation immediately. She set off from Heilbronn with her household on the 8th of June, and arrived at Heidelberg the next day. She took for her abode a peasant's cottage, on the left bank of the Neckar, at the foot of a hill, ten minutes' walk from the residence of Alexander. To this humble abode, Alexander, tearing himself away from his numerous avocations, used to come regularly every other day, to spend the evening from ten o'clock till two in the morning, and to unite with us in reading the Word of God, in prayer, and in familiar conversation on the eternal truths of salvation. "These conferences, which continued all the time of his stay at Heidelberg, were far from having any political object, as some journals wished to insinuate. Assembled by a special providence round a great prince, who was seeking from us the consolations of religion to calm his conscience, we should have thought it a sin against God, and a violation of the confidence which the Emperor had reposed in us, had we spent the time in conversing on the perishing things of time; and those persons of different parties, who were incessantly surrounding us, never could avail themselves of our assistance to forward any of their designs. No, no; when a person is inpressed with the conviction, that after death comes the judgment, and the results of that judgment are of eternal duration; when he knows that he who dies out of Christ, dies as he was born, under condemnation; it, is impossible to engage him who is seeking the truths of the Gospel with any other subjects than those immutable truths. "So great was the desire of Alexander to grow in the knowledge of the truth, 'chat he was always the first to point, out some parts of the sacred bocks that might form the subject of o'ar conversation; and the reflections which he made showed that he was enlightened by the Holy Spirit. "The first time that I was introduced to him, after a few minutes' conversation, in which he spoke of the evils of his past life with a deep feeling of grief, I took the liberty to put this question to him: Sire, have you now peace with God? Are you assured of the pardon of your sins?' He was for a moment silent, as if he were interrogating himself, and fearing he might deceive himself: then, as if a veil had been lifted from before his face, he looked up towards heaven with an animated and peaceful look, and exclaimed, with a voice both firm and full of feeling, I am happyyes, I am very happy. I have peace-the peace of God. . . . . I am a great sinner, but since Madame (meaning Madame de K.) has shewn me that Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost, I know-I believe, that my sins are forgiven. The Word of God says, He that believeth on the Son of God, on God the Saviour, is passed frora death unto life, and shall never come into condemnation. I believe yes, I have faith...... John the Baptist says, Whosoever believeth on the Son hath eternal life.... But I stand in need of conversation on religion; I want to speak of what is passing within me, and to get counsel. I ought to be surrounded with those who may help me to walk in the path of the Christian, to raise me above that which is earthly, and to fill my heart with the things of heaven.' "This conversation, of which I cannot now relate further particulars, showed me that Alexander had obtained the precious gift of faith, of that strong yet simple faith which is based upon nothing but the word of God, and which, inasmuch as it is a persuasion which God alone gives, rises above all the petty reasonings of men. "He often recurred, in conversation, to the benefits we derive from the |